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tcrmommabear · 2 years ago

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TCR B-Day Bash Day #1: Music

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN, THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOOOWWWNNNN

No I will not speak about why I’ve been gone so long, or why this is the first thing I come back with outside of memes. I hope this prompts a giggle folks, as that was the whole basis I had for writing this as fast as I could.

@catsafarithewriter when you awaken my love, I hope this meets all your dreams and expectations

***

Someone was playing the piano.

And while beautiful, and normally not a problem, it was three in the morning on a Tuesday night. Still, Haru wasn’t one to judge a person’s coping mechanism, considering she was also awake and frantically baking out some complicated feelings herself. It wasn’t every day that a three year relationship ended.

She’d been hoping by the third batch of cookies, she’d be feeling a little more stable, but that was two more cookie dozens, an apple strudel, and a batch of blueberry muffins ago. She’d at least stopped crying, and Hiromi had stopped messaging at midnight when all Haru sent back was a picture of the messy kitchen and the fourth batch of cookies still being mixed.

She had thought her and Machida were doing better. At least “talk out our feelings before you storm off into the night” better. But apparently better really meant “I recognize we’re both feeling awful in this relationship and I think I need some space” and with that said, Machida disappeared into the night, and wasn’t answering any texts or calls.

The piano was still going, as she nibbled on a muffin on the kitchen floor, doodling mustaches on pictures of Machida. She had recognized brief scraps of songs here and there, but nothing she paid much attention too. She felt a small amount of camaraderie with the late night piano player, both causing trouble for their unfortunate neighbors. Haru at least had some bribes to get out of trouble.

The music lulled for a second, as it always did, before the next song began.

A familiar, soft note played out.

Haru dropped the muffin she was eating, bolting out her front door, down the hall, scrambling up the stairs, and to the apartment above hers.

She didn’t have time to knock, the piano player’s front door flying open as she raced down the hall. She managed to think a brief, “Oh shoot, he’s cute”, before her feet slipped. She rammed into him, both sprawling on the floor of his apartment.

“Are you alright-?!”

“Oh my god, I am so sorry-!”

They both paused in sitting up, tangled together for a moment as their eyes met. Haru recognized him, briefly, having seen him around the building a few times. She’d never been able to get a good look of him up close, but had known in an offhanded way he was polite and attractive. And on the verge of a likely breakup, it was a dangerous thing to fully experience now.

His eyes were very green.

He clears his throat, resting a hand on Haru’s shoulder and meeting her eyes with those very green ones. Her heart flutters, but just barely catches the dishevelled look to him, to the faint tear tracks on his cheeks.

“I’m so deeply sorry, are you alright Miss?” he asked, reaching to check her over.

She releases a shuddering breath, and scoots away from him. She needs air, and space, and maybe not to have a traitorous, broken heart.

“I’m fine! Please, my fault for going high speed,” she chuckles. She pats his shoulder, lingering a moment longer than she should.

He seems to appreciate the gesture, his own hand coming up to cover hers and lighting a fire from her fingers to her heart. She sees the extent of how rough he is, the misbuttoned sleeping shirt, the bloodshot eyes, and the (obvious) lack of sleep.

“Um,” she begins, unable to look away, “why uh… Why “Welcome to the Black Parade” this late at night?”

He snorts, “Is that what upset you?”

“Well, no, I didn’t care, I just recognized the song and know the usual, emo context.”

He snorts again, shaking his head, before releasing her hand. She doesn’t have long to mourn the loss, because he’s standing and offering it to her again, helping her stand. She risks a glance around the apartment, but finds nothing too interesting besides the piano just barely in sight around the corner.

“I suppose I was grappling with some difficult feelings tonight. I just started playing, and it wasn’t until I heard you running that I realized how late it was,” he says. He turns towards her, a sheepish smile in place. She likes his smile, she realizes.

Her heart had done a painful squeeze at the mention of difficult feelings, and she reaches out to touch his hand. It’s forward, and odd of her, but no good decisions were made after a night of breakups and baking. He doesn’t seem to mind, after all, and Haru takes that in stride.

“I know a thing or two about “difficult feelings” myself. Tonights been… Awful, and all I’ve done is cry and bake. Wish I had some piano skills to help with my feelings.”

He smiles again, putting a hand on Haru’s shoulder. She returns his earlier gesture, covering his hand with her own. They smile at each other, camaraderie in late night disappointments.

“My name is Haru, by the way. I live in the unit below you, and I have about 50 cookies I need help with. Would you like to join me?”

Her neighbor gives a big smile, bringing her hand up as he bows towards it.

“My friends call me Baron, as we are sure to be after tonight. As for those cookies, I’d be more than happy to help.”

Haru leads him down the stairs to her own apartment, and the pair sit together on her kitchen floor, munching away. It’s not until they’ve torn through a dozen between them, that Haru finally thinks to ask-

“What were you playing before Black Parade? Who broke your heart that badly?”

“Ah, Broadway. I was playing some songs from Phantom of the Opera,” he says into another cookie.

“It’s not everyday the longest running show ends, and it was enough to move me to tears.”

Haru throws a cookie at him before she can stop herself.

#the cat returns #tcr birthday bash #tcr birthday bash 2023 #tcrmommabearwrites #tcrmommabear #tcrmommabear post #it felt so good to write this and have some little giggles #its definitely obvious im out of practice writing this pair #but i wanted to write before i stopped myself and felt ashamed at the effort #if anyone loves this then youll make me so happy #but im not gonna stall out getting this into the world any longer!!#happy bday tcr i hope i can write more for you!!#no specific au #tcr modern au

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tcrmommabear · 2 years ago

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TCR B-Day Bash Day #2: Masquerade

Hello hello, yes I know I’m late, but to be fair- this thing is roughly 2,700 words long, so I think I earned a little tardiness.

This is my Role Reversal AU, where Haru is the one who had to rescue Baron from the Cat King, and I just love writing pining Baron who thinks Haru is completely not interested. (As I’ve messaged @catsafarithewriter in the middle of writing to scream “SHE’S PLAYING IT TOO COOL”)

Enjoy my friends!!

***

Baron wasn’t having the greatest night one could imagine.

Though always grateful to do a bit of good and indulge some dramatic tendencies, it was significantly harder to focus on the former when he couldn’t tend to the latter. And he had so hoped to impress a certain someone, if she hadn’t so quickly gone missing.

To be absolutely fair, it was hard to find anyone in the mass of bodies and swirls of dancing. Baron had held sight of Toto and Muta for most of the evening, but then he was pulled into introductions by the Prince’s cousin, and even their well known shapes and masks had flitted out of view. He kept an eye out for the silver flash of their masks, or even the rustle of Toto’s wings, but had given up when he realized he’d rather try to find Haru. And not just for the dance he had desperately wanted.

There was an assassin running around, after all.

And in the spirit of continued honesty, Baron had to admit there wasn’t actually much he had to worry about.

He admitted this to himself even as he still dug through party goers and waitstaff, twisting and twirling and charming his way around the ballroom in the hopes of catching sight of her. Haru could take care of herself, so well that she could probably have done this whole mission by herself. The other three were here more as a cursory role, helping deflect attention while she did the actual sneaking around. But Haru had insisted all be present, said the Bureau wasn’t the Bureau without all its members.

That it was important to her for Baron (... and Toto and Muta…) to be there for her.

He still wasn’t at the point of admitting how much his heart had raced when Haru said that. Emotions were still odd for him at times.

(Especially what Haru drew out of him, piece by piece.)

So the group donned their best suits and gowns, covered their faces in silver masks, and headed off to stop a Royal Assassination. They had a moment with the family, who promised to stay encircled by their guard and away from the party itself, and the Bureau set to work looking for anyone, or anything, suspicious.

Which led to Baron’s current situation.

He’d done about three laps around the entirety of the ballroom itself, stepped out onto many balconies to glance about, and even hazarded a search through empty halls the masquerade was banned from. Not a sign of Haru among the crowds, hidden in corners, chatting with princes and kings, or miserably nursing a drink by the banquet table as Baron was up to now.

He wanted to be proud. He was proud. Haru was a phenomenal Bureau member, and would likely inherit the damn thing if Baron was capable of passing from this world, but…

He sighed, sinking further into the shadows, glancing about the masquerade ball. Elegant masks of ruby, gold, bronze, and lavender fill the space, cavernous and echoing. Baron had chosen silver, to remind himself of the mask Haru had thrown at the Cat King during their escape. To remind Haru, he had hoped, of another dance they’d shared before.

But one cannot break through to Haru when she focuses on a case. He’d been impressed by her drive in the beginning, had praised her openly and constantly for it when she’d first joined. But now, even on cases as lax (though no less important) as this one, she was gone. And he wasn’t sure how to try and get closer to her except during cases, seeing as she tried to keep as busy as possible in her everyday life.

Baron was going to have to admit it at some point. That he, likely, wasn’t an option for Haru, for many valid reasons, and that she considered him as nothing more than a work colleague. Maybe a friend.

Baron took another swig from his drink, sighed once more, and gazed out into the crowd.

And caught eyes with a silver mask.

Heat shot through his veins, sparks and fire, electrical impulses burning through the wood of his heart and searing her name. She was mid-conversation, it appeared, having just glanced and caught his eye. But her smile spoke so much more- joy, excitement, maybe a touch of relief at having found a familiar face, a couple dozen other emotions he couldn’t place but just spoke so deeply of who Haru was.

He smiled back, raised a hand to wave, but she’d turned away. Was back to the conversation at hand, leaving him to imagine if she’d ever even looked his way. He didn’t have time to mourn the chance encounter, to try and call out to the woman he’d spent the night looking for. There was a polite cough to his side, and Baron glanced to find a young woman by his side.

He recognizes her from earlier conversations, and a reintroduction from the Prince’s cousin. And despite his misgivings and soured mood, Baron can't help the inherent desire to make a continued good impression.

"Lady Ladonna Marie," Baron exclaims, taking her extended hand, "an absolute delight to see you once again."

She giggles as he kisses the air around her knuckles, dark blue eyes narrowing at him. He pities the poor fool that falls in her sights, recognizing the gleam inherent to nobles and riches. Baron knows all too well what she searches for, and yet doesn't think to worry for his own safety.

Lady Ladonna's hand lingers in his own, her grip tight around the fingers as he feels her rings digging in. She steps closer, Baron taking the chance to slip from her grip, and watches as she tilts her chin up to meet his eyes. He glances out, supposing she must be hiding from many admirers, as no one but the Bureau is aware of the assassin at hand. He smiles at her, wanting to show her a friendly face among the uncertain crowd.

"Are you enjoying your evening, Baron Humbert?" She bats her eyelashes, and Baron wonders briefly if something is caught in them.

"The evening has been a delight, Lady Ladonna, and the guests wonderfully agreeable. One could not ask for a more perfect party."

"And surely you've had time to dance?"

Baron's smile shifts, his heart aching and fit to burst out of his chest and sail across to the silver mask. One that, as far as he can tell, hasn't glanced back at him. He shakes his head, moving to gather the drink he'd set aside at her approach.

"Unfortunately not, though not for lack of trying. My colleague remains to be seen, and I always endeavor to reserve my first for her."

"Ah, for her loss!" Lady Ladonna exclaims, her hand slipping into the crook of his arm. "Yet you've made many a friend and acquaintance here tonight, another is bound to jump at the chance."

Baron glanced at Lady Ladonna, slightly leaning back to regain some personal space, before looking back out at the crowd.

His eyes meet Haru's again, her mask a shining bone white underneath the light. He jolts, missing how less animated she is in her conversation, the stiffness to her posture. He instead fills with another ache in his heart, and wishes he was someone worthy of her attention. To be seen by a shooting star as it passes through the night.

"Why, I'd be more than happy to introduce you to the ballroom floor!"

Baron snaps back down to the Lady Ladonna, her smile twisting in a self satisfied way. He feels ensnared, in the slightest sense, and thinks of ways to extricate himself without giving offense. Despite the sour mood, he does have a job to do, and the time for dancing has long since passed.

Before Baron can respond, either to excuse or charm his way, another joins the fray.

"Baron, it's so good to finally find you! I would really like to be introduced to your friend here."

His heart seizes.

He turns to see Haru, shining and glittering and beautiful as always, standing before him and the Lady. Her silver mask twists and curls around her eyes, drawing attention to the depth and warmth he finds himself drowning in. Her short hair is slicked back, her gown a navy blue and studded with silver gems.

When he'd first seen her, he'd likened her to a deity of stars and night, swept away and swaddled in her mystery.

Her smile is tense, but he knows the difference between one of anger at him and one of discomfort, and Haru had only so far flashed him one of genuine happiness before being drawn to Lady Ladonna.

Their eyes hold, and Baron feels theady'a grip on his arm tighten to an alarming degree. He gently pries her hand away, stepping to his place beside Haru. Haru rests a hand easily on his arm, touch light and only to alert him that she's there.

"Miss Haru," he begins, before clearing his throat, wrangling in his excitement and nerves, "allow me to introduce Lady Ladonna Marie. Lady Ladonna, my colleague, Miss Haru."

"Lovely to meet you, Lady Marie, but I'm afraid we must part," Haru cuts, before the Lady has a chance, "for Baron, here, owes me a dance."

Haru reaches for the drink in Baron's hand he'd forgotten about and takes a sip. She smiles and raises the cup towards the Lady, before setting it aside and taking Baron's hand. She leads him to the ballroom floor, unaware of his heart hammering between the joining of their palms. He hardly dares to breathe, afraid to break whatever good luck has come along his path.

Haru stops abruptly, and turns, taking Baron’s hands into her own, before adjusting him into a waltz. He follows automatically, taking the lead as one song ends and another quickly begins.

“Quite a friend you made back there Baron,” Haru snorts. “Seemed to have no sense of personal space.”

“Lady Ladonna can be afforded a little leniency, being such a close friend of the Prince and his cousin.”

“Her friendship with the Prince does not mean she can treat others how she wants.”

His heart warms, wanting to soothe the annoyed expression on Haru’s face. He squeezes her hand, drawing her attention away from the lurking Lady. She meets his eyes, and his heart melts entirely, though the aches from earlier still pulse beneath his ribs. He dips Haru, enjoys the lighthearted smile that blooms in its wake, and continues their turn about the dance floor.

“I’ve been looking for you, Miss Haru,” he tells her, hoping his voice doesn’t betray the extent of what he means.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been trying to make myself difficult to find. I’ve narrowed our options down, but there’s still too many variables for me to make a guaranteed guess.”

“Any strong contenders I should be worried about?”

Haru snorts.

“You were just corned by our prime suspect.”

Baron sends Haru into a twirl, leading her spinning around him to grant him another look. Lady Ladonna seems to have abandoned her place in the corner, and maintains watch over him and Baron. Though she seems to have moved further down the banquet table, towards the drinks.

He pulls Haru close, keeping the Lady in the corner of his eye.

“Motive? Method?”

“Close friend of the Prince’s cousin, cousin is first born of the King's younger brother. Succession crisis, announce engagement to new Prince, score of a lifetime. Method remains to be seen, but her rings indicate poison,” Haru says breathlessly, eyes a little unfocused as she gazes up at Baron.

He gives a big grin, and lifts her up into a twirl, chuckling when Haru gives a squeal of delight.

“You never cease to amaze, Miss Haru, well done indeed. Has Muta been alerted to steal the rings?”

“Kind of? I’ve got him pickpocketing quite a few people, but I wanted to see if we could catch someone in the act, rather than hoarding jewelry and guessing who’s is who’s.”

“I suppose we have time, then, before we make our grand entrance. I never knew you as one to delay preventing an assassin for the dramatics of it all.”

“Please, Baron, we both know how much of an influence you’ve played into this. I did learn from the best after all.”

Baron flushes under the praise, especially paired with the way she looks up at him with her soulful eyes. He wants to sing her praises, lift her high above his head and twirl her around, desperately wants to dip her again and enjoy her laugh. He gets overwhelmed with the feeling of it all, the conflicting wants and narratives and the tilt of her smile, and pulls back.

“Yes, well,” he coughs, giving himself room to breathe, “there’s much you learned outside of me. I can’t take the compliment when I know I’ve only provided you a little.”

Her darling smile diminishes, and he wonders what could have stolen it away when all he’d done is be honest. He can’t get carried away, not here at least. They’re so close to solving this case, and maybe after he can come up with a plan to address all he wants. All he needs to do. He so desperately wishes he was more than a colleague and mentor.

“Baron, you must know I…” Haru begins, but Baron simply smiles. Smiles the smile for clients and light shows.

“Another time, Miss Haru, your charms will have to wait for after this case. There is an assassin running around, after all.”

Haru flushes in an odd way, pink dusting her cheeks and ears. He nods to himself, and continues to lead, the pair silent for the time. Baron still twirls and dips her, bringing giggles or smiles out of Haru to pass the time.

As he twirls her again, he spots the Lady Ladonna chasing after a servant carrying a tray of golden goblets. Specific goblets Baron had instructed the Royal family to stick to, to prevent a chance of poisoning or swapping of glasses. He dips Haru once again, letting her catch sight of the Lady’s movements.

“We’re on the clock now, I would say,” Haru murmurs, turning away from the Lady and locking eyes with Baron.

All previous notions of waiting until after the case abandons him when he realizes how close the two are. And Baron struggles not to lean down and kiss Haru that very moment.

The pair are, unfortunately, interrupted by Lady Ladonna opening one of her capsule rings and tilting it over a goblet as she orders the servant about. Baron and Haru freeze, glancing at each other again, before moving as one.

Baron leads her through a waltz once again, spinning and moving faster towards the pair standing at the edge of the ballroom floor. Baron lifts Haru after almost every spin, slightly higher and higher, stepping closer to the tray. He nods down at her, and she smiles, nodding back.

Baron lifts Haru high and spins her, her heels clacking against the tray and sending the wine spilling over the Lady Ladonna and servant. Haru leaps forth and grabs the Lady, while Baron moves to steady the flustered servant, both distracted by the sudden mayhem of the “accident”.

“You better hope that poison doesn’t seep through skin, Lady Marie,” Haru whispers, yanking rings off the Lady’s fingers to search for more capsules. The Lady Ladonna Marie sputters, but a glare from Haru is enough to set anyone to rights, and she folds easily enough.

“Let’s get these two sorted away from the crowd, Miss Haru, and inform the King the matter’s been resolved,” Baron motions to a side hallway, where two guards await them. The party still carries on, unaware of the plot foiled by a dance and a kick.

“Baron, about earlier-,” Haru begins, stopping Baron from moving with a hand to his arm. He glances down at her, her pink cheeks, her beautiful dress, her silver mask, and resolves to listen to any order, any request, any thing she might have to offer.

Muta crashes through the upper balcony, grips the chandelier to slow his fall, and comes crashing down on the ballroom floor.

The pair turn in time to see a dozen guards flowing out after him, Toto taking to the high ceilings in order to also give chase, shouting out unintelligibly to either the guards or Muta.

“I’m not the assassin! Stop chasing me already, I work fer the King!” Muta cries out.

Baron resolves, instead, to just let Haru handle easy missions on her own from now on.

#the cat returns #tcr #studio ghibli #neko no ongaeshi #baron humbert von gikkingen #tcrmommabear writes #tcr birthday bash #tcrmommabear #tcr bday bash 2023 #role reversal au #god i love my role reversal au #baron is a pathetic little pining cat in it and its beautiful #so good at charming when not trying #cant actively woo and seduce to save his own life #hope yall enjoy!!

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catsafarithewriter · 2 years ago

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Reminder to all that the tcr bday bash officially starts tomorrow! I look forward to seeing what wonderful things this fandom has created!

TCR Birthday Bash 2023 Prompts!

The votes are in, here is the official TCR Birthday Bash prompt list!

The Cat Returns Birthday Bash will be running from July 16th to July 22nd (7/16-7/22), to celebrate the anniversary of The Cat Returns. The prompts for this year’s bash are:

Sun 16th - Musical/Music

Mon 17th - Masquerade

Tues 18th - Revenge

Wed 19th - Secret Heritage

Thurs 20th - Happy Birthday/Free Day

Fri 21st - Beach Episode

Sat 22nd - Sci-Fi

Thank you to everyone who voted, and I cannot wait to see all of the awesome prompts we have this year!

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catsafarithewriter · 11 months ago

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Okay so I have something in the works that maaaay be a tcr birthday bash thing, BUT it is a kind of "choose your own adventure" shebang rather than a ficlet, with Baron as the POV

The question is, would people prefer it to be written in the classic cyoa 2nd person POV ("you do this, you think that") or in a more prose-traditional 3rd person POV ("Baron does this, Baron does that")?

Example text:

So, question:

(Note: there's no guarantee this will be finished in time for the bday bash, or indeed ever. Atm I'm just following the muse.)

(Note note: Kudos if you can guess what this is based off.)

(Note note note: if you want to try making your own cyoa story, check out the website I'm using here)

#the cat returns #that cat spoke #i have been dying to use this for ages #but all my ideas are too big and my energy too small #this. in theory. should be manageable

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tcrmommabear · 6 years ago

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TCR Birthday Bash Day #2

Hey y’all, this is fucking 3,308 words long. This thing comes to a hearty fucking 8 pages on my Google document, and I’m not kidding, this is entirely the reason why I’m so behind on every other prompt. I was going to spend the day before each prompt, post it in the morning, work on the next.

Then this just kept growing. And growing. And, holy hell of the high seas, GROWING.

It’s an entire fanfic by itself. Please, enjoy what I’ve suffered through.

***

What We Left Behind on the High Seas

He found her on the deck, staring out after the sea. It wasn’t hard, not many places to hide, but still. When Haru didn’t want to be found, she never would be. An annoying skill, if it hadn’t also saved their hinds a dozen and one times, or taken them to parts of the world he never thought they’d see.

He wishes they could go back to those times, thinks maybe they could, one day. But a daughter and impending doom doesn’t undo 20 years of bad blood. Trust me, he tried.

The bag drops by her feet, clothes and enough gold to keep the loosest lips sealed. She glances down at it, then back at him, a single eyebrow raised.

“Cutting tail and running, huh?” she drawled, no more surprised than a dog finding a flea by it’s paw.

“Well,” he begins, stretching his shoulders before leaning over the rail, “I’ve got a reputation to uphold. Without a reputation, what do any of us really have?”

She laughs, short and dry, but a pleasant and oh, so familiar sound. He wonders if she longs for what they used to have, especially after the truth of what ruined their lives came to light. Not a betrayal from him, not a lie from her. Just the jealousy of a cabin boy neither could remember the name of until today. The same one leading the British Armada, that tried to steal their daughter, and, pretty important, try to kill them multiple times over.

(And manage to, back before they learned who he was, years ago.)

Still, they stand together, each having fought to bring the other back. Maybe because, despite every ugly word and bitter feeling they harbored towards each other, the world felt a little too scary, a little too empty without the other.

He breathed in deep, took in the briney air, salt stinging against his throat and lungs. It felt better than the words he wanted to speak.

“Will you take my only rowboat, or at least wait for us to make port before departing?” she asked, wind ruffling what pieces of hair that escaped the tie. The sight stirred something deep within him, the memory of brighter skies and equal, wonderful views. The thought of land makes his knees buckle, a drink begging for his hand. He didn’t want to wait.

“No, a boat will work just fine for me. I’d hate to slow down your quest to kill yourself,” he responded. His words were sharp, but gave no sting. Flippant concern. Haru hummed, mirroring his pose to watch the sea of pitch pass them by.

He looked at her. Really looked at her.

They’d faced impossible odds, been killed and brought back more times than either cared to admit. He had never seen her so calm. So settled into her skin, like something weighed down her bones and sunk her down to her heels. Crows feet, the beginnings of frown lines. There was a day, a time, a moment when he thought he’d see that form on both their faces. He knew she’d never admit to thinking the same. Neither would, really. Just keep it safe in their thoughts.

The same way they’d never admit that they didn’t hated the other. Just too stubborn and hurt to fix the mistakes of the past.

“Why are you fighting this battle, Haru?” he asked, watched as she glanced his way and returned to the sea.

“Why not?” she deflected, eyebrow raised to provoke.

“Not really an answer.”

“Well, not really a question, Hunter. What difference does it make? We’re pirates. Don’t really do reasonable.”

He snorted, ignoring the way she looked at him expectantly, knowing his past, and his… Flair. He turned away, using the excuse to look over towards the captain’s quarters. Snow blonde and green eyed. Their greatest treasure, fierce and kind and more of a pirate than either of her parents, sleeping peacefully away.

“You can’t drag her into this, Haru,” he almost begged, wondering if his daughter still got the same nightmares she had when the pair of them had first started sailing together. He heard a shuffle, took it as Haru standing up.

“I’m her mother and it’s her choice. We’ll make that bastard pay for everything.”

“I’m her father and it’s our job to keep her safe. We can’t win this fight, we can’t even begin to hope we have a shot. We just need to go.”

“We?” Haru counters, ruefully, their eyes meeting as their heads turned. His tongue freezes, reminded of stolen chocolate, fresh polished wood, and clean sails. Of betrayal and stranded islands. He broke away first. She knew he would.

“So, just you two, then,” she nodded, and he wanted to know what she really thought. What she felt beneath the polished veneer. He didn’t think she’d let him back in.

“Haru-,” she cut him off, pushing off the rail and walking off towards the stairs leading to the underbelly of the Feral Beast.

“The choice is yours, Hunter, I won’t persuade you either way. But,” she turned, wind ruffling her hair free, strands twisting around her face, “you’ll have to convince Yuki. Because you’ll be dead before you can drag her anywhere against her will.”

His heart twisted, the sight of her back fading away too much, too familiar and cruel. He surged forward, fingers brushing her arm, just enough to get her to stop, to look at him. Her face was neutral, but her eyes betrayed the surprise.

“I never stopped loving you,” he told her, stumbling and breathless and so reminiscent of times long past, but with so much more on the line this go around.

“I never stopped. How could I? I was… Furious, hurt, scared, but I never thought it was because of you. Everything I did, who I became, then and now, has your name written all over it. I couldn’t bear the thought of not being in your life. And… And now I find out we have this beautiful, clever, headstrong pirate of a daughter and I just want to keep her safe. To keep both of you safe.”

Tears well, and when she tries to look away, he gently touches her cheek, turning her back to him. She looks at him, equal parts desolate and in love, and he knows he looks the same. Haru sighs, pulls his hand away, but doesn’t let go.

“I… I can’t say things haven’t changed. I can’t guarantee that what I felt is the same, or as strongly, as purely as before. Time changes everything, no matter how much you struggle against it. But I never stopped loving you, either.”

He felt weightless, floating deep in the sea water. Like he’d leapt between two buildings and stuck the landing when he thought he wouldn’t.

“Please, Haru,” he tries, begging, pleading, hoping, “let’s forget this, all of this. Let’s all go, and hide, live our lives. Death is not worth all of this. Let me keep you both safe...”

She’s quiet, considering, tugging her hands free.

“Cowards die a thousand deaths, but a hero only ever knows one. I don’t need to be protected, I need you to support and understand me, my choice. You don’t have to like it, but I don’t need you disrespecting me, or our daughter, and all we suffered through.”

She puts a step between them, inches of space that feels like miles. She lingers in the doorway, half stepped down the stairs. Waiting. She can’t ask him to stay, and he can’t convince her to go. She has to let go.

“Goodnight… Hunter.”

***

Whoever shakes her awake is gentle, but it doesn’t stop the blind fear burning through her system. Her arms flailing, her leg jerking out, weak and tangled in the blankets. A hand stops her, a heartbroken but kind voice croaks out.

“Hey, hey, easy, it’s me spitfire,” Baron Hunter- her father- soothes, rubbing her arms, and then her back when she sits up. She rubs away what little sleep built in her eyes, but it did no wonders to help her father. He looked like hell, probably felt almost close to it, and she’s sure he knows exactly what the bottom of the ocean looks like.

Still, it’s Baron, the man who took her in, helped her hide and face her fears, searching for the truth of who she was. If only she could have realized sooner. Maybe they wouldn’t be off to die.

“Don’t tell me we’ve already reached port because that was hardly a minute of sleep,” she half yawned, half griped. Baron chuckles, shaking his head no.

“Not yet, snowflake, still have a little while.”

She frowned, cocking her head. She took a moment to really look him over, wondering what would bring him to wake her. Her heart sinks down past her lungs, an aching weight in her stomach.

“Did mom and dad get in a fight?” she jokes, fighting to keep the fear out of her voice. She knows things weren’t good between the two, but she couldn’t imagine them going south so fast. Couldn’t imagine one of them already parting ways. Especially Baron.

“Something like that, snowflake,” he mumbled, taking her hands between his own, “your mother has made up her mind, and she’s going after Hawthorne...”

Not a surprise, Yuki figured. If she hadn’t thought there were already on their way, she would have taken off after the… The mongrel herself.

“-But I’m not going, snowflake. And I want you to come with me.”

Her eyes widened, realizing now what their “fight” had been about. She wanted to be angry, but it was hard when a sleep-deprived brain was still struggling with the implication of it all. When the first person you trusted came by and asked you, finally, for a favor. But one too painful, too much.

“I… I tried to convince your mother, but she made her choice. I want to keep you safe, Yuki. I can’t risk losing you, not after I just found you. I can’t do it,” he whimpered, voice wavering to reach her, to tell her the depth of what he needed. She couldn’t help the feeling of her heart breaking. But…

“Baron-Father. You can’t ask that of me. Please. You can’t leave.”

He shook his head, squeezing her hands, locking her in place.

“Please, snowflake. I can’t do this. Why can’t we go?”

She simmered, chewing on her lip until she could taste the metal. Her heart hammered, fury and sorrow and righteous indignation burning through her being.

“Because what’s going to stop Hawthorne? Who is going to stop him? He’s just going to keep destroying peoples’ lives, killing our friends and family until he gets what he wants. And it doesn’t matter what he wants. Because all it is annihilating anyone who stands in his way.”

“Yuki, please, you don’t know what you’re going up against…”

“He’s a monster! Okay, let’s look at this- he betrayed you and mom, turning each other against each other for some petty reason, he tried to force me to marry him all because I happened to be your daughter, and, to top it off, in the grand scheme of things, has been hunting pirates in the off chance that he might meet you and mom and kill you. Which he has done!”

Baron flinched, pressing his forehead against her hands, but she yanked them away, letting him rest his head against her bed.

“Please, Yuki, Yuki, my daughter, my sweet…”

Daughter.

She flinches back, slamming her back against the wall of the ship, bared her fangs she practiced having for the streets and the battles she never knew she’d actually see.

“Right, my father. Tell me, how has the child-rearing gone the past few hours, because I don’t remember it the last 20 years.”

Baron jerked back up, eyes watering, jaw dropped like an anchor and twice as heavy. She tried not to feel guilty.

“Snowflake, Yuki, that’s not-!”

“What?” she hissed, throwing the blanket over his head and storming past as he struggled free, “Not fair?! Not right?! How do you think I feel?! I finally, finally have a family, my life’s one treasure, the one thing I’ve been looking for my entire life, and I almost watched some… Some…”

She struggles with the right words, running through the swears taught to her over their travels.

“Some… Sodding, dickless, bastard with the face of a jack’s ass almost kill you! Kill my mother! Tell me, oh father of the past six hours, how is any of this right!?”

He looks down, fiddling with the blanket between his hands. His shoulders are tight, lip trembling. Her heart aches.

“Don’t ask me to go,” she pleads, “please. I need to do this. I can’t let him get away with this… I can’t say no to you, so please don’t ask me to go. Because the reason I’m here is because of you.”

He didn’t give her a response, stares at the hands that had begun shaking long before and had never stopped. The bag is swept into his arms, and he’s crossed the distance before she can breathe another word. His arms are warm, smelling of salt and what she can only describe as love, and she hugs him back.

She lets him go.

***

The rowboat is gone in the morning. They found it on the docks, a kindly fisherman holding watch. Before they can even ask, he’s walked away, nary a word. Haru and Yuki say nothing to each other, the missing third enough of a wound without the salt of 20 missed years. They may be strangers, but Yuki knew Baron well enough. Too well, if the rowboat was any hint.

They continue to sail, straight to the end of the line.

***

Hawthorne is on the agreed upon island, more a peak of sand than a true land mass. White sails filled the sky, stormless clouds with red flag lightning. He smiles, tips his hat with a flourish Yuki was sure he was trying to copy from… Someone else.

Her mother, still the picture of calm, only nods her head.

“Well, my ladies, I see our time is upon us. I don’t suppose we could settle this easily, per my previous terms?”

Haru scoffed, “What, me in the brig and your hands on my daughter? Not a chance.”

He looked expectantly at Yuki, eyebrow raised. She bared her fangs.

“Eat shit and live through to enjoy it, pig.”

Hawthorne sighed, settled his hat upon his head, “Very well, option B, then.”

His sword was drawn, loud and dramatic and heading to Haru’s throat.

There was a distant rumble, the crash of cannon fire.

All three paused, looked back at the armada of white, curling and collapsing inward as ships descended upon it, sails of Wicked Crows and Cat’s Paws emerged from within.

Panic crept into Hawthorne’s voice, a trembling and furious “What?!” climbing in octaves as the battle raged. Ships were decimated, quickly and efficiently, red British flags replaced with the black skull and bones. There was the boom of another canon firing, close as a ship surroundings the island filled the air with shattered wood.

“Excuse me, you three down there? My clever wife and talented daughter? Are you going to stand there being dramatic all day, or are we going to actually have a war today?!” a voice called out, a fast approaching ship carrying a figure in the crow’s nest, standing on the rail and leaning to the farthest point possible by a rope. The figure waved, highlighted by the flapping flag of a broken crown.

Haru grins, voice filled with false annoyance and genuine glee, “Such a fashionably late entrance, did your cape get caught in the door?!”

“You can nag me about my timing later, my love,” Baron roared back, over the sound of cannons and wind and waves, “but I’d start running!”

The trio paused to look at each other, frozen for a moment as each considering who’ll make the first move.

“Fuck it-!” Yuki screeches, kicking her foot to throw up a flurry of sand, smacking straight in Hawthorne’s face. She grabs her mother’s arm, tugging her towards the ship closing in fast. The old wood groans under the strain, sharply turning almost impossibly fast. Ropes woosh out, just within their grasp. Haru takes the lead, launching forward, grabbing the rope and locking arms with Yuki.

She tugs, pulling Yuki close, and letting her gain a purchase. She slips free, tumbling as she hears Hawthorne call out, “Someone!! Anyone! Stop them!”

“Well, fuck…” Haru mumbles, rushing to stand, readying her sword. Soldiers storm towards her, more than she’s possibly sure she can take. Anything to give her daughter time to climb, and the ship to kickstart and take off.

“Mm, no you don’t, Chicky,” a familiar voice gruffed, a shadow dropping down in the sand in front of her, blocking the vision of the guards surrounding her. An arm wraps around her stomach, giving three hearty spins, before launching her in the air. The feeling is familiar, and through the panic writhing in her stomach, she streamlines, hovering in the air weightless, before landing with a familiar roll.

She drops the sword, races to the edge, and pulls Yuki to the top, Muta hanging onto the end with one arm as the ship pulls away. Faces fill her vision, swimming between the adrenaline and tears, friends and family pulling to embrace her and her daughter.

“Look alive, people, we still have a war to win!” Toto called out, leaning over the rain beside Haru to the remnants of British ships beginning to push through, heading steadily towards their ship from all directions.

“We won the first battle, my friend, who cares how the rest of the war will fare when we’ve already made history?” Baron dropped from the ladder, gently pushing through the crowd to stand before his family.

Her heart pounded, knocking against her ribs and asking to be let free. She crossed her arms, eyed him over as he stood, taking in the familiar cape, the cocked captain’s hat, and the smirk slowly coming back into his smile.

Tried, measured…

“You’re late.”

“By all accounts, I arrived just in the knick of time-.”

“-And who are you calling “your wife”?-”

“We’re practically married-.”

“-If so, I want a divorce-!”

“-Haru, please, not in front of the children-!”

“Mom, dad,” Yuki interjected, giddy and alive and very aware that could change, “save the flirting for later? We’re literally in the middle of a war.”

Baron laughed, tossing his cape in a way Haru would never admit still made her swoon. All of this was so much easier when he wasn’t saying they were married and acting like a father. She’d have to fix the technicality of not being married.

“Never fear, Snowflake. I think we’ve just begun. Everyone? Places! We’re about to meet the middle of it.”

The others rushed off, lingering touches on Haru’s shoulders and Yuki’s hands, before it was the trio still left at the head of the ship. Haru took his hand.

“What took you so long, anyways?” she asked, staring down the hellfire battle.

“Well, you wouldn’t believe how long a good cape takes to find. Worse than finding Sephie and Louise when they don’t-...”

“I meant… You. This you. Where have you been, Baron?”

His eyes softened, wrapping his arms around Haru and Yuki’s shoulders. Around the only things that mattered in his life.

“I needed time to think. You.. Were right. I’d rather die here than live without either of you. Living as a coward when I knew I could be a hero.”

They all smiled, racing down the barrel of the run and straight into the fray.

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