#HOWEVER that opened my eyes we need to bring back this aspect of our tradition

[anawkwardlady]

Whatever debate is going to happen in the future 3 weeks about the Sabrina Carpenter/Jenna Ortega kiss needs to stop yesterday because we have more urgent issues at hand that are being put to light with this situation. Such as

I am a possibly hot brunette, a grown working woman and I'm not teaming up with a hot blonde yet.

THAT IS NOT NORMAL and if it's also your case YOU NEED TO WAKE UP. Where the fuck are our priorities.

[theseshipsshallsail]

Chapter 1

The revelry from the bookstore leaves a heady buzz of la libertà flowing through their veins, and as the crescent moon climbs higher in a pin-pricked sky, Rome’s labyrinthine streets bear witness to the loss of their remaining inhibitions. Drunken kisses give way to drunken dancing - and unfortunate drunken vomiting - but the ancient cobbles are their compass on this ferragosto evening, steering them back to the complicit safety of their hotel. 

The stale scent of sex still lingers in the room, yet tempted as they are to add to it, the prospect of their imminent separation is a sobering force. Elio’s body is heavy with exhaustion. The oppressive tightness in his chest magnified by all that he’s trying to ignore. Their time is borrowed. Soon, all of this will be naught but memory. The man beside him nothing but a ghost. Haunting his every step with visions of a life denied. A future obfuscated by what-ifs and maybes.   

He refuses to sleep, however. Refuses to sacrifice a single minute to unconsciousness in spite of the grappa’s siren call. Absurd though it is, a part of him dreads waking up alone. That Oliver will disappear like a thief in the night - taking what’s left of his shattered heart with him. His guards are down - all his pretences stripped away - but here they are, stretched out on a too-small bed, solemn fingers caressing familiar skin. Worshipping each other by words, if not by the flesh. 

And it isn’t easy. Of course it isn’t. Elio’s an individuo reservato. A trait he’s uncomfortably aware of. But he can’t let that stop him from spilling his innermost thoughts. From divulging the things he wishes he’d done differently. Or not at all. In some aspects, he’s sure he’s repeating himself, but there’s just so much he needs Oliver to hear. Things he never dared tell him previously - never deemed vital - when the end of their summer idyll was a nebulous concept.  

Like how he’d leave the adjoining door open at night, hoping beyond hope that Oliver would walk through it. Or that afternoon at the tennis courts, when he’d recoiled from his massage for fear of leaning into the frisson of excitement. Needs him to understand his visceral reaction the morning after they first slept together. The crippling anxiety that twisted his intentions, necessitating a hasty - if short-lived - retreat. Wants to beg him not to forget. To remember everything. So that when next he tastes the salt-tang of the ocean upon his lips, the sweetness of apricot juice beneath a cloudless yonder, a piece of Elio - nevermind how fleeting - will slip into that parallel life, too.

All his secrets. 

All his worries. 

All he’s put off for later. 

A futile notion, admittedly, now that there is no later. 

No more chance for postponement. 

Thankfully, he isn’t the only one speaking, and Oliver lays his own regrets out like a hand of cards whenever he stumbles into a tongue-tied silence. His forearm is slung around his waist, their legs tangled at the knees, and Elio drowns in his eyes as he recalls the steely glares that once pierced him to the core, but which he now appreciates were a means of self-defence. An attempt to stave off the unavoidable.

“Did you mean it?” he whispers, twisting Oliver’s Star of David between his fingertips as he burrows into the sticky warmth of his neck. “When you said you’d been happy here?”

“How can you even ask me that?” 

“How can I not?” Elio replies, failing to control the tremor in his voice. “You tried to keep your distance when you arrived. It was me who sought you out. If I hadn’t pushed so hard -”

“I’d have probably spent ten more days kicking myself for my cowardice,” Oliver tells him, dropping kisses to his knuckles as though they’re something to be cherished. “Wearing holes in my espadrilles… trying to hide a semi each time you passed by in those swim trunks...”

Elio snorts. “The feeling’s mutual, mon ami.”

“So we’re both idiots, then?”

“Well… one of us was being purposefully difficult...”

“Goose,” Oliver growls, and Elio giggles despite himself when he’s tickled without mercy. “I’ll show you purposefully difficult.”

It soon devolves into a childish wrestling match, Elio’s wrists pinned above him as Oliver scrabbles along his sides, leaving him bow-taut and winded. “Tutto apposto! Enough!”

“You give?”

“I give,” he says, lungs heaving in his chest. “Dio… I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Nonsense.” Oliver rolls to the side, tipping his chin up to better meet his eyes. ”This is new to us both. It’s only natural to have doubts.”

Elio huffs. “Doubt is the father of inventions.”

“And may I ask what you’re inventing?”

An awkward shrug. “Nothing,” Elio says, afraid his misgivings will lead them down a destructive path. “And everything. You know how my brain works.”

“I do, yes.” Oliver brushes a thumb over his bottom lip. “Though for my sins, I’ve yet to find cause for complaint.”

“Déviant.” 

“Takes one to know one.”

Elio nips at the tormenting digit, not quite ready to let the subject go. “I want to hear it,” he murmurs, teeth scraping the nail. “I think I need to hear it.”

“Elio…”

“Just tell me,” he insists, and sighing, Oliver pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“It’s complicated.”

“Isn’t it always?” 

Impatience flares at the return of his evasiveness, and the remorse in Oliver’s gaze is immediate. “We never talked much about my family, did we?” he asks, and Elio shakes his head, shuffling closer as Oliver draws a shuddering breath. “My parents, they’re.... well. To describe them as traditional would be a kindness,” he continues. “Our relationship has been strained for years, but they have certain... expectations, I suppose. For my future, specifically. You know how it is.”

“Do I?” Elio asks, stiffening as I'm sure I'll pay for it somehow echoed from the not so distant past. 

The implication is clear, and maybe there are razor blades in his expression, because Oliver’s own turns instantly apologetic. “I guess not,” he says, sliding a conciliatory hand to his hip. “Do you have any idea how lucky you are?”

Elio frowns. “In what way?”

“With your folks,” Oliver explains. “My father would cart me off to a correctional facility.” A beat. “He still might.” 

“Only if he finds out,” his traitorous mouth blurts before his alleged genius can catch up, and Elio’s heart sinks. “But he won’t, will he?”

It’s less a question, more a statement, and Oliver’s jaw clenches as he stares at him in silent concession. “I wish things could be different.”

“I know,” Elio says, the words braver than the sentiment behind them. “Me too.”  

But the universe isn’t that lenient. Like Icarus, they’ve flown too near to the sun, and the consequences of such defiance will see their wings clipped once they crash back down to earth. He’d cautioned himself on the journey south to prepare for the blow. Peered out the grimy window of the direttissimo, knowing that when he next stands on the platform he’ll be alone. That he’ll hate it. Those rehearsals, it seems, have done little to dull the pain of what’s to come, and latent superstition has left him fumbling in the dark, regardless.

“E’ la vita,” Elio says, resorting to self-preservation as he dredges up a smile - the over-bright, false one he’s perfected through years of dinner drudgery. “Why risk it all for a bit of fun, right?”

“Don’t do that.” Apparently Elio’s not the only one who can see through a facade. “You mean more to me than some fling, and you know it.”

“But -” 

“No. Hear me out.” Earnest, Oliver smooths the hair from Elio’s temple. “These past six weeks… I don’t know how to describe how important they were to me. The freedom. The acceptance.” His throat bobs in the grey strokes of dawn. “You.”

“Me?” 

“Us.” Oliver fidgets with a loose thread on Elio’s shirt. “I meant it,” he mutters at last, winding an errant curl around the index finger of his other hand. “I have been happy here. I’ve been happy with you.” He hesitates. A quick flash of indecision. “I’m not sure I was ever really happy before you.” 

“Please don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Per carità! That only makes it worse,” Elio says, whirling away to hide in Oliver’s collar. The sour musk of sweat is soaked into the material, and he inhales deeply, hoarding every piece of him while he still can. “You are the very best parts of me,” he confesses, lifting his head. “I don’t know what I’ll do when -”

“Hey…” Oliver’s grip tightens. “Didn’t we go over this? You’ll be -”

“Fine. You said.”

“Clearly it bears repeating.” 

Elio touches his face. Watches the ripples of emotion spread out like a pebble cast into the lake. “And you?” he returns, recollecting that night on the rock. His naivety in presuming Oliver’s ghost wouldn’t always be staring out at the horizon. Rodin’s Thinker clad in billowy cotton. “You’ll be okay?”

A breath. “I’ll be okay.”

Elio’s not sure which of them he’s trying to convince, so he kisses him gently in lieu of examining it further, his stomach flipping when Oliver pulls back with an air of exquisite softness. “What time do we need to be at the airport?” he asks, seeking sanctuary in distraction. “You have your passport, sì?”

“I do,” Oliver says, studying him carefully. “The plane leaves at noon. But don’t feel you have to -” He stops. Swallows. Tries again. “You don’t have to see me off. Not if you don’t want -”

“I want.”

“Elio -”

“Non essere ridicolo. I’m coming,” he tells him, fighting a shiver as the cool breeze from the window brings goosebumps to his skin. “Of course I’m coming.” 

The relentless tick of the clock rings loud in the sudden silence, and Elio raises up on his elbow, only for Oliver to cup his cheek before he can turn towards the wall. 

“Don’t look,” he whispers, sounding choked as he double checks the time on his watch. “It’s ten minutes fast at any rate.”

“Ten minutes?” Elio laughs. Slightly unhinged. “What difference does that make? Ten? Twenty? You still have to leave.”

He detests the unspoken word that hovers between them. The entire phrase a sullen admission of weakness: you still have to leave me.

“Don’t think of it like that,” Oliver murmurs, one hand stroking the base of his spine. ”We have a few hours yet.” 

Elio sniffs. “Not like they’ll matter tomorrow.”

“Maybe not. But they matter right now.” Oliver nudges their foreheads together. “Every second, Elio.” 

“Every second, Elio,” he echoes numbly, if only to call him by his name one last time.

He’s shaking, he realises, though in all honesty he doesn’t care that his vulnerabilities are on display. That Oliver can see how lost in him he really is. That the situation is gutting him, and he’s unable to stop the bleeding. His chest feels concave. The space below his ribs too small to contain the sheer need and protectiveness that washes through him. He wants to shelter Oliver from the storm that lies ahead. To house him beneath his breast where the burdens of this world cannot touch him. Encapsulate everything Oliver is within the confines of himself, meagre as those confines might be.

But what can he do? Implore him to stay? Ask him to give up his doctorate? His career? His responsibilities? And for what? A life in the shadows? Always looking over their shoulders. Always that sense of shame.

He thinks of the pink and yellow lilies that bloom in the giardino back in B. The delicate petals that unfurl for such a brief period of time. There’s something recherché, he knows, in such transitory beauty, yet Elio’s never lacked for stubbornness. Oliver may believe his story is already written - that their destiny is forged in stone - but no one’s ever survived a freefall by continuing to spiral. 

For something so tragically temporary, their bond has left a permanent mark. And Elio? He wants to beat his fists against this odious ending until they’re bloodied and raw.

[barnes-dameron]

Destruction of Government Property

*not my gif

Francisco “Catfish” Morales x reader

Summary: After Frankie leaves for his tour, you get an interesting call from the government about something you and Frankie did before he left...

Word count: 2k

Warnings: one steamy scene, but no smut. 

A/N: I don’t usually write for characters outside of the MCU or SW, but here we go. Saw this screenshot from a tumblr post, and had to write it with Frankie. 

***

You dreaded the ride to the airport, especially since the person you were riding with won’t be with you on the drive back. At least the heavy gray clouds outside seemed to match your mood. It felt like yesterday that Frankie came back. Of course you both knew it wouldn’t be for long, but now that the day has come, you felt a crack form in your heart. 

You glanced over at your husband at the wheel, a solemn look gracing his handsome face. Even when he’s pouting, he still manages to be cute. You knew that he hated leaving you, but he did promise that this one will be the last one. Apparently, him and the team decided on it since Tom wanted to be with his family more, as did Frankie, and the others agreed that they rather retire than have other soldiers be assigned to their team. 

You reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it in order to soothe him just a bit. 

“Ten months,” Frankie said, breaking the silence and briefly looking at you before returning his gaze to the road.

“Ten months,” you repeated. “Ten months, and then I’ll have you all to myself.” 

“You already do,” Frankie laughed, fingering the wedding ring that you were wearing. 

“You know what I mean,” you retorted. “Just... no more long trips, no more cold beds, no more worrying if you’ll make it back-” 

“Hey,” Frankie interjected. “You know I will always come back to you.” 

You nodded, knowing that Frankie was right. He was a resilient man despite his seemingly quiet demeanor, something that you were attracted to when you met him years ago. He was determined, but he was also smart. He never knowingly did anything stupid, and thought things out before carrying out the action. He came back from tours before, and you were sure that he would return from this one too. 

Air was struggling to come to your lungs as Frankie parked the car at the airport parking lot. You’ve done this before, but it didn’t make things easier. You looked over and see that Frankie was having trouble to comprehend the entire situation as well. You wouldn’t see each other for ten whole months. He would be in entire different continent, an ocean away from you, risking his life. And you would be here, continuing your civilian life, not knowing what is happening to your husband. 

“One more time,” you pleaded. “One more time before you go.” 

Frankie looked at you, a smirking stretching across his face before reaching his hand down, and pushing the driver’s seat all the way back. You laughed at his enthusiasm before unbuckling your seat belt and climbing over the console to straddle his lap. 

“Okay, we’re going to have to do this quick,” Frankie said, settling his hands on your hips. “I can’t miss my flight otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Do you think we can break our record?” you asked, arching your eyebrow and flashing him a smile while biting your lip. 

Frankie reached down, beginning to undo his belt and zipper of his uniform. 

“Hermosa, no me dudes,” he growled before bringing a hand to the back of your neck and dragging your lips to meet his. 

You didn’t wait for him to ask for permission, but instead opening your mouth to tangle your tongue with his. No matter how many times you two kiss or make love, you tried to memorize every aspect of it for the lonely nights when he’s away. You gripped his collar as Frankie ground his cock against your core, working you up. 

You broke away from his mouth, placing kisses on his newly shaved cheeks and jaw, missing the scruff that used to be there. Frankie’s hands drifted to your ass, squeezing the flesh as you continued to make your journey down to his neck. You kissed and sucked the spot on his neck that you knew drove him crazy. His low groan rumbling in his chest and his tightened grip on your ass only encouraged you. You bit and sucked on his skin, tasting the tingle of salt and inhaling the spicy scent of his cologne. 

“Quit teasing,” Frankie panted, smacking your ass playfully. “Tick tock, remember.” 

You broke away, ignoring the red spot that bloomed on his neck. You smiled to yourself before pulling up the dress that you wore specifically for this purpose, and pulling aside your panties. 

“Okay, let’s do this.”

***

The plane ride was unbearable to Frankie. Well, everything about this trip was unbearable to him, except your little escapade in the car at the airport parking lot. It was beginning to be a little tradition for you both, but that time would be the last one under those circumstances. Francisco hated to say goodbye to you, even if he was going to see you again. He hated to see the tears in your eyes, and hated even more that he wouldn’t get to be with you for close to a year. 

The ride was long, the seat were uncomfortable, and the food sucked. It didn’t help that Benny snored when he slept, Pope would listen to his music so loud that Frankie could hear it, even if Santiago was wearing headphones, and Frankie had the middle seat. He couldn’t even get a lot of sleep because someone behind him was shaking their leg causing his seat to jostle around. For the first time in his military career, Frankie was excited to be at the base. At least here he could catch some sleep. He just needed to get through this debrief meeting. 

“Alright men,” the General said, drawing Frankie out of his thoughts to pay attention. “You have now what you need to carry out the mission tomorrow. Dismissed.” 

Frankie was the first to stand up and begin to make his way out. 

“Morales,” the General’s voice stopping him in his track as Frankie let out a sigh. 

So close. Frankie turned around, straightening his spine and folding his arms behind him. 

“Yes, sir,” Frankie responded, trying to remain cordial while his blood boiled when sleep was calling his name. 

“What’s that on your neck, soldier?” the General asked. 

Heat bloomed in Frankie’s chest, reaching up his neck, and spreading to his cheeks. He reached his hand to his neck, his fingers settling on the mark that you left. It was tender under his touch, and even if he himself didn’t see it, he knew that it was purple. He thought back to the car, your mouth on his flesh. He thought for sure that the mark would be concealed under his collar, but he was wrong. Frankie licked his lips as he struggled to meet his General’s gaze. Catfish could see Pope and Benny behind the General, giving him a devious smile as they tried to conceal their laughter. Frankie cursed underneath his breath. 

“It’s nothing, sir,” Frankie replied.

“Don’t lie to me, son,” the General demanded, his voice gruffer than what it was before. “What is that on your neck?” 

Frankie took a deep breath, trying to swallow down the embarrassment. Nobody else left the meeting, instead standing around to watch this interaction. 

“A hickey, sir,” Frankie responded, much to the delight of his friends. 

Benny failed, and let out a huff of laughter, causing Will to elbow him in the ribs. The General’s attitude, however, was unwavering. 

“And who gave it to you?” the General asked. 

Frankie bit his lip, looking down at the ground before looking back at the General. 

“My wife,” Frankie said. 

The General eyed him and then the hickey on his neck. The room was so quiet that a fallen pin could be heard. Everyone waited to see what the General will do, but were all surprised that he left without saying a word. Once out, Santiago and Benny let out their laughter, bending forward with their hands on their knees as their raucous laughs filled the air. Frankie was still in the same position, stuck in bewilderment from the oddity of what just happened. Pope clapped a hand on Frankie’s shoulder, before pulling Frankie’s collar down to further display the bruise on his neck. 

“Wow,” Pope exclaimed, examining your handiwork. “Your wife did a bang up job, Fish.” 

Benny laughed even louder as Redfly scolded him. 

“I’m never gonna live this down, aren’t I?” Frankie asked, biting his lip while casting his gaze downwards, not wanting to look at his friends. 

“Never,” Benny confirmed. 

***

The house was dark when you got home from work, much to your disappointment. You longed for the times when Frankie was home before you; the lights on, music playing, and his relaxed figure moving about in domesticity. But instead it was dark, quiet, and empty. 

You turned on the hallway light of your little house, illuminating the picture that hung near the front door. It was photo of you and Frankie from your honeymoon, his smiling face still greeting you despite the distance. You smiled to yourself, reaching up to drift your fingers over the image. It’s been nearly a day, and you already miss him. 

You were drawn away from your thoughts when a buzzing sound in your purse broke the silence. You reached in, fingering around to find your phone and fish it out. You arched an eyebrow as the words “NO CALLER ID” displayed on the screen. But nonetheless, you picked up. 

“Hello?” you asked, your brows creasing towards the center. 

“Is this Y/N Morales?” the man asked, his voice sounding deep through the spotty reception. 

“Yes,” you confirmed, uncertainty evident in your voice. 

“Mrs. Morales, are you aware that you have committed a misdemeanor?” the man implored. 

Your stomach sank to the floor when it reached your ears. Your heartbeat began to quicken, as panic arose. 

“What do you mean?” you asked, gripping your phone tighter. “I’ve never committed any kind of crime in my life. What misdemeanor?”

“Destruction of government property,” the man answered. 

“Destruction of government property?” you repeated. “I’ve never destroyed, or even defaced any government property. Well, one time I wrote on a dollar bill but that’s only because I didn’t have any paper and it was an emergency. Is that what this is about?”

“No ma’am,” the man replied. “I’m talking about the mark you left on Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Morales.”

“Mark?” you asked. “What mark?”

The man was silent for a moment, and you could barely hear the gulp he made over the phone. 

“The hickey, ma’am,” the man said, his voice a bit shaky. “The hickey on Lieutenant Colonel Morales’s neck.”

You instantly remembered the day he left. You did bite his neck, but you didn’t intend to give him a hickey. You forgot about how easily he bruises there. You let out a breath, rubbing your forehead with your other hand. 

“Are you serious?” you asked, annoyance creeping in. “I’m facing a misdemeanor charge for giving my husband a hickey? It’s not like I did graffiti on a government building or defaced a statue. And since when is a person considered government property?”

You could tell that the man was flustered due to your line of questioning, and you were annoyed that you could potentially get fined because of something stupid like this.   

“Ma’am,” the man sputtered out, his voice trying to come off calm but still was shaky. “We’ll let you off with a warning, as long as it doesn’t happen again.” 

“You know what,” you said, done with the military and government at this point. “Fine. Fine, whatever.” 

You didn’t bother to say goodbye, just hanging up the phone. It was the military who was putting your husband’s life at risk, and it was the military who threatened you with misdemeanor charges. Yeah, as long as Frankie was in the military, you won’t give him any more hickeys. But this was his last tour. 

You threw your phone on the couch as you made your way to the living room to unwind. You couldn’t wait until Frankie got home. He will be out of the military, and you plan to keep him in your shared bedroom. Yep, when your husband gets back, you’re going to mark him up so good that it’ll be weeks before they disappear completely. 

Taglist: @absurdthirst​ @tangledlove27​

[aitarose]

SKINNY LOVE | ZUKO

PAIRING: Zuko x Reader [fem]

PLOT: Years and years of build up, only to lead to absolutely nothing. Y/N’s constant emotion was confusion, and there was no changing that when it came to Zuko’s feelings.

WARNINGS: angst

WORD COUNT: 1.6k

A/N: my best friend says he might have feelings for me, and i’m so stressed right now i’m going crazy. so here’s a little fic that literally explains our entire relationship and these are all my raw emotions ew. also this is almost word for word our conversation tonight

MY MASTERLIST

Their cycle seemed to be infinite, running in circles on the same track over and over again throughout the course of their lifelong friendship. The friendship that had been more confusing than the most trivial question in the entire world.

Y/N had always considered feelings to be straightforward. Something that could be determined with a simple yes or no answer, rather than continuous strife and struggles, arguments and silence.

She knew what she felt, and she wanted other’s to know that. Communication was no fare for her when it came to anger, sadness, and love—especially when it came to love.

Zuko on the other hand had what some would call troubles in the aspect of emotions. He’d bottle up all of his stress and worries, bursting like a volcano when they’d release. 

After years, decades of friendship and unspoken feelings, Y/N still didn’t know where she stood with the newly crowned Fire Lord. They’d danced around their relationship for what seemed like forever, him never truly speaking the words she’d always wanted to hear.

And after so many rounds of psychoanalyzing his words and phrases, the responses he’d give her after she’d try her best to pour her heart out to him, Y/N was beginning to grow sick of their routine.

It wasn’t that she didn’t love him anymore, she was just so unbelievably tired of it all. Peace was the thing she needed most. Inner peace with herself, her appearance, her confidence.

All the things that she’d never fully realized due to her constant focus on Zuko and only Zuko. The things that made someone unique, what made them them. She was lacking them, and the only way to grow was to distance herself.

So, distance was what she gave him. Y/N moved around the world, never settling in one nation, finding new cultures and traditions to enjoy and bringing them back with her to the Fire Nation every now and then.

During her little conquest, Zuko had found his place beside Mai. Comfortable in his own little bubble, never taking any risks outside of the familiarity of his daily life. He hadn’t grown up—that was the first thing Y/N had come to notice as her feelings were reborn.

It’d taken her two years to move on from him, two years to find love for herself and take interest in people other than her best friend—but the minute she heard that he ended his relationship with Mai, they’d come flying back.

All of her former insecurities pounded in her mind, screaming in her inner monologue, refusing to give her a single second of silence. Y/N was out of breath, completely lost in the sea of her own thoughts.

She and Zuko had stayed in contact over the years of her adventure. Constantly writing letters back and forth, telling each other about their day, their new friends, and whatever was remotely interesting in their lives. 

Although she hadn’t physically seen him in so long, Y/N still felt a connection to him. A connection that pulled her like a magnet the minute he stood before her, smiling his dopey, crooked grin.

When he’d wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into the tightest hug she’d ever been a part of—Y/N’s heart quite literally dropped, falling out of her body, and rolling out into the ocean. 

Her chest was tight, it was almost as if she felt like she was choking on a food that was stuck in her throat. Something that was refusing to come out, no matter how hard she tried to say those three little words—I love you.

And Zuko, himself, hadn’t settled her storm by any means. If anything, he’d encouraged it to rage on, encouraged it to continue to torment and demolish all the self respect she’d grown.

Whilst Y/N had jokingly spoken out the idea of them being together, he’d practically driven her to insanity. “What if I wasn’t joking, Zuko?” She wondered, freezing in disbelief at what she was saying. “What if I did feel that way?”

In response, Zuko simply laughed. His eyes pinched shut, a wide smile overtaking his mouth in amusement at her curiosity. “I don’t believe you, Y/N.” He rolled his eyes, playing with their intertwined hands. “You don’t actually feel that way.”

At that, a light scoff escaped Y/N’s lips, her face becoming contorted and annoyed. “Okay.” She started, shaking her head at the conversation she was about to trigger. “Well, what would your response be if I did?”

Zuko’s looked in her direction, his amber eyes meeting her steely ones. “You’re really baiting me, aren’t you?” His face went a little pale at her slight nod, a large gulp running down his neck. 

“It wouldn’t be a no.” 

Y/N’s smile dropped, her expression growing blank as her heartbeat began to jump out of her chest. What he’d just hinted at was her getting what she’d always wanted, the thing that she’d dreamed of since she was only five years old.

Both of them seemed to be frozen in the moment, neither knowing exactly what was going on as they weren’t aware of what their feelings for each other were. Their lives had become so different, they’d become so different.

Zuko was a leader now, a person that needed to have stability and assurance in his life. He was a traditionalist, he needed rules and regulations to live in harmony with himself and his people.

Y/N, however, was a free spirit. She knew what she wanted in life and she’d be sure to make it happen. Commitment and social standards weren’t on her agenda, as she didn’t have one.

But when it came to Zuko, Y/N would do anything. She’d drop her goals and dreams if it’d amount to one minute of true happiness in his arms. Her love for him had grown toxic, it was poison in her brain.

Poison that could also be considered pure. A feeling of actual and real love for the prince that she’d known for her entire life. Everything about him contradicted itself, the stress he made her feel was practically indescribable.

“Are you being serious?” Y/N was on the verge of hysterically laughing, she was so appalled by Zuko’s response. Her face was bright red, dancing on the line of embarrassment and anger. 

Zuko let go of her hands, his palm running over the back of his neck. He shrugged, sheepishly smiling as he looked everywhere but at her. “Yeah.” He sighed, pursing his lips. “That seemed like the wrong answer.”

“No.” Y/N’s neck snapped to turn to him, her eyes searching for his own. Her voice became breathless, her lungs nearly gasping for air. “Go back. Are you being serious, right now, that your answer wouldn’t be a no?”

As Zuko shook his head to signify that he wouldn’t reject her question, Y/N almost toppled over in shock. “So, figuratively speaking, if I had feelings for you—you wouldn’t reject me straight on?”

Thirty seconds was what it took for Zuko to answer her. Half a minute of earth shattering patience that Y/N had to endure before she heard his simple words. “No, of course not.”

“But what does that mean?” Y/N was now itching for closure. She had to find out what this all meant. What it meant for their past, their present, and the future of their relationship.

“I would have no reason to reject you, that’s what it means.” He simply shrugged, expecting the conversation to be over by now. The talk of feelings was wearing Zuko out, causing a large yawn to form on his features.

He was tired, exhausted at the discussion of romance and secret pining. Communication simply wasn’t his strong suit, and while Y/N fully knew that, she continued to press further.

“You don’t get it, Zuko. You’re confusing me.” She explained, waving her hands out in front of her face. “So, you wouldn’t reject me, but you also wouldn’t say yes to a confession?”

Y/N was pushing him to his emotional limit. The mental blockade that always formed in his brain, beginning to cancel out his words. Zuko’s headspace was starting to empty, sleep being the only goal in mind.

“Those do really contradict, don’t they?” His eyes had begun to drop, opening and closing. Zuko’s body was now resting on Y/N’s, most of his weight being supported by her stature.

Y/N led her best friend towards his living quarters, still having a million questions at the tip of her tongue—whilst only one made its way out. “What does it all mean? You never said what it means.”

As she opened the door to his bedroom, Zuko let go of his hold on her. He gave her a toothless smile, weary from his low energy, and closed the door, giving her a final glance through the crack of light.

“It means that I’m tired, Y/N.” His eyes held her gaze, sending her waves of confessions in a single glance. “I’m tired and I can’t give you all that you need right now. Perhaps we can continue this in the morning.”

But with morning, came no confessions. No discussion of what had gone down the night before. It was as if they’d never been together at all, as if it was just another night between two platonic friends.

In reality, Y/N didn’t believe that she’d ever be worthy enough for someone like Zuko. Someone who seemed to be so unbelievably perfect for her in every way, shape, and form.

Maybe the best way to end this constant cycle would be to disappear. To leave him be, in his own happy little life, away from herself. She’d learned to live without him once, there was no way she wouldn’t be able to do it again.

The only problem was did she really want to live a life without him?

TAGS: @practicallylivesonline​ @cherryskyies​ @shell-bells-ringding​  @xapham​ @mochminnie​ @bombardia​ @xxspqcebunsxx​ @missmorosis​ @mysticpeacecrusade @akiris​ @simpinforsukka​ @protect-remus​ @kaylove12​@lammello​ @user12345321 @duh-dobrik​

[cafeinthemoon]

The Leaves of Her Garden - Chapter VIII

Title: The Leaves of Her Garden

Genre: Fanfiction

Pairing: Madara Uchiha x reader

Rating: Mature

Word count: 2650

Chapter (s): 8/?

Warning(s): none just Madara being scary an such

Read the previous chapters here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Interlude, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7

Symbols: 🌙 | ➕ | ▶▶

A Treaty With an Unreliable Clan

You opened your eyes in a startle, yet you found nothing around you but the darkness. You moved on the mattress, to try and spot something among the shadows as well as to make sure you were not late. Madara told you to be prepared, for you would leave before the sunrise. You woke up at least two times before that one, but it was not the time to stand up yet; now you weren’t sure.

You fought against the burning sensation in your eyes caused by the remaining sleep and sat on the futon. You looked around for the second time and sensed some grayish light rising outside the porch’s door, being filtered by its translucent material and filling the room with what seemed to be a mist curtain . Should you leave the bed now? Well, you found it better to do so. You moved the sheets away and, after some stretching, you stood up; you grabbed the clothes you kept separated the night before and went to the bathroom to take care of yourself.

When you came back, the room was as quiet and as dark as when you left. Your feet crossed the distance between the bathroom’s door and the bed without a noise; you were going to fold the sheets and wait for Madara there.

However, you didn’t go too far.

One more step toward the futon and you sensed something like a presence behind you. You turned to look and your heart almost jumped out from your mouth when you found a shadow with glimmering eyes staring at you. Stepping behind, you were going to scream and stumble in the mattress, but none of this happened: with one hand the shadow grabbed you before the fall, while the other hand covered your mouth, only giving you room to breathe.

When it was clear that you were not going to make a fuzz, he relaxed the grip around you and uncovered your mouth. You sighed.

- You scared me… Madara-sama.

He couldn’t contain a smile and moved his hands away from you.

- As always – he then walked toward the porch’s door, glancing over his shoulder – I hope you are ready by now. Shall we?

You hesitated. He turned to you.

- What is it?

- I myself am ready – you explained, turning to the futon – But I’d like to make my bed before leaving. It is a habit I’d like to maintain.

Madara looked at your bed and back to you before nodding as a sign of approval.

- Good. Make your bed, then.

You nodded and started to fold the sheets. You softened your pillow and put the sheets under it, just like your mother taught you when you were little, then passed your hands through the mattress to clean it before covering with its cape. As you worked, you felt his eyes at your back, catching all the details despite the penumbra in which the room was drowned in; each movement of yours were observed and examined to the point that a task as ordinary as making your bed became some sort of resistence test. You started to think that you should have already be used to it, for you have been watched since your arrival, but there was a possibility that you would never managed to see it as something normal. You never liked being watched.

When everything was finished, you stood up and turned to him. He opened the porch’s door and you grabbed the sandals you left at the porch’s entry, following him to the gray morning outside.

***

That time you had to walk to reach the place where you were going to train. Not that it was bad, though: the spring air was delightful under the first light of the day, and a breeze was blowing through the trees and over the grass; the birds just started their singing, and nothing beyond their voices was heard. Looking at your surroundings in such circumstances, you almost felt in peace.

The place of training was the same as yesterday, quiet and wide; however, you felt a cold you didn’t noticed the first time you’ve been there. It would not make any difference, though: it was going to be hot later and you were going to sweat, maybe more than the other day.

You didn’t immediately start the training. Madara led you under the low branches of a tree and showed you a towel covering a part of the ground. Upon it there was something wrapped with a kitchen cloth, which you understood to be a bowl and a cup of bamboo. A recently prepared breakfast. Was it made by him or by one of the servants? You didn’t have the courage to ask.

He knelt on the edge of the towel and told you to take a place on the opposite side. When you did it, he indicated the pack .

- Eat. You will not go too far without being properly fed.

You unwrapped the cloth and put it aside. You then held the bowl with one hand and took the pair of hashi with the other. Before putting them to stir the content, you looked at him.

- Thank you, Madara-sama.

He nodded, and you started to eat. At first, it was not that easy: the content of the bowl and the cup smelled good, but you weren’t hungry. It didn’t go unnoticed by him.

- I see that you are not used to eat by this time of the day. But think of the benefits and make some effort. You need to preserve your good aspect for the ceremony.

You obeyed. It took more time than usual, but you finally emptied the bowl. You suspected that Madara would not let you stand up before finishing your breakfast, but fortunately for you nor the bowl nor the cup were that full.

After breakfast, you two didn’t stand up immediately. It seemed that Madara was in no hurry. Soon, you saw that this was not the case: it happened that your training was not only physical, and there were some things he needed to explain to you.

- As you can imagine, y/n, I had a reason for choosing this hour of the day to bring you here – he started as soon as he had your full attention – There are some things you need to know, not only about the ceremony, but about the treaty between the Uchiha and the other clan, the Todoroki.

Todoroki? You tried to think if you’ve heard about them before. Apparently, no; if it was because they were a minor clan or their name was too common, you weren’t sure.

Madara started to tell you how Izuna left the house still by the night when he brought you to his brother. He was sent on a mission all alone to investigate some facts about the clan that remained obscure even after the two families have determined each one’s part in the treaty; he was expected to return by the end of that day, so that he could be at the wedding. Being the groom’s brother, his absence during the ceremony would look suspicious.

- I do not have enough time to tell you the whole story, so I will just say that we the Uchiha have some story with this clan – he was saying – We and the Todoroki were never exactly friends of each other until some time ago. As I explained to you before, they were never known for producing the best warriors, choosing to focus on erudition, politics and diplomacy instead. This has brought problems as much as advantages for them all over the years. Now, because of the frailty caused by the lack of a proper shinobi army, they were facing difficulties regarding security and were forced to seek for support alongside a stronger clan. Turned out that they came to us. At first I was not willing to make them our allies, for I do not appreciate weakness and for my knowledge about their antipathy for my clan , but even they have their strong traits, so I decided to accept their offer. However, we could not be so ingenuous to think that we did not have to be careful.

A strange glimmering appeared in his eyes after those words, but within a second it was gone. He just continued to speak as if nothing happened.

- This particular clan might not be famous by the power of their shinobi, but their connections and influence over different noble families have been used for any kind of purposes during their story. In other words, they were not to be trusted without question, and held too power in their hands for one to take them lightly. And knowing that they were not allies of the Uchiha since the start, I would not say yes to anything that came from them without gathering some information. I delegated this work to Izuna and other men of my trust. They were in the middle of a complex mission of this nature when the girl who was sent by them to be my wife suddenly disappeared.

F or a moment, Madara didn’t say a word, and the silence around his spot was heavy. You felt like the birds stopped singing at that revelation, and even the breeze was no longer blowing.

- This girl that you are to replace was the Todoroki leader’s daughter – he continued – I believe Izuna never mentioned it to you, but her name was Sachiko. I have met her for the first time during a visit at the family’s property in (…). Judging by what I know from both of you, I can say you have some resemblances in your manners and tone besides the physical appearance, but nothing more than that. She had a talent to handle social situations by herself and was clearly raised by her family to follow the traditional norms. She was ready to perform her role even after marriage , when we would spend time by ourselves and thus have nothing to hide from each other. On the other hand, you, y/n, are more… how can I put it in words?… Well, I hope you do not mind if I use the term wild . You are more wild in a sense that you have nothing but what truly belongs to you. Not the nobleness, nor the rules or the interests o others to be carried on your shoulders. You are gentle, have good manners and has chose honesty as your motivation. This sort of purity is hard to find these days. Allow me to say that I appreciate that. It is something we can use in our favor during the ceremony, but I see that keeping in a role for a long time would wear you out, and then our plans would end up being useless.

You were still getting used to the way Madara stated his thoughts and views, and you could even say you appreciated his peculiar use of words, but somehow you sensed that there would always be something between a sentence and other that would caught you off guard, just like that time: wild would be the last word you’d use to describe yourself, but he managed to find a meaning for it that would fit you and that could only be found in something said by himself.

Another thing that still surprised you was the easiness with which he could change the subjective tone of his conversation to something simple and practical, as he did right after those comments:

- According to what I’ve found out, Sachiko’s disappearance happened during her travel from her own house in order to arrive here. She was meant to spend a few days in my house in preparation for our wedding, while I was going to send some of my shinobi to improve her safety on the road as a part of our families’ treaty. Her family was going to travel right after her. However, she disappeared before my men could reach her group. Of course my first suspicion fell on her clan: there was a possibility that they were planning some betrayal and that the girl’s case was just a distraction from their true intentions. But I had no proof at the time, so I’ve sent some of my men to work beside them in the search. At the same time, Izuna, who just came back from his previous mission, was chosen to investigate the events in secret. And what he found out confirmed some of my suspicions.

So Madara knew more about the girl’s case than you imagined. Of course, he would take some action by himself, being the precautious man he was, but now you found yourself wanting to hear everything he had to tell.

- According to my brother’s research , the girl disappeared in the middle of the night, and things were arranged in a way that it would look like she left by her own choice and didn’t want to be followed. I myself do not understand how something like this could be possible, since she was not a shinobi and thus she could be easily tracked by some of our people. Also, the people who were traveling with her – her servants and some ninjas responsible for her safety – just vanished. If dead or abducted, we could not find out. Izuna and I talked for hours at closed doors, and our conclusion was that if her clan was planning to betray us, they might have tried to forge an excuse to dishonor the treaty .

After saying that, he fell silent for a second, then a strange, low sound came up his throat and caught you off guard. You took a moment to identify it as a laugh, but once you did, you felt some discomfort with the hilarity and the despise in it. You waited for him to explain what was so funny.

- I still find it hard to believe that the Todoroki would be so plain in their action s, that there was not a single person among them who suggested that making the girl disappear in a sudden and unexplained manner would only expose them as the unreliable scum they are? – after staring at you for a second, he raised his eyebrow – I see. Hearing me speak in such terms about my betrothed’s clan is unsettling for you. I understand. But I believe you have heard enough to agree with my statement, or at least with part of it . Their actions just served to ruin their own reputation before the Uchiha and to alert us. And now that we have you, y/n, we have little to worry about.

You didn’t understand why, but something in the way Madara smiled at you made you froze.

- Once they lay their eyes on you, we the Uchiha will know exactly if they were treacherous and how much. Whatever the case, they will have to keep their mouths shut and to cooperate.

Soon he abandoned his relaxed position at the grass ground and stood on his feet. He looked down at you and you saw that the smile was still there. You understood it as a sign for you to stand up too. You started to do it, but apparently you weren’t fast enough, for you sensed a shadow stopping beside you, getting you on your feet; when you looked up, you found Madara close to you, his arm around your waist. You took a deep breath and told yourself that it was better if you get used to not be able to follow his moves with your eyes.

- So… our only preoccupation for now is to finish our training – he approached his lips to your ear – And to make sure you will be ready.

[7ella7]

Choosing submission.

My husband and I have been married for over 10 years.  We got together as teenagers and there’s a lot of love there, but it hasn’t been easy.  We semi-recently had a few fresh-start moments.  A cross-country move, some extremely beneficial marriage counseling, and a pandemic to bring us into the same space 24/7, and all three have been awesome. (I’m not saying the pandemic is awesome, just the extra time we get to spend together.)  

I recently got super vulnerable with him and shared that I want to submit to him.  I’ve always kind of known that I’ve been drawn to the idea of being subject to a man.  I like the idea of being told what to do, how he wants things done, when he wants things done, and being expected to meet his expectations or accept the consequences.  It would help me to know and understand what he wants/needs as well as give me some additional structure.  There are so many things I find appealing about this, but I don’t really understand why/where it comes from, but hopefully over time I’ll be able to understand it better myself.

I told him 2 weeks ago.  We’d been talking about our sex life and how to begin to really re-engage in that relationship aspect with one another after some challenges we’ve had.  I was reading some things online and eventually came across a podcast called Over The Knee and the tumblr pages of @amysubmits and @cynicaldom (Thank you both so much for writing).  It was like a lightbulb went off.  I’d read about domestic discipline before, years ago, and we had tried it for a couple months after we had gotten married, but the way I tried to live submission caused problems in our dynamic.  What I didn’t get from the DD sites back then was that it was okay (or necessary even) to still have my own thoughts/opinions/wants and to express them.  I think I was trying to focus only on what my husband needed/wanted, and push down I wanted/needed.  It seemed at the time like me sharing my wants/needs with him would somehow make my submission less real.  Then, when I listened to the OTK podcast and read their tumblr pages a couple weeks ago, I felt like I understood so much better how a real couple could actually do it successfully and showed me that a submissive partner is not the same a passive partner who lets the relationship and the Dominant partner’s wants and needs be the only thing that exists between them.  It’s a full relationship with active involvement and communication on both sides, but with a power exchange component.  They both make a point about how important it is for him to have that information from her.

It had been over 10 years since we had tried domestic discipline before.  The whole dynamic just kind of fizzled out pretty quickly due to the issues with how we tried to go about it.  We hadn’t talked about it since.  I was so nervous to talk about the idea of trying again that I started the convo through text message.  I sent the text, but we were both in the same room, so I went to clean something in the bathroom so I wouldn’t have to look him in the eye when he read it.  I built up my courage and went back in, but he was still watching TV.  He’d turned his phone on silent and didn’t get it for another hour and a half (it was low-key torture).  I would alternate between different tasks and watching TV with him, trying to relax about it, but feeling like that paragraph of a text message put so much of me out there that made it difficult to even breathe normally at certain points.  I was scared that he wouldn’t be interested at all and that it’d be shut down, but more than that, I was scared that he’d think I was weird and ultimately shut me down, not because he would be cruel about it, but because it had taken so much to be that vulnerable.  It could have been crushing.  I have a really hard time opening up about things like this, and I’m more than a little shy about things that tie into my sexuality.  Yes, even with my husband.  However, marriage counseling and a recent book I read have helped me to be able to make some important moves toward embracing vulnerability.

When he did get the message, he started by reading the tumblr pages, and we listened to an episode of their podcast.  When we talked about it later that afternoon, he actually said he liked a lot of the basic ideas, but he had a lot of questions for me about why, what motivations I had, what I ultimately wanted from the dynamic, etc.  It was a start.  We’ve had maybe 3-4 conversations about it in the last couple weeks, and yesterday we started discussing an initial agreement.  When I asked him what areas of our life he’d like to have authority in, he said he’d like to eventually have my submission in everything.  (It made my heart happy.)  The main things we discussed which areas of our life I’m ready to submit in fully (home life, sex life), and a couple that I am not ready to hand over yet (work life, food, clothes).  We’re trying to be intentional and start slow so we can kind of grow into this.  We also discussed a few rules and expectations that we’re interested in starting with.  We have plenty of ideas, but are starting slowly with 1-3 rules.  I haven’t seen the agreement yet, he’s in the process of writing it up (which also made me happy because he’s taking ownership of some of the process already).  So I wait.  I feel excited and happy and nervous and fluttery and tingly a lot lately.  We’re just at the beginning and we haven’t even officially entered an agreement, but I wanted to catch these events and feelings before we move further into the journey.

There’s like a million more things I could write, but here’s the bullet list for brevity’s sake- and maybe I’ll be able to revisit and expand on some of this later:

I am feeling nervous about diving in- I feel like I’ve wanted this for so long, but what happens if I’m a horrible submissive or really struggle with my stubbornness when it comes time to show my submission through my actions?

I have a markedly higher sex drive than I’ve had in years- I feel like I have the biggest crush on my husband.

Also, somehow while I’ve routinely hated doing things like dishes for the past... well forever I guess.  But when I think about doing them for him, it turns me on a little bit.  Idk if that’s a thing that lasts, but I would love it if that sticks around, haha.

I wonder about how he really feels about everything.  I know he LOVES the idea of traditional gender roles and he’s been clear about that for a long time, but I’m not sure where he falls on the idea of providing discipline.  Is that something he could end up eventually liking?  Maybe not the actual punishment itself, but the effects of it?  Idk.

I wonder how we’ll do- will we be able to avoid some of the problems we had in the beginning by being open communicators even when it’s hard?  Will he stay consistent with me?  Will we both feel the dynamic and value it enough to keep working on it over time?

I worry about being the spouse that brought it up.  I don’t want him to feel like he has to do this.  There are definitely things in his makeup that make me think he’ll be a natural.  I was drawn to him even in high school because he is a good and traditional man.  We share a lot of the same values.  I know a lot of his views align perfectly with this dynamic, but it’s asking a lot of someone to take on that Dominant role.  I just hope that he will find fulfillment there for himself, because I couldn’t continue to ask him to do it if it’s not something he decides on his own that he wants.

I am super happy that I found Tumblr and so many awesome blogs where people have shared so openly what their dynamic looks like.  It’s a great help to feel like there are others out there.

8 June 2020

[illegalastrology111]

MAY FORECAST

PLANET:  Jupiter 

SIGN:  Pisces

DATE:  May 14th - July 28th

Jupiter begins its first entry into Pisces May 14th - July 28th, returning December 30th - May 10th 2022.     This aspect could be considered  and  “Alice in Wonderland through the looking glass” transit, whereby, each individual will have to deal with truth/reality, illusion/delusion, in a certain area of life.   A person will choose to think or believe their life situation, people et., are real, secure and trustworthy, only to discover the “veil”  being lifted to reveal flaws, weaknesses, deception and betrayal.     Escapism is another characteristic of this cycle.  Not wanting to face or deal with unpleasant situations/people that really need to be confronted and  “stripped away”, in order for new doors to open bringing new opportunity and people.   

This is not a good cycle to indulge in any type of addictive behaviour or substances excessively that cold be harmful to the immune system, which is ruled by Pisces.    Viruses/poisons too.  In fact Covid-19, could actually increase/spread during this cycle.  Hospitals, large institutions,  feet  and prisons also come under Pisces.    Jupiter is a magnifying glass that highlights the good and the bad in a person or situation.  

This two month transit, if used correctly, gives  \a person what they want, dreams (Pisces) can come true.      A time to be visionary,  using the imagination to create through film, video, social media, fashion and dance.   All very Pisces.   

Venus is a co-ruler of Pisces, when put together represent the highest octave of love in its purest form.  Meaningful and of spiritual depth, which few are able to attain.  The symbol of Pisces, is that of the two fish swimming in opposite directions.  Also, once the symbol of early Christianity, the group known as the Asceenes.  

This isn’t a good time to take people at face value, chances are they maybe hiding something or lying,. It’s just too easy with this transit to be misguided and/or misled.   There’s an added danger of being victimised and used for the benefit of others, which then leads to sorrow and self-undoing, (negative side of Pisces),  wherever Jupiter in Pisces falls in a chart.  

Spirituality is at its best and strongest in Pisces, its ruler.   Therefore,  during the next few weeks, ,not only will dreams and meditations be strong, but also spiritual revelations and a desire to explore the burning questions of life.     Starting a positive spiritual practice is well aspected throughout Jupiter in Pisces.     However, it should be duly noted that delving into the unknown/other side of life can bring tremendous knowledge and guidance if understood and utilised correctly, at the same time realising there’s a danger of “opening the door” to negative forces, if  correct spiritual protection isn’t utilised.

Jupiter in Pisces will highlight all aspects of life to an individual and bring to the forefront truth and reality. Reality believed to exist will gradually dissolve to reveal what is hidden but deep down knew was always there.  Jupiter in Pisces cycles can be best described as follows:

Events throughout history and time have shown there is more to our existence than we realise, more to learn and understand. What ancient secrets lie beneath the surface of our daily experience, that lead one to ask, who am I?  What is  my purpose? And why oh why, is my life like this?

Strange things happen in the Universe of which mortal men rarely dream

The answers lie within.

SUN IN GEMINI

PLANET:  Sun

SIGN:  Gemini

DATE:  May 20th - June 20th

MERCURY RETROGRADE IN GEMINI

PLANET:  Mercury

SIGN:  GEMINI

DATE:  May 29TH - June  22ND

CYCLE:  Retrograde

During this particular cycle, with Mercury also being retrograde in Gemini, May 29th - June 22nd, the chance of mishaps, miscommunication  and misunderstandings will be very high.   Even so, with the Sun in Gemini, it will be a good time to replan projects and ideas, reset them, so they’re better equipped for success.    Two Gemini cycles occurring at the sam time doest happen often, but because of this,  being “tight lipped” is the best option.  Take the time to visit with relatives and siblings, both of which come under this sign.  Plan a trip for relaxation purposes, because over-thinking would be a disaster as Gemini rules the mind and thoughts too.    A good time to reflect.   

However, as Gemini is ruled by Mercury, representing the arms, lungs, hands and nervous system, these areas will be sensitive. Mercury also known as quicksilver, will bring a sense of speed and urgency to everything, but with the retrograde in Gemini too this would be a bad idea.  The chances of things falling apart, being muddled and scattered is likely.  People will e indecisive and probably a bit two faced - the duality of  Gemini.  

Gemini is a mutable air sign changeable, loving new experiences and very versatile. Once focused  Gemini will get the job done in record time.  Have patience during these two cycles, otherwise it will be a case of two steps forward and one step back. 

FULL MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE IN SAGITTARIUS

PLANET:  Moon

SIGN: Sagittarius

CYCLE:  Full Moon Lunar Eclipse

DATE::  May 26th @ 7.14am

May is going to be a pivotal month in may ways with iso many aspects and retrogrades occurring  week after week, June too.    This Lunar Eclipse indicates a change of course,  “burning of bridges”,  that have to be removed in order for a new path to be set.    A time to step back and rethink the way life has been going so far and all the choices made.  

In addition, certain beliefs pertaining to the way life should be will probably have to be relinquished as events paint a very different picture.    Honesty with self and others is required as attachments are severed and a new path is forged.   Legal matters also, could come t a certain conclusion.  

Diving into the unknown isn’t easy for most, but this Full Moon Lunar Eclipse is sending a message, to trust the Universe, it’s signs and guidance.   Those with the “eyes to see” and the “ears to hear”,  will be the ones to make it through the hurdles they face that seem insurmountable, in preparation for the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Gemini , next month.

SATURN RETROGRADE IN AQUARIUS

PLANET:  Saturn

SIGN:  Aquarius

CYCLE:  Retrograde

DATE:  May 23rd - October 10th

Saturn begins its retrograde cycle as May comes to close,  joining Mercury and Pluto.    Throughout this transit the stability and security of unique talents, abilities, hopes, wishes, friendships, groups/humanitarian concerns will be “tested”.   In addition, technology, scientific and space advancements will be found to be flawed in some way.     People in authority and power will not be so willing to agree to suggestions or proposals until Saturn has moved forward.    If a new promotion is started during this retrograde, efforts will bring little praise or positive outcomes.    This is not a good time to move forward with goals/ambitions,  planning is best suited for this particular cycle, without at least rethinking restructuring plans.  

Going back to complete unfinished business is another part of this retrograde, as well as getting in touch with people from the past to clean up unresolved issues, even if it’s a temporary situation.  

The danger o trying to enforce anything new during this transit, is that everything has the potential  to later collapse because attention to detail was missing.  Having the courage to go it alone is another aspect of this retrograde.    Whatever is restricting the “birth” of unique abilities  and standing out amongst peers should be looked at confronted and overcome between May 23rd - October 10th.  

The Universe provides all the tools to succeed and accomplish, with discipline and responsibility, empowering a person to break tradition using discernment. Change (Aquarius)m will happen at the right time (Saturn) and place. Patience and perseverance are key attributes of this retrograde.

[i-need-entertainment]

Dreams Can Come True: Chapter 2 New Home

Chapter 1-Chapter 3

After Y/n’s shift at the daycare was over, she quickly made her way home and changed into more presentable clothes for her ‘interview’. She made her way out of her home wearing shiny black heels, a form fitting black pencil skirt and a loose, comfy white blouse. Y/n made her way into the café and immediately spotted her friend from this morning. 

She walked over, “Hi Kurono, I hope I didn’t take too long, I wanted to look presentable for meeting your boss!” Chrono took a moment to look at Y/n, and she looked good. If not for his keen control on his emotions he was sure his face would have gone red, but he kept his composure and simply nodded. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. The man lives in button ups and slacks, so I’m sure you’ll make a good first impression.” Y/n then took a moment to notice what Chrono was wearing, he too, had changed into something nicer. He was now wearing a white button up and dark wash, not skinny but not super loose fitting, jeans. Dang, the man cleans up nicely. Unfortunately for our little Y/n here, she doesn’t have the same control over her emotions as the stone cold gangster, so her cheeks may have flushed a *little* pink. Chrono noticed her change in appearance and inwardly flushed at the thought of her blushing at him. Being 20 he knew he was in his ‘prime’ or whatever, and most people would have expected him to have a girlfriend by now, but dating wasn’t exactly easy in his position. Sure, he had a few girlfriends before, but they either just got in the way, only dated him to get close to Kai, or in the most unfortunate cases, weren’t exactly faithful. He just didn’t really see the point in dating if he was just going to get hurt in the end, or have to hurt someone in the end, I mean he may be a ‘heartless’ mafia but he does have one. There was also the fact he had a six year old to take care of, and in all aspects of his life, she was his priority. He had always wanted kids, and a wife. But if he could have at least one of those things, he couldn’t complain, right? He snapped out of it, and led Y/n back to the private room his boss had gotten for the night seeing as the Hassaikai had special ties with the owner. As she walked in the room, she noticed a young, fairly tall and built young man sitting down at the head of the table. Chrono led her to her seat at the opposite end, and took his seat to the right of his boss. To Overhaul’s left was another young man. Y/n polite fully bowed her head and introduced herself. “Hello sir, I’m Y/n L/n.” He nodded his head in acknowledgement and motioned for her to take a seat. It was now she paid attention to what the others were wearing. The man at the head of the table was wearing a black button down shirt with black pants and a white-gray tie. The man beside him dressed in all black, wearing a cape like top and a black bowler’s hat. Most peculiarly about the two however…is that they were wearing plague masks. While the one dressed solely in black wore one that covered his whole face, the one seated at the head of the table wore a burgundy and gold mask that covered only half of his face. Wait a minute…You knew who these people were. “Good evening Ms. L/n. I’m sure by now you’ve figured out who we are, yes?” “I have an idea..” Y/n then noticed Chrono had slipped on  white medical mask. “You’re probably wondering what the Shie Hassaikai wants with a daycare worker, Hm?” You simply nodded your head. “I don’t know how much Chronostasis has told you, but we are in need of female caretaker for the little girl you met today. We’re offering you a spot as not only her caretaker, but as a respected member of the Shie Hassaikai. Join us, and I assure you, you will be taken care of.” Y/n took a moment to think about it.

~Chrono POV/ Narrator POV~

I really do hope she says yes, having her around would make taking care of Eri a lot easier, ad it’d be nice to have her around. “Okay, I’ll do it” Yes! “But…” But…? “I don’t want to kill anyone. It’s true I’m not the biggest fan of heroes, but I’m not exactly pro villain either, I just want to take care of Eri, if that’s okay.” Seems fair to me. I didn’t really want her to have to kill either, a girl as pretty and nice as herself shouldn’t have to go through that….wait what the heck am I thinking?! “Those terms are acceptable, welcome to the Shie Hassaikai, L/n. Now, if you don’t mind, we’d like to ask you some more…personal questions.” Oh boy, here we go again, I already know what he’s going to ask, 1. What’s your quirk. “Tell me, what is your quirk?” Knew it. “Telekinesis, I can control small objects and bring them towards me, or place them wherever I can see.” Overhaul just nodded. 2. Any family/friends who would question your disappearance? “Do you have any family or friends that might find your absence…suspicious?” Strike two “Just my aunt Hina, although I’ve been moved out for two years now, so it shouldn’t seem too suspicious.” Overhaul nodded again, “Very well, tonight we’ll go ahead and move you into your new home, since you’ll be a permanent caretaker for Eri, you will need to live in the base.” Y/n simply nodded, “That’s fine with me.” Overhaul stood up, and threw on his coat. “It’s been a pleasure working with you, L/n. Chrono, take her home and help her get what she needs, I’ll have Mimic send the other precepts over to move her out.” “Yes sir.” With that, chrono left the café with Y/n. When they exited, Chrono took off his mask. He really hated wearing it, but it was kind of important. Due to his villain attire, no heroes or police knew what he looked like, so unlike some of the precepts, he could pretty much just waltz around a free man. “So, Mafia, huh?” Y/n teasingly pointed out. “Yeah…sorry about not being completely honest earlier, but I didn’t want to scare you off too quickly.” Y/n simply nodded. “It’s okay, although I doubt it would have, like I said, I’m kind of indifferent towards heroes and villains, so I at least would have heard you out first.” “Thanks…most people aren’t as understanding.” Y/n just hummed and kept walking with Chrono. “So, how did you get the name ‘Chronostasis’, does it have something to do with your quirk?” “Yeah, actually it’s the name of my quirk.” Y/n looked at Chrono with wide eyes, “What does your quirk do?” “Well, you see my hair?” He pointed to his head. “Yeah” “Okay, well you see how the ends are pointed like clock needles?” “Mhm.” “Well, I can control them, but I have to be completely still, and they’re really sharp. So, if I struck someone with the hour hand, they’ll be slowed down for an hour, If I strike someone with the minute hand, they’ll be slowed for a minute.” Y/n’s eyes widened in amazement. “Its not really that flashy…or that useful.” Chrono awkwardly looked away, hand rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. Y/n quickly shook her head. “Nuh-uh, not at all I think it’s really cool!” By the enthusiasm in her voice he knew she was being sincere. He softly SOFTLY smiled and shook his head. “You really think so?” “Yes!! They look really cool, and most people don’t have defenses against being slowed, so I think it’s super powerful!” “Thanks Y/n.” No one had ever told him they genuinely really liked his quirk. Most people just left it alone, or thought it was weird. But here was this bubbly, sweet daycare worker who was practically fangirling over it. “No problem, you shouldn’t put yourself down like that, especially when there’s nothing to put yourself down for…” Y/n averted her eyes to the ground, a soft smile still present on her lips. “Well, here we are. It’s not much, so it shouldn’t take too long.” Overhaul had already called the landlord and arranged for Y/n to be let out on the lease early. (Turns out Yakuza bosses have a bit of power over people.) Chrono and Y/n entered Y/n’s small apartment/house. Chrono looked around, for someone who’s so young, he could tell y/n put a lot of work into her house. “Okay, give me like, five minutes and I’ll get what I need.” Because Y/n only had the one room in the hassaikai, she packaged up all of her valuable collections. Pictures of family and friends, irreplaceable things and gifts, etc. She packed up her clothes and brought a small bag of essentials to get her through the night. “Okay, I’m ready to go!” With that the two left for the Hassaikai base, but not before Chrono called Nemoto to bring the car, since it was going to be a longer drive and it was pretty late. After they got back to the base, Chrono led her into the traditional looking house, got to a door and stopped. He punched in some code, and the door opened to a stair case. This is where the main part of our base is, its where all the stuff goes down. Oh, it’s also where the bedrooms are.” They made their way down the stairs and started walking down the hallway. “Don’t be intimidated by all the guys here, you’re probably going to be pretty popular for the first few weeks, other than Eri you’re the first female to be down her. Also, ignore the petty flirting, most of these guys can count on one hand the number of women they’ve ‘talked’ to, most probably on one finger” “Really?” “Uh-huh, as you can imagine we all stay pretty busy, so no one really has time to go out and meet anybody new, let alone date.” Y/n nodded her head, she knew what that was like. Working at the day care and helping her aunt out once in a while kept her pretty busy. She had dated in the past, but none of her relationships lasted. In fact she hadn’t even attempted any relationships after him. Him being her ex, who she dated through high school, and even for some time after before she caught him cheating on her with her best friend. Chrono then walked her to a door and stopped, well this is it. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.” He pushed the door open and Y/n followed him inside, he then helped Y/n unpack the few things she brought with her. “Alright, hopefully that’s good enough till tomorrow, the rest of your stuff should be here by then.” “This’ll be just fine, thank you for your help…for everything really.” She smiled at him, and he gave a half smile back. “No problem, We appreciate you coming to help…I appreciate you coming to help.” There was a silence between them, although they didn’t know what kind of silence, it wasn’t an awkward silence, more like there was something there…but neither one knew what it was. “Well, anyways, I’ll get out of your hair. The bathroom is that door right there, and the living room and kitchen are just down the hall. If you need anything just text me, you’re probably going to get lost at least once, it’s pretty much a maze down here. Uhm, yeah. Oh and you’ll meet Eri again tomorrow. Her room and my room aren’t that far from here.” “Okay, I will. Thanks again Kurono. Goodnight.” “Goodnight Y/n.” An with that, the young second hand made his way out of her room and towards Eri’s room to put her to bed, seeing as it was about 8:30 pm and he didn’t want her to be cranky when she met Y/n again tomorrow. *Knock Knock* “Eri? Can I come in? It’s daddy.” The door quickly opened and Eri tackled Chrono in a hug. Eri then led him inside and sat on her bed. “Alright kiddo, it’s time for bed. Tomorrow your going to spend the day with someone new.” Eri’s ears seemed to perk up at the mention of someone new since not many new people come around here. As Chrono was getting Eri ready for bed, he started to explain the new circumstances to her as best he could. “Do you remember the nice lady that helped you today at the park?” Eri nodded her head. “Well, she’s going to be your new caretaker.” He realized he definitely should have worded it differently when he stared back at him with big wide scared eyes. “ W-what do you mean daddy? A-are you g-going to leave me?” It then clicked that it sounded like he was being replaced! “No! No sorry Eri! I’m not going anywhere I promise!” He held her in a bone crushing hug before leading her to the bed and tucking her in, looking for a book to read before she went to sleep. “She’s just gonna help me take care of you is all. Not replace me.” “Oh.” Eri seemed to understand. “So she’s gonna be my new Mommy then?” If chrono had been drinking water he was 1,000% sure he would’ve choked. “U-um yes and no? For now, let’s just call her Ms. Y/n, okay?” He could hear the fear in his voice of her asking any more difficult questions. “But why is she here? I thought you took care of me?” “I do pumpkin, but especially because you’re a girl, you should have a girl influence to look up to.” “Because I’m a girl? But why?” Shoot. He thought he could avoid THIS topic for at least 6 more years. What is he supposed to tell her? Yeah, in about 6 years give or take your body is going to turn on you and try to kill you once a month? Not exactly something you tell a 6 year old. “H-how about we talk about it tomorrow pumpkin” If the squeakiness of his voice didn’t give him away, his red face sure did. “Daddy? Is something wrong? You’re being weird.” Chrono just shook his head and tried to compose himself. “Yeah, daddy’s just being weird. Hey! How about we read that book now.” “Okay.” Chrono then read her the book and tucked her in to sleep. Making his way to his bedroom and collapsing on his bed, tired from the events of the day.

[loopsforlupin]

A Million Things I See

   * So I was listening to the soundtrack of “The Greatest Showman” because I’m a sucker for Zac Efron and Hugh Jackman singing, and being all sorts of sexy! AND MY GIRL ZENDAYA IS IN THIS FILM I MEAN CAN YOU BLAME A GIRL! Ahem… anyway. “A Million Dreams�� came up and then BAM! This sweet little thing popped up in my head and demanded, quite fiercely to be brought to the page, it had sharp knives, I was forced..... :) Enjoy! It’s long loves!

…………………………………………………………………………………………

   Sirius was a nervous wreck. He kept fiddling with his tux, messing with his cuff links, running his hands through his hair, then immediately regretting the reaction and fixing his messed up hair. Then he repeated the whole thing, occasionally he would act as though he was fixing his suit of some imagined wrinkles. The white material was flawless, and he expected nothing less seeing as James was mother henning him worse then his mother. Euphemia had tears in her eyes as she watched her youngest son, standing there in the mirror, looking at his reflection while waiting for the proper time. Her precious baby! Her youngest son! All dressed up and ready to walk down that aisle, and she couldn’t help but be an emotional wreck. Her two babies, were all dressed  up in the best suits, and one of them was married and had an adorable baby boy, and the other was preparing to walk down the aisle towards the love of his life. She couldn’t stop the tear that fell at the thought. 

    James was riding a high so high he wasn’t sure he was ever gonna come down again. His brother was marrying his best friend. it was like a dream come true. His two favorite people were getting married, and too each other no less! He fixed Sirius’s tie for the third time, letting his hands flatten it one more time before he dared to look at the clock. FINALLY! It was time. He was more worried about this wedding then his own. When he had married his darling Lily, he had only felt pure joy, he had all but danced down the aisle and he had had to lean against Sirius and Peter, Remus had been on Lily’s side acting as her man of honor, when he saw his bride coming towards him. James hoped Sirius had the same kind of happiness. Though right now, Sirius seemed to be more nervous than anything. He had gone back to pacing the hotel room they were currently in. 

     “Pads, its time. You ready?” Sirius whipped his head up, looked at James and James knew he was gonna need another minute yet, Sirius looked about two seconds from having a panic attack. He shared a look with his mother, who quietly left the brothers alone for a minute.

      “Come on Pads, what’s up?” Sirius looked at James, his grey eyes rolling in turmoil. “I don’t deserve this Prongs! I don’t! I mean look at Moony! He’s so fucking gorgeous. And I mean look at me! I’m a disinherited Black, who’s entire family hates him. I mean Moony already has enough to deal with he doesn’t need to deal with my crappy life. I can’t bring him down to that level. He’s so smart James! And I’m just an absolute mess, the only reason I did as well as I did in school was because you and Moony and Peter forced me to study. He deserves BETTER!” James finally got his brother to quit his manic pacing, and put him in a char. He then silently left his brother, who was in the midst of panicking, and went to find the only person in the whole world who get through Sirius’s thick head right now. 

       James walked down the hall, smiling weakly at his mother as he passed her and his father, before he entered the room down the hall from his brother. Inside he found Peter and Lily calmly drinking tea and quietly conversing in the small sitting room. Lily was sporting a small smile as she talked to his best friend. Seeing him, she pointed to the small bedroom just off the den. Inside the room he found Remus John Lupin, who was calmly putting on his tux jacket, a deep black compared to Sirius’s own white. He was handsome, deeply so James thought, and Sirius was a lucky man. If only he got over this whole panic thing. James shook away his thoughts and knocked on the doorway, letting Remus know that someone was there.  

       “Hey mate! You’re looking sharp huh?” Remus smiled and chuckled, trying to act like James’s comments didn’t make his cheeks heat up with a blush. “Shush Prongs! What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be with Sirius?” James sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, looking at his best friend. “Yeah, except he’s working himself up into a full tizzy. I was wondering if you’d be able to come to the door and just talk to him. He’s getting pretty bad.” Remus looked at his best friend, one of them at least and realized how bad Sirius must be if he came all the way down here to get him, knowing that Sirius had wanted to follow tradition as much as possible. Which meant that he hadn’t seen his fiancé for a whole day. “Of course.” 

      James led Remus through the hallway back to the door he had left only just two minutes ago. He slipped through the door, motioning for Remus to wait. He then grabbed Sirius, who was still muttering on the chair to himself, and dragged him to the door. James pressed Sirius’s forehead to the door, and banged one hand on the door.     

       “Alright Remus, he’s listening.” James then stood there, pressing one hand on his brother’s back. 

      “Pads? You okay love?” Remus’s voice was quiet, and full of love, which made Sirius relax. “No, I’m freaking out! Baby I’m not good for you. You can do so much better. You're so smart, and you’re gorgeous. And I’m just a nothing... I don’t know why you ever said yes to me.” Remus was silent for a moment, his shock not letting him immediately respond to his upset fiancé. However he shook it off, and leaned his head against the door. “Baby open the door a little please. Please baby!” Sirius opened the door a little, and as soon as Remus could, he shoved his hand through the door. and held it out to his poor love. Sirius grabbed it with his own hand. 

      “Now you listen to me Sirius Orion Potter-Black! You are not a nothing. You are the most incredible man I know. You are the one who reached a hand out to me in friendship for the first time on that train. You were the one who figured out my secret, and instead of screaming and running away, you used illegal magic to find a way to help me. You are the most caring, loving, incredible person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Despite all the terrible things that have happened in your life, despite the rude people you were born too, you have the most amazing capability to love.

      “You want to know why I said yes to you?” Remus was quiet for a while, waiting for Sirius to say something before he continued. A quiet yes was eventually heard, and Remus had to stop himself from pushing the door open and wrapping his darling boy into his arms, he appeased himself by squeezing his hand. 

      “I said yes because when I was with you, I could actually imagine getting married. I couldn't do that before. I was sure that I would never have a spouse, that I would never have that person who I could feel so sure about that I would bind my magic to them. But when we started dating, I imagined this day so many times baby. I imagine you in a tux, I imagined James standing beside, acting like a proud peacock. I imagined Lily standing beside me, doing that small smirk of her’s that lets everyone around them know she knew this was gonna happen even before they did. I imagined Peter making our wedding cake, because he’ s the only one either of us trust to get the balance just right between my sweet tooth, and your bitter tongue. I imagined your dad walking you down towards me, your mom crying in the crowd. I’ve imagined every aspect of this day Sirius. All because I was seeing it with you. You know what else I can see now because of you baby?” 

    Sirius had tears streaming down his face, and his throat felt all tight , but he swallowed, and forced his throat to work. “What else?” 

      Remus smiled, knowing that Sirius was listening to him, and that his love wasn’t panicking anymore. “I see us married, living in your uncle’s cabin that he gave you, Chalet Étoile, remember, the one we visited before we graduated. We spent a week there, and I told you that I loved it, and then you got a big smile on your face and you asked me to move in with you after we graduated. We kissed in the back garden and then you got bit by a gnome? I see that every time I look at the ring on my finger. I love my ring baby. It makes me so happy to see it on my finger, I love it almost as much as I love that seeing the ring on your finger. I also see us, laying in bed, a large black cat on our laps. I see James and Lily and baby Harry coming over for game nights, and I see us hosting your parents there. I see Peter and maybe Mary coming round, asking for advice, or just to have dinner. I see all our friends laughing and drinking in our living room. I see us celebrating our marriage anniversary, with my family and yours, all mixed together, just how they should be. I see me reading my books by the fire, and you lounging on that plush carpet in front of the fire, playing with that snitch James gave you. 

      “ I see you sitting on the kitchen counter in the morning, a large cup of black tea in your hands, your legs swinging back and forth as I make us bacon sandwiches, with the brown sauce, because we both know that I’m hopeless in the kitchen otherwise.” Here Sirius had to giggle, because that statement was absolutely true. Remus was smart, but he could not cook to save his life besides bacon sandwiches. “I see you washing the dishes, and me sitting on the counter watching you. I see you and me being a happily married couple living our happy lives baby. I see us not fighting a war, not looking over our shoulders every twelve seconds, not having to listen to the radio every night to hear if our friend’s names are gonna be called out as a list of casualties. I see a million days of us being married, and baby? Its not long enough but it’s a damn good start I say. I love you baby, now and forever. My love is not going any where Sirius, it’s gonna be you and me, Pads and Moony, until death. I love you. Okay?” 

    By the end of Remus’s speech, Sirius was smiling, and crying, this time though the tears were happy instead of sad. James who had been silently standing there had tears in his eyes as well, and the largest smile that he had ever had. He loved these two idiots, he really did, and he was so glad that his baby brother had someone who loved him as much as Remus loved Sirius, because it was the kind of love that made James believe that despite the war, their little group of friends would be just fine, especially now that Peter seemed to be happier. They had found Mary, battered and bruised, and a little scared but she was alive, and Peter for the first time in a long time seemed to be his old self. James shook away dark thoughts, and clapped his hands, getting the attention of the two love struck morons at the door. 

     “Well, now that I am a crying mess, and so is Sirius, Moony, I think its time you two lovelies go and get married. So Moony, you go out and stand with my darling wife. I’ll find my dad, and get you Sirius as soon as I can. Let’s go boys.” The boys squeezed hands one more time before they split apart. James got Sirius calmed down, and sent a small charm that reduced the puffiness of his eyes, and reduced the red coloring of them as well. Then James called his dad and mum into Sirius’s room, and told his baby brother that he would see him at the altar. 

      The wedding had been beautiful, and James hadn’t thought he could cry anymore, but hearing his brother and his best friend declare before their families and friends to always be with one another and then binding their magic together forever proved him wrong. Well James couldn’t be blamed for his emotions okay? The reception was a blast, watching them dance and drink and acting like there was no war. It was the best thing James had seen in forever. Remus and Sirius returned from their reception to their small little cottage, nestled into the woods. Sirius looked at his husband, and that thought made him smile like a fool, HIS HUSBAND, Merlin, he was married. To Remus. He, Sirius Orion Potter-Black, was married to Remus John Lupin. Life was perfect. At least for now, tomorrow there would be a war to fight, friends to bury, loved ones to look for, but for now, Sirius had his husband, and their lives were just beginning. And Sirius really wished that Remus would get to see the million things he saw them doing. Sirius was going to do his damnedest to make sure his husband got that much from life. After all, Sirius had seen a million things as well, and he would start to make them happen tomorrow, but for tonight, he had a husband in his bed, and he was going to enjoy tonight. 

[melancholicumsomnia]

The Redeemers (A Mandalorian Fanfic) Chapter 2

All warnings/pairings and other info to follow per chapter. For now, this is safe reading for everyone. Forgot to mention that this fic will most likely not follow established SW canon. I’m actually getting dizzy checking the timeline.

Tagging @pedrocentric. Hope you like this second chapter.

You can read Chapter One HERE.

                                                 * * * * * * * * * *

THE REDEEMERS

By

Rory

Chapter Two: The Broken

“Thank you for agreeing so quickly to meet with us, Dr. Pershing. I know the circumstances of our first meeting were quite…tense.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have agreed to meet with you again, no matter what the circumstances are. But since it’s about the Mandalorian here…”

Ahsoka – who stood quietly in a corner of the freighter’s med center – eyed the Imperial doctor whom Bo-Katan was addressing with suspicion. However, as Dr. Pershing hurried to take out an examination device from his bag, the Jedi saw how the doctor was very much at ease with his present company, belying his earlier statement. There were a couple of moments when he seemed to be on the verge of saying something to Bo, but then shook his head and decided that whatever concerns he had could come later.

When Bo-Katan told her that they would be calling Dr. Pershing to check on Din Djarin’s condition, Ahsoka was swift to offer her misgivings, being aware of the doctor’s reputation for cloning experimentation. But because of what they experienced on Mortis, the Jedi acquiesced on the condition that Din Djarin remain helmeted throughout Dr. Pershing’s examination.

Before the Imperial doctor arrived, they bathed the Mandalorian and trimmed his hair, mustache, and beard. They also dressed him in clean clothes, before laying him on the bed in the med center. Throughout this process, not once did the Mandalorian rouse from his insensate state. His right fist remained tightly clenched and they could not pry his fingers open.

True enough, Dr. Pershing’s eyebrows lifted at the sight of that helmet. To Ahsoka’s surprise though, the doctor just proceeded to perform a thorough examination of his patient.

After checking and crosschecking the findings on his device, Dr. Pershing asked, “May I take a blood sample? Don’t worry though. The results will be between just the three of us. I will delete whatever I find immediately afterwards.”

It was Ahsoka who gave her approval this time, causing Bo to give her a curious gaze. “Yes, you may. I’d like to see if your findings will confirm what I suspect.”

Dr. Pershing’s eyes grew wide at that remark, but opted not to say anything else. Bending down, he extracted the blood he needed from the Mandalorian’s bared arm and ran the diagnostics. As the data filled the small screen, the doctor could barely suppress his gasp. He looked at the two women, his mouth agape like a fish.

“His M-count…” Dr. Pershing blurted out, scratching his head. “How can this be? According to our records…my past encounters with him… He hasn’t demonstrated any Force powers at all!”

“What is his M-count, Doctor?” Ahsoka inquired.

“It’s in the same range as the Child’s. 20,000 plus. But, even if I hadn’t tested him before, I’m sure that he is not Force-sensitive.”

The Jedi let out a long, harsh exhalation. Seeing the questioning expression on Bo’s face, she told the doctor, “Dr. Pershing, if you’ll excuse us, I would like to speak with Bo-Katan in private.”

Hearing this, Dr. Pershing straightened up and stood firm. “If you please, I would like to join in your discussion.” To emphasize his position, he presented his device with the screen facing them. With a press on a button, the screen went black as all the data was erased. Seeing the wariness in their eyes, he reassured, “No, I haven’t transmitted any of the data to the Empire.” The doctor then quietly confessed, “The same way I deleted the facial scan records, the security feed, and blocked the transmission of the video that revealed the Mandalorian’s face from Morak.”  

“And you expect us to just take your word on that?” Bo said, incredulous.

“I don’t presume that you can trust me so readily. I know how much your people have suffered under the Empire.” Dr. Pershing looked at Ahsoka. “And also our constant battles with the Jedi. In my defense, I can only say that if you hadn’t trusted me, even just a little, after I helped you…willingly…in retrieving the Child from Moff Gideon, you wouldn’t have asked me to come here.”

The two women exchanged quick glances, with a small smile forming on Ahsoka’s lips. “Very well, Doctor. Besides, we may need your medical opinion on this matter.” Turning to Bo, she said, “Tell us what happened to the Mandalorian…from the beginning.”

Bo folded her arms over her chest. “Ten years ago, after we rescued the Child, I convinced Din Djarin to join the Nite Owls. In truth, he had no other choice. The Razor Crest was destroyed, so he couldn’t continue his life as a bounty hunter. Boba Fett and Fennec Shand had also wanted him to join them on Tatooine. In the end, Din chose to be with us. I suppose he wanted to learn more about the Mandalorians, having lived for most of his life with the Children of the Watch. I thought it best to give him further training in fight and battle techniques and teach him about the true history and culture of Mandalore.”

“And by ‘true’ Mandalorian culture, you mean the current pacifist views that were espoused by your sister, Satine,” Ahsoka noted. “You were once a member of Death Watch yourself. So you know that you cannot just rewrite the entire martial history of Mandalore.”

“No, just certain aspects of it.” One red eyebrow lifted as Bo glowered at the helmet that Din Djarin was wearing. “In particular, that little matter that he could not remove his helmet to show his face.”

“Why would you do this, Bo? Why would you go so far as to teach him all this?”

“Because this is knowledge that he needs to lead the Mandalorian people.” Bo heaved a heavy sigh. “Din Djarin is the current wielder of the Darksaber, which, as you know, makes him the rightful ruler of Mandalore.”

Seeing the surprised expression on the Jedi and doctor’s faces, Bo-Katan narrated the events that happened on Moff Gideon’s cruiser.

Continuing, Bo said, “In the two years that we were together, I had somehow cracked through some of those stubborn beliefs he held. I had…hoped…that I would bring him to Mandalore so that he could take the throne. Maybe reunite the clans and especially bring the Children of the Watch back into the fold.”

“But right from the start, he never wanted to be Mand’alor, did he? In the brief time that I’ve known him, I know that his sense of honor would not allow him to accept the Darksaber.”

Bo nodded. “True. He kept on insisting that the Darksaber belonged to me. He did not want to rule Mandalore. Unlike with Sabine, I cannot in due conscience accept it every time he offered it to me…not after the way I lost the Darksaber during the Great Purge. As per tradition, I would’ve had to fight him for the right to wield the sword, but it wouldn’t have been proper to do so back then. When he seemed so…lost…after he entrusted the Child to a Jedi.”

“Grogu found a Jedi?”

“Grogu… Is that the Child’s name?” Bo let out a wry laugh. “Yes, I guess that little kid had found a Jedi. It was the Jedi who saved us from the Darktroopers. We never learned his name though. I know Din missed the Child terribly and I told him that we could track that Jedi down, but he refused, always saying that Grogu was in safe hands and…”

“And…” Ahsoka gently prodded.

“He said that he could feel the Child, whatever that meant. That he was reassured that Grogu was alright. That he was safe at last.”

“It’s definitely because of the bond,” Dr. Pershing interjected. “When I first had the Child, I could already see that there was a strong attachment between them.”

“But after two years, something happened, am I right? Din Djarin told you that he wanted to leave, that he cannot be the king that you wanted him to be,” Ahsoka then put in. “He was so desperate to leave, but you refused every time. He still got away from you though. That was your Gauntlet I saw on Mortis. And when he was gone, he left behind the Darksaber.”

“I admit that I was happy at first that Din had forsaken the sword. At that time, the only people who knew that the Darksaber was back in our possession were Koska, Cara Dune, Fennec – who I am sure told Boba Fett about it, but the man could be trusted to keep a secret – and, of course, Moff Gideon. Axe would know about it later. For eight years, I bided my time, continued on our mission to gather weapons for our cause to reclaim Mandalore and…”

At that moment, Bo paused, realizing what she just said. “Eight years…”

It was Ahsoka’s turn to nod. “The way I see it, a very powerful Jedi Mind Trick had been placed on you. I’m pretty sure Din Djarin put it on you, although he was not consciously aware that he did so. The only reason why you started your search for him was because the Darksaber no longer allowed anyone to wield it, including you. The Darksaber brought you back to yourself because it wanted you to find its rightful wielder.”

“Yes. It’s weird. In all those eight years, I never saw the need to use it. I didn’t want it stolen again, so I kept it in deep storage. But then, rumors started to spread in Mandalore that the Darksaber had been found again. I don’t know where those rumors originated, but I suspected that the Empire was behind it. I was going to claim the sword as my own. After all, no one knew about Din Djarin. But…the Darksaber rejected me. I was with Axe at that time, so that’s how he knew. No one could pick it up without getting burned or hurt in the process.”

Dr. Pershing shook his head in confusion. “I don’t understand. I’ve seen Moff Gideon brandishing that sword about. I mean, it’s just a laser sword. How can it choose its wielder?”

“Lightsabers, the Darksaber included, are nothing more than weapons. Anyone can wield a Lightsaber, but it requires training and skill. I must admit that the Jedi’s expertise with the Lightsaber arises from the fact that we are able to complement its use with our Force powers,” Ahsoka explained. “But the way the Darksaber is behaving now, it’s clear to me that the Force is behind it. Unfortunately, the only way that I can see how the Darksaber works in relation to the Force is if and when Din Djarin awakens and chooses to use it.”

“I confess that there is very little that we Jedi know about the Force. I’m sure the same can be said for the Sith and the Empire,” the Jedi revealed ruefully. “That fact could not be more obvious than the situation we have here, right now.” She waved a hand to the Mandalorian lying on the bed. “I can say for certain though that the reason why Din Djarin left the Nite Owls and abandoned the Darksaber was because Grogu severed their bond.”

Bo and Dr. Pershing could not contain their horrified gasps.

Ignoring them, Ahsoka continued, “The severing overwhelmed Din Djarin. Even I felt just how raw the wounds in his mind and heart remained, even up to now. It made him distraught with worry and fear for Grogu, very powerful emotions that drew the Force to him. From this point on, this is all just pure conjecture on my part. I believe that the Force sensed these emotions, his intense need for Grogu that it summoned him to the one place where he could possibly find the Child – a place that is similar but more powerful than Tython, a place that could awaken the Force that lay dormant inside him.

“Mortis was the home of the Force-wielders. Obi-Wan Kenobi told me what the Force spirit of his former Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, revealed to him about Mortis – that it is a ‘conduit through which the entire Force of the universe flows’, that it is a ‘planet that is both an amplifier and a magnet.’ But Mortis is not just those two things.

“You may have heard rumors about the Sith Lord, Darth Vader, he who once was my Master Anakin Skywalker. It was said that Anakin did not have a father, that he was conceived through the Emperor’s manipulation of the midi-chlorians in his mother’s body. But I believe that Ani was created by the Force itself to restore balance in the galaxy. Seeing the…changes…in Din Djarin, I believe that he was…gestated…in the raw power of the Force on Mortis, transformed into a being with immense Force potential so that both the Light and the Dark Sides continue to battle for domination over him.”

Ahsoka could not contain her shudder. “I dread what would happen if the Dark Side wins.”

For a moment, a heavy, fearful silence fell among them, as they mulled over the Jedi’s troubling words. The quiet was shattered, however, by a soft, pained voice coming from the bed, uttering a single name, “Cara…”

Suddenly, the Mandalorian’s body jerked upward, forming a stiff arch. As he plopped back down on the bed, he started twisting and writhing, muffled screams coming from his helmet.

“HOLD HIM DOWN!” Dr. Pershing cried as he hurried to the bedside. Hearing the harsh, rasping breaths, he pulled off the helmet, revealing Din Djarin’s tear-filled, agonized face.

As the two women kept the Mandalorian from thrashing about, the doctor rummaged inside his bag for a syringe and immediately filled it up with fluid from a vial. Before he could plunge the needle into a swollen vein, Din Djarin’s body made one last upward surge and he fell back onto the mattress. His right hand dropped limp to the side, his fingers opening so that a gleaming silver ball fell and rolled on the floor.

Dr. Pershing quickly ran his examination device over the Mandalorian. “HE’S NOT BREATHING!” Without hesitation, he proceeded to apply chest compressions. Bo-Katan went to his aid, tilting Din Djarin’s head back and blowing precious air into his mouth. The passing seconds seemed like an eternity, and they feared that they wouldn’t be able to revive the Mandalorian.

Then, the door to the med center opened and Axe Woves entered, bearing the crystalline case containing the Darksaber. Opening it, he seized the pulsating sword inside. In an instant, a burning smell filled the room. But Woves didn’t let go. Instead, he laid the Darksaber over Din Djarin’s chest. As soon as contact was made, the crackling energy of the blade branched out, spreading all over the Mandalorian’s body so that he seemed to be enveloped in a bright, jagged net. The net pulsed and throbbed for a minute before dissipating. To their astonishment, they saw that Din Djarin was breathing again.

Seeing the questioning expression on Bo-Katan’s face, Woves explained his unexpected entrance, “The Darksaber started pulsing like crazy. I figured something might be wrong, so I decided to bring it along for you to see. I never thought it was reacting that way because of Din. Is he okay?”

Dr. Pershing again examined his patient. At the same time, Ahsoka went toward the still figure and laid her palm over his brow, a deep frown wrinkling her own forehead.

“Yes, he’s fine…for now,” Dr. Pershing confirmed. “But I…”

The doctor was interrupted by Koska, who barged breathless into the med center. “Something terrible’s happened! I intercepted a transmission from the prison ship that was supposed to transport Moff Gideon to Oovo IV. The ship was ambushed by an unknown spacecraft. Before the transmission died, the pilot said that Gideon and a Morgan Elsbeth were retrieved from the prison transport. He also said that…”

It was the Jedi who finished her sentence for her as she drew away from the Mandalorian with deep sorrow. “Marshal Cara Dune has died. The moment that Din Djarin went into seizures, he felt her die.”

Bo-Katan was stunned by this news. In the brief time that she knew Cara Dune, she had been impressed with the Marshal’s bravery and loyalty to Din Djarin.

Dr. Pershing gazed at the Mandalorian before him and made up his mind instantly. “That settles it. I would like to join you…if you’ll have me.”

Everyone in the room stared at him. But the doctor said, “I’ve long been thinking about leaving the Empire, especially after the things that they made me do to the Child and…and…” Dr. Pershing found that he could not continue. The thought of the experiments he had done filled him with shame. Instead, he said, “I always made the excuse that it was for science, but my conscience knew that what I was doing was wrong.” He turned earnest eyes to the people before him. “Please. Allow me to help the Child’s father. Din Djarin has spared my life on two occasions. I owe him and the Child this. Also…I’m afraid that he’s dying. If you know where…Grogu…is, I believe it is only he who can heal the Mandalorian.”

Bo thought for a long while. When she lifted her head, determination was set on her features. Turning her gaze to Ahsoka, she said, “I think we should pay a visit to our old friend on Endor. I’m sure she can help us locate that mysterious Jedi.”

Ahsoka smiled at the memory of the kind, valiant Twi’lek general who was both comrade and friend. “I agree. It’s been a long time since we last saw Hera. A reunion is definitely forthcoming.”

The Jedi bent down and picked up the silver ball which was once the Child’s favorite toy. “And as soon as we find Grogu, I’d like to hear his explanation on why he hurt his father this way.”

 TO BE CONTINUED

[steph-writing]

Fem Byleth x Claude wedding...? Please

I got this ask a while ago but I needed the F E E L S to do it justice. And I can only hope I did it justice because THIS COUPLE!!!!!! DESERVES!!!!!! THE WORLD!!!!!! 😭😍 And I’m not used to 3rd POV writing so shit if I screwed up my bad lmao enjoy ;)

AO3 link

“Claude, you will not see the bride before she walks in!” Hilda barks at Claude for what feels like the hundredth time as she catches him trying to sneak in the room where Byleth is getting ready. “Get out of here before I chop off your favorite toy and ruin Byleth’s honeymoon.”

“Now, there’s no need to get aggressive, is there?” Claude tries to laugh it off but it’s clear as day from the way his stance shifts that he’s taking her threats very seriously.

But as he turns to try and make his escape back to the dining hall, a very smiley and a very annoyed Raphael and Lorenz block his exit.

“Hey Claude-”

“What exactly made you think you will marry Byleth dressed like that?” Lorenz interrupts Raphael’s warm-hearted exchange with nothing but sheer exasperation on his voice.

Letting out a deep breath, Hilda drops the axe she was wielding menacingly moments ago and smiles at the guys. “Good, you’re here. Could you please drag Claude’s sorry ass out of here? I need to check on Byleth.”

Not waiting for their reply, she storms off down the hall.

“I just wanted to talk with my fiancée, is that some sort of crime?” Claude tries to sound nonchalant, but it’s to no avail.

“I’m not sure you grasp the magnitude of the event that’s about to unfold!” Shaking his head, Lorenz, motions Raphael to grab Claude and start leading him away as they walk back to his room to finish getting him ready.

“This wedding is not only your joyous and, might I add, much delayed love union with Byleth, but also the joining of two great nations! Fódlan and Almyra were never amicable to each other, but that is bound to change with a romantic union of the leader of our free nation and the King of Almyra. You ought to show some respect and dignity to carry out your duties today!

“Besides, how do you think Byleth would feel if she could see just how little you seem to care to your appearance for today? Oh my, is that sauce I see on your shirt? Claude, this is unacceptable!

“Have you any idea what it would look like if…”

Lorenz keeps talking until they get there, all the way on the other side of the Monastery, but doesn’t seem to realize Claude, thrown over Raphael’s shoulder for good measure, has fallen asleep to the sound of his nagging, and only wakes up when Raphael puts him down non-ceremoniously on the chair while Lorenz hits his closet to find something he deems suitable for Claude to wear for his wedding.

*

Meanwhile, Hilda deals with something she never expected to see.

“What if he doesn’t show up? Or worse, if he says no? Or that it was all just a joke? What if he doesn’t really love me and this is just an overelaborated prank?”

Byleth is pacing around so fast that Hilda is having a hard time believing her former Professor even has the ability to talk so much and so fast all at once.

“Byleth, will you just calm down?” She storms up to the bride, stopping her at once and proceeding to fix the diadem on her hair.

“But Hilda, I-”

“I know, I know. It all seems very easy until it gets down to it, right? You get all these doubts and uncertainties and it makes you want to run far, far away and never look back.” Byleth nods slowly, biting down on her lip so hard she can almost taste the metal on her blood. “I’ve been there, remember? And you were there to knock some sense into me while I was already getting my wyvern ready to fly away.”

They both laugh softly at the memory. It is true, Byleth can still remember the tears on Hilda’s eyes as she questioned all she and her now husband ever went through and whether she was forcing him into their marriage.

“I was silly for doubting then, and you’re being even more now.” Gently pushing Byleth back to the chair, Hilda grabs some makeup and starts giving her some finishing touches. “My husband is a bit slow on that aspect, we both know that. But Claude’s different. He never hid how much he cares for you, nor how much he loves you.”

Byleth sighs, a small smile tugging the corners of her lips, and Hilda feels a pride tug on her now very pregnant belly. She was making her little boy proud by soothing his godmother at this time of need.

“I was outside kicking him out of here because he couldn’t stand not to see you until the ceremony, you know? He’s with Lorenz and Raphael now, and we both know those two won’t let anything happen to our boy. You can rest assured that he’ll be on that altar, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was already there, honestly.”

“It’s just… there’s so much that could go wrong.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be a Golden Deer wedding if it all ran smoothly. We are quite the troublemakers, Professor.”

Winking mischievously at Byleth, Hilda focuses on finishing her makeup, the ceremony is just around the corner, and everything better be working out because she will not run around to fix everyone’s mess with a belly this big.

But she’d sure as hell make her husband do it.

As Hilda turns around to grab a different lip tint color, Byleth seems to gather her strength and rushes what’s been eating at her from the inside.

“Hilda, there’s something I haven’t told anyone yet…”

*

Finally, it’s time.

Claude can’t stop fidgeting on the altar, counting the seconds until Byleth walks through the Cathedral’s door. He hasn’t seen her all day, and ever since he came back, he’s tried to hear her laugh at least once a day. But today when he woke up, she was already gone, and the guys were already ready to drag him all around until the ceremony.

He managed to sneak away a few times, but a very pregnant and menacing Hilda blocked his every attempt at seeing his fiancée.

They lived in Derdriu but decided to hold the wedding on the Monastery for several reasons. It was here they shared their first kiss, all those years ago before the battle where Byleth disappeared. It was here where they were reunited, where they shared their first touches, where he heard her cries of pleasure for the first time, where they declared their love for each other… and where he proposed before leaving for Almyra.

He looks around the room and sees all of their friends sitting there, eager to see their union at long last, all happy smiles and teary eyes.

Dorothea, Manuela and Annette are next to the piano, ready to sing the entrance song when Byleth walks in.

Everyone attended, there are Blue Lions, Black Eagles and Golden Deers spread out, sitting next to each other… Claude can’t help but feel proud of his soon-to-be wife.

She really did help create a unified Fódlan, if you look at everyone on this room, you’d never say they weren’t always united.

He wishes, however, that Dimitri and Dedue could’ve been here. Even Edelgard and Hubert… but he knows that they’d be proud of what he and Byleth are accomplishing in Fódlan, and it brings a smile to his face.

Even the Almyrans have showed up for his wedding, some of them even mingling and chatting with the guests from Fódlan – the way it’s supposed to be. Looking at his parents sitting on the end of the front row, he can’t help but feel his heart break a bit.

Byleth doesn’t have any blood relatives left. He knows she still thinks of Jeralt, she told him as much, and every time he sees that forlorn look on her eyes when she visits his grave when they come to the monastery, he swears over and over again that he’ll give her the biggest and happiest family she’s ever seen.

Lorenz shifts next to him, and he notices he’s making room for Hilda to get on the other side of the altar as the maid of honor usually does. He also notices Seteth and Lorenz are quirking their eyebrows at Hilda, which he soon does too when he sees the huge smile that’s on her face.

“What…”

Claude’s question dies on his lips when the huge doors crack open, and the music starts playing.

The sun is shining bright, and it causes a halo of light to surround Byleth’s white dress as she steps on the threshold.

By all the Gods in this world, how is it that she’s looking even more beautiful than usual? Claude asks himself, all else forgotten. There’s a certain… glow on her, he can’t look away. Is it magic? It must be.

As Byleth walks in on Alois’s arm, he only partially notices how the old man is bawling his eyes out. He remembers how emotional he got when Byleth asked him to walk her on the aisle as her father figure. And he’s sure the song the girls are singing is very emotional and has nice lyrics, but he can’t hear them. He can’t see anyone else.

All he sees is Byleth.

All he feels is love.

All he wants is to hold her in his arms and swear before every God and Goddess out there that he will never let her go again, that his life is hers and that he promises to spend eternity making her happier each day.

Her hair cascades down her back in soft curls, the golden diadem crowning her head making her look like a Queen, his Queen. And her dress hugs her every curve, making her look so tempting it should be a sin to walk in a church like that.

When she reaches the altar, he’s dazzled by her smile, by the sheer love that’s on her eyes, a look he’s sure is a clear reflection of his. Claude’s hardly able to spare a glance to Alois when he takes Byleth’s hands in his, but he’s sure the man didn’t notice through all the tears on his face.

Seteth begins the ceremony, a mix of Fódlan and Almyran traditions, and Claude’s sure it must be lovely, but he can’t stop looking at Byleth, and she can’t stop looking at him. It’s only when it’s time for his vows that he finds his voice again.

“I vow to love you, protect you, and stand by you. Now and forever. My anamchara, I will never leave you, for my life is yours and without you I can’t ever be. I never thought I’d need someone as much as I need you, and never have I thought that I’d enjoy sharing so much of myself, my dreams and my life with someone. Thank you for trusting me, for being my friend, for being my teach, and for being my love. I promise to give you all I am, and to be your friend, your lover, and your family. Now and forever.”

Byleth’s eyes are so marred with tears, her voice wavers when it’s her turn.

“I vow to love you, protect you, and stand by you. Now and forever. Finding you was like finding a piece of me I always knew was missing. Thank you for being there for me when I needed someone, for being my shoulder to cry on and the one to make me laugh even in the darkest times. My anamchara,” she says the word with that cute accent that always makes Claude’s heart hammer on his chest, “I love you more than I ever thought it to be possible. I promise to give you all I am, and to be your friend, your lover and your family. Now and forever.”

Claude’s lips quiver at her vow, and as they exchange their rings, both of their hands shake at their overjoyed anticipation of a life together at last.

At the sound of all their friends’ cheer, Claude pulls Byleth against his chest by her waist, and they share the purest of smiles before he leans down to kiss her with all the love he can muster.

Pulling their lips apart, Claude still can’t let go of his wife. Wife. He thinks the word to himself over and over, adoring the feel of it, only to have his thoughts interrupted by her small voice whispering against his neck.

“Claude, I…”

“What is it?” He senses her hesitation and tilts her head up with a gentle finger under her chin. She knows she can tell him whatever, he’ll still be there for her.

“I’m pregnant.”

His smile falters for a moment, but before Byleth can even look away, he breaks out in laughter, and pulls her even closer, lifting her as he spins around hugging her, which is enough for her to loosen up and laugh alongside him, both basking on the joy of the chance of starting their own family.

Today is, without a shadow of doubt, the best day in Claude’s life.

And as they walk down the aisle into their new life, they know they’ll love each other until the end of this world.

[socionicsdatabase]

Charles Lindbergh - SLI (ISTp)

Delta Quadra: The Quadra who fears “clipped wings” (Stratiyevskaya)

For Lindbergh, the sky was not the limit. As is typical of Delta Quadra, personal growth and development was a lifelong goal of his. He felt the most free when he could fly, and desired to live a quiet, peaceful life close to nature where he could develop his abilities and see and experience new adventures. He hated being part of crowds, hated fast-paced lifestyles. He wasn’t actively trying to change the world; he was simply pursuing what he loved and trying to maximize his own personal abilities, as is typical for Delta Quadra. He was happiest when he felt close to nature, with the freedom to pursue possibilities and develop his own potential. IP type: “IPs are both dynamic and irrational, so they see reality as in continuous, gradual, often imperceptible change.” (sociotype.com). Lindbergh was comfortable with abrupt changes. He was flexible, adaptive, and took things as they came. He saw the world as constantly being in a state of change, as can be easily seen from his writings.

Temperament: Melancholic - “These are sociotypes that are calm externally, but restless inside. Melancholics are introverts, so they hide their inner experiences under the guise of calm or, conversely, liveliness. The problem of any melancholy is the search for inner harmony, which is so easily destroyed by the rude influences of external factors.” (socionic.ru) Though Lindbergh appeared calm on the outside, it can be seen especially from his diary writings that he was internally restless, with a vast depth of inner experiences.

Lead function: Si (4D, Valued) Lindbergh’s love of aviation and flying stemmed from the physical experience it gave him. When describing his first experience jumping out of a parachute, he said, “It was a love of the air and sky and flying, the lure of adventure, the appreciation of beauty.” He was captivated by natural beauty, and cherished the sensations and experiences his pursuits gave him. He loved being alone out in the wilderness, which he often says gave him an unparalleled freedom. He said, “In the wilderness I sense the miracle of life...” He also noted that “The human future depends on our ability to combine the knowledge of science with the wisdom of the wilderness.” Lindbergh was very aware of the environment around him, the harmony within it, and how it made him feel. “Man must feel the earth to know himself and recognize his values...” He desired to preserve the natural beauty of the world. He had a deep love of nature, believing that modern cities were against the nature of man. “Real freedom lies in wilderness, not civilization”, he said. To Lindbergh, it was important to become united with the earth, to melt into it, and to fully experience the natural beauty it had to offer. He became a conservationist and promoter of environmental causes, once mentioning that he preferred birds to airplanes. Toward the end of his life, he planned his funeral and desired to have as natural a burial as possible.

Creative function: Te (3D, Valued) Lindbergh had natural skills as a mechanic. He went to school to study mechanical engineering and originally intended to pursue it as a career, but as can often happen with SLIs, he did not finish and dropped out to pursue flight school instead. However, he was always interested in engineering and performed all the mechanical work on his planes himself. Later on, in 1935, he helped to develop the world’s first “artificial heart”, a heart perfusion pump (valued Te-Ne). He was impressed by the high quality engineering that he saw in Germany (Te-Si-Ne) and their more advanced development of technology. While assisting with altitude tests at the Mayo Clinic, the new information he came up with at the end of his trials there was used by Henry Ford to modify the oxygen equipment of his airplanes and helped them become safer. He also taught young pilots how to best conserve plane fuel and resources so that they could fly for longer periods of time.

Role function: Ni (2D, Unvalued) Lindbergh was grounded in the world around him and was not very imaginative, but he was capable of occasionally turning his attention to the flow of time and long-term implications, and this seemed to be something he desired to do. This can be seen most easily in his writings. According to Model A, the role function is “seen as somewhat of an importance to the individual, but definitely not emphasized.” Model A also notes that “the role function is triggered situationally, when individuals are met with situations that oppose their base aspect of reality.” Lindbergh preferred experiencing things and was never a natural writer. This may be why use of Ni can be seen most easily in Lindbergh’s writings. He wrote that, “Life is a culmination of the past, an awareness of the present, an indication of a future beyond knowledge...” And also said, “I hope my journals relating to World War II will help clarify issues of the past and thereby contribute to understanding the issues and conditions of the present and future.” He made some effort (especially after being encouraged by his wife) to document what he did, to serve as a reminder of the past for future generations, though this was not his primary motivation in life.

Vulnerable function: Fe (1D, Unvalued) It is well-known that Lindbergh hated large crowds and the attention that fame brought him. He was known to make extreme efforts to avoid people and recognition, such as disguising himself when going out in public. When a large crowd gathered to celebrate his landing, he would make efforts to avoid them. He didn’t like all the attention and disliked attempts to bring him into wider society. He rejected offers to be in movies and commercials. Instead, he strived to live a secluded, private life away from the public eye. Even while working on the development of the heart perfusion pump, he desired to be anonymous and keep his work quiet. He seemed to receive no joy out of the prevailing emotional atmosphere. Instead, he would seek to escape such atmospheres, and saw the attention of the public as “oppressive”, remarking that he “had enough publicity for 15 lives.” His avoidance of larger society and desire to do everything on his own in a self-sufficient way helped earn him the nickname ‘The Lone Eagle’. 

Suggestive function: Ne (1D, Valued) Lindbergh spent his whole life unconsciously seeking adventure. As a boy he spent a lot of his free time reading, especially adventure stories. The desire to have new experiences, to see new places, was one of the main motivators behind his aviation pursuits. He quit traditional school to pursue flight school, which he thought could lead him to greater adventure. He loved flying to new places and seeing new things. He also had a respect and love of science, discovery, and innovation. He helped the Aero Medical Unit for Research in Aviation Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. When describing the atomic age of war, Lindbergh expresses his sadness over the potential destruction of nature that the atomic bomb can produce. He says, “I worshipped science. I was awed by its knowledge...Now...I have seen the science I worshipped, and the aircraft I loved destroying the civilization I expected them to serve, and which I thought as permanent as the earth itself.” Here we can again see not only his valuing of Te and Ne, through his love of science and knowledge, but also his preference for Si over Se. He disliked the powerful force of the atomic bomb disrupting the harmony of civilization. He was open to new ideas and encouraged their growth and development. He became very interested in space travel and saw space as the new frontier. He supported the rocketry research of Goddard and Guggenheim and secured funding for their projects. Lindbergh also seemed to have an admiration for people with a wide variety of talents and abilities, and desired to develop his own abilities. For example, he admired his wife’s ability to write and speak different languages. She encouraged him to develop his own writing abilities, and this is something he appreciated and responded well to.    Mobilizing function: Fi (2D, Valued) The mobilizing function tends to manifest as something we appreciate and that has a strong influence over our actions (School of Associative Socionics, 2020). This can be seen throughout Lindbergh’s life. He stated that, “Power without moral force to guide it invariably ends in the destruction of the people who wield it. Power...must be backed by morality...” During his time as a civilian observer in the Pacific, he wrote about the cruelty and inhumane treatment of the Japanese that he witnessed, and the view among some of the soldiers that the enemy troops were merely “animals”. He said, “I am shocked at the attitude of our American troops. They have no respect for death, the courage of an enemy soldier, or many of the ordinary decencies of life.” He criticized the dehumanization of enemy troops and said he was concerned by the “lack of respect for even the admirable characteristics of our enemy.” He believed in the dignity of the human person, noting that “No person with a sense of the dignity of mankind can condone the persecution of the Jewish race in Germany.” Lindbergh was also known to be a private person who did not talk much of his feelings, and did not like it when others tried to get him to. According to Stratiyevskaya, “SLI dislikes it very much when intimate things are talked about directly - this is almost like a sacrilege to him.” His wife Anne notes that “he himself never felt the need to explain his feelings about where he stood and about past statements.” He disliked any attempts by others to analyze his soul. According to Grigory Reinin, SLIs “try to protect their emotional sphere from the intruding outsiders in every possible way.” He rejected books that were written about him and wanted the only information about him to be written by himself. He regularly kept a diary, but his Te style prevailed over personal Fi sentiments. Much of his diary writings were objective facts rather than personal emotional experiences. Interestingly, he also had a tendency to record the exact number of words on each page and wrote that number at the top, as a statistic. 

Ignoring function: Se (3D, Unvalued) Lindbergh was outspoken against war and preferred not to fight, though he understood it as sometimes necessary and showed respect for enemy troops (valued Fi also present). He said, “If I must fight, I'll fight; but I prefer not to spit at my enemy beforehand.” He understood the value of war and combat, but he did not like it to be used unless absolutely necessary. He did not think the US had a right to interfere in the affairs of other countries. He was publicly outspoken against the pro-war policies of President Franklin Roosevelt and it is known that the two of them did not think favorably of each other. He spoke of the misuse of power as being the greatest threat to mankind, and in 1945 said, “History is full of its misuse. There is no better example than Nazi Germany.” He preferred to appreciate and experience nature for what it was, rather than use force to try to conquer and shape it into something else. His wife Anne also noted that “he never wanted to be regarded as a hero or leader, and he never had political ambitions.” She noted that his speeches and statements were given out of his sincere belief of what was the best thing to do for the country and the world. Demonstrative function: Ti (4D, Unvalued) According to Grigory Reinin, for the SLI “knowing the world is its practical mastering.” We can see this with Lindbergh, who was more interested in experiencing life as it was, rather than trying to fit everything into a logical system. According to Wikisocion, SLIs “tend to feel that life is difficult to categorize and should simply be experienced for what it is.” However, this function is a strong, fundamental part of SLIs and could be seen playing a role in his love of science and his mechanical understanding of planes and gadgets. Though Ti is a strong function that is always working in the background, SLIs use it only situationally, to apply it to things they are interested in. Lindbergh had a strong understanding of how things fit together into a cohesive whole, but he chose not to focus on that and preferred experiencing things.

[treatian]

The Chronicles of the Dark One:  The Dark Curse

Chapter 167:  The Good Doctor

The morning after Jefferson and his daughter arrived, they left. Just as the sun was coming up, he heard them stir from their rooms, pack the little they'd brought with them, and leave without saying good-bye to him and, apparently, to Belle as well. For when he sat down to breakfast that morning, and Belle brought their food, he noted four plates instead of her usual two.

"My, my, my…are we eating for two?" he questioned.

"I figured our guests would be hungry and might be joining us."

"They won't be," he informed her as she set his plate down in front of him. "They left early this morning, long before you rose. I'm afraid it's just the two of us again."

He watched carefully as she let out a breath that almost looked relieved. Not exactly what he would have expected to see on her face, especially now that she wasn't permitted to go back to the village to meet new strangers. But then she smiled and shrugged.

"It's not the worst thing in the world…" she muttered before taking her seat.

No, it wasn't, and that was exactly why he was leaving. He informed her then that he was planning on being out of town for a couple of days and would be back when his business concluded. She'd asked where he was going, he was helpless to joke with her about how she'd have to wait to find out with her next book. He couldn't leave soon enough. Because the truth was that he'd spent the night thinking about it, thinking about her, and he'd come to a conclusion. He had to do something. The way he saw it, he had two options. The first nearly brought him to tears. He could send her away. How many times had he been back to that option? How many times had he considered it? And how many times had it always fallen through because he didn't want to do it? Because he couldn't imagine his life in this castle now without her? He was losing count. And now he could add another tick to that tally. He couldn't do it. The idea of separating from her, of sending her away, never checking in on her…it was too painful to ever allow him to follow through, at least never completely.

And so there was one last option-Jefferson's idea. No, he hadn't named it in so many words, but he knew the man well enough to understand what he'd been hinting at the night they'd talked. Go to this place called "England", find the man, Dr. Jekyll, see if he'd perfected his serum. If he had, he'd use it. Control over his inner beast, that was what he needed. He needed to bring the Dark One closer to the surface. He felt strongly that whatever he felt for her was a human reaction, but the Dark One, if he could be given more control, wouldn't let himself be drawn to her as he was. The Dark One wouldn't feel such weakness as the human did. That was, of course, only a theory, one he hoped he'd get the opportunity to discuss with the doctor. So, after telling Belle he was leaving, he let a small amount of the liquid Jefferson had poured out for him hit the floor. A portal opened, and he jumped into a world that was quiet unlike what he was used to; streets lined with stone instead of dirt, black efficient carriages, men with tall hats and strange jackets and pants. At least the women wore clothes that looked familiar…more or less. Their dresses-

To his right, a woman screamed. He whipped around, trying to figure out what she might have been looking at, but when he turned, he found that it was him. He was the reason. Her eyes bulging as she stared at him, pointed, and then drew her hands back and let loose another ear-piercing scream like she'd just seen a ghost or a dragon or some monster from the depths of an ocean. He disappeared. It wasn't as easy as it always was, an indication that though magic existed in this realm it was weak, similar to what he'd encountered in the Land Without Color. He'd have to use what he had sparingly. Of course, the irony of it was that in order to do his hunting for Jekyll, he was about to use a great deal of it to hide his appearance and himself from the citizens of this world, at least until he found the doctor.

It took him two days. Two solid days of exploration, hiding, wandering, sneaking in and out of places to get his answers. In the end, he'd found him because someone he'd passed on the street muttered his name, the name Doctor Jekyll. If he'd heard him right, the man was working with him. He promptly followed the man to a place called "hospital," where he found people wandering the halls without clothes. Men were tied to beds in one wing with thick leather straps. Some of them were lost in a stupor; others thrashed about screaming obscenities as women and men dressed in white ignored them as if it happened every day! That was where the man on the street worked. It was also, apparently, where Doctor Jekyll worked. He wasn't what he expected.

After two days of searching only finding him with a little luck, he'd already put together that he wasn't well known, something that didn't bode well for the potion-serum. Jekyll was a doctor, it seemed, but not a paid one. He volunteered at the asylum. Following him around all day told him that he was no more or less talented than the other doctors around him. A scrawny thing, standing just a bit taller than he was, he was pale in a sickly way with a stench that made him think the only thing he excelled at was perspiration. If he were to touch him, he imagined his skin would be quite clammy. He had straight sandy hair too long to be short and too short to be long. He wore thin round glasses, had a face only a mother would love, and noted that the clothes he wore were hardly what the rich of this world were wearing.

He followed him home that night, sneaking in through the door behind him. He intended to sneak up on him in his home, but when he arrived he saw that "home" was more laboratory than dwelling. There was a small cot off to one side, and a rack of clothing mostly copies of what he wore now just in different shades, though he noted that when he arrived home, he pulled off a few of his "finer" things and began to dress, allowing him to explore his "home" a bit more. There was a fire in the grate and a couch on the far side, but those were the most "homey" accommodations he saw. It reminded him of his tower. Aside from those few comforts he was surrounded by flasks and baubles and beakers, holding liquids of various colors in numerous quantities. He'd meant to speak to him, talk to him about what Jefferson had told him about, but before he could, the door to his apartments opened. A woman strode in as if she was at home, and Jekyll barely blinked an eye. A wife? He saw no ring on her finger, though perhaps this was a world that didn't follow that tradition.

"Thank you for arranging this, Mary," he stuttered out as she fixed the odd-looking stock around his neck.

Bow tie. The Seer whispered.

What an odd thing to wear…and "bow tie"…he supposed he could see where the "bow" part came from, but the "tie" bit was a mystery.

"I-I can't tell you how much this means to me."

How had he been able to guess he'd be one to stutter? Still, their interaction at least gave him something useable. She wasn't a wife. His tone was too strained. He was more comfortable with Belle in the room than Jekyll was with…Mary, was it? However, the way Jekyll's heart raced as she touched him certainly suggested that she meant more than friend. But hers didn't. Her pulse was even and calm, there wasn't a hit of desire in her smell which suggested to him that she didn't feel the same way about him that he did about her. Unrequited love. It made this interesting, no matter how much it was threatening to ruin his own life.

"There's no need to be nervous," she responded to his pathetic stuttering. "Father's going to love your work!"

As if on cue, the door opened again and this time a man a few inches shorter than Jekyll entered.

He recognized him. He'd been lurking around this strange place for days, and he'd seen this man before. Very few individuals in this place stood out, but he did because of what he'd caught him doing. He'd seen him with a woman late last night in an ally outside of the Science Academy. He'd been with that woman in such a way that even he thought it was dirty. Fortunately, he'd arrived on the tail end of their dalliances and when they were done, they'd talked about going to a ball tonight. They'd joked about passing each other in the night and having another little tryst before it all began, when her husband got in and she could easily wander away from him and he could wander away from his wife. "There's another lovely little alleyway outside the Science Academy that should keep us in shadow. All the world shall see, and none shall know." As much as it had made him gag, the woman seemed interested. Exhibitionists…what a terrible little fetish and yet…it was something to keep in mind.

He watched as pleasantries were exchanged between Mary, Jekyll, and her father who was called Dr. Lyndgate before he questioned "Now, what's so important I had to be pulled away from scotch and cards at the Academy?"

He snickered...it wasn't just scotch and cards he was missing, he was certain.

"Ah! Allow me to show you, right over here," Jekyll motioned. "This serum, once perfected, will be capable of separating a man's personality in two and dividing the higher, more noble aspects of his nature from the primitive beast of which every man is born."

"Intriguing."

Intriguing, indeed. It was perfect. A more perfect night to spy he could not have chosen. For now, he had no need to interrogate the man before him, just listen to his presentation on a serum, which, he noted, was still not done. Jefferson said it was missing something. He rather agreed. He was certain that he could provide that "little something" just as he'd given a "little something" to his other doctor-friend, the question was, what would he do if the serum worked?

"Imagine if man were in control of the beast within, rather than slave to it!"

"How can you be certain your serum wouldn't make things worse?"

"It can't get any worse for Henry's patients," Mary explained. "They have no hope at all."

"Dr. Lyndgate, if I had the Scientific Academy behind my work-"

"So that's what this is about, you want me to grant you membership to the academy!"

"Well-"

"I'm afraid I can't offer it. Your work is dangerous! Good evening, Dr. Jekyll! Come, Mary!"

Well…that had escalated quickly.

The girl looked back and forth between the doctor and her father before crying, "I'm sorry" and chasing after her father. And then…something interesting.

Jekyll's heart began to race, he watched as he began to huff and puff so hard he wondered if he might blow the fire out, but instead he picked up one of his beakers and threw it into the fire so that it exploded. It was then that he strode over to the window and peered out at it. Oh, that was very interesting. What had Jefferson said? He was a man at war with himself. Oh, he may say he wanted that serum for his patients, but he wondered if there wasn't someone else he wanted it for.

[rkivepacks]

TITLE: this love (left a permanent mark) Originally posted on: AO3/dtgloss Pairing: taekook/kookv/vkook (Kim Taehyung & Jeon Jeongguk) Rating: PG13 Genre: Fluff, Angst Word Count: 3,249 Trigger Warning/s: Swearing,  Disclaimer: Title from This Love - T. Swift. This work is solely from the idea of the author. Should there be similarities with the works of other respected artists are purely unintentional. This also do not reflect on the real lives of the artists portrayed in this work. Comments, suggestions and any other concerns are accepted in my inbox. Thank you!

Summary:  “Hyung, you are the best.” Jeongguk starts off again, grin not falling off his face as the crowd chuckles once again. “Once you told me, your eyes are always on me. And you did, you took care of me. Because you are that kind of person. You put me before you. All the time. Which is why you are the best. To be honest, I would not even put me before me.”

“Taehyung, hyung. We have been friends for a long time that while I was memorizing this, I had to do a simple mathematics to know how many years I’ve called you hyung.” Jeongguk starts off, clearing his throat. “I have known you for 17 years. Not once did you ever let me go.” He looks at Taehyung who was already looking at him, eyes glossy.

“I think reenacting scenes together when we were young became the foundation of us, our relationship.” He laughs, and the crowd follows.

Jungkook and Taehyung loves recreating memories.

Jungkook and Taehyung loves reenacting scenes together.

Jungkook would always be there to catch Taehyung’s sudden monologues to counter with his own until all that’s engulfing the surrounding was the exchange between the two and the acts they created together, right there on the spot.

Jungkook was there when Taehyung was so into the movie they watched last night that all Taehyung gushed about was the scenes that bugged his mind all night, which is why he was unable to fall asleep because Jungkook, do you think if the Prime Minister tried to play it dirty like they planned to he wouldn’t need to do that hideous act? And Jeongguk -- he would always reply. Always ready to counter Taehyung’s claims, to voice out his thoughts.

Jungkook was there when Taehyung wanted to reenact one scene from an anime they watched together.

“Here, I looked up the manuscript.” Taehyung tapped his on his shoulder with his phone displaying the said manuscript he found on the internet. It obviously was a bad manuscript that it looks like a scanned copy, complete with the font and the slightly smudgy lettering.

“Hyung, that was ugly. Namjoon hyung, tell him the anime was stupid.” Jungkook replied, shaking his shoulder where Taehyung’s hand was resting to shrug off his hyung.

“It’s not really stupid, you see. Just unconventional. Also the ending was rushed.” Namjoon replied.

“Thank you, hyung.”

“I said read.” Taehyung nudged again, this time scooting closer to Jungkook.

And who was Jungkook to deny him?

An hour later, they have been laughing their ass off on the manuscript that they soon found out was lacking some pages. Along their sudden script reading session in the middle of Jungkook’s bedroom Taehyung was convinced that the script was really rushed and some decisions made for the characters were unconventional.

The tradition continued. Impromptu movie nights with illegally downloaded movies for the ones they could not find on netflix were a tradition. Reenacting memes also became a thing. If the two started reciting the opening for The Bee Movie script, the rest of their group decided not to ask.

“What should I tell him?” Hoseok asks to the people present in his apartment -- which is really just their group of friends composed of seven men.

“The Bee Movie script.” Taehyung raised his hand while speaking as if he was called to recite in a classroom, a mannerism he developed. Jungkook removes his gaze from his phone to offer a hand to Taehyung, posed as if to ask for a high five.

“Shut the fuck up.” Hoseok exclaims, exasperated.

“According to all known laws of aviation,-” Taehyung started, mimicking the voice of the narrator from the movie.

“There is no way a bee could fly.” Jungkook trails off, his voice somewhat a little to exaggerated.

Namjoon and Yoongi remained unmoving, used to the two. It was not the first time the two planned to recite the transcript they memorized overtime, although they believe it wouldn’t hurt if they could stop the two before they get to the part about the bees going to school.

If you ask Taehyung, their favorite acting shenanigan would be the romcom ones, and so did Jungkook. The Notebook? Jungkook was there to carry Taehyung. Jungkook would be the one to initiate their usual skits even in the middle of the rain and there is only one umbrella to barely fit two people -- Jungkook would grab the umbrella from Taehyung’s hold, despite the latter’s grumbling of being a bit taller than the younger and thus, he should be the one to hold the umbrella for the two of them. Jungkook would halt their steps on the sidewalk after making sure their little skit would not affect anyone but them, and put his arms around Taehyung and with his other hand on the umbrella, he would slowly tilt it upwards, as if reenacting a slow motion from the series.

On better days when the two would be able to free up their schedules, they would uphold their reputation at the karaoke hub minutes away from the younger’s apartment. The two would do musicals, if they feel like it.

“Pardon the way that I stare, there’s nothing else to compare.” Jungkook exaggerates his action, projecting them to Taehyung.

“The sight of you leaves me weak, there are no words left to speak.” Taehyung digs the next line and more. Jungkook dances around, moving in sways, picking up his drink and taking a sip, letting Taehyung’s voice fill the room they occupied, watching him from behind.

“There are no words left to speak, but if you feel like I feel, please let me know that is real.” Taehyung sings, completely unaware of the man watching him. “You're just too good to be true, I can't take my eyes off you.” The interlude overpowers the surrounding as Taehyung continues to dance along with the instrumental.

Taehyung remains completely unaware of the man who found comfort in the walls he was leaning on, arms crossed in front of him as Taehyung continues to sway from left to right, his body has memorized the rhythm of the song already.

“Jungkook, sing the next part.” Taehyung calls out to him, his hand motioning for him to come closer.

“Oh pretty baby, don’t bring me down I pray.” Jungkook starts off, using Taehyung’s microphone instead of his own, going back to his previous overly-exaggerated motions to the older. “Now that I’ve found you, stay.”

The two greets the first two hours of the dawn at the hub, exchanging moments to sing solos or duets. If Jungkook sings his heart out about one-sided love and if he stares too long at Taehyung during those songs, he thinks the older chose not to speak of it.

“Oh, actually, everyone. I have a video of Taehyung singing Gabriella’s part with Gabriella’s voice and Troy’s part in High School Musical.” He grins and Taehyung laughs, throwing his head back, mouthing at Jeongguk to not show his video.

“Don’t you dare, sir.” Taehyung speaks and the crowd laughs once again.

“Since this is a special day and because I was threatened. I guess the video will never see the light of the day.” Jeongguk jokes. “Moving on, Taehyung is such an adventurous person. Always meeting new people, always out there. And as someone who knows him personally I continued to watch him close. From a clear view, just watching over him do things.” He swallows.

However, just because Taehyung did not speak of those moments, doesn’t mean his other hyungs would not.

“Jungkook, this is not high school musical. Just because you sang songs about love with him doesn’t mean he will catch on right away.” Yoongi sips on his soda to shut himself up after his short rant.

“You all don’t get it-” Jungkook has probably said it the fourth time now.

“No, you don’t get it. Taehyung is oblivious.It wouldn’t hurt the two of you if you tell him directly.” Jimin reasoned out.

“Taehyung is not ugly-” Hoseok gulped to pause, but Jungkook cuts him off.

“Taehyung is very handsome, hyung.” He supplies.

“I was saying, he is not ugly. Which means, people would be attracted to him, people that are not you. Which also means people can get too close to him, people that are not you. You wouldn’t like to hear the other scenarios.” He continued.

Jimin eyed him from Hoseok’s side before looking down at the wraps they were munching on.

• - -

If you ask Jeongguk if there are scenes he would be afraid to act out or scenes he would not do with Taehyung, first he’d tell you he has two different answers for those questions. First, Jeongguk is not fond of reenacting scenes from serial killer movies. Certainly not if he was the serial killer. Second, Jeongguk will not do scenes with Taehyung that requires him to let go of Taehyung, in all aspects.

See Jeongguk’s journal for references and explanations with graphs.

They would often watch scenes from movies with sad endings. Above all things, they would make Jeongguk cry and Jeonguk has a reputation to keep and he would very much appreciate it if his tear ducts could hold his damn fucking tears for just one more minute. There are also times when Jeongguk would look away from the sad scenes and makes a mistake of looking at Taehyung and remember that by fact and by law, Taehyung is not his. Jungkook would like to think he would not need to let go of Taehyung’s hand. The thought makes him reach out to the older who was watching the movie silently.

“Hyung, say, we met right, but since one of us has short-term memory loss, one would always forget the other…” Jungkook starts off, fiddling with Taehyung’s pinky finger.

“We get to have many first meetings. And dates.” Taehyung giggles.

“Yes. But you would forget me.”

“Are you saying I’m Lucy?” Taehyung turns his head towards Jungkook.

“Not the point.” Jungkook laughs.

“I will never forget you.” Taehyung replies, his words hiding more emotions than what the phrase implies.

“Make sure of it.” Jungkook replies, letting go of Taehyung’s hand, afraid that he wouldn’t want to let go.

And not letting go is what he did. The two had been running around town on a spontaneous get away (around town).

+ + +

“We need to reschedule the karaoke, Gukkie. Gyeongwoo wanted me to come watch his play that Saturday.” Taehyung tells him as the older gently brushes the small towel to dry his hair and the younger munches on the biscuit on the bed.

Jungkook tries very hard to remember a movie with a character named Gyeongwoo. Or a play. He didn’t need to. “Sorry?” He asks.

“I have a date.” Taehyung rephrases.

And oh. This is the part where Jeongguk acts out on his own. A one man show. Scene one Act natural. Or act like you don’t care. Or act happy. He thinks. Perhaps this is one of those movies where he is trailing of on a one man show. A man hopelessly falling for his best friend, his supposed soulmate who was busy catching another man. Perhaps this is the part where he trails of his monologue about not needing happy endings, as long as the person he loves gets his own.

He hears the first story of an outsider during one stay over, when Taehyung suddenly tells him a name he could not quite put a face on. Gyeongwoo. Jungkook wishes he can catch on to Taehyung’s sudden antics of acting out movies and roles.

Jungkook thinks, as he watches the older’s form, dead asleep beside him, clutching tightly on the pillow that’s supposed to be Jungkook’s. This is it. This is where I admit to myself and the hyungs that I will be okay.

Jungkook learns as he watch Taehyung cancel more traditions with him and even with the group that being okay is different when you’re trying to be okay alone or with someone. He learns it’s different to be okay without Taehyung. And it’s hard.

+ + +

Jeongguk - 1

Gyeongwoo - 0

He was not keeping count. But then again, Gyeongwoo makes an honest mistake, the biggest one of his life.

It happened when he returns to his dorm room with his peached hair love of his life sat in front of his locked door, beside a plastic bag endowed with candies, sweets and probably sojus.

“LQ?” He asks, unsurprised. This would not be the first time Taehyung runs to him when he and his boyfriend (Jeongguk makes a prayer everytime he mentions that word) are in a lovers quarrel (who the fuck says quarell).

“The last.” Taehyung adds. “We broke up.” He remains on the floor, beside Jeongguk’s legs as the man in a loose plaid unlocks the door.

“Hyung did you get me cereal?” Jeongguk drops his bag on the table before rummaging to the plastic bag Taehyung brought over.

“You’re not my sugar baby.” Taehyung snorts as he starts going to the netflix app of the tv.

“I’m your baby.” Jeongguk replies and stops when he realized what he just said.

“I’m sure.” was Taehyung’s only reply.

Jeongguk did not mention the relationships they have had with other people in his speech. It was not necessary. Who would love to hear about a man’s relationship with someone else at your own wedding? No one.

“For everyone’s information, Taehyung and I made up scenarios during our university days. Completely for fun. Like platonic, maybe. We had these thoughts and found out we were thinking about the same things.” Jeongguk turns to the crowd, then returning his eyes to Taehyung. “It’s almost like a bucket list. We thought maybe, in the future, let me be the godfather of your child and you’ll be the godfather of my child. All that shit.” Everyone laughs again. “And entrust my children to you? No, hyung. No offense.” Jeongguk jokes.

“I’m not bad.’ Taehyung reasons out.

“Are you saying letting the rice cooker toast our dinner is not bad?” Jeongguk challenges.

“Product defects are not my fault.” Taehyung replies.

“Whatever, I wouldn’t want my daughter to be like, face painted like mcdonalds when she returns to my home from a sleepover with your children.”

“Jeongguk, when we graduate. Let’s move in together. Then work and save money and let’s get married. I hope you got coins to get me salmon for our wedding. You know how much I love salmon.” Taehyung turns to him.

“Of course, hyung. And chocolate cake? I’m putting our budget all on the cake.”

“Also let’s invite Obama. Once a couple sent an invitation to the White House and Mrs. Obama sent her regards to them.”

“I was thinking of inviting Yoona, but sure.”

They laughed that night. Finished each other’s words. Laughed until it was three in the morning and Taehyung’s boyfriend at that time kept on calling on a phone that was off. They laughed when all Jeongguk wants to do is scream and cry.

“Hyung, you are the best.” Jeongguk starts off again, grin not falling off his face as the crowd chuckles once again. “Once you told me, your eyes are always on me. And you did, you took care of me. Because you are that kind of person. You put me before you. All the time. Which is why you are the best. To be honest, I would not even put me before me.” Jeongguk jokes, the last part of his speech was impromptu as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat and tried to keep his speech light and filled with happiness. As happiness is what Taehyung deserves. And happiness is what Jeongguk gives Taehyung. He continues to watch Taehyung closely, as he always did. Even as Taehyung watches over him from afar. Taehyung watches over him and not the same way as Taehyung watches over Minji, a junior from the Botany Department. In Minji’s defense (against Jeongguk’s broken heart and loud thoughts) she was a person worth protecting. Minji deserved being watched over. Jeongguk things he would also watch over her and protect her if he was not so busy giving his all to Taehyung.

Jeongguk guessed the cancelled movie nights and plans during the Taehyung-Gyeongwoo era (as their group of friends dubbed it behind Taehyung) was a training for the Minji-Taehyung era. Only Jeongguk understood better now. He always did. Even if Yoongi didn’t and Jimin stopped trying to understand them both.

“Welcome to iHOP!” Jeongguk greets as he opens the door for Taehyung.

“Jeongguk, my sweet bro pal.” Taehyung greets, doing his peace sign with both hands before kicking off his shoes and plops on the floor (near the couch).

“My mom sent me cake and carbonara. It was my sister’s birthday, remember.” Jeongguk starts opening the fridge to reheat the food.

“Is it chocolate?”

“Always.” “Thank you Lord.” and Taehyung stands up to grab a fork from the kitchen and digs into the cake.

“Did you know that Minji hates carbonara? She prefers red sauce.” Taehyung shares, words muffled by the chiffon in his mouth.

“That’s sad.” Jeongguk replies.

“It’s cute.” Taehyung corrects. Taehyung finds everything about Minji cute and he thinks it’s necessary to share them to Jeongguk. Jeongguk takes them and receives them like a good ass best friend.

“Martyr.” Yoongi sadly replies as as they congregate in the table at the far left of the fast food.

“Saint Jeongguk pray for us.” Jimin adds.

“Shut up.” He replies as Namjoon sets down their food on the table, eyes on the pasta.

“Minji loves red sauce with pasta.” He absent-mindedly shares. “Taehyung said Minji loved caramel syrup with rice crisps for the sundae.” He said as he looked at the Oreo Matcha Jin was eating.

“I told you you should have had your great grand mother curse Taehyung with a love potion for him and Jeongguk.” Namjoon whispers to Yoongi as they looked at Jeongguk separate his pickles from his burger.

Taehyung had Minji for almost a year. So Jeongguk thought he could have the cute architecture major from one of his class who gave him his number.

Jeongguk and Minwoo didn’t last. Taehyung was the first to know and the first at his door with soju and chips and chocolate cake.

“Does Minji know about this?” Jeongguk asks as they enter the dorm.

“That I have a secret boyfriend I go to?” Taehyung jokes and Jeongguk just wants to fucking die.

“Asshole. I feel so honored that you cancelled plans with your girlfriend to be with me. Thank you to the management, my family, and to everyone who worked hard.” Jeongguk makes a speech, bowing once before hitting Taehyung with his bag pack.

“Whatever, now, tell me why that fuckface cheated on you.”

Jeonguk spends the evening wrapped in Taehyung’s arms, although he doesn’t know if he was crying because he caught Minwoo hitting off on another boy in another class or is it because Taehyung left his dorm that night to wrap his arms around someone else.

“This speech is getting longer. I had to squeeze a 17 year long timeline in like ten minutes probably.” Jeongguk looks at his watch for effect. “Basically, to wrap this up so everyone can continue on with the ceremony and the celebration and the booze, thank you Taehyung.” He looks at Taehyung once.

“After this, I know you will only continue to look after me, just as I will continue to look after you. I will always follow you, and stand behind you. As we continue to take on another chapter in our life, just know I will always be with you. I love you hyung.” He looks at Taehyung for the second time.

“Everyone, let’s give it up to our newly wedded couple. Congratulations Kim Taehyung and Kim Minji.” Jeongguk looks at Taehyung for the last time.

[end}

[See all works here]

[headquarters90]

Old Acquaintance (Warrior of the Source 10)

Pairing: Darkiplier x French Goddess!Reader, Reader x Original Characters (Platonic/Family), Reader x Greek Gods/Goddesses!Characters

Words: 1,857 words

Warnings: Mentions of kidnapping, torture, and bad parenting

Series Masterlist

“You know, doll, I’m curious,” Anti stated and you lifted your eyes from your book. “How is Dark-”

“I don’t know,” you answered before he could finish, leaning against your chair. “My true lover is supposed to be somewhat different than me but also similar to me in certain aspects. The only things Dark and I are similar in is reading and training, apparently.”

“And he’s one in three,” he continued and you nodded. “From what I could tell-”

“One of Jackie’s sons,” you answered, sighing. “Each lover comes from a different era, a different generation. One older, one similar in age, and one younger in case one of them died. Gives them years in between, less of a risk of all of them passing away and the Source having to figure out how to get one another lover.”

Anti nodded at the information, walking towards the book that said alone on the desk and another sigh left your lips.

“I should put that somewhere so Dark doesn’t read it,” you commented, hearing it open as your eyes dropped to your book. “I’m going into town,” you suddenly spoke as you stood, heading towards the doors of the library.

“Into town? There’s a town?” Anti questioned as he caught up to you and you raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“I said I ran a city the first day we met.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Where are you going?” Dark’s voice demanded and your eyes glanced over your shoulder at him. “Isn’t there more important things to do than what you’re doing?”

“I’m going into town,” you repeated to him, thanking the servant that brought you a cloak. “William and Décembre are being too quiet. They may be lying in wait until we start acting like they’re not going to attack at random. However, they know well that we’re on high alert since Décembre’s appearance.”

“So why go into town?” Anti watched as you tied the cloak around your neck before pulling the hood up.

“I still have to make sure everything is running smoothly and sitting here waiting for an attack is only going to make them wait longer to do so. They like making those fearful of them wait long enough to cause paranoia.” You lifted your eyes to the two, raising an eyebrow. “Going to join me or not?”

“I have research to do. Dark should be able too, however,” Anti stated and you found yourself narrowing your eyes at the smirking glitchy entity as Dark scoffed. “Gives you a chance to see how she runs the town.”

“Maxence, I’m leaving,” you called out, heading towards the front door, your eyes lifting to the demon who bowed respectfully. “You don’t have to see me out.”

“Traditions are to be kept, milady,” he spoke and your nose scrunched at the idea of traditions. “I forget you are not one for those.”

“Certain ones, Maxence. I don’t know when I’ll be back. Don’t let them destroy the place and only Anti and Dark in the library, please.” You patted his arm gently before stepping out, your eyes glancing around before looking back at Dark who followed you out. “You don’t have to come.”

“I want to see how badly you run this so-called city of yours, Goddess,” Dark commented as he followed you down the steps and you shook your head.

“Call me Ziva within the town. I don’t need them catching on that I’m walking through or there’ll be a million questions.” You glanced over at him once more before the two of you stepped out onto the street.

Main of your people greeted you two warmly before greeting others just the same as the two of you began walking down the street. Your eyes danced between both sides of the street, noting every little thing you could see.

Interaction between your people had a smile coming to your lips. Crime rarely happened in Noir and you couldn’t be more grateful for that. You knew a majority of that reason why because your people didn’t want to see you spiral like you once would have before becoming a Warrior.

“This is your doing?” Dark questioned and you turned your head towards him, a proud grin coming to your lips.

“Yes,” you answered, stopping at one of the few stands, smiling at the merchant before his attention turned elsewhere. “There was a good few decades Maxence took care of things here in Noir because I couldn’t handle the pressures of ruling over a city yet but even prior to that, Noir was much like this.”

“Why is it-”

“Called Noir?” You shot him a glance before handing the merchant a euro. “Because of the River.”

“Because of the River,” Dark deadpanned and you smiled softly, holding out a piece of fruit. “Why would I want that?”

“It’s fresh from his garden. He takes great pride in his fruits and veggies.”

“You take great pride in your people.”

“Of course I do. Noir was built by these people – twice. They gathered together to recreate everything after the Great War and they gathered together to create it once we were created by the Source,” you spoke as you lead him down a pathway. “Noir was also the Goddess that turned into the River of Éternelle.”

You glanced over at him before finding yourself kneeling beside the River, your hand gently touching the water with a soft hum.

“Noir gave up her life for the people of Tempête de feu. She was one of the few Monstres that didn’t believe in how my grandparents ruled so she fought against them. She lost and, in turn, Monique cursed her to be a river, this River. Noir was the original Ruler of Tempête de feu and still protects us. She could be considered similar to the River of Acheron. The only difference is, those who enter the River stays alive, no matter what,” you spoke, feeling as if someone caressed your hand.

“Stays alive,” Dark deadpanned and you hummed, nodding as you stood.

“Auntie and Uncle were cut up into pieces and thrown into this River and they were still kept alive because of it. It was until my mother and other Auntie came to their rescue,” you explained.

“Is it wise to be telling someone something that cause hurt someone?”

Tensing at the voice, you soon turned, your staff pointing at his neck as he glanced down at it.

“I was expecting something more…painful,” he spoke, his grey eyes meeting yours. “I mean no harm.”

“You work alongside William and had kidnapped and tortured Isabelle prior to this!”

“I didn’t torture her. I had no interaction with that. I didn’t want too. I was blackmailed and…I’m done being so, which is why I’m here.”

You tilted your head, staring at him as you waited for him to continue and you watched as his eyes glanced towards Dark before returning towards you.

“He had blackmailed me and my lover. If we refused anything he wanted, he would kill us. My...my lover joined your side not that long ago and I wish to do the same.”

You watched him as he shifted on his feet before you began lowering your staff as a realization came to you.

“What are you doing?” hissed the entity beside you as the vampire before you glanced towards him. “This is why I find it hard to believe you are the best as they claim.”

“Shouldn’t find it hard to believe,” the vampire spoke. “She’s as good as they say. She was the one to kill William originally.”

“You’ll tell us everything you know?” You questioned, your staff disappearing. “And if you betray us, you are well aware that you and your lover will be punished?”

“You figured it out?”

“You gave it away. Dark, touch him, will you?”

“What?” Dark hissed, his eyes turning towards you.

“Will you just do it?” You stared at him as he glared at you before doing as you asked and you touched his shoulder, teleporting the three of you to your home.

“You are a stupid, stupid Goddess,” Dark hissed out as the three of you returned to your palace and you looked towards him.

“Maxence, Sébastian, can you gather the rest of the Warriors for me?” You spoke, ignoring the hiss as Anti joined, raising an eyebrow at the newcomer.

“I pray you know what you’re doing, milady?” Maxence glanced towards the vampire before looking at you. “I believe his wanted poster is still floating around after all.”

“Pre-warn Isabelle and Trystan. Oh, and bring in Pierre,” you spoke as Sébastian raised an eyebrow. “I know what I’m doing, great Uncle,” you promised as you looked towards him. “There’s reason why I have files on souls that pass through our Underworld.”

~

You watched as Charon stood in front of Isabelle, his eyes narrowing at the vampire beside you as Isabelle shifted on her feet, glancing at you with the tilt of her head.

“Would you like to explain what is going on here?” Bellatrix raised an eyebrow as you looked over at her. “I know you see the good in almost everyone but you are aware that he kidnapped and tortured Isabelle.”

“He didn’t torture-”

“Bullshit,” Charon hissed before his eyes dropped to the hand that laid upon his arm. “Sorry,” he murmured softly.

“All he did was kidnap me and stupidly tell the plan, mon espoir,” she spoke softly, her eyes lifting to yours once more before shifting towards the vampire. “But it wasn’t stupidly, was it, Damon?”

“No, milady,” Damon spoke, bowing his head as he shifted. “I would never willingly betray Lord Charon or those in relation to him.”

“Then why did you?” Hades demanded as your eyes turned to look at Pierre, watching as he shifted on his feet.

“Same reason as Pierre. Blackmail on a lover,” you spoke. “It would be wise to put him under the same thing as Pierre, Auntie and Hades, with Pierre.”

“How’d you figure out?” Pierre raised an eyebrow at you.

“He told me his lover joined our side. While many did join our side during the Great War, only one that I know of was also blackmailed. It helps that I also described what you liked about him,” you answered and Pierre snorted a laugh, shaking his head.

“You can be slow sometimes, mon coeur bat,” Pierre spoke, his eyes lifting to Damon who scrunched up his nose before sticking out his tongue.

“I don’t trust him,” Charon called out and your eyes looked towards Damon who bowed his head. The air around him shifted and you frowned, turning to Isabelle who tilted her head, her eyes on Damon as well.

“Don’t say that. He regrets it for one, Charon, and for another, he told us of William’s plan before. He did that because, like he said, he wouldn’t willingly betray you,” Isabelle spoke, looking at her lover as he turned towards her. “Y/N trusts and believes him enough to bring him here. We trust her judgement.”

“Pontíki-”

“I mean it.”

A scowl found his lips before he nodded, turning his eyes back towards Damon who shifted on his feet.

“You may put a blade to my neck if I betray, my lord.”

Hades hummed at the statement as you pursed your lips, turning towards him, and he pointed at you in return.

“Do not give me some bullshit-”

“Hades!”

“-about justice and injustice, Y/N.” He sent you a smirk as you scowled at him and Angel snorted from beside Bellatrix.

“The only one that can get away with ignoring her scowl without apologizing.”

“Don’t believe he’ll be the only one for long,” Deimos commented and your eyes shot to his, watching as he blinked in realization. “You seem to be getting friendly with Anti,” he saved himself and Anti snorted from across the room.

“Doubt it, buddy. From what I can tell, I’m lucky to get away with calling her doll.”

Your eyes rolled at the statement, shaking your head as you made your way across the throne room.

“Library?” Hades mused and you stuck your tongue out at him, hearing a soft chuckle leave his lips. “Study, study, study.”

“Backup plan upon backup plan. I’m sure we’re all praying he isn’t bringing them into it,” you shot back at him, glancing over your shoulder at him. “You all train, I-”

“-read. I know the line.” Hades waved you off. “It’s also your way of saying that we’re overstaying our welcome.”

“You and the Warriors? Never.” You grinned before walking down the hall.

“Sarcasm does not fit you, doll.”

“Keep following me around and talking to me, Anti, and many people will begin to think you have an interest in me,” you commented, glancing towards him as he shrugged.

“You do interest me, doll, just not enough to try and be with ya. Not my type.”

You couldn’t help to raise your eyebrow at him. While you appreciate that, for once, you weren’t considered someone’s type, you still had your doubts for the simple fact that you were a God. Gods were created to look too beautiful for the human eye that they had to dull their appearance and you knew that the innocence that was always seen, even if you never acted as much, caught almost everyone’s attention. You knew that your innocence was a good chance of William’s obsession with you.

“What, doll?”

“You’re the first to admit I’m not your type.”

“Really? Pierre-”

“Pierre flirts with every moving creature, related or not,” you muttered as you walked through the doors of your library. “My innocence piques your interest, however?”

“Actually, the opposite, doll.”

Your eyes lifted to his, watching as he sat in a chair, placing his feet on the table in front of him as you waited for him to continue.

“You, in general, did. The Goddess of Life and Healing turned to a Goddess of Literature and Witchcraft. An apparent Warrior of the Source that the all the Warriors believes that she should be the one with the Crown yet isn’t. You enjoyed Dark’s presence long before realizing he was one of three. You’re different than others seem to realize and yet, they don’t pick up on the very obvious hints,” he continued and you raised an eyebrow. “Your innocence is one that will probably forever be there, doll. Some people just have it with them till the day they die. Some cling onto it. You don’t.”

“I once did,” you spoke and he raised an eyebrow but, like all the other times, you never explained deeper as you moved towards the table that held all the books you needed.

[mothercetrion]

A New Beginning

Summary: The Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei would be allies as long as they both should live.

Characters: Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi), Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang); brief appearances from Johnny Cage, Takeda Takahashi, Sonya Blade, Cassie Cage, Bi-Han and Saibot, Cyrax, Sektor, Smoke (Tomas Vrbada), Raiden

Word Count: 6418

here it is... subscorp wedding!! it’s really long but i poured my soul into this. i hope y’all like it. [crossposted to AO3]

———

Kuai Liang and Hanzo Hasashi got married in the spring.

They decided that the season’s weather would likely permit for an outdoor ceremony, no matter if they knew the weather for the date or not, as well as allow safe plane travels for any guests that should come.

They agreed on choosing a random location for the ceremony; neither wanted to pick one temple over the other. They ultimately decided on California, upon Johnny’s suggestion. It was a place that neither had much association with, they had open options in both setting and general weather, and Johnny agreed to pay for the location they wanted as a part of his wedding present. Many pluses, they realized, so that was their final decision.

Their wedding planners, a tag team of Johnny, Sonya, and Takeda, decided that they should walk down the aisle together. Neither of them had parents to walk them down, and it would allow for everyone to see them at the same time. They would come in from two different sides in the back, meet in a middle aisle, and walk down together, arm and arm. They both agreed that the idea was splendid.

They sent invitations to everyone they knew, everyone who had ever helped them both before and after they got together. The Cage family, a handful of Shaolin monks, members of the Special Forces and the police department, Raiden, Fujin, and the entirety of the Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei clans, of course, all received an invitation in their mailbox.

The one person that Kuai Liang feared would not attend was Bi-Han. He was freshly revived, three months before the wedding, and his mind had not fully healed from his death and time as Noob. He and Kuai Liang spoke frequently, and they had a good relationship, but Bi-Han often found himself struggling to be near Hanzo. It was not that he hated him—he had healed well enough to forgive him for believing Quan Chi’s lies, as he would have done the same thing if Quan Chi told him something similar—but seeing him made him think of his death at Scorpion’s hands and led to his mind to deteriorate. He was making progress, but Hanzo desired to give him space so he could heal; the last thing he wanted was to upset Bi-Han in any way. They decided to send an invitation to him. If he could come, they would be more than happy to see him there. If he could not come, there were no hard feelings. They understood.

The men pondered as to whether or not they should stick to the traditional marriages of their past or break away from them. Of course, they were marrying into one another’s clans, which was deeply important to them; however, it was the first documented same-sex marriage since either of their clans began, and they were marrying from the “enemy” clan.

They decided that they had broken tradition when they had become lovers. A little more brokenness—tuxedos instead of their clan uniforms—would be okay.

They were not overly picky about most aspects of the wedding decorations, such as flowers and table tops and chairs. Music was a different story; both wanted a traditional instrumental band to play during the ceremony, but they gave Johnny, their unofficial DJ, permission to go “hog wild” during the reception. They figured that they could allow themselves to have more fun that way, dancing with their friends and loved ones. Hanzo found himself mildly afraid of what Johnny would play.

They were picky about two things—their suits and the wedding cake.

Kuai Liang, surprisingly enough, preferred to wear bowties during the ceremony. He felt that they added an extra layer of fun to the ceremony and would differentiate them from every single other guest, who he was sure would wear the traditional long tie. That was the exact reason that Hanzo preferred the long tie. He did not want to stand out too heavily (to which Kuai Liang replied, “everyone will be focusing on us because we are marrying, Hanzo,” which Hanzo did not like to hear) and felt that bow ties were too silly. They flipped a coin, where Hanzo called heads and regretted it. They were not there for one another’s suit fittings; some element of surprise was needed for the ceremony.

Deciding on a wedding cake flavor was easily one of the harder decisions in the beginning. Kuai Liang was fond of sweets in moderation, but Hanzo very rarely ate sweets at all. They tried several different cakes recommended by Johnny, and at first, Kuai Liang liked a few, but Hanzo did not like any of them. But then they tried red velvet, and Kuai Liang loved it very much, and he turned to Hanzo who had eaten the entire slice offered to them. He was immediately embarrassed and apologized, but Kuai Liang found it beyond sweet. They decided on red velvet then with vanilla icing, a three-tiered cake so Johnny would hush about how “every wedding needs a big cake.”

And then… the day of the wedding arrived.

It was chaotic in the beginning. Hanzo and Kuai Liang had stayed in a hotel near the reception area in the days before the wedding. Johnny had wanted them to be there for rehearsals, final changes, anything else that they would need to be there for. They woke up at the crack of dawn to Johnny busting into their room, three coffees in his arms and a grin on his face. How he got in there without a key was a mystery. “Future husbands! It’s time to get our butts in gear!”

Kuai Liang rose up immediately, glaring at Johnny with a deep frown. “It is early, even for us, Cage. The wedding isn’t until this evening. Why are you—”

“Because it’s the most important day of your entire life, Subs!” Johnny jumped into the room and pulled on Kuai Liang’s arm, pulling him out of bed and handing him his coffee. “It’s your first marriage, yeah? I know you two will stay married a long time, probably forever, if I had to guess. It’s a big deal!” He gestured to the lump of blankets that was Hanzo. “C’mon, Spicy, get up! It’s a big day! Gotta get a move on!”

Hanzo sat up slowly then, suffering from bed head and wearing a tired scowl. “I am awake, Cage…” He paused, looking at the front door and back to Johnny. “How are you in here?”

Johnny snickered and passed him his own coffee. “I have my ways.” He went to the door and swung it open, stepping into the hallway. “I ordered room service for the husbands-to-be. Eat your breakfast, get showered, celebrate one another, I don’t care. I’m picking y’all up at, uh… 11 o’clock to get to the venue and get our suits on. It’s a long drive. Be ready by then, okay? Okay! Love ya!” With that, he blew them a kiss and closed the door behind him and left Hanzo and Kuai Liang alone.

Kuai Liang stepped over to the bed and sat down, failing to keep his smile contained. “Good morning, my dearest. Did you sleep well?”

Hanzo smiled softly in return. “Good morning, my love. I slept the nicest in weeks… And you?”

“The same.” Kuai Liang lifted up a hand and worked to tame Hanzo’s long hair. “It hit me this morning.”

“What did?”

“We are getting married today. We will be spending the rest of our lives together, expanding our clans and growing further as individuals… together. Side by side.” Kuai Liang felt himself grinning, looking fondly into Hanzo’s eyes. “I never imagined that this day would come, but now that it has, I’m beyond excited.”

Hanzo’s cheeks reddened with a blush. “You are a sap, my love.” He lifted a hand to Kuai Liang’s cheek, cupping it in his hand and tracing his thumb along his beard. “I am also excited. The second time… It is just as thrilling, but it produces more nerves within me. It is mostly because of our plan team.”

Kuai Liang snickered. “He is merely passionate. He cares. Sonya and Takeda care just as much.”

“Takeda planning my wedding is the only thing that brings me ease… that, and you being my groom.” Hanzo glanced away briefly. “I am trying to save my love speak for my vows. Forgive me.”

Kuai Liang lowered his hand from Hanzo’s hair and gently grabbed the hand that rested in his lap. “It is always a good time to hear you speak your mind… I love hearing your thoughts. Confide in me, my dearest.”

Hanzo leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to Kuai Liang’s lips, his eyes closing. “Lay with me a while. Let me hold you for the last time before our forever begins,” he whispered, remaining close to his lips.

Kuai Liang smiled and kissed him once again. “Anything for you.”

They turned on a nature documentary and just laid next to one another, holding one another and exchanging pleasantries and kisses. After a while, room service arrived with a large breakfast for the two to enjoy and a written note from Johnny: “For the lovebirds on their special day! Stay neat.” They sat in bed and enjoyed their food to the best of their abilities. They laughed over jokes and kissed even more and had a pleasant, peaceful morning, simply enjoying one another’s company without stress or a care in the world.

It was time to get ready for the day then. They opted to shower together, but they decided to keep it tame; they helped one another wash their bodies and their hair. They hugged one another close and stood under the hot water for what felt like an eternity, simply living in the moment with one another. They wondered if they could ever have a more relaxing time together. They deserved the break after weeks of wedding preparations.

After that, they got dressed in casual clothes and brushed their teeth and prepped themselves for the onslaught of the people that they were about to encounter. Once ready, they met with Johnny in the hotel lobby, where they went outside to the limousine nicknamed “The Fire Ice Wedding Mobile” and rode to the wedding venue. Johnny rambled the entire way there to further confirm any small details of the wedding with the grooms. He spoke to Sonya and Takeda both during the ride, both of them already at the venue and occasionally yelling at those who were making the venue perfect for the occasion.

The venue was decorated in honor of the Shirai Ryu, covered in yellows and oranges and reds. It was to honor Hanzo and his past with his clan, as well as his steps forward in the years since his family and clan’s demise and rebuilding.

They decided on a wooded area, far from any buildings or nosy strangers to intrude on their special day. Green trees surrounded the area and were decorated with beautiful lights, hand picked by Hanzo and Kuai Liang themselves. The bulbs were round and emitted a soft yellow glow over the area. A white alter was sat in the middle of a rounded out area; it was also decorated with lights, as well as red flowers—red orchids, just like the ones that Hanzo laid out on the day that they proposed to one another.

The men shared a final kiss before their marriage still in the limousine. Sonya and Takeda insisted that they hurry to get dressed for the wedding, since it was beginning in a few hours and guests would begin to arrive soon. Kuai Liang went with Sonya to one tent to get ready, where Johnny followed them, and Hanzo followed Takeda to their own tent.

Once in their tents, the two men were prepared for their wedding. Their hair was messed with to look its best, and they were put in their tuxedos with the most careful of hands. They were sat in chairs while Johnny, with Sonya, and Cassie, with Takeda, took photos of every photographable moment to be sent out to all guests in attendance and those who could not attend. Neither of them liked the constant taking of photos at first, but they quickly grew used to them.

Both men were drinking tea in their tents when it was nearing time for the ceremony to begin. Johnny was in charge of getting all of the guests to their seats in a timely and organized fashion. He turned serious as the ceremony time came closer, and he ran around the entire venue to get everyone in their place.

Sonya sat in a chair across from Kuai Liang, watching as he sat in his own chair and sipped on his tea. “Are you nervous?” she asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Of course,” Kuai Liang answered. He placed his tea down on a table and let out a sigh. “This is my first marriage, hopefully my last. I want everything to go perfectly.”

“That’s how I felt about my wedding.” Sonya sighed with a smile. “Johnny’s family paid for everything. It was a big ordeal, with a bunch of guests I didn’t even know and a huge venue and a lot of stuff that his family kinda pushed.” Shaking her head, she fiddled with her long hair. “He called me and noticed that I was a little overwhelmed. It was about two hours before our ceremony, and he took me to the courthouse and asked a complete stranger to wed us. Right there.”

Kuai Liang laughed. “Of course he would do that.”

“Heart of gold. Always cares.” She chuckled to herself. “We went back and got ‘married’ in front of our families. It wasn’t the wedding I imagined, but… it was perfect in my eyes.” Sonya found herself grinning. “I know you and Master Hasashi will have a perfect wedding. Johnny will bend over backward to be sure that everything goes well and that you two are happy with everything.”

Kuai Liang smiled back. “I have no doubts.”

Right then, Takeda popped up in the doorway of the tent. Dressed in a nice suit, he looked good, and he looked excited. “Grandmaster!” he greeted, walking around to stand in front of his seat. “Looking dapper. Master Hasashi looks good as well.”

“I’m sure he does.” Kuai Liang rose to his feet. “Is it time for us to get in position?”

“It is. Just like we rehearsed, a Shirai Ryu and a Lin Kuei will meet and walk down the pathway, then you and Master Hasashi will follow suit, arm in arm.”

He ushered him out of the tent and to a part of the woods around the venue, hidden away from everyone by trees. He could see someone with long hair in a suit standing a good distance away hidden by several trees, most definitely Hanzo, as well as a Shirai Ryu. He met with a Lin Kuei warrior and bowed to him respectfully, and Takeda saluted him with a hand. “Five minutes. We’ll signal and then you two will walk down the path after. Good luck!”

With that, Takeda was off down the path to the venue. Kuai Liang watched him go and shook his head. He was far too thrilled.

He noticed the Shirai Ryu across the woods next to Hanzo, watching as Hanzo paced around the cleared area they were stood in. Kuai Liang tilted his head in confusion and excused himself from the Lin Kuei, and he stepped around several trees and bushes and up to the Shirai Ryu and asked to talk to Hanzo alone.

Hanzo looked up and immediately ducked behind a tree, a deep frown on his face. He looked nervous. “Kuai Liang, what are you doing? It’s bad luck to—”

“I don’t care.” Kuai Liang grabbed his hand pulled him out from behind the tree. His hair was out of its bun, and it was long, past his shoulders and straightened, likely by Cassie. The suit fit him like a glove and made him look more spectacular than usual. Kuai Liang found himself smiling like mad. “My dearest, you… you look amazing.”

Hanzo rose a hand to hide his lower face in embarrassment. “As do you, my love.”

“What troubles you?” Kuai Liang asked. “You look nervous. I came as soon as I saw.”

Hanzo hid his eyes then, squeezing Kuai Liang’s hand. “I… I am so nervous about this… Butterflies plague me.”

“You’ve seemed fine with everything thus far.”

“That was before I saw all of those people. I know all of them, of course, but it’s… it’s still larger in comparison to my first wedding. Much more worry of messing up or looking foolish or—”

“Who cares about them?” Kuai Liang grabbed his other hand and pulled it away from his eyes. “It is our day. They are simply bystanders to the greatest event of our current lives. Do not worry about them.” He smiled sweetly and stretched up to kiss the taller man’s forehead. “Focus on me and me only, my dearest. All will be well.”

Hanzo smiled back at him and wrapped his arms around him in a hug. He rested his chin on his shoulder with a deep sigh. “Thank you, my love.”

Kuai Liang kissed his neck and pulled away. “Anything for you.”

Minutes later, the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei met in the opening of the cleared area, in the sight of every guest in attendance. They bowed at one another and walked down together to the sound of traditional music played by a musician hidden away by trees. They separated at the altar at the end of the path, standing on either side of the altar with calm expressions. The music picked up, and then Hanzo and Kuai Liang began to move through the clearing behind the trees.

They appeared at the same time and came into view to the guests at the same time.

Kuai Liang found himself just as blown away the second time he saw him. Hanzo was still nervous in appearance, but a smile was on his face. The two grabbed one another’s hands and kissed briefly. It wasn’t part of the rehearsal, but… they could not hold back.

They linked arms then and began the walk down the pathway. Both of them glanced around at all of the guests, smiling at them all and nodding at some. Johnny gave them a thumbs up when they passed his seat, which made both of them chuckle under their breath.

They reached the altar and were met with Raiden. Both of them were more than happy to give him the honor of marrying them when they learned from Takeda that he wanted to do it. He was one of the few select people that had known them both before and after their deaths, as well as their revivals. It was a pivotal piece in their current state of mind, their acceptance of their pasts and excitement for the future. He was beyond excited when he heard of their engagement. It was so special an occasion, he had ditched his hat and wore his long silver hair down.

Hanzo and Kuai Liang smiled at him briefly before moving to stand in front of one another at the altar, hand in hand.

Raiden closed his eyes briefly and opened them, a warm smile on his face. “I welcome all friends, all family, to the most joyous occasion in much of our lives.” He looked down at the two men with a gentle nod. “Today, we gather to bring these two men, Master Hanzo Hasashi and Grandmaster Kuai Liang, together in eternal harmony and eternal marriage. Today is the beginning of a new future for these men and both the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei. History is being made, and all of you are witnesses.”

He looked up at the sky beyond the trees. “I have known Hanzo and Kuai Liang for what feels like an eternity. Their revival was one of the most miraculous things I have witnessed in my many years of life, and it still blows me away to this day. These men have grown to be kind, generous, and so beyond their years in gratitude. Their minds healed, alongside their hearts, where they were able to find love in the least likely of places.

“I have witnessed the impact that these men have had on one another. Speaking to them privately, I am simply blown away at their changes. They are both more able to joke, more relaxed and beyond pleasant to be near. They are more open to new experiences and are able to take on new challenges. Coexistence has strengthened them beyond what anyone could dream…”

Hanzo and Kuai Liang grinned at one another.

“Perhaps that is the result of true love that no heart can turn away.”

Raiden went on for a while about their impacts on one another and the beautiful results that could come from being in love. He recited a few wise quotes from their clans’ histories about the result of lifelong alliances, both friendship and true love, that can only make a man stronger than he was before. He told ancient stories of seeing alliances blossom in the least likely of places in the many years he had been alive, but nothing could top the alliance that bloomed between them.

Finally, he reached the point of the ceremony that everyone was both excited for and dreaded the most—the vows.

“I do not know who will go first during the vows. No one told me.” Everyone laughed at Raiden’s attempt at humor. “Do we have a volunteer?”

Instantly, Kuai Liang piped up, “Me. I want to go first.”

He readjusted his footing and squeezed Hanzo’s hands. “Hanzo, I… I never once believed that finding someone that loved me was possible. At a young age, I knew that I was unlike those around me, and the thought of living my life without a romantic partner… it was something I did not want.” He looked down at his shoes, turning sheepish. “I held up hopes for years that I would eventually find a man to accept me for my imperfections and way of life. I dated, and none of them made me the happiest I believed that I could be.

“My cyberization and later death halted those hopes. My restoration made those hopes so small that a grain of sand was larger. I gave up for many years, not pursuing anything with the poor excuse of lack of socialization time. I focused on restoring my mind and my clan, and then, with the help of a dear friend…” Kuai Liang looked back up at Hanzo then, ignoring Johnny’s quiet cheer at the discreet mention of him. “I met you.”

His cheeks reddened slightly in a blush. “Our relationship was, of course, rocky and filled with bumps in the road. Once we got past that stage, I admittedly fell for you very hard, very fast.” He smiled sheepishly. “You were so strong. You had been through so many horrid things, and yet you still tried to maintain a strong outlook on life. You did not let that hold you back. I admired your desire to be the best you could be. It helped me grow as a person and realize the importance of having a close relationship with my clan. It made me realize that you could find inspiration and people to admire in the strangest of places…

“Getting the courage to ask you on a date is the greatest decision I have ever made. Away from our clans, you were so kind and generous to every need I desired. You smiled around me and made jokes and made me so nervous… and for no reason. It was the fact that the most handsome man I had ever seen had given me the chance to be his lover. When we began being serious, I had never been so at peace with myself, never so blissful and excited to be alive. You make me feel young and full of energy and ready to conquer the world.”

Kuai Liang paused, closing his eyes with a shaky breath. He opened them and tried to blink his tears away, but he failed. “You are everything to me. Everything I am, everything I do, is to honor you and the chance you have given to me to be in your life. My heart is so full that I could tell you every day that I love you and it would never be enough to properly convey how I feel.” He squeezed Hanzo’s hands as a tear cascaded down his cheeks. “I love you so much. I cannot wait for our lives to begin together. It will be the greatest.”

Hanzo stared at him in shock for a moment, and he let out a nervous chuckle. His eyes were filled with tears. “I… I will never be able to top that.” Everyone laughed, and Hanzo wiped his eyes free of tears. “I can only begin where I know best. Long before I met you, long before our individual rivalry began, I had found love. I had a family. They meant everything in the world to me. They still do. But after my demise and theirs, after my manipulation and life as a wraith and then my restoration…” He paused, and his eyes squeezed shut. “I never thought I would find love again. I gave up so quickly and went into such a dark place in my life. Everything felt… meaningless. Pointless. Even after the slow rebuild of my clan, I could find nothing to make things seem worth it.

“And then the same dear friend forced me to give you a chance.” He looked right at Johnny then, nodding at him. “I am glad he did.” He looked back to Kuai Liang. “Drinking tea with you at your temple was easily the best experience I had in several years. I laughed for the first time in months, allowed a genuine smile on my face. I saw color in the world for the first time, vividness and color and happiness, and it was because of your beautiful heart and endless kindness.

“I soon realized that I liked you, and I was admittedly scared. I felt… guilty. I could not move on from my wife, I could not have feelings for another person, and then it hit me.” Several tears fell down his face at once, and he did not try to wipe them away. “It was my second chance. She would not want me to squander a chance at happiness, which is what you gave me.”

Kuai Liang allowed tears to fall then. Quiet sniffles were heard from the guests, but they were ignored. “You became the most important person to me very quickly. Your patience has helped me find inner peace, an inner balance that cannot be matched. My broken heart was healed by your beauty and kisses and love. Your smile gives me goosebumps. Your touch sends chills down my spine… literally.” Both of them laughed at that. “You are the greatest gift I have ever received. I love you so much. You are the one person I know I can count on for the rest of my life. Our lives are only beginning, and with you by my side… I know things will only get better from here on out.”

The two hugged then, ignoring wedding traditions and rehearsals and everyone around them. Words were unable to describe how either of them felt at that moment. Blessed, perhaps. In love, definitely.

Raiden ushered for the rings then, and the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei passed them to their masters, where they exchanged rings. A traditional tea ceremony, linked to the Lin Kuei past and any other marriages in Kuai Liang’s lineage, was celebrated. Raiden presented one large cup of tea for the two men to exchange sips of. Drinking from the same cup symbolized their dedication to one another and eternal love for the future.

Raiden passed the cup to Kuai Liang, who held it in shaky hands. “Kuai Liang,” he began, “do you take Hanzo Hasashi to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you accept his deepest flaws and promise to stand by him, cherish him, and love him for the rest of eternity?”

Kuai Liang nodded assuredly. “I do.” He took a sip of the tea. He passed it to Hanzo and looked him in the eye with a gentle smile.

Hanzo gripped the cup in his hands as Raiden spoke. “Hanzo Hasashi, do you take Kuai Liang to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you accept his deepest flaws and promise to stand by him, cherish him, and love him for the rest of eternity?”

Hanzo returned the nod. “I do.” He finished off the tea and passed the empty cup to Raiden.

Raiden looked at the two men with the happiest smile he had probably ever worn in his long life. “I am extremely pleased to pronounce you lawfully wed in the eyes of the Elder Gods. You may kiss your new husband,” he said to them both.

They did not hesitate. Kuai Liang and Hanzo stepped closer and pulled one another in for a deep kiss. All of the guests were cheering for them, some of them standing and all of them clapping. The men pulled away and grinned at one another in delight, and they turned to their guests then, maintaining their delighted smiles. They were ushered to the limousine then, which would hold them and allow them to relax out of direct attention until the wedding reception.

The reception was a few miles down the road, in a different part of the woods. The reception was decorated in honor of the Lin Kuei, covered in various shades of blue. It was to honor Kuai Liang and the rebuilding of his clan, his past of cyberization and his death and his steps towards a life of peace.

The reception area was decorated in lanterns of light blues. White flowers were placed on tables and in trees, making the area smell fresh and inviting to all guests. All gifts for the newlyweds were placed on a table in a gazebo on the edge of the woods. The wedding cake sat in another gazebo nearby, decorated in white flowers. Johnny had set up a speaker system next to the gazebo, where instrumental music was playing. Everyone stood around, drinking refreshments or eating the food laid out for them.

The limousine pulled up once everyone had arrived. Kuai Liang and Hanzo stepped out, hand in hand and grinning, and Johnny spoke into a microphone that was connected to the speaker system. “The newlyweds have arrived, everyone!”

Everyone began to cheer, and Hanzo and Kuai Liang waved at everyone in excitement. Johnny continued, “Before everyone starts swarming them with ‘congratulations’ and stuff, we have Hanzo’s family’s tradition of drinking sake. Can we get the sake laid out please, Sonya?”

Hanzo’s family’s sake tradition was similar in a way to Kuai Liang’s clan’s tea tradition. Hanzo’s mother believed that sharing a drink with a loved one was the closest that two spouses could be. She firmly believed that if a spouse could not handle their loved one after they drank, then they were unworthy.

Hanzo and Kuai Liang were handed a single cup of sake, and both of them quickly shared a sip of them. Each time one of them sipped, the guests all cheered in delight. When they finished sipping and finally kissed one another, everyone whooped in excitement, including Johnny into the microphone. “Yeah! Alright, it’s officially time for the after party to begin! Eat some snacks, socialize, dance a little. Congratulate the happy couple! We eat dinner in an hour.”

He put down the microphone and put on some song that neither Hanzo nor Kuai Liang recognized, but it was danceable and not vulgar and… nice. Johnny leaped off the stage and approached them, pulling both of them in for a hug at the same time. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you guys.”

Hanzo immediately returned the hug. “Thank you, Cage. Thank you for planning the wedding and the reception. It all looks amazing.”

Kuai Liang returned the hug then. “He’s right. It’s better than we could have ever dreamed. Thank you.”

Johnny chuckled. “Anything for two of my best friends. You guys deserve an amazing day.” They all pulled away then, and Johnny looked around at all of the guests in attendance. “I think everyone who was invited showed up, so lots of gifts in your favor.”

“…Everyone?” Kuai Liang asked. Hanzo squeezed his hand. He knew who he was thinking about.

Johnny let a grin fill his face. “Yeah, everyone. See for yourself.”

Hanzo caught sight of Bi-Han first, who stood near the drinks and held a glass in his hand. He was speaking with Cyrax, Sektor, and Tomas, and all of them looked happy. Saibot was nearby, hovering next to the table with their eyes looking around at everyone. They were more open to new people than Bi-Han, being independent and not being plagued by horrible memories as bad as Bi-Han. They looked over and suddenly disappeared into the ground, and they reappeared right next to Kuai Liang. Johnny cheered in delight and wrapped an arm around their shoulders with a grin. “Shady! How’s my favorite shadow?”

Saibot gave him a thumbs up and grabbed Kuai Liang’s wrist, pulling him towards the drink table. He grabbed Hanzo’s wrist as well and soon had them both next to the drink table. The first to notice them was Tomas, who turned himself around with a mischievous smile. “Bi-Han, look what your shadow dragged in: a married man!”

Sektor and Cyrax immediately stepped over, and they and Tomas moved to hug Kuai Liang, lifting him off the ground with cheers. Kuai Liang found himself laughing and attempting to hug them in return, but his arms were only so large. Tomas pulled away first and quirked a brow at Hanzo. “Can’t forget you, Hanzo! Bring it in.” He pulled Hanzo in for a deep hug, whispering in his ear, “Welcome to the Lin Kuei, my friend.”

Hanzo grinned at him and returned the hug, nearly losing his balance when Cyrax and Sektor moved to hug him too. “Thank you all,” he said kindly. “I am honored.”

Kuai Liang watched them with a smile. He eventually turned to look at Bi-Han, who looked vaguely uncomfortable. He approached him and gently poked his arm. “You came.”

Bi-Han let a smile form on his face. “I wouldn’t miss it. Congratulations, brother.”

The two brothers hugged briefly, and Bi-Han ruffled Kuai Liang’s hair. Kuai Liang attempted to swat his hands away but stood laughing instead. “Are you well?” he asked after a few seconds of ruffling.

“I’m well. Not used to being around so many people, however.” Bi-Han let Kuai Liang out of his grasp and looked around the area. “They’re all very kind though.”

“The kindest.”

Tomas, Cyrax, and Sektor released Hanzo from their group hug right then, and they went back to their drinks. They knew that Hanzo needed to speak to Bi-Han at least a little.

Hanzo walked up to Kuai Liang and Bi-Han and smiled softly at him, though it was definitely forced. “I’m glad you came, Bi-Han.”

Bi-Han went tense, but he took a deep breath and took a step towards him. “Master Hasashi… I’m glad I came too. I always knew you made my brother very happy, but today further confirmed that.” He held out a hand for a handshake. “I am very happy for you both. Take good care of him for me.”

Hanzo returned the handshake quickly and smiled at him. “Of course.”

The three of them exchanged some more pleasantries before Hanzo suggested that they speak to some of the other guests. They walked around the venue and spoke to everyone in attendance at least once, hugging some and laughing with others. Music played loud on the speakers, and Johnny encouraged everyone to dance. Kuai Liang and Hanzo danced briefly with some of the other guests and had a grand time.

Soon enough, it was time for dinner, and everyone settled down at tables and ate the food prepared by someone that Johnny hired. It was a good time for Hanzo and Kuai Liang to settle down and relax some, as well as eat some food. Hanzo didn’t realize how hungry he was until he saw food in front of him. Then it was time for cake.

Hanzo and Kuai Liang were blinded by camera flashes when they worked together to cut into the first slice. They cut a large slice and worked together to put the slice on a plate. They then cut the slice into two smaller slices, ready to eat.

Hanzo remembered his first wedding then. Harumi had hit him in the face with the first slice of cake. It was the highlight of the reception.

He picked up the slice of cake and moved to feed to gently to Kuai Liang. He opened his mouth, and with a giant laugh, Hanzo smacked the cake against his open mouth. The guests went into a riot, all of them cackling like mad at Kuai Liang’s shocked face. Hanzo turned his body away then, laughing even harder when some of the cake fell on the ground. He felt a hand on his arm and turned around, and he was met with cake to the face and even more laughter from their guests. Kuai Liang was grinning and laughing, and Hanzo felt his cheeks blush, though it was not visible due to the cake he wore.

He used his clean hand to grab Kuai Liang’s shirt and pull him into a kiss. He tasted the cake on his lips and kissed deeper, humming into his lips. Kuai Liang returned the kiss as the guests cheered at their tables. Hanzo felt more in love than ever before.

To say that their wedding day was the greatest of their lives was a vast understatement. It was beyond unforgettable thanks to the help of close friends and rebuilt hearts.

They wouldn’t trade that feeling for the world.