#faolenwolf

[pokeshippingflashfic]

Askfic off the top of my head. Someone calls Misty a harpy after she scolds them for mistreating... ?

“Jeezus, you’re a real class act, huh?”

“Excuse me?” the redhead shrieked in a somewhat breathless tone, arms somewhere between crossing defensively over her chest and posturing before her, fists instantaneously ready to physically defend herself.

“Yikes, I wish I’d known before I left town that I was gonna need earplugs today. What a drag…” the opposing young girl shrugged with a hint of a snide smirk. 

“Look, just ‘cause you wanna turn around and insult me for calling you out doesn’t mean I’m gonna walk away and pretend I didn’t see what I saw!”

“And if you’d look, you’d realize that what you saw is none of your business anyway, okay? So why don’t you just turn your scrawny self around and get outta here! These are my Pokemon and I can train them how I want!”

Misty scowled, fingers itching to grab the girl by her neck and wring it until she was more disposed to listening to a more knowledgeable person’s advice.

“I’m telling you as someone who’s seen it before, treating Magikarp like this is dangerous.”

“I have no reason to trust you just because you say you know better! I caught these Pokemon myself for the sole purpose of evolving them! A full team of super strong Gyarados on my side? Hardly anyone will stand a chance!” the young female trainer guffawed. 

An overall distant memory of being stranded at sea with some of her worst enemies and, at the time, more acquaintances than friends fluttered to the top of Misty’s mind. Their raft capsized and she was overcome with cold, dark, and loneliness. 

This was followed by a somewhat more recent recollection of her first day as the covering Cerulean Gym lead trainer, trying her best to tame the territorial and abandoned Gyarados her sisters had left behind when they went on their voyage.

Now, months later, she was finally able to spend a few days with her friends again, had escaped Team Rocket’s latest mon-napping attempt or few and found an opportunity to relax, only to stumble on a stranger using pseudo-abusive training to force their Pokemon to evolve as fast as possible. She was only supposed to be refilling the group’s canteens again for the rest of the night!

Her wary gaze dropped sympathetically to the rather pathetic looking three water-types flailing uselessly in the stream before her, a somewhat aggressive electric-type Misty loosely recognized from the Hoenn region named Electrike posturing on their haunches between them with electricity crackling around its head.

By the time she’d shaken herself from her reverie and returned to the present, the younger lass had turned haughtily on her heel and appeared to be preparing her electric-type to attack her other Pokemon again.

“Wait!” the redhead cried desperately, one step taken instinctively forward even with her arms full of canteens dangling from their straps. But what else was there to say? Other than looking temporarily the worse for wear, the three Magikarp didn’t seem to be malnourished, ill, or afraid. And though the voice in the back of her head was still demanding her warning be validated, another part of her wondered if the girl was right. What business was this of hers?

“Misty? I thought that was you!” a familiar voice called out from somewhere behind her.

“Oh, Ash–”

“–Ugh, now your dumb friends are butting in?!”

“Mwah?!” Ash replied, dismayed at the slight to his ego immediately after his arrival, clutching the firewood he’d offered to gather more tightly in his arms.

“Look, I’ll tell you what I already told her! I can train my Pokemon how I want! This was my plan from the start, to toughen them up and push them to evolve! I’m not doing anything wrong! And you!” she rounded on Misty once more, Ash forgotten in the background though he still appeared to be trying to piece one and one together, frantically glancing between the two girls. “Why are you still even here, you harpy?! Screeching and wailing for me to do what you say?! I don’t owe you such courtesy! I don’t even know you so I have no reason to listen to you!”

“Wha - hey, wait a sec!” the younger male trainer shouted obstinately now before Misty’s fiery spirit could kick in. And to her (rather pleasant, if she were being honest) surprise, Ash leaped in front of her as if to protect her from anymore emotional damage. “I don’t know what’s goin’ on but Misty was probably just trying to help! … Uh, right?” he finished awkwardly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

The redhead found herself nodding mutely, still shocked at his apparent chivalry. Glancing past him, she saw the female trainer gritting her teeth, brow furrowed, mortified at what probably felt akin to two strangers ganging up on her. And it hit her instantaneously that she’d found the source of the opposing girl’s bitterness.

Maybe if I try a softer approach?

“Look, I know it might not mean anything…” she began calmly and swiftly, unceremoniously dropping her armful of canteens to the ground and taking a cautious step forward, “but I’m actually a gym leader from this region.”

“Pssht, yeah right!” the lass responded stubbornly, arms crossed defensively over her chest. A few seconds passed before she glanced suspiciously at her would-be attacker, “… Which gym?”

“Uh, in Cerulean. The gym belongs to my family. My name is Misty.”

Perhaps it was the city name or the sound of the redhead’s identity sounding semi-familiar but the girl responded with sudden embarrassed comprehension, though she quickly stifled it so nobody would notice.

“W - well, even if that’s true…” she stuttered instead, gaze alternating between aversion and boldness before she trailed off.

It took every ounce of Misty’s willpower not to roll her eyes. She was finally making progress though so she couldn’t forfeit now.

“I li - love Pokemon but… water-types are my favorite. I’ve always liked them most of all and my dream is to eventually be the best water-type master trainer in the world,” the redhead continued, taking another discreet step forward and offering a halfhearted glance in the direction of the group of Pokemon in the background.

“I know how important it is to be the strongest. The best. I mean, even at home, I wasn’t allowed to help with the gym until pretty recently. And if I really plan to be a master, I know… that there’s a lot I still have to learn and do to prove myself to everyone. But…”

“Ngh…!” The girl was very clearly going through an internal struggle.

Finally facing her supposed adversary, Misty took a firm hold of the other girl’s hands and tugged softly, enough so they were inclined to look each other in the eye.

“… But finding shortcuts like these, though tempting, never ends well. I’ve seen newly evolved Gyarados create storms and wreak havoc intense enough to almost kill people. I mean, I have a Gyarados now myself!” And, before the girl could interrupt, Misty went on, “But the first time we met, he tried t - to drown me.”

She was faintly aware of Ash, still relatively close in case things escalated again, straightening his back, breath caught in his throat at this news. Her story also appeared to have quite the effect on her intended audience, as the young lass before her stared wide-eyed and mouth slightly agape.

“Gyarados are violent and impulsive, instinctive and distrusting. If you really want a whole squad of them to help you prove yourself in this world… then you need to put in the work too. It’s the only way you’re going to earn their loyalty and respect.”

Things were awkwardly silent for the following minute or so. Making one last effort to break the tension, the redhead pulled her hands away long enough to rummage in her bag, removing a small spray bottle and holding it out.

“Here’s a super potion. It may not be enough to get your Magikarp all back to perfect health but it should help for now if they share it. And, for the record, you were right. None of this here is really any of my business but… I guess I just hope you’ll make the right choice in the end.”

The trip back to their group’s campsite roughly ten minutes later was steeped in pregnant and tense quiet murky enough to almost bowl her over. Misty had walked a few minutes away after their conversation to finally complete her task of filling canteens and hadn’t had the nerve to check back in with the girl before returning to their friends.

She could only wonder if she’d really gotten through…

Ash’s pace slowed, he fell a little further in step behind her, but intended to follow through with his inquiry anyway.

“So… that story about Gyarados nearly drowning you? Is that… I guess that’s true, huh?”

Her step faltered too, mind racing as she contemplated her response. Part of her had expected he wouldn’t ask, another part had expected he might even if it would be hard to talk about.

“Uh… yeah.”

“Oh. I guess… when we met him in Hoenn, I didn’t… get that impression. He seemed so…”

“… Loyal and respectful?” she volunteered with a knowing half-smile. “Well, how else would I have known what to say before? Trust begets trust and love begets love. It’s a good lesson to learn, Mr. Pokemon Master.”

“Does stuff like… like that happen often since returning to Cerulean?” he went on, and Misty blinked, impressed by his curiosity.

She was very briefly overwhelmed with memories of her other adventures; PIA Agent Joy secretly inspecting her gym, those awful brothers from Viridian stalking her and seeking vengeance, being attacked by Pokemon and Team Rocket on several occasions…

“Well,” she offered with the faintest giggle, and Ash was grateful for the cover of darkness hiding his flushed cheeks, “no more often than when we traveled together for sure.”

“But that was different!” His response was automatic, almost oversensitive. She hadn’t expected them to talk in such detail about this situation. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she’d get a rise out of Ash like this. She was torn between taking offense or having her uncertainty put to rest.

“Oh yeah? How’s that?”

She wondered, albeit briefly, if he was about to blame himself somehow. Alas…

“Because! We had each other then, didn’t we? But now that you’re home…” he trailed off, looked at the ground before kicking a pebble in frustration. Where were the words he needed? And the courage to say them to her for that matter! “Now… we don’t… you don’t have me, ‘yknow, there.”

He was suddenly feeling quite overheated, cheeks and neck and ears uncomfortably toasty after his confession.

“… Oh.”

Well, that was unexpected.

“Y - yeah, so you need to take better care of yourself from now on!” he practically yelped in complaint before stomping forward and passing her by, still refusing to look her in the eye in case she noticed his predicament.

... Hypocrite! she replied internally, surprised that it was accompanied by a suppressed bark of laughter as she picked up the pace to rejoin him. 

A good thing too because apparently their conversation wasn’t over.

“That all being said… I think ya handled that really well back there. These kinds of situations can be tricky…” To conceal his lack of breath at such flattering commentary, he continued rambling, “Uh, what’s it called? Like a gray area? It reminds me of when we met AJ right after we first started traveling together.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess it’s sort of the same, huh…?” she replied softly, almost wistfully. “Still no way to know if I made the right call… But I think I did what was best for her and her Pokemon so that’s… really all that I can expect of myself.”

They were one wall of foliage away from their friends now. Ash had resorted to awkwardly clearing his throat, refusing to look her in the eye. Misty, unsure if it was the frustrating prospect of being cornered by a curious May, Max, and Brock later over such odd behavior, or else an impish streak hoping test Ash’s patience one last time tonight, or even the genuine friend in her hoping to give a little something back after all the emotional intimacy he’d bared for her this evening, decided to go for it.

“Y’know Ash, I think you handled yourself well tonight too.”

He stared blankly back at her, one brow just beginning to furrow as he begged the question, “Uh… I did? How?”

She felt an instant warmth spread from her chest to her limbs, heartbeat so violently loud she could feel it pulsing in her fingertips as they unconsciously twirled around a particular canteen strap from anxiety. Still, the memory of Ash stepping to her defense and placing himself between her and any perceived threat had been quite the romantic experience. Not to mention the other precious pieces of himself he’d proffered over the past hour or so…

“Oh, I mean, it’s nothing much. I just wanted you to know that I’m grateful you showed up tonight, I guess. Now let’s get back. I’m surprised they didn’t start looking for us after all this time!” And they crashed unanimously through the underbrush, stumbling back to their destination for the night, one final thought crossing Misty’s mind.

With Ash’s heart sewn so loosely on his sleeve, it was quite easy to tell even after all this time… exactly how he felt about her.

[Btw, my intention was that this fic took place during the short time Ash and Misty travel together again with May, Max, and Brock after Ash’s return from Hoenn.

Btw x2, if you’re so obliged, please reblog this fic and spread news of this blog. I know posts are slower now, work is hectic and I don’t have as much time to write, but I would like to get some more fic requests. Every time I ask lately I’ve only gotten 0-1 at a time.]

[linkeduniverse-incorrect]

Active, smart, persistent.

WARRIORS

[sykilik101]

A list of delusional genwunners out here:-

@themattress

@ultraericthered

@illustrious-rocket

@pepsi-al

@wisetreedude

@shitirishaterssay

@azelmaandeponine

@zchaotic

@dchan87

@cultofpokeshipping

@gouthepro

@planethunter

@fairywind

@wallflower-koharu

@warlordess

@hollylu-ships-it

@anotherworldash

@bruedance

@dbzebra

@wiseabsol

@pokerantsgolike

@chibigamer1992

@lovingtheshow

@zdbztumble

@lightningenergy

@sykilik101

@faolenwolf

@texansman20

@miyatoriaka

@pokeshipperryan

@echidnapower

@n-i-n-t

@starline148

@mockguffin

@fcomk513

All of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pokeshipping is dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You genwunners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations for wasting 25 years of your life shipping abuseshipping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Amourshipping is canon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎

I'm going to laugh at all your miserable and cold faces when Ash and Serena marry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

So suck it up losers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(My favorite part of this Ask is that he tagged me, despite it being sent to me, which implies that this is a copy/paste job and not something that was written specifically for me. Let me tell you all, that just up and broke my damn heart. I dunno if I'll ever recover from this. My fellow Genwunnershippers, lend me your aid so that I might eventually return from this stronger than before. FANFIC TIME!)

It was as if Ash suddenly lost control of his body. There was only impulse, driven by a desire and curiosity that had welled up within him out of the blue.

He pressed his finger against the tip of Misty's nose.

"...what are you doing?"

Misty remained unmoving from her sleeping bag, eyes still closed, but her voiced was snippy, mixed with a touch of frustration at having missed the train to dreamland.

"I just suddenly felt like smushing your nose."

Smushing? Misty giggled, seemingly in spite of herself. Her eyes fluttered open, turning to her side to face him. He kept his fingertip glued to her, though his heart skipped a beat when her own finger smushed against his nose.

"Like this, right?"

"Fun, right?"

Her eyes crinkled in the dark, though the moon offered enough light to make out their viridian gleam. Misty wiggled her way out of her sleeping bag, inching her face closer to his until their hands gave way, and the tip of her nose pressed against his.

"I kinda like this better."

"It's not as fun if you don't use your-"

Her breath had felt hot against his lips in the small second before their mouths made contact. They sighed into the kiss, with Ash resting his palm in her hair. The orange tresses tickled his fingers, though his attention was diverted to the way Misty gently nibbled his lower lip. His face went flush as she backed away, only to return to touching their nose tips.

"Are you sure it's not as fun?"

A half-lidded stare that didn't match her voice's glee pierced into his own, and he wasn't sure if it was her exhaustion or her little victory. In either case, he was more interested in continuing this game, and he softly dragged his fingertip along her shoulder and down her arm.

"You'll have to convince me."

Misty, as she would later regret the next day, missed the next few trains heading to dreamland.

[shnuggletea]

If you want to be tagged in any of my posts (story updates for SM, IY, and originals) like or reblog this post! This will remain open so anytime that you add a note to this post, you’ll be added to my tag list. If you wish to remain on my tag list, please like, reblog, or comment on this post! Otherwise, I will take it as a polite ‘no thanks’ and remove you from the list. 

Getting tagged is the best way to stay updated because the notification will stay there till you view it, unlike the feed! Currently, I have @sailorlolo, @kagometaishostory, and @jayangel10 on the list. You can like, reblog, or comment on this post at any time to be added but if you don’t, I won’t put you on the tag train! For those of you on the list below, this will be the last time I tag you unless you tell me otherwise!

@underwater0phelia @lavendertwilight89 @mamabearcat @nartista @nopenname22 @echobows @superpixie42 @smmahamazing @redflamesofpassion @jme-chan @cstorm86 @cicleydark-light @ruddcatha @lavaffair @kirrtash @sistasecbhere @obsessandfangirl @britonell @lordofthechips @mcornilliac @faolenwolf @keichanz @phoenix-before-the-flame @artisticloveexpressitsall @lamuertadehambre @noyourenotreal @mitty-san @thenoammonster @little-deeluna @royaltrashpanda @sailorbabydoll92 @storyweaver2017 @malditamigs @adorabubblesblog @lilms-obsessed @petri808 @anniehcresta @fan-dumpp @itzatakahashi @utakuprincess @theschultinator @all-too-ale @little-inukag-obsessed @theseagullqueen @queenofthesquirps @jolinaaa00 @knowall7k @neutronstarchild @fawn-eyed-girl @eringobroke @sapphirestarxx @clearwillow @dangerouspompadour @misspepperpottss @master-ray5 @sailorsilverladybug @astraearose93 @egosolivagant @fandompromptsandfun @fandomartlover @holi-holy @liz8080  @jaigny @orientaldancegirl222

[ladynowi]

I was tagged by @blazeturbo102 Thanks 😉

APPEARANCE

i am over 5’5 // i wear glasses/contacts // i have blonde hair // i prefer loose clothing over tight clothing // i have one or more piercings // i have at least one tattoo // i have blue eyes // i have dyed or highlighted my hair // i have gotten plastic surgery // i have or had braces // i sunburn easily // i have freckles // i paint my nails // i typically wear makeup // i don’t often smile // i am pleased with how i look // i prefer nike to adidas // i wear baseball caps backwards

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

i play a sport // i can play an instrument // i am artistic // i know more than one language // i have won a trophy in some sort of competition // i can cook or bake without a recipe // i know how to swim // i enjoy writing // i can do origami // i prefer movies to tv shows // i can execute a perfect somersault // i enjoy singing // i could survive in the wild on my own // i have read a new book series this year // i enjoy spending time with my friends // i travel during school or work breaks // i can do a handstand

RELATIONSHIPS

i am in a relationship // i have been single for over a year // i have a crush // i have a best friend i have known for ten years // my parents are together // i have hooked up with my best friend // i am adopted // my crush has confessed to me // i have had a long-distance relationship // i am an only child // i give advice to my friends // i have made an online friend // i met up with someone i have met online

AESTHETICS

i have heard the ocean in a conch shell // i have watched the sunrise // i enjoy rainy days // i have slept under the stars // i meditate outside // the sound of chirping calms me // i enjoy the smell of the beach // i know what snow tastes like // i listen to music to fall asleep // i enjoy thunderstorms // i enjoy cloud watching // i have attended a bonfire // i pay close attention to colours // i find mystery in the ocean // i enjoy hiking on nature paths // autumn is my favourite season

MISCELLANEOUS

i can fall asleep in moving vehicles // i am the mom friend // i live by a certain quote(s) // i like the smell of sharpies // i am involved in extracurricular activities // i enjoy mexican food // i can drive a stick-shift // i believe in true love // i make up scenarios to fall asleep // i sing in the shower // i wish i lived in a video game // i have a canopy above my bed // i am multiracial // i am a redhead // i own at least 3 dogs

I tag: @bloodyrabbit6 @angiechanxd @warlordgab @siwarts @angelicgoofygoober @xfangheartx @faolenwolf @emaraujo89 @royaldragonsevgisi15 and anyone who wants to! 🤗

[pokeshippingflashfic]

One word prompt: facepalm

(Sorry for the delay. As I said in my mod note awhile back, I had a rough 24-36 hours, and then got a bad cut on my finger a day or two later that made it hard to type so I had to give it a couple days to heal up.)

If there’s one thing you’ve learned over the past eight or so months of traveling with him, it’s that Ash Ketchum is quite the embarrassment.

You’re halfway to sleeping when the initial thought crosses your mind but it sprints around in ascending circles inside your head before you think to stop it in its tracks.

Whether he’s running off to do something bullheaded or eating himself into a coma while spectators take bets or his pants are falling down in the middle of the street (who cares that it only happened that one time Sabrina’s dad used his psychic power; the point is that it mortified you to witness such a thing), Ash Ketchum is an embarrassment to have around sometimes.

The whole thing stresses you out beyond belief. It’s even led to you eyeballing him out of the corner of your eye nearly constantly just so you can be mentally prepared to handle his next stunt. Sometimes your instincts kick in and you grab a hold of him to try and tell him off, dragging him in the opposite direction. Sometimes you need to scarf down a parfait in the closest cafe you can find in the city your group’s currently traveling through just to relieve the pressure of being in Ash Ketchum’s company. Oh, and sometimes you end up wrapped up and pulled into one of his stupid scenarios too, which is far too exhausting to consider the reasons for!

But now, for the first time since tagging along on that dumb kid’s dumb Pokemon journey, you’re eroded with a random wave of insomnia while sharing a room at the local PokeCenter and all you can do is lay back and think about what a gawd-awful embarrassment that Ash Ketchum is.

All of the above commentary is not to say that he has a tendency to keep you up at night (though the current situation may seem evidentiary to the contrary). And, while a partial statement lifted from your aforementioned thought process could be construed as something akin to caring about him, you’re setting the record straight and clearing that air asap! You don’t care about Ash Ketchum, not really. Sure, you’re civil most of the time, you’ve even felt concerned enough once or twice to personally check in and make sure he’s still alive but… but any decent human being would do the same thing so that shouldn’t count!

No, the truth is you can barely stomach him more than you can stand the presence of bug-type Pokemon. That’s what Ash is to you. A bug. An annoyance.

Though, and your brows furrow together, forehead creasing down and nose scrunching up, it’s not… quite the same. Bug Pokemon are creepy, they even kinda… if you’re gonna go so far as to admit it… scare you. Ash, by comparison, makes you feel neither creeped out nor afraid.

In fact, haven’t there been a couple of times when you’ve… depended on him? Even when it concerned bugs?

You groan aloud to yourself, going immediately stiff in the dark when you hear one of your companions shuffle as they roll over on one of the other beds in the room. You squint in the direction of the silhouette as it shifts and eventually stills, concerned someone would wake and ask questions about what’s preventing your sleep. And there’s no way you’re going to let anyone lord over you the fact that Ash Ketchum is keeping you up at night.

Because he’s not. Because that’s absolutely ridiculous.

… Though, even if someone asks, it wouldn’t be frowned upon to admit that the densest, most frustrating Pokemon trainer in the world is haunting you.

No! You snap onto your side, wrenching the pillow halfway from under your head and covering the ear that is on the other side as if this tactic will somehow drown out your thoughts. No, no! If there’s one way to prevent such a thing from even cropping up in conversation, it’s to change your entire thought process right now before it spirals any further!

If Ash Ketchum makes you think of other things you don’t like then the best way to combat that until you finally get called to dreamland is to think of things you do like, right? Hah! Flawless plan!

So you think about the water, and swimming, and swimming with water-type Pokemon, which are your favorite… That’s nice…  But really, Pokemon in general can be quite nice… and so, quite definitely, are the people who treat Pokemon well…

… People like Ash Ketchum?

I’ve never met anyone like him before…

Your eyes shoot open as the direct quote of your past self flutters through your mind. Some part of you, the part that really had begun to doze off again, can still feel your fingers lace together behind your back, can remember the fullness bursting in your heart as you admire him from afar. But that tender scene took place months ago now.

This isn’t working, you think, rubbing both of your palms against your strained and burning eyelids, falling once more onto your back. What’s the saying? You’re doomed if you do, doomed if you don’t?

What can you do when a particular someone else is invading your consciousness and keeping you from the rest you need? Your ire burns in first, screeching that you should obviously cause that person the same disturbance they’re causing you. It’s what they deserve for insighting such distress!

And yet… and yet there’s another piece of you, logical, more mature, that chimes in next, stating that… perhaps there’s something to be worked out here in the middle of the night involving this other person if they’re capable of keeping you up.

Ash Ketchum is an embarrassment. That’s the root thought that started everything. But Ash Ketchum is admittedly… quite a lot of things. He’s a… decent trainer, you suppose, though he’ll never compare to you. He treats Pokemon like equals, like friends, and it warms your heart to know that people like him indeed exist. You always felt out of place for thinking similarly in Cerulean City. It’s not that people back home were cruel to Pokemon but… was it the same as the level of personal sacrifice Ash tended to lay on the line?

There’s a snort from one of your roommates, presumably the same boy that’s consuming your consciousness, though it irks you some to think a split second later that you know him well enough to recognize the odd sounds he makes while asleep… Where has the time even gone these past eight months?

Ash is - well, he rarely ever allows you the gracious firsthand experience but he’s - a decent person to have around at all. Sure, there are times when he’s annoying, when he’s dumb, dense, stubborn, reckless, immature - oh, wait, you’re working yourself up again… Let’s give it another go…

The point is, despite all of these traits you have bared the brunt of, there are other times when… when he’s more than decent. The times when he stands up against Team Rocket, for instance! Sure, they’re not much of a threat but it’s not like Ash is obligated to fight them… and yet he does almost daily! And there are the people he helps on a regular basis too.

And… well, beyond interpersonal exchanges, Ash is… he reminds you of yourself… which is kinda weird to consider now but once the thought is in your head it refuses to dissipate. He’s young yet passionate enough about training Pokemon that he wants to run headfirst at any challenge coming his way. He cares about nothing but his Pokemon and being the best, his spirit occasionally overwhelming bystanders, including yourself. It’s nice to see that same fire in someone else on a daily basis. It reminds you of how much dedication and work you have to do as well in order to make it to the top.

Was there… a reason for these thoughts circling your mind?

You can’t quite remember, but they put you at ease, comfort you as you lull into a snooze.

The lightning strike of emotional turmoil stamps you from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, both your hands immediately, instinctively clamping over the front of your face as you straighten up against the mattress. You can feel your eyelashes flutter against your finger tips, your hot breath puffing against your palms as you moan quietly to yourself in the dead dark and quiet.

You’d thought that Ash, in all his frustrating egoism and with all his childish quirks, was the embarrassing one… But here you’ve been using him as a coping mechanism to help you fall asleep, internally listing reasons for admiration and likeness and telling yourself it’s a must in order to find any peace tonight…

And honestly, is there anything at all more embarrassing than that?

You spend the next few minutes rolling around, mourning your less emotionally aware state of mind, gone now after half the night’s been spent on dissecting your relationship with this dumb boy…

But after that, you spend the following five or so hours sleeping soundly among your companions without any disruption until it’s time to get the next part of your journey together started.

And you’re remiss to confess even to yourself that thinking good thoughts about Ash Ketchum effectively did its job.

Thus your next round of denial begins.

[shnuggletea]

This is my entry for the Inuparents Day 2021! I was paired with a lovely and talented artist @kirrtash​. She'll be posting this fic with her art on her AO3 account for us. You can also find her Ko-fi account here! Make sure you check out her page for the AMAZING art that goes with this fic! I'm so glad I got to work with her; this was a true collab as I really felt she was working with me the entire time. I enjoyed every minute of this event! Thank you so much @inuparentsday​ for hosting and sharing with all of us! 

Link to AO3 HERE!!!

If you want more from this event (and trust me, you totally do) here's the Tumblr page! I would post the AO3 page buuuuutttt yeah I deleted mine lol! But there is one as well!!

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Chapter One

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

It was a cold night. The kind that made your skin tense as soon as you stepped out into it. It also had a tendency to make a man’s scrotum shrivel and seek warmth. Not something they liked to talk about… usually.

“God damn it’s cold! My balls are up my ass!” Toga said at a level that made it even more inappropriate.

Miya shook his head, the image of Toga dancing on his toes to stay warm filling his brain. “How unpleasant that must be for you…”

“No, seriously! And those are big balls…”

Sitting back from his scope, the Monk pulled his shoulder-length black strands back and tied them there. “Just because we’re on comms doesn’t mean you have to talk so loud. No one is supposed to know you’re there, remember?”

“Right, right, right,” Toga was silent save for his huffing, warming up his hands with his breath, “still fucking cold though…”

“For fucks sake, aren’t you a demon? The temperature shouldn’t bother you!”

Pulling the sight around, Miya zeroed in on the loud mouth, shifting on his toes just as he knew Toga would be. He lifted his gold eyes right at him, somehow knowing Miya had turned his sights onto him. “Yeah, I’m a dog demon. I’m just as if not more sensitive to cold than insensitive humans like you!”

“Say that a little louder, I don’t think the old lady across the street from you heard it.”

“She needs new batteries in her hearing aid…”

“You couldn’t possibly know that!”

“I do, she just told the Shopkeep when she went inside.”

“Can you focus? Use that extra sensitive hearing to find our target?!”

“Can’t find what’s not there, Miya.”

“Then keep searching, Toga!!”

It was silent again but only for a second. “Now who’s being too loud…” Miya growled, getting to his feet and pacing away to kick something. “Calm down, you’re going to have a stroke.”

“Why the hell do I put up with you?”

Miya didn’t need to see Toga to know he was smirking. “Cause I’m the best. And who else you got? Myouga?” As much as he didn’t want to, a laugh sputtered loudly out of him, one the dog demon would have heard even without their comms. “See? You need me and I need you. Now get back to your post.”

Sighing and groaning, he did as ordered; laying down on the cold pavement of the thirty-story building he was perched on. He wasn’t an idiot, Toga placed him this high to keep him ‘safe’ if they found who/what they were looking for. It had been over an hour but Miya knew better than to question Toga’s judgment. Or Myouga’s intel.

Toga was cursing the inconvenience of it all. Winter was by far his least favorite season and he swore the others knew it too. It was why they waited until the middle of the season and hours after sunset to pull this crap. It was all to mess with Toga and nothing anyone said would change his mind about that. The heat from playing with Miya flooded out quickly so he was back to bouncing on his toes.  It made his two blades smack against his thighs but that was a nice distraction from the cold as well.

Black toboggan on his head was large enough to cover his ears and his long silvery-white hair covered his neck. But it was his fucking hands and feet, his fingers and toes numb with cold. 

He hated cold feet. 

Humans passed and didn’t even glance in his direction. And why would they? Humans had no clue of his existence. Him or anyone similar (like Miya) were a secret from the world. Even though Miya was far from a demon; he wasn’t human either. It was that difference that had Toga placing Miya on the high building and far from the fight. If there was even a fight to be had. 

He wouldn’t be surprised if this was all a rouse to force him to stand out in the cold all damn night!

That was until he smelled it. “Miya… they’re here.”

“You’re sure?”

Toga glanced upward towards the tiny dot. If he were human, he wouldn’t be able to see the agitation on Miya’s face. But he wasn’t human and it was always there. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

He pulled out So’unga and moved to the outer edge of the alley he hid in, glancing around. “Toga, get back! I’m here to scout not you!”

“Even with that scope you still see shit.”

“Toga, it’s an order! Get back!!”

“I’ll be fi….”

Toga was cut off, ice splitting up from his feet towards his heart. Leaping back, he avoided impalement with relative ease. When he found the perpetrator, Toga didn’t hold back his laugh in the slightest. “Good to see you too, Snowflake.”

The cat demon was growling at him and it had just as much to do with the fact that she was a cat and him a dog as it did that he called her ‘Snowflake’. “That’s not my name!!”

“Right, right, right. What was it again?” Toga teased.

If she wasn’t wearing a black hoodie that covered up all her fur, it would be standing up in anger. “It’s Toran, prick!!”

She slung out her arm and ice followed in a path along the ground. Toga stepped to the side to avoid it; making it seem like child’s play. “Well that’s not very nice. At least my nickname for you is a term of endearment. Yours sounds like an insult.”

Toga had his lower lip popped out and Toran roared, pissed. “IT IS AN INSULT!!!”

Glancing around, Toga saw that his little distraction had worked; the street was clear of all possible casualties. They had all seen the display the kitty cat had made and smartly left the area. Which was good because now Toran was tearing up the whole area with her rage; jagged and angry ice breaking up the sidewalk and pavement as it shot upward without warning.

Toga jumped and dodged it all, keeping his hands in his pockets. “Ice. Just had to be ice.”

The already frigid air was made much colder with the glacier that surrounded them. A small arena of sorts, Toga released a slow breath and watched the white puff float away. 

Toran broke out of her thoughts of murder for a moment and spun to find him; realizing quickly (but too late) that it was just the two of them now. “What have you done?!”

“Me? You’re the one creating your own ice castle. You know, for an Ice Queen, you sure are hot headed.”

Toga smirked while the cat hissed, throwing out her arm again. Only this time the ice didn’t form on the ground. It shot out of her hand like a missile; long and sharp like a spear. Aimed right at his heart.

He moved out of its way with little struggle. “Careful there Snowflake! Pretty sure your Boss didn’t order you to kill me!”

Toran shuddered and then turned her head back and forth to work out the tension. “No. Not not you.”

The smirk that grew on her face had Toga dropping his. Spinning on his feet was a pointless gesture, they had comms after all. “Miya! Look out!!”

This was why Toran’s attacks were lackluster and easy to dodge. He had thought she was holding back to keep from killing him. But no, it was because her attention and powers were split; ice racing up the front of the building Miya perched on. It shot out of the top in deadly spikes completely destroying the top floors of the short tower. And Miya was silent. Myouga hadn’t told them the target but given the location Toga had assumed it was a human they were after. And he was half right.

“He’s a human with demon powers. Powers that are extremely dangerous for demons; a Black Hole. Why you’ve allowed him to not only live but also stay by your side is a wonder, Fighting Fang. He shouldn’t be allowed to live…”

“Miya has lived just fine by mine and your side for a time. You pick now, of all, times to kill him?!” Toga screamed.

Toran’s smirk grew to a grin and she shrugged. “Orders are orders.”

“Oh?” They both turned and found the monk, a little out of breath, but with his sniper rifle on one arm and his hand out at the ready. “Good to know my life is worth so little. But I knew that already.”

Toga rolled his eyes at the drama queen. Miya had his fist closed tight but the runes that covered the cursed hand were removed. He was ready to kill. 

“You won’t do that! Not with Fighting Fang so close! You don’t have the control to suck up only me!” Toran said while shaking with her fear.

Miya tilted his head to the side at her and glanced over at Toga. “That’s true. But he’s such a pain in the ass…”

“HEY!”

The monk used the small distraction to whip his rifle up and fire. He got Snowflake in the upper thigh and she released a loud whimper mixed with a roar. The shot to the leg didn’t slow her down as she leaped away over her ice walls.

Toga turned back to his friend, a lopsided grin on his face. “I knew you wouldn’t risk it, buddy.”

“I should have. She got away.”

Now at his side in a flash, Toga clapped a hand on Miya’s shoulder. “You got her in the leg! Without aiming!!”

“I was aiming. For her gut. I missed.”

“But not completely!”

Miya pulled away roughly from his friend and surveyed the damage. “Those nosy people are going to have a coronary when they get word of this.”

“Speaking of, we should get out of here. I’m sure they’re already on their way.”

Toga grabbed Miya by the collar and hoisted them both to another high building; one not destroyed and closer to the scene below. It was a mixture of cops and men in lab coats. Toga didn’t know how much Miya could make out from their distance but he was sure the ones in lab coats were the ones that were at the last mess they made. One in particular was hard to miss; his long black ponytail stood out amongst the others. And he was becoming a constant in their lives.

He was becoming a problem.

“Izayoi, take a look at this for me please.”

Setting down her notes and her pencil, Izayoi straightened her lab coat as she made her way to her colleague’s microscope. Quickly, she pulled back and tied her long black locks out of her way and leaned over. Her colleague had stepped back out of her way and said nothing; so there was no bias.

“This can’t be right. It appears… deformed.”

“Right? I thought so too!”

Stepping back, Izayoi took the sample’s file and began reading. “It says here it was taken from an incident on fifth and Topsail last night? But it doesn’t say anything about the incident or those involved.”

The woman next to her nodded in silence and Izayoi handed her back the file, hurriedly leaving the lab to the one down and across the hall. The man she was looking for was directing boxes that looked like they were filled with ice of all things. He glanced up at her and quickly signed the form in his hands and pushed the attendant off hurriedly. “Dr. Hime, how are you finding your new lab?”

Izayoi shook her head. “It’s fine, Dr. Setsuna, but I’m here about the samples you sent us?”

“What about them?”

“Well… what are they?!”

He chuckled at her and she felt her blood rise to her temples. “That’s your job to figure out, isn’t it?”

“Sir, all science aside, it’s difficult to ascertain much from a few drops of blood when we know so little about it…”

“Run it through the database and see if you get a match.”

She squeezed the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. Izayoi liked her job, she really did, until it started to become some kind of cloak and dagger operation and Takemaru got promoted. “We already did that and it came up with nothing.”

“Of course it did.” Takemaru mused quietly.

“Excuse me?” 

Izayoi’s attention shot up to her boss but he shook his head with a fake smile. “Nothing. Just mark everything that you find in what you have, Izayoi.”

She turned and left quickly; part in frustration but also because it bothered her greatly when Takemaru spoke informally to her. Just because he was her boss now didn’t mean it was appropriate. Quite the opposite. With so much more going on, Izayoi let it go. For now.

Back in her lab and feeling safe, she looked over the blood sample again. Five had been taken and although they all looked the same they had different locations marked in their file. Izayoi looked again, taking the sample her colleague had away from her (and she was gracious to have it off her plate too). Switching back and forth, Izayoi looked over the DNA results again. They were inconclusive; the only recognizable strands reminded her of feline DNA while the rest were mutated or something. But she noticed one thing; although from different locations the blood was from the same person.

“Maybe the cat DNA is the answer?” She asked herself. The lab was empty as Izayoi got lost in her task. 

Even though all the same, she didn’t want to risk any more contamination, taking each sample and amplifying them. Polymerase Chain Reaction took a few hours so Izayoi left for the small cafeteria (more like a break room with a coffee maker and vending machines) for a cup of coffee. She had taken a seat at the small table in the middle when bodies hustled hurriedly past the door.

Leaving her cup behind, Izayoi leapt to her feet and followed as fast as she could behind the small group of overly excited Scientist. They went to the loading bay which was odd in itself. The loading bay was for supplies like chemicals and printing paper. Nothing exciting came through here except when her new genetic analyzer arrived. Izayoi doubted this many were excited over something like that. It was also far too late for a delivery; already nearing ten pm. 

Standing off to the side, she hid as she watched the large armored car as it backed into the loading dock. A few men in police uniform hopped out; Izayoi’s confusion and curiosity increased at the sight. One opened the back doors while the other stood right behind, his weapon up and armed. 

Everything that Izayoi could have possibly imagined dropped to the floor and shattered as a man walked off the truck. His long silver hair was pulled back and swung as he looked around at the group of men that surrounded him. It was pretty.

Izayoi shook her head of the thought, focusing on the man. His red jacket and dark jeans hid his body from her but he looked normal otherwise. He had drawn purple streaks on his face just under his eyes for some reason. She couldn’t see his eyes from where she hid or make out many details of his face but the purple was hard to miss. 

Her eyes traveled down to his hands; cuffed in front of him. He had long, sharp looking nails. And they looked thick and dangerous even from a distance. Her thoughts were interrupted when the man lifted his joined wrists and held his hands up. Everyone jumped except her as she watched with rapt attention; intrigued to just what the man was going to say.

“I come in peace.”

Her eyes rolled instantly and she let out a loud huff. What the hell was this guy even doing here? And why was the staff of Takemaru’s lab about to wet themselves with excitement?

She hadn’t seen him the entire time, too focused on the ‘specimen’ on the truck, but now Takemaru stood before the strange man with a wicked looking grin. He looked over the man in cuffs but said nothing to him, turning to his men who salivated behind. “Take him to the lab.”

They didn’t take the usual hallway. Instead they took the man the back way designed for deliveries. Izayoi stepped back and completely out of sight; sneaking down the hall and back to her lab. When the noise from Takemaru’s lab reached hers, she slowly left hers again and snuck down the hall. When she peeked inside, there was nothing out of the ordinary so she straightened herself and walked right in. Only to be stopped by Takemaru.

“Dr. Hime? What are you doing here?”

“I work here.” She said plainly. “I’m still working on those samples you gave me…”

“Oh there’s no rush. You don’t need to worry about them anymore.” He said, waving a hand at her like it was no big deal.

“I don’t need to worry?! Sir, I spent all day running them. I’m not about to drop them…”

“Fine, Izayoi, you do what you need to. In your lab.”

He was kicking her out and she resisted the urge to run from the informality; stretching on her toes to look around him instead. “Did you get a new project?”

Takemaru swayed and moved in her way more, blocking her view completely from spying the back of his lab. “It’s ‘need to know’.”

Izayoi seethed. Ever since Takemaru got promoted (over her) he acted like it was some kind of ‘boy’s club’. That’s what it was, all the men in the room moving around without issue while she was stuck in the doorway. She was sure that was how Takemaru got promoted instead of herself. Even with a few women on the board it was very much a ‘man’s world’ in the lab as of late. As much as it pissed her off they did give her a nice raise. And she loved her work as well as those who worked in her lab. 

She would put up with it for now until a better offer came along. As it stood, this was the only lab in town that could handle her caliber of study. Didn’t mean she had to pretend she was okay with it, huffing as she turned on her heel. “Whatever, Dr. Setsuna. Enjoy your new toy.”

Let them think they’re keeping their secrets. Izayoi was sure she would figure them out soon. She hated secrets. Secrets and liars her two main pet peeves. It was the reason she became a scientist. To discover all the secrets the world held and to uncover any lies. This was all just another mystery for her to unravel.

And unravel, she would.

[shnuggletea]

Here they are! The Kisses that were ordered for today are now up on Patreon and AO3! Nothing but fluffy goodness so I hope you enjoy!

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[shnuggletea]

Chapter eleven is LIVE on AO3!

I know I was doing a post a day and you guys loved that but idk if I can keep up with that! But I can keep up with it on Patreon so if you want an update and I haven’t given one, head over there for daily FREE updates of this fic. The chapters should release with the corresponding date. For example, chapter twelve released today on Patreon and it’s the 12th. Get it?? Lol!

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Chapter Four is LIVE on AO3!

Chapters 1-4 are on AO3 and while more are open to the public on Patreon. All for Modern week with @fairytalechallenge

Chapter Synopsis: Inuyasha can’t stop showing care towards Kagome and she can’t stop wanting to know more about her mysterious boss. Starting with what he’s hiding on top of his head.

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@underwater0phelia @lavendertwilight89 @mamabearcat @nartista @nopenname22 @echobows @superpixie42 @smmahamazing @redflamesofpassion @jme-chan @cstorm86 @cicleydark-light @ruddcatha @lavaffair @kirrtash @sistasecbhere @obsessandfangirl @britonell @lordofthechips @mcornilliac @faolenwolf @keichanz @phoenix-before-the-flame @artisticloveexpressitsall @lamuertadehambre @noyourenotreal @mitty-san @thenoammonster @little-deeluna @royaltrashpanda @sailorbabydoll92 @storyweaver2017 @malditamigs @adorabubblesblog @lilms-obsessed @petri808 @anniehcresta @fan-dumpp @itzatakahashi @utakuprincess @theschultinator @all-too-ale @little-inukag-obsessed @theseagullqueen @queenofthesquirps @jolinaaa00 @knowall7k @neutronstarchild @fawn-eyed-girl @eringobroke @sapphirestarxx @clearwillow @dangerouspompadour @misspepperpottss @master-ray5 @sailorsilverladybug @astraearose93 @egosolivagant @fandompromptsandfun @fandomartlover @holi-holy @kagometaishostory  @liz8080

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Fairy Tale Challenge 2021 starts next week!

This is for @fairytalechallenge​ and since the first week in Modern Fairy Tales, how about an IY Beauty and the Beast set in modern times? It’s Beastly meets... well I’m not sure what else has a twist like this one but it does -in fact- have a big twist in it. I thought I’d post a tease today for you guys so you would be interested in reading chapter one next week!

Side note: anyone else feel weird posting and reblogging yourself for your own event??

Fuzzy. Her mouth was fuzzy. So was her brain, like she was dehydrated. Why would she be dehydrated though? All she had done that day was go to work…

Sitting up like Kagome was a mistake; hitting her head on the underside of the sink only made her head sing and the world spin more. Crawling out, she felt the floor; leaving the bathroom behind. Her fingers found a wall. Wait, not a wall. It was the stairs; the wood split under her touch into spindles for the banister. 

Weak, she pulled herself to her feet using the slick edges of the rounded pegs that held up the hand rail for the stairs. Taking a few deep breaths, she got her head in the game and rallied as much as she could. First thing she noticed? She was starving. But that didn’t matter because the next thing she noticed was that it was completely dark.

Spinning and then waiting for her brain to stop twirling, she frantically took in her surroundings. The sun had set, hours ago probably, and the house was completely dark. She was still at 684 Concord. The one thing Miroku told her not to do and here she was, standing in the middle of the house like a fool. 

Tripping and making an awful racket, she stumbled back to the kitchen, grabbing her backpack. That was all she needed, hoping to rush out sight unseen. What was that they said about plans? How they made God laugh? Well she hoped he was enjoying himself because she sure as shit wasn’t laughing as she stared back into the face of the Master.

“What the fuck are you still doing here??” 

He was at the other end of the hall while she stood several feet from the front door. Her escape. “I’m sorry I passed out…”

“I asked for one thing, one fucking thing and that was to be alone at night. What the hell is so hard about that??”

She stumbled backward as fear raced in her veins. Her brain wasn’t working right because now his eyes were glowing red. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to…”

“GET OUT!!!”

When she still didn’t move (her legs and breath froze) he started to move towards her. Slow and purposeful at first but then fast and deadly. Like an animal.

Falling back on her ass, she scrambled the rest of the way out the door. She didn’t bother pulling it shut behind her, the sound of her feet slipping on the gravel matched her racing heart. For some reason, she looked back. It was probably her freaked out brain making sure she wasn’t being chased. She wasn’t. The Master stood in the doorway, his red eyes glowing back at her. Red eyes her brain made up, just like the silhouette of ears on top of his head.

She was never using that lavender soap again.

Chapter One will drop next week!

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@underwater0phelia @lavendertwilight89 @mamabearcat @nartista @nopenname22 @echobows @superpixie42 @smmahamazing @redflamesofpassion @jme-chan @cstorm86 @cicleydark-light @ruddcatha @lavaffair @kirrtash @sistasecbhere @obsessandfangirl @britonell @lordofthechips @mcornilliac @faolenwolf @keichanz @phoenix-before-the-flame @artisticloveexpressitsall @lamuertadehambre @noyourenotreal @mitty-san @thenoammonster @little-deeluna @royaltrashpanda @sailorbabydoll92 @storyweaver2017 @malditamigs @adorabubblesblog @lilms-obsessed @petri808 @anniehcresta @fan-dumpp @itzatakahashi @utakuprincess @theschultinator @all-too-ale @little-inukag-obsessed @theseagullqueen @queenofthesquirps @jolinaaa00 @knowall7k @neutronstarchild @fawn-eyed-girl @eringobroke @sapphirestarxx @clearwillow @dangerouspompadour @misspepperpottss  @jayangel10 @master-ray5 @sailorsilverladybug @astraearose93 @egosolivagant @fandompromptsandfun @fandomartlover @holi-holy @kagometaishostory  @liz8080

[shnuggletea]

Chapter one is LIVE!

It’s up! The first of my contributions for the @fairytalechallenge this year. I hope you’re all either reading or writing for it. Either one (or both) are a major contribution!

Synopsis:  Kagome needs money for a lot of things; school, her family, medical bills, as well as a debt her father left behind. So when a job comes along with a big paycheck that fits her schedule, she doesn't hesitate. That is, until the house she's supposed to clean turns out to be occupied by an angry beast. 

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@underwater0phelia @lavendertwilight89 @mamabearcat @nartista @nopenname22 @echobows @superpixie42 @smmahamazing @redflamesofpassion @jme-chan @cstorm86 @cicleydark-light @ruddcatha @lavaffair @kirrtash @sistasecbhere @obsessandfangirl @britonell @lordofthechips @mcornilliac @faolenwolf @keichanz @phoenix-before-the-flame @artisticloveexpressitsall @lamuertadehambre @noyourenotreal @mitty-san @thenoammonster @little-deeluna @royaltrashpanda @sailorbabydoll92 @storyweaver2017 @malditamigs @adorabubblesblog @lilms-obsessed @petri808 @anniehcresta @fan-dumpp @itzatakahashi @utakuprincess @theschultinator @all-too-ale @little-inukag-obsessed @theseagullqueen @queenofthesquirps @jolinaaa00 @knowall7k @neutronstarchild @fawn-eyed-girl @eringobroke @sapphirestarxx @clearwillow @dangerouspompadour @misspepperpottss @master-ray5 @sailorsilverladybug @astraearose93 @egosolivagant @fandompromptsandfun @fandomartlover @holi-holy @kagometaishostory  @liz8080

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Chapter Seven is now LIVE on AO3!

Get ready for some fluff in this chapter. Show some love if you have the time!! 

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Chapter ten is LIVE on AO3!

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Chapter thirteen is LIVE on AO3!

This story is finished and posted in full on Patreon. You can read up to chapter sixteen now for free. If you don’t want to wait and binge, subscribe today for it and more like Shogun’s Daughter (subscription required) and Cell Mates (free after early release). 

Chapter synopsis: The good times are over as Naraku makes an appearance. What he has to say puts a rift in Inuyasha’s and Kagome’s relationship that will be hard to mend. 

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Chapter Three is now LIVE!

You can read chapter three here, on AO3, or on my Patreon! Make sure you check out the amazing art that goes with this fic by the lovely and talented @kirrtash!

Art:

Izayoi, Toga, and the glass between (Unofficial title)

Group shot/movie poster (Unofficial title)

Thank you @inuparentsday​ for the event that keeps on giving!!

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“Idiot. Fucking stupid, brazen, jackass!” Miya was taking Toga’s ‘slip up’ as well as expected. “Tom foolery, ridiculous, and stupid!”

“You said stupid twice.”

Miya glared over at Toga while he toweled his wet hair. “The point of letting you get captured was to get information on them not the other way around!”

“I got plenty of info and I even got an informant.”

“Tricking some poor woman into helping you doesn’t count as an informant. And you lost So’unga and Tessiega! What the hell are you going to do about that?!”

Toga grinned and Miya groaned. “I’m going to wait until my informant finds them for me.”

“You realize the amount of danger you’re putting that woman in? And she has no clue either so she doesn’t count as willing in all of this.”

Toga finally felt some guilt. Although all of what Miya said was right on the money, Izayoi not being truly willing that was the only truth he cared about. “Once she gets me my swords, I’ll let her go. Alright?”

Miya wasn’t appeased. “Don’t you think it’ll be far too late by then?”

She wasn’t really sure where she was but she knew she was still in the building. Izayoi hadn’t had the… ability to leave. After watching Toga jump and survive the ‘expressway’ out of the building she hadn’t felt very well. He had been so fast to that window too. There was more to him and she knew it but her mind was so hazy. When she tried to remember more all she could think about was his shining amber eyes and warm smile. 

This wasn’t like her; she didn’t get swept up in ridiculous matters like a man’s eyes or smile. She was about the facts and the ones she had… well they didn’t make sense.

Bodies were rushing around her, stepping over her. She was sitting on the floor in the hall just outside her lab. Voices were murmurs in her brain like buzzing bees. She tried to swat them away but they persisted until she was forced onto her feet. In her head, she was playing the moments with Toga over and over again; his strength and speed the main thing she focused on. Which led to her thinking about his muscular figure and strong chin. 

It was then that she slapped herself: hard. The voices cleared and she realized she was in trouble. “What did you do?”

It was a lab assistant from Takemaru’s lab. He was accusing her of wrongdoing. It must be the wide open door to their lab and their missing test subject. Looking around, she saw that it was all security, cops, and a few low level scientists and lab assistants. Including the one holding her now very aggressively.

“Excuse me?” She barked, pulling her arm from him as harshly as she could. “That… thing attacked me!”

He looked remorseful and stepped back. While she slipped into her lab. The test tubes were clean; she added ethyl alcohol to them to make sure they were contaminated and unusable. The only thing that remained was Takemaru’s ID card still in her pocket. She moved it from her lab coat pocket to her jean’s. Then stripped off her coat and grabbed her purse. She would be expected to give testimonies. Something she should have been figuring out once Toga left instead of trying to figure out Toga. 

Back out in the hall it was even more of a mess than when she left. Takemaru was there now, ranting and raving. Then his eyes landed on her. “Izayoi!” She cringed openly this time but he took no offense. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and Izayoi was both confused and uncomfortable. “I’m so sorry!” He pulled her back but didn’t let go, holding her a short distance. “Did he hurt you?”

Confused, she shook her head at him. But then it hit her. They thought she was a weak little girl. As offensive as it was, she would use it to her advantage. “He… he used me…”

Not once had she been scared of Toga but they expected her to be. But she couldn’t lie; it went against her nature and ethics completely. So she didn’t.

“He used me to find his things…”

“What was he looking for?” A lab assistant asked.

“His coat and his swords.” She realized yet another opportunity. “I thought that was so strange; that he had swords? Is he crazy or something?”

Takemura huffed. “Yes, he is crazy.”

Lie. Toga wasn’t crazy and she had seen that for herself. He was something else. “So there aren’t swords here belonging to him?”

“No,” Takemaru answered quickly, “because they no longer belong to him. They belong to us; to Shikon.”

She shivered while the others around nodded. They were all drinking the kool-aid now; speaking of the company they worked for like it was a person or God. But she needed to focus because this was a very important moment that she wouldn’t get again. “It seems dangerous to have something like a weapon on the property.”

Izayoi made sure to add in a small whimper and look as weak as possible. Takemaru started rubbing her shoulders in comfort, falling for it easily. “Have no fear, Izayoi. Only one of them is truly dangerous. I have it locked away. The other one we’re carefully studying.”

Carefully studying? That would mean it was on floor nineteen assuming the sword was made of metal. At least she knew where one was but where the hell was the other one? “What are you doing with the really dangerous one?”

Takemaru smirked and then… patted her on her head. “I’m taking good care of it, Izayoi.” This time, she shook in anger but they took it out of context. “You should go home. Get some rest. Take tomorrow off. Your files on the blood are on the index right?”

She hadn’t put anything on the server yet, thankfully. “No. And he made me destroy the samples.”

A little vein popped up on his forehead and the smile he wore was forced. “He did, did he? We will just have to get more then.”

It was harder to give Miya the slip than it was to find where Izayoi lived. Her scent was… distinctive. And he had gotten a good whiff while carrying her around. The balcony he sat on now had hints of her scent but he was sure when she turned on the lights inside. 

Three days had passed since he last saw her and even he had to admit that he missed her. Which was strange since he didn’t know her well. She was a stickler for the facts (her notes told him that) and he could tell by her scent and face that she not only knew when she was being lied to, but that she hated when anyone did. 

That was good since he couldn’t lie to her.

She had a small bag with her (from the store) that she was emptying into her fridge. Toga watched for a few more seconds before knocking on the glass between them. Izayoi jumped slightly as she turned. The calm that fell over her when she caught sight of him had him feeling warm in his chest. And the way she rushed to let him in made his heart jump; a rare thing for a demon to feel. 

Izayoi was barefoot; leaving her heels at the door. The icy chill of the night washed over her feet as soon as she open the door for him. That, and worried someone would see him, had her rushing to get him inside. Toga didn’t hesitate, strutting in but she still tugged him hard. He let her pull him in like it was a struggle for him. But even if it wasn’t her home, Toga still would have hurried in to get out of the cold.

Her place was warm but not hot, a perfect representation of the woman. She made him warm enough without the need for heat. Now they were just standing next to the door he’d come through: staring. “How did you find me?”

Stepping away from her, Toga started looking at her place. It was small but homey, a one room apartment that had a small bed in the corner, a floor table in the middle, and her kitchen in the far corner. “I followed your scent.”

“Oh, ha, ha. Seriously, did you follow me from work?”

“Sort of.”

Izayoi didn’t like that. He shouldn’t be going anywhere near Shikon. Grabbing his hand, she turned him to face her and Izayoi noted that he let her. “You should stay away from there.” The smirk he wore made her chest feel tight. Memories of him jumping from the window flashed in her head. She shook them away quickly but didn’t look at him again, turning towards her couch in the corner instead. “What are you doing here? I haven’t gotten your swords yet…”

“I know. I came to check on you.”

She huffed sadly, trying to go to her kitchen but was stopped by something. “Is that your job? Checking on the people researching you?”

Izayoi tried to walk away from him, but he still had her hand in his. She tugged to a stop when he didn’t let her leave and then looked back at their hands like she forgot she had grabbed him first. “No,” her eyes jumped up to his face, “it’s not my job. I came because I wanted to.” Her eyes went wide and he was drowning in them. So he forced a painful laugh out of his tight chest. “Had to sneak out, actually.”

“Sneak out? You have a keeper or something?”

“Something like that.”

He was being vague and it was on purpose. “Did you have to sneak away from your wife?”

This time, his laugh was pained because he choked on it from her unexpected question. “No. Although, Miya acts like a ball and chain sometimes.”

“Miya?”

This time, he tugged on her, pulling her back the short distance she had gotten away. “I shouldn’t discuss others with you. Okay? I don’t mind telling you about myself but without their permission, I shouldn’t tell you anything about them. Understand?”

Izayoi nodded numbly, staring up at him with her eyes wide again. Toga found he couldn’t stop himself; lifting a hand to brush gently across her cheek. It was warm to the touch which matched the pink color it had. He pretended to sweep a stray hair behind her ear but Izayoi knew there was nothing there. He was just touching her. 

She cleared her throat and dropped her head. Effectively breaking the spell on herself but not Toga as he continued to stay near to her; following close behind her as she went to her kitchen. “Would you… like some tea?”

He didn’t really drink the stuff but Izayoi was nervous and wanted something to do with her hands. And it would be nice to drink something hot. “Sure. Thanks.”

Toga stayed near as she filled her kettle and set it on the heat. Izayoi grabbed mugs and tea bags while he watched intently. It was good to have something else to focus on besides his eyes; it had her wits back. “So… you never told me… why are you here?”

In a flash, Toga dug into the from of his red jacket and pulled out a small bundle of files. “I thought you might like these back. I added a few things for you.”

She took them carefully and folded them into herself. “You came here to give me back my files?”

“And some notes of my own!” He added, defensively. 

“Thanks,” she responded curtly, holding up the files to wave.

It was a nice gesture and would save her some grief since she had been wanting to study her findings more. But it didn’t tell her more about what Toga was and it didn’t quell the little voice in her head that said ‘he came here to see me’. The voice had been loud at the time. Now it was like a sad whisper.

A nice gesture and yet she felt so… offended. 

“You can’t just tell me what I want to know? What did you write anyway?” She said, abruptly opening the returned files and searching for his ‘notes’. Reading for a few moments, she slapped them shut and shoved them back into his hands. “Funny.”

“What?”

Now she was angry. Toga showed up to mess with her. “You wrote ‘cat demon’ next to my blood results. That’s… hilarious, let me tell you.”

“Izayoi…” He stepped up to her and she turned her back on him. It didn’t stop him, looming over her from behind and still having such an overwhelming presence. “I haven’t lied to you once.”

He hadn’t, she was sure of it. But this was different. It felt like a joke. The whistling kettle was her reprieve and she took it. Toga didn’t let up, his breath puffing over her shoulder and down her back. Izayoi took the loud kettle off the heat and didn’t move again, letting him press into her. He ran a hand over her shoulder and stopped at her bicep.

“Izayoi…” She closed her eyes with her name on his lips. He grabbed her arm and turned her slowly to face him; she kept her eyes closed. “I’m not supposed to tell you… anything. It’s… dangerous for you to know…”

“But I want to know you…” she thought, but didn’t dare say out loud.

“Then open your eyes and I’ll show you everything.”

Izayoi didn’t question it, assuming that he read her thoughts off her face or some other telling way and opened her eyes. Toga’s eyes were no longer a soft and comforting amber. Instead, they were a raging red. It startled her, sucking in a sharp breath only to have the red disappear as quickly as it appeared. The scientist grabbed his face, placing a thumb on his cheek and pulling down the skin to look closer at his eye. The demon grabbed her waist and wrapped his arms around her. 

She ran her thumb across the purple skin on his cheek. It felt like regular skin; not raised and rough like a tattoo. And it wasn’t faded at all like a tattoo that was healed enough to have no difference in the skin. It was his skin; the color was something he was born with.

“You’re a…” Izayoi started but he stopped her by kissing her, bending down swiftly to shut her mouth with his. She responded instantly by twisting her head to the side and letting him slide his tongue in her mouth. He really just wanted to keep her from saying it outloud but he’d be lying if Toga said that was the only reason. Izayoi had this inexplicable flavor to her; just like her scent, he couldn’t define it. 

This was all just to shut her up but Izayoi still felt her mind, body, and heart open to Toga. It was why she let him brush his tongue across her lips and why she responded by licking his fangs. His FANGS! Toga had razor sharp teeth in his mouth. And his hands were pressed into her spine, bending her back. 

He suddenly twisted them, spinning them away from the stove before Izayoi got burned. But he kept walking her backwards, unable to stop once he started. She stumbled a few times, causing their mouths to break apart. A few seconds at a time, Izayoi kept coming back to his lips for more. Even when they fell to her couch; Toga fell heavily on her without worry. 

Toga was between her legs and his hand slid up her shirt. Just as she was thinking how rough his jacket was on her skin, his hand left her and unzipped it; flinging it across the room soon enough. She had her hands threaded in his hair but with the removal of his jacket, she snuck her hands down and pressed them into his lower back. It pushed up his shirt and she found his skin. He was doing similarly, running his fingers along her ribs while she sucked on his lower lip.

“Toga…” He jumped back when she said his name in her head. Izayoi had moaned it in her mind and it drove him crazy. All of it had; her scent, taste, and the way she felt under him and his touch. Toga was out of control and he needed to get a hold of himself.

Without understanding, Toga was now a short distance from her instead of on top of her. He was pacing as he pulled his jacket back on. Her files were all over the floor from where they were dropped in a daze. Izayoi was still in a daze, her lips burning from the cool air of the room that now hit them. 

Toga quickly scooped up the files and dropped them on Izayoi’s lap. “Read my notes. I’ll be back.”

“For… your swords?”

“Yeah.” He dashed away after that. It wasn’t a lie, he would be back and he would be coming for his swords. But it was so much more than that. Toga just wasn’t sure Izayoi understood that.

She sat on her couch putting her cold fingers to her hot lips; wondering if she was now a means to an end for Toga. Pulling open the file on top, she read over his notes. His handwriting was scratchy and manly. Izayoi instantly shook her head for having such a silly thought and read on. He had marked the indicators in her results, ones that she didn’t understand before and labeled them as ‘demon’. It was crazy and yet it all made complete sense. 

Izayoi knew Toga wasn’t lying to her. He never had. So now she had to wrap her mind around it all including how she had just made out with a demon.

He hadn’t gotten far from Izayoi’s place when he smelled her. She wasn’t trying to hide; that much was clear. If she wanted to be known then he would just address her, stopping mid ‘flight’ and dropping to the ground from the light posts he had been using. It was the best way to travel; the light blocked him from sight and he could get from place to place much faster without worrying about exposure. It only worked at night but it was better than walking.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, MiLady?”

She stepped out from the poorly concealed spot she had been in and pursed her lips in irritation. “What are you doing, Fighting Fang?”

“I’m just out for a walk…”

“Don’t play me! What are you doing with that human?!” She roared.

Great, she’d been following him. “That’s none of your business anymore. What with us divorced and you sending your goos after me? I’m not inclined to divulge such personal information…”

“Did you tell her about us?”

“No.”

She scoffed. “Of course you did. You and your love for humans…”

“I didn’t tell her shit, MiLady and you need to stay away from her. Unless you want her to figure out more about your kind?”

MiLady’s lips pursed together again, aging her like only Toga could. “My kind is the same as yours. You just forgot. You and I are one and the same, Toga…”

“No, I’m nothing like you or your minions. I believe we can co-exist…”

“Humans are meant to be our slaves not our equals! When will you get that!”

The vein on the side of her jaw was twitching. Something that happened when MiLady was really pissed. Toga was used to it. “If they’re meant to be your slaves then why do you hide from them?” She was silent and he laughed. “Can’t be your slaves if you’re terrified of them!”

“The less they know the better. You used to agree to this fact!”

“And I still do. Which is why I didn’t say a word to Dr. Hime about who or what we are.” He needed her to believe him. It was true, he didn’t say anything to Izayoi. The last thing he wanted was to put a target on the doctor’s back… again. The humans she worked with weren’t a problem but MiLady? She would terrorize Izayoi for sport. “MiLady, if you mess with her, she is just going to use it in her research and figure out everything.”

“All the more reason to erase her from existence.” MiLady threatened.

Nothing more was said. If he fought her on it, MiLady was liking to figure out his attachment. If she hadn’t already. She flicked her fingers across her Meido Stone and disappeared. Not that he hated the idea but now he would have to keep close watch on Izayoi. 

Oh the things he did for the sake of humanity