#i also just think about say someone like scolding them for sheer recklessness and it's just

[stillresolved]

team checkmate is a competent ragtag team of vigilantes that know how to navigate around both law enforcement and criminal gangs

but team checkmate is also those three kids sitting in the same row of seats in detention for the nth time. they are also three kids sitting on the curb of the parking lot waiting for mom to pick them up :'DDD

[the-s1lly-corner]

can you make headcanons for all the tadc cast with a reckless reader?

also, have a good day :)

-daz

TADC cast x reckless! reader!

last post for this batch! ill get right back to answering stuff soon! my cinnamon roll dough is almost done with its first rise and ill have to shape them soon! also gotta make the frosting..! short post since the base of one of my thumbs is getting a lil sore idk if its because ive been typing so much these past few days or if i just slept on my hand wrong; maybe both

CAINE:

youre in luck reader! you cant really get hurt in the digital world...! well, not... traditionally.. you can definitely still feel pain, thats for sure, but i dont think your digital body has any bones to break or skin to scrape..! so hey at least you can kind of be as reckless as you want without consequence...! except, there are consequences. caine is not at all happy at your recklessness.. i mean sure yeah some of his IHAs can be more... intense, i mean zooble almost got turned into a gloink, but..! i think he tones down his adventures just so you wont throw yourself into the danger

POMNI:

tries to stop you but her words fall short as you run in yelling into whatever the threat is without a second thought. "i- wait- er..." and youre gone, leaving pomni to hurry and try to catch up with you. she probably has to drag you to safety, assuming this isnt a case where you got all glitched up by an abstracted circus member.. shes gonna have to work herself up to get you to chill out; perhaps ending in a whole emotional thing where she just. explodes? perhaps

RAGATHA:

just because you cant get hurt doesnt mean shes not going to fuss over you. if there were a need for it i think she would keep a pack of Band-Aids on her. however, because you guys cant get hurt in that way, she tries to keep you in bed when you inevitably get knocked a little too hard and need to rest it off. dont even think about trying to get up out of bed, shes going to give you this stern look that only a few percentage of people can muster.

you know the look

the stern one

scolds you too if you get caught up in something real dangerous

only really softens up if you threw yourself in danger for the sake of another person, because i think ragatha would do the same

JAX:

"bet you cant make that jump"

"bet i <> can!"

que you absolutely eating shit after you fail to make that jump, comically flipping over yourself and face planting. you probably have cartoon birds circling around your head. jax laughs at you before eventually coming over to help you up. he will not let you live this kind of stuff, down

KINGER:

he gets so so scared when youre not in his sight, i think if he knew you were willingly throwing yourself into harms way? this man would have a heart attack! like really, or he would if he still had his organs and stuff...if he could he would keep you in his pillow fort with him forever... but he cant, so he has to settle with following you around with meek attempts to try to stop you

ZOOBLE:

zooble would do similar stuff as jax, but when you actually. go to do the dangerous thing they just pull you back. "dude. i wasnt being serious"

bro has to keep you on one of those kid leashes because your first instinct someone says "bet" or "no balls" or anything in that vein, you need to prove yourself

GANGLE:

her comedy mask probably falls off from the sheer shock from how easily you just. launch yourself into things. on one hand she worries for you, but on the other hand she cant help but feel a little jealous; i mean shes just ribbon and a mask, shes not really... tough... strong.. durable... she wants to be able to run around and do the things you do but theres that fear of being immediately broken down or overpowered, you know? didnt mean to get silly there; anyways i think she would try to keep in you bed to sleep off the soreness, like ragatha

[lost-eternity]

Supernatural Matchup -Closed-

This is a matchup trade with @perseephoneee

TW: Substance abuse (alcohol)

Let me know if I am wrong but.... are you a Dean Winchester girlie by any chance?

Idk that’s the vibes I got from reading over your blurb. 

That being said... I am not sure he is the best fit. 

Mainly because y’alls love languages clash hella. I can’t see Dean enjoying physical displays of affection to any extent (especially if it is public) and validation and compliments from him are exceedingly hard to come by. 

He is more likely to insult you than praise you for.... Anything really. 

You would have to thrive off playful banter and keep a tough exterior because Dean would accidentally just take it way too far. While also being okay with never actually hearing him say things like “I love you”. Or anything that indicates he actually cares. 

So I don’t think this would be a super healthy or satisfying relationship. (Obviously besides the fact that Dean, in of himself, is a flag redder than Mars but sometimes we need to be a bit delusional to fuel the soul). 

So, if not Dean then who? 

Well, without further ado here is your mans.

•──⋅☾CASTIEL ☽⋅──•

Right so, I knew immediately off the bat it was either going to be Cas or Sam. Both of these men are more sensitive and willing to listen. Both would try to take an interest in the things you like and would not disregard them as fanciful or frivolous (looking at you DEAN). But ultimately I strayed more towards Cas than Sam. 

Cas is clueless. We love him, but it is true. 

That being said, he does try his best. He would not understand wtf you are talking about, but he would delight in the way your eyes light up when you begin to speak about something you are passionate about.

The sheer joy that these topics bring you would be enough for the man to be enamored with what you are saying. 

Just be prepared for a lot of questions. 

Because like I said, he is clueless. 

I chose Cas over Sam mostly for this reason, actually. 

While I am sure Sam would do his best to take an interest in the things you like and listen to you when you speak of them, he is much more grounded. I could see him being “too busy” and not devoting his full enrapt attention to you. So you may end up feeling like he is being dismissive of you.

~

Moreover, you and Castiel are very similar in your self-sacrificing tendencies. Which, I suppose would compound a pre-existing issue. But I also think it means you will take care of each other. 

He would do whatever he can to make sure you are taken care of, even at his own expense. And you would do the same for him in kind. As a result, both of you serve each other in a way that is completely selfless and wholly dedicated. 

Which I think is very sweet. 

But I could see this getting toxic if taken to extremes. So please set boundaries. 

~

Another reason I selected Cas for you. 

You said that you enjoy emotionally unavailable men. 

Well. Here you go. 

As an angel, Castiel expresses very little external emotion. 

Especially earlier-seasons Cas. 

He is very objective and collective. Which, I suppose would make communication easier. But it would be difficult to rile him up about anything. 

I do not think he would get into many fights or disputes for this reason. 

But I could also see it being very frustrating. 

Trying to coax even the smallest amount of emotion out of this man would be like pulling teeth.

Especially if you are already frustrated with him?

Imagine trying to scold him for his recklessness and disregard for his own life on a past hunt and he just stares at you blankly and hits you with the “Okay.” 

Like, dude. 

Some amount of concern for personal safety would be nice????

Also, it is just really hard to argue with someone who agrees with everything you say.

Perhaps most hypocritically, I could see him getting genuinely pressed if you acted with the same disregard for safety. 

Your self-sacrificing nature reflects his and he would not be happy about it. 

Probably would scold you for your disregard for personal safety. 

And if you try to point out the hypocrisy in his argument he will just get even madder. 

Mainly because he cares. Buit does not really know how to express it. 

And he does not care if he dies. 

But losing you?

Somehow, that is so much worse than death. 

~

I also think your feistier side would be so cute with Castiel’s deadpan countenance and inability to grasp sarcasm. 

He would try to learn from you. 

But it would come out like a boomer trying to use Gen Z slang.

And you are all just staring at him like “Oh, hunny. No.” 

I think the two of you would play off each other very well.

Similar to how Dean and Cas do in the show. 

He would not get ANY of your references. 

But that is okay because you will force him to get them.

Please educate this man. 

Although he WILL try to also make references. And it will come out super awkward. 

Again he is trying. 

Many date nights for the two of you would likely consist of movie marathons/netflix binging. As it is your sacred duty to update the funny angel man. 

Just wait until you have to explain to him what a Dashcon Ballpit is 💀

~

Cas strikes me as the type who is silently touch-starved. 

But he would not know what to do with the affection. 

You could run up to him and wrap your arms around him and he just tenses up. 

Not because he does not like it. 

But because he does not understand how to react. 

He eventually learns to crave it and will pout if you don't hug him enough. Not that he’d say this. 

Okay okay but like. Imagine...

~

Castiel hasn’t been doing too great. He carries the weight of a silent storm, his once calm and reserved demeanor eclipsed by shadows of turmoil and despair. His temper is short, his eyes are defocused and cloudy. He hangs around like a mere shadow of his former self, the fading embers of a dying flame drenched in self-doubt. 

And you have no idea how to help him. 

You are biding your time, your lithe fingers flitting across the worn pages of the novel, tracing the well-traveled path of smudged ink. The world beyond your book seems to fade into obscurity. Each word, each sentence, is a lifeline to a reality untainted by the chaos that threatens to consume your life in the real world. 

The clamor of metal against concrete shatters the fragile illusion of peace. Alarm rips through your spine and you immediately spin around, instinctively reaching for one of the blades positioned by the reading table. 

And there he stands, a disparaged silhouette against the threshold of the doorway. Castiel is leaning against the wall, his iconic trench coat stained with a mystery liquid you would rather not question. His usually-tousled brown hair clings damply to his forehead. His eyes are half-lidded and hollow, haunted by specters of a past he can never reclaim. They wrinkle ever so slightly in the corners as he squints against the dim mood lighting of the room. 

The two of you remain there for several moments, merely regarding one another. It is hard to get a reading of the angel’s deadpan visage and your expression is tinged with concern. You open your mouth to speak again but Castiel interrupts. 

"Cas?" you call out, the syllables hanging in the air like an unanswered prayer, but he offers no response.

He awkwardly shuffles forward, his movements hesitant and disjointed, staggering and leaning against the table with a shaky exhale. 

With a trembling hand, he reaches out, his palms are clammy and cold against your wrists. The acrid scent of alcohol bathes your tongue. He pulls your arms up and gently lowers them around his neck then stoops forward, standing there, head hanging. 

Without words, without preamble, you understand.

“You want a hug, don’t you?” 

“Maybe.” 

The words are mumbled so quietly even you can barely pick up on them. 

A frown tugs at the edge of your lips but you do not hesitate. With gentle hands, you enfold him in your embrace. He leans into you, his weary frame finding solace in the warmth of your touch, resting his forehead against your shoulder in silent reverence. 

~

Okay, depression is over. 

But like.

The same thing would apply to kissing. 

He has no idea. 

Not a clue. 

You will have to train him. 

But it works out because he is not about to be upset or offended by it. He will readily take your advice and apply with exuberance. 

Sometimes too much exuberance. 

Either way, it makes him infinitely better than most men. 

[constantzeigarnik]

Okay so Team Plasma, Volo stumbles upon or something and is like 'I never see these guys at the subway station.' Or something. Then just goes on with his day. At some point Volo goes see Ingo at work so they can spend time together on Ingo's break. Volo gets stop at the entrance or something and is 'What is going on?' The Depot agents that are stopping people are saying, 'Something an unscheduled disaster appear and we are working to fix it.' Volo's like okay nothing Ingo can't handle I'm sure. Someone ask 'Is it related to Team Plasma appearing around Nimbasa City lately?' The depot agents are like 'yep, they are trying to hijack the subway station. Don't worry the subway bosses are on it.' Volo froze on that, and just brakes into a run. He remembers very clearly how Team Plasma freeze over half of Unova, he is not letting his lover deal with them alone. When he finally finds Ingo he is shock to find an entire group on the ground and Ingo battling more. But what stops Volo in his tracks is the fact Ingo voice and and whole body radiating dominance and acting commanding. He didn't really think Ingo had it in himself to be that way. When finished the last of the few standing, he looks around and sees Volo standing there. Ingo makes sure none of Team Plasma would leave the area, and leads Volo away to a place Ingo knows is safe. Ingo is scolding Volo for being reckless. Volo is not hearing a word because he is thinking of Ingo being that way to him instead of the grunts. The very thought gets him hot and brother, oh Ingo is leaving still more grunts to take care of.

Jesus, this was longer than I thought. Anyways hope you like it.

Just a little bit of NSFW at the end.

Also these are great thank you for the super long ones I love reading them.

There is a sign plastered somewhere in Gear Station that very clearly states that Plasma activity and grunts will NOT be tolerated, and both Ingo and Emmet take that very seriously. They have had battles with them before and kicked them off their train, but they've never dealt with an attack quite like this. They're sure as fuck not about to take this sitting down. With the sheer number of Plasma grunts in the subway though, Ingo and Emmet ended up getting separated from one another as they got passengers to safety and handled grunts along the way, and now that they were sure nobody else was in danger, they just had to put a stop to the problem all together. They would just have to have faith that the other would be alright, and that they would find each other again after it was all over. They were both more than capable of defending themselves after all.

What Ingo didn’t anticipate was Volo making his way into a clearly blocked off area in the midst of a hijacking just to try and find him. He only noticed Volo was there after defeating yet another of what seemed like an endless wave of grunts, and for a moment he almost mistook him for another enemy. Ingo is exhausted at this point, breathing almost just as hard as his Pok��mon, and he has a look on his face that Volo has never seen on Ingo before. It’s intimidating, and Volo realizes that while he’s seen Ingo get upset from time to time, frustrated, irritated... but never mad like this. It goes away for half a second as Ingo realizes that it’s Volo standing there in a stunned silence on the other side of a pile of grunts, but the serious look returns as he quickly makes his way over and grabs him by the arm to lead him off to safety. 

Ingo has always been a very kind, patient man in Volo’s eyes, and Ingo’s not exactly being rough or angry with him here, but he’s got something akin to worry and concern for Volo clearly written on his face, and as soon as he gets Volo back to a safe place he tells him, with absolutely no uncertain terms, that Volo is not to set foot back in Gear Station until this problem has been solved, it’s just not safe in there. 

Ingo goes back in to finish handling the hijacking with Emmet, and Volo is honestly a little too stunned to even think about ignoring what Ingo said and going back in after him. All he can think about is how Ingo looked after a long, rough battle like that, how he commanded his Pokémon with such solid authority, taking charge with a rough, hoarse voice, and he won. 

Volo was.... normally one to prefer taking control of things in the bedroom, he greatly enjoyed the feel of power even if it was really a consensual give and take from the both of them. Seeing Ingo absolutely dominate in a battle like that though gives him some very different desires. Ingo commanding him in the same tone he had used during battle, showing some of the power he clearly held and using it on him...

Volo is still just sitting there outside the station with his cheeks burning and he realizes he needs to cut that line of thought off right then and there or he’d be making one hell of an awkward walk home. 

Volo texts Ingo and tells him to come over to his place after things have been handled in the station and the two are finished for the day. It’s a long wait, and just gives Volo more time to think about what happened, what he saw, and what he wants from Ingo as soon as he gets there. Thoughts of Ingo gripping his hair tightly, pinning him down with little more than his weight, whispering praise to Volo with that rough tone he had heard earlier as he slowly fucks him until Volo is a gasping, moaning mess clawing at the mattress beneath him. Volo is just laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as he pictures this and he grips his phone tightly to his chest. All he wants is for Ingo to come home and make these fantasies a reality. 

It might not be Volo’s usual preference, but sometimes a change of pace can be very nice.

Volo glances down at his phone for a moment and considers it for a moment, before he sends Ingo another text, this one longer, detailing what he was thinking about, and what he wanted from Ingo when he finally came over after his work was done...

[darkdevasofdestruction]

I’m Weak Too... ~ Bakugou Katsuki

Everyone who knew Bakugou Katsuki had tons of mixed opinions of him - Some thought he was rude, others that he was condescending or patronising, or even conceited and narcissistic, which wasn’t helped by how short-tempered and aggressive he usually was with everyone...But there was one thing that nobody could deny, and that was that his wit and strength were superior to most of the people his age, which is why he was ranked #1 in the U.A. Academy Entrance Exam, and got himself in class 1-A.

Bakugou Katsuki was a child prodigy.

But nobody ever cared enough to find out how he became this way, nor if he is alright.

Nobody saw how much Bakugou Katsuki was hurting, or maybe they were too afraid to even acknowledge that he was capable of feeling anything other than pride and lack of mercy for anyone who even us much as irritated him a little bit.

The only person who was stuck by his side like a parasite was that annoying Quirkless Deku, who was nothing more than a crybaby pest who managed to get himself a Quirk and through nothing more than sheer dumb luck, got in the same class as him.

How stupid.

There was however, another person in that class, who would always go out of their way to ask if he’s okay, would tell him dumb jokes or funny pick up lines, to try and get him to smile, and for the rest of the class, the actions of L/N Y/N were absolutely bouffonic, and she was writing herself a death sentence.

L/N Y/N was a bit of an odd one, someone that nobody could quite pinpoint...

She was strong, but she also wasn’t. She was smart, but she also wasn’t. She was popular, but she also wasn’t. She was sociable, but she also wasn’t.

L/N Y/N was nothing more than a walking, living, breathing paradox...

She was aloof, yet down to earth. She was goofy, yet serious. She was outgoing, yet timid. She was...

Hell knows what she was.

But Bakugou Katsuki knows what she is.

She is annoying as hell.

He had no idea how she got in 1-A through recommendation, like that stupid Half’n’Half, or that stupid rich, smart girl.

She wasn’t as smart as other adults made her out to be, nor was she brilliantly strong. She wasn’t diligent, not hardworking, and she never bothered to get good grades in tests and exams...And even her Quirk seemed not too cooperate most of the time.

She almost seemed as Enigmatic and weirdly personal with Aizawa, as Quirkless Deku is with All Might...And the fact that there may be more than meets the eye with this airhead really pissed him off.

She was an Enigma that nobody could unveil, much like a grey butterfly.

That’s why, during the USJ attack, was completely taken aback to see her going out of her way to kill the minor villains attacking their homeroom teacher...And then more...He was her attacking the blue haired freak, then getting completely smashed by that Nomu monster when she tried to push Aizawa out of the way of harm, and then, when he thought she was dead, she used her Fire Quirk to save Frog girl, Grape boy and Deku.

That was the first time he ever noticed her strength...That she wasn’t as innocent and frail as she wanted others to think she was.

She made her facade completely crumble...At least for him.

Seeing how she managed to get up and use her Quirk to empower All Might’s strength, as she ran solely on pure anger and adrenaline...She was running on pure spite and revenge...

It pissed Bakugou Katsuki so much realising that some stupid Extra like her managed to get so much action, helping the teachers where it was actually needed, willing to throw away her physical body to do what was right...

While all he did was beat up 2-3 villains from some burning, collapsing building.

How pitiful this Bakugou Katsuki was if he was being bested by some no name like her.

No...This had to be a mistake.

She got in that state because she was reckless, powerless, tactless.

If that was him, he wouldn’t have ended up in a hospital, burnt and broken, more dead than alive.

Then again, so did Aizawa, and he couldn’t say he was weak...

The few next days, L/N Y/N came to school, bandaged and with crutches, and she was behaving like the idiot she always was.

Clueless, clumsy, stupid, naive...

Bakugou Katsuki realised he had some sort of proper competition in her, not only in Quirkless Deku and Icy Hot...And he was more than pissed when he saw how lame she was being.

Why the hell was she hiding her potential?!

But then, the Sports Festival came...

And she was #1 in the first round.

And then, she paired up with him, and together, managed to get #1 in the second round as well.

Bakugou Katsuki analysed her every move, every step, every blink, and he realised that, compared to the USJ incident, she was barely using her Quirk. Going by the state Aizawa was in, he could only question the reason why she wouldn’t just sit back and properly heal and rest her injuries.

Maybe she was restless? Maybe she had something to prove?

But she couldn’t possibly take away the #1 spot from him, that’s for sure.

It was the semi finals...And he had to fight her. 

He almost felt...Guilty, when he realised he’d have to fight a girl in recovery. He almost felt like a villain.

That is, until he started walking down the Stadium, to go on the field, and he noticed her there, leaning on the wall...

Waiting for him.

With a coy smirk on her face...Yet her face looked serene and aloof.

“Yooo, ‘Tsuki, ‘sup?” she chuckled, seeing his tensed expression. “Don’t speak to me so familiarly.” he grunted, stepping in front of her. “Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to ask you a question. Won’t take more than a minute, but just hear me out.” she grinned at him carelessly. “Whadya want?” Bakugou Katsuki asked, crossing his arms. “I wanted to ask you what would you want me to do - Forfeit, or fight you.” L/N Y/N asked, but before she could explain, she got picked up by the neck of her blouse and pinned to the wall. “WHAT THE HELL IS THAT QUESTION?! ARE YOU MOCKING ME, YOU STUPID EXTRA?!” he growled at her like an angry lion. “No, no, goodness, nothing like that. It’s just...I know you want to be #1, and with me being in the state that I am, I won’t prove to be much of a challenge to you, and that’s why I wanted to know what you wanted me to do. That, and...I wanted to make sure your arms were okay.” she ended in a softer tone, putting her gentle hands over his wrists, as a way to get him to put her down. “...My arms? Why wouldn’t they be okay?! What are you on?” he stepped back, giving her a look of shock and almost concern. “I saw you rubbing your arms earlier. It means you must have been overusing your Quirk, right? That’s not a good sign for your health...Saying from experience.” she chuckled softly, angering Bakugou Katsuki even more. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ON ABOUT?! You’re gonna go there and fight me with all you’ve got, even if it kills you, got it?! GOT IT?!” he yelled at her, making her grin wider before walking towards the stage.  “Very well, then don’t hold back, ‘Tsuki. I can’t promise you the dream fight you deserve, but I will do my best.” was the only proper conversation they’ve had since they started their education at U.A...

And he did just as she said.

He fought her with every little bit of power he had in his body, fighting her as if she was back in USJ, showing off her strength for the first time.

He wasn’t wasn’t used to fighting against a fire user like her, as Todoroki never used his other half, for God knows what reasons...

And Bakugou Katsuki was forced to admit, to himself, at least, that she was indeed the strongest person he ever fought so far...And he could only imagine what it would be like, were she not impaired by her wounds.

He started noticing her arms getting burns on her skin, gradually, like spirals going up from her fingers, to her hands, forearms and arms... And then it continued up her torso, visible as she was wearing a crop top, and her jacket was unzipped...And then, her neck and face had burn stripes...

She was doing everything she could...

For his sake.

One of his explosions managed to propel both of them on the opposite ends of the field, and she was on the ground, laying, seemingly helplessly, which is when the people watching started to boo him, to shun him, to call him a villain.

He looked around him, seeing the angry, hateful glares of those watching him...He felt cornered, afraid...His heart was small, hating to be scolded or to have others disapprove of him...

But more than anything, he felt confused.

Didn’t everyone love a strong hero...?

Katsuki seemed to almost fall down into a spiral, until he heard a voice angrily shouting, her voice echoing everywhere... And it was angry, just as it was back in USJ.

“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, PEOPLE?! You call yourselves Pro-Heroes? PRO-HEROES MY ASS! You’re SHIT! Go and look for another job, this ain’t for ya! You’re seriously calling Bakugou Katsuki a villain, of all thing, when his greatest ambition is to be an amazing Hero for everyone?! REALLY?! You dare call yourselves Pro-Heroes, but you don’t respect Bakugou Katsuki for acknowledging my strength, for respecting me, and fighting me like his equal? HOW IS THAT A VILLAIN, are you brainwashed or something?!” she yelled at the top of her lungs, as she managed to get up once again, resting her hands on her knees, and panting after each sentence, as she was obviously tiring herself out. “Thank you for fighting me fair and square, ‘Tsuki. I won’t forget that.” she nodded at him, smiling weakly.

Was she...Defending him...In front of everyone...?

What the hell was she doing?

Katsuki was so confused...

Why would she do something like this...?

He was so used to being villainised by everyone for following his ambitions...And now...Someone was praising and defending him...For being himself?

This image in front of him...This Y/N in front of him...

This was the same Y/N that got up out of spite, her only fuel being anger and justice.

This is Y/N...The only person that personally inspired him.

She wasn’t just some stupid extra, and nor was she the lameass facade she had for everyone.

This is the real Y/N.

They started fighting again, as Bakugou Katsuki was yelling at her to keep up with him, to fight him all she’s got, and his drive matched hers completely...

Until she started jumping on the flying debris caused by the explosions, and her legs gave out from over-exhaustion and pain, which caused her to lose balance and fall in front of him, deactivating her Quirk for just a split second-

Which was enough for him to unintentionally blast her out of the borders of the stage.

His eyes were wide with shock and fear, he didn’t mean to do it, she deactivated her Quirk in the second that he activated his.

His wide, crimson eyes were unfocused, as he could only stare at the hand that blasted her away, the only thing that kept swimming in his head being the soft smile that she had on her face as she was sent flying away.

It was almost as if she knew he didn’t mean it, and she wanted to reassure him.

What the hell is wrong with this girl...?

“I-I’m...Okay...!” her voice brought him back to reality as he saw her small form, far, far away from him, looking almost like an ant, sitting on the grass, a weak grin on her face, her thumb up in the sky, reassuring everyone...No, she was reassuring him...

She was okay.

And he shouldn’t blame himself for worsening her injuries.

For the rest of the day, his mind was filled only with thoughts of that girl...That annoying Y/N who was playing so much with his mind and heart.

What was so special about her that made him go crazy like this?!

Because, as soon as they got back to school, and she looked like a mummy from all the bandages, she was back to her stupidly annoying self...Facade, rather.

What the hell is wrong with her...?

Not to mention, she intentionally came out with a stupid hero name, so Midnight would refuse to let her choose it, so she’ll get off the hook.

Days passed...Weeks passed...

And Bakugou Katsuki was still analysing every little thing L/N Y/N did, but no matter what happend, there was no trace of the Y/N from both times...

She was smarter than she wanted to let others see, that much was obvious.

And then, came that dreadful night...Where 1-A and 1-B were made to go on some kind of training camp...And they were attacked by villains.

They fought and fought, but Bakugou Katsuki was captured and brought to the Villains’ lair.

But...Next to him...On the chair next to him...With the same arm restraints he had...

Was her. 

L/N Y/N.

With the same ridiculously stupid smile on her face.

First, there was only this burnt guy, Dabi, and he seemed to have a fun chemistry with the girl, which confused Katsuki so much.

Why was she so friendly with villains?!

“Yooo, what’s yo’ name? I’m Y/N, nice to meet you.” she lifted her arms slightly, as a way to greet him, with an ever so cheerful dumb grin. “Dabi, pleasure’s all mine.” Dabi’s smirk was as aloof as hers was, no wonder they kicked off so well. “Can you show me your Quirk again? I’ve always had a thing for Fire Boys...And Blue. Y’know, being a Fire Girl myself...And Blue and Red makes for a pretty Lavender, dontcha think?” she leaned back, trying to get herself comfortable. “You want me to entertain you, Fire Girl? Well, I guess you earned it. You put up quite the fight in front of everyone else.” he gave her a low chuckle, as he extended his hand towards her, upwards, making a fireball in his hands. “Ehhh, that’s such a beautiful colour...Mine is so usual. I’m so jealous of you, y’know? You can burn people alive without a second thought. I can’t. Red and Yellow fire will never be as...Hot...As your Blue fire.” she giggled at her playful attempt at flirting. “A hero flirting with a villain...Isn’t that interesting?” he smirked, leaning back on the table behind him. “Hero? Me? Hah, don’t make me laugh. Heroes...What the hell is a true hero, anyway? This world...This society...Is nothing more than a farce. A fake. Everything is nothing more than a facade, and everyone wants to live in it and continue lying to themselves.” she gave him a dry laugh, which made Katsuki’s head shoot up, staring at her in shock. “Interesting...And intriguing...And yet, you’re in U.A...I wonder why.” he tilted his head to the side, almost questioningly. “Why...? Take a better look at my hair. The tips are on fire. Does it look to you that I have a proper grasp on my Quirk? Nope. So there you have it, I got in to learn how to control my power...And hopefully, not cause my sister permanent burns...Again.” she looked away with a self-deprecatory look.

Sister...?

Since when did she have a sister? She never mentioned a sister before-

No, actually, she never talked about her family. Ever.

She’s an Engima, wrapped in mystery and shadows.

“Awww, toots has a sister, isn’t that adorable. If you ask me, the fire tips give a boost to your charm.” he tried to say, but he was interrupted mid-way by a loud door slam, as a blond girl got inside. “Ahh, Dabi, you got here before me!” the girl gasped, as she skipped in front of the two prisoners. “I’m Toga Himiko, nice to meet you!” she grinned at them, with a blush painting her cheeks. “Himiko? My, you have such a pretty name! I’m L/N Y/N, nice to meet you as well! I’m hug you or something, but, uh...I’m being a bit...Restrained.” she winked at the girl as she made that bad pun. “Hahaha, she’s a fun one! Wanna be my best friend? You’re so cute!” Himiko started gushing over the girl, who blushed softly. “Best friend? I’ve never had a best friend! Yes, I’d love that, Himiko! We can gossip about others, and talk about boys!” the girl was being enthusiastic, almost vibing in that chair. “And we can do each other’s make up, hair and nails! Oh, oh, and we can go shopping!” Himiko was literally bouncing up and down on her feet. “Twice! Twice, get here! I’ve made a new best friend! Isn’t she so cool?!” she started giggling, as Twice got in, and started gawking at the girl, completely ignoring the blond boy next to her. “Whaaa, she looks cool! I bet she’s shitty.” Twice talked, contradicting himself. “Great, I’m gonna have a headache now.” Dabi sighed, rolling his eyes. “Say, say, Y/N, do you like anyone? Or do you have a type?” Himiko leaned down to get closer to her face. “W-Well...Y-You see...Your friend, Dabi...He’s pretty hot...Ahhh, I’m blushing, and I can’t hide my face because of the restraints. What about you, Himi?” she closed her eyes, her bottom lip quivering from embarrassment, as she could hear Dabi’s dark chuckle...And something warm going down her cheek. “He’s so cute...! My crush...Deku, he’s so cute! I’m gonna make him mine, some day!” the blonde girl licked her blood-dripping knife, her face looking even more euphoric than before. “Is my blood sweet? I hope it is! I always wanna be cute and sweet! Maybe that way, others will like me!” Y/N giggled back at her. “Yess, it’s one of the sweetest I’ve tasted so far!” Himiko seemed to have a pleased expresion. “Deku...So, you like Broccoli boy. I’m sure I could get you two to see each other, if you want. He is my classmate, after all...And he’s pretty...Naive.” she winked at the villain girl, who started squealing in happiness...

Until the big bad guy came, along with a few others.

“Ahh, Shiggy, was it? It’s lovely seeing you again, after so long! Great fight, back then...But, uh...Y’know...I’d rather get smashed by Dabi, here, than by some ugly monster, y’know?” she laughed cheerfully, which made Dabi snort and look away in amusement, as Tomura could only grit his teeth in mild annoyance. “You were pretty cool back there too, I must admit. But you’re a hero. You’re like all of them, aren’t you?” Tomura’s voice was low and dangerous. “Hero...Haha...What a joke. If heroes were all good, selfless and altruistic as they wanted to appear, they wouldn’t benefit over us. They wouldn’t get away with the shit they do. They wouldn’t have their mistakes covered and buried away from the face of the Earth, just to keep up a blind facade...Or maybe, it’s the fault of the civilians, for wanting to live and believe in a blatant lie.” the ever-so-cheerful grin from her face was replaced by a dark expression, something so full of anger and hatred, that Katsuki was almost afraid of. “Take off her restraints.” Tomura muttered, and Dabi did just so, allowing the girl to get up and stretch a bit. “All of you here became so-called Villains for a reason, didn’t you? You hold so much hatred for the heroes, because all of you were wronged in some way. You want justice...You want the justice that was never given to you. How am I any different from any of you, I wonder?” she spoke, almost dramatically, and Katsuki couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. “Oh...? What am I hearing...? Little Miss Hero thinks she’s in the same boat as us...?” Tomura got to his feet, stepping in front of her, towering over her smalled form. “Heroes, villains, civilians...What’s the difference, in the end? Morals? Ethics? The kill count? Are there no evil heroes, or altruistic villains out there? The world isn’t black or white, it’s a spectrum of all the shades of grey existent, which people seem to completely overlook. Nobody truly cares, do they? We’re just pretending to care. This life is nothing more than a struggle, a stupid mummer’s charade, and we’re all the puppets lead by some stupid master.” she looked up at him with a defiant look, as his hand grasped her neck faster than a cobra attacking its prey, making everyone gasp. “You speak bold...I like you...But how will I know you’re not bluffing. If I just...Let my little finger touch your neck...Well, I’m sure you already know what’s going to happen, don’t you?” Shigaraki smirked with those incredibly chapped lips. “You know...If you were to get a proper skin care routine, and use some lip balm, I’m sure you’d look 10...No, 20 times hotter than you already do. Your hair looks so fluffy and pretty though...I wanna play with it...” she played around dumbly, annoying Shigaraki enough to slap her, with all 5 fingers, decaying a bit of her face.

It seemed like the world stopped.

For Katsuki, for Shigaraki, for Y/N, and for everyone else.

The tension was so dark and intense, that you could cut it with a knife.

“I heard that you’re in cahoots with All For One, aren’t ya? That fucker...If I could, I would kill him. I would torture him to death...And that wouldn’t be even 10% of what hell he made me go through. That stupid father of mine...A so called hero. Nothing more than a good for nothing lackey...His loyalty was swaying to the highest bidder. Scum. Trash. That’s what he was. And you’re telling me...I don’t know what’s like to have your life fucked over by heroes...? Really...? I think you’re the one who speaks boldly, Shigaraki Tomura.” the girl spoke in a voice so low, dark and threatening, that it made Katsuki’s heart tremble with fear and curiosity. “That’s more like it! Now tell me...No, tell US! Tell us how bad heroes are! Tell me of the justice you got!” Shigaraki continued to provoke the girl, so much that she snapped and pushed him away from her, glaring and growling so much that he hair tips were lit again. “Justice? WHAT justice? Nobodies like me don’t deserve any justice! All For One persuaded my father to leave us and become a villain. And then what? My mother was so heartbroken that she hanged herself! I was barely 12 years old...And she left me all alone, with a 3 year old sister to take care of. What did the Heroes do? They faked my father’s disappearance, my mother was written out of this world, as if she never even existed...But did anyone take responsibility for us? Of course not! Nobody gave a damn about us! NOBODY!” her voice was so full of pain, so broken, and for the first time ever, Katsuki was beginning to doubt everything he stood for so far. “You’ve been so hurt, and yet, you still stand by their side. Why?” Shigaraki’s eyes bore into hers, and it seemed like they almost understood each other. “I don’t care what I have to do, as long as my father and All For One die. For the past 4 years I’ve been working day and night...Studying, doing illicit part time jobs, just to get the money to raise my sister, so the both of us won’t get thrown or separated in a filthy orphanage. I’m so fucking exhausted, man. I just want to live long enough to see my revenge happening. That is the only reason I’m still alive. That, and I have to make sure my sister is okay. She’s so young, and she’s suffered enough...So, Shigaraki, if you want to kill me, now is your time to shine! You can have be by the throat, or you can have me stabbed...Or even cremated. Just say the word.” she provoked him right back, which made him laugh dryly.  “I like this look on your face, Y/N! I get ya, I totally get ya! Come on, take a seat here, at the bar, next to me. Look at your friend over there...Do you see that look in his eyes? He’s shocked. He’s confused. And you managed to do all that! Haha...But y’know what’s even better? Look at the news! Look at your homeroom teacher and principal talking!” Shiggy mocked Bakugou Katsuki, as he let the news on, not making any noise, until it was over. “Don’t you think it’s strange? Why are the heroes being criticised? The way they were dealing with things was juuust a little off. Is it because it’s their job to protect? Everyone makes a mistake or two. Are they supposed to be perfect? Modern-day heroes are so uptight. Don’t you think, Bakugou?” the blue haired one continued. “That’s how it’s always been, and will always be. The stronger ones will get criticised for any mistake they do...And the weaker ones are going to get ganged up and bullied by the others. So fair, isn’t it?” Y/N sighed, crossing her arms and putting her ankle over the other knee. “Is this society truly just, I wonder? We’re going to get everyone to think over. And we’ll be winning. You like winning too, don’t you~? ... Dabi, release his restraints.” Shigaraki ordered the brunet man. “Huh? This guy’s gonna fight, you know?” Dabi turned to look at him with confusion. “He won’t.” the girl muttered, flashing the blond a look for warning. “Don’t worry, it’s fine! We need to treat him like an equal, since we’re scouting him. Besides, you can tell if you’ll win or not if you fight in this situation, right, U.A. student?” Shigaraki reassured him, very carefree.

After that, Dabi made Twice remove Bakugou Katsuki’s restraints, as Mr. Compress apologised for being so forceful, making Tomura continue his explanation.

But of course, Bakugou Katsuki was angry at the League of Villains, so he blasted for Twice and Shigaraki away, glaring at them, grinning with a determined, murderous look on his face.

This was bad.

Out of fear for her fellow colleague, Y/N jumped in front of him, her arms outstretched in a way to defend him, should anything happen.

However, Shigaraki told them not to fight, despite Bakugou Katsuki’s blatant aggressiveness, telling them to fuck off...And so, Mr. Compress and Kurogiri were ordered to make both of them go back to sleep.

Fat chance.

“You said he’s valuable for you, right? Then don’t make him go back to sleep. I’ll make sure he doesn’t destroy or attack anything, so just leave him alone.” the girl gritted her teeth, attentively looking at each and every one of them.

There she was. 

She was standing up for him and defending him again.

What the hell is wrong with him? Does he look so helpless and vulnerable to her?

What the hell was going on with him...?

How could he possibly become a hero, let alone one like All Might, when he let himself get captured, and now, he has someone stand up for him repeatedly?

His thoughts were all a jumbled mess, until the anti-climatic pizza guy rang the door bell...

Only for All Might and other heroes to smash through, as Kamui bound everyone, Gran Torino made Dabi faint, and Edgeshot came to help.

“I’m sorry for the delay. I’m sure you were scared, but it’s fine now!” All Might reassured them...And Katsuki’s bottom lip was quivering... “No need for anyone to worry about me, All Might...You guys did really well...I guess...” the girl let her arms fall to her sides, looking with mixed feelings at the villains. “Don’t be too harsh on them, please. They aren’t too different from me...Now, do what you have to do. I’ll get Katsuki out of here...And don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to him, no matter what.” the girl said, but as soon as she finished her words, Nomus started appearing out of nowhere, even though Kurogiri was unconscious.

This must be the work of All For One.

As the girl was ready to get the blond out of there, a black mist started engulfing him, and realising the gravity of the situation, she threw her arms around him, letting herself be teleported away with him...

The same as when he got kidnapped in the first place.

...

They were in front of All For One.

And Katsuki wasn’t aware of that.

But Y/N knew.

She knew.

Because behind him, from the smoke and dust, her father emerged, almost like a shadow.

Growling, she pushed Katsuki much behind him, standing in a defensive position, attentive for any possible attack.

All For One...Was like a teacher for Shigaraki Tomura. He was like a father for him.

And Y/N was angry that she could feel sympathy for him...For them.

“All Might is going to defeat you again, All For One. And I’m glad I will be here to witness your fall.” the girl growled, trying to keep her composure in front of the nightmare she’s been living for the last years. “You are right. Because he is here, L/N Y/N.” he chuckled darkly, as the girl dragged Katsuki away, leaving way for the two to clash.

Katsuki was watching with shock and horror at the enemy being able to repel the Symbol of peace like that.

All the villains then gathered around Katsuki, ready to take him away and go through the Warp gate.

“Don’t worry about us, All Might! I will protect Katsuki! You take care of that bastard, and stop worrying about us!” Y/N yelled at the Hero, so he will stop being distracted.

As she said that, she did a flip, kicking the blond away from those villains, as she activated her Quirk and did a huge fire bubble around him, so intense that they wouldn’t be able to approach. She kept that fire going with one hand, as with the other she kept defending herself from everyone’s attacks, especially Mr. Compress’, who was trying to get them away.

She kept trying to fight them, as Katsuki was cursing her, trying and failing to get out of the bubble she created, a loud noise was heard, and she noticed Midoria, Iida, Kirishima and Todoroki using their Quirks to jump high into the sky above them, as Kiri was extending his hand towards them to get them out of here.

Smirking widely, she let out the fire from around him, ran as fast as she could, and used the fire she had to propel herself, while dragging Katsuki with her by the wrist, and along with his explosions, they reached everyone.

That is, if Y/N didn’t do one last effort to throw Katsuki to them, and in return, her falling behind.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine! Get the hell outta here, all of you!” was the only thing Katsuki heard, as he tried to get out of Kirishima’s grasp, trying to get the girl to join them...

But he failed.

Again.

And all he could do was go to safety with the other two, watching from the big screen as Y/N and All Might were going to fight All For One and Y/N’s father.

“Don’t you dare send me away, Yagi Toshinori. You owe me at least this much, for everything I’ve been put through. You owe me my revenge on these two people. I’m done being the better person.” she got in an attack position, earning a nod from the hero beside her. “I do owe you at least that. Don’t be rash, and stay focused.” All Might advised her one more time.

Her father could only laugh as he was fighting her.

He laughed at how pitiful she was. He laughed at her emotions. He laughed, not caring about the family he created, and how he destroyed it. He laughed as...

As he held Y/N’s little sister captive.

And he was mocking her, telling her that she will kill the kid if she didn’t obey.

It was then that Katsuki realised he couldn’t breathe anymore, and his heart wasn’t sure if it stopped altogether, or was beating too fast to keep track of.

He was feeling anxious and truly scared for the first time in his life.

What would he have done, should he have been in her situation?

Would he freeze? Would he attack? Would he give up and obey?

He couldn’t answer.

It was impossible.

But...The girl had an answer.

Rage.

Her anger was so beyond limit that, with a loud, raw roar of anger, hatred, agony, and all the pent up frustration she’s been bottling over the years, and without her knowledge, a huge aura of white fire created around her, as she went to attack, and burn alive, the father that destroyed her life.

She was afraid to touch her sister, but Gran Torino and Mount Lady were there to prioritise the rescue of the little girl, allowing Y/N to fight him properly.

Katsuki didn’t need words to see the pain she was harbouring in her heart, as each battle cry gave away the agony she was living in.

Katsuki didn’t need to be told what emotions she was feeling, as the tears in her eyes were enough proof.

Katsuki didn’t need to ask how if she cared for her future, as the blood and burns her Quirk is causing her were a silent answer.

If he could, Katsuki would go right back at her and get her away from there, defend her the same way she did...At USJ, at the Sports Festival, inside the bar...And now, in front of the worst villain ever, All For One.

Katsuki’s eyes were stinking, and his whole body was trembling with emotion and worry.

That stupid Y/N.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Stupid, dumb, clumsy, clueless, frail, vulnerable, idiotic, extra, dumbass Y/N!

Why the fuck do you always have to defend him, and get yourself in such shitty situations in front of him?!

Do it somewhere else, where he won’t feel guilty that he left you alone!

Do it somewhere else, where he can’t see your body bloody, broken, lying there lifelessly!

Stop protecting him!!!

Stop defending him!!!

Stop...Stop! STOP ALREADY!

Please...PLEASE-....PLEASE! 

Please, Y/N, just stop already! 

Run away, come to me, let me defend you for fucking once!

Stop smiling that stupid grin of yours, when you’re more dead than alive!

Yes, he won the fight against some lame villain like her father, but the state she was in?  She was good for nothing else than bait against All Might!

And Katsuki could only watch as she fell to her knees, as her father wasted away in nothing more than dust and ashes into the wind... Only for All For One to pick her up by the neck, using her as a shield, so All Might wouldn’t be able to hit him again...

But All Might is smart, and quickly picked Y/N in one hand, and hit AFO with the other, despite the damage he got to himself.

“Toshi...Don’t mind me...Please...Take care of yourself...” the girl coughed blood on the ground, as she managed to get up from the ground, but this time, she wasn’t sure how much the adrenaline she had running through her veins was going to help much.

But things were getting bad, and all the heroes could see it, broadcasted on live television...And only they were truly able to realise the extent of the problem they were in.

As AFO kept taunting All Might, Y/N encouraged him to keep fighting, despite seeing that he was deflating...Changing.  With all the last strength she had, she patted Toshinori on the back, as she rushed to save a woman from beneath the ruins, allowing the Hero to fight the villain leisurely...

But the last wave...Completely revealed All Might’s true form.

That of a skeleton.

And Katsuki realised...That the fall of All Might was caused by him.

He destroyed the Symbol of Peace.

It was his fault.

All his fault.

But then...Then...All For One did spoke so much...All with the intention to break Toshinori’s heart...To break him...His mind, his heart, his soul.

He told him the truth.

Shigaraki Tomura...Shimura Tenko...Shimura Nana’s grandson..His master’s own grandson...

The master that All For One himself killed.

“ALL MIGHT! FIGHT! DON’T LOSE YOUR COMPOSURE! YOU’RE ALL MIGHT! YOU’RE THE SYMBOL OF PEACE! WIIIIIIIIIIN! ALL MIGHT, WIIIIIIIINNN!!!” Y/N shrieked at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her face, as she let out a rope of fire to wrap around his arms, empowering him.

She had no idea that the desperate shout she gave made the people watching the broadcast join in the chant.

WIN!

ALL MIGHT, WIN!

YOU MUST WIN!

ALL MIGHT!

As AFO attacked again, Endeavour, Kamui Woods, Edgeshot and other Pro-Heroes joined the fight...Helping All Might...Encouraging him...Telling him that everyone is praying for his success...

And the girl too...

She got up, dragged herself by his side, put her hand over his wrist, and dragged it up in the air.

“NOBODY CAN DEFEAT ALL MIGHT, THE SYMBOL OF PEACE! ROT IN HELL, ALL FOR ONE!” she cried out once again, trying her best to encourage the #1 hero...

But AFO had other plans.

With a powerful shockwave, he blew away everyone, except for All Might.

It took just one more punch...Two more...Three more, actually...For All Might to finish the fight, with that broken and bloody body of his...

He put in that last punch all the fire he had left in his heart, and managed to defeat him completely...

But so...

So disappeared One For All as well.

As soon as the smoke and dust cleared, Y/N saw Toshinori still standing, raising his fist towards the sky, and she started crying harder, yelling out his name in happiness, as everyone was chanting his name.

Despite not even being able to stand up, the girl used the last of her powers to get up, run to him and hug him tightly from the back, sobbing in relief.

“Next, it’s your turn.” was the last thing All Might said on TV.

Everyone interpreted it differently, most people thinking that it was a threat for the villains...

But the truth was otherwise.

“I have used up everything I had in me.”

One For All was done for, and so was All Might.

And it was all the fault of the powerless Bakugou Katsuki.

---

To allow children to continue studying, U.A. built dorms for all the students, and now, each homeroom teacher had to go to all families of their students and ask for permission.

It was all fine and dandy...

But Bakugou Katsuki’s family...

Or rather said, his mother...

Well, Aizawa and Toshinori could understand why Bakugou Katsuki had so much pent up rage and frustration, so much anger and suppressed worries and pressure on his shoulders.

His mother wasn’t the most...Gentle one.

She was as aggressive as he was...Or rather, that’s where he got it from.

Casually slapping the back of his head, blaming him for being too weak and allowing himself to get kidnapped, which in turn, is causing everyone so much trouble, saying that he’s hopeless, and needs to be taught a lesson, constantly yelling at him...

“Is...That alright...?” Toshinori asked, worrying a bit for the blond. “Yeahh, that’s alright, he can take it.” was Bakugou Mitsuki’s reply.

He can take it...?

The slaps? The criticism? The insults? The yelling? The abuse? The trauma? The guilt? The pressure? The facade?

He certainly can take it all...

Can’t he...?

But really...Can he really...?

After what happened at Camino...What he felt, what he saw, what he did...

Can he really take it anymore...?

Bakugou Katsuki can certainly take it, since he doesn’t care about anyone around him, nor for their words or actions...

But can Katsuki take it? 

Can the broken boy inside of him, the one that has so much pressure, so much pain, so many insults, mistakes and guilt thrown at him one after the other?  Can the boy who feels so inferior to the Quirkless Deku that became his Idol’s favourite...

Can he really take it?

---

And so, they moved in the dorms, and since she had nobody to leave her with, Y/N was forced to bring her sister, much to the displeasure of the teachers, but it had to be done.

One of the Pro-Heroes was forced to escort her to school, and back home, at all times as well.

It was a drag, but after all, it wasn’t Y/N’s fault, it was the heroes’ fault this all happened to her.

Everything seemed fine, but only or a little while, clearly, as one day, they heard some arguing from the living room, only to notice a bandaged up Y/N arguing with Aizawa, which wasn’t something anyone would expect.

After all...

Who and WHY would you fight with your homeroom teacher...?

“Well, it’s not my fault either, is it? I wasn’t able to rely on you, Heroes, for the past 4 years, why should I now? Sure, we have some food and stuff, but after this? I have no money, and neither does my sister, obviously. If U.A., or that stupid Government that screwed up my life had any money to spare for the trauma they caused us, they would have given it to us already, right? So come on, turn a blind eye, sign this, and let me go already.” she tried her best to keep herself civil, as Aizawa could only sigh, understanding her concerns. “Look, Y/N, I’m just your homeroom teacher, I’m not the president, and I don’t make the rules. If things were my way, they would have been much different. The police doesn’t let children out of the house either, and Principal Nezu is concerned about all of you. I can’t allow you to risk your life every day to go work, even though I completely understand your concerns.” he tried to explain, but it only angered the girl further. “And after I’m done with this place? What am I going to do? I have no money, I can’t pay for the bills to keep my house, I can’t pay for food, for clothes, for my sister’s books or other things...She’s turning 8 soon, y’know? And what am I supposed to do? Smile and say BLAME THE HEROES WE’RE BROKE? Come on...You can’t expect me to work 3 jobs when we get out of the Dorms, right? You do realise I can’t take it anymore, right?!” her voice was beginning to break, it was getting a bit more pitched, and Katsuki realised how much she was hurting, for the first time since they got in 1-A. “I’m really sorry, Y/N, I know this has been the hardest for you. I will try to talk around again, but I don’t know what we can do. You have great grades, I will at least try, at the end of the year, to fight for a monthly scholarship for you. You deserve it. If things get calmer over time, I will try to convince the Principal to give you permission to work, since yours is a special case.” Aizawa could see how overly exhausted his student was, and knowing her past and all the struggles she’s been going through, he couldn’t help but hug her, patting her hair reassuringly. “I’m exhausted, Aizawa...I don’t know how long I can go on. My body, my heart, my mind...They’re all...Shattered. Now that I’ve accomplished the goal I set myself...My father is dead...All Might defeated All For One...What do I live for? Why am I still here, just to suffer? Do I really have to live for another person? Am I really alive, just to support my sister financially? But...But what about me...? I’ve been working since I was 12...Working and studying all the time...With no actual breaks...I’m collapsing and I can’t see a way out...I’m...I’m...I’m weak too, you know...?!”

I’m weak too...

I’m...

Weak...

How...Can she say that...With such ease?

How can she admit to being weak and vulnerable?

How can she say all that, and yet, Aizawa isn’t looking at her in disgust, but is comforting her?

What the hell is going on?

Bakugou was so sure that if he was ever to show weakness, his whole life was going to crumble away.

HE was going to shatter and everyone was going to blame him, and stomp on the pieces that remained of him.

So why...With her...It’s different...?

Maybe...

Maybe...

Just maybe...

He, too, was allowed...To feel...Even a little beat...

Weak...?

Katsuki was lost in thought, watching Aizawa pat Y/N’s head one more time, before leaving to his room, as the girl could only stare aimlessly at the ceiling, her eyes red, puffy and dead, like those of a dead fish.

She truly looked like she was a deadman walking right now.

She needed help.

She needed someone.

This was her, the true Y/N, the one who’s hurting so much, the one who forgot to live, and existed, only for the sake of another.

Y/N, this weak, broken girl, that live through sheer spite, rage, hatred, frustration, fire and adrenaline... Had no more reason to live.

Katsuki growled at his classmates, telling them to fuck off, as he gulped and made his way to the girl, staring down at her with stern eyes.

Stern eyes that, as soon as they met her pained ones, softened immediately.

They just stood there, staring at each other for a while, before she finally spoke out.

“What do you want?”

Her voice was so rough, so cold, so dead, so much that it almost seemed like she was barely holding on to reality.

“Let me defend you.” Katsuki deadpanned, not thinking much about what he was saying. “Defend me...? What are you talking about?” she frowned in confusion at his words. “You stood in front of me and protected me so many times before...Look, dumbass, I...I’m not good with words. But...Thanks for everything you’ve done for me so far. I, uh...I guess I...Appreciate it. So let me return the favour. I owe you.” he spoke gentler than any time before, only for the girl to scoff and roll her eyes. “Owe me...? Don’t be stupid. I wasn’t expecting to get out of there alive. I kept constantly throwing myself in deadly situations, hoping to feel something. Guess what. I’m more dead than alive. You can’t defend someone with no purpose in life, Bakugou Katsuki. Give it up and go back to your life and your ambitions. Forget about me. I’m not that stupid and cheerful, happy-go-lucky bimbo I let myself be seen as before.” she explained, turning away, not meeting his eyes. “What the hell, Y/N, first of all, don’t ever call me that again! That pisses me off to no end! Secondly, yeah, I know, I always knew that wasn’t the real you. But so what, big deal! I’ve been analysing your every move since the USJ incident! But let me get back at you for all the times you asked me if I was okay, if I overused my Quirk, if I was taking care of myself, and so on. Let me get back at you for shielding and defending me from everyone who tried to harm me, verbally or physically. Let me help you find yourself a reason to live, but this time, for yourself, not for others.” his yelling gradually softened, to the point where he was barely audible...But he was being genuine. “...You’re very strange, ‘Tsuki. Even now, after all we’ve been through, after seeing my true self, you haven’t shunned me, and you still want to help me out. How cute...Very cute, in fact. But I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m capable of receiving help. What’s broken can’t be repaired, you know?” she muttered, before feeling a tight hug from behind. “What about repairing Quirks? Or that old ritual that glues ceramic objects with gold? Don’t be a dumbass...There are ways, you just need to accept the help you’re given. That’s all. Say yes. That’s all I’m asking you. If you’re taking a step back, and allowing yourself to be weak, then let me defend you. Let me protect you.” he buried his face in her hair, as he felt her body tremble in his embrace. “...Okay, ‘Tsuki. Please...Defend me.” was all she said, as she turned around and hugged the boy just as hard.

But that was the simplest thing they could do, because while yes, someone there to hug you and be there for you was always great, but Y/N was so much in her own world from all the things that have been happening, that she forgot to care about others’ well-being, trying to focus on herself for once...

Which is why she couldn’t see, at least at first, how much of a blow the Camino incident was for Katsuki.

It was tearing him apart, but he had nobody to tell to, because the only person who he wasn’t afraid of being weak in front, needed to be protected, and he couldn’t be weak for her, when he needed him the most.

So he was suffering in silence.

Days after days, nights after nights.

He couldn’t sleep well, his mind was tired, he wasn’t eating properly, he was more aggressive and less sociable...

It became so bad that, one night, he took it outside with Deku and fought head to head with him, only to have Aizawa stop them, grounding and scolding them well enough.

It was then that she finally managed to get herself to look in his eyes...And realise how much he was hurting.

The next night, even more, as she saw him slipping away outside, pushing himself to train harder...And harder...And harder...

It was almost like he was using this excessive and incoherent training as a way to let out all the pent up frustrations he held inside of his heart.

And that was the exact truth.

He was screaming, roaring, blasting away trees and other things around, trying to blow away the anger he had, hoping that it would go away, but it didn’t.

“...’Tsuki...? Hey, ‘Tsuki, calm down for a second. Please. Stop. Just for a bit. Look at me.” she spoke out loud enough to be heard from all the explosions. “ Huh? Y/N? The hell ya doin’ here? Go back to the dorms, I’m busy.” he tried his best not to yell at her, but it was obvious he was holding back with the last ounce of self-control he had left in his body. “No. I know you’re hurting. I’ve known since the beginning. That’s why I kept asking you if you’re okay, so you can’t bullshit me. You feel like you can’t allow yourself to talk to anyone. You feel like the weight of the whole world is on your shoulders. You feel the pressure, the pain, the mistakes, the words, the insults, the criticism, the guilt and blame of everything that happened...But ‘Tsuki, don’t ever blame yourself for the All Might thing. It wasn’t your fault. It was going to happen sooner or later, but now, the Villain Boss is defeated, thanks to All Might. Casualties happened, but this was the best outcome anyway.” she tried to pacify him, but when he turned around to face her, tears were streaming down his face like a waterfall. “STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT, DAMN IT! I DON’T NEED YOUR STUPID PITY! AND WHAT THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW?! I LET MYSELF GET KIDNAPPED, ALL MIGHT LOST HIS POWERS BECAUSE OF ME! ALL I DO IS FUCK UP ALL THE TIME! WHY CAN’T I DO ANYTHING FUCKING RIGHT FOR ONCE, DAMN IT?!” he yelled so loud, so rough, so raw, so pained, that the girl could only bite her lip and run to hug him as tight as she could.

He wanted to yell at her, to blame her for all those stupid emotions he was feeling, for the guilt and darkness that kept engulfing him.

He wanted to beat her up for making him worry so much at Camino, being so dumb as to get in front of him, to protect him from all those villains, and more, All For One.

He wanted to give her a piece of his mind for all the stupid things she told while at the League of Villains’ headquarter, as it felt like nothing more than a harsh and cruel dream, and yet, it was reality.

He wanted to shake her by the shoulders for making him feel as if he owes her, for all the times she stood up for him and defended him in front of everyone.

But more importantly...

He wanted to hug her tightly to his chest and just cry away his emotions, as he knew that none of those were her fault, and that he’s just been locking himself and his heart away from the world to see, and that he’s nothing more than a scared boy who wants to hide away from the judging eyes of people.

“Go on, ‘Tsuki. Yell at me, hit me, punch me, slap me, curse me, use your Quirk on me...Do anything, I don’t care, as long as it helps you get rid of those frustrations and thoughts. They are all false. They were induced to you because of other people and circumstances, but none of those are your fault. You’re going to become an amazing hero, Katsuki, and nobody will ever doubt that.” she spoke in a firm tone, hoping to get through his thick, stubborn skull of his. “...Y/N...” a soft sob, calling out her name, came from the boy.

How could she say something like that? 

How could she possibly imagine that he would be capable of ever being even remotely aggressive with her, when what he wants is nothing more than to protect her and be there for her?

But she does have a point.

She always seemed to say what everyone wanted to hear.

He wasn’t even sure if she always meant her words, but needless to say, they were always what everyone needed, and he realised that now, after seeing how she behaved with those villains, and before, during normal school days, with their classmates.

“Yes, ‘Tsuki? What is it?” she raised her head, cupping his face, wiping away the tears from his eyes. “I’m...I’m...I’m....W-...We...We-...N-No, fuck it, I can’t say it. I can’t. I...I can’t...” Katsuki cursed himself, shutting his eyes firmly, gritting his teeth in anger. “You can, ‘Tsuki. You know you can. You brave and strong. Allow yourself to feel. You are only human, darling. Humans make mistakes, and they are forgiven for them. Humans are allowed to feel, and nobody is blaming them for having feelings. Humans can be weak, and can be strong, maybe both at the same time, and nobody will hate them for not being one or the other all the time! So...’Tsuki...Be honest with yourself, please. Allow yourself to be human.” her voice was so angelic, and spoke so much truth, that for the first time in his life, Katsuki allowed himself to exist as a human being. “I’M WEAK TOO, YOU KNOW?!” he yelled out, his voice booming through the forest, louder than his explosions.

He...

He said it.

He truly said it.

And he’s still there.

And she’s still there.

She isn’t mocking him, nor is she taunting or running away from him.

She isn’t shaming or blaming him.

Instead, she has a tender and understanding expression on her face...

And she’s smiling, almost as if she’s proud of him, he thinks.

But why would she be proud of a complete stranger that admitted his own weaknesses...?

“I know, sweetheart, I know. You’re so brave for saying it. It takes a lot of strength to admit it, especially out loud, to someone else. I’m so proud of you, ‘Tsuki. I promise you, I’m not going to look at you differently for admitting it, and nor will anybody else. It’s not healthy to keep those emotions inside of you, they are only going to eat you away. You saw it first hand.” the girl caressed his cheeks gently, smiling at him in understanding and pride. “This is so stupid...I hate this. I hate this so much. I hate being weak...It’s strange. Not my thing at all. I’m such a fucking dumbass...But...I guess you’re right...Sorta. I feel better letting that get out of my system.” he muttered, blushing and averting his sight from hers. “...This is probably the worst timing ever, but...Did I ever tell you how adorable you are?” she gave him that dumb, happy-go-lucky grin once again, which made him lose his shit, getting more flustered, not sure if he would have the strength to look at her, or if he should look away and avoid any more embarrassment. “What the hell?! Shut the hell up, you dumbass! Don’t say shit like that that you don’t mean, you stupid extra!” he growled at her, but it sounded more like a pomeranian yapping, with no ill intent, which only made the girl chuckle at him. “I mean it. All of it. You’re adorable. Come on, let’s hang out a bit more. Just walk around the place, relax a bit. What do you say?” she gave him a soft smile, extending her hand towards him. “...Whatever.” he hung his head, biting his lip in embarrassment, hiding his face in with one of his forearms, as with the other hand, he held Y/N’s hand. “Did you know that you smell very sweet? Like caramel sugar. And your hand is so warm...” she praised and complimented him, and he couldn’t help but blush harder, not being used to this kind of cutesy words about him. “Sh-Shut up, don’t be an idiot.” he said those words, and yet, he intertwined his fingers with hers, holding her hand tighter. “Come on, I know you like it. Be honest with yourself.” she giggled, leaning on his arm, as he could finally feel himself relaxing a bit. “Yeah...I...I guess I do like it. And I like you.” he admitted, albeit, barely audible. “And I like you as well, ‘Tsuki.” 

Y/N gave him a soft smile - Not one of those happy-go-lucky, stupidly dumb grins - But a soft, small, genuine one.

For the first time in forever, Y/N smiled because she felt happy.

And she felt happy with Katsuki by her side.

Realising that, the boy felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards, forming a small smile as well.

Perhaps, they were re-learning together how to be happy...And how to allow themselves to be genuine with themselves.

They were learning to truly appreciate themselves and who they are, after such a long time of struggles, hardships, trauma, insults, guilt and burdens.

At least for tonight, they didn’t have to be Bakugou Katsuki and L/N Y/N.

At least for tonight, they were just Katsuki and Y/N.

And they were happy.

[damedamedame]

akane aoi + reader | so and so : chapter i

| description ! |  aoi protection squad !! and akane does an oopsie.

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The next day, Akane sneezes.

“Someone must be thinking of you, Akane.”

Aoi smiles, gleefully putting the palm of her hand on her cheek as Akane stares at her, bewilderment prancing about in his chocolate eyes. The two of them, having lived right beside each other since they were but small children, always walked to school together. It was for their safety (and for him to beat up anyone who dare try to steal her away).

“Is it… you?”

Akane shoots his shot, attempting to flirt with the pretty girl beside him.

“Mm… no.”

Yet she turns him down, like all the other attempts from before. He feigns a surprised look on his face when he hears her answer. Truthfully and ‘shamefully’, no absolute shock comes to him after hearing her various negative responses anymore, but he continues to entertain her with flattering remarks and honest compliments. Even sometimes everyday, actually going a tad overboard.

He still did these sorts of things, albeit knowing that the probability of her liking him back was more-or-less on the verge of turning to zero.

Once they enter the campus of Kamome Gakuen, most of the people around the two have different thoughts and opinions when they see them walking with each other and chatting amidst themselves. Usually, it would be about how diviningly stunning Aoi-chan looked this fine day, some would give Akane pitiful stares when they hear her reject more of his daily advances as per usual.

Others, even when the majority of the school’s population adored the cute girl, partook in various gossip and rumors which rooted from the stems of jealousy and envy.

“Ao-chan, why don’t you go on ahead?” Akane stops in the middle of the staircase after hearing another pair of students talk badly about her in hushed whispers and murmurs. Aoi, as much as she tries to hide the obvious discomfort in her cheerful acts, looks back at him with a strange mock-up of her usually petite smile and he can’t help but give her a comforting beam in his eyes in return. “I’ll be right back, I swear.”

He knows she hears what they’re saying, which is exactly why he took it upon himself to protect her from mindless haters. Which is also exactly why he sticks a baseball bat in his locker for when opportunities such as these arise. Not that he would actually hit anyone, the hassle he has with the Student Council President was already far too much to deal with.

Before Akane could face the two particular students, he hears the voice of someone confronting them with no sign of falter.

“What’s the point of badmouthing the poor girl?” 

You frown, crossing your arms as you hear them continue talking as if your presence wasn’t there at all. The two girls, both you recognize as second-year students, look you up and down when they finally decide to notice that you had been there the whole time.

This was a courageous step that you took so very early in the morning and probably the only courageous step you took in your whole life, bearing in mind that you were only a puny first-year scolding your seniors, but you could care less about what could happen next. With your sense of justification and recklessness flowing through your veins, you keep giving them a piece of your mind.

“You have no right to keep bullying her, she’s a human being too, you know…!”

Surely, you’ve dug yourself your own grave. The girls seem extra annoyed with you at this moment, and you feel the vulnerability start to lurch from the waves of anxiety that hid deep inside of you.

An alarm ringing of danger overtook your system once you’ve finished with the last few words from that long and drawn out speech of yours. Perhaps you might get karma for this later on, which you thought was fair enough.

“I get it, (L/N)-san!” One of them spoke out with clear irritation laced in her voice, arm sticking out to corner you with no chance of escape. She leans in close to your face to whisper something so quiet that only you could hear and the action sends a shiver down your spine. “You’re just doing this to get Aoi-kun’s attention, but honestly? It’s being such a pain.”

‘What?’ You clench your fist. No hidden intentions lied beneath the words that you spouted a while ago. After months of hearing such disturbing rumors sprout out about poor Aoi, and seeing the slight pale of her face when she accidentally overhears some of these ridiculous atrocities, you spoke up about it. But… this is what you get? The justice that you wanted to speak up about was being knocked down as a way of seeking attention from your crush?

“That’s not--!”

You found yourself frozen on the spot. The words, your voice of reason, completely halted before you had the chance to defend what little worth you had left. Your face pales and you’re left with the ridiculous feelings of anxiety in your nerves and frustration slowly caving in your mind. The two pesky girls only stared at you in amusement, and some part of you wondered if what they were saying was right.

No, you refused to believe that you were doing this for the sake of making Akane notice you. 

Embarrassment merely found you at the worst possible moment. Not that you were embarrassed for protecting Aoi from their harsh words. You even felt a bit of pride come to your senses because you were doing what you deemed right. You were embarrassed because once they brought Akane into the mix of things… you stiffened. They affected you in one way or another, and you cursed yourself for having such strong feelings.

Unknown to you, a certain red-haired boy had been listening in on your conversation.

A hand comes to your shoulder, and you expected the Principal or Minamoto-senpai to be the owner of that particular hand. Instead, you saw… Akane…?

‘WAITWHATHAWHATTHEFUCK’

“(L/N)-san, you’re going to be late for class again.” You didn’t expect someone like him to pull off some shoujo-type move, but shit, here he was. Akane had an irked grin, not even trying to hide how much disgust he held. His eyes showed off an ‘Ew. How dare you disrespect Ao-chan like that?’. Because of course, anyone who regarded Aoi as some sort of rubbish had to face his undying wrath. He clenches your shoulder and you barely contain the yelp at the tip of your tongue. “You should probably go before Nagisa-sensei marks you late again. Tell Ao-chan I had some minor business to do for the Student Council!”.

You nod, hurriedly speed-walking away with the warmth blooming on your cheeks once again.

Once you were out of sight and out of mind, Akane reveals the baseball bat hiding behind his back.

“Now… what were you saying about Ao-chan?”

The girls were frightened. Even going as far as to run away before Akane, who wasn’t even going to do anything very harmful to any of the two, could do anything to them. He heaves a sigh, shaking his head in a degree of disappointment. “Tsk, they never learn.”

Having quite the observant eye which he prided himself upon, the mumbles escaping their mouths as they nyoomed away from him didn’t go unnoticed. He barely heard the ‘That (L/N) >:00’ from them and he ends up wondering throughout the day about what they might do to you, earning a few strange stares from Aoi. She’d ask him if he was alright and he proclaimed right then and there in the hallway that he wanted to marry her, immediately diminishing any other thoughts.

Just as classes ended and Aoi asked him to leave earlier than her since she had to tend to the gardening club today, Akane steps out of the high school building to stretch his legs and walk around. He’s always believed that having a large amount of stamina could come in handy whenever he had to sprint over to Aoi when she was ever in danger, being the simp that he is.

Besides, those troublesome ‘co-workers’ of his, including that devil of a President, didn’t ask for his help for once, so he had a rarity of free time.

‘On second thought… they could have something planned--’

He shudders at the thought. Having to deal with Mirai again was going to be a real pain, and having to be punished by that damned exorcist was not something he had in plan for today.

Minutes later, he had realized that he’s been standing and grumbling to himself in the high school building’s entrance and everyone merely passed him by like him being crazy was normal sight to see. What made him snap out of it? Oh, well, it was the strong gust of wind that flew past him, of course. Beside him, he hears a string of curses muttered under someone’s breath. Looking through the corner of his eyes, his eyes widen at the sight of you.

‘Weird…’ He cups his chin. In all honesty, Akane had never really thought that much about you. But he’s seen a minority of the little things you do when he wasn’t focusing on Aoi or when the lecture really was too boring to handle.

How the pen your nimble fingers held wrote on its own when you were writing in that notebook of yours or how you twirled that same pen in your hands in random directions when you didn’t intend to listen and absent-mindedly flicked it off somewhere.. It was certainly an interesting and funny event when you had accidentally hit the back of Nagisa-sensei’s head once and hid yourself in the pages of your book with shaking hands.

‘Befriending her would be nice.’ He thought, reminiscing the display of sheer confidence he witnessed from you earlier that morning. However, that moment wouldn’t be now because you already walked away and--

“(L/N)-san!”

Akane eyes bulged, expression aghast at the scene playing before him in horror. You had simply been waiting for the traffic light to turn red for you to cross to the other side of the street. Standing timidly on the sidewalk while clutching your bag close to your chest, a big truck that obviously lost its control crashed into you.

Almost crashed into you.

Thankfully his reflexes kicked in just as the truck was almost at the point of colliding with your body. 

Swiftly stopping time with the pocket watch he held in his hands, he managed to push you away before any sort of absurd incident could happen. He… may have pushed you too hard, seeing as you were sprawled out on the cemented pavement, but you were safe. 

Then he realized his mistake.

‘D-Did anyone see me transform?’ He looks at his surroundings and heaves a sigh of relief. There were no people present at the scene. Most students were probably working around in their clubs and everybody rarely used this exit, so it was unquestionably safe to say that his identity was safe and not a person in sight would ever find ou--

“A-Aoi-kun--?”

Oh.

Oh no.

“(L/N)-san!” Akane jumps and speedily twirls around to face you. You? Oh, you looked unbelievably star-struck. In spite of knocking at the doorstep of death, your eyes twinkled in amazement and wonder and he can’t help but want to ask the ‘Why?’ on the tip of his tongue. A forced chuckle comes out of his throat, breaking down the silence that washed over between you two only a few seconds ago.

“Are you...” You paused, standing up and patting the dust away from your dress uniform. He doesn’t miss the way you almost trip on your own feet. “Are you an apparition?”

“You could say that.” You were right, sure, but he still didn’t like being wedged in as one of those dishonorable apparitions that lurked in every corner of the school. “Will you.. tell anyone?”

“No, not at all!” Chirping at your own words, you held one finger up to silently say ‘one second!’ and then quickly rummaged around in your bag to get something. To say that he was curious was an understatement. (Y/N) (L/N), who hummed to herself while checking something in her shoulder bag like she didn’t just almost die, was a strange one indeed.  

Examining the surroundings, he understood where he made the mistake in his actions. He only froze the truck. Originally, he had enough power to freeze both the truck and (Y/N), but after recently using up his time to freeze Aoi, he weakened himself quite a bit. He grimaces at the simple error, but decides that he shouldn’t beat himself up for it because the future wasn’t in his hands. The future was with Mirai, not him. 

‘What the fuck am I supposed to do with this truck.’ 

Akane’s nose scrunches, arms crossed as he tries to figure out a solution. A shudder goes down his spine when he suddenly feels someone tapping on his back. Lo and behold, it was you, holding up the notebook he’d see you with in class all the time. A sheepish grin appears on your face. He sees the slightest tint of pink appears on your cheeks, which he excuses as a form of embarrassment seeing as what you were holding up was...

“A picture book for apparitions and supernaturals...?”

END NOTES: 2000+ words let’s gOoooO (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞

oshit i forgot to tag: @astrxrism @sparkleswritings

[abizarreyodelingincident]

LU: Our Nightly Confidant 2

Deserted Hyrule

It could be worse.

Don't get him wrong. He'd gone through far more dangerous situations with not nearly as much ressources, or the faint hope that someone would notice and come help him. He's actually fairly confident he won't die in this ditch. A few factors led him to that conclusion.

For starters, his legs are no longer broken. And he isn't in his Hyrule, so chances are, he's not in immediate and urgent danger of being found by hungry monsters. Which is a very big positive note, because he currently can't do much more than lift a finger. Healing takes a lot out of him, but healing himself is so much worse. Taking his own energy to repair the damage, also a demanding thing to ask of his body... well, he's pretty resigned to spending the night at the bottom of this ravine if none of the others find him before nightfall.

Light is dimming, already hindered by the thick foliage all around him, worsened by the imminent sunset. Shadows crawl on the dirt and the bark of trees, tall spindly things. And yet, it still lacks the sort of venomous promises of home. Back home, no one slept in a forest if they could help it. No one with the will to live, at least. Here? He has the feeling he'll, at worse, be spooked once or twice.

The wind turns, again, and it strokes his hair like a kind old man's hand would. It's strange how appeasing the whistling in his ears feel reassuring. It's nothing like he is used to. Winds don't just stop and start all over again naturally. There's a presence in these woods. Something ancient, tied in the blood of the land. Some Hyrules feel more alive than others. This one is striving, brimmed with an undercurrent of Light.

Twilight had told them not to wander into the woods. It's got a lot of hidden ravines, he said, and poison mists. Hyrule cringes a bit remembering the heavy look aimed at him and Wild. Were he able to travel through time, he'd tell his past self to pay attention. He might have been too confident in his ability to avoid the danger. Poison and sheer drops should have been second nature for him at this point. Between his fairy and his jump spell, he had this covered.

That's probably why he fell now that he thinks about it. He never thought bushes could hide that kind of drop. They never grew around the mountains and hills of his era. The thought brings heat to his cheeks. The Hero of Hyrule, laid low by some harmless bushes.

“Maybe it's best the others don't find me right away. An hour, give or take, and I'll be able to scale this,” he mutters to himself, blushing.

The snap of a twig grips his heart in a vice grip. With what little energy he has, Hyrule snaps his head around to face a large shadowed wolf.

“W-Wolfie?” he asks, his voice uneven.

The bark that is his reply somehow sounds sarcastic. A drawled 'woof' that's like rumbling clouds.

“Huh.”

Despite his better judgement, Hyrule does relax. It's hard not to when faced with something that baffling.

“The others sent you to get me?” he says, remembering the last time the beast had spent hours leading him and Wild through the woods. That glare scorched. “Right, right... huh, think you could wait a few minutes.”

It's not much better tonight.

“Sorry, Wolfie. I got injured in the fall. I healed, but it's taken its toll.”

Worry makes the wolf's face shift. A cold nose pushes against his foot, and Hyrule chuckles at the tickling sensation.

“I'm fine. It's... just a bit of rest should do the trick... I give you a lot of work, don't I?” I am a burden, a failure, he doesn't say.  

With a huff, Wolfie rolls his eyes and lifts his head. For a second there, Hyrule has to blink, convinced the light of dusk is playing a trick on him, but no, Wolfie's fur is darkening. From grey to black. Like ink spilled on top of him, bleeding over his entire form until even his eyes are swallowed into the darkness.

He flinches back, willing his hand to grab his sword. Ache, he thinks. He's been a fool! He was so willing to believe his luck had turned he'd forgotten the most basic safety precautions of his time!

Blocks of darkness fly off Wolfie's silhouette, which somehow doesn't change. Doesn't stretch into a standing position and a face full of mocking fangs. Wolfie disappears in a flurry of pure black and Hyrule's brain stutters to a miserable stop.

And then, just above, the darkness gathers, swirls together. And out emerges Wolfie, same as ever, with the markings on his forehead and the chains clanking against the edges of the ravine. Teleportation.

“You can use magic?!” Hyrule yells, forgetting all about keeping a low profile in the face of that shock. Animals aren't supposed to know magic! Most monsters can't use it!

For some reason Hyrule can't wrap his head around, his shout causes Wolfie to pause. His next movement is more careful, a little more hunched, and he disappears beyond the edge of the cliff, a hint of his tail the only sign that Wolfie has turned around.

Sky would tell him that it's another sign that Hylia is watching over them. That she sent Wolfie as a sort of messenger to pass along hope. Something like that. And Legend would have the hardest time keeping his disdain off his face. For all he was prickly, he also had a sixth sense for what was and wasn't an unacceptable line to cross.

Hyrule... Hyrule doesn't know who he leans toward in that case. Before this quest, he'd have no clue, not because he was uncertain, but because he didn't know what a goddess was supposed to be then. Now that he does, it lacks... appeal. It doesn't help that none of the others can exactly agree who and what the goddesses of the world are, what's the point of belief.

'Faith that there's a way to save yourself,' rings Legend's bitten answer, whispered late at night.

It's probably a coincidence that the moment the memory plays out rope drops quite directly into his hand.

Wolfie is looking down, a low huff and nod for him to grab onto the rope. Even though his every limbs are weighted with iron, he has to give it a fair try.

And he drops the moment he's on his feet.

The dizziness hits worse with the echoes of a panicked bark over the howling wind. He has to close his eyes for a second. What he wouldn't give for a potion right now.

A rough texture licks the back of his hand. It's not anything he ever got to experience before. What few dogs he knew before this were more the sort to bite than offer comfort. And that's what it is, comfort, an apology, maybe, for pushing. Slowly, he opens his eyes, comes face to face with Wolfie, who lets out a pitiful whine.

“Sorry,” Hyrule repeats. “I don't think I can climb that.”

The ears flick on top of Wolfie's head, and he grabs the rope in his mouth. Circles him quickly. Oh. That could work. Together, they manage to tie the rope around his waist, secure it tightly, and Wolfie's gone again. The tugs start right away.

It's uncomfortable at best, but he's not about to complain. Who ever heard of a wolf pulling someone up a cliff before? Throwing someone a length of rope? He figures the discomfort is his punishment for not listening. It doesn't last long regardless. He has to blink back the sleep when his back scrapes on dirt. Groans. Thinks.

Now that he knows Wolfie can use magic, the scolding feels even worse. He's not scared. Just... the weight of those eyes grew. It's not just Wild's tame wolf being sent after him. It's a thinking beast annoyed at his recklessness. He should know better, the glare inside his head tells him.

He bites his tongue. The words don't want to come out.

Wolfie crouches low and nudges him with his nose, hints at his back. An invitation. It makes shame curdle inside his stomach. He can feel it sloshing around. The ravine suddenly sounds appealing. But he can't do that to Wolfie. Not twice in a row. He only has to swallow a bit of embarrassment. He's lucky. So lucky. Most people just die.

Few people ever seem to live in his era.

Wolfie's fur is still unfairly soft even when he can feel the rolling muscles underneath. He lies on top of Wolfie, his arms hooked around the beast's neck, hoping he's not too heavy.

Wolfie makes an inquisitive sound, almost a question.

It takes Hyrule some time to realize he's waiting for an answer too.

“I, yes, I'm ready,” he says, wishing to disappear.

They start at a slow trot. His weight is an obvious burden for the beast he's seen rocket through a battlefield to maul a monster about to strike one of them. His next apology might not even be said out loud. Hyrule's not sure anymore.

Wolfie feels like a well-hidden cave or a barricaded inn room at night. Deep breathes after a sprint to escape a horde. The buzz of magic in his veins, full, potent, ready to fry a daring monster. Face half-buried in his friend's coat, Hyrule's eyelids grow heavy. The exhaustion of his accident, pushed aside by the meeting with Wolfie, is returning with a vengeance.

He listens to the rhythm of Wolfie's steady heartbeat. The breaking of twigs and brushing of leaves on fur. Little grunts when the wolf goes over large roots and the scritches of claws on bark.

“I... I used to be pretty scared of wandering off, you know?” he whispers into the wall of fur.

Wolfie swerves and twists, his big head turning just enough to give Hyrule a glimpse of a wide blue eye. Shock is an understatement.

He can't help it. He chuckles and runs a hand just behind Wolfie's ears, the way Time does on rare occasions. He is rewarded with a huff and a jolt when Wolfie picks up the pace again.

“It's a dangerous business, going out your doors. So I never did, until one day there was no one left and the food had run out. Then an old man gave me a sword. That's the kindest thing a stranger ever did for me,” he says, fond, the bearded old man flashing through his memory.

A quiet whine rings to his ears. Wolfie's posture lowers. Hyrule can't quite tell what it means. Is the wolf tired? Ashamed? Exasperated? He's not sure. But now that he started talking, it's harder to stop.

“Once in a while, I'd meet people that would help me. Offer me shelter. Help me treat my wounds. But nothing like that first time. When I first wandered around, past the little alcove that had been my home forever, into the great vastness of my country. And it was a hundred times bigger than I could imagine from my little hole in the ground. That old man... gave me the world.”

Fireflies fly above, and Hyrule leaves his thoughts to trail off. These woods are lovely. Yes, even with the hidden drops and the ravines with whistling winds, with the deku babas here and there that leer at the wolf too far for them to reach... all he sees is a forest thriving, so full of life it's in the very air he breathes.

“I... Poisonous mists didn't sound so bad. I've got tons of poisonous rivers, full of hostile zoras. Poisonous swamps, full of monsters. Heck, poisonous caves too... My Hyrule's pretty harsh, y'know?”

A grunt. Not angry. Just... a grunt.

“Don't get me wrong, it's my home. I love it. And I'm not jealous. I'm not!”

Even though Wolfie is looking forward, never faltering from the obstacles on his path, Hyrule can feel Wolfie's full attention bearing down on him. Can feel the anticipation, the worry. And a knot in his chest unties itself long enough for a fear never voiced to suddenly latch onto words and thoughts.

“But how will I look the princesses in the eye if I can't even describe to them what the world would be like without Ganon's influence? If I can't give them hope for a bright future when I've been to those futures myself? I don't want to fail them.”

Fur soaks up a stray tear or two.

His tongue refuses to move anymore. They make the rest of the trip in silence.

                                                  ***

The others, indeed, hadn't been very pleased, but Hyrule had more or less fallen asleep before the eldests (minus Twilight somehow) had finished berating him. He'd woken up just before dawn, greeted Four still on the third watch, and busied himself until the inevitable. He's not looking forward to the concealed worry on Legend's face or the exasperation on Warriors'.

He hovers on the outskirts of the camp.

Which is where he notices, at first lights, their goatherd breaking away from the group. 'Probably going to relieve himself' is Hyrule's guess. It could have been true, but when the others start stirring, Hyrule's hit by a bunch of nerves. Nothing wrong happened to Twilight, right? It's his era, he can't have been taken out by a surprise cliff, right?

He takes off in the direction he saw his elder leave. And, luckily, he's easy to spot in the plains of Hyrule Fields. There's little but grass and the occasional tree here. Yet, Twilight's crouching behind a rock.

Puzzled, Hyrule lowers himself to the ground and tiptoes near Twilight.

“What's going on? Is there an enemy nearby?”

Twilight hides part of his grin by putting a finger to his lips. In his other hand, he's holding some strange weapon. With a long wooden handle and then a circular hand, with... a cloth hood? He... is that something to suffocate your enemy? It's a violent thought, and he doesn't quite associate it with Twilight, their farmhand, their goatherd, who'll whistle with grass on a slow evening.

It's twice as strange for the lack of visible monsters around. He prays it's not another round of  moas or kasutos...

Responding to an unheard signal, Twilight stalks forward. Crawls on his knees, slow and patient. The pelt on his back is coming alive in Hyrule's mind. He needs to blink, to chase away the image of a wild animal, and by the time he does, Twilight is pouncing, weapon striking a tree.

“Gotcha,” Twilight says, pumping a fist.

“Huh?” He couldn't see a thing. Did he forget the cross somewhere...?

“Hyrule, come here.”

Twilight's hands are cupped together, hiding something from view. It immediately tickles his curious side, who can't help lean forward.

He gasps.

The bug's shell glimmers in the morning light. Specks of dust around it catch its glow. Sparkle. He's never seen an animal like this. With hesitant fingers, he makes a reaching motion. A very faint hums of magic brushes against his finger before the beetle scurries backward. That's Twilight's cue, it seems, and the bug is dropped into a glass bottle, cork sealing it in. He can't help the pang of envy that pierces through his heart at the sight.

Twilight rubs the back of his neck, rueful. “Never been big on going out of my village, it's the farmer in me, but darn if some things don't feel worth the risk. Home's nice, but Hyrule as a whole... s'a place of wonder for me.”

“It is,” Hyrule says, unable to quite look away from the little thing.

“Want to keep it?”

And Hyrule's heart is sent into a stuttering mess, his hands clenching around the little glass bottle so hard he fears it'll break.

“I... can I?”

He doesn't dare hope yet.

Twilight's mouth pulls into a wry grin. “Sure thing. Bit of a hobby of mine at this point. Bug catching, I mean. There's this girl in Castletown that used to pay me to find some for her. I scoured my whole Hyrule looking to find all the golden bug species. Fetched me a pretty rupee.”

“Oh, huh, right, lemme see how much I-”

“Don't be daft, 'Rule,” Twilight says, slapping him between his shoulder blades. “You don't make brothers pay. 'specially not for a bug, of all things. I'll find a dozen the next time I look. Mind you, you might wanna check on 'em once you're back. Queen Zelda told me them buggers can spread like nobody's business. They think each other's shell's pretty too.”

A wink.

And there's a vision in his mind, of golden lights fluttering through Saria Town at night. Of colonies of radiant ants scuttering in the burning hills and shining dragonflies hanging from reeds. He thinks of that gentle warmth from the beetle's shell, spread like dots over ravaged countryside. Little, in the face of poisoned wells and bone-thin monsters. Little, just a sign that it's not only evil that thrives. Would that be so bad?

Hyrule's mouth feels a bit dry. He swallows, dares meet Twilight's gaze. “Would it be okay if... if we looked for more of them?”

Twilight's blue eyes – nearly the same shade as Wild's wolf – flicker back to the camp, and Hyrule fights to keep the disappointment off his face. Of course. Twilight is one of the responsible Heroes. Someone the others say has 'common sense' – that Hyrule never seems to grasp. Going on a bug catching quest was a nice thought, but they obviously can't. They have a mission. The others would disapprove.  

And then, Twilight turns back to him with a look that's startlingly like Wild's. “How fast can you run?”

He stalls. “I, dunno, the monsters never caught me, but-”

“Good enough for me.”

The bug net is shoved into Hyrule's hands, and it's all he can do to grip it before it slips through his fingers. Yet the moment he's holding it, Twilight bolts, waving a hand to beckon him.

This... this he can do. Running's easy. Stamina's simple. He's never had trouble pacing himself. It's easy, comforting, to sprint after Twilight's back. For once, his eyes don't wander to the breathtaking beauty of a Hyrule spared the King of Evil's malice. They stay firmly on the black pelt strapped to Twilight's back, the swaying tail at his belt, the pulled hood and ears. There's the same comfort there, the same... magic he found in resting his head against Wolfie's fur. The same promise. Safety.

It's not a feeling he is used to. But he loves it.

And he runs, a wide smile on his face, already eager to show the princesses the wonders that their Hyrule might one day have.

[ibijau]

How about one where Huaisang accidentally ascended (as in HOB) and Nmj and Lxc have no idea that their Sang-di's a baby god? He can't interfere with anything in the mortal realm, which is why he's always running from martial practice and saying 'i dont know' instead of giving straight answers. He's much more commonly known among the common people than cultivators (god of something simple but sweet?), and Meng Yao is the first to suspect (Can be extended to eventual XiSang where LXC...worships).

Well it only took me like four months to fill this prompt, and then when I finally did I basically ditched everything your suggested except for the “nhs accidentally ascended” part but... hey, if you’re still around after this much time, enjoy??

When Nie Mingjue is twenty and finally given full reign of his sect, there's a huge storm that nearly blows off all the roofs of the Unclean Realm. It is everything he doesn't need, but honestly everything these last three years has been everything he didn't need, starting with his father's death. In the morning, when the storm calms down, he assesses the damage, organises for those wounded by debris to be taken care of, sends disciples in Qinghe and the closest villages to see if they need help.

It isn't a surprise when he learns that the storm only struck the Unclean Realm. There was a taste in the air that did not feel natural.

Hearing this only worsens Nie Mingjue's other concerns. Namely, the disappearance of his prodigy of a little brother. Nobody has seen Nie Huaisang since the storm. His room appears to have been devastated by the winds, everything thrown upside down. His wing of the main residence is the one that has suffered the most damages, the roof apparently blown open.

Initially, Nie Mingjue did not particularly worry. Since the storm was unnatural, it wouldn't be strange for Nie Huaisang to have noticed it and gone after the source of it. It's reckless, and he'll get scolded for it, but it can't be helped. Nie Huaisang cannot see a wrong without wanting to right it. Yet as the hours pass, and then the days, Nie Mingjue gets more and more anxious. Just like the storm that hit them so hard, nobody around has Nie Huaisang. He has simply vanished. Search parties are sent everywhere, inquiries are made to allied clans.

Nothing.

Not a trace.

After a month, Nie Mingjue is starting to consider checking with Qishan Wen when one afternoon, Nie Huaisang simply passes the gate of the Unclean Realm.

Nie Mingjue hugs him and scolds him and demands an explanation, but none comes.

“I got lost,” Nie Huaisang laughs. “I didn't realise so much time had passed. It felt shorter, or I'd have come home sooner, I swear!”

“But where were you?”

“Somewhere I shouldn't have been,” Nie Huaisang evasively replies. “I'm home now. That's what matters.”

It's all Nie Mingjue can get from him. Considering his brother's taste for secrets, he should have expected it.

“Don't do that again,” he orders, before letting the matter drop.

-

Nie Huaisang doesn't train anymore after the storm. At first, he says his long wandering exhausted him. Then he pretends he wants to focus on his calligraphy, on painting, on just anything but martial arts.

Nie Mingjue lets it slide at first. He's long given up on making sense of his brother, and Nie Huaisang has always been a little too wise for his age. Whatever he does, he does for a reason. But as weeks pass and his brother doesn't return to the training grounds, Nie Mingjue has no choice but to corner him about it.

“I don't like it anymore,” Nie Huaisang says. “It's boring.”

“I'm told you also don't meditate. Is that boring as well?”

Nie Huaisang nods firmly.

“What's the point? I now we do this to reach immortality, and maybe even to ascend but... I've given it a lot of thought lately. I don't think it'd be much fun, being a god.”

“What are you even talking about? You... Huaisang, you're good but you're fourteen, it's not like there's any risk of you ascending!”

Nie Huaisang laughs and laughs and laughs.

“Right? I am just fourteen, it'd be so stupid! Still, better not take the risk.”

“Huaisang! Enough now!”

Nie Huaisang pouts, and whines, and gets dragged to the training grounds anyway, where he performs with a mediocrity that he's never shown before. He can't even hold his damn sabre properly, drops it several time. Nie Mingjue is too stunned to even think of punishing him.

Stunned and worried.

This simply isn't like his brother.

-

With help from the elders and some healers, a number of tests are conducted on Nie Huaisang. He is not possessed. He mind is not altered. He hasn't been cursed. His cultivation hasn't been damaged. If anything, it might have risen higher than last time they checked for it.

“Then what's wrong with him?” Nie Mingjue asks.

The elders look at one another, unsure what to say.

“Teenage rebellion?” one of them suggests.

“Gods. That'd be worse than a curse,” Nie Mingjue sighs. “How do we fix that?”

-

Every few weeks, Nie Mingjue gets letters from the Cloud Recesses. Lan Qiren is at his wit's end with Nie Huaisang, because there's no way a boy this clever can fail so consistently. He thinks it's done on purpose. Nie Mingjue, after being shown some of his brother's tests, can only agree.

This, too, makes no sense. Nie Huaisang is competitive to a fault and cannot stand it if anyone is better than him at something. In the company of people as famously brilliant as Lan Wangji, Jiang Wanyin, Jin Zixuan, and Wei Wuxian, Nie Huaisang should be thriving and fighting for top position.

Instead, he has taken to drinking and looking at porn.

He still passes his exams, with the best grade of his class.

When asked about it, he just says he didn't feel like going back because the food is really too awful and he missed home.

-

After that year in Gusu, Nie Mingjue gives up on getting his brother back to normal. This is just who Nie Huaisang is now apparently. Gone is the martial prodigy, all Nie Mingjue has now is a bumbling fool who cares for nothing but fans and birds.

Especially birds.

Frequently, Nie Huaisang disappears for days on hand to go birdwatching. That alone is frustrating, since he rarely bothers to say where he's going or for how long. But then, he also systematically leaves his sabre behind, and refuses to take an escort with him, arguing everyone is too loud and will scare away his feathery targets.

Nie Mingjue gives orders that his brother isn't to be allowed outside of the Unclean Realm on his own. Nie Huaisang still manages to get out whenever he damn pleases and laughs it off when his brother gets concerned that there are secret passages in the Unclean Realm.

“An enemy could use that to get inside and slaughter us without warning!” Nie Mingjue points out.

“No, that's not going to happen,” Nie Huaisang replies with a knowing smile. “Nobody can get in. The Unclean Realm will never fall.”

“You don't know that!”

Nie Huaisang laughs.

Nie Mingjue never gets him to reveal how he leaves the Unclean Realm.

-

When the Wens come to the Unclean Realm and demand that Nie Mingjue put his little brother in their hands, he refuses. If they want a war, he's ready to give it to them, even if the rest of the cultivation world would rather grovel at their feet than stand for themselves.

His brother has other ideas. Nie Mingjue finds a note announcing that Nie Huaisang has decided to offer himself as hostage, because he fears they are not ready yet for a war.

Nie Mingjue could kill him for that betrayal.

He knows the Wen might beat him to it.

-

As soon as Nie Huaisang makes it home with a bunch of desperate but unharmed kids from a number of other sects, Nie Mingjue announces that he's sending him to Gusu.

“No, my place is in the Unclean Realm!” Nie Huaisang protests. “I belong here. I know it now, I know this for sure, I have to be here.”

“Are you going to fight at my side then?” Nie Mingjue counters. “Are you going to pick up your sabre at last and help me?”

“I can help without a sabre. Mingjue, don't send me away. I want to be here. This is my home, I need to be here.”

“It's the sabre or Gusu.”

Nie Huaisang whines and pouts and begs and complains and even threatens, to no avail. Nie Mingjue will not bulge from the choice he's giving him.

Without surprise, Nie Huaisang chooses Gusu.

Nie Mingjue wishes it didn't disappoint him.

-

The war is bloody and harsh and it should be hopeless, but it is not.

Several times, they snatch a victory at the last moment through sheer luck. Hope, that most precious of commodities at such a time, never leaves them. Rumours start to circulate among the disciples of those sect who chose to stand against Qishan Wen, although it is many weeks before they reach Nie Mingjue, who never paid much attention to gossip.

In the end, it is Lan Xichen who tells him about it, seemingly rather amused by the stories about...

“A young man wearing a mask who sometimes appears when the situation is desperate,” he explains. “He carries no weapon, but he has a magical fan that he uses when fighting. He is rarely seen in battle, but several people who had been taken prisoner claim that he came down from the heavens to free them before they could be tortured or killed.”

“A rogue cultivator?”

Lan Xichen smiles, but shakes his head.

“A god, apparently.”

Nie Mingjue snorts. Gods don't mess with the affairs of mortals.

“Don't dismiss it so easily,” Lan Xichen scolds him. “I can name more than one sect that decided to join us after hearing about the Faceless God on our side.”

“They even gave him a title?”

“They had to, he never gave his name.”

It's a ridiculous rumour, and it can't be anything more. On a rare letter sent to his brother in Gusu, Nie Mingjue mentions it, guessing that this is the sort of things that might amuse him. He used to like stories of gods and immortals, before he became someone Nie Mingjue doesn't know anymore.

-

It's just a rumour, but even within his own ranks, Nie Mingjue catches a few people praying to the Faceless God on the eve of battle.

He doesn't dissuade them. With the war dragging on and the Wens still so strong in number, people need something to hold on.

Nie Mingjue puts all his faith in his own strength and that of the people he trusts, but he understands that not everybody can be satisfied with this.

-

And then he meets the Faceless God.

-

A young man wearing a mask, Lan Xichen had described him, but all Nie Mingjue sees is a boy in disguise, trying to appear taller and larger than he is.

He carries no weapon, and Nie Mingjue understands why when he sees the fan in the Faceless God's hand. It is one he has seen too many times in the last few years. He wonders if the boy who holds it assumed nobody would recognise it as easily as they might know his sabre.

He rarely joins in battle, but he comes for those who have been captured, like Nie Mingjue dragged before Wen Ruohan, humiliated by Meng Yao who he once trusted above all others.

Both Meng Yao and the Faceless God strike Wen Ruohan at the same time.

Both Meng Yao and the Faceless God cower in fear before Nie Mingjue when he rises to his feet.

Meng Yao kneels before him and swears he was always on their side.

The Faceless God runs away.

It doesn't matter.

Nie Mingjue knows where to find him.

-

It is a while before Nie Mingjue recuperates enough from his injuries to return home. When he finally does, Nie Huaisang is waiting at the gate for him, an uncertain smile on his face and a fan in his hand. Nie Mingjue hugs him and asks for news of the reconstruction in Gusu, unsurprised when the answers remain evasive.

He waits until they are alone in his room to ask the question that really matters.

“It was that storm, wasn't it?”

Nie Huaisang freezes in the act of pouring tea, looking like a rabbit who spotted a hawk. Slowly, hesitantly, he nods.

“If you ascended, why are you here?”

“This is home,” Nie Huaisang simply says. Then, when his brother frowns, he adds: “I never expected to ascend, and when it happened, I realised I didn't want to. They gave me all those rules to follow, they told me I couldn't see you again, couldn't go home again and that was... I belong here. I belong in the Unclean Realm. Maybe when you're gone I'll feel differently, but for now this is home and I'm not going anywhere. The Heavenly Emperor himself could order me to leave and I wouldn't. Which is exactly what I told him before I came back here.”

“You rebelled against the Heavenly Emperor.”

Nie Huaisang nods.

“You're an idiot.”

“I was fourteen!” Nie Huaisang protests. “I should never have ascended! I wasn't prepared for it! I'm still not prepared for it. I don't care about their rules, I don't care about emperors and gods and anything else. But I care about my home, and I care about my people, and I care about what's right.”

Nie Mingjue sighs. This is so wrong, on so many levels. There are reasons why gods don't meddle with mortal affairs, why they stay in their own domain most of the time. This is wrong and it'll bring trouble down the line, he's sure of it, but... but suddenly, so much makes sense, and he's proud of Nie Huaisang.

“I'm not calling you 'Highness',” he warns.

“I sure hope not. I'm still your didi, now and always.”

Nie Mingjue smiles, and pulls his heavenly brother into a tight hug. Everything else is going to be different, but this bond between us will never change, he's certain of that.

[ramblesanddragons]

The Adventures of A Small Stanley Pines Part 2

There was such a positive response I wanted to keep going. I hope this brings some joy in these tough times.

Warnings: There’s a tiny (pun intended) bit of angst but the rest of it is fluff.

AO3 Link ^_^

 “Get offa me!”  

 There was a familiar voice invading Ford’s dreams. At least it seemed familiar but the pitch was wrong. It sounded distant and muffled in his sleepy haze.  

 “You’re not taking me anywhere!”  

 Who was this voice? Who was trying to take them?  

 A sudden jolt of fear went through Ford as his brain finally managed to reconnect with the waking world.  

 “STANLEY!” Ford yelled hoarsely. His feet refused to find stable purchase as he pushed away from the table he had nodded off on. Willing his body to more correctly with the sheer power of fear for his brother Ford burst through the door to the deck of the ship, his gun drawn.  

 There on the deck was his twin, still tiny, fighting off a small army of seagulls. He punched one in the face then kicked another in its wings but there was still too many. In a few long strides Ford made his way across the deck and started to shew the birds away. They were persistent though. Hoping that no one was around to hear Ford fired his gun into the sky, finally sending the birds scattering. Stan sat on the deck panting, his face red from anger.  

 “And stay away you stupid rats with wings!” Stan yelled.  

 “Stan you scarred the hell out of me what on earth happened?”  

 “I woke up and was frustrated so I came out here for some fresh air and these stupid birds swarmed me.” Stan didn’t bother getting up and just laid on the deck of the ship. After a moment Ford joined him. For a while they just watched the night sky as the stars twinkled as Stan quietly seethed.  

 “Ford,” Stan said after about 20 minutes of silence, “I’m sorry.”  

 Ford leaned up on his elbow to look at his twin confused. “Sorry? For what?”  

 “You had a good thing going with those pixies and I fucked it up. I’m sorry for messing so many of your things up.”  

 “Stan...”  

 Ford had never been aware of how hard on himself his brother had been. He was good at hiding it but a few months at sea had brought them closer and Ford finally got a peek behind the Mr. Mystery mask. Ford realized with disgust that he had been a major contributor to all of that pain.  It had taken awhile, some appointments, and a lot of love from the family for Stan to start to heal. But healing isn’t always taking a step forward, you take a lot of steps back too.  

 Being shrunk to the size of a person’s boot probably didn’t help with taking steps forward.  

 “Stan you did nothing wrong. You tripped which is 100% a normal human thing that happens to everyone. Those pixies are just too uptight.”  

 “But...”  

 “No buts,” Ford wasn’t going let his brother spiral if he could help it, “Do you know how many times you have been a valuable help to me? How many times your instincts have saved my ass? Which isn’t your only value either!” Ford had also been distraught over the fact that Stan only saw some worth in himself as a shifty con man or as a protector for him.  

 “You’re funny, smart, determined, a wonderful Grunkle, surrogate father, and brother. You have a heart of gold under all of that  grumpiness no matter what you say otherwise.”  

 A small smile drew to the corners of Stan’s mouth. “Listening to you talk someone might  think I’m   a saint. Can’t have that now.” He stood and started to march to the gangplank.  

 “What?” Ford shot up and started to follow.  

 “Let’s see how much trouble I can drum up. I’m like that one small guy from that book, right? I could sneak by anyone tonight.”  

 “You’ve read the Hobbit?”  

 “Don’t sound so  surprised. You coming?”  

 Ford checked his watch. It was around 11 at night. Part of him knew he should tell his brother to stay but he also knew Stan wouldn’t listen. It was also really hard to say no to him when he looked like this. Ford sighed and put on a devilish grin. “Sure.”  

 By sunrise the two of them had caused mild trouble. Nothing too damaging or reckless. Stan had a blast being a cowboy on the back of a farmer's dog herding sheep. Ford was also sure that Stan had pickpocketed the guy who kept staring at Ford’s fingers at the bar they stopped by (Stan had stayed hidden in Ford’s coat mostly while in town but he was right. The little guy could slip off easily when he wanted to.)  

 As the sun broke over the ocean the two of them were ready to settle into bed when they’re laptop rang. They had forgotten the kids were due to call. Ford placed Stan onto the table then turned the laptop to face himself and answered.  

 “Hello kids!” Ford beamed as Mabel and Dipper’s faces showed in the screen. 

 “Grunkle Ford!” They yelled together.  

 “Grunkle Ford have you been sleeping you look like you’ve been up all night?” Mabel scolded.  

 “I have but it’s been in the name of brotherly bonding I assure you.”  

 “Where’s Grunkle Stan?”  

 “Over here pumpkin.” Stan said from behind the computer.  

 “...What’s with you voice?” Dipper asked with a raised eyebrow.  

 “Uh nothin ’.”  

 “Stan let’s just show them you don’t want to worry  them, do you?”  

 “...No.”  

 Stan plugged his ears as Ford turned the screen to face him. Mabel’s squeal of delight sent Dipper toppling over. After explaining how he got this way Mabel was relived her  Grunkle   was okay but  disappointed   she wasn’t going to be able to knit him tiny sweaters.”  

 “We’ve got to get a picture!” She said as they started to say their goodbyes.  

 “Oh heck no. No way.” Stan didn’t notice the wink Ford gave his  grand-nibblings  .  

 “Oh okay. Whatever you say,” Mabel said with fake  disappointment   and Dipper laughed.  

 “We’ll see you two next month.”  

 “Try not to get in anymore major trouble until then,” Dipper said.  

 “Kid it’s us. That’s impossible.”  

 After that Ford and Stan drifted back to sleep, tired from the adventures. The next time Ford was woken by Stan’s yelling it was because he had come crashing off the table, back to his normal size. Ford laughed as he helped his twin up.  

 “Thank God that’s over.” Stan grumbled.  

 “It was fun while it lasted. I think I’ll miss being able to pick you up when you’re  causing   trouble.” Ford teased.  

 “How about you go get shrunk then! I’m sure McGucket could figure something out.”  

 Stan gently punched Ford in the shoulder and Ford wrapped his twin in a side hug. The two of them laughed about their evening  shenanigans   while headed to a place for dinner.  

[friendshipcampaign]

Session Recap 12/1/20: But If I Had To Perish Twice

Amaranth took the first watch of the night, kept alert by the sounds of rain outside, followed by Ditto. By the time Erwyn awoke for the last watch, the rain had stopped, and his was instead unnaturally quiet. Nothing manifested, however, and the night passed without incident.

In the morning, once everyone was awake, Kriv checked the Infinite Library and retrieved a message from Hubris. She had written that she would keep looking into the mystery goddess, but her guess, given the remnant of Conjuration magic they’d found in the tomb, was that some kind of wishing magic may have been involved in erasing the deity. She also mentioned she’d gotten Amaranth’s message and was glad the tiefling had enjoyed her tavern recommendation in Wayspell -- and also, of course, that she’d passed on the news of the breaches to the others. Palava, apparently, had wanted to head out to Veritas immediately, but Violetta convinced him they needed to do some more preparation. She said that some contingent of the Gatekeepers would teleport out to the nearby city of Sconz, which had the closest teleportation circle, and that they would need to communicate with the party about where to meet them in the city.

The party made their plans for the day, discussing what options they still had in the city for trying to gather more information. Hoping to talk to Thodri later, they nonetheless decided the first thing to do was still to keep their appointment with Tress. As soon as they stepped outside, though, the demonic pigeons began following them again. A particularly large one flew down in front of them, clutching what looked like the tail of a small creature in its claws. The ruff of its neck lifted up to reveal a humanoid mouth, and it fixed its many visible eyes on Erwyn before speaking in Abyssal:

“Let us know if you require help. We’ll be waiting.”

The pigeon flew away and Erwyn stepped forward to investigate the tail, which it had left behind. It proved to have belonged to an imp. He translated what the pigeon had said for the group, and they continued onward. Dark clouds were gathering in the sky as they walked, seeming to forebode that a storm was on its way.

The little lantern outside of Tress’ shop was not on, but the door wasn’t locked and movement could be heard inside. She opened the door to greet them, wearing the same clothes she’d had the night before, and commented that the quasits really weren’t letting up. Tress asked Kriv if he would keep watch for them while she worked with the others, since she had a demonstration she wanted to try, but only needed one blood sample from each race. He cautiously used his Divine Sense to see if anything was amiss, but nothing came back, and was persuaded when she mentioned that she’d noticed there always seemed to be more of the quasits around when the party stopped by and she would feel safer if he kept an eye out.

Tress took the others to the back and told them that she’d gotten the same reaction from mixing the tiefling blood sample with the tinctures as she had in her earlier tests with her own blood. She expanded on that, however, saying that she had an idea for an antidote to the petrification process that involved basilisk venom, a substance often used for similar cures. She said she wanted to actually test it on humanoids, if the party was willing.

“Did you drink any of it?” Voski asked.

There was no response.

“Tress,” she said.

“I like to be certain of things!” Tress said.

“Tress!” 

Voski started scolding her for being so reckless with herself, especially since she wasn’t sure of her antidote yet. Tress argued back that she had needed to try her theories. She added that if the party members present were willing to help, she could get four more data points from them and try to refine them. They agreed, Voski perhaps more begrudgingly than the other three, and all drank the vials they were presented with.

As they waited for Tress to be able to gather her data, Voski asked her where her dog was. Tress replied that Palette was in the back with some minor mechanical troubles. Continuing to make conversation, Voski asked her about her clients for the Guildhall Gala that year and Tress said that the Papermaker’s Guild had been working with her on something rather grand. Cautiously, Erywn asked if, since she tended to work with fairly wealthy and important clients, she had any business with some of the out-of-town philanthropists in the city currently.

“Mostly I’m asking,” he said, “Because if a woman named Esmeralda Vilar asks for anything from you, please be careful.”

“Really? I’ll take it under advisement,” Tress said. Then she turned to the back. “What do you think?”

At that moment Erwyn, Voski, and Ditto were all struck with the effects of the “antidote” they had just drunk -- which had actually been poison. Amaranth managed to shake off similar effects. The door to the back room opened, and a scowling, red-skinned tiefling, a human woman in an elaborate dress of red and black silk, and a fire genasi man emerged. Amaranth drew her weapon and shouted for Kriv, but the woman -- Esmeralda Vilar herself -- snapped her fingers and three bolts of crackling red-and-black energy (that matched her dress) shot towards her, all of which hit.

Voski had been keeping her eyes on Tress the entire time and noted that, as the three newcomers appeared, she seemed to go entirely vacant, eyes staring into the distance.

Amaranth charged forward and went to attack Esmeralda, but the tiefling woman at her side stepped forward and took the damage instead. From behind the curtain to the back, a few more figures stepped forward. They looked off, in a blank way, similar to Tress. One was a tabaxi and the other two tieflings -- one of whom was Creed. Erwyn, reeling from these developments, suddenly took an onslaught of psychic damage from an unknown source

Tress went and tried to backhand Amaranth, with a strength that seemed unnatural for her, but she was able to dodge it. Then the genasi man raised an arm, on which he was wearing a complicated-looking bracer, and shot a bolt of ice towards the doorway. It exploded and expanded, creating a sheer wall of ice that cut the back room off from the storefront -- where Kriv had been waiting. When he ran to towards Amaranth’s call, he found the door completely blocked and started to try to cut into it with his sword.

“What’s going on?” he shouted. “What the fuck!”

“We’ve got company!” Amaranth shouted back.

Ditto, finding that she couldn’t move thanks to the poison, told Tiktik to get to safety. They bolted past everyone and ran into the back room. Whatever they found back there seemed to distress them. Erwyn addressed Esmeralda and told her to let everyone go, asking what they had done to her. She replied that they’d cared too much about her business. Her tiefling bodyguard pulled out a spiked chain and whipped it at Amaranth, causing it to wrap around her and pin her arms to her sides.

Voski, looking incredibly angry, looked directly at Esmeralda and said, “It makes sense you’d have to control her. You couldn’t afford her.”

Esmeralda smiled back and said. “Oh no. But I know someone who can.”

At that, the woman took out a small book from a pouch at her side and held it open in front of Amaranth, grabbing her hair to pull her close and force her to look at it. She felt a strange tugging and her form flickered. Suddenly, from the rest of the party’s point of view she vanished. From Amaranth’s, she found herself in a strange, featureless room with high walls and what looked like a strange, stylized vine curling down one of them.

Voski felt a tugging at her mind but managed to lock down in anger, ending the effect. At that moment, however, Tress hit her and she found that it caused her to take psychic damage anyway. Voski noted, however, that when “Tress” brought her arm back, there was a strange unnatural wrinkle in her skin. Across the room, the genasi man adjusted some kind of setting on his armband contraption.

Kriv, having heard Erwyn shout in distress when Amaranth disappeared and frustrated due to not being able to break through the ice, decided it was time for another plan. He dashed outside and spotted one of the pigeon quasits that had been following the party around, looked at it, and said if it could understand Common, the party was in need of help. He then ran back inside and started hacking at the wall of ice again. This time, he managed to break through. He ran towards the back room to join the others and the genasi man fired some kind of a corrosive liquid at him, but the attack missed as Kriv skidded on the leftover ice.

Ditto managed to force herself to move, combating the effects of the poison. She tried to run towards the exit of the room and ran into Kriv in the hall. On seeing him, she shouted, “Everything’s really really bad!” and cast haste on him. Telepathically, she also told Tiktik to hide, and her familiar replied that there was some kind of a giant ooze thing in the back.

Forcing his way through the poison as well, Erwyn again addressed Esmeralda and told her to bring Amaranth back. The woman laughed, saying that she couldn’t do that, since Amaranth was going to be very useful to her.

“What else are you going to do, then?” Erwyn said. “You’ve already proven that you’re not very good at killing people!”

It was at this point that Esmeralda’s bodyguard stepped forward and stabbed Erwyn twice with her knives. At the second blow, he fell to the ground, unconscious. 

At around the same time, Voski forced her way through the effects of the poison as well. First, she turned to Tress and told her, “Snap out of it! You’re better than this!” in an attempt to inspire her. She then whirled to face Esmeralda and cast Heat Metal on the particularly opulent gold necklace the woman was wearing. Esmeralda shrieked, tearing it off.

From behind him, Kriv heard a rushing of wings. He went to duck his head and a stream of demonic pigeons flew past him and into the room. They started to attack everyone other than the party members -- who they recognized, having been stalking them for so long -- with their talons. Esmeralda stepped back and cast a Hellish Rebuke, immolating one of the pigeons, but their numbers were overwhelming. She, her bodyguard, and the genasi man, however, seemed to be the only ones actually fighting back. Where the pigeons’ talons cut through the other figures in the room -- “Tress” included” -- they didn’t bleed, instead spilling a viscous, jelly-like substance.

Reaching up through all the quasits, Esmeralda extended her hand and snapped her fingers. A red bead shot towards the top of the doorway, causing a red dot to appear and blossom into a Fireball. Ditto tried to Counterspell it, but was unable to stop the casting, and the room filled with fire, hitting the party members inside -- including the still-unconscious Erwyn -- as well as Esmeralda’s own bodyguard.

Meanwhile, inside the book she’d been contained in, Amaranth tried grabbing at the strange vine. She was unable to climb it, however, and when she pulled her hand away it seemed to be covered in a substance like paint.

In Tress’ shop and in the aftermath of the powerful Fireball spell, all the pigeons had been immolated. The oddly-vacant figures (“Tress” included) all turned to Esmeralda and pointed at the deathly-still Erwyn on the floor.

“We can’t get any information from that one,” they intoned in unison.

Voski then felt a powerful tugging at her mind and a blast of psychic damage. She also fell unconscious. In the aftermath, another one of the figures hit her for more damage. They then all went to link hands, one of them grabbing the hand of the tiefling bodyguard, who also was in pretty poor shape after getting caught in the Fireball. The genasi man took a decorative fork from his belt and linked arms with Esmeralda. The group then all vanished.

Kriv burst into the room just as they disappeared. He rushed over to Erwyn and tried to use his Lay on Hands ability on him.

Nothing happened. Erwyn was still beneath his hands. Esmeralda’s spell had killed him.

Ditto followed Kriv into the room. She rushed over to Voski and gave her a Greater Healing Potion. The dragonborn was roused, although everything still hurt and she found she had a strange splitting headache. Seeing Erwyn near her, she went to go heal him herself. Kriv grabbed her wrist with his free hand, the other still resting on Erwyn’s chest. She turned the spell back on herself so that the healing at least wouldn’t be wasted.

“Shit,” she said.

Suddenly, a strange dark patch appeared on the wall. The humanoid shadow demon that the party had fought at the inn materialized. It extended a hand, and spoke in halting Common.

“Give him to me,” it said.

“You were late,” Kriv replied.

“I can still help, if he will come with us. There is not much time.”

Slowly, Kriv scooped up Erwyn and stepped forward. The shadow creature placed its hand on his chest and sent a pulse of energy into him. After an agonizing moment of waiting, the elf drew in a breath. 

The demon had brought him back to life.

[kethsi]

Happy Moment

It was the happiest moment of his life, and Arianwyn was supposed to be proud of him. --- Warnings for mentions of death, war, and what can be interpreted as child neglect. Takes place immediately after this, so you might want to check it out for context. --- Islwyn knew this day wouldn’t be a very good one when he woke up inside an unfamiliar a tent to worried chatter and distant screams. He sat up and looked around before turning his attention to his hands and feet. They were not bound or shackled or broken in any way. He probably wasn’t taken prisoner by the Iorwerths. Good. He also spotted his crystal bow, just out of reach. He got up to his feet, immediately noting how exhausted he was. He felt like his body was fried from the inside. He took a few steps before collapsing near his bow. He sighed and sat up again, adamant to pick it up and examine it. It emitted a low, brief sound when lifted, the crystal seemed happy enough to have its owner around. He smiled when he saw and felt no signs of damage to it. He knows he shouldn’t be surprised – Crystal bows made by his family were sturdy, and no one, aside from the nastiest of Iorwerths would want to damage a weapon so lively and of such quality. All crystals were a gift from Seren, surely even the misguided understood that. Still, he was grateful. Islwyn checked his pockets for the old green shard, too. He felt panic rising in him when he didn’t find it immediately, but he kept checking his pockets with shaking hands. Luckily, it was still there. He took it out to look at it. It was emitting a weak, calming magical signature as usual. He relaxed slightly. His few possessions were safe. At least he had that going for him, if all else was about to get worse.

Next, tried to estimate what time of day it might have been. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get a decent estimation from inside the tent. He assumed it was midday, maybe the afternoon, as there was a lot of noise from outside. Probably arguing. He didn’t want to assume the worst, but there always was the slim possibility that he was captured by Iorwerth scouts and taken Seren-knows-where. They could be deciding on an interrogation method for him right now. Or maybe they already did. Maybe that was the reason beyond his unnatural exhaustion and the dull pain he began to feel all over his body. What did he do? He tried to remember what happened, what led him to this situation. He recalled going north of Lletya. He remembers reaching the river. He remembers walking in. The cold water rushing past him, reaching his knees and filling his boots. He took a look at the sun, back then, in the memory, and then-- No. There’s no way.Right…?He tried to stand up again, this time using a nearby crate to support himself, but fell over again the moment he tried to move forward. When he could move again, everything hurt. The pressure on his limbs, his back, his ribs, his skull… It was too much. It was painful enough to knock him out the first time and forceful enough to crack his bones even now. Islwyn couldn’t help but smile.The noise he made must have alerted the elves outside. Islwyn understood that too late. He prepared his bow, but someone entered the tent before he was ready to fire. Islwyn tensed for a moment before relaxing. Just Lletyan hunters. - Recovering was only mildly painful.He is vaguely aware of Dalldav lecturing him. He kept talking for what seemed like forever, saying something about Islwyn scaring everyone senseless with his actions. Islwyn wasn’t really listening anymore. Not after he mentioned finding Islwyn lying in the mud, a four hours march north west of Lletya.Not far from an unnatural meander in the river that wasn’t there before.He was overjoyed.It worked. The magic. He’s been practicing for so long. Building energy reserves, travelling across the land, interacting with the forest life and the little ponds and the trees. Catching Pawyas with his bare hands. learning, practicing, setting up traps to not be followed- “Are you listening to me?!” Dalldav shouted, waving a hand in front of his face. Islwyn smiled politely at him. “Not really,” he said sincerely. The older elf got angrier. “You should,” he crossed his arms. “We’ve told Lord Cadarn that you were found. He was worried sick! He was expecting you today, and you just disappeared without a warning! You’ve earned yourself an earful, young Islwyn!” “I’m sure,” Islwyn said absently. It wasn’t often that a short response would adequately answer every part of an entire scolding directed at him. He decided to take the little victory while he still could. “Save your breath then, Dalldav” he added. “If Lord Cadarn’s prepared a speech, you wouldn’t want to steal his thunder.” Dalldav seethed. -- Islwyn sighed. He wanted to talk to Arianwyn sooner, but everyone insisted he rest first. So they took him home to Lletya as soon as he was able to stand upright.  Islwyn caved in shortly. He was still exhausted, after all. He ended up asleep for longer than he meant to. When he finally got out of bed, he brushed his hair and dressed up. He wanted to head out immediately – never let it be said that he was avoiding uncomfortable conversations. He was almost out of the door when he turned around, wondering if there was anything he forgot. The old shard was with him, and his bow was waiting near the door to be picked up. He did see a few loose floorboards near the wall opposite the window, rotting in the filtered sunlight. He let go of the door handle and went to take a good look at them. They looked horrible. Dead, discoloured, denting when touched. He should replace them. He should get another window, too. The tree was fully blocking the view at this point. He was barely getting enough light. He almost felt guilty for procrastinating, even though being exhausted and on the verge of death were as good excuses as any. He took a saw from his drawers and used it to help remove the rotting section. It was slightly slower than he intended, and left an uneven cut on the floor. He realized too late that he didn’t have any planks with him. He’ll need to go buy some after his visit to Arianwyn.   He was so busy staring at the exposed ground that he didn’t hear the knocking, or the door opening, or the footsteps that followed. By the time he stopped staring and thinking, his name was being called from basically right in front of him. “Islwyn?” Islwyn turned. “Lord Cadarn!” He greeted the older elf with a smile. “I was just about to come over, but we can talk here, if you’d like. Would you like a drink?” Arianwyn shook his head briefly, before getting right into the conversation he came for. So much for greeting and pleasantries… “Islwyn, do you understand what you’ve done?” “Of course!” Islwyn jumped to his feet. “I’ve found my calling! The magic of Baxtorian and Glarial – I can use it! I—“ “Briefly,” Arianwyn corrected. “You could use it briefly. Then you lost all of your power, and then, you nearly died.” “But I can use it!” Islwyn insisted. “I’ve been able to grow trees. I can raise the ground. I’ve redirected the flow of the Teif! Surely you’re aware of it!” “Yes, I suppose I am. And by now, the Iorwerth clan must be aware of it, too.” “As if! It could’ve been a landslide, for all they know. It rained a week ago, some flooding could’ve—“ “Do you really think they’ll buy that?” Islwyn stopped. The older elf made no sense to him at all. None of them made sense. He has just achieved the biggest accomplishment of his life – he had finally reached a level of magic so powerful it was considered a legend. There were elves today, of Arianwyn’s generation, whose parents were alive to see Baxtorian’s abilities with their own eyes, yet grew to think it was some pathetic gnomish illusion trick. Every living being in the world doubted the power he held had even existed at all. And instead of sharing his joy, everyone told him off for it. “I don’t see why not,” Islwyn retorted. “Took you long enough to believe this was my doing. And you always insisted to be good enough to outsmart them. What changed?” “Islwyn, please understand. What you did out there was reckless. The Iorwerths will monitor the area from now on. It brings them closer to Lletya. Every step they get in our direction is a step closer to our annihilation. It’s something we were trying to avoid before you were even born.” “Ari, please. We can take them out. They don’t have to be a problem anymore! Let’s kill the scouts! I can create another curve in the river. We can finally gather some fish, feed the entire town, and prepare for anything they might throw at us. We can push them back! I could drown them—“ “You’re not ready!” In what world was he not ready? Islwyn stared, trying – in vain – to understand. What was Arianwyn’s point in arguing at all? Lletya has unlocked – through him – the door to victory. What reason would they have not to go through with it? They could attack as soon as he recovered his energy. Everyone would gladly give their life for Prifddinas. Islwyn would, too. “Then let me train with the mages!” Islwyn begged. “Expand my energy reserves. I could turn the tide of battle. Break their ranks. Shatter the sealed gate. We can reclaim Prifddinas!” “No, we can’t!” Arianwyn snapped, “Do you really think Baxtorian didn’t try? Do you think you’d do better? You’re not some special miracle child. You’re not ready to step into Baxtorian’s shoes. Don’t compare yourself to him, boy, you can’t finish one spell without having to be picked up and carried away like a corpse. If you think you can step onto the field with what? A mere decade of practice, wave your hands a little and defeat a clan that our combined might has hardly managed to push back, you’re out of you mind, Islwyn!” Islwyn remembers Lord Cadarn being angry. Of course he does. He was a difficult child to help raise. The sheer hate in his voice, however… That was new. Cold, cruel, painful… Every word dripping enough venom to coat a hundred traps in. Islwyn took a step back, hurt. Then the old fool had the nerve to look remorseful, his hand raising to cover his mouth. “You know, I never expected you to praise me” Islwyn started. “But this? That’s low even for you. Who are you to make fun of my magic? I did great, for someone who never got help from you and your soldiers” “Islwyn, I’m sorry. I didn’t—“ “And why didn’t I get that help?” Islwyn continued, ignoring the other elf. “Because you forbade it. You forbade me from actually improving, actually reaching professional levels in the one thing I’m good at. I never expected much from you, but I thought you’d be happy for me, at least. That I’d get some support.” “Of course you have my suppo—“ “This was the happiest moment of my life,” Islwyn hissed. Ironic. He never thought he’d be speaking of his greatest, most impressive feat while simultaneously feeling suffocated, belittled, and on the verge of tears. He shoved his hands into his pockets, clenching them into fists. He wanted to calm down. He wanted to feel joy again. But of course, Arianwyn Cadarn just had to ruin it for him. “The one achievement I’m proud of, the one thing I managed, that you can’t. And I can’t even have that.” Islwyn continued. “It’s funny. I genuinely thought you came all the way here, to tell me you’re happy for me.” Islwyn looked around. Anywhere he could, just not at Arianwyn. His eyes fell on more floorboards that began to rot. He frowned. The remnants of his natural magical surge that remained about him for days since the Teif were seeping from him into the ground like blood from a wound. And they were working just as the original surge had: fighting to remove whatever was in their way. Arianwyn was speaking again. Islwyn didn’t care. He couldn’t listen to this anymore. He didn’t want to hear the excuses and lies of someone who didn’t bother. So he turned his back on the other elf, took his book from his drawers, and headed for the door. He only stopped when Arianwyn caught his arm, trying to pull him back, physically slowing his progress. Like he always did. “You know, sometimes I wonder,” Islwyn turned around, glaring at the clan leader, “Why did you bother promising my mother that you’d look after me, when you never actually planned to?” Arianwyn gave him an alarmed look. “It’s a shame that she had to die. We wouldn’t have to be in this situation if only you died instead.” He used that moment to try and pull his arm free. When Arianwyn didn’t immediately let go, he smacked the crease of his elbow harder than he physically hit anything in his life. Arianwyn flinched momentarily, releasing him. Islwyn took his crystal bow on his way out.

[beardrabbles]

HUSH-HUSH

rating: t ( they mostly harmless smoochin’ )

words: 2,116

characters: female reader, peter parker ( spider-man ), tony stark ( iron man )

notes: ( ao3 request; reader is on an ACTUAL stark internship and meets peter (knowing hes spiderman) - when they become close and he eventually asks her out, they overhear a rumour that dating within starks company is forbidden and so they try to hide their relationship from tony without much luck.

tags: none

You’d been sitting in the shade for so long that you’d lost track of time. With the sun warming your legs and the sweet, spring breeze toying with your nose, it almost felt as if time had come to a peaceful standstill. There were a few helpful hints that helped reassure you of the opposite; cars still pulled in and out of the facility parking lot, the bugs hovering above the grass still buzzed, and the sun had gradually shifted positions since your arrival at the Avenger’s facility.

Phone in hand, you felt your patience ease into a nauseating worry. He was an hour and forty-five minutes late, and you were beginning to wonder if something awful had befallen your precious hero.

You had promised yourself not to become clingy, to not become too demanding of Peter Parker’s attention. Despite your confessions and new status as a couple, you tried to understand. He was Spider-Man, after all, and all of New York needed his help. You were proud, in fact, that you could call him your boyfriend. He was strong and reliable, honest and pure. People looked up to him, and he tried so hard to live up to their expectations.

But regardless the promises you made to yourself, you began to fret because he was also reckless and proud. He bit off more than he could chew and came back battered as a result. No amount of scolding would change that. The fact that he had gone almost a whole day without texting you back made you assume the worst.

Sitting up, you unlocked your phone. You took your lower lip between your teeth as you scrolled your short contact list. As tempting as it was, you didn’t want to send Peter another text. There were plenty waiting for him on his phone, so you decided against it. The ironically named Mr. Happy seemed like the next best choice. Peter had interacted with him quite a bit, but you were also well aware of the fact that the man was often on the crankier side.

The chances that he would acknowledge your message and respond in a timely manner were slim to none.

“Where the hell are you, Peter?”

“Right here!”

You nearly dropped your phone when Peter’s voice sounded behind you. Instead, you scrambled to your feet and jammed the device back into your pocket. Arms crossed tight and expression severe, you remained silent just in case he wanted to speak — and he did.

“I am so sorry! You were probably texting me, but my phone died while I was out last night! Got home really late, plugged my phone in, then I crashed. I swear I was gonna text back when I woke up, but I looked and it turns out I didn’t actually plug it in. It’s still dead. Didn’t have a chance to charge it during school either. Look.” He pulled his phone out and held it out for you to take, but you gently pushed his hand away. Peter’s dark eyes were trained on yours, but all he would find was compassion and understanding.

He had no reason to lie to you, so it was without a single doubt that you believed everything he said.

“It’s fine. I was starting to worry when you didn’t show up, but I get it. As long as you’re alright.” Heat bloomed in your cheeks as you took several, nervous steps towards him. He put his phone away and reached for your hands, fingers linking together. There was an electric awkwardness in the air, like the sheer amount of glee you two shared had become physical. The relationship was still new, not to mention you were both incredibly inexperienced. Even the small, innocent gestures had you both feeling flustered. Bashful, even.

But with the facility seemingly barren at this time of day, you felt a smidgen braver than usual. The way the burning light of dusk turned his brown eyes an alluring amber didn’t help, of course, and neither did his goofy ( albeit oddly charming ) smile. You wanted to kiss that silly face of his and show him just how relieved you were to see him, but not before enacting a little revenge.

“You were worried about me?” His grin turned lopsided, and you had to resist the urge to roll your eyes. Rather than appear irritated, you leaned in.

“Of course I was. Girlfriends usually worry about their boyfriends, you know.” Saying those two words aloud made your gut knot, and it had the same effect on him. His grin faltered, and he became shy all over again.

“Well, yeah. I mean — I’d worry about you too. ‘Cause you’re my girlfriend.” He let out a breathy chuckle, only to suck in his breath again. “And I’m your boyfriend! You said that already. Why am I repeating you?”

“Why are you repeating me?”

“Now you’re doing it.” He raised both eyebrows and didn’t fail to notice that you were still inching closer.

“Doing what?” You snickered and nudged your nose against his. Peter became still as a statue, his hands now slick and sweaty around yours. Affection, no matter how slight, turned him to mush. You found it hard to believe that of all the girls in New York, he chose you. That fact alone made you want to reconsider teasing him, but it was too late now.

A millisecond before your lips could touch his, you gasped and stepped back. “Oh! Mr. Stark!”

Peter gave a start, like someone had prodded him on the back with something small and electrical. You had never seen him whip around quite as quickly before, but you knew that you should have expected as much when the name of his mentor was mentioned. Unfortunately for him, he would find that there was no one standing behind him. When this dawned on him, he rounded on you.

“Y/N, that’s not funny!”

“You should have seen your face!” You choked out a laugh, the sound only adding to his shame.

“Alright, fine. Laugh it up. That’s fine. I don’t even care.” He licked the inside of his lip and nodded, but the more you laughed, the harder it was to hold the look of nonchalance. “Y/N, come on.  .  .”

“Okay, I’m sorry! I’m sorry. I just wanted to spook you a little, that’s all.” You batted your eyelashes, but he wasn’t buying the innocent facade. Voice low, he moved in closer so only you could hear his voice.

“You can’t joke about that. You remember what they said before about — y’know.”

“What, workplace relationships?”

“Yeah! They said they weren’t allowed.” Peter gave the area a quick scan of the parking lot and surrounding land. His shoulders slumped when he could confidently confirm that they were alone.

“Pete, I don’t think they meant us. We’re just interns.” You placed your hands on his shoulders, but you could feel under your palms that he was tense.

“But what if they did mean us? What if someone finds us holding hands or kissing, and they tell Mr. Stark? We might lose our internships.” He groaned. This time, you couldn’t hold back the need to scoff.

“You mean I’ll lose the internship. Stark loves you. If anything, he’d probably be proud of you for mackin’ on a girl during work hours.” You snorted, and that earned a laugh from Peter.

“You’re probably right, but still. I don’t want you to miss out on this. You’re doing a lot of good here, and I’d hate for you to get in trouble.” He placed his hands on your waist and lessened the gap between you by a hair.

“You’re too sweet, you know that?” You became flushed under his adoring gaze, and with that warm fluttering came a swell in your chest.

You knew he only wanted what was best for you, but he needed to accept that he was worth taking risks for. And seeing as how you were as sure as he was that you weren’t being watched, you decided that one quick risk wouldn’t hurt. His refusal to back away only encouraged you. Peter could have shied away after your harmless prank, but it was nearly impossible suppressing the want to give and receive the many kisses you had missed out on over the last week.

Your lips met softly, innocently. More than anything, you were bumping smiles. Attending different school and having conflicting schedules put stress on your budding relationship, but neither of you felt a willingness to budge. Every encounter, every moment you managed to share, brought you endless joy.

With a soft and dreamy sigh, you looped your arms around Peter’s neck. Your embrace grew tighter — so tight, in fact, that you could feel his heart beating against your chest. A spark ignited, traveling from his gut to the tips of his fingers. He bunched your shirt in his fists, yanking you closer still. You sucked a breath in, lips parting and giving him the opening he had hoped for. Your innocent kiss had changed then; it was warmer and deeper, harboring a feeling you couldn’t put into words.

Teeth and tongue collided between short breaths. The short strands of his hair stuck up once your fingers raked through them. The sounds that escaped him were heavenly, but they weren’t meant to last, sadly.

“Parker!”

A familiar voice startled you both. Out of breath and dazed, you peeked over Peter’s shoulder. Your heart slammed against your ribcage while your blood ran a few degrees colder.

“Crap.”

Peter, still grasping at you, groaned against your shoulder with obvious despair. “Please tell me you learned how to do an impression of him.”

“Not a chance.”

Muttering under his breath, Peter turned for a second time. Behind him, looking slim and proper in his designer suit, was the one and only Tony Stark. You were an intern of his, same as Peter, but meeting him face-to-face was rare. You were star-struck and horrified, and your voice utterly failed you because of it.

“Mr. Stark! Hey! Hey, I didn’t — I didn’t hear you coming.” Peter forced a laugh while attempting to fix his hair with a single hand.

Tony arched a brow. “Spidey senses not kickin’ in?”

“No! I just——!”

“Relax, kid. I was your age once, believe it or not.” A look of warning smoothed out the wrinkled on Tony’s forehead; no comments about his age were to be made, or else there would be dire consequences. “Did you two attend that facility-wide meeting we had last month?”

You coughed, and the older man’s eyes darted to you.

“We did, sir. This is my fault.” It wasn’t a noble act to take blame for the unplanned make-out session, but it did draw Peter’s gaze to you. Tony remained unphased. With a simple wave, he dismissed your confession.

“How long’s this been a.  .  .  a thing?” He motioned between you two.

“About three weeks tomorrow, sir.” Peter quickly piped in. The corner of your lips twitched upwards. Someone was keeping track of the days. How cute.

“Not long, then. Alright, listen here. I’m not gonna rag on you two love-birds for wanting to get it on out here——”

“Oh, my god.  .  .”

“Sir, we weren’t——!”

“—— but do me a favor. Keep it on the down low, yeah? You’re kids, I get it. It’s fun bein’ young and in love, but other people might not see it that way. I’ll make an exception for you two, but if someone else catches you, they won’t go easy on you. Plus, other people see you getting away with it, they’ll think they can get away with it. They come to me askin’ for a free pass. Ends up makin’ a huge mess for me.”

“We get it.” Peter sighed. “We’ll be careful next time. I promise.”

“Damn right you better.” Tony elbowed Peter gently, then slung an arm around his shoulder. “Hate to break it to you miss.  .  . ?”

“Y/N.”

“Y/N, right. Hate to break it to you, but I gotta steal your boyfriend for a bit. Cool?”

You forced a tiny smile and nodded. As if you were capable of arguing with Iron Man. “Cool. I have work to do, anyway. I’ll catch you later, Peter. Work hard, and don’t forget to take a break every once and awhile. Text me when you’re done.”

You snagged a small kiss to his cheek before leaving. Peter, under Tony’s knowing gaze, withered slightly. The moment you were out of earshot, Tony chuckled.

“You know I’m gonna use this to make you miserable, right?” Tony wondered.

“I know, Mr. Stark. I know.  .  .”

[sophialala1]

Dearly Beloved - Bonus chapter 13 - Never too old for love (Patreon exclusive)

Victor 52 years old Yuuri 48 years old

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

“Yuuri!” Victor called in sheer panic.

Yuuri put down his book and immediately ran to his husband’s aid. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he found his husband in the bathroom, holding a strand of hair with shaking hands.

“Yuuri, I’m getting old!” Victor exclaimed and showed him the strand of hair that was a few shades brighter than Victor’s normal hair color.

“Is that a grey hair?” Yuuri asked in confusion as he stepped closer.

“That’s it,” Victor said. “Tomorrow I’m getting a rocking chair and a walking cane.”

Yuuri snorted. “You’re not old,” he claimed as he gently took the white hair and threw it in the trash can. “You’re only four years older than me.”

“Maybe we’re both old?” Victor asked with a childish pout.

“That’s impossible,” Yuuri claimed. “I would know if we were getting old.”

“And how would you know that?” Victor asked, a little curious.

“When our children try to force us into a retirement home for starters,” Yuuri said with a fond smile. “Niko wouldn’t be moving back home if he believed he were moving on with two old men.”

Victor sighed. “Oh Niko…”

“He’s only twenty years old,” Yuuri pointed out. “He tried living alone for a year, maybe he just wasn’t ready.”  

“Maybe,” Victor agreed. “But didn’t we teach him better than to leave the stove on before going to class?”

“It was just bad luck,” Yuuri defended their son. He was so much like Victor with his way of thinking. So he couldn’t find it in his heart to be mad.

“I should double check the fire alarms,” Victor said thoughtfully. “He’s not burning down our home.”

“He wouldn’t,” Yuuri claimed. “He felt so bad about it.”

“As he should,” Victor said sternly. “What are we going to do about him?” he asked tiredly. “I feel like he will never learn. I wasn’t that reckless when I was his age.”

Yuuri snorted. “Maybe you are getting old?” he said teasingly. “They say that the memory is the first thing to go.”

“I wasn’t,” Victor protested. “When I was twenty I was in the university. I had amazing grades, I was fluent in seven different languages and I had won gold in a million different skating competitions.”

“Pfft,” Yuuri said. “A million?”

“Fine,” Victor agreed. “Just a lot then.”

“But you also broke your foot when you skated without your focus,” Yuuri recalled. “And you were twenty when you wrestled down Santa…”

Victor had completely forgotten about that.

“And all the fights I had to talk you out of,” Yuuri continued. “You had such a short temper in your twenties.”

“Okay,” Victor relented. “But I want him to be better than me.”

“You can’t ask that of him,” Yuuri stated. “He’s doing his best, and that’s good enough. At least for me.”

Victor deflated. He knew that Yuuri was right.

“I just got so worried,” Victor admitted. “What if he had forgotten the stove on and gone to sleep?”

Yuuri hated the idea of that. “Well, luckily that didn’t happen.”

“Are you going to be in the bathroom for much longer?” Hana suddenly asked as she stood in the doorway.

“There are three other bathrooms,” Victor pointed out. “Do you need this one?”

“I’m going out with my friends,” Hana stated. “And this is the only bathroom that has a good enough light for me to put on my makeup.”

“You don’t need makeup,” Yuuri said in surprise. Hana usually weren’t that much into makeup. She was seventeen, but the last time she was using makeup was when she was twelve and stole a lipstick from Victor’s aunt and painted her whole face with it.

“You and dad use makeup all the time for photoshoots,” Hana pointed out.

“Yes, but I’m guessing that it’s not that kind of makeup you’re intending to use…” Yuuri said. “Or do you have glitter spray in that bag?”

Hana frowned. “No…”

“Why do you want to use makeup?” Victor asked, a hint of worry to his voice.

“No reason,” Hana said, lowering her make up bag that neither Yuuri nor Victor had ever seen before.

“Hana, you can talk to us,” Yuuri said gently as he walked up to her daughter to get a closer look at the bag. “We’ll even help you.”

Hana averted her gaze. “There… There’s this boy I like…”

When Sora had told them about the girl that later grew to be his girlfriend of four years. Both of the true mates had been thrilled.

But when their omega daughter wanted to paint her face just to impress a boy, they were both filling up with worry.

“A-a boy?” Yuuri asked worriedly.

“Yeah,” Hana said quietly. “He’s an alpha in my class and… I think he likes me.”

Both Victor and Yuuri wanted to switch to interrogation-mode. But they also knew that Hana wouldn’t react well to that.

“Well, if he likes you too, there’s no need for you to wear makeup,” Yuuri said gently. “You’re beautiful, Hana, and you don’t need to paint over that.”

“I would be highlighting the things I do like about myself,” Hana claimed. “It would make me look like those girls in the magazines.”

“You’re better than any of them,” Victor spoke up. “Both me and your dad have been in those magazines, but those are never real. We still look the way we always do.”

Hana seemed to be considering that for a moment.

“Anyone can wear a pretty face,” Yuuri told his daughter. “But not anyone can have your beautiful heart.”

Hana smiled a little at that. “Makeup is more noticeable though.”

“If he doesn’t like you for your heart he can go throw himself off a cliff,” Yuuri said sternly. “You’re our daughter, and you deserve nothing but the best.”

“Your dad is right,” Victor agreed. “Looks will fade eventually. And if it’s really true love, you want someone to love you despite wrinkles and grey hair. You want someone to be there through better and through worse. Loving you no matter what.”

Yuuri felt his heart flutter. No matter how many times he had heard Victor’s love speeches, they never lost effect on him.

That really was true love.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Hana agreed. “I don’t know anything about makeup anyways…” she scratched the back of her head anxiously, something that made her look just like Yuuri.

Victor felt his heart melt. “Well, I can fix your hair for you,” he said with a soft smile. “I still have my skills.”

“Thank you, dad,” Hana said with a shy smile. “I’d like that.”

That’s when the doorbell suddenly rang. “That’s probably Nikolaj,” Yuuri said with a knowing smile.  

“Tell him to stay out of my room,” Hana demanded. “Especially if he’s going to live here. I have school, and you guys still hasn’t given my door a lock.”

Yuuri and Victor was not planning on giving any of their kids a lock for their door. They did trust them, but they weren’t stupid.

“Niko has school too,” Yuuri said. “He’s not going to go into your room.”

“He better not,” Hana grumbled.

Yuuri walked to the front door only to be greeted by both of his sons. “Sora, I wasn’t expecting you,” he said with a smile as he hugged both of them.

“He gave me a ride,” Nikolaj said as he looked down to his older brother.

“You begged me for a ride,” Sora corrected. “I was just on my way home from work.”

“It’s good to see both of you,” Yuuri stated. “Niko, your room is all made up, and we’re ordering food today but I got a few of your favorite frozen pizzas stocked up in the freezer if you prefer that.”

“Thank you, dad,” Nikolaj said with a smile. Grateful that Yuuri didn’t bring up the fire.

“Do you have everything you need?” Yuuri asked with a look of concern. “I can make another trip to the…”

“I’ll be fine,” Nikolaj cut him off. “You don’t need to fuss.”

“Uhm, Niko, have you met dad?” Sora asked with a teasing smile.

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “If you boys ever have children of your own, you will know,” he stated. “Sora, are you staying for dinner?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind?”

“Of course not,” Yuuri promised. “You know I love to have all of you gathered.”

“Yeah,” Nikolaj agreed. “Where’s Hana and dad?”

“Dad is helping her with her hair,” Yuuri said fondly. “Probably reliving his youthful years through her.”

“On a friday night?” Sora asked in confusion. “Why? Is she having a slumber party?”

“I think she has a date,” Yuuri said, his voice hushed but his sons heard him perfectly fine.

“A date?” They both asked in unison.

“She’s a child, is that even legal?” Sora asked.

“With who?” Nikolaj asked.

“She’s seventeen and it’s a boy in her class,” Yuuri said, trying to keep his sons calm. “It’s up to her, we’re not forbidding it.”

Nikolaj and Sora shared meaningful looks.

“None of that,” Yuuri scolded them. “Don’t ruin this for her, she’s excited about this.”

“Fine,” they both agreed before they looked at each other again and nodded.

Yuuri just sighed, hoping that he wasn’t misplacing his trust in his sons.

To read the rest, consider becoming a 2 dollar patreon, you’ll also get access to 12 other bonus chapters of Dearly Beloved, along with the ability of reading my stories as I write them instead of having to wait for AO3 updates! <3 since I no longer update on Ao3 because that site sucks with all the anon bullies, this might be the only way to read them! <3

Be sure you won’t miss out! <3 Only 2 dollars every month and tons of benefits if you like my stories! <3

https://www.patreon.com/Sophia96

[botwriter]

Desert Sun, Chapter 2

Morning in the desert usually meant waking up to the sudden warmth of the rising sun, or a breeze that swept the curtains out from around her bed posts and slowly coerced Zelda from her slumber. But the next day, the sun had barely reached the horizon when Mipha ran suddenly into her chambers, calling to her to wake up.

“Wh- what? What’s wrong?” Zelda rubbed her eyes, sitting up slowly and wrapping the blankets around her as Urbosa arrived at the top of the stairs.

“Someone told Link he should go check out that sandstorm,” Urbosa said, looking thoroughly unimpressed as she folded her arms.

Shit.

Zelda wanted to sink back down into the sheets. It was too early for this. Voe really were idiots, after all.

“He isn’t usually so reckless,” Mipha said worriedly, holding her hands together at her heart. “I don’t understand why - I think he’s trying to prove himself to you, but -”

Zelda’s face scrunched up disapprovingly for a moment, and she wanted to snap back at that, but she could feel Urbosa’s emerald eyes on her. She knew. She knew Zelda had put the idea in his head, but Mipha didn’t, and as Zelda turned her eyes to Urbosa, silently pleading her to say nothing more, the woman’s anger seemed to fade. Thank the Heroines. It seemed Urbosa wouldn’t tell Mipha. But judging by the look on her face now, it was up to Zelda to make it right.

She swung her legs over the side of her bed, keeping the blanket wrapped around her; she wore a sheer fabric nightgown to bed and didn’t feel appropriate not covering herself up around the other two.

“Can you get my sand seal ready? And a couple others to come with us? Urbosa, myself and them will go and search the outside of the storm.”

“You- you can’t go in there?” Mipha spoke worriedly but politely, and Zelda’s frowned a little. She figured Mipha would ask, but there was no use.

“I’m sorry. We can’t risk anyone else getting lost. Do you want to come with us?”

“No, I’d better stay here in case he returns,” she said decidedly, and Zelda nodded.

“I’ll change and meet you outside, then.”

Equipped with one of her only surveying outfits - linen pants that tied in at the ankle, a long-sleeve ruby shirt, and a pair of sand goggles - Zelda met Urbosa outside the city walls. Revali was leaning against the shrine nearby, and looked far too happy with himself.

“Did you suggest it? He mentioned the sandstorm yesterday, and Daruk told him to not go, but he said he wanted to. Genius!” the Rito laughed, but stopped suddenly due to the way Urbosa glared at him. Zelda’s mouth dropped open.

“I didn’t really mean to suggest he go out there,” she whispered urgently back at Revali.

“You’d better be nice to him from now on,” Urbosa warned, turning on Zelda now. “The rest of us? We chose this. He was chosen, just like you. I had thought you’d relate to him a little, if not just for that.”

Her words stung, and Zelda felt like a scolded child, her conscience heavy with guilt. It had been a long time since she’d felt like that, and getting it from Urbosa was the worst. She glanced back at the city briefly as they readied the sand seals, and saw Mipha, bright red and wavering in the heat waves against the sandstone walls, waving at her. The princess took a heavy breath, pulling her hair back and doubling her ponytail so that it might  stay in place while they moved.

“We’re going to find him,” Urbosa called back to Mipha, “don’t worry.”

With that, they were off, alongside three other Gerudo navigators who knew the sandstorm well. Zelda narrowed her eyes at it in the distance - it was massive and looming as usual. Many idiot travelers had gone in and never returned, and although she didn’t necessarily like Link, she also needed him. If anything happened to him, it would be her fault. But even then, why had he gone? Mipha thought it had been to prove himself to her, but Zelda had a feeling it was to impress Mipha, even though the Zora wasn’t one to be enamored with reckless acts like that… was she?

They split up at the edge of the desert, Urbosa leaving with one guard, and Zelda leaving with another, while the last stayed at Kara Kara Bazaar. Even with goggles on, and without going too far into the sandstorm, it was incredibly hard to see. Link must have gone in at night, as many did - and then underestimated how large the sandstorm was once the sun was up. And now, as the sun reached its zenith, the daytime temperature was quickly and intensely rising.

They spent what must have been several hours searching, and saw no sign of him. Zelda was beginning to lose hope. They’d have to go back and search at night, but she didn’t want to face Mipha without having found Link. She couldn’t stand it when the Zora looked sad.

Finally, they left for Kara Kara Bazaar, and Urbosa and the other guard were already there, digging into a hydromelon to cool down. Urbosa offered one to Zelda, but she passed on it. She already felt sick.

“I’m such an idiot. I knew he’d want to go into that damn sandstorm. I just hope it wasn’t for my sake - I’d never live with myself, and Mipha would literally skewer me-”

“It was for your sake.”

Zelda and the others looked up in surprise to see Link, walking in to Kara Kara Bazaar from the south, looking fine, albeit a little sunburnt. His hair was messy and full of sand, and his cheekbones had a few freckles she hadn’t noticed the day before.

“I went and charted that monument,” he said with a smile, but as his gaze swept over their surprised faces, his expression quickly dropped. “What?”

Zelda didn’t know what to say. She looked to Urbosa, who was simply shaking her head.

“Mipha came to me this morning worried sick over you,” Zelda finally said, exasperated.  “So I organized a search party and we’ve just spent the last two hours searching the perimeter of the storm.”

Link was silent - a trait she was told to expect from him - but looked regretful nonetheless.

“So how did you manage to chart the monument we’ve spent years trying to locate?” Urbosa suddenly asked, and Zelda’s anger quickly dissipated. She was curious, too.

“I didn’t think it would take so long. I got lost a couple times, but the sand seals helped me out,” he said with a small smile, and Zelda, Urbosa, and the navigators exchanged glances. The Hylian apparently had no problem holding his own in the desert. As much as Zelda hated to admit it, she was impressed.

He walked to Zelda then and passed her the map they’d been looking at yesterday.

“I marked it on here,” he said, shaking some sand out of his hair a moment later.

She looked at him in surprise and then opened the map. Sure enough, there was a scribble where the monument was, and it made sense enough. Now they could possibly begin to send excavating parties in there…

“Now that that’s settled, we should head back and let the others know there was nothing to worry about,” Urbosa sighed, pushing her hair back from her face and turning. “Zelda, Link, we’ll meet you there.”

“Wh- wait, Urbosa-”

Zelda turned desperately, only to see the woman flash her a knowing smile and then take off on her sand seal along with the other navigators. That left only one sand seal for the two of them, and she nearly didn’t even turn back to Link - she wanted to make him walk - but she knew Mipha would be waiting there for them.

“Link… have you ever ridden a sand seal before?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at him. He shook his head.

“I can walk if you want, Princess,” he said suddenly, and she winced. Am I that obvious?  

“No, it’s fine. Just hold on. Not too tight.”

With her shield in place and the reins set, Link stepped up behind her, and she tried not to think too much about how it felt to have his body pressed against hers, his rough hands holding firm to her shoulders. It only reminded her of the last time she’d been with a voe, and she wasn’t exactly impatient to remember it. She took a moment to swear she’d get Urbosa back as soon as she was able, and then they set off.

As they approached Gerudo Town and Zelda saw the red figure of Mipha waiting excitedly at the town gates, curiosity got the better of her.

“So, did you really go into the sandstorm just to impress Mipha?” she asked, her voice lost a little over the wind, but Link heard fine.

“No, why would I do that?” he replied, sounding genuine. Zelda blinked. Was he really that oblivious? Or did he just not return Mipha’s feelings? Either way, that meant he may have been honest when he said he went in for her sake, and she wasn’t sure at all how to feel about that.

When they finally arrived and Zelda jumped off, she was surprised to see that Link immediately crouched down to the sand seal and gave the creature a few scratches around its mane. He obviously got along well with them - better than she ever had - and again she had to tame the bitterness that tugged at her tongue.

“Oh, Zelda! Thank you for bringing him back!”

Mipha had come running from the gates and immediately threw her arms around Zelda, who let out a little laugh and shook her head.

“He was fine, Mipha.”

“I’m sorry I worried you,” Link said, coming up from behind Zelda, and Mipha pulled away from her to take one of Link’s hands in both of hers abruptly.

“You shouldn’t be so reckless like that! What got it in your head to go out there?”

Zelda glanced at Link worriedly, and his blue eyes flicked sideways to hers, if only just for a second, before he looked back to Mipha.

“I saw a Sheikah monument one night and thought I could get to it before the storm kicked back up,” he lied, but Mipha must not have noticed, because the Zora only shook her head disapprovingly. Zelda sighed in relief.

“It’s okay. I met up with Zelda’s - the Princess’ search party at the bazaar,” he added, correcting himself quite quickly. Mipha smiled in relief, and then looked to Zelda again with an expression of gratefulness in her eyes that tore at Zelda’s conscience.

“Urbosa asked me to help train some of the girls with spears, so I’ll be with them for the day. She told me to ask you to tour Link around the desert.”

“I’ll take him.”

Revali interrupted them as he approached, feathers ruffling briefly before they settled once more. He tilted his head at Link, peering at him down a sharp beak.

“I’m sure I can hold this scrawny kid in my talons. He’ll get a birds eye view.”

“Tempting,” Link replied with fake enthusiasm, and Zelda smiled a little at seeing the Hylian champion say something sarcastic for once. “But I think I’d prefer the Princess’s company to yours.”

“Mmhm,” Revali replied, narrowing his eyes at Link. “Well, you’d better keep an eye on her, then. There’s plenty of lizalfos out there.”

Link opened his mouth to speak, but Zelda interjected.

“I’ve never needed help in defending myself in my own home,” she replied coolly, and Revali lifted both of his wings in a show of surrender.

“Whatever! Just don’t trust this guy if anything goes south.”

He and Mipha left then, and Zelda sighed. She was happy to be rid of Revali’s attitude for now, but then remembered the matter at hand: touring Link around. Urbosa was really rubbing it in her face that she wanted them to get along, and if Link hadn’t noticed by now, she’d be surprised. Nonetheless, she wasn’t about to bring attention to it.

“At least you can have your own sand seal this time,” Zelda said, gesturing to the stables; but when she looked, the seals were all gone. What? When they approached, Khoma, who rented out the sand seals, was apologetic.

“Sorry, Princess - Lady Urbosa needed them! She said she needed all of them!”

“Sa’oten, Urbosa, I’m going to-”

Zelda cut herself off, rubbing her eyes.

“No. It’s fine. Link, do you want to take the reins this time? The seals like you better.”

The way his eyes lit up was all the answer she needed. It was slightly more comfortable holding onto Link this time around, except that she had to press her hands against his abs and press her chest into his back, but there was no winning either way. Urbosa had made sure of that.

She kept her chin on his shoulder as they went, trying to keep an eye on where they were going and direct Link to specific spots. Here and there they stopped for a hydromelon, or to take a look at a monument, but the desert didn’t hold too much in terms of sight-seeing; a fact she was grateful for now.

They stopped at the leviathan bones in the far south, and then climbed to the top of a dune nearby so Link could see the Molduga swimming in the distance.

“Do you, uh, kill them?”

“It’s not easy, but sometimes we send out parties to kill them for parts, yes,” Zelda replied, watching in slight disgust as the beast flung itself in the air to eat an unlucky pair of passing birds.

“Can I fight it?”

She looked at him in shock.

“What? No.”

He frowned to himself, clearly disappointed with her answer, and Zelda’s mouth dropped open.

“I already thought you were dead once today, I don’t need it twice!”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but stopped himself short. Zelda was grateful for it - he knew she’d lied about Mipha saying he could handle the desert. She didn’t want to be called out on it.

“Well, the next time you send a party out to fight, send for me,” he said resignedly, and Zelda rolled her eyes with an amused smile. He had surprised her already in more ways than one.

They headed back to the sand seal, and Link got them moving. Zelda once more hesitantly secured her arms around his chest.

“I might be wrong, but I thought we’d get along a little better, being the two who were… chosen,” he said thoughtfully. “We didn’t ask for this.”

He looked at her then, but when he did so their faces were barely two inches apart, and Zelda immediately looked away. She couldn’t help feeling a little bitter at the notion that the two of them would somehow just naturally understand each other. He didn’t understand what it felt like to be such a failure like her, and she didn’t understand what it would be like to be confident in her fate like he was.

She had nothing to say back to him, and now her mind was racing. She thought of Ganon - Darius - the one she used to know. The one she thought she knew. Was he… chosen? Her and Link were reincarnates of two entities, but he… he was conscious of his purpose from a young age, and strong in his resolve to see his plan through. It seemed unfair that her and the Hylian should get such a late start.

But then, she reminded herself, he had not won yet. Ten-thousand years ago, he failed. If all went according to plan, he would fail again, but all that relied on now… was her finally unlocking her sealing power. She knew that she was a bit of an outlier, being born Gerudo instead of Hylian as descendants of the Goddess tended to be. She didn’t even worship Hylia as a Gerudo, although Urbosa had urged her to start in an effort to improve her chances. At the same time, Ganon had been born Gerudo instead of simply laying dormant as a massive, mindless beast like he apparently was so long ago… now he took a mortal form. Would that make him an easier opponent, or a smarter one?

Eventually, Gerudo town came into view in the distance, and Link broke the silence.

“I heard someone say… that you used to know Ganon,” he asked, sounding nervous about the question. Zelda sighed, shutting her eyes.

“Yes. He was born a rare Gerudo voe named Darius. We - I went out with him for a little,” she admitted, but shuddered a moment later.  “We drifted, of course. I spoke often of my training. Perhaps even then, he knew his destiny… but he did a good job hiding it from me, and everyone, until just a year ago.”

Link was silent in response, and Zelda tried to take a look at his face, but his expression was unreadable. The revelation that she used to date the man who was now trying to take over Hyrule was probably not a fun one. But whether or not Link would believe it, Darius had been charming and friendly. Zelda once considered herself lucky to know him, saw a future with him. Knowing it had all been a lie hurt enough, not to mention then realising that her entire purpose was to try and destroy him - and him, her.

She watched the sun as it dipped below the highlands. Part of her wondered why she’d bothered to tell Link. Chances were he already wasn’t impressed with the Princess who had yet to find her sealing power; he’d be even less so now, she was sure, knowing her history with their enemy.

“You think he’s with the Yiga?” Link asked as the sand seal came to a slow stop outside the town gates.

“Mm, maybe,” Zelda replied tiredly, rubbing her eyes as she finally let go of Link and stepped off the shield. With the day coming to an end and the temperature cooling, she’d begun to appreciate the warmth of Link’s body. “We’re sending in some recon soon.”

“I’ll go with them,” Link offered, but Zelda shook her head.

“We need you here,” she replied sternly, “so no more running off like this morning. You saw what that did to poor Mipha,” Zelda added with a small laugh, though she regretted the words as soon as speaking them. Link looked at her like he wanted to say something, but stopped himself short.

“Thank you for the tour today, Princess,” he said then, in a suddenly more formal tone than before. She looked at him in surprise, wishing the sun would set slower, wishing it wasn’t becoming increasingly chilly outside.

“You’re welcome,” she replied simply, reminding herself suddenly of her role. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Zelda turned on her heels then, pretending not to hear the quiet “goodnight” that Link spoke after she’d left. She tucked her ponytail in over her shoulder, greeting the guards at the city gates briefly, and headed for the palace as night began to settle in above the desert.

That night, as she readied for bed, she found a note left on her pillow.

You have one month.

[auncyen]

If anyone remembers the meltdown I had a couple months ago at 5 am of like "DID I JUST LOSE A THOUSAND WORDS?!", this is the fic. It's now nearly 3k words. It's idiots nearly getting themselves killed and also Ringabel despairing that they're all idiots going to get themselves killed.

[yokina-hoshi]

rain // izuku x tsuyu (( COMPLETED!! ))

"Get home safely Midoriya!"

"C ya Deku!"

"Ugh, See you guys on Monday!"

Today, Izuku Midoriya had decided to take a different way home than he normally would. This route was different. It was prettier and scenic, and Izuku felt as if he needed to get some things of his chest. Most of all, he needed time to put his worries to bed.

He stepped out of the school, head down in deep thought, gripping the straps of his signature yellow bag tighter. The farther he walked, the deeper his thoughts and steps went. By the time he was passing the station, he had already forgotten how many steps he had taken. His brows furrowed as a train track blocked his steps. The gates were down as the train past by. It blew past him, green hair swaying in the wind, leaves dancing across the cloud stricken evening sky. e

He was worried about school (as usual)

He was worried about All Might (as usual)

Although, there was one thing on his mind that was rather unusual. Izuku was worried about Tsuyu. Tsuyu had seemed really upset about something the past few days, it was hard not to notice since Izuku was so observant. One of the small things that he had noticed was that Tsuyu had started avoiding Ochako for some reason, and they were normally seen together as they were the best of friends. Izuku thought that Ochako would have noticed it by now, but she claimed that she only thought Tsuyu was spending some 'time away'. He had also noticed Tsuyu slip out of the classroom several times at lunch break when Mina and Tooru where raging on about something fun and spectacular, and she would normally walk out with a face of boredom. Though it is a very well known fact that the frog had (most of the time) a fixed expression, but Izuku could recognise the hesitation in her eyes. Sometimes, Izuku would end up looking for her, and in the end finding Tsuyu dozing off on one of the benches somewhere around the school. Most of the time, she would either wake up or he had to wait for her, seeming as if it was his duty to bring her back to the classroom on time.

The thing that worried Izuku the most was her sudden change in honorifics. She would normally go around calling him 'Midoriya-chan' but that had changed for the past week, and she started being more formal and calling him 'Midoriya-san' or just leaving honorifics out completely. Izuku was clearly shocked by this, and he really wanted to know what was going on so he could help her out in any way possible.

He mentally sighed. 'guess I have to go talk to her... I hope she wont mind.'

'plip'.

A drop of cold water cascaded down from his forehead, making him look up to the sky.

'plip. plip. plip.'

slowly but surely, the sky started to grow dark with electric blue clouds, letting out a slow drizzle of rain.

"A-Ah!! Its raining!!"

'good thing I brought an umbrella. Thanks mom!'

Izuku pulled out a folded, plain looking, see through umbrella from his yellow backpack, extending it and hovering it underneath the rain drops above him. The ground underneath him grew dry as the glass like droplet fell from the hood of his umbrella.

Izuku's pace got quicker the faster the rain fell. though the rain was intense, the skies were still clear and bright, which was a rare phenomenon for the green haired boy to be experiencing.

Izuku walked past houses by the river. He walked past vending machines full of hot and cold drinks alike. He walked past the setting sun. Though, nothing could compare to who he saw along the way.

His eyes widened as he stumbled across an open grassy plain.

A certain green haired girl was sitting in the middle of the plain, shimmering droplets of rain cascading down her bow tied hair. Her head was shifted upwards, taking in the embrace of the cold rain.

Izuku stood there for a while, not knowing how to react. Though the rain was cold, he could feel his cheeks heat up. His heart rate began to grow faster. Not often would he feel this way about someone. Though, he never really knew what love meant.

He started to hesitate over his next actions, debating silently in his head if he should approach Tsuyu or let her be. He tightened his grip on his umbrella and took a deep breath, stepping forward.

'All I know is that Tsuyu is in need of someone, someone who can help her. Someone who can stand by her side and listen to everything she has to say. I can be that someone!'

Izuku slowly paced forward, making sure not to startle Tsuyu. She seemed like she was at peace, he didnt want to disturb that peace.

Taking one more breath, Izuku softly placed his hand on top of Tsuyu's shoulder. The said girl seemed a little shocked, rapidly turning around to catch a glimpse of the person who had confronted her.

"Midoriya?"

Izuku flashed a sheepish smile, lowering his umbrella down to hover it over her head. His jacket slowly became soaked by the bitter rain, but he didn't mind. As long as Tsuyu doesn't catch a cold, he doesnt care. He always was reckless after all.

Tsuyu's eyes widened at the situation before her, rain droplets slowly making its way down the sides of her face. She turned her head to look down, expression full of thought.

"Why- why are you here?"

Tsuyu's previous remark had caught Izuku by surprise, shocked by Tsuyu's sudden reserved manner. Normally the teal haired girl would openly say whatever was on her mind, no double takes. He frowned a bit and slowly moved over to Tsuyu's side, sitting down next to her in the cold evergreen grass. He slowly loosened the grip on his umbrella, resting it against his soaked shoulder still covering the two of them from the calm rain.

Izuku looked at her again, this time giving her a knowing smile. He knew how hard it was to open up about feelings. This time he received a different reaction, one that was longing.

"Midoriya, you know I always say what's on my mind."

Izuku just simply nodded, more water falling from his abnormally curly green hair. Tsuyu slowly placed her hand on top of Izuku's scarred one, causing him to flinch a little.

She sighed, refusing to meet with Izuku's eyes. The next thing she said was completely unexpected.

"Izuku-chan, I think I like you."

The said boy just sat there, staring into Tsuyu's large eyes, letting what she said sink into him. His eyes widened as he realized what she meant, quickly recoiling in a huge blush, causing the umbrella to fall from his shoulder exposing the two to the rain.

His shocked face completely contrasted tsuyu's calm and collected face. She wasn't afraid anymore. She didnt want these unwanted feelings to eat at her heart anymore. She would face these problems head on, just as she always did. Tsuyu Asui loved Izuku 'deku' Midoriya.

Izuku didn't know what to say, nor what to do. He wanted to help Tsuyu out, yet love was something he was rather unfarmiliar with. Sighing, he tried to reply.

"I-I d-dont kn-now what t-to say..."

Tsuyu carried on staring at izuku in a relaxed manner, urging him to tell her the truth. After some thought, Izuku knew what to say.

He moved his free hand over tsuyu's, looking into her eyes underneath the cold rain.

"I... I'm not sure if I can return your feelings tsuyu-"

"Thats ok. Thats fine."

Izuku looked on in confusion, mentally scolding himself for saying something wrong.

All tsuyu did was give izuku one of the warmest smiles she has ever gave, and slowly started to stand up. She walked away slowly, Izuku watching.

"its alright if you can't say the same."

And with that she walked away.

Yet she stopped.

She felt the warm embrace of a hand holding, telling her to come back. Shocked, she turned around to meet its owner.

"Tsuyu pleasd don't leave. I didn't mean it in that way... I meant, maybe, just maybe, I could learn how to return your feelings."

Her eyes widened a bit, not expected that answer. After a while, she smiled. She understood now.

Izuku may not be an expert on romantic feelings, yet he knew that deep down, he admired the girl in front of him greatly. He didn't know why, he couldnt answer how. All he knew is that he wanted to take this opportunity.

Out of sheer delight, tsuyu jumped at Izuku, hugging him. Izuku could feel the nervousness bubble inside him, but thats fine. He began to enjoy this feeling. He slowly hugged her back, still trying to get used to these new feelings.

Without warning, tsuyu kissed izuku on the cheek, leaving him as a blushing mess. He quickly let go of tsuyu, bringing his scarred hands up to his red face. All she could do was laugh.

"I- I think... I really like you Tsuyu. I re-really do."

Giggilling, she moved over from her spot in the wet flowers to rest her forehead on his own, smiling.

"Me too."

They stayed like that for a while, blue flowers dancing in the cold wind.

*

*

*

×bonus!×

Izuku nervously took tsuyu's hand in his, flustered. The two stood in front of the polished brown doors of 1-A. Today was the day they were going to reveal their relationship to the class. Nervously blushing, they slowly walked in, hand in hand.