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shadowsong26fic · 3 years

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Coming Attractions!

A day late, but ah well...

As usual, we’ll go ahead and do an Open Question Night. Which basically means that, while my ask box is always open, tonight I’ll be keeping an eye on it and answering things as they come in. Any fandom or work I’ve talked about here (or posted on AO3) is fair game, as are general questions about writing, etc. I do accept prompts, but I am. Not very good at filling them in a timely manner unless they Immediately spark something, lol.

So, yeah, what’s on your mind?

Also, since I don’t think I have for a couple months, plug for my Discord server! It’s pretty quiet, mostly intended to be a slightly more interactive extension of this space, but you’re welcome to check it out!

Anyway, the usual Coming Attractions details are behind the cut!

PodTogether 2021:

I participated in this challenge for the first time this year, and it was a whole lot of fun! Of Other Suns is a SW/AtLA crossover, and I think it turned out pretty well! My reader/podficcer and I worked pretty closely together during the initial brainstorming process, working out what we wanted to do, and also bounced off one another during the whole editing/finalizing process. There’s a lot that I didn’t end up putting into the fic (because time and length; I am a. Uh. Very wordy writer; the aim was for 6-12k words, we ended up with nearly 15k as it is...), so I might poke more at this specific AU, or crossovers linking up at a different time (either a different point in the SW canon, or in the AtLA canon, or both). I...definitely have extensive headcanons for SW characters as benders of various elements (or nonbenders), and there are at least two Force-sensitive AtLA characters who were outside the scope of the crossover.

Anyway, if you want to check it out...click this link XD (and definitely listen to the podfic too!!! It’s really great)

Precipice:

So, between the final push on PodTogether and some origfic stuff I got done, I...did not get anything finished and posted for this, alas. But! I am saying it here in the hopes that doing so publicly will for once get me to actually stick to a deadline, which is that I will get either the first Protectors chapter or the next Preludes one-shot (or both!) up by this Sunday, September 12. The Protectors chapter will be mostly scene-setting, establishing where various characters are when we open, six years after we last saw our heroes. The Preludes segment will involved Hondo contacting Obi-Wan (and Anakin, who’s with him when he gets the call) about something Relevant To Their Interests.

I will for sure get that Prelude out this month, and hopefully at least two Protectors chapters, but we’ll see how things go at work and how much brain that takes, which is always a factor...anyway, with any luck, I’ll start establishing a Rhythm. I don’t think I’ll be doing weekly updates, the way I did for the first few arcs of Precipice (in part because there are some other longform projects I intend to start putting out and if I am going to do Weekly Fic Posts, I’ll probably alternate), but we’ll see how things go.

AtLA Fic:

Again, I didn’t finish what I wanted to (other than the aforementioned crossover for PodTogether), but I have been working on stuff in the background and, while I’m not going to commit to a Specific Deadline like I am for Precipice, I do plan to post at least the opening chapter of the still-untitled Avatar Zuko AU I’ve been working on this month, so watch this space!

Other Fic Projects:

I’m poking around at what to do for next years SWBB (if only because my wordcounts have been Steadily Increasing and I’d like to get a head start in anticipation of that happening again this year, lol). Still considering exactly what to do, whether I pour all my focus into OFLAM, like I consider every year, or see if I can work up Bail Unfucks the Timeline or another half-plotted AU I have in the back of my head, or go with a different prompt/storyline that occurs to me at some point between now and then, but I’m starting to Actively Ponder things.

I do have that BSG1 crossover outline in the works, I swear XD I’ve got...uh...maybe half to two thirds of the first third of the overall storyline written up? XD It’s a. Uh. Long one. I might go ahead and release it in three parts, just for length/convenience, and because it does more or less have three distinct sections (the initial contact/New Caprica fallout and establishment of the Haven settlement which makes sense in context; the second contact/algae planet; and then an adventure on a resurrection ship to retrieve a Specific Boxed Five and possibly walk away with Ellen because that would just ruin Cavil’s day and I do so love to ruin Cavil’s day, lol). ...I’m going to go ahead and post a preview snippet at the bottom of this post, as Motivation XD

I think that’s all the fanfic stuff I have specific updates for. There’s generally always stuff noodling around in my brain (lately, for Star Wars, AtLA, BSG, or some combination of the three), it’s just how much of it materializes, lol.

At some point, I plan to revisit some BSG epics I had going on (Serenissima; rewriting For Sorrow Sung or doing a slightly different storlyine with the same concept; The Other Battlestar; a few others), but no concrete plans as of yet.

I also kind of want to explore a far-past AtLA setting I designed for a challenge community way back? But I’m not sure if that would work better as an original work with the serial numbers filed off, if I could figure out how I wanted to do that (I have done it before, as I’ll talk about below, but this concept, while not directly involving any characters from Avatar canon as it’s set 2000 years prior to Sozin’s reign, does to an extent lean on the Avatar specifically as a concept, in a way that the other fic I did this with did not).

Original Fic:

Due to a challenge on rainbowfic, I actually got. Quite a bit written? Most of it was not super plot-relevant, but I dropped some Hints about a character in Lux and I got to play in some heads I don’t very often. I might go back to the Regency AU at some point, and there’s a specific reveal I want to write up for a secondary character in The Farglass Cycle, but I haven’t quite figured out how to structure that one, so we’ll see how it goes.

Had an interesting discussion the other day about the way original fiction sometimes starts as fanfic with the serial numbers filed off and...well, a lot of my original stuff starts that way? Or has some roots there, anyway.

Lux doesn’t quite as much, but I definitely ported in at least two characters who started as fanfic characters (leaving aside that this is, y’know, The Apocalypse IN SPACE so, like. Various fandoms that deal with that probably influenced things, plus several key players are Public Domain Characters sooooo), plus some of the way the world is constructed draws on the Native Tongue trilogy and I flat-out stole a concept from Queen of the Damned, though the way it works in this world is different (also, to be fair, I think I’ve seen it in other places, too; but I personally got the idea from there).

The Farglass Cycle and Untitled Intrigues Story, however, straight-up started as fanfic concepts. And I don’t think it’s obvious unless I point out what the source materials were? Farglass, in particular (it’s the AtLA fic I mentioned earlier), because it started as an alternate future and then the map and magic system got reworked, plus the Avatar themself wasn’t even super involved in the original fic context, and while certain characters are very loosely based on AtLA characters, by now they’ve been so altered by the setting that it’s...I used the same archetypes, if that makes sense?

And then Untitled Intrigues Story started as a fusion between two wildly different fandoms, and while one character is a pretty clear expy if you know where he comes from, and another character kept the same actress in my head, I don’t think it’s very clear other than that.

...anyway, not sure where I’m going with that, other than it’s been in my head lately, lol.

...I think that about covers it! What about you guys? What are you all working on? Slash any questions, etc.?

Teaser for BSG1 AU outline, as promised:

So, anyway, SG-1 is prepared for rain and mud and a survivable-but-kinda-unpleasant environment. They’re also prepared for the usual shenanigans--Goa’uld, cranky local politics, weird alien tech that Daniel really should know better than to touch but sends him into another dimension anyway...

Just. Y’know. A normal mission.

They’re...not quite prepared for what they actually find when they step through.

Which is a very tense and now slightly Confused crowd of people, and a firing squad made up of very large killer robots, with a teenage girl as their target.

(One of the large killer robots is. Uh. Well. Half a large killer robot now; that particular Centurion was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got kawooshed in the face. As one does.)

(Said Centurion absolutely wins the ‘Weirdest Death’ pool for the week in Download City, because that is clearly a thing that exists because it entertains me)

There’s a beat where everyone just stares at everyone else, trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

The wormhole disengages.

Daniel takes half a step forward, opens his mouth to start the ‘we are peaceful explorers from Earth and y’all seem to be having a Moment here, sorry for interrupting, but, uh...’

And then the moment end and absolute chaos erupts.

#coming attractions #open question night #shadowsong writes star wars #shadowsong writes atla #shadowsong writes crossovers #shadowsong writes original fic #feedback greatly appreciated

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ysalamiri-queen · 4 years

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2019 Fic in Review

Inspired by @myevilmouse I’m going to sum up all the writing I’ve been up to the past year. I’m really proud of what I’ve accomplished, and thanks to you all for the encouragement to put my ideas out into the world! This has been a year of trying new things, and really growing as an author I feel… And wow according to AO3 I’ve written about 400k words in the past 12 months, damn. So let’s get to the list, going from the beginning of the year to the end, and as always please heed the tags on these before reading.

Note: As I go back, I’m realizing a lot of the links were messed up or are just straight missing. I am on the Mobile App so things can get messy. Please visit my works page on AO3 HERE to see all of these on my page under JessKo and my other pseuds.

1 Late Night at the Slab

Idea: Filling a prompt for the Thryce server in which some, uh, unique Chiss anatomy was assigned.

Result: A 3-way with Thrawn, Arihnda, and Eli and my first foray into the more Xeno side of things in a Modern AU setting. Yeehaw!

2 The Trouble With Free-Roaming Ysalamiri

Idea: Based on some adorable ysalamiri cuddles art by @strength-through-order I wanted to write some Thranto fluff.

Result: Ysalamiri-filled Thranto fluff X’D

3 Inquisitor’s Debt

Idea: What if the Grand Inquisitor changed sides at the end of Rebels season 1?

Result: Some fun throwbacks with Obi-Wan and Caleb Dume leading up to Quizzy defecting with Ezra.

4 Ancient Stems

Idea: Eli Week drabbles based on the Vanto Week prompts.

Result: A silly buzz droid narrative with Thrawn and some cute slice of life Eli backstory/Ascendancy days bits.

5 Charnsuka

Idea: Kinky stuff with Lord Garmadon when he’s an Anacondrai.

Result: Kinky stuff with Lord Garmadon when he’s an Anacondrai. Sorry Zane!

6 Caged Like Prized Birds

Idea: Again inspired by the awesome Chiss anatomy and Thrux drawings by @strength-through-order , I wanted to craft a narrative around Armitage, as a young man, stumbling upon a clone of Thrawn.

Result: Man, this might just be one of my favorite things I’ve ever written, had so much fun plotting it out and the smut is mmm! Tentacles everywhere~ I’ve gone back to re-read this a lot, I’ll admit it. I hope you all enjoyed it too.

7 Quiet On Set

Idea: Must. Write. Talos.

Result: A cute little platonic x-reader with everyone’s favorite Skrull. This was my first MCU fic too.

8 Diagnostic

Idea: Wanted to apologize to Zane for the damages done in Charnsuka with some Glacier shipping fluff.

Result: A silly glacier thing leading to a bit of foolery. I’m happy with it!

9 Heron Soaring

Idea: A continuation of the plot line from Heron Rising with Kanan and Thrawn.

Result: Too many feels… but some great sex to soften the blow, Kanera too!

10 Patron

Idea: Responding to a tumblr prompt from @wukeskywalker regarding Thrawn commissioning LOADS of artworks of Eli.

Result: More Thranto fluff! I see a trend here…

11 Black Heron

Idea: Kanan x Pryce for @myevilmouse , I think this was our first ‘collaboration’ on something!

Result: Juahir hires a special someone to show Arihnda a good time!

12 Red Heron

Idea: @star-wars-rebels-4 is always an amazing wealth of ideas for Grand Inquisitor, and encouraged a work featuring him and Kanan.

Result: Delicious back alley smut when an undercover Jedi is caught!

13 Warm Homecoming

Idea: Give my and a friend's OCs some cute fluff.

Result: OC fluff and a vacation to Hoth!

14 sowing the seeds

Idea: Add something cute to the spank war project.

Result: Another contender for my ‘favorite thing I’ve ever written’ rank. Two chapters of pining, cooking lessons, and sweet slick smut.

15 Red Frost

Idea: After watching “The Evil of Frankenstein” with @sneakybunyip ‘s amazing movie night group, I wanted to do something fun with Victor and Hans.

Result: A fun little adventure fic with some huddling for warmth to boot. Victor and Hans are the hammer-horror-verse Thranto send tweet.

16 a setting sun to hide the ruins

Idea: What if I tortured Kanan to the point he turned evil and joined the Inquisitors (and went a little insane in the process)

Result: Instead of torture, let’s just use some serum that drives him mad. Perfect. Smut ahoy, pretty much a dead dove type fic.

17 Pinktown

Idea: When browsing abandoned towns in Florida, I came across Flamingo… what if Thrawn had been exiled here instead.

Result: An alternate history of Thrawn’s exile and eventual discovery by the Empire. Huge thanks for @badgerandk on this one for the perfect epilogue and beta.

18 the sun rises to only illuminate the stranger i have become

Idea: Setting sun… part 2! But it’s actually what happens before sun?

Result: How Kanan ended up where he is for ‘a setting sun’... lots of imp smut and again, it's sort of a dead dove style fic.

19 Frozen Over

Idea: Ar’alani x Eli Vanto

Result: Somehow me and my writing partner ended up at sensory deprivation focus on this one.

20 Shape of Honor

Idea: Well, this one started in 2018 but ‘finished’ in 2019. Still working on the epilogue. Lots of tweaks… If you are not familiar, this is my AU in which it explores how the Thrawn novel and Rebels show would be altered if Palpatine distrusted Thrawn from their first meeting and accused him of being a Chiss spy. Vaguely inspired by the film The Shape of Water.

Result: Well it's nearly a novel now, isn’t it. This was a great adventure in learning how to create compelling story arcs. I’m extremely satisfied with how it is shaping (lol) up.

21 Datura Stamonium

Idea: Thrawnbine ovi smut.

Result: Oops it has plot now, a whole backstory with Eli and such and so fourth. Will need further stories told…

22 Desert Entropy

Idea: Luke/Wedge modern AU shenanigans.

Result: Also pulled Nath/Wyl and the Rogue Squad/Alphabet Squad peeps into this. Set in Vegas, Luke and Wedge meet and have a cute little romance, but some legal troubles set them back (Palpatine, as always, is That Bitch™) Very happy ending!

23 The Great Eli and Thrawn Prank War

Idea: See Chapter 1: Mullet Thrawn

Result: This thing really grew up, and thanks to all the contributors for allowing me to join in! My contributions were: 7-Bombs Away! In which a bit of drama brews and Thrawn makes a paint bomb that forces him and Eli back into being roomates. 11-Tooka Troube 2: Electric Boogaloo in which Eli finds his quarters slowly filling up with Tooka plush toys, and then something huge goes off in supply. 17-The Bitch is Back In which who knew Thrawn could sing?!

24 Clipped Wings to Keep Us from Flying

Idea: Continuing the story line from Caged Like Prized Birds

Result: Dragging Eli and the OG Thrawn into this, seeing that their stories were left untold in the first work. Also Armitage and the clone are up to all sorts of cool things. Still a WIP, on the list to keep working on this year!

25 I’ll do what I can.

Idea: Some Ronan/Krennic feels post Treason

Result: A Ronan character study that I really needed to get out of my system and finally a stable alliance between Krennic and Thrawn!

26 Purple Heron

Idea: @punk--kenobi and I concocted some fun Kanan/Zeb/Hera smut featuring Lasat heat cycles.

Result: Ah this came out so cool, full of emotion and wonderful imagery. Massive kudos to @punk--kenobi for beta-ing my portion and contributing some of the best smut one can find!

27 Ninjago Angst Week 2019

Idea: Do some 1-shots for Ninjago Angst Week

Result: ow right in the feels. Each character got a highlight in their own ‘dark retelling of a canon or canon adjacent event’ chapter.

28 Vertigo

Idea: Thing’s don’t go right planetside for Eli, Pik, and Waffle in Treason.

Result: Big oof. I hope Eli can one day forgive me… I even put strain on the end game Thranto! Bittersweet ending and lots of angst.

29 More Than Just a Treat

Idea: What is Obi Wan up to in the desert…

Result: Aunt Beau and baby Luke baked him cookies obviously!

30 Datura Metel

Idea: Continuing the Datura cycle…

Result: Just how Eli ended up where he did in the first installation.

31 Here & Now

Idea: Some Thranto Fluff! For @jewelliffer

Result: A camping trip for shore leave! And a marriage proposal for extra sugar.

32 Monster Under the Bed

Idea: Benevolent Boogeyman Chiss

Result: Modern AU Thranto spooky sillies. Bit of an intense climax but they talk it out!

33 Haunted by Sentiment

Idea: Nath is in denial of being the Squad Dad for @glassprowlers

Result: Nath’s very bad no good oh so terrible day! It's very silly and I really like how it ended up, the title is way more serious than the story itself XD

34 Pulse

Idea: Werewolf AU Lavashipping

Result: Oops Kai is a werewolf! Good thing Cole is here to help him figure out how to press on.

35 Stories from Area 51

Idea: remember the raid Area 51 meme? I do! Gotta clap them alien cheeks!

Result: Oh no it got PLOTTY! Pretty much all of my favorite characters and ships cherry-picked and plopped down into a Men In Black style facility in the middle of the desert. I really have a thing for the desert huh…

36 Good Day

Idea: The “truth” behind the “Good day, Lieutenant Vanto” from Thrawn in Treason.

Result: Oh stars the FEELS! Thrawn is in deep water and he KNOWS IT! GAH!

37 Fur Ball

Idea: Chiss are mogwai/gremlins…

Result: Silly Thranto fluff. Thrass shows up too! Feeding them after midnight is actually a good idea here… Grow your own ideal man!

38 Came Back Haunted

Idea: A mission fic centered around the @peters-pumpkin-day prompts.

Result: Ice planet survival with Tarkin, Krennic, Galen, and Ronan.

39 Sewn Together

Idea: This drawing actually is what lead to the fic-

Result: A fairly unique reuniting of Thrawn and Eli after both return to the Ascendancy.

40 Spiked Heron

Idea: Oh no… Kanan gets himself in deep poodoo this time.

Result: Devaronians really like humans huh? The next chapter is half way written I swear it is coming soon!

41 A Colder Embrace

Idea: Thrawn/Purrgil/Ezra and Luke/Wampa for SW Rare Pairs.

Result: It's very cold on Hoth… and even colder in space.

42 Surround

Idea: Luke/Wedge for SW Rare Pairs

Result: Luke has to confront Wedge post ESB regarding what is, essentially, his deserting the Rebels.

43 What Happens Planetside…

Idea: Eli/Pik/Waffle for SW Rare Pairs

Result: heheh a scrumptious Eli sandwich! And surprise tentacles because, well, why not?

44 Hesperidium

Idea: Fluffy Kylux for the Kylux Secret Santa event

Result: Ah its so sweet you might get a cavity

45 Reanimator

Idea: Lovecraftian eldritch horror Thranto

Result: This is the sort of project that it takes 2 months to fine tune each chapter, so bear with me, but I can promise a wonderful, creepy ride is ahead!

46 Floral

Idea: Luke/Faro for SW Rare Pairs. Enjoy the Jedi lovin’, @myevilmouse

Result: Sex pollen and accidentally defecting from the Empire. Whoops!

47 The Harch

Idea: Bouncing off of THIS art by @mamidlo , we worked together to create this plot. Very much inspired by the Hammer Horror films, such as Dracula and Frankenstein.

Result: A fun and spooky romp of Kallus and Zeb getting trapped in a creepy castle featuring mind controlled drones and a species-obsessed Harch. This was my first time posting the entire story at once, too!

Wow, I can not believe how much has been written this year. Thank you all again for reading and kudos-ing and your amazing comments. I’d not be here without the support and love <3 Cheers to 2020 and much more fic ahead!

#ysalamiri-queen writes #year in review #too many tags XD so im not even goign to try

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derbythemuffin · 7 years

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BIG RED HORSEEEEEEEEEE. xD Trotcon 2k17 is over for your friendly neighborhood muffin, since I work the last day D: Compiling my experiences and thoughts into one big post, woo. Ended up going alone, I usually have a Trotcon squad but one didn’t have money, one just didn’t show and never let me know, and one I am super concerned about as I have not heard from them in months, nothing on their social media in months, and their phone does not seem to be working? He was usually a top tier sponsor for the past few years so I have reasons to be legit concerned ;__; So yeah. But still had a good time even without my friends.

This year I did a cosplay filled with things I don’t normally wear (or had never worn before in my life) so was really really weird. I did RD, was supposed to be a RD/ Gyro Captain crossover but was ok with it being considered a classic pilot Wonderbolt RD as well. Not everyday you see me in a wig, tank top, a really tight jacket, and pants xD If anyone sees this and has pictures, let me know-since I did not have my squad I did not get any pictures of it for myself and would love to see them. I also obviously fursuited, did for a few hours Saturday. Did not bother suiting Friday due to how late things kicked off.

Trotcon started off rough. Due to miscommunication somehow? (this venue was planned to be at that location a year in advance and has been here for years, how that happens idk. Weird.) The con did not have access to all the rooms so there was basically nothing except non-VIP panels and autograph sessions until nearly 8 at night. Vendors, felt bad for them since they could not set up until very late, were not given much time to set up, and then had to stay open later to make up for it all. Because of that, I did not go to the con myself until later in the afternoon-can’t complain at the chance of taking a nap beforehand I guess lol. Still felt like we were jipped a whole day.

Opening ceremonies were fabulous, BIG RED HORSEEEEE in a super high pitched voice is now going to be the new Trotcon thing, Peter New is fantastic. M.A. Larson sat in the row behind me for the opening ceremonies which was cool. The con intro animation was really neat as well. Since they were behind schedule, they had to cut the raffle short but that’s ok. I then stayed for the Peter New + Lee Tockar panel, they were both drunk which led to very entertaining subjects which I will not mention on here due to being super inappropriate although some serious topics regarding anything from the LGBT aspect of voice changing to general VA topics were covered as well.

Day 2 was a whole lot smoother, everybody seemed a whole lot more relaxed and made for a fun environment. Attended a lot of panels, the fursuit meet, and did a mini parade with a few of the other suiters around the area. I only have the one photo of me with the RD suiter for now, hope some more surface. The highlight of the day was Twi’s head getting autographed by M.A. Larson! Story behind that: So, was walking around in fursuit...this group of dudes called me over. (I recognize the guy who seemed to be the main leader of the group, he’s a popular fanfic writer if memory does not fail) They said they had a autograph voucher and they had no idea what to do with it so offered it to me to get an autograph. Long story short, went in there, plopped Twi's head on the table and explained how I got the voucher and asked for the head to get autographed. M.A. Larson flipped out, he was like “REALLY!?” and was way too excited over it. Hence there are now a bunch of YESses on her head xD going to confuse so many people in the future should I so choose to continue wearing it, which as of now I will just because I have no other fursuit options and I don’t want to stop suiting for one little thing. So yes, my suit is now super official thanks to the dude who gave Twi wings and made all of us brony cry xD

Two of the photos were results from PirateDash’s Sketchy Friends panel. I wanted to kill some time, have not drawn in a long time so was like you know what, why not. Prompt #1 was draw pony/ponies with random garbage as armor, Prompt #2 was team up with someone and exchange prompts, and Prompt #3 was draw a pirate or ninja pony. It ended up being really relaxing and the person who sat with me was a loner herself and was fun to work and talk with. We exchanged our sketches for prompt #2 after the panel was over, so I got a cute Twily sketch out of it :) and a pink pencil I guess since PirateDash let us keep the pencils. Souvenirs, eh?

I think that’s it, other than minor things like Peter New walking by and saying hi to me twice-once while in cosplay and once while in fursuit. I nerd out over stupid stuff, I am a dork and I know it. x.x I also bought every Twi badge I saw except the waifu one...should I have went ahead and bought it for the heck of it? Who knows xD I look forward to attending again next year, there is no con like Trotcon even if I was alone and even if the con had issues starting off. BIG RED HORSEEEEEEEE.

#trotcon #trotcon2017 #derbyspeaks #fursuit #mlp #my little pony

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shimayufanfiction · 7 years

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Much Ado About Something

Prompts: maybe about mayura and shimon announcing their relationship to either seigen or shimon's family (or both XD) | I would like to see seigen-San glare daggers to shimon for Taking his daughter lol. | just wondering when we will see papa tiger overprotective mode

Universe: Sousei no Onmyouji (manga) / “The Purity of Red Seems To Be White”

Pairing: Shimon x Mayura

Rated K

Author: lovingtimetravelexpert

Originally posted in the One-shot collection “A Flight towards our Future”

Much Ado About Something

"What do you mean 'Tell him'?" He had a hard time focusing. Why was she bringing this up now of all possible times?

"Just what I've said," she told him from her position below.

He evaded an attack. Focusing his power again. It still hurt from time to time. He still faced the repercussions for saving her. But if he hadn't done it, she might have been lost forever. And then he wouldn't have experienced these last few months together with her. Which brought him back to the subject at hand. "I would have thought, you told him already."

From her position below, Mayura stroke down on the enemy in front of her. With an awful yell the impurity burst into a thousand pieces, as Mayura buried her claws in it. "There was no opportunity."

Disbelief filled his head. No opportunity? But- "It's been almost six months!"

She attacked two other impurities, slicing them up from afar. "I wanted to tell him in person and I haven't been home almost a year."

Letting his gaze slide over the battlefield, Shimon spotted a group of C- and B-class impurities at eleven o'clock. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. He would pierce them with the blade of his wings.

"Sekitei mugen byoufu. Kyuu kyuu nyo ritsu ryou." Thirty-six blades flew towards the enemies. Six blades pierced through the vital points of every impurity, making them dissolve at once.

Calling back his blades, he turned to the battle noises, as Mayura took down one impurity after another.

Watching her, he now understood why she chose this situation out of all possible scenarios to ask him this. If he had been comfortable at home, it would have been easier to deny her request. Now thanks to their mission, he had less time thinking about it. That's why in the middle of the battle she had suddenly asked him if he would accompany her to the mainlands to tell her father about their relationship – after six months. Flying closer, he told her. "He will punish us. Or maybe just me because you're his daughter."

After finishing off the last off impurities surrounding her, she smiled cheekily at him. "So does this mean, you're coming?"

Once more he let his gaze run over the battlefield of Magano and saw the rest of their squad taking down, their smaller share of impurities. From his position he could hear one of them say something about an old married couple.

With a warm face Shimon sank down to earth, after he confirmed the last of enemies being defeated. She stood only a few feet away from him and watched him with a seemingly innocent smile. After six month in their relationship she had discovered, that he had no weapon against her playfulness. He still wasn't used to this kind of behavior and had his problems to adept. So he did the only thing he could do: He looked at her with a scrutinizing and folded his arms.

"Is that a yes?" She leaned towards him. Her enamored arms were crossed behind her back while she smiled oh so sweetly at him.

He sighed defeated. She bested him yet again. Reluctantly he admitted defeat with a low voice. "Yeah."

She smiled brightly at him, while he just hoped, he would make it to the island back in one piece.

"So we are actually doing this?" Worry was written all over his face.

She really didn't know, why he made a fuss about it now. It had been a long time coming. "Don't make more of it than it is."

Shimon leaned a bit back, mustering her with a frown. "We are seriously doing this?"

If he would continue to question it, she would grow more and more nervous about it, too. "Don't fret so much. We're doing it quick, so it won't hurt so much."

He sighed and looked very bothered. "Easy for you to say. It's less straining for you."

She hated the idea of him being bothered by this. Sure, it might not go perfect and it might not be as relieving as they might think it would be, but they would never know, if they didn't just do it. And talking about it, made the matter worse. "If you think too much about it, it won't go smooth."

He started to scowl. His icy blur eyes were squeezed into a harsh frown. "Don't blame me. You rubbed it in too much on the way."

At times Mayura would find that scowl to be cute. Right now it was adding to her own insecurities about what they were about to do. "If you hadn't been so scared, I wouldn't have felt the need to touch it at all. We could have just made the trip without talking about it." She sighed. Maybe this hadn't been the best of ideas. Maybe it was too soon for both of them.

She watched him. He had his head turned away. She really didn't like were this conversation was going. Since they've got together, they've never gotten into a real fight. And right now this might be a situation, that would lead into their first fight. She hated his accusations and she hated having to talk about this at all. She really didn't want them to fight. So she wondered, if she should steer the conversation into another direction.

Watching him sitting on a bench beside her sulking, was actually pretty funny. He had yet to notice himself, that she helped him out in some ways. "Besides you should thank me."

He didn't move. Just his gaze traveled towards her and came to rest, when it met her eyes. Carefully he inquired, "What for?"

She pointed down to the ground below with a finger, drawing his attention to the white, polished surface of the deck, they were currently sitting on. "You haven't felt motion-sick for a while now, have you?"

The nausea seemed to hit him at once as his face turned green. With a hand in front of his mouth he said, "Yua efil"

Leaning to the side, he held his head over the railing.

It wasn't like she wanted to torture him or loved to watch him being miserable thanks to his motion sickness. She had just been aggravated and maybe she had wanted to punish him a little bit.

Thankfully they had spend most of their trip bickering, so it was only mere minutes until the boat would stop at their destination. She saw the wide shore a few hundred meters away with the skyline of Tokio towered over the coast.

A gong suddenly came to the loud speakers. A crackling male voice told them: "Dear passengers, due to a congestion at the harbor, our passage will be delayed by a few minutes. We sincerely apologize for this circumstances."

Oh dear. So much for not torturing Shimon.

With quick moves Mayura pulled out a tissue and a bottle of water and soaked the cloth a little bit, holding it out for him, while she inwardly gave herself a lecture about how not to make your boyfriend suffer.

After tending to him for the next half an hour until the boat reached the harbor, she felt exhausted. This wasn't how she planned this thing at all and she still felt bad about Shimon.

They left the boat with him leaning on her and still looking green in the face.

Now they were running late. She had told her mother on the phone that they would make it in time to dinner. It was half past one already and they had no chance at catching the next bus on time which was actually good regarding Shimon's condition. If she dragged him now on yet another vehicle, he would be sick for hours.

Instead she chose to draw out her phone and type her mother a message, while leading Shimon to a bench outside the harbor. Telling her mother they would run late and would need to take another route, she figured they could walk into the city and use the subway. It was quick and would bring them at least into the quarter, in which her old house was. Walking from the station towards home would take another thirty minutes but at least Shimon would by then be fine again.

While handing him the bottle of water, her phone beeped.

That's okay, honey. Should I change the bed in your room for you and your boyfriend?

Heat exploded in her face, when she read the message. She had told her mother about her relationship with Shimon very soon after they got together. One reason was, that she wanted to share it with her mother, who had always been her attachment figure. Secondly she couldn't have kept it a secret even, if she had tried. As if her mother had smelled it, she had known Mayura was in a relationship at the first call after Shimon and her had confessed to each other. Luckily her father didn't possess this kind of superpowers.

But since then her mother had often confronted her with embarrassing questions and funny ideas like this one. Mayura wondered, if her mother was seriously asking or just teasing her. With swift movements of her thumb she typed her answer, One set on my bed and one in the guest room would be fine. Thank you, Okasan.

When her mother had been obstinate about them staying at least for one night, Mayura hadn't thought about this scenario. She had thought, her Okasan would set them in different rooms on her own. For what reason did they have a guest room, when it wasn't even used at this single occasion?

Mayura sighed. If her mother wanted to play match-maker, it would complicate the matter at hand: Telling her father, that Shimon and she dated.

Turning around to Shimon, she saw him still fighting against the nausea. The extended boat trip had obviously taken its toll on him. Guilt ran through her again like lightening strike.

She walked up to him. "How are you?"

Anger crossed his face. "I hate feeling like this."

Sympathy and compassion made her kneel in front of him and grabbing for his hand clutched into the right leg of his trousers. "Do you think you can manage a short ride on the subway?"

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I thought, we would take the bus."

She blinked a playful eye at him to lift his spirits. "Change of plans. We will take the subway and walk from the station."

A small smile formed on his face, almost elusive but she could see it in the shine of his eyes. "Thank you."

She raised again and smiled at him. "You're welcome. Come on, let's go."

The rest of their trip worked as planned. The ride on the subway was short enough as not to strengthen his motion-sickness. Walking from the station to her house gave him the opportunity to get well again. Finally he was in almost good spirits. Not good, as it could be because they still had to face the reason for their visit to the mainlands.

At least from her point of view it helped, knowing Shimon would be able to support her, when they told Otosan the six-month old "news". A fact she would try to circumvent. It wasn't that she had meant to keep it for so long a secret to her father. She had just passed every possible occasion telling him. After talking to him for the sixth time and not telling him, she had wondered herself, why she wasn't able to let him know the news. Truth was, she wanted to speak to him in person, she had wanted to see her parents again. And this gave her a reason to do so.

While they walked through the suburbs of Narukami now, the house finally came to her sight.

A train of emotions rolled through her, when she laid eyes on the neatly white building, which she left almost a year ago, with its screeching garden gate. Longing, anticipation and happiness knitted a close-meshed net within her.

The speed of her steps accelerated and when she stood on the door steps after ringing the bell, she couldn't fight against the excitement to see her parents again.

It felt like an eternity dripped by until someone answered the door.

Suddenly the image of her smiling mother stood within the frame.

The breath, she didn't know she was holding, left her and she threw herself in the welcoming arms of her mother.

Tears of sadness and relief formed in her eyes, while her mother caressed her back in gentle strokes. She had missed her mother so much. Talking to her over the phone could not compare to the comport and safety her smile and arms brought.

After a while Mayura felt silly, behaving like a small child at the first sight of her mother. Happy and embarrassed she leaned back and brushed away the tears running down her face.

Looking at her mother, she saw tears streaming down the other woman's face, too.

A small giggle left her. Maybe she wasn't being silly at all.

From over the shoulders of her mother she spotted her father, standing in the shades of the frame and looking uncomfortable at the scene she and her mother had caused.

She smiled looking at their parents behaving like usually. This was home. "Hello Otosan and Okasan."

Her mother leaned her head to her side and smiled. "Mayura, just look at you. You look lovely." She reached out for Mayura's hair that had by now grown to her collar bones. "Have you grown your hair?"

Mayura nodded while her cheeks grew warm at her mother's compliments. Her mother then stepped aside and looked at Shimon who was behind her, patiently waiting for his turn to address her parents.

Taking a step back, Mayura went to stand besides him again.

Being open and honest like she was her mother directly spoke to him. "Finally we meet. I'm Mayura's mother, Otomi Yukari."

Shimon bowed, "My name is Ikaruga Shimon. It's nice meeting you, Otomi-san."

"There is no need to be so formal. Just call me Yukari," her mother chanted in a sweet voice that was like honey and milk.

Shimon nodded at her mother and replied, "Thank you." Then he skipped his gaze over to her father who looked disinterested. "Hello, Seigen-san."

"Shimon~." Her father nodded at him before his gaze skipped over to her, while he didn't move his head. His face twisted slightly, telling her all she needed to now. "Mayura, you-"

"It's good to see you, too, Otosan." Mayura helped him out.

He looked at her for a few more seconds before turning around and walking inside.

They ate dinner with her mother leading most of the conversation, asking Mayura about her life on the island, if she met a lot of nice people and how school was. Most of the things Mayura had already told her in their many calls but she enjoyed talking to her mother face to face so much she understood, why her mother didn't stop asking. Then her mother turned to Shimon asking him all kinds of questions about himself, which he calmly answered.

When they sat down in the living room, her mother served them tea. Her father sat on the coach, spreading his legs from him and looking laid-back. Shimon and her sat across from him.

Nervously Mayura nibbled on her lips. She knew it was now or never. But she had a hard time working up the courage.

Looking over to Shimon, she saw that he wasn't dealing with the imminent doom any other way as he stared hard at her father.

"Oi, would you two spit it out, already~", her father drawled. "You both look too suspicious. What's going on?"

Again she looked at Shimon for help but his gaze didn't change. It was still strained and focused on Otosan. Mayura sighed. She probably had to do this herself. "Actually we wanted to tell you something."

Her father didn't move a muscle, as he looked at her to continue.

She swallowed down her anxiety and muttered, "Shimon and I, we a-are..." Her fingers fumbled with the rim of her skirt and she looked down.

"You're~?"

Time to pull the trigger.

She took a deep breath and mumbled as quickly as possible, "We're dating."

Carefully she raised her eyes again and saw her father sending Shimon a dark glare with an upright posture. Oh crap.

Shimon on the other hand still looked at Seigen without moving a muscle. But she could see a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead.

Her fingers tightened into fists, clenching onto her skirt. She feared the answer of her father, who looked anything but happy. Was he going to forbid their relationship? Was he disappointed in them? There were a lot of things she would do for the sake of her parents. But breaking up with Shimon – that was a thing she couldn't even fathom to do.

Her father turned his head again towards her. She felt the strike of his glare but chose not to waver. She had dealt with a lot of his glares growing up. Looking straight into his eyes, she waited for his final reply, while praying, that he wouldn't think about forcing them to break up.

The darkness in his gaze vanished all of a sudden. "And~?"

Shocked she felt like falling over. "Huh? What do you mean with 'and'?"

"Anything else you want to share?" Her father drawled in a monotone voice.

Still surprised she leaned towards. The clench of her fist loosened. "Aren't you angry?"

He leaned back again and looked to the side. "Why would I be? I am not hyped, you have a boyfriend, but it was ought to happen someday. And I know him, he wouldn't do something improper.~"

Relieved Mayura's mood brightened extensively. With a smile and a more confident voice, she asked, "Seriously?"

Her father nodded faintly and skipped his gaze towards the young man sitting next to her. "Besides he looks like a goner anyway~"

Irritated she looked at Shimon, who seemed to have drifted off to space, as he still stared at Seigen.

Ehhh?!

Staring at her motionless boyfriend, she barely noticed her mother, walking into the room after having finished washing the dishes with a fourth cup of tea. Mayura wondered, if she should check, if Shimon was still breathing, while her mother sat down next to her father.

"Oi Yukari, did you hear the news from over there~?" She heard her father's voice from the off as she mustered Shimon for some sort of reaction.

"I didn't, what news?" Her mother asked in her lullaby voice.

"Our daughter is dating this guy.~"

"Oh that. I had known since they started dating."

Wait. What? Mayura's focus shifted away from her boyfriend to the conversation between her parents.

"Huuuhh~?" With a scowl on his face her father skipped his gaze between Shimon and her. "And when was that?"

Trying to intervene and save them, Mayura yelped, "Okasan!"

But her mother seemed to ignore the interference at all and raised her index finger to her chin, thinking about the question. "Hmmm... About five, six months or so."

Seconds passed before her father's gaze darkened a deeper shade, as he looked at them. "Really~?"

Mayura swallowed hard at the clump of fear in her throat.

The glare her father's eyes send Shimon now could cut flesh.

Oh crap.

It hadn't worked as planned.

Definitely not.

Lying on the bed in the guest room, Shimon stared at the ceiling. Tidily white painted wooden panels stared back at him.

He sighed. Telling Seigen-san about the relationship with his daughter was one of the most complicated things he had ever to endure. Not that he had contributed much being too scared about the possible punishment. When Seigen-san had glared at him the first time, he had tried to meditate, chanting a mantra within his head. Had he known beforehand, that her father would be fine with it, he wouldn't have been so stressed out to begin with.

Still. Telling his family had been so much easier. It had been embarrassing as hell but it was accompanied with a lot of laughing. Chiiko had smiled so brightly, her whole face seemed to shine. A sight that easily made up for Keiji's teasing and the painstaking performance of his foster father as he gave his blessing to them for a marriage, when they had just recently become a thing. Suddenly his family had started celebrating this news as if it had been an official holiday.

Compared to that today had been quite different.

As Shimon had imagined, Seigen-san was rather angry about not having been told about his daughters relationship for six months. Only with the help of Mayura's mother, he stopped sending death glares at Shimon.

Shimon sighed. Good thing Mayura and him had Yukari-san on their side. Her mother was the nice person, that he had imagined her to be. The whole house had a warm gleam, that her mother gave to it by decorating the rooms so brightly. Even this spare room, he was currently occupying had a cheerful aura, with soft yellow colored walls and a pot of fresh flowers sitting on the window-sill.

The walls were now colored in a bluish shade, the plant was covered with the shadows of its petals as the moon light shone into the room for it was already night time.

He had problems sleeping. Too much was on his mind after today. If only she had told Seigen-san sooner –. Well, there was no use thinking about possibilities long gone. Sure, it would have saved trouble. But he had figured out by now, why she hadn't told her father over the phone. It gave her a reason to come home, to abandon her responsibilities as a head of the Amawaka clan for two days. Shimon wouldn't complain about that, especially not after seeing her relief, when her mother hold her in her arms or the happiness coloring her cheeks or, when the family later talked after Seigen-san had calmed down.

A soft knock interrupted his train of thoughts. For a split of a second he wondered, who it could be. But Seigen wouldn't knock so softly even if he decided to punish Shimon in secret and he didn't think, her mother would pay him a visit at night. The next three seconds he wondered, why she would come to see him at night. Shifting into a sitting position, he called her in with a low voice.

She entered. A figure painted in all shades of blue thanks to the low light the moon colored her in. She was clad in a yukata she had put over her nightwear. With silent steps she walked over to the bed, on which he scooted over to make room for her to sit.

When Mayura sat down, he felt the slight budging of the mattress beneath him. He watched her as she bend her legs and lay her arms around them. Resting her head on her knees, she looked at him. Her blue eyes reflected the moon light like the surface of the sea.

In a low voice she spoke to him. "I couldn't sleep. I feel like I have to apologize for the behavior of my parents and for making this more complicated than it had to be."

Getting the idea that she needed comfort he laid a hand over the one of hers within his reach. "It wasn't that big of a deal in the end."

She sighed slowly and closed her eyes. "Sorry to have dragged you along. I should have told Otosan sooner."

He wrapped his hand around her's and pulled at it. She gave in and let herself be lead into his arms.

He mumbled into her hair, "I understand, why you did it." Nuzzling his nose into the soft blonde that smelled like vanilla, he was filled with warmth. A delightful yearning to be closer made his heart clench bitter-sweetly, "Besides it was actually nice meeting your mother."

Another sigh left her. This time tuned much more lighter, liberating. "Thank you for coming along."

From his position he couldn't see her smile. But he knew it was there. Bright and Beautiful.

Then he felt the movement of her. Looking down he saw how she turned her head and lifted her upper body by leaning on her arms on both sides of him.

She didn't need to tell him to tilt his head or lean towards her. Without thinking about it, he tilted his head to the side and kissed her.

Like every time they kissed butterflies took a somersault in his stomach and his heart stumbled a few beats before returning to a quick rhythm. He ran his lips one more time over hers before breaking the sweetness of their kiss.

She looked at him so tenderly with clouded eyes before she settled herself into his arms again.

Lying his arms around her, he completed their embrace.

He heard her slowly mumbling into his shirt, "I'm just staying for a few more minutes."

Murmuring his agreement, he shifted them away from the wall and into a more comfortable position, while holding onto her.

Slow breaths heaved her up and down and he felt her snuggling closer.

He wondered, if he should tell her not to fall asleep, but her warmth lulled him in and soon he fell into a deep sleep.

Yukari hummed, while she sat on her knees in front of her favorite roses, the sleeves of her arms pulled up and a huge hat on top of her head. The sun shone so nicely today, warming her back while she tended to her garden. She loved summer, when all flowers were blooming, painting the garden in multiple colors.

Taking her time, she enjoyed the peaceful mood that lifted her spirits. Soon she would need to prepare dinner for her still grumpy ex-husband whom she had ordered to think about his actions until she returned. To say the least, he hadn't fared well with the recent visit of their daughter and her boyfriend. Although she would have to admit, that the morning had granted both of them quite a surprising discovery. A discovery that had filled her with delight. Seigen on the other hand hadn't been that happy about it.

A short chuckle broke her out of her hum and she tilted her head back, smiling at the beautiful blue sky. She wondered, if Mayura and Shimon had already returned to the island by now.

"Otomi-san, is everything fine?" She heard the voice of an elderly woman.

Turning around Yukari spotted her older neighbor glimpsing over the fence between their properties. Usually they wouldn't talk much, respecting each others privacy.

Rising to her feet and rearranging the hat on her head, Yukari smiled. "Why, thank you. Everything is wonderful. How are you?"

The woman blinked a few times. "Ahm, fine. It's just this morning, we heard this loud clatter and screaming coming from your house."

"Oh, that was just my ex-husband trying to kill my future son-in-law." Yukari waved her hand and giggled remembering the scene after she and Seigen discovered her daughter having slept with the fuchsia-haired, young man in one room. In an instance Yukari had known that nothing had happened between them thanks to the major blushes on the faces of the young pair. Seigen hadn't reacted as understandingly, when he chased their future son-in-law through the house calling him 'bastar' and 'traitor'. "He kicked him and send him flying into a cupboard filled with plates and cups."

Her neighbor gasped."Oh my. That is awful."

In confusion Yukari leaned her head to the side. "Hm? Don't worry, we can replace the porcelain."

"And your future son-in-law? How is he?"

She didn't believe, she could smile brighter as she did now. "Perfect. My daughter has an excellent taste."

#a flight toward future #shimayu fanfiction #shimayu #fanfiction #much ado about something #one-shot #rated k #sousei no onmyouji #twin star exorcists #manga-universe #the purity of white seems to be red #spin-off

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