#foxfiction

[fictionkinfessions]

I would love it if the ghost that keeps screaming in my ear about how I am dar’vod’e and a horrible man would sound less like my older brother. But I guess that’s… the point. To remind me of how shit a vod I was. I killed one of Captain Rex’s men because of an order I could not refuse, and was branded a traitor to our brothers along with my men.

But let me put it this way: It was Fives’ life, or the lives of my Guard. The life of an assumed traitor to save the lives of your men. I am not proud of it- was not proud of it, could never be proud of it. The blood of a brother stains my hands. But… wouldn’t you have pulled the trigger too?

We were dropping like flies on Coruscant. It was just as much an active warzone as any the GAR fought in, just… a different kind of battle. Not with clankers, but with living breathing beings. Sent to break up riots and anti-war protests, making the anti-clone sentiment worse. Patrolling the senate, where they saw us as nothing more than meatdroids and livestock. Guarding the prisons, when CSF decided it was no longer their duty.

There was no help for us from our brothers. Our batchers and squadmates who just made things worse when they arrived on leave, with their drunken messes that we’d have to clean up. Vode An was a myth, a sentiment that faded as soon as you were no longer part of the “frontline”. We had it so ‘easy’ compared to them, didn’t we. Cushy placement on Triple-Zero, natborn food… schmoozing with the senate.

There was no need for the inhibitor chip for me to do what I did to Fives. The blaster wasn’t set to stun.

I may have loved all of our brothers, but I loved my men more.

I’m sorry. I wish that could make up for it.

- CC-1010, “Fox”/“Tens”

[fictive, clone wars]

x

[rowdysakura]

fic title: Ocean Lungs

fandom: narutocharacters: nohara rin, hatake kakashi,chapters: 1/1warnings: talking about suicide, intent to commit suicide,summary: when rin inhales, she suffocates on the taste and smell of salt.

Rin is no stranger to death.

She’s seen more shinobi die under her hands than the amount of kills Obito and Kakashi hold combined. She’s dealt death just as much. Not in the field, not kills as such, because medic nin are not supposed to fight, but in the tents, the bases, and the village when someone cannot be saved and the only thing left is a quick mercy.

She’s not ignorant of her own mortality, either. It’s been too many years of instructors drilling into her head, long before she even picked up a kunai, that she can die and she will die (and maybe, if she’s unfortunate, she’ll even wish for death). The only mystery of it is how but even that has it’s limits.

It’s not a fact, not necessarily, but a niggling instinct in Rin always knew that she would die a shinobi in the name of Konohagakure. Unconditional loyalty begs its price, after all, and she accepts this in as much as any mortal can accept their own death.

Yet, as she and Kakashi flee with Kirigakure ANBU hot on their heels, Rin hesitates.

The choice, with the odds skewed so terribly against them, is obvious. Rin is a invaluable banana in a game of keep away between two monkeys. Currently, one monkey–her only remaining teammate, her comrade, her friend, Kakashi–is much, much smaller than the other. Outmatched and outgunned in every sense of the word. But, Rin knows as long as Kakashi lives he won’t stop fighting. (She knows that won’t–can’t–let her go). Nor will the ANBU stop. Not when Rin carries one of their most valuable assets. With neither of the monkeys backing down, the only way to end the game is take away the banana. Take away Rin.

Rin, in short, needs to die.

It’s the optimal choice, she thinks as all but crashes down onto a tree limb. Rin takes a breath, nearly choking on the taste of salt, and forces her aching muscles to push once more, sending her flying to the next tree limb. Her lungs burn as her body shakes and shakes from the foreign chakra burning through her veins. Kirigakure loses a tailed beast, reducing its power. Kakashi can survive, hide out without me giving him away. Our village is safe.

Shuriken fly at the two of them, and Rin only just gets a kunai up to deflect them. Kakashi leaps to her side, his own blade repelling the ones she misses.

It’s the optimal choice.

Kakashi slings an arm around her before pulling Rin close. Then, he triggers a body flicker. It’s ill-practiced, the two of them stumble out of it disorientated, but it gains them the small distance they need. They keep running.

It’s the right choice.

So, why can’t she bring herself to speak?

Her grip around her kunai tightens until her knuckles whiten. Kakashi has her other wrist in hand, dragging her along. He’s flagging, though, Rin can see it in the rapid in and out of his breathing, the sweat dotting his brow, and the way his hand shakes around her wrist. He’s running low on chakra, too.

Rin knows over a hundred ways to kill another human with her hands and chakra alone. It shouldn’t be hard to pick one applicable to suicide and do it.

It shouldn’t be. Not with Kakashi and her village on the line.

But, Rin hesitates. Her skin itching with the feeling of too much, too full, and her lungs full of salt.

Just do it.

It takes everything Rin has to dig her heels in and pull Kakashi to a stop. The boy spins around, words in the tone of concern, urgency, and well-blanketed fear drop from his mouth. Rin doesn’t hear any of it over the buzzing in her ears.

I’m going to die.

The thought isn’t as panicked as Rin thought it would be. Some small part of her still screams in existential fear, but most of her feels only determination.

Gently, she twists her arm from Kakashi’s grip before taking a small step back. Kakashi stares at her, bewildered, even as he begins speaking once more voice low and near desperate. None of his words reach past the roaring in Rin’s ears.

Rin licks her lips–salt, everything is salt–before she says, “Kakashi, I’m going to kill myself.”

Kakashi stops. Rin allows no room for recovery.

“Without me you can hide from the Kiri shinobi and get home safely,” she adds, the words spilling out of her in a rush. Her hands clasp together and shake with the overflow of chakra in her veins. “I…I can’t be the cause of both of my teammates deaths, please, I can’t…It’s the right choice. It’s the only one where one of us gets to go home. So, please understand–”

“No.”

Rin stutters, tripping over the sheer volume of emotion that Kakashi puts into that one word. Almost enough to engulf the ocean of feelings in her.

“Kakashi, please,” Rin begs. She isn’t sure she can stop him from stopping her.

Kakashi meets her gaze, mismatched eyes made of steel, and says, “Rin, no! We can make it back. We will make it back. I won’t let you do…do that. It’s not an option, understand? The only option we have is to make it back to Konoha!”

The boy grabs her wrist once more.

“Now, let’s go, they’re getting closer.”

The girl could break free. She should. She could overpower Kakashi. Especially like this, with the soul of a demon bound to her own–oh.

Rin twists her arm once more, ignoring Kakashi’s noise of protest, then clasps her hand around Kakashi’s arm in turn. He looks back at her as they leap through the trees, brow furrowed, searching. She pulls on a beatific smile. Gives Kakashi’s arm a little squeeze.

“Kakashi, thank you.” I’m sorry.

If Rin knows a hundred ways to kill someone, she knows a hundred more to put them to sleep.

A small burst of chakra and Kakashi crumples before he has a chance to look betrayed. Rin catches him awkwardly, fumbling with her aching, heavy body. She then drops down to the forest floor, making quick work of finding shrubbery to hide Kakashi away in. Once he’s concealed, Rin about faces, taking off in the direction she and Kakashi fled from.

Rin wants to kicks herself for being so foolish. The soul of a demon threads through her bones. It’s chakra pounding away at her own like an unceasing tide. If she wasn’t a weapon before, she’s certainly one now. It’s little wonder what she can do if lets the three-tailed beast’s chakra flood out of her.

The issue is, she’s not sure she’ll come back to herself or that she won’t lose control and injure Kakashi instead. Not to mention, letting the chakra out might be a death sentence as much as it will be the Kirigakure shinobis’ scourge.

Rin exhales to the sound of approaching shinobi.

She reaches down, down, down past her own familiar well of chakra to that vastness that is the tailed-beast’s chakra. Distantly, like crashing waves, she hears it roaring its vitriolic rage as Rin pulls on the beast’s chakra. It floods her readily, filling her to the brim with a vicious, tearing hatred that burns. Burns her chakra. Her skin. Her humanity.

When Rin inhales, she suffocates on the taste and smell of salt.

The Kirigakure ANBU close in.

A girl exhales and a demon howls in her place.

[marchagainsttrump]

THE APPLEBEE'S/HANNITY BOYCOTT • r/FoxFiction - [ https://www.reddit.com/r/FoxFiction/comments/974gvr/the_applebeeshannity_boycott/ ]

[asteroidarsonist]

If Hunger Games had Fox News. #FoxFiction

[bucket-fucker]

the girl in Like Crazy reminds me SO MUCH of Jess omfg

[fictionkinfessions]

wrt Canon Disabilities, I’m… fairly certain I was down an eye or at the very least my vision in one eye was… heavily impaired. From an outside perspective it looked fine, but I had a tendency to sort of keep that eye half-closed. It was one of the reasons I preferred to keep my bucket on. I also struggled with chronic pain and PTSD which caused me to have severe insomnia. (and a debilitating Caff addiction lmao)

I believe I also had tics due to… you know. Being turned into the Kentucky Fried Vod (sith lightning edition) on a semi-regular basis. Not exactly good for the brain or nervous system.

And! I tended to walk with a slight limp due to a nasty fall I took during my first year stationed on triple-zero. Don’t think anyone ever caught that one though, apart from the other Commanders.

-Fox/Tens (Fictive, Star Wars TCW)

x

[rowdysakura]

title: i was gonna die young (now i gotta wait for you hun) fandom: ao no exorcist pairing: kamiki izumo/okumura rin characters: kamiki izumo, okumura rin, paku noriko chapter: 1/5 (? tenatively) summary: rin and izumo don’t fall in love--they trip over it.

(or that lesbian izumo/rin au that no one asked for)

[rowdysakura]

Fandom: ao no exorcist Characters: kamiki izumo, moriyama shiemi Tags: fantasy au, kamiki Izumo/moriyama Shiemi, Shiemi is a witch, Izumo is a mermaid Chapter: 1/5 Summary: izumo hasn't trusted anyone in many years and hasn't relied on others longer than that. however, in this foreign world of dry earth, dry air, dry skin, dry everything, she begrudgingly accepts shiemi's proffered aid. Read my gay fic please

[rowdysakura]

title: ice, ice, baby fandom: ao no exorcist pairing: kamiki izumo/moriyama shiemi characters: kamiki izumo, moriyama shiemi, kirigakure shura sequel to: vitriol, spice, and something nice summary: shiemi plays the long game. izumo really doesn’t mind.

[rowdysakura]

title: ironclad fandom: ao no exorcist characters: izumo kamiki, yukio okumura summary: Izumo’s arms are too short to box with god—Yukio is significantly closer.

I skipped two classes to write this—pls read my fic.

Warnings for: blood, violence, injury, and spoilers for chapter 96 of ao no exorcist.

[rowdysakura]

hey check out my new shisui fic! this chapter is actually cute

[rowdysakura]

NEVER MIND THIS IS THE RIGHT LINK AJSHHDGDGSGS this is the gay ignore the last post

[rowdysakura]

title: I don’t know much (but I think the future’s looking brighter)

rating: g

part: 1/?

Zhe dips a wing, tail twisting and tail fins flaring in accordance. The tight, spiraling turn sends the early light of day rippling across zhir golden scales in erratic, fantastical patterns. Zhe continues to spiral until finally breaking cloud cover. Beneath zhir and the clouds lies the ocean. It’s rippling expanse dotted with dark, rocky spires and black stone plateaus hosting a rainbow plethora of zhir fellow dragons sunbathing. Several of the colorful heads rose up upon noticing zhir, bugling a greeting as well as stretching out their thought-touches to briefly brush across zhirs.

One Who Leaps from Cloud to Sky

A answering trill echoes from Sky’s throat, zhir thought-touch responding in kind. Zhe makes a few more loops about the gathering place. Sharp, slit-pupiled eyes scrape over the oceanscape, searching but not finding. None of zhir fellows seems distressed, except for a couple of brilliantly red hatchlings squeaking imperiously at one another. Yet, the feeling of unease which has brought Sky down refuses to abate.

The biggest of zhir Clan, a dully colored cerulean one, raises je’s great head. When je reaches out jer thought-touch to Sky’s with wispy, questioning tendrils, Sky reaches back. The dull buzz that comes from being around so many at once fades to the background as the two tie their thought-touches together. It takes only a moment, the two fitting themselves together with practiced ease—Sky is falling up, up, up, into the sky. Zhe is a drop in the ocean, swallowed up, pulled under in the vastness that is the je that makes up they, a ripple a bubble a gnat inconsequential—then zhe is zhe and je is je again. Separate but not apart.

Sky gives zhirself a mental shake, zhe will never get used to the sensations that came from first contact with Speaker, sparking amusement like faint rustling across the larger dragon’s thoughts. The elder dragon’s presence reminds Sky of the forests like oceans. Trees growing more gnarled, thicker, and tall like mountains until they block out even the barest hint of sun. Deep, quiet, slow, and unbearably vast.

And so very, very easy to get lost in.

Bright horizons—Speaker of Many Tongues—question? asks Sky.

Bright horizons—One Who Leaps from Cloud to Sky, Speaker murmurs in turn, thoughts dripping sedately into Sky’s. Buzz like scale mites—storm on horizon?

Feel uncertain—itchy as salt under scales, answers Sky, adding a turnabout questioning note to the end.

Speaker brushes over Sky’s nervous prickles with waves of calm.

See no harm—see no danger, assures Speaker.

Sky hums, thoughts buzzing with anxious doubt.

The hum echoes outside Sky’s head as the air abruptly fills with the weight of power. Of old, old magic. It’s covers everything, encompassing all of the Clan like warm sand. Sky feels full to bursting as home/protect/heart/safe wraps around zhir.

No harm comes, Speaker declares evenly, the magic lifting as je did.

There’s a knife edge glint to it, though. Fleeting but heavy with dangerous promise. Harm could come, that edge says, wrapped in all the certainty a millennia old dragon carries. And if it did, Speaker would erase it from existence.

One Who Leaps from Cloud to Sky believes Speaker of Many Tongues unconditionally.

Comforted, Sky allows zhirself to release the anxious rippling of zhir thoughts. Tension leeches from zhir as zhe pushes zhir thought-touch closer to Speaker’s. Close enough to feel the unwavering calm, let it wash away zhir remaining nerves, but not so close as to get lost in je again.

Thankful, says Sky, sincerity shining through their thought-touches like sun rays. Taking leave to fly—warm winds under wings—Speaker of Many Tongues.

Warm winds under wings—One Who Leaps from Cloud to Sky, replies Speaker.

There’s a hint of sleepiness to jers thoughts, that sags and seeps into Sky before they disentangle thought-touches. Sky shakes it off, neatly picking out little bits of thought-touch leftover from Speaker. Then, with three great flaps to regain the height zhe’d lost while coasting, zhe flew.

Speaker of Many Tongues has soothed Sky’s but that little nugget of something’s wrong something’s wrong something’s wrong still wriggles under zir sternum like a fat maggot. Some days, Speaker manages to silence that maggot. Some days, like now, je doesn’t, leaving a starved yet still malevolent parasite that would drive Sky’s mind in circles until zhe is right back where zhe started. On days like these, there’s not much zhe can do but tire zhirself out and hope tomorrow’s better.

Once alone with sea and sky, no thought-touches to be felt, Sky let’s loose. Twists, turns, barrel rolls; dead stops, climbs and drops; slow spirals, hovers and lazy patterns interspersed with straightforward runs of pure speed. On and on zhe goes, the exhilaration of zhir freedom and the increasing burn of well used muscle pushing back and back at the heavy thing in zhir chest. Lost in losing zhirself, Sky misses the starburst of excited thought-touch only to be wrenched back into the world by a nip at zhir wingtip.

Zhe snaps—literally—at the offender, zhir thought-touch spiking and spitting at the other’s in a way spoke volumes more than any roar.

The other’s thought-touch, that of a small dusk-orange welp, skitters away. The tiny thing lets out the most indignant yip.

Sky does roar, then. A thundering bellow that vibrates through the youngling’s chest as it physically skitters away. It glides along in silence several wingspans away, properly chastised, before edging ever warily closer. But by bit, until it’s invading zhir space once more. Its thought-touch needling insistently at Sky’s.

Sky lets out a whuff of irritation. Zhe dives abruptly towards the water, stopping when zhir claws skim the surface. The small one follows, clumsily but without pause, zipping under zir. Sky rumbles warningly and it zips out again, yapping pointedly. It’s thought-touch stretching and poking once more at Sky. Shaking zhir ridged head, Sky wonders who claims this little one and why they hadn’t taught it any manners.

A put upon sigh, Sky lets the young dragon’s thought-touch collide with zhir’s. Excitement crashes into Sky like battering ram, followed by so much blinding awe it nearly makes Sky dizzy. Their thought-touch is an incoherent mess. Images, thoughts, words, and emotions flinging by, unrecognizeable.

Another whuff and Sky sets to work on setting it right. Pushing, pulling, until everything slots into place putting it into sharp focus.

Bright Eyes—see flying—want flying! she shrieks, gleeful. Then, much more quietly, Flying together—teach—please?

Ah, the newest hatched of Still Waters Run Deep, Sky has heard of her—she’s unfortunately infamous for her clumsy mishaps. Her heart has always been in the right place, though, and she never lets her failures keep her down. It’s an admirable sort of determination.

Hm.

Sky cranes zhir long neck to look at Bright Eyes. Wide, blue eyes return zhir searching gaze. Eager. Challenging, even.

The golden dragon snorts. Peppered sparks of amusement flickering in their thought-touch. It brings up an angry lash of embarrassment from Bright Eyes. Sky taps her on the head with a wingtip.

Peace, Sky says, amusement still curling through zhir. Prove worthy—follow—keep as shadow.

With that One Who Leaps from Cloud to Sky banks sharply to the left, Bright Eyes letting out a surprised trill behind zhir before flapping doggedly after.

It’s been a long time since zhe has had a winglet, Sky thinks. Perhaps, it’s time for one again.

—

misc dragon things:

default pronoun for dragons is it/it’s. Bright Eyes pronouns change after they connect thought-touches bc those are her pronouns but Sky couldn’t know until they connected, hence the it beforehand.

winglets are younger dragons taken under an older dragon’s wing (lol). it’s sort of like an apprenticeship. dragons are actually raised communally, by three to five adult dragons usually, but sometimes the babies end up having a talent or interest their parents can’t help with. so, another adult will take them as a winglet to hell develop that skill. mentors are somewhat responsible for the care and well being of their winglets but not to the degree of the parents.

Clan is a group of dragons. not necessarily related by blood but they live together consistently and raise their dragonets together n such. Clans can b enormous or small depending on food/resources/space. some put names to their clan and some don’t. Cloud to Sky and Bright Eyes Clan is fairly large n has about 150-200 dragons at any time

Speaker of Many Tongues is an ancient fucking dragon lmao most dragons don’t live that long n this sort of makes jir the de facto leader but there’s no real leader of the clan (for this one at least). Je’s also part of the reason why the clan is so large, few dragons want to fuck with an ancient least of all an ancient’s clan.

Bright Eyes is a v generic baby dragon name lmfao, it’ll probs change over time bc that’s how dragons do n she’s just a baby! she growing! she don’t know whomst the fuck she is

dragons don’t use pronouns like you, I, we, they (referring to a group not individual pronoun) etc bc their thoughts are connected n it’s implicit in the thoughts (which I rly wanted to do more the whole telepathy thing but alas) what/who’s being referred to. it makes dialogue a bitch but I thought it was a fun challenge.

[rowdysakura]

nagi's ane bnha au

@inuyoshie HERE U GO Izumo Kamiki -alias: Ninetails -status: supervillian -quirk: the summoning, assimilation (by possession) and control of spirits, -an agent of the illuminati agency since she was young, she's now a notorious supervillian all across Japan. She's also a student at the prestigious True Cross Academy where her best friend believes her to be a quirkless delinquent with a heart of gold -Best and only friend: Noriko Paku Noriko Paku -alias: none -status: citizen -quirk: none -A student at True Cross Academy who likes to moonlight as True Cross Town's number one matchmaker. She bonded with Izumo at young age over both of their quirklessness. -Friends: Izumo Kamiki, Shiemi Moriyama Shiemi Moriyama -alias: Earth Girl -status: superhero -quirk: can grow and control plants -After manifesting her quirk at a young age, Shiemi grows up sequestered from the outside world. Until tragedy brings the Okumura twins into her life, opening her eyes to a wider world and starting her path to superheroism. -Friends: Rin and Yukio Okumura, Noriko Paku Yukio Okumura -alias: none -status: law enforcement officer -quirk: none (for now???) -Following in his adoptive father's footsteps, Yukio Okumura graduates as the youngest [some Sort of cool name for a law enforcement agency that tries to regulate superheroes and supervillians. All members are powerless] medical and combat officer in history. He's unaware that his twin brother, Rin, is the source of his current case--the elimination of True Cross's newest superhero, The Blue Fang, before he can become the second coming of the most notorious villain known world wide as Satan. Rin Okumura -alias: The Blue Fang (miiiight change it to the blue knight) -status: superhero -quirk: the inextinguishable blue flame which can burn anything, healing factor, super strength (it is unknown whether these two are separate or as result of the blue flame) -In a night of tragedy, Rin learns two things. One, he and Yukio are not the sons of one Shiro Fujimoto but instead of the most notorious world wide supervillian, leader of the supervillian conglomerate the Baal, Satan. Two, he has inherited Satan's ever feared flames. There's only one thing left for him to do: become a superhero. -Friends: Shiemi Moriyama, Shura Kirigakure, (later on) Ryuji Suguro, Konekomaru Miwa, Renzou Shima Shura Kirigakure -alias: none -status: independent detective -quirk: snake affinity (she has the senses of a snake and can telepathically communicate with any snakes and most related reptiles) -Shura is part of an independent investigative/bounty hunter agency (member count now one). She deals with the government, private business, and individual citizens. As the best of the best, she's often called in as reference for all sorts of criminal activities. Later, she helps Rin with his superheroism, after an emotional clash, and keeps the [yukio's division] from getting to close to the truth of the Blue Fang while stepping in as sort of vodka aunt for the Okumura twins. Ryuji Suguro -alias: ??? -status: superhero -power: photokinesis -After Ryuji develops his powers, he swears to find and destroy Satan in revenge of the bloodiest nights in history, the Blue Night, which hit his temple particularly hard. For a while, he and his two childhood friends, known collectively as the Kyoto Trio, remain based in their hometown before gaining a lead on the missing supervillain Satan that takes them to True Cross. Konekomaru Miwa -alias: -status: superhero -quirk: technopathy -Konekomaru never wanted to be a superhero, especially after the death of his family for being just that, but he can hardly wait behind while his hotheaded friend Suguro surges blindly ahead. So, superheroism it is. Renzou Shima -alias: -status: superhero, double agent -quirk: pheromones, through unusual circumstances also has the ability to summon the black flame spirit - Other things -True Cross Order is a world wide recognized superhero organization -Mephisto was previously a member of the supervillain group Baal, but betrayed them to the True Cross Order, he now leads the Japan Branch -The Baal or "Demon Kings" were a super villain group led by a villain named Satan until his disappearance after the Blue Night. The group has since been hunted down and eliminated or scattered, powerless. -the Illuminati is an underground supervillian agency that is headed by a previous Demon King member known as Lucifer. Their goal is world domination and the resurrection of Satan. -True Cross Academy Cram School (this is essentially where bnha elements come in) is a school for superhero kids to meet one another and hone their Quirk under seasoned heroes. Rin, Shiemi, and the Kyoto trio, are all present. Izumo doesn't go since she's a supervillian and doesn't want her secret identity blown. -Izumo and Shiemi meet through Paku

[rowdysakura]

inosaku + 6?

6. things you said under the stars and in the grass

The first time Sakura and Ino lay under the stars it’s winter and the two of them really have no business being outside in the dead of night. Sakura can’t remember how old they were, but Ino had wanted to go and Sakura remembers their friendship being too new for Sakura to even think of jeopardizing it. Little Sakura only points out that it’s particularly cold before allowing Ino to sneak them outside under Sakura’s parents’ noses. They end up wearing only their winter coats over their pajamas, legs and feet bare. The two girls lie spread eagle, shivering and cold, with their breath puffing above them, out in Sakura’s backyard staring up at the clear sky where there’s nothing but stars for as far as Sakura can see.

It’s not very far. The house, the trees, and the fence limit the scope of Sakura’s vision. It’s still the most exciting sight in her short life.

It’s even more exciting when Ino reaches between them and grabs Sakura’s hand.

“Let’s stay friends forever, ‘kay?”

Even though Ino’s tone is anything but, her words seems weightier in the night with only Sakura and the stars to hear her. More meaningful. Personal. Especially because there had been nothing but silence between the two of them. It fills Sakura with a pleased warmth from head to toe despite the cold.

Eventually, Sakura makes a noise that might be an affirmative. It’s mostly a noiseless squeak. She grips Ino’s hand tighter then chokes out a quiet, “'Kay.”

–

There’s a few more times after that, that Sakura doesn’t quite remember. Quiet nights in the grass with only the two of them and the stars. No words or promises. Just existing side by side.

It’s the most serene and content Sakura remembers feeling for a long time.

–

Sakura breaks off their friendship, declaring herself Ino’s rival, and wonders the whole time just why–but she doesn’t stop. Doesn’t hesitate.

They don’t have quiet nights under the stars anymore, after that.

–

Sakura is the one to mend their friendship, too. It’s her responsibility, after all, since she is the one who broke it. Over a boy who had never once given her even the smallest slice of day, of all things.

It’s rocky, at first. Which is only to be expected. They’ve both grown up. Not apart, not really, just different. There’s old pieces of each of them that still fit together. But there’s new ones, too, that have never fit together. Never had a chance to.They make it work. Through shopping and sleep overs, just like old times. Through rigorous training and Ino drilling thousands and thousands of medical factoids into Sakura’s head or Sakura helping Ino practicing navigating the human psyche, just like new times.

The quiet nights under the stars in the grass return, too. Though now they are not always so quiet. Sometimes there are soft voices. Quiet confessions, fears, and clouds of words that simply feel wrong said under the light of day. Reassurances, comforting nonsense, and unwavering support spill here, as well.

It’s still the same, however, as much as it has changed. Still a haven of serenity, of contentedness. Still something weighty, if unspoken. Still Sakura’s most precious moments. (And, perhaps she’ll never know, but they’re Ino’s, too.)

–

“Don’t let those boys be the death of you, okay?” murmurs Ino.

Ino’s voice is casual but when Sakura shifts her head to look at the blonde beside her Ino doesn’t move to meet her gaze. Sakura’s lips press together and she says nothing as she watches the blankness of Ino’s face.

Neither of them should be here: lying on muddy, bloody dirt and watching the stars. Not when they’re needed but…Ino had come into her tent and looked at her and Sakura had seen the same desperation holding her own bones together reflected in Ino’s blue eyes and blurted out, “Five minutes. We can afford five minutes.”

Sakura has never been good at denying Ino much at all, really.

Except when it counted most, Sakura thinks as she looks away. Says nothing, still.

Sakura’s older, wiser and stronger, and she knows her self worth and knows some people weren’t worth it but–

But.

Somewhere inside she’ll always be a twelve-year-old girl chasing after a fractured idea of a team. Of a family. That maybe could have stayed together had she just been…more.

So she says nothing even as Ino laughs. It’s a watery sound.

“I love you, you know?”

The words so quiet that the silence between them is not disturbed so much as changed.

The silence reigns in Sakura’s mind, on her tongue and in the burning of her eyes and the tightness of her chest.

Ino says no more. Makes no more noise. Sakura wonders if she is crying as much as Sakura herself.

In five minutes the two of them go back to war.–

Later, much later, after everything–surviving, winning, and putting themselves back together–Sakura sneaks into Ino’s home (as much as one ninja can sneak into another ninja’s home when they’re expected) with apology chocolates and the two of them lay out in Ino’s yard. In the grass. Under the stars.

This time it is Sakura who reaches between them. She grasps Ino’s hand, her thumb running across the back of it.

“I love you, too, you know,” Sakura declares. Loudly and boldly disturbing the quiet with her words.

Ino laughs, startled but happy. It’s the most beautiful and joyful sound Sakura has ever heard. The pink-haired girl vows to make Ino laugh more like that as the two of them shift closer, pressing together and sharing kisses under the starlight.

(It is far from the last time–for kisses, laughs, or words of love.)

[rowdysakura]

The Drama You’ve Been Craving - Rizumo Week 2017

title: the drama you’ve been craving rating: t fandom: ao no exorcist / blue exorcist characters: izumo kamiki, rin okumura, unnamed exorcist fic series (on ao3): all the good in me is because of you (it’s true) dedicated to: @crxdus / @demirin

Izumo twitches. Just a small tick in her right brow. It’s enough to make the poor exorcist manning the missions desk want to turn tail and run and never ever look back. Thankfully, it’s the reptilian part of his brain screaming in fear over being a very, very small prey in front of a very, very dangerous predator or else he might have pissed himself. As it is, he’s sending heartfelt prayers to whatever deity or ancestor that may be listening to him to let him out of this encounter alive.

In turn, Izumo can only wonder when everyone around her started turning into blubbering idiots.

Slowly, the young woman places her hands on the desk before leaning into the other exorcist’s space with a firm scowl in place. It’s a bit more difficult than usual with her newly found girth around the middle, but the table isn’t too high and Izumo manages it just fine once she goes a bit up on her toes.

“I’m sorry,” Izumo begins, not sounding sorry at all. In fact, she sounds sweetly sinister. “Could you repeat that?”

The man behind the desk can only cower as he slowly draws up a hard backed folder in the hair’s breadth space between their two faces. He looks entirely too relieved as he flips it open, forcing the young woman before him to draw back, revealing a missive of some sorts.

“I-I-I said th-that--ehem, I said that as of today, Miss Kamiki, you’re no longer allowed to take any True Cross sanctioned jobs, no matter the Branch. It’s not a permanent ban just a sort of ah, probation due to your, um, your current, ah, circumstances,” finishes the man, eyes darting meaningfully from Izumo’s extended belly and her eyes and back. He totally nailed it.

“’Circumstances?’”

Something twists in the man’s gut. Her tone is carefully light, airy, as if she could not care less. Considering this is Arc Knight Kamiki Izumo, the True Cross’s single biggest workaholic after one Okumura Yukio, he highly doubts that’s the case. An odd sense of impending doom descends over the man. He’s going to die, he realizes, Kamiki is going to kill him. He can run and she will most literally shoot the messenger or he can stay put and be strangled to death.

The inevitability of his end brings a sort of calm to the man. He nods easily before answering almost inaudibly, “Yes.”

Izumo makes a sort of noise of acknowledgement before her dangerously narrowed eyes slide to look at her partner, one Rin Okumura, beside her.

Rin, who had been watching the exchange with a sort of detached amusement, stiffens as a strange, immediate need to surrender shoots through him. His eyes shift to meet Izumo’s gaze even has his hands come up in defense.

“Oi! I’m only an honorary Knight anymore! I don’t have anything to do with this!” the half-demon splutters in alarm, his hands waving frantically in front of him.

Izumo’s gaze snaps back to the exorcist behind the desk who also throws up him hands in surrender, dropping the folder.

“By whose order?”

“S-sir Pheles--!”

“Ha, Pheles can’t ban me from all branches he’s only in charge of the Japanese Branch...,” she trails off, a triumphant glint in her eyes and the curve of her mouth. It shouldn’t take very long at all to send her familiars to a nearby branch and gain a mission there. Damned demon meddling in her family life. So what if he’s an uncle of sorts?

“Erm, well, Sir Pheles suggested it but, well, the current Paladin is the, uh, one, who approved it so--,” the exorcist’s throat closes up in terror as the fire in Izumo’s eyes reaches a new pitch. A mere moment later absolute relief courses through the desk exorcist, causing him to slip slowly, bonelessly, from his chair to the floor when the red-eyed menace turns completely away from him to focus on her husband.

“Yukio, hm?”

Sweat began to bead along Rin’s forehead.

“Well...he is a Doctor so maybe he has the right idea, yanno! You should probably take a break especially so close to your final months. It at least couldn’t hurt...? Um, Izumo, where are you going?”

“Just to have a chat with my brother-in-law, is all,” replies Izumo airily, stalking in the direction of the nearest door, the Paladin’s office key in hand.

“W-wait!”

Rin gives a quick apologetic bow to the exorcist now slumped on the floor before scrambling after his wife.

“Izumo, wife, dearest, love, light of my life, you can’t go threatening Yukio! He’s the Paladin! I’m pretty sure that’s like one-hundred percent illegal!”

“I’m pregnant, Rin! Not sick or fragile or wilting away!”

The purple-haired woman jams her key into the door before yanking it to reveal the waiting area before Yukio’s office.

“B-but! The baby!”

The half demon rushes after her, closing the door much more gently behind them.

“Exercise is good for the baby,” Izumo counters ruthlessly turning a glare onto the trailing Rin. Her arms cross defensively in front of her chest. “And don’t think I don’t know you talked with him. He wouldn’t have done it, otherwise, seeing as last time I knew he trusted in my abilities as an exorcist.”

Rin fiddles nervously with Kurikara’s strap across his chest, an anxious grimace pulling at his features.

“It’s not...it’s not you I don’t trust, Izumo!” he blurts out in a half yell, coming to a stop. His gaze firmly fixed on the floor. “I-I know you’re great--you’re the best I know and I wouldn’t want anyone else at my back but...mistakes can happen. Exorcists can get overwhelmed or tricked or hurt no matter how good they are.”

He rocks a bit on his feet, anxiety rising with no response from Izumo, before forging ahead more quietly.

“I’ve always worried about that, y’know? It’s not just because you’re pregnant. It’s just now...now, its more than you, it’s our kid, too. And it kinda seems like you...don’t even really care? You’re just the same reckless you taking the same dangerous jobs. And I know I’m one to talk but I just...,” Rin finishes with an explosive sigh before only shrugging. His eyes do not leave the floor in front of him as his tail lashes to and fro behind him.

There’s a long pause of silence broken suddenly by the sound of Izumo’s ever decisive footsteps. Her boots come into his view as she stops. She doesn’t say a thing.

Lips thinning, Rin raises his gaze from Izumo’s heavy boots, noting bare calves, thin capris, and her over sized, waist length, and unbuttoned exorcist’s jacket. A far cry from her usual, more protective outfit of thick pants, arm and leg guards, and full length jacket, much like Rin wore now. It’s too vulnerable, too exposed, and leaves him feeling sick with worry.

When he finally reaches her face, he’s surprised. Izumo’s arms are still crossed, he had expected to see something like irritation or anger once finally meeting her stare but instead there’s something soft. Appreciation, understanding, and care edged with a deep affection. Even after all this time his heart still skips a beat when Izumo turns such looks on him.

He’s such a sap, really.

“Izumo...?”

She sighs, gently, before spreading her arms. Not one to pass up a rare invitation such as this, Rin immediately steps forward to scoop her up into a hug, resting his chin on her shoulder. Izumo had stayed short while Rin had shot up in his final years of puberty and now she had an extra bump he needed to bend around, but Rin wouldn’t mind all the back cramps in the world so long as he got to hold her.

Izumo’s arms come up around him in turn as she presses her face against his opposite shoulder.

“I know,” she murmurs, voice muffled against him. “I know all of that and I do care. I do worry. Why do you think I bring you with me now?”

Rin hums in consideration. Finally, he replies, “Because you like to boss me around?”

Izumo seems to choke on air as she smacks his back, an indignant cry bubbling out, “Rin!”

Her husband only laughs as they draw apart to look at each other, bringing a soft smile to Izumo’s face.

“Just checking! Just checking,” he snickers, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

Izumo only rolls her eyes, huffing out in an haughty manner, “Well, I suppose it is a bonus.”

“H-hey!”

Izumo sighs, hands dropping from Rin’s to grasp one of Rin’s between them, “I bring you with because I trust you to watch out for me when I can’t watch out for myself. There’s nothing I don’t trust you to keep me safe from.”

She smiles up at Rin, her expression full of absolute confidence in him.

Rin feels his mouth drop open. His eyes wide in startled wonderment. The flame of his love for her, ever present, seems to suffuse out from his chest, filling him with warmth until he’s near bursting with tenderness. He kisses her and Izumo’s face flushes almost immediately, burning a cherry red even as she returns it.

When they pull apart, Rin cant help the grin that splits his face or the way his tail wags excitedly behind him. His own cheeks and pointed ears are flushed as well but its fine, he doesn’t mind looking the fool as long as it’s for Izumo.

“You’re such a sap,” Rin tells her delightedly, drawing a flustered protest from her, before pressing yet another kiss to her forehead. “I can’t believe you like me that much.”

“We’re married!”

“I know!” he says, just as excited as the first time she’d said so. The grins slips away suddenly as he seems to realize something. His tail droops low as he slumps, peering at Izumo through his lashes. “I’m still worried, though.”

Izumo only tilts her head to the side, smile still in place as she returns Rin’s scrutiny.

“Hmmm, how about a compromise, then?” she asks, watching Rin perk up curiously. “I won’t quit taking missions completely, I just can’t just sit around doing nothing, it’ll drive me up every wall, but I’ll start taking more lower ranked ones, okay?”

“...and I’ll still come with?” questions Rin after a moment’s pause.

“Of course.”

“Heh, well, I can’t argue with that. As long as you’re happy and safe, I’m okay with it,” he declares, pressing their foreheads together affectionately.

Dryly, Izumo replies, “So glad you approve.”

“Mm, so does this mean you won’t yell at Yukio now?” asks her husband hopefully. He’s taken both her hands in his, rubbing a thumb soothingly over the backs of them.

Forehead touches and hand rubbing is usually a good enough distraction to pull Izumo from whatever warpath she’s set herself on. It’s a good move and has saved many a person from evisceration by spoon...when it’s worked. How unfortunate today is not one of those days.

Izumo smiles serenely at up Rin and kisses him gently on the nose.

“Oh, no,” she says, tone positively the embodiment of sweetness. “He’s dead to me, now.”

Rin sighs forlornly.

“I’ll get the mop.”