#god. time to reread the entire series again from scratch | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

saintobio · 3 years

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Hi Ai!! I know your inbox is super full, and I’m so sorry for contributing to it, but I’m a new reader of Sincerely Not and I’ve been dying to let out my feelings if you don’t mind jkfshjkf. I read all 8 chapters in one night a few days ago. I was just dicking around on my phone before bed and I came upon your fic and I was like, ok lemme read the first chapter before I fall asleep and low and behold, 8 chapters later, it’s 5am and I’m literally crying my eyes out. My God, there are literally no words as to describe how painful everything is… Man I wish I had discovered the series when it first came out, because it feels like no matter what I write to you know, it will all be a repetition of what everyone has already said to you before, so I’m just gonna get straight to the point and tell you I sent you that one Kofi for a Shoko x Sera cat fight jkfhfjjfdkjfds. Once you write in a hair pulling and face scratching scene in SN, then we can start the process of turning this masterpiece into a screenplay and send it to a Korean TV production and make you a world renowned legendary KDrama scriptwriter 🤞🤞

Okay no but forreal… I’ve been rereading chapter 8 literally multiple times a day because it’s so perfect… From start to finish, the pacing, the writing, the little moments, the development, the climax and the aftermath... Everything was beyond what I expected and so much more. The way that the entire story until now was building up to this moment… Man I don’t know enough words in English to explain how I feel… Ugh all the little moments of Satoru longing for Y/N, like his eyes always searching for her, him feeling so strangely hurt because she always (rightfully) rejected him, him literally thinking about how he “does not want Y/N” at one moment but then seconds later he’s thinking about how romantic the jacuzzi feels and how he should have done that with her in Iceland, all these little moments where he was pining for her and then being so confused by it all, especially during the climax… Man, he was this close to finally caving in, but of course that little shit had to latch onto just one sentence in that entire dialogue 😒 God he pisses me off. During that s🤢x scene, I was shaking my head like yeah, it’s so fucking over for Y/N & Gojo. There’s really no coming back from this anymore. I finished the chapter, I took a deep breath, and I said to myself yeah, DIVORCE ARC LETS MFINGGGGG GOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!

But I’m a stupid fool. I really am, because I still want Y/N and Gojo to work out… It’s so stupid, too many red flags out there… but can you blame a girl for having her favorite color be red? Ugh, it’s not necessarily that I’m simping (cuz I’m a bigger Toji simp than a Gojo one), but it’s because Y/N and him are so right for each other. He subconsciously admitted that he needed her when they were in the ocean; Y/N truly is what Gojo needs. He’s not ever going to find anyone like her ever again. He believes he loves Sera? The person that can’t accept all of you? The so called love of your life who you can’t be yourself around with? Your LOML who you can’t even fall asleep next to??? Bruh… Gojo is doomed to a life full of unhappiness if he stays with Sera, but I really don’t think there’s a chance for Y/N and Gojo anymore 😭😭 Because chapter 8 wasn’t even the pinnacle of the angst… The whole marriage-because-of-acquiring-her-company thing still needs to be revealed 😭😭😭😭 That’s going to break Y/N so much God I dread that reveal more than anything. I personally think that Gojo is gonna try and make the marriage work from this point onwards, but then that gets revealed + Sera pregnancy most likely around the same time if not at the same time, and then it will be so fucking over between Y/N and Gojo. What is gonna be more upsetting? Y/N still keep on falsely believing that Sera and Gojo were doing it unprotected behind her back, or her finding out that the first time he did it with Sera since he married Y/N was right after he hurled his wedding ring into the ocean and left her on her knees crying her heart out? He’ll have passed the point of no return and that will be the final nail in the coffin. I think their entire relationship (if the story is going to end on an unhappy note) is just the phrase “Too Little, Too Late”. Everything Gojo did before this point was just too little, and everything Gojo will do past this point will be too late… That reveal is going to kill Y/N :( Finding out that the entire reason why he married her in the first place and forced her to stay instead of sparing her all the hurt was not because she had to “live with the consequences of splitting true love apart” but because of that selfish business scheme. All those long months living in pain constantly when she so easily could have left him with no guilt… God I really don’t ever want her to find out :(

Aside from this, we still have that “tragic unknown fate” from the synopsis that still hasn’t happened yet and I keep on trying to figure out what it is… Sera pregnancy reveal? The marriage because of acquisition deal? Y/N dying because of the chest pains? The inevitable unhappy ending for these two? Gojo Sr going haywire because Satoru lost Y/N and thus the CFG acquisition deal so he beats him to a bloody pulp and Satoru is the one that dies from his abuse? Satoru accidentally killing Gojo Sr in the heat of the moment trying to stand up for himself and then he gets arrested for murder and goes to jail and then at the end the time skip happens and the story ends with him getting out of prison? #GojoGoingToJailParty jshsjdjshxjd I’m getting way ahead of myself, the tragedy is probably Sera being pregnant and then just when Satoru manages to almost win Y/N back he gets baby trapped and he’s lost his chance at true love for forever… Just like I said, it will be too little, too late.

Man, I really do wish Y/N and Gojo could be happy... I really do wish Satoru could break free from this vicious, abusive cycle. I understand him. I’ve also been abandoned by one parent and left in the hands of the worse one. Had parents that never loved each other, never had an example of what real love is, been hit and kicked, hurt and abused. So I get him. And I wish for him to break free of his father’s torment. No matter what, I do believe that a child abuse victim deserves to find happiness. Man, I’ve never been a cheating, abusive, trauma-inducing POS like him, but I understand his confusion and his anger and his fear and his need to lash out all the time. He’s never known what real love is, not even with Sera, and when it’s right there in his face, he can’t understand it, he can’t deal with it and it’s so heartbreaking. I managed to heal from my trauma thank God, and I really wish that he could too. And he can! With Y/N! But… it’s going to be too late. He’s passed the point of no return… Y/N really is the one for him, but is Gojo the one for her? I’ve said this so many times already, but it’s all just too little, too late. He’s damaged her beyond repair. How can Y/N ever trust him again? How can she ever heal from the hell he’s put her through? Just thinking about Iceland makes my blood boil oh my god, Ai, I’ve reread all chapters multiple times except the Iceland chapter. Like, I can’t reread it. I can reread chapter 8 multiple times a day but just having the thought of Iceland pass by infuriates me ohhhh my goddd. I can’t. I’m so conflicted, because I see my past hurt self in Gojo and I want him to heal from his trauma, I want him to find out what real love is and heal from his ongoing pain, but on the other hand I want him like 8 countries away from Y/N and repent until the day he breathes his very last breath, that piece of shit.

Honestly, I can’t wait for everyone to find out what he’s done to Y/N and for his biological mom to tell him “so you did to Y/N what your father did to me”. I think hearing those words from her will hurt him more than anything and he deserves it. Also can’t wait to see Y/N get closer to Toji and then for Naoya to rub that into Gojo’s face 😛 Menace to society, but an even worse menace to Gojo, I absolutely love to see it!!!

Okay this has gotten so long, the original point I wanted to make with this ask was to recommend you some songs not write all of this out fjfgekfkjfdhjk I hope you’ll listen to them ♥️ Going through the playlist you made for SN and rediscovering Ghost of You by 5SOS, literally… Thank you so much for reminding me this song existed, I’ve been listening to it nonstop these past few days, the pain is fucking REALLL. Okay I wanted to recommend 3 songs whose lyrics I think would fit the story, first of them being Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi. I think this song would fall into line with Falling and Sorry, which I’m assuming are from Gojo’s POV. “I’m going under”/“And this time I fear there’s no one to save me” --> Y/N (rightfully so) leaving Gojo and since she was the only one that could comfort him when he was hurting, there’s no one there anymore to save him. “Now the day bleeds”/“Into nightfall”/“And you're not here”/“To get me through it all” --> After the divorce or separation he’s going to be a mess, drunk and out of his mind, I can already see it all. You reap what you sow, really. “I let my guard down”/“And then you pulled the rug”/“I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved” --> The fact that Satoru begged Y/N during his most vulnerable moment with her to not leave him in the same way that his mother did, but she will still do so... While Y/N leaving him is one hundred percent justified, a man like Satoru won’t see it that way. It’s so devastating, because Gojo is really the only one that let history repeat itself.

The next song I wanna recommend is a duet between Bon Iver and Taylor Swift. It’s a song where a man and a woman lament on their ruined relationship and I feel like it fits them perfectly. The line that made me go crazy is this:“I think I've seen this film before”/“And I didn't like the ending” --> This is literally ssooooooo perfect for them. Literally the same events (film) that happened before with his father that ruined him now happening again, this time with himself, all because of his own doing. “You're not my homeland anymore”/“So what am I defending now?” --> Not that I know what you’re gonna write or anything, but I do have this weird feeling that after Y/N and Satoru’s divorce, she’s still going to defend him in, idk, maybe a small altercation or whatever. Y/N is a good person, she’s not spiteful, she’s still going to try and protect him even after they’ve separated :( You have to listen to the bridge of the song as well, it’s a part where Bon Iver (the man, 1st lines) and Taylor (the woman, 2nd lines) basically take turns talking to each other and it goes like this: “You didn't even hear me out”/“You didn't even hear me out” “You never gave a warning sign”/“I gave so many signs” “I never learned to read your mind”/“Never learned to read my mind” “I couldn't turn things around”/“You never turned things around” “'Cause you never gave a warning sign”/“I gave so many signs” --> Gojo is going to think Y/N never gave him a chance to explain himself, he’s going to think that she’s never put in the effort, etc. cause he’s just a man like that, while we know how Y/N has suffered in silence entirely because that’s what that bastard so heartlessly told her to do. No matter what he does from now on to try and fix the marriage, the damage is done and all the trust is gone, everything he does will be too late for him to repair…

The third song I want to recommend is a song that came on shuffle while I was reading the climax scene in chapter 8 and it literally made me bawl. Sad Beautiful Tragic by Taylor Swift in Y/N's POV once the story is said and done. “Words, how little they mean”/“When you're a little too late” --> I think this is where I get my “too little, too late” gist from honestly. How is Gojo ever going to be able to redeem himself? He had his chances, he’s had so many chances, he's had a million chances, but he’s too late now. “And you've got your demons”/“And darlin' they all look like me” --> His demons being his mother and her leaving him behind, and Y/N will do the same. “Hang up, give up”/“For the life of us we can't get back” --> If only Satoru’s father had not destroyed his perception of love, if only his mother hadn’t left him and if only Y/N’s mom hadn’t died, if only they hadn’t grown apart after that, if only Gojo had given Y/N a chance, if only he had seen his marriage as the sacred bond it is and had broken things off with Sera before he made his vows, if only the merger deal wasn’t the entire reason for it anyway, if only his father hadn’t ruined him, if only Satoru wasn’t this damaged... they could have worked out. They could have had a happy life together, because they are right for each other. But not anymore. It’s done now. They’re past the point of no return. They were the right persons, but just at the wrong time. Not in this universe, maybe in the next one, in another world, another life, they were meant for a happy ending, but not here, not this time… There was nothing beautiful about their relationship at all, all it was, was sad and tragic.

Man, I’m breaking my own damn heart writing this. For all I know literally all I’m saying could be wrong as hell and I’m just getting ahead of myself LMAO, but really Ai, I’m ready for you to break my heart. I really, truly, genuinely wish you wouldn’t, but I know you will. I gave up all hope for a happy ending for them, so thank you for reading this unnecessarily long message, I hope you like the song recs, and I can’t wait to read chapter 9 ♥️

P.S. #TeamToji

P.P.S. But really, I’m #TeamGojo deep down :(

babe sjdndjdndbf first of all thank u for sending the kofi, ur description abt it made my day :)) also i’m really glad that you’re enjoying sn so far and is invested enough to write a detailed commentary abt the chapter <33 i loved reading through this, especially bc you’ve written some rly good points !! i’ll have a listen to those song recs since they seem rly fitting for the series 🥺 thank u again for dropping by !!

#saintobio.asks #series: sincerely not

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pinoyrella · 4 years

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“A Love So Beautiful” Chapter 8

Chapter 8: “Happy Birthday!”

FT: Tsukishima Kei, Yamaguchi Tadashi, Hinata Shoyo, Kageyama Tobio, Yachi Hitoka + Y/n’s Parents + Coach Ukai + Takeda-Sensei

TW: Mild Language

Genre: Fluff, Comedy, Angst, Coming of Age + Slow Burn

- Fluff, fluff, fluff, fluff! And angst/drama :00000 in this chapter!

WORD COUNT: 9,000+

“A LOVE SO BEAUTIFUL” Masterlist 🌸

A/N: hiii hiii 💖!! happy one month anniversary for the start of this series 🎉! i think it was feb 15 when i posted it, and now its march 15!!! time rlly flies so fast omg, we’re already 8 chapters in :,000

- i also had so much fun researching about Miyagi’s Museum of Art for this chapter! i hope to go someday!!

- AGSKJ OKAY OKAY- anyways i hope you enjoy i love you!!! 🥺💞

“I can’t believe we had another quiz today!” You whine, a single hand gripped onto the strap of your bag, as the other hangs loosely. You walk in front of Yamaguchi and Tsukishima, heading towards the school gates.

“It wasn’t even that hard” Tsukishima says bluntly, keeping his eyes focused on the pavement.

“Easy for you to say! Tell me Tsukki, what’s the lowest grade you’ve ever received?” You hault, turning abruptly to face the blonde male.

He looks down at you before smirking. “My lowest?” Yamaguchi lets out a low chuckle, enjoying the company of his two best friends.

“My point exactly! Mr. Smarty-pants, you have no say in what is hard or not!” You bring your arms up, crossing them as you begin your pace. “I’m just glad we have Friday off, and the entire of next week! Thank god for break.” You sigh as the three of you make it to the school gates, you turn to your two friends before bidding a farewell.

“Here’s my stop, thanks again for walking me out, now go hit some volleyballs! Hurry, you guys are going to be late!” You wave, making your way down the pavement towards the bike racks.

As you turn the corner, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima set foot, making their way to the gym for volleyball practice.

“Ah! Tsukki” Yamaguchi calls to his friend. “Y/n’s birthday is coming soon, do you have any plans?” He asks. The blonde takes a moment to think before replying, “Mmm… not really”. “Huh?” Yamaguchi hops in front of his friend, stopping him in his tracks. “What do you mean not really?” “Not really as in, I don’t really have anything big planned.” Tsukishima says, as he moves past his friend towards the gym.

Yamaguchi lets out a sigh before following. The two continuing their pace to the gym, only to find Takeda-sensei as they round the corner.

“Oh, Sensei!” Yamaguchi greets, rushing over with Tsukishima. “Yamaguchi-kun, Tsukishima-kun, just in time I have some very big news to share! Especially for you and Kageyama-kun. Hurry, in we go, in we go!” Takeda-sensei announces, pushing the two boys inside.

“I’m home!” You call out as you slip into your bunny slippers. Just as you enter your room, you hang your bag against your rack before changing into your pajamas. You sit at your desk, opening your pencil case and taking out the slip of paper with the confession.

‘I’m in love with Y/n’

You reread and stare at the written confession before bringing your palms up, screaming into your hands.

“Oh my god”

You say quietly to yourself, setting your hands on top of your desk. And with a deep breathe, you plan to ask the other’s what their scripts said, praying the script between your fingers is Tsukishima’s.

- The following day, you make your way into class.

“Good morning my dear friends!” You greet out loud, only to notice Yamaguchi in your seat, huddled closely to Yachi, as Hinata perches over his desk.

You wander over, confused before Yamaguchi notices you, pulling away, the other two following as they glance up to you. Yamaguchi immediately stands from your seat, holding your chair out for you.

Tsukishima, at his desk, turns his head from his notebook to peek at his friends, thinking about how suspicious and obvious the three’s “subtle” behavior is.

“G-good morning Y/n!” He stutters before walking away to his seat besides Tsukishima.

You blink in confusion at your friend’s weird behavior, before turning your attention to your desk’s surface. “How did you guys think you did on the quiz?” You ask curious, taking your notebook and textbook out, setting in on top of your desk.

There is only silence before you realize Yachi and Hinata whispering to one another, they didn’t even hear you ask the question. A bit hurt, you call out to them, only for them to respond back with a jump in surprise.

“Y-y/n! Hi!” Yachi greets as she fiddles with her fingers. You stare at her before turning to Hinata. Hinata sits upright, avoiding eye contact with you as he gulps.

Before you can question what was up with their very odd behavior, Kageyama along with Ono-sensei makes their way in, greeting the class and beginning the instructions. In the middle of the lecture, you find the script in your pencil pouch, remembering your plan the night before. Once break begins, you’re sure to begin asking what script they got.

As the bell rings, you quickly close your notebook, immediately turning to your side only to see Yachi, Hinata and Yamaguchi run out together. Letting out a sigh, you turn behind you, but you end up finding Kageyama asleep, his head down to his desk. Not wanting to disturb his rest, you reach for your bag, pulling out your coin pouch.

As you turn to get out of your seat, a tall figure shadows over you, slowly looking up you realize it's just Tsukishima. You stare at him before he speaks,

“What? Let’s go” He begins walking towards the entrance, and you follow after him. Making your way to the vending machine together.

“Don’t you think Yachi, Hinata and Yamaguchi have been acting weird all morning?” You ask, keeping your eyes on the road.

Tsukishima stills, staying silent recalling the day before in the gym.

Yamaguchi and Hinata stand besides Yachi as they watch their teammates practice from afar.

“Watching everyone practice so hard makes me a bit nervous for Nationals” Yamaguchi admits, taking a sip from his water bottle.

“We’re gonna play against powerful teams! I’m so excited!” Hinata says as he rubs his neck towel around his forehead.

“And you guys have another practice match next week...” Yachi sighs, feeling exhausted for the boys just by remembering. “Yeah! I can’t wait to see Aone-san!” Hinata cheers, remembering his gentle giant of a senior. “I wonder if Asahi-san is still... worried about him.” Yamaguchi scratches his cheek lightly.

“What are you guys doing just standing there?” Tsukishima makes his way over to his three friends. Just as he settles, standing beside the three, a memory pops into Yamaguchi’s mind.

“Ah! Y/n’s birthday is this Friday!” “Oh! You’re right!” Hinata exclaims. “Have you guys planned anything for her?” Yamaguchi turns to his friends, sparkles emitting from his eyes. The two go silent, before Yamaguchi cries. “You’re kidding! I had hopes that at least you two had something prepared!” Tsukishima watches as Yamaguchi breaks down in front of the two.

“Oh!” Hinata exclaims. “Don’t worry, we can leave it all to Kageyama, I’m sure he’s got us covered” Tsukishima rolls his eyes to the name of the setter.

“What?” Kageyama asks, making his way over to his four friends, bringing the towel in his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

“Kageyama, do you have anything planned for Y/n’s birthday?” Yamaguchi asks, Kageyama stares at him before looking away, mumbling. “Uh… Yeah”

“You lie!” Hinata accuses before Kageyama takes the towel hanging around his neck, flinging it at the boy. “SHUT UP!”

“Should we throw a small get-together?” Yachi asks, the attention of the four turning to her.

“Yachi-san that’s a great idea!” Yamaguchi compliments. “Oh like a surprise party?” Hinata asks as Tsukishima joins. “There’s no way you’re going to be able to keep your mouth shut” “Stingyshima...” Kageyama looks down before looking up at the blonde, agreeing with him. “He’s right” “KAGEYAMA! Wanna bet?!” Hinata glares before Kageyama gives the shorter boy a smirk. “Three curry buns” “DEAL!”

“HEY!” The four boys jolt, before turning their heads to face Coach Ukai. “First-years, stop standing around and get over here!” Yachi watches the four run off, a small smile spreading her face.

“ki.... Tsukki!” Tsukishima is brought back to reality before looking to you. You huff before you continue to walk. “I feel like I’m being ignored, even by you” You state, as you both stand in front of the vending machine.

Before you can open your coin pouch, Tsukishima slides money into the vending machine.

“Tsukki! How rude, I was just about to-” He takes your wrist, bringing your finger to push the button for the strawberry milk. Your eyes widen as he bends to pick up the now dispense drink. Poking the straw in before standing back up, handing it to you. “You’re overthinking” He says before walking back to class.

You bring the straw up to your lips, a smile turning before you run after him. “Tsukki!”

After school you make your way to the bike lot, stopping as you notice Yachi and Hinata not too far away.

“Yachi! Hinata!” You call out to them. The two visibly tense up before turning around to greet you. “Yachi-san, I’m going to go ahead to the gym!” Hinata says before running off, leaving Yachi with you. ‘That was so close!’ He thinks, hoping you didn’t hear what the two were discussing.

You watch Hinata’s figure get smaller as he moves farther away down the hall. “Hinata’s been acting very strange recently…” You say before turning to look at Yachi. “U-uh, yeah!” She replies, obviously flustered.

Not wanting to invade on what their conversation was about, you two begin walking together towards the bike racks, Yachi still seeming a bit off.

“Yachi?” You ask her, before she turns to you. “Yeah-” You quickly lean closer to her, she gulps as you continue to stare into her eyes, not blinking. “Yachi…” “Y-yeah Y/n?” She stutters.

“What script did you get?” You ask, she blinks as you pull away. “Eh? Ah! The one from Hinata’s game!” Recalling, she immediately pulls her backpack to the front of her, unzipping the smaller compartment as she takes out a slip of paper, handing it to you.

You take it excitedly, bringing it up to your eyes.

‘I’m insecure about my freckles’ it reads.

You look at her as she looks back to you, both understanding what the other is thinking. There’s only one freckled boy in your friend group, ‘It’s Yamaguchi’s.’

Arriving home, you sigh as you drop to your bed. You were only able to get to one of your five friends. “Tomorrow for sure!” You assure yourself, before preparing your workplace to study.

The following day, you have woken up extra early unintentionally. Making your way downstairs to bid you parents farewell, you are met with silence and a kitchen note on the dining table. Your parents have gone out for groceries, leaving you cash to buy breakfast on the way to school.

Deciding to stop by Coach Ukai’s, in the shop you hear a familiar voice. “Thanks Coach!” Hinata thanks. Just as he was going to walk out, you called out to him.

“Hinata!” He turns to greet you good morning, waiting for you to pay for your purchase before the two of you head to school together.

“You should have seen what happened at practice two days ago! Kageyama and Tsukishima were so mean!” He rambles complaining of the two taller boys as you listen. “Kageyama even made a bet because he thought I couldn’t-” He stops himself immediately, you turn in confusion to see Hinata shoving the freshly baked bun he had bought into his mouth. “H-Hinata?!” You question him in surprise, immediately taking your water bottle out handing it to him.

He quickly chews and swallows before accepting your water bottle, taking a sip. You watch him in worry. “Why did you do that?” You question as he hands your water bottle back. “N-no reason!” The two of you continue your pace, reaching the school gates.

As you walk through the gates, you remember your question.

“Oh! Shoyo!” You whisper harshly, grabbing his attention. He turns to you before replying in the same manner. “Yeah?!” “What script did you get?” You ask him. “Oh! I think I got Yachi’s” He says a little too loudly.

“Really? What did it say?” He grabs the slip from his bag, handing it to you before replying. “It said that boy’s over 6 feet scare me.” You stare at the script, then at him before letting out a chuckle of how adorable your blonde baby is, it’s definitely hers.

Walking into class, you notice Kageyama asleep at his desk again.

‘He’s been sleeping a lot recently, I wonder if practice really got to him.’ You think before sitting in your seat in front of him.

At your desk, you sit thinking quietly to yourself. ‘Hinata, Yachi…’ “Good morning!” You hear a cheerful voice greet, bringing your eyes up immediately meeting with Yamaguchi’s across the room.

“Guchi!” You call out, motioning your palm for him to come over. He drops his bag at his desk before making his way to you with a smile. “Hey Y/n! What’s up?” You ask for him to come even closer, he leans his ear towards you.

“What script did you get?” It takes him a moment to process your words, he scratches his cheek shyly before standing upright and crossing his arms. “Y/n… Wasn’t the point of the game to keep the confession a secret?” The boy says, beginning to sound a little too much like Tsukishima.

“Guchi!” You cry bringing your head down to your desk, before looking back up to stare at him. An almost hostile stare, you hear the boy gulp. “Listen! For educational purposes, I would like to know, so please?” You plead, as your gaze softens, giving him a familiar puppy eyed look.

He sighs before giving a soft smile. Making his way back to his bag, he fetches his wallet, taking the slip out and walking back to you, handing the slip over. You take it excitedly, bringing it up to your eyes to read it.

The handwriting is illegible.

You turn the slip back around, having it face Yamaguchi. “Can you read that?” “Nope” You both blink before bursting into laughter. “I think it’s either Hinata’s or Kageyama’s” He theorizes as you hand the slip back. “Hmm, good thinking”

“I’m home!” You call out, dropping your school bag to the side. “Ah! Y/n!” Your dad calls from the kitchen. “Yeah?” You respond as your dad runs to you. “We-” “You” Your mom corrects your dad, obviously in a bad mood. “I forgot to grab milk when we went grocery shopping, can you please head to the nearest store and buy some?” He whispers, begging for your help.

Your mom walks out the kitchen with a butcher knife in hand. Glaring at your dad before turning to you, her demeanor immediately changing. “Can you also pick up a bottle of soy sauce, love? We’re out” “Sure!” “Oh! So it’s okay for you to forget something, but I get in trouble for not getting the milk?” Your dad points out as your mom turns her attention back to him, immediately shutting him up.

Your dad turns to you, handing his wallet. “Please hurry! This woman’s crazy!” He begs, whispering the last part. You laugh at your dad’s behavior before walking out. “I’m heading out!”

Making your way up the hill to Coach Ukai’s shop, you immediately head towards the glass fridges, grabbing a carton of milk. Turning the corner, you quickly grab the bottle of soy sauce before heading to the cashier.

“This is all please” You say not looking up as you take money from your dad’s wallet. Placing the money onto the tray, you glance up only to meet Kageyama’s eyes.

“T-Tobio?! What are you doing- You work here?” You look at him in shock. He looks away in embarrassment. “Yeah…” You hear him reply as he scans your items, refusing eye contact. “Since when?! Aren’t you busy with preparing for nationals- you should be at practice! Does Coach Ukai know you’re here?!” You ramble as he bags your items. “S-since two weeks… And yes he knows… I’m only working until the end of today, for extra allowance” He admits, handing you your items and the tray containing change.

“Oh! Well in that case... keep working hard Tobio!” You give him a warm smile before taking your items and change.

Right as you were about to walk out, you turn and run up to him once again.

“Tobio!” He immediately shuts the cashier with a loud slam in surprise. “Tobio, what did your script say?” You ask him. Kageyama stands there, his brain short circuits before stuttering out a response. “U-uh” He turns his head away, his gaze immediately falling on the revolving heater filled with curry buns, just besides the cashier. “I-I’m in love with curry buns!” He blurts out.

You blink as his answer processes in your head. ‘So it is Tsukki’s!’ Your face slowly turns red, thanking Kageyama quickly as you run out the entrance.

Giving a final wave to him, you walk out of the doors, completely missing the warm smile he gave you as you walked away.

“I’m home~” You call out, slipping your shoes off and skipping into the kitchen. “I’ve brought your requests~!” You say happily, removing the plastic bag containing the two items and gently handing them to your parents before skipping up the stairs.

Your parents watch in confusion before looking at each other.

Lightly shutting the door close to your room, you make your way to your desk, looking out your window to find Tsukishima studying. Just as he was about to look up, you immediately take your curtains and shut the blinds before crouching.

Tsukishima on his end, rolls his eyes and scoffs with a smile as he focuses back onto his studies.

Happy Fridays, Happy Birthdays.

“Y/n~” You wake up to the sound of someone familiar calling out to you. “Yeah?” “Happy birthday!” You sit up seeing your parents are seated to the side of your bed. Your dad is holding a muffin in hand with a candle lit above as your mom hands you a wrapped present. You smile, blowing the candle as you set the present to the side.

“Our baby’s almost an adult! Can you believe that?” Your dad wipes a fake tear from his eye, your mom slaps his arm for being silly.

“Come, come! Get dressed and hurry downstairs.” Your mom says before dragging your dad out of your room.

You smile happily, grateful for your parents before getting dressed.

Making your way downstairs, your mom calls for you from the living room.

“Ah! Love, I hate to make you do favors on your birthday, but can you please take this to Kei-kun?” She hands you a cute envelope. You take it from her, flipping the envelope around, admiring how cute and frilly it is.

Growing impatient your mom huffs, “Don’t waste time staring at it! Go!” She pushes you out the door and you watch confused as the door shuts. Shrugging your mom’s behavior off, you make your way next door to Tsukishima's.

Ringing the bell, there is no reply. Knocking on the door, there is no reply. “Tsukki!” You call out. Tapping the envelope to your palm, you wait patiently before twisting the doorknob, noticing it is once again open. ‘He’s gotta start locking his door, what if I was a robber.’ You think to yourself. “I’m coming in!” You call out, twisting the door and making your way in.

Slipping your shoes off, you notice the lights are off. “Tsukki?” You call out again, stepping up from the entryway. “Tsukki?” Just as you make your way past the hall, you hear shuffling coming from the dining room. “Tsukki! My mom gave me this letter to-” As you walk in the dining room, the lights turn on immediately, confetti is popped into the air.

“Surprise!” Your friends cheer in sync. You still in surprise, beginning to tear up as you make your way over to them, noticing the party hats adorn to the top of their heads, and the dining room decorated in cute banners and balloons.

“Wha-” “Y/n!” Hinata tackles you into a hug.“Are you surprised?” Kageyama yanks Hinata off you, muttering out a “stupid” to the boy. “Happy birthday Y/n!” Yachi pulls you into a warm hug, taking your hand and leading you closer to the dining table, before heading off into the kitchen, with Hinata and Kageyama.

“Happy birthday my dear long time best, best, best, best friend!” Yamaguchi greets, squeezing you into a hug as Tsukishima scoffs. “Yamaguchi, help! KAGEYAMA-” Hinata calls from Tsukishima’s kitchen. “Coming!” Yamaguchi pulls away, heading towards his friends’ cry for help, leaving you alone with Tsukishima.

You both watch as your freckled friend leaves the room.

“So this is why they were acting weird?” You chuckle, looking up to the taller man. Tsukishima brings his hand to squeeze your cheek. “Told you you were overthinking” Blush spreads across your cheeks as you continue your gaze on him, and his on yours.

“Hap-” “Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” Tsukishima is interrupted as your four friends run back into the dining hall, Yamaguchi with a match that’s lit. “Hurry before it goes out!” “Shut up Hinata, it's not going to go out!” “Stop it you two!” Yachi scolds Hinata and Kageyama as Yamaguchi lights the candles, before blowing the match out.

You laugh before turning your attention to the cake, your eyes illuminating with the fire’s flames. Tsukishima watches you in awe, as another smile makes its way across your face.

“3… 2… 1!” Yamaguchi counts down as the four begin singing. You look up, smiling to your friends before turning your gaze to Tsukishima, who you found beginning to sing along as well. Your smile grows wider as the song ends, blowing the candles out.

“Let me get a slice!” “Be patient!” “Oh, remove the candle before the wax melts onto the frosting!” “Make way, I have plates coming through!” “Ah, let me get the spoons!” “Where’s the cake cutter?” You watch as your friends scramble around before you remember the letter in hand your mom had asked for you to deliver to Tsukishima.

“Ah, Tsukki!” He turns his head to you. “My mom wanted me to give you this envelope” He blinks before replying. “No thanks” “What? But my mom-” “Open it” He instructs. You follow his orders, tearing the top of the cute envelope, opening it to reveal a slip of paper with a poorly drawn frog on it. “What?!” “It was a decoy to get you to come over, pipsqueak.” He says as he turns his attention back to your friends entering the room.

“Let me cut it!” Hinata says, running after Yachi. “No, don’t let Hinata cut the cake!” Yamaguchi yells over. Yachi shakes Hinata off her tail before digging the knife into the cake, cutting the first slice and bringing it over to you. “For you~!” You take it happily.

Just as Yachi finishes serving everyone a slice of cake, the six of you sit at the dining table, chatting away.

“Y/n!” Hinata beams, as you turn your attention to him. “Takeda-sensei came into the gym a few days ago with big news! Though… just for Kageyama and Tsukishima.” He grumbles out the last part. “Oh yeah! Tsukki got invited to Miyagi’s Prefectural Mock Youth Camp tomorrow!” Yamaguchi joins in. “Shut up, Yamaguchi.” Tsukishima lets out lowly before taking another bite from the slice of cake.

“And Kageyama-kun” All eyes turn to the setter. “He got asked to join the All-Japan Youth Training Camp!” “Also tomorrow.” Hinata mumbles as you drop your spoon to your plate. “Japan?!” You scream in surprise. “Yeah! Youth as in the national representatives for Japan under the age of 19!” Yachi lets out before you jump from your seat, making your way towards your two friends to congratulate them.

“That’s so cool!” You squeeze Kageyama as he begins to blush. “Remember me when you’re famous, alright?” You joke before turning to Tsukishima, diving in for a hug. “My friends are so cool with their volleyball club!” You cheer, very happy for your friends. “Let me know if you need another manager!” You joke as your friends fall into a fit of laughter. Though, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

You feel very fortunate to spend the morning of your 17th birthday with the friends you love unconditionally.

As afternoon comes close, Yachi along with Yamaguchi are the first to leave.

Tsukishima excuses himself to the “bathroom” as you walk towards Tsukishima’s entrance with your friends, seeing Yachi and Yamaguchi out first.

“Ah! Y/n, before I leave I have a present for you!” She reaches into her purse, pulling out a cutely wrapped bag, handing it to you. “It’s not much, but I hope you enjoy it! I love you so much!” She gives you a final hug as Yamaguchi sees her out.

“Y/n I’ll drop your gift off later!” Yamaguchi waves as the two walk out.

Kageyama in the distance stills, patting himself, checking every pocket he had from his jacket, to his sweats.

“Oh! The present! Y/n! This is from me” Hinata makes his way over handing you a paper bag. “Don’t open it now though! Wait until later! Happy birthday again, I’ll see you later!” He runs out the door, before stopping to turn around. “Kageyama! Let’s go get my curry buns! Get me that employee discount too!”

Kageyama looks up to you, you notice his off state. “Tobio, you okay?” You ask as he looks away. “I… I forgot your present at home. I’m so sorry.” He bows his head slightly as you stop him. “Tobio! Don’t be sorry” You reassure, your hands cup his jaw, bringing his gaze back up. He looks so sad.

“You didn’t even need to get me a present, you being here with me on my birthday is enough!” You say, trying to make him feel better as he pulls you into a hug. “Oomf!” “I’ll come by and drop it off later too” He pulls away as you wave to him.

Shutting the door you turn making your way back towards the dining room. A smile spreading across your face once more of the scene.

Not noticing the feeling of someone behind, a weight leaning closer to your left ear. “Boo.” A voice says lowly, and very bluntly, their breath tickling you.

“AH!” You jump startled, turning around, your back meeting the dining table as you hold onto the edge. Looking up to meet your gaze to Tsukishima. “Tsukki!!! Stop! Don’t scare me like that!” You rest your hand to your chest as he leans down closer to you. “I literally just said ‘boo’-” “STILL!” You cross your arms, turning yourself away from him, missing his tiny smile.

“Y/n” He calls out, pulling an envelope from his back and hitting you lightly on the head with it.

You turn back to him, looking up and grabbing whatever he had lightly tapped on you.

A cute envelope, similar to the one your mom had given you to deliver to Tsukishima, the “decoy”.

Bringing it down from your eyes just a bit, you hide your gaze from Tsukishima. Tsukishima sees your eyes peeking through the envelope before sighing. “What the hell are you doing?” “It’s another one of your tricks!” You snap back. “It’s not” “Oh yeah?” “Just open it” “You said that the last time!” “Y/n” He calls demandingly, leaning towards you, his gaze not leaving yours.

You freeze as his face comes closer to yours, feeling heat spread across your cheeks, his lips just a few inches away from yours. “Open it.” Leaves his lips, you feel his breath on yours. You jump, pushing him away lightly. “Okay! Okay!” You muster out, taking a deep breath before slowly unsealing the envelope.

You reach your fingers in, feeling a thin paper like texture. Turning your eyes back up to him, you notice him looking at you. Quirking your eyebrow, he rolls his eyes. You turn your attention back to the envelope, slowly removing whatever was cased inside.

Pulling out the paper, you bring it above the envelope, reading whatever was on it.

Your eyes widen as you read and realize what it is.

“Tsukki!” You cry, jumping right into him. He catches you, looking down as you look up. “Are these… are these- really?!” His heart skips a beat, listening to your shocked excitement. “Tickets to Miyagi’s Museum of Art? No.” “TSUKKI!” You muffle your head into his chest, muttering a ‘thank you’.

“Come again?” He teases as you pull away. “Thank you!!!” You scream, about to dive in for another hug before he extends his palm to rest at your forehead, stopping you, causing you to flail around as you try to reach him. “Tsukki!!!” You whine as he lets out a low laugh.

You stop, and he drops his hand down. The two of you stare at each other before he turns around, making his way out of the dining room. “Wh- Where are you going?” You ask, following after him. “To get ready” “To get ready?” He turns, grabbing the tickets from your hands, revealing two. He brings them up to your eye level, “The exhibit starts in 2 hours.” He says pointing to the reservation time on the ticket. You beam in excitement, immediately running to the entrance door. “Okay! I’ll get ready too!” You yell before running out, leaving him with your tickets, which was probably the best move.

Tsukishima watches as you run out his gate, making your way to yours next door. A small laugh leaving his lips before he takes his leave to his room.

Check out this 2-min video tour of the museum if you wanna get a feel before you continue to read! [ Haruka Travel’s ��城県美術館 💝]

“You have reached Kawauchi Station” The speaker announces.

You step off the subway with Tsukishima besides you, making your way to north exit 1.

Walking down the street, you look around your surroundings, the beautiful city of Sendai. Tsukishima watches you in awe as your eyes look from left to right, up and down, sparkling in excitement.

Just then you gasp suddenly, quickly taking hold of his hand, surprising him, as you drag him with you to the front of the Museum.

“We’re here!” You beam, your hands still intertwined with Tsukishima’s. Tsukishima looks at you from the corner of his eyes, enjoying the warmth of your hand, squeezing it slightly before you let go. “Come on Kei, let’s go!” You turn to him before running towards the entrance.

Tsukishima hands the tickets to the receptionist as she extends a guidebook to you two. “I hope you and your girlfriend enjoy the museum.” She wishes. “Ah! He’s not my-” “Thank you very much” He takes the guidebook before walking away. You turn, a smile leaving your face as you follow after him.

Making your way into the entrance hall, your excitement bubbles as you see the big staircase leading to the galleries. You run past Tsukishima, taking a few steps up the stairs before turning down to him.

It’s as if time has slowed down, Tsukishima’s eyes grow wider at the sight of you twirling to face him. The way your hair swayed slowly along with your dress, the shine sparkling in your eyes, your lashes fluttering in excitement, the warm and beautiful glowing smile that always leaves him breathless.

“Kei!” He snaps out of his trance, walking closer. “Last one to the exhibit hall is a stinkyshima!” You laugh, before turning, beginning your pace up the stairs. Tsukishima is left shocked, before letting out a chuckle, immediately using the power of his long legs to reach the top of the stairs.

You both huff when you reach the top of the staircase. “Not fair!” “You had a head start” “But you have long legs! And you’re athletic!” You whine, he ruffles your head before taking your hand. “Come on, let’s go” He says, leading you into the exhibit hall together. Leaving you both, neither a stinkyshima.

“Tsukki look!” You make your way over to a familiar portrait you have studied. “This is the Portrait of Sanada Hisakichi! It’s an oil on canvas painting, isn’t it similar to a certain style of art you may remember… The Starry Night? Kishida Ryusei was in a group that was formed by the inspirations of Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Cézanne! He and his friend were members of the group.” You say in excitement, pointing to the portrait. “Sanada was his friend by the way!” You finish, turning your head to another display, quickly dragging him with you.

“This is A Bird by the iconic AI-MITSU! Notice how in the painting there's a single deceased bird and various plants all around, like that red flower in the center?” He nods, listening as you continue. “That red flower looks very similar to an animal’s blood vessel, doesn’t it? This painting is meant to signify how both life and death are united. The deceased bird, but the lively plants surrounding it…” You trail off before looking up to him. “Kind of sad now… realizing it symbolizes death...” You frown, he frowns along with you before dragging you off.

“Ah-! Tsukki!” “What about this?” Opening your eyes, you come face to face with a beautifully painted woman. “I don’t think I’m familiar with this one… but the way the bright choice of the palette makes it as the light being filtered by the leaves shines and bathes the woman, it feels very soothing and calming to look at.” Your gaze stuck to the painting, as Tsukishima’s stuck to yours. The way the sunlight filtered by the illuminating ceiling shines and bathes against you, makes him feel at ease, calm, and comfortable, just like Watanabe Ryusoke’s oil painting, ‘A Women in the Shade of a Tree’.

You two make your way out of the exhibit hall, the guidebook in hand.

“Oh!” You stop in your tracks, Tsukishima turning to you before you immediately drop the guidebook to your thighs. “There’s one more painting I want to see!” Taking his hand, you run back into the exhibit hall.

The two of you stand besides each other in silence, staring at the painting in front of you. “What?” Tsukishima asks, taken aback in confusion. “It’s A Cat!” “I can see that-” “No Tsukki!” You laugh before pointing at the information details. “This painting is literally called A Cat, it’s by Hasegawa Rinjiro” “A… Cat?” Tsukishima blinks, staring at the cute tabby cat laying on top of the red flooring. “Isn’t it so cute!” You squeal. His gaze turns down to your features, “Yeah.”

You sat besides Tsukishima at the Atelier in Studio 2. A personal blank canvas in front of you both as various brushes are to the side. “Here is the painter's palette, let me know if you need anything else” An employee leaves a tray of multiple colors of paint in front of you two before leaving.

You grab a paintbrush that sits besides the tray of paint before looking at Tsukishima. He’s staring at the paintbrushes, noticeably confused. You giggle before picking out a paintbrush, handing it to him. “Start with this!” He takes it, as you turn your attention back to the tray of paint. He watches as you dip the brush, patting it slightly on a clothe before hovering over your canvas. Following your same steps, he does the same.

Except, he forgets to tap off the excess paint, causing it to lightly drip over what was once a perfectly clean canvas. “Tsukki!” You startle him, he immediately takes his gaze off from you, turning to his hand as he sees the canvas has been soiled with a drop of paint. “SHIT-” “It’s okay!” You laugh as you take his hand with the paintbrush, lightly tapping it against the towel in front of you.

He watches as you do so, you turn your head meeting his. The two of you stare for what feels like a long time, before you ask, “What should we paint?” He blinks before shrugging. You frown before an idea pops into mind. “Let’s paint something for each other” “Y/n I can barely draw-” “Doesn’t matter!” You say before switching your canvas with his. “Here, you can have my canvas.” “No” He tries to switch your canvases, feeling bad that you’re offering the clear one to him, before you stop him. “You’re going to give me that one anyways, right?” You point to the clear canvas on his side.

He blinks processing what you’ve said, you were right. He scoffs before turning his attention back to the canvas. “Okay, on your mark, get set-” “I thought art takes time” “SHH! Go!”

The two of you spend the next forty-five minutes of your reserved time in the station before the employee comes back to help clear your items, as well as setting your work to the side, handing you both a ticket.

“Thank you so much for using our workshop, we hope you enjoyed your experience. Please come by at the end of the day to pick up your paintings, we will hold them here to dry as you continue your tour around the museum.” The employee greets as the two of you thank, leaving to your next destination.

The two of you make your way outside the museum, heading towards the gardens, stopping right in front of the destination post.

“Which way do you want to go?” He asks, you place a finger to your chin, reading the sign, before looking up to him with a smile. “Let’s go North!” You take his hand as you begin your pace.

“Y/n” “Hm?” You stop, turning to him, your hand still in his. “Yeah?” You watch as Tsukishima awkwardly looks away before speaking, “We’re going South.” You turn your head towards the sign again, squinting your eyes to see the arrow pointing the opposite way.

“Ah-” You let go in embarrassment, looking away as he clears his throat. He takes your hand before he turns his tail, bringing you the correct way. A smile spreading, unknown from either embarrassment or joy the blonde has given you.

“WAAA- Tsukki look!” You drag him, running towards a koi pond. Letting go of his hand, you squat, pointing your finger into the pond. “Look how pretty the koi fishes are! There's so many of them in different colors!”

You bring your hands to your knees, watching the fish swim in awe. You tug on his pants, before beaming “Tsukki look! It's a frog!” Tsukishima squats besides you, before noticing children with their parents on the other side of the pond, doing just as you were.

Tsukishima gives a small smile, remembering when you two were just kids.

“Tsukki look!” You call the blonde boy over, squatting in your rain boots as you point towards the puddle. “It’s a frog!” Tsukishima squats besides you, his eyes falling where your finger points to.

“Gross-” “Don’t say that, frogs have feelings too!” You scold as Tsukishima laughs before standing. Holding the umbrella above you, blocking the rain from soiling your raincoat.

The harsh drops from the rain on the umbrella echoes throughout your moment of comfortable silence before- “Do you think it fell from the sky?”

Tsukishima blinks at your very strange question. “What-” “Do you think it’s hurt?!” You immediately turn your gaze to him, your eyes beginning to water. He just stares down at you confused, not knowing how to answer your question, or deal with this situation, but he doesn’t want to see you cry.

Letting out a sigh, he hands you the umbrella before cupping the frog into his palms. You immediately stand, your hand tightening on the grip of the umbrella as you look at the frog in his hands. “It’s so cute!” You let out, his stare falls on you from the corner of his eye. He lets out a smile before walking off. “Let’s go, Yamaguchi might know what to do.”

You beam in joy watching as your friend walks off. “Tsukki!”

“Tsukki...” Tsukishima turns his head to you calling his attention. You stare at the frog before looking back to him, a smirk appearing on your face. “Wanna touch it?” He scoffs as he gets up, lightly cow-tipping you over as he begins to walk away.

“Ah- Tsukki!” You laugh, getting up before following him, little did he know you had the same memory running through your head.

Exiting the gardens, you find yourselves by the courtyard before Tsukishima speaks up “Are you hungry?”. You turn to look to him before thinking, ‘am I?’ The automatic grumble of your stomach answers that, and you blush from the embarrassment.

In the distance, the two of you find Café Mozart Figaro just by the courtyard and Terrace.

You both turn to look at each other, before making your way over.

“Welcome! Table for 2?” The waiter greets, leading you both to a seat.

“This restaurant looks so cool!” You whisper to him as the waiter comes back with a menu. You happily take it, going through the selections.

“Tsukki!” You whisper harshly, not taking your eyes off the fine selection choices. Tsukishima looks up from his to you. You slowly peek out from the side of the menu, before bringing your hand, flipping his over and pointing towards the desserts.

“They have strawberry shortcake” You watch his pupils widen up, eyeing the menu as the waiter comes back. “Are you ready to order?” “Two slices of strawberry shortcakes” Tsukishima replies immediately before looking to you. You stare at him in shock, ‘Two?!’ You clear your throat before handing the menu to the waiter. “If I can order a slice of tiramisu, please” The waiter nods, taking your menus before leaving.

“Two?!” “Yeah?” He replies sarcastically to your comment. “TWO??” “YEAH??” The two of you stare at each other before you burst into a quiet fit of laughter, Tsukishima clutching his hand into a fist, bringing it up to his mouth to hide his laugh.

“Here you go, thank you again for your purchase.” The waiter sets your cakes onto the table before walking off.

Tsukishima then slides a plate of strawberry shortcake to you. You look up in confusion before he replies. “Remember when you thought I got upset at you? And you bought me a slice of strawberry shortcake.” You nod as he continues. “Well, this is for all the times I got you upset.” He finishes, taking his spoon, digging into his shortcake leaving you speechless.

Immediately bringing your hands up to your face to cover the blush spreading, you let out an internal scream. Tsukishima smiles discreetly into the strawberry shortcake bite as he watches your flustered state.

“That was absolutely delicious!” “I can’t believe you ate both cakes in one sitting” “Hey! Listen, you gave me the opportunity and I took it, and might I say it would have been very delicious if you didn’t steal a bite from my tiramisu-” You stop in your tracks, looking off into the distance.

Tsukishima, concerned, follows your gaze only to roll his eyes at what you were staring at. He feels the burning stare of your eyes looking up to him, finally giving in, he looks down at you. Those puppy eyes are going to be the death of him someday.

Taking his hand, you drag him towards the Children’s Playroom.

“What are we? 5?” “Tsukki please, look how cute this play center is!” You make your way towards the set of wooden toys and picture books, taking a seat on the soft cushion. Tsukishima rolls his eyes before sitting besides you, leaning over to see the pages of the picture book.

“Wow… it has all the pictures and information of the artwork displayed in the gallery! What a great way to start educating at such a young age” You say flipping through the pages. Tsukishima grabs one of the wooden toys, playing with its limbs as you continue to read.

Tsukishima looks up, eyeing something from a distance before standing, something has caught his attention. You don’t even notice until he’s by the entrance of the playroom. “Huh? Tsukki?” You watch as he exits. Closing and setting the book back on the table, you follow him out, only to notice he made his way across towards the museum shop.

You watch from afar as he immediately goes towards an item, but yet you can’t see it. Making his way to the front, you watch as he pays and you notice the cashier wrapping it nicely, stuffing it into a cute bag adorning the logo of Miyagi’s Museum of Art. Before making his way back, you make eye contact with him. You jump in surprise, immediately running back to the playroom, sitting on the cushion with the book opened upside down, pretending as if you didn’t just watch the whole transaction.

Tsukishima walks in, making his way back to you. You bring the book up to your face, avoiding his gaze as he sets the bag in front of you. You slowly bring the book down, peeking your eyes above only to meet Tsukishima’s just inches from yours. “For you” He says, sitting beside you, bringing the wooden toy he was just playing with closer.

You drop the book, sliding it off to the side before sneaking your hands towards the bag. Before you can peek in, Tsukishima lets out “Not until you get home.” His gaze not leaving the toy in his hands.

You give a dramatic pout, grabbing the bag and hugging it close to your chest, hiding half your smiling face behind it.

“Thank you so much for your patience, here are your paintings.” The employee says, handing you both your canvases, nicely wrapped. “Thank you so much!” You thank before walking out with Tsukishima.

You exit the studio, walking through Alice’s Garden towards the entrance of the museum.

“Ah! I can’t believe this day is already over!” You let out a tired, but yet happy sigh, looking around at the mirrors reflecting from Alice’s Garden. “This is such a pretty walkway…” You say as the two of you stroll slowly. Your eyes focused on the road, missing Tsukishima’s gaze of awe, how the mirror’s surrounding Alice’s Garden reflects the sunset’s glow on your features.

Exiting the museum, you both find your way back to the station, finally heading home.

Kageyama makes his way up to your resident’s gates, a small box in his hand.

He thought to just leave it in your mailbox, and text you, not wanting to disturb if you were having quality time with your family inside. He slips the box into the slot of your mailbox, quickly texting you he had left your present inside, before hearing footsteps approaching.

Immediately, he looks back and forth, before turning the corner, hiding behind the utility post. He stills, questioning himself why he had just done that. And as he begins to walk away, he hears a familiar voice. "We’re finally back!”

Kageyama peeks his head from the corner, noticing you and Tsukishima.

“Thanks again for walking me home.” You say with a bright smile. “Sorry, but I live right next to you.” Tsukishima looks down, giving you his iconic cocky grin. “Kei!” You cry as he lets out a soft chuckle. “Ah! We must now exchange the paintings we made for each other!” You declare.

He brings his bag to the front, pulling out the carefully wrapped canvas. As you thought he was going to hand it over, you reach for it, only for him to raise it above your shorter figure. “Tsukki!” “Where’s mine, hm?” You blink, remembering, you pull the wrapped canvas from the gift bag Tsukishima had given you earlier with your secret ‘don’t open until you get home’ present.

“On the count of three, we do an equal exchange! One.. two.. Three!” You switch, both opening the wrapping to reveal the painting. Tsukishima carefully removes the wrapper, pulling the painting out and eyeing it in awe. You on the other hand, impatiently yet carefully remove the wrapper, only to come face to face with a…

You turn your painting around, showing it to him. “Is this supposed to be us?!” You question, bringing the painting closer to him. “Listen, before you say anything, I told you I couldn’t-” “I love it!” You scream, clutching the canvas close to your chest before looking up to him, your eyes sparkling.

Tsukishima stays silent, surprised by your reaction, he was not expecting you to like it, at all.“It’s from when it was raining that day…” You begin, your eyes to the ground before looking up at him. “And we rescued that frog!” Tsukishima continues his silence, he’s absolutely astonished you were able to notice what the painting was of.

His painting was a poorly drawn figure of you two, an umbrella in your hand and a deformed frog in his, the cloudy and rainy skies blocking the sun as you two stand side by side on the pavement. Simply drawn flowers and grass surrounding in puddles.

He nods before showing you your painting. “This… is also us?” He asks as you begin to nod. “Remember that night after the culture festival?” He nods. “I had a weird dream that night, that you gave me a piggyback ride on the way home!” Tsukishima stills, he remembers that night well. “And, the sky was sparkling with so many stars! And the moon was shining down on us! And you told me...” You trail, trying to remember what you were going to say. Tsukishima freezes, he knew what you were about to say. So you did hear him that night. “Ah, I forgot” You sigh in frustration, as he sighs in relief.

Your painting consists of your version of The Starry Night. Two figures shown in the center of the painting, one walking and the other held closely, clung to figure one’s back.

Tsukishima blinks again, ‘that was not a dream.’

There’s another moment of comfortable silence, before you begin. “Thank you so much again for tonight Tsukki” Tsukishima looks down as you give him a warm smile. The moonlight shining on the two of you, somehow making your smile brighter.

Tsukishima tries to hide his smile, bringing his hand to squeeze your cheek. “Yeah, yeah.” You whine before letting out a cheerful laugh, Tsukishima follows with a chuckle.

Kageyama watches the interaction from afar, feeling his heart and gut clench before pulling out the script he has kept with him since that night in Tokyo.

‘I really like someone in this group, but please keep it a secret.’

Rereading the slip, he knew it was yours to begin with. He was very familiar with your handwriting, and the night he received the slip, he had hope that it was meant for him.

He looks up from the script to you two. Watching how happy you looked, laughing along with Tsukishima. Tsukishima’s usual smug and cocky-stoic like behavior softening to you, and only you.

Kageyama takes a moment to realize, you meant Tsukishima in the script.

For what felt like an eternity as he had stood there, he begins to walk away, the sound of your laughter drifting farther into the distance. Stopping by a trash bin, he tosses your script before shielding his hands into the pocket of his sweats. His mind fogged as he makes his way back home.

Your laughter dies, opening your eyes once again, your gaze immediately fall to Tsukishima’s. You both share a brief moment of silence gazing into one another before he speaks. “Happy birthday Y/n” He gives a soft smile before ruffling the top of your hair. Just as you were about to open the gate to your residence, you turn, facing him again.

“Tsukki! What script did you get?” You watch as he shoves his hands into his pocket before leaning down to you with a smirk on his face. “It’s a secret script” You whine before continuing your persuasion “I’ll tell you mines…” You inch closer to him, cupping your hand to your mouth before whispering “I wrote that I like you.”

Tsukishima stands upright again, before taking his finger to flick your forehead. “Can you be any more shameless?” He jokes with a grin. “I don’t want to play this game.” He says, you blink processing his words. “Haha, very funny Kei” You watch as Tsukishima reaches for the pocket in his bag, pulling out a slip before handing it to you.

You take it in, bringing it up close to read the confession.

“I don’t want to play this game” Written in Tsukishima’s neat handwriting.

Your face contorts to one of confusion, bringing the slip down before looking up to him.

He gives a final squeeze to your cheek before pushing you past your gates. “Goodnight pipsqueak” He says waiting for you to enter your house, finally making his way to his after you enter.

You stand by your doorway confused when you felt your phone vibrate. Reaching into your bag, you pull your phone to see a text message from Yamaguchi, but noticing you missed a notification from Kageyama not too long ago.

Disregarding Yamaguchi’s message, you head immediately to Kageyama’s as it reads that his present for you is in the mailbox.

You quickly drop your bags before making your way back out, opening the slot to the mailbox and feeling around until you felt the touch of a small box. Pulling it out, you make your way back inside, bringing all your items up to your room.

Shutting the door behind you, you bring Kageyama’s gift to your desk. Pulling out his script along with Tsukishima’s, you place them side by side before slowly opening the box.

Your heart sinks as your eyes catch the beautiful shine of a necklace cased within. Your eyes moving back towards the script, then back to the box repeatedly.

Your memory takes you back to your encounter with Kageyama at Coach Ukai’s shop.

Kageyama stands there, his brain short circuiting before he stutters a response. “U-uh” You watch in confusion as he turns his head away, his gaze immediately falling on the revolving heater filled with curry buns, just besides the cashier. “I-I’m in love with curry buns!” He blurts out.

You realize, everyone gave you a script to read when you asked, but Kageyama.

Taking his script into your hands, you graze your finger over the writing before bringing your touch to the beautiful necklace in the elegantly wrapped box in front of you.

“Tobio...”

A/N 2: AAAAHHH! Buckle your seat belts because Kageyama’s rollercoaster has just begun! Thank you so so much again for reading and sticking around for this chapter💓! I have been on the edge of my seat, so excited to post this! Anyways- I’ll see you guys in the next chapter!!! I have to go take another exam now oh my god... LOVE YOU MWAH!!!💖💞💘

Love, Ani 🌸

TAGLIST: @cvlliesstuff , @strawberries-en-cream , @beanst0ck , @kimiiiiiiiiii, @lucyheartfilias-wife , @lanatheawesome , @owlnymph , @poggerschampers , @nachotrash , @kac-chowsballs

PLEASE LEMME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS (OR IN ASKS) IF YOU’D LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE TAGLIST!!!

“A LOVE SO BEAUTIFUL” Masterlist 🌸

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hallowxiu · 4 years

Text

Three Minutes (Part 1)

pairing: diavolo/gn!mc

word count: 3.2k

summary: You want a unique gift for the future King of the Devildom. Who else would be brave enough to give Lord Diavolo pick up lines if not you?

a/n: part 11 of the mc isn’t good at pick up lines series. also this ties in a teenie tiny bit with the current halloween/birthday diavolo event that’s going on. enjoy!

part seven | part eight | part nine | part ten

A yawn leaves your lips as you once again find yourself sitting in for a council meeting. You aren’t sure why you’re constantly being forced to tag along to these stupid meetings-- last you checked you weren’t even a council member. Yet, Lucifer is always insisting (more like forcing) that you come along. If you had it your way, you’d be at home taking the fattest nap of your life right now. A nap so good that even Belphie would be impressed.

And with that, another yawn leaves your lips. Someone clears their throat, and you look up to find your gaze falling onto Lord Diavolo. Oh shit, you’ve totally been caught zoning out. Lucifer is definitely going to kill you later for making him look bad. You hear your name fall from Lord Diavolo’s lips and a blush settles across your cheeks gracefully. “Had I known you were so tired today, I would have suggested the meeting be held tomorrow instead.” Now you’re blushing out of embarrassment. And terror, when you eventually look over at Lucifer. Yeah, definitely not happy.

“Wha-- of course not. I’m not tired,” maybe you should have tried harder at covering up your yawns, “just, uh,” just what? Bored? Yeah, no, that would make it worse. “I’m so excited that I keep yawning. It’s a human thing; you’ve never heard about it?” To yawn while excited? It was most definitely not a human thing, but could any of the brothers really call your bluff? Probably.

“Really?” There’s a look of surprise on Diavolo’s face, and it makes you feel just the slightest bit hopeful that he believed your lie. Lucifer looks unimpressed, however, which means he didn’t. Can’t win them all.

“Yes. It happens to me a lot. If I get really excited, I just yawn. I yawn a lot. In general, many things to be excited over.” You’re sinking into your chair as you feel Lucifer’s glare become stronger and stronger with each passing second.

“And tell me,” Lucifer says your name with barely hidden frustration, “what are you excited over?”

Shit. You should have known that Lucifer would quiz you on this. “Well,” there’s a terrified smile on your lips and the brothers are giving you curious looks, “that’s a great question. What isn’t there to be excited over?” You knew that wouldn’t fly at all. You needed to think of something. It’s as if a tiny lightbulb goes off over your head, a wide smile lighting up your features. “Why, Lord Diavolo’s birthday is coming up, right? I think that’s quite exciting! And Halloween! My personal favorite holiday, although I’m not really sure if you guys celebrate it here, but I’m still excited for it nonetheless.” This time Lucifer’s the one wearing shock on his expression, though he decides not to push the topic. You knew he wouldn’t; he wouldn’t be willing to grill you over Lord Diavolo while in the presence of the Demon Prince himself. You had never been more grateful to Satan, as he was the one who informed you of the upcoming birthday only a few days prior.

“That’s actually what this meeting was called for today.” There’s a sheepish smile on Lord Diavolo’s lips as he speaks. “We don’t necessarily celebrate Halloween in the Devildom, but my birthday does fall upon the human holiday, so we do end up celebrating the week of. It’s just slightly different.” You’re thanking every god in the skies right now for pulling you through that alive. “I only called the meeting to see if everyone was okay with the festivities that will be taking place next week.”

“Of course, Lord Diavolo. Leave everything to us, we’ll have everything planned.” There’s a tight smile on Lucifer’s lips, one that suggests that you should probably avoid the oldest brother for the remainder of the day.

🎃🎃🎃

You sat through another two meetings in the last couple of days, all of which were Lucifer and the brothers going over every last detail for Lord Diavolo’s birthday celebration. Your role, similar to Lucifer’s, was to help each brother whenever requested. Which sounded easy enough at first as you didn’t share the entire weight of their responsibilities, however, that was until all the brothers were calling you non stop because they wanted to spend time with you. While cute at first, you were starting to get annoyed.

Couldn’t they see that you had things to do too? You were already on thin ice with Lucifer since the first council meeting (the eldest even going as far to harass you each morning about getting enough sleep, should you yawn during another meeting). On top of that, you were cooking up some pick up lines for Lord Diavolo. A birthday is a special occasion, it’s another year you’re alive, which is special, right? Even if the person celebrating the birthday has been alive for thousands of years.

You’re currently deciding on what method of delivery you should do. Should you write a shit ton of pick up lines on a homemade card and give it to him? Or should you tell them to him in person? Each method had their own list of pros and cons. For example, the pro of the card would be that Lucifer wouldn’t know, and therefore he wouldn’t kill you for possibly disrespecting the future Devildom King. However, the pros for telling him in person involved seeing his reaction and his response to each one, which was a little more tempting. Another question; should you do it when he’s alone, or when he’s at his party? Could you even get Lord Diavolo alone? You nearly fell apart when you got Barbatos alone, and he’s only Diavolo’s butler.

You flop back onto your cushioned bed, staring at the ceiling above you. You watch as the blades of your ceiling fan lazily spin in circles as your mind works up the perfect birthday plan. Yes, you couldn’t just make a fool of yourself, the stakes are a bit higher this time. This wouldn’t be the same as giving one of the brothers a pick up line. Maybe you should just…

You spring out of bed the second the idea hits you. You had the perfect idea. Why not just text him a pick up line each day of the week leading up to his birthday. This way you wouldn’t have to risk Lucifer overhearing it and you wouldn’t have to worry about cornering the man. Yes, this was perfect.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Your face turns to a scowl while Mammon spins in circles while in your desk chair. “Ya do realize this is Lord Diavolo, right? We don’t know how he’ll react to this.”

“And while that’s completely fair of you to think that,” you were too busy looking up pick up lines on your D.D.D to care about the outcome, “I know no one else is brave enough to do something like this. Come on, it’ll be great. A present he’s never received before.”

“Ya sure do have an interestin’ way of reasonin’.” Mammon knew it was pointless to argue with you. “But don’t come cryin’ to me when Lucifer catches wind of this. Your funeral, not mine. Make sure ya stress to him that I had nothin’ to do with this.”

🎃🎃🎃

MC:

Lord Diavolo, your birthday is in a few days, right???

Lord Diavolo:

Yup!

Why do you ask?

MC:

I have a unique gift idea for you!

But uh

Don’t tell Lucifer

Please

Lord Diavolo:

Oh my.

Could it be? Are you taking me out to AkuDonald’s?

MC:

what

Lord Diavolo:

Don’t worry, MC!

I will keep this our little secret! Lucifer won’t find out. :)

MC:

No, wait.

That wasn’t it.

I mean, I can take you to AkuDonald’s too if you want. I don’t mind.

Lord Diavolo:

It wasn’t?

Well, I hope you’re still willing to take me because now I really want some.

MC:

Is it really okay for the future King to go out like that?

That doesn’t matter. Gift idea.

Are you ready?

Lord Diavolo:

Am I ready?

Are you doing it right now?

MC:

You’re gonna be hotter than the flames on your birthday candles.

Lord Diavolo:

What?

MC:

I broke him.

Anyway, this is just the first of MANY. Okay???

You’re gonna get a wicked birthday pick up line every day until your birthday.

Which is only in two days.

So it looks like you’ll be getting many a day.

My planning wasn’t great; I was a little late coming up with the idea.

But it’s the thought that counts, right?

Lord Diavolo:

I’m not sure what to say…

MC:

I’ll give you one more as a parting gift.

Hey.

Lord Diavolo:

H-Hey??

MC:

I bet you’re sweeter than any birthday cake.

Lord Diavolo:

WHAT

WHAT?

MC, WHAT?

🎃🎃🎃

“Wow.” Is all that comes from Mammon as he reads through your texts. “You’re so fuckin’ dead.”

“What?” You look at the white haired demon with a frown. “But I promised him AkuDonald’s.”

Mammon shoots you a quizzical look. “As if that even matters.” A snort leaves him as he rereads the messages. “It is pretty funny though. I can only imagine how red his face was when he realized what you were doin’. And then ya left him on read! You made him text stutter and then left him on read! As if you weren’t already taking a gamble. Sheesh, what am I supposed to do with ya? Like, seriously-- who leaves the future King on read?” Before you open your mouth to comment, Mammon cuts you off. “And I can’t believe ya told him that you broke him. Ya aren’t supposed to say that to him.”

You sheepishly scratch the back of your neck. “I mean, he didn’t seem to mind that much. Hopefully. I mean, I’ll take the execution if that’s what he wants.” Mammon shoots you another quizzical look, though this time he opts to stay quiet. “The next one I’m sending is tomorrow. I didn’t have a lot up my sleeve, so if I plan it right I should have just enough leading up to his birthday. Do you want to see?”

He leans over to view the pick up lines you had saved on your phone. He presses his lips into a thin line as he reads over them. “Some of these are… brave. What are ya expectin’ to get out of that last one?”

“What do you mean?” You ask with a raised eyebrow.

“Ya really want to tell him a line like that? And ya seriously expect nothin’?”

“I figured I should go all in if I’m going to be giving them to Lord Diavolo. Besides, it’s not like anything will happen, Mammon.”

“Give what to Lord Diavolo?” A chill runs up your spine when the voice meets your ears. How was it that Lucifer scared you more than the actual crowned prince of the Devildom?

“L-Lucifer.” You turn to face the demon with a shaky smile. “Mammon and I were just talking about gift ideas. It seems that no one has thought of anything yet, so we were just throwing ideas around. Nothing serious.”

“You’re a bad liar.” Lucifer deadpans. “But I have a headache, so I’m not going to press you further. Mostly because I’m not sure I can handle whatever it is that you’ll end up telling me.” He pinches the bridge of his nose as he leans against your doorframe. “I just came to let the two of you know that dinner is ready. Come down now, I won’t be stopping Beelzebub from eating your food.”

🎃🎃🎃

MC:

Did you miss me?

Lord Diavolo:

You’re going to give me a heart attack.

MC:

What? Why?

Don’t do that.

I’d get in a lot of trouble with Lucifer for that.

Lord Diavolo:

Are you really going to send me a pick up line each day until my birthday?

MC:

Yup!

Because I know for FACT that no one else is doing this.

Right??

MC:

Diavolo

*Lord Diavolo

Crap, don’t tell Lucifer I forgot the Lord.

MC:

Wait. Answer me.

Is someone else doing this????

Or are you telling Lucifer that I forgot the Lord?

MC:

Omg.

It’s Lucifer, isn’t it?

Fuck.

What would a pick up line from him even be like?

Wait

Can you tell me?

I promise I won’t tell anyone. Except maybe Mammon.

He reads through my texts a lot.

Don’t ask me why.

Lord Diavolo:

I--

Sorry, Barbatos needed me for something.

Did you just have a crisis?

Over me not answering?

LOL

MC:

Lord Diavolo, I need to know.

Is Lucifer doing this too?

Also I need to know if you told Lucifer about me dropping the Lord.

Lord Diavolo:

No, I didn’t tell him haha.

And why would Lucifer send me something like pick up lines?

MC:

Anyway. Are you ready?

I’m sending it anyway.

MC:

You’re so beautiful, you made me forget my bad pick up line.

Lord Diavolo:

You think I’m pretty?

I knew having that sticker made of me in the dress was smart.

MC:

o ,,,,

MC:

Is that the sun coming up, or is that just the birthday boy shining?

Lord Diavolo:

Oh wait, that one was cute.

MC:

I’m glad!

Tomorrow is your birthday, and naturally I only have one left.

So I suppose I’ll give it to you at your party tomorrow.

Don’t let Lucifer find out.

Contrary to popular belief, I do value my life somewhat.

🎃🎃🎃

“He said he liked it?” Mammon asks with disbelief lacing his tone. “I really thought I had seen everythin’ up until this point, but ya keep provin’ me wrong.” The two of you are crammed together at one of the many booth’s taking up the ballroom of Lord Diavolo’s castle. Everything was set up, and now you and the guests only had to wait for the birthday boy himself to arrive.

“The birthday boy has to be fashionably late. It’s like, law.” Asmodeus had said to you only minutes prior. Law of what? You weren’t sure and he didn’t specify.

“I know. I was surprised he liked them too. The first one was kind of lame, but he seemed pleased nonetheless.” If you have to admit, you’re feeling pretty smug with yourself right now. I mean seriously, pulling off pick up lines with Lord Diavolo? That has to be some kind of accomplishment, right?

“You didn’t give him the scandalous one though. Don’t tell me…” You see a look of horror form on Mammon’s face. “Ya don’t plan on tellin’ him that one in person, do ya?” You only respond with a cheeky wink. “Oh, no.” He buries his face in his hands at the thought of his favorite human dying at the hands of his older brother. What a dilemma indeed.

“Oh, yes. I already told him I’d be giving him the last one today anyway, so it’s not like he’ll be surprised. I just…” A devilish smirk appears on your lips and Mammon decides he doesn’t like it one bit. “Do me a favor?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Mammon, come on.”

“No way.”

“Please?”

“Wha-- no! Don’t give me that look! I told ya a million times that the puppy dog look doesn’t work on me!” Except that it totally does. “Okay, fine.” His face beet red with his arms crossed over his chest, he turns around in his chair so that he’s facing away from you. “What is this favor?” He already knew what it was.

“I need you to distract Lucifer for me so I can get Lord Diavolo alone.” Mammon lets out the loudest whine of his life before slamming his head onto the table. A nervous laugh leaves you when several of the guests (Lucifer included) turn to look at the two of you. “Mammon, please don’t make a scene.” You say through a forced smile.

“I’m sorry, you get to ask me to throw my life on the line so you can give Lord Diavolo a shitty pick up line, and I’m not even allowed to complain? Did I get that right?”

“Yup.” The cheeky smile is back on your face. “Seriously though, do you think you can distract him?”

“I mean, probably. I don’t know for how long though.” Mammon’s eyeing Lucifer from where he sits, watching the black haired male converse with some of Diavolo’s well known acquaintances. “He might get suspicious the moment I start walkin’ over to him.”

“Just make sure your hands aren’t in your pockets so he can’t accuse you of stealing anything.”

“You make it sound a lot easier than it actually is.”

“I only need five minutes.” You cringe slightly when seeing the exasperated look on Mammon’s face. “Okay, maybe not even that! Three minutes; can you give me three minutes?” Mammon’s quiet for a while, the demon staring down at his hands while thinking over the entire thing.

“Alright, I can probably get ya three minutes alone with Lord Diavolo. I’m serious though, I don’t know if I can promise ya any longer.” You rest your chin on the palms of your hands while looking forward thoughtfully. That’s fine, you tell yourself. You’ll only need three minutes.

You watch as Mammon practically glues himself to Lucifer’s side the moment Lord Diavolo finished his mini birthday speech. It was definitely suspicious, but you also didn’t give Mammon specific instructions, and he was doing this for free, so you really couldn’t complain. You watch as Lucifer tries to pry himself away from Mammon, and you watch as Diavolo catches your eye and walks over to you with a wide smile as he calls out your name. “I’m glad you could make it tonight!” As if I’d be allowed to miss your birthday party, a voice in the back of your mind mutters.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” You respond with a smile. “Are you ready for your last pick up line?” A wave of excitement washes over you as you rock on the backs of your heels.

“Of course. I’ve been looking forward to it all day! I can hardly wait to see what you’ve come up with.” His smile is almost blinding and you can feel your cheeks heat up. Was everyone in the Devildom this attractive? It wasn’t fair.

“Well,” you have to get this perfect, although you aren’t entirely sure why, “I noticed you had already had some of your cake.” You knew this because Asmodeus had practically sobbed over how beautiful the cake was, and Beelzebub had almost committed murder while trying to hold himself back from devouring it.

“I did, yes. You also had some.” That too.

“Well, I was wondering if your lips are sweeter than the icing on this cake, because they sure look like it. Better let me taste first and confirm.” You smile widely as you stare at Lord Diavolo. You’re extremely proud of that one and while you aren’t sure why, you had been saving it for last. You wonder if Lord Diavolo also thought it was as cool as you had. Your smile starts to fade when you feel a pair of warm and soft lips pressed against yours, a sea of gasps (and someone choking-- was that Mammon or Lucifer?) echoing around you.

Oh.

You see your mistake now.

#shall we date obey me #obey me x mc #diavolo #lord diavolo #lord diavolo x mc #diavolo x mc #lord diavolo x reader #diavolo x reader #diavolo one shot #lord diavolo one shot #obey me #shall we date #obey me one shot #obey me drabble #drabble #drabbles #happy halloween???#not really lmao #but it is for his birthday so i mean

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cupidhaos · 4 years

Text

underneath the cherry blossoms

pairing: vernon chwe x reader

word count: 1.8k

genre: straight up fluff, slice of life, first meetings, highschool au

summary: first meetings and first love - we go back to the moment where vernon experiences both at the same time.

warnings: swearing

a/n: i was going back to edit these to add in the genre and a link and i was rereading this and thought that this was probably my favorite one i’ve written so far just because its so cute and fluffy it hurts it pains me actually

[part of my What is Love? series]

“come on vernon! we’re gonna be late!” seungkwan yelled as he ran ahead of his friend towards the school gates. vernon mindlessly nods as he checks his book bag for the tenth time - making sure that he had everything that he needed with him.

“i’m coming just wait!” vernon answers once he realizes seungkwan was already on school grounds as vernon hurriedly tries to catch up to his friend. but as soon as he looks up, seungkwan was already gone and out of sights.

letting out a frustrated breath of air - vernon aimlessly begins walking around the unfamiliar campus grounds. he looks up at the buildings as he starts to study the area. he turns and walks down the pathway that was lined with trees on either sides of them.

it was mid march, and the cherry blossom trees were just beginning to bloom. vernon stands in place as he looks up at the trees in awe - watching as they slowly move with the wind in a nice harmony.

“mingyu! eunwoo! come on! the others are probably already there waiting for us!” a voice yelled from a distance, breaking vernon from his trance. he snaps his head forward at the calming - but very loud - voice. he stares at the end of the pathway in curiosity.

“y/n what are you running so fast for? trying to get the first years to fall in love with you or something?” another voice asks as someone else laughs. he hears - who he assumes is y/n, huff angrily before yelling at the two of them two shut their mouths.

it was then that vernon finally saw the identity of the person who had just been yelling not too long ago as they run in front of him. the entire moment felt as if everything around him had slowed down.

as a gust of wind picked up - the cherry blossom trees surrounding the pathway released an enormous amount of petals as if they were snow gently falling from the sky.

not too far ahead of him - vernon watches as y/n runs past with a smile on her face that made anyone feel at peace. she looks behind as she continues to yell at two boys who walk slowly behind her. vernon couldn’t make out the words she said as everything surrounding him seemed like a blur.

as the cherry blossoms continued falling around - y/n turns her head and the two finally meet eyes. a shocked look covered her face, but it was soon replaced with a large smile. vernon’s eyes widen as he makes eye contact for the first time with the person that he would refer to later on as his first love.

just like that - she was gone within a blink of an eye and everything seemed to have picked backup again. he was able to hear her distant yelling getting further and further and before he knew it, he felt his feet begin to move towards the direction. he was stopped though as he felt the back of his shirt being tugged harshly.

“how many times do i have to tell you to pay attention to your surroundings?! the entrance ceremony is already starting and we’re late! first off - you’re going the wrong way you already passed the gym. ALSO -” vernon slowly begins to tune out seungkwan’s scoldings as he’s being dragged towards the gym. his eyes lingering towards where y/n ran off to.

during the entire entrance ceremony, seungkwan and chan sat on either side of him and the two of them were silently arguing back and forth about something he didn’t quite care about. yet all vernon was able to think about was that moment. where the two of them had saw one another while the cherry blossoms fell around them. he couldn’t stop thinking about the familiar feel that he got when they had both locked eyes.

once the ceremony was done - he immediately went to go look for her.

“i’m going to excuse myself now - i’ll catch up with the two of you later.” vernon tells his two friends before quickly exiting the gym. sooner or later, he found himself in the exact same spot that he stood before a couple hours earlier. only this time the pathway was crowded and filled with other students - making it harder for vernon to find who he was looking for.

he looks around, trying to find her within the sea of people crowding the wide pathway. weaving and excusing himself through others in order to find the person who wouldn’t leave his mind for the last couple hours.

with no luck in finding her, he finally makes it out of the crowd and towards the sides. he hands his head low in defeat as he stands by one of the cherry blossom trees. feeling someone bump into him, he raises his head to apologize before feeling his breath stop once he did.

“sorry! oh! its you! the guy from earlier!” y/n gasps excitedly as she points at vernon. all vernon could do was simply nod at her since he wasn’t able to muster up any actual words. two unfamiliar boys stand behind her. “y/n do you know him?” one of the boys asks.

y/n opens her mouth to say something before quickly closing it. a sheepish look covers her face as she scratches the back of her head. “uh… well you see… not particularly… i just kinda saw him earlier before meeting up with hao and the others.” she explains and the other boy with silver hair just shakes his head.

“stop harassing the first years y/n”

“jeonghan be quiet! he’s gonna get the wrong idea about me! joshua tell him!” “haha um well…”

vernon watches the exchange between the three of them before speaking up. “i’m hansol vernon chwe but you can just call me vernon but some of my friends call me nonie” he introduces politely. loud gasps come from y/n and the guy named joshua as they looked at him.

“chwe?! like studiochwe?!”

“the popular anime account on twitter with like sixteen thousand followers?!”

vernon feels his face heat up - never had he expected to be exposed like this in public. “um, uh, yeah -” “wait yeah! it totally is you! i recognize your face!” joshua claims and vernon just starts to laugh nervously at the sudden exposure of his twitter account.

y/n suddenly grabs ahold of both of vernon’s hands as joshua places one of his hands on his shoulder., catching him way off guard. joshua was the first one to begin talking. “join our club! we’re an anime club and if we want to stay as a club we need five members to be official or-”

y/n cuts him off, “ - they’re gonna shut down our club! i’m a member and joshua’s a member and and so is this silver hair wannabe victor nikiforov! our other member seungcheol is off trying to flirt with some girl right now but i swear you won’t regret joining our club we’re all really cool and we watch animes together and we also -”

her ramblings were cut off as the silver haired boy covers her mouth with his hand. “y/n. joshua. calm down. you’re overwhelming him. and my name isn’t ‘silver hair wannabe victor nikiforov’ it’s yoon jeonghan. join our club, don’t join, i don’t really care.” he tells vernon.

vernon immediately wanted to decline the invitation since he didn’t really want the first club he joined in high school to be the anime club. yet as he looked at the hopeful look on y/n’s face and the warmness that it gave his chest, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“...okay i’ll join”

joshua and y/n immediately erupted in cheers and the two of them pull vernon into a celebratory hug. jeonghan just sighs from where he stood and shakes his head at the two of them while a soft smile plays at his lips.

“you saved us vernon chwe!”

“you’re our hero thank GOD!”

the two continuously praise him and the blush on vernon’s face doesn’t seem to go away. his eyes never left y/n and he couldn’t bring himself to look away from her even if he wanted to. after awhile the two finally let go of him and vernon was finally able to catch his breath.

“i have two other friends that watch anime as well. i think that one of them would be interested in joining your club actually” vernon speaks up after awhile. coincidentally, the two other friends he had been talking about had showed up.

“vernon…you left me alone… with chan… ” seungkwan seethes as he stalks up to their group. vernon sheepishly laughs as he looks at his friend. “speaking of the devils…”

seungkwan opens his mouth to say something before chan cuts him off “are you guys upperclassmen? do you know if theres an anime club around here?”

soon enough, joshua and chan are engaged in a deep conversation about their favorite character from demon slayer as y/n interrogates seungkwan into joining the anime club.

“you’re one of vernon’s friends that watches anime right? join our club!”

“like hell i AM. vernon. first you leave me TWICE now you’re exposing my weeb tendencies? whatever happened to loyalty?”

one heated argument and two new anime club members later. the group along begins walking towards the school entrance. a defeated seungcheol joins them along the way as vernon walks behind the group. stopping and noticing this, y/n slows her step and leaves where she stood next to jeonghan to stand by vernon.

she smiles up at him and vernon returns it. the feeling that he gets when he looks at y/n is something that he has never felt before. it felt like the moment the protagonist meets the person that they fall in love with. it felt like an instant connection when the two had met eyes. it was as if he was seeing and meeting someone from his past even though he knew it was their first time meeting.

“we’re gonna get ice cream to celebrate our new members - you coming with?” y/n asks him, looking up at him with a curious look on her face. again, vernon couldn’t help but agree immediately.

“great! i can’t wait to eat some strawberry ice cream!” “strawberry? i’m more of a vanilla guy.”

“pfft you gotta keep it fruity dude. vanilla’s so plain!”

a sudden feeling of deja vu washed over him as they continued onto their walk towards the nearest convenience store. the smile never left her face though throughout their conversation.

vernon didn’t know what this feeling was - but he knew that he always wanted to keep that smile on her face. even if it meant having her smile be directed towards someone else, he felt the urge to protect it no matter what.

moments of love masterlist

#seventeen #svt #seventeen scenarios #svt scenarios #vernon chwe #vernon x reader #seventeen x reader #seventeen oneshot #hansol vernon chwe #hansol x reader #what is love? au

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love-little-lotte · 3 years

Text

Ranking the Bridgerton Books

I know I should write this in my book blog, but frankly, I have no idea how to make another section for it, and I'm too lazy to research. So, I'm writing here. Please bear with me.

Recently, I read the Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn. You might be familiar with the first book since it was adapted into a popular Netflix series by Shonda Rhimes. I binge-watched it back in December, and I have to say... not a fan. I guess I just find it too cheesy and annoying. Plus, the actors who portrayed Daphne and Simon had no romantic chemistry whatsoever.

But I'm not here to talk about the TV show. I'm here to talk about the novels! This is actually not my first time reading the books. Well, not exactly. I've read six out of the eight novels when I was in high school, I believe. I found the books when I was in high school as it was in the library (please don't ask me why my high school library has smutty novels in it, I have no idea who's in charge - they had Fifty Shades of Grey for a week but they eventually removed it from the catalog when they learned what's it about, but I digress). As a fifteen-year-old girl, the series hooked me.

If you're not familiar with the books or the Netflix series, here's a short synopsis: Set in the Regency era, the Bridgertons are one of the most influential families of the ton. The books follow the love stories of the eight Bridgerton siblings, alphabetically named Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth.

I didn't read it in chronological order back then, though. I just borrowed any available Bridgerton book in the library if there's one. You might think I was too young to read a romantic novel like that, but I guess I was mature enough to understand it.

Rereading it now that I'm twenty-two (cue Taylor Swift!), my heart's not in the same place. I was more skeptical with the writing, the story, and, most especially, the characters. But, really, I'm not that heartless, so I will cut the author some slack. Quinn wrote this at a different time for a different audience. It's not that long ago, but you'd be surprised how fast things change.

However, even though I have major criticisms, I cannot stop reading them. There's something about the novels that put me in a chokehold. Despite everything, I was able to enjoy it overall. This series is the definition of "guilty pleasure."

Anyway, here's my ranking of the Bridgerton books! I only read the eight main ones, which means I didn't include novellas of any kind. Also, as a fair warning, I might discuss spoilers and whatnot, so please beware. And do keep in mind that I'm writing my opinion, so if you don't agree, well... tough. I'd like to hear your comments, though, if you have any.

#8 - An Offer From A Gentleman (Book 3)

Honestly, this was probably one of my favorite Bridgerton books when I was younger. A Cinderella retelling? Come on! As someone who loves fairytales and forbidden romances, this was supposed to be heaven. However... it was not.

Benedict may be my least favorite Bridgerton brother. No, scratch that - he is my least favorite Bridgerton out of all of them. He's whiny and creepy and I was plainly annoyed with how he keeps asking Sophie to be his mistress in the novel. This was not the gentleman I imagined when I was younger. I might have liked him more in the first few parts, but as the story progressed, he became too childish and obsessive. Sophie, on the other hand, was all right. She's definitely one of my favorite Bridgerton heroines. She was tough but kind in her own way. I wish she had a better partner than Benedict, but I guess they suit each other in the end.

I just detest the climax and the ending of this book. It was too comical - and not in a hilarious way. I guess the same could be said for the entire novel. This was so, so different from the rest, to be honest.

Overall Rating: 3/10

#7 - On The Way To The Wedding (Book 8)

Fun fact: this is the first Bridgerton novel I read. And even then, I wasn't a huge fan of it. Just like An Offer From A Gentleman, the climax was a bit silly but more in a soap opera level than comical.

The biggest factor why I didn't like this was the characters. They were all so bland. Especially our hero and heroine. Gregory is the least featured Bridgerton in the novel, so I don't really know what to make of him at the beginning of the novel. In his book, I learned that he was a good guy - and that's all. Maybe he's too young and naive when it comes to romance (which is endearing, I have to admit), but he has no interesting personality whatsoever. Lucy, the heroine in this novel, was the same. She was described as pragmatic and sensible, which perfectly sums her up. Also, she's a great friend to Hermione (whose last name is Watson, by the way, and you can't tell me otherwise that this isn't a Harry Potter reference - Hermione Granger and Emma Watson? If that's not a reference, well, that's a very crazy coincidence, but I digress again). Gregory and Lucy's story was average - not bad, not good, just so incredibly dull.

The fun parts started way too early. It was difficult to find intrigue in the middle and end bits. The second main conflict, which happened near the end of the book, was truthfully not that good and was just obviously a ploy to keep things longer. You'd think that the Bridgerton novels would end the series with a bang. Alas, it did not.

Overall Rating: 4/10

#6 - To Sir Phillip, With Love (Book 5)

Eloise finally gets her turn in her own love story. She used to be one of my favorite Bridgertons, but when she got her own story, she was reduced into a plain girl. Gone was the feisty and outspoken Eloise we knew from the previous books.

Maybe it's because she's paired up with one of the most insufferable Bridgerton heroes, Sir Phillip. Just an inch away from Benedict, Sir Phillip maybe my next least favorite character. And it annoys me so much that Eloise gets to fall in love with someone like him.

It actually started pretty well. Before the events in the book started, Eloise and Phillip had already been corresponding for a year through letters. Phillip was on the lookout for - not a wife - but a mother for his two unruly children, and he thought Eloise was perfect for the role. He's a terrible father, but the book tries to convince us that it's not his fault because he had a bad upbringing by his own father (a recurring theme in the Bridgerton books - four heroes are plagued with different daddy issues). Eloise tried her best to turn things around, and of course, she eventually did, but I just really hate Phillip's initial intentions for seeking out a wife. He gets better in the end, sure, but I still really don't like him. At least the book wasn't short of excitement, else it would've been rated a bit lower.

Obviously, my favorite part in this book was when the Bridgerton brothers stormed into Phillip's house. He got what he deserved, truly.

Overall Rating: 4/10

#5 - The Duke and I (Book 1)

Now, this is the most well-known story in the Bridgerton literary universe, thanks to the Netflix series. I know I've said that I wasn't a fan of the series, but really, the Netflix writers and producers deserve all the gold in the world because they managed to transform this novel into something exciting.

Daphne and Simon had their moments, that's for sure, but as a couple, they were just so... meh. I liked their relationship at the start when they were still pretending to be courting. But as soon as they got married, everything interesting about the two of them sizzled out. And please don't get me started with how Daphne "took advantage" of drunk Simon. Thank God the show fixed that.

Despite my mixed feelings, this was a decent start to the Bridgerton books. There's really nothing majorly wrong about this novel (except for the aforementioned "taking advantage.") It laid out the future characters well. Lady Whistledown was also great. Thinking about her made me miss her because she wasn't featured in the later novels (you'll soon find out why).

Overall Rating: 5/10

#4 - It's In His Kiss (Book 7)

Since Eloise was stripped away from her feistiness when she got her own love story, I was obviously worried for Hyacinth. Thankfully, she didn't change! She was still the same tactless girl in the previous books. And for that, she gets to be my champion as my favorite Bridgerton.

This is the first time I've read this book, and oh, I'm surprised with how exciting it was. Hyacinth's hero, Gareth, perfectly suited her. Gareth was able to tame her impulsiveness, while also proving to be a good romantic partner for her. I loved that he could match her intellectually, too. It was never a bore whenever they have one of their silly banters. Lady Danbury was also featured more in this novel. She's one of my favorite side characters. As Gareth's grandmother, she was determined to bring him and Hyacinth together.

Maybe the only criticism I have in this novel is Gareth's issues with his father. I find it really weird that most of the heroes' problems are with their fathers. It just seemed lazy writing, in my opinion. But oh well, Gareth was interesting in his own way and that's perfectly fine.

Overall Rating: 6/10

#3 - Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Book 4)

I have a feeling that this is Quinn's favorite Bridgerton book. In this book, it's Colin's turn to find love. Colin is featured in several of his siblings' stories - in fact, in almost all of the books, he had an important role to play.

I love Colin and Penelope's story. Long before this book, they already knew each other. Penelope was Eloise's best friend, and she's almost always in the Bridgerton household. Colin has been forced by his mother for God knows how long to dance with Penelope every time there's a party. But it was only now that they became closer. Unbeknownst to Colin, Penelope had been in love with him for half her life, even though he didn't particularly care for her. Penelope speaks for all of us who know about unrequited love all too well.

Furthermore, this is the novel where they finally reveal who was behind the Lady Whistledown column. Yes, viewers of the Netflix series who are not familiar with the books. This is the part - and not in the first book! I'm so mad that they revealed Penelope as Lady Whistledown in the first season of the series, when in fact it's much later than that.

However, that's also one of the lowest points of this novel for me. Lady Whistledown's identity reveal was a bit anti-climactic. A little bit laughable, even. Also, also, also: I hated Colin's reaction to Penelope's secret. He didn't have to be angry and jealous of her, but ah well, whatever makes for conflict. Nevertheless, I love both Colin and Penelope because they had so much character and depth. Quinn was certainly biased when she wrote this.

Overall Rating: 8/10

#2 - The Viscount Who Loved Me (Book 2)

Remember earlier when I said that I cannot stop reading the books because even though I knew it wasn't that good, it was still highly enjoyable? Well, I'm really talking more about this book, to be specific. I think I've read it in less than 24 hours because of how much I love it. And yes, Anthony and Kate had their obvious flaws, but oh God, they were so perfect together. I can't help but imagine Jonathan Bailey from the Netflix series as Anthony when I was reading it. I swoon, all the time.

This used to be my favorite Bridgerton novel, but that's only because I haven't read my new favorite until recently. Anthony and Kate's story was just oh-so good and intimate and romantic. Kate's also my favorite heroine in the entire Bridgerton literary universe. She was headstrong and loving. She's unafraid to put the happiness of her family first.

In so many ways, Anthony was the same. He assumed the role of Viscount Bridgerton when he was only eighteen when his father unexpectedly died. Since then, he overlooks the family's estates and well-being. Yes, this is one of those "daddy issues" stories I mentioned earlier, but this one was kind of done tastefully. He didn't wish to fall in love but everything changed when he encountered Kate. He didn't mean to be attracted to her, but here we are.

Anthony and Kate had so much understanding between them. I agree Anthony was a bit of a dick when Kate asked if they could have one week to get to know each other before consummating the marriage (worse things have been said by Benedict and Phillip, though), but in the end, I can't deny that I truly love them together.

Overall Rating: 8/10

#1 - When He Was Wicked (Book 6)

*blushing furiously* So what if I put the smuttiest and steamiest novel as my top choice?! What about it? Oh, but really, though, I can't stop reading this. Francesca is one of the least known Bridgertons in the books, just like Gregory. I didn't know anything about her, except that she's quieter than most of her siblings. It was also first mentioned in Romancing Mister Bridgerton that she had already married but was sadly widowed after two years.

Michael was Francesca's late husband's cousin and best friend, which makes him her best friend, too. He has been secretly in love with Francesca since the first moment he laid eyes on her but was unable to pursue her because she's with his cousin John. In addition, I'd like to say that Michael is my favorite hero in the Bridgerton books. He's very charming and wicked, and really, my knees buckle at the thought of him.

Long after John passed away, Francesca and Michael reunited. Francesca was looking for a new husband because she desperately wants a family, while Michael... well, Michael was still in love with her. There was undeniable passion and intimacy between them, and it was hard to stay away from each other. I seriously have a thing for men secretly pining over women they love. That's got to be one of my favorite tropes.

However, the book itself was a bit longer than necessary. While I understand Francesca's hesitations in marrying Michael, it could've been shortened because it felt draggy by the end. Her constant changing of minds was a bit annoying, and yeah, it was probably a ploy to lengthen the novel.

Additionally, I was a bit skeptical at first of how they're going to treat their relationship, especially since Francesca was truly in love with her first husband. But it was done so nicely. Francesca and Michael never forget about John, even in the end. I loved what John's mother said to Michael in a letter at the end, "Thank you, Michael, for letting my son love her first."

I guess I love their story more than the other couples because both were already mature and experienced. Just like everyone else in this romantic series, Francesca and Michael belonged together. The entirety of Chapter 19 is proof of that.

Overall Rating: 9/10

***

Overall, the Bridgerton books are quite entertaining, despite being a cheesy and sappy series. I admit that I feel quite lonely and bored now that I've finished all eight of them. Ah well, there's always the possibility of rereading them!

#books #bridgerton #bridgerton books #julia quinn #novels #reading #book ranking #romance #romantic books #historical fiction

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mego42 · 4 years

Text

Shamelessly stealing @foxmagpie’s monthly rec thing without the ability to get my life together to do these on a monthly basis so, seasonal recs! So excited to see if I manage to do this again with anything remotely resembling consistency but i’ve been keeping the notes for approximately 43 years (or since ~september, whatever that means) so by god i’m gonna use them.

found my thrill - s_t_c_s / @sothischickshe

Turner POV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

guys turner is SO OBSESSED with Beth and Rio

both canonically and in this fic

it’s gr9

also features a weirdly soothing and relatable cord untangling moment as a metaphor

truly disturbingly relatable turner pov tbh

relentless boomer disdain, always a plus

led to the creation of this monstrosity, not sure what kind of a monster would do that

War In My Mind - mintletters16

Backread!!!!

post-213, gorgeous character study

guaranteed to make you feEl stUfF

I really love the like, cyclical, fractured pattern of Beth’s internal monologue, it gives the whole thing a really affecting at times dreamy, at times haunted vibe

the end twist is *chef’s kiss*

mourning bells - Ejunkiet / @ejunkiet

Backread!!!!

Later s2 era, Rio’s at a funeral, gets drunk and calls Beth

V short, kind of…..mmm, not sweet, but almost? Idk

It’s got a wistful sort of almost/i can be quiet with you vibe that i go extremely bonkers for

delinquents - foxmagpie / @foxmagpie

Lol are any of you actually not reading this yet?

g o d ch 8 where do i start

First off how ABSOLUTELY VERY DARE for the tragic angst that is delinquents!beth boland. This poor baby, this precious bean. MUST PROTEC

SHE’S TRYING HER BEST AND I LOVE HER

zero percent deserves dean’s clammy hands, no i have not forgotten, tattooed on my brain, will never forgive

I also love love love love LOVE the ruby/stan subplot happening

(and ruby’s mom!!!!!) (seriously though you write the best moms)

oh god and baby beth starting to have confusing feelings about rio?????? *chef’s kiss*

p sure i was just like, straight screaming the entire end of the chapter

the dugout is like, pure serotonin

I can’t even talk about the closet

tHe teNsiOn

thank you i will take eleventy billion

don't give it a hand, offer it a soul - medievalraven / @medievalraven

am a desperate heaux for any fic that features rio and mick friendship

you are all incredibly shocked i know

still would not be mad if this swerved into rio x mick fake dating but beth x rio is cool too i guess

Speaking of things i am a desperate heaux for: DIANE!!!!!!!!

and DATING ANNIE???????????? Blessed

honestly this fic is worth it purely for the assertion that mick watches queer eye

Why don't we go to Venus? - watermelonriddles / @bensonstablers

another grief study!

apparently i was working through some stuff in september, idk, that was like 4 years ago

considering it’s the premise of the fic, i don’t think it’s a spoiler to say this fic is canon divergent and working with the premise that rio killed beth in 302

he is uh, not coping well

extremely haunted you might say

lots of marcus and rhea which is a delight!

rhea is to good for him tbh

i said what i said

truly top notch dream (nightmare?) sequences

the conversation at the end is extremely uncalled for

drop the game - Ejunkiet / @ejunkiet

Backread!!!!

Am going to die mad Beth and Rio didn’t hook up in 211 but luckily this fic scratched the itch

(temporarily, it’s a fairly permanent itch)

Bonus rec: missing scene series i wanna do bad things to you featuring 2x02 and 2x04

Viva Voce - zetuslapetus / @querenaxx

Whoops we woke up married Vegas shenanigans!!

So cute!!!!! So sexy!!!!!

What more do you want?

am desperately obsessed with how beth can’t help stalking rio

feels right, feels organic

this makes me feel a lot of stuff about how they could be without their canon garbage between them

🎶 we could’ve had it aaaaaaaaaaall 🎶

you showed me colors (i can't see them with anyone else) - gild_fire / @gild-and-fire

really into the use of color to illustrate beth’s emotional state, i feel like there’s a word for that but idk what it is

UNIMPORTANT

really nice job capturing beth’s inner vulnerability balanced by her outer stubbornness

am DESPERATELY into Mick playing matchmaker

more please???????

Both Sides of the Law - JoeyLee / @joeyjoeylee

LAW SCHOOL AU! I suuuuuuper love Beth and Rio here (alt pov!! a gift!!!!) I love how initially prickly they are, I love how it’s evolving into a grudging respect, I love how INCREDIBLY AND HILARIOUSLY OBSESSED WITH EACH OTHER THEY ARE and neither one of them seems to see it

listen I know we’re all already foaming at the mouth over this one but as it’s gonna go down as one of my all time favorites it bears repeating/rereccing

cannot stress enough how masterful the use of POV is here, both voices feel completely true and distinct and I love how the alternating chapters revisit, reveal and emphasize pieces of each other

i can’t talk about this fic without hyperventilating

I LOVE IT SO MUCH YOU GUYS

the slow burn is going to ACTUALLY KILL ME

rip, no regrats

Earned It - wakeupflawless / @wakeupflawless

spanking

that’s it that’s the pitch

H O T

living for beth’s exit in the first chapter, rio and i are both incredibly into it

second chapter also features violently possessive Rio who cannot deal with anyone messing with his girl so if that’s your thing boy howdy get on it

shake, baby, shake - openhearts

backread!!!!!

according to my bookmarks this was a reread but ???????

must’ve read it in the fugue state that followed reading for a moment we were strangers which is gr9 and I believe I have recced it before. If not, horrible oversight, reccing it now

beth and Rio POV lead up to the bathroom break, beautifully done, low-key feel bad reccing it bc the end point of both chapters makes me want to throw things but it’s super worth it for the tEnsiOn. ENJOY

What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have - flashindie / @pynkhues

I’m assuming all of y’all are already reading this

If not OH MY GOD FIX YOUR LIVES

P I R A T E A U

I’m sorry maybe you didn’t hear me piRaTE aU

meticulously researched, brain-meltingly vibrant, already painfully sexy slow-burning PIRATE AU

god where to start okay so first off, the world-building here straight up breaks my brain, sophie’s put in the work and it SHOWS

second, the atmosphere. i’m generally a pretty like, vague mental picture sort of reader but the sensory detail here grabs you by the throat and like, forcibly hauls you in whether your brain’s wired that way or no

and hey speaking of throats if you, like me, go a little funny about the knees at the idea of beth holding a knife to rio’s throat (he’s fine, calm down), there’s a v excellent beth-in-a-barrel moment for you

oh christ and the sexy tension

it’s gonna be a race to see which slow burn takes me out first, this or law school

Stunner - foxmagpie / @foxmagpie

Another high school AU, this time with baby Rio absolutely head over heels for his older sister’s bff

stunner!Rio has an emotional earnestness about him that I feel like delinquents!Rio has already outgrown and it’s so SWEET I can’t get enough

Desperately cute!!!!!!

alL he waNts iS foR beTh tO bE hiS girL

also unreasonably angsty???????

ANN ARBOR IS NOT THAT FAR MEGAN

A Heart's A Heavy Burden - tooshyforthis / @bathroombreaks

Howl’s Moving Castle AU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love Howl’s!!!!!!!!!!!

perfect opp to roast Rio for being a Dramatique Heaux

and it’s gonna be 9 chapters?????? H Y P E

author’s note boldly presumes I did not know I needed this AU when the reality is I did in fact know I needed this AU, I just wasn’t expecting anyone to deliver

so blessed

author also claims to not be team nose stud and yet it features prominently in all its magnificent glory

what is the truth dot gif

A Bit of a Stretch - septiembre / @septiembur

SO????? CUTE?????????

would be on this list for Rio calling Beth E alone tbh

really really really really really love this Rio POV of being settled into a relationship with Beth

It manages to be sweetly domestic af while still holding the edge that makes brio brio which is a neat trick

@septiembur may be a witch

beth’s approach to getting rio to do yoga with her is hilarious and exactly right, canon-typical amounts of subtlety

1000000/10

Post Break-Up Sex - femalegothic / @bethsuglywigs

stg this was called Hit Shuffle

no matter

h O T

with a side of damn i’ve made some questionable choices in my life haven’t i introspection

(no regrats tho)

(esp not with this fic)

not the point of the fic by a long shot but i’m also extremely obsessed with Weed Eddie, so real

She drains my soul... she drains it not - niham87 / @niham87

ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH THIS CONCEPT

am a complete sucker for paranormal world building that satirizes bureaucracy

Is that a trope? If so that’s my favorite

I did it. I’m picking a single favorite. You know what that is growth dot gif

ANYWAY i love the concept, i love the humor, i love beth instantly clicking with annie

I love her and mick’s sort of grudging professional courtesy

Love beth as a champion of environmental responsibility and all of the underworld being like …...okay??

cannot wait to see where this goes

Nine-Tenths - riosnecktattoo / @riosnecktattoo

*INCOHERENT PTERODACTYL SCREECHING*

sometimes i think about rio putting beth’s hair in a ponytail and have to go lie down

science please explain why this rUinS mE

wait hold on i skipped ahead

HEY KIDS DO YOU LIKE UNBEARABLY CUTE DOMESTIC TENDERNESS

opens with rio sleepily holding beth’s hand to his heart so that’s the kind of thing you’ll be dealing with

uGH theY’RE sO CUTe

idk why precisely but rio adding hair ties to his bracelet collection is my undoing every time

Missed Call - foxmagpie / @foxmagpie

Rio doesn’t come home from a job when he’s supposed to. Beth (and I!!!!!!!) slowly loses her mind

Truly a masterpiece of rising tension

Will literally never forgive her for calling this light angst

I was SO STRESSED OUT

The first person to point out there was an author’s note at the beginning I obvs didn’t read is getting blocked

crush - foxmagpie / @foxmagpie

Listen even though this is centered around two OCs, they are OCs FROM a (n iconic) brio fic AND Beth, Ruby and Rio all make cameos (I mean, Rio’s pretty present since he lives in Mar’s mind rent free bc they are THE SWEETEST MOST ADORABLE BEST OF FRIENDS so idk if i’d call it a cameo but whatever)

and even if it didn’t feature any official GG characters I’d still rec is bc that’s mY SON AND this fic is TOO CUTE

I have so many feelings over mar and rio growing up and not knowing how to cope with girls becoming a Thing in their life and how it affects their friendship and mar feeling left behind but (SPOILERS) at the end of the story rio starts feeling that too and it’s so poignant knowing how that’s going to continue in delinquents

while mar may be my son, i also claim elena’s #1 stan status

before you’re like meg you’re only reccing it bc it’s a bday present ask yourselves do i really strike you as the kind of person that wouldn’t be equally obnoxious about this either way?

truly cannot fathom how hard i have fallen for these OCs i don’t normally do that

@foxmagpie is definitely a witch

The Ottoman - Niham87 / @niham87

look i will be the first to admit that i don’t go near as bonkers over the ottoman line in 308 as y’all do

(don’t get me wrong, i love it!!! I love that he laughs and i love that she’s pleased it just doesn’t hit my lose my whole mind button like idk, the dubby or the 306 convo, idk why)

BUT i v v v much love the context this delightful Rio POV pwp gives it

am also absolutely feral for 209 missing scene fic

and anything that captures the complexity of Rio’s s3 feelings for Beth and how twisted they’ve become

so this scratches a bunch of itches, is what i’m trying to say

Bet On It - zetuslapetus / @querenaxx

*INCOHERENT PTERODACTYL SCREECHING*

That’s what my brain does when I think about Beth and Rio meeting in ch 1

am DESPERATELY OBSESSED WITH the tension between the two of them in this fic

I love how it plays with the ways they have to rely on but don’t trust each other

plus FAKE DATING and BED SHARING (fair warning hasn’t happened yet but the set up is there)

originally supposed to be 2 chapters, already up to 4, prayer circle it goes on forever

do you like drugs (tonight) - s_t_c_s / @sothischickshe

v important focus on hydration, other fic should take note

extremely about the use of cut to and then flashback to enhance the ‘we were on drugs’ vibe

speaking of, beth and rio absolutely would take ecstasy to prove they are fun bc they are the exact kind of idiots that would peer pressure themselves

so glad beth kept her purse, got a bit stressed there for a second, clutches in that kind of circumstance are A Risk

not that i would know

FLAWLESS USE OF VOICEMAIL TBH

really love the ongoing denial that they are remotely into each other while proceeding to demonstrate how they are in fact, extremely into each other, great vibe

rio dances

I know my brain broke too

mmmm bacon

Navigate A Broken Path - flashindie / @pynkhues

*INCOHERENT PTERODACTYL SCREECHING*

I have a long standing tradition of getting unreasonably obsessed with side characters so i’m not like, entirely surprised by how obsessed i am with both Mick and Mary Pat but i never in a million years considered them as a ship

AND Y E T

they fit????? so perfectly?????? It’s amazing how she developes them individually enough that i look at them together and think ah yes this makes perfect sense for both characters

and they’re such an amazing foil to Beth and Rio?

can ships have foils? do i know what a foil is?

unimportant

GUYS you dON’T uNDERStAN d

hell i don’t understand

how absolutely very dare you make me care about YET ANOTHER set of gg ‘verse children

do not read this fic if you have no interest in feelings you zero percent asked for

wHA t hAPPeNED iN aLASkA?????????

A Moment’s Silence - femalegothic / @bethsuglywigs

*makes sign of the cross*

y’all are gonna make me rediscover religion

extremely appreciate the author’s note approach to backstory top notch prioritization

listen it’s basically 3k of beth deep throating rio idk what more you need me to say about it

it is…..good stuff

bless the kinkmeme or fest whatever we’re calling it

praise - civillove / @blainesebastian

I mean you had me at “three times rio calls beth a good girl and one time he really means it”

ephemeral rio

I left that note for myself in here in the middle of the night and haven’t the foggiest what i was thinking but i stand by it none the less

okay okay i think i know what i meant, this fic (as do all of my fav civillove brio fics) has this sort of like, liminal, in the quiet moments feel to them that makes the moments and feelings somehow feel like i’m catching a glimpse of something secret and precious???

idk i just really like it okay

Heart and Soul - riosnecktattoo / @riosnecktattoo

oh look more unbearably sweet domestic tenderness, this time to music

thank you ma’am for my life

rio remembers beth used to play piano and gets her one and revoltingly cute shenanigans result

also hilarity

and sexiness

this fic has it all, truly

shout out to mick who sees no reason to keep rio’s feelings to himself

good girls tumblr fic - prettylittlementirosa / @hypermania

cheating and reccing a whole series

It’s my list and i can do what i wanna

stop crying about it, it’s four fics and they’re all AMAZING absolutely impossible to pick a fav

truly flawless characterization, next level ability to capture evocative mood, cannot get enough

three’s a crowd: who knew ballroom dancing while dean watches and grinds his teeth could be so sexy

(trick question everything about that premise sounds A++++ and boy howdy does it live up)

feel it on the way home: rio tries to break up with beth, it goes about as well as you’d expect

(thE angSty tenSioN)

i want to play the game: [from the floor] i’m still not ready to talk about it

(rio/turner, missing scene, 10000000% a taste of what went down in that hotel room)

june after dark: pitch perfect annie pov, really really love the take that Annie is the baby whisperer, can’t fully explain why but it feels incredibly right

(ANNIE X NANCY COULD WORK SO WELL YOU GUYS)

#fingers crossed these links are right i did not double check #i like to live on the edge #truly mind boggling amount of fluff on this list i surprised myself on that one #no i will not at any point get my shit together enough to write out thoughtful commentary this is a shit posting blog first last and always #fic recs #gg fic #nbc good girls #i'll come up with a tag for these if i ever do them again #check back 37 years from now #or ~~~~~~march #whatever that means

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bronanlynch · 3 years

Text

recent media consumption summary

it’s been a while huh. sorry this one is all text but finding images takes up way more of my brain

listening: for some unknown reason I’ve had Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne stuck in my head nonstop for the past several days. sometimes you need to listen to ‘not like other girls’ pop punk from the 00s as a treat I guess

reading: making slow progress through Harrow the Ninth, I don’t understand what’s happening but I enjoy the vibes. this series sure can fit so many terrible woman

reread Six of Crows (and part of Crooked Kingdom) because after watching Shadow & Bone I missed my terrible children. forgot that Kaz is so much more of an asshole in the book that you get to see in the show and I do love that and think it’s fun when he does terrible crimes

also working my way through Lord Seventh because sometimes what you need is a BL novel about political intrigue. also because it’s A Lot easier for me to read things that are on my computer instead of in a physical book because reading a physical book is a commitment to closing my computer and only thinking about one thing for an extended period of time which is difficult because my brain doesn’t work

watching: Word of Honor, as everyone can probably tell from, y’know, my entire blog. I would say I’m sorry but I’m not, it’s not My fault that it’s the only thing I can think about or that most of my conversations with my roommate are just us saying “oh my god they’re in love” back and forth

Nirvana in Fire, because once again, love a political intrigue/court drama. I’ve decided that the reason I love that kind of story so much is because it hits the same part of my brain as a heist movie except slower, because it’s still all about watching a plan come together, except instead of lots of fast-paced heist sequences most of the action is people sitting in rooms talking to each other, and I am a very dialogue-driven writer and consumer of media

Shadow and Bone, like almost everyone else on the internet apparently. my roommates were like “Eliot you need to watch this show it has so many things that you like” and I was like “yes I’m already watching it and I read the books so I’ve been Waiting for this for so long.” anyway it was fun and extremely pretty, and it was interesting to see them adapt various parts of the source material at the same time, even if I think they sometimes did so in ways that will weaken later character arcs (if the Six of Crows character are Already this cool and badass and able to take jobs overseas, how are they going to have any growth left during the events of the books that are presumably gonna be next season’s plot? who knows!). my main Actual Serious Critique is that some of the treatment of race was. kinda weird? there’s a lengthier discussion of that in this article but Imo it was. kind of a weird choice on the part of the showrunners to depict racism as the two light-skinned biracial leads having people be mean about their looks, meanwhile there are plenty of other characters of color for whom that just. doesn’t seem to be an issue? especially when some of the racism towards the main character comes from other people of color? and that’s just kinda not addressed

had a Godzilla movie marathon with my roommates, we watched Shin Godzilla (2016, the only one we watched that was actually good, focused the most on 1) showing me the cool monster 2) the bureaucracy and corruption in the government response and 3) the actual human cost of that kind of disaster, I’m sure there are plenty of thinkpieces on American vs. Japanese disaster movies and how national traumas and tragedies play into that), part of Godzilla (2014, bad and boring and barely shows you the monster so we skimmed it), Godzilla: King of Monsters (2019, fun for a stupid loud action movie, they showed me plenty of cool monsters, the final boss battle showed my former workplace being destroyed by a giant monster), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021, slightly less fun and made less sense but there was a Godzilla mech powered by the brain of one of the monsters from King of Monsters and I think they should’ve done more with that)

I think the SamBucky show had one more episode since last time I did this? anyway the finale was bad. Sam’s speech about how the rich politicians suck was good but it came after they killed the people who were actually trying to help so it kinda didn’t mean as much as it should’ve. anyway here are two articles talking about how much the politics suck because wow what an incoherent centrist mess. also super fucked up to have a white guy who represents American imperialism invoke BLM as a gotcha against a Black woman who’s trying to help marginalized people

playing: entirely TTRPGs this time, sorry Daud. played more Beam Saber as usual, and also Breakup on Re-Entry and Tidepools, two-person games about the dramatic irony of having a mech fight with your partner without knowing their identity and about mermaid-human romance, respectively

making: Zan made bread from scratch and I turned it into garlic bread, I didn’t take any pictures because I forgot but trust me it was tasty

writing: nothing posted but Zan and I are co-writing a vampire AU because we are nothing if not on our bullshit at all times. we finished the outline yesterday and it’s 22 pages so uh. that’s sure happening. most of my writing recently has been for zines which I’m not allowed to share yet but when I can I will be insufferable about so. you have been warned

#dreaming.txt #tuesday no problem extended universe

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dontasktheradiodemon · 4 years

Text

Musical Tryouts (1/31/2021)

Please pretend I posted this chat log a month and a half ago when it actually happened, sob.

Valera @autokrates is leaving an audition for Hell’s first production of Hamilton, and runs into Alastor, waiting for his turn to audition. They hang out and chat until it’s his turn—which marks the first time in forever they’ve had a full conversation that wasn’t Incredibly Awkward the whole way through. Hooray for progress.

Chronologically, this chat log happened between this (note: art of extremely hilarious outfit) and this (note: art of another hilarious outfit)

Alastor

Alastor hasn’t auditioned for a show since the seventies, and hasn’t auditioned and *cared* about it in almost a century. He’d like to think he doesn’t look nervous, but he knows he’s reread his typewritten lyrics about a hundred times and every couple of minutes he catches his leg bouncing again. That’s fine, he’s in disguise, he isn’t supposed to look like himself anyway. He can look a little nervous.

When he realizes he’s more staring a hole through his pages than actually reading them, he forces himself to lift his head, slouches back in his cheap metal chair, and looks around the makeshift backstage waiting room. Maybe he can figure out if anyone else is trying for his parts, drag them into the back alley, and mangle them. It would defeat the purpose of showing up in disguise, but it would burn some nervous energy, and anyway he’s already seen one would-be Angelica pin another down and slit her throat. His gaze scans over the other hopeful actors.

Valera

From the stage comes the muffled sound of someone singing, as expected. But the singing gets louder as the voice approaches the door, and it certainly sounds like Not A Musical Number. It sounds a lot more like someone who needed to be accompanied by someone torturing a piano with a series of small hammers. Was that a Will Wood number? Why yes, yes it was!

Through the curtains and round the corner comes the fish supreme, bedecked in enough frills and frippery to lose an orphan in with their 18th century french fashion, belting out lines from I/Me/Myself as they saunter towards the exit with barely a glance for the other hopefuls waiting for their call. Barely a glance at all, until their eyes land on Alastor. Then their jaunty tune is cut off with an uncanny impression of a record scratch crossed with a chicken being strangled, head whipping around for a double take as they freeze mid stride. Holy fuck what was he WEARING???

Alastor

Alastor’s ears threatened to perk up beneath his temporarily shapeshifted hair at the sound of a very familiar and very beloved song from another performer—he’d almost considered performing that one himself, God was he lucky he’d decided to go with “Modern Major General”—and he turned to see who it was with the spectacular taste in music—

“Valera?!” What the hell was Valera doing at a musical audition in Hell?

Valera

It WAS Alastor! They KNEW it! They gasp, pointing at him as their eyes boggle. "Al--" And just as quickly, a hand is clapped over their own mouth, teeth clicking as they clamp their mouth shut. Okay, try that again, *without* ruining his disguise.

They stride over to where he's sitting, leaning in slightly before hissing. "What are you WEARING?"

Alastor

Alastor plays the sound of something crashing over when Valera starts to say his name—the other waiting performers look around to see which props just toppled over—and hops out of his seat to meet Valera in the middle when they approach him. “Do *not* expose me,” he hisses, flinging an arm around Valera’s shoulders. “Nobody here knows I’m the Radio Demon and if this is going to work, nobody *can* know.”

Then he looks down at his own outfit. “A disguise.” Obviously. “I asked my listeners, ‘What’s the last thing you’d ever expect me to wear?’”

Valera

Oh, great, he's touching them AND he's already mad at them for something they'd already avoided. This seemed like par for the course, might as well get through this as painlessly as possible. Valera's face tightens into a stiff little smile, stomach already twisting into knots. "I've got no plans of exposing you, it would be a shame to ruin the work you put into your... outfit."

A slow exhale from the nose, and they force their shoulders to relax. Can't have the other actors see the two of them at odds, they're clearly just a couple of friends running into each other! A funny coincidence! Their voice raises back to a normal speaking tone, all sunshine and cheer as they give Alastor a pat on the back that falls short of actually touching him. "I take it you're here to audition for a part, then?"

Alastor

Alastor wheezes a near-silent laugh. “Isn’t it hideous?” he whispers. “You should see what the full leggings look like, they’re horrible.”

He lets go and steps back. “I am! I was seized by a wild burst of inspiration, and auditions happened before that inspiration ran out. I take it you... *already* auditioned.” Which raises a whole slew of questions, but Alastor starts with the most important one: “Which part?”

Valera

Valera sends up a silent prayer of thanks to any God listening, hands folding behind their back as they admire Alastor's grotesque attire. "Unfortunately, I kind of love it. It's vile, but with a few tweaks it could be a genuinely good outfit."

They clear their throat at his latter question, rolling back on the heels of their new shoes. "Washington. I didn't come to Hell today expecting to audition for anything, I was just here buying shoes. But I heard music, saw the theater, decided to pop in and see what was going on. And hey, why not try out? Didn't expect to run into you of all people."

Alastor

A little tension drains out of his shoulders at the answer. He glances down to idly check out Valera’s new shoes. “Oh, good! I don’t have to duel you for a part.” He almost instinctively starts playing a snip from “Ten Duel Commandments” to underline the comment, but catches himself. He is, after all, trying not to blow his cover—he’s even consciously suppressing the radio distortion to his voice, he nearly sounds like a normal person. “The feeling’s *entirely* mutual. You’re about the last person I’d expect to try out for a show around here, so far from home!”

And he’s not sure how he feels about it yet. He’s been trying to avoid talking to Valera—can’t get in trouble after interacting with them if they *don’t* interact, can he?—and now here he is doing the opposite of that... but they haven’t started another stupid argument. Yet. “What are you doing if you actually get the part? You’re committing to being in Pentagram City on a near daily basis for—goodness, months at least!”

Valera

They don't know how they feel about seeing him here either. It went from being a fun little spur of the moment tryout before icecream into an UNEXPECTED INTERACTION with A PERSON THEY DON'T KNOW WELL. But no, they have to tamp down on the urge to make their excuses and leave, things would never improve between them if Valera did nothing but avoid him after all.

"IF I get the part! I haven't been in a production in years, I'm rusty compared to plenty of the actors here today, I'm sure." A hand waves, lazy and dismissive. "But if I do pull it off, I've been planning on spending more time in Hell anyway. This is just a convenient excuse."

Alastor

“Hah, I haven’t tried out for a show since—well, since before you were born.” And then, he’d just been doing it as a lark, too—something to attempt to keep his mind occupied. He hadn’t actually *wanted* to be in a production this badly since he lived in New York, before he gave up on making it on Broadway and went into radio. “But how many of *them* can launch into a full musical number at the drop of a hat!”

Valera

Right, it was easy to forget that Alastor was old enough to be their dad. Or Grandpa. Probably? They'd done the math at some point..

"Hatched." They correct on reflex, reaching up to fuss with the feather on their hat. "Who are you trying for? Lafayette? I could see you as a Lafayette." They're saying it because of the French, but they will NOT say that out loud.

Alastor

Great-grandpa, easily. Maybe even great-great grandpa if a few generations got early starts.

His face brightens. “Let’s hope the casting director thinks so, too! Yes, Lafayette and Jefferson—the same actor played them both in the mortal realm, why shouldn’t one person play both down here, too?”

Valera

Great-grandpa Alastor, the spryest old man in the nursing home. Eating the interns when he gets bored... That sounds like a typical older Veci actually.

They hum, looking Alastor up and down in his getup. "You'll get the part, or I'll eat this silly chapeu. I've seen the competition you're up against. They're good, don't get me wrong, but..." A vague gesture at him. "Nobody could compete!"

Alastor

"You flatter me!" All the same, he's beaming widely. "But I was hoping that would be the case, what with when they scheduled auditions. January's a bad time for, well, *most* people's schedules. I'm afraid I missed all but the tail end of your performance—spectacular choice of song, though!"

Valera

"Why thank you! Will Wood doesn't fit the show's theme in the slightest, but it certainly shows my singing chops! Though if I'd planned for this audition I might have gone with an outfit a bit less.. *French*." They grin, shimmying their enormous sleeves. Unrepentant in the slightest. "Might. I could see Washington's doughy self in this getup."

Alastor

Alastor examines Valera’s getup. Was that French? It just looked old-fashioned to him. “Well, hopefully they’re not going to judge based on fashion!” He glances pointedly down at his own outfit.

Valera

Another glance at his outfit, and they give a thumbs up. "You've got a bowtie on, you'll be fine."

Oh. Would it be a supportive friend thing to do to sit and wait for his call with him? Or would that be somehow rude? They couldn't just ask, if it *was* rude he'd probably be offended by the notion, but if it wasn't... Something bad. Probably? Maybe they're being unfair. A quick clearing of the throat, and they gesture towards the door. "Do you want to sit down? I've got time to kill before. Uh... *Mon Cerf Rouge* arrives with my ice cream."

Alastor

*Oh right*, he’s wearing *Valera’s husband’s* bow tie. His hand flies up to cover it as if that will prevent it from being identified, and he quickly forces his hand back down. “Well! I wasn’t going to show up to an audition underdressed, was I?” He laughs thinly. Don’t act suspicious it’s fine.

Is Valera hanging out with another Alastor? He wonders which one. How is it that every version of himself manages to get along with them but him? It wouldn’t be so galling if *none* of them could get along with Valera, but if it’s something he uniquely is doing wrong—no, don’t worry about that right now.

His first inclination is to turn down the offer, they’ve had a cordial conversation so far and he can’t mess it up if it ends right here; but there’s a chance they’re about to both end up in the same show, isn’t there? Polite avoidance might not be an option for long. Better get to work on getting along. “Sure! It’s a bit yet until my turn.”

Valera

What a reaction! They will politely pretend they didn't see him have a miniature panic over being seen wearing Pentious' bowtie. Far too busy inspecting their gloves, for some reason. How convenient.

Well, now they've done it, they're stuck here. Though it's surprising he accepted the offer, maybe it'll be okay? If he really wanted to avoid them he could have turned the offer down. They're probably overthinking it. A quick nod, and then they perch on the edge of a seat so their fuckoff huge tail can actually fit amidst the mounds of ruffles. On the plus side, nobody but Alastor was going to be taking the seats next to them anytime soon, unless they wanted to fight the tide of frills.

Time to.. Get along? Polite chit chat? "Is this the first production of Hamilton in Hell? It's a fairly new musical, and I know there's a bit of a delay getting things down here."

Alastor

“The very first! In fact, this production company is the one that got the first recording smuggled down from the living realm! Online there’s a few amateur recordings of recent arrivals singing the songs they remember, but so far that’s the only presence Hamilton has had in Hell. Anyone who gets in this show has an opportunity to *define* their roles in the eyes of the public.” Oh, he’s getting a little starry-eyed just thinking of it. “I suppose you’ve probably seen the original production in the mortal realm?”

Valera

"I did, though that was long before I met you or I'd have invited you along!" They're going to take the hat off, it's very silly and the feather keeps floating around in the corner of their vision. Plus, now they have something to hold in their hands so they can't start doing anything weird with them. Win win!

Alastor seems genuinely excited about this production, he'd gone through all the effort to get an outfit, come for tryouts.. And they just sauntered in on a whim. Thank the gods they weren't trying out for the same part, Valera would have had to bow out immediately. "I wonder if any of the actual founding fathers have survived long enough down here to see the show. Wouldn't *that* be something?"

Alastor

“Wouldn’t it just! I can’t think of *anything* I’d enjoy more than prancing around on stage making Jefferson look like an absolute damn fool while the real deal seethes in a front row seat!” He laughs. It’s not a terribly friendly laugh. “But I don’t know if any are down here. I don’t pay close attention to that sort of thing—and anyway, most *important* people who end up damned either find themselves on the receiving end of a deluge of assassination attempts or else change their identities fairly fast. A founding father could show up and audition to play as himself and we might not know.” A thoughtful pause. “Although I doubt any of them would get the part.”

Valera

"I'd assume they wound up here, considering the whole owning slaves and starting wars thing. Good PR post mortem doesn't absolve you of shitty behaviors in life, unfortunately." Yes. Very unfortunate. That's why they're grinning so toothily. "Imagine if we got the actual King George on the roster? Though I'd rather see Pentious try for the part, personally." There's no way George was still around, he'd gone batty enough in life that he'd probably wandered onto the nearest angelic spear first thing. But they could dream!

Alastor

“One would hope! But no one’s ever sent me the rule book on what does and doesn’t get you access upstairs, who knows for sure? I can tell you what I think *should* get you down here, but I can’t tell you with complete certainty whether or not it does.”

Oh, his eyes light up at that. “Just imagine him in the full raiment of a king! But no. Getting up on stage to have hundreds of people laugh at him for dressing and acting like royalty? He’d hate it.”

Valera

"He'd look glorious in a crown! But you're right, he'd never want a comic relief role, even if he WOULD get to sing about sending battalions after people." Alas and alack, King George ala Pentious would have to live in their dreams. But they smirk, leaning a fraction closer to Alastor to whisper. "But we might be able to get him to sing it privately, at least, and wouldn't that be lovely?"

Quickly pulling back, they cross one leg over the other and put on that cheerful grin again. "What do you think *should* qualify to send people to Hell, my fine fellow? It's a broad question, so we can skip it if you'd rather not open that can of worms."

Alastor

Wouldn’t it be lovely, indeed. He smiles uncomfortably and glances away.

“Oh, skip it.” He waves a hand vaguely. “I find the topic as sanctimonious as it is futile. It may not be for *you*, perhaps—for you, it’s little more than an interesting thought experiment on alien morality—but for us? What’s the good of debating why people should be damned when we’re *already* damned? It’s not going to help us get out of Hell. God isn’t going to take our suggestions into consideration. All the topic does is make one bitter that the powers that be don’t appear to be judging people to one’s personal moral standards—or else it inspires one to assume that God *is* operating in line with one’s personal understanding of justice, and try to pigeonhole everyone one meets into the crimes one believes are worthy of damnation. I’ve run into countless people down here who *don’t know why* they’re damned—and yet they *are* damned, which means they’ve done something that *is* damnable even if they themselves don’t believe it. If people can’t understand their own sins, how can they be trusted to judge anyone else’s?”

Valera

They lean back as Alastor skips one can of worms for another, watching him as he broke down his reasoning. It was interesting, insightful, even if they didn't have much to say to him in response. He was right, after all. For them it was an alien concept, a novelty to roll around and discard when they were bored, just like so many other human notions. But not everyone was so lucky. A nod of agreement, and they flick their tail.

"You're right. My apologies, Alastor, it's easy to forget how... fortunate I am, to be in the position I'm in." A side eye at the other actors, who PROBABLY couldn't hear the conversation, but even so. "Something lighter, then. Have you had a chance to work on restoring your deathday gift yet? You did a fine job with Alexander, he's as glossy as the day you *finished* him."

Alastor

“Oh, that’s just to be expected. How many people have a chance to measure their lives up against the dead and damned, anyway? We’re not given opportunities to interact with anyone but our fellow prisoners and our jailers, and that’s by design.” He’s occasionally side-eyeing the other actors himself, but none seem to be paying attention.

“Oh—yes! Cleaned out the guts and got off the worst of the grime of age. I need to get a few cleaning supplies to finish the job, but soon the both of them will be spick and span!” Look at him beaming, the proud father. “How *is* Alexander? I wanted to talk to him while visiting your place, but his time seemed to be monopolized by someone else the whole trip!” He really did feel bad about that. He feels like he’s got something a duty to Alexander, but so far he hasn’t been able to meet it.

Valera

This was a MUCH better topic. Radios and mutual friends, much safer. They let their shoulders relax under the jacket, chirping as their fins waggle. "I'm sure they'll be as good as new by the time you're done with them, mon collègue. You'll have to show me how they come out. A beautiful antique is always twice as radiant when restored with care, and those radios were gorgeous."

Ah.. Alexander. Their face twists, a frown tugging at the corners of their mouth. "Alexander is.. alright, I suppose. Nothing terrible has happened, and I've been trying to work with him on his manifestations with generally mixed to positive results." They shrug, sighing through their nose. "I think he misses other humans. Or former humans, I suppose. We get along well, but he'll see something and start talking about.. Ponzi? Or his mother writing to him from the" Airquotes here as they squint "Dust Bowl?" What the fuck is a dust bowl? They don't know, it sounds like something a chinchilla would roll in. "And he loses me completely."

Alastor

“I’ll have Vaggie take pictures some time.”

Alastor’s eyebrows shoot up. “That poor man got tangled up with Ponzi *and* the dust bowl? Goodness, what an unfortunate life he lived! But you’re right, he really needs more humans to talk to, doesn’t he? I’ll—“ A pause, and then he says thoughtfully, “I’ll see whether I can contact him myself. If not, I’ll let you know and we’ll arrange a play date. If it works, though—you’ll probably hear about it from him.”

Valera

Contact Alexander himself? Valera opens their mouth to ask how, then it clicks. Right, radio to radio transmissions. Could Alastor reach radios outside of Hell? Maybe it would be easier if the radio was haunted, a bit closer to the fuzzy boundaries between Heaven, Hell, and Earth. Or, Okkylk in this case. Hm.

"I'll take your word for it, I haven't got the foggiest about what either of those are. What the *devil* is a Ponzi?" They've heard "Ponzi Scheme" said in movies, but maybe it wasn't even the same Ponzi! Maybe Ponzi was a normal human thing. Like a brand, they do love their brands... "But thank you. I think he'd benefit from having more than one very alien being to talk to."

Alastor

“Charles Ponzi! A con artist! He convinced a whole slew of people to give him a mountain of money to invest in what he claimed was some post office money-making scheme and that he’d double their money in a month or two. Instead, he pocketed the money, convinced *another* slew of people to give him money for the same scheme, used that money to pay off the first wave of suckers—and rinse and repeated until he’d scammed thousands and stolen millions! Spent a few years in prison, got out and tried another scheme, got arrested in dear old New Orleans trying to flee the country! You knew you weren’t going to be bored any time he showed up in the papers!” Alastor loves a good con artist story. “The Dust Bowl, I missed myself—just a little bit after my time—but from my understanding it was a big drought in the middle of the States that dried out a bunch of farmland. Lot of farming families starved those years.” Alastor loves a good con artist, but starving people are just sad.

Valera

This Ponzi guy should have gone into politics, hot damn. Valera makes a low whistle, nodding their approval. "That DOES explain why he thought about Ponzi, we were talking about the weird political scams my predecessor left me on the hook for when I snuffed him out. Though I think that Charles there pulled it off with more flair than that bird brain ever could have. What a character! I've got to respect that kind of daring."

Probably best not to comment too much on the dust bowl, that sounds like a downer. But, they did bring it up, and if they're talking about Alexander.. "That does explain it. I believe his family was based in that middle area." A nod, and they immediately jump to something less negative. "Let him prattle on at you about his electronics store, he'd love it. The man talked my fins off for twenty minutes about something called a Perikon Detector a regular asked him to order and I STILL don't understand why he was so exasperated about it."

Alastor

“Oh, did he ever have flair! There’s a story I heard about when news of his scams started hitting the papers—all his investors swarmed his offices to demand their money back, he went around to them one by one offering coffee and donuts and smiles, and charmed them so well they *left* their money with him!” Alastor laughs.

Perikon Detector? Alastor stares off into space a moment, trying to dig the term out of nearly-century-old memories. “... Probably because Perikon Detectors were replaced by vacuum tubes before ninety percent of the nation ever even *heard* of radios. What the hell did someone want a Perikon Detector?”

Valera

They laugh, clapping their hands together. Charles Ponzi, was it? They'd have to look the fellow up later just to see the details of his escapades, maybe forward the information to a certain lawyer they knew. But for now, their potential costar has been oddly silent..

Alastor in a state of blank befuddlement was a rare treat, and one that Valera enjoyed while they could before he seemed to snap back into focus with his scrabbled knowledge in hand. "You'll have to ask him for specifics, but judging by the choice of insults, this person had a habit of asking for obscure, outdated parts rather frequently. Maybe a collector? Upcycler?" They shrug. "I still have no idea what a Perikon Detector IS. It sounds like a little bauble they'd use in a bad sci-fi show."

Alastor

“Well, it detects perikons, obviously!” He pauses. Dead silence. “Right, forgot I gave the laugh track the afternoon off. You at least know what vacuum tubes are, right? They, uh...” Has Alastor ever actually learned what it is, *exactly,* that vacuum tubes do. He knows how to use them. He knows how to tell which one he needs. He’s put them in radios. He’s *made* radios. But his eyes glaze over whenever he tries to learn what exactly it is the electricity *does* in there.

“Well,” he says confidently, “they control electrons, you see. You’re not getting very far in electronics if you can’t control electrons.” There’s a smattering of laughter. “Shut up, you’re all on break. Anyway, you’ve got vacuum tube radios and crystal radios—there’s a crystal in a Perikon Detector, see—and vacuum tube radios actually need some electricity to power them—which means you’ve got enough electricity to also power a speaker. Crystal radios are powered only by the very radio waves they pick up, but you’ve got to squeeze headphones against your face to hear it—so not very useful if you want to use a radio while doing anything but sitting in one spot very quietly with your hands over your ears. A Perikon Detector is just one brand name of crystal detectors that pick up radio waves.”

Valera

Alastor's initial joke is delivered, and Valera rather wished it hadn't been. In fact, they'd like to file a formal complaint with the verbal post office, they seem to have delivered an auditory assault instead of pleasantries. Silence reigns between them, oppressive and all consuming like an unjust monarch, three eyes staring silent judgement at the Radio Demon for his awful, terrible, no good dad joke levels of comedy. Jingle the bells on your little jester hat, old man-- Oh wait, he's talking again.

Valera stops squinting, rolling their eyes with a groan. He's still telling bad jokes. Those are only funny when YOU'RE the one telling them, the bastard. But they're going to completely gloss over his evil sense of humor and focus on the technical talk, and if there's a little upward twitch of their lips it's his imagination. Shut up. Dad jokes aren't funny. "Interesting! I'd never even heard of a crystal radio before, humans upgrade their technology so quickly that it makes the mind reel. One of their.. Your? Finer features."

Alastor

Alastor is goddamn hilarious and a gift to the microphone and the world is better for him and his humor having been in it, if we’re not counting those murders he did. “It *is* one of our more impressive parlor tricks! Although, truth be told, only one we picked up in the last century or so!” A pause. “Last *two* centuries. I keep forgetting the 1820s aren’t a hundred years ago. Anyway, we’ve really picked up the pace lately, relatively speaking! I once heard someone say—I don’t know how he knows, but I’m sure someone looked it up—that for several thousand years, the human *pelvis* evolved faster than the plowshare! And then all of the sudden, boom! Factories! Steel! Trains! Airships! Radio! How did people before the nineteenth century not bore themselves to death, I’ll never know.”

Valera

Valera cocks their head to the side, mind casting back. "From what I recall about sixteen hundreds France from my earliest visits, there was a lot of interpersonal drama and dying from preventable diseases to keep people busy. Much less interesting than the industrial revolution. Though the water was also a lot *cleaner* back then." A dissatisfied scoff. "Late eighteen hundreds London was a foul, foul place. Only went once and I had a cough for a week."

Alastor

"Oh, *that's* right! *Human drama!* Entertainment at its purest! I would have been an insufferable gossip, I'm sure." His smile broadens with satisfaction at figuring out what he would have done before radio.

Valera

"Oh don't sell yourself short, Alastor. I'm sure given the chance, you could be an insufferable gossip now, too!" They flutter their lashes dramatically, fanning themselves with their hat as they titter like a fine court damsel. Okay, enough of that. "They should be calling you soon, no?"

Alastor

“You flatter me! If more people shared gossip with me, I *would* be!”

Oh, right. He’s here for the first audition he’s cared about since dying. He sits up a little straighter, ears almost lifting out of his absurd disguise hair as he strains to listen to the current audition on stage. Sounds like it’s wrapping up. “Probably.” He looks down at his printed lyrics again and, predictably, forgets how to read.

Valera

Valera glances at Alastor's paper, humming as their hands rest on their hat. Was he *nervous*?

"Are you nervous?" Wait they said that out loud didn't they. Well, shit. Better commit. "What did you say you were doing again? The Major General's Song?"

Alastor

He's gonna ignore the hell out of that first question. "Yes, Modern Major General—and I learned a couple of songs from the show, more or less. I don't know what they're going to ask for. I figured at a minimum Modern Major General would show I can sing fast enough for the parts, if they don't want anyone to sing from the show."

Valera

If he'd actually answered the question, Valera would have probably accused him of being an imposter. Alastor wasn't known for admitting to his emotions unless you happened to be a Victorian steampunk snake, and even then. A sigh, and they lean back in their seat as much as their tail allows. "They let me sing Will Wood, so I think your selection should be perfectly sufficient. You even went with another musical theater song!"

Valera

Even then, he only just sort of failed to deny straightforward accusations. Kind of like what he just did. "I'm glad I didn't go with Will Wood," he mutters.

Yep, there's no more singing or talking from the stage, they're definitely wrapping up. Any second now.

Valera

It sounds like Alastor's turn is coming up, and good timing on that. They had no idea how to respond to his mutterings beyond pointing out that no casting director in Hell was likely to have heard of a semi obscure avant-garde jazz musician. Which might not even be accurate, maybe he was popular down here.

Out comes the phone, the ultimate distraction to ignore a potentially awkward silence. Better to end the talk on a positive-ish note, considering they're going to be seeing this garishly dressed man on the daily for possibly months. Sit next to one Alastor, text another, barely suppress snorts when the second gets confused about "phish food" being an ice cream flavor. As a fish does.

Alastor

The most recent actor comes backstage again, and another demon calls, “Next, uh... Lass?”

Alastor hops to his feet. “That’s me! That’s my name.” He turns to Valera. “Stage name. Drag name, usually, but as long as I’ve got the hair and the dress today—Anyway!” He claps a hand on Valera’s shoulder. “Tell me to break a leg!”

Valera

They glance up from their phone at the name call, sliding their eyes back down as Alastor hops up. Off he goes then? Maybe not, he's talking now, they should respond--

They make a very undignified BWAGH at the unexpected touch, hat flying off their lap as their whole body jumps. Then immediately pretends it didn't happen, clearing their throat noisily. What? No, they didn't just jump out of their scales. "Break a leg, Alastor."

Alastor

*Wheeze.* He doesn’t apologize but he *does* quickly take his hand back, which is probably as close as they’re gonna get from him. “Thanks!” He startled the hell out of someone and got a quick laugh out of it, that does something to steady his nerves. He folds up his lyrics, tucks them away god-only-knows-where, and strides out. Showtime!

Valera

Valera watches him go, shaking their head as they stand. Well, that's one radio demon out of their hair. Time to go willingly throw themselves at another one! The hat is plucked off the floor, and off they go. Not too shabby a day, not too shabby at all.

#chat log #autokrates

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greatneedtotakeanap · 4 years

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i binge read

episode 14 - the tyrant’s tomb

the penultimate.

all right this one was Long and i have Feelings

Firstly. Always fantastic to see Hazel Levesque. She just makes me smile, like every scene is just better with her in it. Centurion Levesque just brightens my day.

At the very beginning, when Apollo got scratched by that ghoul, I knew it was gonna come back to bite him. I so knew. The way he described the cut,,, I just knew. I didn’t think it was actually gonna come that close to turning him into a zombie, but still. It surprised me as much as it did Apollo when he hid it from Meg. The way he’s coming to seriously love her is adorable. I think this is such an important theme in Trials of Apollo - Heroes of Olympus focused on the evolution and perseverance of romantic love, which is great, but it focused on that a LOT. I was really hoping a couple of characters would stay platonic - and it’s true, there was a little development in the platonic bonds of characters like Leo and Piper, or Hazel and Jason. But I was hoping we’d see more of that platonic love, and we did in this book. I just get really excited at Apollo and Meg’s relationship, even though it’s quite complicated - older brother/messed up older cousin energy meets bratty younger sister/abused feral adopted child energy - but I love it. The way they depend on each other. It’s adorable.

I kind of went off on an Apollo Meg tangent didn’t I? Let’s get back on track with Reyna. I one hundred percent headcanon her as aro/ace. I think her story mirrors the aro/ace struggle, or even my own as an ace girl. I related with her so much. Her story was touching: everybody always trying to fix her; Venus herself acting like ending up single was some terrible awful curse, like saying ‘no mortal or demigod would ever heal your heart’ is the worst thing that could happen to her; forcing herself to like boys or even girls to seem normal; finding out that she can take her time, and the right person will either come or they won’t, and if they do then she’ll take it, but if they don’t she’ll shed no tears. The aphobia I saw when Rick announced she was supposed to be ace was astounding. She’s my figurehead. In short, stan Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano.

The scene with the silence god was probably the most powerful scene in this whole book, and I don’t think anyone will disagree with me here. For me, it had the most powerful imagery. Sometimes I backed up and read some paragraphs again, just to put the image in my head again. It was just so powerful - I could almost hear the silence, see the slideshow of images in every scene. I actually teared up at the end, when he gave up his breath. It was just so gorgeously vivid.

Also, the way he made us think Frank was dead? Cruel. Heartless. I vividly remember reading this book last year and actually sobbing. The first time, I was so overcome with emotions that I remember feeling so vindicated by Apollo killing Commodus. My blood was boiling. I’m so glad Frank came back in the end, because Jason Grace was enough, good god. He didn’t need to take Frank too. I’m crossing my fingers that that’s enough, particularly in the Tower of Nero. If I end up crying,,, well. I sure hope I won’t end up crying. (but please please no spoilers.)

All right. I’m caught up with the present. Over the past two weeks, I’ve spent every spare moment rereading the entire arc in this world, falling in love with the characters, breaking my heart and mending it and breaking it again on fast-forward. Next time - the fifteenth and final book of this entire three-series epic.

I’m definitely as excited as all of you are.

#trials of apollo #toa #the tyrant's tomb #ttt #nap binge reads

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penninstitute · 5 years

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CASE #0040218-A

Statement of Irene Tarantino, regarding a raccoon in her trash. Original statement given February 18th, 2004.

Fuck raccoons.

I mean, objectively, they're fine, they're good animals, but fuck raccoons. They are the worst fucking things to ever exist on this goddamn planet, and I'll stand by that until the day I die. They're awful, and not just because they can have rabies or whatever other awful raccoon diseases are out there, they can be super fucking mean, and they like to rattle around in your god-fucking-damn trash cans in the middle of the night so goddamn loud that everyone in the fucking neighborhood can hear it.

I don't care if they're an important part of nature or if they're integral to the fucking ecosystem, which I don't think they are, but these George fucking Harrison from Charlotte's Web motherfuckers can get the fuck out of my trash.

Anyways. I guess I'm here to tell you about the fucked up raccoon I saw? I just needed to get that bit out.

Basically, I'd just gotten my own place with my boyfriend Darren. It was a nice, small house, very typical middle-aged middle-class white person purchase, I get it. The house isn't important, anyways. We put out our trash every Wednesday night like the rest of the neighborhood, and it gets picked up on Thursday. This went off without a goddamn hitch for at least two months before Hell started to break loose in our trash cans every Wednesday night.

The first time it happened, I'd been home, reading something--I think I might've been rereading the Harry Potter series, I honestly don't know. Again, not important to the story. Darren was out, he works nights, so it was just me in the house. I started to hear this thumping noise outside, but when I looked out the window, nothing was there.

The noise stopped after about two minutes, and I decided it wasn't worth looking into.

And then it happened again, the next week. I had the windows open this time, and the thumping was much louder, and lasted much longer. This time, though, there was something else--there was this horrible smell, like something was rotting. I didn't go look, this time, almost afraid of what I'd see. It seriously smelled like something had died and begun to rot out in the sun, something big.

And then after about ten minutes, the thumping died off, and the smell gradually disappeared. I told Darren about it when he got home, but he didn't find anything out by the trash--something had been digging through it, but probably just a raccoon, he'd said.

That didn't explain the smell, but I accepted it as fact and moved on with my life.

It kept happening. Once a week, there'd be thumping and scratching out by the trash cans, and that awful smell--the sounds would get louder and the smell would get worse, and I'd just ignore it until it went away. It began to be longer periods of time, too, like whatever it was wanted me to notice, to get annoyed.

Well, I did. Get annoyed, that is. It was three months into this that I decided I would take care of the issue, and I grabbed a broom and stormed outside when I heard the thumping start.

I didn't get far before the smell hit, and it was so much worse up close. I practically choked on it, it was nauseating. I pushed on, because I was determined to get whatever little furry fucking monster that had been causing this ruckus for the past few months.

I didn't expect to see a fucking raccoon's corpse.

The thing was rotting, the flesh was sloughing off the bones, and its head swiveled almost all the way around, missing one eye and the other looking mostly blind. The skin and fur was torn and shredded, rotting bones and muscle exposed underneath. It was horrible. I'm not sure why I didn't scream, because that seems like the appropriate response, but I didn't.

It made a sound that could have been a raccoon, once. It was a low gurgling noise that vaguely resembled something animalistic. I could have ignored the situation entirely, if not for the fact that it leapt at me.

I smacked it out of the air with the broom, and proceeded to beat the shit out of it until it scrambled off with one leg almost entirely fallen off. It was fucked up, I don't know how it was still moving--it had to have been dead, nothing could survive so long in the state it was in. That encounter didn't deter it, though.

The next week, it was back again, and it was louder than ever, as if to fucking spite me.

I got a shovel this time, and marched out there to chase it away again. The raccoon--I don't know what else to call it, calling it a zombie seems almost ridiculous--wasn't happy to see me. It ran, though not before hissing and spitting at me. The thing's saliva killed the grass it landed in instantly, causing it to shrivel up and turn black. I don't want to think about what might've happened had it hit me.

It kept coming back, week after week, and I just kept going out with the shovel or the broom to deal with it. I'm assuming it'll be back this week. I'll just chase it away again.

If you have any tips on how to get rid of it, they would be greatly appreciated.

FOLLOW-UP NOTES:

- Ms. Tarantino was contacted for a follow-up interview, in which she claimed the raccoon was still around and that she had been dealing with it on her own.

- The hunting department has decided to take over this case, as it seems more aligned with their practices of exterminating supernatural pests instead of our habit of merely recording the occurrences. We’ll see what happens--hopefully Hazel will bring back a detailed recount of the encounter.

- While it’s unclear if the raccoon is undead or not, something supernatural is clearly going on here.

#statement #0040218 #tma #the magnus archives

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ace-angel-judas · 6 years

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Mend

Pairing: Vernon/Melody ft Chanyeol

Series: Seventeen 14th Member Au

Rating: Fluff ft angst ending

Synopsis: Vernon and Melody mend their fight.

“I’ve called Eomma, I’ve called Sophia, I’ve called Leo, I have no idea where she could have gone!” Vernon panicked, throwing his hands up in the air, “What if she got kidnapped? Some crazy fan could have stolen her up from the streets and I’ll never see my sister again!”

“Okay, Calm down,” Seungkwan waved his hands, “You are overreacting about this entire thing,”

“MY SISTER IS MISSING DO NOT SAY I AM OVERREACTING!”

“Hansol, this is overreacting just a tiny bit,”

“Hanae, not right now-”

Vernon stopped, turning to the dorm door where his sister stood. She had a small bag in her hand, filled with her clothes from the previous day, the clothes she was wearing now where much too big for her small frame. Melody looked completely fine, not a scratch on her body.

Tears filled his eyes and he rushed to her, pulling the younger twin into a hug. Melody complied, rubbing her brother’s back gently and letting the bag fall to the ground.

“I’m sorry,” Vernon whispered through tears.

“I should have had Wonho Oppa call you,” Melody sniffled.

God damn, he should have checked with Wonho, “It’s okay, you’re home,”

The two twins pulled away and Melody was greeted with twelve other hugs, including a tearful Dino and relieved looking S.Coups. She didn’t mean to worry people, Melody just needed to be away from the fight.

S.Coups pointed between the two, “You two both need to go and talk things out, without us,”

Melody and Vernon both shared a look before nodding and walking to their shared bedroom. Everything was how they had left it, the bunk bed, the twin desk, and decorations in all the right places. Vernon picked up her phone from the desk, handing it to his sister.

She smiled and grabbed the device, “Thank you,”

“I didn’t go through it anymore,” Vernon explained, “I was too worried about you,”

“I’m sorry, Hansol..,”

A yawn escaped their mouths simultaneously and the twins giggled.

“I didn’t sleep much last night,” They both spoke and giggled after.

Vernon was the one to pull them both down onto the bottom bunk, they laid on their sides, face to face.

“I was really worried, you should probably call Mom and Appa,” Vernon sighed, “And Sophia,”

“I didn’t mean to make them all worry,” Melody rested her forehead against his, “I just, yesterday was..,”

“Horrible?”

“Terrible,” Melody nodded, “We’ve never fought before,”

The older boy closed his eyes, “It’s better with you here, I feel better somehow,”

Melody smiled and unlocked her phone, “Me too..,”

He peaked an eye open and looked at what his sister was doing, “You don’t have to stop talking to him, I mean, you’re basically an adult even though you’re a little bit younger,”

“No, it’s okay,” Melody’s finger hovered over the block button before clicking it, “Wonho Oppa pointed out something to me and TOP sunbae,”

“TOP sunbae?!” Veron gasped, “BigBang TOP?”

The girl giggld, “It’s a little bit of a long story but I’ll tell you,”

Chanyeol frowned as he checked his phone for what felt like the hundredth time in the last two seconds, it was almst a full day without any replies from Melody. He heard about her being missing, it gave him a sick feeling in his stomach.

What if she was hurt? Did she get lost somehwere and her phone was out of battery? Melody had said she was going to the library yesterday with a friend but other then that, there had been no replies. Chanyeol typed a messege.

Puppy: Hey, are you okay? I’m really worried about you, We haven’t gone this long without talking before. Text me when you’re okay, I’m always here for you <3

You can no longer contact this user.

Sitting up, Chanyeol stared at the messege, rereading it over and over again. Biting his bottom lip, tears stung his eyes.

Puppy: Melody?

You can no longer contact this user.

The sinking feeling his stomach rose again and Chanyeol threw his phone down. He sniffled as tears rolled down his cheeks, covering his face.

“What did I do wrong?”

#seventeen 14th member au #seventeen 14th member

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willowdrabbles · 6 years

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Little bird no more (Rewritten)

Hey guys I'm back and better than before! I'm so sorry for leaving you guys hanging on Little Bird No More, but I promise this one will be better written and simply more than the old one. I felt like I was disappointed in myself with what I had come up with and just wasn't happy with it. I knew I could do better but I simply didn't have the heart to do it. This one will essentially be the same story plot wise, but with more realistic elements involved. I've been constantly researching cannon concepts and such so I'm not too far off the beaten path when writing this again.

A few things to take note of though: Given the amount of time it would realistically take to find all these shards, I have changed the years. (canonly, The Inu gang find and destroy the jewel all in under a year, then Kagome is sent back to her time for three years, and so the series ends three years later.) So, with that I've adjusted it to be a three year hunt, Kagome is 18 years old, the Jewel is still unfinished, and not all of the events of The Final Act have occurred yet. Since I will somewhat be sticking with my original base plot line, I will be leaving the old story up for reference and rereads.

Last note is that this is a Sesshomaru/ Kagome Fanfic. I unfortunately do not own anything of Inuyasha. I will post the chapter under a read more because it is so damn long.

Chapter 1: Risen

Word count: 6691

Warning: Rated M- This chapter contains character injury.

Re posted from my Fanfiction

Tumbler navigation

A sudden stiff breeze hit the screen from the doorway, bringing in with it the scent of ash and wet soil as it blew through the half open door. The breeze blew the embers of the small fire pit within the hut, burning what little wood was left and causing it to collapse in on itself.

The small noise was enough to stir one little time traveling priestess from her sleep. Her body gave one minuscule jump to the noise and her blue eyes, stormy and dark from sleep, snapped open. Staring at the embers, Kagome slowly pushed herself up onto her hip as she carefully scanned the dark room of the hut.

Across from the fire pit was Sango and Miroku. Dawn was approaching, the only reason she knew was the sky was light enough to show the sheen of sweat on Miroku's face as he fitfully slept. Dark purple splotches were scattered on his right shoulder, obviously showing the miasma had not fully receded from his body. They had removed his robes to bandage him and let him rest easy, and kagome recalled the bitter comments of foolishness that Inuyasha has spat out while he helped. But he had not seen what she had seen. The dark,sharp, and deadly fast tentacles that had headed for Sangos back while she fought off a centipede demon. Almost making connection before the current of the wind tunnel diverted them, pulling them into the abyss of Miroku's hand.

Sango still had tears in her eyes as she slept, one hand clinging to Miroku's left.

Kirara was curled up on Sango's other side, sleeping soundly and peacefully it seemed despite her own injuries. Shippo was nowhere to be seen within the hut. The spot next to her where he normally slept was cold, but Rin and Jaken were outside, and he had been chatting with her until Kagome had fallen asleep, so she assumed he was still with her.

Eyes landing on the doorway, her eyes grew darker and blank as she noticed a certain red clad half demon was no longer at his 'post'. The dust on the floorboards was still unsettled from where he had folded himself in for the night. But he was obviously gone. That explained the dead fire.

Pain bloomed in her chest, a quiver in her lip had her biting it as she recalled the few words he spoke to her the previous night. They had not been kind. His whole demeanor since their last battle had not been kind.

"Give them to me!" Kikyo demanded once more, stepping forward threateningly. Kagome leaned back from her, not letting her eyes stray from her target. Her arm quivered at having held the arrow in her hand back so far, but she did not waiver.

"I won't! You don't know if your plan will work or if the miasma will corrupt the jewels before they reach him!" Kagome argued, trying to tune out the sound of Inuyasha's screaming and the other priestess at her side.

"If you do not wish to finish Naraku then give them to me! I will do it!" Kikyo lurched forward towards Kagome's chest, obviously seeking to grab the shards. Instinctively, Kagome's elbow shot up, slamming into Kikyo's nose with a distinct crack. Had she looked over, she would have seen the priestess stumble back a step, her eyes filled with anger and resentment while she cradled her nose, a thin line of a crack spreading across the bridge and down to her left cheek.

"I won't kill them too!" Kagome screamed, her eyes narrowing in warning for a second before returning to Naraku

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried desperately behind her. She had taken refuge behind Kagome when the fighting started to look bleak in their favor. By the sound of it she was just to her right now.

Kagome's dark blue eyes flickered slightly to the left, past Kikyo's shoulder to check on Sesshomaru and Koga. Sesshomaru was up to his neck in tentacle and miasma, his body being more engulfed by the second. Tokijin lay out of his reach, stuck in the mud below him. His lips were bared in a hideous snarl. Just passed him, also wrapped in more tentacles was Kouga, though only his arms and legs had been wrapped so far, and he was thrashing violently, but more of his body was being pulled in, and the closer he got the more curses spewed from his mouth.

"Once I absorb them, I'll have enough power to crush you all and take the rest of the jewel shards!" Naraku boasted, his dark red eyes glittering with almost lust as he looked at Kagome, his focus mostly on the bottle of shards dangling from her neck.

"Asshole." Kagome muttered.

"Kagome! Aim for his body already! On my count!" Inuyasha roared, prepping his tessaiga Kagome grimaced at the order, her eyes looking at Sesshomaru the same moment he locked eyes with her.

She couldn't tell what he was thinking, what the emotion besides anger that resided in his eyes at that moment, but it spurred her into action either way.

'Don't kill them' the pleaded to her bow silently, sucking in a breath as it pulled under her fingertips. With a quick exhale she let the arrow fly, watching it slice through the two fat tentacles that had wrapped themselves around Sesshomaru and Koga. Both demons fell from the air, Koga landing in a heap in the ground, immediately thrashing to remove the dying tentacles from his limbs. Sesshomaru however, with the weakening of his confines, managed to use his poison claws to remove the tentacles faster, allowing him to fall more carefully and gracefully to the ground.

"Damn you wench!" Naraku snarled, his whole disgusting body shifting before another dark gray tentacle was shooting in her direction.

Her eyes widened at the curve and angle he took, easily, he would take out the two woman and the child behind her with the blow.

Unable to reach, draw, and aim an arrow in time, she grabbed Rin by her thin arm and yanked her behind her, her eyes flashing with fierce determination.

"Get down!" She yelled at the child, her brows raising as her voice seemed to echo.

The echo was Inuyasha, who bolted in front of her to tackle Kikyo to the ground to avoid getting hit.

Time seemed to slow as the tentacle propelled forward. Somewhere beyond the rotten flesh she saw a glimmer of silver and the sound of a battlecry. A glimmer of Tokijin slicing through the air, suddenly the tentacle shuttered, still propelling forward, off course but still with force, the tentacle snapped through her bow as she held it out defensively, and continued through her shoulder, slicing her uniform and spraying blood on her cheek. She wasn't entirely sure when she left the ground, or even that she did, until she hit the hard dirt several feet back, winding her from the hit.

She grabbed her shoulder, wincing from the hot glob of mess that met her palm. Pain had not set in yet, so she lurched to sit up and make sure Rin was alright.

The small girl was laying on the ground, just pushing herself up to look at Kagome, fresh tears in the corners of her eyes. "Lady Kagome!" She screamed, scrambling on her hands and knees to get to the wounded priestess, "Lord Sesshomaru!" Her desperate, pleading wail echoed across the battlefield, louder than anyone calling out to Kagome in panic. Rin whimpered frantically looking around before letting go of Kagome and reaching down to her yukata, quickly ripping the bottom off and shoving the bundle into Kagome's shoulder.

Sesshomaru watched the pair with a bit of shock, his mouth open before his eyes flickered to Inuyasha, seeing a movement that was out of her prehervial vision. Suddenly he turned and bared a snarl at Naraku.

"You bastard! Windscar!" Kagome watched as Inuyasha took a running leap past her, swinging his sword with more vigor than before.

"Dragon strike!" Somewhere over the roar of the earth upturning, she heard Sesshomaru's own battle cry.

When the blue and yellow lightning dispersed, Kagome felt a twinge of horror that there was still some of Naraku left, floating in a small barrier containing himself, Kagura, and Magatsuhi.

"Until next time you pathetic fools." Naraku cackled, before his little orb of a barrier rapidly took to the sky.

Kagome was starting to feel the pain now, hot pain radiating from her shoulder to her fingertips and across her chest. The battle field was quiet for a moment, save the pounding of steps as Sango and Miroku sprinted to her side.

"Oh gods, Kagome!" Sango cried, her face held scratches and half of her hair was undone, but she did not seem more worse for wear. Miroku followed behind, panting terribly before coming to a stop a few feet away "Lady Kagome are you alright?"

Kagome nodded, wincing at the pull of muscle her neck caused. Shippo came running, her yellow backpack in his grasp, and handed it to Sango who sighed in relief

"Oh thank you Shippo." Sango said quickly, digging through the pack as Miroku plopped down with a groan, gripping his wrist with his free hand.

"Let's let them work." Shippo said softly, grabbing Rin's elbow to lead her back, giving Sango room to work. A small sob escaped Rin as she watched, unfazed it seemed by the blood but more at the horror it had happened because Kagome was protecting her.

"Kagome!" Koga yelled, leaping to her side and taking her left hand in his, offering a squeeze of support. "I'm so sorry that bastard got away. And he hurt you too! Damnit!"

Koga whipped around to face Inuyasha, having not thought of him until now Kagome also followed his gaze, staring at the half demon as he stared into the sky. Opposite direction that Naraku has escaped in. Curious, Kagome followed that direction as well, and saw a glimmer of silver and red retreating into the distance.

"What the hell muttface?! You helped let Naraku get away and Kagome got hurt! What the hell is your problem?" Koga growled, gripping her hand tighter. She winced at the force but said nothing.

Inuyasha stood there for a moment, his hair covering his expression and intensifying the silence that lingered.

"It's her fault." His voice came softly, but Kagome shivered at the tone. This was not going to go well.

"The fuck did you say?" Koga snarled, letting go of Kagome as he stood to face Inuyasha.

"Gah!" Miroku cried, toppling over and distracting everyone except Inuyasha for a moment.

"Miroku!" Sango cried, preparing to run to his side but stopping as she realized she was not done with Kagome.

"I can do it. Go." Rin said softly, stepping forward and gently taking the bandages from Sango. Nodding her thanks, Sango rushed to his side to asses the damage of his wind tunnel. Shippo still stayed at a distance, his eyes watery and clear, but burning with rage as he looked at Inuyasha.

"How can you say that Inuyasha! It wasn't her fault at all!" Shippo growled, his fists tightening.

"It's her fault Naraku got away! Kikyo told me she had a shot and she refused to take it!" Inuyasha yelled, his fangs bared at everyone in general who opposed him, red was rimming the corners of his eyes and Kagome gasped and Rin pulled a bandage slightly too tight.

"She saved me! And My Lord and Lord Koga!" Rin yelled back at him, an angry tear sliding down her face.

"She could have ended it! But she didn't because she's a weak pathetic little girl!" Inuyasha countered, his fists balling.

"What would you have had me do?! Kill Koga and Sesshomaru? Our allies? For the SLIGHT chance that Kikyo was right? There was no way that Kikyos plan would have worked! Then we would have lost all our shards, and Sesshomaru and Koga!"

"It would have worked if you had at least tried!"

"And then I would have killed our friends as well! You think I could live with this chance?!"

"Enough." A smooth voice interrupted the both of them, drawing their eyes to Sesshomaru, who stood now between Koga and Inuyasha, his eyes on Kagome at first, before bearing down on Inuyasha.

"You kick the girl when she is already down- how dishonorable of you little brother." He said coldly, eyes narrowing as Inuyasha drew his sword.

"What did you say to me?! She wouldn't be hurt if she had done her damn job! Not like you wouldn't do the same to me! You always kick people when they'r-"

With a grunt Koga landed a kick square to his jaw, sending the half demon several feet back and into the dirt. With a seemingly silent understanding, Koga and Sesshomaru shifted to stand next to each other, making a demonic human shaped barrier between the humans and Inuyasha.

"Naraku escaped because we were ill prepared and weak. It is of no fault of the Priestess'." Sesshomaru started plainly, cutting off Inuyasha as he sat up and prepared to argue once more. "I can accept my mistakes and learn from them, it is your problem if you can not do the same, and it will keep you weak."

Sesshomaru had effectively silenced Inuyasha, the red gone from the half demons eyes as he stood. Koga braced himself for another fight, his lips baring at Inuyasha, until he withdrew his sword, not looking at anyone but the ground.

"Either tend to your wounds or let them fester- come Rin." Sesshomaru looked at Rin, awaiting her to finish bandaging Kagome.

"My Lord, lady Kagome and Monk Miroku have both risked their lives to save me this night, I wish to help them however I can." Rin said, her eyes pleading as she looked at him. Somewhere form the border of the trees, and angry imp was screaming about disgrace and ungratefulness. Inuyasha snorted and folded his arms into his sleeves, turning away.

"Very well." Sesshomaru lamented.

That was how they ended up in the abandoned slayer's village once more. Kagome had tried her best to use her powers to heal her injury, however she had only deluded the pain and stopped the bleeding before she became exhausted. Sango put Miroku to bed and retrieved new clothes for Kagome- Black pants that she could say resembled workout tights in her day, only tied around the waist and knitted at the bottom of the legs with leather, and a navy blue thick Kimono to wear on top. A new bow and a sword were offered to her as well, and she had took them, though at the moment they were useless to her.

Pushing her sleeping bag off, she winced as she had to stretch out her arm to retrieve her shoes and put them on. Heaving herself to stand, she grimaced as she picked up her backpack and bow and arrows. Slinging them both over her good shoulder she stepped out into the dark gray morning, the screen shifting back into place behind her.

The abandoned slayers village was mostly quiet with the exception of the crackling campfire outside and the rumbling snoring of Jaken and Ah-Un.

Kagome smiled at seeing Rin comfortably curled up against the dragons side. Shippo also leaning against the hide of the great beast, Rin cuddling his tail as a pillow. Jaken snored from atop his saddle, sprawled across the dragons back. Kagome quietly continued past them, glad that it was still warm enough in the evenings for them to be fine with only a fire. She was almost through the broken gate when a shift of fabric caught her attention.

Ah, someone had to have been attending the fire next to Rin.

"Lord Sesshomaru." Kagome's eyes widened slightly as he shifted to face her, still leaning against the wooden walls. Cloaked in shadow and his aura withdrawn, it was no wonder she almost didn't see him.

"You venture out to find Inuyasha." His eyes looked bored, almost tired if she had to guess. And it was no wonder. His clothes still had slight stains on them, and his normally perfectly smooth hair did not fall straight at the moment. His bangs were frizzed, sticking out in different directions, and his hair had a slight swell of curve to it, teased and tangled around his shoulders, as though he had not taken the time to brush it yet.

Her eyes softened. "No. I need some air." She looked out the gate, eyes scanning over the misty air and the trees. There was no sign of the typical soul eaters that followed the priestess Inuyasha was most likely with at the moment. Not that she wanted to find him, but being unaware of where he was she was nervous of running across him while 'getting some air.'

Setting her shoulders back and sliding her bow down to her palm, she slipped out the gate and into the woods, her feet softly crunching leaves and sticks as she walked. She had been walking for a few minutes before a soft glow caught her eye. Turning curiously, she spotted a light baby blue bundle of orchids was nestled in the base of a tree, illuminated seemingly by the moon. Kagome's eyes brightened and a small smile graced her lips as she moved towards the flowers, kneeling before them to let their lovely scent fill her senses. They reminded her of the flowers her mother planted around the house just before spring, beautiful blossoms that and lilies and orchids that made the morning air sweet when she was leaving for school.

Smiling to herself, Kagome set down her bow and grabbed an arrow, using the head to cut off the flowers at the base and gently cradled them. 'I know where these should go…' She swept up her bow and draped it back over her shoulder. Feeling a quiet presence behind her she turned quickly, her eyes widening as she spotted Sesshomaru standing several feet behind her. She tilted her head at him, silently asking him 'what's up?'. Sesshomaru simply blinked at her, not moving nor offering any response.

Resisting the urge to shrug, Kagome continued on her way once more, now with a purpose and more spring in her step as the foggy morning grew lighter.

From where she had found herself in the woods, it was only a few minutes walk to the limestone cave. She did not mind the ghostly presence following her, feeling actually a bit more safe with the golden eyes at her back. She was curious why he was lingering, perhaps he was curious as to what she was up to as well.

Following her memory, she quickened her pace towards the cave when it finally came into view, looking eerily mournful as fog lingered around the mouth. She did not hesitate as she walked in, for a moment forgetting the presence behind her before she felt the shift of the barrier that covered the cave. She was already several feet in, her green spiritual glow fading when she whirled back, prepared to warn the Daiyoukai of the barrier.

"Oh." She murmured softly, huffing out the deep breath she had taken. Sesshomaru stood, clearly within the rippling barrier just inside the cave. Oddly, like herself, he glowed green as she had until he stepped away from the barrier. He arched a brow at her, then walked the few feet that separated them to stand next to her.

"Did you wish to not be disturbed girl?" He drawled out, brow still raised as he looked at her. Kagome blinked once or twice before shaking her head.

"Uh.. No not at all." She said quietly, snapping her mouth shut and continuing on. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls of the cave. Mildly bothered by the silence, Kagome peeked at Sesshomaru from the corner of her eye.

"Do you know what this place is?" She inquired, carefully stepping over a large outcropping rock. Honestly she had not been really expecting a response, so his voice gave her a small shock.

"Hn. Some place of power and importance." Sesshomaru remarked quietly, his voice not carrying far within the cave.

"Pretty much." Kagome smiled to herself "This is the resting place of Priestess Midoriko and the Demon she battled for seven days and seven nights. It was from this battle that the jewel was formed." Kagome explained as she saw the eerie glow of the crystallization.

"Midoriko." Kagome sighed, the crystallized corpses coming into view. Such a sight used to give her the creeps. Once upon a time she was just a fifteen year old girl who had never seen a dead body or a demon. Now, such a sight was normal, almost daily thing. But this tomb, these bodies, they were different to her. Something to be revered. History was made here, her whole life and future had been changed because of what happened here.

"You come to seek answers." Sesshomaru stated, though to her it was more of an assumption.

Gently she laid the flowers at the base of the limestone, pulling a dark strand of hair back behind her ear and away from her face, she smiled at the beautiful petals. "To pray, and meditate. Maybe I'll find answers on my own. But there's only so much you can get from a graveyard. You know besides a sword or a magical jewel with infinite power." She flashed him a cheeky grin, receiving no response. After a moment he looked at the stalagmite formation, his expression unreadable to her as he closed his eyes and slightly bowed his head, the smallest form of respect, but all the same enough to make her heart warm at the simple notion.

Kagome straightened her back and rocked back onto her heels before settling into a comfortable kneel. She clapped her hands together in a quick prayer, before resting her hands on her lap, taking a deep breath in to settle herself before preparing herself to meditate.

A sudden gust of wind hit her back, ice cold and biting her skin. Her flesh raised in bumps and her hair flared up and swirled into the air. Her cerulean blue eyes shot open, searching the sudden pitch black void around her. Lurching to her feet, dropping her bag and weapons as she did, Kagome spun in place. Behind her stood Sesshomaru, his brows furrowed and anger in his face. Besides him, she could see nothing else around them. The harsh gale suddenly dropped, her hair falling upon her shoulders once more, Sesshomaru's as well. His eyes were still narrowed dangerously. "What just happened?!" She squawked.

Not a few seconds ago the morning light at least offered a glow to the exit, but now it seemed that the sun had come and passed, and there wasn't even the slightest bit of illumination. Sesshomaru, like her, seemed to glow from within, and yet emitted no light at the same time.

Kagome blinked frantically, trying hopefully to get her eyes to adjust enough for her to see the ground beneath her. Looking back at Sesshomaru, she noticed his eyes trained on her. No, slightly passed her, shock and suspicion still in his golden wide eyes.

"Kagome…"

The voice called from directly behind her, making her jerk to turn around.

"Who-?!" The miko yelped, a shiver running down her spine. Her eyes widened at the glowing figure behind her. An ethereal beautiful woman with the most comforting smile on her face. Kagome's jaw went slack as she stared at the woman. With a wave of her hand the darkness seemed to melt away. The once cold dark black abyss transforming into a beautiful grove.

"Hello Kagome."

She would know that face anywhere,she had been looking upon it only a moment ago, she was sure she would recognize her even though Kagome had never met her in this lifetime.

"Lady Midoriko?"

The woman before her smiled, the warmth radiating from every inch of her skin. "Yes Kagome, I'm glad you know my presence."

"But…. You're…. How…. Where?!" Kagome looked around them, completely flabbergasted at the way this trip had changed. Sesshomaru also had his eyes darting back and forth, taking in their surroundings but never turning away from the spectre in front of him. The soft giggle made the young priestess pause, Kagome's face burning scarlet from embarrassment. This woman was a legend, and here she was, making a fool of herself. The young Miko bit her lip, her cerulean eyes burning with her choked and trapped questions.

With a gentle wave of her hand, Midoriko gestured to the grassy ground, obviously suggesting Kagome sit down once more, as she herself lowered to rest before her.

"We have much to discuss, you and I. My apologies for not having approached you sooner with these matters, but the timing had to be precise, and with certain 'elements' present." Her chocolate brown eyes focused on the Shikon shards around Kagome's neck, covered by her kimono. She then glanced at the Daiyoukai who still stood behind Kagome, showing no sign of relaxing himself.

Kagome wondered if Midoriko, even in this form (or lack there of?), was capable of seeing the shards as she could. That or she knew where it was at all times, who it was attached to, what purpose it was being used for…. The thought that Midoriko was, in all sense, half of the jewel and the cause of its formation… It was overwhelming to think of the connection and what traits or powers Midoriko's soul must have attached to the jewel or it's fragments.

Kagome closed her eyes and shook her head violently, pulling herself out of her own assumptions and theories.

"Why…. Why do you need to speak with me?" Kagome muttered, concern coating her voice, and worry dancing in her eyes. Midoriko gave her a sympathetic glance.

"I so desire to assure you not to worry, but I'm afraid that would be misleading. You have many trials to face, and soon. Danger is growing, and the one true wish will need to be made soon." Midoriko's concern remained on her face, but her smile had fallen. Her voice lowering gravely, she struggled to continue, causing Kagome's heart to race in anticipation.

"It was no mistake you were born with the jewel inside of you. Or why you are from the future, stuck here and now making decisions that will forge the very future you come from. Though, I will be honest I don't even know why. But what I do know, is that you have many choices to make, and that is mostly my fault."

Kagome gave Midoriko an incredulous look, causing the ancient miko to sigh.

"I failed in my lifetime…. I… Became afraid of dying, afraid of the world I would leave behind if I did not defeat the demon…." Midoriko glanced behind Kagome, causing her to look as well.

Unlike the rest of the cave, the one thing that remained the same was the crystallized corpses of the woman next to her, and the Demon that had sealed her fate.

"Because of my fear, I absorbed the demon's soul into my own. Though I was blessed to still have balance within my soul. Otherwise… I can't even think of the destruction that may have occurred. I do not regret my choice, but I do regret the toll of the burden that has been placed on you."

Kagome looked back to Midoriko, her tears gone but questions still in her eyes.

"Kagome Higurashi, you are my true reincarnation." Midoriko smiled ruefully. "I must say, it is a shock to see myself young once more. Your hair is much nicer however." Midoriko let out a soft short laugh, though the joyous sound did not quite reach her eyes.

"But…. I'm Kikyo's reincarnation…. Wasn't I?" Kagome could feel the question in her voice, and her brows furrowed, thinking of the reanimated priestess. They did look alike, though Kikyo had been closer to her age when she passed. But Kagome herself never really thought she could be anything like Kikyo.

"Ah yes lady Kikyo…. I'm afraid even in death I never got to speak with her. She never truly accepted the responsibility of the jewel, or considered the one true wish. I'm saddened I never had a way to help her." Midoriko released Kagome's hand and sat back, reassuming her elegant pose. "You and Kikyo, and a few other strong Miko's and slayers have been my reincarnations. Or simply chosen protectors of the jewel. Each of you contained, or contain a fragment of my soul. A combination of my soul and their own resided in each of them. As it does with you.

Midoriko took a deep breath "You my girl, are so much more than you know. You can bring the end of the jewel, you can make the correct wish. You are more than just the protector of the jewel."

Kagome stared slack jawed at Midoriko "I… uh…. So Kikyo… I..."

"Shhh… I'm sorry, I know this is overwhelming, but you must pay close attention. This is very important information, and I can only give you so much in such little time."

Kagome clamped her mouth shut and nodded, her eyes still wide. Midoriko nodded, pleased with how attentive Kagome was.

"There is… a potentially dangerous side to being my reincarnation. It is part of why Kikyo failed, but a possible strength if used correctly. If you can channel your powers correctly… balance your soul and keep your will and intentions strong… You may be able to manifest more powers- something more powerful than thought possible for the struggles ahead. Perhaps even the powers of the Dragon."

Kagome jerked "Manifest more powers? But how? I'd be stronger? I could help my friends?"

Midoriko smiled, patting Kagome's leg, urging her to calm down. "That is what I believe. None of my other reincarnations have been able to do this… But I am sure that you're strong enough to do so. We are all connected with each other through the jewel. We constantly battle, but we are still connected. And if I am correct about you, you may be able to adapt both sides of the jewel that was reformed inside of you and grow exponentially in power."

Kagome swallowed, her arms beginning to shake in obvious fear. "And…. If I'm not strong enough?"

Midoriko leaned back, shaking her head. "I would not know. There has been no one I thought might be able to do this. I'm not even sure if it's possible, or what the consequences might be if I am wrong."

"Impossible." Sesshomaru bit out, drawing the attention of both of the Priestess'. "For a human, Priestess or otherwise, it would be impossible to manipulate powers from a Demon in such a way as you describe."

"Without a connection to them, maybe. True mates adapt and sometimes receive powers from each other no?" Midoriko asked him, obviously not challenging him, but seeming to want to confirm one of her suspicions. Sesshomaru let out a small 'hn' and stepped back, consenting her point. Mates or no- Kagome was bound to the jewel in a way no one else had ever been.

Kagome bit her lip and gnawed it uneasily before speaking "If no one has ever been able to do this, why do you think I could…"

"Because you have the most powerful and pure soul of my creations. Without my hand, your own soul is large enough to house and contain the jewel. I thought Kikyo would be the one at first… But her soul was not accepting enough. Now I am afraid she is lost. Because Kikyo lives not off of my soul, but of Magatsuhi. The corruption of her soul and part of Magatsuhi's evil resides within her, driving her for her revenge and to be constantly at war with herself over what she desires of the jewel. Your soul has grown and been strengthened by the experience of previous reincarnation's , including hers and mine. When her clay body was formed, it could not tell the difference of the many souls that form the entirety of yours. That's how you lived for so long in the bath, that's how she and you both walk the earth without the one destroying the other with a jumping soul. And, I assume, that is why she has become the way she is, driven by dark and corrupted souls in her heart, using souls of the dead to move her body."

Kagome breathed deeply as she took in this information. Kikyo, as she had always thought, was a victim of more circumstance. Kikyo once held the power of Midoriko and Magatsuhi as well, but fell prey to something darker that led to her end. Kikyo fell down a dark path, not by her own hand, and now she is trapped there.

Or, maybe not.

"Midoriko!" Kagome's head shot up with a sudden thought, her eyes bright with hope. Midoriko gave her a curious look. Kagome leaned forward, grabbing both of Midoriko's hands in her own. "If I make the correct wish, the jewel will be purified, your soul will be free right?" Kagome began to smile, an entirely new plan forming in her head. Midoriko nodded, looking baffled at Kagome's sudden enthusiasm.

"Then, if your soul is free to rest, so should the other reincarnations correct?" Midoriko's eyes widened, making her look more like Kagome as hope suddenly blossomed in her face as well.

"And then so will the other souls trapped within. Brilliant." She grabbed Kagome's hand, a smile splitting her face for a moment before the seriousness returned. Midoriko paused, her face losing expression, as if she was listening to a ringing from somewhere. "The jewel must be whole, And I'm not even sure if purifying it would work. There must be balance in the world."

"Kagome, I do not know if this idea will work, but it is quite the kind one. I don't know if it's the correct wish, or what you may think is the correct wish, but know I have faith in you!" Midoriko gripped Kagome's hands tighter, bringing them to her lips and kissing her fingers gently. Normally, something like that would make Kagome blush. But there seemed to be something far more important in the action, something in the warmth that spread through her fingers and up her arms that made her feel warmed instead of embarrassed.

"As for Naraku, I fear his soul is being sucked within the Jewel the longer he holds the majority of it within his possession."

"How do we stop him?" Sesshomaru demanded, stepping forward until he stood next to them and knelt.

Midoriko scanned him carefully "Son of the Inu no Tashio. You seek to destroy the jewel as well."

His eyes widened a fraction and he glowered "You know of my father?"

Midoriko clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes "But of course. Your father was no fool. His collected demeanor and rule over the lands led us to have a peaceful understanding of each other. He waged war upon the mindless demons the plagued his lands and others as did I. His battle with the dragon clans to the east had him calling me to his aid a few times. He was a marvelous general, and earned my respect."

Her eyes trailed back to the crystallization, her eyes growing hard.

"Unfortunately, he was facing forces of another dragon that gave him trouble. I had learned this one- Magatsuhi- he called himself, lost a battle with your father and fled for his life. Filled with shame and hatred, he found one young man who once sought me. Back then, demons devoured the hearts and souls of easily corrupted men, absorbing the darkness and merging with other demons to create a new more powerful vessel.

The man, Suirou, was completely consumed and killed in the merging. Nothing of his soul remained after it was devoured. The demon left behind was formed almost as powerful as the leader of the eastern army at the time."

"Ryukotsusei." Sesshomaru growled out, his nose wrinkling in distaste. Kagome's eyes widened.

"Wow really? Small world." Kagome murmured. Midoriko closed her eyes, a flash of pain crossing her features.

"Indeed. Our power was a match. And that combined power is the level I fear Naraku may reach, if not exceed with the continuation of use of the jewel."

Kagome got a sudden fearful look in her eyes. "Then… How do we stop him?" She asked softly, all confidence, any hope dimming.

Midoriko set her shoulder's eyes fierce as she looked between Sesshomaru and Kagome. "Two powerful beings, Priestess and Demon, fought and formed the jewel. I believe two more powerful beings, Priestess and Demon, may overcome that power to defeat it."

Kagome leaned back a bit at the intensity of Midoriko's words, her eyes widening and her mouth turning down.

"But there is no way I could possibly…."

"You said she contained the jewel?" Sesshomaru interrupted her, staring hard at the elder priestess. Kagome could almost see gears turning in his head by his expression.

"Yes. That is correct. I waited, for many years for her and the jewel to reform. For her soul to develop as it had, and for the best environment that would lead to as little corruption as possible. It is why there was such a large gap in between her and Kikyo. Kikyo gave her soul the time it needed by burning the jewel with her."

Kagome bit her lip, feeling remorseful for thinking ill of the poor fated woman, even for a moment. She had done all that she could.

"Hn. Something of that power can not be contained by something weaker than it." Sesshomaru stood, turning away and seemingly preparing to leave their little peaceful grove.

"You are correct. It is unfortunate it was forcefully removed." Midoriko stated cooly, watching as Sesshomaru froze. Slowly turning, Kagome was shocked to see his expression dumbfounded.

"So you're saying-" Kagome was interupted as the ground beneath them shook for a moment. A gurgling roar from beside them forcing her to turn in fear.

As if the crystalized formations had come to life, she could see the dragon duplicating. Purple and green scales rippling and shaking as they slowly seemed to burst from the restraints of death.

"We must end this now!" Midoriko cried, standing and grabbing Kagome by the arm. "My barrier for this meeting is fading."

"But what about the demonic power!? How can I unlock it?! And how can I know if I'm ready?" Kagome's heart began racing as the fear and reality began to set in. Midoriko pulled Kagome to her by both arms, her eyes burning into Ksgome's blue ones.

"I'm sorry, I don't know those answers Kagome… But please have faith in yourself and the gifts you've been given so far. The answers will only come to you that way." With a determined look on her face, Midoriko placed a hand on Kagome's injured shoulder. She winced in preperation for the pain, but sighed as none came. Instead a hot warmth spread through her arm and she closed her eyes in bliss. Removing her hand, Midoriko smiled and nodded to herself. "That should help some."

Kagome felt her eyes begin to water as the beautiful grove around them began to shimmer at the edges, Midoriko was fading before her, and Kagome felt more confused and grateful with every passing second. "I can't… I don't know how to thank you…."

Midoriko's fading face smiled, tears in her own eyes. "Well, I do really like those flowers." She lightly laughed. By the time her laughter faded, so did she and the beautiful illusion she had formed around them. Leaving Kagome and Sesshomaru in the darkness, breathless and confused in the darkness of the cave.

#Inuyasha #Kagome Higurashi #Sesshomaru #Miroku #Sango #Shippo #Rin #koga #Sesskag #Fanfiction #fanfic #little bird no more #LB #Chapter 1

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