#and i hope this silly little thing can be a reason behind that 🌸

[je9ngguk]

A LOOK FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS. 

for ↪ @kookthief <3

[xxsycamore]

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭

↬ 🌸 You and Napoleon welcome the spring out in the fields, trying an interesting new date idea... And Napoleon learns about something curious from the future, along the way, using it to his own advantage.

Napoleon Bonaparte x f!reader • rating: G • tags: Picnics; Painting; Dates; Fluff; Humor; Married Characters • wordcount: 1, 680• masterlist

a/n: This is a birthday gift for a fellow Napoleon lover! This fic was a stay idea lounging in my mind since forever, but it's for @topaz-carbuncle that I decided to put it on paper, with hopes that it would make her smile ❤ With that birthday date, I was so sure that it overlaps with the first day of spring - it turns out it was the day prior, but!! Spring actually came late into the evening where I am, so I really hope it counts! Happy Birthday, dear Lucille! Thank you for being here and sharing your lovely works with us, from one napo lover to another I hope you'd accept this humble gift in turn for all the smiles you've put on my face (and undoubtedly, on many others', too!), I wish you a great day today!! ❤❤🎉🎉🎉 Woooho! • Also for day 8 of Spring Showers Spring Flowers by @aquagirl1978 & @violettduchess Prompt: Picnics (fluff)

"Now, the sun might not be that strong, but I'm still demanding you wear your hat, Mrs. Bonaparte."

You sigh, staying still with chin tipped up while a pair of familiar, sturdy hands tie the ribbons of your straw hat for you. Glancing at Napoleon's face behind your lashes from that point of view, you think it might be fair, after all. He looks a little silly with his own straw hat, it's the one that Sebas uses when working in the garden… maybe it's because you're so used to seeing it on the butler's head that you're seeing something comedic in the current situation.

"Alright, alright, whatever the monsieur wants."

Napoleon smirks at your words, shooting you that boyish gaze while finishing up tying the ribbons under your chin.

Oh, wait! Now you're actually protected against his hair-ruffling attacks! Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

"Allons-y!"

***

It's surprising how much the grass has grown, fresh and green as if winter hasn't come to your secret spot at all. With the exception of the few trees in the distance, which are now spots of white instead of spots of green - all in blossom, and surely buzzing with bees, you almost can hear all the way here - the sight is reminiscent of those of the summer days. Napoleon is right, the sun is not as cruel today - and that's why you both intend to use its welcoming rays for company in today's pastime.

"Napoleon, give me those already… you don't have to carry everything."

"Nonsense. What other reason is there for your strong boyfriend to be around?"

You sigh. Again. Napoleon can be such a show-off occasionally, but oh well, it's not like you're too annoyed by it… and it looks like you've arrived too.

Napoleon sets down the many items he carried - picnic basket full of yummy refreshments; another, larger one, filled with painting supplies; two foldable chairs; and of course, the two wooden easels. Today is the first day of spring, and what other way to welcome and commemorate its glory than to capture it on the canvas…! Or at least attempt to, and have fun in the course of it. It's a bit different from your typical dates, but you love the idea either way. Spending time with the love of your life is always exciting, no matter the activity.

"Vincent showed me how to put those up, so I won't do the same mistake as last time. Just watch."

True, last time you two tried painting together Napoleon has been stubborn about putting up a painting easel by himself, refusing to ask for help even when the tripod kept falling apart. To think that there are things even Napoleon can't do…! Alas, that was a short-lived miracle, as you're now witnessing the work of a professional, putting the easel as if it's something mundane he does every day. And so, waking up early remains the only thing Napoleon Bonaparte cannot master.

"There. Please tell me what direction would you like yours to face."

You let out a lengthy hum, cutting it off as soon as the invincible light bulb pops up above your head.

"How sad are you going to be on a scale from 1 to 10 if you were to not see my face through the whole duration of our date?"

"Huh? Ten. No, even more than-"

"Okay, but listen - it's a good idea, listen - both this side," you gesture to the outstretching meadow ahead of you, "and that one," you turn around to point to the opposite one, "are worth putting on the canvas… so why don't we paint two different paintings? We'll sit back to back, and we won't turn around until we're done. No peeking! How's that?"

"Well…"

You suspect that a battle is taking place in his heart this very moment, but you know that his mind is always a little louder than his feelings. You think.

"Yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense. That's my clever Nunuche."

"That sounds like an oxymoron."

***

Even though the sun was high in the sky when you came here, the spring day remains a little too short for your liking, calling for final touches to be added soon.

It's true that somewhere amidst it all, a bear roared - not the real kind, the one that would make you pack your stuff and run, shouting at Napoleon not to attempt dueling with it with his rapier at the ready - but also not the one in your stomach either! Instead of that cute bear cub Napoleon likes to tease you about, it was a papa bear, awoken from its slumber in… Napoleon's belly. You thought the lunch you made earlier at the mansion was enough for him, but alas, a snack break was due. And a snack break you had.

Napoleon was a bit grumpy when you denied him the afternoon nap'n cuddle™ on the picnic blanket, but the slight change of scenery in the afternoon spoke to his inner artist just as it did to yours, fortunately.

Armed with a paintbrush anew, there you are, dipping the bristles into shades of rose-gold mixed on your palate. Napoleon has been quiet for awhile, but that's okay - the wild birds speak enough in his stead, in their various whimsical languages.

The pink on your palate seems to be dominating over the warm yellow shades, and instead of trying to mellow it down, you stand with your brush in the air, staring at the canvas.

Your painted field is a satisfactory still image of the one behind the easel - not that the real thing is much more dynamic. As rules call, one third is taken by the greenery, two thirds are taken by the sky. The occasional trees in the distance make for a good perspective, yet the upper part of it seems rather… empty? You trail off in thoughts about skies you've seen, and naturally, they're all skies you've seen in your own time period.

"Hehee…"

"What are you giggling about, Nunuche?"

Napoleon leans a bit onto you, using you as a backrest. He's not putting his whole weight, of course, but it successfully makes you huff and takes your attention. You push back against him likewise, nudging until your backs are parallel again. It's actually you that have been using him as a backrest in the last half an hour, but, but, he was the one who wholeheartedly suggested it!

"Nothing. I'll just add a little detail in mine."

"Oh? Can I take a peek?"

The whole ordeal about not looking at each other's paintings has been a bit too much… and you give in with a shrug. You clutch the brush with determination, peach-pink paint still at its top.

And you draw a straight line across the stark blue sky of your painting.

Just on time, Napoleon turns on his chair, moving his long legs so they're on either side of your chair.

"What is that…?"

You chuckle some more at his confusion, understandable as it is.

"A chemtrail! I've told you about the advances of planes in modern times… that's the trail their engines leave in the atmosphere. It's a white line showing their trajectory."

"But yours is pink?"

"That's because," You look up beyond the margins of the painting, as if there is a chance you'd see exactly what you're explaining in that very sky above you and Napoleon. "When the sun goes down and we can't see it on eyelevel anymore, sometimes planes are up there - and with how high they are, the sun is still shining on them. And on their chemtrails, too, painting them orange-pink, like so. It's just a little something I've always noticed, sooo…"

"I like that. Thank you for sharing with me."

You smile, turning halfway to meet Napoleon's cyan gaze. You recognize that thirst for knowledge in his eyes, your heart beating warmly in your chest with the sentiment of the moment.

Napoleon reaches over your shoulder with his own brush, dipping it in your freshly blended pink and stealing some.

"Hey!"

"Now I want to add a futuristic element in my painting too. I'm not going to be left behind you like that."

You watch in awe as Napoleon's hand strikes boldly on his own freshly painted landscape. But it's not a straight line like yours.

"A heart?!"

"Yep, a heart… what, don’t tell me they can't do that. There's no way things are so advanced yet they can't do that."

The need to close your jaw triumphs over your bewilderment, somehow, still left speechless at Napoleon's clever deduction. No wonder he is one of history's greatest geniuses, his place among the mansion residents is deserved.

His painting skills… they're so-so, but it's because of that that the line curving in a heart shape in the middle is so eye-catching, making his painting a whole masterpiece.

"I still like yours better, though. You've got talent, Nunuche."

"I think you might be biased, Monsieur de Wahaha." You nod with eyelids fluttering shut, finally turning all the way on your little chair so you can face Napoleon. The impending talk about stunt planes and his right guess about their existence can wait. "…Because I thought the same about yours."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because a person in love is naturally biased for their partner, and everything they do."

Your sudden straightforwardness surprises Napoleon, coloring his face in shades you picked and mixed personally. He holds your gaze like that for awhile, then it all happens in the way it always does.

Napoleon shortens the distance, and so do you. And right in the middle-

"Oh!"

The resistance of two straw hats colliding startles you both, making you withdraw from each other in a rush.

"Pfft. Hahahaha!!"

As Napoleon falls into another of his infamous laughing fits, you wonder if the protection against his hair-ruffling attacks was worth the ruined moment. But the rising urge to laugh - with him, or at him, it doesn't matter all that much - might be worth it all.

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[van-zieksy]

Hi again!Are you fairing well?How's the recovery going?

It's not a question this time, but rather, I want to share my thoughts. And maybe discuss it, I would love to hear yours and others' opinion, if they feel like it.

I watched the TGAA DLC episodes the other day ('cause they didn't make it outside Japan for some reason, and it's a shame, really), and holy- ,  I'm glad I pushed them away until I was done with the game, so I can fully appreciate them.

I was so, so delighted to find out that the Nyan Zieks charm is actually Iris's gift for Barok's birthday. Knowing about their blood-relation really made this DLC so much sweeter than it already was.

Like, can we appreciate how much trouble Iris went through, for the sole reason of bringing her uncle (unbeknownst to her) some comfort?

This gesture really does say a lot about her.

In this DLC, (and in the finale of Adventures), it was shown how Iris, despite her age, ain't afraid to stand for herself, and go against older than her people (thanks to one bold Sherlock Holmes she grew up around). She's also very perceptive; she reads people with a single look. And if they need something, she doesn't hesitate to to help. It's simply in her nature, really.

She had enough time to study Barok from a great distance, and realized how unhappy he actually is - something most Londoners never noticed, or outright ignored. So she made calculations, planned out everything accordingly (she knew he'd bring her to trial, and she went along with it! ), and Sherlock helped her out, because of course he would! It succeeded, and she was satisfied that she made a fellow citizen at least a bit happy. For three months, she forgot about the bad words Barok towards her adoptive father, the race insults Ryu and Susie ('s nation), and prepared something nice for him.

As for Barok himself, he must've been very moved. After all, he's the type of person to truly appreciate what people do for the good of the others, and we've seen that several times. He appreciates the good deeds, no matter how small. Well, maybe he feels a little different about said deeds being directed towards him, but still.

I kind of wonder, where does he keep his charm? Does he keep it on his desk? In a drawer? He carries it in his pocket and nobody knows?And most importantly....

Is it a communication device, like Rabbit Holmes and Mouse Iris?! I'd be supper funny if Sherlock or Iris decided to call him, 'cause why not, and suddenly, his charm painfully pulls his ear?! I can totally see this happening!

Best regards!🌸

Hello, lovely mutual!

I am doing pretty well. Very busy but also feeling a lot better than before. Thank you for asking! I hope you are faring well!

As far as I am aware, the two DLC episodes were only released in Japan because they were advertised as a limited time only deal back then, so by law, Capcom is not allowed to re-release them. It IS a shame, though. I agree. :(

As a preface: My HC is that Iris sensed a connection between her and Van Zieks. Barok, too, sensed a deeper connection when he saw and observed her for the first time. The similarities between her and her birth parents are striking. It’s not only her looks but also the way she carries herself as a person. Some people who are related „by blood“ can probably sense they are related even when they have lived apart for the longest time. At least I’ve seen it happen before irl. It may be a transcendental thing that can only be explained metaphysically. Either way, both brushed it off as a silly thought, but deep inside the feeling persisted, even if it was only subconsciously. Iris wanted to show him that he is appreciated. She was able to look behind the façade of public prosecutor Lord van Zieks and saw the true human, the private person, Barok.

„I kind of wonder, where does he keep his charm? Does he keep it on his desk? In a drawer? He carries it in his pocket and nobody knows?And most importantly....

Is it a communication device, like Rabbit Holmes and Mouse Iris?! I'd be supper funny if Sherlock or Iris decided to call him, 'cause why not, and suddenly, his charm painfully pulls his ear?! I can totally see this happening!“

You know, I really like the idea that it’s a secret communication device! It’s a thought I had, too. I imagine he initially keeps it in a drawer at work until he got used to his new, little friend. Later he moves Nyanzieks to his mansion where he has his assigned spot next to other items that have a sentimental value, yet Barok carries him around at times because he likes having some company. Little Nyanzieks sits on Barok's desk in his office while he prepares for an upcoming trial. He sits in one of the lounge chairs in the sitting room while Barok reads and enjoys a cup of wine. Sometimes he’s even allowed to sit on Barok's nightstand. While our prosecutor knows that it’s silly to feel any sort of attachment to a charm like this, he also understands it. Not only was it gifted to him by a sweet, young girl, it also serves as a reminder that he deserves all the love in the world. If Barok „loves“ (as in: appreciates, values) Nyanzieks, then that means he can also love himself again, as Nyanzieks is supposed to represent him. The adorable cat charm will help him to internalise that other people’s false opinions of him don’t define who he is and his value as a human being, and that there are people who do understand him.

Barok's POV...

A few weeks after the end of the second game, just as Barok is getting ready to turn in for the night, suddenly something pulls on his left ear and whispers, “I love you. Good night.“ Of course he’s caught off-guard and a little scared given the dangerous lifestyle he leads, but it doesn’t take long for him to realise that it is his newly found niece who is somehow communicating with him through Nyanzieks. How, he doesn’t know. But if he didn’t know that Iris actually made this charm, he’d think that the foolish detective wants to give him a heart attack to put him out of his misery. He picks up the little cat, brings him close to his face and gently says, “Ms. Wilson. What a pleasant surprise. I know I promised to present myself at your abode eventually, and I am a man of my words. Pray forgive my busy schedule as of late. I vow to make up for the family time we have missed out on...“ Oh no, what did he just say? A few seconds of awkward silence that feel like an eternity follow. Enough for Barok to wish he could just sink into the ground to never resurface again. Finally, Iris is the one to break the tension. “I know you’re my uncle, you know. How silly of Hurley to think that he could hide this from me. I already gave him an earful that he didn’t tell me sooner and led me to believe that someone else was my father. It caused me so much pain all those years. I now have him do all the household chores as punishment, but I’m afraid he may burn down or flood the house by accident before anything, so I’ll have to think of something else...Well, anyway, Rocky, ehm, can I adopt you as my second daddy?“ Iris asks shyly. For a second, Barok thought his weary heart just stopped beating. I guess it doesn’t really have to come as a surprise that this unconventional girl somehow figured out the truth. She probably overheard them discuss her heritage in the antechamber after his own trial, or who knows what strings she pulled afterwards to get to the bottom of the matter. He can’t say he’s excited about the prospect of spending more time around the irritating detective than is absolutely necessary, but if that means getting to spend more time with her, he has no objection. She deserves to be happy, so Barok sincerely hopes that Mr. Sholmes will put in just as much effort as him into forming a friendship. After having collected his thoughts, he happily announces, “Of course, it would fill me with immense joy and pride to be... adopted by you...if that’s what you would like to call it. But for now, our little princess has to go to sleep, so she may be well-rested for tomorrow. I will send a carriage to your home to pick you and Mr. Sholmes...Herlock...Hurley…up so we can all spend the day together at my mansion. Good night, Iris. I love you, too.“ Hurley, it will definitely take some time for him to get used to this. His right hand instinctively moves to his forehead scar and he shakes his head in disbelief. Maybe he’ll just stick to Herlock for now. “Good night, uncle-father,“ she giggles. He places a gentle kiss on Nyanzieks’ forehead before setting him back on the nightstand. A new chapter in their life is about to begin.

Thanks so much for this wonderful ask and kind regards,