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bukojuiice · 3 years

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— genshin boys as your college roommates who are head over heels in love with you

ೃ ft. childe, diluc, kaeya, zhongli, and xiao x gn! reader

ೃ 400-600 words per character! ♡

ೃ warnings: mention of alcohol drinking ( but aside from that, just lots and lots of fluff!)

ೃ this is my very first writing contribution to the genshin fandom, so i hope everyone likes it! after 5 months of playing genshin, i think it’s safe to say my brainrot for it has finally consumed me and i’m confident enough to brew something up! <3

ೃ genshin impact masterlist

ೃ if you want to be a part of my taglist, answer this form! ♡

CHILDE:

– You and Childe are the perfect embodiment of the best friends to roommates trope. Whenever you wanna sleep in for 5 minutes more and you’re about to run late for your first class, Childe never fails to slowly drag you out of your bed, laughing as he does so. “Wake up sunshine!” is the first thing you always hear in the morning and you don’t complain if you get to hear his smexy voice anyway. He is a confident flirt and is not afraid to show you how much he cares or how much he pines over you.

– He’s always always there to save the day. There was a time when your classmates stood you up on the group project you were making, and guess who comes up to you with glitter, glue, and colored paper? Childe, of course! He stayed up until the wee hours of the night with you just so he can help you finish it. He even promises to set things in a “very civil way” with your absolute jerk groupmates the very next day. You practically hang out with him 24/7 as most of the time he just barges in your shared apartment with some amusement park tickets on hand or to some expensive yoga or judo class. There’s never a dull moment with him and with each passing day, the more you fall harder for him.

– After a morning jog with him and seeing cute little dogs frolicking around with their married owners, Childe suddenly had the urge to adopt a dog with you. But, due to a no pets rules established by the landlord, the two of you opt to owning hamsters instead! Childe named his hamster, narwhal (after his favorite animal of course!) whereas you named yours bunny, to match his irrelevant pet name picking. your hamsters both share the same house/cage and even they are pining over each other.

– His siblings visit a lot, especially Teucer. At this point, there was never a day the little boy didn’t ask when are you and Childe going to finally become “playground playmates” (a term for lovers that they use in second grade apparently) since the two of you are living with each other and seem so close. Childe is always able to successfully change the topic and shift away from talking about the shared feelings that the both of you have for each other. But, alas, the day had finally came to be and during your monthly trip to the amusement park, Childe confidently confesses to you on top of the ferris wheel.

“So... everyone in my life knows that you’re my best friend. Yea, that’s pretty cool and all but... Can we be more than just that (Y/N)? Is there hope if I think there could be something between us?”

DILUC:

– Diluc is your posh and rich roommate who sounds and looks too good to be true. The fact that you’re roomies with the literal heir to the country’s biggest wine and beverage company sounds like something straight out of a fanfic. But, it was of his volition to decide to live in a penthouse near Teyvat University. It was the doings of his step-brother Kaeya who tricked him into getting a roommate so that he won’t be alone for the rest of his college years... aaand that’s where you come in. practically barged into his life, but, you were a blessing. an angel sent from the skies.

– He’s quite cold and unapproachable at first, only greeting you whenever he sees you but never bothered to engage in small talk with you. Even if the both of you go to the same university. It wasn’t until your second month as roommates, when you accidentally had too much to drink after a friends’ night out. You come home to see him in the living room, drinking grape juice from a wine glass, and watching a rerun of Hannah Montana. You practically collapse at the front door, he rushes to you and helps you up as you drunkenly confess to him in tears how you wanted to become much closer to him especially since the two of you are going to spend the rest of your college years together. That was when Diluc realized how distant and aloof he’s been and vows to make it up to you.

– Diluc is very talented. Albeit in very discreet way, he makes sure to make use of his talents especially if it’s an opportunity to make memories with you. He is an amazing cook as much as he tries to deny it, He’s a secret virtuoso caught in 4k when you impulsively bought a guitar one time and you asked if he knows how to play, and he does so well. He practically serenades you in the most non-obvious way possible. Lastly, He’s very athletic. You invited him to play tennis one time, betting that if he won, you would do his bidding for the rest of the week. Before you could even blink, he wins. His “punishment” for you was that you accompany him in binge-watching TV Dramas. Grey’s Anatomy and Downtown Abby are just some of the shows the two of you would watch. It is absolutely adorable seeing him so invested in these dramas. and since the next on Diluc’s list were sit-coms, you were preparing yourself to answer his questions on the context of jokes that he didn’t get. In a poor attempt to flirt with you, he calls out your name and recites in the most Joey Tribbiani voice he could muster, “How you doin?” You were laughing so so hard that night because his pick up line actually worked on you and suddenly your realizations came full circle: you were very much in love with him too.

– His naturally cool yet shy nature had always gotten the best of him. He’s always wanted to ask if you wanted to carpool with him to school. Riding with him in his Tesla sportscar that goes 150 Mph? Heck yeah. However, it took quite a while before he could muster up the courage to ask you (4 months of being roommates until he finally popped the question) Since then, the two of you go home to and from University whenever you had similar schedules. Ever since then, Diluc had began to soften. His cold and hard facade slowly melted. Asking if you could help tie his floofy red hair then he’d let you play with it and let you style it in different ways. He takes you out on café dates during lunch breaks and take you out to watch a movie after both of your late night lectures. Everyone in campus thinks the two of you are practically together at this point. All that was left was to bare your feelings with one another through a fumbling and awkward confession.

“Words cannot not suffice these feelings I’ve been harboring for you since the very beginning. I L-like you a lot. Do you feel the same way too?”

KAEYA:

- Everyone loves Kaeya. Your friends and family, The School Faculty, The owner of the Convenience Store from down the street, The old lady who lives next door, The little kids from down the hall, and even the angry brown poodles from the farthest apartment to your right absolutely loved him. it was hard to keep up with having a roommate that not only were you crushing so hard on, but also had such a vibrant social life. Kaeya interacts and socializes with a lot of people and he admits that it does tend to get tiring at times. But, if these sacrifices lead to coming home to his cute roommate who has captivated his heart since Day 1, then it’s all worth it.

— Despite how warm and friendly he may seem, Kaeya is a very private person. He’s brought two or three friends like Jean, Lisa, Albedo, or Rosaria. But, only to discuss school affairs. He wasn’t the kind of person who trusts others easily, even if he was giving off the impression that he was a trustworthy and reliable person himself. He’d much rather spend time with you on days off from school. He may be a party guy on the outside (he insists he does it for future connections when he graduates) but he’s quite a homebody. Kaeya is the type to watch korean dramas and anime with you, go on late night convenience store cravings, and these always resulted in a perfect evening spent with him. When the both of you are fully immersed into the anime and things get a bit cozy, you rest your head on his shoulder, huddling for warmth.

— Kaeya would always come home with a little something for you. May it be take-out food, A trinket, a board game, an accessory, and even skincare products. The indigo-haired man is very particular about self-care and you bet that he’s bought different kinds of face masks, ointments, and even matching cute headbands just for the two of you! He’s very flamboyant and flirts with you a lot. Trying to impress you with pick up lines and suggestive jokes, but you always thought that he was just joking around because that was always a part of his personality. It was always a part of him. For Kaeya on the other hand, it seems to him that you don’t take him seriously and it's possible that you don’t return his feelings at all. He had to set things straight and it didn’t take long until Kaeya found the perfect opportunity to do so.

— With the help of practically everyone in the apartment, Kaeya is about to surprise you with a candle-lit dinner up on the apartment rooftop. His sly smooth-talking quickly convinced you that the both of you were just going to go out on your nightly convenience store trips. Your curiosity grows when he takes you by the hand, covering you with a blindfold, and whispering to your ear, “Do you trust me?” Gripping onto his hand tightly, the both of you go up some stairs and you reply, “Yes Kaeya, I do.” He slowly uncovers the shield from your eyes and your eyes sparkle at the sight of the candle-lit dinner, complete with jazz music, and a romantic view of the city.

“(Y/N)... You are the most precious person to me. I hope you can take me seriously, especially my feelings. I am saying this with my heart in my hand and with nothing but genuine love in my soul.”

ZHONGLI:

— Zhongli is truly husband material. You’re saying this as his friend, as his roommate, and as someone who’s absolutely smitten over him. He’s a third year environmental archaeology student at Teyvat University. Gentle, kind, and has nothing but wise and intelligent things to say. your lovestruck self can’t help but just admire him from afar, not knowing that he too has been entranced by you ever since you moved in.

—He's always the first to wake up in the morning. The first thing he does is make you a cup of coffee. He's got your favorite memorized, (Coffee with cream. Not to sweet and not too bitter.) The both of you own matching mugs, (written in colored scribbled letters, “The Wise Roommate” for Zhongli and “The Cute Roommate” for you.) He always wants to spend his free mornings with you. Both of you have different schedules so you never see each other at Campus and this was the only blissful time of the day you can spend with one another. Once you get home for dinner, (Zhongli is always the first to get home if he doesn’t stay too long at the library or strolling around the city) If it’s your turn to cook or if it’s his, he never forgets to brew you oolong tea after dinner. A perfect chance for the two of you to just talk the night away and engage in deep and meaningful conversations.

—Zhongli fell in love with you because you just quietly listen to him. Sometimes, you would share your thoughts and insights, even sharing your own personal knowledge that Zhongli had not known prior. You were one of the very few people in his life whom he could talk about absolutely anything with. Well, who wouldn’t listen to a handsome man who has a voice as smooth as butter? He is very passionate about his studies. Taking a lot of extra courses and spending a lot of money on his research. and so, most of the time, he spends all of his Mora on his extra studies (excluding the money he needs to pay for rent) and other interesting antiques. You understood why though. So, instead, you ask him to accompany you to do mundane chores. Going grocery shopping, doing the laundry and cleaning the apartment. He always helps in any way he can. The prying eyes of people around you and the old lady fr next door boldly coming up to you to ask if you and Zhongli were a married couple. You blush profusely whereas Zhongli coolly denies the woman's claims. It hurt quite a little but who were you to complain?

— It was during one of your night strolls with Zhongli. He had invited you out after dinner under the guise of wanting to have some fresh air and find a clear spot for the fireworks from a nearby festival. Your heart was thumping loudly to a non-existent rhythm, blissfully unaware that Zhongli was feeling a burst in his chest too. He clears his throat and his shoulders straighten. Zhongli puts his hand on your shoulder and breathes deeply. His cool and gentlemanly aura still radiating off of him as always. A wonderful array of colors fill the sky as his lips began to form the words he's always wanted to say:

"Tonight is beautiful isn't it? I thought that this would be the perfect time to open my heart up to you... You are a diamond in the rough that few see the beauty of. My beloved– Will you accept my feelings?

XIAO:

— Having a popular twitch streamer as your roommate was a one in a million chance. Especially if you’re not even an influencer or internet figure yourself. But, how did this come to be? Why have you developed a crush on Xiao aka VigilantYaksha without knowing who he was? A gamer with over 6 million followers on different social media platforms? Simple, a high-end apartment near Teyvat University had a special discount if you were willing to be roommates with someone. It’s an amazing deal, near your school, cost-efficient, and you believed the 10% chance of scoring a hot roommate as seen on reality TV and romantic comedies. It was like rolling through a Gacha Game and getting a 5 star character. As that “character” is soon to be revealed as Xiao.

— Things started off rocky at first. On your first day, he flatly welcomed you by the door, introduced himself, then quickly retreated back to his room. As soon as you locked eyes with him, he gave off a certain cold and unfriendly aura. You wanted to get to know him better. Maybe with a little love and care, he could open up to you and you could become friends! That same day, you had mistakenly thought of your room as his and you walked in on him streaming a horror game. He wasn’t spooked by the jumpscares. But instead, he was looking at you in horror because you’ve just exposed yourself to thousands of people. You wave at the camera, apologize, and left. Since then, his fans, (called the Anemo Tofus) have been shipping the two of you together. Creating fanfiction and fanart of Xiao and the mysterious roommate that accidentally walked in on him. They practically begged Xiao to at least talk a little bit about you, to which, he declined. When you surprised him with dinner (as a little treat since this was your first week with him) He sits across the table from you, his eyes gazing deep into yours, as he pops the question, in a very tsundere tone: “Would you like to appear in my streams? T-the Anemo Tofus wanna learn more about you. B-but, if you don’t want to, it’s alright! You don’t have to-” You cut him off before he could continue his doubts, “Xiao! What are you saying? I’d love to!”

— There was something blossoming between the two of you after that particular dinner with him. Starting with your first “roommate video” that you had thought of when you were brainstorming for video ideas. It was an Almond and Mapo Tofu mukbang whilst the two of you answered questions from fans! The viewers noticed how visibly comfortable he was around you despite his usual reserved attitude. He was cracking up a lot more sarcastic and self-deprecating jokes whilst Tofu filled both of your mouths. Outside of the confines of social media and inside the comfortable space that was your apartment, you and Xiao grew closer. Wearing matching hoodies, going on midnight snack runs, playing in arcades, and stargazing with him up on the rooftop as you contemplate about life and talk about the mysteries of the universe. There were times when you would stay up late doing school works and would accidentally fall asleep on the sofa. Xiao would come out of room because he periodically had cases of insomnia. When he sees you on the sofa, he can’t help but smile at your sleeping figure and admire your beauty. First. he brings all your clutter back to your room then slowly picks you up from the couch, into his arms, and brings you back to your room. He places a blanket on top of you and your stuffed plushies next to you so you can hug them any time.

— On a particular night, you fell asleep on the sofa once again and begun to have recurring nightmares. Xiao was there to witness you whimpering, muttering to yourself, and shivering to a mental image that he could not see. (He wishes he could erase all the pain that these nightmares were giving you) You subconsciously grab onto his hand, murmuring to yourself: “Xiao, please don’t go.” He whispers back, “I won’t.” Your nerves slowly relax when you feel the Yaksha squeezing himself to lie next to you on the couch. Holding onto your arm, he continues to reassure you that it was going to be okay. You grab onto him, hugging him from behind. He feels your heartbeat revert back to it’s normal pace and you return back to your peaceful slumber. “I’ll always be here for you, (Y/N). I’ll be here to protect you. Forever and always.” Turning to you to plant a kiss on your forehead, you nestle your head on Xiao’s chest. He watches as you cling to him for love and warmth until he is slowly whisked away by his weariness, rewarded with a peaceful sleep he hasn’t felt in a while.

“And they were roommates.”

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aceinspace691 · 3 years

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40 for the ask thing :D not sure if we're allowed to add more to it but id love it if it was the dteam. if not all good!

Yes, thank you for the prompt! Yeah, for these, you cant be as detailed or as minimal as you want; all I ask for is a pairing and a prompt number, which you gave me :] Thanks again for the prompt and I hope you enjoy! (I may have gone a bit overboard haha...)

I made this sort of a pet au, and this is going to a be a bit angsty at first, but then I'll add in some fluff :D I made Sapnap the giant in here because he definitely seems like the type to be overly enthusiastic and unaware of how the tinies were actually feeling.

Prompt list can be found here! Please send more in, I’d love to write some more :]]

Warnings for: Dehumanization, referring to a person as 'it,' treating people like pets, swearing, fear

Word Count ~ 1250

--------A Bit More Human--------

Sapnap shifted the tiny beings in his hands, leg bouncing in excitement as he observed them. He had bought them earlier that day. They were a new oddity that the world had recently discovered and he'd decided to buy both of them, seeing as it seemed to cause the other distress when he grabbed the one in blue.

"You guys are so cool!" His voice was loud, and he didn't notice how they flinched in his hands. His eyes darted to the one in a green cloak as it moved a bit. "Let me get you guys back in your cage real quick and I'll get something to play with you guys."

He walked briskly over to his cage and slid the two of them off into the cage, which was lined with the shredded material found in hamster cages. The beings pulled at their collars nervously as he grabbed the harnesses to attach the leash to.

He turned away to make sure the harness and leash were properly connected and looked back at the sound of a small click. He locked his gaze with the one in blue, who froze, its hands holding the green collar.

Without thinking, Sapnap shot his hand out, wrapping it around the one in blue and dragging it through the air to be closer to his eyes. He reached out his other hand to grab the collar out of its hand, but didn't make it that far.

"GEORGE!" The voice was full of fear and desperation.

Sapnap froze, lowering that other hand as he looked around in confusion. His gaze rested on the other tiny, in the cage. It looked pale all of a sudden, and it scrambled back as Sapnap leaned closer. It seemed to hesitate before it stiffly took a step closer.

"Please put him down. Don't hurt him." The voice pleaded and Sapnap's brain short-circuited, staring blankly at the tiny being. At the lack of response, the being's pleading grew more intense and desperate. "Please, it was my idea, I'll put it back on, just please don't hurt him."

Sapnap finally registered everything and was flooded with a sense of overwhelming guilt. He placed the one in blue back into the cage, pulling out his phone numbly. He dialed Bad, the other greeting him with a cheery tone.

"Bad, I fucked up."

"Hey, language!" His friend chastised, but then his mind must have caught up because it was followed by, "Oh, wait, what happened? Are you okay?"

"It's just, I got those new tiny things as pets, except apparently they're able to.. Uh, I don't know. They were skittish when I bought them, but..." He sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "I didn't know they were actually afraid of me..."

"Oh, Sapnap.." The voice on the other end was sympathetic. "Are they still in the room with you?"

"Yeah..." He glanced over at the two, noting how they were watching him intently. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Then talk with them," Bad encouraged, "and try to make this better, okay? Call me if you need anything, you muffinhead."

"Bad, what-" The call went silent and he lowered his phone, kneeling slowly in front of the cage. It was one where the lid came off, so he was still staring through the bars. He noticed how they were shifting constantly, the one in blue's hands on his collar.

They were people. Sapnap felt sick, wishing he'd noticed beforehand. He opened his mouth to speak, licking his lips as they suddenly felt dry.

"I, um.. You can take that off." He pushed away the extra guilt that come from the expression of disbelief on that tiny face. It looked so human and he couldn't believe he hadn't connected the dots sooner. "I'm really sorry, and, oh!"

The tinies jumped at the increase in volume, huddling closer as the other collar slipped off and cringing as Sapnap removed the front wall of the cage. He backed away a few steps.

"You don't have to forgive me," he began with, heart pounding, "but I'm really sorry I scared you. And like, bought you. And, uh, didn't treat you like people." Silence met him, and he cleared his throat slightly. "You don't have to stay here either, but I promise if you do, you won't be, like, pets or anything."

"Um," That was the one with the blue one, and Sapnap was shocked to hear a different accent then the other's. "You're going to let us go?"

Sapnap's heart felt heavier as he nodded. He knew that they didn't have to forgive him, but he'd hoped that they would anyway. But, regardless, he'd keep his word.

He was met with relieved smiles from both of them, and he offered a tense one in reply. The two stepped forward slowly, looking around and realizing that they were high up. Sapnap realized this too, and he reached for them without thinking.

He froze as he was met with startled yelping, quickly bringing his hand close to his body.

"Sorry! Sorry..." He felt humiliation and shame course through him and he felt his face redden. He just kept messing up. "I was just going to move you somewhere you could move easier, um," he slowly moved his hand to rest palm up near them, ignoring how they scrambled away, "does this work?"

The one in green looked up at him through eyes that seemed to be weighing their options. He whispered to the one in blue before they both nodded and stepped closer to his hand. He noted their hesitation and tried to hold as still as possible as they started to finally step on.

He was careful as he slowly brought the hand up to his chest, other hand hovering nearby in case something happened. He tensed a bit as he took a step and felt the two lean against his chest.

"Um, where do you guys wanna go?"

"The kitchen." The one in green said, glancing up at him and watching carefully. "Just like, on the counter or something."

Sapnap looked a bit surprised but he didn't comment on it, simply nodding and taking careful, steady steps toward the kitchen. Before long, they were there and h place his hand on the counter for them to get off.

"Wait, um, before you go," Sapnap said, feeling a bit guilty at the way they froze. He was quick to shake his head slightly as he continued, "I, um, it's nothing crazy, and I'm not going to bother you or anything after this, so you'll never have to deal with me if you don't want to, but could I at least know your names? I'm Sapnap."

A moment passed. Then another. The two on the counter exchanged a look and seemed to have a silent conversation before they responded.

"I'm Dream." The one in green said slowly, as if he was gauging Sapnap's reaction. When the latter simply gave a small nod and smile, he continued. "And he's George."

"Nice to meet you, uh, this way, I guess." Sapnap straightened himself, feeling oddly huge and out of place in front of them. He turned to leave, but was stopped by the accented voice-George.

"You won't try to catch us or anything?"

Sapnap glanced over his shoulder with an earnest half-smile. "Nope."

He ignored the feeling of warmth and hope he got in his chest when he heard "See you around then, Sapnap." and knew that he'd have a chance to make everything okay.

#anonymous ask #ace reply #ace writes #mcytgt #mcyt gt #tiny!dream #tiny!george #giant!sapnap #prompt game

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kumeko · 3 years

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A/N: For @giyushinozine! I wanted to tangle with Shinobu’s growing feelings, the complicated mess of her not knowing how she feels only that their relationship isn’t the same as it was before.

…

It was raining. Standing on the threshold of an abandoned house, Shinobu breathed in the earthy air as she watched the steady downpour. Not even the birds and insects wanted to be caught in this weather, and Shinobu missed their usual song. Instead, she was serenaded by the soft plip as rain hit the hole-filled roof, the pitter-patter of droplets as they struck the earth.

This wasn’t the first storm that had caught her unawares. It probably wouldn’t be the last. If anything, a dilapidated building was better than the caves she’d hidden in before. There was no point in risking a cold by heading to the town proper and searching for an inn.

Well, there was one point. Shinobu grimaced as she looked over her shoulder. Barely visible in the gloom was Giyu. Suddenly she found herself longing for a damp cave. Maybe she could even just keep heading home; what was a feverish week in exchange for a couple of hours worth of peace? Getting trapped with Giyu was the worst luck. It had been off-putting running into him while returning from a mission, but spending the night with him?

The rain was looking more and more tempting. Shinobu stared at the dark clouds one last time before stepping back with a sigh. If she got sick and a demon attacked—she shook her head, refusing to entertain the idea any further. She could put up with Giyu until the rain stopped, at least.

Steeling herself, she turned around. The house was a small one with a simple layout. The biggest room was this first room, featuring a sunken hearth and space around for its occupants to huddle. Water leaked into the house from several sizeable holes in the ceiling, but luckily none were near the firepit. Unfortunately, while Giyu was sitting next to the hearth, he hadn’t actually started a fire. Hand on her hip, Shinobu tried to keep her irritation out of her voice as she asked, “Where’s the fire?”

He looked at her, a sleepy expression on his face, and shrugged. “It isn’t there.”

“I can see that.” Shinobu bit her cheek. This was just minute one. She had to at least make it to an hour before giving up. “Whyisn’t there a fire?”

“I didn’t start it,” he answered simply.

Maybe Kanao would visit her in jail. Shinobu gritted her teeth and quickly strode toward the center of the room. “This is why no one likes you. It’s common sense to start a fire when it’s cold.” Ignoring his surprised flinch—and honestly, why did that surprise him? He should know how everyone felt by now—, she knelt by the hearth and inspected the coal there. Oddly shaped and crumbly, they were at least dry and would hopefully kindle. “Otherwise we’ll get sick and the last thing I am doing is carrying you back.”

Giyu didn’t say anything, just watched as she pulled out her tinder. His eyes were barely visible in the half-light. At night, it would be impossible to see him at all. While that was preferable, she didn’t want to break her neck walking around this place in the dark. Luckily, it didn’t take long for the fire to take. The flames flickered to life, a thin curl of smoke rising to the roof. Immediately, the warmth hit her skin and she sat a little further back, letting the heat remove the chill from her bones. She sighed, “That’s better.”

He kept quiet. Soon, the crackling flames were the only sound in the room as they greedily gobbled up the remaining coal. Idly, Shinobu glanced at her companion. She could count the number of times she’d been alone with him with a single hand, maybe two. It was odd. They’d worked together for so long, but she’d never really thought of him before now. Maybe it was his lack of presence or the way he isolated himself. Even now, with no one around but the two of them, he kept to himself, his eyes trained on the fire.

Shinobu had never considered herself someone who needed conversation. She liked silence almost as much as she liked chatter, liked how doing nothing could sometimes be utterly comfortable. This was neither of those things. Feeling awkward and slightly unnerved, she wondered how she should break the silence. The shadows danced across his face in strange patterns. She kept adjusting her posture, her legs falling asleep as they waited, yet he hadn’t moved an inch.

In the end, she didn’t have to. Her stomach gurgled hungrily, and Shinobu immediately wrapped an arm around her waist as a mortified blush burned her neck. She snapped her attention to Giyu. Their eyes met and any hopes she had that he hadn’t noticed vanished. “I…” she mumbled, her brain running in circles as she tried to find an explanation that kept her dignity.

“Hungry?” Giyu asked.

“Yes,” she reluctantly admitted. Somehow, an hour had passed since they’d taken refuge. Even now, the rain didn’t let up, the droplets drumming on the roof as the night took over. Shinobu prided herself on her preparation, but she had planned on arriving home hours ago.

Something crinkled and she watched as Giyu pulled out a leaf-wrapped bundle. Holding it out, he offered, “You can have some.”

“I don’t need—” Her indignant response was immediately cut off as her stomach grumbled yet again. The hot blush on her neck crawled up her cheeks and there was no escaping this now. Flustered, she quickly got up and moved next to Giyu. As she sat down, her hand out to take the food, she growled, “You tell anyone about this and you’re dead.”

Confused, he cocked his head. “Why?”

She wasn’t sure if that was ‘Why would I tell anyone’ or ‘Why would I die’. She also didn’t care. How could she ever look anyone in the eye if they knew that Giyu of all people was more prepared than she was? Shaking her hand insistently, she snapped, “Does it matter?”

Giyu gave her a long, blank stare before slowly unwrapping his bundle, revealing three large onigiri. “No.”

Somehow, even when she got what she wanted, Giyu still frustrated her. What did he think of it all? Did he care? He had thawed since their last, but changes with him were as subtle as erosion on a rock. It didn’t help that he was as dense as one. Fighting down her irritation, she plucked one of the rice balls from his hand. The very round rice balls—Giyu took the ‘ball’ part literally it seemed. Still, maybe it tasted good.

A single bite dashed her hopes: the food was as tasteless as he was. Resisting the urge to gag at its blandness, she asked, “Do you know what salt is?”

“Yes.” Of course his expression remained utterly placid as he ate. Bite after bite, his face was as still as a lifeless pond. Maybe his taste buds had died long ago. Noticing her stare, he held out the last ball. “You want another?”

She couldn’t stop the grimace. “I can barely handle this one.” There was no point in nuance or tip-toeing around a matter with him. If Shinobu didn’t bluntly state it, he wouldn’t get it. “Did you make this? It’s terrible.”

“Terrible?” Shocked, he looked at the ball, then back at her. It was like kicking an ugly puppy.

“Yes, terrible. You can’t serve this to anyone.” Shinobu rolled her eyes. “How did you mess up something so simple? Even I can do this.”

“Oh.” Looking utterly devastated, he stared at the rice ball. It was impressive how broken he looked, even though his expression didn’t change much.

“Just add salt next time,” Shinobu relented, already tired of insulting him. Like this, he reminded her too much of Kanao when she’d first started learning things. Kanao. Her mind wandered to the Butterfly Estate, to the five girls waiting there. Well, perhaps four now that Kanao had her own duties. Aoi would be worried. She always worried too much. “She won’t like this,” she muttered, half to herself.

Still chewing on his riceball like a hamster, Giyu shot her an inquisitive look. “Who?”

She hadn’t intended to say that aloud. Another clumsy mistake in front of him. Maybe she should just bury him under the wisteria trees; they needed the nourishment. Reticently, she mumbled, “Aoi.”

He only looked at her, perplexed. Shinobu longed for the good old days when she didn’t care about anything. Louder now, she repeated, “Aoi. I’m late from the mission, she must be worried.”

“She isn’t,” Giyu replied immediately.

It took her a full minute to process his response. Gritting her teeth, she asked politely, “Why not?”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” he stated flatly with the absolute assurance that only a complete moron had.

Last Shinobu had heard, there was another water pillar in training. They wouldn’t miss Giyu’s absence for long. Curling her hand into a fist, Shinobu glared at him. “This might be a foreign concept to you, but some people actually care about others.”

Honestly, she wasn’t sure what about him made her so angry. It couldn’t just be his rudeness—Sanemi was twice as rude and she didn’t want to murder him at every encounter. No, it had to be something deeper than that, but she didn’t want to waste her thoughts on it, on him. Focusing instead on her nails digging into her skin, she forced herself to calm down.

Now that her appetite was appeased, however badly, she listened to their surroundings once more. The rain tapped unevenly on the roof, the storm abating slightly. Unfortunately, it was still rain. She was still trapped here with him. Resigning herself to her fate, she shifted to get more comfortable one. “Even in this weather, a demon might come. We’ll have to take shifts,” she announced, rubbing the back of her neck.

Giyu nodded his agreement.

When he didn’t say anything else, Shinobu added irately, “I’ll take first watch.”

Once more, he merely nodded. Rude, lacking manners, utterly unreadable—Shinobu didn’t know how it was possible to find only new disappointments with a single person. The only thing he had going for him was his slightly above-average looks, and even that was ruined the second he did something. Fine, whatever, she thought. It wasn’t like she could sleep comfortably, knowing the only thing between her and death was him.

Leaning forward, she stoked the coals once more, embers flying as she gathered the broken rocks together. “Make sure this doesn’t disappear when it’s your turn.” Satisfied, Shinobu sat back and stretched her arms above her. Maybe she should take a walk after this and smooth out the crinks in her back. “I’ll wake you up in four hours.”

“Okay.” Crossing his arms, Giyu buried his hands in his sleeves. His eyes remained open.

“You know you can sleep, right?” she asked, just in case he didn’t understand what a ‘watch’ meant. The other pillars didn’t like him, after all. Maybe he’d never gone on a mission this long with someone other than her.

“Yes,” he nodded, his eyes still wide open. There was nothing about his stiff posture that looked like a man about to sleep.

It wasn’t worth pursuing it any further. She refused to go bald from the stress of dealing with him. And if he didn’t trust her abilities enough to rest, well, he was the one who wanted to pull an all-nighter.

Making herself comfortable, Shinobu rested her cheek on her hand as she watched the coals. It was going to be a long, uneventful night. Even demons didn’t like coming out on nights like these. In the distance, she heard an owl hoot, the rustling of leaves, the chirping of crickets. The rain almost washed it all out, a steady static noise. It had been too long since she’d had an uneventful night like this.

An hour passed. Then another. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she observed Giyu’s profile. He was just as hard to grasp from his side as he had been from the front. Maybe he’d be a mystery to her for her entire life. Tired as she was, that didn’t sound entirely bad.

“You’re strong,” he said, breaking the silence. She wasn’t sure if she was still in her watch or part way through his now.

Drowsy, she retorted, “Of course I am.”

“You’re strong,” he repeated, as though she hadn’t said anything. “So no one has to worry about you. The strong…” he paused. She could feel the weight of it. “The strong come back.”

She didn’t have to ask if that was personal experience. There was only one reason anyone joined the corps, after all. Still, Shinobu wished she was sitting across the fire, still able to see his expression. Or even just was more awake than she was now. His voice had a flavour to it. She could only imagine what he looked like.

Her eyes closed. Opened. Closed again. The next time Shinobu was aware of her surroundings, there was a warmth behind her head and a strong arm around her shoulders. Giyu’s, her fuzzy mind provided helpfully. She should be disgusted, but it was warm and comfortable, so she’d allow it just this once. His breathing was even, as always, and she fell asleep once more to the sound of his heartbeat.

When Shinobu woke up the next morning, she was alone. Curled up on the ground and a jacket covering her shoulders, but utterly alone. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly sat up and glanced around. Sunlight filtered through the holes in the roof, illuminating the place. There wasn’t hide nor hair of Giyu anywhere. It felt almost like a dream, though if it had him in it, it had to be a nightmare.

The only proof that any of it happened was his jacket on her shoulders, keeping her warm. It fell to her lap in a crumpled heap as she straightened up. Gingerly, she picked it up between two fingers, eyeing the fabric distastefully.

What, exactly, was she supposed to do with this? Returning it felt like a loss. Shinobu glanced at the hearth in front of her. She could still burn it in there; even if the coals were gone, there was plenty of dry wood in this house.

She bit her lip, studying the jacket once more. Part of her could still feel the warmth of his shoulder, hear his quiet voice. Shinobu couldn’t return it, couldn’t destroy it. Couldn’t figure out exactly what riled her up about this man. It’d be easier if she didn’t care or was truly as disgusted by him as she acted.

Sighing, she folded the damned fabric. If she couldn’t figure out what to do with it now, she’d just have to keep it until she did.

#giyushino #tomioka giyuu #shinobu kochō #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #fanfic

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hyuckssunchip · 3 years

Text

Do You Believe In Fate?

Pairings: Jaemin x Reader

Words: 2.4K

Warnings: some angst, some fluff

Summary:

Fate /fāt/ noun

“The development of events beyond a person’s control”

There’s a plan for every one out there, at least that’s what Jaemin wholeheartedly believes. What happens when fate takes a different path?

Because love is a little difficult, sometimes you have to say goodbye.

collab: for @rvse-hvvck‘s Sometimes Letting Go

“사랑이 좀 어려워”

~Bye My First...

“Do you believe in fate?” You felt the soft rumble of his words vibrate through you as your head rested on your boyfriend’s chest.

“Hmmm?”

“Fate? You know, like people that are destined to be together?”

You nodded in response, eyes still shut, sleep dragging them down. Jaemin tended to do this. It was always well into the night when he decided he wanted to get deep and profound. You enjoyed this side of him just as much as you enjoyed the goofy energizer bunny he was, but you preferred these discussions to happen when you weren’t trying to get well needed sleep.

“Do you?” It came out as a murmur, but Jaemin was listening so intently that there was no way he could’ve missed it.

“Yeah, it brought me to you.” You smiled at his comment, he never failed to make your heart flutter.

Your eyes wandered over the silhouette of your boyfriend, his body language telling you that what you dreaded was in fact reality.

You hadn’t fought in months, but things weren’t right.

You wished you could remember the exact date, you wished you could pinpoint the day that things began to fall apart. Maybe then things wouldn’t be the way that they were now.

It didn’t happen overnight. It was slow, but at the same time it happened so quickly. It snuck up on you.

You could feel it, but you ignored it, for days, weeks, months. Far too long.

It was at some point when there had become a defined line on each side of the bed, yours and his. It was a separation that had come gradually, and without noticing, you had found yourself spending countless nights huddled alone on your side of the bed. The small gap between the two of you had grown, it felt like a canyon, impossible to cross.

It didn’t used to be like this.

The date nights you had once adored, fizzled to an end.

“That one’s Venus… I think.” You giggled at the face Jaemin made, utter concentration. He had studied the constellations just for tonight, but it seemed that no matter how much he tried to focus, his mind was running circles around you.

He gave you a shy smile and peered under his lashes. Rubbing the back of his neck he was quick to admit that he forgot.

“I’m gonna be honest, the only star I see right now is you.”

It should’ve made you cringe. But the smile that accompanied the line was more than enough to make you swoon.

You stared at his side profile, something you could never get used to. You felt the urge to reach out and touch him, to assure yourself that this was real.

Getting caught staring at him, you tore your eyes away, nervously searching the sky for a new constellation, something to get your mind off of him. You hummed to yourself, a nervous habit you had taken up.

He shuffled closer towards you, your heart falling to your stomach. There were no words that could explain how you felt. It was a nervous sickness that made you feel nauseous, but at the same time it was butterflies dancing in the pit of your stomach, dying to be let loose.

Your heart was beating so loudly you were sure that he would notice by now. It was in a matter of seconds that you realized that you were only inches apart now. The specks in his eyes visible, sucking you in.

You gripped the fabric of the blanket below you unknowingly, a way to keep you grounded.

It happened in less than a second, but lasted for what felt like forever. It wasn’t until you felt the lingering faint breaths that you had realized he had kissed you.

He pulled back slightly, taking a glance at your reaction, timidly making eye contact.

“Oh.”

“Oh?” He asked, a slight waver in his voice.

“That was fast.”

He sat back, rolling his head back up towards the sky, a grimace pulling taught over his features. You could see the beginnings of regret accumulating in his posture.

“I’m sorry.”

You bit your lip, trying to find a way to rephrase that.

“Could you do it again? It was too fast, I feel like I may have missed it.” You smiled shyly at the way his eyes popped open, eager to find yours.

Despite his reaction, he didn’t move and you frowned, becoming impatient.

You leaned over and pecked his cheek, watching as a light blush raced across his face.

That was the last time hesitated with you.

The wild nights that you thought would never end, midnight memories that made your heart swell. They left with the rising of dawn.

Your legs rocked in rhythm with his, the swing creaking under the constant movement.

“Do you think that there’s a plan for us?”

“A plan?”

“Yeah, like we were supposed to meet … like do you think there’s someone up there watching us and smiling cause we made it? We found each other?”

“Maybe.” You giggled at the sudden thought, “Maybe they’re laughing at us right now.”

He turned to face you, “Why would they laugh at us?”

“We’re kind of boring aren’t we? Kind of dumb too.” You laughed, throwing your head back, almost falling off the swing set.

“So? We can be dumb and in love.” He pouted at you, head tilted as if waiting for you to argue.

“Yeah, you’re right.” There was a pause. You watched the breath of air condense and then disappear.

“We’re pretty lucky aren’t we?” He was using that tone again, the one where you couldn’t quite tell if he realized he was speaking out loud.

“Yeah.”

The two of sat in silence as he snaked his hand around the chain, grasping yours in his own tightly.

“Let’s go to the beach.”

You couldn’t stop the smile that blossomed on your face.

“Now?”

“Why not?” You laughed at the determined look in his eyes.

“Alright.” Before you could even finish the word, you were dragged to his car, the warmth surrounding you for a moment.

His hand rested on yours throughout the drive, the soft music of the radio leaving a comfortable ambience.

It wasn’t much later that you began to see the horizon fill with water, just the glow of the moon as light.

You felt the car slow to a stop, and the slight squeeze of his hand in yours indicated you arrived.

He gripped your wrist, tugging you to the trunk of his car, already set up from your last date. Together you fell against the pillows, tangling yourselves in the multitude of blankets.

Lingering in each other’s clutches you gazed into the scenery before you, the moon reflecting on the surface of the ocean. Only the sounds of your own breathing and crashing of the waves as background music.

It was some time later when the white glow began to pick up pigment.

The faded orange of the sun started to repress the once hollow black night. It was the only moment in the day that you could look directly at the sun, washing away any of the serene moments that hid in the night. Moments like these.

The comfort of insomniac nights, you would lay staring at the ceiling, talking about your future. They too disappeared with the moon.

“What if we got a dog?” You laughed at his suggestion.

“A dog? Why so sudden? Jaemin you can’t even take care of yourself, how on earth are you going to take care of a dog?”

He flopped backwards on the bed, “That’s what I have you for.” He winked at you, a sly attempt in winning you over.

“Come on, Jeno and his girlfriend just got a dog, they go on cute dates with him all the time. I wanna go on cute dates with a dog.” He whined at you, tugging you into the bed alongside him.

“Then let’s borrow their dog. Taking care of a dog is a lot of work.” You poked his side, not willing to give in. As much as you adored the thought of getting a puppy with Jaemin, you knew how much work it would be.

“A cat then? They aren’t that hard to take care of.” He had turned to face you, trying to catch your attention.

“Jaemin, we’re not going to get a pet just for the sake of getting a pet.” You giggled, staring up at the ceiling and refusing to meet his stare.

“A goldfish?”

“Jaemin.”

“Fine. But a hamster would’ve been really cute.” He pouted beside you and you rolled your eyes at his antics.

Seconds of silence later, you moved to get up, but before you could he wrapped his arms around you.

“Don’t go.” He whispered, trapping you inbetween the sheets, his chest pressed tightly against your back.

You sighed at the sounds of his pleading, it broke your heart to hear him so vulnerable.

“Just for a moment.” You hushed back, not willing to break the mood.

A moment passed, but you couldn’t bring yourself to move.

You felt his hand trail up your back, tracing the line of your spine.

Your eyes searched the night sky, staring past the window at the sparkle of the city below you.

Jaemin’s hand had reached a steady rhythm, slowly lulling you to sleep.

“Do you want to live with me?”

It was such a big step, such a heavy question to have in the middle of the night. But you didn’t doubt your answer for a moment.

“Of course.”

You didn’t need to look at him to see the huge grin overtake his face.

“I want to wake up everyday with you in my arms. I don’t want to have to say goodbye, I don’t want to have to wait a whole day to see you.”

You hummed, finding comfort in his arms that reached around you, only to grip tighter.

“I’m not leaving.”

He rested his chin on your shoulder, following the movement of your eyes, only to land on the face of the moon, watching over the two of you.

The two of you bathed in the moonlight for a moment, it was gone when you woke up.

It was in the moments in which you did nothing in particular that you felt the most content.

You stared down at your boyfriend, his head laying in your lap, his bottom half sprawled across the couch. The TV was playing in the background, not garnering much attention from either of you.

Your fingers ran through Jaemin’s hair, watching his expression soften the longer you continued. He had been silent for a long time now.

It was comfortable, something that you knew was dangerous.

You leaned your head against the back of the couch, closing your own eyes, a wave of relaxation washing over you.

He spoke up quietly, never opening his eyes.

“I think I could stay here forever.”

It wasn’t something uncommon for him to say. He let you know often how much he wanted you to be his eternity, how much he believed you were his forever.

“Me too.” There wasn’t doubt in your voice. You were sure of it, just like you were sure that no matter how many live’s you live, you would find him again.

He rolled onto his side, facing towards your stomach as he cuddle deeper into you.

“Jeno broke up with his girlfriend.”

You opened your eyes, surprised at his sudden admission.

“Really? I thought things were going so well though? They were so cute together.”

He hummed back.

“Is he okay?” You bit your lip, not liking the feeling you got in your stomach.

“Yeah.” It came out raspy, as if he was struggling to say it. “I don’t ever want that to happen to us.”

You tensed underneath him.

“Me neither.”

“Let’s never even think about it, okay?” He tilted his head up to meet your eyes with his. A promise in his gaze.

A loud bang from the TV startled you, and you faced the screen. He continued to stare at you, fighting the growing knot in his stomach.

Contentment isn’t love. Contentment is settling, you don’t settle for love, you fight for love.

But there wasn’t much to fight for anymore.

“I think we’ve had enough.”

You froze, you knew this was coming. In fact it should’ve arrived months ago.

It took all the strength and energy in you to nod. He was right.

You collapsed onto the couch, burying your head into your palms. It still hurt, no matter how much you had expected it.

You felt the couch dip and his body warmth let you know of his presence. Without a word he pulled you towards his chest, engulfing you for what may be the last time.

“I still love you.”

“I know.”

You nuzzled into his neck. If you closed your eyes, it didn’t feel like it was the end.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really.” Words didn’t need to be said or heard. You both knew why.

It would be worse to stay here, struggling together, sucking the energy out of each other. It would be best to end things before you ended up resenting each other. At least you hoped that much.

He continued anyways, a brief silence not strong enough to hold him back. “I don’t know when it happened. It wasn’t something that you did, or didn’t do.”

Head still snuggled into his side, you refused to move.

“I know, it wasn’t either of our faults.”

For a moment he stilled with fear, you could feel it in the way that his arms tensed around you.

“I’m being selfish aren’t I? Is this a mistake?”

You wanted to agree with him, you wanted to say with your whole chest that he was right. He was being selfish. This is a mistake. Why would he ever leave you?

But you couldn’t. It was the right thing to do.

“It’s okay to be selfish.” You forced the lump in the back of your throat down.

Whether he noticed the way your breath hitched in your throat or not, he didn’t care to show it.

“I don’t want to be.” He mumbled into the top of your head, and you savoured the feeling for the last time.

“Do you think they’re looking down at us laughing right now?”

He shook his head, a sad smile on his face.

“You know, I think fate had a different plan for us.”

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theluckiestwitchathogwarts · 3 years

Text

Winter Love

HELLO hi @coffeecomicsgalore this is my @mlsecretsanta fic for you! I had so much fun writing this one, happy holidays! Massive thank you to @adrienettes-hamster for beta-ing!

Also on FFnet and AO3!

Mid-November is when the chill of the impending winter started to set in. Not cold enough for snow, but cold enough that Ladybug had begun to notice her kitty shivering while on patrols. Granted, she was quite cold herself, but she was handling it better than Chat Noir.

“Do you need to stop, Chat?”

“No, I’m fine,” he stuttered out between chattering teeth.

“Chat, go home and get warm. We can patrol again tomorrow night.” Her voice was soft but commanding, and his ears drooped. “I’ll bring some hot chocolate, okay?” His ears perked up a bit at the mention of that.

“Okay then. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he replied with a small smile, turning and bounding away with his staff.

She watched him for a moment before turning herself, luckily only needing to travel a few blocks to her own home. The dull light of the lamp she had left on before heading out cut into the darkness. It was still relatively early in the night, only around 9 o’ clock, but she knew that her parents would already be in bed, ready for next morning’s early rise.

Marinette landed on her balcony and hopped down through the skylight onto her bed before calling off her transformation. When Tikki swirled out of the earrings and into her hands, she was also shivering.

“Yeah, it is a bit too cold tonight,” Marinette mumbled to her as she cupped her hands around her kwami. “Let me grab us some hot chocolate, okay?” Tikki nodded, her little head bobbing up and down as vigorously as Chat’s jaw was. Marinette gently slid her onto her pillow then climbed down the ladder to the rest of her room, then the ladder to the rest of the apartment. Finding her favourite mug clean and ready to be used, she ducked down and grabbed the teacup she had hidden for Tikki. It was almost matching with her favourite design, covered with florals over a white background, and it had belonged to one of the dolls from her childhood doll house.

Marinette hummed while she filled the mugs with the still-steaming hot chocolate from the flask her mother had left out for her. She wondered whether or not it would snow soon, and if it would shut the school down. Would the snow mean Hawkmoth would slow down on attacks? Or would he send out more akumas?

She wondered about her friends. Alya would probably spend most of the time babysitting her sisters, Marinette by her side of course. Nora might be home for the winter. Nino would probably be glued to his computer, creating new tracks and networking with other DJs. Adrien…

Adrien would keep up his studies with Nathalie. Marinette knew how tough his dad was on him based on how detailed his schedule was. Mandarin lessons, fencing, piano, modelling and school? And she thought she was busy between school, sewing and saving Paris. Then again, saving Paris was never on a set schedule. She supposed she and Adrien weren’t too different in that aspect.

Adrien had been shivering a bit in class recently. While everyone else bundled up in their warmest sweaters and thermals, Adrien’s outfits didn’t seem to hold the same temperature. Did Gabriel favour style over comfort? The very thought burned Marinette.

She stopped pouring as she realised it was about to overflow her mug, and set the flask down with a hardened resolve. This Christmas, she was going to knit something warm for her two favourite people. The gears in her mind began ticking over as she thought of what to give each of them. She still had Adrien’s head measurements from when she created the hat for the contest a year or two back, and his body’s measurements from the designs she had made for her website... maybe a sweater? Or a beanie?

She didn’t have Chat’s measurements though. She supposed if she worked hard and fast enough she might be able to squeeze in a blanket. Now she had to think of patterns for both...

Marinette made her way back up to her room, carefully balancing the mugs in one hand as she pushed the trap door up then set them down on the floor to climb inside.

“Tikki?” She called out gently. “Hot chocolate has arrived.”

She set them down on the bench by her computer as she opened up her sketchbook. Knowing it would take longer, she began working on the blanket’s design, but stopped short as she realised that while she knew her partner, she didn’t really know him. She vaguely remembered his favourite colour was green, and funnily enough was a cat person, both literally and figuratively. Marinette began to worry that what she makes wouldn’t be good enough for him, or that he wouldn’t like it.

“What are you working on, Marinette?” Tikki asked sleepily while sipping her hot chocolate.

“Both Adrien and Chat Noir haven’t been dealing with the cold well, so I figured I’d knit them both something warm for Christmas,” Marinette replied as she began writing in some notes. Tikki peered over the book and looked back at Marinette.

“A blanket? Will you have time to make that? Christmas is only a month away.”

“I know, but I figured if I work on it in all of my spare time then I might be able to get it done in time. Hopefully there’s a few snow days in the next few weeks,” Marinette said as she glanced out the window. The window stubbornly continued to show no sign of snow, though there was the twinkling of stars between the clouds.

Tikki took another sip of her drink. “Who’s the blanket for?”

“Chat Noir. I have Adrien’s measurements, so I was thinking either a beanie or a sweater, but I’m not sure of Chat’s. What do you think?” Marinette picked up a green pencil and began to shade in the sketch. In each corner there was a small, blocky cat face with light whiskers.

“He does tend to wear that short sleeved top a lot. I think sweater.”

Marinette hummed and nodded in agreement. “I think you’re right. What about the middle of this?” She held the page up to Tikki, who had ditched the now empty cup and was snuggled into her neck. “I was thinking maybe the initials C.N. but that might be too obvious.”

“What about a Yin Yang symbol, but a ladybug as the white dot and whiskers on the black dot?”

“Tikki, you’re a genius!”

And so Marinette got to work, having most of the yarn colours she required already. Quite a few rows in, she started to nod off and, seeing that it was now well past her bedtime, climbed the ladder to her bed and whispered goodnight to Tikki.

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

“That’s… a lot of yarn, Marinette,” Alya said with mild concern. “You surely haven’t gotten this low by now?

Marinette shrugged, or at least shrugged the best she could with her arms piled up with rolls of yarn. “I’ve got a few commissions and wanted to be sure. I can use what’s left to make some gifts as well.”

Marinette had dragged Alya on a shopping trip for materials after school the next day. She had some pocket money saved up from chores and her birthday. Half an hour later, they emerged from the fabric store with a lot of yarn and some new shearing scissors, an early gift from Alya.

“Ooh, who’s commissioned you? It must be a big project!”

Marinette almost stumbled, unsure if she should tell Alya, even if she did have the perfect cover up for it. But then again, she knew her best friend.

“Uh, Ladybug commissioned a blanket as a gift for Chat Noir. Apparently they’re having a tough time on their night patrols with the chill.”

Alya’s eyes bugged out of her head and she squealed, “Oh my god, that is so cute! She’s totally in love with him!”

This time Marinette did really stop. “No way! She did not give off that vibe at all when she came around! It’s just really cold at night!”

“Babe, you don’t just commission a whole BLANKET for your friend!” Alya shook her by her shoulders, a few rolls threatening to fall out of Marinette’s arms, who gasped a loud “careful!”

“They’re friends, Alya, and friends can share a blanket when it’s cold. Can we please drop it?”

Alya huffed and rolled her eyes. “Sure, but you know I’m right!”

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

Later that night, Marinette was zooming through rows of knitting on her balcony. She barely stopped for a few bites of the dinner that her mother had brought up earlier. When her hands began cramping, she turned back to her sketchbook to work on the design for Adrien’s sweater. She figured it best to keep it simple, and made it light green in shade with darker green and black accents. When the cramping had lessened, she picked up the needles again and started knitting furiously again.

Around 8 o’ clock, Tikki nudged her and reminded her that she needs to meet up with Chat Noir. Marinette thanked her and transformed, grabbed the bag of treats she had snuck up earlier, then leapt off the balcony with her yoyo flying off into the distance.

She found Chat Noir on their rooftop an arrondissement away, huddled next to the chimney for warmth.

“Chaton, look what I brought!”

His ears perked up and his lips curved into a wide smile. “That doesn’t just smell like hot chocolate, m’lady. Is that…” his eyes lit up as she lifted the Dupain-Cheng bakery box out of the bag after the flasks, “croissants? And macarons?”

She matched his smile and replied, “all of the above, plus pain au chocolat. Only the best for the cat hero of Paris!” She had to set down the box quickly as he crushed her in a hug. She wrapped her arms around him as well, happy that he was happy. She didn’t miss his murmur of “what did I do to deserve you?” and simply hugged him tighter, almost shielding him from the cool wind. He let go after a few more moments, diving for the flask of hot chocolate and sitting against the chimney.

“Half hour of snacking before we make the rounds?”

“Works for me,” Chat Noir replied in between sips, visibly settling down as the drink warmed him up from the inside. “How did you get the Dupain-Cheng goods? Aren’t they closed by now?”

“They are, but I picked them up just before they closed for the day, so they’re pretty fresh.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, she did get them from the last batch her father made for the day.

Chat Noir hummed as he bit into a macaron, savouring the taste. “They are the best in town, no competition.”

“You’re not wrong there.” Ladybug took this moment of comfortable silence to take the top off of her flask and have a long drink of her hot chocolate. They sat together, shoulder to shoulder against the chimney and the wind started to settle down.

The sun had well and truly set by now, the moon as bright as ever with the stars shining like the streetlights below them. Tonight, there were no clouds, and nothing above them but the open sky. Ladybug loved the sight, and found it to be the second best perk of being a superhero, the first being partnered with Chat Noir. Her friend, Chat Noir, she thought, thinking back to Alya’s words earlier in the day. She was in love with Adrien and absolutely, definitely, totally had no such feelings for Chat Noir.

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

Marinette was exhausted, to say the least.

It was now the beginning of December, and the blanket was just over half done. She had resorted to bringing in her spare needles and knitting before and after class to start on Adrien’s sweater, and ignored anyone and everyone that asked about it with a small blush.

She also resorted to ignoring any pressing by Alya on Ladybug’s “commission” of the blanket, which had not died out as time had gone on. Alya wanted to know everything from the words Ladybug said to her expression and body language as she spoke about Chat Noir. Marinette now highly regretted giving in and telling her anything.

Thinking of the blanket, she thought about the surprise she was given when Chat Noir dropped in a few nights before.

A gentle rapping on the window shook Marinette from her concentration as she began a new colour for the Yin Yang. She looked around as she heard the telltale swoosh of Tikki hiding and saw Chat Noir waving from her balcony with a sheepish look on her face. She set down the blanket, laying it flat on the floor, and climbed up her ladder to open it.

“Chat Noir? What are you doing here?”

“Forgive me, but I saw your light on while I was out for a run. It’s getting very cold and my own place is a bit too far for me right now. Do you mind if I warm up in here for a few minutes?”

She wasn’t aware of any patrol they had planned. She double checked the day it was in her head and confirmed yes, it was their night off.

“O-Of course you can, would you like anything to eat or drink?” She moved aside for him to jump in, and watched as he looked around the room in wonder.

“Some hot chocolate, if you have any, please,” he replied, eyes moving from the chaise to the various mannequins and designs strewn about the room.

Marinette dearly hoped he wouldn’t know it was the same he had had just a few weeks ago, and a few times since as the temperature continued to drop.

“S-Sure thing, I’ll be right back.”

She climbed down after him, throwing a panicked glance to where Tikki was hiding and subtly gestured for her to follow. She climbed down the trapdoor to the kitchen and turned to Tikki.

“What is he doing here?” Tikki asked.

“I don’t know! It’s not patrol night! He’s going to recognise my recipe for sure!” She began to pace the kitchen.

“Calm down Marinette, he might just think you sell it here. You said you bought the treats from here didn’t you?”

“I mean yeah, but what if his civilian identity comes here often enough to know it’s not sold?” Marinette could not keep calm, but she kept her voice quiet. No need to freak out both her parents and her unexpected guest.

“New product for winter?”

That stopped Marinette in her tracks. “That could work.” Her nerves stilled, she grabbed two mugs and the flask, filling them and turning back to Tikki again with a smile. “You always know how to calm me down.”

Tikki giggled, “Kwami of luck and maybe logic as well. You best get back to him, we’ve been down here for a while now.”

As if on cue, they heard a soft knock on the door, and an even softer, “You okay down there?”

Marinette took the mugs by the handles, calling back, “Can you please open the door?”

The trapdoor opened as Marinette climbed up, and Chat Noir hastened to take one from her hand, and helped her up with his other one. Claws brushed her wrist as his grip tightened on her hand and while she shouldn’t have been surprised, his strength as he pulled her up caught her off guard slightly.

“I just couldn’t find my mug, I always have hot chocolate in it,” she raised her mug as she spoke.

“That’s a nice one. And this is really good,” he said, taking a sip. Marinette watched his eyes as a hint of recognition flickered over them, but he didn’t say anything about it.

“It’s a… family recipe. We just began selling it in the bakery for the winter.”

His face relaxed, and Marinette let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“What are you knitting?”

Man, if this cat didn’t stop. Sure, it’s an innocent question on his part, but Marinette was getting increasingly worried about hiding the truth.

“Oh! Uh, it’s a blanket for a friend of mine. They’re a… big fan of you and Ladybug.”

“And the other needles? I like the different shades of green on it.”

“That’s going to be a sweater, for another friend. He doesn’t seem to have a lot of warm clothes so I’m hoping this will help him.”

“That’s a really lovely gesture, Marinette. One of my friends is into fashion as well, you would get on great with her.”

Marinette hummed in agreement, then said, “I hope you don’t mind me returning to it, I’m trying to get them both done by Christmas.” “Of course not. I should get going now though,” he tipped his mug towards her, empty already, “Thank you very much for the drink, Princess.”

Marinette’s jaw dropped slightly and almost dropped her needles as well. “I-I… you’re welcome, a-any time.”

“I’ll take you up on that,” he replied suavely, adding a wink. Marinette waited until he was safely back out onto her balcony before rolling her eyes with a smile, and got back to her knitting. Stupid cat and his flirting.

Seeing that Madame Bustier was running late, she took Adrien’s sweater out of her bag and began to knit. She had switched out her small clutch for a larger, water-proof bag once she realised she’d need to bring the yarn and needles to class in order to finish it in time. Most of the class had been asking about it so far, including Nino and Alya, but Adrien had been quiet about it until now, when he walked in right as Marinette started another row.

“Hey Marinette, you’re early. What are you making?”

“Oh! Adrien, sweater- hi, uh, I mean-”

“It looks great so far. Green would look nice on you.”

Marinette squeaked and went bright red. “O-oh, uh, thank you, but it’s for a friend,” she giggled nervously.

“Well then, they’re a lucky friend!” Adrien smiled as he began unpacking his notebook and pencil case, and turned to the front. Madam Bustier walked in a moment later, gesturing for Marinette to put away the needles. Marinette didn’t miss the slight shiver that Adrien had to his frame, nor the goosebumps beginning to raise on his arms and the back of his neck.

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

“Chat Noir!”

It was the week before Christmas, and Marinette was in the home stretch of finishing this blanket. She was knitting on her balcony, hot chocolate by her side and just sheltered from the light snowfall. But now, she could just see the silhouette of the cat hero a few roofs away. He turned his head in surprise and as a result, almost fell off of his staff. She waved her hand, gesturing for him to come over to her.

As he got closer, she called out, “What are you doing out in the snow? It’s way too cold for someone in a skin-tight suit to be out here!”

“But Princess, you’re out here too!” he called back, now standing in front of her.

“I am wrapped up in sweaters and fuzzy pants, with a blanket over me, not a skin-tight suit, as I said! You should be at home, as warm and wrapped up as I am,” she finished on a gentler note as his ears drooped.

“I… don’t want to be home right now. I got into a fight with my father. Can I stay here for a bit?”

Her heart dropped and her eyes filled with sympathy for him. She knew it was a bad situation, but not leave-the-house-in-the-middle-of-winter bad. “Of course you can.”

She opened the skylight, carefully plopping down her almost-finished blanket and needles, then climbed in after it. He shook the snow from his hair, passed her half-empty mug of hot chocolate to her and hopped down onto the bed. She put the mug on a ledge next to her bed and said, “Do you need a hug?”

Almost immediately, he wrapped her in a bear hug not unlike the one he gave Ladybug a few weeks prior. She raised her arms just in time and curled them around his neck and if she happened to feel a tear or two slide onto her shoulders, she didn’t mention it.

Her hands weaved themselves into his wild hair, holding him close. She stayed silent, knowing words couldn’t convey the comfort she tried to give him. His arms were so long, they almost doubled back to himself. Together, they shivered, as he cried onto her shoulder silently and the wind blew through the skylight above. She untangled one of her hands to reach up and close it, but Chat Noir took this as a sign to let go and step back. Her other hand still tangled, she lost balance and they fell, Chat Noir landing on top of her as she hit the bed with an “oof!”

Marinette drew in a sharp breath as Chat Noir’s head hit her collarbone. That’s going to leave a bruise, she thought with a wince.

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?”

“Yeah, just knocked the breath out of me,” she replied, finally removing her hand from his hair. She sat up as he hurried to get off of her and sat at the end of her bed, both of their eyes wide open.

“So, um-”

“I-”

They both tried to speak at once, giggling when they stopped. Chat Noir gestured for her to speak first, so she did.

“Do you want some hot chocolate?”

“Please,” he replied gratefully, moving aside so she could climb down the ladder, following after her. She returned after a few minutes, setting their mugs down next to her computer. “Can you pass me down the blanket, please? I’m so close to finishing,” she asked as she held out her arms for it to be dropped into. She stumbled when it landed; it felt heavier than she expected it to be. Oh well, she thought, this means it should be extra warm.

She got settled in her desk chair, the blanket flowing down past her feet as Chat Noir settled on her chaise with his mug. They sat in a comfortable quiet, the only sounds in the room coming from the whirring of her computer, the clacking of the needles and a sip from Chat Noir every once in a while. She’d look up from time to time, and see his bright eyes staring back at her with a shy interest. There were hints of dried tears on his face, and she subtly elbowed the tissue box beside her towards him.

At last, she finished the last row of the blanket. She cast off, spreading it out on the floor and stepped back to look at her work. Chat Noir joined her, looking over it in wonder.

“How long did this take you?”

“Just under a month. I’ve been knitting as fast as I can and spent almost every waking moment on it. Except for when I’ve been at school, which I spent working on this,” she said as she pulled out the sweater for Adrien. “It’s for my friend Adrien. His father doesn’t really let him wear clothes that would give him comfort. I mean, I get that as a model he’s always representing the brand, but what kind of father chooses style over comfort for his own son? I’m surprised he hasn’t frozen to death already,” she tried to lighten the end of her rant as she realised she was getting angry.

He took a gentle hold on her elbow, and she looked up to face him. He had an odd look on his face, like he was embarrassed, though he had no reason to be.

“You’re an amazing friend, Marinette, and I’m sure he is going to love yo- it.”

She beamed at his praise and set it down on the chair, hugging him again with her whole body, his own arms wrapping tightly around her.

“Thank you for the hot chocolate, but I think I should go before my father realises I’m gone.”

She squeezed him tighter for a moment and whispered, “Will you be okay there? You know you’re welcome at any time, okay?”

He squeezed her back and replied, “I think I’ll be okay, but I will let you know,” and stepped back, taking care to not step on the blanket. She watched as he climbed the ladder and up onto the balcony, only looking back to wave her goodbye. She waved in reply then folded the blanket up, putting it into the bag she had reserved for patrols.

With only half a sleeve to go, she picked up the needles and set herself back down on the chair, continuing her work on Adrien’s sweater.

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

Conveniently enough, the next morning was announced to be the last school day before holiday break, as the weather predicted heavy snowfall for the coming days. Unfortunately though, it gave Marinette only today to give the now-completed sweater to Adrien. It was wrapped and labelled to and from (both Marinette and Alya made sure of it) but Marinette was frozen when she reached the classroom, causing Alya to bump into her back.

“Marinette! You can do this,” she heard her hiss, but she just couldn’t. There Adrien was, sitting and laughing at something Nino had said. She squeaked, almost losing her balance trying to step forward, which caught Adrien’s attention.

“Hey Marinette! What’s that you have there?”

Alya nudged her, and this time she did start to slip. This is how I die, she thought with a great internal sigh.

Quick as lightning, Adrien was in front of her, keeping her steady with concern masking his face.

“You okay?”

Marinette couldn’t do anything but stammer. “U-uh, you, I- gift! For you!”

“F-For me?”

He looked down to her hands, which were now shaking with the present between them.

“I-I mean…” Marinette looked helplessly back to Alya, who gave her a gentle nod, then looked back to Adrien and took a deep breath. “Yes, it’s for you. Merry Christmas, Adrien.”

The whole class was silent now, watching the two. Even Chloe watched, clearly fuming with a glare in Marinette’s direction.

He took it from her gently, their hands brushing for a moment. Marinette could swear she felt a spark, something warm in the cold room when they touched, but it disappeared as the package left her hands. She didn’t expect for him to set it down and sweep her into a hug so loving it reminded her of Chat N- no. No feelings for Chat Noir, only Adrien.

“Thank you,” he whispered into her ear with a squeeze.

In the middle of winter, Marinette felt like she was on fire. She tentatively raised her arms to hug him back, only for him to step back at the same moment and suddenly she was cold again.

“You’re welcome,” she whispered back as he turned away to open the gift. His eyes lit up with happiness as he unfolded the sweater, gushing, “I’m the lucky friend?!”

Marinette giggled, “You have my lucky charm, remember?”

That made Adrien snort, “Marinette, I think you are my lucky charm.”

The class dissolved into a chorus of “aww’s” and the two suddenly remembered where they were, both blushing furiously. Fortunately for them, Madame Bustier walked in to start seconds later.

He wore the sweater proudly for the rest of the day, and home, as far as Marinette saw.

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

“Tikki, spots on!”

Later that night, Marinette transformed once again into Ladybug. She made sure the lamp was on and her goodie bag was secured around her body before launching off of the balcony towards their meeting place for patrols. The snow was falling lightly, looking magical in the night. Chat Noir was already there, holding his own bag that fell by the side of the swea- sweater?

Her jaw dropped and she almost missed her target with the yoyo. Chat Noir caught on evidently as his face dropped with fear and he reached out for her.

“Ladybug, are you okay? What happened there?”

“Where did you get that sweater?”

His face split into a grin as he ran his claws along the accents. “Oh, isn’t it so cool? A friend gave it to me for Christmas!”

The pieces both fell together and shattered at the same time. Her face dropped in shock. “But I… y-you… I mean… Adrien?”

His mouth fell open and he stuttered back, “M-Marinette?”

They stared at each other in shock for a few moments before Chat Noir snorted, which made Ladybug break and they both just burst into laughter. It felt unbelievable, but made so much sense to the pair. The two who always got everyone to safety so they could be alone; they felt like idiots. Finally their laughter died down, but as Ladybug brought out the Dupain-Cheng box, they started up again. More things began making sense and they couldn’t help themselves.

They found their way to each other, holding on like they’ve been separated for years.

“I can’t believe it’s you,” Ladybug mumbled. Chat Noir’s body shielded her from the oncoming snow as they held each other.

“I can’t believe it either. We thought we were smart,” he laughed, and she could hear his smile.

“You’re gonna love this then,” she stepped back and opened her back, pulling out the blanket. She actually thought he might cry then and there. She held it towards him, who took it with such soft hands.

“You made this, for me?”

“I didn’t know your measurements- well, as it turns out I do, but I figured it would be something for us to keep warm under before patrols.”

“Marinette, I love you.”

They both paused, the phrase seemingly slipped out on its own, but she couldn’t help but reply, “I love you too.”

Winter patrols suddenly became a lot warmer.

#writing #fanfic #mlsecretsanta #ml secret santa #coffeecomicsgalore #mlsecretsanta2020 #miraculous ladybug #mlb #adrien #marinette #chat noir #ladybug #marichat #adrienette #ladrien #ladynoir

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obsessionsposts · 4 years

Text

Tw: toxic relationship / emotional manipulation at the end / non-con use of drugs.

In the harsh forests of Siberia, there lays a forlorned man kneeling in the ground ; as he observed his sole friend being eaten by the serrated teeth of the snow.

He didn't know which is worse the icy winds that threatens to graze his skin, or the empty void that keeps on growing gradually to enrapture him in a spectral of sorrow; leaving him without a light and any shred of hope.

Not that it mattered anyways, Vladimir was born alone; lived his life alone and probably will die alone.

When the hamster drowned completely ; the man grumbled and stood up to make away to his estranged family whom visits him scarcely in his shack of solitude.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

" приве́т, брат. как дела? ", a familiar care-free voice echoed through the Siberian larch shack.

" Здравствуйте, младшая сестра.Я в поря́дке", replied Vladimir in a monotone tone.

A few minutes have passed, yet the situation kept on getting awkward between the estranged siblings. Until, Dunya abruptly disturbed the silence with her sugary voice.

" Brother, l may not visit you frequently. However, I fret alot about how negligent you've recently become not only toward us, but also toward yourself. So, I have an idea to remedy your desolation. ," the Belarusian suggeted awaiting the response of the reticent male.

"What that may be ? It won't work. No matter any attempt I've conducted to burn the memory. At best it haunts me, at worst, it depletes me.", came the cynical voice of the large man who is huddled beside the fireplace.

"Please understand that I give you my word that this time you'll- , she was cut off by Vladimir.

"No! You lack understandment. If you did understand me back then, why did abandon me? Now, don't try to manipulate me with your sugar-coated words,dear sister", his voice filled with loathe and disregard toward his traitor of a sister. Not that she was of his own blood, which proves his point people are discrenibly not to be trusted.

At one point, they'll take what they want from you; and then they will abandon you at any chance they get. He wont let it happen to him again. Never again.

As he ignored the wailing of his pathetic sister to stay and consider ; he left his shack and decided to go to the nearest town to meet one of the few people he came to trust. (Y/n).

His beloved snowflake.

His latest hope, that he'll make sure to persevere this time.

It's his turn to be selfish and take his reward for all the years of agony and loneliness.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

A jingle was heard notifying you that a customer came. Only to be pleasantly surprised, that it was the the russian regular customer; Vladimir.

Well,at first he intimidated you; with his structure,lack of expression,and his nihilistic attitude. With time, as you got to know him better he is such a fascinating and kind man despite the rumors spread about him.

The enormous brunette approached you with a stoic expression decorating his visage, however you knew better that he was glum.

"What seems to trouble you,Vlad? You appear to be out of it today, more than the usual?", you asked concerned about him; considering Vlad repress his emotion which isn't a healthy outlet as of you red about.

Another thing, he cherishes about you that your concerns and frets are genuine. Alongside, your intellect that sparked both his mind and heart alike.

" Нет, just stressed. I want to talk to you,if you're not busy.", he huffed as he inserted his large hands inside the pockets of his overcoat.

" No, not all. Considering I am about to close the shop now. I don't mind accompany you. Just give me a momento~ and I'll be ready.", as you left to close the shop; you didn't notice the ghost of a smile contorting through the face of the brunette russian.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

"So, what are up to,Vlady? and care to share why were you upset? I don't want to be pushy, but If you'd like to share then I am all ears", you remarked and poked the towering man inflicting a warm feeling inside his heart. Just like the sun he rarely saw.

Sighing, as he began to retell about what happened a month ago along with recent happenings.

The way, he spoke about his best friend passing hurt your heart- reflecting your true nature as an empath- and the cold anger of his when he spoke about his family.

You wondered what happened to represent such hate. No matter, what matters now is to bring Vladimir spirits up.

"Say, what would you like me to do to bring your hopes up? Anything you'd like!", as you encircled your arms around his waist or in your case below his stomach.

The warmth of your bodice and it softness clashed against his rough and cold ones made him realize, how much of an important factor you represent in his wretched life with his wretched family and wretched luck.

In addition, if anyone did what you did he will forcefully push them aside. But, you! you are his everything as much as he will be your everything soon enough.

Now, the door of opportunities had granted him this chance to enrapture you in his grasp forevermore; thus he will take it with an iron firm hands.

"да,please. Follow me to my lodge,маленький", offering his hands to you.

Grasping his hands, you began to walk aside him to his abode.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

Nothing,but the howling of the wind was heard ; as the both of you strolled toward his domicile. Vladimir reached his pockets to grab the keys and open the inky door.

"Such an interesting and intricate place you got,Vlad. Did you buy it?", stepping inside of the well-decorated abode. Said abode, was built upon black wood, and everything here are made of either wood or rarely metal.

Yet, it captured your interest as you are a fan of vintage architecture such as this.

"Glad you like it. However, I hadn't bought it. If, anything I built from scratch as I have an interest in building structures."

"My, that's amazing!,Vlad. You're such a talented man", you complimented his craftsmanship as you laid your hand at a woman in bridal clothes made from various type of wood.

Meanwhile, as you were immersed in the details of the house ; Vladimir brewed some tea for both him and his wife-to-be.

' It seems that you took my den to your liking. Good, adapt. Because, from on you'll be living here ;you'll become one with me and won't have the chance to leave me.'

" (Y/n)? May you come and chatter with me over a cup of tea?", Vladimir beckoned you as he sat in an umber chair; which is in front of a circular chocolate brown table.

"Sure thing.", trotting toward him with a sparkle of interest residing in your eyes. On the other hand, your guts is telling you otherwise. However, you ignored it. That was the last strike, before your fall down.

" Remember our first meeting? Nostalgic as it may be,but it always have a special place in my dormant heart", the brunette sipped his tea as he awaited your response.

" Indeed, I do !. Infact, I do too cherished and it is very sweet of you to say that. Considering, you're a grumpy bear usually", you remarked playfully,sipped your tea, and watched him glare at you halfheartedly.

" V-vlady, what's happening all of sudden. Why is everything so dizzy?", you spoke as you watch the world around you swirl and black spots began hazing your mind. Before you plummeted to the ground, a large arms had caught you in their arms. It wasn't warm this time,it was deathly cold similar to the embrace of death himself.

The last thing you saw were; Vlad's bloody irises and a cold smile gracing his visage.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

Once you awakened from your stupor, you were met directly with the bloody orbs of the person whom took advantage of you.

" Ah! маленький. You've awaken; its seems the drug didn't last long. No matter, what truly matters is that you're with me now." ,Vladmir crawled closer to you. Thus, you started to take a step from your former friend.

"Why are you doing this Vladimir? Why? after all we've been through; you do this", your eyes began to drip in tears as you screamed at your fr- No! at the strange man that possessed your friend.

"Because, you are the only one who cares authentically about me and isn't afraid of me. You painted my grey world with your light. You're the sunshine that I never had, this why I have to keep you away. So, no one would taint you. Can't you see I am a merely broken man shunned and forsakened by his own family?. Yet, you want to take away my chance of happiness,маленький?", Vladimir remarked bitterly,staring intently through your eyes with desolate engraved in his cold dead eyes.

"Just give into me,love. If you won't I might do something we both will regret."

Finally, in the end he have gotten something good out of this pointless life! and he'll will ensure her safety with him as he'll drown her with the love that he never had.

This is a story of man who lost everything,yet he gained something better than everything; eternal love.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

A/n: Hope you like it. Sorry if it took so long and thank you for requesting!

Translations:

приве́т, брат. как дела? - Hello,brother. How are you?

Здравствуйте, младшая сестра.Я в поря́дке. - Hello, little sister. I'm fine.

да - Yes.

маленький - little one.

#yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere hetalia #yandere hetalia x reader #yandere #yandere fandoms #yandere imagines

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keeroo92 · 5 years

Text

Shirt Goblin

Sooo someone sent me a prompt and I spazzed out and forgot they specified a male reader. Consider this a bonus, I guess? *shrugs*

I have a different idea for the male version, should be ready soon!

Word count - 869

__________

Dante pulled away with a contented sigh, his nude body glittering with sweat. Fresh marks lined your neck and ribs and his seed warmed you from deep within. A satisfied smile adorned your face as you caught your breath after his energetic pounding. You’d probably be sore tomorrow, but you considered it a badge of honor to be reminded of his passion with every step.

“Damn, babe… where did that come from?”

You snickered, burying your face in the sheets as he collapsed beside you. He’d been gone for almost a week, off hunting demons with Nero or something. You knew better than to ask for details; it was enough that he came back safely.

“I missed you,” you replied.

He chuckled and rested a hand on your stomach, his signature way of maintaining the intimacy of contact even when the summer sun left you both too miserable to cuddle.

“Is that all I am, a good fuck?”

You rolled your eyes at his petulant tone and turned to face him, carefully keeping your inner muscles clenched to prevent any further messes. “You, my pizza-loving devil, are ridiculous.”

A flick on his cute nose emphasized your point and he smirked, rolling to face you. “Oh, really? I think you’re the ridiculous one here!”

His fingers grazed your ribs, right where he knew you were ticklish. You squirmed, arcing away from his teasing touches with a surprised squeal but he was too fast. Arms wrapped around you and his stubble replaced his fingers, mercilessly forcing you into fits of laughter.

“Okay, okay! You win! I surrender!” you gasped.

“That’s what I thought.”

Soft lips pressed against your shoulder and he stood, padding to the bathroom to wash up. The loss of his warmth left you shivering, goosebumps erupting across your forearms. Piles of discarded clothing dotted the less disturbed portions of the bed and you grinned as you spotted one of Dante’s comfortable tees.

The shower turned on, and you snuck a peek to see Dante checking the temperature. He’d be a while. Sure, you could join him, but the chance to wear his clothes was too appealing to pass up. He never left clothes at your place and you couldn’t blame him, considering your penchant for stealing them.

You smirked as you grasped the cloth.

On him, it hugged every bulge and valley of muscle like a second skin. It was one of your favorites and you took a deep sniff as you pulled it over your head. It billowed over your smaller body, a delightfully warm and comforting tent that felt like the man himself was hugging you.

“Is that my shirt?”

You shot him a sheepish glance and pulled the neckline over your chin, huddling in the fabric for warmth. “I got cold…”

With a sigh and a shake of his head, he brought over a small towel to clean you up. “I’m not getting that shirt back for a while, am I?”

“Nuh-uh!”

With the worst of the mess taken care of, you relaxed into the bed and nuzzled the aromatic fabric. His smell was perfect, warm and homey and masculine. Delicious. You missed it whenever he was away.

“If I promise to let you keep it after, would you join me for a rinse?”

His amused smirk and glittering eyes showed the sincerity of his offer and you hummed your agreement. Calloused hands lifted the shirt away and soft lips pressed against your forehead, his love replacing his clothes to keep you warm.

“Shirt goblin,” he teased.

You stuck your tongue out. “You’re just jealous cuz you can’t fit in my clothes.”

He nipped at your chin, his hands pulling you to his chest as he lifted. “And?”

There wasn’t much you could say to that. Damn. You settled for nuzzling into his shoulder as he carried you to the massive shower, only setting you down again when the water already flowed through your hair. The temperature was perfect and you moaned softly as it eased the chill. Gentle hands rubbed soap into your skin, caressing every inch like you were the most valuable treasure imaginable.

Once you were both cleansed, a fluffy towel materialized in his grip and he rubbed your hair and skin dry, dropping kisses on his favorite spots. The tenderness of his care turned you into a puddle of melted bliss, too content to care that soon enough he would leave you again. He always came back, but you missed him every second he was away.

“Ready for bed?” he asked, stripping away the soiled top sheet and bringing a fresh one to replace it.

You glared at him and crossed your arms. “Not without your shirt, I’m not.”

A rumbling chuckle and a rustle of fabric signaled his agreement as he tossed the requested article at you. You spluttered as it smacked you in the face, but you didn’t let it distract you. Seconds later, a pleased grin twisted your lips as you sniffed the cotton, climbing into bed and into Dante’s waiting arms.

“Seriously, though. You are a total shirt goblin,” he murmured.

You wiggled closer, burrowing into his embrace like a hamster. “You love it.”

“Damn straight, babe.”

#fanfic #dmc dante #dante x reader #reader insert #devil may cry #my writing #one shot #fluff #hint of spice

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coffeecomicsgalore · 4 years

Text

25 Days of Adrien (+6 of Marinette)

Part of the MLHolidays2k19 Prompt

Ao3

Chapter 15 – Twinkle Lights

Marinette and Adrien were huddled together as they walked back through the Trocadero that evening. The evening air arrived, bringing a cool gust of wind along with it. The sky was completely clear of clouds allowing the stars to shine brightly in the black sky and the moon gave them enough light to guide them around without the need of flashlights.

The homes and booths that remained from this morning’s event were adorned with beautiful beads of lights – some homes covered in a two-toned look such as reds and greens and blues and whites. Others remained traditional with simple white lights, while the rest took the opportunity to allow a smorgasbord of colors while keeping it lively and festive.

It was peaceful and quiet with only a few stragglers hanging around the garden. The Eiffel tower looked beautiful with the shimmery glow of the yellow lights. I can’t wait to see the city lights from there tonight, Marinette thought to herself.

Adrien was bundled up warm with both hands tucked securely in his pockets to keep the chill off of them. Marinette had wrapped her arm around his, basking in his warmth. She looked up to him to see him smiling with a sweet expression on his face. He was staring at the landmark, oblivious to the world around him. Marinette could only smirk at his cuteness before letting out a tiny giggle.

The little action was enough to break Adrien’s train of thought, smiling back down to his girlfriend and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“What are you thinking about, Adrien?”

“I’m just enjoying the view, sweets.” He said quietly.

“I know you quite well and I can bet that you are thinking about something.”

He laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. I am thinking about something. But don’t worry, it’s nothing terrible.”

Marinette placed her chin on his shoulder, a motion of a silent conversation between the two. She didn’t want to pry into his mind, but in this case, she was curious as to what it was.

Noticing the gesture, Adrien continued. “I was thinking about our future together. I know we had talked briefly about one day getting married and having kids and you building your fashion empire... he trailed off, “but I would love to talk about it some more.”

Marinette quietly smiled. It wasn’t a topic that was brought around too much in their relationship. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to talk about it, but they were young and still in high school. They both have dreams of finding their paths in adulthood together, but still allowing the freedom each other needs to have to grow. It was something that was important to Marinette and Adrien happily agreed.

“I know we are taking a big step and moving in together after we graduate. We could talk about that if you would like?”

“Yeah, let’s talk about that!” Marinette said with excitement.

Adrien let out a chuckle. “So two bedrooms or three bedrooms?”

“Two for now. I need a space for all my sewing stuff. I still plan on making commissions while at university.”

“Can we get a kitten or a hamster?”

“We’ll be so busy, are you sure you want to get an animal right away?”

Adrien looked over to her and gave her these adorable sad eyes. “Please...”

“Not right now Adrien,” she said with a laughing sigh, “Let’s see how the first semester goes before we adopt a cute little addition or before we have one of our own.”

Adrien beamed. Not just because of the kitten, but also for the thought of having children with Marinette. She would be such an amazing maman – her sweetness and determination alone show how competent she would be.

“Already thinking about having one of our own, Marinette?”

She blushed after she realized what she said. “You know if I could, I would marry you tomorrow.”

Adrien stopped to look at her. “Really, you would?”

She giggled a bit. “Of course, Adrien. I love you. I want to spend all my time with you. I’m moving in with you and didn’t even have to think about it. I want to be there for you the rest of my life, if you’ll have me that is.”

Adrien lifted her up and swung her around before placing her back down and leaning his forehead against hers. “Well I am happy to hear that, my dear. Because one day I want to marry you too.”

They both leaned in to break the space between them. Lips meeting lips in a flurry of slow kisses. He tightened his hold on her waist as she interlocked her fingers at the nape of his neck. When the lack of air was too much to bear, they slowly parted ways, both gazing in each other's eyes with a pink blush tinged across their cheeks.

“Come on, kitty.” She winked in his direction. “I want to get to the Hotel de Ville to see the Christmas tree before we both need to part.”

Adrien frowned. “You’re not going to let that comment go now, huh?”

She could only giggle as she led him to the subway station. “Nope! It’s your fault for saying it.”

“Wonderful...”

-----xoxox-----

As they made their way to the Hotel de Ville, Marinette could still feel the niggling feeling that was bestowed upon her mind earlier that day. When they all arrived home for dinner, Sabine and Tom went into the kitchen to finish the stew they had made earlier in the crockpot, Adrien took a moment to clean himself up for dinner, while Marinette fled to her room to quietly converse with Tikki and Wayzz over her thoughts.

“Tikki, Wayzz, I know I could have found out who Chat was a long time ago, but I was scared of losing my best friend. Hawkmoth has been extremely quiet and hasn’t released any akumas over the last month, and hasn’t really over the last year for that matter...” She pondered for a bit as she bit her bottom lip. “Maybe it’s time that we know our identities.”

Wayzz and Tikki turned to each other and silently gazed as if they were conversing with each other telepathically. They both smiled and nodded before turning back to Marinette.

“Master, I believe that is a great idea.” Wayzz said confidently.

“I’m happy you’re finally making this decision, Marinette!” Tikki nuzzled her chosen’s cheek. “But what made you decide to go for it?”

“Adrien made that comment earlier about being a cute blonde kitty. He’s never said anything like that before, and the only other person to say something silly like that is Chat. He has also called me princess a couple of times over the last few weeks, which of course is also a very Chat thing to do when he visits the civilian me. Plus, some of his puns, the way he smiles, the bedhead when he falls asleep after a movie... the amount of evidence is astounding.”

“I mean, I know that doesn’t mean anything because he could just be doing that since we are dating, but I really cannot help thinking that the boy I’m in love with is also my best friend. We flow together in and out of the suit, which puzzles me even more. I think my mind needs to finally see if my best friend and my boyfriend are one in the same. If not, then I will be happy that my best friend in the suit will be my best friend out of the suit. Nothing will ever change that.”

Tikki and Wayzz smiled in confidence. “So, when will you be doing it?” Tikki asked.

“Tonight!” Marinette grinned.

#mlholidays2k19 #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #ml fanfic #ml fandom #christmas fluff

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billynteddy · 5 years

Note

EVERYONE FROM WYLD STALLYNS FOR THE SOFT HCS MEME SINCE U STAY POSTING SHIT WHILE IM EATING AND MAKING ME SPIT OUT MY FOOD 🔫🔪😠

what they smell like

Bill: bill smells kinda like aftershave and heavily of sunscreen. A fresh dude

Ted: Ted smells slightly off sweat, but not stinky or musty (I hc him as a sweaty boy). Also spray deodorant (NOT AXE!!!!!!), something very light.

Elizabeth: Roll on perfume, kind of like an old lady in church but not so strong. Like…mature smelling without smelling “old”.

Joanna: You never know…jk sometimes she goes to the mall or store and tries on the Tester perfumes, but normally she smells faintly of shampoo, sweat (not stinky), and Victoria secret body mist

what their favorite smells in the world are

Bill: Bill likes the smell of bleach because it convinces him that the house is clean. Also spray paint and breakfast cooking.

Ted: Ted enjoys the smell of strong candles for the house/his room. Also incense and pink bathroom hand soap.

Betsy: Elizabeth is very intrigued by the smell of fabric softener…all those smells in such tiny little pieces

Jo: Joanna enjoys pupoorri (how tf u spell that??) in the bathroom. Mint and eucalyptus.

what pajamas they wear/what they wear to sleep in

Bill: bill usually wears a sleeveless cutoff shirt to bed along with either some sweats or just his underwear. He enters the bed with socks but then kicks them off before going to sleep.

Ted: Ted wears a soft tee at night with a pair of boxers. He typically likes to keep his socks on (likes his feet to be warm), but if he doesn’t he just makes sure his feet are really under the blankets or touching someone else (for heat).

Betsy: Either a cami and panties or a really really really big t-shirt (like a lil night gown but its a shirt).

Jo: Usually whatever undershirt she was wearing for the day, so like a cami or a wifebeater, along with pajama pants or sweats.

my favorite friendship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them

Bill n Ted: I like to imagine bill and ted as overaffectionate (super huggy n kissy (me projecting bc I’m like that w my friends)) BDFFLs (Bestest Dude Friends For Life) like to the point of them being symbiotic. They have handshakes and code words and they can have a whole convo just thru facial expressions. They each found a soulmate in their best friend

Bill n Jo: they like 2 cuddle in bed and eat Popeyes

Jo n Betsy: they’re sisters so I imagine them annoying the shit outta each other at times fnfjsjfn. Joanna mocks Elizabeth when she says things sometimes.

Ted n Betsy: She likes to fi chis hair whenever she thinks its getting too much in the way of his eyes. He promptly messes it back up again.

my favorite ship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them

This gon sound real boring…I don’t really ship anyone in the BTCU, at least not like ,, seriously. Yeah sometimes ill make a drawing of ted and Elizabeth doing that ghetto couples photoshoot but that’s more for Joakes than being serious. im not like “omg tedxliz 5ever!!11!!”, and I head canon BnT as Super-Deluxe-Almost-Telepathic Best Friends and that’s like,, the Popular ship.. I know this part is real boring im so sorry y’all

a song that reminds me of them

Bill: Ace of Spades - Motorhead, I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges, You’ve Got Another Thing Coming - Judas Priest, any song with Patsy Cline yodeling, Me So Horny - 2 Live Crew (I hc that bill absolutely adores them)

Ted: Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight - Spinal Tap, almost any Ramones’ song but mostly Rockaway Beach, Little Dreamer - Van Halen, Still Wanna Die - Cheetah Chrome, On Fire - Van Halen, Born to be Bad - The Runaways

Elizabeth: Fire - Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Hard Headed Woman - Wanda Jackson, Hold Tight! - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, and Tich

Joanna: Back to the Cave - Lita Ford, Strutter - KISS, Chick Habit - April March, Two of Hearts - Stacey Q

what animal i think they would be if they were an animal

Bill: would wither be a friendly duck by the pond or a fat spoiled kitty

Ted: A WIGGLY DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With the cute big paws

Betsy: a kitty too, but likes to lay on u and meow for snacks

Jo: A hamster in a ball so she can run around the house and get in trouble

what position they sleep in

Bill: On his stomach, and if someone’s sleeping next to him he’ll hook his leg around theirs.

Ted: Ted likes his right side, and sometimes he’ll scrunch up on a sideways fetal position for optimal warmth. With another person, he likes to be a big spoon but he’s only with being little spoon too!

Betsy: Also on her right side, but if the pillows and blankets are nice she’ll sleep on her back with her head snuggles against a pillow that had been huddles up next to her…that girl loves her pillows…When sleeping with someone else she usually likes space but she’ll fling her arm over u.

Jo: One hand under the pillow. She’ll switch from her left side to her stomach. She changes positions a lot tho, especially if it’s hot. With someone else, she’ll nuzzle her head into their back. Likes to cup one of her boobs for added warmth.

their favorite drink

Bill: Kool Aid especially the one that comes in the lil plastic bottle. Other than that he likes sodas and he will drink pickle juice if need be

Ted: HUGS!!!!!! Coca Cola, fruit juice, sweet tea or ice water

Betsy: fruit infused water, Hugs and Kool Aid as well.

Jo: cursed girl,,likes to mix things.. she digs cream sodas and diet sodas too because of the after taste. Also a fan of room temp water.

a gift i would give them if i could

Bill: a homemade strawberry rhubarb pie or a trip to red lobster

Ted: some cool earrings to put in his ear, a trip to his fave amusement park

Elizabeth: a spa day and many kisses

Jo: Soft milk bread, a cheese and fruit platter, a durable, supportive bra, and scented hand lotion

#bill and ted #bill s preston esquire #ted theodore logan #Princess Babes #princess elizabeth #princess joanna #wyld stallyns #WHEW this a lot

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razieltwelve · 5 years

Text

Traders (Final Effect)

The merchant huddled closer to his fellows. The chill of winter hung over the land, and even their thick fur struggled to keep the cold at bay. At least, they were all descended from the hardy stock of the north. Someone from the equatorial regions would likely have frozen to death cycles ago.

Still, he was getting a bit long in the tooth. His claws ached fiercely in the mornings, and he always had to be careful to wrap them in bandages to preserve what warmth he could. Normally, he wouldn’t even be outside his burrow this late at night, but the Outsiders were coming to trade.

His lips curled to reveal his short but sharp teeth. The Outsiders drove a hard bargain, but they had access to many things the Clan could not obtain or make. They came from beyond the clouds on chariots that spat flame, and they were always eager to purchase the strange, glowing rocks the Clan often encountered when they dug out their burrows.

The Clan had little use for the rocks, but the Outsiders were willing to trade all manner of spices, fabrics, and even foodstuffs for them. Perhaps the Outsiders used the rocks for jewellery, or perhaps they used them for some other, more mysterious purpose. The merchant did not care. All that mattered was that his Clan would receive the supplies it needed to turn a rough, long winter into something far more bearable.

The Outsiders arrived right on time, and their great blazing chariot landed on a nearby plain. As always, a rustle of unease ran through the young ones who had not yet encountered the Outsiders. They were large, far larger than the Clan, and the strange armour they wore made them appear larger still. The merchant soothed their concerns with a comforting touch of his tail. He had dealt with the Outsiders many times before. They were cunning folk to be sure, but they were not cruel, and they kept the agreements and oaths they made.

At the head of the Outsiders was a familiar creature, and the merchant relaxed even more. This Outsider was one he had dealt with many times before. He called himself Professor Cuddlebarton, though the meaning of the words escaped the merchant. It was likely a title of some kind since all of the others seemed to listen to him.

Professor Cuddlebarton stopped not far away, along with several of his fellows. All of them towered over the males and females of the Clan, and even the smallest amongst them would have stood even taller than the great canids that stalked the plains during the spring and summer. The merchant raise his claw in greeting, and the professor did the same, his armour receding to reveal his huge, furry figure.

“It is good to see you again,” the merchant said.

“You look well,” the professor replied, the words coming from a strange device he wore that somehow translated the speech of the Clan. The huge creature’s gaze drifted over the snow and ice that littered the area. “It is a harsh winter this cycle.”

“The harshest in many cycles,” the merchant replied. He gestured, and the young ones came forward with sacks of the strange, glowing rocks. “We wish to trade.”

“As do we.” The professor gestured, and several items appeared on the ground before them. “We know how harsh this winter has been, and we believe it will only get worse. We come with things that will make it easier to bear.”

“I had hoped you would.” The merchant stepped forward, and he picked up a robe that had been made to fit the bodies of the Clan. “You made this?”

“With your people in mind. Try it on.”

The merchant tried on the garment. His eyes widened. “It is so warm!”

“It is made of a special fabric that traps heat inside while still allowing moisture to escape. So long as you wear it, your body will not feel the cold of winter.”

The merchant nodded to himself. It was a fine item. “And the price?”

The professor considered the matter briefly. “How many are in your Clan?”

“We have one thousand,” the merchant replied proudly. “We are one of the strongest Clans.”

“Then we are willing to offer two thousand in exchange for one sack.”

The merchant’s first instinct was to accept, but the speed with which the offer was made had him wary. “Two thousand and five hundred.”

The professor chuckled, a deep, booming sound that had the young ones on edge until they recognised it for good humour. “You drive a hard bargain, old friend. Make it two thousand three hundred, and we have an agreement.”

“Very well.” The merchant could already imagine the profits he and the Clan could make. They would keep most of them for themselves, but there were other Clans that would be interested in them. They would not be foolish enough to sell any to their enemies, but their allies would certainly be interested. The Clan was strong but not strong enough to stand alone. “What else do you have?”

“The winter cold often ruins crops and makes gathering food difficult for even the most determined,” the professor said. “We offer seeds for plants that will endure even this winter - as well as the springs, summers, and autumns that follow.”

“Is such a thing possible?” the merchant murmured. Perhaps it was. After all, the Outsiders flew in chariots of fire. Maybe they had plant elsewhere that could survive. “How can we be sure?”

“You cannot,” the professor said simply. “Yet we have always dealt with you fairly, and how did our last promise go?”

The merchant mulled over the words. Several cycles ago, the Outsiders had provided them with strange devices that would draw away the lightning that tore the land during the great summer storms. The merchant had been sceptical but the devices had worked. The Clan had not suffered a single lightning strike that year, nor in any of the years afterward. “Hmm… you are right. We will take some of those seeds, but we will need the details of how to grow them.”

“Those will be provided.” The professor gestured and some plants appeared. “And here are some plants that have already grown. You should find the leaves most nutritious, and in time, bulbs will grow beneath the ground that you can eat either raw or cooked in many ways.”

“Then one sack for those,” the merchant offered.

“Very well.”

And so it went, the merchant trading the sacks for what he and his Clan needed until there was only one more matter to be dealt with.

“Can you trade us weapons?”

The professor shook his head. “No, my friend. We have spoken of this before. We will not trade you weapons.” The Outsider’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you need them? Your Clan is strong, and you have many allies. Are you threatened?”

“Not by other Clans,” the merchant replied. “But as of late, many of my fellows have been taken by a great winged beast, one that previously lived in the swamps far to the south. It is too big and strong for the Clan to slay with the weapons we have, yet you can sail the skies in your flying chariot. Surely, you have something that can kill it.”

“Take me to this beast,” the professor said. “I will slay it myself.”

“Are… are you sure?” the merchant asked. “It is a mighty beast…”

“And I am mightier still.” The professor nodded. “You are a good trading partner, my friend. You know when to push and when not to, and you are wise enough to understand what you can and cannot trade for. It would be difficult if something happened to you and your clan. I will deal with this creature.”

“Then let us finish our trading first.”

Once they had concluded their trading, the merchant led the professor to the place where the great flying beast had made its nest. It was a spire of rock that rose high above the plain. The professor bellowed, and the sound echoed through the air. In answer, the beast unfurled its wings and leapt from its perch. The young ones were frozen with terror and even the merchant could scarcely think.

However, the professor simply raised his head. Two barrels upon his back began to spin, and there was a bright flash of light. When the light dimmed, the beast was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was only a great scorched section of rock in the shape of the beast.

“The beast is ended,” the professor said. “Tell me next time if another returns.” He nodded firmly. “I wish you and your clan a safe winter, merchant. We shall return next cycle as always.”

“I will see you then,” the merchant replied. “And you have my thanks and the thanks of my clan.”

X X X

Researcher’s Notes

Alendis III is a strange planet with extreme weather. Its summers are blazingly hot and filled with storms whereas its winters are bitterly cold and prone to blizzards. The native life forms range from massive winged predators to a species of raccoon-sized creatures that live in vast interlinked burrows. These creatures have developed an elaborate clan-based society and are by far the most civilised species on the planet.

Encounters with these creatures, referred to as the Clan, have revealed the presence of an unusual substance. It is similar to Dust in many ways but it is partially Aura-inert. That is, it does not respond to Aura alone. Instead, it appears to respond only when exposed to Aura in combination with certain wavelengths of radiation. When exposed to these wavelengths of radiation and Aura, this Dust reacts with extreme violence. The fire Dust variants of this Dust can release orders of magnitude more energy than normal fire Dust.

The exact reasons for this are unknown, and further investigation is recommended. Initial exploration suggests that the Clan is highly suspicious of bipeds since one of their sworn enemies is a peculiar kind of canid that walks on two legs as often as it walks on four. As a result, we recommend dispatching war hamsters to negotiate for the Dust.

The Clan have demonstrated a willingness to trade, and their needs can easily be met. However, they are not yet advanced enough for full exposure to Imperial society. At present, we recommend that war hamsters maintain regular trade meetings with various Clans for at least several decades before slowly introducing more advanced technology and concepts.

Some have suggested we simply begin mining this new Dust ourselves, but we can currently obtain ample supplies for testing via trade. At present, we cannot recommend using this new Dust until it is better understood, and large-scale mining procedures would cause unnecessary damage for little present benefit. We believe that with sufficient warning and careful introducing, the Clans would be amenable to joining the Empire.

#final effect #fanfiction

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star-nova · 5 years

Text

The Lives of the RiffRaff: Talia Santiago-Queen of the City

We Are the RiffRaff Rickie Johnson-The Art of War Vera Sherwood-Little Sister Kali Muburu-Hair Tracy Kwan-Vergil Franz Fawke-Hecklers James Weaver-The Preacher Mamoru Hayagawa-Three Weddings Charmain Dekker-Frankfort

In Tanager, I'm the garbage on the side of the road. In Frankfort, I'm the queen.

These three little country mice—fellow garbage bags, as far as Tanager is concerned—are damned lucky to have me on their side. If they'd dared to go into Frankfort on their own, the city would swallow them whole and then shit them back out. But because they're with me, they're the safest bitches around. They just don't know it yet.

Sweet little Sophia and Charmain huddle together like frightened mice in the far rear of the Subaru. Directly behind me, Ellia and Sophia's little sister Elsie act like it's gonna be an adventure rather than a horror, and it is. It's hard to believe that Elsie is the little sister, but she's younger than Sophia by three whole years. Elsie must have had to learn to toughen up early in order to compensate for her sister's glaring lack of balls.

Sophia asks, “Do you think we could get cajun food around here? Or maybe we can try pad thai? Soul food?”

“There should be nicer restaurants here than in Tanager,” Charmain assures her, “upscale bistros and things like that.” Well, no shit, Char! All Tanager has is a pizza bungalow, a corner deli, and a tavern full of mediocre-ass beer. Oh, and there was a hot dog truck you could probably get e. coli from. But here we are, heading out into the city, and all they can think about are restaurants?

“I hope there's a skating rink,” Elsie says.

I say, “It's summer, retard.”

“That's the best time for skating rinks, you dingus,” Charmain says. “Nobody wants to go to an ice rink in the dead of winter.” Dingus. She'd be pathetic if she wasn't so damned adorable.

“I was talking about a roller rink anyway,” says Elsie.

Ellia says, “It's got a lot of historic buildings.”

You could take the bumpkins out of the country, but you could never take the country out of the bumpkins. Oh well, let 'em exchange their twee little fantasies of roller rinks, bistros, and hundred-year-old buildings. My only concern was that I was back where I belonged, in my world where everyone knew me and everyone who didn't know me would get to, soon enough. This was my territory and I ruled it with an iron fist. The queen bitch of Frankfort is back.

My brothers owed me several favors, but I called them up and told them I was willing to let them all slide if they gave me just this one. Thankfully, they pulled through, and we had ourselves a flat.

The flat was not in the city proper, but in a little suburb tucked off to the side. It was quiet enough to appeal to my country girls, but close enough to the city to take advantage of it at every opportunity. It was all paid for, courtesy of my brothers, for the next two weeks, and it would be our home from now until July 1st.

“Talia, this is lovely,” Charmain said predictably when she saw the place. I just said, “Ain't it, though?” as I hauled my suitcase out of the van.

“It is,” Charmain said, “it's beautiful.” She sounded surprised, like she had expected me to hole them up in a drug den or some shit.

“You can thank my bros,” I told her. “You'll be meeting them later on.”

“Later on” came about an hour after we'd settled in and decided on who was sleeping where. There were three bedrooms, and I didn't mind sleeping on the couch so Charmain and Ellia could have their own; Sophia and Elsie would share the third. The girls were putting on eyeliner and doing their hair to go out into the city, because they didn't realize you didn't have to get dolled up to walk around Frankfort, when there was an unmistakable bang on the door. Sophia squeaked and froze up like a scared hamster, and it cracked me the hell up. The Four Santiago Brothers greeted us at the door in all their glory.

I'm not sure what the girls expected from my brothers, but what they got was one big, stocky Portuguese man, two tall, ripped ones, and one rail-thin one. The little one, Santino, had on a red button-down and skinny jeans. Luco, the oldest, was sporting a beat-up blue tee with cargos, and Monty and Ray had on wife-beaters and jeans in varying forms of distress.

I said, “Hey, shitheads,” and socked all four of them on the shoulder. They responded by socking me back, one after the other, first in my left shoulder then my right shoulder, my stomach, and finally my right eye. It wasn't hard enough to leave a mark or anything. It was how you showed love in the Santiago household.

Luco said, “Happy birthday, lil sis,” and tugged at my ponytail.

Monty said, “Now you an old bitch!” and I gave him a shove.

And then here came sweet little Charmain Dekker, with her fluffy brown curls and her daisy-print romper and the rose-colored lipstick she had on for no good reason at all. She went right up to the Santiago Four and said, “Hi, I'm Charmain, Talia's friend. It's very nice to finally meet you four.” She held out her hand. You don't hold out your hand to a Santiago unless you want them to snap it. But surprisingly, my bros each gave her hand a little shake. I nearly gagged when Monty took hold of her hand, kissed it, and said, “Well, bonjour, cherie!” He turned to me and said, “Damn, Tally, you didn't tell me your friend was cute!”

“I wasn't aware,” I told him. Not very many would call Charmain “cute.”

My bros introduced themselves to Ellia, Sophia, and Elsie. “Friends of Talia's,” Luco said, “are friends of ours. Round here, we look after our own.” Those girls were now the safest ladies in Frankfort.

After all the introductions were made, the boys told us to get our shit, we were going to see the Baroness.

“Who is that?” Sophia asked, sounding hella scared to hear the answer. The boys tittered at her anxiety. “She's just our auntie,” Ray told her, “that's all.”

To call Maven Whittaker, nee Santiago, “just our auntie” sounded incredibly disrespectful. She had always been “the Baroness” or “the Lady Maven” to us. My father's sister was the head of our district's branch of the Frankfort Police Department, and her power and influence had been a constant in this city for as long as we could remember. Somewhere in her early thirties, she managed to attract the attention of The Honorable Judge Andrew Whittaker of the Franklin County Courthouse, and her marriage to him was in equal parts for love and for alliances. The power that she had now that the head of the county justice system was in her bed every night was akin to that of Catherine the Great in 18th century Russia. She produced her first child soon after the wedding, and three years later along came her second, my cousins Larry and Stephanie Whittaker. The two of them grew up well aware of the power their parents had and the things that they were therefore allowed to get away with, and I made playmates of them whenever possible. Now, they both have guard jobs at the county jail.

The Lady Maven stood at a full six-foot-two—two inches taller than me and several inches taller than any of my brothers—and never carried any less than three forms of weaponry on her at any given time, sometimes concealed and sometimes right in the open. She was a Baroness in every sense of the word, and honestly, I wasn't sure that the girls were ready for her. But Charmain was the first to say, “I'd love to meet your aunt. Will we be meeting your other family too?”

“'Course you will,” Ray told her. “It's Talia's birthday and we're havin' a party.”

The girls hadn't wasted their hair and makeup after all; a visit to the Baroness' pristine palace was a hair-and-makeup affair for sure. I'm not the type to get dolled up, but still I changed out of my cutoffs and into some chinos and a hi-low. I left my worn-out combat boots on because they're all I ever wear.

The Baroness' palace echoed the splendor of both Judge Whittaker and the Baroness herself. Situated in upscale Frankfort, it housed the two of them, my cousins Larry and Stephanie, my father's brothers Jakob and Dale, and Jakob's wife Lydia. Tonight, in honor of the occasion, the mansion played host to much more than that; when we pulled up, the entire Santiago clan stood at the gates and at the door and the front yard, waiting for us.

The girls were stunned to silence when they saw the place. The palace and the surrounding mansions put the upscale abode of Florence and Pietro Frost, the richest of the RiffRaff, to shame. “Geez, Talia,” Ellia said as she took the whole thing in, “is your aunt an actual baroness?”

“I was thinking a princess,” Charmain said with a chuckle.

“She may as well be,” I told them.

“Is that really my girl there?” my father, Sheriff Carlo Santiago, said when he saw me step out of the Subaru. “Oh my gosh, I believe it is! But no, this can't be her; my girl's a scruffy little runt, and this...well, this is a beautiful Amazon of a woman!” He wrapped me up in his big old arms and hugged the hell out of me. “Thirty years old!” he cried out. “Thirty years old and my girl's a lady, a gorgeous lady!” The warmth of that hug and the giddy feeling of seeing my dad after three years only seeing him on FaceTime had some kind of power over me. I kissed his cheek, my one display of affection.

He released me and turned his attention to the girls. “Well, hello there,” he said jovially, like he was a member of the Brady Bunch. “It's nice to meet you ladies. Talia, you didn't tell me you kept such pretty company!”

Sophia turned rose-red, but Charmain held her hand out to him and said, “It's nice to meet you, sir.” She was so saccharine that it made me want to throw up in my mouth.

My father let out a tremendous laugh. “Sir?! Sweetheart, my name isn't Sir, it's Carlo.”

And then, beyond the throngs of other relatives that hadn't seen me in at least three years, the Baroness herself stood beside the Judge at the front door. She was dressed head-to-toe in uniform for no reason at all, except maybe to remind everyone of her power. You could kill a man in cold blood after taking everything from him, and if the Baroness found reason to believe it wasn't you that did it, then it wasn't you that did it and that was the end of that. On the contrary, you could be the cleanest and most innocent man alive, and the Baroness could find dirt on you that you didn't know you had, and magnify it until it was worth ten to twenty-five. She was a terrifying old bitch, and I respected no one like I respected her.

Maven Whittaker looked down the bridge of her nose at the four of us, but her smile was genuine. “Talia,” she said, “I missed the hell out of you.” She squeezed both of my hands. “Welcome home, my girl.”

I was home. After three years holed up in that shithole town, I was back where I belonged.

For me, city life is the natural order of things. I readjusted to it so quickly that it was as if I'd never left it behind.

The guys down at Clarke's Tavern welcomed me back with open arms. I started up one of our old poker games, and by my second day back in Frankfort I was walking away with three-hundred-fifty of the poor fuckers' dollars. My bros and I took it out dancing, and we took the girls with us.

At The Breeze bar and nightclub, the girls were acknowledged as “Talia's squad,” and they were given free drafts of ale, courtesy of Tony the bartender. Sophia eyed that draft with something like shame, and I could tell she was mentally fighting herself over whether she should shut up and accept the gift or tell Tony that she didn't drink. In the end, I grabbed it and downed it in one seamless gulp right before her eyes, and then proceeded to do the same to my own ale. “There,” I said, “now it didn't go to waste.” I slipped Tony a cool twenty-five.

To the surprise of everyone involved, those three were the stars of the club. They tore that floor right up, to the point where everyone else would move aside so that they could take center stage. Charmain learned the Jerk nine years too late, and Ellia executed a flawless one-two step. They danced with my bros and with the guys that sidled up to them, called them “cuties” and “beauties,” and asked for their names. When Mabel's “Don't Call Me Up” came on and Sophia pulled out a shuffle and a pop-lock with a finesse that I never in my life would have attributed to Sophia Bolshevik, I was sure that the city had transformed those three just the way that it needed to. I went ahead and let them own the night while Santino and I slipped into an alley to find a riot to start.

In the coming days, I settled back into my old life. Early every morning, before the girls were awake, my bros and I went out into the city and its surrounding suburbs with our crates of product hidden in the back of Luco's truck. For the past three years, everybody had to rely on shipments to get a Talia Santiago brew, and I missed the experience of street selling like a beached whale misses the ocean. Long-distance sales had none of the thrill of slinking along backroads and alleyways like secret agents, communicating in arbitrary code-words to keep our activities down low, and being directed to out-of-the-way shit-sties in Nowheresville in order to keep out of the watchful eyes of the populace. If we were caught or if somebody threatened to blow our cover, they would find themselves persuaded into silence by one of my blades or by the barrel of my 19X. If such incidents were reported, they would likely reach my father or even the Baroness, and then it was just like they never happened at all.

The girls were left to fend for themselves for most of the day, and they were just fine with that. They went off on their twee little adventures to museums and historic sites, took Instagram pictures of the city skyline and the capitol building, and romped through parks and shopping centers completely undisturbed by the general public. I met up with them at lunch and dinnertime and took them to places where they would be known as “Talia's ladies.” They soon learned that the mention of my name in the local establishments would inspire either fear or reverence in their patrons. Either way, everybody knew who I was, and if they didn't know me, they knew some other Santiago.

Yes, Frankfort had done just what I wanted it to. It had transformed us all from countryfied garbage into queens of the city. The curse of a shithole that saw us as nothing but rancid trash was broken the moment we stepped through the gates of the Baroness' mansion on our first day. The spell of the city took hold of us all, and we were RiffRaff no more.

#Fiction by Me #The Lives of the RiffRaff #writing #work in progress

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