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shxtodxroki · 9 months

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𝙽𝚘𝚝-𝚂𝚘-𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚂𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊

Summary: Your past friendship with Satoru Gojo is ancient history by the time you’re both well into your teaching years, the man a mere memory from your past you can’t help but reminisce on more often than you should. But when Christmas-time rolls around and you get roped into a faculty Secret Santa event alongside your sister school, your not-so-secret Santa causes old, unresolved feelings to resurface, and gives you a chance to finally rehash and truly release them.

Warnings: Swearing, some angst, this fic was written as a gift so it’s a fem reader instead of my usual gender neutral reader! There’s also a few small descriptive details of the reader’s personality/likes since it’s targeted towards the person I wrote it for, but there are NO physical descriptions of the reader! Geto, Nanami and Haibara are also all teachers in this! (Nanami and Geto work w/ Gojo in Tokyo, while Haibara works w/ reader and Utahime in Kyoto!)

Pairing: Satoru Gojo x Fem! Reader

Word Count: 6.8k

Note: This fic is a gift that I wrote for @planetnini for this JJK secret santa event! :D Hi Nini, I was your secret santa! :D I had a lot of fun getting to know you and chatting with you through asks throughout this event, and I hope you like the final fic I made for you! I tried to take into account some of the things you told me and personalize it a bit, and I’d love to know what you think! <3 Happy holidays Nini and anyone else reading this, if you celebrate any holidays around this time of year then I hope you had a wonderful time, and even if not, I hope you’re having an amazing end of the year! :D

The scent of the town-famous bakery always managed to fill you with a bittersweet sense of nostalgia, memories flooding your senses as flashes of bright blue eyes and teasing grins flashed behind your eyelids in response to the familiar scent. It makes your stomach twist in mild discomfort, pushing the fond childhood memories that spring up back into the crevices of your mind where they belong as you feel a small, long-residing pang of longing.

He had always loved sweets.

Being friends with Satoru Gojo, the honored one who took Jujutsu society by storm from the very moment he was born, was an experience you reflected back on far more often than you’d ever admit out loud. Considering how long it had been since the two of you last had any significant contact, it would seem odd to admit just how often your mind still wandered to him, to the many soft moments and bright memories you shared in adolescence, and to the one true best friendship you had ever known. People have come and gone through your life in waves since then, and you’ve had dear friends who meant the world to you, but nobody could ever come close to the role Satoru had once filled, the way he made your heart feel so full of affection and love that it just might burst. It was the kind of friendship you felt you would only find once in a lifetime, and thus the kind you could never forget. Maybe it wouldn’t sound that ludicrous after all, but you still kept this longing to yourself, and most days, you managed to dull it to a gentle simmer beneath your ribcage as you went about your days.

You have other things to focus on now. A job and your loved ones and the upkeep of your home, all essential parts of your daily life that keep you from lamenting on the mere wisps of memory of the boy you knew. Knowing that he wasn’t far away, living a life far busier than your own but in the same profession at your sister school, did come with the occasional urge to reach out, to reminisce or catch up or ask why your whole friendship had fallen apart in the first place. But you’ve always managed to resist the urge, to fight back the desire to reach out and pry yourself away from the open yet long-ago unfollowed Instagram page on your phone (though not always without help, you had to thank Utahime for keeping you from your nostalgic urges every now and then).

So with all the work you had put into moving on from a friendship you honestly should have long ago, you would admit (at least to yourself) that you were less than excited to find out that you’d be participating in a winter retreat with the sister school where Satoru now taught at. You were even less eager when it was revealed that there would be a staff-wide Secret Santa event between the two schools, and as the days counted down towards the trip, you found yourself wishing that the universe would cut you a break just this once and give you anyone else besides Satoru to buy a gift for. You knew so little about the person he was currently, now that so much time had passed between the two of you, and truthfully, you had no clue if he even remembered who you were at this point. The sting of realizing that he didn’t remember you was a pain you truly didn’t long to feel, and having to get a gift for your former best friend under such uncertain conditions was simply a fate you wished to avoid at all costs.

“Quit glaring, you’re drawing attention to you, and me by proxy.” You mutter to your best friend as she glares daggers into the back of the man you wished to avoid. Luckily for you, the interaction was anything but uncommon for the two, so it was unlikely to truly draw attention to either of you. Yet it still wasn’t a risk you wanted to take, not wanting to face even the slightest possibility of being forced to suffer through awkward small talk with the man who had once known all your deepest secrets.

“How did that idiot manage to become a teacher? His students would be better off with a fucking rock as an instructor, I swear to god.” Utahime grumbles back from beside you, paying no mind to your words as she continues glaring at the man from afar. Her disdain for the man was amplified when you told her of your shared past, but she had held a strong dislike for him from the moment the two had first interacted at school functions, leaving you hopeful that he wouldn’t be phased from the typical distant hostility and annoyance he received from your best friend. These days, Satoru Gojo rarely managed to spare you as much as a glance, and it had been years since he had uttered your name (a fact you were ashamed to admit you had been keeping track of, in the brief and meager conversations the two of you had shared over recent years). The feeling of being forgotten stung deep in your bones, but you outwardly portrayed the same level of unbotheredness and nonchalance he did whenever the two of you would be put in the position to briefly interact, so most of your colleagues (including Satoru himself) were hopefully none the wiser to your inner predicament.

“Alright, everyone come draw a name! And there’s no switching or re-draws unless you pick yourself!” You suddenly hear Suguru Geto’s voice echo through the room, sounding controlled and put-together as always as he drew you from your reverie and back into reality once more. It didn’t take long for the air to grow stuffy as all of the evening’s attendees crowded together around the bag of names, the small crowd still managing to tightly press together as everyone crowded in to select their recipients for this year’s secret santa event.

Some were more eager than others, but the process was still able to remain somewhat orderly as everyone pressed together and took turns grabbing a folded up paper from the bag. The rotation went counter-clockwise, and you watched as your coworkers and fellow faculty went one-by-one until the line reached Utahime to your left. As she plucked a name from the bag, you blurted out a quip that wasn’t meant to particularly be hidden, but one which you really only intended for her ears as a small grin made its way across your face.

“Thank god Gakuganji’s off on business this year, imagine what a nightmare it would be to buy a gift for him.” You laugh at your own comment, watching your best friend’s face light up in acknowledgment of the joke before opening the slip of paper in her hand. The voice you hear responding to you, though, is much lower than that of your friend’s, and the sight of her mouth not moving causes your stomach to drop as you suddenly grow aware of the presence to your right.

“God, I think getting a gift from that geezer would be worse. He’d bring five dollar socks and expect ‘utmost gratitude’.” His voice felt like honey coating your ears, deep and smooth as the scent of his cologne suddenly engulfed your surroundings. You couldn’t believe you had let his presence slip out of your awareness, that you had been oblivious to him standing right beside you even if only for a few moments. You were so used to being tuned into his movements during gatherings like these, doing your best to avoid him whenever possible and to maneuver your way subtly through awkward small talk on the occasions where avoidance wasn’t possible. And yet here he was, appearing beside you without a shred of awareness on your part. And he was joking with you causally, as if the history between you meant nothing to him at all.

He may not remember your history at all at this point.

You could feel heat rising to your face at the thought, the painful stab of acknowledging that you may not have meant as much to him as he did to you causing your form to grow rigid where you stood. You knew you shouldn’t still be so affected by him, so in tune to everything he did and so easily reactive whenever he was near. His quick remark to you showed that he held no similar reservations when interacting with you, and it had been plenty of time to let go of the torch you had been carrying. But you were the one who left the friendship with unresolved feelings you never got the chance to express to him, with an attachment deeper than just friendship. And he obviously wasn’t, which was clearly why he had managed to move on so much faster than you had.

You were thankful as you realized it was your turn to pull from the bag, eager for a distraction so you wouldn’t have to think of a response to Satoru’s remark. You needed to calm down, and hopefully you could occupy yourself with thinking of potential gifts for your recipient through the rest of the night rather than putting so much energy into a man who wouldn’t reciprocate. Your hand plunged in and out of the bag in a flash, just desperate for any name that wasn’t Satoru’s, and you let out a soft sigh of relief as you read the name inscribed on the paper in your hand.

“Yu Haibara”.

Thank god, fate seemed to be on your side this time. Not only did you not pull Satoru’s name, but you were close enough with Haibara, as you saw one another nearly every day, to comfortably pick out a gift you knew he’d enjoy even without the list provided to you. He was easily one of those you were closest to among the participants, second only to Utahime, and despite the melancholy that had been simmering within you throughout the evening as thoughts of Satoru filled your mind, you felt a sudden wave of confidence and excitement as you thought of what you could get him that you knew he’d love. Perhaps this was what you needed, to stop focusing so much on a long-dead friendship by instead putting that energy into pursuing closer friendships with those you cared about now. This was going to be the Christmas to turn around your attitude, you were sure of it.

And in the self-improvement spiral you sent yourself down in that moment, for once you missed the small, almost imperceptible yet genuine smile that crossed Satoru’s face as he pulled a name of his own from the bag.

The next morning, as you woke up and stepped out of your hotel room for the morning after dragging yourself out of bed at the sound of your alarm, you found yourself nearly falling face-first into the floor as you tripped on an unfortunately-placed object directly outside your doorway. The fall caused you to let out a shriek as you braced for impact, and though you were luckily able to catch yourself before you crashed, the event still left a small, tired scowl on your face as you pulled yourself up and took a glance at the item that had nearly left you bruised and sore first thing in the morning.

The sight in front of you, however, quickly melted your annoyance into curiosity as you saw a soft, pale yellow bag obstructing the walkway outside of your hotel door. Your mind was racing for a few moments as it tried to catch up with the morning’s events, and when you were eventually able to recall the secret santa exchange that you had signed up for the night prior, you felt a small giddiness bubbling within you as you grabbed the small bag by it’s handles and returned with it in hand to your room. Perhaps you could forgive whoever had left the bag in prime tripping position, as the excitement of receiving your first gift of the week outweighed any prior frustrations you held.

You opened the bag expecting a small gift to start off the exchange, maybe flowers or a nice snack. Your secret santa had only had hours between the choosing of the names and this morning, after all, and you would perfectly understand choosing to go light on most of the gifts even without the rushed nature of this first morning. So when you stripped the bag of its tissue paper only to be faced with a brand-new copy of a new game you had mentioned in your list of potential gifts, you couldn’t fight back the widening of your eyes in surprise. A brand new game surely wasn’t cheap, and to get it at such short notice felt like nothing short of a miracle. (Or incredible effort on your Secret Santa’s part). Taped onto the game was a note, short and simple:

“You’ve seemed extra stressed the past few days, so why don’t you take the day off and relax? Kick your feet up and have fun playing your new game ;)

- Secret Santa”

The note gave little away of the one who had left the gift, yet their kindness and effort was clear in both presentation and product as you grinned to yourself. Fate truly did seem to be on your side this holiday season, as you had seemingly been blessed with the loveliest secret santa in all existence. While the gift was much more than you had expected, and you had barely even gotten a chance to wake up that morning, you were quick to shoot a text over to Utahime telling her to come over to your room to share your excitement with someone. Though you unfortunately couldn’t play the game yet as your secret santa had advised, since you hadn’t brought your console with you on the trip to Tokyo, you still wanted to enjoy the gift in some way as you silently sent your gratitude towards your mystery gift-giver. You’d have to thank them when they finally revealed themself on Christmas eve, but for now you’d wait for your best friend to arrive so you could brag about your exceptionally generous secret santa and the gift you couldn’t wait to try out once you returned to your cozy home in Kyoto at the end of the week.

On the second day, you thankfully did not wake up to a tripping hazard outside of your door, leading you to assume your secret santa would drop off your gift later in the day. Honestly you were thankful that it wasn’t left first thing in the morning like the day prior, as you had accidentally overslept after staying out a bit later than usual picking out a gift and writing a fun note for Haibara for day one of your secret santa exchange.

You had offered to chaperone a sightseeing day around Tokyo for the students (one the Tokyo students would also be attending, though more on the basis of shopping than sightseeing) alongside Utahime and two Tokyo instructors, and after sleeping through your alarm, you were already short on time as you scrambled to get ready and meet your students on time. Having a gift to open would have only added to your hassle, and now you could look forward to receiving one at the end of the day instead as you rushed to the meeting spot, just barely making it in time.

Utahime and all of your students were already waiting, and you watched as your best friend’s face drew into a small smile as she saw you approaching. Your eyes quickly caught sight of Satoru and Suguru standing beside her, seemingly the volunteers to chaperone the Tokyo students for the day, but you were determined to stick to your new outlook of no longer fixating on Satoru, so you forced yourself to brush past his presence even as he mocked and teased your best friend beside you. The four of you set out with the students in tow, allowing Suguru to lead the way as a Tokyo native (and out of a lack of trust in Satoru’s navigational skills), and you did your best to stop your mind from drifting to thoughts of Satoru as you tried to keep your students engaged and having fun, while also taking some time to chat with Utahime and scan the area for potential gifts for Haibara.

You made many stops throughout the day as you passed through various shopping districts and interesting stores, and it brought a smile to your face to watch your students interact and have fun with one another as well as their sister school peers as they spent the day shopping and chatting altogether. The poor kids were faced with the monstrosities of the Jujutsu world on a daily basis at such a young age, and it warmed your heart to at least be able to give them the chance to simply have fun and act like teenagers every once in a while. For today they weren’t Jujutsu sorcerers in training, they were just kids hanging out with their friends, and the thought made you smile as you, Utahime and Suguru hung back and watched the kids do their shopping and sightseeing (as Gojo had turned his attention from Utahime to Megumi Fushiguro for the time being, much to the young boy’s chagrin.

The day was long and covered quite a bit of land, taking you all through the streets of Tokyo as you reminisced on your youth and saw places you hadn’t visited in years, since leaving Tokyo for Kyoto to become a Jujutsu instructor and get away from your (admittedly not that dramatic) past. Sure, the nostalgia of it all did bring memories of your childhood with Satoru to the front of your mind on occasion as you passed a shop that the two of you used to always visit with your allowance money, or a favorite restaurant you would visit together on special occasions.

But you managed to keep your focus on the students and enjoying the night out rather than letting yourself drown in the memories, and you were proud to say you even managed to be friendly and courteous to Suguru despite your usual awkwardness around your former other half’s new best friend. You were so focused, in fact, that you failed to notice when Satoru’s watchful eyes fell on you and refused to leave as he saw you interacting with his best friend with ease, or the way his expression faltered into an unreadable look at the sight.

As the sun begins to set, and all the adults begin to discuss plans to turn in for the evening, you catch a brief whiff of a scent that sends you hurdling back into your adolescence full-force, your common sense momentarily leaving you as you step out of the ongoing conversation and quickly make your way to a place which was once your sanctuary, your home away from home in your younger years.

Your favorite bakery, a small, family-owned shop whose delectable treats you hadn’t tasted in years was still standing in the same spot it always had been, and the scent of the pastry that had been your favorite since childhood made its way to you as your eyes widened at the sight. You were so caught up in trying to keep yourself from drooling at the delicious scent that you failed to hear your colleagues approaching behind you, nor the way Satoru’s eyes were trained on you once again with the slightest hint of guilt reflecting in them.

“Mmmm, looks yummy.” Utahime praises as her eye lands on the pastry you had been staring down, the two men beside her nodding in agreement. You allowed yourself another moment to stare at the delicacy inside of the shop before turning to face your comrades, though you felt your stomach do a small flip as you finally registered the way Satoru’s gaze seemed stuck on you, and the unreadable look on his face.

“Yeah…. Sorry guys, I just got a bit distracted. We should be heading back to the hotel.” You mumbled out your apology as you returned to your spot beside Utahime, trying to ignore the way thoughts of Satoru once again flooded your mind as you tried to make sense of his strange expression, or the unusual silence he was now emitting.

But there was no way that bakery brought back the same feelings for him that it did for you, and you weren’t even sure if he remembered the time the two of you spent there so long ago at all. You were sure he had long-forgotten your love of that specific pastry as the years had passed, or the way he used to always steal a bite from you whenever you bought one for yourself. Those days had long passed, and you forced yourself to shake off his sudden change in attitude and assume it was a coincidence as the four of you saw all of your students to their sleeping quarters for the evening, before parting ways to get ready for bed yourselves.

Though you were a bit sad to see the sight of an empty doorway as you made your way back to your hotel room alone that evening, you felt your heart rate pick up a bit a your mood turned to something more hopeful when you heard a quick knocking on your door as you finished up your skincare routine for the evening. Of course, your elusive secret santa was gone by the time you opened the door, but the scent that practically smacked you in the face as you reached for another pale yellow bag suddenly had your stomach twisting and turning once more as you felt your suspicions begin to raise.

And as you suspected, inside of the bag you were met with the same pastry you had just been admiring less than an hour prior, the sight making you a bit less happy than it usually would despite your gratitude for the gift as you began to realize that your secret santa had to be one of the other three people you had spent the day with. And despite your hopes that things weren’t as they seemed, the note taped to the side of the bag only caused your heart to sink further as it practically spelled it out for you, so early into the week of secret santa exchanges.

“These have always been your favorite, and now you have a whole batch all to yourself, so you don’t have to share. Though, I wouldn’t mind if you’d be kind enough to slip me a piece ;)

- Secret Santa”

You spend most of the third day - another free day, thankfully - relaxing and trying to distract yourself watching all of your favorite movies and TV shows, doing practically anything to try and keep your mind away from your discovery last night. You did end up eating the pastry that you had received the night prior (at first the thought made you shiver, as the treat felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds with the loaded memories packed within, but the temptation had eventually been too strong to resist as it’s sweet scent bombarded your senses) but you were making it a point to stay in your room for the day unless one of your students needed you, determined to avoid Satoru as you ignored your emotions rather than attempt to process them.

The note he had left the night prior seemed to indicate that the self-depricating idea that you had clung onto for so many years of him forgetting your friendship was in fact false, and the thought alone had your head swimming with conflict and served to bring up more heartbreak than the reality you had created for the state of your relationship with him over the past ten years.

If he had forgotten about you, drifted off to other friends and bigger responsibilities until your bond faded from his mind, it would at least be a pain you were used to. A pain you had desensitized yourself to through the years of pining and pondering of a friendship long lost within the seas of time. But the thought that he may still remember it all, could still recall the afternoons spent together and the secrets shared, seemed to hurt much deeper. Because that meant he had chosen something else over those memories, that they seemingly hadn’t meant as much to him even with the images still fresh in his mind.

It was a painful stab to the gut you weren’t quite ready to acknowledge, so you were content to play the fool for now as you distracted and tried to deceive yourself.

When another swift knock sounded out from the end of your room, late in the evening once more (just after you had returned from your brief venture out of your room to deliver Haibara’s gift for the day), you were truthfully hesitant to open the door at all. You were currently clinging on to plausible deniability that the note from yesterday may have somehow been a coincidence, that Satoru may not be your secret santa after all. But given how willing he was to completely give himself away as early as day 2, you had a feeling that you wouldn’t be able to live in denial for much longer once you saw what your secret santa had left for the third day.

Nonetheless, you eventually worked up the courage to rise to your feet and slowly make your way to the door, staring down the baby-blue bag standing in front of you as if it were a weapon of mass destruction. A few minutes of deep breaths and self affirmations later and you were slowly, carefully removing the tissue paper from the small bag, only to be faced with a sight that instantly caused your eyes to sting with fresh tears.

A mint green DSI, and a small collection of games. An artifact you thought you had lost long ago, likely forgotten amongst some move between houses.

You barely even noticed the tears falling down your cheeks or the way your heart seized in your chest as you reached for the note, hand over your mouth in both awe and devastation as you read the inscribed words.

“Sorry this one isn’t new, I wouldn’t mind spending thousands on you but I thought you’d prefer this. You left it behind, and I haven’t quite found the time to return it yet. Figured you’d enjoy ;)

- Secret Santa”

This was a confirmation of every thought that had been spinning within your head over the past 24 hours, and as you held one of your favorite childhood toys in your hands for the first time in over a decade, you felt more conflicted than ever on how to handle your relationship with Satoru, or what your feelings for the man were at all any more.

The following days went by in a similar rhythm, though the gifts thankfully became simpler and less nostalgic as time went on. (You weren’t sure if you could handle another late-night crying session as the result of any particularly thoughtful gifts).

Day four had left you with some typical teaching supplies, as Satoru had heard you complaining about the lack of traditional lesson plans within the Jujutsu education system and your desire to teach your students at least some of the things they’d learn in a typical Japanese high school environment over a faculty-wide dinner.

Day five, he had gifted you with some skincare products he noticed were running low after showing up unexpectedly at your hotel room in the middle of the day, pleading with you to let him use your bathroom since he had forgotten his room key inside and Suguru was asleep. The two of you hadn’t spoken much, as he was quickly in and out of your room, but he breathed out a silent sigh of relief once he was securely outside your door as he thanked the universe that you hadn’t thought too deeply into his excuse. It would look pretty ridiculous of him to be insistent on the chance to see you for a moment if you had realized that he didn’t need to stay in a hotel in the city he lived in, after all.

Day six had been the most difficult for you to process since the emotional roller coaster of the third day, and it had been the catalyst for you to finally cave and explain to Utahime what you had discovered about your not-so-secret santa, and what he had done since your revelation. You had done your best to keep her out of it, as you knew she wasn’t particularly fond of Satoru on his best of days and had listened to many of your previous venting sessions about your forgotten friendship with Satoru prior to this exchange. But when you saw what awaited you in your bag on the second to last day of the exchange, and the note that accompanied the gift, you threw your efforts out the window as you finally sought advice from your best friend.

In the bag you were greeted with a complete collection of the Haikyuu manga and a small collection of high-quality lip balms (a collection you had been growing well before you lost touch with Satoru), along with a note much lengthier than the others.

“I don’t know if you’re still all that into this series, but I know how much you loved it when we were younger. Figured this would be better than that body pillow I always threatened to buy you, hopefully you’ll read through them and get to ‘experience the story all over again’ or whatever it is you nerds say.

The lip balms I remember you loving for some reason, but I’m hoping tomorrow I’ll give you a reason to use them. We’re supposed to reveal ourselves anyways, and I’ve got some things I’d like to say. So if you’re willing to listen to an idiot like me blab on about feelings and shit for a while, meet me at our favorite bakery tomorrow night at 7.

- Secret Santa”

You knew that you’d have to face him at some point, as you did eventually have to reveal yourself to your secret santa and exchange a final gift to one another. Yet you were unsure if you should go to this meeting or not, if you were ready to face Satoru’s feelings and demand the explanation you deserved for what had happened so long ago, especially in a place that held such sentimentality to each of you.

You had expected Utahime to talk you out of it, almost hoping she would as you went to here and finally explained to her what had been going on throughout this secret santa exchange. Truth be told, you were terrified at the thought of all your feelings for Satoru possibly being laid out in the open, and were hoping she would give you an excuse to bail.

Unfortunately, she did the exact opposite of what you had hoped, and encouraged you to meet with him in the hopes that you’d finally find some sort of resolution for the feelings you had been carrying in your soul for so long, and that they’d finally either be laid to rest or be given a chance to flourish into something much better for you. Curse her and her rationality, and the way she always had your best interests at heart.

It took nearly a full minute of standing outside the small bakery, your heartbeat ringing through your ears like timpanis ringing through your bones, for you to work up the courage to open the door and step inside, pulling off your winter attire as you glanced at the cozy Christmas eve decorations lining the walls. The bakery was quiet on such a late hour the day before a holiday, and it was easy to spot Satoru (early for once, a fact that made your heart flutter the slightest bit in your chest) at a cozy table in the corner, the same table the two of you frequented throughout your pre-teen years. He didn’t even try to hide the way his eyes lit up at the sight of you, overjoyed that you had actually shown up as he waved you over to your table. His greeting, however, was incredibly lacklustre compared to the week-long build up of tension and emotions between the two of you as an effortless grin spread across his lips.

“Hey.” Was the only word that fell from his lips as you sat down across from him in the booth, the same careless attitude that had always emanate from Satoru’s very being coming off of him now. But this time you refused to play along, refused to ignore the way he had tugged on your heart strings all week long and make casual, meaningless conversation the way you always did.

“Don’t ‘hey’ me, Satoru. You know why I’m here.” You start, face fixed in a stern expression as you fought hard not to let your anxiety peek through onto your features. “Obviously I know you’re my secret santa, but I think we have bigger things to talk about here. Specifically, the way our friendship fell apart.”

Satoru wasn’t surprised in the slightest by the way you jumped straight into the heart of the conversation, he had seen the tension building on your face all week long as you received gift after gift from him. Hell, his own feelings had been much more difficult to contain than usual, with his desire to be close to you, to have you back in his life once more growing by the day. But Satoru was nothing if not unable to admit his emotions seriously, so his relaxed grin remained as he did his best not to let his heart get the best of it.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I did say I had things I needed to tell you.” He ponders gently, taking a bite of a sugary cream puff laid on the plate in front of him before meeting your gaze with his aqua eyes. “Look, I was an asshole teen, and everything that happened was on me. None of it had anything to do with you.”

Now it’s your turn to be shocked, completely amazed that the Satoru Gojo who had never apologized once as a child was currently admitting complete fault. You were stunned into silence at his words, though your face suddenly showed a layer of openness to his explanation as he continued on.

“When we got to high school I got so wrapped up in making new friends and advancing my technique and all that shit. Honestly, I was a total jerk back then, I dunno if you’d have wanted to hang around me anyways.” He laughs at the remark, but you could tell that this was the real Satoru, briefly peeking through his walls that seemed to melt so easily whenever he was around you. “Plus I had always kinda liked you, but it never really seemed like you felt that way about me. So I used my new friends and my status as a way to not have to talk to you, I was just hoping that it would give me a chance to get over whatever weird crush I had because it would just be pathetic for you to find out about it. But then it went on for longer than I realized, and by the time I figured out how much we had drifted, my pride wouldn’t let me admit why I stopped hanging out with you in the first place. Dumb, I know, but that’s really all it was.”

Satoru seemed so casual throughout his entire explanation, as if he was simply recounting his work day rather than delving into the intricacies of his thoughts and feelings and the reasons why your friendship had fallen apart. And his reasons were stupid, a part of you loathed the way younger Satoru had been so stubborn in refusing to communicate his feelings that he split the two of you apart as a result. Yet another part of you felt so incredibly thankful that the split hadn’t been because of something you did, or because he had stopped caring. It was the most idiotic behavior you had ever heard of, yet you were quick to find it in your heart to forgive him when you heard the next words that fell from his lips.

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled, though it was clear enough for you to hear amongst the white noise of the bakery as he tried to hide the bashful look on his face at his words. It wasn’t often that Satoru Gojo apologized, and in fact it was a sight you had never seen from the man in all your time together, and it took everything in you not to interrupt him with words of forgiveness as he continued on. “I considered doing something lame, like pulling a “your gift is me” or some shit, but I got you a real gift instead. I’m just gonna say that I know for a fact that I loved you back then, and I’m pretty sure I do now. So take this gift, and I’m just the bonus, if you’re willing to take it.”

You were practically on autopilot as you took the final gift of the week straight from Satoru’s hands, no longer hidden beneath any bags or bows as your entire body felt as if it were on fire from within. You were completely unable to muster words at the moment as you took in everything you had just heard, trying to fit what he had said into the puzzle pieces of your own emotions as you glanced at the two tickets Satoru had given you, tickets to a concert for your favorite artist.

“Hopefully you’ll let me go with you, but if you decide to kick my ass to the curb and never speak to me again, then you can at least bring a friend.” He told you as he carefully watched your reaction to your final gift, though Satoru was unable to fully hide the way panic spread throughout his entire body like a plague when he noticed tears streaming down your cheeks in waves. Before he could get another word in or even ask you what was going on, though, your eyes met his once more as your voice wavered with emotion.

“You are a complete idiot, Satoru. I spent years missing you and breaking my own heart thinking that you had just forgotten about me completely, that you didn’t remember out friendship at all. I thought my feelings would just be stuffed down and elft unsaid forever.” You chide him as your tears pour out, though the way your hand sets the tickets on the table before reaching out for his indicates that you have more yet to say.

“You’re just lucky that those feelings hadn’t been stuffed down into nothing yet.” You continue as you sneak your hand over to interlink your fingers with his, relishing in the genuine surprise that took over Satoru’s face at the warm feeling. “And the fact that you actually apologized to me for the first time helped too.” You add on, squeezing his hand gently in yours in order to prompt him to look into your eyes.

“.....Does this mean you do want the bonus?” The man in front of you mutters out after a moment, clearly feeling overwhelmed with how emotionally charged the moment is as he tries to lighten the atmosphere with a joke. And it makes his heart sing in his chest when he hears your sweet laughter in response, a sound he had missed most in all the years apart as the both of you began leaning in from across the table.

“......Yes, I guess I do want the bonus. It’s Christmas eve, after all.” You respond with a smile, before taking charge of the moment as you press your lips into his. The kiss is short and sweet, and you know you’ll have to take the relationship slow as you re-learn each other’s personalities and quirks now that you’ve grown into adulthood. Its’ obvious that it won’t be an easy process, that you’ll both have to put in the work to make the relationship work and move past the mistakes of adolescence. But you also know that there will be plenty more kisses to come, because if your childhood friendship with Satoru and the torch you still carried for him left you with anything, it was the knowledge that, to you, Satoru Gojo was worth the work if you could wake up to that gorgeous, smiling face every morning.

A/N: It’s kind of crazy to believe that it’s already the end of the year, and that this will probably be the last thing I write and post this year. I’ll release a longer post being all sappy over the new year later, but for now I just want to say that I’m so happy I found the motivation and excitement to return to this blog this year and branch out into so many fandoms, I’ve had so much fun writing and posting here and I look forward to continuing in 2024! Thank you all for reading this and any of my other works you’ve read this year, I’ve really appreciated the support and I hope I can continue posting good writing in the future :>

Taglist: @ace-lavender

If you’d like to be added to any of my taglists, you can fill out this form here! Thank you for your support <3

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shiny-jr · 2 years

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Congratulations on 5000 followers, that's such an amazing milestone <33

For your event, if you don't mind, could I please ask for the prompt HOLLOW - "Without you, I am nothing. I am empty" with Malleus Draconia

– Warning: Yes, this is a yandere thing. Gender-neutral reader.

– Prompt: Hollow. "Without you, I am nothing. I am empty."

– Character: Malleus Draconia.

– Note: First prompt! I originally didn't plan for it to be this long, but I kinda got carried away when writing. Oh well, it is what it is. Thanks though! Here's your large order of dragon fae content.

In a way, it was pathetic. He was the fae prince, heir to the throne of the valley and named on the list as one of the top magicians in the world without even trying. People fell to their knees in either fear or reverence in front of him, the mere mention of his name was enough to make the ordinary folk tremble, he had enough power to summon destructive storms unconsciously with just his mood. The list of his strengths was as long as the years he lived, he surpassed everyone not only in skills and power but also in age. As a fae, he would live much longer than the majority human population could even imagine.

Despite all this, despite his status, his might, his intelligence, and the abundance of wealth he had, he was alone. Those he did have were far and few inbetween, just enough to count on one hand. On his thumb, his grandmother, the queen; on his pointer finger, Lilia, his caretaker and oldest retainer. Those two were with him since the beginning, for the first hundred years of his life. The rest were only recent additions. On his middle finger and index finger were his newest retainers in training: Lilia’s adopted human son, Silver, and the son of a long time fae lineage loyal to the Draconia family, Sebek. Finally, on his pinky, was the newest addition, a human he met only months ago. Yet months were like a blink of the eye to him, human lives were like flames on a candle, burning brightly and flickering out abruptly and in the next instant. This human must’ve had the brightest candle of all with the most captivating warmth and light, because he was always lured toward them, just like a month to a flame. The reason he thought it pathetic, was because someone like him was reduced to nothing by a mere human. It was much like the most fearsome and mightiest of dragons submitting to the smallest mouse.

And yet, no matter whether he continued to believe it to be pathetic, or he didn’t care, or he actually enjoyed it, there was one fact constantly lingering in the back of his mind: mortality. Fae would always outlive humans, he’s outlived more humans than he could count. And it scared him. When his dear human friend’s candle finally extinguishes one day, what then? Just the thought causes him to lose his composure. He refuses to go back to being alone, back to a life of darkness and despair. Just one taste of the light was enough to make him never want to return to how things used to be, and he would long for that light from them for as long as he lived. Still, the fact remained, what would he do when the flame is at risk of being extinguished? He wasn’t sure if he could handle the grief when that day would eventually come, because the truth was: Malleus depended on his human. This human he held close to his heart was his world, his treasure, and without them he was nothing. He was empty. Would he snap and destroy everything in his vicinity, reducing it all to rubble and ash? Would he isolate himself once more and spend his every waking hours searching for that familiar warmth and light? When he did dream and succumb to the cold darkness, he was sure that his dear human would haunt his dreams too. Now during his lifetime, he had heard of theories and stories of reincarnation. If this held true, he could search for his dear human and reunite with them, but he was certain that even the short time separated with only grief and desperation left would drive him insane.

#yandere #twisted wonderland #twst #twst writing #yandere twisted wonderland x reader #yandere twisted wonderland #yandere twst #malleus draconia #twst malleus #yandere malleus draconia

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marlenacantswim · 2 months

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BAM headcanons for your little guy????

i can always count on you, whoop <333

i'm thinking ab the tenth doctor real hard bc of that novel i just read, so imma drop some headcanons ab him and his companions, and probably 14 too bc i'm feeling it.

ten's got a little bit of a chew stim / oral fixation. this is inspired both by the number of times he holds objects in his mouth in the show, and him chewing the end of his stethoscope in Prisoner of the Daleks.

fourteen, meanwhile, learns he has a LOT of a chew stim once he's settled into his new life with the nobles. the discovery unfortunately comes at the cost of sylvia's second favorite spatula, which 14 absentmindedly chewed a hole into while making himself eggs one morning.

tentoo and rose celebrate the day she and nine first met as their anniversary. when they get married (through a lowkey traditional timelord wedding to "celebrate his heritage"), they make sure to hold the ceremony on that same day.

one january day, a few years into their relationship, rose is telling tentoo how worried and stressed she is about her job prospects. tentoo reassures her by saying "i think you're gonna have a great year :)" which suddenly unlocks the memory she'd had of meeting ten on new year's, 2005. since tentoo doesn't remember this, they both conclude that it must have been the actual doctor visiting her sometime after the metacrisis, and through her description of the events, tentoo silently realizes that ten was there because he was dying.

14 has a sleep pattern of about one or two nights of restless insomnia, followed by one night of deep, babylike sleep that lasts for 10 hours if uninterrupted. it's not uncommon, on these nights, to find him asleep in front of a project he's been working on, as he is the only one in the house who has not yet recognized this pattern.

as a time lord, he doesn't need to sleep this much in theory, but my mans is so tired, and for the first time like, ever, he has the space to actually catch up on lifetimes of lost sleep.

time lord dreams tend to be five-dimensional, but the trends can change with regenerations. for instance, nine's dreams were only ever three-dimensional, and always in black and white. ten's dreams have a wild range of possibilities, from so photorealistic he confuses them with real memories, to so abstract that the experience is more akin to being the subject of a picasso painting. he dreams every time he falls asleep, even if he's just taking a nap. 14's dreams are always photorealistic.

donna snores. not super loud, but enough to be obvious to anyone but her. ten always found the rhythmic sound soothing; pulsing white noise like that of the tardis. he'd often fall asleep in the same room as her because of it. all of this applies to 14 as well, to the extent that, some mornings, donna and shaun find him curled up into a ball asleep at the foot of their bed like a dog.

martha and the nobles keep very well in touch, to the occasional horror of 14 who has no idea how to read her and feels pathetically awful about how he treated her during her time as a companion. martha honestly still believes he's the most amazing thing, but she's gotta admit that watching him sweat bullets every time she addresses him feels kinda cathartic, so she has no qualms putting off that talk.

martha has also since pivoted back to the medical field, where she is doing quite well, thank you for asking.

since we see ten in the pjs from "The Christmas Invasion" again in "Smith and Jones", i choose to believe that he liked them so much that he simply kept them. i imagine the conversation with jackie went "howard won't miss these, will he?" "miss what?" "thought not. okay thanks, bye!"

i also imagine ten makes an active effort to sleep in the pajamas as often as he's able. he sleeps about thrice as much as nine ever did, all because he's obsessed with the fun ritual of wearing them to bed.

ten actually has a mild but sensitive allergy to cats. he never realized this, not because he didn't ever have the opportunity to, but because he was always too preoccupied to piece together that the reason his psychic functions felt fuzzy and the psychic paper used a misplaced modifier and the skin near his collarbone itched was because he was in the same room as a cat five minutes ago.

this is why it took him a second to piece together what exactly was off with rose in "New Earth": his ambient telepathy was too fuzzed over from the cat nurses to notice rose's brainwaves were wrong.

having a human brain, tentoo's memory faculties are still giga-impressive for a human, but not nearly as robust as his timelord counterpart's. he still remembers events, emotions, and concepts clearly, his biggest regressions being in the categories of exact terminologies and complex mathematical processes. the loss he's most distraught about is the vast majority of languages he once knew. he can still speak and understand all earth languages and gallifreyan fluently, but his knowledge of xenolinguistics is relegated to the occasional profound vocab word he remembers fondly.

a lot of these ended up being sleep-related for whatever reason; maybe i just want the man to rest </3

#thank you whoop you are always and forever the best #🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶#doctor who #the tenth doctor #the fourteenth doctor #10th doctor #14th doctor #nuwho #rtd era #donna noble #rose tyler #martha jones #tentoo #metacrisis doctor #running my mouth #ask and you shall receive #dw headcanon

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abilouwrites · 3 months

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MISERY AND HER THREE FRIENDS

Ooc Shoto?? I haven’t written in foreva

My friends and I have become no stranger to death, to the limbo between death and life. The strange uncomfortable standing at a funeral. I’ve become comfortable in that strange position. I’ve grown to loathe love, the human need to from an attachment to someone. Something.

I’m standing at my best friends funeral, “Erika was, my best friend. An amazing hero. I’ve known her my entire life.. we lived together, and” I sigh, fighting back tears as I shakily exhale, “y’know I’m gonna miss her so much..” I hastily exit, trying to cover my face and avoid looking at the closed casket as photos are snapped left and right. Pictures of what would’ve been an amazing hero, taken out so young. Photographs of hero’s attending the ceremony.

“Your speech” someone approaches me as the mass of people dispersed, “you and Ignite were close” he doesn’t refer to Erika by her name. I’m not surprised, most people didn’t know her as Erika. Only her hero name, by the sharp precise flames that shoot from her palms. Gifting her the name. Ignite.

Misery has taken my last friend, and I will await for when she takes me, “yes” I respond, I find Shoto behind me. He places a hand on my shoulder. A reach to comfort me, “I uh grew up with her, we had a little group. The four of us, throughout everything. I even went to UA with her..”

I see his eyebrow quirk and quickly add on, “the business corse” I smile a little, memories of chasing the halls and watching her battle.

“Oh. You said you had three other friends.. are they here or”

I shake my head, “Amelia passed two years ago, and Suki three” he frowns, “it’s sad but. I think I’ve come to terms with it”

“I’m sorry anyways, if it’s uh” he looks a little nervous and pushes his hair out of his face. Pulled up for a formal event, “not inappropriate. And you don’t have a partner I’d like to take you for coffee”

I find myself agreeing to coffee. To walking down the street in my black dress and his black shirt, “thank you again” I push my hair out of my face and over my shoulder.

And somehow, like magic I find myself. A year later hopelessly in love with him. His head on my lap, my hands combing through his freshly cut hair, “I think I’m in love with you” he murmurs against the plush of my legs. A soft kiss against the scar on my knee. It hurts my heart, brings a fear to my core. Shakes me. Because I’m supposed to die. All of my friends have, and what stops death from coming for me next? Reuniting me with misery once again.

“I love you too” I murmur, massaging his scalp. Touching him slowly and gently. In a way that will comfort us both, soothe him, “was work good?”

He simply nods, and I’m scared. Terrified I won’t have this ever again. It’s an awareness that looms over me, haunts over my shoulder.

“Yes, the clients are paying which is always good”

“Should we get married?” He asks. I freeze, because I want too. I want to marry him, I want everything with him. But I’m so scared I’ll leave him just as my friends have left their partners.

Selfishly I want too. I want to marry him, even if I’m going to die before thirty. I can’t describe this feeling, a dread that I can’t stop.

“Ok” Those words feel like a death sentence, Suki passed just after her engagement became public to us, and her parents. We die as soon as we find love and affection in someone else. But now, there’s no one left. I’m no longer able to follow my solitude in Erika.

I thought I was ready, I expected it. I never knew when it would happen, I just hoped I wouldn’t have any strings attached and now.. now I have the strongest of strings attached to me. I’ve found someone to love me. And I love him back, I don’t want him to be where I was a year ago.

“What happens if I die?” I ask, looking over at the flowers he’d brought me yesterday.

“I promise to find you in every lifetime”

#louiseabilenewrites #shoto todoroki x reader #shoto todoroki #todoroki shoto x reader #shoto x reader #mha shoto #my hero x reader #my hero acedamia #Shoto Todoroki agnst #my hero fanfic #short story #Shoto Todoroki fic #shouto todoroki x reader #todoroki shouto x reader #todoroki x reader #shouto todoroki

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scarletcomalies · 2 years

Text

once upon a dream

Sarah Sanderson x Reader

Word count: 6,840

A/N: I know there are many of us who had a crush on Sarah Sanderson and seeing the sequel brought those feelings back. I apologize if there are any mistakes in the old English parts, since English is not my main language, let alone old English!

Reading about the Sanderson sisters had unleashed a chaos inside you, awakening a curiosity that was beyond your comprehension. You needed answers, and you needed them immediately.

It is well known that every little corner of this world had a story, whether it was told through thousands of generations or told by a friendly neighbor who had lived in the village for many years, there was not an inch of the earth that was spared. Even the place where you were right now, what was it before it was what it is now? What was it a hundred or three hundred years ago?

These and countless other questions led you into what might be known as a dead-end tunnel. Many books of contemporary history left you sleepless, due to the uncontrollable desire to find out more about certain events, but it never happened to such an extent as when you went to the museum that used to be the home of the Sanderson sisters.

Something as simple as three sister witches who were hanged lived here should not provoke more intrigue than reading an odd book or asking an amateur, yet there was no text that made you feel satisfied in answering your questions. You felt you knew them from somewhere, as if all the events narrated about them were more memories than anything else.

The fact that they had been hanged hurt you irreparably. It was terrifyingly palpable that disappointment and also that sadness as if they had been parts of you that were taken away that day. It hurt too much, though it hurt more not knowing the reason. And as the days went by, you started to long for having a time machine and undoing your visit to the Sanderson sisters’ house. You were sad for nothing, especially for Sarah; she generated too much empathy, even though very little was known about her.

You knew you shouldn't have waited until the sorrow was unbearable to do it; you would have gone to an expert much sooner, but the time was here and now. You constantly questioned how a visit to the Sanderson sisters' house would cause you, months later, to find yourself doing a past life regression because it seemed to be the most accurate method for what was happening.

The images were blurry at first, and the cottages and people walking around were barely visible. Thanks to the questions you were constantly being asked by the expert, you were able to perform the regression successfully. You're not going to lie; panic was running through your veins, and you were too afraid of being even more damaged than before you set foot here. If your deductions were correct, you had something to do with one of the sisters, and the pain of losing her stayed with you for many, many lifetimes to come.

"Oh, I found thee!" A sweet voice made its presence very close to you, involuntarily earning shivers from you as well as a feeling of inexplicable happiness. You never thought a voice would provoke all that.

When you turned to see the owner of the voice, you were stunned. She was tall, her hair was a gorgeous platinum blonde, her makeup was dark and not at all discreet, and the thing that had left you in awe was that gorgeous smile that adorned her face. You knew immediately that it was Sarah; her features matched too closely with the books that described her appearance. Of course, you didn't expect her to be such a breathtakingly divine woman.

"Dearest mine!" You exclaimed, and she opened her arms, inviting you to be enveloped in a welcoming embrace. You gladly accepted, and it was amazing; you felt so safe. You felt that even if the whole world turned against you and set out to destroy you, if she was with you and you were with her, you were invincible.

"My sisters are absent," she suggested, nervously playing with her fingers. She looked so adorable! There was no way you could say no. "Mayhap thou canst…”

"Pssst! What did I tell thee? I am weary of thee keeping company with such inferior folk as... a Sanderson, enter immediately!" A woman exclaimed from the door of one of the cottages, perhaps it was your mother or someone who was taking care of you. When she uttered Sarah's last name, she possessed so much disgust, and it generated so much guilt in you.

The blonde ignored what the lady said and leaned close to your ear. "Secret locale, at sunset," she whispered. You had no idea what she was talking about, but you were nodding, for your former-life self knew exactly what she meant.

Once you entered your abode, you found this woman looking at you with deep disapproval. Apparently, you were forbidden to interact with the Sandersons. It was to be expected; frankly, everyone seemed to be repulsed by the fact that they were free. You always admired all three of them, and for Sarah, you felt something different, something beyond that.

After a sermon that never seemed to come to an end, where the Sanderson sisters were the target of criticism and derogatory remarks, you were told to do the chores, and of course, there were too many of them. It was an understatement to say that by sunset you were sweating, and there was no water to mitigate this fatigue. The irony? You did it gladly, and Sarah was in your thoughts all the time. You were certain, from the bottom of your heart, that a whole afternoon of scolding and punishment was worth it if, even for a fleeting moment, you could see the blonde girl.

By the time you finished, the sun was about to set, and darkness was consuming what little light there was in the sky. You peeked at the window, and there was that nightmare of a lady, sleeping in front of the fire with her mouth slightly open. You didn't hesitate to walk slowly away and then run towards what you assumed was the secret place you had been told about.

You ended up in a forest. You knew this forest! You had never entered it; you used to walk past it every time you went out and didn't give it more than a glance. But your past life self was very familiar with it, as you easily passed through it and knew exactly where to go.

There she was, sitting cross-legged on the ground, with her long hair falling around her shoulders, covering her face a little.

"I do beg thy pardon for this day, my mother is a witless fool," was the first thing you said to her.

She got up animatedly and kissed your cheek. "It is naught I am not accustomed to," the blonde held your shoulders and caressed this area slowly, "what engenders remorse within me is that because of me, she compels thee to scrub every nook and cranny of thy dwelling, she forces thee to prepare meals for thy parents and all seven of thy siblings, she obligates thee to embroider..." she confessed, with a look that was modernly known as puppy eyes.

"Yes, but being in thy company makes it all worthwhile," you reassured her, and she smiled. The beautiful moonlight allowed you to see her pale face, which had acquired a bright red in her cheeks. At that moment, you felt an indescribable feeling for her.

"I adore thee," she replied, taking your face in both her hands and leaned down to kiss your lips.

And you didn’t think you have ever in your life, or in your lives, felt anything even slightly resembling what you were feeling as she and you were kissing in the moonlight. It was a deep adoration, one that very few were fortunate enough to experience. You loved Sarah Sanderson, and she loved you, and it was a love so strong that, despite the adversities of the cruel world, you could sneak away from time to time to be together.

"I must depart; my mother slumbers by the hearth, and I am certain one of my younger siblings shall awaken her due to their raucous play," you said, with tremendous frustration. It hurt so much to live like this, under your parents' command and resigned to conforming to the rules and not to what made you happy. Sarah made you happy; in a perfect world, you could get married and live together, but that was dreaming too far ahead. The only thing you longed for was at least to be able to see her as often as you wanted.

"Oh, I wager she reclines with her head thrown back, drooling copiously... thinkest thou her head shall detach someday?" She joked, making you laugh out loud.

"I am uncertain, and let us not even commence discussing her snoring, ugh!" You protested, and subsequently mimicked how she supposedly snored. You obviously exaggerated to make Sarah laugh, "... and when thou dost awaken her, she doth get so scared, as if thou hast not woken her up but rather resuscitated her.

The blonde was already a laughing mess, and seeing her laugh so energetically made you laugh more than because of your witticisms. So loud was your laughter that you might be singled out for being so outrageous if you were in public. That is why she introduced you to this place, to allow you to leave behind all that you were expected to be.

"Very well, I shall release thee. Tomorrow after the morning meal?" She asked, with obvious hope in her eyes.

You nodded.

"Thou mayest count on it, my beloved."

You gave each other a short but passionate kiss and walked in the opposite direction. The walk consisted of constant sighs and giggles thanks to the little encounter your darling and you had. She was a beautiful escape from the real world you had to face, the only real thing you knew, that spark of spontaneity in the midst of the monotony.

Arriving home, you didn't find your mother in the same place, only to find both parents in your room as you made your way to your room. In this room, there were two beds in addition to yours, where two of your siblings were resting. You could tell they were sisters.

"Whence didst thou wander?" The man asked. He was frighteningly tall, and his commanding voice gave you chills. Maybe your mother was just taking not-so-drastic measures like assigning you chores and reprimanding you; on the other hand, your father was apparently the worst of them all.

"For a stroll, to clear my mind," you replied, so calmly that even you believed it.

"Curious, one of our neighbors didst witness thee entering the woods."

You decided not to talk anymore. That forest was considered forbidden; no one besides the Sandersons ventured into it, and whoever did, didn't come back. It was a serious thing that you did return, and the only explanation was the one they both already knew; you had gone to see Sarah.

"Considering the fact that thou showest no improvement and dost rebel, despite all the effort I make, we shall send thee away. A carriage shall arrive today and convey thee to a place where thou shalt be taught to straighten up," your mother said. "In addition, thou shalt contract marriage, for it is high time."

A cold chill ran down your back, and you involuntarily took a few steps backward until you stumbled into a bed. The thought of being separated from Sarah was what you feared most, and they made it happen. You didn't want to get married; you didn't want to spend your whole life taking care of a husband you did not love, let alone have children with him. You were in love, and all you wanted was to be with her. How cruel it was to take away your happiness!

"No, no, no, no, I… I... I... she... I..." You stammered, unable to formulate correctly. Your mind was struggling superhumanly to find the right words that could convince them to let you see her.

Five, four, three, two, one...

"Wake up!"

You opened your eyes, and your vision was blurred; your face was soaked. You had cried uncontrollably, and that alarmed the psychiatrist.

"Now I understand everything. Sarah Sanderson was my girlfriend, or I don't know what to call it, but we were in love, and I couldn't prevent my parents from separating me from her," you concluded, once you had calmed down enough.

It hurt you deeply to think what happened next. Maybe Sarah thought you had abandoned her, or she found out you had been sent away. You didn't know if you ever met again, but one thing you knew for sure, you found out that both she and her sisters were killed, and it scarred you forever.

***

Time slipped through your fingers like a handful of sand, disemboguing and being dragged by the strong air along the way, but ending up in the same place: an endless desert full of that same sand.

At first, it wasn't like that. At first, that handful of sand wouldn't escape from your hands, and no matter how hard you tried to let go, somehow the sand engulfed you and got between your clothes and your shoes, making it invasive, unbearable, painful.

By this, it can be implied that you were indeed able to relive in the last regressions how you were taken away and married to someone you didn't love, which was something most people went through at the time, nothing new. This affected you a lot because you were in love, but not with the person who woke up next to you every morning, and you could feel very strongly that there wasn't a day that went by that you didn't wish it was her instead. Also, you hated the imposed system, and even without knowing how, you met the Sanderson sisters and admired them for completely opposing it. You didn't have any idea how you fell in love with Sarah or how she fell in love with you. You supposed in another regression you would have the opportunity to find out; all you knew was that you didn't achieve anything, and in each regression more and more years went by, but this time you went back to where you never imagined you would see again.

You clung to the idea that you went back because you were finally given the chance to be free. Probably your husband died and left you his money, which you didn't know if it was too much or too little, or maybe you decided to run away, which you doubted, otherwise you wouldn't have waited so long.

You were alone in a carriage heading in the direction of what you hoped was the Sandersons' house. Your hands were sweaty, and your breathing was quick, as if you had run all the way from what was supposed to be your home to Salem.

However, you were very surprised to have arrived at the cottage where you were living cramped with your parents and seven siblings. You didn't know anything about who you were and how the mind of your former-life self worked, but at this point, you wouldn't even consider passing by that place to see the two people who caused this misfortune.

In a bed, there was resting an older man, but he was not your father; he was still too young for that. His skin was as pale as snow, beads of sweat adorned his face, and dark circles circled his eyes. So someone was sick, someone too dear to you, because just a simple look was enough for you to turn your back to him and then start crying your heart out.

"I am overjoyed to witness thy presence, likewise," in his weak voice, he said wryly.

He reminded you so much of your best friend, always making jokes even in moments where laughing was the last thing you needed to do. And you were probably seeing your friend in his past life! Fate was kind enough to bring you together as best friends in this life, however, not so kind as to allow that to happen with the love of your life.

"Oh, my reckless brother, what impertinence to find amusement in such a circumstance," you reprimanded him, and he took a deep breath.

"May my final days be filled with laughter and tranquility," his optimism was admirable.

"May thy last days be free from remorse, and may thy family remember thee as the exceptional father and husband that thou art," you agreed.

"Mother, couldst thou grant us a moment alone? Shouldst thou attempt to eavesdrop behind the door, we shall be made aware," he warned, to your mother who was silently observing the interaction. She nodded, somewhat indignantly but proceeded to withdraw. Matthew patted a space on his bed, inviting you to sit down to which you agreed, "it is ironic that thou should make mention of regret when, from thy letters, I perceive that thou art yet to experience much of what life has to offer."

You remained silent for at least a minute, before replying, "Besides thee, Sarah was the only one with whom I felt the freedom to be myself, and she gave me the experience of genuine love. Thou didst want all that for me, and if only our parents had desired the same, I..." you didn't finish speaking; you just surrendered to his chest as you sobbed. He clung to you and stroked your hair, giving you the space to let out everything that had been stuck in your throat for years.

Matthew knew everything then, and he understood your frustration at what you had to live with just to fit into a society that wouldn't bat an eye at you for a second if not to criticize. What a treasure of a man to be from that era; this beautiful connection definitely had to transcend for more lifetimes.

"Pray thee, go to the Sanderson's abode anon, and promise me that I may depart with the peace of mind that thou hast ventured all to find happiness with Sarah," he asked, leaving you speechless.

It was so easy to lie and tell him that you would do it just so he wouldn't worry and would "go in peace," but you were not that kind of person. You knew yourself well enough to know that you were committed and selfless; both aspects would be affected if you didn't do what he asked you to do. But you were talking about something that would eventually doom you! Your husband, seeing that you wouldn't come, would look everywhere for you until he found you and forced you to come back. Or your parents would, as they also wrongly believed they had that right over you when they weren't in a position to command you that much either.

"I doth promise that I shall go to the abode of the Sandersons and profess my love for Sarah. Even if I must fight with all my might, I shall not be parted from my beloved," you finally promised him.

You stood up and wiped the remaining tears from your face, then kissed his forehead and clung to him for what might be the last time. Uncertainty was your worst enemy, and it was best to make the most of every little moment.

"I adore thee, little scoundrel," he gave you a smile, to which you responded weakly.

"Likewise, thou fool."

Leaving the room, you made your way towards the carriage, not caring at all where your mother had gone; you didn't intend to exchange any more words with her anyway. You were going to fulfill your promise immediately, and from this moment on, you were about to live in earnest, to leave behind everything you knew and awaken to a new horizon.

Once you were in that house, you took a deep breath of air and with slow but sure steps, you headed for the front door.

Knock, knock, knock...

No answer.

Again.

Knock, knock, knock...

Still nothing.

"They be not present," you heard a voice very close, making you startle and scream. Damn it! You were so scared to be seen here, especially by your parents, and for someone to have addressed you was so inopportune.

You looked around until, on top of one of the wooden boxes, you found a black cat watching you with relief. There was no human trace anywhere, but you swore someone had spoken to you.

"Oh, little one," you laughed lightly, "spakest thou unto me? I would be deemed insane if..."

"Nay, thou wouldst be deemed insane if thou stayed here any longer," interrupted you the cat.

You knew about Thackery Binx; anyone who had read about Salem's most prominent witches knew about him. However, it was obvious that your former-life self was unfamiliar with a talking cat because the screams you let out as soon as you knew the cat was talking to you were probably heard all over the country.

"Did the Sandersons adopteth a feline and gave it the power of speech? How perverse! I wager it was Sarah. She would oft say that we should adopt one if we..." You paused for a moment, and shook your head to stop your ramblings. You were there with a purpose. "Knowest thou where they art?"

He jumped up to get down from his seat and stood in front of you.

"Verily, they were hanged after they had taken my little sister. When I attempted to thwart them, they turned me into this," he replied, lowering his gaze, and somehow, his facial expressions were very well marked.

"Art thou referring to Sarah, Winnifred, and Mary? Themselves?" Your voice trembled, and you began to breathe shakily with your mouth open. "Nay... they merely punish those who meddle with them, they cannot perform such a heinous act," you denied, as if twenty years hadn't been long enough for the version you had of them, especially Sarah, to fade as greed whispered in their ears, tempting them to sacrifice everything to be powerful and young.

But Thackery Binx said nothing, and you seemed to give the matter a lot of thought because you didn't flinch at all either, perhaps refusing to accept that the Sarah you fell in love with had been replaced by a ruthless, selfish witch, "Sarah did this to thee as well?"

"All three of them were culpable in this madness," he confirmed.

"Winnifred is a bossy one who doth nothing but order her sisters around and insult them, I think her capable of worse; Mary is much more docile, I still think her capable of this, but Sarah... Sarah, the love of my life," you paused for a moment, to proceed to sit on the bleachers that stood at the entrance. "She, whom I have comforted for so many nights as her elder sister's words wounded her pure and beautiful heart. She, who loved to bake and looked adorable with flour on her face. She, who blushed and bit her lip at the slightest kind words. She, who read stories to me every night and used to narrate in an overly dramatic way. I remember she used to criticize me for not reading to her as well as she would like." You snorted, in the form of a laugh full of sorrow, and regret for having let go of all that being with Sarah Sanderson entailed, which was nothing but bliss in all its forms.

You had lost her to the hanging that caused her death, but you had already lost her without knowing it, and you missed a version of her that had surely ceased to exist way before this.

"I humbly beg thy forgiveness," Thackery Binx placed her furry paw on your lap. If you weren't so sad witnessing the suffering you went through, you might have laughed at it.

And yet, it wasn't just Sarah's death that caused this pain to travel inside your soul for three centuries, it was learning that the real loss wasn't really due to death, it was due to the cruel life, it was the inevitable course of years, it was the fear.

"May thy soul find peace, and mine shall find its own."

"NO, PRITHEE WAIT..."

Everything went black.

And you woke up by your own in the psychiatrist's office, with beads of sweat running down your forehead and your back was so drenched in sweat too that your blouse was sticking to your skin. You did not get to see with what exactly you took your own life, but it was a fact that you did.

What happened next, you wondered, did your brother Matthew find out about it, or he never did? Did your parents regret for a moment the miserable life they forced you to live? Although, if you had been a quarter as brave as Sarah was, you would have lived a full life by her side, but you gave up during the first real challenge that came your way.

You knew enough about what had happened, your most urgent questions were answered, and most importantly, you had discovered who your soulmate was, whose transcendence was not equal to your own.

This was a sacred moment, where you were one of the few fortunate people presented with the opportunity to know their past life mistakes, to make amends, to break the chain of suffering your soul had been subjected to for dozens of lifetimes. You knew exactly what to do. You had no intention of waiting any longer.

So palpable was the yearning to do what your self of three centuries ago would have given anything to achieve, which was to have the courage to love Sarah Sanderson the way she loved you; passionately and without fear. If she was as meant for you as, from the depths of your being, you knew she was, what you were about to do was going to work.

And there you were, after three months of hard work, you had made your very own black flame candle. Not only was it about dedication to the smallest detail, it was also about being patient enough for the required moment to arrive; a full moon on a Halloween night. You thought those months would feel like an eternity, and that making a candle would be no big deal. Oh, but it was, you even thought you wouldn't be able to finish by Halloween night and would have to wait another long year. However, as you said before, if you were destined to be reunited with Sarah, the universe would work in your favor.

"All right, it's time," you found yourself sitting in the middle of the woods, the exact same spot where your beloved and you used to sneak off to so long ago. You knew that, finding yourself here, you were going to feel a huge wave of nostalgia, but you were calm because you knew the reason. "I owe all this to you, Book. I didn't think you would believe me when I came to implore your help, but you already knew my soul even though it was in one of the many bodies it has passed through. And I hope Sarah feels it too... and what am I doing talking to a book? I'm losing my mind," Book glared at you with his one eye, which made you laugh. "I'm sorry, you have to admit it's weird. Still, none of this would be possible if it weren't for you."

You sighed deeply.

You were about to perform a reunion that would mark a before and after in the course of your eternal soul. It was time. The full moon was shining, as if even she knew how big this was, and after so much effort, everything happened as it should.

You took a match, and lit the candle. Its flame immediately took on a black color, as it was set to. The next thing that happened was terrifying, for everything beneath you began to tremble with tremendous force, so much so that you thought a crack would open up in the ground big enough to send you straight into the subsoil. This stopped after a few moments.

Silence ensued, as did fear, had you done something wrong? Did you summon something else? Or in the more sceptical case, there just happened to be an earthquake at the very instant you lit the candle.

"Ha! We are returned, sisters!" A outrageous, shocked voice exclaimed, close to you but perhaps not close enough to see you. "This world is full of knaves and inquisitives; I knew it would not prove too difficult for someone to be a little of both and bring us back."

"Winnie..." It was Sarah's voice! And your heart started pounding, your breath caught immediately, and a huge smile broke out on your face.

"What?" She replied rudely.

"Dost thou sense anyone here? Someone we know, perchance," she inquired. That's when you experienced the greatest happiness that you knew only she was capable of generating within you.

The silhouettes of the three women became visible, until the moonlight allowed you to observe them clearly. And how incredible it was, to see your great love, not anymore in the depths of your subconscious, but in front of you.

"Yes, here is someone you know, who is in love enough to bring you back," you couldn't take your eyes off her. Throughout your life, you have possessed standards regarding a partner, and unknowingly, she fulfilled and surpassed absolutely all of them because these were created from someone who existed out there, who was everything you ever wished for.

"Thou... thou art not who I... do I know thee?" She had a disappointed expression on her face, maybe she was waiting to meet you, from three hundred years ago, who was probably decomposing underground somewhere.

"It's me... it's a long story, and you don't know what it took me to remember a lot of things, and maybe I need your help to remember others," you were stumbling over your own words, and it was so frustrating. You swear that all this time you were also planning what to say to her, but seeing her, it's as if your mind had become a blank mess willing only to process the beauty of the blonde standing before you.

"Thou art so witless thou mak'st me sick!" Exclaimed Winnifred, and Sarah abashedly lowered her gaze. "It is the bloody fool who abandoned thee. Same timid spirit, different body," the redhead blurted out, glaring at you with an expression that, you must confess, you deserved, though you were not entirely to blame for it.

"She's not witless," was the first thing you said. Despite everything she stated, the fact that she called Sarah that was the priority to respond to. You proceeded to walk over her, as you said, "She's loyal, smart, wonderful, and above all, much stronger and more passionate person than I will ever be," you cupped her face with both of your hands. She gasped and shivered, her green eyes wide open. "Can you feel me? It's me, my love."

She removed your hands from her face, taking you by surprise, and her features hardened, turning into the same expression of contempt her sister possessed.

"I never wish to see thee again, ever!"

***

Like those autumn leaves that fly and fall, your love was collapsing without resistance. Sarah's heart always took a thousand steps forward for every step you took, and you could not catch it. You clung to faded memories, trying unsuccessfully to restore all those lost seasons that the cruelty of time had taken from you, but you were not ready to give her up.

There was a spell, one that didn't necessarily require an act as cruel as the one they committed years ago and the one they tried to commit on Halloween. Book had shown it to you before you brought them back when you told it you didn't intend to perform the black flame candle ritual if it meant affecting innocent people. It loved the sisters too much, you knew, so it didn't take long to find an alternative. Of course, it was more complex and more thorough, nevertheless efficient.

The witches were back, and all this time, you suffered nothing but rejection and scorn whenever you tried to get close, especially from Sarah. All you needed her to do was to listen to the cries of your heart calling out to her, for a future without her was cold and terrifying.

So you found yourself at the Sanderson house again, begging for a chance. You didn't care what Winnifred and Mary thought or said to you; in the end, it was an attempt to protect their little sister. You just needed to give one last effort, one last sign that you were meant to stay together.

"I told thee I do not wish to talk, stubborn wench," the blonde answered the door this time. Those words hurt you, but meeting her was a great relief.

"Your sisters aren't home?" You asked, fiddling nervously with an envelope you were holding. In it was a long letter in which you expressed your deepest regret for the great mistake you had made in your previous life.

And the present life brought you various challenges that forced you to learn what you did not learn in your previous ones, which is not to succumb to social pressure, but instead to succumb to your own concept of happiness and stick to it. The only thing left was to be accountable to the person you let down the most and to prove to her that you could try again if she wanted you to.

"Nay," she was curt and direct. She proceeded to close the door, but before she did, you stopped it with your foot. You paid so little attention to the pain you felt once the screeching wood impacted against your shoe that nothing useful was done to reduce it.

"Do you remember what used to happen when your sisters weren't home? I don't, unfortunately," you spoke.

Her features softened slightly, and she noticed that it was perceptible to you, and it didn't take long for that resentful countenance to return. "We had the entire abode to ourselves. We enjoyed enacting the books we read as though they were theatrical productions, and we claimed dominion over the entire parlor for our performances. That is the most notable feature.”

"Well, do you want to try?" You proposed. She wasn't ready to listen to you, and the most opportune thing seemed to be to relive unforgettable experiences you went through before remembering the negatives of your journey.

And so it was that you ended up with strange artifacts in your heads, which would distinguish you among the characters you would play according to the scenes in act three of Macbeth, the play your beloved had chosen for you to dramatize.

"... full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st that Banquo and his Fleance lives," Sarah exclaimed, and you must say her intonation was so perfect. So palpable was her passion for this art in every word that came out of her mouth. It was to be admired.

And you, for some reason, were acceptable without even having a notion of it, though not as good as her. Not surprisingly, you did it too many times back in the years, that this was more about remembering than learning from scratch.

"But in them nature's copy's not eterne," you read your own copy of the book the woman handed you. It was tucked away in a small old chest hidden under the floor of her room. There were also several sheets of paper whose color made the handwriting barely legible.

"There's comfort yet, they are assailable. Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown," she needed to read absolutely nothing. She knew every word by heart and there was not a single moment when she hesitated. It was so incredible. "His cloistered flight, ere to black Hecate's summons..."

"Sister!" A voice came from outside, in the doorway, causing the blonde to stop in mid-sentence, removing what was supposed to be Macbeth's crown, and almost reflexively, you removed the ribbon from your hair, which identified you as Lady Macbeth. Both were also in the previously mentioned chest.

"Good day, dear sisters. I had thought thou wouldst tarry longer," Sarah commented, her voice a little shaky, not taking her eyes off the book in your hands. You knew at once that you had to hide it, for a reason beyond your knowledge. You put it in the small rucksack where you also placed the envelope you were about to hand her in due course.

Soon, the two sisters, Winnifred and Mary came into the house, and it was not to their liking that you were the first person they saw in their living room.

"Ugh, we cannot take a leisurely stroll for this idiot hath arrived, and our even more idiotic sister hath allowed it," Winnifred blurted out. As far as you knew, Sarah always lowered her gaze when she received hurtful insults from the redhead, this was not the case.

"Well, this idiot is the only one with whom I can be myself," she retorted. At that, a smile appeared on your face almost automatically, "This idiot is the sole person with whom I can express myself in my truest form. With whom I can share my passions without the condemnation of 'mortal nonsense.' I am more than a subordinate sibling who doth follow thy edicts. I have aspirations and dreams that extend beyond the bounds of thy dominion, and I am endowed with the full range of human emotions. A vast expanse of life, spanning the eternity, lies afore me, and at this present moment, I am awash with an abundance of love, which I no longer intend to cloak in obscurity."

Neither of her two sisters batted an eyelid in reply. As much as they tried to hide their indifference, the undeniable shock was more than explicit in their looks. And you were so proud of the way she stood up for herself.

"Then, my dearest and beloved sister, anyone who doth make thee feel as special as we have failed to do so deserveth our eternal gratitude. We humbly ask for thy forgiveness," Mary finally spoke up, "Winnie?"

Winnifred sighed and it didn't take long for her whole face to soften. "Apologies, dear sister. Thou art more than a mere little sister who must follow orders; thou art a being full of passions, aspirations, and feelings. Verily, an eternity of life awaiteth thee, and we shall do our utmost to support and cherish thee as thou pursuest thy dreams.”

With tears in her eyes, Sarah mumbled a "thank thee" along with a warm hug. Subsequently, she took your hand to lead you out of the house, her breath hitching in agitated steps.

"Where are we going?" you questioned.

"To our secret locale," she replied. How happy you were to hear that.

As soon as you arrived, the blonde stopped, and leaned down to take your face in her hands and press her lips to yours.

She didn't meet any resistance, because she was your salvation and everything you needed. That kiss was enough to make you feel back home after a challenging road full of obstacles that were worth it at the end of the day.

When she separated from you, her glowing green eyes burned your soul. The tenderness her lips possessed was unmatched. There you confirmed the fact that, even if the sky is covered with dark clouds again, you were inside an eternal dream.

"Sarah, you... I'm so sorry you left without explaining yourself to me. You weren't as brave as I was to put your happiness above other people's wishes," you began, pulling out the aforementioned envelope, but she stopped you.

"Keep it," she replied simply. "The grudge that doesn't exist was always negligible in comparison to the third part of what you bring into my life. I shall not relinquish that, for one mistake shall not shatter our bond."

"Even for another three hundred years in the future, you want to be by my side, can you be my only one?"

Her firm hands held your waist, and as an affirmative answer, you again felt the bliss of a kiss coming from her, "in truth, my dearest, on the morrow you may rest assured that our mutual company shall be cherished beyond the very conclusion of this earthly existence," she stroked your hair with a glance of adoration.

"It will be more than a pleasure, my love," you pulled out the book you were previously dramatizing. "In the meantime, shall we continue with one of our many wonderful evenings together?"

#sarah sanderson #sarah sanderson x reader #sarah sanderson imagines #hocus pocus #hocus pocus 2 #hocus pocus x reader #hocus pocus imagines #halloween #all hallows eve #sanderson sisters #sarah jessica parker

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aoyama-division · 4 months

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The Hegemony Wedding Ceremony (Jet Set Trio Voicelines Ver.)

— Tomi

"...You know, when my younger brother mentioned he had already gotten married, I... I kinda envied him a bit. I always dreamed of being able to have my own wedding, but... I kept telling myself that I don't think I would ever find a woman that I would want to spend my life with. My brother would tell me that I just had to keep searching. Eventually, I got so tired of it that I wanted to quit. But... I'm glad that I didn't. Cause if I had, I'd have never found Miho-san. I am... really grateful for that."

(To Karada) "Karada. I won't ask how you managed to get Luis, of all people, to attend my wedding. When I asked, he swore up and down that he wouldn't come. But... maybe he felt if it came from you, it would be better. I don't know. Anyway, thank you for convincing him to come. Thank you for being here. And... thank you for being one of the few people I can call a friend."

(To Luis) "Kōkyū. ...I won't ask why you chose to deny my invitation, but accepted Karada's. Perhaps, you felt it would be better if it came from him? Well, regardless, thank you for showing up. And thanks for not putting your squabbles with my wife off to the side for just one day. ...Oh, and thank you also for the wonderous wedding cake. Your skill at cooking never ceases to amaze me."

(To Ritsuko) "...Okada-san. I won't ask how you managed to infiltrate this event, so I'll chalk it up due to you being my darling wife's closest confidant. ...You need not threaten me to prove your point, Okada-san. The last thing I'd ever want is to hurt Miho-san. I'd sooner hurt myself than do anything that would inflict harm upon her. Now, if you're quite done being dramatic..."

(To Sumire) "...I'm not even going to pretend that I'm happy to see you here. You don't care for me, and you know I don't care for you, you menace to society. It's only because you are my darling wife's niece that I'm allowing you to stay here. But rest assured, if anything goes out of place here and I get even the slight feeling that you are involved in some form or manner, I won't hesitate to have security throw you out. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I do not wish to be in your presence any longer than I have to."

(To Miho) "You look as beautiful as the day I first laid eyes on you, my queen. I know I said this before, but… a man could spend a lifetime searching for a good thing, and he could never find it. Either because he wasn't looking hard enough, or because he wasn't paying attention. …Fortunately for me, my eyes were open when I laid sight on you, my beautiful wife. Words can't express how I feel about you, and how happy I am that you will be in my life. So... thank you, my queen, and my love."

— Karada

"Man, Tomi and Miho-san sure went all out for this wedding! I guess it's no surprise considering their two of the richest people in Japan. But man, would you look at this place? I haven't been to too many weddings before, but... wow! ...Oh, they got those little hot dog wieners in a toasted bun! ...And a chocolate fountain?! Man, they hooked this place up!"

(To Tomi) "Hey, Tomi! Congratulations again, man! I'm really happy for you! You and Miho-san are gonna make a good couple, I know it! ...Ha, don't mention it! I know what to say to Lu to get him to relent, so don't you worry! ...Aw, Tomi, man. You're gonna make me cry, dude. Today's your big day, not mine! ...But thanks, man. I'm glad you're my friend, too."

(To Luis) "Man, Lu! Sick wedding, don't you think? Miho and Tomi really made this place their own! ...Aw, come on, Lu! You can't at least, pretend, to be happy for the two of them? This is their big day, man! ...Look, I asked you to come because, believe it or not, Tomi was really nervous about this, man. I figured, what better way to show his support than having his two best bros by his side to help him. So... can you just show your support for him, this once? Please? ...Great! Thanks a lot, Lu!"

(To Ritsuko) "Ritsuko! How are..." *Looks at the spider in her hand, and screams out loud, running away from her*

(To Sumire) "Sumire! Surprised to see... oh, uhh... okay. I'll... I'll just leave you alone then. Sorry... Small-dick? Yeah right. Bet the closest someone like her has seen a penis is through a T.V. screen or something..."

(To Miho) "Hey, it's the Lady of the Hour, herself! Congratulations, Miho-san! I'm really happy for you and Tomi, both! I hope you both make each other really happy! Well, I don't want to take up too much of your time, so I'll get. But congratulations again!"

— Luis

*Inhales some nicotine from a cigarette before exhaling* "Seriously, why did Karada have to drag me here to this? Not that I'm not happy for the "happy couple", but there are plenty of other things I could be doing right now. Plus, and this is probably just because of my homelife, but I don't see the point in weddings, exchanging vows. I mean, I know there's an order to everything, but what's the point? I don't want to say Tomi and Miho are anything like my parents, but... well, I'll just leave it at that."

(To Tomi) "...Chōten. ...You can ask why I denied your invitation. I can't guarantee you'll get a reply, or at least one that you'll like, though. ...Your welcome, I guess. ...Yeah, you have Karada to thank for that cake. If not for him begging me, I wouldn't have made it. But don't worry, I'll send you an invoice for it later."

(To Karada) "Hey Karada. ...Yeah, whatever you say. ...What do you mean? I am happy for them. ...What do you want me to do? Jump up and down, yelling, 'Congratulations, Tomi and Miho! May you have a long and healthy life together!'? *Sighs* ...Fine, okay. I'll deign to be more approachable, but that's all you're getting out of me. ...Yeah, sure."

(To Ritsuko) "...Okada-san. ...Glad you enjoyed it. I'll try to remember to send you the recipe for your birthday next year."

(To Sumire) "Hey, Sumire. ...Meh, she's still not one of my favorite people, but... well, I promised I'd be courteous on her special day, so... yeah. ...Ha, Tomi? Blackmail me? He can certainly try. ...Yeah, good to see you too. Later."

(To Miho) "...Kobayashi. ...Yeah, glad you liked it, I guess. ...And congratulations and all that."

#hypmic #hypnosis mic #hypnosis microphone #hypmic oc #hypnosis mic oc #tomi chōten #karada kessaku #luis kōkyū #aoyama division #jet set trio #the hegemony wedding ceremony #wedding event #voicelines

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riverpancakes · 6 months

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thanks to the 200,000 people coming to my small town to see the eclipse, its now mandatory that i work during the eclipse. thank you everyone, honestly, i never wanted to see this once in a lifetime event anyways, i love working for corperations and making them money so much im willing to give up this day to help the public from inside a store with 2 windows. i hope its the best thing you ever experience and you tell me all about how amazing it was while im stuck behind a register, helping you cash out your items, where i have been the entire time you were out experiencing something i might never have the chance to again. i hope its worth it.

#path of totality #total solar eclipse #april 8th #april 8 2024 #april 8 eclipse

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waywardxrhea · 7 months

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Chapter 1 - Heart of Stone

What happens when you lie to the Devil? How long can one woman keep a lifetime of secrets from the Devil of Hell's Kitchen? The answer may surprise you...

installment list

pairing: Matt Murdock x enhanced!fem!OC

series content: coffee shop AU, fluff, humor, friends to lovers, pining, language, canon typical violence, use of guns, angst, drinking, implied smut, medical emergencies, mental health disorders (PTSD, panic disorder).

"you can build me up, you can tear me down, you can try but i'm unbreakable. you can do your best, but i'll stand the test, you'll find that i'm unshakable. when the fire's burnt, when the wind has blown, when the water's dry you'll still find stone. my heart of stone" - heart of stone, six the musical

word count: 3.9k

A series of unfortunate events leads Julianne Porter to uproot her entire life in London.

Standing at the back of the crowded church, Julianne Porter wiped away a tear that slipped from her eye despite her best efforts to keep them at bay. As she saw her father’s watchful eyes turning in her direction, she darted back behind the pillar so he didn’t see her because that would have meant certain punishment for daring to step foot into the church hosting his wife’s funeral. She was her mother too, but considering he blamed her for his wife’s untimely death in the first place, Julianne was unceremoniously barred from attending the event.

She couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t try to attend though, so she took what she could, sneaking in through the doors right as her mother’s favorite song was playing loudly through the speakers. Eileene was always a lively person and she had always made it clear to her husband Dean that when her time came, she wanted the funeral to be a joyous occasion celebrating her life, love, and career. Despite that wish though, Julianne wore all black because in the end, after what her father said to her that night, she felt she was to blame.

Giggling like a lovestruck teenager, Julianne kissed her boyfriend one last time before they came to a stop at the gate outside of the Porter family manor. “Tonight was amazing,” he told her between the last few kisses of the night.

“Thank you for taking me out, I really needed it,” she replied with a smile, wrapping her arms around his strong form, adding, “I wish it didn’t have to end.”

“Maybe it doesn’t have to… Come back to my place tonight, I’ll make it worth your while,” he told her with a sly wink.

She giggled once more before shaking her head and telling him, “I can’t, you know how it is around here. I…I really shouldn’t have even gone out tonight so last minute. If my father finds out I’ve been with you, he’ll kill me…”

“One day I’m gonna make that man like me, just you wait, darlin’,” he told her confidently.

“In your dreams, that man is-“ she started to say.

Julianne’s sentence was cut off though as she heard a scream coming from within the manor. Her eyes went wide as she pushed Kit away, telling him, “Shit, I have to go. I…I’ll call you later!”

Without a second glance back toward Kit’s shocked form, Julianne was off, racing up the drive of the manor with shaking hands, hoping for the best but expecting the worst upon hearing such an ear-splitting scream. When she got inside though, her worst fears came to fruition as she saw her mother being held at gunpoint. Upon seeing the fear in her mother’s eyes, Julianne put her hands up and said calmly, “Let’s not lose our heads now, let’s talk this out, I’m sure there’s some sort of agreement we can come to here.”

“We aren’t here to bargain princess. Grab her!” the man holding her mother snapped.

“I guess we’re doing it my way then aren’t we?” she asked before forcefully stomping on the ground, sending some of the granite flooring into the air, followed quickly by a punch to send the stone directly at the man holding her mother hostage.

“Don’t let her use her powers you blitherin’ idiots!” the man shouted.

Julianne could see two men coming at her from behind in a mirror across from her and launched an attack on them as well, causing the tile at their feet to suddenly sink into the ground, effectively trapping them in place. In her distraction of making sure that the men’s feet were thoroughly stuck, a third man came up behind her and picked her up off the ground like a daisy.

“Let go of me! I’ll-!” she tried to shout as she struggled in the man’s strong arms.

Everything in the next few seconds happened so quickly that she didn’t even have time to think before she saw her mother’s brains being shot out of the side of her head by her captor. And Julianne? Well she was screaming bloody murder as the men ran from the house jeering at her all the while.

“What the bloody hell is going on out here, I was in the middle of a conference with a very important client about-“ came Dean Porter’s voice as he stalked into the room flanked by two men from his security detail. He stopped cold though as he saw Julianne weeping over her mother’s body, the pool of blood surrounding them growing steadily. “Ridge, Oliver, find the men who did this. I want them dead. I’ll deal with the brat…”

A third man emerged from the room holding a binder to his chest, asking, “Dad, what-?” He too stopped cold as he saw his twin sister weeping over their mother’s body, his mouth agape and eyes wide.

The memory was abruptly interrupted by Julianne’s phone buzzing in her trouser pocket. She sneakily ducked out of the church before answering quietly, “Hey love, everything all right?”

“Smashing,” came Kit’s bright voice from the other line. “Look, I’m really sorry you couldn’t give your mum a proper goodbye… If you want, meet me at our usual spot for some cheering up. I’ll bring your favorite.”

“You’re the best, thank you,” Julianne whispered, her voice breaking with emotion at his kindness. “I’ll see you in ten, I love you.”

“I love you more,” he replied with the slightest crack in his voice at the end. Kit had met Eileen a few weeks ago for the first time and they hit it off instantly, and even though Dean hadn’t approved of Julianne dating, Eileen was happy to see her little girl happy. So, when Julianne told Kit about witnessing her murder, he had been a bit of an emotional mess too. Ever since that night, he had been especially gentle with Julianne and her emotional state, meeting with her in their secret spot just outside of the manor every night and bringing her chocolates or champagne to help her feel better. And while the gifts did bring her joy, merely being in his warm embrace and hearing his reassuring words brought her more comfort than any tangible object could.

The walk to the manor was breezy, the chilled autumn air cutting right through Julianne’s scarf and coat. She hugged her arms close to her body as she approached the little alcove she always met Kit in, calling out quietly, “Kit, it’s Julie, you here?”

Her eyebrows knit together when she didn’t get a response and instead heard a quiet thud on the ground, one that sounded almost…wet? She peered around the corner and for the second time in as many weeks, Julianne was weeping over the body of a loved one. Her limbs went numb, and she felt lightheaded as she surveyed Kit’s battered body bleeding out onto the concrete around him.

As Julianne fell to her knees with a sob, her heart kicked into high gear, racing irregularly in her chest as black threatened to engulf her vision. The darkness started to take over as she fell to the ground, the last thing she saw before passing out was the note nailed to Kit’s chest that read, “This is on you, Julianne.”

“Is someone over here?” James asked as he and Oliver made their way into the area a few minutes later. “I thought you said you heard something,” James snapped as they walked.

“I did, I swear it,” Oliver replied, turning the corner into the little alcove. He stopped dead in his tracks as he took in the sight in front of him: a bloodied Kit Wilson and Julianne unmoving near him. “Holy shit, James, I-”

“Shit, check on Julie, I’ll call Dad, see what he wants to do,” James said, reaching for his cell in his coat pocket.

James heard Oliver sigh in relief after a few moments, saying, “She’s alive. Heart rate is through the roof though.”

“It’s that stupid heart condition. She’ll come to soon,” James replied as he listened to his father’s instructions over the phone, turning his back to the scene as a sly smirk twisted its way onto his face.

“Are you sure you want to do this? There’s always time to back out,” said JD, a friend of Julianne’s since uni.

“Yes JD, I’m sure, I’ve been planning this for a month. I…I can’t be here anymore,” she replied quietly as she ran her fingers through her hair. “Remember your promise back when I first found out what you do?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” he said with an exasperated sigh. “I’m just saying, this is a big decision, and you haven’t exactly been in the best mindset since…”

“Since my mother and boyfriend were killed because of me?” she asked haughtily.

“I wouldn’t exactly put it like that…” he replied hesitantly.

“Just give me the IDs and passports JD,” she told him.

“Not until you tell me your plan to get out of the country,” he said defiantly.

“How I’m getting out of here doesn’t matter, just know that I’ll manage,” she responded.

“And that’s exactly why I’m worried, Jules. In my line of work when someone says something along those lines it means they’re about to do something either illegal or borderline suicidal. So, which is it?” he asked seriously, holding the documents closely to his body while Julianne impatiently held out her hand.

“Let’s just say that the O’Hare syndicate is about to get a pretty paycheck thanks to me,” she told him while gesturing for JD to hand over the documents.

JD made a choking noise as his eyes went wide. His eyebrows shot up as he asked, “The O’Hare syndicate? As in your father’s most powerful rival? Are you mad?!”

“Quite apparently,” she replied shortly as she snatched the documents from his loosened grip. “If my father wants to play dirty I will too. It’s only fair, innit?”

“Well while we’re on the subject, what the bloody hell is he going to say or do to me and my family when he finds out I helped you? This isn’t just about you anymore!” JD said, a bite of anger in his voice as he glared at Julianne.

“Trust me, I’ve thought this all out. I can get you and your family out of the country too. Get a new start and get the kids away from…stuff like this,” she said, shaking her head when she ended her sentence. “All you have to do is say the word.”

“And what if your little plan doesn’t work? What if the O’Hares don’t follow through?”

“Then that means I’ll be dead and you won’t have to worry about my father blaming you for helping me. Pack what you need and only what you need. When they agree to my terms, the O’Hares will deal with the rest,” she said as she turned her back and began heading for the door.

“You seem awfully confident this is going to work,” JD called, a hint of desperation in his voice.

“Just trust me, will you? Be ready to go come week’s end. If all goes to plan this is the last time you’ll be seeing me. Take care old chap,” she said as she pulled her hood over her head and ducked out into the gloomy London night.

After a ride on the tube and a few minutes walk, Julianne found herself walking into a crowded pub full of Irishmen, armed to the teeth. “Oi, where can I find Sheamus around here?” she shouted, which prompted about a dozen guns and even more blades to be pointed in her direction.

“That’s that Porter gal innit?” one man asked aloud to his buddies.

“Why I oughta-” another growled, cocking his gun and aiming it at her forehead.

Julianne put her hands in the air and said, “Oh calm down, I’m here to cut a deal and line all of your pockets. If I can talk to Sheamus.”

“Pat her down, make sure she isn’t armed,” the second man said while still training his pistol at her head.

“You know she doesn’t have to have any weapons to fight right? Not with those freak powers of hers…” the first man told him as he advanced toward Julianne and began frisking her.

“Well then check her for a wire you blitherin’ idiot!” he shouted.

After a more thorough than needed pat down, Julianne asked, “See? I’m unarmed and unwired. I came for a deal. That’s all.”

“You came into enemy territory, that's what you did, lass! Now if you don’t get out of me pub in five seconds, I’ll-” the irate man snarled before he was cut off by a handsomely dressed man entering from behind the bar.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here? Do my eyes deceive me, or is little miss Julianne Porter standing in the middle of my pub?” Sheamus O’Hare asked, throwing a pointed glare at the man with his gun trained on Julianne.

“The one and only,” Julianne told him with a small smile.

“Well Miss Porter, I’m not usually one to make deals with me rival’s daughter, especially one whose gotten some of me men caught due to their inability to run from the cops after you…dealt with them. So tell me why you’re here before this place lights up.”

“With all due respect, I’d rather not discuss intricacies in front of so many men, especially ones with guns pointed at me,” she told him, taking a quick glance around the many guns still trained on her.

“Give me one good reason to let you back into my office and let you walk out of here alive,” he countered.

“The shipment that’s coming in tomorrow night for my father. The details are yours if you and your men agree to my terms,” she said, not breaking eye contact with him for even a second.

A smirk slowly made its way onto Sheamus’s face as he gestured for the men to lower their weapons. He reached out a hand for Julianne to take as he said to her, “If that intel’s good, I think we can make the proper arrangements. Follow me.”

As she followed him back to his office, he asked, “So what made you want to turn on your old man?”

“He had my boyfriend killed. I think it’s about proper time he got what’s coming for him,” she replied as she took a seat across from him.

He ran his hand over his facial hair while contemplating the sincerity behind her words before asking, “So what’s in it for us?”

Julianne scoffed, telling him, “Only the biggest shipment this country’s ever seen. It’s coming directly from Mexico with the product hidden in clothing, ready for sale. If you take over the shipment from the seller, you’ll not only get the product, but you’ll also be making him lose money. The daft bastard’s already paid. So he’ll be out and you’ll be swimming in more money than you’ll know what to do with.”

Sheamus narrowed his eyes and asked, “What’s the catch? You seem like you’re a smart girl, there’s no way you’re just doing this to get revenge.”

“So you O’Hares are brighter than they say you are,” she told him with a wink. “But you’re right, there are a few things I want in return.”

“What is it?”

“I need you to help me fake my death and the death of JD Williams plus his family. And you need to make it look damn good because you’ll be sending photographic proof of my death to my father. Once you do those things, we’ll all be out of the country and the slate will be wiped clean. You get a seller, I get revenge and to safety, my father loses. It’s a win-win for the both of us. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?” When she finished her side of the bargain, she crossed her legs as she waited for his response.

“So you’re telling me that you’ll give me the information on these shipments in trade for faking some deaths?” Sheamus asked as a wide smile broke out onto his face.

“That’s it. No tricks, no turning sides when your men are at the docks, just pure revenge.”

“You got a heart o’ stone on ya, don’t ya? I like the sound o’ that,” Sheamus said enthusiastically as he stood up to shake her hand. He put his arm around her waist as they exited the room, telling her, “Now let’s get some Guinness in ya and talk details with my men, yeah?”

Come the end of the week, Crystal was standing near the harbour’s entryway with her hands tucked in her pockets waiting for her father’s men to show up to be ambushed by O’Hare’s men. When a couple finally showed up, she asked them, “What the hell? You were supposed to be here a half hour ago! My father is not going to be pleased with you!”

“Sweetheart, we’ve been run ragged by your old man trying to finish selling from the last shipment, give us a break!” Donnelly snapped as he shoved past her.

“And don’t plan on just standing here like you always do, you’re coming in with us. Since Mummy isn’t around to stop you from helping out anymore, your old man told us to have you tag along. In case things go bad. Rumor has it the Wellenelly men might be trying to get a piece of the action so he wants you nearby. Got it?”

“Got it,” she said, trying to hide the sudden fear in her voice. She told O’Hare’s men that she would be waiting at the entrance… What if this messes everything up?

As she followed the two men down the dock and heard a truck pulling up nearby to pick up the shipping crate, she hoped that at least one of the men tailing her heard so they could change the plan. She waited with baited breath as she followed the two men toward the designated ship that was bobbing in the water. The man standing near the ledge looked up and said in a hostile tone, “I thought there were only supposed to be two of you.”

“There was a change in personnel,” Donnelly told the man while reaching for a pen in his pocket.

“I was told that I can only hand off the shipment if there were two men with your description. There wasn’t no girl on the roster!” he countered.

“Well this here girl is the boss man’s daughter, so unless you want to take this up with Mr. Porter yourself and risk a bullet in the brain, I would-” He couldn’t finish his sentence though as out of seemingly nowhere, the butt of a gun came down hard on his temple.

Instinctively, Julianne told the second man to get down and went into a fighting stance before she felt a sharp knife press to her throat. She froze on the spot, eyes wide as she began pleading for her father’s worker to help. “You so much as think about using your freak powers and I’ll slit your throat faster than you can beg for Daddy’s help,” said the man holding her hostage.

Before he could do anything though, there were three more O’Hare men on the scene, beating the two Porter men. Right before the second passed out from his injuries, the victor spit near his unmoving body and said, “You tell Porter that his shipment is ours and so is his whore daughter!” He turned his attention to the man holding Julianne and snapped, “Take care of her and make sure Porter knows not to mess with us from here on out!”

“What do you want me to do to her?” he asked with a smugness in his voice as he pressed the blade further into her skin, drawing blood.

“Kill her for all I care!” the first man said before turning his attention to the man on the boat.

“This is gonna hurt,” muttered the man holding Julianne as he took a swift swing at her temple that had her vision blacking out faster than she could process what was happening.

By the time she came to, Julianne was in what seemed like an abandoned hotel with blood smeared all over her body, clothes, and hair. The smell was horrendous and she tried not to gag as she sat up from her position on the floor. “Oh you’re awake, finally. I didn’t think you were going to come to,” came a woman’s voice from behind a camera nearby. “Go on, you can get up, we just finished taking all the photos we needed to send to your father.”

“God, what is that smell?” Julianne asked as she stood up and looked at what seemed to be a brutal crime scene.

“Sheep’s blood. The fake shit they use for theatre wasn’t gonna cut it, so I got some real blood. Hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t guess I had a choice, did I?” she asked as she caught the towel the woman tossed her.

She took a quick shower to wash off the blood and emerged feeling refreshed. As she looked at herself through the fogged up mirror, Julianne shook her head and grabbed the scissors she brought with her into the bathroom and began cutting her long hair. Once she got her hair looking neat enough resting on her shoulders, she emerged from the bathroom to meet with the woman again.

“Nice cut, but you missed a few spots,” the woman said with a light laugh as she took the scissors from Julianne and tidied the haircut up. As she finished up, she added, “You don’t have much time before you need to get out of the country, are your arrangements ready?”

Julianne nodded, checking her watch as she told her, “Flight’s in three hours. Red eye to the States.” She paused for a moment, telling the woman, “Thank you guys…”

“Thank you,” the woman said with a small smile on her lips. She paused for a second before saying, “Once you exit those doors, Julianne Porter will no longer exist. I hope you know what you’re doing. And when you get there, cover up that God-awful paperboy hat tattoo if you know what’s good for you.”

“Don’t worry, I can handle myself. My mother raised me right,” she replied as she exited the building with her sunglasses on and hood pulled over her head.

“Miss Shaw?” came a voice as she felt a tapping on her shoulder, rousing her from her slumber. She made a noise of discontent as she stirred awake, her joints aching from sitting for so long. “Miss Shaw, we landed in New York. We’re deplaning now.”

“Oh, right, sorry,” she replied in a groggy voice as she stood up and grabbed her carry on from the overhead bin.

As she walked out of the plane and through the airport, Julianne suddenly felt a weight lift off her shoulders at the prospect of freedom ahead of her. She would no longer be under her father’s control. She would no longer have her every move tracked. She could have a life! Friends! A normal job! And all that began to happen as she stepped out of the doors of JFK and onto the New York streets, not as Julianne Porter, but as Crystal Shaw.

next chapter

#daredevil #daredevil x oc #short fanfic #marvel #romance #friends to lovers #coffee shop au #matt murdock x oc

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gerec · 2 years

Note

Hi! Since you do fic recs: Do you happen to have a good list of sword & sorcery or fantasy style Cherik aus? I prefer less dark and hopeless but I’m open to anything! Thank you! I love that you do these.

Thanks for your patience Anon! The fandom has some amazing fantasy fics; I've listed some of my favorites below!!!

Blue Raven and the City of Gold and prequel Swords and Sorcery by Anon on the Kink Meme A Conan the Barbarian AU

terrible with the brightness of gold by brawlingdiscontent

The war is lost.

With the futures of his people and his children at stake, former Crown consort Charles of Normandy awaits the arrival of England's new master, the fearsome Viking warrior, Erik Lehnsherr. (Inspired by 11th century historical events)

The Dragon King's Incubus by Pangea

Hank of House McCoy is the reluctant but determined squire of Ser Sebastian of House Shaw, a noble house that has fallen from grace in recent generations. It’s common knowledge Ser Sebastian is willing to do anything to restore the lost prestige of his surname.

Anything, like crossing miles and miles of wasteland to an abandoned castle, where rumor has it a fair prince is held captive by a beastly dragon.

Letters for His Majesty by motleystitches (furius)

When Charles the Gentle, King of Westchester, was nineteen years old, he killed a man named Shaw and rescued a boy he gave to the MacTaggerts’ to raise. Twenty years later, he has almost forgotten the incident. With a wife he loves as a sister, no heir, and a war going badly, Charles falls quickly and inappropriately in love with the knight Erik Lehnsherr.

All the King's Man by Pookaseraph

In an effort to get out from under the thumb of his step-father, Charles chooses to become a courtesan for several minor nobles in King Erik's court. It is not long before he attracts the eye of the young king, and the Cardinal who holds the young king's ear. Charles spends months working to secure his place as King Erik's favorite and to regain his father's title of Merchant Prince. Charles hopes to disprove the old adage that once you enter the king's bed, you have nowhere to go but down.

Winter Comes With a Knife by RedStockings

It apparently came to no one’s surprise that the war-mage Erik Lehnsherr took up residence in the Dark Keep. I knew he was going to choose my sister, Raven, to be his apprentice so why wouldn’t he let me go? What did he want from me?

My name is Charles Xavier, I can read minds and use magic. I’ve met Kings and Queens, mages and magic users. I’ve travelled through lay-lines and jumped through the Dark Void… but none of that really matters.

I am leading an army into war, I am scared and I never wanted this. I’ve come to realise that what I want, rode into my life when I was still a child. Now he’s out there, ready to charge into battle. Ready to die for me.

The Seventh Tree by Clocks, RaelynnMarie

Erik has served Shaw, ruler of the desert kingdom Genosha, for years as one of his Elite Knights. His life of unquestioning obedience changes when he meets a man in the strangest of circumstances who is not at all what he seems.

The Waste Land by nekosmuse

The White Queen and her Shadow King sit on their throne, safe behind the psionic shields of the Walled City. The armies of Genosha batter uselessly at the gates, a war locked in stalemate. Magneto, camped in the frozen mud, receives word the Citadel intends to send a telepath to the front lines. The same telepath he met two years ago, who sat across a carved wooden chess set and offered Magneto the first friendly smile in a lifetime. The same telepath who still haunts his dreams.

i've been waiting all night for you by jasminetea

As a young boy, Charles once enjoyed his visits to the Dragon King Erik's hearth. Now a young man, he isn't sure what he feels when he enters the hearth once again, this time as the Dragon King's bride.

Show Us the Sky by Pangea

Erik has been away on duty for five months, protecting the realm as a dragon rider. Now he's finally on leave and he has a special present for Charles, who waits for him back in their home village.

Pale Night (Caught Remix) by ikeracity

Charles is an omega prince promised to a faraway king. Erik is an alpha, and a lowborn squire.

This could only ever end in disaster.

In Your Honor by Black_Betty (first of a series)

All his life Erik had fought to overcome the loss of his mother, and his meager beginnings. He had fought for food, for survival, for blood and vengeance, for honor and respect. He had fought for the heart of one boy, and he had given away his own in return. He knew how to fight.

He was entered in the Tournament.

And he was going to win.

A Flight of Dragons by keire_ke

Moira skidded on the ice, slid down the slanted slope on her arse and came up panting, surrounded by a circle of glowing eyes and gleaming teeth.

Dragons.

Love Like Winter by garnettrees (WIP)

"Once, when all the world was green and young, there lived two very different little boys..."

Now these boys have grown, thrust onto a political battlefield filled with long-held grudges and secret motives. Charles has spent the majority of his adult life studying and teaching the finer points of spell casting.

Erik... Erik fights for what is his.

Ritual Self-Torture by TurtleTotem

For the following prompt: Shaw is King, Charles is his royal consort and Erik is a Knight/Lord. Shaw is sterile but his kingdom can't find out, so he asks Erik to impregnate Charles.

He doesn't know Erik and Charles are in love.

King and Lionheart by ikeracity (WIP)

Erik, captain of the king's elite fighting force, returns home from a campaign in the north to find that the king has taken a new concubine, Charles Xavier, son of one of the princes of the realm. As a reward for his victories in the north, King Shaw gifts Charles to Erik for the night. Little does he know that this night will form a bond between Charles and Erik strong enough to shatter Shaw's throne—if they survive long enough to bring their plans to fruition.

The Genoshan Prince by flightinflame (series)

Westchester has fallen to Genosha, and the Genoshan ruler, Erik Lehnsherr, demands that the mutants from the kingdom are handed over to him. Neither he nor Charles ever expect to fall for each other. When they do, it changes both their lives, and the fates of their people.

home as a borderless metaphor by specficslut (homosociality) (series)

Erik has been traded to a foreign king for a chest of gold and a hundred bushels of grain. In Westchester, he must learn to start a new life... and navigate the roles that have been thrust upon him, whether concubine or courtesan, consort or slave.

grasps the empty sky by Ireliss

Charles Xavier is sent to slay a dragon. He ends up rescuing a wounded man instead — he knows Erik Lehnsherr from somewhere, he's sure of it, but between Charles' wavering control over his powers and the secrets Erik clutches tightly against his chest, this mission is quickly spiraling into a fine mess...

haunted by the ghost of you (remix of i had all and then most, some and now none of you) by faerie_ground

Every generation, the eldest heirs of the Lehnsherr and Xavier families fight in battle after the death of the current king, the victor becoming the new king. It is tradition, but tradition never accounts for love.

the white knight is the king’s shadow by ninemoons42

Warrior-Prince Erik has suffered a string of defeats and is well on his way to heading home in disgrace. As he drags the shattered remnants of his battle group onwards, his path crosses that of a powerful, untrained outcast of a magic-user - and Erik quickly learns that there are no accidents in life.

Especially not in his life.

Beyond Measure by jasminetea

The tale of a King and his loyal Knight, told in threes as all such tales are.

Coup by Anon on the Kink Meme

Alpha King Charles takes Omega General Erik prisoner .

-----

And some fics by Yours Truly for your consideration!

What Night Brings the Dawn by Gerec

High Lord Xavier's duty is clear - he must execute the greatest enemy of his Order, to ensure lasting peace for the troubled kingdom of Genosha. But the Divine of Eternal Night is both adversary and bondmate, and the ties that bind are not so easily broken...

Tribute to the Horde by Gerec

Kurt Marko offers omega!Charles as tribute to the Genoshan Chieftain Erik Lehnsherr, to stave off the great mutant horde that has amassed outside the capital of Westchester. The Genoshans are a fierce, nomadic people with very different traditions, including a public bonding ceremony where Charles must mate not only with the Chieftain, but also with his most trusted generals...

Gods or Mortals by Gerec (WIP) Excerpt from 'The Life and Times of King Charles the Third', volume XI of the 'Histories of Westchester':

They say that his birth was foretold by the Great Seer of this Age, an omega child born unto the House of Xavier and most beloved of the gods. Powerful amongst the Gifted Ones the child will grow to rule a kingdom mighty and vast, a legacy of dominion over land and sea. That he will be beautiful beyond mortal countenance and desired by all who see his face. Empires will fall by his command and kings by his design; the world torn asunder by war and then made new from its ashes.

These are the words that herald the arrival of Charles Francis Xavier, 124th of the line of Xavier and heir to the throne of Westchester.

This is his story.

#gerec rambles #cherik #fantasy au #historical fantasy au #fic rec #gerec's fic rec

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leaderoffestivals · 1 year

Text

ENSTARS X MERC STORIA: CHAPTER 1 Pt 2: IN THE UNKNOWN FOREST

Madara: (Those are reeeally forceful words. And, it doesn’t look like they’re lying, huh?)

… … ‘Healing techniques’, ‘monsters’. There are so many things to be concerned about here… …

Got it. We’ll put our trust in you now.

Tatsumi: That’s right. It is regrettable, but we know far too little about the biology of those creatures you call ‘monsters’.

We’ll leave this to you. However, if there’s anything that we can do, please tell us.

Yuu: Thank you so much!

Spitzes: GRRRRR!

Rustoa: Yuu-kun!

Yuu: Yes! Alright… …

Deliverance!

Spitzes: Grrr… …?

Rustoa: It looks like everything has worked out well!

Yuu: Yes!

Madara: (... … Those mysterious creatures have all calmed down. What in the world is this ‘Healing technique’?)

< A few minutes later. >

Tatsumi: … … So, what you’re saying is that the power Yuu-san used earlier is called a Healing technique. It is an ability that can Heal the creatures that you call ‘monsters’, thus calming them down.

Yuu: Yes. We’re here at the request of the sponsor of an event that will be held in ten days time.

This forest is adjacent to the event site, you see. That’s why we’re here to Heal the monsters, as a precaution.

Merc: —And that’s how we happened to stumble across you guys!

Mayoi: An event, you say?

Rustoa: Yes, it’s gonna be a festival of song and drama!

Rustoa: It’s called the ‘Stage On Fiesta’, a really grand event where many idols and theatre companies will gather!

Aira: Oh! Will there be idols coming TOO…!? What kind of groups will they be? I’m pretty knowledgeable about that, you know~!

Rustoa: Er. Errrrm… …

Tatsumi: I understand how you feel, but we are straying from the point.

Aira: AH! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to… …

Tatsumi: Well, in any case… … It’s all thanks to that, that our lives have been saved, haven't they? This too, must be God’s guidance.

Aira: (Wow, Tattsun-senpai’s adaptability stat is way too high, isn’t it? He’s conversing with them so naturally now… …

Unlike me… When I saw Merc-san, I actually yelled out loud, “The water is talking!” (2))

Madara: WOOOW! I’ve witnessed something reeeally amazing! All those monsters were in such an excited state, but they went back to normal as soon as you used that Healing technique!

I’m reeeally interested to learn more about how these Healing techniques work and to be able to use them myself! I’d reeeally like it if you could teach me more!

Yuu: Too close, so close… …! This person is coming onto me really strongly!

Madara: Haha~! That’s because I’ve never met a person with an ability like yours before. It’s been such a long time since my curiosity’s been piqued to such an extent!

Yuu: I’m glad that you’re so interested, but, errr… you are—?

Madara: I’m Mikejima Madara, but do feel free to call me Mama!

Yuu: ❓Errr, are you a… … Mama?

Madara: Umu… I wanna become everybody’s Mama, you see!

Yuu: I understand now. Since that is what Madara-san wants to be called by—

In that case—Mama-san!

Merc: Mama-san, it’s sooo very nice to meet you!

Madara: I’ve had this thought before but—when I’m called like that so obediently, it kinda bothers me too!

Tatsumi: Let us take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as well, shall we? I am Kazehaya Tatsumi, and standing beside me is—

Mayoi: —I am Ayase Mayoi.

Aira: Shiratori Aira! Nice to meet you~!

Hiiro: I’m Hiiro. Amagi Hiiro!

Yuu: It’s nice to meet all of you.

Hiiro: Umu! Since we have had the good fortune to meet each other here, I really hope that we can all be friends!

Merc: Wai~! Of course, we will!

Rustoa: Yes, this is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter after all! It looks like we’re all performers attending the same event, so I’d want for us to get along well, anyway!

Tatsumi: Is there an event?

Rustoa: Oh? Was I mistaken? I honestly thought the clothes you guys are wearing were the stage clothes you were going to perform in, though!

Aira: Ah, about this—We were dressed like this without us knowing how it happened… …

Aira: There’s no doubt that these are our outfits, but we don’t know why or how we happened to be wearing them at all~.

Merc / Yuu: … …?

Tatsumi: We would definitely need information on that too. Excuse me, but could you please answer some questions of ours for us to learn about our situation? In truth, we found ourselves in this place without knowing how we came to be here… …

Yuu: EHH! Isn’t that an insanely bad situation for you guys? Please, do not restrain yourselves on our account; you may ask us anything about what you wish to know.

Aira: Uwah~ You’re such a great help! Ah, we seem to be peers who are close in age, so it’s fine if you totally skip the use of formal language with us!

Yuu: Alright, if you insist.

Mayoi: … … …

(Ahh~, he has a very adorable face too! He and Aira-san are looking more and more like a set together—)

Tatsumi: HAA—! BEGONE!

Mayoi: EEEEEKK!

Tatsumi: Ahh~, please forgive me. I had felt an unsettling presence just now… …

Mayoi: I’m sooo sorry for being so faithful to my desiresss!

Yuu: (It looks like you guys are coping pretty well… …)

Tatsumi: I’m the one who derailed the conversation, so let me be the one to bring it back on course.

First, let me share with you our situation here. The place we’re from is called Ensemble Square, or ES for short.

Mayoi: Yes. And there, we were suddenly enveloped in a bright light… … and then thrown into this place that looks like a forest… …

Mayoi: Uh… This place… Where exactly are we?

Rustoa: Mehterhaane.

Aira: Huh?

Rustoa: If you’re asking about the country we’re located in though, we’re in the one called Kingdom. Have you heard of it? Aira: KI—KINGDOM~!?

—————-To be continued——————-

Chapter 1 Pt 1 / Chapter 2

Translator’s Note:

狐に化かされた kitsune ni bakasareta: being deceived / bewitched by foxes. Japanese myths speak of foxes as animals which have supernatural powers of transformation and abilities, which are used to play pranks on, or to spirit humans away. A Western localisation would be ‘kidnapped by aliens’.

Yuu’s companion, Merc, is a girl made of liquid and lives in a bottle.

In the fantasy world of Merc Storia, there are 18 Countries . Kingdom (王国) is one of them

It’s not proofed so if you have any feedback, please DM me.

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Spring Tour 2023: Goose Live @ Georgia Theatre

For the third time in four years, I have been fortunate enough to cover Goose for Concerthopper.com. This time around Goose came through my area on their Spring Tour 2023 and performed an intimate set at the historic Georgia Theatre located in the middle of downtown Athens, Georgia. Tickets for this event were just as hard to get as Master's tickets are at Augusta National. IYKYK (Thanks a lot, AXS.). For those who are not familiar with Goose, they are an American indie groove/funk/psychedelic rock/jam band that hails from Wilton, Connecticut, and started as a trio in 2014. The band originally consisted of Rick Mitarotonda (guitar/vocals), Trevor Weeks (bass), and Ben Atkind (drums). Peter Anspach (keyboards/guitar/vocals) was added in 2017 and then later Goose added Jeff Arevalo (percussion/vocals) in 2020. Goose has released three (3) LPs, two (2) EPs, and nine (9) live albums that are all amazing! If you were lucky enough to get their latest live album (2022.12.31 Cincinnati, Ohio) on preorder from Diggers Factory, 'Congratulations!' I know we are all eagerly awaiting this pressing to ship out later in the year!

Before doors opened the line, filled with eager and excited Goose fans, to enter the Georgia Theatre was wrapped around the building way down the side street. Whether doing photography or just attending a Goose show as a fan, you will always find me here smiling with my people! Honk Honk!

Let’s get back to this once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness Goose perform live at the Georgia Theatre. The eager and excited crowd gathered was a mixture of University of Georgia college students, fans of Goose, and those hard-core fans that travel with the band as much as possible during their tour dates. It is always nice to notice those familiar faces in the crowd that attend every Goose show that you also attend. If you follow Goose while on tour, I am sure that you can spot some recognizable faces riding the rail during other tour dates across the United States thanks to other concert photographers.

Once Goose came on stage, the gracious crowd erupted with a loud and all-so-familiar “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!”. This tradition has become one of my favorite things to do as a show of affection and love toward the entire band. Not knowing what was coming song-wise, the audience puts their trust in Goose to take them on a journey through their musical soundscape. Some of the things that I love about Goose aren’t always music, for instance; Trevor’s bass face while performing is something serious as he lays down some crunchy and funky bass lines. Or Pete’s ever-present smile as he either talks to the crowd showing love and support or while he is just jamming on the keys/guitar, you can tell that Pete is all about making the crowd smile along with him. Another thing that I love to see, is Rick’s face as he gets deeper and deeper in the sauce while he’s playing guitar. The more I see Goose play, the more I believe Rick is defining his craft even more with each note he performs. A master of his craft! Well, let’s not forget the percussion pieces of Goose because the excitement from both Ben and Jeff also shines bright as they lay down some funky beats. Goose makes sure that each song performed is an experience to remember as the crowd dances away their worries during the performance.

Check out the setlist from this sold-out show at the Georgia Theatre below:

Set 1: “Tumble, Time to Flee” [1] -> “Green River” [2], “Flodown”, “Thatch”, “Silver Rising”, “The Empress of Organos” -> Trevor Reads Poetry [3] -> “The Empress of Organos” Set 2: “Arcadia”, “Slow Ready” > “Rock The Casbah” [4], “Hot Tea” -> “Turned Clouds” > “Hot Tea” [5] Encore: “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” [6] Teases: "After Midnight" tease in Hot Tea Coach's Notes: [1] Unfinished. [2] Creedence Clearwater Revival. [3] “Fuck The Pain Away” by Peaches. [4] The Clash. [5] With “After Midnight” tease from Peter. [6] Rupert Holmes.

Currently, at the time of this publication, the Spring Tour 2023 has sold out except for a couple of dates in April and June, but Goose still has many festival dates and a Fall Tour 2023 on sale:

APR 13, 2023

THE SYLVEE

MADISON, WI

SOLD OUT

APR 14, 2023

THE SALT SHED

CHICAGO, IL

SOLD OUT

APR 15, 2023

THE SALT SHED

CHICAGO, IL

SOLD OUT

APR 16, 2023

PALACE THEATRE

SAINT PAUL, MN

SOLD OUT

APR 18, 2023

THE ELM

BOZEMAN, MT

SOLD OUT

APR 19, 2023

THE ELM

BOZEMAN, MT

SOLD OUT

APR 21, 2023

KNITTING FACTORY

BOISE, ID

SOLD OUT

APR 22, 2023

PARAMOUNT THEATRE

SEATTLE, WA

SOLD OUT

APR 23, 2023

PARAMOUNT THEATRE

SEATTLE, WA

SOLD OUT

APR 25, 2023

MCDONALD THEATRE

EUGENE, OR

SOLD OUT

APR 27, 2023

THE WARFIELD

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

SOLD OUT

APR 28, 2023

THE WARFIELD

SAN FRANSOLD OUT

APR 29, 2023

CAL COAST CREDIT UNION AMPHITHEATER

SAN DIEGO, CA

MAY 2, 2023

FAUBOURG BREWERY

NEW ORLEANS, LA

DAZE BETWEEN FESTIVAL

MAY 3, 2023

FAUBOURG BREWERY

NEW ORLEANS, LA

DAZE BETWEEN FESTIVAL

MAY 26, 2023 - MAY 28, 2023

SUMMER CAMP MUSIC FESTIVAL

CHILLICOTHE, IL

JUN 2, 2023 - JUN 4, 2023

RIVERBEND MUSIC FESTIVAL

CHATTANOOGA, TN

JUN 2, 2023

CATHEAD JAM

JACKSON, MS

JUN 4, 2023

RAILBIRD MUSIC FESTIVAL

LEXINGTON, KY

JUN 22, 2023

LOUISVILLE PALACE THEATRE

LOUISVILLE, KY

SOLD OUT

JUN 23, 2023

LOUISVILLE PALACE THEATRE

LOUISVILLE, KY

SOLD OUT

JUN 25, 2023

ELECTRIC FOREST FESTIVAL

ROTHBURY, MI

JUN 27, 2023

KEMBA LIVE! OUTDOORS

COLUMBUS, OH

JUN 29, 2023 - JUL 2, 2023

PEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL

SCRANTON, PA

JUN 29, 2023 - JUL 1, 2023

RESONANCE FESTIVAL

GARRETTSVILLE, OH

JUL 3, 2023

STONE PONY SUMMER STAGE

ASBURY PARK, NJ

SOLD OUT

JUL 4, 2023

STONE PONY SUMMER STAGE

ASBURY PARK, NJ

SOLD OUT

JUL 7, 2023

SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

JUL 8, 2023

LEVITATE MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

MARSHFIELD, MA

JUL 26, 2023 - JUL 30, 2023

FLOYDFEST

FLOYD, VA

SEP 15, 2023

BORDERLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL

BUFFALO, NY

SEP 16, 2023

MASONIC TEMPLE

DETROIT, MI

SEP 17, 2023

MILLER HIGH LIFE THEATRE

MILWAUKEE, WI

SEP 20, 2023

RED BUTTE GARDEN AMPHITHEATRE

SALT LAKE CITY, UT

SOLD OUT

SEP 22, 2023

KETTLEHOUSE AMPHITHEATER

MISSOULA, MT

SEP 23, 2023

SPOKANE PAVILION

SPOKANE, WA

SEP 25, 2023

FOX THEATER

OAKLAND, CA

SEP 26, 2023

FOX THEATER

OAKLAND, CA

SEP 29, 2023

SANTA BARBARA BOWL

SANTA BARBARA, CA

OCT 1, 2023

BROOKLYN BOWL LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS, NV

OCT 3, 2023

PEPSI AMPHITHEATER

FLAGSTAFF, AZ

OCT 5, 2023

RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE

MORRISON, CO

TRAVEL PACKAGES

SOLD OUT

OCT 6, 2023

RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE

MORRISON, CO

Head over to Goose's Official Bandcamp page to listen to numerous soundboard recordings from their previous tours, including this tour stop at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia. If you want to read more about Goose, follow these links to some of my previous coverage of the band for Concerthopper today: Goose: Sold Out at The Eastern (Night 1) (2021) and Goose: Two Nights at Pullman Hall (2022)! Looking for some cool Goose merch? Head over to Goose's official merchandise page and show some support for this outstanding group of musicians.

Curious about Concerthopper? You can find more music-related articles, interviews, various photo galleries, indie music reviews, our very own ‘Bars & Bites’ section, our exclusive “She Said, She Said” column, or become a Concerthopper at www.concerthopper.com. Sign up for our monthly newsletter by following this link: The Setlist! Please 'Like' our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date in 2022, on all music-related events/festivals such as: The Parallax II Tour: Between The Buried and Me Live @ The Masquerade, Long Time Going Tour: Sierra Ferrell at Georgia Theatre, 20th Anniversary Tour: August Burns Red (Rapids Theatre), Spring Tour (2023): BongZilla with Wizard Rifle @ Grantski Records, Beartooth & Trivium: Live at Buffalo Riverworks, AmericanaFest (2023), Ghost RE-Imperatour U.S.A. with Amon Amarth: Ascend Amphitheater, The 5th Annual PorchFest, 12th Annual Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que Music Festival, Souls of Mischief: 93’ til Infinity 30th Anniversary Tour @ City Winery (Atlanta), Yob and Pallbearer: Live at the Masquerade, So Much For (Tour) Dust: Fall Out Boy/Bring Me the Horizon @ Darien Lake Amphitheater, and Morbid Angel: The 40th Anniversary Tour (The Masquerade) by following us on all social media formats: Concerthopper on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also, you can follow my concert hopping on Facebook and Instagram for even more photos not available on Concerthopper.com.

#2023 #goose #athens #georgia #georgia theatre #concert photography #concerthopper #photography #review #concert review #music #indie rock #rock n' roll #jam

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