#a gentle and mildly confused gaze | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

tightjeansjavi · 4 months

Text

The Menu | Part 5

“my body is a cage”

A/N: I wrote this in a matter of hours yesterday..and also decided to say fuck the canon timeline so <3

~word count: 4.6k~

Pairing | dark!joel miller x f!reader

Summary: Joel promises that he can make your pain go away. He’s a man that never goes back on his word.

Warnings: trauma responses from SA (not by Joel) mildly descriptive flashback to SA, degrading language, hurt, comfort, dark!joel, protective!joel, he’s kinda shit at communicating, but he’s trying his best for you, softish!joel, talk of the past, angst, sprinkle of fluff, intense emotional feelings, you and Joel let your guard down around one another, age gap, (Joel is in his 40’s and reader is in her late 20’s. I played around with the canon timeline a bit) reader has no physical descriptions, +18 minors dni!

A languid roll of condensation drips down the base of Joel’s glass that has long since been abandoned the second you fell to your knees in an unceremonious fashion between his parted thighs.

Acceptance already began to make its home again in your heart when you watched Joel slowly shake his head. It hurt, like all rejections do, but it stung a little deeper than you were willing to admit.

Joel Miller didn’t want you anymore. He’d forget about you when the dust would inevitably settle. He’d find someone else to bury his troubles into. It wouldn’t be you, and maybe that was for the better. Maybe the presence of Joel in your life was not a good thing.

It still hurts. No amount of whiskey-melded poker face could mask that.

The weight of his actions seemed to strike their mark along him as well. Another drop of moisture slid down the glass, pooling along the worn down coffee table. He blinked once, twice, swallowing the prominent lump growing in his throat. His pupils had blown wide like two shiny 8-balls. Fuck.

The blooming awkwardness reared its ugly head when a silent tear traveled down your cheekbone. Once the first one escaped, the flood gates opened.

His gut twisted and churned painfully like a stranded ship being tousled by an onslaught of unforgiving swells. He couldn’t tear his sights from your doe-eyed teary gaze. His own tears threatened to spill when you flinched from his right hand moving upwards towards your face.

His fingers quivered when they finally settled against your clammy skin. Joel Miller would never believe himself to be a gentle-touched man. Maybe a long time ago when the sun warmed his skin, and joyous laughter echoed in both ears, and his eyes were bright and full of life, but now? His kindness was reserved, locked away, buried six feet under the cold clutches of earth. The key was thrown away, forgotten and rusted away along with what remained of his tattered and bruised heart.

Here in his hold, your skin warm, soft beneath the rough calluses of his palm, he felt. He felt not just anger, but guilt, sadness, a newfound ache that was tangled up in that stupid four letter word that he would be damned to ever utter its existence again.

“Hey, it’s okay, Angel. It’s okay. You’re safe.” He reassured you, big brown eyes never leaving yours.

You had never heard this brutish man speak to you in such a sincerely soft way. There wasn’t an ilk of pity or condescendence in his tone. Nothing but concern, fear, a desperate need to ascend comfort in his words.

He was so..confusing.

“I’m sorry.” You whispered, choking back a sob that died in your throat. “You—you should go, Joel.” You went to brush away his hand to crawl as far away from him as physically possible, but he wasn’t budging. He’d never leave.

“Hey, look at me.” He commanded softly. His other hand found purchase around the left side of your face. His movements were gentle and slow. He wanted to ground you, to keep your soul from being plucked up like a marionette. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

You pushed and pulled against him, grinding your teeth together when he still sat unmoving. It was as if you were the unsuspecting bird, and he was the wet cement that would soon harden and fossilize around your body.

“Why?” You questioned. Your sadness had ebbed away and was quickly replaced with simmering frustration. “You don’t want me anymore, Joel. There’s nothing left for you here, so just—fuckin’ leave.” You snapped.

“Angel, I never said I didn’t want you anymore. Please stop fightin’ me. Please.” He pleaded, the rough pads of his thumbs swiped under your eyes, collecting the tears that pooled there while they awaited their time to fall.

“You didn’t need to say it, Joel. I could fuckin’ feel it.” You sniffled, falling back on your haunches in defeat.

“No, sweet girl. You’re mistaken. I swear. I’m shit at this. This whole..communicating thing has never been my forte. I’m sorry. I’m so—sorry. But somethin’ about this ain’t feel right. I—I don’t want to assume, but somethin’ happened to you. I know you don’t want to tell me, but maybe—”

“But maybe what, Joel? Why do you even care? Why all of a sudden—when you said yourself that I’m nothin’ but your whore on stilts. A tight hole to fuck whenever you please. What, did you have a sudden change of heart? Gonna manipulate me into believing that you actually care about me? Fuck you—”

“I swear on my daughters fuckin’ grave that I care about you. I am not manipulating you into believing anythin’ that is leaving my mouth, Angel. I am tellin’ you the truth. You mean somethin’ to me. Puttin’ it into words ain’t easy for a man like me, but you’re hurtin.’ You’re in pain, and I swear to god if some sick fuck put their hands on you, I’ll make sure they never see the light of day again.” He confessed fiercely.

He might as well get down on one knee and sign his life off to you in red ink. To ensure his promise to keep you safe and protected like he was some knight in shining armor.

Benji yanked you up by the scruff of your neck like you were some stray cat, or a tattered ragdoll. You felt like a bug at his mercy, awaiting a painful death of being squashed beneath a leather boot, split into a million pieces. You could hear his friends snickering in the back while they were still fisting their cocks like the disgusting hounds that they were. “Jus’ remember your place in this world, Angel. No matter what anyone tells you, you will be nothin’ but a come-stained, filthy whore. And when you return to him, like I know you will, he’ll toss you away like yesterday's trash. All men are the same, sweetheart. They don’t like it when another dog has been in their bitch.” He spat cruelly, a glob of saliva landing along your cheek.

“No, Joel. I’m nothin’ but a come-stained whore, and you’ll toss me away like yesterday’s trash.” You whispered solemnly, chin tilting downwards in disgust with what was instilled in you to be your true identity. Crestfallen tears were wept. Tears that trailed down your cheeks and rolled down the expanse of his bare wrists and forearms. Each teardrop that landed upon his skin sent his anger flaring upwards the way that smoke rises from a blazing fire.

“Who did this to you, Angel? Tell me his name, and I swear to you that I will make this all go away. Tell me the name of the man who laid his fuckin’ hands on you. Tell me, please. Please, Angel. I want to help you.” He was on the cusp of begging, hating the fear that began to douse the flames. The fear that maybe it was too late, and the damage was done already.

Your eyes slowly meet his, rimmed in red, skin puffy and dry. From just the look alone that you gave him, he knew who had done this to you. He knew the second your lips parted, and uttered the name that sent the beast inside of him awakening once more.

“Benji.”

The dam broke the moment his name left your lips; you crumbled. An echo of gut wrenching, broken sobs tumbled out of you as Joel scrambled to keep you together. He was on the floor with you now, cradling you in his arms while struggling to gather up the broken pieces figuratively scattered around him. It was as if you were loose grains of sand, and no matter how many times he scooped you up into his gentle palms, you kept slipping through the cracks.

You found yourself crawling into his lap, straddling his hips with your arms latched around his neck. You anchored yourself around him while his shirt soaked up your heavy flowing tears like a sponge. His arms were around you like a cage, comforting you the only way he knew how; through touch. One large hand came to cradle the back of your head, while the other rested along the curve of your spine, drawing soothing circles against your skin with the rough pads of his fingertips.

It’s okay, Angel. I have you. You’re safe. I promise.

and through your tears, and your aching, you wanted to believe him. But believing and trusting someone never came easy. Especially in this world. To throw all your eggs into one basket would be considered foolish. Since the night of the outbreak you had convinced yourself that you needed no one. Not a shoulder to cry on, or a friend to confide in. You hadn’t sought for human connection till you crossed paths with Joel Miller. And now you felt guilty for webbing him into your life. For making this mountain of a man feel.

Was it intentional? No. But sometimes we lose all sense of control and ultimately find ourselves giving into that thing that we fear the most. In all retrospect, you had tried to push Joel away from you, but he was a stubborn man. The most stubborn person you had ever met. A whole lotta bark and bite. Fearless until he gave into feeling. Unmoving until he began to feel for you. The girl that was just looking for a vice to fill a void, and instead found a man that would quite literally kill for you. He’d lasso the fucking moon and bring it down to you if you asked. He’d be your friend, your shoulder to cry on, your comfort in the odd hours of the night when the nightmares would creep in.

He’d be your laughter, your anger, your sadness. He’d be whatever the fuck you wanted him to be. That was the thing about men like Joel Miller, they were fiercely loyal to the ones they loved to the point where maybe he was the foolish one. Maybe he had bitten off more than he could chew. And if that were the case, he’d lick his wounds, convince himself that he was okay, and move on until his body would ultimately give way to the grief he carried day in, and day out.

“Will you let me take care of you, Angel?” He asked suddenly, so softly you could barely hear him through the thick of your messy tears.

“If you wish it.” You sniffled, cheek pressed firmly against the damp fabric of his shirt where your tears had soaked through.

He rumbled a sigh, nostrils flaring while he tilted his chin down to take a peek at your current state. He’d never seen you look so tiny, frail, curling into yourself like a mouse shriveling from a house cat on the prowl. His latent caretaker instincts were kicking into full drive after the dust had been blown off of them and wafted through the stagnant air.

“C’mon, sweet girl.” He urged in a gentle tone, strong arms tightening their hold around you while his hands gently hoisted you up by your thighs. His knees creaked and groaned from carrying the weight of himself and you to a standing position. You clung to him still in a koala like fashion.

“Where are you taking me?” You asked unsurely.

“Takin’ you to the bathroom so we can wash the pain away.” He replied quietly.

His footsteps are soft, yet calculated while his hands stay secured around your thighs. He uses his shoulder to push open your flimsy bathroom door. You find yourself sitting along the toliet seat, back resting against the wall with your hands in your lap. You begin to pick at the skin around your nails absentmindedly. You flinch slightly when the sharp edge of your nail tears through dry cuticle skin surrounding your thumb. The sting feels nice, calming in a sense.

Your eyes stay focused on the wall even when the shadow of his silhouette looms over you, and his warm palm suddenly engulfs your own.

“Don’t do that.” He whispers, brows furrowed when he notices the bead of blood on the side of your thumb. “You have beautiful hands, Angel. Don’t go’n ruin ‘em.” He means every word.

“I’m sorry.” Is all you can really say.

He slips his fingers through your own and you can feel every ridge and rough callus through his skin. His thumb strokes the outside of your hand in a tender sweep.

You want to cry, but you don’t. Instead you lean your head back against the wall and close your eyes while the sounds of the water sloshing into the tub drowns out your thoughts.

With his freehand he constantly checks the temperature of the water to make sure it’s not too hot, and not too cold. The last thing he wants to do is shock your system. He glances up at your face for a moment before he focuses on his blurry reflection in the rippling water.

How can I make her pain go away?

It's not something that will ever go away. It becomes bearable, but with time. All you can do is be there for her the best way that you can. He reminds himself.

“Angel.”

Your eyes snap open at the sound of his voice ringing in your ears.

So it wasn’t all a dream.

“Uh..the water should be good now. Do you want some privacy? I don’t—need to be in here with you..I understand if you—” he’s stumbling over his words more than he intended to, but this is uncharted territory for him, and he’s unsure.

“No.” You finally speak, “I want you to stay.”

He breathes; relieved for a moment. “Okay, I’ll stay. Do you..want some help?” He’s referring to your clothes and if you require assistance in undressing.

“Please.”

He nods reassuringly before standing up to his full height from where he was kneeling alongside the tub. “Arms up.” He softly requests while he reaches for the hem of your shirt.

Your body works strictly on autopilot, boneless as you lift your arms above your head so it’s easier for him to pull your shirt up.

His wounded knuckles brush gently against your sides when he begins to lift the fabric from your body slowly. Gooseflesh begins to rise when you're exposed to the room temperature air. Your hands instinctively move to cover your modesty and he pretends to not notice the way you immediately fold in on yourself.

It hurts him to see you in such a state as this, but his feelings do not matter, he reminds himself. Yours are far more important than his own.

He waits for your consent to pop the button of your jeans followed by the zipper. His eyes stay locked on your own when he begins to ease the worn denim down your thighs. There’s two gaping holes in the fabric around your knees that weren’t there before. He begins to feel the bile rise before he forces it back down.

You're trembling by the time he reaches for the elastic waistband of your tattered panties and he finds himself freezing in place when your hands snatch his wrists frantically.

“I won’t take them off, okay?” He reassures you. “I promise.”he adds for good measure.

You trust him, and that scares you, but it’s enough for you to release his wrists from your death grip.

“Turn around, please.” You croak out, still struggling to find your voice.

He doesn’t protest, or say mean things, or make you feel ten times smaller than you already felt. He obliges your request silently.

You wait until his back is facing you before you pull your panties down over your thighs. You catch a glimpse of a maroon saturated stain that will be forever tattooed in the flimsy fabric. You want to sob, but instead you drop the material to your ankles and discard them with the rest of your tattered clothing.

He doesn’t turn around to look at you until you give him permission. By that point you were already carefully lowering yourself into the tub. He finds you with your knees protectively tucked up to your chest, folded in on yourself. A dull, sullen look glossed over in your once vibrant irises. Your eyes cast down to your reflection before staring off into nothingness once more.

“Can..I get you anything? Are you hungry? I can whip you up some soup or somethin?’” He asks while lowering himself to sit alongside the tub. He doesn’t care that his lower back pinches a bit, or his knees creak, he just wants to be there for you in any way that he can.

“Just a cigarette would be nice.” You mumble out a reply. Your eyes meet his softened gaze for a moment with your chin resting along the dip of your knee. “He took the ones that you rolled me, along with the pills, and the pistol you lent me. I’m sorry, Joel. I—I’ll pay you back.”

“Hey, you don’t have to pay me back for any of that, okay? I don’t give a fuck about the pills, and I lent you the gun and cigarettes, Angel. Don’t worry about that, okay?” He reached into his back pocket, pulling out his own stash and a lighter. He leaned forward, placing the cigarette between your lips before he ignited the unlit end with the lighter.

You took a long drag, letting the smoke attack your lungs, and the nicotine ease your brain into relaxation, and calm your rising anxiety.

“Okay.” You finally speak, willing yourself to scoot closer towards the edge of the tub to ash the cigarette over the side.

“Tell me something that..makes you happy.” He catches you off guard while you take another long drag. You blow the smoke off to the side, creating a hazy cloud that soon dissipates.

“Something..that makes me happy?” You question apprehensively.

“Yes. Jus’ anythin’ that you can think of that makes you happy, Angel.” He rasps softly as he awaits your response.

“The rain. But specifically when it’s storming. I love that earthy smell after a storm. When everything smells fresh, clean, alive. I like the dreary days too. Where it rains from morning through the night. I like the sound it makes when raindrops land on the pavement, or roofs. I know it might sound silly, but when I was a kid I used to sit out on the driveway with some neighborhood friends and watch the storms roll in. Always found myself getting excited when the clouds grew darker and the wind picked up..that first flash of lighting, and rumbling thunder?” You trailed off, unsure if you said too much, or too little for his liking.

“Oh, yeah, I have to agree. Who doesn’t love a good heavy storm? Perfect sleepin’ weather too. Back in Texas we’d get some pretty wild storms out there. Flash floods and all that jazz. Didn’t matter to me cus’ I’d always sleep with the window open. My younger brother, Tommy, was afraid of thunderstorms, up until the point of me tellin’ him that we were always safe inside. Think he got over the fear by the time he was ten.” Joel found himself reminiscing on his childhood, and a simpler time that felt like a ghost to him now.

“I didn’t know you had a brother.” You ashed the cigarette over the side of the tub once more before offering it to him. He declined with a slight shake of his head. You need it more than I do.

“Yeah, he’s..well, I don’t know where he’s at. Left with the fireflies a few years back. Thought he could be a hero and save the world. I send him radio messages every now and then jus’ to check up on him.” He sighed softly. His arm came to rest along the side of the tub, palm resting upwards in case you needed to, or wanted to hold his hand.

“Do you miss him?” You asked, shifting closer to him.

You could visibly see him tense from your question. Tommy was a sore spot for him, a festering wound at times. He felt resentful after everything he had done for his younger brother. The sacrifices he made to keep both of them safe from harm. But deep down he knew he couldn’t stay mad at his kin forever, but he wasn’t ready to let that resentment go just yet. He still needed to heal.

“I miss him more than I’m willin’ to admit, Angel. Not sure if he really misses me all that much.” He shrugged indignantly. “What about you, do..you have any siblings?”

He realized then that he didn’t know much about you at all. He knew your name, and your body, but he wanted to know more about what you were like before the world went to shit.

“Nope. Only child. Mom and Dad tried for another, but some things just aren’t meant to be.” It was your turn to shrug now. He caught you eyeing his outstretched palm resting along the chipped porcelain. If he had the ability to read minds, he certainly was reading yours now.

“And..your parents?” He asked, assuming the inevitable answer.

“Both dead. Car crash a couple years before outbreak. I was too young to comprehend any of it. Grandparents took me in luckily. We pretty much lived in desolation out in the middle of nowhere after that. Not much civilization out in the sticks.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” His tone is soft, baritone deep and soothing. And truth be told, you’re still confused. You can’t help it especially when you know this is the same man that just hours ago was trying to bust down your door.

Joel Miller made your head spin.

“It’s alright, Joel. No need for you to be sorry. Life sucks sometimes. It’s just something I’ve come to accept.”

He nods affirmatively. Life does suck sometimes, ain’t that the truth.

“So, where exactly are you from then? South? Midwest? West?” He couldn’t help his curiosity to know more. He didn’t expect you to be an open book by any means, but he’d take anything you’d give him.

“Montana. Grandparents owned a horse ranch out there. Real peaceful, open country, fresh air.”

“Ah, so a real country girl then? Well, guess you and I are closer than we originally thought, huh? How’d you end up all the way in Boston?” He stretched his arm out slightly when it had grown stiff from the position it had been in.

“If you consider Texas and Montana to be close, then sure, cowboy.” There was a glimmer of sass in your tone. Just enough to cause his ears to perk up. “Honestly, after the outbreak, things just turned into one big blur for me. It’s like I had to grow up overnight. Grandpa taught me how to use a shotgun, killed my first infected shortly after that. Grandma was the first to fall, and Grandpa followed a year later. I stayed in the ranch for as long as I could, fendin’ for myself. Was only a matter of time before raiders became a problem, and I packed a bag, took a horse, and headed east.”

Joel was having a hard time comprehending just how young you truly were when the world as you knew it turned to shit. You were just a kid, a little girl fending for yourself. When he realized you were just about Sarah’s age, he didn’t know how to process that newfound information either.

“You were..just a kid when this all happened.” He nearly whispered in disbelief at the thought of a younger version of yourself, strapped with her grandpa's shotgun, and nothing but open country to trek through.

“I was.” You confirmed. “I’m sure this is just my brain blocking all the bad shit out, but I don’t remember much of what happened after I left the ranch. I guess it’s a miracle that I managed to survive this long. Guess my luck hasn’t run out entirely, huh?”

“No, it certainly hasn’t, Angel. You’ve managed to defy practically all the odds that were placed against you.”

You fall silent again, casting another look down at your reflection while the cigarette perched between middle and forefinger dies out. “What’s your favorite color, Joel?”

“Oh, so now we’re goin’ elementary?” He teases lightly in hopes to brighten your spirits just a tad. He’d kill a thousand men just to see you smile again. “I think I have to go with a shade of blue.” He decides.

“Ha. Ha. You’re hilarious, cowboy. You’re the one who started with the personal questions. I think knowing your favorite color is definitely considered a personal question.” You feel your lips twitch, almost as if they are trying to curve up into a smile, but it doesn’t quite happen. “And blue..like the sky?”

“Nah.” He shakes his head, “blue like the ocean. But y’know..like all the shades. What about you, Angel? What’s your favorite color?”

“Purple.” “But not just any shade of purple. The kind that you can see in sunsets. It’s almost got like a pinkish hue to it? Or the purple in lavender fields. We had loads of it growing at the ranch.”

“Mm.” He hums thoughtfully, “Sunsets sure are pretty.” He’s far more relaxed now with his legs outstretched in front of him, and his chin resting along his bare bicep as he looks at you.

He asks you more questions, finding out that your favorite movies were arguably LOTR (unfortunately the third, and highly anticipated film never made it to the theaters; damn you cordyceps) and The Last Unicorn. He learned that your favorite drink of choice, before the outbreak, was either a virgin pina colada (because it tasted like the beach) or the classic kiddy cocktail; a childhood delicacy.

You learned that he and his younger brother Tommy, worked as contractors in Austin Texas, and that Joel used to be married..and he had a single daughter that he raised practically on his own. Her name was Sarah, and she died the night of the outbreak; Joel’s birthday. You also now know that his favorite movie was Curtis and Viper 2.

And through the midst of your back and forth domestic conversing, you find yourselves holding hands again. You’re not sure if he initiated it, or vice versa, but neither of you let go.

There was an unasked question that circled heavy in the air, like two vultures waiting to dive in for the kill. He could sense just as much as you could. Addressing the elephant in the room was not going to be easy, but you were beginning to realize that Joel wasn’t going anywhere. In fact, you were shocked to find that he hadn’t climbed into that damn tub with you.

“Joel?” You ask suddenly, skin beginning to prune from being in the water for too long.

“Yes, Angel?” He’s hopeful, but realistic given the circumstances.

“Did you..mean what you said earlier? About..making this all go away?”

“Yes.” He didn’t even hesitate to answer. He was not the kind of man to go back on his word. “I will make sure that he pays for what he did to you, Angel. He’ll suffer, and I’ll make him wish he was never born.” Oh, he’d make him pay alright.

“Good. I want you to kill him, Joel. And I want to be there to see you do it. I want to be right there when he takes his last pathetic breath—” you don’t even realize how hard you're squeezing his hand in your grasp that his knuckles are beginning to turn white from the pressure.

“Of course I’ll kill him for you, Angel.” That wasn't even a request in his mind. Benji would die at the hands of Joel, and you would get to watch.

and then..you told him everything.

banners made by the lovely @saradika-graphics 🤍

I no longer have a taglist so please follow @tightjeansjaviupdates for fic updates and notifications!

279 notes · View notes

izvmimi · 5 months

Text

cw: mildly suggestive. todo and yuuji are besties, you and todo are besties. todo and reader are black-coded.

The doorbell to your apartment rings on a Sunday evening and you look up from where you’re parting the last section of Todo’s hair to the door. Todo hasn’t shifted his gaze for a second, eyes glued to the TV and you wonder if he’s even registered that someone’s at the door. Takada, once again, takes precedence over anything you can offer him.

“Hey,” you tap the end of your rat-tail comb at his forehead, considering knocking his shoulders with your knees as well if that doesn’t work. “Someone’s at the door.”

“What’s that got to do with me?” He murmurs. His hand dips into a bowl of popcorn settled on his crossed legs. You frown.

“You’re really gonna let me get jumped in my own apartment?” You ask. “I’m not expecting anyone.”

“If semi-grade 1s are getting dropped by petty burglars, the problem is not something I can fix.”

You roll your eyes, and shift, moving your legs from where he sits to move towards the door, but you notice a text on your phone from Yuuji. Your pulse quickens just for a moment.

Hey, I was in the neighborhood, just wanted to swing by.

“It’s Yuuji,” you tell Todo, like he can do something that matters about it.

“Let bro in,” he replies, still making no move to get up himself, entranced by the sway of Takada’s hips in HD quality. You consider moving, then instead text him the code so you can continue working on Aoi’s kamikaze twists, and Yuuji lets himself in with the passcode. You’re watching the door when he comes in, applying pomade to Todo’s scalp and beginning to twist when Yuuji finds his way to the two of you.

For just a moment, he grimaces when he finds the two of you, but his look is quickly replaced by a nervous smile.

“Uh… am I interrupting something?”

You blink, confused. Todo finally looks up from the screen, stretching out his legs and leaning his body back on his hands, and as the back of his head finds itself dangerously close to your crotch you realize what Yuuji is talking about.

Braiding or twisting hair can be surprisingly intimate. A shift of your legs, and a turn of Aoi’s neck and he could be eating you out right now. It doesn’t help that you’re dressed in very little more than an oversized t-shirt and ridden up biker shorts, and buddy is allergic to shirts. Your face warms.

“What?! No!”

Your hands work quickly to finish a twist as Yuuji moves in closer, watching how your fingers glide through the sections of Aoi’s hair, his other hand effortlessly performing one of Todo’s complicated ass handshakes.

“Beer?” Todo asks, offering one as Yuuji sits on the floor too, next to Todo, still watching you carefully. Suddenly you’re embarrassed, fidgeting and murmuring for Todo to straighten his back so that you can close your legs shut. Todo argues that it’s uncomfortable and he has no idea why you’re moving so much while Yuuji cracks open the drink offered to him and sips quietly.

You bicker longer, especially after you intentionally pull a few strands, a little tighter than usual to prove a point, and Yuuji watches carefully, curiosity warming his brown eyes. Minutes later, Todo hands you a spray can and you rub mousse over your work.

“I can’t line you up,” you remind Todo, although you are proud of your work so far. He’s not too rusty with a pair of clippers himself, and has brought them with him.

“Not with those suddenly shaky ass hands,” he says, finally getting up after a pass of his hands, through his hair. Your cheeks warm again, and you look to Yuuji helplessly, hoping that he hasn’t picked up the implication that your crush makes you nervous. Yuuji is oblivious, after all, it’s not a secret that he likes you, only that it isn’t as one-sided as you seem to make it be.

Yuuji reaches for Aoi’s twists instinctively, and gets a gentle swat of his hand.

“Takada only.”

Yuuji rolls his eyes, then looks at you. You’ve finally relaxed your stance, and your legs now tucked under you on the couch. He thinks for a moment, then shifts into the space where Todo sat, settling into the comfortable cushion like a cat. You and Todo both look at him for a moment, and he grins.

“Me next.”

Todo pauses, then literally doubles over in a guffaw. “The hell you mean, you next?”

“What!? Why can’t I have dreads?”

Todo laughs even harder. “No, because you’re calling them dreads.”

Yuuji looks to you for support but you’re too torn between stifling a laugh and the idea of Yuuji sitting between your thighs as well, your fingers running delicately through his hair.

“Why him and not me?” He insists, pouting.

“Because you’d look ridiculous.”

“Okay,” he says. He turns to you again, and grins. “Do anything you wouldn’t think looks ridiculous.”

Your heart thumps.

“I don’t have any tools for your hair type,” you say softly. Todo rummages through his bag and tosses a container of gel at you, then walks away.

“Go crazy,” he teases, then disappears into your bathroom to clean up his hair, and you are left to give Yuuji what he wants, care and attention to his scalp, and some equal time close to you.

#yuji x reader #itadori x reader #itadori yuuji x reader #yuuji x reader #daydreams: jjk #mimi’s notes

174 notes · View notes

no-less-than-a-god · 2 months

Text

(cw: mildly suggestive; not enough to warrant a community label, but enough I feel I need to specify)

“Lamb,” Narinder growls, at the edge of the Lamb’s nook. He’s posed in the doorway, his figure dressed in white blocking the only escape to the room. There is no veil covering his face.

The Lamb pauses and looks over, kneeled on their bed and halfway undressed of their fleece. They have no plans to sleep for the night, but they do want to rest, having just returned from a week of errands and crusades. They look away and resume shedding their dirty fleece, making a mental note to have it cleaned in the morning. “Narinder. Is there something you need?”

“Lamb,” Narinder repeats, voice low and purposefully. The Lamb’s gaze snaps back to him, and their face furrows in confusion. They observe him more closely, and note that he’s trembling.

They toss their cloak onto the small section of floor beside their bed blindly, eyes kept on their equal. “What’s wrong?” they ask.

Slowly, Narinder creeps into the small room, crawls into the bed, and crowds the Lamb, growling. The Lamb does not reach for their half of the crown left beside the bed, and lets Narinder cage them; they stare into his eyes, red and wide-open.

“What’s wrong?” they ask again. Narinder’s claws plant themselves on either side of the Lamb’s waist, and they are pressed down into the soft bedding beneath them. Narinder is perching above them, a snarl in his throat.

“Mine,” he says. One of his hands raises to the Lamb’s neck, finger’s slipping under their collar. The Lamb shivers, feeling his fingers brush against scarred tissue. It’s removed with a quiet snap as its clasp pops apart, and Narinder gently removes it to place a small distance away from them. The bell jingles lightly as it’s dropped on top of the bed.

The Lamb’s hands reach up and grab Narinder’s robes. “What are you doing?” they ask, a quiver in their voice. They feel exposed.

“Tell me, Vessel,” Narinder demands. He’s still shaking. “Who was it that staked a claim upon you?”

“A claim?” the Lamb asks back. “I have no knowledge of what that is.”

“Someone else has attempted to mark you,” he says, drawing closer to the Lamb. “That will not stand. You’re mine.”

The Lamb’s heart beats frantically in their chest, and their mind spins. They’re not exactly sure what the other god is on about, and they wouldn’t admit it, but they have no qualms about their current position. If anything, their heart is singing praises about it.

Narinder ducks his head with a growl, and the Lamb startles as he noses their neck, rubbing his mouth along their scar. They tremble uncontrollably, sensitive skin teased. There’s something beginning to burn from inside them, hot and pleasant.

Their body startles again as teeth nip at their skin, and a small noise escapes them, half a bleat and half something entirely new. Their grip on Narinder’s robes tighten into vices, and the heat in their stomach pulses.

“Mine,” Narinder whispers into the warm air of the night as his face pulls away, and he draws himself closer. His body lays flush against the Lamb’s, and the stillness of having their body pinned makes them realize their body had been squirming slightly up until that point.

The Lamb can’t see Narinder’s face as he leans back in and starts rubbing his mouth along the other side of the Lamb’s neck, but they feel the tensed grip against their waist begin to relax, and a gentle rumble begins in his chest.

They can hear Narinder purring, feel it all the way down the front of their body, as he starts nipping at their neck again; fabric threatens to rip under their clenched hands as a bristled tongue smooths over the small bites, and they make another noise.

They aren’t prepared for when Narinder sinks his teeth eagerly into the crook of their neck, his sharp canines so close to puncturing skin. The Lamb trembles violently from under their god, heart racing and stomach tying itself into small, mind-numbing knots.

Narinder caresses the bite mark with the side of his mouth, and he pulls away again.

“You’re mine once more,” he quietly declares, and the Lamb can hear the satisfaction in his voice. Narinder dips his head, bumping it into the Lamb’s bare chest and nuzzling where their heart lays below, pounding, and he draws away from the Lamb, slowly retreating from them like an ocean tide from the shore.

The Lamb, feeling cold, confused, and only now realizing they’re panting for breath, stares as Narinder turns away and leaves the Lamb’s room, descending the stairs leading up to it.

They blink their wide eyes, heart refusing to calm. They can still feel the ghost imprint of Narinder’s hands and body pressed against them. Their exposed neck tingles, and the blazing knot in their stomach refuses to unknot itself.

The Lamb is rendered speechless, and the rest they had planned for the night is solidly replaced by running newly-formed memories in their mind repeatedly until the sun has risen.

aka: the Lamb comes home smelling of another, and Narinder thinks "absolutely NOT"

#cotl #cult of the lamb #narilamb #drabbling ichor #cw suggestive #<- very very slightly

120 notes · View notes

trancylovecraft · 8 months

Text

(KNY) YANDERE PLATONIC! KOKUSHIBO x SISTER READER: You, Shibou. I, Kokoro (CHAPTER FIVE)

Previous Chapter ☆♡☆ Masterlist ☆♡☆ Next Chapter

AO3 link

CHAPTER FIVE: "These explanations are valid. But it should be known if the same day a friend of the desperate hasn't spoken to him with an indifferent tone.."

Mourning is the expression of grief after someone died. There are several types of mourning with an example being Chronic Grief.

Symptoms for this kind of grief can include extreme feelings of hopelessness, A sense of disbelief and a loss of meaning. All of which can lead to severe clinical depression or thoughts of self harm and even suicide.

The song of sparrows and swallows danced through the summer breeze, All sat nestled within the vegetation as they hummed their melody.

The soft sunlight shone down upon the shrine, Giving a blessing of quiet light to the abundance of blossoming flowers nearby. [F/N] blinked once, Trying to figure out whether what she was seeing was a mirage or reality.

Was this the afterlife? It certainly felt like it as the gentle warmth caressed her skin, A calm embrace that pacified her worries. It felt peaceful, Something so tranquil that she couldn't help but melt into the porch she was perched on.

She felt the heat of the wood as she laid against it, Like a firm hand cupping her cheek as she basked in the sunlight. Her worries quickly dissolving into nothing at the touch.

Afterlife.. Why did she mistake her everyday as the Afterlife? How did it even come up in the first place? [F/N] had no idea. She huffed lightly, Only mildly confused as she nuzzled further into the comfort of the timber.

She took a moment to take it all in. The rustle of the leaves, The cicadas in the bushes, The clear sapphire skies looking over her. It was beautiful, A serene little world all to herself, It was paradise.

Life was nice, It was simple and tranquil. She tended to the crops, To the shrine and the wellbeing of the forest. And after she was done with that she could spend her day roaming around with the wildlife, Spending time with her brothers and watching them train.

It was good.

"[F/N]..!"

She heard her name called out to her, And without a second thought or any bodily control [F/N] jolted up from her lying position to look across the courtyard.

"Lying on the porch again? You're gonna get sunburn if you keep doing that.."

[F/N] watched her older brother, Michikatsu, Slowly make his way over to her. He had a single hand on the hilt of his sword while the other was wiping the training sweat from off his brow, A light smile playing on his face as he did.

"Michi-Nii! You're back!" [F/N] exclaimed as she hopped up from the porch, Quickly dusted herself off before running over to him and jumping into his arms so swiftly that it made him stumble back a bit.

"Ah! [F/N], You need to be more careful.. You could of knocked me over." Michikatsu scolded, Yet the warmth playing in both his eyes as he held her up told [F/N] all she needed to know.

"As if! You're too tough for that." [F/N] grinned as she looked down on her older brother.

Michikatsu shook his head lightly

"You really give me too much credit sometimes.." Michikatsu remarked as he brought his gaze away from her, His smile was still there yet [F/N] could see the slight quirk.

She reached over and held his shoulder, The touch bringing him back to his senses as he looked right back at [F/N].

"You don't give yourself enough credit, You're able to train for hours at a time and not even get tired. I'd definetly consider that tough!" [F/N] said, The smile evident in her voice as she said so.

Michikatsu frowned

"I hear you saying things like that all the time to Yorichii, You know? I appreciate your words but.." Michikatsu trailed off from his sentence, The venomous undertone spiking in concentration at the mention of his twin.

[F/N] squeezed his shoulder.

"…But Yori-nii doesn't train for hours at a time, Does he? I mean all my words to him, I really do but if I am being honest.." [F/N] paused as she lowered her voice. "You've got drive to be strong. It's really admirable, You know? Yori-nii may be strong and such but honestly, You have the passion to do it.. It's you who I look up to." [F/N] admitted.

A nervous giggle followed her words, Like she was slightly embarrassed by the fact she was actually able to confess it to him.

Michikatsu seemed shocked as he heard this, The light in his blank eyed stare seemed to spark up like wood to friction as he looked up at his sister. The grip on her grew only a smidge tighter as he smiled.

"You.. You really mean that?" Michikatsu asked.

[F/N] beamed back at him, An expression that almost seemed as warm as the sun as she looked back at him.

"Of course I mean it! You're my-" [F/N] cut herself off suddenly, Her words dying on her tongue. The happy grin slowly dissolving into a puzzled frown.

"[F/N]?" Michikatsu asked as he noticed the grip on his shoulder loosen, Then eventually fall to her side.

"You're my.." [F/N] mumbled. Michikatsu set her down onto the ground, Her feet lightly touching the smoothed dirt as she stood there quietly.

Michikatsu went down onto a single knee to level his eyes with her far-off ones.

"[F/N].. Are you alright?" He asked, Eyes searching for the answer as he watched her brows knit together. Her stare returning to him as her visage contorted into a slightly alarmed expression.

"I.. I don't know.. Who are you?" [F/N] exclaimed, Her stance stumbled back. Her breath growing heavy as she felt the world around her darken, The sun burning so bright before seemed to melt away into a endless black void.

"[F/N]" Her name sounded so distorted when he spoke now, As she looked back at him she could see that it wasn't just the sun that was melting.

It was his face too.

Like melting wax his features turned into sludge. His nose, Eyes and mouth all dripped down and fell into a puddle on the ground, Which started pulling them both in like quicksand.

[F/N] screamed.

She tried to pull away once his molten arm lunged out for hers, Yet she was too slow. His rapidly deteriorating limb locking onto hers, Yanking her forward off her feet and into his grasp.

[F/N] cried even louder, Tears starting to rush out of her ducts as she felt the sludge touch her skin.

He kept making noises as he pulled her in, Strangled and choked wails like he was in pain. Like his vocal chords were mangled and severed inside his throat. [F/N] struggled, She flailed about in his hold. Kicked, Punched, Hit, Anything. Anything at all to get out of the sludge starting to envelop her whole.

It latched onto her legs, Onto her arms and her mid-section. It was like it was desperate, Like it's life depended on bringing her as close as possible.

What was happening? Why was the entire world that seemed so tranquil before turn into a candle wax nightmare? The entire world seemed to follow suit of the monster intent on consuming her, Dripping away and mixing together like a raindrops on a window.

Her screams mixed into the dissolving world too, Sounds combining with the shrill cries of the monster as she felt the nigh-boiling heat of his molten flesh grasp onto her face. [F/N] felt her own skin start to bubble.

Then eventually, She felt herself start to melt.

☆♡☆

Her body jolted like skin to an exposed wire, Eyes shooting open as she gasped for air.

She felt her lungs rapidly expand then decrease, A cold sweat running down her back as she tried to gather her racing thoughts. [F/N]'s body felt like it had been frozen to the touch, Both with the sheer temperature of the chilling room and the stiffness of her unthawed limbs. They felt so numb, The only feeling was the minute aching of her joints so far spread that it was like she hadn't moved in weeks.

What happened? [F/N] gripped the side of her head, A throbbing pain in her frontal lobe pulsated as she groaned in pain. It made it hard to recollect herself, To remember what could of happened.

Her spare hand felt around, Vision still a tad blurry as her fingers met the soft touch of thick fabric.

[F/N] tried to blink away the fuzz in her sight as she continued to feel around, It was the cotton bedding of a futon.

She groaned, Finally piecing together enough parts of the puzzle to come to terms of what happened.

[F/N] had fallen asleep, She had another nightmare.

[F/N] sighed. A tired yet tad annoyed exhale of air escaped her lungs as her body stilled onto the futon like a rolling coin, The soft mattress feeling like delicate silk on her skin as she relaxed.

Her memories, They came back to her like a heeling dog. [F/N] recalled the fight with Uppermoon one, Her fatal injuries, The destruction of her shrine.. She felt her heart jolt at the thought of it.

The walls which sheltered her through thick and thin, The ruined hallways that held such talkative life and the ceilings that housed the injured and maimed.. All destroyed within a single night.

The thought of it disgusted [F/N], During the fight she hadn't thought much of it- The raw adrenaline being a distraction to it's fall. She calmed down rather quickly however.

The fight with the Uppermoon, Her injuries, The shrine's destruction. It wasn't real, It couldn't be.

Because she was currently lying in her bedroom.

It was dark, [F/N] could barely see a foot in front of her due to the poor lack of lighting. Despite it however she could make out the basic shapes of furniture lying within the shadows. The closet, The dresser and the tatami mats lain out were all there, Just like they've always been.

The shoji door's that let in only a crack of periwinkle light, The several statues of worship scattered about, Everything she owned, They were here.

It all must of been a dream, Her bedroom was destroyed along with the rest of the shrine so it was completely impossible to be lying down on her futon right now.

[F/N] felt a low frustration rise in her throat. These nightmares were getting out of hand. It was easier when it was the blizzard, Then she knew what to expect, She knew what she was getting into despite how horrid it would be.

Now? Dreams involving "Uppermoon one", Both the melting flesh and the shrine invasion were so much worse. They changed every time, She had no idea what was coming, Had no preparation at all.

The latter was particularly worse. Mitsuri's face, Her hysterical begging for [F/N] not to go, It burned into her mind like a branding. Not to mention the finality of her death only to wake up and find out it was just a nightmare.

[F/N] thought she finally got it over with, She supposed not however, The shrine was proof of that.

Though these dreams had to be a sign, But of what?

[F/N] stretched her arms slightly, Trying to wear off the numbness in her joints as she tried to haul her upper body into a sitting position, Only to yelp out in pain and fall back into the silky mattress.

A sharp pain feeling appeared in her abdomen once she tried to get up, It felt like a dozen knives stabbing into her, Twisting and turning within her guts.

[F/N] groaned, Her hands reaching down to the point of pain only to come to touch with what felt like bandage dressing.

Her eyes widened, Needing to confirm this information she quickly shoved off the covers protecting her from the cold draft. And sure enough, She was right.

Wrapped tightly yet carefully across her abdomen were thick bandages, Wrapped entirely around the front to her back.

Small splotches of red seemed to stain parts of the dressing, One's that made [F/N]'s jaw drop agape as she peered down at her core.

What.. What does this mean..?

Her dream.. In her dream she was fatally wounded, She had finally died.. All due to deep injury inflicted on her. It had to be a dream though, She was in her shrine of course!

But it was here, The dressing was covering the exact place she had been struck.

[F/N] planted both hands on each side of her and with great effort she slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, Careful not to trigger the pain.

Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she finally sat up. She was simply dressed in an oversized Jinbei, Sleep clothing that seemed too big for her stature yet stayed comfortable draped on it anyways.

She breathed in and out. What was happening? The shrine around her started to seem more distorted than it did before. Furniture seeming bigger or smaller than she remembered, Things misplaced.

All of it just starting to seem.. off.

It was her shrine but.. Something was wrong. Something very wrong. The feeling creeping up her spine didn't help either. An uncomfortable dread climbing up her back and drenching her in sweat, A feeling that felt like she was being watched.

Her open maw snapped shut. Her body growing rigid in place, The eyes like that of a gorgons.

Something was watching her

From her peripherals, She could see six glowing amber eyes were watching her from within the darkness.

They were piercing. Even though she only dared to see through the corners of her vision she could tell how intense their gaze was, How they seemed to be looking right through her, Glaring right into her soul.

She felt her hands start to tremble. Her mouth growing dry as her thoughts felt like they were going a thousand miles per minute, Racing to find a solution.

The eyes.. There eyes were looking at her.. What was she going to do? What could she do?

[F/N] had no time to think as they started to move.

The six glowing points shifted and moved within the shadows like fireflies. [F/N] could only make out the general shape of the being as it morphed within the darkness into what looked like a standing position.

[F/N] didn't need to have another thought, She knew who it was. It was the man from her 'dreams'.

Uppermoon one.

In her dream or at least what she thought was a dream he seemed much less.. Imposing. It's not to say he wasn't, He certainly was but it was easily ignorable due to the heat of the moment and [F/N]'s own desires.

But now as his frightening form emerged from the dark corners, His sinister prescence nigh-radiating from his figure she could only turn her head over in horror to meet his hellish visage staring right back at her.

This was the man from her dreams. The man in the blizzard, This was him.

The image of his open mouth ready to bite down, Body lunging for her. Teeth digging into the flesh of her arm. All of it flashed in her mind in rapid motion. How could she be so stupid to not figure it out?

This was what Inari was warning her about.

"You're awake.." His voice sent a freezing chill through her system, Her heart feeling like it was restarting inside of her chest as her breathing grew ragged.

Her mask. Where was her mask?

[F/N]'s fight or flight activated. Her fighter instincts finally kicking in as her hand shot out to where her mask usually sat, Hidden within her haori.

But she came up empty, Her hand only touching the side of her jinbei.

Her mask was nowhere in sight.

"I've been waiting so long.. For you to awaken.." Uppermoon one rasped. He took careful calculated steps towards her, A steady pace that moved him closer to [F/N] ever so slowly.

What was he going to do to her? She couldn't fight back, Her mask..

She was completely useless without her mask. It was the source of her body strength, The one she was most used to fighting in. Her body now was too frail, Not to mention the large gash in her abdomen.

She was helpless.

The only thing she could do was back away on the futon, Pushing herself as far into the corner as she could. Get as much distance between him and her as she eyed him up and down, Waiting for his next move.

"W-What do you want.. How am I here..?" Her voice was filled with defensive malice, Yet it shook under the weight of the situation. Her terror seeping through it all.

Kokushibo didn't falter in his stride as he approached her. The room was dark, The only thing illuminated was his eyes as he stopped in front of the futon. Staring down at her shrunken form.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her, His knee's crouching down so he was as close to her level as possible.

[F/N] felt like a sitting duck under him. His hand reached out, Light from his eyes shining off his claws.

She clenched her eyes shut, Not wanting to know wha-

A cold palm touched the side of her cheek, A chilling sensation that felt like dry ice on her skin, So much so that it almost felt a scorching fire.

"Open your eyes.. I want to see them.." He commanded. Out of fear she did what he said and gazed up at him.

She looked upon his face, Her eyes locked onto his that looked down at her with such an odd emotion, Such a strange way his bloodshot eyes seemed so calm. A way that disturbed her down to her very core.

His palm was cupping her cheek, Claws careful not to graze her as his thumb rubbed gently over her skin. Eyes searching for something before a small uncanny smile appeared on his face looking so unnatural on him, Showing off the row of sharp teeth settled in his maw.

"You're here.. You're really here.. The gods have given you back to me after all these centuries.." He mumbled under his breath as his thumb rubbed the outline of her cheekbones.

[F/N] didn't understand, Mind like tangled threads as she spoke out once again.

"W-Where am I.. Why.. W-Why am I alive?" She cried. Tears brimming on the ledge of her eyes as she shied away from his sickening touch, Not for long however as his hand just gripped the side of her face harder, Keeping her in place.

Kokushibo shook his head lightly.

"You are frightened.. It is understandable.. You have woken up with an injury and most assumedly a headache.. I do sincerely apologise for that.. But I ask you to calm down.. You are safe now.." He spoke, His tone trying its best to mimic a comforting tone while [F/N] didn't believe his words for a single second.

She swallowed down the sheer terror in her throat.

"A-Answer me.. W-Why am I here.. Alive?" [F/N] repeated. Kokushibo only caressed the side of her cheek, His face filled up with thought as he began to speak.

"..It is a rather silly question.. Why you are here should already be obvious to you.. And alive..? You are lucky I was able to provide first aid.. Otherwise.." He trailed off, The last of his words going unspoken as his smile dropped.

[F/N] took the chance to speak, A small slither of vigour still left in her as she did.

"It's not obvious at all.. Explain it to me, I-I should be dead.. I should.. Why am I alive, Where am I.. What do you plan on doing with me?" She looked back up at him with the steadiest expression she could muster, One of which he completely ignored in favour of his stare turning.. Miffed.

"You.. You should be aware of why you are here.. Do you not recognise me, Little one?" Kokushibo asked. His demeanour started to shift to a more recognisable aura, Something serious. More dark in the hum of his voice.

"I-I.." She recognised him alright. His face was burned into her vision every time she blinked. Met his eyes every time she slumbered, But judging by the tone of his voice.. That wasn't the right answer.

"No.." [F/N] said, Shaking her head as she watched his frown contort into a scowl. One which she shrunk back into the corner at as he dropped the hand cupping her cheek, Letting it fall to his side.

"I.. No.. You said my name.. You called me by my nickname, The one you always used.. You remember, Don't you?" Kokushibo's voice, The serious tone was still there, Permeating his voice yet the lilt undertone of a pleading man, Desperate and confused radiated within his voice.

[F/N] sharpened her jaw, She had no idea what he was talking about. He spoke as if he knew her, Like she was an old friend yet she couldn't recall ever knowing him.

"I.. I don't know your name.. I-I.. I don't know who you are.." [F/N] replied.

Her words seemed to trigger something within him, His scowl growing more angry as he backed away from the futon. [F/N] watched on as he turned his back to her, His body going completely still, Almost disturbingly so as he just stood there without making a single move.

[F/N] took a deep breath in, One she didn't know she needed as she tried to steady the beating of her drumming heart. The sweat dripped down her face freely, She needed to make a move.

Quietly swinging her legs over the side of the futon she placed them down onto the wooden floorboards, All while eyeing the demon a few feet away from her like an ticking bomb.

[F/N] softly got up from the futon. The pain in her abdomen diluted down, The shock before had caused it to seem worse than it already was. It was bad, But she could work with it, She always had.

She placed another foot down in front of her, The wooden boards were old, She needed to be careful as she quietly circled around him. Trying her best not to alert him to her movements as she went.

[F/N]'s stretched out hand eventually felt the wood of the shoji door, The one letting bioluminescent light through the single crack it made. Feeling around she caught her fingers on the edge.

She carefully slid it open, Though it didn't matter as the careful light illuminating from the other side flooded into the room like a rising sun over a dead night. Snapping Kokushibo out of whatever trance he had been in and jerk his head over to her position.

"You..!"

[F/N] didn't wait to hear what he had to say, Her feet moved for her as she took off into the hallway at the first alarm raised.

She ran throughout the hall barefoot, The sole of her foot feeling the sharp splinters digging into her like porcupine hide as she went. It didn't matter in the slightest though, Not the pain stabbing into her soles or the warped caricature of her shrine's hallways as she sprinted through past the old tapestries and near-ancient support beams.

Is he following me? Where's the exit? Run now, Think later she chided. [F/N] didn't stop for a second to look around or listen out for the possibility of heavy footsteps following her as she went. Her mind was dead-set on escape.

She sharply turned round corners, Fumbled her way through the winding hallways as she finally reached a set of creaked cedar stairs. [F/N] took no time in descending them, Each step slightly bending under her quick motions as she got to the bottom.

Despite the warped mimicry of her shrine, Walls and hallways worn out and minimized, [F/N] could still navigate it with a finesse that left her fast on her feet.

Her internal GPS carried her feet and guided her along. In front of her was the main shrine doors, Two wide cedarwood doorframes with windows that let in a bluish-green light into the shadow blessed pathway.

This was it. She was going to get out, It was only a few more seconds until she reached her salvation. Her exit from this live-nightmare, Such a thought that made her pace quicken. Heart thudding so hard she felt like it would explode.

[F/N] reached out her steady hands, Reaching the door she slammed her hands down and shoved them wide open to where the courtyard should be.

Rushing out int-

[F/N] stride shuddered in its steps. The once determined sprint fizzled out into a walk, Then she stopped completely in her tracks all together.

Her eyes widened, Irises shaking in their sclera as she felt her knees start to wobble.

W-What.. What does this.. Where..

In front of her wasn't the courtyard. No.. It wasn't the courtyard at all.

Standing before her was an infinite sea, An endless dark plane that seemed to stretch on forever. There was no end. Up, Left, Right.. All of it was an infinite expanse in all directions. A fast breeze blew out from nowhere at all, Hitting her face and snapping her out of the horrified trance she was stuck in.

She snapped her head down to the ground she was standing on. What should of been the smooth dirt of the courtyard was instead a wide rickety dock, One that seemed just as endless as the void, Branches of the dock stretching out like tree roots around the shrine connecting and ending seemingly at random.

This.. This couldn't be real… This must be another dream, It had to be! It appeared like a lovecraftian-esque pocket dimension, Nothing from the real world, Nothing from reality at all.

Her palms were clammy. [F/N] took a few wearied steps, Disbelief shown in her eyes as she felt the heel of her foot land on nothing. She yelped out, Quickly backing up onto the dock as she peered over the edge.

It was an aquamarine sea. The one that the dock's structure ventured deep down into the depths of, Blurring out in the faint turquoise glow rising up from the foaming aqua. Gumussevri, The light it emitted being the only source within the infinity surrounding them.

This didn't make sense.. It couldn't.. How could it? [F/N] felt the glimmer of hope extinguish under the seafoam waves of the water below. How could she ever hope to escape..?

[F/N] felt the slow depression of the dock before she heard the footsteps. Heavy, Slow and stoic as she felt the doors behind her shut gently, That being the thing bringing her attention as she turned around.

Kokushibo was only a couple metres away from her. [F/N] felt her eye twitch, That's why he didn't run after her.. That's why he didn't catch her a soon as she stepped foot out of the room.

He knew she had nowhere else to run.

"[F/N].. I am offended.. Why would you try to get away from me..? You.. You must remember me.. You must. You said my name, It's undeniable proof.." He accused, Standing in a complete stance.

His eyes pierced into her like javelins, Sharp and scrutinizing yet it still held that strange quality of desperation. It made her shiver and that in turn made his frown sharpen. How he knew her first name didn't matter to her in that moment, She only opened her mouth ready for a rebuttal.

[F/N] breathed. She had gotten this far.

"I've told you, I don't know your name nor do I know how you know mine. I don't know who you are and I certainly don't know what you want with me.. Whoever you think I am, I am obviously not." [F/N] argued. She bared her teeth, Trying to steady her jaw.

Kokushibo shook his head. He took a single step towards her and in response she took several more back.

"[F/N].. You have been asleep for a few weeks.. I suppose I should of predicted your confusion but.." He paused

"Maybe it's possible that you don't recall.." He muttered. A few weeks?! She had been asleep for several weeks, Assumedly healing under the care of this cold monster standing in front of her acting friendly as it could.

She'd lament over it later though, What mattered was here and now. And right now he was starting to aggravate her.

[F/N] clenched her fist. How stubborn could he be? She didn't know him, Had only seen him as warnings in dreams yet he acted as if they had known each other for decades. He was completely delusional and to spite all the terror she was feeling in this moment, It pissed [F/N] off.

"Then if you do not remember.. Let me refresh your memory, Little one.." Kokushibo said.

"My name is Kokushibo.. I hold the highest rank within the twelve moons, Sitting at Upperrank one.." He started.

"Though.. You should be recognising me as Michikatsu Tsugikuni.. Your older brother.." Kokushibo announced, His eyes staring down onto her, Closely examining her facial expression. Waiting intently for her reaction.

[F/N] stilled. Her body growing rigid as if she was fixed to the dock by nails.

"..I'm sorry.. What?" She asked. Her eyes blinking rapidly as she looked up at him in disbelief.

"..I am your big brother.. And you are my little sister.." He repeated so clearly yet his voice seemed incoherent to her ears. [F/N] swallowed a lump in her throat, If she thought he was delusional before he now looked completely insane to her now.

He was a demon.. An Uppermoon, He must of been hundreds of years old at the very least yet here he was claiming to be her sibling? It didn't add up, He looked at her like she was meant to understand but she couldn't find a single puzzle piece that fit.

"Impossible.. You're hundreds of years old and I have absolutely no older siblings.."

Kokushibo breathed out, The carbon dioxide showing in the chill-raising air as he took another step forward towards her. This time, [F/N] didn't move back.

"Impossible, Yes.. I thought the same thing once I saw you again.. You died near enough five hundred years ago yet there you were.. Bleeding out within the rubble of your desecrated shrine.. For centuries I grieved for you.." He lamented. A sudden pain crossing him as he seemed to recall something deep within him.

He was spouting sheer madness. He was the one who took her here against her own wishes and nursed her back to physical health, It made her heart writhe around inside her and this time she couldn't bite her tongue.

"I-I am not your sister, We are not related in any way… I don't know how goddamn delusional you need to be to think as such! You are a demon, Not my brother.. I want you to piss off and leave me alone, You fucking monster!" [F/N] cried. The terrified tone only an afterthought suddenly grew back into the forefront of her mind as she watched him close.

As soon as the word monster rolled off her tongue his body stilled, His expression going blank as he stared down at her with an unrecognisable expression. It disturbed her right down to her stomach, Even more so when she felt the heat.

"You.. You will not speak to me like that, Little one.." He said through gritted teeth. [F/N] felt her body raise up into that state of flight or fight once more, His soul radiating such a boiling hot heat that [F/N] could feel it in her bones.

It was obvious he was trying to hold back his anger, Yet it spilled out of the brims of his expression. The twitch of his fingers and the glare he gave her, She could tell and it utterly horrified her.

"As your older brother and the last remaining head of our clan.. You will treat me with respect.. It doesn't matter if you're confused or have.. forgotten entirely.. You address me in proper honorifics like a good younger sister should." Kokushibo hissed. Venom near dripping off every word as he started approaching her trembling form.

His footsteps were slow, Drawing out every step as he finally loomed over her. Shadow cast over him as [F/N] looked up at him, Body aching for her to run.

Whatever façade of cold comfort he put up was completely shattered now, His eyes brimming with malice and his fingers itching the reach for the hilt of his sword. Itching to strike her down.

"I've been praying for this day for centuries.. For the wish that you would come back to me.. You said you would never leave me again, And I fully intend to hold you to your promise.. You cannot run.. So come back here now and I will forget this little mistake.. If you do not, I assure your time here will be much more.. Nightmarish.." He commanded lowly. Slowly moving towards her

"..No matter how far you go I will always be right behind you.. You will not escape me."

But that didn't mean she wasn't willing to try.

Her legs moved before she could comprehend she was. Quickly turning around and sprinting off down the dock in her nightwear and splotched dressing as she cried out in sheer utter helplessness.

Kokushibo paused as he watched her go. He didn't bother run after her, He knew she wouldn't get far.

As [F/N] carefully navigated throughout the labyrinth of docks she could hear his quiet voice call after her, Echoing through the void and seeping through her as she ran.

"Tire yourself out all you want.. Run as long and as far as you like but you will never be able to leave me.. Not again. When you come back.. Do not expect to be treated with such affection that I have offered you thus far.. Not until you stop with this stupid rebellious phase of yours.."

Though [F/N] could barely hear him, As his silhouette shrunk further and further into the vastness of the void.

All until he disappeared completely

☆♡☆

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Three soft and precise knocks hit against the thin cut of the rosewood door.

Sounds of quiet shuffling could be heard from within the house, Settling of cups and screeching of chairs as footsteps started to move their way over to the closed entrance.

The door slid open only a peep, Only enough for the weathered face of a middle-aged man to careen his head over to get a good look out past it.

"Hello..?"

"Hello there!" A polite and cheery voice spoke out to him, One that sounded exaggerated and overly-friendly compared to his quiet yet cordial tone. The girl the voice belonged to smiled lightly and clasped her hands together.

"My name is Shinobu Kocho from the Demon Slayer Corps, If I am not mistaken.. This is the Kanroji household is it not?" Shinobu asked. Glassy orchid eyes staring into the ones of the older mans, His own softened at her introduction as he nodded.

"Ah.. Yes. You two must be my daughter's colleague's." He said. The slightly cracked open door slid ajar, His shoulders softening and a small welcoming smile grew onto his aged face as he looked at the two slayers.

Shinobu, A woman of short stature similar to that of a mantis. She held an eternal far off gaze that seemed clouded with the salesman smile plastered onto her face like concrete. Her butterfly haori and short tied hair danced in the wind as he looked over at the other man behind her.

"Greetings.." Was all the other slayer said as he lightly bowed down to him.

Despite being taller than his colleague, He was still rather short. He had a mop of choppy black hair that looked overgrown as it covered his shadowed his face well, That and along with the bandages he used as a mask made his features nigh hidden. The only thing peeking out from over the mask was mismatched eyes.

"Ah, You must have more manners then that!" Shinobu exclaimed lightly as she giggled it off.

"I apologise for my friend here.. This is my co-worker Iguro Obanai. And yes, We're here to see Mitsuri-chan about recent events I'm sure you've been informed of?" Shinobu inquired, Tilting her head to the side while Obanai muttered something under his breath and swept his head to the side.

Mr. Kanroji nodded, His smile only dropping an inch.

"Yes.. I'm aware. You two better come in then." He nodded as he stepped a side, Raising an arm to welcome them into his abode. Shinobu smiled and thanked him as she made her way inside, Iguro following closely behind her as they entered the livingroom.

It was a cosy little room, It was homely and warm yet had enough room for a large family to move around in comfortably. It was beautifully decorated, Clean-cut furniture and masterfully painted moving doors.

It was a rather large family home, The inner walls of the house being compiled of entirely open shoji-doors revealing the wide open plan of the entire building.

"It's a nice home you have.." Iguro muttered as he made his way to the middle of the room.

"Thank you. Me and my wife are both rather house-proud.." He chuckled lightly "It's been easier to take care of since the little ones have grown bigger and gotten much more responsible. I love them all, But do they make mess I'd tell you.."

Shinobu airily laughed along with him.

"Yes! I have a few little girls who I provide for back home with me, Children are quite troublemakers aren't they?" Shinobu replied as she turned to the man.

"Aha! Isn't that the truth.." He smiled. "Though unfortunately we aren't here to talk about our kids.."

"No, Unfortunately not." Iguro confirmed, Nodding his head lightly as he started talking.

"It's about The Shrine Invasion Incident that occurred a few weeks ago, We're here to talk to Mitsuri-san about what happened when she was there and get her statement. About both the demon that attacked and the.. Casualties" Iguro explained.

Mr. Kanroji sighed.

"Yes. You're referring to [F/N], Right?" He asked.

Shinobu nodded.

"Correct. I understand that [F/N] was very close to Mitsuri-chan.. That and along with Fujimori-san of course." She said. As she did she slid a quick wink over to Mr. Kanroji and subtly signalled towards Iguro, Who didn't notice a thing.

Mr. Kanroji paused before nodding back.

"Right. Come, We can discuss this while we walk" He said. Beckoning them with his hand and turning his back and starting to walk at a leisurely pace out of the livingroom. Both slayers nodded and followed after him.

"So, Can you recall what happened when she came home?" Shinobu asked him as she trailed behind.

"Yes. It was in the early morning.. Both me and my wife were barely awake when we heard the banging on the door. When we opened it she just ran into my arms, She was hysterical and we could barely make a word out of what happened.. It was a painful sight to see.." He explained, Shaking his head.

"Ah.. I see" Shinobu said. "I'm aware that you and your wife were also quite familiar with [F/N]?"

Mr. Kanroji smiled once again yet it held none of that bright attitude he had before, It was instead blocked by a dark cloud hanging over him like a noose.

"Right.. Mitsuri and [F/N] were basically inseparable back when they were young, So much so that she was over at our place most of the time. [F/N] didn't have the best home life you see, Not that she had much of one to begin with but.. She stayed over so often, Helped out with chores and played with the younger kids so much that at points I even considered her my own. And I'm pretty sure my wife did too" Mr. Kanroji tried to play off the sombre undertone in his voice with a light-hearted giggle, Yet it was futile under the heaviness of his bleak voice.

"It was horrible when the news came to light. We both were broken up by her.. Choice of actions. But Mitsuri.. She just.. She just broke down entirely." He said. Shinobu's eyes narrowed in confusion.

Choice of actions, What he meant alluded her.

Before she could question it however he stopped at a closed door, A rarity amongst the open ones spread about the walls of the house. He turned around and looked at them with a serious expression.

"Alright then, This is it." He started as he looked down at the both of them

"Please, When you go in try to be gentle when speaking with her. Don't try to overwhelm her or make any sudden noises.. She's not in the best mental state right now." He said quietly, Nigh-whisper as he waited for their answer.

"Understood." They both said in unison.

Mr. Kanroji nodded before turning back to the door.

Raising a single fist he lightly knocked at the paper shoji door. He smiled a best as he could as he spoke.

"Pumpkin? Are you awake..?" He called out.

…

There was no answer.

Iguro shifted around uncomfortably in his stance. Mitsuri Kanroji, The woman he loved and cared for.. She wasn't anything like this. He knew her well. He knew she loved to eat, He knew the way her lip quirked when she was confused and he certainly knew she was a light sleeper.

Anything could wake her. A sneeze or the drop of a pin, Anything at all. And it was certain that she would definetly wake at the light knock on her door. For her not to answer was concerning at best. Mr. Kanroji tried once more.

"Your friends from work are here to see you.. It's about a few weeks ago.." He called out once more though this time you could hear the audible shake in his speech.

…

"Come in.."

A weak voice called out from behind the door, It was so quiet that you could barely hear it. Both Shinobu and Iguro took a glance at each other before Mr. Kanroji grabbed onto the handle and slowly slid the door open.

It was dark. That was the first thought that entered their heads as they finally saw the inside to the room, Their sole source of vision being the new light from the other side flooding in only a crack to reveal only the bare shapes of furniture inside.

"I'll leave you two to it.." Mr. Kanroji whispered as he stood behind the open door, Nodding towards the room.

"Thank you.." Shinobu replied lowly as she took the first few steps in, Iguro following closely behind as she slowly entered the abyss that was Mitsuri's room.

From what they could make out, It looked more like a guest room than it did an actual room. The source of light was the window which was meant to be open, Instead it was locked and bolted shut tight leaving their environment hard to navigate.

CLANK!

Iguro's foot hit against something on the floor, Looking down he gagged slightly.

It was a small plate of food. It looked to be a normal meal consisting of pork cutlets and a side of omurice. Though on closer inspection Iguro spied the signs of mould starting to gather up on the meat from most likely a day or two, It hadn't been touched at all.

Iguro swallowed down his bubbling concerns and tried to ignore the smell as he stepped around it.

Both Shinobu and Iguro moved towards the centrepiece of the room of which being a large futon. Growing closer they could see the shapes of several duvets and pillows scattered amongst it, Reminiscent of a crows nest from the built up barrier around the lump poking out from under one of the duvets.

Shinobu kept up her smile, Though as she moved it started to look more strained and forced like one you'd see on an advertisement or billboard.

They finally reached the futon. Both Shinobu and Iguro shuffled around the side, Avoiding scattered clothes and stray furniture as they tried to get a better look.

They could barely see anything at all, Both from the lack of light and the duvet covering the girl below it. The only thing they could make out was only the upper half of her face sticking out from under it, Lime irises staring up at both of them.

Iguro bit his tongue. He backed up a bit as his hands reached out for the window-shutters. Eyes not taken off of Mitsuri's as he opened it up, Letting the late-morning light fill the dark void of the room.

Once the sunlight bounced off the walls of the room, Shinobu's smile quickly switched down to a frown while Iguro's shoulders tensed up.

The room was much more of a mess than first thought to be. The odd scattered clothing or two turned out to be more like piles.

Uneaten meals more rotten than before were also placed about, Some on furniture, Some on the floor.

But what really put off the two was the girl they called a friend, Lying curled up in a fetal position within the bedding.

Now that the light hit her face she flinched back from the sudden exposure, Eyes clenching closed to prevent the sudden light hitting her pupils flood in. Both of them noticed the swollen red under her eyes and her stuffy nose, To which she sniffled lightly every so often.

"Mitsuri-chan.." Shinobu mumbled, Her face a practiced sympathy as she took another step forward towards the futon. She stopped however when the sudden movement of Mitsuri cut her off, Mitsuri hauling herself out from under the covers and up into a sitting position

"I.. Sorry about that.. Comfortable position and all.." Mitsuri giggled lightly. Yet the sound never quite reached her bloodshot eyes.

Coupled with the greasy tangle that was her hair and the rather shaky smile she held it was obvious to see her true self in that moment. Iguro took his turn to take a step forward.

"Mitsuri-san.. I.." He felt the words caught on his tongue once he looked down upon the painful expression of the girl in front of him. Despite lying in bed it looked like she hadn't slept for days, Weeks even.

"Y-You're here about a few weeks ago right? Were you able to look at the ruins..? F-Find anything?" Mitsuri's voice shook more than her ear to ear smile, It wasn't liked Shinobu's perfectly perfected one. No, It was instead like an unknowingly widowed wife in the ER room lobby, Waiting in ignorant bliss for what she assumed was just a cut.

Both Iguro and Shinobu shared another glance at one and other. Both having a silent conversation between the two before Shinobu turned her head back around to face Mitsuri.

"Well.. We were able to get a report back from the ruins of the shrine.." Shinobu started. Reaching within her butterfly haori she pulled out a small piece of folded paper.

Starting to unfold it she peered down and started to read.

"Lets see here.. There were more injuries than casualties.. Seventy two severely injured and thirty four deaths. Majority of the casualties being Kakushi and Lower ranked slayers.." Shinobu read out, Eyes scanning down the list.

Mitsuri slowly nodded.

"T-That's unfortunate.. I hope their families are doing okay.." Mitsuri replied softly, The first glint of genuine concern showing from behind her eyes.

"But.. Erm.." She started again.

Shinobu nodded, Sad smile painted. Mitsuri didn't have to finish her words for Shinobu to know what she meant.

"Yes.. About [F/N] and Fujimori.." The mention of the names caught Mitsuri's attention immediately, Her head perking up to give her undying regard as the glint in her eyes burned back up.

Shinobu's nose twitched, Body stiffening ever so slightly.

"..We weren't able to recover any bodies.."

The light in Mitsuri's irises started to grow, Yet it wasn't from the hope or finality of the news. Instead it was the reflection off the water starting to grow at the rims of her eyes.

Shinobu took in a deep breath and continued.

"The only trace was of Fujimori.. Which was a pool of blood located near the back of the shrine." Shinobu shook her head, Trying not to focus on Mitsuri as she continued.

"Our leading theory is that.. Well.. Fujimori was most likely eaten by the demon in question.. There was nothing left of him.." Shinobu whispered, Yet within the confines of the room it sounded like an reverberated scream to Mitsuri's ears.

And that's what broke the dam.

Mitsuri let out a quiet cry, Her shaky smile still spread wide across her face as the tears in her eyes flooded over. Rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto her lap as choked noises escaped her hoarse throat.

"Mitsuri-san-!"

Iguro instantly went into action at the first sound of her cries, He quickly moved over to her side, Sitting down next to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. Which was quickly dismissed by Mitsuri.

"D-Don't touch me.. Just, Please.. N-Not now.." Mitsuri wept. Iguro quickly obliged, Moving away from her on the bed as she planted her face into her palms. Shinobu looked on as she put the paper away, Eyes filled with pity.

"I.. I-I can't believe this.. I.. Why didn't I recognise the signs.. I.. D-Doesn't she remember our promise..?" She whispered. Her nails digging into her skin as she looked through the cracks of her fingers, Eyes staring off into the distance of the floor.

"She..? What do you mean by signs..?" Iguro asked lightly.

Mitsuri withdrew her face from her hands to look up at Obanai. Her eyes meeting the mismatch of his with a disbelieving gaze, Like his tongue spoke of heresy to her very own religion.

Her pained voice spoke out once again.

"F-Fujimori.. [F/N].. They.. They're the same person.. And I.." Mitsuri whispered.

Iguro's eyes widened to that of circles, He shook his head adamantly and responded quick to her.

"No.. That's impossible. Fujimori and [F/N] look completely different, How could they be the same?" Iguro asked. His soft voice was still present yet there was an edge to it, A sharp confusion and bafflement at her words.

Mitsuri didn't listen to him, It was like he wasn't even there.

"I-I knew it was there.. I really did but I just.. I-I just ignored them.. If I had tried just a little harder.. I-If I just.." Mitsuri's voice seemed to break down into children's babble, Ranting off under her breath about this and that Iguro just couldn't understand.

He took a step closer.

"Mitsuri.. Please, Tell me what you mean.." Iguro asked softly. He lowered down onto a single knee to match her eye level, Pleading silently with her to tell him.

Mitsuri mumbled something so quiet, So incomprehensible that neither Iguro nor Shinobu could hear.

"What did you say..?"

Mitsuri's lip quivered. Bloodshot eyes staring back at him with that disfigured smile still on her face. Her voice only turning up a single notch as they were finally able to make out what she said.

"[F/N].. S-She killed herself."

Shinobu's frown sharpened into a tight-lipped grimace. Iguro's brows furrowed, His bandaged mask concealing his parted lips, Information still processing in his mind.

"I-If I just tried a little harder.. If I just made sure she was okay, Said hello or just.. Just ask her what was wrong.. S-She would've still been here with me.. I.. I did this.. I-I shouldn't of let go of her hand, I shouldn't of let go.."

Mitsuri's gaze was Far-off as she stared back into the vivid face of [F/N] appearing in her mind. The blank eyes so dull like she was nothing more than a caricature of her true self, The tried and true smile, The angle of her nose and the dimensions of her face.

All of it she tried so hard to cling onto. Grasping desperately at the memory, Begging with whatever god was up there. Pleading with whatever was listening that she wouldn't forget her face.

Yet as she continued to imagine her face, It faded further and further away from her grasp. Already blurring into a distant memory along with the warmth of her hand drifting away from her palms.

Iguro looked back at her. His heart felt like it was twisting and turning inside him, Hurting at the sight of the woman he held so close to it.

The new information felt so unsolved in his mind, He doubted it. Yet the raw grief that was coming from Mitsuri in front of him made it seem so real. Yet, He needed to question it once more.

Though before he could, He felt a small tap on his shoulder. Looking up only to come face to face with Shinobu.

"Iguro-san.. I think you should go wait outside." Shinobu said. Her voice suddenly serious, A side of which was barely shown through her friendly disguise.

He looked back at her and she stared back down at him with an unwavering gaze.

Iguro nodded slowly before getting up from his kneeling position. As he quietly moved out of the room he took only a single glance back at the two of them, All before opening the door and exiting the room.

As soon as the door slid shut Shinobu made her move, Head turning towards Mitsuri who looked up at her with the gaze of a wounded animal.

"Mitsuri-san.. These are massive claims, I don't mean to be insensitive but could you explain to me what happened? According to reports you were rather hysterical, Both from the handmaiden escorting you out and the various people you asked about [F/N]'s whereabouts." Shinobu asked. Voice levelled and calm, Her friendly self back up with a small smile to contrast her words.

Mitsuri didn't waste anytime for a shaky hand to extend out behind her towards her pillow, Reaching under it she carefully fished out a worn piece of paper. It was folded several times and looked rather worn from first sights.

Shinobu carefully plucked it out of her hands once it was offered. Carefully unfolding the flaps she held it in her hands and started to read.

Mitsuri sat there uncomfortably on the bed despite the mountain of pillows and blankets surrounding her. She had stopped crying at this point but by no means did that make her okay.

Her form was trembling as if she was in the middle of a hailing blizzard. She felt as if she wasn't in her body, Like she was just looking through the vision of someone else entirely while she was just a spectator within her own mind.

Shinobu's glassy eyes scanned over the paper, Carefully reading over every line with upmost delicacy as her gaze descended downwards.

She reached the bottom, The finality of the signature registering in her mind.

Shinobu was quiet.

But after a moment, She let out a single sigh.

"I see.. Well.. That's unfortunate.." Was all she said. She refolded up the paper in her hands and sitting it down on the windowsill.

Suddenly brought back into her own body, Mitsuri's head snapped over to look up at Shinobu. Her mouth going agape along with her eyes as she looked up in disbelief.

"..Is that all you have to say?" Mitsuri asked. [F/N]'s note, Her very last words written down onto a carefully made parchment. The story of her life, The words she could never express to anyone aloud yet scribed down with her entire heart and soul put onto this single letter.

And Shinobu just shook it off, Like it was absolutely nothing.

"Well.. It's an unfortunate turn of events, Taking one's life always is. Though I do have to admit I never saw it coming.." Shinobu said, That same tone of plain apathy dripped off every syllable and hit Mitsuri like acid as she stood up.

"H-How could you?" Mitsuri gawked. Her unstable footsteps numb from hours of not walking as she took a few steps toward Shinobu.

"[F/N] was your friend too.. You're the only other Hashira who ever knew about the truth.. She.. S-She trusted you.." Mitsuri exclaimed, Her previous cries starting to boil and hiss into a rising anger as her face twisted into an ugly expression.

Shinobu's shoulders raised as she looked back at her, The anger on Mitsuri being a completely foreign view. She wasn't even acting like herself anymore, [F/N] really meant that much to her..

"Yes.. She did." Shinobu agreed "I'm not trying to say-"

"You don't need to say anything, Y-You're making it clear enough!" Mitsuri butted in. Her arms raising to hug her self as she feverishly shook her head, Trying to keep herself calm.

"T-This isn't just my fault.. This is yours too. This is everyone's fault.." Mitsuri heaved. Her breathing picked up speed as her overgrown nails dug into her elbows, Backing up a bit as she did.

"Mitsuri-san.. You're not yourself right now, You're still in the grieving process. You don't mean what you're saying.." Shinobu said.

Mitsuri looked back up at her, Sheer rage burning inside her eyes like infernoes

"H-How many of the Hashira actually liked [F/N]..? How many of them insulted her every time she was late to a meeting? How many snide looks.. How many nasty comments, Shinobu? T-Tell me.. How many?" Mitsuri choked out. Shinobu could feel the strain as it did.

"I.. I don't kn-"

"How many?!" Mitsuri yelled, Her voice shaking the very walls of the room she was in. Quickly turning away from Shinobu, Her hands grasped both sides of her head catching strands of messy hair in-between them.

"[F/N] never harboured any true resentment towards anyone! S-She may not of been on time or handled her duties well but she cared for every last one of us, A-And the only thing she got in return was scorn.." Mitsuri at this point broke down into strangled sobs. She hugged herself tighter as Shinobu could only watch her.

"G-Get out.. Y-You did this, We both did.. But.. Y-You don't even care at all…" Mitsuri ordered. Turning her back on Shinobu as she tried to reach out a hand to her.

"Mitsu-"

"GET OUT!" Mitsuri screamed, Turning back to Shinobu with a high-pitched wail as it faded back into soft cries. Mitsuri fell back onto her bed, Pulling her knees up to her chest and pressing her face into them.

Shinobu didn't need to be told twice. She turned her back and walked away towards the door.

However she stopped once her hand gripped onto the handle.

"Mitsuri-san.. Just for the record, I may not show it but I do care for [F/N].. She really was my friend and trusted comrade. I don't mean to be indifferent.. I am not at all.. I.. I really will miss her a lot. Me and the rest of the Hashira may not have favoured her at points, But she was still apart of our ranks and was our comrade.. We.. We all grieve in our own ways.. And I promise you.. One day, We will get vengeance on the demon who did this.. We'll avenge her, I promise you."

That was all Shinobu said. Mitsuri lifted her head from her shins but she couldn't see Shinobu's expression. Her back to hers, Mitsuri could only see her high shoulders shake and the grip on the sliding door tighten.

But it faded almost immediately. Shinobu slid the door open and stepped out.

Closing it over and walking away.

☆♡☆

Heavy yet light footsteps hit the rickety wood in quick succession, Each step taking no time to waste as [F/N] kept running faster and faster along the spiderweb docks.

[F/N] had to plan her movements in advance, The dock was hard to navigate with branches ending at random and others looping straight back around in the opposite direction. If she wasn't careful she could be thrown overboard at any moment, And she didn't want to find out whether the bioluminescent water was safe or not.

It felt like she had been running for hours, The infinite sky showing no sign of an end or exit in sight. But [F/N] knew it had to of only been half an hour or so, Otherwise she would of already collapsed.

Kokushibo was nowhere to be seen. Once [F/N] had taken off running she thought he would be dead on her tail, Chasing her down for even daring to leave whatever he had planned for her.

"My name is Kokushibo.. I hold the highest rank within the twelve moons, Sitting at upperrank one.. Though.. You should be recognising me as Michikatsu Tsugikuni.. Your older brother.."

Was he delusional? Out of his mind? Or could he be manipulating her with some so-crazy-it-works method. Michikatsu Tsugikuni, The name meant absolutely nothing at all. Her older brother he called himself, There was simply no way in hell that could of been true.

He was a centuries old demon, Whatever parents gave birth to him would of died a good long while ago. It was impossible that they could've been related but..

"Impossible, Yes.. I thought the same thing once I saw you again.. You died near enough five hundred years ago yet there you were.. Bleeding out within the rubble of your desecrated shrine.."

Maybe, Just maybe she shared some resemblance to the sister he had as a human. And maybe she shared the same first name as she did. And when he saw said resemblance, Somehow in his mind he had decided that they were the same person and then decided to spare and kidnap her away to this cold hell.

Even then that was baffling on its own.

[F/N] had saw from first hand experience how a demon would rip apart its own siblings, Parents or children just for another meal. Demon's had no sentimental attachment to much of anything, Especially not people.

So why? Why would he do this, Kidnap her away and try to feign an act of familiarity with her? Demons don't do that, They don't think that way. [F/N] swallowed back a lump in her throat.

How much did his sister mean to him? Was she really that important that he would still hold affection towards her?

But either way he wasn't anywhere at all.

No noises, Glimpses or auras. Nothing.

She had no time to dwell on it, She chided herself for getting distracted over a demon. Run now think later. The prospect of escaping whatever pocket dimension she had been siphoned to was vivid in her mind, A yearning feeling brought back to the primal desire for survival as she kept going and going.

Her abdomen hurt too, Every time she moved it felt like a needle jabbing into her side. She tried her best to ignore the pain however, She couldn't let it stop her now, Not since she got this far.

But then it hit her.

Why was she trying so hard to escape?

Her sprint faltered only a little as the thought crossed through her mind. Her lip upturned. Why was she trying so hard?

[F/N] wanted to die. She wanted to find an end for months, To get it over and done with and get out of everyone's way. To stop being such a stain on the Hashira and a burden on the corps. She had no use, No worth or redeemable qualities.

She may of killed a thousand of their kind, She may of been given the title of being the strongest Hashira but that name weighed down on her shoulders like steel blocks.

It wasn't a title, It was an expectation.

And [F/N] couldn't live up to it, She didn't even want to live at all. So why was she running? Why didn't she throw herself into the docks or go back to slaughterhouse behind her? Why was her body so insistent on continuing?

Because.. Because.. She wanted to die, Not be tortured. That's the reason. If she was here then it was obvious she was wanted alive, If she did try to throw herself off then whose to say Kokushibo wouldn't be watching her right now and prevent her from doing so?

If she was here he might be wanting information, The location of the Ubuyashiki estate. This entire 'dead little sister' thing was just a manipulation tactic to get it out of her! And once he realised she wasn't falling for it he'd resort to more violent methods.

Yes, That's the reason.

Turning around another dock and searching for a path she stared out into the open distance of a void. Her heart burned, There had to be an escape. She was so tired, She felt like she was going to collapse any second.

And that's when she saw it.

In the distance, Staring off into the vastness of the void she could make out a vague shape settled amongst the darkness.

Her eyes sparked up, Lit aflame as she spied her saving grace, The light at the end of the tunnel. Something had finally changed after running for so long.

Her pace picked up along with her breathing, Her breaths turning into light wheezes under her normal rhythm as she took far strides.

Sweat beads dripped down from her brow and stained her jinbei, Everything burned. Muscles ached but she kept moving forwards, Kept going faster and faster towards the building in the distance, Getting closer and closer.

Keep going, Almost there.. I can do this- I can escap-!

[F/N] stopped in her tracks.

Her sprint jittered down until she was completely still, Fixed on place to the dock as she stared up towards the building, One now looming over her like a guillotine.

It.. It was her shrine.

Towering over her was the behind of the shrine, The other side from which she came from. The walls, tiles, Wooden frames and the closed shut windows. Her eyes scanned over it in disbelief, The realisation crashing into her.

She had done a full circle, She had just came back from the way she came.

T-This can't be true.. How could this be-!

[F/N] felt her heart fall into her stomach along with her knee's collapsing to the ground, Finally giving out from exhaustion as her eyes were still locked on the shrine.

Her knees hit the wooden docks, Splinters digging into her bare shins as she felt all hope leave her body. She had been running for so long, The docks didn't loop or go in a circle, If it did she would of known. But how was she back here? How?

Heart drumming faster in her chest her head felt light and airy as if she was thousands of feet in the air. Nausea creeping up her throat and unsettling her stomach even more than it already was. As she felt herself fade, She had only one thought.

How.. How is this fair?

☆♡☆

Kokushibo walked slowly down the wooden step-way of the shrine it surrounded.

Taking a few careful steps down the stairway he felt the weight of it depress under him, Reaching the bottom he peered over from the corner he stood next to.

He watched the body of his younger sister collapse onto the dock, Her chest raising and lowering rapidly as if she was starved of air. Her hair was a mess along with her clothing and general appearance.

It was nothing he didn't expect however. He knew she would tire herself out eventually, Run until she couldn't and fall down onto the ground. He knew it would happen, And he couldn't help but feel a sense of catharsis out of it.

He stalked up towards her, All until he was staring down at her defeated form in front of him. Kneeling down with her neck exposed, Easily cut and easy to wring at any given moment.

In any other scenario this would of been a sort of guilty pleasure, The way life was held within his hands felt so electrifying. He never took time on making people grovel before him, He never saw the need to.

He was after strength, To stay eternally strong forever. Not to make insignificant and weak human beings bow down to him.

But he couldn't deny the way he dictated human life with the edge of his blade felt great. And it tasted even better once he bit into their throats, Tearing out their jugular giving them no time to scream as the sweet nectar of their blood hit his tongue.

It was empowering. But, It was different in this scenario.

He didn't feel any sense of power over the girl in front of him, Not the way he usually would anyways. As he looked over her broken form the only thing that he felt was.. Pity.

"Are you done now..? Have you tired yourself out..?" Kokushibo asked in that usual monotone voice. He sounded as if he didn't care, As if his sister lying stray on the dock meant absolutely nothing to him. But he knew that wasn't the case.

[F/N] didn't answer, It seemed as if she had fainted.

Again, It was predictable. She had just woken up after sustaining injury and had used all her energy to try and run away, Only to collapse right back at the place she had tried to escape from.

Kokushibo gritted his teeth slightly. This wasn't how he thought this was going to go.

He assumed that she remembered him. Throughout the time he had taken her, Cared for her wound and nursed her back to health he had heard murmurs from within her sleep. Places, Memories and names only she should of known was what she mumbled in her unconscious state.

He assumed that as soon as she had awoken she would remember him, Feel just as elated as he was at their reunion.

But now he knew that wasn't the case, And if he was being honest? It made him angry.

Kokushibo kneeled down. Reaching his arms out he scooped up her limp body into his arms to settle her within them.

He got up and examined her face, Her eyes and her hair. Every angle and dimension of her face he surveyed left and right. This was her, Everything just lined up too perfectly not to be.

Same name, Same face and Haori. Not to mention that she spoke his name once.

Kokushibo held onto her tighter as he started to walk away with her in his arms. He moved up the stairway careful not to drop her. He moved quickly yet steadily towards the entrance of the shrine.

Entering the building and shutting the door behind him with his foot and made his way up to the second floor where her bedroom was located.

Once he got there he slid open the shoji door, Letting the aquamarine flood the shadows of her room as he walked towards her futon.

Setting her down onto the mattress and tucking her in the duvet with the utmost care, He looked at her once more.

Kokushibo was angry. He truly was livid. The mere fact that she didn't even remember him angered him, Even more so once she called him a monster. He loathed the way he felt his heart wretch in that moment.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to hate her. A part of him wanted to dispose of her, To get rid of her entirely. She was a weakness, Something Kokushibo just could not afford.

But the much larger, Louder part of him detested this with all he had. As the thought of killing her entered his mind he felt disgusted, Horrified at the mere imagining of her being harmed.

She was the only person who ever loved him more than Yorichii. The one person who saw him for himself instead of his brother, She admired him. She loved him. How could he bring himself to hurt her? Kokushibo took in a deep breath, The anger kept at bay as he smiled lightly at her unconscious state.

Even if she didn't remember him, That doesn't mean she won't in due time. The pieces of the puzzle were already there, They were just waiting to be solved is all. Even if she had some 'new life' or whatever may have happened to her. Maybe.. No.. It didn't matter, She was here. That's what mattered.

He breathed out once more. 'Her new life', It felt so wrong as he thought about it. Kokushibo found her as a Hashira of all things, One he had struck down as a man like a god to a heretic.

Gods, He had questions. He had so many questions.

How was she here back with him? How did she become an entirely different person while fighting him? Where did she learn or how would he get her to remember him? Hundreds of questions rushed through his head. Possibilities and chances.

He tucked a small strand of hair behind her ear. He had many questions, And he'll get answers eventually when she was awake.

His little sister was finally brought back to him. The one who died in his arms and the one he would never let go of again. She'll learn to accept her fate here, Understand she has nowhere to run. She'll understand her place was here with him, Her big brother.

He'd crush whatever rebellious phase she was going through, Whatever disobedient little chapter of life she was going through right now. Insulting him, Running away..

He breathed out, Trying to keep away the bloodlust at the thought of her escaping.

She was safe now, And that's all that matters.

Next Chapter

162 notes · View notes

skyloftian-nutcase · 3 months

Text

Elastic Heart Ch 8 (Linked Universe story)

Summary: When Sky goes missing, the Chain scrambles to figure out where he is and what happened before it's too late.

(mood music that helped inspire the writing)

(AO3 link)

<<Previous

Chapter 8 - The Curse

It was uncharacteristically cold, bringing a sprinkling of the upcoming winter season as frost slowly encased the wildlife in the gardens of Hyrule Castle. Twilight sat on a bench, his legs slowly freezing at the contact on stone, his heart numb as he stared at nothing. Gentle footfalls caught his attention, though he recognized their steady gait, the sound of a dress trailing behind them, the silence of the person in question.

Of all the stories he’d heard of everyone’s Zeldas, he’d concluded that his was the quietest.

He didn’t move as she carefully, gracefully sat beside him on the bench. Her hands were clasped on her lap. He could see a dark cloak in his periphery, trailing down her dress and covering her. It looked like the cloak she’d worn when she was imprisoned in the Twilight Realm.

“How is he?” his queen asked softly.

“Awake,” Twilight replied. “Or, well, he was. Briefly.”

Sky’s and Time’s words echoed in his mind in a nearly maddening fashion. The young knight’s outburst of emotion at the fact that the Shadow was still alive… Time’s observation that Sky was trying to handle this entire ordeal alone…

He just… didn’t understand. What had led to this? They could all—well, he himself knew he was guilty of taking on too much, but—

Twilight would never—he’d never just—

He’d gone after the Shadow, it was true. But he—well…

Twilight was a hunter. He knew that about himself. There was a reason the shadow magic had chosen a wolf as his beastly form. But he also recognized the benefits of working as a team, and it just—it didn’t make sense why Sky would suddenly think he could handle this alone. Had he been thinking about this for months, and he’d just waited for the right opportunity?

Had this idea ingrained itself into his mind because of Twilight’s injury? Was Sky worried about the others getting hurt? The boy was one of the softest souls in the group, the logic at least made sense in that regard, but…

Twilight supposed he should have figured that Sky was just as reckless as the rest. Though, aside from Wild (and possibly Hyrule), even the rest realized that working together was the smarter and saner option.

“And how are you?” Zelda continued, watching him carefully.

Twilight sighed tiredly. “I’ll… be fine. I just want him to get better.”

The queen remained silent, turning her chin ever so slightly so she was looking ahead, just as he was. Twilight suddenly felt guilty, remembering who he was talking to, remembering everything she had done for them the last few days. He finally looked at her. “Thank you. Thanks for… helping us.”

Zelda glanced back at him, her cheeks growing rosy in the chilly air. She smiled gently, tipping her head in acknowledgement. The pair was silent for a while longer before Twilight barked out a laugh.

“Midna would be yelling at us by now,” he chuckled, his chest tightening, eyes stinging. Ah, maybe that was the wrong person to think about on top of all the emotions he was already feeling.

“I imagine so,” Zelda agreed with a huff of her own. “She didn’t seem to like silence as much.”

Twilight hummed, trying to wipe the memories away, only to be replaced by Sky dying, by Sky crying, by—

He sighed. As if Arbiter’s Grounds didn’t have enough awful memories for him.

“I’m glad he’s doing better,” Zelda finally said. “I’m glad I could repay him. And you, Link.”

“Repay…?” Twilight snapped his gaze at her, mildly confused. Was this about the beasts he’d defeated?

“He assisted us against Ganondorf,” Zelda said with a smile, tipping her head to the side as if to remind him of already knowing this fact.

“Wha—no he didn’t,” Twilight argued and then bit his lips, remembering he was talking to a queen.

Zelda’s eyes were knowing, but sad all of a sudden. “We should go inside.”

The look was hauntingly familiar, and it made Twilight’s breath freeze in his lungs. The words of the Shadow came to mind, of meeting the original Link, and the Ordonian suddenly found himself realizing that he really needed to figure out where on the timeline Sky was.

The Skyloftian was tied with Wind for knowing so little of Hyrule, making the pair uniquely different than the rest. Neither were natives to Hyrule, and though the traveler hinted at a potentially similar foreign origin, he still knew Hyrule and was a part of it. But since Wind had fallen easily into the timeline (or, well… timelines), Twilight had simply assumed Sky was some outlier as well, falling between eras that they knew, living in a place so remote (and in the clouds) that he barely understood what the kingdom was doing.

Knowing of the sky islands in his own time, of how ancient they were, relegated to legend… Twilight had wondered. It wasn’t… it wasn’t as if there weren’t hints that Sky might be fairly early on the timeline.

So why did Zelda’s hints at his aid leave Twilight so… uneasy?

Twilight found that he didn’t have the courage to ask her as they both went indoors. He scratched at the Triforce symbol on the back of his hand, stomach churning, and bade her a good night.

XXX

It was late into the evening when Time entered the designated sickroom silently to find Warriors sitting beside Sky’s bed, the young knight’s hand held gently in the captain’s own. Warriors didn’t move, despite no doubt hearing his approach. Time paused just behind him, eye looking Sky over. He’d taken to doing this, whether he’d been in the room for hours or minutes, he’d always come back to make sure the Skyloftian was still here, still breathing.

After the initial shock, he found that he couldn’t stay away for too long a period of time. He’d given it a few hours after sending Sky to bed before checking in on him, only to find Wind and Warriors talking to each other softly. After that the sailor had been dismissed, finding Hyrule and latching on to him. He hadn’t spoken much the rest of the day, despite some prompting.

Time found himself trying to bounce between so many troubled boys that he was thoroughly overwhelmed. So instead, he just checked in on Sky.

Warriors’ thumb traced over Sky’s hand. “You know, I did the same thing… during the war.”

Time didn’t speak, sensing that there was more at the tip of the captain’s tongue. Warriors often didn’t speak to express his feelings – his words were a shield and sword, never an admission of hurt or worry. Time wouldn’t interrupt if he needed to get something off his chest. Goddesses knew he deserved it.

“I took the responsibility of the war on my own shoulders,” Warriors continued, eyes never leaving Sky’s face. “Blamed myself for the war, even though it clearly wasn’t all just because of a woman’s twisted obsession. But I blamed myself anyway. Went to face her alone. Nearly died at the hands of my own Shadow.”

Time’s gaze drifted to the captain, eye widening a little. He didn’t even know what to say at this point, but the way Warriors’ grip tightened around Sky indicated that he needed some kind of response.

Before the eldest Link could articulate anything, the captain went on, “Impa was furious. I’d never seen her that mad. The princess wasn’t all that happy with me either. I…” he cleared his throat, “I was just a kid who wanted it to end. A kid who thought I could accomplish anything. A kid who’d been winning battle after battle and thought I could win one more.”

“Captain,” Time tried to say, but found he had nothing to follow up with.

“He’s not like me, Link,” Warriors said, his voice beginning to wobble. “Sky isn’t—he doesn’t walk on to a battlefield like he owns it. He doesn’t wield the Master Sword like it can do anything. He’s a better swordfighter than me, but he’s a silly, sleepy child, lazy and laid back and—”

The captain stopped abruptly, swallowing, his entire body tensing. Time settled his hand on his shoulder, heart heavy.

“What did we do?” Warriors asked all of a sudden, turning vulnerable and pleading eyes towards his leader. “What did we do that made him think he had to do this?”

“I don’t know,” Time answered honestly, voice oh so quiet. He still was trying to figure out if what the Shadow had said held any bearing, if Sky somehow had convinced himself that this was his fault, but it didn’t add up. There was no way the Shadow could have run into just Sky without anyone knowing until this entire fiasco. And even if that were the case, if the Shadow were speaking truth, if somehow it was from Sky’s era… what would compel Sky to think he needed to handle this alone? Why didn’t he just tell them that he knew the enemy?

There were too many unknown factors. Time needed answers. None of this was adding up.

“You know, the sailor said that Sky didn’t even get it,” Warriors continued, shaking his head as his eyes started to glisten with tears. “That he didn’t understand why we’d save him.”

Time felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.

“How could we have failed so badly at communicating that he was part of the team?” Warriors questioned, releasing Sky’s hand and leaning forward to bury his face in his own. “Damn it all, we almost lost him to that.”

Time was still trying to catch his breath from the realization that was eating Warriors alive. Of all the difficulties and journeys he’d been through, and the people he’d seen, the only person who had ever felt so out of place that they would rather die than carry on the farce was—

Himself.

Time sat slowly on Sky’s bed, processing everything, but his hand remained steady on Warriors’ back. He finally found the right words to say. “Captain… this isn’t… you can’t blame yourself for this. We haven’t done anything that would make Sky feel unwanted or unloved. Something else is going on.”

Because something else had to be going on. Malon and her father had welcomed Time with open arms, but that hadn’t fixed the wounds in his heart and soul that had nearly led to permanent disaster. No one person had been responsible for it.

This had to do with Sky’s own adventure. He knew it.

Time hastily shoved the emotions aside in lieu of this new information. He was terrible at addressing emotions, particularly his own, but he could puzzle things out. And this gave him something to focus on instead of drowning.

Warriors took slow, measured breaths, face still hidden in his hands, but Time could feel his posture changing, his muscles relaxing and then stiffening in waves. He was slowly trying to recollect himself. Time didn’t try to speed the process, and instead swept his hand gently up and down the captain’s back. To his relief, Warriors relaxed under his touch.

“How can you be sure?” Warriors asked tiredly.

“Because I, too, have been through something similar,” Time acknowledged. “Not in the same fashion as you or Sky, but… I understand. This isn’t about us, Link.”

Warriors huffed, hands tracing down his face, pulling at the skin before they fell to his lap. “So we’re just collateral damage.”

“No,” Time reasoned out. “He’s trying to protect us.”

Like I did. A Hero forgotten to time that shouldn’t have existed, protecting those who would never understand.

Sky had spoken of the Ocarina of Time as a “timeshift instrument.” That implied the boy had probably done some time traveling of his own.

The eldest Link had to admit, he had never given much consideration to Sky’s own history and story, having little interest in hearing about the Master Sword, but now he realized he really should have paid more attention. He shook his head and bit his tongue, saving the internal beratement for later. Warriors needed him now, and considering everything the captain had done for him a month ago when Twilight had been dying, he owed it to the younger man.

And he needed to do better as their leader, anyway.

“Idiot,” Warriors finally grumbled, pulling a chuckle out of his elder.

“Yes,” Time agreed. “Now let’s focus on helping him remember he’s surrounded by fellow heroes. Such as a brave captain whose worth far surpasses his appearance or abilities in battle, whose heroics stem from his heart.”

Warriors’ face, tired and fragile as it was, contorted for a moment, lip wobbling, and he cleared his throat loudly, squeezing his eyes shut and looking away.

“Didn’t think you had it in you, old man,” the captain tried to say casually, though his voice shook and his laugh was wet. He sniffled, hands grasping his tunic with such intensity his knuckles turned white. Time’s own hand was steady, continuing to soothe along his back. Warriors finally seemed to grow uncomfortable with this degree of vulnerability and rose, still facing away, Time’s gentle touch now out of reach.

“Captain,” Time started, trying to say that it was okay to be hurting, but Warriors cut him off.

“You’re right,” the captain said, his voice growing stronger. When he finally did turn, his face was flushed, eyes glassy, but there were no tears on his cheeks, no wobbling of his lips. His face was turning to stone as he tried to steel himself. “We need to get to the bottom of this. This—this can’t—”

Warriors swallowed, brow furrowing in frustration and determination, but the words were trapped in his throat.

“This can’t happen again,” Time agreed quietly.

The door opened behind them, and both men turned to see Twilight standing in the entranceway. Warriors sighed heavily, heading towards the exit.

“I’ll check on the others,” he muttered, not bothering to look behind him.

Time watched the captain go and the rancher approach. Twilight’s eyes were fixed on Sky.

“How’s he doing?” his descendant asked softly.

“No change since before,” Time answered, his heart aching at how much all of this was hurting everyone. A restless energy pulled at him, growing impatient for Sky to awaken so they could get this figured out. He didn’t dare wake the boy, though, terrified that he wouldn’t heal properly. But another fear pulled at him, demanding that he wake him just to make sure he could wake up.

It had been almost three days, but the image of Sky dying in his arms hadn’t left his mind.

Twilight knelt at Sky’s bedside, running his hand through the teenager’s hair. Neither hero spoke for a good while before the younger one said, “Do you ever wonder… where in the timeline Sky is?”

“Far more now than I did,” Time admitted. “How are the others?”

“Little sailor’s still is upset,” Twilight answered. “He won’t say why, though. But you can see it. Champion and the Veteran are trying to cheer him up. Traveler’s taking a nap; the little guy’s with him.”

Any other discourse on the subject was interrupted with a whimper. Sky’s brow furrowed, face pinched in pain or concern or distress as he squirmed in the bed. Twilight and Time both leaned forward in concern, Twilight’s hand resting on Sky’s chest as Time’s reached to him as well.

Sky awoke with a start, eyes blown wide, breaths coming in quick, short rasps. He tried to shoot into an upright position, but Twilight caught him just as he made it halfway and nearly collapsed.

“It’s okay,” Twilight immediately soothed gently, pulling Sky to his chest.

“You’re safe,” Time added, hand resting on Sky’s shoulder and catching the boy’s attention.

Sky swiftly gained control of his breathing, eyes flickering between Time and Twilight with some degree of anxiety. His gaze lingered on Twilight, looking up at him from where he was snuggled in his hold, and he seemed to wilt, looking down at his lap.

"Nightmare?" Twilight asked. The teenager didn't respond, but they both knew it had to have been.

“We need to talk,” Time said firmly, cutting to the chase, though the gravity of his voice was lessened by the way his thumb traced gently on the teenager in an attempt to calm him.

“Let’s get some food, okay?” Twilight suggested, softening the words further as Sky nearly shriveled into him. “Come on.”

Twilight went to pick Sky up, but the young knight wiggled out of his grip, scooting to the edge of the bed. Time stood, and he and the Ordonian flanked the young knight to help him stand. He walked shakily, and by the time he reached the door he was panting for air.

“I can carry you, Sky, it’s okay,” Twilight insisted, scooping the boy up as the knight let out a small groan in protest.

“Best let him,” Time added with a gentle smile. “Our rancher is not going to let you out of his sight for a long time, so you might as well get used to it.”

Sky eyed him uncertainly, slumping in Twilight’s hold as the pair exited the room. Time would let his descendant fuss over the boy for a little bit, would let Sky get a potion and some food in his belly, before he continued his earlier attempt. He wasn’t sitting on this problem for too long – the boy had died because of it.

He’d died. Legend was right, and though Time refused to linger on the grief as much as the veteran had, it…

Time sighed, following Twilight into the larger room where everyone else was gathered. The group grew silent as they saw Sky, and then they huddled around the ranch hand.

“How are you feeling?” Legend asked first.

Sky didn’t speak. Twilight gently placed him on a sofa, and Wild and Legend immediately flanked him.

“Here,” Wild said, shoving a bowl of stew into the knight’s face. “Eat. You need it.”

“And then drink this,” Legend ordered, holding a potion.

Sky did as he was told without complaint. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting to see what they should do next. The tension was ever growing, worry and frustration bubbling just below the surface. Warriors hovered close by, anxious energy driving him to rock between foot to foot.

The champion watched him carefully as he ate the stew. “You know it’s not your fault, right?”

Sky paused after a sip, body going rigid.

“Whatever the Shadow was talking about,” Wild tried to continue. “This—none of this is your fault, your failure.”

“You don’t know what he was talking about,” Sky suddenly snapped, eyes narrowing, catching Time off guard with his vehemence.

“Well I can’t know if you don’t talk to me!” Wild replied sharply, rising to his feet. “I want to help you, Sky. I don’t remember much of my past, but I do remember feeling so utterly silenced and alone and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Talk to us! Tell us what’s wrong! Why did—why did you leave us?”

“Look, whatever bullshit the Shadow said isn’t true,” Legend said with a wave of his arm. “You know that. How could any of this be your fault? You were just as confused as we were when we all ran into each other!”

“I fought my Shadow before,” Hyrule added. “The one we’re pursuing could be anyone’s, really. Or something far worse; I’ve never seen such magic, after all. But it doesn’t matter. I didn’t invent my Shadow just as you didn’t invent this one, you know.”

“None of this is your fault,” Twilight assured gently from across the couch.

Sky dipped his head down, fingers trembling as he held the bowl.

Four broke the silence. “…He… he was right, wasn’t he?”

The Skyloftian practically wilted, shrinking into himself, shaking like a leaf. Twilight hastily took the bowl out of his hands before it could fall and shatter on the ground.

Time knelt in front of him, eye piercing into him as Sky hesitantly glanced up under his hair. He averted his gaze the instant he locked eyes with their leader.

“Tell us the truth, Link.”

The room held its breath, waiting for an answer.

“He was right,” Sky whispered, propping his feet in front of him on the sofa, hiding his face in his knees. “It’s my fault.”

In his periphery, Time saw Legend about to say something when Warriors put a hand on the veteran’s shoulder to silence him. Twilight was about to hasten forward to soothe the young knight’s tears, but Time put an arm in his way.

The eldest Link studied Sky carefully. Whatever caused him to blame himself for was clearly tearing him apart.

This was the reason he had left the group in the first place.

“What is?” Time prompted quietly.

“E-everything,” Sky continued, fighting desperately to speak through hiccupped sobs. “I—it’s—Ganon is m-my fault, I f-fought his predecessor, t-the one who started it all, who h-hurt all of you!”

The room was still as everyone watched Sky gasp for air in order to explain.

“I—I f-fought Demise,” Sky explained, a hair’s breadth from unraveling. “H-he was—he was Ganon’s predecessor, o-or maybe Ganon before he was called that—he—he said—he c-cursed me, all of us, and s-said—he’d follow Zelda’s d-descendants a-and—and the Spirit of the H-Hero and—and I didn’t stop it—”

Everyone let him cry a moment, trying to process what he’d said. Time tried to process what he’d said.

A curse. They were cursed? Because of this Demise person that Sky had fought? Did he mean in that they had to fight Ganon? The curse was that evil would return? Was Demise Ganon?

I fought his predecessor.

Farore above. Time and Twilight exchanged looks, comprehension dawning on his descendant’s face as well.

Sky predated all of them. All those weeks ago, when he hadn’t known who Ganon was, it was simply because Ganon hadn’t been known by that title yet.

Sky was the first Hero.

And the boy had known it. He’d been festering in these thoughts, he’d been drowning in them.

He’d left to fight the Shadow to fix it.

How could he possibly fix it? What delusion would lead him to believe that defeating the Shadow would stop the curse? What made him think he could salvage what he believed to have destroyed?

Had he assumed they’d just let him? Had he assumed they wouldn’t care about him anymore if they found out?

Time had heard enough.

Moving closer, he slowly pulled Sky to him. He held the boy tightly, so tightly it almost hurt, and Sky melted into him, knees sliding down so the pair could be heart to heart. The young knight became incoherent with his sobs, though Time could hear I’m sorry stammered over and over and over.

Just like when he’d died.

And oh how the pieces fell into place. Oh how Time’s heart hurt. Oh how he knew of such guilt, how he remembered it finally sinking in after Kakariko was set ablaze all those years ago, how a nine-year-old child in a sixteen-year-old’s body finally registered that the world had been irreparably damaged because he’d opened the way to the Sacred Realm. The years after taught him that it was not his fault alone, that it was an accident, but he knew.

He figured, unfortunately, that they all knew to a degree. They were all human, after all. They all made mistakes.

Sky had nearly—actually—gotten himself killed out of guilt. He had been avoiding them out of guilt.

“T-the—the Shadow—” Sky tried to continue. “Ganon, G-Ganondorf, they’re all my fault!”

“So, like, this Demise guy became Ganon?” Wind surmised quietly.

“I think that’s the idea,” Four murmured.

“Wait,” Wild chimed in. “So Sky fought Demise, and Demise won and cursed him? Cursed all of us?”

Legend shrugged. “You think we’re going to get the full story out of him now?”

Sky was practically hyperventilating at this point. Time squeezed harder, and he could feel the boy struggle to breathe against him. Dipping his face into Sky’s hair, he gave him a soft reassuring kiss on his head.

“Shh,” he whispered so only Sky could hear. “Breathe, Sky. It’s okay.”

To his credit, Sky did try. He took one shuddering breath after another, holding it and releasing it. The occasional hiccup interrupted the pattern, and he’d start to spiral again until Time shushed him gently once more. As Sky’s breathing settled into exhausted panting rather than choking gasps, Time released his hold a little, letting Sky lean back a little. The teenager’s head rested on Time’s chest, his eyes closed as he sniffled.

“What happened with Demise?” Time tried again. He needed to finish getting the full picture. Sky’s guilt over a curse and a perceived failure had caused this, but Sky’s perception was clearly off. Time needed facts.

“Did he defeat you?” Wild asked quietly.

Sky’s eyes snapped open, and his entire body stiffened. The tears practically evaporated in the searing heat of his sudden anger. He wasn’t glaring at anyone in particular, but the look was enough to make Time take a step back.

“No,” Sky spat. “I killed him. But before he died, he—he said—he cursed all of you. He said—he said he’d come back. Again and again and again. And I just stood there and let him do it.”

Sky turned to look at Wild now, fists so tight the skin was paling, but it was obvious the vitriol was aimed only at himself. “You speak of failure, as if the Calamity that destroyed your world was your fault. I destroyed all of Hyrule for all time, before it was ever even made. I destroyed Skyloft’s future. My people, my home, my family, and all of you. The future! I destroyed all of it!”

His anger evaporated in an instant as the words finally spilled out, and the tears returned. Sky crumpled to the ground, Time and Twilight barely able to catch him before he hit the floor.

“And h-he—and he—the Shadow—” Sky sobbed. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry—”

The group watched helplessly for a moment as Time held the boy, not knowing what to say but desperately wanting to soothe him.

“You didn’t destroy Hyrule.”

The first to speak was their youngest. Wind stood, tall and defiant, glaring at the Skyloftian.

“Hyrule won’t be destroyed by anyone,” Wind continued. “Even without a Hero, it persevered. And it needs its heroes. We’re not cursed.”

“That’s right,” The traveler agreed, also rising and nodding. “We chose to fight and we’re proud of it. We defeat that curse time and again. And Hyrule always survives.”

“You didn’t all choose it,” Sky disagreed shakily, clearly distressed still. “I—I know you didn’t. And you—some of you were children. It isn’t fair—”

“Ganon is hardly fair, and he’s far beyond anything we can comprehend,” Warriors cut in. “When I fought him, my predecessor had split his soul into pieces to prevent him from ever returning and even that didn’t work. You can’t… you can’t blame yourself for a demonic power that’s far beyond any of us.”

“Speak for yourself,” Legend suddenly snapped. “Far beyond any of us. Ha! We all defeated him.”

Sky watched Legend with fear evident in his eyes. Time threw a stern glare towards the veteran, warning him to watch his words. The teenager ignored him.

“Sky,” Legend said slowly. “Ganon’s killed people like us. I came from the legacy of a Hero who fell when he fought him. The fact that you bested him is a testament to your strength, it is a testament to the fact that you did everything you could. I defeated him and he still came back. Our traveler is proof of that. You’re not responsible for his curse, he is.”

“B-but it was my job to prevent that,” Sky argued. “Hylia chose me to stop him, to kill him. It was—it was supposed to be over.”

“Who’s Hylia?” Wind whispered to Four, who shrugged.

“I was supposed to end the threat as well,” Time said. “Yet my descendant fought the very same monster I had. And not only that, but he somehow managed to attack the Sailor in a completely different timeline.”

“B-but—”

“Link. Stop trying to rationalize this.” Time interrupted, reaching forward to rest his hands on Sky’s arms. “You can’t rationalize that kind of hatred. Ganon isn’t a man, he’s a monster. And you’re not to blame for his actions.”

“He cursed me and I didn’t kill him!” Sky yelled. “He was saying the words, I could have ended it then!”

“So why didn’t you?” Four questioned quietly.

“B-because—because—” Sky stammered, hyperventilating, terrified now that he was under scrutiny. Time was going to just end the conversation there, but the knight continued, “I thought—I didn’t know, I didn’t know! Ghirahim spoke words just like that and they were empty—he didn’t set his mind to murdering me until the end, he was just insane and—and Demise was already dying, and I—”

“Listen well, Link,” Legend said firmly, walking closer to him and holding his attention. “Whatever his words may have been, that doesn’t even guarantee you could have stopped him. And of my many adventures, I didn’t even fight him in all of them. Enemies will always rise to destroy this land, and the Heroes of Hyrule will always rise to fight them. That’s not a curse. It’s an honor.”

Sky watched him a long time, seeming to let the words sink in, but something darkened his features, and he glanced at Time. “Such an honor that you hate those who helped you through it? That you hate anything having to do with it?”

Time stared, dumbfounded, and then understood. Sky was no longer talking about Ganon.

This was about that damn sword.

Sighing, Time looked away a moment, trying to find the right words. Malon would immediately know what to say to soothe him. Time wasn’t going to lie – his childhood certainly hadn’t been pleasant. But he wouldn’t for one second blame Sky for that. Not when he himself had heard Ganondorf utter a curse against him to follow him, and now learned that two other heroes had to deal with the man.

Perhaps that was a good place to start. “Sky, you’re not the only one who’s let him return to attack again. We’re all testaments of that. Do you think we all blame each other for it?”

“You can’t blame yourself,” Warriors said firmly. “It’s pointless to take accountability for the actions of someone else, no matter what. You can’t control Demise, or Ganondorf, or anyone else. You defeated him, as was your duty. That’s all anyone can ask for.”

“But now this!” Sky suddenly shouted, tears returning. “Now this, with this Shadow, who says he came from me, that Demise poisoned my soul—”

“Shadows are creatures of dark magic,” Time explained, tone demanding Sky to listen. The knight hiccupped a little pathetically, but he didn’t continue to argue, letting his elder say further, “They feed off darkness, off negative emotions and traits, but they’re not part of us. They’re dark personifications of us. Traveler has fought his Shadow. I have fought mine. The captain has fought his.”

“Three of them, actually,” Warriors admitted dully.

Everyone stared at the captain a moment.

“Goddesses above, how much ego did you have back then to power three Shadows?” Twilight blurted out.

Warriors huffed. “It wasn’t that bad! I had plenty of other negative traits to utilize as well!”

And the dam broke.

First it was Wild who barked out a laugh. Then Four. Then Legend snorted so loudly it made Wind cackle as well. Before long, everyone was laughing.

Well, almost everyone.

As the air filled with giggles and cheerful uproar, Time leaned in so only Sky could hear him. “You’re not alone, Sky. You can’t blame yourself for this. No matter what the Shadow said. We’re all here to help each other. None of us blames you for any of it.”

“Hylia trusted me,” Sky sniffled. “Zelda trusted me.”

“Trusted you to do what?”

“To end it. To make sure war didn’t start again.”

“Again. So he’d done this before?”

Sky buried his face in his hands, and Time let it go briefly, pulling him back to his chest.

“Listen to me,” he whispered. “None of this is your fault. Everything that happened to us after you… that was Demise’s doing. You can’t possibly account for everything that beast can do. I certainly couldn’t, nor could any of the others. But we all defeated him and brought peace to our land and time. You’re not a god, Sky – you can’t protect all the timeline. Even I can’t do that.”

“I’m sorry,” the young one whimpered.

Time’s heart broke again, holding him in his arms as he apologized. The stale air of Arbiter’s Grounds suddenly filled his chest, the dry heat prickled at his skin.

“Don’t apologize,” Time practically growled as he held the boy tightly. “Don’t you dare ever apologize for any of this.”

The laughter around them had faded, lost in Sky’s cries and Time’s order. Everyone huddled around them.

“We love you, Sky,” Wind assured him, his voice shaking a little. Warriors put a hand on the sailor’s shoulder and leaned in as everyone else did.

“You pull this shit again and I’ll kill you myself,” Legend added thickly, burying his face in Sky’s shoulder.

Sky coughed a laugh into Time’s chest. “Sor—”

“No,” Time hissed. “Don’t apologize.”

And so the knight held his tongue, letting himself be held by the other heroes. After a few minutes, the hug slowly eased off, though everyone hovered close. Twilight tossed pillows on the ground so everyone could sit in a circle around Time and Sky. As the Skyloftian calmed, letting himself stay in Time’s protective embrace, a more placid conversation started, turning the original interrogation into a story to be told instead.

Sky was sometimes vague on details, but Warriors pressed for every piece of information. Hylia’s identity and role in the matter, the legends of the war led by a demon king, a god of chaos and destruction and hatred who tried to destroy not only what would be Hyrule, but the entire world. And, most importantly, Sky’s role in this legend.

The boy had fought a god.

“So, to be clear, you, a tiny little student who lived in the sky, fought the god of destruction who nearly annihilated the world, including a goddess, and you’re upset you couldn't entirely kill him despite defeating him.” Legend summarized flatly.

Warriors huffed. “That’s certainly an impressive feat. But by the goddesses, I thought I had an ego – what would make you think you could summarily destroy a god, Sky?”

“I did,” Sky noted bitterly. “With the Triforce. But then Ghirahim interfered and traveled to the past.”

“Of course he did,” Time grumbled under his breath. That had to be what Sky was talking about with timeshift items.

“To be so close…” Four muttered thoughtfully. “It’s no wonder it’s so frustrating. But still… why didn’t you tell any of us? Why did you just set out?”

Sky squirmed a little in Time’s embrace. “I… everyone talked about how the Shadow could be Ganon. I had to… I wanted to finish what I’d started. Rancher had almost died, and… and I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

Guilt, as Time had figured. But apparently also just plain adolescent stupidity.

The same pride and bravery that led to a child princess creating an intricate plan that would fail. Time bit back a sad laugh. If he had any doubt about Sky’s place in the royal family lineage, it was fading fast.

Goddesses, the boy would start the royal family, wouldn’t he?

“Wow. And I thought Rancher was bad,” Wild noted.

Twilight threw him a dull glare. “You’re not any better, Champion.”

“You saw time and again how much effort it took to eliminate just the monsters he was sending everywhere,” Legend pointed out, growing frustrated. “Yet you thought you could take him on alone? You saw what he did to—”

“That’s why I had to do it,” Sky argued, pulling out of Time’s arms as he filled with fiery energy. “Everyone here has done their part, and I—”

The knight’s mouth clamped shut as everyone dared him to finish his sentence. Instead, he sighed in defeat, leaning back against his elder’s chest.

It was going to take time for Sky to believe what they had told him. It would take a while for him to accept that he wasn’t at fault. But Time was certain they would all be keeping an eye on him and ensuring he did finally accept the truth.

“Where’s the potion?” Time asked softly, rubbing Sky’s arm reassuringly and ending the stressful conversation.

Hyrule wordlessly grabbed it and held it out. When Sky started to falter in holding it, Warriors leaned over to assist.

“I believe that’s enough excitement for tonight,” Time remarked, standing and pulling Sky up with him, easily situating him in a carry like he’d done multiple times while the boy had slept.

“You need rest as well, old man,” Warriors noted, holding out his arms. “Your advanced years require it.”

The younger Links snorted back laughs, and Time let the jab slide. He could see the pleading in the captain’s eyes, the need to just hold the boy. He handed him over.

As Sky let himself be carried, he felt his heart racing despite the exhaustion pulling him under. He heard murmuring and wishes of good night, and a last promise of their care from many of his brothers-in-arms. He felt like he could break apart once more.

It felt… he didn’t know. Freeing and heartbreaking. An acceptance he couldn’t possibly deserve, but desperately wanted. A promise that it wasn’t his fault that couldn’t possibly be true.

But… the others had spoken of things that he had not considered.

Ganondorf had uttered a curse to Time. They all had successors despite their victories. But…

It still didn’t change the fact that it had started with Sky.

And it didn’t answer the questions that the Shadow’s words had brought forth.

Sky felt his world shift as Warriors settled on the bed alongside him, letting him rest on the captain like a pillow. The elder Link wouldn’t let go.

Sky felt the guilt crush him anew, though with a different flavor.

“I’m sorry I caused all this,” he mumbled, too exhausted to elaborate, wishing more than anything he didn’t have to apologize anymore despite knowing he should.

Warriors sighed through his nose. “You’re more stubborn than I gave you credit for. How many times do we have to tell you—”

“No,” Sky interrupted. “I mean… I mean for what’s happened lately. I’m… I guess I didn’t…”

“Didn’t expect us to care that much?”

Sky shriveled a little. No. He… he hadn’t.

Why would he? He was among the quietest and least noticed in the group. He was teased for his sleepiness, admired for his fighting prowess but never really…

Legend had cried. He’d made Legend cry. He’d hurt all of them. The fact that the captain was refusing to let go... he'd figured that, next to Time, Warriors certainly viewed him with the least concern. Time for obvious reasons, but the captain... Sky just couldn't compare to him. Besides...

Sky was always the invisible one, it felt like. But he supposed maybe how he felt was wrong.

“I’m sorry,” was all he could say.

“I’m sorry too,” Warriors acknowledged. “I’m sorry you ever thought that… goddesses, Link, we…”

“I know,” Sky said for him, knowing he was struggling to express himself. They all struggled with that sometimes, but someone as stoic as the captain was especially prone to it. Sky knew that about him. He knew a lot about all of them. He’d observed a lot. It allowed him to ease seamlessly between his brothers, to help them and soothe their worries, to figure out the best way to keep the peace between all of them.

He'd always just felt like the helper, but never really belonging. He supposed…

Well, he certainly felt far more seen than ever. He wasn’t sure he enjoyed all the attention, but goddess if it wasn’t validating and reassuring.

“We love you, Sky,” Warriors whispered so softly Sky almost missed it.

The young knight could hear the captain’s heart racing, could feel how his arms shook. He basked in the surprise and assurance of it before his heart could no longer take the pain radiating from his fellow knight. He wiggled a little bit to return the hug he was receiving, willing all his warmth and care into it, suddenly filled with concern. “I love you too.”

Warriors took a shaky breath, and one of his hands slid up to hold the back of Sky’s head as he buried his face in the younger knight’s hair. The bed gently sank as someone else joined, and Sky could feel the wolf pelt against his skin. As the warmth of the embrace and the promise of love and safety enveloped him, he vaguely heard more footsteps shuffle in, though by the time he had fallen asleep he’d lost count of how many of his brothers had managed to sneak into the room.

Time was last, smiling down at all his boys as they huddled around the Skyloftian in the center. They were all back together, and he was safe, and their leader would ensure it stayed that way.

The promise of safety felt a little more tenuous the next morning when the queen brought information of a portal being spotted by Lake Hylia. But the assurance of Sky remaining with the group was all the promise they needed. Everyone kept a close eye on the young knight as they traveled together.

The gate stood before them, dark and ominous. But they stood together, united and strong. They would keep each other safe.

Hylia’s Chosen Hero looked to the others. He saw Wild, scarred but continuing despite it all. He saw Wind, optimistic, a promise of a future yet to come. He saw Legend, beaten down by life but not defeated by it. He saw Four, eager and ready to face the unknown. He saw Hyrule, relentless and resolute. He saw Twilight, heart ever glowing and bleeding for those around him. He saw Time, wise and strong. He saw Warriors, the knight that he sought to be.

Shifting his blade on his back, feeling her hum against him, Sky stared determinedly through the portal, and marched ahead with his brothers.

#writing #linkeduniverse #linked universe #lu sky #elastic heart #hope you like it <3 #it feels nice to finish this #I feel pretty happy with it #let me know what you think :)

74 notes · View notes

elexuscal · 5 months

Note

ficlet prompt: fill in that scene scene where three tried to get mb to take its armor by pointing at it for like 3 minutes while everyone tried to figure out what it wanted

Adjustments

So. The SecUnit thing. The thing with the SecUnits. That thing.

Turi was adjusting pretty well to it all, they thought. You didn't get accepted to a job like this if you couldn't adjust quickly, or if you couldn't handle unconventional AIs. But the fact that the SecUnits looked so much like human made it that much easier to be taken by surprise when they didn't act like one. Like now, for example.

They were going through the ship's armoury, taking inventory, and putting things back where they belonged, after the invaders (or infected colonists, they supposed) had trashed the place. It had been a long-term project to clean the sheer scale of the mess, but they were finally getting things in order. Which was good, because things were heating up with Barrish-Estranza, and they needed to know where their equipment was if/when things finally caught fire.

Turi had been vaguely aware of Three leading SecUnit towards the lockers. (Yes, it was mildly that one SecUnit just went by 'SecUnit'.) They'd glanced at the pair, then away, since both SecUnits were sensitive to that kind of thing. (Which was kind of hypocritical, to be honest, but then when you'd escaped corporate brain slavery, you were entitled to a little hypocrisy Turi supposed.) Mostly Turi's attention had been occupied with ensuring all of the flashlights were functional, while the rest wished they could help sort the weapons, and idly wondered if the captain would let Turi get fire-arm certified during the off-season....

That was when Perihelion poked them in the feed. {Turn around.}

Obediently, Turi turned around.

The two SecUnits were still standing by the locker. Three was pointing at it. Turi would have assumed it was having a silent conversation in the feed, and maybe it was, but clearly that wasn't helping, because SecUnit turned around and looked Turi in the eyes with an expression that could only be described as 'pleading'.

(Well, and irritated. But SecUnit always looked irritated.)

"What is it?" Turi asked, careful to keep their voice upbeat and pleasant.

"It won't tell me," SecUnit groused. Whined, even.

"My armour is inside."

"Right." Turi tilted their head. "Do you need help getting the locker open..?"

"No," said Three.

"No," said SecUnit.

With a click, the locker opened. Peri. It could have done that like two minutes ago, Turi thought. What game was it playing here?

Even though the armour was now sitting there, Three did not move towards it.

"Do you... want to put it on?" Turi ventured. "No."

Okay. Turi tried, "Is it damaged? Does it need repairs?"

"No," said Three. Its expression looked distinctly frustrated at this point.

Perihelion was annoyed too. {Obviously I would not have put it away if it was damaged.}

On their private connection, Turi said, {You can complain when you actually start facilitating this conversation.} The ship huffed.

"Do you need help putting it on?" Turi asked Three.

Again, it said, "No."

By now, their little confused knot had attracted attention. Overse came over from the other side of the armour. "Everything okay here?"

"We're fine," SecUnit said. That's the answer it gave any time now anyone so much as gave a ghost of a suggestion that it might not, in fact, be fine.

"Mmnhmn?" said Overse, more comfortable of expression her doubt than Turi was. "Three?"

"I am fine," Three said, with a stutter on that last word. It paused, "No one is using the armour."

"No," agreed Overse, after a pause. "Not right now. Would you like to be using it?"

"N--" Three began. Then stopped. "Someone should use the armour on the next ground mission."

Turi met Overse's gaze. Overse's eyebrows went up.

"It could be advantageous," Turi agreed. "Depending on the specific mission. Do you want to wear it?" They'd already asked, but maybe it just needed a little more gentle prodding.

Pointing at SecUnit, Three said, "SecUnit is more experienced than me."

Was it? Turi wasn't actually sure. More experienced as a free agent, certainly, but in total? Turi had no idea. Now that she thought of it, How old were each of the SecUnits? And how did age even work for them, anyway?

As Turi was wrestling with how to frame the question tactfully, Overse had managed to narrow in on the more concerning part of Three's statement. "SecUnit is more established on the team," she agreed. "But the armour is yours. It doesn't get to co-opt it from you. No one does."

"Yes," SecUnit said in a rush, "I don't want it."

Brow furrowed and lips twisted, Three said, "Why not?"

"Because I just do." It stepped away, like it was intending to march out of the room, then jerked to a halt. "I won't wear it."

"You don't have to," Turi said, almost in chorus with Overse. Overse tilted her head at them, letting Turi continue. "We have enviro-suits and other field-outfits that can work similarly to armour. Or we could modify this armour, if you'd prefer, Three."

{If we are going to deploy this armour, I recommend altering the color scheme,} Peri interjected with a sneer. {At the very least.} It was currently in BE orange and brown, which obviously would lead to some awkward questions. But no doubt their hyper-competent research transport would have a half dozen other ideas to improve the design.

"But..." If Three said anything more, it was over the feed.

Maybe it did. Clearly something happened the humans could not follow, because that was the point where SecUnit really did march out of the room. Three stared after it, bearing a painful resemblance to Turi's childhood puppy with separation anxiety.

Trying to banish that (somewhat) unfair comparison, Turi turned to Three wearing what they hoped was a comforting smile. "So! The armour! Would you like to make any changes?"

The 'like' word was a tough one with Three. The past month had made that abundantly clear. But it was adjusting. It said, "What changes are possible?"

Yeah, so, okay. They were all still adjusting to the rogue SecUnits thing. But this, Turi could work with.

#murderbot diaries #system collapse #murderbot spoilers #oh look this one ended up even longer

147 notes · View notes

ms-nesbit · 4 months

Text

blue chicago (final chap. of sweet home chicago)

Chapters 1 and 2 here

Rating: 18+ (minors will be banned into the shadow realm)

Warnings: oral sex, vaginal sex, praise kink, jason is gentle ig

Summary: continuation of y/n and Jason’s first date. Jason wants to figure out where their relationship, if any, continues after his return to Gotham

Y/n ordered an uber for the couple, holding their phone in their hand and preemptively checking the plates and model of the vehicle to ensure their safety. “There’s a killer in Chicago right now, y’know. I might not be their demographic, but you probably are.”

Jason cocked his head in confusion. “I think I can manage.” he commented with a naive grin, reminiscing on the last time he caused a mob boss in Bludhaven to fall to his knees.

As they packed into the Fiat (for Jason, like a sardine, as he had to tuck his legs in order to fit even remotely comfortably), y/n began to point out different landmarks and their history.

“So you’ve been here a while I take it?”

Y/n took their eyes from the passing buildings, old and new, to look directly at Jason. Under the fleeing lights that escaped their view, y/n could make out his curiosity for them, his hazel eyes more gray than blue. “Long enough to know that there’s a killer that the CPD refuses to acknowledge, and that you always lock your doors after eight-thirty.” Y/n sighed, Jason’s gaze growing in intensity, so much that y/n had to look away. “I’ve never been to Gotham. Heard that their crime puts mine to shame.”

Jason let out a tired laugh. “Yeah, that’s about the only thing we really excel at.” he cleared his throat and glanced at the driver, whose eyes were narrowed at the traffic ahead, before he continued. “I mean, I can show you around sometime, if you ever want to take a vacation and see… I dunno, something.”

“So you don’t like it much?” Y/n moved their knees to face Jason, relaxing their shoulders on the back rest of the seat.

Jason shook his head. “To be honest, it’s home. Kinda like that weirdly toxic ex you keep coming back to, y’know?” Y/n rolled their eyes and nodded. “I’ve been to a few cities, including this one, and Gotham just feels comfortable to me. There isn’t much except the vigilantes in muscle suits, but I guess it gives the town some flavor.”

“I’ve been curious about the bat. I’m sure that’s gotta be some scary shit. Have you ever seen him?”

“Uhm,” Jason searched for an appropriate response without blowing his identity or his adoptive father’s. “Everyone who reads the newspaper or watches the news really knows what he looks like, but I can’t say for certain that I agree with his methodology.”

Y/n crept closer, scooting in their seat. “Methodology?” they repeated, running their fingers through their curls.

“Yeah, he…” Jason kissed his teeth in frustration, his visible disapproval enough to shift the mood in the compact vehicle, “he captures these guys, and some of them are really fucked up, and he just…lets them go to the police.”

Y/n rolled their eyes again, their demur matching Jason’s. “Then they get released, right? Because I’m almost certain that Gotham PD isn’t much better than Chicago’s.”

Nodding slowly, Jason’s hair mildly swayed with his head shaking. The way the strands fell out of place seemed right for him, y/n noted to themself. “There are a few places that I could take you to, if you were to, y’know, want to see a man dressed up as a flying mammal.” He interlocked his fingers, and y/n noticed a miniscule scar on the middle finger of his right hand that crawled up to the cuff of his shirt. When Jason followed y/n’s eyes, he withdrew his hands and crossed his arms. “There’s a bakery right in downtown, and a nice school there if you want to check out their law library.”

He smiled at y/n, who was still stuck on the scars - where did they come from? Why is he hesitant about them? Y/n wondered, their questions on the horizon, but not quite washed up to the shore of their tongue. “You really want me to check out this lawless town of yours, huh?”

“Well, I mean,” heat rose to Jason’s cheeks, “if you’re interested, I surely wouldn’t want you walking around alone, y’know? Some of those crooks take advantage of out-of-towners, and I think that you might-”

“Stick out like a sore thumb?” y/n finished, catching Jason in his words. “For a first date, you’re certainly charming with your words.”

Jason rubbed the back of his neck, opening his mouth to begin speaking before the uber driver abruptly announced their arrival. He wondered if the driver was used to the banter, and after y/n exited the tiny backseat, the driver muttered a quick, “You two have fun now,” to Jason, while giving him a knowing grin.

Fixing their outfit, y/n waited for Jason as they entered their key code (using their free hand to cup the dials to maintain some sort of confidentiality) and opened the door once they gained entry. “You ready?” Y/n stated as more of a precautionary word as opposed to a question. It drew Jason’s eyes from y/n’s wide hips to the building itself.

The building was…a building, and Jason was almost upset that someone like y/n could live in a building with a malfunctioning fire escape, several boarded up windows, and gaps in the brickwork that tested the integrity of the structure. He blinked back a frown. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Once they entered, Jason felt the hairs on his neck raise in caution. From his upbringing, he knew to take heed of whomever he passed in places like these, and he kept his lips screwed together while his eyes darted to the source of his uneasiness: first, he noticed the flickering, buzzing fluorescent light in the lobby, its cold lighting shining (but dimmed); then, the water damage along the tiled ceiling, with accompanying stains on the corners where the wall met the ceiling, and darker, deeper stains - presumably blood - that sprayed along the lower walls and onto the ground; the lobby desk was empty, devoid of life of any kind, and before y/n called his name from the shabby elevator, Jason could almost make out a tiny inscription carved on the bottommost shelf on the abandoned desk, one that nearly reminded him of…

His thoughts rummaged as he multitasked the date with detective work. He reminded himself of Dick’s warning, ‘Enjoy yourself here, man. Don’t think about work for a bit.’, but one thing Bruce taught Jason was to trust his intuition. After they stepped off from the elevator, which creaked with every shift of weight, Jason followed y/n closely behind, keeping his hand over his right hip, where he stored his trusty blade. His eyes flickered behind him suspiciously, watching over his shoulder for whatever threat may expose themselves to him, and after they entered y/n’s home, Jason still refused to shake off the anxiety he felt.

“I know it’s not the Four Seasons,” y/n began, their tone derisive and self-depreciating, “but it’s my place for right now. And it’s actually nice that I get to learn how to repair things on my own since my landlord is pretty much MIA.”

Jason motioned to his shoes, to which y/n pointed their head to the thinly-wired shoe rack. He placed them there gingerly before returning his attention to y/n. “If you feel safe, and it’s not causing you any respiratory infections with the obvious mold growing in the walls of the hall alone, then I can’t really disagree with you much there.”

The overcoat Jason wore flounced with every motion, and it drove y/n mad, wanting to see what was underneath the layers. They were torn between the slow inspection, or the rapid peeling of clothes. Instead, they sat on the loveseat, their sweater dress hiking up their thighs enough to allow Jason to see where their legs met, the cavernous… “Wanna sit next to me?” Y/n offered, satisfied with Jason’s flustered reaction.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s fine.” he scrambled awkwardly, seating himself next to y/n, and concentrating on anything other than how he wanted to feel how y/n’s skin was underneath the leggings. He placed the plastic tins of cupcakes beside them, and as he settled himself onto the fabric of the couch, he felt his heart race. “So uhm, y/n, I just wanted to say I’ve had a really good time-”

Before Jason could finish his statement, y/n reached over and pulled him into a kiss, their hands instantly wrapping around the back of his neck. Jason’s hands grabbed y/n’s cheeks, holding their face in his hands as he inhaled sharply through his nose. He felt y/n’s fingers snaking into his hair, massaging them lightly as their tongue found its way to Jason’s mouth, deepening the kiss.

Y/n moved to sit on Jason’s lap, stradling it as their legs held his hips tightly. They broke the kiss after a few moments, staring straight at Jason, whose stormy gray and green were swallowed by his pupils. “Do you want this?”

Jason only managed a nod, finding his voice. “Y-yes. Yes I do.” he swallowed, and y/n bit their lip at the way Jason’s Adam's apple bobbed. Pulling their dress over their head, Jason only caught a glimpse of y/n’s skin, soft and peaks supple, before y/n pulled him into a deeper, hungrier kiss.

Y/n felt how hard Jason was becoming under them, and they began to grind their hips down, causing both of them to moan into the kiss. Y/n broke the kiss again, this time to relish in Jason’s quiet noises as he unraveled into a desperate, starved mess. Meanwhile, Jason’s eyes couldn’t pick a place to stay, and they wandered from y/n’s wide waist, up to the maroon racerback bra that they wore, the tops of their breasts calling out to Jason to be touched.

His hands were delayed in reacting, so it took a minute before he allowed himself to cup y/n’s breasts underneath the bra. He wrapped his arms around their waist to unclip the bra, removing it and sitting up to close their mouth on one of y/n’s hardened buds.

“Jesus, I should’ve known you were good with your tongue by the way you eat.” they breathed, arching their back in desperation. Their hips continued to circle against Jason’s clothed erection, but they snuck their hand under their leggings to rub their clit, a frantic attempt to relieve their tension.

The sight drove Jason’s hips to buck up, taking his bottom lip between his teeth to stifle a groan. “Fuck, I’ll do anything.” he was disgusted by how he pled to y/n, his guard quickly relenting to the depths of desire he previously compartmentalized. Y/n moaned in response, their head falling back as they continued to rub their clit underneath their leggings.

Jason debated watching y/n come loose, but his carnal instincts spoke louder to him, and he wanted to be the one to lead y/n to their climax. Without another word, Jason picked y/n up by the hips and placed them on the loveseat, falling to his knees on the wood floor before y/n as he hooked his fingers into the sides of their leggings and pulled them from y/n’s legs in a swift motion.

“Jason, I-” y/n interrupted their own words with a moan as they felt Jason’s breath hot against their core, and they looked down at him.

“Before I continue,” he began, eyes dark with lust, “do you want this?” It was y/n’s turn to be speechless, nodding impatiently as a nervous chuckle left their throat. “Good.” Jason mumbled before dipping his head again, their tongue brushing against y/n’s heat. He watched every movement y/n made, and how their hips rose in tune with their filthy noises. In his heart, he knew this was fast, maybe too fast for him to comprehend, but his heart was quieter than a mouse, and all he searched for in his strokes was for y/n’s release.

He threw a leg over one of his broad shoulders, pressing his tongue deeper against y/n’s core as he continued, his fingers sprawled on y/n’s thighs. He groaned every time y/n cursed, the sin as sweet as a prayer. “Fuck,” y/n gasped, their peak rapidly approaching. “Keep going, Jason, please.” the pleas were dripping with masochistic torment, as he was steadily keeping y/n close to their orgasm, but not quite letting them taste bliss yet.

“With pleasure.” Jason muttered under his breath before he obeyed y/n’s wishes, eyeing them as he watched their jaw drop and profanities spill from their lips. He allowed y/n to ride his face, and while they came down from their high, Jason unbuttoned his slacks and began twisting his wrist, stroking his own cock at the sight of his date in a state of ecstasy.

After catching their breath, y/n noticed Jason’s fierce stare before their eyes moved to his cock. “What are you waiting for?” Their eyebrow cocked in jest.

Jason looked down, embarrassed to admit. “I didn’t think…I don’t have a condom, I’m sorry.”

“You clean?” Jason nodded. “Me too.”

Jason stopped stroking himself, palms resting on his thighs. “Aren’t you afraid of getting pregnant?”

Y/n shook their head. “IUD. Makes periods painful, but at least I don’t have to take a pill or anything like that.” They observed Jason’s expression soften, his anxiety lingering. “If you’re not comfortable, we don’t need to do anything tonight.”

The comment was what Jason needed to allow the remaining weariness to fall from his skin. He stood and shimmied the slacks off from himself, tossing them aside before he pulled y/n to their feet and into a kiss. Y/n immediately brought their hands back to Jason’s hair, tugging delicately to evoke a response from the tall man.

It worked. “Shit.” Jason hissed into the kiss, “Gotta have you.”

Before y/n could process the admission of desire, they felt Jason’s hands on their bare ass, lifting them up from the ground. Y/n wrapped their legs around Jason’s waist with a tight grip, and felt the cold air of the wall against their back. Jason had them pinned, and was impressed with how seamlessly he was able to carry their weight. “Fuck me, please.” Y/n knew it was the word to use if they wanted anything from Jason - at this rate, Jason would give y/n the world with the simple word.

Jason obliged, using a free hand to guide his cock into y/n, groaning at the warm, inviting velvet pulling him in. He rested his forehead against y/n’s, staring at them as he rocked his hips slowly, deeply. With y/n pinned against the wall, their legs around Jason, he was able to move a hand to their breast, thumbing their nipple as he thrusted.

He listened with keen ears to the overt sounds of pleasure that emitted from y/n. He was already so close, despite being in y/n for such little time, and it reflected in how poorly he was able to keep a steady pace, faltering each time y/n clenched around him.

“I’m gonna- y/n, I’m close.” Jason choked out, eyes still fixated on y/n’s.

Y/n interlocked their ankles behind Jason’s back, pulling him in deeper. They again tugged at Jason’s hair, harder this time, and whined, “Not yet. Please, not yet. You feel so good.”

Jason’s hands moved to y/n’s hips, gripping them tightly as he wound his hips up and thrusted harder into y/n, his positioning precisely hitting y/n at a spot that made them curse loudly.

Jason buried his head in y/n’s shoulder, unable to filter out the obscene noises that left his mouth with every move. He was in agony, such deep pleasure that it hurt, but he would be damned if he didn’t want to strip another climax from y/n.

He snaked a hand between him and y/n, lazily circling their sensitive clit, and returned his eyes to y/n’s face as their body twitched, quickly reaching their orgasm. Jason watched with intent, but continued his speed, the room filling with salacious sounds from either of them.

“Holy shit,” Jason choked out, voice lower than before, “Fuck, y/n.” his eyes finally shut, mouth falling open as he found release, letting out a strangled moan as his hips stilled.

Gently lowering y/n back onto their feet, Jason ushered to the box of tissues, pulling out a couple to clean y/n off, then himself.

Y/n hummed as he cleaned them gingerly on the loveseat, their eyes slowly blinking before finally falling to rest. After Jason disposed of the used tissues, he laid his eyes on the slumbering y/n, careful in his movements as not to wake them, and he used his coat as a blanket.

—-

Sunday evening

“Tim.” Dick admonished, repercussions sharp on his tongue. “Stop teasing your brother.”

Tim shrugged before locking his hands behind his head, resting on the armchair of the living room. “Who cares? Guy seems a bit chipper now.”

Jason was. After his date with y/n, he waited for them to wake up - which took nearly all night - and took y/n out for breakfast. They agreed to keep in touch (something Tim and Dick overheard while he was on the phone with y/n), and had his face buried in his phone since.

They were about to check out from the hotel (not quite at the time they planned, but with revisions and planning from the concierge), and Jason was slightly less threatening than usual.

Their trip back to Gotham was dreadful - their flight was delayed, and they had to land in Pennsylvania due to a rapidly approaching storm.

Yet Jason remained hopeful, even when greeted by the passive aggressive Bruce Wayne back at Wayne Manor. He caught wind of their antics and was displeased, but was hushed by a sympathetic Dick when he informed his adoptive father that Jason found someone.

“So…” Bruce lingered in the doorway of Jason’s room for long enough to stir discomfort in the young man. “Do you have any interest in bringing this person over, maybe for the holidays?”

Jason sighed on his bed, rolling his eyes. “Y/n’s coming out in a week. Don’t…tell anyone, though.”

#mine #my post #jason todd #robin #batfamily #red hood #dc #dcu #dick grayson #nightwing #jason todd x reader #jason todd smut #jason todd x midsize reader #jason todd x afab reader

39 notes · View notes

mondaymelon · 1 year

Text

my favorite you (rui kamishiro x gn! reader)

warnings! slight suggestive content, fluff, angst

_________________________________

"Ah..." Rui's voice was quiet as he pulled back the curtains covering the windows of his room. Outside, the rain was relentless, pouring down seemingly endlessly and filling the room with the sound pitter-pattering raindrops. His amber eyes seemed to sparkle as he turned to glance at where you sat on his plush bed, yawning. "Looks like you'll have to stay the night."

"Eh?" You glanced up at the male, eyes widening. "S-Stay the night??"

The purple-haired man shrugged, a smile playing at his lips. "It's either that or~" He gestured toward the ongoing torrent outdoors. "Having to walk home though that."

"But-"

"It'll be fine~ After all, there isn't any school tomorrow, so I don't see why not... unless you have some other unknown motives?" Rui smirked at you as he strided over next to you, sitting at your side.

"It's not that..." You felt your face grow warm at his accusation. As subtly as you could, you cleared your throat and turned back to Rui. "But my parents would get mad at me..."

"I'll text them." Rui smiled at you, still waiting for you to come up with a better excuse. "They'll understand, and they'd trust an all straight-a's student~"

You highly doubted his statement, but protested nonetheless. "But there's only one bed-"

"But there are multiple sleeping bags. You take the bed, and I'll take the ground. How about it? And if you get too cold, we could always share one~" Rui didn't take his gaze off of you, his golden eyes watching your every embarrassed movement. Your face flushed at the sensation of someone watching you, but you felt something inside of you cave in.

"Alright..." you half-sighed, half-said, slumping your shoulders. You were way too tired to be dealing with this. "Whatever then. Let's do it."

"Do it?" Rui's smirk never let his face as his expression only grew more cocky. "My, my, already becoming that suggestive, are we?"

Face burning at his nonchalant words, you whipped around to face him, which you were avoiding before. Pouting, you glared up at him accusingly. "You know that's not what I meant!!"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. Now then, if you've calmed down enough, let's get ready for bed, shall we? I would cook dinner... but you know how that'd go..."

Still mildly seething, you managed to recall the last time Rui tried to bake something, instantly shuddering at the thought. "Let's not relive that."

Rui silently agreed, which was almost funny, since the two of you had hardly agreed on anything the past few days. The two of you bustled about the house, opening cabinets and grabbing fluffy blankets and snacks. As you wrestled the sleeping bag out of the case, you spotted Rui smuggling more than a few packs of grape soda candy along with the collected snack pile, but you decided to keep silent.

The two of you were nice and comfy, Rui being on the floor and you laying on his bed at his insistence. You had wrapped yourself up in several warm blankets and Rui merely had one draped over his shoulders. As the rain outside ceaselessly pelted down from the sky, Rui glanced up at you expectantly.

"Hey." His voice was soft, so much so you almost didn't catch it.

"Hm?" Rolling around, you peeked down at him. "Need something?"

"You were with Toya yesterday. Toya Aoyagi." Rui's tone was still gentle, but not so much as before. "Why?"

Blinking, you replied with an air of confusion. "Ah... because he's my friend?" Not really understanding his question, you settled back and waited until Rui found the words to elaborate more.

"Friend... just a friend?" His question is short, but it took you aback.

"Well, yeah..." Still startled, you rambled on. "I have lots of friends, you know. Not just him. There's Akito and Tsukasa and Mizuki and Haruka... I could name a lot." You let out a quiet, airy laugh. "Why do you ask?"

Rui smiled, an expression without any malice or suspicious motives. Instead, he just seemed... sad. His daffodil colored eyes were pained as he stared up at you, whispering, "Am I just a friend to you too?"

"...What?"

"A friend. You said you had a lot of friends. Am I one of them?"

"Of course-" You cut yourself off as you saw Rui's resting figure slump. "But..." Still struggling to find the right words, you patted the pillow beside you. "Here. Lay here first, and then I'll explain."

Rui didn't hesitate, but he didn't say a word to you either. Slowly, he got up, blanket trailing behind him, and eased his way onto the mattress. Filling the space to your right, he trained his eyes on you. "I'm waiting."

Nodding, you tried to swallow the fear bubbling about and stopped your hands from wavering. "Rui... the question you asked... it's actually something I think about a lot too. S-Sometimes... I feel like we're just friends - y'know - during play rehearsals or lunch break. But other times..." Your voice trailed off, tone shaky. "Other times, when it's just the two of us, I can feel myself blush and I can hear my heart pound. I'm not an idiot, Rui. I-I know what this means... and I've been putting off saying this for a long time. Longer than I should've. And for that, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I hurt you." You couldn't trust yourself to say anymore, afraid of saying something you shouldn't, afraid of saying something that would ruin, well, everything.

Rui stayed silent for a long time. So long that you were beginning to fear that he had fallen asleep, and right when you were about to call out his name, he spoke.

"Is that how you feel? Is that your answer?" In the dark of the room, you couldn't make out anything more than the movement of his lips.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll let me do this, won't you?"

And just like that, the rain stopped. Moonlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the room with a glow. On rhythm, Rui turned to you, eyes shimmering. He pulled you close, so tightly you could hardly breathe, and stole your breath away as his lips met yours. Everything is warm - too hot. Rui doesn't seem to notice, nor does he seem to care, and you might as well not care either as the purple-haired male cups your cheeks and brings your head to meet his. Warmth surges through your body as your heartbeat echoes in your ears. It's fast, almost unbelievably so, but it's easy to forget it when Rui is right in front of you. His golden eyes gleam as he closes the space between the two of you again, and this time, you can feel a smile gracing his lips. And in your ear, you can barely hear him whisper three words:

"I love you."

masterlist ✩

382 notes · View notes

scintillafire · 2 years

Text

One-night Stand || C.BG

⚠️ warning(s): beomgyu x reader, rock star!gyu, one-night stand, passionate sex, nipple play, multiple orgasm, mild dirty talk

🗒: requested! 🤍

.・✥・゜・。.

To say that Bar 5:53 felt like entering heaven and hell at the same time was an understatement. Especially when you're bound to meet Choi Beomgyu for that one specific night.

They say a woman's desires were stronger than a man's. Well, you're about to find out the moment Beomgyu stepped in the same room where you were escorted to enter earlier.

No man ever made you feel so attracted, confused, and aroused. Beomgyu was different. A guy like him would make you drop on your knees the moment your gazes locked together. He had that type of charisma, he was too gorgeous and hot. His facial features and physique had a very strong sex appeal which made you gulp down hard when he smiled at you.. sexily.

"They said I'm up for room 313," He said, voice deep and husky. One hand holding the door open while the other was leaning on the doorframe.

You felt your legs mildly shaking when Beomgyu finally went in and closed the door. You could hear him turning the lock on and you felt your heart picking up its fastest pace as you tried to open your mouth to say something.

"Y-Yeah, me too." You stuttered slightly.

He faced you and started walking towards you, and those very few seconds gave you enough time to study him up and down. He had long black hair, a few piercings dangling on his ears, distinctive features, and a tall figure. What also caught your attention was the guitar case strapped on his back and so you concluded that he's probably a band member.

He had that naughty glint on his eyes as well, his smile turned lopsided as his gaze left yours and travelled down your smooth legs. You gave yourself an imaginary pat on the shoulder for choosing the right dress for this night.

"I'm Beomgyu," He said before he took your hand and placed a chaste kiss on it. That took your breathe away and damn, he chuckled before he stepped back and placed his guitar down on the couch. He casually walked around and poured two glasses of wine for the both of you.

The reason why you came to Bar 5:53 was that you're tired of your single life and that no man ever fit your standards, not even on the physical aspect. And so you were dragged by your friend here and she accidentally signed you in for one of the red rooms. The red rooms were the areas where actions could go wild. Your friend entered a red room as well and you're both supposed to stay in the nightclub area but since you both wanted to be reckless and wild and free tonight, you both decided to nail this time by losing your virginity. What a plan!

You awkwardly took the wine glass and took small sips while Beomgyu downed his drink in one go. You kept an eye on him as he examined the room that was filled with black curtains and red drapes and bed sheets. The entire room perfectly screamed arousal and your breath instantly hitched when he asked.

"So, how do you wanna do this?"

You're gonna get railed anyway so before your shyness could even come into surface, you hurriedly replied. "I'll go with anything you'd like."

Another smile crept on his face as he cocked an eyebrow. You looked away for a second as you finished your own drink, trying to keep yourself composed. He then took your empty glass and placed it back on the table together with his own glass.

He offered you his hand, as if starting to guide you along the way and you nervously looked at him as you placed your hand on his. He gave you a gentle smile before he pulled you closer and whispered to your ear, "Follow my lead."

Not even a split second later, you gasped out loud when he gently gripped your jaw and slammed his lips against your luscious ones. Your lips instantly parted for him as you're bit overwhelmed by the swiftness. But the pleasure quickly started to build the moment he plunged his tongue deep into your cavern, producing a sucking noise.

His hands came down to wrap around your waist as his fingers searched for the zipper at the back of your dress. You held onto him by placing your left hand on his neck while your right hand rested on his shoulder. He kept playing with his pace, at times he'd quickly bite your lower lip, at times he'd slowly pull away and just press his lips on yours.

You softly moaned now that you felt his tongue practically down your throat while he finally unzipped your dress, making it hang loosely on your shoulders. You yelped in surprise when he hoisted you up, gripping your thighs and brought you to the huge bed. He laid you down and quickly placed himself between your legs. His huge hands skimmed against your knees, travelling down as Beomgyu grinned, obviously loving how his hands glided smoothly on your skin.

He hovered down and clashed his lips against yours, you could feel him savoring the sweetness coming from your lip balm with the way he hummed in delight. His one hand was slowly undressing you while the other was bracketing beside your head.

"I tried to stop myself from asking but," He muttered in the middle of the kiss, his hot breath was fanning against your lips. "I couldn't help but be curious of why a hot and pretty girl like you is in here? Don't you have a boyfriend?"

You shook your head before saying, "Can't seem to find the right one."

Beomgyu nodded understandingly, "Same here."

Before you could speak again, he quickly kissed your lips and helped you take your dress off. He tossed it down on the floor before doing the initiative to take off your bra. Beomgyu's mouth watered at the sight of your upper half exposed. He leaned in once again and started sucking on your chest, swirling his lips deliciously around your nipple, making it a distraction while he slowly reached down to your panties where you're already soaking wet, pulling it off swiftly with one hand.

You felt the coldness hitting your bare skin and so you tried to press your legs together but Beomgyu kept them open by grasping your right thigh.

"Almost forgot, what's your name again?" Beomgyu somehow chuckled shyly, his long fingers already circling your wet entrance.

"Y/n." You whispered before your breathe hitched when Beomgyu leaned closer to your ear.

He inserted his finger inside you as he said, "Y/n." In a very husky way, causing for you to suddenly moan out loud. He then grinned, "What a pretty name."

He added another finger in your hole and slowly stretched you, making you whimper in pleasure. "You like that?" He asked.

You nodded in submission before he stretched you more, thrusting his fingers in and out repeatedly. You threw your head back when you felt his fingers curling inside you, teasing your spot messily.

"Beomgyu," You gasped at the feeling, knitting your eyebrows as he dipped down and sucked more on your nipples, alternating in every few seconds, leaving marks everywhere on your chest according to his desire. He thrusted his fingers at a fast pace while he continued to wrap his lips on your breast, grazing the sensitive bud with his teeth.

He was just starting but you already didn't last long as you came with his fingers abusing your sweet spot. You squirt strings of cum continuously while he pulled his fingers out, letting you cum more.

"Fuck," You breathe heavily, gathering your composure once again. Beomgyu pecked your lips before he stood up to find some lube and condom.

You watched him go around, mindlessly licking your lips when Beomgyu took his leather jacket off and placed it on the couch before he also discarded his shirt. He went back to you with the necessary things as he asked, "Now, do tell. You want it raw or not?"

"Raw." You replied.

Beomgyu stopped midway when he was about to open the packet, he then smirked suggestively. "Mhm, challenging."

Your composure quickly crumbled when Beomgyu unbuckled his belt and took the rest of his clothing off. His cock was already dripping with pre-cum while he uncapped the lube and poured some on his hard length. He gave it a few strokes, making sure it had the right amount of wetness so he can slide fast deep in you. He went back on top of you, winking at you before spreading your legs open.

You felt his tip teasing your hole and when he pushed in, you whimpered out loud while holding onto his biceps. He kissed your neck, sucking red blooms on your skin to at least alter the pain. As he did so, he pushed all the way in.

"Ahh, Beom.." You cried out when his hardness stretched you to the fullest, his body pressed against yours. You relaxed for a while, letting yourself adjust to his size.

He kissed you lazily before you finally gestured for him to move. He initially started rocking his hips in small thrusts, loving how you softly moaned in each move while he kept littering your skin with marks. Your body started to jolt when he gradually picked up his pace, his balls slamming against your ass as he pressed his pelvis against your heat.

"You're so fucking tight, Y/n." He groaned while grinding hard. You gripped the sheets at the impact, crumpling the fabric inside your fists. The bed started creaking when he thrusted faster and faster, his tip filling you inside and grazing your walls. He glided in perfectly and the skin slapping resonated the place every time he slammed into you.

You whined against his mouth, lip-locking and losing your sanity over the pleasure. Tears trickled down your face and that seemed to have aroused him even more, making him grind deeper by pulling out to tease your hole once again before thrusting all the way in.

"Fuck!!" You exclaimed as you threw your head against the pillows, back arching as you felt a knot started to pool in the pit of your stomach.

Beomgyu kept kissing you, making it turn sloppy and produce a squelching noise as you whimpered.

"So fucking sexy," He panted when he realized you started to sweat heavily along with him. Your hair now messy which he somehow find hot. Beomgyu grunted as he reached up to rake his dampened hair back before holding your right leg and hooking it up on his shoulder while he pinned your left leg to the mattress.

He fucked you passionately as he marked all over you, his free hand gripping your breast as he kept thrusting into your hole, sending you over the edge.

He kissed the corner of your parted lips when you spoke, "I'm close.." Your half-open eyes giving Beomgyu a sultry look as you felt light-headed due to the heavenly pleasure.

Beomgyu muttered curses and short compliments, saying how pretty you looked in daze as he kept on ramming his massive cock inside you, the tip of his cock twitching at how lewd your moans were, his pace became sloppy as he felt his own high coming.

"You feel so good, Y/n." He panted, barely wincing when you absent-mindedly dug your fingernails onto his back, scratching red lines against his skin when he thrusted faster again. His muscles flexing at this rate, keeping your leg up to his shoulder while the pain from your nails became a pleasure to him. His own lips parted as he gazed down at you, his eyes fierce and sharp.

"So fucking good," He added as he slowly dropped his weight on top of you. "Come for me, yeah?"

You whimpered at the huskiness of his voice, crying at how gentle his words were in contrast to how fast, hard, and harsh were his thrusts. His cock abusing your sweet spot repeatedly, making your walls turn sensitive and driving you crazy as the knot in your stomach was about to snap.

"Cum hard, pretty," He panted, chuckling sexily before dipping his head down and locking your lips with his tongue, nibbling yours while his hands remained on your leg and gripping your breast tighter.

"Ahh, fuck! Beomgyu.." You cried out his name as you finally came. Your teeth clashing with his as you engrossed yourself at the pleasure, letting him fuck you more through your orgasm, the walls of your hole were clenching around his throbbing cock, causing for Beomgyu to reach his own limit.

He came after you, cumming deep in your hole as he gave smaller pumps of his cock, pressing his tip on your entrance. Some of his semen flowed down your ass and Beomgyu sat up, stroking his length as he released more of his load on your entrance.

"You did well." He whispered when he slowly pulled out, putting your leg down and gently massaging your thighs. You gave him a soft smile as you replied, "You're amazing."

He grinned, laying down beside you before pecking your cheek. You both ignored the fact that this was a one-night stand and no strings were supposed to be attached, so you could both enjoy the remaining hours of the moment.

You both knew this was a one-time meeting. However, your heart swelled at the way Beomgyu's smile made a difference as he looked at you.

Up until today, you wondered how he had been. It's been weeks since you felt so free with a stranger. And now, here you were preparing to go to a concert so you could forget about him.

It was the same friend of yours who brought you to Bar 5:53, who'd also be bringing you to this rock band concert. You had told her about Beomgyu and now she felt bad, none of you expected you'd fall in love with the guy you met for that specific night. You wondered if he harboured the same feeling of sadness when you both had to part ways after.

You figured it wasn't healthy for your heart to yearn for someone who were probably just a passerby in your life. You gladly entered the stadium and stood with the other VIP fans, having the best spot in the area.

You sang your heart with the rest of the crowd in the concert. But your voice instantly clogged in your throat when you realized that one of the guitarists seemed familiar now that you opened your eyes to clearly examine the band's members. Your jaw dropped the moment this one guitarist gazed down at the crowd as he strummed on his guitar, smiling widely at how everyone sang along.

You remembered him carrying a guitar when you first met him in that room, and your heart beat loudly when you realized your guess was right, he was indeed a band member.

He was a rock star who produce music and indulge in these songs. So many fans crowding him but he decided to spend a night with you. Only you, and you know now when he spotted you in the crowd, his eyes widened a bit but he continued to sing. With now the lyrics meant only for you, it's his way to convey that among the many girls chasing him, he chose to chase you back.

Everything happened so fast and when you're about to leave the stadium with your friend, one of the concert guards handed you a note.

The note led you to Beomgyu waiting for you at the backstage.

"Hey," He smiled when he finally got to be close to you.

You're about to wave awkwardly but he stunned you by pulling you in a warm hug. Perhaps, that one-night stand had hidden strings attached.

"Beomgyu," You hugged him back, overwhelmed and mildly confused.

He pulled away and hurriedly kissed the side of your head, shyly avoiding your gaze while you remained frozen.

"Y/n," He softly said, biting his lips nervously as he asked you. "Let's talk, please?"

There you couldn't keep how much you yearned for his presence, and you were late to find out that your feelings were reciprocated by him.

.・✥・゜・。.

#beomgyu scenarios #choi beomgyu #txt beomgyu #beomgyu smut #beomgyu hard thoughts #beomgyu hard hours #txt scenarios #txt hard hours #txt hard thoughts #txt smut #beomgyu x reader

765 notes · View notes