#she's distant and uncaring to the rest of humanity but softens a little when she's around you

[binah-beloved]

Binyah is amazing, but consider the following:

Kitsune Binah

you're so right

Binah who inhabits a small, worn shrine in a forest tucked away in the mountains. she's never had many visitors, which is fine by her, viewing humanity with apathy and distaste. all of them are fools, destroying everything before destroying themselves- the few who dared to approach her shrine for blessings soon found their lives tormented by the kitsune's sadistic whims. rumors spread, and her shrine eventually fell silent

she senses movement one day, centuries later. a single, lone human with a bucket and brush and a determined expression. you survey the moss and vines overtaking the shrine, rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. it takes a few- several- hours to clean the shrine, and even then you can't do anything about the broken posts and rotted wood, but you still toss a few coins into the box as an offering. Binah tilts her head, listening- yet, you wish for nothing, only waving goodbye as you depart- and her ears twitch. curious... what a curious human, coming in and cleaning up and causing this faint stir in her cold heart

there's a fox following you home, black and gold and faster than lightning, watching your every move

[vendettamuses]

@maximuses SAID: He should have known the answer to his own question. Should have seen why Volt accompanied him across the country on a whim. Ever since that talk back in Night City, there was just a new sort of uncertainty that bubbled in his gut; made him question things. Part of him despised it. He never once questioned the why to things. He just did them. Every movement of his was calculated. Driven by survival. But part of him was oddly welcoming to the questionability of things. There was an excitement to being surprised. Yet he couldn't explain why. Perhaps it was simply because it was Volt. Perhaps that humanity he'd thrown away forever ago was still lingering within him, haunting his core and sinking silken fingers between the mechanical threads that kept his heart beating. Tugging st him ever so gently. Coaxing him.

Coaxing him as her hand rested on his had. Swelling him with an uneasy sense of confidence as he stood and pulled her with him. As the words finally left him, softening as his intense gaze met hers.

'Let me show you around.'

The flashing neons of the Big Apple made Night City look sickly in comparison. Crowds bustles through the streets, packed together like ants and truly allowing the duo to vanish. Here, nobody spared a second glance. Everyone had their own agenda and they stuck to it, unassuming and uncaring. Adam didn't seem fazed by it, pushing past the waves of passersby as he kept a solid grip on Volt's hand to keep her from washing away in it all. He peered over his shoulder every now and again, making sure his partner was still there with him. Making sure that electrical buzz between his fingers was real.

She was; it was. Real as all the sights they had stopped to see.

Eventually, the pair found themselves at the footing of what appeared to be an abandoned bar. Yet to Adam, it was so much more than that. There was history here. History that the solo felt he was finally ready to confront. To allow Volt into. Strong hands grasped at the bottom of a shut window, shutters creaking and groaning as he braced himself and pushed them aside. One foot in, then the next. His shoulders raised when he'd found himself inside, a quiet sigh escaping him when the reality sunk in. A strong hand extended, allowing itself to help Volt climb through should she need the assistance.

There was a long bout of silence. "Where it all began," he finally started.

The days before borging out; before Adam even considered joining ranks with the military to rack up chrome. Here, Adam was just... Adam. Was a scraggly street merc without a penny to his name, surrounded by a group of people he'd considered some of his best friends. Now, he was merely surrounded by ghosts. Distant memories of his first crew tucked away between dusted floorboards and rusting kitchenware. Flickering lights. A subtle cooling. The remnants of a squater's camp. Beers. He grabbed the bottles and set them on the bar top, sliding one toward Volt.

"Came back here only a handful of times. Second crew used it as a fallback until they disbanded." They'd backpacked back after a job gone wrong. Adam was in pieces then, barely alive. It was one of the last jobs he did with a proper crew for a long time. That was, until he'd met Rogue again. "Hard to believe it held up. Was built in... '90. Was only a kid when the owners set it up."

A faint smile, followed by a glance toward his companion. A glimmer of something deep within those eyes of his. A dream? He'd never say it himself. A preoccupied glance around, gaze falling on the cracked jukebox to avoid the inevitable question of what it was turning his gears. An abandoned drink followed by trudging steps, fingers prodding at the buttons until it proved fruitless. Worth the shot, he thought, returning to his spot by the bar. Wordlessly, he patted the stool next to him. An invitation for her to join.

// A continuation from this

One word. Four little letters.

Nothing at all. Not normally anyway. But when she said it...

New York felt so much like Night City. The blinding lights, the smell of the streets, the sounds of chattering and foot traffic on the pavement, the feeling of warmth from the masses of bodies traveling around them like a herd of shuffling beasts. And yet, it was so much brighter here. The layout of the streets was unfamiliar. All the landmarks were different, the people more introverted even in their bustling crowds. Life was busier here. And at first, that made Volt nervous.

But Adam grabbed her hand, drawing her gaze up from the overwhelming scene, and those five little words were enough to let her suck in a breath, smile, and nod.

He cut through the crowd, navigating it with all the practiced ease of a local. Just as familiar with it all now as he had been all those decades ago. He looked back at her, his hand never wavering from hers. And every time, she was beaming at him, that familiar blush dusting her freckled cheeks and sending a little flicker to his chest. She’d squeeze his fingers and come a little closer, drawn to him like their was a magnetic pull between hem pulling them closer every time their eyes met. It carried them to the bar, away from the roaring stampedes of city patrons and civilians into an old abandoned bar. She watched him pry open the window, knocking off old boards and shutters that had been use to condemn with ease. So much ease that it almost seemed graceful.

She watched him disappear inside and looked around to make sure nobody else would notice them before following him in at his signal. Sliding through the open window revealed a crumbling interior that was just as deteriorated and dilapidated as the outside. It seemed almost sad how the place had fallen apart. She could sense that the place had once been lively. Now, only the ghosts of those moment remained. It made her squeeze Adam’s hand tighter as he spoke.

"Where it all began," 

She caught the bottle as he slid it towards her and looked at the label and cap.

Still sealed. Still good. She popped it open and listened, her eyes never leaving him.

"Came back here only a handful of times. Second crew used it as a fallback until they disbanded. Hard to believe it held up. Was built in... '90. Was only a kid when the owners set it up."

She smiled back at him, though it was melancholy. Adam showed very little, but time had wisened Volt to recognize the worlds of meaning behind his miniscule gestures. The infinite words behind every move, great and small, every twitch of a facial muscle, every cold, stubborn, closed-off stance. She still wasn’t perfect, but she felt she’d come a long way in understanding Adam. And he knew it too. It was why, instead of joining him in the seat beside him, she smiled and walked over to the jukebox with a soft “let me take a crack at it.”

She pulled it back from the wall and leaned down to inspect it. Time had worn it down. A lot of the parts had age-damage to them, but nothing that would stop them from functioning. It still had an independent power source that still had some juice - a common trick for machines in the 80s. It only took a bit more rummaging to find the unplugged section of cables and link them back. With a crackle and a flicker, the old jukebox purred to life. It took a few seconds to stabilize and properly boot. Adam watched, somewhat impressed over a few pulls of beer as she loomed over the device and looked through the records. A moment after she plucked up an old nickel with no face left and slipped it in to pick a song, she practically skipped back over to him. 

There was a vintage quality to Whitney Houston’s voice as I Wanna Dance With Somebody came on. A familiar warmth rang in the static, the kind that only could come from an old record. His gaze was torn from the jukebox filling the otherwise quiet space with the muted music when Volt suddenly took his empty hand, gently tugging at his arm in an attempt to get his butt of the seat. Now it was his turn to melt a little

“Come on - dance with me, baby!” She chirped, giving him that familiar sweet grin.

Certainly the fact that she wanted him contributed to it. The idea that someone wanted his company and was so willing and open about showing it - about showing him how happy he made them - it astounded him and shook up that stony appearance he maintained. But Volt had a special way of not just cracking that shell, but making him melt out between the gaps. Gooey. Soft, even, if just for a moment. (It never stayed. But the fact she could do it all was what made his guts turn in a way that he couldn’t say wasn’t pleasant.) She called him baby, 

One word. Four little letters. Nothing at all. Not normally anyway. But when she said it... God, when she said it.  It felt like his world stopped. He felt himself freeze up and he could swear his heart stuttered and his mind went blank. He never knew how to respond to that. That one word, spoken with some delight and adoration and sweetness. He ever heard anyone address him like that. And paired with those big blue eyes and that smile... It did things to him. Things that lasted all of maybe a second or two - but it was so jarring that it always felt like an hours-long encounter that he had to take time and recover from. It overwhelmed him so easily in ways he couldn’t explain. All the little sparks and the flutters she could elicit in him. Infuriatingly unfamiliar, and yet somehow comforting.

One word. Four little letters.

Nothing at all. Not normally anyway. But when she said it...

How could he say no?

He shook his head, trying his damnedest to fight the little grin that spread across his lips as he set his drink down and pushed himself off the stool. He gathered the little merc up in his arms, trying hard to ignore the flutter in his chest tickled him as she rested her hands on his shoulders and pulled him closer. This was going to be a disaster and he knew it. But god damn it, if there wasn’t something so persuasive about that goofy, giddy-ass smile she gave him. That look in her eyes telling him she didn’t care if they were no good at it, if they fell on their asses, if they were complete dumbasses for trying. All that mattered to her was that it was him and her doing it together. So they wobbled, and they teased each other, and they stepped on each other’s feet.

“That’s it, there ya go, baby.” She cooed so sweetly, and Adam felt his mind freeze again. It didn’t last quite as long as the first time but God was it still jarring. Accompanied by the surge of sparks across his body from everywhere they touched. He felt overloaded with the warmth that spread through him from it. Damn it. How could one word have him shutting down like this? How could one word have him feeling like this?

One word. Four little letters.

Nothing at all. Not normally anyway. But when she said it...

How could he love anybody else?

[lochdandloaded]

Moments On The Lake (Oneshot)

Rating: M Pairing(s): McHanzo (Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada) Warnings/Triggers: Mentions of blood, mild swearing, description of corpses Notes: Mermaid AU, Human!Hanzo,  Summary: Moments of a relationship seen through the most loyal eyes, or how Iwanko learnt to love the merman bomb.

Once again, a fic for @kannibal‘s MerCree AU over on Twitter (go check it out for more info and art!!). A doggo POV oneshot this time, exploring Hanzo and McCree’s relationship through their eyes.

AO3 || Twitter || Ko-Fi || Storenvy

Read below the cut

Translations: Chichi - Dad Youfusama - Father Shinnyuu - New guy Chiisha - Dad's guy Gup - Short for guppy, aka the mermaid equivalent of babe/baby

It was a day like any other, out on the ice caps with Youfusama holding the treats while showing what the buttons on his strange flat pad did. Distant eeping signaled the trackers in the area yet to be cataloged, and it was now Iwanko and Sister’s job to find them for their final training session Youfusama made it clear that this was their most important task to date - everything rested on them passing this test!

So of course, Iwanko wasn’t happy when the Sea Monster came and ruined it all.

He’d been at the edge of the caps, steering clear of the water whilst following the walrus the last tracker was attached to. It was staying underwater, which meant he couldn’t get close, which meant he would fail and Iwanko couldn't let that happen—

A large splash knocked Iwanko back and soaked him, covering him in The Bad Place smell and scarning off his target. He shook himself dry and growled as a large shadow fell over him.

“Hey there, lil’ fella. You lookin’ for somethin’?”

Narrowed red eyes. Claws longer than his head. Large fangs twice as sharp as his own, and rippling muscles in a twisted body of man and sea dog: Sea Monster. The Bad Place was coming for him, for Sister, and Youfu—

Iwanko surged forward, teeth bared, and snapped down on the closest limb. The monster flailed and yelled, but Iwanko held on tight. The skin was rough against his tongue and his teeth ached as he put all of his strength into the bite. The limb lifted up, nearly taking Iwanko off his feet. He dug his claws into the ice and flattened his ears, snarling loudly as the monster struggled in vain.

“Iwanko!”

Youfusama?

Sister barreled into him, knocking Iwanko off his feet and forcing him off the Sea Monster. She curled up into his space, nuzzling his fur and nibbling his muzzle. He barked and shoved her off, nipping back at Siser. She wagged her tail and climbed all over, pinning him in place.

Youfusama came into view as he jogged over, breathing hard and gaze darting around the scene. Iwanko sat up against Sister, waiting for Youfusama’s assessment on his defense.

Sea Monster clambered up fully onto the ice towards Youfusama, revealing the full extent of its half-human, half… seal body. It cradled its left fin in its claw, flexing muscles and speaking in a low tone. Youfusama went over to it (WHAT) and fussed over the fin, replying in kind- the same way he did over Iwanko’s scarred paw or Sister’s tangled up harness.

What was he doing! Couldn’t he see the danger the Sea Monster brought?! They had to run, get far away before it dragged them all under the water!

Youfusama stood straight and adjusted his furs, still speaking. Sea Monster spoke back and nudged close enough to bump hips. Iwanko growled but Sister held him down on the ice could jump in to defeat the creature. The Sea Monster towered over Youfusama, a glint in his winking eye that wasn’t t be trusted.

Youfusama rolled his eyes and grumbled, but his face brightened in a similar way to how it did in front of a fire It wasn’t warm now, so why was he red? Sea Monster saw it and chuckled as Youfusama turned and walked over.

“Iwanko, Hachiko—” They scrambled to sit up properly, tails wagging and backs ramrod straight. “ — this is Jesse. He’s not human like me or the other agents, but he IS a friend. I trust you both to behave around him.”

The Sea Monster, a friend ?! Had Youfusama lost his mind?!

“I mean it, Iwanko.” He switched to the Old Language, a stern look in his eye. Iwanko lowered his growl to a whimper and glared at Sea Monster.

It bared its teeth at them and waved its claws around. Sister barked happily and bounced on her paws in her strange, little dance. Youfusama smiled and ruffled her fur, letting her run off to the Sea Monster. He grabbed Iwanko’s harness before he could intervene, and watched as she jumped onto the monster, licking its face and begging for attention like the traitor she was.

Youfusama scratched behind his ears and Iwanko leant into the touch, whining quietly.

“Try your best, Iwacchi.” Youfusama muttered, still watching Sister and the Sea Monster play around on the ice. Iwanko pouted at the sight, how captivated Youfusama seemed by the Sea Monster’s antics

How easily he smiled at it and laughed, and softened — all things meant for him and Sister alone.

Iwanko kept his eye on the playfulness, an edge set to his fangs. If Sea Monster was supposed to be a friend, then that meant it would be around more often; taking Youfusama’s attention, covering them with its salty musk before pulling them under the waves for good. Youfusama was being tricked!

But not Iwanko. No, he wouldn’t be tricked.

No matter what, he wouldn’t let the Sea Monster get the upper hand over him and his pack.

0XX0

Ever since Shinnyuu had visited and gifted Chichi the soft feather shawl, Brother had been annoyed by the gift’s existence and growled whenever he smelt it nearby. Chichi ignored him and wore it everyday over his furs, indoors and out. He even took it with his luggage when they went to other bases! He smiled more freely, lost himself in thought, perked up whenever Shinnyuu was brought up.

So when Chichi began to spend his free time hunched over his office desk with yards of cord, rope, strong and seashells all over the place, Hachiko knew everything was going to change for the better.

(Brother didn’t agree, but what did he know of a seal man so clearly enamoured by their wonderful Chichi?

One way or another, hachiko would find a way to help Shinnyuu mate with Chichi. No matter what Brother thought!)

Hachiko sat by Chichi’s desk as he wove his materials in a pattern she didn’t understand, watching with a keen eye and perked up ears. He scratched her ears but didn’t pause in his crafting, though his gaze drifted to a distance only he could see. Hachiko licked his fingers and yipped at him.

“He’s a strange one, he is.” Shinnyuu? Hachiko tilted her head as Chichi sighed, fiddling with the red cord. “Of course he is, he’s a merman for God’s sake!”

She rested her head on his arm and waited as he wrestled with his words. Eventually, Chichi groaned and put down his work to pull her up into his lap, arms wrapped tightly around her. Hachiko curled up against his chest and nuzzled him, tail wagging slowly. She couldn’t fit as well as she used to when they first met, but Chichi was strong enough to hold her up for hours.

“I don’t know, Hachi. He’s a friend, a real one.” He kissed the top of her head, stroking down her neck. “I feel like I can truly be myself around him; he doesn’t have any expectations of me or the Shimada name. It’s… refreshing.”

He stalled in his strokes. Hachiko whined and licked his jaw, then nipped his fingers when he pushed her down.

“I like him. I really like him, Hachi. Obviously someone as forked up as me would fall for a merman of all things.”

Hachiko growled at his hollow laugh and bit his chin, squirming in his hold until he pinned her down with a glare. Chichi couldn’t talk about himself or Shinnyuu that way!

“I could do worse. At least Jesse is a kind man; he’ll turn me down gently.”

Hachiko pouted and whined louder. Didn’t Chichi know Shinnyuu wanted him? Couldn’t he smell how his musk shifted whenever Chichi came close to him, or see how Shinnyuu presented himself when Chichi gazed too long? Shinnyuu was practically begging to be mounted! Everything he did was an obvious sign that he wanted to be mates and have their own pack!

Hachiko sat up, panting. Starting their own pack would mean puppies! More Brothers and Sisters for her to play with and look after! A real pack for her and Brother to be a part of!

Oh, this was fantastic!! Hachiko had to make Chichi see how much Shinnyuu wanted this too. And she would .

(No no, he wasn’t Shinnyuu, not really. He was Chiisha!)

With one last nip, Hachiko jumped off Chichi’s lap and trotted out of his office to go find Brother. Even if he didn’t like Chiisha, he would love to have puppies around! They both missed having a larger pack to play and hunt with - this would be the best news Brother ever heard!

0XX0

It was not the best news Brother had ever heard.

The very thought of Chichi and Chiisha mating was the most offensive idea Brother had heard, and he refused to accept how smitten their Chichi was by his seal man.

This went so far as to squeeze between them during their courting exchanges - as Chiisha called them - and interrupting their moments of rare quiet. He even stopped Chichi from initiating mating with Chiisha! Hachiko bit his scarred paw for that, and they both ended up locked in the kennels for the night over it.

Chichi didn’t tolerate Brother’s plotting for long, and it worked out for him when, one evening, he and Chiisha came back from swimming in such high spirits, Hachiko couldn’t help but be curious about what happened while they were out on their own.

(Brother was less than enthusiastic.)

Chiisha was tailing behind Chichi, a wide grin on his flushed face as he wildly gestured. Chichi was smirking, also brightly flushed, loose limbed and seemingly uncaring as to who saw him. So unlike the Chichi she knew!

Hachiko stopped in her path to them when Chiisha took Chichi’s wrist, tugging him back into his space and leaning in close. Chichi froze in place, staring wide eyed up at Chiisha while his hands writhed at his sides, aching to mirror Chiisha’s claws ghosting over Chichi’s cheek. Hachiko quashed down her barks and sat down, barely containing her excitement in the hectic wag of her tail.

“Do it again, darlin’. Please .” Chiisha’s voice was so quiet, barely a whisper on the wind. Chichi shivered nonetheless, gaze flitting down Chiisha’s face.

“I’ve shown you enough times.” Chichi replied with a fake grumble, eyes now half-lidded and looking anywhere but in front of him. Chiisha laughed softly and tilted his chin up to meet him, resting their foreheads together.

“Just once more, it’ll stick this time.” Hachiko leaned in, ears perked up high to catch the quiet voices.

“Somehow I doubt that.” Chichi chuckled and he closed his eyes, finally moving his hands up Chiisha’s arms to hold him close. They moved in, lips brushing and hearts skipping, just like Old Master did with their mate—!

A Brother-shaped blur pounced on to Chiisha’s tail, barking madly. They sprang apart, static flying in the space left behind - a flash in Chichi’s eyes - and Hachiko rushed over to yap at her dumb brother for ruining such a perfect moment!

Said brother was clinging to Chiisha’s tail, claws caught on the fur, and lips curled up in a snarl directed as Chiisha. He and Chichi watched as Brother’s hackles raised, voicing every negative opinion he had towards their coupling. Hachiko kept barking at him, jumping up to try and dislodge him but he was firmly seated.

What was he doing?! Didn’t he want their Chichi to be happy?

Or for the pack to grow stronger?

Why was he letting his stupid ocean fear get in the way of their family?

Brother had no answer for her, as he kept growling at Chiisha. Chichi breathed, in through the nose and slowly out of his mouth whenever he was angry (at her?), and marched over. Hachiko sat down on the grass silently, ready to bare her belly. Brother didn’t budge.

Chichi snatched Brother from his perch by his scruff and it knocked him out of his angered trance. Immediately, he slackened and whined, even tried to lick Chichi’s face. He was planted on the ground next to Hachiko, and Chichi knelt in front of them, his expression something she had never seen directed at them before.

“That,” He said lowly in the Old Language, face darkening. “was incredibly inappropriate behaviour. Hachiko, go back to the hub; Iwanko, you will apologise to Jesse this instant .”

A duet of whines were cut short by another flash in his eyes and they stood, tails between their legs and heads low. Hachiko glanced to Brother, the regret and conflict running off him in waves. She cried and quickly nipped his muzzle, sending her well wishes through a brief shoulder bump before she trotted off to the hub. Chiisha’s voice made her look over her shoulder, finding him leaning against Chichi, arms wrapped around his waist and trilling to him. Brother stood by their feet, staring at the ground without a sound.

Chichi caught her watching and waved her off, taking Chiisha’s arms off him but sticking to his side, tilting his ear to the soft chirps and whistles of a mate. Hachiko brightened and wagged her tail; Chichi and Chiisha would be fine! More than fine, they’d build the strongest pack and Hachiko would have a place in it, just like before!

Even if Brother didn’t agree or kept trying to stop the progress, Hachiko knew nothing would stand in the way of their pack.

0XX0

The Sea Monster was back in the house for the fourth time in so many days and Iwanko was twitching to run him out into the snow. Its scent was everywhere, it was driving him crazy! Youfusama was tolerating it, giving it free reign of their home, and cuddling up to it in front of the fireplace - it was all leading to what Sister had predicted moons ago.

Iwanko still didn’t like it. The Sea Monster as Youfusama’s mate - a part of their pack - was still insulting to even think about, but Iwanko had made a promise moons ago to Youfusama to ‘act civil’ around the Sea Monster and he was really, really trying to be a good boy about it.

But it was so hard when the Sea Monster was taking over, stealing Youfusama’s attention, turning their home into its lair, and generally acting as if he were already part of their pack. Sister argued that it was, and he would know this too if he put in any effort to scent Youfusama, but Iwanko knew their Youfusama better than that. He wouldn’t carelessly mate with this creature as if it wasn’t a huge matter.

Youfusama was way smarter than that.

Even so, he was still capable of being tricked into rushing the Sea Monster in to his bedroom and shutting the door behind him. Iwanko sat in front of it now, growling low in his throat as he listened to the noises coming from inside. Mostly the Sea Monster whispering and chirping to Youfusama, saying things Iwanko couldn’t understand.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Spread out, just like that.”

“You prepped y’self so well; are y’ ready to take all of me?”

“You like that, don’tcha? Knuckle deep an’ you only want more of me.”

“I’m gonna fill you up an’ make you mine .”

None of it made any sense! Youfusama hadn’t said anything to the Sea Monster, and there were scents Iwanko didn’t recognise flowing out from under the door. Nothing to hint at Youfusama being in mortal danger, but there was nothing to comfort him either. The not-knowing was the worst part of being stuck on the other side of this stupid door, plus not being able to immediately get to Youfusama when the creature turned against him.

A husky groan came through the door and Iwanko sat up. That was Youfusama! He pressed an ear against the door, trying to pick up anything being said.

“Off, Jesse. Get off, get off.”

Was the Sea Monster holding Youfusama down? Keeping him against his will so he wouldn’t struggle while it ate him? Kidnapping him away to the ocean to drown?!

“Ah—!” A drawn-out sound came from Youfusama, followed by a hiss of pain. He was being hurt! More was being said, but Iwanko paid it no attention; he had to rescue Youfusama!

Iwanko stepped back from the door and glared at the round handle. The house wasn’t like the big base they sometimes visited; it was ‘old fashioned’, and so didn’t have buttoned pads that controlled the doors. Only those like Youfusama and the Sea Monster could open these kinds of doors with their fingers and thumbs.

Iwanko growled again and barked at the door, as if that would do anything. He got louder and louder, making sure it was enough for Youfusama to hear him and be assured Iwanko was on the way to save him. Sister poked out from the kitchen area, lolling her head to the side and whining at him.

He barked at her too and she came over to investigate. With the two of them together, they could figure out a way to get to Youfusama! Sister sniffed around the door, perking her ears up at the sounds inside the room.

She yipped and bounced on her paws, wagging her tail. Iwanko blinked at her, flattening his ears. She yipped again, jumping up at him and licking over his muzzle, excited for no reason he could determine. Their Youfusama was in danger and she wasn’t helping!

Sister trotted off, leaving Iwanko alone in the hallway once more, without helping him a single bit. Typical! She probably had puppies on the brain again, so it was up to him alone to carry out the rescue.

Assessing the situation calmly, Iwanko knew he’d have to open the door by himself without any hands to help. So, he balanced carefully on his hind legs and bit down on the door handle. It was a strange taste in his mouth, nothing like the tennis balls Youfusama threw for them. It was slippery as well, but Iwanko held on with all of his strength, tugging down.

With enough pulling and twisting, Iwanko finally got the door to click open. He let go, working his jaw for it to be comfortable again, then quickly dashed into the bedroom into the action.

The first thing he noticed was how they were positioned: the Sea Monster was lying on the bare bed against the headboard, throat and stomach bared with its arms tied loosely above its head. Youfusama was kneeling over it, straddled on its tail and hovering over something too-thick coming out of it. He was bare as well, his furs scattered across the floor along with the creature’s own so-called garments, which was enough to give Iwanko pause.

The scent of the room was thick and overwhelming, leaving no doubt of what they were doing. No wonder Sister was so happy, but no! Iwanko wouldn’t believe it; Youfusama wasn’t like this! He knew better than to trust the sea that had almost taken them as puppies, the sea that had ripped him from the arms of his Old Master and the life he’d known, the sea that had killed everyone. Iwanko had to remind him, save him from the trickster waiting to drag him down to the depths.

Snapping out of his stupor, Iwanko bristled and started barking again. Youfusama and the Sea Monster startled at the noise, and Youfusama’s grip on the creature slipped. He quickly fell down on the thickness from its tail and it froze, a strangled noise gasping out of its gaping maw.

“ F- fuck!” Youfusama choked out, doubling over himself rigid and tense all over. The Sea Monster stayed completely still, eyes darting over him. Iwanko stayed at the end of the bed, snarling at it as it freed its arms from the loose cord to ghost its hands over Youfusama.

“Hanzo, angelfish, talk t’ me.” It whispered, trying to look at his face and rubbing its hands up Youfusama’s arms. “Are you hurt? Say somethin’, please.”

Youfusama gripped the creature’s shoulders, nails digging in as he shook his head. Iwanko sniffed the air - no blood, but Youfusama was too quiet. He was breathing in short gasps, not saying a word. Something was wrong and the Sea Monster was responsible!

It trilled and purred, nuzzling into Youfusama’s hair. Its hands moved down to his hips and Iwanko growled again, hackles raised. The Sea Monster glanced at him, eyes narrowed as it held onto Youfusama. He tightened his grip on its shoulders and whimpered, curling over more to bury his face into its marked neck. He was breathing faster now, too fast.

Iwanko relaxed and inched closer as the Sea Monster kept chirping, whispering in the pauses. Youfusama stayed the same, white-knuckled and shuddering, and every moment that passed like that made Iwanko more anxious. What was wrong with Youfusama? Nothing was happening; something should be happening!

While the Sea Monster was distracted, Iwanko came up the bed and pressed his wet nose to Youfusama’s knee. There was a slight shiver, but no reprimand or a playful shove to his snout. Youfusama was really in trouble.

“You don’t gotta be here,” the Sea Monster grumbled, looking over Youfusama’s head to narrow its gaze at Iwanko. He huffed and glared back with a pout. “Once Hanzo’s adjusted, he’ll be fine. I’ll take care of ‘im.”

Iwanko barked and growled at it again. He couldn’t leave Youfusama with it! The Sea Monster was the reason he was hurt in the first place! Iwanko had to stay and protect Youfusama.

“Hey, if you hadn’t burst in ‘ere all a sudden, Hanzo wouldn’ be like this!” The Sea Monster growled back, wrapping an arm around Youfusama’s waist as his other hand petted his hair. Youfusama grunted and slumped slightly in its hold. It trilled and nuzzled his cheek, spreading its scent.

“He’s my mate an’ I’m gonna take care of him, no matter what you think.”

Iwanko snarled at that. It was his Youfusama! It was his job to protect him from all danger!

The creature ignored him to keep nuzzling Youfusama, moving down to his neck and brushing his loose hair aside. From his spot, Iwanko could see the long, faded teeth marks on Youfusama’s nape, surrounded by fresher marks all over his neck. A similar, if smaller, mark was near the creature’s collarbone, sparking dimly with flashes much like Youfusama’s arm did.

There was no mistaking it: they were mated. Iwanko couldn’t deny it.

And something in him broke.

Despite everything - all his efforts! - Youfusama and the creature were mates, growing their pack to include monsters of the ocean - everything Iwanko hated (and feared, he told no one).

Youfusama made his choice, nothing Iwanko barked or did would ever change that. The Sea Monster was here to stay, give Youfusama puppies like Sister wanted, and nothing was ever going to be the same (it already wasn’t).

Iwanko didn’t know what to do.

How could he protect his pack when the threat was the pack? Where was his place if not that? Did he have one anymore—

“Iwacchi.”

Iwanko snapped his head up, crying when he found Youfusama’s flashing eyes on him. They were tired and kind, just as they had been on the day they met on the cliffs. When he’d saved Iwanko from a watery grave and brought him into his pack, small and new but oh so precious.

Youfusama reached a hand out to him and Iwanko licked over his palm, whining as he nuzzled into the touch. He heard a pair of chuckles above him and squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on Youfusama’s buried scent under all the salt.

“Silly boy, Iwacchi.” Youfusama muttered in the Old Language, his voice raspy and drained. “What did I tell you about Jesse?”

Iwanko whined again; what did that matter now? Youfusama tutted at him and patted his nose, cutting him off.

“None of that now; the damage is done. You know not to do this again, right?”

He barked. Of course! He didn’t want to hurt Youfusama again.

“Good. Go grab some towels from the bathroom and bring them here.”

Iwanko jumped back, tail wagging hurriedly. Towels, he knew where those were! Youfusama kept them on the floor after washing himself in the tall box. He didn’t see any in there last time he checked, but if Youfusama said they were in there, that’s where they were.

With one last bark, Iwanko rushed off to the adjoined bathroom. Youfusama and the creature shuffled around, grumbling between them before settling again.

“Y’ make a good Papi, y’know.”

Youfusama groaned and Iwanko heard a light slap of skin, followed by a deep laugh. “Not you too!”

0XX0

A day off was a luxury one like Hanzo was not often afforded. On top of (technically) being a fugitive in hiding, he was also one of the few agents at Ecopoint to have higher clearance and access to Underwatch’s brief of missions. It was all fine and well for his personal goals, but it left him with very little time for himself. His free time between work was spent with Jesse when he was onland, and when he wasn’t, Hanzo spent the hours asleep.

Today, however, was his to spend with Agent Zhou, Hachiko and Iwanko on the main base. Mei had made upgrades to her Omnic assistant and wanted the dogs to test Snowball’s capabilities. That was code for ‘let me fuss over your puppies please!’ which Hanzo was fine with; Iwanko and Hachiko needed time out of their harnesses as well. It gave them a chance to play and burn excess energy; give him some time to himself.

Hanzo hauled his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed his communicator just as a loud knock pounded on the front door. Hachiko ran to it, barking and yapping as she bounced. What was Jesse doing here at this hour?

He opened the door, holding Hachiko back from pouncing on the poor mer. Jesse stood there, decked out in his casual gear (but still finding room for all of the ‘courting gifts’ Hanzo’d given him) and splitting his face with the biggest grin he’d ever seen on him.

“I thought you had a mission today.” Hanzo started, eyebrow raised and frown on edge. If his schedule had changed, he’d have to be the bearer of unfortunate news and a pouting mer.

“That’s t’night, angelfish.” Jesse kept smiling, radiating pure sunshine as if he hadn’t caught Hanzo on his way out of the door. Hanzo blinked and scrunched his face; it must have shown his scrambled thoughts. “I’m ‘ere to take you an’ the pups out.”

“Sorry, Jesse; we’re on the way to Ecopoint now to meet with someone,” Hanzo explained, shaking his head and letting Hachiko go. She jumped up at Jesse, licking and nipping his beard. “You’ll have to take us out another time.”

“It’s on the way, darlin’.” Jesse pushed Hachiko down and scratched behind her ears, laughing when she flopped against him. “It’ll only take a few minutes, I promise.”

Hanzo crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. Not that he didn’t trust his mate (and wasn’t that a weird concept to get used to; it made the red mark on his neck itch) but the lack of details showed that Jesse intended to keep the surprise intact. And his surprises hadn’t always ended up well for him or the dogs.

(Despite the weeks that had passed since, Hanzo could still feel the embers of burning pain between his thighs and the leftover chagrin of calling Doctor Ziegler in the middle of the night. All because of a surprise.

Needless to say, he wasn’t letting the mer top again any time soon.)

“I know whatcha thinkin’,” Jesse rubbed Hachiko’s bared belly, a sharp eye on Hanzo. “But it ain’t for you, gup. It’s for the pups.”

That raised his brow again. “You know Iwanko won’t accept a gift from you, Jesse.”

“Ain’t that kinda surprise.” Jesse winked and turned around, leading Hachiko away from the cabin. “I know yer curious!”

Damn him, he was right. Hanzo was being transparent again; he had to put a lid on that slippage soon.

A cold nudge to his fingers got Hanzo to look down at Iwanko, leash in jaw, and far too nervous to be his brave lead tracker. Iwanko had avoided Jesse since that incident, which was better than the outright hostility, but it unnerved Hanzo like nothing else. Outspoken, blunt Iwanko turned diminutive and subdued - a father’s worst nightmare.

Maybe this ‘surprise’ would help his pups. If Iwanko could be in the same general area as Jesse for five minutes or more without incident, that would be a huge accomplishment. Hachiko, as always, could help him as a middleman to keep everything afloat. It couldn’t be the worst thing he’s trusted Jesse to do.

!We can’t be long, we’re expected at the base soon.” Mei was a patient woman; she wouldn’t mind if they were slightly late.

“Ten minutes top, darlin’! Get movin’, they won’t be there forever.”

Well, curiosity always won him over in the end.

(Some certain people would say curiosity killed the cat, but Hanzo argued it got him to the most interesting places.

Just look where it’d gotten him so far.)

Jesse led them along the coastline towards the rocky cliffs not too far from the cabin. Iwanko stayed glued to Hanzo’s side, no doubt remembering his first fateful visit to a similar cliffside. He stroked his head and held on tight to his leash, a tiny reassurance that went a very long way.

It didn’t take long for them to reach a cove Hanzo was sure hadn’t been here during his last area patrol. A pebbled beach covered in bits of seaweed and stray blocks of ice that hadn’t yet melted under the spring sun, with a few seagulls here and there poking at the gaps in the pale sand. Jesse was further ahead, splayed out next to a large rock formation that Hanzo recognised from where waves crashed into it when the tide was high.

So this is what low tide looked like here.

Hachiko yapped and Iwanko snapped to attention, perking his ears up at his sister. She kept barking, and Hanzo released his leash, encouraging him. Iwanko glanced up at him, but he only smiled. His pup shook himself and slowly trotted over, skipping away from the reaching waves when they dared to approach him.

Hanzo followed at his own pace, crossing his arms and watching as Hachiko led her brother to the rock formation, pawing at the ground. Jesse stayed with them and talked, but his eyes were on Hanzo even as his feet stuttered at the sight captivating his pups: a deep, glistening tide pool, teeming with wriggling sea life that paid no heed to the giants overlooking them.

Hanzo came to stand beside his mate, raptured by the minute details of the underwater world at their feet. Jesse’s arm snaked around his waist and he nuzzled from his shoulder to his cheek, gently nipping at the skin he could reach. Soft chirps rumbled through his chest and Hanzo could feel them in his own, calming any worry. Hanzo kissed Jesse’s temple under his hat and got a pleased trill for it, which made him smirk. Jesse hid nothing of his true nature from Hanzo, and it sent a thrilling shiver up his spine to think of how it was his to witness.

Others had their chance, tossed it aside for convention and things Hanzo used to value.

Used to.

(What fools they were.)

They stayed like that for who knows how long, content to watch Iwanko and Hachiko nose around the pool, poking their noses at creatures that wandered near the surface. Hachiko pointed her brother to a resting crab poking from a rock and he tilted his head in wonder.

Hanzo’s chuckle caught their attention, two pairs of shining browns bearing into him innocently. “It’s not so bad when it’s this small, is it?”

Iwanko glanced back down to the pool and whined, shuffling on his paws. Caught out on his awe for the thing he feared most, knowing he couldn’t deny the plainly seen fact. Hachiko bumped him with her nose and he barked at her, scattering the fish closest to them. Iwanko cried and sniffed around, trying to find them again.

Jesse’s fin nudged Hanzo’s leg and the mer curled his tail around him, trailing his other hand up his coat. His gaze sparked something wild and Hanzo felt the dragons stir under his skin. “You still wanna go?”

Iwanko and Hachiko stuck to the tide pool, distracted by the shimmer of the clear water. Hanzo rolled his eyes, smirk turning sharp as he took Jesse’s chin, leaning in close enough to brush but not to satisfy the mer’s craving for his taste.

“Maybe a few more minutes.”

[cheecheecheer]

Oath to Order

Ao3 link

Song Selection- Oath to Order (reorchestrated)

It was a hiker, this time. That wasn't unusual.

He’d gotten over zealous, went beyond his abilities, and tumbled down the cliff. Well. Perhaps tumbled wasn't the best word given his injuries.

Countless broken bones. Punctured ribs. A busted eye. A miracle he’d survived the fall at all, really. Without any hiking buddies and with no help around, he was nothing short of doomed. He’d die of dehydration, alone and in pain in the woods.

Akaashi arrived before him before the despair of it all could completely overwhelm his charge. It wasn't good if they were panicked and in pain without the ease of adrenaline. Made them harder to talk to.

When the hiker saw him his eyes widened almost comically. They all had a similar reaction. He looked the part of a grim reaper to a tee, with his raven hair, pitch robes, and pale skin. The perfect symbol of an omen of death, and he supposed it was fitting- that’s what Akaashi was, after all.

“I am Akaashi Keiji, contractor of fate.” He began immediately, voice monotone and distant. The words came easily- he recited them any time he came to reap a soul, after all. “Your death date has almost arrived. Now, I offer you a choice.”

The hiker didn't say anything, gaping up at him with mouth wide. Akaashi didn’t mind. Was used to it, even. They often didn't know what to say for the first few minutes.

“Live out the rest of your short life, in whatever suffering it entails. Or,” Akaashi kneeled down, robes floating around him, and offered a single gloved hand to the broken and bruised hiker. “I can reap your soul now, and your death will be quick and painless. You will not suffer, and I will deliver you to whatever afterlife you believe in.”

The hiker sucked in a sharp breath, and it was a few more seconds before he responded, voice tight with pain. “I’m not dreaming?” His eyes watered, the liquid spilling over.

“No. You may make your decision whenever you see fit.”

The hiker shook his head furiously, before immediately wincing and stifling a scream at the protest of his broken bones. “No…” He’d gasped out. “No, I- I’m dreaming.”

“You may take as long as you need to decide.” Was all Akaashi had said in response, stepping back slightly to give his suffering charge room.

(A few minutes later, apparently overcome with the agony of being imobile from broken bones and bruised flesh, the hiker took him up on his offer. Akaashi reaped his soul quietly and efficiently, and no more than a second after the hiker had made the request was he gone.)

He ran into Bokuto while he’s ferrying the hiker through the inbetween, the strange mistlike dreamscape that served as a bridge between the land of the living and whatever they believed came after.

Bokuto stuck out, as he always had. His eyes were bright and his robes were crisp and white as snow. “I don’t want my charges to fear me.” Was the only explanation he’d ever offered over the choice. A pointless endeavor to Akaashi, considering Bokuto’s charges were all far too young to truly understand who Boktuo was. But Akaashi wasn't here to tell others how to do their job.

He was escorting a soul as well, but his charge seemed… softer somehow. Tinier and purer, untouched by the horrors of a world Akaashi knew first hand could be all too cruel.

A baby’s soul, if Akaashi had to guess. Hardly surprising if it was the case. Bokuto always dealt with children.

When Bokuto saw him his brows rose and his mouth opened to call out a greeting.

And then Bokuto’s gaze fell down onto the little ball of light that was all that remained of the hiker Akaashi had offered salvation too, and he froze up. His face paled, growing ashen if that was even possible for someone suspended within death and life, more a cog in the wheel of fate than a thread in the tapestry it weaved. “You’ve taken another one?” He asked, and he almost sounded betrayed.

“It is my job.” Was Akaashi’s only answer, though the words were still bitter on his tongue, and the sadness in Bokuto’s eyes when he turned away even moreso.

Akaashi had made his exit with haste after that.

Bokuto had explained to him, sometime before, why it always dampened his spirits to see Akaashi with another one of his charges.

“I see so many souls who have been robbed of life.” Bokuto had admitted quietly, head buried under his own arms during one of those rare moments they had a second to breathe. “So many lives ended prematurely. Yet you take precious hours from souls who still have some to spare? Hours that could be their last?”

Akaashi had said it was just his job back then, too.

It was only a couple millenia later, when they had gotten close enough to call themselves friends by human standards that Akaashi offered a bit more than that.

“They would suffer the whole time, anyways,” He had said, voice as quiet as the inbetween they were taking refuge in, hidden from the ticking of life, if only for just a moment. “Besides, I give them a choice, to take my offer or live out the rest of their hours.”

Bokuto had pursed his lips together and stared at him with a pained look. “I could never do it.”

It was enough to spark a bitter sort of laugh from Akaashi. He hadn’t laughed in centuries, it felt like. “Sometimes I don’t know how I do it either. It's a tough job. But,” Akaashi tipped his head back, and was only met with the swirling and misty skies of the inbetween. Starless, golden, lifeless. “If I don’t do it, who will?”

The circle of life was relentless, and Akaashi had his place in it. Had no choice but to play his part, the only thing he had ever known. He kept reaping his poor unfortunate souls for the same reason Bokuto kept taking children who hadn't even spread their wings yet to the cold confines of death- it was just their place. Their reason for being.

What is a reaper, without fate?

Still. Fate may have been a mother to them both, but she was crueler than Akaashi could fathom.

It was times like these, more than anything else, when it struck Akaashi just how cold and uncaring fate was. He’d just come back from fetching a soul, hand trembling where he had cradled the small glowing thing to his chest, breath short and heart stuttering in a way it shouldn't be able to. Bokuto had taken a single look at his disheveled appearance and ordered him to sit down, uncaring of the jobs they still had left to complete.

“What happened to you?” He’d demanded, and Akaashi was just shaken up enough to tell him.

It was a girl this time. Young, maybe eight at the most, just barely old enough to be out of Bokuto’s jurisdiction. Maybe she still would have, if not for the circumstances around her death.

A car crash. A particularly nasty one at that. Akaashi had seen many a car crash be the sight of a reaped soul, but this one hit him hard.

The girl was half crushed under the debris, duffocaring from the smoke and smothering from the heat of the fire that the crash had sparked. She was so caked in red Akaashi could hardly make out more of her than her crystal clear grey eyes, free of any haze the adrenaline of death usually brought.

When Akaashi had appeared to her, she’d hardly done more than stare at him with wide eyes and struggle to breathe. When he’d offered to stop her suffering, she hadn't responded, and hadn't begged him to make it all go away like the children unfortunate enough to meet Akaashi usually did. When he’d held his hand out to hers, the only limb not crushed in the wreck, she hadn’t moved to take it.

Instead she’d coughed a few times, looked at him with a haunting sort of clarity, and hoarsely whispered, “I want to stay.”

Her eyes had brimmed over with tears as the flames crept closer, washing over her, staring silently at Akaashi standing helplessly by. He wondered if she even had the strength left to scream, for the whole time she was quiet as a mouse.

Those grey eyes would haunt him, he was sure.

It wasn't the first time a soul had refused his offer, wasn't the first time he’d had to stand by the wayside, but they usually changed their mind after a few more minutes of agony. Pleaded with him to take his soul, and Akaashi was happy enough to oblige. He didn’t like seeing their suffering any more than he had too.

It never got easier, really.

But this little girl… this unnamed little girl who fate had been so cruel to… she never changed her mind.

Akaashi had been forced to watch helplessly as she met her natural death, far more slowly and painfully than she would have if she’d taken his offer.

And when he finally retrieved her soul from the ashes (such a small soul, such a young soul,) and trembling from it all, it almost felt like he could cry too.

He didn’t know why she’d clung to life so stubbornly, didn't know why she’d chosen crushed limbs and shattered bones and death by fire over a painless, quick, peaceful end. And now, with her only remnant being a soul, he could hardly ask her.

It was these things that he’d told to Bokuto that day, and these things that made the white clad reaper collapse on the ground next to him.

Perhaps, if Akaashi wasn't so shaken up over this himself, he would have softened the story a bit for Boktuo’s sake. He already knew he was remarkably soft of heart for a reaper, after all.

“I cant-” Bokuto had started to say, mouth opening and closing. “I don’t even-”

He’d stopped trying to speak after that. Just stared into the distance with an impossibly defeated look on his face.

Akaashi could sympathize.

The grey eyes watched him from the shadows.

He was a reaper who went to those on the brink of death, those whose time left would be filled with only suffering. He was a reaper who offered the victims of fate a choice, and exit.

Sometimes they refused, but when they did they always took it back a few minutes later. A testament to their suffering perhaps.

But the ones who made it to a death not by Akaashi’s hands?

Those were the ones that scared him the most.

Human resilience was terrifying.

It was the one good side to being a reaper, Akaashi supposed. To be safely tucked away on one side of the glass, safe from death in the way that he embodied it, safe from whatever insane thing would motivate one to embrace life at any cost.

Humans, perhaps, were scarier than any twist of fate.