#took me long enough to decide on one OTL

[emry-stars-art]

My Jeremy what sharp teeth you have

Find the mer aus masterpost here 💕

[chronosdawn]

Attached - Alpha!Wriothesley x Beta!Reader

a/b/o AU, GN!Reader

A/N: I got the idea for this while working on another, longer a/b/o fic so instead of working on that like I was supposed to, I wrote this OTL

Word count: 1.3k

Content warnings: a/b/o dynamics, mild sexual content and themes (minors please DNI)

Not many got the chance to know the Duke of the Fortress of Meropide well. Certainly, almost everyone in Fontaine knew of him, and as the Fortress’s administrator, many people had some sort of contact with him, be they convicts of the Fortress or proprietors of businesses hoping to gain a foothold there.

But among those, very few got to actually know the Duke beyond his title and position, and when you’d first met him, you’d had no reason to think you’d be any different. Sure, you had been invited there by him personally, which was rare, but made sense once you’d learned he was looking to procure resources for some project that was being worked on in the Fortress—something you had a lot of experience doing for members of the Fontaine Research Institute.

Over the course of several meetings—and more than a couple of pots of tea—a tentative friendship had formed between you. One that had turned into something quite different when you’d accidentally stumbled into his office while he was in a rut.

And that, was how you’d come to end up in your current situation—seated in Wriothesley’s lap with your overnight bag discarded by the door to his room. You hadn’t expected this to become a regular occurrence when you’d first offered him your assistance, but for some reason the stubborn fool had refused to seek out an omega to spend his ruts with, even if you both knew that was what he actually needed.

He nosed against the back of your neck before going in with a gentle nip of his teeth, dangerously close to where your small beta scent gland lay.

“Careful,” you warned, “you know our agreement, nothing that can’t be taken back. I don’t want to be the reason your future omega ends up developing some sort of complex.”

Wriothesley stilled briefly before grazing his teeth over your nape once more. “What would you do if I did?”

“What do you mean?” You tried to turn around to look at his face, but the muscular arms around your waist kept you locked in place, pressed tightly against the firm planes of his chest.

“What would you do if I decided to put a claiming bite on you? Right now, you’re not in any position to stop me.”

“You wouldn’t,” you said with absolute certainty, even as he nipped at you again, harder this time.

“What makes you so sure?” His rut had come on enough that even you could smell the pheromones he was pumping out into the air, a rich leathery musk with notes of clary sage.

“I know you, you just wouldn’t.”

“You sound pretty convinced of that.”  He went quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was barely audible as he muttered into your skin. “Do you even know what I was originally sentenced here for?”

“I do.” He’d never told you himself but you remembered reading about his trial in the newspaper your father had left out on your dining room table. “But that’s neither here nor there. You’re not the sort of person who’d force a yourself on someone, and I can’t imagine you ever being disloyal to your mate. Even if for some strange reason you seem reluctant to go out and find them.”

He let out a chuckle but there was no real humour in it. “You know, sometimes I wish you thought a little less highly of me.”

“If I didn’t think so highly of you, I wouldn’t be here, you know that.”

“Yeah, I do.” He went back to worrying at your neck, his mouth over your scent gland. Instead of biting down, however, he sucked at the skin in a way that was certain to leave its own sort of claiming mark, but one that would fade within a week. 

“You don’t seem to be in any hurry,” you noted, as he took his time littering your nape with hickeys, despite the growing hardness you could feel pressing against your ass.

“How long can you stay?” His hands began to wander slowly over your body, the heat of his palms burning through your clothes.

“A couple of days.” You let out a sigh, allowing yourself to enjoy the feeling of his touch while you could. “I’ve got a trip to Liyue scheduled to check on some ore shipments and it’s too late to rearrange it. Sorry I can’t be here for the whole thing; I should be able to help you through the worst of it though.”

“And when will you be back?”

“I’m not sure. Some of the merchants we’re dealing with are really dragging their feet for some reason. I should be back before your next one, although whether that’s really a good thing or not, I don’t know. Might have been a good incentive for you to actually seek out a more permanent arrangement.”

“I really wish you’d stop bringing that up.” One of his hands slipped underneath your shirt, sliding beneath your undergarments so he could give your nipple a firm squeeze. “What’s so wrong with this?”

You let out an undignified squeak and chastised him with a light slap to the thigh. “I know I sound like some nagging old aunt, but I just want you to find someone who makes you happy. Truly happy, not just sex.”

“And if I said you make me happy?”

“I can’t, not in the way deserve,” you said a little sadly, before putting the thought out of your mind altogether. It was best not to think about what ifs that could never be, it would only lead to hurt. “Now, what do you say we get a move on, before you get so wound up you tear straight through my clothes. Again.”

Wriothesley loosened his hold enough for you to turn around in his lap, fingers moving to undo the buttons of your shirt as he watched with rapt attention.

“With the way you’re so fond of telling me off, anyone would think you’re the alpha in this relationship.” He made no move to touch you, simply observing as you shed your garments one by one. You weren’t entirely sure how he was managing it, you could see the flush on his cheeks, feel the tension in his body—a piece of elastic a hair’s breadth from snapping. Still, if any alpha would have the self-control to hold themselves back during a rut, it would be him.

“Come on mister, it’s not fair to make me do all the work.” You moved to start helping him out of his waistcoat, his jacket having already been shed before you’d even entered the room.

“Alright boss,” he replied with obvious sarcasm, a smirk curling at his lips. With no warning, you were suddenly lifted and flung onto the bed, Wriothesley following you quickly after, caging you in with his body and leaving no hope of escape. “If you’re that eager, you don’t have to wait for me to go into a rut, you know, you can come here anytime. I’ve asked the staff at the front desk to let me know as soon as they see you.”

“It’s a tempting offer.” You helped him out of his waistcoat as he pulled off his tie and tossed it somewhere in the room. “But I’d hate to be the reason for a decline in the efficiency of management of the Fortress.”

“Always an answer for everything.” You didn’t get a chance to retort before his mouth was covering yours, hot and hungry as he ground his hips against your thigh. It would seem his control had finally failed him, as when you kissed back, he let out a satisfied growl from the back of his throat, fingers digging into your flesh as he tugged you into the position he wanted.

You simply let him, tangling your fingers in his hair as you braced yourself for what was sure to be a long and tiring—if enjoyable—affair.

[merakiui]

Tw: slut shaming, incel!Idia, him being gross, noncon, size kink kinda, afab but crossdressing, etc

Imagine just bullying Idia daily when you game with him, calling his penis small repeatedly, this man had enough of your daily shenanigans, but the more he sees you the more he notices just how small you are compared to him to be just a normal male.

Your body is just so..... Feminine. Your frame is small but your thighs thick? Now he just has to test for himself, he bets that you were a slut who only likes getting gangbanged by the Savanaclaw students.

Come on? A girl crossdressing in an all boys school? We all know this troupe. He bets you are all loose from all the fucking you did,( little did he know you were a virgin all along, what non virgin would hang out with him daily anyway?)

He decided to take action against your mockery and pins you on the floor while you were distracted with your game,

"Hey prefect, tell me, why would a man wear more clothes around their chest?"

"W-what?! Get off me you tiny penis bitch, even squidward's nose is bigger-"

Idia wasted no time to strip you off your clothing, he was right after all, you were a girl, all girls are the same after all, it's their fault that no one wants to fuck him, you are just yet another loose slut.

He zip ties your hands then begins licking your cunt, this taste is quite addictive, but why isn't it all wet an soppy like in hentai? He attempts to shove a finger in but his single finger is getting clamped like crazy, no way..... You were a virgin? But no aren't you a slut?

He continues to lick your clit while his large hands keep your legs open, he stares at you, you really are a girl huh? How did he never catch that? As he did what hentai taught him you slowly gushed on his face, no longer fighting back from being all brain mushy.

He almost cummed in his pants but it's okay, you were meant to be bred anyway like the bitch you are. As he inserted his long dick you started to cry.

"Its too big, it won't fit. Can we stop this already?"

"Where did this your snarky bitchy attitude go? What happened with calling me tiny? No no, you're staying right here, this is all your fault. You finish what you started."

When he filled you to the brim, he can notice the massive bulge of himself inside of you, tiny you say? You were regretting your words right there, you started to scream and squirm as he thrusted.

It burns, it stings, it hurts, its feels good...wait what? You began slurring your words, you went from screaming no to screaming more. He finished inside of you.

White was oozing out, he took pics for later purposes. From that incident onwards Idia started to take action against you. You were converting from a brat to a cutie pliant kitten.

You do what he asks you to, like wearing a collar with his name on it, and wearing the skirts with tights you oh so despise. Every time you wanted to act out, he always threatened to share pictures of you and hack into the whole campus's phone just to spread it, maybe next time you should have watched your words.

UUUWUAAAAA IZUNA, THIS IS DELICIOUS OTL OTL OTL OTL

(cw: yandere, nsfw, unhealthy behaviors/relationship, implied captivity, non-con, pregnancy mentions, incel idia, misogyny)

And he’ll make you sit on his lap and cockwarm him while he’s gaming. Maybe he’ll make you wear a ball gag so you won’t be too noisy when he’s on vc. If you’re good and you don’t cum, he might let you take off that cute, revealing outfit you can’t stand. Maybe he’ll let you wear his hoodie. It’ll be so oversized on you. He might just fuck you in it. :) he probably uses you as a reference for when he’s sketching. He’ll stuff you full of all kinds of sex toys just so he can improve his anatomy or certain poses. Or he’ll want to recreate scenes from his favorite hentai.

And if you can just stop complaining and take his cock like the good kitten you are, he’ll bring you birth control, all that stuff girls need for their monthly periods, and anything else you might want. But that’s only if you’re obedient. He’ll dangle all of these good things in front of you because with the click of a button he can have them ordered to his dorm, but he can take them away just as fast. All it takes is one bratty comment from you and he might not let you take any birth control. He never bothers to wear condoms either because doing it raw is so much better. Idia has plenty of money and resources to care for a child (not that he’s truly ready for parenthood, but you’d look cute with a round belly and he’s always wanted to try pregnancy sex…), and if it’s you he wouldn’t mind it. But maybe that’s just his dick talking. Logical Idia says there’s no way he’d be able to take on that sort of challenge, but Idia when he’s buried to the hilt inside of you and you’re digging your nails into his shoulders thinks there would be nothing better than knocking you up and waiting for your belly to swell and your tits to grow a size or two and begin leaking. :)

That’s really all you’re good for, isn’t it? You should’ve known what you were getting into when you found yourself stuck at an all-boys academy. That’s basically a hentai waiting to happen. You’re basically signing yourself up to be a communal cumdump. Idia feels lucky he got to you before anyone else did. There are so many eligible bachelors here… there’s no way he can compete with them, but now he has you and he doesn’t have to compete. You may be a little brat when you aren’t stuffed full of cock, but at least he sees the real you when you’re under him, completely at his mercy and always melting at the slightest touch. He’ll condition his kitten well until you know exactly what to say and do when he expects it.

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

Heyyyy! SO as a local comteologist- okay sorry lmao 😂 I was wondering! Could you maybe write about an mc that is very affectionate? Because I am like that and I would give my ALL and just everything for someone I love. So, maybe the guys are pretending to be asleep and they hear mc admitting her undying love for them? I don't want to burden you! So, I think Will, Jean, Leo and Napoleon would be fine :D

I love you! And please take care of your self cuz corona is a hondje- sorry lmao

Have all of my uwus my lovely, I relate HIGHKEY I’m ungodly affectionate irl~

You take care of yourself too! Tyty 💖💖💖 nothing to apologize for I love a good clowning, esp if Theo gets clowned in the process 😂😂

And never apologize for using my esteemed title I will die on this Comte-thirsting hill (☆｀• ω •´)ｂ

I hope these attempts bring you joy! 

William Shookspeare:

Our v creative playwright boy was just vibin’. He had a long day at the (obnoxious thespian voice) theater and while he loves the art with all of his being, the man is t i r e d. MC was late to bed and while he prefers to wait for her to join him no he is not horny perish the thought he just started dozing off from the exhaustion. He’s not sure when the lights go out, but he feels an immeasurable warmth around him. Faintly, he can make out a voice murmured at his ear, a gentle hand running through his hair. (I s2g if this bih says “Puck?” I’m gonna smack him for MC)

“Had a long day, hm?” He’s only just coming to, and can’t muster the energy to reply or open his eyes. “I’m sure this next performance will be the best one yet! You surprise me every day, Will...”

“Try not to work yourself too hard, sweetheart. Your work may one day be the world’s greatest marvel.”

He wasn’t sure what it was about the words that made his lips tremble. Was it the praise that always seemed to flow forth at a moment’s notice, the real kind he was so unaccustomed to? Or was it that unshakeable calm; her faith in him unmoved by any fear or doubt--the kind that made him wonder briefly if she was dull all those years ago. Now he was just thankful it was still here, no matter how undeserving he may be.

“But you will always be my entire world, my greatest marvel. I love you too much to let the world have you.”

Jeanne D’Arc (REEEEEE MY GOODEST BOY OTL):

It was early one morning, frost blossoming in fractals along the transparent surface of the bedside window. An inevitable, biting chill lingers in the room while the sun is fighting to climb past the horizon, its time so limited in these winter months. She watches as the light casts a gentle gray over the bare walls--something she promised to remedy soon--so reminiscent of how he appeared to her at first. Pure and bright, but still fighting off a darkness she knew so little about.

The thought made her draw him to her protectively, careful not to wake him up as she tucked him close to her heart. He was so warm, even despite the frigid weather. A product of his time as a soldier? She was never sure, but she was always touched by how often he used that warmth in service to her. 

She remembered earlier the other day, when she returned home from some grocery shopping with Sebas. Concern was overflowing from his stoic face--it was there if you knew where to look for it; his eyes a little more narrow, the line of his mouth closer to a frown. All at once his hands were reaching for hers, relieving her of whatever she allowed him to carry while walking into the kitchen alongside her. When Sebas stepped out again he took her hands in his, pressing them along his face. She had cried out, knowing her hands were freezing--it had to be painful to warm them in such a way. But he only smiled that beautiful smile to quell her distress, the one that always took her breath away, and insisted he could do no less.

“The same goes for me too, though, Jeanne.” she looked at the fierce mark on his face, so unworthy of someone so gentle. She resisted every urge to soothe her fingers across it, loathe to wake him up. She didn’t notice the fingers that twitched at her hip, his signs of stirring subtle. “Whenever you need me, whenever you can’t think of a good reason to walk out of this room. All you need to do is find me, okay? I love you so, so much.”

Leonardo Da Binchi (no i will not apologize. he deserves to be clowned, glorious moron):

Once again her lover was gloriously strewn across the library floor, arms crossed and fast asleep. An exasperated smile found her face at the sight. Perhaps it would have been a surprise at first, but nowadays she would just roll her eyes and walk past. Sometimes, if she was feeling forlorn or a little reckless, she would climb into his lap just as he was. He seemed to enjoy being woken up that way though, so of course she couldn’t give him the satisfaction every time; a woman likes to change things up. And sometimes she was too busy to spare the time.

Even so, the slowly dimming shadows under his eyes were a relief to see. While the celebration of his birthday could only be a blessing, she knew what a double-edged blade it could be. It invoked so many wounds that hadn’t yet healed. While she wished he would share that burden with her--however heavy it may be--she slapped her own cheeks lightly at the impatient thought. Give him time...

“I know you think you have to carry everything alone. And in some ways, it’s something I admire so much about you--the way you always seem to know just how to move forward. Like nothing can shake you.”

She leaned down close to him, bracing herself against the bookshelf as she pressed a kiss gently against his temple. “But know that whenever you find yourself wavering, or even if you just need a place to rest, I’m right here. I’ll always be right here. I love you so much more than you think, Leonardo...”

She stopped herself before she could finish the thought, knowing it wasn’t what he wanted to hear: “more than my own life.”

Napoleon Bonaparte (oh my little lion man...):

They were spending a nice afternoon in the courtyard, as a lovey-dovey couple do, and they went under the veranda to find some relief from the midday sun. Surprising literally no one, our sweet emperor started to doze after some yummy tea time snackies--drifting asleep against MC’s shoulder. She adjusted a bit to change the angle of the lean, making sure he wasn’t putting too much pressure on his neck. Little puffs of air made her bangs flutter as he breathed low and even, and she smiled.

He’d had a guard jobs back to back recently, which meant precious little time to spend with him. Restless and quieter than usual, she had suggested a little stroll together around the courtyard; admiring the flowers and telling him about the books she’d been reading to fill the silence of those lonely nights. It wasn’t long before he started to smile more, snickering when she gave ludicrous summaries of the characters and plot. 

Early that morning she had taken the time to make perfect tea time sweets, fully anticipating--and hoping--it would encourage him to rest. So often he would be worried about her missing out on things or trying to plan more elaborate dates, but if she were honest she didn’t care much for extravagance or constant excitement. These tender moments where he could trust her (and the mansion’s perimeter) enough to fall fast asleep, no nightmares in sight, was enough to fill her heart with so much joy.

“I know you can’t help but want to do everything you can for the people around you; protecting and serving others is your life. I never want to be a reason you feel you need to stop doing that.” She murmured in the silence, playing with the buttons on his coat with a faint smile. “But even so, remember you always have a home to return to. More than that, no matter how powerful or skilled; you’re also one man. A man I love more than anything else in this world, a man I always want by my side--if he’ll have me, that is.”

She took the hand that was entwined with her own, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of his palm as his lashes trembled. “I love you, Leon. Whether I see you every moment of every day, or only in stolen moments between assignments. That will never change. There will be times where you belong to the whole world, but this” she placed a hand gently over his heart “will always belong to me. Let it lead you home to me, sweetheart.”

And because I can’t help myself, I added Comte, Mozart and Vincent:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (he’s the melody I can’t get out of my head DON’T LOOK AT ME):

Despite all of his promises to quit his bad habits, she opened the door later that evening to find him fast asleep against the covered keys of the piano. His shock of white hair was nestled comfortably against his arms, piled together as a makeshift pillow. The sight made her think of those long, long nights in college; thinking you’d close your eyes for a minute--only to be adrift in seconds. 

Smiling wryly, she reached into a nearby closet to retrieve a blanket before draping it gently across his shoulders. Torn between waking him up and guiding him to bed or leaving him be, she decided on the latter. She got the feeling that waking him up would only mean “a few more minor edits” to the composition he was working on, leaving sleep an afterthought. While she knew he often couldn’t help himself, she didn’t want him neglecting his health all the same. 

She’d be back with some hot chocolate in a few hours, just how he liked it.

As she was about to slip back out of the room, the hand at his elbow clumsily grasped for hers resting on the covered keys. Heat bloomed across her face, ears burning as he clung to her warmth. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.” She sat down on the piano bench carefully, trying not to jostle him awake. “Your music will never stop being the most beautiful and soulful sound I’ve ever heard. But even a mind as impressive as yours needs plenty of rest--even more so, I’d wager. You work yourself too hard sometimes, Wolfie.” She leaned until her shoulder brushed his, “But I’ll always be here to make sure you don’t overdo it too much. Sweet dreams my only love.”

Vincent van Gogh (he’s babie your honor):

MC was on her laundry rounds, Vincent’s aprons now thoroughly washed and folded for his use once again. She knocked on the door murmuring a greeting--though fully anticipated he might not respond. While he was usually so sweet and attentive, it was almost like he became an entirely different person when painting. Utterly serious, intensely focused; any attempts at speaking to him would require many tries before he came back to himself with a beaming smile. 

She sighed dreamily, easily picturing it. His eyes would always be stunning, a cerulean to rival the calm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. But in the midst of his greatest passion? They burned bright enough to make her forget the rest of the world existed.

Trying not to embarrass herself on unsteady feet, she opened the door cautiously to find his easel abandoned. Shocked, she scanned the rest of the room until she found him strewn across the couch; a blanket haphazard in its provision of cover. With a gentle smile she stored away the fresh aprons in the dresser before she approached him, kneeling close to the couch so that she could tuck him in properly.

He let out a pleased little huff before shifting slightly in his sleep, body angled in her direction. There was a faint smile on his lips, evidence of what was likely a pleasant dream or peaceful rest. She traced the outline of his ear cuff with insatiable fingers, eyes glistening a little when he nuzzled into the faint touch--trapping her between his cheek and his arm. 

“You’re more precious to me than anything else in this world, Vince,” the murmur was barely audible, he didn’t stir. “I can’t imagine my life without you, and if I’m honest--no part of me really wants to imagine it. This warmth is the greatest gift I’ve ever known; thank you for choosing to share it with me. I love you so much, sweetheart.”

Le Comte de Saint Germain (SAN GERUMAN HAKKSHAKKU):

Every day is a long ass day when you have 10+ children (yes, Leonardo, you are in that child count I hope you’re happy >:| ). For all his half-hearted complaints about the exhaustion and noisiness though, he loves his bubs, and wouldn’t have things any other way.

Even so, it doesn’t stop the delighted giggling that shakes her shoulders when she finds him fast asleep in his favorite armchair. His tie is undone and askew, head lolling to the side--any attempt at his usual poise long forgotten. While she most often found him to be charming and delightful, she loved it even more when he felt comfortable sharing these parts of himself too. 

She set aside the tea she would always have prepared at this hour and reached for the coat he had draped across the opposite chair, settling it carefully over his form. Resisting every urge to join him--Sebas would need her help preparing dinner--she carded a hand through his hair, tucking it behind his ear so it wouldn’t tickle him while he was asleep.

He was so lovely like this, face unmarred by the weight of several lifetimes that found him when he was awake. No matter how early she rose when they were together, she rarely ever got the privilege of seeing him a little drowsy, lost to rest as he was now. She brushed light kisses to his eyelids, smiling when he half-sighed her name.

“Tuckered yourself out did you? You big worrywart.” She resisted the urge to find his hand and entwine it with hers. “I promise to watch over them, so rest easy, my dearest love.” She played with the collar, tucking him in further. “I know everyone here is precious to you. But remember that you’re the most important person in my life too,” she leaned her forehead gently against his. “While I love to see everyone get along, I love to see you happy and well-rested even more. You’ll always be the only one for me, [insert Comte’s real name].” 

Bonus continuation because I still can’t help myself apparently, somebody please take my laptop away from me:

Arms like steel bands enclosed her in his embrace, a sleepy exhale washing over her ear as she shivered a little at the sudden warmth.

“Mm, ma cherie, surely you didn’t think you’d get away with that kind of teasing...”

“But I wasn’t teasing you! I was completely serious.”

Laughter shook his chest and hers too, making her melt at the undisguised affection in the hands that settled her close to his heart.

“Then you must be punished for such foul play. To think you would ruthlessly attack me while asleep, bien-aime.”

“And how might I atone for this egregious indiscretion?”

She could feel him smile against her shoulder, the rascal. “Stay here a little while longer with me.” As if he had any intention of letting her go. Not that she minded, honestly.

“Threaten me with a good time.” she mumbled, stroking a hand soothingly along his back as they closed their eyes for a while.

A few more minutes couldn’t do any harm, could it?

[tmngoose]

Some Assembly Required: a Rottmnt story

Remember this post? Well, I decided to clean up what I had and show it to y’all. This was supposed to be a much longer story, but back when I was writing it, I jumped ship for a different fic I was working on and never came back OTL Characters: Donnie, Mikey, Raph, Leo, April, Shelldon, Draxum, Huginn & Muninn (albeit super brief) Tags: Lab accidents, fires, minor injuries, hurt/comfort, obscure UHF reference I won’t be uploading this to Ao3, so you can read it under the cut :U

For the longest time, Donnie dreamed of the perfect lab partner. Though Shelldon was an impeccable assistant, there were moments where Donnie longed to work side-by-side with another scientist. Someone with a thirst for knowledge! Someone who shared his passion for all things technical and methodical; a scientist, just like he considered himself to be! 

To think Baron Draxum would be Donnie's long-awaited lab partner was not a scenario the Softshell had ever fathomed. Still, it was one he accepted with great enthusiasm. 

Draxum and Donnie saw no reason to doubt their capabilities. However, the rest of the family remained wary whenever the two of them went off meddling in the lab. With April's help, Raph, Leo, and Mikey devised a strict set of guidelines to ensure Donnie and Draxum wouldn't get into too much trouble. 

"Scoff!" Donnie threw the hefty packet of rules down at his feet, offended. "What do you take us for: a pair of unhinged Frankensteins? Y'know, it'd be nice if, just for once, you guys would have a little faith in our scientific endeavors!" 

"It's not that we don't trust you guys," April explained, "It's just... you guys tend to get a little carried away with your projects, that's all!" 

"What's that suppose to mean?" 

"The last time Barry was in a lab, he created the Oozesquitos," April folded her arms, "And don't get me started about the time you messed with your brother's brains."

"Okay! I get it!" Donnie sighed. He picked up the packet of rules and flapped the dust out from its pages. "We won't get carried away: Todd scout's honor." 

April smiled, "Thanks, Dee." 

"Yes, well, if you'll excuse me, Draxum and I were just about to partake in our latest  scientific acquisition: Professor Philo's Chemistry Set for the At-Home Scientist!" Donnie started off for his lab, tucking the packet into a compartment in his battle-shell.

April shook her head, smiling as she headed inside the living room, where the sounds of 8-bit gaming welcomed her. Raph and Mikey were too invested in whatever racing game they were playing to notice April. 

"Soo, how'd it go?" Leo asked from his beanbag chair. "Is Donnie mad that we're afraid he'll bring Potatozilla into existence or what?"

"I say he handled it pretty well!" April plopped herself down in the recliner. "I told Donnie that we just wanted to make sure he and Draxum toned it down a bit, that's all." 

"See? I told you he'd listen to April!" Mikey grinned smugly at Leo.

Leo rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He went back to scrolling his social feed on his phone, "I'll believe it when they don't create a giant mutant potato or somethin'."

"Be nice, Leo," April swung her legs over the armrest. "We've gotta have a little faith in 'em. Besides, I've never seen Donnie this happy since-" 

KA-BOOOOOOM!!!

A powerful tremor shook the lair, taking everyone by surprise. The trinkets Splinter's 'Do Not Touch' cabinet rattled and shook, a few of the lighter items clattered to the floor. April held onto the armchair with Raph steadying it before it could topple over backward. Mikey hid inside of his shell out of reflex as Leo jumped to his feet, prepared to face whatever threat was upon them.

"Omigosh!" Mikey exclaimed, popping his head out of his shell. "What was that?!" 

"You don't think DIGG's tryin' to take down the Kaufman Coliseum again?" Raph frowned, trying to rub the ringing out from his ears. 

"Um, guys?" Leo sniffed the air, "Does anyone else smell something burning, or is that Raph's 'Taken-By-Surprise' stink?" 

Raph sniffed at his underarm, "Nope. It's not me!" 

April and Mikey took a moment to smell the air, their noses wrinkled at the familiar acrid odor of smoke. 

And smoke could only mean one thing: something was on fire. 

Oh no! Donnie! Barry! April's stomach dropped over the thought. She bolted out of the living room with Raph, Leo, and Mikey right behind her. "Please let it be a giant mutant potato!" 

It wasn't a giant mutant potato. 

By the time they entered the atrium, a thick cloud of smoke had spilled out from the mouth of Donnie's lab, billowing up into the rafters above. Although they couldn't see it, they could hear the fire roaring from deep within the lab.

"Mad Dogz!" Raph barked, "Initiate ‘Fire Safety Plan Alpha!’"  “FSssPAH!” Mikey pronounced the acronym from the back of the group.

But before Raph could lead the rescue, Draxum leaped out from the smoke carrying Donnie in his arms; their matching lab coats singed. Shelldon flew out, not too far behind, with Huginn and Munnin holding onto his back. 

"Barry!" April ran up to the soot-stained alchemist. "What happened?! I thought y'all we're gonna take things easy? Didn’t y’all read the packet?!" 

"We were," Draxum rasped, passing Donnie's limp body into Raph's arms. "If it weren't for a pair of idle hands." He gave his gargoyles a sharp look while removing the safety goggles from his face, leaving clean rings around his eyes.

Munnin's wings sagged, "The instructions weren't joking when it said 'everything in this chemistry set is a fire hazard.'"

"Yeah, including the instructions," Huginn hung his head, "Our bad."

"So, how're we suppose to handle this whole situation?" Leo asked, gesturing to the raging inferno that was (formally) Donnie's lab.

"I'm on it, dudes!" Shelldon replied, concentrating on his emergency protocols hardwired into his drives.

The fire-alarm system blared to life. Then came the hissing of the sprinklers going off and the gush of extinguishing foam spraying deep within the lab. Slowly, the smoke was beginning to ease up, much to everyone's relief.

Slowly, Donnie began to stir, groaning as he slowly regained consciousness, "Ugh... what? M-my lab..." His confusion morphed into panic as he realized the severity of the situation. "My lab!!" He squirmed feebly in Raph's arms, mortified.

"Woah, take it easy," Raph held Donnie against him, firm enough to subdue him yet careful not to hurt him. "That chemistry set of yours nearly got you guys barbequed." 

Donnie frowned, "No, you don't understand!" His eyes stung with tears as he thought of his life's work gone in a blaze of unsupervised stupidity. "Everything's ruined!"

"Hey, you don't know that for sure!" April gently touched Donnie's shoulder. "Besides, what's important is you're both okay!" 

"April's right," Mikey agreed, clinging to Draxum's side, "We're glad y'all made it out safely. A little flambéed, but you get the idea."

"But my lab," Donnie emphasized. 

"Lab shmab, we can worry about that later!" Leo nudged Draxum with his elbow. "For now, let's focus on getting you toasted marshmallows taken care of."

"Yeah, what Leo said!" Raph adjusted Donnie in his arms, heading for the bathroom where the first aid kit was kept. "Just you wait; maybe it's not as bad as you think!"

                                                            -x-

Raph's sense of judgment was always a mixed bag, and this time, he couldn't have been farther from the truth. 

The lab was a smoldering mess, virtually unrecognizable to the Turtles, Draxum, and April. The walls were blackened, and the smell of burnt wiring and computer parts hung sourly in the air. Puddles of foam and water gathered in parts of the floor, adding to the disarray.

Donnie searched desperately for anything salvageable, but the prospects were slim to none. The bandaged Softshell approached the remnants of his workstation, absolutely gutted. He reached for what was once a prototype for a new battle shell, but it crumbled into ash in his hands. 

"Alas, this must've been what it felt like to lose the Library of Alexandria," Donnie mourned poetically, sinking to his knees. Shelldon drifted up to his heartbroken creator, pressing his head against Donnie's side like the loyal drone he was.

"Okaaayyy, so it's a little charbroiled in here," Leo cringed. "But if anyone can fix this, it's you!" 

"Do you have any idea how long that'll take me?" Donnie moaned, overwhelmed by the daunting task. "It took me years of refurbishing junk and computer parts, and now I have nothing! Zilch! Nada! No equipment, no materials, no anything!"

Donnie's outburst left the others speechless. They had seen him upset before, but nothing to this extent. 

Quietly, Draxum approached Donatello, "As someone who has lost their life's work twice, I understand your plight," he said, joining the turtle on the floor. "However, unlike myself, you are fortunate not to face this endeavor alone. You have your friends, your brothers, and... your lab partner," Draxum looked off to the side, somewhat flustered by the sentimental mushiness his words implied. 

"Draxibald's right, Donnie!" Mikey beamed. He was so proud of Barry for stepping up to the plate. He popped up in between them, slinging his arms over their shoulders, "You've got us to help you! We'll have your lab up and running in no time!"

Leo smiled, "Yeah, with you bossing us around, we can totally get the job done!"

"But a total rebuild of this scope requires a certain level of technological sophistication!" Donnie deflated, "So unless you know of any tech-savvy geniuses out there, I don't see how any of this is possible."

"Oh, I know a guy," April answered, "And I'm lookin' right at him~" She smiled at Donnie, who didn't know how to process the compliment. "Have a little faith in yourself, Dee!"  Donnie blinked, stunned that his own words were used against him.

"Yeah, you said so yourself!” Raph joined in, “You and that big brain of yours built this lab out of nothin' but junk! If there's anyone who can build back better than ever, it's you! So whaddya say, Don?"

Donnie looked at Raph's hand extended out to him. He then glanced over at Leo, Mikey, and April, all eagerly awaiting his response. He turned to Draxum, who gave a curt nod.

Touched by the support of his family, Donnie wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye, "I say let's order some pizzas and chop-chop! Rome wasn't built in a day, people! We've got our work cut out for us!"  He took Raph’s hand and was lifted up from the ground.  Yes, Donnie supposed he could have a little faith in himself, and everyone else as well.

[miss-ingno]

this is how the war is won (5/5)

Fandom: Guardian (镇魂) Ship: Kunwei (Kunlun/Shen Wei) Words: 8.1k Tags: YOHE AU (Canon AU set in YOHE), omegaverse, omega!Shen Wei, alpha!Kunlun, heat!fic, Porn with Plot, First Kiss, misunderstandings, virgin!Shen Wei, courtship rituals, enemies (of circumstance) to lovers, hurt/comfort & fluff, Starcrossed Lovers, omega!Ye Zun

Summary: Haixing is finally able to turn the tide of war in their favour when they capture Heipaoshi and find out the infamous Dixingren general’s darkest secret: he is an omega. Can General Kunlun protect Shen Wei from a forced bonding? Or will taking him as his own destroy their burgeoning romance?

Read here on Ao3.  Ch1 || Ch2 || Ch3 || Ch4 || Ch5

A/N: content warning for more attempted non-con in Ye Zun’s part.

Sorry this chapter took so long! OTL hopefully the extra-length is some consolation?

***

Fu You was right to worry, Da Qing acknowledged as he watched Kunlun help Heipaoshi onto his warhorse. After Kunlun's display of putting his own desires above the concerns of the Alliance, she had asked Da Qing to keep a close eye on the general. He should let her know they were leaving the base under the cover of the night, Kunlun's entourage sneaking off in ones or twos to meet up with the rest of the general's army. Lady Fu was the chosen leader of the Yashou, as such it was Da Qing's duty to inform her of this development. Instead, Da Qing stepped forward, out of the shadows and under Kunlun's heavy, assessing gaze.

"Where to?" he asked brusquely, leaping up and transforming into a cat mid-air, landing on Kunlun's shoulder with light paws.

"The troops, and then the Rebellion's headquarters," Kunlun told him bluntly. Da Qing kneaded the shoulder guard under his paws in contemplation, noting how Kunlun's customary fur was still draped over Heipaoshi's shoulders. Anyone else would assume Kunlun was seduced by his new omega into leaving the Alliance, but Da Qing knew Kunlun. More than that, he trusted him. Whatever he was up to, Kunlun had his reasons.

"Lead on, then," he decided magnanimously. He might be a Yashou, but his loyalty lay with his oldest friend first and foremost. Kunlun was his chosen person, his owner, and it was his honour as a cat to walk the same path.

Kunlun paused. "You're sure, Da Qing?"

"What kind of question is that?" Da Qing complained, tail swishing agitatedly.

Kunlun laughed and heaved himself up onto his horse behind Heipaoshi. Da Qing dug his claws into Kunlun’s cloak, holding on fast. Kunlun wrapped one arm around Heipaoshi’s waist, the omega leaning back against his chest. The other hand grabbed the reins, and then they were off, Kunlun urging his horse into a fast trot, soon to be a gallop the moment they were far enough away from the camp.

This close, Da Qing could smell the scents of heat and bonding on them both. Frowning, he leaned over Kunlun’s shoulder, sniffing. Heipaoshi’s heat smelled fresher than it should if it were simply lingering traces. Sweat beaded the omega’s skin, and when he turned to meet Da Qing’s curious look, Da Qing could see his pupils were blown wide, hidden by the hood.

Da Qing reared back in shock. “Why are you letting your omega leave the nest while he's still in heat?”

Kunlun's mouth drew into a thin line. "Time is of the essence."

"So why don't you leave him here?" Da Qing wrinkled his nose. "Or if you don't want to let him out of your sight, you could send me to deal with it?"

"It's complicated," Kunlun replied tersely, "Heipaoshi's presence is required for the plan to work."

"Plan, what plan? Do you even have a plan?" Da Qing huffed, swiping at Kunlun's head with his paw, careful to keep his claws retracted. "Idiot. You do remember half of your lieutenants are alphas, too, right?"

Kunlun growled deep in his throat. "I'm not letting them touch him."

"It's a risk we'll have to take," Heipaoshi whispered, quiet and determined. "We need to act now, before…"

He trailed off, turning his head to lay on Kunlun's chest. Below his paws, Da Qing could feel the reassuring rumble running through the general. He kneaded the shoulder contemplatively. Well. He supposed he was happy for his friend that his mate agreed with his priorities, although how easily he gave in was suspicious in and of itself. Still, personally he was of the opinion that they were both being unnecessarily dumb about it. No way would bringing Heipaoshi along go over well with Kunlun's men.

They regrouped with a handful of Kunlun’s loyal soldiers at the foot of the hill. Luckily Da Qing had the foresight to command only betas to join their escort—Kunlun better thank him with lots of fish later. Smaller groups were easier to hide from patrols, yet heading towards Dixing’s territory just the three of them would’ve been suicide, especially with the newly mated pair distracted. And Da Qing learned self-preservation from the best, right after the meaning of loyalty.

About halfway through their journey to the army's camp, Kunlun called for a stop.

"Da Qing, bring the horses to the river for a quick drink and rest," he ordered, already sliding off his horse. Heipaoshi slipped with him, boneless and only held upright by Kunlun's tight grip on him. Still, he protested.

"I can keep going."

"Well, I can't," Kunlun shot him down, wrapping his free arm under his omega's legs and pulling him up into a bridal carry. His brow was furrowed in concern, his gaze sharp despite the pupils blown wide by lust. "Not with you smelling like this."

Heipaoshi blinked, his gaze hazy under the hood, cheeks flushed from the fever. Da Qing could smell his heat, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, and knew he was still in the throes of it. They really shouldn't be traveling at all. Any alpha worth their salt would be able to smell Heipaoshi coming from a mile away downwind.

Ignoring his omega's weak objections, Kunlun shrugged off his cloak and laid it out some ways from the road where they were hidden by the brush. Da Qing wrinkled his nose and determinedly turned his back on the pair. There was no need to burn that image into his mind. Bad enough he could never forget how they smelled after mating, he didn’t need to watch.

Neither did anyone else.

He ordered their escort to stand guard, eyes narrowed and making sure they all turned their backs on the coupling. The state they were in, Kunlun would be tempted to claw their eyes out if they so much as caught a glimpse of his vulnerable mate. Plus, it was only right to preserve Heipaoshi's dignity. While an alpha losing control and ravaging their omega publicly was common enough, Kunlun was too restrained in his actions, carefully padding his chosen spot into a makeshift nest. Ensuring his omega’s comfort, even as he quickly and efficiently went about taking him, clothing barely out of the way and covering his mate from view with his own body.

No, this wasn’t a loss of control. Kunlun genuinely cared for Heipaoshi, surprising as it seemed.

It made sense to Da Qing, though. After all, he recognized the omega’s scent. It was the same scent clinging to Kunlun whenever he came back from a rendezvous with his secret lover, the omega he’d been panting after for weeks now. The very same omega that came to Kunlun’s camp, leaving him a trail to follow. The one that had Kunlun sighing and pining and, most significantly of all, turning down offers from the camp's omega companions.

Of course, if Da Qing had known it was Heipaoshi his friend was lusting over, he’d have raked him over the coals. And yet… their camp hadn’t been attacked, despite Heipaoshi clearly knowing where to find it.

Perhaps their attraction was mutual. Kunlun deserved a mate who loved him as devotedly as he clearly did.

Afterwards, they made quick work of the last leg of the journey, and Da Qing realized to his surprise that Heipaoshi had been holding on by a thread before Kunlun forced him to take a break. With the heat temporarily tamed by their recent mating, Heipaoshi's gaze was much clearer, more alert; the tightness around his eyes smoothed out, his posture straightened and he seemed less reliant on Kunlun's help to stay seated. Although they still kept cuddling close, neither of them ready to be separated.

They galloped into the army's camp at the brink of dawn, their arrival announced by the patrols they passed on the way. The night shift greeted them, gathering around the party in a tight ring. A murmur went through the crowd as they laid eyes on Heipaoshi's iconic cloak, but they quickly shut up and fell into parade's rest under the general's sharp glare. The omega stuck to his alpha’s side instead of the customary three steps behind as Kunlun marched through the camp, issuing instructions to the servants until they arrived at the general’s tent. Kunlun ushered Heipaoshi inside first before turning to Da Qing.

"Gather the lieutenants in the command tent," Kunlun ordered, and Da Qing shot him a thoughtful look, but did as told without protest.

The command tent was erected in the middle of the camp as usual, a small area with a map on a table in the middle. Little clay figurines detailed the Alliance's and Rebellion's respective positions, troop movements and encampments both confirmed, abandoned, and rumoured. The soldiers muttered amongst themselves, theorizing about this recent deployment. They'd been holding the frontline alongside most of the Alliance's armies, only rotating out the injured and waiting to mobilize if new intelligence about the Hallows reached them. Until Kunlun received his mysterious message and left without a word, taking only a small honour guard with him.

The murmurings quieted down as Kunlun entered the tent, holding up the flap for his omega to follow.

Heipaoshi was unmistakable, now wearing his armour that Da Qing had spent the better part of the day chasing down. Many had wanted to keep a piece as a trophy, but not strongly enough to pick a fight with General Kunlun. Now kitted out in his customary battle robes with Kunlun's fur draped over his shoulders, Heipaoshi struck an intimidating figure.

Then he lifted his bowed head, eyes flitting over the crowd behind his mask, and pulled down the hood.

The effect was immediate.

As one, the gathered lieutenants inhaled, Heipaoshi's heated omega scent permeating the tent's air. As some of them were alphas themselves, a low, interested rumble started up from several throats only to be cut off by Kunlun's threatening growl, a possessive arm draped around Heipaoshi's waist. The soldiers backed down fast, too well trained and General Kunlun too well-respected to challenge him openly.

Da Qing's attention, however, was caught by the familiar beads braided into Heipaoshi's hair.

It was one thing for Kunlun to claim Heipaoshi as his omega, a warbride. An alpha could have as many concubines as they liked, and he assumed that was the assumption the council made when they agreed to Kunlun's choice. The beads, however—they told a different story. They declared Heipaoshi as part of his family, his wife, his one true mate. Da Qing considered the consequences for a heartbeat and decided he had to be present when Kunlun defended his choice to the Empress. The fireworks would be spectacular.

"As you see, our circumstances have changed," Kunlun announced to the lieutenants, ushering his omega towards the center table ahead of himself before crowding in close behind him. "With Heipaoshi by my side, a unique opportunity arises. One we must avail ourselves to post-haste, less the rebels start to suspect."

Heipaoshi frowned down at the map, then reached out to adjust several of the suspected rebel camp markers, switching some out for the figurines meaning certainty and taking others off completely or changing their positions. Kunlun's attention was caught by his movements, dark gaze intent on his omega. He leaned in over Heipaoshi's shoulder, sniffing at his neck, mouth hovering above the bite marking his claim.

Heipaoshi, as if drawn by an invisible force, turned his head to bare his throat while meeting Kunlun's gaze with half-lidded eyes.

"As far as I remember, this should be where the rebel troops are now," Heipaoshi murmured, his lips almost brushing Kunlun's. "However, my intelligence is a week old at this point."

"Still better than what we had, xiao-Hei," Kunlun breathed, leaning in to nuzzle at Heipaoshi's cheek, rubbing his scent over his omega's skin possessively, as if they didn't already reek of one another. Da Qing was judging Kunlun and his terrible life choices.

"They may have changed plans assuming I would break under torture," Heipaoshi pointed out rather too reasonably for the way he was swaying towards Kunlun. "We must be cautious relying on my information when we execute our plan."

The lieutenants shifted uneasily at the words 'our plan', exchanging dubious looks. Da Qing watched, but Kunlun was too distracted by his new mate to notice the restlessness growing amongst his soldiers. It was up to Da Qing to get them back on track, apparently. He deserved all the fish after this.

“So, what is your plan, oh great leader?” Da Qing called out, loud enough to interrupt the pair, the question everyone wanted an answer to but no one else dared to ask. If he were in cat form right now, his tail would be swishing in annoyance. “I assume you have something figured out already.”

“Ah? Of course!” Kunlun exclaimed, shooting him a grin. “It’s simple really: We’ll pretend xiao-Hei caught me.”

“Pretend?" one of the lieutenants muttered under their breath, a ripple of nervous laughter spreading through the gathering. This time, Kunlun took note, his eyes narrowing sharply in warning, even as he pasted on a good-natured grin, as if to turn the tone of doubt into teasing amongst comrades.

"Captured. Taken prisoner. Whatever you want to call it," he amended, gesturing with his free hand. The other still laid possessively over Heipaoshi's hip.

“So, here’s the plan,” Kunlun announced, spreading his free arm wide in a grandiose gesture. “Xiao-Hei will take us to the rebellion’s headquarters, telling them he managed to capture General Kunlun and his men. Our ropes will be loosely tied and easily shaken off once they let us inside. From there, we will take over the base from the inside.”

A nervous titter went through the crowd, interest roused at the prospect. To take the rebel’s headquarters… that would be quite the feat indeed. If they could trust Heipaoshi not to lead them into a trap.

Kunlun dropped his arm, eyeing the group seriously. "This mission is volunteers only. Despite our advantages, it will be dangerous. But if we manage to pull this off" —his hand cut through the air with finality— "we're done. No more war."

This announcement was met with the rustle of clothes as the lieutenants shifted in place, the speaking looks exchanged both excited and dubious. An end to the war… no one could quite imagine it.

The third-in-command stepped forward, arms crossed and bushy brows furrowed. As an alpha, she butted heads with Kunlun often. However, she was good at staying just shy of pushing the general too far, a careful balancing act of respect and challenge that allowed her to rise in the ranks rapidly. More than that, she had earned Kunlun’s respect in turn by proving intelligent and reliable.

“Is this action sanctioned by Lord Ma Gui?”

Kunlun met her challenge with a narrow-eyed stare. “Why does it matter?”

Da Qing wrinkled his nose. If Kunlun were clear-headed instead of heat-addled, he would've chosen his words more carefully, he thought ungraciously.

“Lord Ma Gui is the Alliance’s chief strategist,” she returned calmly, not backing down. “With all due respect, General, infiltrating the rebels’ main base is a risky endeavour. Yet you suggest it now, after bringing Heipaoshi into our camp without warning.”

“I have claimed him as my omega, he has every right to be here,” Kunlun shot back, his grip on Heipaoshi tightening possessively.

The third-in-command snorted. “And is Lord Ma Gui aware you brought such a dangerous enemy into your ranks?”

“The council ordered Heipaoshi bonded.” A shocked murmur ran through the crowd, but Kunlun ignored it, his gaze fixed on the alpha challenging him. “Are you Ma Gui’s soldier, or mine, third-in-command?”

“Yours,” she replied without hesitation, raising her chin. “Which is why I’m asking: why the secrecy?”

Kunlun bared his teeth, and the third-in-command returned the gesture, a challenge in every tense muscle. The air simmered with tension, on the brink of turning ugly. Da Qing took a careful step back, in case a fight broke out, readying his internal energy for a transformation. The alphas’ staring contest continued, Kunlun’s jaw twitching as a subaudible growl started up, and even Da Qing couldn’t tell which of them started it.

“For me.”

The words broke the strained silence, catching everyone’s attention. The growl broke off, and Heipaoshi turned in Kunlun's arm, looking up at him from under his lashes. His eyes were shadowed by the hood, but Kunlun stared back at him, transfixed.

"General Kunlun has been remiss in his duties," he said solemnly. "We are bonded, however, I have yet to receive a gift." Heipaoshi reached out, picking up the figure marking the rebel chief's position. He stared at the figurine for a long, tense moment, turning it over and over in his fingers. Finally, he looked up, meeting Kunlun's gaze with a resolute expression. "I want Zei Qiu's head."

A shift went through the gathered lieutenants, a hiss of surprise. No one had expected Heipaoshi to be out for his leader's blood, but already speculation was circulating in cut-off whispers and speaking glances. Whether the chieftain had offended his primary enforcer or Heipaoshi was grabbing the chance to raise his own position by establishing his alpha as the new leader, the use of that title—Zei Qiu, the betrayer—was enough to cement him firmly on Haixing's, or at least Kunlun's, side. They quieted down at Da Qing's glare, everyone watching the general and his mate with bated breath. Kunlun himself only had eyes for his omega, leaning forward intently.

"I will serve it to you on a silver platter," he swore.

For a moment, it looked like they might kiss, caught up in each other’s eyes and forgetting their audience. Then Heipaoshi pulled back, cleared his throat and turned back to the map.

“There’s a lookout camp approximately here,” Heipaoshi informed them, setting a marker at a spot near the foot of the mountain range. “It’s not far from there to the headquarters, and…” Heipaoshi turned in Kunlun’s arm, biting his lip. “Some of the soldiers stationed there should be loyal to me over the chieftain. Several of them owe me their lives.”

Kunlun nodded, tapping a finger to his lips with the hand not wrapped around Heipaoshi’s hip. “It would help to sell our scene. Even the mighty Heipaoshi is unlikely to capture several skilled Haixingren on his lonesome.”

Heipaoshi’s lips quirked into a small smile before smoothing out into a serious expression again. “I will scout ahead, see how many are willing to help us. We will meet you in the woods here and travel the rest of the way together.”

Da Qing’s eyebrows flew up, and he glanced at Kunlun to gauge his reaction. To his surprise, the alpha rumbled agreeably, absent-mindedly rubbing their cheeks together as he surveyed the map over Heipaoshi’s shoulder. Da Qing would have expected him to protest letting Heipaoshi out of his sight, not because he cared what the Alliance’s council might think, but because they were freshly bonded and alphas were notoriously difficult to separate from their omegas during the honeymoon phase.

“General, you can’t honestly consider letting Heipaoshi go alone,” one of the lieutenants protested. Kunlun’s gaze sharpened, zeroing in on the speaker. Waiting for him to make his argument, dangerously still. “At least send a squadron with him to keep an eye on him.”

“It will be difficult to explain why I arrive with a Haixingren guard,” Heipaoshi pointed out calmly, eyes focussed on the map. “It will be easier to convince those who trust me to follow without interference. Besides, those who aren’t loyal to me will be tipped off by their presence.”

“You make good points, xiao-Hei,” Kunlun agreed with his omega, gaze not wavering from his lieutenant. He arched his eyebrow, daring him to come up with a rebuttal.

The lieutenant sputtered, and perhaps lacking survival instincts, he did indeed continue. “It could be a trap! What if he leads the Dixingren to ambush us?”

"I trust him," Kunlun retorted, baring his teeth and curling protectively around his omega, who lowered his head. "If my word is not good enough for you, you may leave now."

“General!” The man took a step forward, blanching as Kunlun snarled. He dropped to his knee, bringing his hands up before him and lowering his head into a bow. “I’ve sworn my allegiance to you, General Kunlun. But what reassurance do we have that he is not playing us, playing you? His heat scent still lingers, can General Kunlun assure us that he’s thinking clearly?”

There was a murmur of agreement, although no one else dared to voice their support vocally. Heipaoshi licked his lips, glancing from Kunlun to the gathered lieutenants, gauging their mood. There was some uneasy shifting still. Only time would appease those concerns, however. Da Qing wrinkled his nose and met Heipaoshi’s questioning gaze with a shrug.

“If I might make a suggestion, alpha?” Heipaoshi murmured, his tone overly demure and reconciling. Playing up the part of omega to restore the soldiers’ confidence in their general. “As a compromise, perhaps Da Qing could accompany me? That way, you may all rest assured that I’m not running away or” —his lips twisted up into a smirk— “planning anything nefarious behind your backs.”

“Xiao-Wei,” Kunlun whispered, quietly enough that Da Qing’s sensitive ears were likely the only ones to pick up the switch in address. “You don’t have to—”

“I know how much it costs you to let me go, especially now,” Heipaoshi replied equally quietly, nuzzling Kunlun’s cheek in turn. “I’m thankful. But this will make it easier on you, too. You trust Da Qing. And he’ll be able to sneak inside the camp as a cat unnoticed, without giving my change in allegiance away.”

Kunlun glanced towards Da Qing, who met his gaze steadily and shrugged. “I don’t mind. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your mate safe for you.”

Something in his words—the open acknowledgement of their mating, perhaps?—caused a spike in the heat scent. Kunlun barely spared a moment to agree to this action, his fingers tugging on the belt. With horror, Da Qing realized it wasn’t just lingering heat – Heipaoshi was still in the throes of it. The signs of another wave coming up were all too clear to Da Qing’s sensitive cat nose.

He cleared his throat and raised his voice. 

“Alright, everyone out!”

Da Qing started shooing the lieutenants towards the tent’s entry flap. There was some shuffling, a couple questioning glances shot his way, inquisitive looks at Kunlun and his mate, who were lost in their own lovers’ world. Some of the lieutenants tried to linger, but the scent of an aroused alpha and omega pair quickly permeated the air inside, so they finally hurried on. Nobody wanted to be caught staring by a territorial alpha when his mate still carried traces of heat scent.

Da Qing was the last to leave, chancing one more look over his shoulder.

Heipaoshi was bending over the map, hips canted up and legs spread, with Kunlun pressed up behind him. The alpha was leaning over his omega, one elbow on the map, his free hand gathering the fall of ink-black hair and pulling it to one side to nuzzle at Heipaoshi’s bared throat. The beads in his braids glinted in the candlelight.

Shaking his head, Da Qing let the flap drop and ordered two betas to guard the entrance.

***

Ye Zun wasn’t worried for gege.

Gege had abandoned him in his moment of need. If he didn't worry enough to return for his didi's heat, clearly he wasn't worth even a moment of concern. Nevermind that gege's own heat tended to sync up with Ye Zun's. They were twins, after all.

Ye Zun had been a sickly child, and growing up changed nothing for him. Regular meals and the warmth of braziers helped keep his illness at bay, something Ye Zun was grudgingly grateful to the chieftain for. Gege had been given decent accommodations at the secret headquarters, and as he ascended the ranks of Dixing’s army, he had been afforded more and more privileges.

Not that gege was there all that often to enjoy his spoils, too busy fighting on the frontlines. Hence, Ye Zun was usually the only one to make use of the amenities and servants assigned to Heipaoshi.

And yet, gege always made sure to return in time for their heat, to protect Ye Zun and ensure his own secret stayed hidden. However, lately gege sometimes carried the scent of an alpha with him on his return. He wouldn’t speak on the subject, just hiding that soft smile that drove Ye Zun up the walls. Whoever had seduced his gege wasn’t, couldn’t be worthy. Surely gege had to know that. And if he chose an alpha… the chances of them being willing to take in a sickly omega not even their own was minimal.

Gege had promised to always take care of Ye Zun. He couldn't, wouldn't—

Except, this time, Ye Zun had gone into heat and Shen Wei was nowhere to be found. Their first heat since gege had met that good-for-nothing alpha, whoever they were, and all his promises were forgotten in favour of—

Ye Zun growled, cutting off that line of thought. So gege had found someone he’d rather spend time with, so what? It wasn’t like Ye Zun depended on gege’s presence. He could fend well enough for himself. So could gege. There was no reason to worry.

"Laoban!" A servant hurried inside his tent and Ye Zun tensed, his heat scent spiking. But, no – the servant was only a beta, not a danger. Ye Zun exhaled shakily, then pasted on a haughty expression as he whirled around to face them.

"I wonder, are you forgetful or disobedient? Did I not ask, specifically, not to be disturbed?"

His drawl was silky with repressed heat, his patience worn thin from the constant struggle against his instincts, the burning need to be taken and the cramps shuddering through him. The servant fell to their knees, bowing low.

"Mercy, laoban!" the servant cried, forehead pressed to the ground. "I— there are prisoners at the gate. This one wishes to carry Laoban's command to the guards on how to proceed."

Ye Zun's temples throbbed. Rubbing circles over them, he allowed his annoyance to leak into his voice. "Must I handle every little detail myself? What do I even have subordinates for!? Send them to the labour camp for all I care!"

“B-but L-laoban…” The servant flinched under his glare, cowering. “It’s– It’s Heipaoshi. He has returned.”

Ye Zun froze.

When the heat had started and there was no sign of gege, Ye Zun had done his best to hide from the rest of the camp, but somehow, the old chieftain had found out anyhow. He’d given Ye Zun one day of reprieve, sent servants with warm food and a hot bath – wooing him, in hindsight – before he made inquiries on the second day. Casual questions at first, about what he knew of gege’s mission, how long he supposed Heipaoshi would be delayed.

And Ye Zun had answered him, cautious and wary, too aware of those hungry eyes devouring him. He made sure to carefully emphasize how useful he was to the camp, how it was his strategies that had won them recent victories — and how powerful his twin was, how terribly inconvenient it would be to incur his wrath should anyone choose to touch Ye Zun in this vulnerable state.

The chieftain had thrown his head back and laughed.

“If I claim you as my mate, not even Heipaoshi would dare move against me!” he had declared. “You should be happy to be useful for once, my little night lord. I wouldn’t even consider you for a consort if your brother wasn’t so attached to you. Once I’ve taken you, he won’t dare hurt me, less he might hurt you.”

His weak struggle had only amused the chieftain, his logic failing to sway the greed and fear in the chieftain’s eyes. Because he was afraid, afraid of what gege would do to him. Already assuming Heipaoshi must be plotting behind his back to take over the leadership, and Ye Zun hated, hated how wrong he was.

The only one plotting against him was Ye Zun, but the chieftain would never understand, never suspect the powerless weakling.

This oversight would be his downfall. Ye Zun swore he would kill him or die trying.

But only after the chieftain was done with him. The truth was a bitter pill to swallow, mingling with the gut-wrenching fear as the chieftain tore at his clothes, easily ignoring his feeble attempts to fight back. Perhaps, he’d thought, the reason gege is so powerful is because he’d gotten all of Ye Zun’s dark energy in the womb, and left none for Ye Zun to defend himself with.

“Then do whatever Heipaoshi orders to be done with his prisoners,” Ye Zun heard himself saying, distorted and muffled, as if he was swimming underwater. “And send my brother to report to me. No one else may enter my tent until he’s here!”

Heat was still coursing through Ye Zun, and surely his brother wasn’t doing any better. He needed to get them both to safety, so they could defend themselves. He was under no delusions that the camp only accepted his command under the assumption that gege would take over for him once he returned. Gege was respected and feared both – and Ye Zun had no scruples taking advantage of his reputation, nor the obvious care and favour he showed to his younger twin.

When Ye Zun told them Heipaoshi would do this, want that, they believed him.

However, if they smelled gege's omega scent now, before it could be explained away as lingering traces from Ye Zun's heat, they might lose all that hard-earned respect to greedy alphas infighting. Because whoever managed to subdue and claim Heipaoshi would surely be the next leader. The situation was too fragile, they could not be discovered at this stage.

Ye Zun paced up and down in gege's tent, twisting his fingers into knots inside his sleeves.

The flap opened, and Ye Zun was about to snap at the servant for ignoring his orders, when he realized that for one, the person entering was an alpha and for another—he recognized that outfit from reports. The alpha was wearing Alliance garb. Ye Zun’s mouth snapped shut, heart beating rapidly in his chest. He reached for that well of power inside him, panicking when he couldn’t grasp the dark energy immediately, but then gege stepped into the tent. The alpha turned to gege, murmuring something too quiet for Ye Zun to hear past the blood rushing through his ears, and gege…

Gege looked exhausted.

Good, the vicious side of Ye Zun thought. He deserves to be punished for leaving me behind.

The alpha barely spared Ye Zun a glance, all of his attention on gege. He reached out and cupped gege’s cheek, and Ye Zun bristled at the way the alpha rubbed his wrist along gege’s jawline, rubbed his scent over gege’s skin. Marking, claiming, and Ye Zun didn’t understand why gege wasn’t pushing him away, was instead lowering his head submissively.

“I’ll stand guard,” the alpha murmured, stepping back and turning his back on Ye Zun, hand landing on the hilt of his sword as he stationed himself at the entrance to the tent. Ye Zun bit his lip, eyeing the alpha’s armour, wondering how to best angle his knife to get past the padding. If gege was too weak to fight, he needed to be fast, not give the alpha a chance to retaliate… distract him long enough for the two of them to escape, injure just enough to keep him from coming after them—

Then gege looked up, meeting Ye Zun's eyes, relief writ large on his masked face.

"Di," he gasped, stepping forward, arms wrapping around Ye Zun, squeezing him close, and Ye Zun… Ye Zun tried to resist the part of him that wanted to melt into gege, to cry and complain about everything that happened. The young, childish part of him believing that gege would protect him, would make everything alright.

He could smell the heat scent on gege, mixed with the same alpha scent he'd been carrying on every return. Inside of Ye Zun, the rage grew.

"Where were you?" he rasped, clinging to gege's robes, fingers twisting in the cloth. His throat was hoarse with suppressed tears but he wouldn't, couldn't leave himself that vulnerable, not before he knew why.

“I’m sorry,” Gege said helplessly, his hold on Ye Zun tightening. “I was captured. I couldn’t— I came as soon as I could.”

Ye Zun pulled back, and opened his mouth to say… he forgot the words as his gaze was drawn to gege's neck, staring in rising horror, at the still fresh mark over his scent gland, half-hidden under gege’s robes. He could smell the alpha on him, of course, but he'd thought— Captured. The word reverberated inside his head. Gege was captured and forced into a bond by the Alliance. The missing pieces slotted into place, the picture finally making sense.

Of course. Gege would never abandon him willingly.

Ye Zun glanced up from under his fringe, eyeing the alpha’s back. Gege’s bondmate. Stabbing wouldn’t work, then. The alpha must be using the bond to keep gege from attacking him, keeping him docile, or perhaps his instincts wouldn’t allow him. Ye Zun didn’t know and didn’t care, excitement bubbling up in his chest, power tickling at the back of his throat. Here was something gege couldn’t do, needed help with. For once, Ye Zun would be the one protecting gege.

“I can eat him,” Ye Zun breathed into gege’s ear, too quiet for the alpha to hear. In his arms, Gege tensed, then pulled back.

“What?” Gege’s brow furrowed, and Ye Zun grinned back at him giddily.

“I can get rid of him for you.” At gege's searching look, Ye Zun's grin widened. "Just like I got rid of the chieftain when he—"

Ye Zun cut himself off. No, gege didn't need to know about that, how close Ye Zun came to being forced into a bond himself in gege's absence. He had enough to deal with, no need to remind him of his own awful experience by bringing up Ye Zun's ordeal. Unlike gege, he managed to fend the unwanted alpha off, after all.

"I ate him," Ye Zun continued instead, clasping gege's hand to his chest, letting him feel his heart beating strong and hale for the first time in his life. The dark energy coursing through his chest, ready to devour at his command. "I awakened my power, Ge, and ate him."

Gege's brow furrowed, and he exchanged a look with his the alpha, who glanced back at them questioningly. Gege shook his head sharply, turning back to Ye Zun. "Zei Qiu is dead?"

Ye Zun pulled back, frowning at gege. Zei Qiu. The name the Alliance gave their chieftain. Traitor. Why would gege call him by the title their enemies used, rather than ‘leader’ as he usually would?

"Ge?" Ye Zun took a cautious step back, glancing between his brother and the Alliance soldier who bonded with him. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

“Ah.” Gege blushed and ducked his head, a pleased smile on his lips. Ye Zun stared at the sight. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw gege smile, not with the strain of their situation pressing his lips into a thin line turning the expression into a grimace. Now he glanced over his shoulder, that genuine smile lighting up his face as he gestured towards the alpha standing guard. “This is Kunlun.”

Ye Zun felt his veins freeze.

“Kunlun,” he echoed, the blood rushing from his face as the implications sank in, leaving him light-headed. “As in General Kunlun?”

One of their major opponents, a leader of the Alliance. The human who could go toe to toe with gege despite having no powers to draw upon, the clever strategist who kept outsmarting Ye Zun’s suggested plans, who infuriated the old chieftain more than any of the other Alliance leaders. That Kunlun.

And now he was standing inside their tent, in the middle of Dixing’s secret headquarters, past their defenses. Gege was exhausted, and Ye Zun… Ye Zun didn’t know why he’d bring the enemy to the heart of their camp.

“Yes,” gege said, meeting Ye Zun’s shocked stare with a soft, imploring gaze. “He’s my alpha, Di.”

The alpha – Kunlun – walked closer, settling a hand on gege’s shoulder possessively and glancing between the two twins curiously. Ye Zun felt his stomach drop. He could smell their combined scent, gege’s omega heat scent and the alpha’s corresponding rut scent, entwined from their bonding. He knew that scent. It was the same smell gege had been carrying the last time he’d returned from the frontline, stopping by their shared tent to change clothes before meeting with the chieftain. To hide the scent, but he couldn’t hide it from Ye Zun.

This was the same alpha, the one that had been courting his gege. Nausea rose in Ye Zun’s throat.

“You chose him?” Ye Zun whispered, horrified.

Gege blinked, as if startled. His smile slipped, and he inclined his head, expression serious. “I did.”

Ye Zun stumbled another step back, barely keeping his balance as he stared at his brother and his— his— his mate. The betrayal stung, worse than being abandoned to fend off the chieftain by himself, to endure whatever humiliation he had planned for Ye Zun. Gege couldn’t have known Ye Zun would awaken his powers just in time to save himself, and yet gege had chosen—

“Di?”

Gege had the audacity to sound concerned, after he abandoned Ye Zun to his fate, chose this stupid alpha, chose their enemy, Heipaoshi’s great nemesis over his own twin. And now gege dared to follow after him, hand reaching out as if to grab him by the elbow, brow furrowed. Ye Zun swallowed, rage rising up from deep within him, icy cold and dark. As if he had any right.

“You said you were— did he force you?” Ye Zun’s thoughts were a whirlwind of chaos, a note of pleading slipping into his voice. He needed to hear it from Shen Wei himself, needed to know the truth. Whether he was taken from Ye Zun’s side by force—or if he left willingly to be with his mate. The alpha’s gaze was burning a hole into the side of his face, and Ye Zun wanted to turn away, to hide, but there was nowhere to run, not until he knew for sure…

“It was my choice,” gege denied the accusation, his voice firm and reprimanding. Ye Zun flinched back, heart pounding in his chest.

“No,” he whispered, agony squeezing tight around his throat, turning his voice raspy. It couldn’t be. Gege couldn’t have…

“Di…” Shen Wei gentled his tone, holding out his palm for Ye Zun to take, an offer he could only stare at bleakly. “I claimed him first.”

The admission shot straight through Ye Zun’s heart, his gaze snapping up to stare at his brother in horrified betrayal as he confirmed his worst fears. But who could blame Shen Wei? Gege had been patient with him, but Ye Zun had always been useless, an anchor dragging him down. Of course Shen Wei would move on with his life at some point. It was inevitable.

“Are you alright, Di?” And still, gege was pretending to be concerned. Why? What was the point? “Di, you’re shaking.”

He was. Ye Zun paused, dropping his gaze to his trembling hands, bringing them up in front of his chest. He hadn’t even realized. How like gege to notice. He opened his mouth, only for his chest to heave, his throat tightening up, and Ye Zun couldn’t breathe, just like so many other times before, fighting his body to obey him, he’d thought awakening his powers would cure him—

Arms wrapped around him, a hand curling around his neck protectively. Ge.

“I’m here, Di,” gege assured him, his free hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. Ye Zun made a noise, and, oh. The illness wasn’t seizing his chest, he was crying. He hadn’t cried since the chieftain took them in, had learned too quickly that it only brought gege pain when he did. Why was he…

“I’ve got you, Di. I’m not going anywhere, not without you. I came back, didn’t I?”

The words didn’t make sense, but they made it easier to breathe. Ye Zun buried his head in gege’s chest, clinging to his robes. Inhaling the mingled scent of bonded alpha and omega pair, taking in the new notes mixed in with the familiar smell of gege, of safety.

“I came as soon as I could. I’m sorry it took so long,” gege continued, pressing his cheek against Ye Zun’s temple. They were kneeling on the floor, Ye Zun realized dimly. He had no recollection of when that happened. The fingers along his spine were soothing, but there was a gnawing beast inside his chest, an important question he needed to ask, if only he could find the air to voice it.

“He tried to take you, didn’t he?” Kunlun asked, his voice quietly subdued. Ye Zun blinked, gaze darting in his direction, making sure the alpha hadn’t snuck up on him. Kunlun hadn’t, keeping a careful distance. He raised his hands to show himself unarmed, his gaze dropping to Ye Zun’s wrists. Ye Zun followed his gaze, realizing his sleeves had ridden up in their embrace, displaying the bruises around his wrists. “Zei Qiu. That’s why you killed him, right?”

“I…” Ye Zun’s throat clicked, and he averted his gaze from gege’s face, the expression too painful to watch. Ye Zun swallowed, then narrowed his eyes at gege’s stupid alpha. “What does it matter to you?”

“Aiya, Ye-di, we’re family now,” Kunlun drawled, his eyebrows arching up pointedly. “Of course I care. Xiao-Wei would be devastated should anything happen to you.”

Perhaps sensing Ye Zun’s apprehension, gege ran his fingers through Ye Zun’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple. “He helped me, Di. He snuck me out of the Alliance’s camp after the first wave of heat was over. He brought his army here to help me free you.”

Ye Zun glanced at Kunlun from between the curtain of his hair, mulling over those words. Maybe he had gotten the wrong impression, maybe it was gege who had wrapped their enemy around his fingers and kept him on a leash, hard as it was to believe. It would bear keeping an eye on because gege could be stupidly trusting despite everything, but that’s what he had Ye Zun for.

Pulling out of gege’s arms, Ye Zun wiped his face with his sleeve and straightened his shoulders. First things first. He needed to know what mess they were in before he could get them out of it, then he could ask gege pointed question how he ended up in Kunlun’s lap.

“Army?” he echoed, gaze darting to Kunlun before settling on gege’s face. “You brought an entire Haixingren army to our headquarters?”

“Ah.” Gege gave him a flustered look, sitting stiffly upright. “Since Zei Qiu is dead, we should probably command our people to stand down.”

Our. Ye Zun shot Kunlun a quick glance at that, but he didn’t even seem to notice the phrasing. Or perhaps he was truly unbothered by gege claiming his soldiers as his own.

"Sounds good," Kunlun agreed, rocking back on his heels as he regarded Ye Zun. "Anyone we need to watch out for? Someone who's not happy with your take-over?"

Ye Zun shook his head. "Most of our people will follow Heipaoshi without second thought, wherever he leads them." Ye Zun arched an eyebrow at gege. "Most of them expected him to overthrow the old chief sooner or later. We just waited for the catalyst that would push Ge over the edge."

"Ah, I see, I see." Kunlun's eyes crinkled, watching gege with a fond expression. Something like jealousy twisted in Ye Zun's chest, tangled with a feeling of validation.

"The hardcore loyalists I've already dealt with," Ye Zun continued, trying not to linger on that thought. He couldn't tell if his stomach was aching from heat cramps or all the Dixingren he had consumed. "Everyone else has accepted my leadership in the interim, in Heipaoshi's stead. Now that you're back, you should make an announcement."

"Announcement?" gege repeated, wrinkling his nose. He'd never liked being in the spotlight much. Ye Zun rolled his eyes.

"Well, for one, you should clarify the state of your… alliance with General Kunlun." Ye Zun waved an impatient hand. "Your goals for the Dixingren here, if they're allowed to leave, what you intend to do about the Hallows, what to expect from the near future. If you have any plans for those waiting to return to Dixing."

"Return?" Kunlun interjected, having nodded along to the previous points. Now his brow drew together into a frown.

"We don't have access to natural portals right now," gege explained, his eyes wide and hopeful as he met Kunlun's gaze. "Not since we lost the battle at the cliff."

"Easily half of our forces are made of those able-bodied enough or with useful powers, who fight to secure safe passage for their loved ones," Ye Zun added, sneering derisively. "It's not like most of them even liked the old chief, he was just our best option in a terrible situation."

"...right," Kunlun said slowly, stroking his beard and looking thoughtful. Ye Zun rolled his eyes, turning to gege to interrogate him on their strategy so he could work out a quick speech for him, when Kunlun continued, "That should be an easy enough term to grant in the negotiations."

"Negotiations?" Ye Zun questioned, glaring suspiciously at the alpha.

Gege nodded. "Yes. We're going to negotiate a ceasefire, and then a treaty between the three races. No more war, Di."

Ye Zun stared at his twin in disbelief. The world had been at war as far as he could remember, even before their parents died. It was the reason they sought out the old chief, looking for a safe haven, a meal to eat in a world ravished by famine, plagues and turmoil. Ye Zun was aware how his brother had sacrificed himself, sworn his service to the chieftain and worked himself to the bone, to justify Ye Zun's inclusion in the deal. Even as Ye Zun picked up more and more work behind the scenes – learning strategy, battle tactics, logistics, everything he could advise on from his sickbed if necessary – the chieftain did not relent, pushing Heipaoshi to his limits. It was greed, but also fear: Heipaoshi was much more powerful and popular amongst the lower ranks. The chief was afraid he would lead an uprising, and to keep Heipaoshi in check, he held Ye Zun practically hostage.

But the old chieftain wasn't the only reason the war persisted. Resources were scarce and fought over as fiercely as territory. Not to mention those who fought for vengeance, to avenge the death of a lost one. Ye Zun didn't see those go away just because gege declared an end to the war, even if Kunlun exerted his influence in the Alliance similarly.

Yet gege stared at him, so much hope and tentative joy for a peaceful future in his face. Ye Zun ached for his brother, forced into the role of warrior, of figurehead for a scared people, forced to deal death and punishment when at his core, his brother was inclined to mercy. Kindness, a rare thing in their cruel world. His strong sense of responsibility didn't allow him to lay down arms, to leave and start a family far away from the fighting. But this way…

This way, gege could fulfill his duties without regret.

"It won't be easy," he warned and saw gege set his jaw in determination. Sighing dramatically, he surrendered to the inevitable. "Fine, fine, I'll help."

There was much to be done, and he didn’t trust gege alone with his alpha, not while they were still in heat. Which begged many more questions – how had they been travelling? – but Ye Zun pushed them to the back of his mind. So gege was deadset on securing their people a future, fine.

Ye Zun would ensure that it would be one gege could be happy in.

[eastasianfeelings]

couple things: Jooheon

Summary: Jooheon tries to bake you a dessert. Why? Because he feels like he needs to.

— requested by Anonymous: “oh your writing is so good <3 i love it a lot esp your jealousy series ^^ would it be ok if you wrote something domestic for monsta x? like a house husband or smth concept lol, for whichever of the members ^^”

Author’s note: sorry this took so long! OTL

Words: 1.5k

Warnings: a tiny bit of angst that gets resolved immediately through communication because my soul is Allergic To Angst

*

One Friday evening, you look up from your work laptop and sniff the air. “Heony? Is something burning?”

There’s no response. Ominous.

You save your work, lock your computer and get up from your desk to investigate the burning smell.

It’s dark out; you didn’t realize how much time had passed since your last break. There seems to be some kind of noise coming from the kitchen, and you head there.

“Jooheon-ah, are you — ?” You round the corner and stop, surprised. “Oh, hi Kihyunie! When did you get here… what’s going on?”

Jooheon and Kihyun look up from whatever they’re doing with the oven, which, judging by their distressed expressions and the smell in the air, isn’t going very well. Jooheon’s in a squatting stance, holding the oven door open, while Kihyun seems to be trying to extract something with tongs and an oven mitt.

“Wait, nuna!” Jooheon stands and lets go of the oven door. “It’s not ready yet — ”

“Hey, don’t let go!” Kihyun yelps as he yanks his hands back just in time.

“Be careful, guys.” You enter the messy kitchen and reach for Kihyun’s hands. “You okay, Kihyun-ah?”

“Yeah,” he says sheepishly, letting you remove the oven mitt and inspect his hands. “Sorry, I should’ve said hi when I got here a while ago.”

“It’s okay, I was probably in a meeting anyway.” You pat his hands before letting go and moving to Jooheon’s side. “Heony, what’s going on?”

His bottom lip is starting to stick out. “This was supposed to be a surprise.”

“What’s ‘this’?” You crouch down to look into the oven door.

Jooheon tugs you back to your feet and tucks you into his side. “Wait! It’s not done yet.”

You can’t help smiling at his pout. “It kind of smells done, Jooheon-ah.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Kihyun says, “um, we thought your skillet was oven-proof.”

“You… burned my skillet?”

“I’ll buy you a new one, nuna,” Jooheon says promptly.

You chuckle. “You don’t have to. Just tell me what you were trying to do.”

He squirms. “Nothing, really.”

“Nothing, really?” You raise an eyebrow, then turn to Kihyun. “Hey, Kiki, want to tell me what Jooheon called you over for?”

“Okay, fine.” Jooheon tugs you back to face him before Kihyun can answer. “I was trying to bake you a dessert, all right? Don’t laugh.”

“A dessert?” you repeat, surprised. “Why?”

He flushes a little and looks away. “You’ve been working overtime all week… I just wanted to do something for you while I’m home from tour.”

Wow. You’re touched. “Thank you, Heony.” You peck his cheek. “You know you don’t have to do anything for me, right? Just being here is enough.”

Shyly, he meets your eyes. “But I want to.”

Smiling, your heart full, you give him another kiss, this time on the lips. He responds eagerly enough that Kihyun decides to give a light cough to remind you of his presence.

You pull back from Jooheon and look round at Kihyun. “Right, so, you’re here to provide baking expertise, Kihyun-ah?”

“I didn’t know he wanted to bake,” he says immediately. “I mean, I’m an okay cook, but I’m not a baker. I wouldn’t have touched your pans if he hadn’t made me, nuna, honest.”

You laugh and pull free of Jooheon’s grip to go over to Kihyun. “Don’t worry, I’m not blaming you. Thanks for trying to help.” You pat his cheek, then take the oven mitt and put it on. “All right, let’s see what we’re working with here.”

The smell only worsens when you open the oven and reveal the sad remains of what looks like a brownie cake, which probably explains the cocoa powder dusted lightly over both Jooheon and Kihyun. Holding your nose, you gingerly pluck out the burned pan.

“The recipe said it was a ‘fool-proof’ skillet brownie,” Jooheon says mournfully. “And I even called hyeong for back-up.”

“Hey, I didn’t come over here to be called a fool,” Kihyun shoots back. “Why didn’t you pick something I can actually cook?”

“It was supposed to be special! Nothing you usually make is special.”

“Excuse you??”

“Okay, guys,” you interrupt, suppressing a laugh. “How about takeout for dinner? Sound good?”

*

At your insistence, Kihyun stays for dinner. It’s the least you can do after he’s helped out with Jooheon’s baking adventure. The two of them fill you in on the latest progress for Monsta X’s next comeback, and you laugh until you cry at the stories of their tour shenanigans. When Kihyun says it’s time for him to go, you see him off with a full stomach and fuller heart.

“You can come by anytime so long as you promise not to touch my oven,” you tell him, and he grins and says he’ll take you up on that.

You close the door and return to the kitchen to find Jooheon staring at your burned pan in the kitchen sink.

He looks up. “Let me buy you a new pan, nuna,” he says, eyes big. “Please?”

In the face of his adorable persistence, you can’t help but acquiesce. “All right, all right. You can whip out your card the next time I’m shopping for pans, okay?”

Jooheon smiles, eyes immediately disappearing, and surges forward to take your arm and tug you to the living room. “C’mon, let’s order one now.”

You laugh as he sits you down on the couch and hands you your laptop. “I meant the next time we go out shopping, Jooheon-ah.”

“But we don’t know when that’ll be.” His smile collapses back into a pout. “Why not just buy one now?”

“I should probably do some research first so I can get one that’s oven-proof next time,” you joke.

“No, but — ” He sits down beside you and pushes in close, slinging an arm along the sofa behind your back. “Who knows when you’ll need that kind of pan, right? It’s better to have one than none at all.”

You chuckle wryly. “Heony, I haven’t used that pan in a month. You know I cook even less than you do.”

“But nuna.” Jooheon presses in closer, lips pursed in a tantalizing pout.

You can’t help stealing a quick kiss. “What is it, Heon-ah? Why do you want to buy me a pan so badly?”

“It’s not… I mean… ” He huffs out a breath. “I don’t want you to go shopping with my manager-hyeong again, okay?”

???

“EH?” you ask, boggling. “Shopping with your manager? When did I —”

“You know that one time!” Jooheon bursts out, sitting back. “When you came to see us after that radio schedule! You and Manager-hyeong had gotten the couple drink set from the bubble tea shop!”

“Couple drink set… ?” You rack your brain, and locate a faint memory of picking up bubble tea before heading to the radio broadcast station. “Heon-ah, I just wanted to try the specialty drink, and none of you guys drink bubble tea, so I gave your manager the extra, that’s all!”

“When Minhyuk-hyeong pointed it out, Manager-hyeong turned totally red!” Jooheon crosses his arms.

“Minhyukie was just joking around, trying to embarrass us on purpose. You know it didn’t mean anything.”

“Yeah, well, you’re my girlfriend. We’re a couple.”

“Your manager-hyeong knows that.” You keep your tone soothing even though you kind of want to smile at his petulance. “I really just wanted to drink that specialty tea, honestly. You believe me, right?”

At that, Jooheon’s stiff posture softens, even though you can see him struggling to keep his expression stern. “Still,” he huffs, “I… want to be the one sharing those couple things with you. I want to do those kinds of couple things with you.”

“I get it, Jooheon-ah.” You lean in and give him a kiss. “We can, and we will, all right? We’ll do everything you want to do together.”

“...Yes.” He finally relaxes and returns your kiss warmly. When he breaks contact, he doesn’t go far, looking into your eyes. “I feel like we’re apart so often, nuna. I really wish I could make up all that time, fill in all that time to be the kind of couple we should be.”

Oh, Jooheon.

You cup his face in your hands. “There’s no should. We’ll be the kind of couple we want to be. Okay? Don’t feel like you have to make up anything. You know that’s not what I want from you.”

“I know,” he acknowledges softly. “I just... want to make sure we are. A couple, I mean. I want us to feel like we’re together.”

“We are together. We’re together because we love each other, as we are. And that’s enough.” You look him in the eye. “Yes?”

He looks back at you steadily, then nods, once. “I love you,” he murmurs, and kisses you again.

“Love you too,” you whisper, in between kisses. “I love you, too.”

After a few minutes pass:

“So… can I buy you a pan now?”

*

[carlatsukinamistolemyhamsandwich]

Cupid Parasite: spoiler free review after completing one route

I’ve just finished Gill’s route but there is already so much I want to talk about to do with this game. However I’m going to put a lot of that aside for now (because spoilers) and mainly focus on my overall feelings on the game and whether or not I’d recommend it based on my experience with it so far without including any plot-based spoilers.

So first thing’s first have I, thus far, enjoyed the game?

Absolutely, I can honestly say this is the most fun I’ve had with an otome game for quite some time and I can’t wait to play more of it. That being said, I can also see that this might not be true for everyone so below the cut I’ve included a list of bullet points on the sorts of things that I usually consider when deciding whether to invest in an otome game or not.

- So one thing about this game is that it has a long common route, and I do mean long. I think it took me about the same amount of time to get through the common route as it did to get through Gill’s actual route. Now normally long common routes are really off-putting to me as I am not the most patient individual and I like to get straight into things (plus I hate having to replay them again and again to switch routes) but this one was entertaining enough that I actually didn’t mind it. In fact, I think if you like humorous interactions between your eccentric group of love interests then this will probably come as more of a positive than a negative.  

- On the subject of the common route, rather than your dialogue options dictating which route you end up on, you do a love test/quiz pretty early on in the common route (chapter 3 I think) which dictates which route you end up on. The positives of this are that it’s a unique mechanic (or at least I certainly haven’t seen anything like it before) and it makes it really easy to start a new route with just a little bit of playing around (and without having to look up all of the correct dialogue choices). The main negative however, is that because this test is so early in the common route, as far as I can tell you then need to replay almost all of the common route to start a route with a new character. You can just use the ‘skip read’ option to blast through it, but I still don’t think it’s ideal.

- While we’re talking about mechanics, like in a lot of otome games, there’s a love indicator (that shows you when you’ve made the correct choice), although you can turn this off if you want to, as well as an option in the menu that lets you view your status with each character and fortunately it’s pretty easy to understand (unlike the Piofiore one which I’ve never been able to make sense of OTL).

- As for the plot, let me start off by saying that this game is absolutely buck wild. Admittedly I suspect Gill’s route might be the worst of it (if only because I don’t see how they can top it in terms of sure WTF factor in the other routes), but this is not an otome game that takes itself too seriously. If you do prefer more serious games like 7′Scarlet or Hakuoki, then I don’t know that I would recommend Cupid Parasite to you. On the other hand, if you want something fun (i.e. you enjoy things like the DL bonus CDs) then this is absolutely the game for you.

- In terms of characters, we again have something of wild cast but it makes them memorable and adds to the game’s charm. After the common route, I was pretty  fond of all of the love interests, even if some of them are pretty questionable (or rather one of them is for sure). Of course everyone’s different when it comes to their character preferences but the cast are diverse enough that I would be very surprised if you come away from the game not liking any of them.

- The art and sound are absolutely brilliant. If you get a bit fussy about your game sprites or CGs then you shouldn’t find any issues with Cupid Parasite. The backgrounds are a bit cartoony but I think that really suits the tone of the game better than super realistic ones, as does the background music.

- Now onto the localisation side of things. Even as someone who isn’t fluent in Japanese, I could tell that some liberties were taken when it came to the translation. Personally I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing, as Japanese is so different from English that direct translations can sound very wonky but if characters using things like “okay boomer�� in the English translation is going to bother you, then I’d look into getting the game in Japanese and working through it with a dictionary rather than going down the localisation route.

- Additionally, Idea Factory have released a statement that some errors have made it into Ryuki and Raul’s routes, which they’re planning to fix with a patch sometime in the next month. In my playthrough of Gill’s route I only encountered one or two grammar errors, so I can’t really comment on this but I might update this post later. Regardless, if this sounds like an issue for you, you might want to hold off on getting the game until the patch comes out (or just work through the other routes beforehand).

I think that’s most of the key points I wanted to cover. The only other thing I wanted to bring up is that while this game has a 12+ age rating, it has the most obvious sexual references I’ve encountered in any otome game (admittedly I haven’t played all of them but this did surprise me). There aren’t any explicit scenes, but rather than the vagueness/double entendre used by a lot of otome games, this one just outright states things (with some quite cringe-inducing phrasing sometimes). All of the love interests are over 18, so you don’t have to worry on that front but it’s just something to be aware of. 

Of course if you have any other questions or comments about the game then feel free to send me a DM or an ask (although please don’t send me any spoilers until I’ve completed the game myself). Thanks for reading, I hope this has been helpful and that you all have a lovely day!

[secretwhumplair]

Tern

2,105 words | Original work

Prompt | Cry into chest - @badthingshappenbingo​​

Content | Slavery, fear, conditioning, comfort but with lots of implied past torture

Notes | Tern getting his name. And generally out of his situation. Rejoice. This got long again oTL

Since Tern’s (and Gosling’s) view is a little skewed, I feel somewhat compelled to point out that yes slavery is wrong no matter how the slaves are treated. Seems obvious but I hear you never know on this site.

“Do you have a favourite bird?”

The slave stared down on his trembling hands, desperately trying to make sense of what his new master had said. He couldn’t, and he could feel the fear knotting in his throat. With his old master, at least he had known what was coming at him.

His brain still didn’t seem to function properly, the water his new master had passed him as soon as he owned him only slowly soaking into him after being left thirsty in the sun for so long.

He was so grateful for it. He wanted to do right, he wanted to do what the Master wanted, but he couldn’t figure it out-

“It’s that we call all our slaves by bird names,” the Master explained gently. “What should we call you?”

The slave’s breath caught in his throat. How could the Master ask that? How could he be asked that? Did this mean he no longer would be called an insult-

“I like terns,” he whispered. He had always liked to watch the deft little birds dance on the breeze when he was left on the coast while his old master was fishing. He sometimes wished he was one of them.

He didn’t dare look up, his hands still trembling, hoping, irrationally, that had been the right answer, or at least a right answer.

“Tern! That’ll work. Come on then, Tern. Let’s get you home. Can you walk? It’s just down the road.”

The slave - Tern, almost a real name, he wanted to cry - nodded eagerly. Every inch of his body was hurting -

“Do you think they can win you off of me? Do you think they can beat me?”

“No, Master.” He really didn’t. He couldn’t imagine ever escaping the Master anymore. His heart only ached for the slave they’d bet against him, clearly confident he would be safe.

The Master grinned. “Me neither. But still, it might be our last night together, we can’t let that go to waste, now can we?”

- but he could walk, he could do anything if it meant the Master would continue treating him like this, he would do anything at all.

The Master led him down the road. Tern kept his eyes cast to the dusty ground. He didn’t want to seem disrespectful, or ungrateful, or any horrid thing he didn’t even feel. The trembling had grown fainter, and heavy exhaustion crept up to him. He hadn’t slept, and it had been a long day full of fear. He was still scared.

The new master seemed kind, but he didn’t know what he expected from him, what he should do for him; he only hoped he could be useful, but didn’t really believe it. He had tried so hard all his life. It had never been good enough.

The home the Master led him to was a large building, but not standing alone like Northridge Castle; it was wedged between the other buildings on the street. He only ventured a few tentative glances as he was led down a hall and into what appeared to be a simple dining room.

Another slave, a woman getting on in years, stood in the door on the opposite side, which apparently led to the kitchen. Her hair was long, tied up in a neat bun, and her clothes were neat and tidy as well, much more than Tern’s. Only the mark on her neck betrayed her status.

Tern lowered his eyes, again, a stranger weight added to the fear in his heart. How would he possibly fit in here?

“Master? What about the young Mistress?”

“She won, but... she got injured.” The Master’s voice was strained, and if Tern could have shrunk further, he would. This was his fault. The young Mistress had fought to win him. The other slave gasped at the news. “And Shadow, too. But they’ll probably be fine... there’s nothing we can do right now, they’re being seen by the healers.” A small pause, then, “Anyway... this is Tern. Tern, this is Gale.”

Tern barely had time to look up before Gale had rushed to his side. “Oh, you poor thing! Come, come, sit.”

A sudden rush of panic ran through him, and he threw a desperate glance at the Master. There was a small, sad smile on his lips.

“It’s alright, go on. Gale will take care of you.”

Still hesitant, Tern moved over to the chair Gale had pulled out for him. Gale herself had rushed off and came back before long with a jug of water, a cup, some rags, and a small box. She set everything down on the table before him, and first poured a cup. “Here, drink, you don’t look like you’ve drunk enough.”

Tern stole another glance at the Master. He moved over to the table, sitting a few places away from Tern. His face was serious now. “It’s okay. It’s fine.”

Tern cowered down a little more, ignoring his aching back, and took what he planned to be a polite sip, but ended up half-emptying the cup. Gale was right, he was still thirsty.

He felt a hand at his shoulder, and instinctively flinched away.

“Shh, it’s alright, dear,” Gale said softly. “I’ll take off your shirt and see to your injuries, yes?”

It took a moment for Tern to realize she actually was waiting for his response. What was she asking him for, wasn’t that for the Master to decide?

Apparently not. He managed a tiny nod. He hoped he was doing right. He didn’t want to seem ungrateful, or greedy.

Gently, Gale lifted his shirt over his head. It still hurt - everything hurt - but it was very obvious that she was trying not to hurt him, and that was almost more than he could handle.

She gasped, again, when she saw his back. “Oh, you poor dear. You poor, poor thing.”

Tern could picture the lacerations and welts she was seeing, and suddenly felt ashamed for an unnamable reason. What was she thinking?

“I’ll clean those, yes? and put some salve on. It’ll probably hurt a little.”

He wasn’t sure whether he was expected to reply. He wasn’t sure of anything.

Gentle hands started brushing wet rags around his wounds, then dab on healing salve. He barely would have recognized the feeling sparking through the soft, soothing cool as pain, so careful was Gale’s touch. He had never been treated like this. He was having healing salve applied, like a real person.

He was fighting back tears, he didn’t want to look ungrateful, but it was a losing battle, and eventually he cried quietly, and it was all he could do to keep his chest steady against the silent sobs.

“Shh, it’s okay. Do you need a break?” Gale’s hand rested briefly on an uninjured spot near his shoulder.

He shook his head, ashamed to have worried her. She worried about him, and he only worried her more. “I’m fine,” he whispered, then held his breath and looked up at the Master. He shouldn’t have spoken without permission.

The Master’s eyes were on him, but he didn’t look angry. His face was still serious, but when Tern looked at him, he forced a small smile on his lips.

Tern didn’t know what to make of it. It wasn’t like the smirks of his old master, that much he could see. He stared down at the table again, hoping he wasn’t expected to react in some way, because he didn’t know how.

He was so tired.

The evening went on while Gale was busy with his back, and more slaves trickled in, apparently done with the day’s work. All of them expressed their shock and compassion at the state Tern was in, and Tern almost cried again. A pair introduced as Wren and Albatros (”Another seabird!” she smiled when Gale told her Tern’s new name) disappeared into the kitchen to “take care of dinner.”

Tern itched to help. There was work to do, and he needed, he wanted to make himself useful, he couldn’t just sit here and be spoiled like this. But at the same time, he didn’t dare move from the spot. His tears had dried, but he was not at ease, not by far.

The last of the new arrivals sat next to him quietly, not touching or speaking to him, just a calm presence.

Eventually, Gale finished treating his wounds, and poured the remaining water into the long emptied cup. “Drink,” she said with a soft smile. “I’ll fetch you a new shirt, this is-” She didn’t end the sentence, but much to Tern’s relief, she looked at the Master for confirmation, a quick nod, before she went off.

There was noise at the door, and when Gale returned, she was following the rest of the family - the Mistress, and her daughter, and the young slave they had bet against Tern.

Everyone cheered, and the Master jumped to his feet, quickly going to meet his wife and daughter. The young Mistress was moving stiffly, but quickly confirmed she was going to be alright as per the healer’s predictions, and Tern felt a surge of relief that brought him to the verge of tears again.

“I won’t be able to ride for a few weeks,” she added, frowning, and his relief dissolved into fear and guilt again.

He didn’t have much time to think about it, because the slave whose life had been bet against his rushed over to him, and sat down next to him, grinning. “Hey, I’m Gosling! I’m so glad you’re here.”

Tern could only stare at him, helplessly. So was he. And he was also glad the other was still here, instead of both of them suffering for his old master’s entertainment. But he couldn’t find it in himself to be cheerful. He wasn’t sure he even knew how. So much had happened, and was still happening, and it was so frightening.

They had dinner at the same table as the Masters. Tern could hardly believe it. He also couldn’t believe the plate full of food before him, the only restriction Gale’s gently noting, “Eat slowly, or you’ll be sick. You look starved.”

He ate slowly. He didn’t dare eat much, but it was still a better meal than he had had in years, maybe ever.

Probably ever.

After dinner, Gosling spoke up fearlessly. “Mistress? I’m tired, can I go to bed? I... haven’t slept much.”

“And whose fault is that?” the Mistress replied grumpily, and Tern felt a sting of fear for the younger man. But then her expression softened. “Alright, alright. Take Tern with you. I bet you haven’t slept much, either.”

“Thank you, Mistress. Come on, Tern.”

Tern managed a whispered “Thank you” before he followed Gosling out of the dining room, and up a flight of stairs.

“Are you okay?” Gosling asked quietly as he led him through a door. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine here. The Masters are good people.”

Tern couldn’t answer; he only managed a small nod.

They crossed some sort of antechamber, and went through another door into a room filled with several bunk beds and two large wardrobes.

“Ta-dah! Our bedroom.” Gosling pointed at one of the bunks. “The one under mine is free, if you’d like?”

Tern just stared at the bed, then back at Gosling, trying to process what he was being told.

He would be sleeping in a bed.

A real bed.

He didn’t feel himself falling to his knees, he only knew he was down on them and finally crying freely, tears streaming down his face, his entire body shaken by sobs. He tried to keep quiet, pressing his hands to his mouth, but he couldn’t stop any more than he could stop breathing.

“Hey. Hey. It’s alright. It’s alright. You’re safe now.” There was a note of alarm in Gosling’s concerned voice. He kneeled down before him, and very carefully put his arms around him.

Tern flinched at the touch, at first, and Gosling paused, clearly indecisive. But Tern didn’t want him to stop, not really, and without thinking he leaned into the touch, and suddenly Gosling was holding him, his face buried in the young man’s chest. He was still crying. He wanted to stop, he didn’t want to be a bother, but he didn’t feel he could, not now, maybe not ever.

Gosling’s arms around him were warm and gentle and he had never been held like this for as long as he could remember, and he cried while Gosling whispered to him, “It’s okay,” and “Shh, that’s alright,” and “You’re safe.”

[magicjesuscup]

So I’ve been playing Court of Darkness...

And I decided to make a post about who the princes would summon in a grail war...I mean, the magical realm probably wouldn’t have access to the same heroic spirits, but don’t worry about that. 

No spoilers below, but it is long.

Toa

He’s 100% positive Guy’s going to try summoning a saber servant, so he opts for an archer. At first, he plays with the idea of summoning the strongest archer he knows of. Toa doesn’t consider it for long though. A servant would only be useful to him as far as he could control them, and controlling Gilgamesh would be next to impossible. He decides instead to summon Arjuna. I can’t tell you how that goes though, because I know next to nothing about Arjuna. OTL

Rio

He accidently summoned Artoria. Don’t ask. He doesn’t know how it happened either. Artoria is super excited that her master is from a country that’s all about food. He and his valet are super friendly and make her feel very comfortable. Being counted among their ranks reminds her of the comradery of her own round table, and it’s all very nostalgic. She tried to hide her love of cats from Rio at first, but started to seriously doubt if there was much of a point when he was so open about his love of them. Rio was unapologetically genuine and it encouraged her to be a little more open as well. Rio is pretty good at swordsmanship, asked her to spar with him once, and never again. She’s just so competitive! Oof! (Also, Rio suddenly summoning a saber 100% ruined Toa’s plans, but he figured he’d be okay as long as Guy didn’t summon a lancer.)

Guy

He had been planning on summoning Charlemagne, and hadn’t realized the saber slot had been filled. So, his catalyst brought him Astolfo instead so Guy’s in hell.  

As the two descended a staircase, the room and stairs made of stone, Astolfo felt a cold shiver go down his back. “Hey, um, Master, can I ask you something?”

“You will regardless of my answer; you may as well.”

“You don’t...You know...Have a sex dungeon down here, do ya?”

“A what?” Guy asked rhetorically. His eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead and he cast his eyes in the direction of his servant. Astolfo asked him a ton of stupid questions, but that one took the cake. “No.”

Astolfo sighed in relief. “Good. Hey, Master,” he didn’t skip a beat, “what’s your policy on licking people?”

Guy nearly stopped in his tracks this time. “...Tough previous grail war?”

The paladin rubbed his head. “Maybe? I don’t really remember, but I have the weirdest sense of deja vu.”

When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Astolfo saw the reason they had come. Sprawled out in the middle of the room was a large dragon; it must’ve been his master’s familiar. For some reason, however, tears started streaming down Astolfo’s face.

Guy studied his servant for a minute. “You have a deep love of dragons.”

He wiped at his cheeks. “I guess.” Astolfo felt great pride when he saw the dragon as if it reminded him of something. But why did it hurt him so much?

Fenn

He of course summons a horney, prank lover caster: Merlin. They are two peas in a pod, but Fenn’s  poor valet...Violet’s in hell. Honestly, life was hard enough with one Fenn, now it feels like there are two. Oh well. At least now she can boast that the most famous wizard of all time is also terrified of her. Merlin isn’t terribly interested in fighting in the grail war, which suits Fenn just fine; he doesn’t care much about it either. Fenn’s more interested in the relationship his servant has with Rio’s saber servant since they seem to have known each other...Or at least Merlin seems to behave a bit more when she’s around.

Roy

Okay, I wanted the “perfect prince” to summon a literal knight in shinning armor (I was thinking Gawain), but I already have two Arthurian characters. So, instead he’s going to summon the Celtic equivalent: Diarmuid. Bonus, he makes a good distraction for Roy’s fangirls. Unfortunately, that love spot of his also works on Roy’s younger sister. It’s not as bad as it being his master’s girlfriend/wife/fiancée, but it’s still pretty awkward for Diarmuid. Roy doesn’t seem to blame him for it though or expect him to love his sister back; as long as Diarmuid is polite about it, it’s fine.

Lynt

Lynt summons Yan Qing. He was thinking of summoning Robin Hood (because of his tiny birb friend), but Toa beat him to an archer. He ultimately landed on the assassin class because he thought they’d be the most likely to let him sleep. He wasn’t wrong.

Lynt was curled into a ball and wrapped in a blanket cocoon. His back was brushing up against the side of his servant’s leg; Yan Qing was sitting up in his master’s bed.

“I do apologize if you were hoping for more excitement,” Lynt’s valet whispered as he cleared away a tea set.

“Nah. I kinda prefer this actually.” He watched the cocoon move slightly as Lynt breathed deeply. “It’s easier to protect him this way; He’s doing me a favor.”

Lynt rolled over, throwing an arm around Yan Qing’s lap and snuggling against his hip.

He smiled and readjusted his master’s blanket to keep him warm.  

*The prince if Ira (I’m guessing it’s either Lance or Dia) would probably summon Hijikata. But I can’t really say much else because I don’t know anything about the prince of Ira. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ @sasuhinabigflash2020​​ || Day Twenty-Two: Out to Dinner ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

[ Previous ] [ Next ] [ This piece is a sequel to Day Seventeen ]

To say that their meeting was awkward was...a bit of an understatement.

For months, both Sasuke and Hinata have lived under a rather unusual assumption: that they were each the last person left on earth. One morning they’d woken, made to address their family...only to find their homes empty. Their neighborhoods...empty.

The entire city - and presumably the rest of the world - completely and utterly empty.

And yet strange phenomena seemed to keep life running as normal. Electricity never wavered. Food in stores didn’t rot. To both, it felt like being trapped in a strange gap in time. A limbo they had been dropped into with no context, no warning.

But then, while each looking to plunder a local grocery store...they’d finally managed to cross paths, each completely taken aback at the knowledge that they were no longer alone.

That didn’t make it any easier to accept, however, the meeting standoffish and each seemingly wary and suspicious. But they’d exchanged numbers, agreeing to - should the need arise - communicate with one another.

And after a week...neither has dared bridge that gap.

Sasuke, for his part, has actually adapted to the loneliness rather well. At first he mourned his missing family deeply. While theirs had been far from perfect, having them suddenly vanish left him more hollow than he could ever describe. But after an intense two weeks that nearly saw him deciding to try and join them...he’d instead become resolute. So...he was left alone to survive on his own, was he? Then he’d do it...and do it well.

And for months he’d done just that. Managed his food supply, ensured the care and defense of his home (even if there was, assumably, no one to seek to harm it...one could never be too careful), and kept himself guarded and ready for anything.

...well, almost anything.

He’d mostly been simply scouting out parts of his city he didn’t know well, taking several large bags with him to grab whatever looked useful. He had closer places to find food. But he was there, and it was ripe for the taking.

Or so he thought.

Seeing the girl, Hinata, had startled him in a way he had in no way expected. So...he wasn’t the last. Maybe they weren’t, either. Perhaps there are more somewhere, just waiting to be found.

But Sasuke had already decided he was fine not knowing. Hinata was a surprise, and a pleasant one. But that didn’t inspire some inclination to go looking for others. He had his domain and his necessities. He was fine as he was, thank you very much.

...and yet…

Every time he checks his phone, seeing her contact information...he debates sending some kind of message. What would he even say…? They’re complete strangers. He knows nothing about her, let alone something to talk about.

And yet...he wants to. Not because he’s lonely, he assures himself. But just because he’s curious. And it’s something new. Something to break up the monotony.

So after a week of deliberation, he sends his first text.

You there?

Casual enough, right? And he manages to put the mobile aside rather than wait for an answer...which comes seven minutes later.

Sorry, was in my garden! Do you need something?

Well, no. He doesn’t need anything. Nope. Just checking in. Kinda weird, tbh.

A minute passes. Yes, I know what you mean. Odd to talk to someone after so long.

...he reaches an impasse. Now what…? How is your garden?

Good! It’s just flowers. I wanted to grow something edible, but...ran out of time. Maybe next year, if...you know.

Ah yes. Winter. The thing both of them have been dreading, wondering if any problems yet to surface may in fact rear their ugly heads. I bet you’ll get around to it. I dunno anything about plants, so...don’t ask me.

They’re not that hard to learn about. I could teach you, if you wanted?

That earns a blink. Sure.

...another awkward silence.

Can I ask you a really random question?

Sure?

Okay. Just act cool. Do you want to like...meet up or something? I dunno, just seems like maybe we should at least get to know the basics about each other, all things considered. Right?

To his worry, she doesn’t respond for several agonizing minutes. Did he ask too quickly? Is something wrong?

Yeah! Sorry, there’s some loose animals in my neighborhood and one of the dogs keeps coming into my yard and digging in the flowerbeds...

Sasuke blinks. Maybe you need a fence.

Ha, maybe.

I could help you build one. I helped my dad build ours a few years ago. I kinda know how it works.

...you would?

Sure. Not much else to do, right?

There’s a brief silence as she seems to mull that over. ...okay! I’ll make you some dinner to pay you back, okay?

You don’t have to do that.

No, but I want to. It’s only fair.

Well, seems there’s no changing her mind. All right. When would you wanna start?

Doesn’t matter to me! Like you say...what else is there to do?

Nodding to himself, Sasuke replies, How about tomorrow? I know where a hardware store is, and I have my dad’s pickup. I’ll get the stuff today and head over then.

Okay! I’m...kind of excited!

All right, see you then.

...okay. He’ll admit it. He’s a little excited. Mostly because this is his first real social interaction in months. So off to the store he heads, asking Hinata for details of what she wants.

It’s not like price is an issue. Mostly just effort. And Sasuke’s got plenty of that to spare.

She decides on a privacy board fence, just to make sure the animals keep out. And he even picks up white paint and brushes for them to make it match her house. By the time tomorrow rolls around, he’s more than prepared. Boards, posts, nails, hammers, paint...he’s got it all.

They get started early in the morning, Sasuke showing her the basics and letting her help...until she smashes her thumb with a hammer. She’s then directed to painting duty, covering up the boards as he gets them tacked up.

A few breaks are taken to drink lemonade she took to making before he got there, as well as lunch. But it’s dinner she promises will be what helps make up for all his hard work.

By early evening, they’ve actually gotten it all up. Hinata insists she can finish the painting herself the next day. “For now, it’s time for dinner!”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” In truth? He’s starving. Been a while since he’s worked that hard, but it was nice.

Inside, Hinata’s gone all out. An entire ham is taken out of the oven alongside potatoes, salad, and a cherry pie.

“...I think you went a little overboard,” Sasuke observes, perking a brow as she blushes pink.

“I just...w-wanted it to be worth all you did today. I still don’t think it’s enough, really…”

“It’s fine. Like I said, it was something to do. If anything, I should be thanking you.”

The pair stand at an impasse before Hinata relents with a giggle. “Okay, okay...we’ll just call it even.”

Hinata, as it turns out, is a really good cook. Before Sasuke realizes it, he’s overeaten, having had two full plates of everything and feeling miserable.

“No room for pie?” she teases.

“Ugh, no…”

“Well, you can just t-take some home, then. Have it for breakfast tomorrow!”

He just nods, knowing he can’t tell her no. But he does help tidy up and put things away. “Think I might have to help you build fence more often if I get to eat like that.”

She flashes pink again, clearly pleased. “Y-you can come over any time! I guess just, um...give me a little warning.”

“Sure. Let me know if you need help with anything else.”

“I will! Thank you again.”

“Back at you.”

...an awkward silence blooms between them.

“Well, I...guess I’ll say goodnight…?” Hinata offers, sounding more like a question.

“Yeah. Have a nice night, Hinata.”

“You too, Sasuke. Drive home safe.”

“Not like there’s much traffic to worry about,” he counters with a grin.

“Still -!”

“I will, don’t worry.” Giving a wave, he returns to his father’s truck and revs the engine, headlights flicked on. The drive is quiet, and by the time he gets back to his house, the silence - after such a full day - is almost suffocating.

He stares up at the house he’s grown up in, seeing how dark all the windows are. How quiet it is. So, just to ward off the feeling, he shoots Hinata a quick text to let her know he made it back without incident.

Glad to hear it! Goodnight.

Night.

Considering his phone for a moment, he can’t help but wonder when would be long enough to wait to see if he can head back. Was kinda nice to go ‘out’ to dinner. He’s not much of a cook, himself. Enough to get by, but nothing like what they had.

He’ll just have to wait and see.

     I swear I tried to get this done last night but oof, my brain was not cooperating OTL I had a rather stressful day, BUT things are looking better today! So I’m gonna try to get at least one more drabble done today, if not more, cuz I am...very behind. I’ve just had a lot going on irl that makes sitting and writing difficult.      ANYWAY! This is more of the very random “last people on earth” verse I started with day 17. Our two stranded strangers are starting to become friends, seems like! No idea if I’ll do more of this for the rest of the challenge, but it’s a neat idea to explore. I just...don’t have much in way of a plot for it xD But hopefully it’s enjoyable nonetheless!      On that note, I’m gonna try to get another piece done. But thanks for reading this one, and I’ll see you guys later!

[im-a-special-bebe]

Tread Lightly

Centaur!Wonho

(Please credit me if you use the moodboard!)

Warnings: Some violence, NSFW for some smut - and I feel obliged to say this but NO bestiality y’all.  

@raibebe OTL I’ve been writing for days. It was supposed to be a short, sweet thing, but it had a life of its own, so now it’s at 3,700+ words aaahhh T_T 

*********************************************** 

You had been running for days now. As an accomplished but destitute thief whose money never lasted long, you were still generally good at picking your victims. However, the increased number of guards in the village had made things difficult in the past few months. This was why in a moment of desperation, you had decided to pickpocket a raggedy-looking man’s money pouch. Unfortunately for you, he had turned out to be the lord of the village in disguise. 

In paying attention to the obvious danger of his men chasing you out of the village, you hadn’t thought of the more insidious one - you didn’t know where you were going. So now here you were, deep in the bowels of the rapidly darkening forest, lost.

For the two nights that had passed since you had unwittingly pushed further into the emerald realm, you hadn’t dared to eat any of the enticing berries and fruits for fear of not knowing if they were poisonous due to your lack of knowledge, and the little ponds of water had been few and far in between. Sleep had been a foreign concept as you had lain on the rough earth, exhaustion weighing on you but the eerie sounds of scuttling insects and distant howls and cries and wild beasts keeping you awake. Tonight looked to be no different, except that you weren’t sure that you would live to see the morning.

You grit your teeth as yet another sharp twig scraped your bare feet - your flimsy slippers hadn’t even made it through the first day.

The sudden thundering of approaching hooves had adrenaline overtaking the tiredness in your body as you instinctively broke out into a run. Even getting lost in this forest would be better than getting captured, tortured, maimed, and hung in the town square, in that exact order.

You heard a shout, but the voice was unlike anything you’d heard before, both harsh like rocks grating on one another and yet accompanied by the soft rush of a flowing stream. You briefly glanced back over your shoulder to identify who was chasing you, but a twisting creeper you’d missed caught your foot, bringing you to crash onto the ground.

You turned around, apprehension a solid ice freezing your veins, and gasped. There was no way this was real. There stood two tall and muscled brutes that would’ve far surpassed the biggest of wrestlers from your village, but they stood on not two legs, but four.

Their darkly bearded faces with ferocious yellow eyes and sharp teeth were accompanied by bare, scar-littered torsos. It was these male torsos that led to similarly haired horses’ bodies.

Centaurs.

A frivolous myth - or so you’d thought.

‘I saw it first.’ One of them spoke, his rumbling voice from before sending a shiver through you. As his statement registered, you looked around, expecting to see some animal that they head been chasing, but you found nothing.

Your movement drew their attention, and they immediately focused their gaze on your person. That was when it dawned that they were talking about you.

And you had been relegated to an it. 

They may have been fantastical creatures, but they leered at you the way the dirty, perverted men in the village did, their predatory intent clear in those glowing eyes.

You scrambled up and away, needing to escape again, but just as quick, an arm snagged around your waist and you were yanked up high - you’d surmised earlier that these two measured in at about seven feet - before being hauled over a shoulder effortlessly like you were a rabbit pelt rather than a grown woman.

'You can have it after I’m done with with it.’ The one holding you said, and the horror of your impending fate had you trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

A heavy blow landed on your ass so hard that tears tracked down your face. This only made you renew your feverish struggles, which was a worse decision because a hand wrapped around your right ankle and twisted.

A loud, pained scream burst from your lips as agony burned through your leg. You hung there limply, praying for the horrible pain to ebb.

'What’s going on here?’ A new voice spoke, more flowing and melodious than the other two, but still with that rumbling undertone nonetheless. The creature restraining you stiffened.

What was it that had him being cautious?

You soon found out when you were lifted off his shoulder as he imprisoned your wrists in one hand and turned you around so that you were suspended a few feet above the ground.

Your vision was blurry from your tears, but you blinked them away to assess the newcomer. He was about as tall and naked as the other two, and boasted his own set of broad shoulders, firm pectorals and defined abdominal muscles. 

However, while they were clearly built for intimidation, his proportions along with his almost incongruently pale, nearly translucent skin afforded him a male beauty that was simply breathtaking. You tore your eyes from his barely- scarred body - yet another difference from the others - to his face and you inhaled sharply. Straight strands of dark, messy hair fell over his forehead and pointy elven ears, and his eyebrows arched in curiosity as his deep blue-green eyes studied you. Your gaze fell to his perfect, soft pink lips, and he must have noticed because they curved into a smirk.

He reached for you then, and all your interest was quickly quashed in favor of survival. You instinctively lashed out, kicking him in the stomach. The two other creatures bristled with anger and snarls dropped from between their teeth. He didn’t seem to feel any pain, but his beautiful eyes narrowed in reproach, as if he hadn’t thought of you to be capable of such a thing.

You could hardly think about it though, because the next moment, the centaur holding you had flung you through the air, no doubt punishment for your mistake.

Terror took over your system, and your back hit a wide tree trunk, the rough bark abrading your skin harshly as you had the breath knocked out of you. You crumpled to the floor, the hunger, exhaustion, and slicing pain catching up to you all at once as black dots danced before your eyes.

A roar of rage was a dull thrum in your mind as you succumbed to the darkness.

************************************************

You awoke in a soft pallet of sheets on the ground, and you were surrounded by nearly translucent navy blue curtains made of a light material. Beyond them, you could see that you were in what appeared to be a very large tent with carpets and candles strewn about.

A throat cleared next to you and you turned sharply to see the handsome man from before.

Wait. How was he able to lie with you like … Oh. Where the half of his horse body had been were now two human legs, encased in a faded brown fabric that stretched around his thick thighs.

'I thought my full form might be uncomfortable, so you’ll have to cope with the lack of hooves.’

You gaped at him, his mischievous grin a little too familiar for your liking.

'Where am I?’ You managed to croak, and gratefully accepted the bowl of water that he gave to you

'Heart of the forest.’ He replied as you drank greedily.

You caught sight of a circlet of intricately intertwined vines, leaves, and petals sitting atop his head. That definitely hadn’t been there before.

‘Who are you?’

‘Wonho.’

'And the ruler of this place?’

'Of the centaurs, and other creatures, yes. The forest doesn’t like to be ruled.’

That made sense to you. Now for the more pressing question.

'What do you want with me?’

His eyes darkened, the aquamarine blue shifting to an emerald that matched the canopy of the trees outside.

'A lot many things.’ he said, his voice silky as he scooted closer to you, his naked chest just about pressing into your side. The mellifluous quality of his syllables was even more pronounced as he walked the fingers of one hand up your thigh where your bedraggled white dress had ridden up, 'What will you let me have?’

Your eyes widened, but the fear that had started to creep through you didn’t have a chance to take hold as he threw his head back and laughed.

Unthinkingly, you smacked his shoulder in annoyance, but he only took your hand to press a kiss to the back of your knuckles.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. You’re safe here.’

A trickle of warmth meandered into your heart. 

‘So you won’t give me to those two from before?’

His jaw hardened. 

‘Absolutely not.’ 

He could see the questions in your gaze and he sighed.

‘Centaurs … we’re not used to being denied.’

‘What?’

What kind of dictatorial bullshit was this?

‘I mean that the other creatures who do wander into our kind’s stronghold do so willingly. It’s been that way for centuries. We’re lustful creatures more in tune with our wild sides and baser instincts, so our reputation is well-known. Those two were young enough to have never even heard a refusal from a potential conquest, let alone face actual resistance. They thought you were a nymph.’

‘A nymph?’

‘Nymphs are woodland fae that like to play games sometimes, they like to be chased, make their partners work for the thrill.’

You swallowed as you were taken aback by the mental image of him being the one to chase you down for fun. You were even more taken aback by how much you liked it.

Right.

‘Why would they think I was a nymph though?’

‘They’ve never seen a human before. One of your kind hasn’t ventured this deep for a very long time. In any case, their treatment of you will not be tolerated, it’s not our way.’

‘Oh.’

You shifted slightly to get comfortable and winced as your various injuries reminded you of their existence. 

‘Let me see.’ 

‘Wonho, I - ‘

‘I can heal it, I promise.’

The throbbing in your ankle was only getting worse, but you hardly knew what he meant by healing, so you hesitated. 

‘C’mon, little human. I don’t bite unless you want me to.’ he winked.

‘What makes you think I’d want you to?’ you challenged, feeling brave in the face of his cockiness.

He moved towards you then, one hand finding the ground on the other side of your waist to balance himself as he hovered over you. His green eyes were entrancing with their dialated black pupils, and his mist and earth scent was intoxicating. 

Your breaths stuttered as his head dipped below your collarbone, his soft lips skimming the skin of your left breast as he pulled your dress out of the way. Your half-hearted protest died as his mouth wrapped around the stiff peak and sucked.

Your head fell back with your gasp. His hot tongue came out to play, laving the tight bud and swirling around it in short, precise circles that had you writhing under him as your nails dug into his thick biceps.

‘Still don’t want me to bite?’

‘I - ah!’

You felt him smirk sinfully as his teeth lightly grazed the sensitive tip before tugging sharply. Your back arched as you moaned, the pleasure so acute. He gave you another loud suck and then pulled away, looking altogether too pleased with himself.

You lay there, letting your breathing return to normal and hastily covering yourself back up as he returned with another bowl. This one held some kind of dull pink paste, and a wonderful sweet smell emanated from it.

He set it down and held his hand out for you to take so that he could pull you up into a sitting position. He took a seat in front of you, gently pulling your ankle into his lap and dipping his fingers into the bowl.

‘What is that?’

‘A lotion of crushed wildflowers.’

‘And that’s going to heal me?’ You were no doctor, but you knew that it was entirely too optimistic to rely on flowers and pastes to cure you.

‘No, I am.’

‘How?’

He smiled, as if your curiosity amused him.

‘Magic,’ he said simply, ‘But for my powers to manifest, they need a channel, a physical connector.’

As he spoke, his hands glowed a light sheen of cerulean blue, and you were hit by how other he was. The moonlight fell through an opening at the top of the tent and sifted through the translucent curtains to bathe him in a lustrous light. With his skin bare and luminous of its own, his glimmering aqua eyes, and his dark hair that seemed to have life despite the lack of wind, he was every bit an otherworldly mythical creature, even in this human form that he adorned.

His hands pressed lightly into your ankle as he rubbed the lotion into the skin, but instead of the pain, you felt a calming warmth. As you watched, the swelling subsided, and when he stopped after a few moments, you were indeed healed. 

You stared at him in awe and wonder.

‘Come.’ he said, and you crawled closer to him, letting him turn you around so that you were seated with your back facing him and he sat on his knees behind you.

And then he yanked your dress over your head in a casual manner.

You sucked in a breath, your hands clenching in the mussed sheets of the pallet, more sure now than ever that centaurs were not shy creatures at all.

His lotion-dipped fingers caressed your bruised back, smoothly stroking the injured skin, and the combination of his healing warmth and cool night air made you shiver.

‘You smell even sweeter than the flowers.’ he said against the crook of your neck as he inhaled you. His husky voice had your nipples hardening and liquid heat pooling in your stomach.

‘What is that?’ he questioned suddenly, and you winced as he touched the top of your ass, no doubt inquiring about the red handprint that should have bloomed over your skin by now as a result of the harsh hit that you had endured earlier.

You braved a glance at him to find that his eyes were so dark with fury that the green had almost bled into black.

‘He will pay for this. I vow to you.’

You nodded, risking a pat to his knee to soothe his anger.

He pulled you up so that you were kneeling, your weight no match for his supernatural strength. 

You felt the coolness of the paste as he slowly cupped your ass. Your breaths came in shallow and he groaned, marveling at how perfectly you fit in his hand as he massaged you.

Your body sang from the feel of his touch, all the hurt and pain washed away to be replaced with a delicate arousal that hummed over your skin. 

You let out a startled gasp as he snaked an arm around your waist, hauling you into his lap until his toned chest was pressed against your back and you could feel him hard and ready against the base of your spine.

‘Tell me you want this. Tell me you want me as much as I want you.’ he said huskily.

‘Yes.’ you breathed, heart pounding in anticipation. 

The word had barely left your mouth when his hands came up to cup your breasts, squeezing and molding the pliant flesh. His fingers plucked and teased the erect peaks with such expertise that it had you moaning as you grinded against him. 

‘So responsive to me.’ he groaned, his fingers more insistent in their ministrations until you were mewling, your head tossed back on his shoulder as he dipped his head so that his hot, wet lips could paint the prettiest of bruises on the delicate skin of your neck.

He slid one hand to your aching, dripping wetness, caressing the skin of your ribs and stomach on the way there while the other continued to deliciously torment your right nipple, almost as if making up for not having given it the attention that its twin had enjoyed earlier. 

With the first confident brush of his thumb againt your sensitive clit, an eager cry fell from your lips, and as he circled it while slipping two fingers into your heat, your pulse thundered in your veins.

‘So drenched for me,’ he whispered, ‘I can’t wait to have you.’

‘So have me.’ you replied, sure that you would go insane with need if he denied you any longer.

He released your breast to grab your thigh and splay you wide so that insides of your thighs were pressed against the outsides of his, leaving you spread open for him. 

His arm wrapped around your waist again, and he lifted you slightly so that he could enter you, filling you up with a fullness that was beyond compare to anything you’d felt with anyone else.

That’s when you realized that there was more of him.

‘It’s too much.’ you gasped.

He gave a brief respite to your almost oversensitive clit to cup your cheek, a finger against your parted mouth as he turned your face to press a soft kiss to your other cheek.

‘You can take me, lovely. Ease up for me.’

You met his gaze, his dark eyes so mesmerizing, and you gripped the hand holding your face to slip his fingers into your mouth, tasting yourself and swirling your tongue around them.

He let out a moan of appreciation, brows furrowing in pleasure as he moved in slow, shallow strokes, coaxing you to accept all of him until you were stretched around him so tight.

His hand slipped free of your mouth to find your clit again as he pushed into you, every stroke hitting you so good that you could barely breathe, your pleasured cries echoing in the night.

Soon enough, his name was a desperate moan on your lips and his strong arms held you steady, your nails digging into his thick thighs as you crested over the blessed high that you’d been chasing, spiralling into an abyss of vivid color and electric feeling. He groaned beneath you, kissing your neck and joining you in your euphoria as he spilled into you, with his chest heaving and his breaths  harsh pants. 

It was a few moments before he moved, gently sliding from you as you moaned, your body thrumming with overstimulation. 

‘So beautiful.’ he whispered, a smile on his lips and eyes shining as he cradled you, laying you down on the pallet.

‘Rest.’ he said, brushing your hair away from your forehead before caressing your face, and you didn’t need telling twice as you let sleep take you.

The last thing you remembered was being held in his warm embrace.

************************************************

You stood at the outer edges of the forest. Or more accurately, Wonho stood in the fully glory of his centaur form as he carried you, your arms around his neck, your body pressed against his chest, and your legs wrapped around his lean waist. After he’d woken you up to wash your face in a nearby stream and stubbornly hand-fed you a large bowl of fruits for breakfast, you had set out to return to your village. He’d offered to just carry you outright, but you’d wanted to make things easier on him. 

You had also thought that it would have been much easier to ride him, but given that he hadn’t mentioned it, you didn’t want to risk offending him by asking. 

You heard something in the bushes, and Wonho snapped a nearby branch off a tree, his glowing hands quickly transforming it into a large claymore sword. With his intense gazed focused on any signs of danger, he looked every bit the wild, kingly warrior he was.

He stepped back so the two of you were hidden by foliage, and he used his free hand to tuck your face into his shoulder before returning it to your waist. 

The passing creature turned out to be one of the usual patrolling guards of the city - one that you would have no problem getting past. It would seem that the lord’s men had given up their search on you in the days past. 

‘I can find my way from here.’ you murmured once the man had passed. 

Wonho carefully lowered you to the ground and transformed so that he was in his human state again, although he was still at least a head taller than you. 

‘Thank you for everything.’ you said sincerely.

‘I should be the one saying that.’ he smiled mischievously, gaze lingering on the love bites on your neck as his fingers delicately grazed your cheek and you blushed fiercely at his words. 

You knew that you shouldn’t linger for long lest another guard come by, but his vivid aquamarine eyes reflected a tiny sliver of sadness and a you felt a pang in your heart at the thought of parting from him, even though you had only known him for so short a while. Instead of stepping away from him like you should have, you stepped closer, fingers tangling in the dark locks at the back of his head to pull him down for a kiss. 

Each brush of his soft lips against yours had your heart beating faster, and his arms circled your waist as he deepened the kiss, his tongue melting against yours. You found yourself pinned to a tree with your arms curled around his neck as he kissed you passionately. 

‘The things you do to me, lovely little human.’ he sighed as you broke apart to breathe, and he used the pause to pull you to his chest, gently smoothing your hair. 

With a heavy heart, you let go of him and turned towards your village.

‘I’ll see you again.’ you said softly.

‘Call my name,’ Wonho smiled, ‘the wind will carry it to me.’

You knew you’d be back.

[firespirited]

Projects for another day. Too many unfun jobs to do today.

These two look as good as gold and I’m besotted but they’re both giving me trouble. PJ’s flesh tinting with a felt tip just sort of leeches right out and she has neck tears. Her pale areas don’t follow any pattern: 1 ear, 1 side of the forehead, one 3mm disk on the other side, upper cheeks, tip of nose and the scalp was patch city but that’s covered. She’ll get a head full of sponge bits for her reroot as the bangs area is fraught with danger.

Janay’s lip liner tilted upwards just very slightly making her look angry so I very, veeeerry, carefully scraped it off with a knife. Before that, while trying to remove a neck anchor in her head, my hemostats snapped and the broken metal piece that flew off took out a chunk of her cheek!

Acetone goop did not work, I used small shavings from a Robecca (best color match) then a dark brown christie gymnast body but both were bleached by the acetone and didn’t have enough hold to stick on the face. I then tried color matching pigment + matte acrylic varnish but they’d dry too dark, too light or in a dip like the hole even with multiple layers so I decided to not keep trying for now because I could lose the “patch” during the reroot when the head gets more pliable

// I like to wrap the faces in tissue paper while working to avoid any friction damaging the paint but that doesn’t change the fact that a head gets warm in your hands and gets deformed slightly by pressures, it really bugs me when I see people repaint before a reroot on youtube as that’s a great way to put cracks in the layers of MSC or snap into whatever gloss varnish you put down.

Anyway that’s two more projects onto the already big pile LOL I need to iupdate my big text file of ‘to do’s but sometimes the dolls you wanted all pop up at affordable prices at once! (and the Janays on my wishlist have all been selling out on aliexpress because I waited too long for me to realise she's worth having on mismatched bodies and in duplicate because she's gorgeous OTL)

[firstdove15]

2019 Fic Roundup

I actually wrote enough this year to answer most of these questions. 😂 If you haven’t done this yourself, feel free to join in the fun! ❤️💕

Stats

Total words written: 18,030

Shortest story: The Death of a Montague (832)

Longest story: Akane One-Half (ongoing) (14k+ in general; roughly 11k this year, FFN)

Fics Posted (Gen)

Akane One-Half: More like updating because I’ve been writing on and off for two years but I did add three chapters this year.

Through the Forest: It’s technically gen because Pidge and Lance don’t have romantic feelings for each other (yet). It was completely inspired by @krissychan2 ’s art of them as nymph and fairy respectively.

Fics Posted (Plance)

Love from the Future - Inspired by a prompt generator that said to write about a person who gets a typewriter and finds a love letter from the future and they attempt to find that person. I didn’t follow the prompt to the T but I had fun with it. And getting encouragement from @rueitae during the letter part meant a lot because I was worried about it staying in-character and whether or not it was going to be too fluffy. X3

Chocolat - Self-indulgent oneshot inspired by a little college get together. XD It was actually originally going to be part of a multichapter story (that I thoroughly outlined from beginning to end, no less!) but it just didn’t work out. OTL

Fics Posted (Rosvolio)

The Death of a Montague - The prompt was to write a fic based on a song for Rosvolio and I knew right away I wanted to do it to Brendon Urie’s Death of a Bachelor. Plus I’m a sucker for guys taking on the wives’ last name. XD

Specifics

Best Title: The Death of a Montague. Only because of Brendon Urie though since his title was genius to describe a man happily getting married. Same thing here on top of Benvolio cutting off the last remaining ties to his abusive uncle.

Worst Title: Probably Through the Forest. I could’ve picked a better title to reflect the game Lance was playing on Pidge or his motives, but *shrugs*.

Favorite opening lines:

-

“I caught you, you sneaky little bastard!”

The fairy in her hands didn’t even try to struggle from her grasp. Instead he licked the remaining berry juice off the corner of his lips and grinned at her. “So you have, little nymph.”

-

I was fresh off of writing for Akane One-Half so, yeah, that’s why you’re seeing swearing from me here. XP

Favorite closing lines:

-

The card included two ticket stubs for the Killbot Phastasm movie that long faded. He wondered if Lance knew she kept it all these years.

He put the card down and got to work. He’d let him find it. It would be another opportunity for her to talk about her feelings with current Lance rather than past Lance.

He smiled at the thought.

Tonight would be a good night.

-

Endings aren’t my strong suits but I did like tying up the stable time loop. XD

General Questions:

- Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?

Given my personality, just about what I predicted. I wish I had done more though. Oh well, that’s what 2020 is going to be for. XD

- What pairing/genre/fandom did you write most?

Plance/fluff/Voltron respectively. Especially fluff because The Death of a Montague was fluffy and Akane One-Half had some fluff toward the end of the last chapter I posted on FFN.

- What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January?

Rosvolio/Still Star-Crossed for sure! I wish I hadn’t taken so long with the soulmate AU but I’m still in the middle of writing it so it’ll be for this year. XD

- Did you take any writing risks this year?

Other than trying to get familiar with Pidge and Lance’s personality? Not really. 😅 I almost did with one of the oneshots in mind to take place after Through the Forest (I actually had a rough draft of it), but I was worried one of them would be too dark. I mean, I’ve written dark stuff before, but someone probably would’ve been like, “What the heck, Faye?!” and I wouldn’t have blamed them one bit. XDD

- Do you have any fanfic or general writing goals for the new year?

Well, I saved up and got a new laptop so I’m just hoping I’ll be more productive this year writing wise.

- What’s your favorite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest?

Hoo, boy. Tie between Through the Forest and Love from the Future. The former because I was happy to write something coherent inspired by a beautiful piece of art and the latter because fluff. ❤️💕

- Okay, NOW your most popular story.

Definitely Love from the Future and I’m okay with that. XD

- Story most underappreciated by the universe:

Haha, Chocolat. Which I am also okay with because 1) It was literally just posted and 2) It was super self-indulgent. XP

- Story that could’ve been better:

The Death of a Montague. Most of my energy went into the sonnet (it took me HOURS to compose that sonnet alone 😂) so I felt like I didn’t put as much heart into the rest of the story. T_T. But a good amount of people enjoyed it and I appreciated that.

- Story with the sexiest scene:

HAHAHAHA! I JUST CAN WRITE A CHASTE KISS SCENE.

- Most “holy crap, that’s wrong, even for you” story:

N/A. Again, if I had gone with that oneshot as a sequel to Through the Forest, that would have been a different story. To be fair, it was going to follow the aftermath of the Thing™ rather than during, but still….

- Saddest story?

Eh, none of them really? I mean Through the Forest has super light angst but only toward the end. Pidge clearly missing her brother and the story alluding to Lance having lost someone permanently. The second other sequel would have been part fluffy part angsty but… there is a reason I haven’t gone through with them for editing/posting…

- Most fun?

Let me shake it up and say Akane One-Half. XD Everything is still a puzzle and I think I’m getting the gist of how most events will go.

- Story with single sweetest moment?

Chip and his scenes with Lance and Pidge, I think in Love from the Future. ❤️💕

- Hardest story to write?

I mean, I had challenges with the parts that were supposed to be the meat of the story (e.g. the love letter and the sonnet) but outside of that I could recognize when something needed to be cut or expanded on and I’m happy for that.

- Easiest/Most fun story to write?

Chocolat. XD Got to include Hunk being a troll and not being afraid of Pidge’s wrath because he’s currently overseas. He has to come back to America sometime. 😂

- Did any stories shift your perceptions of the characters?

That’s part of the point of me writing Akane One-Half. Wanted to see if changing the situation would change their characters and I’m having fun figuring it out. Waiting for someone to complain about certain characterization later down the road but…*shrugs*

- Most overdue story?

Complete wise: The Death of a Montague

WIP wise: The Rosvolio soulmate AU. I got a bit ambitious on how the whole soulmate thing works in that AU and I’m working on it not being so info dumpy. 😅

- What are your fic writing goals for next year?

1) Finish the Rosvolio soulmate AU fic

2) Update Akane One-Half faster (Like I legit have two arcs written in first drafts and detailed notes for the two arcs after that. I have no excuse 😂).

3) Write that Plance Vampire/Fledgling-esque AU. I will figure something out, dangit.

4) MAYBE write a long ATLA oneshot based on that Probending AU an artist made for Katara, Toph, and Azula with Suki as their coach. It wouldn’t take me long to find the artist and give credit if I do go this route. Just thought it’d be fun to explore Azula’s character based on what Aaron Ehaz had in mind.

5) (super tentative) Write that oneshot idea I had for Dororo. I miss my babies. 😭

Welp, that was fun! Saw @rueitae ’s post and wanted to give it a shot if I published four things and updated one this year. 👍 Hope you guys have fun with this is you decide to do it!

[hidayasu]

Revamped (ch. 4)

I... have been writing... for THIRTY YEARS! D: Lol jk it just feels that way. Hey guys! Sorry about the delay! I had like three different directions I could have this story go, so I had to play around with it and decide which one I wanted. SO I finally did, so now hopefully we can get back on track! Soooo if it's riddled with mistakes I missed, I rewrote this a lot, so I apologize. OTL. Now, onward! :D

Lol, snapped a pic of Ladybug carrying someone across the city!

Aw, that's our Ladybug! So sweet and helpful!

OMG is that ADRIEN AGRESTE?!

OMG NO WAY

I THINK IT IS

They look so cute! 3

No way, she and Cat Noir are in love, didn't you see the photo? THEY'RE so cute together 3

omg did they break up?

GASP! Is Ladybug cheating on Cat Noir!?

No way!

How could she!?

Poor Cat Noir!

Adrien deserves better!

"Adrien is it true?!"

"It can't be true!"

"No way, how'd you manage it?!"

"What?" Adrien jumped from one questioner to another, flabbergasted at the sudden swarm and barrage surrounding him. "Is 'what' true?"

"You and Ladybug are an item!"

"What?!"

Alix shoved her phone in his face, where there was an unmistakable picture of Ladybug swinging through the skies of Paris, a common and accepted sight. Save for the fact that she was carrying a lean, blond male with a very signature outfit, and blond hair.

"Oh no," he groaned before he could stop himself.

"So it is true!" she pestered.

"No! No, no, we were just, uh," He grimaced as he glanced between everyone trying to wrack his brain. "She was just giving me a ride home! I was right by where the Akuma attack was and-"

As Marinette came to school, she was surprised by the crowd near the front door. It wasn't the first time she'd seen Adrien in the middle of an overexcited group of teens, but their classmates had stopped being star-struck a long time ago.

"What's going on?" She asked a distressed Alya as she approached.

Just then, nearly all the girls in her class turned with a gasp and suddenly crowded around her. "Nothing!" "Nothing's wrong!" "Nothing's happening!" "Adrien was just telling us about his-"

"No way guys," Nino spoke up suddenly, coming over to put his arm protectively around his friend. "There's no way Adrien is secretly dating Ladybug! Cuz if he was, he would've told me about it, his best bud!"

"Right, of course!" Adrien said quickly, though the agreement seemed a little haphazard.

"ADRIKINS!" Came the distraught wail as Chloe jogged up to him. "Tell me it isn't true! Tell me you're not dating Ladybug!"

"It's not true!" Adrien finally said in exasperation. "I was late for dinner and Ladybug was just giving me a lift home, that was it!"

The girls winced and looked worriedly to Marinette. And somehow mistook her worried expression for disappointment.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Chloe sighed with relief, instantly cuddling his arm, ignoring his leaning away from her. "Not that Ladybug isn't great of course, but she's not the one for you."

His grimace came back, knowing where this was going, and quickly coming up with a distraction. "Right! Because, uh, sheeeee and Cat Noir are a thing, right? Didn't they just become an item?"

Of course, so focused on Chloe, no one noticed the way Marinette grimaced. Ugh, right, that photo! The one of her and Cat Noir kissing! He'd been so eager about it, and Alya had gotten so trigger-happy with it. All her hard work of "rejecting" Cat Noir, down the drain...

...well ok, that wasn't true. Every now and then she still wound up flirting with him back, so maybe her attempts hadn't been that successful anyway.

"Ugh, she can have him if she wants," Chloe waved him off in her typical fashion before clinging onto the reluctant boy's arm. "You're the perfect one for me!"

Marinette crossed her arms. "Oh please, he's hardly "perfect"."

She hadn't realized she'd said it aloud until the shocked eyes rounded on her. Her own eyes widened, especially when she saw Adrien's stunned confusion.

"What was that?" Chloe pressed.

"I mean, uh, no one's perfect, Chloe!" Marinette said, trying to be more confident than she really felt. "And, uh, you shouldn't expect that of people!"

"Ugh, what would you know? You wouldn't know perfection if it hit you in the face," She said airily, flipping her ponytail with a flourish.

Marinette leered.

And then she smiled mischievously. "Actually, Chloe, I always thought you and Cat Noir would make a great couple."

"What?!" She wrinkled her nose in his disgust, while everyone else looked confused. Adrien looked positively alarmed. "Me and that mangy cat? Why on earth would you think that?"

But her cool, easy smile never faltered."You two brag about yourselves so much, you'll be able to keep each other entertained for hours."

Everyone burst out laughing, much to Chloe's anger, and Adrien's embarrassment. She scowled at the laughing faces, and Adrien flushed with a forced embarrassed smile. The warning bell rang, and the others dispersed, though Chloe of course couldn't leave without a threatening point to Marinette. "You'll regret this, Dupain-Cheng!"

"I seriously doubt that, Chloe."

"Hmph!" She turned up her nose before marching off to class.

"Shouldn't expect him to be perfect, huh?" Alya raised a brow as she smirked, crossing her arms. "Nice philosophy. Did you decide that in the last five minutes?"

She smiled bashfully with a helpless shrug.

"Marinette?" Came Adrien's voice, making her snap straight.

"Speaking of perfect," Alya muttered with a sly grin, before she stalked off. "See you in a bit, Marinette." She sang.

She looked after her friend longingly before turning with a nervous smile. "H-hey, Adrien!"

He seemed as nervous as she was. "Hey! So, uh," he rubbed at the back of his neck. "You like Cat Noir, huh?"

"No!" She panicked, making him blink. "I mean yes! I mean- I like him! As a hero! But it's not like I like him romantically or anything!"

"You don't?" He seemed genuinely surprised. "But I thought- er, that is, you were uuuh-"

"I did used to have a little crush on him," she said quickly, proud of herself for this brilliant turn around. "But he's in love with Ladybug, so now I'm just a fan!"

"Oh! Great! Glad to hear it." He nodded, half to himself, though he seemed mostly distracted as he fidgeted. "Soooo... do you really think he brags a lot? As bad as Chloe?"

Her lips twitched traitorously, but she managed to school her expression. "That depends. Do you really think Ladybug and Cat Noir are an item?"

He raised a brow, obviously confused as to how those two were connected. "Don't you?"

"Oh, I dunno, I mean it's just one photo," she excused quickly, turning around in pretend thought. If she faced him, she was pretty sure she'd lose her nerve. "Maybe they had another reason for kissing. Maybe Ladybug was saving him again, oooor maybe they thought they were trying to break a spell!"

Of course, not looking at him, she didn't see the sudden flash of worry. "You... think so?"

"Yeah, I mean, who can really say, right?"

He was quiet for a moment as he considered it. "Yeah, I... guess that's true. Ladybug's done it before."

"Exactly!" She agreed cheerfully, finally turning to face him. "I'm just saying, you can't believe everything you-"

She stopped. As she looked at his face, she was stunned by how... down he looked. He was clutching the strap of his bookbag, face to the ground as he hunched over.

"...though I guess they did look really happy together," she finally relented. "I mean, what do I know, I'm just a fan!"

He looked up at her in some surprise, like he had forgotten she was there, and then balked when he remembered himself. "Right, of course! We're just fans! I guess only Ladybug and Cat Noir know, right? We should head back to class."

"Oh, yeah," she smiled as she followed him quickly. "Don't wanna be late again!"

Of course, neither of them were aware of their eavesdropper. Lila watched from the shadows, her face turning into a scowl as she gripped the photograph of Ladybug in her fingers.

After that, everyone in school had forgotten about the incident, and took Adrien at his word. He thought that was the end of it.

"ADRIEN AGRESTE!" Cried the angry female akuma from the school rooftop. She was dressed in a garish mockery of a retail worker's uniform. "Where are you!?"

The students ran screaming for safety, trying to hide in some classes and rooms nearby. Adrien was trying to head for the locker room, but he was spotted, and the female akuma dropped down to block his path.

"I don't understand," he said. "What'd I do to you?"

"Nothing, I just know that you're my ticket to Ladybug, Loverboy," she sashayed toward him. "It's nothing personal."

"Uh," He grinned nervously as he tiptoed back. "I would just like it to be known that that photo was taken out of context, and we're not actually-"

"SILENCE!" She shouted, holding up her weapon- a rather formidable looking… coat hanger? Either way it started glowing and he had a feeling he wouldn't like getting hit with it. "I don't care what the rumors say- all I know is that you're enough to make her come running."

There was no where to run, and no where to hide, and as he braced himself for the attack, he silently cursed his need for haste yesterday.

"WATCH OUT!"

And then he was suddenly yanked away, Ladybug's yo-yo wrapping around his waist to pull him toward her.

"HA! I knew it." The akuma sneered. "Attacking your precious lad in distress was the perfect way to bring you straight to me!"

She scowled, holding him protectively close as she rebutted the claim. "Ugh, I'm going to rescue anyone in distress, not just him!"

And while normally Adrien would be thrilled at the close contact, the sight of the smug akuma, and the students peeking through the windows with their phones out, made him clear his throat. "Uh, Ladybug?" He smiled shyly with a blush, pointing to their touching waists.

She blinked at him, then her protective hold, and released him with a squeak, activating her yo-yo. "Sorry!"

"No problem! Uh, thanks Ladybug!" Adrien saluted obligatorily before dashing for cover to transform and join her.

Thankfully, the battle itself was not a difficult one. Cat Noir didn't even need his Cataclysm. The day passed by relatively quickly, leaving the students to finish up their classes and head home. And in Adrien's case, head to fencing.

"Hey, Kagami!" He greeted cheerfully.

"Hey," she nodded once in acknowledgment, then readied her stance. He hesitated a moment, curious.

"Sooooo you're not going to ask me about the picture?" He asked cautiously.

"Do I need to?" She asked sharply.

"No! No, no, it's nothing like people are saying," He assured quickly.

"Then there's nothing to worry about. I'm not going to worry about some suspicious pictures anymore. I already know where your affections lie."

He was grateful for the fencing helmet to hide his blush. Because it was true, he had been developing a crush on her lately. Granted he was still falling for Ladybug over and over, but... if Marinette's point was right, then maybe he really should give up on-

"En garde!"

Her warning snapped him out of it, and he readied his stance. He could think about it later, but for now, he had to try to beat her again.

"Would you care to explain this?"

Adrien had a feeling word of this would come back to his father. So this time, as the man held up his own phone with the incriminating picture, he was prepared.

"Father, that's not me! It's just an excited fan dressed up like me."

"Oh really?"

"My face isn't visible, is it?" He crossed his arms. "Besides, Nathalie saw me before I came down for dinner. I was in my room the whole time."

He glanced at his assistant for confirmation, and she nodded.

"It's true, sir. He was already in there, and there was no sign of Ladybug."

The man studied the boy hard, looked at the photo again, then relented. "Very well, you may go."

Adrien smiled, quite pleased with himself as he made his way back to his room. Today just had a quick battle, a quick evasion, so all was well and good.

But needless to say, things got a little… hectic after that. And not just from akumas.

It happened Tuesday, after the battle when the reporters had to get their 'scoop'…

"LADYBUG! How could you cheat on Cat Noir!"

"Uuugh, I'm not cheating on him! I'm not dating either of them!"

"Can confirm. On both ends."

Wednesday, when there were three akumas in the same day...

"Now that I have super powers, I can be good enough for Adrien!"

"Trust me, with your super powers, you can do so much better."

"Hey!"

Thursday, when they got a nice combo of one of her fanboys, and one of Cat Noir's fangirls…

"I'll take the Miraculouses, then we'll be together forever!"

"An eternity of corny pick up lines and bad jokes? Be my guest."

"For the record, I know you're teasing me, but I'll still stand by the fact that my jokes are hilarious."

And Friday, when it felt like everything was piling up bit by bit.

Lila stared at her phone, teeth clenching harder and harder as the newest news clips came out. Image after image of Ladybug valiantly protecting Adrien only fueled the fans of the assumption of their "secret relationship", giving her plenty of fodder for rumors, which she had been taking. To no avail.

"Why? Why can none of these idiots take out Ladybug?" She ranted. "What else do I have to say?"

She jumped onto her computer, looking up more articles and forums, trying to make as many comments about "secret dates" and "outings" and possible.

'Come on, come on, someone take care of her!'

Because no matter how Adrien tried to deny it, Lila knew the truth.

"Why?! Why isn't Hawkmoth akumatizing me?!" She chucked her phone across her room, and stomped about in rage. Picking up the photograph from her desk, she glowered at the smiling, swinging image of Ladybug, gripping so hard it crinkled in her fingers.

"Just as I planned, her anger is growing with each passing day I "ignore" her." Hawkmoth mused as he sensed her rage tumbling through. "But not yet. Her work in helping spread the rumors is giving me plenty of ammunition to wear them down. And then she'll be ready to be my perfect puppet."

He held out his hand, letting a butterfly land in his glove. He akumatized it, and let it flutter out the window. "Fly away my little akuma, and evilize him!"

Ladybug dropped between a couple buildings, trying to catch her breath against the wall after the latest battle. Cat Noir transformed back first, having to use his power a lot sooner than her. Plagg took the time to zip out and groan in annoyance. "Man, that's the 10th one this week! It's nice being popular with the ladies, but this is ridiculous!"

"If it wasn't for people taking all these pictures it wouldn't be happening so much!" Ladybug groaned in exasperation. "It's not like I'm saving you any different from normal."

"Normally, I might be disappointed, but this time I have to agree. I mean:" He had given Plagg a piece of cheese, then pulled out his phone to pull up the latest "craze". "This one isn't even remotely flattering!"

It had been a picture where Ladybug had just barely caught Adrien mid-fall by the ankle, leaving him swinging precariously in mid-air, and screaming bloody murder. Clearly, the affection was palpable.

"Honestly, I'm gonna need my PR people to get on the ball soon," He mused. "My nose looks way too big in this one."

"This is getting out of hand." Ladybug groaned with her head in her hand. "You've got to go on TV and tell people they're wrong."

"I've been trying! But the more I try to deny it, the more people think I'm trying to hide it!"

"Well there's gotta be some way to stop all these akumatizations." She murmured as she grasped her chin in thought.

He watched her a moment, brow furrowing in worry, before he quickly schooled it to be casual. "Well, what if we pretended we're dating? I mean as Cat Noir!" He said quickly. "Like we did before for the other akumas."

She looked at him sharply, but he searched her face to decipher her reaction, hand at his neck. She seemed less-than-thrilled at the idea, though turned her face away so he wouldn't see. "I-I don't know, wouldn't that be hard for you to-?"

Then the akuma found them, and burst in with a mighty roar, making Plagg have to hide.

"Another one?!" Ladybug complained. "It hasn't even been five minutes!"

"LADYBUG!" He cried angrily. He was a massive, muscular boy with a wrestler's yellow uniform blindingly bright against his purple skin. There were stripped braces on his wrists and calves, with an orange armored helmet, but besides that had nothing else to shield him. "Why, why do you love him? What does that weakling have that I don't?!"

"Oh, one of your fans again," Adrien realized brightly, hands on his hips. "I gotta say this is a nice change of pace."

"Silence, girly boy! You don't have what it takes to make Ladybug happy!"

Both Adrien and Ladybug glared.

And then Adrien sneered. "Well, better a "girly boy" than a toy store reject." He said easily, leaning to one side. "With a paint job like that I'd say a 2 year old could do better."

"Ca- Adrien!" Ladybug snapped, just before she had to dive to snatch him out of harm's way. "Are you insane? Don't antagonize him like this!"

The boy didn't even have the decency to look fazed, simply shrugging as she held him in her arms. "What? He asked," he defended. "Besides, you can't expect me not to feel a little jealous of anyone after you."

Of course, neither of them were aware of Hawkmoth on the other side of the psychic link. "What?!"

"Oh, go "hide" already," Ladybug spat as she dropped him, whirling her yo-yo to life.

"Oh no you don't!" the wrestler shouted. "Come fight me face to face!"

"No!" Hawkmoth interrupted. "Not until you've faced Cat Noir and Ladybug and given me their miraculouses!"

"Hmph, go ahead, girly boy!" the akuma yelled after Adrien as he darted around a building. "Go run an' hide! While I show Ladybug what a real man I am!"

"Real man, huh?" Adrien opened up his shirt to let Plagg out again. "Why don't we go show this guy what a real man can do. Plagg, CLAWS OUT!"

Once fully powered up in his own armor, he came out into the fray, happily jumping in to take a few swipes at the technicolor wrestler.

"Nice moves, Cat Noir." Ladybug praised. "Think you can hold him back for a while?"

"No problem. You just go recharge yourself," he assured with a wink.

"Don't let her get away!" Hawkmoth demanded. "She's about to transform back!"

But of course, the akuma's attempt to go after her was thwarted by Cat Noir jumping between them.

"Ah, ah, ah," he wagged his finger, whirring his pole around himself dangerously before striking a defensive pose. "You'll have to go through me first."

Ladybug dashed around a building, letting herself detransform. "Hurry, Tikki," she whispered, pulling out the cookie. "There's not much time!"

"I don't know how much more I can do this, Marinette," Tikki admitted weakly as she got to eating the macaroon.

"Hang in there just a little longer!"

Cat Noir was quick and agile compared the big, hulking muscle man. His strikes were fast and fierce, and he kept his pole close to his body to keep his control. For once, he was focusing hard on the fight. So much so that he didn't even hear Ladybug when she finally jumped beside him, yo-yo at the ready.

"Alright, I'm ready to-"

He let out a battle-cry and charged at his enemy, going low to try to knock him flat. Ladybug blinked, before chasing after him and trying to join in.

"No, Ladybug, stay back!" Cat Noir grunted. He was on the ground, on top of the wrestler as they pushed against his pole to try to beat the other in brute strength. "I'll handle him!"

"Ha! You don't have what it takes! How'd a puny boy like you get to be the hero of Paris?"

"My charm and sense of humor, of course. You should try it some time- it might make you more tolerable!"

The wrestler managed to switch positions, rolling on top and trying to shove the pole into his throat. "I deserve the miraculous! Ladybug needs a real partner!"

"I'm her partner!"

Ladybug, for her part, let her yo-yo stop its spin. Narrowing her eyes and letting her scowl deepen, she straightened her stance and crossed her arms. She had a feeling of where this was going, and she didn't like it one bit.

"You know what they say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!"

Cat Noir finally kicked out the wrestler's leg, flipping him over and jumping back to his feet. He went on the attack again, the wrestler using his braces to block his moves, and of course throw a few punches, with Cat Noir leaping out of range. They advanced and retreated in an angered dance of showmanship, sparring verbally as well as physically.

"Not bad for a weakling, puny man!"

"You're delusional if you think a muscle-head like you has a chance with Ladybug. I'll take you out using brains as well as brawn."

"Hmph, I'll show you and that girly boy! A real warrior is full of strength and power, nothing like your skinny little-"

"Will you two knock it off!?" Ladybug finally snapped, and the pair paused in their fighting. "Did neither of you think that maybe I don't care who's stronger?"

The blinked, and they stared from her, to one another, back to her.

"What are you doing?!" Hawkmoth demanded. "Get his miraculous!"

"You… don't?" Cat Noir asked in confusion.

"No! I'm a superhero for crying out loud!" She said. "I can save myself just fine! I don't need a knight in shining armor to impress me!"

"Then…" the akuma victim lowered his hands in confusion. "What do you need to impress you?"

She glanced to Cat Noir, then sighed as she looked to her clasped hands. "The boy I love is… kind, and sweet. He's helpful to people, and always has a smile for everyone, and it's the most beautiful thing in the world. I don't love him because I think he can "save me", I love him because he's kind to me."

"I can be kind," the wrestler said instantly. "I'm a nice guy!"

"You've been fighting me and Cat Noir to take our Miraculouses and help Hawkmoth. How is that "kind"?"

"She's right," Cat Noir sighed in mock sympathy with a shrug. "Helping the supervillain doesn't usually give you points in the "nice guy" department."

"Don't think you're free from this either, Cat Noir," Ladybug frowned at him, jabbing at his chest. "If we'd been working together instead of you fighting over your ego, we could have gotten his akuma already!"

He flinched, then lowered his head, properly chastised.

Ladybug hadn't really been sure what to expect, but it wasn't the akuma victim willingly handing over his arm brace.

"What?! What're you doing?!" Hawkmoth yelled.

Ladybug smiled up at him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're doing the right thing."

"I guess it's too late to ask you for a date, then."

"Sorry, but I'm in love with someone else," she said sympathetically, taking the brace and dropping it to the ground and stomping on it.

She captured and purified the butterfly, but since the akuma hadn't actually been doing anything but trying to fight Cat Noir, there wasn't any damage to fix.

"Uuuuuugh, ah..." the akumatized victim groaned as he looked around. He was obviously much smaller than his villainous form, though still tall and muscular. With his young face it was clear he was only a couple years older than the heroes. "Ladybug? Cat Noir?!"

"Hey there," Ladybug smiled kindly, ignoring the way Cat Noir wrinkled his nose in distaste. "You feeling alright?"

"Uh, yeah," He shot up to his feet, cheeks pink. "I-I'm great, but what am I…?"

"You were akumatized by Hawkmoth."

"What?! No, that's impossible! I'm not evil!"

"I know, it's Hawkmoth that's evil. He gets into your head and makes you do things you wouldn't normally do. Just be careful from now on."

"I will. I promise I'm stronger than that," he assured, flexing for her.

Cat Noir snorted, and Ladybug sighed. Right, since he was akumatized, he wouldn't remember her "speech".

"Do you need a lift?" She asked instead.

Taken aback by her lack of response, he glanced around the area to get his bearings back, and he smiled in embarrassment as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah, actually."

"Sure thing," she threw her yo-yo to catch a perch, and held out her arm.

He looked at her, then balked. "You mean, you want to carry me?"

"Don't worry," she waved off his concern. "I'm much stronger than I look."

He still seemed uncertain, and Ladybug couldn't understand why he seemed hesitant, knowing that she was, well, a superhero.

"Ah, on second thought, I'll be fine walking after all."

"Are you sure? I really don't mind."

"It's not that far, actually."

Cat Noir, who knew instantly what was going on, was leaning on his cane with a slyly amused smirk, before he looked at his hand, and gasped.

"Oh no, I'm about to transform back!" He stole the opened spot, hopping into her arms and holding on with the arm not holding his staff. "Quick Ladybug, you've got to get me out of here!"

"Honestly, Cat Noir, again?" She chastised. "You've got to be more responsible. Sorry," She said to the former victim. "Maybe next time."

Of course, since she was looking at him, she didn't see the way Cat Noir leaned his head toward her to look like he was "cuddling" her, or the way he waved farewell with a smug grin before she pulled them away. She brought them to drop behind a building, and was about to let him down before she blinked, memories rushing back to her.

"Hey wait a second, you're not about to transform back. You didn't even use your Cataclysm."

"I know. I just had to show the guy what he was missing."

"Cat Noir!"

"Look, I already knew he wasn't going to do it. He can't be seen being carried by you, it would ruin his image."

"Oh, but not yours?"

"Of course not. Everyone knows I am still the greatest hero of Paris."

She let him drop with a yelp, dusting her hands off and planting them on her hips as she waited for him to stand. "Well, the greatest hero of Paris can go ahead and walk himself back, then."

"Aw, c'mon, bugaboo, I was only joking. You know I think you're the number one hero of Paris," he cooed, leaning sideways to look up at her from under his lashes. Blink blink blink.

"Hmph. Sweet words from someone who wanted to fight all by himself. And haven't I told you not to call me 'bugaboo' anymore?"

He straightened, rubbing at the back of his head worriedly. "Right, sorry, it slipped."

"Just keep it in mind," she said easily, throwing her yo-yo to catch a perch.

"W-wait, Ladybug!" He twisted his pole self-consciously. "Do you… think I brag a lot?"

She blinked.

He darted his eyes away, fidgeting nervously. "It's just a thought I had, lately, for no reason, I just wondered-"

"You mean you hadn't noticed?"

He stared.

"I thought it was just a part of your act as Cat Noir," she stated in incredulity, before pointing at him. "You mean you were serious all those times?"

He hedged and erred, forcing himself to laugh it off. "Act, right! It was! I-I was just worried it was a little too much, you know? I mean I don't want to come off as too annoying."

She facepalmed.

He looked at her worriedly.

She sighed. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to it with you."And then she was gone, flying off to her destination.

"W-Wait! What do you mean "used to it"?" He called after her. "Ladybug? Ladybug!"

He had enough time to leap back to the school, and hid between the buildings across the street before turning back. Plagg zipped around, groaning hungrily, but Adrien ignored it.

"Does she think I'm annoying? Is that why she doesn't like me?"

"She said she's used to it, what's the big deal?"

"The "big deal" is that I probably messed up my chance with Ladybug! What if all those times I was trying to impress her did just the opposite?!"

"Then just stop bragging around her, problem fixed."

"It's not that easy, Plagg. Even if I do, I don't know how to actually win her over after all this time."

"Dude, just be yourself. You're like, the nicest guy I know! She'll go nuts for that."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that while we're busy saving Paris? Besides..." He almost looked as though he were going to continue, and then the wind whooshed out of him with a long, drawn out sigh. "You heard her. She's already found someone. They're probably already happy together."

His disappointed musings were cut short when a familiar car rolled up to the front of the school. "C'mon, Plagg. Let's go home." He opened his outer shirt up to let him in, and trudged across the street.

When Marinette got in her room, she was distraught. Tikki sighed, plopping down on her bed tiredly.

"Tikki, am I doing the right thing?"

"About what, Marinette?"

"About trying to get Adrien to fall for me! Tikki, what if I came out and confessed to him? Would people react the same way? Would there be akumas, this time coming after me?"

"That's hard to say," she admitted. "Some of these akumas are happening because of Ladybug and Cat Noir. They probably wouldn't care so much about "Marinette".

"But what if they do!?" She wailed. "What if I get hordes of crazy fans coming after me everywhere I go, and all our dates are hounded by the press and even more crazed fans destroy any chances we have at private time together and Adrien decides it's not worth the effort and dumps me and-"

"Marinette, calm down!" Tikki flew into her face to get her attention. "You're worrying too much! It's not going to be as bad as you think."

"...But if I am targeted, that means Chat Noir would have to face them on his own. And I'd have to keep switching between myself and "Ladybug" and I could mess up somehow. I mean, he almost discovered my identity already! If I have to keep changing, things could slip up for sure!"

"You're right, it is a risky plan," Tikki agreed sympathetically. "More than anything, I think other people would start to get suspicious too."

"Tikki, does this mean I… I can't be with him? Not until Hawkmoth's gone?"

"You could still accept his feelings as Ladybug."

"But I want real dates, Tikki! I want us to go to the movies together, go to concerts, and go out for ice cream, and be able to go on romantic outings! We can't do that as superheroes!"

"You're right, you have to do what's best for Paris. But even if you can't go out like you wanted, are you really ok with him never knowing how you really feel?" Tikki asked pointedly. "It's your choice, Marinette. But I think you'll be happier at least letting him know."

Marinette was silent as she looked at her phone, where the smiling face of her love stared brightly up at her. A hero listened to her head, not her heart. The question was, what was the right choice when even your head was a mess?

A few miles away, someone else was wondering the same thing. He was staring solemnly out his car window with a growing ache of disappointment.

I don't love him because I think he can "save me". I love him because he's kind to me.

It just didn't make sense to him. She was brave, and confident, practically a genius in her own creative way, and she just wanted someone "nice"?

Nah, this guy, whoever he was, had to be the most perfect guy on the planet. From the sounds of it he was friendly, kind, and ridiculously handsome, even moreso than him. Not in a "vain" way, but come on, he was a literal model, and she was saying some other guy's smile was the most beautiful thing in the world. And he was helpful and "sweet" on top of everything else. Honestly, how was he ever going to compete with that? He'd love to try to be "kind" and "helpful" to win her over, it wasn't like he didn't know how. The only way would be if they went out somewhere, just to hang out or something. But she never agreed to it every time he tried. More than anything, he really wanted to meet this guy for himself. Who the heck was perfect enough to catch the eye of Ladybug?

He bumped his head against the window, brows crinkling as his jealousy stirred again. This guy sounded too good to be true. Adrien hoped he was secretly a jerk or something.

But even if he was, there was… really no point, was there?

Sorry. But I'm in love with someone else.

Marinette was right. Ladybug hadn't fallen in love with him after all. Maybe it was time he finally switched targets. For good this time.

When they came through the door, he had prepared himself to trudge up the stairs to get started on his homework, but was surprised at Nathalie's voice speaking to him from the door.

"Adrien, your father wishes to see you."

He blinked, wondering why he was breaking his schedule. He knew for a fact that the man was normally finalizing his themes for the upcoming lines around this hour. Yet he followed her into the man's office, looking at his father's back. The man was staring up at the golden painting of his mother.

"Is it true?" He asked. "Are you in love with Ladybug?"

Adrien sighed. He'd gone through this all week already, and it was starting to wear on him. Plus, he thought the man was convinced by now. He let his head drop as he forced himself to speak. "No, father. She's just been protecting me from all the akuma attacks. There's nothing between us."

"I didn't ask if there was anything between you," He said suddenly, curtly as he turned to look at him over his shoulder. "I asked if you are in love with Ladybug."

Adrien flinched, both from the question, and the steely tone from the man. It was nothing like the excited barrages all through the week. Those eyes that bore down on him weren't like anything he'd ever seen before on him. And for a weird, strange moment, he felt scared. Not in his usual "respect" of his father's authority, but an honest to goodness fear of the consequences of his answer.

But the fear was pointless, worthless, and he dropped his gaze. "No, Father. Now can I please go?" He asked, voice cracking as he held himself together.

"...Very well. You may go," He said briskly.

The boy gratefully beat a hasty retreat, and the door shut with finality behind him. Nathalie looked up at Gabriel.

"What do you plan to do, sir?"

"Hard to say. I cannot have him admit to anything without revealing who I am."

"And if it's true?"

The silence was heavy, so much so that even Nathalie was worried.

"… This changes nothing. The plan is still the same. Tomorrow, we'll begin."

"We should break up."

Chat Noir, who had just told her that he didn't have much time since his father wanted him for some kind of appearance, stared at her. "...What?"

"With you as "Adrien"." Ladybug explained. "No one believes we aren't a thing. So go on TV, and say that we were secretly dating, but now all the akuma attacks have made you decide dating a superhero is too dangerous. We can't have people talking about us like this if it's causing this much commotion."

She expected his hesitation from her suggestion, and an argument, of course, and was already bracing herself for his rebuttal.

"Uuuum, isn't there something else we could try?"

"Look, Cat Noir, I know this will be hard with your feelings for me, but if we can just convince people that we're not involved, then-"

"It's not that!" He said quickly. "I know we have to do something. I just don't want to say that we've already been dating, since… Well..." He seemed oddly hesitant, nervous, and uncomfortable in a way Ladybug couldn't ever remember seeing him. "I may… want to ask someone out soon, and it would look pretty bad if I said I had just been dating someone."

Ladybug blinked, wide-eyed. "...What?"

"You remember Kagami, right?" He said, cheeks turning a little pink. "She's actually my fencing partner. We've been hanging out for a while. She's pretty cool, and… she told me recently she's fallen for me, so lately I've been thinking that maybe… we should… give it a try?"

He was looking at her, almost… Nervously? Or was it hopefully? Ladybug couldn't be sure, she was too busy trying and failing to make her mouth shut.

"Ladybug?"

"Oh, wow Cat Noir, I had no idea!" She managed to say instead, forcing herself to smile. "Congratulations! But wow I'm sure surprised, I mean… Kagami just seems so, you know, serious! I-I didn't think she was your type!"

"Yeah, but she can be pretty cool at times," He said, and there was an oddly… sad glint to his smile. "She's actually nice once you get to know her. And she's strong, too. She could probably even give you a run for your money," he joked.

But then he fell silent, looking down at his hands on top of his pole. Ladybug did the same, trying to filter through the emotions suddenly tumbling through her.

'He's… he's giving up on me. I mean on Ladybug, and going for...'

"Wasn't…. there someone else?" She asked in a small voice. And she wanted to kick herself, but the words just wouldn't stop, because she had to know, she had to hear for herself. "That- that girl who tried to have a date with you. Maribell or something? She- she said something when I rescued her, and..."

"Marinette? She told you about that?" He winced, rubbing at the back of his head. "Ah, yeah, that was tough. I'm glad she feels better about it now. But she's just a friend. I couldn't ever really see her like that."

She pressed her lips together, and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. "Oh..."

"Don't get me wrong, she's really nice!" Ever the nice guy, he was quick to praise and speak well of her. "She's super helpful, and talented! I'm glad to have her as a friend. But we've barely had a real conversation," he finally admitted with a half-shrug that said 'oh well, that's life'. "She's super shy, and so nervous all the time. I try to help when I can, but I think she just flusters so easy it's hard to really get to know her, you know? I kinda worry about her sometimes..."

And as she looked at him, her cheeks grew red until she finally buried her face in her hands. Ugh, she knew it! She knew he couldn't possibly fall in love with her stupid, clumsy self! Not only was her crush getting in the way, but her fear of him "realizing" who she really was just made her more nervous, which made their interactions… well, just as he described. No wonder he never fell for her.

"Ladybug? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine!" She assured, smiling up at him weakly. "I'm really glad! You finally have a chance to be happy!I'm sure you and Kagami will be great together!"

She could see his face falling, his expressions an open book, as always. But he was quick to smile back, and he reached for her hand. "I'm always happy whenever I'm with you, milady," he assured, bringing her hand to his lips. "You'll always have a special place in my heart."

His attention on her hand, he didn't see the pain on her face, or the longing in her eyes. Only the saddened smile. "...I know, Cat Noir." Then she pulled her hand back. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Of course," he said. Then stepped back to bow low. "Until next time."

And then he was gone, already vanished into the night. She stood under the moonlight, gazing longingly up at the stars.

"This is what's best for Paris… isn't it?"

"Marinette! Why didn't you tell him?!"

"You heard him, Tikki. He's already going for Kagami."

"The only reason he's going for Kagami is because he thinks he doesn't know you! But he does!"

"But I can't tell him that! AAAAAAAGH, TIKKI THIS IS THE WORST!" She fell to her knees, grabbing at her head as she cried to the ceiling. "I know he's in love with me but I can't tell him why!"

"Listen to me, Marinette!" She zipped in front of her face, gesturing and flitting about wildly as she ranted. "Hawkmoth is still out there, and your number one priority is stopping him and all these akumas! But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your happiness to do it! You can't tell Adrien who you are, but you can still tell him you love him! Even if he can only see a part of you right now, isn't it worth it to be with him, even if it's only to save Paris?"

Marinette looked up at the energetic and emotional kwami, smiling slowly as she started bringing the pieces into place. "You're right… you're right, Tikki! We can still be together!"

"Yes!" The kwami cheered. "Now you have to go to him, tonight, before he talks to Kagami!"

"Tikki, SPOTS-!"

"WAIT! … I'm still hungry."

"Oh, sorry."

A few minutes of eating, and then a transformation later, Marinette was bolting down the rooftops of Paris, sailing and leaping for her destination. Time and time again she had failed to tell Adrien the truth of how she felt, and her clumsy nature and terrible luck just spawned her at every turn. But would it be different as Ladybug? Would she have the confidence and the luck to finally get her feelings across to him?

She stopped outside his house, ducking down to peer over the edge of the roof. Outside his gate was a swarm of reporters and cameras hounding him, and his assistant holding up her tablet device.

"What's going on?" Ladybug wondered out loud, before memory served her, and she answered her own question. "Oh, that's right! Cat Noir said his dad had something planned."

Of course, this far away, she couldn't hear what was being said, so she pulled out her yo-yo and activated the screen.

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. I'm Nadia Chamack, right outside Gabriel Agreste's mansion, where he's called a press conference in light of the recent events centering around his son, Adrien."

The camera zoomed in on the pair, Adrien of course appearing taller next to his father on the video call screen. Adrien smiled at the cameras obligatorily, though seemed just as in the dark as the rest.

"My son has been the center of many rumors lately, which I would appreciate to cease immediately, given the danger it keeps putting him in. I cannot bare to see him in such a position. That being said, I am eternally indebted to Ladybug and Cat Noir for protecting him from the onslaught of Akuma attacks recently. As a token of appreciation, I'd like to invite them both to dinner to the establishment of their choice."

Ladybug gasped, eyes honed in on both the older man, and his young son, who looked to with equal surprise. "A… dinner?"

Down below, in the center of the hubbub, Adrien's surprise made way for disappointment. "Father, you're wasting your time. Ladybug never accepts these invitations, you know that."

"I do," the man assured. "But so long as the sentiment is out there, I'm sure the message will get across."

He raised a brow, a little confused as to how that worked, until a surprised shout from the reporters got his attention. The sea of paparazzi parted before them, showing a familiar red-clad superheroine rising from her three-point landing, and making her way toward them.

Adrien gaped. "Ladybug?"

"Gabriel Agreste," she acknowledged, her lips curling into a smirk. "I accept your invitation."

[kusunogatari]

[ ObiRyū October | Day Fifteen: The Other Children ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Suigin Ryū, Suigin Reiji ] [ Verse: White Hands of Healing ] [ Previous || Next ]

There’s a noticeable tension in the house this morning. Lying awake in bed long before he needs to be, Reiji stares up at the ceiling, brows wilted and greys flickering as he thinks. He’s never been so nervous in his entire life.

Granted, his life has only lasted about six years so far, but...well, up until this point, nothing has ever had him quite so rattled. It’s this morning that Reiji is to attend his first day of school at the Academy.

At first, it wasn’t even a certainty that he would go. While a bit of a mixture of his parents in appearance, he took an early shine to his mother’s side of things when it came to chakra. Given his age of course, neither Ryū nor Obito had yet to give him any real training in either of their fields. Both, admittedly, had assumed he would follow their path. But as his introductory year loomed closer, they finally sat and had a talk about it.

“What do you think, Reiji?” Ryū had asked, giving her son a smile. “You can do whatever you want to do. You can learn to be a medic, or a shinobi...or anything else! Would you want to go to the Academy?”

Reiji, only five at the time, had glanced between them nervously. While neither of them gave any sign of bias, just looking to him curiously, he still felt a pinch in his gut. If he chose one...would the other be disappointed?

“Can...can I still learn to heal if I go?”

“Of course you can! But we don’t want you to put too much on your plate at once,” Obito advised. “You might wear out.”

“But...I can…?”

“If that’s what you want,” Ryū confirmed with a smile. “We just want you to be happy.”

He’d agonized over it for days, weighing his options. Even at that age, Reiji knew of the scarcity of his bloodlines. There were only two other Uchiha besides his father...that being his uncle Sasuke and his child. And his mother was the very last of her clan, though they had always been rare. If he only learned to be like one...then the other might be lost forever…!

In truth, he wasn’t sure if he was suited to be a shinobi. Like his mother, he was a bit meek, shying from the idea of hurting someone. But...Obito had told of how shinobi weren’t just fighters. They were protectors. And Reiji certainly wanted to protect his family.

So, after nearly a week of thinking, he decided he would go.

Now that the day is here, however...he’s been doing nothing but thinking over his decision again. What if he’s making a mistake?

“Reiji…?”

Broken from his thoughts, he looks to his door, seeing his mother peering through. “Kāchan…?”

“I had a feeling you might be awake.” Stepping into the room, Ryū crosses until she can perch on the edge of his bed. “...nervous?”

He gives a shy nod.

“It’s okay to be nervous. This is something brand new, that you’ve never experienced before. But I promise everything will be just fine. You’ll get to make some new friends, learn new things...it’s going to be great!”

“Really…?”

“Really. And you know your father and I will do all we can to help you.”

That takes a slight edge off of Reiji’s nerves. “...what if I mess up?”

“Messing up is part of life, dear. Everyone makes mistakes, even the best of us. Did you know your father missed the entrance ceremony when he was your age?”

“W-what?!”

Ryū nods, unable to help a smile. “But he still made it into class just fine. And he graduated, and became a shinobi despite making mistakes. He didn’t become a chūnin his first try, either. And...well…” Something falters in her expression, Reiji tilting his head in curiosity. “...your father, as we’ve told you, followed a bad path for a while. But in the end, he chose to make things right. So, as long as you keep trying, and do your best...things will turn out all right in the end. I’m sure of it.”

“So...if I don’t become a shinobi, or...or a medic...will you and tōchan be...angry?”

Ryū’s eyes widen in shock. “Of course not! Reiji, the only thing that matters to us is that you live a happy and healthy life. Maybe you wouldn’t like being a medic, or a shinobi. But that’s just how things are. Everyone is different. You just give it a try, and see how you feel. If you don’t think it’s the right path for you, well...we’ll keep looking until we find it. Okay?”

“...o-okay…”

“Now...it’s about time to get up, so you get dressed, and I’ll go start breakfast. Your father is already up, too.”

“Will you…both come with me?”

“Of course we will.” Gently ruffling his hair, Ryū gives Reiji a smile. “Everything’s going to be fine. No matter what happens, your father and I will always support and protect you.”

A few more of his doubts settled, Reiji nods and rises as his mother takes her leave. A light jacket is pulled on over his shirt and trousers, making his way into the belly of the house.

Obito, seated at the table, immediately notices his son’s entrance. “There he is! Are you excited?”

“I guess so…”

“Ah, don’t worry. It’s okay to be nervous. All the other kids will be, too - it’s the first day for everybody!”

Moving to sit, that gets Reiji to pause. “...yeah…” He hadn’t considered that.

Ryū then brings over their plates, and the little family has their breakfast together.

“Will we have a test the first day?”

“I don’t think your sensei will be that evil,” Obito laughs. “It will probably be mostly getting to know everybody, and asking what you know. You won’t start any real work until tomorrow. And your first year will be easy!”

“And I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends,” Ryū adds with a smile.

“What if nobody likes me…?”

“Impossible,” Obito counters. “You’re too nice not to make friends.”

“Just be yourself, and people will make up their own minds. You’re a very sweet boy, Reiji. You won’t have any trouble, I’m sure.”

Once the meal is done and dishes cleaned up, Reiji’s parents help him pack up his bag and start the trek to the Academy. Ryū takes one hand while Obito takes the other, the three of them leaving the house behind. All the while, butterflies continue to hatch out in Reiji’s stomach. Like his father told him, he tries to remember that everyone else will be nervous, too.

The yard outside the building is filled with both old and new students and their parents, many standing in groups and chatting as they await the sensei for each class. Reiji doesn’t really recognize anyone...he hasn’t had much chance to meet anyone his age yet. Any kids in their neighborhood are a few years older than him.

And it doesn’t take long to notice something...odd.

Though no one directly stares at them, there’s a strange sort of...separation between his family, and everyone else. None of the other children make to approach, or any of the adults, either. Glancing up to his parents, Reiji tries to understand. Ryū’s expression is neutral, eyes scanning the yard. Obito, on the other hand...looks a little tense.

“...tōchan…?”

His father glances down, and then manages a flicker of a smile.

“First year students, this way please!”

Hearing the call, Reiji tenses. But at the same moment, he feels tightening grips on both his hands.

“You’ll be just fine,” Ryū assures him.

“And we’ll be here to pick you up once your classes are done.” Obito takes a knee. “...just remember, no matter what anyone else says...you’re a good boy, Reiji. And we love you.”

Though meant to be reassuring, his father’s words only bring a small spark of worry to his gut. But there’s no time to discuss it as the other first years gather around their new sensei. Slowly slipping from his parents’ grip, Reiji gives them a nod, jaw clenched and chin trembling.

Obito slips an arm around Ryū, the pair of them watching as the children are led into the Academy.

“...do you think this was the right choice? What if someone -?”

“It’s going to happen sooner or later,” Obito murmurs. “We’ve tried to be open at the proper pace. I think he’ll be fine. He knows enough to make that call for himself.”

Brow wilted, Ryū leans against him with a sigh. “...I hope so. I just don’t want someone giving him trouble on our account.”

“You mean my account.”

“You know what I mean.”

“We can’t hide the past from him forever.”

“And I don’t want to! I just...want to tell him when the time’s right. Having him here, around the other children...it might be out of our hands.”

“If he has questions, we’ll answer them. We knew this would happen eventually. Someday, he has to know what I did. And then...he can make up his own mind.”

Ryū glances to her husband, seeing the conflicting emotions in his eyes. “...you’re right. He loves you. You’re his father, and you’ve changed. I’m sure he’ll understand. Just like I did.”

“...I hope so.”

     Hhhhh, I'm...not sure I like this one OTL For some reason I just could NOT get into this one. I left and came back several times, and just...phhht. Maybe I'll revisit it later, since I wanted to add a scene IN the classroom, I just...don't feel it today, I guess. Admittedly I've got some burnout going on between irl stuff, and two daily challenges for the month. But I WANNA do these, so...darn it, I'ma do them. Today's just a blegh day.      But yes, for now that's all for this one. I'll try and come back to it another time and give it a bit more substance. Thanks for reading~