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soleilocverse · 30 days

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Scent Test

ASHDKJAH I was looking for something and realized I never posted my fic research of me going to Bath and Body Works and genuinely sniffing every candle they had out so: here are my notes w/ typos and all :) I sorted them roughly (bc on the spot) from Best to NO primarily thinking about what soleil would like but inevitably influenced by my own tastes

scents I found Strong got an * in front, no-gos got an x (increasing number of x's based just how much i was like ❌❌❌❌❌❌ on first impression)

findings: - soleil would like the mellow-er scents over the super strong ones which is fine bc cyrill wouldn't have brought any of those anyway - would go Bonkers over the ones that smell like fresh laundry or the others' creamers or other little day-by-day surrounding scents. - he also likes bake-y and fruit-y scents. and lavender!! i don't really like lavender so it was surprising the first time i sniffed one and brain was like :00000000 he would go for it, and then by the end I was like HE WOULD GO FOR IT - meanwhile he dislikes floral-y or perfume-y scents and strong woods-y or cologne-y scents as they would be triggers for him - and then ofc, the names and scents of candles i wind up using in fic :)

this was. a four page document btw so be aware when you hit read more. at the end of this fic research I personally walked away with a hot cocoa and sugared lemon zest candle btw ^^ i'm ngl the hot cocoa was 80% bc it reminded me of ness

Hi [here is my initial visit ^^ and i said hi to orient myself bc i did Not have a game plan going in]

Best

- the linen and lavender is v mellow but he would LOVE this. It's got like a subtle spiciness and reminds him of dryer sheets

-The bubbly rose is surprisingly sweet, and v mellow. Smells fruitier than champagne toast I think it's the cranberry

But the champagne toast is even More mellow

-the hot cocoa and cream smells good :) the Choco is v up in ur face but not overpowering

-*Merry Cookie

-*Spiced gingerbread smells like merry cookie but w/more spice lol

-*sugared lemon zest is v strong and v sweet and zesty

-*limoncello is somehow More strong and just as good, much more straight up Sugar Candy (Soleil would prefer the sugar zest)

-* the sundrenched linen smells v laundry-y, I think Soleil would like the smell but it's also v strong

-*Spiced citrus Grove is really strong but it's really nice, I think it would subconsciously remind Soleil of both Cyrill and athena

-crunchy English toffee smells like toffee :) v sweet and not Strong but getting there

-Cinnamon caramel swirl

-straeberry pound cake smells v sweets and if U really inhale u can smell like, a super ripe strawberry that's sat and gotten super juicy, oops Soleil would like that a lot

-peach belline really peach sweet w a hint of zest (the sweet orange ig)

-the white pumpkin smells spicy but has a nice warm tone to it, probs the caramel

-Winter candy apple v sweet and mellow

-the champagne apple and honey is lightly sweet and mellow

-the raspberry mimosa is v sweet

-same w/ midnight blue citrus w/ the mango, v nice and mellow

-the lavender vanilla is v underwhelming so I think Soleil might like it, esp bc like lavender and soothing qualities or so he's heard

-raspberry thumbprint is v There if u know what ur looking for, has a good mix of the two but it's kinda weird bc they're So mixed? Idk

-vanilla bean

-punpkin pecan waffles has a warm effect to it (probs the maple syrup but otherwise is too difficult to parse)

Acceptable

-vanulla bean noel isn't v strong (the lotion is stronger)

The after scent on it is v warm likecaraml scents

-*Crushed candy smells more like candy than the twisted peppermint

-peppermint sugar cookie has a??? Kind of mellow scent to it? Like smth from bath time? It might be the creamy butter??

-tis the season has a v appley kind of scent that mixes well with the spice and it's quite mellow (Soleil would like this one a lot)

-straeberry snowflakes faintly sweet and faintly like, creamy ig (w/ the whipped cream)

-the cinnamon spiced vanilla is not as good as merry cookie but it's not bad (not as in ur face)

-wildberry ube is fruity and sweet but it has a lingering after scent

-laundry day straight up smells like a laundromat Including the like, heat of them but Soleil would Not be familiar with that and would prefer linen and lavender

-iced winter balsam smells v lemony (eucalyptus)at first but then the pine and balsam come in except they kind of linger after that

-winter pear forest smells brightly of pears w/ some woodsy undertones. If u like. Inhale really hard the pear picks up

-cocoa roasted chestnuts is v acceptable but I can't tell what it is lol?

-cedar and suede is v underwhelming so acceptable

-holiday just smells really spicy, so does cinnamon stick

-frosted coconut snowball is nice but hard to parse

-sugared pomegranate smells nice but it's afterscent is kinda :/

-balsam and bergamot inoffensive

-luminous and a thousand wishes kinda hm. Not enough to like not enough to dislike

No-gos

-*bright Christmas morning is v fruity sweet and would be nice if it wasn't so strong

-pistachio toasted vanilla has that v nutty lingering scent

-frosted cranberry has an undertone that's kinda strong and not v fruity

-palo Santo and sage is mostly underwhelming but has a lingering scent

-xSpiced apple toddy

-x Birchwood orchard

-x vanilla Birchwood and idek what it's trying to smell like

-The sugared snickerdoodle smells more like wax than anything else? Maybe i got a dud

-Golden Berry Mistletoe is v hard to parse, but it smells like it would be in a bathroom

-christmas cider just smells like Spicy?

-*So does the sweet cinnamon pumpking but that one's super overwhelming

-Fireside

-Falling flurries hard to parse

-mahogany teakwood intense

-woodlands

-idk what winterberry ice is trying to smell like but no

-idk what coffee and whiskey is but I don't like it

-black cherry merlot, also it reminds me of the chiropractor for some reason

-gingham hard to parse and has a strangely like ??? Planty great [idk what this means past me] kind of underscent

-*eucalyptus mint bc too strong (also idt Soleil likes mint), I think eucalyptus spearmint is like the same thing but either way. Same vibes. Also the second didn't mix as well??

-*under the Christmas tree v piney or. Woody ig lol

-eucalyptus snowfall smells like eucalyptus so

-Frozen lake smells too much like Irish spring

-winter smells spicy and woodsy

-xxFlannel smells too much like cologne

-xx same w/ Woodlands tho that has a more woody smell

-xx mahogany balsam

-xx same for veviter glow

-xxwhite gardenia too perfumey, reminds him of his mom

-xx rose water ivy for same reason

-*xx cactus blossom for same reason

-xx Japanese cherry blossom for the same reason And it was kinda nauseating

*Xx tree farm vvvv woodsy and v strong

-xxxxxx vanilla patchouli was just Nauseating. I also dk what patchouli is tho

-*xxx holy shit the peppermint hot chocolate is So Strong

Xxx idk wtf leather and brandy Actually smells like cause it's neither of those and it's not good

Pt 2 [i went back. not realizing candle day candles were limited time only and wanting to scope some of those out]

-Hot pink cocoa really does smell like ruby chocolate but it's also erring towards too strong

- the caramel frappuchino smells Exactly as advertised, Soleil would love this bc it reminds him of mornings

-i did not like cozy cashmere at first bc it's kinda perfumey but then caught the lavender and vanilla which Soleil would like, even w/ the sandalwood bc the sw is not Too strong

-Brioche French toast is really sweet and the maple syrup is really up there

- bordering on dislike the afternoon rainfall is way too sweet for what it advertised, I think it's the aloe which I always get in my bubble tea lol

-linen sheets is way too strong and cologne like

-*xx leaves is way too strong and spicy, was expecting it so smell clear and crisp or smth

-xx cuddle weather is spicy again, why is everything so fucking spicy

*Xxxxx vanilla birch the birch is So Strong

-* Palo Santo reminds me of just straight rubber

#fic research #Ch.19 #Soleil #this took me like 3 hours in store #i did not realize candle day has exclusive scents :( i might try and go next year but also.#haha #that amount of people in the store at one time sounds like. smth i do not want to go Anywhere Near #maybe if i get there at opening and there Aren't that many people

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kxmikomrade · 2 years

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#genshin #genshin imagines #genshin itto #genshin oneshots #genshin impact #genshin diluc #platonic genshin x reader #genshin x reader

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alilbihh · 4 years

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woods&witches — knj

masterlist

pairing: namjoon x reader

summary: You think it ends with you saving a fox. That is, until you start getting love letters sent to your doorstep and little knick knacks left on your window sill.

genre: fox shifter!namjoon, witch!reader, fluff

words: 4.5k

a/n: this was meant for the bingo challenge but completely escaped its original prompt. anyway. heres shy!lovestruck!namjoon bc i love him. also no this is nOt a witch au blog idk whats wrong w me

A finch flutters onto your windowsill, and you shuffle over once you hear a tap, tap, tap on the glass. You push it open and the bird hops inside, beak leaning forward tentatively.

You take the letter. "Ah, so they sent you this time?" Or maybe the finch volunteered, you wouldn't be surprised. They are quite the gossips.

It's a soft blue envelope, and when you turn it over there's a scrawled #12 on the left side corner. You think that even if he hadn't written that, you'd know. It's easy to keep track, after all.

A maple leaf slips out when you open the envelope. You set it aside and tentatively take the letter, brush a hand over the ink. It was written by hand in messy but deliberate hand writing and it smells like chamomile and honey, like it was written under a half-moon.

You read it once then twice then three times until it feels like you've been dipped halfway underwater, until the buzzing of the midday cicadas has faded into white noise and everything is suddenly tinged blue.

The man, you deduced a while ago, tells tales of palm trees and blue ponds and red and pink frogs, of catching crabs on a stranded shore. He's writing poetry but he's not, writing reality but he's not, and you don't know how he does it, how he can make five paintings with just one phrase.

You clutch the letter to your chest, feel yourself have an out of body experience because of a not-poem. Your head whips towards the finch when it chirps suddenly, and you huff.

"Why're you still here?" You shield the letter from the bird's eyes. Its head tilts. "And don't give me that look, I know exactly what you're thinking."

The bird only gives another chirp before flying away.

You scoff out a laugh, and when you walk towards your bedside table, the drawer opens before you can even think too much about it. You glare at your walls before tucking the letter with the others, as if to stop the house from teasing you too much.

It all begins and ends on a sunny afternoon.

The tree roots whisper as you pass, as if to purposely lead you astray, but you follow them anyway. The forest is never wrong, after all.

So when you stumble against a snowy white fox lying on a field of wisteria, you're only a tad bit surprised.

"Ah, you don't want to do that," you say some time after it woke up in your home and stopped panicking. It's now looking down at your polka dot socks, then looks up sharply to stare at you. You don't think there's a way for foxes to show emotions, but you think that if there were, he'd be staring at you with a little bit of awe.

You clear your throat. "Your foot, I mean. You don't want to strain it."

It just keeps staring at you, one ear twitching a bit.

"Um." You say when it doesn't stop, "You'll be better in a few weeks time. It wasn't that serious."

The fox blink blink blinks before shaking itself off, fur spilling every which way. You take it as acknowledgement enough.

In a few minutes he's managed to sniff and inspect every piece of furniture in your home, ranging from your small couch to your droopy house plant. He trudges and limps and sometimes skips from place to place, and then becomes highly confused when you don't let him climb the kitchen table.

Yoongi appears on your window somewhere between the fox kneading at your rug and the fox trying to catch a moth with its mouth.

"Hey grump," you say to the black cat, scratching behind his ears. Yoongi's tail twitches in dismissal, but he whines when you stop petting him, anyway.

You can almost see when Yoongi's gaze settles on the fox, because when you turn to look he's frozen solid on your couch, as if hoping he can't be seen if he stays still enough. The cat gives you a look.

You raise a brow. "What? Don't look at me like that."

He keeps looking at you like that.

"I helped him over by the wisteria. His foot's a little bad, but it's nothing too bad." The fox stays curled up on your couch, digging his nails into the cushions much like a cat would. An ear twitches in your direction, as if he's sheepish but won't admit to it.

Yoongi mewls a single, drawn out mewl of acceptance. You nod nod nod, and the cat jumps down your window and disappears into the woods right when the wind starts blowing north and the sun starts climbing higher before dropping lower.

The world stills for a while as you work through your home, organizing your chipped cups and bent spoons and funny forks. The mushroom wraith on your door wiggles when you pass it by, and when the frog figurine on your counter croaks in greeting the fox nearly jumps out of its skin.

(The fox is gone by morning, right when the sun settles over the honeysuckle tumbling down your thatched roof. You try to feel for his presence, but it's overwhelmed by the snails and woodpeckers and oversized mushrooms.

You think that's when the letters started coming, perched nicely over your windowsill whenever you're not looking).

There's a man in your pond.

The carp in the water yells indignantly as the man tries to stand but tumbles, pondweed curled over his ankles as if begging him to stay. You just stare because the man tries to get up once then twice then three times, hair loose and windblown and positively drenched, twigs and pondweed in the knots.

You stare and stare until the man notices you and startles, looks away quickly before cringing and hesitatingly meeting your eyes. He lifts a hand, lowers it, lifts it again and waves. You wave back.

"Hello." You say. The man looks a little stunned, more stunned than when the carp had nipped at his feet. You point at the pond, "You're standing in my pond."

"Ah!" He startles, head whipping down like he'd forgotten all about it. "I am! In your pond, I mean. Sorry, sorry." The pondweed untangles itself mercifully, and he shuffles out of the water, toes curling into the dirt around it.

"It's okay!" You shoot him a thumbs up. He stares. "Do you want to, uh, come inside?"

So the man walks through the slim wooden trellis and diligently wipes his feet on the rug, shuffling through the door with hesitant steps. He looks a little like a painting left out too long in the rain, all ruffled hair and stiff shoulders, but pretty nonetheless.

"Would you like some tea?" You say, already grabbing the kettle from the cupboards, "It will have to have milk, though, since the cups don't like serving without."

"Okay! Tea is nice. Thank you." Then he smiles with knee-deep dimples and pinchable cheeks and something inside you kinda melts a little.

The man's name is Namjoon and his skin is tan despite it already being winter, the color of salted caramel. He's so bright you find it easier to look away, to look instead at the space around him, the shadow against the pane of his neck, the length of his-- very long legs. You'll pretend you never noticed that.

You don't talk about why he was in your pond, not really. He's already apologized to the carp, he says. You talk instead about mushroom glades and why avocados are acceptable dinner foods and his intense love for moths and his hopes for snow this year.

When Namjoon leaves it all feels a bit unprecedented. Lost souls show up on your doorstep often, always leaving after a cup of tea and a few helpful directions, but Namjoon doesn't look lost at all. Looks a little like he belongs, really.

He rubs awkwardly at the back of his neck, then sticks a hand out in offering. You shake his hand. He nods, lingers on the doorway, plays with a loose stitching of his soft green overalls.

"I'll-- be seeing you, then," he clears his throat, and you just laugh a little loosely because no, you won't. With lost souls, you never do.

Except Namjoon does return. He returns, in fact, in green baseball shorts and an open-collared shirt with sugar packets sticking out of the front pockets. He looks a bit like a dad showing up for his son's football game. Looks a little dangerous but in a harmless way, like a huge gangly bug. A six-foot stick insect hovering outside your door.

You're a little stunned. Very stunned. So stunned that Namjoon cringes, shuffles a bit on your welcome mat. It's a frog with a thought bubble that says welcome! that Namjoon has expressed his love for on multiple occasions.

"Hello," he purses his lips. "I... wanted to thank you. Again. For everything." He sucks in a breath. "Bad time? Bad time. I don't actually remember knocking-- did I knock? God, I didn't, did I? I'm so rude, I'm so sorry."

"No, no," you say once you've recovered. "You, you definitely knocked."

"Oh!" His lips form a surprised little 'o'. You're so fond. "That's good. Okay. I'll... be leaving, then."

"Um!" You interject, "You can come inside, if you want?"

So he comes inside and drinks tea and names the cactus by your windowsill Gerald and discusses his complaints on climate change and you're a little content and a lot confused, because--

Only creatures of the forest can find your house more than once.

Unless--

(That night, you knock on your own walls and glare indignantly. Say, "You led him here, didn't you?"

The walls do nothing. You think you hear a floorboard creak, though.

You stomp your feet like an overgrown child. "I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but I'm not falling for it!"

No response. Except the wind chimes outside sing brightly, but when you look out the window there's no wind at all).

Namjoon visits once then twice then three times, always showing up unplanned and out of nowhere. He brings a pinecone first then a dandelion next, blushes and says I didn't pluck them against their will! I told them they looked pretty and they volunteered to help me.

He's so pretty it's become a little harder to hold in. He was always pretty, always smiles a bit too brightly, like he's swallowed a star and can't quite keep all the brightness to himself, but something's shifted a bit.

(You contemplate this in a mid afternoon. As in: whisper-screaming to the ceiling for a while. And then whisper-screaming some more when Yoongi walks directly across your face.

"You're a monster," you inform him.

He digs his tiny monster-claws into your stomach.)

One day, you learn the man is weirdly good at knitting. You learn he has a pretty solid grasp on quantum physics. You learn that when he laughs it's a little hah! under his breath, and when he really laughs it turns sideways and belly-up, pitching into something that could almost be defined as a giggle. You learn that you need to stop staring.

Another day, Namjoon sits in the corner of your couch, curled up reading a book he'd picked up from the next village over. It's small but very thick with what could only be very small letters, because he's squinting a bit as he reads. It's vastly endearing.

Another day, he makes cheesy bread in your toaster and felt bad about it for the next three weeks. Which is also the amount of time it took for you to get all the cheese out.

Everything's great.

Today, though, you're walking through the forest alone. The forest doesn't guide you, not really, maybe because it knows you're walking on your own terms.

The forest is noisy with the sounds of birds calling and trees growing and little things skipping here and there through the undergrowth. Your shoes are so muddy you don't really care for how much worse they get, and they squelch when your heels sink into puddles and spongy moss.

You walk and walk until you come across a clearing, a bird feeder propped neatly over a tree branch. A sparrow squawks when it sees you.

"Hello," you say in greeting, and the tree with the bird feeder sighs, the wind blowing and carrying the sound.

A tree root on the ground grabs a fistful of dirt and promptly flings it onto your knees. You shriek indignantly.

You have a lot to figure out, the tree echoes because of course it does. It has a history of saying things vaguely and hoping you'll understand.

"I don't understand," you say out loud.

It flings more dirt onto your knees. You step back protectively, "Okay, okay! I get it!"

One, two. Four clouds in the sky, for now, it says at last, and you're a bit afraid of prying, so you just accept what it says as fact and move on, say one last goodbye to the bluetit that flutters onto the bird feeder.

It starts raining not long after that, when more than four clouds settle over the evening sun, makes it a bit harder to maneuver through the woods. You walk based on feeling, a hand brushing over the tree trunks, silently cursing the tree.

Namjoon is already waiting when you arrive home, hurries forward when he spots you through the trees, holding an umbrella up high.

And it's-- sweet. Just a really sweet thing to do, really considerate. He could have waited inside, in the warmth and shelter, but instead he's walking through puddles to meet you halfway with an umbrella.

He looks a little funny when he stops in front of you, hair disheveled and sticking up in random places, eyes all worried and sullen. He looks like a goose.

"You look like a goose," you say out loud with a little laugh, "I'm already wet though, so there's not much point in this, you know?"

Namjoon's smile is a bit dopey, a bit sloppy at the edges. "But there's not many trees to shield you, from this point on." He says, "Let's-- go inside?"

So you go inside, the house already setting the fireplace with its never-ending firewood, the frog figurine croaking and the wind chimes singing and everything feels a little right. A little more homey.

"Did you find your way back easily?" Namjoon says later, hands cupping his tea mug as he sheepishly adds, "I know this is your-- home, obviously, I don't wanna just assume anything, but-- For me, it's a bit harder to navigate when it rains like this. Fogs my senses and all," he clears his throat.

You purse your lips to keep from smiling, "Do you know how a wood witch works, Namjoon?" You continue when he shakes his head, "A wood witch is the one who planted the first seed that sprouted the first tree that grew the first forest," you say, half-chanting it, cite it like a rhyme long forgotten.

He looks a bit awe-struck. A lot awe-struck. Says, "Oh." And that's that.

You add, sheepish, "It's really not much. I'm not as powerful as other wood witches, but I am grateful to the woods." You hum, "They gave me this cottage. They gave me who I am, really."

"Oh." Namjoon says. "Oh." He stares and stares, open mouthed and in awe and sort of dazed but pretty, pretty. His gaze trails over the room once before settling back on you, says, "You're all the beauty in the world."

And the world-- stills, maybe-- balanced atop a drop of nectar.

You whisper a small, delighted "Oh." And that's that.

Namjoon somehow manages to drag you outside the woods.

You're being dragged through busy streets, cars and crowds and carriages that boggle your senses. The difference between the village and the woods is astounding. (Not that you've never been to nearby cities or villages-- sometimes you crave poptarts and there's nothing you can do about it-- but it's been a while since you've walked into the very heart of it).

You might be a wood witch, but Namjoon is the one who looks a little — lost, outside the woods.

"This is my favorite corner cafe," he admits proudly, "Um, if Seokjin-hyung says anything, please be aware I'm not associated with him."

"Got it." You like this Seokjin guy already.

Taylor Swift is blasting through the speakers when you walk inside, a broad shouldered man swaying from side to side behind the counter as he pours milk into a cup. Once his eyes land on Namjoon he positively grins.

"Namjoon, my man!" He belts out a particularly impressive high note as Namjoon approaches him, but no one around seems at all fazed. "It's been so long!"

"I've been here last week, hyung." Namjoon says but he seems a bit happy to be missed, sheepishly ducking his head.

"That's too long. You should visit more often, it's great! I get free coffee here and don't have to walk through muddy paths and ominous sounds to visit you."

"It's not free though?" Namjoon frowns, "You may own the shop but you're the one who buys all the coffee in the first place."

The man behind the counter makes a noise that's too distorted to understand. "If I wanted someone to tear apart my ideas with logic I'd talk to Yoongi, you're both insufferable."

You want to interject but at the same time don't. You get so absorbed in your own thoughts you almost don't notice when they mention a Yoongi. Huh.

"Oh, you know Yoongi? The cat?" You blink when two sets of eyes settle on you.

"Ah, yes. Yoongi." The man you've now established has to be Seokjin sighs, resting a chin over his palm, "The devious fiend. The pest of the nest. The gremlin goblin."

"Do you ever think before you speak."

"I do! I thought of those words and then I said them."

Namjoon sighs and none of them elaborate any further, but you decide not to pry. You can always just ask Yoongi, anyway.

You both sit in a booth in the far corner where light reflects onto it perfectly but not in an overwhelming way, just enough to be warm and comforting. Seokjin pads over with your drink and Namjoon's latte and shoots excessive finger guns as he leaves, and Namjoon looks a bit like he's refraining from apologizing on his behalf.

Namjoon doodles on napkins and talks like he's reciting a far off poem, except he's talking about what should be the correct pronunciation of pickles and you're kinda maybe really hopelessly endeared.

"Do you think I should paint my nails?" He's saying, closely inspecting his nibbled nails, "Maybe it will make me stop biting my nails."

"Have you thought of green?"

He hums delightedly, "Green! I love green. I'm thinking pink though, since gender norms are a social construct and pink is just pretty in general."

"You'll look like a pretty little winter fairy!" You grin. He flushes pink, too.

Then when you get up to order another drink he stands quick, as if intending to order it for you, but you're already grinning and skipping to the counter and when you turn to look at him he's slowly sitting back down, defeated.

You're maybe smiling too hard when Seokjin walks to take your order. "Ah, Y/n-ssi! How may I help you, my gentle woodland elf?"

"Can I just have the same thing, please?" You say and he hums, walking mechanically towards his cabinets.

Then after staring dazedly at the separate christmas mugs and cinnamon buns and droopy plants, you're looking around when you spot a box by the back counter that looks like an awful lot like a letter slot, a stack of envelopes sitting neatly on top. Oh.

"What's that for?" You gesture towards the box, and Seokjin turns away from the coffee grinder to smile something a little gentle. A little secretive.

"We're a letter shop too, you know?" He looks like he's suppressing a sort of devious smile he doesn't want you to see, "We deliver letters on the writer’s behalf, so the sender stays anonymous."

Your organs twist and melt together all at once. You mumble a small "Oh" and that's that.

Then when you leave Seokjin winks before sending you both off, the man waving boisterously and maybe obnoxiously but you're immensely endeared, wave back until the shop is out of sight and Namjoon is sufficiently embarrassed.

You predictably invite Namjoon inside after you arrive home, deciding that soup after coffee doesn't sound too bad. So you watch as the fireflies do somersaults and the moths hover over lamps as you both go for seconds and then for thirds and you don't say much, maybe say nothing at all, but that's okay, too.

The soup signals a change, you think. Either

1) You are in love with Namjoon and need to tell him.

2) You are in love with soup and need to seek help.

So you walk through the forest.

Namjoon is at home, you know, but you feel that talking to Namjoon about your possible love for Namjoon is a bit counterproductive, so you walk through the forest instead.

Everyone is still adjusting to last night's downpour, the floors muddy and the leaves droopy and everything smelling like wet earth. You walk but you're hovering a few inches off the ground, silently thank the forest for its kindness.

You walk through the forest again the next day, think back to the tree with the bird feeder and think that maybe he wasn't so vague after all. Just wish that he could tell you what to do next.

It's easier to listen to a tree's vague advice than it is to follow through with it, you think, until a few weeks later, when the universe decides you need a little push. A big push. The biggest push.

Namjoon has been visiting consistently for the past month or so, sometimes staying over and sometimes staying just before nightfall, but for maybe a week you haven't heard of him at all. He's disappeared without a trace.

The forest guides you this time, patches of sunlight shining through trees as you follow. You think you hear the shrill argument between a finch and a jay on the treetops as you navigate through mushroom patches and mossy rocks.

It's the field of wisteria. You're in the field of wisteria when you find a small burrow, a little home for a woodland creature.

When you turn, you see-- Namjoon. Namjoon, eyes widened in horror, a strangled sound breaking free from his throat. Two white fox ears standing ramrod straight on his head.

You clear your throat. Say, "Hi, Namjoon."

He shrieks.

A finch flutters onto the bird feeder, eyes twinkling, "Guys, you will not believe what I just found out--"

"We know," the jay says.

"We know," the bluetit says.

"We know," the sparrow says.

Even Yoongi mewls from a higher tree branch.

The finch squawks, gossip stolen from right under its wing, "How on Earth did you all know?"

"The forest made the house bigger," Yoongi drawls, tail swishing here and there, "And we all helped deliver the letters."

"Different from someone, we can actually keep secrets!" Says the jay, chest puffed proudly, ignoring the offended squeals from the finch.

"You know, it was actually kind of obvious."

You hum from beside Namjoon, his arm draped over the back of the couch inches away from dropping onto your shoulder. He wants to tug you closer, comb a hand through your hair, but the mere thought has his face burning and ears threatening to pop out at the stress. He's kissed you before, dozens of times, for many reasons and for no reason at all, but it all still feels a little nerve wrecking, like one push will have you burst at the seams.

(Which, frankly, is ridiculous-- you're the strongest person he knows, but-- but.)

"What is?" He says to distract himself.

"The letters stopped coming after you started showing up, and you literally took me to a letter shop." You falter and add, "And just.. the way you say things, it sounds like how you sound when you write. I don't know if I'm making sense, but it's-- nice." You explain, a hint of affection on your voice.

That has nothing to do with being a fox shifter and everything to do with you sitting so prettily next to him, smelling like Ilsan sunshine and kept promises and damp earth, like the forest itself.

"Hmm," he hums, a hand settling on your thigh, finally gathering the courage to drop his arm onto your shoulder--

"Namjoon, you really don't have to hesitate for this kind of stuff." You say, turning to look at him with a grin. His face burns as he clears his throat pointedly, crossing one leg over the other as he finally drops an arm over your shoulder.

"M'sorry," he mumbles.

"Don't be," You press a kiss to his chin, "And you better kiss me properly this instant, because it seems you still think that crocs are acceptable footwear. I'm gonna come to my senses any second now."

"Please don't," he says, a little wild. Then he's moving, nose brushing over your cheek, and then— and then—

A hand curling softly over your cheek, a little giggle, and his lips pressing gently over your own. Something a bit real. Un-takeback-able. You taste a lot like the poetry he writes, still writes, like you're pressing the wonders of the world to his lips, like he's skimming the universe with his hands.

(Once upon a time, you saved a fox lying in a field of wisteria.

The rest of the story is told in open envelopes, messages left for the moon to see.)

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peaceandlove26 · 3 years

Note

i literally would die for ur aus so sorry for the barrage of questions haha

basic au- i hecking adore the idea of starswirl becoming a villain? how does this happen, whats his motive??

time travel au,, i love twilight’s design,, i would love 2 hear more abt this one,,

STARRYVERSE AUU!! what are the other mane six like?? what are the other pairings/ships?? villains?? im obsessed w this one

1. BASICALLY IT WOULD HAVE TO DO WITH LIKE… starswirl realizes how powerful the pony of shadows was so he starts intentionally seeking out vulnerable ponies and driving them into deeper despair to corrupt them and create these powerful shadow monsters

2. THANK U!! UM AND i dont know what to say specifically so heres a Fun Fact abt the au: applejack is the first pony to start helping twilight free luna! the apple family’s ancestors learned to harvest the rare zap apples with the help of (very young) luna, who knew about them since theyre like. a magical fruit that only grows at night (in this universe anyway. honestly i cant remember how they actually work) SO! the apple family has passed down stories about a kind moon princess. aj recognizes this as twilight’s luna and decides to help her

3. IM WORKING ON A DESIGN SHEET OF ALL OF THEM BUT HERES BASIC INFO ON EACH MANE 6 MEMBER AND THEIR PAIRINGS:

twilight twinkle: ive already writtwn abt her… has a crush on rosie pie for like. the first season or smthn and they start dating in the second season

rosie pie: also wrote abt her already! cute bubbly twinkle eyed pony! her best friend is her cousin apple cider

apple cider: hardworking farm pony who struggles balancing work and friends. pretty closed off emotionally for a while!! she has to deal with a pesky kirin named maple blaze who keeps breaking into the barn and setting fire to trees… though it doesnt seem like maple is doing it on purpose, so maybe cider should just talk to her…

double rainbow: wrote a bunch about her in her own post! super creative and impulsive pegasus! she gets a stupid crush on princess equinox eventually

aurora: seapony who takes the form of a unicorn! she runs a small business making clothes and accessories using shells and gems. she struggles with being a little self-absorbed but she really does love her friends. shes especially close to rainbow, as they share a love of art, although sometimes their artistic visions clash. she wears lots of eccentric outfits for every occasion. shes absolutely infatuated with rosie’s sister moonstone pie (maud) and showers her with attention whenever she can

meadowbrook: ill go more in depth in a dofferent ask but basically hes a very shy and anxious bat pony. his only friend initially is double rainbow, who he has known since childhood. hes dating rosies brother obsidian pie, who often writes flowery emo love poems for meadow

3. VILLAINS.. ok so first of all, queen solstice is the first major villain. next is discord, whos more of an unknowable eldritch entity here. theres also chrysalis (who does get reformed!) and lots of other Classic Villains.. i can go into detail abt any of em if u want

#long post #my aus #starryverse #time travel

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westcnbrccks · 2 years

Text

personal information

full name : weston samuel brooks

nicknames : wes, west, w, brooks, westy ( acts like he hates it and only people he considers family are allowed to use it on rare occasions )

birthday : 01/12/1998

age : twenty-three

birthplace : san francisco, california

pets : golden doodle puppy named maple

looks

hair color : brown

eye color : brown

scars : has one on upper back and back of arm from a severe childhood burn

tattoo : parents birthdays over his heart

height : 5 foot 10 inches

weight : 165 lb

build : athletic

faceclaim : alex fitzalan

quick stats

parents : charles brooks (†) & kennedy brooks (†)

relationship status : taken (cassidy)

education : b.s. in mathematics & b.a. in secondary education

occupation : high school math teacher, cross country & distance track coach

+ traits : excitable, ambitious, patient, social

- traits : stubborn, loud, sarcastic, indecisive

health information

eyesight : he is very farsighted. pretty much unable to see anything in front of his face without glasses or contacts. he usually wheres his contacts but is not uncommon for him to opt for his glasses

allergies : penecillin, kiwi

medical conditions : none

mental disorders : ADHD (super well managed)

backstory (fire tw & parental death tw & burn/scar tw)

Weston’s parents didn’t have a lot, but they loved him more than anything and would do whatever was needed to keep him happy & healthy.

(fire tw & parental death tw & burn/scar tw)They kept this up until at the age of five years old the family’s apartment broke out in fire due to faulty wiring. Weston made it out with only a burn on both his back and the back of his right arm, but his parents had to be transferred to the hospital where they eventually died due to complications of the fire.

Weston was devastated and was sent away from his only known home to live with his Aunt Nancy in Pine River. His aunt lived next door to the Whitfield family who had a daughter his age, Cassidy, and she quickly became his best friend. Soon after meeting her Weston started to return to his normal self and begged his aunt to start signing him up for sports which she happily did.

As he went through high school in Pine River, he continued to show an excellence in sports. He ran both cross country and track field and was able to be put on Varsity from day one. He loved the sports and did everything he could to keep excelling in them. Through high school he was able to hold both school and state records for his best races. His talents lead him to be scouted for college and ended up obtaining an almost full ride offer from USC if ran cross country and track there.

Weston finished his secondary education degree at USC, he made the decision he wanted to come back to Pine River. The high school hired him as both a Math Teacher and to be the Cross Country and Distance track coach. He was ecstatic for this next chapter of his life and moved back to the town he knew to be home.

Today, no one would ever guess what had happened to him as child. The only indication that something happened to him is the scar from the burn to his back and arm. Though, scars are there he is insecure about them and doesn’t talk about where they came from unless he is very close to the person.

personality

he is this super kind and bubbly ray of sunshine. he loves being around people and helping others when they are in need. he just has a huge heart. especially when it comes to his students/ athletes. he will rearrange his entire schedule to give someone extra help if they need it.

but he does tend to hold grudges if you hurt him or someone he cares about. his trust is easy to gain but it is also easy to loose. & once you loose it you may never get it back

he is the type of person you never hear complain and are the firsts ones to show up & the last ones to leave

he got a golden doodle puppy 4 months ago named maple and is OBSESSED with her. he brings her everywhere with him and will talk about her constantly.

he is super social and loves going out and meeting people. he will go up to random strangers and just rope them into conversations.

he is very smart but some times can lack a bit of common sense when comes to making decisions. if you dare him to do something i would give it a 99% chance that he will go through with it. he is what i like to call a smart idiot.

#pineriverintro #tw : fire #tw : parental death #tw : burn/scar #this got very long oops

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artemis-verse · 4 years

Text

i’m good at goodbyes

summary: Without even realizing, you and Tendou had both grown apart just like the wilting leaves in autumn.

note: Slight spoiler from the manga since it features time skip! Tendou. Borders signifies time skip but no exact date specified. fem! reader. she/her pronouns. word count: 1,911 words warnings: none genre: angst arthie’s note: i tried to capture that feeling of being in the autumn season so i googled a lot of metaphors related to it but idk if it makes sense (╥_╥) also this fic literally makes my chest hurt from writing it lolol. i got rlly sad writing this.. also idk if i’m quite satisfied with it.. felt like i could do better but my friend liked it and i’m kinda lazy to fix it. anyways i hope all of you enjoy it nevertheless ~ ↳ back to main masterlist ⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆ “I like you, Tendou-san!” She confessed, staring at the ground instead of looking into the taller boy’s gaze. He smirked, “Oh? How long have you been liking me then?” The playful tone caught her off guard as she looked up at him. Her brows furrowed in confusion, “W— what?” “How long did you like me before deciding to confess to me, hm? Answer it and maybe you’ll get a surprise answer from me too!” He exclaimed, grinning. Biting her lip while nervousness bubbles in the pit of her stomach. Her mind racing back and forth to find the right words to say. He hums, “Don’t make me wait for too long or else I’ll get bored and leave you alone.”

With hesitation, she utters out. “I— I like you for 4 months now, Tendou-san.” The wind blows, making the leaves from the trees stumbling to the ground, whiff of autumn fronds easing her anxiousness as she anticipates the answer. He giggles, grabbing a hold of her hands. “Then let’s date!” She lets out a startled gasp, “I’m s— sorry, what?!” He sways her hands back and forth, “Do you not hear me? I said let’s date.” Blinking up at him as bewilderment settles on her face. “Tendou-san... do you like me?” Crimson eyes bore into hers, “You silly girl. Of course, I like you! If not i wouldn’t have asked you out to date, aren’t I?” Chuckling at her frivolous question. She beams at him, “Okay! I’ll date you!” The grip on her hands tightens as he flashes back a smile of his own. The chilly breeze wafting through them as the trees shakes, maple colored leaves falling, warmth pooling in their stomachs. ⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆ Exhaling, Tendou leans back on the chair after exhaustion wears him down from kneading the dough and letting it rest aside, sweat dripping down his face as he rubs it away with a towel. The front door clicks open as she entered the house, “I’m home!” Announcing as the shoes slips off of her. “Y/n! You’re finally home!” He rushes to greet her and welcome her in his embrace however upon seeing her tiresome expression, he frowns. “What’s wrong?” He asks worriedly, checking her temperature. A small smile etched on her lips, “Nothing, it’s just work.” She reaches out and envelopes him in a hug. Rubbing her back as an attempt to soothe her worries, “Don’t think about that at home. I’ll cheer you up! I’m making sourdough right now!” She chuckles at his chirpy mood, “Okay. I’ll look forward to tasting it.” They fall into their normal routine, him making a mess in the kitchen while she goes to clean herself and unwind from the stress at work. “So how does it taste?” His eyes glinting with anticipation. She hums, relishing the soft bread in her mouth. “It’s so good! Babe, you’ve done such a great job!” She praises as she takes another nibble of the bread. He grins happily, “I’m glad you like it! It makes my heart warm seeing you happy!” ⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆ Days turns into weeks turns into months of their routines. However the blazing spark of devotion is no longer apparent in both of their glares nor their hearts. Growing distance as they both get consumed by ambition and the drive to strive for a better future. I love yous evaporated into short glances that turned into radio silence when one of them returns home or when they both fall asleep in their shared bed. No more lingering caresses leaving one’s fingers nor tenderness words that makes their heart beats rapidly with affection. With Tendou insisting that he should stay over at Ushijima’s place because it’s nearby the bakery that he works at. The house is left all alone to her possession except for the occasional visit from Shirabu and Semi or her mother. It went by quickly and they both haven’t realized that they managed to not say a word to one another— not even through text messages or phone calls. It was as if they weren’t in a committed relationship to even begin with. Too much work tasks to focus on and not enough time to think about their significant other. However one day, she forgot her house keys and is currently stuck outside, mentally slapping herself for not checking properly before leaving for work. Oh, Satori is at home! She thought suddenly but the thought diminished as she realizes he hasn’t come home nor talk to her for months. Sighing, she sent a text asking if he has the spare key and much to her luck, he still has it. Now, they’re both standing in the park as autumn leaves breezes through the wind. The grip on her bag tightened as she stared at the man whom she no longer feels familiar with. “Hey Y/n... long time no see, huh?” A loop-sided smile plastered on his face as his scarlet gaze holds little to no emotion. “Hi.. Satori.” She mutters out, seeming to become aware of the distance they’ve both put up. Her stomach wasn’t filled with butterflies of excitement from seeing him or being in his presence. Her heart isn’t pounding at a fast pace nor does she get giggly around him anymore. It dissipated into an oblivion. With just a mere glance at him, she could tell those eyes held no infatuation towards her either. “I got the spare key here.” His palm revealed the item he mentioned with the keychain of chocolate ice cream attached to it. Inhaling, she takes the key out of his grasp. “Thank you.” Observing the key, it seems untouched and rustic due to neglect however it might work just fine. Silence washes over them as they both stood in front of each other, their words diminished from their tongues; forgetting what it’s like to communicate with each other. He speaks up, “So... I guess this is it?” She searches his eyes for a sign or something but found nothing. It’s all empty. The warm gaze she cherished is long gone. It’s too late to fix the burgeoning space between them no matter how hard she tries. The mutual feeling ceased to exist. Although that doesn’t mean it hurts less, “Yeah, I guess this is it.” He nodded solemnly, “Goodbye Y/n.” A sharp intake of breath and she lets out a quiet mutter, “Goodbye Satori.” His eyes lingers on her one last time before turning around and walking to his destination. Tears ran down her cheeks as she finally grasped upon the idea of not being able to see him again. This is really over. They’re both too busy chasing their dreams that they didn’t realize that their relationship was instantaneously falling apart. Leaves tumbling from the fallen trees as the skies grew darker and the gust of air becomes colder; just like the love they once had. ⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆ “Attention all passengers, flight PS16 is about to board in 10 minutes. Please check in at gate D64 before boarding the flight.” He smiles at his stoic best friend, sadness gleamed in his harsh stare. “Don’t be sad, Wakatoshi-kun. We’ll see each other again when you have a match in Paris!” He pats Ushijima’s back, reassuring him. “Why didn’t you tell Y/n?” He asked promptly, surprising the red-headed man. He raises his brows, “Ah... I don’t want to upset her any further. Even though we are no longer together, I’ll always have a spot for her.” He admitted, recalling the memories of their last encounter. “Attention passengers, flight PS16 is now boarding. I repeat, flight PS16 is now boarding. Please check in at gate D64 before boarding the flight.” Tendou gave one last smile at his best friend, “I have to go now, Wakatoshi-kun. I’ll see you later. Send my farewell to Y/n.” He waves as he walks away from Ushijima. ⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆ The birds chirps in the early morning, she came to a halt, panting heavily from the jog. “I really suck at exercising...” She mumbles to herself, sitting on the bench nearby. Wiping her sweat away with a handkerchief, she saw a tall figure approaching her. Feeling apprehensive, she prepares herself to defend from the stranger. “Y/n.” She stares up in shock at the person standing in front of her. “U— Ushijima-san?” She croaks out, blinking rapidly. Shaking her head, “What are you doing here?” “I was on a jog but I saw you here which is why I came up to you.” She restrained herself from giggling at his nonchalant statement. Before she could make any small talk, he interrupts her. “Tendou sends his farewell to you.” “Huh?” She furrowed her brows in confusion, “What do you mean?” “He has moved to Paris and decided to pursue a career as a chocolatier.” “Oh.” Averting her gaze to her fiddling fingers, so he left for good... she wondered idly. Fluttering her eyes closed, she utters. “Thank you for telling me, Ushijima-san.” When she opens her eyes, he remained in the same position as previously, watching her intently. “Don’t be sad. Tendou said you’ll always have a spot in his life.” He states monotonously. She gave a small smile to him, “Thanks but I think our relationship had ended way before we both realize it, unfortunately.” The skies getting brighter, crows latching off the crumbs of food on the ground as people rush to their destination. “I don’t particularly understand what you two meant when you both said that but I will be leaving now. Have a nice day, Y/n.” He continues jogging off before she could bid him goodbye. Traces of his touch lingers on her skin like a ghost possessing a mortal’s mind. The orange leaves falls in a swift motion, flying among the whiff of air. She wanted to cry but all of her tears have ran dry from the persistent thoughts of him. The love was no longer reciprocated by both parties and all that’s left is the wilted warmth of what used to spark their hearts. ⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆ Somewhere in Paris, he observes the scenery before him. A void in his chest— it was as if he left his heart somewhere in Japan and never got it back. Recollection of her heartbroken sobs ingrained in his mind, replaying over and over continuously without stopping. Tears built up in his eyes as he furiously blinks them away from threatening to spill. Never would’ve imagined that the dreadful day of departing from her would become so unbearable with pain. Pain of losing someone whom are fully aware that they could never return the flame of infatuation back to you and realizing that you are also unable to repay what’s last bit of adoration you’ve once had for that person. It’s too far gone— wavering into the wind, carrying all of the sorrows from the past into an oblivion. The maple leaves sheds to the soil with graceful sweep, fleeing from their home. With a shuddered sigh, he lets the tears stream down his face, ignoring the curious pedestrians stares. Just like the petal slipping from the tree’s grasp, he would have to eventually accept that they both have to move on to grow as an individual— even if that means leaving their yearning for each other. Smiling to himself, he thought carelessly. Autumn does not bring me comfort nor warmth anymore. It no longer feels like home— safe and tender when all it feels like now is melancholy and devoid.

#satori tendo x reader #tendo x reader #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!! fanfiction #tendo x y/n #haikyuu!! x reader #haikyuu!! x y/n #hq tendou #hq x you #hq timeskip #tendo angst #tendo haikyuu #tendo satori #haikyuu!! imagines #haikyuu!! angst

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papasbabymommyslittleone · 3 years

Text

Roman and Vee's Fluffy Midnight Pancakes!

(Egg and dairy free!)

as explained by Vee and transcribed by his super big brother Roman (who also did all the cooking js)

Ingredients

1 cup / 240 ml oat or almond milk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup / 125g plain flour

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

non-dairy butter for greasing the frying pan

hunny and nanas and tawbis to serve (She means honey, banana and strawberries! Or whatever toppings you vibe with lol)

Instructions

Uh, okay, so... So, we started with measuring the milk and then putted the lemon juice and vanilla stuff in it and then mixed it. Then w-we, um, like, we let it sit while we did the next bit so it went weird and curdly.

Then, um, then we measured the flour and the baking powder and sugar and salt all in one big bowl and I th- I th- I stirred them together.

Ro? Are you, like - are you writing all my ums and lisp and stutters and stuff? ("Nah, don't worry about it.") Oh, okay. ( >:3c )

Um, then we poured the gross milky lemony stuff into the flour stuff and then we - uh, then you (Roman) used the - th-the loud thing? (Electric whisk lol) Til it was smooth and kinda bubbly.

Then we - oh no! No wait, we let it sit again! We let it sit for like... five minutes? And when we waited I cleaned the counter and you - you started the, um, the stove and made the frying pan heat up.

Um, I-I wasn't here for the next bit, so do you wanna? (Yeah, Vee doesn't like being around when there's fire in the room, so I'll explain the next bit!)

(Okay so you have to add a little knob of butter when the pan is heated - it was probably like ½ tsp of butter per pancake. Yeah, so spread the butter round the pan, make sure it's spittling, then add roughly 3 tbsp of the batter.)

(Yeah, idk how to explain it but like... cook the pancake. Leave it on a low-medium heat and once you see the batter has gone dry around the edges and is bubbling, grab a spatula and check if it's cool to flip yet.)

(Should only take like 2 minutes on each side of the pancake, then slide it onto a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Then repeat steps 7-9 til all the batter is gone. Should make like 8 pancakes, but doesn't really matter if not.)

Um, hello again. Yeah... ah, I feel awkward now. W-what next? (Just the toppings, Titch. You can do it.)

Oh, yeah! Yeah, um, th-then we did toppings! I had nanas and tawbis and hunny but Ro likes booberries (blueberries 🫐) and maple syrup... So, um, whatever you think is yummy.

Then you can munch them. A-and, um, try to clean up really quiet so you don't wake up Dad and Mama - Logan!! I-I meant Logan! You're not gonna write that down, are you?

Uh, ta da, done... Gonna go back to sleep now.

Enjoy lmao - 👑

he !! he said he wasnt writin all the stutters!! ⁽͑ʺ˚̀ ˚́ʺ⁾̉ - 💜

#fam ily recipes #super big bro #baby vee #food tw #18 jan 2021

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feynavaley · 5 years

Text

Headcanon: America is some sort of Instagram celebrity.

It happens almost by mistake. He’s not the only personification with an Instagram account – however, unlike most of the others, he sets it as public. And, since Alfred is a handsome and extroverted 19-year-old who posts a lot of pictures and videos (goofy selfies, snaps of mundane and relatable moments, outdoor activities, places he’s visiting...) he quickly gains followers.

Along with his growing fame, the ‘mystery’ surrounding his identity develops as well. The thing is that, in spite of being extremely extroverted and bubbly and posting many daily anecdotes, America doesn’t actually reveal much personal info. This only makes the interest bloom. He’s known as ‘Al Jones’ (and his handle is ‘alamericajones’), there are many speculations on what his full name is. Ironically, Alfred is very low on the list as it’s almost unheard of for a modern teenager. There are also different theories on where he lives as he posts from all over the United States. Some of the more accredited speculations are NYC, Washington DC, or Los Angeles, but nobody knows for sure and there are many others.

With time, people start noticing that pictures Al claims are taken at his own house don’t match, they clearly belong to different buildings. Somebody says he’s lying – a teen who isn’t even old enough to drink alcohol owning multiple apartments is ridiculous. Others suggest that he may come from a very rich family and the houses belong to his parents.

Al’s family is another puzzle, however. He never posts pictures with his parents or even mentions them, which is kind of odd, considering he overshares in many other departments. (Somebody says it might be to respect their privacy, but then again, it’s still weird that there isn’t even a single mention. Besides, Al doesn’t seem to worry too much about privacy when it comes to other people who are often featured on his account.) A frequent feature on Al’s Instagram is, instead, another teen-aged guy who looks a lot like him and Al calls his ‘little bro’ in the caption of their first picture he posted. The event causes an uproar, but the enthusiasm turns into disappointment as people realize that the brother’s profile is set as private. All they can see is his name, Matthew W. (The ‘W’ is universally assumed to be the first letter of his second name – the most accredited guess being ‘William’ – as his surname, logically, must be Jones.) What immediately jumps to the eye is Matthew’s handle, ‘matthew.canada’. People are ready to shrug it off as just an oddity until somebody notices that many pictures featuring Matthew are, indeed, taken in Canada; almost as if Matthew lived there. Al never gives an explanation. The first tentative guess is that Matthew is studying or working in Canada, but as time goes by, it becomes clearer and clearer that Matthew has a distinctly Canadian feel to him. In addition to his handle, he often has a stylized maple leaf somewhere on his clothes, Al says complains in some captions that ‘Mattie’ doesn’t feel the cold and mocks him in others for how he cannot handle the heat... Moreover, the few times Matthew comments under Al’s pictures, he uses the British spelling and Canadian idioms. He gives the impression of being somebody born and raised in Canada. However, the tentative guess that Al might have moved out for work is shot down as Al is, instead, undeniably American to the core. In the end, the most accredited theory is that one of their parents is American and the other Canadian. Al doesn’t comment, and any further attempt to get an insight on the matter is thwarted by the fact nobody can find a Matthew Jones matching the face in Al’s pictures.

Even odder is the second person Alfred refers to as his brother, a grumpy guy named Arthur who, instead, doesn’t look like Alfred at all. He appears less than Matthew, always scowling, and his pictures are often deleted not long later. He also frequently posts sarcastic comments under Al’s pictures, though. His profile is private as well, but his name is listed as ‘Arthur Kirkland’ and his profile picture shows the Big Ben. Not to mention, he undeniably uses BrE in his comments. People are confused. Alfred’s unhelpful answer, this time, is ‘my family’s complicated 🙂’ and he leaves it there. Some people claim Arthur is Alfred’s half-brother or step-brother, somebody even suggests Arthur isn’t related to Alfred at all but a person Alfred calls his ‘older brother’ in a metaphorical sense as he looks up to him. (Nobody knows that Alfred has to use all his self-control not to correct the assumption and accidentally reveal something, nor do they have any idea of the smug smile curving Arthur’s lips as he reads the comment and calls an intern to have it screenshotted. From time to time, he brings it up to tease Alfred.) Once again, however, nothing concrete can be found.

There is also the mystery of what Al’s job is. The option he’s attending university/college is soon discarded as Al never mentions studying but some comments allude to him having a job. From time to time, he complains about his boss being unreasonable. Al isn’t even just a blogger as, anytime he mentioned his job, he talked about paperwork (something like a selfie of him at the desk with a sad face and a caption that said ‘wasting this sunny day inside bc I’m buried in paperwork 😞😭’) or having a meeting. Al is oddly cryptic about the nature of these meetings, but it’s clear he often has to go abroad for them. There are also pictures of him with people he calls his coworkers or colleagues – all young people of different nationalities, none of which looks older than their mid-twenties. Nobody can figure out which job can entail something like that. When a person suggests they’re all international spies or agents, it’s laughed off as a joke. (The theory keeps resurfacing from time to time, though. It’s clearly not the truth, and at the same time, it’s the only one that could logically explain everything...)

But this isn’t where the oddities stop. Al is good-natured and goofy, but some of the pictures and stories he posts are... concerning. His parkour stunts hardly raise any eyebrow as he clearly knows what he’s doing, but other things... getting way too close to dangerous wild animals... hiking away from the trail and in bad weather condition... and once Al posts a picture showing a bandaged arm with the caption ‘Mattie’s bear didn’t want to cuddle with me 😟’. It would be taken as a joke, if it weren’t for the polar bear cub (with an oddly smug expression) in a corner of the photo. The uproar is so big – people calling Al stupid for getting close to a bear, saying he’s a bad role-model for celebrating this act of idiocy that didn’t end badly only thanks to his spectacular luck, people worried for a bear being kept in a house, people threatening to report Al and Matthew for animal abuse – that it ends up being deleted. The incident is fresh on many people’s minds, however. Al may always come out of his adventures unscathed, but they start making some people uncomfortable. The most charitable ones are worried about Alfred’s recklessness, others start saying that it’s all a hoax of a bored teen who wanted to be an online celebrity or even a social experiment. Either way, it’s all fake. The pictures are photoshopped (even if with incredible skills, as there’s no visible evidence of that), and he uses friends’ houses to pretend to be in different locations. Al proclaims himself innocent, he seems genuinely upset for not being believed. He doesn’t spend too much energy trying to clear his name, though.

After a bit, people are genuinely confused about what’s going on with Al. The theories – on his behaviour, on whether it’s fake or real, on which part is real and which part invented – keep multiplying and becoming wilder and wilder. And in all this, America doesn’t care. He finds all the speculations amusing (and, unlike other personifications, he isn’t concerned about them as nobody ever got close to the truth, he doesn’t think there’s any danger of his identity being exposed) – but what he truly enjoys is sharing his days with people who are genuinely interested. Even if it’s all virtual, it’s still a part of the human interactions he craves for so much.

#hetalia #hetalia headcanon #aph america #aph canada #aph england #feyna's headcanon #queue

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sophcaro · 4 years

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Warriors | WMatsui - Chapter 28

A long, blissful sigh escaped Mayu’s lips as she enjoyed a rest under the shade of the large branches of a maple tree. From her position at the top of the hill, she had a privileged view over the main grounds of the Shinoda clan. The head of the clan’s main residence. The samurais’ private quarters. The stables held over two hundred of horses of every color and kind: black, white, grey, chestnut, roan and bay; packhorses, workhorses and riding horses. The Buddhist temples, central places of prayer. The cemetery, where people came to mourn their lost ones, often soldiers fallen during the last great war. But also, the small houses, taverns and trading centers, that stretched in the valley as far as the eye could see.

The movement, the hustle bustle, the energy. It reminded her of her childhood. Of how the Watanabe clan used to be when it stood proudly as one of the leading authorities of the country.

The remembrance of her lost heritage made Mayu a touch melancholy, but she pushed it firmly to the back of her mind. She was content living here. Every passing day, she was grateful Shinoda-san had accepted to let them stay. At last, they were off the roads, filled with disreputable individuals ready to rob them of their scarce resources. Mayu felt safe within these walls, and wasn’t afraid to call it her new home.

She had settled into what proved an idyllic life, with only one cloud on her horizon. Her sister, Jurina, who had difficulty adjusting to their new day-to-day routine. Maybe it was her optimistic side speaking, but Mayu wished to remain positive. Believe she would come to appreciate this second chance life gave them.

The maple forest had become a sea of reds, oranges and yellows. The grass swayed in the autumn breeze, the sun bathing the foliage and flowers in its golden rays. Gone was the scorching heat of Summer. Mayu found the current temperate, neither hot or cold, pleasant. She had heard that, in this northern region, Winter could prove to be ruthless. Some years, inhabitants had even witnessed lakes freeze. The sole idea made her shiver, and she hoped her thick kimono would be enough to keep her warm. She had spent all her childhood in the South of Japan, where the Watanabe clan used to be located. Only recently, she and her sister had begun to travel norther.

Never before had she had the chance to witness lands covered with the white substance people called snow. The prospect made her secretly excited.

Mayu’s eyes fluttered close. Relaxed, her body felt heavier. She wasn’t particularly tired, but the atmosphere was serene. She drifted away. Without warning, a certain kiss came back to the forefront of her mind, and she was wide awake. Her heart leaped. She raised her hand to her lips; they quivered slightly at the touch. A shy but happy smile broke out across her face. The memory of the soft and warm kiss she had shared with the kyudo instructor was vivid and sharp.

There were gaps in her memory concerning that particular evening, and she blamed it on the excessive use of alcohol. She had always been a light drinker, and she couldn’t explain why she had gotten carried away. Despite her mind fuzzy about the course of events, she didn’t imagine the kiss. She had a hard time believing it happened. For months, her attraction for Kashiwagi-san grew, but she hesitated to make the first move.

What if her protector was gentle and caring out of duty? Mayu had seen a couple of signs suggesting a mutual romantic interest. The personal attention, the lingering eye contact, the physical proximity. And what about the evening Jurina had left the bedroom in a haste after a violent nightmare, and Kashiwagi-san, witnessing Mayu’s disarray, had invited her to her room and provided her comfort?

As days transformed into weeks, and weeks became months, the protégée and her protector grew closer than ever. Their relationship didn’t progress as much as Mayu secretly hoped, but she didn’t want either to take the risk of overstepping boundaries. What if Kashiwagi-san held herself for the same reasons, and believed a romantic relationship between them was inappropriate? The kiss, reciprocated, had put an end to any remaining doubt, and filled Mayu’s heart with happiness.

At the crackling sound of leaves and twigs stepped upon, Mayu pulled out of her reverie. Her eyelids peeled open, finding Jurina standing in front of her. Mayu blinked, coming back to reality. Her sister’s delight caught her attention. “I see some habits don’t change.”

Mayu readjusted her seated position, flustered to have been so lost in her thoughts she didn’t hear someone approach. “What do you mean?”

“It reminds me of when we were little. How often would I find you napping under a cherry tree?”

“You mean…” Mayu continued, in a slight humorous tone. “You mean when you escaped your bodyguard’s attention and explored the lands of our clan, disappearing for hours, sometimes even until sundown?”

Jurina slumped down beside her, and rested her back against the tree. “It’s not my fault if they were too slow to catch up.”

Mayu let out a small chuckle. “I’ll always remember Father’s fury when the bodyguard confessed having lost you. How many times did he change your bodyguard? Four? Five?”

“I have no idea.” Jurina shrugged her shoulders, grinning. “It never made a difference anyway.”

Mayu laughed openly. A comfortable silence fell over them, during which both enjoyed the view and each other’s presence. Once in a while, Mayu would steal a peek at Jurina when she wasn’t paying attention. She felt so lucky to have her by her side. They had endured so many hardships. The murder of their father. The downfall of their clan. Years of restless wandering. Life at the Shinoda clan was a fresh start; an opportunity to put their painful past behind.

“Why don’t you join Rena-san’s lessons? You haven’t come to the dojo. You need to learn kenjutsu.”

Mayu shifted uneasily. “Thank you, but… I’m fine with kyudo. It suits me more.”

An awkward silence followed.

“You’re spending way too much time with Kashiwagi-san. You follow her everywhere. You barely leave her side all day.”

“What are you talking about?” Mayu asked, taken aback by her manifest disapproval.

“I’m not blind,” Jurina rolled her eyes at her. “You get that dreamy expression when you interact with her. You have a crush. I hope you’re not making yourself false illusions about your relationship.”

“W-We kissed,” Mayu blurted out.

Jurina’s mouth dropped open. “What? When?!”

Mayu hesitated. “The other day, after the dinner organized by Shinoda-dono. Kashiwagi-san offered to accompany back to my room, and we ki-”

“Did she take advantage of you?!”

“W-What? No… Kashiwagi-san is not like tha-”

“I knew I couldn’t trust her!” Jurina abruptly stood up. “I warned her to not play with your feelings but she seized the opportunity as soon as she saw one! She used you during a moment of weakness! What else did she do to you?! Tell me! You have to tell me everything!”

Her outburst rendered Mayu speechless.

“Do you even remember what happened that evening?!” Jurina asked, in a slightly mocking tone. “No, of course you don’t. Let me refresh your memory. Hasegawa-san harassed you the whole evening. He made you drink again and again, and you were too nice and polite to refuse. I had no choice but to intervene to make him stop! I wouldn’t be shocked if you were half drunk when Kashiwagi-san walked you back to your room. Your beloved protector didn’t lift a finger to help you!”

Mayu was baffled by Jurina’s fury. Processing the information revealed, she put the missing pieces of the puzzle back together. Little by little, her memory of that evening became much clearer. “Kashiwagi-san couldn’t say anything! It would have caused an incident!”

“Tss. What a silly excuse,” Jurina huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “She was too much of a coward to act, and I was forced to step up.”

“Yes, and it could have gotten yourself killed! And what do you mean by you ‘warned her to not play’ with my feelings?”

“Exactly as I said,” Jurina spoke with confidence. “I had a clear conversation with her on the subject. I won’t let anyone toy with you.”

Mayu didn’t like arguing with her. Conflicts left her emotionally and mentally drained. But this was too much. She couldn’t accept nor condone what she had dared to do behind her back. “I can’t believe you did that!” Mayu sprang to her feet, anger bubbling within her. “How could you? You had no right!”

If Jurina was shocked by her raised tone, she didn’t let it show. “You’re my sister, and it’s my role to protect you. I don’t trust Kashiwagi-san. I never did. Even less after her behavior during dinner.”

“You don’t know her like I do. Kashiwagi-san is a good person!”

“You’re naïve.” Jurina wasn’t so easily deterred. “You always see the best in people. Kashiwagi-san is acting nice to get close to you. Once she gets what she wants, she’ll get rid of you without any remorse!”

“You always believe everyone has bad intentions. I know what my heart feels and that Kashiwagi-san feels the same. I don’t judge your relationship with Matsui-san!”

“I-It’s different.”

“How is it different?” Mayu countered. Her sister avoided her gaze, and Mayu guessed she had caught her off guard. “I won’t pretend I fully understand the nature of the relationship you two have. But look me in the eye and tell me you don’t have feelings for her. Or you want me to believe it’s a simple flirt? That it’s not serious?”

When the younger girl didn’t reply, Mayu added. “I think we’re both experimenting the same. We met someone who makes us feel something different; something new and strong. But at least, I’m honest about it, and not afraid of saying it.”

Mayu stood face to face with Jurina. She wanted her to realize she meant every single word, and nothing, no one, would make her change her mind. She half-expected her to come back at her with a clever retort. Against all odds, Jurina’s lips remained tightly sealed. Mayu took a step back, and slowly walked away. Their heated debate had left her shaken, and it would take her a while to recover from it, but she was also proud to have been brave enough to stand up to her convictions.

**********

“She’s totally infatuated with Kashiwagi-san,” Jurina mumbled, leaning her back against the stall. “It doesn’t make her think clearly.”

The whinny of her horse distracted her. “What?” She cocked an eyebrow at her black stallion, meeting his visible disapproval. The animal tilted his head to his left, pointing his nose towards the untouched saddle on the rack. “Yes, yes, we are leaving! You can be so impatient, sometimes!”

Jurina pushed away from the door stall and picked the saddle, throwing it on the horse. All morning, she couldn’t get out of her head her argument with Mayu. She had taken the direction of the stables, hoping a ride would help dissipate her bad mood. “Why won’t she listen to me!” She growled, putting on the bridle. “I know I’m right, right?!” She studied her horse’s reaction, hoping for support and understanding, but all she got in return was a silent stare.

Akihira-kun, the thirteen-year-old stable boy, who brushed the knotted beige mane of a horse, spoke up in a small, hesitant voice. “I-Is everything alright, Watanabe-san?”

Jurina spared him a quick glance. “Yes, yes.” She answered, attempting to sound as nonchalant as possible. A complete lie. She was anything but fine.

“And how can she compare it to my relationship with Rena-san! It’s ridiculous! It’s completely different!”

A chestnut head popped over the next-door stall. Her protector’s calm and gentle mare appeared, and twitched her ears at her in a friendly hello. The stallion disregarded Jurina’s presence and greeted the mare with a nicker, rubbing his nostrils against the head of the female horse.

“Great,” Jurina groaned, her frustration rising. “Remind me who defended you when Rena-san didn’t want you two to be together? Me! So, you could at least pretend you’re interested in my problems!”

The stallion turned his head partially towards his owner, and snorted in response.

The front door of the stables opened, and Jurina diverted her attention from the couple to the group of four men entering. Amongst them, Jurina recognized two kenjutsu apprentices, Tanaka-san and Matsuura-san. She failed to identify the two others, but by their dark blue outfits, concluded they were young shinobis at Kitahara-san’s service. Her own horse ride all forgotten, she observed the scene unfolding. The four horses saddled and prepared. The heavy, large packages. The weapons concealed beneath the kimonos or wrapped up in dark clothing.

This group of men spiked her interest.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Jurina approached them. “Going somewhere? You seem prepared for a long travel.”

“W-Watanabe-san.” Tanaka-san spun around. “Oh no, we’re only going to the village.”

“So heavily armed and food supply for what? A week? Has anyone told you before you’re a terrible liar?”

He swallowed nervously. “Matsui-dono told us not to disclose any information.”

“And if you’re not aware of it, it means Matsui-dono doesn’t trust you enough,” Matsuura-san chimed in, snickering.

Jurina glared at him. Her hand travelled toward the hilt of her katana, loosening it from its guard. Her protector had asked her to work on her temper, and to socialize with the other trainees. On that first point, Jurina had made efforts. Did she sometimes lose her calm? Yes, she did, but she had made great progress. Three months ago, she would already have pulled out her sword and challenged him to a duel.

Concerning her relationship with the other apprentices, it was a different story. At first, any opportunity was good to challenge them into spontaneous fights. She relished the adrenaline coursing through her veins when their swords clashed together. Eventually, her thirst depleted to a more reasonable level, and she was satisfied with the daily trainings and regular tournaments. Jurina had neutral feelings for the majority of her fellow companions. She hadn’t developed any friendship, but some had owed her respect, such as Tanaka-san, whom she considered as a valuable opponent. However, if there was one trainee she remained in permanent conflict with, it was the pretentious and self-assured Matsuura-san.

Jurina released her hold on the tsuka of her katana, calming down. Ignoring the provocation, she addressed Tanaka-san. “You’re going on a mission?”

“Yes, we are,” he confessed, a little reluctantly. “We were ordered to patrol the clan’s southern border with Ikeda-san and Abe-san.”

Jurina’s eyes widened at the revelation. The southern border. It was where she and Rena had been attacked. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Jurina thought of interrogating him further, but refrained. He probably had been told the strict minimum. The group mounted their horses, and trotted out of the stables. Why didn’t her protector warn her about this mission? And why wasn’t she part of it? As the four riders vanished in the distance, she decided to have an explanation.

**********

Jurina made a beeline to the samurais’ quarters, discovering Rena’s bedroom empty. She moved to the dojo, finding the kenjutsu instructor equally absent. For an instant, she wondered if she had briefly left the clan. No, it wasn’t possible. Her protector had to be within the grounds of the clan: her horse was still present in the stables. Jurina checked a few other locations, such as the courtyard and the garden, without any success. After half an hour of fruitless research, she came to the evidence: she needed to question a guard.

The first guard proved completely useless, having not a single clue about her location. The second one she interrogated provided her, at last, with the information she desperately sought: the kenjutsu instructor was in the council chambers. Jurina took its direction, feeling slightly foolish for omitting that place. Her protector had regular meetings with the head of the clan, and lately, her presence was requested on a daily basis.

Jurina arrived at destination, but was disappointed to find the doors shut. Jurina hesitated: come back later or wait? In the end, she chose the second option. Ignoring the two guards eyeing her suspiciously, she made herself comfortable in the waiting area, praying it wouldn’t take too long.

Time passed slowly, so slowly she found her patience strained. She never had been the most patient person in the world – Mayu would be the first to attest to it - but this meeting was unusually long. Nevermind. She would have to postpone this conversation to later. Jurina raised from her chair, decided to not wait another minute, when the doors opened. An advisor hurried out, his arms filled with scrolls, and Jurina used the opportunity to take a peek inside the room.

Astonishment touched her. The head of the clan was nowhere to be seen. Behind the office where she usually handled meetings and claims, was present the one and only master kenjutsu. Head bent down, she was focused on the table heaped with papers, listening to the male advisor who stood beside her and gave her instructions.

Jurina considered her next move. Should she make her presence known? Or leave her protector to her occupations? No, she had waited long enough to turn back. She approached the entrance, but was halted by a guard. “Do you have a meeting? Matsui-dono asked not to be disturbed.”

“No, I don’t. But I want to talk to her.”

“What is it?” Rena’s inquiry sounded from inside the room.

“It’s Watanabe-san,” the guard announced, turning in her direction. “She wants to speak to you. I told her you wished not to be disturbed.”

“It’s fine. Let her in.”

Jurina walked in and, as the doors closed behind her, didn’t wait to point out the oddity of the situation. “Shinoda-san is not here?”

“Momijimori no kami dono is unwell, and is resting in her quarters. In the meantime, I’m assuming her obligations.”

Jurina frowned. “Is she sick?”

“It’s a simple allergic reaction to the season.” Her protector’s tone was controlled, but Jurina detected a hint of concern in her tone.

“Well, for what it’s worth,” with a slight joking tone, Jurina went on. “If anything were to happen to the head of the clan, you would make an excellent replacement. You’re practically already doing the job for her.”

The advisor’s features contorted with shock and stupor. Rena pursed her lips in slight disapproval, yet a look of veiled amusement crossed her face. “Forgive my protégée’s erratic sense of humor. Obviously, she wishes no harm to Shinoda-dono. Am I wrong, Watanabe-san?”

“Of course not,” Jurina answered, suppressing a smile. “I hope Shinoda-dono will be on the road of recovery in no time.” She continued, not losing sight of her primary objective. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“Matsui-dono has a busy schedule. I’m sure this conversation can wait,” the advisor intervened firmly.

“Yes…” Rena’s voice trailed away, with embarrassment. “Suzuki-san is right. I have all this paperwork to finish by the end of the day.”

“It won’t be long,” Jurina tried to sound reassuring.

Rena could sense her advisor’s eyes boring into her, pressuring her, but she felt guilty for denying her protégée’s desire to speak. “Alright.” Rena relented, and lowered on the table the document she was reading. “What did you wish to talk about?”

Jurina’s gaze drifted from her to the advisor, and Rena deciphered the meaning of the message conveyed. “Suzuki-san. Would you mind leaving us?”

The advisor exchanged with her a glance of surprise, not making any secret of his discontent. His mouth opened as if to speak, and it took him all his self-restraint to not object, bowing slightly, and leaving the council chambers.

“I don’t have a lot of spare time…” Rena’s face creased; her stress palpable. “It’s not I don’t wish to speak to you, but this added workload was unexpected. The Autumnal season seems to affect Shinoda-san’s health… more than usual. She’s been unwell for the past few days.”

“Is it true you sent Tanaka-san and Matsuura-an on a mission?” Jurina didn’t intend to be so blunt, but the question had been nagging her all day. She couldn’t hold herself any longer; she was in desperate needs of answers.

“H-How do you…” Rena stared at her, astounded. “Yes, I did. A couple of days ago, Shinoda-san organized a meeting. She asked me and Kitahara-san to gather and send a group on a patrolling mission. She wants to make sure the frontiers of the clan are well secured. It’s simple routine.”

“We both know it’s more than that. She sent them in the South, where we were attacked.” Jurina confronted her with the truth. “Why didn’t you choose me? I’m your top trainee. I was the best fit.”

“Tanaka-san and Matsuura-san have proved their value. Choosing my protégée would send the wrong message. I didn’t want Shinoda-san or the other trainees to believe I was partial in my decision.”

Rena sounded extremely convincing, but Jurina didn’t buy it. “It’s not the real reason. You didn’t choose me because you don’t trust me. You don’t have enough faith in me to complete a mission without messing up.”

“Jurina-san… No, it’s not true.”

Jurina drew closer to the table, placed her hands flat on the surface and leaned down inches away from her. “You think I’m uncontrollable, don’t you? That I can’t follow orders?” She studied her, trying to read her response. “You know how much I hate being cooped up in this place! I told you… I opened myself to you. This mission, it was exactly what I needed! I needed the distraction!”

Jurina glanced away, overcome with embarrassment. This wasn’t right. She was doing it again. Losing control over her emotions. Precisely what she fought so hard against. She breathed in and out, calming her fast-beating heart. It wasn’t the image she wanted to project. Not to her protector. She wanted to prove she changed, and wasn’t anymore the impetuous child of their first encounter.

“I feared you would be unhappy if it came to your attention. It’s true, I didn’t want to send you. But it’s not for the reason you think. Of course, you have issues to work on. Your temper, your independent and stubborn personality. But you had all the physical and fighting skills required to fulfil this mission.”

“Then why?” Jurina said, allowing her frustration to leak into her tone. “Why didn’t you send me?”

Rena grew rigid and tense, and drew her attention back to the scroll in front of her. “I don’t think it’s the appropriate time for this conversation.”

Jurina felt a stirring of anger. “No, I want to know!”

“Jurina-san, please.” Rena cast her a pleading look. “We can talk about it later. But now is not the best moment.”

“Why?!” Jurina slapped her hand on the table. “It’s not fair, Rena-san! I deserved to go on that mission! You had no right to-”

“I don’t want to lose you!” Rena blurted out, her voice shaking angrily. “Two years ago, I lost someone. It was supposed to be an easy mission, but things didn’t turn out as planned. She never made it back alive to the clan! She died! I don’t want the same thing to happen to you! Can you understand that?!”

Shivers racked Jurina’s body; the confession destabilized her. She withdrew her hands from the table and pulled back. Her protector’s deep brown eyes glittered, and brimmed with unshed tears. What was she supposed to say? Or to act? When the silence stretched unbearably long, Jurina did the first thing that came to her mind. She reached out, touching Rena’s hand. As she held her palm, fingers tremble inside hers, and Jurina met her watering eyes.

“You’ve come to mean so much to me,” Rena’s voice crackled; a tear slid down her cheek. “I cannot accept to lose you too.”

Jurina was about to protest, before realizing the irony of the situation. Who was she to disagree with her protector’s desire to protect the ones she cared about, when she acted the same way with Mayu? “I understand you want to protect me.” Her voice was calmer and gentler when she spoke up. “But I can protect mys-”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Forgive me for the disturbance, Matsui-dono.” The advisor, Suzuki-san, stopped at the entrance, and bowed in respect. “The emissary of the Yokohama clan has arrived. Will you receive him now, or should I make him wait?”

“Oh, right.” At the reminder, Rena straightened up in her seat. Noticing her hand still linked with Jurina’s, she gently extracted her fingers from her hold. “Let the emissary know I will receive him immediately.”

The discussion was over. The thought of protesting didn’t cross Jurina’s mind. She couldn’t delay her protector from her obligations. Jurina slowly backed away from the table, not breaking eye contact with her. “Maybe…” she paused for a breath, hesitant. “Maybe later we’ll have the opportunity to continue this conversation?”

The master kenjutsu didn’t hide her surprise. She didn’t reply immediately, before giving her a small silent nod of consent.

Jurina’s face relaxed into a faint smile of relief.

She spun on her heel and retraced her steps back to the exit. At the doors, she marked a stop, and glanced over her shoulder. The male advisor, Suzuki-san, had already reached her protector’s side. Jurina was too far away to distinguish the content of their conversation, but imagined he was prepping her for the upcoming meeting. Jurina observed her protector attentively, amazed by her ability to regain her composure. In the blink of an eye, her demeanor had altered entirely, her serious, work-hardened expression not revealing an inch of what had transpired in this room.

**********

Every evening, Rena had a ritual.

Her daily chores done, she bid goodbye to Momijimori no kami, and took the direction of the samurais’ quarters. After a hard day’s work – the life of a master kenjutsu anything but restful - it was often sundown by the time she joined her bedroom. Her first action was to lit the candle on the small table, wait for the flame to grow and illuminate her surroundings, and move towards the weapons rack.

Detaching the katana and wakizashi from her belt, she disposed of them and proceeded in disrobing. She removed her hakama and kimono, swapping her daily clothes for her nightly yukata. Before laying down on the futon, she checked her tanto was secured under the pillow, before falling into a deep slumber, exhaustion gaining her.

This evening followed the same path, for one exception. As Rena removed her weapons and placed them onto the rack, she fixed the ninjato laying at the top. She tried not to dwell on it, but was unable to look away. The familiar sword brought her back to the conversation that occurred in the council chambers, one that triggered painful memories to reemerge.

Rena took if off the rack; her fingers slid along the surface of the 30 inches flat blade. That moment of her past was supposed to remain buried deep within her. Only two people, Shinoda-dono and Kitahara-san, had borne witness to the scene, and seen how devastated Airi’s death had left her. The monster who took control. Her delirium and destructive fury. It wasn’t a memory she was proud of, and wished she could erase it from her mind forever. Unfortunately, it still haunted her.

People praised her benevolence and good manners, her sound education and ability to never let her emotions cloud her judgement. Aside from her misconduct two years ago, she had kept them under control. Her encounter with the young Watanabe sister had disrupted the stability of her perfectly organized daily life. After the confession that left her mouth in the council chambers, she didn’t recognize herself. It wasn’t like her to disclose such personal information. The weakness she had displayed. It left her both disturbed and ashamed, and she was lucky only one person had been testimony of it.

“May I come in?”

The familiar feminine voice, hesitant behind her bedroom door, distracted her from her thoughts. Rena cleared her head, and carefully replaced the ninjato back in place. At the request, her mouth lifted into a smile. “Since when you do my protégée ask for my permission to enter?”

The fusuma panel slowly slid open. “Since I learned it’s not appropriate to barge into someone’s bedroom without their approval.” Jurina said, mischief flickering in her eyes. “So, is that a yes? You haven’t answered.”

Rena suppressed the urge to laugh. “Yes, Jurina-san. You may come in.”

Jurina stepped inside the room, closing the fusuma panel behind her, and locked her gaze with hers. They fell into silence and Rena turned around, busying herself with the untying of her hakama. She convinced herself she was simply following her nightly ritual, but revealing secrets of her past had left her vulnerable. She didn’t know how to confront the situation. Rena fumbled with the hakama, the knot resisting her. Her fingers, usually so clever and deft, seemed to have lost all dexterity.

“Do you need any help?” Jurina moved behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist, cradling her against her. Rena stiffened in surprise. “It’s funny. You always seem to have troubles with your hakama. Last time, you couldn’t tie it properly. Now, you have difficulty removing it. What would you do without me?”

It took her a few seconds to recall what she referred to. That day at the lake rushed back with vivid clarity, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She turned around in the embrace, and frowned at her protégée’s wick grin. Jurina’s hands didn’t wait to work on the front himo of her hakama, untying it, then moved to the back. Rena watched as she followed the process, respecting the steps, impressed by her calm and diligence.

“I see I don’t have anything more to teach you.” Rena smiled at her warmly.

While a smile appeared at the corner of Jurina’s lips, she wore a pensive and serious expression. “You know… it’s alright. I’m not upset.”

There was a startled pause. “You’re not?” Rena bit her lip, attempting to keep her voice casual. “Then I guess I must have imagined your anger when you entered the council chambers and interrogated me about the mission.”

Jurina’s expression clouded with unease. “Yes, I was angry at you. Upset, disappointed, and angry. But I’m not anymore.”

Rena vacillated between disconcert and disbelief. “But you have all the right to be. You deserved to go on that mission.”

“You explained yourself. You told me about your past. After what you went through, I understand you would want to protect me.”

Rena stared wordlessly at her, uncomprehending.

“Nothing will happen to me. I’m too stubborn to die,” Jurina said casually. Her job done on the hakama, she took a few steps backward, and sat down on the edge of the futon. “Besides, I’m counting on you to teach me everything you know. I won’t be satisfied until I managed to beat you. So, you need to fulfil your part of the bargain.”

The teasing in Jurina’s tone made her relax, and she smiled in spite of her worry. “Didn’t you defeat me in the forest?”

Jurina waved a hand in dismissal. “No, that didn’t count. I want to beat you in fair fight, without any trick.”

“Please don’t be offended, but I’m afraid you’ll need a few more years for that,” Rena said softly and kindly, but truthfully. “It took me years to perfect my technique, and acquire enough experience to defeat my own instructor.”

“Years? That’s perfect. I’m not going anywhere.”

Rena sent her a small, doubtful look. “You have enough patience to wait for so long?”

“Ah yes, that’s one of the many things I need to work on,” Jurina chuckled, nodding in agreement.

Rena gave her a knowing smile. Dragging her eyes away from her, she stepped out of her hakama, collected it from the floor and neatly folded it on the chair. She reached for the belt of her kimono, aware of her protégée peering at her, but didn’t feel uneasy under her scrutiny. Halfway through the process, she gave her a sideways glance. The amusement had died from Jurina’s eyes, and Rena saw something new and deeply serious within them she couldn’t decipher.

Jurina rose from the futon and closed the distance between them, catching her off guard when she gently pulled her into her arms. “I know you’re troubled by what happened in the council chambers.” She whispered close to her ear, her breath warm against her cheek. “You don’t you like being vulnerable in front of others, and I understand the feeling. I don’t have the habit to confide in people. I’ve never been good at comforting people either,” Jurina confessed awkwardly, struggling to find the right words. “When I told you how much I felt lost and lonely here, you didn’t judge me.”

She pulled back enough to gaze into her eyes. “Today, Mayu told me something that made me think. There are many things I don’t understand. Things… that confuse me. But I know I’m a better person when I’m with you. You said you wanted to help me feel more at home, and I want to try. Not only for my sister’s sake, but because I think it’s worth it. I think you’re worth it, Rena-san.”

Rena’s heart accelerated.

Jurina reached for the front of her kimono and began to detach it. Rena reacted on instinct and seized her hand, interrupting her. She expected the younger girl to fight against her hold, but she didn’t resist. Rena was used to her protégée’s dominant personality and possessive moves. Tonight, she could sense the dynamic between them had changed. She felt her protégée’s desire for her, but she showed more patience, her gaze soft as a caress as it traveled over her face.

A shiver came over Rena, and a knot welled up in her stomach. Jurina leaned closer, her lips paused inches from hers, offering an invitation without taking any liberties. The decision would be all hers. Rena hesitated for the briefest of moments, as her self-preservation instincts warred with her heart’s desire. She knew where this was leading if she didn’t push her back. Her heart won out. She closed the gap separating them. Their lips brushed. She could feel her heart beat faster as Jurina’s mouth moved gently against hers. They had kissed before, but never like that. It made her go weak in the knees, and Rena responded to her kisses with equal tenderness.

Her grip on her protégée’s hand diminished, conveying her consent for her to keep on. Jurina broke the kiss and drew back slightly. Her face brightened with happiness, and Rena gave her a shy smile. The younger girl took her hand in hers, leading her towards the futon. Jurina sat down and gently pulled her down to sit on her lap, and she didn’t oppose any resistance. Without haste, Jurina untied her belt, and swept aside the fabric of her kimono. She feathered her lips along the valley between her breasts, and Rena felt her hands slide over her arms as she freed her from her kimono.

Rena felt the air caress her skin. Her touch claim her. Jurina’s kisses bathed her in delicious intoxication. Her senses roared. Rena’s hands plunged into her hair, fingers tangling, getting accustomed to the sensations of pleasure coursing through her veins. She tried to fight for a minimum of self-control, but found no desire to back out of her embrace, and allowed herself to give free rein to her feelings.

Jurina lifted her off her lap, and laid her gently down the futon. Rena settled back, enjoying the feel of her arms around her. Jurina swooped down, her lips brushed her neck, her cheek, and found her mouth, kissing her. The friction of the fabric of her protégée’s kimono against her skin reminded her that one of them remained fully clothed.

“Is there a reason why I’m the only one naked?” Rena murmured in between kisses, tugging at her protégée’s kimono.

The latter removed herself from her lips and looked at her, visibly entertained by the complaint received. She rose from the futon and undressed, keeping her eyes locked on her face, letting her clothes fall on the floor without ceremony. Rena found herself openly staring at her nude form, admiring her shapely body in the pale moonlight that came through the fusuma leading to the garden.

Jurina climbed back into the futon, reclaiming her position on top of her. “Better?”

Rena reached up, capturing her chin with her thumb and finger, tugging her down for another soft lip touch. “Yes, much better.”

Despite the dominant position, Jurina’s touch was not aggressive or demanding. It was remarkably gentle, coaxing. Jurina’s mouth wandered up the tingling cord of her neck. With a slow, leisurely touch, her fingers roamed over her curves, and she explored her body as if she had all the time in the world. When she touched her breasts and traced their roundness, her nipples surged at the intimacy.

Rena softly moaned with pleasure.

Their eyes met through the dim light, and Rena wondered if the other girl wasn’t holding herself. Taking things slowly for her sake. Rena studied her, trying to obtain a response, but didn’t detect any sign of frustration. On the contrary; all she witnessed was the similar raw pleasure etched on her features. It set her heart pounding. When Jurina dipped her head to recapture her mouth, she met her halfway.

Soon, they both were back in a passionate embrace, their naked bodies entwined, gently making love. While Rena’s hands glided over her back and shoulders, Jurina’s hands left her skin hot and tingling. Tonight, Rena was witnessing her protégée’s softer side. But if those last three months had taught her one thing, it was that Jurina was a complex, multifaceted person. And she was eager to discover all aspects of her personality.

#wmatsui #matsui jurina #matsui rena #wmatsui fanfic #Watanabe Mayu #Kashiwagi Yuki #SKE48 #AKB48 #Warriors #chapter 28

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