I started writing this long reflection about media analysis, JJK and the impact of it and this entire fandom and your story but it'll work better once H&H is complete and I can make it less ramble-y and coherent. (oh look I'm rambling again just like the now-saved draft)
Instead, let's just dip into the moments that left the biggest impact because I barely held it together.
The P word and I gasped. Thankfully no one was standing near me on the train platform.
“You’re always to my left, Suguru.”
Now I want to go back and see if that's always the case?
But Satoru has revoked Suguru’s access to his voice and mind space. He’s retreated to the steel entrapment in his head. Leaving Suguru to fend for himself.
The mystique over his "really good eyesight" and their silent communication is so delectable. And then this happened, I can feel it.
Suguru can read any page in any person’s book, no matter the language. But he can’t seem to decipher her expression.
I loved the moments of accuracy during the active trauma. But this felt the most writing from what you know and your training as a physician. (and the chuckle from the doctor over the phone later, poor boy was too stormy to catch that but a doctor would NEVER do that if it was bad news!)
The joy of Fatherhood, given and taken from him in a night.
I have not experienced this type of loss, but I know people who have. And that type of grief is so intense. You didn't overstate or linger on it too long to undercut the feelings and space.
Will they survive this?
I know they will because you've said as much. But that didn't make this any less impactful. The journey and all....
He fantasizes about your precious love child.
Of all this chapter held, this moment was the proverbial straw. Especially with the dream of a girl. And the precious love of dads and their daughters. And now I am going to lose it again, just thinking of my husband and how he would've felt. (he also would've chosen me over the fetus like The Boys).
Satoru fails to swallow a gasp, and the cords tethering Suguru’s brain to rational logic snap in half.
A deft touch here, appropriately use of the intense emptions of sex and touch. I hope it is not their last (not that we need visceral descriptions of it, you've had great pacing without needing to keep reminding us of time passage)
His addiction to being needed is one he’ll never recover from.
Oh Sugu, your doting and motherhen-ing is adorable and I can't get enough of it.
I just want to like, ramble on and on and on. Wine, snacks, and a big comfy couch.
Jen my little angel 🤍🩷. I love when you do this to me with your juicy analysis and questions that make me think.
Long Author POV below:
1. The P-word. This was left field but of course she’d be. The boys have been filling her reckless. And part of me feels like their bodies knew. The way they doted on her in the fluff flash back, both kneeling to put her shoes on. They’re like dogs who sense their human is pregnant. Now though, with the loss. They’re going to be INTENTIONALLY trying to make another one. Even more desperate when reader pushes them away for a bit.
2. A reader actually made a comment on AO3 that they can’t wait to see the boys communicate more. Because it’s true, I’ve written them so in sync I leave a lot of their dialogue to the reader’s imagination. It was fun to force them to try and figure out how to verbalize things when they’re off step with each other.
3. Suguru being unable to read the doctor’s expression. *sigh* gonna get emotional here. They try to teach us divine neutrality in med school and residency. Delivering bad news while being empathetic but distant. You should be able to call time of death one minute, then walk into the next room and give another patient your 150%. I struggle with this. Elia struggled with this. I hope I did it justice with how it’s written
4. Girl Dad Suguru 🥹 I struggled writing his and Satoru’s reactions. I just wanted to explore the complexities of yes they love reader, yes they want more of her, but ultimately reader, NOT baby, is their priority. Full stop.
5. Satosugu soft sex. I hope this didn’t feel TOO out of place. Mostly because grief is MESSY. It does things to short circuit brains. And sometimes it makes you want to make love with someone to feel in control and warm and intimate. They both were crying and confused through it. And Suguru was so desperate to feel close to Satoru again. Satoru didn’t verbalize it but his “I’m so lonely” and “no, stay” was my way of hinting at that.
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PRISMATIC FANG ~ Chapter 5
Even Heartstrings Need Occasional Tuning
A/N: WHEN WILL MY MTP FANFIC RETURN FROM THE WAR- oh there it is. yes, apologies, it took AGES for this update to let me write it, and then I got a stomach bug I’m still finishing up recovering from. I wanted to post this one directly to tumblr as well as AO3 as there’s some fanciness going on (I call it fancy, it’s just shiny to me cause I’m a dork XD)
will still be including a link to the Ao3 page, I’d love to see fellow TCups over there too <3
He sniffed. All that floated across his nose were the fragrances of nearby flowers, the unnatural, harsh chemical particles of the human world, a particular swirl of gray from a passing cloud being pierced by a sunbeam.
The barest trace of a tongue poked out between needling eyeteeth. All that tickled his tastebuds was the tang of a bird in a nearby tree, the fizzle of sunlight glittering off moving water, the thick, rich smoothness of true want and love.
His eyes narrowed and he swept them around suspiciously. All he saw was manipulated metal and constrained gaia and the wavy glow of life and magic filling the spaces between the world’s reality.
Chessur sighed, letting his head dangle off the side of the roof he was currently lounging on. Something was wonky in the state of Overland, and he had yet to poke it with even a single claw.
“The more you hunt it, the faster it will run away.”
The teal cat eyes flared as they drug lazily over to observe the speaker. Absolem leaned casually against a duct vent as he took a slow drag from his e-cig. Disney had requested he curb his smoking tendencies while in more public areas of the grounds. In general, he just found it easier than carting real cigarettes around.
“But I do so like a good hunt.”
KEEP READING ON AO3
The man’s blank expression flickered into a smirk for a moment. Shaking his head, Absolem pointedly ignored Chessur’s measured stare and gazed out at the world around their little hideaway.
From that vantage point, it was easy to see where the more industrial park ended and the amusement ones began. the taller attractions sprinkled around the two adjoining parks jutted into the wide wide sky, their various moving parts darting in and out of view on the properly-timed intervals. Absolem even imagined that tiny blink of white in the distance was the hotel their Mad-capped band currently deigned “home.”
Chessur leisurely twisting himself onto his back brought the bespectacled man’s attention back to the current here. Absolem stared archly at the Cat, noticing the playful pout on the other man’s face.
“It hasn’t done anything remotely interesting for at least half an hour, why shouldn’t I hunt it down? I am so very curious what it could possibly be.”
Absolem rolled his eyes and took another pull. Wisps of colour-tinged smoke curled from his nose.
“Whatever it is, it has been moving for the past 15 minutes. You and I both have it pinged - if it’s still around after, I promise I’ll go poke it with you. Would that sate your yawning curiosity?”
Chess purred, stretching languidly. “I suppose it will have to do. For now.”
This time Absolem chuckled softly at the blue-haired man’s playful, wheedling tone. He slipped around the side of the vent and began walking across the rooftop.
“Come on, then, the others will be here just soon.”
Chessur stretched again, giving Absolem enough time to reach the access ladder and begin his descent. The Cat’s smile widened frighteningly, splitting his face even as the man melted away in a puff of smoke.
The metallic squeaking sound was so faint, if he hadn’t been just off the door at one of the tables, Absolem wouldn’t have heard it over the band’s general happy din. He stilled himself and let his eyes dart around in search of the source.
<Skirk skirk>
Not the AC.
<irk eeerk>
Not their gathered faux audience in their rickety folding chairs (though those did produce an endless litany of annoying sounds).
<squeeeeeck>
<dunk>
Absolem blinked. He looked over at the wide double door that led out to the main hall.
His head tilted curiously. The push bar was ever just so slightly ... wiggling.
When Absolem strode over and pulled the door open, the last thing he expected was for a teenage Jabberwock to stumble headfirst into him from where she had been leaning her forehead against the other side of the door.
Without thinking he reached out to steady her, his long fingers curving gently over her bony shoulder. Eirian’s head tilted slowly and she blinked up at him, more owl than Jabberwock.
Absolem’s eyes flashed as he did a double take and peered into her disguised crimson ones.
“Steady on there?” He didn’t mean it to sound like a question, but the girl nodded her head all the same before stepping back and out of his grasp. He watched closely as she plodded to her spot and methodically began setting out her things.
“And our Jabberwocky makes seven, that’s the whole gang here, places, everyone!”
Absolem glanced at Tarrant as the man stood grinning behind his mic, nodding when the Hatter's roving eyes found his. But the Caterpillar’s eyes were still narrowed in contemplation while Chessur watched the man slip behind his keyboard and hold his spindly hands over the shiny plastic keys.
The Cheshire Cat barely paid attention when Tarrant signaled him to lead in. He went into muscle memory and was only dimly aware of the official start to rehearsal. His attention remained firmly shattered between his thin-faced friend and the feeling he was missing something that tingled behind his left eye.
That feeling always ended up interestingly.
Today was simply not having it with the Mad T Party’s rehearsal plans. Absolem grimaced against another throb in his skull - he couldn’t recall a worse day for the band, even back when they couldn’t play well enough to call themselves one.
Within the span of 30 minutes: one of Mally’s guitar strings had snapped and sliced his hand AND cheek; Alice had dropped her sheet music and gotten the pages all mixed up; Thackery had managed to sucker-punch Tarrant in the stomach with the head of his guitar, making the Hatter double over and the mortified Hare to wildly backpedal and crouch down behind Chessur’s drum kit, hiding behind his great ears; Chessur’s bass pedal somehow punched through the drum skin; and Absolem was almost positive three of his keys were one wrong look away from dying altogether.
For everyone’s sake, Tarrant called a break for lunch. A very, very long break. Absolem took the chance to at least try to deal with his small problem.
He was so absorbed in checking and re-checking the settings on his keyboard, the Caterpillar almost missed the tale-tell prickle across his scalp. In his right form, it would be one of his antennae twitching. Even without them, he couldn’t help the odd little jerks he made with his head, shoulders jumping along occasionally.
To his left, out of the corner of his eye, Absolem could see Chessur’s manifested tail twitching madly, the gray-and-teal fur all on end. The Cat’s eyes slid to the side of his head, teal-rimmed black saucers meeting glinting butter-cornflower.
Here it was.
Neither visibly moved, but for the briefest moment, Absolem and Chessur froze in place at the back of the stage. Both were rapidly casting about, trying to get a solid lock on it.
Absolem almost didn’t register Eirian’s presence to his right as she squeezed past his keyboard and shuffled across in front of him and Chessur to get to her area.
He did, however, register the sluggish traces of muted, unvibrant specks hovering in the air behind her.
Chessur suddenly found a thin, serious presence hovering at his elbow. His ear twitched around, letting Absolem know he was acknowledged but Chessur’s eyes did not move from staring just in front of his stand.
“Doth my eyes deceive me.” Absolem’s voice was barely a low hum.
“I do believe it is.” The Cat’s bassy purr was equally as murmured.
“Seems like it. Didn’t know it could be seen here, though.”
“Suppose the madness is why. It is a wholly tangible thing for us.”
“Possibly, quite. Even so, that much? It can’t be healthy.”
“It’s not. Well-hidden though. Think it’s being dealt with?”
“Don’t know if it’s even been realized.”
“What to do, then.”
“Nothing to be done.”
“Something at least? That much could kill.”
Absolem huffed softly in annoyance. If he’d known the Cat was going to show his rare soft side, he wouldn’t have gotten involved. Chessur turned his head to match his ear, blinking owlishly at the Caterpillar.
Absolem sighed. “…. I might have some to spare.”
Chessur’s trademark grin flitted onto his face, albeit in a much smaller, kinder capacity. “Oh goody. Shall we meddle, then?”
Glancing out of their little council, Absolem noted the rest of the band scattered about the room, wearily trying to consume bits of food and keep their spirits up. “Might as well. Maybe it will change the luck. Today has been horrible.”
“Splendiferous.” Without warning, Chessur popped up from his stool and began herding Absolem out from the drummer’s area. “Let’s go get this little tidbit sorted.”
As quixotically as usual, Chess began to floatingly wander towards the figure sitting alone against the far wall, a deadpanning Caterpillar in tow.
Up close, the muted specks were clearer to see (as clear as such things could be, Absolem reasoned). The precise opposite what they usually were, the ragged things neither danced nor floated nor swirled through the air currents around them. They just hung there, suspended and sludgey, weighted down with their very existence until they eventually petered out or found something to cling to and infect.
“Always such a joy seeing the little bites about and about.”
The tense shudder that rippled through the girl’s thin frame when Chessur spoke wasn’t missed by them. Absolem noted when Eirian’s head twitched but she didn’t look up. The visible mist of specks spread out from her like a mass of creeper vines.
Absolem’s frown at the grody veil coloured his voice coldly. “I pity the poor souls these ones, in particular, have found to glom onto somewhere.”
“Their day probably looks like ours.” Chessur waited for the implied sting of his words to sink in.
It didn’t take long.
The tangled dark hair gave the impression of peering into a foreboding wood when they looked into her face. Gone were the coloured contacts. the crimson glow had spread out from her iris, and they found themselves reflected in the surface of a molten ruby, burning nearly white-hot and utterly, purely exhausted.
“Just say bad luck, it’s faster. No, scratch that. Curse is one word, it’s faster. Go with that one.”
Eirian watched the Cheshire Cat step down from his floating and take a real step across the floor. The uncommon action put him just off her left knee. She forced her head to tip back slowly until she could look him head on again.
She wasn’t prepared for the small, almost sad smile that replaced the usual toothy grin. Eirian’s brow curved into a perplexed expression.
“What?”
“It is nobody’s fault when they can’t see it happening to themselves. That is the hardest of all things to know. What they do when they are taught is what turns the hands to their right place.”
She blinked.
And looked to the other man. “Is his Madness flaring up?”
“What he means is, it’s not your fault the lessness has made today not pleasant. It’s very difficult for people to recognize when they are hardly themselves, something about it feels like a failing, or an omen.”
The teen squinted harshly at his words, and she dropped her head heavily back onto the arms wound together atop her knees.
“Believe me, I’ve been hardly myself much longer than today.”
Absolem’s frown deepened. Eirian jolted slightly when he suddenly sunk to the floor and knelt next to her. The Caterpillar canted his head forward, peering very hard from behind his glasses. The Jabberwock froze, staring back with wide eyes.
After a moment Absolem sat back, not breaking the stare. “You are not wrong. In the end, not sorting this will most likely kill it in you for good.”
“What are you talking about?”
Chessur knelt down and reached out a hand, laying it gently on the girl’s head to urge her to look at him. The sudden sheen of frustrated tears in her eyes made his face contort in the one look he hated most - a frown.
“You are losing your muchness, dear Jabberwock, and if you lose too much ... it will kill your will to live. You’ll die.”
“How do you know that?” The fear in her whisper was unmistakable. Absolem and Chessur exchanged a glance.
“We are ... not strangers to it.”
“When someone’s muchness depletes as quickly as we suspect yours has, they have no time to find a new harmony with reality.” Chessur’s face twisted at the word.
Absolem regarded her for a moment, reading her mannerisms. “You know about this.”
Eirian’s eyes darted to his, then flickered away. She swallowed.
“My ... mother. She always used to say my muchness had taken a hit whenever I had a bad go around. She warned me to never let it get too low.” The red eyes vanished behind tight-shut lids. “It was only After … that I realized she wasn’t being figurative.”
A few seconds passed before something smooth and cool pressed against the back of her hand. The teen cocked her head sideways, squinting down at the small glass bottle Absolem was holding out. The iridescent liquid inside shone prettily, and small, nearly invisible bubbles drifted through it. A small, worn tag fluttered from the stopper:
Eirian met the man’s eyes behind his yellow glasses. From memory, she knew the pale cornflower tint, and for a moment she watched the reflection of the Drink Me play across his face. He gently pressed the bottle against her hand again. Still looking at his eyes, she freed her hand and turned it enough for him to slide the container into her grasp.
“Drink Me is known to work in ... not necessarily expected ways. Perhaps it will give you what you need to feel much more yourself.”
She bit her lip before nodding, pulling her hand - bottle held fast - back out of sight. Nodding himself, Absolem stood, pausing to brush off his knees and put himself back to rights. Chessur watched him before tilting his head to brush his forehead across the girl’s hair. She didn’t move but he thought he saw the muscles in the side of her face contract in the exact way it takes to create a smile. He was sure of it, though, when he playfully brushed his tail across her neck and shoulders like a warm, fluffy snake. The corners of her mouth were visible now, an unmistakable grin.
“We are all mad here, dear Jabberwock. All of us.”
He took the minuscule dip of her head at face value and left her to her solitude. Absolem was already returning to their space and their friends. Chessur began walking after him, his silent footfalls traveling up to return the Cat to his regularly scheduled floating.
and there we are, Chapter 5 all done! I really hated and enjoyed writing this one, it was a definite challenge to dig into Wonderland’s brand of madness to get the chaotic vibes of both Absolem and Chessur. I think it turned out well, but what do you think? (that’s a hint to leave a comment, I’d really love to know what you thought!)
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