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bunny-hoodlum · 3 years ago

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Asynchronous With You: Ch 4

Hinata had no idea what she was doing following this child around, being lead from booth to booth, watching her pick up snacks and play games as they went. She was asked if she wanted a taiyaki, but she hadn't the stomach for it. She was asked if she wanted to help win her a plushie, but she was too numb to respond.

Everyone was looking at them.

Her classmates made comments in passing.

"Hey, I didn't know you had a sister!"

"Whoa, shocker! You're not an only child?"

"Huh? Who's that?"

"Guess Hyuuga-san can't be mysterious and secretive forever."

And then there was Naruto's face angled above the river of bodies, wide, open eyes filled with confusion and concern.

She ducked her head down. At the same time, Hanabi tugged at her skirt and pointed at another booth ahead. Following her lead her closer to Naruto, who began to push his way through to reach her.

His prescence is always like the sun, at times warm and welcoming, other times overbearing. Suffocatingly hot, in fact. Like now. Like she's been abandoned without her shoes, wandering barefoot on an asphalt desert, and here he is bearing down on her, unrelenting.

Several takes are made between Hanabi and herself. He's assessing with his own eyes and verifying it against their history.

"How old is she?" He murmurs.

Hinata releases a shaky sigh. "Ten. Her birthday's in March."

And Kurenai had taken them in the summer before. Her parents must have gotten pregnant again shortly after.

They both watched as Hanabi grasped the baseball and threw her arm back. After a couple near misses, she finally got it through the 300pt hole. Hinata clapped, but it was hollow and robotic. This obvious show of pain only earned her more of his attention, and that pained her too.

Hanabi skipped over to them, another palm-sized plushie added to the others hooked inside her left arm. Her cunning upturned eyes widened upon seeing Naruto standing so closely to her Onee-san.

"Is that your boyfriend?"

Naruto froze up, a hand reached behind his head as he sputtered to explain without making things weird.

"He's someone that was nice to me in grade school," Hinata said coolly.

"Uh, yeah," The right half of Naruto's face pinched in mild disagreement, finding her answer a bit more impersonal than he was going for.

"What? That's all?" Hanabi's open-mouth frown made her look like the goldfish she tried to scoop earlier. She seemed visibly bored by this revelation.

Hinata also caught an indignant look from Naruto, whose eyes seemed to ask 'Yeah, that's all?'.

"Oh, I forgot," She met his stare, "You're trying to befriend the whole school by graduation." It wasn't code. He was almost obsessively expanding his contacts every day. He wanted to appear in every school photo for the yearbooks. He wanted the empty spaces so dense with inside jokes, fond wishes and signatures that no one could ever say he was unpopular and unloved.

"Hell yeah. And I'm halfway there, too."

It was Hanabi's turn to read the air between them as she glanced from person to person. A good-humored smirk curved her lips. "Looks like you have a long ways to go with Onee-san. Well, nice meeting you!" She grabbed Hinata's hand and began to drag her away, waving her flummoxed acquaintance goodbye. Hinata didn't even resist.

Naruto watched her disappear through the throng, as irritation and discomfort took seat inside his chest. She's walking around like a puppeted corpse and she gives him attitude?! His sigh transforms into a drawn out growl as he mentally works through the wrongness he feels. He comes out of it calmer, sympathy renewed.

She's simply not acting like herself. He has to forgive her for that.

As her brother, and the only one that's around, he has to fix this.

Otherwise, what is he good for?

______________________________

He had determined to find her again later in the day, when her sister surprise was no longer sucking the soul out of her.

And he does find her later, when the sky is a guava-mango sorbet dimming darker, and the school halls are shadowed in sleepy silence.

She's found a place to be alone, in a stairwell that hardly anybody uses.

Well, except himself. And a few others.

It's a great place for a post-lunchtime quickie.

It's not a hundred-percent guarantee to be unoccupied, but it's kind of a well-guarded school secret.

Now that he thinks about it, as she sits there much like his other catches have, and he's coming to meet her when everyone's gone, it leaves him feeling... exposed and shameful. Like they're both here for unsavory reasons.

A flash of a memory intrudes on him, of baby-soft, plump white skin that refused to be buttoned up in the shirt he shrank, bouncing with the force to cause an earthquake in his room, that tight-lined cleavage taunting him.

It took him weeks to look her in the face again, and he thinks about it now?!

He smacks his cheeks until he's regained stoic resolve. But then something else nags at him.

What if she was here, and she was waiting for someone else?

No one's invited her over here yet, he would know.

But they could. And when they did...

He shakes off these burdensome thoughts like a wet dog.

No one in this school has their eye on his sister. He would know that, too.

And he wouldn't allow it.

He can't think of a damn soul that's good enough for her.

So hardworking, so generous, so considerate and patient. Plus she was smart, she cooks better than Kurenai-obasan, and she's an amazing listener.

She's just so, so amazing.

And yet, stuff like this happens.

She's like the smallest thing to ever exist, that's what she looks like right now. As if he could scoop her up with both hands and still lose her between the cracks of his palms.

Just like when they first met.

Neji's voice rises up in the back of his mind. "You're the only one I can ask."

He's got a lot of experience cheering her up and making her feel safe, and this time will be no different.

Or so he thought.

When she looks up at him, he feels transparent. Her brow is furrowed like it doesn't make sense for him to be here.

"Can you take me to the train station?" She asks unblinkingly, thin tears escaping from the inner corners.

His mind goes a mile a minute with speculation, but he'd already been planning on saying 'yes' to her no matter what she had asked of him.

______________________________

They're taking the train to Neji's private high school. It's way pass curfew, so there's no visiting him at his dorm, but they're going to try.

Naruto can't talk to her because she's fully turned towards the window. Instead he takes this free time to picture himself in her situation. That he has family somewhere out there, and siblings he's never met. That they lived their lives without him. Maybe even erased his existence from their story. No photographs, no baby book.

Was Hinata even still on their family registry?!

He folded over and clutched his head, groaning. "This is so fucked. How could they do this to you?!"

For the past six hours, she's been asking herself the same thing.

She was also asking for Hanabi's sake, those fragile words ringing over and over in the back of her mind.

"Do you think I'm a redo?"

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut tight.

Because there are no redos without mistakes.

______________________________

AN: Sorry, this is only 800 words! D: I'll probably combine this with the previous chapter as well when I post it to AO3. Or maybe it's somehow fine as is? Like an Interlude? I also wanted to write that heartwrenching scene between Hanabi and Hinata and get some exposition out of the way, but today it felt tedious. :( I wish I had written it when I originally wanted to, lol.

That aside, I'm not totally happy with the flow of the middle scene, it just feels maybe... distracted? or disjointed? Hmm... tangential?

Plus I couldn't seem to dig very deep into Naruto's reactions and like, the logical progression of his emotions. I feel I just skimmed the surface. Oh wait, maybe it's because he ought to be belligerently outspoken about this stuff, right? （・□・；）

Sometimes I think I really miss the ball when writing Naruto cuz I subdue him to be more 'normal' and have enough situational awareness to get by on. (눈_눈)

#asynchronous with you fanfiction #naruto x hinata #naruhina #naruhina fanfiction #chapter 4 #more WIP than official #short chapter

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cafeinthemoon · 4 years ago

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The Leaves of Her Garden - Chapter XVI

Title: The Leaves of Her Garden

Genre: Fanfiction

Pairing: Madara Uchiha x reader

Rating: Mature

Word count: 3163

Chapter (s): 16/?

Read the previous chapters here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Interlude, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15

Symbols: ⭕ | ➕ | 🖤 | ▶▶

Chapter XVI - The Week Before the Travel

If you thought your life has been through enough changes the moment you arrived at the Uchiha compound, the week before your husband’s farewell came to show you that there’s nothing that has already been through many changes that couldn’t be transformed a bit more.

The mornings were reserved to your shinobi training. You always used the same place of the day you learned how identify your chakra pathway, the garden. You liked it for its quietness and privacy: it was like whenever you were there, you could never be interrupted by someone or something unexpected. It seemed to work as a fence to another world, where time stopped just for you two.

Your progress came faster than you were expecting. Yes, it’s true that you were far from becoming a skilled shinobi like the ones you met there, but what you were capable of doing now were impressive when you considered that you were an adult who never had any preparation until then.

After learning how to control your chakra, your first challenge was to practice with kunai. When Madara put a blade on your hand for the first time and explained what you were supposed to do with it, you couldn’t feel anything but the uncomfortable weight of the weapon; you almost told him you didn’t want to hold anything like that again, but since you were going so far and you asked for that, you couldn’t look behind. When you found out you could transfer your chakra the kunai, holding it became strangely easier: your hand no longer trembled and you felt at will to throw it at the closest tree. The first time you did it, you ran to look at it closer and were surprised of how deep the blade entered the wood.

You then started to train your defense: for now, it was better for you to learn how to protect yourself and avoid conflicts, just as you wanted in the first place, and Madara stated that this part of your training would make things easier when you started to learn attack methods. This time you felt less difficulty to adapt because of the previous session you had before the ceremony; you also noticed the difference between striking using your chakra and just relying on your physical strength: your movements were more fluid, faster and well led. You felt less tired at the end too.

You were almost happy with your results when Madara decided to include the kunai in the process.

- But you almost don’t use any weapons when you’re fighting – you protested, using the vision you had with Hashirama as a parameter – Besides, if I won’t be attacking anyone I don’t need to know everything about a weapon right now.

His response was to laugh and disappear, taking the spot behind you right after; he held you neck and you felt something cold touching your skin. It didn’t take too long for you to recognize the sharp texture of the kunai. You froze.

- I forgot to say that these weapons are not only used for long-range attacks – he whispered to you – It’s not uncommon that a victim find themselves exactly like the way you are now. And what would you do in such state?

- I…

- It’s better to learn how to avoid it, right? – he replied for you – Besides, not everybody has the luxury of obtaining success in fights with their bare hands. For most shinobi, it’s unrealistic.

Yes. You almost forgot that, just like the Senju head, the Uchiha one was not a common man. Maybe if you had more contact with common shinobi you could have developed comparison methods that would sound more fair. But you didn’t say that to him. You just nodded and continued your training.

Later, by noon, it was the time when you were taken back home to clean yourself, eat and have a time to rest. You wouldn’t see your husband for a long time then: as the head of the clan and being busy with the preparations for the travel, spending the mornings with you was the best he could do for you now. Not only this, but you also thought that it wasn’t healthy for a girl to spend too much time in the company of a man, even if this man was as close to her as a spouse; you needed the company of other women too, and common people who had nothing to do with war and politics.

Fortunately, Ayane and Aiko kept visiting and taking care of you after your marriage, and while you developed an even closer friendship with the first, you started to see the second as a new mother life has decided to give you. Being with them, talking, eating and even working together (because after your insistence they allowed you to perform some of the house tasks) was refreshing; the moments you spent with them were of pure and simple joy, and worked as a period of rest from the intensity of your husband’s company.

One day, when you and Ayane were walking at the house’s surroundings, you finally had some time to continue that conversation you started when you were preparing for the wedding.

- So, y/n-sama… I hope everything went well during the wedding night.

There was no embarrassment in the girl’s words, so you felt at will to speak. You smiled and, before you noticed, you were speaking much more than you thought you would.

- Well, I… I don’t even know how to explain this to you! It was strange and incredible and… – you sighed and turned to her – Beautiful. At first, when you left me in that room, alone, dressed for the night, I was scared. I went to the porch to take some fresh air and to observe the stars. After some minutes, he came. I turned to him and it was like... I mean, now I was a married woman, about to be taken. I never felt the reality of my new condition so deep as during that moment.

You lowered your tone, and a sort of sadness was sensed in your words as you relived those memories.

- Do you remember the state in which I was brought here? I was still grieving the loss of my mother, and just lost my job and my house. But now I was given a new family, protection and a home. I wasn’t expecting this. It was so overwhelming that I started to cry.

You paused, trying to process your feelings. Ayane encouraged you.

- And what did Madara-sama do when he saw you crying?

A smile grew on the corner of your mouth and you sensed your face warming up.

- He hugged me and took me inside. He told me not to thank him with tears. I thought about that. He was right, you know? It was not the time to cry. Not anymore. He closed the porch’s door behind us and was going to start to touch me, but I was so nervous that I flinched at his first movement. He noticed it and told me to sit on the futon. He went there too and spent some time in silence, doing nothing, just looking at me. It was… unsettling, but not entirely bad. It was... – you sighed – Oh, it’s so hard to explain!

Ayane smiled.

- It’s alright. I think I know what you trying to say.

You felt relieved to see you were making some sense despite the confusion inside your head. This gave you the courage to continue speaking.

- You know how intense are Madara-sama’s eyes, Ayane. Every time he looks at me, I feel like all my clothes are nothing, because he’s looking inside me. As if I was naked from body and soul. That night it was the same sensation but deeper, so that I wasn’t sure I would be able to stand it. That was the first time something like this happened to me. It was scary to think that from that moment, I was going to be the wife of man capable of such thing.

You laugh at yourself at this.

- Tell me. Are all the Uchiha like this?

The girl laughed hard at your question.

- Well, none of them are exactly like Madara-sama, of course, but all of us who are Sharingan bearers have some intensity in our eyes. But I think that since you already experienced the strongest Sharingan of our time, you’d have no problem handling the other ones!

You smiled and were about to tell Ayane about the experience with the Mangekyo Sharingan, but something held your tongue. You somehow sensed that it was not the type of thing you should tell other people, no matter how close was your friendship with them; that was a pure, unique sign of intimacy that didn’t belong only to you, but to Madara as well. Something only for you two. You decided to tell part of the story then.

- There was a moment when he talked to me about his life – you started – He said he already experienced fear and loneliness. He told me he understood how I was feeling and that the best thing he could do for me was to share his experience. And it worked. Somehow our feelings started to blend as one, and I was no longer afraid. I finally let him touch me.

Ayane’s curiosity was only excited with this strange narrative of yours. She came closer to you, whispering as if someone could appear and interrupt the conversation at any moment:

- And how was it?

You looked at the sky when you replied.

- It was… wonderful. In a strange way. At first I was uncomfortable, and even thought I was going to get hurt, but little by little I got used to it. I felt like I was not alone anymore. I felt I was part of something again. Visible. Desired. I felt… safe.

- That is quite an explanation, I must say – she replied with a smirk – And then, what happened?

- Well, I felt a bit tired and ended up taking a nap – you laughed – But he took care of me when I woke up and spent the night by my side. It was weird, because I am not used to sleep with other people so close to me, but it was good.

You decided you were away from the house for too long and started the way back, hurrying up before a worried Aiko could go after you.

***

Your life was not only training and talking, of course.

Following the protocols established when you accepted the role of Sachiko, you had studying sessions about History, Politics and Arts to improve your intellect. Since you were used to a routine of books and research thanks to your experience as governess, it wasn’t that hard to stay for a couple of hours occupied with them, but when the evening approached you couldn’t resist to a period of rest. Aiko would bring you tea and food, and you either stood with her talking about your day or listening as she told you stories of her youth, Ayane’s childhood or important things you were supposed to know about the Uchiha, or went to your room to draw or play the koto while you waited for Madara to come back.

You skills with the carbon were developing in a satisfying rhythm now that you had more time to dedicate yourself to this pastime and less anxieties clouding your mind. You made countless sketches and finished many of them in the evenings when you were alone after the women left and before your husband arrived. Your memories, the people you’ve met and the places you’ve been – the entry of your first house, destroyed by war, the house of your adoptive mother, your room there; your lost friends, your mother, your student, Izuna, Aiko, Ayane, Madara; the garden you were training with him, the forest, the river – all was turned into art.

You also composed new songs or parts of songs for your koto when you weren’t feeling like drawing. You wanted to show some of them to Madara; they were better than that one you’ve wrote for your student, which was never played by you again.

You weren’t sure of how or why, but even before you could see him inside the room, you always felt the moment he arrived; you weren’t able to explain exactly how it happened, but you could feel what it seemed to be a sudden change in the air whenever he came around. You have noticed this trait since you met him for the first time, but it was like after your training sessions your capacity of feeling it has increased. You’ve been willing to talk to Madara about this strange sensation, but you didn’t know how to introduce the subject.

He would always come to see you by night, after finishing his activities and taking care of himself. He used to find you immersed on the strings of the koto or sitting on the couch, a drawing on progress on your lap. You always waited for him to start the conversations; despite the intimacy you managed to build in those few days, you still sensed you couldn’t invade some parts of the territory that belonged to him: if he had to tell you something about it, he would do by himself.

On the other hand, he was always interested in how you spent your days when you were not with him: he would approach you and sit by your side, surrounding you with one arm, and listen to you while observing your drawings or the way your fingers would slip through the instrument’s strings in an unconscious manner as you spoke; from time to time, he would use your pauses to make a specific question for something you didn’t explain so well or forgot to say, but most of the times his questions were directed to how you felt about the things you saw or what you thought of the situations you got through. It was strange in the first days, for you never were the type of speaking your mind so easily, but Madara had a way to find out the things he wanted and his questions were made in a smart, assuring manner, so you never felt forced to tell him anything. As time passed, you noticed that those direct talking about your feelings made you more good than if you kept all of them to yourself.

After those conversations, you would organize your things in the place of the room you reserved for them and prepare to go to bed. Sometimes you would spend a moment alone at the porch, but there were nights when the breeze were too cold for one to stand there for a long time, so you just let Madara close the door and went directly to the futon.

***

He took you most of the nights during that week. None of those times were exactly like the wedding night, but in all of them there was something you enjoyed most, whether it was the way he took care of you right after, how he allowed you to sleep in his arms or the things he said while touching you, praising your body, the smell of your hair or your voice when you said his name. At first you were afraid that you would always feel the same discomfort of the first time, but it didn’t happen: as time passed, it was like your body was slowly adjusted to his, and your pain diminished until it was almost gone. Between those nights there were one and another when he came later and you ended up falling asleep on the couch; there was a time when you thought you were carried by someone at some point of the night, but you weren’t sure if it was a dream or not until you woke up next morning on the futon and saw that your husband was already gone.

An important change that occurred was that instead of limiting himself to touch you, Madara taught you some of the things you were supposed to know as his wife, such as how to use your lips, your hands and even your voice to give and gain pleasure. For he was your first man everything was new to you, which sometimes led you to some uneasiness or doubt whenever something seemed too strange to you, but here you ended up knowing another side of Madara: he was an excellent communicator; none of these things were shameful or to be treated with secrecy, and neither he wanted you to see them as such, so that he would always speak clearly about his wishes and fantasies while encouraging you to speak about yours; he also sensed whenever you felt uncomfortable with something, even when you didn’t speak. It wasn’t the case that you had thought so much about these things before meeting him – you naturally knew it would be expected if you ever became someone’s spouse one day, but the thought was too vague until then; you were never too worried about it. However, now that staying with a man was a main part of your life, you started having ideas. It was a side of you haven’t discovered yet. And not only you, but Madara was more than pleased to know about this side.

There was a night when he noticed you were urging to tell him something, but refused to speak. You were already lying on the futon, your back turned on him, when you felt him surrounding your waist with his arms; soon you felt a soft kiss on your shoulder.

- You want to tell me something, don’t you? – you heard him whisper – What is it? Is there something bothering you?

Your face warmed up with the question.

- Not bothering me. It’s just that…

You sensed his arms tightening their grip.

- I see… – another kiss, longer and warmer – There is something you want to do.

You didn’t reply. His leg entwined with yours, his knee between your thighs. You were almost lying on your stomach, his body heating up your back, his nose smelling your hair, his hands starting to come and go all over you.

- Don’t be shy, girl. If there is something I do not approve, it is false modesty – he approached his lips from your ear, his voice so low you’d swear you were hearing it in your head – The rest I can handle.

You smiled and finally told him what you had in mind. It was funny that once your thought were turned into words, it seemed something simple, even silly, compared to some of the things he taught you. Still, he showed immediate interest and helped you with everything you wanted.

#madara #madara uchiha #madara fanfiction #madara x reader #naruto fanfiction

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lilyvandersteen · 3 years ago

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The Christmas Guest: Epilogue

Author’s Note: This is the promised epilogue, short but sweet. Thank you so much for following along as I was posting this multichapter and leaving me comments and likes - your support means the world to me!

Read Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4 and Chapter 5, the Interlude, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 here on Tumblr, or read the story on AO3 or FF.net.

Epilogue

“So this is the famous Kurt, huh?” Cooper boomed, walking towards Kurt with a blinding smile and open arms. “I’ve heard so much about you!”

Kurt got a big hug and kisses on both cheeks, and needed a second to recover from Cooper’s enthusiasm before he managed to say, “All good, I hope?”

“Oh, definitely. He admires you more than me, can you imagine? His own brother, and so successful! But no, it’s always Kurt this, and Kurt that. Like this…”

Cooper made heart eyes and imitated Blaine’s voice and mannerisms. “Did you hear that Kurt scored the lead in an Off Broadway play? Did you hear that he’s making a dress for Rihanna to wear at the Met Gala? Did you know Kurt will be the youngest person to ever achieve EGOT status?”

Kurt laughed. “I wish! Nothing so impressive has happened just yet, but go ahead and make up whatever grand future you picture for me, and I’ll try to make it happen.”

Cooper grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit!”

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson’s faces were far less exuberant than their son’s, but they too advanced and held out a hand for Kurt to shake.

“Pleased to meet you,” said Kurt. “And may I say, your house is beautifully styled. So light and so open, and yet you get an instant homey feel.”

The praise earned him a genuine smile from Mrs. Anderson, and soon they were discussing light fixtures and throw pillows and accent walls as if they’d known each other forever.

Mr. Anderson took some more time to win over, but by the time they were eating dessert, Kurt had hit upon the right topic: cars. Apparently, Mr. Anderson loved Top Gear, and was more than happy to discuss the program with Kurt, and after that the classic car he’d restored with Blaine, taking Kurt to the garage to show it to him.

By the time Kurt and Blaine left, they had scored another dinner invitation, and Mrs. Anderson had stage-whispered to Blaine, “I really like him, honey bee!”

As they drove off, Blaine glanced at Kurt, shook his head and chuckled.

“What?”

“That was quite the charm offensive. I’m impressed.”

Kurt grinned. “I learned from the master.”

K&B

Seven Christmases after the first one they spent together, Blaine and Kurt were once again hands deep in dough as they prepared a festive brunch together. For the first time, they would be hosting the family get-together instead of Burt and Carole.

After graduating, they’d started looking for a house or an apartment they could share. Having your own place came in handy when you had a fight and needed some time to cool off, but for day-to-day living, it was very inconvenient. No matter how efficient you became at packing the essentials for a sleepover, there were always things you forgot.

As Kurt didn’t want to move into Blaine’s shoebox apartment (“I need room for my clothes, Blaine!”) and Blaine wasn’t any more interested in sharing Kurt’s loft (“I don’t want to get up at four in the morning to get to work on time!”), they searched for a place to live that they both liked. As much as they liked New York City, it was clear from the start that they would have to expand their horizons to find a place they both liked and could afford.

They ended up in New Jersey, within a reasonable commuting distance for both of their jobs.

Kurt still worked at Vogue part-time. The rest of his time was devoted to his successful line of accessories and shoes.

Blaine had worked as a music therapist at a children’s hospital at first, after graduating from NYU. Then, one of Blaine’s college buddies had suddenly soared to fame as a Broadway playwright, penning two hit musicals back to back. For the second musical, Blaine helped write the music, and when the male lead ended up in hospital after an accident, he took over the role to rave reviews. Before he knew it, he’d become a Broadway star, often playing lead with Rachel as his character’s wife or love interest.

“Rather you than me!” Kurt had said with feeling the first time Blaine announced he was going to play opposite Rachel.

Blaine nodded with a wry grin. “You’re right. She can be a bit much sometimes.”

“A bit?!”

Blaine laughed. “She’s a diva, yes. But nothing I can’t handle. And she is a loyal friend, a hard worker and always stays professional. Remember that Harmony girl who kept groping me?”

“Ew, yes. Okay, point taken. Rachel’s the lesser evil.”

Rachel had married Jesse St James and moved to New Jersey too. Both couples took turns hosting dinner on Friday night, and Kurt and Blaine were godfathers to Rachel and Jesse’s daughter Anna.

The St Berry’s would be coming for brunch, too, and Blaine had bought a mountain of presents for Anna.

Kurt rolled his eyes when Blaine arranged them all under the Christmas tree, but didn’t notice a small blue box nestled underneath, with a tag that said KURT.

Before long, their guests started to arrive. Anna squealed when she saw all the presents awaiting her, and made a beeline for the tree.

“No, no, poppet,” Jesse chuckled, sweeping her up into his arms, “wait until everyone’s here!”

Half an hour later, the living was strewn with wrapping paper, and still Anna was gleefully running to and from the tree handing people presents and tearing open her own.

And then, there was only one left, small and half hidden under a branch.

Anna spotted it, though, and brought it to her father. “For me?”

“No, poppet, this one’s for Uncle Kurt.”

Anna handed it over to Kurt with a pout.

“Thank you, sweetie,” Kurt said absently, fiddling with the One Plus Watch his parents had given him and not really looking at the present he’d been handed.

A throat clearing made him look up, and what he saw took his breath away.

Blaine had plucked the little box from Kurt’s hands, opened it and was now holding it out to him, on one knee and smiling tremulously.

“Kurt… You were my Christmas miracle seven years ago, welcoming me into your family when mine dropped the ball. I felt at home with you from the minute we met. It was as if I remembered you from another life, and always knew that we belonged together, you and me. And I’ve been wanting to ask you this for ages, but I wanted to respect your choice to wait until we were both 25 and established in our careers. You probably still don’t feel old and wise enough to make this decision, but sweetheart, just look into your heart. Can you see me there, next to you, for the rest of our lives?”

Kurt, his hand over his mouth and a tear trickling from his eye, nodded.

Blaine beamed up at Kurt. “Then I’m going to finally make this official. Kurt Hummel, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”

Kurt, full-out crying now, nodded again. “Yes. Yes! Yes!”

Blaine slipped the ring on Kurt’s finger and kissed him thoroughly. Around them, there were cheers and applause, but Kurt and Blaine didn’t notice.

When they came up for air, Blaine whispered, “Best. Christmas. Ever!”

Kurt giggled. “You say that every year.”

“And every year, it’s true.”

Kurt and Blaine accepted a glass of champagne from Jesse, and toasted to their future happiness with their family and friends.

And Kurt knew Blaine was right. There was not a shadow of a doubt in his head or his heart that the two of them were going to make it.

“Merry Christmas, Blaine. Here’s to many more!”

“And each one better than the last. Merry Christmas, everyone!”

THE END

#klaine fanfiction #my fic #The Christmas Guest #epilogue #enjoy!

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hannie-dul-set · 3 years ago

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oKAYyyyy, hello sexy! I just finished reading the interlude. May I precisely say that my emotions and reactions were more intense than for the first act !! bc we're finally getting some responses to some concerns we came across in the first act and dang. oh gawd, I feel like we traveled more than the first chapter and I liked how we changed background and we came back to the very root of the story, when it all started! you oxygenated my brain Allexandra haha, thank you for that, you made my experience more pleasing than it already was when I usually read your stories. Anyway, moving along, so, what was the chances that our yn would meet na jaeman again? OH PLS this girl was born under the wrong star I swear.. fate is testing her fjfjfjf. All along her multiple meeting white him, I really questioned his behavior. I was really really looking for any hostility of him toward her after what the famous tale said of her breaking his heart.. doesn't this golden hearted boy hold any.. grudge? yo I'm so intrigued by this particular trait of his character. Bc oh lord know that if it was me I would so salty even after 4 years.. But anyway, I screenshoted one passage that made my eyebrows fly off my face :

I'm so used having a tight line between being realistic and reading too much into suggestive things, that I just gasped out loud when reading his line.. And again, I was cautious about him, bc yn wasn't and I didn't knew how she couldn't be! like what the hell his his deal anyway? at some point, i was afraid he played with her emotions just to come back right at her you know ? like some of.. manipulative revenge or something like that.. BUT I quickly changed my mind when I understood how soft hearted he was, and how he was still.. under the influence of his genuine(?) feelings towards her, that maybe all of it was just him trying to reconnect with her and maybe try to.. built a new relationship? I HOPE.. I WANT THEM TO BE BACK TOGETHER.. Also, omg.. the way my heart was clenched with anxiousness during the confrontation of yn and her mother about the way yeon was unfairly favored.. It was an cruching hearted moment, specially when yn started to compare herself with her sister:

I'm really serious about this, it awaken something inside of me, and I kinda.. relates to the pain she felt ? </3.. poor yn, I'm wondering now if she wasn't adopted u know, or like.. whY her mother is favoring her lip sister when she didnt have the same treatment.. and how in hell does her mother seems so.. hostile toward her? wow. SO I WAS RIGHT, SHE WAS UNDER A DATING BAN!!!! so it was bc of this fucked up rule that destroyed her past relationship with jaems ;; wow.. sometimes ppl aren't aware of the consequences of their actions *cough*her parents*cough*.. OMG I forgot to talk about it but finally eunha (is that how we spell it ?) is out of the game !!!!! you really fooled me into thinking she was having something with jaemin lmaoooô, well done..😌 but damn, i wasn't expecting her to date renjun fjfjfj bc you know what? I kinda hoped renjun to still being in the picture.. bc I liked jealous jaemin 🤭 but anyway! I'm so happy you introduced the peach tree reference into this part ! the scene with the kids was really an interesting moment to witness and also the flashback with mister Park !! jaemin was such a flirt at sixteen ??? I'm shocked but sooooo exited for the last part. you did very well, I wasnt expecting something this good, you made my night so much better and I will sleep with a smile on a face 💗

eep hello!!! i'm so glad you've read it bb :DD happy to hear you've enjoyed it aaa sending u lots of goodvibes hfdhg but anyway—

miss y/n rlly can't catch a break, can't she? HAHAHAHHA a lot of this fic parallels with jane austen's persuasion really. and god if u haven't read it, the main lead of that novel (captain wentworth good GOD)....is......insanely swoonworthy. the novel was rlly a depiction of a love that endures, and i wanted to translate that into my own fic so there we go....the result.....na jaemin who, consciously or not, has nothing but love in his mind 😔 (unlike our y/n. who has. too much in her mind HYGSHFSG). boy was salty throughout the beginning of the first act but....that will be elaborated in the next act aHA so excited.

babe. trust me. the worse i can characterize jaemin (so far) is his totw persona pls i cannot turn this guy into a shitty person HAHAHAHAHAH. despite all the angst entailed, my main objective for this fic was to relay the same rawness of emotion that i felt when reading persusasion HGSAHJG eunha + renjun happening is also a parallel from the novel LMAO but yes.....before i keep raving about it. persusaion is just so good i trust me i cried HAHAHAH.

the whole y/n and yeon thingy is one of the personal attachments that i inserted (+ the whole dating ban thing. sigh life is great HAHA) HHHH my heart is out for u bb if u can relate to that :(( but her relationship with jaemin and her family will continue to med in the future owo so look out for that hehe.

jealous jaemin will make a comeback. oh for sure. a bit more passive maybe HAHAFH but yes.....jealous jaemin is always a good concept 😌 flirty jaemin too LMAO. not sure if it's the same everywhere else in the world, but jesus if u only know how greasy kids are these days good god.

but anyway, this is getting long HAHAH. thankn u so so much for reading and always leaving feedback, bb huhu. i really appreciate it gahh. hope u have a nice day and always stay safe!!

#💌: byunfirstlady #feedback #peach tree

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celosia-starfall · 4 years ago

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Hakuoki: Oni no Chi

Interlude 1: Iba’s Musings

In which Iba and Harada have a talk

[AO3 LINK]

A/N: To sort of break up the story a bit more and not end up constantly writing 20 page long chapters (like chapter 4 was), I’m going to add some “interlude” chapters every now and then that will be shorter and just throw in a bit of perspective from some of the other characters too.

@pumpkin-patch-cat @ladyshiranui @impracticaldemon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A sigh fell from Hachiro’s lips as he slid down off of his horse.

Guilt had been gnawing at his chest for the past several days after he and his father had been kicked out of the Kururugi residence. He had been so sure that his plan would end up working. Even his father had agreed to it.

But when they had arrived and the suitor that Kaien was bound to marry was already there… Well, it seemed as though his plan was already bound for failure before it could’ve been put into action. To think that Kaien’s father had already worked so fast on securing a husband for her. That Takeda fellow...

Still, he couldn’t forget the anger that blossomed within him when Kaien’s father had raised a hand against her. All for simply speaking out against the future marriage. Even now, Iba felt pissed off, but there was little that he could do about it.

Instead, he chose to focus on the one thing that he was capable of doing for her. The single request that she had given to him before they’d parted ways.

“Iba?”

Blinking, he glanced over at the entrance to the dojo, a familiar dark-haired figure standing there with a raised eyebrow. “Ah, Toshi! It’s good to see you.”

“Mm. You’re back sooner than I would’ve expected. Is everything okay?” Hijikata asked, placing a hand on the young teen’s shoulder.

“Well…” Iba’s smile faltered as he glanced away, the guilt and anger rising up again in his chest the more he thought about it. “Not precisely.”

“Did something happen to Kai?”

“Not yet. Not exactly…”

Hijikata’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Would you like to talk about it over some tea?”

“Not right now. Thank you for the offer.” Iba bowed before looking around the dojo. “I’m actually here on a request from Kaien. Did Harada-san ever come back?”

“Ah.” Rubbing his face, Hijikata’s expression softened. “Yes, he’s back… He’s upset, so if he yells at you, try not to take it to heart. He’s mostly upset with himself. For not being here for Kai when she was having to leave…”

“Don’t worry, Toshi.” Iba patted the older man’s arm. “He’s not the only one…”

After all, I’m the one who had the most power to be able to keep Kaien safe. I’m the one who made a promise to her that I’d help keep her from being married off. And I failed… If I can’t even keep a promise to a friend, then I’m never going to be worthy of marrying Chizuru...

“I’ll go find Harada-san,” he said, waving a hand back at Hijikata and making his way through the dojo until he could find Kaien’s room. “Now let’s see…” He tapped his knuckles against the flooring around the room until he managed to find a spot where the wood was loose enough to lift up. Beneath the board was the journal he was looking for, just as Kaien had said.

Tucking the journal into his yukata, Iba left the room. His feet carried him around the grounds, following the sounds of someone training rigorously. Standing a few paces back against the wall, he watched as the redhead repeatedly swung and stabbed the practice spear into a set of training dummies. Far more aggressively than Iba had ever seen him.

Toshi wasn’t exaggerating… But I know I’d feel the same way if I were in his place.

Iba cleared his throat, causing the elder teen to stop and turn towards him. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, Harada-san.”

Grabbing a towel, Harada wiped the sweat from his face and neck, propping the staff against one of the dummies before plopping down on the ground near Iba. “No. Not interrupting. I was just…” He waved his hand before sighing, scrunching his nose up. “Frustrated. If I had known that Kai was going to end up leaving...” Amber eyes stared up at the young teen. “I wouldn’t have expected you to be back so soon.”

“You’re not the first person to say that,” Iba stated, a hint of amusement in his voice before frowning. “I’m actually here because Kaien asked me to speak with you. Apparently there was some kind of misunderstanding between the two of you, and she was worried about you.”

“A misunderstanding…” Harada repeated slowly, letting the words sink in.

“Mm. It was something about you being in love with her, but you thinking that she’s in love with Heisuke.”

“I do love her. I know she said something about thinking that I had started hating her, but that’s never been further from the truth. If that’s what she was worried about--”

“No, no. That’s not it at all.” He chuckled, sitting down on the ground next to the spearman. “It’s the Heisuke part. She’s never been in love with him. She never had a chance to tell you that though.”

Harada blinked at him. “Oh.” Biting his lip, he rested his forearms against his knees, his fists clenching and unclenching. “The two of them had gotten so close so quickly that I’d thought…”

“Would you like to know my thoughts about the matter, Harada-san?” Iba asked gently, resting a hand on the other’s shoulder. He waited until the other silently nodded before continuing. “I think Kaien was just happy to be able to have a friend that wouldn’t judge her or pity her--”

“But I didn’t--”

“--or feel guilty about not being able to protect her. Someone that she could feel normal around. Someone that also didn’t treat her like a helpless girl.” Iba paused for a moment, tilting his head in thought. “Did Heisuke ever even know that Kaien is a girl? Because if Kaien was simply only ever Kai around him, then I think that makes it pretty clear that they were just friends.”

After a moment, Harada let out a soft curse. “Now that you mention it, I don’t think he ever did… He might be the only one that doesn’t know. Though I think Shinpachi even forgot that she’s a girl at times too…” There was a pause. “If I had only noticed and hadn’t jumped to conclusions about how she felt... I feel like I ruined my chances with her…”

Letting out a huff, Iba shook his head, even though he could understand where Harada was coming from. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you had, then I wouldn’t be here right now.” Reaching into his yukata, he pulled out Kaien’s journal. “She sent me back here for me to find this journal that she had hidden in her room. She wanted you to have it, and said that there’s a note for you on the last page,” he said as Harada gently took the leatherbound papers in his hands, flipping through the pages.

“It’s...mostly about me…” Harada mumbled, his fingers skimming across the papers reverently, drinking in the gentle swoops and arches of the calligraphy that inked the pages. It wasn’t until he reached the last page that he inhaled sharply, eyes widening in surprise. “She…”

Harada stood up so fast that Iba almost fell over beside him, having to hurry to catch up to the redhead as he was quickly walking away.

“What’s wrong? What did it say?” he asked, concern suddenly filling his chest. At least...until Iba saw the happiness that was across the other’s face.

“That she wished she had a chance to say it in person, but that she loves me and...she asked me to marry her.”

“And...what are you trying to do right now? If you’re thinking of heading to their family’s estate and asking her father for her hand in marriage, it’s not going to work. I already tried.”

Those words seemed to freeze Harada in his place. “You tried to marry her?”

Wetting his lips, Iba continued, hoping to prevent any type of misunderstanding. Again. “My father and I tried to arrange a fake engagement so that Kaien would be able to continue training and for her to be able to still be around everyone. But her father already had a suitor picked out. They’ve likely already left the estate by now to head to his family’s home. The wedding itself wouldn’t be for several years though.” Iba hesitantly reached out and placed a hand on Harada’s arm, knowing the amount of pain he was likely going through. After all, Iba felt his own guilt for being unable to fulfill the promise that he had made to Kaien when they’d first met.

“So what exactly am I supposed to do then? Just sit around and let the girl I love get married off to some stranger?” the redhead bit out, punching the wall beside them, a growl in his throat.

“No. You trust Kaien. And you wait for her. She’s not just going to lay down and give up. She’s going to fight for what she wants, and I know that...somehow...someday...she’ll find her way back to you…”

“But what if something happens to her...and she doesn’t?”

Amber eyes met green, and for the first time, Iba saw the amount of world-shattering grief that filled the man in front of him. He was at a loss for what to say. After all, how could he even relate to having the love of his life being ripped away from him without being able to do anything about it?

“...Then we just have to pray that it doesn’t.”

#hakuouki #hakuoki #hakuoki shinkai #oni no chi #original character #harada sanosuke #Iba Hachiro #Toudou Heisuke #hijikata toshizo #harada x oc #iba x chizuru #ibachi #takeda kanryusai

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flagellant · 5 years ago

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An Interlude Is Just Another One’s Story [CHAPTER 4]

MAN: You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Was my head that bad? ADAM: No. You were great. MAN: So...that just leaves the ghost? ADAM: ...Kinda. I guess. MAN: Not usually the response you’d expect. ADAM: Not exactly an expected occurrence. MAN: What happened? ADAM: ...

---

There was a guy I used to like. A couple years back. His name was Ramsay, Ramsay Holland. You might’ve heard of him, he was on the local news a while back. Went missing all of a sudden. No warning, no sign, just--gone. Maybe weird, but not newsworthy-weird for so long. But he just...vanished. And so did someone else. I didn’t know them, can’t really remember their name, started with an M, I think? Marcus? Michael? Whatever. But they disappeared at the exact same time. Same day, same hour as far as authorities could tell. I was asked about it, but...it was like they’d just disappeared. Like they’d walked through a door and vanished. As far as the police could tell, they didn’t know each other, they just...were gone. And then a couple months later they showed up outside of town, and they were...weird. Didn’t recognize anyone, didn’t act the same. The news moved on, but...I just forgot about him. Had other priorities. You’d think I’d’ve been more invested but...I liked him, I did. But he was just a fuck. For a while I was scared he killed himself or something. That I’d led him on. I don’t know what to think now.

I think he’s fine, now. Maybe. Wherever, whatever he is. He seems happier. It isn’t important. Let me take you out to dinner, it’s not too late, alright? Get to know each other outside the bedroom.

---

RAVEN: I know these stories, too. WOLF: But I’m telling them, this time. RAVEN: I guess. WOLF: Come, now, Raven. You always said you like to hear my howling. RAVEN: I like to hear the silence in between it more. WOLF: You wound me. We’re not even to a good part yet. Quiet, now. You asked me for a story, you don’t get to keep interrupting.

---

There was an altar, at some point, and it was called Progress. It crashed, not like a tree to the ground, or lightning on a cliff, or the corpse of a whale gently onto the deep black silt, but like a star from a sky, falling into each god’s mind like a searing brand, an unforgettable knowledge. That they could change. They could refuse to be confined to what they were as gods. It never told them that it would make them greater, but they hungered for it once the concept took them, and they became shells of themselves.

The idea of Progress shaped their days, then, and slowly their days became numbered. The god of the willow leaves weaving on the riverside decided one day that she was not content. That she would become the god of the willow leaves without a riverside, too. But when she tried to become the god of the willow leaves, she erased all the other gods of the willow leaves, took them into herself. And she was more, more powerful, more worldly, and others looked upon her and thought she was greater. And thus the first wars broke out, and gods killed and ate each other for their powers. It was a quick war. Progress is never slow, and once something is discovered, it is difficult to un-learn of it.

Soon the gods that remained were too powerful to be so easily eaten. But they still hungered themselves. And so, with all their knowledge, they took little pieces of themselves and put them on the world they had destroyed, tiny fragments of gods they had consumed, and they called them “human”. And they taught these humans to worship them in certain ways, and every time a human believed in these gods, they fed them that little bit of godhood back, piece by piece, until they gave their tiny little fragment back entirely, and became nothing but an empty husk for the ground. And then that god would make a new little human, and the cycle began again.

---

RAVEN: This isn’t a happy ending, mutt. WOLF: So impatient for things to end, Raven. You never did change, did you? RAVEN: Maybe that’s why I fell for you, Wolf. You change so easily, and never look back, a thousand different little endings wrapped up in the same person. WOLF: Maybe so. And maybe I fell for you because you taught me the beauty in watching how long something stays so still. RAVEN: Flatter. WOLF: Stodge. RAVEN: Keep telling me the story. But not this part. This part is too close to the end. Let me savor it. WOLF: What part would you hear of? RAVEN: Tell me of how you first met me.

#wolf and raven and all that lay between them

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jolinar · 4 years ago

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Chapter 8: Crack-up and Kintsukuroi

He stepped closer to her and she forgot how to breathe. In the palm of his left hand was an emitter matrix.

“I realized you’d need one. You put it in backward, that’s what caused the explosion. It’s a common mistake.”

“You’re giving this to me?”

“You need it.” He said it as though that explained everything.

"You know I’ll make a weapon out of it. A weapon I’ll use to kill you.”

“We’ll see.”

————–

The next chapter of my post-TLJ/alternate TROS fic is up and I’d love for you to read it. In this chapter, Finn, Rose, and Poe hatch a plan to get Rey off the ship for a good old fashioned Jedi Temple run while Rey and Ben/Kylo connect over her shattered saber – are they finally starting to trust one another? Or are events in Ben’s past too much for either of them to reconcile?

The link to the latest is above, or you can catch up under the cut.

Chapter 8: Crack-up and Kintsukuroi

Chapter 7: Chrysalis

Chapter 6: Lines of Communication

Chapter 5: A Change of Perspective

Chapter 4: Interludes and Examinations

Chapter 3: Two steps forward, one step back

Chapter 2: A Kyber Crystal?

Chapter 1: Beginning

#the end and the way #mae writes #reylo #reylo fanfic #rey #finn #poe dameron #rose tico #star wars #star wars fanfiction #enemies to lovers #tros fixit #tlj canon #please read my story?#not to come across all desperate in the tags #but it would be cool if someone read it

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rudbeag · 5 years ago

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ClodFlash. Coffee Shop AU (Barry)

Fandom : The Flash (TV 2014), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)

Name : Coffee is a hug in a mug. Coffee Shop AU.

Rating : Not rated (I could say it’s a General audience, with a kiss and one or two bads words)

Relationships : Barry Allen/Leonard Snart (main) - Maisie(OC)/Karen(OC) - Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak - Iris West/Eddie Thawne (mention)

Characters : Barry Allen, Leonard ‘Len’ Snart, Maisie Hilston-Fell (OC), Karen Hilston-Fell (OC), Oliver Queen, William Queen, Felicity Smoak, Mia Smoak, Lisa Snart, Iris West

Tags : Tumblr: otpprompts, Imagine your OTP, OTP Questions, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Love Confessions, Misunderstandings, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Other Additional Tags to Be Added

Summary : Just a ColdFlash OTP prompt/questions found on tumblr. Each one of the questions will have an OS attached to it, so it will make it greater and way more interesting. The series will contains different OTP situations/Challenges etc.

1. In a coffee shop AU, who would be the barista who keeps spelling the other person’s name wrong? Barry and Leonard's different first Meeting.

Words : 6710 / 6.7K

Chapters : 1/2

Disclaimer : This OTP question was taken from the moon dust writings, Tumblr.

Read On AO3

----

Chapter 1 ; I think that we need to be open to exploring something new. (Barry)

----

1. In a coffee shop AU, who would be the barista who keeps spelling the other person’s name wrong?

Rep : Both, they will both do it, in different ways. BUT, it's always Leonard L. Snart's fault.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Barry Allen, 22, whose name is Bartholomew, was a barista in the coffee shop "Tasty Interlude" in Central City. The Shop, belonging to Maisie Hillston-Fell, who is one of his High school best friends, is one of the most famous in the whole city of Central City. Because of the nice behavior of the staff, the quality of the coffees, the way the shop is open 24/7, the diverse and various tastes in drinks and multiples pastries they propose and the overall pleasant atmosphere - Which result to Maisie, who provides a reduction to nice people and allow an increase in the prices to those who are extremely rude and vulgar. This was a brilliant move, as Barry had spotted his second bully, Jamison Lordge — Tony still gets the first, but he already dealt with him — being nice and behave like a gentleman. Which, not to be rude, he is not.

Barry had worked for a month when he perceived him for the very first time; around 9 pm, during a wintry day, as it was winter and the barman was having a night shift. He was putting the Croissant and Napoleons in the display cases with some other pastries; Baklava, Chocolate pies, cream puffs, and Chestnut fondant cake, when he spotted this heavily enveloped man in front of the shop. He quickly cleansed his hands, thinking that maybe the man wanted to come in for a hot coffee.

The stranger was tall — bigger than him and barry was 183 cm or 6' 0 — and was wearing a white shirt with a black pant, dark baker boots with a leather vest of the same color. He was on top of that, wearing gray gloves, a knitted scarf with multiples shades of beige, a dark gray beanie, and winter protective glasses. Barry thinks the man is doing relatively too much as it was not that cold outside. Or maybe it is, he doesn't remark how the weather is as he had worked from 4 pm. He waited for the man to get in, but he didn't move at all, which was a bit disturbing because Barry was certain he was looking at him.

The man had already disappeared when Barry had jerked his head in surprise as he heard suspect sound from the back; fortunately, it was nothing more than Rosie, the store mascot, that leaves the shop by the kitchen's window. He couldn't find him. He surely was waiting for someone or was homeless waiting for something. Barry had lost his light fear and was a bit sad for not knowing if it was someone in need of something hot to warm him. Nothing more had happened next, and only two people had come taking hot drinks. It was the less exhausting and crowded night shift he had until now, since he started this work one month and a half ago.

When Barry's shift ended, at 11 pm and he said goodbye to the other staffs and get a leaving. He took with him a bunch of hot coffees cups for Joe, Eddie and the homeless that lives near the bus station he will pass by and where Joe will pick him. He sends them his biggest smile, while giving them their coffees cups; Latte for Gerard and Winston, Hot cocoa for Liam and decaffeinated for Julian, Roy and Old Liam. He took time to talk with them before wishing a goodnight to everyone and hoping a brighter next day when Joe's car was spotted.

Barry had totally forgot about the strange standing man until he saw him again, a few days later. He could recognise him due to his boots and the way he was standing; he was standing in a specific way that is actually common but gives certain vibes to Barry that he finds it way too strange, not that he is not a weird nerd that plays vigilante as he is one of the fastest men alive but this will certainly place him in a whole other level. He politely smiled at him as he entered the shop.

Today, the man is wearing a black shirt with the same dark pant and same biker boots but is having a blue parka and the gloves only. Barry can perceive his attractive, deep, blue-grey eyes and the only thing he could think about is that he is handsome and really charismatic. The man smiles back, while coming towards the counter.

" - Hello, sir and welcome to Tasty Intelude may I get your order, please?"

"- Hello. I am unfamiliar with this establishment and don't know what to try. Can you please help me with that? " He looked at the barman with a slight smile that emits the same energy as a smirk. Even his voice is charismatic; low, smooth and slow. The younger really loves it. " Barry. "

Barry felt more than saw his ears changing colors to a pinkish one; his name said by this voice sound like something more than it really is and it makes him feel strange, he quite don't want to know why. The barman then nodded after a few seconds because of the intensity of the look the attractive man is giving him.

" - With pleasure, what is the type of drinks you like? Creamy, sweet or strong?" He asked, while giving the menu a look, already knowing everything that was there but still needing for some assistance.

" - Surprise me."

These words made Barry look at gorgeous man with wide eyes and a hint of blush on his cheeks. What is he trying to do? He then nodded a bit, incertain. None of them had noticed how staff near, Maisie and Karen, her wife, were looking back and forth at them with an amused gazes. After another a little awkward second, the consumer added.

" - Give me any drink you think suits me, I have fait in you. Barry." He smirked again and leaned over a little bit " I'll tell you if it was good or not. And make it large size."

" - O-okay. Great." Barry was, already, dark pink.

He thinks rapidly and looked over the coffee to get a sudden idea for what to give him, when he spotted a cup. It was Iris and Eddie, in an early morning coffee date, totally forgetting they are not alone in the shop despite being an extremely advanced hour. He knows what first hot drink he will serve him and started working on it. When he finished, he was satisfied with himself for few seconds before asking himself why is he proud. It is plain weird. He turned to the man and shows him the fuming cup.

" - What name should I put in?" He asked with a smile but it merges to frowns when handsome gives him a teasing smirk.

" - It wouldn't be funny if I give you my name, but my last name is Snart. Good luck, Barry. "

Barry was panicked; he is used to people giving him incorrect names; which might be funny at some point - some use famous actors, singers names or even movies or book characters - or telling him some that he never heard about before. But he didn't once meet someone that ask him to take a guess and find his name. That wa the weirdest thing ever, and it's from the same person.

" - There is your order, Mister Snart, it's a Caffee Latte, with a half spoon of sugar. Hope you will like it."

He writes Snart on the cup before giving it to him, Mr. Snart look at the cup for a long time that it made Barry nervous and thought that he will ask him to redo anther one. The man in front of him only gives him a mysterious smile then take the cup.

" - That was a clever move, unfortunately Snart won't work on it's own. Think about it for the next time we'll meet." He took the cup after paying and was going to go, but turned to look at the young barista. " And Mr. Snart won't either. I'll come tomorrow, have a nice day, Red."

Snart leaves the coffee shop, not after winking at Barry — that absolutely missed it - and let the two other staffs corning the poor young man and interrogate him about how is this hotie that was totally flirting with him — " yes, Bartholomew, he was totally flirting with you. " and make him spilt the tea about who is this person. They only could make him talk to them when it was their shift's end, which coincided with the arrival of the other workers and, of course iris was spotted inside as well. His foster adoptive sister and best friend directly joined them right when Barry was blushing.

" -What is going on, why is our little Barry is as pink as a flamingo? " She asked while setting her bag, containing her laptop on the ground, and look at them with questioning eyes.

" - He is blushing because a hot consumer flirted with him with the hottest way possible and a little game." Maisie explained.

Without waiting even a second, Karen explained everything that happened when Snart arrived, lacking to give any name. She does want to know what is the stranger's name to encourage his rgame with Barry, but if she gives the name to Iris, she will totally go and try to investigate everything about him and that will make the game end and maybe will ruin the chance of Barry with him because as much as she appreciates her — She really loves her. She is kind and daring and loves to help other people — but she is insistent and will surely will stalk the man or be fascinated with Snart overmuch that it will frightens him and push him away from the cutest male she ever met.

" - I am not blushing. And totally don't know who he is, I've never met him before." That was not a total lie, but he actually really never met him before. " He is just having jokes and want me to find his name. He was totally not flirting with me. I mean, it's normal, it does happen often... Right?"

By the looks he gets from all three girls; It seems that this games does not happen that often, which makes him turn pretty silent and blush a lot more than he already did. Okay. Maybe the charismatic man was really flirting with him — which he doubts — Or was acting his usual way, he couldn't know, and it truly means nothing for him. The girls were aware of what he was thinking but said nothing — Iris got warning from the two others — and decided to only interfere when Barry is clueless. Or will lost his likely future boyfriend, that they hope it will be more like a future husband. Barry, then receive a call, which is not unusual but he is lucky enough to be able to get a little rest.

—•—••–

As Snart had said, he came back the next day at seven;he was wearing a beige shirt, a black pant, some leather shoes and a grey parka that is less heavy than his blue one - Barry preferred the other. He waited until Barry was available to make his drink and talk for a while. His slight smile was left on his face, and he had put some great cologne. Barry greeted him with his usual big smile, and if this one was more vivid and joyous than the ones he gives newcomers, no one have to know it. Even if they seem to already do it.

" - Hello Barry. Have you found my name yet?" That was the first thing he naturally said to him, with a smirk. "The latte was good, but not that grandiose, unfortunately. What will I get today, superman? A medium size cup, please. We wouldn't desire me to have problem sleeping, wouldn't we."

Barry's ears blushes strongly before he started working on the next drink he will provide him. He had, indeed thought about his name but nothing came in mind, so he decided to start Alphabetically. Wishing from the bottom of his heart that his name wasn't from another country otherwise, he will never find it. He put the ingredients in the medium-sized cup. In the meanwhile, Snart was having a discussion with him.

" - So, how is your ankle? " He asked, gaining a weird look from the Barista, that didn't disturb him but he continued talking. "I saw you walking in the main street yesterday around 7 pm, like someone that suffer a twisted ankle. You really should be more attentive, the street is quite slippery in this period of the year I wouldn't want to stop seeying my favorite barista."

" - Oh, it was nothing, just me being a little clumsy. My foot is good!" He offers him a big smile, looking at his foot with the spiderman logo, a hint of blush on the back of his neck. "I'm absolutely fine, thanks for your concerns."

Barry was internally panicking; yesterday he had fought a metahuman with a rock power, he had been injured by him. Snart must have witnessed him when he was going home while his body was recovering from the attack he got. He offered him a smile to hide his nervousness before giving him his hot drink. It was a classic Cappuccino with sugar. He wanted to try classic drinks before going to the complex ones. Handsome took it carefully and look at the name.

" - Aaron? I am way to handsome to an Aaron, don't you think?" He playfully gives him a smile while paying. "It smels good. Thanks, have a a nice day."

Barry was speechless by what did not-Aaron had said, and he didn't know how to respond. He can't lie and say he was not "too" handsome, seeing as it is a lie, and it will upset him. He also, can't just admit he is handsome, since he is too nervous for that and because if he does this, the girls will never let it go, and he will get teased about this for a long time.

Snart note his reaction, and his smirk was way too marked not to be a tease, but it didn't make the barista want to make it disappears — he doesn't want to accept yet why he wants that with the other, but not with Snart — more it causes his face to get warmer. He winked again before looking at Barry with a gleam in his eyes. He turned after that and left the coffee shop, with his cup tightly in his hand. A smile hidden on his face.

—•—••–

For about three months, Snart came back to the coffee, in Barry's shift. He once arrived and it was not, thought — it was Maisie's and she gives him the man's schedule — so he came back later, to find him, and he rarely did miss their meetings on his own mistake, sometimes Barry have emergencies. He became good acquittance with the owners of the shop after that, and he somehow appreciate the couple, both of them .

He and the barista became pretty close and now, Barry flirt back with Batman. It's a long story; all you have to know is that Jamison was way too touchy with an awkward barista — Barry, who had ended his shift — and it didn't pleased Mr. Handsome, so he suggested the bastard should not touch what wasn't his, wearing all black. The next day, he got a free drink from the staff to thank him. Still, the best thing he was given was a lovely message on the cup "Thanks for protecting me, Batman" from Barry. Now, the hero's name is one of his nicknames. He pretty much likes it, because Barry is the only one to use it.

Barry — Bartholomew, he had learnt, when it was suggested, which is as great as his own name — had considered many of them, and for two months, he was absolutely wrong, trying different types — He even did try Albert, Coleman, Charleston, Broderick or Emmerich, and that was hilarious — so Snart had decided to give a hint, allowing him to know if the initial was right or no. Which, now, Barry knows his name is L. Snart, thanks to Lawrence.

Snart was undoubtedly in a jovial mood; he had a great dream; he got the best sleeping of the week — sleeping after talking with Barry is something he really liked — and his friend Mick had his plaster removed, thus, is in a good mood too so he will not be annoying him. It's also due to the fact that he will see his cute barista and that alone could light up his spirit.

He entered the shop; it was already crowded, but it is easy to identify the waiters, Sarah and John. Then he spotted Maisie with whom he had developed a relatively great friendship, with Karen, her wide, that is tease if you ask him. He, then, spotted his — Not his. Not yet — barista. Again, Barry was wearing the red vest he saw him for the first time, and that is the reason for the nickname he gives him. Red — Barry blushing a lot is another reason, but the vest remain the main one.

" - Morning Barry." He smiled at him "So, what is for today?"

" - Hello Batman !" He joyously smiled back while carefully preparing someone's cup. "Do you want to try something new today or do you like to go with the usual Double Espresso Chiaro? "

" – I've got the same coffee order for five days. I would like to change that." He started looking at the menu; it's the third time he has done it this whole period he was coming here. "What would you suggest for a sweetened drink?"

" - What about a Peanut Butter and Banana milkshake?" He asked while giving him quick glares. "It's no that sweet, but still sweet enough."

" - We'll see that after, Red." Snart smiles while adjusting himself to stand in a better position "But I trust you enough."

Barry finished the cup he was making and give it to John, the waiter. He then looked at his friend with a big smile, swiftly getting into work for the coffee of his favorite consumer. He seizes the usual cup. The he begins making the peanut butter, the milk and the banana plus some honey and start preparing the drink. Snart watches him with a tender smile on his face, that neither any of them had noticed. Other clients had, but for the consumer, it's a usual scene that occurs frequently when they are looking at each other and find it endearing. When the drink is finished and given to Snart, Mr. Handsome was going to say something but was cut with the arrival of someone. It was not the arrival itself that had cut him off, but the beaming smile his barista had given the newcomer. He turns to identify who the person was, and it was the notorious Oliver Queen.

As soon as Barry saw the millionaire, he leaved his post for his break and went to greet enthusiastically the man. With a tight hug, while the other male didn't seem to want to even let him, go. They looked as if they were really intimate and this picture causes the heart of Snart winch painfully inside his torso. It's not like he doesn't enjoy observing Barry with other people. It's just seeing the man he is unconditional in love with, being intimate and tender with a person that is not himself and being as close as a couple. That causes negative feelings. He looked at the cup in his hand, especially the name and that inadvertently causes him to feel worst. Lewis. Great. A growl escaped from his throat while glaring fiercely at the two other sittings in a table in the corner of the shop, discussing. He pays for the cup, and some fondant cakes then leaves the place.

Snart was gone and didn't notice the glance the staff exchanged between themselves, before looking at Barry. Maisie facepalmed herself with a desperate sigh before asking the other to continue their work. She and Karen decided to talk about it latter on, when they will be on the privacy of their home. Maisie went back to work while Karen decided to drop by the two stupid persons that were chatting, with absolutely no idea of what their action looked like to the other around. She sat face-to-face with Oliver when barry went somewhere.

" - Oh, it's good old Ollie! " She instantly started with a big, too joyful to be true, smile. "What bought Mr. Queen up in our city, thought you were doing, you-know-what in yours. Were you bored or in need some vacation from it?"

" - Good evening to you too, Karen. " He greets her with a nod while taking the tart the waiter presents him. " Thanks. I decided to drop by to say hello to my friend, and Felicity wanted for us to have some family vacation time with the kids. "

" - You have a personal work in Central City."She said matter-of-factly with a slight smile, knowing him well enough.

She looked at him with a smirk as he nodded. Naturally he must have a work to achieve in Central City, otherwise he wouldn't have been here and ruined the moment between Len — she definitely knows his name as she had the idea of searching for Snart — and Barry. And he will definitely ask for the younger to babysit his two children to have a date with his wife or merely enjoy some free time. She sighs then looked at him with a frown and her arms crossed on the table.

" - And I have works in central city, too." He smiles vaguely then look at her with a frown of his own."I did something or...? "

She jerked her head a bit before sighing again at his noticeable lack of intelligence. She looked around, making sure Barry is not coming back anytime soon, before giving him the darkest look possible. It was still cute, but that was not the point.

" - Needless to say that you did something, you big idiot! " She said in a low voice, so people couldn't listen to their conversation. But she knows they are doing it anyways; they are all worried about the love story as she is. " Might just ruin a love confession a hot, nice and perfect man towards Barry! Do you know how much we were waiting for it? Three months, yes, three damning months and you managed to ruin everything in less than five minutes because two looked like both were boyfriends not just Best friends. Do you know what quite of a sexual tensions they were having and that... "

She was going to start talking higher, so he merely paused and takes one deep breath. Then she starts looking at him while tapping her nail tips to the table and gazed into his keen eyes; expecting for the information yo be thoroughly analyzed by his brain. It doesn't take long; his eyes become wide, and his mouth opens to comes to be of the shape of a small O. He quickly places his usual mask on his face even if he still was a bit surprised, afterward.

" - I didn't know about that. " He grimaced. "Do you think it can be fixed or do the green one have to interfere?"

She intended to reply, and scold the man for joking about that, but barry was back so she couldn't answer. She gave him a look then returned to her work as a waitress, her mind already trying to find a way to help Barry. Promptly it's time to interfere in this story so that it will become unruined. This will be difficult, as none of them have any mean to contact Barry's future lover, even sure when he is coming back nor can clear the misunderstanding. And they intend clearing it, with Oliver and Felicity's help. Surely with all their expertise, it will be easy.

—•—••–

As expected, Snart didn't come for next to two weeks and Barry's state of mind was not the greatest around; he is pale, couldn't eat much, doesn't talk as he used to do, have the heart to do nothing and his smile is not as bright nor as true as it has been until now. Even as the Flash — that's his super-hero name — he was clumsy, careless and got himself injured way too much. He is desperate and barely knows the reason why. He is also worried about his favorite consumer; it is possible he was injured, bored of the coffee or maybe he did something wrong. He doesn't precisely remember, but it is driving him crazy. Everyone had seen him being in a bad mood, and they wanted to comfort him. Unfortunately, he merely says he is okay, while he definitely wasn't. And no one was up to confront him about that because he will become worst.

Karen and Maisie were trying suppressing their smile. They had worked for a week, but have set a plan to make everything become right again. They had found Snart's sister, Lisa, and contacted her to take her in he schemes. Surprisedly, she directly agreed to help them in the "plan" they also received the assistance of Felicity and of Oliver - does he in fact got any choice, thought? Naturally he didn't - and today was the D-Day. Barry was called to cover a shift — John was sick — and knowing the man he wouldn't refuse to help someone; he surprisingly loved to work and be in the coffee shop.

It started well, barry covered John's shift and nothing out of the ordinary had happened so far, it was even almost an enjoyable day, not much of bad consumers. He was too absorbed by his work to much give any attention around him besides his work, obviously. This was something the other used in an advantageous way to make the plan work better. It was a win-win situation as he didn't note how they organized themselves.

Iris was sitting in a table and seems to work; her laptop was open in front of her with a pill of paper was next to it and a coffee shop was there too. She wasn't really working, but more monitoring the outside as she possessed a distinct view on the street. Her job was to inform them about the moment the Snarts were coming inside. Also, it will let Felicity to know when she and her family need to enter the shop.

Karen and Maisie were inside, preparing everything; they were both baristas as they were the ones to encounter the Snarts first, and make sure Barry was not in sign when they will get inside. It's for the sole purpose to make sure Len wouldn't run away and break all their exhausting job and complex scheme that had taken one working week to be completed.

They didn't need waiting for too long before Iris saw the two Snarts coming towards the Coffee shop, she instantly makes the sign they were waiting for; the entirety of her papers fall on the ground and, of course, Barry rushed to help her arrange all of them in order. At this moment, Lisa dragged her annoyed brother inside; his face was clearly showing he did want to be anywhere but here.

Leonard didn't want to be in this place, and he didn't know where his sister insisted to come here and bring him along. He appreciates the spot, and the owner, but it's still a place he wants to avoid for a time — like the two weeks away weren't sufficient enough — to forget Barry. He just wishes for his stupid emotion to be in check and feel extremely unpossessive towards someone who actually has a lover. He merely accepted to come because he knows Barry's shift and Lisa had been very persuasive - threatening and then giving him the cold shoulders. He decided to be polite and salute Maisie and Karen before Lisa brings him to an unoccupied table in the corner, the most far from the windows and the door possible. She makes sure he take the only chair back to both of them, so he couldn't see Barry nor Felicity and Oliver when they will come inside.

Karen was the one to collect their orders — A hot cocoa with mini marshmallows and some cinnamon powder and a Double Espresso Ciaro with a cup of banana-orange juice accompanied by two chocolate-banana tart — and had small talks with Leonard and Lisa; asking about their days, how they are doing and all of that. She promptly omits to talk about Barry, and for that Snart is grateful.

He wouldn't be for too long, he even would want to kill her. The waiter delivers their order only a few minutes after Karen had been gone. It was Barry. Leonard had known it was him before he even gets the visual confirmation of it. He slowly shifted his head to look at the man he still remains in love with. He glared at his little sister; she must undoubtedly have something to do with this and he will get a revenge.

Barry was surprised when he recognized Leonard — he had made some researches, just to be sure he was alive — he wanted to greet him but didn't knew how to do it, especially since the man seem to ignore him. It started being awkward, and he was going to leave when Lisa — bless her — breaks the oppressive silence.

" - I am Lisa and you must be Barry, right?" She smiles and ignores her brother as much as she could. " Maisie had talked about you a lot. Don't worry, it's only good things. I think you are quite famous in the coffee shop."

" - Hello," Barry smiles back and nods "effectively, I am Barry. Barry Allen. Nice to meet you Lisa."

He smiles and takes the offered hand and shakes it. Lisa frowns a little then she hides a smirk on her eyes and Leonard knew she will do something stupid.

" - Likewise." She looked at him. " Tell me, Barry, are you related to one Hen- Ouch!"

The moment she said 'related' Leonard already decided to kick her leg under the table, but wasn't quick enough. He was aware of the relationship between Barry and Henry — father and son. He would have been the first one to talk about it if he didn't know it was a sensitive subject to the younger man. Why Lisa decided to bring it up now is uncomprehensible.

Barry was awkward and he excuses himself. Leonard intended scolding her when someone entered the shop. It didn't really bothered him, not until he overheard Barry greet the person. Damn 'Ollie' again. Like life itself is trying to gain a revenge on all the wrong he did since is young - What's next? Lewis will come into his house to hurt Lisa? Not like he hadn't done that many times already - and it starts pissing him off. He was going to leave the shop, again, when his sister indicates to something and her eyes pleaded him to turn and see it. Damn her.

He did, anyways, because he doesn't have much to lose already. Barry was hugging Ollie but then a little girl; 3 years old, light red hairs, brown eyed and cute literally jumps into Barry's arms. Leonard couldn't think that things could get way worst than what they were but this proves the contrary. Then he couldn't but to listen to their conversation, not that he wanted to.

" - Mia, don't jump on Barry," Ollie said with a smirk "you might break him."

" - Sorry Daddy." The little girl — Mia — smiles sheepishly and kissed Barry's check, "Sorry uncle Barry!"

" - It's okay, princess." He kissed her check with a big smile.

Leonard spotted, then a young blonde woman with a cheerful smile on her face while she looks at Barry with the little girl; himself do think it's the most adorable thing he had witnessed. Barry let go the little girl that run towards the blonde and looked at her, surely with the puppy eyes. She must be a friend of the family, or maybe an aunt. But why didn't she ask Barry, as she was in his arms already.

" - Mommy, I want orange Pie, please!"

Oh. She is her mother. It explained everything; she looks kind like her to be honest; same little smile and same nose, and eyes as her. She also has these puppy cutenesses; these will cause you to want to preserve them from harm.

And Oliver is her Dad, so she will certainly will end up... ! Oliver is her dad, and the blonde is her mother.

Oh !

Leonard looked at his beloved sister who gives him a triumphant smile. He gently rolled his eyes then, without him knowing how, the woman came to hug Lisa. It seems that his sister had planed this, and he doesn't know how to think about it; be proud of her because she was really quite he hadn't seen it coming; be angry at himself that he hadn't seen it coming and was played like a newbie. He was surprised when the blond looked at him and basked in this mischievious glow on her eyes.

" - You must be Lisa's brother, Leonard, right?" She didn't allow him time to talk before continuing, "I am Felicity Smoak, Oliver's wife."

" - Nice to meet you miss Smoak." He nods at her,"You can call me Len, or don't cal-"

" - Wow, your voice is great; your eyes too." She looked at him with a smile, which wasn't something he liked, while she takes place in the chair near his sister. "People out there call you Barry's beau you know? Some even use Future Husband to refer to you. Barry was so red when I told him; it was comic especially when he tried to deny his feelings for you — it's obvious he loves you, if you ask me — and ended up saying a half sentences where he nearly confessed his love. One of my co-workers always says that when you love someone, just go for it; if they reject you, at least you will heal faster. Did you know that -"

Leonard never meets someone that could speak as much as her. He was not barely trying following whatever she was saying until something had attracted his attention, but later — the information had to be fully understood by his brain — while she was talking with Lisa. He looked at her with surprise, even if it didn't really shown it.

" - Pardon me, but whay have you said?" He asked her. "I think I have misheard something."

" - Oh I was saying that buzzard do-" She couldn't finish as she was cut off by Leonard.

" - Not that," he said impatiently while asking himself how this subject was approached, "but what you said about Barry."

She gives him a suspicious look before looking at the man she talked about; he was talking with an old couple. She seems to think about all the things she said about him, until something clicked in her mind. She looked at Lisa and chuckled.

" - That his perfect date is being home," she asked with a grin, "with his lover, drinking hot cocoa or tea and talking or watching TV with the fire on the chimney?"

" - No. Not that." Leonard was glad to obtain this information, but it was not what he was looking for.

" - Oh, that he is in love with you? " She smiles, and nodded her head when he shakes his. "He is deeply in love with you. Never saw him so sad and worried when you stopped showing up. I had to make him stop thining that he did the 'greatest wrong in the history of Central City', which is not the case. He really was down when you decided to stop coming. He even decided to throw up his little crush on you because he thought that it makes you incomfortable."

She said that like it was the most natural thing ever. Not like she just made Leonard's heart skip a beat — several, in fact — and simply tell him that his feelings are not reciprocal and, on top of that, that his little disappearance had caused sadness and worry to the one he is in love with. It's a lot to take, even for someone as calm as Leonard - giving some arsehole a good beating after said person nearly assaulted someone he cares for is being protective and aggressive yet still a bit calm as he did not kill him. He had to think quickly; what to do right now.

He turned his head towards where Barry was and found him behind the counter, helping Karen while Maisie is god know where. He analyzed him for few minutes, and when the barista felt someone looking at him, he looked back and smiles wide when their eyes meet. It's at this moment that Leonard's questions and incertitudes seem to vanish into thin air. He knows exactly what he should do right now.

He gets up after giving a look to his sister, who only smiles and nodded, before walking towards HIS barman, a grin on the face. The, he stood in front of the counter and looked right into Barry's eyes. They stayed like that for a good two minutes before the smallest break the silence.

" - Hey, Leonard." He said with a smile. "It's been a while, how are you?"

" - Hello, Bartholomew." Leonard smiles too, then lean on the surface a bit more to be closer. " I am well, now. I had heard you were in a quite foul mood. How are you?"

" - Yeah I, I am great, thanks." He bit his lower lip and Len found his adorable. "I am sorry, if I did something to make you, I don't know, uncomfortable."

" - You really did something," Len smirked, "you have stole something from me. You have my heart, and I am certain I don't want it back."

The pickup line was a total cliché — usually, Len don't use them — but it makes Barry going tomato red again and it's the cutest sign the older had seen; it's a look he would gladly see every day. Len was a bit nervous, but the shy grin he gets from the person opposite him makes him involuntarily smile too.

" - Well, I would need it because mine was stollen by you." he looked at him. "And I wouldn't like to obtain it back... even if you want it."

" - Great, because I don't want to give it back either." He smirked, "Now, I hope you like to eat Mexican, because I will come gathering you at eight, to take you out for our first date, boyfriend."

He was going to turn and leave to inform Lisa that she has to be on her apartment tonight. Barry's hand halted him. He turned to ask him if something doesn't satisfy him — he would have altered all the plan if it will make him happy — but was taken by surprise by a tender, gentle and delicious lip on his own. Damn. Barry is kissing him. He was surprised. Len kissed him back hungrily and with passion, making the tender kiss an intense makeout session, as much as they could with a counter between their bodies. Until someone cleared his throat.

" - Can you two don't do that in front of my children, but in your car or, better, in your appartment?" Oliver inquired while his hands are on Mia and William's eyes.

Barry breaks the kiss, with a light growl from Len. The latter looked at his now, boyfriend's friend and smiles at him.

" - Don't be jealous," he started, "I am sure you can make someone babysit them for the night for you and Felicity to have a 'date' too."

Then he was gone, ignoring with an amused smile the eyes of Mr. Queen who were definitely addressing him middle finders.

#Alexian_writes #Alexian_writings #Writings of Alexian #coldflash #One-shot #OTP fiction #My fanfics #Fanfics AU

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kaibutsushidousha · 6 years ago

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What are your thoughts on Hakuno Kishinami? And you do prefer the make version or the female version? P.S. I love your blog💖

I prefer the female Hakuno (the canon Hakuno, thank you Last Encore). Anyways, I like Hakuno a lot, specially after CCC. My second favorite Type-Moon protagonist after Shirou.

Notes: This post will not contain Extella series content because I barely remember anything from Extella and never played Link. I also won’t contain any Last Encore content because Deadface is an entirely different character and I already talked about him.

Hakuno is, on many levels, not what I expected. After we’re treated to the death of the other protagonist in the prologue, we’re introduced to Hakuno as the character we choose the gender and name for. That combined with their extremely bland (although very cute/handsome) design gave me the impression of a blank slate self-insert protagonist, which is something I already commented a few times to be something I detest. When your character’s default name is an anagram for “your name is blank”(kimi no na hakushi), that’s not a good way to start. Well, Hakuno had their own dialogue/inner monologue, at least it couldn’t be as bad as Fujimaru.

Hakuno is introduced as an amnesiac Master with no noticeable talents, no ties to any other character or any wish they knew of. They decide to fight just out of the possibility that they would discover their identity along the way. Nothing interesting was done with them until the first week ends on the reveal that the loser of the Grail War die for real. It was a really trivial and obvious twist but for Hakuno’s character this changes everything.

Week 2 is where Hakuno really starts to shine as a character. Hakuno is very afraid of death but they are also (initially) just as afraid of killing. Partially because they are too good natured to casually murder someone (at first), but moreso because their lack of memories cause them to fear the possibility that the goal they forgot is not really worth taking someone’s life for it. Luckily for them, their opponent here is Sir Dan Blackmore, an old man with an already fully realized and not much else to look forward to, and most importantly a fellow kind man with experience in having to take other people’s lives. In that harsh situation, Dan advises Hakuno to try to find purpose in every battle they fight and every sacrifice they make. This is advice is pretty much the cornerstone that built Hakuno’s character.

Week 3 is another “easier” case because Alice is a cyberghost, so she wouldn’t be alive even if she won the Grail War, but Week 4 is huge to Hakuno’s for two very game-changing reasons. First is that, regardless of your choice, Hakuno’s opponent would be the first time they would knowingly kill a young living person with a long and possibly bright future ahead of them. The other big thing is the discovery that Hakuno is just a NPC that joined the War by an error.

The latter is really major because it changed everything about how Hakuno saw their situation. They could go on up until now because they believed they would remember they had a purpose that would make all the blood in their hands meaningful, but now they know that they got nothing and they were nothing. No memories and no objective. Every life they took were, by their own admission, much more valuable than their own and they needed to take even more of those to survive. Ironically enough, this very blood in their hands was one what gave them the will to keep going. Hakuno is very afraid of death, but they are even more afraid of a meaningless death, and dying without ever accomplishing anything would be giving meaningless deaths to their victims. Well, that and their experiences with their Servant giving some substance to their short life.

By the second half of /EXTRA, Hakuno’s character is already fully established and doesn’t really changes much throughout the rest of the game. Their feelings about their identity are organized and their hesitation is gone. They are terrifyingly determined to survive, to the point they can now fight and kill without questioning the morality and the consequences of their actions. But of course, that doesn’t make them blind either. There’s always full acknowledgement despite the lack of hesitation. Due to Hakuno’s lack of connection to the world, they care for the small connections they built throughout the game a lot more than they care about the full-on world war that’s defining Rin and Leo’s grand motivations. Everything Hakuno does is entirely about Hakuno and what Hakuno likes.

Hakuno summoned their Servant without a catalyst, meaning they were summoning out of compatibility, and what they got from this was either a tyrant who could only think of what she loved, a Counter Guardian who was able learn to kill without hesitation out of need, or an outright monster who sees human life in a very different way than humans do. They are all anti-heroes and that’s not without reason. Hakuno is very good natured and sympathetic, but can’t really be called a perfectly good person and doesn’t consider themself one either. In fact, Hakuno straight up calls themself evil at one point in CCC. They are a dangerous hero I could see and enjoy as a villain in some future story.

Hakuno was an amazingly enjoyable protagonist to follow and very easily one of the highest points of both /EXTRA and CCC. Not only for their compelling determination and fascinatingly questionable morality but also for their general personality too. From their bland design and blank slate nature, I expected them to have the “generic everyman” personality, especially considering Shirou and Shiki Toono also had the “generic everyman" personality underneath their trauma, but Hakuno turned out to be much more of a silly weirdo compared to them, bringing us narration gems like “Rin went from comatose to bitch in three seconds flat” or “This were I would love to call this goddess a giant hag, but I would rather not die immediately”. Easily the goofiest Type-Moon protagonist until Fujimaru decided skydrop for no reason to impress a goddess with a wrestling move.

That said, as amazing of a protagonist as Hakuno is, their character really doesn’t fit the story of Fate/EXTRA and I think the game’s biggest narrative problems trace back to Hakuno. Fate/EXTRA is a game very big on world building. There’s really a lot going on in the background with Rin, Leo and even Twice, but we never get a real close look to that world because we’re stuck in Hakuno’s perspective and Hakuno really doesn’t care about the big picture of the world they’re in. I don’t dislike that they live only for what they directly interacted with, but it really clashes with the backstory the game is trying to tell.

CCC doesn’t add much of anything new to Hakuno’s character but really makes the best of use of their established traits, reinforcing everything I liked about them while taking away what I disliked. The dungeon progression being about invanding other characters’ mental worlds does a great job in both exploring and showing the limits of Hakuno’s willingness to harm others for their goals. Their unstoppable drive to avoid a meaningless death gets full and amazing display in the interlude between chapter 4 and 5. Their silly nature is perfectly at home with the heavily comedic tone of the first half of the game. And most importantly, since CCC’s backstory is the OG /EXTRA game, we don’t have Hakuno ignoring the background in this one.

But the best trait CCC expands upon is their self-awareness, resulting into some points in the game, in their conversations with Sakura, where Hakuno presents a really well done character study on themself, tying up how they are just a nameless, pastless and futureless human who can’t fight for anything larger than themselves to how unstoppable they are. All Hakuno has is the present and their simple and real connections to the people they like, so all they can do is fighting for those people. And, fortunately for the world, their favorite type of person are the people who face any and all adversities to make others around them feel better.

I really like this establishing of Hakuno’s type, not only because it fits all 3 of the Extra Servants and Sakura (and Nightingale, but Nightingale’s role in CCC is a topic for another day), but because if really fits their story and good nature. Hakuno appreciates people capable of self-sacrifice because that’s something they don’t feel very able to do, especially in the OG Fate/EXTRA, and most of all, Hakuno appreciates kindness because that’s something their circumstances never allowed them to perform, except for the one time they saved Rin or Rani. This probably means a lot to Hakuno, since Hakuno is a very kind-hearted person who considers themself evil for doing the only thing they could to survive.

Ideally I would add an extra paragraph about Eliza’s character arc because that’s Hakuno at their best, but I couldn’t find any good place to fit and this part would be better off in an Eliza ask, so that’s pretty much all about Hakuno. For my tl;dr conclusion, I’ll go with a CCC quote that best demonstrates both Hakuno’s silly personality, self-awareness, and unstoppablenss all in one line: “Going back to search around the abandoned school or exploring the Labyrinth at this point would be insane. Luckily, I am not exactly sane.”

Thank you very much for the ask (and sorry for taking 5 months to respond, you asked my while I was still early in my CCC playthrough). I love this absolute mad(wo)man.

#fate extra #fate extra ccc #kishinami hakuno

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esseastri · 6 years ago

Text

Megan Reads Oathbringer (part 11)

All right, now that it’s been 4 months and I’ve read all the other things, I realized that it’s, like, 5 days until this book has been out for a year and I should probably get the fuck on with it, so. Here we are.

Part 11 encompasses pages 828-934 (previous parts)

me in July: I’m almost done! I can finish this!

me, now: sweet christ I have a smaller novel’s-worth still to get through lord let me live

Aw, damn, I left off on Interludes, but I DON’T CARE ABOUT VENLI, WHERE MY BOYS AT

oh SNAP I WANT THAT, the ability to speak and understand all languages???? GRABBY HANDS

ah yes the “the alethi enslaved us so we should rise up and kill them by enslaving ourselves to this other, more horrible godlike being” narrative. my favorite.

sigh

why we gotta EXTERMINATE people?

I’m tired. of extermination plotlines.

Maybe. Venli and her lil light spren will stop? the extermination!? I’m here for that!

“There was an art to doing laundry” HONESTLY THO, HAVE YOU MET COLLEGE-AGE BOYS WHO NEVER LEARNED HOW MUCH SOAP TO USE? AMEN.

oh.

I forgot about Mraize.

like, literally, 100% forgot about his existence. sorry alyx.

eyy, we found Shalash!

HE WAS LOOKING FOR HER?? IT WAS A TRAP??

admiralakbar.gif

...Mraize has a babsk? I didn’t think he was Thaylen????

“A resistance is not what we caught you mounting.” UGH. PICK THE HAMMER, YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT.

Why do I feel like this is a “HE HAS CHOSEN THE BEAR. BRING FORTH THE BEAR” joke?

yeessssssss, VENLI!!! TAKIN RESPONSIBILITY!!!!!!!! I CARE NOW. I WANT HER TO BE BETTER, I WANT HER TO WORK THROUGH. GIIIRRLL!!!!

HOW LONG WILL YOU VACILLATE?

YESSSSS

gr oss? Tha nk s? for the melting flesh images??

yelch

PART FOOUUUUUURRR

that’s. so many POVs. What is this, a GRRM book?

also none of the POVs are Bridge Four and. WHEN WILL MY BOYS COME BACK FROM THE WAR.

wait, I could have sworn the Alethi had been fighting the Parshendi for ten years?? but Dalinar is talking to Gavilar EIGHT years ago?

Did I miss smthn?

Did I conflate the Shattered Plains with the Trojan War? I’m confused.

Lisa has done Math for me and found out that it was only 6 years????????? Why did I think it was ten??? I COULD HAVE SWORN IT WAS TEN????

“his job was to loom” heheheh

so... Dalinar is the nuclear deterrent and the nuclear threat all in one?

Dalinar, leaning into the mic: “The truth is... I am Iron Man.”

#Evideservedbetter2kForever

OH NO A BABY

TINY FIFTEEN YEAR OLD ADOLIN IS MAKING MY HEART SING

“I had this specially tailored” I LOVE HIM

OHHHHH

HE’S TRYING SO HARD TO IMPRESS HIS DAD I’M CRYING

“When censured, Adolin only tried harder.” I! LOVE! THIS! TINY! SUNLIGHT! BOY!

I wanna write fic where Adolin Kholin meets Luke Skywalker and the world literally EXPLODES IN SUNLIGHT AND SOFTNESS.

“Who could deny him?” CERTAINLY NOT ME, I WOULD DIE FOR ADOLIN KHOLIN TOO GOOD TOO SOFT FOR THIS WORLD

me, squinting: “which Herald is Ahu?”

my running method is to just suspect everyone of being a Herald. At some point, I’ll have to be right.

WHICH! HERALD! IS! AHU!

HE’S TALKING ABOUT THE UNMADE LIKE HE KNOWS THEM PERSONALLY, TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY LET THEM IN. WHICH!!! HERALD!!! IS!!! AHU!!!!

LISTEN, I JUST WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HERALDS. GIMME A BOOK ABOUT THE HERALDS, BRANDON!

GIMME THAT JUICY GOOD BACKSTORY, BRANDON!!!

me: why is there a map with the sea but Kholinar is on it???

two seconds later: OOOHHH DUH IT’S SHADESMAR

wack y fun!

ARE DREHY AND SKAR OKAY???? THEY DIDN’T COME WITH???

ARE THEY OKAY?

OH NO OH NOO I’M GONNA WORRY AOBUT THEM FOREVER

Adolin, say hi to your swwooooorrdddd

....the Oathgate has souls?

what?

Fearspren: gross.

I knew they were all bigger on the inside, as it were, but. #yikes?

“Kaladin’s not well.” “I have to be well.”

BRB SOBBING ABOUT KALADIN

I’M!

HE’S SO STRONG

I’M! HELP!

GIANT CLAW? UNMADE!!?? LET’S KILL IT. IDK IF WE CAN BUT CAN WE TRY??

“sword lady” HEH

ok well, at least we know Drehey is alive, since Shallain bumped into his soul, which is both TERRIFYING and REALLY COOL

YOU’RE NOT NOTHING, ADOLIN, YOU ARE EVERYTHING AND I LOVE YOU.

*long keening noises*

I FELL ON THE FLOOR

“Hey,” Adolin said. “It will be all right.” “I survived Bridge Four,” Kaladin growled. “I’m strong enough to survive this.” “I’m pretty sure you could survive anything. Storms, bridgeboy, the Almighty used some of the same stuff he put into Shardblades when he made you.” Kaladin shrugged. But as they walked onto the next platform, his expression grew distant again. He stood while the rest of them moved on. Almost like he was waiting for their bridge to dissolve and dump him into the sea. “I couldn’t make them see,” Kaladin whispered. “I couldn’t...couldn’t protect them. I’m supposed to protect people, aren’t I?”

GUESS WHICH PART BROKE MEGAN

GUESS WHICH PART DUMPED MY HEART ON THE FLOOR

ANYWAY, I’M CRYING

THISISFINE.PNG

“I’m frightened. I talk when I’m frightened.” I LOVE HIM.

ADOLIN’S HELOIGN HIM HE’S MAKIN HIM TALK TO DISTSRAT HIM AND MAKE HIM JEEP WALKING AND I”M

I LOV A SUNSHINE BOY

SO MUCH

...is Vivenna okay?

oh shiiit, Adolin is? king????

sort of? almost??

oh man, he’s gonna be SO GOOD AT IT!!!! LOOK AT HIM TAKING CHARGE AND TAKING CARE OF EVERYONE. HE’S SUCH A GOOD LEADER, HE’S GOING TO BE SOOOOOO GOOOOOOODDD AT THIS!!!!

that chapter was a Lot

OH NO A SZETH CHAPTER

I’ve only been asking for this for tHE WHOLE BOOK

but now I’m gonna be MORE SAD

.......idk how I feel about the soul-after-image thing. it’s interesting, but I’m still a lil weirded out by Szeth...you know...being alive?

huh. Vasher knows about the magic fish? So....does this validate Lisa’s theory about the fish and the birds from that other cosmere thing I can’t remember bc I haven’t read it?

holy shit, that’s a LOT of skybreakers.....

...who have been around the WHOLE TIME???? WTF

So...Szeth can hear the Spiritual Realm.....and is going to bond a spren, of the Cognitive Realm...and is in the Physical Realm... so does that make him the Avatar, Master of All Three Realms?

(while he may have a lot to learn, I believe that Szeth can save the world)

hm. they’re so...regimented. militaristic. ritualized. They’ve got tests and rules for getting in and it’s all very well-put-together. and it’s WEIRD compared to everyone else stumbling into their Ideals. Is this what is was like before the Recreance? or is this just the Skybreakers being Skybreakers?

why are there kaladin flashbacks in the dalinar book, why, brandon, why must you hurt me in this way

Brandon: *mentions Tien* Me, softly: “no”

HE REALIZED HE COULD KILL AND THAT’S WHAT TERRIFIED HIM

THISISFINE.PNG

I’M EMOTIONAL AND KALADIN IS SAD AND I’M UPSET

Also, Syl just. grabbing his arm and snuggling him is VERY GOOD, SHE IS VERY GOOD, AND SHE SHOULD BE WORSHIPED FOR BEING SO VERY WONDERFUL

“It cannot be holy. If it truly were, it would have burned me away long ago.” I’M SAD NOW, THANKS.

I have weird emotions about people losing their faiths, and Szeth’s character arc has been particularly. compelling to me.

“Here’s what you have to do: fight him and win!” has the same energy as that obnoxious Assassin’s Creed “tip” that’s like “the trick to staying alive to is get your enemy’s health bar to zero while keeping your above zero” and I’M SO PLEASED.

ooohh shit

he drew Nightblood

which I feel is NOT RECOMMENDED

# Y I K E S

Skybreakers take the “lawful” part of DnD alignments to a very unhealthy extreme

tbh they’re a lil fucked up, ngl

Skybreakers make me uncomfortable, is what I’m saying.

“he had never mastered the ‘sleep anywhere’ skill the grunts bragged about” NEERRRRDD

WHEN WILL ADOLIN REALIZE HE’S A REALLY GOOD LEADER??? SOMEONE TELL HIM, I WOULD BUT I’M TOO FAR AWAY.

oh that makes sense

I was confused for a hot second about how Vivenna knew Adolin’s kata, but she probably learned it from Vasher who...also...taught Adolin. Duh.

“I’m just a woman who has been constantly out of her league since adolescence.” Viveennnnaaaaaa, darling. You’ll be all right.

also that makes total sense--the Horneater Peaks? If they’ve got a portal, it makes sense they’re so much more in tune to the spren. Easier border crossings.

PEOPLE live in this realm? What the??

I don’t know Nazh, but the fact that he has an embarrassing tattoo due to Horneater lager bad decisions DELIGHTS ME

hm. idk why I’d sort of assumed that Dalinar went to visit the Nightwatcher before Gavilar died, but. maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it was a consequence of Gavliar’s death.

“the other one” GET FUCKED WITH A CACTUS, PAST!DALINAR

OOHH

SOFT BOY

Renarin is such a Good

also, Dalinar HUGGING is SO GOOD KEEP DOING THAT THAT WILL HELP

“Humans, you must stop your emotions. They are very inconvenient here.” I think, Pattern dear, that Shallan rather thinks emotions are inconvenient everywhere.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

HERE WE ARE AGAIN

ANGER IS ALWAYS THE FIRST STAGE OF DEPRESSION

HELLO, KALADINMEGAN BRAIN, IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU WERE SO NEATLY SPELLED OUT BUT HERE WE ARE AGAIN

“You’re not angry at anyone, you’re just looking for something to latch onto. Something to feel.” To stave off the darkness of unfeeling and anger is easy. It’s irrational and warm and so easy. So it’s always the first one to go.

“It would continue until numbness seemed preferable.” GOD YUP. THERE IT IS.

It’s still really validating and really, really unsettling to see your brain problems spelled out so succinctly.

oh lord

“Men he loved, killing each other.”

I’M UPSET

(and the very tiny garbage part of my brain goes, ‘see he LOVES Moash’)

ADOLIN TAKING THE REARGUARD BECASUE SOMETIMES KALADIN NEEDS LOOKING AFTER I’M EMOTIONAL

Syl had a different Kaladin before Kaladin?? Wild.

and GOD but the symbology of the LIGHTHOUSE in Kaladin’s chapter. I’m. <3

EEEYYYY NAVANI!!!

she made them carry their own chairs, GOD THE MEANING BEHIND THAT, I LOVE HER

“Elhokar and Adolin are safe somewhere.” ABOUT THAT....

LOPEN, PLS

Bridge Four’s unwavering belief in Kaladin is SURE A THING. I love them SO MUCH.

also, god, MY BOYS, here they are, eating all the food and being ridiculous losers at a formal event I HAVE MISSED THEM SO

god, fuc you Ialai. ofc she didn’t carry her own chair, fukin JERK

good to know the assholery of the Sadeas name is being upheld, even after his death

god, every time Taravangian is mentioned, my gut just clenches, he makes me SO NERVOUS

GOD YES OH MY GOD, LIFT VS ROCK EATING CONTEST PLS GIMME MORE

I have forgotten that I love Sebarial. Petition for him to show up more often.

OH GOOD HE’S HAVING A BAD DAY. EXCELLENT. HE’S MUCH BETTER WHEN HE’S STUPID

...unless he’s super smart today and just pretending to be stupid.

fuck

IT’S SO HARD TO TELL WITH HIM ARGH

ANYONE ELSE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DISCUSSION OF INVADING SHINOVAR WHEN SHINOVAR IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT DOESN’T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AT THIS COUNCIL???? JUST ME? OKAY.

also they keep talking about Shinovar as a redoubt and a haven, but....didn’t the Everstorm--going the wrong way--destroy Shinovar? Has anyone checked??

Navani is so clever and it’s brilliant.

“Taravangian was talking about having you tour Vedenar personally”....alone....so he can MURDER YOU. BAD IDEA. ABORT MISSION.

KALADIN HAD AN OLD LADY SLAVE FRIEND WHO DIED AND I’M SAD AGAIN DAMNIT

“He’s got battle fatigue. We have to watch him when he’s sitting around doing nothing, not when he’s got a specific mission.” MMMMMMHHHMMMMMMM

the future is forbidden, but not to Truthwatchers, sooooooo... is. this “Oracle”. a.......... Herald? PERCHANCE.

(He’s not, but I AM SUSPICION INCARNATE)

Weren’t they lying at the beginning and saying that Shallan was an Elsecaller? Because Odium thinks she’s an Elsecaller for some reason. And I wonder...who he’s spying through and where his attention is focused and who told him the lie?

KALADIN JUST WANTS TO SAVE HIS DAD IS THIS TOO MUCH TO ASK

aight, which world does canned food come from? How far ahead is the mistborn world whose name I can’t remember right now but it begins with an s SCADRIAL YEAH THAT ONE how far ahead is Scadrial in technological progression? Where does the Stormlight Archive fall on the mistborn timeline?

ADOOOLLIINNN. TALK! TO YOUR SPREN!!!

THEY DON’T KNOW??? THE BOYS DON’T KNOW? HOW THEIR MOTHER DIED?

HOW DO THEY NOT KNOW?

oh my god

that

god, that’s a huge lie to believe for so, so long. ohhh my goddd

someone has been writing down all the Unmades’ names, right? So I can look them up in the Coppermind later and be confused and try to work out which is which and what they do and how terrified I should be of them? cool thanks.

HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND

HE’S GONNA TELL US SECRETS!!!!! ARE THEY USEFUL!? WILL I LEARN THINGS ABOUT THE HERALDS!!!!??

I have one (1) priority in this establishment

...why does Syl have color

who is she

also LIGHTSPREN/REACHERS??? COOL AS FUCK OMG

“You don’t fly, you fall the wrong way.” Hehehehehehe <3

I HAVE MISSED KALADIN’S SELF-DEPRECATING JOKES THAT ARE FUNNY BUT ALSO VERY PAINFUL god, I love him. I love him so much. idk if y’all know this about me.

...ok, but the punny banter between Kaladin and Shallan is SO NICE Why do they have to be mean to each other so often why can’t they just be terrible sarcastic pun buddies?

“In that polished breastplate and striking figure, with her talk of chasing bounties and traveling worlds. She’s deeply mysterious.” CAREFUL, SHALLAN, YOUR BI IS SHOWING.

“The feeling was friendship, but neither of them had ever experienced it.”

NOPE

NOOOOOOPPEE

WHO WANTS TO BET THIS SCENE IS SHIP FODDER DEAR LORD

Kaladin, darling, that shit is SO UNHEALTHY, DO NOT ENCOURAGE THIS

god

also like. darling. no. “I wish I didn’t have to care” DARLING ALL YOU DO IS CARE WHO WOULD YOU BE WITHOUT CARING

THIS IS GOOD FOR NEITHER OF YOU STOP

DO NOT ENCOURAGE THAT IN HER AND DO NOT WISH THAT FOR YOURSELF, jesus

lord, ok, well, I’ve read 100 pages, so on that disappointing character note, I’m going to go to bed.

#op #Megan reads OB #Oathbringer spoilers #is it still spoilers? man have I come out the other end on spoilers? oh well #Stormlight Archive #Oathbringer #Brandon Sanderson #mmmmmm I HAVE OPINIONS #also cry a lot #I miss Bridge Four petition for my boys to come back

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ladyseaheart1668 · 7 years ago

Text

Endless Summer Book 4 : Daughter of Vaanu (Chapter 10)

Description: Alodia learns a thing or two about her new past, and Jake faces some uncomfortable questions.

Tagging: @xo-endlessmayhem-xo , @princesstopgun

Chapter Ten : A California Interlude

Alodia

Far sooner than I would like them to, Raj, Quinn, Estela, and Mike drift back to their lives. At least I still have Jake and Diego, even if Diego opts to stay with his family. I don't blame him. Both our families can be a lot to handle, and with a delicate situation like this, it is probably better to let us each manage one side. Poor Jake is not having an easy time of it with either set of guardians. He has it slightly easier with Diego's parents, but his mother is still inclined to criticize him. We've tried to assure him that Diego's mother has criticized every boyfriend I have ever had—and probably would have criticized my girlfriends too, if she had ever been able to wrap her mind around the idea of me having a romantic or sexual attachment to another woman. But maybe that's why it was easier for me to come out to them than it was for Diego. I learned to live with the fact that she would criticize every boyfriend and treat every girlfriend as if she were just a new close friend or a phase I was going through. It must have frustrated her that I seemed to keep relapsing just when she thought I was back into boys for good. Maybe in that sense, Jake is a relief to her.

For Diego, it was more difficult. He never had a girlfriend his parents could reassure themselves with. For awhile, they latched onto the idea that he and I would fall into each other's arms once our hormones hit, or we turned around and had one of those chick-flick moments where we realized that true love had been there all along. He and I did actually try kissing once when we were twelve, but it felt weird and neither of us liked it. I still played his beard on and off, but even if we fooled the rest of the world, his parents eventually started to understand that we were like brother and sister. Even if we were both straight, I doubt we ever could have seen each other that way. With that illusion shattered, I suppose it was only a matter of time before they couldn't ignore the fact that their son was gay any longer.

Diego has been out to his family since sophomore year at Hartfeld, but it's strange to think of them breaking bread with him and letting him sleep under their roof now. Since coming out, he always spent vacations with my family, who for all I could say against them have at least never batted an eye at people for their sexuality or gender identity. ...I don't like to think about how he managed things in the timeline where I didn't exist. I'm trying not to think about that timeline at all. I'm just glad his family is getting back on track. ...Maybe it helps that he can't introduce his husband to them for reasons besides his sexuality still being a touchy subject. I suppose it is easier for his parents to accept him as a free-spirited bachelor than a man married to another man, even if the other man in question were not a hyper-evolved human with blue skin.

On this particular afternoon about five days after my return to Riverside, my aunt and uncle are at work, and expected to be late. Jake and I have passed a lazy morning in each other's company, one that puts me in mind of the life he described us sharing the night of our handfasting. We stay in bed fooling around a little too late, eat a simple breakfast together, and linger over our coffee before heading out to the terrace to stretch out in the sunshine. At some point, the housekeeper arrives. It has not taken me long to realize that she doesn't like having me or Jake around while she's cleaning, so it's a blessing to us all when Diego calls and offers to take us downtown for lunch.

He's driving a white Mercedes-Benz when he pulls up to the gate. I know it's a rental since he told me he didn't want to buy a car until he had a place to live, but I still can't help being a little impressed and proud.

“Look at you, with your fancy-ass car,” I tease as Jake and I climb in. “Those book royalties really are treating you right.”

He grins sheepishly. “Well, yeah. And maybe I like to show it off a little.”

“Hell, you deserve it, Short Stuff,” Jake declares. “You wrote a good book.”

“So, what are you guys in the mood for lunch-wise?”

“Burgers,” I reply without hesitation. “Burgers and fries and something carbonated to drink.”

Jake shrugs. “Works for me.”

Diego laughs. “All right, folks. Well, we're in California, so let's do this right!”

Not long afterwards, the three of us are sitting in a booth at In-N-Out, savoring burgers, fries, sodas, and milkshakes.

“Hey, Allie?”

I look up at Diego, mumbling, “Yes?” around a mouthful of meat, bun, and fixings.

“If it's none of my business, you can tell me to buzz off, but...I was wondering. The other day when my mom showed up and your aunt dragged you into the library...what did she say to you?” When I freeze mid-chew, he hastily adds, “I mean, I'm just asking because you seemed upset, but you never said anything else...”

I finish chewing and swallow. “...She...didn't say much, actually. It seemed like once she had me in there, she forgot why she'd wanted me there in the first place. ...She did ask my why I called your mother Mama.”

“...You've always called her Mama, haven't you?”

“That's what I said. At which point Aunt Molly just kinda blinked at me and muttered something about my real mother. I told her I never even knew my real mother...”

“Wait, was she trying to say that calling the woman they hired to raise you 'Mama' is somehow disrespectful to the mother who died when you were too young to know her?” Jake asks. I shrug.

“I guess. ...It never bothered her before, though. Or if it did, she never let on.” I frown. “There was...one thing she said that kinda stood out, though. Something about how my parents tried so hard to have me...”

“They had trouble getting pregnant?”

“I guess. Unless she means that they adopted me...”

“I don't think that's likely,” Jake remarks. “Given how much you look like your aunt, that would be a hell of a coincidence if you weren't biologically related.”

“In some sense, I'm not,” I reply before I can stop myself. A moment of awkward silence descends over the table. I clear my throat. “I noticed the dance studio on the way over here. The one I used to dance at?”

“Right. I remember.”

“I was thinking I might take a few classes there to keep myself busy. And possibly go back into the Trainee program. That's where they have older students acting as teachers assistants for the younger classes. I did it back when I was a teenager,” I explain for Jake's benefit. “I know I'm older than Trainees usually are, but I've been thinking that in time I might like to teach dance. You know, for money. This might be a good way to get my foot in the door.”

“If that's what you want to do, that sounds great,” Jake says. “I should probably get off my ass and start looking for work myself. Your folks aren't gonna be as lenient with me as they are with you.”

I chuckle. My eyes wander lazily over the In-N-Out's patrons, then stop on one young woman, heading out the door. My heart leaps to my throat, and I stand up sharply.

“Hey!” Jake takes my hand, looking up at me with concern. “You okay, Princess?”

I stare at the spot where the woman had been standing. In my mind, I can still see her. Slim and athletic. Doe-brown skin. Dark hair pulled tight in a ponytail, but I can only imagine it short, cropped close to her neck...

I slowly sit back down. “I...I'm fine. There was just someone here who...looked...like...”

“...Like who...?” Diego asks.

I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I should tell them. My knee-jerk reaction is to play it off, hide it like I always did on the island whenever something happened that scared me. But no. I'm not on the island anymore.

“She looked like Lila. I'm sure it was a coincidence.” They both relax a little.

“Probably was,” Diego agrees. “Even if she was alive, I don't know what Lila would be doing in an In-N-Out in Riverside.”

“She didn't exactly seem like the burger-and-fries type,” Jake adds.

That actually makes me laugh. “You know, I never really thought about it, but you're actually right. It's really hard to imagine Lila chowing down on a burger.” I pick up another french fry and cram it into my mouth. “So, Diego, what's the class you're teaching in the fall?”

* * *

That evening, Jake and I sprawl out on the couch to watch an action movie after dinner. Something with explosions, a plot that's easy to follow and a romance that's been shoved in as an afterthought. It's in the midst of a high-speed car chase that Aunt Molly comes home. Uncle Rob is not far behind her. They pop in briefly to ask if we want dinner, but when we decline, they mostly leave us on our own for the rest of the evening. After the movie ends, though, the silence in the den brings them in.

“Would you two care to join us on the terrace for grasshoppers?” Aunt Molly asks. “There's something we'd like to discuss with you.”

Her words give me a lump in the pit of my stomach, but I don't really feel like I can refuse. I glance at Jake, who seems to feel the same.

“Yeah...sure...”

A few minutes later, we're all in lounge chairs on the terrace, lit by the outdoor lights and the lights from the pool, sipping on grasshopper ice cream cocktails. They're a perfect blend of sweet and alcoholic burn, and I sip mine slowly, savoring it.

“I gotta say, I ain't usually one for cocktails, but this is damn good,” Jake remarks.

“I'm glad you like it,” Aunt Molly says politely. “Alodia...I was wondering if you've thought at all about going back to school and finishing your degree?”

The question makes me pause. “You know...I hadn't...really considered the fact that I technically didn't finish.”

“There's no need to rush into the decision. It's just that you were doing so well at Hartfeld, and it's only been five years. It may be possible that your completed credits will still transfer if you decide to finish at a community college here. I don't know what work might be available for a history major specifically, but just having the completed degree will surely give you a boost.”

“That...may be true. I will definitely think about it.”

“...Your uncle and I had a lot of plans for your graduation. We wanted to make a big showy fuss to show you how proud we were. We have no doubt that you would have completed college when you were meant to if you hadn't gone through that nightmare. And now that you're back...we realize that an elaborate party might be a little much for you right now, but we'd had a few other treats in mind and we hope you will allow us to indulge you.”

Well, that doesn't sound too bad. “What did you have in mind?”

“Well, altering our plans slightly to include your boyfriend, here's what we were thinking: I'm off next Friday. I thought I could take you to get some official things taken care of, Alodia. Renewing your driver's license, transferring your trust fund, doing some shopping, that sort of thing. Then, we drive up to Los Angeles to meet Uncle Rob and spend the weekend up there. We could stay in a nice resort, and on Saturday, you and I could have a spa day like we used to when you were a teenager. Massages, facials, wraps, mani-pedis...the whole nine yards. Followed by a nice dinner for the four of us.”

“And while our girls are getting pampered,” Uncle Rob adds, looking at Jake. “You and I can play a couple rounds of golf.”

Jake looks for a moment like a deer caught in headlights. He clears his throat. “Uh...sir, I ain't never played golf in my life. ...Except mini-golf.”

“Oh, that's all right, I'll teach you. No one will judge you if you end up over par.”

“You ain't worried I'm gonna break a window on someone's Rolls-Royce?”

He laughs. “There is a reason the course is a decent hike from where the cars are parked. Don't worry, they take all possible precautions.”

“Well...I guess fortune favors the bold.” He still sounds a little uncertain, but I'm glad he doesn't look totally panicked.

“Then it's settled,” Aunt Molly says.

“But can we get reservations for everything on such short notice?”

“Oh, don't you worry about that. We'll take care of everything. Promise.”

* * *

A week from Friday, after taking care of my driver's license and my trust fund, Aunt Molly insists on taking me shopping for new clothes for our weekend in L.A. She insists that after five years, I need a new wardrobe anyway. I could try to explain to her that my body hasn't aged. The official story that I was sealed in a stasis tube would support that statement. But I know it's not really about what I need. She wants to spoil me, and I suppose I should let her, even if it feels strange. I half-heartedly examine mannequins in everything from shorts and fitted T-shirts to sparkly evening gowns, knowing I'm inevitably going to walk away with half the store crammed into four or five bags.

I might be a little more into the indulgence if there wasn't a half-formed memory that had been tugging at my mind since we were at the DMV. Renewing my driver's license was a simple process, since I had apparently been licensed before my disappearance. But that sent my thoughts tumbling into an entirely new rabbit hole when I realized that to acquire a license or a passport or anything like that, I would have had to present a birth certificate at some point. And just like that, I remembered pulling the weathered page out of a lockbox where my aunt and uncle kept all my important official paperwork. I could picture it in my hand, fragile and brown, and oddly smooth and shiny. And across the top of the page, in overly elegant script, the words Consular Report of Birth Abroad stand out in my memory.

“Hey...Aunt Molly...what you were saying the other day, about my mom and dad trying so hard to have me...what did you mean?”

“Oh, they had a terrible time trying to get pregnant, that's all. Thankfully, the problem was in your mother's fallopian tubes, not her ovaries or uterus, or your father's sperm, and IVF worked a treat. Got you on their first try that way.”

“...Where was I born?”

Aunt Molly pauses, her hand on a glittery red evening gown, and frowns at me. “...Don't you remember?”

“Remember my own birth?” I quip. “Not likely.”

“No, I mean...I've told you the story before, haven't I? I'm sure you asked me when you saw your CRBA certificate...”

“I...don't remember,” I confess feebly.

“Your parents were on a cruise in the Caribbean, touring the Greater Antilles and escaping the cold in New York. Cassie was only thirty-four weeks gone, so they weren't really expecting anything to happen before they got back, but I guess you were eager, because her water broke just before midnight during the New Year's Party on deck. The ship was anchored somewhere between Kingston and Santo Domingo, and they had to rush to the nearest port. The whole thing was over within five hours.”

“Was I born at sea?”

“Well, you were definitely born on the ship. Your mother was never sure if they made it to port on one of the smaller islands or not. Either way, they had to go to the American embassy in the Dominican Republic to get you a CRBA certificate so you'd be recognized as an American citizen.”

“Oh.”

I don't know if my aunt has made the connection. If she paid attention when I won that trip back in college to where I was heading, if it ever occurred to her to look at a map of the Caribbean, or if it ever crossed her mind to muse about it. I don't ask. And I don't tell her what has quickly become obvious to me: that the cruise ship my mother and father were on had indeed made it to port. Even in this timeline, where I have my own life and my own existence outside its influence, I was born on La Huerta.

* * *

They surround me and my friends as we press together, bound and on our knees somewhere in the jungle. Their skin gleams vibrant shades of blue and green, tattoos curling over their glistening bodies. Watchers. Hostiles. Or whatever it is they call themselves. They bark at us in a fearsome, guttural tongue, thrusting spears and knives in our direction.

The sea of green and blue humanoid bodies parts, revealing two blue-skinned males, one stooped and wrinkled, one young and strong, more than six feet of pure, sculpted muscle. I know the latter. He is their leader. The one who wore the lion mask. Who touched my forehead and broke the barrier between us so that we could communicate. Who led the attack on The Celestial. Who took my best friend from me. All fear is washed away by a cold, desperate anger. I draw myself up on my knees and capture his gaze with mine, glaring.

“Where is my friend?”

To my surprise, the Watcher's eyes soften as they take in the sight of me. “You are Alodia. ...The one who was a child with Diego. Who is like his sister.”

“Yes. I am. Where is my brother?”

There is something in the Watcher's gaze that makes me feel cold all over. Something like...pity. Sorrow.

“I will take you to him.”

“Varyyn...” The old man speaks in his native tongue, but somehow I understand him. “Your mother has requested that the Catalysts be brought before her immediately.”

“This one is very special to Canis. I must take her to him.”

“And what am I to tell your mother?”

“Tell her that I believe seeing his sister again may give Diego strength. Unless you believe Raan'losti can be averted with only eleven Catalysts.”

“Wh-what are you talking about?” Dread is growing in the pit of my stomach as my mind races towards understanding. “What do you mean 'give him strength'? What's wrong?!”

“Come. I will take you to him.” Before I can ask any more questions, he has cut my bonds and pulled me to my feet. My friends, only understanding half the conversation, immediately begin shouting in protest, struggling even as amber speartips press closer to their flesh.

“Princess!” Jake cries.

“Take your hands off her!” Sean snarls.

“Where she goes, we go!” Raj adds. “Or else no one goes anywhere!”

“Wait!” I cry. “He's taking me to Diego!”

“Then tell him to take us with you!” There is desperation and fear in Jake's eyes. “Don't let him take you alone, Princess! Please!”

“You can't trust him!” Estela adds.

“You need someone to watch your back!” Craig agrees.

The Watcher—Varyyn—keeps a grip on my arm. I look back up at him. “...They're afraid,” I try to explain. “They think you're going to hurt me. They want you to let a few of them come with me.”

“I know,” he answers in English. Surprise goes through me like a mild electric shock, but it's overpowered by fear for Diego. He looks over my friends. Slowly he points to Jake. Then to Sean. Then...to Michelle. In his native tongue, he says, “Lupus, Aquila, and Pavo. Cut their bonds and have them follow me.”

The warriors obey. Jake rushes to take my hand. I grip his as we follow the Watcher into the village. He leads us into a quiet hut where a small fire is burning. My heart drops into my gut.

Diego, his hair grown to his shoulders and a six-month-old beard on his ashen face, lies curled in a hammock, shivering under a blanket. His cheeks are high with feverish color. Sweat glistens on his forehead. His breathing is shallow and labored, ragged as if the act of pulling in air is painful.

“Diego!” I drop Jake's hand to run to my brother's side and find his. His grip is limp in mine as I gently push sweaty strands of hair off his hot forehead. His eyes flutter.

“A-Allie...?” he croaks feebly.

“It's me,” I assure him, even as I hear my voice trembling. “It's me. I'm here. It's okay, I'm here. Everything's going to be okay.”

I don't know if Varyyn understood what he was doing when he let Michelle come with us, but I don't question it now. I look desperately at her, silently pleading with her to fix this. Make him better. She is already at his other side, feeling his pulse, laying the back of her hand to his forehead. She is frowning as she puts her ear to his chest to listen to his lungs. She rises, looking at Varyyn.

“How long has he been like this?”

“Nearly two weeks,” Varyyn answers softly. “We have tried everything we know. But I am afraid this is beyond our experience.”

“...Pneumonia is beyond your experience?” she asks incredulously.

“I...do not know that word...”

“Inflammation of the small air sacs in the lungs. It's why his breath sounds so ragged.”

“...I have never heard anyone breath that way who did not show...in...injury...” he replies, his voice a whisper. I bite my lip, trying to hold back a sob as I stroke Diego's cheek with a trembling hand. Michelle purses her lips.

“Show me what you've been treating him with. If he's been like this for two weeks, things are unfortunately very, very serious.” She puts a hand on my shoulder. “Don't give up yet, though. I'm not going to let him die.”

I smile feebly at her, but when I look back down at my best friend, I feel my heart sinking. Michelle won't stop trying to save him. Not until he dies. ...But I have a terrible feeling he is already past hope...

Jake

In the darkened bedroom of a luxury suite at a Los Angeles resort, I find myself roused from sleep. At first, I'm not sure what's got me up. Then, in the darkness, I start to make out the sound of soft sobbing. Alodia's voice is muffled, like she's crying into her pillow, but the sound is unmistakeable, and she sounds like her heart is breaking. Still bleary, I roll over and put an arm over her, drawing her close. She curls into me, weeping brokenly.

“I'm here,” I murmur into her hair. “I'm right here.”

She tightens her grip, fingertips digging into my back. Her face presses into my shoulder. She makes a noise that sounds like an attempt at speech, but her words are garbled with tears.

“...You wanna tell me what's wrong?” I ask gently. She nods, but she doesn't speak until I ask, “Was it a bad dream?”

She nods again, this time whimpering, “...It was Diego...”

“He's okay. He's alive and well, and he's in Riverside.”

“...In my dream, he was in Elyys'tel...it was just after we jumped six months ahead.”

“What happened to him.”

“He was sick. Pneumonia, Michelle said. Apparently, he'd been sick for a few weeks...”

“We couldn't save him with the Island's Heart like we did for Quinn?”

“I don't think so. Not in that timeline. Varyyn wasn't elyyshar yet. I don't think he felt brave enough to demand that Uqzhaal tell him about it. Besides, the Catalysts as a whole didn't have the rapport with the Vaanti yet that we had when we used the Heart to save Quinn.”

There's not much I can say to that. I just hold her against me, stroking her hair. Finally, I say, “It's over. Everything we went through on that island is over. The cycle is broken, Vaanu is free, and you're home safe with me.”

She sighs, nestling into me. “I just wish we weren't in an L.A. resort with my aunt and uncle in a suite down the hall. That whole nightmare began in a luxury resort.” She whines a little. “God, Jake, I wish I hadn't agreed to this weekend...”

“Really? All things considered, it seems pretty generous of your folks...”

“Yeah, but it's their kind of generous, which means it's showy and expensive, and whatever this surprise is on Sunday, it's also going to be showy and expensive...and it was one thing when I was a kid and I was dependent on them, but taking their money now...that trust fund and everything...I haven't earned any of it...”

“Are you worried someone is gonna think you're spoiled? That you've had everything handed to you on a silver platter?”

“Well...yes.”

“And whose opinion is it you're concerned about?”

“...I...” she trails off. “...I don't know...”

“Mine?”

“...No...”

“Diego? Sean? Estela? Quinn?”

“No, not any of you...”

I kiss the top of her head. “Your family knows you're not spoiled. In fact, Princess, as far as I'm concerned, anything your folks give you, you more than deserve it. You gave up your existence to save the goddamned world. If your folks want to give you a luxury weekend in L.A., fucking let 'em. If they wanna give you a car, fucking let 'em. If they wanna give you a trust fund so that you always have a financial safety net, keep it. You took care of us and the whole world. Let the world take care of you for awhile.”

“...Raj said something similar.”

“Raj is smart. You should listen to him.”

She lets out a short laugh. “Yeah...I should, I guess. But I don't want the world to take care of me forever.”

“It won't be forever. Just long enough that you can figure out what to do with your second chance. And as long as you want me to be a part of it, I'll be here.”

“I always want you here, Top Gun,” she replies affectionately. I roll onto my back to draw her to my side. She lays her head on my chest. “...Hey...Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“...Do you think it's really over?”

“Is what over?”

“...The island. Everything La Huerta did to us. The two-thousand one-hundred thirty-nine loops. The Endless, the Island's Heart, Vaanu. ...Are we really free from that?”

I want with all my heart to tell her yes. Of course we are. But how can I tell her that when there's a time crystal running rampant somewhere on the east coast? Truth is, I don't think it is over, not by a long shot. And while I'm less scared of her disappearing again than I was when she first came back, I am still fucking terrified that this whole Prism Gate thing is going to end up hurting her somehow.

“...I don't know, Princess. I really don't. I hope like hell we are. ...But all I can promise is that if we're not, I ain't gonna let anyone hurt you. And neither are any of the others.”

“I think I'm going to need protection if it comes to it,” she admits. “I don't have any of the Endless' powers anymore.”

“Hey, maybe you can't time travel, but you're still a badass.” I tap her nose lovingly, and she snorts. “I mean it. Everything the Endless was and could have been is still in you, and that ain't changing. Now what's say we get a little sleep? I gotta get up early so your uncle can probably kick my ass at golf.”

* * *

At six in the morning, Alodia and I drag ourselves out of bed. We resist the urge to shower together, knowing that we'll just end up late for breakfast, stumble into our clothes, and shuffle into the elevator. After hitting the breakfast buffet with her folks, we reluctantly part for the day. She goes with her aunt, and I follow Rob to his car. From there, things get kinda surreal, honestly. When we reach the course, I'm introduced to Fred and Leon, who have been enlisted to complete our foursome. I am introduced as the boyfriend of Rob's niece. They both know who his niece is. They both know that she's been found. They're both a little mystified that she “already” has a boyfriend, and can't decide which of us is the one rushing into things.

As we made our way to Elyys'tel a few weeks ago, Alodia told us about when we made that journey with Rourke and getting trapped in a time loop of approximately twenty minutes. She was the only one aware of it. She described how every time, something subtle changed, and she had to learn from each loop until she found the source of the disturbance and destroyed it. As I play golf with Robert Fisher and his two friends, I start to feel like I can empathize. Rob takes his turn first, then me, then Fred and Leon. During Rob's turn, Fred and Leon make small talk in soft voices, trying to figure me out. They ask their questions, and I answer.

“How did you meet Alodia, Jake?”

“...We were on La Huerta together. I was the pilot who flew her and the others from Costa Rica, and I got stranded there with them.”

“You're up, Jake!”

I take my turn, end up well over par, and slink back to my spot, where the older men have been muttering. While Fred and Leon take their turns, Rob eyes me quietly. Then it all begins again on the next hole. The questions...

“So you're a pilot, huh?”

“Well, not so much anymore, but yeah. Used to be a fighter pilot in the navy. Then I got discharged and flew commercially for awhile. But I was working as a bartender when Alodia turned up again.”

… and then I take my turn, ending up well over par. It all goes on for more than four hours. But finally, Rob and I break off from his friends and head into the clubhouse for lunch. The whole place oozes an old-fashioned sort of masculinity, not necessarily toxic, but it kinda reminds me of the naval academy in a way that isn't always good. The navy can turn out guys like Mike, but it can also turn out assholes like Lundgren—and women like Jeanine, who throw their lot in with assholes like Lundgren out of a thirst to prove themselves, desperation to survive among the male recruits, a genuine lust for power, or some combination of those. Still, this place has beer and sandwiches, and I could use a couple of each after what I just went through. We wolf down sandwiches and Rob orders another round of beers.

“Not bad for your first try,” he says generously.

“Suspect that's a lie, but I appreciate it.”

“Well. Now that we're in slightly more private surroundings, I was hoping you and I could discuss a few things, man-to-man.”

I should have guessed something like this was coming. “Let me guess. You're wondering about my 'intentions towards your niece'.”

Rob barely bats an eye. “Something like that, yes.”

“You do know she's an adult, right?” I probably shouldn't act so cocky, but I don't have it in me to play humble and deferent to this guy when that would mean playing into this bullshit notion of Alodia as some delicate, naive flower. She fought a fucking hydra for fuck's sake.

“Even adults can be taken in sometimes,” he replies.

“I don't think you have to worry about that with Alodia. She can smell bullshit a mile away.”

“Nonetheless, perhaps you can reassure me.”

I take a deep swallow from my second beer. “Fine. My 'intentions' are to be with her and love her as long as she lets me. To be her partner in life. To be her friend and her lover.”

“You speak very romantically for only having known her for six months.”

“When you know, you know,” I reply, shrugging. I finish off my mug.

“...Another round? We don't have to meet the ladies for at least another four hours. And worst case scenario, we'll get a car to the restaurant.”

“Yeah, sure.” I shouldn't. I know I shouldn't. I have a bad feeling he's trying to get me drunk so I'll give something away, like my intention to marry Alodia for her money, then murder her and flee back to Costa Rica. And I'm a little worried I'll end up blurting out just that in a moment of drunken frustration and he or someone else in this uptight purgatory will take me semi-seriously. But I accept a third mug, trying to nurse it a little.

“I didn't know for sure that Molly was the one for me until we'd been dating for three years.”

“Yeah, well, if you'd been in a situation like what the twelve of us went through, you probably would've known sooner. Being held prisoner by a lunatic criminal tends to make feelings clear pretty damn quick.”

“Still, it's been five years. Have you had another girlfriend in all that time?”

“A couple. Couple boyfriends, too,” I say pointedly. Alodia's told me her aunt and uncle are aware of and fully support her own sexual orientation, so I doubt they'll be put off by mine, but I want to lay as many of my cards on the table as possible so they don't have anything to use against me later.

“None of them lasted?”

“You must know what grief is like. You build walls that aren't easily knocked down. Alodia knocked down a lot of my walls in the time I knew her. When I thought I'd lost her, I built up new walls for her. Ain't no one I went to bed with who stuck around long enough to knock 'em down.” Oh, fuck me, I've somehow managed to finish my third beer, and here he's ordering another round. I'm starting to feel a little heady. “One guy came close, but didn't prove up to the task in the end. And now, six months later, the love of my life is back, and she still loves me. If I still want her and she still wants me, why shouldn't we be together?”

“Do you intend to marry her?”

Oh, fuck shit on a cockstick...what the hell kind of question is that and why do I suddenly feel so unprepared for it? The words are half out of my mouth before my brain catches up to me.

“We're already married.”

“...What.”

Classic reaction. Flat affect and everything. The expression halfway between disbelief and displeasure. I grimace, looking into my mug of foamy amber liquid. Same basic color as the Catalyst idols. Or apple juice. Probably a common substitute on film and television when an actor's character needs to drink beer for a scene. Hell, my sister once tricked me into tasting my dad's beer by telling me it was apple juice when I was a kid. Never touched apple juice again. Still like beer though. ...Where the fuck are these thoughts coming from? Oh, god, what was I talking about?

“I mean, not...legally. It was like, two days before Rourke dragged 'er off and stuck her in the tube we found 'er in. We thought we were gonna die, so our friends threw together a little ceremony for us.”

“...In prison?”

My inebriated mind races, searching for the most plausible combination of truth and bullshit I can muster. “Well, no. We'd managed to escape him and throw him off for awhile, but the way things were going, we weren't all that hopeful that we'd make it off the island. Like I said, it wasn't a legal ceremony or anything. Just a ribbon tied around our hands and speaking vows. But what the hell is legal marriage except a piece of paper and tax breaks and shit?”

“...So, you don't have any plans to legally marry her?”

I kinda get the feeling I fucked this up somewhere. “I mean...if she wants to, then yeah. Let's do it. But you know the only reason she's calling me her boyfriend and not her husband is she didn't want to freak you guys out.” Good god, McKenzie, just shut up!

But then Robert Fisher surprises me. “If you're going to be my niece's partner for the long term, whether or not you marry her, you will need a job. It's true she has a trust fund that could last her a good long while, but I don't want either of you relying on that forever. Especially if she decides to go back to school and complete her degree. So, I would like to offer you a job.”

“...I...you...what?”

“At my firm. One of my employees has a spouse whose job is transferring them out of state in two weeks. It's not anything complicated or fancy, doesn't require a law degree. It's just clerical work. But it pays well. Have you ever done anything like reception or anything administrative?”

“I...did some temp work here and there after getting off the island...”

“That's fine. We've got time to train you. We may have to get you some new clothes, too. ...But that's only if you accept the position.”

“I...well...” I pause a moment to hiccup. “...I...don't know how wise it was to ask me that when I'm verging on drunk.”

“Should I ask again tonight?”

“Yeah...please do...”

* * *

A few hours later, I've sobered up, showered, and dressed in some clothes I borrowed from Rob that he says will be appropriate for the restaurant we're dining in. He's got me in a sportcoat and tie, so I'm guessing it's someplace fancy. We don't say much on the way to the restaurant, but I do accept the job offer, which he acknowledges with a satisfied nod and a promise to take me shopping for appropriate attire tomorrow.

The restaurant is some five-star French place, elegant and classy, with a dance floor and a live string quartet. Molly and Alodia are waiting for us outside. When I see my wife, my jaw drops. Whatever they did at that spa certainly did it's job. She looks absolutely stunning, practically glowing in a glittering dusty rose evening dress. Her hair is swept up and pinned back in an elegant twist, with soft golden ringlets framing her sweet, heart-shaped face. She beams as she comes to kiss me.

“Don't you look handsome,” she murmurs. “Did you enjoy the game?”

“I sucked at it, but no one said it,” I quip. I lean over to kiss her ear and whisper. “I let slip about our symbolic wedding. Didn't give too many details.”

I can practically feel the anxiety ripple through her, but she pulls back and smiles. “It's okay,” she replies, softly but not so softly that Molly and Rob couldn't hear if they wanted to. “It was bound to come out sometime.”

I smile, reaching up and tucking a loose ringlet behind her ear. “...God, you look beautiful.” I turn, offering her my arm. “Shall we?”

Surprisingly, the subject of mine and Alodia's “symbolic” wedding doesn't come up over dinner, although Rob does announce that I've accepted the job he offered. Between dinner and dessert, we join a number of other couples on the floor to dance. They're playing a waltz, but only a few couples seem to actually be waltzing. Most of us are just wrapped up in our partners' arms, swaying gently. Alodia's arms twine around my neck and we look into each others' eyes as we move.

“You seem pretty at ease,” I remark. “I guess that trip to the spa did what it was supposed to?”

“It was really heavenly,” she admits. “Nothing wrong with a little indulgence now and then, I guess.”

“Feeling better about what's likely going to be a showy and expensive surprise tomorrow?”

“A bit, yeah. But you know what I'm really feeling good about?”

“What?”

“Being here with you.” A mischeivous smile flickers across her face and she waggles her eyebrows. “...And all the stuff I want to do to you tonight.”

“Oh, Princess, you read my mind. You don't think your folks'll let us skip dessert, do you?”

“Unfortunately not. We'll just have to make do with two helpings.” She presses close to kiss me. “Just don't lose the mood before then.”

I nuzzle her neck. She's wearing some kind of perfume, something flowery and just a little musky. She's warm in my arms, a perfect fit.

“I don't think there's a chance in hell that I'll lose the mood tonight, Princess.”

#Endless Summer

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cafeinthemoon · 4 years ago

Text

The Leaves of Her Garden - Chapter XIII

Title: The Leaves of Her Garden

Genre: Fanfiction

Pairing: Madara Uchiha x reader

Rating: Mature

Word count: 2901

Chapter (s): 13/?

Read the previous chapters here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Interlude, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12

Symbols: ⭕ | ➕ | 🖤 | ▶▶

Chapter XIII - Madara and the God of Shinobi

Since you were brought to Madara’s house, you felt like you were under some sort of spell. You’ve been living through the days as if you were inside another person’s dream, following events, hearing conversations and seeing scenarios that could only be experienced through their eyes. Even when you were the center of such events and all eyes were turned to you, you just couldn’t feel them like the real things they were. Being introduced to other members of the clan – elders, women and servants – under your new name only reinforced this impression.

This and the fact that you’ve spent those days without your husband’s company.

The next day after the ceremony came silent in your room. When you opened your eyes and sat on the futon, your first action was to seek for Madara; you did it without even realizing it. He wasn’t there; somehow, the silence of his absence was way different from when he was just quiet, out of your immediate sight. You were left alone and felt a bit anxious for this.

The room had everything you needed to take care of yourself, and this is what you did after leaving the bed. When you were ready, you found a new robe and went to the porch, still tying its straps around your body.

You sat on the wood platform with your feet dangling right above the grass, the warm light of the morning touching your face and everything your sight could reach. Twirling around the place there were rosy petals that just have fallen from the cherry trees, so natural while carried by the breeze that you could think they were living beings; some of them were carried away, and a few ones came to rest upon the grass, close to your feet.

Yes. You have been through so much that you completely forgot that Spring was on its apex. Still, you were glad that you could take some time to appreciate it now. That was the first time you did it the way you should in a long time, without fear, uncertainty or anxiety clouding your thoughts: now you had a family and a house by the side of a man who was able to guide and protect you and two women who acted like true friends, taking care of your needs when you weren’t able to do it for yourself.

After all the things your had to endure, you were finally in peace.

You were thinking of this when you sensed your had company. You glanced at your right and saw him there, standing in the shadow of the closest porch’s columns. He wasn’t using a robe anymore: instead, he had the full traditional clothing of his clan, with its long sleeves and its high collar; however, he was on barefeet. You noticed you were starting to get used to his sudden appearances, even welcoming them.

You stood up from the porch. At first, you thought of greeting him with good morning or something, but you stopped your tongue at the last moment. Somehow you sensed the moment asked for silence.

Madara came and took the place by your side. He held your chin, then approached his lips of your temple and left a kiss there. It was a strange treatment he gave you, that one: you felt it like it was a way to mark you as his property. The gesture didn’t lack gentleness, however: there you had a man who used to take good care of what belonged to him.

He was the first to speak.

- Your look visibly better – and still with his had under your chin, he made you turn from one side to another in order to examine your traits, as a way to confirm what he said – The effects of a good night of sleep cannot be denied when we look at you right now.

When he released you, you felt safe to speak.

- Indeed, I feel better today, Madara – again, you almost said the -sama, but stopped in time – I hope you slept well too.

At first, he smiled at your preoccupation with his well being, but soon that smile fade into a contemplative expression. You didn’t have to wait too long to find out the reason behind it.

- I’ve been waiting for you to wake up, Y/n – he started – It is good to see that you are used to leave the bed in the first hours of the day, even when you do not have to.

- I am actually used to wake up earlier – you replied with modesty.

Your cheeks burned to what he said after that.

- After the last night, I would not blame you for staying in bed for a longer time – he smirked – Anyway, there is a reason for my waiting. I need to inform you about some events you must expect to attend today. The first one is the Todoroki’s farewell by midday, which you naturally will have to watch by my side, so that I will sent the women to prepare you when the time comes.

You nodded, and he offered his arm to you: he intended to take you for a walk in the garden, which you accepted without thinking twice. The morning was too beautiful for you to stand under the porch’s protection for much longer. That time you took the traditional path and reached the garden within minutes. You appreciated the walking: though you wouldn’t complain if Madara took you in his arms and reached the place in seconds, you always enjoyed using your own feet as a normal person, so that you were content to see that he respected this.

In fact, knowing that the Todoroki were going to leave soon brought some relief to your mood: you wouldn’t need to maintain Sachiko’s role for much longer once they’re gone. Only when you had to communicate with other members of the Uchiha, who weren’t aware of the whole story.

What he said next, however, had the opposite effect.

- Now, I am afraid that what I am going to tell you might bring some apprehension to you, and I apologize for that. Y/n, in a few days I am going on a mission with my brother, and I am still not sure of how long I will be away.

Madara was right. Hearing that he was leaving in some days made your heart beat faster with anxiety. Despite not knowing him long enough to say you loved him, you cared for him, as your husband and your protector: you’ve heard about the challenges and dangerous situations in which the shinobi used to be involved during their work.

You tried to contain your preoccupation, but you weren’t sure you succeeded, judging by his reply:

- I know it will not cease the worries you are already feeling, but let me tell you that there is no logical reason for them. Some of our men will be sent to travel alongside the Todoroki, and these ones will only leave in my presence. However, our best shinobi will stay to guard the compound, and some of them will follow me and Izuna in our mission – a smile grew on the corner of his mouth when he noticed you were still worried – As you can easily imagine, I would have to be too reckless, or too stupid, to leave you and the rest of my people unprotected after sealing a treaty with the Todoroki.

You did your best to calm yourself, but you needed to be honest about the situation. You stopped; looking down at his hands and releasing your arm from his, you took them into yours, too small to contain them in their entirety.

- Despite the little time we have spent together, I already trust you and Izuna-sama and the other people. But I cannot help being worried when I hear you say you will be far away, where I cannot reach you. If only there was a way to assure you will be alright… I would not bother you with these silly feelings.

When you said that, you looked into his eyes seeking for another assurance. But the glimmer you saw in them in response made you shiver though the morning was as warm as the Spring would allow it to be.

Madara held your hands in his with the same firmness you sensed when he did it for the first time, in that night you met. Just like that time, you felt fascinated yet overwhelmed by the sensation that he chose this particularly gentle gesture to push his power and unpredictability into you.

His words came only to confirm this impression.

- Maybe my mere words are no longer enough to make you understand it – and with a smile that left a deeper impression than the look in his eyes – I think it is time to show you what the name Madara Uchiha means to the ones who hear it.

With this, the black of his eyes faded, giving space to the reddish pattern of his Mangekyo Sharingan. Was he going to immerse you in another memory? You were still questioning yourself about it when the sight around you changed, and the morning light and the warm weather disappeared.

You saw yourself surrounded by a suffocating, hot atmosphere that seemed to melt at the constant explosions of light and fire you saw and heard around you. It was like being at the edge of a volcano.

When you felt able to look ahead, you spotted high rocks eroding with earthquakes that didn’t last longer than seconds. Upon them, facing each other and separated only by a few meters there were two human forms, dark against the fires.

Two men.

You felt your eyes looking closer at the scene and recognized one of them – Madara. And he was the one who produced all the fire you saw, doing this through his chakra. However, it was the way he was doing it that stunned you: he had his hand close to his mouth with his fingers pointing above in the traditional chakra releasing position used by the shinobi while at combat, and from his lips came out gigantic streams of fire the devoured everything ahead and around. So, that was what your husband was capable of?

You immediately turned to the opposite side, where the other man was standing, to see what remained from him. Because, of course, nothing could survive such attack. It was when you held your breath: the man was alive.

And not only he was alive, but he was also defending himself: with his palms united and clenched against each other, he used his chakra to make colossal branches grow around him. Yes, he was producing pure wood with his power. You soon understood that they were the cause of the earthquakes: the strength with which they opened their way through the hostile ground moved the stones from their place, changing the land’s geography.

It was like the branches surrounded by fire were about to finish the world and leave nothing to tell the story.

You observed that man with more attention and felt like you knew him, but in a peculiar way; it was like you have met him in a dream, or during a moment when you were seeing with someone else’s eyes.

Whether you knew him or not, his presence and appearance impacted you almost as much as Madara’s: his red armor shone at the fire’s light, and around his shoulders’ protectors his long, dark hair floated with the hot winds coming toward him. Just like your husband, that man had a dark toned skin, as if he was touched by the sun the same amount of times as him, only visible through his face and hands; in his traits there was something distinct, softer despite the seriousness of the battle and the fact that he was surrounded by fire, something that made him look even younger than Madara. On that face, however, you saw a courage, a rage that was equal to his.

A sudden change in the atmosphere around you made you shiver. The air became warm, almost as pleasing as before you were dragged to that place, and now you were watching the battle without suffocating with the heat. This change was operated at the same time you felt a pair of known hands held your shoulders from behind. Not wanting to take your eyes off the events before you, you glanced over your left shoulder and whispered:

- Who... is that man? How can he stay alive with everything falling apart around him?

Somehow you sensed when Madara smiled; he seemed content with your surprise and interest. Right after came his reply.

- Look closer. Look at his forehead.

For the first time you noticed that the man was wearing a white protector around his head, covering his forehead. On its front you saw an emblem that answered all your questions as soon as you recognized it: you were a teacher once; you had to spent time surrounded by books and scrolls that told you the history of the land where you lived, and many times your eyes met the symbols of its most prominent clans. That symbol belonged to one of them – the Senju.

So that was…

Madara seemed to read your thoughts even before you verbalized them.

- I think you figured it out by now – you heard him laugh to himself – That man is the head of the Senju clan. His name is Hashirama. You’ve probably heard about him. About the cognomen that was given to him.

Your reply was automatic, as if it wasn’t coming from your mouth.

- The God of Shinobi.

- Yes. It’s good to see that you know part of the story – Madara complimented in a cheerful tone, ignoring what was taking place before you – This sensation you have, that you’ve seen him before, is easy to explain. You’ve seen him in my memories yesterday. Hashirama was the boy you saw at the river with me.

You turned to him to hear more, leaving the battle behind. Its sounds diminished as Madara spoke; what he had to say now was more important than that vision.

- Hashirama and I were friends at some point of our lives. This friendship did not last long, and perhaps it was for the best. Today, we are what you would call rivals. What you just saw is nothing compared to what he is capable of doing. And the same can be said about me, I must point out.

You sensed your eyes widening. What you just saw was enough for you to understand why people called him a god. Madara laughed at your reaction.

- Don’t you see, girl? – his fingers caressed your cheek as he spoke – This is one of the countless memories I have regarding our meetings. In this one in particular, we were not dancing with everything we got. We were just rehearsing.

- Dancing...? – you immediately remembered of your training and felt ridiculous.

- Hashirama is the only person who is able to dance in a way that entertains me. Things use to get a bit tedious when you are surrounded by people who aren’t able to follow your rhythm, so that someone like him is quite necessary. It brings balance to everything.

While those words were said, you felt a slow, subtle change in the environment around you two. The lights and shadows created by the fires and the wood were fading into something constant, calm as a morning sun, and the with it came a breeze that you welcomed with your heart after the intense atmosphere you experienced moments before as it brought delicate rosy petals to fly around you like silent birds.

You look around, at them, and saw that you were back to the garden. The vision was over, and the change in the scenario served as proof. Madara had his arms around you now, and you were grateful for that, for you weren’t sure if your feet wouldn’t fail you after your return to reality. When you raised to eyes to him, his eyes were dark again, and they were turned to you. Only then you felt the impact provoked by what you witnessed.

Just like the Senju warrior, Madara Uchiha carried enough power to transform the maps of the known world inside him. Yet he called the spectacle he just showed you a rehearsal, and your surprise and admiration was a source of diversion to him.

And to think that you were now the wife of such man, destined to sleep by his side for the rest of your life, and that his hands were around you, keeping you close as you trembled before a vision…

You laid your head on his shoulder and he tightened the embrace. You stood there in silence, sensing him breathing in and out; soon your own breath adjusted its rhythm to his. After everything you saw, it was clear that any preoccupation about his integrity was silly, not to say worthless. But you were the one who asked for an assurance, and Madara gave it to you.

You were going to be careful about what you ask from him from now on.

#madara #hashirama #madara fanfiction #madara x you #madara x reader #naruto fanfiction

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peril-party-ttyd · 4 years ago

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Chapter 3: Back-To-Back Battles

Chapter 3 is one of my favorites. I know I say everything is my favorite in this game, but this one’s special. I’ve been thinking about chapter 3 since I came up with the run idea! If you’ve never played, you may ask yourself, why this one?

Chapter 3 takes place in the aptly named Glitzville, a floating city in the sky. The whole area you explore in the chapter is tiny relative to the other chapters. But the setting takes a backseat to the real reason this chapter is exciting. Glitzville is home to the Glitz Pit, a professional fighting ring. The champion’s belt has the crystal star you need to complete the chapter. As your partners will say, there’s only one way to get it. Fight to the top.

Around 20 opponents, ranging from 5 goombas to a Koopatrol, to not one, but two special minibosses. Each battle starts with a condition, for example, “Don’t use any items!” If you fail the condition but win the fight, you refight the opponents you just did. This is why I’m excited. The chapter is built around battling, which I have made much more difficult. That also means this could be the longest post yet, as I’d like to talk briefly about each battle, given there’s a set number. I will, at most, say one thing about each battle. With all that said, here’s the chapter line up:

Minor League (bottom rank to top rank):

Goomba Bros

KP Koopas

Pokey Triplets

Dead Bones

Spike Storm

Hand-It-Overs

Mind-Bogglers

Punk Rocks

Bob-omb Squad

Title Match: Armored Harriers

Major League:

Tiny Spinies

Poker Faces

Shell-shockers

The Fuzz

Magikoopa Masters

Craw Daddy

Hamma, Bamma, and Flare

Chomp Country

The Koopinator

Champion: Rawk Hawk!

Other:

Macho Grubba

Major Events:

Yoshi!

As before, click “Keep Reading” to see how it went!

MINOR LEAGUE

legend: normal text for the condition means no change in fighting style

italic text means active change in fighting that I did

Bold means I didn’t complete the condition

(Bold and italics means I could have completed the condition but didn’t)

Goombas:

“Appeal Once”; Close Call worked every time.

Koopas:

“No special moves”; Goombella overpowered

Pokeys:

“Don’t use your hammer”; Koops only could attack, but easy

Dull Bones:

“Don’t use items”; Could have powershelled but relied on a close call chance

Spinies (1):

“Let the enemy damage you 3 times”; impossible fight. beat them normally.

Spinies (2):

“Don’t switch your partners”; some stalling with lakitu holding a spiny above his head, but better

Bandits:

“Don’t switch your partners”; i did power shell here.

Boggly enemies:

“Use a special move”; Clock Out takes us to the end of the fight (Sweet Treat is unavailable)

Hyper Clefts:

“Use a special move”; Clock out again because I didn’t want to use Earth Tremor, Stylish moves are your friend.

Bob-ombs (1):

“Don’t use your hammer”; I just forgot not to do this. I was writing all of them down, so I knew, I was just afraid of the explosions

Bob-ombs (2):

“5 turns or less”; I’m already taking out 2 enemies a turn, baby.

Iron Clefts (1):

“Let your enemy damage you 3 times”; which would be fine, just a refight but as is, this first fight is Unwinnable. They have infinite defense. I must lose. Luckily, something I haven’t mentioned is that the Glitz pit doesn’t count dying as a Game Over. I’ll still add it to the counter, though. Now, we have a tough decision to make...

Partner Get!

This is our next partner. He has no name, although Mario Wiki refers to him as “Mini-Yoshi”. The thing about him is, you, the player, name him. I had not thought about this yet. I got the Green Yoshi (there are about 8 variants?). I’m going with “Hornet” because he hits fast and repeatedly for small amounts of damage and is small himself. It occurs to me I think there’s a superhero named the Green Hornet? This isn’t a reference to that, I promise.

Hornet can use “Gulp” to hit the iron clefts against each other, winning the fight. Let’s do this.

But first... I’m gonna upgrade him at Merlon’s. I have the Shines since i didn’t use them on Flurrie and it seems like a good idea.

Iron Clefts (2):

“Win in 5 turns or less”; Gulp costs 4 FP bringing the total FP I have down to 2. I can’t heal per my rules, so I have to wait for a level up.

Spike Buzzies (1):

“Win in 5 turns or less”; They have big defense, I died.

Spike Buzzies (2)

“Don’t use your jump”; Second verse same as the first.

Spike Buzzies (3):

“Don’t use your jump”; I used an item to do 5 damage to one killing it, and won.

Bristles (1):

“Let your enemy damage you 5 times”, Koops is king.

Bristles (2):

“5 turns or less”, same.

Shady Koopas:

“Dont let your partner attack”, A little tough, but Koops tanking hits helped.

Fuzzies:

“Don’t use your hammer”, Left the Flower Fuzzy for last, won easy.

After this fight, a piece of cake appears. It heals you, but you can opt out. There’s another after the Bros fight that’s from the champion and is poisoned, so normally you’d eat the first but not the second. I just didn’t eat either per the rules.

I didn’t document Magikoopas, Dark Craw, Bros, Chomps, or Koopatrol well. Chomps and Magikoopas I know I fought twice, Magikoopas because of an actual loss, Chomps because of a bad condition (think it was take damage). For Koopatrol, I used Shell Shield with Koops and that worked very well. That takes us to...

Mini-Boss: Rawk Hawk

“Use at least one special attack”. With 40 HP, this guy is a tank! … is what I would say if we didn’t get Hornet this chapter! Ground-Pound does numbers with Mega Rush P. Normally, it deals 5 separate instances of 1 damage, but with Mega Rush P, it deals damage counting down. So right now, for me, it deals 6, then 5, then 4, then 3, then 2. Which just so happens to equal 20, HALF of Rawk Hawk’s health. The condition doesn’t really matter for this fight but I did it anyway. Piece of poisoned cake!

Almost immediately after, we sneak in on the owner of the ring who admits to himself to using the Crystal Star to keep himself young forever. It’s a no holds barred, “If you hit 0 HP it’s a game over for real” fight against...

Macho Grubba!

This boss’s whole gimmick is stat changes. He will first up his chances to attack, taking two actions per turn! After this, he’ll up his attack or defense and attack in the same turn. So! The plan is simple: Defeat him in 2 turns. With Yoshi out, he does 40 HP for us, so we need to find a way to do 20 HP with Mario. Luckily, Power Bounce acts about the same as Yoshi’s Ground Pound. With a little strategy, we win the fight, EZ PZ.

And that’s Chapter 3! I didn’t talk as much about the story in this post, because I really wanted to focus on the battles. Feel free to tell me how wrong I am for doing so.

Stats! Badges! Game Overs!

Stats:

1 HP / 20 FP / 21 BP

Badges got:

Power Plus P (Glitzville Chest)

Charge P (Glitz Pit storage)

HP Plus P (Glitz Pit storage) [Will Sell for Money]

Game Overs:

0 technically, but I lost 4 times during the Glitz Pit fights.

Up Next: Chapter 3-4 Interlude!

#ttyd #challenge run #paper mario #thousand year door #the thousand year door #Chapter 3

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nightwingswing · 8 years ago

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“The family’s girl” (Batfam x reader) Part5

Hi there!

Sorry for the short hiatus. College was murder! But here I am again!

Have you heard the news??? A Nightwing movie!!!! i’m so used to give and now..

A FREAKING NIGHTWING MOVIE!!!!!!!!!

i’m scared they’ll mess up .

Nonetheless! Thanks for you support, ask and coments. Really, I love reading them. So, i’ve found a pattern. @hamsterforlive seems to coment in almost all the chapters and! reads them repeatedly. Their last comment in the part 4 made me laught, so... you got a little something in the story. ;) Probably this Sunday or Monday will come the part 6, as this one is a bit shorter than the others.

Love you, little wings!

(Promps open!)

Part1 Part2 Part3 Part4 Part5 (here you are!) Part6 [Interlude] Part7 Part8 Part9 Part10

Until-

A wild hamster appeared between the two of you, hitting Dick straight in his face, you grabbed the pet before it hit the ground as Dick sweared and grabbed his nose.

Following the wild hamster came someone who was wearing a hamster hoodie and a mask. They apologized profusely to the two of you, you smiled at them and said that it was alright and then ran away, blushing and hamster in hand... Then Dick looked at you, and realization got to him and blushed he then said,

“Well, I have to go. Tomorrow I gotta go to work early” Dick smiled, but if you looked deep in his eyes, the frustration was there. Because, God, what does a guy gotta do to get laid with the girl he likes, dammit!

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then. Good night Dick.”

“Good nigh-“You pecked him in the lips before blush hard and run inside your house. As the door closed you leaned on the door.

Dick had frozen, fingers touching his lips. Realization seemed to get to him and suddenly he was yelling happily, dancing and giggling. After his little happiness dance and act like a crazy person, Dick entered his flat.

You smiled as you saw everything through the peephole.

God, he was such a dork!

////*\\\\

The next day.

As you were walking home you remembered you had to go shopping…aaand you had forgot the money back home.

“S*ht” You facepalmed.

“What troubles the most beautiful girl in the universe?” A guy dressed in red and blacks, medium black hair and what seemed like wing as a cape landed in front of you, smiling at you as he flipped his hair out of the way.

“Who are you? I thought Nightwing was the only superhero in the ‘Haven.”

“I’m Red Robin, achanté m’lady” He kissed your hand sweetly. You blushed at the same time your stomach decided to be a b*ch and roared like a tyrannosaurus rex.

“…sorry” You smiled awkwardly.

“You hungry? I know a pretty fine place not to far” Red robin suggested.

“I-I don’t have money on me…” Red robin smiled at you before messing your hair.

“Don’t worry about it. Is on me”

////*\\\\

OH MY GOOOOD

THIS PLACE REALLY EXIST!!!!!

I THOUGHT IT WAS A MYTH!!!

OMG

That were the thought that were battling in your head as Red Robin had bought you..

To a batman themed McDonald’s.

Oh my f*cking god

“This isn’t as classy as you deserve, but I-I didn’t bought to much cash. This suit is really tight you know?” Tim-I mean Red Robin rambled, a soft blush on his cheeks.

“Red, don’t worry. I love it” You touched his cheek sweetly as his face broke in the cutes smile and the reddest blush.

“C’mon lets go inside! “ You grabbed Red’s arm and dragged him towards the door.

He got a cheeseburger and you got a Batmeal, It’s like a happy meal but batman themed.

You two were sitting in one of the ‘Haves highed rooftops eating you food, joking and laughing. He told you embarrasing stories about Nightwing and some about his other partners. He asked what you were doing and if there was someone for you.

You blushed as you said no, Red smirked flirtatiously.

“I don’t understand, how someone so beautiful is single” You laughed embarrased at his flirtaious coments.

“Thanks, red. But I don’t think I’m that beautiful” Your smile became strained and sad.

“You’re kidding right? I’ve meet aliens, superheroines, amazons and you are the most beautiful of them all. With that adorable face, those sparkling (e/c) eyes that silky (h/c) hair....gosh” Red sighed dreamily.

“heh” You said as his declaration leave you speechless, realization got to his brain and his face matched the red of his uniform.

“OH GOD! I--I DIDN’T WANT TO MAKE YOU UMCOMFORTABLE! I’M NOT LIKE THAT, I-I JUST FIND YOU INCREDIBLY APPEALING AND INTELLIGENT AND I-I HATE WHEN YOU SAY THOSE LIES TO YOURSELF AND I’M SORRY I’M RAMBLING BUT I CAN’T STOP WHEN I’M WITH YOU BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LIKE ME- OH I-I DIND’T WANT TO SAY THAT, THE LIKE ME THING- WE CAN BE FRIENDS BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW ME AND ALL SO YEAH SORRY, BUT PLEASE DON’T HATE ME, I’M OFTEN MORE SERIOUS THAN THIS. BUT YOU MAKE ME SO OOC”

You broke in a laughing fits and after a few seconds Red started laughing with you, his fit was more out of nerves than of finding this funny.

After the two of you calmed down, you found yourself sitting close to Red with his hand around yours.

“What toy did you get?” Red asked you, whishing it was his toy and not his brothers.

“Look! I got a …..”

“RED-“

Tim smiled

“HOOD”

Tim smile disappeared.

He frowned as you started playing with the toy.

“pew pew! Hahahahaha”

“How about we do this every Wednesday? Just you and me” Red asked, his warm hand wrapping around yours.

“I-I don’t want to be a burden”

“NO! YOU NEVER WILL BE A BURDEN TO MEEE”

“…”

“Y’know, you remind me of my best friend. His name is Tim.” You smiled sweetly and Tim felt cold sweat run through his back.

“TIM? NO, I DON’T KNOW HIM!!!!!1 WHATEVER IS A TIM???!! HAHAHAHAHA TIM DRAKE???! WHAT? I’M CUTER THAN HIM! HAHAHAHA-Sorry, normalyi’mmore seriusandintelligent,youjustaresobeautiful,idon’tknowhowtoact.” Tim rambled, blushing.

“Hey, it’s alright. I-I think you’re handsome to.” Tim face sparkled happiness all over.

YESSSS, SUCK IT ,DICK!!! SHE THINKS IM HANDSOME!!!

Tim thought while smiling softly at you and kissing your cheek, then your nose and then your hand.

“I have to go now, but I can’t wait to meet again”

Tim grabbed you bride style and flied out of there.. He bought you back to your place, entering through the windows.

“Well, goodbye (Y/N). I hope to see you soon.”

“Likewise, Red!” You kissed him European style and Red Robin jumped out, his silhouette disappearing in the sky.

Your phone started ringing.

Tim Drake said:

(y/n)!!! Are you home? I bought movies and popcorn!

You said:

Timmy! Yea come up! I’ll prepare the couch and the blankets.

Tim Drake said:

‘kay

Meanwhile you got everything done, a nervous Tim Drake was changing in the alley next to your flat. He tried to change at Flash speed, but no. He fell to the ground trying to get out of the stupid tights.

STUPID PANTS! WHY U GOT TO BE SO TIGHT

He fought his pants a bit more before successfully changing to his civvies.

“I’m ready. (y/n) get ready to be sweep out of your feet!”

/////*\\\\\

The doorbell rang as you finished preparing everything. You got the blankets ready, you had your comfy pajama and (f/d).

You smiled and went to get the door.

“Hey Timmy!” You smiled at the young man, dressed in a red hoodie and black pants. His hair was a mess and he looked out of breath.

“Hey, (y/n). bought the popcorn!” He said dangling the popcorn in the air.

“Great!” You grabbed it and went to your kitchen. Tim took a deep breath and looked in the mirror, arranging his hair and encouraging himself to confess.

“Timmy! Come in, don’t stand there.”

“oh right! What do you want to see? Tim sat in the conch

“What did you bought?” You sat next to him, covered the two of you in your favorite blanket and put the bowl between the two of you.

“W-Well, we got “Bridget Jones” “The conjuring” “Lego” and “Noah’s diary”. So which one?”

“hmm I feel like seeing a scary movie, so… “The conjuring” I know I’ll regret it but… YOLO”

“hahaha.” Tim laughed at your funny face.

You got up and put the movie in the DVD player. Then sat again next to Tim, but this time your head was tucked in his shoulder, he smiled and put his arm around you. In his head he was high fiving himself and doing a little victory dance.

////*\\\\

In the most scary parts, you and Tim sat closer and closer until you were in his lap and Tim was caressing you shoulder absentmindedly. The two of you made a cocoon of the blankets. Tim mussed up the courage to kiss you.

“C’MON TIM! YOU CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU’VE FIGHT ALIENS, JOKERS AND PSYCHOS”

Tim kissed you cheek first then his kisses trailed down to your neck. Sweet little kisses draw a map on your skin. Soft moans escaped you and Tim’s courage increased exponentially.

The movie played in the background as Tim kisses distracted you, playfully you kissed his neck, making him the moaning mess. Most when you found his sweet spot, wich you used against him when you felt like it or he did moved under you, breaking your concentration.

As the movie was almost finished, it had started raining. Loud thunder and lightning painted the sky.

As you were sitting in Tim’s lap and your head was hiding in his neck, your kisses had stopped as the first loud thunder broke the peace of the night. Tim was hugging you his face tucked in your hair, he had stopped kissing you and now was trying to calm you down, when suddenly the light went out.

“AHHHHHHHHH” You and Tim screamed.

BAMP BAMP BAMP!

Someone was hitting the door.

“OH MAI GAT, TIMMY PROTECT MEEEH” You screamed as hugged Tim tighter, your legs came around his waist.

BAMP BAMP BAMP!!!

“AHHHHH-”

“SSHHHHH” Tim shushed you.

You went towards the door, your phone’s flashlight illuminated your way. You looked at Tim for reassurance, he gave you a thumps up as he grabbed a frying pan and came next to you, ready to hit the monster.

“1…2….3” You whispered before opening the door.

“AAAHHHHHHIYAAA” Tim tried to hit the shadow in the door but it stopped the pan before it hit it. It growled menacingly and Tim grabbed you and put you behind him, you used the distraction to go get a weapon, that turned out to be a vase, with flowers and everything.

“WHO ARE YOOUU?” You screamed as Tim thought of ways of fighting the shadow without blowing his secret identity.

Lighting and thunder decided to appear now as the shadow of a man entered your flat, it smirked at your despair.

Tim grabbed your phone and illuminated the intruder’s face.

“YOU” Tim said outraged.

“me” It smirked evilly

It was-

To be continued….

Who do you think is the shadow??

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