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pluppleseverywhere · 1 year

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I finished Fairy Tale by Stephen King yesterday. I was delighted about similarities I noticed between this book and The Talisman that he wrote with Peter Straub. But, overall, I loved this entire book. I don't have any major complaints, only silly gripes that don't actually detract from the story or characters in any way. I love the entire adventure from start to finish. I will say, though, that this is one of King's thicker books. And I know a lot of people, even some King fans, don't like how long some of his books are. They think they could often benefit from an editor who cuts out a lot of "unnecessary" stuff. I'm not here to say they're wrong or they're right, but I am going to say that people who feel that way about some of his other thicker books will likely feel that way about this book.

However, that's a big reason that I love King's writing and I love his chunkier books. I love the way he digs into the characters, even the ones we don't see much of, the ones that are just there to die, the ones that we don't even get to meet but whom the main character is reminded of for some reason. I eat that stuff up. I think, for me, it makes the book more immersive and the characters more real and so the things a lot of people complain about regarding King's writing are things I adore and major reasons he is my favorite author. So when you see me gushing about one of his books please keep that in mind.

Under the cut I'm going to go into what I noticed as far as similarities between The Talisman and the things I wish we had gotten in Fairy Tale but didn't. Spoilers for both books will be below so if you haven't read either of them and major spoilers will ruin things for you, don't go any further. Don't say I didn't warn you.

So, I'm going with The Talisman first. I want to preface this by saying that I have never finished that book. I loved, absolutely adored, what I did read of it but I had gotten an ebook file from my library for it and I didn't get too far before I was confronted with the fact that part of the file was corrupted and I couldn't read any further. So, if you have read both of these books and noticed things I didn't that are similar this could be a reason for that. I kind of forgot about the book after that but reading Fairy Tale made me think of it and I now have a physical copy I'm going to read next.

So, the first thing is that both of these books are portal books where the main character, a young man in Fairy Tale and a young boy in The Talisman, must go through on a quest to save someone they love and get entangled in far more than they bargained for.

In Fairy Tale 17 year old high school senior Charlie wants to save his dog from dying of old age. In The Talisman 12 year old Jack wants to save his mother from dying.

Another thing the characters have in common is an older adult character who tells them about this portal to another world and sets them on their quest.

The books diverge wildly, in that the world that Jack visits seems to be grittier and there's more violence right away. Charlie's other world is full of mostly good people who aren't interested in cruelty and violence. Most people Charlie meets are nice, and those that aren't are kind of neutral or just bitter.

Something that didn't get explored too much in Fairy Tale but was a major point in The Talisman is the idea that the people of these worlds are counterparts of each other. Charlie notes this concept a couple of times, most notably with Christopher Polley from our world and Peterkin from Empis. He states multiple times that he thinks they're Rumpelstiltskin characters and that, while he can't prove it, he is convinced himself that when Peterkin died in Empis it was the moment that Christopher Polley was killed in our world.

So, not only is the idea of counterparts existing for people in our world to people in Empis present, but so is the idea of intertwined fates.

In The Talisman Jack is told that people in this world all have a version of themselves in the other world and whatever happens to them happens to us and that to save his mother in our world he must save her counterpart in the otherworld.

In Fairy Tale it's mostly just alluded to.

I really enjoyed these similarities and parallels and I'm so glad that I had some knowledge of The Talisman in order to pick up on them.

Now, onto the things about Fairy Tale I wished were different.

It's widely known that King puts references in his books to the books he wrote before the current publication and this book is no different even if you take away all of the similarities with The Talisman.

There was a reference to Cujo that I was a little bummed about, irrationally, for an example. In this book Cujo isn't an event that actually happened bit rather a movie instead. I suppose it could be a movie based on true events but if so it wasn't so much as hinted at. This is a me thing, though. I just prefer the idea that all of these books take place within the same universe, in the sense that it is acknowledged that these things really happened and aren't just fictional books and movies within the books themselves. Most people probably don't care.

I wish that Mr. Bowditch could have watched Charlie play at least one game. I don't care which sport. I thought it was very touching that he wanted to and I thought he seemed disappointed that he wouldn't get to. I wish he could have gone to just one. I understand why Charlie didn't want that but I sure wanted it.

I wish Hamey had lived. I really got attached to his character and as someone who had bowel problems myself I identified with him in that way. I also just really felt sorry for the character and it was so sad to see him start out caring for Charlie in that dungeon and asking if Charlie would protect him only to watch his mental and emotional resignation to his fate and tell Charlie he didn't have to protect him after all. I wish he had lived and been able to he treated properly for his ailment. Maybe the doctor or Claudia could have helped him out a bit.

Barring that, I wish that Hamey would have been one of the ghosts that came to visit Charlie on his sick bed after the defeat of the big bad. It was left up to the reader to decide if these were real ghosts or figment of Charlie's imagination while he was trying to fight off poison, but either way I wish Hamey had made a visit.

I would have liked to get some more stories from Mr. Bowditch about his adventures in Empis that he didn't talk about in those tapes because they weren't pertinent and he knew he didn't have a lot of time left to tell Charlie what he needed to know. He said there were many more and I'm very curious. I wonder if King will write a short story or two about one at some point and put it in a short story collection, line he did with 'Salem's Lot. I would love that.

It was suggested by Mr. Bowditch that other people in our world might have visited Empis and mentioned a couple of authors whose books he thought may have had basis in things found in Empis. Could there be other portals to Empis outside of the one in Sentry, IL? I would love to know.

I knew Charlie would make it impossible for anyone to get to Empis through the portal in Mr. Bowditch's shed, but I still wish he hadn't. Mostly because it means Radar won't get another turn on the sundial and will die and I prefer to think of Radar living forever either with Charlie who decides to eventually take a turn himself or with Charlie's descendants. Who doesn't want dogs to live forever, right?

Anyway, I think that's it for now. There was an excerpt from his next book at the back of Fairy Tale and I'm looking forward to that one!

#Fairy Tale by Stephen King #books and reading #fantasy books #books #Stephen King #The Talisman #spoilers #review #sort of #i just loves this book #I want more!#even if it was already long

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despairparfait · 2 years

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📂ㅤTHE BLESSINGS OF THE FOREST FAIRIES.ㅤ. . .ㅤlilia x child!reader ★

synopsis. lilia heard his youngest human child requesting a wish from the forest fairies; what else can he possibly do, but grant it?

"Dear little deities of the forest, ever so fair and true. I have a wish I would like to humbly ask of you.."

It had been quite the sum of centuries and decades alike since Lilia had heard such a prayer uttered, garnet hues widening in intrigue as he leaned further over the branch. The fae's sights instantly landed on you, now finally in view due to his movement. A movement which would have been considered risky, potentially garnering your attention to his presence, if it weren't for your eyes shut tight.

Knees planted to the dirt beneath with your hands clasped together gently above your chest. Head tilted downwards as you respected the ancient tree you knelt before. It was a sight that Lilia hadn't seen in a long time, and had surprised him that it was one that he would see today.

"I have been adopted by Lilia-sama, and I couldn't be happier to have a family now. But I am not a fae, and Silver is strong... I really want to, can you please help me, fit in? Please, please."

It was then did Lilia's whimsical smile turn slightly melancholic. More than anything, your prayer, the softest of pleas, exposes your true thoughts to light. It wasn't that the fae hadn't considered that you may feel out of place, it has been on his mind indefinitely ever since bringing you to your new home. Had you thought that confiding in him about this would be burdensome? Perhaps so. It was to be expected, but it motivated Lilia to act immediately.

You were already so grateful to have been adopted in the first place, it must have felt as though there wasn't anything more that he could have done for you. But what you didn't know, was that he was to become your own personal little wish-granting forest fairy; and a very persistent one at that.

The story of the book that you were currently reading was thrilling. A valiant tale of a gentleman withstanding the harshest of climates and slaying the fiercest of beasts, in order to heroically save a beautiful princess from the tower that she had been held captive in since childhood. It was a heartwrenching fantasy of love and loss, and was keeping you gripped from start to finish.

Yet your undivided attention was drawn from the story, when a dainty hand with dark-painted nails gently grasped the top of the page. Softly pulling the book backward to a tilt, so that you knew that your focus was requested.

Looking up from the line that you were reading, you became suddenly aware that your father was hovering over you as you sat. Leaning forwards so that only the upper half of his face could be visible over the page. His eyes were wide, observing your reaction with a crinkle of the eyes that indicated that he was wearing a smile. His sudden presence so close startled you a bit.

His eyes closed into his smile. "Peek a boo~"

"Lili— I-I mean! Father!"

An amused hum in acknowledgment of your surprised exclamation. You lowered your book as Lilia stood up straight, both hands behind his back in what looked to be a composed stance.

"Sorry to distract you from your reading, but I come bearing gifts."

You leaned forward in your seat, eyes trained on the grinning fae. You were curious as to what those gifts are, of course, yet at the same time he really didn't have to feel the need to get you anything. Especially if he had to go out of his way in order to get them. You hadn't heard him call to Silver at all, was it really just you?

"I recall that, when we first brought you here, we made a note to expand your wardrobe in due time. Correct?" You nodded your head, remembering him making just the comment. He mirrored your action. "Well, I come bearing garments that may fit you a little better than Silver's hand-me-downs and Malleus's..." He trailed off. "You know."

Ever in the slightest, your eyes widened at his words. It is true, the clothing that you wore a lot of the time didn't fit you right. Though that was merely due to your sudden moving into the castle, an adoption that came out of absolutely nowhere. Which, of course, meant that there wasn't anything previously prepared for you. You found solace in inherited clothing of Silver's back when he was your age, and even some which belonged to Malleus a long, long time ago. They fit well enough, but not perfectly.

You watched as Lilia's hands came from behind his back, revealing that he had been hiding something all along. A black garment was draped carefully over his forearm, and it had caught your attention instantly.

"But I was particularly eager about this garb specifically, so I wanted to show it to you first!"

As you stood to slowly, almost cautiously, approach in order to get a closer look at the cloth, if it was even possible, Lilia's smile only widened. You handled the dress with such care, brushing your fingers over the fabric almost as if you were touching the delicately preserved robes of an ancient ruler. Though to you, it probably looked like just that. A beautiful, intricately designed piece native and traditional to Briar Valley, the type of wear that you had only ever seen Malleus wear once.

"It's pretty..." You murmured, eyes locked on the piece. To think that it would not only fit you, but was yours to wear as you please, rendered you feeling extremely blessed. For merely a moment, your gaze trailed up to the gifter. "Can I really have it?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It's all yours."

Your excitement never dwindled not even for a second, as you were escorted to your chambers and shown the rest of what would now be your personal wardrobe. You were encouraged to try practically everything on, and it all fit so well! It felt amazing! You couldn't be happier. It had filled your father to the brim with happiness, too. To think that he was the source of this joy.

"I will allow you to get back to your book now." He spoke after the whole ordeal died down, the atmosphere lighter than ever. His expression suddenly flashed with mischief. "Do you want me to read it to you?"

"I-It's okay!" You quickly replied, not even allowing a heartbeat to pass. He has already done so, so much for you.

His eyes closed as he feigned a face of hurt. Angling his head to face away from you, sighing loudly. Overdramatically. You're almost certain that Sebek could hear it from wherever he was, darting his way towards you both now. "As you wish..."

You maneuvered your way around him swiftly, getting a good look at the falsely distraught face that he made. "...Does that really make you sad?"

If he really wants to read to you, you'll let him.

"Yep. Really."

"Eh? Well... Y-You can read to me if you want??"

You weren't exactly sure when Lilia had suddenly become extremely affectionate with you. It was as if, one day the most affection he would give you was a pat on the head with a smile, and the next he was suddenly sneaking up and picking you up into hugs from behind out of nowhere. It was foreign, and you weren't sure what had prompted this sudden behavior, but it would be a lie if you said that you didn't enjoy it at least a little bit. It made him feel like... a true father. Your true father. Like a father that loves you dearly.

You were currently reflecting upon this in the courtyard. Perched on the stone brimming a quaint waterfall outside the castle, weaving together various flowers that you collected into a crown as you think.

Your bond with Lilia has definitely been improving significantly as of late, even as a human child. Because of this, you've been on relatively good terms with Silver too. Not that you get to speak or spend time with him too often, as he's usually either training or snoozing away. But nonetheless, he seems to like you. Probably because you're just like him.

As for Malleus, it's difficult to tell. He's a future king, it's not as if you particularly need to be on good terms with him at all. He is an important man, a powerful man, and not the one that adopted you. Nor is he technically a sibling. It is safe to say that the most you can do is respect him. You cannot expect to become his friend or anything of the like, he doesn't owe you that.

"...Huh?" You were brought out of your train of thought when you suddenly felt a tugging sensation attempting to pull the crown out of your hands. After a few tries, it was successful. Slipping the colorful weaving out of your grasp masterfully, only for you to watch as it begins to float away. You reached your hand out to it, but you weren't fast enough to grasp it as it flew. Slow and steady, like it was a feather gliding in the gentlest of winds, until it perched itself atop a tall hedge nearby.

Your eyes widened a fraction, a thought flashing in your mind. Could it have been the fairies that you prayed to that did this? Were they feeling a little mischievous today?

You never considered that it may have been Lilia's fault. The fae watching you through a stone window from above, intending to witness as his plan sets in motion, the momentary loss of your work merely the first step. As he could see from above that you were not the only person in the courtyard at this time, and the second party was just walking your way.

"Oh? Child of man." Your head thwipped in the direction of the sudden familiar voice. Startled gaze landing upon the tall figure of the fae that you were just pondering about. He always called you that, 'child of man', you don't think he even knew what your name was. "...Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's really the matter, but—" You began to respond slightly sheepishly, still surprised by his appearance. His gaze on you, he's so tall, it was quite intimidating. Mustering up some courage, you pointed to the hedge that your crown had floated to. "I was weaving flowers together and the whole thing blew away onto that hedge..."

"A flower crown?" He asked, clearly pondering your choice of words. Before his expression broke out into a smile. "Interesting."

The dragon fae followed your finger, eyes landing on indeed the bush you spoke of. He was about to merely walk up and reach for what you lost, until his mind thought back to the words Lilia had spoken to him before. That he should probably try and connect with you more as it makes you feel lonely, phrased masterfully by the bat fae to gain Malleus's full attention.

"Come here, child of man."

You didn't spare a single second considering the order, making your way to him quickly. Though now that you're stood beside him, you do wonder why you needed to be there of all places.

Until he bent down to lift you up, that is. You feel your entire being tense as you were raised higher toward where the "wind" flew the crown. Mind suddenly turning frantic, were you being picked up by the Malleus Draconia? The man that your brother had respected so greatly?

"Can you see it?" He asked, pulling you from your thoughts once again.

"I-I can see it!" It was barely a squeak. In a quick motion, you reached to grasp it. "I've got it!"

You were gradually lowered back to the ground, and once your feet touched the floor once again, you lowered your upper body into a bow faster than you ever have in your entire life. A shouted thanks which ended up being a lot louder than you expected, to the point where even Lilia had heard it.

He watched the interaction with a smile. How Malleus's gaze had flashed with a sense of fondness as he looked down at you thanking him, probably proud of himself to some degree for helping you. He insisted that it was no trouble, before continuing on his way. Lilia saw how you gawked at him as he walked away and chuckled to himself.

That was definitely the much needed icebreaker between you two.

Lilia yet again followed you as you left the castle that next day, watching you kneel before the grand tree once more. Your hands clasped together, the most radiant of smiles gracing your features. In the sweetest little voice that he's ever heard: "Thank you, thank you so much!"

He did good at forest fairy duty.

#lilia vanrouge #lilia vanrouge x reader #twst lilia #child reader #twst imagines #twst child reader #platonic twst

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otomes-world · 2 years

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Unexpected interaction (part 11)

It's been five months.. you didn't expect it, I didn't expect it, but nevertheless a new chapter is here! When I finished reading everything posted, I suddenly had ideas for a sequel. True, I don’t know how to end the story yet, haha.. ha.. huh part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 part 9 part 10

While Justin once again checked that there was not a wrinkle on the napkins on the tables, that all the flowers in the vases were freshly cut, that not a single withered leaf was visible, Adonis watched everything from the window of his room. On the one hand, he wanted to laugh at how he was going crazy, but on the other hand, with a crease lying between his eyebrows, he was examining some kind of composition instead of a statue in the center. Raven expected to spoil your attitude towards the young man a little, but he would still have an opportunity for this.

Turning away, he walked towards the door. This day presented an incredible opportunity for him, and he could not let it slip out of his hands. Not this time. Whatever the outcome, everything would depend on how he would dispose of the information he had in his hands. He was already tired of being in the shadows all the time. Since fate itself pushed him to action, it was foolish not to obey its command.

When his hand touched the cold handle, Adonis squeezed it, hesitated, but soon, driving away doubts, turned it and went out into the corridor. The academy was unusually quiet. Everyone must have gathered in the garden or were preparing for a tea party, which was more like an open-air ball. Well, Justin always liked to do things in a grand way. He had always been like this.

Naive. Kind. Honest.

However, this did not change the feelings of Raven, who lived, learning to share and put up with what you have, since childhood. The brunet himself did not understand why he continued to get in the way of his `best friend`. He did not understand what he would gain, what he would lose from this, and most importantly, whether it was worth it. He saw that the feelings of the named brother were sincere, no matter how ironic it sounded.

If there was one thing he least believed in, it would be love at first sight. However, looking at how much effort the young man was making, Adonis could not find a different definition for what happened.

Such feelings were nothing more than a burden. The brunet, in contrast, knew about the true state of affairs and the duties of the heir. About how a girl from another world with no origin was not the best match for a prince, but as pointless as it sounds, Raven was jealous.

It all sounded too much like the stories his mother used to read to them before bed. About how the handsome prince met his betrothed. About how the knight performed feats in order to achieve the hand of the lady of his heart. About how status didn't matter in those fairy tales. Because of how Justin's whole life was like one of those fairy tales ugly emotion burned from the inside, continuing to grow stronger and stronger inside him.

Adonis knew that his feelings with the prefect could be described as little better than complete indifference. You probably felt the same way about him. However, if he could add a fly in the ointment to a barrel of honey, then so be it. The brunet did not plan a distant future with you, except here and now, but if he became that very stumbling block in the path of the silver-haired young man, then he was not opposed to linking his life with you. No matter how childish it might seem.

Unbeknownst to himself, he reached the garden, realizing this only when he was blinded by the bright light of day. Even then, Raven realized with what grandeur everything was framed, but, once below, he thought that this word would not be enough. However, he did not have time to look around properly, his eyes were attracted only by the guests who came. Without wasting a second, he immediately headed towards Schoenheit.

"Good afternoon, I'm glad you've decided to visit our Academy, Sir Schoenheit," Adonis spoke up as soon as the model spotted him. He saw how he was not too happy to be here, even if his face had a neutral calm expression. "I didn't think we were able to talk. Would you like to go get some punch?"

Vil studied the brunet's benevolent smile, but after a quick glance at the prefect, he agreed, "I hope this punch is worth going for it."

Not a single facial muscle trembled as Raeven mentally ticked the box. Leading LeBlanche's rival towards the far tables, noting along the way how your company was intercepted by Aro. Not the best option. Finding out what was going on in the head of the Prince was always difficult, but the young man preferred to close his eyes to it. For now.

Picking up one of the glasses with a pink drink and holding out the second to Schoenheit, the brunette mentally threw a fishing rod, "I hope you will like it. I'm sure you haven't tried something like this yet: the taste of berries is refreshing, and the subtle notes of mint nicely sets it off".

"Let's get down to business," although Vil took the glass in his hands, he did not take a sip, unlike Raven. "I doubt you called me to discuss the drink."

With these words, he laid it back on the table. Following suit, Adonis placed his on a tray of used glasses and turned to the model. That was even better.

"As you wish, Sir Schoenheit. I would like to invite you to offer to become colleagues," even though such a straightforward way was not his style, but in the current situation, time was not on the side of the side. "I can help you with one personal matter and in return I will hope for the same kindness in due time."

Vil didn't answer, but soon a grin flickered across his face. Much to Raven's regret, only he saw it. He wished he could show his fans what their idol could be, but that wasn't possible at the moment.

Finished with the model, Adonis returned to the depths of the garden, but the girl was no longer visible. On the table where he had last seen her lay only Aro. Whatever he said, it wasn't enough to keep your attention for long.

Looking around the territory, the brunette tried to look out for you. He soon succeeded, but he did not like the picture that appeared too much. You looked too happy for someone who used to find Justin's behavior annoying. Only one question was spinning in Raven's head: when did everything change? If it would go on like this, his plans would go to waste. Before disappointment could show in his features, he noticed you were standing close to the center of the garden, to the composition. Then a thought struck him.

Wasting no time, he approached you, signaling his presence, "Justin, Name, what a meeting. I'm so sorry I was late and couldn't greet you in time. I hope you," he addressed you. "Have a good time."

You visibly tensed, it was clear that you were still unnerved by his presence. However, you tried to smile politely, "Yes, thank you. Everything is wonderful."

He only needed to make a little effort to increase your discomfort.

"Justin," this time, Adonis caught the attention of a young man who didn't yet know what the future held for him. "You put so much effort into organizing everything. I must admit I'm pleasantly surprised. You did a great job."

"Praise from your lips is worth a lot!" The young man blossomed, not understanding what Raven was getting at.

"But… can I ask you a question? Why did you decide at the last moment to replace the statue of the Name with a vase?" The brunet noticed how you began to look from them to the flowers. "I heard that it was quite difficult to create. So what was the reason?"

"Oh! A little earlier, I consulted with one of our classmates, a designer, he shared that it does not fit into the general atmosphere. Although I can not deny that I myself wanted Lady Name to see it!"

Not noticing the catch, Justin happily answered the question, not seeing how your look had changed. How you instinctively clasped your hands together.

“M-maybe next time…?” You tried to keep your composure, but Raven noticed hidden meaning in your words. How highly unlikely you would allow a next time to happen.

After that, you immediately excused yourself, leaving the uncomprehending Justin and Adonis, who hid his contented expression under the mask of exactly the same surprise that was now flaunting on next to him standing.

Part 12

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stuckylibrary · 3 years

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Hey guys! I was just curious if you had any recommendations for any Cinderella AU's. I just read a beauty and the beast one and now I want to read a Cinderella one. Thanks!!!

Found you these:

Fairytale of New York by themortalartist (WIP | 9,728 | M)

Once Upon a Time Steve Rogers was a slave in the house of Hydra. His mother’s death leaving him behind to face a life of violence and torment alone until one night, when everything changes. This is a story of triumph, letters, blood, magic, and most of all - love.

Or: A Cinderella Story: Avengers Edition where Steve is Cinderella, Bucky is a Prince, Hydra mob vs. Avengers mob, and there is definitely a happy ending because my ship deserves the effing world.

The Risk of Being Seen by Brumeier (oneshot | 2,617 | T)

Bucky had been against the party from the start, but then he met Steve. When Steve runs off, Bucky is determined to find him.

Part 3 of Fairly Marvelous Tales

Please, Not Another Cinderella Story* by Brixildleon (WIP | 16,782 | T) *chose not to warn

Bucky just wants to finish his senoir year to go to Berklee and finally get out of the life of his horrible Stepdad and Stepbrothers. it is just one more year. however what he doesnt expect is to meet in the Halloween party a misterious and charming guy who turns out to be Steve Rogers, one of the most famous youg actors of hollywood.

or bucky is cinderella, Steve is prince charming. there is music fluff some angst. is the au no one asked for.

Part 3 of No Words to Say I Love You

A Distance Erased with the Greatest of Ease* by dragongirlG (complete | 12,514 | E) *chose not to warn, heed the tags

It's been six years since Bucky lost his title, his wealth, and his freedom in an ill-fated bandit attack that left his family and friends dead. Now, he works in his old family estate as a slave to Lord Alexander Pierce and his two retainers, Sir Brock and Sir Jack, who treat Bucky as little more than an animal due to his omega designation.

When word comes that Crown Prince Steven is hosting a ball to choose a mate, Lord Pierce seizes his chance to pay off his debts by making Bucky seduce the Prince and bear his child. Unbeknownst to Lord Pierce, Prince Steven is actually Bucky's childhood friend, Steven Grant Rogers, who took on a new name after recovering from the bandit attack. Steve spots Bucky at the ball and escorts him outside to talk privately, setting off a chain of events that changes all their lives forever.

A Stucky A/B/O Cinderella AU featuring omega Bucky who's got a stronger will than anyone knows, gentle and righteous alpha Steve, scheming bastard Alexander Pierce, and a well-deserved happy ending. Cross-fill for Stucky Bingo 2019 (square: "A/B/O") and Hurt/Comfort Bingo Round 10 (square: "scars").

A stucky Cinderella tale* by Awritinghufflepuff (oneshot | 2,799 | G) *graphic violence

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Bucky He lived in a big house , with his stephmother and stephsisters, who used him as their work Force.

-The prince smiled at him, and his eyes were such a vibrant blue that Bucky was shook for a moment. "Will you do me the honour of having your first dance tonight?" The prince asked him. "It would be my pleasure." Bucky breathed. That earned him a sweet smile from the prince and after they said goodbye for now, Bucky hurried to the balcony to get some fresh air and calm his beating heart. A grin breaking out on his face as he whispered to himself. "He wants to dance with me."

All I Need is a Miracle by ClaraxBarton (WIP | 18,305 | E)

So maybe Bucky has a shit job, and a bad apartment, and no real prospects for better versions of either of those. But he's alive and he's...the point is, he's alive. But then his best friend sets him up on a blind date with a hot, bearded asshole and being alive isn't good enough anymore.

A riff on the Cinderella fairy tale. And a gift fic for a very special someone and their birthday.

Magic and Endurance* by duh_stiel (complete | 22,372 | G) *chose not to warn

"Hear ye! Hear ye! Know that on this day our new king here by declares his love For the mysterious blonde bachelor as wore white satin gloves and who called himself Steven. And requests that he presents himself at the palace immediately, Whereupon, if he be willing, his royal majesty shall forthwith marry him."

Trigger warnings include slow beginnings and cliches. ;)

The Perfect Fit by HeartzKittens (oneshot | 4,035 | T) *chose not to warn

Stucky Cinderella AU

Soon As I Held You* by morrezela (oneshot | 15,211 | not rated) *graphic violence

The only certainty that Bucky felt about his life was that it was horrible. Memories failed him and whatever he had was quickly stripped away by his stepfather and brothers. But he was a person once, and King Steven Rogers had never forgotten him. A Cinderella AU

Trials* by kateodinson (oneshot | 6,329 | T) *chose not to warn

“Bucky brought his face closer to Steve’s, cupping his face in his hand, oblivious to the rain pouring over both of them.” Pre-serum Steve and Bucky in New York AU. Loosely based on Cinderella.

a dream is a wish your heart makes* by liionne (WIP | 1,905 | T) *chose not to warn

James finds, suddenly, that they’re rather close. He doesn’t know when Stevie’s horse settled beside his, but it has, and James finds himself looking into this sky blue eyes and losing himself, for just a second. His heart is heavy with loss and anguish, his stomach roiling with anger and discontent, but he feels almost lighter. How long the affect will last, he does not know. He’ll just have to hope it stays for long after their meeting.

Magic follows courage by mtothedestiel (complete | 27,053 | E)

A Cinderella AU. Steve is as kind and brave as his body is frail and sickly, which is to say very. Meanwhile, Prince Bucky must marry for the good of his kingdom, but he knows he will never find love with a princess. Can courage, and a little magic, help Steve attend a ball, and Prince Bucky find his True Love?

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes by anger_ieJ9 (oneshot | 8,550 | G)

The first in a line of Disney AUs: Cinderella. Rogerella, if you will. Steve's mother dies, leaving him with a stepfather that's waiting for his pathetic body to do itself in so he can claim the inheritance. There's a ball, a fairy godfather, and a handsome prince.

Part 1 of Not the Stories you Remember

#kierstensin #mod blue #popreq:mythsandfairytales

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heyyyharry · 3 years

Text

Deep End - Chapter 6: Andersen’s Fairy Tales

…in which Harry teaches Ezi how to read.

Word count: 4k

AU: famous!harry, siren!mc, adult modern retelling of the little mermaid? lol, fake dating, enemies to lovers.

WARNING: MATURE THEMES

All chapters / Synopsis / Moodboard / Playlist

Wattpad link

A/N: please please let me know what you think. I can't write without motivation 😭

When Harry finally decided to answer his mother’s call, he had prepared himself for some verbal ass-whooping. He was twenty-four years old, a celebrity and a millionaire, yet still getting scolded by his mother on a daily basis. Life was good.

“Is your date okay?” The first thing his mother said to him was this. At first, Harry thought he’d misheard it. But then she repeated the question in a more urgent and concerning tone. “Harry, is Ezili okay?”

His mother had never remembered the name of any girl he’d brought home. His mother always had a lot to say about the way those girls had dressed, talked, and carried themselves. Had Ezi charmed his mother with her siren magic?

Harry shuddered at the thought. “Y-Yeah...why?”

“Dawson told me you and Bax got into a fight at the manor.”

Harry smacked his forehead. Fucking Dawson. “How did Dawson know?”

“He found Bax lying on the floor.”

Although Harry hated to recall that night because he couldn’t imagine how scared Ezi must have been, it was funny to think about how pathetic Bax must have looked when Dawson had found him. The mental image made Harry laugh. “See?” he told his mother. “It wasn’t a fight if it was one-sided. I beat him up.”

His mother exhaled sharply. Harry could imagine her with her eyes closed, shaking her head. “The only reason I will let you get away with fighting your cousin in my house is because I know what he was trying to do with Ezili. So I called to ask if she was okay.”

“She’s okay. Don’t worry. I think she also scared him.”

“She’s a woman. Any strong woman would’ve been terrified in that situation,” said Harry’s mum. “I feel bad for having let that happen. I shouldn’t have invited him.”

“It’s not your fault, Mum. He’s always been scum.”

There was a pause, and Harry knew exactly what his mother was going to say. “Bax’s parents have always hated us. They envy your father. I think they’re trying to sabotage our wine business. Maybe if you’d change your mind--”

“Mum, we’ve talked about this,” Harry sighed. “I love my career. I can’t...I’m not a businessman like Dad. Isn’t Dawson doing a good job managing our family business already?”

“He is. But I know your father would’ve wanted it to be you.” When Harry stayed quiet, his mother knew it was a sign that this topic shouldn’t be continued, so she switched to another. “You should invite Ezili to lunch at the manor.”

“Mum, that wouldn’t be necessary.”

“Nonsense! Her first time in our house and she got absolutely traumatised. I’ll make up for it. I’ll send you an invitation in the afternoon.”

“Mum, there’s no need for an in--”

But his Mum already hung up on him.

Sighing, Harry sunk back into his chair. A staff member knocked on the door and informed him that he would have to return to the set in fifteen minutes. He told them he got it and intended to call his mum again and try to talk her out of the lunch thing with Ezi. That was when he got another call.

“Don’t tell me someone’s injured. It’s only been an hour.”

“Worse!” Niall screamed. “Dawson kidnapped the girl!”

Ezili didn’t know if the bookstore was small or Harry’s house was just too big, but she liked the cosiness of it in contrast to what she’d always been used to. There were bookshelves climbing all the way up to the ceiling. The walls were covered with hundreds of books of all sizes, and there were dozens of piles on the floor in the corners as well. But seeing that most of the furniture was covered in dust, Ezili guessed they didn’t often have visitors.

She wondered why nobody wanted to come into this fascinating place. She loved books even though she couldn’t read or write. She’d found a few books in her room and some of them had pictures, but she could only guess what the stories were about. So she wanted to read, but it would be something her mother would never approve of. If she learned to read, she’d become a laughing stock for her kind for sure.

Entering the bookstore, Ezili and Dawson were greeted by an old lady with crazy chestnut hair that looked like she was wearing a fluffy dog on her head. Her eyes were huge behind those thick round glasses that gave her a psychotic kind of look that absolutely terrified Ezili.

“Hello, love birds,” she said with an ear-to-ear grin. Ezili could not take her eyes off the shiny wires attached to this lady’s teeth. They sparkled every time she opened her mouth. This woman must be rich if she wore silver on her teeth.

“Oh, we’re not birds,” Ezili said as she pulled Chilli tighter to her chest.

The crazy lady hugged her stomach and burst out laughing. “She’s a funny girl,” she told Dawson, pointing to Ezili, then her face turned serious. “But no cats allowed.”

“She’s with me. Her name is Chilli and she’s very nice--”

“She can stay here while you pick your books.” Before Ezili could protest, the lady took the black cat and put it on the counter. “So what are you looking for?”

“Thank you. We’ll just have a look around,” Dawson said with a tight smile and pulled Ezili with him. They turned into one of the aisles and heard the lady telling them she’d be here if they needed help. What kind of help would you need in a bookstore? It wasn’t like books would attack you.

“The Book of Wisdom,” Dawson said as he took out one colourful book from a higher shelf. Ezili peered over his arm as he scrutinised the front cover. He smelled like coconut and summer, which reminded her of those tropical islands she’d visited with her mother. And the fact that he was a lot taller than her made her want to bury her face into his chest to get soaked in that homely smell. But then she remembered what Harry had taught her about consent. Realising her chest was touching his arm, she stepped back and felt him relax a bit more. She hoped he didn’t think she was sexually hairdressing him. She had no idea why they called it hairdressing, and she kept forgetting to ask Harry.

“Hey, why do they call it hairdre--”

“Lesson 1: Be polite.”

Ezili jumped and hid behind Dawson’s back, her heart pounding violently. “Did the book just..talk?”

“Yeah, it’s a talking book for children,” Dawson chuckled. “I like your sense of humour.”

He flipped to a new page and the book talked again, “Remember, kids, if you accidentally raise your voice with someone, always apologise to them. It’s not nice to yell at other people.”

Ezili couldn’t decide if she was in awe or creeped out by the talking book. Maybe a little bit of both. But then her eyes zeroed in on a picture of a beautiful siren on one of the covers. She passed Dawson to try and was trying to reach for the book when his hand landed on her shoulder, and she looked up to see him grab the book without effort and hand it to her with a smile.

“You like this? It’s the new edition of Andersen’s Fairy Tale.”

“The Little Mermaid!”

“Yes.” Dawson’s eyes squinted behind his glasses. “You’ve never read Andersen’s Fairy Tales?”

“I have,” Ezili lied, hugging the book to her chest. “I want this book.”

“Great. I’ll buy it for you. As a gift.”

Harry had told Ezili that humans couldn’t just take the things they found because they would get arrested, and apparently, they couldn’t fight and kill each other for things either. It didn’t sound fair and was kind of stupid. Why were humans so dependent on these stupid papers they called money? Ezili couldn’t understand how their inferior brains worked sometimes.

“Hey, look,” Dawson said, holding up his phone that was buzzing in his hand. “Harry’s calling.”

Ezili couldn’t care less about Harry now. She let Dawson speak to him while she flipped through the book to look at pictures. But...why was there a picture of the prince and another girl? Didn’t he marry Ariel? She tried to look for the ones that revealed the new ending, which was apparently different from what she’d seen on the telly, but the rest of the chapter was just text and no pictures. She hated this. She wished she could read.

“Yeah, she’s here with me. The bookstore is just a few blocks near your house…” Dawson finished the call with Harry and turned back to Ezili. “He’s coming to pick you up.”

She found it strange that Harry would speak about Dawson with such hatred, like the way Koa would speak about Ezili, while Dawson had always been so nice about Harry. She couldn’t recall him saying anything bad about Harry when in fact, she could go on and on for days about Harry’s bad qualities. And she’d only known him for a week!

“Why doesn’t Harry like you?”

The question seemed to have caught Dawson by surprise, but he was quick to put on a smile.

“I don’t know. Maybe because I’m helping his mum run the business his father left for him. But he was the one who didn’t want it. He wanted to become a singer.”

“Harry’s mother doesn’t want him to be a singer?”

“No.”

Ezili closed the book and gave an understanding nod. “My mother never lets me do things I like, either. She never thinks I’m good enough because I’m not like her.”

“I’m sure your mother loves you,” Dawson said. Ezili liked the twinkle in his eyes and tenderness in his voice when he reassured her. Maybe he had a special gift that only sirens had. The gift to charm anybody they wanted. “Every mother has their own burdens and loves us in a different way.”

“But...if they love us, should they want us to be happy?”

Ezili didn’t know where that had come from. For the last twenty years of her life, she had never once thought of this. Why now? Why now that she decided that she could have been happier if her mother hadn’t been the way she was? But sirens were all supposed to be the way her mother was. Cold and dangerous like the ocean itself. So did it mean...did it mean her mother and sister were right? That she was too weak and emotional to become Queen?

“Ezi!”

The sound of her name pulled her out of her own head. She snapped her head up to find Harry padding toward her. He looked just like that night when he’d scolded her for biting his cousin. She hated this Harry.

“Let’s go home,” he told her coldly.

Before she could reply, he took her wrist and pulled her with him. The book fell to her feet and she was too appalled to even pick it up. She was about to remind Harry that Dawson was standing right there, but then she realised Harry had intentionally ignored his cousin.

“Ezili, your book!”

Harry and Ezi stopped before they got into the car parked out front. Dawson handed her the book and beamed. ��I already paid for it.”

“Thank you.”

“Very nice. Get in, Ezi.”

Dawson seemed slightly annoyed by Harry’s attitude, but he didn’t act on it. Instead, he gave Ezili another gentle smile and told her he’d see her another time. Then, he went back inside the bookstore.

Ezili wished she could have stayed with him.

“Rescue mission accomplished!” said an energetic voice as Ezili got into the back of the car. A stranger she had never seen before peered around the passenger seat and smiled at her before he started speaking in a funny accent, “You’re welcome, by the way. The name’s Niall.”

Chilli was sitting on Niall’s lap, licking her own paw, which showed that she was comfortable around Niall, and Niall wasn’t an enemy. To human Ezili, of course. All humans were enemies to sirens.

“I’m Ezili,” Ezili said, then, she recognised the funny accent. “You’re Niall...Horan?”

“You know me?”

Ezili could feel her grin stretch from ear to ear. “I saw you on TikTok! You’re so funny.”

“Look, H, a fan!” Niall exclaimed as he shook Harry’s shoulder, but Harry didn’t react as he manoeuvred the car back onto the road. “I like her already.” Niall laughed. “I’m Harry’s best friend. Are you following my TikTok?”

“Yeah. I’ve watched every single one.”

“Good, good, good,” Niall said, nodding slowly. He turned to the front and back to Ezili immediately. “Also, I’m sorry about what happened to you. The accident must have been awful.”

“What?”

“Niall,” Harry growled. “Seatbelt.”

Niall flinched. “Sorry.”

Frowning, Ezili hugged her new book and sunk into her seat. She hated this Harry. He reminded her of a whale with a toothache, and even with that image in mind, she still couldn’t laugh. That was how angry she was with him. Yes, she was angry with him being angry with her. And for pulling her out of that beautiful bookstore. For making her drop her book. For holding her hostage like a prisoner. For being rude to Dawson. She hated him. She hated Harry Styles.

So when they’d arrived home and he told her to go inside and hang with Niall, she had to chase after him and let him know how much she hated him.

“Harry Styles!” She called when they reached the white stairs leading to the enormous courtyard where he’d parked his car. “Why are you upset? You have no right to be mad at me after you lied to me.”

Harry stopped halfway down the stairs; it seemed like Ezili’s words had finally hit him. He slowly spun around with a stunned expression as if she’d accused him of manslaughtering. “I didn’t lie to you,” he said, his jaw tight. “I told you to stay in your room. You were grounded.”

“You didn’t tell me that you’d leave me with your assistant and Niall!”

“But I didn’t lie to you.”

“Telling half-truths is telling lies.”

Harry held Ezili’s gaze for a long moment before he started ascending the stairs. She stiffened as he stopped right in front of her, leaned in, and stared.

“Oh, so you’re so honest, aren’t you?” he asked in a mocking tone. “You’ve never lied to me?”

“Never,” she said confidently.

Well, that was also a lie. But since when had Ezili felt bad for lying? She’d eaten men like him. Why did his presence now make her nervous?

She hated that the more she stayed human the more human she became. That thought terrified her even more than the possibility of getting caught and killed in this foreign land.

“I’ve never lied in my entire life,” she added, making Harry's eyes grow wide.

He said nothing, and when he turned to leave, she hurriedly followed him down the stairs. “Speechless by my honesty?” she asked.

“Speechless by the lies that come out of your mouth,” he said. “Is your name even Ezi?”

“No, it’s Ezili.”

Harry let out a scoff but he didn’t stop, so Ezili grabbed him by the arm and spun him around. Hard.

“Shit! How are you so strong?” he cried out, facing her again.

“Apologise.”

“What?”

Ezili folded her arms across her chest and sharpened her gaze. “Apologise right now.”

“For what?”

“For yelling at me.”

“And why should I apologise for yelling at you?”

Ezili bit her lip. The voice inside her head told her to push him down the stairs. She could just say it was an accident, and no one could prove that she’d done it. However, she needed him alive. Sucking in a breath, she said, “Because that’s what decent people do. A talking book told me that.”

“You mean those children's books you found in the bookstore,” Harry taunted, giving her a despiteful smirk.

She scowled at him even harder. “Apologise.”

“Fine,” he breathed. “I apologise for yelling at you. Now you apologise for stealing my cat.”

“I tried to save Chilli. You see, your assistant said something about the Master of the House being dead. I thought you were dead. But she was only talking about a show--”

“Yeah, famous Netflix show. It’s good. But that’s still no excuse for taking my cat.”

“Fine.” Ezili glared at him. “I’m sorry for stealing your cat.”

“And for getting into Dawson’s car.”

“And for leaving with him and liking him.”

“And for—What is your problem with Dawson?”

Instead of answering the question, Harry pulled out his phone, looked at it, and then told Ezili, “Go inside. We’ll continue this talk when I get back.”

He was just about to run when she pulled him back by his sleeve. He gave her a ‘what do you want?’ kind of look as she stammered, “When...when you get back…”

“Yeah?” He stressed out the word, an eyebrow arched impatiently.

“Can you teach me how to read?”

“What?”

“Teach me to read. Are you deaf?”

“You can’t read?”

When Ezili shook her head, Harry’s frown transformed into a smile. “That explains a lot.”

She smacked him on the arm and he gasped and leapt down two steps.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing! Why are you so aggressive?” Harry winced and backed away from her. “We’ll talk about this later. Now go inside and film a TikTok with Niall or something. I’m late for a photoshoot.”

Ezili opened her mouth to ask him what time he’d be home, but Harry had already run back to his car.

Harry got home at around 10 PM. He’d had a rough day. His manager had been furious because he had run out on a magazine photoshoot without saying a word to anyone. In his defence, he’d been in a rush, and couldn’t figure out an excuse to cover up for the fact that he’d almost let a mythical creature get loose. He shouldn’t have been so careless and left her with his assistant and Niall. That was his fault. Also, he could never think straight when he was angry. He thought about the look Ezili had given him when he’d pulled her out of the bookstore. The look Dawson had given him. Fucking Dawson. If it wasn’t for him, Harry wouldn’t have had to be mean to Ezi.

“Hey.”

“Jesus!” Harry shouted when the light switched on and he saw Ezili sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room. “Wha--Why are you on the floor? Get up.”

“This is Chilli’s favourite spot so I thought I might try to see how comfortable it is. Pretty uncomfortable, I must say.”

Harry rolled his eyes and offered Ezi a hand to help her get to her feet. “Why are you still awake?”

She pulled away from him and rushed over to the table to grab the book Dawson had given her. She shoved it at him. “You promised to teach me to read. This is a collection of fairy tales. Andersen’s Fairy Tales. I noticed that one of the details from The Little Mermaid story was different from the film, so I want to know how the story actually ends in the book.”

Harry sighed as he took the book and looked at the cover. When he glanced up, Ezi was giving him these big puppy dog’s eyes with her hands clasped together in front of her chest. “It’s late,” he said tiredly.

She shook her head. “You promised!”

“I can just tell you the ending.”

“No, I want to read!”

“Fine, fine.” He put his hands up, left palm out, the other holding the book. “I guess there’s still time to teach you the alphabet then we’ll call it a day.”

Harry could have sworn he had never seen anyone as excited about learning as Ezi was, which was quite amusing, he must admit. So they sat on the couch as he taught her the alphabet and how to put letters into words. She was a fast learner, so it didn’t take long for her to memorise everything.

“It’s been three hours and I still can’t read,” Ezili whined as she hit him with a pillow.

Shocked, Harry blinked at her. “That’s not how learning works. You need time.”

“You said my brain was more developed!”

“Yeah, but still!”

Scowling, Ezi kicked Harry’s feet. “You’re the worst teacher ever. I’ll never get to know how it ends.”

“Okay, Miss Drama Queen,” Harry scoffed. “How about I read you the story now, and when you can read on your own, you can practice by rereading it?”

Ezi thought for a moment, then the line between her brows eased, and she nodded once. “But you must teach me everyday until I can read.”

“Fine,” Harry breathed as he opened the book. His body stiffened when Ezi suddenly leaned on him like he was a pillow, her cheek against his arm, and he could feel every beat of her heart.

“Go on,” she urged him, giving him a nudge.

He cleared his throat and opened the book, trying to distract his naughty mind with the innocent words of a fairy tale.

Far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above. There dwell the Sea King and his subjects. We must not imagine that there is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare yellow sand. No, indeed; the most singular flowers and plants grow there; the leaves and stems of which are so pliant, that the slightest agitation of the water causes them to stir as if they had life. Fishes, both large and small, glide between the branches, as birds fly among the trees here upon land. In the deepest spot of all, stands the castle of the Sea King. Its walls are built of coral, and the long, gothic windows are of the clearest amber. The roof is formed of shells, that open and close as the water flows over them. Their appearance is very beautiful, for in each lies a glittering pearl, which would be fit for the diadem of a queen...

By the time they’d finished one-third of the story, Ezi had already fallen asleep with her head on Harry’s shoulder. Harry wished he’d read this to her in bed so he wouldn’t have to carry her upstairs now. She was small and slender, but he’d had a bad day, so even the littlest inconvenience could bring down his mood. Cursing under his breath, he picked her up and carried her to the stairs as she curled against his chest like a little cat.

When her eyelids fluttered, he thought she was going to jolt awake, but then her brows knitted, and she murmured, “Mother, please...give me more time. I will bring you the heart…the heart...”

He chuckled and put her down on the bed.

#harry styles #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles imagine #harry styles fic #harry styles fluff #harry styles angst #harry styles smut #harry smut #harry styles x mc #harry styles x oc #harry styles imagines #harry styles writing #harry styles series

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vs-redemption · 4 years

Text

From Cindy: This bad boy got away from me and ended up being 3,674 words. I’m really happy with it though and I hope you think so too. It was written for a writing collaboration on Discord ( @konoblog-simps )

Gray - Soulmate AU (Levi Ackerman x GN!Reader)

Read a similar soulmate AU for Levi here

You hated winter.

You supposed people found something magical about the view of fluffy white flakes catching the light as they drifted down from the sky and created a thick white blanket across the ground and trees. However, the fairy tale description was only true when observed from the other side of a window where the protection of four walls and a fireplace could block out the harsh reality.

“Don’t forget the shopping on your way back.” Your grandmother’s raspy voice cuts through the morning silence as you go through the tedious process of bundling up against the frigid weather you knew you’d be facing as soon as you stepped outside. The elderly woman was sitting in her favorite spot on the sofa, lap covered by one of the many blankets she’d made over the years. You grandfather shuffled into the room as if on cue with two piping hot mugs of tea. He hands one to his wife before settling happily into the place next to her.

“I never do.” Your words come out harsher than you’d intended, but your grandparents pay you no mind. They were either used to your attitude or too wrapped up in their own happily ever after. You finish off your ridiculously bulky outfit by shoving a knit cap over your head and then heading out into the cold.

You hated your job

You knew you should be grateful that you had the luxury of owning an apothecary. It was the type of establishment that would never want for business. There was also a certain pride in being able to provide people with medicines to relieve them of their aches and pains, allergies, and illnesses. The difficulty was in being surrounded by the memories of your parents and the perfect life they’d lived, as well as the constant reminder that you’d been robbed of the chance to experience that type of fantasy.

Trudging through the deep wet snow had made you a few minutes late, and there were already a few customers waiting outside the tiny shop you’d inherited by the time you arrived. You apologize politely as you unlock the door and let them inside, shedding the layers of your winter clothes as quickly as you can so that you can get to work. It was always a little busier in the winter months, but finding the right remedy for each person was something you’d gotten good at over time. Most customers came and went without much trouble, but assisting the regulars who’d known you since childhood was always a bit awkward. You did your best not to notice the pity and judgement on their faces as you prepared their orders with the same forced pleasantness as you did for everyone else.

You hated shopping

Having a job that earned enough wages to properly provide for yourself and your family was a blessing most people in your city could not enjoy. Your parents had always made sure to remind you of that fact whenever they came home with baskets full of fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, bread, and sometimes even meat. As an adult, you still appreciated the fact that you did not have to know hunger, but it was always such a hassle to deal with the crowded market after getting off work.

When your parents had been alive, they had loved going out to run these types of errands together. It had always surprised you how they would choose to spend more time together even after living and working with each other every single day. They never seemed to get tired of each other, and you could remember vividly the way they’d smiled at each other with pure happiness and love in their gaze. It was hard to forget when you saw the same blissful look on every couple you happened to encounter as you went about your day. It made you feel so incredibly alone sometimes, but you did your best to bury those emotions deep down out of fear that they would consume you completely.

“How much is the bread today?” You ask the baker once you make it to the counter through the throngs of people. He tells you the price and begins to wrap up your order when you agree to it.

“You’re lucky,” he tells you conversationally. “This is the last loaf of the day.”

“Tch!” A frustrated sound comes from behind you and you turn around instinctively to make sure nothing was wrong. Standing next to you was a grouchy looking man with silky black hair, styled in an undercut. The long, soft looking strands on the top of his head came down to frame his face, drawing attention to the most important feature; his eyes. You notice right away they are both the identical shade of gray, which told you a lot about him already.

“Were you waiting in line?” You ask curiously even though meeting his sharp gaze directly was a bit intimidating. He regards you critically for a moment before sighing and looking away, probably forming his own judgments based on the incorrect story told by your own eyes.

“It’s fine,” his tone of voice is flat and a little dismissive. “I should’ve gotten here earlier.” He turns to walk away but something makes you call out to stop him.

“Wait,” you give him the friendliest smile you can muster before looking to the baker. “Please, wrap this up for him instead. I insist.” The baker shrugs, not really bothered by the change as long as he got his payment. The scowl on the man’s face gave way to surprise, and you thought the softer look suited him much better. You could see that he was preparing to reject your kindness, so you mutter a quick goodbye before turning away and blending in with the crowd.

You hated your eyes

In the world you lived in, everything revolved around a person’s eyes. They were more than just a mere window into the soul, they were also a glimpse into the future. As a child, you could recall the excitement of your friends as they studied the mismatched colors of each other’s irises, speculating wildly about which shade truly belonged to them and which was borrowed from a stranger that they were destined to meet sometime in the future. Their enthusiasm had been contagious in the beginning, and you’d enjoyed listening to people discuss their predictions about the background, appearance, and personality of their future partner.

“Did you get everything on the list?” Your grandfather asks as he takes the basket of food from you once you finally return home. The walk back from the market had been miserable. Your feet were cold and wet from sloshing through the snow, but the rest of you was warm and sweaty from the exertion of hauling the purchases all the way back while wearing so many thick layers.

“They were out of bread,” You inform him while shrugging out of your coat. A look of displeasure passed over his face but vanished just as quickly when your grandmother called to him from the kitchen. You were relieved that she was volunteering to make dinner this time, because the exhaustion from your day was starting to catch up with you.

You head into the bathroom, ready to warm up with a hot shower and put on a fresh pair of clothes while the meal was prepared. As you wait for the water from the tap to heat up, you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the mirror. Usually you avoided looking at your face for too long, but every now and then you decided to stare back at yourself for a moment. You frown as you meet the gaze of the two identical eyes that you’d be born with. They looked mockingly back at you from the glass, their dull gray hue like a running joke that you’d never found remotely funny.

Washing away the grime of the day helped clear your head of negative thoughts, and soon your mind drifted back to the man you’d helped at the market. The memory of his eyes reminded you that you had made the right decision. He was the one who had someone important waiting for him back at home, possibly even children that needed to be fed and taken care of. You and your grandparents would be just fine as you always had, even if there was a spark of jealousy in you that the man got to have the type of wholesome future that you could never enjoy.

You hated soulmates

The idea of having the comfort of knowing there was someone out there born specifically to fill your life with joy, support, and love was an overwhelming one. It was hard for you to really imagine what it must be like for people to be filled with that nervous anticipation every time they got the opportunity to meet someone new. You’d had secondhand experiences as you watched friends and acquaintances around you find their destinies in one another, but while those meetings spelled out the beginning of something wonderful for them, it only served to make you feel the bleakness of your situation more profoundly.

It was extremely rare for someone to be born without a soulmate, and although your parents tried to have a positive outlook, you had still felt the stigma associated with your condition every single day of your life. It had been impossible to escape the stares and gasps of astonishment from both adults and children alike during you school-age years. Most of them had never seen a child your age with two of the same colored eyes, so it was inevitable that you’d garnered quite a bit of unwanted attention. The people you met were merely curious at first, but as you got older the intrigue turned to pity.

As hard as it was to deal with the people around you who knew the truth, meeting strangers was almost worse. Those who still walked around with duel colored eyes held little interest in someone who had seemingly already found their partner, and everyone else was too preoccupied with their own established lives to pay attention to you at all. In the world you lived in, everything revolved around a person’s eyes. Unfortunately, your eyes had landed you into one of the loneliest roles imaginable.

You hated your luck

It should not have surprised you as much as it did when the man from the market walked into your apothecary a few days later, but considering the fact he’d been popping up in your thoughts sporadically ever since the first meeting, it certainly caught you off guard to see his face again. By the way his familiar gray eyes widened upon seeing you standing behind counter, you guessed he hadn’t been expecting to see you again either.

“Hello again,” you smile awkwardly to try and clear the air. You weren’t sure if it would be weird to mention the bread incident or not.

“Hello,” the man nods, his facial features relaxing into a neutral expression. You were glad he didn’t seem to be as agitated as he’d been in the market. “I’m looking for something that might help my mother. She’s recently fallen ill and nothing I do seems to be helping.”

“What are her symptoms?” The question falls naturally from your lips. As the man describes his mother’s condition, you find yourself taking in his appearance in more detail. His black hair looked as soft as you remembered, but now you were noticing other things like the shape of his nose and sharp angle of his jawline. The clothes he wore were on the nicer side, and it made you wonder what he did for a living. His stature was a bit on the shorter side, and although his build was lean, you got the impression that he was healthy and strong.

“Well, it seems like she may have caught a flu,” you explain once the man finishes speaking. You turn to grab a few items from the shelf behind you and place them on the counter. “These should work to control the symptoms and reduce her fever until her body is able to fight off the infection.”

“Thank you,” he sounds genuine as he pulls out some money to pay for the medicine. You accept the payment, taking note of his long, elegant hands and fingers.

“Not at all,” you assure him with an easy smile. “I hope your mother recovers quickly.”

The man nods in gratitude while scooping up the goods he’d purchased in his hands. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before looking back up to catch your gray eyes with his own.

“My name’s Levi, by the way.” The confidence in his voice did not match the anxious set of his features. “We didn’t get to have a proper introduction the other day.”

“O-oh,” there was no way to conceal the shock you felt in that moment. It was out of the ordinary for anyone to give you their name, especially a man who had obviously had his encounter with fate already. You manage to stutter out your own name, wondering if you were having some sort of intensely realistic dream as you watch the man’s lips twitch into the smallest, briefest of smiles.

“A pleasure to meet you,” he repeats your name to himself thoughtfully. “Have a nice day.” With all his business with you completed, he nods his head and exits your shop, leaving you to try and tame the wild racing of your thoughts and heart.

You hated false hope

It was embarrassing how often you had to remind yourself over the next few days that a person simply introducing themselves to you should not be taken as anything more than polite kindness. You had seemingly lost all control of your mind and feelings though, since scarcely a moment went by now without thoughts of Levi sending butterflies fluttering around in your stomach. It didn’t seem fair that you knew so little about him, but you understood that you’d have to be content with the memory of his ghost of a smile and the echo of the way your name had sounded as it escaped his lips. Part of you hoped you’d never see the man again so that you could get over your delusions as quickly and easily as possible, but another part of you longed to bump into him again.

“What are you doing in here?” Your grandmother walked into the bathroom to find you leaning over the sink, eyes wide open and focused so intensely on your reflection in the mirror that you hadn’t even heard her approach.

“Huh?” you whirl around to face her, finally blinking once you realized how tired your eyes were from the thorough examination you’d just given them. “What did it feel like after you met Grandpa?”

Your stomach sank immediately at the pitying look that grew on the old woman’s face. She reaches out to rub your arm sympathetically with a sad smile. “I’m so sorry sweetie,” is all she tells you before changing the subject completely. “Excuse me now, I need to use the restroom.”

“Right, sorry.” You offer a dry laugh as you move out of her way, reality rushing back like a harsh slap to the face. You’d known all along that you’d never really have a soulmate, but it was hard not to have grasped on to the small shred of a possibility. It hadn’t slipped your attention that Levi also had gray eyes, but plenty of people had the same or similar shade. Besides, the likeliness of soulmates having the same exact eye color was even rarer than someone being born without a soulmate at all. You vowed to keep these cold hard truths at the forefront of your mind from now on, and resigned yourself completely to the fate you’d been dealt.

You loved Levi

It had been a whole week since you’d given up the last loaf of bread that had sent your life into a strange whirlwind of new, unexplored emotions. The days between then and the present had been interesting indeed, but now you were determined to go back to life as normal. The weather wasn’t so terrible today, but you still bundled up to prepare yourself for the cold morning walk to the Apothecary. You arrived at the shop with plenty of time to remove the layers of winter clothes and do a quick inventory of items you’d soon need to restock.

It was around lunchtime when you really started to relax back into your routine. The steady flow of customers had helped to keep your mind occupied, and once things slowed down around midday, you picked up a rag and began to wipe down the counters and windows absentmindedly. The sound of the bell above the door alerted you to someone’s arrival and you quickly tossed down the rag and turned to greet them. Once again, you find yourself startled to be standing in the presence of the man from the market.

“Levi,” you mutter his name before shaking out of your daze. “Excuse me,” you look down and apologize in embarrassment. “Um, can I help you with something? Is your mother feeling better?”

“She’s much better, yes. Thank you.” Levi clears his throat awkwardly and you can’t help but think his posture is stiffer than you remember. You wonder again what he did for a living because he seemed to be a bit overdressed for a simple trip to the apothecary. He looked incredibly handsome in any case, and it was doing nothing to help quiet your wandering imagination.

“I’m glad to hear that,” you weren’t sure what else to say. You walk over to the small faucet behind the counter to wash your hands since you’d just been cleaning. The silence between you both grew more and more uncomfortable until Levi’s face suddenly contorts with frustration. You open your mouth to apologize for whatever you’d done but he cuts you off by coming forward suddenly and placing both hands on the counter.

“Your eyes,” he forces out the words before averting his own gaze. Any hope of keeping yourself grounded in reality seemed to go up in smoke as your heart rate kicked into overdrive.

“Yes?” you say breathlessly and the fact that you weren’t kicking him out for being incredibly inappropriate was enough to spur him on with whatever point he was trying to get to.

“How long?” he swallows thickly and takes a deep breath, “How long since they’ve changed?”

“They’ve always been this way,” it should’ve been harder to admit, but the way Levi was acting was distracting you from the shame you’d normally be feeling. A soft sound, like an intrigued sigh, escapes his lips and he covers his mouth with those beautiful long fingers you’d been trying not to think about. All you can do is stare at him as he comes to terms with the information you’d just revealed. You wondered why he’d even want to know and what he would do now that the truth was out in the open. Finally, after an unbearable stretch of time, Levi lowers his hand back onto the counter, revealing a faint but amused looking smile.

“Well,” his confidence began to return. “They look much better on you than they do on me.”

“What?” Every cell in your body seemed to be buzzing with anticipation. You wanted to believe that this was all leading up to something good, but a nagging fear in the back of your mind warned you against giving in to the false hope that you’d vowed to ignore.

“I was born with these eyes as well,” Levi confesses calmly while gesturing to his face. “Both of them.”

It was your turn to cover your mouth, wondering desperately if it was all right yet to dare to dream that there was meaning behind what was happening after all.

“I have no idea if this is all a coincidence or not,” Levi shrugs as his mouth pulls into a frown. “To be honest, I gave up on the idea of soulmates a long time ago, but I cannot ignore the fact that you’ve consumed my thoughts from the moment I saw you in the market.”

Tears unwittingly begin to blur your vision as all the tension inside you finally reaches a tipping point.

“I…” You aren’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Levi’s hand appears in front of your face, offering a handkerchief. You accept it gratefully and wipe the wetness from your eyes and cheeks. “I didn’t think it was possible, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you either.”

Levi folds his arms over his chest as if contemplating the matter seriously, but the pause only lasts a few seconds this time. Before you have time to worry about what he’ll say, he’s offering you his hand.

“Would you like to be my soulmate then?” he asks, a hint of teasing in his voice despite the nervous energy surrounding you both. You don’t hesitate to place your hand into his. You weren’t sure if your matching eyes was a sign that you were meant to be together, but it wouldn’t be fair to either of you to throw away the shot of having the kind of life you’d watched other people enjoy your entire lives. If you were able to bring each other happiness, you could care less if it was what fate had planned.

“Yes,” Your voice shook with the overwhelming emotions coursing through you, “I think I’d like that.”

“As would I,” Levi replies as a real smile takes over his face at last. The hope you see in the depths of his beautiful gray eyes makes you appreciate the matching color of your own for the very first time, and the idea of a happy future finally seems within your grasp.

#Levi Ackerman x Reader #snk x reader #aot x reader #Levi Ackerman #snk #aot #soulmate au #Cindy's Writing

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four-letter-girl · 4 years

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InuKag Fanfic Recommendations

Hi everyone 🌻

I joined the Inuyasha fandom over the summer, and I’ve been having a good time reading fanfiction since finishing the series. Recommendation posts helped me find some great ones. I’ve decided to put one together for fun [lmao for all 10 of my followers - squad]. These are fics I’ve enjoyed [i.e. binged and used as COVID coping mechanisms]. They aren’t in any particular order. I’m sure there are plenty I’ve read that I’m forgetting, but I wasn’t exactly planning to do this.

I’m copy and pasting the summaries from the writers with each link because that’s more helpful than my fangirl thoughts about each one. Ha. I’ve included ratings, but this list is being made with the assumption you’ll determine if a fic is right for you by reading Author Notes and additional ratings within each link.

I tagged the Tumblrs of the authors I follow/could find. If you see someone on here who isn’t tagged and you know their Tumblr, let me know and I can add them. Also, I’ve been using Tumblr less than a month, and I have no idea what I’m doing. If I’ve done something wrong or something looks weird, THAT’S WHY. 💀

As of 11.22.20

Multi-Chapter In Progress:

(T) Light Me a Lantern by Novaviis / @inuyashasforest: “Picking up the pieces after being separated for three years isn't as easy as it may seem. A quiet, burning kind of chaos sweeps through Feudal Japan, and it's going to take a lot more than a fairy tale ending to put things back together. They defeated a man who would become the Devil. Can they survive a man who would become a God?”

(M) Behind the Silk Screen by Eiennobasho / @eien-no-basho: “When a twist of fate brings the common-born priestess Kagome to serve Inuyasha, Divine Emperor of Japan, will she be able to help him claim his place on the throne and bring order to their country? Or will court intrigues and their own burgeoning feelings tear the two and their nation apart? A historical romance set in Japan’s Heian Era.”

(M) Fate Carving by willowandfog / @willowandfog: “The human world has been brought to its knees by the demons, reverting their culture back a century. Demons now control everything and the humans? Set to be servants forever. Kagome’s city is ruled over by the Inu youkai clan and when she goes to Kaede on her 18th birthday for her required “Fate Carving,” the tattoo that will determine what her place is in the world, she’s stunned, terrified, and overwhelmed by the results. Everyone she’s ever known has been a worker, but when has Kagome ever been the same as everyone else?” (M) Kintsugi by Evilillusions / @soliska: “Failing to be chosen as her village's miko, Kagome had resigned herself to a humble life. An unexpected summons returns her to the city where she's forced to reconcile the taught virtues and the spiralling, warped reality created by those that abuse their power. She holds the key to repairing the fracture between humans and youkai, and the freedom of her new hanyou friend.” (M) Bound Across Time by wonderwander / @thornedraven: “InuYasha and Kagome are separated for three years, travelling for so long together only to be ripped apart without so much as a good-bye. Pain and heartache manifests itself in different ways. It hardens you or breaks you. How long can one hold on to hope?” (M) The Half-Breed’s Wife by Gypsyn / @gypsin: “On the night of the new moon, a runaway girl stumbles into Inuyasha's life. Little did he realize then what he would be undertaking by saving her. But when Kagome has nowhere else to go will he leave her to her fate Or will he rise to the occasion? And what will the humans think?” (M) Hit The Like Button by omgitscharlie / @omgitscharlie: “After a public breakup, successful social media influencer Kagome Higurashi is single for the first time since she started her career. Trying to cheer her friend up, Sango hosts a party in hopes of getting Kagome out of her stooper; unbeknownst to her, there was a certain person Sango wants her to meet. Unfortunately, the set up does not go as hoped as the two know each other from previous, unsavory interactions.” (M) Youkai In The Mirror by SugarRos / @sugarrosfanfiction: “Kagome Higurashi is lucky. She has good grades, good friends, and the cute, popular boy in class just asked her out. But when she accidentally unleashes a very wicked youkai from a very wicked spell, her luck runs out. Now on the run from a powerful priestess, Kagome must help Inuyasha get his revenge.” (M) Demon Nature by Shardetector / @shardetector: “He spoke low and gently, although his voice was gruff with his demon still so close to the surface, ‘You saved me wench, now I’ll repay the favor.’ With that, his muscles bunched in his legs as he sprung up and out of the well, a red blur in the night as he made his way through the forest to his destination. His precious cargo held safely to his chest, as he raced to save her with his demonic speed.”

(M) A Crack in the Glass by willowandfog / @willowandfog: “Kagome’s being watched, followed, but has no idea who it is or why they are doing it. When Kagome hires the help of a private investigator things take a dangerous turn. Uncovering secrets that Kagome didn't even know she had.” (M) The Shogun’s Daughter by Shnuggletea / @shnuggletea: “Kagome’s father passed away when she was just a child but his Shogun status still makes her a valuable bride to a Lord of lands that border their village. She isn’t given much choice but still agrees to marry the stranger so those she cares and loves would be happy and safe, taking her village under his protection in return for her hand. Lord Inuyasha Tenoe is pushed by the council into marriage, assured his new bride was an excellent choice. He has his doubts but has no choice, agreeing to the match sight unseen. All their fears and anxiety are amplified when they meet. It’s an interesting coupling to say the least.”

Multi-Chapter Complete:

(M) The Kings Concubines by The ReddQueen: “The Concubines of the House of the Moon are the most beautiful & idolized women across the Western Land. A chance arises as they search for another to take such a prestigious position. One will find that a true concubine is more than beauty, but she must overcome the most painful of hurdles, keep the darkest of secrets, & still stay true to her heart.”

(M) Thousandfurs by RosieB: “Based on the little known Grimm fairytale. Princess Kagome is forced from her home and into the demon territories. Will Prince Inuyasha ever figure out who his new servant is?” (M) Base Instincts by ImaniJoain: “When Inuyasha is lost to his youkai half, Kagome must find a way to convince him to return to himself.”

(M) To Summon a Mate by Penthesileia / @pentheseileia: “On Halloween night, Kagome is tricked into releasing a possessive, dangerous, hotter then hell demon from his prison of 500 years. She's in danger, but it's not her life she's worried about…yet.”

Oneshots

(M) Lesson by akitokihojo / @akitokihojo: “After a long night out, tensions begin to build. Kagome gets herself into a little trouble with Inuyasha, and Inuyasha is more than happy to teach her right from wrong.”

(M) Dominance by omgitscharlie / @omgitscharlie: “She'd been teasing him all day, and she knew it. Those fleeting glances and knowing smiles, it drove Inuyasha insane; not to mention she smelled sweeter, more intense. What happens when Kagome pushes Inuyasha beyond his limits?”

(M) It Will Come Back by wonderwanderer / @thornedraven: “A one shot inspired by Hozier's song "It Will Come Back". Slight Little Red Riding Hood inspiration as well. Darker themed Little Red Riding Hood, and much more adult themed.”

(M) Touch by KeiChanz / @keichanz: “’I want…’ He paused, trying to find the words, and growling in frustration when he couldn’t. A grunt left him and he dropped his forehead onto her shoulder. ‘I just…I…dammit.’ Inuyasha sighed raggedly, nuzzled her shoulder, and then husked against her skin, ‘I want…you.’”

(M) After the Well Closes by Shnuggletea / @shnuggletea: “It's been a year since Kagome made the decision to jump back through the well and leave her family and life behind. And she is confused to say the least that things are almost the same. Tired of being Inuyasha's demon-killing partner and nothing more, Kagome decides to start her new life and family. When she is stopped by a manic demon Inuyasha, her new life beings quickly.”

(M) Mine by jaygirl987: “She was so beautiful and pure. And his.”

(M) Diamonds and Moonglow by annabeth: “That whimper, right there, is what Inuyasha loves most about this.“

(M) Together Again by wonderwanderer / @thornedraven: “Some intimacy between InuYasha and Kagome after being reunited after three years, rediscovering each other in some of the more intimate ways one can.”

#inuyasha fanfiction #inuyasha x kagome #inukag fanfic #inukag fanfiction #kagome higurashi #inukag #yashahime #inuyasha

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shoujocentral · 3 years

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LGBT+ Doujinshi Review - Silkscreen, by Isaki Uta

While I’m normally an avid fan of yuri and the Girl’s Love genre, over the past couple months I’ve decided to expand my horizons and take a look at other LGBT+ stories to see what they might have to offer. And that brings us to the doujinshi we’ll be looking at today, Isaki Uta’s Silkscreen.

For those who don’t know what a doujinshi is, they are essentially a self-published manga. Unlike manga that are serialized and published in a magazine or volume format, doujin are made, promoted and published by the authors and artists themselves.

Recently, the good folks over at Irodori Sakura reached out to me and asked me if I would be interested in providing a review for any of their LGBT+ manga titles. After getting over the joy of an official publisher giving me this opportunity, I accepted and they provided me with a copy of the doujin in exchange for an honest review. And honestly, I cannot thank them enough, because what I read ended up being one of my most pleasant surprises in recent memory.

Story and Characters

Silkscreen is a short story about a young lesbian girl who sees the world through a curtain. She loves drawing her idealized version of this unclear, blurry world and people around her. One of these people is a princely girl whom she falls deeply in love with, but when they one day reveal that they don’t identify as a girl, things go south very quickly. Years later, the two meet up again as adults, and seeing her old flame having begun to transition into a man, the girl must learn to push the silk screen curtain aside and accept the world for what it truly is.

In just forty pages, this story is delivered with perfect pacing and layered symbolism that is sure to stick in readers’ minds well after they’ve finished it. The short length leaves no room for fluff or filler in the best possible way; every story beat is important in establishing and exploring character, conflict, and themes. At its core, this is an exploration of selfish idealism and how such a worldview can be toxic and harmful to the people around you, especially those you love and care about.

This is all centered around a small cast of only two characters that, in a rather interesting choice, are given no names. While on the surface, this choice may confuse or even serve as a negative for some, it’s hardly noticeable while reading as the characters’ struggles are more than engaging enough to distract you from their lack of a name.

Our protagonist, the lesbian girl, is the focal point of the story’s themes, and is given the most depth and development. When we first meet her, she is a naïve young high schooler who loves drawing sketches and is head-over-heels for her “boyish girl” crush, eventually developing an intimate relationship with them. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in her life, as she lives with a strict family who claims her chastity is her only value. Under such conditions, it’s understandable that she’d want, even demand, a prince to come along and rescue her from such a harsh environment. However, it’s this very selfish desire that ends up driving a wedge between her and her most precious person.

Years later, the girl is now a broken adult. She’s cut all ties with her parents, given up her passion for drawing in favor of printing the work of other designers, and has a very rocky relationship with her girlfriend who she gets jealous and possessive with. I won’t spoil where the story goes from here, as the climax is truly an emotional punch that should be experienced firsthand.

The deuteragonist is the genderqueer friend/trans man, who, while not nearly as emotionally complex, still gets a fair amount of growth. They serve as the realist in contrast to the lesbian’s romanticism, cutting off their relationship when they realize that she can’t love them for who they truly are and refusing to play a part in this girl’s fairy tale. While that’s all well and good, one minor issue that I have with the genderqueer’s character is how they claim to have truly loved the lesbian back when they were together, but the scenes of those days seem to suggest that they walked out of the relationship the moment the lesbian didn’t accept their true gender. It’s a real “blink and you’ll miss it” development, and I wish we saw at least one more scene of them struggling to maintain a relationship with the lesbian before finally breaking it off.

Presentation

Right out of the gate, Silkscreen grabs the reader’s eye with stunning artwork that, just like the writing, leaves no panel wasted. Make no mistake, while the cover art of the two leads seems basic or even underwhelming, it does not do justice to the content within. The character designs, while standard, are still beautifully detailed and fit the story’s elegant, mature tone. I especially love the subtle, yet noticeable changes to the characters between their teen and adult selves. The girl’s hair becomes more straight and frizzy, reflecting her loss of innocence and internal stress, and the genderqueer adopts slightly more masculine features due to being on testosterone for some time.

In numerous manga that I’ve read, especially ones that are serialized and thus run on a tight schedule, characters will often be placed against a blank background, making the world feel nonexistent at times. This is certainly not the case with Silkscreen. Isaki Uta has taken special care to make sure nearly every panel has something going on in it. Even ones that do feature blank backgrounds are used to communicate an emotion, like emptiness or depression. Shading and lighting are also utilized well, especially during dramatic moments. Despite the short length, the spectacle alone is enough to leave an emotional impact. This is clearly the work of a talented artist who understands the power of the visual medium.

Regarding the translation work done by Irodori Sakura’s team, it’s very solid. Translations were done by Itsuki, lettering by Tim Sun, formatting by CC Sū and Katarina Kunstelj, and quality assurance by On Takahashi and Zhuchka, and they’ve all done a fantastic job here. I came across no spelling or grammar mistakes, nor any sentences or word choices that felt off or distracting. The text was all perfectly formatted to fit their respective speech bubbles, and there were a couple instances of stylized text that emphasized the emotional punch of the characters speaking.

On all fronts, Silkscreen is pleasing to the eyes in terms of both style and readability.

LGBT+

While the LGBT+ themes mostly take a backseat to the character study, Isaki Uta has still managed to create a great deal of intrigue and overall great representation. While the concept of a lesbian dating someone who doesn’t identify as a woman might sound problematic on the surface, Uta works around this by having the girl be clear-cut sapphic. She views her high school sweetheart as a princely girl before they come out as genderqueer, even going so far as to compare them to some recognizable names like Oscar, Princess Sapphire and Haruka Tenoh, and has a new girlfriend once we transition to her adult life.

The genderqueer person/trans man was definitely a new experience for me as a manga reader, as genderfluid characters are not often represented seriously in media that I’ve been exposed to. The author’s note at the end describes them as someone who is “attracted to women” and “mostly identifies as a man but is a nonbinary individual that jumps back and forth between the two binary genders.” While I haven’t read any of Isaki Uta’s other works, she is apparently known for leaving parts of her stories ambiguous and up to the reader’s interpretation, which is something I personally enjoy a lot. The vagueness, or perhaps the more appropriate term would be fluidity, of the genderqueer’s identity seems to be written to starkly contrast the image the lesbian had of them and to emphasize how closed-minded she is throughout most of the story.

However, where Silkscreen stumbles in terms of its LGBT+ content is not in the story, but the marketing. Irodori Sakura has the story tagged on their website as LGBTQ+, Trans Identity, and Yuri. Irodori has gone on record to say that their works involve the original author in the localization process, and all works receive the final approval of the author before it is made available for sale. According to both Irodori’s website and the author’s note at the end of the doujin, Isaki Uta classifies the story as “Yuri” and the tag was added as such to stay true to their vision. To quote Uta, “At least for me, the work is pure yuri. In my opinion, if there’s even a glimpse of light, the love is there, no matter how it changes form later on.”

I’m a cis guy, so I’ll refrain from injecting my opinion about this, but the takeaway here seems to be that since the genderqueer’s identity is somewhat fluid, the portion of the story that covers their relationship before they came out as not female could be interpreted as yuri. However, therein lies a problem. Claiming something is open to interpretation, only to give it a defining label comes across as hypocritical, even if unintentionally. While there are undoubtedly cultural differences at play here, this could risk putting off and possibly even offending some readers who view the genderqueer’s identity differently. It doesn’t exactly hurt the overall representation, but it’s still something readers should be aware of before going into the story.

Closing Thoughts

Silkscreen’s minimal shortcomings do little, if anything at all, to hurt its overall quality. It accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: tell a quick, yet engaging and bittersweet story with gorgeous visuals and compelling characters, capped off with a deeply human message about letting go of naïve and self-destructive idealism. While it may suffer from a few underdeveloped plot points and questionable aspects to its LGBT+ content, those issues can be boiled down to the length and marketing respectively, rather than the story itself. The team over at Irodori Sakura has done Western manga consumers a great favor by bringing over another of Isaki Uta’s wonderful works and getting her the recognition she deserves. I, for one, will be checking out more unique and diverse LGBT+ stories if it means I can come across more gems such as this one, and perhaps Silkscreen will inspire you to do the same.

Rating: 9/10

Purchase Silkscreen: https://irodorilite.com/products/silkscreen?utm_medium=partner&utm_source=review&utm_campaign=gm

#lgbt #lgbt+#gay #lesbian #trans #transgender #transmasc #non binary #genderqueer #genderfluid #manga #lgbt manga #doujinshi #doujin #comics #silkscreen #irodori #reviews

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aadikted · 4 years

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Hi!! I recently read your one shot sweetest and it was amazing!!!

So this is a Peter x reader fluff prompt , where it's Prom, and Peter forgot to ask y/n so now he is overdoing himself, which makes the y/n cry and say yes.

Prom

I am soo glad that you like the sweetest!!!And also... AAAHH!! I love this idea. Ok, so I spent a lot of time on this! In my country, we don’t really have anything like prom so everything I know about it, is only through movies and books!! I really, really hope you like it!! Fingers crossed!!

Word Count - 1.9k

Warnings - None!!

FOUR DAYS! There were just four bloody days left to prom and your boyfriend still hadn’t asked you to go with him! Now, you knew that since you both were already dating, it was kind of obvious that you both would be going together, but you were just the kind of person who needed reassurance and you appreciated when someone actually asked you things instead of just assuming them! And nobody knew you better than Peter, except, well, your best friend MJ. But Peter was a close second!

Truthfully, you were hurt that he still hadn’t asked you, and your irritation with Peter was showing in your behaviour.

You were making your way down the hall, your hand entwined in Peter’s. His voice drifted to your ears as he talked with Ned and MJ,

“I mean, it was kind of obvious that Luke was his son, Anyone who has seen the movies properly would say that it is!”

“Yeah, sure, that’s what’s obvious!” You muttered under your breath.

“Did you say something?” Peter asked, looking at you curiously.

“No-no! I was just revising a formula.”

“Oh, speaking of formula,” Peter exclaimed as he turned around to speak to MJ, “Did you see the silly blunder Flash made while we were practising for the Decathlon? I mean, only an idiot would forget something so important!”

“Of course,” you sighed, “Only an idiot would forget something important…”

Fortunately, no one heard your comment and continued talking about their day.

You felt like you were kind of overreacting. But it just seemed like a big deal to you. This would be your last high school prom. This time next year, you all would be in College. You weren’t even sure that you and Peter would be in the same college. It just seemed like such a milestone. You were simultaneously thrilled and terrified of crossing this, and it bothered you that your boyfriend wasn’t as affected by it as you were. You were so engrossed in your musings that you didn’t realize that you had stopped walking and were now frozen at the end of the hallway, forcing your friends to stop behind you. Fortunately, the school had been over for some time and there were very little students around.

“Y/N…Y/N?”

“Huh,” You exclaimed as you were startled out of your daze, “what?”

Peter was taken aback by your abrupt reply, “Are-are you okay”

“Uh… yes! Yes, I’m fine.” You stammered out a reply, “I just, I-I have to go home, I have a...thing. Yes! I have a thing. And I need to finish it. So…bye! See you guys tomorrow!.

You frantically waved goodbye and left through the exit.

Your friends watched you leave in confusion. Peter finally broke the awkward silence you had left behind.

“Well, that was weird.”

“Not really, no.” MJ defended her best friend, “It’s completely normal for her to be mad.”

“Wait! She was mad?

“Oh, Peter.” MJ sighed, “You are so oblivious.”

Peter just stared at her in confusion. Had he done something to make his girlfriend mad? What could he have possibly done to make you so sad?

MJ could practically see his conflicting thoughts reflecting on his face. She just shook her head in resignation and hoped that the poor guy would figure it out soon, or he would have to face Y/N’s wrath.

Peter just stared at Ned as though he would be able to answer his girlfriend problem. Ned just shrugged back at him, looking as clueless as Peter felt.

In a stroke of inspiration, Ned started quizzing Peter about any possible stupid thing he could have done –

“Did you forget a date with her?”

"No.”

“Did you forget an anniversary?”

“Definitely not!”

“Did you….make fun of her cat?”

“What, no! I love Tales as much as she does!”

“Fine…then, did you insult the dress she chose for Prom?”

“…Oh no!”

“You did, didn’t you? Oh my god, Peter! What is wrong with you? You never tell a girl that you don’t like her clothes. It is her body, she can wear whatever the bloody hell she wants!”

“No-no! I didn’t tell her that I don’t like her dress, I forgot to ask her!”

“You…forgot to ask her… if she bought a dress for prom?”

Peter just glared at Ned. “No, Oh Oblivious One! I forgot to ask her to prom!”

“Oh shit!”

Yup, that is exactly how Peter felt: shitty. How could he forget about Prom? He had known exactly how much these occasions meant to you and how you loved to celebrate each tradition associated with your favourite festivities. He knew that he had to make this up to you somehow. But how? This was a colossal mistake and he would have to do something big and meaningful to rectify it and preferably to do it as soon as possible. You were the best and the sweetest and the kindest person Peter had ever met! You brightened his day just by being around and to think that he made such a stupid mistake that had hurt you.

It was with these thoughts in his mind that Peter went home, determined to make up for his mistake and bring a smile on your face once again!

It was already evening, you were lying on your bed, staring at your ceiling, thinking about the vast and various complications in life, and how life gets further complicated when you have a boyfriend who is usually the sweetest, kindest and the best but forgets important things like asking the girl he is dating to prom!

While you were pondering on these weird thoughts and practically wasting your time, you heard a knock on your door, thinking it would probably be your parent, you just simply shouted for them to come in. A few seconds passed and nobody entered your room, however, the knocking persisted. You reluctantly left the solace of your bed to see who was at the door. You opened the door to find no one and with an irritated sigh went into the living room to see if your parents were in the kitchen. The kitchen was just as empty as the living room and you were becoming increasingly frustrated.

“Marty!” You screamed at your brother, who was probably snickering in his bedroom, “This is not funny! If you try something like this again, so help me God, no one will ever be able to find your body!”

Satisfied with this threat, you made your way back to your room but stopped just short of its entrance. On the door, a message was written in webs –

The place where the truth came out,

That left no doubt,

Of the feeling, I bore,

For the one I adore.

Well, the webs left no doubt in your mind about who was responsible for the message. All of this was a massive surprise for you! What was Peter playing at? But obviously, you were going to solve the riddle! How could you not? This all seemed so much fun and amazing to ruin everything. Peter always knew just what you liked and you were not going to ruin all his hard work by not participating wholeheartedly! Fortunately, the riddle was quite transparent and you didn’t need much time to decipher the code. He was talking about the place where he had first confessed feelings for you and you had (to his relief) reciprocated those feeling. That was the day your friendship had transformed into something more cherished, deep and meaningful.

You hastily grabbed a jacket and put on your shoes as you ran towards your school. The school was the place where you had first gotten together and you hurried there as fast as you could. You arrived at the school gates, quite breathless and tired, however, it was all worth it when you saw another riddle written in webs on the school gates –

Congrats! You got the answer right!

But now, you must think with all your might,

Of the place where we were first giddy

And I said you were very pretty.

You were awed by how much thought and preparation Peter had put into this. This was so sweet, but you shouldn’t even have been surprised, because everything he did for you was always sweet and thoughtful. You started thinking about what he could have possibly meant by when he first said you were pretty. He always called you such sweet names that it was hard to remember, but it suddenly struck you, that the first time he called you pretty was the first time you had kissed him. Just thinking about it brought butterflies in your stomach! You immediately rushed towards Peter’s apartment and stopped just at the entrance gate. This time you were expecting the riddle written on the gate –

Great thinking! Just look at you go!

I am so glad you have reached this door

For now, you need to take a chance

And think of the place where we first did dance.

This time you didn’t even have to wait to think of the place. You remembered the first time you danced with Peter as though it were just yesterday. You guys had been practising dancing for your very first prom together. He had been very clumsy and kept stepping on your toes, while you couldn’t stop giggling and kept making him more flustered by kissing him when he least expected. Just remembering that memory bought a big smile on your face and you made your way to the terrace of his apartment.

Upon entering the terrace, you were rendered speechless by the sight you saw. The entire area was decorated in fairy lights, which illuminated the picturesque scenery created by the setting sun. Your eyes were then caught by the sign made in webs – Be my date to Prom?

Your eyes filled with tears and you bit back a gasp. This was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for you. Suddenly, you heard someone clear their throat behind you. Turning around you were dumbstruck to see Peter, wearing the shirt he knew you loved on him and with a bouquet of your favourite flower in his hands. It was obvious from his expression that he was nervous, but when he saw the happiness reflected on your face, he became more composed and began his speech

Y-Y/N, I-I love you. I can’t imagine a day without you and I definitely can’t imagine going to prom without you. I am so sorry for being so stupid and hurting your feelings. I love spending time with you and I can’t imagine how amazing prom night will be if I get to be with you. So...be my date?

This time you couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down your face. You vigorously nodded your head as you looked at your boyfriend, your sweet, sweet boyfriend. Peter released the breath he had been holding as he waited for your reply. You immediately flung your hands around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug which Peter gladly reciprocated. His hands snuck around your waist and tightened as you whispered in his ear that you loved him as well and couldn’t wait to go to prom together.

Needless to say, that was just one of the many happy memories you two made together and reminisce fondly when your kids ask you to tell them stories about you and their father.

#peter parker x reader #peter parker fluff #peter parker sweet #prom #i want a peter parker #gimme

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jamestrmtx · 4 years

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Fairytale Complex - [Undertale | Sans x Reader]

[Gender Neutral, Frisk's Parent Reader | Slow Burn]

Summary:

The dichotomy between black and white is your constant when it's time for you to meet the whole new civilization Frisk brought along with them to the Surface. As a parent, it's not easy to trust others when they've hurt your child. So when that new civilization decides they owe Frisk both for saving their kind and for still hurting them during that process, you've got plenty to say to them.

Forgive the monsters as easily as you once did with others during a stage of naivety?

Oh, hell no.

They better have a good reason for hurting your child and an even better one for wanting to be a part of their family.

Prologue | Once Upon a Time

[Next]

Finished with a hectic work day, you throw yourself on the couch and beg for it not to give in when you hear it creak. Just as the rest of your home, it's old, worn, and needs replacing. You let out a sigh and bask under what little calm you can find between the worries of a dead-end job and your child recently going missing.

Many accused the disappearance on your lack of care and overall irresponsibility as their parent, while others blamed it on the myth of monsters existing near the place you suspected they last went to. The first of these assumptions you accepted and blamed yourself constantly for, yet the second of the two was near impossible to even be an option to begin with. Monsters were far away from your village; they were told to be sealed inside the Underground close to Mt. Ebott, and nobody had heard of them in centuries. It was highly unlikely for them to exist there and much less on the Surface, yet there were still some who believed in that myth nonetheless.

Alone in your home, you can only stare at the blank wall before you and think back on the last day you saw Frisk.

...

"I'm home!" you hear them call, followed by their footsteps thumping against the floorboards.

They make it to the kitchen and throw themselves at you; their arms wrap around your neck and pull you into a hug. Smiling, you return the embrace, pull back to look down, and meet with their eyes. "Did you say goodbye to Auntie Brenda before leaving?" you ask, tucking a stray lock of hair behind their ear. Their bob and bangs had grown longer and many neighbours said it made them look like a girl, but Frisk never minded over those comments and always insisted on keeping their hair that way.

"Yup!" they reply, taking a seat next to yours. "We're… We're gonna spend the whole weekend together, right?"

"Of course we are, honey." You chuckle upon seeing the worry in their eyes, these holding hope over a positive response on your part. "But first, we've got to study up on History," you add, "Remember you've got a test the day after tomorrow." You pinch their cheek and kiss it better, making them grin and burst into giggles.

Then, you stand up and head to the living room, where you stop by the bookshelf already covered in a thin layer of dust despite its frequent use. Your eyes scan for the book you'd been recently reading with them, only to find it hidden at a corner, most likely an idea on their part in hopes of delaying their studies for a while. "We'll go over the last chapter. And after that, we can plan what we'll do for the weekend." You turn to them and smile, bumping the book against the top of their head. "But only if you don't try to hide your books away anymore. I know you like school and pay attention all the time, but that still doesn't excuse you from studying up at home."

You walk to the couch, sit down, and see their smile fade away when you open the book to one of its later chapters. It was far away from the one you were currently on, yet based on the look on their face, they seem to know what it's about, an assumption that grows stronger when you remember how one-sided the book in your hands is. Frisk was never fond of the stories it told, yet they never had the courage to go against its written words, either. Now, however, you have a hunch over them about to confront that when you see them frown and later open their mouth to speak up.

"Why do you believe what this book says? It… It says mean things about monsters! Haven't you ever been curious to know what they're all really like?"

You look down at the open book and give some thought to their words. Its borders are worn out and the pages are turning a soft shade of yellow, most likely due to the centuries that'd gone by since it was first published. 'The War Between Us' was its title, yet even though it said 'us', the author was biased at times; in more ways than one. It seemed that the more you analyzed it, the more you regretted having believed these stories when you were younger and having thrashed the possibility of beings like them ever existing. The question you've been given adds to your regret, so you pause and take a quick moment to reconsider.

Deciding it's best to think of a proper response, you flip the pages back to the first chapter and gesture for Frisk to join you. You push your glasses up to the brim of your nose and begin to read the first page.

>> Long ago, two races ruled over the Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS. One day, war broke out between the two races. After a long battle, the humans were victorious. They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell...

You flip past the introduction page, having already memorized it ever since you were seven.

>> Those undergrounds, located near Mt. Ebott, are said to be a dangerous place. It is said that those who climb the mountain never return. Many have taken this warning as a joke, yet none have actually dared to step foot on those grounds. Due to this fear of the unknown, many began to form theories as to what happens to those who travel to those lands. These have varied from such a simple thing as being unable or unwilling to leave, to something as dark and fearsome as death.

>> It is said the monsters residing in this place were not only strange in appearance, but in their actions and customs, as well. Likewise, it is said their way of reproduction is also odd, as it is through their SOULS that they may create another life, and that the way of ending their lives is through the same means. Besides showing their vulnerability through their SOULS, they show it through their words. They advise others to show 'MERCY', as well as to 'SPARE' their enemies whenever possible.

>> However, many experts on the topic have agreed these are only myths; bedtime stories meant to dull and straighten up a child's behaviour, to frighten them over what is black and what is white, and to keep them strictly in the latter. It is impossible to believe such narrow-minded and saint-like creatures ever existed, unless it is to dumb down our mindsets and persuade us to be kind to a fault, without ever even questioning why it is said that those who fell into their world never came back. After all, it is without a doubt unrealistic and near impossible for people to cohabit in one same world without causing some form of hurt between each other. It is the same reason why these creatures were said to lose a war with our kind, and why we must avoid being weak and preachy like them; to prevent the same from ever happening to us.

You close the book with one swift move, deciding you already have the answer to your child's question.

"Y'know, I… I guess you're right, honey." You sigh, face your lap, and close your eyes, already having a taboo thought at the tip of your tongue. "I've only ever read this book regarding their history. If only I knew more about them, or maybe had another book from a new, different perspective... Then, maybe... Maybe I could know if both sides had their reasons for war, and why we still study them through this book only."

Just as they're about to reply, an unintelligible shout erupts from one of the nearby houses. The sound of porcelain hitting the ground and of people arguing with one another can be heard, and soon after, an eerie, yet recognizable silence takes over. Already expecting the worst, you let out a shaky sigh, stand up, and finally gather up courage to inspect what's going on outside the safety of your home.

"Stay here, Frisk. I'll be back soon."

…

You never saw them again after that day, and that was almost a full month ago. Your eyes have turned irredeemably red and puffy from how much you've cried and mourned over their loss, though you've tried to keep it to yourself as much as possible. Even so, a few things had been leaked regarding your situation. Nosy and loud neighbours meant trouble, and you already had enough with Social Services and Frisk's school constantly breathing down your neck.

The more days passed since their disappearance, the more rumours began to revolve around you. A silent argument over the hints left behind of Frisk going missing had begun to form, and it shows itself through the tense state of those around you, these split into two groups. Tension's risen between those who blame you and those who blame Mt. Ebott, yet you don't want to favour either side. Simply solving the situation and having Frisk in your arms again was enough for you, even if they were taken away from you by Social Services the day or even the hour after.

Hearing your stomach growl, you shake your head, finally realizing you're becoming too immersed in your own thoughts.

Dinner wouldn't make itself, and though you hated cooking only for yourself almost as much as you loathed the absence of your child and the silence of your home, you have to stand up, dust off, and keep on going.

Fairy tales weren't real; monsters weren't, either. In other words, Frisk's all alone in the world now and nobody's gonna help besides you. Whatever happened to your child, they were most likely suffering or in great danger, and for once, you can't help but wish over the Underground to be real in spite of the myths told about it. Perhaps then, you could have some sense of direction and an idea over just where Frisk could be; and perhaps then, they wouldn't be alone at the knowledge of monsters providing them with shelter and company until your arrival.

Perhaps then, you could rest a bit easy without crying yourself to sleep every weekend with the reminder and the remnants of a broken promise, one you feared would never be fulfilled.

[Next]

#sans x reader #undertale x reader #lgbt #lgbt themes #gender neutral reader #male reader #female reader #mother reader #father reader #parent reader #chubby reader #long fic #romcom #adventure #mystery #platonic relationships #slow burn

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dream-a-little-bigger-x · 3 years

Text

Parallels | Chapter 3

Add yourself to my taglist! | Here’s my masterlist! | Parallels Masterlist

Characters: OC! Violet Grace Dawson, Luke Patterson, Julie Molina, Carrie Wilson, Bobby Wilson, Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer, Flynn nolastname, Willie nolastname, Nick Danforth-Evans, Dirty Candy

Guideline: Sunset Universe is the universe in which Sunset Curve is famous and Violet is friends with Carrie, Julie and Flynn. Candy Universe is the universe in which Dirty Candy is more famous and Sunset Curve has broken up.

Song(s) used: (part of) All Eyes On Me - Dirty Candy

Warnings: Mention of divorce

Words: 4,150

After looking through everyone’s social media profiles, Violet was convinced there was something more going on. Maybe her thought about having landed in a different universe wasn’t so wrong after all.

She started Googling stuff, searching through all types of News articles and blog posts from people who thought they had switched universes. Starting out a skeptic, Violet started to believe their stories more and more as it all sounded awfully familiar.

With her research and her mind set on the fact that she was, in fact, from another universe, she headed out to Julie’s garage where she knew she would find Carrie. She was the only one she trusted with this information, the only one that knew her well enough to know that this was in fact true.

“I found evidence!” Violet announced as she entered the familiar garage. Aside from waking up here yesterday after having fainted, she remembered it from her childhood as the four of them would hang out here often when they were friends still.

The three girls jumped, their heads snapping towards the girl in the doorway. With widened eyes, they watched the girl march into the garage with heaps of paper tucked underneath her arm which she set onto the coffee table with a heavy thud.

“Evidence for what?” Flynn asked, taking a look at the papers her friend had just dropped in front of her. Her forehead creased as she read aloud, “Alternate Universes: Real or myth?”

Carrie chuckled, “Are you serious, Vi? You can’t tell me you believe all of this crap, do you?”

Violet sat down on the couch next to Flynn and the movement caused the girl’s flowery perfume to well up to her nostrils, filling all her senses with the familiar scent. The Flynn she knew had the same perfume.

“I didn’t at first, but after doing some research, I’m starting to…”

Julie and Carrie exchanged concerned glances before turning to the girl as she started her monologue to try and convince the girls of her findings and theories. They wouldn’t just dismiss her without listening to her first, that wasn’t how their friendship was built.

“So, I found some scientific papers that show evidence of alternate universes or the multiverse. The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes, right? Together, these universes comprise everything that exists. The entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The different universes within the multiverse are called "parallel universes", “alternate universes” and so on,” she explained to the girls, showing that she actually did do her job.

“Yeah, but, sweetie, that’s all hypothetical. It’s not actually proven to be true…” Julie told her matter-of-factly.

Violet held up her finger. “That’s what I said,” she said and pried a piece of paper from between all the other pieces of paper. “But then I found this blog; Parallels.com. She tells this entire story about how, one day, she just landed in a completely different universe. The people were still the same, but they lived different lives.”

She handed Flynn the piece of paper first and the girl scanned the blog post to get an idea about it before handing it to Carrie. “You do know this is a hoax, right?” Carrie asked and passed it to Julie.

Violet’s eyes rolled back in her sockets. “You don’t believe me?” she asked and only got grimaces as response from the girls. “You don’t believe me…” She shook her head in disbelief before grabbing the bundle of evidence and leaving the garage. “I’ll make you believe me at some point!” she called out before completely disappearing from the girls’ sight.

Julie looked up from the piece of paper with the blog post printed on it. “Do you guys believe her?” she asked. Flynn and Carrie carefully shook their heads in response.

“I want to,” said Flynn. “I want to because she sounds so desperate for us to believe it, but I think she just hit her head when she fainted and it’s all a bit broken up there…” She gestured towards her own head.

Carrie let out a soft laugh at her friend’s reaction before turning to Julie and softening her face. “Do you believe her?”

“Kinda,” Julie shrugged and Carrie tilted her head to urge her to elaborate. “My mom’s always believed this stuff. When I was a child, she used to tell me stories like this, about a girl who switched places with her parallel self… It all sounded like a fairy tale because the girl fell in love and stayed in the same place…”

Flynn’s eyebrows furrowed. “That sounds familiar now.”

“What if it’s actually true? What if Violet actually switched places with her parallel self and this one is Violet from another universe?” Carrie pondered aloud. “That can’t be, right?”

Julie shrugged. “I don’t know what’s true, but I don’t think we should write her off as crazy just yet. Let’s wait until we have proper evidence and figure everything out properly…”

Flynn and Carrie nodded their heads in agreement before getting up from their spots and following Julie out of the garage. It was dinner time at the Molina’s, which meant Carrie and Flynn would have to go home.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, guys,” Julie greeted before she walked into her house where her mother was preparing dinner. The entire house smelled of pasteles con pollo, Julie’s favorite.

Though, right now, her mind kept wandering to Violet and her story. To the idea of parallel universes. What if it was true and they’d lost their own Violet? Would she even be able to get back?

“Mama,” Julie started cautiously as she set the table whilst her mother finished up cooking the meal. The woman hummed, urging her girl to continue. “What do you know about alternate universes? I remember you telling stories about it when we were younger…”

Rose dropped the fork she was holding, a loud clatter sounding through the kitchen, before she turned to face her daughter. There was a frown on her face and her eyebrows were furrowed. She looked angry, furious, even.

“Never, ever, ask me that question again. You hear me, mija?”

Rose had never raised her voice at Julie unless it was an exclamation of excitement during games night but never in anger. It kind of scared her, though worry for her mother rose to the surface, overtaking the fear.

“¿Qué pasa?” Ray asked as he walked into the kitchen with Carlos in tow.

Rose offered her husband a reassuring smile. “Nothing. It’s – nothing.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s eat before the pasteles get cold.”

Her mother’s reaction wasn’t a normal one and Julie knew this. She must know something. Something Julie wasn’t allowed to know. Something she was protecting Julie from. Or protecting herself from.

Either way, she knew something and Julie wasn’t going to let it rest. She would find out what this was all about, why she got so angry at her over a seemingly stupid question. So, when Julie got to school the next day, she told Flynn and Carrie about the entire conversation.

“And she just got mad?” Carrie asked, trying to piece the puzzle together.

“Furious!” Julie whisper-shouted.

Flynn shut her locker and clutched her books to her chest. “She knows something.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Julie deadpanned. “I just – I wanna know what she knows. Maybe it’ll help with –” Carrie nudged Julie in the ribs, causing her to shut up. When she lifted her eyes, she realized why her friend nudged her.

Violet had entered the hallway and marched past the girls with a frown on her face. She was too deep in thought to even notice her friends at their locker. Her mind raced through the events from the previous days.

There had to be a way to prove that she wasn’t crazy. There had to be a way to prove that she wasn’t crazy, that what she thought was happening to her, was actually happening to her. Parallel universes existed and she knew it.

For an entire day, Violet pondered about it. During each class, she kept researching and researching. The people she knew weren’t the same people. They all had different lives. Bobby and his band were famous, Carrie wasn’t the lead singer of Dirty Candy, Kayla was, and they were friends with Julie and Flynn.

Every time she passed Carrie, Julie and Flynn, their conversation suddenly halted, signalling to Violet that they were, in fact, talking about her. That was all they seemed to do, talk about her, instead of talking to her. It was what she needed, a friend to guide her through these doubts and thoughts. A friend that would believe her.

Nearing the end of the school day, Violet made her way to her locker when she passed the trophy case in the hallway. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a picture of four people she knew very well. Upon closer inspection, she found Bobby, Luke, Reggie and Alex in an article in a local newspaper with the headline: “Local band takes the world by storm!”

Something that only fed into her curiosity and determination that she wasn’t in her universe anymore. Those Instagram profiles weren’t fake. They were actually famous. So famous, the school had to put them in the trophy case with all the lacrosse and cheerleading trophies.

Maybe if she showed this to the girls and told them, convincingly, that Sunset Curve split up in her universe and she spilt facts about that universe, maybe they would believe her after all.

Bobby’s words had haunted Carrie’s mind for the rest of the day. When she dropped Violet off at her own house and she got back to the Wilson’s mansion, the words kept repeating themselves, echoing inside her mind.

What if Bobby was right? What if there was something like an alternate universe and Violet switched places with her parallel self? That couldn’t be real, right?

Skeptically, Carrie opened her laptop and started researching everything. She browsed the entire world wide web, in search for answers to all of her questions about the situation she had found herself in.

According to most websites, the idea of the multiverse is just hypothetical and no one had ever been able to prove that it was real. Though, some websites she found, actually found a handful of evidence for the theory, especially the blog posts she found with a similar story.

All of it seemed so interesting to Carrie and she had never been interested in anything aside from music. She barely even studied in school, why would she even try and study when she was going to make it big in the music industry?

But this was a whole different case. This was actually interesting. And it could help her understand what was going on with her best friend. Maybe this could make this more clear for the both of them and make things less scary.

With all of her research on the multiverse, Carrie knocked on Bobby’s bedroom door. After hearing a soft “come in”, Carrie cautiously opened the door and for a moment stood in his doorway, not knowing what to say.

“You okay, sis?” he asked, getting up from his king size bed.

Carrie took a deep breath before making a beeline for his desk in the corner of the room where she put her laptop down. “You might be right with your theory on the multiverse thing,” she muttered, piquing Bobby’s interest in an instant.

“What did you find?” he asked, his voice just above a whisper as though he was scared someone would hear him.

The Wilson sibling looked at the laptop screen together as Carrie started her explanation. “Mostly just that the theories are hypothetical and it’s never really been proven to exist, but I found a website that claims there are at least five possible theories that prove the multiverse exists.” If Bobby wasn’t so occupied by all the information on the theories, he would’ve been surprised his sister actually studied this stuff.

“There are infinite universes where we don’t know what space-time is exactly. The theory goes that it’s flat and goes on forever, or something. But with that in mind, it is possible that universes start repeating themselves.”

Bobby nodded his head, trying to accumulate all of this information in his tired brain. It had been a long day and he honestly didn’t want to think about anything too much, but this was important.

“The second theory is the bubble universe. When we look at space-time as a whole, some areas of space stop inflating like the Big Bang inflated our own universe. Other universes will keep getting larger. So, if we picture our own universe as a bubble, it’s sitting in a network of bubble universes of space.”

Bobby’s forehead creased. Carrie had lost him in her cluster of theories. None of these sounded anything like what Violet was talking about. Her universe sounded like one different from theirs.

“Do any of these theories actually hold some resemblance to what Violet was talking about?” he asked, rubbing his right eye with his wrist to try and get some of the tiredness out.

“Yes,” Carrie responded and scrolled down a little on the website. “The theory of parallel universes. This theory suggests that space-time is flat, like that first theory suggested too, and with it, that universes repeat themselves. Infinite times over and over… This means there are cosmic patches exactly the same as ours, as well as patches that differ by just one particle’s position or two particle’s positions, and so on to the point where the particle’s positions differ completely from ours.”

Bobby slowly nodded his head, finally starting to understand the whole thing. “So, this Violet actually came from one of those cosmic patches where a few particle’s positions differ from ours?”

“Yes!”

“But how do you explain the switching? Is that a thing?”

Carrie leaned over and switched tabs on her internet browser where the blog post she found resided. “None of the scientific websites suggested it, but I did find this blogpost from Parallels.com.”

Bobby leaned closer to read the title and introduction of the post again and again before standing up again and looking at his sister while the gears in his brain started to work through the information.

“It sounds familiar, doesn’t it?” asked Carrie with a nervous smile.

Bobby hummed. “So, this woman from the blogpost, she actually went through the same thing? She switched places with her parallel self? Like Violet said she did?”

“Yep, it’s –” her sentence got cut off by the doorbell chiming through the mansion. Both Bobby and Carrie glanced at each other to check if either one was expecting anyone, but judging from either’s confusion, neither of them was.

Leaving the laptop in Bobby’s room, the siblings made their way downstairs and opened the front door to find the girl they had been talking about previously. She was drenched to the bone and her makeup had run out, leaving black streaks all over her cheeks. Carrie hadn’t even noticed it had started raining until now.

“Violet?” Carrie called out before opening the door further and letting the girl inside. “Are you okay?”

Violet’s face crumpled. Her lower lip quivered while her forehead creased and tears started rolling down her cheeks. On automatic pilot, Carrie wrapped her arms around her best friend, not even caring how wet and disgusting she was. The sobs that raked through her friend’s body were enough motivation to forget about all of that.

“My parents are divorced?” she cried out into Carrie’s hair.

The question and the heartbreak the girl was experiencing was enough evidence for Carrie to believe their theory. Violet got switched with her parallel self and her life looked a whole lot different from the one Carrie lived in.

“They have been for years, sweetie…” Carrie whispered, her hands soothingly rubbing the girl’s back. “But we’ve found a theory about your situation.”

Violet pulled back from the hug and wiped her cheeks with the sleeves of her sweater. “You do?” she sniffled and Carrie chuckled before tugging at the girl’s arm to guide her towards the sofa.

“Bobby, will you go and get my laptop? I’ll get us some drinks… We’re gonna be here a while…” Carrie ordered before walking into the kitchen to pour everyone a glass of fresh lemonade and then returning to the living room where she noticed Violet shivering. “And I’m gonna get you some clean clothes,” she muttered to herself.

When she returned again, Bobby had too. She handed Violet the clean clothes and then settled on the sofa with Bobby, waiting for Violet to get back. Once the team was complete, Carrie started explaining everything she had found about the universes. They discussed everything from the scientific articles to the blogpost they had found.

“So…” Violet started, ready to recollect her thoughts, “In this universe, Dirty Candy is famous and Sunset Curve isn’t? My parents are divorced and Rose has passed away?”

Carrie and Bobby both nodded their heads. “You switched places with our Violet,” Bobby clarified once more. “Like that girl from the blogpost did…” He gestured towards the laptop screen in front of them.

“Does it say how to get back?”

Carrie shook her head and opened her mouth to say something when the doorbell rang again. Confusion rose within the three teenagers on the couch. Neither of them expected someone to ring their doorbell.

The blonde girl got up from the couch and made her way towards the door to answer. To her surprise, her friends from Dirty Candy all stood in front of her, all ready in their dance gear. When Carrie’s eyes darted from girl to girl and outfit to outfit, the realization dawned on her.

“Shit…” she muttered. “I totally forgot about rehearsal, guys…”

The first girl’s eyebrows furrowed. Her darker skin glowed in the moonlight and her black hair fell perfectly across her shoulders. Her pink lips opened and closed, causing her to look like a goldfish as she didn’t know what to respond. “We always have rehearsals on Sunday night?”

“I know,” Carrie replied, “But I forgot it was Sunday and now I can’t really rehearse…”

The girl with the black hair Carrie knew as Kayla shook her head and pushed past the band’s lead singer. “Not a good enough excuse. We’re gonna rehearse. Is Violet here too?”

The three girls made a beeline for the living room where Bobby and Violet resided on the couch. Bobby had his arm around the back of the couch as Violet leaned back, making it look like the two had made it just a bit too cosy while Carrie was gone.

“Oh, what do we have here?” Kayla said in a teasing voice. “Getting comfy there with the sore loser, Vi?”

The brunette sat up straight whilst her heart started pounding in her throat and her hands were getting clammy. “Kayla…” she muttered, but then calmed down as she realized Kayla was probably not the same, mean Kayla as in her own universe.

Violet coughed, “What are you guys doing here?” she asked.

Kayla scoffed and exchanged glances with the other Dirty Candy members. “Seriously? Both of you forgot about the rehearsal?”

When Carrie glanced at Violet, the brunette on the couch looked petrified. Even if they did start the rehearsal, the girls would probably still notice something wasn’t right. Violet would have no idea what she had to do. She didn’t know the routines or songs.

“Vi actually got some pretty bad news today,” Carrie started her next excuse. “She uhm… her dog – her dog passed away today!”

Violet nodded her head in agreement to try and make it look as convincing as possible but she could tell neither of the girls actually believed them.

“Violet… You don’t have a dog?!” The girl with the black skin and gorgeous dark eyes pointed out. Violet recognized her from Kayla’s Dirty Candy, but she had no clue what her name was. All she knew was, that she found her insanely gorgeous.

Stuttering and panicking, Violet’s eyes flicked from the girls to Carrie and back before pretending to burst out into tears. “Not anymore!” she cried.

“That sucks, girl,” said the last girl, “But we can’t postpone the rehearsal. We have a gig next weekend!” The other girls all agreed with her and it only made Carrie and Violet more nervous.

As the Dirty Candy girls headed down to the rehearsal space, Carrie and Violet stayed back a little. The both of them had panicked looks on their faces, unsure about what to do in this situation.

“I’m not gonna be able to get anything right, Care! I know none of the dances, none of the songs! They’re gonna notice!”

Carrie grabbed Violet’s shoulders, forcing the girl to focus on her. “You’re gonna do fine, okay? And even if you don’t, we’ll blame it on your dog passing, yeah? Now take a breath.” Violet heaved in a deep breath before following Carrie to the rehearsal space.

“Let’s start with All Eyes On Me, yeah?” Carrie suggested while tapping away on an iPad before a bubblegum pop sound echoed through the speakers in the dance studio. It sounded way perkier than the music Violet was used to making with Carrie, Julie and Flynn.

Carrie’s voice carrying through the space startled Violet a little and the panic set in when the other girls started doing moves and steps Violet didn’t know. She looked around the room and tried to follow the girls, but it was practically impossible.

“Whenever I walk in the room All the focus on me The way I talk, the way I move They all want on my team”

Violet was always at least a count or two behind the other girls and more often than not, bumped into one of the girls, including Carrie.

“Not tryin' to brag, brag But I'm flawless I'm taking over your playlist Ain't perfect but I can't miss, yeah The party don't start 'til I walk in I'm stealing all the attention Don't get me started on mentions, yeah”

“Okay, stop, stop!” Kayla interrupted. “Vi, since when do you have so much trouble keeping up?!” the girl screeched at the failing band member, the frustration and annoyance audible in her voice.

Violet flinched at the loudness of Kayla’s voice and instinctively bowed her head down in defeat. She hated confrontation and she hated it when people yelled at her. It wasn’t something she was used to because she always made sure she wouldn’t disappoint people. Not her parents, not her friends. No one.

“Lay off her, Kayla. She’s struggling with the death of her dog…” Carrie defended her best friend and reached for the girl’s hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. “We’ll pick this back up tomorrow, yeah?”

Kayla narrowed her eyes at the two girls in front of her. Something wasn’t adding up, but she wasn’t in the mood to even ask about it. So, instead, she just scoffed and made a beeline for her stuff that she dropped to the floor upon entering. The other girls followed her example, saying goodbye to Carrie and Violet with an apologetic smile to the latter.

“Thank you, Carrie,” Violet said in a hushed tone when the girls had left the room. “And I’m sorry for messing it all up.”

Carrie chuckled and gave Violet’s hand another squeeze. “No need to apologize, you never learned the choreography or the songs, so there’s no way you’d be able to get them right now…”

Violet smiled a thankful smile before letting go of Carrie’s hand and pulling her sleeves back down her arms, sending a comfortable warmth through her body again. Everything still felt wet and damp and cold, even after the sweats she got from the sheer panic running through her veins.

“So…” Carrie then started, “Dirty Candy’s not a thing in your universe?”

“Oh, no… It is a thing… Just not ours.” Carrie tilted her head a little, confused. “It’s Kayla’s group…”

Carrie’s eyes widened and a furious heat rose to her cheeks. “It’s Kayla’s?!” she shouted and Violet nodded her head with a slight smile plastered on her face. “How dare she steal my limelight?! Dirty Candy’s my group! Not hers! Oh, wait until I see her again!”

“Babes… She won’t know what you’re talking about…” Violet told Carrie, chuckling slightly at the pure, raging passion that came out of the other girl’s mouth. “It’s a thing in my universe… Not here…”

Carrie fell silent for a moment, letting the words ring through her mind. “Right… How about we get you up to speed with Dirty Candy stuff, huh?”

Everything Taglist:

@bonobos-candy-bar-2 @calamitykaty @littlemissaddict @n0wornever @phantompogues @praetorofthelegion @sweetpeasturtleneck @wanniiieeee @lesko_ @sunsetwilson

JATP Taglist:

@90ssunsetcurve @angryknightstatesmantrash @authentic-gillespie @bexxy @bookdealer5 @bright-molina @brooke0297 @bucksmaddie @buckybarnesishot310 @caitsymichelle13 @candycornmgg @catgirlpwr @charliesmountains @cordeliascrown @crybabyddl @echocharm17618 @fangirlangioma @flower-name @frickin-bats @gray_jato @hannahhistorian92 @happinessinthedarkesttimes @headheartbellarke @hemmingsness @iainttakingshitfromnobody @ifilwtmfc @jandthephantoms @jaskiers-sweetkiss @jatp-is-god @joynerxmercer @kaitieskidmore1 @kcd15 @kelpwithawhy @kinda-really-lost @kiss-themoongoodbye @knitsessed @lilostif16 @lookingthroughmirrors @magicalxdaydream @marinettepotterandplagg @musicianspiritsblog @mystic-writings @notasofti @pxperphxntom @rangerelik @rh-girlonfire @ruvaitkevicius @spencerreidwhore @stars-soph @stressyanddepressysimp @sunsetcurvej @talk-on-the-street @tefilovesreading @tenaciousperfectionunknown @teti-menchon0604 @the-hufflepuff-hunter @thedarkqueenofavalon @cucumbers-and-olives @thequirkybookaholic @threeghostboys @vicesvsvirtuesfanfic @whitetigerlover17 @boggie-brainrot @wiselight @gigglysokkamcu @nightfurya

Luke/Charlie Taglist:

@camiladelrio98 @cloudy-skyler @gingerxarmy @killerqueenfan @lolychu @lovesanimals @luckylouiebug @lukeys-giggle @myfriendscallmebeans @needyreggie @perfectlywrongformend3s @rachmmb @tenaciousperfectionunknown @thecharlietomygillespie @whitemanshoe19 @rottenroyalebooks

Crossed out names are the users I was unable to tag. Please make sure everything in your settings is set so I am allowed to tag you or if you changed your url, please drop me a message/ask!

TAGLIST | MASTERLIST | PARALLELS MASTERLIST

#julie and the phantoms #jatp #parallels #luke patterson

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thediamondgirl17 · 4 years

Text

Kitsune! Miya Twins x Reader: Sly Foxes (SFW-ish) Part 1

Okie dokie! So here we are! First Miya twins fic! I’m super excited! I read a fic called The Fox Witch by @haikyuufairy and it was SO FREAKING GOOD! It inspired me to write this! Now- I am NOT familiar with Kitsunes or authentic Japanese culture and things like that- so PLEASE bear with me! I’m trying my best. I’m literally going to do research for this fic because I love the concept of it so much! Kitsune Inarizaki was AMAZING and I genuinely loved it! So I hope I am doing this author justice by writing something (hopefully) as good as they wrote!

Like I said earlier I am a Kitsune/Authentic Japanese virgin and basically have no idea what I’m doing with this but...I’m gonna try anyway! So without further ado, lets get on with the story!! As always if you would like a Part 2, feel free to suggest and I will be happy to provide!

Warnings: PG-13

For as long as you could remember, you had grown up hearing stories of Kitsunes, the gods, demons, and all sorts of things that you had thought only belonged in the dreams of those older than you. You would leave offerings to the gods and the deities right outside their homes to try and keep the ‘bad’ demons away and have the good ones on their side if things were to turn bad. However, you never really believed any of it. They were myths. Fairy tales. Things adults would say to children to get them to behave. Right?

You had never expected any of it to be real. You had never expected that demons actually roamed the earth out of sight from human eyes. And you sure as hell did not expect to be passed out inside the temple on shrine grounds of the goddess Inari.

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“There...done...,” You said looking down at the pile of boxes you had just hauled into your new house. Finally you were away from your family and had just started working in the area. Your house was one floor, one bathroom, one bedroom cottage-like house that you were able to afford each month in rent. It was nice, quiet, and you had a nice big front and backyard.

You stretched out and sat down on a chair in the dinning room, crossing your legs and pulling out your phone to check it. You scrolled through for a while as a reward for hauling in boxes upon boxes of your stuff. However, when you had finally noticed you needed to unpack your clothes or else you would have nothing to wear, you did so. You grabbed a pair of scissors and started to cut open the boxes with your clothes, and clothing hangers in them. Silently you thanked the gods that the movers were able to already have helped you set up your bed and move heavy furniture so that you wouldn’t have to do it yourself. About a half hour had passed until you heard a knock on your front door. You placed down the clothes you were currently folding and walked over. Once you opened it, you saw an older man and woman standing there with a smile.

“Hello...My name is Aikio Tanjiro, and this is my husband, Eiji Tanjiro. And we came over to welcome you to the neighboorhood.” The old woman said and gave a small bow, along with her husband.

“Well it’s nice to meet you Tanjiro-san.” You said softly and bowed a bit as well. “Please, come in, I can make you both some tea.” You offered. The two had agreed and you gave them each a pair of guest slippers to wear. They sat down on the tatami on the floor as you boiled the water for tea.

“Oh please just Aikio and Eiji are fine.” Eiji said while sitting down.

“Oh...alright!” You smiled and once the water was ready, brought it over to the old couple. You sat down with them and started to pour the water into each of their cups.

“Have you been to the shrine yet since you have moved in?” Aikio said while blowing softly on her tea before taking a small sip. You smiled nervously.

“N-no actually, I’ve been busy unpacking.” You admitted with a small nervous chuckle.

“Oh well you must!” The old woman said with her eyes widening a bit. “There are Kitsune around this town that keep us protected from demons and Yako. Bringing them and the Goddess Inari an offering is an absolute must if you plan on staying here.” She warned and took another sip of her tea. You turned to her husband to see if he would say anything about her just having one or two screws loose, but all you got was a small smile.

“Don’t look at me...,” He trailed off. “She sounds a little crazy but she is right. There are Kitsune that have protected this area for generations. It’s best to appease them now when you first arrive so they don’t harbor bad feelings toward you.” He said and also sipped his tea. You just nodded slowly in agreement with them.

‘I don’t need to...,’ You thought to yourself as the three of you sipped on your teas. ‘But if they ask again, I wouldn’t want to lie to them, or disappoint them.’ You sighed internally. ‘I’ll do it anyway, besides it will help feed the wildlife.’ You thought as you sipped on your cup.

“Don’t mind the foxes in the area as well.” The old woman said. “This area is known for them. Some may be Kitsune who just haven’t reached 100 yet, so treat all of them with respect.” She nodded in agreement with herself. And for the rest of the evening the three of you talked about whatever else came to mind about your moving in.

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After spending the rest of the evening with the Tanjiro couple, you had finished a bit more of unpacking before crashing down onto the bed you had just made and groaned. You rolled over to look at the clock on your nightstand. You didn’t have work tomorrow so you would be able to sleep in. ‘I have to go to the shrine though,’ You internally groaned to yourself. It wasn’t that you didn’t believe in things like this, it was just that you thought it was childish, almost like Santa Claus or the old folk tales you heard as a kid. Oh how wrong you were.

The next morning rolled around, and you had only known this due to the fact that the sun was shining right in your eyes when you woke up. You groaned and rolled over to look at the clock. ‘11:30′ it read. You sighed and threw the covers off of yourself before rolling out of bed and trudging downstairs to make breakfast for yourself. ‘I’ll make breakfast, get dressed, do my hygienic rounds, unpack a little more, and then I’ll visit the shrine.’ You thought as you gently pushed around the ingredients inside the frying pan.

And you had followed that plan through. However when you had finished unpacking what you wanted for the day it was actually about on the verge of sunset. You sighed and shook your head. You stood up, stretched out, and went into the kitchen to whip up some food very quickly for the offering. After cooking what you wanted, you put it in two bowls. One for the goddess and the other for the Kitsune, covered them with tin foil, and then placed them in a bag to make it easier to carry up to the shrine.

Considering that now it was dark outside you grabbed your coat, and a flashlight. The shrine was not too far away from your house at all. It was about a half a mile away including the stairs to get to the shrine. So a trip there and back would be a full mile, which wouldn’t be bad at all. The stairs to the shrine were surrounded by wilderness, and the only thing you were really worried about were wild boars, but you knew that if you didn’t mess with them, they usually wouldn’t mess with you, so you didn’t worry.

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Slowly your legs carried you up the stairs to the shrine through the woods. Your flashlight pointed at the ground in front of you to insure that you wouldn’t fall. Every now and again you would hear the sound of something in the bushes beside you, but wouldn’t pay any mind to it. ‘It was probably just a bird or squirrel.’ You would think as you continued to climb.

You had gotten about halfway up the stairs when something had suddenly jumped out in front of your light. You jumped a bit and stared directly at it. It was a fox. The fox standing in front of your light had a basic grey body with completely black legs, a white tipped tail, and a patch of white under it’s chin. It’s tail was down but waved back and forth. The two of you stood there for a while just looking at each other.

“...Can you move please?” You asked softly. “I need to get to the shrine...I brought offerings...,” Your voice was quiet but to you it felt like it was echoing through the woods. Almost a moment afterwards, the fox looked away from you and jumped back into the woods where you wouldn’t be able to see it, even if you had tried.

However, after the fox had left, you heard a rumble in the sky and you groaned. ‘Please don’t start raining.’ You thought. And soon, almost as if the gods heard you and decided to laugh in your face, you heard the sound of light pitter patter on the steps to the shrine. At this point you were closer to the shrine than you were to your house, so you silently made a plan to go into the building once you got up there to keep dry until the rain would stop falling.

You didn’t think you were moving that fast along the steps to the shrine. Your legs didn’t feel like you were moving that fast. It was more like time slowed down, and you felt like you were moving slower. But no matter what the case, you felt the undeniably feeling of your foot missing a step on the rock/concrete steps. And you felt yourself fall forward a little to far for your liking. The next thing you remember was everything going black.

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“Why is she here?” A stern voice asked.

“Kita is gonna be so pissed off at you-” A playful voice teased.

“Watch your language! Remember where you are!” A deep voice scolded.

You groaned softly, from the noise, your head hurting, and being woken up. You felt yourself roll over on what felt like a futon. Your eyes opened for a moment and everything was blurry. Soon you closed them and re-opened them to asses the situation you were in. You sat up slowly and put your hand on your head. Under your fingers you felt bandages around your head. You let out a soft sigh and looked up. There were four people surrounding you.

The first one looked to be fairly younger than the rest of them. His black hair was pointed straight up in a spikey kind of way. He had grey eyes, and thick eyebrows that framed his face in an intimidating way.

The second one had greyish brownish muddies short hair and eyes that matched the color of it. He looked to be a bit older than the first one, but younger than the last one, and the same age as the third one.

The third one had blondish yellowish hair with an undercut that was brown. His eyes were also brown and he held this mischievous smirk on his face as he looked at you. He looked to be older than the first one, the same age as the second one, and younger than the third one.

Finally, the fourth one had very short brown hair, blueish greyish eyes, and darker skin than the other three. Out of all of them he looked the oldest. This was the one that kneeled down and let his eyes wander along the top of your head.

“How are you feeling?” He asked. You recognized his voice as the third one you heard. “Do you feel dizzy? Nauseous? Do you remember your name?”

“Chill with the questions Aran...She can’t answer all of them at once.” The one with the yellow hair said as if he were the smartest man in the world.

“Shut it Atsumu.” He scolded. Aran then looked back at you.

“No. No. And (F/n) (L/n)...Where am I?” You asked looking around you. “Am I in the shrine?”

“Wow...Good job...Someone get her a gold star.” Atsumu snickered.

“Leave her alone.” The second one said crossing his arms.

“Ginjima is right.” Aran replied.

“...I-is Kita gonna be mad at me Aran? I didn’t know what to do with her...I crossed her path and then there was thunder...a-and then she fell...there was so much blood...I got scared...,” The first one said pacing nervously back and forth. You sat there silently.

“Chill Riseki...Kita won’t be mad.” Aran responded.

“No you didn’t.” You replied and looked up at him. “I didn’t see anybody when I came up the steps.” Riseki furrowed his eyebrows when he heard this.

“Yeah you did! We even made eye contact...You asked me to move...,” He said looking confused.

“I said that to an animal...Where you further up the steps? If so I didn’t see you.” You replied.

“I-,” Riseki was about to say before he heard someone walking to the room you all were in. There were two sets of footsteps that could be heard. Two people walked into the room. One of them looked like a carbon copy of the yellowish blondish haired boy. And the other had very noticeable white hair with black tips.

“Is she doing well?” The man with the white and black hair said to Aran.

“Yes...She is up and about and asking questions.” He replied and everyone looked back at you.

“Did she bring an offering?” He asked.

“W-well...Yeah she was on her way up with two when she fell.” Riseki said gently rubbing his arm, a nervous tendency for the young looking boy.

“I guess it can be forgiven.” The white and black haired man spoke again. “Just as long ad you bring another one....What a waste of food..,” He said softly. While his voice held no emotion, it cut through you like a blade.

“So...Are you like the monk that runs this place?” You asked looking up at him. Almost everyone in the room looked at you as if you were stupid.

“I guess you could say that.” He replied.

“Ya aren’t gonna scold him for bringin’ her here?! What the hell Kita!” Atsumu said in a rude tone.

“No..., And watch your tone Miya. Remember where you are.” Kita said and crossed his arms. “He’s young...,” He trailed off.

“Okay but-,” You paused. “Riseki was it? Where you stalking me on my way up?” You questioned.

“N-no!” He shot back at you. “I literally walked in front of you!” He said not raising his voice but just making his words more stern.

“The only thing that walked in front of me on my way up here was a fox.” You said. Then the room went silent.

“Shit!” Riseki cried. The cussing and the sudden yell earned him a wack on the back of the head by Aran.

“It’s okay...We all messed up our first few times...,” The boy with the silver hair that looked like Atsumu said.

“However that still doesn’t excuse it...I know your getting used to this but if you can’t remember what form your in, you’re staying here.” Kita said putting his food down. You were silent until you stood up off the futon on the ground.

“I hit my head harder than I thought...,” You mumbled.

“What?” Atsumu teased. “Don’t believe in Kitsune?”

“Never seen one...or met one...so I couldn’t tell you.” You admitted and looked around. “But I think I’m dreaming at this point so...I’m gonna head home now.” You stretched a bit, eager to get out of whatever kind of a dream this was.

“You aren’t dreaming.” Kita said in his usual monotoned voice that sounded cold and strong. “And you should believe what your elders tell you.” You blinked for a moment and looked around you, at everyone.

“...Prove it...,” You said softly.

“We don’t have to prove anything to you.” Aran chimed in.

“Awe why not~!” Atsumu said playfully. “She’s already seen one of us...no point in hiding it anymore.” And soon his body had morphed. Not too much. But a tail and a pair of ears were visible. The ears were red, and that same fur had adorned the tail, however instead of red fur on the tip, it was black. You blinked then rubbed your eyes.

“Well since now you know. I expect offerings here tomorrow afternoon.” Kita said turning away from you. He started walking out of the room before pausing. “Inari along with all of us expect it now that we have shown you kindness.” And with that he left the room, leaving you in a confused state and looking around at the Kitsune in the room.

“...I don’t believe this...,” You whispered softly.

#miya twins #atsumu x y/n #osamu x y/n #kitsune #haikyuu #anime #xreader #inarizaki

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tanakavox · 4 years

Text

Look into the multiverse

This is being crossposted from fanfiction.net. my react fic. This chapter reacts where done by @hasbrobear (sorry for tagging you two times in a row dude.) Enjoy. The rest will be up here soon.

Are you sure this is the right place?" Mercury asked as he, Cinder and Emerald were walking into a theater. In front of them Salem lead the group.

"Yes, it is. The coordinates are correct from Watts machine." She said as they entered and was met with another group. And a rather large one.

"RUBY!" Cinder said as she raised her bow and pulled her arm back and Emerald and Mercury got ready to fight as Salem sighed.

The other group consisted of Ozpin, Oscar, team RWBY and JNR. Who got in front of the two and pulled their weapons out. Then suddenly all their weapons vanished out of thin air.

"What the!?"

"My Weapons!"

"MY BABY!" Ruby yelled looking for Crescent Rose.

"My legs!" Mercury fell and Emerald started to laugh and covered her mouth while Cinder ran at Ruby who then raised her arms up to fight her. Then before they could reach each other, a light barrier comes between them. "What the!?" Cinder yelled as she roared and punched it. It just glowed.

Then the large screen begins to start, and the groups look at it. Both in confusion and curiosity. Salem decided to tell them. "Look, we have been all brought here o watch these…. Images of ourselves, why and how? I do not know, so unless you want to be forced out, you'll sit down and watch." She said as Ozpin said the same thing and they all sat to watch the large screen.

The scene starts start with Cinder Fall in a library, reading a book. A voice speaks out to her, but she doesn't turn to look, continuing to read the book.

"Cinder its you." Emerald said as Cinder merely looked at her other version, momentarily cursing herself as she looked better there than she did now.

Though the other side were more concerned about why Cinder was there, she could possibly be somewhere that can give her more power, and cinder with more power leads to more concerns.

"So, you're looking for the book of ancient Legends. The tale of the Dark knight warrior known as Ozma?"

"Ozma." Ruby said recalling the story that Jinn had told them about, she looked back at Salem who then looked at her their eyes connected, and she gave ruby a seething glare that made her yelp.

'Ozma as a dark knight huh? Rather flattering title.' Salem thought, just imagining her once love becoming an agent of evil, she shivered a little inside before looking at the screen more.

While Ozpin was more than intrigued about his other self, he had to keep a close eye for any key details in the screen that could help him better understand it.

The speaker steps into the light revealing Raven Branwen, her face having odd look marking on the side.

Cinder still does not turn to look at Raven and closes the book.

"Mom…" Yang said as she lightly glared at the woman, still mad about what happened at the camp, and at Haven. But she was wondering what those markings were as she narrowed her eyes.

"Hmmph, so this was the woman who supposedly slew you." Salem said checking if there were any key things on Raven, so far those markings were the only concern.

Cinder seethed looking at the branwen, wanting nothing more than to kill her.

"That's not what I'm looking for" She replied, placing the book back on the self. "Leave me."

'What is she looking for then.' Ozpin wondered as he was a bit curious about why Raven was there, and what Cinder could possibly want.

"Then what are you looking?" Raven asked, paying Cinder request no mind. The older woman frowns a bit.

"A Demon, that impregnates a woman, who then bears twins. A boy and girl. That is the story isn't it?

Cinder pulls her Kanata from its sheath and points it at Raven, still not having turn her gaze at the older woman.

"Ew…" Nora said a little grossed out about a demon actually doing it with a woman. Though in her mind she imagined it to be some sort of freaky Grimm creature.

Seeing her reaction Cinder raised a brow and so did Salem, it brought some suspicion to her character in the screen. They both had the same thought that this Cinder could be the twin daughter.

"Hmm not bad." Ruby said seeing Cinders Katana, She didn't like the woman, and seeing her weapon didn't like her much more, it was basic in her eyes.

"Leave me." She speaks softly. "I won't tell you a third time."

Some of them were getting a bit pumped and excited for a fight, like Nora and Mercury, though the others wondered what would happen between the two, they were both strong and in their last match Raven came out on top, could she do it again though.

There is a bit of silence as Raven look at the blade, seemly not affected by Cinder's actions. She grabs the blade with two of her fingers.

"People inherently fear evil. However," Raven began as she walked toward the young woman, not caring that the blade sliced her finger. Blood began to drip on the floor.

"Occasionally, a Person may become seduced by evil."

After Raven finished speaking, Cinder finally turns and looks at her, the amber eyed woman , her expression unreadable.

"Uhhh That's… Creepy." Nora commented as she saw how Raven was unfazed by cutting her finger on a long blade. Especially when she saw the blood drip down.

"That's… that's not what your moms like, right?" Blake asked a little frightened by the woman on the screen.

"No, but now I kind of glad she's like how she is." Yang replied while Cinder narrowed her eyes a bit, the raven on the screen must've been like her in a way. Wanting more power.

"What are you getting at?" She inquires, placing her blade back in its sheath.

"What!? No fight scene, no slicing or any action!?" Nora yelled as she wanted to see two enemies fight each other and hoped that Cinder on the screen would fall.

"Calm your beast Ozpin, some of us are trying to watch." Salem said smirking as she saw Nora's glare. She was easy to anger in this situation.

"Its alright Nora just ignore her." Ren said as Jaune nodded and calmed Nora down by patting her shoulder. The Valkyrie sighed and pouted as she sat in her chair.

Raven smiles a bit before responding.

"First… You must share with me the story of Ozma."

"Is anyone else confused, or is it just me?" Oscar asked as he had no idea what was happening in the screen, the others thought the same thing and were utterly confused, even Salem, and Ozpin didn't know what was going on, and one of them didn't like it.

The scene cuts and transitions to a shot of the moon. The sound of blade clashing against each other and as the scene continues there are two figures fighting on top of a large roofless building. As they fight Yang's voice is heard.

"You heard of it haven't you? The legend of Spadra. My father used to tell the story to my sister and I when I was young..."

Ruby and her group were surprised to heard Yang's voice come out and apparently it turns out that Ruby herself was also involved in the story as well.

As she speaks, the two figures continue to fight as it rains.

"Long ago in ancient times, a demon rebel against his own kind for the sake of the human race."

One of the figure's attempts to jab the other with their greatsword, the other parry and attack with a downward slice aimed for the shoulder with their blade. They jump out of the way.

"With his sword, he shut the portal to the demonic realm and sealed the evil entities off from our human world. But since he was a demon himself, his power was also trapped on the other side."

Yang's voice chuckles before she continued.

"I never believed it. I thought it was a child's fairy tale."

"Yeah. We thought fairy tales weren't real too." Jaune said as team RWBY and his team agreed. Ever since the Maidens, and other stories were actually real, they didn't know what to believe now.

The two opponents slice and swipe and each other landing the blows. Blood spills to the ground and is washed away by the rain as the two keep going despite this.

"But I discovered that this so-called legend wasn't a myth. Ozma existed."

Yang's voice wavered as she said it, as if she still couldn't believe that it was true.

"How do I know? Well…" She trailed off.

The two were lock in an exchange, sparks flying as the sound of blade clashing once again appeared. The one of their face's where finally shown and one was Jaune Arc.

"Hey look jaune, its you!" Nora said as she looked at her leader who was mostly confused about this,

"I met the children of Ozma… Both of them."

The second figure face was also shown. It was Cinder Fall from earlier.

"Though the blood the same blood of their father flowed through their veins, the two battle each other fiercely like arch enemies.

Cinder and Jaune's clash of blades became faster and fiercer to the point where their blades could not be seen as anymore but blurs. The two of them move fast enough that it seem like the rain had come to a standstill. They smacked their blade into each other and the shockwave from it made a small slash from the water on the ground. They were lock against each other, staring each other dead in the eyes.

Everyone's eyes widened when they saw and heard what Yang was talking about. "No way." Nora said as she realized that Jaune, and Cinder were siblings in this.

"Your kidding me." Cinder said as she looked at Jaune who just looked more annoyed and confused about the ordeal.

"It seemed as if they derived some sort of twisted pleasure from this sibling rivalry."

And true to Yang's words, we see that Jaune and Cinder are enjoying the fight as they both has smirked at each other. But then with a flick of her wrist, Cinder sends Jaune's sword flying away. And in that moment take her chance to impale her brother with her blade, driving into his abdomen a bit before yanking it out. Jaune begins to fall to his back.

"But in the end…"

Jaune lay on the ground of his back and Cinder runs her fingers through her hair, trying to dry it off.

"Only one was left standing"

"What!?" Ruby said as she saw that Jaune had apparently died. She like her other friends were pissed and gave cinders glares, while the fall maiden was passive about it.

Cinder goes to pick up Jaune's sword and walks away. As her brother tries to get up, she turns around. The scene cuts once again and is on a black screen. The only noise that can be heard is the sound of a telephone ringing. It then shows a room. There a drum set in one corner, a pool table in one, a jukebox in near a door that leads out outside. In the middle of the room was a desk and it had the ringing phone as well as a box of pizza. A shirtless Jaune shows up drying his hair as he walks toward the desk, he kicks the chair up to its legs, and as he sits down place his feet on the desk hard enough for the phone to launch up. He catches answering the call.

"Hey, look guys he's alive! Jaune your alive!" Nora said excitingly as she shook her leader and made him yell out as she and the others were glad their friend hadn't died. Meanwhile Cinder let out a groan seeing that he wasn't dead.

Though as they were relieved one girl among them had her cheeks dusted red when she saw Jaune's toned body on the screen and looked at the original before blushing more and turning to see what else would happen.

"Sorry, not open for business yet." Jaune throw the phone back on the stand, ending the call. He sighs and grabs a slice of pizza

"I haven't even picked a name for this joint and I'm already getting calls."

Raven enter the shop to see Jaune eating his pizza. The blonde stops eating to look at the red eyed woman.

"You a customer too?" He asked, looking annoyed. "Well, if you wanna use the bathroom help yourself. The toilet's in the back."

"I don't think she there for that." Nora pointed out while Yang focused on what she would do.

Raven pay him no mind and walk around the room, almost like she was a vulture waiting to strike.

"Is your name Jaune? Son of Ozma?"

Jaune turns and glare at the woman.

"Where did you hear that?" He questioned.

"Guessing he's still pissed about the stab."

Raven smirks and walk up to the desk with her arms behind her back.

"From your sister." She looks down and see the neckless Jaune was wearing. Raven look at it for a few seconds before continuing.

'Why was she look at the necklace so much.' Salem and Ozpin thought as they focused on her and the item of interest.

"She sent this invitation for you." She said. "Please accept it."

After saying that she flips the desk over, Jaune jumping as soon as she does. He lands on his feet and pulls out a pistol to shoot her, but she had all but disappear. The son of Ozma places his gun away, walking forward and catching the pizza box in his hand.

Yang groaned and crossed her arms annoyed. "She ran away of course."

"This jaune is very acrobatic" Blake noticed and said while Ruby drools over the guns, and more than just one.

"Invitation huh?" He mutters to himself. The demon hybrid goes to take a bite out of a slice of pizza but suddenly, several creature's wielding scythe appear and impaled the young man on them. Blood spilled on the floor.

"GAAAHHHH!/JAUNE!" Nora and Ruby screamed thinking jaune had died while the others on their side looked in shock.

Jaune then thrusted his palm forward, smacking the creature away from him killing it. The creatures look up to see the Son of Ozma twirling the mask that their ally wore on his fingertips. Jaune walks forward, with blades in his arms and legs, dragging along one of the creatures for a ride. Seemly not bothered by the implement. He goes over to the to his jukebox, kicking the demon he dragged along and grabbling a slice of Pizza. The Blonde rip a blade out of his chest and toss it up at one of his celling fans, causing it to fall on top of a few demon.

Everyone was shocked that Jaune is still alive and kicking. While Ozpin and Salem think that Jaune might be immortal like the grimm queen herself.

"This party's getting crazy! Let's rock!" He cheers and goes to turn on his jukebox, but it's doesn't work. He tries a few more time before slamming his fist into the jukebox hard enough to dent it and music starts to play, tapping his foot in tone with the music. Jaune goes on to take down the demon with ease, using the blades on his arms and legs to kill the demons. Using his guns Evory and Ivory to shoot them to bit, using one of the demons as a skateboard as he shoots the others while pass by. Grabbing his sword and flipping his pool table to shoot one pool ball and having it collide with all the other to smack the demons it the face. In no time the demons were defeated. Jaune look over his office with a frown.

They laugh at Jaune's attempts to turn on his jukebox. Jaune slumped a bit while yang smirked and patted his shoulder.

Then everyone Expressed their surprise that that how well he's able to fight while Ruby drools a bit over his gun skills and his sword.

"Damnit. Already wreck the place up and I haven't even named it yet. Cinder better pay up."

He smiles however and grabs his jacket.

"Well Cindy. I can tell this is gonna be one hell of a party!" He shouts kicking down his door.

Then as he moved the screen turned off. "'WHAT!? It can't end there!" Nora said as Ruby let out her own groan at the action being stopped.

The viewers in the theatre do take notice to the screen turns back on and a song plays. It seems like another is going to play.

#rwby #rwby jaune arc #rwby ruby rose #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #rwby mercury black #salem #ozpin #cinder fall #emerald sustrai #rwby nora valkyrie #rwby lie ren #react fic #dmc au #look into the multiverse #rwby raven branwen

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artificialqueens · 3 years

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One for the Books (Rosnali) - Athena2

Summary: Denali works in the children's section of a library and falls instantly in love with Rosé after she comes in with her daughter.

A/N: This is just a fluffy little one-shot I finally finished and wanted to share. Thank you so much to Writ for beta-ing and encouraging me to post this! I hope you enjoy, and please leave feedback if you'd like!

It’s a rare day that Denali gets flustered at work. She works in the children’s section of a public library, where only one baby spitting up on the rug during story time is a good day. She’s handled crying kids and arts and crafts messes that look like horror movie sets and become more familiar with disinfecting wipes than she thought possible. Nothing really phases her.

Except the woman at the desk right now.

She has waves of red hair and the kind of smile you see on TV, one that softens her face and rounds her rosy cheeks. She has an adorable kid on her hip, and Denali can’t look from the gentle curves of the woman’s arms as she holds her.

“Um, how can I help you?” Denali manages.

“Hi, can I make a library card?”

“Sure!” Denali tugs on the drawer of cards and applications so hard it nearly flies out of the cabinet. She grabs a bright yellow card and watches the woman fill out the application in the elegant cursive Denali wanted to snap her pencils trying to learn in second grade.

Denali usually types the patron’s information in the system on autopilot, not even noticing their names. But she looks at the woman’s—Rosé, her name is Rosé—application like it’s a study sheet for a test, like the curves of the letters and her phone number will reveal her secrets.

No secrets are revealed, though, and Denali passes her the card.

“Thank you.” Rosé smiles.

“The tigers, Mommy!” A little voice says impatiently, and Rosé laughs.

“Right, right. Um, can you tell me where the books about tigers are? Luna loves them.”

Denali finally turns her gaze away from Rosé long enough to take in the little girl in her arms. She’s around three and a mini Rosé, with red hair in two fluffy pigtails and a toothy grin. There’s a stuffed tiger tucked securely under her arm, and Denali smiles.

“What’s your tiger’s name?” she asks.

“Hunter,” Luna says, moving the stuffed animal’s head so Denali can see.

“He looks great,” Denali says. “I can show you where the books are, if that’s okay.”

“Perfect,” Rosé says.

Perfect. It echoes in Denali’s head as she leads Rosé over to the books. Maybe it's a good sign. After all, Rosé could’ve insisted on getting the books herself, but she let Denali show her instead, and—

Yeah, Denali is already head over heels for this woman.

She’s had crushes before, but she usually doesn’t fall this hard or this fast. Especially not someone she’s known for all of a minute. But something about Rosé makes Denali feel like she’s known her all her life.

Denali clears her throat. “Here’s all the books about tigers. There are a bunch of other animal books too, if you want to check those out. I’m Denali, by the way. If you need anything else.”

“Thank you so much,” Rosé says, and Denali forces herself back to the desk because she can’t just stand there forever.

She watches Rosé kneel down on the floor with Luna, pulling out book after book and showing each one to her. There’s a softness in Rosé, in how patient she is, in how carefully she re-ties her daughter’s itty-bitty pink Converse. She’s beautiful as she is, but her genuine smile and kind eyes around her daughter make her even more beautiful, and Denali wants to take it every second. When Rosé takes the stack of books to the chair in the corner, pulls Luna into her lap, and starts reading to her, making funny faces and showing her all the pictures, Denali’s heart damn near explodes.

“Girl, get a grip.”

“Wh—huh?” Denali whirls around to see Symone watching with a smirk on her face.

“You’re basically drooling.”

“I am not!” Denali wipes her mouth self-consciously anyway. She spends the next half hour trying to busy herself in cleaning the desk, but she just shuffles the same five pens around and keeps watching Rosé be adorable with her daughter. When she comes up to the desk to check out her books, Denali leaps to the computer to do them for her. Rosé manages to hold the entire stack in one arm and her daughter in the other, and Denali wonders if Rosé’s arms could hold her. She can’t stop imagining herself nestled within them.

“Mommy, can we get ice cream?” Luna asks, smiling hopefully.

“Okay.”

Denali grins as Luna cheers.

Rosé rolls her eyes fondly. “She’d eat ice cream every day if I let her,” she says to Denali.

“I’d eat ice cream every day if I let me,” Denali says, and Rosé gives another infectious laugh.

“Thank you for your help. We should be back soon.”

“I’ll be here,” Denali says, nonchalant even though she knows she’ll be counting down the days.

—-

Rosé comes back the next Saturday, and the one after that. Denali used to loathe the Saturday shifts she got stuck with, the day filled with either absolute screaming chaos or absolute mind-numbing boredom with no in-between, but she quickly gets used to Rosé coming in and making small talk with her while she checks out her books. Before long, she’s actually looking forward to Saturdays, to the tiny window she gets to see Rosé, making silly faces for her daughter and laughing at all Denali’s jokes.

Denali’s heart leaps in her chest when she sees a glimpse of red hair come through the door, and she gives Rosé a little wave and doesn't care how dorky it is, how desperate she looks. Rosé smiles and waves back to Denali as best she can with arms full of toddler and books. She sets the stack on the desk with a sigh, shifting Luna to her other arm.

“Getting your workout in?” Denali teases.

Rosé snorts. “Definitely. The books are about as heavy as she is, I’ve been reading her three or four a night.”

“You can return these in the box outside, you know,” Denali says as she scans them in. “If you don’t want to carry them all the way in here.”

Rosé bites her lip. “But that’s one less time I’d get to talk to you.”

The book slips through Denali’s hands and hits the counter, her cheeks on fire. Her heart skips a beat, then resumes its rhythm with a deep pounding in her chest. Rosé likes talking to her. Rosé likes talking to her so much she lugs a pile of books in here just to do it, and it's a few seconds before Denali can speak again. “Are you--are you getting any other books today?” she stammers.

Rosé shakes her head. “Nah, I just wanted to stop in quick and drop these off. I’m taking Luna to the zoo today.”

“To see the tigers!” Luna adds happily.

Rosé smiles. “That’s right. We’re gonna see all the tigers.”

Denali smiles too, her heartbeat finally returning to normal. “I hope you have fun. Say hi to the tigers for me, okay?”

“We will. See you next week.”

“See you.”

Denali really, really wishes she was going to the zoo too.

---

Denali is still coasting on the high of Rosé’s latest visit a week later, even if neither of them has done anything to capitalize on her comment about enjoying her talks with Denali. But Denali knows the interest is there, knows the way Rosé’s eyes shine when she looks at her aren’t just her imagination. Denali will keep testing the waters, let herself be a little more flirty, and one of these weeks, she’ll fully make her move.

The thought keeps her going all day, through the disastrous clean-up after someone spills an entire box of crayons--the 96-pack, of course--and through the reorganization of the mess someone made of the fairy tale collection. She’s giving the furniture a once-over when she spots a familiar stuffed tiger on the chair, her mind filling with the image of Rosé reading to her daughter here this morning. Luna must have forgotten the tiger, and Rosé was so busy juggling all their books that she must not have noticed.

She could just hold the tiger until the next time Rosé comes in, which will hopefully be soon. But she thinks of how fiercely Luna clings to the tiger and Denali can’t make her go without it; Denali was a stuffed animal kid herself, each one with a name and backstory and assigned night for sleeping with her. Plus the library is closed on Sundays, so the earliest Rosé could get it would be Monday morning, and Denali winces thinking of how rough two nights without the tiger might be for Luna.

Or she can just call Rosé.

Every patron in the library system has a phone number and address in their profile, and though she can’t remember Rosé’s last name, she’s the only Rosé in the system. Finding her phone number won’t take more than five seconds. It feels personal, almost intimate, somehow, looking Rosé up like this, calling her because Denali recognized her daughter’s stuffed tiger. Really, though, it’s no different from looking up a patron’s number to tell them a book they ordered came in, and Denali does that all day--heck, she gets paid to do that all day. This shouldn't be any different. She dials the number before she can think about it too much, warning the butterflies in her stomach to settle down.

“Hello?”

“Um, Rosé?”

“Yes.”

“It’s Denali. You know, from the library. Anyway, I was cleaning up and I found a certain stuffed tiger hanging out on the chair, and I bet someone’s really missing him.”

“Oh, thank God.” Rosé sighs, and Denali can practically see her body slumping in relief. “We just noticed him missing an hour ago, I’ve been going everywhere we went today looking for it. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“I’ll be here,” Denali promises.

“Thank you, Denali. Really.”

Rosé is so sincere that Denali’s grateful they’re just talking on the phone and Rosé can’t see her blushing. The tiger keeps her company at the desk until Rosé rushes in, her cheeks flushed and hair messy. Luna looks equally stressed, and Denali can tell she’s been crying. She jumps up from the desk and hangs the tiger to Luna, who hugs it to her chest and sniffles.

“Thank you so much,” Rosé says. “Luna, can you say thank you to Miss Denali?”

“Thank you Miss Nali,” Luna says, and Denali’s heart just about melts.

“You’re welcome.”

Luna runs off to play with the blocks, and Rosé leans against the desk with Denali to watch her.

“I’m so sorry I had to bother you with this,” Rosé says, running a hand through her hair. “I should’ve noticed she didn’t have it, I just—“

Denali brushes her off. “Please. I had to kick a teenager off the computer for watching porn this morning. Holding onto a stuffed animal is one of the better things I’ve had to do today.”

Denali is wondering if that was too much information when Rosé bursts into laughter, so infectious that Denali laughs with her.

“Seriously?” Rosé asks.

“Pretty much a typical day in the library,” Denali says.

Rosé snorts and shakes her head. “Anyway, I mean, if there’s something I could do to thank you—“

“I like ice cream,” Denali blurts, cheeks instantly burning. “I mean, uh—“

“Are you suggesting an ice cream date?” Rosé asks, raising her eyebrow.

“I am,” Denali says confidently, because apparently today is the day she’s making her move.

Rosé breaks into a grin. “It’s a date.”

#rpdr fanfiction #s13 #denali foxx #rosé #rosnali #lesbian au #fluff #athena2 #concrit welcome #submission

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