#(yami and dark matter respectively)

[aimervee]

Shoutout to ominous orb final bosses, both which strip the hero of their power and then are defeated with the help of the hero’s friends cheering them on and telling them to never give up (accompanied by an emotional soundtrack)

[ap-kinda-lit]

You know what they should have done in YuGiOh? You know what would have made a cool antagonist/monster?

This piece of work ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Apep (aka Apophis)

(aka Apophis) was a monstrous snake from Egyptian mythology. It’s not clear, but it seems like Apep has existed for, well, eternity. He was born from either goddess Neith’s saliva or Ra’s umbilical cord (no seriously). He’s just about always a snake (a creature normally respected and even admired in Egyptian lore, but not in this case…) and a big one. I mean, huge. Accounts vary, but he’s been described as reaching 16-120 yards in length (48-360 feet). Either way, he was a unit.

Egyptian mythology is fairly grey when it comes to good and evil, but when it comes to Apep…yeah no, they make it crystal clear that m*therf*cker was evil incarnate and every one feared and hated him. Saying his name alone was cursed, like Voldemort.

And for good reason, because Apep was a damn beast. Even the gods were nervous about him.

He created storms, earthquakes, and eclipses with his roar or just by moving. He could hypnotize people, mortals and gods alike, and he devoured souls, living and dead. The worst part of that, though, was that the souls would not die. Instead, they would be trapped in an endless void of darkness that was basically a hellish limbo. But, most of all, his favorite thing to do was pick fights with the sun god Ra and eat him alive. He would literally swallow the sun whole.

Yeah, that’s what he did. He would come after Ra, the god of the sun and king of the heavens, and they would do battle. Apep’s main goal was always to devour the sun, destroy Ra, and plunge the world into darkness and chaos. Sometimes, he would succeed in swallowing Ra, and it would take all the gods joining forces to free him from the snake’s belly. As a matter of fact, even Set—the literal god of chaos, an Egyptian Loki—would join in. Hell, it’s even said he stabbed Apep with a spear. Seriously. That’s how bad Apep was.

Priests would hold rituals every year to ward off Apep and the rituals consisted of going ham on a picture/sculpture of him. There was even a whole guide called “The Books of Overthrowing Apep”. Apep was essentially invincible, he could not be killed, even by the gods. All they could do was cut him to pieces and cast him into the underworld. But he would always come back sooner or later.

Apep was a bad, bad SOB.

So I’m thinking, how the hell did they not so much as mention him in Yu-Gi-Oh!?

He’s perfect! He’s a primordial kaiju that embodies chaos and eats gods like fruit snacks. Like, screw the Leviathan or Zorc, look at this guy. He makes the Leviathan from the DOMA arc look like a baby. Zorc is darkness incarnate? Bitch, Apep is right there. That job is already taken. Also, keep in mind that Ra was the first pharaoh, the forefather of all pharaohs. About every pharaoh in history was associated with the sun and Ra. Atem/Yami Yugi was destined to encounter Apep at some point.

I seriously wish there was an arc including Apep. Hell, I would sell my kidney to replace the goddamn Waking the Dragons arc with a different arc on Apep (in case you didn’t know, I don’t care for the DOMA arc).

Please tell me I’m not alone on this.

*bonus

Sometimes Ra (or Bastet or Hathor) would transform into a cat to fight Apep and it was shown in hieroglyphs. Here’s one of them.

I just think that’s neat

[mentalhells]

Bulimaking SHOW/Kasho Ka SHOW/カショオ化SHOW

(original lyrics)

I'll dig in to that I'll dig in to this too I'll dig in to it all "Let's dig in"

It tastes so good, it hurts so bad I can't stop it, it won't end I want to eat, I want to barf Bread and words, all of it

Cake, macarons, parfait, crepe, They become pink flowers Ice cream, choux cream, Have bloomed into deep crimson flowers

Each time the pointer on the gauge sways My mental health starts to shake I'm getting shaken up tonight, yummy yummy*

Bulimaking SHOW I wanna eat anything and everything Bulimaking SHOW I wanna try to eat my dreams and stuff Bulimaking SHOW I wanna eat anything and everything May I binge and purge? Bulimaking SHOW

It’s so fun, it hurts so much Whose fault, It’s your fault I want to disappear, I want to erase Fat, meat, and my body whole

Sushi, ramen, sushi, ramen They become a seven-coloured rainbow Carbonara, arrabbiata What colour will they turn?

Indigestion For some reason, I just can’t eat enough Indigestion I can’t eat away enough of the nightmares too Indigestion Somehow, I'm not satisfied It doesn’t taste good Can't take in, process, digest it**

Sweet or bitter, I don't understand Spicy or salty, it doesn’t matter It's like I'm chewing on a flavourless game

I'll dig in to that I'll dig in to this too I'll dig in to it all "Let's dig in"

Bulimaking SHOW I wanna eat anything and everything Bulimaking SHOW I wanna try to eat the whole world Bulimaking SHOW I wanna end it right away Because it just won’t end

ah Bulimaking SHOW I wanna eat, wanna eat so bad

Bulimaking SHOW I wanna eat, wanna eat so bad

Bulimaking SHOW With a thrust of my middle finger Thanks for the meal

Bulimaking SHOWification SHOWification SHOW Bulimaking SHOWification SHOWification SHOW

TRANSLATION NOTES this may not be an urbangarde song but the lyrics are still written by mr. matsunaga so i'm putting it here!!!!!

the word カショオ/Kasho is slang for the act of binge eating and purging that we typically just refer to with the medical term bulimia, whereas 化/Sho as a suffix is something like “-ification”or “-ization". obviously the wordplay isn’t as good as the original but i tried lol

*very likely a pun on yami as phonetic readings for 闇 and/or 病, litereral/metaphysical darkness and sickness/illness respectively

**i thought it was interesting that the term 消化不良 refers both to physical indigestion and not being able to digest or process information seeing as disordered eating and other self-harm can be triggered by stress… so i wanted to try to work that in somehow

[pochipop]

＃BLACK CLOVER !! ♡ — HAVING AN ARTIST LOVER.

#. synopsis! — how they show support and love to their artist partner .

#. characters! — magna, luck, finral .

#. warnings! — none .

#. alt accounts! — @ddollipop (nsfw) @yyolkchi (reblog/spam) .

#. others! — navigation & masterlist .

＃ MAGNA !! ♡

— At first, he admittedly just doesn't get it. He's not mean about it, of course, and he supports anything you want to do in your free time that makes you happy (within limits, obviously. . .) but he can't say he really understands.

— Magna has always preferred more physical hobbies, and these days, those include joyriding on Crazy Cyclone, sparring with Luck, and creating general havoc just for the hell of it.

— So, the fact that you have what he views as such a leisurely hobby is somewhat unusual to him. But he wants to engage with your activities the way you engage with his, and after a few weeks, he puts forth the effort to really do so.

— It's not much in the beginning. He pays you some compliments here and there, which are incredibly sweet, but that's pretty much the bulk of it. Until he comes back from a mission with Yami and Finral and seeks you out for some recharge time.

— When Magna half walks, half stumbles into your room, he's more worn out than anything else. No severe injuries, nothing to worry about, just some general fatigue and a body begging for rest. Which he does at your demand, in your room, on your bed, all while you sit on the floor surrounded by tubes of paint.

— It's then that Magna truly gets it. He watches as you mix colors, brushstrokes blending and smoothing the paint out over the canvas with just a skilled flick of your wrist. It's like he's watching you perform magic all of your own.

— From then on, he likes to watch you paint when you'll allow it. Sometimes, you do request some privacy, especially when your social meter is running a little low, and he respects that! But he's always excited when you allow him the pleasure of watching you create art.

— To him, it feels like he's seeing a side of you that only comes out through colors that you layer with a brush. It feels like an honor to witness it.

— Magna is the type to shed literal tears if you paint him something and offer it to him as a gift. He would display it so proudly in his room, front and center, so much so that it would be impossible to miss it, even if you were just glancing inside.

— His compliments get heavier the more invested he becomes. He might even ask you to teach him how to paint something simple one day, even if he knows it won't turn out the best. It's the experience with you that counts!

＃ LUCK !! ♡

— He doesn't really have the type of patience that's required of someone to just sit down and watch someone paint. That would likely end up pretty disastrously, actually, what with his destructive habits and all. . .

— Still, Luck likes to see the finished products! He likes that you're sharing something special to you with him, especially when you tell him that he's the first/only person besides you to have seen a particular piece!

— His compliments aren't particularly nuanced or deep, usually just comments on your usage of specific colors or imagery, but you take them with a smile each time because you know he means it when he says them. He's always genuine, no matter the repetition.

— He has a habit of pointing out bright colors in your artwork, even when they're stifled amongst neutrals or darks. Luck really likes it when you paint with neons, which is a pretty rare occurrence since they can take a while to build up, and they're difficult to work into average pieces, but he secretly wishes you'd use them it more often. They're his favorite!

— Luck definitely has a very unique way of wording his praise. He's not particularly well-versed in art lingo or terms, since that's far from his area of expertise, so when he pays you compliments, they tend to be a little odd (in a charming way!)

— "I really like this one! The colors are really. . . BAM! It's exciting and fun! Makes me want to rush into a battle!"

— It's pretty clear that Luck doesn't get it. He's a warrior at heart, always ready to jump into a fight, and when he's not doing that, he's off somewhere causing mischief. So, it comes as no surprise that he's not exactly the artist type. But he supports you as best he can nonetheless, even when he's doing it right.

— Luck would take extra steps to not be loud or destructive near your room when he knows you're painting! He would also offer to try and make his sparring matches with Magna more dynamic so that you could have a cool point of reference for a painting.

＃ FINRAL !! ♡

— Fake it till you make it. Finral pretends to know a lot about art and painting in the beginning, just to make you happy. Unfortunately for him, he's not a very good pretender. You always knew when he was pulling something from nowhere but would never comment on it. You were just thankful he cared enough to make that large of an effort to show interest.

— In doing so, he tries too hard at first, using terms he doesn't really know the meaning of just to sound informed. You also find him skimming books related to art history and related subjects every now and again. It warms your heart, to say the very least.

— As Finral settles into the relationship, you see different sides of him. He becomes more genuine as you slowly chip away at his walls. And eventually, he comes clean about being all but fully clueless about art. You pretend to be shocked in the wake of his flustered confession.

— It doesn't really matter to you if he knows a lot about art. More than anything, you're just glad he has even a passive interest in your hobby, and you're thankful that he'd go to such lengths just to show you support.

— He enjoys watching you paint and would likely be the type to offer up a chunk of his skin as a canvas for you. Finral would be honored to have you paint his forearm, maybe his thigh or back. . . It feels intensely intimate to him. He also likes the way the brushes feel against his skin.

— He thinks of your art as an extension of you, so he treats it with the utmost respect. If you paint him something as a present, Finral will absolutely stare at it for long periods of time uninterrupted. If Magna catches him doing it, he won't hear the end of it for weeks.

— Is very earnest about the compliments he gives and loves to hear you talk about painting ideas for the future. Gets super invested in whatever you do, loves it all and will be vocal about it with a blush on his cheeks.

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

Prompt: How they ask for a kiss?

Pairing: Yami x Charlotte; YamiChar

Genre: fluff

Fanfic type: Oneshot

Length: ~1k

tag: @eme-eleff​

Dimming light of the sun painted the sky, the horizon and the land in the horizon with soft, warm light. Hues of yellow and orange danced around as night was ready to start settling in. Stars were ready to climb to the sky and allow the word to bathe in silver light.

The street lights were lit, preparing for the night, and the bars, inns, taverns and restaurants were busy. Occasionally there was a loud laugh from somewhere, a group of friends walked by, a pair of lovers held hands and looked at each other with adoring gazes. Peace and tranquillity, laughter and fun times. Charlotte and Yami were surrounded by it all.

The dinner had been… alright. Though they had mostly talked about work. Simply because it was the most pressing topic and they knew… some things, little things about each other already. Pretending like they were starting from zero was pointless.

The confession, had been spoken out, which is why they were here. Having a date, spending time together. But still, it was difficult to unlearn the motions that had kept them dancing around each other for years.

Or, rather had kept her dancing around him. Because she had been in love with him for longer.

Though Yami himself wasn’t sure exactly how long he had been in love with her. As in, he had respected and admired her for long. But loved? Of that he wasn’t quite sure.

Not that it mattered. The strength of their shared feelings wasn’t in how long those emotions had been building, it was in the way they chose to nurture them; work through the differences and troubles life threw at them.

But still, they walked side by side, keeping hands to themselves.

To Yami, it didn’t make much of a difference, because she was with him. She was his, as much as she could be. And at that moment it was enough. Her, just being there, on a date with him, spending time with him, walking down that street as the lights of the world were dimming down; she was with him, welcoming the night.

To him, it was enough that she didn’t shudder away from his darkness, rough edges and rigid corners of the language that didn’t quite tumble from his tongue in the right way. At that moment, and he supposed, for as long as he lived. The fact that she’d be by his side, for the rest of his days on this earth, it was enough. With all that it’d entail.

But. At that moment, she felt slight envy for all the lovers, walking hand in hand. Lesser nobles and commoners that weren’t as burdened with titles and honorifics. Those people were much more free than she was, and that she envied. Because the years of etiquette being taught to her. To not run in the halls. To appear a certain way. To not need a man.

Though, perhaps the question she should have asked from herself, was: was this her ‘wanting’ a partner, instead of ‘needing’ a man.

Yami’s eyes turned to her as they walked, as her ki told him enough. She was down, being swayed by melancholy. And his eyes followed her gaze as she tried to not look at the soft, caressing touches of other couples who were, in her mind, free to express their love and affection.

His eyes, grey as gun metal, watched her soft, blue, heaven -like eyes, as they longed for something.

But that something was one that he could give her.

“Hey, Charlotte?” He asked with his low, sultry voice that vibrated through the air, as if looking to caress her ears and all that came after them.

“Yes?” She asked, glancing back at him.

He stopped, in the middle of the street. There were only a few people passing by, in the fading light of the evening.

And she stopped too, turning around to him with a confusion painted frown.

“Prickly princess…” he uttered again, as a smirk tugged the corners of his lips.

“Yes?” She repeated as her frown grew more prominent; for he was up to something.

He took a step closer to her, nearly closing the distance between them, and placed his palm, rough, rugged and hardened by life, onto her cheek, soft as a petal at spring.

“A kiss?” There was an undertone of implore in his whisper, but in his eyes, and on his lips, there was a smirk, almost smug; almost confident. Almost. Because she could run from him, and the kiss. She always could.

That was the one thing he dreaded; that one day she’d run from him, in a way that mattered. Because that… that, he was sure, would break him.

He wished such a day would never come.

And she looked around, blush collecting onto her cheeks. Here?! With all these people watching?! She thought as her eyes kept shifting to anyone who might be watching.

Her heart was racing. Her head felt light from the sheer thought.

But. Was this not better than what she had wished for? Was this not better than to hold his hand?

It was.

It was, so much better. And she wasn’t embarrassed of him. She wasn’t embarrassed of her emotions. Instead, she was proud. She chose to be proud. Because she did love him.

And so, she nodded, as a smile crept onto her lips.

He leaned forward, and down, and she mirrored his movements, lifting her chin. The moment before their lips met, seemed like a third of an eternity, but it was worth it. To show, right there and then, that they belonged to each other.

The place, and the time, might not have been special. But what is love that is not professed at so-called meaningless occasions? What is love that is not being shown on a daily basis, but only during anniversaries and marked days in the calendar?

She didn’t know, and she didn’t care to know. Because this, right here, with him, love that was just them, being in love and choosing to be in love, was the only one, she wanted to know.

[veiledsilver]

What Your Favorite Black Bull Says About You

I’m sure this list has been made already, but has a list been made with these sizzling hot takes that are specifically mine? Doubt it. Before you go in, this list was made for fun and not an actual attack on your character lol

Asta: You don't have the patience for this wizardry book nonsense, not when all you need is your huge muscles and willingness to throw hands. Essentially you're this post:

Noelle: It doesn't matter whether you love or loathe her siblings, you all want them to be punished on such a grand scale it resets the karmic balance forevermore, preferably in a hilarious fashion. You also think her next few outfit spells should include pants and a sports bra so Tabata can't traumatize you ever again.

Magna: You like delinquent tough guys with hearts of gold, or you like underdogs who never actually get a mysterious powerup that make them strong- or both! In any case, Magna is your special little boy and when he did THAT in the manga you damn near exploded. If you haven't seen it yet... I guarantee you will.

Luck: You like characters that act all bright and cutesy but... deep inside their hearts... they harbor d̵͍̲͑ä̴̜̻́͝ṛ̷̗̑̇k̶̟̿͘n̵̮͈͑ẻ̴̥ş̸̪̐͊s̴̙̀̐. To be fair Luck does not hide his feral energy deep within his heart but you still like the contrast between his cute :D face and the way he causes bodily harm. His backstory spoke to you in some way.

Finral: Hm. I would say you relate to his struggles as the least favorite kid in the family, or feel like you can't keep up with your peers in general... but it's actually his dyed tips isn't it. Also you have to deal with people being like "but isn't he a pervert?!" like ALL the time even though he's trying to be better. My heart goes out to you.

Gauche: I don't know if you guys actually exist, but if you do, you probably have to deal with people being like "but doesn't he nosebleed over his sister?!" like ALL the time even though he also kills people for her. You wish he had more moments where he's cool and strong and not nosebleeding.

Charmy: You saw Charmy going around eating food to her heart's content and wearing a cute sweatshirt instead of participating in the stupid male gaze and said "oh, I respect that." You like the rare fictional women who participate in traditionally female roles like cooking but can also be terrifying on command.

Henry: Henry is your poor little meowmeow and you want to snuggle him and feed him soup. Like, I may be exaggerating, but am I wrong? You may also like how cool his magic is- I mean, rearranging buildings is a pretty slapping power- and that he can still play a role in fights without his disability magically being cured or handwaved away.

Zora: You want the heroes to destroy the system that thrives on classism and corruption, and are disappointed that Zora kind of stopped doing that. Sorry, bro, but this is a shounen, and 2/3rds of the Big Three ended with the corrupt system not being destroyed, so. I think you listen to songs about bringing down the Man and not wanting to be an American.

Secre: Let me guess, you watched Princess Tutu. Well, if you didn't, Secre fans, I suggest you do. You think you're emo and want to drown in those moody feelings because you like it or your crush turned out to be dating someone already. Do you make those artsy monochrome edits of anime characters with kpop idols because I always see Secre on there.

Vanessa: Look into my (metaphorical) eyes. Do you have a complicated relationship with your mother? Hm... I see... really?... ok... well, I'm glad we had this talk! Anyway I'm guessing you really, really like women. I think that should be our topic of conversation next time. Just make sure you look respectfully.

Gordon: You probably also have that problem where people can't hear you and they're like "SPEAK UP I CAN'T HEAR YOU" until you give up. I can relate. You... also... (mumble mumble mumble mumble mumble mumble mumble mumble. Mumble mumble mumble mumble).

Gray: You think shapeshifters are really cool and probably headcanon Gray as Not Cis in some way, which is extremely valid. You are proud of her for how she's starting to speak up and stand up for herself, although you might (like me) think she's way too good for Gauche. Sorry, Gauche fans. But she really is.

Yami: Quick! Close your eyes and visualize Yami! You didn't actually see Yami, did you. Only the wide expanse of his very defined abs. You either don't like Charlotte for being a homewrecker or you relate to her strongly. I don't think I've met even one Yami fan who hadn't been drawn to him for his tits you can crack walnuts in.

Nacht: If you went one anime generation back, you would be into Sasuke. I've never seen the show about Boruto's dad but I know this to be the case. They're both edgy, have dark powers, and have a tragic backstory involving their brothers. You want a significant other who's mean to everyone but you, but let's face it. Nacht will also be mean to you.

Morgen*: You want the illusion of the same thing, but you also actually want to be treated nicely instead of nitpicked for your flaws at all times. I know you have a fanfic of him not dying somewhere in your writing medium of choice. Come on, show it to us, don't be shy haha. Your fellow Morgen stans are withering away...

*I know he's a Grey Deer but I needed the joke to set up properly. Let me live

[uozlulu]

Black Clover chapter 331 reaction and spoilers

Between the spoiler I saw because I got curious about Lucius as a trending topic (and Twitter said it was about Our Flag Means Death) and Ciel standing before Yuno on the first page of this chapter, I can tell this is going to be one of those chapters I’m just going to internally scream throughout the entire chapter.

As I always suspected, Yuno chooses Asta and Clover, but I like that Yuno does have this opportunity to reconnect with his mother no matter what the future holds for him.

I still love how Asta and Yuno constantly move in parallels as any good rival pair should. Even though Licita is truly dead, Asta still got to see her and learn about her through Liebe, and I love that so much especially because off screen Asta can learn even more about Licita through Liebe as they continue to grow their bond together.

What I’ve always liked about Damnatio is that he does truly have Clover Kingdom’s best interests at heart. This is why we can trust the information coming from him about the devils even though he’s an antagonist towards Asta and the others. I also like that Damnatio takes this information directly to Julius. They’ve been working together for a while now, which is part of the theory I’ve had for a while now that Julius would become some kind of antagonist one day. It’s clear that Damnatio trusts Julius and respects him. I think Damnatio was hoping either a) his suspicions were false and Julius would help him find the correct analysis or b) if they were correct, Julius and he could work towards a plan to stop Astaroth. It’s also kind of a shame that Damnatio trusts and respects Julius because that’s what’s going to get him killed now.

As I found out because I click on trending topics no thoughts head empty (which is how I got spoiled for Joy Boy accidentally a few weeks ago), Lucius is the final Zogratis sibling and was lurking within Julius. The sun symbol is interesting since Loyce had sun magic and the Zogratis siblings do look like they could be related to Yuno (though that could also just be a stylistic thing).

I also really like how the reason that Julius’ grimoire looks like that is because it’s actually Astaroth’s grimoire spinning constantly while concealing its cover. I’m curious if this means that Lucius has always been Astaroth or if Lucius himself also has his own grimoire and his own power in the them of his siblings (blood, bone, and body). If so, then perhaps Lucius’ actual magic is soul magic, which might also be how he was able to create Julius with a soul that’s the antithesis of his own.

Adrammelech presents Luciferio’s heart to Lucius, likely for Lucius to consume. I’m curious if Lucius wanted to consume Megicula and Beelzebub’s hearts too or not.

What I’m curious about now is since we know that the Dark Triad were younger than they were during the coup when Lucius still lived with them if Lucius did a Yoko Kurama and let himself be born as Julius or if he just rewound himself with a time spell and a noble family adopted him as Julius or if he implanted himself in Julius much like how Patri and Vangeance shared a body. I’m also curious if the Dark Triad knew where he went in specifics or generalities too.

I feel really bad for Marx who is going to take this possibly hardest of all. Also Yami and Vangeance too, who will both feel probably the weight of that loss and also the weight of being unable to stop it. It’ll be interesting to see how characters react and how the news of Luicus killing Julius will play out for all involved across the kingdom. The next arc is called The Ultimate Wizard King, so I would think it might be a war of succession kind of arc, but at the same time kind of hoping it’s more than that especially because the Spade Arc was a long war arc.

It’s going to be interesting to see how angels or the divine might also play a role in the upcoming arc. We know that Charlotte was cursed by something that doesn’t look like a devil and we know that Nacht spoke to something from above that criticized him for looking for spiritual guidance after trying to make a deal with a devil. Tabata is always good about returning to such things so it’ll be interesting to see how that will fit into the final arc.

I’m also really glad and grateful that Jump is going to let Tabata take some time to really work on the final arc and get it ready before putting him back into weekly deadlines. I was around for Kubo vs. Jump during the Fullbringer Arc of Bleach and that was honestly at times genuinely painful to watch not just because of the narrative choices but also because of the fact we all knew Kubo was ill at the time and Jump was having none of it. I’m glad that Jump has learned from that experience not just because it’ll give us a better story, but also because nobody deserves to be under that situation either. It’s also why the Fullbringer Arc’s ending doesn’t bother me as much as it could.

Anyway, I’m really excited to see where the story is going to go from here and I can’t wait to find out where we’ll pick up when Black Clover returns even if we have to wait some months for that to happen.

[honeypirate]

Another Yami one!

Yami x fem reader who wears a bikini and I think all people can wear bikinis regardless of anything. I wear one and I feel really goddamn good in it.

Anyway on to the story inspired by the underwater times.

“I’m going ahead early, y/n, you come with me”

Yami’s order had you popping up from the couch and throwing your pack over your shoulder. You usually went together in a team so this wasn’t new, his dark magic worked well with your shadow magic

“Captain” you say when the door closes behind you “my broom is broken, I was going to hitch a ride with Gordon, but since..” he just waves his hand behind him

“It’s fine” he says and you nod, heart starting to hammer against your chest.

You sit behind him and he laughs “get a little closer and hold on” he says and you gulp before scooting closer and putting your arms around his ribs, your hands placed flat against his hard chest.

You feel his breath hitch under your palms but then he coughs to cover it up before lighting another smoke. You bury your face into his robe to hide from his smoke as he takes off.

“When are you gonna fix your broom because this can’t be an every time thing” he says, smirk in his voice

Your hands grip in his shirt when he goes fast and you roll your eyes “don’t act like you don’t like this” you joke but for him it’s like you whispered it into his ear. he loses balance for a second and as he steadies you chuckle “it’s going to be fixed in three days and I can ride home with Grey. Don’t worry Captain, you’ll never have to be this close to me again”

He frowns but you can’t see it, his hands itch to take yours but he doesn’t. Doesn’t matter if you’re just three years younger than him, it’s inappropriate because he’s your captain. But god damn you smell so good and feel so perfect pressed against him, so warm and sweet, he grunts “whatever”

After you get the intel you were searching for you head to the beach and quietly chuckle as Yami scolds the team for messing around.

“If we have a week.. that means we can swim a bit?” You ask with a smile as you look up at him and he shrugs “do whatever you want. I know you’re prepared”

You giggle with glee and quickly strip off your clothes and kick off your shoes, revealing a black bikini held together between your breasts with crossing strings, the sides of your bikini had the same on the hips as his eyes slowly look down your body before his eyes widen and his hand moves to cover his nose, looking anywhere but at you.

“Yami?” You ask and raise your eyebrows, hands adjusting straps on your hips as your eyes question him

“Nope” he says behind his hand and turns around, walking off and snatching Asta’s towel holding it to his nose as he leaves in a haste

“What’s with him?” You mumble and then roll your eyes, heading over to talk to Charmy instead.

After you swim for a while and feel like your skin is satisfyingly toasted, you dry off and slip your pants back on, opting to just throw your bulls robe over the top and shoving your shirt into your bag before throwing it over your shoulder.

Your shoes swing in your hands as your sandy feet pad down the sidewalk towards the smell of food, humming softly with a smile on your face. You head inside the bar and smile when you see a familiar back.

“Hey” you say with a grin as you sit beside Yami at the bar and he grunts his hello, avoiding looking at you as you put your shoes back on.

You frown and order a beer and a plate of food that ends up being too big for just you. You elbow Yami and he looks over for a moment and you gesture to your plate. That’s all he needed to turn on his stool and dig into your food, sharing as you it began to feel normal again as you fell into easy banter.

Until a man bumped into you and you spilled your beer down your chest and soaking your robe.

“Watch it buddy!” Yami starts but you grab his elbow and pull him back, your warm hand gentle on his bicep “it’s okay” you say and he freezes as he watches you undo and pull off your robe, leaving you in your bikini top. He calmly holds a tissue up to his nose.

“Are you alright?” He asks after a moment of avoiding watching you pat your chest down to get some of the beer off. “Just sticky”you say with a laugh and then down the rest of your beer, declining another when the bartender comes around.

Yami turns to leave, mumbling something under his breath but you reach out and grab his shoulder, gentle again, making his heart race “Yami!”

He turns back with raised eyebrows

“Did I.. did I do something wrong?” You ask and tilt your head a little as you gaze up with him with worried eyes and furrowed brows. He looks at you for a beat and then takes your hand, pulling you outside with him and into the empty alley beside the bar

“You’re a moron” he says as he takes the last drag of his smoke and flicks the butt. you gasp, eyes widening and your throat constricting a little at his insult but the sadness is swept away before it can settle as he continues “you’re a moron wearing that! looking so good! For holding my chest like that on the way here. For being so fucking!... perfect” his last word was softer than the rest, his hands falling to his sides softly at he gazes down at you.

your heart was racing, breathing hard and fast. Your fingers itched to reach out for him so you did, you cupped his cheeks and looked deep into his eyes “and what are you going to do about it, huh?” You challenge with a smirk and he rolls his eyes “Tch” is the only sound he makes before his hands are on your hips, pulling you tight against him as his lips claim yours.

You tug at his hair as his tongue enters your mouth, he tastes like beer and cigarettes and something sweet on his tongue that makes you want to keep tasting him. You whimper as he bites your bottom lip, growling as he goes back to hungrily kissing and nipping at your lips. He’s effectively stealing the last bit of your heart as well as all the air from your lungs.

he presses you up against the side of the bar and you moan as his lips work down your neck, “fuck you look so good in this suit, you look good always. Drive me absolutely batshit insane” he’s moaning as his lips nip and suck at your soft skin

“Yami. Yami. Before this goes anywhere I need to know what you want from this. One night? Just a make out? More? What do you want with me?” Your voice was breathless and laced with concern, he looks into your eyes and sees the confliction swirling in your sparkling gorgeous eyes, worried that he’d only want you for a moment but behind that he sees your adoration, respect, and love for him.

He stops and stands up straight, cupping your cheeks gently “I want..” he takes a deep breath “no I need. All of you. Always” his voice was thick with emotion and you smile up at him before gently pressing your lips to his “you have me then. Always”

[heyheyloki]

Dark Star

Summary: The prince of the Clover Kingdom and Yami speak on important matters.

Yami Sukehiro x M!Reader

Word Count: 2701

The Clover Kingdom. A place were magic ran through the streets from the royal kingdom to the forbidden realm. Under the rule of the Wizard King, Julius Novochrono, peaceful times were possible. During those peaceful times made an unexpected miracle occur, the first prince of the Clover Kingdom was born. He was born with exceptional magic power, much like his father, as well as inheriting his father’s kind and gentle nature. As well as an extreme fondness for magic.

There was no easy way of saying that a lot was expected of him. Both from his own kingdom that he would one day rule, and those of his Magic Knights that his father commanded. Each of the captains had high expectations for him, as well as deep respect for the young man that would command them one day. Though, there was one captain didn’t care much for that. Captain of the Black Bulls, Yami Sukehiro. 

It was a shock to you at first when you were old enough to understand your title, your status. You tried way too hard to try to make Yami respect you on the level the other captains do. It was entertaining to your father for a while, and just overtime it became a normal thing. Yami would always be calling you stupid nicknames, beat down on you for the smallest things like height or lack of muscle, but the one thing that got under your skin was the way he effortlessly able to disrespect you in front of other royals. It was one thing when it was just in front of your father, but another to do it with high standing royals around. 

You were going to be the Wizard King one day. With your skill, power, influence, and trust within the people, no one doubted that you would be next in line. They were excited of course, you were Julius’s son, they believed you would accomplish what your father had and then some. Though, when you were around the captain of the Black Bulls, some second-thoughts grew. Simply, they thought of you still a mere child, despite you reaching the age of twenty, they still saw some childish antics within you shine disgracefully with Yami. 

For this reason alone, you called Yami down to the royal capital. You knew you needed to get some things straight with him, even if you had to detach yourself from the budding joy you found within his teasing. He was the only one that made you feel like you could forget your title, sure, but you knew that if it kept up it could cost you more then what you were willing to lose.

As you were dealing with paperwork in your office, a transmission spell appeared in front of you with Marx’s face clear to see. You gazed up from the endless white sheets filled with headache inducing black ink, happy just to have a new sight in front of you. 

“What’s wrong, Marx?” You asked with a soft smile. You were always fond of your father’s handler. He was kind, and always tried to put your father in his place when it came to his duties about being the Wizard King. In truth, he was like family to you in way. 

“Sir, the captain of the Black Bulls has just arrived.” He explained with a deadpanned expression. You knew he wasn’t a fan whenever Yami came to the capital, after all, he tends to poke fun at Marx’s haircut.

“Thank you,” you hummed out. “I’ll be right there.”

You watched as Marx nodded in conformation before ending the call, his magic dying in turn. When you stood up from your desk, you paused. Your hands laid flat against your wooden desk, chest falling as you took in careful breaths to calm your racing heart that pounded with anticipation, anxiety, and excitement all in one. Once you knew you had a grip on your emotions, locking them away in a steel prison, you patted down on your clothes to rid any dishevelment before traveling the halls that led outside. 

Your footsteps were loud in your ears throughout the entire way, though, that didn’t stop you from rising your head and keeping your eyes forward. When you reached the outside of the palace, you paused and locked your eyes on the man before you. He was as disorganized and without a care in the world. Normally, all magic knights have some sorta of uniform throughout their entire squad. Yami was different. He allowed his squad to wear whatever they pleased, as long as they had on the Black Bull’s robe. He was absolutely no exception to this. All he had on was a simple white tank top that showed off his wide, muscular shoulders and black pants. 

You gulped hard, taking in a final breath as you watched him approach you. The cigarette that hung in his mouth was taken between his fingers, the white smoke leaving his mouth and nose before disappearing into the air. 

“Whatcha summon me for, princey? I was planning on playing the gentleman’s game of chance, yanno.” Yami asked, his tone unwavering in the ears of the prince. 

“You could do well to show his highness at least some respect.” Marx uttered out at the captain.

“Shut it, Mushroom-head. Princey and I are about to have a conversation.” Yami calmly said. “I bet Julius needs some supervising, why don’t you go and leave us be?”

Marx was held his tongue reluctantly in your presence. His eyes darted towards yours, asking if you wished him to leave. You stared at him for a moment before nodding your head, leaving Yami and you outside of the palace. 

“Let’s take a walk.” You said calmly, your voice smooth and down to its natural pitch. You began to walk forward, your feet guiding you past Yami’s body without any other words.

When you past him, it was like as if the air had turned unbelievably cold against his skin. It was an odd sensation, and one he was frankly not fond of. His charcoal hues made sure to never let you leave his line of sight, watching as your back faced him in such a distant manner that left a sour taste across his tongue. In that moment, he took a puff of his cigarette, his mind numbing as he stopped his thoughts from wondering.

“Whatever you say,” he muttered under his breath before his own body started to catch up to your own. 

You both walked into the common realm side by side in mild conversation. You greeted your people with a gentle smile and calm demeanor, some afraid to approach you with Yami at your side. But, what got away from you was the small glares he was making at people who tried to approach you. It wasn’t long after when both of you came to a food stall and grabbed something to eat, the chance to talk to one another in peace finally came around.

“What you wanna talk about anyway?” Yami asked. “You better not have dragged me out here for nothing. I’ve a very busy guy, yanno.”

You rolled your eyes. “Busy doing what? Gambling?”

“Ouch, and here I thought you knew me better, Princey.” Yami chuckled, his shoulder bumping into yours in a playful manner.

You sighed, patting your shoulder to numb the rushing heat that came from that single area. After a moment of silence, you took in a deep breath and said, “What I requested and frankly, command you to do, if not that complicated.”

“Oh? And what would that be?” Yami asked with a coy grin across his lips, his eyes shining with something hopefully that caused butterflies to rumble within your stomach.

You composed yourself once more. You were the prince of the Clover Kingdom. You were a prince, for God’s sake. One man, a man that was older and a long time friend should not be able to effect someone like you like this. Then again, he was. And it was seriously starting to get under your skin.

“The other royals think little of me.” You said. Yami’s smirk quickly dying. “They believe me to be a mere child, even if I am an adult, they see me like an irresponsible child that is not fit to run the kingdom.”

“How come? You do something to piss them off?” He asked curiously.

“Not exactly.” You hummed. Your voice growing uncomfortably cold when you hissed out, “It’s because of you.”

“Me?” Yami questioned with widened eyes.

You nodded. “They think my being around you is causing me to become influenced by the Black Bull’s rough nature. I’m not asking much. All I request of you is to act professional around me when it comes to outings in public. Stop your advances.”

Yami remained quiet. The only sounds you were able to hear were the faint sound of your people chattering with one another over the deafening loud intake of nicotine from Yami. His breath louder than any yell that Asta has made in your presence.

Then, he moved. You thought he would leave and just follow your orders. You prayed, hoped even that he would just obey you and walk away. Save you the heartache of standing next to him and not be yourself with the only one you could truly be the real you around. Not some prince. Not the next leader of the Clover Kingdom. Just, you.

However, that was just wishful thinking. It felt like a volcano was suddenly woken up within you when you felt his large, muscular hand stand across your lower back. It was like as if he didn’t have his dark magic anymore, but flame instead, causing his fingertips to have the smallest flames upon them. It was slower than normal, at least in your mind it felt like that before he hooked his fingers roughly into your side and tugged you into him.

A small grunt came from your chest when you felt your body and his connect. The cold air that was taunting both of your bodies completely gone, now, only warmth enveloped you. Though, it wasn’t comforting. It was hot, steamy, and frankly uncomfortable. You knew it was your nerves that ruined the experience, but in a way you knew this wouldn’t be as calming as you would have liked. Overtime though, you suspected it would get to that stage.

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing,” he paused. His breath low and rough against your ear, “but the last time I checked, I don’t take orders from you.”

You felt your hues widen for a split moment, your throat downing a large gulp that made you even more nervous. You knew Yami liked to have his fun, to flirt and make mild advances from time to time. And yeah, perhaps it made you eventually fall for the boorish man, but he had never escalated to this much contact before. It felt weirdly good, though, you did suspect yourself of turning into puffy before the man that grabbed you when he started to slowly lower his large hand. Gripping into your clothes harder with every passing second.

You weren’t about to sit around and let him do whatever he pleased. Especially if it met he gained the upper hand in the situation.

Quickly, you swallowed your nerves and gazed up at the man. For a moment, the look in his eyes startled you to the point of goosebumps across your royal skin. It was as if hundreds of emotions piled onto one another to create the perfect gaze that was both seductive and terrifying. Still, in all your years of living, you had never backed down from a fight.

You did your best to hide your immediate reaction and quickly change it into a cocky, yet frustrated expression that painted on your face. You couldn’t help but still feel that unease pit that rested in your stomach, though. You thought, maybe even for a second, that he knew.

“I’m just asking a simple request.” You stated. “One day, when you do order to me, I will get you back for this, Yami.”

Yami kept his gaze onto you, a low hum rumbling from deep within his chest before gripping a bit rougher around your waist. Your bodies basically having no room to breathe on their own.

“It’s not that simple.” He stated. “Who cares what those damn nobles say anyway? Aren’t you the prince of the Clover Kingdom? I thought you were the one that gets to decide what you do and don’t.”

“Well, I do require the trust of my people and that does tend to include ‘damn nobles’. All I ask is to respect me as you would my father when others are around.” You explained.

“Yeah, well,” Yami started out saying. His eyes flickering for a moment away from your eyes. “That ain’t gonna happen.”

“And why’s that? I am your prince, yanno.” You asked, a questionable look in your eyes. It was one thing for Yami to tease you, but this was getting ridiculous. He was supposed to respect you as a prince. He did it with your father, and he knew him from a young age. So, what was so different?

“Well, there is one reason.” Yami stated with a sly grin. 

You cocked your head to the side, your breath hitching at the swift moment your eyes got a hold of. Yami, without any hesitation, grabbed his Black Bulls rob from his body and let it fall upon your head, effectively hiding your face from any on lookers. Yami, in that moment, had you all to himself. And he took it without a second thought.

Before your lips could form out words, you felt a pair lock onto yours. They were soft, sweet and yet the faintest sensation of cigarette smoke caused those lips to tingle more than normal. 

You hesitated for a moment. Everything need to calm down in your mind before you even tried to kiss him back, let alone take the lead. It wasn’t as if you didn’t want this, it was just so unexpected. The man that you admired, maybe even loved, had actual made a move that you never even dreamed of doing. You just didn’t have the time. As the prince, your responsibilities got in the way of doing anything that you would have liked to do. So, you’ve never kissed anyone either.

Yami knew this. He practically knew everything about you, because of that, he didn’t move. Though, after a moment or two, he began to lead. His lips moved slowly, showing that he wasn’t in a rush. You appreciated that. 

He began to follow his lead, syncing his movements with yours for the best feeling. It didn’t take a second longer after to feel the way your heart beat. It was like a bullet train, almost going so fast and so hard to break from your ribcage and collide with Yami’s heart. There was something about it that was romantic, exciting yet on the other side of the coin it was scary. Scary solely because you didn’t notice how hard you had fallen for the Black Bulls’s captain until he pressed his lips to yours. 

When he pulled away, it didn’t feel real. The tingly sensation trailed away from your lips and down your entire spine, a shiver taking over your body. It was a second or two after you fluttered your eyes, hoping that he would continue and never stop until you both drew your last breath. When you did open to look at him thought, that prideful yet loving gaze Yami gave to you was unmistakable.

“I’m not going to follow your orders.” Yami stated lowly, his voice so husky and close to your sense of hearing that made your feet suddenly shift under you. 

You nodded, understanding why. It wasn’t for lack of respect. He had that for you and more, maybe even more for you than your father. It wasn’t that at all. Instead, he just couldn’t bear the thought of not being himself around you. He didn’t want to fake your relationship, no matter what it was, and no matter for how long. Once again, this one damn guy had done something unpredictable. One thing that allowed to throw your title away and just be yourself.

[notyourordinaryrandomgirl]

Silva's Revenant

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Chapter 4

The next days were like a blur. You mostly only stayed at the headquarters doing paperworks for the squad and also catching up with the Magic Emperor for all your travels.

One feeling is making you on the edge these days. The feeling of traveling and being adventurous. The adrenaline that it gives you, and it’s just been over a week since you went home but it is making you think twice if you really want to stay at Clover Kingdom.

“I understand,” The Magic Emperor told you when you opened the topic to him, “During the first months of my appointment as the Magic Emperor, I was so lost too. I longed for the fight and the blood to do something more physical with my magic.”

“That’s why you always sneaked on Marx during work?” You asked.

He chuckled, “It’s one of the reasons. Although people tell me that being inside the office is where I needed the most. I feel like I am not doing enough.”

“How did you overcome it?”

“I think I did not.” He looked at you more seriously, “I just saw the work inside is also as crucial as the work in the field.”

“The more I think I am not suited to just stay in the Kingdom. I mean I know I traveled for years and have seen so much of the world but I still feel I still can do something valuable outside.”

“I will help you. I will send you to more remote places inside the Kingdom, especially at the Forsaken Realm. I think you will feel it there more.”

You feel thankful, “Thank you, Magic Emperor.”

That’s how you roll the next day. You are busy preparing for all the information and much needed for your mission. Although you think it is not needed as you are used to utilizing what is present to survive but you cannot turn down the Magic Emperor’s request as you already did when he offered to send some Magic Knights with you.

“The Forsaken Realm is far from the Royal Capital. You should really prepare.” Charlotte said.

All the captains are present to discuss the given mission that will be passed to you. The Magic Emperor assigned you the 30% of the jobs for the Forsaken Realm, but you bargain to make it to 50% with the condition of letting the captains choose what to give to you.

“I think she is the least person we should warn about that. That woman lived outside the Kingdom for years, I think she had her worse than the Forsaken Realm.” William said.

You warily look at them as they exchange conversations in front of you.

“Watch her nail the jobs easily.” Yami grinned.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, but I still have some more room to grow.” You said.

“Very well said. I think we could give her at least 3 jobs from our squad, Magic Emperor.” Crimson Lion’s captain declared.

“Make it 5. It’s alright with me.” You bargained with him.

Fuegoleon looked shocked, “5 jobs from just one squad?”

“I actually want to take 5 from each squad if I could.” You bravely confessed to them.

“Hey, Y/N. Do you plan to live there?” Jack asked you.

It shook you more than the captain of Green Mantis expected, because the thought of residing there crossed your mind. As you would like to not cause any commotion anymore and to be fully committed to not be with their lives again, the Forsaken Realm which is far is definitely a great choice to be home to.

“That’s absurd. She’s a Magic Knight, she is also needed here.” Yami argues.

The Magic Emperor exchanged looks with you. It almost made you cough when your eyes met Nozel’s after. He saw your exchange with the Magic Emperor, and the way his face changed proved to you that he got the message behind it.

“But we can also not deny that a Magic Knight is very needed in the Forsaken Realm. I think the presence of the Magic Knights inside the Royal Capital and some on the Commoner Realm is enough to say that we have enough here, right?” The Magic Emperor intercepted.

“You are actually considering sending her there?” Charlotte asked, baffled.

“Yes,” The Magic Emperor answered, making the captains shocked, “If there’s no issue with her squad about it. I think I am planning to, besides its one of her proposals when she took the job.”

All the captains turned to you. You leaned back in nervousness.

“You just came back.” William Vengeance said.

“I think we cannot judge her. We are quite lucky she agreed to this, because she originally wanted to travel again outside the Kingdom. I also know that she is needed inside the Kingdom, so the least I could do is send her far where she can closely feel what she craves for.”

The captains’ reactions aren't shocking to you nor it mattered to you. All that matters is your captain’s say about it and Nozel Silva’s. Much to your mind’s saying his thoughts doesn’t matter but your whole being knows it does.

“You are okay with this, Dorothy?” Charlotte turned to your captain.

Dorothy was snoring but she raised an okay sign much to Charlotte’s dismay.

“I know this sounds like I am demanding from you, but I really…” You paused, contemplating whether to say it or not but you eventually did, “needed this. It’s a thing that I wanted for the Kingdom. The Forsaken Realm just as the name implies is actually being neglected whether we want to admit or not, it is a fact. I want to really do this.”

“I understand that, but…” Charlotte was perplexed about the idea, “To live there? That is too much. Maybe you could go back from time to time there.”

“Same sentiments here, Captain Charlotte, that’s why I was only considering. Whereas, as soon as she was needed here with my call she needed to go back. Pretty much like every Magic Knight. In the middle of the job or not.” The Magic Emperor says.

You looked down. You understand everything, you really do. This might just be desperation to leave out of their sight, or his sight.

The meeting drained you. You didn’t know why but it did. You decided to take a walk at the Magic Emperor’s premises, weighing everything you needed to do and accomplish. This felt foreign to you somehow, as you are used to doing what your instinct tells you for the past 5 years but now you actually have a superior who you respect so much and trusts.

“Is this about what Solid said?”

Your body snapped around. Nozel is leaning on a wall with his arms crossed on his chest. The area is almost dark if not for the moonlight letting you see his face.

“Captain Nozel.”

He scoffed, “Y/N. I’m talking to you as Nozel.”

Those words made you look away from him. No, you cannot address him as such. He is a captain to you, and it will remain that way.

“I can’t do that.” You quietly said, but you know he heard you.

There’s a long silence and it almost made you turn to see if he was still there but he broke it and spoke. The warmest voice he used since you returned. It’s so friendly and it’s making you ache for something.

“About your plans on permanently staying at the Forsaken Realm, is it because of what Solid told you?” He impatiently asked you.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, and I don’t think you even know what was said.” You remained staring at the moon.

“I do. Solid told me.”

It made you turn to him, but the intensity of his gaze made you blink. You looked back, staring at the moon, still perplexed by the eye contact.

“What was said was facts and his sentiments, Captain Nozel. We, especially you, cannot take that against him. He is your… brother.”

Your brother wanted me to get out of your life, permanently. Even Nebra, and if Noelle learned who I am she will probably do too, Nozel.

“A sentiment driven by purely emotions and no logical thinking is no argument anywhere. You should not let it get to you. Solid is just like that, you know him.” The last words were almost a whisper but it didn’t escape you.

You want to argue with him. How could he downgrade his brother’s feelings? Purely emotions? No logical thinking? Maybe he is right, but it is still valid and does need to be taken seriously. However, the moment his own will actioned to assure you to not think of it is too Nozel to you and it made your heart flutter like crazy.

“You should not be considerate to me, if it is against your family. You should not mind me. Do not take my side, Nozel. I know what I am doing. It is my decision.”

You called him Nozel, idiot!

“Y/N, I also know what I am doing and I know my siblings more than anyone. If I said, he didn’t mean what he said whenever he is driven by emotions and not thinking properly it is true.”

You frustratingly turned to him, “Nozel, by emotions or not, thought properly or not, what he said is all true anyway. Also, I don’t think he will say that if it is not what he feels.”

“Okay, let’s say it’s true.” Nozel starts to take his steps and it makes you shudder, “Your solution is to leave? Is that your solution to every dispute?”

“Nozel…” You stepped back to tell him he should not come near you any longer.

He stopped and he looked irritated, “Y/N. This is making me crazy and angry with you even more.”

Your chest tightened, but you did not bother as your shattered heart felt like aching. The waters in the brim of your eyes made you look away from him.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Apologize in my face, Y/N.” His voice is tense.

You looked at him. He starts to blur in your eyes. The emotions surging to you is making your thoughts haywired and your body stiffened. All you want is to run to him and embrace him tightly, which is what you won’t do. Your rational mind gladly is still with you on this surge.

“Nozel, I’m sorry for everything. I seriously apologized for all the pain I caused.” You said, clasping your hands in your chest.

“The hell you should.” His voice sounds pained. You are looking at each other’s eyes, and you could watch his eyes full of resentment towards you.

You wiped the tears that fell to your cheeks, “Nozel. I’m not asking for your forgiveness. Solid made it perfectly clear that I caused great damage to you, and I don’t think I could ever forgive myself ever for that. That is why I can’t ask yours. I am glad I met you, Nozel. I’m so thankful for all the words, lessons and love you have given me.”

He remained impassive and not moving. However, his eyes speak so many words that you don’t even wanna decipher. You don’t want to get your hopes up if ever you will read him wrong. You don’t even know him now.

“You idiot.” He said.

“You idiot, stop sulking and practice your magic.”

“I really like you, idiot.”

“Stop crying! Idiot, get up and beat that commoner!”

“You are such an idiot. What are these bruises? I told you to always take care of yourself, you idiot!”

Rush of memories went through you for all the times he called you that. It might look like an insult but you know Nozel Silva, it would take a moon to fall down the sky before he stopped calling people that.

“You hubris. Don’t call me that.” You retorted. Why does he always have to call me that, anyway? Can’t he think of anything? What? He calls every person an idiot now?

A smirked graced his lips, “You’re still an idiot.”

You frowned. He is hopeless. A royal is always a royal. They have no hope anymore. This made your heart feel lighter but still feel annoyed.

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[grimoireofwritings]

Hiii again!! I cant get enough with ur writing. Please if u dont mind making one., again? UMM where Langris is very jealous to the black bull bcoz his s/o (fem) (a member of black bull) and shes very close with them. Or just along the lines? Thank you agaaain!!

Hello again my dear!! No need to apologize, you can send in as much as your heart desires. I am deeply sorry this is sooooo shamefully late. Chronic health difficulties have gotten a bit complicated lately and I'm trying to be more consistent with this blog. Hopefully the scenario was worth the wait!

Also I headcanon William is the squad's therapist on many occasions, you can't change my mind 💀

Scenario: Langris Vaude's fem s/o is in the black bulls.. and he's jealous!!

No matter how much he pushed the aching itch at the front of his mind away, or brushed aside the little intrusive thoughts he experienced day by day, sometimes even going so far as to manifest them in little growls of frustration and the tightening of his jaw... Langris Vaude was failing horribly... Miserably, even, to set aside his personal emotions regarding the whereabouts of his partner.

She... With those gorgeous (e/c) sparkling hues that always lit up at the sight of something she loved.. and the way the sunlight often glimmered so flawlessly against the soft sheen of her hair - was far too beyond his reach for his comfort. Not only that, it completely wracked at his nerves on a daily basis.. that he... That person.. got to see her and her beauty far more than Langris ever did.

His brother. And the black bulls in general. So unworthy of her presence, her stunning grace. Not only that, he knew about his damn brother. And even he had to admit that he'd be a blind fool not to recognize such a gorgeous woman in his proximity. Considering that shameless flirting habit, it made him grit his teeth knowing that Finral was inevitably wooing her on a daily basis. Beyond his control.

"Does he even realize how lucky he is to be graced with her mere presence?? So undeserving.."

This had been Langris' current obsession for about a month now, and it haunted him, even going as far as losing sleep against his own will. It was getting to the point that he was grinding his teeth and mumbling to himself, much to the dismay and terror of his subordinates as he passed them by in the HQ's long hallways... Probably fearing for their lives being so close to his dangerous aura, permeating off of him like a toxin.

But after one last all-nighter of complete mental torture, he was done in, he had finally caved. It took a lot, and I mean a shit load of stress to force Langris into swallowing his pride. Something he was about to do that morning.

He knew Captain Vangeance was up, even at this ungodly hour. The man seemed to enjoy getting up at the crack of dawn to get a head start on his work load, for the sake of having spare time in the evenings to tend to his private garden. Yet here was he, concerningly deep and dark bags under his eyes, as he paced and debated with himself outside the Captain's door to his office, feeling held back by his own dignity on the line to actually knock.

Eventually though, his choice was made for him, as his mumbling was interrupted by the door opening up. There was his Captain, the same trademark amiable smile on his face as he appeared before him, seemingly in a bit of a preoccupied hurry. He halted completely though upon spotting his Vice Captain, raising a brow, before his expression immediately faltered into a look of concern at the sight of Langris appearing so unhinged. Was something going on that he had failed to notice?

"Langris, good morning. You look troubled. Is there something I can help you with?" He tilted his head expectantly, a friendly and welcoming look in his eyes behind that mask of his. Langris bit his lip.. somehow the open offer made him feel even more on edge than he'd expected. Geez.. why did his Captain have to be such an insufferable softie??

Giving a few reluctant grumbles, the shorter spacial mage gave a slow nod. "Yeah... I came for some.. advice" he said, begrudgingly managing to spit out the last word distastefully. And to his slight surprise, Vangeance didn't hesitate to give a nod and he opened up the door to his office, offering the space for the two of them. "Of course. Step inside."

There was a bit of an awkward quietness as they did just that, Langris being sure to avoid eye contact - as he instead focused on the sensation of a crisp breeze passing by through the opened windows and the faint scent of the flowers William cared for in his office. It brought "life" to the space, the Captain had said.. it had made Langris scoff.

He watched Vangeance approach his desk, but instead of circling around to take a seat, he settled for leaning back against the wooden mahogany top, letting it support his weight. "Alright. What's on your mind?" He asked. It honestly sometimes amazed Langris how the Captain managed to speak in a way that was both gentle and calming, yet straightforward and confident.

"I... Have.... A girlfriend..." He started after an agonizingly long pause. Each word seemed so painfully difficult to force out through gritted teeth. But after another few passing moments, the image popped into his tormented mind again. Finral... That ridiculous, stupid, idiotic grin on his face as he flirted in the most unbecoming, disrespectful way to his precious y/n. And that was it - his resolve broke. And his insecurities became less important than his need to vent.

"She's with the black bulls. She's a magic knight under Yami and... Sometimes I just get so pissed off that my damn good for nothing brother gets to spend far more time with her than I ever can. I'm so busy and swamped with work here that I hardly even have time to make plans.. and take her on dates. I want to treat her with the respect and care she deserves, but.. I can't. And that makes me afraid."

He was gritting his teeth, utterly humiliated as tears began to prick his eyes. Why? He figured it was probably because he hadn't actually talked about his feelings with someone in ages. Perhaps he'd repressed more than he realized.

"Afraid she'll abandon you for something or someone else..?" William prompted gently. And Langris nodded. "Yeah.. I mean, my brother. We all know he was the one out of my family that our peers preferred. I was better, I was praised, I was rewarded on a materialistic level for talent. But I was never.. liked. In the way he was. With that whole soft hearted sensitive guy display. She's around him, all day, every day.. and I just... I..."

He finally cracked a bit more and planted his face in his hands, unable to finish. Completely destraught. And he was forced in that moment to face his own inner ugliness - the insecurities and jealousy he felt so much shame for harboring at all.

William gave him a brief moment, both to ensure he had finished saying all he needed to express, and to truly consider those words. He hummed. "I see. It seems this is something that's been deeply disturbing you and impacting your health, even. A very painful and helpless situation, by the sound of it. It pains me to see you so destraught, Langris."

For a moment, as Vangeance removed his mask and placed it neatly beside him, Langris mistook a look of sympathy and empathy in those eyes for something as disgusting as pity. And he snapped, making an impulsive remark in his state of frightened vulnerability.

"Whatever. As if you have any experience with women to begin with, what with that face-"

He halted abruptly before he could finish. No, that was unacceptably harsh. "I apologize." He mumbled, a moment later. William Vangeance sighed deeply, brushing off the remark. It clearly stung but he was far more concerned about his underling than himself at that moment. "You're forgiven, Langris."

The Vice Captain began to shuffle and twitch nervously, this was going so much worse than he even thought possible. But that changed with William's next words.

"Langris. I think you ought to have a little more faith in your partner's judgement, and her decision making. Despite all the time she spends with the black bulls, and your brother, she still chose you, above them. She developed those special feelings for you, and at the end of the day, you are her person.. the person she loves. Trust that judgement of hers, and that she hand selected you for a reason. Women are smart like that, they hardly waste their time with someone they aren't interested in. I am positive she cherishes you, and thinks of you, every day."

He smiled, and even approached his subordinate with a warmth in his expression. "I think.. perhaps it would reassure you to reach out to her, a bit more. She understands you have a lot of responsibility, but with women, I've definitely perceived that they appreciate even the smallest gestures immensely. Send her hand written notes, flowers, or even sweets. Whatever you know she likes the most, and would appreciate as a gesture of affection. It will remind her that you're thinking of her, and likewise, I'm positive she will respond to you in a way that provides you some peace of mind. Rekindle that romance, and maybe even.. consider opening up to her about your feelings, like you have right now."

Langris interrupted, shaking his head stubbornly. "No. Then she'll know how weak I am" he stated. Vangeance chuckled, his smile softening. "Hmm.. I disagree. I can garuntee you that she will perceive such vulnerability as trust. She'll see that you trust her integrity to confide in her. That will strengthen your relationship with her more than anything else. I promise.. just try it once, and tell me how it works out."

Langris puffed a sigh through his cheeks. "Fine... Fine. Fine." He repeated the word, each time a bit more in defeat. "Listen.. I'll try it, but only because I'm desperate. And because I want to, not because you told me to."

With that, William held back a grin of amusement, and he nodded in satisfaction. "Of course. Hopefully, that will help you out. But besides that.. I think I'm going to give you some time off. Go see her, and spend some quality time by her side. I think it would do you some good."

Langris raised a brow, seemingly a bit confused. "But Captain, all my work-" he was interrupted by a hand, that was held upwards with a sense of finality. "No buts. Besides... Your quality of work is suffering anyway due to your current state of health. I'd rather you go take care of yourself first, then return to finish up your tasks properly. Until then, I'll take care of things. You have my word that everything will be fine."

Langris took a few long moments to ponder this, and his Captain's gesture. He started to realize more and more, working alongside Vangeance, why his squad was so fiercely loyal to him, and that their team was so successful to begin with.

"Alright. I'll accept your offer. Vangeance..."

He glanced up at his Captain sheepishly as he followed the scarred man towards the exit of his office.

"Thank you. Very much."

[cringeyvanillamilk]

Yoo~! Your modern au series is pretty entertaining. Please do one for Gordon (and Grey and Gauche too if you don't mind; I love this trio) in the future! 😊❣❣

I finally finished your request!! I’m happy to finally draw these three, especially Gordon! I hope you enjoy~! <3 

Gordon Agrippa

Loves reading various types of books, specifically ones about the power of friendship

Has a lot of knowledge on pharmaceutical drugs and medicine due to family background

Current Career: Freelance Writer, but currently works at Black Bull’s cafe

Was part of the book club and knitting club at Clover academy

Performs poetry every night at the Black Bull’s cafe

Fashion: Gordon has a love for gothic victorian inspired fashion. He finds this type of fashion to be aesthetically pleasing, which is greatly inspired by his family who also loves this particular clothing style. Any clothes with chains, belts, and studs will most likely catch his eyes. He also loves wearing his signature cap with his outfit. The colors that he usually wears are mostly black, grey, and red. He likes to wear gothic jewelry where he sees fits and completes the look with dark eyeshadow, black lipstick, and black nail polish. Despite this dark image, Gordon loves to decorate himself with cute and bright buttons to make himself more approachable. The buttons include a happy face, a pansexual flag, and a strawberry. Overall, Gordon’s fashion is goth with a sprinkle of cute accessories.

The Agrippa family had an infamous reputation of owning a pharmacy store that was rumored to secretly provide immoral people with drugs that could potentially poison those they want dead. While this rumor was true generations ago, Gordon’s father, Nathan, wanted to turn their family’s reputation around and become a pharmacist that helps people with their health. But due to the lack of proper communication between Nathan and Gordon, Gordon assumes that his father wants to continue their family’s sick tradition and left to live on his own near the capital. While Gordon successfully attended Clover academy through achievements and awards in writing, he spent the majority of his life in isolation. Even though he joined  a lot of clubs in the academy, people still didn’t want to befriend him. And despite getting his English degree, Gordon has trouble getting jobs due to his intimidating appearance. After being rejected by a lot of jobs, Gordon decided to stop by the Black Bull’s cafe to rest and find more jobs to apply. This is where he met Yami who noticed that Gordon was looking for a job and offered him a spot at the Black Bull’s cafe since they are short of staff. Yami also commented that his creepy appearance would be perfect to bring in more customers. This was the first time Gordon experienced someone wanting him to be a part of something and was overwhelmed with happiness. He now works happily at the Black Bull’s cafe while also looking for a job that fits his passion.

Random Fact: Gordon is an amazing cook. He is part of the cooking team at Black Bull’s cafe along with Charmy and Gauche. He specializes in desserts and can make any types of sweets (e.g., cake, cookies, etc.). Gordon usually makes cookies for the staff to eat with each cookie representing each one of them. Gordon isn’t good at designing people in his baking and so they look very creepy. He’s really good at making Halloween themed desserts, even when he isn’t trying. Since strawberry shortcake is his favorite food, you’ll always see him make it every day. His love for strawberry shortcake is the reason behind his strawberry button.

Gauche Adlai

Owns a mirror that was previously owned by his deceased parents

Had a bad reputation from stealing from stores and getting into street fights when he lived in the streets

Possible major: Photography

Has a room full of photos of just Marie, but he has a secret stash where the photos are of the Black Bull’s cafe employees being happy (don’t tell anyone)

Has won many photography competitions with each photo being related to Marie in some way

Fashion: Gauche doesn’t pay too much attention to his daily clothes, but he does know how to dress himself for any occasion. He prefers tasteful and simple clothes, nothing too fancy. You’ll usually see him with a collar shirt, jacket, and slacks. He also likes wearing vintage shoes because he finds it aesthetically pleasing to his eyes. He generally shops at any thrift store nearby, unless it’s Marie then he’ll shop at an expensive clothing store. Gauche’s fashion may lean more towards hipster if he spends a lot of money on himself. Overall, simple but somewhat stylish.

When Gauche and Marie were young, they had a healthy relationship with their parents who loved and cared for them with all their heart. Their father was a respected and rich businessman and their mother was a famous war photographer. Each time their mother would come back home from her trips, she would usually share the happy photos she took to Gauche and Marie. Seeing these happy pictures inspired Gauche to follow in her footsteps in becoming a photographer. Gauche specifically wanted to take pictures of people who are happy because seeing people smile makes him feel good. But one goal he hopes to complete is creating a photo album of his family being happy together. After receiving his first camera from his father, Gauche was ready to start his photo album once his mother came back home from her trip. When Gauche’s father went to pick up their mother from the airport, Gauche and Marie received terrible news that they both died in a ‘car accident’ on their way back home. This accident was actually orchestrated by his uncle who wanted to inherit their wealth and kicked Gauche and Marie out of their mansion. After being left on the streets, Gauche decided to take it upon himself and take care of Marie like how his parents would’ve wanted him to. Acting as a reliable older brother and the only family Marie has, they frequently moved to different locations to look for food and shelter. They were later taken in by an orphanage led by sister Theresa. Gauche had a talent in photography and was pushed by sister Theresa to compete in various contests where he won 1st place in each one. These great achievements led him to be chosen by Clover academy, but quickly rejected the offer since that would mean he’ll have to dorm at the academy away from Marie. During their walks, Marie found out about Gauche’s rejection to the academy and was upset that Gauche would decline such a great offer. Gauche argues that he doesn’t want to leave her alone which made Marie feel even more frustrated and ran inside a nearby cafe. This is where he met Yami, who happened to eavesdrop on their conversation. Yami reasoned that if Gauche really cared for Marie, he’d bring in more money to support her if he managed to graduate from the academy and go to college. Then when he’s financially secured, he and Marie can live on their own with no need for outside assistance. Yami’s words were able to convince Gauche to proceed in attending Clover academy which made Marie happy. As a way to show thanks, Marie said if the cafe needed any help, Gauche would be happy to work for him. Gauche was about to disagree but Yami was quick to accept Gauche into the cafe and promise Marie that he’ll keep Gauche busy. Gauche had no say in the matter since Marie already sealed the deal with Yami.

Random Fact: Gauche has a talent in art. Whether it’s sculpting, drawing, painting, or knitting, Gauche can replicate anything he sees. Even in baking, he can replicate any object or person as a cake. In fact, Gauche’s extraordinary skills would’ve been perfect for the recent cake cutting trend. However, Gauche mainly uses his younger sister, Marie, as a model for all of his artistic creations. If you go inside his room, you’ll see a shrine of sculptures, drawings, paintings, and dolls of Marie.

Grey

Likes to cosplay and attend conventions

Finds comfort in watching Cinderella

Possible major: Acting

Was an exceptional actress back in high school and would get chosen for lead roles but always decline these roles because of her sisters bullying

Has a great singing voice and likes to hum whenever she cleans

Fashion: Grey is incredibly shy and so her fashion reflects this. Grey’s casual attire is very modest and rarely shows a lot of skin. She likes to wear sweaters, long pants or skirts, and blue flats that her father got her as a birthday present. However, whenever she imitates a character for a cosplay or theater play, she becomes a completely different person and could wear very revealing clothes if it fits the character she’s impersonating. Grey likes showing off a lot of skin when she’s in character because this gives her an excuse to be confident in herself. Outside of her cosplays, Grey rarely wears jewelry since she thinks she doesn’t deserve to decorate herself with pretty things. Grey does value her belt since it was another gift from her father. Overall, Grey’s fashion is modest and warm.

Grey came from a middle class family where she used to live with her father, stepmother, and two elder stepsisters. Her father owns a small boutique store and her stepmother co-owns the store with her father. While her father showered Grey with love, her stepmother and stepsisters mistreated her and forced her to do all the chores in the house. They frequently lied to her father saying that she always wanted to do all the chores and didn't like going out with them since she prefers to stay at home. Because Grey’s father was oblivious of his daughter’s struggles, he never questioned it whenever they would go out without her. Grey was too meek to speak out and so she would go along with what they said in silence. During her time alone, she would always watch anime or DVDs of musical plays whenever she was done cleaning the place and making food. Grey always dreamed of being an actress in a play or show, but would get ridiculed for wanting to pursue such a career. Grey still tries to participate in various plays or get into cosplay where she gets to act like a completely different person. Grey finds herself comfortable as another character and still yearns to be an actress and so she auditioned for her school’s plays. She would get chosen for major roles in the plays, but when her stepsisters found out, they bullied her into going for a minor role instead. After graduating high school, Grey was ordered to stay home and not go to college to continuously be a servant for the family. Despite wanting to go to college to be an actress, Grey obeyed and continued to take care of the house for many years. It wasn’t until one day when Grey wanted to find a way to get closer to her stepsisters where she decided to dress up and perfectly transformed herself into looking like one of her stepsisters. Her stepsisters were outraged by her impersonation and threatened her which made Grey run away in fear. While on the streets, Grey was jumped by three muggers, but was saved by Gauche by Marie’s request. Gauche said if she’s running away, she should try and live for herself which inspired Grey to follow Gauche into the Black Bull’s cafe. With no courage to go back home, she was told by Vanessa that she could live at her place in the meantime while she gets back on her feet. Gauche commented that she should also start working at the cafe if she wanted to make enough money to support herself now that she’s starting fresh. Grey gratefully took Vanessa and Gauche’s offer and so now lives with Vanessa at her apartment, attends the same college as Gauche, and works at the Black Bull’s cafe.

Random Fact: Grey is great at doing makeup when she wants to replicate another character or person for her cosplay or costume. Whenever she attends anime conventions, she is complimented a lot for perfectly imitating the characters she cosplayed as. Even during cosplay contests, she would always place 1st place for her high quality clothes, wigs, and makeup. Grey thanks her father for teaching her these skills when she was young.

[victorsandvanquishers]

I love your fics! For prompts, maybe 'Bodyguard' with Yuno and Asta? Platonic or romantic, either is fine!!

Hello, Anon! Thank you for requesting this prompt with Yuno and Asta, as I’ve been itching to explore their emotions related to the current events in the manga. Their relationship is platonic in this fic, and there is some slight Asta/Liebe in the background because I enjoy spreading propaganda. It is canon-compliant until the end. Please enjoy this sadfic with gusto! (͡ ͡° ͜ つ ͡͡°)

~~

Asta seeks him out the night before they're due to leave for the invasion. It's a knee-jerk reaction. One minute he's writing a letter to Father Orsi and the family back home while Liebe naps on their bed, and the next moment, he's pulling a blanket over his demon companion before making haste to Yuno's room down the hall. He forgets to knock.

He finds Yuno reading.

There are dark circles underneath his eyes, but they're not from the remnants of late nights and too much stress. These are different. They remind him of Nero's eyes, a mixture of exhaustion and dread, coupled with the usual stress, a sprinkle of agony, and a whole lot of self-loathing.

It's not like he's forgotten about Yuno's pain. He knows it all too well, and yet, he can't help but frown at the the wall between them, the one that's erected itself over the past few days. One one side is Yuno's thirst for vengeance, while the other has Asta striving for vindication. They're only a few months from becoming adults under the eyes of the law, and when that happens, he knows the wall will only stretch taller and wider. Soon they'll be on opposite sides and walking away from each other, because that's what happens when you grow up. It's what happens you grow apart.

But Asta persists.

He doesn't bother asking, just walks over, pulls the sitting man into a hug, and holds on.

Asta will always admit that there isn't much going on in his brain. It's not a self-deprecating thought, merely an observation that also happens to be one of the key factors behind why he does what he does. In the hierarchy of talents, there's mana, then there's scholarly intellect, and finally brute strength. Asta knows that if you have all three, you're as good as king.

Captain Fuegoleon has all three. Yuno has two, and Asta doesn't doubt he'll get his biceps eventually, but Asta only has one.

In a way, there's only ever been three ways to go – to stay home and become a farmer, to leave and become a domestic worker, or the third option, to reject every social norm instilled into his community, and work towards a different, even better future.

Asta chose the third option, and that's why he's holding Yuno now. Because there isn't much in his head, and there's no mana in his core, so his brute strength will have to do. His strength will have to ground Yuno, will have to steady and hold him in place before something bad happens. His strength will have to persist, because this wall can't win. It can't tear them apart like it's torn apart Nacht and his family apart, like it's tore Mr. Finral and his younger brother apart.

Asta won't let it – and he won't let Yuno lose himself in the process.

“You're suffocating me,” Yuno says, voice muffled by Asta's well-built chest.

“Hmph!” He enunciates, and tightens his hold. Yuno gets the hint this time, maneuvers his head so his cheek is flat against Asta's chest, and broods silently as Asta grips him even tighter.

They stay that way for almost five minutes, Yuno brooding against Asta's chest, eyes watching nothing and everything at the same time, while Asta focuses on holding Yuno, focuses on the bright lamp on Yuno's table, the book on magic theory turned to a chapter on manifesting spirits. It's only after Yuno's shoulders slacken and his breathing becomes even that Asta finally starts to loosen his hold. They stay that way for another five minutes, both their breaths even and steady, their spines languid, and their voices silent.

“The Father won't like it if you go in angry,” Asta says after a long while. “You won't be able to think clearly. You'll make mistakes, then get angrier, and make even more mistakes.”

“And since when have you ever listened to the Father?” Yuno whispers, scathingly soft.

Asta doesn't flinch. There's a lot of steel where there should be mana. “Yeah, but you've never disobeyed him.”

“And this isn't just cause?” Yuno challenges.

“It's just for you to wanna rescue your captain... but it's not just for you to go in with hatred in your heart.”

The brute strength Asta knows Yuno has hidden beneath the folds of his uniform finally makes an appearance when Yuno shoves Asta away.

Asta only stumbles back a few steps, but those few steps may as well be a mile. He's in awe, of course, and hurt. He's seen Yuno this angry before, but anger had been mixed with anguish and helplessness that night Asta got the shit kicked out of him by the drunken thief. This time, Yuno's anger bubbles with shame and disgust.

It's written all over his face. The dark circles, the hollow look in his eyes, the disheveled hair and crumpled uniform – it's unlike the Yuno he's grown up with, and yet, it's still him

“Get out,” Yuno tells him, deadly soft.

It's not a request; it's a demand. There's a lot Asta doesn't understand, and he accepts that he'll never understand those things, but this isn't one of them. Asta understands rage. He understands helplessness. He understands what shame can do when unchecked. He's had over a decade to build a backbone and grow thick enough skin to take abuse of any kind with a smile. Because Asta knows – hatred doesn't answer a single question. It fuels nothing but itself. It doesn't resolve conflict, and it doesn't leave a good taste in anyone's mouth.

Asta knows, because he's spent his entire life reminding himself that being angry is the most useless thing this world has to offer.

“I can't send Father Orsi my letter until I know you're OK,” Asta tells him, his face stretching into a big smile. “So I'll send it after we're back – after we've rescued our captains.”

“How can you pretend like it's all gonna be OK when your life is on the line?” Yuno seethes, his voice rising with every word, incredulity etched on his face like a badly drawn picture. “This doesn't end with Spade, Asta. It doesn't end even when we get back! There's still that bloody messenger sitting at our church with our Father and our Sister, and then there's that demon who's sleeping in your bed, and your arm! Have you looked in the fucking mirror, Asta? Do you think this ends just because you say so?”

Yuno's burning with rage, alive with the kind of insidiousness Asta remembers seeing in Mars, in Patolli, in Liebe.

“Yeah,” he tells his friend, his family. “Because I say so.”

Yuno closes his mouth and clenches his teeth, and just then, Belle appears in front of Asta and looks him dead in the eye.

“Leave,” she tells him.

“Just a minute,” Asta says politely, because this is Belle, Yuno's elemental companion, and he'll treat her with the respect she deserves, even if she hates him.

He shifts his head so that he's looking at Yuno again, who's still burning bright with his hatred. His grimoire floats next to him, ready to use, as if Asta's the enemy.

Asta can't but keep smiling, eyes brimming with warmth and love and all the little things that still matter. “I'll be there by your side every step of the way. I won't let you do anything stupid, Yuno; I promise you. I'll bring you home so that I won't even have to send a letter. We can just go straight home after we rescue them. We ca-”

“What you can do is respect that I outrank you, and leave before I make you leave.”

And Yuno means it, because Belle has flown to his side and merged with his body, a sickly shade of green pulsating with raw, unfiltered mana.

“I'll be right beside you,” Asta promises again, before turning around, and exiting the room.

*

Liebe counts his heartbeats while Asta counts the ceiling beams. It's late, and they should be sleeping, but they're not. Liebe counts his heart beats, while Asta counts the beams, Liebe's head against Asta's chest, Asta's eyes on the dark wood up above, Liebe's arm draped over Asta's torso, while Asta has one hand underneath his head while the other holds Liebe close.

Liebe doesn't say anything, but he listens intently, taps one sharp claw against Asta's shirt with every beat of his heart, while Asta stares up, counts the beams, thinks about Yuno.

“You can't stop him,” Liebe says finally. “He's gonna do what he's gonna do.”

“He's my best friend, and I'll be by his side the entire way. I'm not gonna let him fall.”

Liebe sighs. “It's not about falling; it's about accepting. People change, and sometimes, not in the direction we hope for.”

“But it's not about change,” Asta argues. “It's about our values, what the Father taught us. It's not... worth it. To get caught up in negative feelings – I can't accept it.”

Liebe stiffens but doesn't stop tapping his claw, doesn't stop counting Asta's heartbeats. Instead, he just laughs, dry and hollow. “I'll be there when you do,” he hums, snuggling closer to Asta's chest.

“I won't,” Asta sniffs with a pout before kissing the top of Liebe's head and finally drifting off to sleep.

*

When they arrive at the Spade monarchs' castle the following morning, it's Asta who turns back on his word, it's Asta who turns the wall into a prison, a prison that cages him and separates him from everyone else, including Yuno. It's Asta who forgets his values, because it's Asta who charges for Dante with his sword brandished, his mouth in a snarl, his hatred pulsating throughout his core as Yami Sukehiro's head rots on a wooden pike at the entrance of the castle.

It's Asta who has to see it to believe it.

Yuno's right, it doesn't end.

And it never will.

*

[ikuyeah]

The Dawn Breaks

Summary: With miles and miles on the road to his repentance left to go, William Vangeance finds comfort in the familiar dark magic enveloping a figure clad in gold. The one that he’d let slip away. His Golden Dawn. 

(Part One of the Attract Light series)

A/N: I binged Black Clover after it appeared on my Netflix feed and I have many William Vangeance feelings. So here I am. Writing fic. Anyways, by the time I post this I'll have read the rest of the manga chapters but keep in mind that I wrote this before reading it. Hope y’all enjoy my first foray into Black Clover.

Yami’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, catching sight of familiar violet irises filled with mirth. Shifting, he felt the blanket that definitely wasn’t there before sliding down his broad frame. He suppressed a sigh of relief. It looked like Vangeance would be fine.

Ever since the Golden Dawn Captain had the soul of the elf removed from his body, he’d been bathed in dark guilt and remorse for everything he’d failed to do from protecting the citizens to believing in their respected Wizard King.  

Despite his rough demeanor, he had really meant it when he said Vangeance was someone he considered closer than a mere comrade. That aside, he was also important to her which motivated him to break free from his drunken haze for a moment.

“I’m not sure if he let you know but after the meeting the Wizard King said we need everyone with great magic power to join this fight…” He murmured, almost doubting Vangeance had heard him but the other man turned his head before he could reach the door.

“I see, so she is to return.” His eyes which were mirthful turned dark with uncertainty. “How soon?”

Yami nearly grinned. It seems that even after being outed for housing an angry elf, some things about him would never change. Neither his kindness nor his feelings seem to have waned after all. “What’s with that look in your eyes, Captain Shiny? I thought your bond of friendship was stronger than that.” He didn’t hold back his grin this time, raising a brow when Vangeance’s own lips quirked into a smile.

“Indeed. But that’s beside the point now, Yami. After all…” Vangeance turned back, walking out the door. “Friendship is a stepping stone to the greater bond I will be pursuing with Sukehiro Aki.”

-

Eight Years Prior...

William watched from his perch on his World Tree as the Magic Knights started mobilizing. He’d been on patrol when the fighting broke out. The small gang of magic users were strong and their leader could conceal their magic well. While he scanned for the routes he’d have taken, he spotted a knight sprinting for what seemed like no reason until he caught sight of the brightly glowing outline in front of her. 

“My Moon Glow makes it so anyone I touch has their mana drained!” She cheered, the glowing outline fading out until the once invisible gang leader was exposed. 

William responded quickly, causing the roots of the tree to grow and block him.

Taking advantage of this, the girl aimed a swift kick at the criminal’s side, her leg engulfed in dark magic.

William’s eyes widened a little in realization. He’d heard that they had a new recruit who had the same magic as Sukehiro Yami but now that he could see her the resemblance was uncanny. 

The girl looked up and waved to him with a bright smile. “Thanks for the save! I think I’ve heard of you before from Yami. You’re Vangeance, right?” She called out.

William jumped down from the tree branch with ease, making sure the criminal was apprehended with the tree’s roots. “Indeed, pleased to make your acquaintance. I’m afraid I have not had the pleasure of knowing your name.” He held out a hand to her.

“Oh! I’m a new recruit. My name’s Sukehiro Aki. Though, you probably already had the Sukehiro part figured out.” Shaking his hand enthusiastically.

“The resemblance is astounding.” He digressed. “In both appearance and magic, it seems.”

Aki blinked at him and sighed. “Yeah, but I’m grateful to the Captain. It seems he knows that my talent lies more in reconnaissance than my brother. You’ve met him. His power is much too explosive to deal with anything requiring tact.” She mused.

William found himself with his shoulders rising, a laugh almost bubbling out of him. “The Captain knows not to judge people by their familial ties… or their upbringing.” He agreed.

The subtle change in his tone caught her notice and Aki seemed to stare at him for a while. “Your magic is incredible, Mister Vangeance.” She nodded to the tree behind him. William glanced back at the foliage, by the time his eyes met hers again, her expression softened considerably. “And remarkably, I think your character is even more incredible. So, I look forward to working with you in the future.”

William took a moment to let her words sink in before responding, returning her budding respect with a hopeful smile. “Likewise, Miss Sukehiro. Just Vangeance is fine.”

“Hah, well then just Aki is fine.” She retorted, stopping him before he could say that was hardly the same. “Would be kind of awkward if Yami and I were in the same room. And speaking of names, Vengeance is really satisfying to say so I hope you don’t mind me saying it often. Vengeance, it’s got an impact to it!” She said excitedly. 

William’s shoulders rose again in an aborted chuckle. He considered declining calling her by her given name but decided it wouldn’t hurt to honor her request. “Very well, Aki.”

-

William sat at his desk in his room, breathing deeply as he stared out at the trees lining the Golden Dawn’s estate. He hasn’t been able to calm his heart since Yami had told him Aki was returning. His feelings for her had been buried under many worries and beneath his guilt for his many recent transgressions. But, in spite of the years they’d spent apart, the flame of his admiration never flickered for a moment.

He remembered vividly the sound of her laughter and the warmth of her hand the few times they’d high fived and even the one time they shook hands. He remembered the brightness of her smile even after it dulled, even after the toll of dark magic weighed her down and stole the smile from her radiant face. He remembered the oddest things she’d talk about like how it was that butterflies slept and how queen bees were born. He remembered her idle musings about what it would be like if all the Kingdoms were united as one nation as well as her musings about the merits of different kinds of cheese in mac n cheese.  

And he’d missed it all so much.

Opening one of his drawers, he smoothed out the folded and unfolded piece of parchment, his name written across the top in hurried letters.

Will, 

I fear I’m no longer in control of myself, my friend. I’m ashamed to write this, to let you know my weakness. But you are my best and closest friend and so I can’t leave without letting you know the reason. I think you already knew that it would happen, but the extent to which my faith has been devoured by this magic is great and so I’m leaving to find a way to restore it. It’s funny, that I’ve misplaced my faith. Bet you’re relieved you didn’t have someone as messy as me in your Squad huh?

You’d probably say no, because you’re kind. I hope that one day when I return I can greet the kind person who’s looked after me all these years with a kind face and strong faith. I hope I can be someone who stands beside you to marvel at it, at your Golden Dawn.

For now, that’s reason enough for me to find it. My lost faith. I hope it returns to me soon so that I may return to you soon, my friend.

Aki 

“We are, the both of us, quite a pair.” He said softly. “To think that I’d lose my faith as you’d lost yours. Maybe your return… would return it to me. Your faith in yourself and my faith in myself.”

A knock on his door startled him out of his reverie and he gently placed the parchment in its previous place, pushing his drawer closed as he called for them to enter.

“Captain Vangeance, we have the gate keeper’s report like you requested and there’s no Sukehiro who entered the Capital today.” The two Golden Dawn members bowed. “We apologize.”

“It’s no trouble. Thank you for indulging my request.” He nodded gratefully.

“We’ll check again tomorrow, Captain Vangeance!” They bowed again and then promptly left.

William watched them go, amused. “Everyone around me is very kind.”

‘It’s because you’re kind.’ Her voice whispered in the back of his mind, resounding in his heart.

“No matter what it was you thought you were,” He murmured, fingers intertwining like the beginning of a prayer. “You were always just as kind… Aki.”

-

Six Years Prior...

“Vangeance!” 

William turned, smiling as the dark haired girl approached him. “Aki, you look well.” He greeted. 

As she passed, several nobles in Grey Deer uniform sneered at her. “That peasant, just because she’s friends with Vangeance and the sister of that monster the Captain picked up she thinks she’s all that.” One of them huffed.

“If Vangeance had a brain in that mask of his, he’d know to stay far away from her. She probably has dark blood in her veins too. A peasant and a monster.” The other said, egging on his companion as he spat in Aki’s direction.

Aki dodged the spitball and stopped in front of him, a hand raised. “I wasn’t sure what kind of greeting you’d prefer. So, high five I guess!” She laughed nervously.

Watching their fellow knights out of the corner of his eye, William regarded his friend in a low but resonant tone. “There’s no need to be embarrassed, my friend.” He said, lightly tapping his palm against hers. “After all we’ve been working together for this long. How is Tsukuyomi’s Moon Bow progressing?” He asked, genuinely interested in her spell’s growth.

“You were right about me not extending my magical awareness enough.” She said with a sigh. “Looks like Moon Magic really does draw strength from the moon. I think I’ll be able to do an area attack soon. I’m close to a breakthrough after mastering control of the Moon Bow.” She said, practically vibrating with excitement.

William raised a brow at her. “An area attack?”

“I’m going to gather the shadows and use it to redirect the mana somewhere else, maybe make it explode. It’s going to turn everything quite bright and I’m not used to so much light concentration yet, but I think I’ll call it Akatsuki or something of the like. That means Dawn where Yami and I come from.” Aki explained.

“I see. I have no doubt your mana can support the attack, but will you be alright?” He asked. Aki had always been more like him than Yami in that way. Though she trained with all her might to build her strength, she had a frailer body. It took a lot of her concentration just to control her dark magic.

Aki grinned, raising her arm up and flexing it. “I got my first arm muscle! So don’t worry about it, Vengeance. Leave it to me! I’ll sneak in, make them explode, and then sneak out!” She said with complete determination.

William only nodded. Aki had a lot of mana, it was why she was able to keep up in spite of her smaller form. However, William couldn’t help but worry for his friend. It seemed the darkness was looming larger over her with each mission. He wasn’t sure how long it would take until it overwhelmed her.

“I think it’s about time we dismissed the pleasantries, Aki.”

Aki looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

William looked back at her, hoping that by tying his friend to his own fate he’ll be able to save her from the pain. Yes, this was only so she could be safe.

“We are friends aren’t we? Call me William.”

Aki’s eyes widened, in awe of both his trust and his thoughtfulness. It had plagued her from time to time whether or not he found her bothersome. The sentiment brought tears to her eyes. “Man, I’ll miss saying Vangeance. But maybe…” She tipped her chin down, wiping at her eyes discreetly. “Will… has a pretty nice ring to it too.”

The darkness flickered out for a moment, surprising William.

The older knight clenched his fists at the motion, his resolve hardening. ‘I’ll do what I can to save you, my friend.’ He thought. 

When Aki looked up at him again, she was greeted with a warm smile. “Well, why don’t we enact your genius plan, then? I’m interested in seeing this Dawn attack you’ve come up with.”

-

Asta burst out the door to his room with a yell that he’d work hard again that day. “Time to do the chores-” 

The young Magic Knight gaped, realising that all the chores were complete. They had even fed the magical creatures. “All the chores are done?!” He screamed.

A dark haired girl poked her head around one of the corners, bowl of food in hand. “Ah, you must be Asta. Yami’s probably been working you to the bone so I figured I’d give you a break. We can do the chores together tomorrow.” She shrugged, beckoning him into the kitchen. “Come on, I made breakfast. You can just exercise twice as much later.” She insisted.

“Oh, thank you. Wait- Who are you?!” Asta pointed at the girl, eyes drawn to the black cloak over her yellow turtleneck. “You’re a fellow Black Bull member?” He asked, sitting down at the dining table.

The girl placed a bowl of rice with meat layered on top of it in front of him. “Oops, I guess Yami never bothered to tell you. I’m Sukehiro Aki, nice to meet you!” She patted him lightly on the head and walked away to wash the pan and other kitchenware she used to cook.

“Sukehiro…” Asta murmured, munching on the meal. In a corner of his mind, a memory rose. Didn’t the Captain once mention to him that he knew what it was like to be far from siblings? He remembered, because he’d gone as far as to ask the Wizard King about it but he’d said to ask Captain Vangeance. The rest of the Black Bulls said that they were away, training. But that meant that this girl...

“Yami’s my older brother.” 

Asta nearly choked on his rice. “You’re Captain Yami’s younger sister?!” 

“Wow, you sure love to repeat what’s said. Then again, there are weirder quirks.” Aki laughed softly, bubbles flying into the air.

“Sorry, I really had no idea. Do you have Dark Magic too?” He asked, considerably calmer now. He couldn’t explain it himself, she seemed to have a very calming aura.

Aki’s grimoire floated up, the book pure white with a giant moon etching in the middle surrounded by clouds in the same style as Yami’s. In the middle of the moon was a three-leaf clover. “Sort of. I can manipulate and create dark energy. I’m also quite blessed by the moon. It’s hard to explain. But yes, it’s a form of Dark Magic.” She shrugged and then promptly disappeared, appearing again in the form of Asta’s shadow before getting back to cleaning up.

“My abilities are more suited to reconnaissance so my attacks depend heavily on stealth and precision.” She admitted. 

“Wow, I didn’t sense your Ki at all!” Asta beamed at her, in awe of her magic ability. “I think you’re the most normal Black Bull I’ve ever met.”

Aki’s eyes flashed and she leveled an intimidating stare at Asta, making him shudder lightly. “You should be more careful, Asta.”

“Y-Yes, Aki-Senpai!” He saluted instinctively.

Aki’s eyes softened and she laughed loudly. “You should have seen your face.” She teased.

“Don’t be fooled, kid. This little menace can cause quite a stir. Understandable, since she’s a 2nd Class Intermediate Wizard.” Yami strolled in, ruffling her hair.

“Ew, if you’ve just left the bathroom please keep your hands off me.” She laughed, shoving him away from her.

“Huh? Did you get even stronger while you were gone? Did you become too big for your brother’s love now? You little shit, let’s fight right here and now.” He teased.

“You know that’s way dangerous and stop giving Henry a hard time fixing the base.” Aki smacked playfully at her brother’s buffed up arm, frustrated when her hits just bounced off of him harmlessly. 

Asta stared at them, eyes shining in interest. “I wonder what a fight between two Dark Magic users would be like. Wouldn’t they cancel each other out?” 

Yami puffed smoke out of his mouth, considering his options. “Hey Aki.”

The younger Sukehiro looked up at him. “Yeah? Captain Nii-san?” She asked.

“Have you gone to see the magic-obsessed Wizard King yet?” 

Aki shook her head, staring at her brother. Sometimes she couldn’t exactly pinpoint if he was being lazy or being tactical but this seemed like something he’d planned. “I’m going after I finish with these plates.” She answered, waiting for his next move. 

“You’re going to see the Wizard King? Can I come?” Asta asked, eyes getting even bigger at the mention of the man.

‘Ah, but why go through the trouble, Nii-san?’ She wondered. “Of course. But you better be ready to go.” She shrugged, still trying to decipher why it was that Yami was trying to send her to the Capital.

“Yes, Ma’am! I’ll get Finral-Senpai!” He responded, speeding away. Soon after, the sound of Finral yelling ‘She’s here?’ resounded in the halls. 

“What are you trying to do?” Aki asked, scrubbing at the plates while Yami had his own bowl of katsu. 

Yami grinned, sending a light gust of dark energy her way to ruffle her hair again. “Nothing much. Just making sure Clover Kingdom knows they have their beloved Golden Girl back.”

-

Five Years Prior...

William stepped out of the castle and was greeted cheerfully by a familiar dark haired girl clad in gold and black.

“Vangeance! Uh, I mean Will!” She called out, coming to a halt in front of him. “I heard you and Nii-san were called in by Captain Julius! But I guess it’s Wizard King now, huh? What was it for? Are you going to be Captain of the Grey Deer or is it Yami? Or are you going to be co-Captains? I hope it’s not just Yami, he’s a mess.” She rambled, stopping when William raised a hand in front of her.

“My apologies for cutting you off.” He bowed lightly. “We’re going to be Captains of two new Squads.”

“Two new-” Aki gaped. “I see. Somehow, it seems like something strategically beneficial that only Julius-sama would do.” She nodded.

“In that vein, I’ll be heading the Golden Dawn. And I want you to be my Vice Captain.” William said, his eyes searching hers.

“You want-” Aki raised a hand to cover her mouth after letting out an audible gasp. “I-I can’t be your- Will, no one will respect you if you do that, I’m only an Intermediate Wizard a-and I’m a foreign peasant-”

“I hold you in great respect, Aki. I trust you and you are my friend. I wouldn’t ask this of you if I didn’t believe you were qualified.” William retorted, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. He couldn’t understand if it was rage at whoever made her believe she wasn’t qualified enough or anxiety at her answer. “So please, consider this offer for as long as you have to-”

“I’m sorry, Will.” She cut in, shocking both him and herself. “I respect you too. I do. And I respect your dream. Which is why I can’t be your Vice Captain.”

“Aki-”

Aki’s grey eyes were full of unshed tears as they met his. “Someone like me… can’t stand next to someone like you.”

William extended a hand to stop her but she’d already disappeared, traveling away from him in the shadows. 

“Ah, Vangeance. I apologize. I probably shouldn’t have been here for that.”

William willed away the overwhelming sadness in his heart as he turned to face Yami. “I apologize. The fault is mine for inciting her in public.” 

“Still, I am sorry. That troublesome sister of mine, she respects you but she really didn’t have faith in your friendship just now did she?” He groaned, wanting nothing more than to have a drink already to celebrate his becoming a Captain. He didn’t want to be here dealing with his kid sister and her feelings. “And don’t you say it was your fault for not giving her a reason to have faith in you.”

Idly, he thought that the way he spoke was a lot like Aki. The thought felt like a stab to his side. “Yami, I appreciate your attempt to console me. However, I am quite fine-”

“Shut up, will you? I’m trying to say…” Yami patted his shoulder, making it a point not to look him in the eye. “Thank you for being her friend, Vangeance.”

William was quiet for a moment before speaking. 

“I trust you’ll care for her from here on, as her Captain.” He said, gliding out of reach and then out of sight.

-

In a flash, Finral’s magic transported them to the Capital.

“Here we are. It really is great to see you again, Aki-san.” Finral smiled, genuinely elated that another member of the Black Bulls had returned.

“Thanks Finral. Sorry if Captain Nii-chan has been using you as an instant bathroom button this whole time. You’ve gotten pretty powerful since last I’ve seen you.” Aki complimented, proud that he’s been trying to curb his womanizing behavior at long last.

Waving goodbye to the Spacial Mage, Aki and Asta made their way to the Wizard King’s office. The door swung open and Aki came face to face with a much shorter and younger boy.

“Julius-sama… Did you lose weight or something?” She asked, looking down at the kid.

“How does this look like losing weight to you, Aki-Senpai?” Asta asked.

Aki ignored his retort, continuing with her report on the last dungeon she traversed. It was underground with many water passages. She’d learned a lot about navigating in a place where there was no moon to draw power from, forcing her to make use of the abundance of darkness and shadow around her.

Julius only laughed and nodded as she told him of her escapades, glad to see his old friend. “You seem more settled, Aki. It was right of Mereonleona to send you to those dungeons.” He complimented.

“They were a nightmare.” Aki froze at the memory of them. “But somehow, I’m alive and my magic has settled considerably so she’s right yet again, I suppose.” 

“Was your magic not very stable before, Senpai?” Asta tilted his head quizzically. 

“Something like that.” Aki shrugged, patting him on the head. “I’m guessing I have to check in with Owen?” She asked, turning to Julius.

“If you would.” Julius gestured for her to leave, his own squad of knights escorting her out.

“See you in a bit, Asta.” She called out, slipping through the portal and out of sight.

Asta lingered, his eyes meeting Julius’. 

“Were you able to learn about Yami’s mysterious sister? I’d imagine it was a shock to meet her after you asked so arduously after her.” Julius smiled as though amused.

“I never got to ask Captain Vangeance like you told me to because of the whole… elf situation.” Asta rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “But the older Squad members mentioned she was always away on extended training.”

Julius nodded. “I guess you are wondering what it was about Sukehiro Aki’s magic that caused her to go on such a long training period.” Julius guessed. 

“You don’t have to tell me. I can ask Aki-Senpai.” Asta blustered, undeniably curious but wanting to respect his elder.

Julius shrugged. “Yami and Aki don’t think it’s worth talking about. They will likely pass it off as nothing.” He placed a hand against his cheek thoughtfully. “If it’s insight on your senior, I’d say that her magic is something that could easily overcome her because of her form.”

“Her form?” Asta ran a hand through his hair, his brain was really getting a workout today. “Like when I use the devil’s power and my body hurts after? Something like that? Aki-Senpai is much smaller than the Captain and he trains a lot to use Dark Magic. Is she less able to control it because she can’t… develop muscle?” He asked.

Julius clapped his hands. “That’s exactly right, Asta-kun.” He said gleefully, proud that Asta could deduce that on his own. “But aside from that, she was very mentally weak as well. Sad to say, not everyone can handle the pressures of being different like yourself and Yami.” His voice softened and Asta could almost see the hurt in his own eyes, like he was recalling Aki’s painful memories.

“But you said Aki-Senpai is better now. Does that mean she’s feeling better? Mentally?” Asta asked but before Julius could answer he shook his head. “Nevermind that, if she’s not feeling well, we’ll help her feel better because she’s a Black Bull.” He half-yelled. 

Asta realised he’d gotten worked up again and bowed. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll be more considerate as the future Wizard King.”

“You really have guts Asta, saying that to the Wizard King.” Aki said with a laugh, entering the room. “No matter how child-like he looks now, Julius can be pretty smart and powerful. It’s going to take a lot of work to be the Wizard King.”

Julius let out a low laugh at her jibe. “Child-like…”

“Aki-Senpai. I’m counting on you to help me become Wizard King one day!” He reiterated, bowing to Aki this time.

“Alright, alright. Get up.” Aki bowed to Julius and grabbed hold of her junior. “I’ll see you for tea sometime?” She asked with a bright smile Julius hadn’t seen since her rookie years.

Julius nodded. “I’m looking forward to it, Aki.”

-

Five Years Prior...

“Captain Vangeance, we’re back with the details about the fight that broke out involving the Freese Family. It appears that several of our knights were injured in the crossfire. Lord Freese was fatally injured upon the arrival of the Black Bulls but his daughter was brought safely home by their Spacial Mage.” Alecdora summarized blathely. 

William forced his hands to relax against his writing desk, letting go of the pen he’d been gripping fearfully to prevent his hands from trembling. “I see, I will see to it that I personally apologise for our mishandling of the situation. Perhaps we can provide aid for the young lady.” He forced himself to think on how they could serve the girl, the clear victim of the crime, before moving his focus to Yami’s squad. “And the Black Bulls?”

“There were no casualties on their end.” Alecdora seemed hesitant to continue but cleared his throat nonetheless. “However, the nobles have called a trial at the Magic Parliament against Sukehiro Aki.”

William’s breath hitched. “On what grounds?” He responded, a little quicker, a little more defensive than was typical of him.

Alecdora didn’t seem to notice, still dutiful in providing information. “She used a frightening Dark Magic technique against the opposition which drove them insane even after they were apprehended. She herself was almost unable to stop her own magic. They’ve come to the conclusion that she is to stand trial.” 

“I see.” William’s mind worked through scenario after scenario, thinking about what the nobles would punish her with. “Damnatio will be adamant on a life sentence at the very least for failing to save Lord Freese and execution for the use of magic unbefitting a knight of the kingdom.” He threaded his fingers together and placed them on his lap under the table, he couldn’t stop shaking. In the back of his mind, he felt Patri’s influence growing stronger, his own hatred of the situation amplifying it. 

Pushing his chair back, he stood up and started walking. “I will ask the Wizard King for advice on this matter. Please see to it that we address any needs the Freese family have.”

“Yes, Captain.”

With a wave, Alecdora was dismissed and William made haste. Traveling to the Wizard King’s office even by broom though quick felt like an age to William. The festering anger and helplessness burned in him, amplified by Patri’s own sentiments. 

By the time he reached his office, Julius couldn’t help but feel sympathy towards him. William, who was an enigma to everyone, was obviously distraught in Julius’ eyes.

“I see you have caught wind of this trial Damnatio is holding.” He began, forgoing the formalities. 

“I have faith that you have something planned.” William felt himself slowly relaxing, the reassuring calmness in Julius’ eyes helping him grasp his own sense of calm. 

“It’s troubling. I’ve only been Wizard King for a short time. The decision to make Yami the Captain of the Black Bulls and them being so unconventional hasn’t reflected well with the nobility. It will be a long fight if we do it head on.” The older man’s expression dropped in what seemed like deep sadness. “They can’t afford to let a single one of their members lose control.”

“What does that mean for the trial?” William asked, not quite understanding where this was leading.

“There will be no trial.” Julius clarified, sliding an envelope across the table towards him.

William picked the envelope up, recognising Aki’s messy scrawl on the back. To Will.

“I’ve made a concession with Damnatio. Aki is to spend time away from the Capital and prove to the Magic Parliament that she can control her magic. She will be returning in intervals to be checked by Owen and their own Healers and researchers to make certain she’s recovered.” He explained. 

“Aki has always had impeccable control over herself. She would never have endangered anyone, not even with provocation.” William stared at his name on the back of the pure white envelope in disbelief. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t think of another way.” Julius bowed slightly and William’s eyes finally snapped away from the letter to protest. “I assure you that she will return, I will see to it.”

William bowed, lower than he’s ever bowed to anyone in his life perhaps. “I trust your judgement in this and I apologise for implying I had doubted you.” He said earnestly, sliding the letter delicately into the inside pocket of his uniform. 

“I don’t mind it.” Julius let out a mild chuckle. “After all, love is quite the troublemaker. To think it made you fall to your knees.” 

William was suddenly very grateful for the mask even though it looked like Julius knew even with it on that he was blushing. “Contrary to popular belief, I am entirely human with feelings of my own.”

“I never doubted it. Though the situation is unfortunate, I’m happy for you.” Julius nodded. “When the time comes, seize your chance at happiness. If not for yourself or for Aki, then for me.”

With Patri’s anger simmering in the back of his mind, William doubted he’d have his chance at a life with Aki even if he wanted to. But nevertheless…

“I will. I swear it.”

-

Alecdora burst through the doors of his Captain’s office. “I apologise for not requesting entry, Captain. But Sukehiro…” He breathed in deeply, doubling over from his effort to rush back to the Golden Dawn’s headquarters.

“Settle down and tell me what Captain Yami’s done.” William gestured to the seat across him which was for visitors. 

“Sukehiro Aki is in the Capital. She’s been spotted in conversation with the Wizard King.” He breathed out, unsurprised when his Captain pushed his chair back and stood up. It was like deja vu. 

“I leave the rest of today’s affairs in your hands.”

“Yes, Captain.”

-

“Aren’t you going to congratulate me, Asta?” Aki asked as they strolled through the Capital streets looking for Finral to transport them all back.

Asta tilted his head up, arms crossed behind his head. “Congrats on what, Aki-Senpai?” He asked.

“For passing the Magic Parliament exam of course. Now they won’t execute me. Isn’t that great?” She shrugged.

“Eh?? They wanted to execute you too?” Asta screamed, in shock that she could say something like that in such a blase way. “What’s up with those guys? Why do they keep wanting to execute us?” He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around nobles and their weird biases. 

“Ah, I’m pretty sure that when my magic went out of control years ago we also got all those negative stars. Sorry about that. I really tried to make up for them by taking all those dungeon missions from Julius-sama.” She bowed repeatedly.

“Those were because of you too, Senpai????” Asta spun around, unable to express the shock with just his hands anymore. As he was spinning around, he caught sight of a familiar white uniform and stopped, thinking it might have been Yuno but instead of dark hair the figure was wearing a strange mask over his head.

“Wah, it’s Golden Dawn’s Captain!” Asta started waving, eyes widening when the man kept walking, stopping once he was in front of them. “H-Hello, Captain Vangeance.”

“Asta, it seems you’re as lively as ever.” William nodded at the young knight and then turned to Aki with a genial smile. “And you have a new friend with you.”

Asta’s eyes went from Aki to William and back. The Wizard King had told him to ask Captain Vangeance about Captain Yami’s sibling but given the way he was talking, Asta decided to try introducing them. “Yeah, this is Captain Yami’s-”

“I’m glad to see you in good shape, Will. Being Captain really becomes you.” Aki easily slipped into the conversation, her body language emitting a kind of comfort you get when in the presence of an old and dear friend. It reminded Asta of how he felt when he talked to Yuno and he figured they must be good friends.

“You look like you’ve grown as well.” The Captain responded just as easily, more relaxed than Asta had ever seen him. “And, if I may, being home becomes you.” 

Aki laughed but her laugh was lighter and brighter than when she did at the base. Asta could feel the overflowing fondness from it. “I wasn’t entirely certain that would be the consensus but it appears I was wrong. Then again, I’ve never been all that clear on how others’ viewed my power.” She retorted, their conversation like a game of wits with no end in sight. 

William’s expression became serious. “Believe me, my friend. You were many things to us, but you were never something to fear. You were far too kind.” His lips quirked up, like some kind of unspoken meaning had been shared between them. 

With a scoff, Aki responded. “Said the King of Kindness himself.”

“You flatter me.”

“Excellent, would you like me to dole out some more?”

The Knight Captain’s shoulders shook as he began to chuckle. “Only if you would allow me to reciprocate, perhaps over dinner?” His tone was playful now, it wasn’t a stretch to imagine that behind the mask his eyebrows were raised in challenge. 

“My, you really should watch what you say, Will.” Aki said, trying to difuse the tension with what was clearly nervous laughter. Around them, women of both noble and common background began to murmur. And though she spent all this time building her resolve so she wouldn’t fall to the sound of their scoffing, it still put her on edge. “Women fainter of the heart will misunderstand.”

William smirked like she’d fallen into his trap. “And if that is my goal?”

Aki blinked at him in confusion. “What?” She asked, disbelieving. Surely, he hadn’t meant what she thought he meant.

“I have romantic feelings for you, Aki. I always have. And I made a promise that if you were to return to me, if I had a chance at a future with you, I would take it. So this is my proposal, I wish to court you properly. I won’t hold anything back any longer, not my secrets, not my fears, and least of all my feelings. And, if you would allow me, I would like to return the comfort and love I felt when you were by my side a hundred fold.”

But William continued, past the rising voices of the people around them. Past the jeers of nobles saying that the William Vangeance was consorting with some wild woman from the Black Bulls and the pained whispers of women insisting they were a better match for him. Past all the sticks and stones society had thrown at them again and again.

“I hope that this time you will consider this offer for as long as you have to so as to make a proper decision.” He added, a teasing lilt to his voice.

William stood in front of her, a shield against it all, showing her how he felt.

“I will await your acceptance or rejection of my offer for as long as it takes.” He finished with a dramatic swish of his cape, walking into the crowd that had formed without another word.

Aki stood still, trying to process what it was that just happened. William, her best and closest friend, had proposed to court her. He’d incited her in public again with complete faith that the dark magic that was essential to her would not overcome her. And most importantly, he had feelings for her. He’d felt that way all this time. Despite clearing all of those facts up in her mind…

“Wh-What the hell just happened, Asta?” She asked, turning to her junior who was staring at her with wide eyes.

“The Captain of the Golden Dawn just confessed to you, Aki-Senpai!”

[one-leaf-grimoire]

“triad”

Chapter 5

I don’t really have an introduction for this, but I really like how this chapter ends :D

It's dark...

I blink my eyes and realize that there is light, but it's blocked out, like the sun blocked by the moon during an eclipse. The darkness is cold, and empty, just like the growing void inside me.

The sun... I need it... I need him...

Squinting my eyes, I finally see what's blocking the sun: It's a human silhouette, facing away towards the light. Their body is amorphous, hidden by a flowing robe and their shoulders garnished with a thick, furry trim. The sight sends a chill through my body, stoking the flames of the most dangerous thing I could possess right now: 

hope.

"...Julius?"

Despite the fact that this silent, still person does not turn around at the sound of my voice, I move. I move like a moth drawn to flames, like a magnet drawn to it's opposite. For the first time in days, the fire of hope in my belly bursts to life at the mere chance of being reunited with him... the north to my south, the sun to my moon, the day to my night-

There's nothing more that I want than to see him again. To feel... whole again.

"Julius!"

I grab his shoulder, but I'm not prepared for what I see when he turns around. Because- well- it's not him. It's...

"...me?"

Her face is just barely tinted by the dying light behind her. She looks sad... no, that's not it, is it? There's a weight in her eyes that hits me harder than I thought it would, a weight of things that I have not yet lived to see. There's guilt, confusion, grief, frustration...

Despite the look in her eyes, she's smiling. I'm smiling. The dissonance contained in her expression shocks me to my core, and I stumble back.

This... this is...

The image is immediately dashed from my mind as a door creaks and I jump slightly in my chair. Yikes! I really just dozed off... I blink my eyes a few times to banish the groggy feeling within them, and see that no one has returned to the meeting room yet. I just saw William outside, so he must be avoiding me for a little while, so who-

"What did you tell him?"

I quickly turn to my right to see Nozel standing there, staring down at me. The look in his eyes isn't his usual, cold stare... it's something almost worse. As soon as my eyes land on him, I feel it; the horrible, oppressive pressure that permeates the air around him, his mana and emotions mixing into something terrifying. Even I'm caught off guard by it this time, and it takes everything I have to keep a straight face and not slip down to hide under the table. 

He's mad. Really fucking mad. And for the first time, it's truly directed at me.

"...tell who?"

Despite the whirlwind of cold emotion around him, Nozel's rage is only betrayed by a slight twitch of his face. "You know who. Now-" He sucks in a break through his nose. "Care to explain why Fuegoleon just came and told me he's voting for you?"

Oh shit...

"Huh? He is?" I feign ignorance and bat my eyelashes a few times innocently. "Well, I can't blame him-"

"Enough! What did you say to him?!" For the first time, Nozel actually raises his voice. I almost wince, and my hands grip the sides of my chair a little tighter. Jeez, I didn't mean for him to find out until the actual vote. I knew he might get angry about it, but right now- "This is why you called the recess, right? You wanted a chance to get him alone and- and-"

Finally, I decide to respond. "What exactly do you think I did to him, Nozel?" I ask, fighting to keep my voice from wavering. Today has been a rollercoaster of emotions, and it doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. "He was the one who asked me why I wanted to be Wizard King... all I did was answer his question, and I guess it was enough to change his mind." An extreme simplification of our conversation, but true nonetheless. 

Nozel stares at me suspiciously, his jaw visibly tightening for just a moment. "...I can't tell if you're lying or not. I've never been able to." He finally closes his eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I can't believe this, though... just a few words, and you swayed him? Fuegoleon?"

"What? You don't believe me? Why didn't you just ask him?" I can't help but let my mouth twitch into a momentary smile.

"I did." Nozel averts his eyes from my face at the brief expression. "But he wouldn't tell me. Maybe he was-"

"Ashamed?" I let out a breath of laughter. "Do you really think I seduced him, Nozel? Fuegoleon's like a stone wall sometimes... he's not nearly as in touch with his romantic side, like..."

My words unexpectedly drop off at the realization of what I was about to say.

... don't think about it...

"That wasn't my plan." I clear my throat to continue. "I'm not the type to seduce someone... you know that, don't you, Nozel?"

"...I do."

His aura fades just a little bit. It slips.

We're both thinking of it now. The trial. Where my honor and title was stripped away, all because of a false accusation and an unjust world. It's my biggest regret, something that took years to crawl back from. But finally, here I am, with my title back, and the crown within my grasp. Nozel was there, at my trial... and when it mattered most, he defended me.

"Back then... you said I earned your respect, because I earned Fuegoleon's respect. You defended me when the whole world was ready to strike me down."

His brow furrows beneath his braid at the memory. "...I remember." His expression softens incrementally until he almost looks sad. "I did say that... but-"

"Then you know what you have to do today, right?"

Because, in the end, Nozel's reason for becoming Wizard King isn't to "become Wizard King." His reason was Fuegoleon. To fight, to compete, to find fulfillment in the ending, whatever it might be...

But now, the foundation is gone. Fuegoleon gave up.

So...

"Nozel."

He finally looks up to see me on my feet, my eyes staring resolutely into his.

"I'm the one who stood closest to Julius, so I'll be the one to take his place today."

He's slipping... further and further...

His cold aura is all but gone.

"Give up on your dream, and pledge yourself to me.

Nozel doesn't give me an answer. His eyes linger on mine for just a moment longer, the chill from his anger melting away. After that long, lingering look, he turns away, his robe sweeping around, and disappears through the door to leave me alone once again.

"Fuegoleon?"

As expected, my name leaves his lips. There's an audible yet soft gasp from some of the other captains, all turning to stare at him, stunned.

"L-Lord Fuegoleon-" Kaiser stutters, his voice weakened. "You can't possibly-"

"I've made my choice!" Fuegoleon doesn't dare look up from the surface of the table before him, almost looking like he's in pain. I can't even offer him a comforting smile; he won't look into my eyes. "Move on."

...I'm sorry. It hurts, I know... but I promise-

My hand forms a fist where it rests on my knee. 

I won't let any of you down!

The muttering finally stops, and Marx takes a deep breath before marking down the vote and moving on. "...Nozel?"

He doesn't answer right away. Not even close to right away. He just... sits there, and thinks, staring blankly at the table. 

Nobody dares to move. Nobody dares to breathe as the Eagle finally reaches the end of his thoughts.

"...I... I will trust you..."

Nozel's words barely pass his lips, and for a moment, I no longer see the royal, proud man that stood before me for years and years. 

At long last... Nozel... I've defeated you.

"I'll trust you with our future." His eyes move, just a little, to glance at me one last time. "You have my vote."

The others don't react this time, as the full weight of this action sinks in slowly but surely.

And then...

"Yami."

"Voting for Forehead girl. Again."

"Please! Proper names!!!" Marx sighs and writes down the selection, his hands shaking slightly as he does so. I glance up at him and offer him a little smile, which he thankfully reciprocates, and the strength returns to his voice as he speaks again. "Dorothy?"

Dorothy shakes her head for just a second, but then smiles brightly. "Well, my candidate just jumped ship, I better do so as well!" She winks over at me. "You're a bit young to be Wizard King, don't you think?"

"Huh? I'm twenty-six!"

"OH! Nearly as old as I am..." Dorothy can't help but let out a giggle. "Fine then. You have my vote."

I grin back at her before Marx moves on. "Kaiser?"

"I haven't changed my mind... Fuegoleon." Kaiser crosses his arms, frowning at the table. Eek... he didn't get swayed, then... I have four votes now! My heart starts to beat more violently in my chest as I start to realize how close I am. That means... my last bet...

I turn to look at William as all eyes turn to him.

"...I'll vote for you as well."

Despite his being my fifth vote, officially putting me over the threshold Julius spelled out in his will, I can't feel any joy. 

William...

I tricked him. I lied. I've already forgiven him, but I can't give it to him until I know I won't need to use it any more. Like today... because of him, my goal has been achieved.

I'm sorry.

And finally, even though there's no reason to, Marx moves through the rest of the votes. The only other person to vote for Fuegoleon is Rill, who I think is just confused and unsure of what to do, but all the others vote for me. "The final results..." Marx quickly tallies them up, then turns the paper for us all to see.

"Nozel: 0. Fuegoleon: 2. Which means..."

Seven votes. More than enough. 

I don't expect there to be a happy reaction, but to my surprise, the captains all let out a collective sigh of relief. I blink, a little confused, then look at Fuegoleon when he says my name. He's smiling a little, even though he still looks a bit disappointed. "Well... I'm glad it's over. Thank you for organizing this... your majesty."

Your majesty. 

The gravity of the situation finally registers, and I can't help but let my eyes widen as, one after another, the captains start talking, offering me comforting smiles, proud smiles, relieved smiles. Even Kaiser and Rill, the ones who still voted against me and look a bit sheepish, are smiling. "I'm sure you're going to be great... you're right, we all respect you a great deal," the older man tells me with a smile beneath his extravagant mustache. "You were one of the people Lord Julius picked, after all."

"I agree." Even Nozel looks... content. "He kept you by his side for a reason... you were the person who stood closest to him. Perhaps this is where you belong."

I feel my heart swell slightly at the praise, their smiles and words encouraging me further, the truth that this is real singing through it all.

I...

"I promise..."

I stand up, glancing at Marx one last time. He offers me an encouraging smile, spurring me on with confidence.

"I'll be the best you could ever ask for."

Here I am, a commoner, a foreigner, a girl who's journey far outstretches the length of her life, standing before them as their leader. These nine people, who I hold in the highest echelons of respect, have chosen me. Maybe they needed a push in the right direction, but in the end...

I stand here... in his shoes.

"Thank you... together, we will-"

Before I can finish my sentence, the door bursts open and two people run in. I instantly recognize them.

"What the Hell are you two doing here?!?" Yami roars, his seat scraping slightly as he jumps to his feet. "Noelle- Finral- can't you see we're in the middle of an important meeting?!"

Sure enough, Noelle and Finral from the Black Bulls both stand there, out of breath. Noelle's eyes dart around, widening slightly when she realizes that something important is going on. Her eyes linger on me, a flicker of understanding within them. She's one of the few people who know that Julius is dead, since she was there outside the Shadow Palace as the reincarnation curse was dispelled, so she might have realized why we were gathered here.

"I'm sorry, Captain! But it's an emergency!" Finral frantically explains. "You see- we were in town handing out food, and then someone from the Parliament came by and took Asta and Nero away for an interview! They haven't come back!"

Parliament!? That catches everyone's attentions, and Yami's eyes widen. There's been rumblings over the past few days about some sort of retaliation against the "perpetrators" of the whole catastrophe, even though the Devil is dead already. This would either be aimed against Asta or the possessed knights, the latter of which included myself, but I assumed I would have time to settle into my role as Wizard King before any action was taken. Apparently I assumed wrong.

"Damnatio's probably behind this," Fuegoleon speaks up. "He would be the one to enact such a plan so quickly... Asta and- Nero are probably being held in prison or at the Parliament Tower."

Yami grits his teeth before turning towards the door. "That's all I need to hear, I'm going!"

"Wait! You can't just rush in there without a plan!" I quickly sidestep to block his path.

"Watch me!"

"Yami!" I scold, giving him a little glare which actually makes him pause for a moment. "They want to use Asta as a scapegoat because of his possessed Grimoire, right?" It's a quick and easy way to shift the blame and put the whole affair behind us, but it could also be a valuable tool... at least something that could extend Asta's life, as well as unearth some valuable information. "Is your squad nearby?"

Yami glances at Finral and Noelle, who give him a nod. "Alright... can you cause a scene and stall for time at the tower?"

At my words, Yami can't help but smirk. "You know I can, Queenie. Come on, you too!"

I roll my eyes at the nickname, watching as he and the others run off to find the rest of their squad. "Right... then the rest of you are dismissed. Except you two-" I turn and point at Fuegoleon and Nozel.

"Hmm? Why us?" Nozel asks curiously.

"You two are royals... we had to hide Julius's death from Augustus for a few days, so he wouldn't start involving ourselves in our affairs. But now that our decision has been made, he's going to find out... in just a couple minutes, actually. I'm going to need both of you to back me up."

"...I see. Right." Fuegoleon gives me a nod, standing up from his chair with Nozel as the others start to leave.

"Marx, get me a pen and some paper. Also, I need to change into some new clothes... can you write something down for me?"

I leave my instructions with the three of them before running to the next room, an empty sitting room, and finally stripping off my dirty Royal Knights robes. I wrinkle my nose a bit, since the last few days were sweaty and dirty, the long hours rubbing off onto the fabric. I start to fold them up to leave somewhere, but my hand brushes up against something and I freeze.

It's a green stain, streaked over where my knee was. A grass stain. I remember how I got it; the night before the operation, the night before everything went wrong, Julius and I sparred one last time, and I ended up on top of him, both knees mashed into the grass. We kissed... and laughed...

I wipe away the tears before they even appear.

Don't think about it. 

Robotically, I pull on the new clothes Marx fetched for me. Tights, flats, a black shirt with fringe at the wrists and neck. The dress he picked out is similar to my usual choice, but a lot more casual, secured by a sash much like a bathrobe. It's comfy... very comfy. I look good in it, too, when I reach the mirror and start to brush my hair into a presentable style. Saida, the elf... I'm glad she didn't throw these away. I let one of my fingertips brush against the gold clover earrings that I always keep in my ears. Julius gave them to me, years ago, as a Three-Leaf-Day present.

"Hello? Oh, you're ready."

I turn to see Marx walk in and close the door behind me before turning to assess my appearance. "That's better! Those robes were starting to get a little stinky."

"Don't use the word stinky, please!" I tease, letting him approach me. "Is everything ready?"

"Yeah... the other two are waiting for you outside. But... first..." Marx draws in a stiff breath, as if he's holding back tears. "This is your debut after all... so you should wear this."

He finally holds up what he was carrying. It's Julius's gold chain, and hanging from it are his two medallions. An item I saw him wear almost every single day, like it was an extension of his body, of who he was. 

"A physical reminder of your new status... we'll have a formal coronation later, of course, but for now, this will have to do." 

Slowly, I nod, ignoring the sudden swell of pure... feeling that just appeared inside me at the mere sight of the chain. I remember so clearly how it felt. Whenever he hugged me tight, and I buried my face into the white fur of his robe, I could feel the metal cold against my skin. And sometimes, when he was getting undressed for the night, he would take it and put in on me for fun. "Look at you, a little Wizard King~" 

Look at me now, Julius... I guess this is appropriate. I'm glad to have another thing to remember you by.

Slowly, I bend over slightly, and Marx takes the cue. With one movement, he puts the chain around my neck and lets go, letting it hang down on my chest. I straighten up, a little surprised at how heavy it feels today.

This weight... the weight I've taken on my own back. Will I be able to carry it alone?

When I look back at Marx, my eyes widen a bit when I see he's crying, not even resisting the tears that streak down his cheeks. 

"I-I'm sorry-" Marx reaches up to wipe his face. "I just... always thought this would be a happy day. The day Julius stepped down and let you take his place. I wanted it to happen like that... not like... l-like this-"

He's cut off as I grab him into a tight hug, holding my best friend as close as I can. Marx buries his face in my shoulder and lets out a sob, his hands balling up the fabric of the back of my dress.

"It's okay... Marx..."

I finally pull back to look him in the eye, and he looks a bit shocked that I'm still holding it together.

Barely.

"Today... will be a happy day. Maybe not now, maybe not for years. But one day, we'll look back on it and laugh. I promise."

Finally, Marx's tears slow, and he cracks a smile as he gives my shoulder a squeeze.

"Promise."

Minutes later, Fuegoleon summons the Fire Spirit, Salamander, and we zoom off towards the Parliament Tower. "Look, Yami's already there!"

"What on earth is that?" I frown a bit at the sight of some large, dark structure looming by the broken wall of the tower. It looks almost like the Black Bull's base, but I can't be sure. "Come on!" Fuegoleon steers his spirit down through the caved-in wall, and I spot Yami, standing in the middle of the room, his sword poised to strike a tall, dark haired man wearing an unattractive smock. Damnatio! Yami, don't kill him!

"Flame Magic: Blazing Spear!"

Immediately, two crackling rods of fire appear in my hands, and I jump off of Salamander. With just a muted cry, I fall gracefully to the floor, just in time to block Yami's blow. With a whoosh of wind, Nozel and Fuegoleon land behind me, separating Damnatio from any danger.

"That was close... you almost made this situation much worse!" I mutter to Yami, who just rolls his eyes and sheathes this sword.

"Took you long enough."

"That's Fuegoleon and Nozel! What are they doing here? And-"

Oh, That voice. I turn to look up at the surrounding balconies, where various nobles and royals are sitting to watch the trial. Right in the biggest box is none other than King Augustus Kira the 13th, also known as the bane of my existence. He's jumped out of his seat and is glaring down at us from over the banister. "What is the meaning of this!? And what are you doing here?"

"Sorry to burst in so suddenly! We needed to set the record straight!" I call back, summoning any ounce of confidence and poise within my body. This is okay... I can do this! I have the power now... I can do anything I want! "Fuegoleon, the scroll."

Fuegoleon nods and quickly opens the paper we carried here. "By order of the Wizard King, Asta is to be turned back over to the Black Bulls, who will be tasked with researching the Devils in this world, just like the Devil who was the center of this most recent attack."

Angry and confused mutters suddenly fill the hall, and Damnatio's eyes widen a bit. "The Wizard King?"

"Where is he?! Of course Julius would pull something like this! You!" Augustus points down at me accusingly with a fat finger. "Where's your husband!"

Husband...

It occurs to me that, years ago, in this very spot, Augustus stripped me of everything I had. My honor, my title, everything...

Julius came in just in time to save me. I was ready to accept my fate, because I thought that everything was ruined.

But it wasn't.

I felt less than human on that day. I was a traitor. I was... sterile. I could never give Julius the family I wanted. But, through some cruel twist of fate...

I am human. The life inside of me proves it. And today, I stand in the same spot I stood in my darkest hour. But now...

"Julius is dead."

Now that silences everyone. Augustus's eyes widen at the response he never expected to hear. His miserable lips flap once, twice, and a third time, never managing to form words.

"Dead..." Damnatio is the one who speaks, prompting whispers all around the tower. "Then... who authorized this order?"

"I did."

I give him one last smile before looking back at the King, high above me, shock and anger starting to cloud his eyes. 

"I am the 29th Wizard King!"

[tomboyjessie13-artblog]

Kaze Matsuoka, regarded as The Sixth Venom, is a champion fencer and assassin living in the Nobody Territory of Ville de Rien, Beast's Castle. He lost his older brother and became a Nobody because of Terranort during his decent into madness, at the same time he lost his home of Radiant Garden(later called Hollow Bastion) to Maleficent and the Heartless. Vowing revenge against the apprentice who murdered his brother, he would later become involved in numerous incidents and conflicts regarding Organization XIII's Project; "[Project: Pere Noel]" to get close to his Nobody, Xemnas. After graduation, he later entered the Organization as their 16th Member, Zekxa the Resentful Marauder.

~Information Bio~ Name(English Translation): Kaze Matsuoka Hiragana: かぜ=まつおか Romaji: Kaze=Matsuoka Other Names: Prince Charming/Ōji-Kun(Xigbar's pet name), The Sixth Venom(Pere Noel's code name), Number XVI Zekxa(Nobody name and rank), The Resentful Marauder(Organization title).

Age: 5(Birth By Sleep), 15(KH1 to 358/2 Days), 16(358/2 Days and onward) Gender: Male Sexual Orientation: Asexual Race: Gardener(Asian decent) Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Violet Weapon: Rapier Element: Night Lesser Nobodies: Warrior

Occupation: Human(Formerly), Nobody/Vessel(Currently) Affiliations: Radiant Garden/Hollow Bastion(Place of birth;Formally), Ville de Rien(Formally), The World that Never Was(Currently)*The Pere Noel Project(Graduated), Organization XIII(Currently).

Alignment: Lawful Neutral Inspiration: Irina Clockworker, Nemesis Sudou, Gatt Coulomb, O-Ren Ishii, Beatrix Kiddo, Link(à la Twilight Princess), and Emi Yusa

~Kaze's Theme~ The Lonely Shepherd(Kill Bill Vol. 1 version)

~Headcanon voices~ Japanese: Nobuhiko Okamoto English: Todd Haberkorn

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

~Personality and Traits~ "I don't care, once I get close to Xemnas I'll have my revenge...no matter what it takes." -Kaze expressing his desire for vengeance against Xemnas.

Kaze was a just, passionate but wrathful boy. Possessing an eye-for-an-eye mentality, Kaze was quick to take revenge when he saw fit, justifying it as righteous vengeance and holding years-long grudges. He also took any means to that end, even breaking the law, and reveled in the destruction of his enemies. Despite this, he also retained the capacity for friendships and even brotherly love, harboring a positive view of his older brother, he was devastated and furious when he learned of his murder at the hands of Xemnas' somebody "Xehanort". This also resulted in him having a dislike for golden colored eyes, becoming uncomfortable or antagonistic towards anyone with said trait.

Kaze was also a disciplined individual tempered by his sense of honor. Straight-forward and largely dependable, Kaze took action when he believed necessary and reported his failures with humility. He similarly conducted himself in a formal, orderly manner in the Père Noël project and Organization XIII, dispassionate and coldblooded in his approach to his missions and respectful of his superiors, with the founding members being the only exception. He wasn't above insubordination, however, sometimes speaking his mind or even complaining about his job, but he was quick to fall back in line under threats. Likewise, he doesn't want anyone ratting him out on his agenda towards the higher ups, thus kept most of his emotions bottled up when around the members.

Despite being a Nobody, he is shown to express some amounts of emotions such as rage and fear, he also shows some amount of arrogance with his fencing, he's also shown to have a small attraction to Xion, but knows it will never be so.

In his childhood, he was a curious and happy child who has looked up to his older brother to for guidness, even wanting to follow in his footsteps to be a Royal guard.

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

Skills and Talents

As a trained fencer, Kaze had considerable speed and agility, able to dodge magic and weaponry with ease. He was similarly gifted with swordplay and was capable of effectively wielding a rapier, although he had skill with other kinds of swords besides. Kaze therefore had an expertise in assassination, able to remain hidden and undetected when hiding or sneaking up on a target. Sixth Venom was also a competent liar, though a bit over-dramatic when maintaining a facade. Thanks to Saix, he was also capable of a small amount of magic, specifically magic that can be used by Red Mages.

Aside from swordplay, Kaze is a highly capable bare-handed fighter, having been self taught, he managed to overpower other foes such as Xigbar at one point. Under the tutelage of Saix, he learned Berserk and other techniques requiring physical strength and agility. Kaze was also seen resorting to chokeholds. In combat, he is eager to attack the enemy's weak spots, demonstrating excellent reflexes and accuracy. Her fighting method before Saix was limited to his own fighting style, but later displayed quick, strong and brutal blows much more effectively. This includes a wide array of moves mutated from Jeet Kune Do.

Naturally, as a Nobody and later a Organization member, Kaze can command the lesser Nobodies and use Dark Corridors at will.

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

Character Connections

Saix/First Santa Clause: Kaze's Mentor from the Pere Noel Project and later her superior, he first met him in Radiant Garden as Isa prior to becoming Nobodies, later meeting again during a fencing tourney in Yami City, Traverse Town. He remembers him from their time as Somebodies and was impressed by his skill that he was taken into the Project. Naturally, he first saw him as a serious, no-nonsense individual before becoming fearful of him because his eye color became yellow, that and he saw him go into Berserk mode. Despite being his mentor, he often wondered what happened to him and why he changed so much.

Brigitte: One of his partners for the Pere Noel Project, he first met the woman after being recruited by Saix, who is also her mentor, they're both stationed in a townhouse in Ville de Rien just to keep an eye on them. He often tells Brigitte off due to her practices, but he usually gets told that he's no better, regardless, they seem to be on good terms most of the time. Brigitte can sense a lot of negativity coming from him due to his brother's death.

???/Eighth Sniper: One of his former partners in [Project: Pere Noel] and his partner-in-crime. Though not close, he once considered her as a good friend and teammate, often going on missions together on Saix's behalf, even taking turns during assassination missions. But was concerned for her well-being when he felt that [Eighth Sniper] is suffering from her personal demons and was genuinely horrified when he learned that she committed suicide.

???/Mr. Pere Noel: His Employer from the Pere Noel Project. Like most of the members, he doesn't know what he's like or who he is, and is curious to know.

Xemnas: The 1st Member and Leader of Organization XIII, the ruler of all Nobodies, and later his boss. Prior to becoming a Nobody, he once respected him as a scientist named "Xehanort", but later grown to despise the Superior of the In-Between greatly because he was responsible for his brother's death and turning the boy into a Nobody. He spent years holding this kind of grudge, so much so that he began to seek revenge against the older Nobody, even going as far as to participate in the Project so he be recruited into the Organization and get close to him. He was also the reason why he hates his eye color. Xigbar: The 2nd and Founding Member of Organization XIII and later his partner. In a similar case with Xemnas, he greatly despises Xigbar for being associated with Xehanort for his brother's death as Braig, he would even go as far as to antagonize him before being subdued by the older Nobody. He also hates his eye color because of his actions. Xaldin: The 3rd and Founding Member of Organization XIII and later his partner. In a similar case with Xemnas and Xigbar, he greatly despises Xaldin for being associated with Xehanort for his brother's death as Dilan, he used to look up to him during their youth and felt gravely betrayed for his and the other apprentices actions. However he cannot go near the man as he's afraid his revenge would be exposed and get mutilated by the Lancer. Xion: The 14th Member of Organization and later his partner and crush. Despite not having a heart, he's developed a small crush on her, but respectfully keeps his distance due to both of them being Nobodies and her relationship with Roxas, he does however become good friends with her and defends her when Saix picks on her her. On one occasion, he does teach her the ways of fencing. Being a replica, he first saw her as a hooded puppet before seeing her as a black headed girl.