#Can shiro pls rest

[14th-century-verona-queer]

GUYS

GUYS YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND

I USED TO LOVE VOLTRON WHEN I WAS YOUNGER LIKE I LOOOOOOOOVED THAT SHOW

OBVS ITS BEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF YEARS (WILL NOT BE SPECIFYING HOW LONG IN ODER NOT TO DATE MYSELF TYVM) AND I HAVENT HEARD ANY OF THE CHARACTER’S VOICES IN A HELLA LONG TIME

I TOOK A LITTLE GANDER ON PINTREST CAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT LANCE SOUNDED LIKE TO SEE IF IT WAS THE SAME AS I REMEMBERED AND

BITCH WHAT THE ACTUAL FRESHLY-SQUEEZED BEETS FUCK??

I DID NOT IMAGINE THIS MAN TO HAVE THIS SLIGHTLY DEEP VOICE THAT IS LITERALLY EQUIVALENT TO KEITHS (except Keith has more gravel to his voice) I THOUGHT THIS MAN SOUNDED LIKE FUCKING BEN SCHWARTZ.

I AM SO DISRTUBED RN

HAVE I BEEN LYING TO MYSELF ALL THESE YEARS?

DOES CORAN HAVE AN AUSTRALIAN ACCENT OR IS THAT ANOTHER THING MY STUPID MEMORY MADE UP??????

WHAT THE HELL GUYS??????

ON A SIDE NOTE IF THERES EVER A REBOOT OF VOLTRON (AND AN ACTUAL GOOD ONE WITH BUDGET PLEASE) I HAVE A SHORT LIST OF REQUESTS

Make Lance be voiced by Ben Schwartz cause no way this mans has a (semi-deep) ish voice??

Klance is cannon

keep the rest of the cast from voltron EXCEPT FOR LANCE

DO NOT BY ANY MEANS KILL ALLURA. YOU WANT LANCE TO HAVE ALTEA CHEEK MARKS? MAKE IT HAPPEN BY THEIR CLOSE BOND IDFK

LANCE DOES NOT END UP AS A FUCKING FARMER WTF?

The whole gang wear dresses for AT LEAST once fight

we figure out why tf allura’s mom was always wearing pink like who was she mourning??

she-ra and the princesses of power reference

black paladin lance cause YOU CANNOT TELL ME HE ISNT PERFECT FOR THE JOB. SHIRO CAN BE MENTORING ON TEH SIDELINES OR SOME SHIT OR MAYBE THEY FIND A KICKASS SHIP THAT IS A GOOD ASSET IDK??

Cursing, cursing, CURSING. My girl pidge needs to say fuck at least once an episode. Make it at least pg-13 or something bro.

Yup thats it! (Will probably continue to update as I spontaneously gain new ideas)

Fr haven’t watched the show in a long time so i dont even remember the plot, so go wild! Make them go on new adventures! Do fun shit! Idk! I just can’t keep living off of fanart knowing that it will never become a reality!

(Lowkey if anyone knows how to pitch ideas to people who will make this shit happen pls lmk cause i need cannon klance like i need air to breathe. But just be forewarned i have like 50 cents to my name)

[voltronbthb]

the pain of living (and wanting not to live in pain).

prompt; hurts to breathe. requested by; @ardenrabbit. fandom; voltron: legendary defender. focus character; takashi shirogane. relationship(s); n/a. trigger(s); n/a (if there are any i didnt list, pls let me know!) written for @badthingshappenbingo​!

shiro had been having nightmares lately.

these nightmares always left him in a state of pure fright, with him bolting up in bed, eyes darting frantically around at his sleeping quarters on the atlas, body covered in a cold sweat, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

he didn’t tell anyone about these nightmares, for he knew that if he told, he would be coddled like he was when he was younger and had the muscle disease. adam, the doctors, iverson, his grade school teachers, his parents and older sister, they all treated him like he was some type of frail object. he hated being treated like he wasn’t capable of doing things, making decisions on his own.

he was able to prove them all wrong, though, by beating the odds. first it was that he wouldn’t make it past his first hour of life, then three years, then eight, then thirteen… now he’s twenty-six, and still proving everyone wrong with the shit that he’d been through in space.

but, maybe, this is catching up to him…

he’s stopped by keith in the hallways of the atlas one slow afternoon (or, what seemed like afternoon, they were in space and time doesn’t really matter when you’re in space). he had given the crew a day off and had gotten caught up on a much needed rest–not sleeping, of course, but resting nonetheless–in that time.

“hey, shiro,” keith chirps, a little peppier than usual, “i need to go over some upgrades to our lions that pidge requested.”

shiro smiles at his best friend and nods, successfully masking his lack of sleep. “yeah, sure, we can do that now.”

“great, uh, did you wanna go to the bridge?”

shiro suddenly feels as if his heart is about to burst out of his chest, but not in the good way. he breathes in slowly, then finds it difficult to push the breath back out of his lungs.

“…’ro?”

he looks up and sees keith’s concerned face, chest heaving.

“are you okay?” keith asks, putting a hand on his best friend’s shoulder to help comfort him.

shiro nods and steadies himself, breathing very slowly to help the pounding in his head. he makes a feeble attempt at a smile and leads keith to the bridge of the atlas to go over the plans.

~~~

it isn’t until the neighboring planet adjacent to the one they’re currently docked at attacks when the crew notices something’s wrong with their captain.

shiro’s kept his cool, he’s successfully masked his sudden symptoms; however, in this situation, the rest of the crew is focused not only on the attacking inhabitants, but also on the fact that their captain isn’t giving out the usual orders.

“captain, voltron and the mfes are having trouble with taking down the attacking ships,” veronica informs, “what are your orders?”

“um...” shiro starts, but it’s getting hard to concentrate on the panel in front of him when his vision is getting blurry around the edges.

“captain? are you alright?” curtis’ voice rips through the ringing in his ears, though it sounds muffled.

then, shiro collapses, breathing staggered and abnormally heavy. every attempt of breathing leaves his chest feeling like it’s fighting against something heavy. he hears coran and veronica next to him, veronica attempting to reassure him while coran tells iverson to call the medbay.

then, everything goes black...

~~~

shiro awakens a couple of hours later in the medbay, the bright lights almost blinding him as he slowly opens his eyes.

“look, he’s waking up!” someone says (the voice sounds like lance), and footsteps seem to come closer to his bed.

as he regains his vision, he sees team voltron, the mfes, and most of his bridge crew surrounding his bedside. keith and griffin are closest to him, with keith looking almost ready to cry.

“what...?” he starts, not registering until he speaks that there’s an oxygen mask on his face.

“you collapsed and were having trouble breathing,” keith explains, “but luckily, you had the bridge crew there to help you get to the medbay quickly. doctors said you wouldn’t have made it otherwise.”

“the...?”

“the inhabitants of the planet adjacent to us retreated once they realized they were outnumbered. luckily, we had pretty good allies on our side from the planet we’re currently docked at,” griffin reports.

“in fact,” allura speaks, “when they heard of your predicament, the empresses of vellion promised to join the coalition and help liberate planets alongside us. they’re starting with their sister planet next to them, but they say it’ll take some time.”

“that’s...” shiro takes a staggering breath, then continues. “that’s great...”

“now,” iverson comes up to his bedside next to keith, “rest up, captain. you definitely need it.”

“but who’s gonna-?”

“we’ll all do our part to make sure that the bridge is running smoothly in your absence,” veronica reassures, “but as iverson instructs, you need to rest.”

“...okay. thank you.”

as the others leave the room to go back to their respective duties, shiro smiles to himself and then gets some much needed sleep.

[anarchistbitch]

well it's not like according to tradition I replied in a timely manner lmao dont worry about it

sfjkfjsdk me too, i dont usually make playlists, i just leave everything in my liked and shuffle it and let it be what the universe dictates but idk i felt like getting them into one playlist

well if you add pepa pig id burst out laughing in the middle of a call probably and one of my work friends would probably shout "send her to sleep" bc thats what we say when we send clients back bc we cant do anything from our end so it would be funny and we would just ultimately skip it lmao

im looking forward to whatever songs you add, the playlist is long as fuck already tbh so it might take a while for the oli london song to come on

SFGDSJKFGDS well in my defense I had to ask bc i didnt know how long youve been on tumblr so yeah (shiro's cloning and the episode about it and the fight with keith)

anyways i motherfucking hated that they exploded adam and then tried to console us with curtis but anywaaaaaaay the fanfic is dirty laundry which if you were in the fandom i doubt you didnt end up hearing of it or at least the discourse around it but anyway it got deleted but i had it downloaded so have a google drive link https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwU9LMiUJoN7RjFWSGZVUlJQd1U/view?

yeah, the whole not enrolling classes in uni is a mess and i try not to think about it too much rn (i am seeing a therapist and i hope that by next year i have figured out what i want to do) but i like my job, we(my team)'re actually planning to rent a house and stay there a weekend very soon to celebrate our supervisor's bday :'3

making choices that will greatly impact our futures is seriously so hard, and i also not qualified for any career advice but manifesting that whatever you choose in the end allows you to be happy

just last night it started raining hard so i got up to turn off the fan but then like two minutes later i got up to turn it on again bc even tho it was raining it is still so fucking hot, seriously hate the weather rn

god mountains are so preetty, specially when the weather is cool and they get all foggy

atsv is a masterpiece and it continues from itsv so damn well, i really do love it and i hope hollywood gets up it's ass and pays their workers what they're owed so we can see it soon

KJSDFJKSDFHJS i am still seeing so many miguel o hara edits everywhere for real, i gotta say tho im in love with hobie and pavitr

JKSHFJS i used to do something similar with fob, i had a lot of them printed out and would put them on my binder cover so that i could memorize the lyrics so i was all day everyday singing them until i memorized it and the changed it for another song

idk how id rank fob albums, its so hard when theyre soo good but i really do love so much for stardust, aside from that one i think my favs are save rock and roll and american beauty american pyscho, mania was the first album i was a fan of them when it came out so it has a special place in my heart as well

my special lyric is part time soulmates full time problem, ive always been a fan of soulmate aus and hhhhhhhh just makes my brain smooth, also we started off as shiny dimes but we got flipped too many times, we did it for futures that never came and for pasts that we're never going to change 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

cheers to us and our interesting meeting jdfshjf

love you and i hope you have a good week :3 get plenty of rest and fun and water!!

-M

i feel like if we had a competition on late replies i would emerge victorious😎(crying inside)

honestly fall is prolly the best time to make playlists[not that im gonna, but sure is a nice time yk] but ahhhh anyway!!!! havent added anything but u will know when i add it <3

check hello tumblr user nonbinarymikaela pls provide access to the drive check [i checked out of any fandom drama cause i had so many exams that yr lmao. only time the edu system saved me]

[this is me actually hi]

honestly idek if i like my degree rn, like i really wanted to go for a history degree a couple years back before i changed my stream[its a whole educational system thats actually fucking fucked in india i hope it dies soon💜] but on the flip side - it was pretty hard to get a spot in my uni anyway so now im just in a whirlpool of smth. bleh

thinking of how next year is so close is like skewering me and roasting me like a kebab😭😭😭😭[but like dont keep a strict timeline yk, ur like seriously cool and i think any decision you take will be the best as along as your the one taking it ] [i wish i had answered this earlier so i couldve wish you good time on ur retreat but i hope it was good anyway💜💜💜💜💜💜💜]

man i need to like seriously cope up with my decisions cause i need to take an exam for my career which is seriously sooo..... but yea thats how its going

omg its raining here too and my college[which is seriously just a reformated jungle] turned into a swamp ish and they STILL didnt cancel classes. and i forgot my umbrella. i came back home like a sad wet cat .

gotta love that near-to-the-equator ass weather with climate change [i need to kill billionaires rn]

hope the strikes come to a fruitful end soon[for saf-aftra & iatse !!! fuck the amptp!!] but also i wouldnt mind waiting a couple years for btsv if the animators need that time to like animate in a safe and healthy manner yk

OH wait also im on my halloween movies watch rn!! just finished the addams family and watching paranorman rn [i need a gomez man btw. need him to be silly and obsessed and intense.and mwah]

[also if u wanna watch an indian series made in heaven is pretty cool(its okay-ish in terms of writing but it covers some very important social issues + the main leads are hot and dubious. what more do i need to watch a show)]

hobie kinda scratched a very specific itch in my brain like i want to be him AND kiss him , pavitr is so slay, and o'hara needs like a massage session thing where they unlock the trauma in ur knees or like a stamlo 50mg.

me & my friends fav fob lyrics was the 'how the mighty fall' cause we would do that "fall out...boi" intro everytime lol

i dont think i have a fave lyric but i think immortals was a top contender for reasons[i like big hero 6 :3]

Song rec: nothings new by rio romeo (saw it in a reels animatic and .. yea)

to many more yrs of late asks 🥂(appy juice cause i dont like the taste of alcohol)

my love and hopes to u💜💜💜 and also an umbrella for this weather☔

p.s. drink water/soup/iced tea + i care for u+ W in the chats

[mamasboylance]

Slap ur knee if u agree Takashi Shirogane deserves all the happiness and peace his heart desires

[blue-stripe]

been feeling like shit but at least i have these two keeping me going

happy s7 countdown

my twitter: blue_stripe101

[sokkas-honour]

out for a ride - keith x reader (gn)

request : Ah how many Keith requests have you gotten? Can you please add one more? Maybe headcanons of Keith teaching reader how to drive around on his hover bike thingy / taking her on rides on that area in the first episode? I love your writing so much take care of yourself ❤️ + pairing it with this request: PLS GIVE ME SOME MOTORCYCLE KEITH (guess who 👀) - both on anons

notes/warnings: (i may have accidentally posted this without it being done so i had to delete it) -> also takes place sometime during the show, probably s7 on earth

okay so, you were probably begging him to finally let you ride on the hover bike, he was very reluctant about it because he was afraid it would be a bit too dangerous and he doesn’t want you getting hurt.

eventually he caved in but he set a couple of ground rules in order for you to be as safe as possible to calm his nerves. the deal was you could ride on the bike with him but couldn’t drive it (you would eventually after weeks of begging)

he doesn’t practice what he preaches but will force you to at least wear a helmet, scared you might get hurt but wouldn’t actually tell you that, covering it up with “first time riders need a helmet.”

so he took you out to that desert place where he grew up in, probably planning to watch the sun set with you on top of the back lion after he took you for a ride.

okay so the first round, you’re practically squeezing the life out of keith. (you’re seated right behind him and your arms are wrapped around his waist)

“see i told you that you wouldn’t like it.” he said as soon as he’s done, having to deal with your screams whenever there was a drop, either from fear or pleasure, he didn’t really know.

“keith that was amazing! let’s go again!” was not the answer he was waiting for but seeing you so excited, the adrenaline still pumping through your veins as you couldn’t stand still, desperately wanting to experience those heart dropping drops in the canyon, made him smile a little and give once again.

the second time, keith could tell that your screams were from adrenaline and not fear. since you were pressed against his back, he could feel your heart hammering in his rib cage.

after the third ride though, he finally puts his foot down to put an end to the rides for now, desperately wanting to get to the dinner as he could see that the sun was soon nearing the earth, much to your dismay.

no matter how engrossed he was in watching the sky switch colors, he could sense the slight disappointment of not being able to just ride his bike as many times as you wanted which made him feel a tad bit guilty for cutting you off so soon.

“want to go for one last ride before we go back to the garisson?” he never saw a smile grow so quickly on your face which in turn, made him smile too.

“can i drive?” “no.” oh well, you tried.

so you rushed to grab your helmet that was sitting inside of the black lion and climbed on the back of the bike, keith watching you run, excitement evident on your face, which did cause him to smile slightly. he may or not be completely head over heels for you but that would take a little longer for him to finallt admit

when the rest of paladins find out he let you ride the bike with him, they were a bit surprised as they had witnessed you getting turned down so many times but it did cause all of them to tease keith about going soft for you once you weren’t around.

shiro insists on teaching you how to ride it, knowing that keith wouldn’t do it himself.

people i tag for voltron: @biqherosix @alteasmoon

[redxblueihateloveyou]

I'm curious what you think the worst shipping dynamic is? And the reasoning behind it if you have any.

Thank you so much!!!

haha I do have several of those actually. I’ll include both what I think are the worst dynamics and the kind of ships that “I just don’t get why would you ship smth like that”.

1. What I actually call “a mom and a manchild”.

examples: Hatori/Chiaki from “Sekaichi Hatsukoi”, Ikuya/Hiyori.

I guess, technically there’s nothing wrong with this, if they both enjoy being this way, but firstly I just hate adults behaving like infants and I don’t think encouraging such behavior can lead to anything good, and secondly watching this just makes me uncomfortable for many reasons. And moments like when Hyori came up to Ikuya when he talked to Haru and was like “it’s too late and you can’t talk to this man, time to go home” and Ikuya went I just cracked up at this. Also when one part is basically changes the other’s part diapers, but in return gets tantrums or basically nothing or “but I wanna play with someone else tho”, it’s just a kink I do not get, like why would you want to be treated like this is beyond me.

But then I also generally dislike infantile characters, and I can’t ship smth if I don’t like both parties, so maybe bc of this. I always like the mature characters. Like even when I do know in theory that a 13 year old in reality can’t behave like Todoroki, I’m still like, I don’t fucking care, that’s the one I like xD But when 20 years old Ikuya behaves like this, I just do not appreciate it, I guess.

2. “I don’t have an identity, my identity is you or what you want me to be” category, including “my dignity flew out of the window” ones and “I just do what you do”. (I CANNOT HANDLE THIS DYNAMIC, YOU KNOW I CAN’T!!!!!!! I DO NOT WHY, BUT IT’S JUST PISSING ME OFF THE MOST OF ALL PROBABLY)

examples: Eren/Mikasa, Haru/Makoto, Natsusa/Sei from “Number24″.

Sports animes do that a lot. “The only reason I played rugby is because you played it” is a major cringe. And no, it’s not romantic. Romantic is like when you’re both passionate about this and doing this sports together makes it even better/more meaningful, that I get. Not, “I only went there bc you like it” and I’ll have what you have, I’ll do what you do. Like.. huh? You firstly a person, as in fully formed one pls, you can’t exist as someone’s trail. 

Those ships always contain this one person (like Mikasa, Makoto), who are just the accessory of the other character. Mikasa’s problem is not the ackerbond, it’s her life position, she herself chosen to be Eren’s doormat. And some also find this romantic, I think, but I just hate such things. Also the truth of life: if you don’t respect yourself, your crush won’t respect you either. Just saying.

Makoto, I sincerely think, if Kisumi would be his neighbour instead of Haru, he’d be playing basketball at school lmao. Like SD has so many of absolutely terrible scenes, where Makoto just for real turns to Haru and goes “do you think I should go to the basketball club if we’re not swimming?” like dude, I’m... he’s like a walking definition of “meh” if there ever existed one. How can you do not care what you do? Like at all. This is beyond me. That’s sad. Watching him makes me sad.

I just need both characters in a ship be you know THEM, fantastic on their own, then when they’re together they become an absolutely explosive magic. It’s just a true fact.

Also there is one ship who is not quite this category, but kinda touches this theme. Ciel and Lizzy from “Kuroshitsuji”, ike the original Ciel, for whom she wanted to pretend to be a dumb damsel in distress for the rest of her life. Like fucking seriously????? You’d live like this????!!!! Fucking hell, you must really don’t love yourself like at all.

3. Humiliation isn’t my kink.

examples: Dazai/Akutagawa, Midoriya/Bakugou.

Akutagawa and Midoriya are badass motherfuckers and also wonderful human beings on their own. When they encounter Dazai and Bakugou they become sheeps. I hate seeing them like that, that’s basically it. Also humiliation is really not my kink. The whole “treat him like crap” thing. Like some things they did to them is just.. my god, I don’t like it.

Like when Dazai asked Atsushi to throw the phone moment, I literally flinched so hard watching it, I can’t even explain this feeling between the dejection and utter disgust at the fact that Dazai did it, that I felt watching it, but I fucking hated it.

4. Those who bring out the worst in each other or don’t bring out anything in each other.

All my ships literally all with no exceptions make each other the best versions of themselves, push/challenge each other to become better/brighter/happier, etc., or add to each other that piece the other was missing. 

If someone makes someone feel depressed, miserable or even just simply stuck in a rut, that’s probably not it. There are some ships who just simply can’t make each other happy or even make each other unhappy and that’s a fact.

5. Ships with no development or development so tiny that you need 120 episodes and an magnifying glass to see it.

examples: I’d say, but I just don’t want those 10 year olds in my ask box again.

Hate this for obvious reasons. Because as wise ppl say “only fools don’t grow” or "if we don't change, we don't grow. if we don't grow, we aren't really living."

6. Those who are like brothers to each other and said so and don’t emmit any and I mean ANY sexual vibes or attraction in that kind of way towards each other. 

examples: Harry Potter/Ron Weasley (like THE FUCK seriously), Stiles/Scott from “Teen Wolf”, Keith/Shiro.

I just cannot imagine them being romantically involved, I literally can’t. And I don’t get it. It’s like they even say “you’re my brother” thing, but also they just do not give off any couply feels and imagining this kinda make me cringe a bit, cause I have two sisters I’m very close with and their relationship remind me of our relationships so just.. no.

7. They are not each others priority. Meaning both putting someone else or something else before them.

If they don’t put each other first, I most likely probably don’t want it. 

My jam is like Stucky and when they say to Steve “you do this, captain, and the whole world would think of you as a criminal” and Steve being like “fuck you, take your shield, take your idiotic hero rules, I don’t care, he matters to me more than your whole dumbass world”.

My jam is Lan Zhan who went against the whole world and a horde of stupid donkeys and fought for his baby till the end. He really didn’t care if he’d lose everything and what would other ppl think, if it meant that Wei Wuxian will be with him.

On the other hand, we have Jin Guangyao, who had Lan Xichen, but he wanted power and idiots’ love more, so he chose what he chose. Do not get this ship, like no, thanks.

As for putting specific someone else first. Rin/Sousuke, for example. I in general do not get it, but also like there are like 10 moments in the anime like in Yakusoku when Rin forgot about him, when he saw Haru during the tournament and an actual quote “Sousuke looked at Rin, who will always put Haru first”. So like... I do not get it. If you see them as a couple this is technically no good no for Sousuke, no for Rin.

8. Obviously straight ones, but “hey, I need them gay”.

I in fact just do not believe in a “straight ppl do not exist” thing. As I’ve said before there are exceptions where some characters give off the clear bi vibe, but those are pretty rare tbh. And even more rare canonically proven ones like Kanda from D.Gray-man, for example. 

The moment they show some character in anime drool over some girls he doesn’t even know, but he don’t react to any of the guys like this, this just means he’s most likely heterosexual. Cause only straight guys drool only specifically after seeing random boobs. So this thing always throws me off in some ships.

99% of my ships are either canonically gay or most likely gay, but author doesn’t want to label it. 

There are just lots of animes where main character/s have shown no interest in an opposite gender whatsoever like “Natsume Yuujinchou”, “Kuroko No Basuke”, “AOT”, “Number24″, “Fukigen na Mononokean”, “Tower Of God”, “Owari no Seraph” etc., but did in fact show interest in the same gender one. That I get, yes. 

And btw even if you want somebody to be as I call it a “wishful bi”, I think it should be only in situations like if these characters have some absolutely wonderful/undeniable connection, not just the ship for the sake of gay ship.

_____

That’s probably it. Otherwise I’m fine, I think :D  

[halfhappyhooligan]

a voltron au? in 2020? it’s more likely than you think

look. LOOK. i know that voltron is stupid and we hate it but lets be honest: everything up until season 3 was pretty good and had lots of potential !!

today i was rewatching voltron and a thought struck me: what if, instead of shiro being cloned, he was chipped and turned to the side of the galra?

so here it is, i did not blink since i thought of this

(warning, i have not seen voltron in a while and this is just knowledge i have stored in my moss brain and stuff i know from rewatching the first season)

au where shiro goes evil bc of what happens @ end of season one instead of the clone thing bc 1) haggar rly could not have made thousands of shiros after bumping into team voltron like what twice? its hella improbable and 2) just… weird

so instead they insert a chip in him that helps them spy and control him just like kuron (the clone) did minus the unlikely storytelling

eventually after the convo with sendak when he was in the pod trying to temp shirp, he does have thoughts about helping zarkon

(“im already infiltrated with the arm, i could just speed up the process by leaving now. save the team the trouble of investing in a leader that’s doomed to fail from the strart.”)

shiro ends up leaving team voltron in season 2 after zarkon goes crazy w the black lion n stuff

^^ this adds to Keith’s reasoning of joining the Blade of Marmora (shiro is his main stability and one of the main reasons he even stuck around with team voltron, so with shiro gone and keith questioning his place as the leader and paladin of the black lion, he decides the BoM is just.. what’s best for him) 

obviously lance isn’t happy with this (“you just told me that i’m a valuable member, now you don’t think YOU are? what logic is that?”)

ofc keith goes anyways

lance becomes paladin of the black lion

allura takes on the red lion

who has blue lion? ...idk this isn’t that thought out (maybe matt after pidge finds her family) (which will happen earlier in the plot since we can forget about the miniplot of black no longer responding to shiro)

enter lotor only this time he has a sidekick and what omg its shiro wow

shiro has that bigger version of his arm that was once offered to him

he’s stronger and scary, but his eyes aren’t the same, he has the strength of a galra but lacks the passion 

in the fight between lotor and zarkon, (and after, of course lots of self doubt and questioning) shiro comes between them and convinces lotor NOT to kill zarkon

then zarkon kills lotor

everyones like oh shit bc surely someone who’s life was just spared wouldn’t kill the person who seems to have the most power

but he did. bc he’s zarkon. and he’s fckn crazy.

shiro doesn’t go back to team voltron bc its too much too easily

instead he takes the place of lotor in the group of gals 

he convinces them all to rebel against the galra

eventually they teach him all about quintessence and all the shit lotor had planned that they can’t do anymore

(lotor wasn’t harvesting alteans in this universe bc what the heck even was that subplot that had little to no relevance to the main storyline?

instead he was trying to find a way to technologically bring back alteans (kinda like how allure’s dad was originally preserved in s1)

i know nothing about How Stuff Works and i dont remember much about quintessence n shit but the basic idea is that when tying in some of a persons artifacts with technology stuff and some quintessence then boom. a weird route from astral projection land to the team is created and ppl can come back or smth idfk

but lotor was never able to get the comet so shiro decides he and the gals will get that comet and try to bring back as many alteans as they can

^ all this while infiltrating as many galra fleets as possible + saving planets under galra empire

they personally visit every planet that lotor was in charge of and release them from galra control

they are able to bring back an altean (its romelle) and she talks abt her friend who lives on the balmera and they go to the balmera and its revealed that it was shay’s great grandmother so romelle asks where shay is and shay’s family is like with team voltron of course

so

they take her

obviously team voltron, the BoM and the Rebels r very hesitant to make contact but they decide to try it out

keith refuses to meet, instead he’s on the team that stands guard

reunions !! 

romelle and shay hit it off and hunk makes a dinner much like roselle’s past (allura and coran also hang out and they all vibe)

lance talks to shiro abt everything to do with keith and shiro is like dude do u??? like him?

and lance is like what? no ofc not���oh shit.

and keith ✨overhears ✨

pidge matt and shiro catch up n shit

meanwhile keith is like Hey Lance Uhhhhhh What The Fuck

they end up being like hey since we’re all here and we hate zarkon what if we make a plan to end the galra’s reign Right Now

so they do

and y’all.. it’s hella baller plan

except something is going wrong and in the middle of an attack zarkon is able to get the upper hand 

due to haggar’s magic and lance’s mental and emotional instability, zarkon is able to get in his head

everyone is trying to talk him down but they’re all under a lot of pressure

allura is also conflicted bc she wanted to be black lion bc she wanted to rub it in to zarkon’s face that she was stronger than he and that she could beat him at his own game

but the negativity and instability feeds into zarkon’s power and makes him and haggar stronger as they pull in voltron to finally take over the team and regain their status as the most powerful alien race

hunk realizes this and is like okay can y’all stop being negative? its clearly affecting them in a good way and it makes us an easier target

and pidge is like im literally a child pls i don’t wanna die i just got my family back it can’t end like this

shiro realizes what’s going on and he goes to save them

he uses all his energy, pulling in the positive memories (everything: first learning about space, becoming a teacher, meeting adam, meeting keith, first making team voltron, his friends and family--all of it) to push back zarkon and haggar’s powers and battle once more in the astral realm 

in defeating zarkon, shiro loses his life

afterwards keith enters the ship in a hurry and is like where the fuck is shiro where’s my brother what did you do what happened

and team voltron is like hey man.. we are so so sorry

and keith cries because the last thing he ever said to shiro was mean

lance feels like its all his fault since he was supposed to be a good leader

they talk about separately while hunk pidge and allura discuss

krolia is like keith we, ur family, are here for u

and axca is there and shes like um?? hey?? sry for trying to kill u bro

and he’s like i absolutely do not wanna talk i just lost my closest friend

they talk about it later

axca tells keith abt shiro finishing lotor’s work and abt bringing people back and well.. 

they use the methods to help keith visit shiro in the astral realm

shiro is like oh uh hey i was just having a drink w adam we r happy

and keith is like shiro u fuckhead why would u sacrifice urself

shiro sighs bc cmon keith you KNOW why “remember what i always said? we can’t focus on what went wrong..”

“we’ve got to figure out how to make it right” keith finishes

keith breaks tf down crying and screams apologizing

“i love u shiro. ur a like a big brother to me.”

and shiro is like yeah i know and ilyt but hey. everyone’s safe and happy. im safe and happy. & you deserve to be too. you don’t need me anymore.

so the galra rule is over and everyone goes to their respected planets

romelle and the other alteans as well as some galra babes hang in earth

romelle and shay r in an apartment together and have a garden

allura realizes she may not have been the strongest leader for voltron, and  couldn’t stop zarkon on her own but that physical strength doesn’t define her as a whole

her heart is strong enough to care for everyone, so thats what she does

allura starts running an inn for alteans filled with painted sceneries like altea in case anyone ever needs a reminder of home

when lance reunites with his family its a real tearjerker

rachel finally gets her jacket back and veronica is like So.. Axca 👀

the McClain’s host a huge party for everyone and it’s filled with lots of hugs and loud music and even tho lance was way too tired, he danced all night

he wouldn’t trade his family for the world—genetic and chosen

when hunk reunites with his parents they don’t let him out the house for hours, he tells them all about his new best friend shay as well as hundreds of his favorites stories from space

they are so, so proud of him

hunk spends the next days playing minecraft and animal crossing with pidge, giving their brains a rest from being on hyperdrive for 3 yrs straight

when pidge gets home she finally gets grounded by her mom, only being allowed to leave the house to see her old teammates

(same for matt and her dad)

(her mother cries so hard when they opened the door to the home)

the holt family holds movie nights filled with popcorn, cuddles, and tears

keith moves in with the holt family, and finally accepts that he has a home as well as a family

he often goes on trips with the BoM but mostly just stays on earth

after a Team Voltron sleepover in the altea inn keith and lance decide to get an apartment together and live their lives in love and in peace

everyone gets together once a year in celebration of shiro and the sacrifice he made for them

they use the ship to visit Astral Shiro and once they even met adam

everyone laughs and catches up and just... live their lives

everyone is happy

pls ignore any and all errors lmao

again, just a thought !! maybe i’ll write a fic abt it idk for sure but yeah

feel free to add anything <3

[danieyells]

Events(or even gachas I guess) I'd love to see:

The Seven Lucky Gods in one event(or even just the ones we have so far. . .the fact that Daikoku knows and associated with Benten and Ebisu at one point in their existence is completely worthy of acknowledging imo like pls. They're such different people. I wanna see them interact. Daikoku calls a temporary truce or spends the whole time trying to kill/subdue MC(who, as usual, is either uncomfortable, angry(which may or may not come in the form of flirtatious threats in a fight for dominance), or takes it so in stride even Daikoku couldn't keep up. . .he's never really met someone who wanted him to step on them before. . .oh and you want to lick his shoes? What a well behaved brat you are. . . .) and Benten just "could you knock it off with your creepy domeneering foot fetish until we get back to Tokyo please omg you're always like this." I don't know what they'd do together because I don't know them as well yet but just the fact that they have such different characters so far makes me want to see them all together.

Oops All Angels/Oops All Demons/The Sliding Scale Of Eden, which would be an angel/demon/Eden & Gehenna centric thing ofc. By which I mean GIVE US MORE MISSIONARIES I WANNA SEE THE MISSIONARIES-- I mean yeah biblical narrative and christian mythology is pretty well known but I like seeing how everyone feels about things and each other--like that Sitri saw Seth and thought he was Bael and when he realized he wasn't Bael he kinda started shittalking Bael kdbshdidj and how Lucifuge and Bathym both worked with Shaytan but Bathym was I guess closer because Lucifuge is afraid of fire--and where does Mephistopheles come in there? And I feel like we don't really know the angels' feelings towards one another and haven't seen them interact--Gabriel calls Azazel a snake(which is true, literally,) but she was also talking about wanting to touch the tails of Therians so I'm sure what she meant was "he let me touch his tail and did not hide the Consiquences of Touching A Therian's Sensitive Tail and I somehow didn't expect that and was Understandably Very Uncomfortable" so I don't know if that means she doesn't like him or if she was just being pouty over deciding she really shouldn't ask to touch his tail. At the same time I knoe this is probably VERY far off. Because MC already has the Ring of Solomon and we've had the 72 Pillars of Solomon mentioned and the demons' positions in the heirchy and [CHAPTER 11 SPOILERS:] MC is gonna have to reach/summon the Exception Solomon[/CHAPTER 11 SPOILERS] so. That's probably too close to Story Content for us to get too much of an event out of it yet. Plus there's Michael and I'm sure he'd be kicking and screaming as he's dragged through shenanigans in an event under the current circumstances, but could we really do an angel event without him now that he's there?

Literally anything with Bora Bora. And Babel. And. Just. Not that I dislike or am truly mad about it, but didn't the game introduce a world that's no longer in the Game and no longer connected to Tokyo before expanding on several of the worlds we already have? Babel only has Marduk, even. Ofc idk much about the mytholigies of Polynesia(you'd think I'd remember more, I read about them a bit back when Pokemon SuMo came out) or Babylon or Mesopotamia to say there's so much more to add but. There's never just one legend and one character and one story in a mythology. And Polynesian mythology is different in every area too isn't it? Even gods that they have in Hawaii are a bit different for the Maori, for example, I'm pretty sure--if only in name. There's so much that could be explored. I understand leaning on what's closest to you--hence why we have so many characters from mythology in Japan and nearby countries--but I'd also like to see others developed more lol

We've had an event centered around ogres/oni, an angel/demon event would probably have too many spoilers in it for the time being, we had the little bull-cebtric sort of mini New Years event, but I'd love to see more species-related ones like that too. Other 'characters with X in common' events could be fun too--dragons/lizards and the dragonkillers, for example. One Big Pile Of Kitties which is just feline Therians and friends all together. Maybe in Namjatown in Ikebukuro--which means Nomad gets dragged in as he kicks and screams that he is NOT a tiger!!! and Snow and Macan are like yeah sure we know but also this is Ikebukuro and Claude is paying you, to which Nomad just goes FUCK but I need the money so I'll deal. Maybe a mini extension of Year of the Guardian Dog where Agyo, since he insists he's a lion, wants to know more about how lions live in Tokyo, so MC once again runs around with him to introduce him to any lions they know(somehow this includes Oz shh don't ask questions) and Agyo's like "so many lions are big strong guardian lions too. . .I've gotta step up my game!" lol (Claude: oh so you have a guardian lion too? Shall we make them fight? Agyo: NO NO PLEASE NO NO THANK YOU I WOULD LITERALLY DIE?????)

Exiles' Lovers Valentine's Event where characters who were the lovers of/in love with/loved by the Exiles within MC squabble over them or something silly like that. Alternatively, put everyone who's expressed the strongest attractions to MC in one event. MC has to protect Shiro from them because he's probably the weakest link there--

Our World Is Gone So Let's Meet Up In Tokyo - Old Ones event(maybe there'd be a second one for other worlds that get destroyed like Yggdrasil. LET GARMR MEET HIS FRIENDS AGAIN.) Maybe a New Years event, but I'd love to see all the Old Ones we have so far in one place, assuming there isn't an in-game explanation that they can't be. Tsathoggua is convinced out on the basis of food more than out of a desire to see any of them(MAYBE to game with Tindalos and Azathoth in person. Canct play the classics online!). Snow and Claude tentatively let Cthugha out of his cell for a while(the event is implied to have had caused several repeats due to Cthugha explosions.) I haven't read Nightglows yet so idk where Nodens is at atm but he'd be there because I say so. Dagon obviously goes(he's probably the most social of the bunch aside from Nyarl--and Father Dagon is curious about his family too!). Shiro tentatively lends his body to Yog-Sothoth because "it's important to be with your family now and then if you have them!!!" much to Yog-Sothoth's eyerolling, and MC goes because either it was insisted on that they belonged there("You know I'm not. . .whoever you think I am, right? Okay. . . . .") or to make sure Shiro's body doesn't collapse under the strain or get involved in some sort of nonsense(he doesn't expect Yog-Sothoth to do anything crazy, he's been pretty unenthusiastic about everything so far, but you never know with these guys.) They keep calling MC this name they can't hear for some reason which isn't any better than when everyone calls them names they can hear really--in fact it feels a lot worse, like, Please Stop Saying Whatever You're Saying I've Started Taking Psychic Damage worse. MC makes a lot of comments about the sheer quantity of tentacles in the gathering my god(s) they are everywhere they've seen enough hentai and been around Dagon enough to know where this is going--

In the same vein, if we ever get more El Dorado characters, Xolotl wants to go to the Annual El Dorado Meetup or something similar but he's scared and brings Quetza--I mean MC with him as moral support. Understandably they get caught up in everyone going "omg gods", especially after Tezcatlipoca tackles MC to the ground at Mach 7 from 20 miles away when he heard they'd come along and accompanies them the rest of the event, assuming he doesn't pick them up and carry them away from Xolotl, who has to muster up the courage to follow after and get MC back since he brought them here to begin with. Only to find MC pacified Tezcatlipoca somehow and they ran into Itzamna and they're painting their feelings or something. Maybe the event also features a sacrificing and MC is like UH NO WE CAN'T HAVE YOU COMITTING MURDER IN TOKYO JUST BECAUSE IT'S OKAY BACK HOME PLEASE STOP lmao

. . .just silly thoughts. I've definitely had more ideas, but they're not coming to me rn.

[housamo-side-blog-2]

DIARY

{Dorm Room}

it is a starry night in your dorm room,your headlights shined the notebook that is sitting on your desk, as you write your thoughts on the notebook.

“Dear Diary” 

“Today is a another wonderful day here in Tokyo, Yesterday i went with Ryota to buy some rainbow buns from Ebisu”s shop, offcourse i have to accompany Ryota to Nagoya, since he isn’t familiar with it, which offcourse i will delighted to, And........ i notice this about Ryota, Everytime he wears something, 

He gets cuter and cuter whenever i see him in different clothings, i mean he’s cute and all,but how the heck does someone like that exists, man Im really lucky to have met him. 

 {Salomon Appears} 

Lil Salomon:  Goooooooood Evening master , oh, what is that you’re writing on ?

Harumo:  Its my diary, im just writing about Ryota and other stuff. 

Lil Salomon:  OOOOHHHHHH!, Can i read it pls? 

Lil Salomon:  Yeah!, here i go, 

Your floating buttler skims the contents of your secret thoughts, however. 

Lil Salomon:   Wait a second!, There’s not a single page that is all about me. how could you do this to me master,you’re so cruel. 

Harumo:  Salomon, you’re literally with me 24/7, and you already know what i think about you. 

Lil Salomon:  And what is that? 

Harumo:   That you are my favorite and most adorable, butler and friend that i have. 

Lil Salomon:   Ohhhhhhhh!, Masterrrrr! 

Lil Salomon after hearing those words,floats around,full of emotion and almost to the brink of crying tears of joy. 

Harumo:  Why are you crying? 

Lil Salomon:  How could i not cry from those words Master, hmph, 

Harumo:  Well, thats what i think about you, Anyway, it getting late, I’ll finish this part tomorrow,  ..

You strecthed yourself to relieve yourself of any fatigue and began to get sleepy as you yown with tiredness, 

Harumo:  Welp, Im going to sleep, Night Lil Salomon, 

Lil Salomon:  Goodnight Master! 

You pull your blankets over you, Lil Salomon sleeps on your side and dreamt away, While your diary, rests on top of your study table unclosed, Leaving exposed thoughts out of the open for anyone to read it, 

{End Scene}

{The next day} 

{Dorm Room} 

Morning has now, brought light to Tokyo, as everyone wakes up,go out, and work, students on the other hand. 

Harumo:  ZZZZZZ.....ZZZZZZZ

You sleep soundly as though you’re immersed in your own dream. Unaware your classmates are already inside your room, to wake you up, since you always tend to do all nighters. 

Shiro:   *Sigh*, Harumo should really fix their sleep schedule, if they keep pulling all nighters,it could damage their health. 

Kengo:   Hey partner! , WAKE, THE HELL,, UP ! 

As Kengo scream to your hear, you wake up in shock and nearly had a heart attack. 

Shiro:   Finally, good work Kengo. 

Ryota:   Morning Harumo ! 

Harumo:   Uhm.,,, why are you guys in my room? 

Moritaka:   Classes are about to start my friend. And you’re always late waking up.

Harumo:   Wait.....AHHHHHHH ! HOLD ON, IM GONNA GET CHANGED! 

Shiro:  We’ll wait outside for you. 

You rush to the bathroom to fix yourself and brushed your teeth, Unaware of one person stumbling upon your opened notebook. 

Ryota:   Why is my name there? 

Ryota,whom is unaware of the contents,fully unaware that its your diary he’s reading the first sentence of it. 

Ryota:   Oh yeah, we did went to Nagoya, Ebisu’s rainbow buns were sooooo delicious. 

Harumo:  Okay, im r- Ryota! 

Ryota:   Ahh!, Don’t scare me like that ! 

Harumo:  Why are you reading my diary then? 

Again,Ryota is unaware,he’s actually reading his friend’s personal diary. 

Ryota:   Wait,.....WHAT!......IM SORRY, IM SORRY, IM SORRY ! ....All right I’ll be out bye ! 

Ashamed of himself, he ranned outside in a panic. 

Kengo: Whoah, Ryota what happened to you? 

Ryota:  Guys, i did something really shameful. 

Moritaka:   Do tell us Ryota, im sure its not that bad. 

Ryota:   I just read Harumo’s diary. 

Moritaka:   O,,,oh,,,i see,, 

Shiro:   Reading other’s people diary, is shameful Ryota. 

Ryota: I Know, im sorry, i didn’t know, it was them, Plus my name was written on it so i got curious. 

Kengo:   And, what did you read?

Ryota:   Just the part where me and Harumo went to Nagoya to get some of Ebisu’s famous Rainbow Buns.it was delicious. 

Harumo:  Okay guys, im ready.! 

Kengo:  Finally, lets go

Ryota:  Harumo.. im really sorry for reading your diary without your permission, i should have known better. 

Harumo:   Thats okay, im sure you didn’t read all of it. { Hopefully not the part about him being cuter and cuter} 

Ryota:   Really?!, Yey!!, I only read half of it, But whats about the part of me being cute? 

Harumo:  Uhmmmm.....*sweating* ......HEY GUYS LETS GO WE DONT WANT TO BE LATE FOR MR TRITON’S CLASS LETS GOOOOO!. 

Shiro:  Harumo don’t run or you’l trip. 

Ryota:   {I wonder if its the part of me being cute in every clothing part}

Face covered in embarrasment, you ran in a panic, thinking about what will Ryota thinks of him being called cute and all. And that, they continue their day in embarrasment. 

AND SCENE. WELP I DECIDED TO TRY MAKING A VERY VERY SHORT STORY TODAY. THANK YOU GUYS FOR READING AND IF YOU ALL LIKED IT THEN LEAVE A LIKE IF NOT THEN NOT. AS ALWAYS COMMENT WHAT YOU GUYS THINK OF MY STORIES I’LL BE HAPPY TO READ ALL OF THEM, IF YOU GOT ANY OPINIONS OF IT THEN ASKS ME IMMEDIATELY THANK YOU FOR READING

[disloyalpunk]

ik u barely even check tumblr anymore but on the off chance u see this: can u pls rec us some new sheith smut 😭my crops r dying

ok ok so FIRST OF ALL not all of these fics are necessarily new because let’s be honest, there are some real classics that I actually do reread about 1 million times over lmaooo

and second! i am at all times accepting sheith fics recs PLEASE HELP A FOOL OUT!!!! 

strike, and cure his heart by comesinbells - so this is like??? my newest biggest fave sheith smut, it’s heavy on the humiliation kink and namecalling and face slapping and it’s! so! good!!! i’m still trying to screw my head on straight to even leave a comment and I instantly subscribed to the author’s ao3 because, well. i want to be around for whatever happens next sndfjsf

Mission: Distract the Captain by SashaDistan - absolutely excellent d/s office sex with bonus authority kink, what more can I possible ask for!! god the best part of this fic is when shiro makes keith like.....edge & then overstimulate himself while he’s getting fucked? brilliant concept 100/10

got me all gone by sugarcubeshiro - shiro is so MEAN in this one, I’d die for him 1 million times. i know what you’re thinking: am I really going to enjoy a fic that includes the line “Shiro fucking spits right into Keith’s open mouth”? yes. the answer is yes because it is brilliant and also contains lots of keith getting slapped, keith crying, and keith calling shiro daddy. i rest my case. 

Proper Worship by bavariansugarcookie - “keith is a god and shiro worships him” is just, like, conceptually amazing and really I just need more of shiro blowing keith in my life?? i’m a simple person with simple needs

All In by orphan_account - god this one really gets me in the emo feelings but it’s also really hot so???

Chokehold by mst3keith - this is literally a classic in my books sndfjsdf the horny energy is endless and when shiro tells keith to submit to him I just die every time whoops

four of hearts by sinspiration - sorry I'm literally nasty LOL but i’m here for the clone gangbangs and I won’t be shamed for it thank you ! also: consent play. which we all know how I feel about that one! go bless.

meltwater by leftishark - okay i admit it: I am such a ho for femsheith!! i just am! and we do not have enough temperature play kink in this fandom (which is infuriating) but it’s so so so good here and shiro is SO HOT (pun intended) and i just. ugh. god. this is probably the femsheith fic to check out if you’re on the fence about femsheith just saying!!!!!

this isn’t technically smut, but 

take all the hurt away from me by Thesis - if you haven’t read this fic yet, you’re missing out on one of the most incredible things i’ve read in months.

[voltrontranscript]

VLD S8E8: Clear Day

Season 8 Episode 8: Clear Day

Transcribed by @dragonofyang

Summary: The crew on the IGF-Atlas spends some time on planet Drazan during Clear Day to unwind, meanwhile Allura stays onboard and discovers that nothing ever truly disappears, and that there is power still that can turn the tide of the war.

[Google Doc]

Allura: Tavo, I want to thank you for speaking with me.

Tavo: Forgive me, Princess Allura, but we don’t have much time.

Allura: I’m sorry?

Tavo: Please. Once Honerva discovers I’m speaking with you, it will be over.

Allura: Slow down. What are you trying to--?

Tavo: Listen to me. Now that she has Lotor, she will use him to destroy everything--

Allura: Tavo! Wait! I feel something.

Sam: Get them out of there! Reverse the magnetic polarity once the room is cleared. The impulse prism might just stabilize the foreign object.

[Scene change to Sam and Allura observing the dark entity in its container.]

Sam: This unit uses the ship’s crystal to energize the optronic vacuum casing. It was designed to contain diseases, but it should suffice until we find a more permanent solution.

Allura: Thank you, Sam. That thing, it was as if it was communicating with me. Whatever this is, it might be how Honerva connects to the Alteans.

Sam: Perhaps you should get some rest. It’s best if everyone stays away from this until we learn more about… Allura?

Allura: You’re right. Best to stay away.

[Scene change to the IGF-Atlas bridge.]

Garrison Officer: Captain, I’m picking up an abnormal signal from planet Drazan in the zeta-three sector.

Shiro: Open a hailing frequency. We need to find out what’s going on.

Veronica: Copy.

Shiro: This is Takashi Shirogane of the Voltron--

Burr: Well, if it isn’t the Voltron Coalition. And here I was thinking you were afraid to show your face after ruining the last Clear Day.

Coran: Yes, sorry about that. That was--that was on me.

Shiro: We noticed a lot of activity on your planet’s surface. Are you in danger?

Burr: Opposite! We’re celebrating Clear Day!

Coran: Hang on, isn’t Clear Day four movements from now?

Burr: Time dilation, you snarflaf! It’s right now. So unless you’d like to waste more of my time, I need to get back.

Shiro: Are you sure hosting a celebration is safe? This sector has seen a lot of hostile activity lately.

Burr: Oh, here we go. I knew this was coming. In fact, I just told my wife. I said to her, “Just you wait. You don’t know them the way I do. They promise to show up. You tell everyone that Voltron is coming to Clear Day. Everyone gets excited. Then Voltron never arrives, and you’re left with your top two paws stuck in the rocks!”

Shiro: We don’t wanna ruin your holiday, but we’re concerned--

Burr: We’re having Clear Day, and that is that! If you’re so worried about our safety, then how about you show up and provide security? Free of charge!

Shiro: Veronica, make an announcement to the Atlas. We’re going to Clear Day.

[Scene change to Allura’s quarters, where Lance and Allura are cuddling in bed.]

Lance: Are you sure you don’t wanna head down to the carnival? I’m pretty sure the Swathian Meerakeet won’t try to eat us.

Allura: I’m sure. I haven’t been feeling well, especially after what happened to Tavo. I need to rest.

Lance: Right. Well, I could stay here with you, keep you company if you want.

Allura: Please, go have fun. Maybe you can win me a prize. Something sparkly?

Lance: Yeah, okay. Winning prizes is kinda my specialty. I am a sharpshooter, after all.

[Scene change to several ships flying to the surface of Drazan.]

Shiro: I want you all to enjoy yourselves today. The celebration ends in five vargas. It’s important to remember that while the Atlas patrols the skies, we are the eyes and ears on the ground looking for any suspicious activity. These people are relying on us.

Coran: I pulled some strings and got each of you ten complimentary Clear Day tokens. Use them for games, foods, rides--

Pidge: Where’s Allura?

Lance: She’s going to stay back and rest. I just need to find something to bring back for her.

Pidge: That’s nice of you, Lance. I’ll help, too.

Hunk: Me three.

Keith: Let’s remember why we came here in the first place: to provide security for the event.

Pidge: Right. Well, I better go find the arcade and make sure it’s safe, yeah!

Lance: Uh, me, too!

Hunk: Me three!

Coran: Uh, wait for me!

Shiro: Keith, relax. Go have fun.

Keith: If we’re not here for protection, then what are we even doing here?

Shiro: Morale on the Atlas is low after what happened on Oriande. Who knows? A few hours at the carnival might just give us the boost we need to get back on track.

[Scene change to Allura laying in bed.]

Allura: Lance? What are you doing here?I thought you were going to the carnival.

Dark Entity (as Lance): That’s a beautiful flower. Where did you get it?

Allura: Colleen gave it to me. It’s a real juniberry flower. I assumed they had gone extinct.

Dark Entity (as Lotor): You should know better than anyone, nothing ever truly goes extinct. It’s good to see you again, Princess.

Allura: How? How did you get in here?

Dark Entity (as Lotor): You know, the ancients believed that all of life began with a single juniberry flower. I thought you’d be happy to see me.

Allura: What are you doing here? I demand to know!

Dark Entity (as Lotor): You and I desire the same thing. We both seek to destroy Haggar.

Allura: Haggar? Haggar is no longer. She’s Honerva now.

Dark Entity (as Lotor): True, though I could rename this a highlands poppy, you and I would both know what it truly is. The witch may change her name, but she will always be a witch.

Allura: Be that as it may, she’s too powerful. There’s nothing I can do to counter her abilities.

Dark Entity (as Lotor): You are mistaken. Everything you need is here.

Allura: How?

Dark Entity (as Lotor): This entity holds the power you seek. It is an ancient form of energy that predates time itself. It hails from the Quintessence Field. Entities like this gave Haggar the ability to conquer worlds and control the universe for ten thousand years. She recognizes the strength it provides her, and she uses it. If you can become one with the entity, then the powers you gain can defeat the witch.

[Scene change to a vision of Altea.]

Dark Entity (as Melenor): Allura.

Allura: Mother!

Dark Entity (as Melenor): I am so happy you’re here. You have arrived just in time.

Allura: Just in time? For what?

Dark Entity (as Melenor): To save us. Only you can protect us.

Dark Entity (as Melenor): I am so proud of you.

[Cut to Allura waking up in bed.]

Allura: It--it’s okay. It was only a dream.

[Cut to Pidge in the arcade.]

Arcade Game: I’m Coran, Coran, the non-truth telling man. Pick up that mallet and bomp me on the cranker before I can tell you a lie. Bomp me enough times and you’ll win a great prize!

Pidge: Yeah-ha-ha!

Arcade Game: Ah! No! Come on! See here! Stop it!

[Cut to a big-top tent as Shiro enters.]

Burr: Well, look who decided to actually show up.

Shiro: Good to see you, too, Burr.

Burr: Couldn’t help but notice the Blue Lion ain’t here. That’s fine. Can’t expect Voltron to completely follow through on their promises.

Shiro: What’s going on over here?

Burr: That’s the arm wrestling contest. It ain’t for people like you.

Shiro: Why is that? Because of my arm?

Burr: No. Arm wrestling is for the young and strong. You’re old, like me. Those kids would break you in half, mechanical arm or not.

Shiro: Is it too late to sign up?

Burr: Mm, I’m sure we could work something out.

[Scene change to a screaming Drazan on a stage.]

Host: Nice job, Glurry. Very respectable scores. Not bad at all. Now for our next contestant in the yalmor calling competition, please welcome Corin!

Coran: Right, then. Just do what Pop-Pop taught you to do.

[Scene change to Hunk sampling something on a stick.]

Keith: Look, guys, I just wanna know if you’ve seen anything suspicious.

Drazan Girl: Well, there is one weirdo who’s going around and bothering people about if they’ve seen anything suspicious.

Keith: Okay, that’s a start. Did you get a good look at… It’s me, isn’t it?

Hunk: Hey-o! Whatcha doing, Keith? Making new friends? Sweet. You know, it’s good to see you finally letting your guard down.

Keith: I wasn’t making friends.

Ride Operator: Next! Come on, you’re holding the line up! Let’s go!

Hunk: The line? Line for what?

Woman: Yeah, get out of here!

Man: What’s taking so long? Move!

Hunk: Oh. Uh, no, no. You don’t understand. I don’t like rides.

Ride Operator: Then, why were you in line?

Keith: We didn’t know it was a line!

Ride Operator: Likely story. Keep your hands and feet in the mouth at all times. You use ‘em, you lose ‘em. Have a blissfully burrowful time.

Mechanical Drazanites: [singing] We burrow every day! Underground is where we stay, waiting for the time to say, “Clear Day, Clear Day!”

Hunk: This is awesome!

Mechanical Drazanites: [singing] Clear Day, Clear Day, Clear Day! What do we say? Clear Day, Clear Day, Clear Day!

Hunk: Huh?

Ride Operator over PA: Sorry for the inconvenience. We’ll get this thing up and running in a tick. In the meantime, stay in your burrow buggy. And remember, have a blissfully burrowful time.

Mechanical Drazanites: [singing] What do we say? Clear Day, Clear Day, Clear Day! What do we say? Clear Day, Clear Day, Clear Day!

Keith: I gotta get out of here.

[Scene change to the arcade where a Drazanite child receives a purple lion toy.]

Drazan Child: Oh!

Lance: Voltron doesn’t have a Purple Lion.

Game Operator: Wanna play? All you gotta do is throw one of these rings onto one of them sticks. Win one for your special someone?

Lance: You got any Blue Lions? I used to be the Blue Lion’s Paladin and now my girlfriend is, so it’s--it’s kind of our thing.

Game Operator: Oh, is that right? Let me see. I happen to have a one-of-a-kind, collector’s edition blue mechanical flying feline.

Lance: Perfect! How much? They only gave us ten of these token thingies.

Game Operator: Oh, wonderful! Ten tokens is exactly how much it costs to play the game!

Lance: Did these rings shrink?

Game Operator: Oh, no, friend. They just look smaller in your strong, muscular hands.

Lance: Hm.

Game Operator: Oh! So close. Care to try again?

Lance: Oh, this game is rigged! And I don’t have any more tokens.

Game Operator: Well, perhaps we can make a deal.

[Scene change to Pidge at a counter with a mountain of tickets in front of her.]

Pidge: What’s the best prize you have?

Prize Counter Girl: Every prize is the best prize, and everyone goes home a winner.

Pidge: Okay, but say I was giving the prize to a princess.

Prize Counter Girl: For a princess? Behold.

Pidge: I’ll take it!

Prize Counter Girl: Sure, but you’re gonna need about twice as many tickets as this.

Pidge: But I don’t have any more tokens.

Prize Counter Girl: Well, in that case, you could get one of these shovels and use it to dig your way out of the hole you find yourself in.

Pidge: I’ll find a way to get more tickets.

[Scene change to a shooting game where the MFE pilots are playing then to the arm-wrestling contest.]

Shiro: May the best man win.

Alien: Who are you calling a man?

Man: Alright!

Man 2: Yeah!

[Cut to the Holts at a photo booth.]

Pidge: Dad, I ran out of tokens!

Sam: Well, that’s what happens when you waste it all on--

Pidge: Dad!

Sam: Okay. How much do you need?

Pidge: How much do you got?

Colleen: You’ll have to earn them. I want a family picture.

Pidge: I’ll take the picture, but I pick the costume.

Colleen: I get to add one accessory and you have to smile.

Pidge: Half-smile.

Colleen: You’ve got yourself a deal.

Photographer: Say “Clear Day”!

All: Clear Day!

Colleen: I want another picture. Katie isn’t smiling.

Pidge: Sorry! Gotta go do paladin stuff!

[Scene change to the dark entity’s holding chamber.]

Allura: It’s been here the entire time.

Dark Entity (as Lotor): Everything you need, the ability you’ve been seeking, within your grasp. Go ahead, Allura. Free it.

Allura: I can’t. I won’t.

Dark Entity (as Lance): It won’t do any harm. The entity will help you. It will save all of us.

Dark Entity (as Lotor): Take it.

Allura: No. No. This is not real!

Dark Entity (as Melenor): Only you can save us all. Release the entity.

Dark Entity (as Melenor and Honerva): Come home to Altea.

Dark Entity (as Honerva): Join us.

Lotor: Follow me!

[Scene change to Hunk and Keith in the ride.]

Mechanical Drazanites: [singing] We burrow every day! Underground is where we stay, waiting for the time to say, “Clear Day--

Ride Operator over PA: Looks like everything is in order. We apologize for the delay. Again, have a blissfully burrowful time.

Keith: Finally.

Mechanical Drazanites: [singing] Clear Day, Clear Day, Clear Day! What do we say? Clear Day, Clear Day--

Keith: That’s it! I’m getting out of here. You coming?

Hunk: Can we come back when the ride gets fixed? I wanna see how it ends. Aw, man. Alright, wait up! Oh… where are we?

Emcee: Ladies and burrowmen, this is it! Only two remain in the yalmor calling competition. Who will be our champion?

Keith: Is that Coran?

Coran: She’s done a twist on the Flogarian technique. She’s good, really good.

Emcee: Wow! A blagmore and two durgises. That score is gonna be hard to beat.

Center Judge: Just gorgeous.

Emcee: Three blagmores! The top prize for the best squoozle of the day goes to Corn-man Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe!

[Cut to a close up of a Blue Lion plush.]

Lance: And that’s the last one.

Vendor: Here you go.

Coran. Nice plushie!

Lance: Nice trophy!

Pidge: Look what I got for Allura. I bet she’s really gonna dig it.

Keith: Where’s Shiro?

[Scene change to the arm wrestling competition stage.]

Burr: Ladies and burrowmen, are you ready to crown an arm wrestling champion? First up is our challenger, former Paladin of Voltron and the current captain of the IGF-Atlas. Hailing from some tiny planet no one has ever heard of. It’s Shiro! And our reigning champion, who needs no introduction, let’s hear it for the Warden!

Warden: You!

Burr: Friend of yours?

Shiro: Not exactly.

Warden: You and your little friends took away my livelihood.

Shiro: You held an innocent person prisoner to help the Galra Empire. I’d gladly do it again.

Warden: Look, I know I did some bad things. The truth is, I thought you guys ruined my life, but, really, you saved me. After I stopped working for the Galra, I was at a low point, but then I found arm wrestling, and it helped me realize what’s most important in my life. Win or lose, thank you. Now, let’s put on a show!

Coran: Rip his arm off! Rip his arm off!

Pidge: You got this!

Warden: You’re alright, Shiro.

[Scene change to Allura, laying unconscious in the room where the Dark Entity was being held.]

Sam: Allura! Allura, are you okay?

End.

[soundxofstars-archived]

Heavy yet slow footsteps could be heard as Shiro approached Keith at the Garrison library. He smirked as he looked around, seeing how this particular section was empty, other than Keith. He quietly watched how those delicate fingers glided over the book. Instead of pictures and words, it held the language of those that could not see. "Keith..." he said softly as not to spook him, "Are you hungry? I was thinking we can go out to eat if you like." / au blind verse pls

The library was Keith’s escape while it was a normal occurrence for him to avoid the others who were students here, he tended to stick to himself most of the time. It was Shiro who he was closer to. The one person who had his trust, the one person who didn’t pity him like the others did because he was unable to see. Something that he had gotten used to over the years, he had adjusted to being blind which did take a bit of time for that adjustment to take place. 

Having Shiro there helped also. He knew that he could rely on him. The last person that he had relied on was his dad, a person who was no longer here. 

Fingers moved over the familiar feeling of braille that rested against the page to figure out what words were scrawled across the page. A book that he had his nose in the past few days since there was an upcoming test that he had to take. A test that he wasn’t big on dealing with despite the grades that Keith had, the section that they were going over was a bit boring to him. Hopefully a less boring lesson would appear soon, he had gotten close to dozing off a few times while reading over this section. 

At the sound of Shiro’s voice, turning his head toward him a light smile was given “Sure, I could eat. I could use a break anyways.” 

[kpopisthereasonihavenolife]

Kitsune | i. demon

Jung Hoseok/Reader [F]

Genre: Demon Hunter AU, Action, Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Japanese Feudal Era

Warning(s): Contains Violence & Blood (Semi to Graphic Depictions)

Words: 8.7k

Summary: Demons: man-eating, murderous monsters who would kill anyone for the blood of humans: be it man, woman or child.  They have no need for comrades. Known cannibalize and kill other demons if they so choose. Demon Hunters are tasked with eliminating any and all demons without question, but what would come to pass if they were told that a demon saved a human life? Views, values and relations become altered and absolutely nothing seemed human anymore.  Never sharpen a blade too much, lest you become the wounded.

Series Index

a/n: It's finally here!!! Lowkey super hyPED to start this series.  Pls pls pls let me know what you think of the first part. If you want to be added to the tag list for future parts hmu. (also lmk what you think of my attempt at action scenes LOL)

tag.list: @kathrynwynterbourne

Snowfall.  It was the one absolute that was offered in the dead of the winter months.  No matter who lives, who has died, what will be and what has been, snowfall will always occur.  That was just a common fact.  It was what lay beneath and beyond the snow and the walls of villages of homes that were secret.  

What lay up beyond the mountains of wisteria and what was kept inside; held as a prison unless otherwise executed. The pure, beautiful snow the people know was far more dark and grim than the children who rolled in it realized.  Not a single one of them knew just how crimson snow can become when soaked with the darkest shade of blood from something that isn’t man, nor animal.  The blood of a demon is much darker.

The distant woods of Japan were tranquil in the season of winter.  Thin bare trees, coated with the faintest layers of snow that could fall off their small, frail branches.  The ground though would catch all that fallen snow and pile up until a sea of white would cover the forest floor.  Green of grass dead and brown of dirt hidden under the pure white of the cloudy grey skies.  

It was in these forests that echoed the sounds of battle.  

Somewhere beyond those bare, endless snowy-white trees was a man.  Running, weaving through the snowy abyss.  Clothbound waraji on his feet and to his knees along with a black keikogi, a single matching obi around his waist.  Covered over on top of his zipping body was a red, floral haori- fluttering behind him like a crimson butterfly. Two swords were strapped on top of one another slung around his hip.  A hand of his resting on the tip of their dual hilts, steadying them in his rapid sprinting. 

He was in pursuit.  His head turned towards his right, following something with his eyes as he tracked them.  His eyes flicked up to the tree line, following his target.  He slid to a stop, drifting into a halt as his heels dug into the pact snow.  The hand resting on his swords moved to grip a single one before quietly and steadily drawing his blade. 

He stood completely silent, blade shining off the innocent snow.  All was still for just a moment.  He whipped around, a feral growl approaching as a creature sprung from the treetops above- descending upon him.  It was inhuman.  

Veins crawling- bulging- up to its neck and around its face.  Barely covered in cloth, most unfitting for the cold of winter with stained claws.  Claws that were aimed at the hunter’s throat.  This mindless demon was looking for its next human meal before the cloudy-snowing sky revealed the sun. 

The hunter remained ever calm- even with a demon after his head.  A deep breath, a swift moment and a clean strike was all it took.  Slicing his sword towards his attacker, he was soon behind the demon once again sheathing his sword after swiping it clean of blood.  The demon’s body fell limply into the snow with a muffled thud.  It’s head landing away from its body- cleanly decapitated. 

The innocent white snow tainted with demon’s blood as its body twitched with its last moments of life. The hunter stood in front of the headless body as it began to disintegrate.  The demon howled and cursed before its body and head vanished.  Never even a bone remained of the corpse- everything into dust. 

Then the hunter bowed. 

Placing a hand to rest back on the hilts of his swords, he looked to the frozen rain of snow falling overhead with no sight of stopping.  He took a deep breath, letting it out in the form of chilled fog before it dissipated. 

“Winter in Japan is much colder than I remember,” was all he said as he stood alone.  Setting his sights down- forward- he moved to proceed on.  Making his footprint in the bloody snow that would soon be covered by a fresh new layer of white. 

The hunter who tread through the woods soon entered through the gates of a village.  It was a small one- well off the path that kept it firmly hidden from others.  However, this village held a purpose for his visit.  A manor that is kept hidden inside a barrier to keep demons from finding it, only Demon Hunters with specifically crafted talisman could see and enter it. 

He stood face to face with a long stone wall that surrounded the village perimeter.  Examining it, he pulls a talisman from the inside of his keikogi and a portion of the wall appears to distort in his eyes like a ripple.  That distortion was his entrance.  Stepping through the wall and into the front entrance of the manor. 

A long walkway of stepping stone leading to the double shoji door of the large home.  The hunter stepped from stone to stone until he was at the door. Ready to open it and head inside, he was stopped from a call above him.  Stepping back, he looked up.  On the second balcony hung casually over the edge was the body of a samurai he was more than familiar with.  

“You are awfully bold. Not even bothering to knock- just entering a house that certainly is not your own.” The man above tutted with a wave of his hand. 

“I was called here for business,” the hunter replied.  “What reason do I have to announce myself if you all were already well aware of my arrival.  I know Shiro knew the moment I arrived at the village gate.”  The second balcony man climbed and hopped up and over the wooden railing before practically floating down on the wind. His bare feet hitting the stone landing of the entrance.  Landing easy, gracefully next to the hunter as he tucked his arms together in the sleeves of his kimono.  

His kimono was a pattern of white and fair yellow; patterns of lilies among the fabric. The obi bound round his waist a pitch black. His dark hair strung array as his eyes hid behind the fringe of his bangs.  Having just enough hair to pull and tie into a ponytail at the back of his head with a hair string of yellow he favored. String whipping its ends in the winter breeze. 

“Yes, she did.  However, you should know not to be rude in any case. This still is not your home.” 

“It does not belong to your either, Taehyung.” The hunter informed the casually dressed samurai.  Taehyung just shook his head, opening the translucent door as the wind chime above it jingled.  He invited the hunter inside to follow after him.  

“You sure have been on edge ever since you came back from the continent. Can you pretend not to be insufferable for a change of pace?” Taehyung told him.  The hunter slid off his waraji and followed behind Taehyung’s back- despite already knowing the layout of his manor due to his previous visits.  Treading halls and tatami mat floors in his two sleeved socks.  Taehyung soon arrived at a room, doors shut and stopped before it. 

Both samurai and hunter dropped to their knees behind the sliding door.  “My Lord,” Taehyung called, head lowered.  “Your guest has arrived.”  A small sigh came beyond the door. 

“You two may enter.” A smooth voice called from inside.  Both men stood and excused themselves before they slid the door open and entered. 

Sliding the paper door, the room was large and nearly empty.  A meeting or gathering room of sorts.  Along the tatami floors were cushions for guests to sit.  On one of those cushions in the back center of the room sat an elegantly dressed man- an equally elegant tapestry hung on the far wall behind him in the tokonoma. Appearing no older than his middle ages and keeping his true age to himself, not even his most trusted knew his age- aside from his wife. 

Dressed in a kimono flattered in golds and reds with the bluest haori of silk on his shoulders, the lord of the manor sat peacefully.  Running and taking care of the manor he occupied as well as the village he cherished and everybody that dwelled in them.  Long black hair that reached his back and tied with a fine gold ribbon. 

Taehyung and the hunter sat in front of him, legs tucked under themselves.  The hunter replaced his swords from their place on his hip and removed them to rest them on the floor at his side. 

The lord smiled.  “Hoseok.  It is a pleasure to be in your presence again.” The hunter- known as Hoseok- bowed his head slightly. 

“It has been far too long, Lord Fuuta.” The lord waved off the formality.  “May I assume Lady Shiro is well?” 

“She is.  She came to me the moment you arrived; though I am sure you are well aware of that.” Lady Shiro was the lovely wife of Fuuta; she was also a high standing priestess of spiritual power.  She was both revered and discriminated- hence why she chose to hide in this home with her beloved.  She was never one for public affairs- so her appearance to even the most frequent of guests was never expected. 

Fuuta cleared his throat as he stood.  His eyes dead set on Hoseok.  The soft gleam of his eyes hardening a fraction as Hoseok’s body grew the smallest bit of tension. 

“I will move along then.  We have someone who was brought to us by Taehyung- a story of his is why we have called you here.  I would like you to come and listen and from there I shall decide what I would like the two of you to do.”  Fuuta was a man who had more power than just another standing noblemen. He was the center of a small unofficial organization of hunters that specialize in hunting down and killing demons.  Consisting of swordsman and the rare swordswoman.  From samurai, like Taehyung, and even skilled ninjas- Hoseok had only met one ninja however, as they were not people who enjoy much human confrontation. 

Taehyung and Hoseok looked at each other.  It was not often Fuuta would pair either of the two up with a partner, but to pen them both together as a single unit was something exceedingly rare.  The last time Hoseok fought beside Taehyung was years ago when the two were just finishing up their training under Fuuta’s head branch of fighters.  Many since then have resigned their position due to injury or age, while others have unfortunately died fulfilling their duties in cutting down demons. Out of the twelve leaders, only 3 spots of the original remain.  The others have been replaced time and time again with new leaders. 

Currently, Taehyung sat in one of those chairs himself.  A leader of his kind; walking proudly as the top Samurai under Kurou and able to harness his body to any extent he sees fit.  Speed and precision were the exceeding traits he possessed that were leagues above his fellow samurai and earned him respect beyond belief. 

Hoseok hoped to be seated next to his friend one day; although he is powerful- his training to be able to sit proudly there at Taehyung’s side still has a long way to go.

The two both stood as Fuuta began to make his way to the door, heading out into his halls and onward still.  Hoseok and Taehyung following behind as Hoseok had replaced his swords back around his waist- slipping them into the obi he wore. 

Fuuta moved gracefully even in his steps.  Making turns as he soon stood in front of a room, doors closed as he announced himself. Inside were two bodies, male and female opposing.  The woman was none other than Shiro.  Dressed in her priestess garb: red Hakan and white kosode.  Her hair bound behind her in a long, red braided ribbon.  A folded paper fan tucked into her breast. 

The man looked feeble and malnourished to a threatening degree- despite his stay in the manor.  Sat in tattered brown trousers and without a shirt so Shiro could examine his still healing wounds on his chest.  She stopped when the door behind her opened revealing her husband and two hunters at his sides.  Familiar faces to her. 

Taehyung and Hoseok lowered their heads as Shiro remained silent.  She stood from the man’s side and went to her husband’s. 

“Has he progress at all?” Fuuta questioned.  Shiro shook her head.  

“He eats scarcely.  He is insistent we find the woman he keeps requesting.” Shiro’s voice was as soft as a bell.  Fuuta sighed as he dismissed his wife.  Leaving the four men in the room, Fuuta moved to kneel at the dazed man’s side.  Sat inside a futon he remained still and didn’t even meet Fuuta’s gaze. 

“Once more,” Fuuta stated.  “Could you tell us about the demons’ that attacked you once more?” The still man suddenly flew into a frenzy. 

“It wasn’t ‘demons’!” He sprung to his knees, grabbing Fuuta’s collar.  Taehyung moved quickly to detach him from Fuuta.  He kicked and pulled as Taehyung restrained his arms.  “I told you- a demon saved me!” Hoseok stilled at the impossible thought.  “I-I was hunting around an old shrine when a giant spider trapped me in its web.  I was going to die but another demon showed up. A woman.  She freed me and sent me down the mountain.  She sent me to the samurai in the area!” The man broke into weak sobs, his body slackening again- losing all its tension.  

Taehyung released him, knowing his fit was concluded.  Fuuta straightened out his kimono as Hoseok and Taehyung moved to sit closer to their Lord.  The weak man left in his futon trembling with tears. 

“There you have it,” Fuuta started.  “It has been the same story day after day.�� There have been no difference or flaws as his story has been rehearsed exactly the same each time he’s asked to tell it.”  He looked back at the man.  “Do you still wish for this woman to be acquired?  Taehyung was the samurai who was presented to you, so he would know around the location you were when this all transpired.”  The man only nodded as Fuuta looked back to his men- specifically Hoseok and his hardened eyes.  “He deeply wishes to offer his thanks.  Taehyung can take you to the location and lead out this mission; however, the choice to kill or capture the demon is purely up to you.  I will not demand she stay alive.” 

Fuuta knew sending Taehyung alone would almost guarantee her capture and return as a warm body and not a corpse.  However, Hoseok was not so compassionate towards demons even under Fuuta orders.  There was a possibility of Hoseok completely rejecting the job completely; not wishing to be in a position to show any sort of mercy to a demon.  

Hoseok had a hard time believing this sick old man’s story.  Claiming to be saved by a demon? Demon’s don’t care about who they kill.  So, why would one even think about rescuing the life of a human in the first place? Hoseok just didn’t- couldn’t- believe such a farfetch'd tale.  Hoseok bowed to his leader before silently dismissing himself. 

Moving himself outside, he sat among the garden, his swords off his hip as they rested against his shoulder.  He sat in the snow, his haori resting behind him as the evergreen shrubs surrounded around him. The snow had begun to descend again as his breath left in white puffs.  It wasn’t long before Taehyung had moved to his side, standing with his hands once again tucked into his sleeves in front of his chest. 

“You know,” Taehyung started, “Lord Fuuta chose you specifically for this job.  If it weren’t for my knowing the relative location, I doubt I would have been involved at all.”  Hoseok looked at the snow sprinkled ground. 

“You understand how I feel about demons,” Hoseok replied simply in a tone as cold as the snow he sat around.  Taehyung just sighed, expecting no less.  

“The lord isn’t asking you to change your views or beliefs.  He’s trying to offer a new road for yourself.  Seeing you fight and kill without hesitation constantly both bothers and worries him.”

Hoseok knew that, but having the job to not exterminate a demon and instead bring them back so they can be thanked?  It was a lot to ask for.  Taehyung left his friend’s side not long after their small talk- leaving him to his thoughts. After all, no one can decide Hoseok’s choices but himself.  Taehyung knew the boundary between friend and subordinate and knew never to go beyond it. 

When night fell the house gathered in the dining hall for dinner. Eating as they sat in a rectangular formation in zaitsu chairs- Fuuta at the head of the formation with Shiro to his right.  Personal raised lacquer tables decorated with bowls of rice, dishes of grilled fish from the river and pickled vegetables.  Chopsticks sat on lifted bamboo pieces. 

They ate in silence as the dishes were cleared, thanks were given and soon one by one everyone was dismissed off.  Hoseok sat in his room and board for any time he visits this manor. Perched on the wall-built desk of his tatami room.  Changed out of his keikogi and haori hung on a nail of his wall.  Replaced with a men-fitted kimono of white clouds. A thin sash around his waist with the chest pulled open.  The open window brought the welcome cold inside. 

He was disturbed only once more when a servant of the house intruded on his privacy to deliver a sharpening stone per his request.  His sword had dulled in his battles leading up to his arrival.  So, he sat in his lantern-lit room, sharpening the one sword he ever dared to draw, the other laying dormant and sheathed.  

Just as always. 

The next morning, Hoseok was woken up by Taehyung kicking him as he slept in his futon.  He groaned now awake.  Taehyung stood above him, arms tucking into his kimono in proper Taehyung fashion.  Hoseok just nodded, a silent confirmation that he was awake as Taehyung left his room, sliding his shoji door shut.  

Hoseok sat up, his hair a reckless mess as he looked out his still open window as gooseflesh rose throughout his skin.  It was sunny today.  No doubt the snow sparkled in the sunlight on the ground this morning.  A new layer ready to be marked with fresh footprints. 

Getting out of his futon, he left his swords by his small closet space and slipped on a pair of tabi over his feet before leaving his room. Fixing and tucking his kimono as he walked, he soon ran into a slew of morning servants.  Offering bows and holding trays of seed for the garden birds who had not fled for winter and still bathed their wings in the stone baths made for them. 

He soon sat on the outside landing of the gardens again, breathing in the winter morning air.  It wasn’t long before his solitude was broken by someone joining him.  Sitting to his left. 

“Have you come to a decision on what our Lord asked of us?” Taehyung spoke without eye contact.  Staring ahead at the morning scenery, same as his friend.  Hoseok sighed.  

“What about you? Will you go allow with what he’s asked?” 

“I have no reason to oppose it.  Unlike you, I have a fairly neutral opinion about demons as a whole species.”  Hoseok remained silent.  “As far as I believe, demons can choose just like people.  What side do they fall on and who do they fight for. Though, it is, of course, an opinion.”  Taehyung stood, tighten up his loose obi sash.  He knew Hoseok felt nothing but hostility, so he wouldn’t tread on the topic any further. 

Without a word, Taheyung left the hunter in his solitude once more.  Hoseok sighed, moving to lay on his back.  “What do you think I should do?” He asked up to the sun. Only semi-hoping it would answer back. 

It was just brushing midday when Taehyung stood ready to depart the manor. Dressed in his appropriate samurai garbs and armor with his freshly sharpened sword on his hip.  Sat up on horseback, he spoke with his lord before departure. 

“Is Hoseok not joining you then, Taehyung?” Fuuta asked as Taehyung shook his head. 

“It is a tough choice for him.  Do not hold it against him, My Lord.” Kurou just smiled at Taehyung’s sincerity and defense of his underling and friend.  

“Hold what against me?” Hoseok spoke from behind Fuuta.  Both men now focused on him.  He was dressed in his keikogi once more.  Waraji strapped to his feet and straw wound up to his knees, binding cloth around his shins.  His two blades once more at his side.  Fuuta smiled as he faced the hunter fully.  It was plain to see Hoseok had made his decision. 

Taehyung steadied his impatient steed.  “If you plan to run all the up the mountain, be my guest.  However, might I advise a horse instead.  We have plenty of them in the stables ready for departure behind the manor. I will not have you slowing down this operation without proper transport.”  Taehyung spoke with a minor edge in his voice.  With his rank it was obvious he was to lead out his mission; even though Hoseok leaped above him in age. 

It was hardly no-time at all when Hoseok returned with a horse of his own.  A brown coated mare he had taken quite a liking to.  Although a female, she was a strong horse who rivals that of her male counterparts.  He joined Taehyung at the village gates- already moving ahead and leaving the manor ahead of his underling.  Fuuta thanked both men separately at their acceptance of this job.  

He prayed for their safe, successful return. 

It would be a day’s long journey on horseback to ascend the mountain.  When night fell, the two would camp.  Camping inside a nearby cave up the path, the horses and men rested.  Taehyung only freeing himself of a few pieces of armor.  Sitting around the fire of sticks and stones, Hoseok basked in the pulsing crackling warmth.  Hoping his haori would take in said warmth through the night- wanting to weave it into the very fabric of the piece hanging on his shoulders. 

Waking at dawn they head further up the mountain.  The closer they got towards the peak, the wider the terrain became.  Hoseok noticed stone statues and white talisman and ribbon taped and tied around and onto tree trunks and limbs.  Enclosing further up sacred ground. 

Ideally, demons shouldn’t be allowed passaged on sacred ground- the purity intoxicating to a lethal degree.  With grounds endowed with protective mantras and barriers to keep the wicked out.  Though, if not strong enough or long abandoned by their priest, priestess, monk, God, what have you- the spiritual power would weaken considerably. 

Before long, the two breached the crowded forest and stood before the first torii gate leading to the long approach of a shrine. 

“According to himself, the man was injured and attacked further in,” Taehyung announced before he jostled his stallion onward through the torii.  Hoseok rarely visited shrines, rejecting most Gods’ people pondered on or prayed too.  He stood without religion, so he wasn’t familiar with shrine setups if he were being honest. 

Passing under the second torii he could catch a glance at the main shrine. Throughout the approach and beyond it, the lack of up-keep began to show more and more.  

The sacred fence was frozen with ice and snow, the long approach road of gravel and stone coated with winter.  The front worship hall was beaten and aged with poor conditions.  Hoseok could only imagine the state of the main sanctuary past the inner fence that use to supposedly house a God.  Even the so-called sacred forest littered with previous evergreens was baren with winter stripped limbs. 

What God dwelled here before has long since left his shrine to decay into the mountainside. 

“Go look around the sanctuary.  I’ll scope around the approach further and check the shrine office. Tie your horse and continue on foot,” Taehyung instructed, lifting himself off his stallion as Hoseok left the back of his mare.  Tying the steeds down to any firm part of the fence they could, the two broke off to search.  

Hoseok grimaced at the overwhelming feeling of demonic tension that hung in the air like a bad fragrance.  It made him on edge as each snow crunched step he took was guarded. A constant, ready hand on the hilt of his single in-use blade.  The kitsune statues that looked over and acted as messengers were broken and eroded: a bad omen if Hoseok ever believed in one.  It was as if a demon could appear from anywhere at any time. 

Hoseok walked and inspected as instructed.  Scoping out anywhere for any sign of a righteous demon woman.  He couldn’t even find footprints in the snow to indicate anyone had been here recently besides himself.  Perhaps she’s moved locations by now. 

Eventually, Hoseok met back up with Taehyung of whom also turned up empty-handed when it came to any possible clues to locate the demon in question.  Both men decided to stay inside the abandoned shrine for the night, tying the horses down at the main hall to keep them close and under shelter, in case more snow should fall throughout the night. 

If nothing that could be of use to their objective could be found soon, they’d leave the mountain.  There would be no use in staying if there is nothing to keep them there.  If they were to go back empty-handed, Taheyung- as the acting superior warrior- would settle any following action that may be hurled at them in a negative manner.  

Through the evening, the tense, thick air never lessened and the silent, uneventful atmosphere remained just that: silent and uneventful. Taking to the inside of the sanctuary as night began to fall, both experienced fighters reeled in their tense shoulders for a sliver of sleep. 

Dead of night, Hoseok was forced out of restless sleep.  The demonic intensity plaguing his unconsciousness with nightmare after nightmare.  The sweat beading along his brow and the heat flashing between hot and cold along his skin made any further sleep a high impossibly and hopeless wish. Deciding to forego a time of sitting in an uneasy relaxation, Hoseok moved to leave the sanctuary to walk the perimeter once again just to make time tick by faster- albeit just barely- and hopefully clear his head. 

Stepping outside, the snow had deepened to the point when he took a step, it hit nearly half the length of his shin.  Hiking up his legs to take solid steps and drag his feet through the snow, he moved aimlessly.  The shrine looked far more sinister in the nighttime than it did dilapidated in the daylight. The air was stagnant in its chill as the moon overhead became partially covered when clouds of swiped shape spotted over. 

Maybe it was just the instinct in the back of his mind due to his everyday task of taking down demons, but he began to believe he should’ve brought his sword out with him. Instead, they both sat inside beside where he once lay in the room with Taehyung. 

Stopping his trekking around in the snow, he turned to go back and stay inside the shrine until the chill running in circles on his spine simmered.  He was three steps retreated when something slammed into his back. It wasn’t just an object that an animal may have tossed from the tree top; no.  What hit into his back was alive and when he fell chest first into the deep snow, he felt it remain on top of him. 

He felt it sit on his back, it’s feet pushing into the back of his thighs and it’s hand pushing on the center of his back and neck.  He heard growling and hissing from behind him as he pushed his head back to lift his face out of the snow.  Looping his arms behind his back, he grabbed the wrists of whatever was on him and lifted their hands off him just enough for him to gain ground.  

Having mobility of his head- his neck now free- he pushed his forehead into the packed snow and forcefully twisted his hips to toss the thing off his back just enough to knock it off-balance.  Hearing it hit against the snow in a series of snowy crunches, Hoseok quickly lifted himself up out of the snow, now on his knees as he shoved the wrists away from him completely.  

Leaning back to gain more ground, Hoseok hissed at the sight of the demon leering at him.  Shaking his head at the lack of a weapon, he had come to see the small hatchet lodged into the ribcage of the demon.  Hanging there and moving with each jerked breath, along with a fresh leakage of ooze that seemed far too dissimilar to blood.  The color was green and dim- thicker than the average human blood. 

The demon itself was far beyond all comprehension.  It was hardly human-like, thin and sickly to the eyes like a walking skeleton.  Arms long and when hanging hitting their knees, it’s fingertips hidden in snow as the demon remain kneeled.  Legs like a spider, thin and spindly, it was shocking it held the bones above it. The face was demented and pulled back, eyes sunken in and mouth wide and more of that like a snake.  

By the looks of the monster, it was already close to death.  All Hoseok had to do was find a way to yank the hatchet from its ribs and lop off its head and it would be all over for it.  He had no doubt it would eventually wither away and die afterward. It was the only chance he had if he wanted to get back inside without leading the demon back to Taehyung’s sleeping body. 

Standing off with the demon as it twitched and growled, it’s pulled back skin and lips showing the rotten, carnivorous teeth that were no doubt ready to tear into Hoseok’s neck. There was silence before a pile of snow slipped from a tree limb and landed in a mound on the ground before the demon lept without consciousness leading its way.  

Lunging forward, Hoseok rolled and stepped around in the high snow the best he could manage.  Tucking his knees up in a roll, he spun around the body of the front buried demon who missed in its leaping attack.  

Spinning around its skeletal back, Hoseok lay in the snowbank, his back sinking in it as he pulled his knees to his chest.  Feet flexed and flat, he stomped his heels into the demon’s back; feeling its ribs vibrate and move under the sheer force of his stomping.  

Rolling back up, he took advantage of the momentary distraction of the demon due to Hoseok’s back stomping, he reached from around the long eerie arms of the demon to grasp the handle of the hatchet.  Taking a breath through his teeth, he yanked the hatchet backward and ripped it harshly out of the ribcage of the demon.  

The piercing shriek of the demon’s sudden gash in its chest vibrated the air.  Screaming like a woman turning ghost, Hoseok could only focus on the green blood coated on the cold hatchet blade.  The scream blurring his vision and throwing his balance.  The wooden handle of the hatchet was lightly frosted as his warm skin melted the frost; damping the wood. 

The demon whirled, swinging its arms without hazard, angered and disturbed at Hoseok’s infliction upon it.  In those unaimed, meddling whirls of arm swings, Hoseok successfully avoided and even lopped off one of the demon’s arms.  Cutting it off with a swing of his newfound hatched at the elbow, the arm fell into the snow with a dull crunch as it continued twitching despite its removal from its body.  

The demon howled once again. It’s anger and desperation to kill Hoseok spiking. 

It was instant when the demon pinned Hoseok’s shoulder into the snow as he somehow found himself on his back again, sinking into the white of winter.  Demon face to face with the hunter as it screamed into his face, making him wince- the cold on his skin the only thing keeping him from losing his consciousness.  

The severed arm leaked large, disgusting blobs of green, sick blood as it bled into the snow beneath Hoseok, tainting it.  It shrieked once more, Hoseok feeling it in his bones before all was silent once again.  The demon vanished. 

Gaining his senses and realizing the demon was no longer on top of him, he felt the hatch being ripped from his grasp.  He gasped as he sat up, watching the back of someone else run off ahead.  Rushing towards the body of the demon who was suddenly lying in the snow several feet away.  

Thrashing around like a headless dog, it found its way to its feet as it became ever more feral.  Thrashing and screaming like a mindless husk, the new body nimbly avoiding any and all spastic movements aimed their way.  

Hoseok watched the back of the- what he can only assume was a defender- as they moved cleanly around and through everything.  He wasn’t sure how it happened, but with every single correct movement, restriction of the only attached arm left, and a swing of the hatchet, the demon’s head rolled down it’s back and into the snow.  Facedown in a mouth open scream that would never sound again.  

The body collapsed to its knees, green blood spurting from the stump of it’s elongated neck, mimicking that of a disgusting fountain. Standing on its knees a moment longer, it crumbled into a pile of bone as the skin disintegrated away like ash into the moonlit wind. 

Hoseok had come to trust his instincts, and what his instincts were screaming at him was the pure, unadulterated fact that whatever just killed that demon, wasn’t human either.  It moved to nimbly, to quickly and far too supernaturally to be any kind of human.  No humans possessed all those qualities without having to sell some part of their humanity away.  

He moved to his feet, knees bent and ready to evade or attack with any given reason to. Hoseok silenced his heavy breathing when the defending party turned to face him. He was correct, it was not human indeed. 

Dressed loosely in a stained yukata, ripping at the knees exposing their legs, this demon looked more human than others did. Barefoot, and covered in snow and caked on dirt stains with hair tangled around their neck and back. The open kimono chest revealed far too much breast clearly revealing the gender of the being to be female. 

Its eyes remained narrow and they held tightly onto the hatchet that had just lopped off the head of another demon. Their eyes glowing similar to the reflective green of a fox's.  Hoseok's eyes narrowed right back at them. 

A demon who killed another demon to- supposedly- save the life of Hoseok, a human. This she-demon had to be the one demon Hoseok and Taehyung were dragged up the mountain looking for. Hoseok decided to try and at least attempt to swallow his pride. 

“Put the hatchet down,” he spoke over the quiet snowy ground.  The demon- you- only gripped the handle of it tighter.  Hoseok bit at his tongue, trying not to insult you and accidentally set you off when he wasn’t supposed to really start a fight.  He began to second guess his choice on coming up here with Taehyung. 

He couldn’t do this.  

Talking and trying to disarm a demon?  Not to mention doing so without using violence and using the strategy of persuasion?  He wasn’t cut out for this- not with demons.  Not with monsters.  

“Why are you here?” You hissed.  Grip relentless on the weapon in your palm, strong enough you were sure you could snap the handle in two.  “Sleeping defenseless in an abandoned shrine.  You ask for death!” You yell.  Hoseok bit at his tongue once again.  

Scowling, he took a step forward trying not to deter himself from the confirmation he sought.  “Are you the demon who saved the life of a man before?”  You remained silent as Hoseok rolled his eyes.  “He was wondering the mountain, attacked by a spider demon.  That was you, wasn't it?” 

“Humans have no reason to interrogate us,” you spoke back with venom.  Hoseok would agree on that.  He had no business asking questions.  If he had his way, he’d be rushing inside, getting his weapon and sending you to an early grave. However, that was not his task- as he drilled over and over inside his head.  

“If you do not answer me, I’ll be forced to take your words as confirmation.”  Hoseok watched your eyes scan the area and he moved to get up fully as he could tell that you were ready to run.  Willing and ready to abscond from the situation at hand.  In your distraction for a quick escape, you were suddenly disarmed.  

Your arms were seized, pulled behind your back before your wrists were pinned upwards, arms folded up behind you.  Knees kicked out, you were soon front first in the snow, an elbow between your shoulder blades that somehow cut off your breath and halted every sense of movement.  You looked behind you, seeing a long-haired man in only half his armor as he kneeled, pinning you down.  

When had he gotten behind you?  You hadn’t heard him approach you at all.  Hoseok was as shocked as you looked.  He hadn’t even seen Taehyung exit the shrine, let alone see him get close enough to you to restrain you at all.  His speed really was nothing to underestimate. 

You began to squirm as all you did was jostle Taehyung’s body as he forcefully held you down with what looked like ease. He looked to Hoseok. 

“We descend the mountain tonight,” were the only words out of Taheyung’s mouth.  Picking up the hatchet at your side, lying in the snow, Taehyung picked it up with his free hand and flung it far off out of the way of reach.  Now no one had access to it. Bringing the back of his hand harshly onto the back of your neck, you fell limp into the snow- the samurai stealing away your consciousness.  He got off you as you remain where you were.  “Gather your things and we leave.” 

Hoseok was given his orders as he went in and did as he was told.  Attaching his swords back to his side- sighing at the comfort of having them back on his person- and dressing fully again.  

Taehyung had tied your arms behind your back as well as looped rope around your ankles, pinning them together.  He also placed a shoot of bamboo between your lips, pacifying your mouth as it was tied around your neck.  In case you woke and put up a fight, you’d do little to no harm restrained.  

Dressed in his full armor once again, you were lifted over his stallion on your stomach as he sat in his saddle behind your limp body.  Taehyung figured it’d be best for all of you if you were placed under his supervision on the trip back instead of with Hoseok on his mare.  Hoseok would be far more violent on instinct if you woke. 

Resting a hand on your back to keep your overthrown body in place on his horse, he was met with Hoseok on his mare.  Then, that night just as Taehyung instructed, the two men descended the mountain- leaving the shrine behind and taking a demon with them. 

Hoseok wasn’t entirely sure how Taheyung did it, but he somehow managed to keep you unconscious the entire journey back to their Lord. Anytime you even began to twitch, Taehyung would simply press the length of his hand on the back of your neck, squeezing.  You’d always instinctively flinch away, but afterward fall limp once again.  Even when the two stopped to rest the horses, or rest themselves, you remained just a still body. 

When they both re-entered the village, Taehyung draped a cloth over your back.  Hiding your body and shabby appearance that was hardly covered decently. With that, he would pass you off as simply an injured woman he found on the way inside the village to spare any inquisitive villagers the fright of knowledge about the demon breaching their village perimeter. 

Taehyung was popular among most any village he entered.  Liked nearly instantly, he charmed anyone in his path.  Elders, children, men and especially single, unmarried women.  Hoseok was sought after as well for his professional attitude and dedication to his specific trade, but the samurai was in an entirely different league when it came right down to it.  It was practically at every turn someone was calling up to him on the back of his stallion. One hand on the reigns, the other flat on your back to keep the cloth over your back in place- preventing any chance of it slipping from the trotting of his steed. 

Accompanying Taehyung back to the manor took twice the amount of time it would if Hoseok just came alone.  Only leading to Taehyung making an unnecessary jab at Hoseok to be more social.  A tease he could- and did- ignore. 

Once more stepping through the hidden wall entrance, your body jolted passing through.  Taehyung pressed his hand firmer on your back.  The barrier around the manor was to keep anything evil or demonic out, so a demon passing through would be just as negative as one would think- even with a talisman of passage with them. 

You began to stir, the spiritual barrier igniting small sparks of sheer rejection around your covered and restricted body.  Stopping at the front, Taehyung climbed down, leaving you weakly wiggling on horseback. Consciousness finally coming back to you. Hoseok followed Taehyung in dismounting his mare as Taehyung was soon grabbing under your shoulders and pulling you off his horse.  

Two servants stood, waiting to take both horses back to the stable to care for them and give them their needed rest- but remained back.  Refusing to get close to the demon they knew Taehyung just slung over his shoulder like a sack.  The demon who just happened to be you and to gain full consciousness. 

You began mumbling and presumably cursing beneath your bamboo gag.  Kicking your legs up like a fish due to your tied ankles and persistently pushing or hitting his back or shoulder with restrained wrists.  You wiggled and grew louder in sound before Taehyung had enough and dropped you purposely.  You rolled off his shoulder, hitting stone back first on the ground, knocking the wind from you. 

Next thing you knew, there was a knee pushing painfully into your breast and a knife at your neck.  Taehyung glaring down at you. 

“Consider yourself lucky you are not dead,” he started, tone direct and cold.  “We have business with you, human-saving demon.  Don’t make me kill you,” he threatened. 

You breathed out your nose, muffled noises much quieter than your refusals passing under bamboo earlier.  Scowling at the samurai above you, his knife was lifted, sheathed and he stood, removing his knee from your breast.  

“Hoseok,” Taehyung called.  He yanked you up by your bicep as you were moved to stand on your own two feet- still barefoot and bound, however. “Take the left,” he instructed.  Hoseok, Taehyung and you entered the manor as you stumbled inside with one man on each of your arms.  Forcing you towards whoever it was who demanded your capture. 

Hoseok watched as you kept your head down, no doubt the spiritual energy around the manor making you weaker.  Your skin was cold as he made a mental note to wash off the demon staining the skin of his hand later.  Pulling you along, you hissed at him when he shoved you forward.  Only to hiss at Taehyung who yanked you back out of Hoseok’s space. 

The three of you stood in front of the same shoji door that the hunter and samurai know so well.  Your constant hissing and stomping kept either man from announcing themselves, the lord inside inviting them in at your loudness.  

When the door was opened by Taehyung, he released you as Hoseok shoved you inside.  Stumbling with small, rapid-tied steps, it wasn’t long before Hoseok was kicking out your knees and forcing you down.  Pushing his forearm over the span of your back, you glared over your shoulder.  You feared this man far less than the samurai who followed- shutting the door at his back. 

“Did you truly need to restrain her so heavily?” The voice of a face you hadn’t seen yet spoke in a light voice.  Tearing your eyes from Hoseok, you quickly caught Fuuta in your sights. Your eyes widened as your glare faded.  You didn’t know why or what it was- but the man’s calm demeanor and overall unfazed aura terrified you. 

You couldn’t relate more to ensnared animals caught in traps until this very instant. 

Hoseok felt your body lock up.  He wasn’t shocked- be it human or otherwise- Fuuta had an undertone of such superiority anyone shakes at their core upon first meeting him. 

“You both did well in bringing her back to the manor.  I thank you for your efforts.  You both are unharmed I hope?” He half-jokingly asks, knowing well and good the two were perfectly fine.  

“A little skirmish is good for the body,” Taehyung replied.  Hoseok bit back a comment of ‘speak for yourself’ as his shoulder was still sore from the demon attack he suffered in the snow not even over a day ago.  He just sighed as Fuuta stood. 

“Shiro and I shall take it from here.  You both may retire and rest for the evening.” 

“But, my Lord,” Hoseok started.  Unsure if he should really release you and leave or not. Even bound, you could still try and start something. 

“Do not worry, Hoseok.  After some time, this demon will be no threat to any one of us.” Taehyung was soon doing as instructed.  Leaving the room and calling Hoseok after him. Slowly and unsurely he released you. You remained on the tatami- unmoving.  Even as the two men cut off sight of the room and you and their Lord by closing the door they stepped out of, you didn’t once move even a single muscle. 

Fuuta, now alone with you began speaking. 

“The man you managed to rescue from the web of a spider demon is here in my manor.  although he does not know it, he may have been saved- he will not be spared. A poison runs through him and will kill him in a matter of days now.” You sat staring up at him.  His kind face fallen to that of no emotion at all.  Shaking you.  “You may already know, but I- along with my loyal fighters- detest demons.  Hating them from our very core. That is the sole reason I dedicated time to put my expansive movement of demon hunters together.  You must realize how lucky you are that my men showed restraint. I told them if they couldn’t resist killing you- there would be no repercussions.” 

You remained silent.  Partially due to the bamboo between your lips.  Your fangs bit and gnawed against your gag.  Both out of anxiety to leave and the yearning to somehow remove it.  You slowly twisted your wrists and ankles, so slowly to not alarm Fuuta of your movements.  Wanting to just be freed again. 

You jumped when the shoji door slid open again and glared- growled even- at the sight of the priestess Shiro in front of you.  Shutting the door behind her, she had with her staff.  Solid, strong wood with metal ends.  The top was circular as small rings encircled the top of the staff’s head.  Three on both left and right- six in total. 

As you were focused on her, Fuuta moved somehow without detection to be directly behind you.  He had taken the back of your head and shoved.  Pushing you down, folding you in half at your waist as you instinctively thrashed and kicked.  You were exceedingly tired of being pinned down as much as you have been the past twenty-four hours.  Not to mention restrained constantly. 

You gasped and screeched when the thin, already torn, yukata on your back was ripped open.  You heard the fabric flutter to the tatami floor as the chilled air of the room wafted over your skin.  

You picked up on the footsteps of the priestess as you continued your struggle.  What were these people going to do? Vanquish you after the hassle of bringing you here?  Kill you just like this- bound and gagged? Was that the way of human warriors?  Stripping the enemy of even their boasting pride and mercilessly slaughtering demons? 

You cursed beneath the bamboo but stilled and silenced when someone touched your back.  Running her nails over your skin, Shiro quietly prayed. You hissed at the sensation.  Her hand removed for only a second before you gasped when she slapped something onto your back. You could feel it stick to your flesh.

It felt like paper. 

You began to squirm more, louder curses escaping in mumbles of rage.  You knew Shiro just stuck a talisman onto your back. What was going to happen to you?! Were you truly going to killed right here? 

You heard the priestess tap the metal bottom of her staff.  “Reckless spirit of the demon,” she began to chant.  “Turn of your wickedness.  As of now, hear the sound of my staff.” She was tapping the end of her staff with each end of her sentences.  “Feel the sting of my talisman.  Offer us no further harm.”  As she finished, adding another pound of her staff- the metal rings clinking against each other as the sound vibrated in your head. “Recognize your true power and revert back.” 

You then began to scream.  Shrieking out from under your bamboo pacify- you screamed.  Screamed and kicked as tears stung your angry, narrow fox-like lime eyes. 

The talisman began to burn into your skin.  Sinking the ink into your very being like a virus- you could feel your very core shift. Threads of holy wrapping and strangling your soul like a doll.  Paper burning away as the ink was transferred to your flesh fully as a talisman coded scar.  A scar of spiritual restriction.  You fell limp as Fuuta finally released you.  Falling to your side, shoulder hitting the floor, back bare and burned as you sucked in uneven, labored breaths through your gag.  

Shiro pounded her staff once more- her husband now at her side.  Both then prayed over your body.  Your body began to emit a cloud of smoke before you changed.  Your human-like body was replaced with that of a small two-tailed fox.  A pure white coat of fur with scarlet spirals on your forehead and the ends of your two tails.  The talisman mark sat on your back even now.  

The first demon to be blessed by a priestess and actually survive.  As your small animal body twitched, the rope and bamboo that bound you to lay untied and vacant as your body in this form no longer had what it took to be bound like a human would.  Your clothes lay under you as the two humans who reverted you back to this state stared down at you. 

You will either die by humans or fight alongside them to kill demons-  you no longer had the freedom to choose; that's what the voice in your head decreed. The mark placed on your back was no blessing- but a target someone will always be aiming at.  Ready to strike you down even before you could even think about rebelling.  

“Fox demon,” Fuuta started, “we shall see to it that you become a true Kitsune.” 

-TBC-

[felsdumpsterfire]

Pls give us those good sweet headcanons for your fave ships

WHAT- WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ANON??? YOU’VE UNLEASHED THE FLOOD GATES

more under the cut because this is going to be a looooong post :D

OK, SO, SO, WE’LL JUST GO IN ORDER BECAUSE WHY NOT???

Protag 1 x Duo

*Duo and Protag 1 would understand each others wants (being treated like a kid/their ages) so they’d totally act like it, they’d be relaxed and super playful with each other*There’s always an air of calm between them when it is just the two of them. *They’re always holding onto something of the others, be it a sleeve or their hand- they’ve been known to cling to the backs of each others shirts too.*The rest of the Protags are super supportive of this- Shuichi, not so much. He finally warms up to the idea when he sees how happy Duo is, but it also takes Protag 2 threatening to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat for him to look past his brother complex for all of 2.5 seconds. *Duo and Protag 1 tend to give each other cheek kisses.*Protag 1 also has a habit of kissing the tips of Duo’s fingers, and though he doesn’t show too much emotion, Duo gets extremely flustered by this.*He got Protag 1 back by giving him one of his coats. *He cried and hugged Duo the entire afternoon after that. *Duo was smiling all day the next day (Shuichi almost had a heart attack-)*It’s one of Portags 1 personal treasures*Protag 1 and Duo had never properly asked each other out, everyone just kinda assumed they were an item off the bat. *Suuuper soft with each other*Protag 1 was devastated at Duo’s betrayal(Protag 1 didn’t eat for three days afterward. Protag 3 had to ask Ded to talk to him because he wasn’t listening to anyone else. *He clung to Duo’s coat the entire time he locked himself in his room.*He’s still sad about it, but he’s working on doing better.*Duo is doing shit*He feels guilty af and shitty af*Protag 1 bought him a little charm of a Ranger and he stares at it for hours on end when he has free time. *Oso tried to tease him for it once and he almost lost an eye*Protag 1 will get random texts from random numbers with messages saying: ‘I’m sorry’, ‘your beautiful’, ‘please don’t leave me behind’ *Protag 1 cries over them from time to time because he knows who it is, but he wished he didn’t. Protag 1 x Robinson*kKJSL;EJLJ*S O F T*I headcanon that this ship cropped up after Duo, but even without that influence, they’d be so FUCKING. SOFT. FOR EACH OTHER. *Robinson and Protag 1 always hold hands. ALWAYS. *That or Robinson will wrap a friendly arm around Protag 1’s shoulders and keep him close*Protag 1 likes to go and spend his allowance on getting clothes for Robinson. *He swears he doesn’t need them but Protag 1 just gives him some puppy eyes and Robinson can’t say no.*Robinson is so whipped for Protag 1*He’s almost shot Sitri because he thought he was trying to put the moves on him. In actuality he was asking him how to ask Protag 2 out, or get her to like him- he just got too close for Robinson’s comfort. *Did shoot Ikitoshi though. He swears it was on accident. It was not. (Iki was teaching Protag 1 some defensive moves when Robinson just…. Shot him in the ass. Bathym couldn’t stop laughing for a week).*Robinson likes to take Protag 1 on little “dates” where they just walk around town while holding hands and talking about their days to each other.*Triton got Robinson a phone and the only person he texts is Protag 1.*Protag 1 is his background photo*Robinson getting excited over his first ever ice cream cone is Protag 1’s background photo. *Protag 1 has exactly 290 photos in his gallery and it’s filled with pictures of his friends and more than half of them are Robinson doing cute shit.*Robinson carries Protag 1 everywhere. Like- he just scoops him up with his little man baby muscle arms and n y o o m- he’s gone.*Robinson is not afraid of PDA. *It almost gave Protag 1 a heart attack the first time Robinson just marched up to him and planted a kiss right on his lips.*That was also their first kiss.*In front of all of the Summoners and Protags*Protag 4 still won’t let him live it down*Robinson will pick random flowers for Protag 1 *Protag 1 has books and books of pressed flowers; he’s saved every single one*Robinson and Protag 1 will lay together in the middle of Protag 1’s room and hold each other hand and simply exist. *Once in awhile they’ll giggle and whisper to each other what they adore about the other. *Robinson loves Protag 1’s giggle and Protag 1 loves Robinson’s eyes. *They are SOFT AND HEALTHY*AND IT THIS TAKES PLACE AFTER THE DUO INCIDENT. DUO IS A DEAD CHILD LDKJFLKJDELF ROBISNON IS OUT FOR BLOOD (AND SMOOCHES)

Protag 2 x Kengo *THESE TWO ARE THE CHAOTIC DUO OF THE DAMN CENTURY.*They love each other so much and it is sickening*Ken isn’t necessarily lovey-dovey; he actually gets super embarrassed about it, even in private*bUT PROTAG 2 HAS SO MUCH LOVE TO GIVE THAT SHE’LL JUST,,, STARE AT HIM WITH THESE EYES FULL OF LOVE AS SHE HOLDS HIS HAND AND EVERYONE AROUND THEM ARE LIKE “GET A FUCKING ROOM YOU DISGUSTING LITTLE SHITS.”*Protag 2 has slammed a man to the ground for Kengo because the dumbass thought it would be a good idea to try and steal from Ken. Either way he would’ve been fucked, but Protag 2 is merciless when it comes to loves ones*Ken likes when she compliments his muscles or when she runs her fingers over his arms*Ken actually has a possessive streak*He’ll just pick her up if she’s paying too much attention to someone and walk off (Shiro’s about killed him every time he’s done this in his presence)*Protag 2 loves it*If Oniwaka is in any vicinity near Protag 2 he knows. No one knows how, but he just gets a weird feeling in his gut.*Actually gets waaaaaaay more into PDA when Oniwaka is there. *Has shoved his tongue down Protag 2’s throat in front of everyone when Oniwaka was trying to have a genuine conversation with. She almost passed out*20/10 would do it again despite getting his ass pulverised by Shiro for public indecency*He likes to take her on sparring dates and they just train together the entire time.*Surprisingly good at bra picking, so Protag 2 will drag him to go and pick bras. *He almost flipped when she dragged him into Victoria Secrets.*She likes to tease the ever loving SHIT out of him*He has a very, very big love/hate relationship with it*The first time they did the do Kengo about had an aneurysm because, woah. You have bigger boobs than I thought you did.   *And Protag 2 almost died because she was laughing so damn hard because omg, Ken, you did not just say that out loud. *They almost got caught in the Janitors closet they were in.*And yes they did the dirty for the first time in a damn janitors closet. They’re both impulsive and chaotic bastards, of course they would*Very supportive of each other*Kengo was the first to say “I love you” to Protag 2 because he almost came too late when she was being ganged up on by a group of app users. She almost missed it because she blacked out right afterwards.*She woke up staring at Ken bewildered as he sobbed, and the first thing she asked was: “Did you say you loved me???”*He kissed the fuck out of her because Omg, I thought I was the dumbass in this relationshipOniwaka x Protag 2*Oniwaka swears he’s getting grey hairs because of her. *She straight up tried to fight someone three times her size for him and he almost screamed. *He always gets matching keychains for them, or just keychains that remind him or her.*Protag 2 has taken to buying him plushes and he saves every single one.*She was the one to ask him out and he turned so red. *Then he fainted and Protag 2 started crying because she thought she killed him. *He was the one to initiate the first kiss tho*He set it up so nicely too, peaceful time on the town and ending it with a beautiful picnic under the moonlight; and Protag 2 holds that memory so close to her heart. *Protag 2 will jump on Oniwaka’s back randomly. *At first it freaked him out*But he’s so numb to it now*Called her babe in public once and no one lets him live it down*He was so ready to kill Bathym when he started cackling*Ryota is their biggest shipper*He will go down this ship. Fuck you*So, like, reverse uno from Kengo’s headcanons because Oniwaka is just as bad with PDA when Kengo is around.*The only difference here is that Ken will throw a bitch fit with no hesitation, also Oniwaka is a little more subtle about it*He’ll wrap on arm around her waist and pull her real close, once in a while, if she’s wearing jeans, he’ll slip his hand into her back pocket*Ken just stares at him with all the contempt in the world*Oniwaka has this tendency to step in between Protag 2 and new peopleaBOUT BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF SURTUR WHEN HE SAW HIM AGAIN*“YOU’RE THE ASSWIPE WHO HURT THE LOVE OF MY LIFE YOU HUGE HAIRY BITCH.”*They would both 10/10 kill for each other.

Protag 3 x Shinya*OK, OK, OK, OK. THIS IS A CUTE AF SHIP OK??????*YOU CAN PRY THIS ONE FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS*Shinya  and Protag 3 are so soft for each other*They hold hands, and will touch their foreheads together and just*Bask in each other’s presence*Scarily attuned to each other*They don’t even have to say anything. They just know what each other want off the bat*Shinya is a jelly baby (you can also rip this from my cold dead hands)*Shinya will get pouty if Protag 3 is paying attention to someone for too long, or if someone is trying to put the moves on them, he’ll just,,, slide up to Protag 3 and cling to his arm, bat his eyelashes at him, and whisper: “I’m tired…”*He has Protag 3 wrapped around his finger and he KNOWS IT *But he loves him so much that he would never, ever, ever take advantage of their heart or willingness*Cupid loves Protag 3 to death and Shinya has gotten jealous about it because Cupid is not afraid to ask for some smooches ok?*Shinya gets kisses too when this happens*Protag 3 doesn’t get jealous?? Like?????? Ever???????*And Shinya really wished he did because he wants to see alright?? It’d be terrifying or cute as hell ok?*Protag 3 always gets something for Shinya before they go and meet with him.*Protag 3 would D I E for Shinya*The first time they had the intercoarse, Protag 3 couldn’t stop babbling about how beautiful Shinya was and that turned into a bout of passionate love make*This seems like a good time to state that I am a firm believer that they are switches*Shinya made a special drink named after Protag 3*Every Saturday, they go over the the other’s house and watch movies all night*They have fairly moderate PDA*They’re always touching each other in some way*Cheek and hand kisses are extremely common between them *They are very much in love and very much soft with each other*I LOVE THIS SHIP SO MUCH ;-;

Protag 4 x Toji*No one knows how they got together*NO ONE*NOT EVEN TOJI*In actuality Protag 4 just kinda built up to it, got Toji where he wanted him and B O O M. They’re dating now*Toji is easily flustered and Protag 4 thrives off of this *Protag 4 is quite protective of Toji*This leads to some arguments, but they never really have big, relationship-threatening arguments.*Which is surprising*Protag 4 is prone to showering Toji is gifts*Toji treasures them all, but this is a simplistic boi and too much stuff makes his head reel*Protag 4 is terrified that Toji is going to ask where he got all that money from *Toji doesn’t because Toji is kinda dense some times*They like to talk about books together*They’re dates consist of going to the library, reading books, going to a cafe and then discussing them*Protag 4 loves to play with Toji’s hair*Sometimes they’ll just go to Protag 4’s room and listen to his playlist that he had saved from his previous life and close their eyes and maybe fall asleep*Very relaxed around each other*Toji also likes to play with Protag 4’s hair in return and will do so when Protag 4 lays his head on Toji’s lap while he’s reading a book or reports*Protag 4 and Toji don’t actually have a lot of PDA in their relationship*Sometimes Protag 4 will text Toji in the middle of the night because the feeling of wandering hand is on his skin again and he feels like he’s on the verge of a mental break down*Drags Toji to try on clothes*Toji almost choked when Protag 4 came out in a form fitting dress*They had sex while Protag 4 wore that dress.*Toji is still embarrassed to this day when he sees that dress*They love each other a lot they just don’t say it*A surprisingly relaxed relationshipProtag 4 x Ophion*Protag 4 is a PRINCESS OK?*Ophion and him will go for flies through the night sky and Protag 4 loves it*He wears every single thing that Ophion gets him*His closet is fucking full of clothes and he is L I V I N G*Him and Ophion have a shit ton of intelligent and philosophical conversations*Ophion rubs it in the other Tycoons’ faces that him and Protag 4 are together*Ophion aslo fucking PREENS when Protag 4 gets into one of his moods where he just showers him in compliments and runs his hands up and down Ophion’s waist and chest. *Protag 4 has cried in front of Ophion and Ophion held him and whispered sweet nothings to him and Protag 4 couldn’t help but whisper that he loved him and *Ophion just smiled and hugged him closer to his chest**Slams fists on table* OPHION AND PROTAG 4 ROLEPLAY. THEY ROLEPLAY A DRAGON WHO KIDNAPPED A PRINCESS AND THEY DO IT W E L L.*Ophion will buy Protag 4 anything he wants in a blink of an eye with no hesitation*Protag 4 actually feel super secure with Ophion and it genuinely scares him*But he loves him so he’s going to try*Ophion will wait a lifetime and more for Protag 4*Very soft and pompous relationship right here. They’re so fucking in love you might as well barf

Protag 5 x Zao*This is another GOOD ONE OK?*They both love hiking and the outdoors and they’re both socially awkward and they’re both in love*Fucking perfect*Zao likes to carry Protag 5 and they get super flustered about it*Protag 5 will make sure that Zao doesn’t go too far into the mountains and reminds him about school that they still go to*Zao likes to pick up pretty stones for Protag 5 and give them to them*They have a whole ass collection of them at this point*Protag 5 holds onto Zao’s hand when they get nervous*Zao would beat a whole man’s skull in if they even breathed near Protag 5*Zao and Protag 5 nerd out of different plants and animals*Protag 5 has a camera that they take with them when they go hiking*Zao is so, so, so gentle with Portag 5 when they go out on dates*Like, no matter where they go Zao is happy to be with Protag 5*Protag 5 kissed Zao’s cheek for the first time and Zao almost imploded*They both ended up on the floor covering their faces with their hands and were beet red *Protag 5 and Zao go to this little run down cafe tucked away in the corner of the street and they’ll sit there for hours just talking and laughing quietly to each other all while holding each other’s hand across the table, their palms sweaty, but do they care? NO*THEY’RE IN LOVE OF COURSE THEY DON’T CARE*Zao almost murdered a couple of punk ass thugs because they were being a dick to Protag 5 and he was not having it*They were lucky Protag 5 was there otherwise they would be dead.*Sometimes Zao stares at Protag with stars in his eyes, amazed because they’re together. He always thought that he only loved the mountains. And then Protag 5 came around and blew it out of the water*Zao was the first to tell them that he loved themIt was a quiet night, just staring up at the stars, when Zao took their hand and squeezed. He looked at them with a soft smile, “I love you so much, my mountain.”*Protagonist 5 started crying and chaos ensued *WHOLESOME SHIP, OK?????? WHOLESOME

[aki-natsuko]

I apologize for the one request that I asked, but I quite understand it well and don't worry about it! I'll request a different drabble this time, which I hope it's okay for you. 215. “Don’t worry… I can save you. Just hold still…” + NagaShiro again from K project pls.

No worries! And thank you for understanding! NagaShiro + ‘Don’t worry…I can save you. Just hold still…”

   Shiro hadn’t been able to let himself hesitate, knowing that too much was resting on their plan. On him. In the past, he might have fled. Might have given into the temptation to follow his heart rather than his head, but that in part was what had led to this current situation, and he had promised himself that he was going to do his duty. That he was going to be a King. It had been harder to remember, and even harder to cling to when he had seen Nagare stood in front of the slates, ablaze with power and stubborn determination as he’d stared him down. We have different dreams, he’d said once, during one of their stolen moments but he’d never fully allowed himself to realise what that meant until that moment when Nagare had looked at him as though he was the enemy.

I’m sorry…

  It had been Nagare who had filled his mind as he’d pushed his Weissman level to the brink. Not the sword hovering over their heads, or the future without Kings that they were stood on the verge of, or even Neko who was clinging to him and Kuroh fighting for them somewhere overhead. It was Nagare. It was Nagare, with his sharp mind and sometimes sharper tongue, with the small smile that made Shiro’s heart flutter in a way that nothing else did, who had challenged and pushed him, and made him smile. It was Nagare who had the same dreams that Shiro had once nurtured, untouched by the doubts and loss that had stolen them away from Shiro, and as much as he had tried to make Nagare understand why he had changed, part of him had loved and envied the other man’s faith and dedication.

He just wished it hadn’t put them on opposite sides, and that it didn’t mean he was risking everything to bring this to an end.

   Nagare’s desperate attack had hurt more than he had expected, and what was worse was that he could understand why even as it had felt as though it was more than a physical assault on his heart as green lashed against him. I’m sorry. It has to be this way… It was Neko and Kuroh who saved him, because even if he’d been able to take the offensive himself, he wasn’t sure that he could have brought himself to do so against Nagare, not when he was about to bring the other man’s dreams crashing down.

Nagare.

    His world was green, his vision filled with Nagare’s wide-eyed expression as his sword fell, filling his chest with a terrible, wrenching sensation as though he was losing part of himself. Then the world was bathed in white, and he felt the power of the slates, flicker and fade… and when his vision cleared his eyes immediately darted to Nagare who was frozen, head lifted to the sky for a moment.

“How disappointing…” Nagare was whispering, as the power faded from him, a smile curving his lips – softer and more real than anything Shiro had seen from him before, and fear had him lurching him forward as Nagare added softly.  “And yet I am satisfied…” And then he was falling, and Shiro was moving, stumbling and nearly falling himself, legs barely able to support him.

  Somehow, he made it to Nagare’s side, falling to his knees beside him, ignoring the trembling ground and the muffled sound of explosions somewhere above them as he reached for Nagare and turned him over, eyes locked on the fading green in the other man’s chest. No. He’d known, he just hadn’t wanted to believe and now he couldn’t avoid it any longer as he reached out, pressing a trembling hand over the spot, and Nagare stirred at the touch, just enough to peer up at him with half-open eyes. “Don’t worry…” Shiro whispered, highly aware of Neko and Kuroh pressing close, no doubt confused by his actions and worried by the spreading sound of explosions, but he couldn’t look at them. Couldn’t tear his gaze away from Nagare, who had blinked at his words, breathing ragged and fading.  

“…Shiro…”

“I can save you,” Shiro interrupted, not wanting to hear Nagare tell him that it was okay or that he was satisfied, praying that he wasn’t lying. That his desperate hope would be answered. Please, just give me this one thing, he thought, not sure whether it was fate, the slates or even the memory of the Gold King and the destiny he had presided over that he was pleading with. “Just hold still…” He ordered – pleaded – even though he knew it wasn’t a choice, Nagare fading before his very eyes and he closed his eyes and reached out. Everything rested on this moment because for all his calculations and research, he hadn’t been able to determine how quickly the power of the slates would fade. Not yet, he pleaded, as he felt for his sanctum for the slates, for anything.

There…

  It was terrifyingly faint, like the breath rattling between Nagare’s lips, but it was there. A glimmer of power and Shiro seized it, knowing that he didn’t have the right, not anymore, not after what he had done. Yet, it came to him, a wavering thread of power, and he pressed it into Nagare’s chest, wrapping it around the flickering, fading green. Was it enough? Would it just buy them a little more time? He wasn’t sure, all he had was a desperate hope, stronger than any dream he’d ever had, and he wove that with the thread of power, anything that would anchor Nagare to life, even just a little longer.

Please, please…

  He wasn’t sure how long he worked, how long he had sat there, blind and deaf to the world around him, eyes squeezed shut as everything narrowed down to Nagare and keeping him there with him. He missed the strengthening rise and fall of the chest beneath his fingers, didn’t hear Nagare whisper his name, was unaware of anything changing until warm fingers wrapped around his, squeezing lightly to draw him back into the world. He was exhausted, pain radiating through his chest, something shifting under his skin, but all that was forgotten as he opened his eyes to find Nagare looking up at him, eyes bright and clear and wonderfully alive.