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lunaastoir · 3 years

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fluff/relationships w the liyue crew

characters included: xiao, childe, beidou, and zhongli

ik i forgot ningguang i promise i’ll include her in part 2, i just didn’t have time :(

all x a gn! reader

my liyue babies :,) ft. ningguang in spirit

an: i was listening to my soft playlist (more like listening to cupid’s chokehold on repeat, no i am not basic 🔪) and i thought some fluff headcanons would be cute w these sweet people

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xiao

ok so no surprise that he hates liyue harbor

he hates anything w a lot of people in it so he prefers to stay at wangshu inn tyvm

but by contrast, you love liyue harbor sm (it’s gorgeous i mean c’mON)

you go there often to retrieve your commissions in order to stay closer to xiao (liyue harbor is closer than mondstadt he argues but you’re well aware that they’re both equally far away)

so if anyone asked, xiao would absolutely refuse to go to the harbor like i hate people??? why would you even ask???

but,,,he’s so sOFT for you

if you asked??? he would agree in a heartbeat

but since he’s >:( angsty boy, he makes you think that he won’t go even when he’s already decided that he’s coming w you

he puts up the “if you so require, then i guess i will assist you with your travels in liyue harbor” but in reality he would definitely have said yes even without the almond tofu

while he hates the harbor, he thinks that with you anything is bearable :,) simp

you take him to see xinyan to vibe w her music and you can tell he really enjoys it

even tho he’s like 🕴 the entire time, you see the softer look on his face and the very slight smile on his lips as he listens to the music and watches the crowd

so so so cute very soft for him

i do see him as a subtly touchy person in public like brushing the hair off your face, swiping his thumb across your cheek, or gently pulling your hair back when you have a plate of food in your hands

the type to link your pinkies together - he claims it’s so you don’t get lost but yk better

after the concert is done you take him to that one waypoint near mt. tianheng and the both of you just watch the city lights and the way they reflect beautifully on the water surrounding the harbor

personal headcanon that xiao absolutely loves stargazing since he believes the stars are the one true constant in his life especially since he’s experienced so much loss (basically they’ll never leave him god i hate myself why do i make everything SAD)

mini headcanon off of that - he doesn’t stargaze with people,,, like ever

it’s something he loves to do alone so the fact that he lets you stargaze w him and even allows you to shift your head onto his lap while you watch the sky is a huge deal

he loves it when you softly whisper abt how your day was or something you saw that made you laugh

he just loves hearing your voice, it automatically calms the voices in his head

you absolutely ADORE when he has flowers in his hair especially cecilias (cecillias? ceccillias? idfk) and you make a point whenever you go to mondstadt to pick a fresh batch of cecilias just for xiao while enlisting the help of your favorite bard

these soft moments on the mountain are usually when you’ll sweetly tuck in a flower or two in his hair while laughing

he’ll blush fiercely while looking away but will tuck the cecilias in securely as you’re unable to do so due to the position you’re in on his lap

all in all - this was not meant to come out as a date idea but we’re going w it

this is so cute xiao pls let me put flowers in your hair sweet boy <3

childe

god, loml, my favorite war criminal after eren yeager

there’s never a dull moment w this man - if you wanted peace and quiet, why the hell are you dating him bestie???

is the type of person to yell out “Y/N, i can’t believe i ran into you here!” if he sees you somewhere even tho you explicitly told him you were going to be here in the morning (ik you have a good memory ajax don’t lie to me 😐)

i don’t see him as being obnoxious w pda unlike someone else kaeya but he would definitely participate (think: handholding, cheek kisses, an arm around your shoulders)

loves it when he comes home and sees you in an apron cooking

domesticity just makes his heart melt so you can be sure that your face will be peppered w a lot of kisses afterwards <3

absolutely ADORES it when you trace his scars absentmindedly when you’re lying down or even when you’re having dinner in public

he’s been far from his family for so long that small acts of mindless affection like this really make his heart happy

you have him drunk on your love luv haha see what i did there

he will let you put makeup on him. no i do not take criticism ⛄️

he already has on lowkey thick eyeliner,,, don’t be shy put some more bestie

he will shamelessly go out in public w whatever you made him wear - doesn’t really give a shit even tho he has a reputation to maintain

speaking of reputation,,, yk his mask? yeah that one - the red hair accessory that he has on his head

well on the mask, he attached a little charm the both of you got together on your first date during lantern rite

it’s this adorable fox that we all shamelessly kill for meat and he placed it so it anchored to the side of his mask so when he fights it isn’t a nuisance or anything (does that make sense??? i hope it does)

his subordinates notice and while they’re stoic around childe, behind closed doors they do whisper abt the mysterious person who’s captured his heart

not so mysterious anymore when they literally see him cling onto you during his daily patrol around the harbor 💀

it’s ok tho he’s lucky he’s cute

bestie,,, pls give him a neck massage

i just KNOW he’s tense there idk something abt the way he carries himself just screams “my neck hurts so bad someone pls help me i would ask but my pride literally will not let me”

so give him a neck massage :) don’t worry tho he’ll definitely return the favor and then some

LOVES TICKLE FIGHTS

he’s obsessed w them,,, it’s just the faces you make??? he can’t get enough

he loves seeing the pure joy and the brief fear (he’s kind of a sadist) in your eyes before he attacks you w those damned hands

it reminds him a lot of simpler times w his siblings and he’s happy he brings you joy and makes you forget your worries - at least for a little while

all in all, he’s a good boy and no i will not tolerate childe slander 🔪 kaeya slander tho 😏

beidou

you pulled beidou??? wow everyone’s jealous (pulled as in literally from the banner and in this context but no i do not have beidou and no i definitely do not want to talk abt it)

god made beidou and zhongli just so all of us could have a sexuality crisis

anyways, being w her is hard i will not lie

not bc she isn’t a capable lover - no, quite the contrary

she’s an amazing partner but the problem here lies in the fact that she’s almost never on land

it’s hard working a long distance relationship but y’all love each other so it works out :,)

when she is physically present however, expect to never be bored

she’ll quietly fix the wrinkles on your shirt or fiddle with your fingers in her hands while she recounts her adventures out on sea

she sometimes gets worried she bores you, however the way your eyes light up every time she tells a tale always reassures her otherwise

definitely the type to let you use her claymore if you want to learn

she’ll provide useful tips as she tucks her hands into your sides gently, positioning you correctly so you don’t hurt yourself

miss girl is an AMAZING cook

i just know she cooks the best meals - i mean she’s friends w xiangling after all

whenever she comes home from a voyage she’ll always insist on making something for you even if she’s abt to pass out

pls tuck her into bed and promise her that she can make you something in the morning <3 the poor woman needs rest

brings you back trinkets but they’re actually very practical

she knows you won’t have much use for a simple charm (not that there’s anything wrong w that) but she believes you’ll like something practical more so she might get you a new engraved knife from the most recent place she’s been to

definitely the type to surprise you when she docks

i can imagine her anchoring her ship out a little ways from liyue harbor and rowing to the dock in order to make sure you aren’t alerted of her presence (i’m sorry the mental picture this made in my mind is SENDING ME INTO ORBIT but she means well i love you)

will take you to remote spots she’s found in her travels through liyue

for example - the little heart shaped island and the island quest (?) that you had to use kaeya the bridge maker for in order to get to im sorry i’ll stop w the kaeya slander

she’ll get you seashell bracelets or necklaces idk why but she gives me those vIBES

they’re super nice ones too, only the highest quality for you

yes she’s a bruh girl but i also see her as someone who would enjoy intimate moments like watching the sunset or something

“yo wanna catch the sunset, i heard it looks sick from the jade chamber” said before ahem it yk fell from the sky

kasdjksfashfjsahf yes ofc i would love to catch the sunset w you pls come home luv

anyways, she is a woman i would give the world for

zhongli

ok gimme a sec i need to get my gentleman mode on

this man,,, THIS MAN

everything w him is so soft like your entire eXISTENCE w him could go in a museum it’s that beautiful

in the morning when he visits you, he always brings you a cup of your favorite tea and a bouquet of glaze lilies he got from madame ping

holds the door for you, pushes the chair out for you, uses a napkin and brushes sauce off your lips when you’re eating - you name something sweet, he’s done it

secretly loves it when you fuss over him

he doesn’t like to fight but say he encountered a group of hillichurls he couldn’t avoid and promptly defeated them but ended up tearing a part of his tux(?) (is it a tux? i could not tell you)

not that big of a deal, i mean it’s a scratch, he’s a 6,000 year old god, he’s dealt w much worse

but seeing the worried crease in your brows as you usher him to sit at the table while quickly grabbing antiseptic to clean his wound

“it’s just a scratch, my dear. do not worry i’ve dealt with much worse.”

you quietly protest abt how “yes zhongli, i understand you’re an archon and have gotten worse injuries but i’m worried about infection just please let me take care of you ok? <3″

when you say that he feels weird emotions,,, wdym take care of him?

he’s always taken care of himself or been expected to take care of others as the former ruling deity of liyue so having someone else genuinely worry abt his wellbeing creates a warm feeling in his chest

he strikes me as the type to knit you something??? idk maybe it’s the grandpa vibes but i headcanon that he would knit you a scarf for the colder weather, it’s cute

in the privacy of your home, he really likes picking you up

he loves it when you wrap your legs around his middle while he gets up to go do the dishes or smthg

domesticity go brrrr

if you’re into making flower crowns, he would totally have you on his lap and wordlessly hand you a glaze lily whenever you expectantly hold your hand out while weaving the flowers together

he expects you to make the crown for yourself but when you place the crown on his head and it fits perfectly while simultaneously tucking a glaze lily behind your ear, he looks at you dumbstruck

his mouth parts open in awe and it’s quite literally the cutest thing

you’ve broken him

thinks it’s the sweetest thing - will keep it on his head for the whole day

he’ll even put it in water before he sleeps so it won’t wilt and he can wear it the next day <3

scenic picnics!! scenic picnics!!

the type to take you to the nicest spots in liyue to chat abt the history of the land w you over a cup of tea and your favorite food (whatever you like, he doesn’t mind)

recounts the people he’s met in his long life before finishing off by saying you’re by far the best person he’s met

zhongli strangles lovingly come home soon

thanks for reading! if you have any requests don’t hesitate to send them in <3

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luvyanfei · 3 years

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anon said. how about fluffy hcs with xiao, zhongli and xingqui taking their s/o out on a first date?

XIAO.

he already finds it difficult just to ask you to hold him without losing his cool, so how can he possibly bring up the idea of inviting you on a date? actually, he probably never knew the word ‘date’ even existed until he heard a passing couple staying over at wangshu inn dreamily talking about how they wish they could go to see the lantern rite festival in liyue harbor together for their first date. a first date, huh? now that he thinks about it, xiao never did properly try to court you, did he? it was always you who approached him first, who held your hand out to him, who confessed that you love him. you’re already giving so much dedication in this relationship. it’s the least he can do to return your affections, not just because he’s feeling a bit indebted, but because he’s your lover. unfortunately, being the awkward yaksha that he is, xiao overthinks the situation and complicates it more than he should.

every chance he gets is blown up by his anxiousness. whenever you come and visit him at the inn, you almost think that he’s angry with you from the way he throws you vicious glares. unbeknownst to you, xiao is actually making that tense face because he’s trying very hard, too hard in fact, to think of the best way to ask you out on a date and seeing you just makes him all the more nervous. he regrets it every time you step into the elevator while giving him a goodbye wave and saying you’ll come visit again. sure, he gets another chance to try and ask you out again, but he also has another chance to fail as well.

when you visit him for lunch, xiao quickly rehearses the words he wants to say to you in the back of his head before coming to greet you. ‘i overheard from a guest in the inn talking about a lantern rite festival. if you mortal, no, [name], desires to go, i can possibly set aside time to accompany you.’ keep it cool, yet short. taking a deep breath to compose himself, xiao walks over to greet you, er, well actually, you’re the one doing the greeting instead, and you settle down to eat. the sweet taste of the almond tofu that you generously bought for him blossoms in his mouth and he loses track of time till your departure. before you leave once more to allow the poor yaksha to wallow in his self-regret again, you stop yourself and turn around to face xiao. tucking your hair behind your ear and giving your best, most radiant smile you can offer to him, you shyly ask if he’d like to tag along with you to the lantern rite festival. “we’ve never been on a date before and i’d love to go to the festival with you and release xiao lanterns together.”

... what? how? his mouth almost opens up in disbelief, as he struggles to keep a stoic expression. ex-excuse him?! that’s supposed to be his line! he’s in shock at how easily you were able to say something that he’s been having trouble sputtering out. you mortals never fail to surprise him. he shakes his head and bitterly scowls, that you almost step back in fright. almost, until he starts speaking, that is. “why is it you? i should have been the one to ask you on a date first, not you!” he’s almost on the brink of tears from the frustration he currently holds on himself.

a relationship is always about give and take, no? it’s like when zhongli has so kindly decided to save him from the clutches of the cruel abuse he endured endlessly, of course he was forever in debt to rex lapis. surely, it’s the same with you, isn’t it? when xiao tells you this, you immediately start laughing. you calmly explain to him that your relationship isn’t like a form of contract where he’s expected to always repay you back for every gift you give to him. as long as he’s there for you, that’s more than enough of a reward, you say, before plopping a chaste kiss to his cheek.

“finally, you’re here. what took you so long?” xiao speaks to you with indifference concealing the relief that you actually came. he trails his sharp eyes to inspect your dressed up form and blushes slightly. “you look nice.”

immediately, your eyes widen at his underhanded compliment. did- did you hear that right? biting his lower lip gently, xiao clasps your hand in his, ignoring your astounded reaction, as he squeezes it reassuringly while watching the colourful fireworks light up the murky night.

without thinking, he turns to you when you’re focused on the display of bursting lights reflecting in your eyes, and murmurs to himself softly, “i hope you’ll spend the rest of your time with me, for however long it’ll last.”

XINGQIU.

of course, a date with xingqiu has to be extravagant and sophisticated to the last touch, right? guess again. he may come from a wealthy family, but that doesn’t mean he shares the same interest a selfish, pampered noble may have. he prefers something more simple, yet sentimental. confined in his household with nothing to do but bury his head in a book, he’s picked up some ideas for your date from the romance stories he’s read. surprisingly, they’re all rather cliché.

the first thing he makes you guys do is go out in the blazing summer day to get yourselves a cool beverage. he explicitly asks the cashier to give him one straw [do they even exist in the game?] and smiles slyly as he thanks them and brings the drinks to you. when you ask about it, thinking that maybe he forgot, all he does is smirk before saying, “there’s no need, my liege. we can share, unless you’d rather melt in the sweltering sun, that is.” he winks teasingly. you... don’t really have much of a choice in the matter. as you stroll around the harbor together, you take turns drinking from the only straw and a wave of consciousness washes over you gradually. wait, isn’t this like an indirect kiss? you place a hand to your gaping mouth after sucking on the straw that xingqiu pressed his lips on merely seconds ago. you should know by now, how bold he is underneath his polite façade.

after you finish sipping your drink - tediously at that, you both agree on going to the library to read books together since the heat is pretty unbearable to do anything enjoyable. xingqiu recommends you to try reading some of his personal favorites and you do the same as well. he’s thrilled to have a reading buddy now since it’s boring being here by himself.

while you’re immersed in the novel that you randomly picked from the bookshelf, every now and then, xingqiu will look up from the pages of his book and faintly smile to himself, glad that you’re enjoying yourself.

the sun was setting and the stars started to appear in the pastel pink and orange of the evening sky. you place back the last book and stretch your arms, before turning to xingqiu. sighing, you give him a quick goodbye kiss on the cheek and softly say your farewell.

as you’re about to make your leave for the day, xingqiu halts you with his words, “wait. there’s something i need to do before we can end this date.” nonchalantly, he plucks a book from its shelf, opens its pages, and uses it to block the sunlight drifting through the transparent window glass, effectively shielding his vision from the public eye as he pulls you in for a passionate kiss.

his free hand finds its way combing through the back of your head to deepen the kiss. when he’s satisfied enough, the boy detaches his lips from yours and lightly rubs the flesh of your cheek with a finger, while placing the book down on a nearby table. you keep your eyes fixated on him as he licks the edges of his lips.

“that felt nice,” xingqiu murmurs, “you’re so sweet, i’d hate for anyone else to savor in this pleasant moment with you other than i. shall we continue this again on our next date too?”

ZHONGLI.

the first thing he does is make sure to bring mora, this time. it would be highly inconsiderate of mr. zhongli to have you pay for the expenses of this fine date. he’s one to take things nice and slow. sure, time is unfortunately measured and limited, but he wants to make the most of it with you, a mortal who, just like any other being, has a beginning and end to your life. zhongli wants to shower you in all the beauty and joy this world has to offer while you’re still here with him.

he may be a gentle-spoken and polite individual, but please don’t mistaken him as being shy in any way. he shows up to your residence one afternoon and presents you a bouquet of your preferred flowers while he asks if you would consider accompanying him on a date. you take the bundled up flowers, carefully stroking a petal as if it’s made of fragile glass and accepts his proposal with open arms.

he takes you out to an expensive restaurant in the night of liyue and helps you select the best dishes. after you’re finished with your lavish and sophisticated meals, zhongli ushers you outside where you’re greeted with fresh air, a contrast to the suffocation you felt back at the restaurant. sure, the place is grand and your hunger is well-satiated, yet despite wearing your best clothing, you felt out of place there, like a commoner surrounded by nobles.

when you express your earlier discomfort to zhongli, his eyes are filled with shame and he’s already apologizing like the gentleman he is. guiltily, you tell him it’s fine and you ask if you can show him something before you have to head on home. he ponders in thought before agreeing, walking hand in hand with you to your unknown destination.

the chilling night breeze bites at your bare skin as you instantly shiver. this doesn’t go unnoticed in zhongli’s sharp eyes and he’s already unbuttoning his jacket. he drapes the coat over your shoulder blades and rubs his gloved hands on your cold fingertips to preserve warmth. “are you feeling cold perhaps? maybe we should head back?” you stop him before he can guide you back to the harbor.

“i’m okay now. thank you for your concern.” you say to ease his poor mind. he nods and you both continue on. the walk uphill takes a while, but it’s worth it when you finally reach the top. your eyes widen in amazement as you witness the glimmering stars splayed across the pitch darkness of the sky. “zhongli, look. do you like it?” he simply nods, but all of his attention is focused on you.

zhongli grins down at your childishly excited face, pausing for a hesitant minute before he carefully places his hands on top of your shoulders. you look up at him in confusion and is about to question him, but any sound that comes out is cut off by his lips ensnaring yours in a kiss. you’re astounded by his intimate move, but you revel in his touch in a matter of seconds.

he hopes, as he tightens his hold, that you’ll stay with him always, till your last breath.

tagging. @scarymoosh

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #zhongli x reader #xingqiu x reader #xiao x reader

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mirkwoodshewolf · 4 years

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A longtime affair revealed ; Brian May x reader

*Author’s note*

Hey guys well be prepared to do some binge reading because for my Rock Angel series I’ve got 3 chapters ready for ya’ll. Now for this one, I just wanna let you all know THIS IS PURELY FANFICTION!!! In this chapter we’re gonna get into how the Rock Angel soon found out about Brian and Anita. Now like I told my Wattpad followers and readers, if this causes any wars, harrassment or bullying in ANY SHAPE OR FORM. THIS. CHAPTER. WILL. BE. DELETED!!!

I’m writing through how the Rock Angel would react plus a bit of combination on facts that I have gotten from seeing/reading interviews from Brian about this topic.

Warnings: Angst, cheating, affairs, swearing, more angst, maybe fluff (if you squint).

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@simonedk

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@platawnic

@queensdivas

@kairosfreddie

@queendeakyy

@geek-and-proud

@onebigfangirlworld

@naturalswifty89

@starswin

@dj-lowkey

@isabella-bby

@labessieisallama

@5sos-wdw

@bohemiansweede

____________________________________________________________

*April 14th, 1988. LA home*

Now don’t get me wrong, I love having the guys over and my door is always open to them but—this is just weird. To brush you all up, around late February just a couple weeks after my birthday, Brian shows up out of nowhere on our doorstep in our home in LA wanting to stay with us for a while.

He didn’t give us any rhyme or reason just that he needed to be out of the country for a bit. So Jack and I welcomed him in and he’s been a great help around the house. Helping with the laundry, cleaning the place, taking care of Kelly, and he’s also been helping me produce my music.

Since Queen hasn’t decided to do another tour in the past 2 years, Rog and Bri took this time to do some solo works. Freddie also did a couple of solo stuff and Deacy’s worked with a different band playing the bass for them but his days are just spending it with Ronnie and the little Deaklings.

But back to Brian. He’s been so secretive lately, late night phone calls (and I’m talking about phone calls at like 3am our time), wanting to keep certain letters or mail to himself, and anytime I mentioned Chrissie at all, he’d get all tense and try to leave the room by making up some excuse regarding Kelly or working on his next solo project.

One night at almost 4o’clock in the morning, I woke up cause I was thirsty. So quietly I went downstairs to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of milk. But just as I poured myself a cup and was about to drink it, I could hear the soft murmuring voice of Brian out on the back deck.

“I know, I know. I just needed to get away for a bit, besides, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen the Kline family and they are important to me.” I silently stalked towards the back door to see Brian standing with the cordless phone up to his ear. “I’ll be back by the end of the week. I love you too, bye.” He spoke with such love as he made his declaration of love.

Okay maybe I’m being paranoid but he couldn’t be—no not Brian Harold May. There’s no way he could be cheating. Could he? No, no, no, no, no snap out of it! Just because it happened to you (and Dominique, god I wish I could just slug Roger sometimes) but there’s no way that Brian could do something like this.

I heard him sigh as he now sat on one of the lawn chairs we had along the back deck while I silently snuck back to the kitchen and quietly rinsed off my cup after I downed the milk. After putting it in the dishwasher I snuck back upstairs and fell right back asleep.

The next morning I had made a full buffet for breakfast for my two hungry boys, myself, and my baby girl.

“Okay here we go breakfast. The most important meal of the day. Eggs Sunnyside up, bacon on a side of toast. A stack of humungous chocolate chip pancakes which do smell incredible, if I do say so myself. And for my favorite guitarist Jelly filled muffins, and wholesome banana bread with tofu dogs and a tall glass of OJ.”

“Alright mama lioness, thank you.” Jack praised as he cut his Sunnyside egg and ate the piece of it.

“Ba bou mama.” Kelly thanked me in her baby tongue.

“You are most welcome my loves.”

“It really does look delicious (Y/n).” Brian told me. While the three of us began eating our meal, Brian just sat there with his hands in his lap staring at his food.

“You’re not hungry again?” Jack questioned as he paused from eating his bacon. I set my knife and fork down and said as I walked up to him.

“Okay what’s going on?” Brian looked at me humming in confusion. “Last night for dinner you hardly touched my veggie lasagna, which you say is my best dish ever, and now you don’t want breakfast. Bri are you sure you’re not sick?” I cupped his face in my hands trying to feel for a fever.

“I’m fine darling, really I am.” He took my hands off his face and kissed the back on my right one.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m fine just—a little tired is all. Hadn’t really been sleeping well these past few days.” I raised my brow at him skeptically. I hummed suspiciously as I went back to my seat and finished up my breakfast.

After breakfast, Jack went to work selling cars (ever since we officially decided to stay in LA around last year, Jack got a job at a local car dealership. It pays well whenever I wasn’t working and it’s nice to see two breadwinners instead of it just being me).

While I was cleaning up the dishes and Brian was cleaning up Kelly of the chocolate from the chocolate chip pancakes she wanted to devour I said to him.

“Hey Brian.”

“Yeah poppet?”

“You know there are additional ways to try and go to sleep that don’t involve raising my phone bill.”

“Wait you knew?”

“Bri, I have a toddler that still wakes me up every now and again. I’m sorta trained to wake up at odd hours in the morning, even when she doesn’t need me. So who is it that you keep calling at odd hours of the night and risking a higher raise on my bill? Cause I sure as hell know it’s not Miami or the guys.”

“It’s uhh—it’s uhh well it’s…..Chrissie!”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, yeah. She-she’s just been wanting to check up on me. In fact she’s in New York for a conference.”

“Ahh I see. So you wanted to call Chrissie at a time that was convenient for her because of the time difference.”

“Yes! Exactly because of the time difference!” Brian cheered. I turned off the tap and dried my hands off agreeing with Brian. I then took my baby girl out of her high chair as I told him point blank,

“So you waited until it was 1am her time. That makes perfect sense.” His face dropped but he suddenly blurted out.

“Actually!” my brow raised at him challengingly. He better come up with the best lie right now. Hell he calls me a bad liar, well he’s even worse, especially once he’s put under the radar. “It was 7pm her time. See while she was in New York for business, she’s now been transferred to—Paris.” What?

But doing that cute little nod of his and smiling confidently, he thought he could make it believable. I would’ve continued on but I was gonna be late if I kept at it.

“Nice save.” I took Kelly into the living room and set her down in her play pin where she grabbed her stuff lion that Roger gave her for her birthday. “Alright look Bon Jovi, I know you’re producing my new album but I need you to stay here and look after Kelly since Jack is working late today and we can’t find a sitter for her. Besides Elton’s coming over for our duet song today so we can handle that.”

“Okay sure. I can keep little Kelly company. Maybe we can go for an outing in the park today.”

“No outings! Remember what that bastard reporter did last month when all of us were out?” long story short, a vulgar male photographer from an LA tabloid stalked me, Brian, Jack and Kelly while we were out for a spring picnic. He even went as far as to shove his camera in my baby’s face.

Had it not been for Brian and Jack holding me back, I would’ve knocked that camera right into his eye. And he’d have a camera lens for an eye for the next 20 years cause technology of today wouldn’t be able to get it out of him less he dies.

Needless to say, my name went on the tabloids the next day as Rock Angel throws Raging Rampage! Of course I did my explanation to a radio station in England and now it’s divided fans on whether I was in the wrong or right to do that.

“Oh yeah. Okay fine, we can find some stuff to do here, can’t we Kelly?” she babbled as she continued to play with her stuffed lion. “See?”

“Okay. But—promise you’ll call if anything comes up.”

“No worries mama, I can handle things from here. We’ll see you both tonight. This time I’ll cook dinner.” He said as he came up to me, cupped my face and stroked my cheeks with his thumbs. Looking down at me with those soft blue eyes finally made me submit to his will.

“Okay, love you both.” I kissed Brian’s cheek before going over to my baby girl and gave her many kisses all over her cheek and finally heading out the door to work with Elton on our duet song.

Later that night both Jack and I returned home exhausted and tired from a long day. As we met up in the driveway of our home, we met each other and kissed each other.

“How was your day love? Sell any good cars?”

“Yep. Managed to sell off this old ’79 corolla that’s been in the shop since they came out. And for a good price too.”

“Excellent.”

“And how was working with Elton John? You know my mom would die if she found out. She’s a huge Elton John fan, ever since she was a teenager.”

“I know. She showed me her collection of Elton vinyl’s she’s collected in the past. But working with Elton is—certainly a challenge. I mean David was tough enough but Elton—yeesh. But they both are my idols and dearest friends. They have their own way of doing things, and you have to find a compromise.”

“I’ll bet.” Just before we went back inside the house, we saw walking right up the sidewalk a women around her 30’s possibly even 40 years old. She had curly red hair, and she had that vibrant glow about her.

“Ohh sorry, I figured you both would still be out. But I guess it had to come out eventually.” I turned to Jack and he said alarmed.

“I swear baby I have no idea who this woman is.” I turned back towards the woman and said.

“Can we help you Miss?”

“Oh right, sorry. I’m just here to return Brian’s jumper that he left at my place.” His jumper? At her place?

“Okay well I can just give it to him, and—how exactly do you know Brian? And no offense ma’am but how did you get my address?” she softly laughed. Laughed? What the—why the hell was she laughing?! Is this chic on something?

“No worries darling I’m not some deranged fangirl or anything. Freddie told me where Brian was staying at. I’m Anita Dobson.”

Wait, wait I know that name. Yeah I know exactly who she is. She’s an actress from the soap opera EastEnders. She’s also a singer and rumors have been speculating about her and Brian—oh god no! Oh HELL NO!!

At that point my fist clenched up and my breathing grew sharp and heavy. I turned back towards the house and stormed towards it.

The door slammed open and I cried out.

“BRIAN HAROLD MAY!! GET YOUR FUCKING ARSE DOWN HERE NOW!!” I heard a thunderous and rapid pacing of footsteps coming down the stairs as Brian with a horrified look on his face.

“What the hell (Y/n) you’re gonna wake up your own daughter.”

“Oh no you don’t get to talk back to me after what you’ve done!”

“What did I do? I-I-I-I hadn’t done anything.”

“You call this not doing anything!?” at that moment Jack came inside the house with Anita. Nervous she waved at Brian and greeted him.

“Hello Brian.”

“Anita? Wha—what are you doing here? I told you I would be back by the end of the week.”

“I know, I know but—you know that jumper you left over at my place at New Years, I found it.” She then took out Brian’s jumper that I had given him as a Christmas present the first time I spent my first Christmas with them.

I crossed my arms over my chest as Brian awkwardly came down the rest of the stairs and took his jumper back.

“Thanks love.”

“Someone better start talking or I swear heads will roll.” I threatened. Both Brian and Anita shifted on their feet as Brian said.

“(Y/n), Jack. Anita and I—well……we’ve been…..we’ve been seeing each other.”

“As in—”

“Yes Jack. Anita and I have been very secretly involved with each other.” At that point everyone went silent. At this point I was beyond pissed off. This was just like seven years ago when I caught Adam with that blonde bitch Becky in our bed shagging each other. Now here was Brian.

Brian May! One of the four men who helped comfort me the day after I found out I had been cheated on. And now here he was doing, what my dick of a boyfriend did, to Chrissie!

I just……I couldn’t even look at him.

“Look. I—I didn’t mean to impose, especially to you (Y/n), maybe I shouldn’t have come.” You think?! “Maybe I should go?”

“No, no Anita I can’t have you walking out this late all alone.” Brian said as he took hold of her hand.

“Well where am I gonna sleep, here?”

“Whoa-ho!” I warned them. They looked at each other and Brian said.

“We’ll go to a hotel. I think uhh—after tonight I—might not be welcomed back here.” Anita looked at Brian and said.

“If you insist.” They walked towards the door. I beat them to the front door and locked it saying in a low, threatening tone.

“No you’re not.”

“No we’re not.” Anita enforced as she and Brian walked away from the front door. “If you both go to a hotel you’re gonna be—” I tried to ease out my breathing trying to get them mental picture out of my brain. “Doing things. I want you both where I can see you!”

“Wait you’re gonna keep an eye on us?” Brian asked in a ‘are you serious’ manner.

“That’s right Brian Harold May and I don’t care how old you are. As long as you live under my roof, you’ll obey by my rules! And that means no sleeping with your girlfriend.”

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, she can be a fierce lioness.” I heard Anita whisper to Brian and he nodded.

“Now Anita, there’s a guest room down here you can rest in. Brian, you’ll stay in your room. Jack take Anita to her room.” He nodded and guided Anita just down the hall.

Once they were gone, Brian turned to me and tried to explain everything.

“Now (Y/n) this isn’t what it—”

“Oh so you didn’t invite your hussy to my house so that you could finally bring into light that you’re cheating on Chrissie with an actress? The typical Rock Star affairs! I expected this from Roger but never from you Brian! Do you realize how sick this makes me feel?”

“I just—”

“I don’t wanna hear about it anymore! Now go to your room!” I yelled as I pointed up the stairs. He sighed heavily and walked up the stairs, shoulders slumped and his spirit broken.

As Jack and I now prepared for bed, I didn’t speak a word to my husband as I angrily got into bed. After a long bit of awkward silence Jack said.

“You know I hadn’t seen you this angry since Prenter went on that interview and spilled out all of Freddie’s secrets.”

“If this is your way to try and cheer me up, I’m gonna boot you to the couch for the next month.” I turned away from him, “I don’t wanna discuss this anymore till morning, good night Jack.”

“Night (n/n). Love you.” I didn’t respond back. All I kept thinking was the rage I was feeling towards Brian about this whole thing.

The next morning, Anita showered up, got dressed and Brian helped pay for her cab fair to the airport. Once she was out of the house, Jack went to take Kelly out for a walk leaving Brian and I alone in the house.

I was currently getting lunch started cutting up some cucumbers, peppers and onions for a sauce while Brian stood on the other side of the island I was cutting on.

“So……how long have you and……” I couldn’t even finish my sentence so I just went back to rapid cutting the veggies.

“Anita and I met 2 years ago, in Beverly Hills for a premiere. I even invited her to our show at Wembley stadium when we did our last tour. She said you were phenomenal on stage.” I ceased my cutting and looked up at him.

“Flatter will get you nowhere hound dog.”

“(Y/n) seriously you’re not playing fair.”

“And you’re one to talk about fair. Does Chrissie know about her?!” Brian didn’t say a word. “See? Brian you—you know what I went through when I got cheated on. Hell you comforted me! But yet here you are doing what that dick Adam did to me! Tell me something, does Anita provide you the same sexual pleasures that you used to have with Chrissie?”

“Oh my god (y/n) how do you…..”

“When you’re friends with one Freddie Mercury and one Roger Taylor. You hear a lot more than you should.”

“It has nothing to do with sex, lust or anything like that. I—I love her. I fell in love with Anita.”

“But what about Chrissie? Your kids? Would you really leave them for that actress?”

“The kids never. But—” Oh my god. He would willingly leave Chrissie. Oh my god that poor, poor woman. “Listen (Y/n), I didn’t want to tell you this but—my marriage has been falling apart for years. I just—I didn’t know what else to do, but when I met Anita, she was like—a light force had come into my life.” I remained silent as I stuck the knife into the cutting board.

“I can’t do this anymore. I—I want you out of this house within the hour.” His eyes widened and he softly said my name.

“(Y/n). I—”

“GET OUT OF HERE!!!” I shouted as I turned my back on him. Silence once again surrounded us and it was then I heard him gently tread up the stairs to pack his stuff. Next thing I heard was the front door opening and then closing.

A few weeks later; I was cleaning up the house while Jack and Kelly were out having their monthly Father-daughter bonding time.

As I turned the vacuum off, there was a loud, thunderous knock at the door. I at first jumped, startled by the knocking, but I went to answer the door. And I was surprised to see just who it was.

“Chrissie?” for the first time in 2 years since I’ve seen her she suddenly appears on my doorstep in LA with a bag full of groceries. “What are you doing here?”

“I first came to give you this,” she handed me the bag. “And this!” that’s when I got slapped hard in the back of my head.

“Owie! Why though?” she stormed into my house as she said.

“Why did you have to fill Brian’s head about trying to make things right!?” She sat down on my couch. “Honestly (Y/n), now there’s some ice cream in there, put it in the freezer before it melts.” I quickly did as she said and I turned towards her and asked her in complete shock.

“Wait so—you knew?!”

“Of course I knew!”

“Why didn’t you say anything? To Brian or even reach out to me?” I said as I sat beside her. She took a deep breath before saying.

“Sweetie I hate to tell you this but—our marriage has been failing for years.” I looked at her in shock.

“What? How long?”

“It’s been so long that I’ve forgotten now. But it’s really been hard since 2 maybe 3 years now.” What? But—they always seemed happy together whenever I saw them.

“Chrissie I—why didn’t you talk to anyone about it?”

“Brian and I tried to work in marriage counseling but with the final Queen tour it got too much, and once the tour was over it—felt like we were both wasting our time. So we just—agreed to not talk or be near each other for a bit till we both came to an agreement on what to do. Plus we didn’t want to upset the kids. Do you know how hard it is for a child so see their parents screaming at each other constantly?” From what I remember my parents rarely got mad at each other, they always had the perfect marriage.

Now I’m not naïve I know that some marriages never work out. Some of my friends I once had in secondary school had to go through their parents getting divorce and it really affected them. Hell I can even give my aunt and uncle, they hated each other and yet they continued to stay married to each other (to my knowledge I don’t think I ever heard them say I love you to each other).

“Plus all this fighting and the arguments it hasn’t been helping Brian mentally.” My brows furrowed in confusion. “There’s—also been some stuff going on beyond just us. His father got diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and he’s getting sicker and sicker by the day. That, plus our marriage crumbling to bits, Brian he—he’s said if it weren’t for the kids, as well as you and Kelly…….he would’ve contemplated suicide.”

What? He—he never mentioned that to me. Oh god and now I’ve……shit.

“Chrissie if this is a way to try and guilt me, it’s working.”

“Oh sweetie I don’t mean to guilt you. I’m just telling you all on what’s been going on.”

“I knew Brian had his dark moments but—lately, especially since Kelly was born, he’s always put on a happy face around us. I just—I can’t believe I never saw it.”

“Even the brightest people can have their darkest moments.” No shit. I mean I should know cause I’ve had those days myself. God I feel like such a hypocrite now.

“I will say this though; ever since he did meet that—actress. He’s been more involved with the kids, he’s been more attentive to them, more loving, and involved in their lives. In fact I’ve never seen him happier than he is right now.” God now I really feel like shit. But what about Chrissie herself?

“But what about you?”

“I’ll be fine. I think—I think Brian and I have come to an understanding in the last few months that…..it’s best for us and for the kids that we get a divorce. Because at this point it’ll get too crazy. Now you little miss. You gotta make things right with him.”

“I don’t think he’ll listen to me. Chrissie I—I unleashed every ounce of anger I had. It felt like I got cheated all over again. I thought back to when—and then I thought of you and…….” She wrapped an arm around me and she said.

“Oh angel, I know you were thinking your heart was in the right place. Especially since I’m the mother of his kids and we’ve been married for over 10 years. And Brian told me what had happened to you when that bastard of an ex-boyfriend cheated on you. Being cheated on its—it sucks.”

“I agree it totally sucks.” I groaned out as we both softly laughed.

“Go get the ice cream, we can drown our sorrows in that instead of wine.” I went to the freezer and got the ice cream out as well as two spoons and we both shared the ice cream together.

After finishing the tube of ice cream, I was lying on the floor while Chrissie was sprawled out on my bed.

“Can I be honest with you Chrissie?” she hummed. “Since—you and Brian are gonna be….you know divorced, does—does that mean we won’t see each other again?” she slid down the couch to come close to me and she said.

“That’s up to you honey. I’ll tell you what; if you ever need a neutral ground to stand on, and rant about how crazy your child and future children make you, I’ll be there for you.”

“Thanks Chrissie. And I’m really sorry I screwed this up.”

“You should be. But—I forgive you.” she said as she hugged me. As we both swayed from side to side she then asked me, “So—have you met her?” I knew that she was referring to Anita.

“Yes. You’re ten times prettier than she is.”

“That’s sweet. Could I take her?”

“With this right hook, no contest Lady Ali.” She chuckled and embraced me tighter.

After that, she left my house and she stayed at a hotel nearby before she would fly back to LA. It was then I decided to call Brian to talk this out. He agreed and so I was going to fly out to London to see him so that he and I could talk about this like reasonable adults.

So that night I booked a flight for tomorrow morning and told Jack what all was going to happen. I would stay with Roger for a few days while Brian and I tried to talk things out.

When I got to London, I was sitting in Hyde Park with my shades (well an old pair of Roger’s shades he had back in the 70’s that I ‘borrowed’) on protecting my eyes from the bright sun.

“(Y/n).” I looked up and there wearing his own pair of shades was the curly haired guitarist himself.

“Bri.”

“Shall we walk?” I nodded and soon the two of us walked side by side. There was a bit of awkward silence between us at first till I finally spoke up.

“Chrissie came to the house and told me everything that’s been going on.”

“Of course she did.” He muttered.

“You should be grateful though. Bri—I really wanted to try and forget you after hearing about what you did. But hearing about everything that’s been going on in that head of yours—I can’t believe you’d think about killing yourself.”

“It’s—I’ve got no excuse. I’ve been feeling like an utter failure these past couple of years outside of Queen. Chrissie and I just….we were constantly fighting all the time. But when I met Anita—it was like finally coming out from the water I had been drowning in.”

“I don’t condone the cheating cause—you know how I went through it. After getting both sides of the story I—I know I can’t be involved in this situation cause it’s none of my business. This is between you, Chrissie and—Anita. But…..just promise me this. Tell me again this has nothing to do with anything sexual.”

“It had nothing to do with the fact that Anita was prettier than Chrissie. Nothing about appearances, not about urges. Nothing of that sort.” I nodded.

“It’s gonna take some time. I mean hell I don’t even know if I can accept her but—I’ll try my best to not be a total bitch around your new lady friend.”

“That’s all I ask for (Y/n). I won’t force you to be friends with Anita. I just…..want you to understand where I stand on this matter.” I nodded. “Are there any other questions you have for me?”

The rest of the day was just Brian and I talking about his relationship with Anita. How it began, when they first started falling for each other, things like that.

By the first week of May, Chrissie and Brian finalized their divorce papers. Brian May was now officially separated from his wife and he was now freely able to stay with Anita over at her place. I’ll be grateful that they didn’t go off and get hitched as soon as it happened.

In fact Brian invited Jack and myself to have dinner to officially get to know Anita better. It was a calm, quiet meal with small talk of just getting to know one another on a more stable level.

I apologized to Anita on my behavior when we first met and she immediately forgave me (Brian had told her that I had been cheated on and that’s why I had flipped my shit on the both of them).

Now I won’t get into too much after this but I will say this, it took me a year and a half to finally come around to Anita and accept her into the ‘Queen/Angel’ circle. Cause like Brian said, she is charming, witty, sweet, loving, a bit cheeky, but she is passionate about what she does and—she is definitely a force not to be reckoned with.

Chrissie and I still kept in contact but eventually when my schedule soon started back up with recording and doing my tours again, we lost contact with each other. And I hate to admit it but eventually all contact suddenly just ceased from her end.

Yeah I was heartbroken at first, but I had a feeling deep down that Chrissie might have wanted to just cut ties with everyone. I’m even told by Veronica and Dominque that they hadn’t heard a word from her either.

In the end, not all relationships can be successful and eventually old ties must be severed if we are to continue on in life. But in my mind I’ll still remember the support and love Chrissie gave me.

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sylphid187 · 3 years

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Coming Home, Taking Flight ‐ Chapter 2: Road to Osaka

This Chapter 2 of my fic focusing on Hinata's journey home. A look into Hinata's return to Japan, his interactions with his friends, and how he makes it into the MSBY Black Jackals.

Hinata Shoyou wakes up religiously the next morning. He gets up, goes for a morning jog, gets some yoga in his routine, then makes time for morning meditation. He makes sure to do all this, before heading to the kitchen to make some breakfast for his family.

He spent most of yesterday and last night catching up with his family and friends, who had to leave late in the night, after they realized that the sun was down and Tsukishima still had to drive Yachi and Yamaguchi home. During dinner, Shouyou had spent blissful time with his family, his mother seemingly very happy about having the returning presence of her eldest, back in their household. He is reminded again how being back in the company of his family in their own home, was so comforting.

He walks around their kitchen and, as he waits for the rice to finish cooking, he goes into the fridge to find some salmon slices and some tofu. Shouyou smiles and figures that he probably has enough ingredients to make a healthy japanese breakfast with the salmon, and he's sure his mom has enough ingredients to make some miso soup to go with the meal. He smiles as he is reminded of how he fiddled around in hisbshared space with Pedro, and how Shouyou would usually make breakfast for his roommate, before going to wake him so they could enjoy a meal together.

As much as Shouyou wanted to treat his family to some brazillian recipes he'd learned from Nice, he didn't have enough ingredients for it right now. So he promises himself he'd do that another day. He'd be more than happy to share the other culture that he's grown to love, with the one that he grew up with.

Later, when Shouyou is just about finished with setting up the table and their morning meal, he hears padded footsteps make their way through their dining area, and is sure that it's Natsu that's making her way to the kitchen. He hears a gasp and looks up to find that he's guessed right, and Natsu is there staring at their table.

"Wow Nii-chan, this looks great!" she claps her hands together in glee and continues to scan over what Shouyou has made.

"Thanks Natsu! Hope you like it! I packed one for mom so she can take it with her to work." Shouyou smiled. His mother still worked on the weekends, and she was used to laboring hard as a single mother. She had worked hard her whole life to sustain Shouyou and Natsu. Shouyou hopes that his dreams of going pro wouldn't just be a benefit to him, but would help lighten the load on his family too.

"It really does look good! I can't wait to dig in!" Natsu clasps her hands together again, before heading to the sink to wash them, and sitting down at her usual spot on the table.

Shouyou then sits across from her, and they both give thanks before beginning to dig in. Natsu immediately gives out a happy squeal after a few bites, and Shouyou can't help but chuckle at his sister's antics. He's extremely pleased though that she seems to genuinely like his food. "Nii-chan! This is so good! It looked great, but it tastes even better."

Shouyou grins. "Flattery will get you nowhere Natsu, but thank you. I'm really happy you like it."

"It's a real shame you won't be staying longer Nii-chan. I wouldn't mind eating more of your cooking. You're leaving this afternoon right?" she asks him with a smile.

"That's right. I'll leave by noon, sorry I won't be able to spend more time with you and mom. And I just got home too." Shouyou states, a little gloomy at the thought.

It saddens him a bit that he can't spend more time with his family, just after he's gotten back. But Shouyou cut it really close when he chose to fly back yesterday. He couldn't book earlier flights because he also wanted to maximize spending time with Pedro, Heitor, Nice and Coach. That, and he did promise to wait after Heitor and Nice's wedding. But, he needed to be home in time to make it to tryouts. Granted, his chosen flight really didn't give him much time for any detours. Tryouts were on Monday, and today was Saturday. The plan was to head out Saturday afternoon to Osaka via train.

The train ride from Miyagi to Higashiosaka in Osaka was about nine hours. He had planned to leave around noon to get to Osaka by 10pm. He still had to find a place to stay, but he figured he would work it out when he got there. He could, of course, leave on a Sunday. But Shouyou wanted to have enough time to familiarize himself with the area before tryouts, and have at least a little bit of time to get in shape while waiting for the day to arrive. He didn't want to show up to Osaka not knowing where he was headed and end up missing tryouts because he got lost. With this, he'd at least have a full day to go around the area.

"Don't apologize to us for following your dreams, Shouyou." The two look to the sound of the voice, to find their mother there with a smile on her face. "We support you, always remember that. And whenever you're having a hard day and need to come home, we'll be here to welcome you back."

"Mama..." Shouyou smiles. He really was very lucky, and he will never tell himself otherwise.

"That's right Nii-chan! And I can't wait to tell my friends and teammates all about you when you make the team!" Natsu says as she shoves another piece of fish in her mouth.

"Natsu! I told you I have to make the team first. There's definitely tons of competition for a spot on the team." He contemplates on this. He's both nervous and excited for tryouts, but he will definitely be doing his best, no matter who his competition is.

Their mother goes to the countertop and picks up the lunch Shouyou made and smiles at her son. "Oh believe me, you'll make it."

"Mama! Not you too! I don't wanna be overconfident about it."

"Shouyou, I'm not saying it because of any other reason, but because I truly believe that you'll make it." She goes over to him and pats his head. "It doesn't matter to me how old you and Natsu ever grow up to be. I will always be your number one fan. And you always remember one thing, I am so very proud of you."

" Thank you." Shouyou feels like crying, but he stops himself and opts for a wide smile instead. "I'll definitely ace tryouts, you'll see. I'll make sure they notice me."

"Yes you will!" Natsu chimes in.

"I know you will." She thanks him for the meal he's made for her before kissing both kids on the cheek and making her way to the door. "By the way Shouyou, are your things packed for later?"

"Yep! I made sure I had everything before going to sleep last night." He says with a proud smile. "I might end up leaving a little earlier though. I want to make sure I catch the train on time."

This makes their mother stop in her tracks, and Natsu snicker. "Shouyou, did you think you were taking the train?"

Shouyou is confused. "Yes? I mean, how else am I supposed to get to Osaka?" he asks as he tilts his head to the side.

"Natsu."

Natsu grins "Don't worry about it mama. Nii-chan will find out later anyway. So everyone agreed to keep quiet about it."

"Keep quiet about what?" Shouyou asks again as he looks between them both. "Am I missing something?"

"It's a surprise." And what a surprise it was.

---

Shouyou was just grabbing his things and about to head out the door, Natsu following behind him. "Nii-chan I really think you should wait a bit."

"Sorry Natsu, if I wait any longer I might miss my train!" He ruffled her hair affectionately and continued "Take good care of mama while I'm away, okay?"

"Nii-chan wait!" Natsu tries to grab Shouyou as he opens the door, but misses. He slides their door open and comes face to face with none other than Kozume Kenma and Kuroo Tetsurou.

Shouyou blinks. And then again. And again. "Kenma-nii! Kuroo-nii! You made it just in time." he hears Natsu speak from behind him.

"Yo, chibi-chan! What's up?" Kuroo's personality hasn't changed at least, Shouyou thinks.

"Wha...what are you guys doing here?!" Shouyou gasps, as he looks over at the newcomers.

"Shouyou." He looks over to Kenma who is smiling at him. "I'd like to think you owe me a better greeting than that."

"Yeah, that's kinda hurtful chibi-chan. After we came all the way here to take you to Osaka." Kuroo says with a grin as he slings his arm around Kenma's shoulder.

" You're taking me to Osaka?!" Shouyou exclaims again in shock.

Kenma sighs, a small smile still on his face. He dislodges himself from Kuro’s hold and goes to envelope Shouyou in a hug. It takes a moment, but Shouyou relaxes and immediately hugs back. "Welcome home Shouyou."

Shouyou feels someone ruffling his hair and he opens his eyes to see Kuroo there with a smile. "Glad to have you back Chibi-chan"

He feels Kenma let go, and the gamer finally stands back to take a good look at Shouyou after all this time. "You look good."

"Thanks Kenma! You too!" He grins.

"Should I be jealous?" Kuroo asks with a smirk as he watches them, but one look from Kenma shuts him up as he raises his hand in resignation. He chuckles and shakes his head, allowing the two to continue talking.

"You've changed too." Kenma continues as he grins. "I can't wait to see what else you're gonna do Shouyou."

"If you get boring, I'll drop you."

Shouyou ends up giving out a nervous laugh as he remembers Kenma's words from back then, just when Kenma offered to become his sponsor. But deep down, he knows that Kenma has only ever done everything he could to help Shouyou, and that was said in jest...probably. The former Nekoma setter was just really fascinated with him, for some reason.

"As much as I love the touching reunion, we have to move folks. It's a 10 hour drive to Osaka!" Kuro exclaims as he pats their backs.

Kuro and Kenma both begin to help Shouyou and Natsu bring the former's things to the car. While they're loading up, Shouyou continues to say thanks to his friends for taking the time to bring him to their destination. "I really appreciate it you guys, thank you. I was fine with taking the train though!"

Kenma scrunches his face in disapproval and replies "There's no way we'd let you take the train, not when we had the time to pick you up ourselves."

"I hope you guys didn't put off anything important." he tells them. He knows how busy Kenma has been, as he's regularly kept in touch in Brazil.

"I can manage Shouyou, don't worry too much about it." Kenma says with a wave of his hand.

"What Kenma means to say, is that if he had it his way, he would have been the one to pick you up from the airport too. Unfortunately, he lost at a game of rock-paper-scissors to Tsukki and had to give the airport pickup to them. And he also wants you to know that he finished all his workload early to make sure we were free when you got here. So don't you worry about it." Kuroo says as he shuts the trunk and dusts his hands. He looks over at the two with a large grin before he feels someone lightly punch his side.

Kenma gives Kuroo a glare and then another playful shove. "Just get in the car before I decide to leave you here Kuro."

"Awww you'd never do that kitten." Kenma stares at Kuro with a piercing gaze, and Shouyou thinks if looks could kill, that was it. "Annndd I'll be quiet now. Come on chibi-chan! let's get you to Osaka!"

Natsu waves at them animatedly as they all get in the car. She lets out a loud "Keep safe!" as they drive away from the Hinata household and begin their 10 hour car ride.

The ride begins similarly to that of yesterday, filled with catching up and updates on how everyone else has been doing. Shouyou has had little contact with the former Nekoma team, with the exception of Kenma and Kuroo. This wasn't for the lack of trying either, but he’s only ever occasionally spoken to Inouka and Lev, and that's during one or two video calls during a day off. It isn't a surprise to him that team Nekoma have all worked their way up the ladder as they grew up, and even through their success, continued to stay connected within their own circle. Kenma and Kuroo themselves regularly spoke to all their former teammates and told Shouyou much of how they were all doing.

"Waaah! I've heard from Lev about his modeling career! I didn't know he'd become such a big name in Russia." he exclaims excitedly.

"Lev is still Lev. He might look pristine and proper in the photos, but he's just as loud as ever." Kenma says with a sigh, as if just talking about Lev was tiring him out.

Kuroo guffaws. "At least he's mellowed down some because of Yaku."

Shouyou tits his head "Are they?"

Kuroo looks at him from the rearview mirror and smiles. "We can neither confirm nor deny, I'm afraid. Neither of them have said anything, but Yaku's sent us photos of them together. It's pretty common at this point, ever since Yakkun's been playing for the Russian V-League."

"We hear he plans to come back though. There's some talk that they've begun to scout for players fit for the Japanese volleyball olympic team, and Yaku wants to be here and play for Japan." Kenma states, as he begins to fiddle with what seems like a new game console.

"Ah yeah! Bokuto's been excited about that too. But he wants the Jackals to win this season first and finally kill the Alder's winning streak." Kuro tells them with a smirk. "And you know, they might actually be able to if you make it on the team chibi-chan."

"Ahaha...well I'll definitely make sure to make an impression during tryouts." Shouyou says. "I can't wait to see Bokuto-san on Monday! I wonder if he'll be watching tryouts?"

"From what Bo tells me, Coach Foster is requiring them to watch this year. He wants the whole team's opinion on getting a new player." Kuro replies.

"Shouyou, what do you mean by seeing Bokuto on Monday?" Kenma immediately asks, putting his game down and turns to look at Shouyou.

"Eh? I mean, I won't be seeing him till tryouts." Shouyou reiterates with a tilt of his head, when else would he find the time to see Bokuto-san?

"Wait chibi-chan, aren't you going to..." Kuro doesn't get to finish.

"Shouyou, where in Osaka are you staying? Sorry, we forgot to ask earlier." Kenma asks him.

"Oh! Sorry, my bad. I was wondering if you guys knew of any affordable budget hotels that you can drop me off in that's near the tryouts gym?" Shouyou asks with a smile. He sees Kenma freeze and Kuroo's eyebrows shoot up.

"..." Kenma stays silent for a little too long, and Shouyou wonders if he's said something he shouldn't have.

"I can look one up though! So you guys can drop me off somewhere in the area and I should be able to find one that'll let me stay two nights!"

"Kuro." That's all he hears Kenma say, before the rooster haired man is nodding and passing his phone to Kenma.

"Got it. Just send the text out and let them know it's you. Shouldn't be a problem." Kuroo replies. Shouyou doesn't understand what's happening.

"Um."

Kuroo looks over at him again. "Don't worry about it chibi-chan, we know exactly where to take you."

"Really? Where?" He asks, confused.

"You'll see."

He can see Kenma vigorously typing a message using Kuroo's phone, and once he's done, looks over to Shouyou again with a smile. "You're not sleeping in a random hotel, Shouyou. I'm not letting you."

"Eh?"

"Don't worry though, we've already found a solution." Kenma continues with a smile.

"Eeh?"

"Better to just go with it, there's no stopping Kenma when he's like this." Kuroo grins again.

"But..." Shouyou begins to protest. He really hopes his friends aren't spending money on him. "K-Kenma..."

"But you know," Kenma stares at him then, with catlike eyes that seem to be boring into his soul. "If you ever do something like this again and not let me know, I'll be really upset Shouyou."

"Eeehhhh?" Shouyou binks. He looks between the two and can't help his confusion from growing.

What in the world is Kenma talking about? And where in the world were they taking him?!

CHAPTER 1 BELOW

#haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu hinata #hinata shoyo #fanfiction #haikyuu!!#fanfic #sylphid writes #homecoming #msby tryouts fic #post timeskip #kozume kenma #kuro tetsuro #kuroken

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mitmama · 4 years

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Japanese Food

Tokyo | Kyoto | Japanese Food | Coron | Manila

My favorite part of the Japan trip is the wide variety of Japanese food we tried, both fancy and very cheap.

Sushi Dai

We arrived after 14 hour flight at 4pm in Tokyo and jetlag hit hard. I was awake by 3am and remembered that my brother’s favorite place in Tokyo is Sushi Dai and it opens at 5:30-6 with a long wait. So I decided on the spot to grab an Uber and head to the restaurant, right by the new Toyosu Fish Market.

I got there around 3:30 with a couple of others, and there was already one other person in line ahead of us. By 4:30 there was just 6-8 of us in line and I realized I could’ve come later. ;-) By 5:30 my husband and kids came and the line was already 20 people or so.

6am the restaurant opened. A small place with maybe 12-16 seats. At $45 for a 10-piece sushi meal, it’s quite affordable and very good, no wonder the long line! We very much enjoyed our sushi. Everything was fresh and delicious, especially the uni and the lean tuna. More importantly, We had a very kind lady chef who made two little sushi for my 8 yr old daughter when it became clear she had a hard time eating in one bite.

What’s also nice is everyone got to choose one piece of their choice. I went for the weirdest thing on the menu: Shirako or sperm sac of Atlantic cod. It’s served warm... interesting. The Chinese couple next to us, seasoned travelers who last ate at this restaurant 3 years ago, said they’ve always wanted to try it but just haven’t worked up the guts. ;-)

Tsukiji Outer Market

After our Sushi meal, my in-laws and the rest of the family met up at the Tsukiji Outer Market, full of shops and food stalls.

Our favorite were this prominent tuna shop on one of the street corners, where my niece had sushi for the first time. :)

We also liked the Saito fish market with giant oysters for $5, they torch it right in front of you.

Did you see the live giant crabs behind here?

Also recommended is the fried beef cutlet from Yoshizawa store. Very yummy.

We were less impressed by some of the other items hyped by Youtubers like the uni bun or the $1 egg cake snack. But overall, it was a lot of fun sampling yummy food.

Sushi Zanmai

Turned out we tried two of the four sushi places recommended by CNN Travels. Besides Sushi Dai, we also enjoyed the popular chain Sushi Zanmai that’s often open 24hours. Perfect as we looked for a place open at 9:30am on a holiday.

Not only do they have good quality sushi, but also tasty cooked items for those in the family that don’t eat raw fish.

Ramen Battle

We also tried the top two Ramen chains in Japan, Ippudo with its more novel interpretations.

And the more traditional Ichiran where you order from a machine, sit at your individual stall, where you can further config how firm you want your noodle, how rich the broth. Let’s just say we all had a lot of fun and couldn’t agree which we liked more. :)

Tempura in Kyoto

It was our friends who frequent Japan that first told us about Tempera in Kyoto. Then one of our Kyoto Uber drivers (all just plain old Taxi drivers) again reminded us. There are two best in town Yoshikawa and Endo Yasaka. We picked the latter as it’s closer to our AirBnb. It’s amazing! My husband had the more expensive dinner while we had the $55 lunchtime menu. I’d recommend the latter for affordability.

Starting with the tofu appetizer, exquisite! Then the chef fries the individual items for you as you eat. You can see the light batter on the fried items. They pick local vegetables and seafood that are in season. Check out this green bean. turned out it’s filled with a green bean paste. How unique! My husband’s more expensive meal also had uni and fancier shrimps, and I had to order the sesame tofu he recommended for me.

The servers were just super nice. We ended the meal with a cool grapefruit granita.

Conveyor Belt Sushi

For our last meal in Japan, my daughter strongly advocated for Conveyor Belt Sushi. She got her wish and we actually all very much enjoyed the experience.

The way it works is the different colored plates have assigned value ($1.6, $3.6 and $4.6). So they jut total up at the end how many plates you ate. We spent $60 eating all kinds of sushi, including unique ones like herring roes (crunchy!), smoked duck, and of course Toro or fatty tuna. They thoughtfully also provided sushi with and without wasabi.

Bento Boxes

So we trained to Kyoto on Nov 3rd the Culture Day holiday. A lot of restaurants were closed. We were super hungry and luckily found a hole-in-the-wall bento box place Yushokutei that’s open. It’s fast, it’s tasty, enjoy stir-fried beef, friend chicken cutlet, or new foods like Japanese pickles, vegetables including seaweed and mushroom and some interesting glutinous items.

Supermarket

Across the street is our favorite market on the whole trip, FamilyMart Togo-Higashiyama-Yasui. They have $1 Onigiri (rice balls with minced salmon or bonito flakes), and $3-10 sushi.

But my favorite by far were the yummy vegetables! They are $2-4 each, some with soy/sesame sauce, others with a bit of vinaigrette. So delicious! I was wondering how Japanese people survive with so little vegetables otherwise. ;-)

Small eatery

While we were in Kyoto, on the busy tourist street between Arayashima Monkey Park and the Bamboo Grove, we stopped by a local eatery that offers standard dishes like Udon, tempura, and more unique Kyoto dishes.

The green udon turned out to be nice and firm. The fried fishcake (one with cheese) was quite tasty.

And I really enjoyed the tofu-yogurt like mixture in their Kyoto-3 flavors. It’s good to experiment!

Our trip: Tokyo | Kyoto | Japanese Food | Coron | Manila

#japan #japantravel #sushi #tokyo #kyoto #foodlover

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phoenix-downer · 6 years

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First Dance

Final post for SoKai Week! I’m happy to announce that @anasten27 and I collaborated on one more theme: Sora and Kairi’s first dance together. Check out their lovely art here, and enjoy the story!

An invitation to a royal ball to celebrate the marriage of a certain Eugene Fitzherbert and Rapunzel, princess of Corona.

A pretty dress, a trip to another world, the chance to meet new people, and the best date she could ever ask for. On paper everything looked great. There was just one problem. Kairi didn’t know how to dance.

Too embarrassed to admit this to Sora, she decided to seek help elsewhere in the form of Donald and Goofy.

Her parents had invited everyone over for dinner, and her mom had really gone all out with the meal. Pork ribs stewed in soy sauce with brown sugar, popping hot tofu and gourd stir-fry, paopu fruit juice… and of course her signature dish, sweet potato tarts, for dessert.

Taking a quick glance over at Sora to make sure he was still embroiled in his competition with Riku over who could eat more of the tarts, she scooted her chair closer to Donald and Goofy.

“Donald, Goofy?” she whispered. “I know you guys have to go back home soon, but…”

“What’s wrong?” Donald asked, whispering back just a little too loudly. She glanced at Sora to see if he’d heard. Nope. He’d just eaten his fifth tart, and her parents were laughing and offering him another one. The tart-eating contest was something of a tradition at this point, and he and Riku were both trying to break each other’s records.

She fiddled with her necklace. “Um, can we talk about it outside?”

They agreed, and she led them to her backyard. Her house, an elegant affair befitting the mayor of Destiny Islands, was up on a hill, and the view from up here was great. The stars shone bright in the heavens, and the ocean waves far below beat their steady pulse against the sand.

You could see all the houses and shops from here, too. Kairi’s eyes wandered to Sora’s, a habit of sorts ever since she’d arrived here long ago.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” Donald asked, now that they were safely out of earshot.

Goofy cut right to the chase. “Is this about Sora?”

Kairi chewed her lip. “Yes. The thing is… I’m going to the ball with him, but… I don’t know how to dance!”

“Gawrsh, is that what you’re worried about?” Goofy offered his hands. “Don’t worry, I’ll show ya.”

Donald provided the, um, music, if it could be called that. Donald didn’t exactly have the most dulcet tones, but Kairi had to work so hard to stifle her giggles as he belted out cheesy love song after cheesy love song in his nasally quack that she soon forgot all about her nerves.

It was a good thing the house was far away from everyone else’s. Otherwise the whole island would have heard what was going on.

Goofy was a surprisingly good dancer though. When she asked him where he’d learned, he simply told her that everyone in King Mickey’s court knew how. Kairi wondered if she would have learned, too, had she stayed on Radiant Garden.

Oh well. At least she was learning now. Besides, Destiny Islands was her home. Her adopted parents were wonderful, and Sora and Riku were the best friends she could ask for. The circumstances leading up to her arrival might not have been the best, but she was happy with this new life she’d made here on the islands. She wouldn’t change it for the world.

“Atta girl, you’re gettin’ the hang of it,” Goofy crowed, spinning her around and around till they were both so dizzy they had to stop.

“You’ll do great,” Donald said, giving her a thumbs up, and she giggled and nearly plowed into Goofy, as off balance as she was. He just grinned and held her steady till she had recovered enough to go inside again.

“Kairi?” Sora asked as they reentered the dining room. “Where were you guys?”

She settled into her chair and grinned at him. “Secret.”

She was ready. She couldn’t wait to dance with Sora now.

Being back home was nice and all, but it did have one serious downside: school.

Ugh. Missing an entire year and then some meant that Riku had to play serious catch up if he wanted to graduate on time. Which meant that once he’d scarfed down his lunch, he had to make a beeline for the library so he could get some extra studying in.

Trying to study in the classroom was hopeless. Maybe it was because he was older, maybe it was because he’d stopped acting like a prick, maybe it was because he’d started following his heart more, maybe it was because he’d cut his hair. Who knew the real reason. But somewhere along the way, he’d gained a fanclub. Half the girls in the school were following him around at any given moment, giggling and flipping their hair and saying hello every chance they got.

It wasn’t that he minded the attention, and the girls were nice and cute. No, they weren’t the problem; it was just that he wanted his peace and quiet.

But he and Sora and Kairi were celebrities now. Well, Kairi always had been, as the mayor’s daughter, but he and Sora’s fame was new. While Sora handled it well enough, as extroverted as he was, it just really got to Riku sometimes, and he had to retreat every now and then to recharge.

The library was his usual refuge, because the rules forbid loud talking. That was usually enough to keep other people from pestering him while he was trying to study.

Too bad it wasn’t enough to stop Sora.

“Riku, help,” he said, sliding into the chair next to Riku and fidgeting with his checkered tie.

Riku sighed and closed the book he was reading called A History of Destiny Islands. Not even in the school library could he get some peace and quiet. “What is it, Sora?”

Sora pulled a piece of notebook paper out of Riku’s folder and began folding it into a paper airplane. “You know that ball Kairi and I are going to this weekend? For my friends Eugene and Rapunzel?”

“Oh, you mean the one you haven’t been able to shut up about for the past month?”

“Yeah, that one.”

Riku raised his eyebrow. “Yeah, and?”

Sora leaned closer and whispered, “I don’t know how to dance. Everyone there will be dancing and they’ll expect me to know how, too.” His face flushed. “Especially Kairi. What should I do?”

Riku shrugged and shoved his book into his bag. Lunch break would end soon, and he had to get back to class. “Beats me. I don’t know how to dance either.”

Sora groaned and ran his hand through his hair. “Not helpful.”

“Why don’t you ask someone who does?” He nodded towards the group of girls giggling at a nearby table. “Selphie’s in your class, right? Just ask her.”

Sora looked at him like he was crazy. “I can’t ask Selphie!”

“Why not?” Riku picked up the paper airplane. “She probably knows how.”

“Not the kind of dancing we have here on the islands,” Sora hissed, prying the paper airplane out of his grip before he could throw it at her, “waltzes and polkas and stuff. The kind of dancing they have on worlds with princesses and castles.”

“Good luck finding someone who knows how to do any of that around here then,” Riku said and stood. The five-minute warning bell had rung, and it was time to get to class.

The day of the ball had arrived, and with it, the time that any host of a wedding party knows: the mingling stage. Eugene gave his lovely bride a quick peck on the cheek, then it was off to thank half of the guests while she took care of the other half. A lot of people were outside in the gardens, so he decided to tackle that area first.

And what would you know, the first person he spotted was one of the people he wanted to talk to the most. Funny how life works like that sometimes.

“Sora! Good to see you!” He set his punch in a nearby potted plant and slapped Sora on the back. The kid had cleaned up nicely. His hair was still as gravity defying as usual, but he was wearing a suit and tie. For someone who normally ran around in a hoodie, black t-shirt, and baggy pants, that showed effort, real effort.

“Thanks for coming,” Eugene said. “He searched around for the lady of the hour to see if she was still nearby. “Hang on, I think Rapunzel’s—”

“Actually, can I talk to you for a minute?” Sora asked. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and the napkin in his hands was a wadded up, wrinkly mess.

“What’s wrong?” Eugene asked, steering him into a nearby rose garden for some privacy. Sora’s plus one was conspicuously absent, and Eugene wondered if his current distraught state had anything to do with that. “Need more smoldering tips? Remember what I told you, it’s all in the pout.”

“Um, that’s not the problem, exactly,” Sora said, rubbing the back of his neck. “The thing is… this is a ball, and I don’t know how to dance.”

“Oh, is that what you’re all worked up about?” Eugene elbowed him and grinned. “Leave it to me. You will be the master of the waltz by the time we’re through.”

Kairi popped another set of cheese and crackers into her mouth, not sure where Sora had run off to. A quick look over the lavish refreshments room still revealed no trace of him. Not even by the chocolate fountain, which was the first place she’d thought to look.

“And that’s how I met Eugene,” Rapunzel finished, a big smile on her face. She looked radiant in her dress for the ball, a pink floor length affair with a poofy skirt and lace-up bodice. Sora had said her hair had once been long and blond, but it was short and brown now.

“A frying pan to the face, huh?” Now that was something Kairi would like to see. She was almost sad they wouldn’t be staying longer. She could talk to Rapunzel like this for hours. They’d bonded over mysterious pasts, missing family members, and boyfriends with reckless, self-sacrificing tendencies, and that was all just within the first ten minutes.

“Yes,” Rapunzel said. “Not quite what you would expect, maybe, but that’s us.”

All the frying pan decorations and frying pan shaped food suddenly made a lot more sense, and Kairi grinned. “Nothing wrong with that.”

“No, not at all.” Rapunzel stole a glance at the grandfather clock in the corner. “Look’s like it’s almost time!”

“Time for what?”

“The dancing, of course. Everyone’s waiting!”

She took Kairi’s hand and led her through the rooms of the castle to the great courtyard outside. A large symbol of the sun was painted on the ground, and a great crowd of people had gathered to witness the bride and groom’s first dance.

Loud cheering erupted when they saw Rapunzel. Eugene made his way through the crowd to her, and the cheering got even louder as they walked, hand-in-hand, to the center of the courtyard together.

The music began, and Kairi sighed and clutched her glass. How romantic. As she watched, she imagined Sora spinning her around like that and got so lost in her own fantasy that she didn’t even realize when the music had ended.

“Kairi?” a familiar voice called, interrupting her reverie.

“S-Sora?” she stuttered, almost dropping her glass. She hadn’t expected to see the subject of her fantasy. “Where have you been?”

“Sorry, there was something I had to do.”

Kairi raised her eyebrow at this, because the collar of his shirt was damp and his tie had disappeared.

“Don’t worry, it wasn’t the Heartless or anything like that.”

Well, that was good at least. He coughed and fidgeted with his suit jacket, and she tried to discreetly dispose of her glass because she had the feeling she knew what was coming next.

Sure enough, he offered his hand. “Now that the floor’s open, Kairi, may I have this dance?”

She took it and smiled to calm the butterflies in her stomach. “I thought you’d never ask.”

His palm was sweaty, and Kairi resisted the urge to let go of his hand and wipe hers on her dress. It was brand new, purple with off the shoulder sleeves and a skirt that was great for twirling, and she was trying to keep the sweat stains to a minimum.

He took a deep breath and led her to the dance floor. Putting his other hand on her waist, he pulled her closer. His touch was gentle but firm, and she placed her other hand on his shoulder.

A new song began, a slow waltz, and he stepped forward just as she remembered to step backward. He stepped to the side, and she mirrored him. So far, so good. Then she stepped forward just a little too soon and landed right on his foot, and he yelped.

“Sorry!” she said, cringing and letting go of his hand. At least she was just wearing flats and not heels.

“No, it’s fine,” he said, smiling softly and reaching for her hand again. “We just have to get used to dancing together.”

The next time, he forgot how to do a certain spin properly, and they had to stop and go back to the base position to fix it. There were a few more bumps and collisions along the way, but little by little they adjusted to each other’s rhythm.

It, um, helped immensely when she remembered Goofy’s instructions to let Sora lead. Dancing was a lot easier when two people weren’t trying to direct the show.

And boy did he. He spun her and twirled her through the streets of Corona, the music growing more and more faint, but Kairi hardly noticed. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him, and the way he was looking at her right now made her head spin.

“Where… where did you learn how to dance?” she finally managed.

He gave her a cheeky little grin. “I asked Eugene to teach me half an hour ago.”

“Sora!” She couldn’t believe him. That was taking procrastination to a whole new level.

“What?” he asked, all innocent blue eyes. “When did you learn how to dance?”

“…Last week, when Donald and Goofy came to visit,” she admitted.

He threw his head back and laughed. “So that’s why you snuck off. Drat, I wish I had thought of that.”

The distant strains of the music indicated the song was winding down, and he got that look in his eyes that told Kairi he was up to something.

“Sora…” she warned.

He put his arms around her back and lowered her so quickly she was sure she would fall. But nope, he held her tight and leaned over her so that their faces were only inches apart.

He had the cutest smile on his face, and she wanted to thank him for such a nice first dance. Tilting her head up, she cupped his cheeks and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Looking back, maybe she should have waited until they were in a more, uh, stable position. But hey, even though he lost his balance and they both went tumbling to the ground and had to limp back to the castle together afterwards, it was still a pretty good first dance.

Not quite what she had expected, but it was theirs, stepped on feet and falls and giggles and all, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

#sokai #sokaiweek2018 #kingdom hearts fanfiction #phoenix writes #phoenix downer #anasten27 #thank you again anasten! it was really fun to work with you!

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elleberquist6 · 6 years

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Believe in Me - chapter fifteen

Summary: Dan Howell is living at home while he’s saving money for college, which isn’t easy since his parents don’t understand him. Unlike them, he loves dogs, is a vegetarian, has no interest in the family business, and he despises the supernatural. He struggles to accept things that are illogical, even though he is a kitsune. Kitsune are foxes whose powers involve the ability to cast illusions, but Dan just wants to be normal. Phil Lester has just moved to London, where he works as a dog walker. When his path crosses with Dan, Phil is eager to get to know him. Unfortunately, Phil soon finds that being friends with Dan is far more complicated than he could have imagined.

Rating: Mature Word Count: 1684 Warnings: Slow Burn, Eventual Smut

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Kitsune fact: Shrines are dedicated to kitsune, where devotees can leave offerings. Fox spirits are said to be particularly fond of a fried sliced tofu called aburage, which is accordingly found in the noodle-based dishes kitsune udon and kitsune soba. Similarly, Inari-zushi is a type of sushi named for Inari that consists of rice-filled pouches of fried tofu. [https://littlespacefox.weebly.com/kitsune-mythology.html/]

Dan’s phone buzzed and he checked the message, smiling when he saw it was from Phil.

Hey :) Are you awake? Phil asked.

no i am writing this to you in my sleep zzz, Dan replied as he smirked.

Oh, you’re asleep are you? I’ve always wanted to talk to someone while they were asleep.

why what do you want to say, Dan asked.

I’ve heard that you can suggest things to people when they are asleep, which will influence their behavior when they wake up, Phil answered.

and what would you suggest to me, Dan asked.

I’ll do it right now: Have dinner with Phil. There! Your behavior has been influenced and when you wake up you’ll have the urge to show up at my place tonight ;)

oh really? :D okay, what will we be having for dinner

Phil’s response came after a delay, as if he was hesitant to ask something. Dan, I hope this doesn’t offend you, but I was wondering if you eat sushi. You know, since you said you can’t eat cooked meat because of the smell.

Dan thought about it. He hadn’t eaten sushi since becoming a vegetarian, but he used to love it. As he considered it, he didn’t think that sushi would bother his stomach in the way that meat did, so he told Phil, sushi sounds great thank you

They then made plans for dinner that night at Phil’s apartment.

When Adam materialized in his bedroom not long later – Adam had been coming around more since they got on better terms – Dan started to formulate a plan. As his brother drifted around the room, idly criticizing Dan’s sense of style, Dan bit his lip as he thought how to ask this. Finally, he worked up the courage. “Adam, would you show me how to do an illusion?”

He had expected a snide remark, but Adam turned around to face him with a grin. “Of course. I thought you’d never ask.”

Dan took a deep breath to steady himself as he stood on the threshold of Phil’s apartment. Then he knocked. Phil opened the door almost immediately and he pulled Dan into the apartment. “I’ve got something to show you!” Phil exclaimed as he led Dan to the kitchen.

Dan’s jaw dropped as he saw the meal spread across the kitchen counter. Phil had gone completely overboard, and this was not what Dan had expected when he agreed to sushi for dinner. “This is too much,” he said. “I can tell you spent a lot of money on this…”

“Don’t worry about it. I wanted tonight to be special.” Phil waved away the expense as they looked down at the plates. Phil started pointing to the dishes. “In case you changed your mind about eating fish, that’s a vegetable roll with cucumber, avocado, and cream cheese. The one next to it is a spicy tuna roll. That one over there is a rainbow roll with crab, tuna, avocado, and cucumber. This one is a crunch roll with tuna, seaweed, and tempura. The last one is a dragon roll with eel, crab, cucumber, and avocado. Oh, and I also got some inari.”

Dan jumped at the word. “You got some what?”

“These.” Phil pointed to a plate of something covered with breading. “They’re fried tofu filled with rice and carrot strips. Dan, what is it? You got really pale for a second.”

“Sorry, I’m fine. The name just startled me.”

Phil’s eyes widened. “Was that the name of the god who we saw a statue of?”

Dan nodded as he looked at the inari on the plate. “I didn’t realize there was a type of sushi named after him, but it makes sense. Inari was the god of rice cultivation. I don’t know anything else about Japanese gods. I only know a little about Inari because I’ve read about him in association to kitsune. The books claimed that some kitsune follow him and work as his messengers; they’re called Myobu and Zenko kitsune.”

Phil nodded. “Are your family either of those things?”

“No,” Dan shook his head. “My dad and grandma are Yako kitsune. My brother is a Reiko kitsune. My mum is a Gumiho, which is a bit different from a kitsune. I’m nothing in particular yet, just a kitsune.” Dan shifted uncomfortably, wanting to change the subject. He looked back to the food spread across the counter top. “I can’t believe how beautiful this looks. Food should not look this pretty.”

Phil grinned as he accepted the change of subject with ease. “I know, right? It’s too pretty to eat. Did you want to grab a stool? We can eat right here.”

As Dan sat, he turned his head to hide a smile. Phil was far too nice. It was obvious that he was more than curious about this part of Dan’s life, but he never pushed too hard to make Dan open up. It made Dan want to do something for him in return, which was why he had asked for Adam’s help earlier.

Phil placed two plates before them and also some bowls of ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce. There was an open bottle of wine and some glasses on the counter already. Phil held up some utensils as a choice before Dan, “Silverware or chopsticks?” Dan selected the chopsticks while Phil gave himself the silverware. “I always end up just stabbing things with chopsticks when I use them. I hope you won’t judge me.”

“Never,” Dan said with a grin. He felt so at ease with Phil that he finally worked up the courage to say, “Can I show you something?”

When Phil nodded, Dan closed his eyes. He focused in the way that Adam had shown him. He had practiced this in his room with his brother’s help, and it had worked. He thought that this would be so much easier to do in front of Phil, since he always felt relaxed around him, but Dan hit a wall.

He opened his eyes, seeing that a lone cherry blossom was drifting through the air to land on the counter beside Phil’s plate. Phil’s eyes were wide. “That was so cool.”

As they watched, the cherry blossom vanished from existence. “There was supposed to be more,” Dan said. “Something else was supposed to happen.”

“That was amazing, Dan. Really.” They started eating, but they were both quiet and distracted. Eventually, Phil broke the silence. “I meant what I said the other day. You don’t have to put on a magic show for me. I find you interesting without it.”

Dan nodded, but he kept his eyes on his food. “I know. I believed you, but I wanted to do something for you anyway. I just… There’s an issue I have, and I thought I was over it, but I guess I’m not.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Phil asked.

Dan took a bite of inari while he thought, but he nodded. Dan started slowly, “Something happened when I was a kid. I was six or seven when I was playing on the front lawn. I was doing an illusion – I don’t remember what – and I didn’t think anyone would see, but some older kids walking by saw me. They came into the yard and demanded that I show them how to do what they thought was a magic trick. I couldn’t do it and they kept insisting, even when I started to cry. They wouldn’t leave me alone and they wouldn’t let me go into my house. I got scared, and my tail appeared. They called me a freak and kicked me in the stomach.”

“Oh, Dan…” Phil sighed. He reached out to place his hand on Dan’s on the counter top, and he gave the hand a squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”

“It was okay. My grandma heard and came out of the house to save me. She chased them off. My ribs were bruised, but I was okay. Really.” He gave Phil a wobbly smile, but it wasn’t very convincing based on the look Phil gave him. He dropped the smile. “That was one of the last times I tried to do an illusion, until today. I’ve been…”

He doesn’t need to say what he’s been. Phil understood, and he pulled Dan into a hug. Dan fell to pieces and cried against Phil’s shoulder while Phil rubbed his back and murmured soothing things. As Dan calmed, he felt a wound he hadn’t realized was still opened finally begin to heal inside of him. His eyes were still closed as Phil held him, and Dan tried to focus once more on the illusion that Adam had helped him with.

Phil gasped, and Dan pulled away from him. His cheeks were still wet, but Dan was smiling as he dried them. He looked behind them to where Phil was staring. A blooming cherry blossom tree was growing out of the floor behind them. It shifted in a noncorporeal breeze, raining them with pink petals. Phil poked at a petal that landed on his knee, and then he beamed at Dan. “You’re incredible.”

“Thanks,” Dan said with a blush. “For everything.”

Later, once they had finished their dinner and stored the leftovers in the fridge, Phil asked, “Can you stay longer? We could watch a movie.”

Dan bit his lip, hesitating before saying, “I’d like to stay later. Actually, if it was okay I was wondering if I could spend the night.”

Phil stared at him with wide eyes. Then he lunged forward to give him a kiss, making Dan giggle breathily against his lips in surprise. “So, you want me to stay then?” he asked.

“Yes,” Phil said. “Please.”

#phandom #phanfiction #dan and phil #dan x phil #kitsune #magical realism #illusion

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protectjugheadjonesiii · 7 years

Text

Ever Since New York

Check the Ever Since New York Masterlist for series updates!

Pairing: Jughead x Reader

Description: After his junior year, Jughead goes to New York for a writing internship.

Warnings: some swearing, you might cry

Word count: 4,574

A/N: umm first of all thank you for 7000 followers?? holy crap. anywho wowowow this is by far the longest thing I’ve ever written. It’s based off of the song “Ever Since New York” from Harry Styles’s album (which I love btw). This is probably my favorite thing I’ve ever written tbh. Hope you all enjoy!

Tell me something, tell me something You don’t know nothing, just pretend you do

After years of saving the money he earned at the Twilight Drive-In and other odd jobs, Jughead finally had enough to buy a plane ticket to New York. He had discovered a writing internship there that he knew he had to do. It didn’t take much effort to convince his dad to allow him to go; in fact, FP even offered to pitch in some money. Jughead refused, claiming that he wanted to do this all on his own. He wanted to deserve this internship as much as possible.

He started talking to Veronica frequently, asking her about her time in New York. She, of course, gladly answered all of Jughead’s questions. She was glad to finally bond with her boyfriend’s best friend.

Jughead also pestered Betty with questions, seeing as she had done an internship similar to his two summers ago. It was a bit awkward at first, since the two of them used to date. However, they both got over their awkwardness for the sake of preparing Jughead for his internship.

“It’s really amazing,” Betty told him. “It’s a great experience, and you’ll learn so much.”

“What are other people like?” Jughead inquired. “Are they pricks?”

“Sometimes,” Betty laughed. “It depends. Do you know how many other people are participating in the internship?”

“Just one,” he answered, shrugging. “I don’t know who it is though.”

“Well, if they’re a jerk then that’s gonna suck,” she offered. “But if they’re nice, they may become one of the closest friends you’ll ever have.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Betty replied and nodded. “You’re gonna spend all summer with this other person. They’re either gonna drive you up the wall or become your new best friend.”

I need something, tell me something new Choose your words, ‘cause there’s no antidote For this curse, oh, what’s it waiting for? Must this hurt you just before you go?

“Have fun in New York, Jug.” FP patted his son on the back as they stood at the airport gate. Betty, Veronica, Archie, Fred Andrews, and Kevin stood behind FP, all wearing supportive smiles. Jughead glanced around at the group who followed him to the airport, filled with admiration of his friends and family.

“Thank you guys,” he said, fighting back a giant grin. “You didn’t all have to come, though.”

“Of course we did,” Fred Andrews argued. “We’re not gonna see you all summer, Jughead. We have to give you a proper send-off.”

“Well, proper send-off achieved,” Jughead laughed. He watched as others in the line began to move. “I guess I should go now. Thanks for this. See you all in August.” As he turned on his heel and walked away, the group of six gleefully waved at Jughead’s retreating figure.

“You aren’t worried about Jughead all alone in a giant city?” Fred asked FP as they exited the airport.

“Nah,” FP responded, waving his hand. “He’s a smart kid, he’ll find his way.”

Oh, tell me something I don’t already know Oh, tell me something I don’t already know

“Hi, I’m Jughead Jones,” he introduced himself at the front desk. “I’m here for the writing internship.”

The lady sitting behind the desk glanced up at Jughead. “Ah, yes! We’ve been expecting you, Mr. Jones!” she exclaimed, standing from her chair.

“Oh, am I late?” Jughead inquired.

The lady shook her head. “Oh no, not at all. Your counterpart just got here early, so we’ve been waiting for you to start.”

“My counterpart?”

“Miss (Y/N) (Y/L/N),” she gestured to a girl sitting on a chair against the wall, flipping through a magazine. The girl perked up when she heard her name, and saw Jughead and the receptionist staring at her.

“Is this him?” (Y/N) questioned, standing up and setting the magazine down. Jughead noticed it was a TIME magazine.

“Yes,” the receptionist answered. “(Y/N), this is Jughead Jones.” Jughead stuck his hand out to shake, and (Y/N) firmly shook his hand.

“I hope you’re not an asshole,” she blatantly said as they released hands, “because we’re gonna be stuck with each other all summer.”

“I was thinking the same thing about you,” he quipped.

(Y/N) raised her eyebrow in interest. “Quick-witted,” she noted with a smirk forming on her face. “I like it.”

“You better,” Jughead fired back, biting back a grin. “Like you said, we’ll be around each other all summer.”

“If we were together any longer, I’d worry about you falling in love with me,” she jokingly warned. “So be careful.”

Brooklyn saw me, empty at the news There’s no water inside this swimming pool

“When’d you get here?” (Y/N) asked as she and Jughead exited the building, their first day of the internship finished.

“Two days ago,” Jughead answered with his hands in his pockets. “What about you?”

“Last week.” Her pace was quick, and she seemed determined to get somewhere. “Are you hungry? Because I’m starving.”

“I would love some food,” Jughead almost moaned at the thought of food. He was only able to scarf down a small lunch in the midst of the business.

“I know this great burger place,” (Y/N) explained as she led the way to the restaurant. “It’ll make every other burger you’ve ever eaten seem like a pile of shit on a bun.”

“I doubt that,” Jughead scoffed. “There’s a diner where I’m from that makes the best burgers you’ll ever eat.”

“Where are you from?”

“Riverdale,” he said. “Pop’s diner, that’s what it’s called. If you ever find yourself in Riverdale, stop by Pop’s. Trust me, you’ll thank me.”

“Well we’re not in Riverdale right now, Jughead Jones,” (Y/N) reminded him. “So you should thank your lucky stars that I am your counterpart, because I’ve been here for the past week. You know what I’ve been doing for that week? Exploring, Jones. I have tried and evaluated twenty-one restaurants, and I know where to go for whatever you’re craving.”

“What if I’m craving Korean food?” he quizzed.

“32nd street, there’s a great Korean grill,” she immediately responded.

“Ethiopian?”

“There’s a quaint little place on 135th street.”

“What if I want to get wasted?” Jughead smirked.

“There’s a club a couple of blocks away with shitty security,” (Y/N) answered with a smirk equally as wide. “Or maybe I was just an exception, seeing as how attractive I am.”

“I think you overestimate yourself,” he scoffed, playfully rolling his eyes.

(Y/N) lightly slapped him on the arm. “I do not!” she retaliated.

“Whatever, keep lying to yourself.” Jughead quickened his pace, leaving (Y/N) behind him.

“Hey!” she called out, rushing to catch up to him. “You better not leave me! You don’t even know where you’re going.”

“You’re still here,” he noted, casually wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Lead the way, (Y/N).”

Almost over, had enough from you And I’ve been praying, I never did before

“God, this food sucks,” (Y/N) whispered, gesturing towards the plates of Japanese food sitting in front of her and Jughead. “That place we ate at last week was so much better.”

“True,” Jughead agreed with a mouthful of food. “But this place is cheaper.”

“Rightfully so!” she exclaimed, jabbing at her tofu with a chopstick. Jughead silently laughed and shook his head, continuing to eat his fried rice. He watched as (Y/N) picked at her dish, examining each aspect of the meal.

It had been three weeks since their internship had begun, and Jughead and (Y/N) quickly became close friends. They bonded over the overwhelming amount of work at their internship and their food-discovering adventures. Jughead didn’t know how he would’ve survived an entire summer in New York without (Y/N) by his side. They even stayed at the same hotel, so during a sleepless night, one would wake the other and stay up all night talking. On those nights, they would drink hot chocolate.

“I’ve got the check tonight, Jug,” (Y/N) said, snapping Jughead out of his thoughts as she took the bill from the waitress. Jughead furiously shook his head.

“No, (Y/N), you got dinner yesterday,” he protested, reaching out towards the bill. “I’ll cover it tonight.”

“You got lunch!” she exasperatedly exclaimed. “I can handle it. Dinner wasn’t even expensive last night or tonight.”

Jughead huffed as the waitress returned and took (Y/N)’s money. “Fine,” he pouted, “but we’re gonna go out for desert, and I’m paying for it.”

“Fine.”

“Ice cream?” Jughead offered, standing from his chair. (Y/N) followed suit, and they exited the diner. She slowly grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers.

“I’m feeling frozen yogurt tonight,” she countered his offer, grinning up at him.

“What’s the difference?” Jughead playfully scoffed, trying not to blush at their hand-holding. They had started doing it last week after he almost lost (Y/N) in a giant mass of people.

“I swear to God, Jug, you said the same thing last week, and I explicitly explained it to you.” (Y/N) rolled her eyes. “Ice cream is-”

“Made with cream, whereas frozen yogurt is a yogurt-based treat,” Jughead quoted what (Y/N) had told him last week.

“I knew you paid attention to me.”

Understand I’m talking to the walls I’ve been praying ever since New York

In the middle of the night, the phone started ringing. Jughead, still half-asleep, answered it with his eyes remaining shut.

“You can come over,” he said, not waiting for the caller to initiate the conversation.

“Okay,” (Y/N)’s quiet voice responded, and she hung up. A few moments later, a soft knock resonated through Jughead’s hotel room. He rolled off of his bed, throwing on a t-shirt, and opened the door. (Y/N) stood in the doorway, slightly shaking.

“You cold?” Jughead murmured. (Y/N) wordlessly nodded. He gently grabbed her arm and led her inside, shutting the door behind them. He stripped the blanket off from his bed and draped it over her shoulders, wrapping (Y/N) in the soft white material. (Y/N) smiled up at him.

“Why do you put up with me?” she asked, sitting on his bed. Jughead mimicked her actions and sat next to her.

“What do you mean?” he questioned, furrowing his eyebrows.

“How are you not sick of me?” she elaborated. “I mean, we’ve been constantly hanging out for, what, a month and a half now? You know if I’m annoying you, you can just tell me. I’ll back off.”

“Why would you annoy me?” he asked, slowly wrapping his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. “You’re the best part about this internship.”

“You’re full of shit.”

“I’m not,” Jughead lightly laughed, slightly nudging her. “I’m serious, (Y/N). Before I came, I was asking my friend Betty about internships. She did one two years ago, so she knew what she was talking about. She told me that the people I’ll meet during this internship will either drive me up the wall or become one of my closest friends.”

“So I haven’t driven you up the wall?” (Y/N) inquired with a tentative smile.

“Of course not,” Jughead laughed loudly this time. A moment of silence ensued, both (Y/N) and Jughead overwhelmed by sleepiness.

“Is Betty your girlfriend?” (Y/N) broke the silence, staring up at Jughead.

“No,” he muttered, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “She was,” he admitted, “but not anymore.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing bad,” he shrugged. “Sometimes things just don’t work out, you know?”

“Yeah,” (Y/N) muttered. “I had a boyfriend.”

“Really? That’s shocking.”

“Shut up!” she whined, elbowing him. “Yes, I had a boyfriend. He was actually a total dickhead.”

“How?” Jughead asked, growing concerned.

(Y/N) looked up at him and giggled. “Oh, you’re worried,” she cooed, placing a hand on his chin. Jughead swatted it away.

“Sue me,” he retorted, but then grew serious. “But really, what happened?”

“Nothing bad,” she replied, facing away from Jughead. “We were dating for a while, and… I don’t know. He never really supported me in anything. He wasn’t nice to any of my friends, and I didn’t notice for so long because I was so fucking smitten. Eventually it hit me one day, and I realized that he was horrible. So, naturally, I dumped him.”

“As one does,” Jughead nodded, nonchalantly tracing patterns on (Y/N)’s right arm with his thumb.

(Y/N) slumped and sighed. “What time is it?”

Jughead glanced at the clock with its blaring, bright red numbers. “Three o’clock.”

“Jesus,” she muttered, rubbing her eyes. “I should… I should get back to my room.” She jumped off the bed and trekked towards the door, her bare feet dragging on the carpet.

“Wait,” Jughead commanded, grabbing her arm. “Don’t go, it’s too late.”

“You say that as if I have to walk across New York City,” (Y/N) joked. “It’s fine, Jug, my room is down the hall. I’m not gonna get mugged.”

“No, but you may fall over before you reach your room,” he countered with a lighthearted smirk. “Just stay here tonight, okay?” (Y/N), too tired to argue, needed no more convincing as she turned around and climbed into Jughead’s bed. He laid down, patting the space next to him. (Y/N) tentatively settled next to him, slowly resting her head on the neighboring pillow. “You can get closer than that, you know,” he told her, amused by her unusually timid nature. She hesitantly scooted closer to him, until she was near enough for Jughead to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her against his chest. “That’s better,” he whispered into her hair. She draped one arm around his torso, the other arm tucked under their now-shared pillow.

“Night, Jug,” she murmured, eyes already closed. He smiled at her.

“Goodnight, (Y/N).”

Oh, tell me something I don’t already know Oh, tell me something I don’t already know Oh, tell me something I don’t already know Oh, tell me something I don’t already know

“Oh, Jughead, how is it?” Betty eagerly asked, her face displayed on his laptop screen.

“It’s been great,” Jughead answered.

“What restaurants have you tried?” Veronica questioned from her spot next to Betty.

“A bunch,” he vaguely replied. “(Y/N) is attempting to try every restaurant in New York City. I think it’s impossible, but she’s determined.”

“Who is (Y/N)?” Archie inquired, popping his head into the camera’s view.

Jughead laughed, “Where do I begin? She’s my ‘counterpart’ for the internship. We’ve become very close.”

“I told you,” Betty grinned. Jughead nodded.

“You were right,” he admitted. “Right when I met her, I… I don’t know, it just felt like something clicked between us. We’re inseparable.” Betty’s expression slightly darkened, but Jughead waved it off as a bit off jealousy.

“Ah, you’ve got it bad, bro,” Archie laughed at his best friend. Jughead rolled his eyes.

“It’s not like that, Arch,” he explained. “It’s like Betty said, you grow really close to people when you spend so much time together.”

“But you don’t blush when you talk about them,” Veronica noted, pointing out Jughead’s dusty pink cheeks.

“You’re imagining things,” Jughead scoffed. Betty, Archie, and Veronica shared a knowing glance.

“If you say so,” Veronica sing-songed. Before Jughead could respond, there was a knock on his door. A smile subconsciously grew on his face.

“Speaking of (Y/N),” he said, standing up and walking towards the door. He opened it, and, as expected, (Y/N) stood there.

“Are we going or not, Jug?” she pressed, grabbing his hand. “I told you the line for the rainbow bagels is super long. I don’t want to spend all of Saturday waiting for one, even though they’re so fucking pretty.”

“I’m video chatting with my friends right now,” Jughead told her, gesturing towards his open laptop. “Can you wait like five more minutes?”

“Fine,” (Y/N) huffed, crossing her arms. She stepped into his room, allowing him to close the door behind her. She followed him as he sat back down in front of his laptop, resting her chin on his shoulder as she peered at the screen. “These are your friends?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “That’s Archie,” he gestured towards the redhead, “the blonde one is Betty, and that one is Veronica.” (Y/N) smiled at Jughead’s Riverdale friends.

“You must be (Y/N),” Betty smiled. “Jughead was just talking about you.”

“Of course he was,” (Y/N) joked, nudging his arm. Jughead playfully shoved her back.

“So how’s it been? Three months with the infamous Jughead Jones?” Veronica inquired with a smirk dancing on her lips.

“Well it hasn’t been three months quite yet,” (Y/N) corrected her. “I’ve only gotta deal with this guy for two more weeks.” Jughead’s face slightly deflated as this realization hit him. “Let me tell you, he’s quite the handful.”

“We know,” Archie laughed. Jughead opened his mouth to say something, but (Y/N) interrupted him.

“Shit, I left my phone in my room!” she exclaimed, standing up. “I’ll be right back, Jug.” She turned and faced the laptop. “It was great talking to you guys. I hope we can meet sometime!” She quickly exited Jughead’s room. Immediately, Veronica, Archie, and Betty bombarded him about (Y/N)

“She’s perfect,” Veronica cooed. “She’s actually flawless, Jughead.”

“You lucked out, bro,” Archie told him. “She’s a keeper.”

“She’s absolutely amazing, Jughead,” Betty smiled. Jughead grinned and shook his head.

“You guys, I told you-”

“Don’t even go there,” Veronica interrupted him. “That girl is absolutely perfect for you. The way you two look at each other is… it seems like it’s from a fairytale. You two are soulmates, Jughead.

“She does seem great, Jug,” Archie agreed with her. “I mean, I’ve never seen you like that with anyone. No offense, Betty.”

“None taken, Archie,” she waved his comment off. “They’re right though, Jug. You never looked at me the way you look at (Y/N).” Jughead couldn’t think of a clever retort. “But be careful, Jughead. Like (Y/N) said earlier, you two only have two more weeks together. If you haven’t done anything up to this point, you might want to consider whether or not it’s worth it to start something now. Just ask yourself, is it worth the heartbreak that’ll happen when you have to leave her?” She pursed her lips as she watched Jughead’s face darken on her screen.

“Thanks guys,” he said halfheartedly. “Really, thank you. I’ll see you all in two weeks.”

Tell me something, tell me something You don’t know nothing, just pretend you do Tell me something just before you go

“Our last day!” (Y/N) exclaimed, prancing into Jughead’s hotel room. After the video call he had two weeks ago ended, he decided to give her a key to his room. “Our internship is over, and we have one last night to spend together, Jug. Out of every place in all of New York City, where do you want to go, Jughead Jones?” she asked seductively, a coy smirk growing on her face.

“I’m feeling burgers tonight,” Jughead answered, trying to stop his expression from deflating. “And then maybe we can get some cupcakes?”

“I like it!” she grinned. She grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room, beginning the trek to their favorite restaurant. “Jesus, I can’t believe it’s been three months already.”

“I know,” he agreed. “It seems like my plane landed just yesterday.”

“Yeah,” (Y/N) breathed. They spent the rest of their walk in silence, choosing to listen to the bustling New York traffic.

The waitresses at the restaurant, at this point, knew Jughead and (Y/N) as regulars. They didn’t even bother giving them menus, knowing exactly what each of them would order.

“You two are my favorites,” the waitress whispered as she set their burgers in front of them.

“Thank you,” (Y/N) grinned. “I’m sorry to say, but it’s our last day here.”

“Oh,” the waitress sighed. “Well, you two better visit. I don’t know what I’ll do without my favorite regulars.” She walked away, leaving (Y/N) and Jughead to enjoy their burgers.

“You know,” Jughead noted through a mouth full of burger, “I don’t know how you’ve tried almost every restaurant in New York City while becoming a regular here.”

“Talent, Jug,” she told him, wiping her mouth on a napkin. “It takes a hell of a lot of talent.”

They finished dinner and went to their favorite bakery to get cupcakes. On their walk back to the hotel, they fell into silence once again. It wasn’t broken until they entered Jughead’s hotel room. By now, almost all of (Y/N)’s stuff ended up in here. They found it easier, rather than constantly having to switch back and forth between rooms to grab their stuff.

“So that was our last day,” (Y/N) claimed, flopping onto the bed. Jughead stood by the bedside, crossing his arms with an amused smile.

“Unfortunately, it was,” he nodded. He jumped next to her on the bed, earning a shriek from (Y/N). He swallowed as he stared at her, knowing what he had to tell her. “Do you remember what you said to me on the first day we met?”

“That I know where to go for whatever you’re craving,” she answered with a grin. Jughead laughed and shook his head.

“No, the other thing.”

“I hope you’re not an asshole because we’re gonna be stuck together all summer?” she offered. He shook his head again.

“Nope.”

“I called you quick-witted?”

“No!”

“What is it?” (Y/N) demanded, sitting up so that she was hovering over Jughead as he remained laying down.

“You told me that if we were together any longer than just the summer, I might fall in love with you,” he explained, sitting up so that they were face-to-face. (Y/N)’s grin slightly faded.

“Oh,” she murmured. “Yeah, I did say that.”

“You were wrong,” Jughead said, trying to keep his voice steady. He slowly grabbed her right hand.

“Really?” she asked as her eyes followed Jughead’s hand.

“Betty told me to be careful,” he explained, “because we’re not gonna be together that long. And she was right. I mean, why would we risk an immense amount of heartbreak just for the sake of a blissful few weeks together?” When (Y/N) said nothing, he continued. “So I figured I could just suck it up and get through the rest of our time together and not say anything. It was a good plan, but you… you ruined it.”

“Sorry,” she quipped with a small smirk. Jughead lovingly rolled his eyes.

“No you’re not,” he laughed. “You’re not sorry, and you shouldn’t be. Within the three months we’ve spent together, I’ve grown closer to you than I ever have with anyone else. Hell, my ex-girlfriend said that we were great together.”

“She did?”

“Yeah,” he responded, grabbing her hands. “Jesus, (Y/N), I’m in love with you. I’m fucking in love with you, and it sucks. It sucks because I don’t know if I’m ever gonna see you again. And this is gonna cause so much heartbreak, for me at least, and maybe you too. I just… I can’t keep it from you anymore. But I also think, deep down, you already knew how I felt.” Tears clouded (Y/N)’s eyes, and her lips quivered as she quickly enveloped Jughead in a hug.

“Fuck,” she whispered into his neck. “Fuck, of course I love you, Jughead.” He pulled himself out of her grip and stared at her, stroking his hand across her cheek. They both leaned in, pressing their foreheads against each other. Their lips ghosted over each other, only millimeters apart.

“If I kiss you-”

“If you kiss me, everything is gonna go to shit, Jug,” she interrupted him. He nodded but didn’t pull away. They sat there like that on his bed on a minute, (Y/N) sitting on Jughead’s lap with her arms around his neck, foreheads touching and lips barely brushing.

The tension grew unbearable, so (Y/N) closed the gap and pressed her lips against his, trying to express what she had been feeling for the past three months.

Jughead, too, attempted to convey every pent up confession he had, wishing that kisses could speak. He wanted his hands, which were encircling her waist, to tell her how she charmed him with her wit. He wanted his eyes, which were closed with pleasure, to tell her how beautiful she was, especially when she trudged into his hotel room at three in the morning. He wanted his lips, which were pressed against hers, to tell her how much he loved her. He loved her, he loved her, and he wanted to keep saying it for the rest of his life.

For the sake of oxygen, the two pulled apart. They kept their foreheads resting against each other.

“Everything’s gone to shit,” (Y/N) whispered, and Jughead burst out into laughter. (Y/N) followed suit by giggling, and their still-entangled limbs caused them to fall onto the bed so that (Y/N) was laying on top of Jughead. This only caused the pair to laugh harder.

When their chuckles finally died down, (Y/N) climbed off from on top of Jughead and laid next to him, resting her head on his chest. She combed her hand through his raven locks.

“I’m sorry that I fell in love with you,” Jughead apologized, kissing the top of her head. They were slowly falling asleep.

“Thank you for falling in love with me,” (Y/N) whispered, eyes fluttering shut. “It may have all gone to shit, but it was worth it.”

Oh, tell me something I don’t already know Oh, tell me something I don’t already know Oh, tell me something I don’t already know Oh, tell me something I don’t already know

Jughead stepped off the plane and saw his dad and friends standing at the gate, excitedly waiting for him. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t even bother smiling. Immediately, everyone understood.

While they were awaiting Jughead’s plane’s arrival, Betty, Veronica, and Archie explained to the rest of the group about (Y/N). They told them about how Jughead spent three months falling in love with this girl, and they explained that they had never seen Jughead look so smitten before.

“How was New York, Jug?” FP asked, taking Jughead’s suitcase from him. Jughead shrugged.

“It was nice.”

“Good food?” he questioned, trying to get his son to open up. Jughead nodded tiredly.

“Yeah, food was great,” he replied monotonously.

“And the internship?”

“Helpful,” Jughead responded. “I think it’ll help me improve as a writer.”

“That’s good,” FP said, raking a hand through his hair. “You had another person with you, right?” FP noticed Jughead tense up at this.

“Yeah,” he answered quietly. “Yeah, I had a counterpart.”

“What was she like?” Jughead looked up at his dad.

“You already know who it is,” he replied, shaking his head. “Who told you, Betty?” FP pursed his lips.

“Yeah, her and Archie and Veronica. But listen, Jug, you’re going to have your heart broken countless other times. You’ll get over this girl,” he attempted to comfort Jughead.

“Dad, she wasn’t just a girl,” he protested. “She was amazing and quick-witted, and I fell in love with her and then everything went to shit. But the worst part is that it’s okay, because she loved me too. She fucking loved me, and I kissed her, and now I may never see her again.”

“Well if you loved her that much, you may see her again,” FP shrugged. “Fate is a tricky thing, son, but the universe seems to cooperate better if you love someone.”

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xiaobaemoon · 7 years

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Moon: A Taeil Au Part Six: Anemoia

A/N: I’m so happy with how this part turned out! There are around two parts to come and I’m so thankful for everyone sticking around and reading my writings. Please appreciate Taeil, that’s why I write this story. I might not be this accurate , but I try my best to be, so you can see what a great person he is. Have a nice day!

Word Count:1.886 Words

Anemoia: Nostalgia for a time you've never known.

Imagine stepping through the frame into a sepia-tinted haze, where you could sit on the side of the road and watch the locals passing by. Who lived and died before any of us arrived here, who sleep in some of the same houses we do, who look up at the same moon, who breathe the same air, feel the same blood in their veins - and live in a completely different world.

It rained again. The fall had started and a strong wind was blowing through your city. You walked next to your boyfriend. He was holding a black umbrella in one hand and your hand in the other one. His hand was as cold as the wind around you, yet you appreciate its heavy feeling in yours. “I will miss the rain” Taeil sighed. “I love the salty smell of it. The air seems so fresh afterwards.” A smile appeared on his face. He’d had to leave in a few weeks. You leaned your head against his shoulder. You wanted to feel his body as often as you could. It was hard for you to imprint the feeling of his skins against yours, but you tried your best. “Let’s go and grab something to eat. I’ve reserved a table.”He placed a soft kiss on the top of your hair and closed the umbrella to open the huge wooden door of a restaurant you’ve never visited before. You knew that Taeil was full of suprises but you never imagined he would actually organize something for your sake.

The smell of freshly cooked sauces and fried vegetables caught your attention. The restaurant looked elegant and expensive. The seats were white and sparkling gold chandeliers were hanging down the ceiling. In front of you was standing a tall man in a suit. His mustache was well styled. “Welcome in our restaurant. Did you reserve a table? ”He asked with a deep, yet gentle voice. Taeil nodded and took a small paper out of his jacket. The man looked at the paper, nodded and smiled. “Please go that way. A waitress will come soon. Bon Appétit“ The both of you walked into the direction he showed you. A small round table was in front of you. White tablecloth was laying over the table. On it was a vase with one single red rose in it. Taeil helped you out of your coat and helped you to seat down on your white velvet chair. “This seems so expensive Taeil. Are you sure this is the right restaurant?”You were confused. Your boyfriend was a student with a part-time job at a small library, he would never have enough money to reserve a table, or to invite you to a meal at this place. Your eyes wandered around the room. Elegant dressed people were sitting everywhere and were chatting. Classical music was playing in the background. The smell of well cooked food was beguiling. All the women were dressed in beautiful long dresses. You looked down at your jeans and white off-the-shoulder button up blouse and felt out of place. “Just relax, baby.” Taeil commanded. “You look as beautiful as always. I saved a lot of money to invite you for a meal here, so please enjoy every second of it. I wanted to give this to you as a gift, before I have to leave.” His cold hand reached after yours. His slender fingers stroke over the back of your hand. You looked at his smiling face and nodded. His deep eyes were shining. You could see how much this meant to him.

He laughed and took a look around too. “Damn, I should have dressed myself up a bit. Not everyone is blessed with beauty like you or the fake French guy with his mustache. This isn’t even a French restaurant” he added. This statement made you blush and laugh at the same time. He seemed to think the same way about the guy as you did. Speaking of him, the tall man appeared a few seconds later with a notebook and two menu cards in his hands. “Do you know what you want to drink?”His deep voice tried hard to sound charming, but his facial expression painted a different picture. He looked rather exhausted. The both of you order two bottles of sparkling water and looked inside of the menu cards.Taeil let out an impressed sigh. He decided himself quickly, as always. You needed a bit more time. The menu was full of foreign food and specialties. Everything was so expensive too! Taeil ordered a grilled fish with chanterelles and you ordered baked asparagus with a tofu-crème. You never tried asparagus before, but you always imagined it as something extremely tasty.

It’s needless to say that everything tasted even better than you had imagined. While you were so enchanted by your phenomenal dinner, Taeil could not stop talking about his food. “This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted” he would mumble between two bites. When you finished yours, you decided to observe your boyfriend. He had trouble cutting the fish into pieces, but very bite he managed to get, he enjoyed with his whole being. Taeil would close his eyes and make a rather quiet but definitely satisfied sound. You couldn’t stop yourself from smiling. He looked cute without even realizing it.After he had paid the French impersonator, you decided to go to the park. Since it was a windy fall day the park was quite empty. There were only a few children running around with hand-glides, while their parents sat on the wet grass or run after them. The both of you sat yourself on the edge of a fountain and looked into the sky.

“I love this color of the sky” you said and pointed at the endlessness above you.”It’s a mix between blue and gray. Between the darkness and the mystical light” Taeil followed your finger and looked at the sky. “You are right” he agreed.” We don’t see any colors on the moon. Our sky contains of light or darkness. I always enjoyed looking at the sky. I will miss that too.” You took a look at the face of your boyfriend. For your surprise he was still smiling. Whenever he talked about his home he seemed so happy. He must have missed it really much. He never seemed sad when he talked about leaving.

Suddenly a sharp cry echoed through the park. A small girl with piggy-tails had been falling on the ground, right in front of you. She was around five years old. Within seconds Taeil took his head out of the clouds and looked at the crying child. This was the first time he did not look happy this day. With a fast motion he grabbed the little girl and seated her on his lap. “Please stop crying. Where does it hurt?”His raspy voice sounded calming. He looked concerned. The girl looked as surprised as you did. Who would have guessed that he would like children? The girl pointed at her leg, but did not end her crying. Taeil looked at her small chubby leg, and blew. The girl stopped crying and looked at him. You looked around instead. Where were her parents?

Taeil made funny faces for her and a high, but beautiful laugh seemed to lighten up the world around you three. Suddenly the girl wiggled, put her arms around the neck of your boyfriend and fell asleep. “That was easy.”Taeil smirked while brushing through her dark brown hair. Out of nowhere a beautiful young woman and a small man in a tracking suit run to you. “Mai! Thank you so much for taking care of her! She saw a butterfly and run away and we weren’t fast enough. I’m sorry for the inconveniences “the woman panted. The couple bowed and gently grabbed their child. When her mother touched her, Mai woke up and smiled sleepy. The couple thanked you again and walked away. You were glad that the child had found her parents again, but Taeil looked kind of serious. His eyes were dull and his mouth was a small line. “Let’s go home. I totally forgot I have stuff to do. I’m sorry, y/n”. His voice sounded pressed and unusual for him, but you agreed. What was going on with him?

Around 11 pm you finished your homework and walked to your window to close the curtain. You just had grabbed the red silky cotton when you noticed a silhouette sitting in front of the school. The person had his head in his palms. Its hair was messy and the figure made a miserable impression. You watched the figure slowly lifting his head, showing its side profile. You recognized it immediately and run out outside. This was not good. “Taeil, what are you doing here? “you called your boyfriend. Within seconds he turned his head in your direction. His eyes were wide open and the closer you got to him, the more details you could see. His eyes were not only deep and wide, but also teary. He was crying. You got on your knees and hugged his upper body. Taeil pressed you soft against his body and cried. You did not ask, you just let him empty himself. Sometimes this is the best thing you can do for a crying person and you knew that.

”I’m sorry, y/n” he started after finishing his cries. Your bodies were still entwined. “When I say this little girl today, I had to imagine how it’d be if the both of you would be a family In the future. I asked myself how it would be with a small child looking like you and me running around. Those thoughts made me so happy I started crying. I miss this time without it being even real. Is this a thing? “You listened to his words and buried your head deeper into his chest. You were flustered by the way he thought of your relationship. You wanted to have a family with him. He’d be a great father, but it would never happen. “I asked if there is any way I could stay her, but I can’t. We have something like an economy crisis. They need everybody who can work. I’m so…frustrated.”He sighed. “I love you, y/n. I say this all the time, but you are so precious to me. A year ago I wanted to leave this place as fast as I could, but now I want to stay because of you. You’d be a great mother, I know that. You have a caring heart and I’m so fucking thankful for everything. “You never heard him swear, but when he did you started to tear up yourself. “ I love you too. I will miss you so much, moon-boy. I don’t know what I will do without you”you whispered into his chest.

Taeil gave you a loving kiss on your head. “Don’t call me like that. Let’s stop crying and stand up” he said. You could hear him smiling.” We should appreciate the last few weeks together, okay? No more crying till I’m leaving. “You looked at his angelic smile and stood up. “Alright” your voice was still a bit shaky. “No more crying.”

#nct #nct u #nct 127 #nct taeil #moon taeil #kpop #kpop fanfiction #kpop series #nct scenarios #moon series

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goaskmeanthingthings-blog · 6 years

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Dear Mama Dearest

On a cold August night, I am peeping through the window in my room and I happen to catch a glimpse of a star that reminds me of her. I remember my father words clearly when he says to me on one unforgettable day, “her soul returns to the stars”. I miss her. Miyoshi Hana is my name and I am half-Korean and half Japanese. This is my story.

My father Song min is from Busan South Korea, whereas my mother Myui Mina is from Kobe in Japan. At the time, my mother is an exchange student majoring in economics and my father, on the other hand, is studying medicine at the same university. My mother has told me a story about how she met my father at a party in the summer of 1994.

In June 1994, a young woman goes to a party which she is invited to by her schoolmates; she is there alone without friends or a date. At the party, she is sitting on a red sofa near a corner and just observing. Some people are dancing, while others are sitting at their own table, talking and getting drunk of soju.

She is wearing a green dress with yellow stars on and has purple lipstick on and wearing blue shoes. A good-looking Korean man in his early 20ths approaches her and asks her to dance with him, and she agrees to his request. They end falling in love and their love leads to a marriage. However, along with the marriage comes a baby and that is the cliché story of my parents love story and the end.

After marrying my father and having his child, my mother moves to Korea to live there permanently. I am born on a Saturday at Seoul National University Hospital.

[My mother] said, “Look at my beautiful baby girl. Song: can you believe she is yours. Look at her ears, her delicate teeth, and beautiful tiny hair".

"Did you buy the yellow clothes I told you to buy?”

(My father says) “Yes I bought them, Babe, I am really the world’s luckiest man,” he says while crying.

[My mother says]” Yes you know you are and I am also lucky too”. Within hours

(My mother says). “Can we go home now?”

He nodded to her question

Hierarchal relationships are common in traditional Asian families but not in ours. Mother runs the household and is the primary decision maker; therefore, it is no surprise to anyone, that mother made the decision to name me and give me the exact name as her favorite Japanese actor Miyoshi Umeki. My poor father on the hand has no say in anything and is better liked by people, calmer and minds his own business.

We live in Seoul and the place I like to spend most of my free time is on the Han River. Our house is located near Itaewon dong. We live in a nice single house, which has a small garden at the entrance to our house. When I enter our house, I see a formal living room attached to our modish and elegant dining room. Our kitchen is a big kitchen and we have three bedrooms with two bathrooms on each side. My parents and I share our house with my pregnant aunt who has recently come to stay with us.

My father is a doctor now and occasionally works as a pharmaceutical researcher and mother is a homemaker as she is unable to find work.

He practices an ancient religion called shamanism and when we spend time together, he lectures me about the religion. He hopes that I also become a devout follower. But I have a big secret, I am a disbeliever and I don’t have the guts to proclaim my disbelief in front of my father because my father's approval matters to me a lot, I choose not to say anything. My Father has claimed on many occasions that he has a calling that allows him to communicate with the spirit world, a claim I myself never believe. My father and I have a great relationship, I enjoy spending time with him a lot, and I want it to remain that way.

Years go by and I gradually become more and more introverted and suffer from the same lack of self-esteem and self-doubt that seem to plague many adolescents. My surroundings cause these issues, also not having enough attention from parents and my longing and desire to find my place in this world. I also somehow find myself feeling marginalized by society although no fault of its own. As a child living in Korea with a Japanese name, I slowly figure out what it means. The historical issues repeatedly continue to plague the relationship between Korea and Japan and it made my life difficult living.

It is a Monday morning; I am wearing my school clothes as am I ready to go to school. The breakfast food for today is Spicy Korean soft tofu stews. My mother is sitting beside me as she fills up my plate with the food and pours a cold glass of water to me; however, her own plate remains empty. My aunt is staying in the hospital resting after having a baby boy. .... My mother and I plan to meet her when I leave school.

After the meal as I head over to school, I say my goodbyes and kiss her on the forehead, she then says to me in Japanese “Sayonara Ms. MISHIHO”. She often speaks to me by using her mother tongue so I could learn her native language and I am also reminded by her each day to cherish my Japanese heritage so I never forget that I come from two different places and not just one.

Hours later I arrive at the hospital and go inside to find my aunt. I think it is strange that mother is not there but I did not think much of it. I ask for direction. One of the nurses who works there is kind enough to help me find the room my aunt is staying in, and I go over and say hi to her and just moments later, the nurse lets me hold my little cousin his face is the sweetest thing on earth and I try interacting with him for a bit. My aunt and I engaging in our little lovely conversations, that we often have when we are together. However, in the back of my mind, I still am wondering where mom is.

An hour went by fast and a doctor asks me to say goodbye to my aunt and wait in the hospitals waiting room. I kiss her goodbye and afterward, I try to call my mother severely times in the waiting room and my calls left unanswered… I begin to worry and my palms start to sweat and I try to calm myself by making tons of excuses for her.

My mother has been late before, but not this late and I did not want to disturb my father while he is at work, so I never call him.

I wait for hours and hour’s...-...the hours feel like days to me

But about 45 minutes later

I get a call from my father who is sitting in the car and driving over to the hospital and I take the call

(My father said) “Hello Miyoshi”

- (I speak) “Hi Father, how is it going?”

(Father speak) “Um um I am … Ok

(I speak) “Where is mom?” I ask worryingly.

(Father speak)

He takes a deep breath and utters these words.

“I am very sorry honey and he says, “Mom is gone”, his voice shaken with grief

I cry and cry heavily

In that, moment I could not say anything, my pain and numbness overshadow my ability to do anything and my mind begins to go somewhere else too

(Father says) “Honey get ready I am coming to drive you back to the house “

Tears continue to stream down my face “OK”……………. I say and nothing else

After that, we end our conversation. I quickly whip off my tears as I am walking towards my aunt’s hospitals room and acting normal as ever possible and I didn’t want to ruin her happiness and we say our final goodbyes to each other.

Two Hours later of waiting for him, I get into the car and he drives us to our house from the hospital.

We enter the living room in the house and walk over to the kitchen and we both sit down on one of each chair across from each other and he goes over to hug me and tries to comfort me by keep telling me that my mother’s physical body is going back to our earth that her knowledge is returning to the mountains, and her soul returns to the stars etc... It is the shamanistic belief about death.

He keeps hugging me and kissing me and I someway feel deeply comforted by his’s words and warmth.

“I wonder if she misses me,” I thought to myself while crying.

Moreover, right there at that moment, I do not know but I start to think about her last words a lot “Sayonara Ms. Miyoshi Hana.

In this world, strange things often happen, on the same day as my aunt gave birth to a new life; my father and I, however, were mourning the loss of a soul… not so much for her because I am sure she went to a better place but more for our own souls.

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