psychodreem

[demenior]

As a side note I fucked around in the character creator a LOT in Bg3, ergo here are some Fealty faces:

I was SOOOOO close to playing as Fealdwulf

Bonus Fjord below bc his ponytail is important to me:

[blueberryrock]

Faithfully Waiting. (Inktober Day 5 Haldir x Reader)

A/N, i'm getting this in past midnight lol, but uh I haven't done a whole lot with Haldir but I hope y'all enjoy it as it's based on a song by one of my favorite bands <3 the song is here!

(Rules, Requests, and More)

A large gust blows through the trees, rustling the always golden leaves. It has turned Fall in others places, other elven kingdoms, leaving almost nothing behind but the skeleton of trees. But never has it graced here, Lothlorien, and it may never will.

But Haldir never minds it, he likes the gentle breeze that will occasionally blow through, the new smells, the small bursts of rain. He loves it all.

Scanning the line of trees before him, Haldir moves from his perch on a thick branch, his light feet carrying him across the trees. Finding nothing, his eyes turn downwards to the forest floor, then he spots something odd on the ground, nestled between the rarely fallen leaves.

Quickly glancing around once more, he jumps down the branches, one by one till he reaches the ground. Haldir quickly spots what he was looking at, bending down to grasp it between his fingers. With a smile, he realizes what it is, a flower, its petals seem to glow in the faint light.

Pulling it from its spot, Haldir twirls it in his fingers before he hears something behind him. He whips around to face another border guard.

"What is it Haldir?" He asks, his gaze softening when he sees the flower between Haldir's fingers.

"Your patrol is ending soon," Haldir's gaze doesn't turn from the flower. "Correct?"

The other elf nods. "Yes," he says, drawing Haldir's gaze. "I return tomorrow morning in fact."

"Can you send a message for me?"

"Of course Mellon."

-

Y/N hasn't heard from him in weeks, she knows that border patrol is a very grueling job, especially now as war has broken out in many kingdoms so the Lord has added more hours and elves to border patrol, but even then he sends a small letter or even a token from his patrol line.

But it has been nearly a month since he left and nothing. While working in the kitchens and even taking a few hours to pick up gardening hasn't distracted her much, it has just left all of her thoughts to be pushed back until the night comes.

Y/N sighs, opening her curtains to allow for the faint sunlight to fill her house. Taking a small cup in her hands, she turns from the table to water a small succulent she's been nurturing on the windowsill. Humming an old song she was taught by her mother, Y/N dances around her kitchen and living room, moving from plant to plant.

A small smile graces her lips as she waters her last plant, a small cluster of yellow flowers until a loud knock on her door startles her, making her nearly drop her cup.

With a frown, Y/N harshly places the cup on the table before walking around it to reach the door. Grumbling to herself, she reaches for the door and pulls it open, half expecting an elleth to be there to tell her she missed something.

Dread fills her when she sees it's one of the border patrol Ellons. "Lady Y/N," the ellon places his hand to his heart.

"D-did something happen?" She asks, her voice quivering ever so slightly.

A small smile grows on the ellon's lips as he shakes his head. "Ah, no," he says, grabbing something out from his tunic. "Nothing bad has happened, Haldir just wanted me to pass along a message."

Relief floods through Y/N's system, taking the small piece of parchment from him, she can feel the tears well in her eyes. She nearly weeps right then and there when she sees him pull out a single golden flower.

Taking it gently between her fingers and politely says goodbye, closing the door, and rests on it. Sliding down the cold hardwood, not caring how dirty her dress will get when she hits the floor. Y/N gently places the flower beside her to read the note.

Breaking the soft wax seal, her eyes blur as she reads the small note. Y/N reads it with such care, memorizing each line before moving on to the next. She can feel the tears rolling down her cheeks as she reads the last line.

I heard you have massed a collection of plants in my leave, well they shall keep you company for one last week. I miss you.

Haldir,

Wiping away her stray tears, Y/N turns to gaze and attention to the flower next to her. Grasping the stem in her fingers, she lets out a choked laugh before putting it to her nose and smelling the sweet scent of it.

Giddy with happiness, Y/N leaps from her spot on the floor, she lets out a cry of joy before rushing to grab an empty vase, feeling it with water before placing it on the window with the flower.

-

The week passes by quickly, her thoughts no longer filled with dread at night. The long hours of her kitchen duties and newly added garden duties are filled with thoughts of Haldir, making the usually long day go by quicker.

Y/N sings with joy as she cracks an egg in a bowl. Whisking it quickly, she curses as some of the sticky batter trickles out of the bowl and onto the counter. Turning to a much smaller bowl to her right, Y/N grabs a few of the chopped berries in the bowl and sprinkles them gingerly into the batter. Mixing them in before trying to wipe the sweet sticky juice on her apron.

Y/N whips her head to the door after she hears several gentle knocks. Sighing, she walks to the door and turns the handle with her elbows, trying to not get any of the sweet juice and ruin it.

"I am sorry," she says, still trying to wipe her hands off. "But I am busy right now if you can come bac–"

"Busy with what meleth?"

Y/N glances away from her apron around her waist to find a familiar face staring at her with an amused gaze. She launches herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, not caring about the sticky juice.

"Meleth?" Haldir says, his voice laced with concern.

"I thought you were dead," she says softly, tears threatening to spill. "You were gone too long, with no notes or letters." She cries. "A-and I had heard that orcs had be-en found on Mirkwood's borders." She buries her face into his neck as Haldir gently rubs her back and moves them inside.

"My apologies," he whispers. "I didn't mean to worry you, I just had no time to write or send anything back until recently."

Y/N shakily lets her arms fall to her waist as Haldir cups her now wet face. Brushing her cheek with his thumb to wipe away any stray tears. "I am just surprised that you haven't left," he mumbles, looking away from her gaze. "Or found someone else."

"You know I am faithful only to you," she whispers. "And plants as well."

Haldir lets out a small laugh, looking around the combined space of their kitchen and living room. "I can see that," he hums, a small smile growing on his face.

"Well," Y/N says, gently pulling away from Haldir, turning to the kitchen side. "I suppose I should let you unpack and relax."

"It won't be as much fun if you are not there, meleth."

"While that is true," Y/N says, turning her attention to the neglected batter. "I am quite busy with making your favorite dessert."

"Really?" Haldir perks up, slowly moving to stand behind Y/N to peek of her shoulder. "Can I have a taste?"

"No!" She exclaims, turning around on her heels. "It is dangerous to eat raw eggs, you of all elves should know that! Now go wash up, I may have gotten some of the berry juice in your hair."

"Not again," he grumbles, running his hand through part of his hair. "Warn me before you come worming your hands in my hair."

"Oh, I am sorry," Y/N says sarcastically. "But last I checked, you were the one who tracked mud into our house after I cleaned the floors!"

Haldir barks out a laugh, remembering how Y/N made him clean the floors for a whole week after that. Before he turns to leave, Haldir places a quick kiss on the top of her head. "I love you."

"And I, you."

[time-to-write-and-suffer]

I wouldn't mind that post on VNs!

So I was gonna write three different lists, but then after writing the first part I realized this is very long and takes a while to write and nobody cares anyway so I’ll just post my recommended list only. Well, I mean, you asked, but I doubt you wanted all this lol. Thank you for giving me an excuse to talk about this stuff, though. Hope you enjoy my ramblings!

An explanation for what this list is: Sometimes I know a game isn't perfect in many aspects but I still had a genuinely good time playing it, hence why I'm recommending it. Also I should mention that I could talk for hours about some of these games so if anyone’s curious about more of my thoughts, let me know.

Alright, now that that's out of the way ...

How to Take Off Your Mask / How to Fool a Liar King / How to Sing to Open Your Heart (f/m): This is a trilogy of smaller, single-RO games where you can take one of two routes depending on how you act, and they’re all interconnected where you get to meet and interact with the previous games’ characters in the sequel games. I went into this expecting very little but what I got blew me away with how funny, charming and cute the games were. They don’t take themselves too seriously, at one point an angsty male character monologues deeply about some shit, and another one just slides into frame and starts mocking him. It was so fucking funny, holy shit. Also, a central theme is literally racism against catgirls? Which is monumentally stupid, and probably the games’ main flaw, especially in the final game where it pairs up a catgirl with a catgirl racist, but that one still ends with a literal bisexual queen literally making a man her malewife because she fell in love with his cooking, so like ... It speaks for itself. My favorite game of the three is the second one, where you get to play a punchy fake catgirl and romance a pink-haired prince. And honestly, all the female protags in these games are lovely and a breath of fresh air, and the male characters are fun and not abusive assholes either. There’s full Japanese voice acting, and two out of three female protags are literal catgirls who pepper in “nya” and “mya” into their dialogue, and it’s just treated as a quirk of their catgirl race. I AM NOT KIDDING. Yet somehow it never comes off as cringe, because it doesn’t take it self too seriously. These games are just cozy. That’s the only way I can describe them. Cozy and hilarious. Play them yesterday. Dream Daddy (m/m): Man tumblr did this game dirty. This is just a cute, wholesome daddy dating simulator with gorgeous art. Coming out on Top (m/m): So you know Dream Daddy? What if it was EXTREMELY, MAJORLY NSFW? Though I realize how bad the comparison really is, the only thing these games have in common is that they’re gay dating sims and don’t have an anime art style and oh, yeah, they’re both really well-written. Or at least, extremely funny. COOT (heh) is DDADDS’ horny older cousin, and I first encountered the game on a lesbian letsplayer’s YouTube channel. Yes I watched a lesbian play a gay porn game and it was GOOD. I was there for the cringe and fun and got surprised by how genuinely funny and sometimes actually touching the game was. I can’t give it my universal endorsement because it’s not a game for everyone, as I said, it’s extremely NSFW and the menu theme literally includes the singers screaming “SEX SEX” at the top of their lungs. There’s more to this game than the porn, but there’s just so much porn. It can be censored in the settings but it’s unavoidable. However, I still think it’s worth a look just because of how funny it is and how charming the characters are. If you don’t want to play it yourself, at least watch Anima’s playthrough of it. It hasn’t aged super well in some spots but I still go back to it every now and then. Akash: Path of the Five (f/m): This game markets itself as a more “professionally produced” western dating sim, and that’s accurate in some superficial aspects. The game is pretty poorly written, but it’s absolutely gorgeous and has really good English voice acting by actual professional voice actors. The premise is quite self-indulgent, but I genuinely respect that about it. You play as the only female elemental in a village with only men, and all five of your classmates want a piece of you. It’s clear the writers have put some thought into the lore and worldbuilding of this world, but barely any of it comes through in the actual writing and plot, which is basically just a vehicle for you to get together with your boy of choice. The ROs aren’t very well-developed either, and the plot is the same in every route with only minor variations depending on which guy you pick, up to the point where the protag has the same voice lines in some parts regardless of which guy she’s talking about. It also has one extra half-route that’s so bad and pointless I genuinely wonder why they wasted resources on making it instead of spending a bit more on the writing/adding some variations to the main plot. So why am I recommending this game? Well, it’s pretty, and it sounds nice. This game is a himbo, gorgeous but dumb as rocks. Enjoy it for what it is. I know I did. Get it when it’s on sale, I think if I hadn’t gotten it at half-price I would’ve felt a bit more cranky about it. Also Rocco is bae. Mystic Destinies: Serendipity of Aeons (f/m): Yes that’s the full title, no I don’t know what it means either. You may have noticed how most of the games so far I’ve enjoyed because they don’t take themselves too seriously? Well, this one does. It takes itself SO FUCKING SERIOUSLY. Like, way too seriously. It’s a little embarrassing at points because baby, you’re an urban fantasy dating sim. Calm down. But the game has gorgeous art and 3 out of 5 routes are very good. The last route, the one with your teacher, is both the most problematic yet somehow the one that breaks down the very concept of a dating sim within its own narrative (yes, this shit gets fucking META) and it got so wild at the end that 1) I still listen to the soundtrack for that route and 2) I still remember it to this day despite finishing it ages ago. My favorite route is Shou, he’s a sweetheart, but the mindfuck route is so buckwild that I think the game is worth playing just for that. There’s also a route that’s like a neo-noir mystery? I Do Not Know. This game is many, many things and it does them so sincerely and tries so hard, you can’t help but respect it. It doesn’t always stick the landing but man, just let this thing take your hand and wax poetic at you for a bit. Also get this one at a sale because it’s very expensive to get the full version. I got it for 9 bucks on itch.io and I felt that was a fair enough price, I’d say I wouldn’t have minded paying more for it because there’s a lot of content to enjoy and/or be baffled by. Arcade Spirits: This one’s a bit more weird from what I recall, and I honestly couldn’t tell you much about it, but I remember having a very good time with it and recommending it to a friend when she was going through some tough times and she said it made her feel better. I remember it making me feel better, as well. This is a VN about an arcade and the ROs are wonderfully diverse, with very real human conflicts that get explored in each of their routes. It can get quite existential and heavy at times, but in the end it’s a kindhearted game that I think everyone can enjoy. The main character was also, how you say, mood. It’s a game about getting possessed by a video game and then learning self-love. Ebon Light (f/m): This one’s free/name your own price on itch.io so go play it. It’s a weird plot where you play as a girl who ate an elven relic? And then the elves kidnap you because you’re the relic now. All the ROs are extremely pasty (like, literally white, as in literally the color white) dark-haired elves, except for one, who’s an extremely pasty blond elf, so ... diversity? I honestly don’t know what this game is aside from unique. I used to be a bit put off by the art style but now I think it contributes to the general atmosphere. It’s a weird game that technically doesn’t do anything groundbreaking but still left an impression of “huh. weird” in my mind and I think more people should play it. The ROs are all pretty generic dating sim archetypes but done well, with bonus points to Duliae who’s just a massive creep and I love him, and also Vadeyn who’s the only bitch in this house I respect. The worldbuilding is honestly a bit buckwild and I can’t give enough credit for how unique the elves’ culture is in this game. Definitely give it a go. Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds / Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms (f/m): These two are newer releases of an older Japanese visual novel. I wouldn’t call it a dating sim, it’s ... it’s more of a super depressing historical fantasy epic with some minor romance aspects awkwardly wedged in. It’s seriously some of the heaviest and most grimdark shit I’ve ever played in a VN/otome. I don’t understand why it’s a dating sim, it doesn’t read like one, it’s just historical fantasy based on real world events with characters based on real people, and they kill and they die and they grieve and they suffer. The games are literally about the downfall of the Shinsengumi, there’s no way of avoiding everything going to shit and you get to watch and be in the middle of it all as they struggle to stay alive and relevant in a world that doesn’t need them anymore. And there’s the protag in the middle of it all, being useless and submissive and bland just the way the usual otome protag is. I don’t think these games are necessarily fun, and the romance is certainly a lot more downplayed and deeply problematic just based on the age differences alone with some of the men, but the sheer amount of horror and sadness in these games make them stand out above its peers. It’s like watching a war movie. Since most of the characters are based on real people, they feel like real people instead of the usual otome archetypes, and they are so, SO flawed, it’s interesting to just watch them deal with the shit the world throws at them. It’s an Experience, and if you’re up for it, I think it’s worth the time. Cinderella Phenomenon (f/m): This game is free on Steam so go get it. You play as a really, genuinely shitty princess who gets cursed to be poor and forgotten and she has to help one of the ROs break his fairy tale curse so that she can learn about being a good person herself and return to her normal life. This game doesn’t look like much, but it has a genuinely well-written main character who’s actually at the center of each of the stories and in the overarching plot instead of just being around to make eyes at the real protagonists, aka the love interests. Aside from the main character, my favorite part of this game’s writing is how each route slowly but very smoothly expands upon the overarching intrigue. If you play them in a certain order, you get more and more info revealed to you that you didn’t see in other routes, gaps are filled in as you find out more about what actually happened and why, but every route also stands on its own as a full experience and none is more canon than the rest. There’s also some really heavy emotional parental abuse explored, which I found quite potent at times. The romances themselves were alright, I think Karma and Waltz were my faves.

[darnloveablecharacters]

Prove Me Wrong, Part Twenty-One: The Archer

Series Summary:  Caithwistë, born from the only known pairing of an elf and a dwarf has spent most of her life in hiding. When an old friend, (or a certain meddling wizard) finds her in the woods, everything changes. Now, she will have the chance to prove the world wrong about her value. A ‘The Hobbit’ fanfiction based off of the following imagines from @imaginexhobbit: This One is the basis of the story, and This One and This One will be added in later. If you recognize it, it belongs to Professor Tolkien or Peter Jackson. But, as usual, the story and all of the mistakes are my own!

Prove Me Wrong - Masterlist

Chapter Notes: Okay y’all, truth time. I’ve had this chapter written for WEEKS. But as I was reviewing it to post this morning, I realized there was that one thing I wanted to do, but couldn’t find the right time for. This was literally my last chance to work it in so.... the first half may have excessive errors because I just wrote it in the past couple of hours lol.

Warnings for this chapter: pretty fluffy... but in a friendly way? lol

Tagged: @imaginesreblogged @chevycastiel1967 @rices4me93​ If you want to be added just let me know!

The Company gathered at the end of a narrow pathway, waiting for Bilbo to return. Mithrandir had asked him to scout ahead, much to Caithwistë’s frustration. He believed that Bilbo would have an easier time of staying undetected as the pack would most likely focus on the scents of Thorin and Caithwistë to track. She knew the wizard was most likely correct, but she still felt uneasy with Bilbo scouting alone.

“Shall we start calling you Auntie now?” Came Kili’s voice, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Caithwistë rolled her eyes. “Focus Kili.” She chided softly, listening intently for any signs of Bilbo or the pack.

“Leave her alone Kili.” Fili said and Caithwistë glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. “She is definitely our Auntie.” He added quietly, leaning toward Kili with a mischievous grin.

Kili clasped his hands together, smiling widely. “Wonderful. Since we don’t seem to have a moment of time in this quest for you to help me with my archery, we will have plenty of time after we reclaim the mountain!”

Caithwistë shook her head, equally amused and exasperated with the brothers’ teasing already. “Would you like your first lesson then?” She asked, crossing her arms.

Kili’s eyes widened. “Really?” He asked with barely concealed excitement.

Caithwistë grinned and nodded, and Kili stepped toward her eagerly. “The first lesson is silence.” She said, waiting for his reaction.

“Oh.” Kili said, slightly dejected. Fili laughed at this until he caught Caithwistë’s glare.

“An archer can survive with decent aim, for a time;” She began, circling Kili. “however, the true hunter is most effective when the target does not realize they are there. To achieve this, you must be silent and aware of all that is happening around you. Your eyes only show you what is in front of you, but your other senses can give you a greater understanding of what truly surrounds you.” She stopped and noted that Kili was watching her intently now, as were the other members of the Company. “Close your eyes.” She commanded quietly. Kili squeezed his eyes shut and she smiled at his enthusiasm. “Allow everything in and try to identify everything as it comes to you.” Kili nodded and furrowed his brows in concentration. “What do you feel?” She asked.

Kili cocked his head to the side and smiled. “A breeze, from the North.”

Caithwistë nodded. “Very good, what do you smell?”

Kili wrinkled his nose. “Dwalin.”

Caithwistë giggled at that but continued. “We may need to work on that part. Now, this is possibly the most important. What do you hear?”

The Company was completely still now, waiting for Kili’s response. “There’s a rustling in the trees, behind me.”

Caithwistë nodded again. “Take out your bow and aim.” She whispered, knowing what he had picked up on.

Kili hesitated. “With my eyes closed?”

“Yes.” She said firmly. Kili pulled out his bow, nocked an arrow and aimed in the direction the noise had come from. Caithwistë took a deep breath, and gave him the command. “Release.”

Kili did as she asked, and she smiled at the sound of the impact. He had hit his target. He opened his eyes, glancing at her uncertainly and she gestured to the trees. “Go and fetch it then.”

Kili dashed through the brush and Thorin stepped to her side. “Do you think this is wise?”

Caithwistë smirked. “Do you wish to eat tonight?” She asked as Kili called out in triumph.

He re-emerged from the trees, holding out the rabbit he had just killed. “Did you see that Uncle? I did that with my eyes closed!”

Thorin let out a sigh and smiled at his nephew. “Well done Kili.” He eventually said with pride.

Kili’s mouth dropped open in shock, then he glanced at Caithwistë with glassy eyes before the rest of the Company gathered around him, offering their own congratulations.

Thorin turned to Caithwistë. “Thank you, Unalê.” He whispered softy, gazing at her affectionately.

Caithwistë reached out and squeezed his hand but gasped when another sound reached her ears.

“What is it?” Thorin asked, suddenly on edge at her abrupt change in mood.

Caithwistë closed her eyes in concentration and after a moment, smiled again. “Bilbo.” She breathed in relief. She opened her eyes at the sound of a snap, watching as Thorin and Dwalin rushed forward with their weapons at the ready to meet the hobbit.

“How close is the pack?” Thorin asked as Bilbo ran into sight.

“Too close, couple of leagues, no more.” He said running past them toward the center of the company. “But that’s not the worst of it.” He added, turning back to Thorin.

Caithwistë stepped between Fili and Kili, wondering what he had seen when Dwalin asked. “Have the Orcs picked up our scent?”

Bilbo shook his head. “Not yet, but they will do. We have another problem.”

Mithrandir stepped in behind him with concern. “Did they see you? They saw you.”

Flustered Bilbo shook his head again. “No, that’s not it.”

“Good, what did I tell you?” Mithrandir said, visibly relieved. “Quite as a mouse. Excellent burglar material.”

The Company began to add their comments of agreement, but Caithwistë stayed silent watching Bilbo’s agitation increase. “Will you listen?!” He complained. “I’m trying to tell you there is something else out there.”

Caithwistë tensed and stepped passed Thorin toward the path, listening again.

“What form did it take? Like a bear?” Mithrandir asked as her gaze darted to the trees.

“Ye…Yes,” Bilbo stammered. “but bigger. Much bigger.”

“You knew about this beast?” Bofur asked incredulously.

Caithwistë glanced back as Mithrandir turned away in deep thought.

“I say we double back.” Bofur suggested after a moment of silence.

“We do not have time.” Caithwistë muttered.

Thorin nodded in agreement. “We’ll be run down by a pack of Orcs.”

“Then where do we go?” Ori asked with wide eyes.

“There is a house,” Mithrandir began slowly, turning back to the Company. “it’s not far from here, where we might take refuge.”

“Whose house?” Thorin asked in frustration. He had already been misled by the wizard, forcing their journey to cross through Imladris against his wishes. “Are they friend or foe?”

“Neither.” Mithrandir admitted. “He will help us, or he will kill us.”

Caithwistë furrowed her eyebrows and turned back to the trees, drawing Emel-o Orcrist.

“What choice do we have?” Thorin asked, before a loud roar rang out among the trees. Thorin was at Caithwistë’s side in an instant, ready to help her defend against their new enemy.

“None.” Came Mithrandir’s unwavering voice.

Thorin glanced at her and she nodded with determination, pulling him back toward the now retreating Company.

As they dashed through the trees, Caithwistë could now hear the sound of the pack drawing nearer as well. Their pursuit was stopped; however, when another roar called out from the forest.

“This way! Quickly!” Mithrandir commanded, leading the way into a clearing.

Caithwistë moved to follow but stopped in her tracks. Bombur was frozen in place in front of her with wide eyes and she saw his bottom lip quiver in fear as he focused on a spot behind her. She ran to him, Thorin still at her side and they both grabbed him, trying to pull him forward. “Keep moving Bombur.” Caithwistë warned.

Bombur nodded, shaking out of his daze and took off with an inexplicable speed. By the time the small house was in sight, he had made it to the front of the Company and was leading them to safety.

As they approached the gate, Caithwistë drew her bow and nocked an arrow to cover their entrance but Mithrandir grasped tightly onto the arrow, glaring at her. “Caithwistë do not shoot him! You will only anger him more.” She glanced at him uncertainly but followed his wish and returned the arrow to her quiver. As Thorin dashed through the gate, they turned toward the house. “Open the door!” Mithrandir cried as the Company pushed against it.

Thorin shoved his way forward, releasing the latch and they pressed into the house quickly. Caithwistë was the last to enter and she was roughly pulled further in as the doors were closed, blocked by the head of the bear that had followed them.

She watched in shock as the Company struggled against its strength. It was massive, taller than even Mithrandir on all fours and was snapping at them menacingly. Mercifully, the bear quickly relented its attack and backed out of the opening, allowing the Company to close and bar the doors.

The dwarves leaned against the barricaded door in their relief, panting from the exertion.

“What is that?” Ori asked, turning to Mithrandir.

“That is our host.” Mithrandir replied with a smirk.

Caithwistë glanced at him with surprise. “How could this be?” She asked curiously.

Mithrandir regarded her with amusement. “His name is Beorn, he’s a skin-changer.” He said, glancing around at the Company who were all watching him with wide eyes. “Sometimes he’s a huge black bear, sometimes he’s a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over fond of dwarves.”

Caithwistë had begun to wander through the house as Mithrandir told the tale, Thorin and Dwalin trailing silently behind her. At those last words, she glanced at Thorin whose face had fallen into a deep grimace. This was yet another complication they did not need in their quest that had already been a great challenge.

“He’s leaving.” Ori said with his ear pressed to the door.

“Come away from there!” Dori pleaded, rushing forward to pull his brother away. “It’s not natural, none of it. It’s obvious, he’s under some dark spell.” Glaring darkly to Mithrandir.

“Don’t be a fool.” Mithrandir said with a huff. “He’s under no enchantment but his own.” He took his hat off and tossed it onto a chair before commanding them to get some rest. “You’ll be safe here tonight. I hope.” He said, with a glance out the window.

“I will take the first watch.” Caithwistë offered, noticing Mithrandir’s unease.

“You will not.” Thorin commanded, crossing his arms. Caithwistë turned to him and crossed her own arms, watching him carefully with her silent challenge. In her periphery, she noticed Dwalin roughly pull Fili and Kili out of the kitchen as Thorin stared her down. It wasn’t until they were out of earshot when he finally stepped closer and asked quietly. “When was the last time you slept?”

Caithwistë raised her eyebrow and smirked. Thorin dropped his eyes and scratched his head then, chuckling. It was the rare moment of bashfulness that she had come to treasure, but he was not deterred. “I mean a full night of rest.” He asked after a moment, meeting her eyes again.

Caithwistë considered the question and sighed with frustration when she realized, she could not remember. He smiled when she tapped her fingers against her arm, confirming his thoughts. “Sleep Unalê.” He urged, gripping her shoulder comfortingly. “There may be no other warm place for us to rest between here and Erebor.” He stepped back, gesturing to the area the Company was settling down for the night, but she didn’t move. She was still glaring at him and Thorin rolled his eyes, guessing at what was troubling her. “There will be no watch tonight. We will all rest.” He assured her.

Caithwistë smiled then. “Thank you, My King.” She said quietly. She kissed his cheek and skipped cheerfully down the steps, plopping down to the empty space next to Bofur who was already snoring. Settling herself comfortably in the bed of hay, she glanced back up at Thorin who was rooted in place watching her. She narrowed her eyes at him and he sighed, stepping down and taking the spot next to her.

Caithwistë found herself drifting to sleep quickly with her shoulder pressed against Thorin’s. She wasn’t sure if it was reality or dream but as her consciousness faded into slumber, she felt a gentle kiss to her forehead and Thorin’s deep voice washed over her. “Hurun ganat, Amrâlimê.”

~

“Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum ishi krimpatul.”

Caithwistë woke with a start, trembling. The dream had been so vivid, and yet she could not recall the words that had been spoken. Only the fear that they had ripped through her at the sound. She glanced down at Thorin, who was still sleeping peacefully and took a steadying breath. She pushed herself to her feet slowly, hoping to not disturb him with the movement and silently slipped out of the door at the back of the home.

As soon as Caithwistë exited the home, she took a deep breath of the crisp air of the night. She picked up an acorn as she wandered the gardens, absentmindedly turning it over in her hands. Eventually, she slumped on a bench and closed her eyes, trying to center herself. She was distracted though at the sound of light footsteps. She glanced up and smiled at the hobbit approaching her warily. “Are you all right?” Bilbo asked when he reached her.

“I’m fine Bilbo. Just a bad dream.” She assured him with a wave.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Bilbo asked, regarding her compassionately.

Caithwistë shook her head. “Not really, I would prefer to forget.”

Bilbo nodded in understanding and took a seat next to her. They spent a few moments in a comfortable silence before Bilbo smirked. “So, you and Thorin then?”

Caithwistë’s lips quirked up in a small grin, but the smile fell as she considered everything that had happened. She glanced down at the acorn she was rolling between her fingers before responding. “I love him, very much but I am afraid.” She finally admitted softly.

Bilbo waited for an explanation, but when none came he glanced at the house and sighed. “You’re afraid that he’ll see you differently when he finds out you’re not a hobbit?”

Caithwistë’s eyes snapped to him in shock. “You knew?”

Bilbo raised an eyebrow and nodded. “It’s not hard to figure out if you know what to look for.”

Caithwistë looked down at her shoes and smiled bitterly. “I suppose not. Do the others know?”

He shook his head. “I don’t believe so, but I also don’t believe it would matter to them. They care about you, and they clearly trust you. Surely that’s enough to give them your own trust?”

“Perhaps.” She said glumly, thinking about his words. There was more at stake now than she had imagined there could be. She loved all of them but was also lying to them. It was hard for her to deny even now that Thorin cared deeply for her. How much of that would change when he knew the truth? She couldn’t bear the thought of the pain it may cause for all of them when she explained her deception. She would have to though; the lie was too great of a burden to carry any longer.

She was cut from her internal battle when Bilbo squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture. “Things will work out.” He said gently. “No matter what happens, I am glad to have met you.”

She smiled at him with glassy eyes. “Thank you, Bilbo.” She said gratefully. A thought suddenly struck her and she released herself from his grip pressing the acorn into his hand. “You should plant this in your garden at Bag End. It will be a fine addition to the seeds you gathered from Imladris.”

Bilbo’s eyes widened. “Thank you Miss Caithwistë!” He exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug.

Caithwistë returned the embrace, chuckling. “It’s me that should be thanking you.” She said pulling away. “You mean the world to me Bilbo. Thank you for being here.”

Bilbo smiled, eyes twinkling before shooting another glance back toward the house. “I think we should go back inside. I would rather not be caught by Gandalf or Thorin out here when we’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“I think you’re right Master Baggins.” Caithwistë said with a smirk. “The last thing we need today is a lecture.”

They crept back into the house and quietly slipped back into their places. Caithwistë laid next to Thorin who was snoring softly, and she smiled at the peaceful King. Perhaps Bilbo was right, she considered as she closed her eyes.

Maybe, he would understand.

Translations: Unalê – My Tracker (khuzdul); Hurun ganat, Amrâlimê – rest well, My Love (khuzdul); Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum ishi krimpatul - One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. (black speech)

Authors Note: I had half a mind to follow the book of them entering Beorn’s house because it always makes me giggle but for this particular story… we need the tension. *sigh*

[thewritewolf]

Nino’s Quest Chapter 2: You All Meet In A Tavern

The party finally meets and, despite a rough start, begin their first adventure!

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 (Final)

Enjoy!

Read on Ao3.  My ko-fi.

Adrien Regreste: Last session was awesome! When can we do it again??

Lord DM: Lol dude. Its only been a day ya know We can figure it out a little later

Marinoodles: id love to do this weekend with you adrien! For dnd i mean And with everyone else Not just adrien

Adrien Regreste: Your character was so cool, Mari! I can’t wait to see how you play her :D

Marinoodles: Thank you! <3 Oh um whoops I didn’t mean to send a heart, haha

Adrien Regreste: ?? what did you mean to send?

Marinoodles: Um… this? :3

Adrien Regreste: :O That’s so cute! Can I use it??

Marinoodles: Sure! Your’e fine! *That’s fine! Not that you’re NOT fine I just askdjfasdlkfjadf

Alya’ll Beware: Omg u 2 get a room

Marinoodles: ALYA

Adrien Regreste: ?????

Nino chuckled as he read the string of messages. It made him glad to know that his friends were enjoying the campaign - especially Adrien. They didn’t get a chance to hang out nearly as much as he liked and this was a perfect excuse to get them all together. Besides, watching him and Marinette interact was always good for the soul. Very adorable stuff.

Speaking of adorable, Alya had sent him a private message on Discord. He opened up the chat.

Alya: Just so u know, I’ve got ulterior motives here

Nino: About marinette, Im guessing?

Alya: Yeah Don’t you see? This is a great chance to get these two dweebs togethre!

Nino: Alya… Can’t we just let them enjoy the game? Grow closer on their own terms?

Alya: If we do that, then they’ll still be blushng at each other when we’re in university Mama Alya’s got to do some interventions. I want my nieces and nephews at some point!

Nino: … Sigh Fine.

Alya: <3

Nino: But!

Alya: </3

Nino: Only if you stay in character, okay? At least that will keep oyu invested in the game.

Alya: ...I accept your conditions, Lord DM Cappy.

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

“Anything you’re willing to spill about today’s session, bro?” Adrien grinned as he asked, excitement sparkling in his eyes. They were both strapped into the backseat of the Gorilla’s car as they made their way to Marinette’s house. It was late, but between Marinette babysitting and Adrien’s photoshoot, it was the best they could do.

Nino shook his head. “Sorry, dude. Most of it probs won’t be too interesting, though, since we have to get the introductions out of the way.” Adrien phone went off and he pulled it out. “Who’s texting you, dude?”

“Alya,” Adrien replied absently as he read the text. The tips of his ears turned red and his eyes widened.

Suspicion settled onto Nino as he tried to crane his neck to see the text. “Yeah? And what’s she telling you?”

“Nothing much. Just some tips about how to play a bard.”

Alarms were sounding in Nino’s head. “Really? What kind of tips.”

“Just… tips. About how charismatic bards should act. That kind of thing.”

Nino pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course she is…”

Before either of them could ask any more questions, the car came to a halt and the Gorilla grunted at them. They had reached their destination.

“Ready for your first real session, dude?” Nino punched Adrien on the shoulder as he climbed out and they headed inside.

“You know I am!” Adrien opened the door and both of them were immediately buffeted by the scent of fresh pastries. They were guided by their noses to the kitchen. “Mmm! That smells delicious!”

Marinette froze, her pupils shrinking to pinpoints as they entered the room. “That’s- thanks! I- We made it for you. I mean! For all of us. For today’s session. So we could eat it. Y-yeah.”

“That’s very cool of you two!” Adrien he took a chocolate croissant off the platter and took a bite. “It tastes even better than it smells!”

“You really think so? Well,” Alya put her hands on Marinette’s shoulders and pushed her a little closer to Adrien, “those were made by hand. Marinette’s hands, as a matter of fact. I mostly just provided commentary.”

“Sorry dudes,” Nino cut in. “But can we start soon? We got a lot I wanna cover today.”

Marinette sagged in relief. “Y-yeah! Let’s get started!”

When Adrien and Marinette had squeezed past and headed towards the living room, Alya narrowed her eyes at Nino. He mouthed the word ‘roleplay’ to her and went to follow the others.

Nino took his seat and set up his DM screen around his notes and dice. Clearing his throat, he got started. “Marinette, you and Alya are sitting at a booth inside the tavern when in walks two men. The half-elf is wearing brightly colored clothes and is holding a…” He squinted at the paper in front of him. “Dude, what’s your instrument?”

“A lyre! Oh, and he’s blonde with green eyes - like me!” Adrien beamed, practically vibrating in place with excitement as he looked between the girls and him.

“Right, right, I getcha. And standing next to him is a human in chainmail armor, the symbol of the sun worn proudly around his neck.”

“Sounds like a cutie,” Alya said with a waggle of her eyebrow.

Nino’s cheeks heated up, but he pressed on valiantly. “So, uh, what do you do?”

“W-well, do they, um, do they match the descriptions we were given?” Marinette meekly replied.

“Yup! The description the monks gave you was right on. These are the dudes you are supposed to meet up with, no doubt about it.”

“R-right. Then I’ll wave them over then.”

“Right on. Adrien, what do you want to-”

“I walk over. Can I roll to seduce?”

Nino blinked in confusion and noticed the shock written plain on Marinette’s face. Alya, however, seemed on the verge of maniacal laughter.

“I… You want to seduce someone? Why?”

“Well, that’s what bards do, right?” He looked between his friends with an excited look on his face. “So what do I do? Roll this twenty sided die, right?”

“Yeah, but,” Nino struggled to get a hold of the situation, “who are you going to seduce?”

“Marinette, of course!” Adrien said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. If Marinette had been one of Adrien’s anime characters, there would have been a gush of blood erupting from her nose. As is, it just looked like she was about to pass out. “You and Alya are… you know, so it makes sense!”

While that was definitely airtight reasoning, Nino couldn’t help but groan. “Alright, let’s see what the dice have to say about it. Roll the die and add your charisma to this.”

Poor Marinette, wide eyed and blushing from cheek to neck, watched in bated anticipation as Adrien shook the die with gusto and let it loose. The first real roll of the game, Nino reflected. And it was being used to flirt with a party member. Was this a sign of what was to come?

He watched to see what the die will land on and what it might say about the rest of the campaign…

It rolled across the table, propelled by an overeager Adrien.

It came to a stop, directly in front of Marinette.

It showed…

...A one.

There was a stunned silence before Nino began laughing uncontrollably.

“Alright, bro. This is what happens - you walk up to them, put your hand on the table, and forget your own name as they look up at you expectantly. I follow behind and introduce ourselves.”

Adrien pouted, but a small smile poked through when Marinette giggled. Some color besides red was returning to her face.

“Maybe next time, sunshine,” Alya said through a grin. “So, are we ready to talk about adventure?”

After the party’s rocky opening moments, they hit their stride as they talked over the details of their first quest together. The locals had been dealing with a band of kobold raiders who were stealing their live stock. After a farmer was found dead, they decided the raiders had gone too far, and sent out a call for adventurers. A wandering bard, a local cleric, a noble runaway, and a knight errant answered.

“You spot the kobold den. The entrance just seems to be a hastily carved slab of wood covering a cave mouth.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask…” Marinette wrung her hands. “What’s a kobold?”

“Good question!” Nino folded his hands and looked between his friends. “Has anyone here seen a kobold before? Or know something about the arcane?”

The sound of ruffled papers greeted him as the party shuffled through their character sheets. Adrien’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I’ve got bardic knowledge.” He smiled and nudged Marinette, who joltd. “I guess I’ve seen some stuff on the road, huh?”

“Sure, bro, but let’s see if you know anything about them.” Nino watched as Adrien rolled. “Nice. Much better than your last one.” There were giggles around the table and Adrien playfully rolled his eyes. “Anyway, you know that kobolds are short, lizard dudes who like to build traps. Very community based, team efforts are their gig.”

“Cool! I tell the rest of the party that. So are we going in then?”

“W-wait.” Marinette narrowed her eyes in thought. “It seems too obvious, right? We didn’t even really look that hard for the way in, we just stumbled across it.”

“Right…? Oh!” Adrien caught on. “You think it might be a trap? So how are we going to get in then?”

“Well… they have to have a way in, right? So let’s look around. Maybe there is a secret passage.”

“Okay, I’ll make a perception roll for all of you.” Nino made some quick checks behind his screen. “So - Babe, you find a small boulder that seems out of place.”

“I’ll move it.”

“You got anything on you to do that with?”

“My big, beefy, lady knight muscles.”

Nino chuckled. “Alright, dude. Roll a d20 and add your strength modifier.” He watched the die land - more than enough to heft the thing. “Nice! You don’t have any trouble shifting it on your own, but there is no way anyone smaller than you could have pulled it off.”

“Huh. Guess they really don’t want kobolds going out alone.”

“So you go down into a side passage in the cave before eventually emerging into a small room with a table and chair. There is a lever against the wall, a string that runs into the darkness, and a sleeping kobold in the chair. What do you do?”

“Well we gotta take out the kobold first, right?” Alya glanced over at the other two. “We can’t have them raising an alarm or anything. I’ll nudge Marinette towards the kobold.”

“Does it count as, um… Flat footed? Do I get sneak attack?”

“You bet, dude. You’ll hit, no sweat, but roll for stealth.” She did. “Ooo, barely. After stumbling, you manage to get over there and silence the sentry for good. Now what?”

“Um… I’ll look around. What’s the lever for?”

“Got any knowledge of engineering?”

“Yup!”

Alya made an X with her arms. “Woah woah woah. Hold up, girl. Why do you know about engineering?”

Marinette shrugged. “You never know when understanding how buildings stay standing will help. In character, my family is known for their castles. Seemed like a good choice, you know?”

“Anyway,” Nino continued. “You can tell the lever activates a trap. A boulder trap, by the looks of it. Stepping into the hallway, you notice the entire thing is on an incline and your room is well hidden.”

“Oh, wow.” Adrien tapped at his chin. “We would’ve walked right by and been crushed by the boulder.”

“Wait…” Marinette’s eyes lit up. “I have an idea!”

A few minutes later and her plan was set into motion. Adrien stood by the hidden side passage and began to play his lyre as loudly as he could while Alya struck a stick against her shield repeatedly. Before long, their characters heard clawed feet rushing up the passageway in large numbers. The first to spot them was Adrien, who ducked back inside the passage.

“Now! They can’t retreat!”

Marinette’s character pulled the lever and a loud rumbling was heard. A giant boulder rushed past the room and the brief squawks of the enemy turned to silence.

“You enter the passageway to find one heck of a mess… and no survivors.” Nino let them cheer for a moment before adding, “At least, from this group. There’s anywhere from five to eight squished kobolds out here, and you remember that the villagers were sure there was about twenty.”

They were about to continue when Adrien’s phone went off. His face fell when he looked at it. “Sorry, guys. Looks like I need to head home now.’

“What?!” Marinette exclaimed before immediately blushing at her own outburst. “I mean- it’s just- Been here haven’t long- Going now?”

“I’m really sorry. You guys can go on without me.”

Nino shook his head and stood. “No way, dude. We’re in this together.”

“...Really?” Adrien said, looking hopeful.

“You bet, sunshine! This party doesn’t split.”

“Y-yeah! We’ll wait for you!”

“Thanks,” Adrien said with a smile. “I promise, I’ll make next week work and I’ll make sure we can stay for longer. Somehow.”

After saying their goodbyes, Nino hitched a ride home with Adrien. Nino hadn’t even thought about the traps being used against the kobolds, but they managed it. As he listened to Adrien chatter about the campaign, Nino could feel that this was going to be a campaign to remember.

[makeste]

on mysterious vestiges and intricate OFA time-travel plots

okay so I have done a lot of thinking about this over the course of the past week and have finally reached a point where I feel like I’ve more or less organized my thoughts, so here goes lol.

first off, a quick clarification; my lack of commentary on this in the recaps was due to my complete and utter failure to pay attention. sometimes I miss some pretty big details. in this case, I was so caught up in analyzing the OFA Avatars we could see that I failed to pay much notice to the two silhouettes aside from checking if either of them looked to be female. it didn’t occur to me to look for similarities to characters we already knew, because that wasn’t even a possibility in my head. obviously these two characters died years and years ago, so there’s no way they could possibly look familiar! logic! lol. (and off-topic, but I like to think this lends more weight to the Dabi = Touya theory because it just goes to show you that if you dismiss a possibility out of hand, your brain can completely ignore some pretty compelling evidence. so I think it is possible that Endeavor wouldn’t have recognized his grown up evil villain kid.)

anyway, so let’s start off by posting the silhouettes in question, from chapters 193 and 194:

and now some side-by-side comparisons. I’m going to start with Kiri first, mainly because I think the evidence isn’t as persuasive in his case.

like... I dunno. the shoulder pads are definitely similar, and an argument can be made that the silhouette clearly has something on their face that might be an upgraded version of Kiri’s faceguard. but that’s where the similarities end (and even with the faceguard, Kiri’s has a distinctly pointy shape that’s clearly more decorative than functional and which I believe is meant to emulate Crimson Riot’s distinctive pointy hairstyle. him changing up the look would defeat that purpose).

the hairstyle is very different. Kiri’s hair has a very pointy look to it whether he’s wearing it down in its natural state or gelled up in his usual spikes. a style like this would mean he’s grown it out to the point where his bangs are gone and it’s long enough to pull back completely with no hair coming loose on the sides. this would imply a significant timeskip prior to whatever is going on here. and that’s one thing I don’t see Horikoshi doing based on his interviews (though hey, who knows, I could be wrong).

lastly, there’s the matter of why Kirishima would be involved with OFA, story-wise. with Kacchan it makes some sense, since his story has been tied to Izuku’s from page one of the series, and over time his character has become increasingly connected to the OFA plot. Kiri, though, lacks any involvement in OFA matters as of now. he also lacks the personal connection to Izuku that Katsuki has; in fact he’s probably at least a good 5-6 characters down if I were to make a list of the 1-A students that Izuku is most closely connected to.

so given all this, for now I’m inclined to say that this figure is more than likely not Kirishima. as for who it might be instead, there’s a theory which I can’t find the link to (I’ll edit if/when I do) that it could be AFO’s masked bodyguard from chapter 193, which could be interesting and would make sense timeline-wise (if he was the second or third wielder). and their appearances do somewhat match up, although again it’s not exact.

aside from this, though, I have no current theories on their identity or why it’s currently being concealed. so for now, let’s move on to the other figure instead.

this last one is what sold me. with the other two images, I could be convinced that the similarities are just coincidence. we do, after all, have plenty of other characters with similarly spiky hair.

but for me, that last comparison goes past what can be considered a coincidental resemblance. here, take a look at it again, this time with the left image superimposed over the right:

this isn’t just “oh it looks kind of like his hairstyle/gauntlets/neck guard.” this doesn’t just resemble him; this is his exact profile. for Horikoshi to have drawn this and not been aware of the resemblance is frankly impossible. which means it must have been done intentionally.

besides which, there’s also the question of why he would keep the character’s identity hidden otherwise. if their appearance isn’t actually some sort of spoiler, then why hide it? I can’t think of any reason, which leads me to believe that it’s not just the hair, but the face as well. for whatever reason, this character design deliberately resembles Bakugou’s.

now granted, that doesn’t mean it actually is him. here are some other possibilities I can think of:

reincarnation (or hinted/implied reincarnation)

an ancestor of his

it’s not actually Kacchan, but whoever it is has a quirk that allows them to appear to others in the form of someone close to them, and so to Deku, they appear to be identical to Kacchan

some unrelated character that just happens to resemble him in a way which is intentional on Horikoshi’s part but coincidental in the story (possibly for humor purposes; “dsflkj he looks just like Kacchan how in the -- !?”)

however, I’ll be perfectly honest; none of these rings true to me. reincarnation doesn’t really seem to fit the tone of the series thus far. OFA itself is about as spiritual as we’ve gotten here. aside from that, we’ve steered pretty clear of metaphysical concepts and anything relating to religion, souls, afterlives, etc., so this would be a bit of a whiplashy concept to introduce at this point.

as for an ancestor, that seems more possible (particularly since we’ve seen that genes run incredibly strong on Mitsuki’s side of the family), but also would involve more coincidence than Horikoshi usually tends to work with. Katsuki’s ancestor just happened to be one of the original wielders of OFA, and now half a dozen generations down the line, his descendant just so happens to develop close personal ties to not one but two other OFA users. I mean, it could happen, but it’s odd, and I don’t really see the necessity of throwing in a detail like this, and it’s not often that Horikoshi does something simply for the hell of it without having some kind of purpose.

regarding option #3... it’s possible? weird, but possible. I don’t have any real rebuttals for it, other than it’s just really weird. I really only listed this because the idea occurred to me and I wasn’t able to completely dismiss it lol.

and lastly, the full-blown coincidence option. the character just happens to look like Kacchan. now @interstellar-elf, I know you mentioned the possibility of Horikoshi reusing a character design from a previous series:

here’s an image of Nina for those unfamiliar (she shows up in chapters 4 and 5 of the series, which you can find on the usual manga reading sites, sometimes listed as Sensei no Baruji instead of Barrage):

anyways, here’s my issue with this though -- this character design has already been reused. with Kacchan himself (and Mitsuki). if Horikoshi wanted to dust off an old design, I don’t think he would choose one so similar to an existent character, let alone one of the principal characters in the series. he has plenty of other available designs that aren’t going to invite the same comparisons. he already has two characters with strikingly similar appearances to Nina’s; why create a third? and again, why hide it if it doesn’t actually have some sort of plot importance?

all this leads me to believe that the most likely explanation is the simplest one: the shadowed figure that looks like Kacchan... is Kacchan.

and I know that I said “simplest” just now, but obviously a revelation like this would be anything but. how and why would Kacchan possibly be chilling out in Deku’s OFA dream presented as one of the 8 previous OFA avatars?? and here is my best answer: I have no idea. lol. this is beyond strange. chances are that any explanation I can come up with is going to end up being wildly off base.

having said that, the rest of this post is basically just wild conjecture. because if it is Kacchan, then there’s really only one possible explanation for how it would be possible:

time travel, bitches.

I know, I know. first off: is that even possible? but I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say yes. partly because all things are possible, because quirks; and partly because superhero comic storylines are fucking rife with motherfucking time travel. it’s a comic book staple. some of the most beloved storylines (Days of Future Past, anyone?) hinge on it. so yeah, sure, why not? let’s say it’s a thing.

and so now we finally get to the part of the post where I basically go nuts and basically just describe to you all the elaborate time travel plot that I came up with. will this be what happens in the series? almost certainly not. I’ll be honest, I have no idea what’s actually going to happen. not the slightest clue where this is leading. this all still seems really weird to me. but what I can tell you is what kind of plot I would come up with if I was the one writing it, and basically just doing what I want but whilst trying to fit the plot within the existing canon and what we know.

so here goes!

AFO comes up with a plan to undo the whole “All Might melted off my face” thing -- nay, the whole “All Might” problem to begin with -- by sending someone back in time to halt the OFA cycle by killing one of the past wielders. (not sure why they wind up going so far back in order to do this; maybe they only have minimal control of the actual time travel and kind of have to work with what they’ve got)

it more or less works, but Deku and Kacchan are caught up within the time travel user’s quirk and thus spared from the Back to the Future-like effects. but somehow they’re able to see what happens, and they realize that the bad guy somehow altered the past and they have to figure out what (s)he did and stop them

whilst in the past, Deku spots someone he recognizes from his OFA dream (most likely the guy standing in between All Might and Trench Coat, by process of elimination) and is all “oh snap that’s one of my OFA homies”

he then realizes “oh shit Time Travelling Bad Guy is trying to fucking kill this dude” and so he and Kacchan try to stop it

they are only partially successful; TTBG succeeds in mortally wounding OFA IV (oh yeah, forgot to mention that it turns out this is the fourth OFA user). but, in order to keep the OFA line from dying out, OFA IV passes the quirk along to Kacchan (because it has to be him, because Deku already has it and no one wants to experiment with what might happen if someone gives you OFA twice. and also, it’s possible that at this point the mysterious shadowy figure in Deku’s head has cleared up some and he realizes that it is Kacchan, and that this is all part of some closed time loop/predestination paradox bullshit lulz)

so now Kacchan is all “wtf am I supposed to do with this shit now, though, I obviously can’t stay here in the fucking past forever, we’ve gotta figure out a way back” and Deku is like “yeah”

and something something plot coincidence they end up running into OFA VI (because Kacchan is of course OFA V, since it’s the only number that’s part of his name), a.k.a. Trench Coat, whom Deku also recognizes and is like “OH SHIT, KACCHAN, GO AND GIVE IT TO THAT GUY”

so they do, thus succeeding in preserving OFA so that Nana, All Might, and then Deku can one day receive it, and thus restoring the timeline back to its natural “AFO gets his face potato-ized by All Might whether he likes it or not” state

and something something they figure out a way back (or maybe the time travel quirk just wears off, maybe they only had 24 hours or some shit like that), The End

except not quite because lol now Deku’s got a version of Kacchan just chilling out in his head, so that’s fun. and then the one thing that I don’t really like about this theory: the fact that this means he’ll end up getting Kacchan’s quirk. though maybe he’ll just avoid using it since it doesn’t feel right. or maybe he can’t use it without injuring himself since his palms don’t have the same resistance to said quirk that Kacchan’s do. or something like that. or maybe he somehow doesn’t get the quirk after all for whatever reason, but that seems less likely though

aaand that’s it. honestly, this would be a lot of fun but it also seems... how to put this... wildly indulgent, lol. like, this would be a dream arc for me. so for that reason alone I’ve got a lot of doubts. and also I have doubts because it feels like something out of Star Trek. not quite sure that this would fit in with the general tone of the series. mostly it’s just me throwing ideas out there. but hey, it’s fun, so.

anyways, so this post ended up being so much longer than I originally intended, but tl;dr: whatever the case ends up being, I think that one silhouette likely is Bakugou, and the most likely explanation is that some sort of time travel is involved. other than that I really don’t have much of a clue lol. if you guys have thoughts hit me up!

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day One Hundred Forty-Five: Ridiculous Statement ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Hyūga Hiashi ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Divine Light ] [ AO3 Link ]

Word, apparently, travels fast.

They’ve only been in the capital city a few months when the little procession arrives. Plans to rebuild the elemental council have scarcely begun. Hinata’s barely even made up her mind to stay and begin learning the necessary politics to - once she’s ready - become the dignitary of Auquiana’s disciples.

How they found her, Sasuke really isn’t sure.

All he does know, is that while out practicing his swordsmanship stances, a carriage clickity-clacks along the stone streets toward the Luxerian palace. Brow drawing - they hardly expect any visitors - he watches before sheathing his blade and moving to intercept as they pull around the curved drive to the front steps.

Alongside the carriage are several riders on horseback, the beasts dancing a bit with nerves.

He has a feeling he knows why.

Standing at the base of the stairs, Sasuke folds his arms, eyeing the buggy warily. From within emerges a man, and genuine surprise pulls the Uchiha’s face taut.

...it’s Hiashi. Hinata’s father. The one she ran away from in secret all those months ago when they began this journey.

The water mage stands upon the small step up haughtily, looking over the palace with an unreadable gaze tinged with several flickering emotions Sasuke can’t begin to decipher. But he gets the impression Hiashi’s seen it before.

...but that means…?

“Where is my daughter?”

Facade smoothed once more, Sasuke - at first - doesn’t answer. “...name?”

“You know damn well who I am,” the elder elf spits, descending to the street. “Hiashi of the Hyūga. Pureblood descendent of those who first accepted the water elemental Auquiana’s blessing.” He gives Sasuke an appraising look, not bothering to hide his disdain. “...and you are?”

“Sasuke, line Uchiha. Pureblood of Ignitrios.”

“Tch, fire...how typical. Of course you stand in my path.”

“What makes you think your daughter is here?”

“She was spotted by men I’ve sent in search of her. And don’t play dumb with me, young man. They reported your visage, too. As well as your brother’s, and the lux mage. Don’t bother trying to lie to me. Now where is she?”

“If she wishes to speak to you, she’ll do so. If not, you’ll have to live with the disappointment,” Sasuke retorts, tone just as challenging.

“How dare you…? She is my daughter!”

“And perfectly capable of making her own decisions. If she doesn’t wish to see you, you can’t force her.”

A vein ticks in Hiashi’s temple, mouth opening to argue. But he comes up short, eyes flickering up over Sasuke’s head.

Glancing back over his shoulder, he sees the rest of his party descending the steps.

“That’s enough, Father,” Hinata calls, skirts pulled up with a hand as shoes clack along the stone stairs. “Sasuke’s right. Stop yelling at him!”

“Young lady,” Hiashi begins, tone like ice. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“I do,” she responds, tone firm. “I left behind a home that was no longer my home, and a father who refused to let me f-follow my destiny.”

“You ran away from home! Without a word! I’ve sent man after man to follow your trail, and now that I’ve finally found you, you refuse me?”

“I will, if you will not respect me.”

Hiashi actually retreats half a step in shock, gazing up at his daughter’s unwavering stare.

Clearly, he’s realizing she’s not the timid girl that left home so long ago.

“...all I have seen, and all I have learned, since leaving your home...has changed me. I’m not a doll for you to pose and control. I won’t be refused my path any longer, Father. I’ve learned about ven - about my element! I can control it now. It speaks to me. Just like it spoke to Mother -”

“Ven and its arts are what got your mother killed!” Hiashi cuts in.

“Fear and prejudice are what killed my mother. And I’ll bow to it no longer. I am not a child, Father. I’m forging my own destiny. And it’s here. With the new elemental council.”

“Are you mad…? What a ridiculous statement! The council has been dead for hundreds of years! Since the coup that broke it!”

“The coup that unfolded in this very city,” the lux mage cuts in, stepping further. “...in this very palace. Which led to the sealing and petrification of the Luxerian capital, until the return of one of their disciples. And here I am. The time for hiding and fear is over, Hiashi. The elemental council will be reborn. Balance will be found again. And the mor’el’ven and mor’el’kor will stop their cold war and return to peace.”

“...you’re delusion, the lot of you,” the aqua mage scowls. “All you’re doing is exposing our kinds to the threat of open war. The el’kor will never listen. They fear us. Hate us for our magic. For our bonds with the Elementals. Elementals that abandoned us!”

“Because we abandoned them!” Hinata retorts. “Ven was n-never meant to be used as a weapon. Not like it was after the coup. We forgot the ways of peace and balance the Elementals taught us...and for that, we were punished. They left us...but I know they’ll return.”

“You know nothing -”

“Do you know what happened to Mother the night she died?”

Hiashi goes silent.

“...she heard Auquiana. Heard their voice. Accepted their embrace. And through her, they shaped their ven to combat the enemy. It’s why Mother suddenly surged in power. Why she was able to destroy the foes that pursued us. Why we got away. She gave up her life for us...and that selflessness - that need - is what brought Auquiana to her. She became a vessel for their power. They have not left us…! If we return to the old ways - if we revive our cultures, our paths of peaceful unity with our elements - they will return.”

For a long moment, the Hyūga patriarch is quiet. Eyes flicker as he thinks, the memory clearly playing in his mind as he tries to find an argument.

But there’s none to be had.

“...the time of division is over, Father,” Hinata murmurs. Stepping up beside Sasuke, she gently takes his hand, threading their fingers in an inarguable symbol. “Our people will be brought out of hiding. Out of the darkness. The light has returned - the lux mages are not extinct as we feared. With her help, we will unite the twelve elements again. We will free the el’ven people. And I plan to remain and help. I will help guide and coalesce the disciples of Auquiana.”

“You…?”

“Yes.”

Hiashi studies his daughter, expression again unclear. But slowly, recognition colors his gaze.

“...you truly are your mother’s daughter. Were she here...she would argue the same case. She always was a dreamer…” He sighs, head bowing. “...it will be dangerous. The attention this will attract…”

“We’re ready for it,” Sasuke then says, drawing Hiashi’s gaze. “The council isn’t the only thing returning.”

Umber brows furrow...and then lift as a distant sound echoes. A great whistling cuts through the air. Through the sky streaks a white glimmer, the horses rearing in full-blown panic as the lux dragon flutters down into the courtyard, feathered wings buffeting the grass.

“The dragons, too, are heeding our call. They can feel the same change we feel. This one has remained, waiting diligently, for a disciple of Luxeria to return. And now she s-stands beside us. More will come. Drach, mor...the hidden kinds no longer have to hide. The world is changing, Father...and I want to be there when it does.”

Staring at the beast in awe, the last of Hiashi’s argument seems to crumble. “...what can I do?”

“Spread the word. Tell everyone you know - all the mor’el’ven - that the Luxerian capital no longer slumbers. The council is regathering. The future is quivering in anticipation. We must rise to meet it.”

Dragging his eyes back to his daughter, the pair lock gazes, communicating silently.

“...your mother would be proud of you. And I...am proud of you, too.”

Hinata jolts, eyes widening as her father turns, retreating into his carriage.

“I will return home. Gather the el’ven I know. I’m sure the winds will carry the news. When I am able...I will see you again.”

Still shocked, Hinata can only nod as the group retreats back down the cobbled road.

Behind them, Itachi and the lux mage exchange a glance before retreating inside.

“...did...did that really just happen…?”

“I think it did,” Sasuke replies softly. “...you were amazing.”

“My heart was p-pounding - was it obvious?”

“Not at all. You spoke your mind. Stood up for what you believed in.” Turning to her, Sasuke smiles softly, a hand tucking hair behind her pointed ear. “...you really have grown, Hinata. When we first met, you’d never have made a speech so rousing.”

Her cheeks dust pink, head ducking.

“Then again, I’d hope you could. Soon you’ll be doing that quite often once you represent your element.”

“...at times, I still can’t believe it,” she breathes. “It all seems to be happening so fast…”

“...well, you’ll not be doing it alone.”

Her gaze snaps back to him. “...you mean -?”

“I’m going to stay. Guess Hiashi’s not the only one you convinced,” Sasuke teases lightly, pressing lips to her brow. “Besides, you’ll need a little fire to boil your water until you learn to do it on your own, eh? But maybe you’re better at it than I thought.”

“...maybe I am.”

     *flops* Guh, tired...I'll be brief.      More DL, woo! This crossover's not the most well-received, but...this prompt gave me like NO ideas, so this was the best I could come up with, lol - Hinata and Hiashi finally break down and have a talk they've been needing to have for...a long time. But it could only happen now, with Hinata having grown as much as she has.      And Sasuke's right beside her, but...this time around, she handled it pretty well on her own x3      Anywho, I've got a long day ahead of me tomorrow, so time to call it a night. Thanks for reading!

[k-i-s-m-e-t]

Secret Santa

TianShan Xmas Event: Presents (Day 2) Fandom: 19 days Rating: Mature Status: 1/2 Warnings: None Pairing: TianShan Words: 4,102

Summary: Based on this freaking hilarious & amazing prompt!! I hope you don’t mind that I ran with it. I’m not sure this is what you expected but hey lol enjoy!

When Mo took the volunteer job at the mall, he had done so begrudgingly. It was punishment after all, brought about by boiled-over frustration that had fueled the language he’d used to respond to his teacher’s inquiries about his tardiness. It was the third time that week he’d been late. Put on the spot, he didn’t know how to explain that money was always tight around the holidays and he’d been walking to and from school each morning in lieu of the train.

He was monopolizing any place he could cut some corners to save a few dollars. The allowance he got wasn’t much, but he saved as much of it as possible. This year he’d told himself he’d get his mom something good for Christmas. He hated seeing that overjoyed look on her face when she opened his handmade or cheap gifts. Like the “Mom of the Year” plaque he’d made in shop class last year that she boasted about having on her desk at the hospital, or the cheap earrings he’d bought at a stand she still wore proudly several times a week. A person like her deserved better, she deserved the world, and it frustrated him that he was just a broke high school student.

Getting a job was, “Completely out of the question!” she’d barked when he had off-handedly mentioned it. It was her duty to provide for him, not the other way around. If they needed to make ends meet, she’d work double shifts, he couldn’t afford to slack off on his studies.

Seeing his taken-aback expression, she’d softened instantly. “I know you mean well honey,” she’d said a hand cupping his cheek, “but we’re doing fine.”

The command to, “See me after class!” had been given on the spot and when the bell rang Mo hung back, dread setting in. He waited until the room cleared before even considering approaching his teacher’s desk.

Taking a breath, he stood and gathered his belongings, packing them up slowly, stalling for time. Sweat from his palms smeared along the cover of his history textbook as he fumbled with it, slick fingers shoving it into his bag. He nearly yanked the zipper off his bag when his name is called.

The walk to the front from his back-row seat seemed infinite, blood pulsing in his ears, each step forward magnified in the now empty classroom. But then he was there, hanging back a few steps as if proximity could diminish his impending punishment. He figured this slip-up would earn him a few days minimum in detention.

“What?” Mo spat standing uncomfortably in front of the teacher’s desk. Agitation amounting from anticipation.

The man looked up with a raised eyebrow.

“Watch your tone with me, that little outburst you had this morning coupled with your tardiness has you looking at a week-long suspension right now.”

“What the fuck!” Mo exploded.

The man slammed his open palm down on the desk. “Language!”

Mo flinched.

He pointed a finger level with Mo’s chest. “One more offense like that and we can finish this conversation in the principal’s office.”

Mo clenched his fists, seething, he could feel his temper flaring but he nodded. A week long fucking suspension? His mom was going to kill him.

“As of today you have been tardy 13 times! 13! And you don’t just show up five minutes late, oh no! Sometimes you stroll in here 20 to 30 minutes late. I need an explanation for this, it’s completely unacceptable!”

When Mo remained silent the man rubbed at his temples, trying to ease the tension gathered there, then sighed.

“Look Guan Shan, I’ve seen a significant amount of improvement in your schoolwork and behavior this year. I’m proud of you. I don’t want to see you start backsliding, got it?”

“Got it,” Mo mumbled.

“Look, let’s make a deal: The Humanitarian Club, which I lead, needs a few more volunteers for our Santa’s Workshop at the mall. We desperately need a photographer as our current one recently got sick with the flu and I know one of your electives this year was photography. I’ve seen your work and I’m pretty confident in your ability. You’d just have to take photos of the kids sitting on Santa’s lap.”

“I..” Mo hesitated.

“Don’t feel pressured to do it but.. I’ll be frank with you, it’s either this or suspension. At least this won’t show up on your record. Also, I’d need you to be able to commit to doing it for two weeks, just until our photographer gets better.”

An image of his mother’s disappointed face flashed through his mind, he sighed… but two weeks?

“Ok, when do I start?”

His teacher smiled, glasses glinting. “Today.”

That afternoon Mo found himself at the local mall, and as the automatic doors slid open he was immediately engulfed in a retail wonderland, Christmas style. He wandered around for a bit, window shopping, eyes drinking in the season’s assortment of clothing and trainers in his favorite shop’s windows.

Truth be told, he wasn’t exactly sure where he was supposed to meet for this volunteer job, he hadn’t really paid attention to the details. He been too relieved that he wouldn’t have to explain to his mother his suspension and could instead spin the situation in his favor, as doing some community service out of the goodness of his own heart, having caught the holiday spirit. Yeah… she was going to see right through that lie.

In the food court he made his rounds, filling up on free samples to stave off his hunger until dinner. As he exited the half circle of vendors he could see a Santa’s Workshop display near the children’s play area. Tossing the toothpick the last sample had been on, he shouldered his backpack and headed over.

The site was bustling and he could recognize plenty of familiar faces from school. A few eyed him warily given his delinquent reputation, but most were absorbed in their duties.

Amid the group he spied Zhan and felt his body relax, not realizing how much tension had built up. This might not be so bad after all, he thought. Zhan barely talked but neither did he, at least he knew someone here.

“You too?” He inquired as he approached, bumping Zhan’s outstretched fist.

“In a way, my mom’s part of the PTA,” he stated as if that explained everything. “Apparently they never get enough volunteers.”

“Where’s Jian Yi?”

“Why do you assume he’d be here? We don’t do everything together.”

Mo waited.

Zhan sighed. “He had clean-up duty after school & caught a later train, he should be here in a few.”

“Alright everyone,” a bespectacled girl addressed the group. Movement halted as everyone paused giving her their full attention.

“Last week was great and we had an amazing turn out!” Many in the group clapped and whistled.

“Let’s try to do even better this week,” she laughed. “You know your positions, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to talk to me. Let’s go out there and spread some holiday cheer!” A few whooped in response, Mo rolled his eyes.

They all drifted to their respective roles, and as the crowd thinned the girl’s eyes fell on him.

“Oh, it’s you,” she sighed in annoyance. Mo recognized her as his class rep from middle school. The same one that had demanded he stop playing cards on school time.

“Pleasure to see you too,” he quipped.

“Save it, come on so we can get you set up and out of my hair.”

Off to the side there was a trolley parked with several suitcases stacked on top, she pulled off the topmost one, resting it gently on the floor and unzipped it. Nestled between foam cushioning laid the nicest camera Mo had ever seen, let alone touched. She removed it from its casing and held it out to him.

“You’ll be shooting with this.”

Taking it gingerly from her, he cradled it carefully in both hands. The DSLR was a larger model, a Nikon D series, he tested its weight, pleased that it was nice and solid, felt good in his hands. He ran his fingers along the textured gripping on the side. The lens he could tell came standard but the depth it could shoot was still considerable. He’d be able to get plenty of clear, close up shots. Damn he was in love, he would in a few words, totally fuck this camera. It was sexy as hell and sensitive to the touch. Bringing it up to his face, he aligned the eyepiece carefully along the curve of his cheek and brow, lightly pressed the shutter release. The smooth click of the shutter opening and closing was music to his ears, like the purr on a nice sports car. He thumbed at the playback button to review the photo. It was displayed on the screen in crisp quality; a Christmas tree in a store front effortlessly preserved in time.

“Nice,” Mo breathed.

“The photos you take will save automatically & transfer immediately to that computer station,” she pointed “where we display them to allow parents to pick their favorite. There’s a tripod in that bag too that you’ll shoot from, you just need to set up in front of Santa’s chair. All I ask is, that at the end of the night you box everything up just how you found it.”

“Sounds easy enough, so all I have to do is take the pictures.”

“Yea, try not to fuck it up. Oh, also ruin that camera and I’ll kill you.”

“Noted.”

“Oh, one more thing.” She unfolded an elf hat, and held it out to him. “I need you to wear this.”

“I’m not wearing that,” Mo said dismissively.

A hand clutched his forearm and she looked up into his face, light obscuring her eyes behind thick frames, “Yes, you are.”

“Okay, okay!” Mo exclaimed. What the hell was wrong with these people??

To their left a child bounded down the roped off line, dragging his mother behind him.

She patted his arm. “You’re on.”

Once Mo set up the camera and tripod, which he would admit he struggled with, just a tad, things ran smoothly.

The first few kids, though excited, followed his instructions to smile and say cheese. The student playing Santa he was sure helped facilitate the process, the guy was really good with kids. He greeted them in a cheery manner and made them feel comfortable. He even calmed a watery-eyed little girl, wiped her tear streaked cheeks and got her to smile wide for the camera.

Mo couldn’t help but find himself chuckling at some of the jokes he could hear exchanged or Santa’s reactions to their wish lists. It softened his mood and he found himself greeting the parents and kids in similar pleasant manner. He was almost disappointed when 7:30 rolls around and they close-up shop for the day. Almost. Gathering up the camera and tripod he carried them both back to the trolley; unzipped the travel bag and folded up the tripod stowing it neatly in its compartment. Before packing up the camera he pressed the playback button, cycling through the images he’d taken over the past few hours, mentally making notes of where he’d succeeded and how he could improve.

“Nice work today,” a voice said and he was ashamed of the brief scream he emitted.

“Could you announce yourself.”

The class rep leaned back, a smirk on her face. “Where’s the fun in that? Anyways, I saw the shots you took, good thing your stay is only temporary or our current photographer would be out of a job.”

“I…”

“You’re talented, glad to have you on the team. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she clasped his shoulder briefly before walking away.

Mo soaked in her words, a newfound vigor guiding his actions as he popped out the camera’s battery and stuck it into a portable charger to power-up overnight. I’m… talented.

The words carried him afloat as he left, waving an honest goodbye to the few stragglers. Zhan was still hanging around the set and Mo moved to see if wanted to walk home together but the other politely declined. Mo could see Jian Yi cleaning up the and he gets it. No explanation needed.

The high got him through the sliding doors of the mall exit only to be knocked flat on his ass.

He was blinded for a few seconds as the stupid elf hat he forgot to take off is knocked askew covering his eyes. Rage ensued.

“Who in the mother fuck is looking for death?!”

He ripped the hat off and was met with an outstretched hand in his face. Genuinely confused he looked up as the owner of the hand chuckled.

Fucking He Tian, of course.

“Don’t you have a graveyard to lurk in?” Mo bit out irritably, and smacked away the offered hand.

“Are you implying that I’m the grim reaper? I like that,” He Tian purred.

“That wasn’t a compliment.” Mo got gingerly to his feet, dusted his pants.

“Why are you even here? The mall’s closed.”

“I was doing some shopping,” he gestured to the small bag dangling from his wrist.

Mo could tell by the bag’s logo it was from some pricey jewelry store. He rolled his eyes. “Fancy gift for one of your admirers, I’m sure.”

“Not quite,” He Tian said but didn’t offer an explanation.

“Anyways, I gotta get going so are we done here?”

“I can’t lie you look pretty cute in that get-up,” He Tian said, looking him up and down. “Why don’t you come sit on my lap.”

“Yeah, you’re about the 5th guy to spit that line today,” Mo remarked pushing past him. “Try again.”

“Hmm okay, you know you’re pretty cute when you’re wrapped up in your own little world.”

“The hell kind of comment is that?”

“I saw you walking, you looked content with yourself. A nice change from your usual mad at the world persona.”

“And for this you chose to knock me on my ass.”

“You bumped into me, actually.”

“Right.”

“Why don’t you let me walk you home?”

“How ‘bout no?” Mo said stalking off. Body tensed in anticipation of the strong arm he knew would swing around his shoulders and drag him off anyways but nothing came.

He glanced over his shoulder but He Tian was gone. Weird.

The next day wasn’t as easy as the first. It was, in short, mild chaos.

Mo bounced a screaming baby on his hip as the mother and Santa tried to console its twin. He looked down into her ruddy face, eyes squeezed shut, tiny fists balled as she opened her mouth, silent for a few seconds catching her breath, little body vibrating with the subdued rage she planned to unleash. Mo sighed steeling himself for another round of screaming.

‘Why are you crying? You have no real problems, fuck I should be crying.’

“Say cheese,” he dead panned as the mother finally stepped out of the frame, the other child momentarily consoled.

The baby looked surprised in the picture but at least he wasn’t crying. Good enough. Handing over twin number two to Santa, he glanced at the endless line of parents and toddlers.

“Let’s get this over with.”

Click!

The daily 15-minute breaks were heaven sent and he executed his usual system of hitting up the food court, stopping at every food place offering free samples. By the time he had reached the end, his appetite was comfortably sated. There was still about ten minutes left before he was due for the second half of his shift so he sat on a bench nearby, pulled out his phone to review his finances. The amount he’d saved up so far gave him enough bandwidth to explore several options but he still had no clue what to buy his mom for Christmas. After making this much effort it had to be good, memorable, but what do you get the woman that claimed she had everything she’d ever wanted. He rested his chin in his hand in defeat. Ughh, this shouldn’t be so hard. The bench jostled and he glanced to his left, surprised to see Santa sitting next to him.

“Hey.” the guy offered, voice muffled by the giant white beard that obscured most of his face. One hand shifted his belly so he could sit comfortably.

“Hey..” Mo returned.

“Nice job out there today, I didn’t know you were so good with kids.”

“Likewise man, today was.. something else.”

Santa cracked open a bottle of water, taking a few gulps. “Yeah we have days like that but it’s generally smooth sailing.”

They sat in silence for a bit, the soft murmur of the bustling mall and crinkling of the water bottle drifted between them.

“You.. can’t take the costume of?” Mo asked, breaking the silence.

“Nah, can’t risk one of the kids seeing me and realizing Santa’s not a chubby jolly old white dude. Imagine if they found out he isn’t only not real but a high-schooler.

Mo laughed. “They’ll find out sooner or later.”

“That’s cold man,” Santa said but his grey eyes twinkled behind the spectacles.

Mo shrugged, checked his phone. “Crap, breaks up. I’ll see you back at the workshop.”

Santa raised an arm in farewell. “See you.”

Mo jogged the short distance back, but couldn’t shake the odd feeling that he knew Santa. He couldn’t place why exactly, but the costume restrictions made it difficult to see what he looked like and his voice didn’t sound familiar. Whatever, he would ask him his name next time he had a chance.

As soon as he stepped back on site the class rep ushered him back to the camera, scolding him about tardiness being why he was here in the first place.

Face breaking into a scowl, all previous thoughts vanished from his mind as he double-checked the camera battery supply and adjusted the lighting. He’d just finished tidying up around Santa’s chair when the guy returned from break. Mo resumed his place at the camera as the line reopened and mildly subdued chaos ensued.

Two days down. A week and a half to go.

“Who the fuck are you supposed to be? Rudolph?” Mo addressed Jian Yi as he unpacked the camera and tripod for his shift.

“No,” Jian Yi sniffled, wiping at his vividly red nose. “I’m sick. I think I caught something from one of these brats.” He sneezed, open mouthed of course, snot and drool dripping.

“Gross dude, cover your mouth, you aren’t five,” Mo muttered hastily gathering his supplies so he could vacate the area asap.

Every day that passed without coming to a decision on what to get his mom was making him more and more irritable. Walking out to the set, camera at the ready, the sounds of crying increased the closer he got, an opposing battle cry.

Please, just take me now.

When his break came around, he found himself anticipating the arrival of Santa. It’s not like Mo was looking for the guy or anything. Yet meeting up had become almost an unspoken ritual, in the same vein as Mo forgetting to ask for his name.

The question was always at the forefront of his mind but the guy was hilarious and Mo became easily swept up in the conversation, usually not realizing he had again forgotten to ask until he arrived home that night.

This time the guy showed up with dumplings that keep Mo’s mouth occupied the majority of the conversation, as pickings were light in the free sample area. A few of the vendors had caught on to his scheme and conveniently weren’t handing out samples when he came by.

“Can you believe that last kid spat up on me? I’m never having kids,” Santa declared shaking his head in disbelief.  

“Yeah sucks to be you,” Mo chewed thoughtfully. They were quiet for a bit.. “Hey,” Mo started “This is kind of random but what’s your name? I didn’t catch it the first time we talked.”

Santa paused, swallowed. “It’s uh Li Jie,” he said slowly.

“Oh.” Unfamiliar. “I guess I don’t know you after all, I know pretty much everyone at school.”

“I tend to blend with the crowd,” he shrugged, eyes focused on the waning dumplings.

“That’s cool,” Mo said, popping another piece into his mouth. “Me too.”

The week ended and casually spilled into the next. Mo had gotten used to the ebb and flow of the volunteer job, and could proudly say his photography skills had improved considerably. Li Jie and he were becoming good friends but there was something off about never actually having seen the guy out of costume, which Mo joked about. Actors like Li Jie, along with a few others who played Santa’s elves had to get dressed in the mall restroom or come already in garb. Li Jie had a habit of disappearing by the time Mo had finished packing up the camera equipment for the night. He had even invited the guy over for dinner one day but Li Jie had politely declined claiming he was behind on his schoolwork. Understandable, given the fact that they spent three hours after school at the workshop. He had promised to come by once the job ended, a week after Mo’s punishment. Mo had even vented to him about his struggles in finding his mother the perfect Christmas gift, asking him what he should get her.

“You know your mom best,” he had said. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate any gift you give her. Just remember it’s not about the price but the meaning behind it. If the effort comes from a good place, which I know it does, she’ll love it.”

It had brightened his mood at the time but he still wasn’t sure what to get her.

As much as Mo thought he understood life and might even be one step ahead, it had a way of knocking him back ten feet when he least expected it.

“10-4, we gotta brat,” Jian Yi muttered off to his left, pretending to be occupied with adjusting decorations on the set’s Christmas tree.

Mo twisted on his stool, turned his attention to the line, eyes widening as he watched a mother wrangle her screaming daughter into her arms and walk up to Santa’s chair. The girl had a handful of her Mother’s hair and was yelling for all she was worth, limbs flailing.

“Man,” Zhan whispered, “my sister was bad but never like this. “I hope this guy can handle her.”

Mo watched for a reaction from said Santa but it was hard to gauge anything given how much of his face the beard obscured.

The mother looked embarrassed and nervous as she handed the screaming child over to Santa. Mo had to give it to him, the guy was composed, bouncing the girl on his knee, cooing to her, easily calming the crocodile tears. The mother beamed at the turn of events, whipping out her phone to snap a few tear-streaked pictures.

Mo relaxed, relieved to see the situation easily diffused, his heart bloomed a bit in pride for his friend, which he quelled, brain cycling through the mental gymnastics of why he doesn’t actually really care.

Mo had to give it to the guy, he was really good, he watched as Santa leaned in, beard tickling the little girl in his lap, she giggled in response. At this point the lines were rehearsed and Mo could imagine him asking her what she wanted for Christmas. She pondered, tiny face scrunched up in clearly serious thought, then suddenly a tiny fist shot out and she yanked his bread down around his chin.

Mo was on his feet instantly, because no, no way, this couldn’t be happening.

“Ah shit,” he heard Zhan mutter off to his left.

Mo turned on him.

“You knew,” his voice cracked. Zhan looked pained.

“10-4 He Tian is fucking Santa!” Jian Yi whispered loudly behind them. “He’s fucking Santa, are you guys seeing this!”

“Who’s fucking Santa?” another student offered with a snicker.

“Guan Shan..” Zhan said, but Mo doesn’t want to hear it. He felt nauseous and too hot, his hands shaking, felt like couldn’t breathe as if all the air had been sucked out of the space. Mo bolted because fuck this, he would rather have suspension. He can’t believe how stupid he was, how oblivious he’d been, everyone must have known but him. What a fool.

Sorry not sorry to leave y’all on a cliff hanger but part two will come out on Day 5, so if you enjoyed this stay tuned, resolution come soon ;D

As always thanks for reading, your comments & tags give me life x

[thedefinitionofbts]

Sound of the Flute

Pairings: Park Jimin x Reader

Genre: Dark Fantasy Au? 

Words: 1.5K

Description: As requested by anon: “Jimin scenario based off the lyrics of pied piper. no matter how hard she tries not to, she follows the sound of the flute and falls in love with him not knowing that shes going to meet an ill fate?? ”

A/N: I really don’t know if this is what you had in mind lol, but thank you for the request! And hopefully it’s at least semi-decent :)

Legend has it that there is a mysterious man who stands on the bridge by the river each night and plays a mystical ballad on his long silvery flute. It’s a melody so eerily captivating that all those who listen to its seducing tune gravitate toward him like magnetic particles drawn to an iron core, despite knowing the risk of no return.

“This is no fairytale, it’s a-”

“Ok, Seokjin, stop” You get up abruptly from the couch, ready to head to bed. “This is stupid. You’re just trying to fuck me up and disrupt my beauty sleep.”

“It’s not even supposed to be scary.” He defends. “It’s an intriguing story.” He shrugs, crossing his arms. “You guys were the ones who wanted me to think of something to talk about.”

“And that’s what you thought of?” Taehyung looks at the older male with a bored expression. 

“It’s actually a true story.” Namjoon cuts in, clearing his throat and ready to give a historical lecture.

“Yeah, I don’t want to hear it” You wave it off. “I’m going to bed.”

You were starting to think vacationing in Europe with three of your best friends was not the greatest of ideas. For one, Taehyung just likes to do his own thing half of the time, not caring about the time of day or getting lost forever. Namjoon never fails to lose his passport every five seconds and Seokjin…well he clearly just likes to spew shit out of his mouth that he thinks is intriguing or funny. There was just something off about the whole thing, and you can’t really put a finger on what exactly. You think it might just be the jet-lag you haven’t gotten over yet, or maybe Seokjin’s creepy story actually did hit a sensitive spot, which you still haven’t figured out how or why since those kind of things usually don’t bother you. 

Getting some shuteye should help, so you wash up and crawl into bed.

But it wasn’t long before you found yourself waking up in the middle of the night. The sensation was strange because you’re usually able to get through at least one REM cycle before your slumber is disturbed, but a glance at the clock on the wall told you it hadn’t even hit 12am yet.

Then you hear it. 

A song that drifts through your partially opened window, carried by the cold wind at the cusp of midnight. And you were fully aware that you were making an idiotic decision to actually tip-toe downstairs and out the front door to follow the sound, but why couldn’t you stop? 

The night is chilly, but your cheeks feel flushed. The song is getting louder, and you can see the shadowy figure sitting on a bench under the tree, a long rod held up to his mouth, glistening under the street light.

As you approach him, you notice his body twitch and the music stops as he lowers the flute and turns around.

Your breath hitches in your throat, caught between the silence hanging in midair and the way his gaze settles on you. His skin is pale and translucent, features elf-like with large almond eyes and full lips. He was nothing short of beautiful, but his aura was unnerving to say the least.

“You’re like the person in the story,” You point out, not really thinking before you spoke because why in the world would you expect this stranger to know what story you’re even referring to? Heck, you don’t even know why that was the first thing that popped into your head, but you put full blame on Seokjin. 

“What story?” He cocks a brow, lips forming into a sly smile and eyes glimmering under the moonlight as if he knew the answer before the words escaped your lips.  

“The one about the Pied Piper.”

“Because of this?” He holds the musical instrument up, eyes scanning along it’s length and admiring how elegant the object looked under the starlit sky. 

You nod, keeping your eyes trained on his actions. 

He giggles, a sound so bubbly and beautiful that it makes you wonder if he’s human.

“So anyone who plays the flute has the purpose of luring children to their deaths?”

“At night.” You correct, surprised that he knew the story so well. Coincidence? Or was the tale really that popular?

He laughs, throwing his head back before composing himself once again. “Excuses.”

“What?” You frown, shaking your head as if you had misheard him. “What are you talking about?” Confusion is starting to lace itself in the foundation of your otherwise misleadingly calm features, the growing fear hidden behind a poised facade. 

He stands up and walks towards you, eye piercing into yours as he leans down leisurely and whispers into your ear. “You wanted to meet me.”

“W-What makes you say that?” Your voice is shaking now, but you’re rooted in the spot. 

“The fact that you came, and the fact that you are still here.”

You can feel his warm breath slither down your neck, sending tingles across your shoulders. The scent of his body is almost even more compelling than the song he was playing earlier, and you can feel something intangible compel you soak in the warmth of his presence, the mesmerizing sight of his otherworldly beauty. You stare at the way his Adam’s apple bobbles up and down, the smooth skin of his neck tender and rippling in waves as he swallows gently, and in that compromising position you sense this unnatural yearning to lean forward and kiss him, to taste what is already teasing at the tip of your tongue, what your body is begging for more of.   

“Ummm, ok, I’ll just go then.” Your voice is unsteady and your breathing is erratic, but you’ve managed to break out of your momentary trance.

He takes a step back, seemingly unaware of your internal distress. “Be my guest.” He makes a motion to make way for you.

Still staring at him cautiously, you don’t want to make this encounter stranger than it already is, queerer than it actually was, so your mind chooses to ignore the fact that all of this was bone chillingly terrifying, but for some disturbing reason you’re entirely convinced he’s not dangerous, or at least that’s what you’re mind chooses to believe. 

Swallowing once again, you turn to leave, legs feeling heavier than they had when you arrived at the scene not long ago. But before you’re too far away, you turn around and voice one last question. “What’s your name?”

“Park Jimin” He smiles, eyes curving into slits, and it’s almost angelic, but not quite because the mischievous glint in his eyes is deceivingly innocent for someone who plays with temptation like it is a game.

 …

 You try to close your eyes and ignore it, but you physically can’t. Why? Why was the sound so hard to dismiss. Why were you mentally aware of the situation and yet unable to control your decisions?

You sit up in your bed, eyes darting towards the moon hanging in the opaque night sky, round and luminescent like it was urging you to throw on your jacket and escape into the night for a second time. And you cooperatively oblige.

“Are you here every night?”

He flashes you a knowing smile, lowering the flute. “No.”

“Why are you here?” 

He lets out an airy chuckle, running a hand through his fluffy locks of hair. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No” The syllable comes out automatically, and you swear it’s not what you meant to say. You divert your eyes, but maybe that was a bad decision because you don’t notice him approach you until you look up and realize his face is only an inch away from yours.

“I know you can’t help it.” He whispers, soft and breathy, making your head spin with confusion and your heart burn with the flames of desire. “Don’t reject me.” 

“I-I”

“Shhhh” He hums, moving even closer and placing his hands on your hips as he catches your mouth with his lips. You are initially hit with shock, but his scent is sedative like a drug and he tastes like nothing you can describe that is of this world, sweeter than sugar, softer than cotton. It makes you feel so safe, so comfortable, and so eager to give in and let whatever effect he has on you take over completely. And you know if he’s strong enough to control you like this, he’s certainly strong enough to ruin you completely, but you also don’t care.

Jimin breaks the kiss slowly, suckling on your lower lip one last time before letting go and allowing you to breath again.  

“If you come with me, we can be together forever.” He murmurs, eyes gazing into yours with an intensity that you cannot refuse.

So you follow him, pulled by the pleasure his presence has on you. He was ethereal, so saccharine and irresistible, like the most coveted fruit on the forbidden tree. It was not long before you’ve reached the end of the journey, the moon still waiting for your next action.

You stare at the dark opening, not even capable of questioning what lies down there. All you can hear is the sound of the flute, rising up from the bottomless pit and drifting to your ears, calling you forward into the depths of your paradise.

“You love me, don’t you?”

The next thing you know, you’ve jumped, welcoming your end willingly.

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