#and then he befriended one of my teammates over the socials and then i went to some of his hockey games and then

[neonkoii]

happy two year anniversary to the very beginning of my descent into madness (the day i added my hockey guy on social media) (it all went downhill from there)

[itsdanii]

Because I’m an angst-addicted ball of misery, is it okay if I request drabbles of Fuckboy!Atsumu and Fuckboy!Oikawa being the crush of the reader but she knows of how they treat other girls and doesn’t want to end up heart broken and since she’s shy and introverted, the boys barely know her aside from her being a classmate?

She tries to keep a simple distance away from them until said boys randomly show an interest in her and they start showing her attention, love, and treating her better than the girls they messed with until after a few weeks she overhears from them or their teammates that it’s out of pity/they were bored because Y/N seemed easy to mess with.

Y/N doesn’t let them know she overheard them, instead a switch is flipped and she’s emotionless around them and avoids them. When they ask why she’s like that, she simply says “I won’t let you hurt me like the others.” She basically treats them like they don’t exist (she’s friendly to everyone but them) and said f!boys regret it and bust their asses to fix everything between them (I read how you felt about full angst, so the reader just blocked their number, social media’s, and treat them like the plague until they prove that they truly love her or regret messing with her :) )

Hey, bub. Sorry for the slight delay! I hope you don't mind me making slight adjustments about the plot for my comfort 🥺 And uh... this drabble turned out to be a oneshot because I got carried away. I only did Atsumu's part which went over 3k+ works 👁️👄👁️ Anyway, I hope that you still like it. Have a good day, stay safe and hydrated! ♥️

Karma's a b*tch

genre: angst to fluff

warning/s: rude behavior (resolved), cursing, self doubt and insecurity(?), do message me if I missed any

a/n: please do read the warnings before you proceed. warnings have been put there for a reason

ft. fboy!atsumu miya, f!reader

never play with a girl's feelings. wanna know why? just read the title.

You stared at the back of Atsumu's head dreamily, your elbows propped on your desk as you basically ignored the world around you.

Contrary to the belief that noisy students always sat on the back, Atsumu and his twin were actually seated in front. Despite being in the middle of a class discussion, the two kept on chattering as if the teacher didn't exist. The teacher basically gave up already trying to shut them up since they never listened anyway.

You knew that she could've just sent them to detention but of course, who would do that to the miya twins? People almost worshipped them and your teacher wasn't excluded. Everytime she entered the room, you noticed how she would always cast a glance at the Miya twins and smile "politely."

The two, of course, took advantage of it. If it meant being able to get away with their noise by just simply smirking at the teacher in front of them, they'd do it. They already did anyways. They never did anything more than that though, and for some reason you were thankful that they never crossed that line.

You jolted up slightly when the bell suddenly rang, a loud yelp slipping past your lips out of shock. With your eyes widening like saucers, you felt your cheeks heating up when majority of your classmates turned their head towards your direction, some having a grin on their faces while the others having a look of displease.

However, their stare didn't matter as much as a specific person's did. A pair of brownish eyes stared at you intensely, his gaze so intense it was enough to make you almost squirm in your seat.

Feeling your heart rate picking up along with the shiver running down your spine, you looked down at your lap, successfully cutting your eye contact with Miya Atsumu - the guy you secretly liked despite being hailed as your school's certified f!ckboy.

"Make sure to finish all your requirements this upcoming weekend. You're all seniors so I have high expectations on your outputs, understood?"

With a series of "Yes, ma'am," the class was dismissed.

The room was filled with different noises - subgroups gossiping with each other, the footsteps of students hurrying their way out, the rustling of papers, clanking of chairs and the voices of the class representatives reminding the assigned people to clean properly.

It was lively, for them at least.

As for you, you preferred being alone. No, you weren't some weird nerd kid who acted as if they hated the world. Instead, you preferred categorizing yourself as one of those people who were naturally shy and introverted.

You don't really like crowds nor socializing. You've always opted on sitting by the corner, just enjoying the calmness silence brings you.

Grabbing your books from your desk, you stood up and made your way to the door, head casted a little downwards to avoid making eye contact with people, knowing that doing so will result to interactions, and who has time for interactions anyway? Certainly not you.

With the lack of paying attention, you failed to notice someone who was rushing their way out. Like a cliche movie, your body collided with them, the impact causing you to stumble backwards, loosening your grip on your books as they fell on the floor.

Luckily, the person behind you managed to catch you on time, their hand gripping the small of your back to keep your bum from meeting the floor.

"Whoa, there. Ya alright, princess?" spoke the familiar voice just behind your ear, his breath against your skin giving you small goosebumps.

Instantly, you jerked away. Turning around to face him, you bowed down while muttering continuous apologies. "Miya! I didn't mean to bump into you, I.. I swear. I was just walking out and then somebody j-"

Chuckling, Atsumu placed a hand on top of your head, giving your hair a small ruffle which eventually made you look up at him. "Calm down, I ain't mad at ya. No need to be so flustered."

With a stiff nod, you mumbled a small "Okay," before bending down to pick your books off the floor. You didn't fail to notice how your hands were trembling and you silently prayed to whoever diety was watching over you that Atsumu won't notice it.

"Yer y/n, right?" Atsumu asked as he bent down as well, one hand clutching your book as he let his finger trace over the name written on it. "A pretty name fer a pretty face like yers."

You wouldn't be surprised if he'd ask if you were doing okay because by now, you were a hundred percent sure that your face must be looking like a red tomato. "Thanks I guess," you said, giving him a shy smile before taking the book from his hand.

The small encounter was cut off by someone calling for Atsumu's name. Turning your head to the direction of the noise, you noticed Osamu walking towards you with a small frown on his face, one hand gripping the strap of his bag as he went on how they're going to have to run extra laps again if they ever got late for practice.

Atsumu only chuckled at Osamu before turning his focus back on you. With a cheeky smile, he booped the tip of your noise fondly. "Guess I'll see ya around, pretty thing. Careful not to stumble again, alright? Don't want another man catchin' ya."

With that, Atsumu went on his merry way, turning around one more time to send you a wink, chuckling as you gave him a slow wave before his figure disappeared from your vision as a mere dot.

"See ya later..." you whispered on thin air, lips unconsciously curling up as you stared at the direction he went off to. Once you snapped out of your daze, you bit your lip to stop yourself from squealing like a school girl in love.

Well, technically, you were a school girl in love, right?

That night, as you laid on your bed staring at your ceiling full of glow in the dark stars, you thought that maybe it wasn't so bad making conversations with people every once in a while.

-

The days went by pretty quickly.

At first, you thought that everything will be back to normal. After all, you never tried associating yourself with people. Your high school life was basically nothing but waking up early for school then going back home after class and then repeat.

However, something was strange. In fact, it was very strange. Not only were people trying to befriend you but the one and only Atsumu Miya was actually making an effort to talk to you, and to say that you were confused would be an understatement.

He basically didn't pay attention nor spared you a glance before, until that day you bumped into him.

You knew that it wasn't a good practice to judge someone based on what other people say but he wouldn't be called as your school's f!ckboy for nothing. He'd change his girlfriend almost every week as if he's only changing clothes, cruelly dump those who did not meet his certain standards and doesn't care even if a girl cries infront of him. Those are exactly why you tried not associating yourself with him nor his twin.

But there was something about Atsumu Miya that kept on drawing you in. You didn't know if it was his annoying piss colored hair, intense gaze, or the aura surrounding him. You couldn't help but wonder how someone like him, the exact type of person you swore you hated, managed to keep you attracted like a moth on to a flame.

It was weird.

And yet you loved it.

"Ya know y/n, ya kinda wound me," Atsumu said, plopping himself down beside you on the cafeteria.

With your hand clutching the chopsticks mid-air, you surveyed your area, noting how some heads, specifically the Inrizaki VBC's, turned to your direction. "Sorry, what do you mean?" you muttered as soon as your eyes met Atsumu's.

"I literally thought we're already friends when I saved yer ass from falling backwards," Atsumu answered before stuffing his mouth with an Onigiri, no doubt made by Osamu.

Placing your chopsticks down, you wiped your lips with some napkin before speaking up. "I'm sorry for asking this but... what's with the sudden interest, Miya?"

You were aware of how snappy you sounded, but in reality, it was your own defense mechanism acting up. Just how were you supposed to ignore him when it's he himself who kept on clinging to you?

"Hm, what do ya mean? Is it so hard to believe that I'm trying to befriend ya?" Atsumu tilted his head a bit to the side, his lips curling up into a smirk. "Why not try givin' me a chance, princess? That isn't so much to ask for."

You organized your now empty bento, placing it on the side before focusing your whole attention to the man in front of you. "I've seen how you treated girls before," you said with a low voice, averting your gaze from him to avoid melting into a puddle.

Damn stupid feelings.

"I see..." Atsumu said with a slow nod. "Then I guess that makes it more of a challenge."

Your eyebrows immediately furrowed upon hearing that, your curiosity spiking up at what his words meant. "Challenge? What do you mean?"

Instead of answering you, Atsumu just stood up, his bento in hand with the side of his lips curled up. "I'll see ya around, princess."

With that, you were left alone in your table, eyes still trained on Atsumu as he made his way back to the Inarizaki VBC's table. You watched as most of his friends chuckled while patting his back, some even sending a glance towards your direction.

Deciding that pondering over it would only be a waste of time, you stood up and made your way back to your classroom, failing to notice a grey haired Miya watching you.

-

You let out a small squeak as someone behind you reached for the same book you've been trying to get for almost 5 minutes now. Tilting your head back a little, you were met with an upside down vision of Miya Atsumu's face.

With your arms still raised in the air, you spun around to face him, your back flush against the bookshelf keeping you basically trapped. "Miya," you mumbled while looking up at him, one hand fisting the side of your skirt to release some pressure.

"Here," he simply said while handing you the book, obviously holding back from laughing at your flustered expression. "Don't worry, I ain't gonna try anythin' that would make ya uncomfortable. I was just passin' by and saw you strugglin'."

"And he even tucked my hair behind my ear!"

"He did that?" your cousin spoke from beside you.

Both of you were seated on top of your bed, legs crissed crossed as you gossiped about your interactions with Miya Atsumu.

For the past few weeks, you've been having encounters with Atsumu - in the cafeteria, in the library and even outside of school where he claimed that he was out to buy some ingredients for Osamu and only managed to bump into you "coincidentally". Name it and he'll be there.

With these constant encounters stirring up your feelings, you had to resort on calling your cousin for some girl time in order to save your sanity. Luckily, your parents had no objection. They were even happy that you were actually trying to open up to other people. It was only your cousin but according to your parents, "A small step is still a step."

Plopping your back on your bed, you grunted as you placed both of your hands on your cheeks. "Mhm. I just don't get it you know? He's basically this popular guy that plays volleyball, has a group of girls swarming over him and has the face and body that looks like it's been sculpted by God himself, and yet he's wasting his time on me."

You looked at your cousin with a small pout, one hand reaching out to poke her thigh. "Am I just overthinking things?"

With a breathy chuckle, your cousin laid down beside you. "Maybe? I can't really say for sure since I don't know this Miya guy except your description of him, but what I think is that you should give him a chance."

Hearing that, you laid on your side to face her, elbows propped up against the mattress as you rested your cheek on your palm. "Aila, have you been listening to me? He is a f! ckboy. Dangerous, treats girls like shit, and undeniably sexy. What if his sudden interest is only a one time thing? What if he's just messing with me?"

"And what if he isn't?" Upon hearing no reply, your cousin took your silence as her cue to continue. "What if people just labeled him as this so called 'f!ckboy' because that's what they perceive him to be? What if inside him is just someone who's vulnerable, trying to protect themselves from getting hurt by people so they end up hurting others first to save themselves from the pain? What if he's just waiting for someone who wanted to really know him, the real him? Would you really deprive him of that opportunity just because of what you hear from other people?"

"I... I don't know.."

"Miya isn't here to defend himself and I'm not trying to defend him, but don't you think you should at least give him the benefit of the doubt?" Aila smiled as she settled herself on a comfortable position. "Give him a chance, y/n. Everyone deserves to get one. It's up to him to prove whether he's worth the chance he was given."

You sighed deeply, letting her words sink in as you also shifted yourself on a comfortable position, raising your comforter up until it reaches just below your chin. "Then what happens if he isn't worth the chance he's given?"

With a hum, your cousin just shrugged. "Then you either forgive him and let it go or... give him the finger and tell him 'f!ck you' for messing with your feelings," she said with a short giggle.

"It's something only you in the future can decide. Goodnight, y/n."

With a thankful smile, you turned the lamp off as you whispered, "Mh, goodnight, Aila."

-

"Let's be friends," you said as you slammed a box of onigiri in front of Atsumu, a smacking sound resonating in the air making the rest of the boys look at your direction.

Even the sound of balls whooshing in the air stopped, replaced by the sound of them dropping suddenly on the gym's floor.

With his lips parted, Atsumu shifted his gaze from the onigiri, Osamu, Suna and you. "Ah..." he muttered as if he was just as shocked as you for having the guts to come inside the gym in the middle of their training.

Feeling your cheeks heating up out of embarrassment due to his lack of response, you looked down and started to fiddle with you fingers. "You said you wanted to be my friend and I kept on keeping my distance from you so I thought you might appreciate those onigiri as my peace offering." You scratched the back of your head before giving him an awkward smile. "A-anyway, that's all! I'll see you around, Miya!"

Atsumi could only watch you as you dashed out of the gym. Snapping out of his daze, he looked down at the box of Onigiri, smiling unconsciously as he noticed the sticky note posted on top with "Good luck on your practice, Miya! :))" written on it.

"Interestin'," Atsumu whispered before standing up, Kita's voice filling the air as he called the team back for practice.

-

It's safe to say that after that embarrassing moment, you became friends with Atsumu. You even became close with his twin because they were always with each other. It wasn't long then when the usual duo became three - Atsumu, Osamu, and you.

It was hard to adjust at first. Your female classmates would always glare at you and spout out some nasty remarks but the twins were always there to defend you. In fact, you even met the whole team and hanged out with them when you didn't have some academic tasks to finish.

It was fun, and you were thankful for your cousin who gave you the advise of giving Atsumu a chance.

But there was a downside on the situation.

Your feelings which you kept hidden for a long time was only growing day by day, and you were afraid that it was slowly showing signs.

How?

Everytime Atsumu was near, your heart would beat so fast that you felt like you just finished a 4 kilometer run. Your hands would become clammy, breath would hitch, and face would heat up whenever he teases you, and don't even forget to add that one time you literally froze when you spun around, only to come face to face with him - nose almost touching, lips ghosting against each other with only an inch keeping you apart.

You were playing a dangerous game and yet you had no intention of stopping, not knowing that it wasn't only you who had a secret.

Because Atsumu Miya was also playing a game - something much more dangerous than yours.

-

"Where's 'Tsumu?" you asked as you peeked your head inside the gym.

Kita, who was about to walk out, gave you a smile before opening the door wider for you to come in. "Atsumu's in the storage room. The twins made a mess again so I told them to go clean up before we start practice."

"Typical," you said with a short giggle. "Anyway, I'm just going to drop off Atsumu's hoodie that I borrowed last week. I'll watch over them while you do your business."

"That would be great. Thank you so much, y/n-san. Call me if something happens," Kita said, giving you a small nod before leaving.

As you entered the empty gym, you grimaced upon seeing something that looks like spilled milk on the floor. With a shake of your head, you made your way near the storage room sneakily in attempts of scaring Atsumu.

However, as you got closer, you heard two familiar voices. It was Atsumu's and Osamu's voice, and basing from the way they were speaking, it seemed as if they were in the middle of an argument.

"The fuck did ya say?" It was Osamu.

"I said I was only playin' with her. I mean, she's so easy, don't ya think? It basically only took me a couple of weeks and she came runnin' to me with that box of Onigiri, claimin' she wanted to be friends," Atsumu said, followed by a chuckle. "As if I didn't notice the way she acted around me. I'm telling ya, that girl is in love with me."

"And so, what if she is? That's not an excuse for ya to play with her feelings, dipshit."

Hearing Atsumu huff, you slightly backed away from the door, only to freeze when you heard his next words.

"Y/n is nothin' but a toy to me, somethin' I can dispose of when I got bored."

Biting your lower lip, you clenched the handle of the paperbag you were holding before running out with tears streaming down your face.

You ran as fast as you could, ignoring the worried looks you're getting from the people you were passing by. Even Kita was shocked to see you yet he didn't bother calling out, thinking that you might be needing some alone time for yourself.

You skipped class.

Throughout your whole Highschool life, this was the first time you skipped your class and it was a bummer that the reason was Atsumu Miya.

Stirring your strawberry milkshake from a nearby cafe, you thought about Atsumu's words, another batch of tears streaming down your face as you realized how pathetic you were for believing that he isn't what others say.

Maybe your cousin was wrong.

Atsumu Miya wasn't worth the chance he was given, because he only proved that once a f!ckboy, always a f!ckboy.

-

You blocked Atsumu's social media accounts.

In fact, you even blocked and deleted his number to stop getting in contact with him.

Even in person, you didn't bother paying him any attention unlike before. You stopped coming to their practices, stopped giving him food and stopped talking to him.

You basically acted as if he didn't exist.

It was hard because you knew that your heart belonged to him, but you had to endure it. You didn't want to give him the satisfaction for playing with you. You know your worth and there's no way you're going to let some f*ckboy ruin you.

"Y/n, would ya stop?!" Atsumu said as he grabbed your wrist, effectively stopping you from walking away from him any further.

"Get your hands off me, Miya. I don't wanna talk to you." You struggled against his hold, trying to take your hand back, only to fail when he tightened his grip.

"The hell's yer problem? What's with the sudden attitude? Yer basically ignorin' me and I don't have any idea what I did. Just tell me what I did wrong instead of actin' like a little brat." Letting go of your wrist, Atsumu groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair out of frustration. "I.. I don't like this."

You laughed, eyes squinting as you let out a fit of giggles before pointing at him. "You don't like this? Why not, Miya? I'm just a toy for you, right? So, I don't really get why you don't like this. Is it because you're not bored of me yet so you're not willing to dispose of me?" Crossing your arms over your chest, you looked at him with a serious expression. "Well, I'm sorry to say this but I'm not going to let you hurt me like the others. I'm not a plaything nor am I desperate like those girls pining over you. Have fun looking for a new toy. You're not worth playing with anyway."

That being said, you turned your back on Atsumu, ignoring the whispers that suddenly filled the hallway as the students parted some space for you, leaving Atsumu with his lips parted and feet frozen on the ground.

Serves you right, Miya.

-

Atsumu felt hollow.

With every passing day that you're ignoring him, conversing with people whom you never bothered associating yourself with before, the more he regret taking advantage of your feelings.

It was only supposed to be a game, nothing but a pass time and yet why did it felt like something was missing?

"I wasn't supposed to care," Atsumu said desperately while clutching his head in his hands, elbows propped on the table as he opened up to his twin. "F!ck...I think I like her, 'Samu."

"No shit, idiot," Osamu answered without taking his eyes off the stove. "I told ya several times to stop messin' with people's feelings and did ya ever listen? No. That's what ya get for bein' stupid."

Groaning, Atsumu rested his cheek against the table, facing Osamu's back. "Help me."

Slowing down from stirring the pot, Osamu looked at Atsumu through his shoulder. "Why would I do that?"

"Well, I'm yer twin. Aren't ya supposed to help me? Plus... y/n acts fine around ya." Atsumu sighed before sitting up properly. "I won't bother ya fer a week if ya help me out. I already did everythin' I could. Flowers, chocolates, even payin' attention in class just to impress them! Nothin' worked."

Osamu chuckled at the desperation and frustration in Atsumu's voice. "Deal." He turned the stove off, covering the pot before making his way to Atsumu. Sitting down, he crossed his arms over his chest while staring at the brokenhearted Miya. "Y/n is actually kind. Well, not until that moment she found out about yer stupidity. Have ya tried showin' her that yer willin' to change?"

Atsumu nodded. "I did. I even gave her the usual things girls like."

"I asked if ya showed her that yer willin' to change, not tried winnin' over her through bribery." When Atsumu didn't respond, Osamu let out a 'tsk' before continuing, "Just stop botherin' her and prove that ya regret what ya did."

"Easier said than done," Atsumu grumbled which earned him a smack on the head.

"Will ya stop bein' a sad boy already? I have a plan."

-

Its been two weeks.

Two weeks of no Miya Atsumu trying to apologize. Two weeks of no Miya Atsumu following you like a lost puppy while holding either chocolates or flowers.

Instead, what you were getting were these random post it notes on your locker, your desk, everywhere. Wherever you go, there would be random post it notes with various messages. Some contained cheesy quotations, the others short apology letters.

And despite how mad you were at Atsumu, you wouldn't be able to deny how cute the act was. Not only did he gave you space but also exerted an effort of silently letting you know that he'd be willing to wait for you.

You noticed how he stopped acting like a boss in class, opting to jot down notes instead of chattering with Osamu like usual. You also noticed how he stopped having a random girl beside him during breaks. Everytime you would pass by, no longer would he try to block your way and flick your forehead, but instead give you a hopeful smile before proceeding on his way wordlessly.

But what made you realize that he indeed regret what he did was that one time.

You were walking back to your classroom after forgetting your umbrella. The sound of the heavy rain tapping on the ground resonated on the empty hallways, the cold wind making you shiver as it whooshed in the air.

Wrapping your arms tightly around you, you entered your classroom, eyes widening as you saw Atsumu trying to fit something on the space below your desk while mumbling something.

Clearing your throat, you noticed Atsumu jolting up slightly before turning around to face your direction.

He smiled sheepily before scratching his nape. "I know it's yer birthday tomorrow so I was tryin' to fit this here. I guess there's no point hidin' it already since ya caught me anyway." Sighing, Atsumu picked up the fox stuffie and handed it to you. "Happy Birthday, y/n. I know yer still mad at me and ya probably hate me but I still wanted to give ya a present."

You stared at the fox in your hand, your fingers poking the fluffiness of the material as you fought back the urge to smile. "Thanks," you answered with a dismissive tone.

For a split second, it was silent, and you were aware of the intensity of Atsumu's gaze burning on your forehead, yet you refused to look up, knowing that once you did, you won't be able to hold yourself back and might just forgive him there and then.

"I like ya, I really do. I know I messed up big time fer taking advantage of ya and I'm sorry fer that. It was stupid and childish of me to think that the people around me are nothing but mere toys fer me to play with. I regret hurtin' yer feelings and I'll be willin' to wait until ya forgive me. Just know that I won't stop until ya do."

Hearing something rustling, you looked up and noticed Atsumu taking off his jacket. Within a few steps, he was already infront of you, draping his jacket over your figure. "I'll see ya around, princess. Don't get sick, alright?" Smiling, Atsumu gave your cheek a small pinch before heading out.

You were left in the empty classroom with nothing but the fox stuffie serving as your company. Atsumu's scent was swirling around you from the jacket you were given and at that moment, you haven't notice the single tear sliding down your cheek.

Because of all people, you never expected for Atsumu Miya to be the first one to greet you without having to remind them.

He was the first person you knew outside of your household to ever remember your birthday.

You hugged the stuffie close to your chest, burrying your face on top of its head as you let the comfort it brings envelope you.

-

You stared at the empty space infront, your head swirling as you thought of the possible reasons why Atsumu haven't been in class for three days now.

It's currently your last subject and throughout the whole day, you've been doing nothing but wonder where he was. You haven't asked Osamu about it yet since he was excused from the class due to the preparations for the upcoming match.

And so, the moment your class was dismissed, you rushed your way out, making your trip to the gym. You were thankful that they were in the middle of a water break so you had the chance to call out Osamu's name without having to worry about Kita.

"Y/n?" Osamu's eyebrow shot up upon seeing you. Suddenly, a knowing smile made its way to his lips. Standing up, he walked over to you. "He's sick," he said without even waiting for you to say something.

"Oh.." you muttered, shifting from one foot to another nervously before tugging at the hem of Osamu's jersey. "Do you... uhm, do you think it would be alright if I visit him after your practice? I wanna see if he's doin' alright."

"Alright. I think 'Tsumu would appreciate that. Why don't ya sit on the bench and wait a little for us to finish practice then ya can visit our house after?"

Upon hearing that, your face instantly lit up. You smiled at Osamu as you nodded.

Osamu only chuckled at you and fondly ruffled your hair, a habit he and Atsumu shared.

You waited patiently, and it wasn't long then when their practice finally finished. After Osamu took a shower, you both went on your way to their residence.

As you entered their house, Atsumu's voice immediately met your ears.

"'Samu! Cook me somethin', I'm starvin!"

You looked at Osamu who only shrugged as if he was already used to it. You took your shoes off and wore the slippers you were given before placing your bag on the couch.

"Our room is on the right. Go ahead and talk to him." Osamu said as he pointed on the door at the end of the hallway.

With a nod, you slowly made your way to their room, knocking softly before sliding your way in.

The first thing that greeted you were the mess of opened junk foods on the floor. Roaming your eyes around, you grimaced at the sight of empty water bottles littered around along with the volleyball laying on the ground.

Averting your eyes away from the trash, you looked at Atsumu whose back was facing you, his shoulder raising up and down evenly, indicating that he must be asleep.

Carefully, you walked claser and sat on the edge of his bed, your hand immediately feeling his forehead. "You're burning up," you mumbled, brushing his hair away from his face.

Suddenly, Atsumu's hand gripped your wrist, his eyebrows furrowed as he squinted his eyes. "Am I dreamin' or are ya a ghost?" he asked with a raspy voice.

"I'm not a ghost, 'Tsumu. I'm really here."

You watched as Atsumu slowly nodded before letting go of your wrist. "What're ya doin' here? I thought ya were still mad at me." Sitting up, Atsumu held the comforter close to him as he shivered.

"I heard you were sick. I'm no longer mad at you. I guess I'm still upset but I just can't hold a grudge against you forever, can I? That's not something I can do," you said with a shake of your head. "I really like you, you know? Despite your title of being a f!ckboy, I still fell for you. You were the first person I tried opening up to aside from my cousin. It's just a bummer that you ended up taking advantage of that vulnerability."

You felt Atsumu reaching out for you, his hand enveloping yours as he gave it a small squeeze. "I know, and I'm sorry. I really am."

"And if I give you another chance, will you prove me that you deserve it?" you asked as you looked at him, "I'm still hurt about what happened so I hope that if I give you this chance, you won't waste it."

"Yes. God, yes," Atsumu answered breathlessly, "I promise it won't happen again and I'll try to be better."

Suddenly, Atsumu wrapped his arms around your figure, pulling you on his lap as he settled his head on the side of your neck. "Thank you," he mumbled repeatedly against your skin, his arms tightening around you as if he was afraid of letting go.

And he never did.

Indeed, there was something about Miya Atsumu that kept drawing you in, and despite the bumps and dangers that came along your way, you didn't withraw.

Because as you closed the last page of your photo album eight years from then, you realized how right your cousin was alll along.

Atsumu Miya was worth the chance he was given, and he proved it to you every single day, sealing it with the diamond ring now resting on your left hand.

Likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated ♥️

[blueberrysunflowers]

kagehina + holding hands (hc/drabble)🫐🌻

some days, kageyama is grateful that he met hinata at the start of high school. not only was he the perfect partner on court, but he was a great friend off-court too. sure, he’d never admit that... but it was true. hinata may be as dumb as him when it came to school, but their little competitions pushed him to study more until both their grades improved (slightly). additionally, hinata’s friendliness made up for kageyama’s lack of social skills. before hinata, kageyama was sure he’d have to fight to the top on his own. it’s not like oikawa helped him with his serve, anyway. since meeting hinata, kageyama has been able to get help and practice with other really good players because hinata befriended them. anywhere hinata went, kageyama tended to follow. all in all, kageyama was glad to have a partner (in volleyball) like him.

then… were days like these, where he would rethink his choice in having hinata as a partner. hinata was like an over-excited puppy. clueless, hyperactive, small and fast. this meant that him and crowds don’t do well at all. once, they went to the mall to buy new knee pads and kageyama spent an hour trying to find the small boy that wouldn’t answer his phone. when he found hinata, he explained that a family walked infront of him and he lost kageyama. while trying to find him, he ended up on the opposite side of the mall. after that, he noticed how often hinata got lost when they were in crowds. kageyama didn’t think much of that day, or the other few instances until today.

they had a pretty important match in less than 15 minutes. kageyama noticed hinata was missing 30 minutes earlier and the whole team tried to find or contact him. unfortunately, kageyama had his bag (and his phone) and there were multiple sport events happening in the stadium they were in so the place was flooded with people. what made matters worse, hinata did not know which court they were supposed to be in.

daichi was too busy trying to calm a frantic and worried suga who seemed more worried about his kouhai getting “completely trampled by the big men from the football game” and how hinata was “too small and precious to die” to notice kageyama make his way out of the court again to look for hinata. they had a new freak quick to try and he can’t do it when the other half of their duo was dead missing.

kageyama knew the whole team already combed through the first floor of the stadium, so he tried his luck with going up to the second floor. the second floor was filled with those adult football players that suga was so scared of and kageyama could see why. they were huge. jacked. could probably crush his head with their thumbs-

“excuse me?” one of the scary football men approached him from behind. kageyama’s face paled slightly but he turned around to face the man. ‘holy shit. jacked.’ he thought to himself.

“yes?”

“are you looking for one of your teammates? same jersey, orange hair and kinda short?”

‘kinda short, he says. of course, this guy’s huge. those muscles-’ kageyama couldn’t stop his internal thoughts. “yes. we have a match in a few minutes.”

“ah, he’s in the bathroom down the hall. he ran in and puked into the toilet. we tried to ask him if he needed help but I think we scared him even more because he went in for round two.”

‘sounds like my dumbass’ “yeah, that sounds like him. thank you very much!”

“good luck. and good luck with your game! which court are you guys using?”

“court 4-B.”

“volleyball match, huh. my son also plays volleyball. that’s close to the staircase. maybe I’ll pop by before my match. see you.”

the hunk of a man guy walked away and kageyama had to collect himself for a second before dashing to the bathroom, trying very hard to not think of the football man watching his game. once he got to the bathroom, he immediately saw hinata’s signature orange hair and grabbed it. both boys yelled and called each other a dumbass but hinata admitted defeat rather quickly since kageyama had a good reason to be upset.

“what happened to you this time?!”

“some huge dudes walked infront of me and I assumed you guys were infront of them so I followed them up here! i don’t know! i have short legs, you guys walk too fast! how was i not supposed to get lost?!”

kageyama was about to argue back when he caught a glimpse of the time on hinata’s watch. ‘shit.’ the match was starting in 3 minutes. he muttered something about daichi killing them under his breath and grabbed hinata’s hand before speeding out of the bathroom. he was swerving through the other athletics, avoiding any collision. meanwhile, he could hear hinata apologising behind him every 3 seconds.

by the time they made it back to the gym, it was a minute to the start of the game. kageyama knew he was in a lot of trouble from daichi when he saw how disheveled suga was. when the whole team saw them, they held various expressions of relief and anger. suga jumped up from the ground to check hinata over, asking him if any of those big, scary men hurt him.

“im okay, suga-san! i promise, i can play!”

“are you sure, hinata?”

“yes!”

“good… then what the HELL WERE YOU GUYS THINKING?! you were missing for a whole 45 minutes! and you!” suga lifted his hand and pointed towards kageyama. “the game was going to start in 15 minutes when you left! what were you going to do if you didn’t find hinata? what if you got trampled along with him? when i said I wanted to be on the court more, i was hoping it wasn’t going to be because our starting setter was dead-“

suga’s speech was cut off by the referee announcing the start of the match. both hinata and kageyama sighed in relief but didn’t completely relax when they saw the looks daichi and suga were giving them. they knew they were in a lot of shit when they were back at karasuno. kageyama and hinata made their way towards to court, trying to ignore the feeling of suga glaring at them from the back. in the corner of his eyes, kageyama noticed the hunk tall football player amongst the stands. ‘… maybe this was all worth it.”

it was only when they went to take their individual positions on the court and dropped their hands, did they realise they’ve been holding them together this whole time.

[lcthebtswriter]

my love

pairing: pietro maximoff x reader

summary: some disgustingly sweet fluff, as requested. Pietro and the reader’s relationship slowly solidifies itself.

warnings: suggestive content

tags: @just-that-trash-blog, @kpopchangedmylifesstuff,  @pensysto-writes, @miscellaneoustoasts, @groovyfluxie, @line-viper (hey old friend), @alien-on-a-treadmill, @statsvitenskap, @aliciabg27, @brianaraydean, @im-that-trash-over-there, @readingemmy, @caswinchester2000, @wafflebrian​, @smollmikey for their fluff prompt: “No, like... It’s just, I can’t believe you’re actually wearing my clothes.”

a/n: I’m trying out a new fic layout so let me know if you like it, or if there’s anything weird about this upper half. as always, feedback is greatly appreciated :) send an ask with your username and fandoms to get first priority in making requests and being tagged in fics related to your chosen character(s)

Growing up in a facility that manipulated your power of electrokinesis, you had little opportunity to socialize. There were meals outside sometimes, but you were all forced to wear a power suppressor. Your social skills were lacking, but the Maximoff twins understood your plight and befriended you regardless.

You went through thick and thin together. When Ultron recruited the twins, you were roped into the Avengers in a desperate attempt at saving your friends’ innocence. Unlike them, you were unaware of the suffering caused by a traumatizing loss of family. You were born from a petri dish, a lab experiment years in the making, and had no family to mourn except for the twins.

Wanda was like an older sister to you. She taught you how to read, how to process your emotions, and - when your freedom was gained - how to dress and socialize. She helped suppress your nightmares and taught you how to control your powers. You learned how to cook together, and how to become accustomed to the bustling city and new teammates that weren’t euthanized if they lost a spar.

Pietro’s relationship with you, however, was different. The feelings were subtle, the emotions having never before been experienced. You knew what attraction was, and knew that copulation repopulated the Earth.

What you didn’t know was how to react to the electricity that ignited from your fingers after touching Pietro. When he was around, lights flickered and your hair stood at attention, drawn into a force you had no control over. It wasn’t an electromagnetic field, but you felt the familiar buzzing in your head and your toes. 

Living healthy lives with the Avengers brought your attention to such emotions. You and Pietro became attached at the hip, especially when Wanda was off wandering or on a lone mission. Pietro was the only familiar face in the Avengers Tower, and he felt comfortable with you.

One thing led to another one night. After many drinks and a jokingly prompted kiss, you and Pietro ended up in his bed. You didn’t know if it was his first time, but he treated you as if you were. Pietro’s strong hands caressed your body in slow, soft motions. His kisses were steady yet needy, a sensual clash of tongues and moans and curious touches. 

He made your body feel as if it were ignited. You craved him more and more, and the nights spent together ended just as quickly as they started.

What would the team think? Did Wanda know?

“Of course she does,” Pietro had said once.

The question bothered you to no end. As you dressed in Pietro’s room, hurrying as to not get caught when Wanda undoubtedly barged in to bother her twin. You didn’t know why exactly the thought of Wanda knowing disturbed your mind so greatly. Maybe it was due to your sisterhood with her, or guilt that you were romantically involved with the only person she had in her life. It was one of the reasons you always left Pietro’s room under the moonlight. You couldn’t stay. The guilt wrapped you up in his blankets.

Wanda did know, however, and she assured you it didn’t bother her one bit. She knew the question controlled your thoughts, and that you were consumed with the images of your nights with Pietro. Wanda told you she was just happy that you found solace in one another.

Knowing such information switched something inside you.

Your touches lingered on Pietro in public. Eyes never left each other on the sparring mat, whether you fought each other or watched one another practice with another team member. Long nights in each other’s rooms talking and laughing became second nature, but you never stayed the night until you had a nightmare.

It had been a year since your liberation from the lab, and while Wanda helped the nightmares they never truly left. You awoke some nights with sweat-drenched pajamas and a knot in your stomach so painful even medicine didn’t help. At one point you’d almost set the lamps in your room on fire because your fight or flight triggered a surge of power.

Pietro had come into your room one night, knocking even though he knew your screams woke you. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, voice low with sleep and his accent heavier.

You didn’t answer, so Pietro shut your bedroom door and crawled beside you in bed. Immediately your arms wrapped around his waist, but Pietro leaned up to take off his shirt and discard it on the floor. He knew how important skin contact was to your self-soothing. Hearing his steady heartbeat and feeling the coolness of his skin lulled you into calmness.

“Please don’t leave me tonight,” you begged.

Pietro tipped your chin up, pressing a kiss to your lips after wiping your tears away. They soaked into your cheeks, the sadness and despair quickly replaced by the comfort of Pietro’s presence. 

You made love that night, soft and gentle as if Pietro was afraid to break you. Yet he wanted to show you how safe you were, especially in his arms. He wouldn’t let anything hurt you anymore.

He awoke to movement in your room the next morning. Pietro leaned against his elbow, bodyweight shifting the mattress as he watched you hastily throw on his shirt. It was bigger on you - almost knee-length - and the color complimented your sunlight-kissed skin. He thought you looked beautiful, especially since you were unaware of his gaining consciousness.

When you finally noticed his staring, you chuckled nervously. “What? I know I look crazy, but I forgot I have to meet Tony for suit adjustments,” you explained.

Pietro only smiled, his eyes gleaming in admiration.

“What?” You wondered, taking a step toward him. The hem of Pietro’s shirt was caught in your shorts.

“That shirt...” Pietro managed out.

You glanced down at it, tugging the cloth and looking up at Pietro again. “I’m sorry. It’s the first thing I saw,” you began.

“No, like,” Pietro interrupted, “It’s just... I can’t believe you’re wearing my clothes,” he said. 

You sat beside him on the bed, eyebrows together in confusion. Suddenly you remembered last night was the first night he stayed in your room. You supposed you finally felt comfortable with each other enough to stay together all night. The guilt of not knowing Wanda’s approval had been so easily dismissed, but it felt nice to wake up to somebody you loved.

“Well of course,” you managed out. Pressing a kiss to Pietro’s lips, you stood and pulled socks on. Barely managing to balance on either foot, you hopped toward the door. “You’re my love, aren’t you?” The question left your mouth effortlessly, but you didn’t give Pietro time to reply.

He watched you leave him in your room, eager and waiting for your arrival.

“I am,” Pietro mumbled to himself. He was your love.

[realcube]

CELEBRATING YOUR BIRTHDAY 

characters ♡ bokuto, tendō, matsukawa & suna

tw ♡ gn! reader, timeskip! bokuto (all sfw tho), swearing, reader wears makeup (matsukawa), swearing, mentions of death & food 

cred ♡ thanks to anon for this request <3

KŌTARŌ BOKUTO

♡ he was literally counting down the days to your birthday, he even took the day off practise to celebrate it with you so imagine his surprise when the special day finally rolls around and he wakes up to an empty bed

♡ at first, he thought that perhaps you were just around the house somewhere but nope, the place was completely empty and even worse, all signs pointed to his theory that you had gone to work/school on your birthday 

♡ outraged. he was absolutely outraged. 

♡ firstly, he tried calling you but you wouldn’t pick up, even after his many attempts so his next resort to call your place of work/school reception 

♡ obviously he managed to get a hold of you then-

♡ he was originally gonna yell about how you lied to him about taking the day off on your birthday but there was no way he could be angry at you — almost ever — so instead, he made the quick decision of telling you to have a nice day before hanging up 

♡ you were kinda pissed that he wasted your time like that but how could you stay mad at him? he’s fkn adorable! he blew you audible kisses over the phone for good luck!

♡ you laboured your way through the day, putting in great effort yet through it all, the only thing on your mind was how much you wanted to just pass out on the couch with bokuto as soon as you got home. you weren’t even sure if you had the energy to change into your pjyamas.

♡ however, when you finally did arrive home, there was no need to put yourself through the onerous task of changing clothes as the first thing you were greeted by when you stepped foot in your own home was a chorus of cheers of ‘surprise!’ followed by people spilling out into the foyer from the kitchen and living room 

♡ then there was bokuto, the loudest of them all leading the crowd, blowing into the party horn while dashing up to, throwing his arms around your shoulders to pull you into a tight hug, ‘happy birthday, sweetie!’

♡ a light gasp escaped your lips at the sudden hoots, and the unfamiliar — and frankly uncomfortable — sight of many friends swarm towards you had you on edge but when you felt bokuto wrap you in his warm embrace, you knew you were home

♡ he held you close until you were forced apart by many guests tearing you away to personally wish you a happy birthday

♡ now that the initial shock had died down, you noticed that there wasn’t as many people present as you thought, it was a humble gathering of all your closest friends 

♡ there was a massive pile of bright-colored gifts lying on the stairs, and it was hard not to immediately acknowledge them as the sheer mass and number of the presents scattered across the steps prevented anyone from being able to go upstairs

♡ the following day, you were made aware of the fact 90% of those presents were addressed from ‘your best ace husband ;)’ which was pretty straight-forward considering you only have one husband; kiyoomi sakusa. 

♡ jokes, you married bokuto but sakusa was also at the party. he originally just wanted to drop off his gift then leave but bokuto persuaded him to stay, though he seemed to be regretting it now as almost everyone at the party now shared an unspoken goal to slam sakusa’s face into one of the cupcakes that decorated the circumference of your cake

♡ speaking of the cake, bokuto remembered what type of cake was your favorite from the wedding planning and he was so chuffed with himself. in fact, he was so confident in his cake picking ability that he ordered a massive 3-tier monster of a dessert 

♡ neither of you would be able to finish it before it goes bad so you ended up cutting it up into pieces  and sending each guest away with a little goody-bag with a slice of cake inside lmao 

♡ once you had finished your goodbyes and everyone had filed out of your home, you flopped onto the couch and let out a deep sigh of relief. well, it was only a sigh for a few moment as it became a wheeze when bokuto laid down on top of you 

♡ ‘happy birthday, (y/n). i’m sorry if i tired you out.’ he hummed, fiddling with your fingers as his lips curled into a shaky smile

♡ ‘i’m a bit sleepy but i had an amazing time. thank you so much, kō.’

♡ bokuto smiled, his heavy lid falling shut as he finally rested his neck, being able to fall asleep comfortably now that you’ve told him that you had fun

SATORI TENDŌ

♡ unlike bokuto, he’ll actually mention your birthday a few weeks prior to the celebration so he can plan the perfect date :3

♡ ‘so do you wanna go to the aquarium or the theme park? because i know we’ve went to the park before but they remodelled it apparently. plus, maybe the aquarium is a bit underwhelming for such a special day, but it’s up to yo--’

♡ ‘we won’t really get to spend much time in either. if you consider the time school finishes, the train ride and the time the aquarium and park closes so maybe we could just chill at my house instead.’

♡ tendō deadpanned for a moment, the most unamused look taking over his features until he suddenly burst out laughing, cackling as if you just told the joke of the century, ‘seriously, (y/n)? you’re gonna go to school on your birthday.’

♡ ‘yes, of course.’ you replied in all seriousness, resulting in tendō awkwardly beginning to stifle his chuckles.

♡ he frowned, slumping back into the seat beside you, ‘c’mon, it’s your birthday, though! you deserve the day off.’

♡ you shook your head, kindly declining his suggestion, ‘i have a test on that day.’

♡ ‘all the more reason to ditch!’

♡ now it was your turn to deadpan

♡ tendō tossed his head back while letting out a sigh  of defeat, draping his arm around your shoulder to lovingly pull you to his chest, ‘alright, then. whatever you want, dear.’

♡ you smiled, glad that you didn’t need to disagree with him any longer — and you were even happier on the day. even though you insisted that he keeps things small on your birthday, he still managed to find a way to make things extra asf by getting you a massive plush that was about half the size of your stature and a hamper of homemade chocolates ><

ISSEI MATSUKAWA 

♡ honestly, he’s never been the best at giving gifts but he tries extra hard for you 

♡ like if you off-handedly say that you are cold during class, he’ll buy you a bunch of new jackets, jumpers and gloves

♡ or if you say you need more mascara, he’ll buy you exact same one you usually wear 

♡ he’s observant enough to notice and remember the exact shade and brands of all your cosmetic products but he’s not observant enough to pick up on the subtle hints you drop as to what you want for your birthday 

♡ you can never guess what he’s gonna get you and that adds to your anticipation for the day 

♡ if your birthday is on a school day, he’ll bring in a batch of homemade cupcakes (which hanamaki helped him with) and stick a candle in one of them for you to blow out 

♡ he offers you one but they are all pretty stale- just smile and nod while your teeth feel like they are being shattered trying to bite down on the cupcake 

♡ it might set off the fire alarm but oh well, just count that as another present

♡ oikawa will probably get you something like a bouquet and try flirt with you so at that point, matsukawa and hanamaki begin using the cupcakes as weapons 

♡ they are a two for one deal so you’re going to be spending the day with both of them tailing you like lost puppies

platonic RINTARŌ SUNA

♡ (requester specified) your birthday is on the same day as his so ofc he’s going to be a little salty abt it 

♡ you both created a game to see who receives the most birthday wishes and whoever won gets ¥1500 from the loser’s birthday money

♡ for the past few years, he’s usually been the winner by just a few but this year, you made it a point to befriend all him teammates in order to ensure victory 

♡ having to pretend to be friendly with atsumu — who wasn’t very good at hiding his massive crush —was definitely a challenge but you powered through 

♡ in fact, you may have played the role too well as both the miya twins gave you a gift 

♡ osamu gave both you and suna a plastic bag filled with some food he made and water bottles

♡ as for atsumu, his gift to you was a massive hamper filled with an assortment of many different luxury confectionary which didn’t look cheap at all but it didn’t feel appropriate to question the price so you simply took it from him with a bright smile

♡ of course, suna was excited (and very hungry) as he expected the same gift but he was more than disappointed when all he received was a bag of chips and a slap on the back

♡ he goes out of his way to tell every teacher it’s your birthday in hopes that they’ll make the class sing happy birthday to you 

♡ but it pisses him off to no end when you add that it’s his birthday too so he ends up getting roped into your misery 

♡ also your thumbs are going to be sore at night swiping through all the various candid pics that suna took of you throughout the day (in less than flattering poses) which he uplaoded to almost all of his social media stories with stupid ass captions 

♡ but dw bc he’ll eventually post a nice photo of you with a sweet message

♡ ‘happy birthday to @(y/n) . i would die for you, bitch (even though you annoy the hell out of me every single day 🤠).’ 

[clean-bands-dirty-stories]

Ablaze ~ S.R.

A/n: Haaaaaaaaaa so y'all liked that Spencer Reid fic I did huh? lol I'm glad

Request: "Could you do a Reid x male reader where the team is in Cali following an arsonist and the readers a firefighter (and Reids bf but the team doesn’t know that) and somehow the reader gets into a confrontation with the arsonist and has to use what Reid has “taught him”/talked about to try and deescalate the situation" by @sheepfather

Word Count: 2400+

Masterlist

They met when Y/n's team was putting out the fire and Reid's team was rushing to the scene to see if their arsonists was still around. The BAU had been dragged to California because it seemed that a killer was on the lose. They couldn't figure out the connections of the victims, but they were all dying in horrible fires. It turned out that someone wasn't setting fires to kill people, just that they were setting fires that happened to kill people. There wasn't a killer on the loose. There was an arsonist.

When I say "they" I don't mean Y/n and Reid by the way. The two boys actually went way back. They'd met in Vegas at a party neither of them wanted to be at. Y/n had been going through a rough time and Reid wasn't good in social situations and they'd ended up in the same corner and just enjoyed the mutual silence. After they'd found peace in each other Y/n had rested his head on Reid's shoulder and Reid was surprised to see that it didn't bother him. They'd run into each other again at the local library of all places. There they'd exchanged names first and then numbers soon after. After that, they'd spent more and more time together. They had to work around work and school schedules (only Y/n went to school anymore, but it was still an issue) but eventually it went from hang outs to date and then suddenly they were boyfriends instead of best friends.

The "they" I meant was actually Y/n and the rest of the BAU. None of Spencer's friends knew about Y/n. It wasn't like he was ashamed or hiding anything, it was just that it never came up. Everyone assumed Spencer was single and would always be, and Spencer didn't care enough to correct them. He wasn't into PDA either so the team didn't figure it out themselves. What they could tell was that they knew each other. It was nice to see Spencer be comfortable around someone outside of work, but Spencer hated talking about his personal life so people tried to ask as little as possible.

Working together was fun though. Y/n knew him very well, down to every micro sign of each emotion. Whenever Spencer got anxious or confused or was really focused and needed to be alone, Y/n always reacted appropriately. It came with knowing him for many years. It was also very helpful when Spencer was profiling and giving information to the other firefighters to keep a look out in case they arrived when the arsonist did. The firefighters, of course, were who made up Y/n's team, as Y/n was a firefighter as well. They had lots of questions though, and even more doubt. Y/n showed very early on that he knew Spencer's capabilities, so when they got too dubious or went to interrupt him, Y/n was quick to cut them off. It made JJ, Emily, and Morgan smile.

One day Morgan prodded. He walked up to Y/n, leaning against the wall next to the boy. "How far back do you and Reid go?"

Y/n was drinking water so he finished his gulp before answering. "Further back then Reid being in the BAU," Y/n responded. "I was still in high school He wasn't, of course, but-" He shrugged, chuckling. "We both lived in Vegas for a while. The relationship carried even when we moved away."

Morgan nodded. "You like him?"

"I'd like to think so." Y/n tried to hide a smile. He could tell them that he was Spencer's boyfriend, but what was the fun in that? "I'd even say I was in love with him."

That seemed to surprise Morgan. "Oh." He looked at Reid and then Y/n, obviously confused. If Y/n was so sure of his feelings, why did it seem like they were just friends? "Does Reid feel the same?"

Y/n considered that. "I don't know. I don't think Spencer and I have ever been on the same emotional playing field. Usually when I feel one thing he's feeling something else... But even then, no one ever seems to feel the same way about each other." Y/n shook his head. "I'm a psychology major, ignore me. What you want to know is if Spencer loves or likes me or whatever. But I can't speak for him." With that, Y/n left and Morgan only had more questions. Were they together or not?

His question was answered on one very bad night that almost cost Reid everything.

Lina Mare was a local sweetheart. She was kind of quiet and shy, but she liked Y/n. They were friends at least - Lina was in college. Y/n seemed to have a knack of befriending awkward, shy, or quiet people. People that couldn't quite get along with anyone else. So when she came into the fire station that day, it wasn't totally weird. She'd never visited Y/n at work before, but that didn't stop Y/n from greeting her when she came in. Nothing else was going on- why not?

She looked upset though. "Hey, you okay Lee?" He asked, touching her shoulder.

The girl leaned into his touch and his eyebrows came together, wondering if maybe she felt dizzy. Her eyes were clear though and her expression was set and clear. Her features were sharp and her gaze was like someone running a knife along his skin. Dangerous and seconds from doing damage. "I'm not," she told him. "I need you to stop, Y/n."

Y/n looked at one of his teammates behind her head. They made eye contact and the other man stood at the ready in case he needed to act. Y/n had a very bad feeling about what was happening. He didn't know why, he just felt like something bad was about to happen. "Stop what?" He asked her softly.

Lina looked right into his eyes, seeming to see something amazing. Her gaze softened, but didn't become any less dangerous. Just a little more uncontrolled. "The fires. You can't stop them. You have to stop putting them out."

It clicked immediately in Y/n's head. He looked at Lina's hands, still in her pockets. "Why don't we go outside and-?"

"No," Lina snapped, tugging out of his reach. "You have to stop putting them out!"

"Okay," Y/n cooed, putting both of his hands up so she could see that he was unarmed. He recalled everything Spencer had ever taught him. Anything he'd been told about in stories, or things Spencer had complained people often did wrong. "Can I at least let my friends go outside?"

She considered that a second before nodding. "But we stay."

"Okay," Y/n assured. He looked at the other fireman he'd warned before. Daniel. "Take everyone outside, will you please? Make sure everyone is there that needs to be." Daniel nodded before running off. Thankfully people trusted Y/n's judgment. Soon the building was empty. "Why don't you take your hands out of your pockets, Lina?" He knew they'd call the police. If he stalled long enough no one would get hurt. He'd gotten as many people safe as he could. Now he had to keep Lina calm until they could solve this.

A sigh came from the younger girl but she agreed. In one hand she had a lighter. Now that it was free of her pocket, she flicked it on and off every few seconds. "You're so oblivious, you know that?" She moved further into the fire station, toward the back of the truck.  Y/n followed, wanting to keep her in sight so she couldn't do anything too stupid. "You don't get anything."

"What did I miss Lina?" Y/n asked, trying to stay casual.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm in love with you." Y/n froze, both because of her word and also because she'd stopped down and hooked her fingers around a canister of gasoline. She vegan to move back into the building and when he didn't follow, she snapped, "Come on." He swallowed before obeying. She was getting agitated and he didn't want to set her off. She began to pour out the can all over the floor.

"Wait Lina-" She turned on her lighter and let it hover over the pouring gas. Y/n stopped dead in his tracks.

"You know Y/n I've tried for months." She let her lighter out, but kept it at the ready. "I tried everything to get you to realize how I felt about you. But you just kept laughing and it was so frustrating. I thought, it wouldn't help to be mad at you all the time. I'd have no time that way. So I did something I haven't done in a long time. I managed to keep myself under control for years. But you made me so angry, I had to let it out some way. So I burned. Little things."

Y/n's jaw hardened. "You killed people."

"I KNOW!" Lina sneered. "It wasn't on purpose! But fire is alive, Y/n. And it has wants and needs. And it grows. Who am I to stop it?" Y/n felt his stomach turn. "Then you made it even worse. You came rushing in every time and put them out. And suddenly I had a new reason to be angry. I'd almost forgotten about you. Until I saw your stupid, pretty face through the window and realized you were one of these stupid people putting my fires out. Of all people, OF COURSE it had to be you, huh?" She scoffed and Y/n's mind raced as he tried to figure out how to stop this. Lina went back and got three more cans, pouring those out too. Y/n could do nothing, as she kept her lighter at the ready. The whole floor was covered in oil now and her lighter was alight. "So I figured, get rid of the problem you know? No more fire fighters. No more you. No more me."

Fuck.

Y/n began moving to her. She tried to move away, but he forced a smile. "What, you're scared of me now? What am I going to do? I'd never hurt you Lina, you know that." She relaxed again. "I was just thinking, you know, I feel the same way." He tried not to cringe at the words. He was like seven years older than her and had a boyfriend but SURE, he liked her too. He knew that he had to get her to calm down. Trust him. He'd heard it a million times from Spencer. You give them what they want until you find your opening.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You do?"

Nodding, Y/n chuckled softly. "Of course I do. I just thought, I'm too old for you. Of course you'd never like me back. If I had known... Well, like you said, I'm completely oblivious."

She giggled, her eyes watering. "I knew it. Everyone said that you were into that- that- that weird guy from the FBI. But I KNEW we were made for each other." They were close now. The lighter was out and Y/n was inches from getting it out of her hand. Then she did something that totally knocked him off of his feet. They heard sirens and she ignored them, because of course why would the police be after her? She ignored them and she kissed Y/n and he was so stunned that he almost forgot about the lighter.

Finally Y/n's fingers closed around the lighter and he yanked it from her grip. She pushed him away and they parted. She shoved the lighter in his back pocket, moving to her quickly and wrapping her arms around her to force her to be still. She thrashed and kicked until they ended up with Y/n on his back, arms and legs all wrapped around her to keep her firmly in place even as she screamed and moved her head. It meant, unfortunately, that Y/n's face was nearly completely in the oil.

When the door finally opened and police came in, Y/n was relieved to let her go. His head was spinning and his vision was blurring as his eyes burned. She was handcuffed and taken away and he ignored what she was saying as she screamed at him.

It was Morgan who pulled Y/n to his feet and out of the oil. Who questioned him and got him a towel to wipe off as much oil as he could. Who got him outside and to clean air and who kept everyone back as Y/n processed what just happened and got real air into his lungs.Morgan finally got the story piece by piece and then took it to the others. That was when Reid finally got to his boyfriend.

Y/n leaned away from his touch. Then he started crying, his head full of images of him burning to death. Or Lina burning to death, screaming for him as she did so. Or, even worse, both of them burning to death together. Holy shit...

"She kissed me," Y/n choked out, covering his mouth.

"What can I do to help you?" Spencer asked softly, his eyes wide with worry.

Y/n shook his head before looking at him. "How can you forgive me?"

That seemed to confuse Spencer. "Forgive you for what?"

"She kissed me," he reiterated. "I let her."

Spencer tried not to laugh. "Y/n you were in a stressful situation and because of that, you got the lighter away from her. Because of it, you're safe..." He shook his head, moving closer to take Y/n's face in his hands. "Listen to me. I know I don't say it enough, but I love you, Y/n. Kissing her didn't mean anything other than you being safe today and that is all I care about. I don't even know who would ever consider that cheating. Don't be an idiot." He smiled and Y/n did as well. Spencer wiped the tears off his face. "Now can I take my turn and kiss you or do you need more space?"

Y/n laughed before pulling his boyfriend close by the belt loops. Their noses brushed a second before they finally kissed. It lifted the weird imaged out of his head and the weight off his chest. He was okay. Everyone was okay. That's all that mattered.

"So you guys ARE dating then?" The men looked over to see Emily there, JJ next to her.

"Yes," Spencer answered as if it was the most obvious thing ever. Emily looked at Y/n and then at JJ and then JJ and Y/n looked at each other and suddenly they were all laughing. After the stressful showdown from before, it was nice to laugh. It made Y/n feel better, and everyone seemed to sense that. Unfortunately, just because Spencer understood the laughing helped, he couldn't get why they were laughing at all. "I don't get it. What's so funny?"

They just kept laughing.

[lunaticpuppetmaster]

  My contribute for Konoha Simps server collab! 

Trying to do both drabble and an art was a poor decidion as i am a lil bit late. 

Special Thanks to @pfreadsandwrites who beta-readed this drabble!

Title: Lost and Found.

Pairing: Kiba Inuzuka x OC (Tsubasa Yuki)

Summary: Everyone knows that everything you lose will end up in your soulmates possesions. Some people go crazy trying to find their destined one with practically no information. Tsubasa was never interested in finding hers and there is a chance she would never be able to.

Warnings: Angst, mentions of death, hurt/comfort

Word count: 6907

   When the first symptoms of the family curse appeared, Tsubasa already knew she was doomed. The sickness was rare and there wasn’t much information about it in the Yuki clan library even before the genocide, while after it…  well, no information survived. To be honest she did not have much hope at the beginning when her ice-natured chakra just only started to act like a parasite, eating her body and breaking thin bones.

But her sensei had. Mei had always been protective of her pupils, acting like a big sister even after the trio passed the chunin exam. So, when the worst happened, she used all her resources in order to save one of them. Unfortunately, even Kirigakure medics famous for their body knowledge were unsuccessful. The only hope was the best medic alive, Tsunade-hime herself.

Tsubasa did not know how she convinced Tsunade to help or what she promised to her (probably rare Kiri herbs), but the sannin agreed to work on her case. She didn’t promise a cure. To the girl’s pleasure, unlike her sensei, the 5th hokage was rational and she stated right from the start that the chances of recovery were very low and more likely she would just extend the Yuki girl’s agony. It was hurtful, but honest. Tsubasa always respected honesty… and her sensei. She had no other choice, but to promise Mei that she will fight till the end even though she did not want to.

“Maybe you will find your soulmate there,”- said Mei before her departure.

Mei was one of those people who always wanted to find their soulmate, however that was not the reason why she said it. She appreciated different manifestations of love: between friends, parental, sisterly and etc. She also knew that Tsubasa was a pessimist and even the love of people who were close to her was not enough to restore her will to live. At least if she were deeply in love with her soulmate, Mei hoped that Tsubasa could finally find the strength to fight.

Soulmates were always a bone of contention between different social groups: commoners, nobility and shinobi. Especially the last one. Missions and loyalty towards the village must be a number one priority for a ninja. But with soulmates everything became much harder.

Still even the biggest soulmate deniers tried their best to ‘lose things’. Even though little was known about soulmates nature, over the years people were able to learn a couple of useful things:

1 - Every item you lose will end up in your soulmate’s possessions.

2 - You cannot send a letter or any kind of writing this way.

3 - You cannot just throw away a random thing in the air or leave it intentionally on a park bench. So, you must really lose the thing to make it reach your soulmate.

The world was never peaceful. Neither for commoners nor shinobi, so desire to help for so called “true one” was understandable. People tried to tie various useful items with slim strings to their clothes like meds and water. When it came to shinobi they usually tied small scrolls to their bags or jackets hoping that during fights the thread would be cut or ripped and the item lost. Such scrolls were usually filled with food, kunais or ninja pills. Supplies that suddenly appeared managed to save some shinobi on the verge of death more than once. So even soulmate deniers had an opinion that it was practical to help the soulmate and very rude to ignore it. Help for help, life for life, nothing more. Tsubasa was one such person.

Of course, every skilled shinobi could tell from which village the lost item appeared.

Yuki’s soulmate for example was from Konoha. Her teammate Hiroto recognized a specific plant in a found ninja pill. So, she had some chances to run into him during her stay.

But Tsubasa did not want a soulmate. She did not need some stranger. She wanted to stay in Kiri and spend her last days with people she loved with all her heart and soul. Hadn’t she suffered enough? It didn’t look like it.

This was how she ended up in Konoha; or rather in a spare room of Yamanaka-hime’s house. Although Tsunade made efforts, in Yuki’s opinion, she clearly did not have an intention to heal her, but to collect information about how the disease proceeds under various factors, in order to save other unfortunate ones… Tsubasa could tell it from her students. Tsunade put her under the care of somewhat inexperienced newbies, ones who could crawl into her head and feel the patient’s condition themselves. Tsubasa did not blame her for that. She would be happy if her death could help someone. The girl rather felt sorry for distracting Ino from her more important patients. The hime herself was cheerful and sunny person, but in moments that required professionalism she could turn cold and focused with the flick of a finger. “She would be a perfect clan leader one day,” Tsubasa thought.

To be honest Yamanaka’s jutsu was useful for more than just therapy. When they first met, Yuki just simply let Ino read her mind and see her past. It was much faster and easier, plus all the secret information she knew as an ANBU was sealed. In order to get it, they would have had to use much stronger and more traumatic jutsu (and of course torture). Moreover, she was going to die soon, so did it really matter how many people knew her story?

Though when Tsubasa saw the girl’s blank face after reading her mind, she felt guilty. The blonde stayed silent for a few seconds before giving her a hug. She did not need words to say that she will do her best.

    Ino was easy to befriend. She also was good at distracting from negative thoughts. Between her regular Tsunade checkups and preparations for missions (It was important to monitor the development of the disease in the field, and all missions would be related to information gathering about the Yuki clan) they were chatting, watching movies and sometimes working in the flower shop. Thanks to Tsubasa’s honey-coloured hair most people mistook her as a distant relative of Yamanaka, so no one asked questions.

Once they ended up talking about soulmates. It started when Ino found some spilled ink on her carpet one day. Hime did not know much about her soulmate except he was really… an artistic type. Through the years she collected various brushes, pencils, erasers and doodles. Once she even found a whole sketchbook (unfortunately half torn)! But there was one thing that made her upset. He never “lost” anything to help her like the majority did.

“Maybe he is from a strict ninja family or a specific ANBU team”, she said with a sad smile.

If Ino’s soulmate was artistic, Tsubasa’s was… quite “special”. Because only a “special” person would end up losing a 6-kilo bag of dog food. Even now, after seven years Tsubasa sometimes wondered ‘how?’.. It was not a pen or a trinket which could be easily left on an academy desk, but a giant bag of dog food! No, he was a good soulmate who was “losing” supplies for her (that once saved her teammate’s life) unlike Ino’s, but still… Even when the blonde heard about it, she could not believe it and then started to laugh hysterically. After such silly small talks Tsubasa felt like she wasn’t fully alone in this foreign village. It almost felt like she had found a friend.

Unlike the other forced teammate.

Every village had a system of having at least 3 people in a team. Moreover, Tsubasa was suffering from her disease and Ino concentrated on helping her. They needed another member.

Tsubasa did not like him from the start. He was loud, narcissistic, clingy and insolent. The kunoichi was easily fed up with his behaviour. She spat out what exactly she thought of him to his face before going back to the Yamanaka estate. Only when she was alone in her room, she understood all her stupidity. She shouldn’t have acted so idiotic and lose her cool. It was essential for a ninja. She also understood why he was chosen among all of the shinobi. As a member of the Inuzuka clan he had a ninken who was already big enough to carry a man. It would be useful in case she became unconscious due to the illness. But she could not help it. A lot of bad things were going on in her life. She felt useless and helpless since she was banned from using her ice chakra. Mei also banned her from using anything that would hide her emotions. She thought that Tsubasa finally needed to learn how to speak and deal with new people. Babysitting was not helpful, so she wanted to try something more radical. Tsubasa understood, but understanding wasn’t enough to cope with the stress. Now she was sitting in the corner of her room shivering. Usually, she would take her father’s mask – the only thing left after his death- and put the cold material close to her forehead thinking what he would say or do. She couldn’t do it any longer. Some of her belongings and a mask were lost during a powerful chakra release at the beginning of the disease.

A few minutes passed before she started to feel better. A sudden knock on the door took her out of thoughts. Tsubasa went to open it thinking it would be Ino. Unfortunately, it was him. The cause for today’s bad mood and their third teammate – Kiba Inuzuka himself. She sighed and looked at him through the door, hiding most of her body behind it. The young man in front of her hesitated and looked a little bit strange or uncertain.

”Listen, I came here to apologise.“

Tsubasa raised her brow. Surely she should have been the one to apologise?. Plus, the boy looked like someone who would rather make a bunch of excuses and snap back than accept he was wrong.

“Well, I shouldn’t have invaded your personal space in the first place.” He scratched the back of his head and looked away. Judging by his behavior, the girl started to understand what actually made his behavior change.“And …uhm, Ino told me about your case so…”

“Showed you,” said Yuki her guess as a statement.

”She d-did not show me much!”

”That’s okay. I don’t mind and Ino knows that.”

“Anyway, I want to start on a clean slate. Here, take it. It’s a half mask and a bottle of blue paint so you can customize it with your clan symbol.”

”Actually…”

“I know that you are not allowed to use anything to hide your emotions, but it is a half mask and I made the holes for eyes bigger so your emotions will be perfectly visible. This is not technically breaking the rule and you will definitely feel better due to your um… well, habit. Just enjoy it, okay? I have to go now, bye!

“W-wait! I cannot…”

But the boy already left, forcing the girl to accept.

After that, though the relationship between the trio smoothed out, it was far from perfect. Tsubasa preferred to act more as a solo player despite her health condition, Kiba was still too loud and tried to act like the leader he never was and Ino … Ino tried not to go crazy in this whole mess called a team. However, overall, their missions were rather calm. Perhaps the three of them needed time to get used to each other before they could accept the others’ faults and learn to compromise. The tension completely disappeared at rest time, when tired teenagers passed time by talking to each other. Often they talked about soulmates. Someone was consulting with others about what would be more useful to seal in a tie-down scroll, the other one was looking through a travel bag for new supplies (or accidentally dropped useless things), another was thinking about loud who their soulmate might be. On one of such days, all of a sudden Tsubasa discovered earrings in a sealed scroll. They were simple and consisted of three deep blue feathers each. The girl looked at them in surprise, not knowing how to react. But, on the contrary, Ino reacted too happily.

“These are so cute! And they match your eye color! Quite a nice present for a soulmate that has never seen you.”

“This must have been a mistake.”

“It was in a scroll. How could this be a mistake? Looks like your soulmate really wishes to meet you and…”

“I don’t need a soulmate, Ino! Like, I don’t believe in perfect matches made by spiritual forces or some sort. I never wanted to have him in the first place! I have a dream to achieve, a family in Kiri. No way if I survive, I will leave it all behind because of some questionable romance! That’s ridiculous!”

Ino sighed and Kiba remained silent. The conversation came to an end. But not the attention from Tsubasa’s soulmate or their mission.

One of those days, when all sorts of cute things and sweets instead of standard ammunition began to show up in Tsubasa’s scrolls more and more, their group stumbled upon really strong opponents. The longer the battle continued the more obvious it became that they were not going to win. Unless Tsubasa broke the rule and used her clan’s abilities. Mei’s order, both as sensei and as Mizukage, always stood above many moral principles for Yuki, but now it was a completely different case. Neither Ino nor Kiba with the sweetest and bravest Akamaru should have been involved in this from the very beginning. They were not supposed to die or risk their lives because of some terminally ill girl from another village and a questionable contract between their Kages. They must live, survive and Tsubasa made up her mind. At first, she managed to eliminate a couple of ninjas and slightly injure the rest using the element of surprise. She was incredibly lucky, because the disoriented opponents were much easier to finish off for Kiba and Ino. Tsubasa by this moment had already lost her eyesight from the tension and saw the battlefield only as a set of white and light gray colors. She lost her breath and her strength to stand upright. But it was nothing compared to the pain that washed over her seconds later.

     The kunoichi screamed in pain as she felt blood filling her mouth and an ice crust covering her internal organs. She fell on the cold dusty ground, heart-rendering screams leaving her lips with the blood pulsing her temples, ice needles tearing the muscles of her arms and legs. It seemed like nothing existed except for the all-consuming pain. Through the wall of never-ending white noise, she heard the sounds of Ino’s commands and Akamaru’s frightened barking. This was the last thing she felt before passing out.

Tsubasa woke up with a heavy head and pain all over her body. She listened to her senses before opening her eyes… and it would have been better not to listen to them. Someone brazenly pressed her close to their body and sniffed into the ear. When she opened her eyes the girl immediately screamed. In general, it was a completely normal reaction when you find yourself half-dressed in the arms of an equally half-dressed man. Of course, given that she was half-asleep, her only response was a stream of unpleasant curses and swearing. At first Kiba, who was still sleepy, was happy that the girl woke up, but soon joined the exchange of curses until a joyful, but terribly tired Ino ran up to them, immediately trying to interrupt the catfight and change the topic. Kiba waved his hand resentfully and went off in an unknown direction. Ino stayed with Tsubasa alone.

“Sit down and drink this.”

“Okay, but can I ask you a question first? What the hell happened here?”

”Your disease went out of control. I could barely suppress it. This time it was… too strong. Not like before. When I was finally able to improve your condition, you were still unconscious, your temperature dropped to terribly low levels, and some ice crystals did not disappear. We didn’t risk taking you back to the village in such poor condition. At first, we tried to wrap you up warm, but that didn’t help. Your clothes were quickly soaked by the cold coming from you and it only aggravated your condition. Then we decided that we would warm you one by one with the heat of our bodies. Well, Akamaru too.

Tsubasa howled in embarrassment and Ino sighed.

“Don’t worry. I think Kiba understands what the situation looked like for you. Or he will understand. He is a hot-head, you know, and he needs some time to calm down. But he will.”

”Still, that doesn’t change the fact that I snapped at him twice for literally nothing, especially the last time when I should have said ‘thank you for trying to save my dumb ass’. I feel terrible.”

The blonde girl patted her dejected friend on the shoulder and then said, “ Drink the medicine or, I swear to God, you will regret that you woke up.

The group’s return journey took place in silence. Despite the fact that Tsubasa apologized to Kiba and he accepted the apology, the kunoichi was still tormented by her conscience. She needed to apologize to him properly. Stealing a glance at the still visible ice crystals on her hand, a thought flashed through her: “While I can still do it.”

Night is definitely a wonderful and mysterious time of the day. Too bad that not everyone can enjoy its beauty, but there are also some who would be glad to miss it. For example, some unfortunate souls from the Inuzuka clan. It just so happened that a heightened sense of smell was not the only animal trait some clan members shared. Heightened hearing, too. In battle it was somewhat useful while in everyday life - irritating. During the day, in a mixture of noises, it did not cause much discomfort, but at night, when all the sounds disappeared, a can kicked by a drunk felt like a hit in the head. It is not surprising that such “lucky” clan members often suffered from insomnia and generally lived in the rhythm of night owls, which was very difficult for the shinobi world, where everyone was entirely early birds.

So was Kiba. However, tonight it felt different. His day was active and the sounds on the street did not disturb him, still he could not sleep. It seemed that the whole atmosphere of the house became more and more oppressive with every second spent inside, and the inner desire to walk through the village at night became stronger with every minute. He just wanted to go outside and run. He did not know where, but somewhere, where it was important for him to be now. In the end, when he accepted the fact that he obviously would not sleep today, the young man called his faithful dog and quietly left the house. The night was calm and fresh from the recent rain. Perhaps even too much, but it did not bother Kiba. He gladly wandered through old village streets, breathing in deeply the cold night air until he found himself near the playground. Or better to say, found someone.

Tsubasa sat on the swing all hunched up, almost motionless like a statue, and although this time her face wasn’t hidden by a mask, but her honey hair, Kiba knew that the girl was clearly not radiating joy.

“May I sit?,” he asked. Tsubasa didn’t even flinch.

“Yes.”

Kiba looked at the girl. When they first met, she was strong, cold and impenetrable. A true warrior. But now things were different. As a shinobi, he was not afraid to die on the battlefield, surrounded by dead and, possibly, even rotting bodies. But seeing a person fade like this, when they were unable to do anything about their state, when they burned out like a candle, turning with every second into a pale copy of their former self is what really scared him. At first, he didn’t care much what would happen to Yuki, but now, when her life glimmered on a candle stub, saving her was important. Either she will survive, and he will get rid of animal all-consuming fear, or her pale face, disfigured by illness, in the tongues of the funeral flame will haunt him till the end of his days.

Akamaru rested his head on Tsubasa’s lap. Still lost in her heavy thoughts, Yuki let her hands go of the swing chain and started to mechanically stroke and scratch the ninken behind the ears.

”Hey Tsu, I know that you are that type of shinobi who tries to follow the code perfectly. But we are not made of steel. You are not made of steel. You are feeling bad and tired. It’s unlikely that I will hear something that Ino did not show me or did not hear from you. Sharing pain as a shinobi is hard, but it’s even harder to keep your cool when you are on the verge of being broken by your own emotions. Even though I talk too much, anything you tell me tonight will stay here, I promise. So, tell me what’s eating you.

”You’re right. I am tired. I am weak, although I’ve tried to prove myself otherwise for my whole goddamn life. Even when I felt bad and thought that everything was lost, I clung to a few good things that I had. What does not kill makes us stronger, and the world, even drowning in war and blood, is still too beautiful to give up, especially the little things that everyone forgets. That’s what my father taught me. My path has never been covered with rose petals. Well.., for most people, actually. Still, I didn’t stop fighting for the people I love. Only when the clan curse showed itself… I was really scared. I felt completely helpless. And after the recent events… Fuck all my experience, knowledge and even more ranks. I am useless. I… I must accept the truth. I will die soon Kiba and I do not want to die here.”

Her previously smooth and still voice started to crack. Her shoulders shivered slightly.

“You, Ino and your friends are wonderful people and in general I like Konoha, but it will never be my home, and you will never replace my family. I hate to break promises, but I really don’t want to keep the one I gave to sensei and friends. I just want to give up and go back to Kiri. I miss them so much and want to see them one last time. Besides there is also one thing that bothers me…”

Mei was not that wrong when she said that Tsubasa might fall in love in Konoha. She actually did, but not with the soulmate destined by the stars. She fell in love with an eccentric, slightly arrogant and silly boy who may have not really known her, but still tried to help. Simply because he did not lose faith in her or their team, because he acted friendly with her and could cheer her up even in her darkest moments. For the fact that he could knock on the window at one in the morning and invite her into the forest to look at the fireflies. Just like that. It wasn’t like love at first sight, or a long courtship. With each passing day her feelings grew stronger washing over her like waves. Unfortunately, there were few “BUTs” that Tsubasa could not ignore:

She was from another village and even though there were many bad things in the hidden Mist, she was not going to betray it or move anywhere. She promised herself to help Sensei make the village a better place, and she was not going to give up on her dream either. Kiba was also too loyal to his family and friends. He would never leave them for some Kirigakure girl.

Moreover, Tsubasa felt guilty about her soulmate. Yes, she never saw him, but that did not stop him from taking care of her and obviously dreaming about their meeting. It would be wrong just not to care about his feelings.

Most importantly, that applied to both Kiba and the unknown “true one” - she was dying. She was a weak sick girl who had a month left to live at best. Of course, she could confess her feelings to the boy next to her right now, feel loved and die with a drop of happiness… But was it fair for Kiba who would have to live with this burden until the end of his days? Definitely not. She couldn’t do that to him. That’s why she would rather stay silent, burn out from her feelings, because at least she would not let him suffer.

“I just don’t know what to do… I feel lost.”

She lifted her head, blue feathers of her earnings blowing in the wind. Her face was emotionless and her body calm, yet uncontrollable tears were streaming down her face.

The boy took her freezing hand and pulled her into a hug. Tsubasa bit her lip, burying her face in his shoulder and soaking his jacket with tears.

”You lost only because you gave up right away as soon as you found out about your diagnosis! Stop thinking about the fucking disease! Focus on something else! Not on the loved ones, since it causes you so much pain. Focus on your dreams! On your soulmate!”

“Why are you so obsessed with the idea of soulmates?”

“Why are you so disgusted with the idea itself?”

She let his hand go and exhaled. There was no trace of her emotional outburst except for her bloodshot eyes. Tsubasa grabbed the swing chains, thinking for a second.

“I do not believe in fairy tales about gods, who loved each other and were separated, that blessed all mortal couples with a secret connection, in revenge to the rest of the pantheon. Why did everyone suddenly start to think that it was a love connection? What if that bond means a strong friendship? And how can finding lost things help my soulmate find me or specifically, my body? The only variant I see is where you tattoo the coordinates on your hand and lose it in battle. An ‘excellent’ plan! Moreover, where are the guarantees that soulmate couples will be happy? Give me one example.”

”Ino’s parents are soulmates.”

Both of them suddenly turned silent.

”As far as I know, Mrs. Yamanaka did not even know our language when she arrived here. She was from another country, with completely different customs, still she risked going into the unknown. And I don’t know any stronger couple.”

“The way you talk about it… Your parents aren’t soulmates either, are they?”

He nodded.

”Don’t get me wrong, I love my mother. In fact, my father left when I was one year old, so she and my sister raised me. But… My mother is a very difficult person. As far as I can remember, it was always important for her to be the first and she never cared about the feelings of others. This is good for a warrior, but not for a family member. She could easily say things that will hurt you, including the ones she said on purpose, as a joke in order to please her ego. When you tried to talk to her about this and ask her to tone it down a little, she pretended to listen at first, but soon forgot about it. As for my father, he was not from our clan, not even from our village. He was a stranger and ended up being at the very bottom of the clan’s hierarchy. My sister said that he could stand a lot of things, but not the betrayal and disregard towards him from his once loved one. Of course, this was not the only reason he left. After that, looking at how Ino’s parents perfectly understand each other and always try to find a compromise, on how strong their union is… I want the same kind of family. Yes, I can act like my mother, be short tempered and impulsive. I think you noticed it when we first met. I admit I behaved horribly, but with people close to me, whom I don’t want to lose, I try to control myself and work on it.”

“That’s… amazing Kiba. And despite the fact that you mostly act like a jerk -” he snorted and a small smile formed on her lips- “I have to admit that after knowing you better, I have respect for you. You don’t try to please everyone. You give all of yourself and your warmth only to the ones that are close to you. Only to those who, in your opinion, deserve it, disregarding the rest. This is right. I share the same point of view. But since you really want to find your soulmate, have you ever thought that you might end up being the one to leave your home? Are you ready for such a sacrifice yourself?”

Kiba fell silent. At first it seemed that he was deep in thought, but in reality, everything was different. He was frightened and listened to the silence of the night trying to find out if someone was eavesdropping on them. For a moment, the girl even thought that he used ninjutsu to sniff out strangers and make sure that there were no one near them.

As white as a sheet, he took her hand and ‘wrote’ his answer on the inside of her palm with a finger:

“Yes”

She glanced at him. His actions spoke louder than words.

“Your father is dead, isn’t he?”

”Were you born in a clan or joined it later, you cannot leave it.”

”I understand. After all, in Kiri, a lot is happening inside our clans too.”

They both sat in uncomfortable silence.

“When you said that my parents are not soulmates, you also said “either”. So..?”

“You heard right. You know that before Terumi-sama, Kirigakure was overflowing with nepotism and bribery? Well, people were willing to do anything to move up the career ladder. My mother really wanted a higher position in ANBU, so she made my father fall in love with her and convinced him that she was his soulmate. As you understand, it was also important for my father to find ‘the true one’ but when he realized that he was fooled it was already too late. He comforted himself with the fact that he seemed to love my mother even without that spiritual bond, plus he loved me with all his heart and soul. But in fact, the love between my parents was one-sided… and because of the special treatment to the Yuki clan, my father was never at home. So… when you start looking for your destined one, please be careful, okay? I do not want the same fate for you or for anyone else.”

Okay, let’s change the topic” - he waved his hands in a playful defensive gesture “You mentioned that you have a dream. So, what kind of dream?”

“Well, you chose a bad one to distract me, because my dream is deeply connected with my family. You know about the genocide of the Yuki clan?”

“Mmm, sorry, to be honest, not really. Only that when the Uchiha clan was massacred, the elders whispered with each other that it could be the same case as it was with your clan, where it was the Kage’s order or some sort.”

“The Yuki clan was once considered to be one of the most powerful clans in the village of the Hidden Mist. And of course, quite dangerous, especially for the past Mizukage, or rather, for the one who controlled him. So, one night, the entire main branch was killed and the clan’s library burned down. The Yuki clan was officially made part of a lower caste. Some clan members managed to escape, while others were often sent on dangerous and suicidal missions. Now from the once large clan, only 30-40 people remain in Kiri, and most of them are elders and children. For comparison, grandfather Naoki had four children, the same age as my father, and only one daughter remained alive. As you know, my frightened and repressed clan avoided communicating with each other. In fact, in my childhood, it was as if the clan did not exist at all. Childhood in Kiri was not easy, but the other children at least had a clan, a large family that stood up for them. I wanted it too. I wanted to be a part of a clan and before my illness I dreamed of reviving the Yuki clan, regaining lost knowledge and finding all the relatives lost around the world, whom, as far as I heard, were not liked by both ninjas and civilians. But now after that illness… I must find every single Yuki alive to make sure that no one will be alone while fighting the family curse and that no one will go through the same pain as me, giving them a chance to be cured. And I will do it, no matter what… If I survive, of course…”

“It’s … A great dream to achieve-,” he scratched his head not knowing what to say- “And I am sure you will! Just don’t be so pessimistic! “

”I am realistic.”

“Pessimistic.”

“Realistic!”

“OK, OK!” he chuckled.“Looks like only realists like you, who talk about how bad and terrible everything will be, turn out to be chuunins.”

“What? Kiba, I don’t… urgh forget it! Arguing with you on any topic is simply useless when you are stubborn as a mule.”

“Said another mule!”

She laughed. Warmly and sincerely, for the first time this evening, and perhaps since they returned from that ill-fated mission.

”By the way, if your life in the hidden mist was so bad why do you hate the idea of moving to another place? Like here, to Konoha?”

“First of all, my life in Kiri is perfect now. Secondly, when people will learn that I am from the hidden mist they will hate me. The only thing that saves me now is that commoners think I am a distant relative of Ino.”

“Why do you think that?”

“You never heard why Kiri women are hated so much?”

“No.”

“Well let me tell you,” she grinned sinisterly. “One year, in our village, due to hunger, disease and war, there were practically no men left. Then the women decided to fill this gap by stealing men from other villages. But then they questioned themselves, how to transport healthy and adult shinobi without harming them? This is how the world-famous art of Kirigakure ANBU was born, thanks to which we can immobilize even the most powerful warrior,” she chuckled as a senbon she used in some missions appeared from nowhere, - “With the combination of many factors, but still. Well, those poor souls who ended up in Kiri … they essentially had no choice, but to marry ladies there if they wanted to live.”

“Are you joking?!”

“I’m not! In fact, my great-grandfather was kidnapped from the village hidden in the Stone. So, be careful Inuzuka Kiba! Who knows, maybe my illness is just a part of a secret mission and I’m actually here to pick up suitable candidates… And you might end up being one of them! You may turn out to be a good third husband for me, you know?”

He laughed.

“Oh really? Well, I would die to see how you would try to steal me with such an amazing guard as Akamaru!”

“Oh darling,” she grinned and hugged the huge white dog,” I would find a way to make that adorable boy my partner in crime! “

Akamaru happily barked in agreement and both teenagers burst into laughter, almost falling off the swing.

“By the way,” she said after a small pause, “I have to admit that fireflies are much more beautiful in Konoha. Thank you for letting me enjoy such beauty…”

He bit his lip and took her hand in his. The Ice crystals were still showing from her bandage returned them both to the dreadful reality.

“You will survive Tsu, I promise you, and you will see many more fireflies. Not only these.”

She looked at him with a faded, crooked smile. A smile that only gravely ill and very tired people have. Kiba returned her a look and his heart squeezed painfully in his chest, skipping a beat.

“Don’t make a promise that you can’t keep.”

”I’ll keep it! You will see. We are close to finding the ancient temple of the Yuki clan, and there definitely should be information on how to cure you. And after the next mission is completed, we will go to a grill bar! In the land of water there are only sea creatures and practically no normal beef. I cannot let you go back to Kiri without letting you know all the delights of good meat.”

She chuckled.

“If you say so.”

But there would be no grill bar or any next time. They found information about the temple location, but at the cost of everything else. The disease turned out to be unstoppable at this point. Luckily, they managed to reach it in time and save Tsubasa’s life.

Three months had passed since her miraculous recovery. Representatives of the Mist village appeared in Konoha the next day and took the girl with them, not allowing her even to say goodbye to her new friends. Still, their paths will cross in the future.

Upon returning to Kiri, Tsubasa began to communicate a lot with Ino through letters, which made the Mizukage almost ecstatic. She hoped that friendship with the clan princess would turn into a possible strong political tie in the future. One way or another, Mei was going to make her children, if not a future Mizukage, then those on whom the village could rely. Sometimes Mei was so happy about the benefits that Tsubasa had a feeling that her illness and departure to Konoha were part of Sensei’s plan to improve relationships with the village from the very beginning. However, she thought it was too weird and silly to be true.

She also sent letters to Kiba. Feelings for him that suddenly flared up in her heart were not planning to disappear, but she still had no intention of getting into his personal life. He wanted to find his soulmate, and she respected that wish. This was the least she could do for him. “Besides,” she thought while drinking peach tea in the evenings and remembering how he was trying to warm her drastically freezing body on their trip to the temple, “it is unlikely that we would have succeeded even if there would be no soulmate. We are too loyal and attached to our villages and clans. None of us would move to another village for the sake of other. Only a soulmate had such privilege.“

Therefore, she was happy to be his friend at least, send the boxes of tangerines and dried seafood snacks on special occasions, help with advice on everyday problems that all teenagers went through, regardless of which shinobi village they were born in, and just talk about all sorts of nonsense.

At six am, there was a loud knock on the door. Tsubasa was just getting ready for the training and she had no idea who would need to see her at such an early hour (her teammates were waiting for her at the training field, so it could not be them).

A familiar figure was standing outside of the door. Tired from the road, a little nervous, but smiling. Holding a medium-sized flat box under his arm.

“Kiba? What are you doing here, especially this early?!”

“There were reasons,” he said giving her a box, “may i come in?”

“Of course, you can, I’ll make you some tea and something to eat for you two.”

The girl moved away to the side, letting the boy and his dog into the apartment. Akamaru immediately stretched and laid himself on the carpet of the living room, while Kiba took a seat in the kitchen.

“So, what’s the reason you came here?”

“Open the box,” he said with a smile.

Tsubasa raised her eyebrows skeptically. She put the box on the table, thin fingers gripping the blue lid and pulling it up. Her father’s mask with its cold material was staring right into the girl from the inside. Frozen in complete shock, looking at the once-lost thing dear to her heart, she did not notice how Kiba approached her from behind.

“I just felt lost,” he said in a soft voice, while tucking a loose strand behind her ear. Their faces were only a few inches apart, “And desperately wanted to be found.”

[letshaikyuu]

ᑎO ᖴᒪOᗯEᖇᔕ ᗯEᖇE ᗷᒪOOᗰIᑎG (ᗩKᗩᗩᔕᕼI KEIᒍI ᔕᑕEᑎᗩᖇIO)

Synopsis: Akaashi and you were childhood crushes that got separated when you moved away. Social media was never enough to fill the void. What will Akaashi do when you come back and one of his teammates seems to have a crush on you?

A/N: I am not very skilled in writing scenarios so bear with me here. It’s also a female reader insert, sorry boys :(

Word count: 2522

No flowers were blooming in spring anymore for Akaashi Keiji. He was making towards the school grounds like it was just any other day. It was just another dull start to his second year of high school without you by his side. Akaashi would never forget the time you two picked flowers for your flower crowns that one spring day, mere days before school was supposed to start and you were to crouch into new school adventures. It felt like any other ordinary day outside while your mothers were sipping some tea inside the house. But, Keiji was not unfamiliar with emotions and facial expressions, even at a young age he was able to differentiate different emotions even though people tried hiding them. You were nowhere near the happy and cheerful girl that filled the silence with your childish glee and laughter. You were so quiet.

»»---------------------►

"Keiji..."

A whisper that would have been hard to hear for many, but Keiji knew your voice by heart. Looking up, his eyes were fixed on the tears filling up your eyes that were dangerously close to falling. Keiji was never the one to show much emotion or care, but this situation didn't fail to angrily burn his heart. What was going on?

Your next words burned his already aching heart even more as you let your tears freely fall down your face. Keiji didn't move. You didn't have the heart to wait for his reply so Keiji was left alone, eyes locking on your running figure that found comfort into your mother's arms. You two left soon after. Keiji was still sitting on his knees in the garden. Your neatly made flower crown on the ground was beside him and fallen apart. Was this happening?

"Keiji...I'm leaving Japan tomorrow."

»»---------------------►

The first day of school was over and he was already tired. He wanted to go back home and close himself off from the outside world for a few hours. Grab his phone and go through his gallery. Besides the huge amount of Bokuto's selfies on his phone, here and there a screenshot from his social media accounts popped up. Keiji was never the one for social media. It was a waste of time, he would say. What was the point in endlessly scrolling and looking through profiles of people you probably don't even know? But Keiji does have social media. It wasn't his choice. His mother bought him a newer phone shortly after you moved away. "So you can stay in touch even when she's so far away," his mother said to him when she gave him the phone and ruffled his hair, "there's no point in giving up, is there Keiji?"

That is how Keiji tried to stay in contact with you. You easily found each other on social media and he was glad you still wanted to talk to him. At first, your messages were frequent and filled with stories about your new school and friends. There wasn't a moment to put away your phone cause the messages kept coming. Keiji would merely reply with a "that's nice" and "hope you're liking it there", but he always read them all with a sad smile on his face. You seemed to fit in well with the people there. Keiji always admired you for that. It was you who decided to befriend this quiet, little boy in the house beside yours when you were little. He will never admit how much he appreciated you for that.

The worst part is that Keiji started developing a crush on you. He tried to talk himself out of it by seeing it was normal to have such feelings at a young age and that they will evaporate as he grows older. But they never did. You were becoming more and more beautiful as the days and seasons went by and Keiji couldn't wrap his head around what was happening with him. That little crush of his didn't go unnoticed. His mother figured it out very quickly and never failed to embarrass Keiji whenever he announced he was going out to play with you.

"You'll make a fine gentleman one day Keiji. Don't you forget that."

Unconsciously, he smiled at his mother's words as he entered the hot gym. The sounds of volleyball hitting the ground were enough to snap him out of his thoughts and refocus at the task at hand. He had practice. Bokuto Koutarou was loudly yelling at his kouhai and teasing him about how he's late and he was to do extra laps at the end of the training. The rest of the team chuckled at his words because there was no way Bokuto was going to stick to that.

"I apologize Bokuto-san. It won't happen again." Akaashi's words cut through the once cheerful atmosphere like a knife as he walked towards the locker room to change. Bokuto looked at the figure of his best friend that was soon lost with the door closing behind him. He was named captain for a reason. Bokuto Koutarou, no matter the excessive amounts of mood swings he has, knows when something is going on...and in Akaashi's case, he had quite a good guess as to what is bothering him.

When Keiji stepped foot on the court and started playing, there was no doubt in Bokuto's mind that his bad performance was caused by overflowing thoughts in his head. There was no beating around the bush in this situation, especially when the others knew about this.

"Oi Akaashi." His voice was rather serious for someone who's usually so cheerful and filled with positive energy. Keiji knew where this was leading to and he was dreading every second of it. "Isn't Y/N coming back soon?"

There it was. The ever-so sensitive topic to Akaashi Keiji. How Bokuto found out was still a mystery to him, but it was futile to hide anything from his curious senpai. He didn't mind. It was something that was in the past and there was no need to run away from it. Or at least that's how Keiji wanted his feelings to be portrayed. The ball that was being held in his hand was tossed back in with the others in the trolley as Keiji called it a day. The practice was soon to be over anyway. His teammates, especially the senpais, knew him well enough to know when Keiji is done with something so they didn't want to meddle. But meddling was Bokuto Koutarou's middle name.

"Akaashi I'm-"

"There is no need to apologize Bokuto-san. I am doing just fine and there is no guarantee that Y/N is coming back." Keiji knew he was lying, but the way those words effortlessly came out of his mouth made him think otherwise. He has told himself this lie over and over again that it sounded like the truth.

Back home, Keiji took out his phone to scroll through his gallery. He knew by heart where those screenshots of your conversations were. He started looking at them.

»»---------------------► Sept. 12th

"Heeeeey Keiji I just saw this cool painting of flowers the other day! I remember how much you loved hydrangeas! They always made your eyes pop heh"

"That sounds nice Y/N"

"You know I always think of my best friend Keiji ;)"

"Of course I do. I do the same"read 11:17pm

»»---------------------► Dec. 17th

"Hey...is everything alright there? We haven't talked in a while...I know we're both busy, but let's not let that stop us from talking!"

"Don't worry about that, but I have to go now. Sorry."

"Oh...that's okay...Take care Keiji"

"You too."read 10:47pm

»»---------------------►Feb. 8th

"Akaashi guess what! I'm moving back to Japan this year!! I can't wait to see you, I missed you so much..."seen 00:23am

»»---------------------►

Keiji would be lying if he said his heart didn't skip a beat when he saw your last text message. He didn't know how to feel. That childish glee he felt years before, while you were still here, warmed his heart and he didn't know how to react. The memories of your childhood adventures made him smile in remembrance, but was he ready for this? Were flowers blooming again in his heart?

»»---------------------►

The following day had an eerie feeling to it. Keiji wasn't sure what was happening, but it felt odd. He felt odd. Like there was a nest of angry crows battling inside of him. His head was hurting as well. Walking towards the gym, he felt as if he would pass out at any moment. Were you moving back to Japan? In the back of his mind, Keiji knew that neither his heart or his head was ready to see you again and confront you about his feelings. Maybe you were leaving a boyfriend behind. Maybe you even found a loving girlfriend. You were probably heartbroken that you had to leave your friends and move back here at such age. Was it necessary to list all the bad things about mo-

"Keiji?"

Just like a flower's bloom in spring, Keiji's heart fluttered at the sound of such a sweet and loving tone. To some, it was just an everyday voice that you could hear everywhere. To Keiji, it was a bird's chirp, a kid's giggle, a heart's warmth. There was no doubt in his mind that it was you.

"Y/N?" His eyes looked up and in the crowd of tall figures, he easily spots you. You grew up into a beautiful girl. Your face matured and so did your body. But your eyes...your eyes still held that mischievousness and happiness they had years ago when Keiji saw them filled with tears. That was a sight that haunted him for years as it was the last time Keiji saw you before your move. He couldn't have you walking out on him at the airport, your small body growing further and further away. It was a big bite to swallow for little Keiji.

But here you were, looking as beautiful as ever...with Konoha's arm over your shoulder? What even-

"Omg Keiji it's really you!" You smiled widely at the sight of your childhood friend, but your feet were planted firmly to where you were standing. You two kind of drifted apart these past few months, there was no doubt about it. He didn't even read your last message to him and you were so excited about moving back and possibly confessing to him. Would it be too much to run to him and hug him tightly? To feel all the emotions begging to be released on the surface as his arms tighten around you?

"Would it be that bad to feel your love again?"

»»---------------------►

There was no way in hell that Keiji was going to let you date Konoha. There was no problem with him or if he had a girlfriend, but it was not going to be you. It was official. You moved back to Japan for what seems forever, you were in Fukurodani and Konoha Akinori had a crush on you. Akaashi Keiji was jealous. That too was official.

Unfortunately for Keiji, you became close friends with the team so you frequented coming to practice a lot. Although the awkward silence that filled the gym whenever you and Keiji were in the same room wasn't easy to ignore, the team tried to let you two clear the air by yourselves. And no, Konoha did not have a crush on you, but he did have a plan. Make Akaashi so jealous that he has to confess to you to move on! That's right, Fukurodani does not meddle.

Konoha was pushing his limits very much and Keiji's tolerance was reaching a big, fat zero very fast. It wasn't until he bluntly asked you out on a date that Akaashi felt like waiting longer would mean losing you forever. Storming out of the gym with your forearm in his grasp, Keiji left the gym with a smirking Konoha behind.

"Akaashi- What is wrong with you!?" You pulled your arm out of his grip and stood your ground. "Who gave you the right to pull me out of there like that!?"

You were prepared with an onslaught of comments regarding his unusual behavior, but you bit your tongue. Why was he fuming in rage? There could've easily been steam coming out of his ears. But your words made him even angrier and sadder. What happened to calling him Keiji? To teasing him about how much you found his name gorgeous and fitting for such a guy like himself? You always brought a smile on his face whenever his name left your lips. Now, it was nowhere to be heard of.

He tried to calm himself down, but the years of keeping quiet and not having you around were too much for him to keep his usual calm demeanor. Turning around, he took a deep breath before opening his eyes to look at your shocked face. Taking a cautious step forwards, he took hold of your hands before continuing.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted Y/N back there. I'm also sorry for letting us drift apart." His mellow voice sounded out into the quiet, night background. There was no one in sight and Keiji felt it was easier to voice out his thoughts. "You can't imagine how much I missed you and wanted you to come back to me."

Tears were brimming in your eyes again, but this team Keiji was there to handle them when they fall.

"I love you Y/N...I did when we were kids and I...I still do now." His hand moved to wipe the stray tear slowly trickling down your face and he was quick to pull you into a hug. He was not letting you run away from him this time.

"Keiji w-why didn't you say anything before?"

He chuckled and that wonderful sound was music to your ears. "We were just kids back then. Nothing would've changed you moving away, wouldn't it?"

Keiji knew he was right. He may have doubted his decision before, but now it felt like it was the right thing to have waited this long. In the end, you were in his arms as both of you have already wanted and there was no doubt in his mind that this was exactly where you belong.

"You know what Keiji..," you moved away from his chest and lovingly took hold of his face. You couldn't have even dreamed about Keiji growing up into someone this handsome and beautiful. It was better than any painting your eyes saw of hydrangeas that reminded you of him. This in front of you, was a true piece of art. And you were happy to call it yours.

"I love you too Keiji...ever since we were kids."

No flowers were blooming in spring for Akaashi Keiji. Now, flowers were blooming in every season. In spring they were at their peak. In summer they were constantly with him and keeping him company. In autumn they would slowly start falling asleep and in winter there has always been this one flower that survived the harsh weather and snow that keeps blooming only for him. And that flower will always be you.

[star-spangled-eyes]

Winner Take All: Part 8: The Locker Room

This alternate universe fan fiction uses characters created and owned by Pixelberry Studios. Character names, descriptions and likenesses are owned by Pixelberry Studios. The MC, Bragnae Bennett, and story is created and owned by this author.

Book: The Royal Romance (Alternate Universe)

Alternate Universe Theme: Senior Year of College for Drake, Leo, Bragnae and Madeleine in the United States  

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC / Leo Reese x MC (Bragnae Bennett – *pronounced Brawn-yah)

Warnings for this series: NSFW, Adult content, suggestive and strong language, sexual content

Series Description: Bragnae Bennett sought adventure when she first went off to college. Now, navigating through her senior year, she finds herself befriending two gorgeous guys, Drake Walker and Leo Reese, who engage in a seemingly innocent bet with her during a game of pool that leads to a surprising threesome.

Their intimate evening prompts deeper feelings than they all expected to arise, and Bragnae is suddenly swept up in both of their charms, unique to each man himself. Through the pressures of college, work and maintaining a social life, which man will prevail and win Bragnae's heart?

Master List

A/N:  Another chapter that just flowed… wow. But things are starting to heat up now. I guess that’s why I can’t stop writing this! It’s too exciting for me! I hope you enjoy this one! Thanks for reading!

Warnings for this chapter: NSFW, Adult content, suggestive and strong language, sexual content

Word Count for this chapter: 4582

Setting for this chapter: Bragnae arrives at Drake’s hockey camp and gets to spend a little time heating up the ice with him.

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Part 8: The Locker Room

Bragnae arrived at the practice arena fifteen minutes before Drake’s practice was supposed to be over. The drive up went fast with her mind being as occupied as it was. She went over everything Leo told her again and again. It was such a shame he had to endure such heartache before, but he could have turned it around for himself. He could have made a vow not to hurt women the way he was, but for some reason, he felt using them for his needs would be the easiest way around his pain.

Even though he knew he hurt her for what he did, Leo still didn’t know the magnitude in which she suffered from his actions. She was glad she didn’t have time to tell him that earlier, and maybe he never needed to know. But, the fact remained that he hurt her very deeply and ruined his own chance at being happy again.

She turned off the engine of Drake’s truck, grabbed her purse, and headed up the sidewalk to the building. When she walked in, the cool air immediately hit her. It was a small arena, but the ice rink was designed in full regulation. There was only six rows of spectator seats that stretched the length of the rink. It was only on one side of the ice. The other side had two benched areas for the team to fill in, a Gatorade stand and a hallway leading to what Bragnae presumed was the locker room.

There was a flurry of guys fighting for the puck at the far end of the rink. Half were dressed in black jerseys, the others in neon green. The Pit Vipers’ colors were royal purple with a black and green logo of the intimating snake, so their practice jerseys reflected that theme as well.

Bragnae found a seat in the second row at center ice, scanning the bench of players. From what she could tell, none of them were Drake, which meant he had to be on the ice. She didn’t know which color he sported yet, but she did know he was a Defenseman. Somehow, protecting the goalie and helping to block shots from the opposing team fit Drake’s personality.

Finally, the puck broke away as a player sent it sailing down the ice toward the opposite goal. The players hustled down the rink as two guys from each of the teams scrambled to take control of it. The one wearing the black jersey slammed the green jersey player into the boards. They dug in and fought vigorously for the puck until the black jersey player took it, and passed the puck to a fellow teammate.

She caught a glimpse of the back of the black jersey attached to the tall player, and saw the number 22. That was Drake’s number. Their practice jerseys didn’t have their names on it, just their assigned player numbers. Now, she knew where he was.

As the forwards on his team passed the puck between them towards the other net, Drake skated in that direction, but held back in case the other team got ahold of the puck again. Bragnae watched one of Drake’s teammates shoot the puck into the net with ease, and then a whistle sounded.

The players vacated the ice and sat on their respective benches, hydrating themselves as they listened to the coach talk about their performance. Bragnae couldn’t make out his exact words, but that was okay. She kept her eyes on Drake anyway. He leaned his stick against his shoulder as he removed his helmet. His dark hair was completely saturated with sweat. He rubbed a hand over his head before bringing the green Gatorade bottle up to take in more fluids.

Bragnae grew up a hockey fan. Her dad had played when he was younger, so it was engrained in their family. She had fond memories of watching their state’s professional team sitting next to him on those cold winter nights. Her father taught her a lot about the game, which made it easier to watch Drake play and listen to him tell her about his practices and games.

After another minute, the teams rose and starting filing out towards the locker room. She stood and walked over to the boards in front of the first row. Drake noticed her immediately. Even though he was 85 feet away from her – the width of the regulation rink – she could see him smile in her direction. Instead of following his team, he skated back onto the ice and headed towards her.

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” he observed, smiling brightly at her. There wasn’t any acrylic shielding walls where they stood, unlike a true hockey rink that was surrounded in it, so it was easier to see and hear him.

“Hey, stud. You looked good out there.” She leaned her legs against the polyethylene dasher boards, gripping the top of it as she admired Drake in his gear. His shoulder pads and chest protector made him look even more bulky than he was, and his skates gave him an inch or two of extra height. With sweat beads rolling down his somewhat flushed face, he looked like he’d just been in an intense battle. Technically, that wasn’t far off.

“Thanks. Glad to be done for the day, though.” Drake skated to the edge of the board bringing his stick around Bragnae’s back to guide her to him.

She giggled as she fell forward a bit, bracing herself on his protected shoulders. He smiled as her mouth dropped to his. She could taste the saltiness of the sweat on his lips, and even though his athletic scent filled her nose, she was happy to kiss him in that moment. Drake, showered or un-showered, was irresistible.

A teasing whistle sounded from the opposite side of the rink. Drake laughed as he pulled away to look behind him. “Hey, fuck off!” He shouted playfully before returning his attention to Bragnae. “That’s just my buddy, Chuck. He’s on the same defensive line as me, and I think he’s a little jealous that I get to kiss such a beautiful woman right now.”

“Poor Chuck.”

“Yeah, bad for him, but good for me.” With his hands on the hockey stick that still held her in place, he pulled her towards him for another sweet kiss. “Wanna skate for a little bit? Maybe play a little one-on-one?”

“I didn’t bring any skates.”

“Not a problem.” He dropped his stick from around her, and pointed to the upper far corner of the room. “Go through that door, and there will be a place you can grab some skates. A nice lady named Carla will give you a pair to borrow.”

She patted Drake on the shoulder. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” She grabbed her purse and walked in the direction Drake told her. She wore a long-sleeved lavender sweater and a jean mini skirt. As she walked to the skate rental counter, she wondered how easily she’d be able to move on the ice in her outfit.

Carla had given her the size skates she needed with no charge, but she needed to grab the pair of socks in her tote bag to put them on. She was grateful she thought ahead to bring extra items. A few minutes later, while she laced up her skates, Drake was gliding around the ice casually flipping a puck into the net every so often.

When the skates were secured, she stood and walked over to the boards. Drake joined her in a flash, skidding his skates at an angle on the ice to stop himself.

“I don’t know how well I’ll be able to skate in this outfit, or hop the boards for that matter,” she told him, looking skeptical.

“I’d be happy to help a lady out.” He pulled her closer to the boards and reached over to scoop her into his arms, placing her down on the iced part of the rink.

“Well, that settles that,” she giggled, straightening her clothes.

“We’ve got about thirty minutes before the Zamboni needs to clear the ice. So, let’s skate a little bit and maybe get you a stick to hold.”

Naughty thoughts filled her mind. “Would I get to hold your stick? Because if so, we may want to find somewhere more private for that.”

He glanced at her from the side, shaking his head with that sexy smirk of his. “You have a dirty mind today, Miss Bennett.”

“You know you like it,” she flirted with a wink. “Plus, you kind of set me up with that one.”

He laughed. “So I did. Come on.” He took her hand, and the two of them began skating casually around the rink.

Bragnae couldn’t move too swiftly because the denim skirt restricted her a bit, but she was still able to catch up.

“You’re pretty good on the ice. Did I know that about you?” Drake asked.

She thought for a moment trying to recall if she’d ever skated with him when she visited Drake at his work. “No, I guess you didn’t. I’ve been leisurely skating my whole life. My dad took me skating a lot growing up. He played hockey too.”

“No kidding. What position did he play?”

“He was a defenseman like you. From the stories I’ve heard, he was pretty good. Taught me all I know about hockey.” Bragnae concentrated on crossing her skates over one another to turn with the rink. Drake glided gracefully along with her. It was second nature to him at this point. That was evident by the way he spent most of the time looking at her rather than what was in front of him.

“That’s awesome. If I ever get to meet him, I’m sure we’ll have lots to talk about.” Drake slowed them down and pulled her over to the bench where the team once sat.

Bragnae smiled at the thought of Drake meeting her father. She knew they’d get along great, and that they’d have a lot in common. They were both a little rough around the edges, but kind when it was needed.

Drake procured a shorter hockey stick from the other side of the boards, and handed it to Bragnae. Then, he tossed a few more pucks on the ice for them to play with. She gripped the black hockey stick like her dad taught her to do years ago, and skated out to center ice, dragging a puck with her.

Sliding the rest of the pucks with his stick to the center, Drake dashed off to the net to stand in front of it. “Go ahead, Bragnae. Show me what you can do.”

She scoffed. “You’ll just block all of them. I am way out of my league here.”

He chuckled. “Just give it a try. And keep the shots low. Coach will kill me if I get hit in the head when I should have been wearing a helmet.”

Bragnae pulled a puck in front of her with the stick, and pushed it forward, handling it back and forth until she was closer to the goal. She shot it towards Drake who just stood in place letting it hit the net.

“That was good. Try it again.”

Bragnae skated back to center ice, and retrieved another puck. Taking her time so she wouldn’t stumble, she eventually made her way back to Drake. This time, he took a more defensive stance, bending his knees and bobbing back and forth, as she prepared to shoot the puck. She held firm in front of the net trying to gauge which ‘hole’ she should shoot it towards. There were five distinct gaps a player could shoot the puck through that the goalie’s body couldn’t always protect.

Putting weight on her stick, Bragnae bent forward locking her eyes with Drake. “Where am I going to shoot it, Walker?” She taunted.

He smirked at her. “Why don’t you go for the five-hole – right between my legs?”

“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” She propelled the puck forward, trying to send it flying through the upper right corner of the net, but Drake blocked it. She didn’t have the power behind the shot to challenge his reflexes. “You’re just too quick for me.”

Drake skated forward to pull her into him. “I think you’re doing just fine. And you look very sexy skating around in a skirt, handling the stick and puck like you are. I could watch you do this all day.”

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you.” She gripped the fabric of his jersey and pulled him into a slightly unsteady kiss thanks to the ice below.

His hands slid down to her thighs just below her skirt. “Are you getting cold?”

“A little.” She didn’t anticipate spending a long time in the arena, which made her decide the mini skirt was okay, but now being directly over the ice, she was starting to get chilly.

“How about this? I’ll clean up the pucks and then head to the locker room to take a shower. After you return your skates, you can meet me in there and wait by my locker.”

“Okay, but won’t there be other guys in there getting dressed?” Not that she’d ever turn away from seeing hockey players in any capacity, but she wanted to be respectful of their space.

“Don’t worry about that. You’re a hot female, and they won’t mind. Besides, most of them are probably gone by now anyway.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in there in a few minutes.” Bragnae skated off to the side of the rink she came from, and threw her legs over the boards. After taking off her skates, she gathered her things and went to return them.

She didn’t know an alternative path to the locker rooms, so she walked carefully across the ice in her sandals to get to get to it. After sauntering down the long hallway, she saw a sign for the locker room to the left.

Bragnae hoped the rest of the team had gone so she wouldn’t embarrass them or herself. She wondered why Drake wanted her in the locker room anyway. It just felt wrong for her to be there. If she were on an all-female team, she wouldn’t want some random guy hanging out while the rest of the team got dressed.

Carefully stepping through the spacious locker room, she heard the shower to her right, but couldn’t see anything as she glanced quickly in that direction. Walking into another room, she saw open cubbies that lined the wall. Each of them had a thin dry erase board above with their names written on them. As she made her way over to his locker, she noticed a tall, muscular guy with short auburn hair throw a t-shirt over his chiseled torso. He looked over at her and politely smiled.

She waved nervously at him. “Sorry. Don’t mean to intrude. I’m just waiting for Drake.”

“You’re good,” he told her as he walked in her direction with an arm extended. “I’m Chuck Mulligan. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” she said, accepting his greeting. “Bragnae Bennett.”

“Drake talks about you all the time.” His eyes quickly scanned down her body trying to be discreet, but she noticed anyway. “I can see why.”

“I guess I’ll take that as a compliment. Thanks,” she smiled.

“It definitely is.” He walked back over to his gear, and slung a duffle bag over his shoulder. “Drake should be done soon. Take care, Bragnae.” She waved at him again as he left the locker room.

After a quick glance around, she took a seat on the bench in front of Drake’s locker. The room definitely had the smell of men in it. It wasn’t unpleasant, rather it was sort of comforting. It was a mixture of hard work, sweat, and cologne – the way any man that was worth a damn should smell.

Just as she was about to pull out her phone to pass the time, Drake started walking towards her… wearing just a white towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was still soaked, but this time it was clean. A tendril of his wet hair curled over his forehead, but the rest was combed back. Residual water from the shower made parts of his upper body glisten. He made her heart skip a beat.

Drake walked right up to her, bent down with his fingers tilting her chin up, and captured her lips in a solid kiss. “You look cute sitting here by my locker,” he said before walking around the bench to get to his clothes.

Bragnae spun around on the wooden bench to face him. Just as she did that, Drake removed the towel from his waist and began drying off the few wet spots left on his chest. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Her jaw dropped as she was faced with the side profile of Drake’s very nice looking dick and the curves of his butt. She had only been privy to his nakedness once before during the threesome with Leo, but everything happened so fast that night that she didn’t have time to really indulge in his magnificent features.

“Oh my,” she blushed, but didn’t look away. In fact, her eyes feasted on his physique with absolute hunger. There wasn’t anything about this man she didn’t crave.

Drake gave her a side smirk before handing her the towel. “Here, I think you’re drooling a little.”

Giggling, she snatched the towel from him, and snapped it against his perfectly formed ass. He chuckled reaching for his cologne.

“You really know how to grab a girl’s attention, don’t you mister?” Even now she couldn’t peel her eyes off of him. Her heart thumped in her chest while heat pooled between her legs.

“Am I making you wet?” He asked without hesitation still standing stark naked in front of her.

Excited by his sudden candor, her lips automatically transformed into a salacious smile. “Uh-huh.” She loved how honest they could be with each other. “To be fair, you already kind of got me started watching you play hockey.”

He cheerfully nodded at her response. She bit her lip desperately wanting to touch him all over. From where she sat, she’d be able to take him in her mouth easily as he towered over her with his scrumptious bod. “Why don’t you come a little closer, and let me drag my tongue around that big guy.” His dick twitched at her comment, and she loved it.

Drake exhaled a slow breath, and stepped into a dark green pair of boxer briefs. Bragnae playfully pouted her lips making him laugh when he turned to her again. “Don’t be too disappointed, Bennett.” Then, he threw on a t-shirt and pulled on a pair of light-washed jeans.

Grabbing his hockey stick, he straddled the bench and held it over Bragnae’s head. “Face me on the bench, and then grab this with both hands.”

She was a little confused but did as he said. As soon as she had a comfortable grip on the stick, Drake pushed on it making Bragnae lean back with it. He followed through until her back was flush with the bench. “What are you doing?”

“Stay like that, and just relax.” He kissed her briefly on the lips. The stick rested perpendicular on the bench, and Bragnae let her arms relax while she continued to grip the hockey stick.

Drake brought her legs together again just so he could push up her tight jean skirt. A tingle shot down her spine, not only from his touch, but from the anticipation of what was to come. With the denim pushed up to her waist, Drake hooked his fingers around the straps of her red satin panties and pulled them off. He sat down on the bench, and threw her legs over his denim clad thighs while positioning her just right.

“Now, it’s my turn to use my tongue.” He winked at her before diving his face down to her pussy.

A moan immediately left her body while she slowly twisted her torso, feeling his tongue work wonders against her sensitive skin. Her breathing quickened, and she tightened her calves against his legs. The tension in her body elevated the pleasure she was receiving. Her grip on the hockey stick constricted as he continued.

Drake used his hands to tilt her pelvis up to give himself a better angle. His skillful tongue rounded her clit in slow concentric circles before moving to rapidly flick her swollen bud.

Bragnae arched her back in approval. “Ohmigod, Drake. Don’t stop.” She felt the pressure build quickly leading to what she knew was to be a fantastic explosion of pleasure. Like the trooper he was, Drake kept up that same pace for a few more moments until heaven rippled throughout her body. She sent a flood of cries into the room as he continued to coax more of the orgasm from her depths.

Drake dragged his tongue around her skin, even dipping down to lap at her entrance. She was at complete peace in that moment reveling in the pleasure high he put her in. When Drake sat up, he wiped his mouth and took a deep breath followed by a triumphant smile.

“How was that?” He asked knowing the answer.

She nodded her head still trying to regain her breath. “Amazing. So amazing.”

He patted the side of her leg smiling down at her. “You are so beautiful, and you taste so nice.”

“You always make me feel so good about myself, Drake.” She let go of the hockey stick, and stretched her tensed arms above her head. “Thank you for this.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Now, will you let me return the favor?” She asked still lying flat against the bench. He had slayed her with his tongue, and she was utterly spent.

“I appreciate the offer, but this was all about you today. Plus, it’s better for my training if you don’t.”

“Why? Wouldn’t it be better to release the built up tension?”

“That’s exactly why I shouldn’t. Not having that release helps me to focus on my training more, making me more aggressive on the ice. Being hot and bothered makes for a better hockey player than a happy guy that just got off.”

Her eyes widened as she thought about what he said. “You’re not saying we can’t do this and have sex for the entire hockey season are you?”

Drake laughed. “No, thank God. The coach is deciding the first line for the upcoming season based on our performance here. The guys that get it will see the most time on the ice during the games. To make it fair for everyone, the coach put these rules in place to motivate us while we’re at this camp.” He gently massaged her thighs as he continued. “So, by not giving into my desires, I can train harder and play better during the practice games. I’m not even touching myself.”

Bragnae’s mouth gaped open in surprise. “Wow. It makes a lot of sense when you put it that way, but didn’t this torture you a little bit?”

He looked down at her still widened legs longingly. “Yes. Yes it did.” He sighed before meeting her eyes again. “But seeing you like this now and remembering the taste of you in my mouth will fuel me even more when I’m on the ice this week. Hell, I shouldn’t have even allowed you to visit me, but I wanted to see you.”

Bragnae used what core strength she could find to sit up amidst the incapacitating pleasure that still radiated in her body. She framed his face with her hands as he looped his arms around her back for support. “Did you miss me as much as I missed you?”

“Mmhmm,” he grinned, looking down at her affectionately. “I sure did.”

She smiled up at him. “Will the coach tell everyone who gets the first line by the end of the camp?”

“Yep.”

“Good. Then, when you come back to the university, we’ll have to celebrate because I know you’re going to get it.” She let a hand slide down the muscles of his chest. “And celebrate we will.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes being extra flirtatious.

“I can’t wait.” Drake leaned forward to kiss her. “Wanna grab some dinner?”

“Yeah, I bet you’re famished.” Drake scooted back, so she could more easily untangle herself from him. “Just let me put my panties back on, and we can go.”

Drake chuckled, retrieving them from the floor and tossing her the discarded thong.

Later, after they finished a couple of delicious burgers, they drove back to Drake’s hotel. They got out of the truck, so they could say their proper goodbyes.

“Thanks for letting me come up to see you. It will make this next week a little easier to get through.” Bragnae leaned back against the driver side of Drake’s truck, and he leaned into her.

“I’m glad you did. I needed this little reboot, too.”

“Do you want me to drop off your keys with Leo before you get back?” She needed to mentally prepare for it again if he wanted that.

“Nah, you can hold onto them. The team gets back next Sunday morning, and I’m sure we’ll see each other that day at some point. At least I’m hoping we will.” He stroked her cheek with the back of his finger.

“I’m pretty sure I work the lunch shift that day, but as soon as I’m finished I’ll be coming to see you.”

“Sounds good.” He leaned in for a deep lingering kiss. The cool breeze of the night perfectly complemented the heat between them. “Let me know when you get back tonight.”

“I will.” She pulled him in again, needing to feel his soft lips one more time before she left. “Good luck with the rest of the camp. I know you’ll kick ass and get the first line.”

“I hope so. Thanks, Bennett.” He opened the truck’s door for her, and watched her climb in. She started the engine, and rolled the window down. He looked her over with a smile on his face. “You look pretty good behind the wheel of my truck.”

She gave him a flirty shrug. “Bye, handsome.”

“See ya. And drive safe.” He tapped the door, and stepped back so she could pull out of the parking space.

Bragnae waved once more before driving away. A day that started off more stressful than anything else ended with lovely time spent with Drake. She really liked him, and felt their bond growing with each passing day. When he returned from his camp, it was highly likely they’d have sex. And she was more than ready for that because she wanted to be closer to him now more than ever before. She loved the idea of being his and only his. And she knew it was just a matter of time before they made their relationship status official.

But that also meant she needed to tell Drake about Leo. He needed to know before things turned more serious. Being roommates, would that complicate things for them? Would it somehow make Drake not want to be with her? Only time would tell.  

[csykora]

hey i was reading your post about evgeny kusnetsov and alexander semin (the friendship necklace one) and i got into hockey somewhat recently but i've heard/read some things about sasha and i was wondering if you could give me a rundown/what your perspective is? you mentioned cultural assimilation, but also social class, ethnic identity, ability, neurodiversity, and trauma and i was really curious what exactly you were talking about??

First, that’s cool you’re getting into hockey! How’s that going? I hope you’re having fun. Second…thanks for making me reread my old writing as we come up on the New Year ;)

That was one of my very first posts, and I think it reads like it—I definitely wasn’t much of a sports writer back then, and (I don’t think) I tell stories quite the same way now.

I don’t think some of those words I used mean much, except that I was angry. So I’d like to spell out what made, makes, me angry. The first half of this is stuff I’ve said before, more organized, with jokes. The second half is not fun, but it’s also something I think NHL fans have a duty to think about. So I want to try to talk about Lokomotiv.

Sasha Semin is the star and captain of a quite good, more fun KHL team. Today he was named to the All-Star team, actually. KHL All-Stars is a magical place where the players sing acoustic covers and routinely set things on fire, so hopefully they’ll let him bring his sword.

(I love the KHL)

Before that, he was the cool big brother of a generation of Russian stars. In the early 2000s the first post-Soviet young players were coming of age and working out what post-Soviet, now-Russian style hockey was going to be. In that moment we got two spectacular players: Sasha from Siberia, and Sasha from Moscow.

The Soviet style of play was supposed to be egalitarian—players skated the opposition sick and pass-pass-passed, always giving it to a teammate instead of taking chances, until whoever happened to have it had a sure shot. The Alexanders grew up in that style, and they grew up fuck-off strong. They started feeding off all their teammates’ passes and beginning to gun down goalies with one of two shots: Alex Ovechkin had the one-timer, and Alex Semin had the best wristshot in the game.

Did you watch Vegas’ magic season? Pull some clips of Wild Bill Karlsson. Imagine if he had upper body strength but was just as light on his feet. That’s how inexplicably electric young Semin was.

His and then Ovi’s performances at World Juniors were so explosive they convinced American businesses to risk money on something new. Semin was oldest, and the Capitals kind of sucked, so they got him first. Then a few years later they still sucked, so they got Ovi too. Then the two of them got Nicklas Backstrom and matching line promise necklaces and played really good hockey together for a number of years.

(If anyone would like 3,000 more nicer words about the above subjects, @ me)

A couple things shaped what happened after that:

▪ Semin’s unique wrister, twisted to be almost as hard as a slapper, is like spending every night downing jägerbombs with a shot of carpal tunnel. He seems to have chronic wrist and hand problems from inflammation, with apparent flare-ups that sometimes got rest and sometimes didn’t. So that’s a factor—not the only, but a—in why he had periods of poor shooting.

▪ Either because he never really went to school or just because he’s wired that way, Semin seems to suck at math.

▪ Ovi’s hot stick and the Sid Incident (Sidcident?): 

In their first interview together, Ovi described him and Sid as “partners”, and Sid asked for Ovi’s shirt. But over the first few years the League swung from branding them as buddies to making money off a rivalry, and Don Cherry started a string of bitter conflicts with Ovi.

Local journalists who knew him wrote about seeing Ovi flinch in interviews. They described him starting to hesitate, pale, tired, doubling back over answers to make sure they were watertight. We now know from Tatyana Ovechina that he was spending a lot of nights on the phone back home with her, asking if he was letting everybody down.

Sasha, who’s basically that guy on twitter who found kittens in his sock drawer and adopted them all, but with little brothers, got protective. He told Russian media that he thought Sid was a good player, but not his favorite, and said that the way the League was pushing media attention could make someone a ‘star’ even if they weren’t that good. The phrase he used means “dead wood”, or boring, useless person. The grammar he used means something like “even if he were (ie, he isn’t)”.

I think this was objectively very funny. And I still hold that anyone saying the level of exposure Sid endured was good for him or anyone sounds like the stage parents on Toddlers & Tiaras.)

But people get protective of their person, and most won’t stop for a grammar lesson before deciding what they think something meant. There was a media blitz, mostly accusing Sasha of wanting the attention Sid got, which made sense, if you didn’t know Russian or two things about him—that he’s best friends with Alex Ovechkin, and that he’d only just started to practice English with local reporters after several years. If he were an egomaniac, he was bad at it.

From his reaction it seems like he hadn’t thought his comment was that wild, and wasn’t prepared for the backlash. Next time he talked to local reporters, he brought the translator back. Asked routine questions he’d been getting for a couple years, he flinched and turned to them to rehearse every word of his answer. Asked what was up with the translator, he said “I just don’t want to say the wrong thing.”

Although teammates like Mike Knuble, Jeff Schultz, Backstrom and Ovechkin kept talking about his personable, joking side, and we’d see it plenty in practice, he started insisting to reporters that he didn’t know English and that he was boring anyway, claiming “I’m just an ordinary person, just like everybody else. The only difference is I’m out there on the ice and that’s it. I’d just rather talk about hockey.”

–> Without math or English, Semin’s career depended on his agent, Mark Gandler.

Try not to depend on Mark Gandler.

As the Globe and Mail put it, “to many Canadian hockey fans, Mark Gandler is nothing less than the Prince of Darkness.”

Mark Gandler’s business was based on presenting himself as a friendly face to young Russian athletes, and pissing of NHL franchises. I’m pro-pissing off the NHL in general; my problem with Gandler is that if he was sincerely trying to get the best deal for him clients, he was bad at it..

When anyone talks about something Semin decided, they’re talking about what Gandler decided for him. Semin was honest with the media that he had no fucking clue what Gandler was asking for in negotiations. The Caps and Gandler couldn’t agree on anything, so while Ovechkin was locked down for life, Semin was only ever signed to one and two year bridge contracts, constantly up, his performance a constant subject of discussion and every wobble obvious.

Note: the following is the bit where I got angry and A. asked why the hell I was looking at photos of this and told me to go lie on the floor and do my butterfly exercises for a while.

One year Semin’s game really sucked. It didn’t help that Ovechkin was sucking too—they both got benched, Coach got fired, and still the Capitals just kind of sucked. Around the league, Russian stars were mostly fizzling. That was the 2011-2012 season. 

On September 7, 2011, the airplane carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team, coaching staff, and four youth players had overrun the runway, struck a signal tower, crashed, and caught fire moments after takeoff. Every member of the team onboard was killed.

I can’t understand, so certainly can’t explain, how that day changed the community. I’m not trying to speculate too much on anyone’s personal situation, but to point out how much more profound it was than just some other league’s trivia.

I don’t think there’s a mainstream North American parallel for the hockey community in Eastern Europe. Players are raised in a small number of hockey schools, often at that time in dormitories like the one where Semin lived in Chelyabinsk. While young North Americans are quite strictly separated by age, the Russians are growing up with older and younger kids from the same school all around them. Older teens are encouraged to mentor younger ones—Kuznetsov’s attachment to Semin is endearing, but not really so weird. Stanislav Yarushin is several years older than Sasha, and he befriended him, and then down to Kuz. In a community like that, any one person is intimately connected to the others.

From the coaches to the rookies, someone from three generations across nine nations was killed in the disaster. Each of them was connected not only to their peers, but to players older and younger than them, and to the city that raised them. Every Russian, Czech, and Slovak in the NHL lost at least one person they knew deeply.

Just that spring, Kuznetsov won gold at World Juniors with a little clique of friends. Vladimir Tarasenko, Artemi Panarin, and Dmitry Orlov are stars now, and two of the others are dead.

Kuznetsov is the one draped in the flag. #14, with the awesome hair, smiling, is Danylo Sobchenko. #12, reaching up towards the cup, is Yuri Urychev. Urychev had been injured, and supposed to stay home the day of the disaster, but he asked to be allowed to fly with them, so he could cheer for his friends.

Tarasenko himself was born in Yaroslavl, and his father played for Lokomotiv; he knew even more of the team, and if he’d taken a hometown offer instead of signing with Sibir, he would have died that day too.

The thing about a loss like this is that it keeps budding with new losses. It hadn’t been a problem with the plane, or a freak accident. Over the following month a miserable investigation revealed that the airline had fudged documents, and the pilots just didn’t know what they were doing. So as well as losing friends, the younger players lost any trust that people in authority were going to keep them safe in the future.

After the disaster, Ovechkin, Semin, and Malkin had to hold their phones waiting while Alexander Galimov (a friend from nationals) was found with burns over 80% of his body, stabilized, transported, placed in a medically-induced coma and ventilated. He finally died five days later. The day he died Tarasenko and Kuznetsov and all the others got back on their own planes and kept playing, so the NHLers just had to keeping waiting up for them, too. Now Tarasenko and Kuznetsov have little brothers on those planes. They’re better fucking planes now, because the disaster changed Russian law, but they’re still not great.

In a grim way, Semin and Ovechkin were lucky, because they had each other. At the time almost no NHL team had as many Eastern Europeans as the Caps, meaning almost all the others were alone.

Of course it just wasn’t possible for the North American public to grieve with them the way that Europe did, but how quickly it was boxed away and forgotten as a factor in players’ lives just…sucks.

You don’t just grieve somebody when you lose them; people who aren’t sure what to say will say it fades with time, but what it really does is rise and fall in waves. You grieve them when you lose them, and again when you’re as old as they were and realize how insufficient it really was, and again, when you’re older than they’ll ever be, when you’re old enough to see children their age. Like injuring your wrist, you can get back to work, but never back to exactly what you were before. 

Five years later, when Tarasenko scored his 100th goal, he dedicated it to Sobchenko and Urychev. 

Most of a decade later, Alex Ovechkin wears the Lokomotiv crest on his chest protector, over his heart.

So if we know all that, we can start to imagine why they sucked at hockey.

Actually, after a slow start to the season, Sasha sucked the least of all the Capitals. Always a stronger possession player than Ovechkin, Sasha actually recovered after the Caps brought in Dale Hunter, who ripped up the Goals First, Goals Always game plan and tried to make Ovi play defense. Sasha ended the season with the best possession metrics on the team (yes, including Nicke Backstrom). 

His goal-scoring didn’t recover, but that was because Coach Dale was basically treating him like Ovi’s security blanket, putting him on the second line with Mojo so Ovi couldn’t cuddle him until Ovi backchecked. Mojo (this is a Science fact) is not Nicke Backstrom.

The reason the Capitals traded Semin is they desperately needed to trade someone to make up for the team’s collective failures that year, he could be traded due to his shitty contracts, and he was worth trading. 

I’m not actually angry the Caps traded Semin. It made sense. I am mad the Habs did, because it was one of many decisions made by Marc Bergevin coughing up a heavily-gelled hairball on a depth chart, but hey.

Sports is hard. I don’t mean that teams should keep players who aren’t playing the way that team needs them to out of sympathy. I mean that it’s possible to say that Semin or Ovechkin sometimes play badly without saying they don’t care. It’s possible to name a practical problem without making it a moral one.

Because when we see someone not doing what we want, and we make it moral, we say, “well gosh, I can’t imagine a reason why they aren’t jazzed to do what I want right now, so there can’t be a reason, they just suck,” we’re always wrong, because we miss shit!

In 2011, the common complaint that Russian players “don’t seem to care” went from boring to breathtakingly cruel. 

It’s a collective failure of empathy, where a lot of us didn’t even know that empathy’s needed. How many NHL fans don’t know Lokomotiv existed? If we don’t even know what weight another person’s carrying, we can’t possibly judge them rightly! 

The athletes we’re watching aren’t just cartoon characters for American consumption, who always act and react in easily-readable ways. They’re people with beliefs, behaviors, and problems which might be meaningfully different from what we’re personally familiar with and really hard to sympathize with.  

But when we see someone struggling to do what we want them to, we have to wonder why, and look around to learn more about moments like this, and then offer empathy. I believe that if we have information, most people use it to be kind. So we really fucking need historical information.

I’m back on the floor and don’t have a closer, so here’s a picture of a cat with big mitts like Sasha. His name is Peppers.

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

idc if skye's treating rath like shit and wanting to "take her out" cause of her skills due to her being 'insecure'. it's not an excuse, and it never will be. it's just a classic case of being a bully. i hate having to sit through watching skye be a bitch to rath and continue being her friend. fuck skye, she's awful. no wonder the fandom prefers rath to her. i sure do.

It definitely isn't an excuse, and you're right. Insecurity is a textbook motivation for bullying, and that's what Skye is. A bully. My friend, who just started Quidditch and is only at the point of the Hurling Hex, can already tell. She literally said, "I don't like her. She kinda seems like a bully." And I started cracking up because damn, you haven't even met Rath yet!

However...as I've become known for, I would like to say a word in Skye's defense. Her behavior is not excusable, nor will I try to defend it. But I don't think it makes her irredeemable if this were to be true. To be clear, her choices are wrong. But she herself is not beyond redemption.

Imagine you're Skye Parkin.

Growing up as the only girl with several big brothers, and your father treats you differently because of it. For as long as you can remember, the purpose of your family and your existence has been known to you. Quidditch. As soon as you could walk, you were put on a broom. Your father informed you of what your life would be, of all his expectations. You never had the chance to think about whether or not you even like Quidditch, because liking it or not was never a choice for you. Spending your life in the sport wasn't the expectation. Succeeding was the expectation. That you would play, was a given, as far as your father was concerned. Again and again, it was drilled in to your head. You are a Parkin. Parkins don't lose. You will play, and you will succeed. What else is there to life?

Seriously, imagine being a little girl and growing up with that dogma. As if child celebrities don't have it hard enough already. You make it to Hogwarts, and the path that was chosen for you proves a rocky one. You and your Captain are not a good fit - you don't have the patience for his style. How could you? Even though Quidditch is your life, you've never been able to relax and just enjoy it. Victory is all that matters. You know what your father's expectations are. Along comes another kid who seems to have natural talent. They could help you win the Cup, and winning the Cup is all that matters. Things like grades are merely an obstacle that teachers make you overcome so you can play, but they are distractions. You recruit the kid, befriend them. But you don't know how to be "friends" with someone. You're awkward, you make mistakes. It's much easier when you can put the label of "teammate" on them. This is something you understand. The concept of the team.

Along comes Erika Rath.

She's big, she looks mean, and having played against her you know damn well how good she is. This a problem. If you have to play her, your team might lose. This is not an option. Parkins don't lose. What would your father say? Considering that he was injured recently and yet still talking about Quidditch, your way forward is clear. You have to do something about Rath. Spreading rumors is as good a place to start as any. You have no social skills, it doesn't occur to you how wrong this is. Even if does, so what? That can't matter. Winning the cup and pleasing your father, honoring the Parkin name...that is all that matters. And hey...suppose Rath did steal the broom? She was glaring at MC that one day, wasn't she? Who else would have taken it?

Okay, so it wasn't her. That plan backfired. But you don't apologize. She's the enemy. She's the one person standing in your way, who could stop you from getting the Cup. When you try to score a goal, and the Keeper blocks it, do you apologize to him? Of course not. Even if you know you should be sorry, that's not a luxury available to you, as far as you think of it. Why couldn't she have just been guilty? Things would be so much easier if she had been. And now she's furious with your teammate. That isn't fair! It's time to confront her, and....she hit a bludger at you. This is something you do understand. This is breaching Quidditch etiquette, and you know beyond a shadow of doubt that's wrong. You do not hit an opposing player with a bludger outside of a match. That is so over the line. Sure, she says it was an accident...but she doesn't exactly look sorry, and you're already injured, humiliated, and defeated. You cannot accept defeat. Parkins do not lose. Who says Rath is telling the truth? You once saved MC from one of her bludgers, right? After last time...you just...you need Rath to be guilty for this. You try the rumor trick again. But it doesn't help. Unable to play in the Quidditch Final, you are in total disgrace. You have failed, and your father is here to see it. What will he say? We still don't know, but it's safe to assume that he didn't take it well. You will never forgive Rath for this.

Then there's your teammate. MC. Your own protege who had never so much as held a broom before you found them. Now they're upstaging you in every way. The captain favors them. They played in the final match and shone like a star while you were in the stands. It was never about winning the cup, not really. Because it doesn't matter if you aren't the one to earn the victory. You have to succeed. You're a Parkin. You cannot help but resent your teammate for this. It was supposed to be your finest hour. You try to let go of these emotions, and better focus on your life's purpose - this damn sport. You try to forget Rath, and avoid MC. It's not their fault, right? But being around them is uncomfortable, it hurts. You have no social skills. The first thing you can think to do when they notice your changed behavior, is lie. But the lie is caught so quickly that you become trapped in your embarrasment and shame. To admit your envy is to admit your lack of skill. Your lack of focus. You cannot lose again. So you divert all that energy into being a star Chaser, until MC corners you and confronts you. At last, you confess. You and MC make up. It's a little awkward, but you've been vulnerable with them before. Maybe you can actually trust them as a friend, not just a teammate.

But then they betray you.

Then they go to your enemy. The one you tried and failed to destroy. Your greatest shame and failure - Erika Rath. MC knew how you felt about her, you had spoken to them about it recently. This is unspeakable. They went to an opposing team member for training. In Quidditch culture, which is all you know, that is tantamount to treason. You feel replaced. It would be bad enough if they had started working with Orion or something, it would be worse if it had just been some random player from another team. But this is worse than even that. They didn't just pick someone at random to replace you with. It had to be her. How can you not feel hurt by that? Assuming that you know on some level that you were in the wrong but cannot face it, the anxiety of MC choosing Rath would be even worse. You've never had friends, you don't know the first thing about socializing. You're not popular, you only seem that way because you're a Parkin. Born into a family of celebrities. The closest thing you've ever had to a friend just left you for your enemy. They went behind your back and lied to your face. Knowing how you would feel. This invokes such pain that before you know it you've grabbed a nearby broomstick and snapped it in two. And where is MC? Do they come to apologize, explain, or even just talk? No. They're off with Rath. Confirming your fears that they chose her.

You are Skye Parkin. You never had a choice. The only path you are allowed to walk is not just difficult, it's fucking lonely.

@nostalgiastardew I couldn't not tag you in this!

[vettelcore]

so what do you think about Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel? :D

thank you for asking anon!! those are some good choices lol 

MARK WEBBER: all I can remember from him was from the years that he was teammates with Seb at redbull so you can imagine how much I liked him back then lol

but nah, I think he’s the typical solid midfield driver that can win a few races from now and then (*ehem* val *ehem), a good driver but definitely not championship material imo 

definitely not a good number two driver, but I think that was just for Seb since he had no problem helping Fernando out on Brazil 2012 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

nowadays i think he’s a nice guy, he realised that his rivalry with seb was stupid because the bad ones were always Christian and Helmut, not his teammate, although those were really fun days ngl i would have loved a netflix series to be a thing during those seasons lol

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

LEWIS HAMILTON: hands down the best driver in F1 currently (im sorry seb but its the truth lol) he barely makes any mistakes, he’s fast, consistent and idk if anyone here has watched kuroko no basket??? but theres this thing in that anime where the REALLY good players got in the “zone” and they were practically unbeatable??? like out of this fucking world shit. Anyways when Lewis gets in his “zone” I bet he even gets the sparkly eyes with lasers coming out of them like they do in the anime lmfao 

I think the guy gets WAYYY too much shit because of his more personal side, like idk to me he just seems like an easy going person who just wants to be nice, hence the “you guys are the best crowd ever!” meme from a few seasons back lol

lewis has had so much shit thrown at him being the 1st and only black driver in f1, I remember when he was teammates with Fernando, during a GP in Catalonia, some “””fans””” dressed up in blackface, he was constantly called the n word equivalent in spanish by fernando’s fans, and afaik this racism wasnt only from non uk countries, like even in his home country he was still getting racist attacks bc he “wants to be from the hood” and shit like that, only because he likes to do other things outside of f1, it’s honestly insane

like idk i’ve always had a soft spot for lewis, i have never been his fan, but I can appreciate him as both a driver and a person

also my appreciation for him went up when he went vegan, and from a social issues pov, he’s probably one of the most decent guys in the paddock, even though he says a lot of dumb shit sometimes lol

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

SEBASTIAN VETTEL: if I say he’s underrated, will anyone kill me?? but let me explain

he won his 1st race and pole on a rainy weekend in monza in a TORO ROSSO, people love to downplay this because “well to be honeeeeest the STR was a really good car in 2008 so it wasn’t that much of an achievement

he became a world champion on his 3rd full season in f1, becoming the youngest WDC in history, on a season where 5 different drivers could have won the title and it went down to the last race, people still love to downplay this bc “well to be honeeeeest only him and fernando could realistically win the championship and the ferrari was a horrible car”

he went on to destroy every other driver in 2011, obviously only thanks to newey

he beat fernando fair and square in 2012, again, obviously only thanks to newey and because the ferrari that season also was a really bad car

once again he went on to destroy every other driver in 2013, “thanks to the car”

4 championships in total, on a row, and beating drivers like Fernando Alonso who many consider even a better driver than Schumi

but no, he never deserved any of them because he won only because of the car, of fucking course

when he moved to ferrari, SO many people think he did it because he was “afraid of Ricciardo” and was only running away, and they all ignore the fact that

1. it was always seb’s dream to emulate what Schumi, his idol, did in Ferrari, his all time favourite team

2. he had a precontract since early in the season and he had been talking to ferrari for Y E A R S  before anything was made official

and now since he moved to Ferrari, he gets shit because “LoL vEtTeL bAd He SpInS”, I could go on a whole different rant over this lol 

Overall, I have NEVER seen a fucking four time world champion get as much shit as he does, be doubted as much as him, and be so fucking underrated as him, it’s fucking insane

like... I was gonna say “you’re only as good as you’re last race”, but I dont think that even applies to Seb because when he has a good race, so many people still say shit like “well duuuh, his team threw his teammate under the bus to let him win”

you dont fucking win 4 world championships if you’re not a fucking good driver, for fucks sake, how is that so difficult to understand??

on his personality, him and romain are the two sweetest and most caring drivers in the paddock lmfao 

hes the king of dad jokes and no one else can beat him at that you can’t change my mind

i also see so many comments on reddit saying that “they used to hate him back in redbull because he was so stuck up and a crybaby, but since he moved to ferrari he’s become such a funny guy” like??? no??? what the fuck???? he’s always been a really good and funny guy? did these people watch any of his interviews or press conferences back in 2010-2014? what??? how the hell do you think he’s the only driver to have had befriended kimi lmfao like just say that your bias against him made you not see how fucking funny he is, it’s fine

at the end of the day, no matter what seb does he is doomed

if he wins, it’s because of the car

if he loses, it’s because he’s a shit driver

if he moves teams, he’s just running away from his teammates

if he breathes, he’s wasting people’s oxygen 

if he doesn’t breath, he’s a dumb idiot because he’s gonna die

also he cares so much about his team and the sport, is super down to earth and will jump to any journalist’s throat if they ask something inappropriate to other drivers or to himself

I just fucking love sebastian so much why am i like this dhldsjhdkjghdfg 

oh my god this post is so long sdhflsdhfsjk 

[yxppeo]

wait for me

pairing: hyunjin x reader

genre: angst, fluff

au: friends to lovers, breakup, college

summary: you thought you’d never see your first love ever again

you and hyunjin go way back

i mean way way back

so let’s have some background about you two

you two met each other in middle school

you were assigned to sit next to him in your science class

and you befriended him right away

you both found a common interest in video games

“is that gta?” you asked hyunjin, pointing out the doodles on his papers

“y-yeah. you like video games?” he said as his eyes lit up

you nodded eagerly

“yes! i love them!”

and since then you two would talk about different video games when you got to class and before the teacher started her lesson

you were more on the tomboy side

so being around hyunjin was comfortable

like you were one of the guys

and the two of you became best friends

hyunjin was always at your side

you two would send each other horrible jokes

“do you want to hear a joke about pizza?”

“let me guess hyunjin, it’s too cheesy?”

“y/n! i was supposed to say that!”

overtime, you two were really close

and you started to develop a crush on him

it started with a classmate that sat near you and hyunjin

you two were laughing as always

when jisung goes

“when are you two going to start dating?” he jokes

you both stopped laughing

and started blushing

around wintertime, your best friend, nayoung, found out that a certain hwang hyunjin had a crush on a certain y/n

of course she told you, and you were red the whole day when your other friend, hyeri, wouldn’t stop teasing you

you kept your giggles to yourself, even with hyunjin around

continuing your jokes, despite your heart beating really fast the whole time

and after science class, he walked you to your next class

and that’s when you confessed to him

“jinnie, i like you.” you said quietly but loud enough only for him to hear

hyunjin smiled widely

“i like you too y/n.” he replied as he ruffled your hair

you walked into your english class with pink cheeks and a big grin

“what happened? did you tell him?” hyeri asked

“he likes me too.” you simply said

causing hyeri to hug you in happiness

hyunjin was the cutest and dorkiest boyfriend

he was shy to hold your hand

and when he did

it would be under the lunch tables as the teachers walked by

he would send you pick up lines that would only make you blush even more

you showed him a love song that reminded you of him

he was blushing while listening to the words

your first date with him was at an amusement park

it was filled with smiles and food

running around to find the different attractions

buying many toys and charms

you bought a snoopy plushie that both of you picked out

you thought it was cute

and it reminded you of hyunjin

you two went on a few rides, like the viking and bumper cars

but at the top of the roller coaster that you convinced hyunjin a thousand times to ride

before the carts could push everyone into the rest of the ride

you suddenly kissed his cheek

making him blush as you screamed in excitement when you accelerated through the tracks

don’t worry

at the top of the ferris wheel, he paid you back by kissing you on the cheek too

making you blush

over the months, you were so happy and in love with him

hyunjin was your first love

and your first kiss

he planted a quick kiss on the lips in front of your friends at your birthday party

immediately followed by screams from said friends

there were many kisses that came after that

in school, he would sneak you to where no one would see you two

or made sure there were no teachers

and he would give you a sweet kiss on the lips

which drove you insane for a fourteen year old

over the next few months, you and hyunjin didn’t talk that much

was it because of schoolwork?

was it because you two were too busy in your hobbies?

you honestly don’t remember

but you knew that you and hyunjin were drifting apart

and sadly

the summer after eighth grade ended

you and hyunjin broke up

hyunjin said that you two weren’t close as you were before

and as sad as you were

you decided not to fight it

and let him be

you remembered crying in your mom’s and dad’s arms

crying in nayoung’s arms as she visited you to make sure you were okay

crying as you saw your old yearbook filled with signatures and messages about you and hyunjin being together forever

tears falling where hyunjin wrote ‘i love you’ as he tried to draw you

laughing as you felt a bittersweet feeling in your heart

thankfully you felt better as time went on

freshman year of high school was so weird

your other peers were just learning that you and hyunjin were no longer together

and it was weird seeing him in a few of your classes

but you both remembered you were friends at first

so you tried to get along with him

it did work most of the time

especially when you were in a group with him

and had to do a project with him

but then you caught feelings again

you missed his hugs

his kisses

his cheesy jokes

unfortunately he did not miss yours

and it became awkward

you two didn’t talk for a long time

you returned your snoopy plushy to hyunjin at school since that was the only time you could see him

and you swore you could see the pain in his eyes as he saw what was in the gift bag

the only time you talked was at the end of the year, joking around like you did in middle school

at least you two weren’t strangers to each other

you felt relieved

but then you remembered one thing

he was moving schools

although it pains you

it also gave you some closure on your relationship with hyunjin

sophomore year came

then junior year

then senior year

you never contacted hyunjin

but he was following your social media

he became more handsome

taller

he worked out more

but he was still the game-loving dork you loved years ago

you also changed too

you swapped out your ugly glasses with contacts

you swapped your old wardrobe for a new style

you discovered how to apply makeup

and even dyed your hair a whole different color

you were a whole new woman

you didn’t really date anyone after hyunjin

hell

you haven’t even kissed anyone since hyunjin

deciding not to focus on relationships

especially since you were starting college

and you really want to focus on your studies and finding a stable job

you went through your first week with a breeze

seeing your old friends even tho it’s just been months since you’ve seen them

smelling the sweet coffee being made by the baristas as you go on your laptop

you got home when you heard your phone ring

‘hyvnjxn sent you a message.’

you had to do a double take

“is that who i think it is?”

you responded to it

and started a conversation with him

“it’s been a while hasn’t it?”

“yeah, it has. how have you been?”

you were shocked that you were actually talking to your ex

your first love

and you two weren’t awkward with each other

at all

it’s like those three years of not contacting each other happened

like you two were still good friends

you were talking to him as if he was one of your best friends

typing in all caps

smashing the keyboard

you found out that hyunjin wanted to serve in the navy

while you wanted to be in criminal justice and become a detective

“i never saw you as an army kind of guy”

“yeah, well i never saw you as a cop”

“…shut up lmao”

you also learned that he moved across the country

so sometimes he would message you while you were sleeping

but it was a nice thing to wake up to

the next few months have been hectic

you were balancing college with your part-time job

and although it can be stressful

hyunjin was there to message you and make sure you were okay

and if you needed to vent

he was there to listen

you both would skype a few times

whether it was just talking to each other face to face while doing homework

or playing games and yelling at each other

“hyunjin you missed that guy! now you gotta run to the other side before his teammates get you!”

“i’m trying my best here! let me live y/n!”

everyday, you kept talking to hyunjin

and before you even knew it

it was time for hyunjin to leave the country to go into the navy

you skyped him for a bit during your break in between classes

“you’re leaving already!”

“i know, i’m so sad.”

“who am i gonna cry to when i don’t have the motivation to do my readings or yell at when i’m playing games?”

hyunjin laughed

“it’s only gonna be two years, then i’ll be back to be yelled at by you.” he smiled

you pouted

“i’m so glad I talked to you – to have you back in my life again.” hyunjin said

you blushed at his words

good thing your laptop camera isn’t that good

“i could say the same to you. i mean, we used to date, you were my first love. i didn’t think i would see you again.”

hyunjin smiled

“you were my first love too. i didn’t think i would even have the balls to talk to you again.” he joked

you two kept talking for another five minutes

“hey, y/n, i really have to go, but i’ll talk to you later?”

“of course. bye hyunjin!” you smiled as you clicked on the end call button

you sighed

“i’m not supposed to love you again.” you thought to yourself

after finishing your last class, you drove home

drowning your thoughts in your music

you sulked into your living room

“why are you so sad for?” a voice called out

you jumped, holding your fists into the air

turning around to see hyunjin with wide eyes

“whoa there. it’s just me.” hyunjin said with his hands up

“h-hyunjin? is that you?!” you said, running towards him

wrapping your arms around his torso

“it’s nice to see you too y/n.” he giggled, engulfing you into a bear hug

you pulled away from him

“what are you doing here?”

“i’m gonna be leaving soon, so why not spend a few days here, with you?”

“with me?”

hyunjin nodded

“yes you, silly. now go get ready!” he said, pushing you towards the stairs

after getting ready and whatnot, you and hyunjin hung out at the mall

eating lunch at the cafe located in it

your friends were spamming you the moment you posted a snap of him

but you didn’t care to answer

you were caught in the moment

looking at hyunjin who sipped on his drink in front of you

you had a bubbly feeling that you haven’t felt in a long time

yet it felt so familiar

“stop looking at me.” hyunjin joked

shaking your thoughts away

“i’m sorry! it’s just feels like a dream. are you really here in front of me?” you said, poking his cheek

hyunjin grabbed your hand, wrapping it with his

“yes, i really am here.”

the next day, hyunjin picked you up from school, and headed straight towards the pier

the same pier with the amusement park you and hyunjin went to on your very first date with each other

“hyunjin!” you called out as he parked the car

you felt tears building up

hyunjin giggled as he unbuckled his seatbelt

“i’m glad you remembered. now come on!”

you two ran into the park like little children

holding hands

“remember when we kissed each other’s cheeks on the roller coaster and the ferris wheel?” hyunjin asked

making you blush a bit

“yes! we were so young back then. look at how much the park has changed.”

you two enjoyed the park’s new attractions

playing the games that took half of your spending money

but it was worth it when hyunjin won you a huge teddy bear

“hyunjin, it’s not gonna fit in your small car!”

“but it’ll fit in your room.” he winked

causing you to slap his shoulder, trying to hide your blushing face

you and hyunjin decided to ride on the roller coaster

the infamous cheek-kissing ride

“you still scared of roller coasters?” you teased hyunjin

“hey! i am not!” he whined

and yet here you two were at the very top of the roller coaster

you really had the balls to look down and look at hyunjin

“you sure you’re not scared?” you smirked

“a little, but i’m not scared of doing this.”

before you could even breathe to ask him what he’s talking about

he quickly cupped your face and planted his lips onto yours

you melted into the kiss as the carts moved forward at a fast speed

screams from other riders blasting through the park

but everything felt like it was in slow-motion

like it was just you and hyunjin in the world

he pulled back near the end of the ride

leaving you looking like a tomato

hyunjin was grabbing your things when you grabbed his hand

interlacing your fingers together

hyunjin smiled as he pulled you away and into the park again

enjoying the night winds

hyunjin dropped you off home, walking you to your door

“i’ll see you tomorrow at the airport?” he said, inches away from you

you felt your heart break a little

you forgot that hyunjin was leaving tomorrow for the navy

“yeah.” you breathed out

“good night y/n.” he said, deeply looking into your eyes

you lifted yourself up with your toes

pulling hyunjin for a kiss

you stayed in that position for a while

until you pulled back and opened the door

leaving hyunjin in a dazed state

you went into your room, placing down the huge bear in the corner of your room, and cried yourself to sleep

despite having the most amazing day ever with hyunjin

the next day rolled in

you found yourself in the freezing airport

you were waiting with hyunjin as he rested on your shoulder

his family that stayed on your side of the country was with you two

waiting for his departure as well

his flight was leaving in half an hour

you looked through your phone

until you heard the call for his flight

“hyunjin, wake up.” you said quietly, patting his cheek

he stirred in his sleep as he slowly got up

“it’s time to go.” you said with a small, yet painful smile

hyunjin reflected your smile, rubbing circles on the back of your hand with his thumb

you walked him to his terminal

“i guess this is goodbye.” hyunjin said

that bittersweet feeling you knew too well filled your body

you couldn’t say anything to him

you just hugged him, squeezing him tightly

letting your tears ruin his shirt

“i’m gonna miss you a lot.” you said, muffled by his chest

hyunjin chuckled

“i’ll call you when i can.” he said

you looked up at him

hyunjin instantly wiped your tears with his thumbs

giving you the sweetest smile

“wait for me.” he quietly said, kissing your forehead

“i love you.” he added

“i love you too hyunjin.” you said, trying not to choke up

he pulled away, said his goodbyes to his family and started walking towards the boarding bridge

you sniffled as he turned around and waved to you

you couldn’t help but smile as more tears ran down your face as you watched him walk through the doorway

but wait, there’s more

two years without physically seeing hyunjin seemed like forever

but you distracted yourself with your friends, schoolwork, and your job

you were in your third year of university

you found a paid internship at the police department

and they guaranteed you a position after you graduate from the police academy

you were ahead of your classes, so that meant a lot of down time for you

you hung out with your friends on weekends doing whatever you felt like doing

whether it was shopping

eating

or watching cheesy romcoms

which reminded you of hyunjin

laughing to yourself as you remembered you both loved horror and action movies more

your friends were quite shocked at how well you were doing without him

but little did they know

you two were still in contact

you never told them about your late night skype calls whenever he was available

you two would eat while video chatting

taking him with you while you ran errands

even falling asleep while on the call

“y/n, you haven’t been on a date in forever!” nayoung yelled

“you haven’t dated anyone since hyunjin, and he’s literally the only guy you’ve dated.” hyeri said

“i am literally right next to you. i can hear you loud and clear.” you said, rubbing your ears as you and your best friends continued walking through campus

“yeah, why don’t we set you up with that cute guy from your english class?” hyeri added in, taking in a bite of her sandwich

“i’m not interested.” you chuckled

“you haven’t even tried to mingle with anyone once during college, and we have a year left here.”

“you even shot down the guy who was totally flirting with you when we were shopping.”

“i thought he was being nice!” you exclaimed

“but seriously, it’s no big deal. you don’t have to worry about my love life.”

“you sure you don’t want me to find someone for you?”

“i can hook you up!”

you looked ahead to see a tall figure wearing camouflage

instantly making eye contact with them

once you realized who it was

you two broke into the biggest smiles

“i think i’ll be just fine.”

you ran towards the figure and leaped onto him

wrapping your arms tightly around his shoulders as he lifted you up

not caring that there were people staring

“hyunjin!” you said as tears were already spilling from your eyes

“holy shit.” nayoung and hyeri said as their jaws dropped

“i see you’ve missed me badly.” hyunjin laughed as he held you

“of course i did!” you said as he lowered you onto the ground

planting a sweet and chaste kiss on your lips

you couldn’t help but blush at the familiar feeling

“i hope you didn’t wait for me for too long.” hyunjin said

“for you, i’d wait forever.”

[johnny-writes]

All the Muses

This is a cheat sheet of all the muses available on this blog, and it’s also a summary if you want to interact. My main muses have their own separate pages, so if you want more details about them, click on their names.

Frequent muses - these are my main muses, they tend to be used frequently in threads

Marcos Grzbowski - OC, thinks he’s smart, Duning-Krüger hasn’t been nice to him, emotional guy disguised as a rational one, the “meta-guy” Rebecca Z. Mishko - OC, awkward girl, stutters, loyal like heck, rational girl disguised as an emotional one, could be a queen bee in an alternate timeline Marya - OC, sassy fairy, travels a lot, dying is no big deal, a sun that never sets, secretively the worst tsundere ever Lumi - Vocaloid, jellyfish goddess or android with a peculiar design, either way she’s clumsy, believes too much her stories Mayu - Vocaloid, is processing 108 ways to kill you per second, actually cares for her family, yandere for fun, that rabbit is a cyborg Yohioloid - Vocaloid, depressed genius, sabotages himself frequently, needs a slap from himself Yan He - Vocaloid, was a mistake, doesn’t care (cares a lot), please hug her Padparadscha - Houseki no Kuni, manliest rock ever, nice hair, will be your big brother, can destroy others if requested, wants to die Kamina - Gurren Lagann, manliest man ever, will be your unorthodox big brother, will punch you, can’t survive without his little brother Dr. Danny - Angels of Death, thinks he has a good disguise, doctorate in tongue twisters, hateshateshateshateshateshateshates Rebecca

Less used muses - muses that need more threads, I’d love if you want to make a thread with them

Talyna - OC, not an actual vampire, an alien that looks like a vampire, wants to go home Cubi - Vocaloid, infernal creature, what was Hio thinking, tries to light him up Maika - Vocaloid, preciosa, can’t get sad, that can be a problem Anon - Vocaloid, shy, stays at home, Smash champion Kanon - Vocaloid, extroverted, has a job, fears she’s stunting her sister Alexandrite - Houseki no Kuni, nerd (nerd), overbearing teacher, goes berserk, champion of self-control Yellow Diamond - Houseki no Kuni, smiling, depressed, survivor’s guilt, old Rutile - Houseki no Kuni, a doctor better than the one below, hopelessly in love with Padpa (again, who doesn’t?), might be a yandere Obsidian - Houseki no Kuni, weaponsmith, behaves like a valley girl, cheerful, just don’t mess with their swords Kotaro Tatsumi - Zombieland Saga, a loud idol producer, can turn anything into an idol, ANYTHING Presea - Tales of Symphonia, a girl trying to understand what the heck happened to her, be nice with her Hitomi Shizuki - Puella Magi Madoka Magica, rich girl, emotionally strong, wants to help, forgets to consider others’ feelings Yuri - Doki Doki Literature Club, smug reader, fancies herself to be smart, can be good at parties, sees people as games Pixy - Ace Combat Zero, hates borders, chill, can use a gun Eagle - Ace Combat Zero/OC (gijinka of Pixy’s F-15), has a scary face, actually socially awkward, can fly and kill you in 13 different ways, tries to make friends Tohru Adachi - Persona 4, looks like a bumbling police officer, actually is an edgy loser that wants to watch the world burn, but can keep his word Kazuma Satou - Konosuba, the worst hero ever, wants to be a NEET, has to get involved in wild adventures instead, wants to dump his teammates, returns to them in a co-dependency relationship Izumi Makino - Konosuba/OC, Kazuma’s former childhood crush, doesn’t like him, think he’s a creep, but knows a lot about him, secretly wants to mend up things, but too proud to admit, otherwise she belongs in a biker gang Info-chan - Lovesick: Yandere Simulator, does not know recognize the meaning of privacy, sadistic, h@cker, hates hates hates Osana Najimi

Was in a thread - characters that I played as supporting cast, some might climb the ladder

The Vinemaster - OC, assassin, can control vines, keeps things professional, I have to give him a name yet Baba Yaga - OC, witch, troll (not literally), politically incorrect, wants to take over the world (for what purpose again?) Bronislava - OC, Polish Reimu, nun, saw everything Caulpil - OC, nervous, nice guy (might be not the nicest type of nice guy) IA - Vocaloid, cinnamon roll, can befriend Mayu Gumi - Vocaloid, romantic, can’t understand her feelings Yukari Yuzuki - Vocaloid, edgy to the circuits, cares only for IA Lily - Vocaloid, issues orders, actually a good boss, just wants a break, needs to smile Tone Rion - Vocaloid, nurse, overworked, secretly has a talent for being an idol, hates it Lapis Aoki - Vocaloid, cinnamon roll, forgetful Merli - Vocaloid, aloof, there’s a reason for that Matcha and Azuki - Vocaloid, they are like a comedic duo Tohoku Zunko - Vocaloid, big sister, tired of Lumi’s crap Gahata Meiji - UTAU, witch, geography teacher, has no idea why, just needs money, can’t get her research together Sundowner - Metal Gear Rising, sadistic cyborg, really bad boss Cirno - Touhou, too dumb to die, cares for her friends Suwako Moriya - Touhou, was tossed away, speak in enigmas, gets anime for Sanae Flandre Scarlet - Touhou, four of a kind in one Koakuma - Touhou, flirty and cocky towards humans, wants to eat your soul, but can look cute doing it Lord Death - Soul Eater, boss, boss, boss, knows more than they think Simon - Gurren Lagann, needs his big bro, serious, Kamina’s character makes no sense without him

I attempted to write - muses that I once wrote as part of an ask to try writing them - you can always send me characters to try using this meme

Momoko - Ghost Stories, can’t fear anything, God is with her, 10 years of theological education to write this Ruby Rose - RWBY, loves her gun, tries to discover the meaning of fun

On Demand - muses that I only played upon demand from friends, not adding to main roster soon

Star Butterfly - Star vs the Forces of Evil, princess from another dimension, brighten up your day, may or may not be in love with Crona Marco Díaz - Star vs the Forces of Evil, just wanted to help, almost unleashed a monster and went RULES OF NATURE Janna Ordonia - Star vs the Forces of Evil, smug, wants to star a hentai with Marco Dokis - Doki Doki Literature Club, treated as one, the same as canon but with ultra-smug Yuri

Johnny

Oh hi Mark

[orrtala]

Post-season 1 mini-analysis of the characters

It's a liveblog! I only finished season one, please no spoilers in the comments/reblogs!

I won’t be going into details here; the proper character and relationships analyses will be written after S2. But, since few people did want to see my opinion about character after S1, and to help collect my thoughts, here’s this little thing.

I’m going with alphabetic order cause why not.

Hunk

First impression: Please tell me he’s not going to be that fat best friend comic relief. He definitely lives up to his name (nickname?) though.

Actually: Sweetheart genius pun-making big beautiful yellow child. Team’s tank and support. Had a really nice character arc. Gut feeling power. Great chef and mechanic. Anxious and nervous, but also strong and ready to be here when needed by space family and Zarkon’s victims.

I don’t really know that much about him? Nothing about his parents, potential siblings, etc. Heck, I don’t even know if “Hunk” is actually his name! DreamWorks I demand justice, give me his backstory! His family, how did he become friends with Lance, just give me something!

At first he was a cowardly lion (…pun not entirely intended,) and didn’t really have a motivation for being a Paladin except, you know, the whole “universe will be destroyed if I won’t do something” thing. But once the things are calm (before the storm) and Pidge wants to leave the team he expresses a desire to leave as well. So he gets an arc. First of all he gets motivation to save Lance, which is personal to him. Then gets to meet Shay, learns how life looks like on the Balmera, what does it mean to live under Zarkon’s rule. And only then it also gets personal for him. Basically if you want this guy’s help you need to shove the rightful issue right under his nose. And boy, the help he delivers. I’m so proud. Hunk used to be an engineer back at the Garrison; he’s quite knowledgeable when it comes to technology. In addition he’s a good cook, so let’s hope Paladins won’t have to deal with green goo all the time in the future. I’m not exactly sure what writers are planning to do with him in a future, since he does have a motivation and means to continue being a Paladin. The continuation of his arc, I think, will need some big event that will result in things for him to overcome. What it’s going to be? No clue right now. On an ending note: he loves puns. And I don’t think there’s a faster way to worm into my heart than being a pun lover.

Katie “Pidge” Holt

First impression: Okay, so is that a boy or a girl? What kind of name is Pidge? Ah, apparently a guy. A guy that gets angry when Kerberos mission is involved. Hmmmm.

Actually: Poor kid who lost half of her family and is determined to get them back no matter what. A genius, a nice kid, MVP who almost single-handedly managed to save the Castle, the Lions, and her space family.

The character with most known background; we know her family, we know that her father and brother were taken by Galra, we know she has a dog, we know her full name, we got some flashbacks about her life for a last year, when she wanted to find out the truth about her missing family. It’s also implied that while she’s a prodigy two captured Holts apparently were also good enough to be chosen for Kerberos mission. Must be genes.

Pidge might be a prodigy, but is also a little kid who just wants to get her father and brother back. An awkward kid, who rambles when she gets nervous and overthinks things, and, similiary to Keith has a little problem with handling other people. At first solely motivated by rescuing her family “I’m not here to make friends” Pidge initially refuses Lance and Hunk’s friendship at the Garrison, but they got through to her, at least partially. When she wants to leave she’s stopped by Lance getting hurt and decides to stay after seeing how much the team (and by extension the universe) needs her and because she actually cares about her new family. As the season went on she got close to Shiro and Hunk, finding a support in them, just like she had with her family back home. She trusts all six of them and they trust and respect her in turn. The future? Working with Voltron and saving all of them multiple times. Won’t stop searching for her family until she finds them.

Keith

First impression: What is mullet. Why does this kid look like Shadow the Human. He’s going to be one of these edgy kids, isn’t he, he has motorcycle and everything. Also he looks too similiar to Lance from Sym-Bionic Titan, let’s hope I won’t have any problem with mixing their names, that would be awkward.

Actually: My poor isolated red kid not used to relying on others. Good instincs, good fighter, bad at socializing, touch-starved, probably autistic. Survivalist who doesn’t really think much of his safety and is ready to be sacrificial when he thinks the situation calls for it.

His background isn’t explored, but I’m pretty sure it was purposeful. He lives alone in a shack after being thrown out of the Garrison and knew Shiro. Most probably an orphan (or at the very least his parents/one of the parents disappeared and we’ll know more about it later). Too many hints made me believe he’s part Galra. And perhaps even has some space magicks?

The right arm, a pilot prodigy, sadly didn’t get an arc yet. If I’d have to guess it will tie-in with his heritage (*cough*Galra Keith*cough*) and finding answers about who he is. He’s not… great with people; he can’t understand some jokes, he yells at Pidge instead of properly reasoning with her in a calm when she wants to leave, and while he’s not bad at coming up with plans, he usually carries them out alone (though he does have his moments of being Shiro’s substitute when he’s indisposed like in the “Return of the Gladiator”, he is a lancer of the team after all.) Dude lived on a desert for a year and was somehow fine with, I presume, very minimal human contact. Self-sufficient person who now has to learn to work with others. And he tries! …Sometimes. One of the things that confuses me about him is his sword training. Where exactly did he get it? He was being trained for pilot in the Garrison, I doubt they thought he needed such practice. Another thing to add to his secret past? I guess so. From what I’ve seen Keith is a person who relies mostly on his instincts and feelings. Once he sets his mind on something he’s going to do it, unless you’ll give him a good reason (good enough for him) to act differently. He does spend at least a few months in the shack, searching for the source of some energy connected to Blue Lion. And he can’t even explain why he does it. However he is thorough with his search, as his cork board has shown. Has an eye for detail and at times can be inquiring. Knows his faults (when Lance calls him out on the actual mistake on his part he backpedals and agrees,) tries to focus on a bigger picture (Voltron vs Allura in the finale, Pidge leaving the team,) ready to sacrifice himself if he thinks the situation calls for it (stalling Zarkon in the finale.) He is loyal to his team, frequently tries to bond with them despite being a loner (pretty much every free time he spends with a team he’s smiling,) and his actions are focused on helping others and, by extension, saving the universe.

Lance

First impression: An embodiment of DreamWorks Eyebrow™, full of false over-confidence, ruins everything with his actions and- did he just protect his teammate and then took the Sergeant Drill Nasty’s ire on himself and was reminded that he wasn’t supposed to be there? Ohkaaaaay. Also really, really pointy chin.

Actually: Child with self-confidence issues, trusts easily, everyone’s friend (unless you’re Keith and only at the beginning, they’re good-ish now!) team’s heart, relies on his eyesight a lot, self-proclaimed laaaaaaadies man. Probably a hipster.

He’s a Cuban with a family he misses very much. We even get a look at them during the mind-melding scene. Tried to be a fighter pilot and only became one after Keith dropped out.

Ah, Lance. Kid doesn’t really know who he is. I mean, if I was compared to Keith so much and then started to compare myself to him too I’d also get confused. His arc, amusingly, is similiar to Keith’s as in it’s also a quest for identity. Except Keith has some knowledge about his abilities and doesn’t feel overshadowed by anyone, but he has no place outside Voltron. Lance meanwhile has a family back on Earth which he dearly misses, but doesn’t know who he is in a team, can’t recognize his talents. And here’s a thing: not only he’s confused, the audience is supposed to be confused too. It’s really weird how these little things point Lance into different directions, when, ultimately (I think,) he’s Blue Paladin. He likes people, he likes paying attention to them, he’s perceptive, observes their reactions. Easily befriends everyone, even when they refuse his friendship (Pidge.) The only exception being Keith, though before S1 ended they became friend-ish despite initial petty hostility (but didn’t really have that much problem with working with him when the situation calls for it from the very beginning - they did carry Shiro out of the tent together after all.) It’s not a coicidence that he’s a person who gets to interact with everyone first - with a sole exception of Shiro, though even their handshake was a focus for few moments. He’s a team player, something that Pidge considers a dangerous trait. I think the moment that showed best how important and valuable he was to the team when he was out of commision. Literally right after he leaves the party Allura learns that Pidge wants to leave Voltron and can not be deterred by anyone else. The fake Rover blows up, he saves the life of a guy he only just met, and everyone are suddenly working together cause Lance is injured he needs a pod, they need a crystal, Pidge doesn’t even hesitate at offering help, and essentialy it’s a Voltron’s darkest hour so far. He’s a heart, he’s a glue to a team. I don’t really want to think what would happen if he got seperated from space family for a long time; nobody would handle it well.

Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane

First impression: Protagonist’s voice. Also nice eyeliner, man! … …Oh no, poor guy.

Actually: Poor guy. Taken by aliens, forced to fight in the arena, has been experimented on, developed PTSD. And yet despite his experiences he’s a good man with a sense of morality. Deep-rooted issues about him being a Paladin and protector of all these children. Doesn’t fear death, not anymore.

We know his full name. We know he is a great pilot, he can be seen wearing a medal, good enough to be chosen for Kerberos mission. Captured by Galra he essentially lost a year of his life and forgot most of it, only recalling bits and pieces. There are no hints about his family and he didn’t think about them when Paladins were looking into each other’s headholes. Could it be that he doesn’t really have anyone? Might be an extra reason how ge got along with Keith pre-show.

Shiro’s a perfectionist, who tries not let others know about his problems, but is ready to solve everybody else’s. And, sadly, he’s not handling his issues very well, choosing to internalize them instead of talking about them to somebody. It makes sense though, not only he tries to look as a steady figure who’s always in control of his actions, not when these kids rely and look up to him, but also when you consider the nature of his troubles. After a year spent fighting, being experimented on, losing his arm, having his appearence changed (and now I’m imagining how he must have felt when he finally looked into mirror and saw all the scars for the first time brain stop please) he’s not sure who he is anymore. And to add to that he doesn’t know what exactly he did during that year. Who knows, maybe he commited monstrosities for the sake of survival and he just doesn’t remember it? Is he enough to be a Black Paladin? He has PTSD, isn’t that a good trait for a leader. And what could they even say if he did spill his problems to them? They wouldn’t even know how to help him, right? Or worse, Sendak was right all along and they actually don’t need him. Despite his inner turmoils Shiro tries, and tries to be a good leader and wants his new family to survive the war, and for the most part he succeeds! He comes up with good plans on a fly, he knows when teammate’s ability is needed, he’s charismatic, he has commanding presence, he helps others and is always willing to listen to them. The only times I can think of that his ideas weren’t that great were a) letting Pidge leave the team and b) I agree that saving Allura was a Right Thing but in the end it did put everyone in danger and if it wasn’t for Thace’s intervention, well… What really gets me when it comes to Shiro, that despite his experiences he’s a good guy. Yeah, I know that all our heroes are the good guys but Shiro? Shiro was put through unspeakable pain and suffering, and yet he has his morals and sticks to them. He’s also the only person who knows how laser guns sounds like. Good on you, Shiro!

Allura

First impression: !!!! She’s so pretty! And will kick your butt. Effortlessly.

Actually: Do you have any idea how much I wish Allura existed when I was a kid? Hands down favorite Disney DreamWorks princess. Headstrong, brave, kind, strong, sad but tries not to show it, lost everything and instead of wallowing in sadness she wants to fight back the best she can.

Her backstory is pretty straightforward: only child of the space elf alien king, her planet and people were destroyed and she spent 10 000 years sleeping. Not much is known about her mother, but I’m gonna go ahead and assume she died before Zarkon turned out evil. Allura remembers her though.

Allura’s not your usual Princess. And I made no secret of how much I love her character. She lost everything thanks to Zarkon: her father, her people, her planet; the only Altean alive besides her is Coran, there are also her pet mice (to whom she is connected, and, uh, I guess it’s a space magicks explanation for her having an animal companions she doesn’t have to sing to; shame, I’d really like to hear her singing,) the Castle and Voltron. That’s it, that’s all she has. Oh, she used to have her father’s AI as a companion but… But… I’m not going to cry again. Our Princess is terrified of the war, but it doesn’t stop her in her quest of not letting Zarkon destroy any more worlds. She’s sad beyond belief, but she puts a smile on her face in front of others. She’s there to have your back, she’s there to fight when she has to, she’s there to save you. Allura has shown on more than one occasion, that she’s ready to die for others (getting captured by Galra so Shiro could be free, healing Balmera though she knew very well it might have cost her her life.) She’s very strong, and very capable in close combat and using her surroundings. …Not much luck with distance weapons. Unless throwing poeple at others can be called figthing at distance. Also she shows promise in using space magicks, and I’m not sure how much it ties to being an Altean, being an Altean royalty, or something else.

Coran

First impression: Nigel Thornberry. A comic relief, bigger than Lance and Hunk.

Actually: Team’s support, probably smarter than everyone else combined, full of pent up anger at Zarkon that we finally got to witness in the season finale. Knowledgeable about many things. Very old, very sad.

Similiary to Allura he lost everything (besides the Princess) after Zarkon destroyed Altea. But I don’t really know the extent of his loss - did he have any family? Spouse, children? Alfor trusted him and Allura apparently was alway close to him. I’d really love to see some kind of backstory episode for this guy, I bet it’d leave us all in tears.

Coran is a tricky case; he’s the least prominent part of the cast, most of the time spent on being a team’s support. And that’s exactly his role, it’s apparently what he was doing most of his life: serving the royal family. First it was Alfor, now it’s Allura. Trustworthy and capable enough to be left with a Princess, a Black Lion, and a quest on flying a Castle to Arus and then freezing himself up as well. That picture above? It’s a first expression he makes, sad, but solemn in his duties. And it last barely a second before starting some background shenanigans with Lance. And since he is an Altean, experienced at that, I don’t think he’d have that much problem with handling down a teenager. He took a look at the situation, saw that Allura isn’t actually in any danger, but just in case presented himself as harmless, so the newcomers would underestimate him. And, I guess, it was also supposed to be audience’s reaction as well: “Oh look, haha, a comic relief.” He actually is a comic relief, but non-offensive, quite astute, with vast knowledge. Treats his duties seriously, and, unsurprisingly, is very protective when it comes to Princess, trying to not let her step right into danger. Also trolls Paladins while trying to teach them something in a process. It’s also suggested that he’s 600 years old (the Castle is 10 600 and Coran’s grandfather took him to see it being built) and while we don’t really know that much about him it’s not out of reach to think he had family on his own before the war. He definitely has paternal instincts towards the Paladins and especially Allura. So yeah, Coran’s there for you whenever you need him, but he’s not going to step into spotlight, rather choosing to help others in achieving their goal.

Tl;dr: I love them all so much.

[florencetheflowerfairy]

Digimon Adventure Hogwarts AU

@whatplanetdididial asked about my Hogwarts headcanons! I developed some ideas in my one-shot, Hogsmeade Tomorrow, but I'm such a huge nerd that I have a lot more ideas!

Many of the headcanons below come from conversations I've had with my sister, but some ideas I thought of myself just for this post. I'll write about more than the Hogwarts Houses, because I'm more interested in adapting the characters' backstories to the Harry Potter universe.

Taichi Yagami - Gryffindor - Pure blood

Unlike Harry Potter, who comes from an abusive muggle household, Taichi the protagonist comes from a happy home and is one of the best-adjusted characters. Therefore, I think that the Yagamis ought to be more like the Weasleys than the Potters. They're a kindhearted magical family and they provide a solid rock for the more troubled characters to lean on. Taichi himself has a magnetic personality and easily befriends both muggles and magical folk. But his best friends from childhood are Sora, of the Noble House of Takenouchi, and Koushiro, a muggle-born. Taichi has a teasing personality and sometimes says insensitive things about muggles, but he never means harm, and he learns from his mistakes. And even if he complains about schoolwork, Taichi loves exploring the castle and is eager to learn more about both the magical and non-magical worlds.

Taichi, bearer of the crest of courage, is a perfect fit for Gryffindor. He’s one of the two easiest characters to sort. He plays for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and maybe becomes team captain. He could be a chaser or the seeker.

Although the Yagamis are a loving family, they carry a heavy burden. Taichi’s younger sister Hikari is a Seer. When the siblings were little, she recited a prophecy to her brother that foretold the death of the Dark Lord Vamdemon: twelve children working together as a team would find the power to defeat him. As the years pass, the siblings learn who their teammates are meant to be. While Hogwarts’ Headmaster Gennai believes that these children must obey the will of Fate and fulfill the prophecy, Taichi believes and insists that they still have free will. Because of his clear-eyed attitude and faith in his friends, Taichi makes an excellent leader for the team.

Sora Takenouchi – Gryffindor – Half-blood

Sora’s mother Toshiko comes from a noble pure-blood family. The Takenouchis own the largest magical garden in the United Kingdom. However, Toshiko married a Squib, Haruhiko, who had been cut off from his own magical family. Their marriage was a widely-publicized scandal in the wizarding world, meaning that Sora was famous before coming to Hogwarts. People she meets tend to fall in one of two categories: they over-romanticize her parents’ love story, or they insult her parents as blood traitors. The reality is harsher for Sora; her parents are married but they live apart for their jobs. While her mother presides over the Takenouchi estate, her father is a mythology professor at Oxford. It takes Sora years to understand their love for each other.

Sora does not show an aptitude for magic until she is eleven years old, and she worries about being a disappointment to her mother, a powerful sorceress. It is easy for young Sora to imagine that her mother resents her and her father for ruining her social status. Sora rebels by playing Quidditch, which Toshiko thinks is a dangerous sport. She becomes best friends with her neighbor, Taichi, but she keeps her early struggles with magic a secret from him, out of fear that he wouldn’t understand.

I think Sora would be an excellent Gryffindor! She is extremely brave and protective of her friends from the very beginning of Adventure. Sora joins the Gryffindor Quidditch team alongside Taichi, and would make an excellent chaser, seeker, or even Team Captain. She definitely becomes prefect and Head Girl. Sora loves helping the younger students, regardless of their House.

Sora and Taichi befriend Yamato, another half-blood Gryffindor, in their first year. She finds that she has a lot in common with him. During an adventure, Sora and Yamato run into Dementors and discover that they are both particularly vulnerable to the monsters. But they help each other to cast Patronuses and escape.

Yamato Ishida – Gryffindor – Half-blood

Yamato and Takeru’s mother is a witch, and their father is a muggle. (This was my sister’s idea, and it is the best idea in this post.) After their parents’ divorce, Yamato went to live with his father, while Takeru went to live with his mother. So Yamato and Takeru have very different childhoods! Hiroaki Ishida, a television reporter for the BBC in London, has a difficult time raising his wizard eldest son. Yamato grows up knowing a lot more about the muggle world than the wizarding world, and he remains fiercely defensive of muggles when he finally leaves for Hogwarts. However, he grows to love Hogwarts, because of the friends he makes, and because Takeru eventually joins him there.

Yamato is a Gryffindor and I can’t see him any other way! He is one of the bravest and proudest characters, and his character arc is all about how he acts chivalrous towards his younger brother. Yamato often acts before thinking, such as when he dove into the sea-serpent-infested lake to save Takeru in episode 3. (Yamato absolutely dives into the Black Lake to save some tiny first-year at some point.) His strength doesn’t come from being rational or logical; his strength is that he has an enormous heart and he acts instinctively to protect people. Like a Gryffindor! And like Sora, I think he becomes Gryffindor prefect and Head Boy.

Another reason to make Yamato a Gryffindor is that he and Ron Weasley have similar roles. (If Ron were in the Adventure universe, he would surely have the crest of Friendship.) Both Yamato and Ron are close friends to the protagonist; both betray the protagonist and leave the group (in the seventh book / in the Dark Masters’ arc); and both return to the protagonist and redeem themselves. Their betrayal is more interesting if they start out on the same team as the protagonist, in Gryffindor.

Additionally, Yamato forms a rock band, the Teenage Werewolves of London, which becomes popular with both muggles and magical folk.

Koushiro Izumi – Ravenclaw – Muggle-born

There are so many ways you could adapt Koushiro’s backstory to the Harry Potter universe, since he has biological parents and adoptive parents. Ultimately, what works best for me is that both sets of parents are muggles. I want the Hermione-esque muggle-born drama for our smartest wizard, so his biological parents should be muggles. But I also want Koushiro to be raised in a muggle family so that he feels even more curious about the wizarding world! Koushiro’s muggle adoptive parents worry that they’re not good enough parents for a wizard son, and Koushiro’s worries about fitting in with his parents are exacerbated.

When the Izumis realize that their adoptive son has magic powers, they move to the countryside to protect him from prying eyes. Luckily, Koushiro ends up befriending his magical neighbors, Taichi and Sora. (Though Koushiro never likes flying on broomsticks with them.)

Koushiro, bearer of the crest of Knowledge, is a perfect fit for Ravenclaw. He and Taichi are the two easiest characters to sort. The only reason it is difficult to put him in Ravenclaw is because it means he would be separated from his Gryffindor friends. But while Koushiro is certainly brave, he isn’t as outspoken as Hermione, and I don’t think he views himself as a brave person. He views himself foremost as an intelligent person.

Koushiro still finds time to hang out with his friends, since he doesn’t worry too much about grades. When he isn’t going on misadventures with Taichi, the two boys can often be found playing Wizard’s Chess in the Great Hall. Since many wizards hate muggle-borns, Koushiro appreciates his friendships a lot.

Mimi Tachikawa – Hufflepuff – Pure-blood

Like the Yagamis, Mimi’s family is mostly pure-blood, because I think that’s a good way to translate her innocence to the Harry Potter universe. She is a little spoiled and ignorant of the challenges that muggle-borns and squibs face. It’s also a good way to contrast her with Koushiro and Sora, whom she becomes friends with. (Mimi has, of course, heard of the Takenouchi family, and she thinks they are super romantic!) In spite of her ignorance, Mimi is naturally kind and loving towards muggles.

Mimi is a Hufflepuff because I want to emphasize her kind heart and idealistic nature. While Mimi learns to be brave over the course of Adventure, her kindness is what inspires an army of digimon to follow her. Mimi is the proudest Hufflepuff you’ll ever meet; she loves living in the non-judgmental House where students prioritize being nice to each other. I don’t think that Mimi views herself as a brave person (in comparison to Sora), or even an intelligent person (like Koushiro), but Mimi does try hard to be warm and welcoming. And she is proud of that.

Mimi has a natural affinity for both Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. She struggles with other classes, especially Defense Against the Dark Arts, which requires fighting. Mimi is popular and well-liked among the student body, but one of her best friends is fellow Hufflepuff and awkward nerd Jou Kido.

Jou Kido – Hufflepuff – Pure-blood

I like the idea of the Kidos being a respected magical family with long history of producing Healers. From an early age, Jou decides that he wants to be a Healer, like his father. Jou’s parents and older brothers were all sorted into witty Ravenclaw. But the Hat immediately sends Jou to Hufflepuff before he can object.

Jou is the ideal Hufflepuff: loyal, hardworking, trustworthy, kind. While he cares about school and grades more than any other character, he wasn’t created to have the crest of Knowledge. He was created to be the moral compass. Koushiro values learning for the sake of learning; Jou views school as a means to an end: to become a doctor, to help people.

It is easy for Jou to feel disappointed in himself. He studies harder than his older brothers, but he struggles to cast simple spells. He internalizes that Hufflepuff is the “loser” House, while the genuinely talented students go to other Houses. He overhears his classmates snicker that he’s practically a Squib.

Fortunately, Jou makes good friends at Hogwarts, especially Yamato, Sora, and Mimi. Mimi teaches Jou to be prouder of Hufflepuff and to relax once in a while. Jou’s older Ravenclaw brothers also watch over him. Jou’s diligence eventually pays off as he becomes Prefect and Head Boy.

Takeru Takaishi – Gryffindor – Half-blood

The tricky thing about Takeru is that he has a different role and personality in each season of Digimon. What’s constant is that he has to contrast with Yamato and Daisuke. (He’s extroverted while Yamato is introverted, and he’s experienced while Daisuke is inexperienced.) I think the popular fandom perception of Takeru nowadays is that he is clever and likes to troll people, and that he’s a ladies’ man. This is the route that Tri is taking with him. Based on that, I’d sort him into Slytherin. But the Takeru that my sister and I have developed in fanfiction is pretty different from Tri’s Takeru. I’m more influenced by the first two seasons, so I’d sort him into Gryffindor. While he relies on his older brother, Takeru is very brave for his age, and he is eager to become independent. Takeru also displays a flair for chivalry in 02 since he acts protective of Hikari, and that’s something I would have liked to see developed more. So, Gryffindor!

Another reason I’d sort him into Gryffindor is because I want Hogwarts to represent a happy place where Yamato and Takeru are united and can spend more time together (like the Digital World is). The easiest way to do that is to put them in the same House. I think that Takeru would choose Gryffindor for that reason alone.

Takeru is a half-blood who grew up with his witch mother, while Yamato grew up with their muggle father. Natsuko Takaishi went to Beauxbatons in France before moving to England, and she now works as a journalist for the Daily Prophet. Takeru takes after his mother and also loves writing. He fits in magical society better than his awkward brother. He joins the Gryffindor Quidditch team with Taichi and Sora, which gives Yamato opportunities to feel jealous of how close Takeru is to them.

Hikari Yagami – Gryffindor – Pure-blood

Hikari is also a tricky character to sort because the narrative doesn’t allow her to grow much. I think it’s easy to sort her into Hufflepuff because she’s “nice,” and that’s her main personality trait in the show. But my ideal character arc for Hikari would be that she learns to stand up for herself, which is a great arc for a Gryffindor! I’d like to show that Hikari is brave in her own way and that she grows to be independent. I also think it’d be fun to sort her into Gryffindor to show that she and her brother have more in common than they think, and they grow to be closer friends over the years. I think that bravery is something that Hikari values and emulates in her brother.

Hikari is a Seer who delivered a prophecy to Taichi when they were young. Because of her talents, the Dark Lord Vamdemon targets her, and Taichi is very protective of her. Hikari knows that her talents make her odd, even among wizards, and she tries to keep them secret.

Hikari brings the Yagami cat Miko with her to Hogwarts. Her human best friends are fellow Gryffindor Takeru, Hufflepuff Daisuke, and Ravenclaw Miyako. She loves Divination, but over time, as she gains confidence, she also learns to love Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Daisuke Motomiya – Hufflepuff – Muggle-born

I love the idea of Hufflepuff Daisuke! I think it’s important to contrast him with fellow protagonist Taichi. Taichi’s arc is about learning what true courage is, so he fits Gryffindor perfectly. I think that Daisuke always looks more reckless and immature than Taichi, but Daisuke’s true strength comes from his faith in humanity. He sees the goodness in everyone’s hearts. He forgives people’s mistakes easily. He believes in his friends, even when they don’t believe in themselves. Since Daisuke truly values kindness and giving people second chances, I think he’s a perfect fit for Hufflepuff.

Daisuke is a muggle-born with muggle parents and a muggle sister and he never knew anything about the wizarding world until he got his letter. Then he becomes extremely excited to be the Best Wizard Ever. However, upon arriving at Hogwarts, he slowly realizes that people look down on muggle-borns. He also struggles with schoolwork and worries about fitting in. He wishes that he could be in Gryffindor with Taichi, Hikari, and Takeru. He thinks that Taichi and Hikari are the coolest kids in school.

But Daisuke has a cheerful spirit and can’t help but love Hogwarts and his friends. Even though everyone underestimates him, he is the one who inspires Slytherin Ken to redeem himself. Daisuke also learns to love Hufflepuff, and he eventually becomes Team Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.

(Daisuke was also shocked to learn that Yamato Ishida, lead singer of the Teenage Werewolves of London, is a wizard. His sister Jun loves his band and wants Daisuke to introduce her to him.)

Miyako Inoue – Ravenclaw – Half-blood

I like the idea of Miyako being a half-blood to contrast with Muggle-born Daisuke and Pure-blood Ken. This way, she also gets to keep her love of muggle technology. Her family runs a store in Diagon Alley in London, where she can keep in close contact with both magical and muggle family members. She loves both muggle and magic cultures, and hates that the wizarding world has to stay a secret.

Miyako is outspoken enough for Gryffindor and merciful enough for Hufflepuff, but I love to sort her in Ravenclaw to emphasize her curiosity and intelligence. (I also think that Miyako acts eccentric like Luna Lovegood!) This also makes it easy for her and Koushiro to make friends and start an underground computer club in the technology-averse Hogwarts. Miyako excels in all subjects and eventually becomes a troublemaker prefect. (She likes to sneak into the other three Houses and she thinks that the House system is stupid. She also abuses her powers to award lots of points to Mimi. And of course, Miyako protests any teacher who looks unqualified.)

Miyako is especially protective of her young neighbor Iori, who joins her in Ravenclaw. She is the second person to forgive Ken for bullying muggle-borns, after careful consideration.

Iori Hida – Ravenclaw – Half-blood

The tricky part of sorting Iori is that I think he’d make an excellent Gryffindor, and I admit that I’m partially motivated by wanting to make the Houses “balanced.” (I already have so many Gryffindors!) I think that Iori certainly values bravery. He stood up to BlackWarGreymon and Oikawa, all by himself! However, I think that he values curiosity and intelligence as well. He’s a serious student and he prefers a cautious approach. He’s wise beyond his years. And if he’s in Ravenclaw, it’s easy for him to first find a mentor in Koushiro, before later meeting Hufflepuff Jou—which is the order he befriends them in the show.

I also think that Iori would choose Ravenclaw because he views his neighbor Miyako as an older sister, and he would like to be in the same House as her!

Iori’s father, Hiroki, was an Auror who died in the line of duty. Because of this, Iori hates Dark wizards and Dark magic more than any other character. Iori’s mother is a muggle-born witch. They moved in together with Iori’s grandpa on his father’s side. The Inoues recognized that the Hidas were struggling, and so they offered neighborly support throughout the years. Miyako, their youngest, became the closest to the Hida boy.

Iori is the last person to forgive Ken for flirting with Dark magic and bullying vulnerable children.

Ken Ichijouji – Slytherin – Pure-blood

Ken is the only character that I sort into Slytherin. I like it that way! He’s an outsider from the rest of the group. He’s the only character who starts on the “dark” side. In this case, translating that to the Harry Potter universe means that the Ichijoujis become an intolerant Noble Pure-blood family. Ken has particularly hated muggles since his older brother was killed in a muggle car crash.

I also view Ken as the character who is most motivated by ambition, and he is the only character I would describe as “cunning.” Ken has little regard for Hogwarts school rules, even if he appears to be the perfect student. He is an unregistered Animagus who can turn into a caterpillar (later a butterfly, after character development). He is also the youngest Quidditch player in a century, and he enjoys beating that foolish Mudblood Daisuke in Quidditch matches.

Ken finds a magical diary that inspires him to attack muggle-born students, which the Potions Master Yukio Oikawa slipped to him. Fortunately, Daisuke and the others are able to save Ken from the diary’s dark magic, and all of the afflicted muggle-born students return to normal. After Ken realizes how vile his actions were, he begins a long journey to redemption.