#this is definitely not the longest thing i've put here lol but for once i am not writing on my phone so we get to use a read more <3

[billdenbrough]

“We’re out of juice,” is what Ronan says when he sits down beside Gansey, legs sprawling across the floor in contrast to Gansey’s carefully-crossed ones. Their knees still touch, like Ronan has been pulled into Gansey’s orbit so completely that it extends even to his limbs, a fact of the universe written out even on the most mundane of scales.

It’s a good representation of them: Gansey, cross-legged in soft cotton sweatpants, as if the lack of visible branding will make it any less evident to someone like Ronan—or Parrish, if he were here, but he’d know that the way he always does, the differences between him and Gansey mapped out on that invisible layer Adam holds between them, the one Gansey likes to pretend doesn’t exist—that they cost at least three figures; Ronan, leaning back a little, wearing his shitty expensive jeans that Parrish hates so much, the ones that cost at least four figures and Ronan doesn’t care about the washing instructions for, the ones fraying at the knee that Ronan has pressed up against the junction of where Gansey’s knee meets thigh.

This is the truth of things: two boys who look very, very different, but are more connected than you’d think, if you look closely enough. If it’s not their eyes, it’s their knees. If it’s not their knees, it’s their souls.

Ronan’s opinion on his soul’s eternal state is a complicated thing, but the way it matches Gansey’s is never in doubt. Not to him.

A two-headed-beast, Ronan thinks, staring out at Gansey’s insomnia-driven cardboard rendition of Henrietta. Gansey says excelsior, and Ronan’s the fucking sword cutting through. Onwards and upwards, no matter what.

“What, again?” Gansey replies.

Gansey looks like shit, so Ronan tells him so instead of answering. 

He also looks like a king, handsome and regal and untouchable. He also looks like a boy, young and soft around the edges, like how ink fades with time. He also looks like everything Ronan has ever believed in, like a room in Monmouth Manufacturing and driving to the Barns and chasing down Glendower and needing help with Latin, like the gasoline-lit curve of his mouth saying the difference is we matter / dream me the world / ronan, like Ronan’s name is somehow worth holding safe in his mouth.

Ronan does not tell him any of those things.

“It’s hard to meet the standards for male beauty without juice,” Gansey remarks.

Adam says that Ronan isn’t as honest as he says he is; that telling the truth is not the same as being honest, and that Ronan might not lie, but that’s not the same thing. He says this a lot, in various ways, but especially he says it when Ronan is looking at Gansey, and Adam is watching the way they move around each other.

He’s probably right. Otherwise Ronan would tell Gansey that there’s no version of him that isn’t beautiful, and not just because of his inherited pretty face and nice clothes. It’s the kind of knowledge that just is, the sort of thing you live with and learn to move around, like how a punch to the chest leaves an ache throbbing through your entire rib cage. Ronan is bruised with it, the knowledge of all Gansey is, how impossible and exquisite and fucking fundamental he is to Ronan’s continued existence.

“Sounds like a you problem, Dick,” Ronan replies. Gansey makes a face, always hearing the capital letter when Ronan says it, and Ronan grins at him, like always. It’s a routine, this; there is a rhythm to the way they co-exist, one that had been established prior to Ronan moving into Monmouth, but has only become more entrenched in their bones in the time since. “We could get some more.”

Gansey considers this. It’s a common occurrence, these two a.m. juice runs. It’s a wonder they never realised Noah was fucking dead, honestly, considering he never came with them but never gave any indication of sleeping either.

Then again, rituals leave little room for doubt, and nights like this are a ritual for them. They always have been, even before Monmouth, and Niall Lynch’s death, and Ronan forgetting how to smile without his mouth turning into a knife. Ronan-and-Gansey, always up against the world together, whether it be ley lines and dead fathers or an inability to sleep and a lack of acceptable beverage options.

There aren’t many things Ronan relies on. Richard Gansey III—all the versions of him, including his annoying Congresswoman’s son one, and the one that holds all the wild burning pieces inside him so the other Ganseys may remain contained and safe for consumption, and the one he has right now, this teenage boy with grand goals and hair mussed from tossing and turning on his pillow before he gave up—is one of them.

Nights like this, with the Henrietta air sweet with past rain and no fucking juice in the fridge but four of Blue’s favourite yoghurt for some goddamn reason and Gansey right beside him, are another.

“Okay,” Gansey says finally, pressing his knee a little deeper into Ronan’s in a bump of warmth and acknowledgement and something that burns quietly in that part of Ronan’s chest he does his best not to name. “Let’s go get some juice.”

[blue-slxt]

Our Song Cord: Can't Help Falling

(Chapter 2)

🔞Minors Do Not Interact🔞

A/N: I know I said it was gonna be up this morning, but I got caught up with other shit lol. So here it is. Things start to heat up a little in this chapter. I have a soft spot for virgin characters. I think I just really identify with all the curiosity and nerves that come with discovering all this stuff lol. This is also one of the longest chapters I've ever written for anything. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy! Every chapter title is a song reference so if you know the song, you get a cookie. I really really appreciate feedback so comments and reblogs are heavily encouraged. All characters are aged up.

Series Masterlist

Previous Part | Next Part

Pairing: Neteyam x Fem!Omatikaya!Reader

Warnings: Friends to Lovers, Cheating? (depends on how you look at it), Fingering, Oral (M receiving), Heat Cycle, Masturbation (briefly), I think that's all.

Word Count: 5.7k

Summary: You and Neteyam have mastered the basics and feel like it's time to move on to the next step.

For the next week or so, you and Neteyam continue with your “training” sessions. You never really go farther than what you’ve already done. You know, just to make sure you both really have it down. On more than a couple occasions, you had to explain away little purple marks that Neteyam would leave littered around your jaw, neck, and chest after getting carried away.

“Just got a little too rough while we were sparring.” You’d laugh it off when questioned.

“Neteyam, you need to learn how to pull some of your punches, skxawng!” Kiri would chide him.

Once you both feel like you have a real handle on what you’re doing, Neteyam tells you how he’s finally going to put all his practice to good use. He’s finally going to try making out with Layao. You send him off with an encouraging smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes and a sinking feeling in your gut, but still words of reassurance all the same. It was almost as if you were nervous for him. But there was no reason to be nervous. He was good, really good. Neteyam had mastered the art of making you breathless with just a kiss in a matter of no time. He really was a prodigy. He was going to completely sweep her off her feet, no question about it. But maybe, that was the reason for the nerves.

Still, his excitement as he recounted his eventful night with her was contagious.

“You should have seen me! I did it just like how we practiced. And she looked almost as pretty as you do when we were done.”

He may not have caught it, but you certainly did. Your brain can’t help but hyper-fixate on the use of the word ‘almost’, but you tuck that away into the background to mull over later. For now, you were listening to your best friend eagerly tell you all about his conquest while pushing away the growing nausea in your gut.

“That’s great, Teyam. I told you, you’re a natural.” You say offering him a genuine smile.

“Well, it’s not like I can take all the credit.” He says nudging your shoulder with his. A sheepish smile crosses your lips. “So, I was thinking that we should move on to more advanced stuff since we seem to have the basics down now, don’t you think?” he suggests.

It causes you to pause momentarily thinking about the more “advanced” interactions the two of you could have with each other. “O-oh, yea. Definitely. It’s like you read my mind.” You try to play it off as if your mind isn’t screaming at you right now.

“Great, then I will see you tonight.” His charming smile is almost too gorgeous to look at right now. There’s no way anyone could convince you that Neteyam wasn’t one of Eywa’s favorites.

…

“Alright, so what are we trying tonight?” you ask leaning your back against a nearby tree. Neteyam’s hands clenched and relaxed at his sides which he often did when he was nervous about something. Your own anxiety feeds off of his as your eyes watch him carefully and he tries to build up the courage to say his idea out loud.

“Well…we already have everything sorted out up top…” his hands quickly gesture to your chest and his eyes fall to look at the ground instead of your face. “S-so, I thought it might be time to move…you know…lower” his voice is basically a whisper by the time he finishes his sentence. Your legs instinctively squeeze together and you suddenly feel extremely vulnerable just even thinking about his hands down there. Neteyam seems to notice your slight change in posture. “We don’t have to, though, if you don’t feel ready to try that yet.” The words tumble out of his mouth so fast you would think it was all one long word.

“No no no, it’s fine. I’m just maybe a little nervous.” You admit letting your gaze follow his to the ground. Your ears fall to your head hoping the ground would swallow you to save you from this incredibly vulnerable feeling brewing in your chest. Neteyam takes a few steps towards where you were still perched against the tree until he was close enough to hold your face and make you look back up at him. His face was close enough for you to catch the faint reflection of your tanhì in his gorgeous honey-colored eyes.

“I’ll be gentle.”

You’re not sure if it’s the low tone of his voice dancing around your ears, the way his thumb stroked your cheek, or just the sheer proximity, but something had your body buzzing all over like a million bees.

“I know you will, Teyam. Just…kiss me first? To help ease me into it.” It’s incredibly embarrassing to ask for it, but right now, your want far outweighed your embarrassment.

His hand stays planted against your cheek when he leans in and kisses you. His body presses into yours and his other hand familiarly lands on your hip. You let your mind get lost in the moment. So lost that you don’t even feel when your own arms drape around his neck and hold him close to you. It’s as if your body is moving on its’ own carrying out your deepest desires without you needing to tell it what to do. Your legs part allowing his body to slot right into place. The throbbing between your thighs is growing by the second.

You take hold of his hand on your hip and move it lower to the waistband of your loincloth. Neteyam breaks the kiss to look down at his hand and then back at your face. You give the tiniest nod of your head to encourage him to continue and his fingers trail under your loincloth and come into direct contact with your core. His ears and eyebrows both shoot up feeling you for the first time.

“It’s so warm and slippery.” He says experimentally dragging his fingers through your folds.

“That’s how it’s supposed to be” you try to ignore the shakiness of your voice as it leaves your throat. “The most important part is the clit.” His fingers go still against you while he looks at you listening intently.

“It’s a small little nub near the top. It’s really sensitive and you’re going to want to really get familiar with it.” You explain feeling your face get hot.

He pulls his fingers forward until he reaches the little bud that makes you squeak when he presses against it. “That’s it.” A small smile crosses his lips momentarily before he speaks again.

“So, now what do I do?” “Well, everybody likes something different, but you usually can’t go wrong with just rubbing little circles into it.” You could really only speak from your own experience of nights that you had done this to yourself.

“Like this?” his finger harshly pushes against your clit and it makes you jump.

“A little softer. Not so much pressure, okay? It’s a really sensitive spot so you don’t want to do it too hard.”

He nods his head processing your advice. He lightens his touch and tentatively rubs circles around and around on your clit. Fuck, he was perfect at this already. After that one quick adjustment, his pressure and speed were nothing short of flawless. “Mmf…haah th-that’s good. Just like that…” your knees buckle under you and if it weren’t for the tree you were pressed against, you probably would’ve been on the ground already. Your head falls back to the tree and your eyes close silently praying that you could live in this moment that you’ve dreamt about countless times forever. Small mewls and moans pass your lips under his touch.

Neteyam is trying desperately to ignore the way his own dick is throbbing in his loincloth listening to the sounds you’re making. He does his best to ensure that he’s putting forth his best effort to make you feel good. And fuck, was he making you feel good. The pleasure overtakes any sense of logic that you may have been holding onto.

“M-more…”

Neteyam looks at you with eyelids already starting to hood his eyes.

“I…I want to feel you inside…” your cheeks burn saying it out loud, but it feels as if you might be devoured whole by your desire if you don’t feel him where your need is the strongest.

“Are you sure? I mean, you’re okay with—”

“Mhm…please, Teyam…”

His ears twitch in your direction at your sensual pleas and his dick twitches begging to be the one that fills you. He cautiously moves his fingers between your folds that were now dripping down his knuckles. When he reaches your entrance, he lightly probes at you with one of his fingers making you clench around nothing until he finally pushes inside. His jaw drops open feeling the way your walls suck his finger right in and envelope him in a feeling of slippery warmth.

It feels like your breathing stutters in your throat as his finger stretches you. His finger was so much bigger than your own and you’ve never been more aware of that fact than right now as he unintentionally pressed the pad of his finger against the spongey part of your walls.

“Mm!” you do your best to muffle your sounds

“Is this okay?” his voice conveys his concern, but his eyes hold only a lusty haze while they jump around from your eyes to your lips and chest and between your thighs that sat spread for him.

“Y-yea…now, just angle your finger towards the front and move in and out slowly.”

“Like this?” he slowly pulls his finger out just to the top knuckle and then sinks back in at just the angle you need.

“Ahh…yea, right there” You don’t mean for it to sounds as enticing as it comes out, but Neteyam can feel his self-restraint slipping away. He can’t stop himself from attaching his lips to their favorite spot on your neck and nipping little bites into your soft skin. His finger never stops thrusting up into you and your legs are starting to feel like jelly beneath you.

Your arms hold tight around his neck to help keep you upright. It’s almost automatic the way your leg hikes up around his waist to give his hand even more access to you.

“Nete~…” you call out completely not meaning to. You’ve never called him that name. The only people who called him that were girls in the clan hoping to catch his attention with their sweet voices and swishing tails. He always said it was embarrassing, but in this moment, hearing it roll off your lips, it makes him groan against your skin.

“Say it again…need…need to hear you…” his voice is breathy and his words broken between his heavy breathing that fans your jaw line as he continues kissing everywhere he can reach.

You weren’t expecting that kind of response, but you comply regardless.

“Nete…oh, Great Mother, I’m going to cum!” your body tightens its hold on him pressing his body right up against you hoping it’ll anchor you to this plane of existence. This was nothing like doing it to yourself and now you wonder how you’ve managed to go this long without the touch of another person. And you think that you never want to be without this feeling ever again.

His cheek is pressed right up against your own and his free hand gropes at your breast. It takes the last thread of his sanity to not scent you right now as he feels your impending climax threatening to strangle his finger right off his hand.

“Haah…go ahead, let me feel it.” His voice is right next to your ear sending shivers down your spine. Almost on command, the knot in your body snaps and you cum with trembling legs and a small, almost silent scream from your mouth. Your nails leave deep purple indents on his skin from where you’re holding onto him and even Neteyam lets out a small moan feeling your walls convulse around him as you ride out your high. His hands go still against you when you come down and he pulls his face back to look at you.

Looking up at Neteyam right now, you can’t seem to bring your brain to recognize him as your best friend that you’ve known since before you could remember, but instead, you see a gorgeous man hovering just inches away from your face who’s gazing down at you like he wants to give you the world and you want to let him.

Neither of you say a word when he carefully slides his finger out of you and holds his hand up to examine how his skin glistens in the moonlight covered in your slick that’s still trickling down his hand.

Neteyam isn’t sure what kind of compulsion came over him that moment, but with no hesitation, he brings his finger to his lips and licks it clean before you can find the words to protest. Your ears pin to your head but you feel physically unable to look away from him. He moans lowly at the taste of you on his finger.

“You taste sweet.”

Somehow, you are equal parts mortified and turned on. Your eyes want to fall to the ground, but they get distracted at the tenting of his loincloth. You let one of your hands fall from his shoulder to palm him through the fabric. He sucks in a sharp breath at the contact.

“You don’t have to do that.”

You look up at his face, “I want to.”

It takes a second for the implications of your words to really settle in your mind.

“I-I mean, I need to learn how to do this too, you know…” A lie. Truth was, you were so desperate to have him right now, you thought you might actually go insane. But of course, you’d never be able to tell that to him, you can barely even tell it to yourself.

There’s only a thick silence as Neteyam resigns himself to you and lets you undo the knot holding his loincloth around his hips. The fabric falls to the ground and…oh, fuck, Neteyam really was Eywa’s favorite. It’s not like you really knew what was considered average, but you had a general idea from the talk amongst the other girls in the clan. And Neteyam was far above average. Just something else to make him even more perfect.

You sink to your knees in front of him and Neteyam is simultaneously thankful for the dark so that you can’t see the flush of his cheeks, but he also curses it as it prevents him from seeing you clearly the way he really wants to right now.

“S-so, do I just…grab it?” you finally pull your eyes back up to his face waiting for him to guide you in what to do.

“Um, well, first, you should spit in your hand.” His voice is low, clearly embarrassed about explaining this kind of thing. You cock an eyebrow at him feeling skeptical about what he’s asking you to do. “It helps your hand slide smoother.”

You know that Neteyam would never intentionally lead you astray, so you do ask he says and let a long stream of saliva fall into your palm. His big hand holds your wrist and guides your hand to wrap around his length. It’s firm just like the muscles in his arms and it’s heavy in your hand.

“Just slowly move your hand like this…” his hand gently moves yours back and forth along him. After a couple of experimental strokes, he removes his hand and lets you continue on your own. It feels so…indecent, but also strangely thrilling.

“Is this good?”

“Mm…yea, you can do it a little tighter.” He says trying to keep his voice from wavering. You add some more pressure to your hold while still keeping your rhythm and Neteyam lets out a shaky breath. You’ve been watching his face the whole time, but when he makes eye contact with you, your chest squeezes feeling overwhelmed. So, you choose to focus on your hand instead. Watching the repetitive stroke of your hand and how his tip disappears into your palm only to poke back through feels like falling into a trance. A trance so deep that it removes any and all semblance of sanity you may have still had. Your mouth starts to salivate and drool down your chin which you wipe away with the back of your free hand.

It’s not enough. You need more. You want to give him more. It’s almost as if you’re watching yourself, but you can’t do anything to stop when you gently take him into your mouth. He’s so big, it’s a wonder how it would ever fit inside of your pussy. But fuck, if you didn’t want to make it fit.

“Haah…w-wait…” Neteyam’s voice is shaky and breathless being completely caught off guard by the all-encompassing warmth that now wrapped around him. He almost wants to tell you not to push yourself and that you don’t have to go this far tonight. Almost. But when his eyes find yours looking up at him big and glazed over with over half of his dick in your mouth, he is absolutely powerless to stop you.

You’re not entirely sure what to do besides just moving your head up and down. You try to incorporate your tongue by licking and dragging here and there. From what you can tell from his face and the sounds he’s making, the tip feels the best especially when you drag your tongue from the underside of it to the slit.

“A-ah fuck”

His hips are twitching and his muscles tense and relax while you work on him. Your desire to make him feel good drives you to try and fit more of him in your mouth. His tip pokes and prods at the back of your throat and it’s so thick, you can’t hold it there for more than a second or two before you need to pull back for air. But the way that it makes his chin drop to his chest and his eyes squeeze shut while he moans out praises for you makes it worth it.

“Hng…just like that”

He looks like he’s close and you were determined to get him there. You push him to the back of your throat again and his dick twitches inside of your mouth.

“Ah, I’m going to cum!” his eyes shoot open to watch you while you coax his release out of him.

You pop your mouth off of him and pump him with your fist right in front of your face.

“Wait, y-your face…” he starts, but you couldn’t care less.

“It’s okay. Just let go, Nete.” That’s all it took and he was done for. His release comes out in hot, thick ropes of white that spill over your hand and shoot onto your mouth and chin. His head falls back as he cums with a loud groan and a force that damn near knocks him off of his feet.

When he’s done, you release your hold on him and just stare in awe at the remnants of him on your hand. He looks down at you trying to find his breath and sees how you let your tongue swipe across your bottom lip to taste him.

It takes every ounce of focus he just regained to not get hard again from watching you.

“Hmm…tastes like utumauti. It’s nice.” you say letting the flavor dance around your tongue.

Neteyam quickly pulls his loincloth back on and pulls a piece of cloth from a satchel on his side.

“Here, let me help wipe you off.” He says kneeling in front of you.

“You know you don’t have to do that, Teyam.” You subconsciously revert to your regular nickname for him.

“I know, but it only feels right.” He says already grabbing your hand and swiping away the mess. This man was too sweet for his own good. Your heart can’t help but ache a bit at watching it go to waste, but you bite your tongue and settle for the ghost of the flavor still in your mouth. When he’s done with your hand, he reaches out to your face and starts wiping it off too. His eyes stay focused on the areas where he’s wiping, but your eyes are admiring his features in the soft glow of the moonlight. Neteyam has always been good looking, but he’s more than just handsome. He’s beautiful. He’s the kind of pretty that hurts to look at for too long. The kind that makes your heart flutter and ache with a burning need. And the kind that makes you greedily want to keep him all to yourself.

And then it clicks. When he notices you staring and his eyes meet yours, the pieces fit together. You love this man. You have always loved him. All these years, what you thought was just admiration for his work ethic, humming his song cord to yourself when you went about your day, the way your heart thundered when he would wrap you in one of his legendary hugs, all of it…was love.

And you wouldn’t come to know this until much later, but Neteyam realized the same exact thing in that same moment.

He’s the first to break the eye contact clearing his throat. “I think that’s all of it.”

“Thanks.” There’s a long moment of silence while the weight of everything sits on both of your chests. “Um, I think that’s good for tonight. Good work. I’m sure you’ll do great with Layao.” Her name brings a sharp sting to your chest, but you do your best to push the feeling away.

“Right. Right. Thanks. Um, you did good too. Were you planning on putting all your practice to use any time soon?”

You truly hadn’t actually thought about that part. Neteyam already had an intended mate that he was practicing for. But what about you? You didn’t have any solid prospects since everyone in the clan always thought you and Neteyam would end up together. You had never seriously considered what this would actually mean for you in terms of finding a mate.

“O-oh yea. There’s somebody I have in mind.” Another lie.

Neteyam presses his lips into a line nodding at you. “Well, he’s lucky.” He doesn’t bother to press you about who this mystery man is because he knows that if he finds out who it is, he wouldn’t be able to look at him without forever feeling the bitter pang of jealousy.

“We should probably start heading back.” You suggest finally standing to your feet. “I’ll head back first.”

“Right. See you later.” He says unable to pry his eyes away from the sway of your hips on your retreating figure.

…

“Let me guess, more training?” Kiri says gesturing to the small purple marks left from your previous night.

You laugh a little trying not to give away the flashsbacks playing through your mind. “You know it.” “I swear, for someone so even tempered, Neteyam really needs to learn how to hold back more.” She says grinding some herbs together.

“It’s fine. It’s not his fault. I kinda spur him on, I guess.”

“Well, you’d better start fighting back harder. He hardly ever has a mark on him.” She says finally walking over to you with a small sack of various herbs and placing it in your hands.

“I’ll make a note of that” you say giggling a bit. “Thanks for these.” “You know, I don’t know why you won’t just find a guy to help you through your heat. It would be much better and more effective than any of these herbs. Especially since they’ll start to be less effective over time.” She says kind of rolling her eyes at you.

“Yeah, yeah, so you’ve mentioned before. I don’t know. I just haven’t found the right guy that does it for me yet.” You shrug your shoulders and try to control the blush trying to creep into your face and stand to leave.

“Oh, wait before you go” a less familiar voice calls out to you. It’s Layao walking over to you with a giddy smile. “What kind of things does Neteyam like? I want to make him something, but I can’t decide what he’d like best. I figured since you know him better than anyone, I should ask you for your opinion.”

She was right, you did know him better than anyone. Even better than anyone would ever know.

“Oh, well, he likes yovo fruit and arm bands. You can’t really go wrong with those.” The tightening of your chest is nearly strangling the breath right out of you. You can’t, and won’t, stand in the way of what was already decided.

“Yovo and arm bands. Got it. Thank you.” She says before walking back over to her corner of the healing tent.

It’s a harsh reminder of the fact that you stupidly realized far too late that you loved the man you couldn’t have. You dismiss the thoughts with a quick shake of your head and start on the path home.

You have to prepare. Your heat will be here soon and you needed to ensure that you have enough food and water and supplies to get you through. Cycle after cycle you would writhe in agony on the floor of your home for days on end. From what you’ve heard, having a partner makes your heat pass much quicker. And it’s not like it was uncommon for young Na’vi to explore sex with many partners before mating, but that just wasn’t what you wanted. You didn’t want it to just be whatever willing participant you could stumble upon.

Looking around your home right now, you’re realizing that you may not have enough utumauti. It’s your favorite during your cycles and even though you have a hefty amount, knowing how quickly you can go through those, you felt like it would be best to air on the side of caution and get more.

On your way out into the forest, you bump into Aykxo.

“Oh, hey. Sorry, I didn’t see you down there.” He jokes. Even for a Na’vi, Aykxo was tall. Tall enough to see clear over your head without trying. He probably actually didn’t see you.

You readjust your top and reassure him that it’s fine.

“You’re Neteyam’s friend, right?” he asks.

Your eyes squint at him a bit in confusion, but also suspicion. “Yeah, I am. Why?”

“Are you…just his friend?” You don’t miss the way his eyes quickly scan your body up and down. Okay, so that’s where this was going.

“Yup. We are just friends.” It makes you cringe to say out loud. It’s not technically a lie. It was true that, officially, you and Neteyam were only best friends and as far as anybody else knew, that’s all you were. But in truth, you were something more to each other, no matter how hard either of you may try to justify the turn in your relationship with the ‘training’ excuse.

“Good to know. Then, you wouldn’t mind maybe meeting me later after eclipse?” His hand trails down the side of your arm to your hand where he takes hold of it. He certainly is bold. The act is enough to give you chills, but not in the same way that you’re used to.

You can feel a pair of eyes burning holes into you and when you find the source of the searing gaze, it’s none other than your ‘just friend’, Neteyam standing near the opening of the healing tent with Layao and Kiri. Layao has her arms wrapped securely around Neteyam’s arm while her head rests on his shoulder and she talks with Kiri. Neteyam is clearly uninterested in whatever they were talking about and was much more curious about your conversation.

You finally turn back to Aykxo, “Yeah, sounds nice.”

He smiles and kisses your hand before continuing in the direction he was originally headed. You decided you need to at least try to give other guys a chance. And Aykxo was handsome and a good hunter and all. After all, this is what you’ve been preparing for, isn’t it?

…

“So, I saw you talking with Aykxo earlier.” Neteyam starts to inquire. He decided soon after the encounter to join you on your hunt for more utumauti.

“Yeah, I guess he wants to meet later tonight after eclipse. I told him I’d come, but I don’t know. I’m kind of nervous about it.” You do your best to sound at least casual instead of disinterested. If you would have turned to look at Neteyam, you would’ve noticed how his gaze grew shifty.

“Were you planning to try…?” his words trail off implying what he wants to say without actually saying it.

“I don’t know. I haven’t really decided yet.”

“You know he’s going to fall in love with you if you do, right?” He keeps picking fruit, but you whip around to look at him with slightly wider eyes.

“How do you figure?” You ask cocking your head at him.

“I mean if you do what you did before, no man in his right mind could not fall in love with you.”

Your heart skips a beat. And then another. Your mouth gets stuck open waiting to find words to form around. Clearly, the insinuation of his statement hits you far before it hits him since he just continues gathering until he notices your silence and turns to see your stunned expression.

“I-I mean, you know, not trying to say—just, what I mean is…you were just really good is what I was trying to say.” His words are jumbled and stuttering and his face is a deep purple while he tries to avoid eye contact with you right now. You can’t help the grin that slides across your face watching this adorably goofy man lose his composure.

“What about you? You and Layao definitely looked very cozy today”, you taunt. “You might not even have to do anything more to get her to be head over heels for you.”

He chuckles lowly to himself, “You may be right. Still, I want to make sure that I’m prepared for anything.”

“Of course.”

“Anyways, do you really think this many utumauti is reasonable? Your heat is only 3 days, you have enough to last an average family for a week!” he exaggerates, but he does this every time you’re gathering supplies for your heat.

“You know it’s my favorite. It’s basically the only thing I eat for those 3 whole days. I need a lot of it.”

“If you say so, but this still seems excessive if you ask me. There’s no way anyone can eat this much in just 3 days.”

“Don’t underestimate me, Teyam. You know me better than that.” You tsk at him waving your finger.

…

It feels like your nerves are going to eat you alive walking with Aykxo through the forest tonight. Neteyam had sent you off with an encouraging smile and the reminder to “blow him away”. You rolled your eyes at his stupid joke, but it did help in somewhat easing the tension that had made a home in your gut.

Your hand feels clammy letting Aykxo lead you through the night. Or maybe that’s just in your mind. But your whole body feels off kilter with the anticipation. Soon, you both reach a small clearing and you let out a small yelp when he suddenly pulls you into his arms and holds you against his chest.

“O-oh, uh…” you start, but Aykxo is clearly uninterested in talking as he starts to attack your neck with kisses and licks and nips. He groans against your skin letting his hands roam up and down your body.

Even though your mind is completely taken aback, your body erupts in goosebumps all over and you feel hot. You don’t want this, but why is your body behaving like it does? When you try to turn your head away from him, your balance feels shaky, at best. That’s when it hits you, your heat is here. It shouldn’t be here already. You should have another few days. But it seems to have other plans for you.

Home. You need to get home right this instant. You place your hands against Aykxo’s chest and gently push him back off of you. When he looks at you, he’s clearly confused about why you stopped him.

“I’m sorry, I just…I thought we were just going to talk. Um, I think I need to go.” You say fighting your body’s urge to submit to the nearest living being. If you were on day 2 or 3, you might be desperate enough to give in, but his pheromones are slightly off-putting to your nose. They’re not the worst, but not enough to make you want him this close to you right now.

“But I thought—” he says, but you don’t let him finish. You don’t have the time to listen to the rest of his sentence.

“I’m so sorry. I really just need to go.” You say already backing out of his hold and turning to run back home. Of course, you feel bad leaving him there high and dry and clearly giving him the wrong impression, but that’s something to worry about later when you can actually control your mind and body. For now, your main focus is hiding away at home and riding out these next 3 excruciating days.

You sprint home as fast as your feet will carry you and a blink of relief hits you when it finally comes into view. You break through the opening and fall onto your sleep mat trying to catch your breath. The itch is starting to creep in much stronger than is usual for your first day. Your body is calling out for relief. You let your fingers crawl under your loincloth and between your legs to hopefully find some comfort. When your fingers slip between your wet folds, it makes your ears twitch with curiosity when the name that slips past your lips is ‘Neteyam’…

Taglist: @soleilmoon @netemoon @fifia-writes @strangersav11

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[msbigredmachine]

💖Beginners' Guide to MsBigRedMachine's Fanfics💖

Thank you once again to two of my faves @southerngirl41 and @harmshake for the tags!

Intro: I'm Ada! I write fanfiction mainly for Roman Reigns, but I expanded to Jey Uso and now I've added his twin Jimmy, lol. Also have a Samoa Joe fic lurking somewhere.

Pairings: As you'll see in my masterlist, ALL my OCs are Black women. Dark skin, light skin, caramel, slim, big...all beautiful Black baddies. Also, being Nigerian, I aim to incorporate more Nigerian names in my fics too. Sorry, I don't do slash of any kind. I've been asked before and it's just not my thing.

Warnings: Smut, angst, drama, more smut. No one under the age of 18 should read my stuff or interact with me on it, or you'll be outed without hesitation.

So where to start reading...?

---

My first fic: My first-ever one was actually an RVD fic called Shattered Rose that I never finished, when white women were my OCs. I know wayyyy better now😬

My longest fic: My first baby, Into The Deep End. March 6, 2024 will make it ten years since I first published it on another platform. I worked so hard on it as a stress reliever when I was studying for my Masters, and to know that it still gets so much love on all the sites I've posted it on truly warms my heart. Targets is my second-longest, I really enjoyed that one too.

My shortest fic: Definitely Wait For You. Marian tagged me in a "Seven Sentence" challenge and this was the result. I'm terrible with <1000 word fics and it was truly a challenge, lol.

My most popular fic: So, there's three answers. Overall, Into The Deep End for sure. But for my one-shots, I still get messages and quotes about Power Couple (Roman/OC) and On Sight (Jey Uso/OC) to this day.

My personal fave fic: Lol this answer changes all the time. They're all my babies, I really can't choose. Each time I re-read one, I fall in love with it.

---

💖About me💖

30+, a qualified lawyer/attorney by profession. I've been writing all sorts of stuff since I was a child. There's something about putting your imagination down on paper that is so liberating and I really enjoy it. Maybe one day I will have the courage to actually publish something.

I've been posting my fics on tumblr for years now. I'm truly happy to have met such great authors along the way, and I appreciate all the likes, reblogs and especially the amazing comments and feedback. Forgive me for all my late responses, work and Nigeria's WAT time zone messes me up lol.

Thank you all again, and enjoy!

Click here if you're not yet on my tag list and you want to be added.

---

Again, tagging everyone: @jxtina-86 @wrestlingprincess80 @southerngirl41 @alyyaanna @squishyguishy @jstarr86 @murrylove @thewarlordsworld @mzv11 @cozyaliensuperstar7 @nayys-world @hunnidmilly @cyberdejos2 @papireigns-05 @niknakbucks92 @captainwithoutmakingitlove @sovereigngoth @aisharmi @kennedi0818 @alichesmi @thesamoanqueen @herwickedlittlesins @harmshake @fame-ass-ers@questionable-behaviour @tribalchiefreigns @2-muchsauce @thatbxtchsblog @raya-hunter01 @marchi36753 @lovelysuccess @christinabae @wooahmiri @thatonecarebear @tabletheofhead @rheaanddamianfan @vebner37 @hanley1577 @princessesareforsuckers @-naturally @joannasteez @bbygirlky18 @lilucey @theninthwonder @melaninsugababy @chocovibesonly @msbluehaz3 @scarlettnoir01 @heerah34 @empressdede @tbmotw @darkangelchronicles @visionarymode @marasdeathnote @aintnorainbows @meggylynnloves @shantinextdoor @harlemblipster @trc-punzel @afterdarkprincess @nbanenefrmdao @sassginaswanmills @purplehairgawdess @holisticcoach @girlwhogaf @royalkay23 @heyitsnajabrinee @stoner2k @reci1996 @catxo @iamimanim @lookmais @ts1mp0ne @shonny09 @lizzyd1ish @gomussy @m3llowww @skyesthebomb @final1miya

[claymoresword]

I Choose Her | Chp: 9

Hermione Granger x Slytherin Fem!Reader

Summary: You are the daughter of known death eaters from one of the richest and oldest wizarding family. Are you prepared to abandon everything you know for Hermione Granger?

Pairing: Hermione x Reader

Wordcount: 4.5k

Warnings: smut, fluff, angst, dark themes, mention of death & murder, draco and y/n are basically siblings deal w it

Note: y/n and hermione: *away from each other for more than a day*

y/n: "this is it, this is what's going to kill me"

this chapter's definitely the longest i've written which wiped me out ngl im gonna have to take a couple days off lol

eitherway i hope u enjoy! <3

ps: i was listening to turning page as i wrote the first part of this chapter so... make of that what u will 👀

taglist: @gvrsto @aweidlich @xxsekhmet @arielj @poppyflower-22

(comment to be added)

You're awoken this morning by Hermione shifting in her sleep. The two of you crammed together in her bed.

Mrs Granger had set up the guest room for you but your girlfriend insisted you slept with her.

Hermione was persistent but honestly you didn't put up much of a fight.

You were now awake enough to feel the pulsing in your arm. It seems Hermione's head had been laying on top of it the entire night, restricting your bloodflow.

You attempt to pull your arm out from underneath her head without waking her but clearly failing when Hermione lets out a noise in protest. She makes no effort to move her head.

"Sweetheart, my arm's asleep." You explained but Hermione says nothing.

For a moment you assumed she had fallen back asleep but your girlfriend quickly grabs your other arm, wrapping it around her own abdomen.

She is awake and she is ignoring you.

You relent.

Pulling her close Hermione only holds onto your arm tighter enjoying the feeling of you against her.

You begin to drift off but a knock at the door jolts you awake once more.

"Hermione, breakfast is ready darling."

Mrs Granger says from the other side of the door and you can feel Hermione tense up.

Undoubtedly dreading the prospect of the day beginning. Today is bound to be dreadful.

She has to leave for the burrow which also means she has to obliviate her parents. To make matters worse, your own parents are expecting you home for the initiation. You want more than anything to stay with Hermione.

You supposed in the grand scheme of things, these are necessary sacrifices.

Something you tell yourself to keep from having a complete breakdown.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." Hermione's voice breaks and it feels like a harsh blow to your chest. You hated that it had to come to this. She was essentially losing her parents today and you would not be here to guide her through it.

"Me too, baby." Pulling her even closer, the only comfort you're capable of providing her right now.

Hermione moves to turn towards you and you release her from your grasp.

The pain in your chest now piercing when you realised she is crying.

"I don't know if I can do it y/n."

You sit up, prompting for Hermione to do the same. You hold her face in both your hands, wiping away the tear on her cheek.

"Listen to me."

"We are going to get through this. You will see your parents again. It can't end this way. It won't."

You assure her but mostly you're trying to convince yourself.

Hermione studies your face for a beat, searching for something.

"Aren't you afraid?"

You let a moment pass before answering.

"I'm terrified."

More tears well up in her eyes, she shifts her gaze.

"I don't want to end up alone."

Hermione's voice trembles and your own eyes are now welling up.

"You won't be alone. You will always have me." You emphasise in hopes that Hermione will believe you.

"Promise me you're not going to die."

Your girlfriend blurts out and you breathed out sharply in amusement. Hermione lets out a defeated chuckle, only just hearing how ridiculous she sounded.

"I promise." You respond anyway, leaning in you place a tender kiss on her forehead.

Hermione grips the hem of your shirt, capturing your lips with her own.

Savouring this moment as much as you could, both of you knowing that the future was entirely uncertain.

Hermione was quick to wrap her arms around you after your lips left hers.

For awhile, you are sat in silence holding each other.

"My brave girl." You whisper and Hermione's grip on your shoulders tighten.

She did not want to let go and neither did you.

But eventually you had no choice. Releasing her from your embrace you stood up off the bed.

"We should get going."

You offered her your hand, Hermione hesitates for a moment before grabbing it.

════════════════════════════════════════════

You are stood in the doorway to the kitchen, Hermione slowly approaches her parents from behind. She pauses for a moment turning to look at you.

She's asking you for reassurance.

For strength.

You merely nod and that seemed to give Hermione the push she needed.

Lifting up her wand she takes a deep breath before reciting the memory spell.

"Obliviate."

You watched as things in the room shifted and changed. Some of Hermione's belongings, things she's had since childhood dissipating into thin air.

Pictures of her on the mantle slowly being erased.

You couldn't bare to watch.

Stepping forward you tugged on Hermione's arm. No child should have to watch their parents forget them.

"Come my love its done, let's go."

The look on Hermione's face makes your heart constrict painfully in your chest.

She's trying her best to stay strong and you loved her even more for it.

Soon she follows you to the front door, walking out you both sit on the stairs of the veranda.

Hermione doesn't cry. She doesn't say anything. You are sat for several minutes without a word being said.

Suddenly remembering that you were due home this afternoon, you lifted your arm to check the time.

Your girlfriend notices and finally breaks the silence.

"When will I see you again?"

Her voice is fragile and it simply crushes you.

"I will try my best to meet you at the burrow in a day or two."

"Truthfully, I have no idea what to expect or how long the initiation is going to take but I will come back to you, I promise.

Hermione doesn't respond for a moment instead she finds your hand, fiddling with your ring. Perhaps to check for the bond, to make sure it is still there.

"Okay." She mutters.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I wish there was another way." You shuffle closer and her hand moves to your arm firmly gripping your bicep.

She rests her head on your shoulder.

"Just swear that you'll come back to me." Your girlfriend says and you smile.

"I swear– And if I do die I will make sure to come back as a ghost."

"Or maybe a poltergeist." You continue.

Hermione slaps your arm and you wince.

"Not funny." She says sternly but you catch the faint smile on her lips.

════════════════════════════════════════════

"What did you do to your hair?"

The first thing your mum says as you came through the front door.

You sighed. This was going to be a difficult day.

"Nothing, why?"

Your mum walks up to you, fixing your hair in the passive aggressive manner she always does.

She then moves to your clothes, endlessly fussing with it.

"Come, you're nearly late. Everyone's waiting."

Your eyebrows furrowed. For a moment you wonder if the Dark Lord himself was here.

Then again, it can't be. Your mother seems too calm at the prospect of hosting Voldermort himself in her dining room.

You walk beside your mother past the foyer and into the downstairs living area.

There you spotted your father. He barely looks at you before he speaks.

"You're late."

He doesn't leave you space to answer before stepping aside, gesturing for you to walk further in.

Immediately you spotted Draco, standing next to his parents.

Narcissa was quick to come up to you, greeting you with a hug and a kind smile.

"Y/n, its been so long– you've grown so much."

Narcissa leans back to take proper look at you, holding your face in her hands.

"You've grown into a radiant young woman."

She says and you fail to suppress the blush rushing to your cheeks. You have always liked Draco's mum. Never anything but kind to you, she provided a warmth you didn't receive from your own mother.

"Thank you Mrs Malfoy you are too kind. Sorry I have not visited as of late, I've been rather preoccupied with school."

You lied, glancing at Draco. He stares at you for a beat before looking down.

That's Draco for: "I'm sorry, thanks for lying for me."

"Release the girl Cissy we haven't got all day." Bellatrix says from across the room and you take a proper scan of the room for the first time.

You spot Greyback, Wormtail, Pius and Dolohov.

A few other people you did not recognise. All death eaters no doubt, some who must have recently escaped from azkaban.

No sign of the Dark Lord.

The death eaters alone would've been a chilling sight if you were not already used to it.

Narcissa steps back and your mother now takes your hand guiding you to the center of the room.

It was silent for a few moments until Greyback re emerges from the back room, grabbing a woman by her arm. He harshly throws her onto the ground infront of you.

She was bound by the wrists, her mouth stuffed with cloth probably to keep her from screaming.

She looks terrified.

"Who is this?" You mutter quietly but it's still heard by the rest of the room.

Bellatrix walks towards you, a menacing grin plastered across her face.

"Why does it matter? Do want to call her friends and family? Send your condolences?" Bellatrix mocks, earning a snicker from the other death eaters.

"Some muggle we plucked off the street." Dolohov chimed in, answering your question.

Your stomach churns. The woman looked not much older than you were.

Not much older than Hermione.

"Now, do you know your unforgivable curses?"

Bellatrix says, circling you like a hawk stalking its prey.

"Ofcourse I know them."

She laughs.

"Good."

She moves towards the woman, and unbinds her wrists. She removes the cloth from her mouth. Bellatrix forces the woman up on her feet.

She is trembling under your gaze but makes no effort to run away.

"Take out your wand y/n."

Your mother instructs and you do as you're told.

Bellatrix leans in, you feel her breath against your ear.

"Torture her." She whispers and you swallow the lump in your throat.

Glancing at your mother she only looks at you expectantly. Your father's stern gaze sends a chill down your spine.

You had to commit for this to work. You have to get back to Hermione, whatever it takes.

Lifting your arm you pointed the wand at the woman before you. You steady your breathing, trying to appear as calm as possible.

"Crucio."

The woman falls to the ground, writhing in pain. Her deafening screams now filling the room.

Your stomach churns but you school your expression.

You cannot appear weak.

"Very good." Bellatrix says after her laughter subsided.

"Now let's see, what is the next unforgivable curse?" She says in a mocking tone.

"Oh just get on with it. She knows them. Kill the muggle already." Dolohov says.

Another laugh erupts from Bellatrix and you flinch this time.

"You heard him y/n."

"Kill her." Bellatrix says, her face too close to yours.

You glanced in Draco's direction but he's not looking at you. His gaze fixed at the floor he almost looks just as afraid as the woman you had just been tasked to murder.

You mother gives you a nod and your father only raises his eyebrows.

Everyone is waiting for your move.

You don't let yourself think on it a moment longer.

"Avada Kadavra."

You exclaimed, a bright green light flashes and the woman falls flat on her back, motionless.

The room is dead silent once again.

Your ears are ringing, you feel as if you are about to faint.

The sound of clapping around the room snaps you back into the present.

"Well done, my daughter." Your father gives you smile for the first time today.

Your mother pulls you in for a hug and you're only able to focus on how sick you felt.

"May I please be excused? I have to visit the ladies room."

Your mother releases you from her grip.

"Ofcourse darling."

You rush out of the living area, you didn't go the bathroom. You needed to get outside. The air in your house felt thick, suffocating.

Eventually you found yourself in the yard behind your home.

Unbuttoning a few buttons on your shirt hoping it would help give you more room to breathe but it doesn't. Feeling the bile rise up to your throat you kneeled over, vomitting all over the grass.

You hear footsteps come up next to you and before you managed to look up, Draco speaks.

"Here." Holding out his handkerchief.

"Thanks."

You grab it, giving him a smile in gratitude before wiping your mouth.

"I threw up as well. After my initiation. A lot more than that actually."

Draco says looking at the patch of grass.

"There were a lot more tears involved too." He jokes.

His attempt to make you feel better about yourself only made you more glum.

"You did well y/n."

"This is fucked." You admit, earning a real laugh from Draco.

A sound you hadn't heard in months.

"Yes it is." He says leaning agaisnt the tree next to you.

"But it's also just the life we were born into."

Draco was right. There was no use in complaining.

"It is what it is."

You say and he nods in agreement.

════════════════════════════════════════════

You had been home for two days now, to be honest you've not done much besides sit in on death eater meetings. The Dark Lord was yet to show himself, you actually began to doubt his existence.

You waited for nightfall, you had to try to sneak out today and see Hermione.

Shoving your wand in your pocket you shut your eyes, focusing in on your ring. You prepared to apparate.

Your concentration broken by a familiar voice coming from behind you.

"Where do you think you're going?" Draco asks, emerging from the doorway.

"I have to see her."

Your bestfriend scoffs, shaking his head.

"I knew it. I knew you didn't break up with her."

"What is it about her?" Draco steps closer.

"I barely even recognise you anymore y/n. You were never like this. That girl makes you weak and you know it."

You rolled your eyes.

"You don't recognise me ?" You raised your voice.

"And who's fault is that, huh?" Quickly placing your hands on his chest, you shoved him. He loses his balance slightly but doesn't attempt to strike you back.

"You've barely acknowledged me this entire year, Draco." Your voice now back to a whisper.

He doesn't say anything, avoiding eye contact he focuses his attention on the fireplace next to you.

"We've both changed."

"That's just life."

Draco finally looks at you.

"But you are the closest thing I have to a brother. This fact remains the same."

"I will continue to defend you no matter what. I am only asking you for the same courtesy in return."

Draco's gaze softens but he seems slightly affronted.

"Ofcourse I have your back y/n. Always."

"Then let me go."

"You're right, she is a weakness. But it's only because I love her."

Draco nods, finally understanding.

"Look I'm not asking you to lie for me but–"

"You're asking me to lie for you." Draco interjects.

You let out a chuckle.

"Yes I suppose I am."

Draco sighs dramatically.

"Go. I'll make something up if your parents ask." Your eyes light up but he was quick to warn you.

"But- If you're not back here in a day, you're on your own."

A large grin spread across your face and your bestfriend rolls his eyes.

"Thank you." You say placing a quick kiss on his cheek which he was quick to wipe off with his hand.

Regardless, he throws you a smile.

Closing your eyes you focus in once again, successfully dissaparating.

════════════════════════════════════════════

You apparate right in Hermione and Ginny's room in the burrow. You immediately find your girlfriend on the bed, a book in her hands.

She spots you quickly, dropping her book she practically jumps into your arms.

You held her tight, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair.

"I missed you so much."

Hermione says and your heart swells.

"I missed you." You respond, pulling back to look at her.

Her lips were on yours immediately. You let out an involuntarily sigh of relief.

Longing to feel her lips against yours since the moment you parted ways.

"That was awful. Please never dissappear for that long again."

You laughed.

"Hermione, we were apart for 3 days." You moved your hand tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Felt like an eternity." Hermione grumbles adorably, you lean in to kiss her again.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay long."

Hermione's shoulders slumped, a pout forming on her face.

"I only wanted to let you know I was okay. I will come back and see you as often as I can, I swear."

The pout doesn't leave her lips and you lean in, planting a kiss on her forehead.

Hermione moves her hands to grip your collar.

"Will you stay for the wedding atleast?"

You make a face but Hermione's expression breaks your resolve immediately.

"Fine, I'll stay."

She flashes you a smile that always seems to cause that familiar fluttering in your stomach.

"One slight issue, I don't have anything to wear." You say and Hermione steps away from you, a glint in her eyes.

She grabs her pouch, pulling out a blazer that look oddly familiar.

"Is that my suit?" Hermione only lets out a giggle and you shake your head in disbelief.

"How did you even sneak that in there without me noticing." Your girlfriend bites her lip, she shrugs her shoulders.

"You're very easy to distract." Hermione pulls you in closer by the hem of your slacks.

"Well Miss Granger, I must admit you never fail to surprise me." You say, hot breath against her ear.

Placing an open mouthed kiss on her neck you reveled at the feeling of her shuddering under your touch.

You planted another kiss on her jaw and eventually your lips found hers. Hermione opens her mouth wider and you take the opportunity to enter your tongue into her mouth.

The kiss was sloppy, lacking grace. Both of you now hot with need.

Your hand travels to Hermione's ass, giving it a squeeze. She gasps into your mouth and your tongue meets hers again.

You move your hand up, finding her breast you began kneading it over her shirt, Hermione moans directly into your mouth.

You were completely drunk on her.

Moving your other hand you attempted to slip into her pyjama pants before she grips your wrist, stopping you.

"Ginny might come in any minute." Hermione breathes out against your lips.

"Then let her come in."

You move your hand, your finger brushing over her folds. You were surprised at how wet she was.

"Fuck baby, you're already dripping for me."

Your own voice thick with arousal.

Hermione whimpers and you deliberately applied pressure on her clit with your palm.

You feel her hips buck against your hand. Hermione quickly grips the back of your neck almost like she needed help steadying herself.

She grabs your wrist again.

"Ah– y/n wait please."

You removed your hand from her pants, moving to lean your back against the wall. Hermione's darkened gaze mirroring yours. You both take a moment to collect yourselves.

"I just think it'd be distasteful for Ginny to walk in on us. I mean this is her room afterall." Hermione explains after a moment of silence.

"No, ofcourse that wouldn't be polite. You're right." You say blandly.

"Don't be angry.." Hermione noticed your tone, she pokes at your stomach playfully.

"I'm not angry."

Which was the truth, frustrated perhaps but it was hardly her fault.

You leaned in planting a kiss on her cheek to assure her that you weren't upset. Hermione smiles, seemingly convinced.

"What were you reading?" You ask, a blatant attempt to change the subject.

════════════════════════════════════════════

The two of you now laying in bed, Hermione finally mustered the courage to look at your arm. Running her fingers across the dark mark freshly etched into your skin.

"Did they hurt you?" Hermione asks softly.

"No I-"

I killed an innocent woman.

"No."

Your girlfriend moves her hand, now resting on your chest over your heart.

A beat pasts before you speak.

"I'm still me, you know."

Hermione shuffles closer and you wrap your arm around her.

"I know."

"Are you sure it would be ok for me to come tomorrow? I wouldn't want to intrude." Hermione gives you a pointed look and suddenly you felt ridiculous for even asking.

"Ofcourse it's ok. Besides nobody knows yet. Just don't show anyone your arm and it'll be alright."

Hermione meant it as a comfort but something about her statement stung.

You were sick of keeping secrets.

You wanted to bring Hermione to a place far away, but you knew that wouldn't change anything.

There's no possible way to run from yourself.

"Where do you want to get married?" You blurt out and Hermione looks bemused.

"I mean– hypothetically speaking, if we had a wedding where do you want it to be?"

You clarify and Hermione lets out a chuckle.

"I dont know, I haven't really thought about it."

"My parents had their wedding in the yard behind my grandparents home."

You eyebrows knitted together and Hermione notices.

"They lived on a farm." She clarifies.

"Oh–"

"You want to get married on a farm?"

You ask and Hermione moves her head down, resting it on your chest.

You feel her shrug.

"I don't know, it could be nice."

Your hand finds her back, you rubbed it soothingly.

"I'm not opposed to that idea."

Hermione hums in response but says nothing else. You soon realised that she was drifting off.

Before you could close your own eyes Ginny enters the room.

She studies the two of you before scrunching up her nose.

"Oh- gross." She remarks and you were quick to shush her.

Grabbing the nearest pillow you chucked it at her, careful not to move too much in fear of waking Hermione.

She expertly catches the pillow before it could hit her and prepares to throw it back at you.

You hold your hand up.

"Don't, you'll wake her." You whisper and Ginny rolls her eyes, putting the pillow down.

"Fine. I'll get you back in the morning y/n, mark my words."

════════════════════════════════════════════

"I'm sorry to intrude Mrs Weasley I do hope me being here isn't too much of a nuisance."

"Oh nonsense. You're always welcomed here." Molly says kindly, releasing you from her embrace.

"Come, do help yourself to a spot of breakfast. She says, practically forcing you to sit at the dining table.

Hermione joins you shortly, greeting you with a quick peck on the lips.

You hear someone clear their throat.

Both of you watched as Ron stabs his pancake with a fork roughly. Shovelling it in his mouth.

You couldn't lie, a part of you did find immense pleasure in knowing how jealous he gets.

"Alright, y/n?" Fred greets you before grabbing a piece of toast.

You only nod, throwing him a smile.

You watched as he joined his brother by the window, both of their attentions now fixed on something.

"Bloody hell, what's the Minister Of Magic doing here?" George says and Hermione turns to look at you, she seemed just as perplexed as you were.

════════════════════════════════════════════

You were standing next to Hermione by the sofa. Ron and Harry sat next to her, waiting for the Minister to state his business.

He pulls out a piece of parchment and begins reading.

"Herein setforth, the last will and testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

"First, to Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my deluminator. A device of my own making. In hopes that when things seem most dark, it will show him the light."

He hands him the item and Ron reaches out, unsure.

"Dumbledore left this for me?"

"That's brilliant– but what is it?"

The Minister gestures for him to click the button and Ron does so.

A flap opening on the top, the lights in the room quickly being sucked into the device.

Ron clicks it again and the lights return back to their original place.

"Wicked." He breathes out.

"Next, to Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of The Tales Of Beedle The Bard, in hopes that she will find it entertaining and instructive."

You lean forward trying to get a good look at the book.

"To Harry James Potter, I leave the snitch he caught in his first quidditch match at Hogwarts. As a reminder, of perseverance and skill."

The minister holds out the golden ball and the 4 of you watched with bated breath as Harry grabs it.

You were expecting it to open at his touch but nothing happens.

"Dumbledore left you a second item Mr Potter."

"He left you the sword of Godric Gryffindor."

Hermione glances at you in shock before turning her attention back to Harry.

"But unfortunately the sword of Gryffindor was not Dumbledore's to give away. As an important historical artifact it belongs-"

"To Harry." Hermione interjects.

"It belongs to Harry. It came to him when he most needed it in the chambers of secrets."

The Minister merely shakes his head.

"The sword may present itself to any worthy Gryffindor Miss Granger but that does not make it that wizards property."

"And in any event, the current whereabouts of the sword are unknown."

The Minister says glancing at you. You step forward, uncrossing your arms.

"Excuse me?" Harry asks in disbelief.

"The sword is missing." He confirms.

A beat pasts where none of you say anything.

"Is that it then?" You broke the silence.

He stares at you for a moment before speaking.

"Not quite."

He turns his attention to the parchment again.

"Finally, to y/n, I leave a sacred piece of parchment. Strictly to be read by her eyes only."

You mouth falls open in shock.

The Minister holds out the note, waiting for you to grab it.

"For me?" You had to ask again. You truly couldn't believe it.

You looked at Hermione and she nods, urging you to take the note.

You grabbed it and wasted no time in skimming its contents.

Y/n,

We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy. Believe in yourself enough to make the right choice. Only then you can be certain that you are exactly where you need to be.

- Dumbledore

As soon as you got to the end of the note the words on the page dissapeared and the piece of paper goes up in flames.

Although, that did not matter. You didn't have to read it again.

You understood immediately.

No longer fighting the smile that's threatening to form on your lips . Hermione notices your expression and mimicks it instinctively.

You were exactly where you needed to be.

[aeriona]

IT IS FINALLY DONE, SORRY FOR THE WAIT.

I have finished the third chapter of Eldritch Shenanigans, and it's actually the longest thing I've ever written (ever) so it took a lot of time and effort here you go! Hope you guys like it!

Read it here on Ao3! (2095 words)

Or read it under the cut, your choice lol.

--- --- ---

Shadow did not know his true origins. He didn’t know the self he was before crawling out of the Dark Mirror’s depths, all he knew is that he is, and always has been.

He was himself, he was Shadow. Shadow Link. Link? No, just Shadow, then.

His name. His body. These things belong to him. Ganon made them, but he didn’t give them to him, as there was no him to give them to. Until suddenly, one day, there was. But he wasn’t given them then either. He took them, changed them until they were his own. They belonged to a swirling, virulent mass of magic behind a mirror, and now they belonged to him. 

There was a monster, with his name and his body, and now that monster is him.

…Shadow let himself go.

His figure slipped, twisting and contorting as shapes underneath pulled themselves to the surface and into form. Arms, legs, tentacles and other formless, nameless parts grew from his body, stretching and growing and growing beyond the confines of smallness that came with a Hylian facade. Eyes, countless and baleful, formed all over his skin, rolling in their sockets as his body lurched forwards under newfound weight.

…Shadow didn’t know what he was. The thought made his guts twist, and he grit his teeth. (He had more than he did before, longer and sharper, crammed into his mouths. He couldn’t close some of them properly with the amount of teeth, but he personally liked it that way.)

It was familiar, it was something he knew.

But, there were other things, too. Other things he knew.

Shadow knew that having plenty of limbs and digits felt right, and having countless eyes made him feel safe. He wanted to perceive and grasp and touch the world with more arms and hands that a tiny Hylian body could provide. He was pretty sure Hylians couldn’t just grow stuff wherever they wanted, as he’d gathered with his limited interactions with them. They thought he was terrifying, monstrous even. Not like he cared, he really didn’t.

Shadow knew about the lives of Hylians, to an extent. They traded these pointy, shiny things called rupees for some reason, he had no idea why. He’d never even seen a Rupee before, but he knew what they were, which was pretty weird. That happened every now and then, which was also weird.

He crawled out the Dark mirror with nothing but his name and his body, imbued with thoughts and familiarities that didn’t belong to him. Did he take those, too? He never remembered wanting them. They were just there, like he was. From the beginning.

Sometimes he thinks about just leaving, just running off into the woods or something, away from Vaati and Ganon. Though he quickly backtracks on going through with that idea, Ganon is probably definitely strong enough to swiftly end his life if he ever were to step out of line. Besides, he’s only allowed to leave the Tower if he’s being supervised anyway.

Shadow knew why he was here, why he existed.

Vaati had beaten it into his head since the moment he could even process sensation, sprawled out on that cold, stone floor as the newly-formed edges of his consciousness bled into the air.

He existed to hurt people. That was why Ganon had made him, why Vaati had been resurrected to boss him around in the first place. He was a weapon, forever changing and forever-regrowing with enough teeth and claws for every person in Hyrule with extra to spare.

Until, one night in the woods, change appeared. Dressed in violet, bearing a sword in his left hand that gleamed brighter than all of Shadow’s fangs put together.

A lot of things Shadow once knew, he wasn’t so sure about anymore.

He’d never had a friend before, or even really anyone that didn’t scream at him existing or order him to eat someone. It was admittedly a foreign experience to actively enjoy being around someone, and to have that enjoyment be returned equally in kind. 

At least, Shadow hoped Vio did. Why? He didn’t know. He’d never really hoped for anything before, he probably wasn’t supposed to.

For a while, he decided to keep the whole ‘shapeshifting thing’ under wraps when Vio accompanied him on mandatory patrols and stuff (fuck you, Vaati.). Shadow found it somewhat humiliating to have to hide such a core part of himself, but after remembering how scared the Hylian townspeople were of him during the castle raid, he just couldn’t bear to inflict that fear on his newfound friend. 

So, he bottled it all up. Kept his form consistent, to the best of his ability. Shadow knew that Vio was already aware he wasn’t Hylian, but “not-Hylian '' is a pretty godsdamn broad net to cast if he was being honest. Though it did mean he could get away with certain traits (They didn’t have claws, right? No? lame-) so he couldn’t complain. Two legs, two arms, two eyes. A person, all people had that. Sometimes less, but never more. Surely this couldn't be too hard?

Understatement of the fucking century, Shadow wanted to bite his past self really bad for being so stupid.

After only a couple weeks, it felt like his skin was fucking crawling with barely-contained restless energy, slowly ravaging its way out with every breath he stole, every step he took on only two legs. At one point there had been close call where Vio had said something so fucking funny, it resulted in Shadow laughing so hard that he ended up growing a few extra fingers in his cackling fit.

 He had resorted to biting them off when Vio’s back was turned, blaming the black bloodstains on the carpet as an inkspill from forever ago.

When Shadow was finally brave enough to tell him, he had been terrified that Vio would react like the townspeople did in that town he ravaged; with terror and hatred. Shadow hadn’t cared what those people had thought about him at the time, but for some reason he cared Very Much what Vio thought about him (at this point, he was beginning to know why).

So when he’d pulled the swordsman aside on one of the Tower’s balconies one day and attempted to explain it all without getting too emotional, he was utterly floored to have been met with indifference and support. At that point, Shadow’s goal of not getting too emotional had been thrown out the window with reckless abandon.

Vio didn't care. Like, at all. Well at least he wasn’t scared, though the Hylian had so many questions that he had to stop talking just to catch his breath a couple times. Silly. 

After a long back-and-forth, Vio seemed to have finally ran out of questions and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. It was nice to just exist, to just look out over the horizon sitting next to his favourite person. The sun hurt his eyes, but admittedly it was kinda pretty, especially when it reflected off of Vio’s hair in the way it was doing right now. 

He knew he was staring but at this point, he didn’t have the energy to care.

Things were a lot nicer after that, a lot less suffocating. There were still some things he was keeping from Vio but he’d definitely save that for another time. Or just never, that would be preferred. He’d rather die than have that get out. (a sentiment that later proved redundant, as he’d learn about a monthish later that his feelings were returned.)

Although, It wasn’t fair, Shadow thought one night as Vio slept beside him, how fragile all of this was. How fragile Vio was, being Hylian and all. Mortal. It was the only thing he could think about, especially after what had happened earlier in the night as Vio murdered his brother Green in a duel. Shadow was still hung up on that (and very touched that Vio would literally kill for him), he kept thinking what would've happened if Green had won. It hadn’t been impossible.

Despite Shadow being the stuff of nightmares himself, the mere thought of anything at all happening to Vio was more than enough to terrify him. Unlike Shadow, Vio could die.

The thought followed him into his dreams, until he was suddenly woken by a loud crash a few rooms away. Vio was gone too, which made him paranoid. The Hinoxes had probably raided the cellars and were being nuisances or something, but it was still a good idea to check.

So when he’d made his way to the Mirror room and found an unconscious Hinox and Vio looking uncharacteristically nervous, he’d turned to the mirror itself for an explanation.

And- 

Hurt. so much. 

A deep, roiling heartbreak (too much, too much) assailed his guts as if he’d eaten some dying animal that was trying to claw its way back out. 

Shadow felt pain from time-to-time, like when he was eating his dinner one night and accidentally bit off a few of his fingers. It stung, but they would grow back. It was nothing.

But the– this, this was too much. 

Pain quickly gave way to rage, it spilled out and into his visage in the form of gnashing teeth and tearing claws and limbs grabbing onto something and tearing it apart again and again and again until there was nothing left but that stupid fucking mirror.

Vio was gone. There was red blood on his hands, definitely not Shadow’s own. Whatever.  

Crawling across the cold, stone floor, He clutched the mirror’s rim like a lifeline as he stared at himself. All of himself, the disgusting crooked limbs, the countless baleful red eyes staring back and the tears – inky black – trickling down to stain gritted fangs. 

Shadow had been born from this mirror.

Vaati had too, he knew. That fucking demon was bound to this thing as much as Shadow was, maybe he hated it too. If it broke, so did they. Both he and Vaati, the primordial and powerful beings they were, could be erased from existence by a chunk of glass polished with silver. 

He leered down at his hands, they were gnarled and stained. Horrible. 

Shadow knew how dangerous he was, how much destruction he could –and has– caused.  Leaning into the mirror’s cold surface, it would be better this way, he thought. Hyrule would be safer. Vio would be safer. That was all that mattered.

He tightened his fingers around the mirror’s rim, and pulled.

As cold shards dug into his skin, Shadow knew he deserved this, he knew that for a fact.

Then, there was nothing, for a while at least. It was dark.

The dark energy that constituted Shadow’s body dissipated, moving somewhere else, somewhere below. He was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, moving down, down.

Quantifying the passage of time was simply not an option when he was Hylia-knows how far away from sunlight, he had no way of telling how long it had been. Months, years? He barely understood the concept. Memories were weird in this frigid abyss, gaining and losing as clouds of gloomy miasma came and went. It was a struggle to remember his name, some days. Fleeting scenes and feelings slithered through his fingers like smoke, he had to fight to keep them close, to prevent them from dissolving away. Some definitely did.

He remembered feeling hurt about something, but it was far away now. Like the spots of light on the horizon, his prison’s only source of light, perceivable but unclear in origin.

One day after who-knows how many, Shadow witnessed a flicker of light, brighter than anything he’d seen in a while, settle down on the dusty stone floor. At first he’d thought it was one of those glowing plants, but no. This was something else.

He approached the strange object. It was flat and shiny, like a mirror.

A mirror. Shadow had been born from a mirror, the gloom supplied.

Was it this mirror? It was so bright, it hurt to look at.

But it was so warm, a thought coalesced. He wanted to touch it.

He could barely make out spots of colour within the blinding light, mostly different shades of purple. Familiar, inviting. He was definitely going to touch it.

Shadow reached out a few hands, and let the blinding embrace consume him.

“Shadow? Hey, I’m here. Can you hear me?”

…Shadow didn’t know what he was.

But, yes, there were some things he did know.

[madness-of-void]

The Cosplay Progress (?)

Okay...I'm doing it. I'm showing off the hot mess of progress of the possibly decent, or absolutely hot garbage, cosplay of my version of human!Ink. I do have a nice chunk of the items for the cosplay - just gotta put it together. Most of the putting together can be done in a day, and I have until July to finish it all, soooo...we'll see how this goes! ^^;

Now I'll just post updates maybe every other day, or once a week, since I do have most of it in hand. And it will all be under the cut, since it'll long as fuck. So, without further ado, let's begin, shall we?

First off, this is probably the most ambitious cosplay I've ever done. Normally I do something easy. Examples: Stiles from TW, casual Keith from VLD, and recently (for Halloween) genocide route Frisk. debating on positing what garbo pics i have of those

Flowerfell!Frisk? Probably the most complex I've done, and only because I had to have help make a flower crown, actually use fabric glue for the flowers and little heart on the shorts and flower on the mask , painted up a random prop stick I had lying around no idea why i had that , and did a little bit of faint make-up. And ended up with this:

bad pic i know but it's all i got of the full thing where i don't look like a drowned rat coz goddamn it was hot af

So after that, for some damned reason, I decided it would be a GREAT idea to do a difficulty jump and do Ink! Yaaaaay...I'm so smart. I have been looking at this as a reference for what I need mostly coz i had it saved on my phone already , which has been both motivation to get this done...but also a little intimidating. But I'm already too far into this. Can't back out now!

Anyways, enough rambling! Let's start with the first update on this silly thing!

HOODIE

So, firstly, I already had my eye on the Ink hoodie from Simakai (I'll properly tag once the whole thing is done). I already have the Underfell one that I used for my Flowerfell!Frisk cosplay. I also have the Outertale hoodie, bi pride hoodie, and ace pride hoodie all from Simakai! They are all amazing hoodies, and I actually just bought Epic's hoodie from their new shop! Definitely check them out! They're comfy, well made, and I'll admit I wear my Outertale and Underfell hoodies out sometimes.

The pic doesn't do it justice (hence all the millions of links above), but tada! The hoodie! My biggest worry is maybe tripping on the scarf, but I think I can manage. place your bets coz my ass clumsy

Also, there is a little surprise in it!

Twas quite the laughing jumpscare when I was messing with the pockets.

And that's it for update 1! Stay tuned for more. >:3

~+~

Update 2 time!

Apologies for how garbage the pics are for this part. Space was a mess at the time, and I'm too lazy to redo it. With that out of the way...let's ramble!

PANTS

So, next to the sash for the vials, this was surprisingly the hardest thing for me to find. I couldn't find anything that looked "just right". The first pair that I bought did look just right...but the color was way off. Way too bright from what was advertised. Took me a while to find another pair, and I actually bought two more. one of which i may use for a ftfo!ink Now, the next pair is the right color...but it's just a nice pair of sweats/joggers. Which is a bit of a bummer, but seeings how I cannot sew/make a full blown pair of pants (can barely sew at all), and my stepmom (who can sew) isn't that insanely skilled, they will have to do.

Here is a pic of the pants side-by-side coz for the longest time I was going to go with the first pair I bought. But after putting it together with the top...no. Just...no. Did not look good. You'll have to take my word for it.

And before you ask, yes. I will have assistance sewing on the little suspenders. That will be two separate posts on their own in the future! It won't be just plain brown pants.

So that's it for update 2! Stay tuned for more! if you want i ain't forcing ya lols

~+~

Update number 3! Wooooo!

And it is actually really boring.

Like...royally boring. sorry?

GLOVES

So these were a bit easy to get. Granted, I did buy two pairs, because I couldn't decided initially. It was only after trying them on that I could make a decision.

They are a bit long, but I can live with that. especially coz I am not planning on doing the tatts, that would end terribly And, yes, they are missing that little piece on the pinky. Just like the pants are missing the suspenders. And just like with those, I will be having assistance sewing that piece on!

I could show you want I have of that, but I'm planning on making that one big update.

Okay! That's it! Stay tuned for update 4!

~+~

Update 4! Not another exciting one again. The more exciting ones will slowly trickle in. depending on what you define as exciting

Anywho! Update 4!

SHOES

Yes. Shoes. I know our favorite souless bean doesn't wear shoes anymore...but I have to. No need to get my toes all messed up! Especially at this convention center. Walking around there can be a nightmare! Closed toed or not. 😭

Anyway!

Shoes!

They were sadly kind of expensive, but these were the closest I could find that kind of fit for what I was going for and i looked at custom ones first. Plus, I will be wearing these outside of the cosplay. So I get shoes for cosplay, and shoes for whenever I wanna wear them - a win-win.

But, one more thing! I will also I guess ruin them, in a way. How will I ruin them? Well...I was thinking of adding more splatter to them. Plus, see that pesky logo? Welp...I also had an idea for that.

And I'll just leave this update at that. >:3

~+~

[sheliesshattered]

I've been dealing with a little bit of a cold this last week on top of the normal spoonie-ness, so it was slow going on my most recent sewing project -- the hooded wrap, not quite a cape, not quite a shawl, definitely not a scarf, definitely not a robe thing -- which Jack says I need a better name for lol -- but with pacing and slow incremental progress, I was actually able to finish it in pretty good time.

Ironing and pinning the very long hem was the most time consuming part, but pacing myself actually allowed me to slow down and handsew all the corners into place before I put it through the sewing machine, which resulted in much crisper edges than I would have had if I was rushing to finish it. This time last week I wasn't sure if I would be able to machine sew the hem, but I actually like the look of the top stitching it produces, so I went with what was both easier and nicer looking. After all the ironing and pinning it took me nearly an hour to sew the whole thing in the machine, inching along to keep my lines straight and remove all those pins, so I don't even want to think about how long it would have taken me to handsew it, lol.

I did french seams on all the seams, since they may be seen from the outside, and turned the hem under twice at about the same width for a nice crisp matching look. The resulting hooded thing is soft and cozy and moderately warm, and can be worn a bunch of different ways, which is fun.

With the hood down and the wrap bits left to hang straight down, it's got nearly Jedi robe vibes:

One of the wraps tossed over the shoulder creates nice asymmetry:

But with both of the wraps up on the shoulder and the hood up, it's got a different feel entirely:

The fabric is a brushed cotton herringbone that grips itself reasonably well, so once the wraps are tossed over the shoulders they stay put pretty well. From the side view you can see how it just drapes nicely down the back:

And when they're tossed over the shoulders like that, the finished ends are similar in length to the center back point:

With the wraps unfolded and left long in the front, the back panel is much more visible. There's no shoulder seam at all -- the wraps just continue up over the shoulder and meet at a 45 degree angle in the back:

I was careful when I cut out the pieces and when I pinned both parts of the french seam, so that I could line up the herringbone weave neatly and get these cool chevrons at the center back:

The length in the back is enough for it to feel a bit like a cape, but not in a huge dramatic way or anything -- and Disney generally frowns on large capes and robes for Batuu Bounding, from what I've heard. But with this length I feel like my back and shoulders are covered, but the longest bit of the center back isn't so long that I actually sit on it. I wore it out of the house this weekend and was comfortable both wearing it in the car and walking around an outdoor flea market.

I have about seven yards left of this fabric, so at some point here I'm going to make a Norse-inspired apron dress out of the rest of it, to go over the fleece dress seen in the photos, which I sewed last month, and to go over lighter underdresses in the spring, and possibly on its own in the summer. I like the idea of this hood matching that apron dress, and I did draw some inspiration for Norse/viking hoods with pointed capelets in front and back, too. Not at all historically accurate, but historically-inspired, like the fleece dress.

But really my brain is all about Star Wars right now, and the Batuu Bounding for our trip to Disneyland coming up in about six weeks. The hooded wrap has a very different vibe with big boots and leather-look leggings and a fitted vest and various Star Wars-y accessories. My nb sibling described this hooded thing as 'what Luke Skywalker would wear if he was a crow witch' -- and as an irl crow witch and a non-affiliated gray Force user in my silly Star Wars OC building, I can certainly live with that, lol.

I have a few detail things for my Batuu Bounding outfit that I still want to work on, but generally I'm really happy with how it's coming together. Next up, I'm going to switch gears and work on some details to spruce up Jack's jacket for our outing, now that we've got the base-layer pieces for him figured out too. Pictures of that (and my outfit) as they start to come together.

Six weeks isn't a ton of time to get costuming pieces done in, especially without pushing myself too hard, but I also feel like both of our outfits are good to go the way they are right now. It's just, they could be cooler looking with a little more time and effort. And hey, I'm having fun with the process and it's keeping me from vibrating in place and rewatching every Star Wars movie and tv show over and over again while I count down to my birthday, lol.

[wizardlyghost]

fuckin vexes me that my best friend is someone i genuinely like but whom i have never actually hung out with outside work and am unlikely to start (mostly because people don't generally invite me places and i'm socially anxious aware enough to put together that if they're inviting each other but not me it'll be awkward for everyone if i put myself forward). and i periodically get the feeling that i'm kinda in the "weird friend (uncomfortable)" box for her bc i pick fights with the boss and have difficulty moderating my intensity sometimes. i know for a fact i'm not her best friend (which isn't something i'd ever want if it came from pity), i'm just a work friend, not even her best friend among the staff. and like all of that's completely valid and i have neither right nor intention to address it, but noticing this kinda brings to light where the bars are for my definitions of things like "close friend", and not in a good way, y'know?

and soon i'm gonna be leaving this job because i can't fucking live with this other douchenozzle's petty and vindictive chicanery anymore. and idk. i'm not scared, not really. i know what fear feels like and this isn't it. but at the same time i've been working in this building for over four years now. that's longer than i've ever lived in any house or town, longer than i've gone to any church, it's about as long as i've spent on my longest-attended school campus (no other institutions are really worth mentioning lol, those are pretty much the places i cycled between as a kid). it's for sure the longest i've ever worked somewhere or with any group of people. so leaving is gonna be... well, it's probably gonna bring my social circle back down to my immediate family and the internet weirdos on the other side of the world. again.

i guess it's like... this sigh of 'well, here we go again i guess'. i've had a lot of practice starting over. i was exactly thirteen when i accepted that with everyone you'll ever meet there'll come a day when you never see them again. but it never gets easier. starting again from ground zero, no close friends just distant acquaintances and family members buried under decades of baggage, never gets easier. or maybe it does and thirteen-year-old me was just more successful cutting out my heart to stop it bleeding than i thought.

vulnerability is something i have never once pulled off without it coming back to bite me, one way or another. it's difficult to maintain the distance, and it's difficult to not distance myself by reflex. i don't remember any way to live than to preemptively mourn everyone from the second i meet them.

they are all of them ghosts to me.

[theorderofthetriad]

Ur loki fic???? 👀

okay, so, SO, the fic is called In His Thrall, I've only posted one chapter (on 4/20 lol) so far. It's exploring the relationship between Loki and Thanos, starting from outside perspectives of their relationship, and then slowly starting to reveal what's happening behind the scenes. I want to build a lot of tension in this fic which is kinda mean of me to do because I know i'm gonna be inconsistent trash about updating it, like, i already am!

As for the actual plot and not a vague description, the first chapter starts off with Thanos and his forces attacking Asgard during the beginning of Thor: The Dark World when Thor is off-world, and rescuing Loki (and, more importantly, getting the tesseract.) The narrative is non-linear so the plot is going to cover the somewhat canon-compliant events leading up to chapter 1, and the things that follow the first chapter where the plot diverges from canon.

Here is my document for planning each the chapters of this story with quick little descriptions of the events. Keep in mind that I only have about two thirds of what I've got planned in my head actually written in this document and that the shortest chapter description is 15 words, the longest description is 519 words, and the average is about 220 words.

i have 33 chapter descriptions written of the plot in linear event order. It's gonna be so many more chapters than that once i actually finish the whole plot, and then i'll have to rearrange all of these descriptions into the most sensible order which will definitely result in me writing more chapters to make the plot make sense.

My intention with the story is to write a more nuanced take on why Loki worked with Thanos than "it was the scepter's mind control!" or "he was mind-broken from hardcore torture/telepathy!" which seem to be the popular go-tos in fic. Also I wanted the Avengers to find out in some way other than Loki telling them (also very common in fics) because i don't think Loki would willingly (some fics have been smart enough to make it unwillingly) tell them in the first place, and if he did tell them, I think the Avengers would be convinced he was lying once it became clear Loki's version of events painted him as a victim (some fic writers have been smart enough to make it so Loki could not lie.)-

(And you know what? I read a fic where Loki was forced to tell the true version of events and the Avengers knew he wasn't lying, and it was so incredibly boring. It was just a conversation in a room with a lot of interjections and musings on what Loki's story implied. It was like 12 Angry Men except, frankly, they were not angry enough to make it interesting.)

-So i'm trying to write the reveal as both a reveal to the readers and to the avengers, like a little mystery plot where you (hopefully) figure it out just as some of the characters do. There are some characters who know what's going on, some who suspect what's going on, and all of them are reluctant to share what's going on for a multitude of reasons.

This fic is also gonna be a big vehicle for my many thoughts on Thanos and how much i fucking hate him and how i fucking hate that people (and by people i mean redditors so do i really mean people?) ignore the things that actually make him an interesting villain and instead focus on the ecofascism that they're too naive to realize is ecofascism and parrot the views of uncritically. Thanos is completely full of fucking shit when he touts his ideology and I'm here to put that shit on blast. The man is a manipulator and basically a cult-leader which provides so many more interesting elements to work with than what canon went with.

Also thinking about this fic is what freaking cursed me into shipping Loki and Matt Murdock. I was considering where the plot was going and I realized that not only could I get Loki in Hell's Kitchen around the time of Daredevil season 1, but that it made a lot of sense for the plot to go there. And then I realized that Loki is a known liar and Matt Murdock can always tell when someone is lying and Whoops! I have a new OTP of characters that have never interacted in canon to get utterly obsessed about! Again! I'm not making Loki/Daredevil the endgame of this fic though, maybe I'll make some hints at it, though.

Here are some fun details i have planned, want to share, and think aren't going to spoil the major plot:

-Loki sees Foggy Nelson (who has hair similar to Thor's in the first Thor movie) pat Matt Murdock's shoulder and it makes him cry.

-Peter Quill lowkey freaking out over having to return to Earth and getting in a hushed argument with Gamora about him being to one to introduce the Guardians to the Avengers, while the Avengers are literally waiting outside of their ship, hearing their hushed conversation in a language they can't understand, and can only see Gamora having because Peter is hiding against the wall next to the doorway.

-Steve Rogers having an obvious crush on Sam Wilson, or at least obvious to anyone that isn't straight, so literally only two people catch on (one of them being Sam) even though Steve is so fucking unsubtle about it (which he does not mean to be, he thinks he's hiding it really well, 'Sam definitely doesn't know.' is what Steve really fucking thinks.) I initially wrote this in as a fun little tidbit i could use in one chapter to further the plot, but now it's like a five chapter subplot that is also just a tool to further the plot plot.

-A special guest appearance from Jessica Jones, P.I.!

-My take on Thor finding out Loki is a Frost Giant bc im big Mad Thor has never specifically addressed Loki's heritage in the mcu other than reiterating that he and Loki were raised together. There is literally zero indication in MCU canon that Thor even knew that Loki was a Frost Giant until the play scene in Ragnarok. We can maybe guess he knew before then because he didn't freak the fuck out at the reveal, but really we do not know for sure and that fucking kills me. I wanted to see Thor learn that news and we never did! So I'm writing it into the fic.

-Every chapter is going to be titled with a mcu quote said by or about Loki. I had a bunch of articles of Loki quotes open in an incognito for this to copy to a document later, but then my computer had to restart and i lost all those webpages.

-A proper Foggy Nelson "this is a terrible idea, Matt, why are we doing this, Matt?" freak-out.

All that being said, I have zero comments on this fic, just a bookmark where someone wrote into the notes "dam 😞👆"

[irawhiti]

Kia ora, another ngati kangaru here, was curious to know if you're learning te reo, and if you are, where/how are you learning it?

kia ora e hoa!

so i've been on and off teaching myself te reo for a couple years now, i haven't been learning it from any official sources so i figured i'd go into how i've been learning te reo in my own time. it got a bit long so i'm gonna put it under a cut lol but my general learning process has been more or less:

starting off by just learning the māori alphabet and how it all sounds. te reo is great because everything has the same sound no matter how it's used so once you learn how letters sound and how to sound out tohutō (the macron above vowels) you're pretty much set

reciting karakia and translating them using a mix of google translate (NOT reliable. sometimes useful for translating full sentences. sometimes. good as a very rough basic thing y'know but definitely don't use it as a guide LOL i use it extremely rarely and it's uuuusually wrong in how it translates certain words) and te aka (a māori dictionary, much more reliable but doesn't translate full sentences so until you learn actual grammar it takes awhile to translate everything. really good for figuring out how certain things sound) has helped as well. honestly i have te aka open most of the time at this point just so i can double check words lol

since i do kowhaiwhai, learning basic kowhaiwhai/whakairo designs like koru, mangopare, etc etc and reading into what those words translate into and their symbolism + the names of the tools used to create these things. also the names of colours

learning about native species both extinct and alive today in aotearoa and the various names different iwi use for them. i specifically looked into rongoa and kaimoana/kaiwhenua since i forage weeds etc. so learning the names of the things i'm eating has been useful and has helped me learn about the plants and animals that are in both aotearoa and te ao moemoeā :) ngā rauropi whakaoranga (a māori plant database) has been wonderful for this

translating placenames in aotearoa. like i literally taught myself the longest placename in the world partially for fun but it also went towards giving me a basic grasp on grammar like learning karakia did, also learning the names of different areas helped me understand pūrākau (mythology) since most of it obviously revolves around aotearoa

instruments! learning about instruments, how they were used traditionally (and today), and what they represent both helped me get more of a grasp on te reo as well as te ao māori in general

honestly i've only just started properly focusing on grammar now that i've figured out the basics and seen how basic sentence structure works over and over. i tried to process it a couple times while first starting out but i genuinely wasn't able to pick anything up due to my aroreretini (adhd) until i had a pretty solid grasp on what i currently know

there's a few sites i can recommend such as whakaata māori and apps such as kōrerorero but tbh they haven't worked well for me because of how my aroreretini works. i guess my advice is you will mess up occasionally and that's fine! it's to be expected when you're learning any language. there's also no one "correct" way to learn a language, i would know lol, so just learn at your own pace and figure out what works best for you

learning south vs north island dialect has been useful too btw. it's a bit harder to find south island words since it's considered extinct (lol :|) but whatever you can find and learn will help imo

so yeah, i definitely haven't been learning the "academic" way or whatever but i hope this helps or at least gets you some pointers on where to go with te reo lol. arohanui!

[hekateinhell]

OH THANK GOD. Honestly it’s not an easy choice either lmao but I’m confident I’ll be able to pick one ☝️ before the night is over (I have now narrowed my choices down to 3 yay). Thank you once again for your service to the community ♥️ some further thots 💭 about the previous poll (it’s the trauma starting to unravel I fear). Back in my days as a VC newbie, it was pretty much accepted that Marius was the love of Armand’s life, like no one really ever put that into question or tried to dispute the claims and there was no discourse whatsoever about the relationship being side eye worthy like there is now. Slowly but surely things started changing and Daniel became the people’s princess, fair and square, and that’s a narrative that has for the most part prevailed even if now there is more room for (brilliant, life altering) discourse re: his relationship with Lestat, after it was disregarded by a lot of fans for years as nothing more than a rivalry with a good dose of UST, even though their love for each other has been explicit in the books since the very beginning. But I guess it’s one of those plot points people just preferred to ignore (to favor Loustat maybe? Idk idk). And then Armand himself told Lestat he was the one he’d loved the most. But then again Louis is the person Armand’s been with for the longest and is (arguably) his most functional relationship. What I’m trying to say here is that this truly the impossible choice and it’s making me anxious lmaooo why is Armand like this???? Truly the Helen of Troy of VC 😔 still love ya tho xoxo DA

Let me know what you end up choosing for the kink poll omg PLEASE ♥️

LMAO LISTEN... we all have trauma, it's why we're on Armandblr.

(Never forget that your therapist most likely also has a therapist)

Yeah, my first experience in VC fandom was like that too! 2007ish? REMEMBER BURNTRICE ON LIVEJOURNAL 🫣

I was a baby though lol a very young 12, and I read TVA and TVL first which made me decide that Marius and Lestat were the ones for Armand. I didn't truly appreciate Devil's Minion until I was around 16-17 and the subtler themes really stood out to me, but then it was like Daniel wasn't a viable option for Armand anymore?? At least in the fandom sphere. And Louis and Armand as a couple had ended on such a tragic and seemingly final note, so baby me didn't pick up on all the juicy little tidbits Anne sneaked in there throughout VC for them.

I went cold on Marius as I got older, but I was an L/A girlie FROM DAY ONE EVEN IF I WAS THE ONLY ONE I DIDN'T CARE 😭 there's definitely massive Loustat blinders on a lot of the fandom, but I've got Armand blinders so I can't really blame them, can I? And then PL happened and Trinity Gate is a thing!! Daniel's back!!! Blood Communion validated the heck out of my L/A feelings!!!!

Anne gave me crumbs but oh, what delicious crumbs they are! Bless her. 💖

[nuclearforest]

Hello phrend. 😎 2deep4me writer asks:

What's the fic you're most proud of?

13. Do you take pride in your writing, or does it embarrass you? Why?

14. Do you compare yourself to other writers? In a positive or negative way?

15. How do you think your writing has improved over time?

Thank u for the ask!! Makes me very happy and lets me ramble abt stuff!

1, Honestly hard to say. Like, I'm proud of One Dog Night because it was the first thing I ever posted and like, really snowballed me into doing more and putting myself out there more. But on the other hand, Month to Love a Werewolf is the first multi-chapter piece I finished! And now Sirens' Guard Dog is on the way. I think those are my big three-- but as far as picking one goes?

It's really hard to say. I can't pick my favorite child lol.

13, Depends on if it is anon online or IRL.

Online? hell yeah i'm proud of being fully unhinged for my blorbo. almost at 350k in 2 years and like. ~300k of that is hans. my really sad sack awful blorbo who i love with all my little heart. stinky, stupid wolfman with a flair for the dramatic.

But IRL? I am a professional with a career you wouldn't catch me dead bringing up writing or fanfic in public. like, my folks asked me once over a holiday why I was on my laptop and what i was writing and i immediately had to bullshit that it was some stupid literary analysis to keep my skills sharp when, uh, it was really werewolf smut. very, very close to being busted but they aren't curious enough to press and i'm a fool not a coward.

THE ONLY EXCEPTION is when i am around those friends that are my enablers and don't care lmao. They think it's funny and it's on brand. Alternatively it's just one facet of the strange little gremlin they've let into their lives. I mean well--promise.

14, yeah. like, healthy or not i'm always out here comparing myself in both good ways and bad. some for learning new styles and tricks and broadening my horizons, but some for like. competitive purposes. and there's nothing to be competitive about but i've been in competitive schooling all my life and for a kid who grew up with little self confidence feeding on the praise of being "gifted" it really sticks with you. so there are many a conscious reminder that it's all for fun. that i shouldn't stress and that it's for me, even if some of that is a lie (i mean, come on--sometimes i'll write shit to brighten somebody's day but generally it's whatever catches my fancy).

but like, old habits die hard and i'm hungry for kudos and comments lmao. usually it doesn't get bad but if it does, i just bury my head in a different crafty pile of sand.

15, I HAVE A TIMELINE. we'll summarize it as exponential improvement and development tho lol.

nobody here will see the shit i wrote in middle school. we're talking paper journal self insert fic that i wrote chapters and chapters of (granted these were like, 100-ish words a chapter). talk about humble beginnings.

move to highschool and i have some fanfic and also a bit of OC work that I share in my school's creative writing club (bruh I STILL wasn't sharing fanfic).

in college I didn't write much. too busy under an engineering course load but i have a few things here and there. mostly fun little snippets of fluff to keep myself occupied.

but that said, now that i'm working and trying to live my best life, i've definitely gotten better in coherent plotlines, length, and fleshing out the details. i still have all the old stuff (even the paper journals, somewhere) and a decade+ later it's meteoric improvement lol. when i wrote One Dog Night that was the longest single story I'd written by a mile. and now i'm on a long chapter work i've updated weekly since i started it following an outline. i'm boggling my own mind.

but that said: i've always been creative and colorful, have not always been able to actually finish a story. funny enough, i've also never had a formal, regular beta and something tells me that won't change soon. (altho sometimes I do ask for a second set of eyes-- so thanks to y'all that have done it for me!)

can't wait to see how i keep growing!

[silhouette-cosplay]

Hi, I hope you don't mind being hit up for advice by a random (please disregard my very Reylo-centric account, it's the only one I have lol) .. But your work is amazing - I've been researching the shieldmaiden Eowyn dress lately and found your tumblr through pinterest (which is now a favourite account because I'm also a massive Loki fan and Sylvie is next on my list once I save up for it!)

So I was wondering if you could give me any tips on constructing the bodice? How did you get it to sit so smoothly around the torso? I'm probably overthinking it.. And they probably had real suede which is easier to shape without darts and all I have is non stretch faux suede. But yours looks pretty spot on. Did you have boning all the way around or just the back? You also have the only reproduction I've seen that doesn't have a gather under the bust which I haven't managed to achieve so far - if it's even possible with a non stretch fabric.

Also out of curiosity... did you really embroider the whole thing with metallic thread? And if so do you have any tips for doing that without losing your mind? I love embroidery but metallic thread is evil, I even considered real goldwork to avoid it but you know, budget lol.

Anyway thanks for your time, any advice at all is appreciated 😊

-Cate

Heya! First off, thank you so much! And I'll try to add as much as I can here! For the bodice, I did curved darts in the front whose points JUST hide under the corset. This helps shape the bust area without any visible lines (keep in mind that both Miranda Otto and I are fairly small busted, so for larger busts, you may have to do darts in the bodice to get the right fit, even if they're not accurate to the original) You can see the lines of the darts in the bodice here!

I also used a faux suede for the corset part--I added a layer of batting to get the raised quilted effect, and machine stitched all the lines on. There are boning pieces at the side seams, and at the back on either side of where I put the grommets:

And yes, I did hand embroider everything! I use metallic thread from Kreinik Threads, which is INFINITELY better than the brands you'll find at craft stores like Michaels or Joanns (here in the US anyway). I used the #8 fine braid in Old Gold for this. It was definitely a ton of work and was the longest part of this costume, and kind of a pain to pull through the suede, but I also enjoy tedious hand work haha.

I hope that's all helpful! I also have a WIP album on my cosplay facebook HERE with more photos of the construction process!

[rosesradio]

random number spam: 2, 3, 18, 14, 12, 16,

thank you !! gonna put these numbers in order bc it'll bother me otherwise lol

2.) What fanfic do you wish you got more response on?

can i say all of them? 😭 i'm a shameless attention whore at this point. but no i'd probably say my most recent one, camp triple pine. it's gotten loads of attention and i'm super grateful (not to sound spoiled because i've gotten some amazing gifts but i'd love fanart, if that counts as a response...this isn't a guilt tactic though, because once when i was in the s*nders s*des fandom on wattpad i said i wanted fanart lowkey and someone called me manipulative and blocked me :') but that's a whole other thing entirely. i used to get so much attention for my tss fics back in the day i didn't want to leave...now i'm rambling--)

3.) What’s a fic idea that you have but haven’t written yet?

oh there's so many !! i'm gonna do a writer's update post once i finish ctp but i have a lot of ideas. one’s 10k for byler, one’s a one shot for caswen, i have a few gifts for friends i wanna catch up on, etc...

to give an idea i’ve mentioned here and there, my next long-term lawrusso fic i wanna do is a 90s lawrusso merman au. johnny’s staying with bobby at the brown family beach house and he meets daniel, a merman who he helps sort-of turn human after he “saves” daniel from drowning. he then shows daniel about what it’s like being human, daniel tries ice cream, explores the santa monica pier, tries human mating several times, and i plan for it to be super cute and fun ! plus it’s got the jessica/bobby/ali thruple together at the start bc i will force it into every lawrusso fic until people like it :-)

(p.s. if anyone steals any of my ideas you will meet your end by my hand <3)

12.) Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

i definitely read all the comments i get many times :’) but i do try to respond to a lot of comments, but sometimes i get busy, and honestly the comments leave me so flustered because i feel undeserving of them, that by the time i get to them i feel like it’s been a while and it’s weird. who and what i respond to is pretty random, though i do respond to more in-depth comments, and not to just one sentence comments (but i appreciate all comments, you don’t have to write a novel but just knowing you were there is really cool !)

14.) Have you ever co-written a fic?

haha, uh...no. i’ve made plans with friends and authors i admire, but i mostly work alone. the closest i ever got was working with the most popular author in the s*nders s*des fandom on a welcome to night vale au (guess what year that was lol). we had a google doc and everything but scheduling and everything didn’t work out. i have bounced around ideas though without actually writing them into fic so if anyone wants to do that i’m happy to help !

16.) How long is your longest fic?

according to ao3, 97,252 words ! damn, i should have gotten to 100k, but i tell people 100k usually. it’s a s*nders s*des (i censor for tags not bc i hate the fandom or anything, i’m just not in it anymore...it’s embarrassing how most of my fics are for this fandom but i pretty much wrote exclusively for it for 5 years--) anyways it’s a s*nders s*des selection (bachelor) au where i condensed three books into one longfic. i believe it’s also one of my most popular books on my wattpad besides my one shots book for the same fandom. it’s got a playlist and fanart and everything...i wrote it during the driver’s ed period of sophomore year bc they never let me drive lol...good times...

18.) Recommend someone else fic! (And tag them if they have a tumblr!)

i rarely read fic, but take my most recent read, Everything Beautiful’s Fiction by narcissablaxk (i don’t know their tumblr but they’ve written a lot of fics so i’m sure someone around here does). i had a craving for ruben/chris (bc it’s adjacent to 90s lawrusso) and this filled just that ! it was hurt/comfort-y and overall a pretty good read !

i think that’s it, thanks for the ask, and i’m not sorry i rambled bc this was fun ! <3

[poppiesforthirteen]

For fic writer emoji asks!!:

💖 What made you start writing?

🦅 Do you outline fics or fly by the seat of your pants?

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

💖 What made you start writing?

incapable of shutting up /j

🦅 Do you outline fics or fly by the seat of your pants?

i've tried outlining but i'm cursed so that every fic i outline ends up abandoned after less than a fifth of the full work - my theory is that my brain just decides something is Done once i've written an ending so i never do until i get there

also i hate having to get from a to b, i just start from a and see where the road takes me lol i'm definitely a pantser

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

here's the wip i've been actively working on the longest, started a few weeks ago - at pretty much exactly 1k because i am Slow (and writing 3 things at once). i'm putting in minimal effort to keep this in character because it's mostly wish fulfillment lmao enjoy

"Come on." Weak knees, sparks and butterflies be damned—push through, push until they're alone. The Doctor tugs Yaz upstairs; she's no longer possessive—Yaz is no longer worried. Breathlessly, they giggle to each other the whole way up, secretive, like they can't believe what they're doing.

The Doctor can't believe what they're doing. This is it—this is what it's meant to be. They're in Yaz's past, the Doctor's... future, probably, technically; she's stopped keeping track. Meant to be—of course this would happen. They're so few years from Mary Shelley and that dress with the empire waist and the updo with the same ringlets and the Doctor couldn't resist another minute. They're not chasing a historical figure or another alien; there's no one out of place but them and the Doctor is starting to think they've never been more in place than now.

💔 Is there a fic of yours that broke your heart?

which cannot choose but weep and i wanna be the one to walk in the sun

both revelations about character dynamics, the classic doctor who tragedies - the doctor x the companion (doomed to fail) and the doctor x the master (doomed to persist), both mostly written by characters possessing me and both sad

[kusagrasskusa]

Hanzo Hisashi X Innocent! Reader

Thank you EzraPFoxglove01for requesting this adorable thing! I sorta changed a lot you asked for by making it go into depth, and it ended up being the longest story I've ever written lol. So I'm definitely gonna add a shorter, more cutesy version of this story soon.

Change her outfit all you wish; it doesn't have a big part in the story at all. Though due to where she lives, it sorta makes sense for traditional Japanese wear to be her attire. And this is the kimono I have in mind, but change whatever :D To be honest, it makes sense to change the look to be more suitable for fighting while still maintaining an innocent, feminine character.

Word Count: 6733

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hay....ya!" A feminine voice yelled out as she kicked a large hole into a tree. She didn't really have an specific training area so she often kicked and punched holes into tough looking trees, which proven to be as affective as training dummies and whatnot. She pulled away from the tree with a large smile on her innocent features.

She held her arms up to her chest with clinched fists. "Alright! Just 113 more to go," she reminded herself as she prepared for another kick. Yet just before she kicked the tree, she heard rustling in the bushes surrounding her.

She paused and looked around her everywhere. The wind began to blow which made it hard to hear whoever or whatever move again as the wind blew the all the bushes. She made a pouty face and walked over to where she heard the noise the first time. She had a bag that wrapped around her colorful kimono that contained kunai knives, and she pulled one out just in case. To be honest, with her small, airhead, and pouty form, she was the least intimidating person most people could ever see. And her small, F/C kimono with cherry trees on it added onto it.

The wind slowed down for a second and in that time, rustling in the bushes was heard again, where it did last time. "Huh?" She hummed as she slowly and cautiously opened up the bushes. "W-Who's there!" She yelled nervously as she parted the bushes completely. "Ahhh!" She screamed as she stepped back, tripping on whatever she stepped on. A baby bunny jumped on top of her from the bushes, it's guinea pig looking face staring boldly at her. Fuck it was frightening for a bunny to withhold so much toughness and boldness.

She whined as she pulled the bunny of her, causing it to run away quickly. She stumbled to her feet, barely managing to maintain her own balance for a moment. She watched the bunny hop away into the forest as she calmed her nerves. Once it disappeared, she sighed and opened her bag to put away her knife. Yet the sound of a voice behind her caused her to throw it towards the voice with perfect aim and fast speed. Yet as she turned around, she saw her kunai knife had been frozen but it wasn't frozen quick enough to prevent the one and only Kuai Liang from behind cut a little.

"Good aim," the Sub Zero complimented in his deep and husky voice, a smirk on his face. He pulled the kunai from the ice prison it was it and tossed it towards Y/N. Y/N's innocent E/C eyes widened as she gasped.

"Liang!" She ran towards him to hug him– but no, we can't have that without her tripping halfway. "Oof!" She hit the ground hard and whined as she slowly stood back up. She had cut her face on a rock but that wasn't good enough for her to not want to hug him just as hard. So once she stood up, she lunged at him and hugged him so incredibly hard. "I missed you! How are you!"

Kuai chuckled as he softly wrapped his arms around her. "I see you haven't changed one bit, dear friend." It's true that the two of them are close friends; although they don't have any fundamental qualities in common, they managed to meet one day and their opposite personalities captured each other's interest. And so here they are, together after departed months back. Right after Sub Zero and others were free from Quan Chi, the two got close again and only had a couple weeks to get close again before Kuai had to leave. Finally, months later, they're together again!

"I've been just fine, L/N. How about yourself?" He asked as he pulled his arms down. As expected, Y/N didn't let go and continued to sway back and forth.

"Oh, I've been good! Sorta lonely, yeah but I met this one guy! He leads an entire clan that let me in!" Y/N sweet voice called out in reply, her eyes twinkling. "I don't see him often but we've been talking a lot more recently. He's really nice...like a big, strong, teddy bear, hehe," she giggled as her legs went limp. Kuai chuckled at her dramatic description and pat her head; pushing the person she's talking about to the back of his mind. She got back on her feet again and pulled away from him. "Sooooo...do you have any combat stories to share? An adventure?"

Kuai shook his head. "Unfortunately nothing to tell now, but soon," he spoke as he looked up at the bright blue sky. It was maybe 8 in the morning  at the time. Y/N held her arms in front of her as she swayed back and forth as her head tilted in confusion.

"Okay...Oh! There's flowers growing around here and I want you to see it. They're so pretty- and pink," She emphasized as she took Kuai's hand and pulled him to a nearby pond. The trees surrounding the pond were waves with red and pink flowers ground from them. It's hard to tell, but in the distant was a village. And jn that village was, drum roll please, Hanzo Hizashi himself. As the two friends spoke about the scenery, Hanzo had just gotten ready for a day of training.

As he stepped outside, he took a deep breath and examined the place surrounding him. The birds were singing, the soft winds brushing past the trees and plants, the warm sun and clear skies. The sound of children playing can be heard from the background. It was pure bliss really. Yet even so, he had an uneasy feeling wash over him. The feeling that there could possibly be an unwanted visitor.

Hanzo walked closed the door behind him and walked out. He took his time going from his home to a place a little outside of the village; a more personalized dojo. It contained dummies and targets designed for his spear and fire. The little dojo was little ways across a pond near the village so that's where he was headed.

"And that's why that's my favorite color," Y/N said as she finished her story. Kuai Liang, to be honest, wasn't paying attention to her at all and simply nodded. She smiled at his politeness to at least pretend to acknowledge what she's saying; Y/N knows she can get really immature sometimes and right now really isn't her best moment. "Eheh, so what do you want to do?"

Kuai looked over at her with a soft smile on his features. He really was such a peaceful man at heart. "I believe I saw a few rare ducks fly into the pond. Would you like to go see them?"

"You're not going anywhere."

Y/N sharply turned her head towards the pissed looking man walking towards the duo and gasped. She stood up, saying, "Kuai, this is the man that let me into his village! Hey Hanzo, this is Kuai‐"

"He already knows who I am," Kuai cut her off coldly and stood up. "Hanzo, I mean you no harm; had I known this was your territory, I would not have come." Hanzo pulled a sword from his back and held it up in a firey fists once he got close to them. Y/N stared idlely at them with growing anxiety. The two picked up on that quickly, making Kuai speak up again before Hanzo could. "The girl does not know of our rivalry. Don't punish her for my mistake, Hanzo‐"

"Do no speak to me like that. Leave at once!" Hanzo may be alive, but that doesn't mean he can't revert his voice back to his hellish Scorpion one. Kuai took a few steps back before turning around and disappearing. Hanzo and Y/N watched the whole way through in complete silence. Once Kuai was gone, they silence broke.

"I–"

"And you," Hanzo walked up to her and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. "Exactly what made you think bringing a guest without permission was anywhere near exceptable? You endanger every one of us at this village that way." Y/N could feel his fire-hot breath against her as he spoke. A shiver fell down her spine as looked him right in the eye. She didn't respond, but rather bow her head. Hanzo scoffed, flames igniting from his fist that began to burn her clothes, making her whimper beneath him. She felt the flames heating up her neck, which made her whimper more as the pain wasn't something she was exposed to often. "Part of me wants to kill you right now. You are very lucky to have caught me in a better light."

Hanzo let go of her, stepping away. Y/N bowed her full body lowly, hands to her knees. "I'm deeply sorry sir, I really am. I promise I will never bring another guest again. I knew not of Kuai and your's relationship and if I had known when I met him in the woods a little bit ago, I would have got him to leave. It was foolish of me to have not stayed in the village and possibly risks a bloody situation. For that, I am sorry." As Y/N finished, she heard nothing but the sound of a sword being put away.

"As long as this never happens again, L/N," he spoke coldly. "I forgive you. You may continue what you were doing before he arrived here."

"Thank you so much, sir!" Y/N called out happily as she stood up straight with a smile on her face. "I promise you won't regret it!" Hanzo remained quiet and simply glanced down instead. A more calm and positive feeling took over his previous anger quickly, leaving behind a little bit of confusion. Y/N took a few steps back over to where that tree she was kicking earlier was before Hanzo spoke up again.

"I apologize for being so harsh, as well. You said you met you here; was this planned?" He asked her as he his fists were undone. Y/N shook her head when she turned back towards him. Hanzo examined her face for a moment before sighing, then a smile grew on his face. "Very well. I appreciate your honesty. Actually, would you care to join me for tea later? As leader of this clan, it feels right for me to know all my people, whether they are a weary traveler or blood."

"Of course I would," she said softly. "What time?"

"Tomorrow at dawn."

"So be it." And with that, Hanzo began to walk towards his dojo and Y/N walked towards her special tree. The two of them had that tea on their minds as they practiced whatever it is they were practicing. How would it turn out? Would Y/N innocent immaturity get her in trouble? Would Hanzo appear too serious? Will they make up and gain trust? Maybe something else? We'll see in the next paragraph.

Time flies by quickly when you're having a good time, and for Hanzo, he was quite happy about the thought of getting to know Y/N more. And also to learn more of her relations with Kuai. As for Y/N, she was nervous as all hell since she knows she can be a handful sometimes. To be honest, a simple deep breath was able to calm her down and bring the adult side out of her. So here she was now, looking at herself in the mirror of her guest cabin and taking deep breaths to calm her nerves.

"You got this Y/N," she told herself as she took her final deep breath. The kimono she was wearing was different as it was longer and above the wrists, meaning she was unmarried. It still had a pretty design on it, with the colors overall being F/C, pink, yellow, and blue. The had her H/C hair up in a bun with two strands falling over her shoulders. She had a pin that kept her hair up with a beautiful flower attached to it. To contribute to her Japanese asthetic, she had a folded fan that was black with red cherry trees designs in it in her hand.

She smiled at herself in the mirror one more time before she turned to face the door. She slid open the door to the guest home and put on her shoes before walking outside. She closed the door and prepared to head off the selected location. On the other hand, Hanzo was sure to be formal as well.

He wore a montsuki, which is a formal black kimono worn over a white under-kimono and hakama, which are traditional Japanese trousers. It was common for samurais to wear this underneath their armor, so it suited him well. After all, he was both ninja and samurai; he kept his hair in a man manbun as well. He was very good at maintaining a formal way of speaking and acting, yet he knew Y/N isn't all that. Someone as free spirited and naive really isn't all that capable of it, in his mind.

He was sitting down in a chabudai; one of those short legged tables that have cushions to sit on your knees on rather than to sit on chairs. At the moment, in another room of his lonely home, was a kettle that was boiling water. Authoress is not a Japanese fanatic who knows Japanese and is basing these designs of real Samurai and Wife dolls by their bed, I swear. It was perhaps halfway done by the time he heard a voice call from the outside of the front door; "Hello, it's Y/N. May I come in?"

Hanzo smiled softly to himself as he stood up and walked over to the door, sliding it open. To say he was shocked to see the free spirited girl in such a good-mannered attire was an understatement. "You look lovely tonight," he stated as he looked Y/N head to toe. On Y/N's side, she noticeably blushed and gave him a sweet look.

"You look lovely as well, truly."

Hanzo raised a brow and stepped aside for Y/N to step inside. And rather than her normal fast walk with swaying arms side to side, she slowly walked in with her hands held together in front of her. "I haven't yet seen this side of you, Miss L/N. I am a proper kind of person so don't think I won't hold it against you if you act unmannerly," he teased as Y/N giggled to herself and took her shoes off at the front door.

"I thought that maybe I should act a bit more, I guess, fancy in order to match you. As long as you don't believe in the whole women are beneath us bigger men and shouldn't talk unless spoken to thing, then this shouldn't be too hard, hehehe," Y/N said as she was lead to the chabudai by Hanzo. She sat down on her knees on side and he on the other.

"Of course I would not act on such a thing. We are all human with equal rights," Hanzo replied as he sat his hands in his lap. His looked down at Y/N'a hands, which were on the table, before shooting her a look that told her that she was doing something wrong. Y/N hummed in confusion before gasping lightly. She put her hands in her lap and smiled innocently, creating a chuckle from Hanzo.

Come to think of it, the hone hasn't yet been described. It's easy to imagine the paper and wood that made up the walls and doors, and the warm light that shun over the two people. The carvings on the wood above them and around them, the large pot with a bonsai in it in the corner of the room. The little wooden seats with drawers distilled in them built into the walls of the home. The wooden tables with traditional statues and little plants in pots across the home. The sword holder near the front door, the mats across the floor to give the unique taste. In the kitchen had built in furnaces where people would burn a fire in the wholes on the bottom and put cooking appliances and kyūsus on top of it. If you don't want to imagine that, here's something help.

"Have you ever studied Japanese arts? Surely you must have had some experience in a place like this, or perhaps a friend to lecture you on what to do," Hanzo explained his thought process as he looked interestingly at the smaller girl.

"Actually, I had Kuai teach me a lot about Chinese culture. But when I met a swordsman named Kenshi, I learned more of Japanese tradition. I may not be the best, but I tried to use my knowledge of both cultures to act as good as possible! Um, I mean," she paused as her face lit up red. "To act as good as possible." She but the inside of her lip nervously as she grew more and more embarrassed of her voice level as she spoke. Hanzo chuckled.

"I'm glad I invited you here. You are very knowledgeable it seems. Plus quite entertaining," he complimented. The kyūsu began to steam loudly, meaning it was finished. Hanzo glanced over to the kitchen.

"Heh, I wouldn't say knowledgeable," Y/N replied, "but thank you." Hanzo stood up, nodding his head towards her as he walked put of the room.

"I apologize but the tea must be attended to. I will be back in a few moments," Hanzo explained before he disappeared behind a wall. Y/N nodded in understandment and began to fight with her hair, kimono ends, fingers, and whatever else she could once he walked out. When Hanzo walked into the kitchen, he felt heat rise to his face. He leaned onto a little table with his hand on it to keep his steady and his other hand over his chest. Oh kami, he thought, she gets cuter each time I see her. Whether she's trying to be like me but failing miserably or being her bubbly self does not matter; she is perfect.

He did his best to calm his nerves before grabbing the kettle from the furnace and grabbing a kyūsu, an appliance for making tea, and slowly pouring hot water into it. He made a kind of sweet green tea, one that many foreigners don't know about, called Sencha. It has to be made with the coolest kind of hot water, basically, otherwise it will turn bitter. He made sure the watch it carefully for about half a minute before grabbing two cups and pouring the tea. He then picked up the two cups and headed back to the chabudai. Yet before he got to the room, he paused.

A feminine voice sung a soft song as she waited for Hanzo to return. Hanzo felt his cheeks heat up again and his chest felt warm. He could recall this feeling but from where he first felt it is unknown to him. The ready may be able to assume that he was thinking of his first love, his wife, and how he felt when he fell in love with her. But that idea hadn't even crossed his mind as he felt there was no way he could ever feel such an extreme emotion towards anyone else. And marriage isn't even a question since she isn't from the clan. He took a deep breath before walking back into the room.

Y/N stopped singing and she smiled widely as she saw him. "Hey Hanzo! Or, um, sorry, haha. The tea smells very nice," she complimented as she gripped the sides of the cup with her little fingers. Yeah, there was definitely a way he could feel such an extreme emotions towards anyone else. Hanzo sat down on his knees on the other side of her, mumbling a quick thank you to Y/N and a thank you to the Gods' gift of tonight. And in his mind, a thank you for what to him felt like a gift from the Gods' to end his grief from his early wife.

"Mm! This is really good!" Y/N gasped after tasting it. "This is the best tea I've ever had!" Her eyes were wide in awe and her expression showing her impressment. Hanzo chuckled at her adorable reaction as he took a sip of his wom drink. It's been maybe 8 minutes since Y/N got there and she already forgot to remain all traditional and civil. It was adorable to him; she was so precious really.

And throughout the night, the two of them talked and laughed and jokes and got close. They remained at the chabudai most of the night, aside from when Y/N asked for a tour. She adored the bonsais, scenery that can be seen from outside the window, paintings around the home, and everything. She was so naive but to Hanzo, that wasn't particularly a bad thing. It made her all the more fun to be around. And because of how great of a night they were having, they even agreed to meet up the next day.

"Excuse me, Miss Y/N," Hanzo said as he stood up from the chabudai. "I will be back in one moment. Please help yourself to more tea if you'd like."

"I will," Y/N responded sweetly. Oh, on a side note, Y/N completely forgot about the traditional thing completely so don't expect her to stay put in the few minutes Hanzo was gone. Actually, by the time Hanzo came back, Y/N had her head in her arms on the table her body slowly rising and falling with the rhythm of her breaths. Hanzo couldn't help but find himself smiling down at her. He got that warm feeling in his chest again though it was different this time. It wasn't as unfamiliar as before. He knew what it was; it was love slowly blossoming.

He sighed softly before picking up the sleeping girl's tired form and carrying her against his chest. She shifted a little bit in his grasp and ended up being hudled against him more, making that warn feeling in Hanzo's chest grow more. Such a sweet, innocent creature. He slid open his door and brought her back to her guest home, where he laid her in bed and brought her hair down from its updo in order for it to not be as bad of a mess tomorrow. He kissed her forehead and then left to sleep in his own bed until the next morning.

The next day was the same as the previous. And then the day after that, and the day after that day, and so forth. But one day was a particularly cold day and a cold blanket of snow began to cover the land. Y/N was at Hanzo's place, watching the snow fall through an open window with her E/C eyes wide in amazement at the beauty. Hanzo was standing behind her with two cups of tea in his hand.

"Would you care for a drink?" He asked, making Y/N turn around.

"Thank you, Hanzo!" She said as she took the drink from him and took a big sip. It tasted sweet, as it was the tea she had when she came over for the first time. "Say, I sorta wish we could have gone outside today. I noticed that you like to fight in that place by the pond a lot; which is really great to watch! You're so strong, hehe. But you've never actually seen me fight before," she explained right before she took a sip of tea. "Y'know, I'm painfully aware that people view me as an immature, innocent, naive girl who isn't the most aware of her surroundings. But I think you'll be impressed to see what I can do," she said confidently as she hummed.

Hanzo took a sip from his tea and nodded. "Perhaps. When it gets warmer out, I'd love to watch what you can do," he replied with an extra caring tone with his voice. He caught onto his tone quickly and blushed a little bit. "But there is something we can do outside," he started.

"What is it?" Y/N asked, standing up.

"Well, there's a hotspring nearby. We can swim in there if you'd like. However be sure to dress in something not too revealing if you would like to."

"There is? I'd love to!" She exclaimed as she bounced up and down. "I'll dmgi get dressed now," she eagered on as she put her shoes back on before leaving. Hanzo grabbed her up of tea and brought it to the kitchen. It's a shape it would go to waste, but he can always make more. He returned to his bedroom to grab something to put on while swimming but please, just imagine what he'd wear to swim. Traditional swimwear is too nasty to be used in this book, but swimming trunks are too modern. As for Y/N, considering she never had a particular home or culture, it made sense for her to just wear a full body suit she could have gotten from anywhere in Earthrealm.

Of course, the both of them were sure to bathe before hopping into the hot spring. Well, Hanzo slowly got in whereas Y/N jumped in without any care. It was warm, shocker there.

"Ahh...Thank the Elder Gods for getting me here before I froze to death," Y/N shuddered as chills ran up her spine. Though those chills were disappearing as the warmth of the hot spring washer over her soon enough. Hanzo rested his body against the large rocks around the hot spring and found a seat-like area. Y/N swam around happily and sung to herself.

Oh, one thing worth mentioning for the sake of the next paragraph is that Y/N had a necklace around her neck. Hanzo had never noticed it before as it was always under her kimono or shirt. However that necklace had a great significance go it; she was told that with that necklace, she would be able to find her parents who seemed to have lost her at birth. That necklace was the only thing that remained of them and hopefully destiny was kind enough to help her find her parents.

"Kyaa–" shrieked as a splashing sound was heard. Hanzo stopped daydreaming and looked over at Y/N, who's hair covered he face and arm frantically tried to keep her body floating. She quickly pushed her hair out of her face and whined over and over again worried. Hanzo instinctively swam over there as fast as possible, grabbing ahold of her gently yet sturdy. "Where is it!" She cried out, feeling her body and looking around the waters.

"Where is what?" Hanzo asked in his husky voice that was now in a confused tone.

"My necklace! I can't find my necklace!" She replied worriedly, tears swelling in her eyes. Hanzo looked at the tears forming and felt his whole body shiver woman's his heart drop. "I can't see it anywhere!" Hanzo began to swim towards the rock formation he was against earlier, making Y/N cry out, "wait!"

"Y/N," Hanzo sternly spoke. "I will find your necklace and return it. Worry not, please, dear friend," he reassured, taking her hand in his. She shook nervously and wiped her tears. Slowly, she nodded which told Hanzo he could swim away now. And so he did; he headed towards the stop where she cried out and with one deep breath, he went underwater. He had to hold his nose for warm waters were very dangerous to go under as dangerous fungi grow in hot waters. Yet even so, he swam to the bottom of the hot spring using one hand to stir around to look for the necklace.

Y/N waited on the rocks, sniffing and whimpering. She hasn't told Hanzo the origin of the necklace, but he could tell it was important to her. When she was little, she was handed the necklace and was told it would help her find her missing mother as long as she stayed pure. What that means is that Y/N had to remain free from murder, theft, and other ways of sin. Not only that, but she could not ever preform certain adult actions as then she would never find her parents (I say that because Y/N never had a parent figure to teach her what nono stuff is), which is her number one goal in life. She grew up going from city to city, state to state, country to country, and even had been in Outworld before. She grew up with so many cultures and had never found someone that was like her in any way. It felt like she didn't have an identity as she had nothing to trace her orgins to.

Splash! Hanzo took a deep breath of air as he finally reached the surface again, with a silver necklace with a S/F/C gem inside it that's carved to show an unknown design. "Is this your necklace?" He asked as he held it up. Y/N gasped, lunging back into the water and swimming towards Hanzo. Once she got up to him, she wrapped her arms around his muscular figure and cried.

"You found it! Thank you so much!" She cried out happily, pressing her body against him. Hanzo blushed at the sudden affection and slipped the necklace back onto her. He adjusted the back of of it so it wouldn't fall off her so easily again. "I love Hanzo... You're the best friend I've ever had... I really mean it," she whimpered out. Hanzo began to swim towards the rock formation again and once he did, Y/N let go of him.

"I appreciate it, Y/N. I love you as well, you're the closest friend I've ever had," he said back to her with a warm smile on his features. Y/N smiled back at him before examining her unharmed necklace.

"Hmm... Ever since I could remember, I would move from every country in the world to another. I've been to Paris, Beijing, New York, London, Los Angeles, a few different places in Mexico and Colombia, Holland, Tokyo, Osaka, and many more. I was carried from place to place by various of adoptive mothers, and each of them left a bit of their culture and identity with me by the time I left.

"But I had one that was a fortune teller and psychic. She was incapable kf having kids and didn't want to go through the trouble of raising one, so she took me, an 11 year old girl. She gasped when she saw me and took me in immediately. Before I left her, she gave me this necklace. "Y/N," she said, "you have the potential to see your real parents again. Train, grow stronger, read, grow smarter, listen, grow wiser. Stray away from the evil in the world and remain pure from your soul to your body. This is how you'll find your mother.""

Y/N paused and looked up at the larger male. He seemed intrigued with her story and made sure to listen carefully to her every word. So she continued, "as I grew older and began to travel on my own, I thought of her words every single hour of every day. I had no reason to live as I ever did was travel and meet new people, only to leave and never see them again. Just knowing who I really was became my only reason for existing. To this day, I bet the relief of meeting my real mom will feel like being deaf and hearing music, or being blind and seeing color, or being able to walk again after being paralyzed. But now," she paused.

Y/N smiled and looked up at Hanzo. "It's strange to feel so in place, so correct. I-I know I never felt this way about any place before! But I really think that as long as you're around, my chances of meeting my mom are good! Just being with you gives me hope for the next day, truly. It's like being with you is my reason to exist."

Hanzo closed his eyes and smiled back at her. He wrapped his arms around and embraced her warmly, his head being filled with nothing but pure bliss. Y/N hugged back tightly, feeling just as happy as he is right now.

And just as soon as it came, the day was over and the two had to return home and sleep. But this particular night, their dreams were better than usual. And two days later, the snow had cleared up and the ground was dry! That meant Y/N could go train today! Unfortunately, with her absent-mindedness, she forgot she wanted Hanzo to watch her so she remained in private as she kicked thicc ass trees down in two strong kicks and crushed stones into bits by simply punching it once.

"Hai...ya!" She called out as she forcefully brought her first to a stone celler that was abandoned randomly in the woods. But hey, no one was using it, so who's gonna cry about it being broken? The impact of her punch brought a giant circular impact onto the wall, and bits and pieces of it fell down. "Hehehe! 22 more to go!" She thought out loud as she pulled her fist back again. She wasn't alone in these woods, no, as there was a particular ninja/samurai person thing, idk, watching from the nearby bush. Not to be creepy of course! He was on his way to his dojo but heard noises, and discovered it was her after checking it out.

And d a m n. If Y/N saw his shocked face the first time he saw her punch the wall with that much force and endurance, she would laugh and tease him about it for a long time. He didn't expect her to be so quick in her movements and to cause such force. Like, a short little bebe in a pink, cutesy kimono with cherry blossoms being able to cause a fucking massacre to the wall? How could you blame him?

"Hmm... that reminds me!" Y/N exclaimed as she spun around to look at Hanzo. "I told you that you should watch me train! Is that what you were doing?"

Hanzo blushed heavily and was unfortunately incapable of hiding it in the direct daylight. "Indeed, Y/N. This is truly a wonderful sight to see," he replied as he looked away for a moment. Y/N gasped and ran towards him. He took a few steps back when he noticed how close she gotten, which caused him to get a little bit more flustered.

"You're sick? You're face is all red, Y/N whined as she pulled Hanzo closer. "You should be inside, mister, getting better! Not out here watching me fight when it's colder out here! Let's go bring you inside," he said as she grabbed his muscular arm and held it close. She turned towards the village of the Shirai Ryu and began walking towards it, pulling Hanzo along. How bold.

Hanzo but his bottom lightly and remained as flustered as before. "There really is no need, Y/N," he replied back.

"You're being quite irresponsible for a ninja, y'know," Y/N replied as she continued to walk him home. Hanzo sighed and just let her pull him along. He knew she would question him if he told her he wasn't sick so he choose into except it.

"Thank you for your concern," he replied lowly. Y/N giggled proudly and nodded.

"The best for you!" They arrived to the pathways of the village and began their walk. There was a few pedestrians walking by, including a dad and daughter and a separate woman. "I'll make you some tea and you can go to bed, okay?" Hanzo nodded, smirking to himself about how funny the situation really is.

"How caring," Hanzo spoke as they arrived at his home. The got inside and took their shoes off at the front door.

"Of course," she replied before heading towards the kitchen to make tea. Hanzo wasn't sick but he's been tired lately and what's wrong with sleeping in for one day? When he got the tea, it no doubt tasted way too bitter as Y/N doesn't really know what she's doing to be honest. But hey, it's the thought that counts.

Hanzo lied in bed, with an empty cup by his side and an small girl on the other. She sat on the bed, talking to him quietly about a bunch of random things until she said something strange. "To be honest, I know this is weird, but it almost feels like we're married sometimes. I mean, we're together all the time and have a very close friendship. You let me drag you in here and give you bitter tea even though you didn't want to. That's really nice, hehe," she giggled as she looked over at Hanzo. Her eyes shun something different from simply joy this time. Instead, it showed rather care. And potentially something more.

Hanzo felt a shiver go down his spine as he looked deep into Y/N's eyes. Emhe had to examine them to ensure that he wasn't just crazy or actually sick, but no, it looked like she really did care about him more than a friend. After all these months, it was officially, wasn't it? It was mutual. Hanzo smiled as he sat up on the bed. Y/N's cheeks lit up a little bit as he stared down at her with that look.

"Sometimes it really does feel like that, does it not? I can see as a good pair to be truthful. What about you?" Hanzo asked softly. Y/N cheeks flushed pink and her expression softened.

"I agree, definitely. I mean, how can I not, heh heh. You've been there from the very beginning and I've always seen you as this big, strong teddy bear of sorta. So sweet, so nice, so caring," she replied. Hanzo leaned in, making Y/N want to lean in too. And slowly, the pair came together and finally...they kissed. It was soft, tender, and it felt like it was meant to happen. Y/N's face turned red and Hanzo's tense emotions he felt disappeared immediately.

Heh, you know what? To be honest, they lady next door was known to be crazy about losing her baby girl a very long time ago. They had matching necklaces that were bought from a village far away from their's years ago when the Shirai Ryu was attacked by Quan Chi's forces. She escaped and went into hiding, and then found a man to marry to. Her child was named Y/N L/N, and whether she's not fully Japanese or fully related into the Japanese clan, she is blood and therefore she is capable of being the love of Hanzo Hisashi. Maybe the two of them will meet some day, huh?