#[pt 1/2] traitorous guardian

[thecopynin-kakashi]

Soothe or nightmare?

// Both

After reluctantly accepting the bed, Kakashi settles down with the covers half drawn over his face. It's a habit of his to be buried, to be embraced by something as he tries to will his mind and body to rest. His sleep is often disturbed, either by memories or worries of failure, but being back within Konoha seems to have triggered these images a bit more aggressively.

The night grows late and the noises outside die down.

As his sleep deepens, the familiar scenario flashes before his eyes...

His right hand drenched in blood, fingers curled loosely as his arm supports the stunned body of Rin. Her eyes are wide, haunting, void of life yet piercing him all the same. He hears his name in her dying breath, but as he tries to wretch himself free, he finds that he can not.

Other hands seem to come from nowhere, appearing around Rin's corpse and erupting from the ground. They're clawing at him, trying to drag him down to his knees.

His body is twitching in his sleep, brow furrowing in distress as his heart begins to race. He seems to be trying to wake up, trying to escape the depths of the nightmare tormenting him.

[thecopynin-kakashi]

Kakashi didn't comment on what the Hokage had permitted for Danzo, and what was still permitted to him to this day. Clearly that access to power had been a huge factor in the heinous acts he had committed, and it served as a barrier for the retribution that was far overdue.

There's a grin as he shovels another bite into his mouth, and he casts Iruka a glance that seems to acknowledge some sort of challenge. He wasn't so sure he would be welcome back into Konoha as a citizen when all was said and done, but having access to the kitchen gave him a stir of excitement.

"Tomorrow, dinner is on me then," he says decisively, "and I'll make it worthwhile, I promise."

Kakashi had dabbled in recipe books when he was young, and quite honestly, he did enjoy cooking. If treating Iruka to a meal was the least he could do, then he would jump at the opportunity.

The last bite of ramen disappears into his mouth, and with a content stomach, his prior weariness returns all at once. His small journey had come with a cost and he was beginning to feel weighed down with the likeness of lead in each limb.

"I still have enough energy to get back to the couch...you deserve your own bed, Iruka."

"Sounds weird for the hokage to let him have his own branch to himself." He frowned a little, not liking that thought at all as he leaned over to put his finished take out container on the nightstand to deal with later. Everything sounded so complicated and the way things were run made no sense to Iruka, and he knew there was more so much more information to come in the days Kakashi hid there for.

With the rolled map in his hand, he uses it to lightly bap the older man on the head.

"Don't worry about replacing the map, Kakashi-san. This is the most use it's seen in years." He chuckled, setting it aside to study when he had free time and it wasn't so late.

"As for dinner, we can hold off until you're back in the village as a citizen and not a hideaway criminal. Unless you can cook. Then you can cook something while you're here and we'll call it even."

[thecopynin-kakashi]

Considering they aren't allowed to meet face to face, ( and shouldn't be meeting at all truth be told ) he's going to leave a book at the base of an old, familiar tree deep in the forest. Granted he dare not assume that the birthday man in question would dare venture this close to enemy territory on his glorious name day. Even so, he himself cannot let the day go by without acknowledging the fact that someone still thinks of said birthday shinobi as a friend --- the village higher ups be damned. Happy Birthday... There's no note upon the book but he hopes it ends up in the right hands all the same. With one final glance back at the tree, he runs off into the night hoping he wasn't seen by anyone from the village. His heart feels heavy but in the same breath, it's worth it if it means a certain someone is still free from chains and torture.

That very text would be found a few hours later.

Fingers brush away fallen leaves, the first of the turning of the season. Soon the chill would be back in the air and his visits to this sacred place would become more scarce.

Quietly saddened by the missed opportunity to hear a kind voice, Kakashi lingers in the last tendrils of Iruka's presence. He is grateful beyond words for such a small token on a day that felt as mundane as any other--yet the yearning for just a meager glimpse of the village he so dearly loves overtakes his caution.

To exchange words with a friend would have been asking far too much. It was better this way.

Thank you...

[thecopynin-kakashi]

For Yamato - @shinobinvku

There's a sharp exhale as he heaves himself from the ground, loose dirt and debris brushing a wound just beneath his ribs. It was a personal jab to send the members of his former team out to locate him, and from the aggression they displayed on sight, they were on clear orders to bring him in, dead or alive. Danzo knew how to hit him hard and wear him down, and Kakashi spited him all the more for it.

For obvious reasons, he was strictly resorting to evasive measures, but he was beginning to doubt he would make it to one of his nearby safehouses without them closing in. His only hope was to pull back, patch himself up, and gain as much distance as possible.

Some of them knew all too well his movement patterns and his typical level of endurance--but they also knew his ferocity, and if they truly believed him a traitor, they would be prepared for him to strike without mercy by seeking any weakness to exploit the moment it was given.

Unfortunately for him, his cold-bloodedness did not extend to his comrades even when they drew a blade against him.

A roll of gauze was quickly retrieved from his satchel, enough to wrap his torso a few times in a desperate attempt to slow the bleeding and reduce the chances of being tracked. His senses warned him, however, that it was a futile attempt.

After his retreat into the ground, the ANBU team had likely split up to cover more of the surrounding area. One of them was now standing a short distance away and tension filled the air, making it thick and heavy.

Kakashi winced as he stood, his fingers pushing back his own ANBU mask to reveal his half-concealed face. One gleaming red eye cut into the darkness, observing the other nin closely.

Of course it would be him...

"Tenzo."

He appeared calm, his voice unwavering, but within he felt the full force of the cruelty of the situation.

He did not want to fight someone that was once close to him.

[l-lenny]

Bet you can´t woo her of her feet FINALE (pt. 5)

PART 1: here PART 2: here PART 3: here PART 4: here TW: angst, fluff at the end, mentions of serious injury, coma (a little cringy at the end), english is not my first language, not proof read A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you for the support and sorry for the wait! I was on rehabilitation stay and then I had to do all of my exams. ________________________________________________________________ Fred has been in his bed, crying non the less, for what felt like years. In reality it has been a week. George tried to be there for him with his support, but he was furious with the slytherin girl who managed to broke his brother and his heart. “Just try and talk it out, be angry, break something, scream, hook up with someone, I don’t care, but don’t sulk alone in bed.” He was starting to get desperate with his attempts to cheer his brother up. After a long silent pause: “She somehow-” Fred said finally said after few days of refusing to even talk. “she knew George.” His twin was staring at him in question. “She knew what exactly? That you liked her? And she had the audacity to play with-” started the younger twin. “NO!” yelled Fred. In comparison for the last week this was such a surprise. “the bet” said the older redhead. “Bloody hell! She played ya like a fiddle!” said  George laughed. “That is a cruel prank…” he added after a while. Meanwhile in the dungeons was Orleana with weeping Y/n. “My eyes!” Orleana was trying to comfort her friend while panicking. Y/n just collapsed on the floor grabbing her eyes and screaming for help. “What?! What happened?” Orleana yelled back. Some other slytherins were stopping to help her majesty. They all were worried! In a while many of the students were around Y/n and Orleana. The taller of the two was screaming for help while her eyes were starting to bleed. Her terrified screams could be heard throug the castle. Everyone started panicking and the poor girls screams of agony were not helping. Soon enough some of the students went to get Madame Pomfrey. In the nick of time she was there helping Y/n. Finally the screams of help, burning pain and agony ended. But at what cost? Y/n fell on the floor and she was not moving. Words about this incident traveled fast trough Hogwarts. Many of the slytherins were blaming Fred Weasley just because she rejected him. “That loser will pay for it!”, “Did he seriously thought nobody would suspect him?”, “That bloody traitor tried to kill her!” was some of the nasty comments of the slytherin house. Many of the slytherins tried to go and see you to say what they thought happend. But you were in a state of deep sleep. Some might call it a coma. The same day the words spread to the twins in the gryffindor, other houses and the teachers. Due to the serious state of Y/n health Dumbledore had to call her guardians immediately. But to the surprise of everyone he called for Ravens but even Weasleys too. As Fred became the main suspect in this grand scheme of things. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Fred Gideon Weasley!” rang through the halls. Molly and Arthur were really upset, no not upset, more so disappointed and furious with their son. Fred is a prankster but not murderer and the same goes to his twin. When the Weasleys arrived to Dumbledores office they saw their son and the distressed Ravens. Everybody was stressed trough the roof. Fred was crying. His heart shatterd even more the moment he heard Y/n was unconscious. His heart was in the dust by this poit. He was so worried about his one and only love. Now he didn’t paused in calling his precious light “love”. The son of the Weasleys didn’t listen to the words of anyone. “I think I have heard enough of the both of you. And if its all right we will give Fred here a veritaserum.” Both families agreed meanwhile Fred was shattered. Nobody believed him, but more importantly his everything was in the hospital wing maybe dying. Dumbledore, Ravens and Weasleys were all around Y/n´s bed. Fred drank the potion and got asked many questions. “What is your name?” asked the head of the school. “Fred Gideon Weasley” said the redhead boy while he tried not to look at the girl his heart was calling for. “Can you tell me if you know this girl?” The Ravens were in tears and held onto their daughter all of this while listening to the boy. “Yes, this is Y/n.” said the boy and fat tears were streaming down his face. “What is your relationship to her?” was the nex question from Dumbledore. “I…” started Fred but he fell on the ground crying even harder. At this point even a rock would cry with him. “I  love her with all of my heart! She is my crush, my love, my light.” It was so pain full for him to say that. His heart had piercing and agonizing pain in it. “She hates me! But I love her! I do.” he screamed. “Do you have any idea what happened to her?” again with so much hurtful questions. “I don´t know! I want to know!” he plead while still on the floor. His parents hugging him tight but still he felt so hollow. “I was with George when I suddenly heard about her.” Fred was about to go mad crazy. “If it could be me there in the hospital bed instead of her...I would gladly switch places! In an instant.” He screamed into his mothers shoulder. “Well we need Y/n´s side of the story to get to the full picture of what happened. Some other students gave in their reports, blaiming Fred for the accident. But in the end we can see that Fred Weasley is innocent and in love.” said calmly Dumbledore. “If you wish you can stay here with Y/n, Mr and Ms Raven.” he added while preparing to take his leave. Lilith, the mother of the girl in bed, gave her daughter one last kiss on the forehead and took her husbands hand . “No, we have to leave urgently. But we will go and see her when she will wake up.” They thanked Dumbledore and left the room. The Weasleys were preparing to leave as well. “Fred” said Molly sweetly. “I know it hurts, but I believe it will turn out fine! I know she is a tough cookie, well she is like her mother after all.” She tried to cheer up her son. Arthur hugged him goodbye and they left with Dumbledore. Fred looked and Y/n. Her eyes were wrapped in gaze and still some blood peeked trouh. She was not smiling. And she was still. Fred felt so hollow. Without life. Day after day he slowly decayed. Not a smile, not a laugh, not a word. Every day he came to see Y/n. Every day he felt so powerless. Madame Pomfrey was expecting him and Orleana everyday Fred with a bouquet of daisies and Orleana with a letter of the gossip and her day. Day after day the redhead saw her. Her frame looked thinner and smaller. Eventualy the bandage around her eyes came off. Colour slowly returned back to her cheeks. Fred was still devastated though. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was around Saturday´s noon when Fred, well the worried shell of Fred, came to see her. Fresh flowers in his hand. “Yes, and the flowers are from-” Madame Pomfrey looked at the boy. In the hospital wing. When she saw him she left Y/n bed to do other stuff. “Y-” the boy started at shock at the girl. The flowers now on the ground. He was frozen in place. Y/n sat in her bed. Her eyes were open. She was looking at him. And then everything went black. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Hey there sleepy head!” said angelic voice. Fred opened his eyes. “If this is a dream please don´t wake me up.” Y/n was smiling down at him and he was in the hospital bed. “ what happened?” asked the boy confused. “You fainted when you saw me. I know I look bad because I haven't had a proper shower in a week and my hair is a mess. But I don’t look THAT bad that you have to faint!” smiled Y/n. “ I am so confused-” Y/n put finger to his mouth. “I saw the flowers, I heard Madame Pomfrey and I read the letters from Orle. I know everything.” Fred was red as a tomato. And then it clicked! “Who did that?!” He shot out of the bed. “Chill out.” Y/n sighed. “Turns out it was my own doing. I overused a spell on my eyes not to water. And that day it backfired. And yes...I used a spell so I didn´t have to cry.” Fred shot her a very confused look. “Well lets just say that you really did managed to woo me of my feet.” THE END A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Have a lovely day! ________________________________________________________________

[thecopynin-kakashi]

He blinks at that single muttered word and feels a rise of strange conflicting emotions. She had sought him out enough to make him start caring for her safety and well-being, but he never considered himself much of a father figure.

It was easier with the older kids. They could take a beating and be chased away with a few stern words, but the same tactic couldn't be used against her.

"We should probably get you home..."

Huh. Why did this feel so familiar? As if she had felt this kind of hug before? Almost like fatherly affection. Iruka. That's why, it feels like Papa's hugs.

With this feeling she began to close her eyes, enjoying this kind of affection, the motion calming her heart. "Papa" She mumbled, not thinking about where she was, just the warmth of the hug.

[stromuprisahat]

Zlatá Malina (Golden Raspberry), pt. 3

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 21

Presumably their last night together, before the Big Bad Darkling feeds one of these deserters to volcra. (I guess being shot to death in front of his fellow soldiers would be preferred...) A lot of melodrama, hand-holding and some horrible(y nostalgic) memories...

Let’s forget a whole night together is more than any reasonable officer would allow them.

Three days in “captivity”, believing the world is about to be destroyed, and this is all Alina can think about: MalMalMal...

Our heroine, ladies and gentleman.

It’s also funny- a public execution of a deserter is “cruelty”... in a world, where people are burned alive merely for the crime of existing.

Sometimes I wish Sasha was threatening less and acting more. Less bark, more bite. If “all the mercy traitors deserve” was none. We could’ve been rid of Malyen, and Alina would have two books to grow.

Or kill that fucking deer, rendering it useless...

Don’t worry Alina, Mal doesn’t mind you’re tainted. He stuck his dick in worse places... I don’t care if it’s just clumsy formulation, the implication’s gross.

Also: I need a Darklina rooftop sex fic ASAP!

For someone this self-aware he acts (un)surprisingly worse whole next book. Oh, wait, his fragile male ego will be threatened by his more powerful gf, I get it...

a.) Recently we’ve discussed what could Malina talk about post-TGT, since Malyen hates reminders she was Grisha and the Darkling existed. So here it is: glorified childhood on repeat.

b.) Kinda funny first thing they remember about “beloved mother figure” is “anger”... And we’re supposed to be upset, when she dies...

c.) Alina “My life has been hard” Starkov. Alina “I know what it means to be an outsider struggling to survive.” Starkov. Alina “It’s hot outside, so let’s lie on marble fucking floors to cool down” Starkov.

It’s obvious they were so busy and well-guarded, they had no free time to seek comfort anyone else could... *pointedly looks at our marble floors*

I know teenagers are supposed to be dramatic, but she’s talking like a forlorn wife, who haven’t seen her husband for years...

Some glorified, pseudo-romantic self harm as a treat:

Then he’d picked me up and spun me in a circle, and I’d clung to him, ... Dimly, I’d been aware that I still had a shard of the blue cup in my hand, that it was digging into my palm, but I didn’t want to let go.

It’s not like Alina can’t let the shard fall. How is she even holding it, if she’s hugging Malyen? Why would she hug him with closed fist? Aside from being too stupid not to cut her own hand on purpose...

Kinda funny her bestie couldn’t wait to hug her after a day? Two? Away, but doesn’t notice her palm is “dripping blood” and heads for lunch. Peak romance.

Another little detail about how “bad” did those orphans have it: Alina stops working and runs off, yet there is no repercussion mentioned.

In case you’re wondering, why should you cry about Ana Kuya in Ruin and Rising, she’s obviously loving guardian. A girl mutilates herself, what’s worse- she gets the floor dirty!

I’m taking it back, the self-harm is okay. Malyen kissed it better. Two years later...

Wow, this mutually incosiderate codependency’s so romantic, it almost makes me cry (tears of frustration and thinly veiled disgust).

Ivan’s so nice. Malina got whole night and he lets them make out right in front of his salad anyway.

pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 4, pt. 5, pt. 6, pt. 7, pt. 8, tag for all icluding the rest

[dimitribelikov]

The Belikov Chronicles: The Tasha Conundrum Pt.3

✶ The conclusion of my Tasha Conundrum series ! This one features the lovely balcony moment they shared, all from Dimitri’s POV. ✶ notes : All dialogue is straight from Frostbite, chapter 17. The rest is mine, based on characters written by Richelle Mead. ✶ warnings : some language ✶ ships : romitri ✶ Part 1  |  Part 2  |  more Dimitri one shots

                      –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

    After the strange discovery of Rose in Adrian’s room, and the conversation that followed with her, I couldn’t seem to get the young dhampir off my mind. Most of the day was spent with other guardians, working over logistics and plans for possibly pursing the Strigoi. Or at the very least, keeping the resort as well protected as possible. It quickly became obvious that the biggest threat to the Moroi under the Idaho’s ski resort’s roof was actually themselves. Their squabbles over the politics that surrounded the attacks, and how best to deal with them, turned into full blown arguments at every turn. Some even resorted to physical fights. It was a mess, and certainly enough to occupy my mind.

Except my thoughts continually returned to her.

The revelation that I was actually jealous of Adrian nearly knocked me off balance. Jealousy wasn’t something I felt often and it gnawed at me constantly, making my insides ache. Fortunately, guardian training came with emotional temperament and I was able to hide all such traces of emotions.

Though Tasha’s hopes of rescuing me away to play pool that afternoon were dashed, she was able to get me away for lunch. It was nice being with her, pretending that the rest of our problems didn’t exist. She could speak so passionately about her views on the world, which always captured my full attention. As she spoke over her half eaten cobb salad, I began to imagine a future with her. What would life be like if I accepted her offer? Surely it was a once in a life time opportunity. I may be young, but the idea of the freedom to be a father and even a husband was thrilling. Maybe because it was something that I had written off so long ago, knowing it would never be in the cards for me. Yet here that future was, presented on a silver platter. All I had to do was accept.

The problem was, when I envisioned myself happy at someone’s side, it wasn’t Tasha. I tried to convince myself that my imagination only inserted Rose because I had already grown accustomed to the idea of working with her in the future. Yeah, even I knew that was a load of bullshit, though. The memory of our heated kiss in the gym, only a few days before the trip, still burned on my lips.

“I should get back,” I said abruptly. From the surprised look on Tasha’s face, I had a feeling that I had interrupted something she was saying. Thankfully, my job and the current climate of affairs made my anxious demeanor make sense. We parted ways and it was back to work with me, doing everything in my power not to think of dark, wavy hair that felt like silk between my fingers . . .

Later in the evening, I was assigned duty at Priscilla Voda’s party. I blended into the background just as I was trained to do. It was dull and uneventful, save for the pompous touting of rich ass wipes that had no clue what they were talking about. Adrian was of course there, drinking and talking to a few royals. We made eye contact at one point, and though I kept any emotion from my face, I was sure he detected my icy warning glare. The jerk actually had the audacity to smirk back as though amused by it.

Then Rose and Lissa showed up. The dress Rose wore should have been illegal. I couldn’t be distracted while working, but the way it clung to her every curve was certainly putting my focus to the test. My fingers felt warm, recalling the feeling of pulling another dress off of her months before. We’d been under a compulsion spell, but I wasn’t naive enough to think that the desire I felt was any less real.

I tried to look anywhere else, look at nothing while seeing everything as the guardians do, but when I glanced back, she was talking to Adrian. Now my fingers burned with a whole different reason. They wanted to punch the jerk-off and his wandering eyes. But before I could dwell, Janine entered . . . And actually dragged Rose away. It was stealthily done, and I don’t think anyone aside from Adrian noticed. Except me, of course, because I could keep my eyes off of her. What a hypocrite! And there I was, chastising the Moroi’s wandering eyes.

Although part of me cheered for her breaking up Rose and Adrian, the rest of me knew better. My heart sunk. I knew that Rose’s relationship with her mother was rocky at best. Janine was as badass a guardian as they come, and though I assumed it would be a great honor to have her as a mother, I was beginning to understand Rose’s resentment.

Knowing that the princess was safe, I left after a couple of minutes later in search of Rose. Our earlier awkwardness ( and even coldness ) was in the past. If I knew her, she’d be alone, keeping her pain to herself, but deeply in need of a shoulder to lean on. I couldn’t explain why I needed to be that shoulder, but instinct drove me straight to her.

When I found her, I could have laughed at how correct my assumption was. Except there was nothing funny about the sight. Rose was still wearing only the tight dress, and it wasn’t nearly enough to shield her skin from the frigid air. She turned to me, and I could see the sadness in her dark eyes. The sunrise illuminated her face in a way that took my breath away. How could I have ever imagined a future with someone else when this goddess existed?

She turned away wordlessly and I figured since no sarcastic and scathing remark about Tasha came, that I was welcomed to join her. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, hoping it would help, then took a seat beside her. “You must be freezing,” was my lame attempt to explain my actions.

“The sun’s out,” she replied, just as lamely. What an awkward pair we make, I thought.

Rather than point that out, I looked up at the sky, taking in the warm rays and the look of the light as it washed over the picturesque scenery. I loved the outdoors and the sunshine, and often lamented its loss while being on a vampiric schedule. Something about the outdoors always brought forth a rush of adrenaline in me. Maybe it was how it reminded me of the Siberian countrysides that I’d grown accustomed to as a kid. Rose could joke all she wanted about it being a frozen tundra, but in the spring and summer, it was like heaven. “It is,” I agreed. “But we’re still on a mountain in the middle of winter.”

She didn’t bother to correct me or defend herself with another sarcastic quip. In fact, the most wonderful thing followed. Nothing. We sat in silence, though there was nothing awkward about it. We were content in enjoying the sun together and simply being in each other’s presence. This was something that Tasha could never give me. For all her promises of a future that was out of reach for most guardians, there was never silence between us. Sure, I loved her impassioned speeches and the stories she told. We could laugh together for hours.

But what I had with Rose was something I’d never felt before. It was an understanding that ran so deep that we didn’t need words to understand one another. Maybe that’s when I knew that I couldn’t accept Tasha’s offer. Obviously life with Rose would always be complicated and far from easy, but it was better than a life without her. Even after the few, short months with her, that was something I simply couldn’t abide.

It was Rose that spoke up first, as though the words broke through of their own accord. “My life is a disaster.”

“It’s not a disaster,” I told her automatically. There was beauty in her life, and I wanted her to see that. I wanted her see how that beauty effected those around her, including me.

“Did you follow me from the party?”

Busted. “Yes.”

“I didn’t even know you were there,” Rose admitted. “So you saw the illustrious Janine cause a commotion by dragging me out.”

I could hear how embarrassed she was by the whole ordeal, and in a way, I could understand. I could guess Janine’s reasoning, but I personally didn’t agree with the action. “It wasn’t a commotion. Hardly anyone noticed,” I assured her, trying to make it sound like it wasn’t that big of a deal. But then my lips kept moving and traitorously said a bit too much. “I saw because I was watching you.” Did that sound creepy? I’m pretty sure that sounded creepy.

Mercifully, Rose ignored the comment. Although part of me had hoped for some sort of inkling as to how she felt about it. Maybe she really was too into Adrian to notice me now . . .

“That’s not what she said. I might as well have been working a corner as far as she was concerned.”

Janine was a very different sort of mother than mine was, but she was still someone I respected and looked up to. I honestly didn’t think that she had such a dark view of her own daughter, but that she had a hard time expressing her honest emotions in a normal way. Honestly, a lot of guardians struggle with that, especially the older ones that had more time to harden. “She’s just worried about you,” I tried to reason. I hated seeing Rose hurt like that, and though I felt completely out of my element, I wanted to help.

“She overreacted,” was the immediate response.

Well, I couldn’t really argue with that. Instead, I said, “Sometimes mother’s are overprotective.”

The look Rose gave me broke my heart. She was a brilliant, passionate, and amazing young woman who only wanted a shred of love, but continually got pushed aside. I felt spoiled suddenly, knowing that even though I hadn’t seen my family in years, that they would always welcome me with a warm hug and happy faces. “Yeah, but this is my mother. And she didn’t seem that protective, really. I think she was more worried I’d embarrass her or something. And all that becoming-a-mother-too-young stuff was stupid. I’m not going to do anything like that.”

Ah. So there’s the problem. “Maybe she wasn’t talking about you.” I must have dropped a hardcore truth bomb, because Rose looked stunned. At a loss for words. And Rose Hathaway was never at a loss for words.

Another silence passed and I knew she was re-evaluating things in her mind. I was happy to sit with her, giving her the time she needed and whatever support I could provide. When she spoke again, it was a statement that seemed out of left field, but couldn’t help but amuse me. “We aren’t fighting right now.”

I glanced at her, arching an eyebrow at the observation. “Do you want to fight?” I asked, enjoying the little playful mood that we had turned towards.

“No. I hate fighting with you.” That made two of us. “Verbally, I mean. I don’t mind in the gym.”

That actually did bring a small smile to my face. “I don’t like fighting with you either.” It seemed an obvious statement, but as the words left me, I knew how important it was that she know that. I hated when I had to be the “adult in charge”. Rose was my equal in so many ways and I reveled in the way we could be so at ease around one another.

We shared an honest, quiet, and warm moment as we locked eyes. That was why her next statement completely took me off guard.

“You should take it.”

At first, I had no idea what “it” was. “What?”

“Tasha’s offer. You should take her up on it. It’s a really great chance.”

Now it was my turn to be stunned. At first I was frustrated that she’d assume that’s what I even wanted, especially with the way I had currently been looking at her. But quickly, I realized what a huge step this was. She was growing up and able to put her own hang ups aside if it meant someone else’s happiness. That was the Rose I knew and the Rose that I was quickly falling in love with. Yet she still took me by surprise with it. “I never expected to hear you say anything like that. Especially after–”

“What a bitch I’ve been? Yeah,” Rose said, cutting me off. I wouldn’t have called her a “bitch” exactly, but things were definitely strained between us. “Well. Like I said, I don’t want to fight anymore. I don’t want us to hate each other. And . . . well . . .” She paused and I could tell this was hard for her say. I was patient, though, silently watching her. “No matter how I feel about us . . . I want you to be happy.”

I could see the pain in her eyes, but all I felt was an overwhelming warmth and admiration. Rose could be petty, sure, but deep down, she was the most amazing person I had met who put everyone else’s needs above her own. And apparently she still had feelings about “us”. I should be discouraging that since there was no way that we could be together, but with the morning sunlight around on us on that private balcony, it felt as though the rest of the world and its problems didn’t exist. It was only Rose, who I learned didn’t care about Adrian more than me. Rose, who had unwittingly found her way into my heart. I knew there was no going back now.

Unable to help myself, I put my arm around her. “Roza.” I didn’t know what else to say as I pulled her to me, getting to be her shoulder to lean on. And honestly, with her, I knew I didn���t have to say anything else. We sat like that for a while, breaking every rule and crossing every line I had set, but it didn’t matter. There was nothing sexual about the way I held her. This ran deeper than that.

It felt like far too soon when Rose was standing up and handing me my jacket. “Where are you going?” I asked, knowing full well that I should also return to my post. Leaving our little snow covered sanctuary was the last thing I wanted to do, though.

“To break someone’s heart,” Rose replied. I didn’t really understand what she meant ( although my gut told me that Mason was about to have a bad night ), but the resolute look on her face wasn’t something I was going to take away by asking for details. She left, leaving me alone in the freezing morning air with much to think about. How was it possible that in just a few days Rose had managed to evoke so many conflicting emotions within me? Pride, lust, aggravation, jealousy, and now adoration.

I turned back to the sunlit landscape, knowing one thing was certain. I had made my decision. I was going to have to break someone’s heart, too. Tasha would survive, but Rose? I knew I couldn’t live in a future without her.

[thecopynin-kakashi]

❛ the only one who gets to kill you, is me. ❜ (@senbonz for an au where bros more unhinged i'm working on it)

Panting, Kakashi lifts his head to survey the scatter of bodies, each sliced to a near unrecognizable state. For each wound Kakashi bore, his enemies harbored a thousand of the same intensity. Haku had finished the battle with a show of utter ruthlessness, and his words sparked a defensive posture from the copy-nin.

"Are we settling this today then?"

He still had fight left him in, and enough chakra available to continue the battle despite the discomforts of various small injuries. Blood loss may be his biggest enemy as he moved, but he readied himself regardless.

@senbonz

[thecopynin-kakashi]

He's questioning himself every second that he gives into these impulsive (yet at the same time, not so impulsive, actions). He's always enjoyed Anri's company, respected his skill in the field, and after warming up to his typical teasing, found him to be a much needed spark of light where all else was shadowed in darkness. But in addition to whatever this may becoming, he was also Kakashi's comrade and friend, and therefore, someone he would be committed to protecting.

This show of affection was very much putting Anri in great danger.

Still, for someone not only touch starved, but immensely lonely, Kakashi couldn't help but drink in this very precious thing being offered to him. Years of this back and forth banter, but the copy-nin had never thought that Anri might actually be interested in him. To be fair, he didn't think anyone would ever take an interest in him. This kind of thing had never been among one of the anticipations of his life, least of all now.

"I don't know if we should." His words are whispered, and while it pains him greatly to say, he still squeezes Anri's hand in case he attempts to pull away.

Kakashi's tilts his head, leveling his one exposed eye with those glorious blues. "You know what would happen to you if they found out about this. If they even suspected it. The interrogation unit would show no mercy, and afterwards, they would sentence you for treason."

He slowly pulls back, his usual stoic expression now twisted with an inner agony he could not keep hidden. His heart is aching as the thoughts of what if come racing through his mind.

"This is dangerous enough, but to continue on would be a death sentence for you. I want you to have a good life in Konoha...being near me will only ruin that for you."

He  lets  the  Hatake  take  the  lead  on  it  this  time,  letting  his  gaze  follow  the  others  every  move.  It's  so  easy  to  see  how  Kakashi  got  lost  in  his  own  head,  years  of  knowing  one  another  and  working  alongside  one  another  before  could  help  you  learn  one  anothers  tells.  The  Hatake  thinks  too  much  instead  of  just  doing  what  feels  right  sometimes  and  yet,  Anri  didn't  judge  him  for  it  because  that  was  just  who  Kakashi  was. 

Hand  of  another  flips,  accepting  his  hand  and  that  makes  his  heart  happy.  His  hand  squeezes  the  copy  -  nin's  own  hand  and  then  just  holds  it  right  back  with  surprising  gentleness.  His  gaze  watches  as  others  mask  is  pulled  down  once  more  and  his  sky  colored  eyes  take  in  each  and  every  feature  of  the  others  face  as  the  crackle  of  the  fire  is  the  only  thing  heard  in  the  moment. Kakashi  is  attractive,  he  meant  what  he  said  when  he  said  something  about  attractive  people�� and  it  including  Kakashi  in  that  statement.  He  kept  such  a  handsome  face  hidden  from  the  world  all  the  time  and  was  still  attractive  despite  that.  Those  fingertips  brush  against  his  cheek  and  that  has  him  leaning  into  such  a  touch,  blue  gaze  growing  even  warmer  with  more  affection  that  he  has  to  give  to  the  pale  haired  male. 

He  doesn't  say  anything,  doesn't  move  and  instead  lets  Kakashi  take  lead  as  he  planned  to  the  entire  time  this  time,  heart  thudding  in  chest  as  lips  brush  against  his  own  as  if  he  was  testing  the  waters  and  Anri  is  happy  lean  in  a  little  bit  more  as  if  to  say  the  Hatake  is  absolutely  welcome  and  his  eyes  flutter  shut  as  another  more  sure  kiss  comes  next. 

The  kiss  was  longer  than  the  first  and  it  had  Anri  impossibly  happy.  When  they  part,  his  lips  twitch  into  the  softest  of  smiles  rather  than  a  teasing  grin  that  is  more  familiar  on  him.  Hand  gives  others  hand  another  squeeze,  making  sure  to  intertwine  fingers  fully  now  as  he  moves  and  rests  forehead  against  others.  His  eyes  slide  open  and  meets  Kakashi's  one  visible  eye.  ❝  I'd  say  so.  ❞  His  smile  seems  to  grow  a  little  brighter  but  then  his  insufferableness  comes  right  back  in  his  next  words.  ❝  I  really  did  mean  what  I  said  before,  we  should  do  that  again  sometime.  ❞  Words  are  lighthearted  now  but  they  both  have  to  know  that  there  is  an  elephant  in  the  room.  If  this  comes  to  light,  Anri  could  be  in  deep  shit  or  someone  could  easily  use  this  against  Kakashi.  Yet,  Anri  always  did  like  taking  risks,  he  just  knew  how  Kakashi  was  too  and  knew  it  wouldn't  be  long  before  worried  thoughts  would  start  crossing  the  pale  haired  males  head  too. 

[ranger-njoyc]

4 Days Til Cottage Cheese

Day 12:

Theme: Journal (pt. 2)

Description: Kendra Sorenson’s Private Journal, Over The Years

Details: umm... it’s all set at different points. It should be fairly easy to discern what events are happening at what times, but if not, just message me and I’ll clear it up. For now, it goes from book 1 through the end of book 3. I might make a second part, finishing 4 and 5, or I might make one for Seth. Idk, I’m just playing with character voices.

---

from the diary of Kendra Sorenson

---

… and this whole time, our Grandpa has had this huge preserve full of magical creatures! God, if anyone ever read this, they would certainly think I’m insane. But Fablehaven is real. I never even knew this was even a possibility, until I had my eyes opened.

Seth is still going to be Seth. If possible, he somehow wants to explore the woods even more now!?I told him not to, that it would be so dangerous, but he seems determined. I guess there’s no stopping him. But that doesn’t mean I won’t tell on him if anyone asks…

---

… so you need to know. Dale once told me that a smart man learns from his mistakes, but a real sharp one learns from the mistakes of others. I’m writing this now in hopes it will help someone in the future.

Fablehaven is beautiful. It’s a wondrous place, and it’s easy to forget all about the danger that resides here. For when there is light, there must be darkness. It is easy to slip into blissful unawares of the dark creatures that live here, but take my word for it: nothing at Fablehaven is a joke. Everything needs to be taken seriously, or it may just be your last day.

I got lucky. I was able to save my family. I was able to prevent the destruction of the preserve. But visiting the Fairy Queen’s shrine was a risk, and you can never count on any backup. I got lucky. You may not…

---

… never admit it out loud, but the whole encounter with Errol really shook me up. I didn’t think the Society of the Evening Star would actually come to us! Now I’m worried about what Seth could’ve accidentally done when he fed the statue. What was that statue anyways? Why did it bite Seth?

All I can hope is that it’s not dangerous and it’s not going to pose a threat…

---

...news flash: it’s a huge threat…

---

… not even fair. I might not want to go on those adventures, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want the choice. Someone making a decision for me has always bothered me, but normally it’s made because that’s what they believe I would want. It’s ridiculous how I don’t even get a choice, simply because of my gender.

On the other hand, hanging out with Vanessa has been fun. Her creatures are all interesting, despite them looking creepy and sounding creepy. She gave me a pen made out of umite wax that we can write secret messages to each other with! Vanessa is…

---

...can’t believe this. It’s been about a week since we put Vanessa in the quiet box, and I’m still having a hard time comprehending it all. I mean, Vanessa was my friend! She was supposed to be the one I could always rely on!

Warren is back to his normal state, and he and Dale have been spending a lot of time together. They deserve it. To be brothers again.

Everything is back to normal, almost. I can’t stop wondering who that prisoner was, the one who was removed from the quiet box. The aura around him seemed weird, and so did the circumstances. What if Vanessa was telling the truth? What if the Sphinx really is a traitor? Who could he have possibly released? I don’t know, it just doesn’t sit right with me…

---

...have to admit, I’m really nervous. I mean, who am I to join the Knights of Dawn? I’m not a hero. Seth would be a better knight than me, he’s brave, resourceful, eager for adventure. I’m not even sure I want to be here. But I suppose I don’t really have a choice…

---

...Patton Burgess. He really has done everything, hasn’t he? He slayed a dragon, moved the artifact, and hatched a new dragon as the guardian. Insane. We weren’t able to get the artifact, but Warren got a new sword, and Gavin took a cool crown. It looked really cute…

---

… well I’ll be damned. Patton Burgess, you continue to grow continually more awesome(adventurous? crazy? I don’t know what word best fits). Right now, all I need is something good to focus on. Something that’ll make me smile, even just for a second. Times are dark and everyone needs a little light to see the way out.

There has been too much death. Too many betrayals. I’m not sure I know who to trust anymore. I feel broken inside, I don’t know what to do. This is too much. Everything is too much. I never signed up to save the world. I never agreed to this. And yet here I am, struggling to stand up with my family and fight back against the Sphinx.

All I need right now is a smile and a laugh and a little bit of light…

[shen-yuannana]

NCT as Angels & Demons pt. 2

Hell’s Princes (pt. 1)

“The angel of awe that rules the months of August-September.”

Age ~ Unknown // Height ~ 5′9″ / 175 cm // Weight ~ 132 lbs / 60 kg

Race ~ Angel // Class ~ Guardian // Wings ~ White // Color ~ Gold

Relations ~ Former “brother” of Jaemin/Jaoel

Biography ~ Born an angel, Mark assimilated into human society quickly. He’s used multiple alias over his long life, Minhyung and Mark being the most recent. Among other angels, he is known as Morael. His job is to protect his assigned human, only ever having one human at a time. He must follow three rules:

1. Do not let them see you in any form besides human.

2. Do not reveal your true nature.

3. Do not get attached.

“The angel with power to thwart demons.”

Age ~ 1,455 years // Height ~ 5′8″ / 173 cm // Weight ~ 121 lbs / 55 kg

Race ~ Angel // Class ~ Warrior // Wings ~ Pearl // Color ~ Silver

Biography ~ Rizoel, since the day he was created, has been dedicated to his cause - eradicating demons, traitors, and other unnatural entities. He uses his human form, Huang Renjun, as little as possible due to finding it restraining. He strictly follows the rules and has never deviated from protocol - even other angels find it scary how he’s never even entertained the thought of temptation. He must follow three rules:

1. Leave no trace.

2. Leave no survivors.

3. Do not interact unnecessarily with humans - serve your duty and nothing more.

”The guardian angel who lives in the seventh heaven.” or “A state of euphoria.”

Age ~ Unknown // Height ~ 5′9″ / 175 cm // Weight ~ 128 lbs / 52 kg

Race ~ Angel // Class ~ Fallen // Wings ~ None // Color ~ Navy & Gold

Relations ~ Former “brother” of Mark/Morael

Biography ~ Nearly as old as Morael, Jaoel and the other angel were both Guardians - so close they considered themselves brothers. When Jaoel fell in love with the boy he was watching over, he fell - loosing his wings. Morael was heartbroken, but accepted the circumstances anyway, avoiding the younger as per protocol. To get back at his brother, Jaemin took up tormenting the elder’s protected humans. He knew he it was the only way to have his attention, as well as knowing that the angel could never kill him, Morael being too “sentimental” to do so.

“His birth land-marked the storm of the 21st Century.”

Age ~ 18 // Height ~ 5′8″ / 173 cm // Weight ~ 126 lbs / 57 kg

Race ~ Nephilim // Power ~ Electrical Manipulation // Color ~ Violet

Biography ~ Still not at full maturity, Haechan is struggling with both learning how to manage his growing power and avoiding those set on either killing or capturing him. The angels see him as an abomination - a perversion what it means to be holy - and wish to eradicate him from existence. Demons want to capture him and force him to do their dirty work. Haechan wants none of this. All he wants is to go to school at Blackwater High  without being suspicious of anyone nice to him, to go to the arcade, and have friends like a normal kid.

Is a normal senior year too much to ask?

Fact ~ His mother nicknamed him Haziel, meaning “Vision of God.”

“His birth land-marked the worst flood of the 20th Century.”

Age ~ 87 // Height ~ 5′10″ / 178 cm // Weight ~ 132 lbs / 60 kg

Race ~ Nephilim // Power ~ Water Manipulation // Color ~ Black & Silver

Biography ~ Where Haechan is abstinent from the devil’s influence, Sicheng has fully embraced it. He’s close with the Prince of Wrath, Kim Doyoung, because of a mutual respect built up between them. He spars with Johnny, the Prince of Violence, on the regular, and plays strip poker with Ten and Yuta when especially bored. Make no mistake, he is no one’s lap dog - he plays nobody's game but his own.

Fact ~ Jaehyun nicknamed him Suriel, meaning “God’s Command.” He found it tastefully ironic.

“He was not born into the craft - the craft found him.”

Age ~ 20  // Height ~ 5′11″ / 180 cm // Weight ~ 128 lbs / 58 kg

Race ~ Witch // Color ~ Dark Green

Biography ~ Jokingly reading a spell from a book when he was sixteen, Jungwoo discovered he had an affinity for magic. He taught himself the craft, learning how to preform all sorts of charms, incantations, and rituals by age eighteen - a self-taught prodigy. Now, as a twenty year old, he has begun cataloging wards as a profitable business, tattooing protection charms and the like on those eclectic enough to seek him out. He is very friendly and soft spoken, attending university to get a history degree. Jungwoo is truly a great witch in the making.

“Sometimes bad things happen for good reasons.”

Age ~ 16 // Height ~ 5′10″ / 178 cm // Weight ~ 128 lbs / 58 kg

Race ~ Vampire  // Class ~ Fledgling // Color ~ Red

Biography ~ Attending Blackwater High just got a whole lot harder for Park Jisung.

He was a good kid - excellent at dancing, popular without the drama, quiet but witty enough to defend himself. He had a good thing going, but then that one night had to go and fuck it up.

He decided to rebel a little, go out with his friends in the middle of the night, break into some old warehouse, pass around a single beer that’s been watered down to try to extend the “thrill.” On the way back, he was snagged by someone - something. No one saw it happen - it waited until he was alone, and now he has a lot more to worry about than puberty and voice cracks.

“The wolf - loyal to a fault.”

Age ~ 18 // Height ~ 5′9″ / 175 cm // Weight ~ 128 lbs / 58 kg

Race ~ Lycanthrope/Werewolf  // Pack Type ~ Familial

Class ~ Beta // Color ~ Brown

Biography ~ A senior at Blackwater High, Jeno is making the very most out of life. He enjoys everything as much as he can, supports others in their endeavors, and has a great love for music. When some Junior came to school smelling like death, he couldn’t help but investigate.

Now he’s mentoring a vampire fledgling like some strange foster brother, attempting to flirt with the odd-smelling girl who plays first-chair violin, and avoiding getting stabbed with a silver fork by the local family of hunters who’s son smells faintly of a house cat.

What’s not to love?

“A curse isn’t really a curse if you don’t treat it like one.”

Age ~ 16 // Height ~ 5′9″ / 174.5 cm // Weight ~ 128 lbs / 58 kg

Race ~ Skinwalker  // Favorite Skin ~ Dog // Pack ~ Familial  // Color ~ Peach

Biography ~ Chenle may be a skinwalker, but that doesn’t mean he aligns himself with other people of that ilk - not that he could if he wanted to. His family would disown him if he tried for he is, first and foremost, a hunter - even if he kind of sucks at it.

As a Junior at Blackwater High, it’s become harder and harder to maintain his sanity. The population of supernatural entities has only been rising, leading to his family to push for him to become a full-fledged hunter even harder. Try as he might, he can’t help but yearn for a different life. A life where he didn’t have to think about death, but instead living.

---

Thanks for reading!

Masterlist

[for-gold-and-glory]

Weekly Events for August 13 - August 19

Here are some events G&G Members will be involved in during the week. Or just events that I think are really cool and you should definitely go to. If you’re interested in joining these events show up or send a message to Aegir Hlerson or Lirilith Maellan. Or join our discord: https://discord.gg/XxVEdh Monday - The Grand Tilt of Coerthas - Jousting Tournament - 8:00pm EST - Camp Dragonhead Tuesday: Mujihigi: Fight Night - @8:00pm EST - Shirogane, Ward 14; Hidden Shores Wednesday: G&G Weekly Of Goblins, Pirates, and Burning Buildings Pt 2 @ 8:00pm EST - the Diadem Thursday: Magus Laboratories PT 3 - The Exchange @ 8:30pm EST - Sea of Clouds Friday: G&G Extra - Jump to the Beach! @ 8:00pm EST - Costa del Sol Saturday: Swim, Sweet, Summer - A Moonfire Event @ 8:00pm EST - The Goblet, Ward 1 Sunday: Confederate Adventure - Manda! The Darkness of Sea and Space is Full of Submarines!? The Guardian Serpent Awakens!! PT2 - 4pm EST - Heaven of High, Ruby Sea Sunday: Garlean Weekly - Some Information, Yes, Yes? - 8:00pm EST - Kugane

Monday - The Grand Tilt of Coerthas - Jousting Tournament - 8:00pm EST - Camp Dragonhead http://tuftananke.tumblr.com/post/175483077178/housedebayle-the-grand-tilt-of-coerthas - Presented by the venerable House De'bayle and hosted by Ser Basile Feurieux, and their Knights in Camp Dragonhead, the Grand Tilt proves to be a glorious event involving all manners of Ishgardian culture. Lords, Ladies, Squires, and Men-at-Arms all flock to the tilt in order to win glory for one’s heraldry, acquire the favor of a Lady or Lord, to witness illustrious spectacle beyond belief, or to practice mounted combat in a vicious trial by fire Status: Open RP, please check link for rules! GM: House de’Bayle Tuesday: Mujihigi: Fight Night - @8:00pm EST - Shirogane, Ward 14; Hidden Shores https://rebel-and-rouge.tumblr.com/post/176831141588/rebel-and-rouge-rebel-and-rouge-balmung The Mujihigi is a  monthly underground fighting event, open to all underworld/syndicate and yakuza rpers on Balmung, including those with links to gambling and trafficking. In this fighting den, powerful criminal organizations/families and/or those with underworld ties from around the world will pit their fighters against one another for the glory of the champion’s title (Yokozuna), the riches acquired through bets (IC gil,) and for the honor of showcasing martial prowess and strength in the name of your family (This allows an FC/Group/Individual to name a champion on their behalf.) Status: Open RP, please check link for info/rules! GM: rebel-and-rogue.tumblr.com Wednesday: G&G Weekly Of Goblins, Pirates, and Burning Buildings Pt 2 @ 8:00pm EST - the Diadem - A company member kidnapped! The adventurers of the Gold & Glory have set out to capture  Dioblox the Gobhand. Without his admission of guilt, the Monetarists will never get the insurance payout required to repair the FC! But a freak teleportation accident (OR WAS IT!?) has spirited Dioblox and Mikha Sunthistle away to a far off land. But Dioblox and Mikha aren’t alone. And the Glory Hull is hot on their trail! Status: Open to G&G FC/ls members, accepting new members! GM: Aegir Hlerson Thursday: Magus Laboratories PT 3 - The Exchange @ 8:30pm EST - Sea of Clouds https://fustuarium.tumblr.com/post/176939169726/gkevents-want-to-be-part-of-our-adventures - While negotations may have broken down the first time, it appears there is more to be said between the adventurers and the imperials. As a token of good faith, the adventurers are presenting the imperial shadow taken hostage in Ishgard. A neutral meeting place has been arranged. Strange dreams continue to plague those who had visited the labs, the Fustarium seems to have a plan, and there is a dark feeling on the horizon. Status: We have seven slots limited for this event, please sign up immediately if you wish to participate. GM: Wemrys (8 Winds), Aegir Hlerson (Fusarium), Tyme (Iron Claws) Friday: G&G Extra - Jump to the Beach! @ 8:00pm EST - Costa del Sol https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/special/2018/Moonfire_Faire/ - A new attraction has opened up at the Moonfire Faire and the Crawfords are eager to support their good friend Gegeruju by sending their adventurers over to test it. It’s an afternoon of fun in the sun and maybe a little surprise! Status: Open RP, come join us! GM: Aegir Hlerson Saturday: Swim, Sweet, Summer - A Moonfire Event @ 8:00pm EST - The Goblet, Ward 1 http://for-gold-and-glory.tumblr.com/post/176828416750/sasha-rochester-click-here-for-more-info Come join us for a lavish summer event in The Brimming heart’s magnificent pools! Performances, Giveaways, Games, fireworks, and much more! Status: Open RP, check the link! GM: Sasha Rochester Sunday: Confederate Adventure - Manda! The Darkness of Sea and Space is Full of Submarines!? The Guardian Serpent Awakens!! PT2 - 4pm EST - Heaven of High, Ruby Sea - So, it turns out the missing submarines may have had a supernatural explanation. The Guardian Serpent Divine Beast Manda has been awoken. It’s up to the confederates and the adventurers to work together to lull it back into its slumber. But do they have the resources to pull off such a feat? Status: Open RP, this is a part 2, but new people are welcome to join! GM: Aegir Hlerson Sunday: Garlean Weekly - Some Information, Yes, Yes? - 8:00pm EST - Kugane http://fustuarium.tumblr.com/ - It’s time for a Purge! An informant from Kugane has some information regarding an imperial turned traitor from the 12th Legion! The imperials will soon wonder if the information is worth it though as they run through some exhausting hoops to chase the lead, and in the end, they might find their only chasing rumors.

[northlightreports]

The Traitor, Pt. 1

Somewhere in the Last City, three Guardians sat together in an unremarkable bar. They were never off-duty, but sometimes it paid to have fireteam meetings somewhere a little more relaxed and a little further away from the Vanguard's ears. Joule-5, the warlock, and Bellatrix-2, the hunter, had been partners for a long time. Raine-4 was their titan and a recent newcomer to their fireteam. They all had one thing on their minds: Fallen activity they had recently traced to the Cosmodrome in Old Russia, a place that had been declared off-limits to everyone, Guardians included. Joule looked over his shoulder at the rest of the room. They were alone, aside from a couple patrons in the far corner.

"Now, this is all mightily strange to me, seeing as the official word was that the Fallen had all pulled out of the Cosmodrome following the SIVA incident." He said. None of them had been there themselves when the nanites started infecting everything around the area courtesy of the House of Devils, and they were all glad for that based on the stories they’d heard. They hadn’t started calling the affected area the Plaguelands for nothing.

"Do you doubt your own scouting?" Raine said as she swirled her drink around in her glass. She hadn't had a drop since they sat down.

"No, of course not. It just gives me a funny feeling is all, and not the good kind."

"So remind me why we aren't going to the Vanguard with this?"

Bel had been tapping her fingers on the table while she watched the other two talk. She stopped when she joined the conversation.

"For one, there's a good chance they already know. Maybe not as much as we do, but they aren't blind. Second of all..." She said before trailing off.

"Second of all what?" Raine prodded. Bel held her tongue.

"Well, you see,” Joule offered up in her place, “Bel and I have got a history with one of the Captains we tracked coming in and out of there. We don't want them sending someone else to deal with them instead of us."

Raine trained a severe look on him, and then Bel.

"That's what this is about?” She said, “I'm not surprised about you, Joule, but I figured Bel would know better." The hunter turned her eyes away in shame. Guardians weren't supposed to make things personal. They were the stalwart defenders of humanity, and didn't have the time for petty business. Still, even for the best of them, there were times that the professional overlapped with the personal.

"Hey, that hurts." Joule said sarcastically, "But trust me, if you had been there, you would understand. We let them get away last time, it's our problem to solve." The three of them sat there without saying a word for a full half minute.

"Alright,” Raine said eventually, “So let's say we go along with your plan to fly out there and take care of this Captain yourself. How do you plan to get around the quarantine without being noticed?"

Bel and Joule looked at one another.

"We weren't." Bel said, "We were just going to finish the job before anyone could stop us and deal with the consequences later. They're going to find out sometime."

Raine sighed and put her head in her hands before she said, "Oh, that's good to know."

"We can take the blame for this one if it makes you feel better," Joule said assuringly, "After all, what are they going to do, kick us out? I don't think it's worth that to them."

Raine shook her head.

"I doubt any of us would get out of it without reprimand, but thanks for the offer. So, let's say we go through with this plan: We're just following them to the Cosmodrome, and then we're going to kill this Captain?"

Joule and Bel looked at one another again. Bel was the one to answer.

"While we're there we can try to find out what they're doing, but we aren't going out of our way. We're going to be in enough trouble when we get back."

"Fine. When do we leave?" Raine said.

"Early in the morning. After all, we wouldn't want to leave them waiting for us." Joule said.

"Sure. I'll be at the hangar at dawn. Deal?"

"Deal." The others said.

-----------------

Their ships approached the Cosmodrome at low altitude, in a triangle formation. Old Russia passed by in a blur below them.

"What sort of activity are we reading?" Raine asked the others over comms.

"Not much, but there's something around the old control center in the Cosmodrome, where they used to keep up with the colonies and ships." Bel said.

"How much is 'not much' exactly?" Joule asked.

"A few dozen, maybe a few skiffs in the area too. Could be some more walkers, but I don't know for sure. We don’t have clear intelligence on what’s going on in here."

"Nothing we can't handle," Raine said, "But I've been wondering: What exactly did this Captain do to get the both of you riled up?"

"Oh, well, that's easy. He tried to take my arm off. That was very rude." Joule said, "And then after that he gave us the slip."

"And you took that personally, huh?"

"We don't go on the most glamorous adventures, but we take pride in always getting the job done." Bel said firmly.

Raine pressed further, "Our job's to protect the city, isn't it?"

"According to some, that's all we do, yes."

"And what about you?"

"Humanity lost too much. We deserve some of it back. The Fallen aren't likely to show us mercy, or to anyone in the City for that matter. They're picking our bones, we can pick back."

Raine kept quiet while they finished their approach, and Joule took her place in the conversation.

"Well, with that out of the way, how close are we going to be touching down exactly?" He asked.

"They’re hooked up to the largest sensor and communications array this side of the world, so they'll probably know we're coming. We're touching down as close as we can get." Bel said.

A couple minutes later, and they had sailed over the great wall surrounding the Cosmodrome. It was summertime in Old Russia, which meant the ground was free of the snow drifts and endless frost that permeated the landscape for most of the year. Rusted colony ships, once the symbol of humanity's bright future among the stars, towered lifelessly over the rocky landscape. The vast complex had everything that they had needed for the manufacture, launching, and monitoring of the rockets sent out to all the planets and moons across the solar system touched by the Traveler. Now it was all deep in decay, and the miles of wrecked vehicles lining the highways leading to the walls told the story of their inevitable fate.

When the fireteam first touched down on the ground, they were in a small gully that held a lazily flowing creek. A small, rusted bridge loomed above, and not far ahead they saw the pond that the creek fed into. On the higher ground different buildings in the Cosmodrome stood up, but the control center was directly across the water from them. It was impossible to miss, with its massive radio antenna array on the roof and large glass windows up on a higher floor to give it a view of all the launch sites. They could hear Fallen chatter coming from somewhere in that direction.

"Weapons at the ready, everyone." Bel said as her hand cannon materialized into her hand. The other two did the same with their rifles and followed after. While they advanced around the pond, they continued to hear the Fallen, but couldn't see any of them.

"They may be cloaked, or they're just hiding in the buildings." Raine said, "Be vigilant."

Joule watched their left flank, Bel in front of them, and Raine the right. They advanced slowly and as a group with a few meters between each of them. They crossed through the open, walking around the pond. They were in an exposed position, but nobody fired on them from the windows or roofs.

"They are here, aren't they?" Joule said.

"Certain." Bel said, "Maybe they're trying to lay low rather than pick a fight. It would be the smart thing to do."

Raine double checked one of the windows on her side.

"And the crafty thing to do,” She added, “If they're here, they're waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

Past the pond, they walked up a short hill, and soon they were on the pavement in front of the communications array. Stairs led up to a small plaza, and in the far doors chained shut with shattered glass beckoned them in. The Fallen they had heard earlier seemed to have vanished into the air, or maybe they had been imagining what they had heard earlier. Past the entry, they came across a decrepit security checkpoint. It had been centuries since anyone had been here to check who came and went, and the three of them all leapt over the gates easily.

On the inside many hallways branched off, which led to even more rooms. There were plenty of places where the walls or ceiling had collapsed in, making their options for getting around a little narrower. Bel seemed to know where they were heading.

"Follow the main hall upstairs as far as we can go, then double back towards the front of the building. It should be easy for us to get to the command center from this entry." She said.

Joule looked over at Raine wordlessly. He hadn't been aware Bel had scouted the place out before. If he wasn't prone to it time and again himself, he'd have mentioned that it wasn't polite to keep secrets between fireteam members. Raine gave him a stony look, even for an Exo. She had never been particularly amused by their penchant for keeping information close to their chests. It was a sure mark of a young Guardian, in his mind.

The stairs were concrete, fortunately, as metal would have been likely to creak on their way up. Anyone here was likely already aware of their presence, but there was no rush to announce their location any more than necessary. The ceiling tiles had molded and disintegrated, giving them all a view up into the guts of what had once been the ventilation and electrical systems running throughout the building. The place was nasty and bare enough that Joule was surprised the Hive hadn't tried to move in already.

When they reached the top floor, the hallway was short and led to a double-door frame that opened up into the building's massive control center. Even in its long-decrepit state, it was still a marvel of Golden Age triumph. Banks of computers lined the walls, rows of terminals took up most of the space, and a large cylindrical structure in the middle connected to and supported the antennae on the roof of the building. At the far end of the room, where the front of the building was, steps led up to a raised platform where launch controls and monitors for this part of the cosmodrome lay dormant. Windows above the consoles provided an expansive look over the entire walled region.

The Guardians had stopped just at the doorway. There were no Fallen inside, but they had finally found a sign of them: Piles of scrap and caches with faded House of Kings insignias on them, now sloppily covered over with paint.

"Look sharp." Bel said over her shoulder, "Don't know what where they're at, but it's most likely close. We can wait for them for a while and see what happens."

They stepped through the doorway and slowly crossed the room over to where the discarded equipment had been piled up. Joule and Raine kept an eye out for any Fallen while Bel opened up the containers. She sounded surprised when she saw what was inside.

"Nothing?" She said incredulously.

"What do you mean, 'nothing'?" Raine said as she leaned over to get a look for herself. Just as had been promised, the container was empty.

"Maybe it's a decoy." Joule said. 

As soon as he had finished speaking, they were assaulted by a loud whining noise from PA speakers mounted around the room as they crackled to life after having suffered a lengthy death. It was unmistakably a Fallen speaking to them over the system, from his slow and guttural speech. It was uncommon for any of them to speak a human language, but they had been known to be capable of it with the right equipment and an interest in doing so.

"Light-pawns," He said, "How fortunate that we meet here today."

Raine looked Bel in the eye.

"Where's that system run from?" She said. Bel looked up to the front of the room, where the control consoles were.

"Up there, normally." She said. Nobody was there, not even the shimmer that would give away the presence of a cloaked Fallen. She continued, "They must have jury-rigged it to be remote. Could be anywhere in the building."

"Alright, then I'll take the door we came in. Raine can take the one on the other side of the room. We'll go searching through the building, and-" Joule started to say. Bel cut him off.

"No. It would be too unwise to split up now. We'll go together."

They were continuing to be addressed over the PA, but none of them were paying enough attention to understand what was being said. The three of them had made it halfway back to the door they'd entered from when a force field appeared blocking the way. A quick glance to the other end of the room revealed the same had been done to the door from the other side of the building. Through it they could see an arc generator powering it tucked in a corner of the hallway, where it had remained cloaked and hidden until the Fallen had flipped it on to trap them in here.

"Stop. And. Listen!" The Fallen's voice scolded loudly over the speakers, followed by harsh feedback noise, "I would not go through the trouble of talking to you if I did not think you would be interested to hear me."

The three Guardians looked at one another, then stood around and waited. They were listening, even if their weapons were all still in hand and at the ready.

"I killed one of you. You killed my crew. You are back, and they are not. I propose a truce between you and me." He said. Bel looked over at Joule and nodded.

"That's definitely the one, then." She said, before the Captain continued on.

"A truce?" Raine shouted out across the room in the hopes that she'd be heard, "What do you want out of a truce?"

They heard hoarse laughter from the Captain over the speakers.

"I do not attack Guardians or Humans or their City, and you do not attack me. There are other things that I can scavenge. Things that neither you nor I like."

"And what good is a truce with a single Captain?" Bel said in the same manner. There was a pause before they heard a reply.

"I have another proposal: You help me, and I expand this truce to others who can fight our mutual enemies."

"I don't like the sound of this." Joule could hear his Ghost, Quill, say through his comms.

"And just how do you expect us to help you?" Joule said, "I'm not much of a pirate, to be honest. If you want me to steal books, that might be another story."

"Loyalists to House Kings hide in the shadow of this corpse." Said the Captain, "They watch, they wait, and when nobody is looking they suck dry what little is left in this place. Quietly, the Kell gathers more under her banner. She has seen what has happened to the others, and is not eager to be consumed by Dusk. She still has her Ketch, and servitors, and left alone she will become a danger again. Is this what the Guardians want?"

"How do we know he's telling the truth about any of this?" Joule said quietly to the others as he summoned Quill to go take a closer look at one of the PA speakers. He had confidence that the Ghost would be able to find the source of the transmission, and a hunch that it wouldn't be too far.

"We don't." Raine said, "And I wouldn't trust him any further than I could throw him."

"You're a Titan. That may not be the best idiom here." Bel said before answering the Captain's question.

"No, but what are you mentioning it for? Do you intend to offer us information in exchange for your truce? Are you going to negotiate with them for us?"

The Captain laughed again.

"No, light-pawn, I ask you to help me kill the Kell of Kings. For too long have I been her pawn. Help make me Kell, and all of Kings will observe our truce. That is how we help each other."

The fireteam huddled up to discuss it among themselves.

"Do we really believe anything he's saying?" Raine said, "And if we do, what are the odds it's just a trap?"

"I don't know, he's gone through an awful lot of trouble to trap us in here just to not try and kill us." Joule said, "If it were me, I would've rigged this place to blow and been done with it already. This is too elaborate."

Bel rubbed her chin while she turned the piece over in her head.

"Alright, here's what I'm thinking: We go along with this for now, and once we leave the quarantine zone I radio to the Vanguard and tell them we're investigating the Fallen in this area, and that if we don't contact them within a couple hours to send in backup. It would be foolish to place our trust in a Fallen, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't see this for ourselves. Even in the worst case scenario, we can hopefully get some useful intelligence out of the trip."

They all nodded in agreement. That would hedge their bets successfully, Joule hoped. He turned his attention away as Quill reported to him, leaving the others to announce their decision.

"We agree." Raine said, "Where are we going?"

"Take your ships and fly South." Said the Captain, "There is a gorge where the Ketch is hidden. Take care you do not make it obvious you know it is there. I will meet you when you land."

Joule turned around and looked up at the rafters above the command consoles.

"You could have told us you were in the same room. It would have made all this shouting at you a little less embarrassing."

There was a shimmer up in a dark corner of the ceiling before the Captain leapt down to the floor and landed with a thump. He didn't draw any weapons on them, and while the Guardians kept a tight grip on theirs, they didn't make any moves against him.

"Clever pawns, I see." He said to them, this time without the use of the speaker system, "We can not fly together. That would be suspicious. I will meet you there with my crew."

He pointed towards the doorways. The force fields were coming down, and they could see Fallen out in the hallways. They were all armed, but at ease. Even in the ceasefire, Joule felt the tension and hostility in the air. It wouldn't be a good idea to overstay their welcome, but he did have one question he wanted answered.

"What were you doing here?" He asked the Captain.

"Getting Guardians’ attention. There is nothing of worth left in this place." He answered with another laugh.

"Fine. That's enough, then. Do you have coordinates for where we are headed?" Bel said.

"I will send them to you now." The Captain said as he worked with a ramshackle computer strapped to one of his arms, "Do be careful."

"We will meet you there. Don't be late." Bel said shortly, before motioning to the others. The fireteam made quick work of marching down the hallway and back out of the command building, before anyone changed their minds about this arrangement. Within a minute, they'd transmatted back to their ships and were on their way South.

[thecopynin-kakashi]

Iruka was the first pair of eyes to gaze at him without disdain or terror in weeks. It was bittersweet, knowing there was someone that was willing to believe his heart remained rightfully with his village and people, and furthermore taking these unnecessary risks to remind him of it. Perhaps Iruka would never utilize this offering, perhaps he would remain well out of reach as he should, yet regardless of what happened moving forward Kakashi needed him to, at the very least, know that this immense trust was reciprocated. He would place his very life on the line should Iruka need him, as he had in the past.

The acceptance of this vital information lightened the very load burdening his heart. Beneath his mask, there was a slow spread of a smile, and tired as it was, it still managed to reach his eyes.

When was the last time he had genuinely found happiness in much of anything? Such a simple thing this was, and yet the meaning beneath it was full of complexity. Comradery, where most others had turned their backs on him and the rest had maintained avoidance (and rightfully so) meant more to him than words could express.

Iruka chanced his company, returned to him after learning his patterns, and not once did he judge or press for information. He had offered comfort while Kakashi silently suffered, and hopefully, he would come to realize the extent of how meaningful it had been, and continued to be, to the copy-nin.

The whispered plea coaxed the smile to fade. This precious time was coming to an end. The darkness was ready to embrace him once more whereupon he would spend the next several days alternating locations, digging for further intel, and planning his final reckoning.

There's a single nod, a confirmation that he knows their time is up, and then he's reaching for his ANBU mask and pulling it back to the front of his face. His gentle expression is reclaimed by that devious fox grin, his eyes seemingly colder as they peered from those angled slits.

But his voice is anything but...

"Stay safe." It's whispered, nearly carried away by the wind as he bends his knees and then lunges away into the dark.

Iruka wasn't expecting much of a response in return. In the past, a light rustle of leaves would be sign enough that Kakashi was on his way to potential safety yet he found himself remaining rooted on the spot upon hearing a faint whisper that sounded like 'wait'.

Was he mistaken? Was it, perhaps, wishful thinking on Iruka's part? He was ashamed to admit the lightening speed in which his heart did jump at the mere idea of actually being able to see the ninja off. Not their usual silent exits. Just a brief face to face or even something as casual as an arm pat. To see or even FEEL something other than the light brush of leaves against his cheek would elate him more than he could put to words, but he did not want it. At least outside of the brief fantasies of such an exit.

Because for it to happen would mean great risk on Kakashi's part. Appeasing Iruka's own silly fantasies was not worth it --- in the slightest and yet…

He finds himself taken aback as the wanted ninja suddenly appears before him. His movement was like the wind, having crept upon Iruka without so much as a hairpin of sound. Were Kakashi an assassin intent on making the kill, Iruka would have fallen on the spot. Instead, life remained within tired bones as he stood before the other trying to hide the range of emotions coursing through him.

It's so good to see him... I've missed his face but he seems so tired... It really is him... How I wish to ease his burdens...

He was there in the flesh standing before him like the ninja god he was in Iruka's mind. And even better… or worse ( perspective here ) was the hint of face Kakashi was gifting him this night. He could hardly breathe, the fanboy in him suffocating him in the moment. He had to remind himself that he was a grown man; that it was beneath him to act in such a manner towards someone he once trained under. He was JUST a man yet Iruka is staring, mesmerized in the moment as his hand is taken. He doesn't even look down to see the scroll. His eyes remained trained upon Kakashi, as if he needed to memorize every detail of features that weren't hidden for his own peace of mind.

Only when the words finally register would Iruka blink, looking down while feeling quite grateful for the night's cover. He could feel how red his face might have been if not for the cloak of night. Honestly… He was too old to be acting like a fanboy. Nevertheless, he managed to find some form of decorum and nodded, letting a smile play at his lips. He was trying so very hard not to leave too much of an impression; not to look so forlorn or give any indication that this departure was breaking him in two. Because it was. It always did feel like another piece of him was being chipped away after every meeting but…

Kakashi needn't know, and with his game face back in place, Iruka managed a curt nod. "Consider it done," he whispered. The touch had been brief, but it was enough to leave a lingering warmth. It would carry Iruka for some time. It was more than enough.

"Go. Please," he whispered. Because he'd just die if something happened to Kakashi all because they were seen tonight.

[thecopynin-kakashi]

❛ i’m sorry, have we met? ❜ (@senbonz with the au where haku survives?)

"We have."

Kakashi reaches up to pull the ANBU mask away, revealing features that are creased with endless fatigue. They had parted on terms of respect with Kakashi breathing not a word of their whereabouts to his superiors upon returning home.

Such a twisted mishap of a mission that had been, but the outcome could have been much worse off.

Now however, he was the one in need of assistance despite his reluctance to drag anyone into the depths of the storm he had kicked up. Still, he supposed it was better this way, to be among those that understood the burdens of becoming an outcast.

"I need a safehouse. Just for the night."