#torin fic

[linasofia]

A Shooting Star

Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3 l Part 4 l Part 5 l Part 6 l Part 7

Fandom: The Hobbit

Relationship: Thorin Oakenshield x OC Vega

Summary: Lady Vega loves to sneak out to Erebor’s rampart to study the night sky, but one night, an unexpected visitor joins her. It is the beginning of a story whose end only the stars can tell.

Warnings: none

Special thanks to @lathalea & @legolasbadass for all your support and feedback. 💙⭐️

A small gush of wind met Vega, daughter of Vimar, as she climbed the many stairs to the rampart. Since she left her lantern by the wall, her only guidance was the moon. Thankfully, it was a clear night, and the pale light coming from the grand silver coin in the sky was enough to illuminate her path. As she silently entered the rampart, she felt the usual excitement tingling in her body. She knew she was not allowed to be there, but it was the best place for stargazing, if she did not count the mountain slope outside the gate, and it was worth the risk of being discovered. Without making a sound, she hurried to her secret spot, hidden behind a large block of stone—remains from a battle long before she came to live under the Mountain.

Vega rested her back against the rough wall and took out her book from the pocket in her skirt. She was grateful for choosing her warm stockings of finest mountain goat wool; the wind on the rampart was colder than she had expected. Her long winter shawl covered her upper body, and she pulled it tighter. She should have taken the heavy cloak instead, but it was too late to go back now. Besides, she had endured worse weather on the rampart. Vega opened the book carefully, found the most recent of her notes and peered up. Her trained eye easily located the stars of her people’s most important constellation; the magnificent Durin’s Crown. Every year, when a feast was held to celebrate Durin’s Day, the constellation could be seen right above the Mountain. Now, however, when the days were much shorter, it was set far to the west. She smiled. A handful more full moons, and then she would close the circle and be back at the first page in her notebook. She had stood on the rampart many nights and studied the constellations' quiet movements over the sky. It was a fascinating hobby, but not completely without danger. The rampart was high, and the darkness could be compact, at least when the new moon resembled a curved, thin chain of mithril. In addition, there was obviously always the risk of being discovered. Vega preferred not to tell anyone about her own private escapades. Especially not her father. In his eyes, she was still a young girl with little or no understanding of what was considered dangerous. The fact that she followed in her mother’s footsteps and refused to marry any of the lords she was presented to, out of duty, only fueled the old man's conviction that she did not understand what was best for her. Her mother, on the other hand, supported her strong will and constantly defended her daughter’s decision in public.

Vega grew up in the Blue Mountains, and as the daughter of a trusted construction advisor to the king, she lived what many would describe as a relatively comfortable life. Their home was always filled with her father’s construction drawings, books, and strange tools. During her first years, her father would not let her near his precious drawings, but as she grew older, he opened up another world to her, where the symbols, numbers and lines started to make sense. Vega believed it was her father’s work that laid the foundation for her interest in trying to understand things written or drawn by others long before her time. When she found an old map, she instantly tried to visualize the places, and eventually, she started to dream about adventures far beyond her people’s borders.

After King Thorin and his company had reclaimed Erebor, it did not take long before a messenger with the king’s summons reached the Blue Mountains. Vega’s father quickly answered the call and packed his most important belongings. Then, less than a year later, he arranged for his wife and daughter to make the same journey. She still remembered the excitement she felt as a young woman when their caravan set out toward their new home. Vega had heard many old tales about the great treasures of the Lonely Mountain, but also songs of unspeakable grief. She could not wait to see the great halls with her own eyes, and her mother repeatedly assured her it would be worth the long absence of her father. He had an important role to take on as the King of Carven Stone had returned to the Mountain. That was now many years ago, and Vega had grown, both in body and mind, since then.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy boots reached her ears. She drew nearer to the large stone and hid in its shadow. Her heart was banging in her chest, and her throat tightened, making it hard to breathe, as if she was deep down in the dusty coal mine under the Blue Mountains—a place restricted to the strongest miners among her people. Was this the night she finally was to be discovered? A tall shadow appeared on the stone floor in front of her, but she could not see the dwarf for the massive block of granite. She waited, desperately trying not to make any sound, as the shadow slowly moved closer. Then a broad figure walked right by her and stopped only a few arm’s lengths away. The pale light of the moon fell upon the male, and it made the rich fur on his cloak shimmer. It reminded her of a tale she once heard; about a rare fox who changes color—from almost black to white—when the first snow falls. From behind, the cloak in front of her looked vaguely familiar. In the darkness, all things appear to be grey, but Vega instinctively knew she had seen that cloak before. Admired it, even. The man searched his pockets and pulled out a long, thin item. A small flash of light tore the darkness apart, and when he turned his face to shield his pipe from the wind as he lit it, Vega stared—horrified—at the dwarf’s regal profile. The tobacco glowed as he inhaled loudly, and then a thin cloud of white smoke seeped from his nostrils. The dark, pleased hum that followed made something stir in her lower body, and Vega let out an involuntary gasp. The king instantly turned his head towards the dark corner, and her heart almost stopped. With a hand over her mouth, she held her breath.

“Who’s there? Step out of the shadow!” the king demanded, his voice raised, but not to its full capacity.

Vega took a deep breath and forced her feet to obey. When she stepped out from her hiding place, the moon appeared to be brighter, and she gracefully curtsied as the ruler of Erebor’s piercing stare met hers. The look on his face shifted from annoyance to surprise.

“Good evening, My King.”

“My Lady, I did not expect to meet anyone here. What in Mahal’s name brings you to this dark place?”

Vega hid her book behind her back. “I’m simply looking at the view.” She tried to control the tremble in her voice, but the rush of adrenaline made it impossible.

“The view?” The king looked over the edge of the rampart. He could see lights from the city of Dale, but other than that, the night offered nothing spectacular.

“Surely you must struggle to see anything interesting at all.”

Vega gazed up with a broad smile. “Not that view. This!” She pointed above their heads, where countless stars silently stared back at them.

Silence fell heavily between them. Thorin smoked his pipe while searching his memory for constellations he learned long ago, when he was a much younger dwarf. He could only remember a few of them. Back then, Frerin was much more interested in these stars and always waited patiently for his older brother to locate Durin’s Crown. Thorin’s heart ached at the memory. His brother’s death had removed the joy from so many activities, stargazing was only one of them.

He glanced at the lady standing beside him, her chin lifted and her eyes fixed on the sky. She seemed lost in her thoughts, and the smile still lingered on her lips. Her dark hair was braided in a beautiful pattern—the style popular among the women from the Blue Mountains—and then he spotted a bead with her family's name. He smiled. When he first saw her, he was unsure who she was, but as he looked closer, he could clearly see the resemblance. She was truly her father’s daughter, but beautiful and with a disarming smile.

”Is Lord Vimar aware of your late visit to the rampart?” He could hear her surprised gulp, and she quickly turned her focus on him instead. She had not realized he recognized her, and Thorin met her startled gaze with a calm smile. ”Do not worry, My Lady, your secret is safe with me.”

”Thank you, My King.” She smiled back, a sweet and slightly mischievous smile. ”No, my father would probably lock the door to my chamber if he ever found out what I was doing during the nights.”

”Nights? Are you telling me that I could have had the pleasure of meeting you here on other nights previous to this one?”

Vega wanted to smack herself. Why did her mouth speak too much as soon as the king rested his captivating azure gaze on her?

”I…” she did not know how to continue. How could she explain the thrill and the longing to do something forbidden? What it felt like to slip out in the cover of darkness and just be alone with her dreams and imagination. ”I’m afraid that is the truth,” she then admitted.

”Did you bring a book to read in the dark as well? Your eyes must be much better than mine.” The king sounded almost amused when he spotted the leather-bound piece in her hand, and Vega instantly pressed it against her chest.

”It contains only a few hasty notes I made for myself to read, together with drawings of constellations I have seen. It is nothing of importance.” Vega tried to gain control of her own words; she always spoke too much when she was nervous.

”Would you allow me to see it? I am certain your handwriting is neat and a pleasure to read.”

Her heart hammered again, just as it did when she was hiding, but this time it was not from fear. Was the King of the Longbeards really interested in the stars, or was he only being polite? She searched his face for the truth but found only honesty in his eyes. For a short while, she allowed herself to admire his prominent nose and full beard before she remembered she had no right to gaze upon her king like that.

”My King,” she hesitated, but was tempted to share her findings, if only to make him stay a little longer. Never before had she spoken to someone with such powerful charisma, and he made her very curious. ”It is nothing like the maps in the Royal Library of Erebor,” she then heard herself say. ”But I will be honored to show it to you.” Her hands trembled slightly as she opened the book, but when she tried to offer it to him, he took a step closer.

”Please, My Lady, explain it to me.”

Vega had to take a few deep breaths before she mustered enough calmness to explain her notes. When she spoke, the king listened intently, but every time he pointed at one of her drawings of Durin’s Crown, she couldn’t stop herself from staring at the heavy rings adorning his thick fingers. He had the hands of a warrior—large and calloused—but something in the way he let his fingertips glide over her stained papers told her those hands could do more than just harm.

The notes were indeed created for her eyes only, but after the initial insecurity, Vega found herself growing bolder in the king’s presence. As he leaned a little closer to her, no doubt to see better, a faint hint of pine and leather caught her senses, and it made her head spin, just like the strong tobacco she once was persuaded to try. She promised herself after that single time, to never smoke anything equally strong again. But she wouldn’t mind feeling this type of warm dizziness again. Then Vega shook her head to clear her mind. Who knew the alluring scent of the mightiest of all dwarves alive could evoke such delusional ideas.

”Considering all constellations, which one do you find most mesmerizing?” His question came unexpectedly, spoken in a much lower voice than before. It felt very personal, and Vega shivered. She knew what he probably was expecting from her, but eventually, she decided to answer honestly.

”Of all the constellations and the tales told, I must say I have two favorites, next to Durin’s Crown, of course.” She smiled warmly when a thick black eyebrow rose in surprise. ”The first one is The Hammer.” Vega pointed to the east, where nine stars proudly formed a large hammer.

Thorin nodded, remembering the constellation from Frerin’s rare attempts to actually teach him something useful. He was not sure about the tale; Frerin sometimes changed the story, only so he later could claim that Thorin remembered it wrong.

”And the second?” he asked, gently holding the unusual emerald gaze of the lady beside him. Thorin found her truly fascinating, and the way her voice enchanted him, as she spoke passionately about the stars, made him wish she was a member of his council instead of her elderly father. The endless discussions would be much more bearable if she was.

”The second one cannot be seen now. You will have to wait until spring before you can spot Raven’s Nest in the east.”

”Is it easy to find?”

”If you know what to look for, I supposeit’s easy. It’s one of the smallest constellations I know of, but I love the tale.”

Thorin smiled. He wanted to question her about the tale, just so she would keep talking, but he realized he could not ask her to stay on the rampart all night. The icy wind was growing in strength and the hour was late. He had gone to the rampart for the possibility of clearing his mind after a long evening session with the council. Instead, he had stumbled right onto Lord Vimar’s daughter’s secret stargazing spot. He had completely forgotten his manners and did not introduce himself properly. And what was even worse—he had no name on the lady in question.

”My Lady, even if your father sometimes speaks of his family, I do not think I have ever heard your name. May I ask for it?” His words were soft, and less formal than their initial conversation.

Vega stared at the king. Had he just showed interest in knowing her name? She could not understand why, but she had no intention of denying her king. The unexpected warmth in his eyes made her weak. His raven hair rested against the fur of his cloak but as he turned his head, the wind caught strands of it and blew life into the dark locks. She briefly wondered if his hair was as soft as it looked.

”Vega,” she almost whispered, her voice suddenly failing her as a result of her improper thought.

”Lady Vega, you have been most kind and shared your private notes. I thank you for that. But I’m afraid I need to ask you to return to the warmth of your chamber, before you get too cold.”

”Of course.” She averted her gaze, afraid he would see the disappointment in her eyes. The most exciting moment in a very long time would soon be over, and Vega pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. She could do nothing to stretch their chance meeting further.

”I bid you a good night then.” He gave her a short nod.

”Good night,” she echoed as she made a poor attempt to curtsy. Her knees wouldn’t cooperate. Thankfully, King Thorin didn’t seem to notice, or care. All he did was grace her with another warm smile.

”And Lady Vega, do not hide in the shadows next time. I might mistake you for an intruder.”

She mustered one last smile in return. Then she watched him disappear from her—no longer—secret spot on the rampart. His cloak's movement as he rounded the corner was the last thing she saw of him. Vega took a deep breath and the cold air in her lungs made her cough. The king was right; she really should get back home. As she climbed down the stairs and found her lantern at the same place as she left it, she couldn’t stop thinking of his last words to her. Next time. Would there really be a next time?

💙 If you like my writing, please consider spreading the love and reblogging.💙

Taglist and others who might be interested: @lathalea @legolasbadass @laurfilijames @i-did-not-mean-to @enchantzz @fizzyxcustard @middleearthpixie @xxbyimm @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @kibleedibleedoo @mariannetora @haly-reads @sunnysidesidra @rachel1959 @knittastically @jaskierthelover @quiall321 @medusas-hairband @fulltimecrazy @s0ftd3m0n @emrfangirl @glimmering-darling-dolly @lilith15000 @clumsy-wonderland @chaikittie @theawkwardbutterfly @legolaslovely

Please let me know if you want to be added or removed.

#thorin oakenshield #thorin #thorin fanfic #the hobbit #torin fic #thorin x oc #erebor #tolkien #fanfiction #richard armitage #stargazing #durin's crown #the hobbit fanfic #hobbit fic #a shooting star

[rindomness]

In honor of me finishing the first draft of the Phanshuffle fic, here's the updated Thief designs for them all. I'm saving real-world redesigns for the Strikers fic that has, somehow, inexplicably, sprouted up in my wips.

Please please feel free to ask me any questions about them. I'm obsessed with this AU. It is my baby. There's strikers stuff now in case you missed that at the top and I really want to talk about it.

#rin draws stuff #persona 5 #phantom shuffle au #LOOK AT THEM! MY BABIES! #i'm so weird about them. they're my everything. #i did not expect to finish writing this? #i technically haven't but now it's comparatively easy stuff because it's pretty much all already WRITTEN #I'm just. cleaning stuff up. handing it off to my beta reader. #did i mention this fic actually has a beta reader hi torin waves #note that the makoto design is strikers-only for plot reasons im not getting into here #i will spoil the plot on discord and in dms i will not openly spoil the plot here on tumblr

[gingerale2017]

Only You Can Mend My Heart of Glass

Fluff/ Angst... mostly angst <3 Words: 8k (WOAH THAT SHOCKED ME) Pairing: Cinder x Kai Fandom: The Lunar Chronicles Setting: Modern AU where Cinder has already been traumatized once, and they are married and share a last name :)

Rating: Teen

Warnings: Torture, kidnapping, grunts of pain? (Oh, and very lazy editing, especially after Kai leaves!) AO3 Link <3

In recent days, Cinder had been waking up with a smile on her face. Nightmares of dead sisters and fake mothers with shotguns finally began to leave her alone. Now she was left with fantasies of suburban households with large playrooms and nurseries with comfy cradles.

Yet, the smile that warmed her face this morning was most likely a consequence of last night. She opened her eyes slowly, getting used to the minimal light the window covered by the blinds provided. Staring upwards, she could see the top of their bedpost, the white ceiling, and the modern fan. Kai was always hot and Cinder didn’t mind the temperature, so the fan was usually on, but it stayed still this morning. They definitely were too caught up last night to remember temperature preferences. 

She turned her head to face her husband who was still asleep. Her smile only softened as she traced the features of his face with her eyes. His face looked like a Renaissance painter’s masterpiece in her eyes, one that she had memorized, analyzed, and wondered at countless times. She interpreted his every expression, when he’d make them, and what they would mean. She wiped his tears and even wiped her own with his neck. She kissed every ridge and touched every bump on his body. If he was an unknown land, she was an explorer who discovered and researched every territory, reporting both the good and the bad. 

Yawning, she intuitively knew it was around five in the morning, just in time for the sunrise. Good, he needs his sleep. The bags under his eyes looked a little too deep to be healthy. Smirking to herself, she knew exactly what Kai would say if he found her awake in these hours. He’d have the same reason she had for him not waking up. Stretching as quietly as possible, she scouted the room for a shirt. Kai’s discarded button-up was the closest thing she could grab. Luckily, it was one of her favorite items of his to wear.

Cinder rolled out of bed without pulling and blankets and quickly put on his shirt. She stood up, smiling in success, and gave Kai a celebratory kiss. 

“Don’t wake up.” She whispered, but she knew he couldn’t hear her. He didn’t even stir.

Before she headed downstairs to watch the sunrise, she stopped by his wardrobe for a pair of boxers and sweats, and happily glided down the stairs. 

The aesthetic of the interior design of their little condo was created via the genius of Iko’s love for fashion, and Kai’s perfectionist tendencies. Though Cinder couldn’t offer much because of her horrible eye for fashion, she loved her home.

Following her routine for these types of mornings, she prepared hot water for Kai’s tea and made a coffee for herself. The sun continued to be stubborn while the water heated, so she paid a visit to Kai.

He shifted his position from his side to lying on his stomach while hugging a pillow, back muscles on full display. Cinder told herself not to ogle much on his gorgeous back and limited herself to one (only one?!) kiss on his shoulder. Maybe one more on his smushed forehead, but that was it. He continued not to stir. Triumph!

Finally, the first rays of sunlight revealed themselves through the humble windows. Already, she could feel herself waking up as her body yearned for the warming light. 

She raced out of their room and positioned herself on the ledge under one of the windows with a mechanic’s manual and another cup of coffee.

The beauty of the sky was enough to hush crying toddlers and bring an old man to tears. Colors danced in the sky, clouds worshipped the sun, and landscapes were heightened to their full beauty. No, she’d never get tired of witnessing this phenomenon, it was worth the lack of sleep.

And before she knew it, her mechanic’s manual was marked up and the sky turned baby blue. 

Her stomach rumbled, signifying it was time for a bowl of cereal.

As she poured milk into a bowl of honey nut cheerios. Her mind wandered to the surprises she had planned today. Excitement grew in her stomach as she went over the itinerary and schedule for today. He was going to love it, for sure.

As if on cue, arms suddenly grabbed Cinder’s waist and her feet left the ground for two seconds. She yelped, her pitch high enough for bats to get confused.

She felt soft, quick, little kisses moving along the length of her neck. She giggled uncontrollably as his hands squeezed her waist even harder. He began to exaggerate kissing noises as he tried to claim her neck with his lips as his mark as if he hadn’t already thousands of other times. 

“Good morning to my beautiful, genius, early bird, perfect, wonderful, pretty, petty, and I’m running out of adjectives to describe my amazing wife.” Her husband greeted her while very gently nipping the places he pecked. More of this and her neck will be glaringly red.

She laughed. “Kai!”

“How’s my lovely wife today?” He murmured, starting on the other side of her neck. She instinctively leaned into him, practically begging him not to stop.

“Mmh. Alright, I guess.” She couldn’t even remember his question.

He turned her around. Stars Above, was his smile not the most wondrous thing ever created? He was so cute.

Pressing his forehead to hers, he asked another question. “Aren’t you going to ask your husband how he’s doing?” His copper eyes were enough to awe even the most stubborn.

She barely formed her answer. Stars, she was surprised she could form audible, coherent words. “I was if my husband was a little more patient.” She challenged him back by refusing to look away. Sometimes, she was able to stun him, and it always felt like her greatest achievement.

“It’s quite a shame then because your husband is having a wonderful morning.” He pulled suddenly, smiling wider (if possible). 

“Today is going to be a great day, my love. I can feel it.”

“I’ll make sure of it.” She bit her lip, pulling him back to her again. “I have lots of surprises planned today.”

Kai’s gaze became a fraction more intense. “Oh? May I ask what kinds?”

“Then they wouldn’t be surprises, dummy.”

His small smile will be the death of her. “Can you spoil a surprise right now?” He lightly whispered against her ear, nudging her cheek with his nose.

He breathed her name slowly and pulled her waist tight with his. As soon as he kissed her, she felt herself unravel. She turned her head to his and kissed him fully on the lips, pulling at his hair. He grunted in pleasure and licked her bottom lip.

She whispered his name in between breaths and in response he sat her on the counter, somehow missing the bowl of cereal she had been preparing.

He dug himself into her, enveloping Cinder fully. Their breaths became more desperate as she kissed him harder. Caressing his cheek with her hand, she guided him to stay on her lips. He liked to linger down on her collarbone and neck often, and to be honest, so did she, but today she wanted the focus on her lips. They couldn’t get too carried away, not today at least.

Kai, however, did not take the hint and kept devouring her, as if last night wasn’t enough. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he nurtured her lips to flourish. The temptation to let him carry her away was much stronger than she expected, and she knew a little more of this would end her resolve. So she pulled away with a mocking smirk and pecked the tip of his nose.

He looked down, blinking the haze away and through the confusion. Only now did she notice his work attire was only half-put together. His tie somehow fell on the floor (she suspected it was never tied), his blazer was nowhere to be seen, and his button-up lacked buttoning. None of it was her fault, she was sure.

“It can’t be earlier than six thirty now and if continue on the path I think we’re headed on, then you will be late.” She let her hand glide up his chest as if to comfort him.

His face dropped as he continued to look at her desirously, not helping to cease her shivers. “This is a crime. You’re making me wait on my birthday.”

Cinder laughed. “What is a crime is your lack of patience.” She leaned in to tease him while brushing his chin and he fell for it. He sighed, closing her eyes and breathing her in, ready to kiss. She jerked away and stood up from the counter. Kai lost his balance and held onto her for support.

Cinder broke into laughter, digging her face into his neck. She kneeled to pick up his discarded (and decidedly unloved tie).

“That works,” Kai remarked. Flushing, she stood up immediately to glare at him.

“Trust me, tonight will be worth it.” She winked, wrapping the thin piece of fabric around his neck. “I made a couple of things for you to decorate your office with-”

“Aw, darling, I love it when you make me things.”

“-and our friends are gonna pay a short visit.” Once she completed the first step of tying his tie, she glanced at him to see a joyfully radiant smile. Cinder grinned to herself. He liked it.

“Will there be cake?” He asked. She resisted rolling his eyes as her husband was no better than a small kid. She continued her task.

“Yes, babe, there will be cake.” A big loop.

“And a party?”

“Right here, with all our friends.” Through the loop.

“And time for plenty of cuddling and kisses with my beloved wife?”

Cinder smiled softly. “Anything for my beloved husband.” Tighten the strands. “It is his birthday after all.”

“Hm. How is a pretty girl like you married to such an old guy?”

“Thirty is not old at all!” She pat his chest. “And I’m not pretty enough to be dating cougars.”

Kai huffed, scrunching his eyebrows. “What does that even mean?”

“Well, you know how the most gorgeous models are dating, like, practically dead men?” 

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m not that level of pretty for that level of decay to be attracted to me.” She had no clue what she was saying.

Kai smothered his giggle. “Oh, darling, I’m sure the most crusty, old, wheel-chair bound man will fall in love with your beauty. If I were in that position, I would.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “Can we scrap this conversation? I don’t even know where we’re going with this.”

“Yes, please.” He agreed.

They stood in their small kitchen with their foreheads pressed against each other. She could’ve stayed there for a lifetime if he didn’t pull away.

“Hey.” He murmured, pulling away.

“Hey.” She smiled, pressing her chin to her chest. 

“Will you come with me to work today? I don’t know.” Kai whispered. She chewed her bottom lip. “I had this weird feeling all of the sudden, and I don’t want anything happening to you-”

Cinder him off with a soft laugh. She knew how these past few months had been hard on him. All of his anxiety centered around her and something bad happening to her. He’d been the primary one to care for her after her sister died and her stepmother accidentally killed herself. He found Cinder hyperventilating, trying to keep Adri alive by putting pressure on the wound. He scrubbed blood, dirt, and grime off her body. He coaxed her through panic attacks and nightmares. It must have been so hard for him to go through that, and he never told anyone that he was struggling. Cinder had to find that out by herself.

“Nothing will happen to me, I promise. I can’t go with you, love, I’m sorry. I’m stuck preparing your birthday surprises.” She reassured. 

Kai sighed, holding her hand to his cheek, and gave it a small kiss. “I understand. I’ll see you later then?”

“Of course. I love you.”

“I love you darling. You are my everything, don’t forget that.”

“Do you always have to out-love me?” Cinder whined.

“Stay safe.”

Kai left for work soon after, and Cinder was left alone. Usually, she’d go and work as a mechanic around this time, but today she had tasks to complete. 

She made sure the floors were crumb-less, and the windows spotless. Everyone confirmed their arrival time. 6:30. She had all day to finish everything.

Once she finished cleaning the house, she left for the grocery store. There was a nicely done charcuterie board for sale, along with sangria and red wine. She needed chips, non-alcoholic drinks, dessert, and of course, cake. After she grabbed everything save for the main attraction, she headed to the bakery.

It was here while watching the baker write Kai’s name on the chocolate cake that Cinder got the call that will haunt her forever. It was the third worst call she ever received, second being Peony’s death, and first being a much, much worse one.

She felt the dread Kai must’ve felt that morning, as if something horrible will happen. Recognizing the number from their company, she picked up. “Hello?”

“Mrs. Prince? Sorry to disturb you, but is Mr. Prince with you by any chance?”

She glanced at the baker in confusion. “No. Why?”

“It may be for a silly reason but we can’t seem to find your husband.”

The silence following was overwhelming. Cinder had to force herself to calm down because she could feel her panic start to spiral. “What?” She barked. “What do you mean you can’t find my husband?”

“Well, he isn’t picking up his phone, ma’am, and not even Torin can find him.”

She pinched her forehead with her fingers. “Hold on, let me try calling him.”

She hung up quickly and called her husband, but he never picked up.

“Miss? Your cake is ready. Is it good or do you want me to fix anything?” The baker said in a sweet voice.

“Thank you. Can you box it up please?”

“Of course.”

Cinder decided to check out as a way to convince herself this is just a big misunderstanding. Maybe he’s taking a nap and his phone died or something silly. Yet her fingers kept trembling and the strands of her hair continued to be annoying. She stayed in contact with the company the whole time and they kept asking her if she heard from him. Clearly, if she was asking them about Kai’s whereabouts, she didn’t know Kai’s whereabouts!

Their panicked Once she paid she flew to her car and called Torin.

“Cinder, stay calm.” He greeted in a baritone.

“Did you find him?!” She cried as she sped down the street.

“No, not yet-”

“What even happened?! How can no one find him?!” Her panic made were swerve through lanes. When a car honked at her she screamed: “Get off the road!” Strange since she was never the one for road raging.

“Cinder, please calm down!” She took the chance to breathe deeply at a red light. “He was in his office taking calls one moment and gone the next. I am quite shocked to his disappearance as well.”

“Any guessed as to where he could be?” She asked. Torin paused, and Cinder nearly drove her car into a tree.

“He either fell asleep in the storage room or..” He paused.

“Or what?” She pressed. He didn’t answer. “Torin, or what?!”

“I may be wrong, hopefully I am, but I fear your husband has been kidnapped.”

Cinder froze. Thankfully, she was already in her neighborhood or else she would have crashed into someone else. 

“Cinder, this is a reach. I don’t think anything bad happened.” He tried to comfort her.

“No, you think this is the most likely answer, or else you wouldn't have hesitated.”

He sighed, the stress obvious even through the phone. “Just stay home Cinder. Everything will be okay.”

Being left alone was not the right choice for Cinder. She drove herself crazy with horrible theories. Pacing non-stop around the condo, she told all her friends about Kai. Iko resolved to come asap, as did Thorne and Cress. The rest said they’d check in and try not to storm her. She was grateful.

Not even ten minutes later Torin called again. 

Heart racing, she answered. “Hello?”

His voice sounded dejected, heartbroken and tired. She knew exactly how he felt. “I think we need to get the police involved.”

Her heart dropped. Her mind spiraled, her hand shook uncontrollably, she even dropped to her knees. She rubbed her stomach in an attempt to calm herself. She spoke in an assured voice. “Ok. I’ll call them.” 

Even through shaking fingers, she dialed 911. “Hello, this is 911, what is your emergency.”

“Hi, my name is Cinder Prince and my husband is missing.”

Hours later there were lights outside the condo and people inside. This was not the type of gathering she expected tonight yet all her friends were here along with Torin and police. They questioned everyone there multiple times and no one had not one lead. Kidnapping, though, became the lead reason to his disappearence. Reasons: He’s the CEO of a major company with many loved ones and nor very skilled at self-defense.

Cinder sat on the couch with Iko rubbing her back and Scarlet offering her water.

“Breathe, Cinder. Everything’s gonna be okay.” Scarlet assured. 

Cinder hunched over with her hand buried in her hair. Slowly rocking herself, she cursed and sat up. Scarlet and Iko shared a look, no doubt noticing how eerily similar this situation to the one a couple months ago with Peony.

“I’m fine.” Cinder assured, taking a swig of Scarlet’s water. “He’s fine. We’re all fine.”

Iko gave her a worried look and hugged her. “We should go to a club after this all passes. Dance the shock off.”

Cinder laughed but there was no humor in it.  Winter and Jacin walked up to the girls.

“How are you feeling, dear cousin?” Winter inquired.

“Horrible, but managing.” How she managed to not break down screaming, she didn't know.

Jacin grimaced. “Winter and I need to go check on something very important. We’ll be right back.”

She blinked, feeling like a jerk for not caring about whatever mini emergency they might have. “Take your time.”

The smiled and left.

Scarlet excused herself to go to her husband. Now left alone with Iko, Cinder felt herself start to crack.

“Iko,” She murmured, focusing on the corner of the TV. “I can’t do this again.”

Her friend knew exactly what she meant. “Nothing is happening again, ever.”

“I barely survived the first time. If I lose K-” Cinder’s voice cracked. The surge of emotions that she had ignored all morning came bursting forth like a geyser. Iko tightly pulled her close as  she sobbed in her shoulder. “If I lose him, I lose myself.”

“You won’t lose him. If I have to go track him down in the sewers like a bounty hunter, I will. He’ll be back soon, you’ll see.” Iko’s words always brought comfort to Cinder’s pain. They spent years comforting each other through Adri’s abuse and Peony’s pain that they knew the best methods of making the other feel better.

This time they did little to calm Cinder’s panic. “You don’t understand. When Peony died, I died. He brought me back to life. So did you, of course, but he was there for me the most. If he dies, I die. There’s no one to bring me back to life again. I live for him. I work, and I clean, and I laugh, and I breathe for him. I love you, Thorne, and everyone else for him. Because of him. If he dies, I die.”

“Listen to me Cinder. No one is dying tonight.” Iko squeezed her hand but she continued.

“He’s probably lying in a ditch, window glass everywhere, stuck in his car, bleeding out right now. On his birthday!” She began to sob. “He asked me to go to work with him and I said no because I wanted him to have a good birthday, especially after everything he’s done for me. This is cruel. Evil. And it’s all my fault Iko. I- I killed my husband, the only person who would put up with me-”

“Cinder! Please snap out of it!” Iko cried. “You’re overwhelmed and spiraling, enough.” Iko gave her a moment to calm down. Once her breaths became more even, her friend spoke. “Your mind is causing you to say false things. Kai isn’t dead. I have a feeling you’d know once he passes. Do you know?” Cinder shook her head. “Good. Two, he isn’t the only one capable of resurrecting you. I will try hard as hell to pump your heart again and you know how relentless I am. Besides, there’s a room full of people who love you who would do anything to bring you back to life, am I wrong? Exactly. Three, if anything, stars forbid, happens, it will not be your fault. We aren't going down this road again. Promise me you won’t blame yourself. Promise me, Cinder.”

Cinder hesitated. “I promise.” She murmured, barely audible.

“Good.” Iko hugged Cinder tight again. “Everything will be okay. I’ll be here for you no matter what, okay?”

“Okay.”

Just then Cinder felt a vibration in her pocket. Frowning, she pulled her phone out. Little did she know she’d receive the worst call in her entire life.

She answered the phone on speaker. “Hello?” Her voice shook.

“Is this Mrs. Prince?” A deep voice greeted her.

“Yes, this is she. Who are you?”

“I suggest you go somewhere private.” She gave Iko a weird look. Her friend nodded. 

After settling herself in a small corner of her condo, she spoke. “Okay. Tell me who you are now or I’m calling the police.”

“I don’t think you want to do that.”

“Why not? Who are you?!”

“Because your husband wouldn’t agree, isn’t that right Mr. Prince?” The entire world froze. She felt ice climb up her veins, overtaking her whole body.

There was movement on the other end of the line, a sound of someone choking and then a voice she loved more than anyone else’s.

“CINDER?! CINDER!!” Kai cried.

She couldn’t even sob. Dread filled her body and strangely enough, so did relief. He wasn’t dead. She hasn’t lost him yet. Her voice trembled. “Kai?”

“CINDER! Whatever you do, don’t listen to them, they’re lying-” He was stopped abruptly by a sickening, flesh-sounding noise. She gasped, in shock. They struck him. They hurt the love of her life. Kai groaned in pain, causing rage to replace everything she had been feeling before.

“KAI! Touch him again and I swear I’ll kill you!” She screamed. Everyone in the room ran towards her but she could only focus on what was on the other side of the line.

The police motioned something to her but she couldn’t interpret them.

“Now, let’s not make empty threats, Cindy.” There was a grunt and cry of pain. She suspected they were pulling his hair or something. Quickly that rage submitted into desperation.

“STOP IT!” She wailed. “Leave him alone! He didn’t do anything wrong!”

“You’re absolutely right, Cindy-”

“Don’t call me that. Let him go. I’ll find you.”

There was a loud slap and a sharp whimper. Her heart shattered out of her chest. She could almost see her broken, beaten down expression from the shards of her glass heart.

“Mrs. Prince!” The officer barked. “Tell us what is going on!”

Cinder continued to push out the world. She choked on the sound of his cries. Another punch and Kai gasped for air. She imagined him breaking down, bleeding, murmuring her name. Her guts twisted in agony, her throat uttered in pain. It should be her in that chair, not him. It never should have been him.

“Whay do you want?” She pleaded. “Money? We have money, just stop hurting him.”

“No, my mistress wants something more valuable.”

“Anything, just leave him alone.” There was a clatter in the background.

“Nah.” He said lightly, as if hurting another human brought him delight What a sick, twisted man. “It’s for the video I’m making you. I’m sure it will liven up the bedroom, if you know what I mean.” A kick to Kai’s body, another grunt in pain

She shut her eyes so tight they might have ruptured. “You’re messed up.” She murmured.

“It’s why I have this job. I love torturing entitled bitches like you. I love watching your fake ‘tough’ outer skin break.”

There was a muffled yell in the background followed by another gut-piercing slap.

“Tell your husband to shut up or I will.”

“What do you want?” She asked again. “Tell me that and I will give it to you.”

He laughed. “Simple. Your inheritance.”

She scoffed. “My inheritance? Is this a joke?”

“You are a Blackburn, are you not?”

“A disowned one. The wouldn’t give me cent.”

“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong, Cindy. In your mail, which I doubt you checked, you’ll find a contract listing all your holdings in Prince Organization, and anything you have in Blackburn Industries.” 

She forgot about Blackburn Industries. After her mother died, she owned quite a bit of the twisted business, but like that horrible part of her life, she blocked it out. She remembered her aunt Levana needing her part of the inheritance to take control of everything, but at that point, she was long gone. What she did know, though, is that if her aunt took control of the whole company, lot’s of innocent people will suffer.

She held the phone away and asked one of the officers to check the mail. They left right away. “The Prince Organization is not my inheritance, I got some of it when I married Kai. Marital rights and all that.”

“I know, it’s not on the contract. I just wanted a tip.”

Cinder couldn’t do this for much longer. S

Even breaths, in and out.

“If I sign this, you’ll let him go?”

“As long as you personally deliver it, you have my word.” 

The man hung up, leaving Cinder a void of a human. Once she got the energy to speak, she explained the situation to everyone.

The officer who checked the mail came back with the contract that contained everything the man said it would be.

“Don’t sign anything yet.” The police instructed. “Let us investigate everything first. If they call again, tell us.”

Cinder nodded as Iko and Cress guided her to take a seat.

“That’s absolutely disgusting.” Cress remarked. “How is it possible for anyone to be that cruel.”

Cress blinked back tears while Thorne comforted her. “Kai’s a strong guy, he’s been through a lot. He’ll endure, I’m sure.” He said.

“Hey.” Scarlet said, seating herself next to Cinder. “Why don’t you take a short bath or shower, fresh yourself up. You’ll feel better afterwards, trust me.”

“What if they find something while I’m gone.” Cinder protested. “I can’t just leave.”

“You won't leave, we’ll come and get you right away.” Argued Scarlet.

After some protest, Scarlet and Wolf hauled Cinder to her bathroom.

“Try to relax your mind. Anxiety won’t help the situation at all.” Then her friends left. 

Baths were Kai’s method of soothing her. That horrible night when both her sister and step-mother died, Kai had singlehandedly bathed and took her of an unresponsive Cinder. The trauma had left Cinder in a state of shock for several hours and Kai had to drive her home, up the stairs, and in the bath. Blood cakes her entire body and every time she looked at herself she’d freeze and recount everything that happened step by step. That loop replayed in her mind for hours and the next thing she remembered was Kai in the tub, fully clothed and wrapped around her. That was her first crack of the night. She seemed to sob in his chest forever.

He did a good job with scrubbing all the blood out. He managed to wash her hair too, though she didn’t remember it. He’d talk about his job, the nice old secretary he hired, their finances. He made jokes, not good ones but the kind that are so bad you have to laugh at it. It took her a while for her even smile again, and when she did, it was with him. She was happy again because of him.

Cinder dunked her head in the water and screamed. She let frustration, anger, desperation, depression, and anxiety fuel her throat. She couldn’t think about Kai anymore, she’s supposed to be relaxing. She and him had picked up bathing as a calming process following panic attacks, stress, anxiety, or even just a bad day. Though they bathed separately, it was always more effective when together.

Sighing, she quickly started to wrap up the bath when she got a call. Though it didn’t make her top three of worst calls, it was still up there.

A cold ominous feeling seemed to replace the warm water in the bath tub. Cinder dried her hand and slowly picked up the phone. Somehow she knew this call was important. 

“Hello?” She answered with a shaky breath.

There was a pause then a sigh. “You’ve taken your time getting back to us.” Replied a smooth feminine voice. “I take it you want to negotiate?”

The voice sounded horribly familiar. The voice that haunted her life. The voice she had pushed so far down that she couldn’t remember who it belonged to.

Fear seized her body. She gripped the edge of the tub to steady herself. “What do you mean?”

The woman laughed. “Don’t act stupid, Selene, er- Cinder is it?”

She squeezed her eyes out of her forgotten birth name. Had this woman checked her medical records? Who is she? Why would she go to such lengths.

“What do you want?” Cinder demanded. “Give me back my husband!”

The woman tittered. “You’re not in the right place to negotiate that kind of stuff, girl. I could have my men hurt your dearest even more?”

“Why are you doing this?” Cinder panted.

“I’m running out of patience and I need your finances. This isn’t the worst thing I’ve done, so don’t worry.”

Cinder paused and recollected her thoughts. “You said you wanted to negotiate. All I want is my husband back. What can I do to achieve that.”

“You know what to do, yet you’re reluctant to give it to me. I don’t want you to negotiate, I want you to do as you’re told.”

“My inheritance? It’s practically useless once my relatives find out I’m giving it away.” This conversation only solved to further her confusion.

“I just need your signature, then it will be out your my hands.” The voice sighed. “If you need my word, it shall be yours.”

“I’ll think about it.” Cinder mumbled, unsure of to say.

“Well, make your decision fast because in thirty minutes we’ll move to harsher punishments on your husband. I’ll have my men call you so you won’t miss out on anything. Goodbye, Mrs. Prince.” The woman hung up with a laugh.

Dumbstruck, Cinder sat in the tub with a slacked jaw. Once again, she could not believe this was happening. Soon enough, she’ll wake up, right?

Once reality became clear again, she hustled out of the bath and tried to get downstairs as soon as possible.

“Cinder, what’s wrong?” Scarlet stopped her frantic run. Her caring friend must’ve notice the desperation on her face. “What happened? Did they call you again.”

“Yes.” She breathed. “I think is was the person in charge this time. She said in thirty minutes they’re gonna hurt Kai with more painful methods, I can’t let that happen. I have to save him.” 

Cinder rushed to the kitchen island where she had last seen the fateful papers.

“Where’s the contract?!” She yelled.

“The police took it when they left like two minutes ago.” Iko explained.

Only then did she notice there were no blue uniformed officers around. She spun. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was about to knock when you came rushing out.” 

“Where’ they go? And why?” Cinder asked, voice rising again. Her anxiety and fear were moving too fast in her head to keep up with.

This time Thorne walked up to her and steadied her shoulders. “They said they had a lead and ran out to pursue it.” 

“And they didn’t tell me?”

“They wanted to but they had no time.” Thorne frowned and pulled her close. “All you need to do now is breathe and to have faith that they will find him. This is hard for all of us too, Cinder. We’ll get through it together.”

She leaned against his chest, hiding tears from her friends. They were so good to her and so calm. They must think her crazy or overreactive. They were correct, of course. What she needed was to get her mind straight and collected. She need to swallow one worry at a time instead of swallowing all at once. That way, she won’t do something stupid and make this situation worse.

Once she gathered herself, she pulled away. “Ok. You’re right, Thorne.” Then she smiled and turned to her friends. “Thank you guys for being here, I don’t know how crazy I could’ve gone without you.”

Crests smiled reassuringly back and walked up to grab her hand. “C’mon, everybody, let’s go sit down.”

As they settled around the living room, Cress went to make some calming tea. Scarlet sighed, pulling out a metal flask. “I fear I might need something stronger.”

Cinder couldn’t help but snort as Thorne agreed. “Ditto.” She wasn’t much for drinking but when Cress handed her tea, she motioned for Scarlet to pour some in.

“Oh crap!” She slapped her head. “I forgot I can’t drink.” She put the mug down and Cress walked back to refill it.

“Why not?” Scarlet asked. But Iko’s eyes went wide.

“Don’t tell me you’re-” Iko started but Cinder cut her off with a nod. Hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my stars, Cinder.”

“What? You’re what?” Wolf said leaning in.

“I’m not following.” Cress said, sitting down.

“Well, I only found out two weeks ago, which was really convenient because his birthday was so soon and I planned to surprise him now in front of everyone.” Cinder smiled go herself. “He would’ve been so happy. That was the biggest surprise I had in stock for him.”

“Aces and spades, Cinder. You’re pregnant.” Thorne concluded. Cinder only nodded in agreement.

Scarlet sat up to hug her. “Congratulations, Cinder. I know how hard you guys worked to do this. Oh, I’m so proud.”

“It’s bittersweet, you know. He should be here.” 

“He will soon enough.” One by one each of her friends congratulated her and tried not to be over excited. Cinder was happy she remember the good news in spite of the bad.

“Good luck with the newborn years.” Thorne cautioned. “Especially if you get two like us. Expect no sleep.” Cinder laughed.

“I’d say the toddler years are worse. You’re not exactly there yet, Thorne.” Wolf argued.

“I say it all depends on the baby. Thomas was a fighter as a newborn, but Michelle stayed consistently feisty. Mara is very quiet.” Added Scarlet. “The twins are somehow natural opposites.” She laughed to herself.

“Yes, I’ve notice how Michelle is so social but Mara very kept to herself.” Cress agreed. “My twins are like that, but they love being near each other.”

“Well, my girls love their older brother and their father.” Scarlet said with a quick look at Wolf. “They go wherever the men go. Which is such a shame because they get spoiled to death.” 

“Aw.” Iko squealed. “How could you not spoil them with those faces.”

Scarlet smiled warmly. “Believe me, it is very difficult to say no to them sometimes.”

“But they need character, Scar.” Wolf muttered, kissing Scarlet’s forehead. She looked at him as if they shared an inside joke. 

“Yes, they do, hun.” Scarlet murmured back.

After watching the couple’s intimacy, Cinder felt her heart begin to slice apart. She wished Kai’s arms were around her neck right now, kissing her cheek and telling her what a great surprise this wd. And his reaction to her news? Stars above, he would’ve not been able to quit bouncing off the walls. A ghost of a smile graced her lips as she imagined them holding each other in bed after everyone had left storming up names. After they’d come up with something serious, he would say Matchia or Matchi which would we short for matcha green latte. Oh, aces and spades, she loved him. Oh, stars, she missed him. Oh, on her poor torn-up heart, please let him be okay. Please let him come back to her, or, at the very least, let her go to him.

At that moment, in the midst of her inner plea, Winter and Jacin stormed through the door without knocking. The group stared at them with confusion, and desperate curiosity. The lot hungered for news about their friend, and based and the couple’s expressions, it looked like they had an answer.

For a while, they took each other in. Winter’s usually never pulled back hair. Jacin’s blond locks in pure chaos. Cinder’s disheveled posture. A broken heel. A bottle of rum. A stack of papers in a flushed pale hand. 

At last, Winter broke the analyzation. “Cinder.” She breathed. At once, Cinder felt goosebumps create ridges all over her body. Whatever her cousin was to say next was going to destroy her entire existence, or prevent her world from ending. “There’s a lot I need to share with you, but first, Kai is okay.”

Cinder felt the pressure of her body tighten in disbelief. She stared at Winter in shock. Then, with a shuddering chin, she spoke in a vulnerable, haunted voice. “He’s okay?”

Winter nodded encouragingly and wrapped her arms around Cinder. They couldn’t stop the tears that flowed through in each eye. Around the two, their friends got up and hugged each other in relief. As Cinder quietly sobbed in Winter’s clothes, her cousin whispered in her ear. “We know who did it.”

As she blinked tears away, her nerves revived and turned more aware. “Who?” She whispered, her voice hungry for an answer.

“The same person who murdered your stepmother.” Immediately, Cinder pulled away with a furrowed brow.

“What happened to my stepmother was an accident.” She asserted.

“No, it was quite intentional. We found proof of the whole situation being set up. In Adri’s mind, she was going to pretend to attempt suicide in front of you so you could be rattled up enough and easily taken advantage of in that state. The death of your sister only doubles your trauma and weaken your mental strength.” Winter looked at her intensely.

“Why would she do that?” Cinder murmured.

“She was offered quite a lot of money.”

“Enough for her to settle peacefully for the rest of her life.” Jacin butt in. His interruption made it clear that the whole room was listening to their conversation. Cinder didn’t mind though, and motioned for Winter to keep talking.

“But the safety on the gun was malfunctioning on purpose. She was meant to die to shake you up even more. And to get rid of evidence I suppose.”

Cinder rose up from the couch, mouth agape. “I don’t understand why someone would do something like this. What do they want from me so badly?” She rambled.

“I’m afraid it is had to do with some laws my stepmother cannot tiptoe.” Winter said.

She whipped her head to her cousin frighteningly fast. “Levana?” Her aunt’s sinister voice hissed like a snake in her head, the same rattle as the woman in the call. How could Cinder be so dumb, of course it was her aunt?! She needed time to think to put two and two together, to recognize the sliding voice.

Instead of diving herself into the new information, she chose to push it down and focus onto more upcoming matters.

“Where is Kai?” She urged suddenly. Winter blinked from the sudden change in subject but answered quickly.

“He should be at the hospital by now? I warned the police to his location before I got here.”

“Thank you so much Winter.” She hugged her friend tightly. “And Jacin too. You’ve done me the greatest thing imaginable. You found him. Oh stars, I’m so glad he’s okay. Thank you so much, for everything.”

After the hugs and relieved conversations, Jacin drove Cinder and the group in their respective cars to the hospital. 

She raced through the sliding doors, ignoring the familiar scent of the wallowing walls. Her fingers gripped the white counter as she asked for Kai. 

“May I have some form of identity, please?” said the front desk lady. Cinder was shaking so bad, Thorne had to help her pull out her license. 

“He’s in room 102. And two to three visitors at a time, please.” She said, casting a sideways glance to her friends.

Cinder nodded and jogged away, not really knowing where room 102 was. Jacin, being familiar with the hospital, dragged her from running to the opposite end of the building. She was too drained to argue the tight grip on her arm.

Finally, she stood face to face from room 102. The door was the only thing standing in way from her and the love of her life. Scarlet suggested she go in and have a moment alone before the rest of the lot come in. She hesitated when her fingers gripped the handle. Thorne nodded at her to go on in. They shared a reassuring look that gave her confidence. 

Taking in a deep breath, she opened the door.

He was sleeping. Of course he was sleeping. Her whole body was trembling as drunk him in. She did her usual hung she did when he slept: analyze. And it broke her heart.

The masterpiece she gazed upon every morning without fail was tainted, torn, and unloved. It was as if someone spilled a can of tomato soup on it, or stabbed with a fork. Like it was purposely stomped on or kicked around, ignoring it’s value and love that went into it. Ignoring that he was a person too.

His nose was bandaged up. His left eye was covered by gag-inducing shades of purple, blue, and green. His lips were painfully open and a cut on his skin was covered by two staples. The hair she ruffled this morning was matted and lost it’s depth. Even as he slept, his eyebrows were tight as if he were disturbed. He can’t find peace even in his dreams.

Horrified, Cinder covered her mouth with her hands. A wave a fury washed over her again, and she wanted to fish for a scalpel and cut each villain for every time they even breathed near Kai’s body. She didn’t even know what they did to him below his collarbone. Instead, she calmed down and forced herself to approach he beloved, one step at a time.

She had always ben a fan of running. Saving the harder problems for late or, even better, for someone else. Part of her wanted to wait outside and call Torin to wake him up. By the time she reached Kai’s bedside, she nearly completely swallowed the urge to leap over the bed and run away screaming or chase after those evil men.

Once she made contact with his skin, though, she found it impossible to leave. Her fingers traced his name across his palm, like a plea. She would wait for him to wake up on his own violation, not on hers. But she had also always been impatient.

“Kai?” She finally voiced the one thing she wanted to ask. “I’m here my love. Be with me now.”

Because the stars loved to mess with her, he did not wake up instantly like his favorite cheesy movies. Instead, she watched his chest move up and down while their friends waited outside. She felt a little bad for her friends, but Kai needed rest.

After tracing and kissing his arm for the twenty-fifth time, Kai woke up.

His eyes fluttered like small butterfly wings. She froze, not wanting to scare his fragile body away. She watched his lips form her name. His beautiful voice felt miles away from the sheer power of his eyes. He held so much control over her, she’d do anything with one glance.

He was here. With her. He didn’t die. He’s alive. She didn’t die. 

Before she knew, she was crying. Kai noticed and reached out to her with a bandaged hand. Her breath choked at his wounds but he ignored it. All he wanted was to touch her.

Cinder leaned towards his outstretched hand and let it caress her face. Closing her eyes, she felt him wipe away her tears. Kai softly wrote poetry on her face, as if she were his favorite poem and it had taken him years to write. As if he almost lost her before she could complete her. He didn’t want anyone else to write her ending, only him and her as his muse.

He drew in a shake breath, causing Cinder to open her eyes and focus on his tears. Like a catalyst, she sprung from her seat into Kai’s arms, wrapping herself around his broken body, promising to fix it. She guided his head to her shoulder and told him to cry. She told him to give all his pain to her, she can take it. His hands gripped her hands, although they felt much weaker. His whole body was trembling. What did they do to him?

“Oh, Kai, I’m so glad you’re okay. I thought-

I really thought you were going to-.” She spoke through her tears.

“I know, my love, me too.” His confession only made her cry harder. 

They laid there for while, sobbing in each other’s arms, basking in their presence, not taking this moment for granted. They kissed, they hugged, they talked, and they finally agreed to let their friends in.

The ton came in with a rush. Iko was first who grabbed the rails of his bed and asked him if it was okay to hug him. He said yes. The rest embraced him one by one and gave a remark. Lastly, Torin and Nancy, came in (she didn’t remember if she called them or not) holding the birthday cake she planned to surprise him with. 

Laughing, she wiped her tears and walked over to the pair. “Torin, you didn’t need to do this!” She hugged him.

“Kai always got cranky when he didn’t get cake on his birthday.” He said. Then he walked over to Kai and said some words that made her husband cry.

Nainsi placed the cake in the table Cinder pulled out from Kai’s hospital bed. She invited all her friends in, surely no staff would know for a second. 

Kai’s eyes gleamed with joy, despite his wounds. They sang to him but his eyes stayed glued to hers. He mouthed ‘I love you’ in the midst of his song.

A single tear fell from her eye. She didn’t die. He didn’t leave her. Feeling the power of the unyielding vow she made at their wedding day, she mouthed. “I love you too.”

Kai was released the next morning. He had a bad concussion that they wanted to watch him overnight. He was fine.

During the car ride, though, he was silent. He had a fractured ankle so he had to wear crutches, and stitches over his left arm and hand. At red lights, she’d steal glances at his form, how hurt and broken he was. 

Once they arrived home, she helped them to their room and settled him into their bed. Once he was comfortable, she plopped right next to him. 

His head turned to her with smirk. “What?” Cinder asked with a smile. She tucked her elbow underneath her head so she could talk to him better.

“Nothing.” He murmured. “You’re going to be a good mom.” 

Her eyes widened, she had forgot about their brewing child. How did he know? Who told him? “What?” She said in shock.

“Sorry!” He murmured, turning his head to the ceiling. “I know we just started talking about kids a couple months ago, but when I was in that room, I kept thinking that I didn’t want to die without raising a kid. And seeing you again, of course, but I really want a baby.” He sighed. “Sorry if I scared you off.”

She unsuccessfully smothered a giggle. He turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just timing.” She explained. “You only got to wait nine months to raise a kid.”

Kai nodded. “Okay. In nine months, we’ll try for a kid.” 

Cinder knew she shouldn’t but she laughed at his concussed brain. “No, I mean your kid will be born in nine months.” 

Kai looked at her confused. “We’re adopting.”

She smiled, kissing his cheek. “Bless your heart, my love. I’m pregnant. Due date’s in December.”

He only blinked at her slowly until it sank. “Oh stars, we’re having a baby. You’re cooking it right now!”

He started to get up, but she put him down. Her smile grew wider at his excitement. His face was pure wonder and endearment. “Don’t get up, baby, you can celebrate from here.”

“Cinder, you’re gonna be a real momma!” He reached out to her face, laughing. “Should I call you momma?”

She threw her head back and laughed. “If you want to.”

He started shaking his head excitedly. “It’s the best nickname ever! I love you, momma.”

She ticked her head once to the side. It sounded weird, but whatever helped his healing brain.

As they lay there, laughing, kissing, and holding each other, she vowed to never let anything happen to him again. Now that their family was growing, no one will hurt any member of it. They will never get close. She was shutting the door on that chapter of her life, making sure no one will come knocking ever again. They were going to start a happy life, and raise a happy family. No one will ever come between them again.

A/N: One, I wrote 8k words?!!??! No wonder this pic was haunting me. Anyways, I made this on a whim but have no fear, I have a raider takeout fit that will follow up this as soon as I feel like publishing it. Two, the editing is so bad, the story has SO many holes, I just got tired of explaining. I'm sorry if it bores you, skip to the end if you like, whatever, but show some love if you want that makeout fic. Three, I have nothing else to say. Goodbye for now!

Tagging: @just2bubbly @cinderswrench @cindersassasin @the-wee-woo-royal @deprivedmusicaljunkie @crescentchat @notjacinclay @wheresmymom-imlost @salt-warrior @rapunzelfromthemoon @briggycat @impossiblesuitcase @kaider-is-my-otp (these are for my kaider ONLY fics so please ask if you want to be tagged or removed <3)

#tlc #the lunar chronicles #kaider #lunar chronicles #linh cinder #emperor kai #tlc fic #tic fanfiction #Kaider fanfiction #Kaider fic #UGH #jacinter #wincin #wolflet #cresswell #torin #sorrows sorrows prayers #get out of my swamp #my fic #love it up guys

[just2bubbly]

I know this can be a bit distressing but I want a story where Kai is older where he remembers his love what he still feels for Cinder, this is just a story please thanks for the answer

Masterlist

Thank you for sending in this ask, nonnie, it was a bit distressing since I couldn't find a new reason to make these two fall apart but not to worry about that, I used my big brain and was creative enough to make something up. Hoping it serves you well! :)

Old Roses on a Summer Breeze

Ship: Kaider

Words: 1.7k

Genre: Angst

A/N: SOSN isn't canon in this fic, Future fic

Kai's Perspective:

"Yes, Torin. Do make time on my schedule for this coming Saturday evening. There's an event at Tara's school." He informs, shuffling through the pages of the manuscript Torin had brought.

"Are you the guest?" 

"Ha, for once I'm not. They have some school performance, I'm going to see her," he says.

Torin smiles fondly, both the men thinking about the little kid that made Palace delightful. 

"Boo!" someone cheered loudly.

"Fu- oh my stars," he cuts his swear word as he sees Tara," we did talk about this, no coming here alone."

"But Da, I wanted to surprise you," she reasoned.

"I mentioned it multiple times, Da's office has important documents." 

"Well I came in to show you something," she said, trying to save herself from scoldings.

"And couldn't it wait till we sat down for dinner?"

"Maybe not," she goes, coming ahead to sit in the chair before him.

Kai nods at her antics, Torin eyeing him. 

Sighing he closes the document he was reading, "Then off it with, love."

"Can Torin-da give us a moment?" she asks politely.

"Tara, are you sure it can't wait till dinner, I have some work to complete."

"I'd take only 5 minutes," she begged, making puppy eyes at him.

"Kai, it's ok. I'd come back again in a while. Does that work fine for you Tara?" Torin chuckled, coming to rescue the child.

"You are the best, Torin-da!" she announced, giving him a cheeky smile.

Exasperated, Kai gave in to their schemes, signalling to his advisor that he would ring him once he was done with Tara. His daughter brought her precious thing to his table as soon as Torin was out of the room. 

"I drew us," she says with pride lacing her voice, "You, me and Mama."

"That's wonderful. Can I see it?" He requested.

"Obviously," Tara murmurs, her words carrying a trace of sarcasm, a trait she had inherited from him.

The picture she drew was wonderful and he wasn't biased towards his daughter. She had a certain level of artistic skills that was beyond her age. She drew pictures better than her parents, provided none of them were good artists themselves.

"You will be such a fantastic artist in the future. I have to admit you look very beautiful in this," he comments.

"You always say I look beautiful," she said accusingly.

"Because you always do," he chuckled.

"Would you like to hang it?" she questioned. 

"Maybe. We can put it in the drawing room or the living room."

"I mean in the office," she clarifies.

"Oh," he says," You think so?"

"Yes, you have a portrait of you and Mum and me when I was a kid. You don't have a family picture at your desk," she explains.

"That's quite thoughtful of you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you are clever to notice I don't have a family photo at the desk."

She nods and remembering her manners she thanks him.

"I think my desk has too many pictures already, how about we hang it on the wall? So every time you come here you can see it."

"But you said not to come in here."

"And let's change that to when 'you come here accompanied'."

He cleared as they walked towards the gallery in his cabin, where he had hung images of significant events in his life. His parents and him, later his dad and him, Torin and his family, his wedding day, Tara's birth and so many uncountable events.

"We would have to remove something for this to fit in?" he said aloud.

"We could remove that one," she said pointing out to a frame in the top left corner.

"Let me see," he said looking towards the picture she pointed. It was the Rampion Crew on Scarlet and Wolf's wedding day, young people with dreams of immense happiness. 

"That has many of Da's friends. Maybe something else," he convinced, trying to not think much about the picture.

"I have never seen them. Why don't you invite them for New Year like we invite Mum's friends?"

"They live far away and are just too busy to come, Tara."

"Friends make time for each other, that's what Mum says," she countered. 

Having nothing to say to that, he changes the topic," Let's find some other picture."

"This one? " she suggested to the set of the same individuals in different places.

"Maybe we could take that one down," he concedes unwillingly.

They do remove it, much against his wish. Once they do, he smoothens the corner of his daughter's drawing to put in the frame. 

"Tada," she cheered when their work was done, both staring at the wall. 

"It does look nice," he admires.

"I'm born talented," she bragged, drawing a chuckle out of Kai. Tara is lost in her moment of glory and pride, her father holding himself from going down a path of nostalgia and grief. 

"Are you sad because we removed your friends from your gallery?"

"No darling, Da is so happy to see your drawing in his gallery."

"Then do you miss your friends?"

"Yes, Da is sad because he misses his friends," he says, trying to keep his sorrow from coming back to him. 

"Then you can call them and tell them you miss them," she suggests like a wise lady. He wishes he could find enough courage to do so.

"This New Year, we will invite them over. What do you say?" he asks, taking his child in his arms and carrying her to the couch. 

"Yes, I'm excited to meet all your friends," she cheered, her hands taking the old photo from the table and looking at it closely. 

"I know this lady. Teacher Yamin taught us about her. She is the Queen of Luna before forming a demo-mo something," she fumbles "--democratic government," Kai provides.

"Yes, she is the Queen Selene Blackburn of Luna, the last of her lineage," Kai explained, but to him, she was just Cinder, the mechanic, the revolutionary, one of his past mistakes- nothing that Tara needed to know. 

"I didn't know you were friends with the Queen, Da."

"I'm friends with the Queen, I'm friends with a lot of famous people. Even Queen Camilla."

"You don't have Queen Camilla's picture on the wall," she pointed. 

His daughter was a wise lady he thought.

"Queen Selene was better friends than Queen Camilla," he explained. 

"How is she?" she asked incredulously.

"Like all Queens are, Tara." He gave away nothing, Cinder had no place in his present especially not as a role model for his daughter. Daiyu was enough of a role model for her.

Before she could go on being a curious child, Kai decided to cut the conversation short. Glancing at the time and in relief said, "Your time's up, love. Torin must be waiting for me. I'd see you at dinner."

She said her goodbyes and walked out of the room, leaving Kai sitting behind on the couch. 

Going against his better judgment, he picked that photograph. It was years ago- when Kai's only worry was being able to follow in his father's footsteps. Cress had clicked it while Thorne and Cinder had teased him to no end about his first time eating street food. Those were some happy days, he remembered. 

He stood up, walked towards the wall and smiled proudly over his daughter's drawing. His eyes were drawn slowly to the other pictures on the wall, the ones he hadn't paid much attention to in the latter years.

Scarlet's wedding, Cinder's coronation, the first Lunar Ball, Kai's failed attempts at baking cakes- some scattered images of friendship and love all hung around on this very wall. 

With how slowly things fell apart, Kai didn't have much scope to pinpoint where things went wrong. One moment there were talks of forever and the other moment he had just never found time to know her, for her to know him. When visits became infrequent and talks always began with 'talk to you later', Kai knew it was a slow change but it had crept on them like dust being ladden on old clothes. And just like that he didn't feel so giddy about proposing and when they had opportunities to meet his excitement had a lingering feeling of impending doom. 

Kai was 18 when he fell in love with Cinder, 6 when he was fascinated with Selene and at 25 he had fallen out of love with both Cinder and Selene. Somewhere along the way she did too. No one to blame but themselves- not the distance or prejudice that separated them. Just not quite knowing each other after years of dating, "You were the best thing that happened to me, Kai." She had said the last time they had talked. 

From what he had learned, Cinder had moved on quickly too. Just because you find new people doesn't mean you stop loving old ones, Kai even after his marriage and children was still harbouring a soft spot for Cinder. No remorse over his situation now, he won't change his wife and daughter for anything in the world. He just felt sad over a possibility that could have happened if he was a simple man with basic needs. He had found his love in Cinder and his forever in Daiyu, his feelings for Cinder were just a recollection of the past like old roses on a summer breeze. Something pain strikingly beautiful but not meant for you. 

The phone rang and saved him from further getting carried down an old road he had memorised by heart. It was Torin.

"Yes, she went. You can come along. Also could you please arrange a box for me, I'd like to keep some things aside," he requested.

He collected all of the images of his friends and set them aside. If Tara continued her musings, he would need a bigger space to hang her paintings. Only one remained, Cinder's coronation with all of them smiling down at the camera thinking they had seen the worst of days.

_

A/N: This fic felt like writing about 'Sometimes Love Stays' from Kai's perspective and it's just better to accept things and move on than lament over it and I know it's easier said than done but it's the harsh truth, I hate it too.

Taglist: @gingerale2017 @salt-warrior @slmkaider @cinderswrench @cindersassasin @impossiblesuitcase @kaider-is-my-otp @cosmicnovaflare @fangirlforever0704 and lemme know if anyone wants to be tagged.

#kaider #tlc #fanfiction #tlc fandom #kai #cinder linh #konn torin #lunar chronicles #marissa meyer #just2bubbly fics #angst #original female characters #selene blackburn #asks #anon supremacy

[deprivedmusicaljunkie]

i think torin deserves a mental breakdown. in which he becomes Very Sexy and unhinged, and maybe his shirt is unbuttoned, and maybe he has explosive sex with. doctor erland

#marissa was so right to make almost every adult male a dilf #i need the person who wrote the thorne/jacin smut fic to write something for torin and erland #tlc #the lunar chronicles #konn torin #dr erland #torin x erland

[flowersandbigteeth]

🌶️ Spicy🌶️ Masterpost

These are all NSFW fics that are either going or finished 😈

Request Info: Please read before making a request

Key:

☣️ Dark: May contain dark themes readers may find disturbing including noncon, dubcon or violence

💝 Cozy: Gentler fics. There may be violence or yandere themes but it is light, or soft yandere

I did my best to categorize these but everything is relative. Please read the trigger warnings carefully before reading

☣️ Tentacle Monster- Chase: nsfw -- x f reader

Part One, Part Two , Part Three, Part Four, Part Five

☣️ Shadowbeast- Rafe: nsfw -- x f reader

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven

Headcanon

☣️ Wind God- Torin: nsfw -- x f reader

Part One, Part Two Part Three Part Four

☣️ Warlock- Landis: nsfw

Oneshot - this is part of a novel that I probably wont post to tumblr

☣️ Knights - Xavier, Dustin, Eli, and Marco: nsfw -- x maid f reader

Oneshot

☣️ Wolf- Ruston: nsfw -- x f reader

Oneshot, Part Two, Headcanon

☣️ Hesian Alien- Nasos : nsfw-- x f reader

Part One, Part Two, Part Three

☣️ Hesian Alien Rancher- Kostas: nsfw -- x f reader

Request, Headcanon, Request (SFW) Request

☣️ Gargoyle Book Shop Owner- Heath: nsfw -- x f reader

Oneshot, Headcanon, Part Two

💝Vampire Triplets- Church, Sin, and Angel: nsfw -- x f succubus reader

Request

☣️Catman Alien Twins- Qhen and Ceth: nsfw -- x f reader

Part One, Headcanon, Headcanon

💝Minotaur Demigod- Solomon : nsfw -- x water nymph reader

Request

💝Werebear- Hugo: nsfw -- x childhood friend f reader

Oneshot, Headcanon, Part Two, Request, Part Three

☣️ Alpha Gangster- Jude: nsfw -- x f omega reader

Oneshot

☣️ Shapeshifter- Shane: future nsfw -- x f reader

Part One

💝Night Elf- Victor: nsfw -- x f reader

Request

☣️Kelpie- Vylkas: nsfw -- x f reader

Request, Request (SFW)

☣️ Vampire- Marius: semi-nsfw -- x f reader

Oneshot

💝Shadow King- Zintius: nsfw and sfw -- x f reader

Request (SFW), Part Two (NSFW)

💝Kherae Alien- Idreod: sfw & nsfw -- x reader with glasses

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four (NSFW), Part Five (NSFW), Part six, Part Seven, Part eight

First Person POV available on smashwords

💝Maeder- Rohan: nsfw -- x musician reader

Request

💝Kherae King- Argan: nsfw -- x musician reader

Oneshot

💝Dragon Knight- Severin: nsfw -- x princess reader

Oneshot, Part Two

☣️ Sarantopodarousacentaur (Half man/Half centipede) - Mitas: nsfw -- x f reader

Oneshot

☣️ Drider: Ruvain: nsfw -- x f reader

Oneshot

☣️ Changeling: Clark: NSFW -- x flower nymph reader

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine

💝Orc- Moth: NSFW -- x f reader

Oneshot

💝Orc King- Golmad: NSFW -- x f reader with speech disability

Request Oneshot

💝Mothman- Roth: NSFW -- x f reader

Oneshot

Divider from: @saradika

Bluesky -- Carrd -- Commissions

#smut #monster smut #yandere smut #yandere male #monster x girl #monster x reader #yandere x reader #x reader #teratophillia #terato #terato tag #terato fic #exophilia #exophelia

[red-eyed-rous]

Sketch of Raizen with a Torin mungisa for my fic Spinning Compass.

#yyh #yyh fanart #raizen #Spinning Compass #yu yu hakusho #red eyed 🐁 #kazuma kuwabara #yusuke urameshi #kuwameshi #yyh fanfiction #yyh fanfic #ao3 writer #rodent writings

[ror-witch]

Sooooo, I’m not usually one for “sneak peaks” or whatever (mostly cause a chapter can take 180 degree turn whenever with me) but it has been such a long time since I posted anything fic wise I figured anyone who has read and left me such lovely comments on “Pressed and Faded Roses” would appreciate a sign that I am, in fact, still actual working on it 🥲

So, here you go. A snippet of what’s to come. *Spoilers obviously*

Nine months after the destruction of Torin Gulch.

Cedric clutched his prisoner's thin jaw, the small bones beneath his fingers as fragile as the brittle twigs of winter. The girl, a lovely thing who was really more woman than girl by human standards, looked desperately at the man across from her, her soft pale-green eyes watering in terror.

“Father, please! Just tell him! Please!” Her thin voice cracked with anguish, and the shifter could feel her hot tears sliding down his hands. And yet, the man, her father looked more stoic than Cedric would have appreciated. Hadn’t these yet people learned Lord Cedric didn’t bluff?

Apparently not.

His finger’s drifted down to her neck. “Now, I have been told by a reliable source that they heard you say you know the location of the rebel's base in the Western territory and we wouldn't want this precious flower here to think her father is a liar? Would we?”

The other prisoner was silent, unyielding. That was until Cedric pinched the girls windpipe hard enough to elicit a strangulated gurgle.

“No!” Came the immediate response.

Letting go, Cedric clapped his hands together. The room winced.

“Wonderful! It’s so important to set a good example for the next generation, after all.”

Cedric had never been a fan of conventional torture, well, at least, not for information’s sake. The process was slow and messy, and notoriously unreliable. More than one idiot had been dragged along on a fool’s quest following directions from a mouth who would say anything to make the pain stop. And there were much more reliable ways of gathering intelligence. In particular, humans, despite how precious their limited offspring usually were to them, allowed them to wander so freely it would make even the most negligent shifter mother aghast. He’d found this one nearly two towns away from her progenitors. An easy target if ever there was one. He certainly wouldn’t have allowed one of his hypothetical children to fall so easily into enemy hands.

“You will lead my men to this encampment, and once that little infestation is dealt with, I will allow Gemma here to return to her mother. I’m sure she is worried sick.”

“The word of a worm is no better than dirt it writhes in,” the man spat.

Cedric just chuckled. His finger’s drifted back to the girl’s face, and the air in the room chilled.

“Wait please! I—“

“You people just can not understand the concept of not having the upper hand, of not being ‘better’, can you? If someone held my daughter I would hardly be spitting insults at them. No, I would be on my knees begging for her life. But pride is the only thing that matters to your kind, isn’t it? Well, let me show what your pride buys in this world.”

There was a blur of motion, a loud snap, and the undeniable thud of a body now devoid of life hitting the stone floor beneath them.

The shrill scream rattled the shifter’s delicate ears, and his responding hiss was enough to quiet the shrieks of the fallen man's distraught daughter for a moment.

“Why?!” She sobbed, falling to her knees and cradling the man’s macabrely twisted head. “He would have told you…”

“Your father was not the only one who knew the rebels' location. Perhaps, he should have thought of that before deciding to test me. You would do well to remember this little girl. Remember it when your brethren threaten to burn my crops and disrupt my trade lines. Now get out of my sight.” As her pale blonde hair spilled over her shoulders he wondered, idly, if the girl had bastard Escanor blood somewhere in her line.

“Go find your mother,” he added, more gently, and wordlessly left her to her mourning.

Silently, ascending the stairs from the dungeons, Cedric supposed he should have handled that with a touch more decorum. But the days where he allowed humans to insult him to his face with no recourse had passed, and the man was a corroborating witness at best, hardly a truly valuable asset.

Still, a waste was a waste.

Signing, he swung open the door from the lower levels of the castle, and was immediately engulfed in the smell of salty rotting beach-cast seaweed.

The Capital seemed further and further away every day. Were it not for the rebels nipping at his tail, one could be forgiven for forgetting the dark, stormy city and all its dark, stormy inhabitants entirely.

As he slinked through the castle halls, the pale faces of servants scattered with record speed and his guards stood more rigid than oaks. He’d never been…well-liked by…well, anyone, but now most of the inhabitants of Metamoore at large had become convinced he’d gone quite insane.

But that was just as well, in his opinion. People thought insane were often underestimated, but he was thinking with a clarity that he’d not done since before…well, everything.

It was habit that had caused him to shield his eyes from the glare of sun off water as he entered the promenade that separated the two distinct buildings of this castle. After, nine months he’d gotten used to the, albeit still somewhat dimmed, presence of the sun that the areas near Capital had not seen in years. Here, in the Western shores of continents the only storms that brewed the sea caused, not…him. Cedric frowned but pushed the thought away as he pushed a great driftwood door open.

The library was, as always, deserted. The servants of the castle, wisely, did not frequent the same spots he did and Cedric was the only nobility of any note in residence. It was a small, informal setting. Perhaps twenty shelves, and one large desk facing the only window. The library of the Capital contained all the knowledge of Metamoore, but here, thousands of miles away in Wavebreak, the only records of any renown were the genealogical archives of the noble family Cedric had ‘displaced’ on his arrival and their strangely frequent travels to the sister planet earth. Which would have been useful to the Lord, and the Prince he served, should he have cared enough to read them.

Upon settling carefully at the desk, Cedric twirled a massive sapphire gem idly on the wood, and, as he had for the last seven months that he’d sat at that desk, engaged in a silent, sullen, staring contest with the singular envelope that lay upon the table nestled carefully amid a pile of papers and half-read books.

A fine layer of dust had settled on the wax seal, twinkling in the sunlight like the ground remains of a jewel.

His fingers twitched and reached out. The paper was soft and tempting under his fingertips.

“Oh dear, and you’ve been so good up until today!”

Cedric jumped out of the chair, hands clenching at his jolting heart, scales already peeking through his skin.

“Miranda! Do not do that!”

A great mass of spiky black hair blinked its four eyes languidly at him, and then burst into a cruel, raspy laugh.

He snarled at her with an intensity that would have had a human cowering, but only made her narrow her multitude of eyes to determine his seriousness. And upon doing so, she produced a thin line of gossamer from the alcove she’d been spying from and descended gracefully to the ground. Her form shimmered and in a span of a breath, gone was Beast and before him stood a waif of a girl, curtsying, though every muscle in her body exuded mockery.

“Lord Cedric,” she greeted. Her voice and body was soft and childish in sound and appearance, and yet, from their very first meeting Cedric possessed an acute awareness she was likely older than even his mother might have been.

“Miranda,” he greeted her curtly. One should respect their elders, but he was above her both in the foolish hierarchy humans arranged themselves in, and the natural order of their own kind.

“Do you have anything to report?”

“No.” She answered simply with a roll of her reduced eyes.

Cedric huffed, though he was hardly surprised. Miranda had a habit of lurking about him for no discernible reason. “Then why are you here?”

She gave a smirk. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Cedric did not answer her.

She was at his side a breath later, too close for decorum's sake, but he didn’t tense up until her fingers slid tauntingly across the table and laid delicately upon the ivory of the paper.

“What do you think will happen if we open it?” Her breath was a tickle in his ear.

He wondered if Miranda knew just how heavy that question was.

He’d received the letter two months after taking residence in WaveBreak. Two months before that he’d received a different letter between Torin Gulch and the Capital, delivered by a Royal courier on official paper, written in a servants hand, with an official seal, as if he were another servant in the Prince’s employ.

“Lord Cedric, you are ordered to take the Western Stronghold from the House of Lady Imelda. As a reward for your successful campaign I will grant you the regional capital of Wavebreak as your new seat. From there you will oversee trade between the West and the Capital evermore.”

-His Royal Highness Prince Phobos”

Perhaps, that should have stung. Certainly, it would have stung the Cedric of even a mere two days before the letter was set in his hand. Produced tears and rage or some other pitiful display of emotion. Instead, the shifter had signed, picked at a scab near his ribs and turned his troops in the opposite direction without fuss.

The ashes of Torin Gulch were heavy on his soldiers, the Prince’s biting words back at the castle even more so.

But he was no longer struggling under the weight of them.

A lifetime of servitude had left him blinded to reality. Made him a timid shell of what he’d been meant for. Oh, he’d felt glimpses of it before, in battle, after the nobles had revealed themselves as traitors, when he’d stood oh so, perilously close to the top of his Prince’s throne and looked down on those below him, and when he’d seize said Prince by the hips and had his way, however gently it had been, with him. And he’d pushed it away, afraid. Afraid and ashamed of what he was. But now? Now the truth had been laid bare with the bones of Torin Gulch. Now he, and everyone else, knew the truth of it with every haughty step further from the capital, with every broken bone, and village set to flame.

He’d not been made to be stepped on.

Not even by him.

The second letter had arrived as the blood was still being mopped up from the floors of his new castle. Delivered by Raythor who had been allowed to return to the capital, with a grim but seemingly sorrowful expression. The seal on the paper was one that was set on Phobos’ desk and was used exclusively for their personal correspondence, and this was addressed simply in the Prince’s elegant script.

Cedric.

Raythor had given him an uncomfortable little shrug upon handing it over, and said “His Highness said it explains everything.”

Cedric had sent him away with a snarl. And the letter remained unopened.

For as long as it did, the Prince of Meridian existed in a stasis in his mind. His everything, and nothing all at once. A god lurking in his black palace, untouchable, and a lover of whose flesh had quivered under his fingertips and drawn laughs from his breath.

Cedric pulled the letter deftly from the spider’s grasp.

“You know, interfering with royal correspondence can be met with the death penalty.”

Miranda chortled in delight at his not-quite threat.

“Do you not have anywhere else to be?”

“Do you want me to leave?”

Cedric was quiet for time, his eyes upon the paper.

“No.”

#my fics #Phobos x Cedric

[impossiblesuitcase]

K your requests are closed but you said you would accept my one. (Thks btw) This can take place anytime after the series (when cinder is on Luna, when they are engaged or married etc) basically the idea is that Kai starts getting extremely bad headaches one day. Like so bad that he has had to leave the room to go throw up from the pain, and is constantly zoning out etc. He doesn’t tell anyone cause he thinks he should be able to handle it. And then one day Torin is like “you know your dad had migraines too.” And he finally goes to the doctor for it. It’s mostly Kai and torin but you can certainly add as much Kaider as you want.

Elwin also received this prompt and wrote a fabulous fic. Make sure you read it!

Take What I'm Handed

My love

Hey love, feeling any better?

You

Not really

My love

:(

Hows your head?

You

Like the entire Rampion engine is firing in my skull.

My love

My poor sweetheart. 

Have you been working?

You

Not this morning. I’m trying to stay away from screens before my brain bleeds out

My love

Then voice comm me so you don’t have to look at the screen

You

I’m in a meeting

My love

Important?

You

Earthen Union

My love

So not important ;)

What’s it about

You

Hey there missy, since when are you entitled to know?

I seem to recall you abdicating the throne seven months ago

You can’t have your cake and eat it too

My love

I will eat all the cake I want :P

You

It’s for mandatory declaration of status as a lunar at international borders

My love

Ah

Vargas will like that

You

Of course. You know Americans

My love

We know one American and that’s enough

here let me prepare an answer for you

The greater issue to consider here is how this bill will be received by the provinces. The mandatory declaration of origin at international borders has traditionally been a residual power decided on a state by state basis. Adding Lunars into this heated issue does not change legislation. If we exclude the provinces from discussions in these mandates, it could be perceived as an aggressor.  

How did I go?

“Your Majesty.”

Kai startled, ripping burning eyes from his port to the holograph. 

A line of portraits floated before the conference room—world leaders and their cookie-cutter identical representatives. The speaker’s portrait was lit up, emblazoned with a United Kingdom; as if any breathing soul could even enter such a high-ranking meeting without knowing all present. 

All present were staring at him.

Releasing his port with a jolt—and a loud thud—Kai garbled a, “Pardon, Your Majesty?”

Queen Camilla’s pencilled eyebrow quirked. It was difficult to know what she really thought under that impeccable diplomatic visage, but Kai had been raised to speak that language. It could be:

It’s your turn (kind and prompting).

It’s your turn (desperate to be freed from this tedious meeting).

It’s your turn (speak, incompetent moron).

Judging by her pursed lips, Kai guessed it was a combination of those last two.

“We are awaiting your response,” she said plainly.

“Right,” he started, with absolutely no inkling of where his words should go. “My apologies. I trust this is referring to the, uh, the mandatory declaration of status as a Lunar at international borders?”

“Yes, it isin relation to the sole topic we’ve been discussing for the past hour,” intoned Governor-General Williams of Australia, near-glaring. Kai appreciated the bluntness.

“Thank you. I just wondered if…there was…a…specific point in this matter that you were referring to. So I can verify with my notes before contributing,” he lied, knowing he hadn’t intended to present anything in this meeting. He just hoped one of the other Commonwealth representatives—ones who were currently capable of breathing without their intestines tying around their lungs—had already spoken on his behalf. “The Eastern Commonwealth’s position remains unchanged.”

“Forgive me if I misspeak, but I do believe your country is yet to offer anything on this matter thus far,” Camilla observed, tone devoid of any request for forgiveness.

Ah, so option three: speak, incompetent moron.

“Th-that is correct, my sincerest apologies again. I was referring to our position as discussed in our private meetings”—(meetings he hadn’t attended, though he’d briefly skimmed over the minutes at breakfast that morning)—“and I mistakenly assumed we had already expressed those views today. Our stance is…is…”

His eyes fell to his port, fingers primed to race for those minutes when he saw Cinder’s last message on the split screen. 

His brain barely paused to screen them before the words tumbled from his mouth.

“The greater issue to consider here,” he recited haltingly, “is as to how this bill will be received by the provinces. The mandatory declaration of origin at international borders has traditionally been a residual power decided on a state-by-state basis.” Heart calming, he eased his tone, donning the veil of a well-rehearsed speech. “Folding Lunars into this inflammatory mix does not alter legislation. If we exclude the provinces from discussions in these mandates, it could be perceived as an aggressor.”

Mind clearer as the panic subsided, he looked up gravely, concluding, “I think we can all agree that after the cataclysmic ramifications of the war, none of us desire the possibility of internal insurgence.”

A crackle of static crossed the connection. All were voiceless.

Is this not what they’d been discussing? Is it obvious he hasn’t paid attention?

Then Camilla’s nose pinched, reminiscent of a teacher’s glower when they’d pick on an inattentive student, expecting floundering, only to receive the correct answer. Smarting over the rebuff, poor concealment to save face. Yet she wasn’t disagreeing. Nor did any of the others fire back some warmed-up-leftovers retort.

“That is…not something we’ve yet considered,” she conceded.

Stars bless his woman.

You

Thank you.

My love

You used it?

I tried my best to sound like you

You

It was a lifesaver.

Though I changed a few words.

My love

Which ones?

You

Heated is a bit general. I used inflammatory.

My love

Ooh ill add it to my ‘fancy politician speak’ list.

“And what does the EC propose we do to prevent seditious mentalities arising from the provinces?” asked Prime Minister Kamin of Africa after several points Kai hadn’t heeded to passed.

Autopilot. “Considering this matter concerns the provinces, should we not turn to the provinces? I suggest” —Stars he is just making this up as he goes—“we first hold counsel with the province representatives individually. With impartial moderators of course.” (Nice, that’ll make it sound fleshed out.) “Once the opinions of each province are compiled, we can adjourn again to find the best strategy moving forward.”

Don’t see it as a cop-out to end this meeting. Don’t see it as a cop-out to end this meeting. This totally a cop-out.

President Vargas of the American Republic cleared his throat. The person who had introduced this bill, the person with a propensity for dragging a meeting through sleeplessness, hunger, and absolute thirst until he got his way. Kai felt everyone brace for argument, but Vargas simply commented, “That seems to be the most logical plan for the time being,” Oh, thank you, loud American man.

“I agree,” said Grand Minister Clay of Luna, always kindly looking even with the grimmest of subjects. He had been noticeably quiet this meeting; understandably, as he had held this position for less than a year and the Union were still not in the practise of including Luna in debates about Luna. “Luna only wants its citizens to interact with yours in peaceful, harmonious relations. We will do all we can from our side of the atmosphere to accommodate these adjustments in what is, as we recognise, an incendiary issue.”

A murmur of polite agreement. Good. Everyone’s happy. The end. Now. Please.

My love

Finished?

You

I wish.

Incendiary. From Jacin’s dad.

My love

adding some flavour. It makes the list.

谢谢

You

‘You’re welcome’ in Mandarin

My love

You’re too tired to type it out? You are sick

Here

不客气 

You

不客气

Thanks

My love

Have you eaten yet?

You

Yeah. I threw up ten minutes later.

My love

Get some water into you and go to bed after youre done

You

Can’t. I’ve got two more meetings

My love

No you dont. Go to bed

You

I might feel better by then

My love

Kaito

You

I’ll rest before then

Promise

———

He didn’t rest.

Kai trudged to his office, feet clawing on the carpet. His shoes were sure to be scuffed. That was all right; maybe he could throw one against his temple to knock himself out of his misery. 

The meeting had ended later than scheduled, as per usual. Then when the connections beeped out, his own staff had turned to him with ready-made speeches for the meeting after the meeting. It was terribly impolite how he’d blown them off and stumbled out to the hallway.

It was also terribly hard to care.

His hand skimmed the wall as he turned a corner. Eyes resolutely closed, he had never been so glad to live in this palace his whole life, for he knew the path just by sense. His stomach was roiling yet ravenous.

Four more steps, instinct reminded him.

Cold hands grazed a door frame. Kai fumbled, eyes still sealed, until he found the scanner and flashed his wrist, waiting for the whoosh of the sliding door.

Silence.

He flashed his wrist again.

One, two, three seconds.

Hailing a thousand planets’ worth of strength, he forced his eyes open. Kai centred his wrist where the scanner’s electronic beam should lie. Except there was none. 

“Wha—”

“It’s locked.”

He jerked and spun to the voice, surprised to be surprised to see his adviser seated in an armchair by the window. Of course—Torin had been at the Union meeting. And now he was here for the next meeting, to be held in precisely thirty-four minutes. 

“Well,” he spoke, tongue iron in his mouth. “Can…can we unlock it?”

“No.”

“…No?”

“I locked it, Your Majesty.”

Kai smacked his lips, hand still hovering beneath the scanner. It took a significantly long moment before he uttered, “...Why?”

Torin abruptly stood, brushed down his suit and approached him. His mouth was set in a fine line, eyes enigmatic black. Kai momentarily felt that he should be bowing to this man as his superior, not the other way around.

His adviser procured something from his suit pocket, folding Kai’s fingers around it. A small silver flask, cool to the touch.

Kai held it. Stared at it dumbly.

“Ahem.”

Fingers waking under the discipline, he quickly untwisted the cap and brought the flask to his nose. He gave a cautionary sniff to scan for anything deadly—coffee would surely murder him. Finding it scentless, he drank. Water. He drank, drank, drank.

Once the flask was drained, Torin pulled it back to his possession. “This way,” he said, extending a hand towards the corridor.

Kai’s budding question died as Torin began striding away. His office door sung out to him—promising escape, promising rest. 

He could cancel that meeting. He could just not show.

But it was important. It was always so important. The mere fact that his country was still his and united and free was not to be understated.

He would take what he was handed. The burden, no, the responsibility that had been bestowed.

Three corridors in, no explanation had been offered. The hope that he was being led to his quarters was quashed on the cross-path to the sixteenth floor, where Torin diverted to the left. From the corner of his periphery, Kai noticed Torin studying him with a strong expression.

Great. He’s probably here to toss me a pack of painkillers, a ‘toughen up’ pep talk and force me into the meeting early.

Rather than do any of those things, Torin proffered him a pair of sunglasses. “Shield your eyes.”

He was frighteningly prepared. Slipping them on, Kai began blinking rapidly as the hallway was sucked of light. The sting behind his irises soothed. It did help. But his brain was still bleeding out of his ears, and every step, no matter how delicate, sent a throb up his spine. “Torin, I don’t think I can—”

“Just a moment, Kai.”

Kai was gently steered into a door that he had never noticed before, despite having walked this path countless times. Once inside, and only once he processed that they’d stopped walking, he realised it was an elevator. Not like the other elevators in the palace with their polished mahogany and dragon emblems and Edo period landscapes as the wallpaper. This was a plain stainless steel. It didn’t even have an android standing by.

“This is a servant’s elevator,” Torin supplied, expecting the curiosity. “It is a more direct route to our destination. I also believed you’d find the fewer guards along this path preferable.”

Yes. The less people who saw him like this, the better.

A disorientating swoop landed in his belly as they descended five floors. Ten. Thirteen. Then, the doors whished apart—with Kai’s genuine gasp—to blue, blue skies.

The cold hit his bones like a shockwave. The sunshine hit his skin like a prayer.

They trickled out of the lift into the immaculate paradise of the Imperial Palace Gardens. The buds were in bloom, the grass wet and dewy. Birds larked happily—the sound too beautiful to be bothersome to tired ears. Kai gaped in the wonder as they walked this unknown path, ignoring the complaints from his aching temples.

When was the last time he’d been out here?

A chilly afternoon drifted before him, the last before Cinder had left for another ambassadorial stint. They’d had a picnic lunch under the willow tree on the east side of the garden. The leaves were brown and wilting. Cinder had cosied up to him to fight the crisp wind and sprinkled bark in his hair.

Winter.

He hadn’t been outside in a whole season.

“Kai,” called a calm voice. Torin was gesturing to a shady hollow amongst shrubs and trees. Slivers of sunlight flickered and shone down upon plush grass and foxglove blooms and pussy willows. In the centre of the flora was a wooden pavilion.

Torin brushed past him to set up the pillows already resting there. He patted the deck invitingly.

Kai didn’t need to be told twice. Shucking off his suit jacket and tossing it aside, he collapsed onto his back. His tendons groaned at the unforgiving mattress of wood, but Kai didn’t care. He was as content as a cooing baby in a cot.

The pavilion was small, but enough to accommodate all of Kai’s five feet and eleven inches. He gulped in the sweet scent of jasmine and breathed with the beats of the wind whistling through hollyhocks. Time passed; something vaguely prodded at him, badgering on about being back on time for his meetings.

Eh, Torin can force me back inside when he must.

At least, he assumed Torin had stayed. He was yet to hear the rustle of a wool suit and departing footsteps, though he doubted his woozy mind would notice.

Throat dry and hoarse, he tested, “How’d you know about this place?”

Birds chirped in response. Wind added its opinion. But no voice of his adviser.

He’d left.

But then, softly: “You are certainly not the first to struggle with the pressures of palace life.”

“Are you implying you’ve had moments of inability? You?” Kai laughed, rubbing his eyes. “Don’t joke, Torin.”

“I’m sure it is a great shock to you.” The response was more humoured than he’d heard in a while. The last time Torin had allowed such openness had been early in Cinder’s reign, when he’d informed her that she was not in fact bowing to the prince and princess of the United Kingdom, but the delivery florists.

(Kai didn’t think he’d laughed so hard since.)

“I am not as indestructible or unperturbed as I exert myself to appear, Kai. Nor should you have to be.”

Cracking open an eye, Kai glanced weakly at him. The perpetual frown was as present as if it were carved out of marble. Yet the slightest glimmer in his outstretched gaze warmed the stone.

“This place belonged to your father.” His voice assumed a warm, reminiscent timbre. “He and his father —your grandfather—built it together during one of Rikan’s school holidays. In later years, Rikan would come here when he required a reprieve from the necessities demanded of an emperor.”

Kai smiled at the thought of his father and grandfather together, working on a project—an idyllic image of bonding. His grandfather had died when Kai was too young to remember him, making Rikan a very young emperor. Kai had since claimed that record. His grandmother had died his last year of high school. As for his mother, her family originated from Japan and still lived there. None of them had ever been fond of his mother’s decision to marry a prince, so while his maternal grandparents sent gifts every year, they’d only promised to come visit to officially meet their granddaughter-in-law-to-be. “Why didn’t dad ever take me here?” he wondered aloud. “If he’d made it with Zǔfù…”

“Rikan was a good father. But he was also a young, troubled widower.” A sigh. “He came here to relieve those frustrations. He only ever wanted to give you the best of him; perhaps that’s why he did not bring you.”

A brown leaf blew in from the wind, a remnant from winter. Torin caught it in mid-air, crumpling it in his fist.

Kai recalled many things after his mother’s death, but the image of dad crying was obscured. The months following, Rikan had devoted himself to time with his son; outings, ice creams and bike rides, hugs and hot milk before bedtime. Kai had wondered at the time if his dad was a superhero, because he seemed to handle the pain that was suffocating Kai with such ease. Now older, a well-acquainted unwilling friend of grief, Kai guessed those tears had been shed into his mother’s pillow at night.

“He always did,” Kai confirmed, turning to his side. The breeze kissed his chin. “I wish he were here.” I wish he’d cried with me. I wish he’d let me see that it was okay.

“As do I.”

His eyes fluttered as he breathed, thinking of Cinder. More and more as he aged, he understood what his father felt when his mother died. To lose Cinder…he feared the person he would become. She was everything to him. She was everything that helped him stay him. For his father to smile and endure and lead the nation with conviction proved yet again that Rikan was a far greater man than himself.

“He was much stronger than me.”

“That is hardly true,” Torin reprimanded coldly.

A chuckle bubbled in Kai’s throat, the image of a young prince being scolded by a tall, stern-faced adviser flitting by his memories.

“Don’t laugh. Your father would not want you to believe him an infallible saint.”

“Sorry, sir.”

He exhaled loudly through his nostrils, an eye roll in Konn Torin language. “Your father struggled just as any person under such conditions would.”

“Yeah, he struggled. Me, I collapse.”

 A scoff. “Do you know what would happen when you father struggled?”

“No.”

“He would develop migraines.”

Kai froze. A pointed look was aimed his way.

“Anxiety is normal. It’s healthy, in a way. It motivates you to do things well, knowing their negative results if you do not. But worrying about the anxiety, overexerting yourself in hopes of pre-empting that anxiety…”

He didn’t need to finish. Kai knew he was doing better than the eighteen-year-old orphan who had just lost his father and inherited half the world. But vast experience two more years did not make.

“You deserve respite, Kai. Do not be ashamed to take it.” Torin hesitated, an uncommon sight. “I…I won’t always be here to tell you to take care of yourself.”

A smile curled over dry lips. “Soon I’ll have an empress to do that.”

“Indeed. Still I am certain your fiancée would not want you to be overworking yourself as you are now.”

She doesn’t.

Torin opened his hand. The leaf he had claimed was now no more than a pile of brown ashes. Closing his eyes meditatively, succumbing to the cadence of the breeze, Torin seemed to be waiting. Trees kindly lowered their branches, inviting any wandering travellers to pass through.

Torin was patient. A burst of wind whistled overhead and at its loudest, he tossed the crumbs. Each piece scattered through the current, dancing a pas de deux in the exhilaration of freedom, and then they were gone.

Torin held out his empty palm. “You should always have someone you can lean upon when you struggle, Kai. But you must learn to stand up on your own.”

Planting his hands on the deck, Kai took a breath. He heaved himself upwards.

He took Torin’s hand. 

A fatherly smile, a tired smile, in tandem.

“Thank you,” said Kai.

Torin’s wrinkles creased back into that hard-set indifference. I’m proud of you, in Konn Torin language. He patted Kai’s knee. “I have postponed your meetings for today. Your office will unlock in three hours.”

“It’ll be the end of the workday by then,” Kai contested, laying back atop the pillow.

“Oh. What a shame.”

“Sarcasm?” A yawn as the suitcoat was tucked against his chest. “Cinder’s rubbing off on you.”

“We could all use a touch of her fiery spirit now and turn.”

Maybe. But right now, Kai just wanted Cinder’s icy calmness, when she’d kiss his head and pull him in her arms. Determination and drive could wait for tomorrow.

His head throbbed a quieter drumbeat, syncopated by the footsteps that clipped away on the pebbles. Kai let his face muscles slack, his mind slip away, exhaustion excusing the lack of goodbye.

Something startled him from sleep.

He mumbled incoherently, rising on instinct and squinting at the silhouetted figure.

Torin put a hand to Kai’s chest, easing him back to the deck. “Easy there,” he soothed. He nestled something by Kai’s hip.

Blearily, Kai found the flask from before, refilled. A strip of medicine lay beside it.

“You have an appointment booked with Doctor Li at 13:00 tomorrow if you wish to attend.” A final smile. “Get some rest, Kai.”

There was the goodbye.

“Thanks Torin,” he called distantly with a slow wave, eyes drooping like sleepy autumn buds.

The sounds surrounding him were numerous and beautiful. Before he’d wished to be in the void of space for blessed silence; now he dreaded it. This lulled him like his mother’s voice and his father’s low laugh and Cinder’s humming.

He would take what he was handed. The compassion, the love, the promise of endurance.

Rest he would.

———

You

Did you sic Torin on me?

My love

Let me check the controlling every aspect of Kai’s life group chat

Nope i haven’t commed in a week

You

-_-

My love

Did he make you sleep

You

Yeah

My love

That’s great

He’s a good guy

I actually thought about comming him

But I kinda figured he’d be looking out for you anyway

You

I love you Cinder. You’re my whole world

My love

Sap

(Same)

Go to bed, handsome

You

<3

@cindersassasin @hayleblackburn @spherical-empirical @salt-warrior @just2bubbly @gingerale2017 @zephyr-thedragon @icarusignite @kaider-is-my-otp @slmkaider @luna-maximoff-22 @cosmicnovaflare @kaixiety @snozkat @mirrorballsss @skinwitch18 @vincentvangothic @bakergirl13 @zsysartsandfics

why was this so easy to write yet so difficult to edit? Also I will probably go through and fix this again because I just wanted it out of my drafts. Okay byyyeeee!

#tlc #kaider #the lunar chronicles #lunar chronicles #linh cinder #emperor kaito #prince kai #tlc fandom #lunar chronicles fanficition #kaider fanfiction #konn torin #emperor kai #yes the title is from pressure from encanto #I COULDNT THINK OF A TITLE OKAY #but i know this song is perfect for him

[fereldanwench]

Questions for Writers

I was tagged by @corpocyborg! Thank you, bb!! ♡

Last book I read: I still haven't finished There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job Kikuko Tsumura I started back in January, lmao. Not for any reason other than I just haven't been in the right headspace to sit down and read for the past few months--What I have read of it is great, so hopefully, I can make the time to pick it up again.

Greatest literary inspirations: I like the female protags in Karin Slaughter novels, and I love Tanya Huff's Torin Kerr from her Confederation series--I'm sure they've inspired me on some level. Oh, and Phedre from Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel books, too, although it's been ages since I read those. But I think most of my inspiration actually comes from other forms of media. I love the action babes of the late 90s/early 00s: Lara Croft is the number one inspo here, and pretty much all of Michael Turner's comic girls but especially Sara from Witchblade. And I think Better Call Saul is easily one of the best-written shows ever made--That's one I always go back to when I feel like I need to refill the inspo well.

Things in my current fandoms I want to read but I don't want to write: I have a confession: I usually only read a ton of fic when I first get into a fandom and I can't get enough and I just want to soak it all up, but after a certain point, I just don't have a lot of headspace for other people's stories. 😬 I feel bad about it sometimes, and it's not like I never read anything after that point, but 90% of the time, what I wanna write is what I wanna read. It's kind of a closed loop, I guess.

Things in my current fandoms I want to write but I think nobody would be interested in them but me: Well, I'm not at all deterred by being the only person interested in something I write, haha. One of my favorite one-shots I've ever written is between my Cousland and Hawke meeting briefly at Ostagar, and it's probably my least popular fic on AO3 by a big margin. But I do like deep-diving into my own OCs, and it generally is harder to get an audience for fic that doesn't have canon characters. Ain't gonna stop me, though!

You can recognize my writing by: Lots of pining and banter; obvious thesaurus abuse

My most controversial take (current fandom): Yeah, no, not gonna be sharing my actual most controversial takes, lmao.

But I do also love the Devil ending! I don't think there's one objectively "best" ending--What's good for one V isn't necessarily good for another--But for my Valerie, it suited her story the best. I love the poetry of her going back to Arasaka after getting fired by them, I love storming Arasaka Tower with Goro, I love the conflict with Johnny, I love making Goro confront how fucked up the Arasakas are, I love the possibilities of Mikoshi--The only way it would have been better for me is if this nixed idea had actually been put into action.

And I wish we could roleplay a V that is actually more "pro"-corpo in the game, especially if we had the corpo lifepath. Sticking it to the man is sexy and all, but I just love delving into characters that align themselves with shitty institutions and exploring different motivations (I personally like cynical pragmatism/self-preservation and delusional idealism) that lead a person there.

Top three favorite tropes: 1) Rivals to friends to lovers 2) Mutual pining 3) Forced proximity

What’s your current writing mood (10 – super motivated and churning out words like crazy, 0 – in a complete rut): Like, 0.5, lmao. I've been rereading and organizing my WIPS, so there's some effort being put in there, but I'm very much in one of my "ummmm, how do I even write fiction?" phases.

Share a random frustration: I have ZERO discipline when it comes to writing. I need to be in a fully feral, totally isolated from distractions place or I just can't get shit done. When I'm in the zone, I'm in the fuckin' zone, but I get like 3 months of that every 5 years, lmao.

Tagging (with no pressure, as always) @ur-friendly-nbhd-cardassian, @dread-red-queen, @vorchagirl, and @aceghosts <333

#t: wench.txt #tumblr: dash games

[whumpsday]

Whumpmas in July #7

Post a link to your favorite whump fic of all time (or reblog it and/or make a list of them!)

you know me... i love lists, so here my top 10 favorite whump series of all time! limiting myself to 10 was sooo hard but if i didn't i'd be here all night.

🪆 Dollhouse by @whumpshaped - Being obsessed with dolls at a young age isn't anything harmful or concerning. The problems only start to show when that obsession stays, only growing stronger instead of slowly fading away. Grace never quite managed to give up on the dream of her very own dollhouse - with the perfect, living dolls to go along with it. (multiple whumpees, body modification, nonconsensual surgery, drugging, starvation)

🦹 Hazeshift by @whumpwillow - A villain named Haze is rescued after having been held captive by a vigilante, but the heroes that find him aren’t exactly forgiving of his past crimes… (whumper turned whumpee, whumpee turned whumper, villain whumpee, hero caretaker and whumpers, torture, magic/powers whump)

🌓 Magnanimous Moonrise & Savage Sunset by @not-a-space-alien - Valen is a vampire on a mission…one which unfortunately puts him at odds with vampire hunters, who aren't happy about such a creature being so deep within their territory. Alexis and Ariana are partners and vampire hunters, trying to protect as many people as they can from the horrors of a world where vampires see humans as cattle, fair game for being snatched up and taken home as food. (vampire whumpee, lab whump, torture, recovery, contains 18+ content)

⚔️ Of Vampires and Men by @whumpy-writings - For years, the vampire nations of Lucia and Torin have lived in an uneasy peace. That all changed when Lucia annexed the independent city-state of Cesvic. Now, war is looming on the horizon and no one is safe. (vampire whumpers, vampire caretakers, vampire & human whumpees, war, dystopia, contains 18+ content)

🚀 Riot Kings by @befuddled-calico-whump - An overthrown crime lord is finally captured by his enemies--after he’s been thoroughly broken by someone far more dangerous than him. (sci-fi, war, villain whumpee, torture, webcomic)

👑 The Dark Side of the Sun by @quietly-by-myself - (this one didn't have an official summary so i'm writing a fan-summary) Cassius's work as an alchemist comes to an end when he's captured by the king of the tainted, kept to be tortured for his amusement as punishment for his wrongs. Hakon, who now loyally serves the king after being taken in following the brutal torture Cassius put him through in the name of science, has to decide whether he's willing to help his former tormenter now that the tables have turned. (whumper turned whumpee, whumpee turned caretaker, fantasy, magical whump, completed)

🐺 The Monster of Lindborough by @secretwhumplair - A werewolf caught stealing sheep is made to pay by their owners, regardless of the fact he never meant harm. (werewolf whumpee, whumper turned caretaker, found family, overwork, completed)

🧛 Things End | People Change by @whumpcloud - Clary Nikitin has been free for four years. She's doing okay. But she's angry. And when she hears that her kidnapper, vampire Vincent Maddox, has been captured, she isn't going to pass up the chance to see just how pathetic he's become. She didn't expect to take him with her. But what's the point of taking revenge if he's begging her to do it? (vampire whumper/whumpee, whumper turned whumpee, whumpee turned caretaker)

🏡 Tomas and Rowe by @whumpzone - (this one also didn't have an official summary so i am writing a fan-summary) Tomas has his work cut out for him when he takes in a traumatized human pet. As much as he tries, Rowe never stops being afraid. Little does he know, dark things are happening in his house when he leaves. (pet whump, dystopia, secret whumper, recovery, sadistic whumper, completed)

@whumpmasinjuly

#whumpmasinjuly2023 #wij23day7

[oceanspray5]

Been obsessed with Beth Crowley's Midnight for Kaider but another song I have on loop atm is Porter Robinson's Everything Goes On. I don't even play LoL and barely know what Star Guardian is but I'd be lying if the story between Xayah and Rakan didn't have me intrigued. So now ofc it has me thinking of a Kaider AU along those lines. Not exactly sure how it'd work but maybe:

Channary gets to live a few extra years. Manages to get a marriage alliance proposition agreed to with King Rikan and hence Kaider grow up visiting each other on Earth and Luna more or less ala @impossiblesuitcase's fic.

Except Channary does die eventually and Cinder isn't old enough for the throne yet so Levana steps in. For this to work maybe the throne passes on to the heir on their 18-21st birthday?

Everyone thinks Levana killed Channary (she didn't) but everyone knows she's going to kill Cinder. Her days are numbered and she knows it despite Kai's vehement denial. I imagine they'd be around 14-16 here?

Except Cinder does end up "dead" in a fire. In a more plot heavy version of the headcanon, perhaps Levana implies Earthens brought the matches and killed Cinder and vows to "avenge" her neice unless she gets reparations. But even if we avoid this whole plotline, Levana does try and pass it off as Cinder dying in a fire.

Earth and Luna mourn and Kai is inconsolable except he refuses to believe he's dead. He grabs on to the slightest sliver of a rumor and holds on to it like its his lifeline. He throws himself into investigating it, discreetly when eventually Torin and his dad and the royal therapist force him to put an end to it.

In this version Cinder doesn't end up in a healing stasis for quite as long. Perhaps a year or two at most. When she wakes up, shes a cyborg and has immense memory loss from the trauma. Garan adopts her, gets Letumosis and dies. Adri and Pearl are their witchy selves. Peony and Iko remain angels.

So you have the setup:

Prince Kai of the Eastern Commonwealth sneaking into New Beijing because Nainsi broke right before he had the conclusive proof he needed to show his dad and Torin that his Selene was alive. At this point everyone in the Commonwealth seems to think Kai is in a deep grief he'll never recover from and atp everyone's wondering if Prince Kai will ever find himself a bride now that he's 20 and still hung up on his childhood love. Its that pity and condescention that only infuriates Kai more so he keeps searching.

He ends up at the budding yet already renowned mechanic Linh Cinder's booth. Kai sees her and does a double take, afraid he's seen a ghost. He could cry because if he's not mistaken, the girl in front of him is his Selene. Except Selene doesn't recognize him. Doesn't know who he is besides the Crown Prince despite his extremely efficient disguise comprising of one inconspicuous hoodie.

She's so different now too. Her fine silks and once shiny hair is now replaced with cargo pants and a grease stained shirt, her hair dull in its luster and sheen now. She has a grease splotch on her forehead that Kai yearns to wipe from her brow but restrains himself. She's just as beautiful as the day he lost her, maybe even more so. But a doubt does creep in for a second...

Maybe he has it all wrong. Maybe she's just a doppleganger. How and why would Selene even be working as a mechanic in the Beijing market instead of coming to him for help or telling the world she's alive? How did she survive the fire even though in his heart he always knew she did. He needs some proof for this too. It's a testament to how not insane he is from his grief at losing the love of his life that he restrains himself from bursting from all these questions and overwhelming her with his grief and affection. Take that Dad! Take that Torin and Royal Therapist!

So Kai swallows down his words and the lump in his throat and the urge to burst into tears and tells Cinder what's wrong with Nainsi and asks her how long it'll take for the problem to be fixed. In that brief interval Kai manages to count at least 10 different ticks that endeared Selene to him. He's memorized every single one since they were kids. He knows this is his missing princess.

He doesn't know why Selene doesn't remember him and it is soul-crushing to know she's right in front of him but he can't do anything about it. He needs to get her to remember or at least gain her trust and friendship long enough that he can break the news of her origins to her gently. Her memory loss runs deep and he doesn't want to freak her out even if that would be the fastest way to laying it all out in the open. But Kai is tactful and shows restraint.

Instead, he ends up showing up to her booth regularly to jog her memory and tries to aski her out repeatedly to the Annual Peace Ball. He hopes if she shows up then it'll help her remember the countless times they spent together at them. Maybe he could sneak her away and show her her old room which Kai had insisted be kept exactly as it was left before she "died". He can't help some affection slipping past the cracks like the fond way he looks at her and the smile he's only ever saved for her.

In summary: if he thought this would freak Cinder out less... He failed.

But Cinder does keep getting random bursts of memories. Sometimes through nightmares. Sometimes through dreams of another life. Of a rather insane mother who doted on her and a charming boy who's love shone in his eyes and gentle touch. She doesn't understand why he looks like Kai and keeps dismissing it as fantasies she's always longed for combined with the exhaustion of Adri's chores. Kai would never like her if he knew she was a cyborg. She has no intention of getting her hopes up.

So Kai keeps wooing Cinder and Cinder keeps unintentionally suppressing her memories or dismissing them, certain Kai's rambling stories about his childhood with the deceased Lunar princess Selene are affecting her sleep.

Now eventually when Cinder gets her memories back it could go one of two ways:

She tells him because it's Kai and her heart bursts with love at how intensely he held on to the trust that she's alive and kept trying to revive her memories.

OR (and my personal favorite cuz angst)

She has the same feelings as in option 1 but is too scared that she'll put him in danger knowing what Levana did to her but also more than that, she's internalized Adri's words so much and the way society treats cyborgs that she's certain Kai would never love her now that she's no longer fully human and has even seemed to have lost her Lunar glamour that may have been able to hide the imperfection of her extremities otherwise that would have made her tolerable to Kai after her little accident in the fire.

So Kai continues to woo his lost princess turned mechanic, more in love with her than ever, new quirks and imperfections and all while Cinder has a daily meltdown about how badly she wants to kiss Kai but also about how badly that would end once he finds out what she's become.

In this AU, Rikan does not die cuz I need Kai stress free so he can continue his shenanigans. Peony also does not die because the only angst we need is Cinder being overly critical of herself and Kai's pained longing to have the love of his life back.

Idk how the rest of the Rampion crew would play into this cuz admittedly I just wanted an angsty Kaider situation where Kai has to save Cinder from herself like Xayah has to for Rakan in the Everything Goes On MV.

Any further suggestions for this AU welcome! Also if someone wants to write it then be my guest and do tag me cuz I am in too much of a writing slump these days to do so myself.

#the lunar chronicles #tlc #emperor kaito #prince kai #kaider #linh cinder #cinder x kai #kai x cinder #rampion crew #kaider au #channary blackburn #levana Blackburn #princess selene blackburn #emperor kai

[deathsweetblossoms]

My Blonde Exceptions:

Peeta Mellark, obviously

Alex Nislen (People We Meet on Vacation)

Torin Tamerlaine (A River Enchanted)

Wendell Brambleby (Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Fairies)

Westley (Princess Bride)

Draco Malfoy (the way y’all are writing him in some of these fics, jfc)

Jacks (Once Upon a Broken Heart, but I’ve not finished the books so the evidence is inconclusive atm)

Legolas

#just who do I think I am making this post when all of my exes are blondes hahaha #blonde exceptions

[salt-warrior]

I have a hurt/comfort type fic request in mind but it’s mostly Kai and torin not Kaider (tho you could add Kaider if you wanted😏) is that ok?

Please send it! I've written so much kaider in my days that I honestly would love to mix it up—especially with more of the familial/platonic requests so send them in!

#anon i love you #thanks for asking<3

[just2bubbly]

Happy Fussings!

Masterlist

Summary: Cinder getting anxious over meeting Torin and his family over a lunch date, Kai being the unhelping but cute partner like always.

Ship: Kaider

Words: 1k

Genre: Fluff (mostly?)

A/N: Suho is an OC, here Torin's husband.

Cinder's Perspective:

"I can see the worry lines on your face," he jested.

"Cause I'm tremendously worried," she replied, no attempt to hide her said worry lines.

"Chill-," he muttered and before he could continue, she had turned around in her seat and glared at him promptly asking him to shut up which he effectively did.

"You have seen him so many times and not to mention you know Torin. I don't even know what you are worried about," he pointed out.

"Easy for you to say, I don't want them to hate me."

"Cinder, c'mon you are worried over a possibility that is as impossible as you being a queen again."

"I don't want to talk to you," she fumed and launched herself into the pile at her desk. Her willpower didn't maintain the charade for a long time as she voiced herself again.

"It feels like I'm meeting your parents and I have multiple expectations to fulfil," she explained.

"Cinder you met them multiple times."

"But never as your fiancee and never on a lunch date invitation."

"I don't see how it changes anything."

"Imagine you had to see my mum and seek her approval for marriage."

"I think the comparison of Torin's family to your mother is a little cruel, Cin. No offence but I think Torin will take offence there."

"Kai," she chided "I'm saying imagine."

"Well, my creative mind says that I would be more scared for my life rather than seeking a good rating from your mother."

Her mother, Queen Channary wasn't a just ruler nor was she much benevolent in person, Cinder had to admit comparing her mother to Torin was an inept scale.

"Still, you would be nervous about meeting my mother and I'm nervous about meeting your family too."

"Cinder, you're hyperventilating. It's better if you calm down, crack puns that make only Lili laugh, laugh at all of Torin's stories and speak nice about the food that's cooked and you shall get good acceptance."

"Not funny Kai."

"You don't even take criticism. All my advice is wasted on deaf ear," he grinned, mockingly shedding tears of irony.

She thought to herself for a while, scrolling through her feed to apprehend how she could be a polite guest. Honestly, she was extremely worried. She had Torin and Suho to impress, their daughters were already impressed by her so that was one point. Torin was still hostile towards her when she spoke against Kai's ideas but he had grown on her.

The real deal however was Suho- he adored Kai and Kai looked up to him far more than Torin in comparison. She couldn't deny how Kai had practically been raised in their household only to stop spending so much time when his lessons increased after his mother's death. She couldn't overstep their made-up family by just bombarding on their peace.

"Shall we buy them something?" she asked.

"That is a fine idea but keep it minimalistic. Suho doesn't like grand gestures of wealth and Torin doesn't like what Suho doesn't like."

There he goes making her feel like the outsider she thinks she is.

"Just flowers?"

"You could do better Cinder, we are the royalty."

"You said no wealth."

"But some wealth is okay."

"Says the Emperor who owns the state treasury."

"It's the state's treasury"

"You said minimalistic."

"I didn't say flowers either."

"Flowers are minimalistic."

"I mean not that minimalistic."

"Then you tell me what we should gift?"

"Maybe a painting," he suggested.

"Who is being minimalistic right now?"

"A painting isn't expensive," he said in his defence.

"Says the Emperor."

"We will buy an inexpensive one then."

"But it shouldn't look like we bought gifts 'cause we had to."

"Holograph photobook?"

"I think it is too elaborate. You could do that the next time you visit."

"What if there's no next time since they don't like me enough the first time?"

"Well you are going to be there, you are going to be wife. I refuse to not take my wife everywhere with me."

"You know if cybernetics would fail me right now, I would be blushing."

"Oh, thank you for the appreciation, my lovely fiancee." He said, a cheeky smile hiding the pale hue of pink on his flushed cheeks. She chuckled, Kai was very charming with the least of effort.

"Can't you give me some better insight than Suho Liking minimalistic things?"

"I don't know- I have never gifted him anything and they didn't gift me anything. I was the next in line, there is very little that a crown prince might not have and be gifted," He mentioned with little cheer in his voice, a gloom rather evident.

She might have consoled him but some things were better undiscussed than talked over with impending concern.

She understood his lack of gifting- Cinder herself was too poor to gift someone and too worthless to be gifted anything, Kai on the other hand was very rich to be gifted anything he couldn't have.

"Still, I want him to like me like he adores you."

"He doesn't adore me", he retorted laughing.

"He does and you absolutely love it."

"Well what can I say, everyone loves a decent fellow!"

"Oh, decent fellow would you enlighten us about all the magic you cast on your loved ones?"

"You should tell me the answer for that one darling."

Kai really might make her blush someday if machines could malfunction.

The knock on the door saved her from answering something witty enough.

"Your Majesty-"

"No need for formalities, Torin. No one here but for Cinder." He reminded Torin for the umpteenth time.

Before she could think over the idea she blurted, "I'd some favours from you, Torin. Before you announce the work you have brought, can I just ask a few questions?"

Kai eyed her sidewards, while Torin did little to hide his surprise.

"Yes Cinder-Daren, you may."

Kai shook his head, knowing exactly what she was about to do, "Take a seat, Torin, something tells me this might be a long afternoon and hand over the file, Id make the changes while you two go on."

__

A/N: All done for today, quite short but had it in my drafts for years now. Also not me trying to bring Torin in every fic I write ;)

Besides finally writing my something outside of angst, so leave some kudos!

Tagging: @cinderswrench @gingerale2017 @shellyseashell @kaider-is-my-otp @linhcinder686 @kaiderforever  @slmkaider @salt-warrior @cindersassasin @impossiblesuitcase @deprivedmusicaljunkie @cosmicnovaflare @ikosburneraccount @mirrorballsss @fangirlforever0704

#just2bubbly writes #just2bubbly fics #kaider #fanfiction #happy fussing #konn torin #kaito #cinder linh #selene blackburn #tlc #the lunar chronicles #marissa meyer #ocs #post winter fics #cinder

[shingansoul]

Lead Me In a Waltz (Kyoryuger fic)

Summary:

A man displaced, a time lost, comrades lost and somehow never quite had in earnest, a golden hued responsibility. A man found, a new time to find himself in, comrades made and now actual friends he isnt used to having, but the same old responsibility.

How much of Utsusemimaru is allowed to be out in the open when his new friends are trying so hard to welcome him? And how much of his fretting is over nothing when his friends just want him as he is, with all that entails.

To read on AO3, follow the link below. To read here, continue past the read more!

“Your lord is your lord, I am me. I am not your lord, I’m King!”

He said it like it was so easy, like a few words with conviction would completely change the heart of a man that’s held onto an image for over 400 years. Oh if only it were so… Even right now, Utsusemimaru could see it all so vividly, as if nothing had changed in all that time. As if right now were another night of celebration after day’s hard fighting out on the battlefield, blood dried in flecks across his cheeks and clothes but his smile came easy with the company he kept.

Unless directly requested by his daimyo to be at hand, he would usually take to sitting out on one of the wooden steps or at the lip of the porch facing the surrounding forests of their land that seemed to cradle their village away from the fighting he spent so much of his short life entrenched in. A little paradise made of farmer’s fair and small shared houses built in a group effort of everyone even the Daimyo himself to secure the timber and straw into a usable structure. He would take a tokkuri of sake for himself and maybe some kibi dango or even some of those sweeter rice cakes with red bean filling or the occasional fruit paste inside if they did exceptionally well or were sent spoils from neighboring allies. 

He would just happily keep to himself and look to the moon and the stars shining down above them, the wind warmed by summer even as it breezed against his skin and through his hair. These were the moments he fought for; having been taken in from wandering with nothing to getting to fight and be trusted with a home, a reason to go on in his Daimyo, a place of peace he was allowed to partake in with welcome. After the first year or so of fighting under Iwaizumi-dono, his fellow samurai had mostly stopped trying to pull him back inside for proper festivities and settled for offering a smile or wave with the odd drunken comment, knowing he meant well but their efforts would be wasted.

In the later years, when the fight against the Deboth army had begun and his fighting had taken on yet more responsibility and weight, Torin would sometimes join him in the moonlight air like this. They’d silently pass between them the tokkuri of sake and simply enjoy the company and occasional gentle touch; a hand overtop claw, wing wrapped around shoulders to keep the other warmer in the cooling air of the harsher months. When battles were harder, and losses greater, sometimes he’d even allow the respite of pressing his cheek into the other’s shoulder to just let his weight be held by someone else just for a little while. But in the early years as he had more commonly come to dwell on like this, it was always those tell tale footsteps on wood. Heavy footfalls but uneven as their owner more likely had hopped or jumped between steps than strode properly like his station would befit, just so he could come out to Utsusemimaru’s company.

He was a stern and serious man, but when responsibility gave in to indulgence and peace times, Iwaizumi Moushinosuke was a man that could offer the warmest of smiles and confident grins. He would bring himself out to the quiet the gold samurai had found for himself just to shatter it with a loud laugh or a rough smack to the other’s shoulder as he chastised him for not joining them proper. It was one of the few interactions that Utsusemimaru found less measured, allowing him the room to breathe and say no as he felt comfortable outside of the constraints of lord and vassal. And so he would smile and offer some excuse or a more indulgent non dismissive waving off for his lord to enjoy the spoils of his victory, and he would often either head back inside appeased his warrior was not in poor spirits or stay to hassle him until the not so young daimyo felt satisfied.

“Oi! Ucchii, what are you doing out here? Amy just got here with the snacks and food from the cafe, don't you wanna snag some?”

“Ucchii…” 

He hadn’t caught the slip of the nickname tumbling past his own lips, more feeling it out as a reminder to himself than any real sentiment or question. That was right, Iwaizumi-dono had never given such things as a nickname to him, his name a proud title to bear as a warrior of his home that was also proudly and freely given to the young warrior. No, as easy as the past was to lose himself in, he was truly thrust into a future he had not fully acclimated to as much as Amy-dono had claimed he was fitting in too easily. 

He shook his head a bit, turning to face King-dono a bit behind himself and trying his best not to let any physical reaction through when he was still startled despite expectation at the man that shared his late daimyo’s face.

“Ah, is that so? I will come in a bit later if such an allowance could be given. I wish to enjoy the night air a bit longer, it’s…nostalgic.”

Seeming to ignore the obvious polite dismissal, King easily made his way to almost drop himself down into a seat on the edge of the porch next to his golden companion. 

They had all gathered at Souji’s house due to the residence having enough branching off rooms that they could host a small dinner party together there without taking up space the rest of anyone’s families would be in. It didn't help that Souji’s father enjoyed indulging King’s whims out of appreciation for his brave warrior spirit and for looking after his son. Yes they had made to enjoy the night together as a late celebration for Utsusemimaru joining them properly, events at the time itself being a bit too busy for anyone to find a clear date everyone could meet up outside of combat required time. Their Ucchii seemed to be happy in their company once misunderstandings had been cleared away, and all had had some time in reaching out in their own ways to him which were with almost blind trust and a nervous smile accepted gladly. So King had thought this would be a good thing, but the smile on his friend's face felt tired and put-on, had he been wrong? His nakama were all pretty dishonest in their own ways, though Utsusemimaru seemed the easiest to catch at it since he didn't seem to enjoy or try to lie.

“Nostalgic?” he prodded, hoping maybe he could get the gold ranger to admit on his own what was gnawing at him. In response he got a nod before the other had pulled his legs up into his chest, his arms and then chin resting atop his knees as his gaze moved back out to the gardens beyond the porch.

“This place and time are…hard to grasp sometimes, so when something is similar enough to a place i remember from before, i find myself seeing what once was more than what currently is. Tonight is something akin to those types of places. I apologize, I do not mean to seem…ungrateful for what you all have done for me. What you are doing right now simply for my sake, you’re kind and I am honored to fight with you all at your sides. But…”

He struggled to find the right words, unsure whether being too earnest would be taken as trust or taken as something unwanted and unfair. To hold them to the standards of people long since gone, people they could never know and a time they had long since left behind in so many ways, that wasn't fair or right. But it was what he knew, and until just some time ago it was what had been his reality until it suddenly wasn't now. He never even got time to grieve, his rage had simply carried him forward until everything suddenly wasn't anything at all. And then he was back to himself, and he was oh so very lost but his duties were still the same so he pressed on. It needed to be seamless, he needed to be because there was no other option, but-

His thoughts were jolted to a stop as he felt the sudden warmth of something pressed against his side; King had scooched over until their hips and sides were pressed together, the red ranger’s arm snaking behind and around Utsusemimaru’s hunched back to grab firmly at his right shoulder for purchase.

“K-king-dono?”

His confusion was answered with a smile, it wasn't big and bright and blinding like it could be, but it was full of some hard to define warmth all the same. It was small and soft, closed lips and a quirk of the corners of his mouth and carried a bit of sadness to it.

“Tonight is for you, so you can spend it however you want. Now if that means we go inside and eat with everyone else that’s great! But. we can also wait a bit longer and sit here too. The stars are kinda hard to see here in the city, but if you really look you can still spot some trying their best to compete for a spotlight.”

Utsusemimaru wasn't quite sure what happened in the next moments, it wasn't based on a conscious thought or emotion he could place, but when he tried to open his mouth to respond what bubbled past his lips instead was a soft sob, a choked sound really. It wasn't loud and it was just once, but that was all it took to draw out a strong burning feeling across his face as tears pricked his eyes and he fought to keep the painful lump building in his throat and stomach down. King didn't acknowledge it, instead simply pulling gold into red a bit more tightly and with his free hand he started pointing out and trying to name the stars he could pick from the sky to show his companion. It didn't matter that Utsusemimaru wasn't really looking with him or focusing on his words, he just kept it up while his friend pushed his face down into his thighs and quietly fought with himself and the sadness of mourning he had never the time to spare for the past 400 years.

He eventually lost the battle to his tears, but he refused to simply sit here and wail like a child any more than he was. He didn't have the time, the allowance to do so, not when so much was happening and not when he could put that energy into his new friends instead and be productive. Besides, he didn't want all of the other rangers who had come together to celebrate and have fun to feel obligated to his childish upset. There was nothing he could do, so he didn't understand why he felt so compelled to cry over it now of all times. Yet here he was anyway, unable to stop.

It felt like hours, just huddled there on the porch, the cool night air causing the occasional shiver in one or the other but King never made the attempt to move away and Utsusemimaru wasn't quite sure he wanted him to, but eventually he felt his tears slow to a manageable degree where he could start cleaning himself up and moving past the moment, so he pulled his face up and with some degree of discomfort from stiffness, he stretched his legs out a bit to make moving to swipe at his face easier. King loosened his grip, moving his hand from shoulder to cup loosely at the back of his comrade’s neck: a stable presence but not in the way.

It took him a bit to feel confidant he wouldn't have wet tear trails on his cheeks or snot on his upper lip (none to mention making sure his pants were not in some kind of state from the crying fit either), but when he looked to be as in order as he could, he chanced a look to his right meeting expectant but not urging dark eyes.

“I…,” he paused, clearing his throat a bit before trying again, “I think I would like to see what types of food Amy-dono was kind enough to bring us. I would hate to see anything go to waste or to not show my humble thanks for everyone’s efforts.”

King offered him a wide smile, nodding enthusiastically and making to stand quickly in what was more of a hop up onto his feet than anything else. 

“Well then, c’mon Ucchii! The ice cream might be melted by now, let’s hurry!” 

He grabbed the other by the forearm, outright dragging him behind him and, for Utsusemimaru, thankfully missing the chaotic sprawl he had to take to shift from seated position to the brisk trot he was being expected to match. It was only down a single walkway so it was a mercifully short dragging before they both stood before a sliding wood door. With a glance for approval and a nod of acceptance in return, King turned and all but threw the door open in his excitement, waving to everyone with the hand still around the gold ranger’s arm, shaking both their arms in the air as result. Utsusemimaru smiled sheepishly, waving properly with his free hand.

“I apologize for my tardiness, everyone. Um…thank you, for having me.” 

Amy just smiled and offered, “well of course!” with a nod and soft smile from Souji, while the others seemed to consider his choice of words a bit more closely. Seeing the looks on their faces made him tense a bit, already guessing maybe he wasn’t as ready to be seen as he thought, so he offered in a lighter tone:

“I was told there was ice cream?”

The rest of the night was spent with Utsusemimaru being firmly kept in the middle of everyone at the low table they had pulled into the room, those around him rotating throughout the night. Amy-dono was happy to keep offering him food and drinks one after another, until even he with his healthy appetite couldn't take anymore. Souji-dono kept at more a distance, but was happy to offer the occasional conversation and ask questions about the samurai’s experiences and training to maybe glance how to learn from and best him later. He had right away fallen in love with the boy’s strong and ferocious appetite for the forms of the blade; he made an excellent sparring partner and trusted friend.

Nossan-dono had let himself be a bit more exaggerated in his jokes and his physical affections, making to good naturedly pat the others shoulder or back with every joke or making sure they brushed some kind of skin when passing anything. King-dono was ever himself, so of course proving ever tactile he kept trying to coax whatever he could from the gold ranger anywhere from questions about a story told or outright leaning on him entirely and laughing all but in his ear to get some kind of reaction. 

Ian-dono was who surprised him the most, one who proved the best at both convincing others of a version of himself he wasn't as well as pulling apart the falsehoods of others around him. He had been the most overt in his action, outright pulling Utsusemimaru up on his feet and into a dance when someone, likely Nossan-dono, had taken to playing music from their phone speaker as conversations lulled periodically. It had been an overly formal bow and offer of the hand, to which gold met black as he placed his in the offered hand and was gently pulled up to his feet and a bit aside to a more open area of the room’s floor. It wasn’t a dance type the samurai had ever performed or seen, but it was easy enough to let himself be led by his companion in the simple back and forth steps and frequent gentle spins in, out, and back into Ian-dono’s arms. 

It was as the music started to hit its crescendo and upped in pace that Ian-dono gave him a pointed look before leading him into a low dip, Utsusemimaru’s back arched to drape him over the other’s bent knee and their faces close as Ian-dono leaned down to meet his gaze better. He blinked up, a bit startled by the sudden surprise of the move but before he could speak, his dance partner spoke low in a tone only he could hear with how close they were.

“We like seeing your smile, Ucchii, but that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to lean on us too. Just let us lead you in a waltz sometimes instead of trying to strongarm your way on your own. You’re close enough to hold on to, don’t keep us apart alright?”

Still reeling from the gentle tone and soft intensity of the moment Ian-dono had pulled him back up into a standing position as the song had seemed to end in the midst of their momentary exchange. Everyone clapped good naturedly and the black ranger made an exaggerated bow and shot off some flattery or other at someone. Utsusemimaru couldn't tell as he awkwardly made his way back to his designated seat for the night.

Was he so obvious? Or maybe the better question was, was he so blind to what was obviously right before him? He felt his face grow a bit warm, whether in embarrassment or shame he couldn't tell, for having ignored the kindness of his fellows that was so freely and frequently thrust towards him. Yes, he would have to try harder to let them lead him through things more often perhaps. It wasn't trust but his weak heart that stopped him, but if they wanted that of him too, well he certainly could offer it. While he was at it, maybe being led more literally through a “waltz” like that again would do him some good too. It was quite fun getting to dance with Ian-dono, he wondered what kinds of dances his other friends would have to offer.

#zyuden sentai kyoryuger #utsusemimaru #kiryuu daigo #ian yorkland #fanfiction #super sentai #tokusatsu