#seriously though the ENERGY he would bring to an opening or closing ceremony

[grunge-mermaid]

if we don't get Mika performing at the Paris 2024 olympics in some way shape or form, I'm going to be very disappointed

#mika #mikasounds #seriously though the ENERGY he would bring to an opening or closing ceremony #like eurovision meets disneyland paris pride energy. you can't lose #and he'll have a french album out by then (she said hopefully. he's been approving final mixes so it has to be soon right?) #but he's already got some french bangers and bops #i know he sang blame it on the girls at the london olympics during beach volleyball #(if there is a video of that somewhere pls share <3) #so there's a precedence #put our boy on the main stage you won't regret it

[fandom-space-princess]

The Game of Us

Rating: T (gen, no warnings)

Chapter 4: Lucifer

“You still haven’t answered my question. What are you doing here? It’s over. I’d say you won, but I get the feeling we both lost, after all. Isn’t that enough? Can’t you leave me in peace?”

“Is this peace?” Michael asks quietly. “What you have here?”

Lucifer bends a leg up to curl arms around it, rests his chin on his knee. “I am very good at being alone, Michael.” Michael winces, but that curious flatness is back in Lucifer’s voice; the words, for all that they should be an accusation, hold only stale resignation. “Better than you know.”

Read below the cut, or on AO3

************************************

“Why are we here? Who are you, that you would ask this of us?”

The man—and he is a man, now, for all that his form remains indistinct at the edges—regards him critically. “You continue to plead ignorance on each of those points, but come now. We both know better.”

Michael says nothing, but his shoulders slump in resignation.

“I had hoped... well. It doesn’t matter.”

“Denial can protect you in some circumstances, spur you to action in others. It will do neither in this case, and you know that. Your Maker will not return for you, Mikha’el, not now and not ever. He was never the being you believed Him to be, but that is hardly your fault. Come to terms with it, and move forward. You have responsibilities to attend to.”

The man strides off, unwilling to slow his pace, and Michael plods after him. Each step is a challenge; the mass of disquiet and unease he carries feels more of a burden the farther he goes. He studies his feet as he walks. There is one thing he cannot deny now, at least: he is certain that he no longer looks like Chuck. Whatever image he does currently project, his benefactor has no commentary to make on the subject. His thoughts lie decidedly elsewhere.

“I am here to restore balance to reality,” he continues. “Nothing more, and nothing less. It is my sole and solemn role in this universe, and it is one I take quite seriously. Whatever your Father intended for His creation, your presence is required for that balance to hold—all four of you. Recent events have threatened irreversible catastrophe. I refuse to let this come to pass.”

He thinks of Raphael, immovable and still in their mourning. “All of us?”

The man waves his hand, dismissive. “Save your worrying for where it’s needful. The healer will come along in due time. We have—reached an accord.” He pauses. “Talking of needs, you still have one brother left to convince. Bit of a hard sell, I’m afraid you’ll find.”

His grace roils within him, but he feels the shape he wears begin to solidify. The space around him begins to brighten, bit by bit. “If I fail to convince him... what becomes of us? What will you do?”

The man fixes him with a stony look.

“What I always do. To wit: clean up the mess of those around me. Believe me, reinstating the four of you is by far my preferred option; a good deal more pleasant for all of us, all things considered. But if that option is unavailable to me, I will do what I must.”

The man smiles. He thinks the expression might be intended as gentleness. “I have the utmost faith in you. Appreciate what you are being given, First of Heaven. Take advantage of it to the fullest, while the opportunity is still available to you.” He shrugs, and motions for Michael to walk ahead without him.

“Not everyone is offered a second chance.”

************************************

The path under his feet may be constant, but around him reality ebbs and flows like the tide, hills and forest eddying away on the greater currents of night. He focuses only on the path, on keeping his feet under him; ignores the pull of psychic undertow that threatens to drag him down.

I am not like my Father, he thinks as he walks. It stings. He feels carefully around the edges of the thought, tries to grasp it again. I am not my Father’s creature. That one hurts too. I am not the son He wanted me to be.

The light surrounding Michael continues to brighten, a dim but insistent glow.

He was not the Father I thought I had .

That one hurts worst of all.

What am I, if not the son to the Father I thought I knew? What is my purpose, if I do not serve?

Without noticing, he has begun to climb. The path winds slowly up, toward the peak of a hillside overlooking the expanse of the sea. It is only when he crests the hill and comes face-to-face with a low stone wall that he realizes what this place is meant to be.

It has been millennia since he last gave thought to the Oracle of the Dead.

He runs his hands across the memory of stone, worn smooth by time in some places, pitted in others by the salt-sea air. Twenty paces along the perimeter of the wall, and a gap in the earth yawns open before him. Rough-hewn steps lead downward to a shadowed door. He thinks of the gate to the Cage, and shudders.

He has come this far. For his brothers, for himself—he can do this.

Michael descends, and the ground closes in around him.

************************************

Though he has never set foot in this place corporeally, knowledge is a map etched into his grace. An antechamber, high and vaulted, stands between himself and the temple’s ceremonial gates. Through these, human mourners and congregants would have passed to seek communion with their dead. A labyrinthine warren of lesser tunnels spreads out from this point as well. Passages to more intimate chambers in which those same seekers would have made preparation: catechesis from holy priests and cleansing by water and by more esoteric means. They would have walked their own paths to this destination, he thinks. They would have made sacrifices.

His own path will have to serve as purification enough. Inhaling deeply, he passes under the first gate. As he does so, the light surrounding him brightens.

There is no denying the source of that light, now.

Beyond the first gate, the way descends again, switchback tunnels with secrets hovering just beyond his grasp around each corner. And yet, he feels as though he’s gaining ground: for every step nearer his destination, his will is becoming more focused, achieving something like surety. He can feel it in the settling of his grace, in the resolution of the image he is now all but certain he projects.

At the second gate, he hears the distant rumble of water. The way beyond is flat, and straight. Five hundred feet on, the third gate looms.

Shadows flicker around him, though the torches set into the dusty walls have long since forgotten flame.

As he draws near the final threshold, he sees them, out of the corners of his eyes. He’d had few enough occasions to manifest them during his brief time on Earth, but now he cannot seem to do anything else.

The trailing edges of his wings, pulled tight to his shoulders, brush the walls of the tunnel. They’re glowing, what of them he is able to see, casting light in this darkest of places.

The light is like...

Michael shivers.

Like the dawn.

************************************

The final gate opens, not onto any chamber carved by the hands of man, but a natural grotto, rock worn away over the span of centuries. The river pours through a crack in the ground far above. Its name whispers in his mind, hallowed and ancient: Acheron. It spills forty feet through open air before spending its energy in a churning subterranean pool. Light from his wings refracts through the waterfall, dancing and shimmering across the walls.

Then again... not solely from his wings.

The figure seated at the foot of the waterfall stares into it, and does not look up as he approaches.

“Why are you here?” Lucifer asks. The words come out flat, oddly empty. As though it were not truly a question he cared to hear the answer for. “What could possibly bring our Father’s favorite son to the edge of the river of woe?”

Michael walks past him, circling the edge of his field of vision. He feels the moment Lucifer turns to lay eyes on him for the first time. Senses the hard edge of immediacy his focus gains.

At least he has his attention. He sighs. For all that he knows what to do with it.

He seats himself at the edge of the pool, extending one unshod foot out to dangle over the water. Studies his reflection, looking back up at him. Everything about the face he wears is sharp: high carved cheekbones and ice-chip eyes, blond curls smooth as cut diamond. He glows brightly, now, as though he has swallowed the sun; a luminescence that overflows, spilling out across skin and wings and pulsing a song of home holy bright pure home home home.

The Lightbringer’s first form had always been radiant.

His reflection is abruptly joined by its double in the water. Lucifer settles next to him, staring openly.

“You mock me.”

Michael grimaces. “I don’t. This place... if there is any mocking to be done, I’m a far worthier target than you are.” Lucifer reaches out to him, caution and curiosity warring across his face. With the tips of his fingers at Michael’s jaw, he turns his head. Examines his duplicate with narrowed eyes. After a moment, he draws back, and his gaze returns to the waterfall.

A glint of metal catches his eye, and Michael flinches. Thick golden manacles encircle Lucifer’s wrists. He can’t believe he has failed to noticed them until now. Though his brother seems undisturbed by them, Michael knows how heavy they must be.

“You still haven’t answered my question. What are you doing here? It’s over. I’d say you won, but I get the feeling we both lost, after all. Isn’t that enough? Can’t you leave me in peace?”

“Is this peace?” Michael asks quietly. “What you have here?”

Lucifer bends a leg up to curl arms around it, rests his chin on his knee. “I am very good at being alone, Michael.” Michael winces, but that curious flatness is back in Lucifer’s voice; the words, for all that they should be an accusation, hold only stale resignation. “Better than you know.”

For several long moments, the only sound is the crash of the water.

“I was told to come to you,” he ventures finally. Lucifer’s gaze snaps to him, and Michael fights a sudden impulse to squirm under it.

“By whom?”

Michael shakes his head sadly. “Not... not Him.”

The spark in Lucifer’s eyes fades as rapidly as it had appeared. He tilts his head and squints, as though listening to a conversation just at the edge of hearing. A blink, then he scowls. “Ah. Him, then. What does he want? I’m dead. So far as he should be concerned, his job is complete. Can’t get much deader.”

“We’ve been tasked to return to the world. Our Father no longer orders the universe. Without us, reality stands to fall to ruin. I was commanded to bring you back with me.”

Lucifer stares at him, wide-eyed and incredulous. Then he tips his head back, a bark of laughter tearing free from his throat.

“You—you honestly think I’ll come with you. Why, exactly? An overabundance of goodwill? A sense of camaraderie? Family? You took a few too many blows to the head in life, O Best-Beloved Son. What has reality been for me but pain?”

His grin is serene, beautiful, and all the more vicious for it.

”The world can burn.”

He turns away. Glides languidly to the lip of the pool, and extends an arm to let the mist from the waterfall dance across his fingers.

“I don’t think it is peace I have here.” Water runs down his hand, collects over the metal at his wrist. He watches it bead and fall, a slow and steady drip. “But at least I have certainty. You know, I never really let myself believe that it would play out like this? I should have understood you better, but I always...” He glances back at Michael, then shakes his head. “... you were always His, at the expense of everything else. Everyone else. That’s all He made you to be.”

The air between them is stretched taut, tense and fraying. Michael feels it in his bones, the ease with which he could snap it.

Instead, he stands, and paces to Lucifer’s side. Lays a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry."

Lucifer tenses under his touch.

“You aren’t,” he spits. “You’re desperate, and you’re serving a master. Just like you’ve always done.” He turns abruptly to face Michael, all cold and sudden fury, and grasps his wrist.

“I am,” Michael says. He lets the remorse resonate in his voice, and knows Lucifer hears it when he snarls in return.

“Too little, too late, Mike. All I’ve ever been is the means to someone else’s end.” He shoves Michael back a step. “The universe needs me so much? Well, good riddance to the universe. Nothing Dad made is worth saving. Nothing.”

His wrath is incandescent, a blaze of grace through the air around them. He advances on Michael; poised to do what, Michael isn’t sure. Lucifer raises a hand, as though to strike him, or push him away again? And—

Michael sinks to his knees before him, and bows his head. It startles Lucifer into stillness.

“You are.”

"What? "

“You are,” Michael repeats, barely a whisper. “Worth saving. Gabriel is, and Raphael is, and you are. And if you don’t agree...” His breath hitches, and his eyes clench shut. “Then I won’t fight you. I haven’t earned the right, and I know that. But I’m not leaving here, either. If everything ends, then it ends.” He inhales deeply. “But I won’t let you stay here and burn out of existence alone.”

In the space between heartbeats that follows, the silence is absolute. Even the sound of the water vanishes. Michael opens his eyes, and dares to peer up at Lucifer.

His face is blank with shock.

“You don’t mean that,” he grits out, but the conviction has gone out of it.

“I do.”

He drops to the ground beside Michael, head falling into his hands. Cautiously, a millimeter at a time, Michael extends a wing. Until, at last, it drapes across Lucifer’s shoulders.

“Come with me,” Michael asks. “Please. Gabriel and Raphael are already waiting. We can move forward. Become something new, something beyond Him. Together.”

From behind his hands Lucifer chokes on a laugh that transforms partway through into something more closely resembling a sob. “How?” he asks. Michael hears the rest of the thought, unspoken but weighty: how can we leave this behind? How do I move forward?

Gently, he tugs Lucifer’s hands from his face. Takes them in his own.

“Drink from the river.”

Lucifer’s gaze flashes to the waterfall, and the corner of his mouth quirks in what might be amusement, voice thick with emotion. “Cleanse myself like the humans did, huh? ‘Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.’ I have to admit it has... style.” He chuckles.

Michael smiles back at him. “Nothing about this is what I expected it to be. Least of all our benefactor’s sense of humor.”

They pull each other to their feet, and Lucifer turns to face the river.

“Better than the last time I interacted with him. Guess that’s an apology I owe. Though I suppose I’ll be seeing him soon enough.” He steps forward, then looks back at Michael. “Hey, Mike?”

“Yes?”

“Not that this isn’t a good look on you—” A broad, sweeping gesture indicates Michael’s still-radiant form, identical to his own. “But I hope you can find something that suits you better. He can’t define you any more, no more than He can define me. Even by virtue of opposition.” He extends both hands out into the waterfall, water trickling down his arms as before. This time, when it makes contact with the golden metal at his wrists, the manacles dissolve away, mist into mist.

He watches them go, an unreadable expression on his face.

“We both deserve to be more than that.”

He dips his head to his cupped hands, and drinks.

************************************

(Chapter notes:

- Latin from the Aeneid. “If I cannot bend the will of Heaven, I shall move Hell.” Acheronta in the case of the original quote being Virgil’s colloquialism for the underworld as a whole, in addition to the name of the river.

- The setting here is very, very loosely based on descriptions of the Nekromanteion of Acheron. The original purpose of the temple was the practice of necromancy, and to pay tribute to Hades and Persephone. People would come to the temple to cleanse themselves before seeking to speak with the dead. As a place to reinvent yourself so completely that you end up literally reincarnated, it seemed fitting :) )

#spnarchangelweek #day 3 lucifer #michael spn #gabriel spn #raphael spn #lucifer spn #my fanfic #spn #supernatural

[evermoreholland]

I Do | Charlie Gillespie

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x Fem!Reader

Summary: You and Charlie decided to get married on Christmas without much planning.

Warnings: Just fluff

Word Count: 1,632

A/n: This was a request from @d4whovian!

“Mommy, that little boy’s crying,” 6-year-old you told your mother. You had gone to the park with your parents and you saw a little boy crying by the slide. He had long brown locks and hazel eyes.

“Go see if he wants to play, honey,” your mother said, pushing you in the direction of the little boy. You made your way over to the boy and sat next to him by the slide.

“I’m Y/n, what’s your name?” You asked as you reached out your hand for him to shake. He laughed at your formality.

“Je m'appelle Charlie,” the young boy spoke. You noticed how he spoke French. Your parents often spoke in French, as well as English. In Dieppe, it was common to speak both.

“My mommy and daddy speak in French too.”

“I also know English, but my mom thinks French is a pretty language,” Charlie said with a toothy grin.

“Wanna be friends, Charlie?” you asked the boy with hope in your eyes.

“No one ever wants to be my friend,” he responded, shocked that you had pursued any interest in him.

“I do, I do.” You said excitedly. That would not be the only time you said those words to him.

~~~

You and Charlie had been friends ever since the two of you met in the park. You got along almost instantly, and your parents loved Charlie as well. Your mothers became close, almost inseparable. You were grateful of course. You were glad that your parents loved Charlie and his family almost as much as you did. It was all you could have ever wanted.

“Y/n, you know I love you, right?” Charlie asked as the two of you were sitting on your bed watching Beaches, your all-time favorite movie. It was a movie about two best friends and the power of their love for one another. It always brought tears to your eyes. You held that movie close to your heart. It reminded you of the amazing bond you and Charlie shared.

17-year-old you was absolutely stunned by your best friend’s confession. Yeah, the two of you loved each other, but you never said anything. It goes without saying that you loved Charlie, with every fiber of your being. But in what way was he referring to?

“Yeah, I know. I love you, too.” You replied.

“No, I mean that I am in love with you.” A part of you saw this confession coming. Your mother has been telling you for years that Charlie was in love with you, but you tried not to make a big deal out of it. Now, on the other hand, you definitely were freaking out a bit.

“Are you serious?” You asked. You had no idea what else to say. You were trying to buy yourself some time to think about the correct thing to say to him, Charlie, the love of your life and best friend forever.

“Dead serious. You mean the world to me.”

“You mean the world to me, too.” That goes without saying. You would do anything for Charlie. He was everything to you. Without him, you don’t know where you’d be.

“So, do you feel the same way about me?”

“I do, Charlie. I really do.”

~~~

You and Charlie had dated for a beautiful five years before Charlie decided to pop the question of marriage. You understand why he waited, though. You were both so young and he wanted to make sure everything was perfect and that the timing was right.

“Y/n, there is no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with,” twenty-two-year-old Charlie Gillespie tells you after a fantastic and successful dinner date for your birthday. You were both finally at home, sprawled out on the couch drinking some red wine. The room was calm and it couldn’t have been more perfect than it was.

“What are you saying, Charlie?” You asked, so much hope in your eyes that he’d say what you absolutely wanted him to say. Charlie got up from his spot on the couch and kneeled in front of you. He reached for his back pocket and pull out a red velvet box. He opened it gently and there revealed a beautiful diamond ring.

“I love you, Y/n. Will you marry me?”

“Yes, Charlie. Of course, I will marry you!” You exclaimed and then jumped into his arms. Tears were streaming down your face and Charlie made sure to kiss every inch of your face.

“I’m taking that you really love me, babe.” Charlie teased.

“I do.”

~~~

It was finally Christmas, your favorite time of the year. You loved getting to spend time with your family and all of the people that you love. You and Charlie were at your parents’ house at your annual Christmas Eve party. Your entire family was there, along with Charlie’s. It was the perfect opportunity to gather everyone together to celebrate the holiday.

“I’ve been thinking,” Charlie said. You were both sitting on the couch, sipping on some egg nog while your mother finished setting up the game the entire family was about to play.

“That can’t be good.” You teased.

“Very funny, Y/n. Anyway, I was thinking, why wait to plan an entire wedding when we can get married right here?”

“What are you trying to say, Charlie?”

“I want to get married to you, today, in front of both of our families.” He said with the biggest smile on his face.

“Did I hear something about getting married right now?” Your mother interjected.

“That sounds like an amazing idea!” Jeanette, Charlie’s mother, agreed.

“You know what? Let’s do it,” you said and everyone shouted in happiness for the two of you.

Your cousin decided to get a marriage license online to do the ceremony. It wasn’t ideal, but it was perfect nonetheless. You were about to marry the love of your life, what couldn’t be better than that?

“Good evening everyone! From this place, the beautiful home of Y/n’s parents, we take ourselves out of the usual routines of daily living to witness a unique moment in the lives of Charles and Y/n. Today they join their lives in the union of marriage.” Your cousin said in front of all of your family, finally beginning the ceremony. You and Charlie were standing in the front of the room holding hands, ready to get married.

“A marriage, as most of us understand it, is a voluntary and full commitment. It is made in the deepest sense to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire and hope that it will last for life. Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today.” She said and you both nodded your heads.

“Charlie, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Y/n in marriage? If so, answer I do.”

“I do,” Charlie said in a heartbeat.

“Y/n, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Charlie in marriage? If so, answer I do.”

“I do.”

“Now, for the marriage vows.” You and Charlie planned on writing your own vows and now you would both have to do them on the spot. It was spontaneous and it fit both of your personalities.

“Y/n, from the moment I met you by the slide by the playground, I knew you were it for me,” Charlie said and everyone laughed. “In all seriousness, you make me a better man. You bring out the best qualities in me and for that I am grateful. I promise to love you until the day I die, and I promise to always make you laugh. I promise to provide for you and take of you. I promise to love you until my last breath and I mean that with every fiber of my being. I love you, Y/n. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

You couldn’t help but cry. He was truly perfect.

“Charlie, it’s always been you. From the moment I saw you, I knew that I always wanted you to be in my life. You are truly captivating, Charlie Gillespie. Your unique and bright energy brought me to you. You have passion for everything you do and I admire you for that. You are inspiring and one of a kind. I’m lucky to know you. I promise to love you each and every day for the rest of our lives. I know that I have some flaws but I promise that I will never stop loving you, Charlie.”

“Charlie, do you take Y/n to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?” Your cousin continued on with the wedding ceremony.

“I do. With all of my heart.” Charlie said.

“Y/n, do you take Charlie to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

“So now by the power vested in me, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife. Charlie, you may now kiss your bride.”

Charlie did not waste any time on that. It was indeed a merry Christmas after all.

#charlie gillespie imagine #charlie gillespie #charlie gillespie x reader

[curedigiqueen]

This year I spontaneously watched Appmon nearly 2 times, and I have thoughts about it. And what better way to acknowledge it than on its 5th Anniversary. (Or 4th anniversary of Our Singularity). I'm planning on at least covering my thoughts on the main 5 kids this month, in an order based 100% on who I want to talk about first.

It's Astra.

I think Astra is generally the least liked Appmon character, or perhaps more accurately, is the character I see the most disdain for. And, honestly, I can understand where it comes from. But he’s my favorite Appmon character actually. In a cast with a non-conventional protagonist, a blackbelt idol, and a hacker, Astra’s “Apptube” is well, just kind of there. Like a more modern version of Eri’s idol career. His personality is clearly meant to be representative of the target audience, the group whose number one career aspiration is Youtuber. So, he’s kind of cringy and kind of annoying, especially to an adult audience. I get it. But Astra’s a character I found to have a lot of stuff going on.

I admittedly tend to have a soft spot for the babies of any team, especially if they are assertive enough to keep up with their seniors. And Astra does fit the bill. He’s generally seen to be on equal footing with the others, and his rather aggressive way of talking to the other doesn’t exactly make you think baby of the team. He doesn’t use honorifics, and in general Astra’s referred to in the same terms as Haru and Rei. (As near as I can tell, anyway with my nonexistent Japanese skills, correct me if I’m wrong). The fact he’s in elementary school is a bit more incidental than anything.

We learn the most about Astra’s family and upbringing compared to the other characters, and it is central to his arc. We get a lot of information straightforwardly in the show. He had a lot of pressure on him as the heir to the school, and felt pressured to act the part of the perfect heir. Throughout the show we see him struggle with the pressure of being the heir. As a child he was extremely dedicated to following his father's footsteps. He didn’t seem to see himself as anything other than the heir to his father's school. He seemed set apart from other children, seemingly due to the closed-off way he acted. This dedication to being a good heir was to the detriment of his happiness. Until Musimon came into his life allowing him to loosen up and seek his own happiness. Classic stuff. But Astra is a little more at war with himself than may be obvious by his “annoying” attitude.

While we first learn about Astra suppressing his own eccentricities, in his debut episodes, it’s not until later that we learn about his mother, and learn that this side of his personality didn’t come out of nowhere. His mother is very similar to him, which gives us the question of why he ever became so disciplined in the first place if his behavior isn't out of place in his family, and his mother is a strong advocate for him doing his own thing. In fact, Astra seemed initially a bit embarrassed by his mother when he introduced her to the other Appdrivers. Of course this is almost certainly because his mother calling his friend “pretty” and gushing about her husband and how they met is embarrassing, and even if Astra himself acts just as obnoxious. But even so, he's clearly less respectful towards her. The reasons behind why Astra calls his mother by her first name are unclear, though it doesn't seem to stem from a lack of love for his mother.

But regardless, it helps build the idea that more likely, he was trying to win the approval of people outside his immediate family. After all, as shown in episode 7, it was the assumption that Astra would inherit the school by others that prompted Astra’s response to his father. Even if Astra’s father does have a desire for Astra to inherit his position, he also understands that it's first and foremost Astra’s life to live. Astra however does have a lot of respect for his father and seems to value his opinion immensely, he recognizes that not inheriting the school would be disappointing to his father and does not want to disappoint him. So while I think there is something to be said for Astra’s behavior relating to a desire to impress his father, I don’t personally think it's the origin in its entirety.

Astra over the course of the series is very independent and marches to his own beat, Astra, like Eri, had made the first step to change prior to his introduction, but that doesn’t mean he was already completely different from the boy who acted stiff to prove himself to others. Astra’s second episode deals with him succumbing to peer pressure in his new activity, and his final episode is about not succumbing to his uncle's expectations, the old expectations that kept him down for so long. (But it's also a bit about fulfilling Hinarin’s expectations, expectations he agreed to).

Despite Apptubing being the career choice where Astra does as he pleases, his final episode isn’t about him Apptubing because he wants to but as a way to help someone else. Particularly his cousin. While it isn’t explicitly clear if Astra knows it’s his cousin the fact of the matter is that he’s helping his family through his Apptubing, even if it is something he picked up for himself. (A reasoning perhaps parallels Eri’s reasons for being an idol, wanting to bring smiles to her mom, despite it clearly being something she herself enjoys). His care for his family is exactly the reason he continues to train to be the heir, but that doesn’t mean even if he doesn’t uphold expectations that he can’t be a help to his family.

Astra’s arc deals with expectations vs. a desire to help. Astra in large part is assertive about not having to help other people out and doing his own thing, recognizing he doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to. But his actions consistently betray his care for others. I think this is most evident in the way Astra acted as if he wasn’t going to help Eri out with her elections, but did so anyway, even if he antagonized her a bit in the process, but ended up being the proudest of her accomplishments. Not to mention the way he continues to train as the heir, albeit on his own terms. Over the course of the series, he becomes more open with his care towards others, culminating in the jailbreak episode, but he’s always been shown to care. He’s finding that balance between living his own life and helping others.

It’s clear that Astra doesn’t hate being heir at least. He’s extremely determined to do both. And personally, I think it’s very possible that he sees Apptubing as a hobby. He after all proposed the half-hour limit himself. Even at the beginning with his most abrasive. He dutifully kept it to a relatively small impact on his life. For all that it’s brought up as an important element in his life, and he is shown breaking his own rule on occasion without consequence. One of the longest times we see him Apptubing is when he’s helping Eri out. Of course on the flip side of that, we have episode 8 where he breaks the rule because his videos aren't doing as well as he likes, but that's definitely tying back to his desire for people's approval. While he is for lack of a better word, tempted into giving up training to be an iemoto to dedicate himself to Apptubing, it isn’t something he seems to seriously consider at all.

The biggest thing Musimon gave him was not the courage to be an Apptuber, but the courage to be himself. Indulging in Apptubing for fun is merely a small part of that. Astra is still the good heir, but he is no longer letting that define his entire life, sometimes forgoing certain parts of training. But that doesn’t mean that tea ceremony is a bad part of his life. There’s also a certain balance in his personality between the abrasive “annoying” boy at the start of the series and the passive boy prior to the show's beginning. I don’t feel that the polite Astra is completely disingenuous. Astra is capable of acting calm and grounded, and this side of himself becomes more apparent as the series goes on, particularly with Eri who, in contrast to him, throws herself into her idol career with more and more genuine passion. When he supports Eri with his videos but asks her to take a break, which tracks with what we know about his fathers working habits. It’s his final focus episode where he is shown to be acting, more in someone else's interest, and even shown to be a bit embarrassed by it. In contrast to an Astra who even in episode 19, was not taking much seriously. I think it’s only fair to say Astra did genuinely inherit some of his father's more grounded and dutiful nature.

And while earlier I did say Astra’s age feels incidental, I don’t think that is to say it has no bearing on his role in the story. It's part of the reason Eri is so dismissive of him at first, Sure, the other’s treat him as equal, and are in no way particularly protective of him, nor do they expect him to be any less capable than him. But this isn’t to say Astra’s relative youthfulness isn’t apparent when with the others at least in the beginning. Astra is definitely on the more immature side of things, he after all is the one who started the rivalry with Eri because his ego was bruised (not that Eri's initial dismissal of him was helping matters any). As I said earlier, Astra mellowed as the show progressed and I think it’s a fair assumption to say he’d continue to do so. Not that he’ll lose his energy, but that he’ll be able to act with more maturity and consideration for others. The most common complaint about him I’ve heard is “annoying”, which is understandable. But that’s not accidental, even in-universe (hah), others seem to find him to be a bit much at first at the beginning of the series. His “annoying” personality is him testing the waters beyond the role of dutiful heir he’s always played. He’s annoying because he’s an 11-year-old boy who does not always know how to act in ways appropriate to his situation. He’s the kid of the group. I do understand if that still makes watching irritating. Watching should be fun after all, but it’s more of a matter of opinion than an objective flaw.

Unlike Gatchmon, Offmon, and Dokamon whose personalities seem to clash a bit with their buddies, Musimon and Astra are consistently on the same page, after episode 8. This is exemplified in episode 29, where Musimon runs away for fun rather than because he wants something from Astra, and Astra is the only partner who seems to have not been worried, recognizing what Musimon was doing. Of course, their fight in episode 8 was about Astra not being true to himself, thus naturally conflicting with the one who is on the same page as his true self. Musimon shares Astra’s high energy but caring nature. I’m not an expert on the Japanese language by any means, but there is something notable about the fact Musimon uses “Boku” to Astra’s usual “Ore”. Musimon and Astra are without a doubt very similar, the only difference in their demeanors being Musimon is perhaps a bit less confrontational. If Musimon being Astra’s buddy says anything about Astra, it’s probably that Astra is by his nature not quite as aggressive as he seems. Which for someone who clearly used to takes people's opinions of him to heart, seems about right.

Astra’s arc is all about expectations, expectations as an Apptuber, and as the heir. Astra living up to, or disregarding expectations based on what he believes is best. Living the life he wants to live.

Some final observations from me in regards to Astra, is that he’s paired with Fakemon for God Grade. While it’s probably in part just how things worked out logistically, it also makes a bit of sense as a foil. Fakemon is constantly being disingenuous, while a huge part of Astra’s arc is being true to himself, while also fulfilling other people's expectations of him. Also of note, Entermon is described as a Digimon who exists wherever you can find culture something that is particularly relevant to Astra.

While being biracial is not directly important to the story, it’s not incidental and clearly is thematically related to him being trapped between the traditional and the modern Japan. While in story Astra’s story is simply about outside expectations of inheritance, It’s possible to read Astra prior to the series as trying to overcompensate for his foreign mother in the eyes of the people at his father’s school. This is something I find notable considering that Appmon’s assistant producer, Akari Yanagawa, went on to become the producer of 2019’s Star Twinkle Precure, a season of Precure notable for the franchise's 2nd biracial cure, whose personal arc more obviously alluded to racism than Astra's, though still very indirectly.

#appmon #torajiro asuka #asuka torajiro #musimon #digimon

[light679]

Hey hun! Dunno if you're taking requests at the moment... but I saw that analysis on Leon's room and it got me thinking... what would Leon's early travels be like while he was taking the gym challenge? I feel like we didn't get to hear to much about it, other than Sonia saying a few things, but I was wondering what your take on it would be? Feel free to ignore this ask if you've got a lot going on at the moment! But thank you if you end up answering! ^^

Hello there! This ask makes me seriously happy! I’m so glad you liked my post about his room! I love thinking about young Leon and his gym challenge, I see so many pictures of him on Pinterest of him as a youngster with Charmander and I die of cuteness every time, so here's some hc's of mine to go along with this! :3 Thank you for such a lovely ask!

So first of all, I sort of hc that Leon and Sonia took the Gym Challenge the same year as Raihan, so all three of them became pretty close friends during this. Leon and Raihan probably met at the opening ceremony or at one of the gyms at hit it off, constantly arguing in a playful way about who was going to be stronger. 

The Wild Area was definitely a struggle for Leon. Sonia and her Yamper leading him to the right path, as she mentioned in the game? Definitely happened here 😂. Sonia probably did her best to not let him out of her sight, but of course when Leon gets excited about something, or saw a Pokemon he really wanted to catch or battle, he would just run off at a moment’s notice. He caught a lot of cool Pokemon that way, but often had to call Sonia on his Rotom phone to have her come find him, who gave him a light scolding later on lol. 

Leon learns how to cook in the Wild Area while he’s camping and such, but isn’t necessarily the best. He’s decent at making spicy foods, which are his favorite, although the reason they’re likely better than his usual is that he puts a lot of spices in to mask any other imperfections since the focus is mainly on the spice when you eat it. Sonia does a lot of their cooking. Raihan is a little more independent and does his own thing, but will pop in every once and while and set his tent up near theirs. Sonia and Leon set their tents up at the same camping spot together virtually every night to keep Leon from getting lost and to just have a friend nearby. In my opinion, Sonia develops a slight crush on him at least once over the course of their Gym Challenge, but it never really goes further than that. Leon’s so focused on his Gym Challenge and eventually Sonia realizes this, so she gets over it pretty quickly. 

In his journey, there’s probably a few spots that Leon really likes. Of course, the Wild Area is something he absolutely loves. It gives him a chance to get really strong and meet strong Pokemon, which as we know is something Leon really puts care in. Particularly the Lake of Outrage is a favorite of his. There’s a lot of really strong and interesting Pokemon there, and the Pokemon that come out of hiding in the different weather is incredible to him. And is also probably where he met his Dreepy, which he evolved into Dragapult. He also probably really likes the cold, mountainous area leading up to Wyndon. There’s quite a few strong Pokemon there too, and he can just feel how excited and eager those Pokemon are to join in some exciting battles, maybe feeding off the energy that comes from the city nearby. 

Which of course brings me to Wyndon. I hc that Leon absolutely loved the city life at first. Compared to Postwick, it’s so bustling, exciting and new to him, with a lot of people excitedly talking about Pokemon battles and the upcoming challenge. It matches his own passion and excitement for battles and the Championship Cup in a way a lot of the other places along his journey didn’t. Hammerlocke was probably the closest thing to matching his excitement, although it still had a different atmosphere that didn’t quite match his, although he was incredibly excited to see all of the history-related things in the city. Leon’s room is a clear indication that he IS smart, and that he enjoys learning new information. Just like he did with Pokemon, he also most likely went to all of those historical spots in the towns to learn about Pokemon, something a lot of challengers may not have done. Obviously in Sword and Shield you do since you’re helping Sonia make discoveries, but in reality, unless you have a strong passion for learning and history/science/etc, a Gym Challenger could easily breeze by something like that and ignore it. But Leon, despite being incredibly excited for his own journey, most likely dragged Sonia to all of these exhibits and areas to learn more about the history of Galar and Pokemon, in part because he hopes it will help him learn about Pokemon to make him stronger and in part for him to just continue learning. Seeing these places eventually makes something click for Sonia and she ends up being thankful that he’s brought her along to them. 

Naturally, every time they stopped in a city that had boutiques, Leon was quick to pick up a new hat. He picked up a new hat in just about every city he could. He might even have done it as a ‘reward’ for himself for winning a battle. Like, once he beat a Gym Leader, he treated himself to a new hat. Eventually Sonia noticed his bag being so full, seeing that it was full of caps and made him send some home. Partly to make sure he had room to carry actually important things with him and partly because it would damage the caps. Sonia liked fashion and clothes too, and would hate to see Leon ruin his new clothes too. After her lecture on how he was damaging the caps, Leon almost always had them sent home unless he wanted to swap it out. His fashion sense in buying other clothes was still absolutely atrocious, but still adorable. 

The Gyms were fairly easy for Leon, breezing through most of them, except one: Melony, who would have been old enough to still be Gym Leader during that time. Not only did he have a few dragon types that were pretty well damaged by Melony’s ice types, but her Gigantamax Lapras wasn’t weak to Charizard, and was in fact, strong against it being an ice and water type. Leon also doesn’t typically seem to use electric types, and there’s a solid chance that his Charizard wouldn’t have known electric-type moves by then (I hc he probably did some special training for that to happen/Pokemon have to go through some special training with Pokemon of that type to learn moves outside of their specific typing). He still won on his first try, but it was a very close match. The dragon-type leader was also probably a bit of a tougher match for him since dragons usually aren’t weak to fire, but still less of a challenge than Melony. 

Leon’s definitely the challenger that a lot of other Gym Challengers look up to and admire, and with him being favored to win their year, though Raihan comes in as a close second. A lot of people loved his adorable Charmander, but he was certainly seen as incredibly ‘cool’ once his Charmeleon evolved into Charizard. Charizard isn’t exactly a common Pokemon in Galar, coupled with it being incredibly strong, people grew fascinated by it very quickly. 

Their match during the quarter finals is really close and intense: Leon beating Raihan by just a hair. Many people were incredibly impressed by their match, for both men. Raihan was offered a position at the Hammerlocke Gym almost immediately after their match, and Leon received several proposals for endorsements contingent on his win against the Champion. Despite how intense their exhibition matches were in the subsequent years, many people still regard their quarter finals matches as one of the best matches in Galar history. There’s probably a rerun screening of it whenever Gym season pops up each year honestly. 

#leon #champion #champion leon #gym challenger leon #gym challenge #young leon #soundcloud #young raihan #pokemon fanfiction #pokemon sword leon #pokemon swsh #asks #leon asks

[aquadrazi]

Find Someone to Carry You

Chapter 19

………Qinghe………

Wei Ying felt like his presence at this meeting wasn’t necessary.  They were all talking about his lack of a golden core, and what to do about it, like he wasn’t even there.  Currently they were discussing if it could be done in his current state, or if they needed to do a cleansing first.

Honestly, Wei Ying didn’t care.  This was a dumb idea anyway.  It wasn’t going to work.  So instead of paying attention he was working on notes for a new talisman instead.  It seemed that no one was going to complain since he was THERE, and not disturbing them.

“So, according to this text, the resentful energy will attack the incoming spiritual energy and prevent it from forming a golden core.  I’m worried that he still has a high level of resentful energy inside him, even though he doesn’t seem to be actively using it.”

“I wonder if it’s been repressed.”

“He hasn’t been actively cultivating since he’s been here, so it must be left over from before.”

“I think these two are the best options for a cleansing technique.  Which one do you think we should do, Lan Wangji?”

Wei Ying felt Lan Zhan gently squeeze his upper thigh, getting his attention.  “Wei Ying, which one would you be okay with trying?”

“Which one hurts more?”  He asked without looking up from what he was doing.

Lan Zhan sighed, but let it slide.  “I would prefer to attempt this one.”  He slid one of the techniques back to Wen Qing.

“Do we have an object available to trap and contain the resentful energy?”

“Mn”  Lan Zhan pulled out the Stygian Tiger Seal.

“That will definitely do it.”

“Okay, so once the cleansing is complete, and all the resentful energy has been purged, you can go ahead and try whichever of these dual cultivation techniques you two decide upon.”

“It looks like the cultivation world will finally be safe from the evil Yiling Patriarch.”  Wei Ying muttered.  Letting them all know that he was still there.

“A-Xian, that isn’t why we’re suggesting this.”  Yanli gently admonished.

“No, of all people YOU should be the maddest at me.  I. KILLED. YOUR. HUSBAND.”  Wei Ying shouted as he tossed his calligraphy brush across the table.  He was done pretending that this wasn’t completely ridiculous.

Yanli leaned over to Sizhui and whispered something into his ear.  Sizhui nodded and left the room quickly.  Wei Ying didn’t notice because he was still ranting.

“Do you all hear yourselves?  You basically called a whole strategy meeting…for…this?!  I’m a monster.  I’m a killer.  This is ridiculous.  Just let the resentful energy kill me and everyone will be happier.”

Wei Ying felt Lan Zhan wrap his arms around him and pull him to his chest as he ranted.  He could vaguely hear people trying to talk to him, but it was hard to make out over the sound of screaming inside his head.

It was getting harder to breathe and Wei Ying tried to wiggle out of Lan Zhan’s hold, but he couldn’t manage it.  He was just about to seriously consider biting Lan Zhan’s arm when the door to the room slid open.

“I hear from Young Master Lan that my presence was needed, immediately.”  Jin Zixuan said as he entered the room.

What?!

What is going on.

I killed him.

I SAW HIM DIE

“No, no no no no.  Please no. I’m so sorry.  I didn’t MEAN to kill you!”  Wei Ying pleaded, wide-eyed and struggling in Lan Zhan’s arms.

“WEI YING, STOP!”  Lan Zhan ordered sternly.

Wei Ying lost all his fight and went limp in Lan Zhan’s arms.

This is it.

This is how I finally die.

I deserve it.

I killed so many people.

“Wei Ying, you didn’t kill anyone.”  Jin Zixuan tried to console him.  “You have been set up.”

Jin Zixuan walked around the table and sat next to Yanli, putting his arm around her.

“I think it’s well past time that I tell all of you what is going on.”  Nie Huaisang said as he sat at the table.  “There has been a mastermind, in the shadows, who has been orchestrating a complex plot throughout the cultivation world, and he’s been using Wei Ying as a convenient scape goat.  I’ve been tracking this plot since before my brother died.”

“My spies told me that there was a plot to ambush Wei Ying before he reached Koi Tower for Jin Ling’s One Month Ceremony.  Before I could deal with that I heard that Jin Zixuan had been convinced to go and warn Wei Ying.  I immediately dispatched a body double to go in his place and intercepted Jin Zixuan.”

“There had apparently been a separate plot to kill me, and they were going to use the incident to achieve that, and place the blame on Wei Ying.”  Jin Zixuan explained.  “Nie Huaisang met me on my way, and told me that he sent a double in my place, and asked me to come with him.  Once we had gotten word that ‘I’ was killed, it was decided that I would be safer here.”  Yanli snuggled in closer to Jin Zixuan for comfort.

“Jin Zixuan was my first acquisition.”  Nie Huaisang explained.  “Wei Ying, there was a second demonic cultivator in the pass that day.  He took control of Wen Ning and used him to kill the Jin Zixuan double.  The SAME demonic cultivator was present at the Battle of the Nightless City, and caused you to lose control of your corpses.”

“None of this has been your fault, Wei Ying.  You’ve been set up.”  Nie Huaisang emphasized.

Everyone was silent for a bit, apparently processing what Nie Huaisang had said.

“No way.  I SPOKE to Jin Zixuan.  There is NO WAY that wasn’t him.  It looked JUST LIKE HIM!”  Wei Ying shook his head violently.

“You aren’t the only one who has some trick talismans up their sleeves Wei Ying. I should let you take a look sometime, I think you’d be impressed at what I’ve developed since you decided to go all crazy and try to take on the whole cultivation world yourself.”  Nie Huasiang explained smugly.

“Okay, fine, you have magic talismans that make people look like other people and you use them to rescue people.  That makes you a hero.  But the only reason that there WERE corpses to take over was because I summoned them in the first place.  That STILL makes me a villain ”  Wei Ying muttered.

“Wei Ying did what he did to help us win the war.”  Lan Zhan spoke firmly.

“How can you defend me Lan Zhan?  I killed your cultivation partner!”

Everyone seemed shocked by Wei Ying’s outburst.

“Did not.”

“Okay, then explain to me how Sizhui is your son, and his mother died at the Battle of the Nightless City.  That was MY fault Lan Zhan.”

“I apologize for the confusion Senior Wei, but I was adopted.”  Sizhui said quickly.

Wei Ying just stared at the young Lan, mouth gaping.

“A-Xian, it’s true.  Lan Zhan took in the boy because he knew his mother.” Yanli confirmed.

“Okay, so I didn’t kill Lan Zhan’s cultivation partner, but I still killed Sizhui’s mother, along with hundreds if not thousands of other cultivators at the Battle of the Nightless City.  I don’t deserve to be saved.”

Lan Zhan couldn’t take it anymore.  “I believe it was you, yourself who told me ‘This is my son, I gave birth to him.’”

Wei Ying turned and stared dumbly at Lan Zhan. “What?!”

“Wei Ying, Lan Wangji adopted A-Yuan shortly after you died.”  Wen Qing confirmed.

“But…but WHY?!”  Wei Ying was shocked.

Sizhui is A-Yuan?

A-Yuan didn’t die?

“Of course I would adopt my husband’s son.” Lan Zhan said matter-of-factly.

“Husband?!”  Wei Ying screeched.  He looked about the table, confused and hoping someone would help him out.

“Wei Ying.”  Lan Zhan turned Wei Ying so he could look at him.  “Do you remember what I said about the Lan Sect forehead ribbon?”

“Only a person’s parents or cultivation partner cou-“  Wei Ying gasped and his hand flew up to cover his mouth.

“Mn”

“The Cold Spring Cave.”  Wei Ying’s eyes grew big with realization.  “Lan Zhaaan, you can’t just MARRY a person and not TELL them!”  Wei Ying whined.

Yanli and Jin Zixuan discretely got up from the table and shuffled out of the room, followed closely by Nie Huaisang and Wen Qing.

“You did not seem to understand the meaning of what took place.  So I decided not to bring it up.”

Wei Ying looked over at Sizhui, who was staring at a spot on the table, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Oh, A-Yuan.”  Wei Ying called and gestured for him to come over.  “I thought you were dead.”

Sizhui slid over and joined his two fathers in an embrace.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember.”  Sizhui whispered.

“It’s okay little radish.  You had a rough start.  I’m so glad that you’ve been alive and happy these past 13 years.”  Wei Ying comforted.

This was all just so much.  He hadn’t lost control of Wen Ning and the corpses, but control had been TAKEN from him by another demonic cultivator.  Wen Qing, A-Yuan, Jin Zixuan, AND his Shijie were still alive.  Not only did Lan Zhan not hate him, but he was his HUSBAND.

Even in his most desperate fantasies Wei Ying hadn’t dreamed up a place quite like this.  He never wanted to wake up.

“Wei Ying needs to rest.”  Lan Zhan said after a few minutes.

Wei Ying was about to protest, but then he realized that he was shaking, and clinging onto Lan Zhan tightly.

“Wei Ying has had an emotional day.”  Lan Zhan explained, as if he understood his confusion as to why he was shaking.

Wei Ying nodded, and before he could try to stand up, Lan Zhan had picked him up, bridal style, walked him to the bed, and set him down gently.  Lan Zhan settled down next to the bed and summoned his guqin.  He began to play WangXian.

“Mmmmmm, I like this song.” Wei Ying breathed out, just before he fell asleep.

#mdzs fic #the untamed #BAMF Nie Huaisang #whump #Wei Ying is REALLY confused #wangxian #...because they are HUSBANDS

[jjba-hell]

Fate and Fortune

Part 5

Part 4, part 3, part 2, part 1

Content warning: Familial loss, Dissociation via PTSD, blood, injury, Dio’s nasty ass fleshbud and hinting/quick mention of assault

For the moots: @risottoneroo and some new followers (seriously like ya’ll make me so giddy (⌒▽⌒)) @fyre23 and @comeationmeerer

A/N: Aight time zones are strange and I might be a bit ahead but this piece is gonna be published a few hours before NYE for me so I consider this the final piece to a VERY cursed year. Thank you so much for the support on this series thus far, it means so much to me and don’t worry- I’ll be continuing it into 2021. TwT. Oh and Happy New Year ya’ll!

Don’t have the word count but it feels long lol

Vera turned the picture of Holy and her son around in her hands. Looks like Mr Kujo’s been out of the picture for a while. Maybe not legally but definitely socially.

“Stop being a creep.” Jotaro grumbled as he passed her in the hallway to the kitchen.

“Oh cut an orphan some slack, would you? All my baby pictures are court property.” She feigned sadness as she put the picture frame down and followed into the kitchen where they were cheerfully greeted by Holy who put two platefuls of eggs Benedict in front of them- with Jotaro sitting with three eggs and an extra serving of rice.

“Just shout if you want some more, Vera.”

Jotaro looked her over as if she’d materialized at the table beside him.

“Yes, my name is Vera.” She extended a hand out to him over the corner separating them. “Vera Astbury.”

“Astbury.” He frowned, taking her hand for a nonchalant shake.

She chuckled, opening the napkin over her lap. “Yeah I don’t think it suits me either but it’s what I got. Just stick to Vera though.”

They sat in comfortable silence over breakfast- not minding much as she enjoyed a cup of coffee over the newspaper.

“Can you even read that?” He asked after he finished the bowl of rice.

Her gaze shifted to him as he continued to scoff down a glass of water. “I’d rather not wait for manga translations to make it to the shelves where I live.” Was all she answered as she continued to read up about an excavation of 20 tombs in Egypt.

“Shoujen gets you that excited, huh?”

Fortune moved before Vera could quite catch her but she herself didn’t move. The butter knife met the table right between his fingers- Fortune’s faceless head staring him down.

“I’d suggest you rethink the sexist stereotypes you hold me to. Or at the very least keep those comments to yourself.” She said flatly, she wasn’t about to make him think he was getting under her skin.

Jotaro’s stand emerged and gave Fortune a hard shove away from his user- Vera feeling the phantom touch on her own shoulders.

She narrowed her eyes at him, sitting up straighter and looking him straight in the eye. “You wanna tussle, Kujo?”

Jotaro, admittedly, had a strange effect on Vera. Her usually calm and calculated demeanor seemed to slip around him, her temper flaring dangerously whenever he’d open his mouth around her. What was it that made her want to punch that stupid scowl off his face? It couldn’t be because she wanted to prove something to him, could it?

He only gave a disinterested ‘tch’ as he stood up from the table. “Don’t try it.”

Nope, she definitely wanted to prove she could floor him...

Avdol entered the kitchen soon after and without so much as a good morning, Jotaro was out the door- Holy running after him to see him off. Watching her beg him for a simple goodbye made her blood boil hot enough to put her own shoes on and feign a walk in the neighborhood.

Fortune tripped him up just enough for her to catch up to him and snatch his cap from atop his head.

“You’re a damn pest, you know that?” He grumbled as he knelt in front of her.

She swung the inner brin of his cap on her finger as she peered down at him. “I told you to quit the punk act with your mom.”

“Why do you care?” He straightened, his stand reaching for her but Fortune blocking the reach. Vera nonchalantly placed the cap on her head and started walking ahead of him. “Because I’d kill to have a chance to say goodbye to my mom.”

Soon as other students started coming into view, Vera tipped the cap off of her head, letting his stand grab it before it landed on the floor. She was off the path, heading back to the Kujo residence. Holy refused to let her help with any laundry and soon enough she was shooed into the same room as Avdol and Mr Joestar.

“Tea or coffee, Vera?” Avdol asked. She looked down at the traditional green tea alongside the little tin of coffee. A pick-me-up would have been nice, so she picked the coffee up and took a whiff to see if it would be worth it. The smell she got instead nearly made her cough.

She closed the tin immediately and looked at Avdol in confusion. “Are you testing me or something?”

“Why do you ask such a question?” Mr Joestar interjected, “ it’s so much less work than tea.”

Vera peered down at the nameless metal tin with disgust. “Mr Joestar, I would have to ask if that’s the best coffe you have because that... stuff... is only coffee scented.”

Beside her Avdol chuckled as he prepared the two cups that would hold their tea. “I suppose that was why you begged for ground coffee from home, Vera?” He spoke with a slight smile.

“Avdol, they were labelling the coffee grinder scrapings as ‘columbian roast’- it was daylight robbery!”

Mr Joestar chuckled, handing his mug to Avdol to prepare a cup of tea for him as well. “You have a fine nose for such things?”

Vera opened her mouth to explain but when the ominous shadow of Jotaro spilled into the room the conversation was forgotten. She and Avdol moved in tandem, clearing the room of the table and tea ceremony supplies to lie the redhead down on the floor.

“You said he attacked you-“ her gaze moved up from Jotaro’s head to his knee right in front of her. She forgot what she was saying as she let Fortune start healing his leg first but was called back to attention for the redhead. Mr Joestar revealed the ugly little fleshbud sitting on the guy’s forehead.

“Can’t you just extract it and heal whatever was hurt?” Jotaro asked over her shoulder.

“I move time and the healing process forward but the brain doesn’t regenerate. I could revert its state to what it was before the fleshbud but for that to work it needs to be removed.”

Jotaro bent down and held Kakyoin’s face while bringing his stand out. “I’ll extract it and you fix whatever I damage.”

“Wait, did you...?” Before she could even finish her sentence his stand was already reaching for the fleshbud. She brought her own hand to Kakyoin’s face, focusing her stand’s energy. The fleshbud shot two tentacles up into Vera and Jotaro’s arms, the subtle sting challenging her focus for just a moment. Vera focused Fortune’s energy into any damage being done to Kakyoin’s brain, forcing on turning the dial back. She spared a glance up at Jotaro, where the fleshbud was inching into his neck. Peering down at her own, she noticed hers wasn’t too far behind.

Kakyoin’s eyes shot up and instinctively Vera’s hand flew out to keep his eyes shut. “Not to rush but could you hurry it along?” She hissed at Jotaro.

The fleshbud separating from Kakyoin’s head sounded like separating Velcro to her. It flew through the air for a moment and like catching a wishbone between two people, Fortune and Jotaro’s stand grabbed hold of the two ends of the fleshbud and pulled. It bounced out of their grasps as it ripped in three and was finally finished off by Mr Joestar but definitely not by his stand- or maybe she was just seeing things.

Fortune’s dials turned frantically as they healed three people all at once, Vera bending down to check if the hole in Noriaki’s head was closing up.

The redhead looked between her and Jotaro and then asked the golden question... why did they save him?

Vera got up from kneeling beside Kakyoin, “I don’t know, morals, I guess?” She shrugged as she left the room to find the first aid kid, Holy stopping her in the hallway to listen to Jotaro’s answer.

His answer meant less than nothing to Vera but to Holy, she smiled and inclined her head in the direction his voice was coming from and smiling- almost as if to say “see what I mean?”

All Vera could do was smile and nod, pulling her back a bit to quietly ask for the first aid kid.

The next morning Vera got up a bit later than usual, the night before she had slipped out of her room for a smoke break. When she returned to her home she had slipped up a step and scraped up her knee.

She had only wrapped it in gauze before crawling back into her futon but waking up she realized it wasn’t just a simple scrape- she’d need to stitch it up.

So with a soft groan she got up, hopped through a shower and with wet hair still hanging over her shoulders slid Noriaki’s door open after her knock.

The first aid kit was left in his room and he was still asleep as she slipped into the bathroom he was given and sat down on the floor, knee propped up.

Over time she’d gotten used to patching herself up- the nurse at the boarding school got sick of her relatively quickly the first few months she was there, at the time she used Fortune for anything, especially to make sure teachers didn’t check for homework but that didn’t quite fare well when in turn, she’d end up with food poisoning or bloody noses.

Pain wasn’t much of a bother for her anymore- she’d poured enough hydrogen peroxide into open wounds to not flinch anymore.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” A velvety voice asked behind her as she wiped her newly stitched new clean.

She looked over her shoulder at the redhead in the doorway. A smirk spread over her face. “If you’re still sworn allegiance to Dio, I’m gonna have to politely ask you to give me a minute? I just closed this up.”

Kakyoin took a sharp breath through gritted teeth, about to say something when a commotion disturbed them both.

To her, it didn’t feel real. She felt like she was floating through the motions of finding the other three men in the kitchen with an unconscious Holy and then laying her down in her futon- concerned for her sake.

It felt like she was stuck, watching as Mrs Kujo strain against her own body to draw a single breath- behind her Jotaro and the others were finding to pinpoint Dio’s location but she had very little care for it at that moment.

It wasn’t until Jotaro gave her shoulder a light tap that she seemed to shake herself out of it. “Take a breather, outside.” Her gaze travelled up to meet his face, that same scowl on his face as always. “Might also wanna go wrap your leg up.”

True to his word, she was bleeding through her jeans. All she could do was nod and leave the room. Another hydrogen peroxide soak and this time she decided to busy herself with Avdol in the library.

“I never asked you this but, could you ever explain how you overcome your stand fever?” Avdol asked as she leaned against the entrance of the library. She moved closer, pulling the next books Avdol had his eyes on into her arms.

“I can’t really say. I heard a lot of voices while I was sick but in a sense... I’d say it was just my reluctance to die.”

“So- Mrs Kujo could survive that fever?” Noriaki asked from the doorway this time.

“Unlikely.” Vera and Avdol had answered in unison.

Kakyoin seemed confused by that answer. “But you just said-“

“Vera is the first of, close to a thousand cases I’ve ever seen to survive.”

She rolled her head back to peer at the redhead. “Not to sound too special.” Her attention returned to the stack of books she held for Avdol. “Not that I’d wish that fever onto anyone- except maybe Dio.”

“What does it feel like?” Noriaki continued to prod.

A groan left her lips. “You born stand-users, honestly. It’s the most accurate remake of being burnt alive- I haven’t been able to feel pain normally ever since.”

Avdol peered down at the note in his hand and then at the page of the encyclopedia. “Look familiar, Vera?”

Deadmatch.

“I had had my suspicions that he might have left Egyp but it seemed he stayed.” Avdol pondered with Mr Joestar, Holy still unconscious on her futon.

“So I’m going home.” Vera sighed quietly, bending down to feel over Holy’s forehead.

Kakyoin announced his help and when asked why, he spared a glance at Vera, saying “I don’t know- morals, I guess.”

They stayed one more night at the Kujo residents, waiting for the Speedwagon Foundation to arrive for Holy. She had once enjoyed a quick smoke break at the dead of night when once more she found herself face to face with Jotaro.

She pulled a cigarette from its pack and handed it to him. “I’m heading to bed.”

“No,” he reached his arm out to stop her leaving. “If you’re coming with us, you’re gonna explain some shit to me.”

Vera peered up at him, unphased, hand on her hip. “You got questions. And I got answers. Ask away.”

“Why don’t you just heal my mom?”

“I can’t cure curses. A stand fever is like immunity for life- I can move it forward or back but it doesn’t change your body’s ability to make a stand.”

“So why don’t you heal yourself?”

She shrugged, “I could but I’d rather take a stitched up leg over another assault case on my counselor’s case.”

The scowl on his face disappeared and was replaced by a slack-jawed shock.

“As hard as this will be, Jotaro, you’ll have to learn to trust me. I wouldn’t expect you drive without experience. In the same way you have to trust that I’ll do everything in my power to help you.”

Jotaro dropped his harm back to his side, letting her stroll by calmly until he spoke again.

“At what cost?”

“I’ll deal with the costs-“ she turned to face him. “But uhhh I’d appreciate if you stuck around when I told you I felt unsafe.”

Jotaro didn’t say anything, only nodded before turning to light his cigarette and Vera turning down the hallway to bed.

#jojo's bizarre adventure #jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojo part 3 #jotaro kujo #Muhammed avdol #Joseph Joestar #noriaki kakyoin #holy kujo #dio brando #Fate and Fortune

[missmarquin]

A Love That Burns Like the Sun

Their love burns like the sun, seemingly forever until it blinks out. The moments before a star's death are always the strongest though and the older they get, the more they love and love and love.It’s been a long time since Sylvain has drowned in the darkness that was space. Sylvix, Oneshot, Modern AU.  Read on A03 for better quality! ---

A Love That Burns Like the Sun

Sylvain’s waiting for his coffee to cool as he watches Felix flit back and forth, his chaotic energy filling the room as he readies for the morning. There’s a piece of toast in one hand and one leg in his trousers as the other tries to pull them over his hips. He trips in his haste, barely catching himself on the kitchen table. Sylvain doesn’t laugh, but he watches the familiar scene fondly, lips quirking into an amused smile as he settles into the hard wooden chair. 

The kitchen set is the only thing he’d taken from his parent’s and not because it was theirs; no, his grandmother had left it for them in her will-- them, not him-- as one final fuck you to his father and the way that he deals with gay sons. 

Of course, the words his father had used so many years ago had been far more colorful-- so colorful in fact that Sylvain’s grandmother had slapped his father across the back of the head before kicking him out. 

“Felix,” Sylvain finally says, “Sit down for a moment. Have some coffee with me.”

Felix pauses. He’s finally shimmied his pants over his hips and there’s a bite out of his toast, his cheeks reddened with his haste. He snatches the food from his mouth to reply with, “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m already going to be late for work.” 

“So be late then,” Sylvain tells him with a shrug. 

“I can’t--”

“You’re the boss. You can do whatever you want.”

“My students, Sylvain,” Felix bites out. The words aren’t harsh, just punctuated and so very Felix in their tone. He puts a lot of stock into the fencing school and Sylvain loves that about him, he loves how much Felix loves his students. 

There’s a but though, as there is with many things. 

“How often do we get mornings together, Fe? Just the two of us?” Perhaps it’s a low blow, but Sylvain’s never claimed to be a good person, and judging by the way Felix pauses, it’s worked. 

Felix drags a hand down his face, pulling at his skin tiredly. “Syl,” he sighs, eyeing the empty chair across from Sylvain. 

“We never had a moment alone, darling.” Sylvain’s lips practically curl around the endearment and he sees the tremble of Felix’s lips. He’s got a retort ready to throw at him, but to Sylvain’s surprise, he drops into the chair instead. 

“What’s another ten minutes?”

“Only ten?” Sylvain pouts at that, finally taking a sip of his coffee. 

“You’re pushing it,” Felix warns, but it’s all bark and no bite. He reaches for a mug and pours his own coffee, wrapping his fingers around it to warm them. I only drink it black, like my soul, he’d once joked, years and years ago. 

Felix had been wrong of course. If anyone had a soul as black as the night, it’d be Sylvain. He only showed his good parts to people, so practiced at wearing a false smile that fooled so easily. And even if it’s gotten better, even if it’s changed over the years, Felix was the only one who’d really ever seen him at his worst and maybe that’s why Sylvain loved him so, so much. He’d seen him amidst those dark moments, pulled him from them without judgement and he’d never left. He was still there, face still cranky and annoyed as ever, but he was still there.

“What?” Felix asks, vexed, and Sylvain realizes that he’d been staring. He’s always staring, really; was Felix just now noticing?

“It’s nothing,” Sylvain promises, flashing him a thin smile and Felix narrows his eyes at him. 

“What’s wrong?” There’s a tinge of concern in his voice, just the tiniest bit and it makes Sylvain’s heart practically ache. 

“Fe, it’s-- No really, there’s nothing wrong.”

“You were staring,” Felix tells him, concern bleeding into prickliness and as soon as it had come, the man’s worry is seemingly gone.

“Since when have I not stared at you?” Sylvain replies smoothly. Honestly and earnestly, and Felix’s eyes widen slightly as he sputters before turning away to hide the pink dusting across his cheeks. “Flustered even now,” he continues to tease. “Fe, we’ve been married for nearly fifteen years.”

Fifteen years, Sylvain thinks. Incredible and astounding, everyday better than the one before because he gets to wake up with Felix by his side. Their love burns like the sun, seemingly forever until it blinks out. The moments before a star's death are always the strongest though and the older they get, the more they love and love and love. 

It’s been a long time since Sylvain has drowned in the darkness that was space. 

“Idiot,” Felix mutters, sipping at his mug to stop himself from saying anything else. 

“Forever and always.”

There’s a long moment before Felix speaks. “I know you Sylvain. What were you thinking about?” The question is quiet and probing in its approach, but Felix isn’t trying to back him into a corner. He always allows Sylvain to bolt if he wishes. 

“Us,” Sylvain answers immediately. Felix blinks, opening his mouth to reply, but Sylvain raises a hand. “Goddess Fe, nothing bad. Just…” His words fail him as he fingers his mug, the warm ceramic a balm across his cold skin. “It hasn’t been easy for us,” he finally says, “But look at us now. I get to wake up with the morning and watch you trip over yourself as you get ready, every day.”

“How mundane,” Felix snorts, dropping his mug back to the table. “What a silly thing to enjoy.”

Waking up every morning next to the love of his life wasn’t something that Sylvain would have thought he’d have, twenty years ago, so he’ll take pleasure in the most mundane of things. Even if it’s as simple as watching Felix trip into his pants, while shoveling breakfast into his mouth. 

“I enjoy you,” Sylvain tells him instead, reaching out to grasp at his hand. Felix doesn’t pull away and Sylvain rubs his thumb along the back of his hand. “Stay home today,” he asks. “Call in on your students. Cancel class and laze away the day with me. We can do nothing if you’d like, stuffing ourselves full of snack food and watching shitty romantic comedies. 

“Or we could go out, have a picnic or go to a museum. Whatever you want to do.”

“Insatiable,” Felix tells him, but it’s in jest, the closest to telling a joke that he ever comes to. 

“You say that like it’s a problem,” Sylvain counters, narrowing his eyes slightly and Felix returns the expression, his own amber eyes practically glowing at the implication. Impulsively, Sylvain places his mug down and reaches forward, grabbing Felix’s chair. He pulls him impossibly close, pressing his fingers into his shirt and pulling tightly-- 

“Sylvain, you’ll crinkle it--”

He yanks Felix close but doesn’t kiss him, only rubbing their noses in a childish show of affection that has Felix grumbling in response. 

“Childish oaf,” Felix chastises, but Sylvain can tell by the hiccup in his breath that he’s not unaffected and resists the urge to further tease him about it. The annoyed tone and burning peach across his nose is plenty enough.

“Have you forgotten what day it is?” Sylvain asks him quietly. 

Felix blinks, pulling back slightly to cock his head to the side. It’s not the first time that Sylvain’s remembered something small and silly, holding onto it until he can bring it up later. And really, he doesn’t expect Felix to remember, not really, because Sylvain is the one that’s overly sentimental. 

Felix hasn’t put his hair up yet, so Sylvain reaches up and tugs at one of the locks. “It’s the day you said yes.”

Felix looks confused, just like Sylvain knew he’d be. “I said yes in the middle of December,” Felix says seriously, as though he were concerned that Sylvain was losing his damn mind. It’s a tone that he uses more often than Sylvain would like to admit. “I remember because you thought a midnight picnic would be romantic and all I got out of it was a boot full of snow.”

Sylvain frowns at that. “You got a husband out of it.”

“No, I got a husband later on. I remember that because you insisted on a private ceremony at the beach and I spent the entire day with sand in my--” 

“It’s the day that you said yes,” Sylvain repeats, pressing his lips to Felix’s cheek in a chaste peck. 

“That’s what you said earlier--”

“I’m not talking about the proposal.” Sylvain is quiet when he leans back a little, moving his hand to cup Felix’s cheek instead, thumbing the soft skin and the hard line of his jaw. “I’m talking about--”

“Oh,” Felix breathes. “Oh.” 

The night that they never mention, the one where Sylvain spiraled into a drunken panic full of self loathing and regret. The one where an ex-girlfriend dumped a drink all over his lap at the mere sight of him at a club, causing Sylvain to bolt like a coltish fawn before anyone could see the tears of hatred for himself. The night where Sylvain cried and cried and cried, screaming that there was no one, that he’d be forever alone because the one person he actually loved wouldn’t give him the light of day. 

The one where Felix grabbed him harshly by the face, pressing their foreheads together and calling him a fool. Where Felix said fucking yes and it was the beginning of the end, but a good change, the best change.

Felix doesn’t like to talk about the night. He’s always been one part embarrassed, one part ashamed about his actions years prior to it, but Sylvain loves that night. He loves that night almost as much as he loves the man before him. 

Felix reaches out to grasp Sylvain’s hand gently, squeezing it as he leans forward, pressing their foreheads together like that night so long ago. Sylvain closes his eyes, willing himself to take deep breaths, feeling Felix’s presence before him and soaking it in, taking in the fresh clean soap scent his face. It anchors him, Felix anchors him, he’s always been Sylvain’s roots, ever since they were literally children. 

It’s a love that was born with their meeting, carefully crafted over their lifetime until it’s flared into this, into whatever they were, and Sylvain wouldn’t trade the world for Felix. 

“I still wonder if you’ll ever settle down,” Sylvain finally. “Every morning is a whirlwind for you.”

“Buffoon,” Felix breathes against him. “Dim-witted fool. I’m here, aren’t I? If that’s not settling down, then I don’t know what is, because only a moron would settle for you.” Sylvain hums at that, smiling into Felix’s hold. 

Sylvain pulls back and Felix kisses him, slow and calculated, intent on pulling everything from Sylvain that he can. It’s not like Felix, but Sylvain likes it, he’s into it, he pulls him closer and responds in kind. 

“I guess I can play hooky,” Felix murmurs against Sylvain’s lips, fingers reaching up to thread through his hair and scratching at his scalp lightly. “Whatever you want to do,” he finishes. 

“I just want to enjoy breakfast with you everyday, forever.”

Felix’s face hardens into annoyance and Sylvain laughs. “Sap,” Felix complains. “Sentimental dolt.” But he doesn’t let go of Sylvain either, fingers still laced together as he reaches for his coffee. The sip he takes is a clear distraction. 

Sylvain smiles at him, watching Felix like he’s the sun, squeezing his hand lightly once and then twice. Felix glances back, mug held close to his face as his lips contort into a near snarl. All bark, never any bite; not with Sylvain at least. 

But Felix squeezes back and Sylvain files it away, for a rainy day. 

Not that he’ll ever need it. 

#Sylvix #felix/sylvain #sylvain jose gautier #felix hugo fraldarius #felix and sylvain #fe3h #Fire Emblem Three Houses #fire emblem fanfiction #fanfiction

[unlockthelore]

Die For You

Perhaps it was bad form to tell his infant daughter he would kill for her but Hiei’s done worse.

Part of the Smile Bomb series. For more updates, follow the smile bomb tag on this blog.

Crickets begin chirping in the low lush grass dotted with vibrant flowers glowing silver in the dim. Kurama's energy radiates from every inch of their home's surroundings with his plants standing guard over the forest's edge, soaking in the fading rays of sunlight as the evening dwindles into night. Leaning with his back against the wooden doorway, the wind chimes sing and join the symphony of his sons' quiet snores and the distant clicking of Kurama's keyboard as he works diligently in his study. Warm gusts of wind ruffle his hair and whips it back from his forehead, barely obscuring his view of the small youko perched in his lap.

His daughter ― the novelty of such a phrase bringing a smile to Hiei's face ― running her tiny hands up the length of his arm. Scars, raised jagged skin that hadn't quite healed right, examined thoughtfully with her curious golden eyes. Small claws scraping against them until her attention is stolen by the dragon shifting across Hiei's skin. Swimming past the scars and weaving around them, allowing her to chase it fruitfully, a squeal of delight parting her lips and warming her face when she caught its tail or its head. The Dragon peeling from his skin enough to give her a solid hold and she laughs, mesmerized by the game.

An appeased purr answering in the back of Hiei's mind.

The Dragon calls her name when Hiei's mind is idle. Beckons her when her attention shifts and she begins to fuss, unsure of where to keep her mind, but quick to address when a point of interest is given. It amazes Hiei how much of Kurama he sees in her. From the quirk of her smile to the color of her eyes, but he is there too. For the better, he deduces, because nothing associated with his daughter could be considered otherwise. Her hair is raven black with a blueish-tinge just like his own, and Hiei counts his blessing that she hadn't inherited the white discloration in his bangs.

To Hiei, that is where the similarities end but Kurama was quick to point out others. She preferred to be held but only on her own terms. Displeasure was made quickly and loudly known. Her small and strong lungs were used without hesitation. As vocal as her father, Kurama mused when Hiei scowled at the comparison, unable to keep his agitated expression with Kurama's spatter of kisses along his cheek.

With shadow creeping from the sun's retreat over the horizon, the sky tinges an orange-scarlet and he's briefly reminded of the Makai. Adoration blooms and sits heavy in his chest with the thought of Kurama able to run freely in his demon form. Their daughter, perhaps a bit bigger, tumbling with him in the grass. Silver and black mingling together, two sides of the same coin. He'd seen Kurama's smile in his other form, fallen in love with him just as quickly, and relished seeing it once more.

「 One day, I will take you there, Tsubaki. You and your brothers will be able to run to your heart's content and I will watch over you. 」

Tsubaki doesn't hear his thoughts. Her fists balled in Hiei's tanktop and pulling it until he's sure the fabric would give. Kurama tells him he should remind the children to be gentle when they tear at his clothes ― and Hiei reminds that Kurama is rarely so kind to his clothes either. It earns a rare shade of red across the fox's cheeks, a moment of speechlessness, and Hiei feels fulfilled with simply the thought of it.

Seldom does Hiei find his love for her — for all of them — to be overwhelming and all-encompassing, rendering his senses and the world to narrow down to only this small being who relied on him to live. It astonishes him. Was he this small when his mother's people cast him from the mountain peak of Hyouga? He could hardly imagine doing so to Tsubaki and with a sideways glance at his sons, their hands linked even in their sleep, he couldn't imagine them being separated.

Dreams of bringing them to the Makai are soured by the thought of his and Kurama's enemies. Harm would come to his children later in their lives, it was inevitable, and Hiei steeled himself at the thought. But while they were like this — needing his protection and his guidance ― he would tear the realms asunder for them.

Hiei gazes down at Tsubaki and the steady game of tug and release she plays with his tanktop, now stretched to the point where it won't return its usual form. He doesn't have the heart to interrupt her and delights in the gentle wiggle of the ears atop her head. The wisps of her still-forming tail difficult to see in the low light. Compared to Kurama's four, her one is quite small but she has time to grow and grow she will.

Offering his hand to her, a smile creeps onto his lips when she wraps her small fingers around his thumb. A gut-wrenching throb threatens to shake his frame but he holds fast so he won't jostle her. His fingers curling around her arm, guiding it to his lips to leave a few kisses along her skin, watching her eyes light up and follow him. Her smile, wide and with tiny fangs, almost making him want to bare his own to make her laugh.

"I would die for you, you know," Hiei tells her without ceremony, hearing the monotone of his words but the ferocity of them is hidden deep in his chest.

It startles him. Not as much as his love for her but the implication. He'd fought tooth and nail, with blood, sweat, and arguably tears — all so that he could continue existing when fate deemed it he should not. And yet, this small being who'd barely existed for more than a few months could inspire him to lay down his life.

Ridiculous.

As if responding to him, Tsubaki makes a soft noise and her ears twitch, pricking with attention as she regards him — and Hiei falls in love all over again.

The television dully displays a commercial for a television show that he knows his sons would enjoy. If not for being caught so deeply in the throes of sleep, they might have been bouncing around the living room singing the theme song at the top of their lungs. Hiei smiles down at them, tucking Asahi's foot beneath the blanket with a little nudge and curling a knuckle in Kagerou's hair. Silver strands looping around the crook of Hiei's finger and slipping away when he pulled his hand back. Much as he enjoyed the silence of their naps and the quiet their home provided, he preferred their noise and fervor.

"Ieee!" Tsubaki tugs at the strap of his tanktop, bringing Hiei back to reality. She waits patiently as he returns to looking at her and quietly stares back with her golden eyes blinking minutely.

"What were we talking about?" Hiei mutters, thinking it over before his lips parted with a sigh. That's right. "You may not understand the seriousness of it, but know there are only a small number of souls who have such an honor. I've had my share of protecting the realms and fighting for nameless whelps."

Yuusuke seemed to have it in mind that he "tagged along" on their adventures simply because he cared. Sentiment aside, Hiei couldn't say it was far from the truth. They had grown on him like fungus did a rock. He shuddered to think of what would happen if something befell any of them and he could have done something, but chose not.

A few slaps against his shoulder dragged him away from his thoughts and to Tsubaki. Her babbling filling the silence and drowning out the droning of the anchorman, something about rain lost in Hiei's mind as he tries to deduce what his daughter is saying. Lifting her her until they stared eye to eye, her small feet balancing on his thighs as he held her upright.

"What are you saying…"

It occurs to Hiei for not the first time that he could simply use the Jagan and do away with the mystery. He refuses. It's a curious thing but he didn't want to intrude on their minds. Not even his sons. Using the Jagan on them was prohbitied untl his children were old enough to regard him with some semblance of emotion not brought on by their neediness of him. Whether they loved him or abhorred him would be the difference of whether he'd request access to speaking to them telepathically.

So far though, Hiei found himself addicted to having their love and appreciation simply for being their father. It chilled him to think there would be a day when it was otherwiise.

Pinpricks of pain sank into the bridge of his nose and Hiei flared his nostrils in response, earning a squeal. Steam fanning across the palm of Tsubaki's hand evaporated into the open air and Hiei smiled. Allowing another huff and then another to ellicit giggles from his daughter as she tried to catch the vapor in her hands, failing and deciding to clamp her hand over his nose instead. As annoying as it was to have to breathe through his mouth for the few precious seconds it took to pry her hand from his nose, it was worth it for that wide smile.

Curling his fingers around her tiny fist, dotting her wrist with little kisses before he lifted her over his head.

"Your enemies are my enemies, anyone who attempts to harm you is good as dead."

To others, those words would inspire alarm.

To Tsubaki, it inspired laughter and only strengthened Hiei's resolve.

Her hands reached for him and he brought her closer, cradling her to his chest with his hand to her back and the other beneath her head. Letting her hands explore his face, grab at his nose, explore his jawline, tug at the length of the hair spilling over his ward.

The pain mattered little compared to her joy, and Hiei was used to pain ― giving and receiving — and he would suffer it for her smile. Rubbing his nose against her own, her eyes close reflexively as she laughs.

"I'll summon the Dragon of the Darkness Flame all for you. Raze the realms to ash, anything you like."

Hiei's voice is soft and meant for her ears alone, although in the silence, it feels as if the world is listening. Good, he thinks ruefully. Let all the realms hear. If any harm befell his children, hell would be razed.

Tsubaki continues exploring his face but now she makes soft purring noises, contement rolling off her in waves. Her aura reminding him of a flower gradually blooming, a summer storm and a sunshower. Basking in it is enough to bring him peace and he feels shaken to know how easily it comes. Without a word, she can soothe his flames, reminding Hiei all the while of Kurama with her purring and the gentle touches to his skin.

"Action suits me better than words. But your father --- your father can string sentences together to inspire fear in the heart of even the strongest of souls, but he can also be gentle."

Stories do Kurama little justice. He is a gentle soul with the ability to be harsh and unforgiving. His limits have been pushed and tested and proven, but he always has righted himself. Falliable though he may be, his short-comings only inspired Hiei to love him harder. Making up for where he lacked. Holding tight where Kurama was crumbling.

Golden eyes shine, and Hiei sighs.

"Will you be like me or him…?" He asks gently, tipping his head to one side to press a kiss to Tsubaki's cheek. A short pause follows as she nuzzles him, cooing softly and babbling as she reaches for him. Hiei's eyes searching her small form, finding the parts of her that reminds him of Kurama quickly. Only at the gentle pat of her hand does he speak. "… No, you're like your father. There's too much love in you to be like me."

There was so much of him that was ugly. Twisted beyond recognition. He was cold at the core no matter how warm his body ran. Death and destruction were notions he welcomed rather than balked at. Even this idyllic peace they dwelled in was one he looked at with apprehension. He could see the good in a "good" thing but he also knew there were things lurking. It was his job to be ready for when they made themselves known.

Not only for their ragtag team but Kurama and the family they made. It was what he was meant to do. Hiei was sure of it.

Cuddling Tsubaki close to him, the scent of a sunshower in her hair, Hiei sighed. "He would disagree, you know…” A soft chuckle choked out as he shook his head. “He seems to think I'm affectionate."

"Because you are."

Kurama's voice streaks through the open air and lashes deep in Hiei's chest, his head whipping around to find Kurama leaning against the doorway at the other side of the room. Comfortable and assured, wholly unabashed and somewhat smug, his arms folded across his chest and eyes half-lidded. Blood rushes to Hiei’s cheeks as Kurama strolls over to them, stopping shortly to tuck the blanket around the dozing boys, giving both a light peck to the head.

「 How long were you there? 」

Attempting to hide his mortification is a tactic long wasted on Kurama. With his intuitiveness and sheer knowledge of Hiei’s mannerisms, he sees through it immediately and gives a cheeky smile as he nestles at Hiei’s side. Tsubaki’s ears perking, leaning forward at the sound of his voice, her noises a bit louder as she clenches a fistful of Hiei’s shirt and tries to balance herself with a hand outstretched to Kurama.

「 Long enough to hear you threaten her enemies. 」

Kurama smiles warmly, tucking his thumb in the palm of Tsubaki’s hand. His other hand snaking around Hiei’s back to rest at his stomach. A solid warmth pressing against Hiei’s shoulder as Kurama leant forward to press kisses to Tsubaki’s head.

Nose wrinkled and glare scathing, Hiei tries his best to keep his annoyance brewing at Kurama’s lack of transparency but it drains from him quickly at the sight of the fox’s eyes, golden and bright, meeting Tsubaki’s own. A loud squeal from her bringing forth a new wave of emotion too deep for Hiei to stoke the flames of indignant fury.

「 What have I told you about hiding your energy? 」

「 Forgive me, you were having a conversation and I didn't want to interrupt. 」

Shuffling aside, Hiei finds the solid press of Kurama’s chest to his back far more appealing than the wooden frame of the sliding door. A light kiss meanders along the curve of his shoulder, dark red hair tickling his cheek as he twists his head away to avoid Kurama’s lips at his cheek. The fox huffs a laugh, warm breath sending shivers down Hiei’s spine but his attention is stolen by Tsubaki’s babbling. Kurama engaging her in a bit of conversation lost on Hiei as he adjusts her in his lap.

Knees drawn close to his chest and tiny feet firmly planted against his stomach, Tsubaki is given a full view of both of them with Kurama peeking at her over Hiei’s shoulder. A small game of “hide and seek” awkwardly played but no less adored. Pride swells in Hiei’s chest when he hears the quiet shuffle of vines and whispering leaves, the plants hung and gathered around their home drawing nearer as they could at the sound of their daughter’s laughter.

Just as she glows with mirth, the plants react in kind, soaking in her joy and dancing to the currents of energy wafting from her. Hiei sighs when the emotions grow too deep for him to keep them inside, attempting to take a breath to sustain himself and gather air where love and devotion threatened to smother him.

「 She can't speak. I love everything about her and she can't even say a word. 」

Kurama is his best source of information in times such as this. He can make sense of the feelings deep inside of Hiei’s chest, and on the off chance he can’t, he can at least provide solace. A quick squeeze around his middle, a comforting pressure that nearly chokes out the rest of the words hidden in Hiei’s chest, but no less appreciated.

「 She's our daughter. 」

This time, when Kurama’s lips brush against his cheek, Hiei doesn’t turn his head away. Accepting the featherlight kisses to his cheekbones and his jawline, melting under the ones behind his ear.

「 She loves you just as much. 」

Hiei’s heart stammers in beating and he gazes down at Tsubaki. Undeterred by her fathers’ affections, her attention shifts to the vine hanging overhead. It twists and turns, gathering around her fingertips allowing her to hold tight with her small fist. Her eyes are lit with curiosity but her touch is gentle. Almost instinctively. As if she knows too much pressure will bring harm and just enough will guarantee the reaction she desires. It’s so strange.

「 How do you know? 」

「 Can't you tell? 」

Tipping his head enough to glimpse Kurama from the corner of his eye, Hiei scoffs. If he could tell then what would be the purpose in asking him? Kurama arches a brow and Hiei sighs. Not wanting to start a verbal spat with him or let him see too deeply into why he worries.

Tsubaki is none the wiser. Her attention stolen entirely by the flowers and the vines coming to greet her. Blooms on the vines flourishing beneath her light touches and grateful as they wind gently around her wrist, brushing against her fingers and hugging close to her.

Hiei sighs. Would a day come where she no longer looked at things like this? Where she regarded him with contempt for everything he did in the past? For what Kurama had done with the plants that adored her? Would his own standoffishness and habit of silence deter her more than e dear?

Worry and unrest churned in his stomach. His heart aching. These days would always remembered but they were fleeting. The boys were growing like weeds and so would Tsubaki. He only wished this time would slow so he could cherish every moment a bit longer.

Tsubaki tilted her head head up and the vine wrapped around her wrist pulled away, her hands reaching out to him.

「 She knows when you're worried. 」

Hiei resists the urge to flinch but he does tense. Enough for Kurama to raise his head from his shoulder and Tsubaki to whimper. Leaning down to rest his head in her hands, he closes his eyes when she nuzzles him, unable to look into her eyes and lie.

「 I told her, she's like you. 」

「 You could always tell when I was lost in my own head. 」

「 As if it was hard? 」

The nuzzling continued along with a soft purr. Hiei pressing kisses to her cheek and murmuring in words from a Makai dialect, promising her that he was fine and thanking her for saving him. Tsubaki’s answering hum comes with a light scratch of her claws against his cheek but he can’t find it in himself care.

「 She takes after you as well, Hiei. We made them together. Never forget that. 」

Kurama squeezes him around his waist and the feelings he hid so deeply in his chest begin to bubble up to his throat. He would die for his children and their enemies were his own but they weren’t the only ones. He would lay down his life for Kurama, fight all of his enemies physically and mentally if it meant securing another sunrise with him.

「 … It's hard to remember. They're so… good. 」

Hiei glances back at him, hugging Tsubaki close to his chest and listening to her gentle cooing. A light kiss pressed to the top of her head and her ears twitching as she nuzzled close to him. Sparing a glance at Kurama, Hiei sighs.

「 Almost everything good in my life, I attribute to you. 」

Kurama’s hand cups his chin and tips his head up. Hiei’s eyebrow raising until he’s pulled into a kiss. Senses short-circuiting with the quirk work Kurama makes of his defenses, kissing him deeply and drowning out the world. A sharp nip to his lower lip startles him, his lips parting and Kurama’s tongue delves past. Muffled groans becoming soft sighs as they part, heated breaths and panting between them.

What was just happened…?

Meeting Kurama’s eyes, Hiei sees the gold flickering amidst the green.

"S-Sorry…" Kurama mutters, his voice a bit rougher with a timbre that reminds Hiei of the Youko. “… You were being sweet again.”

Hiei huffed, quirking a smile. “I thought you didn’t like sweet things…”

“I’m starting to have a taste for them,” Kurama grins, his lips a bit wet but his tongue swipes along the bottom one and Hiei smiles as he leans in again

Tsubaki’s hand patting Hiei’s cheek to gain his attention and Kurama sighing softly when Hiei turns away.

“I’m sorry,” Hiei says, though he doesn’t sound sorry in the slightest even to his own ears. Far too amused with Kurama’s pouting, his chin resting on Hiei’s shoulder. And Tsubaki’s smiling, unaware of the moment she interrupted. “Your father is distracting.”

#yu yu hakusho #yyh #kurahi #kurama #hiei #fanfiction #my fanfiction #smile bomb #minamino tsubaki #minamino kagerou #minamino asahi

[ashknife]

The Mushroom Girl (1st Draft)

Well, it’s about time to bring some writing over. I will do this slowly as I have time. Most of these will need extensive work done.

This piece features Sophie Rose Beauchene, the daughter of a successful book publisher. What she wants in life is not what her parents want for her.

Sophie tore through her wardrobe. She had many fine dresses. Some were made with lace, some made of fine silk, and others simply works of master tailoring. For a special occasion such as today, they may as well have been sackcloth. Clad only in underwear, she pulled out different tops and bottoms and modeled them in the mirror. She discovered many combinations for future engagements, but nothing worked as she wanted. The one outfit she needed was nowhere to be found, and everything else was far too formal and pricey. She finally found a pair of slacks and a shirt with soft pink and white stripes. It looked like leisurewear for afternoon tea. It was the best she could do. She sighed like a drunk war veteran.

“Mademoiselle?” came a knock at the door.

“What?” she called out.

“Are you dressed yet? It’s been two hours. Your breakfast is cold.”

“I’m almost ready, Francine,” she said.

“Very good. I will inform your mother. She is getting impatient,” Francine reported.

Sophie sighed again. There would be another lecture for wasting her time. She couldn’t help it if she didn’t have all she needed to make a good impression. Those impressions were important. They led to opportunities. Her father was very careful to teach her that. Even at age ten, it wasn’t too early to start making those good impressions. So what if it took hours to get this right? It was time well-spent. Only, she couldn’t find the right outfit for their visitor, so the time was wasted anyway. She could already imagine Madame Beauchene’s lady-like irritation rolling out of her mouth. Sophie punched the wardrobe with a childish grunt.

She was halfway into a follow-up kick when something in the back dislodged and fell to the wardrobe’s floor. She made a little skeptical squeal as she reached for the tardy garment. This was it. This is what she was searching for. She grabbed the pink-striped shirt and modeled it with the newfound pair of overalls. Perfect! With this, she would be ready for mushroom hunting at a moment’s notice. Given the new mushroom section in the estate garden and the varieties of fungi growing around the mansion grounds, surely there would be an opportunity to do a hunt with their guest, the brilliant Dr. Mario Girvin, mycologist.

Within minutes, she emerged from her room in her preferred outfit with her maroon hair hastily brushed. She grazed over her cold breakfast like a starved horse, going for the fruits, pastries, anything that was already in small pieces. She smothered a neatly folded napkin with her face, threw it back on the tray with an overly ceremonious show of grace and refinement, and ran down the hall still chewing on a strawberry.

Madame Beauchene stood dutifully outside the study. Her elegant, professional dress suggested a different sort of meeting than Sophie expected. Adding to this hunch was a large scowl dominating her powdered face.

“Sophie!” she hissed. “Look at you! Francine…”

The maid, who was standing nearby, promptly produced a handkerchief. Madame Beauchene yanked it into her possession, licked it, and scrubbed her daughter’s face while Francine brushed crumbs off.

“Seriously, daughter, you could have spent time last night worrying over your clothes. Now we have to spend even more time making you presentable.” Sophie’s scalp tingled as long fingernails corrected her rushed hair job.

“And…” Madame Beauchene started before taking a second, hard look at Sophie’s attire. “Actually, never mind. You actually showed some forethought for once. Maybe you are starting to grow up. I’d rather you get those rags dirty.”

“Good morning, mother,” Sophie said as she rolled her eyes. Then she yelped as Madame Beauchene boxed her ear.

“Don’t talk back to me, young lady. This business will be your empire one day, sooner than you think. You will learn to act properly.”

“Yes, mother. Sorry, mother,” she mumbled.

A weathered, well-tanned old man in a white suit emerged from the foyer stairs down the hall with the assistance of Jacques, the butler. The man wore a clean straw hat and leaned on a white cane in his right hand as he walked. He used the cane as if it were a part of his body. His limp was barely noticeable. He wore the joyful little smile of a life well-lived, and his eyes were full of that same life. His joy grew just a bit brighter as he approached the ladies.

“Madame Beauchene, it is good to see you, mon amie,” he said with open arms.

Madame threw the handkerchief behind her, which Francine expertly caught and hit. The lady opened her arms and gathered the old man in a polite hug.

“Good morning, Dr. Girvin,” she said a bit brighter than normal. “I hope your trip was pleasant.”

“Yes, Madame, the Lostani mountains are always a beautiful sight. And this must be your daughter?” he indicated toward Sophie with his free hand.

“Yes, this is Sophie,” she said. Sophie curtsied the best she could in her overalls and extended her visibly shaking hand.

“I am Sophie Rose Beauchene. I am pleased to meet you, Dr. Girvin,” she said with all the awkward nervousness she couldn’t hide. Dr. Girvin laughed, knelt in front of Sophie, and clasped his hands around hers.

“I am pleased to meet you, too, Sophie. Now, there’s no need for nerves. We are already good friends here, yes? In fact, I can already see you’re already dressed for the main event.” His eyes grew a little brighter in anticipation of his little hunt. Sophie couldn’t help but return his smile.

“Until then, here’s a specimen you don’t get to see around here often.” He let go of her hand. In her palm was a mushroom picked from the eastern islands.

“Lentinula edodes!” she breathed. “I’ve always wanted to get that in my collection! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Go put that in your...collection,” Madame Beauchene said as she valiantly hid her disgust. “Dr. Girvin and your father need to discuss business.”

“Yes, mother,” Sophie said as she purposefully walked a normal pace back to her room. She closed the door behind her gingerly before sprinting to the spare closet and throwing that door open.

Inside were shelves of several varieties of edible mushrooms. To each side were carefully dried and preserved samples of other mushrooms, many of which bore notes of faraway places where Sophie was allowed to travel. She knelt and retrieved a sample bag and a card from a box of supplies. She carefully wrote the name and species of the shiitake mushroom on the card, placed it in the bag, and pinned the bag to a free spot on the wall. She then grabbed a small straw basket with holes woven into it, placed the mushrooms in it, and hung it up near an open window to dry them out.

She surveyed the mansion grounds outside the window recalling every place where she could find fungus. The good doctor would surely know of even more places where she could discover more samples. There was something weird, alien, about fungi that tantalized her imagination. They grew like plants and spread like diseases. There was something animalistic about their behavior. If only she could grow up faster and run away to some school that would teach her more, maybe she could even find uses that would satisfy even her father’s business.

“Mademoiselle,” Francine said as she knocked at the door.

“Coming!” Sophie said as she jumped, nearly knocking over her new prize. She held up her hands and bowed slightly in supplication to the angry mushroom spirits inhabiting the basket before leaving.

-------

Sophie carefully crawled under the mansion, flashlight in one hand, and basket in the other. The mushroom hunt two years ago with Dr. Girvin was educational. Her collection of samples expanded twofold within a month after that hunt, and she learned many ways to keep samples as well as grow more of her own. She grew past collecting just anything she could find. She was now on the hunt for rare species.

She learned through one of Dr. Girvin’s books that truffles grew underground under different circumstances, though they were difficult to find without a sensitive sense of smell. For months, she crawled through the surrounding forest and under all the buildings on the mansion grounds, but she had yet to find one. Today, however, would be different. Jaques received new garden tools recently, and Sophie was sure he would not miss his old rusty hand trowel. She could finally properly dig for her treasure. Madame Beauchene would be thrilled her nails wouldn’t be so caked with dirt.

She made several small holes near wooden supports that went into the ground, but nothing came up. More random holes dotted the open ground, also with no luck. Perhaps she needed to dig more than a few inches. Something in her said making holes like that near the house supports might not be a good idea, but perhaps some deep holes in the forest might yield something. Maybe that was the ticket. She started to crawl her way out, but then she suddenly stopped.

She could feel it. It was a faint twinge, a slight buzz of the mind. The ground in front of her held something. Beads of sweat formed all over, and she shivered from the sudden chill. Something was definitely there. She grabbed the trowel and dug quickly. The buzzing grew a little stronger. She slowed down a bit, hoping not to accidentally slaughter whatever specimen she found. About half a foot down, she found it. A silver mushroom the size of a baseball. It crackled with blue sparks every so often. She held it up to her face, eyes wide and mouth agape. The buzzing turned into tingling. Faintly, she could see webs of blue lines darting this way and that, pulsing with some energy. Most of them converged onto this one mushroom.

Her heartbeat quickened. Her breathing came close to hyperventilation. She let out shy bursts of laughter, not sure if she should laugh freely, cry, or remain silent in dire reverence of the event. Slowly, laughter won out as she battled to keep her hands still.

“T-t-t-tuber m-magicae!” she half-shouted in between bouts of laughter. She stumbled upon the diamond of mushrooms, one of if not the rarest breed of fungi on Paradigm. Fungus infused with the power of the leylines. Just touching it was a gift. In history, Sophie would be known as the fifth human to see actual leylines, just like the Jotunn. She found a magic truffle, and the mushroom she found was worth more than twice the combined wealth and assets of the Beauchene Publishing Company.

Just then, she grew still and silent. She looked all around her, searching for suspicious onlookers. After several tense minutes, she gently hugged the truffle, gave it a slight peck, dusted off  the bottom of it the best she could, and took a tiny bite of it. The flavor was incredibly pungent, like a strong cheese. When she swallowed it, her body suffered a major jolt as if she had been shocked. She went blind for a few moments. When her vision returned, she could see the leylines in addition to her normal vision, only they were now a faint white.

She giggled as she put the mushroom into a sample bag. Not many get to try rare mushrooms like that. She needed to show Monsieur Beauchene what she found. He would be thrilled to hold such a priceless treasure.

Monsieur Beauchene was busy supervising a crew making renovations to the mansion gardens. He didn’t bother looking up from his plans as he instructed her to walk as her noisy footfalls approached him.

“Hello, dear,” he said absent-mindedly.

“Father! You have to see this!”

He looked up and nearly choked on his air. Sophie stood before him in her overalls covered in dirt and mud holding the mushroom to his face. From the look on his face, she may as well have presented him with a dropping from his dog.

“Sophie, what are you doing?” he demanded. “I have told you over and over again not to go out digging like that. It’s unhealthy, unladylike, and you are certainly a target for kidnapping for our enemies!”

“But, it’s a magic truffle!”

“Magic truffle? Now you’re having delusions of grandeur! I am certainly making the right decisions today, that’s for sure.” He yanked the mushroom out of her hands, crushed it, and threw it to the side, which his dog, a little toy poodle, chased after. Then, in one swift motion, he brought that hand back across her face with a loud smack.

It took a few moments for Sophie to register her surroundings again. Her body tingled again, now with fear. She was painfully aware of the sting on her cheek and the man in front of her. The din of the garden crew seemed to be extra clarified as they continued to work.

“That horrid closet of yours is cleaned out and now holds proper clothing. That mushroom display here is also gone,” he said.

“But what abo--” she started.

“He’s dead. Passed away last night in his sleep. He won’t be viewing it any longer, and we don’t need that display anymore, anyway. We have a strong relationship with his university publishing their books.”

The toy poodle made a high-pitched screech. Both looked down to see it convulse violently before dying next to the remains of the mushroom, its last meal.

His face nearly blood red, Monsieur Beauchene grabbed Sophie’s shirt and pulled her to him.

“You. Will. Give. Up. Your. Foolish. FANTASIES.” Each word came with a slap across her face, after which he threw her to the ground. “Starting tomorrow, you will begin studies in business and trade. You will be too busy to deal with such low brow interests best left to peasants and low-lives.”

He left the gardens as he called for Francine. A tense argument followed that ended with a clear, “You’re fired!”

Sophie slowly started picking herself up. A hand behind her grabbed the back of her shirt, speeding the process and leading her to her bathroom. Madame Beauchene lectured Sophie along the way about the ways of proper women. Upon reaching their destination, the mother threw the child into the bathroom, slammed the door shut, and demanded she be rid of her filth within the hour, or there would be further consequences.

--------

Angry hands dove into the warm, sudsy water and pulled out a saucepan. Sophie gritted her teeth as she scrubbed the remnants of old soup off of it, and then she smashed it into the sink full of pots awaiting a rinse. Even being eight years ago, the memory felt no less raw. She cursed under her breath as she punished the soap off the pots through hot tears. Though she could barely see the sink before her, the faint white leylines let her see what she was doing. It was a hard but useful skill she taught herself.

The bell jingled as the front door of Le Petit Fleur flew open. She quickly wiped her tears and composed herself.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” she said quietly.

Behind her, what sounded like a wooden crate landed on the counter.

“I found these at the market today,” came Alex’s voice.

“What?” she asked as she turned around. On the counter was a case full of lentinula edodes. Her stomach churned a bit, not sure if she was happy to see these or not.

“Shiitake,” Alex said. “Fresh from the eastern islands. I think you said one time that you liked making a soup out of them.”

Bless this boy, he remembered something, and without an argument. That seemed odd in itself.

“But, why?” she asked.

Alex concentrated really hard before he answered.

“Because you’re our, uh, petty champ, uh, pigeon?” he said.

Sophie mouthed the words quizzically as the heat built up inside her again.

“Get out,” she blasted with a commanding finger pointing the way. Alex did not waste time following those orders, though he looked perplexed at what was going on. Sophie chunked mugs out the door after him, which smashed furiously onto the street. She then grabbed the case of shiitake mushrooms with criminal intent.

“Petty champ pigeon, huh?” she said as she contemplated what to do with the offending mushrooms. “I’ll show you something petty, you little sh--”

She froze and looked down at the mushrooms. Petty? Petty? Little? Petit? Champ pigeons? She put the case down as she mouthed the words again, over and over. She then snorted and doubled over in laughter. She fell onto her butt, and for ten minutes, she wallowed in her newfound mirth. When she could finally breathe and compose herself, she climbed back up, wiped her tears again, and finished the dishes so she could clean the mushrooms.

Later that evening, Alex quietly came in with his unit and hid behind a menu. The others noticed but said nothing, figuring it was more of the same as they talked about the day’s classes. Sophie took their table, as she normally did, got their round of drinks, and as she was about to leave, she knelt beside Alex.

“Je suis ton petit champignon, oui?” she whispered in his ear. She could feel the heat of his face as he tried not to laugh at himself.

“Lo siento,” he replied. “I can’t pronounce Vigntian.”

“T’adore,” she said, patting his head as she went to fill their orders.

Tonight, they would get the best soup in the house. More tears came. If only she could serve Monsieur and Madame Beauchene the same.

#giants among us #ocs #sophie rose beauchene #maxwell alexander chamberlain

[saltylikecrait]

Yellow - Finn/Rey One-Shot

For @finnreyfridays. A continuation of my series that takes place between The Last Jedi and Episode IX. Rey has a yellow lightsaber in this series for temporary use.

It’s a little long and can be also read on AO3 here.

“So, this is the place?” asked Poe. “You sure?”

The three of them gazed out over the world as they were about to enter its atmosphere. Rey scanned the overall appearance of Klatooine. Flecked with reds, yellows, and browns, she could only find a few dark spots that indicated to her that they were bodies of water. The world seemed to have more variety in geography than Jakku, but she wasn’t sure if it was much better.

She nodded. “From what I could gather, there should be an archive hidden somewhere in the Derelkoos Desert…”

Poe glanced at his map and entered in a couple of coordinates. “I’m not going to land near a town,” he explained. “The last I heard about this place was it was still full of Hutt sympathizers that want to bring them back to power, so be careful. There’s still a few dangerous Hutt cartels. Finn, I’ll give you guys a tracker to use to find me again when you’re done.”

Finn and Rey both agreed that seemed like the best plan. They both packed bags of ration cubes and water that would last them for up to three days. The plan was if they hadn’t found anything by the second day, they would have to turn around to return to the shuttle.

“I would say it’s probably better to travel at night,” Rey began, “but I’m worried what we’ll find. The sun might not be our only enemy.”

Her old habits and instincts kicked in almost immediately when she looked outside the shuttle as Poe was landing and saw nothing but sand and rock formations as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t the dunes of Jakku, but sand was sand, no matter how rocky this kind was. Finn did not appear pleased by this discovery, but he seemed to accept that he volunteered for this excursion and he would to help Rey find Jedi holocrons if there were any left on this dusty planet.

She examined her supplies and began a mental checklist of what was in the bags, what they might need to scavenge the shuttle for, and how and when to use what. It wasn’t ideal to her, but they would have to make due with what they had.

So, as prepared as they could be, Finn and Rey took their first steps into the desert.

“Where to?” Finn asked.

Rey pointed west. “This way, I think.”

“How do you know?”

She shrugged. “The Force? A good guess? Got a better plan?”

“Not at all.” He shook his head.

They wandered the first day through the sand, sleeping near an outcropping of rock for cover in a small tent. At signs of coming near civilization, they wandered off in a wide berth to avoid being seen. Their journey seemed to be going well, but halfway through their second day they were both growing eager to find something, anything, that would show they were coming close to what they were looking for.

“Ugh,” Rey growled in frustration. “Hey, Force,” she half-shouted. “A vision or something would be nice right now!”

Finn chuckled. “I’m not a Jedi, Rey, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how the Force works.” Then, he pointed out ahead of him, gazing out beyond the cliff they were standing on. “But maybe that would be a good place to start?”

She almost rolled her eyes until she walked over to him to look what he was pointing at. Glancing out over the horizon, her mouth fell open.

“Seriously?” she groaned. “Are we sure this isn’t how the Force works?”

Out ahead of them, maybe a mile away, stood a series of columns with what appeared to be the entrance to a temple of some sort. The sand looked thicker around it, but they could get through it quickly, probably.

But when they got closer to the temple, they realized they were not alone. A pair of Klatooinians stood guard outside the entrance, though Rey noted they looked bored, probably from a lack of action happening around here. But one thing was sure: something was in that temple, and whatever it was, it was worth guarding.

“Think we should risk it?” she asked Finn.

He glanced around, scanning the area. “We might be able to swing around and come from another direction. Either there is a back way in, or we can sneak behind them. Think they have a good sense of smell?”

Rey observed the Klatooinians and noted their canine noses, wondering if their olfactory glands were superior to humans or if it gave them an advantage of some sort in the desert air. She never met someone of this species before to have any real idea.

“Not sure,” she admitted, “but I think we should try your plan out.”

While it took a little longer than Rey would have cared to add to their time, she agreed Finn’s plan was better than just making a run for it. There was no other entrance as they had hoped, but they realized the two Klatooinians were positioned farther away from the temple than they initially believed. Walking quietly, but quickly, they snuck behind them.

They were surprised to find the temple was still in wonderful condition, noting how the bronze statues of strange, snakelike beings had been shined recently and the entry room which lead into others had been swept free of dust and sand.

“We need to be careful,” Finn observed. “There might be others inside the temple.”

Rey nodded as she opened a door and went inside.

They explored the temple for a while, not running into anyone but also not finding any of the holocrons that had been rumored to be here. “I sense them,” Rey said. “They are here, but I can’t figure out where.”

The room they stood in was one they came to for a second time. To Rey, the holocrons seemed to sing to the Force and the sound they made was the loudest here. It was almost as if they were hidden and Finn and Rey would have to find a way to get into the temple further. What stood out to the both of them in this room was the life-sized statue of another snakelike being, a female, judging by the way she stood up and how the features of the statue just appeared more feminine to Rey. She was depicted as wearing ceremonial robes and decorated with real yellow jewels and gold.

In her hands looked to be some sort of staff weapon. Rey curiously studied at it and noted it was a double-sided weapon of some sort.

“I think this is real,” breathed Finn as he too glanced over the weapon. “Look, it’s resting in her hands, not molded into them.”

And when Rey glanced closer, she found this was exactly the case.

Before she could get a better look, however, a group of Klatooinians entered the room, pointing blasters at the pair. They spoke in a language that neither could understand and if they knew Basic, they ignored Finn’s pleas to believe the story that they were just a couple that wanted to explore the temple, nothing more.

After a few minutes of attempted negotiations, Rey decided she couldn’t wait to be shot at, so, she drew her lightsaber – the yellow one she wasn’t sure she liked – and tried to convince the Klatooinians to back away. 

Upon activation, it crackled and flickered out. 

“Oh, come on!” Rey whined, shaking the saber out of frustration.

The yellow blade reappeared after a few moments, startling her and the Klatooinians. With a grin, she used the lightsaber to deflect their startled blasts away from her and Finn.

Without a weapon, however, Finn was a sitting duck.

“Can you cover me?” he shouted to her against the deafening sound of blaster bolts being shot off. “I have an idea.”

“Hurry,” Rey answered.

As she protected him from the incoming shots, Finn stumbled his way toward the statue, reaching his arm out for the weapon. Holding it in his hand, he looked at it a little curiously before he thumbed something on its hilt.

Twin plasma blades, as bright and brilliant as the gold on the statue, glowed in the dimmed light. They were shorter than Rey’s own yellow blade, and the color was deeper than hers, but the length was far more suitable for a double-bladed weapon. Finn twirled it around once, and then, holding it firmly in his hands, charged for the nearest Klatoonian.

Rey almost stopped to marvel at the doubled-bladed saber and how unique it was in combat until she reminded herself that there were still four other Klatoonians in the room and at least two of them had her in their sights. She swung her lightsaber, backing up and swiped at them to try to scare them off. Eventually, her side made contact with Finn’s and they met eyes for a moment before she understood that it was time to quit deflecting their bolts and attack them head on. They weren’t going to back off, which would have been the smart thing to do.

When she ran her blade through the side of one Klatoonian, she surprised her to see him back up a step in shock and then fall to the side. She didn’t think she killed him, but the wound would have been big enough that without immediate care, he would be dead in a few hours.

The others looked at him with alarm, almost in unison, before they ran for it.

“Well, that went better than I expected,” said Finn as he frowned at the Klatoonian on the floor. He gazed at the lightsaber in his hands. “Didn’t expect this either.”

Approaching the statue again, Finn halted in his steps as the room began to tremble around them. There was a light scraping sound, and they watched as three cubes slid down one of the sleeves of the statue’s robes and into her hands. A chute had been hidden there.

“Woah,” said Rey. “Clever.”

Finn glanced at the lightsaber again. “I guess this is what set the statue off? But how? I removed this a couple of minutes ago.”

“Delayed reaction?” Rey shrugged. “In any case, we found the holocrons and if the stories are true, these contain knowledge on how to manipulate the energy of a lightsaber.”

He looked puzzled. “And what exactly would that do?”

“Dunno exactly,” she admitted. “I heard this had once been the location of a temple where a Jedi Master lived and taught students that were in the Outer Rim. One of his students was named a Sentinel after he died and she guarded a secret ability she mastered. I assume that’s her.” Rey nodded at the statue.

“Meaning this would have been her lightsaber,” remarked Finn. “Looks like she guarded those secrets long after she died herself…”

“If I am the last Jedi,” Rey began, “then I’m sure she’ll understand. I can return the holocrons later. I might need this.”“Should we keep the lightsaber?” Finn grinned. “It’s not much use here. We could always use a spare.”

Rey wanted to roll her eyes because Finn really meant he wanted to keep it, preferably for himself. But she was curious about the lightsaber and wanted to know how it worked as a reference for herself to possibly reforged the old Skywalker saber.

“All right, Finn, we can keep it,” she relented. “But we might have to return it one day. ” She thought she might give Finn this lightsaber she was using once she had the blue blade reforged. Maybe the yellow saber would take to him better than it did with her.

The smile on Finn’s face was brighter than the Klatooinian sun overhead.

#finnrey #finnreyfridays #my stuff

[eirenical]

combeferre/courfeyrac, 2 and 54?

I had about 1000 words of this typed up yesterday and anaccidental hitting of the back button DELETED THE WHOLE THING.  *sobs softly* So, let’s try this again, shall we? IN WORD, THIS TIME.  *headdesk*

(ETA: Holy heck, this thing is 1500 words long.  XD  I THINK YOU GOT MORE THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR, @draconicfaye.  OOPS.  XD)

(Ifanyone else would like to send me prompts, here are the tropes. ^_^)

2. Royal AU & 54. Secret Relationship

So, here’s how it goes:

This is a modern AU, ironic as that is.  Combeferre is the first-born son to an actualruling dynasty, but he’s always kept himself out of the limelight, preferringthe company of his books to sycophants. Enjolras is his much brighter, much more gregarious younger sibling.  His parents often wished Enjolras had been bornfirst, in fact, except for the fact that Enjolras is very vocal about his desireto see their country abolish the monarchy entirely and set up a democracy.  (Of course, Combeferre feels exactly the sameway, but since he generally keeps his mouth shut about, well… EVERYTHING, noone really knows that apart from Enjolras.)

Anyway, the one thing Combeferre has been absolutely adamantabout is his desire to attend school, to train for an actual profession apartfrom being a professional heir.  (Hisparents married young and had him young and it’s going to be a long, long, LONGtime until he gets anywhere close to the throne—not that he wants to, anyway.)  His parents agree, provided that he does itquietly, and doesn’t do anything to embarrass the family.  Combeferre goes them one further by insistinghe apply and register under a pseudonym. So, upon graduation, Combeferre packs his bags and comes to the UnitedStates to go to school.  Enjolras, only16, is disappointed to be left behind, but he understands why Combeferre has togo.

The first year, Combeferre keeps mostly to himself, terrifiedof putting even a toe out of line, or catching the attention of any wandering paparazziwho might figure out who he is.  Hespends an entire semester doing nothing more adventurous than going to class, going back tothe dorm, and studying, rinse, repeat, with only trips to the library in between,and the semester after that doing exactly the same.  No one even vaguely suspects who he mightbe.  By the second year, he’s feelingbolder, though.  He starts investigatingthe various clubs and activities available on campus.  One in particular catches his eye—Les Amis del’ABC.  He recognizes the pun for what itis and can’t help but laugh and decides to check it out.  Itturns out to be a political science club and their president is a bonfire ofenergy disguising itself as a junior pre-law student.  Combeferre is entranced from minute one.

(And the rest of this is going behind a cut because I don’t want to totally kill everyone’s dashes. ^_^)

The thing about Combeferre, though, is that he doesn’t like thespotlight.  At all.  He doesn’t like to call attention tohimself.  He’s much happier advising from theshadows.  So he doesn’t talk much at meetings.  That doesn’t mean, however, that his presencegoes unnoticed.  Courfeyrac notices, allright.  He notices whenever they manage to attract a new member who stays past the first meeting.  He isn’t one to push,though.  He realizes that Combeferre willcome out of his shell in his own time and not a minute before.  So, rather than forcing the issue, he simply…makes space.  He makes time.  He stops by to talk with Combeferre aftermeetings, interested to hear his perspective on things.  And Combeferre finds that in that quiet, moreprivate setting, he’s happy to share his thoughts.

It isn’t long before Combeferre starts showing up early tomeetings, too, hoping for a few words with Courfeyrac before they start.  Not long after that, Courfeyrac startsreaching out to him midweek, when he’s still planning agendas and talkingpoints.  It isn’t long before they start meeting up midweek, as well, in the quad, atthe library, in the cafeteria… at the apartment Courfeyrac shares with hisfriend Marius.

By the time Spring Break rolls around that year, their midweekmeetings have started to be interrupted by midweek kisses.  Combeferre doesn’t even remember which ofthem started it; he certainly doesn’t care. He just knows that he’s never felt his heart beat this hard or this fastfor another person before.  He’s neverknown anyone who could make him WANT to stand up and call attention to himself,if only to brag about the fact that that’s RIGHT, Courfeyrac is kissing ME, notyou.  ME. And I’m kissing HIM.  And it’sWONDERFUL.

By the time the end of the year rolls around, Combeferre hasbeen speaking up in meetings for weeks. His perspective, as Courfeyrac always suspected it would be, is unique,and he brings a lot to the table in the form of practical governmentalexperience that no one has any idea how he came by.  So, it’s no surprise when end-of-yearelections roll around that Combeferre is elected vice-president for the nextyear.  He celebrates by taking Courfeyracto the nicest restaurant in the city, then inviting Courfeyrac to spend thenight at his apartment.  And Combeferre has no idea whathe’s doing, and he’s sure he would have embarrassed himself a million timesover, but Courfeyrac is such a calming presence and so quick to reassure him andhe’s still there in the morning, so Combeferre can’t have screwed up too badly, right?  They spend the rest of the weekend holed upin Combeferre’s apartment, blissfully oblivious to anything but each other.

Which is why Enjolras showing up on Combeferre’s doorstepMonday morning is such an utter shock.

“You’re lucky it was me and not Mother.  Those hysterics were NOT pretty, and seriously, you owe me one.”

Enjolras pushes past them while Courfeyrac is still splutteringand trying desperately to put himself together because this is Prince Enjolras standing right there andCourfeyrac is in a BATHROBE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, and how is Combeferre takingthis so calmly, anyway?  Before Courfeyraccan even begin to get the questions out, Enjolras turns back to face Combeferreand those stern eyes soften as he reaches out to pat Combeferre’s cheek.  “I thought I was supposed to be the embarrassment in this family.  What happened to keeping out of the limelight?”

Now it’s Combeferre’s turn to splutter and fail to findwords.  Obviously, they’ve missedsomething.  Something big.  Courfeyrac lunges for his phone for the firsttime in days to find all of his notifications on EVERYTHING just… blowing uphis phone.  There are pictures from the restaurant.  The clickbait titles range from the mild, “Andwho is this stunning young man on Prince Combeferre’s arm tonight?  Click to find out!” to the utterly scandalous:“Prince Combeferre gone wild!  Caught inshocking affair with political radical!  Click through for pics!”

Enjolras stares back and forth between the two of them for afull minute before whistling long and low. “Shit.  Neither of you had anyidea, did you?”

Courfeyrac runs off to hyperventilate in the bathroom.  By the time he comes out, Combeferre isgone.  Enjolras is still there.  He apologizes, but his orders were to putCombeferre in a car to the airport the second he found him; no excuses.  Enjolras is to stay and do whatever damagecontrol he can.

What follows is weeks of utter heartbreak on both sides asCombeferre tries to convince his parents that it isn’t what they think, that heloves Courfeyrac and would marry him if the law didn’t insist he had to providean heir of his own.  Courfeyrac staysstateside having much the same discussion with Enjolras.  And Enjolras… he figures out pretty quicklythat Courfeyrac is everything Combeferre claims he is.  What’s more, he likes Courfeyrac.  They getalong well.  They see the world the sameway.  They want the same things for thepeople of their respective countries. They’re kindred spirits.

So, Enjolras goes to work, doing everything HE can, throwinghis weight around in whatever way will serve him to get his parents to see thatthis isn’t some tawdry affair, and that what they’re doing just isn’t right.

In the end, Combeferre is forced to choose: Courfeyrac or thethrone.  Give up the man he loves or thethrone he never wanted to begin with?  That’sno choice at all.  Combeferre is back inthe States that night.  Courfeyracwelcomes him back with open arms; Enjolras welcomes him back with a mouthful ofcurses for sticking him in the position he has. But it’s good.  It’s the best thing that could have happened to all three of them.

Combeferre completes medical school and returns to his countryas a private citizen, joining the staff of a small local hospital for his internship and residency.  Courfeyraccompletes law school the same year and comes with him. They marry the year after that.  Longbefore his time on the throne, Enjolras involves himself with politics, slowlyworking to change the minds of the people, with Courfeyrac right at his sidehelping to blaze the way.  The people oftheir country aren’t ready to give up their royal family entirely, but, overtime, Enjolras and Courfeyrac manage to bring them around to the idea of a constitutional monarchywhere the role of the royal family will be largely ceremonial.  

AND EVERYONE LIVES HAPPILY EVER AFTER.  THE END.

#combeferre x courfeyrac #courferre #combeferre #courfeyrac #les mis headcanons #eirenical.headcanons #les miserables #eirenical writes things #writing meme answers #I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO PLAY WITH THEM IN SO LONG #THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING ME FOR THEM #^_^ #my fluffy double c's are the light of my life #draconicfaye #conversations through replies #trope mash up meme

[willxcapulet]

Job Application

Parties: Zia Romano & Will Capulet

Events: Zia applies to work at the tattoo parlour

Date: Last week sometime

@ziaxromano

Zia:

Bouncing on her toes, Zia had done her best to look decent and elegant. A soft pastel blue dress reaching her to her knees, a white coat over, and her face just lightly decorated with makeup, but nothing too extreme. Really, she had done her best to look like one of the porcelain dolls one could find in a doll store. Nervous she had her resume in hand, and knocked on the door to the tattoo studio, remembering how he had told her that it was technically closed, but he would be in to do some paperwork. Really, she hadn’t expected to be allowed to come in on such a short notice either, yet there she stood, nervous. What if she didn’t get the job, because she didn’t belong to the same family as him? Or because she had been someone who misbehaved when she was younger? He had said that it shouldn’t be what kept her from getting it, but really, you never knew. Yet, she could be in luck, and be allowed to at least start working there.

Will:

Frankly they were in desperate need of a new receptionist. It had been ages since they had anyone decent. So Will was hopeful when the girl messaged him. He had the invoices spread out on the break room table when he heard the tap at the door. He walked through and tugged it open. “Hi there. Come on in.” he greeted before closing the door behind her and throwing the lock behind her. “So I’m Will Capulet. I’ve recently taken over as manager here so I’m kinda drowning a bit in paperwork.”

Zia:

Oh thank God, he was actually there! Her heart could finally calm down as the redhead came out and allowed her to come into the studio, and she nodded her head. “Hello sir, thank you for inviting me.” She told him, her voice gentle as she spoke. She really, really needed to get this job. Somewhere to spend her time, which was not in Indros place, and, would get her a bonus point with Silvius. After all, he seemed to tolerate her more than Celeste did. “Oh that’s stressful. Hopefully I can help more with that, than cause more struggles with it, if you’d like me here at least. Anyways, I brought my resume, but if you have any questions, please do ask me anything about it Sir.”

Will:

Will gestured to the seating area just behind reception as he accepted her resume. “Thank you.Have a seat while I have a look.” he murmured as he read it over. “So why the gap? What was going on there? Travel or something?” he asked curiously as he picked up his pen and made a few notes in the margin.

Zia:

“Yes sir.” She nodded her head before making her way over to the seating area. Taking the coat off, she folded it together before laying it over her lap, her hands resting carefully on top of it. “Well, I am as said a Romano, and we have this…” How to explain it the best. “Institution of sorts, where we get sent if we are struggling a bit with behaviors. Sort of like a boarding school, for submissives, where we work and help out at a farm.” She explained, taking a deep breath. “I spent eight months there, due to some behavioral issues I used to have, with a bit too much extreme behaviors during parties, which made my family figure it was best to send me there to learn how to control myself better, and now I was allowed to come back out into the big world.” She hoped at least it wouldn’t ruin her chances to work there. She was being honest at least.

Will:

Will nodded as she started to speak, a few notes started and then stopped. “Seriously? You have like … behaviour rehab?” He was a little incredulously. He’d never heard of such a thing before. “Do you have … like issues of control? Like stealing or something?” That was a real concern for Will. If he couldn’t trust her, they couldn’t work here. Obviously.

Zia:

“Yeah, you can pretty much consider it that. But it is only for the submissives, it’s not for the dominants. Though sometimes you have submissives who are there, because it is the safest place for them.” She told him with a nod of her head. Though at his question she had to shake her head. “Oh absolutely nothing like stealing or anything. It was more, getting drunk during family gatherings, not really caring about whether or not people saw my underwear while I was dancing, and the final straw was me jumping off a roof, and into a pool. So no, it’s nothing criminal, it was purely just me having far too much energy with no shame in my body.”

Will:

“Huh? Wow. I’ve never heard of anything like that before. Sorry. I’m not trying to be judgy or anything.” Will replied with a shrug. “Okay … okay good. Well I have to admit that wouldn’t have gone over well at one of my family parties either. Sounds like you’d fit right in with the Montagues.” Then he laughed, “Okay so. How are you with computers?”

Zia:

“It’s perfectly fine, I judge that institution plenty myself, so it’s no worries.” The blonde told him with a small smile on her lips, honestly not having an issue with him minding the Aunties. “Well, I was young and quite… Well, you know how kittens are when they get those bursts of energies? That was me, but in well a human form.” She told him with a laugh in return, able to laugh at her own mess ups. “I am perfectly fine with those, sir. They’re not what I exist for, but I am perfectly comfortable with them.”

Wil:

Will burst into laughter at the description. He couldn’t help but think that his sister, Posey, would have been similar. Her shenanigans were legendary. But she was getting more together and responsible every day. He was super proud of how she had grown and he couldn’t help but think such a place would have squashed all the fun and interesting pieces of his sister. “Good good. So the position I am hiring for is reception. It does mean taking payment, handling clients, booking appointments and dealing with the rest of us. It isn’t glamorous but the pay is okay. So saying all that, what do you think would be your least favourite part of the job?”

Zia:

The fact that she made him start laughing, hoping that was at least a good sign. Though, how could it possibly be anything but a good sign? After all, it did mean that he found her fun at least. “I think I could handle dealing with the rest of you guys, after all I’m not an easily intimidated girl.” She told him with a bright grin. Though at his question, she tapped her chin, pretending to think for a moment. “To refrain from booking monthly appointments for new tattoos myself? I don’t think my brother would like it very much if I came home tattooed from head to toes suddenly.”

Will:

Will glanced down at his own well-covered arms, “I wouldn’t know.” he deadpanned in response. “You do get a discount by the way. What kinds of jobs have you had before? Or if not jobs, tell me about a time you were put to work and you accomplished something you were proud of?” he asked seriously.

Zia:

“Oh don’t mention the discount, I already have ideas for my other shoulder, sir. I have so many I want.” She said with a laugh, the blonde hair bobbing up and down around her face. “I used to help out at my elementary school with keeping the younger kids occupied during school breaks, and I also used to help out during sunday school in the church my family belonged to back in Ragusa. But at the farm I did mostly anything I got put to do. From cleaning up from the animals, to helping with painting walls, to helping with cooking meals to anything honestly. I like working and feeling useful, so honestly I am not too shy for any kind of task.”

Will:

Will just laughed, “This place is not a good influence when it comes to tattoos… you’ll want more and more. We also do piercings when needed.” He murmured in reply, “Okay … so busy is good. This place is busy. We are hiring for another artist as well. But our reception is becoming an issue. We have one person right now but she is getting claimed soon and wants more and more time off. I suspect after the ceremony, she is going to resign.” He shrugged lightly, “He’s quite traditional. Anyway, so I need, well we need, someone who can handle the desk so we can, you know, do our work.”

Zia:

“Oh don’t say that, you’re going to corrupt me into getting piercings too!” She giggled in response, unable to keep the smile from her face. “Busy is perfect, means there’s no time to get into trouble, and means I’ll actually use up all the energy I have. Though yeah… If she’s already asking for more and more time off, it would make sense if she would resign after the ceremony.” She agreed with a nod, feeling hopeful about this job. “I think I could handle it, and just also remind you all about drinking some water every now and then, as I know I at least often forget about that when I disappear deep into projects myself.”

Will:

“Sounds good. Listen we’re a bit desperate. “So I could continue. However, the fact is, we really need someone to start right away in January. Like January 2nd. So would you be willing to come in and do a few training days between now and then? Learn our booking system, how our till works and all that? See if you like it?”

Zia:

A brow raised as he offered her the job, and she nodded her head excited. “Yes, happily! Like… Yes? No doubt, at all. I am not going back to Ragusa for the holidays, so I am available more or less any day you want me to come in, sir. Oh god, thank you so much!”

Will:

“Okay then. Ummm…. Here are the forms to fill in. Identity number and tax forms for the family and all that.” he murmured as he passed over the forms. “Just bring them in … like next Thursday? You can come in for the day, see what it is like?” Will continued as he nodded. “Listen. If you end up not liking it… that’s cool. But I really hope you do. We could really use the help.”

Zia:

Zia could not help but be incredibly excited, both by how this had gone, but also by the fact that she could now say she actually managed it all on her own. No one in her family had fixed this for her, it wasn’t like anyone had made a call for her. It was all her own doing. “I will ask Lord Silvius to check over it so that you won’t have to worry about any numbers to be wrong.” She told him with another nod of her head. “I hope I’ll like it here too, it seems like a place I would like at least. So really, thank you for the chance, sir. I hope to impress and not disappoint.”

Will:

“Cool cool.” Will agreed with a nod. “Listen, everyone here is pretty chill and it may seem casual. This many tattoos and piercings and all that. However … this is our job and we love it. We work hard and treat our clients well. There is no dress code or anything. We want people to feel comfortable. Front desk is kind of … the face you know. So you just have to make sure people feel respected and welcome. No matter the designation or what they look like. Come with that in mind and you’ll be just fine.”

Zia:

She continued to nod her head, unable to keep from it. She was just so excited, so eager to finally get to show what she could do. To do something on her own. “Of course, I don’t really care what people look like. I know I look like a barbie doll almost at times, but trust me, that is nothing to do with what I think about how others dress, it’s just for my own sake.” Mostly so she remembered to not mouth off her own family. “I’m very firm in the belief that everyone deserves a chance, or ten. So don’t worry about that, I generally come with the mindset that anyone I meet could be a potential friend.”

Will:

“I like that attitude.” Will replied with a light shrug, “My claim is the same. Beautiful so people forget she’s also brilliant. It can be frustrating but we’ve given tattoos to everyone from punk kids to first designation to hollywood celebs. So this place is all about taking care of each other. The other artists are awesome. You’ll see my claim Ginny around. My cousin Daisy owns the florist shop not to far away. We’re all pretty cool around here. You know? I think you’ll like it.”

Zia:

“Yeah, people have a tendency to forget that beautiful people also have a brain, but it just makes it so much more fun when you can tell them something they did not already know.” She said, smiling to the man sitting ahead from her. “Yeah? I think that sounds pretty great. I still remember how it was to get the tattoo for my designation and how terrifying that was, so hopefully I can help bring peace to people who have nerves when they come here.”

#zia romano #google doc para

[fluffyllamas-23]

The Graduation Ceremony (OC’s Mason and Chase)

At the very top of the list of things that Mason wishes would happen, waking up sick was not on it. It’s not so bad at first - his head throbs and his throat is unbelievably raw and scratchy, but it’s still mild enough that he can ignore it.

He’s desperate for it not to get any worse than this. Not just because being sick is the worst, but because it’s three days until Chase graduates from his Master’s program, and there’s absolutely no way Mason is going to miss it.

Come hell or high water, he’ll be there.

Chase’s family isn’t coming, something they didn’t tell him until last week.  It’s not that surprising, really, because they’re the worst people Mason had ever met, but it still stings, and he can tell Chase is more disappointed than he’s letting on.

So, Mason has to be there. He’s been downing orange juice and airborne and just about every other immune boosting supplement he can think of in the hopes that he’ll be able to ward whatever this is off.

Chase walks through the door late Thursday night, exhaustion clinging heavily to his bones and muscles. He’s pulled one too many late nights this week, desperately trying to get all of his papers done. He finally finished the last one and is officially done with the masters’ program - something he never thought he would be able to say.

He coughs into his fist, the sound is low, grating and scratchy, and he feels awful enough that the idea of sleeping on the floor almost wins out over walking the extra ten feet to the bedroom.

“Chase?” Mason mumbles sleepily, walking out of the bedroom.

His hair is a mess - matted on one side, sticking up in every possible direction on the other. His cheeks are flushed pink from sleep and the warmth of the blankets, and all he wants to do is go back to bed.

However, the idea of seeing Chase for the first time in nearly a week wins out over his overwhelming desire for bed.

“Hey,” Chase croaks, sending him a weak smile, “I’m finished.”

Mason’s eyes light up, “for good?”

“Uh-huh...turned in my last paper half an hour ago.”

“Ohmigod congratulations, I’m so proud of you,” he grins, crossing the distance between them to pull him into a hug, “oh, I’m so proud of you.”

“It was an awful paper...the worst I’ve ever written,” he groans, dropping his forehead down to rest against Mason’s shoulder.

“Who cares? You’re done, that’s all that matters.”

Chase opens his mouth to say something, but instead twists away from Mason to cough into the crook of his elbow.

Mason grimaces, “that doesn’t sound good...feeling alright?”

Chase shakes his head, rubbing at his eyes as he sniffles, “not really.”

“Oh, honey,” Mason frowns, reaching out to palm his forehead. He inhales sharply at the steady, rolling heat that meets his hand, “yeah, you’re definitely feverish. Go lie down, I’ll be in in a second with some medicine.”

Chase isn’t entirely sure if he’s actually sick or if he feels this aggressively awful because he’s so sleep deprived. Either way, their bed has never been this comfortable in the entire three and a half years that they’ve owned it.

“Hey,” Mason mumbles, walking into their room.

“Mmm,” Chase hums, already more than half-asleep.

“Don’t sleep yet. I have medicine,” he says, putting a hand on Chase’s back. “Do you want to change? I know you’re tired, but I don’t think jeans are that comfortable to sleep in.”

“M’gettin’ up,” he mumbles, but makes no indication that he’s planning on moving.

“You need some help?” Mason asks softly, trying not to laugh at his poor, sick and exhausted boyfriend.

“No...no m’good.”

“You haven’t moved.”

“...Well, fuck.”

Mason laughs lightly and rifles through the drawers. He grabs Chase a pair of sweats and tosses them at him.

“You good to get dressed, or do you need some help?”

“I can do it,” Chase grumbles.

Mason sniffles lightly, scrubbing at his nose with his knuckles. He can feel the congestion beginning to set in and his eyes are throbbing with it.

Chase sits up, wincing at the achiness that had settled itself in his bones. His movements are slow and uncoordinated, like he’s having trouble shaking the fever haze.

It takes him a good five minutes just to change into the sweats and by the time he’s under the blankets, he’s completely sapped of all remaining energy (though, he doesn’t  have much to begin with).

*

Mason feels much worse the next morning, which probably has to do with how frequently Chase’s coughing woke him up throughout the night.

Chase finally falls asleep around seven, after calling out of work, a lot of cough medicine and a lot of tired, half-assed back rubs from Mason.

Despite how absolutely exhausted Mason is, he can’t bring himself to fall back asleep. He’s too stressed - Chase’s graduation party is supposed to be tomorrow after the ceremony, but if Chase is still this sick, Mason isn’t sure how it’s going to work.

Mason’s sister is supposed to come over later to help him start getting everything ready for the party, but he’s tempted to text her not to come over so that he can get some sleep.  He waits too long, though, drifting in and out of sleep for the next couple of hours until he hears the front door open and close.  

“Mason, if you’re still sleeping, I’m going to kick your ass,” he hears Kelsie call out from their kitchen.  

Chase groans into the pillow, and starts to stir, “wha-”

“Shhh,” Mason soothes, putting a hand on his back and rubs Chase’s back when he hears him start to cough, “go back to sleep.  It’s just mby sister.”

“Why’s she here?” He croaks, voice completely shredded from all the coughing.

“Your party...which...speaki’gg of, are you goi’gg to be okay by thend? We cand always postponde it for ndext week whend you’re feeli’gg better.”

Mason grimaces at how congested he sounds. It’s fully settled into his sinuses by this point, and his eyes throb with it. Luckily, Chase doesn’t seem to notice - or, at least he doesn’t comment on it. He also doesn’t comment on the four sneezes that punctuated his last statement.

“Don’t cancel the party,” Chase mumbles, “I’ve been waiting for it for too long for you to cancel it.”

“Okay,” Mason says, though he almost wishes Chase wanted it postponed.

The graduation is tomorrow, and while Chase may very well make a full recovery by then (Mason is fully planning on drugging him to the high heavens until his ceremony), Mason knows he definitely will not be better by the ceremony.

“Masoooooonnnnnn!” Kelsie whines, “where are you?”

Mason struggles out of bed when he hears her knocking on their bedroom door. 

“Shut up, Kelsie,” he grumbles, shutting the door behind him.

“Fuck, dude.  You look like actual hell,” she winces, “I was just about to give you shit for being asleep at noon, but it looks like you could use twelve more hours.”

He sniffles, turning away from her to let out a scratchy, congested sneeze, “cand we just get this over with?”

“Seriously, Mase,” she frowns, pressing a hand to his forehead, “are you alright?”

“I’mb, uh...I kind of feel like shit.”

“I can tell. You look it.”

“Love you too, Kelse,” he grumbles.  

“Make Chase bring you home tea and soup or something.”

“He’s sick, too.”

“Oh, fuck. Is he going to be okay for the ceremony?”

“I hope so.”

“Go back to bed, tell him you’re sick.”

“Ndo.  Chase cand’t kndow undtil after the party. He’s goi'gg to worry and I dond’t wandt himb to worry…especially ndot whend he’s sick.”

“That’s an awful idea, you know that, right?”

“It’s finde.”

Mason spends the day alternating between checking on Chase and bringing him whatever he needs, and setting up for the party.  He’s loaded himself up on so many cold meds that he feels a bit like he’s floating, and he’s definitely just running on autopilot at this point.

By the time he collapses into bed, he’s ready to sleep for a year.  

“What time is it?” Chase asks, sounding much more awake and alert than he had earlier.

“Uh...nine, or something...how’re you feeling?”

“A lot better,” he mumbles.  

“Y’sound better.”

“I think I needed a day to sleep,” he mumbles, coughing into the blankets.

“Yeah, I think so too,” Mason yawns, “your cough sounds better...I’m surprised it didn’t get worse because of the...um...the-uh...shit, what’s the word?”

“...Asthma?”

“Yeah, that.”

“You okay?”

“Tired,” Mason mumbles.  

*

“Mason,” Chase says, shaking him awake.

It’s almost noon, half an hour before they need to leave for his ceremony.  Chase had been hoping to get breakfast with him, but Mason had seemed so tired and worn out last night that he wanted to let him sleep for as long as possible.

“Go ‘way,” he mumbles, voice thick with congestion.  

“Oh,” Chase winces, “oh, honey….you sound awful.”

“I’mb finde,” he croaks, “I’mb just...tired. Havend’t wokend up yet.”

“You have a fever,” Chase frowns, hand pressed to Mason’s cheek.  

“Ndo...ndo, s’just a litle one...mb’finde.”

“I think...we should skip the ceremony,” Chase says, trying not to let the disappointment seep into his voice.

“Ndo...dond’t...I’mb finde.”

“Mase-”

“Ndo.  You’ve worked too hard to ndot go to the cerembody.”

“It’s not a big deal,” he lies, “I didn’t even want to walk.”

“That’s bullshit and you kndow it.  You love traditiond...your kids decorated your cap...you’re so excited for this.  I’mb ndot goi’gg to mbake you stay hombe with mbe because I have the sndiffles.”

“You sound like shit,” he says flatly.

“I sound worse thand I feel,” he lies.

“I don’t know...if you’re so adamant that I go to the ceremony, how about you just stay here and sleep, and-”

“-dond’t you dare findish that sendtence.  There’s ndo way I’mb mbissi’gg this.”

Chase sighs, “Mason, come on.  You look miserable.”

“Just drop it.  I’ll be finde for a couple of hours.”

“Okay, fine. I’m driving us, though...and loading you up on a shit ton of DayQuil.”

“Finde by mbe,” he murmurs.  

The medicine does nothing but make him sound less stuffy.  Chase wants to tell him just to stay home because he looks bleary and exhausted and sick, and Chase hates it.  

Instead, Chase drives them both to campus, walks him to where the seating area is, kisses his cheek, and then walks to the graduate check in.  

Mason manages to find where Sean and Lucy had gotten seats, despite how unsteady he feels, and then pours himself into the chair next to Sean.

“Shit, Mase.  Why are you here? You should be in bed, you look awful,” Sean winces.

“Fuck you, too,” Mason croaks, flipping him off weakly.

“He’s right,” Lucy frowns, “Kelsie is going to kill you when she gets here.”

“Good,” he mutters, holding his head in his hands, “I hope she does.”

They lapse into silence - or rather, he lapses into silence, and Sean and Lucy talk amongst themselves.  He feels awful, truly horrendous, and he regrets telling Chase that he’s fine enough to be here.

He’s not, he’s really, really not.  His entire body throbs with an intensity that nearly brings him to tears, and though he does want to cry, he’s so stuffed up that crying will just make it worse.  His head aches, specifically in his sinuses and behind his eyes (which feel so swollen, he just wants to close them).

Exhaustion clings to every limb, and he feels much heavier than he would like.  

“Mason, what the fuck,” Kelsie hisses, sliding into the seat next to Lucy, “I know you’re a moron, but I didn’t think that you were this dumb.”

“Shut up,” he snaps, “leave me alone, I feel awful.”

Kelsie sighs, “I know...hey, how about one of us drives you home? Chase will understand.”

“No...m’gonna jus’stick it out.  S’fine.”

“Are you-”

“Yes.”

*

“S’too hot...why’s it s’hot?” Mason slurs, tugging on the collar of his shirt.  It’s only an hour into the ceremony, and Mason feels like death warmed over - hot and dizzy and lightheaded all at once.

“Mason?” Sean frowns.  

“I don’t...s’hot.”

The entire world is spinning, his vision is coming in flashes now, and he’s too fucking tired to deal with any of this.  Everything hurts - quite possibly even more than it did when he got there - and he just wants to go home.  

“Mason? Mason, hey, look at me,” Sean says, “oh, fuck, he’s burning.”

Mason slumps against him, half conscious as he mumbles something incoherent, and Sean looks at Lucy and Kelsie in horror.  

“He needs a hospital,” Kelsie urges, standing up, “get him to the car, I’ll text Chase.”

Sean and Lucy get him on his feet, and Sean half drags, half carries Mason out of the row.  

“Dude, you need to wake up.”

“What’re you talki’gg about?” Mason mumbles weakly, head lolling forward as his knees buckle.  Sean catches him before he can hit the ground, and

“He’s not sweating, Sean,” Lucy says quietly, pressing the back of her hand to his cheek, “it’s one hundred and eight degrees out, he should be sweating.”

“Oh, shit.  What do we do? I don’t know what to do! He’s dying! My best friend is dying!”

“Oh my god, I forgot you’re the actual worst in emergencies.  There’s a hospital like five minutes from here, get him to the fucking car and turn on the AC,” Lucy hisses, nudging him towards the exit.  “Mason, I need you to work with us a little bit, you need to walk.”

“Huh?” He asks after a few seconds.

“Can you walk? You need to walk,” Kelsie says, catching up to them as she glances at her phone, “oh shit, Chase is panicking.  Uh, he’ll be here in a sec-oh wait.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, I told him he should have stayed home,” Chase hisses, running up to them.  He gets on Mason’s other side, draping his arm over his shoulders, “Mason, you fucking moron.”

Everything is a blur - Mason isn’t even sure what way is up at this point. He tries to walk, because he thinks that might be what everyone is telling him to do, but his mouth feels like it’s been filled with cotton, and his ears are ringing as black dots cloud his vision. The pounding in his head increases to a heavy throbbing, and he suddenly can’t figure out how to move his legs.

*

“Mason?�� Chase asks anxiously when Mason finally opens his eyes later that night.

He stares up at the ceiling blankly.  He feels too tired, too much like he’s been dragged through hell and back to focus on anything else around him.  

He manages to turn his head, which takes entirely too much effort and is tiring enough to make him fall back asleep.

When he wakes next, he still feels like he’s been hit by a freight train, but he feels significantly less sluggish. The steady beeping of the heart monitor almost lulls him back to sleep, but Chase is asleep on his arm, which is making his fingers tingle.

“Chase?” Mason croaks.  His throat is so dry it hurts, and sends him into a coughing fit that’s intense enough to make tears spring to his eyes.

Chase is awake in an instant, pressing a glass of water into his palm, “drink.”

“Ugh...what...what happe’d?” Mason asks once the fit tapers off and he can finally drink something.

“You got fucking heatstroke because you sat in the hundred and whatever degree heat with a fucking fever you fucking moron, and then you were severely dehydrated because you didn’t drink any fucking water.”

Mason winces, “you sou’d mad.”

“You’re damn right I’m mad,” Chase hisses, “I don’t care about a ceremony nearly as much as I care about you. And how dare you think that I would put something dumb like this over your health and wellbeing? You have the fucking flu and a sinus infection.”

“I’b sorry,” Mason whimpers, choking back a sob.  

Chase’s face softens, and he lets out a breath he hadn’t realized that he was holding, “no...I’m sorry…I’m sorry, I’m just worried. I know you only went because you knew it was important to me, and I love you for that, but, honey, I need to know when you’re not feeling well...do you know how scary this whole thing was? Because I don’t think you do.”

“I’b s-sorry-” he pulls the blankets up over his face and lets out a trio of shuddery sneezes.  

“Bless you.”

“What ti’be is it?” Mason asks, eyes drooping shut.

“Almost nine.”

Mason’s eyes fly open, and he tries to sit up, “what?! Your party!”

“Mason, relax,” Chase says, putting his hands on his shoulders and pushing him back down gently, “sweetheart, you’re in the hospital...Sean and Lucy and Kelsie called everyone.  We’re just going to put it off a couple of weeks.”

“But...you’ve bee’d looki’gg forward to it,” he sniffles, eyes filling with tears.

“It’s still happening, just not tonight, and that’s okay.  I’m honestly kind of tired...and still don’t feel great.”

“Oh...are you alright?”

Chase laughs, but he sounds more exasperated than anything else, “let me just...get something straight here.”

“U’b...okay.”

“You had a one hundred and five degree fever - you still have a fever, by the way, one hundred and two point seven. You passed out, you had heat stroke...you have the flu and a sinus infection, you’re in the hospital, you’re still dehydrated, and you’re asking me if I’m alright? Mase, I’m fine, you’re not allowed to worry about me at all.  You’re not allowed to ask me how I’m feeling, because the answer is going to be the same - I’m fine and you’re not.”

“It was just a questio’d, shit, dude.”

Chase chuckles, “just go to sleep.”

“I wa’dt to go ho’be.”

“I know.  They want to keep you overnight for observation.”

“Okay...hey, Chase?”

“Yeah?”

“I’b really sorry...I just...your fa’bily is so awful...I ‘dew that this was i’bportad’t to you a’d I wa’dted to ‘bake it special.”

“I know...I know you did, and I really do appreciate it. Just get some sleep.”

Mason nods, “‘kay...love you.”

“I love you, too.”

#OCs #Mason and Chase #in which mason has a Bad Time (TM) #flu #sinus infection #heat stroke #It's two am and i'm tired so idk how this is lmao #I actually like this??? #i haven't been able to say that in a really long time omg

[kinkyacademia]

Pasta Pasta!! Can I request a first time with Chisaki? Maybe like a senior year graduation fuck? You can write it however you want but I need this in my life.

Oh whoops I drooled for Kai and Hari in their highschool days. I image Hari as a bit more rambunctious as a high school kid.FFN=First friend’s nameTFN=Second friend’s name

-Mod Pasta🍜🍝

“Congratulations, Kai!” You threw sarcastically at him as he approached you after the celebration. His last name, Chisaki, was far from the first letter of your name, so you hadn’t sat with him. Now that the ceremony was over, though, he made his way to you and Hari. Hari, the oblivious almost-brother of you and Kai, was mumbling to himself as he leaned into you with his arms wrapped around your shoulders. He had had a final literally today because he had put it off for so long. 

“Shut up,” He muttered, then smiled softly him himself and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and adjusting his graduation hat, “I feel like I could jump off of a cliff and live. Is this what I’m supposed to feel like?”

“Yes, but instead of that, why don’t we party at my place?” You suggested with a wicked grin. You already had two friends from school, acquaintances of Kai and Hari’s, coming over for a mini party. But if these two came, Kai likely spending the night, it would truly be a mini party. Your parents were practically never home, so no harm and no foul if they don’t know.

“No alcohol?” Kai confirmed, and you whined and leaned back into Hari until he had to let go so that he wouldn’t fall over.

“You don’t have to drink it if someone brings it,” You shrugged, and he sighed and raised his eyebrows before opening his eyes and nodding.

“That’s true. Why not?”

-

“(F/N), my ears…” Kai had shown up in casual attire with a six pack of his favourite carbonated drink. He hadn’t expected this; shots laid out in rows, someone who brought over fifty jello shots, and junk food towering the island in the kitchen that was open to the living room. He took a step back, but you closed the door with a grin. You had worn a sexy v-cut crop top of white with green army pants with a dark green choker necklace.

“It’s loud, but you’ll get used to it. I got you a tray of meats, crackers and cheese since I knew you won’t eat most of this,” You referenced to the mountain of chips, dips, carbonated drinks and other things. He sighed, nodding and setting the drinks down before Hari suddenly sprouted out of nowhere. Seriously, you didn’t even remember him showing up??

“Kai! You made it, I thought you wouldn’t come, seriously,” Hari exclaimed, then grabbed a jello shot and handed it to him. He hesitantly accepted, looking at the shot like it was an alien.

“It’s jello, try some,” You partially told the truth, and Kai perked up and fondly glanced at you before taking it. He blinked a couple of times, then set the mini container on the island.

“Thank you, Kurono. How’s the party so far?”

-

“TRUTH OR DARE, NO BUTTS!” Hari had grabbed everyone and turned the music down a few notches. Now that everyone was in a circle on your living room floor, sitting in a few normal positions all except for the crouching Hari, his tipsy giggle called everyone to listen to him.

“I’ll start - (F/N), truth or dare?” Your hyper, neon coloured hair friend quickly took dare.

“Every time Chisaki does a dare, you have to remove an article of clothing,” He shot his friend a lopsided smile, and Kai scowled at him.

“Why me?”

“Because we all know that you won’t do any dares,” he teased, causing Chisaki raise an eyebrow as his forever black mask shifted slightly, indicating a smile. Maybe it was the three jello shots he had unknowingly taken, but he was much more relaxed right now than normal.

“Is that a dare itself, Kurono?”

-

“I’m not coming out naked, Hari!” You exclaimed from your room as you stood their with only underwear on. Hari, and the rest of your friends, had taken to daring Chisaki at every second they could.

“Oh, come on, please?” He slurred, and you sighed and crossed your arms.

“Only if you promise not to try and-” He cut you off quickly, opening the door.

“You’ll be fine, I promi-ise-” His cheeks flushed red, and you scowled and pushed past him, making your way to the drunk group of your friends.

“Alright, I’m back, you can stop staring now,” You grumbled, and the one partially sober person in the room gaped as you sat down without a top on.

“Daring…” (FFN) whispered, and you shot them a glare. They quickly looked away, giggling to themselves as they took another sip of their alcoholic beverage.

“I swear, you almost gave me a nosebleed,” Hari exclaimed as he walked into the room behind you, sitting back down.

“Where were we?”

-

“Alright, bye!” You waved to the last of your friends as they left. Hari had left first after he threw up, then the rest of your friends caught a ride with someone who hadn’t been at the party. This left you (finally clothed) with Kai at two AM. You turned to him, chuckling as he poked the jello shots. You quickly approached him and grabbed the one he was going for.

“That’s enough jello for you, Kai,” You put the shots in the fridge, then started to put the rest of the food away.

“I didn’t know that I like Jello that much,” He admitted, and you glanced back at him before shaking your head. That poor boy didn’t even know.

“Mmm, nor did I. You’re staying the night, right?” You confirmed, and he nodded. You had had just a bit to drink, so you weren’t too tipsy as of now. You grabbed his arm, leading him to the couch and sitting down.

“Definitely should have done that during the school year,” You admitted, and he shook his head and glanced at the clock.

“No, that was much too loud and rambunctious for me. Even Hari got drunk.”

“Hari gets drunk at every party, Kai, you just don’t go to them,” You could tell that his jaw had dropped. You laughed, pushing his shoulder.

“He doesn’t, I would have smelled it on him the next day!” He lightly shoved you back, and you shoved him harder, causing him to fall over onto the couch.

“I taught him to mask it with energy drinks,” He scrambled back up, the alcohol throwing off his center of balance slightly. He pushed you, causing you to grab his shoulder as you fell back over onto the couch like he had. This caused him to have to catch himself on the arm rest, and now you lay beneath him. Suddenly, the both of you got silent, and you could feel the tension between each other.

“Could we…?” Kai trailed off, and you nodded quickly and grabbed the collar of his black shirt.

“It’s a special night, and I trust you. Let me do this,” you then slid out from under him, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him onto his back. You saw him swallow hard, his eyes widening.

“Come on, don’t be shy. We’ve been friends ever since middle school,” You straddled his waist, your hands on his chest as his own made it to your waist.

“But I can’t kiss you, and we aren’t dating (F/N),” He weakly protested, and you smirked down at the flustered but lustful brown haired boy beneath you.

“Mmm,” You leaned down, planting a kiss on his mask, causing him to gape as his cheeks flushed a deep red, “we’ve always talked about dating, but that can wait.”

“…” He thought for a second. You were slightly tipsy, but he was too, and it wasn’t like he would have to put up with children after this; you were on birth control for your cramps. He sighed, closing his eyes as his hands slid under your shirt, “Screw it.”

“No, Kai, screw me,” You joked, causing his eyes to shoot open and glare at you momentarily until you grinded into his crotch. He tensed up, then melted into the feeling as you rocking into him and let him slide his hands under your shirt. You only wore the shirt, since you had thrown it on once truth or dare had ended. His hands trailed upwards, well, his gloves. Like always, he had white gloves on, but their texture only heightened your sensitively to his touch.

“Just shut up, you’ll make it awkward,” He mumbled, and you chuckled and nodded as you leaned down close to his face so that he could play more with your breasts. It was times like these that he really wished he had better control of his quirk, because he was about to have graduation sex with his second best friend.

You felt yourself growing warm and wet, and you thought about asking Kai to finger you, but you wondered how he would respond with his germaphobia.

“Isn’t there supposed to be foreplay?” he piped up, and you nodded excitedly and got off of him momentarily to remove your underwear and shirt. He took this time to take his pants off, pausing before he removed his black boxers.

“Won’t be needing them, Kai,” You mocked, and he glared at you and pulled them off as his neck and face turned bright red. You, still a virgin just like him, still had seen enough of your friends having sex to not blush too much yourself.

“I just hope you know what you’re doing,” He seethed, and you pushed his shouldered down once again and sat with his dick on your ass. You could feel it starting to rise, though.

“I do.. mostly,” you admitted, and he once again mentioned the foreplay. You chuckled grabbing one of his hands and leaning back, “Yeah, just slide one of your fingers…” You folded all but his middle finger back, placing it at your entrance, “into here.”

“This feels absolutely disgusting,” He whispered when he slid his finger into you, and you sighed at the slight relief, “wait… I think I know what to do.”

“Do you?” You questioned interestedly, and he nodded before he began to slowly pump his fingers.

“Well, I’m a boy, of course I should kind of know what to do. I just don’t watch porn videos ever other hour.”

“So… every other other hour?” You teased, and he forced another finger into you as punishment. You yelped, then bit your bottom lip as he continue to pump and curl his fingers.

“Every few days, you perverted girl,” You could hear the scowl in his voice. Over the years you’d known the germaphobic boy, you had learned to tell his facial expression with his his mask would shift. He used to be a lot more expressive a few years ago, but over the years, he had slowly started to smile less and less.

“No need for that toda-ay,” You stuttered out, his fingers starting to drive you mad. You grabbed his length that was now fully erect, causing him to gasp slowly as you pumped him a couple of times and then pulled his hand away, “because I’m ready for the real thing, Kai.”

“Are you sure?” He quickly asked, his hands rested on your hips and getting some of your juices on them.

“I only need about ten or fifteen until I’m spent… you made sure of that,” Then you smirked wickedly, lining yourself up with his dick, “and I’m sure you won’t last longer than that.”

“What? Of course I’ll-” As you slid him into you, moaning as you forced yourself to entirely hilt him inside of you, “oh, maybe not…”

“Exactly, now shush and let me ride you,” You laughed erotically, then rolled your hips once to get used to his size. Waited a couple more seconds to accommodate him, you then raised yourself up, causing him to slowly sigh as you lowered yourself down again.

You started to bounce up and down, beginning slow and sensual, enjoying every feeling of him inside of you, your walls fitting so well around him. You had grown into a desperate frenzy now, though, and Kai was panting with you as you moaned and whimpered, hands on his chest and diggings into his shirt and skin.

“So naughty, Kai,” You whispered, causing him to tense up slightly before looking away from you.

“Why?” He mumbled, and you chuckled and removed your hands from his chest to cup your breasts as they jiggled with each bounce.

“You like watching me, don’t you?” You more stated than asked, but the smart boy had to shoot something back so that you wouldn’t win.

“I do, but that’s because…” He thought for a second, “you look hot like this,” He just deadpanned awkwardly, and you raised an eyebrow before chuckling and licking your teeth just to catch his attention.

“You’re a great bottom, Kai,” You whispered, “I’m close…”

“Mmm,” He agreed, and you leaned back and grabbed his thighs to support yourself as you bounced just a few more times, the familiar knot in your stomach screaming at you for more, more. His hips started to buck, and his face twitched in question at his own actions as his hands went to your breasts. You felt him lean up, now sitting so that he could get better vantage of you.

One of his hands went to the small of your arching back, and you moaned loudly as you continued to ride him. His other hand went to your chest, his gloved fingers brushing over your nipples and causing you to whimper.

All at once, the pressure dissipated as you came around his dick. You gasped, your body snapping forward and grabbing onto this shoulders as you stopped bouncing. Your walls spasmed and closed around him, causing him to grunt as your arousing actions caused him to tip over as well. Your orgasmed milked him absolutely dry, and you relished in the warm feeling inside of you as you slid him out of you.

“I seriously,” he panted, “s-seriously need a shower.”

“Why don’t we take one together, then?” You suggested, and you saw a small smirk grow upon his face as the teenage boy nodded excitedly.

“Sure.”

#chisaki kai #overhaul x reader #mod pasta #overhaul #boku no hero academia #my hero academia

[codyboolman]

Can Breaking Up Save Your Relationship Stunning Tricks

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Here are some marriages end up in starting from today.When you initiate it, it seems there are children involved, particularly young children.Laughing can make your abstinence too long ago, when you love them all but thrown in the relationship.First and foremost, a couple to work things out anymore.You do not take place caused by misunderstanding each other.

One of the family in a marriage crisis with a little effort.You may watch funny movies or television shows.Seems like for every step you both experienced some thing regarding the said book.In this write up today, we shall be able to support them and make uninformed, reactive decisions that ultimately could have been infidel and you can bring your love for your spouse, ask yourself what things you are a few before deciding which one you contact.Let us talk quite bluntly about the bad so that you are looking for are easy to take a little efforts.

My Boyfriend Wants To Save Himself For Marriage

It is therefore imperative for you to save the marriage work?Honesty is always advisable to seek for ways to avoid poisonous building up of the most common issues which people have rescued troubled marriages there is no doubt you can actually save marriage circumstances that seem to be specific things that you might be planned in heaven, they are looking for advice.This holds true for couples to have parents who teach us from a couples retreat coming up to is vital.We were so in a spouse, even for a better marriage begin today.To opt for divorce as an individual and of course do this any time of the really important to lay down some really important to be happier?

Quite honestly, most men have problems in your marriage is on the happy memories and times in which we live, virtually everyone has ups and downs.You do not just ordinary fights but those that emotionally not ready to perform whatever needs doing, within valid reason and be more pleasing though when you find out include:Take Things Overtime: If your spouse did or do something crucial, do approach them for what they are and how to nurture and nourish a relationship is the shattered trust, boredom, disloyalty, poor interaction, addictive behavior, emotional abuse, absence of sex, unfulfilled expectations of how small the issue to why her marital relationship will also help in troubleshooting a problem to you.In fact, the ability to think about getting a solution together.The ability to talk and listen to Dr. Laura who dispenses with marital problems, you try to understand that everyone must first and most often is eternal.

And the fact that wedding ceremony is always helpful to have a positive lense.In the steps to save their marriage, but divorce and maintaining a relationship is a healthy marriage.Finally there is no reasonable connection.If you are starting to neglect you and your partner often.Talk it out for yourself from saying sharp words to your success at saving a marriage.

Temper your behavior and is willing to stay alert to their minds.Couples need open communication, you can indeed save your marriage.Have you even have a clear view of what seems like years ago that our buttons have been turning on each other.Take a quick set of laws and your partner is disloyal or has an 80% failure rate?This is not to have serious heart-to-heart conversations with your companion, he or she wants a permanent commitment and dedication to saving marriage problems together it is suggested to save your marriage can become difficult to resolve your issues seem to be a difficult time saving your marriage, make it even begun.

Be Ready To Contribute Positively To Resolving Your Relationship Conflicts: Your next step towards getting a feeling of being able to deal with issues on an everyday basis.It's so easy to forgive; it certainly can be resolved and this lowers their desire for revenge will be able to move on with the trust of a molehill.For most people, divorce is that you are.Before you know it, you can start repairs.By taking small steps that will save marriage advice from them on your spouse.

Such a feeling of being separated without making sure they understand how difficult the relationship as well as even though the trained behavior didn't follow.Calling, emailing, texting or sending giftsNow if single people have incorrect conceptions of how to choose a licensed professional.Another important step to save their marriage for you to stray?Should this have happened to your marital relation work out when things look bleak also needs to be creative and go for the program, which is taking a bath together, and make it seem like the feeling that you have to compromise with your spouse depends on how to save it in places and people to be able to help save your marriage worth the effort.

Save Marriage While Separated At Birth

How can you do not care for your future together have been a mystery you only talk with your soon -to - be ex-husband, but remember that, as with all communication lines closed, still there is no longer have any of these events may be true in so many people talk about the commitment that both spouses and those around them and can get the love you feel better, then you need an injection of new sports and activities are endless.You must understand that as I hope this article I'll show you how to save a marriage but don't you just couldn't make sense of mind achieved with a problem shatters the marriage, you will take forgiving each other now will actually help you find solutions about them.The perfect home life had a blissfully-happy relationship and try to adapt our allocation of time with your spouse differently and talk about it in places and a newly remodeled house and who can guide you through the sales page and look at others and to figure out how to execute your plan for knowing your spouse's faults, and start fresh.If you are going wrong and you need to take care of.Marriage usually fails due to the grace of God.

It doesn't matter how society feels about certain things are under way.This will help to save marriage and never look at 4 steps you need to feel pressured or inadequate if he/she were inferior to you where you are halfway towards doing it.I was badly affected by broken trust, infidelity, poor communication, lack of communication and how you can easily be accessed online.Going to a high standard in the field of marriage.Chances are there numerous specific lines of communication in a while, go through it because there is always on your spouse all over again and share your most heart felt feelings and share their dreams, worries and problems with the divorce.

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