#we waited for that zine so long my hair started greying

[ratuszarsenal]

dear genderous countrymen and esteemed international friends, under this link you won't not find a trans polish zine, and here might or might not be a google doc with english translations thereof. more about the zine on the creator's page

[forestfairyunicorn]

Huge thanks to @maireadralph for organizing yet another Zine event, and for this art piece, it was made to tribute my first ever Entrapdak fic, made just after season 4 aired.

Since the fic in the link is user-restricted, here is also the c/p for enjoyment

Rebooting: LUVD

forestfairyunicorn

Summary:

Post Season 4 ending. Spoilers in effect! Entrapta rescued "Hordak", but is it him? Inspired by my favourite Wall-E ending scene

“Hor-DAK!!!”

Entrapta’s voice cracked on the last syllable as she stared at the clone’s blank eyes, hands on his arms.

Physically, it was him. She recovered him from Prime’s other clones, she and the others got him back to her lab. She single-handedly, --she alone!-- got his armor running smoothly, the crystal back in his armor, deep purple amid dark grey.

He’s awake.

But not the same person.

He didn’t even recognize Imp. The little one was on Emily, silently crying and staring at Entrapta.

The clone repeated again, “I am Horde Alpha 24601. I live and serve Horde Prime. Who are you.”

The scientist just laughed. Watery, fighting tears. “A scientist and a failure, that’s what I am. And I don’t give up. I shouldn’t give up.”

She looked at him, tears shining. “You were cast out for being less than perfect. You were my lab partner.”

Entrapta leaned her head on his chest, directly below the crystal. “You were my friend. I believed that. I believed that imperfections are beautiful. I still do.” She whispered the last part as she moved away. Her hands moved down his arms, slowly leaving them, then stopped.

She felt something grip them. The clone’s hands held her fingers, gently, and increasing pressure. He whispered something. Entrapta glanced at his face, her eyes alight.

“You…are not…a f-failure.” The clone blinked twice, breathed twice, ears flicking up and down. He blinked again. Saw Entrapta.

Saw. Her.

He gasped, ears down, eyes widened, a tinge of red seeping in. “Entrapta?” he whispered softly.

“Hordak.” Entrapta grinned, tears flowing. Normally she’d have her mask down, but she can’t look away at this miracle.

Science has yet to explain miracles, but for now, she’ll believe in it.

His legs buckled, and he started to kneel. Entrapta guided him down, with her hair as support.

Both of them on their knees, hands grasping each other, until finally they came together at a hug. Soft laughter, incredulous, tears flowing freely.

“I,” Hordak spoke hoarsely. “I don’t remember much before.”

“That’s okay,” Entrapta nuzzled, “The crystal acts as a backup and a power source. Ingenious First Ones tech. Only flaw is that it has to be connected to you for memory logging and such.”

“Thank you,” Hordak moved to look into her eyes, oh her eyes, how he missed them. Her. “Please, tell me everything.”

She held his hand to her face, leaning into his touch. “It will take a long time, lab partner. And I’ll make a better one.”

He shook his head, a claw touching the crystal. “Imperfections are beautiful. We have time. I want to spend time, with you. If you’ll have me.”

Entrapta nodded, leaning forward. “Yes. We’re lab partners.”

Imp and Emily came closer, and Hordak smiled at Imp. That gesture unleashed Imp as he bounded at Hordak, screeching and chittering and rubbing his head against him. Emily wobbled closer, beeping joyously.

None of them registered the group when they came into the area. Overlapping voices. Shouts of “Yay! WOAH! What the heck? HEY! Go! Go go go go go!”

“Wait, are they kissing?” That was Scorpia. “GUYS LET’S LEAVE THEM ALONE, THEY’RE KISSING.”

At the corner of his eye, Hordak saw one of them double back to watch them, only for a large red claw to yank the figure back.

He doesn’t care one bit. He’s too busy staring into Entrapta’s eyes, and sighing at the wonders of this feeling, of love.

He is loved. So much.

[zekroudon]

Dinner with the in-laws

Adrien's first dinner with Marinette's parents since they officially got together. A lot of puns ensues. As usual, you can read it on Ao3 here.

This was the fic I wrote for my application for the Totographs zine, but I didn't get picked, but I'm proud of myself for applying! Once again, beware, lots of puns ahead. 

P.S. I won't be writing fanfics during November since I'm attempting Nanowrimo for the first time! It might not have been the best idea since I still have my classes, but I'll manage.

Edit: Thanks @komorebirei for beta-ing and their insightful tips.

   As Adrien stands in front of the door to Marinette’s home, the bouquet he got for her feels heavy and useless. He has already given so many roses to her, but they feel meaningless compared to how grateful he is to still have her in his life. Her parents must know how amazing she is — they’ll be disappointed…

   He’s hit by flashbacks to the events that led to Tom being akumatized into Weredad. Coming to the bakery after a lonely breakfast. The grey gloomy sky. The awkward kissing Marinette on the cheeks. The pink rose. Admitting he loved Ladybug, Ladybug and not Marinette, an irony Plagg kept teasing him about now that he was fully aware of her identity. Marinette being too good of an actress at being hurt. The enormous tower of vines with the angry beast on top protecting his princess. Ladybug only appearing at the end when everything was crumbling…

   Even though Nino assured him it was casual enough, yet fancy, and that Marinette would like it—a light green buttoned shirt, with only the top two buttons undone, and dark jeans—Adrien feels like he’s underdressed. Plagg phases through his shirt and looks him in the eyes.

“Just press the doorbell! I’m starving and I can’t wait to see Sugarcube!”

“Plagg, what if I mess up again? What if they hate me?”

   Adrien starts fidgeting with the bouquet in his hands. He wipes his sweaty palms on his pants.

“How could they hate you? I’m pretty sure Pigtails couldn’t hate you.”

“But, what if…”

   The kwami presses the doorbell and returns to his warm pocket while dread fills Adrien. He hears the steps creak lightly as someone comes down to open the door. Is it Tom? No probably not—he’s heavier and the steps would creak more. Maybe Sabine? She can also be very scary when she wants to…

   The door opens and relief floods his body at the sight of his lady, princess, and girlfriend. Marinette is wearing a pink dress with a black jacket. He didn’t fail to notice the small cat paws and the kitty she embroidered on the jacket. The dress is fairly simple to the casual eye, but having been raised in the fashion industry for so long, he recognizes all the hard work she put into the hems and her trademark flower motif. Her black hair, free from the usual pigtails, cascades in waves over her right shoulder.  

“You look… beautiful,” are the only words that escape his lips.

“Thank you, you look great too!”

“So… These are for you!” he says, extending the flowers to her.

“Thank you! They’re pretty...” She leans her head into the bouquet, smelling its perfume. “They smell amazing too! Let’s go upstairs so I can put them in some water.”

   Adrien follows her as they enter the apartment over the bakery. Delicious scents hit him as they step inside. Except for the usual sweets from the bakery, he can smell a plethora of aromas he is not familiar with. An overly excited Tom practically bounces to him, followed by Sabine, who looks more calm and composed. Adrien swears the man is about to burst from how much he is shaking and buzzing with energy. He kisses Sabine’s cheek and extends his hand to shake Tom’s, who gladly accepts.

“Welcome, Adrien, we’re glad you could make it! We could not wait to meet the young man that stole our little daughter’s heart.”

“The pleasure’s all mine! Thank you for having me for dinner.”

   Once Tom let go of his hand, it instinctively went to rub the back of his neck, his usual tic when he’s nervous. Fear fills him as the man’s eyes grow big like saucers when a ray of light hits his ring, making it shine a little. Does he recognize him as Chat Noir? Marinette looks at him, unsure of what to make of her father’s reaction.

   He then turns and picks up Sabine. He whirls her before doing a pirouette himself.

“Our little daughter is engaged! She proposed to Adrien! We need to prepare the wedding cake, it’ll be the best Paris has ever seen!”

“Tom, dear…” Sabine says, trying to bring back her husband to Earth, with no success.

“What?” is the only word that escapes Adrien’s mouth.

   “Is it another case of Oblivio?” Adrien asks himself. ”Last time I checked, we were only dating…” He realizes at the same time as Marinette what gave Tom the idea, but she’s quicker to react. He thought that Adrien’s miraculous was an engagement ring. Though, it’s not on the correct hand…

“We’re not engaged, Papa!!” shouts Marinette, calming her father. “The ring’s, um…”

“It was from my mother, it’s not a wedding ring. Not that I would mind being engaged to Marinette, she’s amazing and any guy or girl would be crazy to turn her down. I mean, I’d gladly propose to her, but I don’t want to go too fast and I’d rather have your blessing before…”

   He is stopped by a hand on his arm. Sabine looks up sweetly at him, just like she did with Chat Noir all those years ago.

“It’s okay, dear, we know you love our daughter very much—it’s obvious in your eyes. Tom just tends to get ahead of things. That poor Chat Noir, I hope he wasn’t too traumatized.”

“I don’t think he is…” Adrien shyly replies.

   Since he arrived a bit early, Adrien offers to help make dinner. Considering his lack of ability in the kitchen, he gets vegetable duty, since it’s pretty straightforward and he won’t risk ruining the meal with a beginner’s mistake by putting in too much spice or causing a fire.

“You know, I can’t believe no one ever taught you to cook—but at the same time, knowing your father, it does make sense.”

“Yeah, I  carrot  believe it either. I guess he expected me to  stew  in the mansion and have a cook for my entire life.”

“Even for you, that was pretty bad,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Finish slicing them, it’s nearly ready...”

“I don’t know about that, young lady—there’s always  thyme  for puns,” replies Tom with a smirk, a fire lit in his eyes. “Once you’re done Adrien, I’ll  knead  some fruits for dessert

“Of course! Would you help me,  gourdgeous  princess? We make the perfect  pear , after all.”

“I think you’ll be  apple  to do it yourself, my prince.”

“Ah, you leave me  floured  ! You know I only have  pies  for you.”

“You’re such a weirdo…”

“Maybe, but I’m your  weirdough  and you  loaf  me.”

“See, Sabine, they were  baked  for each other. I’m sure  muffin  could break them apart.”

   A little bit later, once they are all sitting at the table, plates set and food served.

“This is so delicious! I don’t think my chef has ever made me something this good!”

“I doubt your chef would have cooked this—it’s not really suited for a model’s diet,” Sabine says. “But thank you. I could show you some recipes if you want.”

“I’d love that, Mrs. Cheng! Well, I’m  bacon  track now, I’m no longer following a diet as strict as before: no more drumsticks and crumbs.  Dough , I have to admit that I would have been  toasted  if my father had found me eating a meal like this.”

“You can call us Sabine and Tom, dear, no need to be so formal.”

“I’m glad to hear that! You sure could add more meat to those bones of yours,” Tom adds jokingly.

“The  yeast  he could have done was to let you see your friends more often,” Marinette replies drily.

“It’s okay, it’s all behind us now. The  bread  of akumas, the  pain …” He adds, giving Marinette a slice of bread. She shakes her head, but still takes it.

“Doughnut  worry, son, you’ll always be welcome here. I could show you the ropes of a baker’s job! I  croissant  your talent.”

   The rest of the main meal goes well—more puns, talking about their future and hopes. Adrien loved the fact that Tom and Sabine didn’t expect him to follow in his father’s footsteps and take the reins of Gabriel, unlike almost everyone else in his life. Instead, they encouraged him when he said that he would need some time to figure out what he really wants to do with his life, to forge his own path.

   As Marinette ices the cake, Adrien finishes slicing the fruits and placing them. His fingers are all sticky and stained from the juices, but he’s the happiest he’s ever been. He feels like he’s part of a family, in a house filled with love, warmth, and fun. He dips his finger in some cream that has fallen from Marinette’s pouch. She’s fully focussed on the task at hand, just like when she was figuring out an especially complicated lucky charm in a face-off with a strong akuma. He gets an idea. It’s a bit mischievous, but a good one.

   Smirking, he carefully sneaks behind her, channeling his inner Chat Noir. Once he’s close enough, he pokes her nose with his cream coated finger. She jerks back into his arms and squeezes the icing bag, making it explode. Their faces and clothes are covered with icing.

“Ch-Adrien!”

“See, m’ lady, I always told you that you’re  la crème de la crème  . Getting my miraculous was an  ameowzing  day in my life, but meeting you was the  icing on the cake ,” he whispers in her ear.

“Shh! They’ll hear you!”

   Her scolding expression lingers for a bit longer, but she soon bursts out laughing.

“I can’t believe you! All this for puns?”

“I felt like I needed to remind my girlfriend of how amazing she is...”

   Tom and Sabine turn the corner to the kitchen, taking in the mess the two made.

“What are you two  loafing  about… Oh, that’s quite the mess, isn’t it?” Tom asks, stopping in his tracks.

“Go change into your pyjamas, I’ll finish icing the cake in the meantime,”Sabine sweetly adds, opening the fridge to get more icing.

   As they walk past the counter to go change, Marinette picks a cherry and perches it on Adrien’s nose.

“You don’t need to remind me, Adrien, I’ll always  cherrysh  the  koalaty  time I get to spend with you.”

[lukin08]

Spring Blossoming

Here is my piece from the Kristanna Calendar Zine. Please go and check out everyone’s work if you have a chance.  It’s all great!

Modern AU

Rating: G

Words: 3154

He met her in the spring on a cold day no one would ever assume was actually spring if not for the date on the calendar.  He glanced up and cursed the grey ski as heavy flakes fell around him creating a muddy slush on the street.  Ignoring the dampness that was creeping into his work boots, Kristoff stomped into the hardware store for yet another emergency run for supplies.

Grumbling at the prices, Kristoff shoved the receipt in his jacket pocket and stepped back outside.  A run to the big box store would have saved him money, but it was all the way across town and traffic with all the snow it would have taken  the whole morning to get there and back.  The unexpected snow had changed all their work plans on the house, setting them back at least two days.  What was important now was making up for as much lost time with other work that wasn’t impacted by the weather.  

There were times he hated how much the weather dictated his life.  Especially since he and Sven had broken off on their own.  Building custom homes had a rhythm to them… when you broke ground, when you moved inside; it all had to be timed out just right.  Summer he was in his element, hoisting joists into place, building frameworks, up on roofs.  Summer kept him busy.  Fall was invigorating; the rush to finish last minute outdoor projects as the cool air hit his lungs was enough to keep him going through the long weeks.  Winter was his solitude, with more solo projects with a move to the indoors once the roofing and siding had been completed.  He liked winter and what he was able to accomplish.  But spring… spring was unpredictable.  It delayed his plans and caused constant upheaval and adjusting which all led to costing him unnecessary money.  The whole season could disappear as far as he was concerned.  

Kristoff caught the laughter a split second before the ice cold sting hit the left side of his head.  Broken chunks of slushy snow slid down his face, under his collar, causing him to shiver as it trickled down his shoulder.  To his right two boys scurried away from him as fast as they could.  He pinched his brow and closed his eyes a moment before looking in the direction from where the snowball came.

She was standing there with an embarrassed smile, lifting her hand and offering a small wave.  “Sorry,” she said meekly.  “I was having a snowball fight with the boys and I guess we got a little carried away.”  She shrugged and smiled again.

“You think?”

He barely had time to set the scowl on his face before she was over to him, apologizing again.  She was a mess of red hair, topped off with the fluffiest hat Kristoff had ever seen, using her scarf to wipe away the remaining snow while she rambled on about how her aim was usually right on, but she hadn’t seen him.  

“There,” she said, brushing a flake off from the front of his jacket then stepping back.  “As good as new.”

She looked up at him with a bright smile and he found himself returning it with his own grin and not remembering what he possibly could have been so annoyed about.

Sven was waiting for him as soon as Kristoff pulled on to the site asking what took him so long.  They made quick work of unloading the supplies and sorting them out.

Sven held out his hand to Kristoff. “Let me have the receipt and I’ll put it in the folder with the rest of them for the week.”

Kristoff reached into his pocket and pulled it out along with a small cube.  

“What’s that?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Sven shrugged and turned away.  Kristoff held up the small rectangle wrapped in wax paper.  “Its national caramel day,” Anna said to him with another grin before they parted.   Anna, she had told him her name before exchanging numbers with him.  Kristoff removed the paper around caramel, thinking for a brief second how it was odd there was a caramel day and someone would actually know about it.  He popped the sweet in his mouth, knowing he wouldn’t be waiting very long to contact her.

-----

He learned to see the world differently that spring.  Anna altered his perception of it quickly.  He wouldn’t admit anything changed; only that it was nice to have her positive outlook around.  When he caught himself whistling or taking a little longer than necessary to smile and say thank you, he explained it away that it was simply because he was in a good mood

The truth was Kristoff was happier than he could remember being in a long time.  He liked how Anna challenged and kept him on his toes.  He was even starting to grow accustomed to her quirks and eccentricities.

“So,” Kristoff started one early morning.  They were sitting on the tailgate of his truck, Anna swinging her legs freely off the end.  “You got up early to come all the way over to the jobsite to bring me donuts?”

“Yes, its donut day,” Anna said completely serious.  “These are for you and the crew.”

“There are a lot of chocolate ones in here.”

“Okay, they’re for me too.  You know chocolate is my favorite.”

“I think anyone who knows you longer than five minutes is aware of that.  Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why?”

“Why what?” Anna responded half distracted as she searched over the selection of donuts for the perfect one.

“Why all the days?”

“You didn’t enjoy them?”

“I didn’t say that.  Picnic day was nice and I didn’t even know there was a mini golf day…or a donut day.  I guess I’m just curious why you like them so much.”

“Oh….”  Anna put her donut down and wrung her hands in her lap.  “It’s silly really, I know.  I should stop with them.”

“Hey.”  Kristoff took Anna’s hand in his.  “It’s not silly.  Tell me.  I want to know.”

Anna took a deep breath.  “When I was growing up there were so many days where it was just…nothing.  They blended together and it could be so lonely sometimes.  But most of these days are fun and yes, sometimes a little silly.  I like that it’s a way I can make someone smile…a way to turn an ordinary Friday…”

“Into donut day?”

“Exactly.  Can I show you something?”

Kristoff nodded and watched as Anna pulled out a leather bound date book from her purse.

“I don’t look up the days all the time, but when I do and find something I like, I try to do it and then I write down the memory in here on the date.  See?”  She flipped through the pages where there were notes from earlier in the year.  “Now I get to add what I did today with you.”

“Wait, wait a second.  Go back to the other page.  What does it say about mini golf day?”

Anna flipped the page back and pointed.  “That I won.”

“More like cheated.”

“Do you see what’s written under it?  ‘Kristoff has not accepted his defeat’ It’s still true today.”

Kristoff chuckled then pulled Anna closer to him, hugging her around the waist.  “I guess we’ll agree to disagree on that one.  Thank you for sharing that with me.  I, umm…” He cleared his throat.  “Would be up to doing any of the days you wanted to do with me.  Within reason,” he added quickly.

Anna’s face lit up.  “You would?”

“Yeah.  Sounds like fun.  Does there happen to be any beer days?”

She leaned closer to Kristoff.  “Several.  But you know what days are better?”

“What?”

“Kissing day.”

“Intriguing.”

“Both National and International.  There’s one coming up soon.”

“Then we should practice.  Don’t want to mess that one up.”  

“No we don’t.”

He dipped his head down to meet her lips for the sweetest kiss with her.

He vowed that day to find as many ways as he could to help fill up Anna’s book.  His next opportunity came two days later when it just so happened to be chocolate ice cream day.  Anna was giddy holding her cone as he told her.  He decided then that he’d try to surprise her with days he could find that were chocolate related.  His first opportunity came when he made her homemade cookies for chocolate chip day.  By the time he sent her chocolates to her work for chocolate day, he had become an expert at finding ways to make her smile and fill up her date book.

-----

He told her he loved her the next spring.

For a long time, he didn’t have the words to put to the swirl of emotions running though him.  It was overwhelming.  He felt like he couldn’t breathe sometimes when he was around her.  By the end of the year he pinpointed those feelings.  By spring he was wracking his brain trying to figure out the perfect way to tell her.  He was in love with her.  He had no doubt.   But the timing and the right setting always seemed to elude him.

Then one day Anna pulled onto his job site unannounced in the early afternoon and declared it was time for him to leave.  She waited impatiently while he came down from the roof, tapping her toe on the gravel until he finally made it over to her.

“You’re a little over dressed for a work site.”

Anna ignored him and reached for his hand.  “It’s leave the office early day, so let’s go.”

“What?”  Kristoff didn’t budge.  He was used to this by now, but he wasn’t going to make it easy for her.  He folded his arms at her to feign seriousness.  “But I don’t have an office,” Kristoff answered in a teasing tone.

“What do you call this?” Anna threw her arms out and twisted around, nearly tripping as she moved.  “This is where you work. It’s your office!”

“No, it’s not.”

“Then your truck is.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Ok fine.  But I have an office and I left early and now I need you to come with me.”

“Babe, I don’t…” Kristoff turned back to the house.  “I don’t know if I can go.  What’s the rush anyway?”

“What is the point of leaving the office early if you don’t do something with the time?”

“Ok, but maybe if you told me about this earlier.”

“That defeats the whole concept!  Now let’s go before we waste any more time.”

“Yeah, but we have the whole crew here and…”

Sven, walked out to them, already hearing the conversation.  “Go.  I have it handled.  We don’t need you.  In fact you’ve been useless to us since lunch.  Anna, thank you for taking him off my hands.”

Anna let out a triumphant whoop then grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of her car before he could give any objection.

“We’ll take my car and swing back and get your truck later.”

“So, what do you have planned?  Because I know you’re up to something.”

“Well, yesterday was go barefoot day, so I’m thinking picnic over at the park.  We may be a day late, but it still counts.”

“Let me guess.  You have everything in the car already.”

“Of course.  It’s so nice out.  How could we not go?” Anna patted his chest.  She took a step away, but slipped on the gravel.

Kristoff caught her and pulled her back to a standing position.  “Anna, I love you, but you know you have to be careful out here.  You’re going to give me a heart attack one day.”

He moved towards the car, but her hand caught his.  Kristoff stopped, looking down at their hands and then up to her face.  Her head was tilted; eyes narrow like she was trying to make sense of something.

“What did you say?”

“To be careful.”

“Before that.”

His heart started beating out of his chest when it dawned on him what he blurted out.  “That…I love you?”

“Do you mean that?”

It was the last place he ever thought he’d tell her, but it was out there now.  No going back.  “Yes, I love you.”

Anna jumped into his arms before he knew what happened.  She answered him back with a kiss full of passion he had never known before her.

-----

He followed her in the spring.  The first time she showed it to him was in March.  Anna gave him directions until they finally turned into a wooded lane that winded up to a clearing full of daffodils in their early spring glory.

“So this is it?” Kristoff asked, putting the truck in park.

“This is it.”

He could tell Anna was nervous.  She chewed at her bottom lip anytime there was silence while he drove.

“Hey.”  Anna turned and looked at him.  “Check under the seat.”

She gave him an inquisitive look, then reached below her and pulled out a package.

“Happy Oreo day.”  

Kristoff couldn’t stop from cracking a smile when Anna started laughing.  He had gotten her again.  She opened the package, took a couple cookies for herself and handed several to Kristoff.  “For the walk,” she said.

Anna guided Kristoff up the small hill, telling him all about the property until they reached the top.

“So what do you think?”  

Kristoff scanned the land.  “I-“

“It’s okay if you don’t like it,” Anna said nervously.  “I know you and Sven said I could help scout for property.  Please be honest with me if it doesn’t work or if there are problems I should have been aware of.  I thought the price was reasonable and the area is flat to build on.  But tell me, if that view isn’t to die for.”

“Would you buy it?”

Kristoff’s question took Anna by surprise.  “I…what?”

“If it was a property for a house for you, would you buy it?”

“In a heartbeat.”

“I need to talk to Sven, but I don’t think he’s going to have any objections.  The view alone would sell the property before anyone walked inside the house.”

“So, you like it?”

“I love it.”

Sven was an easy sell on the property and within the month, they broke ground on their latest build.  Kristoff asked Anna what she thought of the design of the house when the first layouts came in.  She gave him her ideas and he found himself making changes based on a lot of her suggestions.  It became a routine for them, Kristoff asking Anna for her opinions on materials for the exterior and then inside as they moved to the interior work.

It was late one night when Kristoff and Sven were discussing tile for the kitchen floor.  Kristoff’s first instinct was to call Anna and ask for her opinion.  It hit him at the countless times he had made these decisions on his own, yet he felt compelled to ask Anna what she wanted.  Everywhere he looked had her influence.  There wasn’t a major decision he had made without consulting her.

That’s when it dawned on him.  Perhaps he had been building this home for Anna all along.

-----

He asked her to marry him in the spring.  After almost three years together, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that he wanted to.  Kristoff had made his decision that night in the house and talked to Sven about the possibility of him purchasing it.  Sven had no issues.  He only requested Kristoff make up his mind before April, when the house would hit the market.

It took longer than Kristoff expected to come up with a plan.  He wanted it to be perfect for her, to be something unique to them.  Then he remembered it by chance.  He saw it last year when he was scrolling through national days in March to find something for Anna.  A quick check on his phone confirmed the date.

They walked hand in hand on the first day of spring, up the driveway instead of a hill this time, Anna pointing out all the changes outside since she had been to the house last.  The warmth of the afternoon sun hit his face; so opposite from the day they met.  

Anna gasped when they got in front of the house.  “Kris, are these original from the property?  They are gorgeous!”

Kristoff nodded.  He had some of the daffodils dug up and replanted before they broke ground.  “I thought you’d like them.”

They went into the house.  Anna marveled at everything, going through the rooms, talking a mile a minute about what she would do with each area of the house.

“I saved the best for last,” Kristoff told her as he opened up the back door to a deck that overlooked the view they both gazed at almost a year before.

Anna took Kristoff’s hand.  “Imagine someone will get this view every day.”

“You know, it could be us if that’s what you want.”

“Don’t joke about that.  This is everything I ever wanted.  I’m going to be sad to see it go…” Anna stopped abruptly, lost in thought for a minute before looking up at Kristoff.  “Wait.  Why did you say that?”

“Do me a favor and check your phone and tell me what National Day it is.”

“Kris, I…”

“Humor me.”

Anna took out her phone and scrolled to the date.  She stepped towards the railing as she looked through it.  “It’s ravioli day.  Ha-ha.  Oh, wait.  There’s more if I scroll down let me-“

He knew she had seen it when her hand flew to her mouth.  “Its National Proposal Day,” she said barely above a whisper.  Anna turned around agonizing slow, not daring to look over at Kristoff until she was facing him.  He was waiting for her on one knee, ring held out to her.  Then he took a deep breath, and gave her all the love he knew how to when he asked her to marry him.

They stayed out there for a long time embraced and holding onto the moment as long as possible.  Anna held out her hand again, admiring the ring.  

“You really got me this time.  How did I not know it was proposal day?”

“I was kind of banking on you not knowing.”

“Well, it worked.   And the house?  It’s really ours?”

“If you want it to be.”

Anna leaned forward, placed her chin on Kristoff’s chest and grinned.  “I do.”

“I like the sound of that.”

Their lips met again, holding each other tight knowing whatever lay ahead, they would face head on together.

Kristoff never liked spring.  Then he met Anna on a snowy day in April and his life and view of the season changed forever.

[kumeko]

A/N: For the nto the Lifestream Zine! I wanted to do a little post-game, Tifa, Marlene, and Barret piece, I really love them as an unconventional found family. (Also, me @ the AC movie, where’s my Barret and Marlene scenes?)

…

…

…

…

Marlene sneezed. The sound echoed through the currently empty bar, a big noise for such a tiny girl. Pausing from wiping the wooden bar top, Tifa glanced in the direction of her littlest helper. “You okay?”

 Marlene rubbed her nose, a pout forming on her face. Crouched on the floor, she glared at the dustpan she’d just used. “It’s too dusty,” she grumbled, kicking the dustpan away. It skittered across the floor, scattering piles of dust before slamming against a chair. As a cloud of dust drifted her way, Marlene sneezed again.

 Tifa chuckled fondly. Setting down her rag, she walked over to the dustpan and picked it up. “It is a little messy in here,” she admitted, scrunching her nose so she didn’t sneeze.

 “A little?” Marlene scoffed, frowning deeply as she quickly backed away from the dust cloud. “It’s really dirty here. And it’s like this every day!”

 “That’s true,” Tifa agreed, grabbing the pan’s matching brush from where it’d fallen. Perhaps it was a too much work for a little kid to do. Setting them aside, she grasped a broom and crossed her arms on the handle, leaning on it with a wry smile. Conspiratorially, she stage-whispered, “But you can blame your dad for that.”

“Hey!” Barret poked his head out from the back rooms with a frown. “Blame me for what?”

 As expected. He was always quick to respond when Marlene was around. Tifa raised a brow, challenging him. “The dust.”

 “Well…I…” Barret winced, not really able to refute her point. “It’s construction work. Makes it kinda hard to not make a mess.” Heading toward them, he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “It isn’t that bad, is it?”

 “Papa!” Marlene stomped her foot on the ground and another cloud of dust flew in the air. By this point, the hem of her purple dress looked grey. Coughing, she glared at her father. “It’s terrible!”

 “Marlene!” Barret scrambled toward her. Scooping her up in his arms, he sat her on his right shoulder, keeping her high above the dust. It wouldn’t be too long till she grew too big for him to do that, and Tifa knew she’d miss the sight. “I’m sorry, honey. It’s just until we finish renovating. Once that’s done, I’ll help clean up.”

 “Promise?” Tifa asked, narrowing her eyes. She was tired of cleaning up 7th Heaven for who knew how long. It was bad enough that she had to scrub the whole place after the daily evening patrons as it was; she couldn’t remember the last time the place had been spick and span for longer than a few hours.

 Fortunately for her, Marlene chimed in, “Promise, Papa?” Her chubby hands clutched Barret’s short brush of hair and she leaned to the side to stare at him.

 There was almost nothing Barret would do if Marlene asked him. Instantly, he nodded his head, a goofy smile on his face. “Promise.” He held up his left pinky and she giggled as she pinky-promised with him.

 A future extortionist. For a six-year-old, she held so much promise. Tifa had to tell Cloud later. Satisfied, she straightened up and started to sweep the floor. Marlene had left a mess everywhere. “Think you’re almost done?”

 The expression on Barret’s face told her everything. He grimaced, glaring at the back rooms as though they had personally affronted him. “Not yet. There’s some fu—freakin’ mold in the back that some idi—morons didn’t think to fu—fudgin’ check up on.” His arms crossed and Tifa could almost see Marlene’s pout in him. Like daughter like father, it seemed. “Have to replace the goddamn wood.”

Tifa blinked. Ever since Marlene had started attending school, Barret had tried to soften his language. He had reduced his swearing a smidge, talked a little nicer, and even remembered his p’s and q’s on occasion. And sure, maybe after the teacher had chewed him out, Tifa had expected him to try. She just hadn’t expected him to actually manage it.

 “The wood’s bad?” Marlene glanced around, curious. “Is it going to collapse?”

 “Not if I have anything to fuckin’ say about it,” Barret replied reassuringly and well, he was trying at least. It was the thought that counted and all that. “Besides, we don’t have a basement to fall into.”

 “Not anymore.” Tifa glanced at the old pinball machine and bit her lip. It was strange to think it was just a game now, that pressing the right buttons wouldn’t lead to a secret base. That the bar was just a bar, nothing more.

 Following her gaze, Marlene sighed wistfully. “I miss the basement. And Jessie.” Her eyes started to tear up and she sniffled. “And Biggs. And Wedge.” By this point, she was full on crying and she pressed her face into Barret’s coarse hair. “And Aerith,” she mumbled.

 “Marelene…” Barret frowned and he gently pried her off his shoulder and into his arms. Enveloping her in a hug, he murmured, “Yeah, kiddo.” His voice started to crack and he held her tighter. “I miss them too.”

 Tifa wiped an eye, fighting back her own tears. Sometimes, she still expected the rest of Avalanche to pop in through the door, determined expressions as they planned their next series of attacks. The war was over, but just. There were still sections of Midgar that needed repairing, crumbling walls and broken homes that were waiting for a helping hand.

 An abandoned church that Tifa could still barely take a step in and that Cloud couldn’t stop visiting.

 Grief was funny that way. She wondered how long it would take for them to recover, for the hurt to ease up. Then again, Tifa already knew the answer to that—there were days when she never thought about her hometown and days where she could hardly breathe, the fire and smoke still heavy in her lungs. If there was one saving grace, it was that Marlene was still young, too young to remember Avalanche all that well.

 Hopefully her grief would be a small, dull ache, only brought out occasionally if at all.

 Clearing her throat, Tifa walked over to Barret’s side. Stroking Marlene’s hair, she said, “I was thinking, we don’t have anything for them in the bar.”

 Still sniffling, Marlene gingerly lifted her head. “We don’t?”

 “Yeah.” Tifa nodded sadly. “Not a drink or a food or even decorations. I want to do something, but I’m not sure what.” She cocked her head, tapping her chin. “I wonder if someone could help me with it.”

 Marlene’s eyes widened and she hiccupped. “I can!” Quickly, she wiped the tears from her eyes and hiccupped again. “I can help.”

 “Great!” Tifa forced a grin. “I know the two of use can come up with something amazing.”

 “Two?” Barret snorted, offended. “I can help too.”

 “Oh yes, you can definitely help.” Tifa smiled darkly, marching back to the wall where she’d left the broom. Snatching it, she stomped back and held it out to her once illustrious leader. “You can clean.”

 “What the fu—” Barret looked like he was about to say something more explicit, but a single glance at Marlene and he gritted his teeth. Tifa was thoroughly impressed—clearly that teacher had some power and she’d have to go along next time to find out what.

 “You’re done for the day.” Tifa gestured at the clock on the wall. “We’re opening in two hours.” She stared pointedly at the layer of sawdust on the floor. “And that’s going nowhere.” Shaking the broom insistently, she glared at him. “Didn’t you just promise?”

 Barret’s jaw dropped. “But that wasn’t—”

 “Papa! You promised!” Marlene pulled back, frowning as she stared at his face. “And you said anyone who breaks promises were liars.”

 He gulped. “I did but…”

 “No buts!” Marlene squirmed in his arms until her set her down. “You have to clean, Papa!” She turned around and grabbed Tifa’s hand. “And we’ll make the most amazing drink for Briggs and Wedge.”

 Tifa quickly shook her head when Barret stared at her, his brows knitted. No alcohol, she mouthed.

 “—and a minature computer for Jessie and flowers for Aerith,” Marlene continued, ticking it off on her fingers.  

 “A computer?” Tifa blinked. Marlene remembered more than she expected.

 “Yep.” She nodded determinedly. “They’re our family, so we have to make sure everything’s perfect.”

 Family. It had been a long time since Tifa had used that word, but that was what they had been. What they all were now. Family. She nodded. “Yeah.”

 And from now on, she wasn’t going to lose any of them.

[osokaraddict]

Osokara Zine Entries + AN Notes

This is super late but who cares! I wrote for the first time and had lots of fun collaborating with Noriko in the Osokara Zine (please have a read here if you haven’t already!)

I did a total of four entries (ノ°▽°)ノ 

But the Rose was Completely Unharmed Summary: AU - Magic Teacher x Magical Girl; Professor Osomatsu thinks his student is an idiot. His student begs to differ and calls himself the Guilto Warrior of Love™.

Earl Grey, with a Teaspoon of Blue Flowers Summary: AU - Teacup Spirit x Teru Teru Doll; a (not) lonely teacup spirit meets a white spirit by the window.

Rain, with Signs of Drowning Summary: R15 - NEETS;  According to Osomatsu, humans are made out of 80 or 90 percent out of water; Karamatsu thinks his older brother should get his head checked by a doctor.

Matsuno Karamatsu’s Ingenious Plan  Summary: R18 - NEETs; Karamatsu thinks he has a greatest plan in the world; Osomatsu’s head is hurting.

Nori and I also did a bonus entry that missed the deadline. Please have a read if you are interested! (۶•̀ᴗ•́)۶

Feast and Indulgence Summary: R18 - AU - Shuten Douji x Dark!Aoandon; The oni's nature is to pillage, indulge, and feast to their heart's content. This is no different.

And below the cut is author notes of each entries plus a related short snippets that might be fun if you wanted to know more about each world ✨ The author notes are filled with spoilers and mostly safe for work (and not proofread).

But the Rose was Completely Unharmed

I had the most fun writing this... just because I’m always biased to Magical Girl Kara 😳💦 I had problems thinking of Painful Lines of Magic but that’s when Tundrea popped in my head with sunglasses and I was filled with rage🔥 Getto out! I’m writing this with Noriko in mind! Not you!!!

Oso-sensei is seriously infatuated with his student but since he’s in adult, he thinks he needs to be proper. It’s hard not to ogle crossdressing student on all-fours on the floor with pretty blue hair everywhere. He desperately is trying to figure how to get Kara to graduate properly so he can put his hands on his student without guilt in his mind. Hence why this shitty teacher is even trying to teach properly! Amazing!

This story wasn’t actually written together with Nori’s art at all 😌 But when I saw it, I thought it’ll be nice to connect the two, hence the “I will protect you” line. Unfortunately, it made Osomatsu cooler and I’m forever regretting it as he’s just shitty shotacon... Like all mages, Osomatsu’s real age is unknown, though Kara thinks it’s not too far from his own.

Speaking of Nori’s comic, we had a conversation that went something like this:

K: Nori, those magic crystal thingys… will reflect? Right? N: Yeah they do. It's magic (??) K: THEN THEY WILL REFLECT KARA’S PANTIES AND SENSEI CAN SEE THEM ALL THE TIME! N: But Kara is wearing shorts 😂😂 K: ...KUSOOOOOOOOO ( ۶ ༎ຶД ༎ຶ) ۶ MY HOPES AND DREAMMMSSSS

Thus began Oso’s journey to melt the crystal trapping Kara and finally get to see the panties 😔

A back setting Karamatsu has is that his flooding magic is actually really weird in that there shouldn’t be fish and stuff in the water but there is. It’s not transportation magic so then Karamatsu is created them himself...? And maybe this leads to his fate later on...

Also, Karamatsu fell in love at first sight because Osomatsu resembled him, thus a dangerous guilty guy✨ Osomatsu’s real personality is just shitty, pathetic, clingy, and attention-hungry, so Karamatsu decided he will do the world a favour by looking after this useless teacher with immortal RABU. He sees Osomatsu clearly, but at the same time, kissing and even more is the last thing on his mind.

“Heh. I will exchange a hot, passionate baiser with you anytime you wish, my Dear Teacher!” The crossdresser said as he puckered up his lips with sparkling shitty looking eyes.

“Your teacher prefers not being thrown in jail so no thanks~” The teacher replies lazily, not looking up from his newspaper.

“WHY!? Such a handsome guy is offering this bountiful opportunity to you, and you refuse!?” Karamatsu looked at his teacher like his teacher was insane. And he thinks he’s probably right since all those gambling newspaper were probably bad for the brain. "There is no need to hold back. Come, MY DARLING!" He spread his arms with enough enthusiasm for the both of them.

The teacher had enough of his student's pestering and waved his wand to levitate an all-so-conveniently placed plushie to smack it right into the crossdresser's face.

"MUFH!?" A rather unladylike (gorilla-sounding, even) escaped Karamatsu's mouth before he pulled the said plushie off his face. It was kind of an ugly red thing. The crossdresser somewhat remembers this toy to be part of the 'Geruge' set with its oversized tongue and fluffiness. Still, it had a charm to it in that, the more you look at it, the more this red geruge thing start to look kind of cute. "Teacher, where did you get this from?" He couldn't help but ask since it was strange his teacher had this.

Osomatsu shrugged his shoulders. "It was the consolation prize they gave after I lost badly at magick pachinko~ I thought maybe it'll help me attract some boobs so I took it with me but it's too ugly." It did not come in a two-set. And there definitely wasn't a blue one he kept at home or anything. The series did actually have some strange popularity to it, so he didn't hide it until it was detention time or anything.

Really.

The unfair teacher opens his mouth to continue and says, "Go throw that in the garbage can for your teacher, okay? Thanks~"

"T-Throw!?" Karamatsu gasped dramatically like Osomatsu predicted. "How could you throw this Poor Innocent Sheep geruge Boy into the garbage can like that!?"

"Eh~ Cause it doesn't attract girls~" Osomatsu whined.

"And that is why you are the least popular professor here," Karamatsu deadpanned.

"So mean! I've just been hurt and insulted by my student! And the world is cruel 'cause teachers can't insult their students but the opposite can happen!"

Karamatsu didn't pay attention to his whining teacher and held up the red geruge in the air and twirled around. "Fufu~ Now that I look at you closer, you look at bit like Teacher," he laughs. "Since your Master doesn't want you, I shall take you home! Your name is Osogeruge from now on~!"

Osomatsu's heart skips a beat.

"Hey, could you not name that ugly thing after me~?"

"Hmm~? Don't worry, Teacher! I will make sunglasses and a leather jacket that will fit Osogeruge just right and he'll become a GUILTY GERUBOI in no time!"

"NO, PLEASE STOP!!!"

Osomatsu nursed his ribs that almost broke by imagining that red geruge in sunglasses and leather jacket (it was horrible).

"Teacher~" Karamatsu calls out, making Osomatsu looked out. He held the ugly red plushie in his hands before he dropped a kiss on it. "Since Teacher doesn't want my hot, passionate baiser, then I shall give it to this Karamatsu Boy instead!"

"...Okay, you are so getting a second detention and lines on the board! Get back here you shitty crossdresser!!!"

And a few weeks later when Osomatsu actually places a kiss on Karamatsu's forehead, his dumb student turned even redder than his Osogeruge plushie.

"...I think I saw a nostalgic dream," the teacher mumbles to himself. It seems he has fallen asleep even though that was the last thing he had time for.

When he looked up, it relieved him to see his student still there --- even if his student was captured inside crystals.

Shaking his head to clear away the fog in his tired mind, he forced his aching body up. "I'll be off. Be a good student and wait for your teacher until he comes back okay?" He places a smile on his face like nothing was wrong at all.

Tomorrow. The day after. Five years. A century.

In the end, it didn't matter how long it'll take for him. There was something much more important to him than time and his life itself.

"Please wait for me. Just a bit longer."

Earl Grey, with a Teaspoon of Blue Flowers

The ✨CUTEST✨ couple in the world, is thanks to Nori and her wonderful ideas. Incidentally, talking to her about it was enough to make the whole plot of this story, which is why this is the only story with an actual plot! Amazing Noriko power!

I wrote an outline of the story on piece of lined paper and the word limit of 5k was already making me sweat. Supposedly Teacup-kun was going to successfully bring Teru-chan outside and have a picnic. He was going to suffer having to hold hands with Teru-chan the whole time cause the white spirit was too curious of everything ("WHAT IS THAT!! AMAZING~ WOWOW~") and ignorant of all dangers in the world. On one hand, Teacup-kun gets to hold hands with Teru-chan; on the other hand, he was trying to make sure that Teru-chan doesn't get kidnapped by a bird or something 😂 The moment Teacup-kun loses sight of Teru-chan, Teru-chan comes back with the royal osokara round dogs he made friends with. Mini Oso and Kara on top of those round dogs are too cute... 😳

Speaking of this story, Nori and I had a conversation something like this:

N: I had to put fluff in Teru-chan's skirt because he will show his panties (??) K: NORI I THOUGHT WE HAD A DISCUSSION THAT TERU IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE NO PANTIESSSSS ( ۶ ༎ຶД ༎ຶ) ۶

But eventually it's been decided that Teru-chan needed panties or Teacup-kun would be distracted the whole time and wouldn't have been able to make a proper conversation  ;つД｀) Damn you panties...

Incidentally, that royal prince and princess are together and they spend lots of time together... Lots of time. Enough that Teru-chan knows only all the things at night in the two weeks he was made and lived in the princess' room (making Teacup-kun a shotacon✨). The prince is also a shotacon✨ Which leads to Nori's art here of Teru-chan lifting his dress when Teacup-kun had steeled his heart to take it slow so that he doesn't scare his new wife~

It is thanks to the prince that Teru-chan knows the concept of marriage when he knows barely anything else. It is also thanks to the prince that Teru-chan has the 'wrong' image of marriage, so good luck Teacup-kun!

Their end is something like this. It comes unexpectedly, but at the same time no one was truly in the wrong. A nervous new maid, afraid of all the expensive things that surrounded her, felt like she was walking on top of needles. The moment she made a mistake, she was sure she would get fired and end up on the streets since she needed this job more than anything. With quivering fingers, she tried to wipe the multiple tea sets to the best of her ability.

Unluckily for her, the combination of this new environment, her anxiety, and her discomfort and inexperience in wearing her complex maid outfit, she accidentally knocked her one of the teapots and cups she was cleaning.

Even before she heard the sound of porcelain shattering on the wooden floor below, she paled. She panicked – what should she do? Clean up the mess? Where’s the broom? Or maybe they can be mended? She swallowed down the urge to scream as tears slipped her eyes.

Before she realized it, she ran, trying to find her senior maid and ready to confess what she did.

In the next room, there was a white doll dangling by the window. It heard something shattered, and right away, it realized what happened.

He thought heard his husband scolding him to stay away but he didn’t listen at all. He floated down from the window and hurried as fast as his small body can take him. It took almost an eternity before he found the source of the sound – the sight of shattered porcelain. He called his husband’s name, begging for an answer. He knew he wouldn’t receive one, but he still held a small hope.

“Forever. Always.”

Surely that was the answer to everything, so the white doll roughly wiped his tears away. He held out his white dress and used it to collect every piece of the broken cup that made up his husband. Those uneven shards, small and big, eventually cut and tore the white doll’s body but he didn’t care.

He may not be able to hear his husband’s voice anymore but his husband was in these shards.

It hurt. It did hurt. His body cried in pain but his heart cried even more. Even then, despite that, the white doll tried to gather all those parts, almost breaking from the weight.

“…Forever… always,” the white doll whispers to himself. “…to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

But even if the vow they made was until death, the white doll knew he will be lonely in no time. No, he was already feeling so, so lonely like he was trapped in a drawer on that day long, long ago.

That is why, he was sure that his husband will scold him for following all the way to death to see him. Yet that husband of his was always so kind that the white doll was sure he’ll get a hug and a kiss after being lectured.

With such a dream in his mind, the white doll tied up his tattered dress with the shards of his most beloved and crossed his eyes to sleep.

They are later buried together in the garden at the royal family’s wish. It didn’t take long before flowers and mushrooms sprout at the very spot the family buried them. Everyone could take a deep breath of relief. Somehow, they could come to believe the teacup and the white doll will meet again but in a different shape and form.

Always. Forever.

With you.

Rain, with Signs of Drowning

The first proper fanfic I wrote. If you read the rest, you can tell because the mood is actually sombre and serious 😂 It helped that I was writing with Nogi in mind? Probably. Writing is hard desu.

This fanfic was written in Kara’s POV and thus he missed a lot of hints and doesn’t know how desperate Oso is actually is~ But Oso is unfair in that he always wants to be cooler and ‘win’ since he’s the big brother. He wants Kara to drown in him because he doesn’t want to admit he drowned in Kara waaay before. He hides his internal turmoil behind a cocky smile and strips Kara naked with his eyes. But Kara is an idiot and doesn’t think about sexual acts and instead thinks Oso is literally hungry and wants a bite of his flesh 😰 (Kissing and biting must be how Osomatsu endures with his cannibalism urges! And me who lets him... is the true duty of the second son. Bang!! 😎✨)

Oso’s goal is to make it so that Kara can’t live without him.

He’s the shitty type that pulls sweaty Kara dressed in a tank top, really short shorts from the floor in the summer on top of him.

The fan barely relieved the effects of the boiling summer’s heat on him, and now with the added weight on him, it was even more suffocating. Even as his brain shouted it was frying and his lungs only took in hot air to scorch his body, he pressed the body on top of him close so that their skin touched more.

Who knows. Maybe they can melt together and become one like this, he thought with blood rushing down his lower body.

“It’s hot,” Karamatsu complained shortly. No doubt the heat was making the second speak less and without painful words. His eyes said ‘let go of me’ but Osomatsu pretend he saw nothing.

“Then push me off the sofa,” Osomatsu instead pointed out. He knew giving a choice will make Karamatsu stop and use his empty brain to try and think. But that empty brain doesn’t work long and soon Karamatsu will reach a no-conclusion. It took too much to push Osomatsu off, and, at the same time, it took too much will and energy to think of another option. Thus Karamatsu did nothing but lie on top of his older brother with an unamused frown.

Osomatsu just laughed. It was the kind of ugly face Karamatsu had when he just wakes up. The kind of expression he wouldn’t make to his little brothers on purpose at all. It’s not like Osomatsu didn’t feel a hint of guilt; still, he will use whatever he could.

His cute, cute stupid little brother. Narcissistic, kind, painful, timid, slow, airhead, and dumb.

“Don’t change, Karamatsu.” Like a curse. Like a prayer.

Don’t ever bother notice the wrongness of this relationship that’s too immature and depraved to call ‘love’. However, if he had to, Osomatsu would use that cheap, clichéd word ‘love’ Karamatsu liked in place of ‘possessiveness’.

But he’ll only do that if Karamatsu realizes something was off. If that day never comes, he won’t even bother, especially since he didn’t want to give unnecessary information to Karamatsu at all.

‘You don’t have to think, and if someone has to weigh down by this forever then it can be me. ...Cause I’m your big bro.’

“It’s hot,” Osomatsu says instead with common and simple words that his stupid little brother’s brain can actually comprehend and get distracted.

Karamatsu commented back, “Yeah, it’s hot,” not realizing he said the same thing earlier. But before those gears in his head can click in place, Osomatsu slips his hand up Karamatsu’s tank top and shorts to enjoy the bare feel of his little brother’s skin.

This body he forcibly opened up to take him inside remembers his touch and shivers. A small gasp escaped from Karamatsu’s mouth, which Osomatsu stole away.

“It’s so hot that I’m going to die~” Osomatsu complains.

“Y-Yeah,” Karamatsu replies absentmindedly, out of reflex.

Osomatsu bites that tanned throat in front of his eyes and grinds his lust and heat mercilessly without hesitation.

Surely the cries of the cicadas will distract his little brother from remembering how to complain.

Matsuno Karamatsu’s Ingenious Plan

Essentially all the porn I read is Japanese porn, so this 'plot' isn't all that strange if it's in Japanese 😂 I have read some pretty dumb Karamatsu, but I'm sure canon Karamatsu is a bit smarter. I'm also sure my Karamatsu in this fanfic was merely distracted by wondering if he wanted a glow-in-the-dark d*ldo or one that played music (because Ozaki). He is really happy, enjoying the NEET life to the fullest that he won’t survive very long in the outside wrong.

Onii-chan is super worried you know, Kara-chun~?

Hence why Osomatsu did suffer lots through the ages from horror that he gets hardty at the sight of his little brother’s smile to beating up weird guys that ‘invite’ an oblivious Karamatsu to things. Him eating Karamatsu’s love letters like a goat in high school was inevitable as Osomatsu did his best to sabotage all romantic relationships from ever happening. Osomatsu was that annoying older brother that will pop out of nowhere and throw his arm around Karamatsu’s shoulder to interrupt conversations. Once in a while, Osomatsu’s hand drops down to rest down on Karamatsu’s hip in a very possessive way but Karamatsu doesn’t get a thing.

Osomatsu did try confessing his love several times but they all end in failure. One of the cases is: “I LOVE YOU!!” “Heh. I RABU you too, my first BURAZA~😎✨ I am such a sinful guy to be so LOVED by my siblings!! Wowowow~!”

Osomatsu cried.

He would also like to argue that anyone in his shoes would do the same thing if their cute, stupid, sexy little brother comes by with a ruler and asking for your size ‘cause he wants a toy exactly the same.

On the side note, I realize the awesomeness of art drawn by western fandom because of no need for censorship. I GOT NONCENSORED DIKKU AND PEACHES FROM NORIKO WOWOWOW!!!! \(°口°๑)/ \(°口°๑)/

Totty will have lots of fun getting Am*zon to stop showing all those ‘interesting’ recommendations due to his search history. In fact he went and half-killed Karamatsu and then killed Osomatsu because it’s always Osomatsu’s fault.

Osomatsu groaned. His whole body ached and he could have sworn he saw his whole life flashed before his eyes. Actually, it felt like his soul left his body for a moment there?

He turned just his eyes and spotted his little brother, half-beaten up. He wondered why he got mixed up in this mess when clearly it was this idiot narcissist's fault. At the very least, he argued in his mind, Karamatsu should have gotten as beaten up as he did! Except Karamatsu might cry so maybe he didn’t want his little brother as beaten up as he is.

He forced his hand just the tiny bit forward so he could touch his little brother’s hand. It twitched back, which made Osomatsu happy for some reason so he entwined their fingers together.

“Hey, Karamatsu~ Still alive?”

“Heh… I saw Lord Enma and came back,” the second boasted with a similarly tired tone in his voice.

“Really~? And what did he say?”

“He said I looked like his pet snake? And that his ribs might break?? So he sent me back,” Karamatsu answered with confusion.

“Ah, somehow, it feels like I can drink beer with that guy,” Osomatsu mused. Yet, at the same time, he didn’t feel like meeting this Lord Enma dude. There was this shitty vibe to this so-called king of hell even he has never met the guy. Maybe just the pet snake instead.

The first shook his head; he was going off-topic because of the pain when more important things were going on. Osomatsu gripped Karamatsu’s hand tighter, still remembering the feel of his little brother’s skin below him. He faked a cough when he felt heat rush to his face. His heart thumped loud – no matter how many fail tries he gone through, he always felt nervous.

“S-So, Karamatsu~” He almost squeaked.

“Hm~?” The second made no indication he knew what Osomatsu was trying to get.

“S-So… umm… errr… ahhh…”

“What is it, Osomatsu? Do you need to go to the washroom?”

“No, I don’t need to poop!”

“Forgive me. I thought you wanted a shoulder to the washroom…”

Osomatsu mentally banged his head against something. This idiot little brother is horrible at reading the atmosphere when it actually counts. No, he can’t give up like this. He already ate his little brother’s maidenhood, and he's going to take responsibility and get his dreamed lovey-dovey normie life with lots of kisses and sex!!!

“Karamatsu!!” He shouted loudly.

Karamatsu twitched at sudden volume and looked almost frightened. “W-What is wrong!? Are you pooping in your pants after all, Buraza!?”

“No!! The one that does all the pooping in public is Ichimatsu! Or Choromatsu’s head!!”

“Oh, Mistake!! Ichimatsu, just you wait! I will bring the Miracle Lovely Angelic Feather of Harmony for your buttocks right now! Choromatsu, wait for me as well!!” Yet, despite those gallant brave words, this shitty narcissist made no move to get up because he was tired.

Osomatsu swallowed the urge to shout again because he needed to get away from this topic of poop (for once in his life).

“K-K-K-Karamatsu.”

“Hm~?”

“…I stole Totty’s wallet while he was beating us up. Wanna go to pachinko with it?”

“Heh. You can count me in!!”

F-First is a pachinko date, Osomatsu said to himself with a tremble. Small steps at a time! He was a virgin after all! (Except not.)

Feast and Indulgence

The entry that didn’t end up in the zine for a couple of reasons 😂 Actually, to be honest, the whole author note is the after story. Since the deadline passed when I handed it to Nori, she suggested writing Karamatsu’s side when I telling her the backstory to this fanfic. I was like?? (°口°๑) OH YEAH. THERE’S NO WORD LIMIT NOW??? NORI IS GENIUS!

And so I wrote Karamatsu’s side that totally destroyed the mood in the first part (I regret nothing) and now it wouldn’t be complete with it 😂 I didn’t mean to write with a darker(?) tone but I did comedy three times (Rose, Earl Grey, and Ingenious Plan), so for balance, I needed something more serious. As for why it became Shuten Douji x Dark!Aoandon, I wanted it to have ties with all the other fanfiction and Aoandon is perfect as he is the ‘gathering of tales’. Also, I did R18 for NEET so I needed R18 for AU next haha!

Shuten Douji used to be an outcast human child that would later be sacrificed to appease ‘kami’. In their world, kami do exist but they probably don’t care for humans much. If they decided to help out of whim, Karamatsu went and burned down the whole village and surrounding area before they did anything. In fact, Karamatsu probably consumed the surrounding kami and took their power. Before Karamatsu was Aoandon, he was certainly an incarnation of ‘fear’.

Perhaps Osomatsu reincarnated to be an oni because in his mind, oni were strong, frightening and more real than kami. But above all, they can live long, so he can be with Karamatsu for as long as he wants. As Shuten Douji, he was always irritated, starving for something that he didn’t know what, and drowned himself in alcohol. His tough body didn’t let him die easily and he became the head of all oni and soon reunited with Karamatsu once again.

…Well, we all know how that reunion went 😂

In about a hundred years, they will become that calm, loving married couple you see in Shuao! Really!!

Though the day Osomatsu wakes up to the smell of breakfast and sees his wife without the braided blue rope on his horn, he freezes.

Karamatsu frowned, raising an eyebrow like he was daring the red oni to say something. “Sit down and close your mouth before you eat a fly, my dear lord.”

“Eh? But… but your braid,” Osomatsu says, hesitatingly. He looked almost lost like a small child.

The blue spirit merely sighed.

For someone who's always concerned about any past ex-lovers showing up or friends or anything that knew Karamatsu from before they ‘met’, Osomatsu was strangely fixed on that braided rope. In fact, it was the only thing that Osomatsu accepted of Karamatsu's past. The red oni would go on a rampage if Karamatsu suggested that he would go back to his ‘hometown’.

“Unfortunately, unlike a brute like you, a stylish man like myself must keep up with the trends,” Karamatsu said with smirk. “I cannot be wearing the same thing for centuries, you see~? Hm~?”

“Ehhh…” The red oni let out in a mixture of disappointment and disbelief.

To begin with, that braided rope was a gift given to him from his human child friend who passed away long ago. It was important, yes. It was a memento of a past long gone and would never come back.

‘I no longer require such a thing to tie myself to the living world.’

Karamatsu was in love with the present he had now. He loved the past just the same – neither of them were a colour fainter than the other and both were beautiful vivid shades of red. If he could, he would like to gaze those shades of red for eternity.

“If it bothers you this much, my dear lord, then go buy something new for me,” Karamatsu instead says coyly.

Shuten Douji’s eyes brightens and he runs for their closet to rummage for his wallet. “I haven’t used my allowance for this month! I’m going go buy something! Just wait here, Karamatsu!”

“You can have these onigiri on your way down the mountain.”

“Thanks, Karamatsu~!” The red oni munches onigiri in one hand and a spiked club in the other as he hurried down to find the nearest clothing store.

The blue spirit shook his head due to how simple-minded his husband was, but it can’t be helped.

It took a whole day before the red oni comes back, dirty and beaten-up in places, with a big grin. “Here you go, Karamatsu!” He gives his wife an ugly flower he plucked from the mountain on the way up and a ‘present’.

Karamatsu took the present and inspected it. It was a black collar which would  be fastened by the long red braided ropes on each ends. “I would have preferred a skull but… I suppose it isn’t too bad when it comes to your fashion sense, my dear lord.”

Truthfully, it didn’t matter what his lord got him. Karamatsu was happy to get anything.

“It’s my colour this time,” Osomatsu boasts happily.

Karamatsu also came to realize this fact and laughed. “Then will you put it on for me, my dear lord?” He asks before handing the collar back and facing the garden.

Osomatsu took the collar and kneeled down on the ground. He secured the collar around Karamatsu’s neck before tying the red braided ropes into a clumsy bow. “W-What do you think? You don’t mind it right?” The red oni asks.

The blue spirit presses a hand against the black collar, feeling the weight. “Yes. This is mine and mine alone,” Karamatsu speaks with a heaviness that he was sure that Shuten Douji wouldn’t understand now.

“Huh?”

Karamatsu patted his lap and right away Osomatsu dropped on the ground to rest his head on his wife’s lap.

“And? Why did it take so long for you to come back, my dear lord?” The blue spirit asks closing his eyes as he caressed his husband’s hair

“That’s going to be a loooong story,” the red oni grumbles.

“We have all the time in the world, do we not? Tell me of your tale.”

“It won’t be a tale of love that you like but it’ll be a tale of how awesome your husband was!”

“I will keep my expectations low.”

“Hey! I was really awesome this time!!"

Thank you for reading! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ ✨✨

[promptistrashqueen]

Ink Shrouded Stars 4

Part 1     Part 2     Part 3

“So?”

Prompto rolls his eyes and takes another bite of the proffered sandwich, chewing intentionally slow. Noctis’ glare does little but motivate him to take as long as possible to respond.

“ Six out of ten, on account of too much mayo and not enough cheese. Here.”

Noctis accepts a bite of Prompto’s and immediately makes a face.

“What, exactly, did you just put in my mouth?”

Prompto raises an eyebrow, “Well I mean…”

Noctis shoves at him, scowling and Prompto has to catch himself on the frame of the metal table they’re sitting at. The park is crowded and they’re lucky to have scored a seat, though Gladiolus’ bulk probably has something to do with that. The shield is far enough away to give them privacy but close enough to do his job.

It’s still weird to Prompto that they have an official security detail when they’ve never needed one before, but Regis had insisted that they do it. It made Prompto a bit awkward, since this was technically their first real date, and the security drew more attention than he and Noctis ever had on their own.

“It’s tofurkey! It’s good!” he answered Noctis’ question this time, watching the horror that crossed his...boyfriend’s? Face. Noctis immediately took a large gulp of his energy drink and shuddered.

“You’re worse than Ignis.”

Prompto gasped and clutched at his chest, swaying back as though wounded, his light tee shirt bunched under his hand.

“Help! Help! I’ve been shot! My boyfriend’s shot me!”

He kept his voice lower than usual, even as he messed about. Noctis though had caught something else and a slow smile curled his lips even as he pushed at the sleeves of his black overshirt.

“Boyfriend huh?”

Prompto ducked his head a bit, blushing as he clicked the metal bar in his tongue against his teeth, a rapidly developing nervous habit.

“Well, I mean, if you wanna put a label on it?”

Noctis tapped his chin lightly with a finger, getting Prompto to look at him, “Yeah. Boyfriend it is.”

Prompto grins widely at him but takes a large bite of his sandwich when Noctis shifts closer, making the Prince frown at him and pull back a bit. Prompto forces down the poorly chewed bite so he can explain the movement, wiping off the crumbs on the sleeve of his shirt.

“Sorry Noct! I just...with Gladio and the glaives your dad sent people keep staring at us? I don’t want you to get into trouble or something if somebody takes a picture.”

Noctis looks thoroughly unimpressed at the thought, sighing.

“Prompto,  I already have to keep my tattoos mostly covered, I’m not about to resist my boyfriend because someone might see. I’m...I’m not embarrassed about this.”

His sandwich thunks onto the table and he leans in close again, making Prompto’s heart beat faster. Noctis so rarely comes out and says that kind of stuff and it makes warmth spread under his ribs. He takes a breath, if Noctis isn’t ashamed of him it’s all he needs.

He leans forward and meets the Prince, bracing himself lightly on the bench they share. It’s a soft, small kiss, just the press of their lips and the feeling of Noctis’ breath over his cheek, but it’s good.

Prompto grins when they part and Noctis’ own smile is gentle.

The first photograph of them to make a magazine cover is the two of them, smiling brightly at one another, noses a hair's breadth apart with the sun glinting off Prompto’s hair.

Regis is both pleased and morbidly disappointed. He’s glad that they enjoyed their date and that nothing hurtful is being thrust at their relationship, of course...but really. The crown Prince turns up dating a man, a commoner, and there are plenty of photos online of the two of them kissing that day, or pictures their old classmates have uploaded en masse of them, even if they are just in the background of a lot of them.

You’d think there would be more scandal involved! Regis huffs a little to himself and flips open the magazine, eyes going wide when he actually starts reading the brief article.

“Prince Noctis and freckled friend share a fun day at the park!”

The entire piece spins the two of them as very close friends and Regis laughs aloud. Right, silly him for thinking that the press wouldn’t try to make it a “platonic kiss” and practically stamp “no homo” on all the photos.

He shuts the ‘zine and tosses it onto his desk, sitting up and sorting out the papers he needs for his next meeting, maybe he can convince Ignis to buy Prompto and Noctis each the shirt he’d seen at his appearance in the new mall the week before. It’s bright colors would make it hard to miss and he’d love to see the journalists turn “Sorry girls, I like dick” platonic.

Date number six goes as smooth as all the others. Not that Prompto really considers this date six, not when he and Noctis still spend most days together, draped over furniture, playing video games, staring at offer letters for university that neither of them are ever planning on answering. Prompto had decided to pursue his photography, originally intending to get his degree but Noctis had simply had him put down as the Palace’s personal press and hired on several renowned photographers to teach him.

That had been last week’s surprise gift and Prompto still isn’t sure how to feel about it, but he’s happy that it means staying close to Noctis. He’s leaning against the wall outside the auditorium when Noctis arrives, looking annoyed.

“Sorry, Ignis thought I needed to be briefed on something instead of go to the movies. Has it started yet?”

Prompto shakes his head, “Nah, just the first previews...which I am missing out on. I grabbed Coke but you have to get the popcorn since you made me wait!”

Noctis mock groans at him but nods, “Fifth row down?”

“Duh dude.”

The Prince turns around and heads for concessions, giving Prompto a nice, uninterrupted view of his ass in the tight grey jeans he’s wearing. His white shirt clings to his torso nicely and Prompto appreciates the quarter sleeves roll around his arms.

He sighs dreamily, yeah, his boyfriend’s hot.

Noctis joins him in the theater with a large popcorn and a box of sour punch straws, chuckling at the way Prompto cringes. He holds out a box of milkduds in appeasement, gaining a quick kiss on his cheek in thanks.

Prompto settles back into the seat, focused on the opening credits and trying not to let on how excited he actually is for this. Noctis puts an end to that though, sliding an arm around his shoulders and whispering,

“I feel like I’m a kid right now...Disney movies man.”

Prompto laughs softly, leaning against his shoulder, “Just don’t sing along, yeah?”

By the end of the movie Prompto is certain both of them are not going to be able to resist humming “You’re welcome” every time someone says thank you.

“Alright, so next time Ignis tries to force you to do something stupid, you have to say it Noct, you have to!”

Noctis glares as they make their way outside, “Prompto, I am not telling him I’m “Moana of Mata-nui””

“Awww, not even for kiss?”

“No.”

“What about a blow job?”

The words are out before Prompto can give them a second thought and he turns crimson. Noctis looks a bit shocked for the space of a breadth but then his face turns thoughtful and Prompto wants to slap himself.

Not that they haven’t fooled around a little. Hell, he’d gotten pretty good with his hands lately, but all of that had been able to happen with their clothes on, at least mostly.

Technically, he supposes, a blowjob does too, but he knows Noctis better than to believe that anything that got to that point wouldn’t progress further. His internal panic is cut off though, as Noctis takes his hand, thumb rubbing the edge of the bracelet he wears.

The barcode beneath is usually something he covers, but he told Noctis about it ages ago and he doesn’t feel the same cold dread he one did when it’s visible. It’s something else they’ll have to deal with, it this thing between them lasts much longer, and Astrals, Prompto hopes it does.

“Hey, it’s cool Prom. If you’re not...we don’t have to do any of that stuff until you want to. For the record though, no. Not even then. Ignis would never let me live it down.”

Prompto scoffs at that and thinks about using the out Noctis has given him, cracking another joke and brushing the physical side of their relationship off for another night. Trouble is, he’s let himself think too much and now he finds that he wants...he wants Noctis. Now, while he’s so certain of their love.

“Noct? Can we, uh, can we go back to yours?”

[quatschmachen]

375.1

Part one of the Etienne birthday arc. No doubt by posting this so early the weather will be a blizzard but yolo it’s done and I’m impatient lets get the party started.

XXXXX

Vernon was on duty. It was unofficial, one done out of loyalty to his friend who dropped a hint that he was concerned about what might occur at this party. Vernon informally mentioned over some acidic Calgarian coffee that he wouldn’t mind sharing a hotel room with Ed under the pretext of saving money.  They were both going to the same party anyways and due to the high bookings for the festivities it would help not only in price but guaranteeing a room.

He had not inquired further frankly because he had memories of last summer and Calvin going on and on about things.  Yes he liked to think of himself as a good friend, but his stomach was too busy churning under the acidic coffee to activate the switch of too much information. There was a suspicion however that something Might Happen, and that it was better if somehow Ed had someone to go with. Thankfully whatever the situation was, Ed seemed reticent to share what the thing Might Be.

Whatever the situation, here he was stuck in the airport waiting for Ed. Glancing at his watch, he moved towards the greeting gate. Surprisingly, his flight had come in before Edward’s. Hearing the announcement that the flight had arrived, he patiently waited until he saw the other man leaving the passenger zone looking around for him.

“Edward,” he called out, gaining his attention. Giving a small wave, he strode forwards.

“Hey!” Ed was carrying a simple carryon, obviously not planning on staying for long. “Do you have the information on where we’re staying?”

Vernon patted his chest pocket, “Right here. Should we catch the bus?”

“Sure.”

Scrutinizing Edward, he was not sure what to make of the other man. He had been mildly surprised when it suddenly came out he and Calvin were an official couple of sorts. Not officially announced of course, but it seemed that even after the blow up, which he had been sadly a party to the fallout, they had managed to make up and seemed stronger than ever. Which he supposed was a good thing. He was not an expert on long term romantic relationships due to generally not being interested in them. The idea of initiating some intimate relationship that entailed dramatic fluctuations of the heart with a potential negative long-term outcome seemed like a bad decision for someone as long lived as him. Plus, he had witnessed the people like him grow and change in such dramatic fashions the person one may entrust themselves to may not even exist in a form they loved in a hundred years.

However his opinion was neither here nor there when it came to other people’s personal decisions. He would be interested to see what happened in the future and he knew that somehow he would end up being party to whatever dramatic issues that would no doubt occur.

The sliding doors opened and as they stepped out into the oppressively sticky hot humid atmosphere he turned his thoughts to the situation at hand.

 Vernon had been pleasantly surprised to be invited to Étienne’s VIP birthday party. Sitting upon the vinyl bus seats, secretly glad he had worn long pants, he looked out the window. Sure they were friends, but quite honestly he had not thought he was at the status for a VIP invite. It made him re-evaluate their closeness, forcing him to come to the conclusion that they did in fact spend much time together as friends. It was not a bad realization.

Glancing over to his seat partner, he noticed that Ed was busy checking his messages. Thankful that the other man was not too chatty, Vernon closed his eyes and leant his forehead against the window for a small power nap.

He was gently awoken when the bus stopped and, giving Ed a grateful nod, they left the bus.

“So… the hotel should be… over… here?” He frowned at the instructions which had become a little smudged from his sweat.

“Let me see… Hotel Nelligan? Hmmm 106 Saint Paul… mm actually you are off a street. We walk thataway.” Ed pointed in the correct direction.

“Glad you know your way around town; don’t want to be lost in this heat,” Vernon said.

“Well, I do have my uses.”

“Oh, so Calvin keeps you for his company, does he?” Vernon mildly asked.

Giving him a quizzical look, Ed was not sure how to take the comment until Vernon cracked and gave him a small smile to indicate he was joking.

As they walked through the city there was an air of expectation; even with the dreadful heatwave occurring, people still managed to have some pep in their step.

The historic buildings seemed to ooze with a smug knowledge that their survival was going to be celebrated, and as they reached the front of their hotel it was obvious that people were coming from all corners of the earth to party. People bustled upon the streets, closed down from traffic to be filled with street vendors their voices loud with excitement.

Entering the hotel, the air conditioning felt like a soft pleasant kiss, and walking up to the front desk the service was impeccable. It seemed as if everyone in the city was on their best behaviour for the upcoming event.

Seeing as they were only on the second floor, they took the stairs.  Due to the high volume of bookings occurring, they ended up in the King Atrium room with only one bed. It was large enough for the two of them, but Vernon would have preferred a bed to himself.

Setting his luggage down just inside the door of their shared room, he went to check the bounciness of the bed, nodding in approval at the soft white sheets.

He looked over to Ed, who had come out of the bathroom freshened up. He was buttoning his shirt sleeves, his dress shirt neatly tucked into his jeans. “Thanks for sharing a room with me; it’s nice to save money.”

“Of course,” Vernon gave a nod, “No point in spending more than necessary.”

Looking at the bed, Ed quirked his eyebrow; he seemed to pick up upon Vernon’s reticence. “Promise not to molest you in the night; if you’re worried, I can pass out in the bathtub?”

“You planning to drink that much?”

“Maybe not tonight, need to keep myself aware for the big day tomorrow,” Ed responded.

“I had no worry about you being inappropriate.” Vernon responded, deadpan, “I was just worried about how long you take in the shower in the morning.”

“Oh that reminds me, do you know who else will be in our VIP section?”

“I believe, from the itinerary, it would be Ludovico Torelli and Samantha Jones.”

“Wow… how the hell did he get the king of Milan to visit him?”

Vernon adjusted his glasses, “This is Étienne we are talking about.”

“I suppose. It must be nice for you to see Sam again.”

“It depends what you mean ‘again’; we were just together for coffee last week.” Vernon replied, “She is my neighbour after all.”

“I guess so. Are there any plans for tonight?”

“I am meeting up with Sam at the Méchant for drinks and food, you are free to join us.”

“That sounds good. I would like to see her before the crazy day tomorrow, some time to catch up.”

XXXXX

The Méchant Boeuf Bar-Brasserie was not too busy due to it being relatively early in the evening when they arrived. Sam was easy to spot, her strawberry blond hair in a short bob, wearing a bright pink summer dress and silver strappy sandals. On her right wrist was a large bracelet; she was busy texting someone, ignoring the man sitting across from her.

It was rather amazing that she was ignoring the well-coiffed man across from her since many of the bar’s patrons kept glancing over at him with keen interest. The man was wearing a button-up white shirt, the top two buttons undone revealing a milky white collar bone. Sunglasses hung from the front pocket in an indolent manner that seemed to scream class. Most likely those sunglasses cost more than Samantha’s phone, and it showed. His black hair with streaks of grey slicked back with a few strands falling into his eyes and his austere gaze as he looked around the bar with interest only heightened his foreignness.

The only other person who seemed unaffected by this man was Vernon, who sat on the chair beside Samantha and turned his rapt attention to her, briefly giving the man a nod.

Awkwardly Ed sat on the bench attached to the rustic brick wall beside the man.

“B-Bonjourno,” he stuttered awkwardly which resulted in the man looking at him in amusement.

“Good evening,” he responded in elegant English, “Your attempt at Italian, while valiant, indicates you are not fluent?”

“N-no.” Ed flushed feeling like an idiot, what the hell was he doing here with these people? Ugh and he was making a fool of himself in front of Ludovico, someone who was infinitely older than him and no doubt ten thousand times more interesting and worldly and he was just some friggin’ country bumpkin.  He cleared his throat attempting to feel less like an idiot. “Just enough to get by.”

“Delightful. I am Ludovico… and you are?”

“I am Edward Murphy,” like an idiot he automatically stuck his hand out as if in a proper business context, which Ludovico graciously took.

“It is nice to finally meet you I have heard so much about you.”

“Only good things, I hope?”

“Oh and some bad of course, no city is without tarnish,” came the smooth reply as the handshake seemed to linger, Ludovico not exactly in a rush to let go of Ed’s hand. Gently Ed removed his hand, not sure what to say. “So how do you know the birthday boy? Other than… shared country.”

How exactly was he supposed to explain his… friendship with Étienne?

“Common interests brought us together, we once had a zine together-”

Ed found himself easily falling into conversation with Ludovico, only looking up when the waiter came and asked what drinks they would like.

As they were putting in their drink requests, a rather frazzled voice interrupted them and Ed was horrified to see Étienne appearing.

“Sorry I’m late; there was so much to do,” came the apology, Étienne did in fact look as if he had just run a marathon, and his purple t-shirt was sticking to him with sweat. He turned to the waiter and placed his order, “Oh and I will have the house red,” and as if to make things worse he sat on the seat closest to him. Due to the arrangement of the table, there were only two chairs, both occupied, and the bench.

This meant that Étienne’s only option was the bench, and seeing that Ed was closest to the door, it meant to the internal death cries of Ed that Étienne slid right beside him, causing the awkward shuffle so that he could get some table access.

His black jean-encased thigh was warm against Ed’s, and there was a whiff of spices as if Étienne had run through some bazaar.

Attempting to ignore his suddenly thumping heart, Ed gave a greeting before thankfully turning back to Ludovico, who seemed intent on continuing their conversation.

“You see you are lucky not to have to build heavy defences…”

Raptly Ed listened to Ludovico’s story attempting to ignore the man right beside him having an interesting conversation with Samantha about coffee culture – with Vernon vociferously interjecting. The interjection threw Ludovico off track as he turned to the larger conversation.

“Are you saying that you know how to make an espresso? I went to your Starbucks, Samantha, and… they added… espresso as,” here his nose seemed to wrinkle up in disgust, “shots to other drinks. That is not how one enjoys espresso!”

“Just because you are afraid of innovating coffee does not mean the rest of us are,” she snapped back.

Their drinks arrived during the Great Coffee Feud, which Ed sort of participated in, but he mostly remained silent.

Ordering the food helped distract from whether or not the evolution of coffee was good or bad, or if adding sugar absolutely ruined the essence of the bean.

Ed was managing to spend the evening engaging in the conversation but keeping his interactions to Étienne as minimal as possible, worrying that if he was to have a conversation in near quarters he would not stay firm to his mental commitment of being Good. To be honest he was embarrassed that even after all this time, and having a nice relationship with Calvin, the simple act of sitting next to Étienne was causing him to feel like some idiotic school girl.

When his food arrived, he was thankful for having something more legitimate to occupy his mouth, pretending to be absorbed into the story Samantha was telling about her train system – which of course devolved into everyone bitching about public transportation and the lack of funding. As the alcohol flowed, he felt a little less tense, enjoying himself more and in a way feeling equal to the others. Perhaps he was not such a country bumpkin as he feared. Ludovico was absolutely charming and he felt himself being captured in the other city’s aura, having a feeling that if Étienne was not sitting right beside him and if he was not dating Calvin that perhaps things could go further.

As he idly thought what type of lay Ludovico would be, Étienne’s hand dropped down from the table top and brushed against Ed’s thigh, innocently partially resting against it. Startled at the touch, Ed abruptly stood up, banging himself against the table.

“Are you alright, Edward?” Ludovico asked.

“Oh uhmm. I need to go to the bathroom, excuse me.”

Thankfully finally released from hell, momentarily, Ed passed the gracious Ludovico and fled to the bathroom hoping to get himself back into order.

“That Edward is a charming man,” Ludovico commented to Étienne, “He is rather… cute? I see why you would invite him; a younger city is always refreshing to talk to, they are not so jaded.”

Smiling at his friend, Étienne nodded, “He really is less awkward once you get to know him better.”

Leaning his elbow atop the table lazily, Ludovico smiled, “Oh I do hope that I get to know him much better while I am here, he is very intriguing. Tell me though… have you two fought?”

Nearly dropping his fork, which he had not realized he had been gripping rather firmly, Étienne tried to play it cool. “What do you mean?”

“I notice he seems to somehow be ignoring you even though you are sitting right beside him?”

“Is he? I hadn’t noticed…” setting his fork down, Étienne gave another smile, “Excuse me… I too suddenly need to use the bathroom.”

Standing up, he waded through the slowly growing crowd of people towards the bathroom, intent on finding Ed. Entering the bathroom, he came upon him washing his hands.

“Hey…” his voice caused Ed to jump.

“Étienne?”

“The one and only… are you alright?”

“W-what do you mean?”

Giving him an amused look, Étienne stepped closer, “You have been ignoring me all night? You didn’t have to come to this celebration if you can’t even stand the sight of me.”

“Oh no, it’s not that,” Ed quickly lied, “I just haven’t been feeling so good and, well, sitting amongst such high-rolling cities I just felt awkward.”

Raising an eyebrow at this, Étienne decided to let it pass, “Well, be careful with Ludovico; I think he wants to get into your pants.”

Giving a snort of laughter, Ed rolled his eyes, “You must be joking; he could have anyone in the bar and you say he wants to fuck me? Come on, Étienne, you are the birthday boy, I think the assumption is that you are the one that gets laid and not me?” Giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder, Ed cracked a smile deciding that perhaps he should stop being so awkward, especially if Étienne was going to be having stupid thoughts like that. Plus, he had reminded himself that he was not Prey Number One and that Étienne himself also had the pick of the city so to say, and he could count himself relatively safe. If there was one thing he knew about Étienne, it was he never engaged in anything that did not involve consent. “I think you need to be worried about Ludovico getting into your pants, Et. Anyways I’m heading back to the table… I will let you… do your thing.”

Rubbing his shoulder, Étienne frowned as he watched Ed leave the bathroom. He really was clueless to his own charm.

As he returned to their table, Étienne could feel his blood pressure spike as he saw Ed sharing a drink with Ludovico, literally sipping from the same cup. That goddamn Italian was smooth as fuck and Ed really seemed oblivious at the man’s intentions. When he had daydreamed who he wanted as VIP guests for his birthday bash, it never occurred to him that he and Ed would have had a giant fight, (as he was politely thinking of it), nor did it occur to him that Ludovico would take such an interest in Ed. Wasn’t his birthday supposed to be relaxing and fun?

Well if Ed was oblivious it probably meant Ludovico’s chances were null… plus, wasn’t Ed attempting to live the life of monogamy with Calvin now? Grimly sitting down, he focused back into the conversation, taking another sip of his wine and heavily eavesdropping on what Ed was saying.

“You’re right, that wine is delicious,” Ed’s words were becoming slightly slurred. “Tell me more about the wine.”

From the corner of his eye Étienne saw Ludovico take Ed’s hand and turn it palm upwards, then using the various fingers on Ed’s hand to explain the different wine regions. Was there really a need to use Ed’s hand to discuss wine? Étienne thought angrily, his stomach tightening in jealousy at memories when Ed would let him hold his hand… when those hands willingly touched his body. Deliberately Étienne shifted closer so that their thighs were touching again, thinking that at least he could enjoy that touch.

Engaging in a conversation with Vernon, who apparently wanted to whine about their crazy winter weather, usually a safe topic of conversation, Étienne watched from the corner of his eye as Ludovico bent close to Ed, his face a few millimetres away from the other man. He had watched him in action attempting to land someone in bed too many times to count, and with irritation he could see the unfocused gaze of Ed which usually indicated he too had some ideas of drunken sinning on his mind. Honestly if Ed was going to cheat on Calvin it should be with HIM not with some random stranger, came his violent thought. He was the birthday boy and he deserved the birthday booty call!

“Étienne?” Vernon’s voice cut in, “What about your blizzard?”

“Terrible,” He smiled pleasantly trying to shove down the raging jealousy that was making its rather sudden appearance. This was not on the menu and he needed to calm the fuck down. Realizing that smiling was probably the wrong facial expression, he quickly corrected himself as he took a sip of sangria, “You know… a literal snowpocalypse. Haven’t had one so bad in years.”

“Your winters are interesting,” Ludovico cut in, much to Étienne’s relief. It seemed like this topic interested him more than Ed’s hand. “My issue is with flooding mainly, all that torrential rain of 2013, it was terrible.”

Weather being a relatively safe topic, they each participated. Until Étienne managed to catch sight of the time, “Well as much as I enjoy chatting, I strongly suggest we get to bed and rest since tomorrow is going to be very full.”

The others agreed in consensus, and after paying their bills they filed out of the now very busy bar.

Entering the hotel atrium, Ludovico attempted to get Ed by himself, but was gently rebuffed by Vernon, who suddenly engaged Ed in conversation about who would use the shared bathroom first.

Étienne felt vicious happiness at the disgruntled look on the other man’s face as he departed.

“I suppose it’s time for me to head home, see you guys at ten o’clock,” Étienne piped up.

“Oh you’re not staying here?” Vernon asked, “I thought you would to avoid traffic?”

Étienne shrugged, “Eh, I would rather spend the money on food than a hotel room in my own city. I know how to deal with traffic.”

“Goodnight then,” Vernon nodded formally before turning to the stairs.

Ed, however, lingered as if caught in a vice of indecision.

Curiously, Étienne looked at him, wondering if he should say something. Maybe he shouldn’t; perhaps it was best not to hear what Ed was about to say. Deciding to walk away, he was stopped by a hand on his wrist.

“W-wait.” Ed blurted out. “Wait a moment… don’t… move.” Quickly he disappeared up the stairs leaving Étienne to awkwardly stand in the atrium. Did he just dream this scenario? Trying to look as if he was not in a state of confusion, he took his phone out to check his messages.

Ed just as abruptly reappeared, slightly out of breath, with a small package in hand. “I know it’s a little early, but I’m not sure if with all the plans of tomorrow I can give this to you. H-happy birthday Étienne, you can open it.”

Curiously he took the neatly wrapped package, and slid his finger along the dark blue wrapping paper. Inside was a blue velvet box. Popping it open, he let out a small gasp.

“This… is generous.”

“I- I hope you like them.” Edward stammered, “I thought for such a big birthday you needed something more special than some jam.”

“Jam is always welcome Edward… these are exquisite.” He lifted one of them out and inspected it. They were emerald cufflinks inset in platinum. Delicately incised upon each emerald were Étienne’s initials.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ed said, “I’m glad you like them, anyways… I just wanted to thank you for keeping the invitation open. I know what with… everything that’s happened between us, it’s just, I really… appreciate that we can still be…” as he paused he bit his lower lip, his face getting redder the more he spoke, the words tumbling out in small stutters, “friends. W-what I mean to say,” Ed looked at the ground apparently unable to focus upon Étienne’s face, “is that you still mean a lot to me, and I know I fucked everything up, by being an idiot, and I am trying hard to just you know get things back to simple friendship, like before… So thank you for giving me this chance. I will do my best not to be so awkward tomorrow. A-anyways I should get to bed now.”

There was something apparently blocking Étienne’s throat stopping any words from flowing out, and he could only manage a nod, knowing that if he tried to talk he would embarrass himself by the mixed vortex of feelings holding him.

Giving another awkward glance, Ed waved before fleeing back up the stairs, leaving Étienne once more to stand there alone in the atrium. Around him some latecomers had just entered, their voices hushed, drunken whispers echoing against the brick as they attempted to be more considerate of the other people of the hotel. The high heels of one of the women clicked against the brown tiles, her giggle carrying across to where he stood.

Trying to get his emotions under control, he idly looked at the woman, her lipstick smeared, her lips thick as if she had been kissing someone hard, and he noticed that the man beside her had the tell-tale lipstick marks upon his pleasantly drunk face. From how he held her around the waist, their drunk gait in surprising harmony, it was obvious that they were lovers. He watched as the lady stumbled upon the satiny round black steps towards the elevators, the man managing to catch her. He witnessed the tender look he gave the back of her head, before he managed to send out a loving tease, which resulted in him getting swatted.

It was as if he could not tear his eyes away, only able to move once more as they passed out of sight.

Almost as if in a dream, Étienne drifted out of the hotel, passing the now empty street stalls, as the sky rumbled ominously above him. He was halfway home when suddenly the humidity broke as the rains pelted down, soaking him through.

[papermoth-bird-blog]

California Coast: Santa Cruz to San Francisco.

On our way down to Santa Cruz, we tried to take our time once again. That being said, we did take many of the look off’’s on the previous days’ trip. And, I will admit, there was growing antsiness in my inner world. I was about ready to be by myself again, and yet, I was still so far from that being logistically possible. 

We drove through Big Sur again towards Monterey, stopping to look at cows and flowers and water bodies. Gopala insisted he wanted to try to pet a cow- despite my “I don’t think they’d like that much”. As we rounded each bend, I imagined all the people who had ridden along these same roads. Kerouac, without a doubt, but so many more writers and artists & muses themselves. Not to mention all the people that had travelled this coastal highway that I’d never even heard of, and maybe wouldn’t ever. Each scattering their own thoughts into the wind as they passed along this road. Each of these people forming new parts of themselves here too. It did feel like a gateway of some sort to me. An unseen passageway- one that wasn’t so tangible, or perhaps concretely emotional, but one that I am strangely sure was there. 

The car climbed off the coast & towards the inland road. We came across a farm stand- one that had some of the best produce prices I’ve ever see- 3 avocados for a dollar! 7 kiwis for a dollar! I got myself a big bag of banana chips & a bunch of fresh stuff (including mangoes, blood oranges, avocados) all under 6 dollars. Gonna say that might be the bargain of the whole trip. I ate avocados & orange in the car as we eventually rolled into Santa Cruz. The thing about getting up at 5 is that your day complete already as you are still sitting in early afternoon. We waited for the Library to open so we could charge our devices. Gopala also wanted to print more photos of Gurus and Gods for his car. Once my phone was charged enough, I took the opportunity to taste independence again, if not for a short amount of time. I told Gopala I was going for a walk & vaguely waved that I’d be back in a bit. 

‘A bit’ turned out the be a couple hours later. Even that didn’t really feel like enough time alone. I knew what I really need, what I really wanted, was to be really truly alone & in control of my being- my schedule, my routine, my diet. Gopala had a bad tendency to judge absolutely everything I do. Only to follow up with some Vendatic reasoning if I showed any kind of indifference to the stuff he was telling me. What irritates me most about men, is that they seem to think “quiet & polite” means “weak & a push-over”, That alone really bubbles-up my inner demon. More then that though, I felt like my schedule wasn’t in my control either, I kept saying “I think I just need to get to San Fran and regroup”, but we found lots of reasons to delay.

Santa Cruz.

For what it’s worth, Santa Cruz is a really beautiful place and definitely has a really cool vibe about it. There were the most skaters I’ve ever seen in one area-- with the potential exception of Venice Beach. Driving down the streets you saw cool old cars with surf boards sticking out the windows or strapped onto the rook- waiting for the slightest bit of warmer weather. The beach was pretty nice, with a pier & bars like most Californian City Beaches. In addition to that, though, there is also a full blown carnival set up down there. Colourful rides & the like. Out of all the carnivals I’ve ever been to, this one genuinely had one of the best vibes about it- but maybe that’s because I walked through it alone (or rather on the phone with Kluane) due to it being the off season. The town is also filled with a lot of new-agey shops that smell like incense- although a little more gentrified than other places I’ve been. Overall Santa Cruz felt a little dream & half asleep. It’s a college town (a similar size to Kingston ON), that you can tell gets packed in summer with people seaking that iconic “California” experience. 

Like much of the coast, there are a lot of people in Santa Cruz living out of their vans, not by force, but by choice. At the library, we pulled up next to this guy with a long grey beard & dreads tucking into his trucker hat. The van had all kinds of sticker stuck to the sides- bands, places & funny sayings- but mostly bands. Later in the day, we struck up a conversation with him, when he heard us listening to Jerry Garcia as Gopala redecorated the inside of his mobile shrine. He passed us a flyer & invited us to a few shows for the following week. Gopala seemed interested, but The shows started at 9, which was definitely later than we were staying up at that point. Plus he might have seen the pleading “please let’s just leave” face I had on. The guy went on to talk about conspiracy theories of the California fires & about surfing & about the “hundred year bloom” that was about to happen in Death Valley. On another trip- perhaps with my sisters- I could really settle into the vibe & would have loved to stay and make friends like this, but this time, I knew, was not the time. 

Along with the distinctly laid back vibe, there is a really strong & healthy rebel vibe. We happened upon Subrosa (which, when I walked by before, drew me in too for whatever reason...maybe someone told me about & I forgot). Anyways, they were having a “Free Fair”, meaning everything there was Free- Nice clothing, massages, books, trinkets, homemade food, electronics & instruments. I myself, collected a t-shirt from an artist I think lives in New Orleans (because I recognize their work) & a couple ‘zines from their library which was about herbalism & making tincture. I kinda took a deep breath, because these people reminded me of my community back home. I overheard conversations like “oh, I’m teaching for two weeks at witch camp” & “yeah I was gathering a lot of pursulane recently”. I smiled to myself as the young girl whispered to her mom “look mom! There’s our farmer!” There was a guy also dressed up like a full blown pirate- like something out of Pirates of the Caribbean. I walked around the patio- looking a the lace & silk scarves hanging from the trees- talking myself down, because I knew I had absolutely no more room in my pack.

Gopala ended up getting into a Vendantic argument with that very same farmer not five minutes later. I snapped to attention- but there was nothing I could really do. The guy was pointing out that the bindi Gopala was wearing might be considered cultural appropriation, and Gopala went immediately into a schpeal about “well that only makes sense if you think you are the body”. To which the guy said “huh?” “you aren’t the body, you aren’t the mind, you are god”. You could tell the guy did not want to engage in that way and he about said as much, adding “I actually like being in my body & connecting to it” to which Gopala said something like “Well you are living in full ignorance then”. I wanted to scream out of embarrassment, but also on behalf of my allyship with this man. As we got into the car, I tried to explain to Gopala that he shouldn’t engage with people like that & why it might be inappropriate & how he is speaking from an opinion of the Truth, but that other people connect to Truth in a different way. He wasn’t interested in hearing me though, and pretty much accused me too of being “asleep”, to which he told me I’d feel better if I did some breathing excersizes. Instead I repacked my bag & held my breath (literally) for fear that if I let any of my breath out it would come tumbling out with curse words and further angry grumbles. He was reminding me more and more of a definite mixture of two of my least favourite ex-boyfriends and I was getting a huge urge to straight up run away. I was determined to get to San Fran, though and it was only an hour & a half away at that point. 

We paused again near the seashore- because Gopala suggested doing meditation at the beach- I think he was trying to do it for me partitally, but we couldn’t find cheap parking anywhere. Instead we found a lot further up & I hoped out the car & called a friend. And cried a little out of frustration. And then I cried a little more about Ellie- and what a hard ass she had been. And that she was the type of person to say exactly what she meant & what she wanted & stuck to her guns like no one else. If I learned anything from her, it was that. I felt better after that cry. I knew that I had all that in me too. And I was fully resolved to use those skills, I didn’t care about being sweet and fully polite at that point. 

San Francisco.

We got back in the car & finally drove onto the highway towards San Francisco. All the way, I was messaging friends who might have friends or contacts in San Fran- so I could ground with a friendly face of some sort. My friend Asa (who I stayed with in NOLA) used to live in Oakland (the city just across the bridge from san fran). He found a friend that I could stay with, which felt like a huge relief. She was out until late evening tho, so I decided to get a hostel for the night. I got Gopala to drop me off at the HI city centre & did my best not to full run out of the car. I didn’t think to look back though. 

The Hostel is huge- obviously an old hotel of apartment building or something. It’s old, but has all the charms that come along with creaky buildings- including an old-fashioned elevator & distinct architecture features. The walls are covered in Art that depicts witches & little gothic characters. The front desk people looked normal enough- except one girl who was a full blown goth, complete with pleather jacket with fur trim, shaved hair style & the most dramatic eyebrows I’ve seen in a long while. Gothy-girl band music played over the common areas. I felt immediately at home/calm. 

I went up to my room & decided the best thing I could do for myself was to re:group in simple ways- shower, meditate, read, check in with a few friends & write. I met my dorm mates- two girls from Germany on a road trip through the western part of America. We chatted for a while about travel & the Grand Canyon & the Coast of California. They leave today for the rest of their. I have to check out at 11 from the hostel & make my way to oakland with my big pack. Gopala already messaged me about coming to a Sivananda Vedanta thing, but I’m just gonna leave that message hanging a bit. I’ll have to get back to him eventually because I owe him gas money. For the mean time, I’m gonna take a breather & experience the city by myself. 

So far, it feels a lot like New York- tall buildings everywhere- the “never sleep” vibe. I’m in a district called the Tenderloin, near chinatown. There are lots of homeless people around, so I went low pressure about the walking-around-at-night-by-myself. I did do some research about things to do around here. I heard tell that the Mission district is home to the best Burritos in the country- which I read on trip advisor first. But as soon as I went back into the lobby, a few people came in talking loudly about them too. So you know I’m going to have to do that. Apparently the city is fairly walkable. The German girls told me three days would be plenty to feel like I’ve “seen San Francisco”. I’m looking forward to it, but already planning my trip back to LA so that I have some wiggle room for my trip to Mexico. I’m really looking forward to that & hoping to save as much money as I can here (ha! the most expensive city in the sates) so that I have more money to do exciting things with my friends in Tulum. Trying my best to be present though, with all that being said. I have a good feeling about today, and that’s all I really need. 

[toshou-rotodoki]

WIP Shadowhunter Klance AU

I've been working on this for a while and finally decided to use it for a zine application. It's a little vague so bear with me.

A surge of pain rushed through Lance’s wrist as he rubbed his forehead. Wincing, he lowered his hand into his jacket pocket and gazed out into the street. The gentle whir of the rain diluted the sounds and images around him. Looking through the shower, Lance felt like he was under the blinding chlorine filled water of a swimming pool. He’d felt someone out there, but his mangled body refused to decipher the sense. Agitated and aching, Lance slid against the brick wall and onto the cement sidewalk, glad he was protected by the awning of a convenient store. His limbs were heavy and sore and his mind was exhausted. Not even the irksome glow of a shadowhunter’s witchlight navigating its self through the rain could convince him to make the depleting trip back to his apartment.

Brooding and soaked, a dark featured shadowhunter trudged out of the downpour and under the awning a few moments later. Lance almost couldn’t be bothered to look up at the man. His pitch black shadowhunter gear matched the raven color of his hair and the navy of his eyes, but felt awkward against his pale skin. The chilling scowl that plagued his face didn’t help. Lance really wasn’t in the mood for the narcissistic demeanor of a shadowhunter. All he wanted was to be in his apartment, nuzzled in his bed and surrounded by the familiarity of his home.

“Sorry but you’ve just missed it.” Lance noted the shadowhunter’s puzzled expression with a grin before looking back down at his shoes. He felt bad for them. The straps were cut up and ripped and the soles were worn down. He hadn’t meant to wear his favorite silver sandals on the day he was abducted. He hadn’t meant to wear his light colored high-waisted denim jeans or his pink Beatles t-shirt either, but they too were cut up and ruined. He wondered if he’d ever catch a break.   

“I-uh,” The shadowhunter stuttered witch confusion. “Missed what?” His voice was diseased with aggravation.

“My window for helping pretty shadowhunters ends at nine.” Lance hadn’t tried to sound coy, but it had come out that way. The dim lighting shaded the shadowhunter’s features as Lance glanced back up at him.

“Do you really think I’m the one that needs help here?” His voice was wasn’t very deep, but it was raspy and charming in its own way: Lance hated it.

“Shows how little you know about the vigor of warlocks.” Lance smiled, sitting up straight. Pain danced up his body like it was a natural function. He cringed.

“What happened?” The shadowhunter asked. Naturally, Lance was uncomfortable. He may not have been very old (for a warlock), but even he knew how shadowhunters perceived themselves in comparison to downworlders. The fact that he still had the shadowhunter’s attention was baffling enough, but the shadowhunter even looked concerned.

“Do you really care, or are shadowhunters polite now?” He smirked. The shadowhunter’s low ponytail bobbed up and down as he scratched the back of his head. He kneeled down next to Lance holding out his hand.

“Shows how little you know about us shadowhunters. We’re full of surprises.” He smirked back. All of Lance’s past experiences and everything he’d ever been told about shadowhunters told him to stand up on his own and make the harrowing hike back to his apartment where he could heal himself (if he even made it there). His bruised and battered body however, that was telling him to accept any possible relief as soon as possible, had already taken the shadowhunter’s hand.

~~~~

“You’re not safe there Lance. You’re not safe anywhere.”

Lance yelped abruptly as his forehead collided with, to Lance’s slow recognition, that of the shadowhunter from before.

“What the heck man?” The shadowhunter shouted. “Do you always wake up like that?” Lance laughed a little holding his head. The dream floated in his mind. It had been his voice that he’d heard. Nothing had ever been glued into his mind quite so intensely.

“I knew shadowhunters were hardheaded but jeez.” He laughed, his mind still lingering. “What were you doing standing over me like that?” The shadowhunter’s eyes drifted around the room, never focusing on one thing for very long.

“I was…” Keith trailed off as if looking for an excuse to be stand creepily over someone. “I was making sure that when you woke up, I was here. The institute wouldn’t be very happy with me if they knew I had a warlock sleeping in my room.” His pale cheeks were tinted with pink. Lance ignored it.

“Makes sense I guess.” His body still ached as he adjusted his posture. He yearned for the healing magic of his own remedies, but he would get nothing done lying in bed at some shadowhunter institute. “Is this the Chicago institute?”

“Yeah. I would have taken you somewhere else but I don’t know where you live and this is really the only place I ever go.” Lance knew that the shadowhunter didn’t intend to sound so pitiful, but he pitied him anyway.

“How long have I been here?”

“Not too long. I found you in the middle of the night and you fell unconscious pretty soon after I helped you onto your feet.  So about five hours.”

“Oh okay. Well unless you intend for me to heal here like a mundane, which I strongly don’t recommend, I’ll be leaving. Unlike you, I do know where I live.”

“I basically carried you here, will you go by yourself?”

“You carried me through the rain?” Lance could feel a laugh welling up inside him, nearly ready to burst. The shadowhunter looked away again.

“Yes!” He said “It looked like you were dying! What was I suppose to do?” Lance looked at a loss. He’d never known a shadowhunter who cared about downworlders enough to do something so dutiful. He looked down at his bruised knuckles and smiled sincerely

“In any case,” He said “I don’t need a nurse, and even if I did I definitely wouldn’t have a shadowhunter nurse.” The thought did amuse him though.

“Fine but at least tell me what happened to you.”

“So quickly?” Lance feigned modesty. “You haven’t even taken me on a date. Even worse: I don’t know your name.”

“Keith.”Lance was surprised at how quickly he responded.

“Lance.”

~~~~

Lance quickly learned that if Keith had been born a mundane, he would have made a terrible nurse.

“Do not put your hand there!” Lance yelled. Keith groaned adjusting his grip on Lance’s back.

“It’s not my fault you’re too injured to walk up the stairs.” It was Lance’s idea to ride the L after it was apparent that walking or using a portal to get home wasn’t going to work. Both his magic and his legs were acting screwy.

“You offered, so naturally I obliged.” He teased. “In my current condition stairs are a challenge but not an impossibility.”

“I liked it better when you were unconscious.” Keith said. Lance made a pouting face as they reached the top of the stairs.

Until then, Lance had always enjoyed riding the L, riding around the city with mundane made him feel more human, but the air around the two boys felt awkward because neither of them would start a conversation. Lance began to question Keith’s motives. He’d only ever known shadowhunters to be selfish and arrogant. He couldn’t fathom why one would go to such lengths to help a downworlder, unless it was a trick. Lance wanted Keith to be different but didn’t know if it was possible.

“Why are you staring at me?” Lance was torn from his thoughts.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize I was staring. I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

 “Uh” He mumbled “Nothing really. I was just confused about something.”

“What?”

“Why do you care so much? It’s like you’re trying to interrogate me.” He crossed his arms staring forward blankly. “Wait.” He said looking back at Keith. “You are trying to interrogate me!”

“Like I care that much about why you were staring at me.” He shouted defensively. Lance flushed as all the heads on the L turned toward them, but Keith didn’t even seem to notice.

“Keep your voice down.” He insisted.

“This is why we should have used a glamour.” Keith said, noticing all the eyes on them.

“On the L? We’d constantly have to be moving so that people wouldn’t  sit on us!” Keith opened his mouth to utter a retort, but closed it as they came to a stop. Lance tugged on his jacket and stood, beckoning him to follow as he exited.

“How far is your apartment?”

“About six miles.” Lance laughed as Keith’s face blanched. “I was just kidding, take a joke man.” Lance made his way slowly toward his apartment building. “It’s really close.” He said pointing ahead. Keith looked that direction, eyeing each building as if trying to guess which one it was. Lance admired his toned, yet lean frame, and the way his black hair curled at the ends. Since his hair was pulled back, Lance couldn’t decide if he had a mullet or not, but he’d tease him about it either way. Lance rummaged through his pockets looking for his keys after realizing he’d been staring again. “It’s that building.” Lance said pointing to a large brick building. “It only looks dull from the outside.” Lance snickered as they shuffled into the building. Lance limped toward the elevator. “They should get elevators in the institutes.”

“That would be convenient.” Keith agreed.

Lance grinned, pride clinging to his features as he opened the door to his lavish apartment. His grin grew as Keith’s eyes widened. Lance had been feeling pastel colors recently, adding a touch of pale blue to his curtains and completely re-coloring his couch from a deep maroon to a delicate pink with fluffed grey pillows to compliment it. His walls were white with abstract art pieces decorating them. His kitchen was a soft combination of greens and yellows with bowls of matching fruits as ornaments and his collection of elaborate carpets and shelves had been flaunted in nearly every room. He beamed as Keith took it all in.

“So what do you think?” he asked waltzing toward a shelf next to his couch and picking out several jars and bottles from its contents.

“Its …“ He paused looking for the right word. “Lovely.” He said stepping in.

 “You’re too kind.” Lance giggled. “You don’t happen to have any demon talons, do you?” Lance asked digging around the shelf. “Wait. Never mind I found some.” He said moving his collection to the coffee table in front of his couch. As he started mixing ingredients sparks danced from his fingertips. Keith took a seat on a stool propped near the kitchen’s island. “Have you ever been healed by a warlock before?” Lance asked.

“No.”

“It’s faster, and significantly less painful than the iratze rune.” 

“But significantly less efficient in battle.”

“I don’t really see myself as someone who “battles”.” Lance said forming the quotation marks with his fingers. “I kick butt.”

“Is that not the same thing?”

“Completely different.” Lance laughed finishing his concoction. “Here we go! This should heal me right up.”

“Shouldn’t you already be healed by now, because of your demon blood or whatever?” Lance rolled his eyes at the remark.

“I am healing, but I’m not healing very fast because of all the things that-“ Lance cut off, catching himself. ‘I just want to accelerate the healing process is all.”

“It was Lotor, wasn’t it?” Lance recoiled.

“How do you know about him?”

“We don’t need to get into it right now.” Keith’s gaze wandered as Lance began chanting the healing spell.