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nonasidesstuff · 4 years

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the dimension travel au

aka Virgil’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week

so this is like half bullet fic half outline half word vomit but here it is!

this is based on a set of art drawn by @greenninjagal-blog that you can find here with the original version of this au

i dont mind if anyone wants to use any of these ideas just tag me/send me a link if you do!

this got SUPER LONG so its going under a cut

ok lets start with

virgil

his world is medieval-with-magic

the magic here tends to take on different elemental forms depending on the user

people who use magic are called witches

his is storm based (lightning, rain, wind, etc) and is good for both offense (shooting fucking LIGHTNING at someone is great in a fight) and gardening (the ability to call rain at will is pretty nice)

he can also make potions but in his world ANYONE with magic can make potions

the thing is,,,,, magic is illegal in the kingdom he lives in

so when he found out he had magic at like age 11 he fucked off in the middle of the night

he found another witch (a water witch) fairly soon after he left and they taught him how to control his powers and how to make potions

also how to hunt bc hed planned on living out of cities

5 years later hes 16 and has learned all he could and leaves to go to the woods in the middle of nowhere

his teacher had told him about a cottage they had built in a clearing in the woods and said he could go there bc they were leaving the kingdom

they left behind a lot of books on magic and he learned more reading those

the cottage was actually in pretty good shape? the roof was a little leaky but the furniture inside was fine

the outside was a nightmare though. overgrown plants all over

as the years went on he restored the area around the cottage and found a bunch of neat stuff

like a vegetable garden that had been overgrown and wild but still had healthy plants he could cultivate for food. there were also some spice plants that had gone out of control that he harvested and dried for later use

he found out the woods around his home were full of berries (wild strawberries and blackberries. shhhhhh idc if they dont grow in the same places this is a Magic World) and discovered that one of the trees in the clearing was actually an apple tree so yay fruit!!!!

so he was living the good life

cut to 3 years later

hes 19 now and a full-blown weather witch and potion maker

he has sectioned off his garden into 3 parts: spices, vegetables, and potions ingredients

unfortunately some ingredients just wont grow well in a garden and have to be harvested from the wild

virgil realizes hes running low on a couple of said ingredients and decides to make a run to the patches of potion herbs he knows of

he only gets halfway there

a swirling blue-and-yellow vortex opens up 20 feet in the air to the right of him and something falls out

something human shaped

holy shit its a PERSON

he rushes over to make sure this person is okay and.

they have reddish brown fox ears?????

and a reddish brown and grey tail????????

he pokes one of the ears and it twitches

holy shit theyre REAL????!!!!!!!!!

he gathers up this person and takes them home

he puts the strange person in his bed and tends to the minor injuries they obtained from falling 20 feet

this is when he realizes that this person is dressed,,,,,, very strangely

now, people in virgil’s world have some freedom in what they can wear. they can wear whatever the FUCK they want. virgil is partial to dresses and skirts himself

but what this person is wearing is different. the material was like nothing hed ever seen before and in a strange style

(it suits him. its really cute)

he slept for a little over 9 hours

(virgil slept on the floor)

and when he woke he was disoriented and woozy

so he ate a small meal and drank some water and fell back to sleep for another couple hours

when he wakes again, he feels much better and is able to introduce himself

“I’m Patton Baker! Where am I?”

patton

his world is like if you took every single magical girl/boy anime out there and mashed it into one world.

so its chaotic

theres aliens/demons/monsters attacking every other week

this attracts magical creatures like a magnet and they start giving magical girls/boys powers. these are called magical guardians

these people are public figures and are treated the same way idols are in our world (not allowed boyfriends/girlfriends etc)

its a tough job

patton became a magical boy when he was 14 and has been for the past 3 years

the powers his magical guardian are able to give are based off of endangered or threatened animals (yes im sort of copying tokyo mew mew shhhhhhhhhh)

patton became infused with the dna of the island fox

his transformation is triggered by a small tattoo-like marking given to him by his guardian. it’s on the base of his neck

he Absolutely has a magical girl transformation

when he’s transformed, he has the ears and tail of an island fox as well as claw-like nails. his hair is the reddish-brown of the fox and his eyes are silver

his outfit is light blue with silver and white accents and dark blue sleeves

when detransformed he has blond hair and blue eyes

his magical boy weapon is a bow that he can shoot arrows of light from

his group was based out of florida and has been going strong for about 15 years. magical teens come and go as they gain their powers and retire or, tragically, lose their lives fighting

at the moment there are six people including patton

their most recent foe is a monster that has the ability to make people and things disappear, and they’re not sure what happens to them

theyre fighting this thing at night when it happens. the creature has already taken the streetlights out and the teens are fighting in heavy darkness. patton, who has better night vision due to his fox genes, sees the monster about to grab the leader, and strongest, of their group

and he makes a choice

he pushes her out of the way and gets grabbed by the monster instead.

there’s a single moment of searing pain and then the world dissolves into swirling lights and dizziness

when he wakes he’s in a strange house. he introduces himself and the person who’s taking care of him introduces himself

he’s told he fell out of some sort of portal and virgil tries to help him figure out where he is in relation to his home but. virgil doesnt recognize any of the places patton is talking about. and patton doesnt recognize any of the ones virgil says

virgil asks patton about the fact that He Is Part Fox and patton talks about the magical system back home and thats when they realize theyre dealing with dimension travel

patton stays in bed for the rest of the day and by the next hes feeling much better! so he helps virgil around the house and they get to know each other

the day after that, virgil remembers that he really needs those herbs, so he tells pat hes going out for a bit to gather them

he gets about a quarter of the way there when Another Portal Opens and dumps out a person. this time right in front of him

this person is also wearing odd

clothing, but in a different style than pattons

he checks to make sure theyre not injured (they knocked their head a bit but other than that seem fine) and carries them back home

the person is unconscious in virgil’s bed for a couple of hours longer than patton was, but he wakes up entirely coherent

he introduces himself as “logan croft”

logan

his world is one full of magic

magical creatures of all sorts live there and magic is a welcome part of society

there’s elves, fairies, merfolk, unicorns, any you can think of

magical schools are also big parts of it

people who have mastered their magic to the highest degree are called mages

everyone else are called wizards

the way magic works in this world is with spells (think harry potter but without wands)

some people are born with more magic than others and as such have a harder time controlling it when it manifests at around 10

so theyre sent to magic schools where they learn how to safely do so

if they want to stay at these schools after they learn control then they move on to higher forms of magical education to continue learning

logan is one of these students

he was born with a MASSIVE amount of magic and when it manifested he. accidentally leveled his house

everyone was fine!!!!!!! but the poor boy had absolutely no control

so he stayed at a school for people with high amounts of magic and by the time he was 13 he had enough control to leave if he wanted to

of course this being logan he Absolutely wanted to keep learning so he moved on

he was so good actually that he ended up in the best magic academy in the world

he consistently learned magic at a faster rate than his peers and so by the time he was 18 (people normally didnt until they were like 21/22) he was a mage in all but name

so he was ready to take his mage exam

the mage exam is considered both easy and the hardest and most dangerous thing you could do

its easy in the fact that you only have to cast a spell correctly

its hard and dangerous bc its a spell that NO ONE outside of historians have ever seen before and you only have 10 minutes to memorize it. things go wrong Frequently

needless to say there arent many mages and people tend to either quit before reaching that stage or fail

and failure can be painful

so logan decides to take the mage exam

the spell they are given is a long string of words dug out of an ancient book of spells and historians arent entirely sure what it does

so ofc its given to the best in the academy

logan takes his ten minutes to memorize the spell and begins chanting

now in this world, when spells are used a runic circle made of light appears under the person casting

small spells have small circles and bigger spells have larger and brighter ones

the one this spell called forwards was massive and so bright that it blinded the exam practitioners (i think thats the word?)

when the light died down logan was gone

theyre unsure whether it went right or wrong but unfortunately theres no trace of where logan had gone so theres no way to see

when he wakes hes somewhere he doesnt recognize and is being taken care of by two people

they all introduce themselves and logan gets the story about what happened to him

and he realizes hes in a different dimension with different magical rules

naturally he wants to learn everything

so he and virgil have long discussions about the differences in their magic systems

(with patton chiming in every once in a while with how bonkers magical girl powers are)

after logan gets back on his feet virgil really REALLY needs those herbs and so he decides to go back out

logan tags along this time bc he wants to see the differences between the flora and fauna of this new world

they get about half way there and once again.

a portal opens

its light blue and yellow

virgil goes “jesus christ AGAIN??????? am i a MAGNET for these things??????????”

and a person falls out

theyre another animal person. this time with scales covering the side of their face and down their arms

virgil and logan carry this whole other person back home and as soon as they walk in

patton is like “janus????!!!!!”

janus

turns out

janus is from pat’s world!!!! and the same mg group!!!!!

he became a magical boy about a year before pat did and was merged with the dna of a golden lancehead viper

so hes been a mg for like 4 years

his outfit is white with yellow bows and a black cape thing with a yellow inside. his scales are bright yellow and his eyes are heterochromatic. one is a normal eye (brown) and the other is a bright gold color with a snake-like pupil

his marking is on the inside of his left wrist

his weapon is a set of knives made of light that he can call at will and either slash with or throw

he and patton got along rather well in the current time

in the past, they,,,, didnt

it wasnt violent but they were kinda snippy at each other and janus was aggressively sarcastic which pat Did Not Appreciate

but after working together for a few years they got to know each other better and saw each other through low points in their lives and became close

janus was still a sarcastic little shit but now its more playful

he likes to suggest “pushing it down a flight of stairs” for any problem

“man i have a big math test tomorrow with a mean teacher that i didnt study for im screwed”

“push it down the stairs”

“the teacher or the test?”

“yes”

he will also aggressively remind you that Self Care Is Good And Needed

(“patton youve been patrolling for hours every night this week. go sleep”

“but i-“

“go 👏 to 👏 sleep 👏”

“bu-“

“go sleep or im going to knock you unconscious and THEN youll sleep”

“ok fine”)

anyways the dimension monster came back and despite the whole group being more careful, it got janus

luckily (to every one else) this time they managed to defeat it

once again, the pain of dimensional travel fucking SUCKED and janus was unconscious for about as long as patton was

he woke and ate a small meal and fell back asleep for like an hour

when he woke up that time he was shocked and happy to see patton

they reunite and everyone gets to know each other over the next couple days

and then virgil remembers that he STILL HASNT GOTTEN HIS HERBS and they all decide to tag along when he leaves to get them

virgil just like sighs and said “nothing better happen this time i swear to god-“

and they make it most of the way there!!!!! virgil feels a little hope!!!!

then another portal opens

its red and green

(virgil: “GODDAMMIT”)

this time TWO people fall out

the group gather up the two portal people and take them home to heal bc

holy shit they are in bad condition

theyre unconscious for a solid 2 days

Roman and remus

their world is BAD yall

the world is very scientifically advanced, and a group if scientists decided that they wanted to prove the existence of alternate universes

and they did!

but they accidentally opened a portal to a hell dimension and they couldnt close it

so the whole world became an apocalyptic nightmare

this happened when the twins were 15

theyve been surviving on their own in an apocalyptic hellscape for just over 4 years now

remus is the close range fighter with a variety of Large Sharp Knives and roman hangs back and snipes the ones going in for remus’ blind spots with a modified rifle. or if he has to fight closer range he has a modified pistol

roman also is the one to carry their medical supplies bc remus did Once and never will again

they travel together bc even though they cant stand each other some days (remus makes gross comments a Lot and roman likes to complain about the lack of conditioner)

(roman once found an old bottle of perfume and dumped it on remus’ head. in retaliation, when they were relatively safe remus found a dead squirrel and chased roman around with it for a solid 15 minutes)

theyre still twins and theyre all each other have left

currently, roman and remus are running from a creature that caught them off guard while they were sleeping

it had managed to get a few good hits on them before they managed to fight back so they both have a couple injuries

roman has a long slice down his arm and remus has some real bad claw marks down his back

the two of them find a building they can hide in while they wait for the creature to move on and discover that its some sort of science lab

they decide to explore for a bit bc they have 0 braincells between the two of them

what they dont realize is that this is one of the labs that the scientists were using to build their dimensional machines

what they do realize is that the monster found them and it starts chasing them through the facility

the two of them are in really bad shape

malnourished after living on just what they can find for 4 years, both bleeding profusely from open wounds and various injuries from other run-ins with the creatures

they arent able to run as fast as they usually are able and so they get cornered in a room with a large machine

they back up to it to stay away as long as they can and

one of them presses a button

the machine behind them whirrs to life and the two are sucked into a portal oh so similar to the one that ruined the lives of everyone on their world

roman wakes first

he wasnt hurt as badly as remus so the portal didnt take as much out of him as remus

everyone introduces themselves and roman has the his first full meal in. a long time

(he might cry a lil bit but shhhhhhh)

and now that hes awake, virgil can give him a potion to help speed up his healing

thats when romans like “holy shit MAGIC?????”

bc there was none on his world

and they all talk and get to know each other

(the other four are Horrified at how awful his world was

bc like, patton and janus’ wasnt very good either but it wasnt an apocalypse

the next day virgil leaves logan in charge and FINALLY goes and gets his GODDAMN HERBS

nothing happens this time :)

and when he gets back remus is awake

hes fed and virgil gets him a potion too

the two heal and just kind of marvel at the fact theyre safe for the first time in years

also that theres GODDAMN MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!

they still can’t believe theres actual magic

the five dimension hoppers eventually meet thomas, virgil’s talking magic cat

(virgil: “he can think and talk like a human hes not my cat”

thomas: “im totally your cat stop denying it”)

he decided to wander around the forest for a while (he does this often) and only got back after all of the portal shit ended

he is the only cat with magic and says he ALSO fell out of a portal but it was a few years before he met virgil

i dont really know what happens after this

maybe they go try to figure out how to get home?

maybe they decide to stay and live in the woods for the rest of their lives

maybe they decide “you know what? FUCK the government” and stage a coup to make magic legal

whichever it is definitely has a lot of found family goodness

can you tell i started running out of steam like 3/4 of the way through

#My posts #sanders sides #tss dimension hopper au #virgil sanders #patton sanders #logan sanders #deceit sanders #janus sanders #roman sanders #remus sanders

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archeiafaith · 3 years

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Merry Christmas from Sam and Dean!

Sam and Dean Go to the Christmas Diner

A One-shot Holiday fanfic for all your jolly needs, I hope you enjoy and Happy Holidays to you all!

When Sam came out of the bathroom, Dean was already dressed for the day advertising his not-so-surprising plaid shirt and white undershirt (they go hand in hand). “Hey, there is a local diner not too far from here. Want to catch some breakfast?” Dean asked.

Sam reluctantly agreed, and that’s why he found himself walking up to a small, antique-looking diner with his brother in tow. The outside of the diner was white with red streaks aligning the top and the bottom rim of the restaurant, while the front of the building had a big, neon red sign displaying the name of the diner which read, ‘The Shaky Shack.’ A bit of an odd name, Sam thought.

Christmas was around the corner, only a few weeks away, so the entire diner was decorated in a plethora of Holiday spirit. Candy-colored lights aligned the roof and outer edge of the building, creating the perfect loop. The windows were decorated with painted reindeer, elves, mistletoe, and Santa himself sitting in an extravagant sleigh.

The second the brothers entered the restaurant, the smell of hot chocolate and peppermint wafted through their noses. The jukebox in the corner blasted ‘Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,’ and the waitresses were wearing Christmas themed uniforms decked out in red and green.

Sam and Dean passed the bar top and walked over to the booths in the back near the Christmas tree surrounded by colorful, wrapped presents.

“Wow, now all they need is the big man himself handing out candy canes and this place would be perfect,” Dean announced sarcastically as he took a seat across from Sam in the red patent leather booth.

Sam smirked at his comment and took a moment to really take in his scenery. Dean was right, Sam thought this place was a bit overzealous when it came to the Holidays, but Sam also saw it as refreshing and charming.

While the brothers awaited their server, Sam decided to confront Dean about the whereabouts of their vacation destination, “So, Dean, where precisely are we going? You didn’t exactly leave me much to go on. All you said was that we were heading north and that I should ‘Stop bothering me about it, Sammy. Just drop it,’” Sam imitated his brother by exaggerating his words, acting childish.

“Real mature Sam,” Dean responded by simply nodding his head and stretching his arms across the booth’s seat, “sorry to break it to you buddy, but I’m not telling you anything.”

“Why not?” Sam asked harshly. Dean was bothering him with all this mystery. Sam’s eyebrows began to crease over his sullen hazel eyes.

“Because Sammy boy, that would ruin the surprise and illusion of this wonderful adventure I have in store for us,” Dean said confidently. His attention then turned to look for their server, his head scanned the diner from left to right.

The restaurant was moderately busy, most of the customers being senior citizens, with the offset of a young couple. Dean noticed a cute, young woman sitting a couple of booths ahead of them all by her lonesome; she looked up and caught Dean looking her over and he smoldered at her as a response. The blonde woman immediately looked away blushing.

“Hello, earth to Dean. Could you please stop ogling poor girls, and come back to the conversation at hand,” said Sam snapping his fingers in front of Dean’s face.

Dean smacked Sam’s hand away and turned his attention back to his brother’s stupid face, “Hey, don’t get pissy with me just because you have no game.”

Sam rolled his eyes and was about to rebuttal a response when their waitress arrived. Their waitress was a short, stockier woman with stringy, ashen colored hair all tied up into a messy bun. She looked to be in her late fifties, and she had on classic, ruby red lipstick with a pair of glasses that sat upon the tip of her nose. Sam looked to her ornament themed name tag that had the name ‘Mira’ printed in an elusive, cursive print.

“I apologize for the wait boys, my name is Mira and I’ll be taking care of you today,” her voice was rough and sounded as if she had been smoking for the past thirty years. “happy holidays! It’s such a wonderful time to spend with your loved ones. So are we celebrating anything special? Maybe an anniversary?” Mira asked smiling at the two of them, insinuating them to be a couple themselves.

“Oh God no,” Dean started shaking his head side to side vigorously, “we’re just brothers.”

Sam agreed by smiling awkwardly and muttered a small, “Yeah.”

“Really? My, my, I am so sorry. That is my mistake, you look the type is all,” Mira responded by avoiding eye contact, and she grabbed her notepad out of her red apron that was tied around her waist. “Well then, what can I get for you two brothers?” She asked.

“I’ll start,” Dean began by flipping to the breakfast side of the menu, “I’ll take your Simply Eggtravagant deluxe with an extra side order of bacon, please. And coffee, black. Oh, and do you happen to have any specials going on like, I don’t know, pie for instance, ”Dean finished his order by longingly looking at their server. Sam thought Dean looked like a four-year-old who was about to get his new, favorite toy for Christmas.

“Sorry son, we are fresh out of pies this morning. Old Billy over there,” Mira said pointing to an elderly gentleman asleep on the bar top with his head sitting in his breakfast, “he ordered all the pie we had in stock and ate them all at once! He was trying to prove that he used to be a professional eater in his prime, ” she laughed, ”of course, all the boys of the joint bet that he couldn’t even finish one pie by himself. And well, you know the rest.”

“That was quite an intriguing story, Miss. I’ll be sure to remember that as I’m NOT enjoying my very-deserved pie,” Dean stated, annoyance edged every word he spoke, his eyes were as sharp as knives.

Mira looked taken aback; her mouth opened and closed for not having the words of what to say next.

“I-I think my brother was just joking,” Sam jumped in trying to ease the situation, “he is such a kidder. We can’t keep this guy from cracking the big ones,” Sam laughed awkwardly. Sam could tell that what he said didn’t help at all, since both Mira and Dean were looking at him as if he suddenly grew a tail and turned into a donkey.

“I’ll just uhm,” Sam coughed, “take the number two with a coffee, please,” Sam finished his order scratching his cheek. He figured it was best to just move this along as fast as possible.

The waitress leisurely took down their orders and grabbed their menus. She smiled half-heartedly and walked away without saying a word.

“That was awkward,” Dean said after a minute of silence.

“Uhh, yeah I would say so Dean,” Sam said frustrated, “what the hell was that all about? You were so rude and she didn’t deserve that at all. Why do you always insist on purging your baggage for everyone around you? Honestly, Dean, you’re starting to act irrationally,” Sam looked at Dean with his somber, determined eyes the whole speech. It left Dean no choice, but to stare and listen.

“Whoa, you mind taking it down a notch, Betsy? You have been up in my ass all day and I have had it up to here, ” Dean motioned his left arm up over his head and used his hand as a makeshift bar, ”when you're in pain with your weird visions, I get that. But, Sam lately you've been throwing these tantrums every damn day and I honestly don't want to deal with it anymore. This time is precious, vacation time, prime time, MY time.” Dean paused to close his eyes and exhaled through his nose, ”Now I haven't been able to get any proper sleep, ” he continued his voice rising with every syllable, ”I have you breathing down my neck every second, let's not forget who we had to cremate last, and now this freaking lady!” Dean nods in the direction of their waitress, ”tells me that I can't have any pie! When you know that was the whole reason I wanted to come to this diner in the first place!” Dean finished exhaustedly sitting back into his seat.

The whole diner went silent, even the jukebox had stopped playing ending with a loud record scratch. All eyes were on the two brothers sitting in the back booth. Sam looked at the other patrons and simply gestured a small wave, he gave a tense smile and a nod as a response to their piercing on looking.

At that moment Mira came over carrying their drinks and food on one large tray. She wobbled as she walked and she shakily placed the tray onto a nearby table. She grabbed the two coffees and placed them in front of both Sam and Dean, the creamers coming right after in the middle of the table.

”The Simply Eggtravagant deluxe, ” Mira said, holding Dean’s meal with both palms. She was having a little trouble holding on due to how large the serving was. Mira placed his meal down in front of him and went straight for his side order of bacon.

”Wow, I'm impressed. That was fast, questionably fast, ” Dean questioned while rubbing his chin. He smiled when the elderly waitress placed the entirety of his meal in front of him. Food will always be a cure to Dean’s grumpiness, Sam wished Dean could have gotten his pie too.

”Hmm? Yes, son, speed is what we are known for, ” Mira responded and pointed to a wooden sign displaying the words, ‘It’s better than fast food, its Diner food,’ written in a bold print.

Mira finished passing out their meals and gave a polite curtsy while wiping her hands on her apron. ”Enjoy your meal boys, give me a holler if you need anything else, ” she said while walking away.

At this point, the rest of the restaurant went back to their own private conversations, most of them discussing the mere recent event amongst each other.

Dean immediately stuffed his face with every piece of food he could muster. He ate ravenously going from food to drink simultaneously, his cheeks constantly bloated. Sam stared at Dean with a look of disgust, the younger of the two yet to have touched his food.

Dean looked up at Sam’s gaping, with his fork at the ready, “What? I’m hungry,” Dean stated matter of factly, his mouth too full to speak properly.

Sam blinked away from the scene in front of him and tried to focus on his own meal. Hesitantly, he began to sip from his coffee and then progressed to nibble on his eggs and hash browns; Sam wasn’t very hungry nowadays.

Dean hasn’t spoken a word yet; his focus was completely on the food in front of him. He would hum happily here and there after taking a particularly delicious bite. At the rate Dean was eating, he finished rather quickly, but not surprisingly. Dean smiled teeth and all while he happily rubbed his belly, “Man, I needed that,” Dean said, satisfied with a burp, leaning back into his seat.

Sam indifferently took another small bite of his eggs and placed his fork down. He covered the rest of his food with a napkin, indicating that he was finished.

“That’s it? That’s all you’re eating? Come on Sam, you can do better than that,” Dean encouraged pushing Sam’s plate closer to his side of the table.

“No thanks, I had enough. I’m full,” Sam shrugged his shoulders and looked away.

Dean noticed this as Sam’s usual response to most things lately. “Okay, well, I think you should at least take the rest with you. Maybe you’ll get hungry later,” said Dean already motioning toward their waitress to grab her attention.

“No, wait, Dean, it’s okay really. I don’t want to take it home, it would only go to waste. Just leave it, please?” Sam pleaded to him and looked at Dean sincerely.

I’ll drop it, for now, Dean thought.

Sam and Dean decided it was time to leave and proceeded to shuffle out of their booth. They passed the other customers, Dean walking confidently with his head up high. While Sam was walking a few steps behind Dean, slouching his shoulders, almost as if he was trying to hide inside himself.

Dean walked by the booth with the cute, blonde woman he saw earlier. He noticed she was now accompanied by another gentleman sitting across from her. This didn’t seem to faze Dean as he continued his stride and winked at the woman as he passed down her aisle. She blushed again and looked down, her male company eyeballed the back of Dean’s head as he passed.

Sam was a witness to the whole scene and awkwardly shuffled past the couples’ booth with a side glance. He rushed up a couple of steps, so he would catch up with Dean.

They both walked up to the cashier near the front doors, paid their bill, got back into their Chevy Impala, and drove off.

**This is part of a larger fanfiction story called Sam and Dean Take A Vacation

Check it out on Wattpad:)** (link in chat)

#spn #cwsupernatural #dean winchester #deanedit #destiel #sam winchester #supernatural #supernatural christmas #spn christmas #christmas #samedit #supernatural fanfiction #samanddeantakeavacation #tav #archeiafaith #faithedit #deancas #dean #spnedit

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caught-gaming · 4 years

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A Rant about Elf Ears

Okay, so. Elf ears.

A signature trait of an elf is pointed ears. I like to think they’re on the longer side, as well as extremely movable from the base. This gives an elf more difference from being “better humans” and allows for a fun way to show how they communicate emotion. Here is a basic chart of elf ear motion ranges.

Different subraces have different natural ear postures and different ranges of motion. This can create a small case of misread emotions as a high elf meeting a drow for the first time may think the drow is constantly mad or uneasy while the drow may have trouble reading the high elf altogether due to the opposite range of motion. These localisations can be extended to nurture as well. A drow raised by high elves may hold their ears higher than normal or a wood elf raised by drow would keep them lower and more relaxed.

Understanding an elves ears is like learning to understand an accent. In some cases it’s the only tell they give to their current emotion. Outside races who learn to read elven ears find communication in elvish society to become exponentially easier. Elves raised in purely elvish societies can sometimes struggle to understand races without elvish ear mannerisms, because they are used to the additional communication marker. This leads to stereotypes such as elves not being able to read a room or that they don’t know how emotions work. In reality this is just a cultural communication barrier than can easily be overcome with time and learning.

With this trait a constant through elvish subraces, it inherently means an elf that cannot move their ears properly immediately loses readability to other elves, and could be constantly misunderstood. One avenue of this in particular that catches my interest is floppy ears, like found on some dog breeds or Scottish Fold cats.This half will be under the cut!

Elves certainly have enough ear cartilage for the condition. And it can look quite cute (as seen on my artificer Doppler). But, what could cause such a visual effect? I believe "because fantasy” is not a valid excuse here. Well, I have 3 theories for the fact.

First, and easiest. This is a elvish strain of arthritis. Ears, noses, and joints all are constructed of cartilage, and anything effecting joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can eventually wear on other cartilage heavy areas of the body, like ears. This brings up the fact that an elf with floppy ears would be in a lot of pain and suffer the effects of an auto immune disease in a fantasy world. Depending on cultural norms and medical advancement in the area, elves with floppy ears in this method could be seen as “bad omens” or that they’re being “punished by the gods.” And the floppy ear is a tell of the fact.

Second theory goes down a similar vein for cause, but has much darker implications for why it could be seen in practice. I looked to the Scottish fold cat for this cause.

What makes a Scottish fold’s ears fold is a recessive gene mutation that effects bone and cartilage formation. This creates the desired visual effect, but also is extremely unhealthy and gives the animal bone/joint problems and lifelong pain. (a whole other rant, stop breeding this cat, please). This brings up a concerning trait if applied to elves. The gene that does this is very recessive, so it has very low chance of ever appearing, let alone repeating itself down a family line. But some higher crust elves could use their resources to breed themselves with the recessive fold and make the ear deformation a “designer” trait and a marker of noble breeding. If you can afford doctors and medicine, lifelong pain is just a small price for proving you’re a cut above the rest. Eugenics at its finest.

Which brings me to my last, and frankly most fun possibility; Domestication Syndrome. Domestication Syndrome is a phenomenon where as we breed animals to be more docile and friendly, certain physical traits start changing as well to fit a predicable pattern. This is a specific pattern that has been seen across species, including but not limited to; Dogs, foxes, pigs, and cows.There are even theories on how we as humans domesticated ourselves. What are these repeating traits, you may ask? Well, the most common are these;

A friendly and docile demeanor

smaller teeth

a shorter and less muscular build

“piebald” spotted coat patterns

curled tails and floppy ears

Humans show a few of these traits as well, being more cooperative and friendly than our cousins and sporting smaller teeth and canines as well, leading to the self domestication theory. In addition, Domestication Syndrome poses no negative effects medically to species effected by it, so it negates concerns for joint pain caused by deformity.

Elves, depending on the setting, are very much seen as a more “wild” race. Their tree houses and links with magic lead them to ranger and hunter tropes. But in more modern settings, would more domestic tracts of life begin to “domesticate” elves? With their long lifespans and even longer history they certainly have the time to have changed their appearance over the centuries. Elvish towns that tote naturally friendly, pudgy elves with lopped ears could be seen in some long founded cities or kingdoms, while “wild” varieties are more common in the field or in outposts.

Then again, these traits could just start to show up in a long elvish family without warning, causing a lot of problems between communicating with the child to trying to find an issue that frankly isn’t there. It could even fade in and out of generations, or be more common in certain subrace mixes due to the natural contrasts. (looking at you, high elves and drow.)

If more widespread, this could pose the issue of negative stereotypes between the varieties of elves, with the more natural “wild” ones looking down upon their domestic cousins and the more domestic groups accusing the wild varieties of being savage.

My boy Doppler is a unspecified mix of arthritis and domestication syndrome. However, I can see any of these being a fun avenue to explore for a setting or character! Elves may be “default fantasy,” but I think we can still have a lot of fun with them. Alright, rant over for now. Peace out.

#elf #homebrew #dnd #fantasy #elf ears #elvish #elves #headcanon #dnd homebrew #hear cg roar #long post //

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cecilspeaks · 5 years

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159 - Cat Show

Be the annoying goose you want to see in the world. Welcome to Night Vale.

This day was foretold and now it is here. Some doubted it would come, but the signs were clear. And I could not be more excited! It’s the annual Night Vale cat show. [laughs] I know, I rarely report on this event, but this year, I finally entered my own cat, Khoshekh, into the contest. Many of you remember that I found Khoshekh 7 years ago. He was floating 4 feet off the ground in the men’s restroom here at the radio station, and he’s still in that exact same spot, cute as ever with his furry little white paws! And elegant little black tail, and just the floofiest tentacles you could ever see.

My husband and I adore cats! We’re always ranking them, because love is above all else a competition. So we figured we should put Koshekh out there for an objective ruling on our own beliefs that he is the best cat in the world! It should be an easy win for our little boy, especially with the home field advantage. Koshekh is stuck in a fixed point in space, and the cat show is being held here at the radio station to accommodate his condition. Station Management is a bit unhappy about this, because they’re terribly allergic to cats. All morning, as the cat show organizers and competing cats have arrived, I have felt the sneezes of Station Management from deep below the surface of the Earth where they have burrowed into the warm, molten core of our dying planet.

I sent our new intern Simon Peterson out to pick up some Benadryl for the bosses, and he did, but now he’s having trouble navigating the 16 inch wide rocky tunnel Station Management dug into the break room, and Simon keeps saying he’s claustrophobic and that his greatest fear is to be stuck in a dark place where the long spindly arms touch and prod his feet, but he cannot see them. And even if he could, he would not comprehend them. Ad n the prickly limbs grab at him with increasing desperation and he does not scream, because he knows no one will hear him except the inscrutable.. thing that is now tearing open the skin along the bottom of his feet. And I was like Simon, this office is a no excuses zone, so get in that tunnel and do your job.

More on the cat show soon, but first the news. Strange men arrived in town today. They were wearing suits and carrying briefcases. They drove a black sedan. One of them wore sunglasses. They claimed to be from Washington DC from an agency called the National Transportation Safety Board. They were inquiring about a missing plane. The strange men, one of them had a blister on his upper lip, met with Sheriff Sam, and told them that on June 15, 2012, Delta flight 18713 from Detroit Mistigan to Albany New York disappeared. The NTSB still has not found the MT-90 aircraft. The men told Sheriff Sam that for many years, the agency believed the flight to have gone down in Lake Erie. Sheriff Sam laughed at this silly fake name for a lake and told the men – one of them had a swollen red lump along the cuticle of his right index finger –that they must be remembering some spooky young adult novel, rather than a real life event. The strange men – one of them had an unceasing nose bleed – said it was in fact true. They said that they recently found a report indicating that right before Flight 18713 vanished from radar, it was detected all the way down in the southwest United States, right here in Night Vale. “How is that possible?” the strange men asked our Sheriff. Sheriff Sam stopped laughing and said: “I know the plane. Or rather, I know someone who saw that plane. His name is Doug, Doug Biondi.” The strange men – one of them wore three wedding rings – nodded and said: “Take us to Doug.” Sheriff Sam said: “Doug is in the Night Vale asylum. He is dangerous. He is not allowed visitors. But…” and Sheriff Sam leaned forward, clasping their hands together across the desk and continued in a hush town: “I… could… assist… in an undercover operation. Disguise you all as new inmates, treacherous psychopaths who must be kept in lockdown in the world’s highest security mental hospital. Then, then… you would be able to interview Doug Biondi about what he saw that day in the elementary school gym.” And the strange men – one of them was weeping thick yellow tears – agreed that this was a great idea, and set out with the Sheriff to the asylum, deep within the Scrublands, to begin their covert investigation. I’m sure those strange men from the NTSB will emerge soon with a full report. More on this story as it develops.

But I have to get back – to the Cat shooooow! [excited] Oh ho ho, [gasps] so many cats have arrived! [laughs] Th-there are cages and carriers full of sweet kitties all over the station! Representing all four breeds of cat: long haired, short haired, smushyfaced and miscellaneous. When I was filling out the entry forms for Khoshekh, they asked me this breed, and he’s definitely smushyfaced, but also long haired although he’s short haired along his coddlespine and pincers, soooooo… miscellaneous? I guessed. Also they wanted Khoshekh’s last name, and I have never thought of a last name for our cat. Huh. I told Carlos we should put his last name as Khoshekh’s last name, because Carlos has a much more interesting last name than me. Plus Carlos is pretty well known and very well liked in town. Everybody knows his last name, and I thought that might carry some political weight in the minds of the judges. But Carlos insisted that we use mine, because I found Khoshekh and I adopted him. So there you go, little kitty. You are Khoshekh Gershwin Palmer. A champion name for a champion cat.

Let’s have a look now at the community calendar. This Friday night is the Tour of Lights in Old Town Night Vale. Participants can meet at Galway and 1st at 7 PM, where a tractor pulling a trailer full of hay will drive you around to look at the bright and festive holiday lights adorning the various historic homes. Last year’s favorite, the Victorian mansion owned by Harrison Kip, included a 40-foot tall Santa, his arms outstretched overseeing a vast army of toiling elves, while an old Victrola played “Ave Maria” over crackling speakers and clowns leapt suddenly from the thick shrubs, handing unsuspecting but delighted guests red and blue balloons shaped by long dead family members. Tickets are five dollars and go to support the Bilderberg Group.

Saturday evening is the bi-monthly pub crawl in downtown Night Vale. Every eight weeks or so, every bar in town becomes overrun with 7 inch long bugs that look like… a bit like earwigs but with human faces. All participating bars and pubs are offering two for one specials on well drinks and bottled domestics.

Sunday afternoon, the Tamika Flynn book club will be meeting to discuss their most recent book, the 2018 Husqvarna YTH-24K 14-inch riding mower owner’s manual. This month’s book was chosen by John Peters – you know, the farmer? They’ll be discussing the themes, symbolism and subtext of this seminal work of contemporary technical literature. The book club is open to anyone and there will be a potluck benefit.

Monday is running a few minutes late, but wants everyone to know we can go ahead and start without it.

The cat show is finally underway and wow! What a sight! I’ve never actually been to a cat show before today, it is, it’s fascinating! So, the judges take each cat one at a time. They hold up the cat’s tail to examine its posture and form. Then they pry open the cat’s mouth to check its teeth. Then four judges hold each of the cat’s paws and stretch it out into a furry X, as a fifth judge measures the cat’s latitudinal, longitudinal and diagonal lengths. I’m surprised at how gentle these cats are with all this rough handling. Khoshekh – [scoffs] Khoshekh usually tries to bite me or-or sting me when I feed him, and I appreciate that about him. It’s hard to respect a cat that would let any stranger look it directly in the eyes, let alone touch it. People sometimes think cats will behave obediently and chummily, like dogs, but cats are individualistic. They show love, yes, but it is conditional and judgmental. You must give a cat space to learn its environment and develop its own social rules. Plus those pincers really hurt! The cats they’re showing right now are really cute, but it’s [sighs], it’s hard to respect them, like the way they let these judges just treat them like slabs of meat. [shouts angrily] Stand up for yourselves, you glorified sock puppets!

Oh, I’m getting some nasty looks from the judges and other contestants. Good, good. (-) [0:12:26] is important in contact sports. Let them know who’s the front runner.

Amber Akini and her husband Wilson Levy are showing their cat now, a tiny fist-sized orange and white shorthair named Berthold. Berthold might be my second favorite cat, behind Khoshekh of course, because he’s a - oh, oh what to call that kind of cat with extra appendages the poly.. polydactyl, polydactyl, that’s it. Anyway, Berthold is a polydactyl cat. He has eight legs and a mesmerizing array of shiny black eyes covering his cute little face. I’m not so sure Berthold has much of a chance of winning, though. Because when the judges tried to check his teeth, he skittered up the wall and won’t come back from the web he built up there. Ah, well now Susan Willman is showing her cat. He’s a scraggy, but otherwise basic tabby with dirty teeth like Spanish rice and the sunken posture of a playground swing. Oh I didn’t catch his name, although it sounded like she called Dumpster. [chuckles] [low voice] Not a chance, loser.

OK, oh wait. The judges are all wide-eyed and cooing over Dumpster, like he’s a rare bejeweled artefact. Wait, they’re nodding to each other as if they’re impressed. I don’t get this! He’s a trash cat. That’s why she named him Dumpster of, knowing Susan, maybe that’s a family name. Ooh ho-ho! Oh, I’m getting a shush sign from the judges, and Susan is glaring at me. [chuckles] I had no idea how political this cat show would be. What a racket.

Let’s have a look now at traffic. There’s a slowdown on westbound lanes of Route 800 near Exit 19. There is no construction or accident. Highway patrol said that everyone on that side of the road simply started thinking about Urinus and giggling. Every single driver, simultaneously, remembered how the name of that planet always made them laugh in school. Scientists want to study Urinus. They thought it wants really probe the dense noxious clouds covering the rocky surface of Urinus. They considered in unison, their ruddy cheeks quaking above sore jaws and below tear-filled crackling eyes: scientists think the pressure inside Urinus is so great that here may be diamonds inside Urinus. The drivers all howled, the audible din enough to slow even the eastbound lanes, who were trying to think of a single funny thing about Saturn, but could not. I’m not sure I get why any of that is funny. But expect westbound delays of 20 minutes or take an alternative route.

It’s the big moment, listeners. The judges are visiting Khoshekh right now in the men’s restroom. I tried to tell them to use hazmat gloves, but they sneered and said: “We know how to handle cats, sir.” OK, they are professional arbiters of all things feline, so I believe them. They’re holding up Khoshekh’s tails right now, examining his nacreous scales. They brought in two other judges to try to hold Khoshekh’s tentacles down because, well he keeps trying to grab at the main judge’s face as the judge attempts to examine Khoshekh’s teeth. Oh, I wonder if they’ll deduct points for Khoshekh having more teeth than a normal cat. I mean he has five rows of them. OH, oh! Oh no. Ohhh, the judges are not controlling this situation well at all, Khoshekh has wrapped up all of the jduges in his many spiraling suctioned arms. They’re struggling to break free, but those tentacles secrete a sedative oil and the judges are wobbling.. They’re passing out, yup, not good. Every single judge is unconscious, and now Khoshekh is wildly flapping his wings and, while I cannot hear it I can tell, he is emitting a shriek that only other cats can hear. He does this when he’s upset. OH, there’s Berthold coming down from the safe haven of his web. There’s Dumpster, hollow-eyed and purring, waling toward Khoshekh. And all the other cats are coming too. Their mouths agape, emitting I m sure the the same ultrasonic tone, a harmon of protest, of uprising, of bloodthirst. They’re gathering now in the men’s room, eyes glowing, all slack-jawed and silent screaming at the sky. On yeah, the other pet owners are sobbing and they’re running for the exist, but they know they cannot leave. They would not leave even if they could. It is silent now in the station safe for the panting exhaustion of frightened human owners, and the strained wheezing breaths of unconscious cat show judges. I think Carlos and I have a great shot at winning this thing, listeners. an announcement of a champion coming soon!

But first, The weather.

[”Weather: “Fuzzy Disco” by Talkie https://talkie.bandcamp.com]

The judges woke up, but they no longer speak in English nor any human language. They are licking themselves and eating moths that they caught by the single swinging light bulb in our radio station’s interrogation room. Their brains are feral and feline now, as they hide under tables and hiss at the other cat owners. I tried to warn them about using hazmat gloves, but they didn’t wanna hear me. [big gasp] Or maybe they did! Perhaps this was their gambit all along, I mean this is after all my first cat show, I don’t wanna pretend like I know how these things go. No winners were announced. The judges joined the high-pitched catervauling of the other cats. And then they all left in a unified clatter, out the men’s room window and into the street. I can see them now, running toward the alley behind the CVS, several other cats joining their ranks, all except - Khoshekh, who cannot leave his spot in the station restroom. Four feet in the air.

I told Khoshekh that he’s a winner in my mind, and I put on my thick rubber gear and gently stroked his smushed little face! [giggles] Right between his middle two eyes! Huh. It’s hard to tell what cats are thinking or feeling, but I think Khoshekh is happy. He’s happy to have such a loving home and two doting dads. But something in his eyes tells me he wanted to run free with his new cat friends. I gave him a catnip plushie though, and he looks content, if a little coked up.

Stay tuned next for a noise you cannot hear, rallying a feral insurrection.

Good night, Night Vale, Good night.

Today’s proverb: Wanna feel old? Don’t worry, you will.

#welcome to night vale #wtnv #wtnv transcripts #episode 159 #cat show

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januarywren · 4 years

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Day 2 of Inventober: Monster bits!

I had fun with this one and hope you enjoy it! There’s a link to the story on ao3, and I’ll post it below as well. Thank you for supporting my work, and kudos to @girlandgeese for creating inventober. 💜🧡

(Also I adore rats - they're fiercely intelligent and make lovely pets, please don't think I consider them as being anything close to monsters! This was the first idea that popped into mind for the prompt, and is meant in a lighthearted way.) 🎃

“You can’t be serious, Crooks!” Hermione exclaimed, as her familiar laid a rat’s tail at her feet. It was the tenth one he’d delivered to her in less than a week; her stomach twisting each time as the tail wriggled and squirmed. Haughtily, Crooks looked up toward her with his ear twitching –

As if he expected her thanks!

Hermione cringed as she squatted near him, ignoring his gift. “You can’t terrorize the rodents like this, Crooks,” she scolded, her words belied as she scratched under his chin. “It’s not right - Hogwarts is the only home they’ve ever known. Just the other day I was reading Hogwarts: A History and …”

She ticked off the facts that she knew on her fingers; as she recounted how students had quickly tamed the furry, little beasts. The rats were able to traverse through the hallways, ignored by the ghosts, and unseen by the rest. They often carried a note that was tied to their tail, or the underside of their bellies with a knotted string to keep it in place.

It was only when the House-elves rebelled at cleaning their nests and tripping over rats underfoot, that students were banned from using the rats, and had to rely on their familiars (or a ghost bribed with secrets and scandalous gossip) instead. Hermione thought it was all rather impractical, foolish even, as the rats scurried through the walls, ignored and unwanted, without anything to do. Surely their work before had kept them entertained, and their tummies full of the snacks the students rewarded them with.

Instead, the sullen rats turned to gnaw on dusty tomes and misplaced wands instead and refused to abandon their nests, insistent on remaking them instead. It was common for quills and parchment paper to go missing, along with loose buttons, socks, even a part of a tie or robe (something that happened to many Ravenclaws, as absorbed as they could be with their studies). The rats would chew through anything if they wanted it, taking part of it with them, and leaving a mess behind.

Except for the dumbo-eared rat that made its home in her drawer, somehow knowing to stay out of view from her roommates. The rat was sweeter than most creatures Hermione had encountered, and after she gave it a piece of her biscuit, never wanted to leave. Hermione had never meant to break the rules, truly –

And technically she wasn’t, as she didn’t give the rat any messages to carry, or insist they stay with her. She only petted it on occasion; crooning how cute its rounded ears were and giggling when it nibbled on her fingers. It wasn’t doing any harm, and she hadn’t named it after the first muggle dentist.

Nor did Hermione smile when the rat recognized its name, appearing when she called.

She didn’t.

“You have to be good,” Hermione chided, as Crooks rubbed his cheek against her hand. Her best friend and loyal study partner, Theo, would have chuckled had he heard her tone; it being the same one that she used when scolding him. "Just because you don't like your sister doesn't mean you can take it out on the others."

Crooks meowed in response, though whether he was agreeing or disagreeing with her was yet to be seen. And inside her dresser drawer, a familiar rat squeaked. ‘Thank you, Crooks, he was always mean to me…’ (referring to the latest rat that the half-kneazle caught).

For the rat that adored Hermione hadn’t been kindly treated and had shared her unfortunate tale with the half-kneazle. And Crooks hid his amusement, knowing what their owner didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, for there was a whole other life he and other creatures had at Hogwarts…

#Inventober #harry potter #hp #harry potter fanfiction #hp fics #hermione granger #crookshanks #creaturefic #spooktober #hogwarts #daily prompts #hp drabble #archive of our own #ao3

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jjkpls · 5 years

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The Rabbit (Harry Potter!AU #7) (G)

> genre : pure fluff

> pairing : jeon jungkook x reader

> words : 2k

> warning : kookie fluff

> Jeon Jungkook (Ravenclaw, 2nd yr) is the cute boy, with the curious eyes, that caught your attention and your heart since you’ve seen him, first year, sitting under your favorite tree. (fluffy fluff, kookie is an animagus!!)

/The Harry Potter!AU Masterlist/

It’s cold again. Inside even more than outside. So naturally, you end up under that huge tree, the one so big it hides you from Hogwarts windows, where you know you’re safe. Safe too meltdown, self to fall apart, to lay against to find support, to find new energy and love from the roots that are so generous in sharing the one swimming through them. It’s your corner. Your little secret garden even though there're not many flowers; the only sight is the creepy forbidden forest, giving the impression that a dark entity might come out of it any moment and fetch you away.

But you know there is only one being to find you there. The little light brown rabbit is the only one to ever come by. In years of sitting under the same tree, it’s the only one to have ever found you. Not that anyone has had a reason to look. And quite frankly it’s the only one welcome. It carries something within him. A force, a light, something unusual and magical that feeds your heart as much as the tree does. After hundreds of those encounters, you don’t imagine ever coming here to not find it there, waiting for you and the little treat you sometimes bring along.

You don’t always have one though. Because sometimes, you don’t get to go shopping for carrots in between classes and after having tried one too many times to ask -then steal- a carrot from the elves’ kitchen without success, you’ve decided to simply explain to the rabbit you were sorry but didn’t have anything edible for it this time. And the rabbit wouldn’t mind. Staring at you with those huge black orbs, those filled with something spiritual, a sense of humanity, full of understanding, it would nod its tiny head and hops and hops until it’s seating quiet and nice next to you, at hand reach length. The little squint of its eyes, when the tips of your nails scratch gently the top of its head, never fails to erase the guilt. You’re pretty sure it doesn’t come back exclusively for the food. Perhaps it is also a little loner. Perhaps it enjoys staying alone from its peers but feels better when it’s not totally lonely. Just like you.

And less lonely do you feel whenever it’s around, shuddering pleasantly, little paws tucked quietly under its tummy. And when it’s not there... well it’s never not there. It never misses one of these afternoons. It is kind of curious. You don’t even know how it just knows you’ll need a break that certain day and you’ll be hiding here.

It’s always there before you too. With a little haggard glint in its eyes, fidgety on his little behind, it’s waiting for you. So maybe you are the one keeping it company rather than you being accompanied.

That day, it’s not there. It’s the first time since your first year that it’s been missing. And you sit here, awaiting, heart troubled with the idea that something is wrong. Something might have happened to it. You’ve heard of so many horror stories about the things that had lived and might be living currently in those woods. You remember in the beginning, how worried and confused you were that this small little thing could be living seemingly on its own in the Forbidden Forest. You could just not wrap your mind around that. That’s why you started bringing treats in the first place. You were scared that it wouldn’t be able to sustain itself. And here you are, waiting, after almost a week without meeting it and you can’t feed of the energy your garden beholds.

That day it doesn’t come at all.

Is that what they call the butterfly effect? Troubled by the encounter you’ve missed, your eyes, as on their own willing, are different. They feel different. They know they’ve missed the sight of the soft little head, the pretty starry orbs, and they can’t get over it.

Usually, you’re not one to really look around; to simply be present. It’s a bad habit you’ve been scolded for since you were little, your shoes and the ground they’re stepping on always seemingly more interesting than your surroundings. But this time, terrified at the prospect of really missing its healing sight, anxious and needy, they’re raised up, dancing along the rooms and corridors, stopping in little corners, with only one wish, catching the glimpse of the little guy’s tail, maybe come looking for you in Hogwarts.

You don’t realize you’ve been looking until you meet those eyes.

The first thought that strikes you is how pretty they look and you don’t know how to feel about the idea that you might have seen them way earlier if only you would have been brave enough to look up. Maybe those eyes had been searching for yours for ages and you simply never noticed.

You see them now though. And if it weren’t such an insane idea you would have bet your life on it; those eyes were the rabbit’s ones. Except right now, as you’re staring straight at them, unblinking, astonished, and filled with a growing, threatening-to-burst excitement, those eyes belong to a boy. A quite tall lanky boy, with dark brown hair resting like a birds nest on his head. He has a creamy caramel skin that kind of remind you of your friend’s soft tummy. And his nose, falling down in a big roundish tip. You smile at the thought, feeling silly beyond belief.

The boy doesn’t move an inch. He just stares back, expression blank and unreadable. The only loud and unmissable special touch, expressing really anything peculiar, is the crimson red scattered on his cheeks and you don’t even know if it means anything. Maybe he is timid or it might just be always there. It looks so fitting on his cheeks it might really be always there. You kind of hope it is.

You’re about to embarrass yourself by asking him if it is when a very tall guy with glasses and behind those a look of utter confusion as if it doesn’t understand what he is even doing on this face, bumps against him. There is a loud clatter of all sorts of books and papers and quills just tumbling endlessly from the older Gryffondor’s hands and you’ve lost sight of the curious boy. He is now down on his knees, helping with eager anxiety picking up the mess.

Then it is the end of classes for the day, and people are walking in a messy loud procession towards the great hall, ready to fill their bellies with the wonders elves have prepared and you lose total sight of him. You think, sitting at the end of the very long table, you catch glimpses of a pretty shade of pink you recognize but from so far, and with the wild animated set of kids separating you from them, it’s hard to tell so you drop it. You drop it because those pretty eyes were too pretty and too special to have been those of a human, and a dumb boy at that. You must have dreamed them. Wouldn’t be the first time you mistake a fantasy for a reality. When sometimes things tend to be so dull and slow and grey, you can’t really help it.

The next day, you’re back in your garden. It’s quite unusual for you to go two days in a row but you’ve spent a night so restless, you need to go. You need to check if the rabbit is back or not. If it’s fine or if it’s gone forever.

It is here, you grin to yourself feeling like a whole ton has just been lifted off of your back. But you take a seat under the tree and it doesn’t move. Staying at a fairly great distance, half-hidden under some of the woods’ bushes, the bunny looks at you from afar, with its two huge eyes looking more curious and wondering than ever, fidgeting on its feet as if ants were slaloming in between its paws.

“Why don’t you get closer?” The rabbit stares. It doesn’t move. Doesn’t even initiate a move. It’s funny it looks guilty. “Did you not miss me yesterday?” Like you used to do in the beginning, to make it feel less uneasy, to make it feel comfortable with your loud human presence, you start rambling about this and that, whatever comes to mind. “You know there is this boy in my school... he makes me think about you. He kind of looks like you. But I’ve never seen him before. He has- He looks like he is not bad.” When you look up from the grass your fingers were playing through, you see the rabbit, nicely tucked next to you. All close and intimate against your thigh, you could almost hear it purr. “Do you know him?” The rabbit, who’s been looking into your eyes with attention shinning like clear dots in the dark pools, diverts its gaze. “You look like you do.” Rubbing its cheek against your hand, your finger scratch lightly on the crook of its neck. It is pleased, enjoying its treatment with its whole, and eager. Way more eager and shameless than usual. “You did miss me yesterday, didn’t you? I know I did.” That seems to catch its attention, to trigger something. Raising on its bottom, he stares into the distance with a strange, possessed air you’ve never seen on it. Then as suddenly, it starts jumping quickly towards the bushes and in a blink of the eye, you only get to catch sight of its little tail, wriggling around at each hop, before there’s absolutely nothing left.

And just like that, it’s gone. You wait and you wait. At some point, the dark shadows of the forest seemed to have grown agitated and taken a new shape, but as you were standing, alert, heart beating fast with apprehension, nothing had come out and shown itself to you.

The next time you’ve seen the rabbit, it was during study time in the Ravenclaw common room. You were going over some material for your next morning class when the boy from a few days back took a seat next to you. Without a hint of a smile, cheeks still covered in crimson patches, he introduced himself to you, with the softest voice you’ve ever heard coming out of a boy, saying his name was Jeon Jungkook and how it was nice to meet you. Out of reflex you said your name back and that you too were glad but you couldn’t help but stare in confusion as to why he would come out of nowhere and talk to you. All the answers are in those eyes though. Those eyes you hadn’t imagined before for they are really here, eager and wondering.

“Where were you the day before yesterday?”

He doesn’t take a second to answer as if he knew you’d ask, as if he knew why you ask.

“I had Quidditch try out. I’ll tell you from now on if I can’t go.” His voice trails on, quiet and insecure, slowed down by a thousand silent questions.

“Okay. That would be nice.” At that, he smiles, all teeth out and you’re taken aback by the two eye-catching bunny-like teeth winking at you. The round nose wrinkles on the edges, then the pink of his cheeks becomes a painful-looking red, you giggle. He might be even cuter as a boy than as a bunny.

#jungkook x reader #jungkook fluff #jungkook drabble #bts drabble #bts fluff #bts scenario #jungkook scenario #my writing

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feynites · 6 years

Text

I’m sorry @selenelavellan but the prospect of Selene becoming a semi-unwilling Cat Lady who Owns No Cats but also No Really None of Them Are ‘Cats’ was too good to pass up!

It is Des who comes up with the plan.

“Humans love cats,” he insists. “I have seen it on the light boxes. All we have to do is look like cats. Then we can find sugar daddies and live like royalty!”

Fear is the most reluctant.

“Humans do not love cats,” they insist. “Humans tolerate cats. They throw boots at them, and drown them in rivers. I have seen it.”

Des shakes his head.

“You just have to find the right sorts of humans,” he insists. “Or elves. Dwarves. Whoever. The race is not important, the important thing is to find one with a nice house and very little companionship with its peers. Then it will pack bond with anything sufficiently cute and cuddly - like me.”

“You are just going to get drowned in a river again,” Fear insists.

“No. I am going to get us safe access to dreams and adoring tribute again,” Des replies, equally adamant.

In the end, the two do not come to an agreement. But that is not so uncommon. Des vows to go through with his plan, and come back once he has ascertained its effectiveness. Fear pretends to worry less than they do when he disappears for several works, and sends no word back.

Not at first, at least.

Some of the skepticism towards the plan thaws when a full month has gone by, and Des does come back.

He is wearing the cat form he designed for the venture. In his mouth, he is carrying some kind of totem. It is shaped roughly like a bird, and is clearly of mortal make. He spits it out onto the ground before them, and then sits back on his haunches, and radiates self-satisfaction.

“I have found a benefactor,” he claims. “She is an elf. She lives in the village of Redcliff, above a shop which sells repositories of mortal knowledge. For three weeks I have stayed with her. No one else has visited in that time, and she has offered me food, and let me sleep in her bed, and stroked my fur every day. And now she has given me a token of worship.”

Dirthamen can confess some fascination with the described situation. He is the first to venture closer, though Fear remains cautiously at a distance. Examining Des’ aura; checking to make certain that he is uncorrupted.

The totem is small, but it does not vanish under the weight of his scrutiny, as an illusion would. And Des looks supple and well cared-for, his magical energies rejuvenated in a way that upholds his claims. Spirits are not mean to be completely disconnected from the physical world. It takes a toll on them; leaves them more vulnerable to certain types of corruption, even as it protects them from others.

“Alright, so, the plan is a success - you can all come back with me,” he proclaims.

“Definitely not,” Fear argues. “Just because this elf is willing to indulge you, that is no guarantee that she would not try and drown the rest of us.”

This is a fair point. Des is among the most charming of them, after all.

They debate it for some time, before an agreement is reached.

Affection was young when the Veil was raised, and is nearest to vanishing from the lack of mortal contact. Des shows the little spirit how to transform, and Affection takes on the shape of a short, wide-faced cat, with stripes all along its form. A little more than half the size of Des, who declares the form ‘perfect’, and takes Affection with him to the mortal plane again.

Fear’s worries intensify. Several more weeks pass, but Dirthamen and Deceit are more calm and cautiously optimistic of the situation.

A stance which is validated when Des and Affection return.

Des has another totem in his mouth. This one looks somewhat like an overly fat fish. Affection, on the other hand, is carrying what looks like some kind of knit foot covering. They deposit the items, while Fear examines them at range, and Dirthamen and Deceit move to greet them again.

“It is just as Des said!” Affection exclaims; tail twitching excitedly back and forth. “Selene is a fabulous benefactor! She gives us food and touches us often, and lets us sleep with her and gambol in her dreams! And she is very warm, and has a box of something called lon-derry that is perfect for regaining energy in! I brought some to show.”

Dirthamen pokes curiously at the lon-derry, and then examines the second totem.

“Alright, but surely this elf will not accept more than two interloping felines,” Fear insists.

“Of course she will, she loves us,” Des counters. “You should all come along now, and we will live like royalty. Just as I said.”

More arguments ensue. But this time, Dirthamen decides to interject.

“You will go, Fear,” he decides. “Along with Deceit. Go back with Des and Affection. If this mortal rejects you, you are both quick and clever enough to escape. And if you think she has reached a limit, then I am at least the most powerful, and best suited to survive alone here.”

“We are not going to abandon you,” Fear insists.

“No, and I did not tell you to,” Dirthamen replies. “But you could visit and share your tributes with me, if this mortal is willing to offer you such things. And I would do better than anyone else in that situation.”

“Are you certain?” Deceit asks, as Fear wavers unhappily in place.

Dirthamen is firm in the choice. It is the most reasonable one to make. Des has proven his case, but there is still some merit to Fear’s caution. They debate some more, but he knows that he is unlikely to be overruled. It is rare for him to make commands at all - he is almost always obeyed, when he does.

This time is no different.

Fear and Deceit take on the shapes of two sleek, short-haired black cats, and go with Des and Affection. Dirthamen spends the next few weeks alone, before all four of them return again.

Des has brought another fish-totem, and Affection has some more lon-derry. Deceit has brought the roasted leg of a hen, and Fear has some sort of device that lets a light out from one end. But the demonstration of tributes is not nearly as necessary as the sight of Fear inclining their head towards Des.

“The plan was a good one,” they say, with only a little terseness to their tone. Des smugly licks at one of his paws. “You should come back with us.”

So Dirthamen takes on the shape of a cat. Not choosing it so much as finding it. He ends up slightly bigger than Fear or Deceit - or maybe ‘fluffier’ would be the more apt description. Long-haired and blue-eyed, with the same dark fur. His companions leave the tributes behind in their lair, and they cast a warding spell to protect it in their absence; powered by the mortal offerings.

Then they all cross through the Veil, and into the waking world.

It has been a long time since Dirthamen made that trip. He nearly loses his shape for a moment, before Deceit and Fear wind around him, and him remember it again. Des takes the lead, then; ushering them out of the woodland cave where the Veil is thing, and towards the obvious signs of mortal settlements.

Loud constructions rumble down paved roads. Even though it is dark out, light floods the environs close to the settlement. Not magelight, but or at least not primarily that kind. Instead this is the light of stolen storms, that the sundered mortals have forged into a likeness of magic.

Dirthamen is fascinated with it. But Fear and Deceit keep him moving, and stop him from lingering beneath the glow of a stormwrought banner.

It is a long trip. Or perhaps it only feels that way because it has been some time since Dirthamen travelled. He had forgotten, mostly, what it was like to be in things like weather and wet. The brush they pass through smells sweet, though, and a petrichor scent lingers around the stones of mortal construct. Des pauses at some intervals, to let the noisy constructs pass, before meowing to signal the rest of the group forward.

The moon is high when they come to a line of buildings. Shop buildings, by the looks of them. And indeed, Des leads them to one with a window full of books, and then around to the back of it. There is a narrow set of railings which they all ascend, then. Moving one at a time. Dirthamen’s coordination nearly fails him, but he only needs to stop a few times along the way. Des is the first to disappear into an open window, to be greeted by the sound of a friendly voice.

“There you are!” says the voice.

Des meows in return.

“And where’s the rest of the gang?” the voice - the mortal; Selene, he supposes - asks.

Affection follows Des, and then Deceit leaps through.

“Two, three - where’s your partner in crime?”

Fear lingers long enough to ensure that Dirthamen makes it successfully up the last bit of railing, and then heads through the window themselves.

“And, four! Okay, good, there’s supposed to be a big storm tonight-”

Dirthamen reaches the window just as a brown hand reaches out towards it.

The mortal Selene turns, and sees him. Her eyes widen in surprise.

Dirthamen had not harbored much in the way of preconceptions about Selene. But for some reason, he does think he had imagined her somewhat… older? Plainer, perhaps? Des had not extolled her beauty, as he might expect him to do, given the elf he is faced with. But then again, the plan is obviously not to seduce her. Perhaps Des had simply not thought the information relevant.

Selene’s hair is pale, and her eyes are bright. Her features are sharp. She is wearing some sort of knit overshirt, with mortal lettering spread across the front of it. ‘Bibliophiles Do It Better’. He does not know what clan that denotes, if it denotes any. Her hands smell like interesting foodstuffs, though she does not seem to be holding any at the moment. Beneath the overshirt, she seems to only be wearing a pair of brightly-patterned smallclothes.

It is a strange outfit. But Dirthamen is not well-versed in mortal fashion trends.

“Oh!” Selene says. Her fingers hesitate at the window; but her body blocks the way inside. “Shit.”

Dirthamen supposes he must present himself.

The window ledge is narrow, but he still manages a decent approximation of a bow.

Selene sighs. But she also moves aside, in what seems to be a clear invitation. Dirthamen leaps through the window, and lands on a narrow structure situated beneath it. Only then does their mortal host close the window.

“Mister,” she tuts. “What did I tell you about expanding your gang?”

Des meows.

“Yes, I know a storm is coming. I’m on to your little guilt trips,” she replies, as if interpreting his speech.

Dirthamen blinks, and wonders if she can. To his ears, it sounds only as though Des is making nonsense ‘cat noises’. But perhaps there is a linguistic nuance he is missing?

As he settles down onto the little windowside table, and regard Selene solemnly, the others seem to fall into a comfortable sort of routine. Fear jumps up to the top of a shelf of books in the room. Wedging themselves into the narrow space between the top shelf and the ceiling, until the most visible thing about them is the gleam of their eyes.

Des and Affection exit the room - which appears to be some sort of bedroom - through the open doorway. Following the scent of food. Deceit, on the other hand, leaps up onto the bed at settles on the foot of it.

Selene returns Dirthamen’s scrutiny. After a moment, she presents him her hand.

Dirthamen stares at it for a moment, uncertain of protocols when he is in this shape. After a moment, he leans forward and delicately presses his nose to it. This seems to satisfy requirements, as Selene moves the same hand to tentatively touch his fur.

She pats his back gently a few times. When he does not move away, she begins to send some searching fingers through his fur. It feels fairly pleasant; so he leans into the touch.

“Well, you don’t seem to have fleas…” Selene murmurs.

No indeed, he does not. He would have no reason to tolerate them. Selene gently scritches him, though, and it feels wonderful. How long has it been since he felt physical touch like this? From an entity that was not connected to him, like Fear and Deceit? He arches into it, and finds a low, rumbling sound begins to reverberate out from him.

Selene snorts.

“Buttering me up, hm?” she says. But she does not stop scritching, either. Not for several minutes anyway. When she finally does pull her hand away, she gives him a parting pat.

“I guess I’ll put down another dish of food,” she decides, with a resigned sigh.

Dirthamen flicks his tail, and finally concedes his own last, lingering reservation.

Des’ plan does indeed seem to be a success.

#dirthalene #cat au #it's like the spirit kitty version of gandalf smuggling the dwarves into bilbo's house #long post

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maiden-of-wolves · 6 years

Text

Fox & Ariel - Persistence

“Meeting” Scene Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Battle of Haven Part 6

Finally some sweet fluff! And tenseness, but still. They’re actually getting along!! It’s a goddamn miracle.

At first Ariel didn’t think that seeking out Fox was something she should do, since he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but as several days past and she never saw him around she got worried. She felt like she’d asked most of the population of Skyhold where Fox was by the time she finally figured it out. Even when she wandered halfway down the dusty staircase to the cellar just to be sure he was there, she went back up when she realized she would be coming empty handed. She had no idea if he’d eaten or where he slept now so at the very least she could bring him some food and tea.

When she finally returned, a basket was hanging from her arm with some bread and apples that she managed to snag from the kitchens and a hot cup of tea she made under the critical eye of one of the elves working the in the kitchen was carefully held by both hands in front of her. She almost ended up stepping on a cat that had made an entire step its perch, but thankfully it meowed softly at her and she looked down. “Can you please move, kitty?” she asked her, the feline apparenting having decided to lay upside down along the step. “I don’t want to step on you or catch your tail…”

Getting only a cute little wiggle in response, Ariel sighed and carefully stepped over the cat and did her best to place her feet down on the opposite side of the stair from the swishing tail. She was deliberate for the next couple steps too but eventually got to the bottom without incident. She heard another, louder meow from behind her which told Ariel that she was being followed. “This isn’t for you,” she said, glancing back at the cat with a chuckle before returning her attention to her actual task.

She approached Fox but stopped a ways behind him and moved to the side so he could just turn his head if he wanted. The fact that he was all but swaddling himself in a blanket made her feel guilty about allowing the use of magebane on him. Not that there really was a lot she could have done besides protest. At least the initial suggestion of chains with spell bindings on them was quickly shouted down. “I thought you might want something to eat,” she offered, trying not to sound timid about it. They just hadn’t really talked since he forced her to stay behind. “Oh, and I brought some tea, too, if you want it. It’s still hot...”

Fox looked over and smiled at her. “Thank you. I was just thinking of getting up. And don't trouble yourself. I am healed. I simply don't like the cold.” His hand snaked out of his cocoon of a blanket and cleared space on the table in front of him.

For some reason she couldn’t help smiling when he did, though she cut herself off from thinking about why. Ariel brought over her gifts, setting the tea down only after she’d found a stable spot for the basket. Her eyes lingered on his hands and the scarring there before pulling back to give him space. “Well, I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I just snagged some bread and apples. And the tea, of course. Hopefully that’ll be okay,” she admitted, reaching up to fiddle with the necklace that had become a worry token for her.

“It's fine, thank you.” Fox pulled an apple to himself first and sliced it somewhat clumsily with a knife. “You never really realize how much you use magic for some things until you can't.”

At least it’s going okay so far, she thought to herself. She watched as he moved to slice an apple, having to stop herself from reaching out to help. That would be too much and would almost certainly be unwelcome. Still, she gestured to the apple. “I worked in the kitchens for years, do you want me to cut them for you?” she offered. Ariel really didn’t want to baby him, but it felt like the least she could do. “The magebane…” Ariel started, unsure how to phrase the question. “It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“It doesn't hurt, no. I feel significantly slower - of mind and body, but as I said, magic for everything. And I appreciate the offer, but I can handle it. Just don't tell Ivan how sloppy I've gotten with a knife.”

Ariel found herself chuckling at the request. “I won’t tell him,” she said with a small nod. Relaxing a little, she wandered over to the bookshelves to look around. “I guess we feel the same in that regard, just for different reasons,” she began offhand, wiping away some dust from a spine to see what it said. “The meds you got me make me feel like that too.” There were other things, headaches after focusing for too long and occasionally sensitivity to light but it helped enough that she was willing to deal with the side effects.

Fox slowly ate a piece of apple before responding. “There are other mixtures, if those aren't working well. I was told that despite the symptoms being the same, sometimes a different potion is required. What I'm feeling is punishment, not treatment, and you should not be subjected to such.”

She laughed at his insistence that she shouldn’t be punished, though she knew she probably shouldn’t have. “My meds at home kind of made me feel like this too,” she admitted. “It’s either put on the chains or my brain races wildly in a thousand directions.” Ariel scrunched up her nose as she brushed the dust from another spine, trying her best not to sneeze. “I’m honestly just glad,” she started, pausing to hold a hand up to her nose to prevent the involuntary reaction from following through. When it finally passed, she sighed in relief before finishing her prior thought. “That there was something that could help here.” Truth be told she’d been feeling useless with them, even though she’d been able to concentrate without lyrium and took care of herself, because in comparison to her manic productive periods she could barely get anything done. Still, she needed them and was grateful to Fox for providing them with apparently no additional strings.

He continued to eat, taking glances between her and basket of food. “If you're certain. I'll send for them regardless. Maker knows it's unlikely you're the only one suffering. I tried to consult with de Fer, but she started on about how she'd never consult with demons and how dare I suggest as much.” He paused and tugged on the end of his braid. “I suspect she suffers and blames demons, but believes admitting it would be a sign of weakness. I'd not tell her if your condition myself, but given the lack of demons in your home and the frequency of the condition, perhaps it could allay her concerns.”

He lowered the bread from his mouth and blinked. “That's not where I meant to take that. I mean, I doubt the South is well versed on treating this, so surely someone will need it.”

As much as she should have been comforted by the idea that she wasn’t the only one with these issues, her mind couldn’t focus on that. Instead, it turned to the member of the inner circle he had mentioned. Vivienne? The idea that she was suffering with depression or anxiety wasn’t something that Ariel had ever considered. “Well, her lover is dying and she’s trying her damndest to figure out any way to save him, so I’d say that’d definitely stress someone out,” Ariel admitted, feeling a tightness in her own chest at the thought but it wasn’t from empathizing with Vivienne. She pushed aside the realization. “But she also valued the Circles and they were torn apart by infighting. Sometimes this… illness… is situational and will pass when the world feels steady under your feet again.” She probably shouldn’t be sharing people’s personal problems with Fox, but it felt like it was necessary to explain her point.

Fox just nodded along. “Yes, but that does not mean they need suffer in the interim. And my consult with her was to see if she knew more than I did, given her rank within the Circle, not to offer her help. I'm no fool — that I knew she wouldn't accept.”

Here it was again. Already. Ariel sighed, closing her mouth tightly afterwards as she bid herself think and not speak. He’s not saying you called him a fool, she reminded herself. Don’t get offended at nothing… Still, it didn’t feel like nothing. It felt like he’d twisted her words until they said something she never did and that was entirely unfair. Regardless, she managed to refocus herself and hopefully not reply with anything that would start an argument. “I wasn’t suggesting anyone should suffer, just that the reasons for the symptoms vary and they aren’t always so entrenched,” she said simply, offering a small shrug before turning around to look at him. “Did you consult her simply because you were curious about how Southern mages handled these kinds of things? Or did you encounter someone else who needed assistance and wanted help?”

“Somewhere in between,” Fox said with a shrug. “I did not come across it - it’s hardly something easy to see - but I speculated it would be an issue. I wanted to know how it was handled in the South. I am not surprised that the answer is “It’s not,” but I am disappointed.”

At that, Ariel laughed again, though it was more nervous laughter than anything. “Well it always has been easier to deny that it’s a problem, self medicate or shut ill people away. Or all three. Not that any of them are the right thing to do.” She paused to offer a small shrug before continuing. “It’s quite a different set of priorities in the South, since magic isn’t seen as the first solution to problems but the last and medical research is put behind military research by a fair bit.”

“Not that we don’t have our focus on military research, but when you have so many blood mages, said blood mages want to be sure they have as much control of the demons as possible and, well, from what I’ve been told, this condition manifests similarly.” He laughed with no mirth. “We have more than our share of problems. I suppose I’d hoped that combining the best parts of both would create a good middle ground, but North and South are both messes.”

“What, out of control demons manifest in the person they’re bound to like depression or anxiety?” Ariel asked, suddenly terribly concerned as she pulled up her well-marked hands and stared at them. “While I can barely interact with demons in the Fade, not that I’d ever want to, I may as well be a blood mage with how I use my…” she paused, brows furrowing for a few moments as she searched her mind for the right wording, “cursed version of magic? I don’t know what to call it.”

“My theoretical expertise isn’t in the area of blood magic and demons, so I can’t comment on your magic, but as for the depression and anxiety… Yes, making a demon pact can most certainly have strong effects on the mage’s personality. There is one I met in the Circle of Minrathous - Sokolov. His pact is with a Hunger demon that calls itself Avarice. Not that Sokolov wasn’t a hedonist before the pact, but he is markedly moreso than his twin now.”

Ariel listened, silent, to his answer with thrumming anxiety combing her memories for some kind of assurance that she hadn’t somehow talked to and made a pact with a demon. The effort screeched to a halt as Fox informed her that the demon had made the man far more interested in pursuing pleasure in life. “That’s an interesting side effect of a hunger demon gone awry…” She hummed to herself as she wracked her mind. “But I suppose nothing ever goes according to what you expect when it comes to demons.”

“George - that’s the demon, not Sokolov - likes to own and possess things. It - he - is hungry for wealth and objects. I would not be surprised to learn Sokolov has rolled around on a pile of coins just to appease him.” Fox snickered.

Ariel tilted her head in curiosity as she listened. The idea he presented was certainly a funny one and she laughed again, though it was a far softer thing than normal as if she were worried about being too enthusiastic. “So he must appease George, then, to retain sanity? Perhaps now he sleeps on a bed of gold like a hoarding dragon.”

Fox snorted. “It wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t know the exact terms of their pact - he just liked to brag and show off at parties. Accidentally poisoned everyone at a party my partner and I attended. We were particularly popular that night.” He laughed, but sadness cooled his expression.

“Accidentally?” Ariel asked, quirking a brow with a small chuckle. Her mind registered that he said ‘partner’ and filed that away for now. It wasn’t her business who he slept with unless he wanted to talk about it. She would have mentioned that it’d be hard for a man that looked and was as talented as Fox would be hard to miss, but the commentary about the poisoning was far more interesting than stroking his ego. “Just how do you accidentally poison a whole fancy noble mage soirée?”

“He and the demon had a lot of poisoned wine for some purpose that eludes me to this day and his twin decided to give it to all of the guests.” Fox smirked. “Morathis was a Dalish, non-magical healer with the best emetics in Asariel, thankfully for everyone.”

“I’ll bet that was particularly interesting,” Ariel mused, a short chuckle muffled in her throat at the thought. “Tevinter nobility being grateful for a Dalish elf.”

“He was more than chuffed. He would have been First of his clan, had he magic and that was the first time since leaving that he had the kind of respect he’d grown up with.” Fox smiled, though it wavered a few times and he quickly turned back to his book.

“And the kind of respect he deserved, by the sound of it,” Ariel noted, echoing his smile. When his faltered, however, her expression quickly turned to concern. She had to keep herself from approaching him. “Are you okay? I’m... sorry if I dug into something painful…”

“It’s alright. It was years ago, now.” He didn’t look up from the text. “But yes, he was terribly talented and aware of it.”

Even though it wasn’t really something she felt she should do, Ariel approached Fox and leaned over the desk enough to gently touch his knuckles. Her gaze was locked on his face even though he wouldn’t look at her. “If you ever want to talk, I can actually shut up and listen sometimes,” she offered, chuckling at her own self-deprecation to try and add a little levity.

“I appreciate it, but, truly, it’s fine. His death is what let me realize where Ivan’s loyalties laid. Things are better now.”

While she didn’t want to, Ariel removed her touch just to be polite. “Okay,” she managed. After a few moments of heavy silence, she spoke up again. “Oh, and I wanted to be sure I told you: thank you for the lamp. It’s been very helpful.”

She could see the edges of his mouth turn up, though he didn’t his head. “I’m glad to hear it. I’ve always thought so. Dagna’s requested ten. She’s delightful.”

Ariel’s laugh at that was full throated and genuine. “I’m sure she did! She is certainly quite the character. Wanted to study me almost as much as Venna, oddly enough. She’s helped me refine by wingsuit design after I promised to let her fiddle with my phone. And I think soon we’ll have a working prototype for my assassin bracers and boots. It’s been a joy working with her.”

“Your… phone?”

“Oh. I didn’t realize I hadn’t told everyone in the inner circle about it. Hold on…” She twisted slightly, moving one of the small shoulder straps from her little backpack so she could zip open the bag while holding it up with the other strap. Fishing in there didn’t take long as she’d recently organized it and she pulled out her smartphone. She shuffled the backpack into its proper place without bothering to re-zip it for the moment. A soft click came from the power button on the side as she pushed it and the screen lit up. “Fifty-five percent,” she sighed to herself. “I’ll have to set it out later.” When that was settled, she tapped the screen six times to input her passcode and it switched over to the main screen. “This is my phone,” she said, turning the backlit piece of metal, glass, plastic and circuitry to him so he could see the screen. “Dunno if you’ve heard me talk about technology, but this is one of the main things we use. It’s uses are far too long to list, but I’ve usually used it here to tell me what time it is and play music from home to help destress. Sometimes take pictures or video.”

Fox frowned at it. “Is this the device that gave you the prophecy?”

Ariel quirked a brow at him. Venna and Dagna had been interested in all its uses so the almost deadpan reception it got from Fox was surprising. She pulled it back, tapping the power button again so it went back into low-power mode. “No. That’s a different thing called a computer. Or a console, I guess, it was ported there too. But neither would fit in a pocket or a backpack.”

“Hmm.” Fox leaned back in his seat and tightened the blanket around his shoulders since he was done eating. “Does it have weaker prophecies, then? Smaller ones? Like what someone will have for breakfast?”

She couldn’t stop herself from laughing at that idea but pushed it down as quickly as possible before shaking her head. “I’m afraid not,” Ariel answered. “But it’s been helpful, at least for me.” She paused, gaze shifting away from him but to nowhere in particular as she mulled an idea over. With a practiced move she clicked the phone back into working mode and re-entered the passcode. Another tap and she opened her camera app, holding the phone with one hand she framed him against the hallway behind him before tapping the screen to take a shot. Thankfully she didn’t have the flash on but it did give off the soft sound of a camera shutter closing. “Here, see! It’s you!” she showed him with a happy grin, turning the phone around after tapping the photo into full screen.

“Oh, so it’s some kind music-box cameo fusion. That’s nice, I suppose.” Fox looked nothing so much as put out that it wasn’t prophetic.

Ariel blinked, stock still for a few seconds. That was not the reaction she was expecting, but she supposed she didn’t really know what to expect. “Hm,” she hummed, pulling it back to her and tapping off that app. “I think I’ll keep that picture. Haven’t gotten the chance to take one of you before,” she mused to herself, clicking the power off again after closing down the apps she’d opened. A quick shift and she’d put it back into her bag, the zipper pulled back in place right after.

She glanced down, and quickly realized that the basket she’d brought was empty. “Ah, well, I guess I should take this,” she noted, reaching out and carefully pulling the handle up and shuffling it until it was hanging by the crook of her arm. “Are you still working on the tea?”

“No, but thank you again for bringing it.” He rubbed his hands together, as if to warm them, though the room didn’t feel particularly cold. He nodded to her. “I’m glad that phone brings you joy.”

Ariel nodded back to him, reaching out and grabbing the cup to put it in the basket. Before she could excuse herself properly, her attention was drawn to his hands as he rubbed them together, her mind conjuring up an idea. For a moment she considered ignoring it and just leaving, but he pushed through the bundle of nerves that pulled to life in her to reach back out and place her palms over his fingers. Her hands were tiny in comparison to his and she offered him a sheepish smile as she held them against his. “I’m always hot, so I thought maybe that would help,” she explained. “Maybe next time I’ll figure out how to get a small portable furnace down here for you. At least until the magebane is out of your system.”

Fox smiled at her. “Thank you, but I will be fine. Venna believes that by the end of the week I’ll either be suitably contrite or a hopeless case.”

She removed her touch with a light blush from his smile, the laugh that came from her was nervous but genuine. “You? Contrite?” she echoed. “I think I’ll have to talk with Venna about her expectations…”

“I rather thought she was resigned to me being a hopeless case.”

“Oh good, she hasn’t gone all ‘everything is sunshine and rainbows’ on me just yet,” Ariel mused, chuckling again.

Fox tilted his head down again. “I was told how you reacted in the wake of the attack.”

Any sense of levity was suddenly sucked out of the conversation. “What do you mean?” she asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

“We know now that the prophecy can be changed… There is no guarantee Venna will survive any particular task that is to come.”

Ariel had to mull over what he was saying. What was he trying to get at? That she was assuming things would end well for Venna? That she didn’t care about her friend’s well being? None of the answers she came up with made Fox seem anything less than an ass, so she put them away for the time being. “You were the one who was hovering just around death, not Venna. I think my concern was warranted and correctly placed.”

Fox’s voice was pointedly kind as he continued. “Be sure it stays that way. It is easy to think your heroes immortal.”

“If I’m to be making promises of putting Venna’s life above yours, it’d best be the same for you. Put Venna’s above mine and let me walk into the maw next time if that is what the ‘prophecy’ changes make us do.” That said, she made one last check that she had the cup in the basket at her arm before walking around the desk and to the hallway so she could leave. She didn’t miss his lack of agreement as she left, mind spinning about why he hadn’t as she wandered back into Skyhold proper. Despite the conclusions it kept coming to, that made sense, she pushed them away even as some part of her prayed she was right.

About a week and a half later, a pair of August Ram leather gloves with snow hare fur lining the wrists awaited Fox on his desk, set aside with a note in meticulous but somehow still messy handwriting.

The leather has a second coat, so they should keep your hands warm as you work. I am sorry about the stitching. It was not something I practiced back home.

Let me know if you ever need help with all that paperwork!

The note only had a little circle with eyes and a smile in the bottom corner as if doodled in as an afterthought.

#my writing #co-authored #co-writing #tk-duveraun #Fox #OC: Ariel Grace

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athyrabunlord · 7 years

Text

LLSHP Interlude2 - Of Feathers and Wind

Arc1: [Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7]

Arc2: [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10] [Chapter 11] [Chapter 12] [Chapter 13] [Chapter 14]

Arc3: [Chapter 15] [Chapter 16] [Chapter 17] [Chapter 18 - sanguinem pudicitia (TBD)]

Interludes: [Carbonado (1)] [Carbonado (2)] [Of Feathers and Wind] [Delphinus (teaser blip)]

[Brief note about School Term] [other LLSHP AU stuff] [YohaMaRuby concept arts] [ChikaYouRiko concept arts] [KanaDiaMari concept arts] [Hogwarts Staff]

[FFN link] (up until ch14!) [Pixiv Link] [Translated to Chinese by plin2290]

A/N: Here it is, a Ruby-centric chapter! Surprised? (⌒ω⌒) Yup, this interlude is told from Ruby’s POV, about various points throughout the story so far and her relationship with the other girls, such as \CYR/ and more. And in spite of my simple 5-bullet point outline, this turned into the longest chapter ever wtf. Hope you’ll enjoy this, and any feedback is welcomed as always! Words: 10,159

“It’s rare that you have a day off.”

Ruby nods distractedly, tugging her favorite lop bunny plushie under her chin and tightening her hug. She shifts a little and smiles when she feels a warm body lying down behind her as if offering to be her cushion. Just as she leans back against the large wolf, her golden-haired companion also flops down against it, making the wolf growl in exasperation.

Ruby giggles at Kanan and Mari’s interaction, grateful for their company on an otherwise inane day at the Kurosawa Estate. It’s rather pitiful that she has no idea what to do with her free time, having very little of that in all her fourteen years of life.

Hobby? She does like creating things, whether it is plushie toys or adding accessories to her own clothing, but it’s getting more difficult to hide them. There is no trustworthy person in the House of Kurosawa, especially the house-elves. It’s not because they have bad intentions or anything, but rather they are under strict orders to obey their masters and mistresses. The word of the patriarch, her grandfather, is absolute. Even Father and Mother cannot defy him.

Friends? Ruby has no friends. Unlike some Purebloods or Half-bloods who go to community schools prior to entering Hogwarts or other magical schools, she learns magic under various instructors’ tutelage. Due to her jam-packed schedule, she is unable to mingle with other peers let alone go out to have fun. She grew up watching the lonely silhouette of Dia’s back and learns to suppress that destitute feeling herself.

It’s only recent years that Ruby notices the change in her older sister’s demeanor. As soon as Dia earned her private compound after becoming a Prefect, she constructed a small garden as if in defiance of the family’s pre-set structure. Also, unbeknownst to their large family, she modified the spells to the perimeter in order to allow secret entry for her two best friends.

Mari Ohara and Kanan Matsuura, the two friends who have made Dia smile, are now keeping Ruby company as per her request. At first, Ruby feels awkward around such strangers, knowing they are just doing her sister a favor. But as time goes on, she could sense that they are genuine in trying to help out the Kurosawa siblings. In a way, they are a bridge between the sisters.

“Hehe, that bunny sure looks like Dia~”

Ruby smiles up at the smirking Mari. “It is supposed to be Onee-chan! See, I made one for Onee-chan when we were younger, and she made this lop bunny for me.”

“Daww, if only we could sneak you over to her side of the compound right now…”

Kanan huffs and paws at the tatami in agreement.

“Thank you, but I don’t want to risk you two getting caught.”

The house-elves have turned a blind eye to the two visitors, as they had entered Ruby’s room in their Animagus forms. Their orders are to keep unauthorized people out of her room, and nothing about animals, so on this technicality they are able to keep up with this arrangement. Ruby isn’t sure what their response would be if they were to leave the room, so it’s better to play safe.

“Such a cute little sister~ I’d love to adopt you but that overprotective condensed carbon would have my head, teh-heh.”

Truthfully, Ruby enjoys being pampered by Mari. Both she and Kanan are rather forward in their physical affection, something Ruby yearns for from her older sister but she could only recall a few instances that Dia ever hugged her.

After all, such open displays of emotions are not allowed in their proud Pureblood household.

Dia has always been strict towards her, unyielding and perhaps even harsh in reprimands, yet Ruby could feel that her sibling truly cares about her. All those countless times Dia would slip snacks to her, sneak into her room to read storybooks to her whenever she had nightmares, and all the times she would speak on her behalf in risk of punishment.

Ruby just doesn’t know how she could ever return such gesture. Anything she can do, Dia definitely can do too. Just how can she help her sister, if ever?

“So, just how much free time do we have?”

“Hmm, until dinner time I think? My tutor had an emergency that requires his immediate presence so he would not be available for this whole week. Father said I should use this freed-up time to prepare for next week.”

“Next week huh… my my, even Ruby-chan is going to Hogwarts now~” Mari caresses the younger girl’s hair. “How time has flown by, ne, Kanan?”

The wolf lets out a sharp bark, its unusually long tail wagging and practically sweeping the tatami.

“Yes, I’ll… finally be able to leave here and join Onee-chan at Hogwarts.” Ruby unconsciously sinks against the wolf even more and smiles appreciatively when Mari wraps a comforting arm around her.

“We’ll have so much fun together! Although, as per Dia’s request, you’ll have to pretend that you don’t know us, okay?”

Ruby pouts. “I don’t understand. Sure, I know why we have to be so secretive here, but why at Hogwarts too?”

“You never know who’s watching. Besides, Dia was… well, you have heard about unknown assailants going after her right?”

“Again!?” Ruby covers her mouth after the loud squeak, hoping that hadn’t caught a house-elf’s attention. “I thought that hasn’t happened for years, and the previous assailants have long been identified and caught…”

“Yes, but these are new enemies. Unlike the past cases, these new ones don’t seem interested in ransom, or damaging the Kurosawa name - they are keen to capture Dia alive. The way they move and cast magic… there’s something off about them. Very off.”

“T-Then, I’m sure Grandfather can figure out something and-”

“No.” Mari’s surprisingly firm voice makes Ruby wince. The older girl smiles sheepishly and softens her voice. “There’s a reason, a reason we can’t divulge, but it’s necessary to keep this a secret just between the three of us. The most I can tell you, Ruby-chan, is that this is the problem Dia’s facing. She doesn’t want to endanger you.”

“I-I can take care of myself though…”

“We know, dearie. We’ve tried persuading Dia, oh believe me, but you know how obstinate that penguin is~” Mari shakes her head, only to yelp when the furred form behind them transforms and causes her to lose balance. “Oi, Kanan!”

The ponytailed girl winks at her and gives Ruby a brief hug. “We need to keep our status as unregistered Animagi a secret as well. This gives us a lot of advantages to staying undercover - although, those attackers have already labeled me as Dia’s guard dog or even the school’s hound or something. Of course, we’ll try to keep contact as much as possible, hmm?”

“Okay…” Though still sad, Ruby relaxes in the older girl’s embrace and tries to suppress her trepidation. She truly enjoys Kanan and Mari’s company, that they are able to fill in the lonely void, but it just isn’t the same as having her Onee-chan around.

The older they become, the harsher the House of Kurosawa is at disciplining them. Indeed, this week is very rare for her, since her daily schedule is usually filled back-to-back with very little room for rest. Perhaps, her grandfather and the other elders have finally given up on her? Deeming it useless to train her because she will never be able to catch up to her sister anyway?

Such thought makes her feel both relieved and frustrated at the same time.

As if sensing her concern, Mari joins the hug and whispers encouragingly. “You have the potential. Just ignore whatever those geezers tell you! You’re a strong witch, Ruby-chan, perhaps even stronger than Dia in a way.”

Ruby blinks, unable to comprehend such concept. “Me? Stronger than Onee-chan? How is that p-possible? T-There are so many spells I can’t even cast…”

“You’ll see someday, Ruby,” Kanan chuckles warmly and also pats her head. “Believe in yourself.”

“Uyu…” Still confused, Ruby allows herself to relish in the older girls’ comforting warmth since she won’t be able to enjoy it once she goes to school. She’s used to being alone, so even if she’s unable to make any friends in Hogwarts, she should be fine, right?

Really, that dull ache in her heart is nothing more than a minor inconvenience. She just needs to keep up a good front, be the Kurosawa that her family’s raised her to be, and eventually becomes strong enough to assist her sister. Yes, that should be her goal. Otherwise, she has nothing to motivate her, nothing to work for.

What does Ruby Kurosawa want to do? She doesn’t know.

Suddenly, Kanan and Mari transform into their Animagus forms so fast that Ruby barely has time to steady herself. As she watches the wolf and cat slip out of the room, presumably off the porch and into the bushes, she realizes that someone must be coming.

Taking a deep breath, she greets the Head of the House with a courteous bow. “Grandfather.”

The maroon-haired wizard nods curtly and gestures for her to stand up. Though wizened with age, the tall Kurosawa patriarch exudes a powerful and fearsome presence. His emerald eyes are just as sharp as a cunning predator, always watching and calculating. It is through his contributions and achievements that the House of Kurosawa is able to become one of the most prestigious Pureblood families in the magical world.

Though retired now, the former Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot still holds great influence and many from the Ministry continue to seek his advice. Ruby rarely sees the busy man one-on-one and only interacts stiffly with him during family meals.

Therefore, for him to show up here in the afternoon, he must have a few choice words to deliver in person prior to her attendance to Hogwarts. Ruby prepares herself for a lecture about upholding their family prestige.

What is in a surname anyway? What does it matter if you are a Pureblood or not? You are your own person, not a puppet to a mere name. She knows fully well just how much her extensive family has contributed to society, whether as accomplished Aurors, Curse Breakers for Gringotts Bank and more. But surely, those relatives are talented because of who they are individually, not because they’re members of the Kurosawa family.

As the patriarch begins his speech, Ruby’s attention begins to wander in spite of her best effort to listen. She glances at the grand painting on the wall, a painting that every member of the main House has in their chamber.

The Black Jaguar is the representative animal for the House of Kurosawa. Proud and stealthy, the predator hunts with its cunning and prevails even in the darkest of the night, fast like the wind. Independently strong with powerful bites that can pierce even armored reptiles, the Jaguar is the Kurosawa founder’s Animagus form. Every member of the family is acquired to learn powerful offensive spells that can penetrate an opponent’s shield Charms, but Ruby has yet to master any.

After all, the Black Jaguar is everything Ruby Kurosawa is not.

No matter how you look at it, Dia resembles the graceful Black Jaguar more than Ruby could ever be.

She gazes at the slightly ajar door, where the wolf and the cat had gone. At least, Dia is no longer completely bound by her duties. As soon as she becomes an adult and graduates from Hogwarts, she should be able to gain enough freedom and assert a certain amount of power, especially with great friends like Kanan and Mari by her side.

Ruby wonders if she would ever get to experience that.

“Ruby Kurosawa.”

She flinches at the patriarch’s deep voice.

“S-Sorry, Grandfather, I w-was just nervous that I would not d-do well and-”

“It is unbecoming for a Kurosawa to lie,” the wizard’s austere demeanor is rather suffocating. “Weakness is not tolerated. You will hold your head high and speak in a clear voice when you join the House of Slytherin in your Sorting next week. Your older sister has fulfilled my expectations - I expect no less from you. Do you understand?”

She has to clench her fists so hard so that the pain would keep her focused. It takes all her willpower to not stutter as she replies with a louder tone. “Yes, I understand, Grandfather.”

No, she does not.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Ruby could faintly feel herself smiling as she turns and stretches in her cozy bed. Under layers of patchwork quilts and amazingly soft pillows, she is ready to hibernate for a long time! Alas, the biological clock due to her strict upbringing prevents her from falling back to sleep. With a reluctant sigh, she crawls out of the bed and goes about her morning routines.

In spite of just leaving the warm covers, she does not feel the morning chill at all because of how comfortable the Hufflepuff Dormitory is. Though located in the cellars, the chambers are Charmed to have the perpetual warmth of the sun and, whenever needed, provide the actual sunlight. Combined with various plants that furnish the rooms as well as the copper-themed decors, the peaceful ambiance allows students to feel as if they are out in an endless field, embraced and sheltered by Mother Nature Herself.

Ruby hums a quiet tune, greeting her Housemates with a timid smile. She holds her chin a bit higher when they return the gesture, but she still fidgets bashfully as some of the other girls inquire about her wellbeing.

Even though nearly a week has already passed since her Sorting, her Housemates remain concerned about her due to the Howler incident. Ruby will never forget how the Head of House, Professor Koizumi, had sternly eradicated the shouting mail, and how her fellow Hufflepuffs had comforted her. Muggleborn and Purebloods alike are protective her and have been since.

This is the Hogwarts House known for its sense of loyalty, fairness, and dedication. Ruby feels quite loved and relaxed here, though she would need time to adjust to this new style of life. Her magical prowess, previously deemed weak compared to her extraordinary sister, is now hailed as amazing and advanced. Already, she finds herself helping out her peers with some of the school assignments, and she greatly enjoys being able to pass on her knowledge.

Perhaps such standards have always been wrong, or perhaps there should never be such judgment at all. As Professor Koizumi told them on their first day here, everyone should be able to excel at what they enjoy and nurture that.

Truly, Ruby is proud to be Sorted into the House of Hufflepuff!

When she returns to her room, she notices that her pet owl Pana is still snoozing on the bedpost. So is her roommate and best friend.

“Hanamaru-chan?”

Hanamaru Kunikida curls up into tighter in a ball, smiling in such a relaxed way that Ruby feels her soul being healed from the sight. Giggling, she shyly prods at the brunette’s cheek. The soft sensation resembles that of a mochi, prompting her to poke even more.

“Ru~by-chan~”

Whining, Hanamaru stubbornly keeps her eyes closed. Pana lets out a sleepy hoot as well, hopping off of the bedpost to nest on Ruby’s pillow.

“Hanamaru-chan, senpai told me that there’s going to be special bread and buns for breakfast this morning! We’ll have to get ready and-”

“I’m up zura!” The brunette rolls off the bed, wrapped in the blankets and all, and bounces a bit before unfolding like an egg roll.

Ruby bursts into giggles and fondly helps her friend sit up. “Your hair’s all messy, hehe~”

“Yours too~” Hanamaru giggles as well and reaches for the comb on the nightstand. “Pigtails today?”

“Yes please!”

“Leave it to me zura~!”

Ruby closes her eyes in bliss as Hanamaru patiently and gently brushes through her tresses. The therapeutic sensation brings a nostalgic memory of a time Dia used to comb her hair, making her smile whimsically. Well, she needs to get used to the fact that time does not go backward. What’s in the past is in the past, and she has such a fun and welcoming future to look forward to!

“All done! Hehe, you’re so cute, Ruby-chan~”

Though Hanamaru is seven months younger, she has that aura of a loving grandmother that makes Ruby want to rely on her. Yet, at the same time, Hanamaru has childish bouts of excitement that makes Ruby want to protect the petite girl.

Like now.

“So what bread? Are the house-elves going to bring them to the Common Room like last time zura? Or! They’ll pop up out of thin air at the Great Hall as usual? Maybe we should really use those rice cookers Professor Koizumi’s set up for us? I’d love to have some rice for breakfast too zura~”

Ruby affectionately combs through Hanamaru’s disheveled hair, enjoying her friend’s fascination with magic. Being a Pureblood, she is unable to relate to a Muggleborn’s amazement at even the simplest of spells. However, she supposes that it is similar to how she feels about Muggle technology. Steel boxes with wheels that run on something called electricity? Small rectangular devices that can communicate with people who have the same thing no matter how far they are? In her opinion, Muggle inventions are so much more incredible than magic.

Hanamaru seems uncertain about things like ‘internet’ and ‘computer’ though. Maybe she should ask Kanan and Mari whenever she gets to see them. She did glimpse them a few times at the Great Hall and around the castle, but there hasn’t been any opportunity for them to talk in private.

As for Dia, Ruby vows to find her elusive sister. She has a feeling that Pana has something to do with Dia, and there’s so much she wants to talk with her sister after all! Such as, the House of Hufflepuff is so much more wonderful than she could ever imagine.

She cannot imagine herself as part of the House of Slytherin, as per all the other Kurosawas.

“Okay, one more try zura…”

Ruby watches with bated breath and inwardly cheers on for her friend, whose brows are furrowed in utter concentration.

“Accio glasses!”

The thick-framed glasses twitch a little but otherwise do not move from their spot on the table. Pouting, Hanamaru retrieves them manually and put them. “What am I doing wrong zura? Mari-senpai was able to summon it from who knows where!”

Having heard all about her after-curfew adventure, Ruby could only chuckle ambiguously. How is she supposed to tell her friend that the enigmatic blonde Ravenclaw is just as skilled as Onee-chan?

“You’ll get better, Hanamaru-chan! It’s a higher-level spell, and this is only our first week at Hogwarts!”

“Right… there are so many books waiting for me at the Library zura~” Hanamaru’s eyes glaze over in reverence, and she’s practically skipping as they make their way out of the Dorm and towards the Great Hall.

Ruby shakes her head in exasperated fondness, resigning to the fact that she’ll have to enlist the help of their mutual friend later to drag Hanamaru away from her Shangri-la.

And speaking of the girl, the raven-haired Slytherin is tapping her foot impatiently by the door.

“Hey! You’re late! I bet Zuramaru overslept again huh?”

Yoshiko Tsushima is an odd person but in a good way. There’s always a special zest in everything she does, a sense of purpose and confidence that awes Ruby ever since their encounter back at the King’s Cross Station. Her dramatic poses and rather comedic dialogues never fail to brighten up her day.

Yoshiko’s sharp gaze sweeps over them and, a moment later, she is fixing their scarves and picking out lint from their hair.

“Geez, you two, what can you do without me?”

Ruby nervously glances around, sheepish that she appears less than impeccable in public. Perhaps being in the relaxed atmosphere of Hufflepuff Dorm makes her drop her guard. But then, she reminds herself that she no longer has to fear any repercussions from her family now. Surely, a bit of mess is okay?

But see, Yoshiko is also a very nice girl. She might hide it under cynical remarks or seemingly aloof expressions, but Ruby could tell that Yoshiko does look out for the two of them, claiming that the ‘two critter-like Puffs need a clever Slytherin to lead them!’

Hanamaru stares at the smirking girl. “Yoshiko-chan, where’s your bun?”

“My b-?” Yoshiko flusters and combs through her hair with her fingers nonchalantly. “The great fallen angel just happens to decide upon a different hairdo today. O Little Demons, it is pitiful that you cannot sense the aura in which the night sky-”

“Ah, I know, Yoshiko-chan overslept too and only made it here just moments before us zura~”

“Did not! As I was saying, the night sky-”

“Let’s go get some of the special bread you mentioned earlier, Ruby-chan~”

“Hey, lemme finish, you mere Zuramaru!”

Ruby chuckles at their bickering, playfully allowing Hanamaru to lead her past the growling Yoshiko as they search for a vacant spot to sit down. Sometimes, Ruby still wonders if she’s dreaming, that she’s able to meet and make friends with kind girls like them.

Indeed, she’s quite blessed here at Hogwarts, especially in the company of her two best friends.

She inwardly vows that she will help them however she can, and contribute as much as she could to the House points as a thank you to the House of Hufflepuff.

This shall be her new goal!

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

“For Kanan-chan’s sake, we’ll definitely win the first Quidditch match of the year!”

Smiling slightly, Ruby watches Chika swinging her Beater clubs and shouting in the empty Pit. The bleachers creak a bit as You sits down beside her and joins her in observing the mikan-haired girl’s exercise.

“Kanan-chan was here earlier, flying on her broom but Professor Sonoda saw her and, well, you know how our Head of House is like,” You chuckles quietly, her gaze filled with fondness as it follows her teammate’s energetic movements.

Indeed, the Potions Professor is a strict witch who also has the best intention to her Cubs. “I’m sure she just doesn’t want Kanan-chan to get hurt more…”

“Haha, oh I know, Professor Sonoda cares about us a lot! Did I tell you she’s the one who took us to the Diagon Alley after delivering the letters to us? And years before, she accompanied Kanan-chan too!”

After a few moments of silence, You speaks up abruptly, her blue eyes narrowed in contemplation. “I wonder why Kanan-chan got hurt in the first place though. I mean, she is stubborn enough to not go to the Infirmary for treatment but this is preventing her from a Quidditch match! Chika-chan and I are looking forward to it so much too, so there’s no way Kanan-chan did this just because! There must be a reason…”

Ruby nods, also frowning. Something feels off ever since Yoshiko and Hanamaru brought her to the Room of Requirement, and they began intensive training under the three Fifth-Years’ tutelage. While Ruby is infinitely glad to be able to spend time with Dia, she can sense that they are not telling her a crucial fact.

After all, before her entry to Hogwarts, Mari and Kanan had told her that it was best to keep a distance from them due to Dia’s unknown attackers. Yet now they want to train her to defend herself better?

And why Hanamaru and Yoshiko too? What is she missing? Just what had injured Kanan? Why are the attackers also targeting Yoshiko?

And, why are Chika and You being kept out of the loop too?

“I’m curious too, but I trust them.”

Ruby and You look up to see Chika smiling assuredly at them. The sun-like girl twirls the bats, only to groan in frustration when they slip out of her grip and lands a few paces away. The other two girls chuckle at her antics, and Chika’s smile widens.

After the laughter dies down a little, Chika folds her arms behind her head and turns towards the Pit. “Riko-chan, Kanan-chan and the others, I believe that they have a good reason for keeping secrets from us. I don’t wholly agree with that of course, but I can understand and appreciate their sentiment.”

“You mean, if we know something that might endanger them, I’d withhold the information?” You is about to salute but hesitantly drops her hand. “I guess so, but I’d still tell them so we could all work on confronting the problem together…”

“Bingo! That’s what I would do if I were in their shoes!” Chika pulls a startled You to her feet, hugging her and spinning her a few times. “Hehe, as expected of You-chan! I knew you’d understand me!”

“Ahaha, I am your childhood friend after all,” You grins, this time giving Chika her best salute. “So, the reason we’re not pushing them for details is because-?”

“I still respect their decision.” Chika then holds out her hand towards Ruby, her smile warm and kind. “You think the same too, don’t you, Ruby-chan?”

“… yes. Onee-chan’s always wanted the best for me. I-I’m willing to wait.”

“That’s our Ruby-chan!” You and Chika both pull Ruby up and give her a brief hug. “We’ll wait until they are ready to bring us into the loop. Until then, the best we can do is give them our support.”

“Y-Yeah. I will become s-strong enough so they can depend on me more,” Ruby timidly does a Rubesty pose. She’s seen the determination in Hanamaru and Yoshiko’s gaze every time they practice-dueled against Dia and Kanan. Her friends are driven by something, making them formidable and seemingly invisible in spite of not being able to land a hit on the two older girls.

It’s aspiring to watch them.

“Ah, but you can depend on them more as well, Ruby-chan.” Chika squeezes Ruby’s hand encouragingly. “They are your best friends, just as you are theirs. I’m sure they’d want you to rely on them more too.”

“And there’s us too, Ruby-chan.” You wraps an arm around the pigtailed girl’s shoulder and nods at her partner. “We may be two grades apart, but we are more than just senpais! We’re crewmates of the same ship, aren’t we?”

Ruby bashfully shrinks but giggles at their affectionate gestures. She randomly met You one day when she was running away from the ghosts and the older girl away from her fanclub. Through You, she got to know Chika and they’ve been close ever since. Even though they are not from the same House and the same grade, she finds it incredibly relaxing and fun to be in their company.

As inseparable as the Gryffindor duo is, she’s never felt like an outsider whenever she is with them. That’s just Chika and You’s rather magical charisma.

“I really admire you two,” Ruby whispers as she shyly loops her arms through the older girls’. “S-Sometimes, I just… I just…”

Chika and You patiently wait for her to gather herself, smiling when she gives them uncertain glances. She swallows hard and lowers her head in shame when she finally allows her weakness to slip out of her heart. She hasn’t revealed this to anyone, not even to her bunny plushie or Pana.

“Sometimes I just want to curl up and pretend I don’t know anything just so I don’t have to deal with it all. I-I’m not brave at all.”

“Neither are we, Ruby-chan.”

“Ha ha, we maybe Lions, but that doesn’t mean we’re brave!”

“Uh-huh, it’s more like, we’re impulsive and don’t really think about the consequences, kishishi~”

“Act first, think later, yousorou~”

“Right behind you, Captain Watanabe!”

“That’s the spirit, Firstmate Takami! But, see, that’s why Riko-chan often gets mad at us, ahaha…”

“That’s just our way of dealing with things.” The humor from Chika’s expression is then replaced by uncharacteristic seriousness. “I try to find see the silver lining in things, to make it easier to confront whatever’s in my way.”

“So that you’d find the confidence to walk forward, to hold your head high. Always have a hopeful outlook, Ruby-chan,” You gently caresses Ruby’s hair. “You don’t have to be brave or anything. You just have to be yourself.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to take a break, to stay away from all the hardships.”

“No one is invincible. That’s why we have each other. We know they’ll have our backs, especially during our downtime, because we will do the same too.”

“So, please don’t feel bad for coming here to the Pit for fresh air, Ruby-chan. We’re here, yeah?”

Ruby could feel her eyes dampening under the lovable duo’s warm gaze.

“And you know what? You’re braver than any of us, willing to throw yourself into this without knowing anything just so you could help your friends.”

“O-Of course, they’re very important to me.” Sniffling, Ruby hastily wipes away her tears and meets the duo’s eyes without hesitation. “I’ll do anything I can to help them!”

“Uuuu, our Ruby-chan’s grown up so much, Miss Watanabe~”

“I understand, Miss Takami, she definitely can fly on her own~”

Ruby can’t help but giggle at their parent-like theatrics. She does feel like a weight has been lifted off of her chest. Sharing a grin, Chika and You summon their respective brooms to their hands.

“Speaking of flying, now that we got all that off our chest, let’s go for a race! Nothing beats lifting the spirit than a good ol’ lap around the Castle!”

“Piki?!”

“Come on, Ruby-chan, join us! I saw how you were on your broom - I was there during the First-Years’ first Flying lesson!” Chika pumps her fist, passion blazing in her eyes. “I know both Hanamaru-chan and Yoshiko-chan enjoy flying, but so do you! You also have the most flying experience out of the three of you, so there’s potential!”

“Ever thought about joining the Quidditch team? I think I overhead Mari-chan asking you guys one time,” You smoothly Accio’d Chika’s Beater bats for her. “Dia-san was the reason why I became a Seeker. She was just so amazing - it’s unfortunate her duties don’t give her enough free time to be on the team.”

“I-I actually didn’t know Onee-chan used to play Quidditch until recently, but I-I did know she’s a good flyer,” Ruby nostalgically clutches her hand to her chest. “When we were younger and had more free time, she used to take me to the sky on a specially modified broom that can seat two people.”

“Daww, that’s so sweet of her.” “Then, wouldn’t you like to play Quidditch too?”

“I did consider it, but in the end I-I’m happier on the ground,” Ruby finds herself blushing, hoping her reasoning doesn’t sound silly. “After all, all of you are up in the sky, so it’s better that I’m on the ground so that if a-any of you somehow falls, I-I’d be able to save you.”

“Ruby-chan!” “Ru~by~chan~!”

“Piki!!”

Though flustered, Ruby soon joins the older girls’ laughter. The way the duo treats her is similar yet different than how Mari and Kanan treat her, and she greatly appreciates their support. While she doesn’t understand You and Chika’s attachment to her, she’s quite content with being their cuddle toy. Dia will always be her big sister, but there’s always room for more sisters in her group of family-like friends.

“Oi, what’re you ruffians doing with her?”

Peering over Chika’s shoulder, Ruby notices Yoshiko and Hanamaru heading towards the Pit. The two girls appear disheveled, most likely after another intense dueling session with the Fifth-Years, yet they look strangely proud as if they’ve accomplished a great feat.

“Ruby-chan, we weren’t able to have lunch together earlier, so let’s go have an afternoon picnic by the Lake zura~” Hanamaru happily holds up a basket full of desserts and sweets. “Chika-san and You-san, please do join us too!”

Yoshiko strikes a pose before glaring at the Gryffindors. “Hmnff, be thankful for the benevolent Yohane-sama’s invitation, O Lost Ones. Lily is looking for the two of you, for your unfinished mock exam papers.”

Ruby giggles at Chika and You’s comically fearful expressions then and there, and even more so when they fly away at an incredible speed just as she notices the Ravenclaw Prefect approaching them from a distance.

“I think they’ll be fine. Let’s go have the picnic, Hanamaru-chan, Yoshiko-chan!”

Though puzzled, the two girls smile at her and they each automatically loop arms with hers. Everything will be fine because, at the end of the day, they are all together.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

“Um, d-do you know where Hanamaru-chan is, Riko-san?”

Riko pauses in retrieving a book from a bookshelf, lips pursed. “I… believe I saw her earlier with Kanan-chan and Mari-san.”

“R-Right.” Ruby’s shoulders droop as she returns her attention back to the thick tome on the table. Her mind, however, is definitely nowhere near the condensed paragraphs of texts.

“You’re worried about Hanamaru-chan and Yocchan, ne?”

Ruby nods shyly, unable to meet the older girl’s gaze even as the latter gingerly sits down beside her. The Moonstruck incident has affected their group dynamic more than she has expected, and the cracks are widening too much for her not to worry.

In spite of recovering steadily, Mari is being kept under watch by an unusually surly Kanan. Having known the two longer than the other two First-Years, Ruby understands that it’s just Kanan’s way of caring for her girlfriend, that she’s simply being overprotective. Alas, Hanamaru is determined to cheer up the older girls and also to train herself harder after feeling so helpless at the Shack.

Another reason is, as Hanamaru had privately revealed to her, to give Yoshiko the space she needs. The Slytherin has been brooding and unenergetic even since finding out that she may have inadvertently killed the werewolf that chased her. No matter how much they tried to convince her otherwise, Yoshiko simply closes off herself and is often wandering around the castle, looking for something.

Ruby sighs quietly. Months ago, she is certain that Hanamaru would have persisted in accompanying Yoshiko. Instead, she even forgoes her books and solely focuses on improving offensive and defensive magic with Kanan and Dia.

Does being a couple change their dynamic?

Prior to Moonstruck, her two best friends had assured her that nothing has changed, and it was true that they acted mostly the same. They had just been more open with each other, especially in imperceptible physical contacts like holding hands and lingering touches. She doesn’t know if they realized it but it was quite obvious how much they like each other just from their gaze alone.

Truly, Ruby is very happy for Hanamaru and Yoshiko from the bottom of her heart. Therefore, seeing them both like this frustrates her, due to how useless she is in helping them. She doesn’t know if she should join in Hanamaru’s training or go look for Yoshiko. Usually, she would be sparring with Chika and You as well to improve her dueling capabilities, but she feels unreasonably exhausted today and thus ends up accompanying Riko to the library.

It’s a nice change of pace in this peaceful atmosphere, and Ruby can appreciate why Hanamaru loves this sanctuary so much.

“I believe they will be fine, Ruby-chan.” Riko’s voice is gentle as she organizes the parchments strewn over the table. “It’s just my conjecture, but I think they are trying to regain their sense of self-worth, to retrieve their confidence, before they can bring themselves to face each other again.”

“I see…” Ruby says hesitantly, half-understanding Riko’s point but not really either. “Shouldn’t it be better for them to stay together, especially during such rough times?”

“Yes, it should be, but that’s something we cannot interfere with. Yocchan and Hanamaru-chan would have to take that step themselves. When they are ready, we can give them the nudge they need.”

Ruby nods in contemplation, using the minimal knowledge she has of couples. Kanan and Mari bicker quite often but it’s mostly harmless and playful, and Dia would be there to play mediator whenever necessary, or so the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had told her. There are You and Chika, whose closeness makes Ruby think of a married couple from storybooks but it doesn’t seem like they are a couple? Prior to Moonstruck, Yoshiko was determined to set them up for some reason, and Ruby is quite supportive of that idea.

If they are indeed a couple like Kanan and Mari are, would they have avoided each other like Yoshiko and Hanamaru are doing? If one of them got injured, would the other become overbearing like Kanan does to Mari?

Ruby doesn’t know, but she dearly wishes to help her friends like how Dia is able to.

“Um, what would you do in this situation, Riko-san?”

“…me?”

“Yes, erm, w-would you seek out You-san and Chika-san to bring them together?”

Riko has an oddly distant look then, making Ruby wonder if she had spoken something she shouldn’t have. “I would… want to, to do everything I could so that things would go back to the way it was, but that’s not up to me to decide. I cannot… force them.”

“Right. I think I can understand that.” Ruby recalls all the instances when Yoshiko and Hanamaru looked like they wanted to ask her about her relationship with her sister, but they did not pry out of respect for her privacy. “T-Thank you, Riko-san.”

The older girl gives her a soft smile before resuming to tidy up the paperwork and books. As Ruby observes Riko, she couldn’t help but find similarity in how she and Dia work. Both are diligent and take everything seriously, that they would shoulder responsibilities more than they need to and they often play the anchor in their year-groups.

Is that what attracted them to each other? While it had never been stated aloud, Ruby has seen the way her sister looks at Riko, especially during the Banquet, and their respective reactions at Riko’s Patronus.

Truthfully, Ruby is rather envious of how the pretty Ravenclaw has captured Dia’s heart. She always feels like she hasn’t spent enough time with her sister, even though it’s already more than she could’ve imagined compared to back at the Kurosawa Estate. Therefore, it’s as if Riko had taken what remains of Dia’s free time away from her…

Alarmed, Ruby shakes her head and guiltily lowers her head for even thinking of such horrid thought. Riko makes her sister happy, that’s the most important thing!

“Are you okay, Ruby-chan?”

“Piki! U-Um, I was just thinking, um, it’s nothing!”

Ruby feels even more ashamed under Riko’s concerned gaze and squeaks when the latter places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I… um, if you’re okay with it, I’d be more than happy to h-help you with any problem-?”

Riko’s voice is rather uncertain, though for some reason that makes Ruby think of her sister and words slip out of her mouth before she realizes it.

“How are things between you and Onee-chan?”

“Dia-san and I-?”

Deeming it already too late to salvage the situation, Ruby nods nervously and tries to meet Riko’s eyes. “Y-Yes. I k-know Onee-chan’s busy ever since the incident at Hogsmeade, so you probably haven’t had the chance to meet often-?”

“It’s true, we are both quite busy but we try to meet as much as we could. She’d send me letters and…” Riko trails off, blushing and averting her gaze. “Why do you ask?”

Ruby wasn’t expecting the normally composed Ravenclaw to become flustered like this. Envy is slowly overcome by curiosity as she peers at the older girl. “I’ve never seen Onee-chan like that with anyone. She’s happy with Kanan-chan and Mari-chan but it’s different with you, Riko-san.”

“S-She is?” Riko’s cheeks darken and she seems to be lost in thoughts for a moment. Then, as if making up her mind, she squirms a bit before whispering. “May I ask you something, Ruby-chan?”

“What is it?” Ruby sits up straight, surprised and certainly unprepared for what Riko does next.

“T-This… this is more than just a gift, isn’t it-?” Carefully, the Ravenclaw tugs a necklace from under her collars, the black diamond glinting under the lighting. It isn’t just any other jewelry, but the carbonado necklace that Dia had received on the same day she first got her wand. Ruby herself had received a similar ruby ring dotted with spinels and small pink-sapphires during the same occasion years ago.

Such gems are considered precious not because of its value, but because of what they represent for a Kurosawa.

“D-Do you know what this is, Riko-san?”

“Dia-san’s told me that, this is a black diamond thus it represents her, that it would protect me.”

“Yes, every Kurosawa owns a piece of jewelry like this. He or she is supposed to keep the item until…” Ruby gulps, awed by the revelation before her. Any vestige of jealousy dissipates as she finds herself smiling joyously at the blushing girl. “Until she finds that special person to give it to. Onee-chan gave you the necklace because she considers you her other half, Riko-san.”

“E-Eh? Ehhhhhhh?!” Riko hastily covers her mouth, glancing around her to see if anyone’s looking their way. Thankfully, the library is quite empty on a sunny day like this. “I-I mean, I know of its importance, a-and what it means for a Pureblood to give away a jewelry but, s-still, other half? T-That’s just, I mean, we’re still so young to be thinking about-?”

“This just means Onee-chan is really serious about you, hehe.” Ruby finds Riko’s reaction rather cute. She’s always thought of Riko as a mature and reliable senpai, and now she could see why Dia is so fond of her.

“W-We’re both still students a-and-”

“Well, when did Onee-chan give it to you, Riko-san?”

“… w-when she told me she loves me.” Riko mutters quickly and proceeds to hide her face behind her scarf. Her reddened ears remain visible, however, and Ruby finds herself giggling again. Her earlier bout of jealousy seems silly now, for this means that her family truly is growing.

Dia may be the only one related to her by blood, but she deems their group of nine a family and now, one of them will become even more special.

“Yup, Onee-chan is serious about you. While this is different than an engagement ring-” Ruby beams at Riko’s incoherent stammering and continues. “- it’s still something. A promise ring or, rather, necklace. She just wants to show that she still wants to be with you after she graduates. Of course, that’s just from her, so you don’t have to feel pressured to-”

“But I love her too,” Riko blurts out and, in spite of her fierce blush, her voice is steady and firm. “I want to be with her no matter what happens.”

“I’m happy to hear that!”

Riko seems surprised when Ruby gives her a hug but returns the gesture a moment later. Ruby smiles contentedly at the older girl’s whispered words.

“Thank you for accepting me, Ruby-chan.”

And so it is with bouncing steps that Ruby heads for the Room of Requirement, ready to train until utter exhaustion to celebrate this occasion! Unexpectedly, she only finds one person in the chamber but it’s the person she wishes to speak to the most at that moment.

“Onee-chan!”

“Ruby?” The Head Girl pauses in scribbling something on a parchment and, immediately, Ruby knows what it is.

“Oh, don’t mind me, Onee-chan, I’m just going over there to practice more Transfiguration spells. Where are the others?”

“Hanamaru-san somehow convinced Kanan-san to bring Mari-san to the Quidditch Pit, and Chika-san and You-san joined them,” Dia shakes her head in exasperated fondness. “It is a nice day out after all, for once, and Professor Ayase is insisting that I join my friends out under sun instead of being cooped up in the Castle. You should go as well, Ruby. I will do so too after, uh, sending this letter.”

“Okay! Oh, by the way, Riko-san is free too and in the library right now.” Before Ruby could slip away, she hears the chair squeaking and hurried footsteps behind her.

“R-Ruby? Why would you say that? D-Do you know something-?”

Ruby smiles at her flustered sister. Though nowhere as apparent as Riko had been, Dia’s loss of composure is still visible and Ruby finds that quite endearing. “I was just talking to Riko-san and, well, I’m really happy for you both!”

Dia opens her mouth and closes it a few times, unable to utter a word. She coughs and tries to appear nonchalant. “… what do you think then?”

“Hmm?”

“Of us. Riko and I.”

The lack of honorifics, the quiet tone, and the almost pleading expression are new to Ruby. She’s never seen her sister so vulnerable, and it takes a few moments for Ruby to understand what’s happening.

Her older sister is asking her for her opinion, her approval even.

Ruby gulps nervously, uncertain what to think of this new position, but then she realizes that there is no reason to be. All she has to do is to convey her thoughts in simple words.

Smiling, she reaches for Dia’s hands and holds them firmly. “I think the two of you are perfect for each other. Congratulations, Onee-chan!”

“…thank you, Ruby. That means a lot to me, to us.”

The smile that Dia gives her is the most beautiful one she’s ever seen.

Instead of going outside to the Pit, the Kurosawa siblings then spend the rest of the afternoon chatting about random but fun topics. Even though Ruby wants to give Dia alone time with Riko, the Ravenclaw had responded to the letter that she plans to stay in the library a bit longer and would join them later.

Perhaps Riko notices that the sisters never had much opportunity to be in just each other’s company, and for that Ruby is very grateful. After all, their group of nine is tightly-knit and there are usually groups of three or more at one place at a time. Dia has her own circle, and Ruby recognizes that she has grown up as well. No longer the little girl in her sister’s shadow, and any of the senpais’ protective shrouds, she’s found her place with Hanamaru and Yoshiko.

While Ruby is slightly saddened by the thought, she is also proud of how far she’s come from the lonely critter practically confined in the Kurosawa Manor. Her world has long expanded from just her and her sister, and it will continue to grow.

Dia mentions how difficult it would be for the Elders to approve of her relationship with Riko, but she has prepared herself for the hardships ahead the moment she gave the necklace to Riko. Without any hesitation, Ruby offers her full support in anything she could do in the years to come. Dia is legally an adult and, in just a few more months, she would be officially recognized as a full independent witch upon graduation. Even though the Kurosawa Patriarch’s position remains indomitable, Dia would at least have enough power on her own since she would not have to rely on her family.

If worse comes to worst, she can choose to break away from the House of Kurosawa, like some of the blacked-out names in the family tree had done.

Of course, Ruby hopes things will not come to that, but she will be ready.

Nothing shall stop her from being her sister’s pillar of support.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Ruby jolts when something drapes around her shoulders and is about to stand up but a familiar voice halts her.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I tried to get your attention a few times but, well, I thought you’ve fallen asleep.”

“I-It’s okay, I j-just didn’t hear you.”

Embarrassed, she gratefully tugs the warm shawl around her shoulders and tries to wipe away any traces of tears. To her mortification, more and more tears keep leaking out and she finds herself sobbing again. Hasn’t she cried enough already? All she’s done this morning is hide at this corner of the Greenhouse to let loose her emotions.

It’s too hard.

It’s too much to wake up in the Hufflepuff Dorm and not seeing Hanamaru’s sleepy expression.

It’s too much to go to the Infirmary and see Hanamaru’s smile while knowing her best friend no longer remembers her.

It’s too much to look up the staircase and not being able to go the Room of Requirement, especially knowing that her sister and Riko won’t be there anyway.

She so wants to be strong for her friends, knowing how much pain Chika and You must be feeling, knowing how much Yoshiko has suffered and still is, and knowing how Mari and Kanan are trying to keep everyone together.

But in the end, no matter how many encouragements she’s received since coming to Hogwarts, she’s still just a crybaby.

“Shhh, it’s okay to cry.”

When Professor Koizumi gently embraces her, Ruby crumbles and allows herself to bawl like she’s never done before. There’s only so much she could keep inside, only so long that she could fight down her flight instinct.

She’s always liked her Head of the House. The Muggleborn witch rather reminds her of Hanamaru, serene and infinitely patient, but also gets childishly excited when it comes to certain things. Such comparison makes her heart ache even more, and she clings tighter to the maternal woman.

She doesn’t how long she’s stayed like that, relishing in the protective hug and rhythmical caresses on her back. Sniffling, she reluctantly pulls away and tries to clean away the mess she’s made on the Professor’s dress.

“I-I’m sorry, I d-didn’t mean to just-”

The ochre-haired witch only gives her a kind smile. “There’s nothing wrong with crying. In fact, I’d be even more worried if you aren’t crying.”

Confused, she peers up at the Professor, who taps the ground with her staff and seems to beckon the magical plants with her magic. A soothing aroma fills the air then, and it somehow helps Ruby to calm her breathing and washes away the fatigue.

“Being emotional means you still have the capacity to feel, that you have yet to lose hope. It’s better than nothing at all. You’re frustrated, you wish the outcome could’ve been different. You don’t want the same thing to ever happen again. Then, doesn’t that mean you’re still willing to fight for your beliefs? Losing emotions would allow despair to settle in, and that’s when the wall separating you from the rest of the world would be erected.”

Ruby flinches, the image of Yoshiko’s forlorn silhouette flashing in her mind. The Slytherin has become so very withdrawn, and something tells Ruby that it’s not just about Hanamaru’s loss of memory. Something else must have happened down in the Chamber of Secrets.

It’s understandable that none of them could truly smile again after everything that’s happened, but it’s as if Yoshiko’s lost the special spark that makes her who she is.

“How… how should I help? How can I take down that wall?” Ruby lowers her gaze, her grip tightening on her wand. “I will never give up, but saying it and actually achieving it are different things. I haven’t been able to help anyone, not my own sister, not my best friends. I-I feel so useless.”

“That’s something I can relate to. Something many of us can relate to, I’m sure.”

“…really? B-But Professor, you’re so a-amazing and… I can’t imagine you ever feeling helpless.”

“On the contrary, I’m only able to get this far because of my friends. It’s under their encouragements that I’m able to pursue the path I love. But see, I also believed in myself and tried my hardest.” Professor Koizumi’s voice is soft as she pats Ruby’s head. “I do not know the whole story behind you and your friends, Ruby-chan. I wish I could help you more, so just know that all of us will be here, whenever you’re ready. I’m certain the other Professors have told your friends the same thing.”

“I-I wish I could’ve told you more but w-we can’t,” Ruby swallows hard and shakes her head. “Besides, this is something between the nine of us. If we can’t solve it amongst ourselves… if I can’t do something to help them out, that… would be meaningless.”

“Nine… is it?” The Herbology Professor sweeps her gaze over the Greenhouse and taps her staff again. “Together, the nine of you can surely summon a miracle.”

“…really? But-”

“Magic is capricious. Some would even say it’s sentient. Unlike the rules of science in the Muggle world, magic is not bound by restrictions. There are always exceptions and endless possibilities in the world of magic,” Professor Koizumi reaches for the vines that have extended from the other side of the Greenhouse and dropped something in her palms. “Ruby-chan, you’re one of my seedlings, my Hufflepuff. You will bloom when the time comes.”

Ruby blinks as the woman conjures a basket and places several sweet potatoes in it before giving it to her. “Professor-?”

Her Head of the House smiles. “Replenishing your energy is important, Ruby-chan. Please have these while they are still hot.”

She could feel the warmth from the freshly baked sweet potatoes, from the Professor’s smile, and from the inner strength that coursed through her veins.

“T-Thank you for everything, Professor Koizumi! I-I’m really glad to be a ‘Puff!”

Ruby fidgets a bit and decides to give the woman a shy hug before exiting the Greenhouse. She’s very grateful for her time here in the House of Hufflepuff. Though still sad and overwhelmed by all the terrible things that happened, she’s comforted by so many good memories with her best friend - sharing snacks within the Dorm, out in the Greenhouse or even at the monthly outdoor grill hosted by her House.

Even without her memories, Hanamaru would surely appreciate this simple yet meaningful gesture.

As she continues her trek back to the Castle, a burst of gale makes her pause and wrap her scarf tighter around her neck. She turns towards the direction of the Lake and notices a dark spot fluttering near the shoreline.

“That’s… the bat, that’s Lucifer. Then that must be-” Before Ruby realizes it, she’s already heading towards the lonesome figure sitting on a boulder near the Lake.

Yoshiko doesn’t seem to notice her approach, her expression closed off and her gaze solely focused on a glimmering shape hovering in front of her. The silver Patronus resembles a fish, though it doesn’t seem like any species Ruby has seen before.

Lucifer lets out a curt screech when she gets nearer, prompting her to halt warily. Yoshiko glances at her and nods in greeting before shifting her attention back to the Patronus. Crooning, Lucifer then flies towards an overhanging branch and perches there, maintaining a distance between them as if keeping watch.

Ruby tentatively steps forward. “Yoshiko-chan-? Um, a-am I interrupting something-?”

The raven-haired girl shakes her head, her hand outstretched towards the Patronus to pat it. Even though her fingers sink through the silver fish’s translucent body, she seems satisfied with the way it glows brighter.

“S-So, that’s your Patronus, Yoshiko-chan. It looks strong.” Though still uncertain of the situation, Ruby boldly sits down next to her friend and sighs in relief when the latter doesn’t reject her presence.

“… strong, huh. Right, I guess it is.” There’s an odd smile on Yoshiko’s visage. “It’s a coelacanth. It’s… a deep sea fish that Hanamaru and I learned about together, from an encyclopedia, many years ago.”

Ruby gazes at the glimmering Patronus, marveling at its form and its saturated magic. “H-How were you able to summon the Patronus, Yoshiko-chan?”

“Honestly, I don’t know how I managed it, other than the feeling that I know I can do it.” Yoshiko’s expression becomes blank again as the coelacanth swims around the air and under the Lake’s water. “Of course, a happy memory helps. I think… Lily focused her feelings for Dia-san, while I did the same for Hanamaru. Except, rather than just thinking about a single memory, it’s more of a collective feeling.”

“Collective feeling-?”

“Yeah. A certain resolution, I’d say. It’s not exactly ‘happy’, but it’s still a positive emotion. It gives me the strength to keep going.”

Ruby gingerly gazes at Yoshiko, recalling what Professor Koizumi just told her about emotions. Yoshiko is sitting beside her right now, within arm’s reach, yet why does she feel so far away? Based on what she said, she still has hope and treasures their bonds.

Then, what is this sense of finality?

“Yoshiko-chan, d-don’t leave us, okay?”

Yoshiko turns towards her abruptly, eyes narrowed. “What makes you say that?”

“Yeek! Um, I just… it’s just a feeling…”

“You’ve always been a perceptive one,” Yoshiko chuckles quietly, flicking her wand and dispelling the Patronus. “Don’t worry. Whatever you sensed, it’s not what you think. I’m just… lost, I guess. I can still keep training, learn more spells, become better at dueling, but then what? We don’t know where the enemies went. We don’t know what’s going to happen to Hanamaru, Lily, and Dia-san.”

Ruby drops her gaze and rests her hands on her lap.

“All I can do now is try to improve and strengthen my Patronus. It’s the key to defeat Y… that feathered witch. With this goal, I have something to work towards and keep myself occupied so I don’t have to think about all… that.”

“Patronus, huh.”

“Yeah. So, what do you want to do, Ruby?”

Ruby looks up into the sky, recalling all those instances she’s set herself goals so that she would have a sense of purpose. While the specific goals change every once a while, the fundamental part remains the same, doesn’t it?

All she ever wants to do is to be helpful. But how exactly? Just stand there and wait for things to happen? Only make a move when the opportunity presents itself?

No, she needs to take control. There’s a difference between just being idle, and patiently wait for the prey to come. Sometimes, you have to chase after your goal. Hunt for it. Pounce after it.

Make the first leap.

“Ruby-?” There’s faint surprise on Yoshiko’s expression, which Ruby counts as a good sign. Smiling, she continues to untie her pigtails and loosens her hold to allow the ribbons to flutter away along with the breeze. It’s been a long time since she’s let down her hair, but she feels just as refreshed as the first time Hanamaru did her hair.

“Hanamaru-chan and I have always looked up to you, Yoshiko-chan. We may not understand the fallen angel or the feather you put in your bun, but we really look up to you.”

Yoshiko grimaces at that, clenching her fists. “About that. Don’t. That’s nothing to admire, that’s not even who I-”

“You’re you, Yoshiko-chan. If you want to return to the sky, then we will be the feathers to help you fly.That’s what Hanamaru-chan and I have promised.”

“But she doesn’t even remember us anymore, Ruby!”

Ruby determinedly meets her friend’s hollow, pained eyes. “For now. She’ll come back to us one day, Yoshiko-chan. In the meantime, I will make sure you can continue to soar without fear of falling down.”

Taking a deep breath, she holds up her wand with a steady grip. “Expecto patronum!”

A burst of light forces the two girls to clench their eyes shut. When they open their eyes again, a large silver feline is prowling along the shoreline of the Black Lake. Graceful and brimming with power, the Black Jaguar Patronus bears an uncanny resemblance to the same painting in her room back in the Kurosawa Estate.

Shocked doesn’t begin to describe Ruby’s feeling, but a part of her understands why her Patronus ends up taking this form. After years of conflict, she’s finally accepted herself and that includes being a Kurosawa. However, rather than submitting to the responsibilities expected of a Pureblood, she has vowed to take control and make it her strength instead of her weakness.

The Jaguar’s fanged grin seems to be encouraging her.

“That’s… amazing, Ruby.”

Yoshiko looks awed, the first expression Ruby’s seen in a long time that’s not wholly shadowed by sadness and pain.

Ruby hastily wipes her eyes and casts another spell. “Wingardium Leviosa.”

The basket levitates towards Yoshiko, who tilts her head questioningly at the sweet potatoes beneath the cover.

“Let’s go eat these with Hanamaru-chan. We should eat them while they’re still warm!”

Whenever you feel down, both you and Hanamaru-chan, I’ll be here to lift you both.

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loveteen-s · 7 years

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[fic] mittens; mingyu x yein

kim mingyu x jung yein. 3147w. yein had a cat following her since this morning. mingyu lost his mittens. hogwarts au. (requested by yoongijiae)

There was a cat wandering the hallway when Yein exited the common room this morning. Some of the cats owned by Slytherins did wander in the hallway of the dungeons at times, but she had never seen this cat before; a cream-colored tabby with an aqua blue collar around its neck. The cat stopped walking when it heard the walls opening, and turned around to look right into Yein’s eyes.

Yein, feeling compelled to pet it, called for it to come closer. It did, in little, bouncy steps, and Yein crouched down to pet it. Its fur was short, but soft; its tail either looked like a feather duster or a water fountain. It was cute.

Yein wanted to pet it some more but she had to get to the Great Hall to get breakfast because her first class was starting in an hour, so she stood up, bid the cat goodbye, and walked to the staircase. Halfway up, she sensed movement from behind her so she looked back, only to find the cat two steps behind her.

“Are you following me?” Yein asked the cat, and the response she got was the cat hopping up the stairs ahead of Yein. It turned around to look down at her when it had reached the top. “Who’s your human? Get back inside.”

For a minute, she had a staring battle with the cat, until she blinked hard and decided to quietly continue her journey. If she walked silently and did not acknowledge it, maybe it would lose interest and go back to its owner.

Contrary to her belief, the cat followed her even until the ground floor.

“I don’t have food, please don’t follow me,” Yein said, whined even, at the cat, who just looked back at her, unblinking. She tried moving one step towards the door of the Great Hall and the cat also took one step forward. Yein shook her body in frustration until she finally said, “Fine.”

She entered the Great Hall, occasionally looking back to make sure that the tabby was following her. The cat had a spring in its steps, seemingly excited to find out where Yein would be sitting, and stopped behind her when she took a seat at the Slytherin table.

Yein greeted her friends, and one of them noticed the cat sitting behind Yein’s seat, its chest puffed forward like it was anticipating food. “Whose cat is that?” her friend asked.

“I don’t know. Found it in the hallway and it’s been following me ever since,” Yein absentmindedly answered as she took a piece of grilled chicken thigh from the gold plate in the middle of the table. “I hope you like chicken thigh,” she said to the cat and dropped it to the floor in front of the cat. It happily devoured it, fangs ripping into the flesh. Yein hoped the elves wouldn’t be too upset with the new stain on the brick floor.

Yein had her usual breakfast; two glasses of orange juice, mashed potato and sausage with gravy, while looking back at the cat from time to time to make sure it was still there and eating. When it was finished with the chicken, Yein gave it a slab of smoked beef.

She gathered the broken pieces of the chicken femur onto her empty sausage plate and bent down to give the cat, who looked pleased and full, a pat on the head. She scratched behind its ear as it was licking its paw and her hand moved to look at the collar around its neck.

No pendant, no engraving, no name. Just a simple strap around the neck. What a useless collar, Yein dissed inwardly. Then she would just leave the cat in The Hall and hope its owner would find it.

She glanced at his friend next to her who was drinking his water, and said, “Seungkwan, hand me your water.” The boy handed it to her quizzically. Yein filled it to the brim before bringing it down to the floor, much to Seungkwan’s dismay.

“Are you kidding me right now?”

“Well, it needs to drink after a meal, does it not?” Yein reasoned before going back to the cat. “Here, do you want to drink?”

Even after much prodding and shoving of glass to face, the cat only tried smelling the glass once to find out what was in it before it was back to cleaning itself.

“It doesn’t want to drink, and now my glass is contaminated,” Seungkwan scowled.

“Just get a new glass, you baby.”

Yein left the Great Hall after that with his friends and, unsurprising at this point to her, the tabby cat. She looked back at it, once again making sure it was following, when she heard a wail coming from one of the tables. She jerked in surprise and looked up to determine where the sound was coming from and found a boy at the Gryffindor table to be the likely source, judging by the placement of his head on his arms on the table, his slouched shoulders, a couple of his friends looking like they were trying to cheer him up across the table, and half of the Gryffindor table looking at him. Yein rolled her eyes. Gryffindors were always such drama queens.

She headed to class with the cat still on her tail.

Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Kim Mingyu was devastated, to say the least. His lovely Mittens had gone missing since last night and if he couldn’t find her by today, he might go crazy.

“She’s a cat, Mingyu. Cats know their home. She’ll come back,” his friend said, a lame attempt at cheering up that Mingyu paid no heed to, because he had explained to his friends probably fifty times that Mittens did come back to The Tower every night except for last night. It was unusual for her to not return.

Mingyu had never went a day without his Mittens, a cream tabby he picked up from the streets a few months before his first year at Hogwarts. He went to sleep with her, woke up with her, ate with her whenever he could. But because of her feral blood, she saw the huge castle as a playground to explore in. Mingyu accepted that about her and let her explore, because she always came back to the Gryffindor Tower every night. A student just coming in would inform him that his cat was waiting outside and Mingyu would pick her up and went back inside.

However, he received no such message last night.

He waited until Myungho told him to go to sleep by midnight, but even then, he couldn’t, not with scenarios of Mittens’ well-being playing in his mind. He was afraid something bad had happened to her. Maybe she got into a fight with Mrs. Norris. Mittens had gotten six stitches four summers ago after fighting another feral cat at home. She was feisty with other cats, but the loveliest with humans.

“She was a stray too. I think she’ll be okay,” Myungho said.

Mingyu’s head jolted up, surprising his friends, and he sucked in a breath before saying, “I’m going to look for her again.”

“No, you are not. Class is starting in 15 minutes,” Myungho said, giving him a pointed look. “You’re in your final year. You can’t miss a class because your cat’s gone missing.”

“But—” Mingyu cut off his sentence when Myungho shot him a glare. He wasn’t afraid of Myungho most of the time, but he was right. Mittens was a stray. She was a survivalist. Besides, the NEWT exams were in a couple of months and he couldn’t get distracted if he wanted to make the Ministry.

Still, Mingyu called her name all the way to the greenhouse.

The cat went another way when Yein entered her Transfiguration class, so she guessed it got bored with her. She bid it goodbye and didn’t think about it again until she came out of the class and the cat was already there, waiting.

“Looks like you have a cat now,” Seungkwan said to her, sniggering before he went ahead towards the Charms classroom. Yein sighed and went after Seungkwan, but not before telling the cat to come with her, which it voluntarily did.

“How do I find its owner?” Yein whispered to Seungkwan, whose head was resting on a stack of books and his eyelids looked ready to close.

“Go up to the front at dinner, pick up the cat and announce it.” The suggestion came from the boy sitting next to Seungkwan, Hansol, a Ravenclaw they befriended in third year. Seungkwan seemed uninterested, his eyelids getting droopier.

“I can’t do that,” Yein hissed at Hansol behind Seungkwan’s back. Then, she added, meekly, “That’s embarrassing.”

“Or you can make flyers, saying that a cat has been found.”

Yein put her hands together, but not clapping them as she didn’t want to make a ruckus while Professor Flitwick was explaining. “That’s a great idea. How do I make a flyer?”

Mingyu decided to skip lunch to go look for Mittens, but he put a chicken thigh that he had shredded to little pieces into a plastic bag to give to Mittens for when he found her. She must’ve been so hungry. It physically hurt Mingyu to think of how starving his baby must be.

He even asked Sir Nicholas and the Grey Lady to inform him if they ever found Mittens, but requested for them not to let Peeves know that his cat was missing, otherwise he would prank her if he ever got to her first.

“Mittens!” Mingyu called for the cat, clicking his tongue to get her attention. “It’s me, Mingu. Mittens?”

He did get quite a few stares from other students, but he just brushed it off and focused on his cat. The first floor seemed to be hopeless. Mingyu thought that he should’ve started from the Gryffindor Tower, but it was far and so high from where he was, he decided to scour the bottom levels first.

Mingyu descended to the ground floor and went to the edge of the castle so he could search thoroughly. “Mittens?” Mingyu even opened the chicken plastic bag so the smell would waft through the air, inviting Mittens to him, but so far, no luck.

He went pas the Great Hall and into the hallway that always bathed in sunlight, the one next to the courtyard. Mittens loved the sunlight. Mingyu released a defeated sigh. His cat would never leave him like that. He was starting to want to stop searching because a) He was tired, the castle was enormous and he hadn’t had any lunch yet, and b) Myungho was right about cats knowing their home. He read about that somewhere once.

His eyes scanned the courtyard looking for a cream-colored feline, and his heart leaped when he saw the familiar frizzy, fountain tail of a particular one, and someone was picking the cat up.

Mingyu, in excitement, wasted no time in shouting, “Mittens!” and ran to where she was.

Hansol suggested making handmade flyers, but Yein didn’t have the time nor patience, so the “Picking Up the Cat at Dinner” plan seemed to be the doable option.

Yein had left her friends at the Great Hall after lunch to take the cat for a walk in the courtyard. After another chicken thigh, the cat seemed even happier than ever.

She huffed as she sat on a stone bench on the courtyard. There were people passing by, sitting under trees, playing with stuff from Zonko’s, but none of them were the cat’s owner, and she had no idea why it was following her in the first place. Did she smell like its owner? Did she smell like fish?

“Oh god. Do I smell like fish?” Yein muttered, looking down at the cat as it slithered between her legs and rubbed its cheeks on them. She picked the cat up and looked it right in its honey eyes, which, Yein admitted, were beautiful. “Hey. Do I smell like fish?”

Its round eyes stared back at hers and it meowed in her face, oblivious to her question. Yein was about to put it down onto her lap when she heard a shocking and deafening shriek of someone… finding their mittens?

Yein put the cat onto her lap and turned to her right to see a boy, who Yein felt she had seen before but couldn’t recall, marching her way; but when she saw the red streaks on his tie and the red emblem on his chest, she took a guess that it was the Gryffindor boy who wailed in the Great Hall at breakfast today. At least the shrieks sounded the same.

She looked around her, trying to find mittens lying around but found no such thing, so why was the boy still hurrying off towards her?

The boy stopped right by the bench she was sitting on. She looked up at him, half curious half terrified, her hands moved the cat closer to her.

“Hi,” the boy said to her but he seemed distracted by the cat. He looked at it before he said, in a meek tone, “Mittens?”

When the boy clicked his tongue, the cat in Yein’s lap meowed and turned back to look at him, and with just that one look, the boy looked like he was close to tears.

“Mittens!” he shrieked again, startling Yein, and it made him turn his attention to her. “I-I’m sorry, it’s just… that’s my cat.”

“Oh. Oh!” Yein exclaimed. She felt a weight being lifted off her shoulder when the cat jumped off her laps to go to the boy. The cat had finally met its owner. She didn’t have to go up the teachers’ podium tonight and lift a cat up.

The boy was smiling wide, squatting down, hugging the cat and scratching its back, and the cat seemed to love it, snuggling closer to him. It looked so adorable that Yein couldn’t help but mirror his smile. The cat was happy, the boy was happy, and she was happy.

“Thank you so much for finding her,” the boy said, looking up at Yein with the brightest smile Yein had seen on a person, ever. “And taking care of her.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Yein said, waving her hand in a dismissive manner. “She’s a really good girl.”

The boy beamed and looked down at the cat in his arm. “Yes, she is.” He paused, then shrugged. “Most of the time.”

They didn’t talk for a while; the boy happily petting Mittens’ head and scratching behind her ears, Yein enjoying the moment. That was, until the boy looked up and asked, “May I?” while pointing to the vacant spot on the bench next to Yein.

“Sure,” Yein shrugged. The boy stood up, still hugging his cat, and sat down next to her.

“Are you hungry?” he asked Mittens with baby-talk and while baby-talks in general usually made Yein cringe, this was quite cute. She wanted to tell him that the cat had had her lunch but she thought a cat wouldn’t be satisfied with one chicken thigh, no? So she watched the boy whip out a bag of shredded chicken meat she recognized was from a grilled chicken thigh from the pocket of his robe, and finally put the cat down. “Here you go, sweetie.”

Yein watched him scatter meats in front of the cat like a buffet line and the cat quickly ate them one by one.

The boy sat back up, stashed the plastic bag back into his pocket, and turned to Yein. He offered her a happy grin, to which she awkwardly responded because she had never had someone happy-grinned her. He seemed unaffected by her half-smile and said, “Thank you again, so much, for finding her. I’m Kim Mingyu.”

Yein looked at his outstretched hand, and took it. “I’m Jeong Yein,” she replied, her smile had gotten more relaxed.

“Where did you find her?” Mingyu asked, head tilted in curiosity.

“I found her this morning wandering the dungeons,” Yein answered, and saw Mingyu’s eyes widened at the word ‘dungeons’. Before he could comment any further, she quickly added, “She’s been following me ever since.”

“The dungeons?” Mingyu sighed in disbelief. “That’s so far from the Gryffindor Tower.”

Yein smiled. Gryffindors were usually repulsed—and that was the softer word—by the cold dungeons and everything about it, thus, including the Slytherin house, so she was glad that that was not what he was focusing on, but how far the distance from the tower to the dungeons were.

“I think you should put your name on her collar,” she suggested, slowly so that it wouldn’t offend Mingyu. Mingyu turned to her sharply. “Just in case,” she shrugged.

Mingyu frowned, but nodded. “I should do that, yeah,” he mumbled. “I hope she won’t go missing again, but that’ll make it easier for people to give her back to me.” He beamed again and said, “Thanks, Yein.”

Yein didn’t think it was such a breakthrough idea to get her a thanks, but she took it nonetheless, smiling and nodding at him. Mingyu seemed really innocent, and paired with his amazingly attractive tall heights, Yein thought he was a junior, so imagine her surprise when Mingyu said, “This is my last year at Hogwarts, though, so if she goes missing again, I don’t think I can’t focus on my NEWTs.”

“You’re a seventh year?” Yein asked, unbelieving, and Mingyu nodded. A seventeen-year-old boy crying in the Great Hall about his missing cat named after a pair of winter wears. Yein did say Gryffindors were drama queens, but Mingyu was oddly endearing. “I’m a sixth year.”

“Huh, a junior,” Mingyu said, seemingly pleased about the newfound information. He quickly dropped it and said, “Listen, Yein, I really have to thank you for finding her,” he paused to look down at Mittens, who had eaten all the pieces of meat and was now laying comfortably right on Mingyu’s shoes. “I’d like to take you out on a glass of butterbeer the next time we go to Hogsmeade.”

Yein put on a tightlipped smile and asked, “Will Mittens be there too?”

Mingyu beamed again (he really looked elated now that he had found his cat) and enthusiastically nodded. “She has winter mittens for her paws and a jacket,” he replied excitedly.

Thinking about Mittens in actual mittens and a winter jacket was amusing to Yein. She really wanted to see that. So Yein happy-grinned, like the grin Mingyu gave her a few minutes ago, and said, “I’d love to see that, so, yes, you can take me out on a glass of butterbeer.”

And maybe more, but it was too early for Yein to say out loud.

#pledis 17 #lovelyz #loveteen #mingyu #yein #mingyu x yein #*fic #fic

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