#me: ooh its so sweet and soft. [thinks of Them prior to their deaths. a moment of quiet together. a plea for remembrance.]

[muleumpyo]

someone will remember us i say even in another time If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho - trans. by Anne Carson

[vanillasakura]

So idk if it was just me but the first time I had played rdr2 I misinterpreted the whole Karen becoming a drunkard because of Seans death for her becoming that because of Molly’s Death- I’m not kidding I had no idea about Molly and Karen’s arguments or Sean liking Karen. (I thought Molly and her were pals 😅) So I’m saying what if I wasn’t mistaken- you could even write Karen and Molly as frenimes to lovers potentially- 🐝

Ooh this was so fun to write! I've never really tried my hand at Karen before but turns out she's very fun :D I was spoiled before I played for the first time there wasn't much for me to misinterpret about Molly and Karen's relationship, but I suppose that it could happen.

Title: Like Paprika on the Tongue

Word Count: 2672

Pairing: Karen/Molly

Notes/Warnings: Mentions of Dutch not being the best s/o and its effect on Molly

ao3 link

--

Biting the inside of her cheek so hard that it was almost bleeding, Karen struck a match and lit the sheet of paper on fire, letting it burn and turn black, flaking off and falling to the ground in small chips of ash. Once the flame got near enough to her hand, she dropped it in the bucket she had used to clean the dishes earlier, watching as the last small remnants of the paper spread around the already-dirty water.

Did the paper really deserve this kind of treatment? Realistically, probably not, but Karen couldn’t help that she wanted to be a little more careful than usual. She could have just torn it up and scattered it somewhere in the woods near camp, but she really, really didn’t want to risk anybody finding it.

The paper, borrowed from Mary-Beth’s journal, had been scribbled on, both front and back, with a pen she had also stolen from the other girl while she had been out on a stagecoach robbery with Arthur. Normally, Karen wouldn’t do something this stupid and nonsensical, but she really didn’t want to go to anyone about this, and letting the paper and pen take the brunt of her anger was the only thing she could think of that would help get all of her pent-up feelings out into the open. In large handwriting, slightly straggly from lack of usage and from anger, were the words “I DO NOT HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR MOLLY FUCKING O’SHEA”, written over and over and over again until the entire paper had been filled, pen pressing so deep that it left indents on the opposite sides.

Karen was allowed to have a soft spot for exactly four people. The first two were Tilly and Mary-Beth, because they were her friends and the three of them practically moved as one much of the time. Next up was Jack, literally only because he was like four (Karen didn’t remember his exact age, but she didn’t really care to. all kids under the age of thirteen or so were exactly the same to her,) and because he was always so sweet to everybody. The final and most recent addition to the list was Sean, and that one had snuck up on her too. She hadn't expected him to be so funny prior to meeting him, and couldn’t remember laughing so hard before he had first started dancing drunkenly to Dutch’s gramophone, somehow managing to knock his tent over in the process.

But that was it, those were the only people that Karen was supposed to truly care about. It was a nice, low number, split evenly between men and women, and it meant that she didn’t have to waste her time worrying about people she knew were very preoccupied at best and pieces of shit at worst.

These feelings she was having for Molly just went against everything that Karen believed in. First off, she didn’t respect her, not at all. Molly had such a privileged life back in Ireland, and had voluntarily chosen to leave it behind. She had nobody to blame for that decision but herself, and if the transition to dirty and gritty outlaw life was hard for her, then she best keep it to herself. of course things were going to be vastly different than what she was used to! Besides, she still dressed as though she were a lady with a multitude of servants and a daddy she had to meet for dinner to discuss potential suitors and her role as the daughter of an influential family, and good God were her clothes the hardest to wash and care for. (Karen hadn’t even known people actually wore dresses like that regularly prior to meeting Molly, she had assumed that they were just for fancy occasions, but leave it to that Irish whore to show her just how wrong she was.) Molly was so obviously unhappy being with the gang, she did nothing but sit in her and Dutch’s tent and stare off into the distance, playing the most annoying and ear-grating opera music possible on the gramophone. She had come here for Dutch and stayed here for Dutch, but Karen rarely saw the two of them acting like a couple, if anything, Molly was left on her own most of the time. She supposed that the damn man must have an amazing dick, otherwise there was quite literally zero point in Molly sticking around.

And Dutch, don’t even get Karen started on him. She was thankful to him for providing her a place to live and people to be with, but she did not respect him whatsoever. Dutch Van der Linde was the kind of man who offered nothing to the world other than being really loud and arrogant. what had even drawn Molly to such an asshole in the first place she couldn’t even guess.

Karen did not get soft spots for people who liked Dutch Van der Linde.

But that evening, when she was the only person still awake and heard soft sobs coming from Dutch’s tent, she still walked over to see what was happening and if she could possibly be of any help.

The man himself was out on some job with Arthur and Hosea, sleeping in the middle of the woods somewhere (and probably horribly dirtying up their clothes in the process, because men never did seem to understand that you could sleep on a jacket and not get mud and dirt all over yourself), leaving Molly alone as a result. Without one of history’s most insufferable assholes around, Karen had no problem at all putting her hand through the closed tent flap. (okay, well maybe she did have a problem, but it was with herself and her stupid head rather than the presence of a loud-mouthed idiot.)

“Hey, you alright?” she asked softly.

“Karen?” Molly sniffed. “Am I being loud? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.”

“I was already awake, I just wanted to check on you.”

“I appreciate the concern, Miss Jones, I really do, but I'm fine, I promise.”

“You sure? you don’t sound fine, no offense.”

“You don’t need to trouble yourself with me.”

“Simple yes or no, Miss O’Shea. If you don’t want me here, no offense taken. If you want some company, well, I’m extendin’ the offer, so it’s obvious it ain’t a problem.”

Molly was quiet for a second as she mulled over Karen's offer. “Hold on, I'll come get the tie undone.”

She shuffled over to the entrance, untying the flap and holding it back for Karen. She entered quickly, maneuvering around Molly, who made no haste in taking a seat down the edge of the cot. No lights were on, making it a bit hard to see, but with the low flicker of lanterns from outside and the knowledge that her eyes would soon adjust, Karen wasn’t that worried.

She wasn’t quite sure where to sit (where were you supposed to sit with a woman like Molly that wouldn't be offensive or whatever?), but ended up just taking the spot next to her, the cot creaking with the added weight of another body.

Karen chose not to say anything, hoping that her presence would be enough to help calm Molly down, as it usually did the trick with Mary-Beth, whenever she was upset about something. Before she could decide against it, Karen wrapped her arm around Molly, stroking her back. Molly's soft cries didn't abate, but sometimes, you just couldn’t force tears to go away.

They stayed that way for a bit, before Molly took a shaky breath, speaking to Karen for the first time since she’d come in. “Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother with Dutch.”

“What'd he do this time?” Karen asked, not able to mask the annoyed and unsurprised tone in her voice. She regretted it as soon as she said it, knowing that in her worried state, Molly would most likely construe Karen's words to be full of malice towards her as opposed to Dutch. “Sorry if that came across as harsh,” she sighed, “forgive me, but just between us, I ain’t exactly the biggest Dutch supporter in camp.”

Molly laughed, turning to face Karen with a sad smile on her face. “I can't really blame you. He's not the easiest to get along with sometimes.”

“Could say that again.” Karen smiled back, patting Molly's back in what she hoped was a soothing and reassuring gesture. “Seriously, I'm still waitin’ on hearin’ what he did to put ya’ in a state like this.”

Molly clenched her jaw, squeezing her eyes shut. “I just wish he would be affectionate with me more than when he wants to show me off. unless it’s for being intimate, he never wants to act like two people who are courting ought to.”

Karen sighed, shaking her head. Not at all a surprise, in all honesty. Leave it to Dutch to let a wonderful woman like Molly O’Shea wallow in her own loneliness while he runs off doing whatever it is that he wants. He never had been a gentleman, but seeing just how deeply his actions were affecting Molly made her angrier at him than she had ever been in the past, and that was a feat in and of itself.

“As much as it pains me to say so, I don’t know if you’re ever really gonna get that with Dutch. I mean, I’ve known him for a while, and he’s much more preoccupied with looking big and grand than actually doing things that’re meaningful. Don’t think he understands that oftentimes, the most meaningful actions ain’t the most grandiose ones.” Why on earth was she speaking with such big words? Outside of asking Mary-Beth what they meant, Karen never spoke like this.

“You could say that again.” Molly bit her lip, a small, melancholic smile forming on her face. “I just want him to hold me, you know? I want to fall asleep in his arms when I want to, not when it’s convenient for him.”

“I wish he’d do that too. It’s so relaxing, y’know? Somethin’ about bein’ all wrapped up in a man’s strong arms, it just makes you feel safe.”

Molly didn’t respond right away, and Karen didn’t pressure her.

“Karen, could I ask you for something?” Molly seemed almost nervous, fiddling with her hands in her lap and trying to avoid Karen’s gaze.

“Of course, anythin’ I can do to help ya’.”

Molly took in a deep breath, blowing the air out through her nose like cigarette smoke. “Would it be presumptuous of me to ask for you to hold me tonight? I just need to feel… like somebody loves me.”

Karen froze up. Okay, okay, this was really happening. She hadn’t held anyone romantically since… actually, she couldn’t remember how long it had been. In terms of just having held people in general, she’d let Sean rest his head on her chest the other day when he had been drunk and really sad about something, but that was in a just-as-friends way. The way that Molly was asking her, it seemed a little more nuanced than comforting a friend. Technically, that was what she was doing, but… was Molly even really her friend? The two had never been particularly friendly with each other before, and the whole reason that Karen was even in this situation right now was up to pure chance. Would Molly ask this of anybody who came into the tent to echeck on her, or was this something that she was reserving for Karen and Karen alone? Was the way that she always acted towards her just a front to hide her true feelings? Or was Karen completely over analyzing the situation?

Well, at the same time, this was what Karen had always wanted, right? A chance to be closer to Molly? A chance to deal with these weird feelings she had towards her? In the end, shouldn’t she seize every opportunity that was given to her? Wouldn’t she just end up regretting it if she never took this chance?

Fuck it, Karen could always claim she was tipsy tomorrow if anyone said anything.

“Oh Molly…” Karen turned to face the other woman, fully wrapping her arms around her and letting her relax into her touch. “I’ve got you, don’t you worry.”

Molly clung onto Karen like a lifeline, pulling her down onto the cot so that they were cuddling. “Thank you, Karen. Thank you so much.”

Molly was a warm sleeper, Karen found out. The Irishwoman fell asleep within a few minutes, her breathing slowing down and her exhales fanning out over the exposed skin on Karen’s neck. Although she was embarrassed to admit it, it was calming, and something she could definitely get used to. Karen fell asleep not long after Molly and slept better than she had in months.

--

Ever since that night, Karen had forced herself to come to terms with her soft spot for Molly, letting herself spend time listening to the gramophone when camp was a bit slower, where she discovered that not all of the music the machine played was jarring and horrible. Sometimes, Molly would join her on guard duty, and the two would talk for hours about everything and nothing. It was relaxing, in a way that speaking with Tilly and Mary-Beth wasn’t. For whatever reason, talking to Molly was easy and relaxing, and when the two of them talked, hours would fly by quicker than the beating of a hummingbird’s wings.

Karen was so comfortable with Molly, in fact, that one evening, when the two had taken a small trip away from camp to get some peace of mind, she didn’t overreact when something big happened. Something that Karen hadn’t even realized that she may have been waiting for, even.

The two had been sitting in silence, enjoying the sounds of nature and the low hum of voices that drifted over from camp, when Molly turned to Karen, took her face in her hands, and kissed her. Not just a kiss that one would give a sister or a mother, either, but a kiss that one would give a lover. Molly was gentle and warm, wrapping her bottom lip around Karen’s top one, dragging her hands through her dirty blonde hair.

Karen was taken off-guard, but the kiss was nice, something she had been needing for a while. Molly pulled away first, a worried expression beginning to form on her face, along with an apology, but Karen stopped her in her tracks, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Took me long enough to do that.” Molly whispered.

“Yeah, it did.” Karen said, slightly louder.

“I just…” Molly trailed off. “You’ve always treated me so well, Karen. Just like how I’ve always needed, how Dutch never has and never will. I never intended to feel this way about you.”

“Believe me, neither did I.” Karen laughed. “Hell, I didn’t even know I wanted it until it happened, and then it’s like, something just felt right, like this is what I’ve been missing all my life.”

Molly lay her head on Karen’s shoulder, closing her eyes. “Thank you for being you, Karen. Seriously.”

“I should be the one tellin’ you that. You didn’t have to give me a second thought, I’m just some woman who’s nothin’ like you, but you didn’t push me away when I wanted to check on you.”

“Nobody else even offered. I’ll be honest, Karen, I used to not like you, not at all, but despite all the animosity I used to harbor for you, after you came in my tent that night, I realized that maybe, just maybe I had been wrong about you.”

“You’re goddamn right.” Karen laughed, kissing Molly’s head yet again. “But hey, now you have all the time in the world to prove yourself wrong, right?”

Molly nuzzled into her shoulder. “Right.”

[pyropsychiccollector]

            A soft wind blew as the stood atop the hill, looking down over the waves of opposition they would have to overcome to make their return home. By comparison, there were just six of them, and not exactly in peak fighting condition…

            “It would be safe to say there’s a million of them, easily…” Lyon murmured as he crossed his arms. Wendy covered her mouth in shock.

            “Not to mention they probably have their Spriggan 12 members around the Guild itself… We need to be able to take them down, and we’ll be way weaker by then…”

            Laxus snorted dryly as he had his arms crossed as well.

            “No need to worry about that… We won’t be fighting alone. Until the others get here, we need to start clearing a path.”

            Gray punched his palm eagerly.

            “We need to take out their frontline… We’re not just doin’ this for everyone in Fairy Tail, we’re doin’ it for Natsu, too!”

            “Gray-sama…” Juvia murmured quietly.

            Jellal took the first step forward.

            “It’s thanks to Natsu that I know how to live my life now… I shall not let a single one of these fools go unpunished for playing their part in his death. Today, we end this!”

            Lightning crackled around the Dragon Slayer as he clenched his fists.

            “Well then, let’s get started… We’re not stopping until we reach that old Guildhall!!!” With a surge of power, he took off ahead of everyone, making Gray mutter about what a showoff he was as the rest of them raced to catch up with the Dragon Slayer.

            Laxus touched down first, taking out a chunk of the overwhelming crowd of Alvarez troops. This caught so many of the troops off-guard, as their eyes were focused on the five enemies racing down the hill.

            … They shouldn’t have taken their eyes off those five.

            “Ice Make: Snow Dragon!” Lyon bellowed, forming a dragon that roved over dozens of soldiers.

            “Freeze Lancer!!!” Gray yelled impaling several soldiers as well.

            “Water Slicer!!!” Juvia cried out.

            “Sky Dragon ROAR!!!” Wendy screamed out as Charle flew her over the enemy.

            “Meteor!” Jellal bellowed, surrounding himself with a golden light that allowed him to move swiftly and powerfully, tearing through dozens of enemy soldiers.

            “You all must have some kind of death wish, coming into our town and capturing our Guild…!” Laxus roared as he violently released waves of lightning after punching the ground with a devastating fist.

            “Sorry we’re late…!” Mirajane called out as she arrived in her Satan Soul form and surged through the enemy. Elfman similarly started plowing his way through.

            “Beast Soul: Ape!!”

            “Fairy Tail, we’ll lend a hand!!” Yukino declared. By her side, Sorano had her hands on her hips; though reuniting with her sister came with some bittersweet feelings, she agreed to lend her aid as well.

            “Count me in!”

            “Elfman…” Gray grinned.

            “Even Yukino and Angel…” Juvia’s face broke out into a wide smile.

            Not long after, a large part of their cavalry arrived, all the people who’d stayed behind at the Guildhall prior to Universe One being cast.

            “Push them back!!!” Makarov bellowed. More joyous calls rang out as they recognized ‘Gramps’, Cana, and several others.

            The festivities were cut short when eight elongated dragons surged up from the midst of the crowd of Alvarez soldiers and flung God Serena to the frontlines.

            “You shan’t take another step… God Serena! (Corpse) A god has descended!” Serena made a flashy pose. He then punched the air in front of him. “Purgatory Dragon’s Blazing Hell!”

            An overwhelming wave of fire surged toward the Fairy Tail mages, one which Cana blocked with an equally overwhelming stream of Water Magic.

            “I won’t let you…!” Juvia yelled at Serena.

            “Oh…?” Serena chuckled, making use of his other hand to form a spiraling stream of water himself. “Sea King Dragon’s Water Formation Encampment!”

            “Th-This is too much for Juvia…!” She cried out as she tried and failed to manipulate the second wave of attacks.

            Serena puffed out his cheeks as he stored up Magic in his mouth.

            “Storm Dragon’s…!”

            “H-He can still use more?!” Elfman cried.

            “Who cares! Try to focus on the water attacks, Juvia…!” Gray called out to his friend.

            “I’m trying…!” Juvia winced as they both were being overwhelmed by fire and water.

            “So this is the power of the greatest mage in Ishgar…” Jellal murmured with a modicum of respect.

            “Song of the Wind and Moon!!!” Serena cackled as he bellowed his wind attack from his mouth, causing an explosion of fire, water, and wind that kicked up a cloud of dust that obscured everything. When it all settled… all the Fairy Tail mages were fine.

            “Now what?!” Gray wondered aloud.

            “We’ve been saved?!” Macao wondered in amazement.

            Serena scowled.

            “What just happened…? My Magic… just vanished… No… It was broken!”

            A figure then emerged from the remaining clouds of dust that were dissipating into the winds.

            “Yo!” Gildarts grinned roguishly. This was met with several celebrated cheers.

            “Gildarts!” Gray grinned. “So he finally came back! That geezer is reliable as ever…”

            “You can say that again…” Mira grinned, still flying in the air.

            “Took you long enough…” Cana dryly remarked.

            “I’m hungry as hell…So step aside, boy… I’m going back to the Guild!” Gildarts told Serena in no uncertain terms.

            “Ooh… Gildarts!” Makarov greeted his Ace mage.

            “What sketchy back alleys have you been around in this whole time, you shit-for-brains dad?!” Cana called out to him.

            “Cana…!” Gildarts eyed her from the side before tackling her with a hug, rubbing his face against hers. “Cana, you’re so friggin’ adorable~!”

            “Hey, give it a rest already!” Cana demanded, trying to push him off of her. “Don’t forget there’s an enemy staring you right in the face…!”

            “Oh! Come to think of it, you’re right!” Gildarts agreed, separating from her. “Thing is, I can’t sense the Magic power of a living human within this little punk here…”

            “Hm…?” Serena tilted his head.

            Gildarts smirked.

            “I can tell he was a worthwhile mage, for sure! If he were alive, he’d be a force to be reckoned with, but… The way he is now, he’s nothing but a small fry…”

            Serena got in a battle-ready stance.

            “Haha! Blathering like a mindless idiot is common… when faced with the might of God Serena of the Eight Dragons!!”

            Gildarts clashed with the man head on, kicking up a minor explosion in the process.

            “What’s with this Magic power?! It’s obscene!” Charle declared.

            While Wendy took a moment to reassure Romeo, who was overwhelmed by this display of power alone, a sandstorm kicked up from out of nowhere.

            “A sandstorm?! What the… I can’t see a thing?!” Alzack yelled.

            “Dry out and wither to your deaths…!” Ajeel cackled, making his appearance.

            “Not this douche again…!” Gray growled, shielding his face.

            “Magnolia’s been enveloped in a sandstorm…” Lyon murmured.

            Elfman leaped forward boldly.

            “I’ll make a manly path for everyone!!” He bellowed out, taking on a new form. “Just leave this guy to me! A little sand won’t leave a scratch on a sandbeast…!”

            “Antlion Pit…!” Ajeel grinned, focusing his attack on Elfman. But Lisanna swooped in with wings and removed her brother from the pit.

            “You could stand to lose a few pounds, Elf!”

            “Lisanna!! You’re a sight for sore eyes!” Elfman laughed in his sister’s grip.

            A new silhouette grinned and chuckled heartily.

            “Love drives us to save our friends~! OH YEAH!” Richard graced Fairy Tail with his arrival. “Liquid Ground…!”

            “What?!” Ajeel grimaced as the ground from under him became like quicksand and made him sink a great depth as another wave of quicksand crashed over him, effectively burying the Spriggan Shield.

            Jacob tsk’ed as he straightened the gloves on his hands.

            “My, my… They’re quite the meddlesome bunch when they’re all together…!”

            He was shocked as he was blown back by some kind of violent, invisible Magic.

            “You don’t know the half of it, big guy…” Midnight grinned, taking pleasure in catching his enemy off-guard with his Reflector Magic.

            “Ahyahyahya! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Wahl laughed as he entered the fray, Bloodman running alongside of him.

            “I shalt deliver them all to the depths of the underworld!” The dark-cloaked demon let out a surprised yell as he was slammed by a kick. “A shadow?!”

            Rogue emerged from his shadow, glaring his opponent down.

            “Come if you dare, I’ll blow you all to bits!!! AHYAHYAHYA!!!” Wahl cackled madly, sending a barrage of missiles towards all the Fairies. However, they all blew up before they could even strike a single enemy.

            “It seems a rather noisy fly has made its way into my Territory.” Minerva smirked, standing next to Rogue.

            “Lord Rogue! Lady Minerva!” Yukino greeted her Guildmates.

            “Rooogue!” Frosch cheered.

            “How did the two of you find your way here?” Yukino wondered aloud. Minerva jabbed her thumb at another mage next to them. Kinana.

            “As it so happens, this young lass showed us the way!” Minerva answered.

            “Hello…” Kinana greeted sheepishly.

            “Ahyahyahya! Things are finally startin’ to pick up around here!” Wahl grinned evilly, as did Bloodman.

            “A shadow… is it…?”

            “Madam… their Magic power…” Rogue glared at their enemies, scrutinizing them.

            “Indeed. It seems we are dealing with the walking dead.” Minerva agreed. “There should be a puppetmaster controlling them from somewhere in their vicinity. Yukino, can I leave them to you?”

            “Understood!” Yukino accepted her orders.

            Sorano preened as she swung her bikini-clad body back and forth.

            “You’re all so sweet! Even though it’s not for your own Guild, you’re fighting so valiantly~!”

            “Who is this swinging character…?” Minerva asked with a raised eyebrow.

            “That’s… erm…” Yukino sweatdropped.

            “I’m afraid this is as far as you all go…” Larcade declared as he appeared in their midst. But before he could so much as touch Sorano or the mages from Sabertooth, Jellal slammed into him with Meteor.

            “It appears that half of the Spriggan 12 have joined the fray already…!” He smirked as he continued to strike Larcade consecutively, beating him back with savage strikes. “Unfortunately for you… the dead have no place here! You’re all shadows of your former selves, in this state!”

            Larcade scowled at the slighting remark.

            Meanwhile, Serena was very displeased with how his own battle was going.

            “My Magic is being torn apart…!” He hissed.

            Gildarts smirked.

            “It’s a real shame… I always wanted to see which one of us would be the last man standing, when you were at your full power.” He pulled back his fist as he prepared his final attack. “Crushing evil, spreading truth… Empyrean!!!”

            His Magic-fueled strike sent Serena sailing far away… But even as he did so, everyone could see his Historia fading away as it was broken up by Gildarts’s Crash Magic. Laxus, Lyon, Juvia, Gray, Wendy, Makarov, Cana, and Mira all grinned at their first noteworthy victory.

            “Let’s pick up the pace, people!! The Guild’s just a hop, skip, and a jump away!” Gildarts called out, urging his companions forward. Midnight stayed behind to clash with Jacob; Lisanna, Elfman, and Richard volunteered to handle Ajeel, who recently emerged from Richard’s attack, looking livid; Minerva and Rogue settled for Wahl and Bloodman; and Jellal continued to hold back Larcade.

            ~*~

            Inside the Guildhall, Invel and Irene hovered over Mavis, who was restrained by Invel’s Magic, which enslaved Mavis’s mind.

            “Poor thing. To think, having it stolen from right under your nose… your ever so precious imaginative ability…” Irene muttered to herself, using her isolation Enchantment to extract Fairy Heart from her. “Invel’s Ice Sleep causes one to lose their sense of self… If I were feeling poetic, I would liken it to encasing one’s heart in ice…”

            Invel pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a clinical detachment in the way he presented himself.

            “Will the separation Enchantment take much longer?”

            “I believe you are aware of just how special the Magic in her body is…”

            “God Serena was removed from the battlefield. I do hope you realize that the more time we waste here, the more casualties we’ll suffer out there. Even if it takes ripping it right out of her… do it. It matters not how much she suffers… or if indeed the sudden removal would kill her. I want the power of Fairy Heart at our disposal as quickly as possible.” Invel coldly remarked. Irene chuckled darkly to herself.

            “My, my… You know our good Emperor might’ve had a problem with how you treat his beloved like an object…”

            Invel turned his back on Irene as he headed for the exit to the Guildhall.

            “She is a tool, and nothing more. I need to take care of the riffraff outside… So if you will excuse me.”

            The ice mage passed by Neinhart, who came to give a report.

            “Lady Irene…”

            “Neinhart. Can this wait? As you see, I am more than a bit occupied.”

            Neinhart closed his eyes solemnly.

            “I have located Lady Erza. She is approaching with another group of pests.”

            Irene didn’t reply at first, focusing her efforts on removing the Fairy Heart.

            “So… she lives, after all.” Irene muttered with an unreadable tone.

            “What shall we do? She will be engaged in combat soon enough, but as you know, she…” He trailed off as Irene abruptly cut him off.

            “Kill her.” The redhead coldly ordered.

            “What…?” Neinhart asked, confused.

            “Do not make me repeat myself.” Irene intoned.

            Neinhart stared down at the floor.

            “Yes, but… My Historia has no effect on Lady Erza, and…!”

            “Then you must fight her yourself.” Irene coyly replied, effortlessly Enchanting Neinhart at the same time. “Remember who you are.”

            “I… I am…!” Neinhart quivered, feeling the power flow through him…

            ~*~

            Back outside, Erza, Kagura, and Meredy arrived with the members of Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale, Quatro Cerberus, and Blue Pegasus. Soon after that, Lucy and Cobra also jumped into the fray, Happy carrying Lucy before she donned her Taurus Star Dress and summoned the Celestial Spirit himself.

            Toward the front of the pack, Gildarts was wreaking his havoc, destroying much of the ground and waves of enemies in front of him. Cana yelled out to him with how much destruction he was causing.

            “Damnit, dad! How about you don’t catch us in the explosion, too?!”

            Elfman, still in his sandbeast form, powerfully punched Ajeel, who was again assaulted by Richard’s Liquid Ground. Midnight was fighting evenly with Jacob, but then Cobra joined in to help overwhelm the man. Rogue was keeping about even with Bloodman, though Sorano jumped in to assist him with her angels. And Minerva was seemingly overwhelming Wahl with her Territory Magic.

            “It is about time I put an end to this farce…!” Larcade hissed as he kicked Jellal away, shocking the blue-haired mage. The strange mage then cast a widespread Spell that ensnared ally and foe alike in a blinding light, though to the man’s displeasure, it wasn’t as widespread as he would have liked… By his approximations, only those on the frontlines were affected. “Pleasure really is a crude human sin… How tragic that some of you have actually tasted that forbidden fruit!”

            Of note, Midnight, Cobra, Rogue, Minerva, Sorano, Gildarts, Bisca, Alzack, Max, Laki, Laxus, Macao, and Wakaba were writhing on the ground as a strange, alien pleasure wracked their bodies. Jellal scowled at this bizarre tactic, as it rendered many of his allies helpless. Wahl, Jacob, and Bloodman were now capitalizing on their enemies’ weakness.

            “I have committed many sins, myself… But never any that involved such carnal pleasures! Pleiades!” He declared, taking a stance and summoning six rays of light from the sky that proceeded to strike Larcade. The Spriggan 12 member recovered swiftly, and made to cast another Spell to afflict Jellal with.

            “Soul of the Wicked Meal…!” Larcade called out, intending to make Jellal suffer with hunger. However, despite casting the Spell correctly, Jellal still charged him, conjuring nine swords made of lightning behind his back. “What?! You can’t possibly have that much willpower…!”

            “I dedicate everything I am… to atoning for the sins of my past…! I will not be swayed by your dishonorable tricks…!” Jellal declared passionately. “Jiu Leixing...!”

            Larcade moved to dodge the man, but the swords surged forward and pierced Larcade’s body before Jellal smashed into him with Meteor radiating around his form. For good measure, Jellal called down one more Pleiades attack, which seemed to do the trick and defeat Larcade.

            “D…Damn… you…!” The white-haired man hissed, fading into nothingness.

            Landing in a crouch, Jellal proceeded to survey how the other battles were going. As he feared, though Larcade’s Pleasure was fading from their bodies, it was still long enough for the remaining Spriggan 12 members to gain the advantage. Wahl was electrocuting Minerva and bombarding her with explosions; but the most pressing developments were Jacob, who was moving to kill Cobra, and Bloodman, who was aiming to take Rogue and Sorano to the underworld.

            ‘Damn it…!’ Jellal cursed inwardly, knowing he would fail in saving someone. Even with Meteor, he would only be able to counter one of the Spriggan 12 members.

            And then… Gajeel unexpectedly appeared, clubbing Bloodman with his Iron Dragon Slayer Magic.

            “Who said you could touch Rogue, ya bastard?!” The dark-haired man bellowed.

            Jellal smiled in gratitude, and homed in on Jacob, smashing into the assassin with his Meteor. The Spriggan 12 member tumbled for a bit before putting a stop to his own momentum, glaring back up at Jellal.

            “You’re in my way, pal…! That bastard humiliated this refined gentleman you see before you… And now it looks like I’ve gotta deal with you, too.”

            “As if I’ll let you…” Jellal fired back.

            In response to the blue-haired man’s bravado, Jacob smirked cockily.

            “Y’know, August is one mad Wizard… Might not have enough in me to take all of youse out at once, but I got enough for this!” With this declaration, Jacob vanished from sight. Jellal whipped around, looking for the assassin and listening for any movements, but he was struck from behind without being able to detect Jacob at all. The initial strike was followed up by many more, as Jacob somehow whipped him with an invisible weapon.

            Cobra winced as he clutched his side, sitting up. Despite still being out of it from Larcade’s strange attack, he could pick up Jacob’s thoughts and pinpoint the man’s location. Midnight similarly sat up, beside him.

            “Jellal…! He’s right…!” Cobra was unable to finish his declaration, as he and Midnight were both assaulted by an invisible whip like the one that was assaulting Jellal.

            “You think I’ve only got one, ya bastard?! I’ll kill all of you, right here!!!”

            Midnight winced as he endured the attack. He wasn’t a sensor like Cobra, but he still had a way of possibly contributing here. It’d be a gamble. but it was still preferable than just sitting there and taking this guy’s assault like a beaten dog…

            Using Reflector, he deflected the next whip strike. As he had hoped, there was some strange shimmer in the air; Midnight lashed out his hand at it and caught onto the whip before he lost sight of it. Jacob, stunned by the development, stopped channeling his Magic as Midnight yanked him through the whip. Now that he had a visible target, and was no longer being whipped, Jellal channeled Meteor and struck hard and fast. Jacob released his weapons and flew in the direction of Cobra, who recovered enough to channel Poison Dragon Slaying Magic and stop the tumbling man’s momentum with his fist, pinning him to the ground.

            With one final strike from Jellal’s Pleiades, which Cobra dodged with ease, Jacob was down and out for the second time. Glowering down at the assassin, Cobra deadpanned.

            “I really should just kill this sonuvabitch… But there’s been way too much death already.”

            “We have no time to relax.” Jellal spoke brusquely. Looking over at Bloodman, he could see Gajeel, Rogue, and Sorano had managed to turn things around on him, and would have him momentarily defeated. Fortunately, the threat that was Wahl Icht had been repelled by Racer, who had decided to make himself known. And with his help, Minerva was managing to turn the tables on the Historia. Surveying the other battle featuring a Spriggan Shield, it appeared as if Elfman, Lisanna, and Richard would emerge victorious soon enough.

            “You kiddin’? It looks like half those Spriggan guys have been taken care of!” Cobra laughed.

            “Four of which were Historias…” Midnight pointed out, getting the Dragon Slayer to scowl. Jellal nodded in agreement.

            “There are six other Spriggan Shields out there… And as I understand it, three of them haven’t been defeated yet. We should make finding Neinhart a priority, as he could easily make more Historias.”

            Before they could even take a step towards Fairy Tail, however, they could see a giant rise up in the distance. She was clearly fighting another battle and not focusing on them, but it was still a distressing sight.

            “… Shit.” Cobra summed up all their thoughts quite nicely.

[craftyshipper]

Bring Me Home, Chapter 1: Simple

For anyone that doesn’t have access to archive of our own or that prefers to read it on Tumblr, here’s the first chapter of Bring Me Home.

Rated M

__________

It was our last two weeks at UA before graduation. That much closer to becoming pros, to fulfilling our own dreams to be able to help and save people with the powers we had been given. During those three years, you'd think they'd prepare you for every possible situation you'd face as a pro hero.

But...as I stand here at the graveyard among my classmates, as Momo cried her heart out at the loss of her lover, the loss of our friend. I realized we weren't prepared for any of it...for the risks.

Todoroki's death drove that point home for all of us.

----------

1 week earlier

"Aw, they are so cute together." Uraraka gushed as she stared at Shouto and Momo.

The two students had started dating a little before their second year started at UA. The summer prior had been the stepping stone to the start of their relationship.

When summer had ended they had tried to keep it hush-hush. Unfortunately for them, Momo's best friend Jirou, had caught them kissing in the hallway as the rest of the students went to lunch.

Momo pleaded to Jirou to keep it quiet but Shouto stepped in and said that they shouldn't keep hiding from their friends. She knew he was right and eventually they told their classmates, much to Momo's embarrassment since all of the girls teased and prodded for details. Shouto on the other hand wasn't embarrassed in the least. He rarely was and she was jealous of her boyfriend in that regard, while she was easily flustered by a tiny bit of teasing

"Do you think Shouto will ask her to marry him after graduation?" Mina asked innocently.

Midoriya, Jirou and Uraraka shared a look, the alien queen missed the knowing smiles that appeared across her lips.

"Maybe someday." Midoriya chirped, grabbing a hold of Uraraka's hand.

The two of them had barely acknowledged their feelings for each other at the start of their third year. Uraraka grinned at the green haired boy next to her, although she had to look up now since he had grown a good twelve inches over the years.

"Yeah, some day." She nodded enthusiastically and watched as the duo began walking over to them.

Bakugo appeared and gave a disgusted face at Shouto. "Are you done being all lovey dovey yet?"

Shouto sighed. "Don't act like you don't do the same thing whenever Kirishima is around."

For once Bakugo looked baffled and stuttered out, "You icy hot bastard! You weren't supposed to say anything!"

"Apologies." Shouto shrugged as the others burst out laughing. "Maybe you'll keep your comments to yourself next time."

"Aw don't be embarrassed Bakugo." Uraraka patted his head like a puppy. "Its not like you two hid it very well, besides you guys are cute together."

"Shut up!" He yelled and stalked off just as Kirishima appeared with a confused brow raised.

"What happened now?"

"I may have outed your guys relationship." Shouto sighed. "Sorry."

Kirishima paused and smirked before he rubbed his hands together, letting out an evil chuckle as he did so. "Now I can finally shower him with PDA!” He sprinted to find his boyfriend, leaving his friends behind.

“Are you ready to go?” Shouto turned to Momo, the question directed at her. He made it a habit to walk her home on the weekends since she stayed at her parents home on those days.

After he took her home and gave her a chance to shower and change, he’d be back to pick her up later in the evening. He had something special planned for their date night, exactly one month from now, it would be their anniversary of two years together.

Shouto knew they weren’t going to be able to celebrate it by then, since they would be starting their hero careers as sidekicks, which would take up most of their time. So he opted to plan something in advance. Although he still had a surprise for her on that day, hopefully Jirou and Uraraka could keep quiet about it until then. The only other person who knew about it was Midoriya but he wasn’t worried about him spilling the secret.

Momo grabbed Shouto’s hand once she hugged her friends goodbye and they began their walk towards her parents estate.

----------

A sigh broke the silence of the room as the creation hero tried on the sixth dress that Jirou and Mina grabbed from her closet.

“Does it really matter what dress you wear?” Jirou asked as she handed another outfit for Momo to inspect.

“I just was to look amazing for him.” She blushed when Mina cooed at her words.

“Momo, I doubt he cared what you wear.” Mina stated with assurance, sprawling out on Momo’s bed, although she was sure that her friend was still skeptical. “He’s too much of a sweetheart.” She grinned. “Remember Valentine’s Day when he brought you that big bouquet of roses to your dorm room while you were sick and still in your pyjamas?

The onyx haired beauty smiled fondly at the memory, her hand reaching out to grab a red summer dress that flowed out around her thighs, the dress buttoning up from her waist to her chest.

“When we started dating, I didn’t think he’d be the romantic type.” Red blossomed across her cheeks as her memories flowed through her.

---------

“I’m sorry Shouto.” She apologized, her aching body sat at the end of her bed with the phone pressed tightly to her ear.

“Still sick?” Shouto’s soft voice came through the line with concern.

“Yes. I’m so sorry, I was really looking forward to spending the day with you.”

Valentine’s Day had landed on Saturday this year and she had been so excited to spend it with her red and white haired boyfriend since they didn’t have to worry about school. But she had ended up with a cold a few days ago and it only got progressively worse since then.

“It’s okay Momo, your health comes first.” He assured her, a smile lighting his voice. “I’ll come see you in awhile, okay?”

“B-but you’ll get sick!” She scolded.

“Hm, don’t worry.”

Frowning, she knew he was stubborn just as much as she is, but being sick made her relent in his decision. “Fine.” She mumbled when she heard a deep chuckle escape him.

“I love you.”

Another smile graced her lips at his words, knowing she would never get tired of hearing him say those words to her.

“I love you too.” With a blush on her face, they said their goodbyes and Momo lay back on her bed, a huge grin widening her cheeks.

It was an hour later that Momo realized her sickness wasn’t going to let her sleep. She was exhausted, but the headache and sore throat were killing her. A sigh escaped her when a knock sounded at her door. Reluctantly, she crawled out of her cozy bed and slowly hobbled over to let in whoever was on the other side.

Grasping the handle, she pulled it open only to see a huge bouquet f red roses flooding her field of vision. Standing on her tip toes, her eyes met a pair of gray and blue ones.

“Happy Valentine’s Day Momo.” Shouto greeted and she laughed, taking the flowers from him.

“Shouto, they’re beautiful.” The words left her lips as she admired the stunning red petals before she stepped back to allow him to enter the room.

She eyed him and noticed there was a plastic bag and his laptop bag gripped tightly in his hand.

“What’s that?” Curiosity forced her to ask.

“Fuyumi helped me make some soup for you.” He held up the bag gently so he wouldn’t spill the bowl.

“Aww, you didn’t have to do that.”

The fire and ice user gave a small smile. “I wanted to.”

“You’re too sweet.” Her face flushed, and she wasn’t sure if it was from her illness or the sweet actions of her boyfriend.

“Plus, I figured we could watch a few movies together on my computer.”

“She grinned. “Does that mean we can cuddle?”

“That was the plan.” He chuckled softly.

Grabbing the soup, she placed it on the small table beside her bed and watched as he placed his laptop bag onto her bed. She only now realized that he was in his pyjamas too.

“Shouto your clothes!”

“Can’t cuddle in my regular clothes now can I?”

Momo giggled as happy tears came to her eyes. She hugged him tightly. “You’re the best, you know that right?”

He pulled back slightly and kissed her forehead. “Because you bring out the best in me.”

----------

Momo blushed, remembering that despite her being sick, they ended up making love that night for the first time and it was a night she wouldn’t trade for anything.

“Ooh, what are you blushing about?” Mina teased. “Thinking about the sexy times?”

The creation hero was so at loss for words she didn’t even deny it.

“You are!” Jirou butted in a Momo waved her hands frantically.

“Details.” Mina and Jirou demanded in unison.

She was interrogated for the next hour before Momo booted them from her home. Shouto had texted her saying he was on his was to get her anyway so it was about time they took their leave.

Her boyfriend showed up about ten minutes later, driving his sister’s car who had let him borrow it for the night. She was staying at her boyfriends place for the weekend, so she allowed him to use it as long as he put gas in the tank. Having lived in the city, he and Momo hadn’t felt the need to invest in a car. They were both content with walking. Besides, as heroes, they probably wouldn’t need it. If they decided to have kids in the future, then they would need to acquire one, but most of class 3-A didn’t own a vehicle either.

“So where are we going?” Momo asked ass he grabbed her white coat.

Shouto dressed in a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt with a blue button up over it that he left open. Even dressed casually, he looked amazing.

He only smiled in response to her question and she gave him an accusatory smile in return. “I know that smile, what did you do?”

Huffing out a laugh, he responded. “You’ll see.”

----------

Momo couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her lips as she glanced around the hill top he had brought her to. There on the ground was a large blanket and a decently sized basket.

“A picnic?” Momo asked, her eyes sparkling with awe.

“Something like that.” He gestured to the telescope that was at the hills peak.

“You said once before that you’d like to go stargazing.”

Her face lit up with a a millions watt smile ad it warmed Shouto’s heard. He’d give anything to keep that beautiful smile on her face.

“You’re amazing.” The red and white haired male felt his heart beat erratically at her words. She always brought out the best parts of him, of course it didn’t hurt that he was practically a hopeless romantic.

“Shall we?”

With a nod for his girlfriend, they enjoyed a delicious meal under the darkening sky, the stars slowly starting to appear above them. As soon as they were all visible, Shouto pulled her to her feet and led her over to the telescope. The moon itself was full making the sky look even more beautiful in her eyes. Suddenly a burst of excitement pierced through her and she immediately began pointing out the different constellations to him.

He could only watch in amazement as her eyes grew eager with the knowledge she shared. He loved it when she got excited about anything she was truly interested in, he wouldn’t trade that special look in her eye for anything.

Feeling bold, he cut off her rant with a kiss to her lips. Her eyes widened at his action. He rarely initiated their kisses but tonight he was full of surprises.

She loved this side of him, when he would be first to kiss her meant he was completely comfortable with her. After he told her about his past, she didn’t blame him for being hesitant to start the touching aspect of their relationship. She had cried when he shared his abusive childhood with her, something that only Midoriya had been told before.

Usually she began their make out sessions, but what he lacked in taking the lead, he made up in all of the romantic gestures. Bringing her flowers, writing her little notes and letters, he even improved on his cooking so he could make her dinner. Besides once she got him going, the control was all his.

Once Shouto pulled away from her lips, she grinned. “You sure are full of surprises today aren’t you?”

“Aren’t I always?”

She knew he was, he could surprise her any day with the smallest things, no matter what.

“Come on.” She grabbed his hand and led him to the blanket. “Lay down with me.”

When she forced him onto his back, she leaned back and she rested her head on his shoulder as she watched the night sky. A shooting star zipped across their vision and she couldn’t resist lifting a hand, pointing with excitement.

“Did you see that?!”

“Better make your wish.” Shouto teased.

“Way ahead of you.” Momo laughed before sitting up.

Shifting so she could stare down at him, his dual colored eyes watched her with curiosity, before she smiled mischievously.

“How secluded is this place?”

Shouto raised a brow at her question, finding it a little odd that she would ask. This area was like his own personal safe-haven when he was younger. As far as he knew, no one else knew about it, the foliage surrounding the area hid it away from any prying eyes. He only discovered it when he left home one day after a harsh training session with his old man. He needed a place he could calm himself, so he took the train to the edge of the city hoping to find peace with nature in the woods.

“Very secluded.” He assured her. “Why?”

“No reason.” She whispered huskily and leaned further into him to press her lips to his.

Shouto was dense sometimes when she tried sending him signals about what she wanted. This time however, he could read her loud and clear.

Gone was the blushing girl, not the bold woman took control.

“Make love to me Shouto.” The blunt statement caught him off guard when their lips parted.

“Here?” His question was full of hesitation. “Are you sure?”

Momo smiled at the look on his face. “Yes. I want you right now.” The warm hand that came to rest on her cheek made her sigh in content. “I want you to make love to me under the stars.”

The red and white haired male sat up and gazed into her eyes. Seeing the desire in her dark orbs, he moved in to press his lips to hers again. Pushing her back onto the blanket, he crawled in between her legs as he questioned his own boldness.

Momo’s tongue licked across his lips, begging for entrance which he granted willingly; their tongues dancing together in passion. Her hands glided up his chest, feeling each of the muscles that were hiding beneath the fabric of his shirt, before she pushed off the first layer of his clothing. Leaving only the black shirt the only barrier between her touch and his skin.

Leaving her lips, Shouto began trailing kisses down her jaw and then to the soft skin of her neck. The touch sent shivers racing down her spine, especially when his lips ghosted over her pulse and she loved it. She wanted him to bit and suck on that part of her, but she knew he didn’t want to leave visible marks on her skin. The last time he did, Mr. Aizawa had given them a talk about appearing appropriately at school. Plus their friends poked fun at them for months after.

“Hm, Shouto.” She moaned as his kisses trailed even further until he reached the center of her chest, just above her breasts.

He pulled back slightly, his hair dangling towards her from his position above her, making him look even more desirable.

“Please don’t stop.” Her voice pleaded shakily at the hesitant look in his eyes before they darkened with lust.

Shouto’s hand traveled down her thigh reaching the hem of her dress and caressing the skin sensually before sliding his hand back up under the material. Her breath hitched in her throat and her heart felt ready to burst from her chest.

“I love you.” Shouto murmured and moved to take her lips again.

With that, their clothes were shed, and the feeling of their skin pressing into each other drowned out everything else out around them.

And when Momo screamed his name, her moans filling his ears, Shouto knew he never wanted this night to end.

Next Chapter: Coming soon

[honestsycrets]

Irreplaceable PVII: Who Was He?

See my masterlist for the rest of the series.

One day, something was different.

Time had passed. You knew something was off. Not with you but.. Kitta. She hadn’t gotten up yet; and while your relationship was strained as of late, you knew that you had to check on her. Ivar had gone raiding some time ago and while you waited for him to come home, you had your obligations. The main one of those was to keep Uxi clean, happy and fed. However, Kitta is your other obligation.

“Kitta?” You press the ruddy curtains apart. Little Uxi bubbles in beside you, trotting on his fat little feet  with Ragnhild following close behind. There is nothing but silence. All of the Queen’s things are as they were. Her fluffy bed is neatly made and a luxurious dress drapes over the furs in a smooth, deep red.

“Ma!” Uxi chirps, doddling in with bubbly giggles.

“Maybe she woke early, my lady.” Ragnhild says stomping after Uxi who seeks out her loom. Turning the corner of her bed, you think maybe she has gone out to oversee Ivar’s newest defenses before you trip onto the ground with a thud, a small groan bumping off of your lips. The soft, squishy firmness alerts you that it was a body-- Kitta’s limp body. You tumble off of her, crawling over her side.

“Kitta!” You shake her shoulder, looking her over. Her pale night dress ims oist with blood about her stomach, sure, but also lower. You yanked up her nightdress, finding the scent like a miasma of blood and infection between her legs. You don’t need to be told to know what had happened there. But her stomach?

“Ragnhild, call me a healer!”

Kitta woke up a while later despite her best efforts not to at all. Days had passed and while you didn’t know what to tell Ivar when he landed, he understood on that misty pier why his first wife wasn’t there. Another miscarriage had taken her over in grief and with Ivar not around? She had hurt herself.

“I wasn’t going to kill myself.” Kitta says one night after dinner. Sure, she didn’t. She just dipped the knife into her gut for fun. “I was just… angry.”

You sit beside her with the remnants of your griddle cooked fish in your lap. Ivar had been by her side relentlessly since he came home. Now, he is asleep while you care for her. “I understand.” You say. “I was similar… when I lost my virginity.”

Kitta turns her head away from the roof bracing beams. “Who was he again?”

You flush. It had been sometime since you thought of Ubbe. Yes, perhaps at night… when no one was around, you thought the sex fondly. You would drag your nightgown over your thighs for better access. You remembered how his fingers twisted, the taste of salt and blood on his lips from Uppsala’s live sacrifices and how he brought you to your knees without even being inside you.

Your cheeks are hot. “No… I couldn’t say that.” You leave your hands from your fish in order to drift up to your cheeks.

“Tell me about it. Look at what I did. I need something to keep me entertained.” She says up to you before motioning down to her stomach. Technically-- you didn’t owe her shit. Not after she disrespected you, but you were weak to her. You look over the wound in her stomach. As much as you fought with her lately-- as much as you found yourself jealous how your husband would drop anything for her, she is charming. You want to make her emerald eyes glisten again.

“It… was a Ragnarsson.” You admit.  Her eyes go from big-- to bigger.

“His brother?!” She squeals out. Your hands clasp over her mouth while looking back to Ivar. You don’t know what he would do if he knew. Lately, he had been... changing. In a way, you chalk up his aggression to the birth of your son. Even Hvitserk was on the receiving end of his rage. All so often, you would reassure him that Hvitserk was nothing to be so insecure about. Hvitserk was a friend. A sweet, kind friend.

“Yes. Don’t tell Ivar-- he’ll be rash.” You hush her. She tries to press for who.

“If it isn’t Hvitserk, it might be Bjorn, Ubbe or Sigurd. Let’s hope it isn’t Sigurd.” Kitta narrows out the competition. Hvitserk is an awful lover. He would have tried to sneak in already if it was him. Besides, he seems to be little more than a brother to you. The empty look on your face when Sigurd is mentioned tells her that it couldn’t be him either.

“Ooh, so you caught his older brothers. Ivar was mine. Was the mystery brother any good?” She asks.

You thwack her with your with your rag from cleaning after your meal, pressing a bit of buttered bread into her mouth. “You’re prettier when you’re quiet.” You mumble.

“So wh...y di’n’t you marry ‘im?” She asks between crumbling bites. It all came rushing back.

“You don’t want to marry me?” Your hands folded in your naked lap. Ubbe slid his trousers back over his ass. You spent much of the night and into the last morning you would be in Uppsala with Ubbe. Your cunt was stuffed full of his seed and yet-- he was leaving. “I’m not ready.” Ubbe says. He hover his shoulder with the bundle of braids shifting. He stretches his hand out to graze over your plump lips. “I would make you miserable. I’ve done enough damage.” You weren’t sure whether that was good or bad. In one way, at least he wasn’t the type of man to trap you in marriage. But as you remembered, you took a tea of pennyroyal a few weeks later.

You wish you could banish those thoughts away.

Kitta healed nicely. It was none of your business what had happened between Ivar and she. They discussed it and that was the extent of what you knew. You had not whined to Ivar about the past month he spent with Kitta. While she healed the last few months, you spent time with your now year and a half year old. Uxi climbed whatever he might be able to find, tried to leap off of heights and snuggled the stuffed toys Ragnhild made him to death. So that day, when you hear the stomp of a crutch from behind you, you didn’t honestly expect to see Ivar in the doorway.

“Fa!” Uxi whips away from your skirts at lightning speed, pointing his index finger as he bolts towards his father. He stops short of him, pointing and inching back as Ivar moves forward.

“Uxi, come here Uxi.” Ivar calls, walking toward the table to ditch his crutch and maneuver onto the ground. It was easier for him when chasing his child. Uxi makes a huffing noise, chuffing laughs out but timidly keeping beside you.

“Go Uxi. Go with your fadir.” You pull your skirts away, from his little hands to urge him forward. He takes a few shy steps up to him, poking him in the cheek.

“When did he learn this?” Ivar asks, eyes drifting down to Uxi. He pokes again and runs off to hold your skirts. Instead of catering to his shyness, you fall onto the ground beside your husband. A few pokes later he lost interest, zigzagging through the room to bring Ivar back miscellaneous items. Very quickly the mound of random items begins to build into a small hoard.

“A few days ago.” You smile, stacking block and ball and on the top of the hoard. Then you hand the boy a piece of bread. “Give your father a kiss, Uxi.”

Uxi holds one of your glass bead necklaces in his other plump, tiny hand. He boredly tugs your necklace while you blow soft kisses to the little boy. Uxi moves forward so that you might place a kiss to his cheek.

“Good boy.” You worship. Ivar swipes up his son to hold him in his lap and buries his face into the side of his neck. It lasts only seconds before Uxi breaks his father’s grip and shoots off again. Ragnhild follows him, giving opportunity for Ivar to drag you into his lap. He presses kisses over the body of your neck. You hum appreciatively for each kiss, dropping your hands down to Ivar’s on your hips.

“I found something out.” Ivar drags his lips, the tickle of his moustache against your skin up toward your ear. “Kitta told me one of my brothers took your virginity.” Ivar whispers into your ear. “So who was he?”

Your heart palpitates. She TOLD him?! You should have expected as much but somehow-- you feel betrayed. Your whole body rips into shakes within his arms. The words-- his name, it’s caught on your tongue. Uxi comes back around, handing you his piece of bread then turns away and runs to play again. Ivar glimmers a half smile at the boy before it drops altogether. He teases his lips around the shell of your ear, turning his face in your hair.

“It doesn’t matter.” He hums. “I’ll just fill you up with another child instead.”  

Since he found out that one of his brothers had claimed your virginity months ago, everything had changed. He kept Hvitserk within eyesight when you were in the room. Despite not asking again who had taken your virginity, you knew that he was punishing his brother for one of them having done it.

It was the midsummer’s festival and the celebrations were abound. You had woven wreaths, tossed corn doilies into the roaring flames and Ivar had blessed a ship under Baldur’s name. Your father and many other kings were there-- including one familiar one from your time in Uppsala prior to your marriage to Ivar.

King Sverri. A king of icy lands and fine wolfish furs.  

Also the King that dragged you out of sorrow-- once upon a time. It feels so long ago now. He’s grown his muscles, lean as he is. You may have feasted the sight earlier-- curious to the bodies of men. It was only natural, you assure yourself. You would never cheat on your husband.

“Do you dance, my Lady Princess?” King Sverri staggers beside you on the beach, his dark hair curling down over his pale skin, catching on the stubble. He was a tall, willowy thing donned in a rich green tunic, belts carrying axes on either side of his hips.

“I can’t say I have since we last met!” You laugh.

“That’s been years, my Princess.” Sverri spins you around the raging beach fire towards an adorned maypole spinning in brilliant red and drab white and black. It is up in celebration of the Vanir for fertility both for Midgard and the humans residing upon its surface. For as fearsome as the king was, the feminine flower crown on his head from Kattegat’s young girls made him as happy as sunshine.

The king was of course not doing such dancing. He spun words with the other kings and his brother. Hvitserk recounts so called sensual occurrences between the Christian women and he-- noting that they may look shy and modest but were anything but.

“Where is (Y/N)?” Ivar asks just as Kitta sat beside him on his sandy blanket. He takes Kitta’s hands up for a small kiss. He quickly realizes that the roll in her eyes is purely because he asks where you were. His eyes slip away from the burning embers to crowds of men and slaves.

“Dancing.” Kitta says, wiggling a new ring on her fingertips for a kiss. He gives her another, mumbling his words on her ring.

“With Hvitserk?” He asks, though it sounds more like a statement.

Kitta shakes her head. “With the King Sverri.”

“What?” His voice drips down into a low snarl. Ivar’s demeanor shifts, dropping her fingers.

“They’re actually kind of cute— Ivar!” Ivar drops to the beach, dragging himself through the sand. Kitta follows after him.

“She’s pregnant. It's harmless if Sverri fucks her. Better yet to give him incentive to keep his men and shieldmaidens with you.” Kitta chimes in. Ivar snarls up at his wife, jerking back as the shuffling of people around him kicked aggravatingly small grains of sand in his face.

“Shut up! He’s not touching her.” Ivar drags himself until he caught sight of Sverri twisting you back in from a spin. You hit his chest a bit clumsily. One of his hands slip away from his upper chest toward his shoulder. Sverri’s calloused hands dip low on your back. His moppish black hair tickles your lips and you look away from him when he leaned in for a kiss. Sverri draws back in his defeat, letting his forehead rest upon your head.

“A… ah. I think my husband might not… like this.” You hum. Sverri keeps quiet, eyes glazing you over.

“I wouldn’t either… if you were mine.”

“(Y/N)!” You press away from his chest. A harsh call of your name from below alerts you to Ivar. Immediately you know from the wildness in his eyes that you were in some sort of deep trouble. You break away completely from Sverri to run over to your husband, beginning to kneel in the sand.

“Iv… Ivar. That wasn’t-- I didn’t mean to.” You came up beside him. He reach out to tug you down. You tumble on the ground a little harshly, hands flying instinctually to your stomach. Ivar lurches over you, ignoring both Sverri and Kitta. Your hands hook around his neck as he bears down at you.

“Let us make something clear. I may share Kitta… But never you. You are the mother to MY children. Do you understand?” Ivar asks. You look up into his blown wide eyes. Ivar slips his slender hips between your legs. Was he going to make a display of you here? You wish you could melt away.

“Yes… my husband. Perfectly.” You mumble. As soon as his rant has began, it ebbs. You have neither the time nor the energy to fight his burning need for dominance over a foreign king. At the end of it all-- you were his.

Every king would know. King Sweyn would know with his lavicious eyes that bore a little too long at your ass during ceremony. King Faksi-- who gave you in marriage would know. This king from a far distance would know. He’d know very well.

“We’re going to your rooms.” Ivar snarls, dragging himself through the sandy beach. As you lay there, Kitta slips behind you to pull you up. In a mixture of frustration, you look to Kitta.

“Why would you tell him about Ubbe and I?” You ask her, finding that her eyebrow cocks. Your back stiffens the moment the words hit the surface-- you just slipped.

“I said nothing about Ubbe, (Y/N). Or Sverri.” Kitta laughs. “I only told him a brother fucked you. But now I know which.”

“I trusted you not to tell him, Kitta. I took care of you!” You shove her back, finding Kitta was quick to fall dramatically. Despite her creating a scene, she wears an amused smile. Sverri jerks forward to grip your wrist when you were about to jump her.

“She isn’t worth your time, my Lady Princess.” He whispers in your ear with a warm, soothing puff. You drop your raised fist.

“(Y/N)!” Ivar calls you.

Sverri was right. She wasn’t.

@igetcarriedawaywithyou , @kylobien , @titty-teetee , @breathlessouls , @nejijjeoroo , @bcat1291 , @readsalot73 , @mslothbrok (no mix), @romanchronicles, @ateliefloresdaprimavera , @ailucascen , @michaeliskindahot , @ilovemyangelforever, @directionlessbuthappy , @hizz-hizz-mothertruckerz , @some-blondes-unicorn ,@atequila, @rekdreams247 , @ivarswonderlust , @writingeverynowand-then , @hp-hogwartsexpress , @minarawr , @haliannej, @strangunddurm , @cbouvier23 , @peachesnpisces , @elenawrit , @Equalstrashflavoredtrash, @roxxck , @ilvebeenabad , @vikingsmania , @the-geeky-engineer , @huntingbears , @my-little-wolfe , @mitchiri-nek0 , @seize-the-droid , @Certifiedpoison, @hotshotstar , @a-writers-dreams , @quaint-and-curious-being, @ivarthotbrok ,  @mitchiri-nek0 , @dakotacheyenneee-blog, @salimahbicharara-comun, @capstefanbrandt, @kickbacksnextdoor , @alicedopey , @imagine-this-motherfucker, @zoetrope1997 , @kingniazx , @lost-and-wandering-alone , @amandaseibaek , @queenmissfit  , @calaena-banrion , @memememememe1-blog , @lost-and-wandering-alone , @rubyquartzshades   , @naaladareia, @lisinfleur , @abwrites

[getyouraoion]

Another drabble for @riseofthephoenixfallofdestiny who needs all the smiles and deserves every one of them. <3 And requested I write this one- though neither of us had any idea how long it’d be XD It was so much fun, tho! owo

~Aster and Aoi have been dating for well over a year now, even moving in together shortly after her graduation. He’s even starting to open up some, which thrills the charmer duelist... But it also opens up the possibility for all kinds of nasty surprises, including one with ties to Aster’s past.

Warnings for kidnapping and death mentions.

Part 1 of 2.

“It's a party in Domino to celebrate the new season.”

“...Pros have seasons?”

“Even we need breaks, Aoi. Come with me?”

In hindsight, she probably should've said no.

For the billionth time, Aoi fluffed her bangs, much to her boyfriend's amusement beside her. “You hush. I've never been in t' a party like this before,” she argued upon catching a glimpse of his grin from the corner of her eye. Honestly, she'd have yanked on his tie and dragged him home an hour ago... If not for the fact he enjoyed it when she took control and they'd likely end up vanishing to a side room for reasons other than leaving. “I don't want t' embarrass you, you know that.”

Aster simply shrugged, though his grin grew wider with the movement. “Aoi, dear, you could never embarrass me. You could stop fluffing your hair like a preening bird-”

“And you could remember I know how y' love your tie pulled.”

His cheeks flushed a pale shade of red, drawing a grin to her lips. If there was one way to counter Aster's horrible teasing, it was to remind him she knew his weaknesses, and how willing she was to use them against him. Maybe not in public, but it was enough, the pro lifting a fist to his lips to cover a cough. “All right, I'll concede this round to you. I wouldn't get used to it, you know-”

Grin fading into a soft smile, she leaned over and rocked onto her toes, a delicate hand laying itself on his chest seconds before their lips connected for but a second. Like always, the tender kiss sent a shiver down her spine, only amplified with knowing that for the first time, he'd been dropping his guard in public and letting the world – or at least those at the party – know the great Aster Phoenix was a man off the dating 'market'. And to have his hands automatically migrate to her waist, hold gentle and full of affection, added a second shudder and a smile to his own lips.

“I won't get used to winning,” she whispered, sliding her hand up to cup his cheek, “but I'll always love the 'war'. After all, I love you- how could I not love the battles we share?”

He chuckled, the sound full of fondness and amusement, and pecked in another kiss to the tip of her nose. “I'll remind you of that the next time you complain about my smirk.”

“You smirked 'cause I almost lost Hiita.”

“Again. I should tape your deck to your hands.”

Aoi huffed, pulling back from his hold, though her smile never faded. Was it her fault the wind loved to snatch her fire charmer from her hands whenever it got? Granted, it had been how they'd met and- “You know, I just thought of th' irony? We have a pretty heated relationship, yeah?”

“Your temper is part of it-”

“And so is how y' act in bed.”

The tease forced his parted lips back together, blue eyes flashing with a mixture of a promise to get her back for it, and a reminder that he held enough of her secrets to thoroughly embarrass her if she continued on that particular topic. “But think about it. Which charmer did y' catch three years ago?”

“Hii-” Aster paused, then laughed, remembering the wind carrying the card to him outside of Duel Academy's front doors. Back then, he'd been posing as a new student, there under Sartorious's orders – though he'd never expected it to bring him the raven before him. “I'll give you that, too. A glimpse of destiny perhaps?”

She laughed, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Mhm- Maybe Hiita knows us better than we do... Though that I won't push. Jay can see spirits, an' if one of us starts I'm blaming him.”

“Agreed.” Both pro and raven let a brief frown pull at their lips; neither could stand the distance that kept them from their friend, least of all Aoi. Along with Aster and their mutual friends Chazz and Whisper, Jaden had been her closest friend since she'd arrived at the academy four and a half years prior. Though she talked to him on a nearly daily basis, be it by letters, phone calls, or emails, she still missed her 'pup'  immensely.

Taking note of her switch in mood, Aster brushed his fingers over her cheek, the gentle touch bringing back her smile. “Would you like a drink, dear? The refreshments table is clear- I may not get swamped by fans this time.”

She couldn't help but giggle; the moment they'd arrived, they'd nearly been tackled into the mud caused by the day's earlier rains, nearly everyone who didn't see him on a regular basis and fans new to the pro circuit determined to get an autograph... Or a touch, despite him announcing he was there with a date. “If you d' get swamped again, just yell 'hey look over there' and take off. Always work f' me.”

“And that is why you're here,” he joked, taking her hand long enough to kiss her knuckles. “I'll return shortly. Don't stray far.”

“I couldn't stray at all. You'd be lost without me.” But the tease fell on deaf ears, the silver-haired pro out of earshot before the words even left her lips. The moment he was out of sight, she fluffed her bangs again; why had she agreed to this? Being beside Aster always made her feel safe – she knew nothing could hurt her so long as he was there, something he'd proven rather often in the years since they'd met. Like Jaden, he'd protected her from Sartorious, Yubel, and all manner of nasty opponents, as well as teachers determined to see her either fail or end up in detention for years past her graduation date. Having her boyfriend nearby was a definite source of comfort.

But being alone in a party for the pro circuit, especially one as packed with people as this, was nerve-wracking. Ignoring the fact she was working at a ranking in the rookie leagues and spent just as much time making clothing for Chazz and Aster, and thus would never be on the same level as those in attendance, she was incredibly aware that her relationship left a target on her back. Aster still had enemies, even without The D and Sartorious in the picture, and even she knew they'd do anything it took to get at him – she didn't need to be a genius to figure it out. So long as he was a world-famous pro with the incredible skills to match, anyone close to him would be something to be used. Still, she wasn't too worried; he wasn't that far away, and she doubted anyone would try anything, squirming out of the people crowding around for a distant glimpse of her lover in favor or checking out a large, leafy houseplant. Unlike the rest of the crowd, she knew exactly how his backside looked in those pants; she'd made them for him, and spent more than enough time staring at it herself – especially when he seemed to realize she loved how good he looked in them and took to wandering about shirtless for much of the morning. Those were the time she both loved and hated moving in with him a month earlier, fingertips trailing over an oversized leaf. Maybe he'd know what kind of plant this was? A corcus? Ficus? No, those were trees, weren't they? Maybe a bush... Bluebe- Nah, that made no sense-

She'd barely had time to think of the word 'avocado' before someone had their arm around her waist, pressing a rag against her nose and mouth. Behind her, various chatter and 'Ooh' and 'ahh's rose from the crowd, likely a product of Aster sharing the results of his last duel.. Or was it the last time he'd gone snowboarding? Whatever it was, it was enough to drown out her muffled screams, trying to ignore the sweet smell from the rag and attempts to elbow the form dragging her to the corner. Why wasn't anyone looking?

Slowly, the world around her started to spin, her attempts to fight missing more than they connected. The wind hit her skin before she could even realize they were on the back patio... And within minutes, she could barely keep her eyes open, fighting the urge to sleep until it claimed her.

“You just don't know how to wake up, do you?”

A soft groan worked its way free, Aoi wriggling a bit to try and get comfortable. A comfortable that ended with a shove of her head to the side, drawing her attention to the dull headache throbbing in her skull; when had that happened? And why wasn't Aster waking her like he normally did, with a gentle nudge and a combination of a kiss and a tease, lest she be late for breakfast?

Because the one waking her wasn't Aster, she realized, slowly blinking green-blue eyes open to meet vibrant emerald green rather than the wonderful blue of her boyfriend. Whoever this was, just being close to him left her stomach in a knot and her shell rising nearly immediately, the raven trying to squirm backwards into the wall she'd been propped against. “Where's Aster?”

“Clueless.” The man before her chuckled, rocking back onto his heels and standing to his full height. Even having him out of her face didn't help the knot in her stomach; what did he mean by clueless? “And you're my ticket to getting back at him. Consider yourself lucky – As long as you're useful to me, I can't just kill you.”

Kill? That was one word that made the knot sink into her gut; she'd effectively 'died' once, back when they'd been battling Yubel, and had no intention of finding out what a real, permanent death felt like! “I'm not u-useful to you-” Aoi paused, swallowing hard to rid herself of the waver in her voice. If she wasn't useful, though, did that mean she'd be forfeiting her life? And if she did, would it keep Aster safe? “I'm not useful, and I won't let you at him. I'd sooner let you kill me.”

“Brave words.” He canted his head to the side, slipping his hands into his pockets as he stared down at her. “But I don't need you to grab him. I need you to completely shatter him. After all, he destroyed my mentor... And in D's name I'll destroy him, starting with the one he holds closest to him!”

“The D was a jerk,” she answered automatically, patting down her dress for any signs of tears and damage. When she found none and her deck still in the case strapped to her thigh under the skirt, she heaved a sigh of relief; he'd taken her, but done nothing else. That was enough to turn her attention to the threat at hand: A man who had ties to one she'd only heard about in brief stories, Aster's former legal guardian not someone she wanted to press him on.

Slowly, she eased herself up and off the floor, knees shaking with the effort and head throbbing in protest. Whatever he'd drugged her with had left her feeling oddly heavy and still tired, though the need to protect both herself and a man who'd claimed her heart was something that won out over it all, even if she was nauseous in the midst of adrenaline-fueled bravery. “He was a sick jerk who hurt Aster and tried t' cover it up by taking him in- That' n' mentor, that's a sick, twisted monster! An' y' think I'm gonna hand y' Aster s' you can 'honor' th' guy's memory? Sorry, buddy, you picked the wrong girl to mess with.”

The man shrugged nonchalantly, alerting her to the fact he blocked her escape – she'd literally been dumped into a corner, and the only way out of it was past him. “I don't care what you think, kid. And I don't need you to 'hand' me anything. But I'll give you this much, if you're so eager to play the hero-”

“I'm not. I'm protecting someone who means everything t' me. But since your mentor was a criminal and you're clearly followin' in his footsteps, I shouldn't expect y' to understand.”

“Sassy. I can see why he likes you. Too bad I don't care.”

That one actually stung, her gaze moving past him at the pair of duel disks on a table across the spacious room. “...A duel?”

“Mm. You must duel, if he likes you. I'll give you this, then: We duel. If you win, I'll let you go free. Simple as that.”

“...Doesn't sound simple. And if I lose?”

“You stay.”

“Still doesn't sound simple. What's th' catch?”

He stepped aside then, unblocking the rest of the table from her line of sight. The collars sitting beside the disks made her shudder; it was hard not to recognize the shock equipment Zane had gotten addicted to and even demonstrated for them in a match against Syrus. “You wear that. Win or lose, you're not leaving here.”

A part of her wanted to chirp she'd just not take damage then, but even she knew that was impossible. She was no pro; taking no damage for the entirety of a duel was something any of her friends could do, but not her charmers – No matter what she did, an attack on her would be inevitable. But at least she had the advantage of being a healthy teen... Her body could take a little shock, right? “...Fine. But if I win you turn yourself in f' this and never bother Aster again.”

“Deal, kid. Now pick your disk and duel.”

Aster Phoenix was livid.

Or at least, livid was the word whispered around the party, the wide berth around him ensuring nobody else got caught up in his search for his missing girlfriend. He'd not seen hide nor hair of her in over an hour, not since he'd left to get them drinks from a refreshment table.. That had oddly been out of of refreshments.

At the time, he'd thought nothing of it and entertained the growing crowd around him with stories of his latest conquests, ignoring any questions he got about his private life, per the norm. What he did at home was his own business, though he had rather happily talked about his suit for several minutes when requested to – he wasn't about to squash Aoi's chances at getting clients for her clothing line by keeping her talents to himself. There being no punch was odd, but otherwise, things had progressed the way they always had.

Until he'd returned to the plant he'd left her at, that was, finding nothing but... Well, plant. A bit of questioning told him she wasn't in the bathroom, nor had she gone outside... And it was then the glasses had dropped from his hands, shattering on the polished marble floor. If there was one thing he knew about Aoi, it was that she wouldn't just up and leave him alone without a word.

His hands balled up into fists at his sides, short cut nails digging into his palms until he was sure they were cutting through layers of skin. She wouldn't willingly leave him, so how had she vanished? He'd explored nearly every inch of the parts of the mansion guests were allowed to roam, forced back by security when he'd hit those limits. If they wouldn't let him thorough, there was no way they'd have let a stubborn five-foot-three woman through, either; he didn't have to worry about her being elsewhere in the massive building.

He couldn't stand to lose her.

The sudden thought cut through his rage for a brief moment of clarity; had he gotten so dependent on having someone beside him that he'd let himself get so attached? The thought of going back to living alone made him nauseous- at one time, he'd even preferred it over the loud bustle of having anyone aside from his assistant in his home. These days, he'd found himself rather enjoying having someone to share his days with, one hand uncurling from its fist so he could run the pads of his fingers along a seam in his suit's jacket. Someone who owned his heart, made him want to come home and actually relax even on the slowest days.

A sharp, repeating beep cut through the air, drawing his gaze to the screen against a nearby wall. The party's host hastily pressed a few buttons – he'd recognize the small man anywhere – and within seconds, the image had changed from a seasonable pumpkin display... To a smirking man. Well, he could safely say he'd not expected it to be a viewscreen.

“Aster Phoenix is still in attendance, yes?”

Normally, he'd have replied with a snarky comment, nudging through the crowd to put himself up front, within clear view, but this was an occasion he simply couldn't get out much more than a glare. Thankfully, that seemed to be more than enough, the man on the screen chuckling at the sight of him. “There you are. And you look so very happy – Did you find her missing?”

The question set his blood boiling; had he been where she'd gone? “Where is she?”

“Safe, for the moment.”

He hated those words.

And Aoi hated pinching collars.

Her captor turned the screen, her own glared pinned first on it, then the man while she tugged at the shock collar fitted to her neck. It was her own fault for agreeing to it, she supposed, giving the metal another sharp yank, watching the man put on his own. “You didn't actually call Aster, did y'?”

“Aoi!”

He had, Aster's voice coming from the relatively small screen easing her fears some and ceasing her tugging. Without a thought to what her captor could do, she darted closer to the screen, leaning against her hands on the table and willing a soft smile to her lips. “Aster... I'm okay. I promise y' I'm okay. Don't worry so much.”

His lips quirked into a grin, though she couldn't find any trace of the usual light in his eyes that came with it. She was so used to the vibrant blues sparkling in delight every time he smiled, so much so that she was less afraid of his temper, and more so that he'd finally lost that sparkle after everything he'd lived through. “I'm coming for you.”

“As much as I love hearin' that, no. You're not.”

“Don't fight me on this, Aoi. I'm coming.”

“And if you come this guy's gonna have what he wants. Stay. There.”

“I won't let him have you!”

“He already has me! An' I'm not gonna let him have y' too!”

“Aoi-”

“Stop. There's a chance I can get my freedom and keep you safe by dueling him. Stay at the party and I'll be home soon.”

“This isn't home.” He crossed his arms over his chest, giving her a pointed stare. “And I'm not about to listen to the argument of a stubborn fool wearing- … Take it off this instant.”

Aoi tugged at the collar, willing a smile to her lips. “This? Can't.”

“And why not?”

“...It's a little locked in place an' the key's on the ceiling.”

“Why is it on the ceiling?”

“Because you're dating a fool t' focused on making sure you're safe an' doesn't care about herself.”

“Sounds accurate,” he muttered, shrugging slightly, though she couldn't find a trace of insult in his voice, just a familiar tease. “You never did think about yourself.”

“Exactly. So stay there?”

“No.”

Her shoulders slumped, head hanging. Why was he so stubborn? Maybe that was what'd brought them together, but for the moment it was also a trait they shared that she couldn't quite deal with. “Please, Aster. I promise I'll be fine. Stay there an' I'll see you at home, okay? Don't risk yourself by comin' here. I refuse t' lose you.” That said, she pulled away from the screen, hiking up her skirt just enough to take her deck from the hidden case on her thigh and slip it into the duel disk on her arm. “I won't lose you. Get yourself ready, 'cause I'm doin' this one for him!”

The man smirked, the disk on his arm shifting into place along with hers. He seemed more at home in the collar than she felt in her dress, wishing she'd been able to wear jeans for the catered affair. It'd certainly be easier to duel in, too, waiting for his nod of approval for her to go first to draw her opening hand. At least her deck hadn't let her down; she'd already drawn her wind charmer and the familiar-possessed form of the earth, along with one each of her fire and light monsters. At the rate she was going, she'd be able to keep this duel going in her favor without issue!

Yet playing Alexandrite Dragon wouldn't do her any favors just yet, despite having a high attack. Without any clue to what he had in his hand, her best bet was to play it safe and place down her fire monster, instead, smiling at the sight of the small of appearing on the field before her. “Then I'm gonna start with m' Fox Fire- Don't underestimate th' little guy, now. He's coming with two face downs-” a pause to add them to the field, “but he's pretty fierce all his own.” Even if his small attack wouldn't get her far, at least she could use him for a shield, mumbling her apologies to the fox under her breath.

“How cute. A pile of ash.” Her captor chuckled, the sound sending a chill through her, much unlike the warmth of Aster's. She didn't doubt he had something planned... Something that turned out to be an ice barrier monster, their strategist, if she remembered right, quickly summoned and staring down her fox. “Look at it cower and tremble in fear. Why don't you join it?!”

Her Fox Fire had barely been destroyed before the collar activated, the sparks of electricity coursing through her body far stronger than she'd initially considered and drawing a sharp cry from her lips. If that was what taking over a thousand points of damage did, she was ready to clock out, go home, and hide in bed until the world came to an end, stray jolts still making her fingers twitch long after the shock had finished. It was all she could do to slip her card into the graveyard, then remove it again, placing it right back where it was. “A-And you don't know 'bout my fox, clearly. I can bring him back at the end of a t-turn he's been destroyed on. I've got myself a really loyal fluffball, h-huh?”

And she'd need it, she realized, suddenly feeling far smaller than even a mouse. How.. Was she supposed to protect Aster if she was already losing?

Footprints in the mud.

Tire tracks leading away from the mansion.

A dropped handbag he'd recognize anywhere.

By the time she'd lost more than half of her life points, Aster had seen enough. Coupled with the viewscreen suddenly dying and no way to get the feed back, the pro had fled from the mansion, adjusting his tie and putting in a phone call for a helicopter with the clues he'd found. The surrounding area was still muddy enough that he could follow the tracks, and above all else, he was ready to knock someone's head off their shoulders. The moment he found them... The kidnapper wasn't the only one who had it coming to them.

How dare she tell him not to follow? Didn't she realize how dangerous this was? He knew all too well how much she loved to have fun and slack off, even if she had grown up quite a bit in recent years. Her life was no game-

Aster stopped, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his palms. He knew better; the girl he'd fallen for wasn't that clueless, and thinking of her such, even out of anger, wasn't going to get him far, nor was it right. She was just as protective as he was, if not more so, going as far as to tailor her deck to reflect a self-imposed role as Jaden's guardian after seeing his heartache and pain after their return from the alternate dimension. That had been over a friend... And now she was trying to sacrifice herself to keep him safe.

She knew exactly what she was doing, and it was making him sick to his stomach to know that by the end of the night, he could be going home without her.

He'd been used and left behind so much, he'd kept his heart off limits to anyone and everyone. Everyone, that was, except for the sweetly smiling girl the wind had brought to him on a crisp, clear autumn day. Even when he'd been against her, she'd forgiven him. Introduced him to a world of peace he'd never before known. Took every loss he'd handed her, both in duels and in their typical playful 'fights', with a smile so vibrant he wasn't sure how to make heads or tails of it. She'd taken his entire world and turned it on its head faster than he could blink.

It'd taken until almost graduation for him to admit aloud exactly what she meant to him. For months, she'd been contently and happily telling him how much she loved him, splitting her time between staying with Jaden and with him on his yacht whenever he was at the academy. Having her nearby had always been a blessing; with her the nightmares weren't as bad, and he'd never quite gotten enough of her sleeping with her head on his chest. Having her on the yacht was... Honestly, it was like being home, something he'd not had since before he'd lost his father. And no more than two months before graduation, he'd managed to get out the words 'I love you'... And not stopped saying them since.

He couldn't go home without her. To lose her would be to lose the last chance he'd had at being happy – she'd shown him an entirely new world. How was he supposed to find it again without her? How could he find his way back out of that darkness without her to guide him again? No, he was going after her, whether she wanted him to or not. His mind was made up.

He'd not be alone again.

And neither would she.