#I encourage the pirate to boop the nose.

[nagitoandkokichioneshots]

OKAY HELLO OMG I HOPE YOU ARE TAKING REQUESTS !! i really like the way you write its super cool and i want you to keep going lolz anyways can i request a scenario where nagito, reader and hana are spending an afternoon together, the reader came home early from work which means that they can hang out, i think that would sound fun. i would love to see hana interact with her mom !!! okay so good luck

-Mod Mikan: Hello sweet nonnie! First of all, thank you for your kind words! I’m not very confident in my writing skills, but I still enjoy making X reader fanfics with my fictional crushes, so your feedback and praise means a lot to me, it really does! And this idea is SO CUTE! I had so much fun writing this, I truly love domestic life au’s, so thank you for your request! 

“C’mon Mama! You have to show me around the beach!” Hana squealed, pulling her mother by the arm. The (H/C) female chuckled, as she power walked with her three year old daughter to the wide body of white sand. (Y/N) felt the rush of the grainy sand flood between her and the (F/C) flip flops she put on today. It was days like this where the ultimate (Y/T) had the day off. It was rare, but that’s what made her days off even more enjoyable. A day with the whole family was precious and the Komeada’s enjoyed every second of it

“Hey, wait for me!” Nagito ran towards the two beautiful rays of hope, slinging a black duffle bag across her shoulder. Hana giggled, holding onto her mother’s hand as they stopped at an unoccupied portion of the beach

“Sorry Papa. You’re too slow~” She giggled, earning herself a light scold from (Y/N), who was lying a Minnie Mouse beach towel for her daughter

“Hana, you know your Papa needs a little more time when it comes to our races. We have to encourage him, like we do with you all the time!” She explained, pulling the platinum blond up in an upsie. She peppered her face with kisses, making the toddler squeal in her mother’s arms. Cute giggles were muffled out by more baritone, deep laughs coming from her father

“Thank you, my angel. But don’t worry about me. The important thing is that we all made it, and now we can finally relax,” He said, running a lanky hand thorugh Hana’s neatly done braid. It was usually Nagito who does Hana’s hair in the morning, and 99% of the time, it’s a messy, but cute braid. (Y/N) has managed to braid her daughter’s hair this morning into a much neater and elegant design, even adorning it with tiny white flowers to match her two piece bathing suit

“You’re right, Papa. But can we explore? I want to build a sandcastle, go swimming, play volleyball, get ice cream, collect seashells, a--” Hana’s ramble was interrupted by her mother setting her down on the beach towel along with her pink barbie backpack

“Well maybe we can take it easy for a little while and start with that sandcastle, okay? Mama can help you out if you want,” (Y/N) flashed a sweet smile to her, already kneeling down. Nagito couldn’t help but let out a grin himself. It warmed his heart to see his angel and flower of hope playing together. As said before, (Y/N)’s days off were scarce, so saying Nagito lived for these moments would be an understatement--he considered them a blessing, even after all this time

“And Papa can go get some ice cream for us. Hana, cookie dough like always?” He waved his daughter’s favorite ice cream flavor in his question, making her (E/C) eyes light up. She nodded, whipping her braid back and forth as she did

“Yes, Papa, Yes!” She cheered, producing another series of cheerful laughs from Nagito. He then turned to his wife, asking her a similar question

“And you, my angel? (F/F), I assume?” He asked, earning a nod from the older female

“Thank you, Nagito,” She smiled. Nagito kissed both their heads before running off to a concession stand. (Y/N) turned her attention back to the three year old, as she started to shovel out some sand into her yellow plastic spade 

“I want a big castle! Like the ones the princesses live in in the fairytales Papa tells me before bedtime. So we have to get A LOT of sand, Mama!” Hana exclaimed, dropping her bucket only for a split second, allowing her to motion the immense amount of ‘sand’ with her hands. (Y/N) chortled yet again at her daughter, but Hana’s cheerful smile faded into a neutral one, scooping sand into her bucket

“You....You’ll be able to read to me for bed tonight...right Mama?” The pale skinned three year old asked her mother. (Y/N) felt her heart ache at her daughter’s slightly gloomy smile, not wanting to disappoint her. After all, was she even going to say no? 

“Sweetheart, I’d be more than happy to read to you any story you want for bedtime,” Her mother offered, making Hana look up from her filled bucket placed upside down in the sand. Her goofy grin was plastered back on her face, as she crawled onto her mother’s lap, kissing her cheek

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mama!” She hugged her tightly, (Y/N) nuzzling her cheek with hers. She felt some sticky lipgloss on her cheek, but she didn’t care. The hug was broken, only for (Y/N) to remove the bucket, revealing a mound of sand in the shape of the castle’s base

“No need to thank me, darling. Come on, let’s go surprise Papa with this palace fit for a princess!” She booped Hana’s nose, making her blush. Both girls worked hard for the next few minutes, molding sand into pillars, poking windows into the castle, and digging a moat around it. The sound of light footsteps shoveling through the sandy landscape signaled the return of Nagito, holding three ice cram cones in his hand

“Rocky road for my flower,” He flashed a bright smile towards Hana, handing her the waffle cone, making her gleam with the hope that Nagito adored. “(F/F) for my angel,” He gentle transferred the second cone from his hand to his wife’s. “And plain vanilla for someone like me,” Just like Hana’s, his joyous smile faded into an indifferent one, as he sat down on the beach chair. (Y/N) mentally shook her head at her husband. They’ve been married for three years and had Hana just a few weeks after their wedding. It would be safe to say that Nagito’s self confidence have been raised more than he could ever imagine and he certainly does feel more value and worth within himself, especially being near his angel’s side. But old habits that lasted since childhood are extremely difficult to break

Well...it’s progress from “worthless trash” (Y/N) thought to herself, a mature smile creeping back onto her face, as Hana licked her cone, still sitting on her mother’s lap. Hana turned to her father, surprisingly keeping her face clean from her sweet frozen treat as she continued to indulge in it

“Papa, what do you think of our castle? Me and Mama made it together,” She motioned her head towards the mountain of sand sculpted into an elegant design that resembled an ancient citadel. The white haired male simpered, admiring the work of the ultimate ballerina and the ultimate (Y/T)

“It certainly beautiful, my darling. But I can’t say I’m surprised. Symbols of hope like you two can only create the best!” He planted a kiss onto Hana’s forehead, making a faded pink blush dust upon her cheeks once again. Nagito moved to perform the same action onto his wife, but she just smirked, stopping him with pressing her index finger to his lips

“Oh? And is my dear marshmallow trying to steal a kiss from me?” She winked cheekily at him, making Nagito form a surprised expression on his face

“Huh? (Y/N) is teasing me today?” He questioned her, his licked getting slower as his vanilla soft serve shrunk in size. As for the (H/C) female, she quickly chomped the last of her cone, tossing the napkin into a nearby trash can

“Oh love, don’t think of it as teasing. Think of it asssss~” Just then, (Y/N) stood up, tightly holding Hana, her tiny legs wrapped around her mother’s bare waist. She ran off with her daughter into the ocean, creating a huge splash as they cannonballed into the lukewarm waters. The toddler shrieked from the sudden surprise and the water hitting her bare skin. However, she laughed joyously after her body became accustomed to the new temperature, still clinging onto her mother to support her tiny body in the large body of salt water

“Join the fun, Nagito! Hana is right, you are pretty slow~” She chaffed at her husband, lightly splashing water onto the toddler’s rounded face, making her yelp in a mix of shock and cheekiness 

“H-Hey! (Y/N), weren’t you the one who told Hana to give me a break from running?!” He pouted, making his way into the ocean as fast as the sickly man could. He tossed his shirt onto the beach chair and kicked off his shoes before entering the vast ocean. He searched for his family, before spotting the two girls half swimming-half walking towards them

“Now that wasn’t funny, (Y/N)! Not only did you tease me, but you stole my flower away! This was supposed to be a family day,” He sulked, making (Y/N) place one of her hands on Nagito’s cheek, stroking it gently with her thumb

“Aw, poor baby. I’m sorry, Naggie. Can you forgive me??? Please???” She singsonged to him, pulling Hana up so their heads were at level with each other. Hana also made the same puppy dogged eyes with her mother, asking for his forgiveness

“Pwease, Papa???” She asked him too. Who was Nagito kidding? He couldn’t say no to his two favorite girls

“Well...just this once. After all, this is Mama’s day off,” His glower was replaced with his usual merry expression, making both girls shout in happiness

“Yayyy! Come on, Papa! I wanna swim!” Hana grabbed her father’s arm in her free hand, along with her mother’s in the other one. Half swimming and half walking, she treaded along the water’s surface before creating a tiny splash as her white skinned body flopped into the deeper waters, still holding onto her parents’ hands for support

“Hana, not too far, darling. We don’t want you getting kidnapped by pirates out in far waters,” Her mother joked, warning her to stay close. Nagito reached for his wife’s free hand with his, smiling at her before they joined their daughter in the salty ocean 

****************************************************************************************************

“That was the best, Mama!” Hana exclaimed, tightening her little legs that were circling around her mother’s waist. (Y/N) flashed a smile, this time, a semi-tired one mixed in with her usual bright one

“I’m so glad you had fun, my flower. We should definetly do this again when I get another day off. And don’t forget, Mama still promised you a bedtime story when we get back home~” She nuzzled her nose with Hana’s, as Nagito let out a giggle

“Well that’s just the cutest sight ever. The angel of hope and the flower of hope cuddling!” He got inside the driver’s seat of the car, setting a small baggie down in the cupholders. (Y/N) blushed at Nagito’s statement, setting the toddler down into the warm cushions of her carseat. Hana squirmed a bit as (Y/N) secured the seatbelts across her little lap, as if she was trying to see what was in the contents of the baggie

“Papa, can I see my seashells? I collected a lot!” She asked her father, earning a side grin from the male. He reached his hand towards the mini drawstring, making it land on the toddler’s lap with a gentle toss

“There you go, my love. Now it’s time for my other love to join me in the front,” He winked at (Y/N), patting the passenger’s seat in the front. The (H/C) female kept her faint blush on her cheeks, crawling beside Nagito in the front of the car. As Hana poked a slightly chubby finger inside the cinch sack, thrilled to see the collection of shells she picked up, (Y/N) turned to Nagito, a relaxed sigh fell from her pink lips

“This was a much needed break. I missed this, Naggie...” She admitted to her husband, making Nagito form his usual, carefree smile on his face. He pulled out of the parking lot of the beach, turning onto the street

“Me too. It was so nice for your boss to let you have a day off when you’ve been working so hard, my angel. Hana really missed you,” He responded, keeping his keys on the road. He kept one hand on the wheel, the other one creeping to touch his wife’s. He stroked his thumb upon her knuckles, keeping her at ease. She looked down for a split second before turning to him, another smirk forming on her face

“You know, Hana loves her Papa as much as she missed her Mama. Would he care to join us for a bedtime story???” The female questioned him, every word of her sentences laced with a flavor of sweetness. Nagito’s smile crept wider, seeing his daughter admiring the elegantly spotted scallop shell between her fingers from his mirror

“Are you sure you wouldn’t mind someone like me intruding your mother-daughter time?” He asked his wife for reassurance, earning an eye-roll from her. However, this only lasted for a split second, as the thumb that was stroking her knuckles was yanked into a hand-holding position, each finger interlocked with each other

“We would be offended if you didn’t!”

[themarauderstheoutsidersandpeggy]

Will you do dating harry potter hcs? 😄😄😄

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I MADE THIS SO LONG OOPS AND HONESTLY I PROBABLY HAVE MORE TO SAY

i have been waiting my entire life for this one request and honestly I don’t remember if I’ve written this before or not because I can’t remember anything that I write after I post it?? But if i did too bad I’m doing it again

He’s just

ack

He makes me really soft so get prepared for me to rant oops

He hasn’t ever really felt love

Especially not romantic love

And I don’t mean that he’s never loved before I mean that he’s never received love

But in a way, he hasn’t ever loved before

He never knew his parents and the Dursley’s didn’t share stories of them with Harry to keep them alive

So he really honestly didn’t know anything about them

And he sure as hecc doesn’t love any of them

So he is genuinely so confused when he first catches sight of you

He gets all like

Warm and Fuzzy™

And he literally has no idea why 

He loves Ron and Hermione for sure but he does not get Warm and Fuzzy™ when looking at Ron

The boys in his dorm start teasing him about you and Ron always shoves him into you when you’re walking past each other so that you collide and usually Harry falls on top of you 

It takes a full year of this for him to finally ask Ron and co. why they keep doing that

They’re like

loser ur in lov

He denies it at first because love is what his mother and father had, he literally hasn’t spoken to you before besides the constant, ‘I’m so sorry!’s when he ‘bumps’ into you

Ron

But then the Yule Ball happens and despite his friends’ relentless nagging to ask you out

He doesn’t

He’s too scared

But then he sees you walk in with Seamus who smirks at him the entire time like I told u to make a move dummy

Harry is very angry and he doesn’t know why

He finally comes to terms with the fact that he maybe has a crush on u and just broods for the rest of the night with his date 

And Seamus is cackling in the corner 

You’re confused

It’s a weird night man

The next day you come down to the common room in your pajamas and it’s pretty early so no one’s up

You sit on the couch in front of the fire to warm yourself up

And then you feel the couch dip on the other end and you turn

And it’s Harry Potter

:’)

He’s avoiding eye contact but he’s blushing so he’s staring aggressively at the ground with red cheeks and you’re lowkey scared ngl

But then he finally looks up at you and heeeecccckkkk

His eyEs

They literally send shivers up your spine

You sit there and stare at each other for like almost a minute because he is mesmerizing let me tell you

And then you both start

Getting Closer ;)

And you smeck

Smeck

This ends with you shyly holding hands by the fire and his thumb is barely ghosting over the back of your hand and you’re just like wow

wow

w

o

w

10/10 awkwardly asks you three weeks in if you want to sleep in his bed

Ron calls it a sleepover

Harry hits Ron

Lightly

not lightly at all

whatever

this casual sleeping in the same bed thing continues until your first summer apart where you both go home and are like oh um sorry i can’t sleep without my emotional support human i’m gonna need that back plz thx

He has lots of money that he has no idea what to do with (and again doesn’t quite know how to show love) so spoils you rotten and you feel so bad

You’re like hey I have ten of this exact same sweater I really don’t need two more and he’s like 

but babe

you look cold

and more is always better right

no

it’s okay

Sometimes you have to bribe him not to spend ridiculous amounts of money on you

Not sexual at all, you give him massages after practices

He just lays there with his face all squished up against the pillow and is like oh heck i love u

He likes to trace your face

He likes your face a lot

And sometimes he just runs his fingers over it 

Will boop your nose

And if he doesn’t say ‘boop’ when he does then it doesn’t count and he has to do it again

He likes quality alone time

It’s not that he doesn’t like hanging out around friends with you

But when he’s with you he likes to hold you

And sometimes he’s uncomfortable doing that in front of a bunch of people

He does it anyways tho 🤷

But definitely prefers alone time with you over time spent in public

He doesn’t quite know how to use his words

Not many people have used them in a nice way to him before

And not romantically at all

So he’s learning

But he makes sure to say I love you every day at least once

He says it right before you go to sleep but would definitely say it other times throughout the day as well

If you fight

Which is inevitable

Just because he is stressed okay

He needs someone flexible

But that’s not always fair to you

But when you fight

He almost always says I’m sorry first

Because deep down he has crippling anxiety of losing you and is genuinely terrified that you might find someone better than him if he’s not with you

Leading me into my next point

He is very clingy

Sometimes it’s too much

You have to tell him

He’s not gonna realize on his own

But you have to be nice to him

Explain yourself and he’ll understand, but if you just attack him then he’ll get sad

Don’t make him sad

He introduces you to Sirius but after about a year or so

Sirius freaking loves you

He thinks you’re awesome

Loves the way you treat Harry

He was honestly a little scared that Harry would end up being tricked into a relationship with someone who only wanted him for the fame or the money

But Sirius can see how much you genuinely care for Harry and it makes him so so happy

He becomes that weird uncle to Harry and is always like

U got a good one son

u gotta marry that one son

Harry is given a ring by Sirius

He is saving it

He will use it when the time is right

He is chill with you not caring what you look like

He doesn’t care if you shave or wear makeup or wear revealing clothes

You are just as attractive to him in sweatpants and not having showered yet as you are freshly washed, shaved, made up, and dressed nicely

He literally couldn’t care less

Because he doesn’t want you to care

He secretly doesn’t think he looks good that often so he’s worried that if he holds you to a high standard that you will do the same for him and he doesn’t think that he could meet it :(

You gotta tell him that you love him every day

And you gotta compliment him too

If he’s doing great sweetie

Tell him he’s doing great sweetie

He needs lots of encouragement 

But he’s not gonna tell you that he needs it

He genuinely only thinks of you most times and it really shows

He forgets to take care of himself sometimes because he’s trying to take care of you

You need to pick up that slack and take care of him

Make sure he drinks water and eats enough

And make sure that he wears at least four different outfits throughout the week

Sometimes he’s really upset because he thinks that he can’t keep you safe

You have to reassure him that you literally don’t care and that you’re willing to risk it because he’s worth it to you

He also gets upset sometimes because his parents will never know you

But Sirius assures him that they know and that they love you

He knows they would have

He likes cuddling a lot

Cuddling with him headcanons here :’)

In bed

On the couch

In the forest

In the Great Hall (casually of course)

Sometimes casually in class too

He just likes touching you and holding you because he wants to keep you close and be sure that you don’t leave :’)

In conclusion

Dating Harry Potter would be a hell of a time

And I want to

Does it show?

Taglist: @wutheringweasley @slytherin-princess1 @Spideyyypeter @loki-sharpe-hiddleston-imagines @harrypotter-draco-imagines @crispyfrenchfriescrisis @thecurlyhairedwinchester @pity-on-the-author @snazzy-posts @meisiisem @huffle-homie24601 @gryffindor-dork @peter-null @fandomnerdsarecool @ellie-emb @nervous-shawn @multifandomshitblog @chloe-geoghegan1 @closertothesunwhenimwithyou @stradling_izzy_stradlin @marvelouspottering @xmoonylupinx @swansong321 @xinyourdreamsx @spideymood @lensedwriter @khaleesiclifford @positiveparker @gabiatthedisco @stardust.and.glitter @sly-vixen-up2nogood @biatheintrovert @mamarhee @spiderman-n @honeymalfoy @dumbass-sandwich @raavka @maraudersandco @sock-and-sandles @potterhead-of-ilvermorny @spencer-is-too-perfect @my-babies-are-ash @whysoseriouspadfoot @i-padfootblack-things @mysticalsandwichseeker @nefelimalfoy @jessicaklehrwinchesters @keey-lime-pi @elenawhatonearthisthis @chrisstabme @multifxndom-avxngers @just4muggles @hbknati @justinekomwriterkru @sedanleystanley @starryeyedsupernova @mcu-potter-pirate @mublood @svtwit @parkersingfinitywar @the17resa @good-old-fashioned-queens @majesticavenger @jellyfishwriter @righttide @behindthebook @lovinnholland @themarauders-headcanons @peterparkers-bb @rose-aesthete @hp-hogwartsexpress @blueberrytiger01

[fortwest]

Fenn/Cordelia Interview

@liahavelock

The two interviews before him slipped by quickly – Fenn was paying little attention to them, truth be told – and he stood almost robotically when prompted by an avox, who led he and Lia to the bottom of the stairs. He shook himself out of it and grinned at his sister. “It’ll be fine. We’ve dealt with worse sirens than Dora Tales.”

Dora leaned forward to the audience. “Between you and me,” her voice seemed to bubble up from her chest, like a burbling stream, “this next couple is one of my favourites.” She winked performatively and giggled, raising goose-bumps on Fenn’s bared chest. “I think we can all agree they’re a couple to watch. Please make them feel welcome. It’s our favourite seaside duo. Cordelia and Fenn!”

Wolf whistles, screams, and raucous applause assaulted Fenn’s ears as he strode confidently up the stairs, his suit attracting gasps and further applause from the audience. He bowed to the audience cheekily and batted his hand their way, as if to say – Oh stop it, you – they loved that. A glint in his eye and a broad grin on his face, he turned to Dora Tales and shook her hand, firmly, whilst bending in to kiss her on both cheeks. As he pulled away, her eyes met his and Fenn returned the searching gaze and superficial smile.

As he and Lia sat on the sofa, Fenn offered his hand to Lia. She looked up at him and took it into her lap. Dora looked admirably upon the two of them, sighed and shook her head with a smile. “I’m sorry to stare, but you two really are beautiful. What do we think of these outfits, ladies and gentlemen?” The audience roared. She leant forward and squeezed Fenn’s leg, who laughed and leant back on the sofa. “Oh I know,” he giggled. “I have genius stylists – I usually wake up looking like a blobfish.” Dora then booped Cordelia’s nose, and Fenn squeezed Cordelia’s hand, praying she wouldn’t bite Dora’s finger off.

As the crowd died down, raptly watching Fenn and Cordelia – already baying for blood, Fenn thought with a sick twist in his stomach – Dora Tales began to work her magic. “Well now. I must admit to being starstruck. You two have both gathered quite the following in the capitol – we really feel as though we’re a part of this little family.” Tales beamed at them.

“We’re happy to welcome you into the Havelock clan,” Fenn opened his arms to the audience and to Dora, chuckling.

Lia concurred. “Yes,” she forced a smile, though Fenn felt it was only because he knew her face so well that he noticed its falseness, “You’ve welcomed us very warmly – and we’ve managed to find a few home comforts here.” Fenn squeezed her hand again – nice one.

“Ah District Four,” Dora sighed. “A humble place but so beautiful, and such a rich culture – so rooted in mythology. Tell us a story from home – it seems you both spent a lot of time playing them out as children,” she added with a wink.

“If you’re referring to the clam shell bras, Dora,” Fenn chuckled, “I’d rather reserve comment.” Fenn held a hand up jokingly, and forced his face to flush redder. “But we can tell you a story if you’d like – I believe Lia knows the best ones.” He indicated his sister and extricated his hand from hers to give her the floor. “I never paid much attention in school,” he whispered and winked at Dora.

Cordelia accepted graciously, her eyes sparkling brighter than her dress. Fenn sank back, grinning at his sister as she spoke. The room was eating from the palm of her hands; the way Fenn commanded attention was loud and charismatic, but when Lia commanded a room it was with a soft power, her voice like the smell of coffee grounds permeating the air, wiring everyone’s brain. Masterful, he thought as she flipped the coin into the air. He was glad to see Tales smiling uneasily. He had never promised her District Four stories were sweet fairy tales.

Dora laughed effervescently as Cordelia caught the coin, and applauded. “What a story!” Dora exclaimed. “The myths of District Four are legend, of course, but I wasn’t prepared for them to be quite so sinister.” The hint of menace in her voice was not lost on Fenn – she didn’t appreciate command of the room being taken from her. Tales was trying to point out to the audience that beneath the golden couple lay something darker.

Fenn smiled and lent forward. “There’s nothing to fear about death,” he spoke gently. “Living by the sea teaches you that we are helpless when presented with it.” He grinned, “I think, though, Dora, that you’d have more to fear from the kids playing pirates back in District Four than the scary stories they tell.” Fenn chuckled, and Dora graciously accepted the shift in direction of the conversation.

“And speaking of your dastardly deeds back at home, Fenn,” Dora laughed airily, “You’ve had quite the young love right here in the capitol. Do tell us about Valentine, Fenn. How did you feel when you saw what he said to Valkyrie? And what,” she grinned, “happened on the train?”

Fenn chuckled, “Oh I never kiss and tell, Dora. Although I’m not sure that applies when you all saw the kisses anyway.” His voice was edged with a warning. Don’t ask me again. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, and opened his mouth to evade the question – he’d been preparing for this, but Dora clearly saw what he was trying to do and cut in before he could say anything.

“Come now, Fenn. We’re all desperate to know!” She looked round at the audience, and Fenn became conscious of how close she had come whilst talking, her knees mere centimetres from his own. “Aren’t we?” The audience roared, some of them practically frothing at the mouth.

Fenn raised his hands in defeat, and they fell silent at once, waiting for the story. “Well as to what happened on the train – I think it’s fairly clear that we clicked pretty much straight away,” Fenn grinned sadly and held his hands in his lap, looking down at the floor and pursing his lips. He knew how to play an audience. “We sat up and talked for hours most nights – same as when we got here, really.” He looked back up and shook his head. “I remember being so nervous when I saw him in the training centre. ‘What if everything’s changed now we’re here’, I thought. But you know between the dates and the singing and the sleepovers… and the baths,” he added, grinning at the audience. “I sort of settled into it.”

“I guess I felt a bit of an idiot. I can’t have expected him to seriously fall for me in a place like this. I should have trusted myself at the start, I suppose.” He held his hands up as if to signal that there was nothing more that could be done, and looked out into the audience, pleased to see a couple of people dabbing at their eyes. “Lucky I have my sister with me,” he grinned. “You know I always used to go to her as a child, too. She used to spray ‘magic sea water’ on my leg when I’d cut myself, or over my heart when I was feeling upset. No magic water here, of course, but she’s still here for me like no one else can be,” he placed his arm around his sister and squeezed her in towards him.

Dora leant closer and spoke in a false whisper. It was softer than her usual soaring voice, but loud enough to echo around the room. “And is that why you chose your beautiful sister here over Valentine?”

Fenn smiled and looked over at Cordelia. “Well, Dora. I think I always knew I would be with Cordelia in these games.” The audience loved that. “Valentine was fun, but family is the most important thing in the world.”

 Tales moved on from Fenn to Cordelia and asked about Onyx. Fenn used the opportunity to assess the audience more closely – he had heard the story a thousand times from Cordelia, so didn’t need to listen, though he made sure to nod sympathetically from time to time. He was pleased to see that the audience were enamoured. Cordelia’s hot-headedness made them look like serious contenders, but the sharp edges of her fire were softened by Fenn’s charm.

Dora’s laughter soared above them all, and the audience laughed along. It was infectious, though not to Fenn and Cordelia, who smiled politely. “Well we certainly have a charming pair here, don’t we? You’ve been quite the golden boy and girl independently, of course, but to be in here together.” She whistled through her teeth. “Well, I think we can all say we were heartbroken to watch your reaping.” The audience agreed fervently, but Dora ploughed on. “But to actually be in your position, I can’t imagine what that must be like.” She almost choked on her words with emotion, though Fenn noted her eyes were dry. “How did it feel to see your sibling get reaped?” Dora asked the two of them.

Fenn glanced at Cordelia, who was flipping the coin nervously, and nodded almost imperceptibly to Fenn, encouraging him to take the lead. “I don’t think words could do it justice, Dora.” He spoke softly, directing his words out to the audience. “You know – on some level it’s almost a blessing in disguise, to have Lia here with me. A small slice of home goes a long way. But equally, my stomach dropped when I heard Lia’s name get called, and it hasn’t gone back to normal. I’d do anything for my sister here.”

“You know – I just can’t stop thinking about our parents. They’ve been through such tragedy already,” he sighed sadly.

“Tragedy? What’s this?” Dora reached out her hand, which Fenn took – almost comforting her rather than her comforting him. He looked at Cordelia to check this was okay, and she nodded a small nod, looking at the floor.

Fenn began. “Cordelia and I have already lost a sibling. My parents have already lost a child. Cordelia’s twin.”

By the time Fenn had finished telling the story of Atalanta, how they would spend days out on the boat as children, how she had died, and how it had felt going from a trio to a duo, the room was silent. The loudest sound was the breathing of the three people on stage, amplified over their microphones. “Now this is unprecedented,” Dora leant back and brushed at her eyes, again tearless. “Well, my dears, I think we can all say we hope you make it home to your poor parents. They must be sick with grief.”

Fenn shifted, taking this as the end of the interview, but Dora used the hand already on his leg to press down firmly, telling him not to move. He glanced at Cordelia, who looked just as confused as he did.

“Speaking of people back home who must be worried. We contacted some people back in Four, and my they had some lovely things to say about the two of you.” Dora indicated the screen behind her, on which people flashed, saying how sorry they felt for the Havelocks, how Lia and Fenn were good kids, always brightened a room, and how they’d grown from kind and funny children into even kinder, funnier adults. Allium’s face appeared briefly, and Fenn smiled sadly at his voice. He hadn’t forgotten its sound, but it was nice to have his memory refreshed.

When the video reel ended, Fenn exhaled heavily and wiped at his eyes, which had moistened. “Thanks for that, Dora. It was nice to hear from them.” He looked over at Cordelia, who smiled and nodded.

“We miss you all,” Cordelia said into the camera. “We’ll be home soon.”

The audience roared and stood on its feet as Dora bowed to Lia and Fenn and kissed their hands. They waved solemnly at the audience, but with winning smiles, and left the stage.

Fenn embraced Lia shakily the minute they were out of sight, though the cheers of the capitol still wracked his head. He couldn’t find the words to say how he felt, but from the trembling of her breath, she understood.