#slow burn payoff

[the12thnightproject]

Chapter 44: A Better Offer - The Winter’s Solstice brings with it a new offer for Katsuko.

Mitsuhide x OC; Hideyoshi x MC (Mai)

All Chapters Archived on Ao3 

Logline - With Mai, Hideyoshi, and Aki missing, Mitsuhide and Katsuko reluctantly team up. Disguised as a merchant and his concubine, can they outsmart the man known as the God of Deceit?

Warnings - M rated chapter, minors DNI

The weather forecasters were correct after all. When we left the hospital (after a very awkward conversation with the police – thankfully smoothed over by Shingen’s fast-talking), the early evening had ushered in a cold front and a thunder snow squall that was probably sending meteorologists into raptures across the country. By the time I returned to the Mikumos’ house, it was snowing pretty steadily.

Sasuke suggested I spend the night in his place, guessing accurately that I was upset, and inaccurately that I would want company. But with Aki once again AWOL (this time voluntarily) I had some decisions to make… but only after allowing myself an evening of indulgence that included putting the turquoise streaks back into my hair, eating an entire bag of potato sticks, then for the grand finale:

Solo K-Pop Dance Party.

The Mikumos might be thoroughly enmeshed in the past, but they did at least own a flat screened television (that I imagined was only used to watch serious academic documentaries, TED talks, and historical dramas that would be highly critiqued for inaccuracies). I felt no guilt over polluting it with K-pop videos. The bands had changed in the years I had been gone, and the dance steps had gotten more complicated (far beyond Gangnam style), but I’d spent seven years in the Sengoku honing my martial arts and parkour skills. I could manage a few dance steps, right?

And even if I couldn’t, no one would ever know.

Nearly an hour later, I’d taken out my filial angst on a makeshift dance floor, singing as loudly as possible (if I didn’t know the lyrics, I made them up), stomping my feet, whipping my newly dyed hair and –

Bang Bang Bang

Could my conception of ‘loud’ could be trusted after seven years in feudal Japan? As the pounding on the front door continued, I hurried to the entry, prepared to beg the pardon of an irate neighbor. With an apologetic smile already on my face and a concessions speech on my lips, I opened the do –

Mitsuhide stood before me, flakes of snow decorating his kimono, and his hair backlit by the neighbor’s Christmas lights.

What? How?

“How did you –“

He stopped my words with one finger pressed against my lips. “Let me go first.”

Like I could stop him. Since his finger was still warm on my mouth, I nodded.

“You were already there.”

Where? Is that supposed mean something?

He took my hand and placed it on his chest… over his heart. “You thought there was no room for you, but in fact you’d already moved in. You’d filled every chamber with your mouth and your rebellions and your passions until I couldn’t turn around without tripping over another thing that I loved about you.”

BSOD

I couldn’t think of anything to say – which was probably for the best, because he crushed me to his chest in a hug so tight I thought we would fuse together. His fingers tangled in my hair, hair that was still damp from my post-dye shower, then he answered the question that had been in my head for the past month. “I believed I didn’t deserve-“

I pulled myself free. “Me? I ought to leave you out here to freeze for such a stupidly clichéd-“

“Deserve to be happy. Hideyoshi already gave me the self-sacrifice lecture, so you can spare your breath.” Then, as if he too had run out of words, he folded himself into me, his arms tight, his hands clutching my waist, breathing me in.

We stayed there, motionless, while once again, my brain struggled to compute the concept of a warlord where I had not expected a warlord to be, and my body opted out of the debate altogether and relaxed into his embrace, and heartbeat, and the scent of sandalwood and cinnamon. I was already there. I am already here.

Finally, the December wind that brought the snow and Mitsuhide to my door intruded with a gust that reminded me we were standing out in the open. I tugged him backward, into the shelter of the house, and secured the door behind him. “I have… many many questions.” Almost too many to organize my thoughts. And my body was just humming along, that prickly sensation of nerves now buzzing along, just overall basking in his presence.

“I expect you do, but again, Brat… Love, let me go first.” He waved his hand toward the back of the house, where the soundtrack of my prior mood played on. “What is that rather painful noise?”

Oh come on, it’s K-pop not death metal. “Music.”

Because at some point he had grabbed my hands, I let him keep them and led him into the living room.

He surveyed the television with curiosity, while I adjusted the volume to low… and after a moment of thought, changed to a satellite radio station that played Japanese classical music. “Better?”

“It will do. I imagine I shall find the progression of culture… interesting.” He took a cell phone out of his kimono, an unusually glittery pink one with a designer pattern on it. The charger cord dangled from the port. “Mai gave me this communication device, with detailed instructions on how to, er, charge and employ it.” He patted the front of his clothing and it crackled with the sound of paper. “And amongst your things, I found a note from Kenshin’s ninja with his ‘cell phone number’ on it and the time and location of the nearest wormhole.”

That’s right. Winter solstice. Honno-ji. Thundersnow.

Ah… I could figure out the rest. After landing in Honni-ji, he’d probably contacted Sasuke and… hm. I looked around the room, and located my own cell, which had been haphazardly flung into the sofa cushion during my dance party. Yep. Missed a text from Sasuke. It had only one word: Incoming. Followed by an eggplant emoji. “Why?”

“Surely you have worked that part out on your own.” He abandoned his examination of the room and pulled me back into his arms. “You are generally more perceptive than that.”

“I want to hear you say it.” I had not expected to hear an ‘I love you’ from him, but now that he was in front of me, I found those three words to be important.

His laugh warmed my ear. “If my memory serves me correctly, I have yet to hear an explicit declaration from you as well.”

“I didn’t think you wanted to hear that.” Not from me.

“As it happens, I find I do.” He tipped my chin up so that he could stare directly into my eyes, as if willing me to speak.

Are we actually arguing over who was going to say ‘I love you’ first?

I was about to offer a count of three simultaneous compromise when he laughed again. “You’re adorable when you’re being stubborn. I’m aware that there’s a part of you that would like me to suffer-“

“I didn’t say tha-“

“Do you still plan to argue with everything I say?”

I considered. “Possibly.”

“Then I’ll have to discover ways to keep your mouth better occupied. This should do it.” He swooped in for a hard and fast kiss, his behavior revealing the desperation I had never gotten from his spoken words. When I was breathless and holding onto him for balance, he whispered. “I love you. I must, for I’ve ceded the high ground and said it first.” He traced the outline of my lips with his finger.

“I love you.” Adding the ‘too’ seemed like it would cheapen my own response. “There is no high ground. Just…” I swirled my hand in the air. “This.”

There was absolutely high ground and we’d likely be jockeying for it for the rest of – “Er, what is next?” Had he come here to live with me in the modern world? Did he come here to take me to Azuchi? This time, I was not against the idea.

He dipped lower, and nibbled the corner of my mouth. “Hm, some of this.” I received another bone-melting kiss. “A bit of this as well.” His hand skimmed over my hip. “I don’t believe I’ll ever want to stop touching you.”

He hadn’t been this urgent, this – almost needy - that night in Sakai. If he had been holding back then, he was not doing so now. I could say that I was more than happy to put my thoughts away for the time being, but the truth of the matter was, they had already fled on their own accord, leaving the rest of me to enjoy the sensation of being sandwiched between Mitsuhide and the wall. “Don’t stop touching me.”

“Your time seems to require a rather excessive number of layers.” He snagged the top of the zipper of my hoodie, and easily figured out how to use it, pulling it down until the hollow of my throat was visible. “Ah, clever this…?”

“Zipper. And no one in this time is require to wear a sixteen layer court kimono.” Because he was taking too long with it, I shrugged out of my hoodie. All I had on underneath was a simple t-shirt and pajama pants that I had intended to sleep in.

“I wasn’t aware that you’d ever been required to wear an imperial kimono either, so the point is moot. And…” He dipped closer to whisper in my ear. “You are arguing again. I shall have to see if I can-“ he bit my earlobe, grazing it with both tongue and teeth, “do something about…” then a hard kiss just under my ear that coaxed a moan from my throat. “That will do nicely.”

He was doing it again. Falling into that pattern of controlled teasing. Granted, I was probably inviting it with my words. As much as I enjoyed these debates – this wasn’t how I wanted things now, not in this moment. I wanted him to lose control. To lose as much as I did.

So when he paused to breathe, while I still had the willpower to do so, I put my hand across his mouth, then ducked away. “Catch me!”

While he was processing that, I scooted past him, knowing that the surprise, my knowledge of the house’s layout, and speed would give me the advantage.

When he reached the bedroom, just a few seconds after me, I tackled him to the bed.

“I was under the impression that I was required to catch you.” He didn’t otherwise protest when I undid his obi and pushed his kimono aside. His body was no less beautiful for being nicked and scarred by various battles, all lean tight muscle that I’d not had a chance to admire last time.

“I lied.” Straddling him, I quickly yanked the shirt over my head, then grabbed his shoulders, hugging him, letting our bodies slide across each other. “Just so you know. This is where the begging starts.”

“You must be aware I could …. reverse this… situation in a moment, should I… desire.” His voice was huskier than normal, and the breathlessness between the words suggested he was ok with the way things were at the moment.

“I know.” I tugged on his hair, just a little. “So I am asking you to take everything you want, except – control.” Though I was still wearing pajama pants, I ground myself against him, and he hardened instantly.

Instead of fighting, or teasing, both of which I had expected him to do, he surprised me by holding me closer, hugging me to his chest. “It seems more apologies are in order.” For a long moment he was quiet, stroking me hair. It felt even more intimate than what we had been doing just a few seconds before. “That night in Sakai. I made you feel as if you were indeed the prostitute you were pretending to be. It was not intentional, but intentions don’t matter. Only the hurt.”

“You didn’t.” I angled my head to look at him directly. “You treated yourself like you were the prostitute.”

His eyes widened and I could see the moment my words registered as truth. He touched his forehead to mine. “I am not comfortable with seeking my own happiness.” His cheeks had reddened somewhat – that might have been the only tell that I had finally found an emotional core. “Knowing that I could bring you to pleasure was enough.”

“Can you credit that I might feel the same way? Or at least that I want things to be a little bit more,” I thought for a moment, trying to find the right word, “balanced.”

He took my hand in his, linking our fingers into a basket. “It seems I am still learning, or perhaps, understanding, more about you.”

“I’m not asking you to completely stop teasing me.” Left unsaid was the fact that I was unlikely to stop fighting with him either. “I can’t deny that it’s fun. Sometimes.”

My comment immediately brought back his smirk. “Hm, yes I did notice that at times you highly appreciate it. I was not aware your voice could reach that pitch.”

I let that one go – given that I’d basically thrown him a fast ball up the middle. “As long as you’re not using it to hide.”

“My automatic response would be to say fair enough.” He closed his eyes and was quite for a long moment. “However I have enough self-knowledge to admit it isn’t something I can easily stop.”

“Take it from someone who has acquired a fair number of physical skills. That, is why we practice.” Then I took the initiative to kiss him first again. We could just see where this ended up going.

Where it went was a short kiss that led to another tiny kiss. Kiss after kiss like a swarm of bright fireflies. Each a little slower and longer until they converged and extended into one deep kiss as he half rolled on top of me and fused his mouth to mine. Still, I was the one setting the pace. It was I who opened my mouth to him first, and my tongue that eagerly encouraged his.

Kissing, touching, we had given each other permission to explore our bodies. I wanted to map out every battle scar I found, pressing a light kiss on each one, knowing that the worst of them were invisible.

I traced a long slash that traveled down his hip, taking the opportunity to remove the rest of his clothes. “Katana?”

“Mm, yes. If I recall correctly, Kyubei half-carried me off the battlefield that afternoon.” When I made a move to kiss the wound, he stopped me. “Careful. I have no major objection to the direction this is taking, but right now I want your face next to mine. Please.”

Ok then. Since he had asked nicely, and since I did want to see his face too, I crawled back up his body. “Hello again.”

He rolled fully on top of me and I reveled in his hot weight pushing me down into the mattress as he poured his desire into a kiss. I don’t know what exactly was the key that had unlocked his desperation, but I rejoiced in the power of knowing that this, this at last, was for me. I wrapped my leg across his, trying to pull him closer. “I take it you approve, Brat?”

“Yes, please.” If that was begging, I didn’t care anymore. His need, the sharpness and frantic movements, yes please.

His sweat slick body glided over mine, as he settled between my legs, not to thrust inside, apparently not yet, but his erection sliding across me set those firefly sparks humming along every nerve ending.

“So perfectly formed.” His mouth latched onto my breast, sucking just hard enough that I shrieked and tugged his hair again.

Each tiny flick of his tongue had me arching against him. My hands, fingers, dug into his shoulders and he continued to lavish attention on my breasts. Each time I thought I’d hit the point where I couldn’t stand it any longer, he would switch to the other breast and the cycle would begin again.

“I could dine on you all day. And night.” His words were rough. Short. He’d lost that slightly removed from things smoothness that usually categorized his speech. I could believe that in this, he wasn’t trying to please me, he truly wanted to keep the taste of me in his mouth, on his tongue, a tongue that usually noticed no flavor.

If he did that, I’d probably pass out from overstimulation. I poked his forehead lightly and just pointed to my lips.

He laughed. “As you wish.” Then his mouth was on mine again.

As the infinite kiss continued, our bodies naturally came closer together, His hand rested on my hip, leisurely drifting to between my legs. I was so close…

“You did claim the high ground.” The murmur was soft in my ear, before he flipped onto his back, the movement carrying me over. In no time, he guided me on top of him. I was already so wet that it was easy to take his length inside.

For a moment, I didn’t move – I looked down at his face, those sharp cheekbones softened slightly by his blush, and that amber gaze warmed by affection, by love. That snarky knowing grin now replaced by a smile. Oh I knew that the wicked tease was still in there, and I knew there would be many times that I would welcome that man into me as well, just as I knew that there would be many times that he would purposefully bait my internal rebel.

But for the moment, both of those people had stepped aside – our worst impulses had been tamed, as we found a new rhythm, mutual sighs and groans signaling that we had tamed each other.

Later…

I awoke from a semi-daze as something feathery tickled my nose. I opened my eyes to discover it was a lock of my own hair. “Oh. For an instant, I thought you had brought one of those peacock feathers through the wormhole.”

“I did not. However if that is something that would be of interest, I’m certain your time has birds, does it not?” From the expression on his face, I understood that to mean that if he could find a feather, he would tease me with it everywhere, and the thought made my nerves zing with a ‘sounds fun, let’s try that.’ He laughed. “I take it that’s a yes.”

“I could be persuaded.” I batted his hand away though when he swooped in with another tickle.

“Interesting shade your hair has become.” He held it up to the light, and the turquoise streaks looked brighter in the glow of the hundred watt bulb.

“It’s temporary. Should wash out in a couple of weeks.” I’d learned my lesson from the last time – even though there would no longer be a Fume ready to chop my hair off. Not everyone appreciates bright blue-green streaks. Which, reminded me… I still needed to clean up the bathroom. I’d left it looking like a slaughter on the Vulcan home world.

“It suits you somehow. Hints at a bit of chaos below the surface.” He linked his hand with mine, then lifted our hands up to the light. “Or more accurately, it warns of the chaos.”

“That’s not fair.” I poked him with my free hand. “I always had a reason and a logic behind everything that I did.” Even if sometimes that reason was to provoke him. Still counts, right?

“I stand corrected. I might not have always agreed with what that logic was, but I cannot claim you were completely heedless.” He was quiet a moment, long enough to pause for me to recognize he was holding something back.

Taking the opportunity to toss his favorite words at him, I asked, “What aren’t you telling me?”

“One of those dark moments of self-reflection – acknowledging that your calculated risks allow for a high degree of that risk to your person than I am comfortable with, because I don’t like seeing you in danger… which was followed by the knowledge that I have and likely will take greater chances with my own safety.”

“We could take them together.” Before he could immediate reject that, I added, “Remember, you got two for one with me. Well, now that you’ve taught me how to pick locks, you get a concubine, a spy and a thief all in one person. Really, I should ask for a raise.”

“If you move your hand a bit lower, you’ll find one.” While I was still deciding whether to react to the pun, he guided my hand to his shaft, and when I lightly stroked him, I received an enthusiastic twitch in response. I should have guessed that he’d have excellent powers of recovery. “In all seriousness am I to understand that you do wish to return the next time the wormhole makes it possible?”

“In about a month, it should be possible, and yes, I had planned to go back with… er, Sasuke.” Hm, perhaps not the best idea to mention that Shingen had offered me a job.

Of course Mitsuhide, being Mitsuhide, noticed my hesitation, and immediately rolled on top of me. With one hand, he easily pinned my wrists over my head. “You’re hiding something.”

“Many things, probably, but-“ my words ended on a squeak when he started nibbling on my throat playfully, then tickled inside of my elbow, the one place I am vulnerable. In moments, I was squirming and laughing hopelessly. “Stop. Stop. I swear if this is the secret of your interrogation techniques, then I want to watch the next time you – eek!” He’d swiped the spot with his tongue.

“I seem to recall you telling me that you’re not ticklish.”

“I lied about that too.”

No escape now. Even though I tried to roll away, he had me cornered. “I believe I have not yet received an explanation, Brat.”

“Oooh. Downgraded back to brat.” I didn’t actually mind the nickname, but there was no way I would let him know that.

“I do mean it in the most affectionate of ways. Now. Stop trying to divert my attention. What. Aren’t. You. Telling. Me?” Each word was punctuated by a kiss.

“So, um, well, Sasuke is actually here with Takeda Shingen.” There was no surprise on his face. Huh. I guess he’d already known that. “And he offered me a job. I was thinking of seeing if I could upgrade that to an apprenticeship, and then, at some point, when I think I am ready, I would take over Aki’s network.” I mean, he’s got a network in every timeline, I suppose, and I would be taking away some of his workload. Besides… technically, I stand to inherit the family business someday anyway.

Mitsuhide stared down at me. “You are a terrifying woman. If I didn’t love you so much, I would be thoroughly intimidated.” No he wouldn’t. But it was nice to hear him say it. “I do hope you have abandoned this idea.”

“Make me a better offer.” It was a bluff since I hadn’t really had a chance to counter-offer Shingen’s initial job offer, but I’m certain he would have agreed.

“I offer this…” He kissed me long and slow, powerfully moving his lips over mine, this time demanding a response. When I was gasping and breathless he continued, “And this –“

He brushed his hand down the side of my body, all the way past my hips. For one tantalizing moment, he kept it there, just long enough to warm my inner thigh…

… then he drifted upward, long, lazy strokes … he’d already learned my body so well that he knew just how much pressure and rhythm would have me arching off the bed and pressing up into him.

“But, most importantly, my love,” he gazed down at me, amber-gold eyes glistening with something I didn’t recognize, something I had never seen from him, “you may have my heart. All of it. To do with as you wish.”

I couldn’t speak – only nod, and he squeezed me tighter as he slowly pushed inside me again. Less frantic. More wondering… exploring this new world.

We moved together, reveling in each other’s touch, in that oh you are here… it’s you… it’s me… it’s us… something different.

Wait, who is crying? Were those tears? His tears were more frightening than his anger, frightening in a ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ kind of way, but I never planned to run from him again. I hadn’t thought it possible, but I loved him more in that moment than ever before.

It’s ok. I’m here.

Our extended, intimate embrace finally crested and crashed into the night, then softly drifted into a cozy warmth. We were home.

The sound of snow against the window woke me just before sunrise. Mitsuhide was still asleep – not in that vampiric pose (I knew that had been just to freak me out), but on his side, arm flung over his face… oh, we never had managed to turn off the light. I got up and did so, not that it mattered as a soft glow from outside infused the room.

With a sudden urge for a glass of water, I pulled on my pajamas, then as I turned to leave the room, something crinkled under my foot. I had stepped on Mitsuhide’s kimono, which had somehow been flung to this side of the room.

What was crackling though? Sounded like paper. I knelt to see, and found Mai’s instructions. Curious to know what she would tell someone who was about to suddenly go into the future, I started to pick it up, then paused. Mitsuhide and I had both read each other’s mail before, and I doubted he would care if I read this letter. However, for my own sanity, I needed to stop being afraid of what Mai meant to him. I set it on the edge of the bed for him, then picked up his clothes, folded them, and put them on the bed too.

When I caught sight of the fat snowflakes swirling across the garden. I upgraded my plan for a cup of water to a cup of hot tea, and once it was ready, I settled on the couch to watch it pile up outside.

I could hear Mitsuhide padding around upstairs, but I figured if he needed help finding anything (or how to work them) he would call for me. I wasn’t ignoring him, or anything. It was just that I was pleasantly sore all over and at present too comfortable to move.

Indeed, when Mitsuhide did emerge, he was already dressed and holding the turquoise robe. “Yoshimoto gave me the things you’d left at Genba.” He smiled as I shrugged myself into it. “It pleases me to see you so happy in something I had made for you.”

“Do you want breakfast? Or tea?” There was still plenty of hot water in the kettle. But when I made a move to get up, he shook his head.

“Not at present.” He looked over the couch with the curious eye of someone cataloging the future, before scooting in behind me. In one fluid motion, he’d lifted me onto his lap, without spilling a drop of my tea.

We sat there, completely comfortable, watching the snow sweep through the garden. The neighbor’s Christmas lights were (of course) still on, glowing softly against the growing drifts. There would be things to figure out later, but for the moment it was to just sit here, and zen out at the sight and sound of snow, in the warmth of each other’s presence.

He put his hands on my feet. “You never remember your socks.”

“Well, I had meant to come back to bed after I got a cup of water, but- oh, you don’t have to do.” Too late to protest. He’d taken off his socks and put them on my feet.

“I told you before. I don’t feel cold like some people.” He gave my toes, now warming up in the soft material, a little tweak.

I wiggled my feet inside the socks. “Probably ought to at some point get you some modern clothing. Or at least a coat and boots.”

“Hm, that was in fact included on Mai’s list. She thought I should go shopping first and appear at your door dressed in a, hm, what did she call it, a nice designer suit.” He shifted around, then handed me the letter. “I must admit to some disappointment that you didn’t even attempt to read this one. Is the mystery already gone in our relationship?” He punctuated the teasing with a light kiss under my ear.

 “Um, technically, I read Aki’s mail, not yours, Mr. I-Kept-a-Letter-for-weeks.” Did I want to probe his feelings for Mai? Now? When we were feeling so cozy and relaxed?

“Your ability to rationalize matters never ceases to astound me.” His arms snaked around my waist as he held the letter open. Even without reading it, I could see that it was indeed a list of how-tos and instructions, complete with very detailed drawings. In her how to recharge the phone, she’d even drawn a map to where the most likely free outlets would be with little tab A/slot B arrows to demonstrate what went where.

There was even a little Sasuke chibi answering his phone, with his familiar expression of blank-face intent, but a thought bubble over his head revealing his inner fanboy was nerding out over a call from Mitsuhide.

Wow. I had known Mai was a good designer, but I had not been aware that translated so well to her drawing skills. “She’s very good.”

“Indeed. Were she not only the Azuchi chatelaine but also a seamstress, I could use her as a scout.” He set his chin on my shoulder.

“No, you wouldn’t endanger her like that. She’s too precious.” Easier to approach the question from the side.

“True. Hideyoshi would very likely dismantle me for the thought.”

Agreed, but that wasn’t what I meant. “To you.”

“My love, you may someday acquire the skills of a very good interrogator, but not yet, and for the purposes of this conversation, you will have better luck simply asking me what you want to know.” He softened the statement by pulling me backward until I was resting on his chest. He brought his hand up and began smoothing out my hair.

“Are you in love with her?” It seemed I had the ability to ask that after all.

“Dear me, haven’t I just spent the past night proving that it’s you I love?” That… didn’t exactly answer my question, something he must have immediately realized, for he continued, “Mai is very loveable and she awakened feelings I didn’t not know I was still capable of. I also believed that the Iife I led required a sacrifice. But in the end, I discovered that the person I could not sacrifice was you. I’d rather condemn my soul to darkness than give up even one more day with you.”

Where to begin to unpack that? I’d wished for reassurance, and gotten an entire monologue. “I don’t really agree that you’re the dark side, but thank you for being willing to face it.” I hoped he knew now that he’d never have to face it alone. It wouldn’t just be me helping him face it. It was clear that Hideyoshi and Mai would also be at his side.

Idly I flipped to the next page of Mai’s instructions, in which a cartoon labelled ‘Grand Romantic Gesture’ portrayed chibi Mitsuhide, wearing a modern suit, kneeling in front of a chibi version of myself. He held jewelry sized gift box in his hands. “She has very specific ideas about romance, but I’m more than happy with the lockpick set.” And with him. To punctuate that, I gave him a kiss.

“Dear me, that is rather a disappointment, for I do have another gift for you – however, it’s waiting in Sakai.” I caught a rather unusual amount of repressed emotion in his tone, and wondered at it.

I knew him well enough to know there was no use asking for details, although… “What would you have done if I’d said I planned to stay here?”

“Gone back in time to Sakai, picked up your present, and brought it to you at the next available opportunity.” He tapped on his lips with his finger. “Because it is a very good gift, if I do say so myself.”

Almost, I asked if it was a pony, but… that had been a private joke between myself and Aki. Which reminded me. “Aki’s gone again.” While I was safely cocooned in his arms, sheltered from my father’s actions, I brought Mitsuhide up to date with what had happened after I disappeared from Genba.

“When you and Iekane went over the edge-“ He trailed off, then rested his face on my shoulder. I could feel a tremor go through him, and that told me more than words could. That this man, known for his cool, dispassionate conversation, could be at a loss for words, was humbling. Maybe no words were necessary anyway. I closed my eyes and breathed him for a while.

Eventually he asked me. “Are you upset that he left you here?”

“More angry that he didn’t leave a note… but I sort of expected him to leave. It’s what he does.” And now that I knew there was only one of Aki, and he was trying to keep several Katsus alive, to prevent several Hikos from being murdered, to find several Toshiies and trying to keep an unknown number of timelines from crashing into each other… I understood.

But he still could have left me a damn note.

“I can’t promise that I’ll never have to leave you behind – temporarily – but I promise I will always come back.” His voice was so quiet I could barely hear him.

“You could always take Katsu with you.”

“We shall discuss that later.”

“Oh, you can be sure of that.”

Artwork by Butterfly n'' Lace: https://www.facebook.com/butterflynlace

@lorei-writes @selenacosmic @bestbryn @lyds323 @akitsuneswife @tele86

[waitmyturtles]

“Learn to lean on me properly.”

😭😭😭

This is a fucking great show, full of subtleties. The glimmer of excitement, and then the immediate solemnity, of Natsukawa’s face as Kazuhito attempts to call him “Ryota.” All of Natsukawa’s small emotions becoming defined through his silent facial expressions as he thinks Kazuhito is partying his tuchus off. That AWESOME final scene of Natsukawa’s panic and Kazuhito’s thankfulness and relief. LOVELY.

[scarletslippers]

Okay, I've been thinking a lot about the curse and how much of how the curse works and manifests is really dependent on how we define love.

Part of love is feeling, chemistry, attraction, yes, but more importantly, love is action. Putting another's good above your own, wanting the best for that person no matter what. Love is making choices that help do that.

So to understand the curse, we need to take the perspective of how the curse caster understood love. AKA, Temperance. Diving in under the cut because it got long.

Temperance did not understand love. Yes, she seemed hurt and betrayed when she relayed that Cora Down turned Charity and Charity's father against Temperance, but I think the root of that was more that they were no longer hers to manipulate. Even her mother's love for her child was not unconditional and about Charity's welfare. She states that from the beginning she was only concerned about Charity as a means to an end.

"You made your daughter into a key."

"I gifted her with a destiny."

Temperance calls Beckett Dow a "pedantic drip" and shows disdain for Charity's feelings for him. But what Beckett did, was truly incredible. This man, as his wife lay dying, brutally separated her soul to keep her safe for eternity, and then turned himself into an immortal terrifying heart-freezing entity as an insurance policy to make sure that Charity was never harmed. The man lived 150 years alone in a cell awaiting the day he would maybe have to live that purpose. Nancy was right. "It's always been about love." Sacrificial love, that is.

Circling this back to Nancy and Ace, Nancy fully understands and employs sacrificial love. She tells Temperance, "I can't let you destroy Horseshoe Bay. No." She sacrifices her future to keep the town safe - which Temperance didn't see coming because Temperance didn't understand Nancy's love for Ace or for Horseshoe Bay.

"Blind spots, Temperance. I choose this."

And then we see it all over 3x13 and 4x01 where Nancy avoids telling Ace about the curse or her love because she's dying to keep him safe and the best way she knows how to do that is to keep her distance.

So let's examine the curse:

"It will kill Ace if you ever act upon your feelings for each other."

What does 'act upon feelings' mean? That's the big unknown, right?

Nancy chooses the no contact, no discussion route to be totally safe, but really, isn't choosing to keep him safe an act of love?

Not by Temperance's definition.

Nancy spends every inch of 4x01 telling and showing how in love with Ace she is:

"I can talk about a platonic friend who I have to keep alive by never letting him know that I'm in love with him so that we don't act on our feelings for each other and activate a secret death curse."

Asking Bess and George how Ace is every chance she gets.

Telling Ryan "It's like my compass is off. My sense of true north."

Writing Ace's name on a paper stuck in a bottle for a town tradition so that "lovers' souls separated in death can find each other."

And yet none of those trigger the curse or a curse warning. Because all of those examples are on the intellectual, sacrificial side of love - wanting him to be safe, making sure he's doing okay, mourning the loss of him as a partner and friend in a relationship where they make each other better.

It's only when Nancy and Ace physically act on feelings from the chemistry/attraction side of things do we get curse warnings - almost kiss one, almost kiss two, almost kiss three, shirt grabbing, nose brush, forehead touch, etc. These all fall under Temperance's definition of love. And really, by her definition, you can see why she thought love was weakness. She prided herself on being someone in control of herself, her emotions, and the world around her.

"Feelings make your blind spots bigger."

Being so out of control so as to almost kiss someone three times even though you know it means certain death for them? Yeah, that kind of seems like weakness.

All this to say, I think it's going to be interesting how we see this play out this season, given Kennedy's comment about Nancy and Ace leaning on each other like never before. It seems like the curse isn't wired to prevent emotional intimacy, and now that the feelings are all out in the open, I can't wait to see where that goes.

[solo-uso]

Smackdown 10/08/2021

Your dad's a good man, but he treats you like a kid. It's time for you to be your own man.

If you ask me...I think you're better than your father.

[mermaidsirennikita]

Kev throughout this novel: I have nothing to offer you, Win!!!!!

Win, looking downwards: Idk I think you have SOMETHING............................

[s0fter-sin]

Chapters: 18/? Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Dabi | Todoroki Touya & Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Dabi | Todoroki Touya, Midoriya Izuku & Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku, Dabi | Todoroki Touya & Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, Midoriya Izuku & Shinsou Hitoshi Characters: Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Dabi | Todoroki Touya, Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, Midoriya Izuku, Shinsou Hitoshi, Tsukauchi Naomasa, Kayama Nemuri | Midnight, Iida Tensei | Ingenium, Nedzu (My Hero Academia) Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Case Fic, Deaf Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Villain Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Parental Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead | Dadzawa, Past Child Abuse, Canon-Typical Violence, Found Family, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, Fights, Fist Fights, Hurt/Comfort, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic-centric, Hurt Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, no beta we die like sir nighteye Summary:

Hizashi is spiralling; his hero career is on the brink of collapse, no radio station will give him a shot and he isn’t sure how much more he can take.

When people start turning up beaten half to death, they lead him to an underground quirk fighting ring. Could it be the big break he needs to save his career or will the mysterious Referee show him something better?

[sun-marie]

HOLY SHIT DISCO ELYSIUM IS FUCKING FANTASTIC

[greenerteacups]

falling in love with writing all over again when you write a scene that makes you giggle and kick your heels like you're five years old and learning that you can make your barbie dolls kiss

[divinesouldariax]

have i mentioned i finished The Path We Walk here yet?

[yume-fanfare]

I will never forgive them for making Takagi look like that in the later episodes and movies he was already so good why did you have to make him worse Mr. Aoyama?

his hair <//333333 its so heartbreaking. why. and he is so much whiter too like. the earlier anime artstyle was so charming

[the12thnightproject]

Chapter 37: *Ahem* Katsuko distracts Shingen from working too hard. Shingen distracts Katsuko from discussing Sasuke’s plan.

N.S.F.W. Chapter, Minors DNI

Shingen x OC; Kenshin x MC (Mai)

Previous Chapter: Here

Logline - Disguised as a boy, Katsuko finds herself working for Shingen, but her dangerous masquerade becomes difficult to sustain when she falls for the man with a fatal secret.

“I can hear you thinking again.” Shingen massaged my shoulders as I prepared a cup of ‘Chiyome’s tea’ for myself and a regular blend for him.

Hopefully he didn’t literally know my thoughts because they were all over the place. One of those places was frustration. I couldn’t believe that he wasn’t even considering Sasuke’s recommendation. But it was easier to dwell on that frustration than to consider the ramifications of loving this man. I needed to put that emotion in its own compartment for a little while. If he knew I loved him, would he be more – or less - willing to go with Sasuke to the future? My gut told me it was the latter.

Instead, I waited until we were settled with our tea, and changed the topic entirely. One of Shingen’s favorite ways to avoid a conversation was to distract, and I used that method against him. I handed him the gift which had been sitting on the desk since before we’d had the discussion with Yuki and Sasuke. “Here, this is for you.”

He examined the cloth wrapped bundle without opening it. Ha! I bet he was going to sha-

He shook it and listened to it, but there wouldn’t be much in that to give it away. “It’s not my birthday.”

“My brother and I had this tradition of ‘just because’ gifts. We’d see something or think of something that we believed the other would like and go ahead and gift it, even if there was no occasion. Just because we wanted to.” In fact, usually the just because gifts ended up being items I got more use and enjoyment from than the official occasion gifts. Once he had given me a key hanger in the shape of a cat that basically had prevented me from locking myself out dozens of times (which… probably had been his strategy as whenever I did lock myself out, he was the one I called to bring over my spare key).

He hefted the package a few times. “Clever. If he ever forgot your birthday, he could always remind you that he’d given you gifts all year around.”

“I suppose. Not that he ever forgot my birthday.” He couldn’t unless he forgot his own.

“A paragon, your brother is.” Had Shingen ever forgotten a birthday or other special occasion in his time? Unlikely – the man remembered everything – he would make it a point to remember birthdays. “I almost worry what he’ll think of me.”

I let him stew another moment before I added, “We were born on the same day.” Was he ever going to open it? The anticipation was driving me crazy.

“Ah, twins. You never mentioned.” He seemed to be filing that away in his brain somewhere. “I had the impression he was the younger. You seem like you’re protective of him.”

“No, he’s older, but not by much.” Aki had informed me that twins were considered unlucky in this era, so I normally didn’t mention our shared birthday. “I guess I’m protective because he’s very clumsy. And he gets motion sickness.” And because it was my fault that we ended up here in the first place.

At last, Shingen untied the bundle to reveal the puzzle box. Using various types of wood, Tokuro had created a mosaic-like picture of a moon over a lake, surrounded by trees. It reminded me of the lake where Shingen had first “met” me as Katsuko and stolen my towel.

“This is beautiful.” He spent a moment turning it around to examine the lacquered wood from all sides. “Does it open? It sounds hollow, but there doesn’t appear to be a lid to it.”

“That, you have to figure out on your own. It’s a puzzle box. It does open, but there are twenty-one steps you must perform in the right order before it will.” Puzzle boxes were not completely unheard of in this era, although they wouldn’t become more popular for another century or so. I had been extremely lucky that Tokuro made them.

“Twenty-one steps?” His eyes bright with interest, Shingen set about trying to solve the puzzle.

Yes! Gift giving achievement unlocked. I rested my head on my hands while I watched him try to work the various levers and catches. He glanced over and caught my eye. “Thank you. This is a perfect gift… although, I imagine it might distract me from my reports… and… you thought of that already, didn’t you?”

I buffed my nails on my shoulder. “It crossed my mind that it might be a good strategy to get you to take a break on occasion.”

“Thank you for caring.” He smiled at me, his eye crinkling up at the corner, and I was struck anew at how attractive he was, when he was relaxing like this. Then he looked into my eyes, and his gaze turned hot and intent.

My memory saved that look and the perfect moment that surrounded it – the late afternoon sun turning the tips of his hair to deep red, the crisp coolness to the air that signaled the approach of Fall, the sharp scent of tea and the whisper of the kimono across my skin. I took a deep breath… and held it… waiting…

The sly smile crept across his face, and there was no need for him to ‘hear’ me think, because what I wanted was being broadcast from every cell in my body.

He crooked his finger at me, and when I leaned closer, he put his hands on my face and pulled me in for a kiss. The kiss was brief, but even after he drew back, his hands remained tangled in my hair, as he focused those darkening eyes on mine. “It occurs to me that there might be another strategy you might utilize to get me to take a break.”

Then his mouth was on mine as he kissed me again – not the light affectionate pecks I’d been the recipient of this past week but one with a hunger that hinted of barely contained desire. The passion of his embrace left me short of breath, and I hurried to steady myself on his desk before I collapsed into him. Papers crinkled under my hand. “Your reports!” We’d almost knocked them all to the floor.

“I don’t care at the moment… but you’re right, I’d care tomorrow if I had to sort through them again.” He stood, then scooped me into his arms. “The remainder of work can wait until then.”

“It’s still daylight outside.” Well, more or less anyway. Not that I was complaining.

“The better to see you with, my dear.” He gazed down at me with a combination of desire and tenderness.

“It’s ten steps from here to your futon. I can walk, you know.” Although the Rhett Butler impression was kind of hot, I was still worried about his health.

“I know.” He gently set me onto the futon. “This was more efficient.” He knelt next to me and began raining kisses along my jaw. “Plus, it has the added benefit of showing you how much I’ve recovered – and believe me, I’m about to thoroughly demonstrate that.”

“Which I look forward to but weren’t we going to discuss—ah” I forgot where I was going with that, when his teeth raked across my earlobe then nipped down the side of my neck to the hollow of my throat - a place he’d already learned could take me from zero to sixty in a flash.

“Talk later. I’ve got other plans for your mouth.” His tender attention to my throat had been more than enough to convince me - talking could wait.

“Alright… later,” I breathed out before his lips claimed mine again in a searing kiss and no, there was no talking, as any thought or intention I may have had evaporated in the heat of his mouth. I slipped my hands under the soft fabric of his kimono, sliding them across his chest, then his shoulders, wanting to feel the texture of his skin beneath my fingertips, his warmth in my arms. As the kiss took over, we melded to each other- my legs wrapped around his waist, and his hands caressing my hips and butt. Though fully dressed, our bodies found a rhythm and we moved against each other. Hands, hips, tongue, teeth… I couldn’t get enough of his kiss. I couldn’t get enough of him. I would never have enough of him.

Eventually, we broke apart to breathe, and perhaps I was hyperventilating… even looking at him made me dizzy. Or maybe I was dizzy with the need to be closer still.

I reached for my obi, intending to yank my clothes off, but he stopped my hands. “Let me.” He skillfully made short work of untying the knot. Reverently he loosened my kimono, slipping it off my body, his fingers lightly skimming across my skin along the way. “Two presents that I get to unwrap today.”

“Why do I feel like I’m the one receiving the gift?” I watched him shrug out of his own clothes, admiring as the last rays of daylight outlined his muscles and illuminated the faint shimmer of sweat across his chest and stomach. Sasuke had been accurate when he compared Shingen to Thor.

With that wicked smile across his face, he slowly lowered me backward onto the futon, his hands protecting the back of my head. “Because you. Are. Very. Perceptive.” He emphasized each word with light pecks across my cheekbones, forehead, and nose, then punctuated the phrase with a deep kiss that stole my breath. While his tongue swept into my mouth, coaxing mine out to play, his fingers traced a path from the base my throat to my belly before reversing course to palm my breast.

It wasn’t until he answered one of my gasps with a moan that I realized I was unconsciously performing the same explorations on him. Maybe I wasn’t ready to say out loud the words, ‘I love you,’ but my body declared it in countless nonverbal ways – fingers pressing into his strong shoulders, breasts sliding against his chest, leg hooking around his hip to draw him closer.

“Not so fast… we have all night,” he said, his voice low and thick as caramel, “I intend to worship you properly.” He brushed my hair out of my eyes, then for a long moment simply held my face in his hands and gazed down at me. The combination of heat and affection in his eyes nearly broke whatever little control I had left. If he intended to let this fire build all night long, there was no way I would make it until sunrise. But anything I might have said in protest of that plan was lost in my moans of pleasure when he slid his lips to my breasts to lick and tug on them, his tongue lapping the nipples, until they were tight and aching with a need for release. Even then there was no respite – instead he sucked lightly on them. I moaned as I writhed beneath him.

At last, he took pity on me and returned his attention to my neck – or maybe he was simply extending the torture, making sure our lovemaking indeed would continue through the night – then he hugged me closer and whispered, “You’re so beautiful… strong… vital… I barely believe you’re real.”

“Maybe … I’m not real.”

“Hm… better check.” His hand glided down my body, taking the time to caress every inch of skin encountered. “Feels real. You taste…”  He sucked on my earlobe.

I gasped and bit his shoulder in response. “Sorry!”

I hadn’t meant to bite him.

“Don’t apologize… I’m happy that pleased you.” His hand dipped lower and lower, light fluttering touches along my inner thighs, before he parted my legs; flicking and teasing that already over-sensitive place between them.

Once again, I gasped then squeezed him closer, feeling like I needed to hang on to something, or I would fall, but I was already lying down, where would I fall? Into him, I was falling into him.

He took his time with those caresses, banking a fire, but in no apparent hurry to build it up… just slow, deliberate strokes, as I arched into him, pressing him onward. At that encouragement, he inserted one, then two, fingers inside me. My brief thought of ‘wait, not there, go back to the touching’ was immediately cancelled by a ‘Oh! There! There is good after all,’ when his calloused fingertip brushed across a spot that sent a jolt through me.

He laughed suddenly. “You know, this is the only time your thoughts are visible on your face… I should just keep you like this all the time, Devil.” He laughed again, as my face very likely projected my opinion of that plan.

Just for that, I let my hands do some exploring too, gliding down the length of him, and feeling a surge of feminine power at his answering groan and the way he hardened at my touch. I wanted to do to him what he was doing to me. I wanted him to feel at least some of what I was feeling.

Victory was short however as his fingers continued that persistent rhythm inside me and soon it was all I could do to hold onto him, as breathless with anticipation and the increasing pressure deep inside me, I dug my heels into the futon and pushed into his hand, frantic for more. “Shingen, please.”

Finally, he gazed into my eyes as he positioned himself above me and leisurely pressed forward, entering me so slowly that every advancement sent waves through me.

As he held still for an extended moment, I breathed through the internal sensations… the soft skin covering the hardness … an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome fullness… adjusting around him … and the intimidating thought that we were closer than we ever had been….

He brushed my hair out of my eyes. “Good?”

I nodded. Good. Slightly overcome. But… good.

He kissed me again, whispering, “Then, look at me,” before gradually moving, a glacial pull and push that started the pressure building up again, especially when he brought his hand back down to tease the skin in the valley between my thighs.

I arched to take him deeper, faster, my breath releasing in half-sobs and gasps, as he increased his pace and… I didn’t want that feeling of anticipation to end, and yet I couldn’t stop urging him onward… until…

A shower of sparks spread throughout my entire being, my legs spasming around his back, then while I was still vibrating with the pleasure of that explosion, he allowed himself to reach his own release with a moan, then relaxed on top of me.

We lay there, simply breathing…

Being…

His now-damp hair tickled my forehead… or maybe it was my hair… I couldn’t even tell where the boundary of me ended and the one of him began.

Eventually, when my heartrate slowed enough to allow speaking, I sighed, “God.”

He pushed himself up on his elbows – yes, his hair had fallen into his eyes – it was always falling into his eyes, wasn’t it? I brushed it back into place, letting my hand linger on his forehead. He smiled down at me with a look of wicked glee, “Yes, Devil?”

Which is why our afterglow devolved into me snort laughing into his shoulder. He laughed with me then rolled us over, and we lay there, hands linked together, legs still entangled, sharing another moment of joy.

I wish I could say that after that night, Shingen and I had a long talk and he agreed with the wisdom of going to the future with Sasuke. In fact, it would also have been acceptable if we’d talked and he convinced me that he was healthy enough to wait until the Togakushi “node” (as Sasuke had taken to calling it) opened.

Neither of those things happened.

Instead, he continued to duck the conversation altogether. I knew what he was doing. And he knew that I knew. It didn’t make pinning him down any easier. He’d simply say, “I don’t want to fight about this – lets discuss it later.���

But he always had an excuse, a distraction, a way to avoid that later discussion.

Meanwhile the nights were *ahem* lovely, and aside from avoiding a certain topic of conversation, the days were pretty stellar too. I was learning a lot about tactics and strategy.

“I wish my instructors in school had been more like you,” I told him one afternoon. “I might have skipped school less often.”

“Was that a prelude to a teacher – student fantasy?” Shingen gave me one of those wicked grins. “If so, let me get through a couple more reports and we can explore that.”

“It wasn’t.” Although now that he mentioned it, it was going to be on my mind. “I’m learning so much more from you than I ever did in school. You make it all interesting, even things I never would have been interested in before, like the flood management.” I didn’t throw that out there randomly – I was curious about the zutsumi that he’d engineered that was still in existence in my day.

“And what were you interested in, Devil… also, what does skipped school mean?” Hm… maybe I had been too subtle in my questioning.

“Um, well, it means instead of being in school like I was supposed to be, I was out doing something else.” That comment got me a stern enough look that I moved ‘student-teacher fantasy’ higher up the ladder of things that might be fun to try. “What I was interested in, and what I skipped school to do, is go snowboarding.”

Before he could ask the obvious question, I continued, “Um, when you were a child, did you ever use a large piece of wood and slide down a snowy hill on it?” I didn’t know when sleds made it to Japan.

He appeared to think about it, then grinned. “Not that I can recall, although it sounds like something that I would have enjoyed.”

“Snowboarding is something like that, except you stand on the board, it goes a lot faster, and there are snow parks that build courses you can ride.” I waved my hand through the air in an approximation of a half-pipe run. “It’s the closest thing to flying without an airplane.” I had already explained modern transportation to him previously.

“I’m not completely picturing it, but I believe I have the general concept… it sounds dangerous.” He gave me a chiding look. Yup. Teacher/student fantasy keeps zooming up the charts. “Therefore, it must have been something you did every moment you could, Devil.”

“I wore a helmet,” I said. But we were getting away from the original topic, and since I was trying to be a good student, I steered the conversation back to the reports on the flood plains. But as I continued to subtly question him (although I don’t know why I was bothering to be subtle, given the amount of things Sasuke, Mai, and I had already affected, there were probably hundreds of temporal paradoxes already in play) about his ideas for damming and diverting the rivers, it became clear that Shingen hadn’t built the zutsumi yet.

Was this a sign that his illness would be treated successfully in the future? Or did it mean that in this timeline, the project would never be completed, potentially putting hundreds, maybe thousands at risk of losing their lives and homes over the next five centuries? Something definitely to discuss with Sasuke. I had a list. It was very long at this point.

I turned back from my musings to see that Shingen had paused in his report reading, seeming frozen in place. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of his desk.

“What is it? Bad news?” I peered over his shoulder – the report seemed fairly innocuous.

“No.” His voice was rough. He cleared his throat. “Thinking… time for a break.”

“Alright.” I was happy he seemed to be taking better care. “Tea?”

“I’m… out. Run to the kitchens… and beg for more leaves?” He squeezed my hand, almost painfully.

“Of course,” I gave him a quick smile and headed out the door. I walked about ten feet away, then took off my sandals and tiptoed back.

He was not out of tea.

He’d sent me away on purpose.

I thought I knew why.

I hoped I was wrong.

A moment later my theory was confirmed when there came a painful sounding cough. Should I allow him to think his distraction had succeeded?

But the coughing went on and on, then-

CRASH!

The clatter of something falling had me rushing back inside to find him doubled over, struggling to breathe. He held a handkerchief to his mouth – but his hand couldn’t cover the red stain that was spreading across the pale fabric.

@bestbryn

[doomboogie]

Getting tired of people screaming “watch past the first episode / play past the first few hours / read past the first few chapters!!” Like. No. I only have so much time on this bitch of an earth and so much I want to do and see

[bitterseaproduction]

Just saw Joker described as a '2nd year' in the P5 Tactica information, which is gaaaaaaaaaaaaaah--

I swear, for a series with a message of moving forward, Persona (see: Atlus) sure loves to avoid moving forward. Never mind complaints about more P5 content -- I'm here for side games and returning character storylines -- they are keeping the Phantom Thieves stuck in a Peter Pan state.

Where is that willingness to move forward that came with the P4 Arena games? For the P3 and P4 kids? Man, just the P4G epilogue alone took us as far as Strikers did timeline-wise.

And speaking of Strikers, the sole actual sequel to P5? Evading or hiding half of the characters we'd be love to revisit, and generally dodging Royal's entire existence? Woof.

[amethystheart2421]

Chapters: 10/12 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Regulus Black/Remus Lupin, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin Characters: Regulus Black, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black Additional Tags: Social Anxiety, Panic Attacks, lycanthropy, Sibling Rivalry, Ravenclaw Remus Lupin, Hogwarts AU, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, still plenty of politics and anti-muggle prejudice though, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Pining, Ravenclaw Pandora Lovegood, Alice Longbottom is a Fortescue, Amelia Bones is a twin, Regulus Black Deserves Better, Black Family Drama (Harry Potter), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Love Potion/Spell, Abraxan Winged Horses (Harry Potter), Wolfsbane Potion (Harry Potter), Regulus Black Speaks French, Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop (Harry Potter), Arranged Marriage, The Prank, Minor Character Death, Idiots in Love, Unrequited Crush, Slow Burn, Whump, Jealousy Series: Part 1 of Wolfsbane Saga Summary:

Young Remus Lupin wants nothing more than to be accepted into Wizarding society, but doesn’t think it will be possible due to his furry little problem. So he is shocked to find out he is accepted to Hogwarts! He desperately tries to keep his condition a secret, but between his brilliant friends in Ravenclaw house and a certain handsome and very persistent Gryffindor, he finds he has less control over his destiny than he would like.

So, when his friends invite young a Slytherin to help them come up with a treatment, he thinks, why not? The thing is, Regulus Black has his own motives for getting involved in the project. And neither of them could have predicted that they would make each other question everything.

🚨CHAPTER 10 IS POSTED! 🚨 This is mostly a fluffy chapter so I hope you enjoy it! 🥰

[violetthistle1]

“Do you think we should be taking more precautions? I feel like we aren’t being careful enough.” Remus asked.

“Says the man who just wandered through a random wizard portal and got a library card!” Sirius said sarcastically. 

“Yes, exactly, I shouldn’t have done that!” Remus said. 

“Okay, library card aside, what other risky behaviors would you have us forgo?” 

“Well, we could probably get an enchanted tent instead of renting furnished cottages. Then we wouldn’t have to have as much contact with the outside world. We could keep to ourselves and go to larger cities when we need necessities where a strange traveler is less noticeable. We could cancel our meeting with Sarah, it’s an incredibly risky step.” Remus answered. 

“All of that sounds devastatingly boring. Why should we spare the expense of a tent when we could sleep on the side of the road? Should we go full hermit and never speak to anyone other than the two of us? We could sneak around at night and take what we need, then we would never have to see another human soul again.” Sirius said. 

“You’re mocking me.” Remus replied. 

“I would never!”

**** Dignity be Damned, Chapter 12: Old Friends, excerpt (2)

Chapters 1-12 are available on Ao3 now!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/50555698/chapters/129101269

New chapters are posted every Thursday and Sunday.

[ice-sculptures]

is it just me or does byler remind anyone else of korrasami