#took a break from commissions for this. now we proceed

[brbarou]

assquest fitzloved when they were SOOO LITTLE

[snowhashiraamiya]

Tea Ceremony for 2 (Commission)

Kyojurou Rengoku x Oc! Terumi Tachibana

This fic includes: NSFW

Proceed with caution 💚

Word Count: 5,001

During the beginning of some showers, the teahouse was having a quiet day. Honestly, the first one in a while, it wasn’t often that the employees could catch a breather with how stressful this job may be.

A few customers mingled here and there, chatting mindlessly, but hey at least they weren’t talking about demons. Like a calm in the midst of the horrors that the slayers faced.

Terumi Tachibana, a beautiful, soft brunette, was taste testing some fresh tea, perfect for the start of the new harvest. Terumi was exhausted, having spent countless days and nights gathering intel for the corps.

Oh how she missed her ever astounding Flame Hashira, Kyojurou Rengoku.

One of the employees looked at Terumi, he knew she was exhausted. He knew she rarely slept, overworking herself harder than anyone else.

“Ojosama, pardon the intrusion. Someone is requesting a wisteria tea ceremony.”

Terumi rubbed her temples, ‘Can I ever catch a break?’

Rengoku stood with his hands behind his back, patiently waiting for Terumi to emerge from the back. When she did, he smiled, but his grin quickly faded. He could see the exhaustion in her eyes, she clearly hadn’t slept for days.

“Terumi-“ he started, “Kyojurou~ What a rare turn of events, the golden boy of the corps breaking a rule? How naughty of you.” Terumi teased as she looked at him with those beautiful, blue eyes.

Kyojurou shook his head, biting back a reply, “Perhaps, if it means I have the pleasure of seeing you.” he replied and took a step forward.

“Ah ah, you wouldn’t want to break another rule now, hm?” she replied whilst putting her hand up. Kyojurou huffed, so bossy, “Come on my sweet dove, it’s been months since I’ve seen you.”

Terumi sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, “Kyojurou, I wasn’t expecting you.” The blonde shook his head, “And? Come now sweetheart.” Terumi looked at him with amusement but irritation.

She then turned to one of the employees, “Please watch the front while I’m gone.” one of them nodded and then tended to the other customers.

Terumi looked back at Kyojurou as he grinned, “Come on.” she replied and waved him back, Kyojurou followed behind her quickly.

When Kyojurou and Terumi entered the private room, the walls were thin, but then again, Kyojurou had missed his dove so dearly that he almost didn’t care about the noise.

“So, how was the mission?” Terumi replied to get him out of his thoughts, Kyojurou hummed, “It was successful.” He replied and then pulled her against him, nearly desperate to feel her flush against him.

Kyojurou nuzzled his face into her neck, “I missed you, princess.”

Terumi sighed and hugged him around his neck, “I missed you, Big owl. Here, I’ll make some snacks and we can cuddle for a while, how's that?”

Kyojurou’s hair fluffed when he smiled and kissed her cheek, “That sounds lovely.”

~~~

As the two sipped on some tea, Rengoku placed his tea down on the table, he looked at her face, noticing the bags under her eyes and it was obvious that she hadn’t slept in a long time, he let out a sigh, then spoke up.

“Sweetheart, you look exhausted, when was the last time you slept?”

Terumi rubbed her eyes as she sipped her tea, “Mmh. Not for a few days.”

Kyojurou’s eyes widened, and he quickly grabbed her shoulder gently and began to turn her body, so Terumi could face him fully,

“A few days? How long have you been awake, darling?! You need to get some sleep!” He breathed, his voice filled with worry as he voiced his concern for her.

“My flame, I’m perfectly fine, just more so focused on getting more intel for the corps.. you know how important it is.” Terumi replied gently, she knew he cared about her, but the corps were almost too important.

“Darling.. I know it’s important but please, your health is more concerning. You can’t just stay awake and tire yourself out. You need to take care of yourself too.”

Kyojurou replied, bringing his hand up and placing it on her cheek. He gently stroked it as he looked into her eyes that were still filled with nervousness and yearning for her to rest.

Terumi chewed on her pastry, “But-“

Kyojurou placed his finger on her lips, gently shushing her, he kept his hand on her cheek,

“No buts, my love. You need to sleep. You’re not taking care of yourself. You’re pushing your body too far.”

Terumi looked up at him, scooting closer, “Please.. just for a little while? You’ve been gone so long, and I really wanted to spend time with you…”

He looked down at her then brought his other hand so he was now cupping her face in his hands, he let out a small sigh,

“I know, I’ve been gone for a while, and I wanted to spend time with you too, my love.”

Terumi moved closer, pressing a small kiss to his cheek, “Please…? I promise I’ll sleep after…”

Rengoku felt her press a kiss to his cheek and he let out another sigh and placed one of his hands on her hips. Kyojurou gently pulled her closer, and looked down at her, while still holding her face with his free hand, his expression softened as he spoke,

“If I let you stay awake for a little longer, will you promise me you’ll sleep after? You’re not going to stay awake for another few days?”

“I promise…” Terumi’s gaze was sincere, meaningful, and genuine. She leaned closer as their noses were barely touching.

Kyojurou could feel her breath on his skin, after a moment of silence, and staring into her eyes, he spoke, his voice was soft and gentle,

“Alright, you can stay awake for a little while longer, my love. But,”

He reached down and grabbed her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers, his expression softened even more,

“I’m going to have to keep an eye on you. Make sure you actually keep your promise.”

Terumi let out a soft laugh and she booped his nose, “Aw, hubby… you can keep your eye on me in more ways than one.”

“Oh really now?” He replied, as he pushed her down slowly onto the mat and pinned her down under him. His larger body hovering over hers, Kyojurou looked down at her with a smirk on his face,

“You’re always teasing me, pigeon.”

Kyojurou looked into her sapphire eyes, those eyes always drew him in.

“Always so needy when we’re alone… But I am the only one~” He leaned to her ear, his breath tickling her skin, “who can see you like this~ right, dove?” he gently growled.

Terumi’s cheeks burned and she smiled, “So cheeky, hm?”

Rengoku watched as Terumi’s cheeks flushed and his heart leapt with joy. Unable to contain himself any longer, he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips passionately against hers. As her softness collided with his own, he let out a soft moan of pleasure.

Reaching out gently, Kyojurou traced the outline of Terumi’s hand, which still resided on the mat. In a hushed voice filled with emotion, he spoke once more, “Terumi... I've been wanting to kiss those sweet lips of yours, I couldn’t bear being away from you for long."

Terumi’s eyes softened and she brought her hand up and caressed his cheek, “Hubby… you make me so many things. Please, let us indulge in one another.”

As Kyojurou positioned himself between her legs, his fingers traced gently along Terumi’s inner thighs, the scent of her arousal filled his nostrils, and he couldn't help but grow even more eager. His mouth watered at the thought of tasting her. Kyojurou whispered, his voice trembling with barely-contained passion, “Please… Let me taste you, my sweet dove.”

Terumi looked up at her lover, her sapphire eyes meeting his golden ones, “You don’t need to ask… I need it, please.. Kyo.”

Kyojurou let out a soft growl and leaned to her neck, his lips gracing her pulse point, “You have no idea what you do to me, Terumi.”

Terumi moaned softly and let her arms snake around his neck, she kissed his temple. Kyojurou huffed and moved his arms around her legs and positioned her higher.

“Fuck.. you don’t know how much it irritates me, all of those people… looking at what’s mine. How I crave to make everyone aware who you belong to.”

His lips never left her pulse point and he tugged on the skin there with his teeth, beginning to suckle against her neck.

“Kyojurou-“ Terumi protested.

“No. You belong to me, people are going to know that.”

Terumi’s heart bruised her ribcage, she was playing with fire, and she knew that.

Kyojurou tugged her kimono aside and his hands fondled her breasts, his golden eyes met hers, he could see the doubt in her eyes.

“Sweet dove, do you trust me?”

Terumi let out a soft gasp feeling his lips lavish the soft buds of her nipples, “Y-Yes but-“

“Then submit to me, pretty girl, give in.”

Terumi’s eyes widened as he adjusted himself between her legs, “Come now my sweet dove, you can do it.”

Kyojurou covered her stomach with kisses, beautiful, lip marks decorated her skin.

She relaxed, her eyes fluttering, “That’s a good girl, my sweet pigeon.”

Terumi moaned softly, “K-Kyo- m-mmh-“

“Don’t be afraid darling, I want to hear you.”

Rengoku slowly crawled up her body, leaning in to nibble on her lower lip, teasingly asking, "Are you ready for more?"

His voice was husky with desire, his breath warm against her skin. The anticipation of what might come next was palpable in the air.

“Yes.. please.. stop teasing me… I want it.” Terumi whined, wiggling underneath him.

Kyojurou smiled and kissed her lips once and then continued kissing down the valley of her breasts, until he reached his destination.

Terumi’s eyes widened and Kyojurou adjusted her legs to rest on his shoulders, “M-Mmh-“

Kyojurou chuckled and kissed the insides of her thighs, “Breathe, my sweet love.”

Terumi didn’t realize her heart was pounding before she took in a few slow breaths. Kyojurou’s fingers tugged her panties away and breathed gently on her core.

The woman's eyes fluttered and she whined, “S-Stop teas-“

“Shhhh.”

With one last gentle kiss to her skin, Kyojurou began to explore her taste with his tongue. His tongue ran long stripes over her sweet pussy.

The feeling brought out squeals and gasps from his beautiful love, “K-Kyo- m-mmh-! Y-you’re- a-aah-!”

Kyojurou nipped at her sensitive spots, eliciting moans from her as he worked his magic. He nuzzled his face closer, guiding her pussy open so he could absolutely ravish her core.

His other hand found its way to her clit, teasing it expertly as he continued his oral exploration. The sounds of her pleasure filled the room, driving him even further into a frenzy of desire.

“W-wait- n-nngh- f-fuck- y-your- fingers- k-kyo-!” She whined, he knew this was her weakness. A woman's clit was the easiest way to bring her an orgasm, but he wanted to drag this out for the both of them.

“Mhm..” he groaned against her sex, his tongue working to move in different directions. Side to side, back and forth, all 50 yards.

Terumi was a moaning mess, her hair plastering to her cheeks, her thighs trembling against his shoulders.

“A-Almost- t-there-“ Terumi whined, Kyojurou smiled with his mouth still ravishing her sex, “Not yet darling.”

“W-wha- f-fuck-!” She huffed, Kyojurou had slowed his fingers just as she was getting close.

“Kyojurou- t-tha- that’s not funny-!”

The blonde grinned and pulled her flush closer, “Aw, my sweet girl, you know you love it.” He murmured and lifted his hand, replacing his middle finger with his thumb.

Terumi arched her back, squealing at the feeling.

Kyojurou guided her pussy wider while gently slipping his tongue into her slick, “H-Haa-ah-!” She whined as her eyes fluttered.

He chuckled and gently thrusted his tongue in and out of her sweet, delicate sex, “Mhm, you like that?”

“Y-yes- y-yes-!” The woman squealed as her legs shook against his shoulders.

Hearing her moans and feeling her body react to his touch, Kyojurou couldn't help but grow bolder. With one hand, he gently held her folds open while his tongue lavished her delicious core, feeling the heat and wetness that awaited him.

His thumb moved against Terumi’s clit, the speeds changing every so often, just to drag more moans out of her.

“H-Ha-! M-mmh-!”

“Cum for me, my sweet dove, come on, you can do it. Let go.”

He plundered her depths, claiming her as his own, as he drove her towards an unforgettable climax.

Her pussy tightened around his tongue as her thighs tensed, her orgasm crashing over her like a tidal wave.

The world around Terumi dissolved into a haze of pleasure as Kyojurou took control of her body and mind.

When Terumi got a hold of herself, she switched positions and looked up at her lover from between his legs, “I want to taste you, my big owl.. please..?”

Kyojuro's breath hitched as Terumi settled between his legs, the sight of her in that position stirring something deep within him. He watched intently as she approached, his body tensing with anticipation.

“Aw, my sweet pigeon, you want a taste?”

Terumi nodded and Kyojurou slipped off his uniform, “I do… daddy, please..?”

Kyojurou’s eyes flashed, that name drove him wild with desire, “You’re such a good girl for asking so nicely, baby. Go ahead.”

Terumi hummed and helped him free himself of his fundoshi, in doing so, Kyojurou groaned softly. Terumi moved closer and pressed her soft, plump lips to the tip of his cock.

The blonde growled, the sensation was beyond exhilarating, making his entire body tingle with anticipation. His cock twitched and hardened under her touch.

Terumi hummed and ran her tongue on the end before gently guiding his cock into her mouth, “Mmmh.” Kyojuro's eyes fluttered closed the sensation was overwhelmingly pleasurable, sending waves

Her warm and silky tongue caressed him where he felt most vulnerable, sending sparks of electricity down his spine.

Terumi started moving her head up and down slowly, sucking and licking his cock. Kyojuro's breath hitched as he felt her warm mouth engulfing him.

The slow sensual movements of her head going up and down, coupled with the soft licks and sucks, were driving him to the edge. The pleasure was entirely consuming, and he found himself losing track of time as he surrendered entirely to her touch.

Terumi let out a few soft moans while looking up at him and fluttering her eyes as she flexed her tongue.

Kyojurou’s hands gently grasped her hair as she worked her beautiful magic on his cock. The rhythmic movement sent shivers down his spine, and he couldn't help but clench his fists tighter in anticipation.

The feeling of her warm wet mouth around his throbbing cock was exquisite, and he let out a soft whimper,

“N-Nngh- f-fuck- M-My Dove-“

Kyojurou’s hips jerked involuntarily as he pushed deeper into her throat.

Terumi didn’t let her pace weaken, the feeling of his long, hard cock sliding down her throat drove her wild, the woman's eyes fluttered as she relentlessly pleased her lover.

Kyojurou’s mouth hung open in awe, his eyes locked onto hers as he savored the sensation of her hot tongue swirling around his tip. He couldn't believe the intensity of this heightened pleasure he was experiencing, it’s like he was on cloud nine.

The blonde's hips rocked forward, pushing in and out of her throat, and he let out a rough groan. His hand reached down to gently grasp her head, pulling Terumi closer to him as he lost control and all sense of spatial awareness, “Terumi...", he panted, his voice rough and husky.

Terumi’s hand slipped between her legs as she sucked her lover's cock. Despite her focus on him, she couldn’t handle feeling no friction. Her clit ached, it needed something, anything.

Kyojurou’s eyes narrowed, his grip on her hair tightening instinctively. She knew she’d been caught.

The realization that she was pleasuring herself despite his own pleasure, sent a wave of possessive desire coursing through his veins. Kyojurou pulled Terumi away from his throbbing member, causing her to whine in disappointment.

"You're a naughty dove, aren't you?" Kyojurou purred, an annoyed gleam in his eyes, “And to think I was going to let you cum..” Kyojurou smacks his lips and looks down at her.

Terumi let out a soft gasp, she looked up at him, embarrassed, Kyojurou trailed his fingers down her cheek, stopping at her lips, “Now, you’re going to take my cock like the sweet pigeon you are, got it?”

“Y-Yes daddy..” Terumi whined and in a flash, the blonde had her pinned on her back. His golden eyes met her blue ones, “I’m not stopping until I’m satisfied.”

Terumi nodded quickly, she knew she was in trouble, but part of this excited her. With a soft smile, Kyojuro positioned himself at Terumi’s entrance and teased her with a gentle push, just barely pushing his tip inside of her.

“How does that feel, my dove?” The blonde looked down at her, his orange reddish eyes peering into her blue ones.

Licking her lips, Terumi gazed up at him with desire-filled eyes, She whimpered softly, “P-Please.. I-I need i-it-“ her body quivering with anticipation, Kyojurou chuckled as he held her chin, “Patience my sweet pigeon.”

Kyojurou murmured before slowly sinking inside her, taking her moan of pleasure as encouragement. Terumi’s heart raced with excitement, each push bringing an intensified rush of sensation and satisfaction.

Kyojurou intertwined their fingers, his hips began to move in a slow, sensual rhythm, each thrust sending ripples of desire throughout her body. Their eyes locked, sharing a moment of intense connection amidst their passionate embrace.

“M-mmgh- b-big o-owl- I-i-“ Terumi gasped out, Kyojurou kissed her forehead, “Tell me love, tell me how my cock makes you feel.”

“I-it’s s-so b-big-“ She whined and gasped, arching her back, Terumi absolutely loved his cock, the way it filled her, stretching her expertly.

"Oh, you like that?" Kyojurou asked, his voice thick with desire. His cock pulsed inside her, filling her completely. “Y-Yes-“ Terumi moaned, Kyojurou leaned down to capture her lips in a searing kiss, their tongues dancing wildly as he continued his relentless pace.

Terumi moaned into the kiss, her hips bucking against him unconsciously. The feeling of being so completely claimed was overwhelmingly euphoric, and she found herself lost in the sensation.

She moaned against his mouth while her back arched, “P-please-“ "Shh…” Kyojurou replied, “I know what you crave my love, I’ve memorized your body by heart.”

With each powerful thrust, he drove deeper into her core, claiming her as his own, “My cock makes you feel like heaven, right?” Terumi’s eyes fluttered, “Y-Yes-“ Her pussy tightened around him, the feeling exquisite, Kyojurou couldn't help but let out a moan of pleasure. “F-Fuck.”

In a flash, Kyojurou instantly held her hips and rolled over, settling the woman on his lap, his cock still nuzzled deep inside her, “Now you’re going to be a good, sweet dove, and ride my cock like you mean it, hm?”

Terumi gasped and the position changed rocked her senses, “I-I will, i-i’ll make y-you feel good- d-daddy-“

Kyojurou hummed and rested his hands on her hips, Terumi leaned forward, to keep herself upright, placing her hands on his chest. She slowly started grinding on his cock, her boobs bouncing because of the pace.

The women's movements sent waves of pleasure through Kyojurou’s body, her juices coating his length as she impaled herself on him with each thrust, “You're so tight. Let me watch you come apart like this.” He murmured and moved his hands to caress her breasts as she whined and squealed.

Terumi gasped, moaning his name as she tilted her head back, watching her body react to his touch, Kyojuro's eyes darkened with lust as he growled low in his throat.

The feeling of her pussy tightening around his cock sends shivers down his spine. The sounds of skin against skin fill the room, heightening the sensual experience.

“F-Fuck… you’re incredible, baby…”

Terumi’s eyebrows pinched and her glasses slipped to the end of her nose as she bounced, the feeling heavenly, “I-I wanna m-make you s-see s-stars-“

The woman was a moaning mess, her hair plastered to her cheeks, her face red from pleasure, “Who do you belong to, pigeon?”

Terumi’s breath caught in her throat as Kyojurou’s hands went to her ass, “Y-You-!” Kyojurou huffed, his chest heaving, “Say my name.” Terumi whined, “K-Kyojurou-!”

The blonde hummed in acceptance, but he still wasn’t satisfied, “Scream it.” Terumi took a few deep breaths, before letting out an echoing scream, “K-KYOJUROU-!”

He chuckled and swatted her ass, “Such a good fucking girl, you’re mine, and everyone is going to know it.”

As Terumi rode him, she began to pick up speed, her movements fluid and graceful. Her breasts sway with each thrust, her hard nipples evident in the coolness of the room.

The sight of her in ecstasy ignites something primal within him. He took hold of her hips, guiding her movements, and growls low in his throat, “You’re a mess, being a naughty slut for my cock, hm? You almost sound desperate.”

Smack

His strong hand swatted her ass once more, releasing a whine from Terumi, “Mmh!”

Kyojurou took this instant to pull her forward so he could nuzzle his face between her breasts, his hands resting on her ass as he started pounding up into her, “You feel perfect, pigeon, absolutely fucking perfect…”

The warmth of her skin against his face sends shivers down Kyojurou’s spine. Her moans and whimpers only intensify his desire for her. As he nuzzles between her breasts, he growls low in his throat once again, this time more animalistic than before. His hips snap forward powerfully, driving his cock deeper into Terumi with each thrust.

“D-Daddy-! P-please-! S-slow-!” Terumi choked at his sudden change of pace.

Kyojurou held her thighs and continued pounding up into her mercilessly, his grip on Terumi’s body tightens as he snaps his hips, pumping into her with unbridled passion.

The sound of their skin slapping together echoes in the room, punctuated by Terumi’s high-pitched cries of pleasure. Sweat drips from Kyojurou’s forehead, mixing with hers as he loses himself in the heat of the moment.

Terumi cried out, hugging his shoulders as he breathed and panted into the valley of her breasts, kyojurou’s hips snap faster as he reached up to gently tug at Terumi’s hair, pulling her head back just enough to capture her gaze.

With each forceful thrust, the tip of his cock brushes against a sensitive spot inside her, sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through her body. Her nails dig into his shoulders as she tries to hold on through the tremendous waves of pleasure that wash over her.

Keep hitting that spot… please…

Their sweaty bodies slick with desire as they grind against each other in a frenzy of passion. Every thrust sends jolts of pleasure coursing through their bodies, amplifying the intensity of their encounter.

Terumi’s nails dig deeper into Kyojuro's shoulders, her grip matching his ferocity as she meets him stroke for stroke. Her lips part, and she lets out a long, shuddering moan, feeling the fire within her build to a fever pitch.

“Haaaaa-ah-!”

“Fuck… fuck fuck… my sweet pigeon…”

Kyojurou felt her pussy starting to twitch and he knew she was getting close.

“Not yet.” He growled, Terumi felt herself getting close, when he rolled over, Kyojurou flipped her onto her back, he guided her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso.

His hot breath sends shivers down her spine while the rough slap of his hips against her body made her toes curl. Terumi grip him tighter, arching her back in response to the incredible sensations coursing through her.

“D-dont stop p-please-“ Terumi pleaded, kyojurou quickened the pace, slamming into her harder, his warmth spreading throughout her body as she could feel the tip of his cock brush against her g spot.

“Please please-“ she whined into his ears as her nails dug into his back. With a deep groan, Kyojurou continued thrusting into Terumi with a rougher rhythm, his breathing growing more labored as he lost control.

His cock begged for release, but he wanted them to climax together, he needed them to finish together, to reach that peak.

Gasping for air, Terumi writhed beneath him, greedily sucking on his tongue as kyojurou captured her lips as he continued thrusting.

With each powerful thrust, she could feel the head of his shaft graze against her sensitive flesh, teasing and taunting her as his juices began to coat the inside of her walls.

Kyojurou’s hips snap forward, pushing deeper into Terumi, his strength waning as pleasure overwhelmed him, her moans driving him wild.

Terumi bit down on his lip, tasting the salty sweetness of his skin as he continued to ravage her lips, his hands gripping her hips tightly.

A sharp cry escaped my throat as she felt her orgasm building up, her nails biting into his shoulders as she rode out the intense pleasure, her pussy clenching tightly around his cock in sync with each thrust.

Kyojurou felt Terumi’s body tense up beneath him, his thrusts becoming more erratic as he neared his own climax.

“Almost there.. you can take it pigeon.. let's finish together, hm..?”

“P-Please.. i-i need you to fill me up… to the brink…”

Kyojurou’s eyes softened as he moved, “truly?” Terumi nodded as she panted, hugging him close, “Yes..”

He captured her lips, his tongue tangling with hers as he quickened his thrusts, his strokes powerful. Terumi cried out his name, not caring who heard her.

He growled softly, he loved when she screamed like that, he was losing himself in their passionate embrace.

With one last powerful thrust, he let out a long, deep moan as his release poured into Terumi’s pussy. Their hearts pounded together in unison, skin slick with sweat and passion.

Terumi’s nails dug into his skin as he held her close, his manhood twitching within her. The room was filled with the sound of their heavy breathing and satisfied moans.

As their movements slowed, their pants and gasps filling the air, their chests rose and fell in unison, their hearts racing wildly.

Kyojurou collapsed onto Terumi’s chest, his breathing labored as she clung to him tightly, her body trembling from the aftershocks of their passionate encounter.

He wrapped his arms around her gently, his hand softly running through her hair as he nuzzled his face into her neck, their bodies still joined.

“That was incredible… my sweet pigeon, I didn’t hurt you, did I…?”

The blonde asked, looking into his loves eyes, “Not at all my flame, that was perfect.”

Kyojurou smiled and kissed her forehead, “You were perfect, let me go fetch some towels to clean you up, okay?”

Terumi nodded and he kissed her forehead again before easing himself out of her and leaving her side quickly.

Terumi watched him go, her heart still racing from the intensity of their lovemaking. As she caught her breath, she couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over her. The warmth of his body still lingering on her skin, his scent filled her nostrils.

When he returned, Kyojurou kneeled, tenderly wiping away any remaining traces of their passion. He pressed kisses to her arms, legs, and thighs as he ran the cloth against her skin.

Terumi closed her eyes, savoring the intimate moment as he took care of her. Kyojurou then left to fetch some water, and some small pastries.

“Dove, please drink some water and eat something small before we rest.”

Terumi nodded and he helped her sit up, helping her drink some of the water, and she eventually nibbled on the pastry.

Kyojurou settled behind her and gently massaged her shoulders as he peppered her neck in kisses. Even in the comfortable silence, he hummed as he relaxed her tense shoulders.

Terumi looked up at him, a soft smile on her lips as she felt the warmth of his touch. He was still so tender and caring with her, even after our passionate encounter.

She reached out to trace the lines of his face, his jaw firm beneath her fingers.

Their eyes locked, their hearts synchronized as they shared this moment together. They let the world around them fade away, losing themselves in one anothers love.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead and held her close. Soon, Kyojurou guided her to lay with him after retrieving some clean sheets and blankets.

As they laid together, she couldn't help but feel at peace with him. The warmth of his body was comforting, and she buried her face in his chest, inhaling deeply.

She couldn't get enough of the unique scent that was Kyojurou. It was intoxicating, and it made her feel safe and loved. "You really are amazing," she murmured, running her fingers through his hair. He smiled softly as she spoke, his heart warming at her words.

He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close as he felt her lips against his chest. The feeling of her skin against his was electric, and he couldn't help but let out a contented sigh.

He couldn't help but marvel at how perfect she felt in his arms. It was as if they were meant to be together, destined for this kind of love and intimacy.

“I love you, my sweet dove.”

“I love you, my flame.”

And with that, the couple slowly fell asleep in the embrace of one another.

Commission for Hono.Hato over on IG, thank you for commissioning me ☺️🩵

[thefamilyeldritchabomination]

Chapter Twenty One: Quidam Pt. 7

“Ah, looks like the gate god is getting eaten by one of the many dwarf in the flask yet again. Poor guy, they really can’t seem to catch a break from that cycle.” Truth offhandedly said as the gate god is dragged out into space by some hideous one eyed monstrosity.

 “What exactly is this Dwarf in a flask? That thing certainly doesn’t look tiny.” Dolly looked very aghast at the fact a primordial god was essentially being devoured in a gruesome fashion.

 “A wonderful thing for you to bring up, the dwarf in the flask is something the timeline you’re in doesn’t have to worry about. The other timelines, however, have to deal with his ass  and his need to become god by eating the poor gate god over there. It’s a blast though when I get to chuck him into the gate after the dwarf implodes.” Truth gestured their hands in the motion of an explosion before cracking up in laughter over getting the dwarf to implode.

 “That leaves a lot more questions now…” Dolly honestly had no clue how to proceed with that messed up occurrence that seems to be a normal periodic deal.

“I know, but that’s the fun though! I don’t know what makes that little monster tick either, but that high pitch hamster screams he makes is a treasured moment.” If the Truth had eyes, they would’ve been wiping the tears off their face from all that hardy laughter that erupted. 

 “I will have to certainly take your word on that one, they look like an asshole.” Dolly watched as the one eyed asshole with a god complex left after having his fill of deity for the day.

“Oh Dolly, you have no idea.” Truth finally catched their breath as they got up from their seat and the tea set up disappeared.

“I guess tea is over now?” Dolly stood as the being called Truth prepared to send the eldritch horror back.

“For now it is, I should let you go back to your group, but on one condition. We have tea once in a while to chat, I cannot tell you how annoying things are here.” Truth made a motion with their hand as though to wave goodbye, sending Dolly back to the waking world before she could give any input.

=======================================================================

 Everything in the world sucked and everything was in pain as Dolly slowly blinked back into the waking world. Whatever Dolly’s body did, it took a number on her as she attempted to look around with blurry eyes. It took a bit and surely, the very first thing that greeted Dolly’s eyes as they began to focus was the sight of the horrible serpentine Envy, stuffing their face full with red stones like a chipmunk. The two stared at one another for a couple of moments before Envy lunged and hugged Dolly for finally waking up. Dolly could only squeak out some gasps of pain from basically NEARLY unleashing a magical nuclear blast before she attempted to hug Envy right on back. Ernest and Dorian slapped one another with a clay filled high five, killing the mood from the clapping of wet clay against one another. Envy and Dolly froze at that rather gross sound as the two clay lions looked on proudly for jumpstarting Dolly finally. The door to the  bedroom began to open to reveal Lust with a bowl of red stones for Envy before she promptly dropped the bowl, scattering the red stones as they skittered all over the place. “Dolly! You’re awake!” Lust cried out as she hugged Dolly along with Envy’s already tight hug.

 “Yes! The kibble hit the floor, IT'S MINE!” Dorian scurried off the bed to collect as much of the red stones on the floor to consume. 

 “Guys…how long was I out…?” Dolly finally spoke, still really concerned that Envy was sporting that deep sea mermaid nightmare look and not sure how that happened.

 “About a week give or take.” Ernest snorted as he watched his brother absorb the red stones on the floor like an amoeba.

 “A week!?” Dolly gasped, freaking out she was out of commission for that long. “Ernest is just kidding, you were out for like two days.” Lust reassured as she shot Ernest a sharp look for pulling Dolly’s leg like that.

 “Like Lust said, two days. I’m just glad you’re finally back, Dolly.” Envy swallowed the stones and was evidently part deep sea boa constrictor as they just kept Dolly very closely hugged to themself.

 “I’m glad to be back….I need something sweet to get the taste of lemon out of my mouth…it’s awful..” Dolly gave a pleading look of wanting hot chocolate after everything that went down.

 “Of course I can! I’ll get you a cup of this hazelnut chocolate tea I found in town. I left it in the closet….oh no I left Timmy in the closet..” Lust blanked out a bit upon realizing she had left Tim Markoh the Philosopher's Stone for over a day inside of a closet.

 “That’s why it's been so quiet..” Gluttony commented from the corner of Dolly’s room, chowing down on a severed human arm.

 “Is it bad I forgot that we even had Markoh with us?” Envy couldn’t decide if they should be laughing at this or feeling bad they subjected a sapient being to an accidental form of isolation.

 “The feeling should be bad Envy, bad.” Ernest advised Envy, making sure the group’s emotionally developing Pinnocchio understood how empathy worked. 

 As Envy started learning that they shouldn’t laugh at someone else’s misfortune, Lust ran out of the room to correct said error. It was now only Envy, Dolly, Gluttony, and the clay lions from hell in the room, though it would change once Lust gave the news about Dolly being awake finally. Envy relaxed once they knew Dolly was now back in the waking world as they let Dolly out of the hug of doom, giving her time to breath before the face furred Freddy came running up the stairs with jerky, lots of jerky. Envy gave a look of displeasure as though they too could taste the same lemony sourness Dolly had in her mouth as Freddy barged in, ruining Envy’s time with Dolly.

[niennandil-me-writes]

Respite in the Heart

CN: drugs, drowning, bees, nsfw-ish

[this is a commission for Noel, who Wespe belongs to. Proceeds went to the Queer Vienna Mutual Aid Fund]

This is a mistake.

It started with the Malak. He never should have asked them if they carried any. He usually doesn't take downers on a job, or when he has to focus. But this job has lasted months now, and he constantly needs to focus. He needed a break.

He was surprised that they had any on them but gladly took the vial they passed him – and then froze when he saw their face. They are too weird to read, intentions undiscernable, as is so often the case with those wretched people who follow the call of the Heart. Was their expression knowing? And knowing what?

He's getting paranoid. Paranoia has gotten him this far. Damn, he needs this.

He remembers squeezing the vial between his face and the mask, careful not to reveal anything, to put a few drops of the bitter liquid on his tongue.

He remembers Wespe's tilted head and soft smile: “You won't get anywhere like this. They don't work as well if you're closing yourself off."

He scoffs. As if he were new to this.

“You need to relax.” They are standing behind him, putting their hands on his shoulders.

He flinches away. “I can’t relax. I need to be prepared.”

“For what?”

“For anything.” For the worst, which always comes. Prepared to react, prepared to think…

“Then why the Malak?”

“Because I need it.” His words begin to slur, and the Heart begins to blur. When you close your eyes, bee’s wings sound almost like waves against your skull.

When he opens his eyes again, they are both sitting on the ground, leaning against each other, and Wespe is dripping more Malak on his tongue. Something about this is wrong, but he can’t quite place it.

“You don’t happen to have any Chum as well?” he asks.

They tilt their head. “We are ages away from Derelictus, Ulysse.” When has he given them that name? “We have this, though.” And with a smile they put a finger to the hole in their throat, the one that always drips golden fluid.

He didn’t know what it was before, took it for honey, one of the many weirdnesses of the apiarists.

He leans back and stares at the ceiling buzzing with bees. “I won’t drink something that comes from your body.”

And he doesn’t drink it. He licks it from their fingers.

He has never been high with someone else. The closest he’s come is when Yetelanc lifts – lifted – him up out of the sweet oblivion, when she strokes his hair and dries his skin. Wespe’s hands feel so different in his hair. He doesn’t like taking drugs in company. He doesn’t like company in general. He likes being sober even less right now.

He lies back and feels the Heart under his naked skin. He can feel its veins pulsing, can feel the tide tug at him, try to pull him closer. Rushing water joins the bees. He can’t tell if he brought the sea, or if Wespe brought him to another place, or if the Heart changed for him. He’s floating, while Wespe sits on a small island of rock above him.

“The Heart loves you, Ulysse.”

Only fools love the Heart. “Don’t call me that.”

They smile that knowing smile, and he guesses that now they do know, because he is floating in the water naked, and he told them his name, and he wonders if anyone has ever seen him this clearly except –

“We are in the deepest parts of the Heart,” they explain. “Nobody will follow you here. If they did, we’d see it. We see everything.” Two bees settle on their eyes as they say this, and their smile widens, seeming almost predatory, until they say: “It’s safe here, Ulysse.” You are safe here.

“Don’t call me that.” His protest is meeker than before.

“You asked me to call you that.”

Did he now?

“Relax. You’re safe. Let the Heart take you.” It sounds almost like a prayer when they say it.

Ulysse relaxes, breathes out, and goes under. Water fills his lungs. It gets darker and darker, as he keeps sinking and sinking. His white hair floats freely around him. He can feel the beings around him, cyclopean things that watch him, like in his dreams. Maybe he’s dreaming. Maybe it’s the Malak and the honey. Maybe the water’s not even there.

Slowly, he floats upwards again, eyes towards the surface. There’s a face beyond it. For a moment he thinks it’s the face he knows from his dreams, the one calling to him, beckoning, ordering him to go deeper into the Heart. But then he recognizes her. Yetelanc. He calls her name into the water. But when he surfaces, her face turns into Wespe’s.

For a moment, they stare at each other. Two Drow, both equally mad, both feeling that call, that pull of the deep. They put a hand to his cheek, and he realizes he’s crying.

“Hold me,” he whimpers, and they lift him out of the water, and pull him close.

It feels wrong in a way. Even though he broke up with Yetelanc weeks, maybe years, ago. She probably found someone new by now. That thought makes him cling to Wespe's kimono harder, drives him towards them and makes him beg for more. More what? He doesn't know. He forgot.

Their hands softly caress him, bees settling on his naked skin, over his moles. Their lips taste too sweet, but he can’t stop himself from coming back for more, and more and more, deeper, lips meeting the hole on their throat, drinking their honey because he needs it, by the Heart, he needs this so bad! They guide his hands, show him how to pleasure them, and he submits oh so willingly. Honey clouds his mind, water fills his lungs, and their hands stroke him faster and faster, with him following their pace, until they both dissolve into each other.

[animeomegas]

MY FELLOW ANON ARE VIOLATING MY EMOTIONS TODAY 😂 god I’m acc crying. Your writing is amazing. I’m gonna combat the sadness with a wholesome thing of them finding a pup in a bin (or something) a few months after the loss of the first pup (Neji is currently shut down entirely) is like “lol gimme”. Proceeds to take the pup home, put it in his nest scent the lil bean (gender is your choice) and just be like “yeah this mine now”. Any nay sayers are ignored bc it’s still his baby (maybe almost like his pup reincarnated 👀👀) regardless of how baby was obtained. Idk I just think my guy needs some positivity after life kicking the ever loving shit out of him

This is beautiful and you’re right, Neji deserves the world, but I’ll settle with a quiet life and some happiness for my boy!

Okay, so things haven’t been…good with Neji since you had to let your pup die to save him.

It has been two months and still he lays in his nest every day, sometimes crying, sometimes whining, but mostly just staring at nothing. He had incorporated a bunch of baby stuff (blankets, toys etc.) into his nest before he went to the hospital, in order to make his pup feel more at home in the nest when he was supposed to bring them back. You had tried to take them out to stop him having to be confronted with what happened in his safe space, but Neji almost attacked you for doing so, so you let him keep them.

But it’s very concerning when he spends hours at a time just stroking the pup's blankets and staring at nothing.

So, you decide to take Neji on a walk to get him out of the house. It would be his first time leaving the house since the funeral.

You go at night time, because Neji is still refusing any contact with anyone he knows and this way he’s less likely to be confronted when he isn’t ready for it. To make extra sure that you can be alone, you decide to walk around the edge of the woods around one of the quieter training grounds.

Neji doesn’t speak much, but he doesn’t whine or cry either, and the night air brings a little colour to his cheeks, and you’re so happy at the small improvements. It doesn’t matter how long it ends up taking him to feel better, you’ll be here with him the whole way.

…

“I was thinking about cooking something special next week,” you make idle conversation, not expecting Neji to reply. “It’s our anniversary after all, do you have any preference?”

Neji stops walking suddenly. His shoulders are tense.

“Neji?”

He hushes you harshly.

“I can hear…”

Without another word of warning, Neji makes his way a little further into the trees. You follow him, confused and worried.

“Byakugan!” he calls, scanning the area. He gasps as he scans over a nearby bush and immediately he drops to his knees beside it.

“Neji?” you ask, now more than a little concerned. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

You watch as Neji pulls something out of the bush. He turns around with a bundle in his arms.

“It’s a pup,” Neji says, obviously shocked. You can’t blame him, you’re feeling more than a little shocked yourself. What on earth was a pup doing out here? “They’re freezing. Give me your jacket.”

Without hesitance, you quickly slip your jacket of and hand it to Neji who promptly bundles up the pup in it and brings them to his chest. The pup is making small whimpering noises that had been almost impossible to hear over the wind. Neji must have hear them, thank goodness.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” Neji coos to the pup. “You’re safe now, I'll take you home and make it better, I promise.”

“We need to get them to the hospital asap," you say, shaking your head. "They must be freezing and they look underweight as well. We’re not mednin, Neji.”

“Our home is closer.”

“Neji…”

“We need to make sure they’re warm,” he argues. “We can bring them home and alert a medic to make a home visit.”

You look at the earnest look on his face and know that he won’t back down, and now isn’t a time for arguments anyway.

“Okay,” you swallow nervously. “We’ll bring them home.”

…

You bring the pup back to your home and before you can protest, Neji brings them into his nest with a mumbled ‘they’ll be warm in there’.

Neji bundles himself and the pup up in the corner of the nest, turning on a little heater beside him, and tucking the pup into his shirt to share body warmth.

“We’ll get you nice and warm, it’s okay, you’re safe, I won’t let anyone harm you,” he whispers while stroking their cheek with a finger. The pup wriggles around, already looking more energetic, and starts mouthing at Neji’s chest.

“Are you hungry?” Neji laughs softly before turning to you. “Go and heat up a bottle for the pup, all the supplies are in the… the nursery.”

You nod dumbly and do as you’re asked, astounded at how much life is in Neji’s eyes. It’s the most life you’ve seen from him in months. But you can’t help but worry. What if Neji gets attached and you can’t keep the pup? Of course, you want nothing more than to keep the baby, it almost seems too good to be true that she literally fell into both your lives at this trying time, but what if it is too good to be true? What if they’re sick? Or their parents are looking for them? Or… something else. Neji doesn’t deserve another heartbreak, and you don’t want to destroy the small amount of progress he’s made in the last month.

But for now, all you can do is heat up the bottle.

…

“Here, it’s a good temperature, I already checked,” you pass Neji the bottle. He checks it again anyway and you can’t help but smile at how overprotective and parental he's being. It's so bittersweet to see him like this.

“Here you go sweetheart, just for you,” Neji smiles, cradling the pup as they latch onto the bottle with fervour. “Shh, shh, shh, slow down, it’s not going anywhere.”

Neji feeds the pup and then burps them, and you pretend you can’t see him smiling when he notices that they are starting to smell like him. You need to know you can keep her before you let him get even more attached.

“I’m going to send a clone for a medic, now.”

The room became tense all at once.

“They’re fine, I’m looking after them,” Neji protests.

“I know, and you’re doing a good job, but we still need a medic, Neji.”

Neji holds the pup more tightly to his chest, tucking an extra blanket around them. He's using the special blanket you had got commissioned for your pup. You can feel your heart break at the sight. He's already attached. Now you just have to hope you can keep them. For his sake.

“I don’t want them to take the pup away like last time,” Neji admits softly. "I can look after them, I won't let anything happen like last time, I promise. They'll be safe, we don't need a medic."

“We need to know their primary and secondary gender, omega, and we need to make sure they aren’t sick after being left in the woods…”

Neji hesitates but nods his consent in the end after you explain that your pup could become ill if left untreated. You don’t tell him that you are also sending a clone to the Hokage. Naruto will be able to grant you and Neji the right to keep the pup, and you hope that as Neji’s friend, he’ll be able to see how much he needs this.

…

You have to move Neji and the pup downstairs to wait for the medic, because Neji would not appreciate someone unknown seeing his nest he made for his pup. He’s not expecting Naruto to show up as well so you go to the door to intercept and prep them both.

“Thank you so much for coming, Naruto, I can’t tell you how much this means to me and Neji,” you say, hugging him as he walks through the door.

“I’m going to do everything I can,” he promises. “If the medic finds signs of long-term neglect, I can take the parental rights away from the biological parents straight away, even if I don't know who they are, and transfer you the rights.”

Your face visibly brightens, but Naruto continues.

“But if the only injuries are from laying in the forest for a few hours, I’ll have to try and find the parents first, because the child may have been taken from them by force, when the pup was otherwise a healthy baby being looked after sufficiently. In that circumstance, I’ll have to take the child back with me and put them in foster care until a three-month window has passed. And if the parents are found…”

“I know,” you sigh. “Let’s just get this done as soon as possible.”

The three of you walk into the living to see Neji cradling the pup tightly against his chest.

“Hey Neji,” Naruto greets softly with a sad smile. “I haven’t seen you around for a while.”

Neji tenses upon seeing Naruto.

“Naruto? Why are you here?” Neji clearly misinterprets the situation, holding the pup even more tightly and turning accusatory eyes against you. “Why did you bring him here?”

“I’m here to determine whether the pup was abandoned or kidnapped to the best of my abilities, once we have that done, we can decide how things are going to happen, okay?”

“How do you decide that?” Neji asks with distrustful eyes.

“The medic will give them a check-up, completely routine, I promise,” Naruto speaks with a soft voice like he’s talking to a cornered animal. Well, you look at Neji for a moment who is coiled as tightly as spring, he’s not far off.

It takes about five minutes for you to convince Neji to let go of the pup and hand them to the mednin, and then the next fifteen minutes involve you holding him in your arms to stop him wrestling the pup back from the mednin.

And then, rather ominously, the mednin pulls Naruto aside to talk.

Neji is shaking in your arms.

“It’s okay, calm down, Neji,” you try to comfort him.

“I can’t-“ Neji chokes, hands fisting in your shirt. “He has our pup, you let them take our pup.”

You don’t bother to correct him on his use of ‘our’, knowing it would only upset him more.

“I know baby, but they need to see that they’re healthy, nothing’s wrong, just breathe.”

Neji doesn’t take your advice.

"Last time they took them-"

"This isn't like last time, omega. Come one, try and settle down a little, that's it."

...

Naruto eventually walks back in, holding the pup securely, the mednin nowhere to be seen.

“So,” Naruto says seriously. And then his face breaks out into a wide grin. “Am I right in thinking you want to adopt?”

You can almost feel your relief in the air. Thanking every power that be for this stroke of luck. Losing this pup could have easily meant losing your mate, and the gravity of the situation all comes crashing down at once. Neji looks as though he is feeling much the same.

“Give me them,” he orders, arms out.

“Her,” Naruto corrects. “The mednin said she’s a female alpha.”

Tears start welling up in Neji’s eyes as he takes her. Their bio pup was a female alpha, too.

“Thank you,” he whispers to no one, holding his new pup as tightly as he dared. “I’ve got you now, you’re safe and sound with me, I won’t let anything hurt you ever again.”

Naruto slips out of the house without a fuss, dropping the mednin’s recommendations for feeding the underweight pup on the coffee table.

...

You and Neji take your new pup upstairs and bundle her back into the nest. Neji lays down with her, stroking her cheek as he watches her sleep.

“You need to get some rest too, omega,” you suggest, running a hand down Neji’s back.

“Guard?” he asks in response.

“Yes," you smile at his protective instincts. "I’ll guard the nest while you sleep, I promise.”

“Okay, alpha…” Neji settles down, still with one hand resting on the pup. “But if I don’t wake up when she cries, wake me… I want to be the one to feed her.”

You laugh gently, “Of course, now get some sleep. I’ll guard you both.”

[archonanqi]

consequence / pt ii

⛔️ Warning: Please read the tags and warnings on the info page and proceed with caution.

🔖 [first] [prev] [next]

—

pt. ii of iii

The sky was still dark when you woke with a splitting headache. You blinked the sleep from your eyelids, eyes adjusting to the shadowy silhouettes of furniture around you. This was— one of Wangshu Inn’s rooms? You checked yourself for wounds and fractures; there was a scrape on your knee, but it had been properly dressed and bandaged.

Zhongli.

You had to get Aether and get out. You would have taken any punishment from Zhongli for breaking the contract but Aether— it was clear that Zhongli knew he could get to you through him. Your brother was in danger, too.

Stumbling to the door, you threw it open to meet the stunning Liyue night view. At the altitude of Wangshu Inn, the air was always cold and crisp, and you took a deep breath as you stepped out of the room to come face to face with a pair of familiar, bright yellow eyes. 

“Xiao?” The relief you felt was immense. No matter the danger, you’d always been able to depend on the Vigilant Yaksha to back you up in battle. “I’m so glad to see you. You won’t believe this—“

Once you took a better look at Xiao’s face, you trailed off. There was no surprise in his gaze. You had not found him by a stroke of luck; he was here to stop you from leaving.

“I know of your contract with Rex Lapis.” How long had it been since he had last spoken to you in that tone of disdain? “I have helped him uphold countless in the past few millennia. Even you are no exception.” 

“Xiao, I didn’t even know what the contract meant,” you pleaded, hope soaring at the flicker in his eyes. “Please, let me leave.”

The Yaksha swallowed visibly, brows knitting together. “No,” he finally said. “Go back to your room. I don’t want to have to fight you while you’re in... this state.”

“You’d fight me here?” You said, for the second time that night. “The civilians—” As you turned to gesture at the staff of Wangshu Inn, you realized that despite the commotion, not one of them was looking in your direction.

“The staff of Wangshu Inn are prepared, as am I,” Xiao said, without so much as glancing in their direction, “to carry out the will of our lord.”

Ah. You were alone here. But still, you stood firm, and watched the resignation dawn in Xiao’s eyes. You had not backed down when Chef Mao told you they were out of Almond Tofu, during your dinner with Xiao three months ago. You had not backed down when three Abyss Mages had you cornered in Lingju Pass; and even as Xiao had slaughtered them, you’d tried to get one last swing in with a tree branch. You would not back down now, and Xiao knew it as well as you did.

“I wish it didn’t come to this,” Xiao said, and you believed him wholly. 

He clasped his hand to his face, and when it came away, he was wearing his mask. You supposed that you should feel a little flattered that he thought he had to don his Yaksha mask to fight you, hungover as you were. But before that, you felt worry. You knew full well what the mask did to him, had seen your fair share of aftermaths after a battle had dragged too long. 

“Xiao, don’t hurt yourself,” you whispered.

In his eyes, behind the teal glow of his veil, you saw just a flicker of hesitation. But not enough.

Just as you shifted into a defensive stance — the way Xiao had taught you to do during your sparring sessions — there was a movement behind you. The Yaksha looked up over your shoulder, and immediately bowed his head, his mask fading away as quickly as it had come. You turned, even though you already knew what you’d see: Zhongli, pristine and immaculate as ever, his coat carried gently in the wind. 

Disappointment in Zhongli’s gaze had always been hard to stomach, but today, it felt like the weight of the world on your lungs. “So she did try to escape, then, before even granting me an audience?” The former Archon asked, every word chilling you to your core. “Thank you for your service, Xiao. You may go now.” 

Xiao lifted his head, turning to go wordlessly. Before he disappeared down the stairs, he paused. “What are you going to do to her?”

Zhongli regarded him with a lidded glance. “Only what must be done.”

—  

After Xiao’s leave, Zhongli turned to you. 

“Do you understand now?” He asked, flicking his hand back in the same slow gesture as he always did when he was telling a long story. You remembered how much you adored listening to the tales of the Archon War. Stories of those he conquered, brought to life through his deep, rich voice. You never thought you’d be among them, one day. “Six thousand years is a long time, even for those who live forever. I know every crack, cave and crevice, every clan, bloodline and family in Liyue. There is no place for you to run.”

You knew what he left unspoken. You had been a part of Liyue for what, one, two years? He had raised it from the earth. Despite all his talk of friendship, you would find no allies here who would, when faced with the choice, defy their archaic lord for you. 

Xiao’s betrayal still stung, but in light of the weight of Zhongli’s presence before you, it was all but inconsequential, and wholly unsurprising. The slight shiver that ran down your spine, this time, was not because of the cold night air. 

“What did you do to Aether?” is the first thing you managed to say.

“Your brother is safe.” Zhongli assured you. “I’ve had him sent to Bubu Pharmacy for treatment, and Paimon is looking after him.” 

The relief you felt was uneasy. Safe— for now, at least. 

“Where is he?”

“A location that I have secured, personally. You may see him when we are done here.” Zhongli answered seamlessly. You did not miss the threat that was left unspoken. “Though, he is not the one you ought to be worrying about, right now.”

An amicable departure from Teyvat was but a dream at this point; but maybe if you swallowed your anger, you could get him to leave you alone. Of all the farewells you had imagined, this wasn’t one you hadn’t even imagined would come to pass.

“That was it, right?” You joked weakly, even the pretense of cordiality almost too difficult to maintain, “the Wrath of the Rock? I mean, you literally knocked me out.” 

Zhongli studied you carefully, before opening his mouth. “What do you think?” He asked. “ Was that a punishment fitting enough for one who reneged against the God of Contracts?”

“I— I,” You stammered for a little, but stopped once you realized it was futile. Zhongli would exact what punishment he deemed you deserved, and no force in Teyvat could possibly hope to stop him. Defeated, you exhaled deeply. “Would it help my case if I said ‘yes’?”

“No,” Zhongli answered, without hesitation. “Not in the slightest.” There was nothing left of the Zhongli you knew — thought you’d known — in his stone-cold expression.

A festering fear had settled deep within your stomach, rancid and heavy.  How arrogant you had been, to think that you could thoroughly understand a being that had lived longer than recorded history, longer than human civilization in some worlds — could you even grasp the very notion of living six thousand years, of spending four thousand fighting a war? The countless bygone friends and foes he must have had to cut down? 

How foolish of you to think that you could have outweighed any of them. 

“What will it take to keep Aether safe?” You said, dropping your smile. If Zhongli would not budge when faced with the lingering remnants of your friendship, then you would speak to him the only way you knew how to get through to him; with a contract. “I’ll willingly accept any punishment, without a fight, as long as you promise to let him and Paimon go safely afterwards.”

Would Zhongli really… kill you? Even knowing all that you knew of his brutality during the war, it was hard to wrap your head around. You couldn’t breathe.

“Any…?” Zhongli’s huff created a small cloud of condensation in the night air. “It seems I have not taught you enough about the art of negotiation during our journey together. An open contract is a very dangerous thing to place in the hands of your adversaries.“ 

“I don’t care,” you snapped. Any other time, and you would have loved to hear him lecture, but...“Just tell me you won’t hurt them.” 

Zhongli closed his eyes once more, as he always did when presented with a contractual proposal to ponder. Finally, when he had been still so long you’d thought he might have fallen asleep, he crossed his arms. “Very well. I accept the terms of your contract.” 

At least, no matter what happened to you, Aether and Paimon would be safe. 

“Come, y/n,” Zhongli beckoned with two gloved fingers, “let us continue somewhere more private.” He turned around and began walking, as though he had not a doubt that you would follow him. Well, with the terms that he had over your head, did you really have a choice? 

You had been to Wangshu Inn so many times — to complete commissions, to grab a quick lunch, to bring Almond Tofu for Xiao — that you knew the land around it like the back of your hand. It would be so easy to escape on your own; you’d make it to Mondstadt within the night. Determined as Zhongli was, the idea of a diplomatic fallout with Liyue’s neighboring nation would at least make him take pause in his pursuit of you. Right?

Freedom was within your grasp. Behind you, the crickets chirped their hymns into a star-flecked sky. 

You owe me big time, dear brother , you thought bitterly to yourself as you followed Zhongli back into his room.

[tillywhim]

Well, at least one thing has been cleared up thanks to the release of the first episode of Stereotypes Archetypes with Meghan. The identity of the racist royal. Drumroll please...

It's only Ms Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex herself! Let's see how her bargain basket Ken doll spins this one for her. I'm thinking it will be something along the lines of “she can’t possibly be racist, she's a WOC” or, even more cringe “she isn't racist, she has a black mother”. Yet surely using your black mother to further your agenda sorry I meant ambition is a little bit racist anyway? No?

The same Meghan Markle who until relatively recently did everything she could to erase her Black heritage. You know, the one whose CV identifies her as a caucasian supermodel?

Yep. That Meghan Markle took 2 years to produce a nearly hour-long podcast of nothing but codswallop, twatwaffle and the usual Me Me Me Me Me we have come to know and despair of from her.

The first guest was Serena Williams. Like her, love her or loathe her, you have to give Serena credit for being a hard-working, talented, mega-successful woman. She is a laudable archetype. I think most people would have enjoyed listening to her story. Sadly, it was not to be.

Serena told the story of her daughter Olympia falling out of her high chair and breaking her wrist. She described the agonizing feeling of mum guilt but of still getting up the next day to go and play in a tennis match. Meghan not to be outdone proceeds to tell the tale that never was of how Archie very nearly died in a fire. Only he didn't because a) he wasn't in the room where the fire supposedly broke out and b) someone smelled smoke and extinguished it straight away.

Hyperbole thy name is Meghan Markle. Ok Tilly but what's racist about all of this? Well, I'm glad you asked. I'm sure you've all seen the photos of the British High Commission residence they were staying in by now. This is what she described as a “housing project”, I'm not saying her target audience is the USA but I'm not not saying that either. The term housing project has a very distinct connotation in the US, she chose those words carefully. Why not say they were staying in a secure, gated community? She lives in one now in Montecito so what's the problem? Because it doesn't come across as negative.

She claimed there were no smoke alarms. Really? In a building that size with a thatched roof. Umm, ok Meghan. Whatever. The racist icing on the cake though? When she was telling Serena that instead of putting Archie down for his nap, the Nanny had taken him downstairs with her, she said “she was from Zimbabwe you know”. I'm sorry, what? What has that got to do with anything? She then went on to describe the sling the Nanny used to carry Archie on her back as a “mud cloth”.

So, all in all, proof positive that Meghan is a racist royal. I wonder if that's what Harry found so attractive at first flush?

[yostresswritinggirl]

Genshin Impact Prompt List

Made by yostresswritinggirl

Public Domain Post again! I made this because I realized that I haven't seen a drabble list that's compliant to the game's universe, however some of these lines can also be generalized! I will NOT write for this, I just made this for everyone who wants to try it out, and it was really fun to make! List is 103 lines long, go wild!

"You knew we were going to Dragonspine, now your ass is freezing."

"The milelith won't like this."

"The Knights of Favonius won't like this."

"The Fatui would have liked this."

"Is there perhaps a discount in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?"

"Sir/Ma'am, I'm gonna need to see your gliding license."

"The statue looks kinda hot."

"Where can I buy Fatui wear?"

"Where can I buy Abyss Mage wear?"

"It hurts I know, but have you eaten a raw Jueyen chili before?"

"Paimon is being stupid again."

"I don't think the Ruin Guard wants to be friends."

"In terms of Mora, we have Childe."

"They're turning you into a furry, it's concerning."

"Let me ask the stars— the stars said no."

"If we throw hard enough, we can probably hit Celestia."

"This is the sixth time I saw you fell off Barbatos' statue and it's getting concerning."

"You're telling me this feather will make me powerful?"

"It's been three months, when will you stop challenging the Oceanid?"

"That's pretty high, you think I'll die from that height?"

"Come on now, they're just taking a break..."

"Pick a god and start praying."

"I'd know that hair from anywhere!"

"So, about that economic crisis..."

"Hey, have you been to that 'perfume shop' before?"

"I actually don't drink tea."

"Does coffee even exist here?"

"Timmie's birds make the best Sweet Madame!"

"Olah!" [Hello in Hilichurlian]

"Hm, I wanna adopt one of those." "THOSE can kill you, by the way."

"Woah, cool weapon, can I have it?"

"Sir/Ma'am, this is strictly a no diving zone."

"I haven't seen green grass in ages..."

"Please answer honestly, is this genocide?"

"Never thought flower-picking would end up like this."

"This commission is not worth the mora it offers."

"There are no explicit laws against it, but this feels weirdly illegal."

"I don't think Katheryne wants to give me any more commissions."

"Nothing like a delicious Hilichurl camp-cooked meal!"

"So you're homeless?"

"Does being chased by guards count me in as a criminal?"

"This sign can't stop me, I don't understand Teyvat language!"

"I think I'm too stupid for this puzzle."

"How many artifacts do I have to get before I'm considered part of the Treasure Hoarders?"

"I need me a pocket Barbara."

"I know that cough from anywhere, that's definitely ____!"

"That bastard." "Yeah but which one?" "THE bastard."

"You know it actually doesn't taste that bad— *proceeds to vomit*"

"Since when was the last time you took a shower?"

"I'm pretty sure this is crossing borderline masochist territory."

"I don't like the sight of red snow."

"I don't think this is part of the prophecy."

"You ever look at something and think, how much Mora would that cost?"

"There's too many pretty wo/men around here."

"You have no idea how books can cause murder in this continent."

"You need a break, we all need a break, please take a break."

"My subordinates aren't home." "I'm on my way."

"May all the seven archons forgive me for what I'm about to do."

"I don't really know what's happening, but if it involves you, it's probably not good."

"You wouldn't want to anger the God of Contracts now, would you?"

"I'm gonna need a shot of fire-water for this..."

"You're telling me THIS is edible?"

"You're telling me S/HE'S not sus?!"

"You are dripping hella suspicious energy, maam/sir."

"God, I wanna be manhandled."

"I'm gonna climb that."

"Please don't climb that."

"I want to come out of this alive, thanks."

"You're too hot to be single, what is this sorcery?"

"You can't say aesthetic to everything."

"I'm from another world, these laws don't apply to me!"

"I'd appreciate it if you don't scream honeybun in public."

"Think of what _____ would say!" "They'd probably say I don't care."

"Would being an atheist prevent me from receiving a Vision?"

"Ewww, a (weapon) user?"

"I'm gonna need you to do social distancing, about 100 meters away from me."

"Where's a restraining order when you need one?"

"Ohh." "Ohh?" "Rock." "Rock?" "Shiny rock."

"I would like to dedicate this song to my dearest friend." *screams*

"Awwe, you scared them away." "I think you did that yourself."

"I can hear them, the Gods." "What do they say?" "That you need to shut up."

"I wonder how it's like to be eaten whole by a slime."

"I don't think bandages is an appropriate date attire."

"There's this annoying pain at my side. My right side. Right next to me. This pain right here."

"How can one be THIS broke?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but s/he's right for once."

"This nation sucks, I'm leaving."

"You can't arrest me, this is the City of Freedom!"

"I can't even pick a meal myself and now you're making me choose between these hot wo/men?!"

"In my world, we call this a not-poggers moment."

"I never knew fishing could be competitive."

"You're too cold for your Vision."

"You're too hot for your Vision."

"Ugh, why can't this happen on a Sunday?"

"Which innocent bystander did you steal this from?"

"This team needs a power cheer."

"I'm so mad, I'd fight gods!"

"That Hilichurl is looking at me not nicely."

"THIS is why you're under MY supervision."

"There's a thing called ignorance and you're abusing the heck outta it."

"No amount of painkillers can relieve me from the headache that is you."

"And you said we're just here to PICK flowers."

"I know where this is going, and it's going somewhere I don't like."

[kakashiswilloffire]

Orange Sherbet

ao3 link

tw: suicide attempt, overdose, painkillers, mentions of self harm

words: 3.5k

He was a drain on Gai.

His students didn’t need him—they’d surpass him soon enough.

There were still villagers who called him Friend-Killer Kakashi.

He still saw faces every time he laid down to sleep.

He felt Rin’s blood splash onto his chest every time he used the Chidori.

He couldn’t help Itachi.

He couldn’t help anyone.

Sometimes he understood what must’ve gone through his father’s head.

Sometimes, the corner store doesn’t have orange sherbet.

Kakashi is suicidal and we hope Gai can help.

If there was orange sherbet at the convenience store on the way home, he’d stay alive. They always had pints of ice creams and other frozen treats—it was something he had promised to treat himself to when he felt this way. They had made him write down all these promises during his last few mental health sessions with various Yamanakas, listing three people he could talk to when he felt lonely, three distractions he could use to keep himself sane for a few minutes longer, three reasons to stay alive. When he felt like he couldn’t stand to live another day, he had to summon Pakkun, read Icha Icha, and eat something special and different. Pakkun was still recovering from their last rough battle together. He had read each volume of Icha Icha so many times they risked falling apart upon his next touch. So orange sherbet it was.

He’d never cared much for sweets, of course. But there was something nostalgic about orange sherbet, it wasn’t quite as punch-in-the-face sugary as ice cream, but still gave a slight buzz and coated his tongue. In the back of his mind, he remembered his father—or was it Minato?—buying a pint for each of them and snagging two disposable spoons so they could enjoy them as they walked back from the training grounds. Or was it three pints with Rin and Obito after difficult missions? Something Gai or Tenzou insisted on buying for his birthday one year? Everything blurred in his mind, unable to clearly break each memory apart to see it again.

He pushed open the door, hearing the dull chime of bells as it swung forward to let him into the packed corner shop. He made his way to the freezer without taking in any of the other colors, sights, or smells around him. He remembered his goal. One pint of orange sherbet. Buy one, eat it, and try life again tomorrow.

The freezer door was coated in a light fog, but he was in no hurry to see through it. It was just him and the shopkeep cashing out an older civilian woman. He skimmed his eyes across the rows, looking for the familiar orange carton.

Where was it?

He tried again, looking more carefully at each row, all the way across, then moving down to the next systematically. His heart rate jumped roughly 15 more beats per minute.

They always have it.

He opened the door, searching furiously with his eyes now that there was no frost in his way. He knelt to the ground, checking the bottom rows thoroughly.

It has to be here.

He glanced at the shopkeep, bagging the woman’s groceries as she talked animatedly about something he didn’t care enough to make out. He slid his headband up a couple of inches, barely exposing the crimson eye hidden beneath. With as much chakra as he dared use given his current state, he searched the frozen rack again.

Every flavor of ice cream he could think of, and a least a dozen more he would never consider. And toward the bottom, there was lime, lemon, and raspberry,

No orange sherbet.

He wasn’t sure how long he remained squatted down with the freezer door open, focused on the empty slot where it should be. The shopkeep, now with no other customers, cleared his throat loudly and gestured for Kakashi to shut the door. He blinked twice, then rose, hearing the door seal as he returned to his feet.

“Anything I can help you with?”

Kakashi blinked, again. There was all this noise roaring in his head, and he felt flushed. After a beat too long, he understood what had been asked and shook his head.

“No, ah… Thank you.”

He nodded and quickly ducked out of the store.

That was it. He had to write down three reasons. Reason one was currently out of commission because of him. Reason two had been violently abused so that he had something to do with his hands when he was so full of fire and anxiety that if he wasn’t holding something he’d— well, whatever came easiest or first. Digging his nails into his arms, forming tiny red divots. Scratching until the skin was raw and angry. Slamming fists into his thighs. Step one was always untying his kunai pouch and letting it fall. He’d learned that early on.

Reason number three to stay alive, and the agreement he’d made with himself today, was the convenience of dropping by the store for a small treat. Without that, he wasn’t sure how to proceed.

Walking back to his apartment, he thought about the previous weeks. Those promises had all begun the same way, but ended in a different direction. The format was simple: if blank, then I won’t kill myself today. He used to use a similar format: I can’t kill myself until blank. The problem with that was dreaming far enough ahead to find a goal worth the pain, effort, and time, and also, what to do when the goal was met. You can’t kill yourself until you make chunin. You can’t kill yourself until you complete an A rank mission. You can’t kill yourself until you make jonin. You can’t kill yourself until… what? Until I come back from a mission with no casualties? Until I can become close to someone without them dying in front of me? It spiraled too quickly to come back from.

The simpler way to go about it was short-term goals. Can’t kill yourself till after dinner. Then you’ve gotta brush your teeth. Then read a chapter of a book, or two. Then you’re tired, and you can sleep until the alarm wakes you far earlier than the sun would, and you live until you feel like you can’t again. But even that had its downfalls—if you can’t be bothered to brush your teeth tonight, you’ve gotta find something to keep going.

It had been Gai who suggested rephrasing the prompt to its latest version. On a day I challenge you, Rival, you can’t end the passion of youth! The challenges had been almost daily for a couple of months after that, until Gai had left for an extended mission and Kakashi had been thoroughly encouraged to stay a similar amount of time in the Yamanaka’s care. He’d begrudgingly admitted later that both of those developments had helped, and it had been a few years since his last bout with depression like this.

But it had been like this for a few months now, and the clouds fuzzing over his mind didn’t seem to be letting up. So he revisited some old advice. If it doesn’t rain on the way home, he’d stay alive. The sky remained cloudless. If Naruto pulled something stupid during training, he’d stay alive. It only took fifteen minutes before Sakura started yelling at him. If there was orange sherbet in the corner store—But there wasn’t.

Somehow, he made it inside his apartment, not quite recalling the rest of the walk through the dull ache behind his eyes. He slipped his unzipped vest off his shoulders, not noticing it hit the floor. Routine dictated that next was the kunai pouch, then the bandages, then—

He was sitting on the floor and wasn’t sure how he got there. Sitting was a generous term, he supposed, as his legs were fully outstretched and he was propped on one forearm with his head against the wall. His eyes slowly screwed tight as the dull ache sharpened briefly, then the static between his ears picked up in volume. He shook his head, trying to clear it, and gradually got back to his feet, stumbling into the living room.

He slumped across the couch, staring at the ceiling. He remembered the routine, drilling itself into his head. His vest was off, he needed to remove the kunai pouch, then the bandages, then the shoes, and put all of that away before removing the rest of his clothing to take a shower. After that was dinner, then two hours of free time to fill with whatever he was capable of, then bed. Lately the free time had been compromised of staring at the pile of clean laundry on the chair opposite him that had needed to be put away since Wednesday. He knew the routine. He decided to get a jump start on free time anyway.

He began counting all of the socks he could see sticking out of the collection of clothes. Organization and listing had always helped situate his mind and get him back on track. After ten or so minutes, he was finally able to unstrap the kunai pouch, tossing it across the room, taking care to not pay attention where it landed. There had been a week where Kakashi didn’t even carry the bag because Gai had taken it and every sharp object he could find in the apartment under the pretense of helping him hone his taijutsu by not relying on weapons. He had been content to let Gai keep the explanation at that. That might be something to revisit soon.

No. Gai had already done more than enough for him.

Kakashi found himself standing in his small bathroom. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he’d been in the living room, but he was now free of his bandages and shoes. He shrugged, reaching behind his head to untie his headband. Somehow, it had gotten knotted worse than usual and a section of his hair was caught in it. He yanked viciously at it, breathing in through gritted teeth at the sting then feeling himself relax ever so slightly. Forgoing undoing the knot, he slid it along the trapped segment of hair until the headband came free. That made it on to the counter. That never saw the floor, unlike every other part of his wardrobe had

.Next to the headband on the counter was a scattered collection of varying sizes of orange plastic bottles with thick white caps. The clinical labels all had his name, and the names of various antidepressants and antianxiety medications, as well as several painkillers and muscle relaxants and some antibiotic from the mission a couple years back where everyone returned miserably ill. Most of the bottles were empty, and he had held on to them meaning to get them refilled. He always had good intentions, but there was so many things to do in a day, and he ran out of energy usually three or four items into his list.

The one thing he could always count of having around, though, was some kind of pain relief.

Missions were hard, somehow harder now than ever with him as a jonin leader. He still had teammates, but they relied fully on him to take the brunt of every attack and to protect them at all costs. He couldn’t blame them, of course. They were children. He wanted nothing more than for them to be children and not suffer the same losses he had.

Still, he was sure to return from every mission above a D rank with at least a few nasty bruises. And any time Gai could rope him into a training session, he knew he’d come home needing ice packs and the heating pad and whatever else he could get to be able to train with his team the next morning.

And that was how he found himself glaring into the mirror, the bottle of white tablets shaking in his fist.

He was certainly in pain, that couldn’t be argued.

But how many to take?

No orange sherbet.

He shook his head vigorously again, walking back into the living room and falling onto the couch. He focused on a mark on the ceiling, breathing faster than he understood why while his vision started swimming.

There wasn’t orange sherbet.

He was a drain on Gai.

His students didn’t need him—they’d surpass him soon enough.

There were still villagers who called him Friend-Killer Kakashi,

He still saw faces every time he laid down to sleep.

He felt Rin’s blood splash onto his chest every time he used the Chidori,

Sometimes he understood what must’ve gone through his father’s head.

He couldn’t help Itachi

He couldn’t help anyone,

Sometimes, the corner store doesn’t have orange sherbet.

Sometimes, the little orange bottle that rattles doesn’t rattle any more.

He was in the kitchen, water dripping off his face and hands as he panted over the sink. How did he get here? He swallowed hard, his mouth somehow still dry, and turned the water off. The prescription bottle was laying on the floor. Then so was he. Against the cold tile, he was able to relax just a bit again.

It’d be over soon. He wouldn’t hurt anyone else ever again.

His thoughts became harder to string along, but that didn’t bother him. The thoughts he could connect didn’t sting as much as they usually did. It might be nice to put away that laundry, actually.

Every muscle was heavy. There was so much weight on him, and he couldn’t move. How much time had passed? He thought his heart was starting to race, and wondered if he was having second thoughts. But he couldn’t feel the ground beneath him any longer. He struggled for hours, days, to move his index finger to trace the hem of his shirt over and over. Could he feel it? Was he moving?

He rolled to his side, slowly bringing his knees up to prepare to stand. But his body didn’t move. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. He couldn’t? His… It was his body. But? Was he? Could move? …Him?

Several centuries had passed before he heard the key in the door, and the door had already been sealed shut before he understood what the noise was.

“Ka-KASHI! In celebration of your return home from your latest mission, I made sure to grab a treat. Do you remember when you left the ANBU and we went to the corner store together? What a celebration to end all celebrations that day was! I was sure to grab the finest, most youthful of every snack—orange sherbet!”

***

Gai held the thin plastic bag up triumphantly, two pints rolling against each other. Normally he would have also grabbed spoons, but assuming Kakashi would be home, he was sure he could find two spoons somewhere in the apartment, even if he had to wash every dish himself.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed to him that Kakashi was on a downswing lately, but he’d always been the counter to balance his own exuberance, and he had complete confidence that they would move past this, too.

He nudged the flak vest that was crumpled on the ground at his feet. Kakashi must’ve been itching to take it off to have removed it the second he got inside. But why wouldn’t he have hung it up, or placed it at least near the hamper? This wasn’t part of the routine. Had he been badly injured on this last mission?

That must be it. He would have come home, shed his clothing, and jumped in the shower to clean his wounds and begin loosening his muscles. Much to Gai’s dismay, Kakashi seemed to be magnetically repelled from hospitals, preferring to treat his wounds himself as long as he could walk. So he must have some sort of torso injury, maybe bruised ribs or a minor stab wound, and he was surely tending to it quietly deeper inside the apartment.

The laundry he had helped Kakashi wash last week was still in the soft, cushioned chair in the dim living room. That wasn’t too surprising, he knew that was the first thing Kakashi would let fall by the wayside if something wasn’t going to get done. As long as the clothes were clean, he could wear them, even if they hadn’t been neatly hung, and that was something Gai could live with.

What he did not appreciate the sight of, however, was the kunai pouch halfway under the end table near the entry way. With such an inconvenient location, Kakashi surely must have made an effort to lose the bag and the knives it contained. He felt his heart swell with pride that Kakashi had the forethought to disregard the bag, but his heart deflated just as quickly with the knowledge that Kakashi felt it necessary to do so.

As he continued into the apartment, he called out his rival’s name once or twice. He must be home. The barrier seals hadn’t been placed over the front door, which means he either was here, or kidnapped from here, and the building still existed, so he must not have been kidnapped. So where was he?

Conscious of the rapidly melting sherbet in his hand, he turned down the hallway to the kitchen to leave the bad in the freezer while he helped Kakashi, presumably in the bedroom, bandage his wounds.

As he rounded the corner, flipping on the lights as he went, he heard a small groan. Nothing at eye level. Cautiously stepping forward, his foot sent a small orange plastic bottle skittering across the tiles.

Gai was barely aware of the sherbet hitting the ground.

Kakashi looked terrible. It was not particularly strange to find him lying on the ground, but there was absolutely no color in his face. Both of his eyes were lazily opened, and neither focused on Gai’s as he kneeled down to check his vitals. His breathing was shallow and his heart rate garbage.

“What did you DO?”

Gai yanked Kakashi up into a sitting position, grabbing for the prescription bottle. Depending on what it said, maybe this wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Maybe he’d been poisoned. Maybe even food poisoning. But the signs of an opiate overdose matched the label printed in cruelly clinical terms and he crushed the plastic in his fist. Kakashi needed to get to a hospital, and he needed to get there immediately.

He gathered his rival in his arms, not noticing his weight nearly as much as he noticed how limp he was, making no effort to not be ragdolled around. As he stood up, he took stock again of Kakashi’s breathing—shallower than a moment ago. After a second’s hesitation, he reached for the edge of his mask and yanked it down under his chin, hoping the direct access of air to his lips and nose might help. His lips had some color in them still, and he looked away, trying to respect the privacy of the man who he would kill as soon as he was saved.

***

Some time in the next twenty-four hours, Kakashi’s eyes opened. When they did, blinded by the light and surrounded by medical whites, he was shocked to find himself actually in heaven. What brought him back to earth was Gai, unceremoniously slapping his shoulder.

“What, my dear, dear rival, were you thinking?” he said, thankfully not as loudly as he could have.

Kakashi was at a loss. There were dozens, hundreds of thoughts racing through his head, but they all seemed password-protected and he didn’t have administrative access. He could barely open his mouth, covered by a thin towel, let alone form an explanation that would have made any sense to Gai.

Instead, he surprised himself by feeling the towel suddenly go cold and cling to his skin.

Gai panicked for a moment at the sight of Kakashi’s tears, then took a deep breath and slid forward to the edge of his chair. He brushed a warm, calloused thumb across his rival’s face.

“I know you’re in pain. I do. I don’t understand it, but I believe that you’re in pain and we’re going to help you get better.” He took a shuddering breath, noting that it was thicker with emotion than he had anticipated. “I don’t know what the future is going to hold for us, but the passion of our youth, and especially of your youth, Kakashi, is not close to over. So, whatever it takes, whatever the Yamanakas advise and whatever you need, we’ll make it happen. I love you, and you’re not going anywhere.”

Kakashi’s eyes widened, and Gai became aware that he had opened his Sharingan at some point to record this moment in his memory. He swallowed, feeling his throat begin to ache.

“I love you.”

Kakashi’s tears began falling in a steady stream, and Gai remained exactly where he was, brushing soft, silver hair off of his rival’s forehead. After a moment, he leaned further forward and pressed his forehead against the space he had just cleared.

In a small, scratchy voice he had not heard from the man laying before him ever in the past, he heard a whisper that nearly broke his heart.

“I love you too.”

[writethelifeyouwant]

Femme Fatale - Ch 1 / 2

Pairing: Alex x Reader (background J2) Rating: 18+ Tags: Dom/Sub relationships, Sub!Alex, Domme!Reader, Dom!Jensen, Sub!Jared, sex/bdsm club, voyeurism, exhibitionism, pegging, humiliation kink Word Count: 3.3k Created for: @spnkinkbingo - Dom/Sub

A/N: Thank you so much for being my first ever commission Sin! I've had a lot of fun tackling this challenge because I've never written a Domme!reader before but I really appreciate you trusting me with your idea, and I hope I do it justice ❤️

Series Masterlist

This is a weird idea, even for Alex. A night out with his cast mates isn’t unusual, and Y/N has gone along on plenty of group dinners with Alex, Jared and Jensen (that were essentially double dates) before, but they usually ended by closing out the hotel bar or crashing in someone’s guest room. They had never ended up at a proper club before, let alone planned a whole evening around going to a specific one. But that’s the plan tonight.

When Alex informs her that the location was Misha’s suggestion, it makes even less sense to Y/N. Misha seems like he would be the least likely of all of them to actually enjoy clubbing but hey, what does she know?

“Alex, I don’t have anything to wear!” Y/N complains from inside their closet, hoping her boyfriend can hear her through the bathroom door.

“That cannot be true,” she can hear the amusement coupled with a light mix of exasperation in his tone.

“What did they tell you the dress code was?” Y/N calls as she continues to flip through the clothes hanging in front of her.

“Misha said, and I quote, ‘dress slutty’.” Alex appears in the doorway to the closet and leans against the frame, tucking his arms across his chest. Y/N actually does a double take when she sees him.

“I see you took that advice literally,” she eyes him, gaze dragging across his body and catching against each new feature she notices like sandpaper running against the grain. Alex is dressed casually, but most definitely sluttily too. A loose and frayed wife beater hangs off his shoulders, showing off his waist where one side is tucked into his shorts. The elastic of his boxers is sticking out over the shirt too, which is completely on purpose in a move to tease. The denim shorts are tight, torn-up, and just to the knee. Y/N has seen him wear them before, and she knows when he turns around she’ll have an amazing view of his ass.

“I’m good at following instructions,” Alex smiles, clearly pleased with himself that he’d successfully fulfilled his remit.

“So eager to please,” Y/N teases over her shoulder as she goes back to thumbing through outfit potentials. “Honestly, the fact that Misha is telling us to dress slutty and not Jared must mean dress really slutty.”

“You could just not wear anything,” Alex offers as a suggestion. “Nothing sluttier than free access.”

“In your dreams, babe.”

“How did you know?” Alex is mock horrified and you laugh along with him when he breaks character. “Still can’t decide?” and Y/N shakes her head in response. “Can I pick for you? I do have a pretty good memory of all your sluttiest outfits.”

“Hey! Who you callin’ a slut Mr. Slutty McTightShorts?” Y/N rounds on Alex, comically enraged.

“You, duh,” Alex laughs and pecks her on the cheek as he moves over to a drawer where Y/N keeps her underwear.

Alex goes straight for the lingerie, Y/N should have guessed, and he pulls out a matching set of lacy thong and longline bra, both enmeshed in patterns of criss-crossed elastic and ribbons. Then he ducks down to the bottom drawer where Y/N keeps a load of her old college clothes that she’s too sentimental to get rid of, and rummages through it, clearly looking for something specific. He finally liberates a skirt that barely has the right to be called a piece of clothing. Y/N can’t even remember why she owns that. Finally he reaches for a swingy tank made of a light gauzy material. It’s really meant to be a cover-up for the beach because of how loose and flowy it is but Y/N imagines that is Alex’s intention behind picking it – he knows it won’t stay on properly or do a single thing to hide the bra she’ll be wearing beneath it. Alex hands her the pile of clothes, again looking very pleased with himself.

“You’re really not pulling punches tonight, are ya?”

“I just want to show off how awesome my girlfriend is,” Alex shrugs.

“Yeah, you want to show off all of her, apparently,” Y/N holds up the small skirt skeptically.

“You’ll look incredible, scouts’ honour,” Alex swears, grinning.

“If we show up and the others aren’t dressed super slutty, I’m gonna maim things.”

“I won’t stop you,” Alex laughs and pushes Y/N out of the closet. “C’mon get dressed so we can go down some alcohol before the car gets here.”

They’ve both knocked back a beer and a shot when the car pulls up and a message pops into the group chat saying they’re here. The night is close and warm outside of the air conditioning, and for that reason at least Y/N is glad to be wearing such a small amount of clothing. When the young couple slides into the car they’re greeted by Jared, Jensen, Misha, and his wife Vicki – another surprise to Y/N, as she doesn’t come out with them too often. Something about tonight must be special.

“Hey hot stuff!” Jared greets them, grinning as he eyes them both up and down. Jensen pinches him on the leg. “Behave.” Jared doesn’t let it derail his examination.

“Thanks, I know, right?” Alex jokes and ruffles his hair, throwing Jared a wink. Y/N gives him a side eye, silently imitating Jensen’s instruction of behave. Alex grabs for her hand and kisses it in a gesture of reassurance, dropping their joined hands to his lap and keeping them there. Alex is a flirt, just like Jared, but Y/N knows that he would never stray from her. At least, not unless she tells him to.

The car proceeds to drive them across town to an area of L.A. Y/N isn’t familiar with. She and Alex haven’t lived in the city very long, so it’s not like she’s expecting to know every inch of its nightlife scene but this place seems much more out of the way than she was expecting them to be going. The streets they’re trundling down are dark, not bright and shining with neon and glittering lights like so much of downtown tends to be. The occasional person or couple is walking along the sidewalk, but overall it’s deserted by city standards.

“Where are we going again?” Y/N pipes up from her seat, looking out the window and spotting another couple in dark coats holding hands as they amble down the side street.

“We’re almost there,” Vicki smiles reassuringly at Y/N, then turns to Jensen. “Tom texted to let me know he’s set aside a table upstairs for us, so everyone can just watch or they can join in, whatever you want.”

“Who’s Tom?” Y/N asks curiously, she hasn’t heard the name before.

“He’s our boyfriend,” Misha answers matter of factly, like he’s trying not to betray any emotion around the statement until he can judge Y/N and Alex’s reactions to that news. Y/N can’t pretend she isn’t surprised, but the more she thinks about it the more she realises that Misha is always quite private about his and Vicki’s relationship – this must be why.

“Oh, cool dude,” Alex laughs, giving an approving nod, almost like he’s impressed with Misha’s nonconformity. Y/N smiles. Alex always loves finding out about what people have going on ‘outside the box’, it helps him come out of his own shell just a little bit more every time.

“Can’t wait to meet him,” Y/N chimes in, just to quiet the small hint of wariness she can see playing behind Misha’s eyes. He relaxes visibly and smiles, much more his carefree and goofy self in that instant.

“Oh, s’that it?” Jared points out the window to a dim neon sign and a small group of people sitting on benches and little round tables, smoking. The block letters shine against the rough brickwork of the building they’re mounted on, grey and sophisticated, unlike all the garish colours Y/N would usually expect from a nightclub.

Femme Fatale.

Y/N hadn’t known what to expect when they got inside but she never would have expected what she’s witnessing now. Femme Fatale is a swingers club. Not just that, it’s a BDSM swingers club.

How had they known? Y/N wonders. She and Alex don’t usually make a habit of discussing that aspect of their relationship with other people. Especially since Alex is still pretty new to being a Sub. He had toyed with the idea of being a Dom in a previous relationship, and technically he labels himself as a Switch when people ask, but he once he had told Y/N that since he met her she brings out a part of himself he hadn’t really connected with properly before, and he loves it.

His eyes are wide now, blown out with obvious lust as Y/N watches him watch his surroundings. Jared is the same, and Jensen is watching him just as intently as Y/N is watching Alex. With how they act, Y/N always suspected that Jensen and Jared were in a Dom/Sub relationship, and she was quietly smug that she had been right. Misha and Vicki had left the party at their table on the exposed balcony as soon as their boyfriend Tom, who Y/N now understands is the manager of this club, had shown them in and sat them down. Now, Y/N knows what Vicki had meant in the car about them just being able to watch if that’s what they wanted to do, instead of joining in. Misha and Vicki have clearly opted to join in, and Y/N can’t see where they went off to, lost in the heaving crowd of people below them.

So far, she’s enjoying watching, and Alex clearly is too. His slutty shorts are doing nothing to hide the semi he’d popped almost the second they walked in. It isn’t so much her thing, but Y/N knows Alex has an exhibitionist streak, and she can easily imagine what must be running through his mind right now. Being out in the middle of everything, shown off, performing. And Y/N thinks she might like showing him off, showing everyone what a good little boy he can be for his Mistress, showing everyone how much control she has over him. How much he wants to do everything she asks of him, to please her.

“Jared,” Y/N looks away from Alex when Jensen speaks, and Alex looks up from the ground floor where he had been watching some of the people on display. “Do you want to go play?” Jensen asks neutrally, very carefully leaving the choice up to Jared, without betraying his own feelings on the notion.

“Can we?” Jared’s eyes light up instantly and Y/N smirks to herself. Jared and Alex are more alike than she realised.

“Yeah, c’mon baby boy,” Jensen smiles indulgently and holds out his hand to Jared, who takes it and follows him down the stairs to the play areas. Y/N looks back to Alex, whose eyes are glued to his cast mates’ backs.

“What about you, baby boy?” Y/N purrs, using Jared’s nickname teasingly and Alex blushes as she runs her nails up his bare arm. She���d never called him that before but it’s clear he likes it. “Do you want to go play?”

“I–” Alex breaks off, considering. “Can we just watch for a bit? See what everyone’s doing?” he asks nervously.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Y/N smiles and offers Alex her hand. They make their way down the iron grate staircase into the madness that has been churning below them this whole time. It’s easy to spot Jared and Jensen, despite the crowd. They stick out above the heads of a lot of the people nearby because most of them are bent over or crouched down to some extent.

They’re at the edge of the dance floor, in a space that’s still public but is cordoned off for more… intimate play. There’s two St. Andrew’s crosses bolted on the wall, both currently occupied with girls – one wearing an assortment of leather straps with metal studs poking out of them, and one wearing absolutely nothing but the cuffs binding her to the beams. Leather couches and benches are dotted around the floorspace, all covered with partially to wholly naked occupants engaging in every variety of sexual activity Y/N can imagine. Alex looks like a kid in a candy store watching it all unfold before him.

“You can watch whoever you want, but no touching without my permission, okay?” Y/N speaks into Alex’s ear so he can hear her over the bass of the music that’s vibrating through the crowd around them.

“Yes, ma’am,” Alex salutes her cheekily and starts to move away but she grabs the neck of his shirt and hauls him back, looking him sternly in the eye.

“Do you want to try that again with a little respect, baby?” Alex drops his eyes and looks penitent.

“Yes, Mistress.” He gives her a weak smile, asking for forgiveness, and Y/N decides to let him off this time.

“Good boy,” she leans up and kisses his forehead before giving him a swift pat on the backside. “Have fun, I’m going to grab a drink,” Y/N points to one of the bars lining the far side of the play area. “Find me that way if you want me, okay baby?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Alex nods meekly, giving Y/N a small kiss before he ducks into the crowd towards a group of spectators all watching a girl tied to a bench getting teased by her Domme and a flogger. Typical, Y/N smiles to herself and makes her way to the bar to order a glass of wine.

Wine in hand, Y/N spins on her heel and looks around the room. Alex is still where she left him and a few groups over she spots Jensen, his back to her, watching something else she can’t quite make out between everyone’s bodies. Jared doesn’t appear to be anywhere though. Y/N decides to have a look at whatever Jensen’s observing, curious what’s got him so stoically still. There’s a lot going on around him but it becomes instantly clear which performer Jensen’s watching when Y/N approaches and peeks over his shoulder.

Jared is on his hands and knees, in amongst a crowd of people. There’s a sort of black leather platform that he’s perched on, so they’re elevated from the floor. It puts Jared’s mouth at the perfect height to reach people’s waists, which he’s currently putting to good use by swapping between two men with their cocks standing out stiff from their jeans. Jensen is watching closely, smirking at the crowd all raptly watching his boyfriend. When Jared takes the man with the bigger cock so deep that his nose is pressed to the man’s stomach, Y/N can’t help but laugh.

“I see why you like him so much,” Y/N bumps her shoulder against Jensen and he jumps, looking down at her and grinning when his brain catches up to her comment.

“Yeah he’s good with his mouth,” Jensen agrees, smiling proudly.

“Nice of you to loan him out.”

“I like to think I’m generous,” Jensen shrugs. “But not too generous,” Jensen catches the arm of a man trying to round the platform to get to Jared’s ass instead of his mouth. “Sorry man, no guys back there.”

“Oops, sorry dude,” the guy backs off quickly, and Y/N is impressed by how respectful the whole exchange is.

“Is that Jensen only territory?” Y/N questions, wiggling her brow.

“Yeah I don’t like other guys fuckin’ him,” Jensen explains. “But I like girls pegging him, it’s fun to humiliate him like that.” Just then Y/N spots a small woman climbing into a strap on with the help of her partner, who drops to her knees to suck on the dildo a little before covering it in lube from the bottle on the ground by the platform.

“No kidding,” Y/N whistles lowly, in awe as she watches the girl push the black silicone inside Jared, inch by inch. The way his hole is pulsing around the intrusion is almost hypnotic. She tries to picture what Alex would look like, on his hands and knees amongst all these people, everyone watching him get split open by some little girl with a big dick… everyone seeing him loving it, like Jared clearly is.

Y/N hears Jensen laugh beside her and she jumps a little, clearing her throat in embarrassment at being caught out staring at Jared’s asshole so blatantly.

“Sorry,” she clears her throat again and takes a sip of wine to hide behind her glass.

“It’s okay,” Jensen laughs again. “I wouldn’t let him do this if I didn’t want people to watch him.”

“Good point,” Y/N acknowledges, feeling a little better. “And um, out of curiosity,” Y/N pauses, trying to frame her question politely. “How did you get Jared to agree to the pegging?” Jensen raises an eyebrow at Y/N curiously. “You know, one Domme to another,” Y/N elaborates, so Jensen doesn’t think she’s trying to ask if she can peg Jared. That’s the furthest thing from her mind right now.

“No kidding?” Jensen chuckles, clearly impressed. “Well, I don’t know what you and Alex get up to normally, but it wasn’t too much of a stretch for Jared. He gets off on humiliation and I get off on humiliating him, and this fits that bill for both of us.” At that comment, Jensen looks back to Jared and smirks before reaching down to adjust himself subtly, and Y/N laughs. “What about it is calling to you?” Jensen asks, and Y/N has to pause to consider that before she can hit on the answer.

“It’s the one part of Alex I don’t think anyone’s touched. I mean he’s never mentioned it if he has done it before but I don’t think he has. The idea of marking him like that, of having something no one else can have from him…” Y/N trails off, letting her thoughts spiral as she feels the space between her legs heat up. When she adjusts her stance, she feels the slick brush of wet panties against her skin. Yes, she loves that idea. The thought of taking that last first, touching a part of Alex that no one else has touched. Being literally inside of him. Fucking him into submission would take on a whole new meaning.

“Yeah, that’s hot,” Jensen agrees and Y/N smiles dreamily. Now she just needs to figure out how to bring it up to Alex. “Hey,” Jensen taps her on the shoulder and points over Jared to the other side of the crowd, “you might not have to do as much convincing as you think.”

Standing across from them, Jared still on his hands and knees between them being fucked at both ends, is Alex. His eyes are fixed steadily on Jared, the rest of the world a mere blur around him and the object of his focus. His pupils are huge, in part due to the dark of the club but Y/N knows it’s also to do with desire. She watches his eyes dart back and forth and realises that he’s not just watching Jared, he’s watching the dildo that’s steadily fucking in and out of Jared’s ass, following its movements closely. He licks his lips and Y/N smiles. Jensen is right, she’s not going to have to convince him at all. He already wants this.

Part 2 - read ahead on WordPress here

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[nobodyfamousposts]

Missing Interlude - Fu

Be aware that this interlude will contain medical issues and a trip to the hospital.

Wang Fu had known something was wrong.

Since revealing himself as the Guardian and starting her training in all things regarding the Miraculous, Fu and Marinette had developed something of a schedule. Initially, she would come to his shop frequently to assist him during the time he had been decrypting the Grimoire. From there, the visits had continued as he had also spent more time explaining the Miraculous, their powers, and their history. Over time, he found himself coming to rely on Marinette more. He had felt bad for it at the time as he had known it was an added burden for her, but Marinette had taken it in stride and he was proud of her.

But then the day came when she was supposed to come by again, and she never arrived. He was concerned, but at the time had simply assumed that something had come up. She was still young. She had friends. School. Her family’s bakery. Her growing commissions. Other obligations.

But then one day became two. Became three. Became a week. And he couldn’t fight the unsettling feeling that something was wrong. A feeling only proven correct when he passed by her family’s bakery and found its doors closed and the interior filled with officers instead of customers. Further investigation revealed she had gone missing, and he immediately feared...well...a number of things.

What if Hawk Moth had gotten her? What if Marinette had been kidnapped as a civilian and the earrings stolen by an unknown? What if she had been in an accident of some sort? What if...what if…?

He had been terrified. Not just that something had happened to his apprentice or that her knowledge of the Miraculous could have been discovered, though those were certainly among his concerns.

No. His true fear had been the loss of the girl he had come to care for. If things had been different between himself and Marianne, he’d...hoped that he would have one day had a granddaughter like Marinette. He trusted her more than he had thought. And perhaps cared for her more than he should have.

He was considering breaking his own code and making use of one of the other Miraculous to attempt to find her. The motives may have been selfish, but the need was great. There was no telling what could happen to Marinette or the Ladybug Miraculous the longer it took to find them.

“Ladybug! Hey! Hey, Ladybug!”

But he had never gotten the chance.

He had been confused at first. Though he was admittedly more focused on the relief he felt at the sight of her. He simply stared in wonder as he witnessed the scene between Ladybug and two of her civilian friends. Alya and Nino, he believed. The identities behind Rena Rouge and Carapace, he absently remembered. But he was still more taken with the sight of the missing girl before him.

She was there. Safe. And it was clearly the Ladybug he knew. The Miraculous took different forms for each wielder, so it couldn’t be someone else pretending to be her. And even with both the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous active and capable of creating akumas and sentimonsters in her image, Fu prided himself on being able to pick out the true Ladybug earrings.

This was Marinette. But something...something was wrong.

It was in her mannerisms. Her tone. Her stance. Similar...but still different from her normal self. He didn’t quite understand it, but there was something that bothered him about her. So against his initial desire, he refrained from approaching her. Instead, he simply watched.

He continued to keep an eye on her after that. And the more he saw, the more he grew concerned. What was she doing? Why was she transformed? Why had she not returned home? Had Hawk Moth found her? Had someone discovered her identity? Had she been compromised? And if something had happened, why had she not come to him?

But the more he saw...the more concerned he became.

She was wandering the city with no real destination or purpose. She wasn’t avoiding her bakery either, as she had passed near enough to it plenty of times, but she didn’t stop there. She...wasn’t stopping anywhere specific. If she even stopped at all.

She seemed to be searching, though for what he couldn’t say.

Wayzz couldn’t either when he tried to consult him. Much like his user, he knew something was wrong. Though on a deeper level, he sensed that there was something unusual with the current state of the Ladybug Miraculous. It wasn’t an akuma or a sentimonster as far as he could tell, but he insisted that something was different.

They agreed to keep watch. As days passed, he had caught her at points dozing in unusual places. On a roof. In a tree. Never for long. And she never returned to the same place twice. Instead, she just kept moving. To no goal. To no end.

It was...aimless.

He had dared to approach her once. He had wanted to question her. To demand answers. To find out what had happened.

What...just what was she doing?

But in that moment when they had met, it struck him. Just what had been so off about her. It was in the way she gazed down at him.

It was like she didn’t know him at all.

He had proceeded cautiously. Hinting at where she should be without questioning. Not demanding answers, but trying to get a feel for her current state.

But her responses...there was such detachment there. Like she didn’t know what he was talking about. Like the concept of a “home” or “loved ones” was foreign to her.

“Do you not have a life to return to? A family waiting for you?”

“Of course not.”

Her answer had been unsettlingly callous. But...sincere.

It wasn’t true. He knew that.

...but she believed it.

And he felt a coldness in the depth of his heart as she turned and walked away.

After that incident, he had immediately returned to his shop and consulted every means at his disposal. The Grimoire. The kwamis. His own limited knowledge from his memories at the temple.

He continued to watch over Ladybug, and have Wayzz follow her when he could not. But it was only after the fight against the return of Lady Wifi that he had been presented with a clue. And looking back over footage of the previous akuma fight before then that seemed to cement it.

This must have started during the last akuma fight. He did not know if or when Ladybug had been hit, but the timeline matched up that she hadn’t returned to being Marinette since then. He saw the images and video of the Cure taking effect, gathering around and healing everyone who had been affected.

...everyone except Ladybug herself.

The Cure would only work if Ladybug let if. But if she had directed it away from herself, the Loveliness wouldn’t heal her. And if Ladybug had been hit by the akuma, then she may not know she needed to be healed. Except…

Hadn’t the akuma’s power been to erase people?

It would explain Ladybug’s strange state. Her confusion when he attempted to prod her about returning home. Her lack of awareness and purposeless wandering around the city. As well as why her civilian self as “Marinette” wasn’t returning.

She didn’t know she could.

No. Worse. There was no “Marinette” to return to.

If it was a matter of memory erasure like the incident with Oblivio, it shouldn’t have mattered. At most, Marinette would have detransformed and then be wandering the streets with amnesia. Still terrifying, of course, as she would be vulnerable and anything could have happened to her in that state. But at least she could be found.

...but she was still Ladybug. From her presentation and response, it certainly appeared that she hadn’t stopped being Ladybug since that battle. It shouldn’t be possible. Tikki should have given up the transformation by now. The only reason the kwami wouldn’t...the only reason he could think of that she would force the transformation to remain past the time limit would be if detransforming would result in the loss of the user’s life.

From what he had seen of reports, the akuma erased people. Not just their memories, but their entire existence. But if Ladybug had gotten hit, she should have disappeared, shouldn’t she? Her ‘self’ should be gone completely.

“But Master,” Wayzz argued. “What if Tikki had sacrificed Ladybug’s ‘self’ as Marinette in order to preserve her as Ladybug to allow them to finish the battle?”

Fu’s eyes widened.

That was a possibility. It would give them the chance to defeat the akuma and set things right. If Ladybug purified the akuma and cast the Cure, it would restore her original self as Marinette as well. A major loss, certainly. But a temporary one.

...but it hadn’t accounted for the chance that Ladybug would not be healed by her own Cure. Or that she wouldn’t think she needed to be.

That was it, he realized.

Without any knowledge of her ‘self’ as Marinette, Ladybug didn’t know she was incomplete. She likely had no memory of anything from her time as Marinette due to this, which would also explain why she hadn’t tried coming to him for aid. She may not have even known she needed help, much less who to go to for it.

“Then the solution is simple.” He told his kwami. “We need to find Ladybug and inform her to cast the Cure on herself.”

Wayzz smiled brightly. “That’s brilliant, Master! Then Marinette will be returned in no time!”

It was simple.

...it should have been simple.

But as he approached Ladybug with her true name on his lips, he felt an invisible noose settle around his throat.

“Ladybug.”

She stopped and turned to him. If she was surprised, she didn’t show it. Given her expression, he half wondered if she was capable of it. Or any other emotion.

“Hello again, sir. Is everything all right?” She asked, giving him a cursory glance for any injury or any issue of note.

“I am fine, Miss Ladybug.” He replied. While he wanted nothing more than to just tell her the truth, her lack of recognition meant she didn’t know he was the Guardian and thus likely wouldn’t take him seriously.

He had to proceed cautiously.

“But I did wonder about yourself. These past battles have been hard, but I did notice you did not seem to use the Miraculous Cure on yourself. Are you well?”

She frowned, seeming to be confused by his statement. “It wasn’t necessary. I wasn’t injured.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “It can appear that way. But some wounds are not so easily seen though they can be the most dangerous.”

“I see…” Clearly she didn’t. Her frown only deepened. “I am fine though.”

“But you don’t know where to go. You don’t know where you should be.” He countered. “Ladybug only appears in times of need. Outside of akuma attacks or other problems, her appearance in this city is limited. But you have been quite active for a while now. What have you been doing outside of these times?”

She had looked ready to argue with him, but hesitated at his question, looking unsure. “I...sleep. I think.”

“Is there not someone else beneath the mask?” He asked. “The Miraculous are simply items. Tools for the user. Behind every Miraculous user is a human. Even Hawk Moth was someone before he became a villain.”

He stared up at her, questioningly.

“Who were you?”

She faltered. “I...wasn’t anyone before I was Ladybug.” She shook her head as if shaking off the confusion from his remarks. “Perhaps the Ladybug Miraculous works differently.”

“Then how did you know what to do when Stoneheart appeared? How do you know this city and its people? How do you have no knowledge of other instances of the Ladybug Miraculous being active before the present age?”

He just needed her to consider...to be willing to listen.

“How do you know these things?” She demanded. She grew agitated, but she was at least paying attention to his words. Now she knew that he had knowledge of things that no normal citizen should. This would make him someone of note. Someone whom she could, if not trust, then at least listen to.

It would work.

He knew it would work.

Because...

“Because I know you, Ladybug.”

He smiled warmly.

“I know you, M—”

He felt it then. What he had thought was his imagination earlier made itself known as magic tightened around his throat, cutting off his air and forcing him into a coughing fit.

“Sir?! Is something wrong?”

No.

No, it couldn’t be.

Something formed around his throat. Harder than steel and lighter than air. It couldn’t be seen, only felt. And he recognized in horror the magic that coalesced around him, cutting off his words and forbidding so much as a sound.

No.

Just one word.

Much like the kwamis, the Order of the Guardians had rules and laws that bound them. For the kwamis, it bound them to their respective Miraculous and the commands of their owners. For the Guardians, it bound them to the Miracle Box and to ensuring its safety above all. For both, it bound them to their secrets.

After all, the Order were not jailers for the kwamis and Miraculous. They were Guardians. Meant to protect the Miracle Box and the amazing beings hidden within. How could there be trust if they were not held by the same rules?

Fu himself had taken the oath when he first joined the Guardians. Regardless of his feelings at the time, he had agreed to the duty despite knowing what it would mean. At the time, he thought it meant loneliness away from his family to bear a heavy responsibility he never wanted. To give up most of his life to a cause he was drafted into. He regretted it even then.

...never did he regret taking that oath more than now.

“You—”

“Sir?”

“Y-you are—”

“Sir? Are you all right?”

He had to say it. He desperately tried to force the word out. But so much as a breath of the first syllable was caught in his throat, choking him.

For the kwamis, this ancient magic transformed words themselves from sound into a physical form. It looked humorous, certainly, but they described the process as unpleasant. Kwamis were magical creatures who were—if not used to the magic in question, at least accustomed to magic. They were capable of handling the magical backlash. Built for it, even.

Humans weren’t.

He had never attempted to reveal a Miraculous user before. In the century since the loss of the Order, he had never needed to choose other users for this to ever be an issue. Even Marianne, as much as he had loved her, had never donned one of the sacred relics. Perhaps it was part out of his lingering fear from his past mistake that led him to be the last Guardian. But perhaps in its own way, it was out of selfishness and a hope that if a time came when he would pass on Guardianship, that Marianne would be a memory that would remain.

Perhaps if he had experienced it before, he would have realized sooner what would happen here. He could have done this differently. Introduced himself immediately and presented Wayzz as proof. Then tell her she needed to cast the Cure on herself. Find a way to explain it that didn’t involve directly infringing on the oath and resulting in this circumstance.

“Sir?!”

He had acted rashly. Too rashly.

And now, it was all he could do—all he could focus on. To simply say it. Shout it. Gasp it out. Make her hear it.

Just that. One. Word.

He clutched at his throat, trying to breathe past the coalescing combination of magic and sound. He barely heard Ladybug speaking to him. So intent on fighting the magic and telling her the key.

But...he was only human.

And in the end, magic won.

He found himself kneeling on the ground, gasping for air. His vision going dark, he only made out blurred images around him. Lights. Figures. Colors. Blue and red. Black and white. Red and black.

And the red. The red was leaving.

He tried to speak. Tried to stop her. But there was too much chaos. Voices were talking to him. He couldn’t make out what they were saying. Didn’t really comprehend what they were doing. Only that they were moving him as he suddenly found himself on a flat surface and brought him into a smaller cubical area. The wide door was closed behind them as they entered. The figures continued to ask questions.

But it didn’t matter. Nothing did.

His eyes closed.

He was such a fool.

[vvanite]

Art Deco and TAZ Graduation

- Episode 30 "Take your Firbolg to Work Day

I know Travis probably made his choice to have the H.O.G. headquarters be designed with Art Deco for aesthetic purposes and didn't think of its function to the world of Nua BUT his choice is a really great accidental component that adds onto the world building in Nua and to one of the core problems that Graduation addresses involving the systemic nature of Nua. In this essay, I-

(And then I proceed to actually write the essay hidden below. FAIR WARNING: This is extremely long. If you want to learn about Modern Art History and how it ties into Graduation, this is your lucky day.)

This analysis/essay is going to be meta in terms of using evidence from real world events but it is needed to explain the history behind Art Deco and help us relate to the themes of Graduation. I think it’s clear to see how the systems and people in power in Graduation are influenced from the way our governments are now so I don’t think these connections are distant, rather closer together than we think.

Also, before we continue, I want to direct you to this lovely post made by a dear user and friend, Michelle/ fitzroythecreator, LINK HERE

She explains what she believes to be a core theme of graduation that I agree with and have integrated into this essay. Check it out <3

Before I can explain how Art Deco is tied into Graduation's core theme, I need to lay out definitions and context to art movements in the early 20th century. Along the way, I will make connections to the world of Nua and how real-life events in the early 20th century actually can relate to Graduation and its worldbuilding.

Let’s address what is Art Deco. Art Deco started as an art and architecture movement during the early 20th century (1900s). Most people are familiar with its aesthetics of geometric designs and influence of industrialization because of the roaring 20s era and many media influenced by it. Do you wonder why it was popularized in the US? It’s because during the great depression in the US, public buildings, more importantly federal government buildings, were commissioned to have this aesthetic thus it would have more publicity and access to the public. The H.O.G. headquarters could easily be compared to this event because it shares similar attributes of being a public government building.

With this information, it would be really interesting to imagine the timing of Graduation being set around the early 20th century. Art Deco gives us a time period to compare what kind of social events Nua could have faced similar to the real world. The modern period of the 1850s-1950s was a time when people were disinterested and scared of the changes that industrialism made in their daily lives. People were frustrated with the changes made in their lives and sought out ways to cope with the changes through escapism. In Graduation, I would argue that we see this skepticism and wariness in the characters about the changes Nua’s Socioeconomic systems made in their lives and society in general. A good example would be the student NPCs and their insistence that their hero and villain titles are just labels since they have been stripped from their original meanings. They still somewhat criticize the structure while upholding it. As the campaign progresses, we meet various characters who are very critical to Nua’s current orderly system such as Order and Gordie. In fact, despite their roles in society being vastly different, they both share the same opinions that the system is unjust as it hurts people thus there needs to be a push for change. I am not trying to label the time of Graduation to be around the 1900s, rather whatever year Graduation happens is in parallel to the events of the 1900s.

When I first heard Travis say, Art Deco, I was interested but disappointed it wasn’t Art Nouveau. My original thinking was because of Art Nouveau’s elitism of making the architecture more artistic and complex that only educated rich people can understand and less functional for the average citizen. A lot of the art displays during the art movement were held in house museums that were limited to rich eyes. I thought this reasoning made sense in terms of the H.O.G. headquarters being this elite building common people can’t comprehend. However, with continuous thought, it clicked. Art Deco fits so well.

Art Deco was meant to be a direct response to Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement. (And many more but for the sake of simplicity, sticking to these two major ones) Both movements share similarities of the desire to make total works of art.

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For art Nouveau in architecture, that is more on its aesthetics of stylized curving forms, thus it creates uniqueness with the architecture. For the Arts and Crafts movement in Europe, they focused on the importance of the craftsmanship and quality. The thing about the movement is that it’s heavily influenced by socialist values and the distaste for industrialism. Both art movements were diverse in style and locations globally. Because both took place internationally, there was no determined manifesto or structures for artists to adhere to. Another thing is both movements had lots of ornamentation which takes great skill and time to put into the works. By doing this, it would make the works more unique aspects to its character, however more time consuming and difficult to replicate.

Art Deco takes response to this because critics felt like these movements were outdated for the growing industrialism happening during the early 20th century. Art Deco focuses on sleek geometric design meant to be reproduced easily thanks to industries and have more emphasis on its function rather than aesthetics. It’s meant to be functional to accommodate for the new technologies of the 20th century.

So, let’s recap, in the late 19th century, two movements, focused on the style which had no concrete structures to adhere to and had the goal to make total works of art that is reliant on itself, are then replaced by Art Deco, a movement focused on its aesthetic to be mass produced easily and have a stronger focus on the form of the architecture to serve its functions. Does Art Deco sound similar to a number of Socioeconomic systems placed in Nua?

One of the key ideals of Art Deco is Functionalism. Art Deco is one of the many architectural movements in the early 20th century that decided to focus on function rather than aesthetics. What is functionalism? It is the idea that everything works as an integrated whole and that all the different components of a larger system are designed to work together. It is orderly. Architecture in the early 20th century was designed to suit the needs of the space. For example, each element of an office buildings would be designed and organized to suit that place. This ideal is more emphasized after the Great Depression in America where architects shifted their focus on the Streamline Moderne, where they aimed to make structures practical to the demands of real life and remove the emotional aspects of expressionist art.

Travis’s little choice to pick Art Deco is tied to a core theme of Graduation of dismantling the standards and structures set in Nua. It’s so brilliant yet unintentional. I know Travis hasn’t read up on modern art history. I hope by reading through, you can spot Art Deco’s need for creating limitation to focus on the functions and how it benefits the whole system. It doesn’t allow for the emotional aspects that Art Nouveau and the Art and Crafts movements held. Nua’s system follow the same thing. Everyone has a function in the socioeconomic system that has limitations meant to exploit the work labor and functions of the individual. The system leaves no room for indivduals to have growth to create real change. That’s not a flaw of the system. The system is literally designed to be that way with its many rules and standards. It's impossible to break away from it without being punished by the system itself. You need to function within its rules and have practical skills to contribute to the system. Your independent nature is stripped away. By having Art Deco be a core aesthetic design for the H.O.G. Headquarters, Art Deco ITSELF is just another element in the architecture meant to serve its function of upholding the ideology of order that H.O.G. and the world of Nua has. This orderly system has replaced the wild world that Higglemas in episode 12 remembers.

“I remember... the world when it was wild. Not sophisticated and ordered and... bureaucratic, like it is now.”

[isnt-it-loverly]

Fall of Rome// five hargreeves

warnings: blood, alcohol, implications of you know what, mentions of panic attack, and pregnancy

summary: when you learn a shocking truth, you look back on your life to see where it all went wrong.

requested

word count: 2436

A/N: Did I work on this instead of my school work? mmm yeah. Am I gonna regret that later? mmmm yeah. Was it worth it? mmm yeah! ALSO very important!!!! Flashbacks are in italics and Five and the reader are 25ish when rescued by commission 

You thought the apocalypse was bad but this was far worse. Sitting on the dirty floor of some rinky-dink motel, clutching that stupid piece of plastic you screamed. How could you have let this happen? How could you let those two lines appear? You closed your eyes tightly and pictured where it went wrong.

 You woke up with a gasp, pain radiated throughout your entire body. You sat up with tears involuntarily streaming down your face. Your surroundings were nothing but rubble and fire as far as the eye could see. You coughed and a few drops of blood spilled over your lips. Clutching your side, you stood up. 

“Hello? Anyone?” You yelled. There was no response other than the crackling of fire.

 “Mom! Dad! Please, I’m scared,” You cried in anguish. 

You sat on a pile of rubble and waited for anyone to come. That’s what your father always told you to do when you were lost. You wailed for hours until your voice went hoarse. You whimpered, and somehow you knew that this is where you were gonna die. You slowly laid down and excepted your fate, you would not be a sole survivor. You just simply didn’t have it in you. At some point, you had drifted off to sleep but eventually awoken by something fiddling in your pockets. You bolted up to see a young boy in a dirty and tattered school uniform, looting through your jacket pockets. You both jerked back and let out shrieks of terror.

 “Holy shit, you’re alive?” He asked in utter shock.

 You simply just nodded, too shocked to say anything. So you two stared at each other for a moment, both very unsure of how to proceed. The boy cleared his throat and held out his hand. You took it slowly and very cautiously, still dazed from the day’s events.

“My name is Five,” he stated with a small smile, “what’s yours?”

“I- I’m (Y/n),” you rescinded in a meek tone, voice still ragged from your hours of yelling.

That’s where it all began, but that was too far back. Meeting Five was no regret either. He saved your life, and you saved him from being alone. You searched your memory again, trying to find the exact moment that altered the course of history.

 It was a cold, winter’s night, the snow was falling down at a million miles an hour and the wind was screeching like a million sirens. Luckily, you and Five found shelter in an old wine cellar that had managed to stay untouched. It was underground and it provided great shelter from the harsh elements. Five had built a fire and you suggested to drink some of the wine for that rush of warmth being drunk provided. Both options sounded amazing. You were snuggled up next to him, bottle in hand, and head on his shoulder. 

You watched as the flames dance around the kindling you found. There was a comfortable silence between you two. If you weren’t living in Hell, this would be a perfect moment. You felt a shiver run down your spine and Five instinctively pulled you closer. He was always like that with you, at first it had bothered you how he treated you like a porcelain doll just waiting to break. But as the years went on, He relaxed a bit. Realizing that you were tougher than you looked and that perhaps you were with him for the long run. Boy, had he fallen hard for you. Even if you weren’t the last girl on earth, He would always find a way to be with you. You were the one good thing about the apocalyptic future.

 He just wished he had the courage to tell you. Sure there was this unspoken bond between the two of you, you both cared immensely for the other. He was there to hold your hair back when you got sick, you were there to patch up his wounds, he was there to comfort you when the nightmares came, and you were there to sing him to sleep when they plagued his mind from time to time.  He had to make sure you knew how he felt, God forbid something happens without you knowing how much he loved you.

 “(Y/n),” He spoke softly into your ear bringing you out of your trance.

 “Yes?” You respond, gazing deeply into those beautiful emerald eyes.

 He didn’t know what to say. How could words describe how he felt, there were none. He leaned in closer, your faces mere inches apart. He took note of every detail of your face, the scar above your eyebrow, the dirt smudges on your face, and the redness of your nose from the cold. God, he wished he could take you away from this place. You didn’t deserve it. He placed a hand on your cheek and you nuzzled into its warmth. It was now or never he told himself. He broke that microscopic gap and kissed you. You were surprised at first, but you quickly kissed him back. It was like electricity and a million fireworks going off all at once. 

That was the first of many. You had loved him long before that and was very grateful that he felt the same. From that day on, everything was different. You two weren’t just two traumatized adults making their way in the world anymore, you were lovers. That made the world a little more bearable to be in, and it definitely made life a whole lot brighter. You decided that wasn’t it, there was nothing wrong there, and you wouldn’t change a thing.

 Five had been nervous and finicky all day, something very unusual for him. You were getting worried honestly. After twenty minutes of watching him pace back and forth and ramble to himself, you decided to intervene.

 “Five, dear, are you okay?” You asked obviously concerned. He would get like this when pining over an equation but he would always come to you for comfort. This was something new and something was off. 

“Everything’s fine. Why?” He said instinctively putting his hand in his pocket. Something you noticed immediately.

 “Empty your pockets,” You replied unamused. 

There was a silence before he spoke up again. “No.” 

“Excuse me?”

 “I said no, (Y/n).”

 “Say it again so I know you’re serious.”

 “No!” 

Without a second thought, you lunged for his pockets. There had never been any secrets between you two, so you weren’t going to start now. He quickly blinked out of the way. That little cheater! You made a dash for him, and he did the same. Five managed to pin you down pretty quickly but was careful not to harm you in any way.

“Are you done?” He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“No! Not until you tell me what you’re hiding Hargreeves!” You snap back.

 “Fine,” he grumbled in defeat. 

He helped you up and began digging in his pockets. He pulled out a diamond ring attached to a silver chain. 

“I found this ring in the rubble. I knew it wouldn’t fit because of your inhumanly tiny hands. It took me months to find this necklace for it. Everything had to be perfect. So what do you say?” Five explained nervously.

 “I say, I would love to be Mrs. Hargreeves,” you replied while crushing him in a hug and showering him in kisses.

 No, that couldn’t be it either. It was definitely not the proposal you had imagined when you were a little girl, and there was no grand wedding in the apocalypse. That didn’t matter to the two of you though, all you needed was each other. You tried to think harder because to you all of this was meant to happen, you had come to love your little makeshift life in Hell. Then it hit you. The day that she came- the Handler. The day that she gave your husband a chance to leave the apocalypse, but not you. Luckily Five didn’t take her up on the offer, not if you weren’t by his side. Eventually, she cracked and you two were recruited for the Commission.

 You looked in the mirror. It had been so long since you had seen yourself, you almost forgot what you looked like. You ran fingers through your hair, it was soft and plush. Your stomach was full, and your face free of dirt and debris. This felt wrong. Nearly 15 years in an apocalypse, and suddenly you were tossed back into civilization. You felt a sob escape your throat, what had you two gotten yourselves into. You heard a knock on the bathroom door, and composed yourself quickly- this was no place for weakness.

 “(Y/n)? Can I come in? You’ve been in there for a while,” Five asked, worry evident in his voice.

 You muttered a quiet yes and your husband lets himself in. 

“Ya know, I’ve never seen you not caked in dirt and blood. You were beautiful then, but this is just a whole new level,” He said grabbing your arm. He carefully examined where they had placed the tracker, it was still bruised and he assumed sore. He placed a tender kiss around the area.

 “And it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen you clean-shaven and with a fresh haircut. And never in a suit, so much more dapper than those schoolboy shorts you used to wear,” You said while placing a hand over his heart, feeling the crispness of the fabric.

He hummed in response and pulled you into a tight hug. This wasn’t easy for him so he knew it was hard on you. You breathe in smelling his cologne, what a change from the smell of fresh earth. You felt him place a kiss on the top of your forehead. 

“We have to get going. Our orientation class starts soon, and after I need to give you a crash course in combat before our first mission,” He said while pulling away. You nodded in response. Surviving this place would be nothing compared to the apocalypse. 

Yes, you thought, now we are getting somewhere. This is the fall of Rome. This is where your life began to crumble. That sense of security and the smallest ounce of normalcy gave you comfort and confidence. That was dangerous. That was it! That’s why you were in so much pain right now, that’s why your marriage could crumble, and your life terminated. 

The mission had gone sour fast. You hated every minute of it. You hated every aspect of it. You hated this life. You hated your life. You didn’t want to kill someone who wasn’t your target, but they got in the way. They threatened your life, but even worse they threatened Five’s. You had no choice.

 Sitting on the crusty bed of your motel room, Five hands you a bottle of tequila. “I know you’re more of a wine gal, but I think you might need something with a little more kick tonight,”  He said quietly, carefully unscrewing the cap for you.

 Once again you felt like that porcelain doll, except this time you had broken. You took a huge swig and Five did the same. He sat the bottle down and sat behind you. Carefully rubbing your shoulders, you let out a small sigh.

“I’m sorry that happened, Love, I should’ve been quicker,” He whispered into your ear. 

You picked up the bottle and took another long sip, loving the burn as it slid down your throat.

 “It’s not your fault, we got the job done. That’s all that matters,” you said in a monotoned voice. 

Five hated this. He wanted to take you out of the apocalypse and give you a better life- but this is not what he envisioned. He hated how The Handler has made you into a killer, he wished he could keep your hands clean. Sometimes that wasn’t an option. You turned to face him, the flush of alcohol clear on your face. You kissed him deeply and passionately.

 “Make me forget,” You whispered in between kisses. 

And one thing leads to another. One drunk night in that stupid red dress, and now your life was over. 

You stared at the pregnancy test, two lines. Shit. How could you be so stupid and reckless, how could you have let this happen? You hated yourself even more now. You couldn’t stand being in this life, so how could you bring a childinto it. The tears fell freely now, you had royally fucked up. You were so engrossed in your thoughts you didn’t hear Five walk in. 

“Honey, I’m home,” He chided jokingly. 

Your face paled and you felt like you were going to be sick. He was back early, you thought you were going to have more time to figure out what to say and more importantly what to do. 

“(Y/n)? What’s wrong?” Five asked, quickly rushing to your side. He dropped to his knees and wiped away all of your tears. You clutched the test tightly so that he would see. Your hands were shaking too much though for him not to notice. He reached for your hands and you didn’t have it in you to stop him. He let out a gasp and looked straight at you.

 “You’re pregnant?” He asked in disbelief. You nodded and let out another loud sob, without missing a beat Five pulled you in close. He whispered words of comfort and stroked your hair. He told you it was going to be okay, but you couldn't fathom how it would be.

 “I’m so sorry Five, I’m sorry,” you cried out. He pulled you away so he could look into your eyes. The fear behind them was evident.

 “This does put a crunch on time, but I swear to you I will figure out those equations and stop the apocalypse. We will have a normal life, I promise,” He said in a loving yet forceful tone. 

“You’re not- you’re not mad at me?” You whispered.

“No, I’m not mad at you. I love you (Y/n), with all my heart. I won’t let anything happen to you or this child,” He said pulling you into a tight hug.

 Your fears melted away, and you pretended that this was a normal moment. No impending doomsday, no time-traveling assassins, just two people in love who are cherishing a new chapter in their lives. You closed your eyes and imagined a future. It was bright, and you knew that Five would never break a promise.

“I love you too,” You smiled back.

[airi-p4]

Face up (songfic) - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Epilogue

Remember my illustrated fic + comic ‘The listening’? I started writing this other songfic around that time, since the song is by the same author. This is everything I could finish for Wipril... *sigh*

Inspired by the song ‘Face up’ by Lights. (Lyrics in bold)

Summary:  Marientte is tired. Busy with work, unmotivated and uninspired; her life has become monotonous and lifeless. Regretful for neglecting her friendship with Alya, she finally accepts her invitation to go out one Friday evening to a pirate themed bar called 'Liberty', in which according to Nino, an 'incredible amazing guitarist' was going to play...

AO3

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Chapter 1

' I shouldn't have come '

A mountain of files and clothes are piled on Marinette's desk. Work, work, work and more work. It had been a while now since Marinette's life has been revolving only around her jobs and studies. Days. Weeks. Months. She felt like a robot programmed just for that sole purpose.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was tired. 

And so was also her best friend Alya, fed up of being turned down whenever she asked her to go out somewhere together.

But not that evening: Alya and Nino decided to drag Marinette out of her lonely apartment, to let her enjoy a proper and well deserved break after days without seeing the daylight. 'How can a 21 year old Lady not go out and have fun!? ' Alya had asked her. And she had been forced to accept, out of the regret of constantly failing and neglecting their friendship.

The chosen place for their friendly meeting was a musical bar on a ship called 'Liberty'. Small round tables and some stools were ready to be used for its consumers, 2-4 seats for table. Some wooden benches with comfortable looking cushions at the sides of the bar and some stand-by tables outside were also part of the ship's furniture. Both outside and interior design seemed to be trying to imitate a pirate ship with dark wooden flooring, walls, stage and counter. Some vintage rock music related posters were on the wall, next to treasure maps and, surprisingly, they still managed to keep the pirate theme on point. The counter was just at the entrance and the lights were focused mostly to the stage at the back of the bar, making the lighting quite low for the guests- 'too dark to draw' , Marinette confirmed.

According to Nino, the best thing about this bar was that, on Friday nights, it held multiple artists performances from 8pm to 12pm, an hour each. And according to him, some awesome guitarist was playing at 11pm. His eyes were showing his contagious enthusiasm and Alya soon got excited too.

But Marinette's mind was not focused on the bar or the music. It was 10:25pm, and Alya had dragged Marinette there early- at 8:40- so they could get a table- the limited seat capacity and amount of customers surely proved it was necessary, but she couldn't focus on her surroundings as in her head thousands of work-related thoughts occupied her mind.

To draw, sew, bake, study and to sleep in order to work more, all in an endless loop. That had been Marinette's routine for weeks, and she had no intentions of stopping until she finished all her constantly coming errands- but they were endless. She felt like a robot programmed only to work and she almost forgot what free time was.

'I want to go home', the aspiring fashion designer kept repeating to herself.

 But the guests of the bar seemed to favor her best friend's ideas: enjoying the music. Marinette's eyes took a minute to observe her surroundings, noticing how crowded the bar was getting as 11pm approached. At her side, Marinette could see how excited Alya and the recently arrived Nino were, clapping and dancing next to her.

 But Marinette was not feeling it. Not at all. 

 A big sigh left her mouth as she used the table as she played unamused with the melting ice cubes from her drink, trying to ignore the strident rock background music. She was exhausted and not in the mood for 'fun'. She was tired and her eyelids were slowly closing, but just when her mind started to find its way to dreamland, Alya called for her attention.

 "Look, Marinette! The guests in the second row middle table are about to leave! It's our chance to get a closer seat to the stage!"

 "Ugh…"

 The stage was just a few steps away, but it seemed like kilometers to the young woman. 

 "C'mon, Marinette! Nino secured the seats! Grab your drink and stuff and let's go over here!"

 Exhaustion and somnolence confused Marinette's senses while Alya jolted and called her. 

 "C'mooon… Nino can't keep looking for our seats forever! Not when there are so many people eyeing up those stools!"

 Marinette knew Alya was correct. And not only that: she was pretty impatient and intense, too, so she was well aware that refusing her was almost impossible.

 Finally, she made it to the closer to the stage table and had a slurp of her drink. 'Maybe Alya is right and I can try to enjoy the live performances?' . 

 She tried, yes. But nothing. She wasn't feeling the music.

'When will I be able to have fun too? When will I be able to have a rest and forget about work? When will I be able to enjoy life? When will I be able to LIVE my life…? '

 I just want to feel alive

She was stressed. No inspiration seemed to strike her lately, and she had been too busy to go look for it. And honestly, she didn't expect to find some in this old-fashioned dark pirate themed bar. With those thoughts, Marinette rested her head on her hands wishing for the time to go faster so she could already go back home. 

The bar became more than full when the clock pointed to 11pm. 

Marinette frowned her eyebrows. "Can I go home now that the performance is over?" She asked. 

Alya directed her a deathly glare and Nino gasped in shock. "No way, dudette! You can't be serious!" The boy then pointed to their surroundings. "See? All these people gathered here to see the musician I told you about! His talent is no joke, just look at that!" An excited Nino commented, showing her how people were even waiting outside of the bar and even outside the ship in order to listen to his music, as she could see through the round fisheye windows. Was it even allowed to have so many guests on the ship? Wasn't it overcrowded? Or going to sink? Marinette worried. 'Why should I worry when I'm already sinking myself, huh? '

"I'm getting all excited already!! Look at that, Marinette" Alya commented. But Marinette was not answering. She was playing with a straw in between her teeth, instead. "Marinette!!" Her friend insisted, but emerging turbulent bubbles on her drink was her only response.

"Oh, look! He's here!" Nino suddenly exclaimed, and both her friends seemed to forget about her to focus on the stage. 'Maybe it's my chance to leave when they aren't looking' , she thought, but she had to wait until Alya's arm stopped being linked with hers to make her move. She hoped for that moment to be soon.

"Wohooo" the crowd became loud immediately after Nino's said guitarist appeared on the stage from the back door. 

 Marinette didn't even look. She wasn't interested. She just wanted to get home, finish her work, sleep, and get some well deserved hot bath to relax.

"Good evening. My name is Luka. Wow, so crowded today! I can see some new faces... Hi there. Thank you all for coming"

'His voice sounds nice' Marinette thought, taking a quick look at him for the first time: blue hair, tattoos, piercings and an electric guitar on his hands. There was a stool ready for him, but he was not using it. His aura definitely stood out and he was glowing in the stage lights.

Before starting, he played a few random notes, to check the guitar and the volume. The crowd was excited just with that. Not interested in the music, Marinette let her mind travel to her work space again, taking mental notes on how to proceed with her commissions when she made it home.

"Today's first song is an oldie: 'Space show' by CrocoDuo" 

It took only an instant for the aura of the bar to change completely. The audience was losing it at the combined sound of his voice and guitar. Some young women were fangirling and squealing. Nino's eyes were sparkling and Alya's body moved, dancing along with the music. 

'He's good' Marinette thought, trying to stop her fingers from tapping on her chin at the music's rhythm. As the song was close to its end, during its instrumental part, the blue haired young man took a big look at the audience, grinning at the excited crowd. Marinette closed her eyes and tried to focus again on her mental work, frowning her nose and eyebrows hard, trying hard to concentrate on finding whatever inspiration she could in the music. But she didn't seem to get it right.

As the last notes of the song elongated, the musician spoke again. 

"Oooh? What do we have here…? Don't you know the rules, lady? No sad faces allowed on this ship!"

Marinette was unaware the guitarist was talking to her until Alya bumped her elbow to her ribs to catch her attention and pointed to the stage. 

"What?"

She was surprised to find the guitarist staring at her eyes. ' He's handsome ' her inner self told her when their eyes locked and she was feeling called by its blueness. Her smile remained unseen, confused and unsure if it was really her the one he was talking to, but her heart skipped at the eye contact.

"Yes, there, the lady on the second row, you… you seem to be feeling like this" he said, and then played some chords that seemed to describe the feelings of her repetitive, uninspired and unmotivated life perfectly. 

She felt like her secret had just been exposed to all the customers of the bar. Embarrassment was too much to handle, and she kept her head low. As the famous song says: 'Killing me softly with his song'.

"A beautiful lady like you deserves to feel something like this" he said, and the music this time brought her back to her cheerful and happy childhood memories, something she hadn't felt for years. ' Wow. How can he do it? ' 

"Let me try to cheer you up". He placed his electric guitar aside and grabbed his acoustic instead. After adjusting it, he sat on the stool and brought the microphone to his mouth. Then, a totally different melancholic sound started filling the bar as he tested the strings. The audience seemed pleased and curious. "That's rare for him" Nino whispered, making Marinette's eyes open even bigger.

Suddenly, accurately and quickly, his eyes darted to meet directly at Marinette's eyes, with a soft but determined gaze that conflicted Marinette's unprepared heart. 

The times you don't wanna wake up

'Cause in your sleep it's never over when you give up

 'Wow… I surely look depressed, don't I?' Marinette thought, surprised of how the lyrics fit with her daily thoughts.

 The sun is always gonna rise up

You need to get up, gotta keep your head up

 Look at the people all around you

The way you feel is something everybody goes through

 Marinette then looked at Alya and Nino, who were nodding with a sympathetic smile at her. The rest of the people at the bar seemed to agree with the lyrics too, nostalgic smiles on their peaceful faces. ' Is it ok to feel like this? Am I really not alone? ' The song continued.

 Dark out, but you still gotta light up

You need to wake up, gotta keep your face up

 The lyrics were surely… encouraging. Marinette could feel her heart become lighter and more confident, relaxed too. She then focused again on the guitarist, who had a kind expression on his face that almost made her fall for him. Almost ? 

"C'mon, everybody, help me cheer this pretty lady up!" he said, his smile softly widening as he repeated the lyrics of the song. Soon, the audience joined to sing with him and Marinette felt embarrassed but touched at the kindness of all those strangers towards her. Alya put a supportive hand on her shoulder too, encouraging her to join the chorus.

 And finally her face lit up and she started singing a little after remembering the lyrics. Her face was not looking down anymore and an honest shy smile was finally on her face. 

Alya looked relieved, while Nino had an: ' I told you he was good ' smirk on his face. Meanwhile, the guitarist never stopped smiling at her. 

Luka's gaze was dangerous for Marinette's heart, as a pleasant warmth began to occupy it. A feeling she hadn't felt for a long time was now threatening to stay, sinking deeper inside her heart with every syllable he sang. 

"See? That's much better. You have a beautiful smile. Don't hide it!" Marinette blushed at his compliment and she couldn't stop smiling like a lovestruck fool.

 After winking at her, Luka continued with his performance. "Ready to enjoy some rock and roll now? Next is 'Rock Giant' by Jagged Stone" 

Marinette's favorite song. Did he know that too? ' Wow! It sounds even better than the original' . As soon as he started to play and sing Jagged's most iconic melody, Marinette was finally loosened up to enjoy the music. It was the fastest an hour that had passed for her while having fun. Wow . And she was grinning at the excitement, while trying not to freak out at the short glances and smiles the musician directed to her from time to time, or the long stares she pretended to not notice. She could notice her heart beating again after what it seemed like an eternity. 

She felt alive. More than she had felt in months, maybe years.

But the performance had a set time to end... 

"Thank you for coming. That's all for today. You're the best!" he grinned, while wiping some of the sweat drops that ran down his face. It was obvious he gave it his best and the audience was all in for it. Marinette had never seen anyone able to enthrall the public like this before. He was… absolutely amazing in the crowd's eyes, Marinette's included.

"Noooo!! Encore encore encore!" the bar customers started begging in loud voices, and Luka couldn't keep his gratitude to himself, as his fond smile showed. He looked at his surroundings, slowly, memorizing every face, as if thanking each of them individually. Until his kind yet powerful gaze stopped to focus directly on Marinette's pupils and his smile widened.

 "You want an encore, guys? What does the lady on the second row say?" he teased with a smirk that made Marinette's knees weak. She could feel her face flushing red as the people of the bar's eyes focused on her.

 "E- Encore!" She shouted in a voice she wasn't aware she owned.

"So you want an encore, right? Very well. Here's the last song for today: ' Liberty ' by Luka".

 The energetic and happy cheering for the encore audience lasted only until Luka's guitar strings started to vibrate to form a melody.

 "No way, dude!! A Luka inédite original song! Alya, we have to record this!" Nino fuzzed, pulling his phone out from his pocket. "Awesome!"

The song was amazing and had the audience lose it. 'Wow' . Marinette was speechless and she could feel the adrenaline flow through her body like it hadn't for years. Unable to tear her focus from the musician, the young woman could feel her heart beating faster- too fast.  

When the song finished Marinette noticed how half the audience was crying in excitement and how the fangirling women from before were close to passing out. It was a very good song with good lyrics about looking for your inner freedom- totally fitting for Marinette. And his final greetings started.

"Thank you. Did you have fun?" 

"Yeah!!! Wohoo!!!"

 "Great, I'm glad. Thank you so much!" he giggled. "Thanks to you, it seems I have a new song to write" Luka said, with his sharp eyes and slightly curved smile hinting those words were meant for a certain lady seated on the second row. "And remember: the Liberty is a place where you can be free, honest to yourself. Feel free to come here anytime. Everyone is welcome here. Well, except agent Roger, maybe?" Luka said, pointing at the grey haired woman at the counter, who laughed at his comment. "Good night, everyone!" 

Before leaving the stage through the back door, Luka exchanged one final look with Marinette and waved at her. Or so she wanted to believe, even if she wasn't sure. 

‘ He’s so hot ’. Marinette fanned herself with her hand and drank all the alcohol that remained on her cup. It wasn't cold anymore and she needed to cool down, so she stopped the goth waitress with long purple hair to order a drink, and a minute later the small blond short-haired waitress brought it to her. She drank it in one shot, mouth dry from the shouting and her burning cheeks and quickly beating heart.

"Hot much?" Alya teased her best friend, with a knowing smirk.

 "I told you he was lit! Wow! He even played a brand-new original song! You don't know how lucky we are. We have to come back again sometime soon!" Nino enthusiastically exclaimed. "A man like that is going to make it big in no time. We won't get the chance to get to listen to him like this when he becomes internationally famous"

Marinette couldn't help it but to agree. He was amazing… in all aspects. Maybe… it wasn't a bad thing she came… 

 No. It definitely wasn't.

 "Yeah… maybe live performances aren't bad… maybe… we should come again, yes…" Marinette said under her friend's satisfied and knowing smile.

 Who would have thought she would find inspiration on a pirate ship themed bar? She had unwillingly come and found something she didn't regret, as she found something even more unexpected: a crush on a talented guitarist. 

 And even though she was not sure if she was ready to pursue someone or to start a relationship, she knew she didn't want the clock of her life to keep spinning around a monotonous life, and she had just felt the way she had been wishing to feel for years; ALIVE. 

'Yes… I'll definitely come back again'

[clonemando]

Time on my Side

When Boba sneaks along to one of Jango’s missions and touches something he shouldn’t it causes him and Jango to end up back with people Jango never though he’d see again. Time travel fix-it fic 

(a one shot I just got the urge to write but I might continue it if there’s interest.)

Jango shot up in bed with a strangled yelp and tangled himself in his sheets before falling out of his bunk in his haste to stand up. His eyes searched the room before going to his own wrists which caused his face to crinkle in confusion and he turned and twisted his hands looking for scars that no longer existed. However, a scream from outside the tent he was in had him ripping the sheets off and sprinting outside.

“Buir! Help me! Buir!” Boba’s screams had Jango shoving himself through the armored Mandalorians around him without any thought to his own safety until he burst into the center of the ring where a familiar person was holding Boba with his arms pinned behind him.

“Jango good you’re awake I fou-” Montross started only to be full-body tackled by a Jango who was snarling in rage and dressed in only his sleep pants. It took five other Mandalorians to rip Jango off of him and another two to grab onto Boba who was panicking and trying to get to his father now.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Wait... Was he crying for you?” Montross wiped the blood from his face looking between Jango and Boba a few times in shock. 

“What is going on out here?” Came a voice that froze everyone around them including Jango who looked almost sick. Boba even shut up at the expression on his father’s face. 

“Alor, I found an ad running around the camp and caught him and he started screaming for his buir, then Jango came charging out and attacked me!” Montross said as Jaster made his way to them looking extremely tired and not at all pleased about having been woken. He spun around to face his son to have him explain but Jango had found his voice again. 

“That hu’tuun Montross is betraying us to Vizsla! He’s the reason they’ve been one step ahead of us this whole time! He’s trying to get you killed buir!” He growled out gritting his teeth as he started to recognize where they were. He had no idea how they were there but he knew this mission. 

“Buir… What’s going on? Where’d the jetti go? How did we get here?” Boba whimpered and Jango looked over at his son again who now was holding Jaster’s attention and Jango knew what his father was seeing. Boba looked exactly like Jango did when Jaster had found him. Their resemblance wasn’t something that could be written off. Even though Jango was only fourteen years old at the moment. Somehow he had an eight-year-old son. But Jaster was good at compartmentalizing and he focused back on Montross who had picked himself up now. 

“What do you say to my ad’s claims Montross?” Jaster asked crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at his second in command. 

“He’s clearly delusional and going through something. How does he have a son that’s three fourth’s his age who just randomly appeared in our camp? It must have traumatized him and made him snap. He needs medical help. You know me, Jaster, I would never do such a thing.” He said and Jaster looked back at Jango who shook his head. 

“I don’t have proof I can give Buir but I am not lying or suffering from any sort of mental break. I will explain everything to you, but only alone. I won’t let that sha’buir near my ad.” Jango growled and Jaster rubbed his face but nodded. 

“Montross, until I can prove or deny Jango’s claims you’re to stay with two guards at all times. Trying to argue or escape them will only prove your guilt.” He said seriously and Montross gave a firm nod. Then Jaster walked over to Boba and the pair of commandos holding him released him for Jaster to pick up. 

“Come with me then Jango, we’ll speak in my tent.” He said and Jango was released to follow after him. Once they were in the tent and Boba was put down he ran straight to Jango’s arms and Jango knelt to hug him tightly as Boba sobbed into his chest. 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay Bob’ika. You’re okay. I’m here. I’ve got you.” He murmured soothingly even as his father watched them. 

“You can start with how he exists and we can continue from there,” Jaster said getting out a camp stove and charge pack along with a pot of water to make them some caff. Jango stole his father’s blanket from his cot and wrapped it around Boba before settling down. 

“You’re going to need that caff before I start because it’s a long story,” Jango warned him and Jaster groaned but sat on the cot stretching out his legs. 

“Just start it then. We do have a job to do in the morning.” He reminded him and Jango sighed but nodded slowly running his fingers through Boba’s hair to calm him. 

“Well Boba is my son, but he’s also my clone. I commissioned him from cloners on the planet Kamino as part of a larger deal for several million credits in return for them using my DNA as a base to make an army.” Jango told him and Jaster held up a finger taking a few moments to process this before shaking his head. 

“When? I’ve been with you since you were his age yourself. You’ve never had time to go to some random cloners and do all this.” Jaster said and Jango nodded smiling a little down at his son who had fallen asleep already. Jango realized he must have really been terrified. 

“This is where it gets weird. I’m pretty sure I’m in the past. Because when I made that deal you and all the other Haat were dead. Montross betrayed us and lead us into an ambush. He had me split off with Myles and my own group while he went with you. However, I turned around early and we… I watched as Vizsla gunned you down with a canon buir. Montross just stood there and watched. It happens on Korda 6 just a few weeks from now. He tried to convince the others I was too young to lead and that he had tried to save you but Myles backed me up and we banished Montross.” Jango told him before stopping when the water was boiled and Jaster stood again passing his son a mug of caff before sitting back down with his own. 

“You become Mand’alor then. And agreed to this army to retake Mandalore?” Jaster tried to guess but Jango shook his head. 

“We kept up against Death Watch. I wanted justice for your death but my duty was to our people first. We continued on how we were before taking commissions and bounties and growing our numbers. We were starting to push Death Watch back when Galidraan happened. We were tricked. The Governor had us fighting insurgents but when I came to collect our payment Tor was there with a whole group and I had to run. He shot my jetpack and I crashed down too far away from camp and I couldn’t get ahold of Myles. They called in the Jedi against us. Told them we were killing innocents. It was a massacre. I watched as they cut Myles in half buir. I flew into a rage. I had already lost you and then they took the rest of my aliit away too.” Jango rubbed tears away and set his mug aside so he didn’t accidentally spill any on Boba with how hard his hands were shaking. 

Jaster moved over and wrapped his arm around his son. “I’m not dead now and neither is Myles. He’s in the tent right next to yours. You can go see him once we’re done here.” He encouraged but he needed to hear the rest.

“I killed six Jedi with just my fists before I collapsed. They turned me over to the Governor. He took my beskar’gam and sold me to the spice mines. I was there for… three years I think. Before I lead a rebellion and we all escaped. I went back for my armor and then became a beroya. I became the best beroya there’s ever been. Everyone knew my name and knew my word was good. That’s when Tyranus came to me. He offered me the deal. He promised it would come with revenge on the Jedi too. I agreed but only with the added payment of one of the clones to be my son. I’ve been on Kamino since then but I still leave to take jobs and I’ve been raising Boba. That was until this last mission. He snuck onto my ship and I didn’t feel safe leaving him there alone so I brought him with me. We were just supposed to be grabbing some trinket from some ruins. Then a Jedi showed up and attacked us. I was trying to get us back to the ship but Boba went for the artifact and there was a flash of light and we ended up here. Boba looks like he did then but I’m young again.” Jango spilled it all out and Jaster hummed and took a long sip of his drink. 

“Okay. Well, you’re here now. And Boba being here surely adds credit to your claim. But we need proof to be able to do anything about Montross. We will proceed as normal. Or however normal as we can with you having your own ad now. I won’t let myself die this time and we’ll work forward from that, sound alright with you?” Jaster said a little playfully and Jango smiled and nodded. 

“That sounds like a plan buir… Ni kar'taylir darasuum Jaster.” He said leaning his head against his father’s shoulder and Jaster smiled resting his cheek against Jango’s messy hair. 

“Ni kar'taylir darasuum Jan’ika. We’ll figure this out together. I promise.” He murmured back. 

[yandere-sins]

Stronger Together

An awesome commission from an anonymous client! Thank you so much for commissioning me and being patient ♥

Characters: Yandere!Dragon!Shinguji Korekiyo x Boyfriend!Gokuhara Gonta x Reader Warnings: Yandere, Kidnapping, Manipulation, Mentioning of torture, Mentioning of blood & wounds, Threatening

With a painful thumping in your head, you slowly woke up, feeling your sore muscles tense as you regained conscience. The taste of blood in your mouth was the first thing you could acknowledge of your senses, making you wonder if you bit your lip or tongue, and a groan escaped you as you took a sharp breath. Only now, you began to feel your arms sting, held over your head by a rope that caused rubbing friction against your skin when you moved. You could only assume and fear the room you were in, your eyes showing you nothing aside from blurry specks even if you opened them widely. There was only one other sound in the room you were in, and it frightened you not being able to see where exactly it was coming from. 

The first thing coming back to mind as you listened to the rattling of chains was your boyfriend, and you braced your throat to call out to him despite the dryness you felt. But when you finally managed to croak out his name, nothing but a muffled cacophony managed to escape you. Concerned, you finally noticed the gag in your mouth, wondering how it had gotten there but judging by the wooden taste, it was what also scratched open your mouth and now kept you from asking for the well-being of the person most important to you. You began to shiver as there was no way to communicate, and your fear rose as you couldn’t hear anymore rustling from what was with you in this room. Gonta had always been by your side. Even when your village got attacked, and a dragon kidnapped you two, he had never left you, shielding you and taking punishments that were meant for you, even if he was just as scared. Not having him with you now scared you greatly.

Leaning your full weight into the ropes that held up your arms, you wished there was another way to communicate, even if whatever shared your cell wasn’t anything you were familiar with. You called out again in a pitiful muffle, head moving around and your eyes slowly focusing, but this time, the ominous sound of metal shackles scraping over the cold stone floor rattled in response. Even though your head was still foggy after you were overwhelmed and knocked out before, you pieced together the evidence you had, making one more attempt to reach the presence with you, at least with the rustling of the ropes.

A groan resounded from not too far, yet not near you. You panicked at first, seeing a rising shadow in the corner across from you. It sounded as if whoever was there seemed to be in pain and confused, but some questions remained with your stomach getting nervous about what to expect. Why wasn’t that ‘person’ answering? Was there something they could see that you couldn’t? Who was locked up with you here? Your own heartbeat quickened as you had to wait and wonder about what was going on, only more grumbling reaching your ears from the other side of the room. 

“[Name]?” an anxious, tender voice called out, and you released a deep breath, recognizing it. For a moment, you had feared there might be a beast locked in with you, and you preferred Gonta over everyone else. Struggling and making yourself known with your muffled screams, Gonta slowly but surely regained his senses. He finally stepped out of the darkness and into the weak, remaining light of a candle hanging high above your heads. It wasn’t enough to illuminate his whole form, his shackles rattling terrifyingly as he moved, but at least his arm and the side of his face revealed themselves to you. With horror you saw cuts and bruises littering his skin, and just as worse was the fact he had some kind of metallic blindfold clasped over his head, searching for you with his hands in complete darkness. 

Immediately you were ridden with guilt, knowing he couldn’t see or even properly hear you, knowing he was relying on his excellent sense of hearing to make anything, and yet, you couldn’t even console him - the only thing you were good for in this situation. Gonta called out for you again, and you could do nothing but try to gain his attention. Even if only half of his face revealed in the light, you saw the fear and panic in his expression.

Tears of frustration welled up in your eyes as you threw your body around, screaming into the wooden gag, hoping he could hear you being near. Gonta soon enough fell back to his knees after having tried to reach you, and your strength began to wane too. It was a true nightmare not to be able to talk with him and assure him everything was okay. He usually was such a big and strong man, but he appeared more exhausted and fragile with his wounds than ever. All you wanted was to crouch over to him and hold him, tell him everything was going to be okay. 

“[Name]...” you heard again, and it broke your heart. You wouldn’t have minded breaking a wrist or two if it had freed you out of this predicament and let you console your just as confused and scared boyfriend. Your heart began to beat faster as you thought of ways to get out or to have something useful come out of this, but the more you panicked, the more your head felt like passing out again from the stress, and the last thing you could need was another ‘nap’ in this cold room. The best thing to do now was to think over your options and how to proceed calmly, even if it was urgent. The future of you two was still uncertain, and you feared the longer you two were stuck in your current situation, the more likely he was to pick up on you two being awake and ready to be bothered again.

All previous negotiations, pleads, and begs hadn’t done anything to change the dragon’s mind. You weren’t sure why you’d think they’d work in the first place, perhaps because the dragon could take on a human form, with features that didn’t appear strange at first glance. Maybe that’s why you thought of him more of a noble than a beast, someone you could reason with instead of a monster lacking the emotional range to understand your fear and frustration. That someone that kidnapped and burned down a village, all for the mere pleasure of watching its captives, wasn’t a person you could deal with at all had slipped your mind for the longest time of your capturing.

Trying to escape… well, that failed too. Your current situation and the drumming in your head was prove of it, reminding you bitterly that you didn’t think this through properly. Or perhaps, you did, but your plan just wasn’t good enough in the end; you couldn’t tell. All you remembered was running for a long time through the castle, holding Gonta’s hand as if your life depended on it, as you two made your way to any kind of exit. Then, a sudden crash, with only darkness that followed.

Thinking hard about your possibilities, you were torn out of your planning by a door creaking open, and your head snapped toward the source of sound instantly. Another dim light appeared in the previous darkness, and eerily clacking steps followed it. Gonta, too, seemed to notice, bracing himself as good as he could, but a short glance back at him revealed he only got more scared since he couldn’t see the approaching danger, unlike you. 

Gulping, you were almost glad to lower your head and avoid your eyes. Not like you felt guilty towards the dragon for escaping, but perhaps, the best you could do right now for you and Gonta was to show some remorse. That didn’t spare you the feeling of piercing, reptile-like eyes drilling into you, though, a powerful presence passing by you gracefully before coming to a halt in front of your boyfriend. Only now did you dare to look up again, immediately feeling a nervous pull in your stomach as you feared what might happen to Gonta now that the dragon found you two awake after the failed escape. 

With the candle in one hand, you could watch the ‘man’ reach out his free one, laying it down on Gonta’s head. Innocent as he was, he flinched shortly before recognizing the touch as nothing too dangerous, even leaning in a little. But when you tore your eyes away from Gonta for a second, you met the dragon’s head on as he watched you much more than the person in front of him. An ice-cold shower ran down your spine, and it must have shown on your face as you heard a thoughtful hum resounding from the dragon’s mouth.

You were next on the agenda as it seemed, as he let go of Gonta, walking straight back to you again. Even before his hand reached far enough out towards you for contact, you had flinched away, pressing your eyes closed tightly like a child who hoped for things to go away if it didn’t look at it. But nothing touched you against your expectations. Instead, you felt the ropes tighten before you were shortly lifted and released, your arms falling to the floor with limb thuds, unable to hold themselves after being released. 

“Humans never cease to surprise me,” the dragon’s cold voice spoke up suddenly, and you dared to look up again, only to see him watch you intently. “I give you shelter and food, and yet you still try to escape, fearing my help even.”

You’d have loved to scream back at him how nothing he did was helping you in any way, but the wood in your mouth remained, even under your protests. However, Gonta, who could talk, took the word, less emotional and more aiming to please than you would have been able to. “Mister… Sir--”

“Korekiyo. I told you, haven’t I?” 

“Y-Yes…” For a moment, Gonta went quiet again, and you imagined he was trying his best to figure out how to deal with this in the best way. His awkwardness didn’t exactly help, but you knew he did it for you. To make sure nothing worse than he too already feared was going to happen to either of you, even if that meant pushing himself. “Korekiyo, we- we don’t want to upset you. We just want to go home and--”

“But this is your home.” Without any intentions to let him finish, Gonta was interrupted, closing his mouth and biting his lip as he noticed there wasn’t much that words could do. 

“You’re not the first humans I gave a home to. I care for everyone who keeps me company, and there’s been a lot over time that knew how to appreciate that.” Pausing, Korekiyo turned away from you, returning to Gonta’s side, and you feared what he was going to do. However, he passed your boyfriend, kneeling down elegantly somewhere behind him, and you could hear the rattling of the chains as he seemed to undo their lock. It snapped open, and Gonta perked up too, trying to carefully distance himself from the sound and more into the direction where he assumed you. 

You rose up at his, mumbling into the gag to signal your whereabouts to him. To the best of his ability, Gonta stumbled onto his legs to get to you, sinking down just before you and feeling around till he could pull you into a tight hug. You didn’t care if there was the smell of sweat and blood combining. All that mattered was the feeling of him holding you.

At least, until he suddenly and with a pained cry, got yanked away from you, and you instantly knew something was wrong again when you saw the claws that had dug into his hair. “Very interesting. I reckon that embraces are very important for you humans? I must admit, I never had a couple to study. You two are the most peculiar suspects so far.”

Gonta had always been too gentle to fight someone, despite his looks. If he could, he always chose to remain peaceful, so with the strength, only a dragon could have over a man like Gonta was, he pulled him away, and you couldn’t keep yourself from glaring, which Korekiyo seemed to analyze with keen interest. 

“I don’t know why you tried to escape when everything was going so well, but I thought about it, and I decided there was something I’d rather not have showed you, but it’s no use. Perhaps it will make you understand.”

Finally, he let go of the confused and whimpering Gonta, the mechanical device blindfolding him loosening until he could simply push it off. Walking towards you, one of the dragon’s sharp claws - that you’d rather not have anywhere near you! - came down onto your face. Nervously, you tried to avoid it, but it was no use as Korekiyo stuck it between your soft cheek and the strap keeping your gag in place. The pull needed to snap the band in half seemed to be little effort for him but yanked your head pretty harshly. However, more than anything, you were relieved to feel the restriction loosening, allowing you to spit out the wooden block in your mouth. 

“Gonta!” you croaked loudly, and he too was quick to react, catching you in his arms as you stumbled towards him. There were a million words you wanted to say to him, but all you could do was squeeze his hand and brush through his hair. Both of you had seen better days, but finally being reunited was giving you strength. 

“Now, let’s go,” Korekiyo urged, and you turned your head to look after him, body and candle stepping out of a wide-open door and turning around the corner, leaving you two behind in unhelpful darkness. “We… we should follow,” Gonta eventually spoke, and you turned to him, caressing his cheek softly. You had a very bad feeling about this. A very, very bad feeling, but you knew he was right. Waiting and sitting it out would only draw the dragon’s attention and possible anger towards you again. 

“Can you stand?” you asked quietly, and together you two managed to raise yourselves and support your weak bodies on each other. Even though your legs were wobbly and you felt dizzy from finally standing up again, somehow, you two managed to follow through dark corridors, using your hands to navigate. Ever so often, Korekiyo would stop and wait for you to come closer again, though only as long as he pleased. An occasional sigh escaped his lips, and even if you wanted to be angry at him and give him a hard time for all that he was putting you through, your hand holding Gonta’s reminded you that you had to be more careful or you were risking more than you wanted to. 

When Korekiyo finally reached his destination, he waited for you two to catch up to him, ominous, strange sounds being muffled by the door you three were standing in front of. It was then that your gut was telling you to make a run for it, as nothing good could possibly await you beyond this point, but Gonta squeezed your hand encouragingly, and Korekiyo motioned to the door for you to open it. Hesitantly, you reached for the knob, turning it nervously as if your life depended on how well you performed as the other two looked on. You were too scared to open the door once the lock gave away but unluckily for you, your captor wasn’t as hesitant, his hand giving it a rough push and your body flying forward by the force of the door. 

Landing on your shins, you had to take a deep breath to keep the pain under control, breathing into where it hurt, but soon it gave away to the sounds of agony and tortured souls that rose as they saw you coming inside. You could barely believe your eyes as you let them roam through the tall room, lit by more candles that reflected in the metal bars of weird constructions. Machines that had humans, famished and with leathery skin, fixed into them, doing things only God knew what. They were torture devices, punishments, and you didn’t even want to finish your thoughts and find out more about them, fearing it might drive you insane to look around the room even one more second. 

You gasped loudly as you turned away from the miserable sight in front of you, feeling your stomach twist and turn and close to throw up. With a call of your name and a, “Don’t look!” Gonta was by your side again, hugging you close as to shield you from the scene. There was little that could keep you from crying into his shoulder, even though his embrace was so tight it made you feel safe and secure. But the things you had already witnessed were burned into your mind and playing on repeat so that you had no other choice but to accept that terrible reality despite Gonta’s best tries.

“Do you understand now?” you heard the indifferent, cold voice of your captor, the person- dragon responsible for this. “I’ve been good to you, and I plan on staying this way. Unless you want to join these souls?”

He couldn’t see the instinctive shiver that went through you, as the thought crossed your mind to be kept down here like a prisoner on death row. You didn’t even know how long anyone of the people had been down here, but you figured it wasn’t just since yesterday. However, Gonta noticed your tension and fear very well, gently brushing his hand up and down your back to calm you. “N-No, please…” he whimpered, close to tears from what he had to witness here too. Just like you, he was scared and worried, much more about you than himself. 

“We’ll be good now, right, [Name]?” Gonta asked, and you realized you had to agree now, or else it would end terribly for you two. So you sat up and leaned away, careful to not look over Gonta’s shoulder, or you might catch a glimpse of the poor souls collecting in this dungeon. Instead, you simply turned towards the dragon, lowering your gaze submissively as you nodded. Appreciative, he let out a merry laugh as he took the necessary steps towards you two, leaning down to his little captives to pet your heads tenderly. 

“How about we go upstairs again and finally have dinner then?” Korekiyo suggested, and you gulped at the word, unsure if you’d ever be able to take another bite in your whole life after what you saw. “Sounds good!” Gonta chirped up in forced happiness, knowing he had to please Korekiyo, but feeling conflicted as he glanced back and forth between you and the dragon. 

With Gonta’s help, you managed to get out, Korekiyo closing the door behind you two. Though you felt terribly guilty, you were so relieved that the sounds grew quieter. “Come,” Gonta whispered to you, despite your legs not listening and wanting to give in so badly. All you could do was slowly lift your eyes from the ground again, catching Korekiyo’s as you did. In his gaze, there was a triumphant shine, and if you could have seen all off his face uncovered by fabric draped over what you thought were scales, you could have sworn he might have shown you an amused expression. But what else was there than to bow to the dragon’s will, when the alternative would surely kill you and your boyfriend?

All you could hold on to now was the gentle touch all around you, and you looked up at Gonta, who met your anxious gaze with a smile to cheer you up. He didn’t look sure himself, even more, worried beyond his cheerful expression. It reminded you that you had to be strong too. If he could, then so had you. You weren’t alone in this; at least that much was able to give you comfort. 

And perhaps, you’d be able to make yourself believe that everything was going to be okay if only you’d try to like this new arrangement you had agreed to.