#I know how the light reflects and scatters and diffuses and all that

[ratralsis]

2. The First Kiss

Table of Contents

Kevin stood in front of his bathroom mirror. He pulled on a clean shirt and ran a hand through his short, brown hair. He then touched the side of his face, and decided that he could get away with his current level of stubble and put off shaving for one more day. He had another date with Marigold tonight. Were they really dating? Did she consider their lunches together dates? Did only dinner dates count? He tallied up every time they'd seen each other in the two months since they'd met, weighing how many times they'd been on an indisputable date against the times they'd simply hung out somewhere or seen a movie together in the middle of a Tuesday when he didn't have any classes. With their age difference, did she even take him seriously? Did she hang out with a lot of guys she met at bars between sets?

He found himself leaning his hands on the cold porcelain of the bathroom sink, staring into the eyes of his own reflection, when his phone buzzed, shaking him from his thoughts. It was a text from Theo. Kevin had sent Theo a text earlier that night telling him of his plans with Marigold. Maybe Theo was annoyed that Kevin had been spending so much more time with her lately. If he was, he didn't show it. Kevin unlocked the phone and took in the message. "Hey, so what's with Marigold, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Kevin hammered out the text as questions hung in his mind.

The response was immediate. "I mean the name, like, where is 'Marigold' from? What is she? Just curious."

Goddammit, Theo. Kevin sighed and counted to ten before he wrote back. "I don't know. Light brown? I thought you meant is she my girlfriend."

He'd no sooner put his phone into his pocket than it buzzed again. He shook his head and fished it out.

"Sorry for the short notice, but I don't really want to go anywhere. OK if we stay in and get a pizza?"

It took Kevin a few seconds to realize it was from Marigold. "At your place?" Regret washed over him as soon as he hit the send button. Of course she meant her place. She didn't have a car. She'd need him to come get her if she wanted to go to him, and that wouldn't make any sense. He stopped himself from pacing in his little bathroom. There was no sense in getting worked up over asking a dumb question. Theo sent him something, and Kevin marked it as read without reading it and continued waiting.

Marigold's reply was two words long. "That OK?" Kevin didn't know what she thought of him, but this seemed a pretty good sign.

"On my way," he wrote, and he soon was.

In what felt like seconds, he was at her door, adjusting the collar on his shirt and hoping that he looked alright. She greeted him in a baggy sweater, red like most of the tops he'd seen her in, and a pair of sweatpants, also red. Her ponytail was damp, as though she'd recently gotten out of the shower, and he was pretty sure this was the first time he'd seen her without any makeup on. He wasn't sure if it would be rude for him to tell her she looked good without it.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"What? Yeah, of course," she said, eyes widening in surprise. "Just kinda tired. It was a long week. I didn't want to put makeup on and get all dressed up to go out. Figured we could stay in and play a game or watch a movie and eat here, you know?"

"Long week?" Kevin asked, stepping inside and unzipping his hoodie. "Lot of shows?"

He looked around, scanning the cozy corners of Marigold's modest apartment. The living room also played the roles of kitchen, dining room, and lounge. The smell of a plug-in diffuser on the counter filled the room with a faint artificial floral aroma unlike flowers that existed in nature. A table barely big enough for two stood at the center, covered with scattered notepads that surrounded a vase of flowers that looked as artificial as the diffuser smelled. A loveseat, complete with multiple cushions, showed signs of heavy use. Across from it, against a wall, a TV stood on a wooden entertainment unit next to a combination CD and record player.

A warm glow was cast by several floor lamps and a ceiling light. The walls were adorned with bookshelves, half-filled with worn novels, knick-knacks, souvenirs, and the rest with CDs and records for the player. A few area rugs covered the floor. Kevin could see fresh tracks from a vacuum cleaner and footprints in the shape of the slippers Marigold was wearing.

Branching off from the living room were three others. One, the bathroom, he assumed, had its door closed. The others had doors carelessly swung open, inviting him to look inside, but the lights were turned off.

Marigold nodded. "Yeah, you wouldn't think a lot of people get married in February, but I played two receptions this week anyway." She gestured to a coat rack for him to hang his hoodie. He did so, and left his shoes next to the door.

Kevin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? I never gave it much thought. A lot of people like having a guitarist at their wedding?"

Marigold burst into laughter, the sound resonating and filling the space. "No, no, not the guitar. I play the harp for weddings. It's more--" she gestured vaguely with one hand, "--magical." She paused as the information sank in, then cocked her head to one side when she saw his expression. "Wait, you didn't know I played the harp? I guess you didn't dive deep into my back catalog, huh?"

"What, like Cupid?" he asked, covering his embarrassment by pretending to pluck at the strings of an imaginary harp.

She shook her head, giving him a warm look. "Not quite," she said, amused. "Come on." She took his hand and pulled him into the larger of the two open rooms.

This was where Marigold kept her instruments: her private music studio. Acoustic and electric guitars of various styles hung in racks against two of the walls. Against the far wall stood a desk with a computer and webcam, with a piano keyboard and some freestanding lights nearby, along with some other equipment he couldn't recognize. Acoustic foam covered most of the walls, and a soft carpet covered the floor, giving the space a distinct feel separate from the rest of the apartment. But the main attraction stood proudly in one corner, effortlessly stealing Kevin's full attention: an elegant grand harp, tall as he was, with a small chair next to it.

Kevin took in the sight. He'd known she was a musician, of course, but he hadn't understood the lengths she'd gone to in order to pursue her line of work. "You play that?" he asked, pointing to the harp. The sound of his voice startled him. All that foam on the walls made a difference.

She grinned her wide grin at him. "I play everything in here," she said. "For about as long as I can remember, I've been learning or practicing something. I've cherished that harp for over a decade now. It's my business partner, my closest friend, and earned enough to pay for the month's rent all by itself just this week."

Kevin took another step into the room, conscientious of where he put his feet and making sure not to collide with any of the other instruments or equipment, one hand outstretched to touch the harp's wooden frame.

"Whoa, careful!" Marigold hurried over, slippered feet silent on the unusual carpet, avoiding bumping anything despite her speed. Kevin wondered if her smaller stature made that easier. He lowered his hand.

"Sorry, but please don't touch that," she said, placing her hand on his arm. "It's not the most fragile thing in the world, but it does weigh eighty pounds, and it's the most expensive thing I own. Have ever owned. I don't like anyone putting a hand on it but me, even experts."

"Ah," Kevin mumbled, moving his hand to the back of his head. "I was just curious. I wasn't going to try to lift it."

"I know," she said, her ponytail swaying with a shake of her head. "But I can't afford to replace it if it breaks. It costs a lot on maintainance alone. All those strings put a lot of pressure on the frame, so I have to do what I can to keep it as long as I can. It's not like how my guitars might last my whole life or my violins that could be passed on to future generations."

Kevin gave the room a second look. "You have violins in here, too?" he asked.

She pointed to one of the smaller racks, with two appropriately small black leather cases. "Two of them," she said. "I guess it's easy to overlook them when that harp is right there."

Kevin glanced down at them. "Oh, yeah, no, I saw those," he said. "I thought those were small guitars or something. Like ukuleles, maybe."

She stared at him for a moment, one dark eyebrow raised. She put her hands on her hips. "Did you really think you were dating a ukulele player?"

Dating. At the sound of that magic word, tension Kevin hadn't realized was in his shoulders left them, and he allowed himself a satisfied smile. "Come on, there's nothing wrong with playing ukulele."

"Nothing at all, except that I don't," she said.

He laughed. "And anyway, so that means we're officially dating after all, does it?"

She blinked, then blinked again. "Aren't we?" she asked, and took Kevin's hand to lead him back to the living room. It seemed the tour of her music room was over.

"I had hoped so," Kevin said, letting her. "But I wasn't sure." She brought him over to the loveseat in front of the television, and they sat down next to each other. The thin blanket she'd placed on it carried a strong smell of fabric softener, as though having been washed within the last day or two. As they settled next to each other, Kevin's heart raced, torn between the fear of misreading Marigold's signals and the longing to express his own feelings.

"What else would you call it? We've seen each other at least once a week for, what, two months now?"

"Yeah, but what if we were just hanging out? You know, as friends?" He soldiered on, realizing even as he said the words how foolish they sounded. "Like you might do with anyone else you met in the middle of a random show at some bar."

"Kevin," she said, in a tone that made clear that she had also realized how foolish he was being. "I'm a young woman, living by herself, and when we meet, things almost always end with you driving me back to my place in your big, unmarked van. Either I'm in love with you, or I'm the most trusting idiot in the world."

"You love me?" he asked, stunned. Marigold nodded, her demeanor unchanging. "Right, yes, I love you too, obviously. But I didn't know that was how you felt." Joy and disbelief surged through his veins. The weight of it threatened to suffocate him. Not only were they definitely dating, she was in love with him? Gosh, he was learning an awful lot tonight.

She let out a long sigh, swung her legs up and onto the loveseat, then laid against his side. Instinctively, Kevin turned towards her, his arms encircling her. She placed her hands on his, which were clasped together over her stomach. "Of course I love you," she said. "It's always effortless, being with you. Like little vacations every time we hang out. It doesn't make any sense. You're an accounting student who moonlights as a rideshare driver. On paper, you've got to be one of the most boring guys on the planet." She closed her eyes, leaning into him.

He considered it. "Well, I can't say I loved hearing that, but yeah, I know what you mean." The smell of her shampoo overrode both the fabric softener and the diffuser. For a moment, all he could focus on was how close she was to him right then.

"Still," he went on. "After two months, we've never even… kissed." She looked up at him, forcing him to look down into those big, beautiful eyes of hers, and he faltered, his last few words trailing off into silence.

She smirked. "Was I supposed to invite you into my apartment after lunch, when we both had work we needed to get to?" she asked. "Or maybe we could have started making out in the middle of that Italian restaurant after eating all that garlic bread? Or had sneaky sex in the movie theater bathroom? Maybe in the back of your van? I didn't think it was that important to you."

Kevin rolled his eyes. She knew he loved that van. He would never risk making such a mess in it. Though, for her, he might make an exception. Actually, no. Not even for her. "Okay, no, it's not, I guess, but maybe a goodnight kiss after I dropped you off here or something? Forget it, okay? It makes sense now, but I needed to hear you say it. I didn't want to be the first one to say it and find out that I'd been misreading things for the last two months." He lifted a hand from her stomach to rub her upper arm, feeling the softness of her sweater and the warmth of her skin through it.

"Would it be weird if I kissed you now?" he asked.

Her smirk widened into her trademark grin. "I think we have about five minutes before the pizza gets here. Gotta find some way to pass the time, right?"

Kevin rubbed the stubble on his chin and narrowed his eyes, looking into the distance, feigning contemplation before he leaned closer to her. "I don't know," he said. "I have two months of missed kisses to make up for. That might not be enough time."

[bylightofdawn]

So my attempt to deal with midterm election anxiety today has been to just....not look at my phone all day long and I spent my morning/lunch break working on the LED set up for my display case.

I'm delighted to say that there are plug and play options so I did NOT have to learn how to solder to accomplish this. It's not the best, but for a first attempt at doing any kind of electrical lighting/wiring I will take the W and call it good enough.

I ended up prolly spending just as much between the various supplies than what I would have spent to buy a pre-built kit but I knew I wanted to have a diffuser for the lights rather than just have LED strips. So that required me doing it piecemeal instead sadly.

I think all in all I spent around 50 bucks or so so it's not the worst thing I've spent my money on in the past two months and I gotta say I do love the idea of doing additional mood lighting in my room. Sadly it's not quite bright enough to replace my standing lamp which has a LED lightbulb and I'd been toying with the idea of moving it across my room or something but now I think it's going to have to stay where it's at because it's just not quite bright enough to do the trick. I could buy a second set of LED strips and put them in like I've seen people do and maybe I will do that down the line so I can have multi-directional lighting options at different colors but for now, it'll do, pig.

I opted for a RGB set so I can do different colors. Sadly, since it's all on the same circuit, I cannot do like...different colors per shelf. I could I think if I did multiple circuits and did some splitters and did more technical shit than my brain can wrap it's head around but lawl the creepy red is definitely a mood. I also think I might be able to download an app to do custom colors than just rely upon the remote I got but I'll explore that later.

Though can I say just how amazing my Robert Eickholt paperweight looks in this lighting? I inherited this for my grandmother and it’s about the only thing of hers outside of her wedding ring that I’ve ever wanted and I finally got it a couple of years ago and it just…looks so awesome in this lighting. The dichroic glass scattered inside of the dome is just so beautiful. It’s a piece called The Silver Veil and it’s just the perfect name for this piece of art.

Also, Cody’s helmet refracted in it is HILARIOUS. But that’s neither here nor there

I'm lowkey bummed even with the diffuser you can see the LED's super strongly in the reflection on the glass. I don't know if I could try and disperse it further by maybe putting strips of parchment paper maybe inside the diffuser? But then I'm like ehhhh is that a fire hazard? I'm sure reddit has a tutorial somewhere on how to accomplish what I want but I cannot be arsed to look into it any further tonight.

I am going to just accept my tired sense of accomplishment, count it as a win and try and find a fresh distraction to keep me from obsessively driving myself crazy refreshing election results pages. As I feared...Texas is just a sea of fucking red. We're still fucking stuck with Greg Abbott as governor unless the Dem's can magically regain a shit-ton of ground in the next 24 hours and my stomach is in fucking knots over the whole state of the future in my country.

I'm so fucking drained from this election and dealing with constant attack ads from both sides. I literally told a bot to fuck off when they texted me an attack ad on behalf of Ken Paxton who is a fucking clown and how the fuck is that man even still in office after the sheer level of fuckery he's gotten into this year.

Ugh I need another distraction because my thoughts are definitely taking a bad spiral into full on anxiety mode. Sorry for whinging about politics, I know everyone is just fucking over it at this point. But eh, it's my blog and I will word vomit all over it if I so choose.

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Days 217 and 218 of the Great Artscapade of 2022! Because apparently I forgot to update you guys yesterday? Which I could have sworn I did. Hmm. My brain must be playing tricks on me again.

ANYWAY!!!

Day 217 sees the end result of not one, not two, not three, but four golden turds! See, I was practicing gold shading techniques to see which one I liked best, and the answer was no. I liked none of them. Why was I practicing making golden poop, you ask? Well, hypothetical question-asker, I'm glad you hypothetically asked! You see, I have a Christmas present for a friend that is over a dozen years late, and this Christmas present requires I do art-related things, and like a dumbass I decided part of the art-related things must look like gold. So here we are.

Day 218 sees a much better result that I actually like and will be replicating on the Dozen Years Late Christmas Present! Some things will be tweaked in the final piece. For example, I probably won't do quite as many strong highlights. Or I'll do more, who knows! Not me, that's for sure. I can't predict the future. Wish I could, it'd make my life so much easier. Oh, well. Such is life.

[parkerlyn]

touching / 37 / oisein 👀

cannot wait for more chaos & softness 🥰

(remember kids, don't fall for peer pressure and terrible friends like Oisein adfsakljl) Thank you for the asks! ❤️

putting their head on the other's chest | holding hands while jumping down from somewhere together

You try to remember how the conversation went, considering where you've ended up. How did you finally agree? Did you actually finally agree? Did you get marionetted? Were you going to have to find a way to quietly murder Oisein?

They had come to you, all teeth in a terrible grin and splotchy, glowing markings flickering with excitement.

"Absolutely not."

"Please please please please-"

"Oisein, I'm not jumping down the Saor waterfall!"

They bring their hands inward like a prayer and give their best attempt at a pout and pitiful eyes. The whole charade looks much less innocent as their long, sharp nails clack together, though. "But the pool is fuller from the recent rains and Heleen won't go without Mav and Mav won't go unless I do and I need moral support. And by moral support I mean you jumping with me."

"The base is right at the edge of the hydro pillars - what if someone from Saor is out there?!"

"We'll wear our glamours!! I was already planning on it, not trying to snap one of these," they say with a nonchalant wave to an antler. "Any mortalis will just think we're a bunch of reckless assholes."

"You ARE being a reckless asshole!"

"Oh it's not even that high, and Heleen and Mav are both elementalists-"

The rest of the conversation blurs out among the dark branches above the Sanctum, and the odd image of Oisein happily skipping away.

Which would explain your current predicament.

The raucous water tumbling over the cliff's edge sprays onto your bare legs and crossed arms, icy pinpricks kissing at your elbow and shins. Thunderous sounds echo back up to the top of the cavern and into the canyon beyond where the stone rings of Saor glint like silver bracelets, delicately detailed with the reflection of thousands of windows.

More whooping and yelling comes from below - far, far below - as what looks to be a pale mortalis woman with coiling ginger hair laughs on the bank. She leans forward, lifting herself from a grassy patch, to throw a scoop of darkened water at a thin person lounging waist deep at the water's edge, the wet sheen of their deep brown skin reflecting moonlight into your eyes. Without their sheevra forms, an unconscious part of you wants to stay out of their sight. But you will yourself to remember the prickly desert flowers of Heleen's markings as she lays back down again, and the winding orchids that normally curl over Mav's shoulders as they blow raspberries in the woman's direction.

Oisein says something next to you, but when you don't respond over the rushing water, they raise their voice.

"If you kill me now, they'll know it was you! So-"

"What?"

Oisein smiles widely next to you as you turn, their disguise more familiar. Their honeyed waves of hair, currently pulled back into a tight bun, provide some comfort alongside the earthy freckles speckling their tanned skin.

Or well, it would, if they weren't the reason you were in this mess in the first place.

Remembering that, you snap your head forward again with a huff.

They laugh - nervously, you notice - and step forward towards the edge of the stone precipice, peering down below. Their bare toes curl into the rock, shoulders rising as they hold a breath. "Okay!" they almost shout over the echoing noise. "It's a little further up than I thought it was. But that's why we're doing this together, right?" The smile turns apologetic while their eyes stay fixated on the drop, but any sympathy you have has already been washed away with the falls, plummeting into the pool below.

You glare at them again, though their edges are blurred and softened by the mist surrounding them, a faint glow diffusing from the stars in the background and the weak light of their markings.

Despite your harshly set face, they turn back to you and pause, before slowly hold out their hand. Curled fingers hesitate for a moment and then unfurl, showing you their empty palm.

You press your lips into as thin of a line as you can possibly muster, determined to glare them off the edge of the waterfall without taking you down with them.

"Can't do this without you," you read from their lips more than hear, their chin lowering but eyes still held your face. The outstretched hand still waits, though you notice a fearful shiver run from their wrist and up towards their collar.

What feels like an eternity passes before you finally give a heavy sigh and uncross your arms, stepping towards Oisein. You slap your hand into theirs, the base of your thumb fitting squarely into their palm, and they wrap their fingers tightly around your hand as you both turn outward to the open air.

The moments begin to blur like the conversation that led you here. A swallow and a flare of their nostrils. Your fingers gripping tensely against their knuckles. One more furtive look to each other and an anxious song kindling in the magic leaking out from the tense leanhaun.

And suddenly, you're flying.

A burst of air pushes you clear of the cliff as you jump, a bright chord that lifts you safely away. The wind whips and streams over your arms as your stomach lurches up into your ribs, your legs cycling through the air. Sound boils and bursts through your throat in tandem with an ecstatic screech from Oisein, muted by the roar of wind and water.

Even as you hurtle nearer to the waterfall's base, the blackened pool quickly approaching, your hands still remain tightly clasped together.

And then, you're floating. Stomach rolling downward against a pillow of swirling wind, water lapping up towards your ankles, twisting upward in lazy tendrils from the surface of the pool. You look down the last dozen feet to see Mav's hands glowing in the water, Heleen's poised expertly in the air above her face. They grin just as you look to Oisein, who laughs, loud and exuberant, water droplets floating near the loose strands of hair that glide gently around their ears.

You catch a sneaky smirk exchanged between the other two sheevra before they release their magic, dropping you the last few feet to plunge into the water.

Chilled bubbles race over your body as you break the surface, taking a quick breath and slamming your eyes shut. The water rushes in around you, weaving over your neck and surrounding you in a bracing cocoon. Muffled murmuring sounds somewhere in the distance (where the waterfall ends?) and you take a chance to open your eyes against the current. Above you the water glitters darkly, scattering the image of the night sky and and reflecting a murky outline of your body back to you.

The heat in your hand finally registers again, the only source of warmth bursting over your fingers as Oisein pulls upward, more bubbles flowing over their windmilling arm and where their feet kick below. It only takes a few seconds more to feel the tug at your shoulder, before you emerge together in a tangle of limbs and gulp in a desperate breath.

While they move backwards and help pull you from the water, Oisein is already berating Mav and Heleen, who snort and giggle together a few feet away. But despite the chiding, there’s a wide grin on their face as they fall back onto their elbows and pull you up towards them, repeating quiet questions of "You okay? You alright?" You nod, cough once, and laugh despite yourself, arms wobbly from the adrenaline and knees digging into the dirt between Oisein’s legs. As more of your senses return, you notice an unwelcome lack of warmth in your palm, but immediately brush that thought away.

The blonde sheevra goes silent eventually, breathing deeply as the wet, ivory cloth of their shirt clings tightly to their chest. They lay their head back against the grass and blink their eyes, splaying their arms out wide.

Without thinking, you collapse where your arms have taken you, thumping your soaked head face first against their chest and elbows framing their hips. There’s a small 'oof' and a laugh that shakes your head when you make contact, before your head bobs with their even breathing.

A chill comes near your body, but the worst of it is held at bay as Oisein’s hands move down to your shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. When you pry your head back up there’s a smile - gentler than usual - alighting their lips. Their hands stay, rubbing warmth into your muscles and eventually resting along your upper arms.

You'd thought their breathing had settled, but you can’t help but notice the quickening pace of their heart and the way they still themself, trying to restrict the rise and fall of their lungs. They swallow, much like they did before you leaped, and you feel their legs tense against yours. Infinite seconds pass while Oisein's lips barely part, neither of you wanting to break the moment.

Which Mav happily does, whistling shrilly at your side.

Oisein scoffs and removes one of their hands to flip them off while carefully putting a little more space between your bodies, shifting awkwardly up the grassy hill. Disappointment drops rudely in your gut while they shiver noticeably again, the sudden absence of your body against theirs bringing back the full effects of the autumn night.

But in the next instant, their head turns to the side, bangs flopping unceremoniously over one of their vibrant eyes before a mischievous look twists their face.

“Wanna go again?”

[ryuu-to-sobakasu-hime]

Ryuu to Sobakasu no Hime (Belle) Novel | English Translation | Chapter 6

**This is a machine translation. I put it together by extracting text page-by-page from a .pdf version of the Japanese novel, and running it through Google translate. I have only minorly edited some of the more confusing lines to make it more read-able. It is still a very rough translation, but it’s good enough to understand what’s going on. If there is anyone out there who wants to properly translate the novel, I am more than happy to edit it, if you’ll contact me.**

———————————————

Chapter 6: Encounter

The crescent moon shining on the equator moves and brings darkness to the world of "U". In the city of "U" that continues like a big river, Az and others were overflowing more than usual today. There is a mysterious feeling of exhilaration here and there, and it seems that everyone is restless. Countless net news is broadcast in various languages. "... Soon, at 20:25 standard time on 'U', Belle's biggest live concert will take place here at 'U's spherical stadium."

The city of "U" is basically a "skyscraper" and a "park."

It consists of repeating two types of modules, "(Park)". However, there are some other special modules. One of them is a spherical module called "Stadium". "..... The number of Az that can watch at the same time in the world is said to be 100 million or 200 million, which is unusual for a newcomer who appeared within 6 months ..."

As you approach the spherical stadium, you can see that many small units are gathered together to form a sphere. It passes through the gaps of each unit and enters the inside. Each unit has multiple windows. The shape of the window matches the shape of the screen of the smartphone, and you can see Az in it. That is the audience seat of this spherical stadium.

A myriad of Az are waiting for the start of the live. The start time has come. The space of the wide sphere gradually darkens with the driving sound. The units are getting closer to each other and the gap is narrowing. Eventually, a roaring sound was heard. The gap between the units was completely closed, and the space was surrounded by darkness. A red line like the equator emerges in the darkness. It's the beginning of the live. Music starts. A huge drop of water can be seen floating in the center of the space. In front of this mysterious sight, the audience grabbed a sight of what was about to begin.

The huge water droplets began to emit light from the inside, shaking the surface with surface tension. A number of glittering lights are generated and are stored in water droplets. Eventually, the water droplets filled with light burst like a big bang. When a large amount of droplets diffuse into the space, a mysterious object that reflects light appears behind it. A huge splash with a dozen meters, assembled from delicate beads.

At the tip of the dress is Belle, me.

"Woooooooooo ...!"

The cheers of Az and others like the rumbling of the ground boiled up. Mosaic-like light is emitted from the countless windows of the audience seats. In response to the light, the color of the beads that make up the dress changes in a complex way. These are special beads whose brilliance changes depending on the light. It's the best outfit, coordinated by the best designers, from headdresses to high heels. I swam in the space, changing to various colors in response to the light. The parts of the huge dress are separated like a multi-stage rocket. In the meantime, it will be separated. The beads swirled like the swell of the sea, transforming into a virtual fluctuation of the sea surface.

Three whales with headphones appear there and slowly snuggle up to me in the center. The whales are top-notch dancers hired for this concert. When one of the whales hits the surface of the sea with its tail fin to the music, a beautiful wave appears. The crest has spread. Another one also hits the surface of the sea. The ripples overlapped. The other one blew up the tide from his nose. Next is my turn. Like the whale I mentioned earlier, I surrendered myself to music, twisted my body, and hit the surface of the sea. Ripples spread beautifully. I twist my body again and hit the surface of the sea, ripples piled up. And, like the squirting of a baby whale, I rushed out of the sea. The whales come in again and swim and dance in the calculated combination. I sing at the center. The sparkling flash of the audience seats reaches the dress, changing the color of the beads one after another. What a beauty. The colors that would never appear without each of the light from the windows of smartphones are a collaboration between me, the designer, and the audience. And again, it's a one-time art that can never be reproduced in the digital world where reproduction is natural. I finished singing proudly.

"Ooooooooooooooooo!"

The roaring cheers of Az and others shook the spherical stadium. The flashes in the audience seats disappear all at once, returning to the darkness of the equator. The prelude of the second song begins, and the next set of graphical steel frames slides from above and below. During the blackout, the producer of this live, Hiro-chan’s Az, slipped in.

"Belle is the best. I'll go next."

"Yes."

Hiro-chan’s Az threw a piece of cloth in her hand. It fluttered around my body and turned into a patchwork dress. This is also the work of the same designer as the bead dress, and is woven with fibers that change when exposed to light. Suddenly, there was a strange noise.

"ah…"

The gap between the rugged stadium and the spherical stadium opens a little.

"Who? You opened the door without permission!" Hiro-chan’s Az yells.

Someone invaded through a small gap in the unit. A lone Az at the beginning.

And then a group of Az. They are moving at high speed just past the audience unit. I can tell that the audience in the window is upset by this happening.

Hiro-chan’s Az is very angry. "Get out of here, asshole!”

The lone Az appears to be escaping from the group chasing him.

"Is he being chased?"

They go around the perimeter along the equator of the spherical stadium. The group of chasers was divided into two.

"Jeeze! What is that guy?" Hiro-chan’s Az looks up in the air and asks. Avatars all over the world instantly raise chat balloons:

《Dreki》

《Long》 《continuar》 《naga》 《Dragon》 《lass》

《Ejderha》

"Dragon?"

<<It's an ugly monster-type Az that lives in “U.”>>

Two protruding horns. Long nose. Sharp fangs and claws. The characteristic is exactly the dragon itself, and the impression is like a violent beast. Still, the crimson cloak with a raised collar and the white frills peeking through the sleeves of the suit reminded me of something like a nobleman. A mysterious balance in which this opposite nature coexists. The thin, sharp look that I could see in the gaps between his long, curly hair seemed mysterious to me. On the other hand, all his chasers have the unified appearance of a white battle suit with a red line. It looks like a group of justice heroes. The dragon flipped the cloak and I thought that he had soared, but then he twisted and plummeted. With a tricky move, he tossed the chase and swung it off in a blink of an eye, and this time he headed for the other group, which was split into two. Really. The stone mask Az, who leads the fist chaser group, thrusts in without fear. The two collided violently at the front. A fierce spark is scattered. The dragon extended his fist at a speed that my eyes couldn't follow. The chasers flew like pebbles. As it was, it emitted light like glitter and ice crystals, and stopped moving. The data was corrupted by too much blow and it froze.

I watched the dragon in a daze.

"Amazing…"

"What is he?" When Hiro-chan’s Az asked, the balloons answered immediately.

<<A few months ago, he suddenly appeared in the martial arts hall of "U" "He’s been breaking the record of consecutive wins since then" "But he has the worst fighting style">>

"How?"

When Ryu landed on the unit on the wall and turned around, he attacked the other group that he had just shaken off. He does not give them a chance to escape, and defeats them one after another with a quick move. Iconography of crystals, showing freezes, floats here and there.

《Spoil the game》 《Attack until the data is corrupted and unusable》 《It's like trying to get rid of my anger》 I was stunned and stared at the dragon without words.

"Ah..”

I noticed a lot of patterns on his tattered back.

"That is……?"

<< This is a nasty guy who is like the bruises on his back >> Adds a balloon. I saw it to make sure.

"There are so many bruises ..."

The group of chasers is increasing in number before I know it. When the Az of the dreadlocks led by him points to go, more than 10 members scream and head for Dragon all at once. It is one versus ten, but he heads for the fight without hesitation. The dragon rolled out his knife at a blazing speed. The chasers are beaten one after another.

"Waaaaaah!”

Even the last one - bang, smashed down in a breath. The dreadlocks Az was shocked to see that his allies were wiped out in an instant. While making a strange voice, "Woooooo!", He headed for the dragon in the dark clouds. However, immediately after that, Dragon knee-kicked him in the face. Then the upper combo is decided. The dreadlocks Az was blown off.

Hiro-chan’s Az listens with interest. "Who is chasing him?"

《The Justices》

"Justice?"

<<They insist on keeping the justice and order of U.>>

There are Az looking down from a distance. Like the Stone Mask Az and Dreadlocks Az, they were the executives of the Justice Corps. They are strong people who seem to be allies of justice. Half are female. Hiro-chan’s Az made a convincing voice when she saw them.

"Hmm. That's why they look like heroes."

A large number of the justice corps surround the dragon with various weapons such as spears, hammers, and blue swords. The members screamed and attacked all at once. It seems that there is no chance for the dragon to win. The dragon slowly crossed his hands. And he slashed the space at a tremendous speed. He slashed the men as if he were really manipulating a sword. A dense army corps bursts out all at once. "Waaaah!”

At the same time, it gave off a glittering and crystal-like light. The overwhelming strength of the crowd is breathtaking. The dragon turned his back and slowly got up. Justice corps executives were stunned and said, "What a terrible thing ...!"

"What can they do if you hurt them that much?"

"Is it okay that you’re the only one who is not wounded?” With that as a trigger, some spectator Az and others booed.

"That's right!" "You messed up Belle's concert!" "How will you take responsibility?” The voices eventually spread throughout the spherical stadium.

"Apologize to Belle!" "Give us back the time you wasted!" "Get out of here!" "Get out!" I looked around the stadium in a kind of strange atmosphere. Most of the Az on the spot are throwing a fierce boo like a rumbling at just one person. A dragon standing alone in the center. The bruise on his back seemed to me like a wound that had been hit by countless boos. I asked him unintentionally.

"You…"

The dragon turned around slowly and looked at me with a keen eye.

[............]

"Who are you..…?"

I asked unquestioned questions at will. Then the dragon opened his mouth for the first time. It was a muffled voice, like a filter.

"...Don’t look.”

"Huh?"

"Don’t look at me."

The dragon's gaze peeking through his curly hair indicates refusal. I can't hear any more.

At that time, there was a sharp voice that echoed in the spherical stadium.

“Dragon!!”

A man is standing. "I can't forgive you anymore ... I can't forgive you! If I don't defeat the dragon, I can't keep the peace of 'U'!"

"Is that the leader?" Asked Hiro-chan’s Az.

<<Yes. He is Justine>>

It was a blue-eyed Az with blonde hair. His toned, muscular, majestic body reminded me of strength and courage, and the white battle suit that wrapped around him represented his noble personality. He deserves to be called a hero, a mighty man, an ally of justice, a savior.

Justine raised his right arm and pointed to the coat of arms on his wrist. "Look!"

The Metamorphose coat of arms was wrapped in light and became huge, transforming into a winged metal lion head. A jewel-like lens body pops out from the lion's mouth by bolt action. It's like a cannon. Justine raises the gun and shows it off.

"This is the true light that protects the justice and order of 'U'! We will definitely unveil the evil dragon!" He declared in a voice that pervaded the entire "U". Then, banners with the names of the companies came flying one after another and piled up behind him. It seems that these supporting companies support his activities. Hiro-chan’s Az pointed with her eyes rounded.

"Look, the number of sponsor logos!"

"What is Unveil?"

To my question, Hiro-chan’s Az answered "Unveil" with the gesture of Peek-a-boo. Justine holds his right hand to aim at him, and the inside of his lens body shimmers like a mosaic. The particles focused and emitted a green light. Pow! The light cut through the darkness and headed straight toward the dragon. The dragon barely avoids the light. The particles focused again on Justine's right hand and fired two shots in quick succession. The dragon kept a sufficient distance and avoided it carefully. It seems that he is very cautious about this unknown light. "Nuu ..." Justin groaned, lowering his right hand. A long, thin light that moves far away. There is too much distance to hit Dragon.

He signaled, "Door!" In response, the justice executives scattered in all directions. Soon, the gap between the unit and the unit begins to move, and the interval narrows.

"Eh ...?" As it goes on, the brightness disappears. The spherical stadium was engulfed in darkness, with a completely closed sound. Many searchlights owned by the executives turned on all at once. It illuminates a dragon at one point in the center of intersection.

"You can't run away anymore, dragon! I'll uncover your origin right here, you ugly thing!"

Justine's speech wowed the audience.

"Ooooooooooo!"

The field is in full favor of Justine. Hiro-chan’s Az also goes along.

"Good, do it ~~!"

Origin? Uncover? Can he do that? I wondered. Justine said earlier, "The true light that protects the justice and order of 'U'(that green light) will surely unveil the evil dragon." The meaning may be "to clarify who the real person who controls the dragon is.” It means that there is no privacy that should be equally protected by the security of "U". I understood that was what he meant by "unveiling." If it's aimed at the dragon, which is hated by all over the world, everyone will be convinced it’s the right thing to do. But what if I was in his position?

Then, the story is different. I don't want to be unveiled. Anyone wouldn’t. Shouldn't that be the case? Shouldn't security equality be maintained? Executives approach the dragon with a searchlight. The dragon blocks the light with his hands, as if he hates the dazzling lights. However, the executives continue to shine a strong light without mercy. The dragon moves because of the glare, looks like he can't get rid of it. Justine aims carefully from a distance. The searchlight is caught. It seems very easy to shed light on the dragon that has stopped moving. Kuun ……, and the inside of the gun lens shines brilliantly, and the light is focused.

"Get him!!” Hiro-chan’s Az screams with excitement. Next to that, I kept staring at the dragon.

[.............]

The dragon looked up at me as if he had noticed me. His eyes met mine and my heart pulsated.

"Huh?"

From the narrow center of the searchlight, the dragon jumped towards us. The search light suddenly loses sight of the dragon and sways in a confused manner.

"Uh!"

Once Justine lowered his gun in the situation, but quickly repositioned it, he fired two consecutive shots. However, passing through it, the dragon rises at high speed and heads straight toward us.

"Ahhhhh!"

I and Hiro-chan’s Az are upset by the oppressive feeling and cannot move. The dragon approaches at a tremendous speed. Collide!

"Kyaaaa!" We screamed. But the dragon barely slipped beside us. A violent gust of wind occurs with a slight delay. The dragon rose as it was, turned around, and landed on the steel frame of the set. Hiro-chan’s Az was angry and looked up. "You’ve got to be kidding me, you idiot! What if Belle had been injured?"

Dragon approaches us again. "Ah!" The dragon rubbed right next to Hiro-chan’s Az and I, who were shrinking tightly, at a tremendous speed. His goal is the executives of the Justice Corps.

"Waaaaah!” The executives screamed, throwing out searchlights and escaping in all directions. As soon as the dragon did not let them escape, he swung a steel frame over his head and approached.

The light of the searchlight went out, and the area was surrounded by darkness again.

Only the cruel hitting sound and the painful screams of the executives echoed there. What's happening in the dark? Invisible horror dominated the field. Justine shouted, unbearably. "Open the door ..., open the door!"

A gap in the spherical stadium opens to follow the instructions. When it got brighter, I saw the sad appearance of the executives who were knocked down and couldn't move. How many Az did the dragon beat in this short time? It was overwhelming and strong. Justine stepped back, stiffening his face.

"This ... this shouldn't be allowed ...!"

The dragon flew with recoil when he released the steel frame he had in his hand. I look up at him with my eyes. Justine shouted to swear revenge.

"I will be sure to unveil you!"

As if he couldn't hear such a voice, the dragon went out of the stadium through the gap between the units on the ceiling and disappeared somewhere. I kept looking at the empty space where he had disappeared into.

"Who are you……?"

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

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dcx2NedPVBEdbfQaU-WC0pJMRmn20ASn7HSC0KY9R7E/edit?usp=sharing ~ Google Doc of the English-translated novel.

ryuutosobakasuhime.wordpress.com ~ English fan-site for Ryuu to Sobakasu no Hime where translations, scans, and other content is posted.

[hford0311]

Welcome Back

*College age Peter Parker and Stark Reader-- 1.7K Words*

*Where Peter and Tony Stark's daughter meet up again at her welcome back party, and escape from the boring atmosphere*

"You know we're having a welcome home party for you tonight," Tony said as he leaned against your door frame. "Dad, you really don't have to. I mean it's not necessary." You replied and continued to put your stuff away in their proper locations. Tony scoffed, "You got straight As, and I never got a call from a hospital on your twenty-first birthday. You deserve it." You chuckled and rolled your eyes, "Okay, Dad...well, then can you at least tell me who's all coming to this party?" You questioned. Tony shrugged, "The usual crowd. Parker's going to be there too." You looked up from your boxes, "I forgot about Peter, is he balancing Spider-Man and college?" You respond. Your dad nodded, "Yeah, he's doing great. You guys should catch up tonight." You gave a quick laugh. "What? You should," he got defensive. "Dad, he never talked to me for more than ten minutes when I used to see him almost on a daily." You said then added, "I mean it's not like neither of us tried to talk to each other, it just never worked out like someone," you glanced up at Tony, "wants us to." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry that I want the two age appropriate people to be friends." You chuckled back at his remark. He looked around the room again, "Alright, well, I'll leave you to unpacking and see you later." You nodded and waved him away.

You sighed at the memories of Peter that filled your head. "Peter Parker, the son my dad never had, and apparently wants me to be just friends with," you spoke to yourself. You blew a raspberry and continued to unpack all of your belongings in your room.

***

You knew your father's welcome back parties. They were fancy, well most of your dad's party were. These party just had more of a focus on you; thus, you had to look nicer than the other parties.

Hair curled, make-up finished, you began to dress for your night. You saved the tight, off-shoulder maroon dress for a special occasion like this. You took a deep breath as you looked in the mirror one last time. "Alright, let's smile for the crowd." You told yourself and practiced your glamorous party smile for when your supposed to walk down the steps for everyone to look at you. It was the most main character action you have done ever since your sixteenth birthday party. Yes, sometimes it was unnecessary, but you did it all for your dad.

You repeated the same action you have years for now, never any less anxiety feeling with everyone's eyes on you after Tony announced your presence. However, you managed to do it all with grace. You waved to the adoring crowd with your royal wave and managed to walk down the steps in your high heels without effort. Your eyes kept meeting Peter Parker's along the way. It felt different than your first time when he came to one of your celebrations. He didn't quickly look away shyly, he kept looking at you this time. You tried to keep your eyes moving around the group of people while only having a few more steps to go, even though it felt like an eternity.

When you reach the floor, you took an invisible sigh of relief. Everyone seemed to form into their groups and continue conversing again. Your eyes caught Steve standing by himself at the bar. You shyly smiled and walked over to him. "You need to stop getting older," he smiled and hugged you. Steve always reflected on how much you grown physically and mentally from the time he has known you. It was comforting. Conversation was light. You knew most of them would be tonight with you, but you didn't mind. That's how your night mostly went. Walking around, or people walking up to you and talking. The conversations were incredibly repetitive. Apparently, when your in college there are three things people want to know: what you want to be after you graduate, where you want to move to, and if you are dating anyone. Boring and dull after the twenty-some time explaining.

You huffed after getting away from the pair of people you were talking to, now that you returned to the bar and made yourself a strong drink. Nat looked at you with raised eyebrows as you quickly drank it then made another one. "Having a good time, Y/n?" She questioned. You rolled your eyes, "If people could give me different questions to answer in conversation I might," you responded and took a sip of your drink. You noticed Tony wave you over while he stood by another group of people. You nodded and made your way over there. You were tempted to lie to away from the group. However, you didn't have to.

Peter tapped you on the shoulder. For once, you were truly delighted to see him. "Can I have a dance?" He questioned. You didn't even look at your father or anyone else in the group. "Please," You stated and started walking away with him, leaving your empty glass on a nearby surface. During the waltz, Peter talked to you, actually talked to you unlike most there. "I saw how bored you were, and I needed to save you." He stated as he led. You lightly chuckled, "Thank you for that. Are you getting the same questions too?" You responded. "Most likely," he said. You both joked about how dull the parties could become, and how really neither of you partied while you were in school. The two of you caught up and really got to know one another in the process.

At some point you caught the pair of you laughing as you never have before. You then gave him a curious look. "Peter," he raised his eyes as a response with anticipation for your words, "why have we never talked like this before," you lightly chuckled during the questioned. He shook his head, "I have no idea," he also laughed. It caught the attention of many others in the room. You looked around the room. "Looks like we're the life of the party," you smirked. "Well, the party is for you," Peter casually reminded you. You groaned and put your head on his shoulder, "What if I don't want it to be though?" He continued to sway back and forth, "Little late for that." You raised your head with a huff, "Don't remind me." Then, an idea popped in your head. You looked around the room and saw the attention diffused from the two of you.

"What do you say we get out of here," you questioned with excitement. He gave you an inquisitive look, "I don't think you can leave your own party." You shook your head, "Trust me, I've done it before. We just leave for about an hour and get away from all the noise." You reassured him. He agreed you and allowed you to lead him to a secret escape you had used for years now that led to the quiet upstairs.

You giggled as you led him in your room. "I can't believe I'm doing this, I mean Peter Parker is in my bedroom." You laughed and sat on the bed. "Not like I haven't been in here before, Y/n," he simply said, a little more sober than you. You scoffed, "Yeah, with my dad's permission you have, but you don't tonight." You watched him closely observe the details of your bedrooms. "You've changed," you pointed out. His head turned towards you, "W-what do you mean?" His voice in slight shock. You stood up next to him, very close, actually closer than the two of you when you were dancing. Your noses were almost touching.

"You're different," you stated and played with the end of his tie. "You're not that nervous and jittery kid that used to look away from me when we made eye contact." You explained. "Yeah, I guess I have," he exhaled. "Have I?" You looked up at him. "I-I mean, I guess, yeah," he cleared his throat and his cheeks changed to a tint of pink. "In a good way?" You softly spoke. Peter quickly nodded, "Y-yeah, I-I say so, Y/n. We've both grown up." You softly chuckled at his response. "Grown up," you repeated on an exhale, "I'd hate to do that. I want to stay just like this, you know what I mean?" You questioned. "I-I guess," he responded and placed his forehead on yours. "Be like Peter Pan," you breathed, "stay young forever with others that want to do the same." You softly kissed Peter at the end of your breathy sentence. His lips were soft. You melted into him, draping your arms around his neck to prevent you from falling. His arms wrapped around your waist. Both of your lips continued to unite together as did the rest of your bodies get closer.

"Eh-hem," Tony loudly cleared his throat to end the kiss. You drew away with a deep breath. The lovely moment taken away from your father. "Some guests want to see the guest of honor," Tony stated in stern tone. You looked into eyes, almost forgetting what he was talking about, "Um-yes, I'll -yeah- go down right away." You struggled to form the sentence before scattering back down the stairs. Tony gave Peter a questioning look, "Do I want to know to ask what happened?" He crossed his arms. Peter flattened his lips and shook his head. "Remember, Y/n is my daughter. So if she breaks, I break you." Tony stated. Peter nodded, continuing not to make eye contact. "So just don't break her," he said in more of a casual tone and uncrossed his arms. Peter looked up him with curiosity and confusion. "No, I'm not forbidding anything," Tony said with a light scoff. "I've just been waiting for it to happen." He added with a hint of a smile. Peter nervously smiled. "Just don't mess this up," Tony stated before walking back to the party, leaving Peter in shock from all of the events. "I just kissed Y/n Stark!"

[kaitoujokerscans]

The Night the Silver Cape is Set Ablaze CH2

<2> First Advance Notice

In the Sky Joker's living room, Hachi handed Joker an advance notice written on manila paper.

"W-What are we gonna do?" Hachi looked up at Joker with a worried gaze. Hachi, who wore an aqua-colored hood snugly over his head, was a descendant of ninjas. He had met Joker by chance when trying to steal a treasure and had pleaded with him to become his apprentice. He was now Joker's trusty right hand, and not only did he help with his work, he also handled all the household chores.

With Hachi's eyes on him, Joker read the old-fashioned notice.

I humbly inform you that I will be taking the Crimson Crystal you stole tonight. I will arrive post-haste. Be prepared for me.

—Phantom Thief Noir

"How'd this get here?"

"When I went outside to collect the laundry earlier, Hosshi found it stuck to one of the sheets."

"Hosshi!" exclaimed Hosshi next to Hachi.

Hoshi was a small, squishy, orb-shaped, cat-like creature that had been living with Joker and Hachi since they found him at a site of ruins. The shining yellow stars on his cheeks wobbled as he smiled and bounced cutely around Hachi.

"Hmmm..." Joker studied the advance notice. Locating the Sky Joker while it was in the air was a difficult task. After all, given his line of work, he couldn't let his hideout be discovered easily. This person had sent advance notice right to the Sky Joker, and also knew that Joker had just stolen the Crimson Crystal. This "Phantom Thief Noir" was no amateur...

"But I've never heard of anyone who calls themselves 'Phantom Thief Noir'."

"You're right, I haven't heard of them either. Joker-san, did you make an enemy somehow without realizing?"

"Excuse you. I'm upstanding and gentlemanly, nobody's got any ill will against me!"

"Since when! You said before that there are so many people who hate you that you can't keep track of them all." Hachi gave him a dubious look. Kaneari, whom he had just stolen from, wasn't the only one. Shadow and plenty of others were hounding Joker.

"We may not know who Noir is, but shouldn't we come up with some measures against them?"

"Measures? Naaah, too much work," said Joker as he threw himself onto the sofa.

"Joker-san?"

"Ahh, Shadow was there too, so I'm worn out. Hachi, can you make dinner early?"

"Are you sure you can be so lax about this?"

"I mean, there's nothing to do until this Noir guy gets here, yeah?"

"There's plenty that you could do! Like hiding the treasure, setting up some traps, formulating a plan... Kaneari-san does all sorts of things when he gets a notice from you, Joker-san!"

"But despite all that, has Kaneari ever once protected a treasure from me?"

"Eh... well, no, but..."

"See? Ultimately, getting treasure all depends on the skill of the would-be thief. Doesn't matter how much you set up in advance. It's a match where you have to read each other's minds," Joker said, before taking the Crimson Crystal out of his pocket and letting it catch the light. The crystal gleamed as it reflected the light from the ceiling. The globular surface of the crystal diffused and scattered the light like a prism. Joker was captivated by its beauty for a while.

"I get why he wants to steal this... but!" Joker sat up. "He's not getting it easily!"

"Hm, now that's the spirit," came a voice from the dining room suddenly.

"Eh!?" Joker and Hachi turned around in surprise to see a boy sitting on a chair in the dining room. The boy twisted open a glass bottle with a hiss and took a swig of the beverage inside.

"Spade!"

At Joker's exclamation, the boy called Spade turned to face him. "Hi, Joker. Happy to see me again?"

"I'm not happy! Where'd you come in from!?" Joker gnashed his teeth and glared.

Spade was, like Joker, a phantom thief. He wore a violet scarf and snowy white coat. His long azure hair cascaded over it, and a crest of golden hair shone over his forehead. He was a well-groomed, handsome youth.

"Settle down. This Riviera is exquisite when chilled, Dark Eye."

"Yes, Spade-sama." Standing beside Spade was Dark Eye, whose head was wrapped in bandages. They opened a bottle of the beverage as well. Dark Eye was Spade's assistant, who was female under the guise.

The Riviera which Spade was drinking is a popular drink all over the world, and both Joker and Spade loved it. As Joker said, it was the perfect drink to have after a difficult caper.

"But I must say, it's much more soothing at my own home. This place is always so raucous and dusty," Spade said, clearing his throat deliberately.

"If you're gonna complain, then leave!"

"I came here to ask you about Phantom Thief Noir."

"Wha-!?"

"Spade-san, do you know about Phantom Thief Noir?"

Joker and Hachi leaned forward and gaped at Spade.

"Did you get a notice too!?"

"Notice...?" Spade looked puzzled for a moment.

"You didn't receive an advance notice?" Hachi asked.

Spade answered jitteringly, putting the pieces together.

"Y-Yes, right! That was an advance notice. Will you show me the notice that arrived here?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Hachi handed Spade the notice, which Spade examined closely. "Hm... It's the same type of paper as the slip I received. This tells us a lot about this man calling himself Noir."

"It does?" Hachi asked, to which Spade responded ponderously.

"Hm... Noir seems to be much older. He's naturally left-handed, but has corrected himself to be right-handed. He lived in France at some point, and he likes popcorn..." Spade waved the notice and listed out each point.

"Kyo kyo. Impressive, Spade-sama," nodded Dark Eye with admiration.

"Don't make stuff up," Joker said wearily, but Hachi ignored him.

"How do you know that?"

"Simple. When this notice is held up to the light, you can see that it has a watermark written in French. This paper was produced by a maker in France. But that company went under over thirty years ago, so this paper is no longer on the market. Therefore, the fact that he was able to buy this proves he's up there in years. His letters angle upwards, which is a quirk commonly seen in corrected southpaws. And this oil mark has a residual smell of salt and butter, so it must be from popcorn. He must like it considerably if he has it around even when writing an advance notice." Spade rattled off his reasons.

Hachi was wholly amazed. Spade had gleaned so many traits of the sender from just a small piece of paper. "Huh! You're incredible, Spade-san! It's like you're a detective!"

Spade slipped down a little. "Ha ha, you could say that," he laughed. "Deductions aren't exclusive to detectives. Phantom thieves have to be able to deduce, too. Of course, Joker already knew all of this, yes?" he said, bringing Joker back in.

Caught off-guard, Joker went along with what he was saying. "Huh? Y-Y-Yeah, 'course I did! I figured that all out yesterday!"

"The advance notice hadn't arrived yet yesterday."

"Shush!"

Then Spade sighed. "Really now... why did Noir send advance notice to you, of all people?"

"Kyo kyo, it's a mystery..." Dark Eye's shoulders dropped, and so did Spade's.

"Shut up! What did you come here for, anyway!?"

"I just wanted to discuss this man called Phantom Thief Noir with you."

"I've got nothing to discuss with you. I bet you just had your treasure targeted by Noir and started second-guessing yourself, right?"

"S-Say what?"

"Ever since way back when, you've had trouble getting anything done on your own!"

"HUH? I came here out of the goodness of my heart. I knew that instead of speculating on Noir's identity or formulating a decent plan, you'd try to come up with something random on the spot!"

"Oh yeah!? Well that's my style!" Joker argued as he scowled at Spade.

"He's got a point there, Hosshi."

"Hosshi."

Hachi and Hosshi murmured to each other. But the pair weren't done bickering yet.

"Besides, I don't need a plan! A phantom thief's battle starts when he shows up, that's what makes it interesting!"

"And how much trouble do you think your lack of preparedness has caused me!?"

"When did I ever give you trouble!?"

"Plenty of times!"

"Then be specific! What year, month, day, hour, minute, and second!? What planet, country, region, prefecture, city, ward, block, address, and room number!?"

"That childish attitude of yours is the issue!"

"Shut up! If I'm childish, then so are you!"

"I'm more mature than you, at least!"

"Someone who's mature doesn't shout like that!"

"You're the one shouting so loud!"

"I'm what!?"

"Got a problem!?"

Their foreheads were pressed tightly together as they snarled at each other with vehement looks.

"Cut it out!"

"Kyo kyo, please stop!"

Once Hachi and Dark Eye intervened as usual, Joker and Spade finally pulled away from each other and simultaneously looked the other way with a "Hmph!"

"We're leaving, Dark Eye. It seems Joker has no need of my generosity," Spade beckoned to Dark Eye, and he started walking toward the door. Joker jeered from behind him.

"Yeah, go ahead and leave. I don't need your stinking 'generosity'. I don't trust you in the first place!"

"Likewise," he said, turning back around. Joker and Spade glared at each other once more.

"Don't come back!"

"Who would!"

Spade placed a hand on the exterior door. "It was quite a displeasure..." Spade said, and jumped out into the open. Dark Eye hurried after him.

"Bleh! That's what I wanna say!"

After watching Spade's airship, the Twin Thunder Shark, fly away, Hachi turned back around to Joker. Joker was grumbling and taking out his anger on a cushion. His temper was worse than usual this time...

"Joker-san, you went too far."

"Hmph! I went just far enough for him. The way he's always so patronizing and tries to tell me what to do pisses me off." Joker lay back down on the sofa.

Is that the truth? wondered Hachi. Maybe Spade had come to visit Joker because he was worried. The two of them may have been rivals, but they had once lived together under the same roof. Perhaps Spade had wanted to talk to Joker about Noir, as an old friend... If Spade had received an advance notice as well, he was definitely at least a little uneasy. And if he came to consult with Joker, who might have also received a notice, then...

Hachi remembered how Spade had looked a little desolate from behind when exiting. Joker had calmed down a little by now and was lying down with his back turned, sulking. Hachi sighed, when...

Suddenly, lightning flashed outside the window, and a loud tremor shook the Sky Joker...

[trainsinanime]

Raya and the Last Dragon

I really love this movie. While I know this won‘t be an instant classic like Frozen, I think they did really great work here.

First of all, the movie looks great. Look at all those details! I absolutely love Raya‘s messy hair, and Sisu‘s fur, especially when it‘s wet. The stone people are also amazing, with some perfect subtle subsurface scattering. The water is top notch, all the materials fit perfectly, it‘s just a delight.

(Some people may say that these things don‘t matter, or should be expected since it‘s Disney. I‘ll have to politely ask these people to shut up. I am a proud CGI hobby nerd, I drink my tea out of a Utah Teapot, and if you‘re like me, then you‘ll just love seeing everything about this movie. The diffuse reflections in the copper pot, for example!)

A step up from these details is the amazing color and lighting. Everything is beautifully designed here and perfectly lit. The final fight between Raya and Namaari, with its stark lighting that has both characters essentially just being shadow figures, to highlight how this is their darkest hour, is my favorite. I also love the heist plan sequences with its Spiderverse-like antics (This made me want to rewatch that movie, but it seems like it‘s gone from German Netflix again? That sucks).

And finally and most importantly, of course, the acting and the emotions. The moments when character‘s voices break and they‘re almost crying - obviously these would never have worked without the top-notch voice actors here, but the way the animation makes you really feel all of it. Or when Sisu rescues Raya from Namaari, how you can see clearly that she‘s trying to be fierce, but really she‘s in pain that it has come to this. Great work.

(Feel free to ignore the „Sisu looks like Elsa“ jokes. Yes, you can make the connection if you want to, since both use variations of standard 3D Disney house style and similar color palettes. But the way they move and act is nothing alike.)

Finally, I love the plot. Yes, it‘s simple, but it‘s told basically perfectly, with a laser focus on getting its core message across and developing its core relationship between Raya and Namaari. There are almost no unnecessary distractions here, and the whole thing works like clockwork while also feeling perfectly natural and organic. It's the story of Raya learning to trust, and of Namaari learning that she can be worthy of that trust, and it’s just beautiful.

And all the over-literal edge lords can miss me with their hot takes of “actually it’s bad to teach kids to trust people who hurt you” or “Namaari never apologized wtf”. I’ve got more than enough bleak hopelessness when I look out the window in real life, thank you very much. The movie makes it clear that Namaari isn’t selfish, just misguided, and that her love of dragons and her initially brief friendship with Raya are real, and that this could always have been a strong trusting relationship from the start if the circumstances had been different.

(Oh, and it also makes it clear that Namaari is sorry, through her expressions and her actions, but I can see how that’s hard to miss since you have to actually watch the movie for that, instead of half-listening while typing hot takes on your phone.)

The movie isn’t saying trust your abusive boyfriend; it’s saying that people may act negatively for their own reasons, and even if you’ve written them off, they can surprise you. That's a good message. (Aside: I love how the movie gradually escalates Raya's trust; from obvious friend Sisu, via neutral Boun, to people who are more and more hostile to her until they actually get talking)

If there's an issue with the movie, it is only that I would have liked it to be longer. Another common criticism is that its “and now we're all friends again” ending id rather rushed, and that's one I can’t really disagree with - but it fits emotionally, so I’m not really bothered. For me more important is the kind of clunky front-loaded exposition here that overwhelms the first ten minutes or so of the movie. Less of that (in percent) and more developing young Raya, her relationships with her father, with Namaari, and later old Raya, would have been very welcome.

Overall, though, I think it’s a really solid movie that I absolutely loved. Is it worth the additional Disney+ premium surcharge? Arguably not, but it’s the pandemic, what else am I gonna spend my money on? I can recommend it, especially when it comes to normal Disney+ later. 

[markynaz]

7/29

Ruins / Campfire Written for @tes-summer-fest 2021 Wordcount: 1593 Content Warnings: Imprisonment Ao3 Mirror: here

The statue to Azura was always relic of the days long before memory, even back to when Morrowind was instead Resdaynia. Neither Wise Women nor careful Temple records recalled when it had actually been built. It had been impeccably maintained through the years, though by whom varied. Sometimes Ashlanders would come to groom the ash off Azura’s face and ensure the roses on her brow stayed sharp. Sometimes curious Telvanni would come, dusting off the plinth before her feet to perform some ritual or another, respectful of the Good Daedra’s power. Sometimes Temple pilgrimages would visit her as the Anticipation of Sotha Sil, the closest to the clockwork god they could get while he secreted himself away, and worthy of respect as was every piston in the Maker’s great design.

Those days had vanished with the Red Year.

Now the Reclamation’s statue was buried by volcanic rock that neither spell nor might could move - and both Temple and Ashlanders had tried, desperate for guidance in the wake of the now-absent living gods. The eighty-foot tall statue of the Lady was buried up to her waist in rock, details of her robe melted into the solid lava flow. Attempts at excavation showed the barest hint of the plinth at her feet, but no more than a thin edge, covered in burned down Temple-issued candles. In a way it was a ruin, a picture of despair, and perhaps that's why the Temple had withdrawn. New statues could always be built. Vvardefell, especially the southern coast, was too uninhabitable - too full of memory - for the statue to be any great reminder of what they had lost.

The Ashlanders clung still to their home. Zainab Tribe especially, ranging along the no-longer-grassy Grazelands, looked up to the imprisoned statue and felt for her. They too were rooted where they'd stood for generations with no way out. They too would survive, just as all the Three had taught them.

There were nights where Masser and Secunda were no more than slivers in the dark night sky. On those nights, keen Ashlander eyes could note that the statue - merely a silhouette against the stars - seemed to reflect some sort of moonlight. If not for the darkness of Tamriel’s moons, one would hardly notice it. The moon and star held aloft in Azura’s outstretched hand glimmered with the light as it diffused across the rest of the statue much more faintly. Moonlight, in a sense - but much more beautiful, with many more colors than Masser and Secunda could ever hope to give.

The Ashlanders saw this as a blessing, a boon, a prophecy. Azura had not abandoned them. She was watching over them now, even as her statue was imprisoned by the rock flow, and she would guide them from this night and into the twilight hours of prophecy and glory once more. This had to be the case. And chins started to lift in the small Ashlander camps, the despair no longer as heavy as the ash on the air.

The Wise Woman said nothing about all of this.

Dusanabi, Wise Woman of Zainab Tribe, had wanted to believe as much as her people when the lights had first been noticed. That first night she had retreated to her yurt and prepared a ritual of connection, dipping into her low-running stores to make the old tincture, setting it over a fire and allowing the steam to make its way around her and into her lungs as she fell asleep.

She was prepared to receive the cool, glittering, loving presence of her Prince into her dream. She was prepared to walk in Moonshadow, kneel at her Prince’s feet, and ask her for some bit of guidance she could pass on to Azura’s beloved people.

That was not what she received.

Instead the vision that took her was of the dim inside of a Daedric ruin. The air was stifling, ashy beyond the scent of the ritual herbs in Dusanabi’s lungs. When she looked back, the doorway was sealed by volcanic rock.

There was no statue inside the ruin, but Dusanabi knew in her heart who it was dedicated to. It would be difficult to deny. The single furnishing in the entire room was a bare stone slab, carved all around with praises of Azura in old Chimeris, and upon it lay a woman.

Dusanabi approached with gentle steps, her dream-feet making no sound and leaving no mark on the dusty stone floor.

The Dunmer woman had her arms resting at her sides, hands relaxed, fingernails glimmering with the faint light of the stars. Her eyes were closed. A fine robe covered her neck to ankle, a House robe - woven beautifully of gold and silver and gray spidersilk, though in a style so old that Dusanabi couldn’t recall ever seeing a House mer wear something similar. She did not stir as Dusanabi gently touched her chest, but there were thoughts there, under the surface - not the glittering unfathomability of a Prince, but the warm touch of a mortal.

Dusanabi woke up in her yurt with a pounding headache and a sickness clutching her heart.

But she had to know properly. She couldn’t just leave it there, not when her people still gasped and hoped over the lights of the ruin the next night. This time she modified her ritual of connection - different proportions, different herbs, and drank a tea of strengthening before she lit the fire and allowed the scent to infuse her dreams.

The Daedric ruin was not the place she found herself in this time. Instead, a lively bed of coals crackled in the middle of a stone pavilion, built solid like a House mer home before Red Mountain had erupted. Scattered around the room were colorful cushions and blankets, bright colors and warm fabrics, contrasting against the lovely night sky outside and the breathtakingly ethereal gardens far below.

The woman in the ruin rose from a cushion to greet her.

She was quite solid, quite real, and not as unconscionably beautiful as her surroundings. Bright golden eyes flared from her angular gray face, and her brown hair fell loose around her shoulders. But her smile was warmer than even the coals at the center of the room as she bade Dusanabi to sit.

“Please,” she added once they were both settled, Dusanabi almost wishing she could feel the silks at her fingertips, because what sort of texture would the cloth of Moonshadow have? “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand how you’ve come, but I’m grateful for the visit nonetheless. Tell me- what is your name?”

“I am the Wise Woman of Zainab Tribe. They call me Dusanabi.” She squinted at the woman opposite her. “And you are our Nerevarine.”

The woman did not try to hide it, dipping her head with sadness furrowing her brow.

“So it is truly you, in the shrine.”

Arafel, the Nerevarine, nodded, giving life to all of Dusanabi’s fears. “My Lady thinks it best that I… do not interfere as directly as I once did,” she said regretfully. “I may still look out on the world and observe, watch it go by and change without me. But these past thirty years, I am not allowed to interact.”

Dusanabi folded her hands in her lap, glancing around herself. It was a very small pavilion, for all its beauty, for a woman to inhibit for decades unending.

“We had thought the statue imprisoned.”

Arafel laughed, a sound with no joy in it. “I imagine it is, in a way. But I do not think it would be if my Lady did not also want it to be a prison.”

Dusanabi’s face must have been very unguarded, because the Nerevarine looked as if she regretted her words instantly. She reached out, placing a hand over Dusanabi’s ethereal one.

“Please don’t worry over me, Wise Woman,” she said. “I would hate to give you grief when you’re doing such a good job of guiding the people I love. Looking out on Tamriel gives me solace, and the spirit of Nerevar is a great comfort. This is not the first time he’s gone through this at our Lady’s pleasure.”

“Her will is always as deep and obscured as her love,” murmured Dusanabi, falling back on the old maxims. She gained the favor of Arafel’s smile.

“It always has been.”

A few more words of numb nothings were all Dusanabi had time for before the connection began to fade, her mortal shell unable to sustain the dreamwalk to Moonshadow for long. She awoke alone in her own yurt, to an aching cramp curving up under her ribs at all the magicka she had spent, and to a somewhat more painful ache in her heart.

She slowly stood and exited her yurt. The faint, gorgeous lights still shimmered over the statue of Azura. Below, the people of Zainab Tribe had rallied around their evening fire, the conversation having more animation now than it had in several years.

It gave hope to her tribespeople to believe the lights at the shrine were a sign of favor. So Dusanabi sat and watched and gave evasive answers when questioned about the ruin against the skyline, trying to expel the ash of despair from her lungs.

Whether Azura had abandoned them was yet to be seen. But she had certainly abandoned her champion - and forced her to abandon the Ashlanders she’d advocated so fondly for in turn.

The Wise Woman quietly convinced the Ashkhan to break camp and move up the coast sooner than expected.

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Lucien’s Mirror Painting Date (Eng Translation)

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

Kiss Dates Collection: Gavin // Kiro // Victor

The date begins with MC feeling down because she can’t find inspiration for an “Amateur Painting Exhibition” she agreed to participate in.

The uniqueness of this exhibition lies in how it does not require professionalism. The main purpose is to exhibit differing definitions of dreams held by different people.

Since there’s no requirement to be a professional, I agreed to participate without hesitation. However, even after a few days, I don’t have a single idea...

Lucien: Silly, we still have time, so there’s no hurry to think.

MC: Do you have any ideas then?

While I speak, light silently trickles into the living room, illuminating the room in an instant. A faint ray of light shines around Lucien’s eyes, and he involuntarily averts his eyes. Seeing that it was the makeup mirror which reflected the light, I hurriedly turn the mirror face-down on the table.

In a moment, bits of ideas bubble within my heart.

MC: Lucien, I think I have some inspiration, but I’m not sure if it’d work...

Lucien: I’m guessing that you want to use the refraction from the mirror to shine light onto the canvas?

I look at Lucien in shock. Looks like we both thought about this “opportunistic method” at the same time.

MC: Mm, but this is only to add a bit of colour. The more important part depends on Professor Lucien.

While speaking, I tap my head with a hand.

Lucien: Have you forgotten that the manager specially pointed out that the artwork must be created by two people?

MC: My art skills are at the level of an elementary school student. I’m afraid the “dream” would be extinguished.

Lucien: Everything has an area where it can come in handy. Perhaps your stroke could be the finishing touch which brings the art to life.

MC starts getting pumped up and asks where they should start.

Lucien: I know a place which will have something we want.

They walk through several quiet alleys and end up outside a shop.

The unique design of the shop sign, which is a mirror, gives me a sense of anticipation.

MC: This is the place?

Lucien nods with feigned secrecy. I push the door open curiously, and let out a laugh when I look at the scene before me.

In the middle of the shop rests a distorting mirror.

In the mirror, Lucien’s head is magnified several times, and the subtle changes in his expression are made more prominent.

Perhaps due to our height differences, my head is not as magnified, but has become square-shaped.

While I originally wanted to tease Lucien, I quickly become embarrassed.

MC: This is… really ugly.

Lucien: I think it’s quite adorable.

Hearing these untruths, I narrow my eyes at him.

MC: Then tell me how this is adorable!

Lucien retracts his smile and stares at the mirror in deep thought, attempting to find “evidence” that the square-shaped “me” is adorable.

Lucien: Eyes, nose, mouth…

Even before he finishes speaking, he lets out a light chuckle. I catch the playful glint in his eyes.

MC: Hmph. Look at you, looking so rounded.

Shop manager: Sorry to interrupt. Is there anything I can do for you two?

MC: We’re here to buy a mirror. Could I trouble you to recommend us…

MC details what exactly she’s looking for, and the shop manager shows her mirrors to choose from. After she’s done with her purchase, Lucien asks the manager for defective mirrors.

MC: Why do you need defective mirrors?

Lucien: Mirrors that are not smooth can diffuse reflection. This way, the mirror will scatter light at different angles.

Lucien explains gently. Although I’m not clear about the principles behind it, it sounds like a good idea.

MC realizes that the painting seems more like an Installation art and requires a lot of items to make possible. She starts worrying about how to transport the art to the exhibition. Lucien has an idea – to work on the artwork directly at the exhibition venue.

They head to the Oil Painting Museum to ask the manager for permission to do so.

Just as the manager struggles to find the words to reject their request, Lucien tells him something.  With that, the manager agrees and brings them in.

I tug on Lucien’s sleeve gently and ask in a quiet voice.

MC: What did you say to the manager?

Lucien: I told him that today is our anniversary, so I asked him to make an exception for us.

MC: Lucien…

Looking at his serious face as he explains, my face involuntarily turns red. Just as I’m about to say something, the manager suddenly turns around, and I immediately lower my head.

~

In the exhibition room:

MC: What should we paint?    

Lucien lowers his head and gently wipes the paintbrush. The corner of his mouth is raised, as though he already had an idea from the start.

Lucien: MC, what do you want to paint?

I originally thought he would give me a direct idea, and didn’t expect him to return the question.

MC: Although the refracted light from by the mirrors can create a dream-like effect, the painting itself is the most important. In that case, what kind of painting can channel a dream-like feeling?

Countless ideas float in my mind – fairytale worlds, surreal realities…

But a face gradually becomes clear in my mind. His appearance makes all the other ideas pale in comparison.

MC: Lucien…

I softly whisper the name belonging to the face appearing in my mind.

Lucien: What’s wrong?

He hears the sound I made, and slowly puts down the paintbrush while looking at me.

MC: I think I know what to paint now.

Lucien: What is it?

MC: You. The main purpose of this exhibition is to see the different definitions of dreams held by different people. My definition of dreams is… you.

Hearing this, Lucien looks visibly moved. He walks towards me slowly, leans over and gently pinches my cheeks.

Lucien: Silly. The manager said that this artwork is meant to be a collaborative effort. It can’t just feature your definition of dreams, but our definition of dreams. If that’s the case, it should be us.

Lucien responds in a quiet voice, handing me a paintbrush.

Lucien: We’ll each paint one stroke. This way, you wouldn’t be lazy.

MC: I wouldn’t be lazy. I’m filled with motivation right now!

They start painting.

Whenever I see my reflection in his eyes, it makes me feel incredibly peaceful.

Lucien: What are you smiling at?

MC: I… am wondering how this painting would turn out.

Lucien turns his head to the blank canvas. He thinks for a moment, then lets out an assured smile.

Lucien: Let’s finish it together then.

With this, he lifts the paintbrush to draw a line on the canvas. While the lines are seemingly random, they gradually reveal an outline-

MC: Eh? Are we the two people in the painting?  

I lean towards the canvas as my eyes rove over it, trying to find any strange marks. Finally, my line of sight rests on “my” ear.

MC: My ears have become sharper?

Lucien responds with a subtle nod and adds a few strokes to the canvas.

Lucien: It was a sudden inspiration to give you elf ears.

MC: In that case, I also want to improvise.

I tilt my head to think for a while, then lift my hand, gently pressing my brush to the canvas. My fingers tremble slightly as I’m not used to this posture.

I mimic Lucien’s actions, and create an outline that is slightly crooked.

MC: Look, I’ve also added pointy ears for you! Although… it doesn’t look that good…

Lucien doesn’t speak, and instead looks at the canvas quietly. After a short silence, he turns his head, his eyes deep.

Lucien: Sometimes, you don’t necessarily have to draw it accurately. Using your imagination could bring about better results.

After saying this, Lucien turns to the misshaped “ears” with amusement.

I look at the outline on the canvas thoughtfully, and suddenly think of something.

I reach out to hold Lucien’s hand. The strokes are gentle yet accurate on the canvas.

MC: Lucien, let’s use our imagination together! Over here, our hands… can be a little longer. And over here, a star underneath our feet…

The sounds outside the window gradually quieten. I hold onto Lucien’s hand as we continue painting every stroke.

Without knowing how much time passed, the lines on the painting grow in number.  There is no deliberate composition, proportion, or perspective - we are creating as we please.

After the final brushstroke, I release an exuberant smile.

The painting features two people in an embrace, surrounded by trees. From afar, it looks like “we” have blended in with the forest.

MC: This should be all right.

Lucien smiles while nodding. He turns towards the window. The sky has already started turning to dusk.

Lucien: I think the mirrors should make an appearance now.

They place mirrors in different parts of the room. As the sun sets, the mirrors start refracting light.

“We” seem to be in a colourful forest, and every ray of light is a gift from nature.

MC: Lucien, we’ve succeeded!

The sun sets, and the studio grows dim.

MC: The sun went down so quickly that I didn’t get to properly appreciate it before it disappeared…

Lucien: Even though there’s no sunlight, it doesn’t mean we will be plunged into darkness.

Even before I react, a ray of light appears from behind me.

I turn towards the window to see streetlamps lighting up one by one. The studio is once again illuminated with colours.

The mirrors once again play their roles, and the refracted light returns the canvas to its splendor.

Under the light, the “us” in the painting seemingly come to life, and it looks like we are dancing.

Lucien: When the light falls onto the canvas… it’s very beautiful.

While Lucien says this, he wraps an arm around me from behind.

Lucien: I really like the way you imagine us. You gave me a dream today, and this moment is wonderful.

I turn to face Lucien and bury my face in his chest.

MC: I hope the visitors can feel our hearts on the day of the exhibition.

Lucien: I am very lucky then, because I am a participant in your heart.

We stop talking, quietly enjoying the colours we painted together.

Instead of just thinking about each other, we should fill our hearts with “us”.

This day is a dream belonging only to us.

[cxmetery-gates]

VALOR - DARTH MAUL

PROLOGUE: FREEDOM

SUMMARY: Ucilla Zykoff, a troubled Padawan, and her Master are sent to protect Duchess Satine Kryze alongside Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, an ambush leaves Ucilla wither her first taste of freedom. WORD COUNT: 2k NOTES: I told myself not to make a Darth Maul fic. Oops. I also told myself to just make my OC human and definitely do not create a race of near-humans. Didn’t do that either. I’ll be posting a ramble about Ucilla’s species in the future! WARNINGS: sci-fi violence, kinda angsty?

VALOR MASTERLIST

THROUGH THICK CLOUDS OF DUST and an onslaught of armored fighters closing in, a racing heart hammered as erratic as the blaster fire pointed in her direction. Wrath encased the young girl, white-hot rage allowing for her power to extend to the weapons stationed in her hands. A fuchsia hue lit up her surroundings as each blade swung, a bubble appearing as if forming a shield to deflect the oncoming storm.

Ucilla Zykoff huffed at a lock of loose icy blonde hair that attempted to block her vision. Her palms were beginning to perspire as she worked beside her Master, blocking blaster fire and reflecting them back into the chest of her enemies. The rebels were no match against two well-trained Jedi, so her bewilderment as to why the Mandalorian terrorists were not aware of their eventual defeat was only natural for the hot-headed Padawan.

A beam of scarlet missed Ucilla's head by an inch. Recalling the time a blaster bolt constrained her to rely on a splint for a month, Ucilla, with her teeth bared, swung her lightsabers at great speed and agility, projecting two rounds through a pair of skulls.

The Jedi Council sending Ucilla and her Master on this mission was inevitable. Growing concerns about a civil war was on the rise caused by a heritage-based splinter group stirring up problems, leading Mandalore to grow more and more worried. To diffuse the tension between the planet and the traditionalist Mandalorians, the Council sent two of their best Jedi along with their Padawans to take care of the situation and to protect the future Duchess.

Peacefully and civilly, they were told.

One of Ucilla's lightsaber penetrated upwards through the ribs of a human who flew too close, the other blade thrown to dismember another while slicing through their jetpack.

Well, at least she tried.

Following traditional Jedi styles of dueling did not come as naturally as the offensive for Ucilla. As a Youngling, Ucilla was routinely reminded that the light side of the Force should control her movements rather than relying on defeat or death as her enemy's outcome. Ucilla guessed her aptitude for aggressive maneuvers was why Adi Gallia was assigned as her Master. Adi Gallia was one of the best of Jedi Masters: focused, determined, and, perhaps most importantly, strong with the light side. It would not have surprised Ucilla to find out the Jedi Council were hoping Master Adi would rub off on the girl.

Ucilla deflected another torrent of bolts, the swing of her two purplish-red lightsabers creating a haze around her lithe figure. Not too far away, the Padawan spotted her Master, a cobalt saber cutting through attacks as if this were nothing more than practice.

Amidst the battle, Ucilla suddenly felt vibrations beneath her feet, the tremble of echoes. Her mind was mostly focused on the assault, but her species' sensitive senses allowed for the Padawan to identify the peculiar shifts in the ground: the reverberation of what sounds like footsteps in a tunnel.

Confused, Ucilla willed herself to focus on the dirt, throwing herself behind a fallen building to lay close to the ground, pressing her ear into the rubble. As impossible as it seemed, Ucilla felt the quakes beneath the earth of Kalevala as terrorists moved in and move out, both above and beneath the surface. Suddenly, there were scattered explosions, the dirt beginning to loosen and with her sharp senses, Ucilla could sense what her Master could not.

Per his instruction, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Duchess Satine Kryze took a speeder to the rendezvous point, their hide-out on Kalevala. What was supposed to be an investigation into the seeming ghost town turned into the battle Ucilla and the two Jedi Masters face alone in the center of the city― nearing the heart of the next attack.

"Kriff," swore Ucilla, bouncing up to her feet. During the ambush, Ucilla and Master Adi became separated from Master Jinn. Before their separation, Master Jinn made the remark that this could have been a trap to capture the Duchess while in search of food and supplies. Ucilla, ever the pessimist, agreed with the Jedi Master's assessment, but she wasn't prepared for the explosions erupting under her feet as the Mandalorians' attempt to usurp the future ruler.

In hindsight, the action makes complete sense for their war-hungry kind. Looking at where she was, to blow up an entire city just to undermine four Jedi is in ancient Mandalorian style, after all.

Her thoughts shifted to the Padawan and Duchess. Both Jedi Masters ordered Obi-Wan and Duchess Satine to head back to their hide-out before so much as a scout found them. Now, Ucilla wondered how long they were in the enemy sights. Fearing the worst, Ucilla could only imagine the fight Obi-Wan and the Duchess found themselves in now.

"Master!" Ucilla cried out, rushing towards Adi. The two Jedi make haste to hide behind debris. With their backs against the dusty, fallen pillar, Ucilla took several deep breathes before facing her Master. "There's a tunnel system beneath us, and from what I've learned about these traditionalists, I don't think they're just for soldier transportation. I think the Mandalorians are setting off bombs to destroy the city."

Master Adi nodded. "They want to take over Kalevala the only way they know how: through destruction."

"Unfortunately," Ucilla growled, ducking her head as a shot skimmed over the pillar. "We need to get out of here. I sense something worse than blasters if we do not leave."

The Tholothian give an aspirated exhale. "Try to retreat to the alley," Master Adi responded. "From there, we will find Master Jinn."

Ucilla looked behind her where Master Adi's eyes were trained. An alley could be spotted but there was a far and wide opening between them and safety. But orders were orders, and a good Padawan listens to their Master.

The Jedi leap from their position, finding an assault of beams pointed in their direction. Ucilla could not tell for sure, but it seemed as though the number of Mandalorians multiplied by tenfold. Even with two fuchsia sabers, Ucilla thought another just might help.

And perhaps it would have: Ucilla fell to the ground with a yelp when blaster fire shot through her left shoulder. The sensation burned every charred piece of flesh that the fire dug through until it shot through the other side.

The blonde Scaki shot backwards on her back, rolling to avoid further hits. Unlike ever before, an indescribable shade of red passed over her vision, turning her agonizing pain into raw power. Had her Master had the time, Master Adi most likely would have scolded her Padawan for using the Force to propel a dozen advancing Mandalorians straight into the buildings so fast that they had no time to scream before death took them.

"Ucilla!" the Master cried, scarcely lifting her eyes from blasters. "Are you alright? Can you get to safety?"

The voice of Master Adi broke Ucilla's concentration, a good thing for everyone.

Grunting with a shake of her head, Ucilla stood, attaching one saber to her belt while the other continued to block incoming attacks. "Go," the Padawan shouted, "I'll cover you, Master."

As though the earth below let out a large exhale, the ground beneath the square quaked, a rumble coming from the underground. For a moment, Ucilla, Master Adi, and the rebels ceased all fire as their balance became lost.

No one found their ground again. With another mighty roar, the earth was close to collapse. Ucilla knew this, so did Adi.

The Force was hesitant with Ucilla's desires, as if pleading not to. Ucilla was not after a suicide mission, but the fear of her permanent death did strike a punch to her courage. As long as she planned it timely, she would survive.

And she was right.

Just moments before, Ucilla Force-pushed her Master several meters away and, no more than a few seconds later, Ucilla found herself running away from the collapsing earth, yet still caught amongst the rubble. Using all that she was trained in as well as the gifts of her species, Ucilla dug through the rubble, ensuring where she lied would not allow for rubble to completely crush her.

Ucilla's heart was loud in her eardrums. Darkness encased her no matter where she was. Her golden eyes were attuned to the dark, yet no shapes could be spotted in the enclosed space. The air was thick in dust, heavy in uneasiness. It was moments like these where Ucilla wished she had paid more attention in her training. Though mediation was an easy skill, the impending doom disrupted all her thoughts, slicing through any kind of call she attempted to push out.

No matter how hard she tried to call out to her Master, Ucilla came to realize no one was coming to help her. It was not long before Ucilla felt her Master slip away, no doubt joining up with Master Jinn and Obi-Wan to relocate with the Duchess.

She should have known the Jedi Master would not come to search through the rubble. There were matters far more important than a Padawan: cities to protect, battles to be fought, innocents to save. The Jedi were sent to Mandalore to protect the world and the rulers from the rebel group, and Ucilla's passing would not hinder such plans. The Scaki girl would be remembered for her bravery and self-sacrifice.

Shock eventually took over. Before long, all Ucilla could feel around her was the dirt in the callous of her fingers and weight of stone trying to collapse. As though her breathing stopped entirely, Ucilla's racing heart, thoughts, and very life also seemed to slow down. The Padawan almost felt dead as she lied in a state close to rigor.

A great feeling entered her as she found strength to move. Fearing that she would perish alone under a fallen city, anger and preservation finally unlocked her lifeless body. Her hands pressed against the stone slabs, nails dig into dirt, and shoves force the rubble around her to lift away, creating an opening for the moons and starlight to fill the void.

Ucilla was cautious as she ascended. No life could be spotted according to her senses, but she was still not completely convinced. When her hands gripped the edge of the ground from where it fell, she pushed herself over, only to end up lying face up in the dirt, her breathing hard and muscles shaking.

The stars that dotted the sky looked similar to those above Coruscant. All constellations began to look alike after seeing so many skies on so many worlds. She found no home in the night sky she watched as a Youngling, and now, as she watches the interstellar clouds on Kalevana, Ucilla realized she never had a home. All she had was a cell.

It was not long before Ucilla let out a laugh, her golden eyes watching the stars shine down on her. Her pale hands reach up to cover her mouth, a giggle escaping between her fingers. It was only then did she feel the tear-stained paths on her cheek, but by that point, it was unclear whether those broke free amidst her turmoil or as she relished in her newfound joy.

So, this is what freedom tastes like.

Ucilla found her golden eyes lost in the fields of stars and nebulas. Just as them, she had no obligations, none to abide by or listen to. She had herself and that felt like enough.

As Ucilla walked towards where she came, she stumbled across her discarded cloak. After brushing away the dust, the now-presumed-dead Padawan slipped her arms through the sleeves then pulled the hood over the top of her head. Ucilla stuffed the lightsaber attached to her belt into the inside pocket in as she leaned down to grip a discarded blaster.

Kalevana was not completely desolate. All planets have populated cities full of inhabitants who want nothing to do with wars or Jedi business. That was what she planned to find, and Ucilla was apt to have her way.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

TAGLIST:

@bonesaldente​

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TAGGED, LET ME KNOW!

[hakutaichou]

[JP] Behind The Curtain - Part 6: After Returning (Chapter 28)

⚠️ SPOILER AHEAD ⚠️

This post contains BIG spoiler from “Behind The Curtain” series which some of them have not been released in Global servers.

Source: Youtube Footage

The momentum of the flame gradually diminished. A young blonde man standing in the smoke turns to me. There was a lonely shadow in his azure eyes.

???: Its looks like your cute friend are completely back home huh.

Kiro: This is none of your business.

Kiro raised his head. His burning reflected blue eyes, are frosty and unfriendly.

The dark-skinned man shrugged and blew a whistle and jumped on the helicopter in front of him.

???: Well then, do you want to leave for our new world?

Kiro stared at the abandoned place from far away. The golden hair is mixed with bright silver. When he raised his finger, the silver ring flashed.

He muttered quietly, as if speaking to the ring and himself.

Kiro: She is waiting for me.

Kiro: For the Brave New World.

His voice, was drowned out by the smoke coming from the behind. At that time, the light of the ring spread widely. The bright light pierces my eyes---

MC: Kiro..., what in the world are you going to do...?

When the white light disappeared, another twinkling light and a huge space-time gear appeared in front of me. The door, which should have been open a little, is closed before I knew it.

Also, that mysterious voice uttered the words I heard somewhere.

???: Now, tell me your name.

Helios: Helios.

The scene awakens the memories that had fallen apart. She had previously heard the same conversation in the dark.

???: Don’t forget your promise with me.

Helios: When she comes back, the new world plan will begin.

The silver-haired young man turned around and disappeared into the diffused electromagnetic waves. In that time, I clearly remembered when I heard that conversation.

But at that time, it was an old man who was talking to Helios.

???: Yes, I was the one who signed the contract with him.

Suddenly that voice, responded to my heart.

???: In this space-time, you and I are free to choose the shape in which we exist.

MC: ...Do you understand what I’m thinking?

???: Thinking and dialogue are similar. The limits of everything...can change as much as you think.

???: For example, like the sight you will see from now on.

There was another sound of the door opening from a distance, faster than I could answer. The footsteps are approaching. What appeared was that familiar black dressed woman.

Young Woman: I’ve come to say goodbye to you.

She seems to be talking to someone other than me. That voice responds to her.

???: Oh. Did you get what you wanted?

She sooks the black box she got. The moment I saw the box, I was terrified and felt a squeezing pain in my chest.

Young Woman: She thinks this is the only key to opening the door to this world. You wouldn’t expect me to lose power in this way. 

???: Do you mean closing this door?, Say goodbye to where you were born?

Young Woman: That’s right. There’s no regret in such this place anymore. I’ll be the one and only me in that world.

???: I see. Good Luck.

Young Woman: Goodbye...

Suddenly, there was a deafening sound. I couldn’t hear his name she said. She smiled, turned around, and walked towards the unlocked door.

I stared at the black box she had. Every time she walks, my consciousness trembles.

???: If you want to see it, go see it. This door you opened will be closed soon.

A mysterious voice guides me. The black box gets bigger and bigger, fills the vision with black---

Cyril: Do you know the origin of the name “BLACK SWAN”?

I can see an elegant young man standing in a luxury gift shop. In there, a graceful piano pieces is playing.

A young man looked down at me. A black box is reflected in the cool eyes that look like snow.

MC: Am I...in inside of the box?

Cyril: “BLACK SWAN” is a word that means an unexpected event. Mankind, has no way to predicting the impact of the event.

Cyril: When I first heard their name, I immediately liked it. I also wanted to be a companion.

Cyril: But...the majority of them, are still living in this illusion. Only a few were aware that humanity was ignorant.

Cyril: They, can’t help me to complete my work.

Young Woman: Then, let me help you this time.

The young man turned around. It’s a frosty eyes that keeps others away. The same gaze as looking at the shop’s exhibits is given to the woman in a black dress.

She traces the black box with her finger. I was struck by a freezing chills of blood all over my body.

Young Woman: No matter how you handle it, it’s your freedom.

The moment her fingertips left the box, I exhaled.

Cyril: Who in the world, are they waiting for?

Cyril: In this world, is there really anyone waiting for her?

While saying that, the young man pressed the crystal piano keyboard. The jarring sound echoes---

Cyril’s Mom: Cyril, continue it. With your power... please show me the perfect world.

The woman lying in bed, looked at him with beautiful eyes that looked a lot like that boy. There’s no power in that eyes.

Cyril’s Mom: For the one last time, I want to feel the beauty of this world with my whole body.

Cyril’s Mom: That’s also your...meaning of existence.

The boy grows up in the snowstorm and turns into an innocent boy. From there, the outline became sharper again, and it became an elegant young man.

A snowy wind pushes the window open and surrounds his mother. She turned into white snow and suddenly disappeared.

The young man doesn’t notice the snowstorm, and just concentrates on the piano. 

The sound of hailed snow knocking on the windows, finally made him aware of the changes in the outside world.

[Glass breaking sound]

There was a sharp, dry sound. A piece of glass scatters and falls on the piano. The young man who is absorbed in playing still keeps an eye on the keyboard.

MC: Watch out!

A piece of glass glazed the young man’s long finger. A line of blood flows, on the skin like ice and snow.

The young man finally stopped. As if time had frozen there, the lingering sound of the piano remained in the room covered with heavy snow.

He looked up. Like an innocent puzzled child who touched the piano for the first time, that eyes comes to mind.

Cyril: Who...are you?

MC: I...who am I?

Perhaps, I’m a piece of gene that hidden in a cold box. It has such a name and the power that everyone wants. That’s it.

The real me...i wonder where is it?

Snow steadily piles up and covers his world.

In front of my eyes, a number of overlapping screens appeared.

***

In front of the evolution accelerator with the door open. Lucien stands out with anger and shock.

Lucien: ...It was you?!

***

On a swaying cargo ship. Victor who opened the box has a surprised expression.

Victor: It was you?

***

In the something cluttered base. Gavin, who received the black box that fell from the sky near a machine like a pillar, solidifier as it is.

Gavin: It was you...?

***

A splendid black stage with no people. Kiro goes step by step toward the center where the spotlight hits. Its eyes, are pale golden.

Kiro: It was you...

Familiar scenery and people disappear one after another. There was no doubt about it anymore. This is all, what actually happened.

Different timelines...different possibilities...in countless situations, they have done the same thing over and over again.

Obtain the black box.

Discover the genes that hidden in the box.

Find Queen.

And that Queen is---

???: You.

The words echo in my mind and take root deep in my consciousness. A mighty force, was about to give birth.

The gradual and stronger power created a bottomless vortex that swallowed my consciousness.

???: In this extremely confused space and time, did you get the answer you were looking for?

I was also pulled back in front of the light and gears. What was waiting there was, that voice who guided me.

I, can’t see him or myself. I was starting to notice. I shouldn’t have been aware of my existence here.

I’m just..., I...

???:  Did you finally notice it?

The voice asked me as if I had seen through my heart.

???: Try to say the answer in your heart.

???: Who, are you?

[Option 1] MC: I’m Queen.

[Option 2] MC: I’m MC.

.

MC: I’m Queen.

???: ...That answer, I heard it well.

???: With that choice in your mind, face your own world.

???: When you come here again, everything is---

???: A new beginning.

[writingsofmyimagination]

Instinct |6|

Levi x Reader

Summary: An unwelcome(ish) blast from the Captain’s trainee days comes back to the Scouting Regiment and old habits die hard.

Instinct: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

So I decided to carry on with the series. Bit of a time jump... now around Chapter 72 time :)

tags: @nefelimalfoy​ @beautifulimperfections13​ @pjimochi​ @submissive-bangtan​

Enjoy :)

Words:3232

Warnings: Swearing (Obvs), Smut, Smut -Pretty Sub Levi…..Like Oooof!

“Sooo, how did it go with Erwin, I assume you tried again to convince him to stay” Levi and you merged to walk the same direction in the dusty courtyard. Green cape briskly swept over your shoulder as the wind nipped at your forearms; little pin pricks of cold. The temperature measured equally in Levi’s dark face; hair half drooped over his forehead. The orange hue from all the lamps casting a shadow covering a scowl which quickly came into view.

“That good huh?” you added, trying to coax blood out of a stone.

“Those two brats just don’t stop” The stone completing dodging the question.

Oh

“Again!?” Eyes rolling.

“You should just let them go for it; they’d tire themselves out eventually”

“Ugh… if I didn’t need to make sure his energy was fully preserved for tomorrow I would” Levi unburdened you of the large unopened bottle of vodka from under your arm.

“Corporal YL/N” Erwin called as he added another walking body to the courtyard.

“I’ll catch up” You offered Levi as he’d already turned his back to you and walked off. The trio of Mikasa, Eren and Armin bundled out of the canteen hall in a cheery ball of jest.

“Hey suicidal maniac!” Jean called propping the canteen door open with his foot, hand gripped around a green survey corp jacket.

“You forgot this” Jacket launched quicker than Eren could react. You rushed over before Eren had finished screaming ‘You little…’. Your fist tight around Eren’s. You twisted his arm manipulating him to the ground before he could strike.

“Aaah” Eren wailed as he picked himself up from the dirt.

“Jean, extra clean up duty” His face shadowed with annoyance; Eren’s on the other hand brightened.

“Eren after this mission cleaning duty with Levi wherever he chooses”. It was now Eren’s turn for his face to drop and Jean’s to brighten in a balanced 360.

“Yes Corporal” They both mumbled heads down. Jean disappeared back to the canteen and Eren slumped down on the steps next to Mikasa and Armin.

“Sorry Commander” Returning to where you were called.

“It’s quite alright, ready for tomorrow?”

“As ready as you can be” Your response was still yet polite.

“Oh come on Y/N, I know your pumped, no need to be restrained for me. Anyway, I just wanted to assure you that I will be commanding tomorrows mission Despite the chattering going through the core at present”

“Sir, honestly,  I wouldn’t expect anything less, this is your dream too”

“Levi tried to convince me otherwise, to his failure of course”

“He did mention it, mostly in the form of him being quieter and slightly grumpier than normal”

A slight knowing smile crept minutely onto Erwin’s lips.

“I thought as much, anyway, enjoy your night. I assume the bottle Levi stropped off with was for you”

“Most definitely more for me. Good night commander. Rest well”.

The trio were still sat perched on the steps. Armin, the forever motivator of life beyond the walls exciting the others. The glimmer of hope sprinkled on their expressions light bright fairy dust a refreshing view. Even on Mikasa it was a sight to behold.

Entering the archway something black and still in the corner drew your attention. Head dropped down, his sullen gaze lightened, a few creases less on his face when the confusion struck yours.

“Didn’t know earwigging was your thing” You said, quieter to not alert the three kids. Levi shuffled himself off the floor and vigorously brushed himself down, slight creases grew in his forehead at checking his hands. He gave one more rushed wipe down before you both made your way to his office

“I wasn’t earwigging… I was listening to the brats be hopeful and dream about the future” There was slight distaste scattered through his words.

“Sooooo earwigging…. And is that a bad thing?” The over-dramatic roll of his eyes was heard like a sassy echo in the bare office he liked to squirrel away in.

All that was scattered on the wooden table to the back of the room was a few sheets of paper with diagrams, drawing, indecipherable scribbles that only Levi could understand.

He slumped himself down onto the armed wooden chair, scowl still present staring blankly down at the desk.

Jeez he really is in a grump.

“Okay captain scowl!” You began.

“Erwin needs this, I’m sure he is more than aware that this could potentially be his last mission. He’s not the type to sit back the same way you aren’t” Your arms now folded, strength firm in your stance.

“But his loss would be detrimental to humanity, guy is a damn genius”

“Yeessss he’s a genius, will it be a huge hit, course it will, but he wouldn’t be going if he knew that the Corps wouldn’t be in good hands if something were to happen” He shuffled the papers into a somewhat neater pile and placed them meticulously down in the centre of the table.

“I suppose your right” He conceded twiddling a pencil through his fingers.

“Aren’t I always?” Whisky frosting half of the small tumbler a golden brown which soon disappeared when the glass touched your lips.

“Now....” hanging onto the word diffusing into something much more sultry

You waltzed over to his desk, fingers already teasing undone the buttons of your blouse.

“Can you please stop thinking about work, it’s going to be a challenging day tomorrow as it is” you pleaded leaning against his desk facing him. The final button undone, sight teasing him away from his concentration. Holding the sides of the shirt like curtains to a happier Levi.

“Understatement” He mumbled, his finger finding its way through a belt loop, corner of his lips turning up to a wicked smirk, just how you like them.

“It’s also an understatement that you’re such a tease” he added, the shimmering glaze of mischief reflecting in his eyes coaxed a raised eyebrow with the victorious tinge of your lips.

“Oh Soo I am tempting you then?” his leg now in between yours, his hand resting on your sides

“Perhaps” He tugged at your bra with strong determined hands freeing your breast for his teeth to lightly toy with. Your only was response to hum in approval.

“LEEEVVIIII!” A high wailed cry barely muffled by the dark wooden door.

“Shit!” the pair of you breathed unanimously. You didn’t have any time to fix any of your clothing predicament before the door crashed open and Hanje burst in. To her you were just lent up against Levi’s desk with your arms folder; Levi remained in the chair stoic as ever.

Don’t come round!, don’t come round!

Panicked thoughts spun through your mind like a pin wheel.

“What do you want Hanje?” Annoyance slipping over Levi’s voice coating of distaste thoroughly embedded through it.

“I just wanted to let you know everything is ready for tomorrow”

That’s oddly calm considering her entrance.

Hanje looked mildy uncomfortable, her cheeks were slightly puffed, eyes were wide and flitty. Thankfully she’d not move from where she stopped on the right side of the desk.

You and Levi both waited a beat

“AREN’T YOU BOTH SOOO EXCITED!” She finally burst, her body fully exploding with movement. High pitched; almost intolerable. Levi’s eyes rolled. Obviously.

There we go.

“We’re going to THE BASEMENT!” she continued, her hyped up voice became distant as it was drowned out by the concentration of your fingers being sly in trying to do your buttons up. Levi thankfully battered no eyelids at your miniscule movements. Your shoulders dropped, reveal crisis averted.

“I’m aware” Levi droned

“Is Levi not too much of a damn stone to be spending all this time with? If I didn’t know Levi had such a small capacity for emotions, I’d say you two are a thing”

Hilarious. He may not have the massive heart…

“Can you actually imagine?” You laughed competing with her hysterics.

“Jesus Christ Ladies!” Levi complained tutting.

“I’m sorry Levi” Hanje managed still trying to control her laughter turning and leaving humming way too loudly on her exit.

“Can you not encourage that damn woman” He whined, stood out of his chair encroaching on your personal space, stealing a hard kiss from you.

“I thing you’ll find I’m helping our cover.” The two of you quickly became absorbed into each other again. As cold as he could be, his body never failed to be the warmth pressed against you that you needed.

“I think you’re a pain in my ass” he quipped back.

A pain in his ass he couldn’t let go of

“If you take me upstairs, I will be” You tested. His smirk against your lips was matched, pupils growing pools of craving.

Door clicked shut on the rest of the world, his shirt racing to the floor before you could tussle the buttons of your own shirt back open. The back of your legs hitting the rough surface of the table, the contact not disrupting the soft pressure of his lips dancing with yours; his bottom lip catching numerous times between the gentle tug of your teeth. The harsh pillows didn’t linger on your lips for long. The nips at your neck quickly ached with desperation, impatience crying through the hands fumbling at your trouser buttons. Your trousers pooled at the floor; strong grip at your waist encouraging you half onto the table. You placed a stern hand on his chest in halt.

“What’s wrong?” He breathed through staggered breathes. You answered with movement grabbing the towel from the dresser and coating the table.

“I’m not getting splinters for you. On your knees” You ordered sliding up onto the table after slipping of your underwear in a seductive swoop. Levi on his knees focused glistened eyes zoning on your every small movement. His glare ran ablaze with your foot firm on his shoulder, drinking in the view of soft pale skin. The thighs he knew looked so pretty with blossoming red flower bruises. The way he loved to make them quiver; you whimpering his name.

“Always so patient” you praised. His insides were clenched, teetering on the edge of desperation. Dying for your call. He swallowed hard, with the insatiable thirst had ravaging over him. This may have combusted when your hand dipped between your own thighs. Humanities strongest kneeling desperate on the floor beneath you trying to harness all the will to stay put.

“Tell me what you want” you offered your hand, foot sliding of his shoulder.  His mouth enveloped round the wetness of your fingers; a deep hum vibrated through his throat.

Your legs now parted with him snug in-between. He was making you wait for his answer.

“Well?” He stilled for a moment completely faking to ponder. Hands ghosting up your lower leg, your soft skin only imploring him higher. Your index finger stroking come hither under his chin

“Mmm” The pair of you mumbled, white knuckles gripped his shoulders. Even with your lips pressed together you could feel the wicked way the edges of his lips curled upwards.

“This” he managed, drowning out your whine. Already feeling the controlled digits inside pressing to your walls.

“Be more specific or you get nothing” pleasant strain and held back whines hidden terribly in your voice.

“Ugh” Levi complained.

“Did you roll your eyes at me?”

“On the chair!”. Your tone snapper quicker than a whip.

“You can’t tell me what you want, then I’m just going to keep giving until I’m finished with you”

“Hands behind your back until I say otherwise” you added, hands prying his thighs wider.

“Eyes on me baby” He tried not to blink. Forcing himself to look down, refusing his eyes to roll upward as you’d dropped to your knees. Tongue licking a slow stripe on the underside of his member. His bottom lip catching between his teeth. He could only enjoy the sweet warmth of your mouth for a few blissful moments before his bottom lip puffed out in hardcore sulk mode. You turned from him, sweeping your hair to the front of your shoulder carefully balancing your weight as you lowered yourself onto him; not how he’d like. You’d sat on his lap purposely avoiding him. Your hips circled, your head back resting the side of his neck, his low whines now right at the shell of your ear.

“Oh did you think I’d give it up that easy?”

“Don’t think so ….”

You thumb teased over the tip of his cock before honing your attention to focus on the movement of your hips”

“Please” He whined

“I’ve hardly done anything” You toyed. Knowing full well it didn’t matter; not with the fact the pair of you had had little time over the last week or so. It was all just too easy to get to him.

“Mmm…no. You can sit there and feel me.”

Frustration began seething though his controlled breaths, hips trying to match your movements under your weight. Your skin was heating up, but yet you could almost shiver with how sparked your nerve endings were. His lips stuttering soundlessly

“Something you wanna say?”

“Please just cum on me…”

//

Pale milky wax in droplets solidified on his chest. Each one earned a hiss past his lips with the occasional curse chucked into the air for measure. Moisture gathered where his hair met his skin and shone in the flickering candlelight

Small red flower patches blossomed so prettily when the wax dropped of his skin. Your lips followed the beautiful field to the buds on his chest. His desperate groan elicited at the grip of your teeth his hips couldn’t help but buck up into you.

“Levi…Fuck!” Finally allowing yourself to sink down onto him, exasperated pants omitted by both of you in solace.

“Please let me have you now, I need yooou” Your hands still at his chest, hips circling at a painful pace. Torturous eyes hand in hand with the unforgiving smirk beaming.

“But I love it when you’re so desperate, you’ll be begging me to stop when you’re too sensitive”

“How many times can you cum before you can’t take it anymore?” Levi had a damn near ridiculous refractory period, in addition to his extraordinary strength and healing speed. You loved it and saw it as a fun challenge to push it.

//

“Had enough? More?” You asked the writhing body under you, smirk still strong on your face. Moans choked in his throat. His stomach drizzled with himself, the rest of him you wiped away from around your lips. The veins in his neck jumping as he turned to you, his chest rising and falling in steadying moves. The unmistakeable moisture filled eyes, water gathering at the corners in frustrated droplets. His muscles quivering under your touch, so flooded with sensitivity.

“You” he whined, voice becoming dryer and crying with desperation with each passing breathe.

“Oh you think you can go one more with me?” You’d allowed yourself very little. Your walls were throbbing against nothing. The tension that had filled your muscles the tightly wound fibres needed an outlet.

The exhausted body beneath you moved with a sudden refilled confidence and stability knocking you back. Your hands locked behind his neck; you were half sat up and supported through his hand at your lower back. A fresh accelerated fire fight raging behind the dark orbs of his eyes, you’d pushed him, he’d had enough. Your cry had the hint of a giggle finally having him inside you, cheeky smile under your bit lip.

“Stop being a tortuous brat, ride me, make yourself cum around me or swear to god”

“Swear to god what?” you challenged clenching around him. His response; hissing with regret. Over-sensitivity pained in his features; brows knitted together as yours widened with your smile.

“Mmm” the pained hum melted right in your ear. Melted chocolate dripping of a soft pink marshmallow. Unwavering stable hand still solid supporting you. Your weight cradled into him, fingertips digging into his shoulder blades. Finally allowing your hips to spiral, unwinding all the patience you’ve exercised. Currents of heated heavy breaths washed across your chest. He ceased to challenge with any more words. Chest pushed against his; heat gathering in moist droplets between you.

You stole as many messy kisses in-between your moans and whines as you could; Levi had resorted to mostly grunts, his hips movements becoming staggered, each thrust becoming harder but seemingly more exhaustive. You shifted your weight forward. You’d felt his muscles begin to shake.  Levi was now on his back hair falling against the pillow as beautiful black spikes.

“God you feel so good” You whined rolling your hips. Hands planted cupped around his thighs, gripping hard nails leaving crescents in the muscled flesh. With your back arched, chest bare and vulnerable to the dragged out firm knead of Levi’s hands. His arms dropped to cradle your hips slowing them down.

“Too much for you baby?” You cooed sliding your hands to his chest, one creeping further to sit at his throat.

“Mmmhm…Don’t ……” He warned. You were never going heed his warning; you tightened your grip disobeying the pressure at your hips and rocking him freefalling off that cliff. His head rolled back harsh against the mattress. The intoxicating chimera of blissful pain bled into relief. Hearing the beautiful stuttering sounds and pants of Levi falling apart had you equally calling out his name with jaggged breaths.

//

You were gently coaxed out of sleep by floating plump kisses at your shoulders, a wandering breeze of his hand cloaking round your waist.

“Why does time go so fast” you mumbled, shifting onto your back. The cotton sheets were fresh against your exposed chest, cooled by the crisp air flowing in through the open window. High positive chirps from the birds living un-unbeknown to the burdens of the day ahead.

“Wait how come you’re not up and dressed and kicking me out of bed earlier than necessary?” The pleasant surprise had you smiling more sweetly than you’d like him to see and you felt more peace than you’d normally allow yourself.

The peace went to full blown serenity like a spring morning trickling stream when his lips half turned up followed by a soft chuckle oozing with acknowledgement.

“Jeez you moan when I up and leave and moan when I stay, am I ever going to get a break with you?” Levi huffed way to animatedly to suit him; he kicked off the sheets and went to lug himself out of the bed. You tugged him back towards you just off balance to get him on his back to secure your thighs at his hips.

“Do you honestly wanna break from this?”  Flicking your hair up in your grip allowing it to trickle loosely out of your hand. You fought his weight trying to push you off, which when he actually re-calibrated his balance he managed. One hand weakly holding your wrists together above your head. You were met with silence and a smirk worthy of the first ring of hell. He bounced off and slid his white shirt on. Neither of you spoke again until you dragged yourself to the bathroom.

“Annoyingly even when you act a brat I still can’t stay away. I’d would be weird without you now”

“Exactly”

Wait what?

[lumau]

Gentlewings

___________________________________

Yay! Finally more Juprafel content! Here is a fanfic for you that I’ve written for the Mogtober 2020 prompt for day 5 (favorite side character).

Notes: I’m still pre-Hollowpox, so some things might not line up anymore later on. I wanted to write down one (of my many) ideas on how Jupiter met Israfel for the first time. What I enjoyed was to specifically not focus on Israfel's addictive singing, but on what else might connect him to Jupiter, what his personality could be and his background. I have (many) theories about him and the “not-actually-angels”, as a lot is still left in the air (pun intended) after Wundersmith. I made up quite a few things about them, which will very likely be inaccurate. I realise the angels from Grave Importance influenced me and especially the story around Amitiel and Zophiel. I just really got something for corrupted angels, I guess. :D

There will be some flirty stuff (it’s Jupiter North after all!), but you can totally read this as the beginning of a special friendship if you’re not into shipping.

And if you are, though, I already plan to write a follow up story for Mogtober day 9 which will likely have more of a romancy note to it. And there will be the matching illustration I made, so stay tuned for that!

Oh, and a shout out to those who were there for the first posts on this blog – there will be a moment of recognition for you if you make it to the end! :)

____________________________________________

Gentlewings

When he received the Stealth’s request to join forces with them on a special mission that would involve the visit of a very fancy and exclusive soirée, it all sounded exciting and like the perfect job for him. Three hours in though, Jupiter felt the nagging of a headache and, even worse, extremely bored. It turned out he had not been recruited because of his impeccable looks, his charisma or his ability to turn every party into a roaring success, but because of him being a Witness.

To his outrage, they had not even let him wear his famously snazzy pastel mint coloured evening suit. However, no one could stop him from giving the all black stealth uniform at least a small personal touch by adding a floral pink pocket square and his favourite lavender dress shoes. They had to agree to this mildly rebellious act begrudgingly. His ginger mane and beard already made it impossible for Jupiter to be actually stealthy anyways, and their human and wunimal resources (HWR) for this job were so limited, they couldn‘t risk losing his cooperation.

As he was supposed to, Jupiter let his gaze slowly wander over the crowd from the outskirts of the dim lounge. Once again, he could not detect any sign of disturbances in the general atmosphere of the party. Most of those attending were slightly on edge and rather wished they were somewhere else, as he could clearly see in their auras and the web of Gossamer threads, but that was nothing unusual at a political event and what he had expected due to the delicate nature of the gathering.

Scattered across the room was a small number of extremely posh diplomats and their guests. The intention of WunSoc in inviting the COG (Celestial Observation Group) was to stay on good terms with them, an urgent necessity after the recent issues they had gotten into when both groups were faced with being involved in those interspecies murder cases.

Jupiter had never before been in a room with several Celestial Beings at once, and he could do without that experience. Part of the preparation for the job had been a thorough briefing about their kind, and only a few chosen senior Stealth officers with special mental training had been found suitable. Watching the interactions in the room through his lens had been captivating at first, but now it started to tire Jupiter out. Humans were already so complicated on their own, but the unique trait of the Celestials, absorbing and influencing the emotions of those around them, turned the whole room into a blurry melting pot. As Jupiter curiously observed, the clowd-like puffs of emotions were drawn towards the winged folks, but sometimes their own state of mind also seemed to drift over to their opponents, engulfing and influencing them.

Fascinating, but clearly highly dangerous and for Jupiter, who’s visual filters were lowered on his watch post, quite exhausting. He had been instructed to notify the chief officer immediately, should the atmosphere in the lounge take a risky turn or should he detect any hostile intentions. So far everyone was peacefully engaging in small talk though.

Mentally turning his filters back up, Jupiter closed his eyes for a second and stifled a yawn. He checked his fob watch – 15 minutes till the end of his shift, finally. A smile crossed his face. Through the eyes of a ‘normal’, the sight of the room was actually outrageously beautiful. The dim light made the Celestials‘ skin, wings and gowns shimmer in varying metallic shades, and their faces wore mild, austere looks as if nothing could ever disturb their composed aloofness. The briefing had warned about their ethereal beauty and mental influence, but seeing it in person was something else. Jupiter could feel a little pinch of longing in his stomach. The worst part of the job was that he had to keep at the sidelines of the party – not a particularly fun party, but still.

Something caught his attention in the corner of his eye, something sparkly in the shadows of an alcove. He focused and could make out the shape of a person surrounded by a sizzling cloud of gloomy energy. Tensing he tried to see what was going on. He did need light to make full use of his knack, but it was bright enough for him to tell that someone was not having a good time over there. Were they hostile though? There was some anger, for sure, but diffused with other emotions like anxiety and sadness, and a very strong sense of being out of place. Definitely not someone planning to overthrow the Wundrous Society or cause a civil war between sky and ground.

Pushing away from the wall he had been leaning against, Jupiter started to stroll over to where he had seen the golden shimmer in the darkness. Jupiter’s curiosity was piqued. His face lit up. For the sake of the safety of the Free State, he had to investigate, right?

“Excuse me, is everything okay?” he addressed the stranger, approaching, but before he could take another step, their head shot up and without warning Jupiter was hit by such a sudden wave of anger, it felt like a fist to his stomach. He gasped and stopped dead in his tracks. There was a cloud of chaos emanating from the Celestial, speckled with hundreds of tiny flame-like shards that were swarming towards him like angry wasps. Jupiter felt the irresistible urge to turn around and get out of there immediately. Then he remembered to breathe. One slow, deep breath. And another. Like he had been taught when he had first learned to control his vision. And another. And he could see past the darting flames and feel his body again. Nothing was physically attacking him. He just needed to focus.

Taking one more deep breath, he concentrated and said in a calm and measured voice, sporting his warmest smile, as if nothing had just happened: “I saw you sitting here alone and was wondering if you needed anything.”

It took the Celestial a moment to find their composure, but the storm-like cloud around them was calming down. Jupiter suddenly felt a desire to go to the bar and get them a strong drink. Blinking, he could see that this prompt had not appeared out of nowhere, but it was actually drifting over to him from inside the alcove. “Sneaky!” he thought slightly amused, “This should get interesting.”

“Look,” he said, ���I’ll get you a drink, if you stop glowering. Just give me a minute, alright?” He winked and was about to turn away, when a low, deeply melodic voice spoke. “We have been warned about you, Captain North.”

Jupiter’s heart made a little jump and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up. That voice… it was the most perfect sound in the universe. He could see it sending little rippling waves through the Gossamer. Someone with a voice like that shouldn’t even be able to exist in this realm. It seemed somehow… indecent.

Jupiter noticed that he was staring at the Celestial open-mouthed and shook himself out of it by running a hand through his hair. “I’m flattered! What have you been warned about? My sharp wits? My gingerness? Or about me being very handsome?”

To his own surprise, the hint of a smile crept across the dark face. Jupiter noticed once again a golden shimmer. “All of those might have been mentioned,” the Celestial replied, standing up, “but we were mainly told to not engage with you due to your special ability of seeing the truth.”

“Yep, that’s me!”, Jupiter smiled, obviously pleased. “As you already know so much about me, may I ask for your name?” There was a stirring and a soft rustle of feathers, as the Celestial stepped smoothly out of the dark corner. Now Jupiter could see where the reflections came from. The dark skin was rippled in tiny rivers of gold, and the folded wings were speckled with what looked like a million golden stars. It was difficult to not feel awed by such otherworldly beauty.

“Pleased to meet you, Captain North. My name is Israfel.” “Israfel, it’s my pleasure. And please call me Jupiter, I’m currently not working.” “Are you not? I thought you were on watch duty? That’s what I was told, at least.” Jupiter made a mental note about an alarming lack of secrecy in the preparation of this mission. “My shift has ended”, he checked his fob watch, “one minute ago exactly. My replacement is just taking her place over there.” He had spotted Barren, the Bulldogwun that was taking over for him across the room and gave her a little wave, that she answered with a grim nod. While she didn’t have his vision, her sense of smell was so finely tuned that she could perceive a lot of what he saw. He felt sympathy for her. It was hard work for either of them to use their senses in a room full of people.

“So, Israfel. Will you be having that drink with me regardless of those warnings?” Jupiter tilted his head with his most inviting smile. There was a short silence. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for either of us to be seen together. Let’s meet outside on the balcony in a minute. I’ll have a double-shot of Whiskey.” Without waiting for a reply, Israfel moved towards the balcony and left Jupiter standing, a slightly sheepish grin on his face, feeling utterly pleased at this exciting turn of events.

Jupiter had to work his magic on the bartender, as this was in fact an alcohol free event. They couldn‘t risk anyone letting their guards down tonight. Shortly afterwards he stepped out onto the wide balcony, in one hand a flute of pink champagne and the Whiskey in the other.

Israfel stood at the balustrade overlooking the nightly Nevermoor, wings mantled as if to stretch them after having them tucked for too long. A light breeze ruffled the feathers that reflected the light of the lanterns and they seemed to glow warmly. Jupiter urged himself to continue moving, as he’d also happily just stood there, observing this almost surreal scene, forever.

“One Whiskey for the gentle--- erm...” Jupiter stopped, his mind running into a dead end. Israfel took the glass from his hand and drank. “It’s okay, you can say gentleman. Although my kind does not abide by your human roles of gender, your masculine forms would be most suitable for me.” He downed the rest of the glass and set it down onto the balustrade.

They stood in silence for a moment, taking in the view of the sleeping city. “It must not be easy for you to live around all of this.” Israfel gestured towards the dim lights below. “Hmm?” “As you probably know, my kind absorbs others' emotions. Living amongst all these people... I just couldn’t. And I suppose it must be similar for you, seeing everything, always.” He gave Jupiter a quizzing look, “How do you do it?” “I see you’re not into small talk, are you?” Jupiter chuckled amused, “Tell me more about this emotions thingy then. How does it work?”

Israfel looked a little annoyed by his evasiveness, but still answered. “It’s fairly simple. We take in others’ emotions and they become part of us. Good emotions nurture and heal us, while negative emotions pull us down and can be quite a pain. We depend on the emotions of others, but too much of them or especially bad ones can even cause harm. Human emotions are complicated. Amongst ourselves, we can control what we take in. That’s why we always live in pairs or groups and rather stay away from humans.”

“Wait,” Jupiter interrupted, “what you’re saying is you’re practically feeding on emotions? And you would die if you were left alone?” “Not quite, no. Our bodies need food and drink, and we can survive without others’ emotions. But our spirit would wither, and after some time, we would be left empty.” “Fascinating!” Jupiter proclaimed, “But also quite dreadful, the thought of dying internally.”

Now it made somewhat more sense to him, Jupiter thought. The Celestial Beings were all utterly beautiful and could charm and manipulate people with their voices, and although they were rarely ever seen in Nevermoor, practically everyone admired the angels of legends which they resembled. It was quite a refined hunting technique, coming to think of it, for a being that thrived of affection to reflect the fond dreams and wishes of their prey. But Jupiter wasn’t judging.

“So back in there earlier, at that dull party”, he motioned towards the lounge, “were you just a little hangry then?” Israfel startled, and burst into a snorting laugh, that Jupiter hadn’t thought he’d be capable of, as it seemed way too profane. “Maybe. Now I’m better though.”

Jupiter could see that. The dark cloud had not vanished, but there were other things in the Celestial’s aura. The alcohol, silver shimmer of excitement, little flashes of curiosity and a string of… affection? Focusing closely for a moment, Jupiter could see a very faint, thin rosy ribbon wafting in the air and connecting the two of them underneath their rib cages. ‘Huh!’ he thought, ‘Makes sense. Not hangry anymore.’

Israfel’s voice made him look up again. “Actually, I was kind of stood up. I’m not part of the COG. Cassiel brought me along as his companion. I didn’t want to come, it’s always such a pain being cooped up in a room on the ground, no space to stretch my wings without knocking anything over… Those boring conversations and not even a proper drink to be had.”

Jupiter could see some of the tiny flames reappear and the cloud around Israfel’s head grew darker again as he talked himself back into a rage. ‘Quite an intense one, he is’ Jupiter thought somewhat approvingly. “And as soon as we get here, Cassiel immediately disappears for a special meeting or something that he wouldn’t tell me about, leaving me all by myself in a room full of strangers. Not as if he hadn’t been depriving me all those last weeks anyways.” Israfel slapped his hand on the balustrade and left it there curled into a fist, staring down sulkily at the empty street below.

“Sounds like you’ve had quite a night,” Jupiter remarked compassionately, wilfully blocking the raging flames from his vision. “Are you and Cassiel… close?” “Yes. No. Well, not in the sense that your kind speaks of it. We don’t form such emotionally entangled bonds as you humans do. We provide for each other. It’s a form of communal organisation.” Jupiter tried to imagine what that could look like and wasn’t sure he understood. An organised relationship to provide for each other's needs of affection? 9 a.m., 5 minute hug before work; 6 p.m., make 3 compliments each? When he looked at Israfel’s aura though, what he saw resembled pretty much what he’d expect to see in someone who had been hurt by a loved one. He stopped his inner monologue to turn back to the grim looking Celestial. His wings were drooping now and he seemed so utterly miserable, Jupiter could only just stop himself from giving him a big squeezing hug, once again, a wish that was not just of his own making.

“Hah!”, Jupiter suddenly burst out, “Gentlewings!” “What?” Israfel looked up at him in bewilderment. “Oops, did I say that out loud? I just realised, earlier I should have said ‘One Whiskey for the gentlewings’, cause… well, you…” he trailed off. Israfel shook his head in disbelief, but was unable to help a smile creeping onto his face. “I can’t even.” “But thanks, anyways.” “What for?” “That you’re trying to cheer me up. I appreciate it.”

“Captain North!” a voice rang across the balcony, making both of them startle and turn. “Inspector Lamar?” Jupiter started walking over to the stealth officer standing in the doorway. “We have been looking for you, the guests are leaving and Inspector Barren would like a word with you before we wrap up.” Inspector Lamar saw past Jupiter where Israfel was still standing at the balustrade and cast him a questioning look, “Is everything alright, Captain?” “Right as rain, Inspector, right as rain. I was just checking in on one of our guests who felt a little queasy. You know, not much room for wing stretching and so on in there, got a little claustrophobic, poor chap.” He gave Inspector Lamar a conspiratorial smile. “I’ll find Barren in a minute, I’m just going to make sure that Celestial is feeling better before he finds his way back to the others.” The Inspector didn’t seem fully convinced by his words, but nodded and turned to re-enter the lounge.

Israfel strolled over to Jupiter, a worried look on his face. Jupiter gave him a reassuring smile. “No need to frown, they just informed me that I’m wanted by my colleague and that the party is finally ending. The guests are leaving, so you should probably go and find Cassiel as well.” “Oh, right,” Israfel sighed and nodded, “thanks for helping me out earlier. You made that evening a lot more bearable.” Jupiter beamed at him and couldn’t help but feel very pleased with himself. If he didn’t know his knack was being a Witness, he’d have sworn it was picking the most interesting people in every crowd, finding the odd one out, those who wouldn’t conform, and befriending them. He knew right away that Israfel was different from the other Celestials, and was convinced he’d only merely scratched the surface of his personality. He could feel the promise of unexpected adventures in the air.

Leaning casually against the door frame of the lounge, Jupiter ran a hand through his long ginger hair. “If you’d like something better than a just bearable evening… You know I run the Hotel Deucalion, and Frank, my party planner, who is a vampire dwarf by the way, only one in Nevermoor, he’s always coming up with something brilliant for our weekly party night. Should you want to join this Saturday… you might even have some fun?” Israfel’s face showed surprise, as if him having fun at a party seemed quite an abstract idea. He considered the thought for a moment, and Jupiter was pleased to see the shimmer of excitement intensifying around him. But then something crossed his mind, his face fell and the silver glow subsided. “Listen, thanks for asking, but your kind and my kind can't ever become closely acquainted. We become dependent on your emotions, and our ways of influencing you mentally would mean you could never truly trust me. It's an impossible endeavour, really."

Jupiter smirked. He was Captain Jupiter Amantius North, member of the Wundrous Society and League of Explorers, first to climb Mt Ridiculous, discoverer of 17 previously undiscovered realms, to just name a few of his many (partially self-given) titles, and for a good reason – he could never resist an impossible challenge.

"Shall we say Saturday, 8 p.m. then? I will meet you in the Deucalion lobby. Unless, of course, you’d rather come via the rooftop terrace? Oh, and don’t worry – all of my staff and my esteemed guests are very discreet. No need to fear a public political scandal should we get utterly drunk and end up dancing together on the buffet tables." He winked and turned to move away quickly, leaving Israfel standing dumbstruck, before he had the chance to say anything in return.

Jupiter could feel his heart pounding with excitement and glee, a wide smile drawn on his face, as he briskly walked through the now almost dark lounge, ignoring the shadows of the events of this past evening that were emanating all around him. He could still see a hint of the rosy ribbon that connected him to Israfel when he looked down. What an intensely fascinating person he met tonight! He was hooked.

[lu-undy]

Headcanon: Sniper is good on playing saxophone that makes spy impressed UwU

Here we go, I hope you’ll like it! :D

It was a warm evening. The Frenchman took it as an opportunity to have a walk around the base. The sun was setting gently and the pink in the sky softened the old Spy.

He took a cigarette and lit it, his feet brushing the orange dust below his expensive italian soles. The warm tint of the sky was covering the base with a strange, melancholic feel. The Frenchman's mind rolled back in time. That kind of atmosphere always pushed him to think about himself, what he had been through in his life. 

Spy had left his feet on auto-pilot. He was not thinking where he was going, as long as he was moving and feeling the light breeze of air where his skin wasn't covered, namely, around his mouth and his eyes.

He puffed on his cigarette and blew the smoke in a circle. He watched the vapour float and diffuse, as the ring of fumes widened and withered. 

"Hm?" 

He raised an eyebrow. Something caught his ear. Like a reflex, he put his hand on his jacket, where his knife was. But soon, he relaxed, for he understood that it wasn't a noise or a sound, it was music. 

He let the notes guide him to their source and cloaked. the music was coming from his colleague's camper van. 

It was his breathy saxophone. The notes sang, long and mellow as Spy realised Sniper was leaning against the side of his van, playing the saxophone to the setting sun. 

The Frenchman approached silently, his cloak facilitating the job greatly. He watched his colleague. Sniper was standing up, he had removed his hat. Maybe he wanted to enjoy the slightly cooler temperature too? 

Spy watched keenly. Under the pink and orange sunlight, the saxophone shone beautifully. But the instrument wasn't the only one offering new colours for the Frenchman to savour with his eyes. Sniper's brown hair followed the slow movements of his head, reflecting the shy sunlight in shades of light brown and almost golden where it shone the most. 

Spy tilted his head on the side. Sniper was focused on the music but not in a way that strained him. Non, on the contrary, his body moved left and right, slowly, in rhythm with his play. The Frenchman raised an eyebrow when his eye went down along Sniper's silhouette only to realise that his hips were waving gently. It made the bitter man smile through his cloak.

The Australian was living the tune he was blowing in waves of air, like a private concert to the entire silent desert. Little did he know that his audience was not only the red soil, the cacti scattered here and there, the rocks and boulders in the distance but also one man. One old man, embittered by time, by his mistakes, some of which he was faced with everyday that God made. But right now, that masked man, sharply dressed, was charmed. Oui, he was bewitched by the whole show. 

Sniper played with his eyes closed, but without frowning. On the contrary, his eyebrows were arched high up. His fingers caressed the golden instrument like the body of a loved one that he knew by heart. He knew what he was doing and where he was going, but that did not prevent him from enjoying it. He showed a lot of respect to the saxophone too. Spy was impressed. He didn't realise it but his jaw had dropped slightly. His shoulders had sunk and he had dropped his cigarette to the floor. 

Sniper went on for a while until something prompted him to open his eyes. It was a smell… cigarettes? Menthol cigarettes? 

The Australian raised his eyes off the ground. 

"Argh!" Sniper shouted, removing the instrument from his lips.

"Aargh?!" Spy shouted back his hands jumping in front of him, like a reflex. Sniper was looking him right in the eye! How could he?! Spy was cloak-

"Merde…" His watch had ran out.

"How long have you been standin' there?!" Sniper asked, his heart still trying to go back to normal. 

"I do apologise. Not that long." 

In truth, the Frenchman had no idea. It could have been one minute or five hours, God only knew. 

"I must say, you seem very well versed in this." 

"Thanks." Sniper put his instrument down and slipped inside his van. Spy thought that was goodbye. He had broken the moment and annoyed his friend. Bah, he surely didn't deserve more. 

"Been playin' the sax for a long time now." Sniper emerged with two folded chairs in his hands. Spy's face radiated with happiness. He took the chair that Sniper handed him and they unfolded them facing the last rays of sunlight before taking a seat. 

"I… I am impressed. I didn't know you could uh… Pardon me, I don't exactly know how to phrase it." 

"Lost yer tongue? Not everyday that happens."

Spy smiled and lit a cigarette. 

"Non, indeed. I am twice impressed then." 

Sniper turned his head and looked at his friend. 

"Seriously, Spook."

"What is it?"

"You're really impressed?" 

Spy's eyes went to his friend. 

"Am I in the habit of joking?"

"Nah, but some might say you're in the habit of lyin', eh…" 

Spy gave his friend a smug smile.

"Rumour has it it is even in my job description. But-" He put his gloved finger on his lips. "Not a word to the others, hm?"

Sniper chuckled at the wink his friend gave him. 

"Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret, mate. Y'know, you're a funny bloke in the end."

"In the end?" Spy repeated. 

"Well, said it yerself, you're not really makin' jokes all the time, eh." 

"It's true. But we're both learning about each other."

Sniper raised an eyebrow, confused.

"You learned that I can make a joke, and I, that you can keep a secret." 

"True, true…" 

"You can keep one secret, but can you keep two?" Spy asked. 

"Think I can, yeah." 

"Ambitious." 

"C'mon, how hard can it be?"

"Some secrets are heavier than others to bear in one's heart." 

Spy's eyes shone differently. They were very light and so were filled with the changing light of the sky. As of now, they were dark orange mixed with light blue, almost grey. 

"You'd know better." Sniper said.

"Indeed, I would. But I need to be sure, Sniper. Can I trust you with yet another truth that no one knows?"

"Y-yeah, I think you can." The Australian's interest grew. His friend's stare had changed. He was speaking to him differently.

"I must warn you. This truth that I hold, I don't hold it in my hand or in my head. I… I would even say that I can only barely tell you about it. I've never even admitted it to myself completely." 

Sniper went from confused to lost. 

"But if you think that you can take it, I will tell you. Get your seat closer and lend me your ear for an instant." 

The Australian dragged his hair to stick it to the Frenchman and bent on his side to offer his ear to his friend. He put a hand behind his ear to hear better. Spy smiled. He put his hand against Sniper's and slowly slid his fingers between the taller man's. 

The sun had gone now and the moon was only barely there. The stars shyly scintillated, they didn't dare interrupt the moment. 

Spy got his lips closer to the Australian and whispered the three words that he had never heard himself say to any other man before. He said them in English first, for Sniper to understand, and then in French, as a token of the truth they bore.

Sniper looked at him, eyes wide and lips parted. Spy smiled, but not in his arrogant, smug way. He put his gloved hand on the Australian's cheek and could almost feel his heart pound against his palm there. 

Sniper put his hand on top of the Frenchman and leaned to him. Spy only had to make the rest of the way to meet with his desire.

[ally-127]

paris with taehyung

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: romance; fluff and smut

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: reader x idol!taehyung

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: it’s just been far too long since he’d seen her, he would practically do anything. even if it’s abrupt—like buying a one-way ticket for her to travel halfway across the world without telling her. night(s) spent at a fancy hotel might simply be the perfect way to make up for what they’ve lost in the months they’ve been apart

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3.6k

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: some swearing

𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜: serendipity - park jimin

you didn’t know how you ended up in such an extravagant hotel room in such an extravagant place, but you did.

all because of a text and a phone call from him.

the notification on your phone simply said:

pack your things and call your boss. you’re going to paris.

it was five pm in the evening on a weekday and you really couldn’t tell if he was joking. until your phone started ringing. his name appeared on your screen and your heart made the tiniest flip between your ribcage. even after five years, he seemed to have that effect on you. it’s ridiculous, you thought to yourself. regardless you picked up the phone immediately, not bothering to wait.

“hello?” you chirped, drumming your fingers on the table as you sit by the kitchen bar in your shared empty apartment. you and taehyung bought it together. but these days, you were the only one who resided in it.

“hey,” his voice was deep and husky as it resonated through the phone and into your eardrums. it was a familiar sound that made brought you warmth every time you heard it, a sound that you grasped on every time you felt you hit rock bottom. a voice that made you miss him so much it hurt.

across the line you heard him exhale from relief that he could finally hear your voice after a long, hectic day. you imagined the small smile that completely lit up his face as he held his phone to his ear. that small smile he reserved for private moments like this, for moments where he knew there would always be someone waiting for him on the other line, that you would always be there to pick up.

the low hum in the background indicated that he was in the car, probably on the way to the venue in wherever he and the boys were set to perform that night.

“what’s that message about?” you teased him, as you usually did.

“i really miss you,” he said. you pictured him running his fingers through his hair. it was a habit he always had and couldn’t get rid of, you could just see him do it in times like this. “far too much, y/n, please come to me.”

“how shall i do that?” you gnawed at your bottom lip. your chest tightened at the hint of desperation in his voice as he said your name.

five months deprived of him, of his touch, of his love. it tended to mess with your head, bring tears to your eyes and bring about numerous sleepless nights. delusional assumptions that he’d left you haunted you, only for you to later realise how wrong you were when your phone began to ring every other night.

“i bought a plane ticket for you,” he confessed. you could tell he was trying his best not to stutter. “a first-class, direct flight to paris.”

suddenly, you ran out of words to say. his tone explained it all. he was being dead serious.

“tae…” you drawled on. “i can’t, you know i can’t.”

your job would be on the line and you’ve worked your heart and soul to get it. for you, finances didn’t come as easily as it did for him. every offer taehyung had made to help you in terms of money, you refused it. it wasn’t for your ego, for your pride. it was for the effort put in years and years of studying that you needed to make up for. and you made a promise to yourself that the only source of finance you had and were ever going to have was yourself.

especially once you started loving and dating someone whose face and name were splashed across every single billboard and music chart around the world.

“please,” the need in his voice was so evident it would have made you seem cruel if you turned him down.

you sighed. your desperation mirrored his, but he was always better at expressing it. he knew the right words to throw you off your mental wall that built up after years and years of experiences of careless lovers, to guard your weak heart and your faltering mind.

“it’s been five long months,” he was never a needy lover. but at this point of time, he was almost craving for you. he wanted you in his arms, his lips on yours, effective immediately. “spend a night or a month with me, i don’t care. i just need to see you.”

“i’ll arrange something with the office,” you tap the pencil between your fingers on your temple. in your mind, you’ve already begun planning what you should do to just get a week off. all for him.

“promise me that you’ll try,” of all people, taehyung understood what it meant to be completely immersed and devoted to your job. but his tone almost offended you, like he’d lost his faith in you and your will to try for your relationship.

the desire to prove him wrong––and how much you actually loved him––overpowered your senses. you ended up calling up the office for leave, shoving a week’s worth of clothing into your suitcase and hailing a cab to the airport in the span of two days. before boarding the flight with the ticket he’d bought for you, you took advantage of the privileges the thousand dollar ticket gave you. you downed as much champagne as you could in the unnecessarily prestigious lounge, to make yourself drowsy for the twelve-hour flight.

and that was how you ended up in this room.

the room that’s furniture and interior simply screamed luxury. the room that seemed to have taehyung’s presence everywhere. the french, ornate wainscotting on the walls was lined with gold and painted a brilliant white. the air carried a light tang of jasmine from the branded diffusers that scattered around the room. you swore you could smell him amidst the strong fragrance. your sensitive nose picked up on the remnants of his familiar cologne that he’d spritzed on right before he headed out.

the scent was so personal, so nostalgic you swore he was right in the room with you.

the cream-coloured, plush carpeted floor sunk under the soles of your feet as you glanced around the room, suitcase still in hand.

he’d opted for a suite, instead of a regular room.

just for the two of you.

parisian armchairs and sofas greeted you first, making the king-sized bed seem miles away, hidden in a separate space.

you trudged towards it and tucked your suitcase idly in the corner, next to his. you felt out of place here and as you glanced at the time by the clock placed on the bedside table, you realised that you had two hours before he would be back.

if he was here, he’d help you adjust to the lavishness, the expensive lifestyle you had laid out right before you. he’d explain each and every detail to the opulence existing in this very room. he was not even close to being a superficial person, he just simply had upscaled tastes compared to yourself.

you ran your finger against the intricate carvings on the wall, eyes flicking up to look out the window.

the view of the entire city took your whole breath away.

as an artist, you noticed the details first. the buildings were coated with a light tinge of yellow, tinted from age. amidst the buildings and in the blurry distance, stood the eiffel tower. the prized possession and pride of paris, a structure in which carried the reputation of this artistic, metropolitan city.

with the help of the warm evening sunlight, you let your eyes glaze over the architecture and drink in the dwellings built hundreds of years ago. your heart swelled in your chest as your eyes traced every splash of colour, every movement of beings and vehicles on the parisian streets. it was a moment of serenity, where all problems seemed like nothing at all.

autumn treated paris well. hues of reds, oranges and yellows from fallen leaves decorated the sidewalk of roads where cars zoomed by, where careless pedestrians jaywalked. the occasional honks from cars and dings of bells from bicycles that reverberated from below became a melody to which you savoured. for once, you and your hectic mind were at peace.

the blissful nonchalance of your mind drove you to the ensuite bathroom. you stripped yourself free of your worn-out hoodie and sweats you’ve been wearing for the past fifteen hours and step into the shower.

the screech of the copper faucet sent alleviating, steaming water down on you, cleansing you from the germs and dust of the plane ride. you coated yourself with the body wash and shampoo that’s scent paired with the diffuser outside, which was a ridiculous but congenial touch. the glass walls of the shower fogged up from the smoke rising from your body, your fingers tracing random shapes on the water vapour.

stepping out of the shower made you realise how quiet the room was, the only sounds emitting were the draining of water in the shower and the subtle hum of electricity from the elegant fixtures on the ceilings and against the marble wall of the bathroom.

you found yourself missing the rich echo of his voice that bounced off every surface and kept you in its embrace.

the sink was cold as you braced yourself on it, hair wet and a towel wrapped around you. you stared at yourself through the reflection in the antique mirror placed right in front of you.

tired, you may look due to the dark under-eye circles, you seemed to have a sense of exuberance thrum through you. the thought of seeing him again made your head spin and your heart race in your chest. to hear his voice and see his face in his own perfect form––not through the screen or speakers of your phone––excited you in ways you couldn’t explain.

you let your hair air dry and dressed in a short, silk robe. you found that it was a rather appropriate attire for a hotel room like this, where luxury here matched with the material of your robe.

moments later, you found yourself seated on the soft bed, sketchbook propped up against your bent knees while you sketched out the only thing, the only person that was on your mind.

taehyung.

infatuation, was the only explanation people could offer you about this magnetic force of attraction you had with him. but you two weren’t teenagers anymore. twenty-four and ridiculously immersed with one another was what you were. six years wasn’t enough to tame the flame, the pull you had with him. the more time you spent apart from him, the more you yearned for him.

you figured that this was natural, but sometimes it was just far too overwhelming.

you closed your eyes and took a shuddering breath, picturing him in the back of your mind. you remembered tracing your fingers across his face as he stared into your eyes in the darkness of your bedroom, in times where a schedule did not take up the whole day and in times where he didn’t have to travel a million miles away to perform for millions of fans.

as if a spell had been cast, your pencil began to draw the outlines of his face with precision and details you didn’t think you could recall. you were filled with reminiscence as you marked down his round, puppy-like eyes, smiling to yourself when you remember the way he would sway you with those mischievous irises.

you knew the exact shape of his full, distinct lips. he would use them to kiss you on your forehead, on your lips. he would use them to showcase his talents, his singing, his acting. the familiar, low, smoky voice would emit from them, in addition with his wicked smile that lured each and everyone in. you drew his straight nose, not forgetting to add the tiny freckle that he had on the under the tip of his nose, close to his septum–– a place you loved pressing your lips gently to in private moments you two could manage to obtain.

you began to sharpen his features on your sketchbook, adding shadows to where it was needed, under his defined lips, his chiselled jawline, his high cheekbones. with shadows came the highlights, using the eraser on the back of your pencil to add brightness to his face.

you began to draw the outline of his hair, strands his fingers ran through whenever stress and anxiety managed to break through his hard shell, strands that your fingers tug every time you made love. you pondered on what colour he must have dyed it thus far, a question that reminded you of just how long you haven’t seen him. the strokes of your pencil were soon in sync with your anticipated heartbeat, the fact of being able to see him again looming over you the entire time you draw.

hours later, across the room, amidst the peaceful silence, you heard a click by the door. you stood from where you were sitting on the bed, striding your way calmly to the living room to see who it was. your mind was too focused on the door to realise you were still holding onto your sketchbook and pencil. you could hear the sound more clearly, and it sounded like a card sliding in and out of the slot in the lock. you heard another click and the metal door handle was pushed down.

the door creaked opened and in came a tall figure. a figure you knew all too well, a figure you had been aching for, came into sight.

your heart forgot a beat when he looked up only to see you standing right in front of him, finally coming to a realisation that you’d actually made your decision to come here. his pink lips parted in surprise, his dark eyes lighting up as soon as his eyes scanned across your face.

“taehyung,” you breathed, tossing the materials in your hands to the side.

he stalked hastily towards you and wrapped his arms around you, pulling you so close and tight it knocked the wind out of you. his arms were wrapped around your waist as you stood on your toes to reach his height, encircling your arms around his neck. you felt him bury his nose in the crook of your neck and felt his chest rise and fall from his heavy breaths, inhaling the entirety of your presence in. he hadn’t said a word, but you didn’t care. he was here with you and you were here with him. it was the only thing that mattered.

“y/n,” he pulled away to look at you. “i missed you so fucking much.” there was that voice you missed listening to oh so much.

a voice you much rather hear in places that weren’t over the phone.

with his hands grasping your jaw gently to tilt your head up towards him, he kissed you, raw and hard. his lips on yours was something close to euphoric, his fingers stretching up to weave through the delicate strands of your hair. years and years of memories came flooding back to you while tears pricked the back of your eyes. you held them back, releasing your lips from him to whisper,

“i know,” you caressed his cheek with the edge of your index finger. “i missed you too.”

his light brown hair was dishevelled from the concert that he’d just performed an hour or so ago. he was dressed in a sleek blazer over a t-shirt with black jeans. he looked exactly the same as he did when he left. ravishing, as usual.

once he was willing to let you go, you bent down to pick up your sketchbook and pencil. your eyes catch the small, tender smile he had hung on his face, your heart blossoming at the sight. you made your way to the bedroom before he could get nosy about what you were drawing. he’d always been inquisitive about what and how you were creating art every time an idea struck you, it was in his nature to do so.

“are you hungry?” you asked him as you set your sketchbook down on the bedside table, not ready to show him your creation yet.

he nodded while he licked his bottom lip. taehyung had this habit of sticking his tongue out on his bottom lip at random times, and you had noticed it ever since you met him. it was so adorable in the way you just wanted to hug him, like a puppy.

a smile quirked by your lips, your heart still pounding in your chest. from the bed, you glanced at him as he took off his blazer effortlessly and swung it by the chair nearest to him. his light brown hair fell down to his eyes as he kneeled down on the carpeted floor to untie his shoelaces.

he was too busy with untying them that he didn’t notice your stare.

or so you thought.

“what are you staring at?” his boxy smile reflected yours, standing up from where he was crouching on the ground. he could sense your stare from miles away.

“you,” you admitted slyly.

he chuckled deeply, voice echoing throughout the bedroom. he made his way round the bed to you. “i’m going to order room service. want anything?”

you shook your head, leaning back against the headboard.

“if you say so,” he reached forward to pick up the phone on the bedside table to call for his meal.

he made his order swiftly, his english not once faltering. you beamed with pride, the english you’ve been teaching him coming into effect. you couldn’t take full credit for it, though. he’d just gone on a world tour and he had namjoon to practice with, after all.

“you’re improving,” you mused as you sit cross-legged on the bed, beside him.

he sat himself down in front of you, directing his unwavering gaze at you. “namjoon has been helping me.”

you found it even more impressive that he figured out what you were talking about without needing you to specify what exactly it is.

“i really don’t like language barriers,” he told you. “it’s so hard to communicate with people everywhere.”

to him, communication was important. he loved to convey messages, whether through body language or spoken words. the lyrics he wrote and the choreography he danced to, was few of the many ways he did so. he loved to express himself. it’s one of the things the drew you to him in the first place.

“you’ll be fine,” you reached forward to stroke his hair. “you’re making progress, and that’s all that matters.”

“thank you, love.” he leaned in to give you a quick kiss on the lips. he slid off the bed and onto his feet, the satin sheets rustling in the process. “i have to take a shower.”

“go ahead, no one’s stopping you.” you let out a light laugh as you watched him scramble clumsily to the bathroom.

“wanna join me?” he questioned, head poking out from the double doors of the en suite bathroom, light brown hair bouncing in excitement. his eyes twinkled with intent and his eyebrows were slightly raised, hinting at something filthy.

at that you laughed, loud and boisterous, at his attempt of getting you naked for him. “nice try.”

“oh, come on,” he threw his hands up.

“i’ve already showered,” you teased him.

“it was worth a shot,” he shrugged, lips forming a pout.

“hurry,” you rolled your eyes at him playfully. “don’t let your room service run cold.”

“in that case,” he shut the door mid-sentence. “i better hurry.”

moments later you heard the shrill screech of the faucet followed by the sound of gushing water. you laughed to yourself, shaking your head.

what a dork.

you realised that this was the taehyung you fell in love with. not the sensuous, fierce performer he was on stage. not V from bangtan, but kim taehyung from geochang.

kim taehyung, who you met in the first year of college at a café somewhere you didn’t remember. who helped you pick your collapsed textbooks which was the result of the clashing of your bodies. who then offered to buy you a drink. who you thought was an absolute cliché, but also someone who you never thought would have stuck with your infuriating self for the next six years.

back then, he was just a boy who had dreams larger than life.

today, he was part of one of the biggest boy groups in international pop culture.

day after day, you see him on the front covers of your favourite magazines, on news articles, on advertisements.

you were enticed each time you saw his face on the screens of buildings on your way to work. but you were also disappointed because you were selfish.

you thought you could have him to yourself. as much as you told yourself that you could, you always knew in the back of your mind, ever since you met him, that it’ll never happen. so you had to just live with it.

he was just a trainee when you first met him, but you immediately knew this boy, quirky and all, was going to make it huge one day, if not soon.

and he did.

and you couldn’t be any prouder than you already were.

your thoughts were interrupted by a high-pitched scream.

no, it wasn’t a scream.

it was kim taehyung singing in the shower.

taglist: @minjiyeonnie

chapter 2 link here