#(assuming she actually realizes. or maybe shes just That enraptured by her show)

[thewildwaffle]

Humans are Weird: Antibiotics

A story prompt from a user on a03. Apparently, this is my 50th short story, or at least the 50th installment of m humans are weird short stories. Hurray!

****

Ni Andu watched a dried sickle leaf roll across the empty courtyard from her window. A deep sigh made her breath fog up the glass. The courtyard wasn't supposed to be empty. Especially not this time of year. The Gauru Ni Moon Festival usually brought visitors from around the world and across multiple star systems right about now. But the disease meant no bright banners were hung. No music echoed cheerily through around the corners and down the streets. There were no wafting scents of fresh fruits and fried breads.

It was amazing and terrifying that something so small that it couldn’t be seen had done all this. The Ni were a proud race, rich in culture, and until now, seemingly sturdy in constitution. Diseases had come and gone in the past, but in such small and freak cases that they were hardly given much attention. It was assumed that Ni immune systems were the best in the galaxy and many other races had even requested to study how they were so effective.

Those prideful memories felt hollow now as Ni Andu sighed and pulled herself away from the dreary sight outside. As a new and reluctant head of the house, she had more pressing things to deal with than moping in the past. Several members of her own family were still sick, two of her hatch mates had been very touch-and-go as of late. She slowly made her way to the cushions where they were sleeping to check on them. To her relief, she saw the soft blankets they were wrapped in rose and fell slowly. She stood there, watching them for a bit in the gathering darkness of their shared humble abode. Matki’s breathing sounded like gravel stuck in a child’s rolling skiffer.

“What are we going to do?” Andu’s wide nose scrunched up as she begged the silent house. “What am I supposed to do next?”

She wasn’t sure how long she stood there trying to think of everything and nothing all at once. It was a good while though and was only interrupted when a small light turned on in the meal room. Andu looked up at the light streaming out of the door’s archway. With a sigh, she gathered her strength to move again to see who was up. As she approached, she heard small claws scrabbling on the stonework floor and storage pods opening and closing.

Sure enough, when she peeked in, Andu could see little Piri shuffling through food storage pods that looked even less stocked than she thought they’d been. There were a few bottled foods, a few containers of ingredient-prepped soup containers, but certainly nothing immediately ready for consumption. Most easy and ready-to-eat foods had been eaten long ago or destroyed when they began to decay and grow dangerous molds. And to a small three-year-old Ni, that basically meant there was no food at all.

“Hey Piri, are you hungry?” Even though Andu had kept her voice quiet, little Piri still jumped and tucked his small thin tail like he was ashamed he’d been caught. Andu smiled comfortingly and stepped into the room to pick up one of the soup packs.

“It’s okay, you’re fine,” she patted him on the head softly, “I think it’s time for a meal too. I’m sure everyone else would agree once they wake up and smell the food.”

“There’s not much left,” Piri’s small voice was so sad and only made the words themselves feel sharper to Andu’s hearts. She tried to think of something she could say to make their situation seem less dire, but nothing came to mind. Instead, she scooped up Piri’s small form and waited until his thin arms latched securely around her scruff before she walked over to get a pot to cook in. She was going to have to add quite a bit of water to this if it was going to make enough to sustain everyone for a meal.

Cooking, even making something simple, helped ease Andu’s mind. There was a sense of normalcy in standing in front of a firebox and stirring a bubbling pot of soup. She tried to ignore how thin it was. Still, the smell made her feel warm and it must have wafted across the house as she could soon hear the tell-tale signs of her hatch mates waking up. She gathered bowls and filled each one. Lowering Piri back down, she handed the young Ni a bowl and carried the rest to the cushions where the rest of the family was slowly waking up.

They ate together slowly, trying to make the contents of their bowl last and talking quietly about anything they could to distract themselves from their situation. Matki was recalling a story from four lunar years ago when Andu had entered a fried bread pastry into a competition. Between Matki’s coughing and Andu interjecting to defend herself, the story kept getting interrupted! She’d worked on the recipe for her pastry for so long and was so proud of it, but the night before, something went wrong when she was making her entry. Whether it was nerves, exhaustion, oversight, or Jentala above forbid, sabotage, it went very wrong. From the way Matki described the judges’ reaction, one might have thought Andu had purposefully tried poisoning them! As everyone chuckled, Matki claimed he still had the video recording from the competition and pulled it out, much to Andu’s chagrin.

Andu pretended to be exasperated by the teasing, but really she was just glad everyone felt good enough to laugh again.

It took a while before she and the others noticed that Matki hadn’t pulled up the video. Instead, his eyes locked on the comm tablet screen.

“Matki?”

“Hey, did you find it?”

“Matki are you okay?”

Matki finally looked up, eyes still wide from whatever he’d been looking at. “They’re coming to help.”

Everyone shared a worried look. What?

“Who are you talking about? Who’s coming?” Andu broke the confused silence.

Matki tapped something on-screen with the pad of a finger and a holographic projection display rose up.

Everyone watched enraptured by the newscast. It was about humans. From halfway across the galaxy, they’d heard about the Ni’s plight and had come claiming they had a cure. They were offering aid and resources to run tests to make sure their medicine was safe and effective for Ni use and make alterations if needed. They were even claiming they’d help distribute the finalized cure the moment it was given the go-ahead. In the meantime, they were also sending ships of food and supplies.

Andu could feel the back of her throat tighten. Was this real? Did she dare hope? There’d been so many reports before about help being promised, well, not help to this extent, but help nonetheless. They’d ended up being just for show and were proven empty once those who offered realized how impossible the situation really was.

But humans? She’d heard they were tough. And stubborn. Maybe they were stubborn enough to see their promises through?

The embarrassing video of Andu’s failed pastry was long forgotten, the conversation instead jumped between wild rumors her family had overheard about humans and speculation about how long it would take for the humans to actually lend aid if they were really coming at all. Andu could see a shimmer in the eyes of her hatch mates as they spoke that she hadn’t seen in a while. Although she wished she could feel the same optimism, she could also see how quickly they were all tiring out. Although they’d slept most of the day, the disease was still taking its toll on them all.

Once the meager meal was finished, she stood to gather the now empty bowls. She noticed Piri quickly scrape a finger along the side of his bowl to snag any last morsel before she came along to collect it. ‘Jentala above,’ she prayed mentally, ‘if help truly is coming, send it along soon.”

With bellies no longer completely empty, everyone settled in, and soon the room was full of sleeping or near sleeping Ni.

Andu slept fitfully. She dreamed, but it was fractured and confusing. Even before the disease came, she had a hard time remembering her dreams once she woke up. It was near impossible now. She did remember a loud humming noise though. As she blinked her eyes and lifted her head, she realized the humming was still there. She rose and searched for the source. It almost sounded like… engines? But that, that had to be impossible - the quarantine…

She looked out the window. Dried sickle leaves were flying around wildly as a large shuttle slowly came in for a landing in the courtyard. Andu opened her mouth to call out to the rest of her family, but nothing would come. How were they still asleep with this racket? Apparently, it managed to wake up Piri, who nearly made Andu jump when he bumped into her side while trying to climb up for a better view out the window.

“What’s going on? Who’s outside?” Piri waited to ask until Andu had resettled herself after being startled.

“I’m not sure yet,” she answered as they both watched the shuttle’s doors slowly work through the unsealing process. Across the courtyard, she could see other Ni’s faces peeking out their windows. As far as she could tell, expressions seemed to range anywhere from fear to curiosity to… was that hope? Wait, had they seen the newscast last night? Did they think this was… there’s no way the humans could be here already, right?

They both watched intently as the doors finally opened and a ramp extended. Soon a line of creatures she’d only seen on screens filed down wearing yellow vests and hauling huge boxes in their arms or on carts they pulled behind them.

“It is the humans!” Piri yelled and jumped down from his perch. He ran to where everyone was stirring on the cushions, “Wake up! Wake up! The humans are here!”

Andu wasn’t sure if she should reprimand Piri for disturbing them, or if she should join in. Instead, she watched as the humans in the courtyard started setting up stations and continued hauling load after load filled with what must have been hexaheebs of food, clean water, and various supplies.

She turned to look back at her family who were trying to rise as fast as their weakened bodies would allow. Matki began coughing violently and had to rest against the wall. Andu went to help support him when a knock at the front door startled everyone. They all stared at the old chirrowood door, then around at each other. It had been so long since quarantine had started, they’d almost forgotten what a knock on the door sounded like.

After a pause, the knock came again, this time followed by a worried and drawn-out, “Hello?”

Once she was sure Matki was standing stable, Andu, being the least sick among everyone, walked to and slowly opened the door.

A human from the shuttle stood in the doorway. They were wearing a mask over their mouth and nose, but it was definitely a human! Their eyes closed slightly and creased in the corners as they nodded a greeting. “Hi, my name is Ali, I’m part of the relief team that’s been assigned to this district. We’ve got food and essentials to distribute and I just need to know how many are in this household and if anyone here is in critical condition.”

Andu blinked at the human for a moment as she took in what they’d said.

“We, uh, we have four adults and one child. There, there were more, but…” she couldn’t finish that sentence. From the look the human gave her, she didn’t need to finish it. Her sinuses stung as she fought to not cry. The first visitor in how long and here she was almost crying in the doorway?

“I'm so sorry for your loss,” the human’s head bowed and their shoulders dropped. “I wish we’d known and could have helped earlier. Is anyone here in need of immediate emergency care?”

At that point, Matki started coughing again. Andu and Ali looked back to see him sit back down until his coughing died down.

Andu sighed and turned back to the human. “None of us are great right now. Matki’s probably the worst out of all of us. He sounds bad, but he actually has started to stabilize in the past few days.”

Human Ali gave a short nod and started writing something on a tablet in his hands.

“Do you,” Andu’s voice trembled, “we heard a report last night about you. That you were coming. That you… do you…” she swallowed and fought back desperate tears, “do you really have a cure?”

The human’s eyes creased again. “We do.”

Andu didn’t need to turn around to know the effect this had on her family. She heard it. She felt it. This time, she didn’t fight back the tears.

“Right now,” Human Ali continued, “it’s in the final stages of approval for Ni use, we’re just waiting for the ‘go-ahead’ and we’ll help distribute it as soon as it arrives. Until then, I’ve got some food and supplies for you. I can help unload and unpack if you need?”

“That… that would be... thank you,” she wiped at her tears. “Thank you so much.”

Over the next few days, more shuttles came and went, bringing more supplies, food, tools, and just in general, a brighter outlook and mood to the entire neighborhood. The humans really were here to help, and they seemed happy to do so. Not only were they good with their promises of aid, but they also delivered on the cure they said they had. Ni were instructed on the drug’s use and administration directions thoroughly for both the tablet and liquid forms of the cure. The effects were quick, and from the reports on the newscast, overwhelmingly positive. The Ni were cured! The plague that had once threatened to wipe out their entire population was gone! Celebrations larger than even the Gauru Ni Moon Festival were planned, songs were written, stories shared and spread. It was wholly agreed by all that this was a historic time in Ni history that they all survived through, and all thanked Jentala above for sending the humans to help.

It went without saying that everyone wanted to know more about the cure itself. And that meant everyone, not just the Ni, but the rest of the galactic community who before, had written the Ni off as a lost cause because of the horrific disease. What was this miracle cure? What other things could it do? Where, by all that is bright and shining, did the humans get it, and could it be easily replicated?

The humans, for their part, were again as open and gracious with their information as they had been with their aid. It was an old medicine they’d discovered long ago on their planet. Considered to be the first “antibiotic,” it was widely used on Earth and had saved millions of lives since its discovery. It worked by interfering with bacteria cell walls and destroyed them by causing them to burst.

It was called

Penicillin.

“Amazing!” “Spectacular!” “So simple, yet so ingenious!” many in the galactic community praised. “How ever did you discover this amazing drug?”

The initial answer wasn’t too surprising, for humans at least: it was an accident.

Andu almost snorted as she read the report to the rest of her family. Granted, the end of the plague was the first time any of them had come in direct contact with humans, but they all had heard many of the stories about human escapades. Wild experiments that on paper seemed more like a drunken brainstorm party that ended up advancing rocket fuel technology by at least 8 lunar years. Crash-landings on category 3 death worlds and they ended up liking them so much they decided to set up colonies. Half of what they did seemed to be mistakes that just went right for them. Apparently, the miracle drug penicillin was included in those stories.

She looked up its history and manufacturing.

Andu felt claws dance down her back as she read more. It came… from mold? Mold?! She looked up from the tablet to the faces of her equally horrified hatch mates. It took them a moment to remember how to close their mouths.

"You mean like mold on old bread?" Piri broke the shocked silence.

Andu blinked and looked back at the report. Old bread? How many times had they not eaten bread fast enough in the warm humid seasons only to pick up a bul of bread and find mold growing on it. It was dangerous, it had to be carefully disposed of, it was… able to save lives?

She returned to the report. The more she read, the more comforted she became in the safety of the miracle antibiotic. That, and she couldn't argue with the results. Her family was around her, now loudly being altogether boisterous together as they "discussed" the humans and all the ways they played with death in order to save life.

Matki snatched the tablet from her claws, wanting to read the report for himself. As Andu was jostled by her now healthy, energetic family, she was just happy and eternally thankful that the humans were crazy enough to play with something as dangerous as fungus, and then kind enough to share what they discovered.

[palaceofpassion]

Figured I'd take my shot with a second one, Ruby's suprised when Penny brings Jaune home to have him play the role of the happy couples stud. After all it's only logical that they birth strong child and who better.

"Ahhhn~ Yes yes!"

Ruby stared awkwardly at her ceiling as she bit down the bile forming in her chest. Her eyes closed tight as she rocked back and forth on her shifting bed, hoping to ignore the sounds of delightful pleasure happening behind her. "More! More! I'm breeding ready!" Her fingers grasped tightly onto her bedding, her teeth gritting as she tried to ignore the sounds of her wife... being fucked... being rutted... being mated by one of her closest friends. The sticky squelching sounds of bodily fluids exchanging with one another, quickly threw off her concentration. And yet, she knew she had to fight back the tears.

When Penny had come to her, talking about how she'd wanted a child. Ruby had, incorrectly, assumed that she wanted to go to a donation center. She HAD NOT expected for Penny to want to be bred, and creampied. She hadn't expected her loving wife to be stuffed by a big fat cock, or having her being dicked down. She hadn't expected Penny to bring her best friend over. So when she found Jaune at her door, a bashful look on his face as he asked the question.

"Hey Ruby, Penny called me, do you know why?"

Something had been wrong... something had been VERY wrong. And she could feel it in the pit of her stomach.

So when Penny came prancing over... wearing... wearing a sheer silk nightgown... one that didn't hide ANY of her lady bits... Ruby felt her heart drop. "Friend Jaune! I'm glad you could make it!"

"Hey Penny."

Jaune's smile didn't make her feel any better.

"Penny?" Ruby turned towards her wife, "What's going on?"

"Oh! I had mentioned wanting to have a child, remember?"

Ruby of course nodded, "Well friend Jaune is here to help!" Then when Penny turned towards Jaune... a twisted smile on her face... one that exuded sexual desire... one Ruby herself had never seen before. She felt her heart crack.

"Okay but... why?"

"Oh... didn't you discuss this?" Jaune turned back to Penny. "Penny, if Ruby is uncomfortable with this I don't think I want to go through with it."

"What? What are you talking about?"

“Well Ruby!” Penny quickly turned towards her, grabbing onto her hands and pulling them towards her heart. “I was hoping that we’d have friend Jaune here to be the father of our children.” Ruby blinked, confused at first.

“But… and I’m sorry no offense Jaune.”

“None taken.”

“Why Jaune?” She didn’t mean any offense by it… in fact… well Jaune had been a long time crush of hers. She’d only never made a move on him because of how anxious she’d felt about the entire ordeal. He had been one of the first people, if not the first person other than her family to accept her for who she was. He’d always been there when she needed him, and she’d always felt safe.

She had never been sure if those feelings were that of love… or of something else. But she’d held back, especially as Weiss had ended up falling for him. And now they were married, speaking of, “Wait, what about Weiss?” Maybe she could pull the plug here and now?

“I’m right here.”

Ruby nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden entrance of her childhood friend. “What?! Don’t suddenly do that! What are you Blake?!” She was so flustered by the sudden arrival that she didn’t even notice the dry look Weiss had bestowed upon her.

“No. But I’m already aware of the situation.”

Oh… maybe she was here to say no. “So… you’re not okay with it right?”

Weiss simply shook her head, “No, I’m not okay with it.”

“Oh thank go-”

“I love it.”

“What?”

Weiss beamed brightly as she placed her hand upon Jaune’s shoulder, ushering the taller man down so she could pull him into a deep kiss. Ruby felt her face flush hot, the public display of affection proving to be a little too much for her still naive mind. “You see Ruby.” Pulling away Weiss brought her attention back to her, “I love the idea of my Jaune here breeding other women.”

She didn’t miss the little shudder that ran through her old best friend. “Just… it's so enticing, watching him push them down, breeding them like the dirty sows they are. Filling their needy wombs with his rich virile Arc seed. Oh, you’ll both love it, I assure you.” The woman stroking her rounded belly, proof of their 8th child.

Honestly, Ruby wasn’t so sure she WOULD love it. But, she wasn’t even sure she could say no anymore, not with Weiss' sudden intervention. “Uh… Weiss what’s that?” She’d suddenly noticed the strap attached to Jaune’s shoulder, now that Weiss had brought attention to it.

“Oh, it’s a camera darling. To commemorate the event.”

Her brow crinkled in as she frowned at the sudden realization dawning on her. This… this wasn’t going to end well for her and she didn’t like it one bit.

“Now then, a few questions.” Weiss hurried them in the door, tugging Jaune along with her, who gave Ruby one last sorrowful glance.

“Have either of you ever been with a man before?”

“I have not friend Weiss!”

Penny raised her hand, a pleasant smile that would have normally caused her heart to race flashed across her face. Though now it only proved to make her feel… ill inside.

“Excellent!” Weiss clapped her hands together, “It’ll be an interesting experience.” Ruby felt her heart sink when Weiss turned her attention back towards her. “I assume you’re both alright with this then? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable after all. And I know Jaune doesn’t want you to either.”

“Yeah.” Jaune nodded, “I want this to be a fun experience for everyone involved… oh uhm… you’re not both lesbians right? I’d honestly feel bad if you were.”

Ruby WASN’T a lesbian persay. She wasn’t even sure what she was, she just liked who she liked. And at one time it HAD been Jaune, but now she loved Penny.

“No. Both Ruby and I are fine with both sexes.”

Ruby nodded meekly in response.

“Okay perfect, well I promise that Jaune will make this an experience that neither of you are going to forget.”

“Yeah.” She felt a hand press down on her shoulder, “Ruby, again, if you don’t want this please say something.”

She felt her heart swoon just a tad at Jaune’s concern. Her chest rose and fell and her face grew just a tad bit warm. Turning her attention towards Penny, she knew she COULD say yes. But seeing how happy and excited her wife was, how into this Weiss appeared to be… and… this could be her chance to get with Jaune for once… well it couldn’t be all bad?

No! It WAS FAR WORSE than she could have ever imagined.

“Oh yes! More please! More!”

Ruby sat there, silently sobbing to herself as her wife, her precious wife with whom she exchanged vows of solidarity with, was now on her back. Her hands tightly grabbing their bedding sheets as her best friend, and childhood crush, pounded her like she belonged to him.

She dared not look, the sounds of slapping flesh already being far too much for her to handle. Her lips trembled as she tried to silence out the sound, and she may have succeeded or at least she would have if Weiss hadn’t shifted closer.

“You know Ruby~” Her tone sent a terrified shiver down her spine, “I was the one that got Penny interested in this whole ordeal.”

“Wha?”

She looked up trying to say something, but found a single finger pressed against her lips. “Isn’t it amazing?” Weiss turned her attention towards Jaune and Penny, forcing Ruby to follow her line of sight.

Ruby’s heart dropped, tears began to trickle downwards as she SAW… no she could smell it, hear it, FEEL it… her beloved wife was on her back, her face… oh gods her face… it was contorted into the most twisted of pleased slutshammed faces she’d EVER seen before. “It was pretty easy getting the idea in her head, I told her it’d be easier to have a child if someone ACTUALLY bred her.” She heard, but did not see Weiss chuckle, too enraptured with the terrible scene in front of her. “It really was easy, your wife is suuuch a slut. She’s just so naive~” When she felt Weiss’ icey could fingers wrap around her shoulders she tried not to flinch. “It really didn’t have to be Jaune, I could have SO easily convinced her to sleep with ANY man.”

“B...bu...but why?” Why then? Why was this happening, why her? Why Jaune?

“Its simple~ I just LOVE seeing my husband fuck little stupid sluts silly. I mean just look at how happy Penny is.”

Ruby HATED how right Weiss was, Penny was… she was FAR happier than she’d EVER been when they had sex. “A silly little toy could never match up to the real thing… look at it… look at her stomach.”

Ruby could see it, she didn’t NEED Weiss telling her. She could see her wife’s belly inflate as Jaune’s… his cock pounded inside of her. Her stomach ballooning as he penetrated her over and over and over and over. The big meaty head of his cock skewering her so much smaller body, the thick bulb protruding through the other side.

“Penny Darling.”

“Y..yesh!?”

“Ruby wants to hear what's happening. She wants to know how much you love having my husband’s COCK inside of you.”

“Oh! OoOooKaaY!”

Ruby KNEW Penny didn’t mean anything by it, but she was just so excited. “Look Ruby! Jaune’s… oOooH hiiiiis hiiiis BIIIiIiIGG! CooOoCCCK! Itssssssszzzz! Its Puuuushiiing against MmyyyYy Ceervviviiix!”

Ruby could see it from here, the shape of her uterus forming on the outside of her skin. “HeeeEesssss hiiiiittttting mmmeeeeee soooo Sooosososooo deeeeep!”

“You want deeper though right?”

“YYyyyEeesssh pleeeeaassee!”

“Darling, can you please put her into a mating press for me?”

“Yeah!”

Jaune’s voice came out exasperated, his focus solely pushed upon her wife. Ruby was FORCED to watch as Jaune pulled on her wife’s legs, pinning them back and showing the extreme flexibility that came with the once gynoid. “WhoaooOh!” He’d pulled her legs practically behind her head, forcing his cock even deeper as he rose her lower body.

“Look at it, look at how DEEP his cock is going inside of her!” Weiss simply smiled, “You’d never be able to do that Ruby, but it’s okay.”

SMACK SMACK SMACK

His pace grew faster and faster, the bed underneath them started to shake as he unleashed sound defeaning thrust after sound defeaning thrust.

Ruby couldn’t believe it, she couldn’t take the emotional damage that she was feeling as her best friend pushed her wife into ecstasy. “Gods it feels SO good to have him inside of you. Its so amazing, I don’t think Penny will be able to have it any other way now.”

THUD THUD THUD

The bed jolted up and and down as he practically pinned her wife into her own bed. Thick juicy fluids squelched from their connected bodies. Beads of sweat staining their sheets as he practically pushed his entire body on her. Ruby could hardly see her wife anymore, but she could hear her squeals of pleasure. She could only watch as a man took her from her. She could only silently regret her decisions. And still why did it have to be this way, for Weiss’ sick pleasures?

“You know.” She flinched as Weiss’ hand fell upon the pit of her belly, rubbing gentle circles above her womb. “It doesn’t have to be this way.” Ruby gave her a betrayed look, scrunching her face together. “We really DID come here to help you two have fun~ And… well I’m sure Penny would LOVE if you both got pregnant together~”

Ruby meant to open her mouth, “After all, it’s not fair, now is it? Just letting Penny have all the fun?”

Ruby bit her lip, turning her attention as Jaune pulled up onto his legs, squating down on her wife and slamming his cock one last time into her depths. She could SEE his balls inflating, she could SEE the pulsing of her stomach as the bulge of his cock quite literally throbbed. She could see her wife’s belly inflating in front of her, “See?”

Weiss turned her attention back to Penny.

“Penny describe what’s happening.

“MmmNnn~♥ Fri...Fri… Ma...Mate…Br...bree...breeder J...Jaaauuune iiiisss filling My… my wooomb, with Prec...precious life giiiving seed! I can FEEL my ovaries drinking the… the preciiious fluiiids! I… I’m… I’m breeding ready!”

Ruby felt Weiss release her, shifting over towards Penny. “Oh Darling, you’re going to be JUST the most gorgeous pregnant woman.” Ruby watched Weiss run her finger over the outline of her wife’s uterus, tracing the very shape with a single soft touch. “Mmmn~ I can’t WAIT to see you nice and full. I bet you’ll have twins AT LEAST.” Weiss of course turned her attention back towards her husband, “I bet you can’t wait right? You LOVE it when women get pregnant with your children, you’re just raring to go again, right?”

Ruby turned her attention to Jaune, who had been mostly quiet this entire time. Surely he wouldn’t betray her? He’d been hesitant from the start after all! “Yeah… it’s REALLY hot... and…” No. “We should go again, I can dump a few more loads inside of her, just to make sure she’s nice and knocked up.”

“Yes please!”

“Perfect.”

Time seemed to still as Ruby did something she truly didn’t expect of herself, “STOP!”

All eyes turned to her as she flushed red, one that ran down the length of her unclothed body. “I… I…” She grit her teeth, “I’m next!”

“Perfect~”

Little did Ruby know, but she’d fallen into Weiss’ Trap, one she’d never be able to escape from.

[deathduty]

Sew What || Deirdre & Irene

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Sew La Ti Do PARTIES: @threadofheart & @deathduty (special mentions to Angela Lansbury) SUMMARY: Deirdre strips. Irene does her job and nothing more. They both do what they know best.

Deirdre never considered herself to be a sentimental person. Yet, with her dress torn up the side, she found herself more willing to find the nearest tailor than to get a new one. She’d had the thing since moving to White Crest, and was certain at that moment that no other dress could make her look as good. More than that, though, she had things to do. Places to be. As much as she liked being nude, a torn up dress simply wasn’t acceptable. If she could just get the thing stitched up, however crude, she’d be on her way. “Hello?” The banshee called out, poking her head around the shop, trying to find someone to assist her. “I need–“ and at that moment, as someone emerged, Deirdre waved them down. “Do you work here? I need some help,” Deirdre pointed to the tear in her dress. “Just something to make it presentable enough. Can you do that?” 

Irene sat at her computer, finishing up some paperwork for a few of her orders, when she heard the front door of her shop open. Quickly getting up, she walked out to greet whoever it was and spotted a new face. “Hello, yes, how can I help you?” she responded as she made her way to the front counter. It would be one thing to assume that this person was looking to get something fixed, but Irene had encountered a fair number of strange asks (like “Where’s the closest Pizza Hut?” and Irene had to bite her tongue to not inform them that she was not a map). At the question, Irene leaned forward and noticed the tear on the dress. Her brow furrowed as she studied it before she stood back up. “I can definitely get that properly sewn back together for you. Uh when would you need this by and, perchance, are you… um are you dropping off the dress right now?”

“Right now.” Deirdre said, twisting around to reach the zipper. “And I’ll wait; I can wait. I just need this done immediately.” Getting the dress half off, dangling from her bare shoulders, Deirdre considered that maybe stripping inside a store was not acceptable conduct in human society. It was fortunate then, that she didn’t care about human society. “Here,” she handed the dress off, standing about in her underwear. “Do you mind if I watch you work? I’d be bored otherwise.” Deirdre’s smile was wide, her best attempt at being friendly. The last tailor she had gone to, she murdered. Of course, because he was going to die anyway, but murdered all the same. This tailor was, however, much prettier than the last. And she wasn’t a murderer anymore. For now, anyway. “That won’t be a problem, will it?” She beamed, “I’ll pay double. Triple, even. And I am very pleasant to look at.” 

“Wait!” Irene immediately held her hands up before the customer fully stripped right in her shop. She blushed slightly when half of it was already off as the seamstress walked to her desk and grabbed her long coat. “I-I don’t have any spare clothing in the shop right now other than this.” Her arm stretched out, offering it over as she averted her own gaze while her other hand reached for the dress. The moment her fingers found purchase with it, Irene noted that the material was quite nice and thankfully was something she had worked with before. “Oh, um, of course that’s no problem.” Normally, she would have politely informed her customers that she would need at least a day to complete something like this but this didn’t seem too difficult. And the prospect of being paid extra for this wasn’t unalluring… “Feel free to take a seat,” she finally decided with a small smile. Setting the dress down on her counter, Irene quickly began looking for the tear. “As much as that may be true, I’m afraid I can’t look back at you while I fix up your dress,” she indicated with a light tone as she began to pull out some tools from her cabinets. And she had been so caught up in this sudden exchange that only when Irene began to get to work did she realize that she was picking up some strange emotions from the woman. Not strange in the sense that it wasn’t reflective of the scenario but… dulled? Her brow knitted and she tried to shake it off. The last thing she needed was to mess up the dress in front of an audience.

“Oh no, I like being naked.” Deirdre tried to explain, but with a sigh, she took the coat offered and put it on. Humans could be such prudes. This human was fixing her dress though, and so she figured she might as well cover up. Though, at mention of taking a seat, despite knowing exactly what the tailor meant, she hoisted herself on the counter and took her seat there. “A tree branch got me, you know,” she said, offering an explanation for the tear. She smiled wide. A tree branch did not get her. It was, rather, the hand of a dying man, who’d managed to claw at her dress before she could leave. “I’m Deirdre,” she said, insisting on being a nuisance. “Why tailoring? It certainly can’t pay well, and it seems like such an unappreciated art…” 

Irene managed a stiff smile in response to the woman’s comment about being naked, but the seamstress really did not want to explain having a naked person in her shop should anyone pass by her windows. A sigh of relief escaped her when the woman took the coat, though tension twisted her stomach once more when she noticed the guest hoist herself up onto her worktable. “Please be careful of the pins and other uh sharp objects on the counter,” she offered tersely as her hands continued to address the garment. “A tree branch… sounds dangerous. If you need any first aid, I have a kit in the back room I can grab.” Irene wasn’t certain she believed that especially as she picked up a dull feeling of smugness that seemed to emanate from the woman. Or perhaps she was really proud to be struck by a tree; Irene was not one to judge. “Lovely to meet you, Deirdre. I’m Irene,” her response flowed automatically from her lips. It was certainly taking a bit of effort for the seamstress to hold her tongue. “It’s actually a family business so I inherited the skills when I was old enough,” she briefly explained.

Deirdre watched the seamstress work, doubtlessly skilled in her work. Her great-grandmother had taught her to sew, still enraptured by the idea that a proper lady must know how to embroider, but she’d only ever enjoyed the feeling of sticking the needle through. “Oh no, I’m okay, you should've seen the tree though, Irene,” she smiled at her own joke, leaning into the woman’s work. It looked boring to her, but there was something about the ability to mend that always caught her attention; weapons never could learn to heal. “Like a duty?” She leaned back, “like some obligation to run this shop? Do you enjoy your work?” Deirdre watched the woman some more, graceful fingers finding what they wanted with ease. “I guess I’m in something of a family business myself…” she trailed off, looking out the shop window at the people passing by, living their own obligations. “But of all the things…” She turned back to Irene, “you’re not one of those people that wish to be a fashion designer, are you?” Not that there was anything wrong with that. 

Having an audience while she worked normally wouldn’t distract her, but Irene found herself a little on edge with this woman, probably because she had initially wanted to stand around the shop naked. “Poor tree couldn’t put up much of a fight? What did it do to deserve such ire from you?” she replied with a small chuckle as she tried to imagine such a scene. Her mental image came up with something rather absurd and cartoonish, causing her to let out another quiet laugh. Irene paused, both to check on the progress of her sewing and also to consider the questions. “It was an obligation and now it’s what I know best. I enjoy it as much as one can enjoy their work I suppose. There are good days and bad ones.” Her fingers deftly finished up what she was able to hand-sew before she got up to move to her sewing machine. “Fashion designer? It’s something that’s crossed my mind a few times but it’s not a particular passion of mine. I do have a lot of respect for designers though. The pressure to constantly create something new or avant-garde that hasn’t already been created, I can’t begin to imagine it.”

“Oh, you know how it goes, it looked at me the wrong way…” Deirdre trailed off, grinning toothy and lopsided. She had started the process of trying to think of something else to say, something to make the woman uncomfortable, when she continued. Deirdre’s grin faltered, and from her position nosing into Irene’s work, she leaned back with a frown. She was not so deluded on ideas of passion that she didn’t understand practicality, but the way the woman described it sounded…sad. Or, at best, Deirdre would unknowingly insult her. “What you know best?” She repeated, hoping Irene would correct her. “What you know best and what you enjoy are two different things.” Deirdre stared at her, completely having intended to ruin her day and yet being struck with confusion instead. “Irene,” she began, “is there some other thing you imagined you’d be doing?” She sighed, she could understand duty and she could understand obligation. She could even understand knowing something too well to not make anything of it, but like this? Deirdre stared around the shop, nose wrinkled; was it really worth it? “It’s just an odd way to word your sentence—‘what I know best’ what I know best is murd—“ Deirdre froze. “Uh,” she turned to Irene, “Mur—Murder, She Wrote! The show! Love it. It’s what I know best, but, it’s not…uh, it’s not what I imagined I’d be watching. It doesn’t satisfy my life’s hunger.” 

Irene expertly adjusted her machine, her movements second nature after years of working in this profession. As she ran the dress through the machine, she chuckled again. “I have noticed that some trees do make some devious faces.” The playful banter was easy enough to maintain as the seamstress worked, a trait she picked up early on when she had to mend her sisters’ clothes while they chattered away beside her. But then the sudden shift in tone surprised her, almost causing the woman to completely stop in her work. She swallowed hard, her lips pursing into a small smile despite her facing the machine and not her customer. “In the end, it’s all semantics,” she replied quietly before clearing her voice. There were many things she had tickled in pursuing: places she’d considered visiting or even living in, career paths she might have enjoyed, goals she’d like to achieve. “What I enjoy most is making sure my family is doing well and is safe and happy, and this happens to be the way I am able to achieve that.” The fabric slid through her fingers and past the thrumming needle of the machine. Her brow furrowed once more at the way this conversation unfolded from this curious woman. “I suppose that’s a thing about life, though, isn’t it? If Murder She Wrote doesn’t satisfy you, there are so many things out there that might do the trick.” With a satisfied sigh and a more genuine smile now, Irene finished up her repairs, snipped the loose thread from the dress, and held it up to examine. “This should be all good to go and ready for another battle with any tree that gives you the wrong impression.”

Why did it bother her? Long after Irene held the dress out, signaling the end of their little tête-à-tête, Deirdre stood and stared at her. She was dissatisfied; with Irene’s answer, her amiability and her lack of disdain at Deirdre’s general demeanor. It was spiteful. How dare the woman feign happiness in her face? It was tragic. How dare she answer honestly? And then it was pointless; why did it bother her at all? Irene was being practical, smart, safe. What could she possibly find a flaw in? Perhaps it was just that, the perceived perfectionism of the whole thing. Deirdre’s expression soured quickly. “Is that so?” Deirdre got her little inside glance at the woman, watching her words bounce right off. She had no hook, no control; friendly people disgusted her. A saccharine grin greeted Irene as Deirdre yanked the dress from her grip. “I suppose your family are all grateful. Where are they? Out back or…?” Perhaps it was the whimper of feeling blooming in her stomach; sadness, or something like it. “Aren’t you the hypocrite? Deluding yourself into thinking this satisfies you. At least Murder, She Wrote has Angela Lansbury.” From her boot, she drew out wrinkled hundred dollar bills, offering no explanation for either action. One hundred. Three hundred. Five hundred dollars, slapped down in front of Irene. “I’m taking your coat.” She announced with a huff, finding it to be the apology she deserved after Irene ruined her evening with her politeness. “And you!” she jabbed a finger at the tailor, throwing her dress over her shoulder. She stepped to leave, eager to free herself from Irene’s bullying. “If I peel back those layers of lies and professional, am I going to find a woman who fights or flees?” 

Despite the muted emotions Irene picked up from Deirdre, she managed to pick up something akin to frustration. From the very beginning, this whole exchange presented to be a challenge. Why was Deidre frustrated when she had bulldozed Irene from the moment she arrived? Her gaze flickered momentarily at the questioning, each interrogatory a sharp, yet familiar, stab. Everything Deidre was saying was not incorrect. In fact, Irene was certain her sisters would likely agree. But, unlike Deidre, Irene made peace with her own reality, a reality she had resigned herself to for quite some time. “My family--my sisters are where they wish to be.” Was that so bad? That she prioritized their happiness over hers? It was her duty, always has been her duty, to take care of the family. As the money slammed onto the table, far more than was needed to pay, Irene made no move to collect it. “I suppose you and I will find out if that happens.” Each day in White Crest forced Irene to face that question: was she here fighting for something or was she actually fleeing? She lifted her head, swallowing hard and finding it harder to maintain a professional front. It was too early in the day for her regularly scheduled existential crisis. “Well, thanks for your patronage; I hope the dress is to your liking,” were the last words, auto-piloted by habit, she managed to say as she finally reached to collect the money dispensed upon her work surface.

Deirdre reveled in the sort of annoyances she could spur in others; she desired to control their reactions to her. If she forced hate, she would beat them all to the punch. But there was a special sort of person she could never crack: those that desired to be polite, kind, friendly. Those who refused to stoop to her level. Those, much like Irene. Her grievance all along might just have been envy. If only she had half a mind to be as optimistic. “I hope for your sake,” Deirdre said as she lingered at the door, “you find out sooner rather than later, the kind of person you are.” Without so much as a thank you, she was gone, and the store fell back into the silence that didn’t know her. One day, Irene would be dead, and her legacy was her own concern. It didn’t bother Deirdre one bit. Not at all.

[abduct-me-helen]

Class 108′s Apocalypse Field Trip | Chapter 3.

Katie was the first one to recover, turning her knife on Mr. Sims and charging forward. Martin yanked him out of the way.

“Woah! Woah, woah. Hey!” he said, waving his arms to get her to calm down.

“Katie.” Rosie barked, which in that tone meant “stand down.”

Katie withdrew, not taking her eyes off her former teacher. “You can’t be real. You obviously aren’t human, and-”

“If you put down the knife, I promise I’ll give you answers.” Jon said, hands up and breathing steady.

Katie glanced over to Rosie, who narrowed her eyes in thought then gave a quick nod. She begrudgingly lowered her weapon, eyes still locked with the two newcomers in the room.

There was a moment of silence.

“What the fuck just happened?” Riko asked, slipping her glasses off in disbelief.

“I…I smited him.” Jon answered awkwardly. “Okay, how about we get everyone in here and then we can have…a class.”

“A class.” Katie deadpanned. Jon nodded, and she shrugged, standing up and gesturing for Riko to come with her while she fetched Elliot and Raphi, who were still in the other classroom. Probably kissing. Ugh.

An awkward silence filled the air, before Tabitha turned to the window and tilted her head. “Who opened the blinds?”

The rest of the kids shook their heads, and Tabitha sighed, turning the rod to the right and shutting the outside world out of sight.

“Eyeball daddy must’ve wanted to say hi.” she said thoughtfully.

Jon choked, and Martin had a look of mild horror on his face as he patted Jon’s back to stop him from coughing.

“E-exuse me?” he stammered.

Tabitha was unfazed.

“Eyeball daddy. You know, the great voyeur? The big smexy eyeball in the sky?”

Martin keeled over wheezing while Jon dropped his jaw.

“The-the Beholding?!” “Smexy?!”

Tabitha wrinkled her nose. “That’s a stupid name. All hail eyeball daddy.”

“All hail eyeball daddy.” The rest of the kids said in unison, looking bored. It was more of a reflex for them at this point.

Martin and Jon shared a look of horror, before Riko entered with Katie, Elliot and Raphi following her.

“Okay then, take a seat. I’ll explain, but, it isn’t pretty.”

“Really? The apocalypse isn’t pretty? I had no idea!” Raphi snarked. Elliot batted him on the head, and Jon was painfully reminded of a similar interaction between Tim and Sasha in the past.

No, he thought, there’s no time to dwell on that.

“There are fourteen entities called the fears that previously existed in a different place outside of our universe. They all have domain over different fears, and people that serve them get…abilities in exchange for feeding the-”

“Like the spiders! And the masked people! And the-” Tabitha cut herself off, “sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself,” she muttered, wringing her hands and tapping her foot.

“No, go on.” Jon prompted her to continue.

She hesitated. “W-we’ve just been noticing patterns…I call them categories. They’re like…really angry colors? If that makes sense?”

Jon looked impressed. “And you just figured all that out?”

She nodded.

He sighed. “Well, you’re not wrong. These “really angry colors” are called the fear powers. Some think them alike to gods, but they don’t have any true motives other than to feed. They aren’t like humans in that respect. They have no motivation.”

The class watched, enraptured as he continued his explanation.

“There’s the Slaughter, fear of war and violence. The Lonely, fear of isolation. The Web, fear of-”

“Being controlled.” Rosie said quietly. Jon nodded.

“Exactly. And-”

“Spiders.” Tabitha shivered, remembering being cocooned in their webs; the feeling of legs crawling over her skin and weaving her in threat.

Jon made a gesture to show that she was right. He continued to explain the rest of the fear powers, until he stopped abruptly.

“And then there’s the Eye.” He said, looking to the closed window. He realized he was running a tape recorder, but at this point he couldn’t care less. The Eye saw everything anyway.

“Wait, hold on, how do you even know any of this?” Elliot asked him, eyes narrowed.

Jon sighed. “Getting to that.”

“The Eye-”

“Eyeball daddy-” “shut up Tabitha-”

“-is the fear of being watched, or being known. I know this one better than all the others, because I…serve it.”

“You what?!” Riko exclaimed, and Katie inched towards her knife.

“I wasn’t exactly given a choice,” he said shortly, rubbing his temples with his palm. “I assume you all know the Magnus Institute?”

Rosie nodded hesitantly. They’d all done their fair share of research on their enigma of a teacher. You would too, if someone like him showed up out of the blue and said cryptic things all the time.

Things that made far more sense these days then she would’ve liked.

“Well, the position of the Archivist, which is what I am, is more or less a trap. You can’t quit, and you become very connected to the Eye. It…changes you.”

“That’s ominous.” Katie muttered. Jon ignored her.

“What’s your connection to all this?” Riko questioned skeptically.

“That’s,” Jon breathed, “that’s a long story.”

“Cut out the boring bits and tell us; it’s not like we have anything better to do.” Elliot shrugged.

“Well, I suppose I started the whole thing.”

“What?!-” “No!-” “How dare you-” “I will fuck you up-”

A chorus of anger erupted in the room, and Martin stepped to the left of Jon’s side.

“He didn’t start it. He’s just guilty about-.”

“If I had fought it-”

“You know full well that wouldn’t have worked. I’m tired of you trying to make yourself the villain.” He stared Jon down begrudgingly.

“Look,” Martin sighed, “I’ll explain since he sees it fit to make himself out to be the enemy here. Our boss, Elias Bouchard, who is actually Jonah Magnus but back to that later, manipulated him. He basically had him marked by all the fourteen fears, and then forced him to complete the ritual that opened the eye. He had no choice in the matter.”

Katie withdrew, and they all relaxed.

“It’s not your fault, then, Mr. Sims.” Sydney said with furrowed brows.

He shook his head. “I…if I hadn’t opened that letter then none of this would’ve happened. I’ve done some bad things.”

“l laughed while one of my best mates got murdered,” Said Tabitha, getting off a desk covered in sharpie doodles.

Jon sighed. “You were under the influence of the Web.”

“And you were under the influence of the eye. How is that different?”

Jon ran a hand through his hair, looking to Martin, who was gazing down on him expectantly. “Fine, yes, I see your point.”

Tabitha nodded, satisfied.

“Why were you here in the first place?” Elliot asked.

“The Eye tells me where to go, and when I found out all of you were alive I decided I needed to come back for you.” Jon answered him, looking to the closed window briefly.

“Come back for us? But we’re safest here!” Sydney protested.

Jon hesitated. “They Eye preserved you because of your connection to me, at least, that’s what I think. It might have been Elias, maybe as a gift? But if I choose to…reject this “present” then you’ll each be thrown into different domains.”

Beat.

“Well fuck.” Tabitha said.

“Language.” Jon said half-heartedly.

“What are you going to do, send her to the principal?” Raphi retorted sarcastically. Tabitha tilted her head towards him and raised her eyebrow at Jon, signifying her agreement

A few people grumbled in agreement, before a pall of silence took over the room.

“Where are we going, anyway?” Asked Cal, who’d been uncharacteristically silent while processing all that had happened.

Jon clenched his fist. “The Panopticon.”

“You mean the tower? That’s not far from here!” Elliot told him.

“Yes, but…space doesn’t work like it used to. We’re going to have to venture through every domain until we can reach it.”

“And what’s the plan?” Katie questioned, expression blank.

“Don’t die? And reset the world” Martin offered.

“That’s it?” Katie said incredulously, her tone affronted.

“It’s a work in progress.” Jon defended.

“Oh well fuck-” “We’re screwed-” “Eyeball daddy, I’m coming for you-” “Bold of you guys to assume I don’t want to die-” “Cypress are you okay-” “If I get into hell I call lava bath-”

Jon facepalmed.

Martin was honestly both concerned and impressed about how they were handling this. If it was him, at this age he would’ve been freaking out and crying, not complaining.

“How are you so calm about this?” He asked, brows furrowed in surprise.

Raphi shrugged. “We’re Gen Z. We had lockdown drills all the time preparing us for a shooter, and once you think of that shit enough it’s not like you aren’t surprised when it happens. We’ve never been afraid of dying, we’re just afraid of watching the world burn,” the other kids nodded in agreement, “and look where that fucking got us.”

Martin was honestly stunned, but he chose not to comment.

“How poetic of you, Raph.” Elliot cooed.

“Oh, fuck off.”

There was a bittersweet moment of hesitation, before Tabitha yelled. “We’re going to win this, fuckers! We have the power of God and Anime on our side! Hiya!” She did the motions from the vine, and the rest of the class followed.

“Hiya!”

-

“List?” Rosie asked, checking supplies off her clipboard.

“Check!”

“Everyone have a weapon or something they can use as one? No, Elliot, I do not count your “bulging muscles” as a weapon. Stop pouting.”

“Check!”

“Everyone grab a buddy. Sydney will be with Tabitha and I, so everyone else should be in pairs. I think that’s everything.”

Rosie turned to Jon and Martin, who were waiting for her to finish the roll call. Jon raised an eyebrow.

Rosie rolled her eyes. “It helps to have some semblance of order here.”

Martin elbowed him, and Jon grumbled something Rosie didn’t understand.

And so, class 108 started their field trip.

-

“Elliot! Raphi! Cypress! Stop making videos! We need to move.” Jon called irritably, annoyed at the loud, bad music that these kids were filming themselves dancing to. It made absolutely no sense to him.

He didn’t like it.

“But we’re doing Tik Toks, Mr. Sims!” Cypress called back.

“You-you’re doing what?” Jon asked confusedly.

“Tik Toks!” Elliot repeated, which did not help at all.

“I-what’s a Tik Tok?” Jon ran his hands through his hair.

“Google-y-eyes it!” Elliot answered.

“Not funny.” He muttered, already getting a headache.

“It was, actually. His puns are great.” Raphi, who’s hearing was only secondary to Katie in the class rankings, (they made a list a few years back), heard him muttering and shouted to him without stopping the dance.

“Fine-what the hell is that?” Jon said, affronted as he began to Know what these “Tik Toks” were.

Insidious.

“That’s a Tik Tok Mr. Sims!” Cypress told him.

“Why are they dancing?”

“To get Tik Tok famous Mr. Sims!”

Jon was notably distressed, so he took out a cigarette and discretely lit it.

Tabitha whipped towards him. “Chris, is that a WEED?”

“W-what?”

“I’m calling the police!”

Christ, these kids were going to be the death of him.

[tonksie-writes]

A Mark and a Soul||Chapter 2

Summery: Din has always wanted to meet his soulmate. The moment that he met Cara he knew it was her. Now he’s all but alone in the universe he has to decide his next steps and she distracts him.

Rating: M (This chapter)

A/N: Ok! So I continue to have NO IDEA where this fic is going to take us so join me for this ride of unknown! I’m also shocked because I’ve actually been doing really well with keeping up on this! I’m not normally very good at that especially with no plan! If anyone has prompts or things they’d love to see I would love to hear them cause RN I’m flying blind!  This chapter has smut! It’s very obvious when it’s about to start trust me you’ll know! And it goes to the end of the chapter so if you aren’t a fan of reading that you can easily skip you won’t miss anything I promise! Also it’s been a HOT minute since I wrote smut and while yes I have my history with it I’m looking at you 20 pages of one BDSM scene  I haven’t written anything like this is a FEW years so please forgive me if I’m rusty. So please enjoy

Prologue, Ch 1 ,  AO3

Din has spent a lot of his life dreaming about his soulmate. He had always wondered what that person would look like, what they would be like. His parents had been soulmates and while mandalorians took an oath to give up their soulmates, just as they gave up their ability to show their face, Din had grown up on a planet where Soulmates were a constant. There were thousands of stories and fairy tales told to children of all ages. He had been told from the time of birth about all kinds of different soul matches. There were Prince's being saved by the daring princesses and knights in shining armor. There were even love stories of star-crossed lovers from different planets in different galaxies coming together to solve wars out of the bond. As a child Din had been enraptured by those stories and the thought of having a connection to someone that went beyond what he could see and hear. 

The bond was supposed to be this magic that knit two people. The very energy of the universe that knit two souls and allowed them to pick up on things in each other more easily. It was that thing that let you know exactly when your lover walked into a room. It was the prickle on your neck and tingling in your gut when your lover was watching you when you weren’t looking. It was something that went down to the core of you knitting you together beyond anything else in the universe. 

It had actually been the hardest thing for him to give up when the Mandalorian’s saved him. He didn’t think twice about giving up his face or anything else, even his name was easy to lose to the sands of time. He lost his family, his home planet, and everything he’d held dear and the mandalorians had saved him. They had given him a place to live and a reason to keep going. He was happy to give up anything to have a place to belong. But giving up the hope of finding a soulmate had been the hardest thing that he could imagine. It was the one thing he had wanted to keep even as he promised himself to the Mandalorians. Eventually though, he let that go just like he had everything else. It was the way.

 Din had second-guessed his choice many times. Every so often he would wonder what he would do if he ever came across his soulmate. He figured it was probably some lovely woman on a Backwater planet who had a beautiful smile. Perhaps it would be a dashing gentleman  with his own farm who would take him by the hand and make him want to settle down. Din had always imagined that his soulmate would lead him to another life, make him want something else, something different. That's why it was so surprising when the Rebel Shock Trooper that he ran into a rundown bar had the exact image on her jaw that he had on his.

 While on Sargon, Din had just ignored it. He assumed that it probably just was a trick of the eyes and he hadn't actually seen it. It wasn’t possible and even if it was he wasn’t supposed to let it happen. He was on the run, he had a foundling to care for. He had duties to fulfill and he was a Mandalorian. It wasn't just a trick of the light though. After he had taken off, saying goodbye to Cara, he had finally found a place where he was alone. He had taken off his helmet and looked into a reflective surface seeing rthe mark that was burned into his mind staring back at him. It was the one he had seen flashes of over and over as he fought with and beside Cara Dune.

Perhaps that was why he had instantly thought of her the minute he needed help. Of course she was a fearless fighter and unerringly loyal but she wasn’t the only one he knew like that, at least he didn’t think she was. He couldn’t think of a name or face for it though. He tried not to think it was that connection, that hope of the young boy on a planet far away and so long ago, that had pushed him to find her when he needed her. Over and over there have been times where he looked into her eyes and just wanted to tell her everything but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Then he watched his child leave after just getting him back.

 Watching Grogu walk away with the Jedi  had been one of the hardest things he could ever imagine.  He had grown so fond of his small traveling companion and now he could hardly imagine life without him. Din knew the kid had to go, that has always been the plan. Din would find Grogu’s people and then he would let him go, that had always been the plan.  It didn't make it any easier though.

 Then Cara came into his room of isolated sulking holding a bottle of some sort of alcoholic beverage. She was like some Goddess  from his deepest imaginations. A few words from her and suddenly the world felt a little more stable. It was a talent she’d had and he wasn't entirely sure when it had started. Somehow between fighting and nearly dying and coming back just fine he had fallen deeply in love with his soulmate and nothing was going to stop that.  He was so close to telling her right then and there. Instead he said he was going to go off and look for her; try to find her the woman sitting right next to him. He had hoped that with his helmet off she would come clean she would see what he knew. She had to have noticed. But she didn't say anything.

 For a moment he started to wonder if he hadn't been mistaken somehow. Maybe she just forgot what her own soul mark looked like. He wasn't entirely sure how that could happen but he supposed with all he knew about her background it wouldn't be a surprise. Maybe she was just so wrapped up in everything, maybe she just didn't realize it was him. Maybe he needed to show her again. Or maybe she just didn’t want him like that. Just as he was about to think about that too much, noises of a fight sounded up the stairs of the small ship and they were off.

 Din wasn't entirely sure if he was relieved or frustrated that the shouting wasn't actually a firefight with another ship or the Empire coming after them to hunt them down again.  Instead was Boba Fett fighting once again with Bo Katan and Koska Reeves. By the time he and Cara made it up to the top of the ladder Bo had Boba by the neck and Koska and Fennec were locked in a stalemate. 

“What the pfaask is going on up here?” Cara hissed as the two made their way into the room.

“Just a little disagreement. Nothing to worry about Mando.” Boba said with his charming and congenial tone that let both Cara and Din know that he was lying.

“This waste of genetic material is flying us into a trap.” Bo informed them.

Din looked between the four of them and his eyes narrowed at Boba. He didn’t have the capacity for this right now. He wanted to take Cara back down stairs or just drink away his soulmate and his son’s memories. Neither was an option in this ruckus.

“Show a little respect. We helped you on your mission.” Fennec grit out between clenched teeth.

“Enough!” Din said, finally getting everyone’s attention. “I’m grateful for everyone’s help. The child is safe because of all of you. I pulled you all from your lives and I understand you need to return to those. I am the one in your debt.” He said to everyone before turning to Boba Fett and Fennec specifically. “If you are willing we will drop Bo Katan and Koska off on Trask and Marshall Dune on Nevarro and then I will help you with whatever you need.”

“Not a chance.” Cara said, drawing the eyes of everyone in the group. “I’m staying with you.” She said with finality speaking only to Din. She had worked well with the girls as they took the ship, it was actually rather impressive and beautiful to watch as the four of them took out everything like machines. 

Bo hesitated and stepped forward “You have the dark saber. Like it or not you are the Mand’alor now. If we are to retake our planet you have to be at the head.” She pushed and he could nearly feel Cara’s glare at the redhead over his shoulder.

“To even look for more Mandalorians we need a ship that can’t be tracked, that needs credits unless you want to be in even deeper debt to Boba Fett the mission to reclaim Mandalore and find more Mandalorians will have to wait.” 

“And what do you plan to do to get that ship?” Bo Asked forcefully. “Run around playing bounty hunter for Boba Fett?”

“Marshall Dune has offered me work on Novarro. After I repay my debt I’ll work with her and come to Trask when I have what we need.” He said firmly his mind flicking back to the Ugnaught Kuiil he lost in the battle with Gideon I have spoken. “Or you could take the saber and do it yourself.”

Din watched the emotions flying across Bo Katan’s face and he had to wonder why the hell she didn’t just take it when he offered it. It seemed he still had a lot to learn about other Mandalorians. He had been raised by the Children of the Watch, apparently a cult, but still so much culture seemed lost on him. For a moment he thought Bo would strike out to fight him and he felt more than heard Cara shift behind him and all but growl out “Try it.” over his shoulder. 

Koska seemed to tense ready to defend Bo in an instant but Bo stepped back with a smirk and nodded. “Fine. We will return to Trask and gather what we can. The Saber is in the hands of a Mandalorian and that is what matters.” She said with finality. “If you would be so kind as to return us to Trask…” He could hear the insult on the tip of Bo Katan’s tongue but she finished with “We would be grateful, Fett.” and he felt his body relax some as he finished. 

Bo and Koska walked toward the storage compartment that they had claimed as their room and the other four stood looking at each other. “I appreciate the offer Mando but you do not need to stay. Fennec and I can take care of a small slaving operation like Fortuna. We’re even now. Our debt to you is paid.” He said offering a hand.

“Bib Fortuna?” Cara asked this time with interest in her voice. Din looked to her and as if she could see the expression of confusion she continued. “The head of the Hutt crime syndicate and known slaver?”

Fennec nodded “That’s the one.”

“He’s a high level target for the Republic. Dead or alive coming in with a Moff and Fortuna... “ Cara didn’t have to finish for Din to know the end of the sentence. It’d be enough credits to buy a ship and the repairs and then some. Besides that she’d be a hero enough to have as much leeway as she wanted.

“Are you saying you want to help them?” Din asked her.

“I’m saying I wouldn’t mind playing a part in the downfall of one of the universe’s most infamous crime bosses. I owe him for a princess of mine.” She said and Din wanted the explanation of that later.

“Then you’re coming with us?” Fennec ask.

Din simply nodded his head and Boba clapped and rubbed his hands. “Excellent. I won’t turn down the help! Especially when it comes in such a lovely package as Marshall Dune.” Boba flirted. Din tried to ignore the spike of annoyance that drilled into him, it wasn’t as though Fett meant anything by it. Cara was beautiful, it was just an observation. It still drove Din to want to growl posessively.

“Charming but I’m just here for him and to get paid.” Cara responded easily. The air of her words was almost playful. There was no bite or insult and Fett seemed to take it well. 

“Understood. Well, looks like I have coordinates to put in. You two should rest we’ll plan in the morning.” He offered.

“No more fighting?” Din asked. The question and tone once again made him feel like a father and he got another shooting pang of missing the kid. As if she could feel his sadness Cara was there, stepping up to his side a strong and silent comfort.

“I assure you as long as the princess stays in her quarters, I will remain at peace.” Boba charmed. It was enough for now and Din and Cara returned to the area below deck.

“You’re sure you want to come?” Din asked once they were carefully locked in the guest bunk the ship had for reasons Din was not about to think over.

“You can’t have all the fun.” She joked but he could see something else there. There was something she wasn’t saying, something tugging at her mind and heart. “Besides with the kid-- with everything someone’s gotta look after you.” He wasn’t sure whether he was grateful she cut herself off or if it hurt more. The pain of losing the child was overwhelming but it wasn’t a loss. Grogu was going to be learning, growing. He was where he needed to be. Now it was Din’s turn to look for  his own place.

He sat just looking at her for a moment. The silence was heavy and it almost felt like she could see him under the helmet. As if to break some sort of trance she reached over to the bottle they’d been drinking before the tussle up stairs and took a big swig. “Look, I don’t do well with feelings but even I know this has been a long day so I’m going to give you an offer and you’re not going to overthink it or freak out about it you’re just going to nod yes or no.” she instructed “Understand?” She asked. 

He felt like he had just been asked to calculate advanced hyperdrive mechanics without a datapad. He had no idea where this was going or what she was thinking but he also couldn’t fight her when she was standing there in front of him resolute and in control when he felt so out of control. So he nodded his head.

“Good.” she said walking over to the door and locking it before pulling off the armored shirt she wore leaving a dangerously tight tank top as her only covering. 

“What are you--” He started but she held up a finger.

“No talking. You take that bottle over to the corner. Have one cup, just one, and then I take you over to this rack and distract you. One night, no strings just you getting out what you need. You can even keep the helmet on.” She offered. “Or you say no and we never talk about this again.” She added.

Din didn’t know what to choose in this. How could he? Part of him wanted to ask her about the bond. What she was planning to do when it was solidified by skin to skin contact. They’d never touched skin before but he knew from the stories what happened when they did. Did she know? How could she not? When two soulmates touched they grew a bond that couldn’t be severed except by death. Even without the bond Cara could see more of him than anyone he’d ever met. She always seemed to know what he was thinking or when he needed her to duck left as he went right. It seemed like they’d been able to read each other from the moment they met. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if it got even stronger. He wasn’t even sure how it could.

He was silent too long, he could feel the time stretch and for a moment his confident Shock Trooper looked like her resolve was about to buckle. The momentary flash in her eyes was enough for him to make his choice. Bond or not he was going to spend tonight with his soulmate. The universe owed him that much. He stood up with the bottle and moved over to the corner. “I’d rather just turn the lights off.” He said as he walked over to a screen taking off his helmet. 

“That’s so much less fun.” She joked but he could hear the rustling of her taking off her clothing and he took off his own after downing the shot. Suddenly the room was completely dark. 

“Cara?” He asked into the darkness. He didn’t need to, he could feel her in the dark by the light controls. He could feel her blind eyes searching the shadows of the sealed room magnetically summoning him to her.

“I’m here.” She said taking a step then another. He walked from behind the screen towards her easily feeling where she was even without eyes. He could blame it on the soldier’s senses and all his training. He could blame it on years of being on the lookout for threats. He could lie to himself. Here in the dark with nothing between them but air as they took step by step he couldn’t bring himself to. He knew this was different. He knew he could find her in any situation without needing to look. Whether he could say it out loud or not there was no question to him that this woman was his soulmate and somehow that made this so much more important. 

His hand reached out on its own and hesitated just over her jaw before it lowered right onto the mark they shared. In a flash the coil snapped and they sprank at each other lips crashing tongues tangling and hands roaming.

In the dark with nothing but the sensation of her calloused fingertips he wondered just how many hands she had. One was in his hair the other on his neck then down his chest and on his biceps feeling every inch of him. He was sure he was no better as his own hand slipped from her jaw to her shoulder, his other smoothing up and down her side avoiding anywhere too forward. 

Her hands suddenly grabbed his and for a second he thought she was changing her mind. “It works a lot better if you do this.” She said, pulling his hands to her breasts and encouraging them to squeeze. She let out a lewd moan and that broke the dam.

He pushed her back against the wall seeking leverage to pull her closer. His hand went to her hip squeezing her ass and trying to pull up her leg over his hip but was surprised when she took that opportunity to leverage their weight and flip them so she was pressing into him. He shouldn’t be surprised this would be a fight. Everything else with them was. He could feel her smile and glee as they warred for dominance, her hands raking over his chest and nails lightly scratching making him hiss in pleasure. 

She pulled back from the kiss biting his lower lip and just when he was about to move his mouth to her neck her lips met his jaw just over their mark and a rush pulsed through his body. He was sure she felt it too from the way her hips ground to his and he pulled her closer, his grip on her hips bruising. “Kriffing pfaask.” He hissed trying to flip them again but she had his shoulders pinned to the wall as she kissed down his jaw with little nips. 

“That’s quite the mouth you have there.” She teased playfully against his skin and an idea hit him. His hand snuck up to pinch her nipple playfully rolling it between his fingers and her head fell back as he kissed her neck and used the hand still on her hip to pull her forward and force their weights to shift so he had her pinned against the wall. “That’s playing dirty.” She hissed to him.

“Keep up.” He growled playfully and her mouth was on his again pulling him in by the hips her hand going back to his hair and he was starting to wonder if she just liked the feel of his curls between her fingers as much as he was enjoying feeling it. Suddenly one of her hands reached up and she found a pipe above them that he’d noticed earlier hung lower than the others. She pulled down slightly to ensure it was strong enough to hold her weight and suddenly her legs were pulled up and wrapped around her waist. As he felt the soaking folds of her vuelva come into contact with his own hard cock and that was nearly the end of him.

His forehead fell forward finding purchase between her breasts and his hot mouth bit and sucked the skin on her sternum. “Please Cara.” he breathed into the dark.

“Now.” she breathed back a demand. It spoke to her strength that she was holding herself up on the tiny pipe as he shoved himself inside of her bucking in with a surprising ease. “Fark.” She hissed rocking her hips against him. 

“Let go.” He breathed to her as he set a slow gentle pace. He could feel her surprise tickle his mind and it warmed him through to feel the connection that had slid into place as they touched. “I’ve got you, let go.” He assured and she did. She dropped her hands as he took her full weight and easily navigated them to the bunk. As soon as her back hit the mattress she rolled on top of him and this time he didn’t fight her, he was certain this wouldn’t be their last time. It probably wouldn't even be their last time tonight so he’d have plenty of opportunities to take his turn. 

He lost himself in the feel of her hips and her depths. His hand went to her center and gently pressed to her clit rubbing as she angled her hips to a position that made her moan with every thrust. He could feel her hands on his thighs and his mind flashed images of what she looked like over him: Back arched and breasts bouncing as her muscles clenched and unclenched through her stomach and up her shoulders and arms. He cursed himself for asking for the lights off because he was certain it would be his favorite image in history.

With particularly deep thrust and a skillful press of her clit he felt her come around him and if that wasn’t enough to throw him into his own orgasm he heard her whisper his name “Din.” To the room and the squeeze of his heart threw him into the abyss as quickly as his body did. Rasping her name back to her like a prayer. 

If the world shifted and their lives changed, if they felt the tug of the bond they had both refused to acknowledge solidify, they both ignored it for now. Tonight was theirs to ignore the rest of the world. Tonight was about them. No strings.

[thewitchandtheassassin]

Let’s Help Each Other (Wanda Maximoff x Reader)

Prompt: AU where the twins and the Avengers are on opposite sides. The Avengers track them down and run into them in their hometown, taking care of and entertaining the children there, Pietro by playing with them and Wanda by telling a story (idk who else but it’s a Wanda x ___… either Nat or Fem!reader works for me). Based on the song Soldier, Poet, King by the Oh, Hellos because I found it and it’s So Cute™

Words: 1918

Warnings: None?

A/N: Should I do a part 2?

-X-

“Wanda and Pietro Maximoff,” Steve introduced, pressing a button on the remote, bringing the screen to life and presenting pictures of the twins.

You tilted your head as you studied the photos that flashed across the screen. They were flickering, showing protests and showcasing the two Maximoffs screaming in the Sokovian crowds before the final picture appeared, leaving you stunned – and a bit in awe.

The woman, Wanda, was floating slightly in the air, an eerie red glow around her. It wasn’t menacing and she clearly was doing no harm; in fact, it actually looked like she was playing with the children surrounding her in the photo, warming your heart a little. You didn’t know why but it brought a smile to your face. You couldn’t understand why the others looked so serious.

“What’s wrong with them?” you inquired, brows furrowed thoughtfully. “They don’t seem like they’re doing any harm.”

Steve pursed his lips. “They’re former HYDRA experiments turned thieves. They’ve been stealing from major pharmaceuticals and other companies around Europe. Wanda uses her powers to manipulate the minds of the guards and the employees while her brother uses his speed to steal whatever they came for. They’re becoming real threats because no one knows what they’re using it all for. So, we’ve been called in to deal with them.”

Everyone nodded, yourself included, but this didn’t sit right in the pit of your stomach. Something felt off about this. They never hurt anyone in the buildings and only left with a handful of things. Why were they considered threatening enough that the Avengers were being called in?

You lingered in the room after everyone was gone staring at the photos in the dossier before you. Most of them were of Wanda with an occasional shot of her brother – though he was mostly a blur. Wanda, with her soft brunette locks and hauntingly green eyes.

Browsing through the folder, you pursed your lips.

You had a feeling this wasn’t going to go well. It was quite possible that this had less to do with them being “evil” or “criminals” and more to do with who they were stealing from. They clearly weren’t doing these things in the name of HYDRA or any other organizations, so what were their motives?

“Hey, you coming?” Natasha asked, peeking around the corner of the door.

Startled, you slammed the folder closed though a picture skirted out of the side. “Yeah, just give me a second.”

“Well, c’mon. Tony is getting impatient – and an impatient Tony is an annoying Tony,” the former assassin huffed, earning an uneasy smile from you.

“Tell Stark to get his panties out of a twist. I’ll be right there,” you replied, sparing the picture one final glance. Her eyes connected with yours and you exhaled deeply.

Yeah, you weren’t going to enjoy this.

-X-

The moment the quinjet touched down outside of Sokovia, everyone – except Bruce – filed out of the aircraft and started for the town. You were up front with Steve, your knives sheathed at your hips as you cautiously wandered into the heart of Sokovia. Tony was above you surveying the scene, hoping to catch sight of the twins, which wasn’t hard considering they weren’t hiding.

“They’re at the…orphanage?” Tony informed you, though it sounded like a question, as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

The hand that had been hovering over your knife fell away and you straightened up. “They’re at the orphanage? Are you sure?”

“Would you like a picture, (Y/N)?” Tony sneered, peering down at you.

Rolling your eyes, you separated from the group and hurried toward the orphanage, leaving behind the other Avengers. You could hear Steve chiding you but you didn’t care. You wanted to see this before your teammates intervened.

Coming upon the rundown building, you slowed. You could see a blur of a human playing ball with multiple children, keeping up as each child threw balls at it. It was an amazing sight and you assumed the blur was Pietro, considering he was possibly the only person in the town capable of such a feat.

He must have noticed you, however, because the blur became whole in a split second.

He stared at you, eyes narrowed and lips twisted into a snarl. He crossed his arms, daring you to do something.

“What do you want?” Pietro demanded.

You opened your mouth to respond, but Steve saddling up beside you kept the words from escaping. In a flash, Pietro was gone, leaving you standing outside with a handful of terribly confused children while the doors of the orphanage swung violently, the only indication he’d ever been there.

“What do we do, Cap?” Sam asked, dropping to the ground beside Steve.

“We have to be careful,” you said, cutting off Steve, “These are innocent kids. If the Maximoffs don’t attack, we shouldn’t either.”

“We have to bring them in,” Tony said resolutely.

“Why? Because the Government told us they’re a threat?” you snorted, shaking your head. “They could say we all are but the truth is, we don’t know what the hell is going on. The files didn’t tell us what they stole, only that they stole it and that no one knows what they’re doing with it. Maybe we should try asking questions before we accidentally destroy a city,” you suggested snidely.

“I agree with (Y/N),” Natasha seconded before Tony could retort, “We don’t want to start trouble.”

Steve gazed upon the building for a moment before nodding. “Agreed. (Y/N), take point. I’m trusting your judgment on this.” He looked up at Tony, then at Sam. “Stay outside and make sure they don’t try and run.”

Chewing your lip, you strolled towards the orphanage’s doors and gently opened them. Herds of children were scattered about, each one eyeing you suspiciously as you stepped inside before disappearing into various rooms. The most popular room seemed to be the one at the top of the stairs and your curiosity piqued.

You wandered upstairs and cracked the door, peering inside. In the center of the room sat a gaggle of children, their backs to you as they stared wide-eyed at the beautiful woman sitting on a chair in front of them. You couldn’t blame them from being so enraptured (you were too).

Her voice was soft and sweet as she read to them, eyes alight with joy when they laughed or exclaimed something in their native language. Her smile was so enchanting and if it wasn’t for her brother clearing his throat from the corner of the room, you probably would have stood there forever.

Your eyes snapped over to him, meeting his icy blue glare.

Wanda closed the book and said something to the children, earning disappointed groans. They all stood and filed out of the room, pushing past you with glares on their little faces. One boy said something under his breath at you and Pietro laughed riotously. Your cheeks went red despite not knowing what he said and you stepped into the room, standing before the enhanced twins.

Natasha and Steve lingered at the door, preparing for the worst should things go south.

“Wanda Maximoff, I presume,” you said casually, refusing to tremble under her rigid glare.

Wanda stood, eyes glowing red as she took you in. Your mind began to swim a little and grow hazy as she probed your brain but you remained firm, meeting her gaze head on. Red slowly crept into your line of sight, taking over everything else. It was starting to freak you out but before you could do anything, it dissolved, leaving behind nothing but a tiny headache and a sense of unease.

“And you are (Y/N) (Y/L/N), an Avenger,” she replied, tilting her head.

“I am,” you answered, glancing over your shoulder at your bewildered teammates.

“Why are you here?” she wondered, inching closer to you despite her brother’s warning growl.

You shrugged. “I think we both know why we’re here,” you said knowingly.

“You’ve come for us,” she said without hesitation, crossing her arms as she studied you. “Because of HYDRA.”

Shaking your head, you copied her stance. “No, we’re here because you’ve been stealing from major companies around Europe. You do realize that’s a crime, right?”

Wanda’s gaze narrowed. “We only take what we need, never anything more.”

“What’s so important about the things you take?” you inquired, intrigued by such a reply.

The room was silent for a moment before Wanda’s defensive posture slackened a bit. “Sokovia is not a rich country. We need things. Things they have and refuse to give us. Our people are suffering – dying – and no one cares. They cannot do anything about it, but we can. So we did.”

You froze. Everything was starting to make sense. “Oh.”

“We do not wish to hurt anyone,” she continued, “We only want to help our people.”

“You do realize it’s still a crime, though,” Steve commented as he stepped into the room. You could practically see the walls fall upon Wanda’s face and you silently cursed the hero.

“What else were we to do?” she demanded.

“I…” Steve trailed off, unable to answer what should be a simple question.

You gripped Steve’s shoulder, taking over the conversation once more. “We understand why you’ve done what you’ve done but that doesn’t make it right. You can’t just go around stealing things, even if it is for a good reason.” Wanda bristled angrily, but you carried on. “However, I think we can help each other.”

“How?” She warily watched you, her heart fluttering a little at the sight of your patient smile.

“The Avengers care about all of Earth. We don’t want to see anyone suffering. So, you come with us – maybe join the Avengers, even – and together we can help Sokovia and anyone else who needs it. You’ve both got amazing powers that we could benefit from and we’ve got resources that your people could really use right now,” you replied, offering your hand to Wanda.

“And if we say no?” Pietro butted in.

Your smile turned apologetic. “Then we keep hunting you. SHIELD isn’t going to stop until they know you aren’t a threat anymore. At least if you do it this way, you keep your freedoms and you can still help your people.”

“This feels like blackmail,” Wanda smirked, accepting your hand. She shook it firmly, eyes boring into yours. “Do you promise that you will do your best to help Sokovia?”

Nodding, you returned the gesture. “I do. I don’t want to see anything happen to Sokovia, especially if it’s preventable.”

Wanda relaxed. She heard the sincerity in your voice and saw the honesty in your eyes. You truly wanted to help; she only hoped the other Avengers were half as nice as you.

Dropping Wanda’s hand, you stepped back and nudged Steve towards the door. “You can take a few minutes to say goodbye to the kids. We’ll be outside waiting.”

You could hear Tony yelling in your ear but you ignored him. This was the safest thing to do in your opinion and it meant you’d be gaining two new Avengers whose powers would be very useful while avoiding a fight that could potentially level a city. It was a win/win, honestly. He just needed to see that and move on.

“You’d better hope Fury accepts what you’ve offered them,” Natasha murmured as you slipped past her and into the hall.

Smiling, you patted her arm. “He will.”

[purplellamanator]

Would love to read Mythology for heizuha, thanks :)

A/N~ Sorry to make you wait so long but thank you so much for the request 🙏 that and it's for HeiZuha!!! 💜 I'm happy to try this pairing out again!! Hope you like it! Also, I wrote, deleted, and rewrote this one so many times so I apologize for any mistakes you will probably find! It’s also extremely long *insert facepalm* Another thing- please prepare yourself for numerous time skips!   

Mythology~ Typical trope and slight twist of Hades and Persephone's love story

oOo

He had seen her again. She was there, standing to the side of one of his cases like she usually was. Just watching intently. Her stare never seemed to waver. Even as bodies were removed from the scenes, her gaze would follow. And each time she would bare the same look. There was never any sadness or pity or any emotion really. The look she gave was of someone who had seen something similar over and over again.

She was not new to death- like him. He could remember a time when he couldn't help but let his emotions to a case get to him. But after seeing things worse than the last countless times, he learned how to bury it. Learned how to always expect the worse. What he couldn't bury however, was his sadness for the girl.

It wasn't like she was a child, though she was young. Going off her appearance, she could've been the same age as him. But the thought of her being so used to seeing something as unsettling as what his cases usually turned into. . . it bothered him for some reason.

Her presence that had always confused him at first, he had finally learned to just ignore it. Due to her lack of an actual uniform, he just assumed she was like Inspector Nakamouri's daughter and enjoyed showing up to crime scenes. Either that or also like Aoko-san, she had a parent that was on the squad.

But she never spoke. She never acknowledged anyone and always stood off to the side. It wasn't just her either though. None of the officers present ever even glanced her way. She was always alone.

Of course Hattori didn't dwell on that too much. He didn't know the woman. It wasn't his job to watch out for her. But solving cases wasn't exactly something he always got paid for however, yet he still did those. . .

The thing that probably bothered him most was how attractive she was. Standing in such a depressing thing such as a crime scene made her stick out even more. She did not belong there and he couldn't fathom why whomever she was waiting for never told her to leave. It was dangerous and not safe for just anyone to be involved at a crime scene.

Again, it was not his business but he couldn't help himself. Especially when a criminal he had been apprehending managed to get out of the officers' grasps. The idiot had made a beeline for where the girl was standing and of course on instinct, he jumped in front of her; shielding her body with his own.

Not for the first time, he found himself wanting to yell at her. Maybe knock some sense into her skull. She hadn't even flinched when someone had been running towards her with the intent to kill.

The knife that was pushed into him, slashed through the side of his arm. With his adrenaline pumping so fast, he hadn't even realized the dagger broke skin till the paramedics were running up to him and attempting to bandage his arm. He didn't care about all of that though. He just wanted to make sure that strange girl was okay. Frantically as the medics fussed over him, he looked all around.

"What were you thinking, dummy?!" The words of his rival turned best friend scowled at him. "Why would you jump in front of someone wielding a knife with no intention of defending yourself?"

Hattori couldn't help the almost offended look he shot his friend. "Yeah, and let that girl get stabbed? Some detective I'd be," he snorted.

Shinichi's brows furrowed though. "Girl?"

"Yes, the girl that was standing not even a few feet away from you," he couldn't help but snip back. It would've made a lot more sense if Kudou had actually reacted at the time. He had been closer after all.

But Shinichi was shaking his head, confusion marring his expression. "Wait- what girl?"

Hattori was about to get mad again if it wasn't for the genuinely concerned expression his friend was giving him. He was looking at the Osakan like he was crazy.

"Hattori- there wasn't a girl standing there."

oOo

He wasn't crazy. He knew he wasn't. But no amount of arguing had Kudou looking at him any differently. If anything, the guy told him to go the hospital and get a brain scan.

Finally when he had enough he exploded, "Look- I know what I saw!" And then he stormed off.

But almost as if proving that Kudou was right and he did need to get his head checked out- he never saw her at another crime scene after that. And he was furious. Because once again, he knew what he fucking saw. He had seen her numerous times and there was no way he could ever imagine seeing a girl like that.

The more he thought about it however, the more he looked at the smaller details. She never spoke or was spoken to. She was never acknowledged, almost like she wasn't ever standing there. And her clothes- they never changed.

Had he. . . Was he seeing a ghost? Of course he had always thought the idea of life after death was total bull but. . . Nothing else made sense to him.

Maybe he really did need a brain scan.

But then he saw her again. Not at one of his crime scenes but while he was on his daily jog. Not expecting her and having never saw her outside his work environment, he had to double take. There was no mistaking it though. Same clothes, same ribbon tied in her hair.

It was her. And she was looking right at him.

Not willing to miss his chance of getting the answers he wanted- the confirmation that he was not insane and that she had been standing where he described to Kudou, he changed his direction and ran towards her. She didn't disappear like he half expected her to which he felt stupid immediately after thinking that.

He couldn't believe he actually considered that she was a ghost. How low was he going to let himself sink. But it seemed even his subconscious wanted confirmation though because once he was close enough, he grasped her by her wrist firmly.

There- she couldn't be a ghost if he could actually touch her!

He really had lost it.

Brain actually functioning he barely realized he just grabbed a stranger in public. Swallowing hard, he looked at her face only to get stuck in how teal her eyes were.

She was really pretty. It was something that became impossible to ignore with how close he was to her. But as he watched her gaze separate from his to look pointedly at where he was gripping her forearm so tightly, he recoiled.

Apologies had never been his strong point and with how calm and almost ethereal she seemed, it flustered him even more. Not thinking first, he said the first thing that came to his brain.

"You know, I got stabbed because of you."

Well, if his goal had been to surprise her, he achieved it. Her brows scrunched and a small frown graced her lips. She still seemed more enraptured by where he had grabbed her arm.

Mood going south from her lack of a response and that he took it as her not even listening, he felt a nerve twitch. A thank you would've been damn nice. She would've died if it wasn't for him if anything.

"You know, you're a real idiot- just standing there," he blurted mostly out of anger. He was referencing when she hadn't even flinched from the criminal's sudden attack the other day.

"You saw me."

It was the first thing she had ever said to him. Her voice was soft and it had him swallowing before he actually registered what she said. It reminded him of Kudou and his disbelief. Immediately his blood boiled.

"Of course I saw you stupid! A crime scene is no place for someone like you! If I hadn't-!"

"Someone like me?" Her question interrupted him and he would've been even angrier by that if his breath hadn't hitched as she looked at him again. Her teal irises seemed to swirl as they looked at him with an emotion he didn't understand. And it made his head a little foggy to stare at them. 

But her question . . .

Red started crawling up his neck. "W-well, I mean- I mean someone that's. . ." Not really able to find the right words, he kept cutting himself off while glancing at her. But each time he looked, she was still watching him expectantly, waiting for his response. And then something finally clicking, he became stern again. "I mean someone that isn't with law enforcement! A crime scene is no place for normal civilians. You could've got hurt if I hadn't been there."

Crossing his arms, he nodded to himself proudly. He couldn't believe himself. Actually getting tongue tied over a girl.

She must've disregarded everything he just said to her because she didn't look the slightest bit scolded. If anything, she looked confused and her head tilted to the side. "Hurt?"

Her tone was alarming to him. At first he thought it was her being a ditz. That he had to spell everything out for her. But she genuinely appeared to be struggling to grasp the concept. 

Maybe she needed the brain scan.

"Hey, are you okay or should I-"

"Why did you step in front of me?"

There she went, interrupting him again. And there she went asking dumb things again.

"Dummy, if I hadn't you could've been killed!" Did he really need to say that flat out for her?

But if anything, she looked even more lost. "And that. . . that would've upset you?" Every response he gave her seemed to fascinate her.

"Of course it would! I would never want to see you get hurt!" His answer had come so swiftly but he meant every word. He was a detective. Even if it was a criminal, he had no desire to watch someone lose their life- especially some beautiful stranger who happened to be an innocent bystander. .

Her teal eyes went wide before she blinked at him slowly. Her mouth had parted slightly and he seemed to have completely stunned her. Then even more slowly, the barest of grins tilted her lips up.

She was smiling.

His own eyes went wide as he took in her expression. She looked absolutely radiant. He liked this look a whole lot better compared to the usual gloominess that swam in their depths.

Unexpectedly, she turned her back and began walking away. Stunned since they had been having a goddamn conversation and she was just leaving, his mouth dropped open as he sputtered.

"Oi-!" Hurriedly he ran up to her and grabbed her by her hand this time. He forced her to a stop but this time he didn't think twice about touching her. All he knew was that he didn't want her to leave again. Last time she did, and he thought he had gone crazy. That he had imagined everything.

Glancing over her shoulder, she didn't pay any mind to his grasp either. "I have to go." The way she spoke, it was almost apologetic.

Still annoyed that she was able to fluster him with just a glance, he turned his gaze sharply to the side with a frown and half-lidded eyes. "Well, just. . don't disappear again," he grumbled while still holding her wrist tightly.

Don't make me think I've gone insane again.

He jerked, startled, when suddenly a smooth palm was pressing gently into his cheek. It was a caress that was also forcing him to look back at her and with wide eyes, he did as she directed with no fight. He was a bit confused and alarmed by the intimacy of her gesture but he didn't want to pull away from it.

She was staring at him silently again, before that same smile was gracing her lips. "I'll be back for you, Heiji."

Startled that she even knew his name, it was easy for her to finally pull her arm from his hand and walk away. He watched her go for a bit, disappearing into a crowd before he allowed his hand to rise to his face. Gently he touched where her hand had been.

Her touch had been so feathery and light and soft. And warm. All of that but most importantly, real. He wasn't insane.

oOo

He felt dumb after that because he hadn't even thought to get her name. So stunned that she somehow knew his without him having to tell her, he had simply let her strut away. At first he had been worried that was the last he'd see of her. She'd be gone and he'd have no proof- not even her name to show that he wasn't nuts.

But she did come back. Again, it was during his morning jogs. It seemed she had decided to actually listen to him and he had not seen her at one of his crime scenes again. Instead, he was beginning to anticipate seeing her on his runs. Each time, she'd be waiting in the same place. Under the same tree that was on the same exact hill in the park.

The second time they met, he made sure that her name was the first thing he got from her. She knew his. It was only fair that he knew her own, he argued.

"You can call me Kazuha," she had said.

Her wording, as it usually was, was weird. What an odd way to say that. . . Technically he could call her anything. He wanted to know her name. When he said just that and exactly in that smart ass way he had about him, he got the darkest look he had ever gotten from her before. Tightly, she reiterated the same sentence.

He could call her Kazuha.

She was an odd one. He had known that since before he even spoke directly to her. And she was always alone. He assumed he was the only person she knew. He felt like they spent all their time together. Their meetings would begin in the park, but after the first week he had enough.

He was sick of meeting in the park. And he openly admitted that he was running more often because he knew she would be there waiting for him. Even on weekends which were his relaxation days, he would come for a morning jog because he knew it was the only way to see her.

Hattori should've been humiliated that he just blurted that out, but he was frustrated. That and for some reason anytime he stared into her eyes for too long, it’d have him thinking the strangest things. He wanted to see her but he was sick of having to go on runs to do it.

So he started taking her out. Of course it was when he wasn't already busy. Between work and well . . . just work, he always thought he had a lot on his plate. After meeting her though, he realized that all wasn't true. Having nothing better to do, he would throw himself into as many cases as possible. But now that he had Kazuha, he actually had other things to do.

Hattori thought they were dating. It was a bold assumption considering he never asked her, but everything they did together felt so . . coupley. They always are together and on more than one occasion they had gone to fancy restaurants- which he was 99.9% sure were dates.

Their beginning was unusual but when it looked like that was where their relationship was going, he did nothing to stop it. He didn't really want to. And it couldn't of been one-sided. The shock had been apparent on her face when he first tried to hold her hand but she hadn't pulled away. She gripped tighter. And it was in the way she looked at him. The same stare that made his brain a little hazy. 

That was all the clarification he needed.

He thought she was like him. A little rough around the edges- didn't really know how to speak so openly about feelings. Hattori thought people like them didn't need to talk about it. Their actions were louder than any words he could say.

But apparently he was wrong.

There Kazuha was under that same tree. Usually she'd be waiting for him to finish his jog. And normally he would've. But when he looked over to see her deep in conversation and leaning in closely with another guy- it made his blood boil.

Just from looking he could make out the flirtatious grin the other male was giving. Hattori knew that look because he probably gave Kazuha that same exact grin as well.

Furiously and disregarding that he still had one more lap to go, he found himself storming over to where, what he thought, was his girlfriend, was standing.

Kazuha greeted him as she always did. Without a word but a tiny, warm grin that was hardly noticeable. Normally that would've been fine, but to be greeted so callously while not even a few minutes ago she had been flirting with some other guy he had never met, it pissed him off.

Heiji was an adult though. A quick tempered and easily aggravated one, but an adult all the same. So of course he said nothing. Besides the snideness he couldn't keep from his tone and the scathing glare that he uncontrollably directed to the stranger, he gave zero indication that he was angry.

"Something is wrong?"

And her dumb questions that always had obvious answers were not helping. Breathing in deeply and with a clenched jaw, he shook his head. Her tone was as soft as ever and he didn't want that to trick him into being okay with what just happened. Thinking it best to have space, he said he was busy for the rest of the day. That they couldn't hang out.

Mostly Heiji just wanted the distance to think. And to sooth his wounds . . . and his ego. After what just happened and actually using his head logically now that he was away from her t get that damn cloud out of his head, he understood now that it may have been a bit forward to assume they were already dating. When he thought that though he immediately got annoyed. He didn't want to make excuses for her. It had to be obvious what they were doing!

But you should've asked.

Even more infuriated he stubbornly decided it didn't matter any longer. They very clearly were not together and he'd look like an idiot to continue to act like they were. Heiji concluded he already looked like a big enough fool.

He could move on.

That's what he told himself it was but deep down he knew what he really was doing. Talking to that girl that had always fawned all over him, begging him to take her out for coffee or just something. He could never stand Ooka Momiji. She had always been so full of herself- spoiled. A brat. The list could go on.

In his defense, he hadn't been the one to initiate conversation. As usual she had seen him walking by and quickly latched onto him. Any other day he would've rolled his eyes before shrugging her off. Today however, his resentment towards Kazuha wouldn't let him.

Hattori didn't exchange numbers with her or make any promises to go on a date. He had told himself he would to help move on from apparently a relationship that never existed. But he just couldn't. Cross between the fact the girl was insufferably annoying, he also realized with agitation that still he wanted someone else.

Kazuha had seen somehow. Or had heard about it. Either or, she was not happy the next time they saw each other. The deep frown and stern crease between her eyebrows was not an expression he had ever really seen on her pretty face.

Again, he hadn't outwardly made the decision to make her jealous but if that was the outcome, what could he do?

"Something wrong?" He just couldn't help it. Using her same exact words against her. He knew she hadn't meant the words how he took them but he felt it was only fair. Now she could see how infuriating her dumb questions were.

Surprising him though that she didn't respond how he did but honestly, he froze as her words registered.

"I don't share."

He felt his heart rate increase as they continued to stare at each other. He had not been expecting her to be so upfront and his eyes blinked slowly. The frustration was clear in her voice. Her teal eyes had hardened as they felt like they would cut through him with how angry she was.

But he was never really good at controlling his temper and instantaneously his mind flashed back to the stranger from the other day. And with an equal ferocity and intense stare, he spoke unwavering.

"Neither do I."

His tone raised against his will and he would probably feel somewhat guilty later for yelling at her, but he couldn't control it. An evil part of him liked that she got a taste of how she made him feel the other day. He knew he had been right in his previous assumptions. They were dating. But now he was annoyed and he'd make her admit it.

But when there seemed like there was no end to her obliviousness, he finally exploded about the stranger from the day before. He expected an explanation. A reason for why she would allow someone to talk with her like that knowing full well she already had him.

What he got was another dumb question.

"You saw Kaito?"

"Of course I fucking saw him!" his already short fuse reaching its end.

His response only baffled her and he practically yelled with anger when she decided that she had to leave. They were in the middle of an important conversation and she had to leave? He wasn't going to let her.

But then almost like reading his thoughts- she apologized. Mentioned that this Kaito was a friend- though she stumbled over that word. He didn't really believe her. Her apology had his anger almost disappearing though and like the idiot he turned into around her, he didn't fight her when she went to leave this time.

oOo

"Heiji. . . If I could take you away from here . . . would you come with me?"

Huh?

Her question seemed to come out of nowhere and made absolutely zero sense to him. What the hell was she on about?

Kazuha must've seen the confusion on his face because she continued. "If I had to leave. . ." she started slowly with a hint of insecurity. "Would you want to follow me?"

Heiji let her question sink in before answering. This was the first she ever mentioned of having to leave. Where the hell did she have to go? The store? For work? He asked her as much.

"What- are you moving?" he asked incredulously and with a pang to his heart. The anxiety that gripped his chest was embarrassing but he couldn't deny that he had become attached to the brunette.

Not really answering his question, Kazuha turned away. "That's why Kaito was there," she reminded him of the other day. "He came to bring me back."

"Back to where?" He knew she could hear the panic in his voice. He was beyond caring to conceal it.

Teal eyes flickering to his she said, "Back to my domain."

Was he supposed to understand what that meant? Her domain? That response meant nothing to him and had no real answer. But before he could question again, she was already pressing forward.

"Would you come with me?"

Hattori felt himself swallow hard at her curious stare. He could detect the hints of hope in her irises. And not for the first time, they seemed to swirl, pulling him in.

"Yes," he responded with no hesitation and zero thought. Once the answer was past his lips and she leaned away from him, he was pulling back. A hand came to his forehead a little confused and dazed. He felt . . groggy. 

Was this. . . normal? 

oOo

"You don't believe me."

She wasn't asking. She was stating a fact.

"Of course I fucking don't! Do you even hear yourself right now?" He exploded while taking a small step away from her. It clearly wasn't small enough though because her eyes narrowed as she noticed the movement.

He hated how calm she could be sometimes. It drove him crazy especially when he himself was not feeling very calm. But that's all she was as she regarded him with cool teal eyes.

"Haven't you ever questioned why no one else can see me?"

No. And that was because he never noticed that no one else could see her. Because anytime she was around, she took all his attention and gave him all of hers. But her words, as insane as they sounded reminded him of all the other times she looked amazed when he spoke to her or touched her. The surprise on that Kaito's face as he asked if he could see him. The concern and disbelief when Kudou said that there really hadn't been a girl standing there all those months ago.

Hattori quickly ended those thoughts. He couldn't believe he was actually entertaining any of this. She obviously needed some form of mental help. He should not feed into her delusion. 

"Do you want proof?"

"Proof?" His brows furrowed. Proof that what? She was a god?

"I can bring him back." She didn't even blink as she said that though her words had him recoiling.

Jaw clenching and his fists tightening, for the first time Hattori thought he'd get violent with her. "Do not joke about that," he said in a warning tone. She could play this little game as much as she'd like but the moment she brought his best friend into it, there would be problems. That was no joke to him.

But she wasn't laughing or even smiling. She looked more serious than ever. "I am not joking."

When he still stayed quiet, she walked closer to him so she was standing just before him. "I can heal him," she said the words softly but with a lilt that he wasn't able to place at first. It was like she were presenting an ultimatum.

Teeth clenched furiously he forced out, "Then do it." He didn't believe her for one second but if she wanted to lie and play these games while his friend lay in a coma, he would make her feel dumb for even kidding about it.

"What would I have in return?"

Heiji's eyes narrowed. "What would you want?"

She didn't even blink. "You . . With me. Forever."

Her demanded had him stumbling a bit; his eyes going wide. Him? That was what she wanted? "You're kidding?"

Kazuha's eyes flared. He could tell she didn't really appreciate his words. "Either way one of you will be leaving with me. A joke or an offer- take that as what you want." The iciness from her tone as she bit back- clearly he offended her.

Suddenly Heiji could feel heat crawling up his neck, but it wasn't from embarrassment. It was from anger. So if it were Kudou or him, it wouldn't make a difference to her? He said as much and once again he couldn't believe he was actually feeding into this fantasy.

"You misunderstand me, Heiji. And you very clearly do not believe nor comprehend just who I am," she stated openly. "I am death in your world. A Reaper. It is part of my job to make sure souls can pass on to the next realm." Stepping closer, for once she actually made him nervous but he was finding that it wasn't in a good way.

"And I'm also the only being that can reverse that process. Your answer will determine if I am willing to do that."

Staring with wide eyes, Heiji swallowed hard. He got her message loud and clear there. Kudou was dying- practically dead already. She was here to finish the process. Her words from before were said as an offer because they were one. If she took Kudou, it would be because he was no longer living; as part of her job. But if he chose to go instead, he would simply have to be with her. She was allowing him, in a roundabout way, to take the other detective's place.

She watched as everything seemed to register at once. She took a step back to give him the space he probably needed. "I'll let you have time to think it over. He will be safe till then-"

"I'll do it."

His words swiftly cut her off and it was clear she had not been expecting such an immediate response. Her brows furrowed as she looked at him but he never looked away with his determination.

"You understand what that will mean. . . don't you?"

No, not really. But admittedly, he didn't care. Looking back at Kudou being hooked up to all these wires; it was a machine keeping his friend's heart beating. And seeing him this way, all he could see was his friend's girlfriend and the way they both had beamed with excitement at the news of her being pregnant.

Even more assuredly, he repeated his same answer. He would do it.

Kazuha was silent as she watched him. Her brows were still bunched in puzzlement and a slight frown tugged down a corner of her lips.

"You would . . take his place . . . ?"

It was clear she did not understand. Had she never had someone she would give her life for? Did she not have anyone that she . . . loved? As family or more? 

"I would," Heiji said without needing a second to think. He didn't even need to hear what this would all mean for his future. He didn't care. His friend was newly engaged, had a fiancé, and now even a kid on the way. And also- he knew Kudou would've done the same for him.

That was if he was actually insane enough to believe all of this.

"So then," she swallowed hard herself and for once he was seeing her anxious. "It's a deal- a contract."

Heiji looked at her oddly though. She was wording things funny again. "Is there . . . something I need to . . sign. .?"

"In a way," Kazuha nodded. "Each one of us have our own way we prefer. Aphrodite likes to seal all her bargains with a kiss."

Heart speeding up, he unconsciously wet his lips. "Is that your method?"

No he was not feeling anticipation right now.

A smirk took up her features as she drew closer again. "Sorry to disappoint but no." Her lips were twitching and it made him scowl. She could tell what he had wanted and she was laughing at him.

Crossing his arms, he looked away with a grumble. "Well how the hell was I supposed to know?!"

Now she really was laughing at him but she quickly tried to cover it. "Is there anything else?"

"For . . . ?" He trailed off not understanding and she rolled her eyes.

"You would be so easy to take advantage of. Be lucky that I'm not like that," she huffed while placing her hands on her hips. "To the contract," she reiterated sternly. "You want nothing else? You mortals have no concept of what an eternity really means."

Now he was really at a loss. He hadn't expected her to actually be fair to him. Or at least never thought she'd give him the chance to get something. At first he wasn't even sure he wanted anything but then he was thinking about what just happened to Kudou the other day.

"My family and friends," he started firmly. "I want them to live long." He wasn't even sure if he was allowed to ask for that considering death was an unavoidable thing but he wanted to make sure he wasn't doing this for nothing.

Kazuha didn't even blink. "Done."

"That's it?" He couldn't help but sound incredulous that she gave in to his demands so easily.

All she did was nod before asking, "Anything else?"

Hattori was worried now and unprepared. He was starting to think maybe he should've taken the time to think only so he could make sure he asked for everything he wanted. But that was all he really cared about. That and . . .

His eyes moved back to hers slowly as his thoughts trailed off. He knew it would be a long shot to make such a demand. Eternity was a long time after all whether his body could really comprehend how long that was or not, but he could only assume from their previous conversation that she would expect the same from him.

Because they both didn't like to share.

"You can't be with anyone else."

There it was again; the surprise he had seen on her face today more than the entirety of the few months he had known her. But she was quickly covering that up with a mischievous grin.

"You wanna reword that? That's not very specific. Can't be with anyone else for what?"

She was mocking him, he was sure. And nonchalance on the topic as if he was asking for the most obvious things was exhausting. That and to make a joke at a time like this. . . It made his blood boil.

"You know in exactly what way I mean," he snapped angrily jabbing a finger at her. "Together - me. Only me."

Eloquent as ever but he knew she understood his point and that was as specific as he was going to get with his demands.

It didn't stop her from laughing at him. "Quite possessive over something you don't really want," she quipped mockingly.

And just as quickly he was responding.

"I never said I didn't want you."

[ice-cream-nekogirl]

A Peeping Tom and a Bird Documentary (Tokoyami Fumikage X Reader)

Summary: Summer’s coming up and that’s the perfect time for swimming! But Tokoyami catches you staring at him at the pool...

ARGH I’m still recovering from Game of Thrones... and hating how sad it all is rewatching old episodes... but loving the more heartwarming moments that we managed to get in the show... so... I’m paying homage to one of those scenes!!

Featuring: Emo Birb boi!!

Summer break was coming up once again, and you were pretty ecstatic. Not today though, today was actually pretty boring.

At least until the ladies had decided that it would be nice to use the school pool, and the guys had similar ideas. However, thankfully you and the girls had remembered to always keep covered up when in the presence of a certain little pervert, and you all gladly denied that stupid Mineta the opportunity to see you all dressed in your swimsuits by wearing the school swimsuits instead. Kaminari looked so innocent, but you couldn’t give the cute ones too much privilege.

“Hey (Y/N)! C’mon and play with us!” Mina cheerfully suggested but you chuckled a little bit and gave her a crooked smile.

“Oh sure… I’ll come to you gals in a minute… right now I’m just chilling… and checking our guys out…” You very quietly mumbled that last part to yourself.

As much as you hated Mineta, in a way you weren’t exactly innocent yourself since while the girls were busy playing around you kept low in the water with only the top of your head and eyes visible, paying close attention to the guys on the other side. Of course, you respected the hell out of them, they were each powerful and amazing individuals, but you had to appreciate how pretty they were too. 

Each of them were built in several different ways that you really liked, and it helped that the past year of training had helped them gain a little more muscle and tone their bodies. Especially Kirishima, Bakugou and Kaminari, three of the most attractive boys in your class in your opinion.

Kirishima had a nearly perfect body complete with a sweet nature and endearingly sharp teeth that any lucky girl or guy would adore. Kaminari might have been a flirt, but damn he was one attractive blonde and had a magnetic (pun intended) personality that would lure anyone in. And as much of a jerk Bakugou was, damn he was like a male version of Regina George. Had a great physique, beautiful blonde hair complete with his army of skanks that consisted of Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero, except they weren’t skanks.

But that’s besides the point, the point was that physically, Bakugou was nearly perfect, and then there was his personality, you couldn’t lie, his confidence and badassery were very attractive traits that shined through his overall appearance.

And you couldn’t deny that Sero and Shouji both looked fantastic too. Who said Sero was plain? He was super cute and really fit-looking and his permanent smile just made him even cuter, and Shouji was ridiculously attractive to you, sure he might have had more arms than the average person, but each of them were muscular to match his athletic physique and then his gentle nature despite his appearance just made him even more endearing in your eyes.

However, another one of your classmates caught your eye: The Prince of Darkness himself, Fumikage Tokoyami. He was perhaps the most interesting student in your class, close to Todoroki in your opinion. Whereas you could read subtle hints about Todoroki, Tokoyami was more of an enigma. A strangely alluring enigma.

Sure, he might have had a crow’s head, feathers, beak and all, but the rest was all human, he himself was a human, he just happened to look like a crow, but it was only the head even though you thought a pair of wings would have looked awesome for him.

His body was definitely human as you couldn’t help but analyze how well he was built despite being rather thin and small compared to the rest of the boys. If anything, his thin, short stature was really endearing to you. Damn, where did those muscles come from? His training with Hawks you assumed, but the more you stared the more enamored you were starting to feel. Part of you wished that you could touch those arms of his, his body was beautiful…

It help that you thought crows and ravens were some of the most beautiful birds because of their unique elegance, which Tokoyami brought with him every time you would look at him,  yet the times you interacted with him made you realize that he was a bit of a dork despite the aloof and mysterious allure surrounding him. But that just made him cuter in your eyes. He was more than just a guy who looked like a crow, he was an interesting human being and oddly a very captivating one.

Closely, you looked right at him to check him out and size him up. There was something about the raven that fascinated you. Not just his appearance but his quirk too, personally you thought it was an incredible and useful quirk that you envied somewhat.

Given that your quirk only let you generate and manipulate aspects of light, which was a total contrast to Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow, which was a manifestation of elegant darkness and was fueled by darkness itself. He was your opposite in many ways, and yet he didn’t cease to enrapture you with his mysterious personality.

“Wow… Tokoyami looks even more awesome than normal…” You thought to yourself as you enjoyed the boys doing their little pissing contests, and especially Tokoyami just chilling out and subtly hanging out with the quieter boys Shoji and Kouda.

Meanwhile, Tokoyami was only mildly amused by his classmates’ antics and enjoying the company of his closest allies Kouda and Shouji, and yet he couldn’t help but feel like he was being watched somewhat.

“PSST! Hey Tokoyami! Check it out! (L/N)’s staring at you!” Dark Shadow spoke to him via telepathically, much to his annoyance. At least until he registered just what his quirk was telling him. “What are you talking about?”

“Turn around!”

Tokoyami sighed in annoyance, wondering if his shadow was just messing with him as he did turn around to humor him, but he saw your (E/C) eyes peering right at him. His expression didn’t change but he was slightly surprised to see you of all people looking at him, except he noticed that you weren’t really gawking at him. Your eyes told a story, as if you appeared almost interested in what you were seeing from him. Secretly, he hoped that was the case…

And you gasped as soon as his sharp, scarlet eyes met with your eyes. Nervously, you tried to glance away but Tokoyami wasn’t deterred by this action as he looked at you curiously, and wondered what you were playing at. Being stared at was something he was used to, but part of him was still hoping that maybe you didn’t mean to stare…

You contemplated on sinking in the water as you prayed that he looked away and lost interest, but you looked over at him again and came into contact with his red eyes yet again. There was nothing you could do to look away this time now that he caught you staring like some sort of weirdo…

Except he didn’t look put off. Confused and uncertain maybe, and yet for some reason he couldn’t quite pull away from the stare that yours and his eyes were locked in.

“She’s totally checking you out!” Dark Shadow made it worse by putting that thought into his head, and at first Tokoyami didn’t believe him. At least until he did notice that you were kind of looking at his physique, and not just his not-so-human features. He almost felt a little self-conscious, and a little tempted to turn away in an attempt to cover up somehow when he realized that you were definitely looking more at his physique rather than just his head. 

That was strange. Mostly people just noticed the head and not the body, and he didn’t know how to feel about that. All he could do was slowly pick up a towel, bringing it over his chest in a vain attempt to cover up, but not once did he take his eyes off of you.

You were totally caught staring, and the water did nothing to cool down your blushing cheeks that grew hot with every second spent with Tokoyami’s eyes on you. However, a sudden impact hitting the side of your head tore you free from the stare as you grunted in shock before turning to see what had hit you. And it was the volleyball your friends had been playing with.

“Oops! Sorry (Y/N).” Jirou’s voice broke you out of your daze as she sheepishly apologized with a guilty look on her face for having hit you. But you weren’t angry at all, in fact, you couldn’t be more thankful that she distracted you from Tokoyami and saved you from your super awkward stare-down.

“N-No problem girl! Ahahaha…  it ain’t your fault! I shoulda been paying attention! Now c’mon! I’m ready now let’s play!” You suddenly exclaimed with reddening cheeks complete with an awkwardly wide grin that confused your fellow girls, but they decided to just let you be as they happily played with you once you spiked the ball for them.

While Tokoyami blinked a little bit, secretly glad himself that neither you and him were just staring awkwardly at each other anymore. Although he still wondered, what had compelled you to look at him like that? There’s no way you were ‘checking him out’ as Dark Shadow had accused, maybe you were looking at something else and he just happened to be in the way of it. No one ever checked him out, not while he looked like a bird. He might have had a human body, but he was still sure that no one would check him out like that…

He somewhat hoped that you were, but his insecurities wouldn’t let him believe that.

No matter how interested you might have looked...

30 AWKWARD MINUTES LATER…

“(Y/N)~! You perv~!”

You made the mistake of confiding in Mina after you all got out of the pool, and she couldn’t help but play around with you a little bit as you shouted lightly in frustration, face red with embarrassment as you put your hands on your hot cheeks. “I know! I’m a pervert… a total peeping tom… I’m no better than that little fucker Mineta… come to think of it… why ain’t he outta here yet? Shinsou’s in the course now shouldn’t Mineta like… I dunno be out of here by now since the former is like… SO much more deserving.”

The truth was you were attempting to change the subject, but surprisingly, Mina knew better, “Well Shinsou makes the class even now but you can’t distract me that easy~!” She giggled, and your face darkened even more as you groaned a bit, “I was just kidding~. It’s not like we can help when we think a guy or a girl is hot… the difference is that you were admiring him, not objectifying him like certain people.”

Wow, Mina was smarter than she let on, and she was your best female friend so she knew exactly what to say to you. “Yeah… I never want to objectify Tokoyami… he’s… my friend… at least… I hope we are… we’ve certainly talked… at times… but… I would like to get to know him better…” You mumbled softly. There was nothing you could do as your face might as well have caught flames by now. “And then some…”

“Oooh la la~. Somebody’s got a cruuuuush~!” Mina sang cheerfully as you glared at her a little bit, sticking your tongue out. “Tch… okay so I like the guy… not like he’ll like me back after he caught me staring…”

“Well it’s not like you were watching a bird documentary! Everything else is all a human body!” Mina reassured you though when she thought you sounded insecure and you were a bit… but then you thought about how good he looked…

“That’s not just body… that’s body-ody girl…” You nodded a bit more suggestively the more you thought about how strangely hot and attractive your raven classmate was. But your embarrassment resurfaced when Mina started to squeal, “EEEEE! And that’s why you have to talk to him! Just try it! I’m sure he’ll be flattered! He really don’t look like he gets a lotta attention like that…”

That wasn’t the nicest way to put it, but Mina had a point. Not everyone found humans with a bird’s head attractive…

Did that mean maybe you had a chance? You hoped so…

Ultimately you knew that Mina was right, so you sighed and said that you would go talk to him, but the first thing you wanted to do was at least apologize to him for being a weirdo as you left the girl’s locker room. Hair still damp but you were sure that you didn’t completely look like shit.

Or so you thought until you saw Tokoyami in the hall with his things, obviously getting ready to go to the dorms. You were positive that neither of you would interact in the dorms after such awkwardness. So, you had no choice but to go to him first.

“Tokoyami.” It took all of your courage just to approach your classmate, since you were pretty sure he thought you were a weirdo or a pervert after he caught you gawking at him at the pool.

Tokoyami stopped momentarily in his tracks as he turned to face you, obviously not having forgotten that you were definitely staring at him not too long ago. “Good evening (L/N).” His tone was polite yet monotonous. He still wasn’t sure how to feel about it but he wasn’t going to confront you about it; it wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to.

“I’ve come to apologize.” You then said rather quickly, which just further surprised your crow-headed classmate, but his stoic expression didn’t make it obvious. Tokoyami wasn’t going to hold this against you since it wasn’t the first time someone’s stared at him, although the way you looked at him was a little different compared to how others have stared at him. But he couldn’t give himself high hopes that you were looking at him in an almost admirable way.

“You don’t need to.” He replied to you calmly, not expecting anything else from you as he prepared himself to keep walking.

“I hope I didn’t freak you out or anything.” But you spoke again, and because he didn’t want to be rude, Tokoyami stood to hear you out. “You didn’t.” He said to affirm that you didn’t exactly unnerve him or creep him out.

After that there was just silence, and it was feeling super awkward too. Of course, that was to be expected since Tokoyami wasn’t much of a talker, but you were still kind of worried that you didn’t get all of your feelings across… including some new feelings you were starting to become slowly more aware of the more you glanced at how cool and strangely beautiful he was.

“You know…” You started off, which made him glance your way so that way you knew he was listening to you. “Today I realized something… these days we’ve spent together in class… like at the Sports Fest and during our study sessions… we don’t really know each other that well… do we?” You wondered out loud, since although you respected Tokoyami, you knew that you hadn’t truly gotten to really know him as well as you wanted to. Especially with all these new… feelings you were starting to experience more and more for the aloof raven.

“I suppose we don’t.” He agreed with you as he began to think about that. For all that he’s known you as a classmate, he didn’t truly know you as much as he probably would have wanted to. Tokoyami respected you despite the sheer differences you both shared regarding quirks and personality, and he thought you were much more tolerable compared to some of his crazier classmates. Yet you were still fun, you seemed like a fun person, something he didn’t really consider himself to be...

“Yet they’ve been a hell of a ride. The USJ thing, and the whole Summer Camp thing that happened a while back? Who knows what else is in store for us?” You wondered outloud, feeling a rather warm, cerise blush heating your face when you prepared yourself to say this next thing. “But I hope… that gives you and I a chance to… get to know each other even more ya know? I’m… not saying that for any calculated reason or anything though. I’m not that smart… I… would actually like to get to know you more… you’re one of my cooler, nicer classmates…” Chuckling a bit, you smiled sheepishly at the boy who seemed to pay more attention to you as he turned his head slightly to look at you better.

He saw your expression, not a glimpse of deceit, maybe a secret but it wasn’t anything that made him feel suspicious. Tokoyami didn’t get conversations like this a lot though, this was completely new to him. “I believe you.” He finally said after a pregnant pause between the two of you passed.

“You’re not manipulative or deceptive. I trust you (L/N). You are… a classmate I feel I can rely on and feel more… comfortable with. Even though we haven’t gotten enough chances to get to know each other… I would like it if we did.” Tokoyami almost felt nervous saying these words to you, as they came from how he actually felt about you, and catching you looking at him admiringly seemed to trigger more nerves and newer emotions he hadn’t really felt before. Sure, he was initially shocked by what happened at the pool just recently, and yet for some reason…

He was happy? That you were looking at him like that…?

And you blushed quite madly when hearing him say that he actually trusted you, a giddy glee building in your chest that made you force back any big grins or squeals that wanted to escape your throat. “Hee~… I trust you too… and… wow that’s… awesome…” Still you couldn’t help but giggle, feeling so much more relieved that he wasn’t put off by your staring, and you swore you saw him smile at you just a little bit.

“Ah… but… still…. I’m sure it was weird to just have me staring at you like that, like some weirdo so… I’m sorry for that Tokoyami. I’m sorry for… gawking… instead of talking first.” You let out a sigh as you started blushing, keeping your eyes low as Tokoyami looked at you with slight awe.

“That’s all right.”

He was so thankful that his feathers could hide any blush he could feel on his cheeks, “I’m... I’m glad... I’m glad that you saw me (L/N).” Tokoyami finally admitted when he accepted that you were looking at him with interest. And it actually made him really happy...

Your eyes widened slightly as your cheeks turned red again, shocked but relieved and yet you were just as happy and ecstatic that you had to NOT squeal again. “M-Me too...!” You beamed with the most cheerful tone that made Tokoyami’s heart flutter  a little bit the more he looked at it. Such light his guarded heart had never seen or felt before...

"Would you... like to walk to the dorms together?” Tokoyami was amazed at how difficult it became to just ask such a simple question, and how he could practically hear his heart drumming when your smile seemed to grow. “Yeah! Totally~! I can also tell you about this new horror movie I feel like seeing, I’m sure you’ve heard about it too the commercials are blowing up on TV... and I ain’t talkin’ about Toy Story... which is a bit scary in it’s own right when you think about it...”

But Tokoyami was thankful that you started talking about something he enjoyed, and knew exactly what you were talking about. “That’s right. I want to see that one too. More demons and ghosts. And a doll that also comes to life... in a much more different manner than Toy Story...” He almost sounded enthusiastic when you talked about the new Annabelle movie...

However... even though he tried to talk to you... his shadow was starting to snicker, ‘I told ya! She likes you~!’

‘Dark Shadow!!’

At least he was still able to talk to you, and you were so happy that you finally got  to talk to him more, even if it was after staring at him. Maybe you would finally get to know him better, and become something more.

[vlindervin7]

Anyway, have some mazzouk stargzaing y’all, i hope you like it.

Read on ao3

***

I’ll make the moon shine just for your view 

Amira doesn’t know how late it is currently, and for once it doesn’t bother her. Her brain isn’t running with all the things she still needs to get done for Australia, there’s no itch to check her phone for the time. It’s not an august evening in 2019, she’s just living a moment, in time with no strings to anything else. Her brain is rarely this quiet, only still like this during the instances she manages to focus on her prayers completely. 

Lying next to her, she feels Mohammed shift, just enough to let their arms brush. It had been a warm day, but the night is a bit more chilly. She smiles when she realizes she feels his warmth through their clothes. It enters her body through the contact and makes its way all over from there, until she’s shivering for another reason entirely. 

They’re laying on the grass at the park five minutes from her home. Mohammed had texted her earlier this evening: I’m picking you up, be ready in ten

She’s never gotten dressed this quickly, and to think she ever made fun of her friends for being absolutely whipped. True to his words, Mohammed had waited for her outside exactly ten minutes later, carrying a bag and a smile on his face that made her feel like she’d melt through the floor. 

He’d brought her to the park, to the middle of a grass field and stopped walking. Looking around and not seeing anyone or anything, she’d turned to him, confused, only to see him pull a blanket out of the bag and spreading it out on the ground, before settling on it, resting on his arms stretched out behind him. He’d only smiled and patted the space next to him, his stupid, lovely curls bouncing when he looked up at her. 

Amira had looked away and tried to hide the smile taking over her face, before giving in and sitting down next to him. ‘This is so cheesy.’

‘You love it’, he’d answered in his satin soft voice, and Amira hadn’t been able to come up with anything to say to that, so she hadn’t. 

At that moment, the sky had been that shade of grey it gets when the sun is just about gone, one or two rays still peeking above the surface, and the first stars come out of hiding, winking down at them as if to say just you wait. 

Right now, though, the world is dark and the sun is nowhere to be seen. When before there were two or three stars, now there are too many to count, scattered all over the dark blue surface farther than their eyes can follow. 

They’re laying down. Amira inhales once, deeply and lets it out. She thinks subhan’Allah and briefly closes her eyes before opening them again. 

‘Do you know any constellations?’, Mohammed asks with a voice just soft enough to keep the fragile serenity of the night intact. 

‘Um, which one is the one that looks like a pan? I know that one.’ 

It doesn’t happen often that she feels out of her depth about something, but it’s also thrilling to have this thing he can maybe teach her. The romance of the whole situation isn’t lost on her, but if she dwells on it too long, she knows she might start blushing, or giggling or something else equally embarrassing. 

Mohammed lets out a small laugh, and when she turns her head to glare at him, she’s momentarily taken off guard at how, even if she can’t clearly make out all his features, his smile is still as disarmingly beautiful as it’s always been. Who ever said the sun doesn’t shine at night?

‘The one that looks like a pan? I thought you were a scientist.’

‘First of all, biology is my specialty. And anyway, as if you know better.’

He laughs again and Amira kind of wants to ask him to stop because functioning normally is really hard when he does that. 

‘Is that doubt I hear?’

‘I don’t know, is it?’ 

‘Well’, he says, his eyebrows raised. ‘the one that looks like a pan, is called the Big Dipper and is actually not a constellation, just part of one.’

‘Oh, you do know what you’re talking about.’

‘Of course I do.’ 

‘Tell me more, then.’

‘Okay’, Mohammed shifts on the blanket and stares up at the sky. ‘You see the big dipper?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Okay just over there, to the right of the Big Dipper, there’s a constellation that kind of looks like a woman. You can see her head and then the hair flowing behind it. There’s even a bow above her head. Do you see it?’

Amira’s searching the sky, but she doesn’t really recognize anything beside the four stars she can trace. ‘Um, sure.’ 

Mohammed turns his head to look at her, eyebrows raised again, in disbelief this time. ‘You do?’ 

‘Yeah.’

‘Point it out then.’

They both know she’s lying, but she won’t give in now. Sending a silent prayer that she’s at least in the general vicinity, she points her finger to the left. And then. Mohammed starts laughing. Bad sign. 

Before she realizes what’s happening, his hand is also raised, and holding hers. She kind of hates that she doesn’t immediately realize he’s holding her hand so he can move it the right direction, the sudden contact causing her brain to stop working. 

When he’s satisfied, he says: ‘That’s more like it.’ Her eyes are focused on their hands, but she can hear the smile in his voice. ‘You see it now?’

Working very hard to focus on the sky and not on the boy beside her, she forces herself to pay attention to the stars. And then: ‘I see it!’

And she does, she’s not pretending anymore. Once you see a constellation, it’s stuck for the rest of your life, she knows, and a thrill goes through her when she realizes that every time she’ll see the figure in the sky, she’ll think of Mohammed and his warm hand holding hers, his soft voice explaining this to her with so much care and attention. The way a constellation is tattooed on the night sky for the rest of eternity, or something close enough, she knows he’s engraved on her mind too, a permanent presence whenever she looks up. 

He lets their hands fall back next to them, not letting go. ‘You see? That’s Al-Jawzah. I think she’s called the hunter here.’ 

And then he starts telling her a story of a couple, soon to be married, of a woman that died and of sisters that grieved. He tells her how so many stories behind the constellations are sad, but that at the end the person that’s done wrong, always ends up in the sky, and so ultimately they exist to give people hope of a happy ending, even if it’s an unexpected one. 

She’s pretty sure she could listen to him talk for hours. When Essam was small, Omar used to tell him stories a lot, to calm him down when he had a bit too much energy, and when he noticed she always listened to them too, he started telling the stories to the both of them. She hasn’t thought of these memories in such a long time, but she feels the same comfort and safeness right now listening to Mohammed’s voice as she did back then with Omar. 

‘How come you know so much about it?’ 

It’s obviously not something he just happens to know a lot about, she senses a backstory behind the passion in his voice and the light in his eyes. He’s quite for a bit, just looking up at the sky and she holds his hand a little bit tighter to let him know she’s here whenever. 

‘Back home, my dad always used to drive us out to the desert not far from where we lived, and we’d just look at the sky together for hours. He knew so much about it and spent nights telling me stories about it and and teaching me all the names.’ He pauses in his talking, looks at her before continuing. ‘The sky in Germany is nothing compared to the one we had there, Amira, that one looks like it shouldn’t be real. It’s hard to explain. I’ll show you one day, I promise. It’s the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever seen.’’

Normally she’d make a teasing comment about him assuming things about the future, but this isn’t the time, not when his voice holds so much emotions, not when he’s obviously showing her a part of him that’s hidden for most. She doesn’t want to do anything to shatter the vulnerability and trust he’s showing her. ‘Insha’Allah. I’d love that.’ 

He smiles at her, heartbreakingly honest. ‘There’s nothing like it, honestly. When we first got to Germany I had a lot of trouble sleeping and all I wanted was to be back there and watch the sky with my dad. It’s one of the things I miss most about home.’ 

‘I can’t imagine.’

‘My dad always said you haven’t truly felt god until you’ve seen a night sky in the desert.’

She’s not sure what to answer to that admission. She wants to say something that will comfort him or to give him a sense of home, but she knows it’s impossible and that that’s not why he told her this. He always revels in telling her things and talking to her, simply content to have her hear him. She understands the sentiment. 

‘I always imagined I’d do the same with my kids later.’

‘Your football team of kids, you mean?’ 

He laughs and she feels it in her chest.

‘What else did he tell you?’

He shifts a bit so he’s half laying on his side, able to look at her easily but still mostly facing the sky. He catches her eye and starts talking. 

‘Well, there’s this one that I love. You can’t see it from here.’ He looks at her intently, and when he sees her pay attention, he continues. ‘It’s called Rania, and the story behind it is one of a girl, the most beautiful girl in the world. She had very dark, intense eyes that would hypnotize anyone that looked into them, and when she laughed the whole world paused for a moment to listen to it.

‘She wasn’t just beautiful, though, she was also so smart, that all the kings and queens all over the world wanted to ask her for advice. Fooled by her cold stare, many believed she wouldn’t lend a hand, but those who knew her, knew that deep inside, she had a pure heart and would do anything to make the world a better place.’

She’s embarrassed she didn’t get what he was playing at sooner, enraptured by his voice and beautiful words. When she realizes, she breaks eye contact. She feels her cheeks heating up and even though it’s dark, she turns her head to shield her face from him. She mutters an ‘oh my god’ and only turns back when she hears him laugh. In response, she just shakes her head. 

‘What, not impressed with my star knowledge?’

‘Me? Impressed? Never’, but there’s a smile on her face proving the exact opposite. 

‘Well, I wasn’t done yet.’ 

And despite what she’d like to make him believe, she really wants to hear what he’ll come up with next.

‘Go on, then. Impress me’, she says, eyes never leaving his. She’s the one laughing this time when, clearly flustered, he brings a hand through his hair and barely manages to get out an: ‘Um, well --’ 

The knowledge that she can make him as flustered as he gets her, exhilarates her, makes her heart grow three sizes. 

After a while, he pulls himself together and starts talking again. ‘Well, one day she meets a very handsome gentleman she just can’t resist.’ 

Amira snorts at that, and Mohammed pokes her in the side, before continuing his story as if nothing happened.  

‘And because this very handsome gentleman was also very smart, he told she should start ruling her own kingdom. And, convinced by his wise words, she became Kanselierin of her kingdom. Her people loved her a lot and everyone around the world admired her so much that when she died, after having lived a long, happy life with the handsome gentleman by her side, God put her up in the sky as a tribute to the mark she left on the world.’

She’s aware that she’s looking at him with every bit of wonder and awe she feels for him, but it would be impossible to reel it, so she doesn’t even try. 

‘Are you saying God is going to turn me into a star?’

‘Who says I was talking about you?’

He lets himself be pushed, his laughter rumbling beneath her hands where she touches him. They look at each other for a while before it feels like she’s going to fly off into space any second now, and then she looks back up at the sky. 

All she hears is the chirping of late night insects, very faint noises of cars passing by, and most clearly Mohammed’s breathing next to her. 

Then, she speaks up: ‘Did you know every star we can see right now is actually brighter than the sun? They just appear tiny because they’re so much farther away.’

She looks at him just long enough to see him shake his head. 

‘In comparison, the sun isn’t that big at all. The other stars are just light years and light years away. Which is actually really cool because it means that what we’re seeing right now, is thousands of years old, it just took this much time to arrive to the point where we’re able to see it. Light travels at the speed of 300.000 kilometers a second, I think? And still the light takes thousands, or even millions of years to reach us. That’s… so incredible to me. 

And before the light arrives here, it has to travel through the earth’s atmosphere, which is actually the reason we think the stars twinkle? The different densities of the atmosphere causes the light to, like, bend, I guess, and that’s why it ‘twinkles’ when we see it. But, anyway, that’s something else entirely. 

My point was that when you look up at the night sky you’re actually looking back in time in a way, because you see the sky that existed thousands and thousands of years back.’ 

She shrugs, before saying: ‘And I don’t know, I just think that’s really cool and a bit magic in its own way.’

She’d gotten really passionate halfway through the explanation, gesticulating wildly and her voice growing a bit louder, only noticing how enthusiastic she’d gotten once she’s done and has to lower her arms to the ground. She almost feels embarrassed, until she catches sight of the way he’s looking at her. It reminds her of the way Hanna looks at Jonas performing when she thinks no one is watching her. It reminds her of the way Matteo shamelessly takes in David whenever he’s talking about one of his projects. 

Mohammed looks purely enraptured, as if he’d do anything she’d ask of him right now. 

She never imagined one day someone would look at her like that, but then again, she’d never thought she’d look at anyone that way either, and here we are. 

She’s feeling so much, any second now she’s going to burst into flames. 

He laughs quietly. ‘I’m not sure I understand everything you just said, but you’re right, that’s actually super cool.’ 

‘Sorry’, she mutters, aware of the fact that she gets a bit carried away sometimes and forgets not everyone took science for their Abi. 

He shakes his head dismissively, and gives her a smile that brings her mood right back to the elation she felt before. 

‘So you do know about stars?’

She shrugs. ‘I only know science. I don’t have any beautiful stories to tell.’

‘Now you do.’ 

She humms affirmatively. ‘And you’ve got some facts for when you want to show off.’

Mohammed sighs dramatically. ‘No use when the one girl you want to show off to, is never impressed.’ 

‘Hmm, well, I happen to know that she’s actually very impressed, even though she might not tell you.’

It’s quiet after that, like they both feel this is a sacred moment that should be treasured and protected, a flame shielded by careful hands, this moment precious and fragile enough to be swept away by a gust of wind. 

She realizes she does have stories to tell now, and she thinks it’s a fitting symbol for the place Mohammed holds. He didn’t only bring beautiful stories into her life, he also embodies all the things those stories mean to her. Amira’s always liked facts and things she’s sure of and figuring out exactly what things mean, without needing them to be pretty or to make her feel good or to make her smile. They just are. The whole point  of these stories, though, is that they’re supposed to make you dream of beautiful things. Mohammed makes her sigh, and grin so wide she covers her face, and dream, and fantasize. He makes her nervous and excited and full of wonder. He’s the romance, the beauty of her story. The dreams and wonder and stupid, stupid butterflies that were previously lacking from her life, and that she never knew she craved, never knew could bring so much to her life. That’s the stories and that’s Mohammed. 

A sudden gust of wind causes Amira to shiver. She rubs her arms as an attempt to warm up, but then Mohammed’s hands take over and he’s asking: ‘Are you cold? I have some mint tea, if you want.’

And then his hands are gone and she needs to do her very best not to make a disappointed noise at the sudden loss. 

He’s rummaging through his bag and, sitting up, Amira sees him pull out a thermos and then fill a small, illustrated tea glass. He hands it over and the warmth immediately travels all through her. He starts to pour himself one too. 

‘You really made mint tea and brought actual glasses and everything?’ She is unreasonably charmed. 

‘Of course I did. I’m taking the most beautiful girl out at night. What kind of Arab do you think I am?’ 

She laughs. 

‘It’s my mom’s way of making it. It’s the best, you’ll see.’ 

Under his observing eyes, she takes a sip and realizes he’s right. It’s sweet enough, while also not taking away the taste of mint. Eyes comically wide, she says: ‘You’re right, this is really good!’

‘I told you.’ 

Later tonight, he’ll walk her home and kiss her hand before wishing her sweet dreams. Once inside, she’ll get a text saying I lied earlier. 

About what? 

Your smile. That’s the most beautiful. 

Amira will replay the conversations in her head, falling asleep to the remnants of that soft voice, lulling her to sleep, feeling safe and giddy and happy. 

But for now, they finish their tea. She still doesn’t know how late it is, and when she sees a falling star, she only asks for one thing and that’s for this night to be never ending. 

[slytherin-puffskein]

A Grand First Impression

As Penny Haywood’s pen friend arrives to Hogwarts, everyone is soon enraptured by her beauty, and accidents come one after the other.

Including @hogwartsmysterystory‘s MC Ethren Whitecross !

* * *

Laurent never really felt something for a girl before.

Right, he had thought he had feelings for Penny, but after a few weeks he was quick to figure out that he didn’t love her. He liked her as a friend, but the thought of pursuing a romantic relationship with her didn’t make his heart skip a beat like it would to other people. It would remain calm, almost still, almost frozen.

Never he had wanted to kiss a girl.

When he was nine, he had gone to a theme park with a friend of his. She took his hand, but he didn’t think much about it. Maybe her fingers just felt cold. They kind of were, in fact, so maybe she just wanted Lau to warm her up. He was happy to help. But as they were waiting their turn in the Ferris Wheel, she tip toed and attempted to kiss him.

Maybe it was her horrendous breath or the fact that he didn’t like her like that, but he soon found himself running away as far as possible.

( Ever since, he was bitter he didn’t get to have his Ferris Wheel ride. He would have been on top of the world !! )

He was about to give up on the idea of ever liking girls, that until he set his eyes on Aurélie Dumont, Penny Haywood’s pen friend.

She had told him a lot about her, but he never really listened. Why focus on someone he barely knows, and will probably never meet ? What kind of sense did that make ? However, he managed to get bits and bits of information, as his mind happened to tune in once in a while.

She is a student from Beauxbatons, and one of the nicest girls I’ve met !

That was probably the only thing that truly caught his attention, as he was supposed to be a Beauxbatons student himself. However, his parents had to move to Kildare.

If they hadn’t, maybe he would have met Aurélie in less humiliating circumstances.

Ethren Whitecross had been quicker than him with touring Hogwarts to Aurélie, so he only got to meet her when Madame Maxime requested the Gryffindor’s presence. Hearing such news, and learning about the Beauxbatons Headmistress’ height, Laurent just had to come and see even if he wasn’t the one invited. 

As he stepped into the Great Hall, only one thought crossed his mind.

My, she is huge indeed.

Madame Maxime was easily towering over everyone, and that resulted with several students curiously staring at her, wide-eyes, wondering what was possibly going on with her. A Half-Giant, perhaps ? Probably the most likely option, but certainly the less appropriate to bring up. After all, who asks people they just met what they are ?

Flanked to Maxime’s side, Lau managed to spot a petite, blue clad girl wearing a weird hat of the same colour. He was quick to assume that this girl was, in fact, Penny’s pen pal, as the young Hufflepuff was standing next to her and giving out her brightest smile. Only a few steps away he saw Ethren Whitecross, who was giving the Beauxbatons student quite a weird look. Was he judging her hat ?

As Laurent approached the small group, he understood fairly quickly that Ethren wasn’t, in fact, judging her uniform. He was actually doing the very thing Lau never usually did with girls.

He was admiring her.

Her, and her pretty brown locks brushing over her pale, smooth skin. Her, and her pretty and comforting blue eyes that could be easily comparable with a warm embrace. Her, and her pink lips which released a joyous, musical laugh as Penny finished telling a joke.

Laurent Dorian King’s heart skipped a beat as their gazes met, and Aurélie suddenly smiled brightly.

“Oh, bonjour ! You must be Laurent. Penny told me a whole lot about you in her letters ! I sure am glad to finally meet you”

Did Penny really talk to her about me ?

Oh Merlin, she said my name. It sounds so heavenly when pronounced by her.

OH SHE’S LOOKING AT ME STOP STARING AND SAYING NOTHING.

Laurent finally took ahold of himself, and raised his chin awfully high while showing off his most charming smile. He had forgotten, however, that he had snacked on some chocolate with Summer, and that a big brown spot now resided against his teeth.

“Bonjour ! Je français !”

Idiot.

He had meant to say that he could speak french as well, and that disaster of a sentence came out instead. However, Aurélie giggled, and Lau immediately felt appeased.

“That’s good to know, sometimes speaking English can be exhausting...”

“You guys will be able to chat together, then !” Penny chimed in, her smile still present. “Lau, did you know Aurélie is planning to transfer from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts ? How amazing is that, right ?”

“I had Ethren bring me to his potions class” Aurélie sighed softly. “I had expected some alchemy, but Snape remains a very competent teacher”

“He is competent when he’s not trying to ruin your life” Ethren mused.

Aurélie’s laugh was quick to fill the air, and both boys felt a blush creep up their cheeks.

“Anyway. Ethren, this is Madame Maxime, our Headmis-”

Lau could only get hit by the realization of how bigger she was when up close.

“Wow, you’re huge !”

And a cold silence filled the air as Madame Maxime set small piercing eyes on the redhead.

“Pardon ?”

A huge lump suddenly started clawing against Lau’s throat, hurting him and thus preventing him to speak. Despite that, however, he managed to churn out something that made sense:

“Hugely into fashion ! Look at that outfit, it is truly striking !”

Following these words, he proceeded to smile as brightly as he could, once again showing off the chocolate stain. For a brief moment, Aurélie’s own hand hung over her mouth, as if attempting to warn the redhead, but it quickly went limp. Madame Maxime remained silent for such a long moment that Lau feared she might attempt to curse him... but finally, she smiled.

“Well, merci, Monsieur... ?”

“King. Monsieur King. I was actually supposed to be a Beauxbatons student, but my parents moved to Ireland”

“Ooh ?” Aurélie exclaimed. “That’s too bad, I would have love to have you as classmate ! You seem... fairly entertaining”

At first, only Lau’s cheeks were coloured with red. Now, his ears were too, as well as the tip of his nose.

“Indeed, you and Monsieur Whitecross have a good potential to be Beauxbatons students. With Aurélie’s possible departure, I might just need some ‘Ogwarts students to compensate !”

Madame Maxime let out a deep, guttural laugh, while Aurélie’s eyes suddenly flashed with multiple ideas.

“Madame, why don’t we teach them the Entrance ? It would make them feel like true Beauxbatons students, don’t you think ?”

“I think it is a wonderful idea, Mademoiselle Dumont ! Why don’t you teach them ?”

Aurélie excitedly nodded, and stepped closer to Ethren and Lau who were both as red as a Gryffindor’s tie. Luckily, they have been able to focus just enough on her instructions while also admiring her features, and Laurent was pretty sure Ethren froze as the Beauxbatons gently grasped his hands to show him how to move them accordingly.

He thought she wouldn’t take his hands, but then, their fingers were intertwined together. His heart practically stopped inside of his chest, and the lump in his throat only became bigger.

“Move your hands like this, Laurent” she instructed with a smile on her lips.

And gently, she stepped closer to him, whispering into his ear with a giggle filled voice:

“Vu que tu es français, je suis certaine que tu as ça dans le sang”

A shiver electrocuted his body, and he could only nod and try to reply something.

“Je oui”

He then accidentally bit on his tongue, pulling out the tip briefly for a second while hissing with pain.

Idiot.

Soon enough, the young girl was done with her explanations, and as she regained her place next to Madame Maxime, she proudly puffed out her chest and threw her shoulders to the back.

“Voilà ! I taught them everything I could, Madame Maxime”

“Well now, the only thing left to do is for them to try out ! Why don’t you do it first, Whitecross ?”

A snicker was suddenly heard, and gazes were turned to Merula Snyde, who has been witnessing the scene along with Tulip Karasu.

“My, I would pay to see that. Your credibility would turn to ash... if you had one to begin with”

Whitecross threw a glare to the young Slytherin, and he briefly glanced at Aurélia to giver her his most charming smile.

“Allow me” he said.

And so, he strutted through the Great Hall, hands clasped behind his back and moving his hips as accurately to Aurélie’s instructions as possible. Soon enough, butterflies emerged around him, and students were quick to stare at him with a mesmerized look... except for Snyde, who only sighed with disgust.

Before Lau could realize, it was his turn, and Aurélie gently patted his shoulder.

“Allez, Laurent. You can do it !”

Oh boy, can I ?

He started walking anyway, placing his hands behind his back and swaying his hips gently, fluidly, as if he was made to do this...

Well, maybe I am. It was supposed to be my school, after all.

As he progressed through the Great Hall, he gently extended his arm, releasing pale blue butterflies that swirled around him, and a smile was quick to curl on his lips. Maybe everything will be alright, after all, and maybe Aurélie will even be impressed !

And then, I can ask her on a date, and then we’ll go stargaze together and-

Ah ! Focus ! Alright, now, onto the next arm-

He moved his arm swiftly, however nervously glanced behind his shoulder.

And noticed that Aurélie was looking at him, only him, her hands gently pressed against her chest and her smile filled with admiration and pride.

Oh shit oh shit oh sHIT

Before he could think, he leaned over and swayed his arm in order to release these damn butterflies. Laurent only realized he was moving way too fast when-

S L A M

His hand whacked the face of a Slytherin from his year. Not any Slytherin. One of his roommates. What was his name, already ? The one with the brown spiky hair and prominent cheekbones ? Bernard ? Barnabas ?

Barnaby Lee. That’s his name.

And I just slapped him. Right on the face.

Lau’s body refused to move, to obey to any order his brain was sending out. He could only remain still, his arm extended, a terrified look on his face. Frankly, Barnaby looked as terrified... and also terribly confused.

Merula started to laugh. Liz, who has been sitting next to Barnaby, could only gaze at the two boys with pure astonishment. Lau, meanwhile, was struggling to find a way to quickly get out of this situation without having any bad blood with Barnaby.

Gently, he reached for his hair, gently patting them and doing his best to smile. His lips, however, formed in a rather ungracious twisty form.

“Bonjour”

With that, he ran out of the Great Hall as fast as humanly possible.

[pizza-is-my-buziness]

Also for the prompt thing Jancy + "trust me I know what I'm doing"

Jonathan can’t really say that he’s surprised. He never should have let his guard down, never should have assumed that when he and Nancy planned a date-night that it would actually happen, or at least that it would happen exactly like they’d planned. He’s had plenty of time to realize that things never happen the way he and Nancy plan for them to, not even now, years after they’ve left Hawkins and made a life for themselves in a city too big and too bright and too loud to have time to believe in monsters. 

In Jonathan’s mind, the night had played out one particular way. Dinner, a movie, a walk back home to their apartment with his hand around Nancy’s and the slow unwinding of her scarf and unbuttoning of her jacket that maybe lead to something more, with the Smiths on the radio and the city outside offering the soundtrack for the perfect end to a perfect night. 

But here he is, following Nancy down a street that leads in the complete opposite direction of the restaurant he’d suggested they’d eat at and instead of his hand in Nancy’s, Nancy is holding tightly to her reporter’s notepad and a pen he can tell she’s been absently chewing on. They’re heading toward the apartment of some politician embroiled in some controversy that Jonathan knows only enough about to know that this guy definitely isn’t going to be too happy when they start knocking on his door at six in the evening on a Friday. 

“Nancy, wait.” Jonathan wishes that he’d thought to keep track of all the times he’s said those exact words throughout his life. “I thought we were going to-” 

“We are,” Nancy assures him, casting a fleeting glance over her shoulder as she hurries down the sidewalk, always a few steps ahead of him. “We are. I promise. I just need to get a few quotes for my story so I can get it filed before Monday.” 

What she means, Jonathan knows, is so that she can get it filed before anyone else has a chance to so that she can impress her editor-in-chief. 

Jonathan only sighs. “Nance, I don’t think this guy is going to be too happy when we show up on his doorstep and start asking him about embelizing money.” 

“Trust me,” Nancy says with a conviction Jonathan has always admired, even if he’s never entirely understood it. “I know what I’m doing.” 

Jonathan rolls his eyes at her back. “I’ve heard that a million times before.” 

“And have I ever steered you in the wrong direction?” 

Jonathan opens his mouth to assure her that she has, indeed, done exactly that before, but Nancy cuts him off without even having to look back at him. “Don’t answer that.” 

“What happened to a nice dinner? A movie? Walking home through the park?” Jonathan says instead, trying to tempt Nancy away from the front stoop looming ahead of them.

Nancy doesn’t slow her stride. “In a minute, I promise.” 

“Before or after I bail you out of jail?” 

Jonathan can practically hear Nancy rolling her eyes. “I’m not going to go to jail,” she assures him. “Like I said, trust-” 

“You,” Jonathan finishes. “Yeah, yeah. I trust you. I’m a sucker.” 

Nancy finally stops, smiling as she turns back to face him. “Not a sucker,” she assures Jonathan, fixing the upturned collar of his jacket and letting her hands linger on his shoulders. “Just the best boyfriend in history.” 

“Or the dumbest.” But Jonathan knows he’s smiling, just like he’s sure that Nancy can tell the color in his cheeks isn’t just from the chill in the air. He’s spent the majority of his life being entranced and enraptured by Nancy Wheeler. He figures that there’s no reason for him to stop now.

Nancy leans forward to kiss him, quick and light. “Ten minutes. Fifteen. Tops.” 

At least Jonathan gets his wish to hold Nancy’s hand when he has to grab her hand in his to drag her off the politician's stoop after he starts threatening to call his security team. And he holds tightly to her hand as they run down the street, until they’re far enough away that the whole thing makes Nancy dissolve into laughter and Jonathan follow suit despite the stitch in his side and the aching in his lungs.

“See?” Nancy says, breathless from the running and from the laughter bubbling in her throat. “Totally had that under control.” 

Jonathan decides not to wait until they make it home that night to pull her close and kiss her.  

[song-of-storms162]

Warrior’s letter

After a talk with Princess Zelda, Warriors receives something he didn’t expect to see in Wild’s timeline. Originally for the prompt Warriors week but I wasn’t able to finish it within the time alotted and the new prompt already came out so i thought i’d kill two birds with one stone. Prompts: this week’s ‘Unlikely Friendship’ and last week’s ‘Warriors’

They were all in the great library of the newly rebuilt Hyrule castle. The sounds of gently rustling papers filling the air, the tall towering bookshelves dominating the room with their presence , the handfuls of people milling about...

It was hard to believe that no one dared go near this place, what with the calamity so throughly infested here.

But, Warriors supposed, that things could change. And Hyrule castle of Wild’s timeline was one of the most contrasting changes he had seen. And after his years in the service, Warriors had seen a number of things change.

He himself included.

How a soldier would cope with loss, how power had changed people he thought he knew, how death would perch on the chimney of one’s soul and suck the life and happiness out of a person. Warriors had walked on bloody battlefields and seen flowers and plants grow from the ashes and tainted dirt.

And Hyrule Castle, at least this Hyrule Castle, would’ve been the beginning of numerous changes in Wild’s Hyrule. Good ones for sure.

Blood moons were happening less frequently, and Wild’s Zelda had set up a team of astronomers to keep track of the moon’s phases. So far they were accurate, Wild would lead soldiers into rooms and corridors he remembered which were full of monsters.

But after a while, it had become mostly nine of them going against the monsters. Wild had said his Hyrule had no standing army, the population wasn’t enough for that and like the self-sacrificing heroes they were, they had graciously offered their own solution.

They themselves would take down the monsters.

Princess Zelda had protested against this but Wild told her to reconsider.

They had no army.

Their population was scarce enough.

And the heroes who held the triforce of courage were more than capable to handle a number of monsters.

And besides, the level of monsters they were facing was decreasing as well. Warriors remembered Wild talking about a Lynel, a silver one at that, being in one of the rooms. But as the blood moons came and went, the Lynel’s level dropped significantly. It became a blue Lynel after the first blood moon that appeared then the level of difficulty got lower and lower.

But aside from slaying monsters, the Links had other jobs. Wild was the unofficial head chef of Hyrule Castle: while there were cooks and a growing number of servants in the building, Wild would be found in the kitchens cooking something all while being surrounded by the castle chefs, the latter watching his every move.

Twilight and Time would be found in the stables, talking with the hands on different ways the horses could be comfortable. Four worked on smithing, making weapons, cutlery and other items for the ever growing staff. Sky would be with him at times, carving on a piece of wood, and if not, he would be found in the library; bent over a piece of parchment with a quill in his hand, trying his best to write down history from memory. The latter being something that all the heroes did, translating and writing history texts.

Today Warriors was free, usually he’d be in the barracks, training the newbie soldiers and making formations and drills. But today well yesterday actually, they had improved significantly and Warriors had told them to take today off. So he had strolled around, told Time he was going to wander and Wild that he would keep an eye out for any monsters. So far he had encountered none and now he was nearing one of the castle towers.

The view from up here truly was amazing, the thought passed through his mind as he paused on the elevated walkway. One could see the planes of Hyrule field, the lazy clouds that billowed by and casted shadows on the roads that looked like ribbons of gold from so far.

Warriors neared the railing, before draping his arms across the metal rail and propping his chin atop his palm. He closed his eyes, the passing breeze tickling his blonde hair and eyelashes, relief washing upon him. This was nice.

“Sir Warriors?”

Blinking out of his thoughts, the lone captain turns and finds himself standing few feet away from Princess Zelda. The Zelda of of Wild’s Hyrule.

Cheeks slightly flushed and no accompanying knight or sevant to be seen, it almost seemed that the Princess had run a few miles before meeting him. Princess Zelda smiles at him before nodding. “Your Highness,” the soldier bows after stepping away from the view. This elicits a chuckle from the princess.

“I have told you all that formalities are one thing we can do without,” says the Princess before her eyes take in what Warriors was enraptured by. “The view up here is beautiful is it not?”

The Princess steps closer to the railing and just as Warriors had done, her eyes take in the view of Hyrule and a light breeze sweeps past her golden hair. Warriors joins her in gazing at the land before replying softly. “Yes it truly is.”

“Do you ever miss home?” The princess’s eyes turn to him as Warriors shrugs. “Missing home comes with all the traveling your highness. Even more so with the numerous timelines now.”

“I am sorry.”

Warriors starts and his expression changes into one of surprise. “Whatever for, Your Higness?”

Princess Zelda sweeps her hand across the view. “Your family, maybe your descendants could’ve been living here. And sometimes I wonder, would Hyrule have not changed if my power came quicker?”

Warriors goes silent, wooing women was one thing but comforting them on such a subject?

“Li-Wild doesn’t remember much, and he only recovered his memory of Castle Town after another journey. And even then, it showed a vague image of the land.”

“In what way was it vague, Your Highness?”

Though he and the princess stand mere feet from each other, Warriors watches the princess’s eyes and thoughts sweep back to over a century. “The kingdom was happy, that was all really.”

“Your Higness,” Warriors speaks up and Princess Zelda turns to face him, her green eyes unreadable. “Hyrule here is changing. There is good change and there is bad change but trust me when i say that this Hyrule is merely beginning a journey of good change.”

A soft smile reaches the Princess’s lips and she nods. “I see, thank you for your words, sir Warriors.”

“Anytime your highness.”

Warriors bows once more, not seeing the princess’s expression change into steely determination.

“Sir Warriors, i have a task for you.”

“A task, Your Highness?” Confusion slips into his tone, and Warriors wonders what the Princess would need him for. “And what might this task be?”

The Princess brings out a piece of parchment from the pocket of her dress. “I require your assistance in translating this.”

Warriors cocks his head to the side as his hands take the parchment. “My assistance? Of course, your highness. I’m assuming it’s written in my Hylian?”

“Yes it is.” Princess Zelda bites down on her lip, her eyes not meeting Captain’s. “I was translating some of it but the rest of the words were too hard to decipher.”

“I see,” replies Warriors as Princess Zelda hands him. Another piece of parchment, the part she had translated. “In that case, I’ll pick up where you left off, your highness.”

That evening after dinner, Warriors sat down with the parchments he received from Princess Zelda. Opening a bottle of ink and readying a quill, Warriors took out Princess Zelda’s translation.

Usually he’d check the princess’s translation first before looking at the original work. He found it easier to find mistakes this way. The princess’s penmanship was fine from what he could see as Warriors began reading. But his heart nearly stopped when he saw his name.

Link.

Brows furrowing, Warriors continued to read the Princess’s words. And when the words abruptly stopped, he grabbed the other parchment that was in his own Hylian. Word after word, Warriors felt his heart thunder as realization sank in.

This was a letter from her.

Warriors checked the date, it was after her last letter to him, one he remembered all too well. Harsh words and pleading and fear was is that now second to last letter but this one...Her last letter to him, had somehow found its way to Wild’s timeline.

Her handwriting, her letters that he kept and read before a battle, the words that he always heard in her voice, her smile, her lilting laugh.

This was a letter from his lover.

Not the string of ladies he chatted up at inns or bars nor were it the women who pined after the affection of the captain of the guard. This was his best friend, his confidante, the woman he bantered like siblings with.

This was his lover.

The woman who would quite literally flip the world around if he were to ever go missing. This woman who pined after him wholly, scars and triforce and all. Unlike the other women in his travels, he would always always protect her while knowing she had his back and would go against tooth and nail to defend him. All while keeping up with his antics and pulling his ear if he got too far.

The princess, Warriors realises with a start, she read this letter and gave it to him after deeming it ‘too hard to translate’.

Warriors chuckled at that, ‘too hard’? He should’ve known what Wild’s Zelda was up to. The princess knew words in his Hylian that he didn’t know existed. Warriors traced the words at the end of the letter.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

He could hear her voice, that loving tone, and a smile unfurled on the strategist’s face. Tomorrow, he would ask Wild what his Princess preferred as a gift.

He needed to thank her after all.

It was a surprise to see Warriors and the Princess get closer. To the point where Wild drew his sword at the older’s face but Zelda had quickly calmed her attendant down. It was common to see Warriors helping the Princess with make up, or the former attempting to make the Princess her favorite cake after a particular day of researching. Warriors would be seen with the princess if Wild wasn’t around, accompanying her on strategic meetings. Wild was thankful for an extra hand in accompanying and took the extra free time to make the group’s favorite meals, particularly the Princess’s and Warriors’. Now not only did Zelda have one accompanying knight with a glare that could kill, she had two. And the Princess promised she would find more.

More letters from his lover, from his family and comrades and deliver them all. To not just him but to the rest of them.

And thus was the beginning of an unlikely yet beautiful friendship.

[cryptidcalling]

Clone AU time

So, Hill is from my clone AU, where very very rich people will secretly pay to have a clone of themselves made. There’s lots of different reasons one might want a clone. Many people who buy clones use them to get away with crimes because they’re genetically identical. In Hill’s case, he doesn’t want anyone except him to be in charge of his company.

Of course, Clone Wren didn’t turn out how they wanted him to. Unlike the stoic and unpersonable Hill, Wren is an Earth loving, people pleasing sweetheart. They’re not polar opposites, but they’re very different. Wren tried his best to replicate Hill and fill his role as a clone, but he struggled a lot, and everyone in Hill’s life quickly noticed that he was acting very very strange. Eventually, Wren cracked under the pressure and ran away. He withdrew a large lump some of cash from a number of surrounding ATMs, got on the first airplane out of state, and abandoned Hill’s entire life in favor of living his own.

This was a risky situation for Wren, because legally he is the property of the company that made him. He has a code branded on the side of his right hip, burned into the skin before he was woken so that the numbers are raised. Even if he tattooed over them, the numbers would still be visible. The number is 000283, the 283rd clone ever to be grown. Before he ran away, Wren also had to remove a tracking chip from his left calf, and he still has an indented scar there because he never got the wound treated. If Wren were to be found, the company that made him would be in every legal right to kill him, which they would. After that, his body parts (bones, organs, hair even) would be sold off. 

So, Wren was in a tight spot. He spent a lot of time moving around, and found that he was very enraptured by Earth’s natural beauty and the people living all around the country. He had to keep his face as hidden as he could, because Hill is someone many people would recognize from TV or magazines. Not because he’s famous or popular, or even enjoys being in the media, but because his sudden disappearance had stirred up a media storm. However, he’s not famous enough that someone would immediately recognize him with subtle changes. So, Wren grew out his beard a bit and let his hair get long, and although some people will notice eventually, it’s not as immediate of a reaction.

Wren eventually settles down in West Virginia, and his life from there on is much like canon Wren’s is. However, he has to be incredibly careful about who he gets close to and how much of his past he can reveal. Wren, but with secrets. 

As I said, back home, people have noticed the sudden disappearance of Weston Hill. His face is in news papers, magazines, on TV, all over social media, everywhere. People all have their theories about what happened to him. Some think he was kidnapped for his money, explaining all of the sudden withdrawals, but it wouldn’t explain why the kidnappers didn’t let him go after. Others think he was murdered, and that the company is trying to cover it up so they don’t hurt their profits. The people who have it the closest believe that everything just became too much for him, and so he abandoned his life’s work to start anew somewhere else. 

Hill didn’t much like people or the public. He hid away inside most days, and was rarely ever seen in person by the public eye. There are some people who care about him though. 

First off are his parents. They had a lot closer bond than canon Wren had to his parents when he was young. It sort of is opposite for them. Canon Wren’s relationship with his parents was strained in his youth, but became very strong in his adult life. Hill was very close with his parents in his youth, but drifted apart from them as an adult. Still, they love him very much, and he cares for them too. They never met Wren, so they never noticed the strange behavior. But they were crushed when they heard the news of their son’s disappearance. They hold out hope that their son is out there, but their overprotective thinking really leads them to think he’s hurt and scared somewhere with some evil kidnapper using him for his money. Meeting Wren would be great for them. They didn’t see him much as Hill either, so the change wouldn’t be nearly as dramatic for them, and Wren would feel incredibly happy to have parents that love him. However, he would worry a lot about them finding out about the truth and rejecting him for not being their real son.  

Another is his secretary Adeline. She’s an old woman, in her late 60′s, and she worked for Hill for many years. She’s one of the few people who saw him, or at least spoke to him, close to every day. They were never deep conversations, mostly about his schedule and about company statistics, but she grew to care for him anyhow. She has four of her own kids, all around Hill’s age when they first met (he was 32 when he died, and 27 when she started working for him). She fussed about him a lot, and always said he had ought to go outside more to get his Vitamin D, and when he was going out she would remind him to wear sunscreen because “That ginger skin of yours is delicate! It don’t handle the sun good without protection, an’ I don’t want’cha lookin’ like no tomato for your meeting at 5:00.” She knew better than to cross his boundaries. He had his own mother to love him, after all, but she did her best to look out for him as well as she could. He never felt that same bond with her, but he still appreciated the work she did for him at keeping everything organized. He even got her gifts on holidays, even when he never made a big deal out of it. Normally he would just leave it on her desk, and would never stick around to see her reactions. 

She noticed right away when ‘he’ started acting odd, and she was very sure something wrong was going on that he wasn’t telling her. She even asked Wren what was wrong and why he was acting funny, promising that it was okay for him to ask for help. In response Wren stuttered out an “I’m fine” before quickly walking away and refusing to talk to her for the rest of the day. Of course it hurt her feelings, but she wasn’t mad at him at all. It just made her more concerned. When he finally went missing, she was in a panic. She called his phone over and over, only to find it left behind in his room. She called everyone she could possibly think to call to ask where he was, but no one knew. The last trace of him was in an LA airport on a plane to Portland. The trail cuts off there. She genuinely wants to believe that he’s out there somewhere, happy and safe. She hopes that if he ran away to a new life, that he would at least be happier there. If she were to encounter Wren, she would scold him a lot for running off out of the blue, but when she was done she would just be delighted to know that ‘Hill’ is living a life that makes him genuinely happy. They would probably keep in touch after, and Wren would do whatever he could to keep his clone status a secret. He knows she wouldn’t turn him in, but he doesn’t want to hurt her with the truth. 

The last person to really feel the impact of Hill’s disappearance would be a man named Edwin. He’s an investor in Hill’s company, and like a company owner tends to do, Hill would meet up with him here and there to keep relations good. Edwin is in his early 40s, and he’s very rich. All of his money is old though, he’s a trust fund baby and all of his family’s wealth comes from his grandparents during the 1920′s. Because of that, he has a lot of free time and money on his hands, and liked to meet with Hill often (maybe two or three times a month). They would go golfing (which Hill hated), drinking at an expensive bar (which made Hill uncomfortable), or would have fancy dinners (which made Hill feel awkward). Edwin, or Eddy as he prefers, loved spending time with Hill. He thought that Hill’s aloof nature was fun to mess around with, and he always wanted to see how far he could push the boundaries until he got a reaction out of him. Of course, it was all good natured fun in Eddy’s eyes. He saw Hill as a friend, even if their friendship was odd. Hill, on the other hand, was bothered by Edwin more than anything. He was polite to him because he was giving Hill’s company money. He found Edwin bothersome and the meetings to always be unpleasant. He hated calling him “Eddy” like they were friends. He didn’t even like Edwin calling him by his first name. He would put up with it, but he would NOT put up with being called “Wes”. 

Eddy didn’t even know Hill had gone missing until he started showing up in the news. When Wren got too nervous to accept his invitations, he just assumed Hill was being colder than usual. He actually got rather angry towards the end of the month, right after Wren ran away. He sent an irritated voicemail saying that if Hill wasn’t interested in being polite enough to at least decline instead of ignoring him, then maybe his money would be better spent elsewhere. Of course, he felt extremely guilty when he learned Hill was missing. He still invests money to this day, 4 years after the disappearance, as his way of supporting a man he considered a friend. He thinks Hill his dead. He could never imagine him abandoning his company, and he could never imagine someone kidnapping him but not demanding more of his millions of dollars. Whenever he’s grieving, he often realizes that he doesn’t know very much about Hill at all. Yet, he grieves for him all the same. Meeting Wren would go very bad for him. He would be incredibly angry, screaming at Wren for leaving his company behind and not warning anyone of where he was going. He would immediately stop all of his investments into the company, and he would expose exactly where Wren was to the media as revenge. If he found out Wren was a clone, he would just hate him more. He’s a defective product. If he had just functioned like he was supposed to and stayed in his place no one would have had to worry or waste their time grieving. 

[deakyjohns]

Friends Will Be Friends - Ace!Reader x Queen

Based off the following prompt: Hello I’m sorry to bother you but could you please write a Queen x asexual reader please? Where the reader slowly realizes she’s asexual then is scared to admit it to the boys?

Warnings: Not a ton! Reader is anxious about coming out, so there are potential triggers there. [word count: 2,265] 

pls note: i don’t identify as ace but i am queer, so i’ve done my best to express what? coming out can be like? but everyone’s experience is different. hopefully this does some justice to that notion! <3

You knew everyone meant well.

That when Freddie told you anyone would be lucky to have you, or when Roger jostled your shoulder, pointing out potential suitors, it was because they cared about you. They thought it was what you would want. You used to think it would be what you wanted, too.

You weren’t sure how to tell them. It had been difficult to even figure it out yourself. You always understood the feelings you had, but putting a name to them had been something else entirely. Through your teenage years, you’d begun to find slight differences between yourself and your classmates. When they got excited about dating and relationships, you found yourself more interested in the books you were reading and the music you liked. You cared about your friendships and loved meeting new people, but you never really liked the idea of dating.

You used to assume it just meant you hadn’t met the right person.

In a few attempts to give it the old college try, you had gone on dates. Once or twice you’d had nice conversations with people over dinner or a drink, but you didn’t feel yourself longing to see them again. A date that you hadn’t had a particularly good time with once tried to kiss you, and you’d pushed him away out of instinct. He’d mumbled an apology and a good night and you hardly answered before flying up the stairs back into your apartment.

You leaned against your door, letting out a long breath. Part of you wondered if you should have just tried it to see if you’d enjoy it. But the rest of you knew you wouldn’t have.

It frustrated you to no end that the world, everyone around you, really, expected you to be a certain way when you just weren’t.

You didn’t want to think there was something wrong with you, but you felt like you had to look for answers. What was it that made you different? Why, when people talked about marriage, sex, and dating, did you feel like you came from some other world?

As silly as it made you feel, you found yourself at the front desk of the nearby university’s library looking for answers. A kind-eyed and young librarian peered at you through her glasses.

“Can I help you find something?” she asked politely.

“Yes, actually. I’ve got to write a paper for my human sexuality class?” It was a bit of a shot in the dark, but you were fairly sure you could get away without too many questions.

“Oh, sure. Are you comfortable with the Dewey Decimal System? I’ve just got to log a lot of returns up here.”

“Yes, no problem!” You’d had to prowl the shelves in search of horrendously obscure books before.

“Great,” she said, relieved, “thank you. You’ll want to head down to the early 300s. It’s got sociology and all that. Try… maybe 301 or 306?”

“I will,” you said, “thank you. Good luck with all those.” You pointed to the hefty pile of books on the cart beside her and she let out a quiet chuckle.

“Thanks. Good luck with your paper.” It took you a second to remember: you’d told her you were writing a paper.

“Oh, yeah, thank you!” And with that, you shuffled off into the stacks.

It took a while before you found anything that resonated with you. But eventually, after paging through countless indexes and glossaries, you found something that resonated with you–– and deeply.

You left the library with a bit of a spring in your step, but also a sinking feeling in your stomach. It felt so good to understand yourself. But understanding yourself meant that you’d be able to tell people. And you had four dear friends that you feared might not understand you the way you did.

You’d met Brian and Roger right as Smile was falling apart. Roger had tried to chat you up at the bar and since he’d made you laugh, he thought he was getting somewhere. Right as you were about to politely decline anything beyond a friendly drink, Brian came over, distressed. He let loose that Tim Staffel was thinking of leaving before Rog could make a snide remark about being interrupted, and when you expressed your despair at the possibility of the band breaking up, they both seemed cheered. You’d greatly enjoyed the music, and told them so. The night had ended with the three of you closing down the bar and the boys walked you home (or stumbled you there, on Roger’s part). After concerts, they began to count on seeing you, and you were swiftly introduced to Freddie and later John. You came to their shows as often as you could and soon you were part of the family.

What had started as the boys inviting you to parties after gigs had blossomed into a real friendship–– one you could never imagine living without. Sometimes you’d spend time with them while they were recording, and they’d even brought you along on tour for a few weeks once. You’d shared an apartment with John for a stint when neither of you could afford rent alone, and there had been many nights when the five of you all woke up in someone’s apartment, tangled together on couches, in beds, sometimes on the floor. You’d taken shifts in Brian’s hospital room when he collapsed on their first tour of the US.

You’d been through so much with them, and there was no way they’d abandon you just because you were different. They were all different, too. It’s why people loved Queen.

Your best friend and current roommate Amy reassured you of this about a hundred times as you got ready to go see the boys at a recording session. She sat on your bed as you tugged on a t-shirt and dug around in your closet for your favorite jacket.

“Those boys adore you, Y/N. And if they’re going to stop speaking to you over something like this, then they don’t deserve to call you their friend.” You sighed, voice echoing a bit as you spoke.

“I know, I know… But if for some reason they do stop speaking to me, it’s gonna break my heart. Even if it’s not worth the pain, you know?” Finally, you felt your hand brush against denim and you pulled your coat of it’s hanger, slinging it on. Amy stood and put her hands on both of your cheeks.

“They’re not going to. I really believe that.” She pressed a kiss to your forehead and you let out a soft chuckle.

“Thanks, Ames. I love you.”

“I love you too, babe.” You smiled at her and took a breath. With that, you picked up your bag and headed for the door. Amy’s voice drifted down the hall as you made your way to the front door. “And you let me know if something happens. I don’t care if those guys are famous, I will start a brawl!”

You laughed at that despite the pit in your stomach and hopped in your car. It was now or never, you supposed.

----

When you arrived at the studio, they were recording a song you’d never heard before. It was fun and a bit jaunty, which eased your nerves a bit. Brian stood in the booth, playing a guitar solo, and Roger and John were sat on couches at the back of the control room. Freddie sat, enraptured at the panel as you crept in, not wanting to disturb anyone.

John was the first to look up and notice you, and just as he was about to stand and offer you a much calmer and quiet greeting, Roger was on his feet and already halfway to the door.

“Y/N,” he cried, “just who we needed to see! Do you know, it’s been bloody boring without you all day.” You couldn’t help but laugh as he pulled you into a hug. Over his shoulder, Freddie glanced up at you and smiled, wiggling his fingers in greeting. Soon though, his attention was back to Brian, who was still laser-focused on his playing.

“It’s not as if I’m here all the time, Rog,” you protested, but he waved you off as the two of you separated.

“Well, we’ve been missing you anyway.” John nodded as he came over to greet you as well.

“It’s true, we were just talking about you,” he said, giving you a quick squeeze of a hug, “How are you, Y/N?”

“I’m all right. I’ve been wanting to talk to you all.” As you spoke, the sounds of the Red Special stopped.

“Hey there, Y/N,” came Brian’s voice over the speakers. “Good to see you! We’re just finishing up.” Freddie spun around and stood, planting a kiss on your cheek and grasping both of your hands in his.

“Yes, darling, do stay and have a chat. Brian here’s just finished his solo for Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy and we’re just about to have a spot of tea.” You grinned at the name of the song.

“One of yours, Fred?”

“Who else’s?” he replied with a dazzling smile, brushing his hair over his shoulder.

Once Brian emerged from the studio, the boys led you off to a little kitchen where Freddie put on a kettle.

“We’ve missed you,” Brian said, plopping down in a chair beside you, “How is everything?”

“It’s, er–– Well, it’s been good.”

“You said you wanted to tell us something?” John added helpfully. He always seemed to know when you were nervous, and you shot him a grateful smile. The kettle began to whistle and Freddie lifted it off the stove.

“Yes, I did,” you said, voice quieting a bit. Freddie passed mugs around and took a seat on your other side–– finally all eyes were on you. This wasn’t going to be easy, you knew that, but now with all of their gazes fixed on you with varying degrees of kindness and concern, you felt a little safer.

You cleared your throat in an attempt to push down the lingering anxiety. “Well, uhm… You all know that I don’t really… well, date. And, ah… I was doing some reading because I was feeling frustrated with everything and I…” You paused and took a deep breath. “I think I’m asexual.”

Time seemed to stop after you said it. It was still one of the first times you’d said it aloud, and your heart was pounding so loudly in your chest that you were sure you wouldn’t be able to hear their reactions. All of a sudden panic took over and you felt the need to speak again, as if you owed them an explanation. “I think I’ve known for a while now, but I never really had a name for it and then I went to the library and I started reading all these books and––”

A warm hand came to cover yours as it quivered on the tabletop and it was only then that you realized you’d begun to cry a bit. You looked up and Brian was smiling at you softly.

“That’s great, Y/N. I’m sure I speak for everybody when I say we’re happy that you’ve found a way to describe who you are.” He gave your hand a squeeze. “You know we all love you, and we’ll all be here to support you.” The other three boys gave you encouraging smiles and you nodded, reaching up to wipe the tears from your cheeks.

“I’ve just always felt different, and finally it just got too much. I was so scared.”

“Aw lovie,” Freddie cooed, throwing an arm around your shoulders, “why didn’t you tell us? You know we all would have been happy to help.”

“Well,” John ventured, “I’m sure it was a bit nerve-wracking. Not everyone is kind about these kinds of things. But nothing is going to change the fact that you’re our friend, Y/N. You’ve got us, no matter what.”

“It’s true,” Roger said, “we’d all go mad without you. And besides, if you’re asexual, that means there’s just more for the rest of us, eh?” Freddie shot him a long-suffering look from beside you, but the comment made you laugh as Roger knew it would. As you let yourself laugh, you felt some of the anxiety draining out of you.

“Oh god,” you said, “I’m so relieved. I was afraid that you’d all never want to speak to me again.”

“Nonsense!” Freddie cried, “you’d have to really do something terrible for that to happen, and I happen to know you haven’t got a mean bone in your body.” He paused for a moment and then smiled, standing up and gesturing for everyone to rise with him. “I propose a toast,” he announced, lifting his cup of tea in the air. “To our darling Y/N, whom we all love so dearly, and whom we celebrate on this day of discovery.” Everyone laughed at this, and Roger added in a cheerful “Hear, hear!” as you all clinked your mugs together.

You all drank your tea and spent the next little while catching up and laughing, just as you always did when you spent time together. When it came time for the boys to begin recording again and for you to head home, everyone joined in a group hug, placing you at the center. Standing there, literally surrounded by some of your closest friends, you knew you’d always have people in your life who loved you for who you were.

[rkchoutzuyu]

MGA5; Callback

Song: Starry night- mamamoo (0:01-2:01)

It took a bit of time after getting the email for her to actually decide to open it. For some reason she dreaded what it said. Logically, they wouldn’t reach out to her if they thought she was horrible but in the dark corners of her brain there was a question-a doubt. What if she’d been so horribly bad that they needed to inform her to follow another career path? It was silly, of course. However, it was really what was keeping her from reading the email. After an hour of it sitting unread in her inbox, she decided to open it. A few lines in, her heart had been racing. She had gotten a call back and needed to prepare another song to perform. She got to the next step and she would at least appear in the first episode-She wanted to think she’d get more than that, but for just then, she’d keep reality in mind. Very uncharacteristic of her. The MGA process was already making changes in her.

Tzuyu looks at the building they were instructed to go to as she approaches it and realizes not for the first time that she will be part of something big. In fact, it was bigger than the initial auditions. There was already a ton of people there- some had instruments, others had a number of props but Tzuyu didn’t feel unprepared. She’d rehearsed over and over in the days leading up to the call back. She’d even requested time off of work to practice. Her vocal and dance teachers had been happy to work with her as well. Though she was well prepared for the audition part of it, she felt unprepared to deal with having to meet people or greet her friends-even facing judges or talking to the staff felt like it was too much to handle. She takes a deep breath and walks into the building, following the process and giving her name when asked. Mostly she kept her head down until they were taken to the set. Immediately she was overwhelmed by the amount of people in chairs. The obvious table with the empty chairs that would be the judges in front of the stage reminded her of facing the TRC triple thread challenge again and she remembers how confident she’d been then in her creativity.

Everything was fine this time around. Tzuyu didn’t try to be creative this time around. In fact, this time she’d be singing and dancing and rapping. Unintentionally she’d chosen a song that forced her to present all three.

There were a few times while she prepared for the audition where Tzuyu cried. Even though the song’s “rap” was more fast singing or talk singing, she wondered if she was good enough. Was she going to fail once more? By the time she was seated among the other contestants, she was not concerned. She’d rehearsed about a thousand times and she would give it her all this time around. It was all she could do. Even her mother had found time to be around and had given her some advice. She told Tzuyu all she could do was try. She said, she shouldn’t worry about failure until it happened and even then, she should try again. It was the most heartfelt conversation they had had in a few months and it made Tzuyu feel like she’d gotten her mother back- There was the most important person in the world, having her back. She would not fail the MGAs.

The biggest surprised of the day came when the day proceeded, after everyone was seated, when they introduced the judges. It was none other than the CEOs of each company. ALL of them! They were all in the same room as Tzuyu and every contestant. That, of course, made Tzuyu and maybe any other contestant feel nervous all over. If one were to make a bad impression today, how would you even audition to these companies ever again? Tzuyu had already made a fool out of herself in front of Tiger JK but she was too concerned with it as she often has no idea how to gauge the way others perceive her. She thinks she’s nice enough to be generally liked. Which is what she assumes most of the time. The murmurs in the room started as people watched excitedly as the CEOs took their seat at the judges table. The more she thought about it, the happier she got that this was the case. Who else could have the authority to decide whether or not she belonged?

Unaware of what method they were using to call up contestants, Tzuyu watched enraptured as names were called and the other contestants performed their skill on stage. The other contestants might have clapped or cheered but the judges seemed to remain impartial-at least from where she could see them. Finally, her own name was called, and she delayed her response for a moment until she realized she’d been called. She stands up abruptly and heads to the stage. She’d been so entranced with watching other perform, she hadn’t paid attention to who called her name, but it was Katie Lee who asked her name. Tzuyu have a bow and a greeting before saying “I’m Chou Tzuyu. I’m 20 years old. Originally, I am from Taiwan but I have lived in South Korea for many years. Being an idol is my biggest pursuit and my only focus at this moment.” She felt she needed to add the last part given that there were many students auditioning or people mentioning their profession. This was everything to Tzuyu! “Today, I will be mostly showcasing my singing.”

She takes a look around and sees over 100 eyes on her and if she focused on the other contestants, she felt exhilarated. She felt excitement! There was something about performing in front of a group that took her to an alternate reality in her head and cause adrenaline to course through her veins. Tzuyu remembered how rapt she’d been with others and she hoped to make at least one person feel the same about her showcase. Unlike others, she didn’t bring props or an instrument, but she had provided a track and asked that they play it. Tzuyu turns around in preparation for the music and “starry night” starts playing over the speakers. She starts swaying with the choreography for about 15 seconds before turning around and singing the first lyrics of the song.

손끝이시리더니벌써봄이왔네 꿈같은바람이불어곳곳에

어둠의그림자깊은이밤에남겨진 달이달이밝아와 빛을그리고있어

The main reason why she chose the song is because the vocals were nice, smooth and soft. It was a beautiful song with a simple choreography that wouldn’t be taxiing for her to also show off on stage. It wouldn’t interrupt her breathing during the performance but still show some rhythm. The final reason was she chose it is for the inclusion of an easy rap than most songs. She could have chosen a purely vocal song but if there was ever a time to put all the cards on the table and challenge herself, this was it. Tzuyu was going all out and hoping it got her beyond this point.

내몸에서널뺀만큼 욕조에물이미련이되어넘쳐흘러 한숨이가득그공간을채워

새벽이찾아오면 혼자남겨질때면

The three lines of the soft rap of the song came and passed without a problem. Tzuyu did them at a higher pitch than the original given that the original was at a much lower range than she could fit. But by the time the bridge had also passed, she didn’t feel nervous. She’d done as best as she could and it was correct and flowed in time, allowing the song to continue uninterrupted and not pushing the lyrics or timing-which was important, given that she only had 2 minutes allotted for her showcase. The chorus was next:

Starry night 별이빛나는밤 니가휘휘휘불어와 너와나나눈수많은밤 나를취하게만들어 별이빛나는밤 야야야야이야 별이빛나는밤 야야야야야야야 별이빛나는밤

Tzuyu was a bit disappointed that “나를취하게만들어“ would contain the strongest vocal she’d sing in the time allowed for her performance. Still, it fit in with the performance, keeping a smooth and dainty vibe to it as she’d chosen. Even the simple moves in the choreography felt sufficient as she did them on stage during the chorus. Over all she didn’t feel lacking by that point even though she knew her time was running short.

The second verse went as smoothly as the first and the only struggle was the line “Do you want me to leave?No 난그자리그대로까만밤하늘에가려잠시보이지않는거야” Starting off in English added to the fact that she was also trying her hand at rapping and the faster speed wasn’t her forte as a little difficult. However, she had rehearsed it over and over and considered that she did as good as she’d done before. Though, it was a struggle, it had good as well as it was going to until she found someone to formally train her in vocalizing faster. Her style was definitely long, strong notes and she’d at least shown that while also doing decently at the softer rap.

새벽이찾아오면 혼자남겨질때면

It was the last line she song before her track finished and her turn was over. She gave a bow to the judges and walked back to her seat to watch the rest of the performances. In her head, she hoped the judges enjoyed watching her perform as much as she had loved being on that stage. It wasn’t until the day progressed that she came to the realization that there had been cameras on her as well as other people’s eyes. All the more exciting! Tzuyu was made for this.

[bunnyravit]

VIXX's reaction when they go to a blind date (at first they didn't want to) but they are just mesmerized by "you" ? Thanks very much

Ok, I super enjoyed thisone, so thank you! Hongbin in particular is such a freaking brat about it. OMG, they’re all so long. I hope you enjoy them! As usual, thank you so much for waiting, babe!

N

Even though he doesn’twant to go, Hakyeon still approaches the date with graciousness and civility.It’s not your fault that your mutualfriend decided to meddle in your lives, so he’s not about to take out hisfrustration on you. His mama raised him better than that. He makes reservationsat a nice, romantic restaurant, puts extra effort into how he dresses, and preparesquestions and topics of conversation. He’ll make sure the night is worth it foryou, so when he lets you down easy, you and your friend can’t accuse him of notgiving it a chance. He shows up to the restaurant early, primping himself inhis selfie camera out of restlessness more than nerves. Then, he sees you walk throughthe door. Immediately, you catch his eye. The way you walk, the slow smile thatilluminates your face when you see him—he’s hypnotized. So hypnotized he almostforgets to respond when you say hello. He stands too fast and stutters“nice to meet you.” But then he straightens his jacket, regains hiscomposure, and leads you to the table. You speak eloquently and passionatelyabout what you do, that it makes him wish he’d studied it more. In the middle oftelling you about something that happened at rehearsal, he catches yourexpression, listening so attentively, and it makes his heart flutter. Maybeyour friend was right to meddle in your lives.

Leo

It’s impossible to describethe intense indignation he feels about going on this date. He doesn’t enjoysmall talk with strangers, let alone trying to get to know them—and flirting wasworst of all. You sound nice enough from what your friend says, but Taekwoondoesn’t think set-ups are any way to find true love. Tonight will be 80%awkward silence and 20% awkward conversation. He’d rather get a rootcanal. He begrudgingly gets dressed up and goes to the coffee shop,tapping his foot anxiously while he waits. He chose a coffee shop hoping for aspeedy end to the date, but right now he’s stuck dreading the beginning. Herefolds his scarf around his neck, wondering how soon he can leave withoutbeing rude. Then someone catches his eye as they walk past the window—someonebeautiful. To his surprise, they enter the coffee shop. They see him, and witha quiet resolution, keep walking his way. You introduce yourself. He softly echoesyour name, but then clears his throat and greets you. You ask him a question,and then he asks you another, and the conversation flows so naturally it’sanother fifteen minutes before you even get a chance to order. About halfwaythrough the date, he realizes how calm he feels with you, and a broad, dumbsmile spreads over his face as he watches you raise your mug to your lips.

 Ken

Jaehwan always likesmeeting new people, so he knows it will at the very least be a fun evening—helives to flirt and show people a good time. He knows he’ll make you laugh, andthe night might even end with a kiss. But…he doesn’t expect anything deeper.It’s not because of you. He just hasn’t had real, deep feelings about anyonesince he was a teenager, and he’s starting to think he just can’t anymore. Heplans on giving you a date to remember, because he’s certain it will be theonly one you share. When Jaehwan gets to the noraebang and gives the host hisname, the host tells him his date is already in the room. Jaehwan opens thedoor and sees you from behind, humming and dancing by yourself as you scrollthrough the song catalog. You’re…adorable. How could such a little moment beso captivating? Then you turn around and see him. Surprise freezes him on thespot. “Is this your first time using a door?” you ask, smirking.“It’s easy, you just open it, come through, and then close it behindyou.” He laughs bashfully, and finally comes inside. You sing your firstsong together, and then you have drinks, and sing another song. Your laughradiates warmth, and you look at him in a way that makes him want to becompletely honest with you. The night passes without him even knowing it.

Ravi

Wonsik has so muchanxiety about tonight. He’s already awkward when it comes to flirting—ablind date only makes it worse. He doesn’t know why he even agreed to this. Ok,yes he does. He really, really wantsto meet someone outside work. Then, when he told your mutual friend he wantedto see this exhibit, she told him you should go together. He paces in the lobbyof the museum, wondering if his clothes are appropriate, and what he should saywhen he meets you, and his palms start to sweat. What if there’s a longsilence? What if there’s no chemistry? You probably won’t get his humor, andthen things will be so uncomfortable. “Hello?” you ask, and startle him.He spins your way, and stops, paralyzed. “You’re Wonsik, right?” you ask. Hiseyes sweep your face, and his lips part, but he can’t remember anything he’dplanned to say. There’s something familiar in your expression, like he’s knownyou a long time. You purse your lips. “Did she tell you I was prettier orsomething?” He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and says, “That’snot possible.” You laugh, and it strikes him right in the heart. You walk aroundthe gallery together, talking about the how long you’ve both been fans of theartist. At some point, he stops looking at the pieces, and watches yourreaction to them instead. Your gaze is so genuine and thoughtful. You notice,and look back at him knowingly, and he realizes there’s nowhere he’d rather bethan right here in this moment with you.

Hongbin

Hongbin is only goingbecause your mutual friend beat him at Overwatch—a freak accident that he neversaw coming when he agreed to the terms of the bet. Your friend insists that herintentions are pure and that he’ll really like you, but he doesn’t buy it. Somany people have wanted to date him, and it’s always been because of his looks orfame. If he has to sit through a night of insincere flirtation, he’s not goingto make it easy for you. He’s taking you on a cheap date to an arcade. Hethrows on a t-shirt and jeans, musses his hair to try to look like he put inzero effort—but he can’t stand his hair like that, and ends up fixing it. Totop everything off, he shows up thirty minutes late. When he gets there, hedoesn’t see anyone waiting, but he does see someone killing it at a zombieshooting game. He watches them play, enraptured by their focus, and cheers whenthe console says New High Score—then beside the score, he sees yourname. You turn around, coolly, clearly annoyed with him for being so late, andhis heart drops into his stomach. Flustered, he tries to come up with anexcuse. You interrupt him, “I’m sure you’re used to everyone kowtowing toyou, but we non-idols try to respect others’ time.” “I-I’m so sorry.Let me make it up to you. There’s a nice restaurant down the block—” Youlook him over. “I don’t think you’re dressed for that.” “Please,I feel bad. What can I do?” he asks, surprising himself with how much he actuallycares. With a coy head tilt that makes his heart beat faster, you tell him ifhe wants to take you to dinner, he’s going to have to beat you at DDR first.

Hyuk

Your friend had been tryingto set you two up for months, so Hyuk finally made her a deal: he’d see you,but if it didn’t go well, she could never set him up with anyone again. Determinedto never suffer through another blind date, Hyuk picks a bad movie and apoorly-reviewed restaurant for after. He texts you when he’s on his way to thetheatre, but you don’t respond. He grins, assuming you looked up his choicesand decided to bail. However, when he arrives at the theatre, he sees someone,looking effortlessly chic in jeans and a fashion sweatshirt, adamantly playinga game on their phone. They look kind of like your friend described you, so on ahunch, he texts you “look up.” You pause, slowly raise your eyes, and jump whenyou see him looming over you. “Oh! I didn’t respond to your messages earlier!”you say bluntly. “Yeah. I thought maybe you weren’t coming.” “Oh, no,” youlaugh in embarrassment, and the blush in your cheeks is so charming he has tosit down. “It’s just that I was nervous—my friend told me about the stakestonight,” you go on, “so I was playing this game to relax, and I just got…completelyabsorbed in it. This is a terrible apology.” He laughs out loud, and forgivesyou. He still takes you to see the movie, but it isn’t as bad as you think it’sgoing to be, and instead of the restaurant, you walk around for a while, justtalking, and then hit up a convenience store for a late night snack. There’ssomething about you he can’t put into words, but he realizes he likes it somuch he doesn’t want the night to end.