#God of Wildfires Kagami

[crystallized-shadow]

Chapters: 1 Part: 6 of Forces of Natura Rating: T Relationships: Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama/Uzumaki Mito, Senju Itama/Uchiha Izuna/Uchiha Kagami Word Count: 2059 Summary: As winter draws to an end, Tobirama knows it's only a matter of time before Hashirama shows up.

Follow the link or read it under the cut!

“You know Hashirama will search for me,” Tobirama mutters towards the end of his season, “and with his control I won’t be able to hide our magic any longer.”

“I knew they would find us sooner or later,” Madara yawns, cuddling closer to his winter’s side, while he was back to full power now winter had always made him sleepy, “thank you for hiding us this long.”

“Anything for you my summer,” Tobirama chuckles, lightly digging his fingers into Madara’s scalp and getting a rumbling purr from the older god. “How do you want to break the news to them?”

“In the most dramatic way possible, duh.”

Tobirama can’t help but chuckle, it would seem all this time still hadn’t improved Madara’ sense of humor. “And what, pray tell, did you have in mind?”

“Let them think I’m some abusive asshole and see who tries to kill me first?” Madara suggests, shifting in Tobirama’s arms so he can stare into the ruby red eyes of his eternal partner.

“What is it with you fire related gods and trying to kill each other?” Tobirama huffs, the barest hint of a smile ghosting his lips when Madara laughs; it was good to hear his summer sound so free after all he’d been through.

“Battle burns in our blood.”

“Shall we take bets on who strikes first?” Tobirama asks instead of trying to refute that claim, it would be futile and he already knew he’d agree to anything Madara asked. “Hashirama is my choice.”

“Most likely,” Madara agrees before a devious smirk graces his devastatingly handsome face, “unless of course he rallies all the gods, then it will be Izuna the moment he sees the mark on my neck.”

Tobirama has to admit Madara has a valid point, all of the humans who possessed the stolen fire magic had borne Madara’s symbol until he had reclaimed his powers. “You realize they’re going to be pissed once they find out the truth.”

“And?” Madara challenges with a raised eyebrow, “they’re going to be pissed either way, so let’s have some fun!”

“I’m going to regret this, but let's hear it.”

“I’ll just need you to act like a meek little snowflake, scared of my obviously superior magic-”

“I’m going to smother you with a pillow.”

“-and cower in my presence. Maybe bloody you up a bit too, really set the scene.”

“And what’s in it for me if I go along with this ridiculous idea of yours?”

“That should be obvious,” Madara scoffs, ignoring the eyeroll that comment gets, “you’ll get to fuck me in our den until you’re sated.”

Now that was quite the offer, the transition into spring always caused a violent spike in his libido that had Madara limping for the first month of the new season. To offer up his body, without leading Tobirama on a frustrating chase first, was too tempting to pass up. “How can I say no to that offer?”

“You can’t.”

~~~

Tobirama senses his brother approaching long before the spring god makes it to the mortal plane; he’s not surprised to feel the other gods with Hashirama either, obviously Mother Nature wanted to make his feelings known. Poking his lip, just to make sure the cut is still bleeding, Tobirama settles more comfortably against his restraints. Madara could claim whatever bullshit reason he wanted, Tobirama knew the summer god just wanted an excuse to chain him up.

“Tobirama!” Hashirama exclaims, bursting into the living room without much grace, making the winter god roll his eyes; Hashirama was going to get hurt one of these days if he kept doing that.

“What are you doing here!?” Tobirama hisses instead, making sure his eyes are wide with fear and his voice trembles just enough that the others will notice.

“We came to rescue you Tobi-nii!” Itama declares, frowning at his brother’s battered form; it was clear the winter god had been suffering and whatever human had dared do this would pay dearly.

“You have to go!” Tobirama shoots back, his eyes darting around like he’s looking for something, “hurry! Before he gets back!”

“Tobira…” Hashirama mutters, his heart breaking at the sight of his precious otouto so broken down.

“What’s all the racket pet?” A voice mutters from further in the house, and none of the gods miss the way Tobirama goes absolutely rigid in terror as a human walks through the door beside him.

“Nothing Master,” Tobirama mutters in a meek voice, biting the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing at the spike of anger in Hashirama’s magic; his anija was still too gullible. He can’t help but mentally roll his eyes at Madara’s outfit of choice, the yukata is draped just loosely enough that his ‘stolen’ mark is clearly visible. Predictably Izuna’s eyes hone in on it instantly.

“Where did you get that!?” He demands, stepping forward and the air around him shimmers, “answer me you bastard!!”

“This thing?” Madara asks, a careless gesture to the bright red sigil on the base of his neck, “it’s proof of my clan's blessing from some ancient god; supposedly my ancestor earned an elemental god’s favor.”

Why don’t you just bluntly declare you killed his brother? Tobirama thinks, ducking his head in apparent fear to hide the unimpressed look he knows is on his face. It was hardly a fair bet when Madara goaded Izuna like that. Sure enough, Izuna’s screech of unadulterated rage shatters the windows as he lunges for Madara.

Madara can’t help but laugh as he dodges the sloppy swipe of fiery claws; it would seem Izuna still let his rage get the better of him. The summer god makes sure to keep his moves within a human’s ability, finally allowing Izuna to grab him by the throat and slam him into the wall.

“You will pay for what your family did to my brother!” Izuna snarls, plunging a fire coated hand into Madara’s stomach so the bastard would die slowly.

Madara just chuckles as he calmly places his hand over Izuna’s core and pushes a hint of his magic into his brother. The effect is instant and Izuna drops to his knees with a startled cry, a hand clutching uselessly at his chest as his system filters out the incompatible magic. While Madara and Izuna drew their power from the sun, the greatest fire source, Madara's had always been more potent and potentially dangerous to Izuna if he did like he’d just done. “I see you haven’t changed Izuna.” Madara comments, smirking as the drought god glares up at him, only for his eyes to widen in shock.

“How do you know my name?” He demands in barely more than a whisper, shock washing away his anger.

Madara just chuckles as the sigil on his neck glows brightly, spreading out into very familiar runes as he lets his human facade fade away.

“Aniki!!” Izuna sobs, tears evaporating as quickly as they fall from his eyes. Madara’s usually hard eyes soften and Izuna can’t stop himself from lunging into his brother’s waiting arms. “You came back!!”

“Of course I did,” Madara scoffs, holding Izuna close as the younger god trembles in his arms, sobs still wracking through his body.

“Oh thank the sage,” Tobirama mutters, easily shattering his supposed bonds as he stands up, his injuries melting away.

“Tobira…?” Hashirama mutters, looking between the two gods, his brain struggling to process the sight of Madara alive and well. “I don’t understand…”

“Madara reincarnated,” Tobirama explains with a shrug, walking over to his brother in an effort not to invade Izuna's reunion with Madara. “I found him before it was time and forced the reawakening sooner.”

“I didn’t realize that was possible,” Mito states, watching Madara sharply as Hashirama yanks his brother into a hug, “but it does appear he’s completely back.”

“Madara?” Kagami mutters, finally venturing forward to his mentor’s side, “you’re back.”

“Of course I am Spitfire,” Madara chuckles, pulling Kagami into the hug as well, “did you really think I would stay away?”

“You died,” Kagami sobs, burying his face in Madara’s chest, “and everything changed!”

“I’m sorry little one,” Madara mutters, running his fingers through Kagami’s hair reassuringly, “I won’t do it again.”

“You better not,” Izuna huffs, clinging closer to his aniki, happy to have the older god back, “I’d have to hurt the snowflake if you did.”

“Be nice Izu,” Kagami scolds, his tone watery, “Tobirama has been training me.”

“Oh?” Madara hums with a raised eyebrow, looking over the young god’s head to meet Tobirama’s eyes.

“He couldn’t control his magic,” Tobirama shrugs, dislodging Hashirama, “and that desert you call a brother was useless, so I took over.”

“Why you-!” Izuna snarls, only to be cut off when Hashirama barrels into them, crushing all three fire gods to his chest.

“Madara!” Hashirama sobs, burying his face in Madara’s wispy hair, “I thought I’d never see you again!!”

“Let go of me you oaf,” Madara grunts, struggling to breath through a face-full of hair and flowers.

“No!” Hashirama protests, clinging harder as Izuna and Kagami manage to slip free of his grasp, “I’m never letting you out of my sight again!”

“Knock it off you plant-brained mother hen!” Madara growls, flaring his magic when vines suddenly start wrapping around him in response to Hashirama’s distress. The vines instantly catch fire, along with the ones in Hashirama’s hair, causing the Spring God to jump back with a yelp.

“Hashi-nii,” Itama sighs, quickly dousing his older brother with a downpour.

“Lets all just calm down,” Mito suggests, “as this is Hashirama’s equinox and I doubt any of us want to deal with that mess.”

Everyone shudders at the thought of what an overly emotional Hashirama could do with perfect control over his powers.

“So, Summer, Winter, care to explain?” Hashirama asks with a frown, not liking that his best friend and his brother have been keeping secrets from him.

“Like I said, Madara reincarnated and I forced the reawakening sooner than it should have happened.”

“You owe us more of an explanation than that Snowflake,” Izuna growls, glaring at the older god.

“Izuna,” Madara sighs, catching Tobirama’s hand in his before his eternal partner can try and attack the drought god. Madara shakes his head before he glances over the gods that had come to ‘rescue’ Tobirama. “The family I was born into, the Uchihas, were the ones that originally trapped me and stole my powers. On Tobirama’s solstice they tried to sacrifice me again, but he ended them.”

“How did you know some random human was Madara?” Kagami asks, knowing he wouldn’t have been able to recognize his shishou as a human.

“I’ve always been very attuned to Madara’s presence, when he came of age for a human, I sensed a spark of his original magic. Knowing it shouldn’t be possible for Madara to have reincarnated yet, I kept an eye on the human and when I found him trying to summon a familiar I made sure he summoned me instead.”

“You changed that sigil!?” Madara demands, glaring at his partner, “and when did you plan on telling me that!?”

“Hush,” Tobirama chuckles, kissing the irate summer god, before he looks at his brother, “you actually tried to kill him not so long ago.”

“I did?” Hashirama mutters, before his eyes widen slightly. He had thought that human looked familiar, but he only just now realized it was the one he’d tried to kill while searching for his brother. “But that was some time ago, why haven’t you two come home?”

“I had to wait for the winter solstice to reclaim my lost powers,” Madara says, glancing away from his oldest friend.

“I nearly lost Madara again,” Tobirama practically growls, “and I didn’t feel like sharing him with you yet.”

“I can see how such an event would drive you to isolate your mate to protect him,” Mito comments, knowing she would have reacted the same way if someone had killed her Spring.

“You just wanted to fuck with us,” Izuna guess, glaring at his brother when Madara smirks.

“It wouldn’t have been any fun to just show up.”

“You’re a bastard Shishou,” Kagami states and the sincerity of the comment makes everyone laugh.

“Let’s go home,” Hashirama says, dragging Madara and Tobirama with him before they can protest.

[quixotin]

come get ya miraculous juice

If your thirst for lukanette and slow burn adrinette cannot possibly wait for season 4, Chapter 10 of The Wall Between Us is up on AO3! 

Or read in Tumblr below the cut

Chapter 10

“Aw, come on Luka, don’t be like this,” Albin said, swinging an arm around his neck.

“I’m not being like anything,” Luka protested as he and his group of friends made their way out of the metro station and towards Place de la Concorde. “I’m just saying I don’t feel like coming to a demonstration.”

“So, what would you rather be doing today instead, hm? Stay locked up in your room like an emo kid? Besides, the weather is great today and you know Margot will hang us by our heads if we don’t show up.”

Luka sighed and remitted to walk along, which pleased Albin.

Luka’s friends had been very adamant on helping him out of the house as often as possible since his breakup with Marinette. They knew that, left to his own devices, Luka would close up and keep to himself. He wasn’t the kind of guy that readily shared when something bothered him, he was more the type that had to be squeezed like an orange for him to share his mind when he was feeling low. However, this was not the reason why Luka had put up more of a fight than it was usually his style. It had been almost a week since the breakup and he had managed to keep out of trouble with Hawkmoth, but he attributed his success to a lot of calm evenings and just processing everything his own way.

As much as he supported the cause and his friend Margot, he could see how participating in a demonstration could get him riled up, especially if some asshole showed up. And he’d attended enough demonstrations during his lifetime to know that there was always some asshole showing up.

The trio of boys made their way to the organizers’ tent, where Margo kept busy readying cardboard signs. Without as much as a quick glance upwards and a smile, she said, “Oh good, you’re here. Help me with these, please. Paint is on the table over there.” She handed a couple of cardboard pieces to each of the boys and left them to their own devices.

Luka wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with these. His creativity didn’t exactly lie in the visual department. That was always more a thing for...

He shook his head and proceeded to grab some random paint and brushes for Albin, Noe, and himself. As he turned around, he accidentally knocked a container of black paint on the person behind him waiting their turn.

“What the heck! Watch it!” the girl exclaimed.

“Shit,” he hissed. “Oh my god, I'm so sorry! Let me help you clean-- Kagami?”

It took him a couple seconds to recognize who she was. It had been almost a year since he had last seen her. There was an air to her that made it evident she had changed a lot during that time, but it was also obvious in her appearance. She had cut her hair shorter than before and she had now several piercings on her ears. She seemed to have also shed her preppy outfits in favor of high-waisted mom jeans and a black crop top. Besides her appearance, Luka could  just tell this was the type of girl who wouldn’t take crap from anyone, even more than before. It was a bit… daunting. He did always wonder how someone as intimidatingly sure of herself ended up with someone like Adrien.

“Luka,” she said deadpan.

“You... look very different.”

She gave him a dirty look. “Really? You come to a feminist demonstration and the first thing you do is comment on my appearance?”

Luka blushed with embarrassment. “No, no, no! Sorry! I didn’t mean it like that! You just-- in general. You look different in general.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Thanks for ruining my pants, by the way. They weren't my favorite or anything,” she said sarcastically, then stopped, looked around the room and asked, “Where’s Marinette, anyway? Maybe she knows some way to take the stain off.”

Luka clutched his painting utensils and gulped. He had tried to steer away from the subject as much as possible to reduce his risk of getting akumatized, but he supposed there wasn’t much of a way to evade it right now.

“We, uh... we broke up a few days ago.”

“Oh.” Kagami perked up, suddenly aware how her question might have been a little insensitive. “Sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah.”

“Not that it’s my business, but how are you doing? After your akumatization and so on?”

“I didn’t get akumatized,” he said, suddenly defensive, as an urge to get back to his friends built up.

“Really?” Kagami said, a bit surprised.

“Yes, really.”

“I always had the impression you were super into her,” she commented, but mostly to herself.

“I am--I was,” he said, getting angry.

“I got akumatized into this nightmarish monster when Adrien and I broke up and it turned out it didn’t take me so much to get over him.”

“That has absolutely nothing to do with it,” he retorted, evidently irked.

“No, no. Of course not,” she hurried to say, realizing she had unintentionally pushed his buttons. “I just meant to say props to you. Lesser people get akumatized for the weather or something like that. Sorry for the stupid comparison.

“Sure. Whatever…”

“... Anyway,” Kagami said, sighing. “I guess we’ve made this sufficiently awkward, right? So, I’ll get going.”

Luka marched back to his friends and unceremoniously dumped the materials at the center of their little circle as tried to calm himself down.

He tried to focus on getting something into his sign but the fact he was stuck doing something Marinette usually loved to do was not helping in the slightest.

He breathed heavily, his eyes prickling him as hot, angry tears pooled and then fell onto the cardboard.

“I need some fresh air,” he announced to his friends, who had noticed his mood but had not said anything yet and watched as he stormed outside.

He paced around, taking deep breaths. The anxiety of not being able to calm down mixed with the fear of getting akumatized, was like kindling soaked in gasoline being thrown into a starting fire. And, as wildfires do, it burst out of control.

Luka gasped for air and then, with horror saw as the black butterfly approached him. He sprinted back to the tent where his friends were but by the time he got there, the butterfly had already lodged in the paintbrush he was holding.

The voice of his friends urging him not to give into the spell was faint and distant in his ears, but enough to keep him steady.

The first thing he noticed is that this akumatization felt different. He's was still aware of everything. He hadn’t been completely akumatized yet. Hawkmoth held him in his petrifying grasp but stalled, as if deciding what to turn him into.

Suddenly, his grave voice echoed inside his head.

“What is it that you want, Luka Couffaine?”

“Get out of my head,” Luka hissed, focusing as hard as he could on not thinking of anything that would reveal the secrets he knew.

Hawkmoth laughed. “But you called me here. Your emotions... I can tell you’re a soul in pain. You lost something. I can relate to that pain.” Luka felt how Hawkmoth snaked through his thoughts, looking for something to convince him. A flash of a thought, and Hawkmoth knew he was hiding something.

“GET OUT!” he screamed in his head.

He laughed again. “Oh? And what secrets might you be keeping? Hm?”

Luka winced, straining to keep thinking of random things: music, the weather, that weird bench at school that wobbles when he sits and how he hates it. Anything.

“I can help you recover what you lost...” he whispered softly. “Your girlfriend… Don’t you want her back? What is her name? I can help you. I promise I won’t hurt her.”

He felt himself slipping, turning.

“No!” he said, reverting back into his human form. “Let me go!”

“Maybe what you want is revenge on him? The reason she abandoned you? You’re not worthy like him, are you? That’s why she left you… But I can make you worthy… Wouldn't you want to be in his place, hm? Wouldn’t everything be better with that pesky boy of the way?”

Again, Luka felt himself morph and forced himself to think of other things. He tried reciting stupid facts he knew about ship maintenance.

“Get out of my head!” he exclaimed, sounding much weaker.

“Your power of will is very commendable,” Hawkmoth said. “But if I’m overstaying my welcome all you need to do is tell me what you want.”

“N-no!” Luka said, straining and screaming. “GET OUT!”

“If you--”

Suddenly the contact broke, and he collapsed onto the ground. The world went dark.

When Luka regained consciousness, he did so with a jolt. He was surrounded by his friends, Ladybug and Chat Noir, and surprisingly enough, Kagami.

He had an ungodly headache and realized blood had dried on his upper lip. His nose must have bled.

“Give him some space,” Ladybug ordered the crowd, seeing as Luka was struggling to gather his bearings. He didn’t know what particular panic to tackle first.

“What happened?” he asked, noticing they were not under the tent anymore and the gathering crowd that was preparing for the demonstration had dissipated.

“You got akumatized,” Ladybug explained, a bit surprised she had to fill him in on that particular point.

“Or rather, were about to akumatized,” Chat Noir said, trying to help his confused expression.

“You kept changing into different things. Like, you were getting akumatized on and off again,” Albin explained. “It was pretty scary.”

He turned to Ladybug with horror realizing what that meant. “You need to take me out of here,” he urged.

“Please!”

“Just take it easy for a second, okay?” Ladybug said, trying her best not to share Luka’s worry. “We’ll take you home in a minute.”

Ladybug and Chat Noir had not been present for most of the incident, so they stayed to talk to the people that had seen the attack, mainly Luka’s friends and Kagami.

Chat Noir was the one to interview them while Ladybug found some water for Luka to drink. Once everyone had calmed down and gave Chat Noir their testimony, they took Luka away to a secluded place to talk. It was the abandoned industrial section where Chat usually led Akumas.

“He knows,” he said, with absolute terror in his voice, Luka said pacing around, trying his best to contain his tears. “He knows that I know something! He saw that I was hiding something. I’m so sorry, Ladybug. I tried but he--he was in my mind and saw--.” His voice broke down.

For a reason unknown to Chat, Ladybug suddenly assumed the same urgency as Luka.

“Did he see?” she asked as Luka cried. “Luka, did he see?”

“See what?” Chat Noir asked, with escalating worry. “What is going on?”

“He didn’t. That’s why I kept changing, he tried to convince me several times,” said Luka. “But he knows that I’m keeping a secret.”

Ladybug covered her mouth with her hands.

“Would somebody please just care to explain what is going on?” Chat demanded.

“You didn’t tell him?” Luka said with disbelief.

“Luka, I need you to tell me exactly everything you remember. What happened?” Ladybug said, ignoring the question.

“Nothing. He just… he figured that I… lost someone. And he was trying to get me to tell him who it was, and to convince me to try to get them back, or to get revenge. I managed to focus my thoughts, but what if he tries again,” Luka said fearfully. “You were right,” he sobbed. “I shouldn’t have—I should’ve just looked away that day! I wish I never knew about this.”

Despite Chat’s presence, Ladybug could only comfort Luka with a hug, not knowing what else to do. Chat, on the other hand, seemed to have put two and two together. Luka knew Marinette’s identity.

“Oh my god…” Chat muttered with disbelief as he leaned against the metal sliding door of one of the warehouse buildings and fell to the floor. He grabbed chunks of his hair just to process what all of this meant, what to feel first. His father was only an akumatization away from figuring out Marinette.

“Luka, I promise you I won’t let anything happen to you, okay? We will come up with a plan, Chat Noir and me. But for now, I need to you to lay as low as possible. We cannot be seen together anymore. At all. If Hawkmoth is the person Chat and I suspect he is, he could be very close to finding out who I am if he makes the connection that we were together. Erase everything. Everything we ever posted on our social media, messages, calls, anything that might be public evidence. Try to have Juleka do the same.”

Luka contemplated the prospect for a moment. Ladybug knew she was thinking exactly the same thing as him: how devastating it will be to have to pretend that nothing ever happened. To actively destroy their memories together.

“Okay,” he said after a while. “And what if I get akumatized again? I don’t think I’ll be able to hold him off for any longer than I did today.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Ladybug said. “That’s for us to figure out. Your only task is to pretend like you don’t know us, for your own sake.”

They sent Luka back home on a cab that Marinette called through her burner phone, leaving a heavy sense of danger looming between Chat and Ladybug. He was still on his spot on the ground, with his head on his hands as he supported his arms on his knees.

Ladybug sighed and slid down to sit next to him.

“You told him?”

“I’ve only ever told Alya. He found out by accident,” she said, already defensive and prepared for the argument that was bubbling up between them. “He also knows who you are.”

Chat’s stomach dropped. “Come again?”

“He was hiding in the same alley you transformed in one day.”

Chat let out a heavy sigh and swore loudly.

“You knew about this and you didn’t think to tell me?” he asked Ladybug.

Ladybug was in complete silence. She didn’t know what to say. “I—“

“You what?” Chat demanded.

“I— I meant to tell you next time we met,” she said. “I didn’t think—“

“You didn’t think to tell me that the boyfriend you just broke up with and was very much at risk of being akumatized knows who we are?” he exclaimed with frustration.

“I just—“ Ladybug tried to come up with an explanation, but the words kept getting stuck on her throat. Chat was right to be mad. She should have told him as soon as she found out. But everything had been so much, with him disappearing and Luka suddenly breaking up with her that, in a moment of weakness, him knowing her identity had been the least of her worries.

“What were you thinking?” Chat demanded. “Ladybug, I told you I’m close to the Agreste family!”

“I’m sorry!” she yelled. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t think—I was… I was so distracted by everything going on that I never thought… I meant to tell you! But then all this stupid teenage drama got in the way! He broke up with me literally the day after you and I talked. That’s when he told me. I meant to tell you Chat Noir, I swear. I just...” she sighed. “I’m so stupid!”

She knocked the back of her head on the metal wall that they were leaning against. “This was the kind of mistake I wanted to evade by telling someone! And it still happened… No matter what I do, nothing ever seems to be enough.”

She was angry at herself, at the situation, at the fact that no matter how hard she tried, she was still not a good enough Guardian.

“We still have time to fix this,” he said, a lot calmer and even with hints of reassurance in his voice. “We need to use our upper hand before Hawkmoth gets a chance to get his,” said Chat. “I can get a hold of his personal calendar. We can attack when he least expects it.”

“How are you going to do that, Chat? Let me go with you,” Ladybug said, worried.

Chat shook his head. “I’ll do it as a civilian.”

“The more reason!”

“No, Ladybug. If anything goes wrong and he sees you there, he’ll be able to figure everything out. Trust me. I promise I will be careful.”

“But--”

“Marinette, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to you,” Chat Noir said, his voice cracking and evidencing the whirlwind of emotions he had been trying to hide from her. “Please, just let me do this. Please, my lady.”

“Okay,” she said quietly. “But promise me you’ll be careful. And you’ll tell me when you do it. Please, promise me you’ll tell me.”

“I will.”

The clicking of Natalie’s heels as she entered the office disturbed the soft classical music playing in the background.

“Here’s the schedule for tomorrow, sir,” she said, placing a thin stack of papers on Gabriel’s desk. “Your flight to Helsinki is expected to arrive at nine a.m. and your first meeting is at ten, as you requested.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Natalie,” Gabriel said, without taking his sight off his screen.

Natalie nodded, heading to her desk.

“One more thing while I am absent, Natalie.”

“Yes, sir?”

Gabriel zoomed into the picture of the article he had been reading. The photographer had managed to capture the teenager he had akumatized looking urgently at Ladybug, who seemed to reciprocate his concern.

“Make sure to find out everything you can about this... Luka Couffaine.”

[angelofthequeers]

Hold Me By Both Hands: Chapter 49

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

Thank you SO much to everyone that’s stuck with this fic and read it to the very end!

@smolplantmum tagged as requested :)

Chapter 48 | AO3 link

“Selfish! Selfish!”

“Don’t you love me anymore, Adrien? Don’t you love your mother? All it takes is a wish –”

Cold, numb, frozen, not Adrien, not Chat Noir, no one, he’s no one, can’t feel, can’t see, can’t breathe, help, help, someone help –

Adrien gasps and jolts when the underground garden vanishes before his eyes and is instead replaced with a dark room, with unsynced breathing and warm weight all around him. Oh. Oh. Right. He’s not trapped underground with Hawkmoth and his dying zompire mother, her skin grey and black and wizened in the nightmare that haunts him every night. He’s in Marinette’s room, in the middle of a gigantic blanket pile on the floor, with Marinette snoring into his hair, Luka clinging to his left arm for dear life, and Kagami appearing to have an arm slung around Marinette’s waist, from what he can make out in the darkness.

He’s safe. He’s safe. But every time he closes his eyes, he can’t escape: from the comatose mother who couldn’t be revived due to the degree of Miraculous damage from the Peacock, whose funeral had apparently been earlier that week, though he remembers absolutely none of it; from the father who’d been sentenced to life in prison only yesterday in possibly the quickest trial ever held, the universe stripping him of both parents in the span of two weeks, and even Nathalie, who’s taken up damage control for the company but who’s never at the mansion anymore; from the chill, the freezing cold emptiness that plagues him when he least expects it, remnants of the akumatisation that he can’t remember. Have the last two weeks even happened? Or has he just been stuck in one, long, disjointed dream, to wake up before he becomes Phantom and to realise that he has to go through this all over again?

“Are you okay, Mr Adrien?” whispers a small voice. Something small snuggles into the crook of his neck, and Adrien’s breath catches in his chest until he reaches up to feel the softness of fairy wings and realises that it’s Nooroo.

“Sorry I woke you,” Adrien murmurs. Thank god none of the others had awoken, because they’ve been jerked awake enough times lately from his nightmares and there’s no sense in them being as miserably bone-tired as he’s been since Hawkmoth’s defeat.

“You didn’t wake me,” Nooroo says. “I can feel your emotional pain, so I’ve been staying awake to keep watch over you.”

“You don’t have to –”

“I do, Mr Adrien. I’m…I’m the reason why…”

Adrien shakes his head. Careful not to wake his partners, he untangles himself from Marinette and Luka’s grips and then tiptoes over to Marinette’s bed to climb out onto the balcony through the hatch. The Parisian night air is cool but not freezing, thank god, because staying in the cold for too long now makes Adrien’s heart race for reasons he can only assume are akuma-related.

“It wasn’t your fault, Nooroo,” Adrien finally says once Nooroo’s snuggling in under his shirt. There’s a flash of black and green out of the corner of his eye and then Plagg’s joining them, wriggling in on Adrien’s other side and purring against Adrien’s collar. Adrien slumps in his seat and hugs his knees to his chest, shivering when the cool breeze brushes over his bare feet.

“But it was my akuma, Mr Adrien. If it wasn’t for me –”

“Could you help it? Could you stop Father from transforming and akumatising people?”

“N-No…I tried to sway him, to push him away from evil, but he wouldn’t listen. And we kwamis are bound to obey our masters.”

“Then how is it your fault?” Adrien reaches up to cup Nooroo with one hand, then hugs Plagg with his other hand so that his own kwami isn’t left out. “You did all you could. He’s the one who chose to do that. He’s the one who went that far to get Mother back instead of moving on like a normal person. He’s…I feel like the worst son ever for even thinking this, but I’m glad he’s gone. I’m glad I don’t ever have to see him again. And then I remind myself that he was doing the best he could –”

“Nah,” Plagg says. “He really wasn’t. If he was, he wouldn’t’ve grabbed Nooroo in the first place. And you’re not a bad person for feeling that way, kid. He akumatised you. You can play pretend all you want, but you know how violating it is to be akumatised like that. The Butterfly’s meant to empower you, not do…that. And every other friend of yours can back you up, except for Pigtails and Guitar Boy, and Hawkdick didn’t go tormenting everyone else like he did with you.”

“Plagg –”

“Adrien. Kid.” Plagg wriggles free of Adrien’s hand so that he can float up in front of Adrien’s face, his bright green eyes holding Adrien’s gaze captive. “There’s nothing wrong with admitting you need help. You tried to deal with Lila’s touchy crap by yourself and look where that got you till you listened to your friends. I get your dad’s a massive pile of dicks and taught you that you can’t speak up when you don’t like something or when you need help, but he was wrong. You got those amazing partners down there and you got friends that’ll have your back through thick and thin. Lean on ‘em, kid. They’re there to take some of the weight.”

“But…” Adrien blinks rapidly to try and quell the stinging in his eyes, but it just causes the tears to well up faster. “If I admit I need help…Plagg, I won’t ever stop asking. What if it gets too much? What if they can’t handle me? I don’t think I could bear to lose them.”

“They won’t, Mr Adrien,” Nooroo says, still snuggling against Adrien. “I’ve felt their emotions since I bonded with Master Luka. They all care so much for you and all they want to do is help. And you’ll be there to help them in return when they need help. That’s what makes you partners and best friends.”

“Okay, but even if I said you were right – which you’re not – it’s, like, one in the morning,” Adrien says. “I can’t wake them up just for my angst.”

“Why not? You’d insist they wake you if the roles were reversed,” Plagg drawls. “And the fact that you’re calling trauma angst really says a lot about your daddy dearest.” Then he phases through the floor before Adrien can even begin to process that.

“Plagg!” Adrien hisses. “No – don’t you dare – I swear –” He groans and crosses his arms. “Stupid cat. Sometimes, I wish he’d just do what I tell him to do.”

“Trust me, you don’t want that at all,” Nooroo whispers. It only takes a moment of frowning down at the kwami for Adrien to realise the implications of what he’d just said.

“Oh, no, no!” Adrien reaches up to cup Nooroo again. “No, Nooroo, I don’t mean – it’s just something I say when I’m frustrated. God, I’d never…I could never treat him like that.”

“I know, Mr Adrien. I suppose I was just…reminded of unpleasant memories.”

“Adrien?” The hatch door creaks open and a mess of black hair pokes out, accompanied by bleary grey eyes, and holy crap, how can Marinette be so beautiful even when she’s half-asleep? “Plagg said you needed us?”

“I don’t need you,” Adrien snaps. “Wait, no, I didn’t mean – goddammit, Plagg!”

Marinette’s face softens and she holds out a hand. “Come back to bed, kitty,” she says. “Even if you don’t need us, it’s okay to want us.”

“But –”

“Adrien Agreste, if you’re trying to be a martyr, I give Marinette full permission to throw you off the balcony,” calls Kagami’s voice from inside the room. Adrien can’t hold back his snort at that, and that’s the opening that Marinette needs to climb half-out of her room and latch onto his ankle.

“I’ll stay here all night if I have to,” she says. A pair of arms rise out of the hatch to slip around her waist.

“Tell us when to start pulling,” Luka’s voice says. “We’ll get this cat on a leash one way or another.”

A burst of laughter splutters out of Adrien. He fails to hold back another one, then he’s devolving into such a hysterical fit of laughter that he slides out of his seat and ends up on his back on the cool concrete. Somewhere in the middle of his breakdown, his laughter turns to choked sobs, then the dam bursts and tears start streaming down his cheeks for the first time since before his mother had disappeared.

“Shh,” murmurs a voice, enveloping him in warmth, along with arms and skin and rustling clothes all around him. “It’s okay, Adrien. Let it out.”

He’s not sure which one of his partners had said that. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Not when they’re all there for him, each one supporting him all the same but bringing different warmth, different light waves, to him. Luka’s a vivid indigo, somehow both freezing and scorching at the same time, but not the kind of freezing that threatens to pitch him into unwanted flashbacks. Kagami’s a warm gold, fiery and brilliant but also subdued enough to dim herself when needed, to avoid overload. And Marinette’s a deep scarlet, hot and full of passion, throwing herself into life with everything she has no matter her guise, much more a crackling wildfire than a hurricane now that he knows her so much better. And maybe that’s why he loves them so much.

.

“We can’t thank you enough, Chloé,” Luka says once they’ve left Le Grand Paris to head back to Marinette’s place, with the Gorilla driving closely behind them. “I’m sure Adrien’s aunt is a wonderful person –”

“No need for pleasantries,” Chloé scoffs. “Wonderful person or not, no way is Adrichat going to live with that aunt and cousin of his. As if anyone’s going to let Chat Noir move to England, especially when I’m the daughter of the mayor of Paris…”

Honestly, most of what Chloé’s saying is going in one ear and out the other for Marinette. All she can focus on is the disturbing mix of both overwhelming emotion and suffocating numbness radiating off Adrien, easily detectable even without the empathetic abilities that Luka has or the little purple brooch that’s fastened to his jacket, disguised among other pins. But Marinette doesn’t have a clue what to do. How are you supposed to help someone who’s mourning their mother for a second time and whose father tortured them and now won’t ever see them again?

“The Gorilla’s cool,” Adrien says with a weak smile. “He knows I’ll be at Marinette’s or Luka’s or Kagami’s a lot of the time.”

“Or at my hotel,” Chloé supplies.

“Yeah, that. He doesn’t really care where I am so long as, well…he knows I’m okay, I guess. Physically,” Adrien adds just as Luka opens his mouth. “Thanks for helping him get custody, Chlo.”

“Hmph. Of course.” Chloé flips her ponytail. “I’ve known him for as long as I’ve known you. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to take care of you, Adrichat.”

“Sometimes, I wonder if Gorilla and Nathalie are the only two adults who ever cared about me.” Adrien’s shoulders slump. “Mother can’t have cared that much if – if she kept using the Peacock –”

“Hey.” Marinette stops and grabs Adrien’s hand. Kagami grabs his other hand and Luka, being the tallest, just wraps all three of them in a hug on the spot. There’s a little huff from Chloé, but she doesn’t complain about being left out like she might have just a few months ago.

“You don’t have to forgive her,” Luka says. “You don’t ever have to be okay with what happened.”

“Just so long as you don’t try to be a martyr and push us away,” Kagami says. “You’re so annoyingly self-sacrificing.”

“Yep, that’s Adrikins to a tee,” Chloé drawls. “Okay, like, can I have my best friend back?”

After a few moments, Marinette, Luka, and Kagami release Adrien to let him gulp in shuddering breaths. Chloé jumps onto his back, just like when she used to tackle and cling to him, except that this time, Adrien’s arms fly back to grab Chloé and hold her securely as she wraps her legs around his waist and clings to him like a monkey.

“Are you…giving her a piggyback?” Marinette splutters. Chloé flips her off.

“Buzz off, Dupain-Cheng. Adrien and I used to do this all the time as kids.”

“I just don’t think any of us imagined that Chloé Bourgeois would enjoy piggyback rides,” Kagami drawls. Chloé pokes her tongue out in response.

“If I never see my mother again and cop her “ridiculously childish” lectures, it’ll be too soon,” Chloé says. “Thank god she fucked off back to New York. I’ve never felt this light in years, and I didn’t even realise till now.”

“Last time I gave Chlo a piggyback was when we were nine,” Adrien says, nearly tripping over a crack in the sidewalk. Chloé shrieks and tightens her arms and legs so much that he chokes until she loosens her grip. “Then she sniffed at me and said that only babies did that, but she was a young lady.”

“Are you sure that you’re –” Marinette begins.

“The only reason I won’t deck you if you finish that sentence is because you’re Ladybug,” Chloé says without even looking at Marinette. Marinette’s pretty sure that it’s more to do with not wanting to upset Adrien by attempting to murder one of his girlfriends, but she manages to hold her tongue. Just.

“Please don’t kill my lady,” Adrien jokes, but the twitch of his lips is weak. Marinette and Chloé exchange looks, then come to an unspoken truce.

“Look, Adrikins, you’re not gonna be alone, alright?” Chloé says with an uncharacteristically soft look. “It’s not just me and your fucked-up father anymore.”

“You were nowhere near as bad as him,” Adrien says. Chloé just shrugs.

“Well, you’ve also got those three. And you’ve also got the Ladyblogger and DJ Tupac. I’m not gonna pretend I know how you’re feeling, but I do know what it’s like to have a parent put you through hell. As if I’d let you be alone.”

Adrien’s lips twitch and he stops outside the bakery and sets Chloé down so that he can hug her. “Thanks, Chlo,” he murmurs into her hair.

“Yeah, yeah, okay, enough with the mush!” Chloé protests, though she contradicts herself by moving her hands to his back to hug him. “I so don’t have time for this. Unlike you, I have places to be.”

“Really? Like where?” Kagami says. Chloé raises a perfect eyebrow.

“I…may be hanging out with Kubdel,” she mutters. Kagami tilts her head with an innocent smile.

“I didn’t hear you. Could you speak up?”

“I’m hanging out with Alix Kubdel because I’ve been thinking about her since the Sanguisuga thing, okay?” Chloé shrieks. With a huff, she crosses her arms and stalks off.

“Did I do something wrong?” Kagami says as Marinette holds the bakery doors open so that they can slip inside and head on upstairs. “I was only trying to tease her as a friend.”

“I guess it just wasn’t the right time?” Marinette says. Kagami sighs and looks down.

“I wish I could “read the room” better, as most people say. Now I have to go and apologise to her.”

“You can’t exactly help not being able to read the atmosphere sometimes.” Marinette waits until they’re in her bedroom to grab one of Kagami’s hands and squeeze, and Adrien takes her other arm and pulls her close. “What matters is that you realised you messed up and you need to apologise.”

“What Mari said.” Adrien leans down to kiss the top of Kagami’s head. Her cheeks pinken and she leans into his touch with a soft smile. “It did make me want to laugh, if that makes you feel better.”

“…A little, yes. We should –”

Whatever Kagami’s going to say is cut off by a colossal roar from outside that shakes the building and nearly sends them crashing to the floor. What the heck? An akuma? But that’s not possible! Luka and Nooroo are right here!

“It’s…a lava monster?” Luka says once all four of them have scrambled up onto Marinette’s balcony and are leaning over the railing to find the source of the sound a few streets away. “But how? I haven’t even tried to create any champions!”

“Oh.” Nooroo’s wings droop as he’s joined by Tikki, Plagg, and Longg. “It’s not an akuma. It’s a sentimonster.”

Marinette’s mouth dries until it’s more arid than a desert. “A sentimonster?” she croaks. “But that’s – the Peacock creates sentimonsters, and it’s not broken anymore since Master Fu got back from Tibet –”

“Indeed,” Longg sighs. “It seems that whoever has stolen Duusu and Roaar is Hawkmoth’s ally after all. It’s possible that we will also encounter a Tiger wielder, if this Peacock has an ally of their own.”

“Just when I thought it was all over,” Adrien groans.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Marinette takes his hand and runs her thumb over the back of it.

“I mean, I was kind of expecting it. I guess I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop since the Peacock and Tiger were stolen. But we’ve got something that the Peacock and Tiger wielders don’t have.” Adrien takes Marinette and Kagami’s hands, and Luka grabs Marinette’s free hand. “We’ve got each other.”

“That,” Marinette says, “was the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard, and I’m so exposing you in the group chat tonight.”

“But milady!” Adrien pouts. Marinette absolutely refuses to acknowledge the way her stomach flips and shivers at those kitty eyes, because there’s no way in hell she’s handing Adrien that victory. “I thought you loved me!”

“Oh my god, can you guys hurry the hell up?” Honeybee’s standing on the roof behind them with crossed arms, tapping her foot, as the four of them whirl around. “That thing’s not gonna ice itself! Shut up!” she splutters when Adrien grins at her for her joke.

“Ladybug! Chat Noir!” A slim figure with magenta-tipped brown hair and a tight magenta suit lands on the building next to the lava sentimonster. From this distance, the only details Marinette can make out are that her long hair is bunched near the end and her angular face is framed by two thick locks of brown hair. “Come out and give your Miraculouses up, or Mayura’s sentimonster and I, Felina, will destroy Paris! Where are you, Adrien?”

Adrien immediately throws himself to the ground in case the magenta girl – Felina, obviously the wielder of the Tiger Miraculous – happens to look his way.

“Looks like it’s time to introduce Morpho to the world, then,” Luka sighs. “Not that anyone will trust me. I’m pretty sure the sight of an akuma’s going to make them run the other way.”

“We did mention in our press conference that the Butterfly was in good hands now instead of evil,” Marinette says. “But yeah, I think Hawkmoth’s wounds are too deep to heal overnight. It can’t hurt to try, though.”

“We should transform before Honeybee Venoms us and throws us at the sentimonster,” Kagami says. Honeybee’s eye twitches.

“Don’t give me ideas. I’ll meet you losers there.”

Marinette grins at her partners as Honeybee leaps away. “Ready, guys?”

“But of course, bugaboo,” Adrien says from the balcony ground. “Plagg, claws out!”

“Always. Longg, bring the storm!”

“I’ll always have your backs. Nooroo, wings rise!”

Marinette’s grin widens at the sight of Chat Noir, Ryuuko, and Morpho before her. Morpho’s outfit is less formal and stuffy than Hawkmoth’s had been; his rich purple blazer is open over a button-down shirt that’s silver with black butterflies and artfully undone a few buttons down from his throat. The sleeves of both his blazer and shirt are rolled to his elbows and the lapels flare out like butterfly wings, and he also has a pair of black fingerless gloves and silver boots that rise halfway up his calves, over his tight indigo pants. His teal tips have turned the same rich purple as his blazer and, in contrast to his distressed formal outfit, his mask looks airy and delicate, with silver butterfly wings arching from the sides of his face, a silver butterfly body and antennae over his nose and forehead, and pale purple detailing that blends with the silver. The Butterfly Miraculous, now with four thin lilac spikes like wings, rests on his left breast.

“Not bad, Morpho,” Chat Noir says with his usual roguish wink. “I don’t know why you didn’t let us see this until now.”

“I was trying to get used to the fact that I had the same magic jewel as the major supervillain,” Morpho says dryly. “And it’s only the second time I’ve transformed.”

“Well, it suits you. A lot,” Marinette says. “It’s perfect for kicking sentimonster butt. Speaking of which…Tikki, spots on!”

[writingknb]

How about GOM + kagami, and imoshyi reacting to their s/o first love was Karma akabane from assassination classroom? And they break up and years later they see her engaged to him? Sorry if you don't do crossovers

Well, that’s alright! It’s good to write things I rarely do. I am so so sorry if this took too long! 🌸

Thank you for requesting! 💋

♥︎ AKASHI: 

Why? 

It didn’t feel right when Akashi questioned himself. But right now, how could he not? Seeing as to how happy she is.. holding hands with a man with the same hair colour as his, it didn’t make him feel any better. 

Kuroko had said that taking a relaxing stroll in the park would help. He wanted to take his mind off of her, for months, his heart has been broken. He was glad his friends were trying their best to cheer him up. 

But now he regretted taking in that advice. His heart dropped, as he blinked away the tears that were starting to fall. 

“Eh, Karma-kun, you seem.. odd today.” she smiled ear to ear as she looked up at the man Akashi despised. He didn’t understand how it all escalated so quickly. And he actually thought someone would love him. 

“Do I, (Name)?” but Akashi’s emotions couldn’t help but tone down a bit by the way Karma was with her. He knew the guy was always hungry for blood, always seeking out violence. But as he watched him casually walking around the park with her, the way he looked at her, the way he smiled so genuinely around her, the way he spoke.. 

It painfully reminded it of him. 

Akashi watched from afar as Karma pulled out a black velvet box from the back of his pocket, and knelt in front of her, his hands coated around hers. 

Akashi pocketed his own, wishing it had been him. He wished he hadn’t sound so desperate, but it was worse than what it actually sounded. 

“(Name)..” Karma’s eyes twinkled. The way his mind worked that this could be him, if only fate had been on his side. But how could that be? The only one who has been helping him up all this time was her. And when she left, he was all alone. How could you pick yourself up from falling down a cliff if no one was there to catch you? 

“Will you marry me?” he popped open the box, revealing a beautiful silver ring that gleamed perfectly in the sunlight, especially out in the open field where they stood. 

Akashi stepped back until his spine hit the trunk of a tree, his fists clenched as he stayed quiet and bit his lip. 

She smiled, and for a while, Akashi thought everything was okay again. Until she burst into tears and squealed, hugging Karma tightly - the way she used to when Akashi did something surprising. 

But it wasn’t him. 

And it will never be. 

♥︎ KISE: 

“I can do this..” Kise muttered to himself as he adjusted his tie and inhaled the fresh scent of the flowers in his hand. It always fascinated him on how she could make him so flustered, even though she should be the one blushing madly just by his presence. 

It’s been three years since they last saw each other. Sure, Kise’s been a mess, going around to clubs like that to try and get his mind over her, but once Kasamatsu and Kuroko finally knocked the sense into him, and I mean literally, he’s gone back to being his old self. 

Luckily, his confidence and optimism came back too. 

He ringed the doorbell and looked around the neighbourhood. How he found where she lived, exactly, Akashi had too much power to do that easily. The house reminded him of what they both used to talk about when they were dating. 

She would talk about how she would like their house to look like, and the architecture of this home.. it brought back silly memories he never wanted to forget. 

The door clicked. 

Kise maintained his composure and cleared his throat as a beautiful woman, with familiar (eye colour)ed eyes looking up at him, paired with a kind smile that always melted him. 

“Ryouta?” she blinked, her hand still on the doorknob as if she were thinking twice about slamming the door in his face. 

She was twice as beautiful as she was three years ago. Her smiled widened at the sight of him, and the way her eyes gleamed in excitement made his heart beat a little faster.

“… (Name)cchi?” Kise gulped. Everything was going fine, until a familiar red head showed up. 

He still had the ever so iconic mischievous look on his eyes like he wanted to kill you. Unfortunately, it was directed at Kise. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Kise wanted to tell him off about it, until he noticed a ring wrapped around (Name)’s ring finger. 

His eyes dropped on Karma’s hand, which had the same ring. They were…. engaged. 

“Oh..” Karma looked around with a sadistic smile. “It’s your old friend.” 

Kise fought the urge to pick a fight. He faked a smile and pushed it to (Name)’s chest, only noticing the small bump forming on her belly. He grimaced. 

“I just wanted to say..” he grinned, his heart clenching. “Congratulations.” 

“Ryouta!” she smiled widely. “I appreciate it. How have you been? Would you like to stay for a while? We sure need a lot of catching up to do!” 

“Yeah.. we sure do.” Kise turned, looking over his shoulder. “But maybe next time. (Name)cchi.” he waved. 

“Lying was always my flaw in your eyes, wasn’t it? I’m happy you didn’t see through it this time.” 

♥︎ MIDORIMA: 

“You’re good!” Takao pushed his Midorima encouragingly. “You have your lucky item. You’re all handsome looking, it’s been 3 years, now go! I’ll be waiting here!”

Midorima gulped. Even now, he didn’t know if fate were to be on his side. Maybe meeting up after 3 years is that bad. But he didn’t want this grudge to go on too long. He just hoped she wasn’t angry at him still. 

He walked up in front of her house. It was bigger than he expected it would be, since she was living alone. Was she? 

He muttered words of courage to himself and rang the doorbell. They had no backup plan, which Takao was not in favour of, but Midorima thought it would be better if everything did go without a plan and he just went on with the flow. Plans always didn’t work. 

The door pulled open revealing a red head with golden mischievous eyes. Did he visit the wrong house? God, he was such a klutz. 

“Ah, Midorima-kun, isn’t it?” Karma looked up at him. Not only did he hate this guy because he was far too violent for (Name)’s own good, but also because he reminded him so much of that.. other Akashi. But instead of being hungry for victory, this guy’s hungry for blood. 

“Yes.” Midorima nodded, he hoped he didn’t look as panicked as he actually was, because so much questions were running through his mind like wildfire. 

“(Name)?” Karma called. “Someone’s here to see you.” 

Karma then excused himself with a smirk, as another person walked in front of the megane. She still had her kind smile and bright eyes, and in her arms.. was an infant. 

Midorima’s heart dropped. 

“Shintarou?” her eyes widened, her shock quickly being replaced by excitement. “It’s been years! How are you?” she continued throwing questions as she cradled the baby in her arms. 

She must’ve noticed he was staring, because her smile widened. “Her name’s Akemi. She’s adorable, isn’t she? She even has her father’s eyes!” 

Golden eyes.. yeah. 

Midorima nodded endlessly. “Yes, I can see that, nanodayo.” 

She looked up at him. “So what brought you here, Shintarou? How was medical school? Oha asa-” 

“I just.. wanted to congratulate you and bring in.. your lucky item of the day!” he said quickly, pushing over to her the bouquet of flowers he has been holding. 

“But-” 

“Take care of your child, nanodayo. She’s healthy. Though she requires her weekly checkup.” he instructed, and with that, he waved off. 

“How was it, Shin-chan?” Takao’s smile dropped at the sight of Midorima. It’s been years since.. “Were you crying?” 

“Let’s not speak of this again, Takao.” 

And even Takao couldn’t interfere, to see his best friend so heart broken, even he couldn’t help but stay quiet. 

“As you wish.” 

♥︎ AOMINE: 

“This is it, Satsuki!” Aomine said excitedly, confidence running through his veins. Not only was he elated to once again see his first love, but he was confident on winning her back. 

“Wishing you all the luck, Dai-chan!” Momoi gave him a thumbs up, just as excited as she handed him the bouquet of roses. “Remember, don’t freak out and act sincere!” 

“I got it.” Aomine snorted, getting the bouquet and walking up to the door. He rang the doorbell and cleared his throat, putting his words in his mind carefully. 

“It’s been a while..” he muttered to himself. “Want to play basketball like old times?” 

He hoped he hadn’t look look like an idiot. Just then, the door flew open, revealing the ever so familiar girl he first fell in love with. 

“What are you doing here?” her eyes widened, just then, her shock was replaced by excitement. “Ah, I’m sorry for the rude greeting. Daiki! What the hell are you doing here?” 

As he stood in front of her, those words he put together a minute ago didn’t matter anymore. He was lost of words. Especially when a 4 year old kid beside her was staring up at curiously. 

“Okaa-san, who’s the ugly man?” he asked curiously. Aomine made a sound at the back of his throat. That greeting hit a memory nerve.. 

“(Name)-chan, who’s the ugly man?” Karma asked as he stood beside his girlfriend. 

“My boyfriend, Aomine Daiki!” she smiled warmly. “Don’t be so mean, Karma-kun!” 

“He’s my friend, dear.” she patted his head softly. “Like I said, pay your respects, alright?” 

He nodded and smiled. Karma.. he didn’t want to believe it. That in the end.. he was the one that lost. 

“Nothing.. (Name).” he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “It seems that you’re living a happy life here.” 

She nodded. “Indeed. Karma has been hardworking.” 

He nodded. “Alright, i’m just..” he pointed to the park. “Going to go now. It was nice.” 

She smiled and waved. “It has.” 

But Aomine knew she meant something far more than just that. 

♥︎ MURASAKIBARA: 

“Atsushi, don’t show too much affection when you see her, alright?” Himuro instructed sternly. 

“Why?” the taller man frowned. 

“Just.. follow my orders.” Himuro smiled generously. “And you’ll be fine. Act like you’re just friends, don’t be too forceful, be nice..” 

“Alright, Muro-chin.” he nodded, before pulling out the cake he had baked for this day from his bag. “I’ll follow your orders.” 

Murasakibara bent down to ring the doorbell. He patiently waited, tapping his foot from time to time. He even almost drifted off, until he heard soft footsteps making it’s way to the door. 

He blinked away his sleepiness. 

A red head about an inch taller than Himuro opened the door. He looked up at him with strikingly dangerous eyes. “Ah.. Atsushi, wasn’t it?” 

Murasakibara didn’t reply. s of now, he was thinking wether this was the right place or not. The least person he wanted to see right now.. 

“(Name) wouldn’t want me to pick a fight.” he placed a finger on his chin, then smirked, before peeking his head inside the house. “(Name), someone’s here to see you.” 

“Don’t do anything foolish.” he glared at him, before walking away, to be replaced by a beautiful woman. 

“A-Atsushi?” she said, flustered. “W-what.. what are you doing here?” 

“(Name)-chin!” a lazy grin makes it’s way to Murasakibara’s lips as he handed her the bag. “It’s your favourite.” 

“A.. thank you.” she smiled warmly. 

Murasakibara fought the urge to hug her. “You’re welcome.” 

(Name) thought Murasakibara would do something like walk inside her house, but this time, he just simply turned his back and walked away from her. She looked down on the bag. 

‘Name-chin~ I missed you, enjoy this..’ 

- Atsushi 

Murasakibara sloppily walked over to his friend, his long hair covering his face Himuro couldn’t even see his expression, but with the liquid dropping down on his hands, he knew he shouldn’t ask further questions. 

“Muro-chin..” he started. “I did all of what you said I shouldn’t. I didn’t kiss her, I didn’t hug her. I didn’t.. but why did I get my heart broken?” 

♥︎ KAGAMI: 

“Yosh! This is your chance, Kagami!” Riko encouraged, pushing the bag of food he has cooked to his chest. “Win her back! We’ll be waiting.” 

“If you fail, Kagami-kun.” Kuroko spoke up. “You’ll be punished.” 

“Why do I have to be the one punished?” he complained, though he was grateful that his good old friends were there to support him. The whole Seirin team. 

“Stop wasting time, Kagami.” Hyuga spat. “Just go!” 

Kagami snorted, then quickly made his way in front of the door. He rang the doorbell. He hoped he wasn’t as red as his hair. It’s been years since they last saw each other. 

“Karma, stop!” he heard from inside. The voice was no doubt (Name)’s. At first, he wanted to break the door open, but he then realised she was laughing. “Someone’s at the door. Don’t be ignorant, now.” 

“You’re too ticklish.” another voice said. 

“Oh, haha.” she said. Once the door was open, Kagami was at loss of words. She was even more beautiful than she was years ago. 

“TAIGA?!” she exclaimed, maybe a little too loud. 

“Oi!” Kagami covered his ears. “You’re still as loud as before. No need to shout your lungs out.” his heart was beating so fast. And it hurt. 

“Here.” Kagami threw her the bag of food. “Eat up.” 

Sure, it was awkward; but he didn’t care. After he said those last words, he walked away. He didn’t know if things were still worth it. The ring on her finger said it all. 

“How did it go?” Riko asked excitedly, bouncing up and down. 

Kagami gritted his teeth. “Just like Hyuga-senpai said. A waste of time.” 

♥︎ IMAYOSHI: 

Imayoshi was always that one guy you could tease all day and he wouldn’t lose his cool composure. Who knew he’d be so flustered by a girl?

Who knew he’s been loyal to only one girl, anyways? 

He rang the doorbell. He wasn’t the cliche type, so he didn’t really brought anything as a gift. So when things went bad, he wouldn’t look like a complete idiot. 

The door was pulled open faster than he thought it would be. A familiar red head opened the door. That one guy he always loved competing his witts against. 

“Ah, it’s you..” Karma grinned excitedly, that deadly gleam in his eyes still present. Unexpectedly, he poked his head inside the house, and called for that name he has always been thinking of. “(Name)!” 

Karma gave him a sadistic smile, before walking off somewhere inside the house. His irritation was immediately replaced by nervousness when the same girl that made his heart beat stood in front of him. 

“You?” her eyes widened. 

“I do happen to have a name.” Imayoshi pushed up his glasses. “Have you forgotten?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Still not changing the way you pair up your words, Shoichi? Of course I haven’t forgotten.” she smiled warmly. “What brought you here?” 

It must’ve been stupid, because he hadn’t even thought about what to answer when she asked that questioned. 

“Just wanted to see how you were doing.” he pocketed his hands. “It seems that you’re happy. I shouldn’t be a burden, should I?” 

“You’re not.”

“Oh, well.” he faked a smile. “I’ve gotten my answer. I hope you continue to live on and accept what fate has in store for you, (Name).” 

“You’re still so weird.” 

He turned, an irresistible smile making it’s way to his lips as a single tear flowed down from his eyes. 

[crystallized-shadow]

Series: Forces of Nature Rating: G Pairing: Hashirama/Mito, background Madara/Tobirama, background Itama/Izuna/Kagami Word Count: 1885 Warnings: Mourning Summary:  The Fall Equinox is upon the gods, but even as Hashirama celebrates his eternal partner's day, he still mourns the lost of his best friend.

Happy first day of Fall!!

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"What has you so sad my love?" Hashirama looks up at the concerned face of his eternal partner; he knew some of the lesser gods called her cold but he couldn't see it.

"It's the end of summer."

Mito nods in understanding and Hashirama is grateful when she doesn't press for more information. Normally this day was a joyous occasion, it was the start of Mito's season and while Hashirama's own power dropped he was always excited for the Fall Equinox. However since Madara's disappearance centuries ago, the mark of another summer passed without the fiery god was a solemn event.

"How is Tobirama?" Mito asks, ever concerned about the winter god and how he's handling the day.

"The same," Hashirama admits, looking in the direction of the snowy mountain Tobirama spent most of his free time now, "I haven't seen him since the Solstice."

Mito follows her husband's gaze, worry creasing her brows as she thinks back to the solstice. Since Madara had been ripped away from them the gods always honored him on his day. No one had quite gotten over the loss, and Mito suspected they never would; Madara hadn't named a successor so there would always be blaring gap in their ranks to remind them. The hardest hit were Tobirama, Madara's eternal partner, and Izuna, Madara's younger brother, who could only stand to be in the same room as each other on this one day. As expected, Tobirama's anger was icy and his glare froze the hearts of anyone foolish enough to mention Madara's name in his presence, while Izuna's anger was as dry and scorching as droughts under his command. Izuna blamed Tobirama in part for Madara's death, it had been on his solstice the summer god had died and he was the last one to see Madara. The embodiment of droughts needed somewhere to focus his hatred and rage, least he burn the whole world, and the icy winter god seemed to be the only one who fit that need.

"I'm sorry, I'm ruining your day, aren't I?" Hashirama asks, bringing Mito back to the present. Seeing the genuine worry on the spring god's face, the Goddess of Autumn shakes her head with a gentle smile.

"Of course not my spring," Mito assures, cupping her partner's cheek and running her thumb along the markings there, "I miss the little fireball too and I know your barriers are their weakest right now." Unlike the solstices, where one god's power increase came from the other god's power loss, the equinoxes were more about balance. Hashirama was more susceptible to his emotions during the Fall Equinox and thus couldn't draw out his full power, while Mito had perfect control of her powers today.

Hashirama smiles and leans into the hand, the chilled touch making him shudder in the best of ways. "Thank you my autumn," he murmurs, shifting just enough to kiss her palm, "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I dare say you'd send a lot of time wallowing in the corner and flooding the lands with Weeping Willows," Mito chuckles, ignoring her husbands overly dramatic pout. "Am I wrong?"

"No," Hashirama whines, draping his larger bulk over Mito's delicate frame, "but that's not the point."

"You have a point my darling spring?" Mito teases, easily supporting the other god's weight, "that would be a first."

"Miiittttoooo!" Hashirama shifts, wrapping his arms tightly around Mito and spinning them around. "You're so mean to me!"

Mito allows Hashirama to have his fun before the tiniest flick of her fingers has a burst of brightly color leaves sprouting on her husband's normally flowering vines. He squawks indignantly releasing her to sort through the mess she's made of his hair.

"I see some things never change," a voice chuckles, drawing both gods eyes to the God of Monsoons watching them.

"Itama!" Hashirama grins, abandoning his new hair adornments to tackle his younger brother into a hug, "I didn't think you'd come!"

"And miss my favorite sister's day? I don't think so," Itama chuckles, hugging his brother back. Once he is released he turns to hug Mito. "I hope Hashi hasn't been too much of a downer today."

"No more than Izuna I'm sure," Mito teases, enjoying watching Itama flush and stutter helplessly for a moment. "I am surprised the hothead let you leave his side."

"He more or less forced me to go," Itama admits, running a hand through the white half of his hair, "knew he was horrible company right now and didn't want me to see him like that."

"Meaning he wanted to burn something," Mito states and the monsoon god doesn't even feel bad as he shrugs.

"It's not like the humans don't deserve it," Itama points out indifferently, "they have to pay for their transgressions against us; I care not who punishes them as long as they suffer."

"Itama," Hashirama scolds, frowning at his brother's lack of caring for the humans, "humans are still a young species, we must be kind to them. Just because a few of them made a grave mistake doesn't mean they all have to suffer!"

"I doubt you would try and stop Tobirama's warpath." Even though the words aren't harsh, Hashirama still flinches back like he's been struck.

"You are the only season favorable to humans," Mito says sympathetically, brushing her nimble fingers through Hashirama's hair to both comfort him and remove the leaves he's forgotten about. "You can't expect us to care if they die, it's just not in our nature."

"Madara would have agreed with me," Hashirama sulks as he pulls Mito into a hug, "he never hated the humans."

"Perhaps he should have," an icy voice states, freezing everyone in place, "then he would still be alive. If you two hadn't insisted on your silly tradition of heading their prayers I would still have my summer beside me."

"Tobira..."

"Don't."

Before Tobirama can say anymore, a torrential downpour opens up over his head, thoroughly soaking the god.

"That's enough Tobi-nii," Itama scolds, not even bothering to flinch when narrowed red eyes sharper than ice meet his. "Hashi-nii is the life giving season; it's in his nature to care about everyone, even those undeserving."

Tobirama is silent for a long minute as the water falls from him as snow. "I know," he finally admits, his anger draining away to leave him feeling hallow, "but I can't forgive them."

"No one is asking you to," Mito points out, smiling gently when Tobirama's lost gaze focuses on her, "we are only asking you to be fair to Hashirama."

"I'm sorry Anija," Tobirama sighs, hesitantly holding his arms apart as a peace offering, "I didn't mean it."

"I know Otouto," Hashirama mutters, his usually bright grin long since muted as he hugs his brother close, "even I can't forgive the humans that took him; I too have forsaken their lineage."

"Thank you." Tobirama feels the ice around him thaw just a little bit as he lets himself selfishly take comfort from the still grieving spring god. It was only now that the winter god remembered he wasn't the only one suffering; Hashirama had known Madara the longest, the two seasons centuries older than the rest of them. For Hashirama to forsake a whole line of humans, rather than just the culprits, truly spoke to how deeply wounded Spring's heart was.

"This is touching and all, but hasn't the rainy season passed?"

"I'm standing right here you damn brush fire," Itama huffs, without bothering to turn and face the God of Wildfires, who just strolls over with a grin and drapes himself over the monsoon god.

"I'm surprised Izuna let you go," he murmurs in a pale ear, "I know I wouldn't have."

"Kagami," Hashirama whines, drawing the fiery eyes so similar to Madara's yet not even close, to him. "Could you maybe not molest my brother in front of me?"

"Of course," Kagami chuckles, his grin overly innocent as he steps away from Itama, "though that implies my touches are unwanted, which can't be true, right Ita?"

"Of course not!" Itama is quick to assure, able to see the genuine worry under the exaggerated pout; their relationship was still new enough that Kagami questioned almost every move he made.

"What brings you here Kagami?" Mito asks, smoothly drawing the attention away from the couple, "I would have thought you'd be raising a forest fire or two to send off the season."

"I already did, and Izuna asked me to leave him alone so I came to find Itama," Kagami says with a shrug and Mito narrows her eyes at the minor god.

"Let me see it." Mito orders in a tone that just dares Kagami to disobey, holding out her hand expectantly.

Kagami sighs but rolls his sleeve up, revealing the deep burns crisscrossing up his entire arm. "I'm fine," he grumbles but offers his arm to Mito anyway.

"You know better than to let your magic rage out of control like that," Mito scolds as she carefully pushes her own magic into the wound. Healing wasn't her specialty, but with her perfect control it was child's play to sooth the damaged nerves and encourage Kagami's natural healing to start up.

"You know I can't stop it," Kagami mutters, eyes staying firmly on his feet as the older goddess works. He was still young, only a dozen or so millennia old, and while his control was never great, it was a lot better before Madara had died. The summer god had been the one to start training the young wildfire; Izuna had since taken over but too much hurt and rage existed in both for either of them to safely use large quantities of fire magic. Kagami usually managed to do his job with the spells he already knew, but occasionally his emotions still got the better of him.

"Did Izuna push you this far?" Itama asks, because he needs to know the older god wasn't taking advantage of their new love.

"No," Kagami sighs, carefully flexing his fingers after Mito releases his arm, "but seeing how sad he was pissed me off and I couldn't not make those bastard burn!"

For a moment no one speaks, but then a bitter chuckle slips from Tobirama. "You remind me of him," he says simply, surprising Kagami, "I suppose it's time your training started back up, isn't it?"

"Izuna can't," Kagami reminds the winter god, who just rolls his eyes.

"As if I was suggesting that desert," Tobirama scoffs, "I'll train you."

"But...you're the God of Winter."

"And?" Tobirama challenges, summoning a fireball to his hand, "my summer and I shared much during our eons together."

Kagami stares at the display, quickly following Tobirama when the older god turns to leave.

"Did anyone else know he could do that?" Itama asks after the two are gone, wondering if that had truly been his brother.

"I had no idea," Hashirama admits, staring in the direction Tobirama had went.

"I'm not surprised," Mito chuckles, "Winter and Summer were always the mold breakers. This will be good for him."

"I fear for the humans even more now," Hashirama mutters, horrified by the thought of the wildfires Kagami would raise once he had a better grasp on his powers.