#I want to know what happened where did Zen come from who was he before Ramattra before the Shimbali before he almost died

[emile-hides]

Hinted at Zenyatta lore that makes me go rabid

[just-a-ghost00]

What you should know about them

Think of a person that you would like to enquire about before picking your group. It can be romantic or platonic.

Group 1 🐚 

Overall energy represented by the Fool | Spread : 6 of cups, 6 of pentacles, Justice, 5 of wands, King of wands, 3 of pentacles

This person has a child, possibly a son. Their life is taking a radical U-turn. They are starting anew. This could mean they are either divorcing or moving away from a situation / a job that caused conflicts in their life. They are looking for balance and a sense of peace because their life was chaotic up until now. The presence of their child and their wellbeing is also a major factor in their decisions. There were a lot of conflicts in their household regarding their job. Maybe this person was too ambitious and not open enough to learning and listening to people's advice. Maybe their responsibilities clouded their vision to the point where they were disregarding their reponsibilities as a partner and a parent. It could also be they had an affair with a younger person or at least they admitted to having their eyes set on another person. Because on the cards, the king of wands is depicted looking at the left while he's kinda throwing fire at the right. On the left of this king of wands is the 5 of wands, showing a young woman being cornered by four other people. She looks modest but strong in her power, even when acculated by more influential people. On the right of the king is the 3 of pentacles, picturing some kind of nun. The nun looks kinda sad. She is contemplating and her heart is guarded by her crossed hands. As if she were saying : "Lord why did it have to come to this?" It's like the king wants to rescue the 5 of wands person while he's potentially hurting the 3 of pentacles person. This is very specific and may not resonate with everyone.

If this isn't the case of your person, it could be that they are feeling triggered and cornered by other people and they have a hard time moving on. Instead of being the bigger person and not giving them any more attention, they dwell on what happened and try to wrap their mind around ways they can work this out, hoping they could change them. This person is longing for meaningful connections where they don't have to fight or overgive to be respected and cared for, to receive love and acceptance. They are tired of fighting for bread crumbs and they intend on getting retribution for the wrong that has been done to them. This person could be a soulmate of yours. You are bonded by karma and divine justice. They bring balance in exchange and wealth, as well as reciprocated love. Their presence in your life is a retribution for all the hard times you went through. You may be wary of them at first and try to resist the attraction you feel for them. But with time, you'll learn to see them for who they are and work together towards a new journey without fear of being judged or deceived. This energy feels very similar to group 3 so you may want to check that as well.

Letters : T N I D V S I O Z D I E T E Words/signs/names : division, divide, vision, tides, vines, zones, iode, ions, veins, tied, Dion, soviet, diet, dine, tones, dives, zen, Sonie, son, NOV(ember), Ted, sin, void, OVNI (UFO), Dio, TV, zionist, edits, tense, videos, visio, Oz, TNT, DVDs, seize, Vinted

Group 2 🎐

Overall energy represented by 7 of pentacles | Spread : queen of cups, hierophant, page of swords, king of cups, emperor, fool

The person you're thinking about could be your FS and/or divine counter part. If you're in a relationship with them or you intend to be, there could be jealousy around the relationship coming from a father figure. The connection between you needs time to progress but a good outcome can be expected. A new phase in the relationship is taking place. This could be them taking it to the next level by offering commitment or moving in with you. Your relationship could be work related. This person is very grounded and nurturing. They have a sweet and reliable energy that makes people feel super safe and protected. They are a good communicator and don't have issues with voicing out their needs, their worries, their feelings. For some of you this person could be religious. For some this person likes to have a lot of fun and do a lot of outdoor activites. They like to work out. I'm getting a very masculine energy from this person. As a child, they may have delt with toxic masculinity and controlling parents, especially their dad. I'm really getting this person potentially proposing to you. Cause the Hierophant combined with the page of swords makes me think of legal matters surrounding commitment. So they could be filing a paper to officially recognize you as their "wife"/"husband", or at least someone they are "tied to" according to the law. I feel like this is very important for them. Like this person was not fully into the relationship because that important step wasn't reached. I mean, this would be logical knowing they are potentially religious. They were waiting for engagement to fully embrace the connection you have.

I asked spirit for more information as I wasn't getting much from the initial spread. The cards were the Hierophant again combined with the Star and the 3 of pentacles. So I'm getting that for some of you the relationship wasn't official. It wasn't even publically known that this person liked you on a romantic level to the point of wanting to marry you. They even hid it from their family, maybe because of cultural differences or because you were from different social backgrounds. For some I'm even getting your person is an important public figure. They couldn't tell people they had the intention of marrying you because they would have gotten backlash about it. But they're tired of hiding what they feel and they want to be able to work on this relationship without shame nor fear. They want to do right by you, in the name of the law and the name of their spiritual beliefs. So they want to make it public. They want to close the distance between you. I'm also getting a message of this connection being a protection for you. A protection from a rigid father figure or from masculines in general. It's like this person wants to "claim" that you are theirs because they just can't stand anymore the though of you being courted by other people.

Letters : B G E R A R S B L I T E N I words/signs/names : Nile, Blaise, Argent, bites, raise, arts, breast, genie, girls, Line, Lina, real, siren, gears, bears, big, lasting, Italie (Italy), Brésil (Brazil), trains, Real (as in Real Madrid), Neil, rentals, Bergen, Iran, star, stranger, liars, brags, listen, bars, blasting, Berlin, Nial, anis, teens, trials, brats, barbers, grabs, gelatine

Group 3 🌊

Overall energy 6 of cups | Spread : Tower, 8 of wands, The Lovers, page of cups, King of swords, Queen of swords

This person is a soulmate. They have divine counterpart potential. There was jealousy surrounding this person's relationship in the past, a lot of gossip that possibly lead to a major shift in their life. Possibly a breakup/divorce. There were a lot of interferences, a lot of heat. They couldn't see clear anymore. So a choice has been made by this person to move on from their toxic environment. They could have met you in the process of moving away from this relationship and they decided to give your connection a chance. They like you more than just a little. Yet, they may be scared of what they feel so they could be somewhat reluctant to make a move. At the same time, they want to come forward quickly and tell you what's on their heart. There's a lot of conflicting energy surrounding this person.

What's positive in this situation is that they view you as their equal. They're aware of what you can bring to the table and their feelings are genuine. I don't sense any ill will coming from this person. But rather a lot of affection and a strong desire to protect. They are evolving quickly. After the shift in their personal life, a lot of things have happened to them at a fast pace. Maybe they quickly found a new home if they were looking to relocate. Maybe it was about job offers or just finding a new person (aka you). They quickly moved on from whatever trouble they were facing before. They are not the type to dwell on a situation if they know they did their part and there is nothing more they can do. Even more when they know what they want. They may not be sure about what they hope for with you, but they know for certain they want to get closer and get to know you better. I feel for this group your meeting with this person is quite recent. Either that or they recently developed feelings for you which weren't there before.

I felt the need to ask for clarification about the gossip surrounding their relationship. The card are : 2 of wands, High Priestess, 3 of pentacles. People were doubting this person's loyalty toward their partner because they were not being transparent about what they were working on. They were elusive about their projects, their job. People may have found suspicious that they spent more time at work away from their partner (and possibly kids) instead of being home with the ones they loved. When all this person was doing was just to try to protect their loved ones from their work struggles. For others, it could have been that they were accused of having an affair with a coworker. I'm getting this person's job requires to travel a lot, especially abroad. People were suggesting to their partner that they had a double life, that they found another person in a foreign country with whom they were cheating on their partner. In reality, people were wrongly assuming your person's intents. They have a very different conception of relationships than what most people think. If for others love for a partner should be shown by spending quality time with them and constantly being present for them, they like to show appreciation for their partner by trusting them enough to leave them be and have their free space. This person doesn't feel the need to know and control everything about their partner. They don't feel the need to be constantly tied to their loved ones. They like to have their own little bubble and they allow the same for their partner. They instead show love by supporting their person's independence, giving words of affirmation, providing a different point of view on life, taking care of their health by doing acts of services. For instance, they are definitely the type to work extra hours to provide for their family so that their partner doesn't have to and can enjoy more free time. They have been wrongly judged. You might want to check group 1.

Letters : M V I C A K M O T E S S R words/signs/names : Kassim, cakes, cars, moms, VISA, raise, crest, tears, Sommer (summer), Kaiser, sister, socks, cream, voice, cries, Moris, Cris, mess, Messi, Roma, mics, east, tram, Vimeo, Cameo, cams, treks, tracks

[echantedtoon]

A Lovers' Circle (Poly Haishira x Reader) Ch15 Setting Hearts A Blaze

(There'll be a small time skip as things will be repetitive until we cut over to the Rengoku household.Plus a funny meme I made for fun.)

Taglist: @shadyd3ar @jcrml

@tengensangel @miniverse-zen @mysteri0uz @jjamsbangtan

@the-unknown-fandom

@lavenderdropp @mimisweetz. @purplesoulsapphire

@kksmush @denkpanda18 @whomisi @lessthanimperfect @silver-rin

@rotting-alone @namis-noodlebox

@k1ttyluverz @akiramente

@rascalraccoon @ravenclawkae1

@gilded-sunrays @crescent-blades

@yukari1k

Remember if you want to be added to the taglist lemme know

The sounds of traffic and wheels on the road was all that filled the early morning air as you stifled a yawn threatening to leak out of your mouth. It was rather early but you promised to drive your Aunt to the airport the day after Halloween. You hadn't gotten much sleep the night prior staying late at the party and spending a lot of time removing glittery make up on your skin. On top of that you were going to be a little late for work because of said trip you had to take.

"Thank you so much for dropping me off, Hun. These late night readings are killing my posture," your aunt said stretching out an arm. "Now I know why women my age get grey hairs! HAHA!"

You rolled your eyes at her joke before slowly coming to a stop at a stop sign. A giant suitcase was behind her in the passenger seat and you were ninety nine percent sure it was mostly packed up with fliers and other business promotional things. Not something you thought would be taken to a wedding but then again you  were talking about your aunt here. Nothing she did ever made sense.

"It's not a problem. And I did promise I would." Turning on your turn signal, you turned left going on down the road where you could make out the airport just a little bit aways. "When are you coming back?"

She waved a hand. "Two or three days from now. I'll call a taxi when I get back don't worry. I just appreciate you being nice enough to take me." She then smiled at you before reaching out to ruffle your hair like a kid. "You're a good kid. Now I can see why that big teddy bear likes you so much!"

"Not while I'm driving," you waved her hand off but smiled. "But I guess so. I feel so lucky to have him after everything that happened. It was like life finally decided to stop making me it's punching bag ....At least when it comes to dating."

The older woman smiled more. "He's a good one. I predicted a happy healthy like for you two."

"You mean when you read his palm without asking him first?"

She shrugged. "He didn't mind and everything I saw was predicable anyhoo- You still haven't let me read yours."

"Because I don't believe in those things no offense. Besides the last time you read my palm, you said I would 'be so beautiful many men and women will fall for me'." You rolled your eyes again putting on your turn signal again before slowly turning into the air port's parking lot. "And that was five years ago get it still hasn't happened."

"Give it time! My foresights always come true sooner or later." She smiled despite you sighing in response. "WHELP! Looks like I've got a date with the skies! See you in a few days!" She had just grabbed onto the car and was about to open it and step out-

"Wait!" In question she turned back around with a raised brow at you as you started patting down your clothes and frantically digging around in your pockets until you eventually pulled out something. Well a lot of somethings. "I need your help with something."

"Oh?" What she thought was a deck of cards, was actually..a deck of cards but not the playing card variety. It seemed to be a stack of business cards that was held up to her.

"There's someone who's loosing business really badly. He runs a dojo somewhere around here and I feel like I want to help him. I know you're pretty good at networking and know everyone there is..Do you think you can help?"

The softer eyes of the older woman eyed you in interest before glancing at the business cards. Taking them with a hum and eyeing the words inked onto their flimsy cardboard bodies... Before she smiled. 

"I think I can do something with these. I'm surprised you want to help a stranger so badly."

You shrugged. "I don't know why I want to...it just feels like the right thing to do. Plus he's one of Gyomei's friends. It might be good to try and get along with them."

Your aunt hummed again and you flinched as she suddenly grabbed your hand. Looking at the palm very closely and her brows rising in some kind of realization. "Interesting."

"What is?"

"Oh, nothing.~" She giggled dropping your hand and waving you off. "Don't worry about a thing honey. Just leave everything to me. By the end of this month, everyone is gonna flock to ya!"

Your face turned to confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh you'll find out soon enough. Oh. Look at the time! I better go before I miss my flight. You better get going before you're late too."

You hadn't the foggiest idea of what your eccentric aunt was talking about but shrugged it off as her being eccentric again. With he out of your car, you just made the long drive back home and to the college where you were unsurprisingly late and trudged yourself into the daycare tired and sore. Hopefully the children behaved especially good today so you wouldn't have to worry about anything else other than being scolded by your boss. 

"You look sleepy, Ms. Y/n," one little girl pointed out as soon as you slowly walked into the large playroom trying to tie your apron in the back.

....Yeah. Today might be a very long day for you. 

Unluckily the comment made by the little girl, whom you gently shooed to go listen to a story someone else was reading to other kids, was not missed by your boyfriend who looked up from where he was wiping glitter glue off a toy someone dropped on top of the arts and crafts table. You couldn't help the tired sigh that escaped you as Gyomei was quick to walk on over and you felt his form practically loom over you as his head tilted.

"You're tired." It wasn't a question, it was a statement that you winced at. 

"A little bit."

"I thought I asked you to stay home if you didn't get enough sleep."

You waved him off despite the fact that he obviously couldn't see you. "I'm not gonna pass out. I'm just a little bit tired, and I have things to do today."

"Such as?"

Working? Getting today's notes from Giyuu, the project you have with him, and you promised to bake a few things for everyone.  Not to mention grocery shopping, bills, cleaning up your house-

You jumped as a large hand suddenly tilted your head back up towards the staring white eyes. "None of that." He spoke as if he could literally read your mind. "After work I want you to go right home and rest. I'll inform Shinobu and Tomioka you won't be able to make the appointment today."

"W-What? But I promised them I'd do it with them not to mention that I also-"

A warmth presses against your head making you instantly turn red and a few little kids gagged and closed their eyes at the sight. One pointed at you both with a disgusted face.

"Ew, Mr. Mei! That's cooties!," she accused him to which he chuckled at her and smiled 

"Perhaps so. But I meant what I said." You were wide awake now as he patted the top of your head. "Go home and rest. If you don't I'll just take your keys and carry you home myself."

"Yo-Yo-You're bluffing!"

He hummed. "Am I?"

You decided against wanting to see if he'd actually do that and quickly scurried away when one of the younger toddlers cried out in frustration at his building blocks falling over again and again. His chubby little hands and waddle walk keeping knocking over the blocks he did stack up again and again. You'd have to console him and played with the little guy to make sure he was having a good time. 

Things weren't really too much different for the rest of the day. You did your job and helped to start clean up and check out the kids as their parents started arriving. However you didn't see Sanemi turn up. It wasn't even Kanae. Or Giyuu or Shinobu or even Mitsuri whom you were pretty good friends with by now. Instead you were treated to the sight of a tall and visibly muscular man whom walked in through the doorway. Orange hair framing his brightly smiling face and just as fiery eyes blinking around until they settled on you.

With a beaming smile he walked right up to you and you blinked as he stood before you. "HELLO, Y/N!!"

You winced at the high volume but still smiled. "Hi, Kyojuro." You greeted the positive man. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been sent to fetch Koto!," he proclaimed hands on his hips, "Sanemi's running late with his tutoring classes so he asked me to come get Koto for him!"

You blinked. "Really? I don't remember Sanemi telling me this and it's policy to call ahead of time for alternate pick ups."

His head tilted like an owl. "Really? He told the front desk lady this morning."

Oh right. You weren't here that morning. You held up a hand. "Let me go ask real quick. No offense. It's just part of the job."

"NO OFFENSE TAKEN!!"

You still chuckled despite yourself and left for just a few minutes. Confirmed with a coworker who was there that morning. And then returned a moment later with Koto on your hip and his daycare bag Sanemi always dropped off with him slung over your shoulder. The toddler was fiddling with a little car but let out a happy gasp upon seeing the red haired man.

"Ren-Ren!," he cheered throwing up his hands excitedly, "Hi!"

"Hello, Koto!" He greeted holding out his arms to the toddler. "Did you have a fun day?"

Koto was happily accepted into his arms with a nod. "Uh huh! Miss Toji reads us Beauty n da beast."

"Ooh. A fun story."

"Where's Nemi?"

"He's late, but I'm gonna take you to the park while we wait."

"YAY!!"

You chuckled at the adorable sight of him holding  up the bag. "Here. You'll be needing this. How's Mrs. Shinazugawa by the way?"

"Thank you!" The bag was taken away from you before he again tilted his head in question. Like he seemed to be studying you for a second. "She is doing better. Still a little stressed about paying back everything, but eventually she will and everything will go back to normal for everyone involved. However I believe that you had a hand in her soon to be relief."

You blinked at him. "Oh. You mean the money." He nodded and you hummed. "Well like I told everyone else, he just needed it more than me."

"A thousand dollars and free food for an entire year are a hard thing to give up for most people..and yet you have it all away to a at the time complete stranger."

You winced. "That's not totally true. I-..I didn't really think about giving it to him at first. Really I didn't think of anyone else but myself at first but-.."

"But?," he asked raising a brow in question as you sighed.

"I dunno. I didn't really have a mom growing up so-"...You looked down fingers drumming on the countertop. "So I guess seeing him trying so hard to help his mom made me feel really sorry for him. Maybe it's something I'd wanna do too if my mom was around y'know..Uh.." You stopped when you saw him intently staring at you Koto mindlessly toying with his toy. "Uh. S-Sorry. Didn't mean to ramble on."

"Please. Do not apologize for the honesty. It's rare for someone to have an honest heart and even rather for them to admit things we may not be proud up." His smile got even wider if that was possible. "I can now see why you were able to make such great friends with everyone. You're a good person!"

Despite yourself a small pink appeared on your face, hand waving at him. "Shucks. Stop it. You're embarrassing me. Oh. That reminds me. How's your dad doing? Anything change?"

He shook his head. "Not yet but a few of Senjuro's classmates have shown interest in the dojo! We just have to remain optimistic and keep working at it!"

Ah. So your aunt hadn't worked her magic yet. Makes sense. It hasn't even been a whole day yet...Eh. you really shouldn't expect results to just happen like that. It was as unrealistic as her predicting that men and women would fall for you like some badly written fantasy story.

You nodded. "We gotta look on the bright side of things for sure! Anyways it was nice to see you again, Kyojuro. I hope to see you again sometime."

"INDEED! And thank you again for those delicious cookies! Everyone loved them!"

"Cookies?"

"Not for you I'm afraid!" In one movement the energetic man turned on his heel towards the door. "Now come! The swing sets and slides await us!"

"Yay! Swings!"

You couldn't help but laugh at the goofy man as he left with the giggling child. He certainly was a bright fellow. Everything would be ok. You were sure of that. Even if your efforts did nothing, surely the Rengoku's would be able to get by well.

Days passed by. 

The October fall being kissed goodbye slowly as the leaves still fell and gave way to that weird time of the months of November where the cool of fall was merging with the soon to be cold of winter and snow. Jackets, scarfs, and mittens were already being seen on so many walking around. 

It was on one of these days that a slow miracle was creeping up to its unsuspecting gift-y. Not quite a Christmas miracle but it'll do in a pinch for what was to be taken place that evening. A hot bowl of soup and a little bit of rice was always a quick and nice meal for a cold night like this. The kind of meal that'd help to cheer him up and reminded him just how much he loved his wife's cooking when the tray was placed in front of him and a warm kiss was pressed to his lips for a second.

Smiles were always his favorite part of her. Couldn't get enough of it as she smiled at him. "Here. I made some miso soup today. It ought to help you warm up after all the work you did."

Hard work? If you can call cleaning a barely used dojo and moping around all day hard work. He would've laughed at himself if he hadn't felt so frustrated with himself right now. Instead he kept quiet and pulled the bowl closer to him muttering a barely audible thanks. Her smile slowly gave way to a sad frown before she sighed and turned away. Slowly allowing herself to start preparing her own meal and a second tray for her youngest boy. She'd take him a meal as he was busy studying for a few exams before the Christmas break. 

The scooping of hot soup sloshing around in the pot was only paused when the distant sounds of a familiar beeping noise cascaded through the air. Catching her attention and only making her husband grunt again.

"Are you going to answer that?"

She didn't answer him. Letting the ladle spoon plop back down into the soul with a watery noise and quickly making her way towards the den where no doubt the home phone was ringing out for someone to answer it. It was not too long before the cold plastic was picked up from the receiver and help up to her ear. 

"Yes?"...Red eyes blinked. "Oh? I wasn't expecting a call from you. Is everything alright?" Her head turned around back towards the man still lazily picking at his soul with a spoon and not eating it. "Yes....Alright then."

Pitiful eyes didn't look up from the sloshing liquid of the soup even as footsteps approached back softly or even when he saw a pair of legs stop at his side out of the corner of his eyes. But he did blink as something was held out to his face. Took him two seconds to realize that it was a phone, and it took him one more second to look back up to his wife in question.

"Dear, it's Mr. Ubuyashiki."

A blink. "Who?"

"He's the chairman of Senjuro's school." The phone was nudged closer to him. "He wants to talk to you."

What? He grunted looking annoyed. "So? What does he want? If Senjuro's done something then-"

"Dear, please just speak to him."

There was a small three second pause before with an annoyed look the phone was taken from her and reluctantly held up to his ear. "Yes?"

"Ah! A different voice!" The voice of the phone was a man's. Clearly one he's never heard before. "Am I to assume that this is the husband of my wonderful calligraphy teacher?"

"What do you want?" He wasn't in the mood for the cheery bull that this voice seemed to have.

"Straight to the point then I see! Then I won't beat around the bush." The voice chuckled but gained a more professional feeling with it. "I heard that you are quite a coach!"

...Another blink. "What?"

"Recently I attended a little celebration of a good friend's son. Your name happened to be on a little business card handed out to me and I was reminded of your son. Polite young man he is."

"What is the point to this? Either spit it out or I'll hang up!" He REALLY was not in the mood to be talking to a man that liked to make random small chit chat even with the stern frown his wife was giving him.

"Of course," the man remained polite and patient despite his annoyance. "It reminded me of the petition Senjuro presented to me a little bit ago to start a kendo club. Usually I wouldn't mind clubs but one of our biggest school sponsors thought it would be a great idea to have an official kendo league added to our school. Frankly I couldn't agree more."

Huh. So his youngest finally did something worthwhile huh?...Guess that was good for him but-

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Well naturally if we're to add kendo to our track and other sports teams we'll be in need of a coach to teach said sport." He completely froze at his words. "But unfortunately we have none."

The world seemed to slow down as the silence continued to stare off at nothing. His throat suddenly felt dry as he swallowed thickly in order to not let his neck to become a desert. "What..are you getting at?"

"Mr. Shinjuro I've heard quite a good deal about you from your wife and others. I'd love to hire you as one of our new sports coaches starting next semester! And have you coach our new established kendo team if that's an option for you."

CLINK. CLI-CLINK.

Ruka blinked as the spoon dropped from her husband's hand and clattered to the table flinging small droplets of miso soup around the oak wood surface. Her brow rose higher at the wide eyed stare he seemed to have. Like he just saw a ghost.

"Honey? Are you ok?"

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Had an angsty thought, what if while Kieran was visiting unconscious reader in the hospital, he fall asleep and had a nightmare in which the reader didn't survive. Thankfully he is woken up by the reader messing with his hair.

Oof yeah </3 I imagine he did

Anyways this is just an excuse to turn those headcanons into an actual fic so enjoy-

..............

The light reflecting off of Terapagos' gleaming stellar form was almost blinding. A jewel resembling its smaller form rested atop its head, while it hovered slightly above a platform that resembled a dome--with a ring icons displaying every type revolved around it.

Kieran could only stand there, shocked and awestruck at the true might of this "hidden treasure" he helped unveil.

It was beautiful.

Brilliant.

Powerful.

Too powerful, in fact, as it suddenly experienced an immense energy overload, its cries becoming loud crystalline trills as energy exploded from its body. The sheer force was enough to cause the ceiling to start crumbling, and the ground beneath everyone's feet to shake violently.

In its rage, the Legendary send out a huge beam of light, careening towards the closest thing it deemed a threat to its safety in that moment:

Kieran.

Time seemed to slow down as he froze, unable to move or send out a Pokémon in time to intercept the blast. He never expected this to happen..he didn't know terastalizing it would do this.

All he could do was stare in horror at the light as it-

"MOVE!!!"

Out of nowhere, he was roughly shoved out of its path, tumbling to the ground with a pained grunt. He was bewildered, and looked to see who could have possibly done that for him...

It was you.

You took the full brunt of the blast, consumed instantly by a blinding light that forced him, Carmine, and Briar to shield their eyes.

When they were finally able to look again, what they discovered left them all absolutely horrified:

Your whole body was terastalized, chunks of crystals covering your legs and keeping you rooted into the ground. You couldn't move, speak, or access any pokeballs.

The only thing you could do was look at Kieran, who remained on the ground with ragged, labored breaths. His eyes were wide with shock, the weight of his actions now sinking in.

This was all his fault.

He did this to you.

He never wanted this.

He only wanted to be like you...

"[Y/n]...no.." He attempted to crawl over to you, desperate to do something...anything to fix this. Any anger he previously felt for you had evaporated.

He could still save you.

But then Carmine ran over and grabbed ahold of his arms, dragging him away from you. "We have to move back!! Terapagos isn't done yet!!" She shouted.

"NO!! NO!! LET GO OF ME!! I HAVE TO HELP THEM!!!" He kicked and screamed, tears rolling down his face as he was forced to watch you get attacked by Terapagos yet again.

This time, it was the energy of a Zen Headbutt that succeeded in striking you...

And shattering you completely.

Only then did he go silent for a few moments, before his voice broke.

"N-No...please no....[y/n]!!"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"N-No...please no..."

Back in reality, Kieran wasn't anywhere near the underdepths of Area Zero. He was in fact at the hospital back in Unova, where you were being monitored during your comatose state.

While visiting you, he ended up falling asleep at your bedside, and was currently having nothing more than a horrible nightmare of what could have happened down there..

You did push him out of the way of Terapagos' attack.

You did absorb the energy.

But it didn't put you in a terastalized tomb, nor did you get shattered by any Zen Headbutt.

By sheer luck (that somehow is always on your side no matter the situation), you survived and fought off Terapagos long enough to finally get its powers under control, capturing it.

All while lifting Kieran's spirits and pleading for his help, with your noble act being the ultimate proof that you forgave him even after everything he did. That pushed him to come to his senses, and he decided to stand with you, instead of against you.

However, none of that came without a price...as the moment you successfully caught Terapagos, you collapsed and haven't woken up since.

It's already been about a week since that adventure, and the doctors were left puzzled by the extremely high levels of tera energy stored in your body while monitoring your condition. They didn't know what to make of it, but they did deem you a hazard to Pokémon, as some of theirs began terastalizing on their own just from being in the same room as you.

As a result, only humans were allowed to visit you without pokeballs attached to their person.

Kieran visited you every day.

Even now, he still didn't understand why you did that for him.

Why did you save his life...when all he did was talk about how much he hated and envied you? He even used his only master ball on Terapagos the moment it looked at you, and only because he couldn't bear going through that same pain he felt with Ogerpon again.

The pain of not being chosen.

Then again..he never gave either Legendary much of a choice, either.

Why was he like this?

Why did he let himself get this bad?

Why did he hurt the one person who never expressed any hatred or resentment for him?

He didn't know...but he fears that now he'll never get the chance to say sorry. He's said it a few times, yet isn't sure if you're able to hear him.

You probably thought he still hated you.

If you didn't pull through and died believing that...he wouldn't know what to do with himself.

That thought alone made him lose even more sleep.

Yet somehow, despite all of his anxiety, exhaustion found Kieran rather quickly today. His arms came to rest of the bed while he nestled his head into them, closing his eyes as he let the monotonous beeping of the monitors lull him to sleep. He even decided to let his hair back down since he felt a migraine coming on.

While sleeping did stave off the headache...it didn't keep him from having that nightmare and mumbling incoherently.

It felt so real. Like you and him never left the underdepths.

Like you actually di-

"Ki..?"

Feeling a hand gently tousling his hair, Kieran's eyes snapped open and he sat up with a start, gasping loudly. His bangs swept in front of his face, but he shakily pushed them back as he slowly realized he was back in reality.

Then he saw your eyes gazing directly at him, and he began to think...

There's no way you would've woken up this soon.

No.

He was still dreaming.

His mind was just preying on his worst fear (your death, indirectly caused by him) and his greatest wish (you waking up), blending the two together.

Even so, he wasn't sure and pinched his hand. "Wake up..wake up....oww.." He winced, only to blink as another hand overlapped his.

"Hey...stop that." You spoke again, causing him to stare down at you and finally see your tiny, exhausted smile. He was totally shocked.

Holy shit. You were actually awake and talking to him????

He didn't know what to do, but soon enough one of the doctors swung by--alongside several assistants who quickly ushered him out of the room so they could properly check on your health and tera energy readings.

Miraculously, they've dropped down to zero, meaning Pokémon could safely be around you.

It was all just a matter of waiting it out, and it worked.

Kieran was utterly speechless as he waited out in the chair for about an hour or so, but when your doctor came out to assure him you'll make a full recovery...he beelined back to your room.

Despite still being hooked up to the IVs, you looked a lot better, sitting up and gazing at him with a smile upon seeing him enter.

He teared up as you beckoned for him to come back over to your bedside, and he sat down in the chair again, sniffling. "Hey..how are you feeling?"

"Better than I thought, actually..like I took a long nap." You chuckled softly. "They're gonna keep me here for a few more days."

"I-I'm just glad you're awake..and that you woke me up, too." He nodded. "Just had this..really dumb nightmare, and....I-I....."

Suddenly it was hitting him all at once, and his smile dropped. He bowed his head to hide the streams that were now slipping down both cheeks. His jacket had slid entirely off his shoulders, crumpled into a heap in his lap, but he took his arms out and just hiccupped softly, wiping at his tears.

"Kieran?" You frowned slightly, shifting closer to put a hand on his knee. "Was it..about what happened down there?"

"........."

"I imagine it was bad.."

"I-It was worse. I thought...y-you were gone." He buried his face into his hands, unable to keep himself from breaking down. It was too much. "I'm just.....I-I'm so, so sorry, [y/n]. This was all my fault! This wouldn't have happened if....i-if I wasn't so stupid and-!"

"Shh, it's okay." You gently pulled him into your arms, and he began sobbing into your shirt, clinging to you tightly. "You're not stupid. It's not your fault that Terapagos got out of hand...you didn't tell it to shoot beams at me."

"B-But..But if I hadn't terastalized it--" He was barely able to speak, let alone breathe. "--you wouldn't...b-buh...be here! How is this not my fault?!"

"Kieran, you couldn't have known what it was gonna do. None of us knew. Plus...Ms. Briar told you to do that. So I blame her a hundred percent."

"...wh-why?"

"Hm?"

"Why won't you blame me? Y-You should hate me after all I did....after all the things I said to you. I...I put you here.."

For a moment you were quiet, and you sighed softly. "Tell me something..does it look like I still hate you?" You gently pushed him back a little, allowing him to sit up and look at you.

His face was a mess of snot and tears, bangs sticking to his skin, yet he did his best to study your expression through blurred vision. But all he could manage was a shrug, lips trembling as he tried to keep them closed, afraid he'll start bawling if he spoke again.

Arceus, he felt so pathetic right now.

He swore he was done being that crybaby kid from Kitakami. He should be comforting you instead.

But he couldn't help it.

"I don't hate you. And I never did." Pulling him back into a hug, you felt him return it this time. You just rubbed his back soothingly and rested your chin on his bare shoulder. "But I know you had your reasons for hating me. And...I wanna say I'm sorry, too. For lying, for betraying your trust..for making you think you're weak. I never should have undermined you."

"I-I forgive you, [y/n]. Just...don't ever do something like that again. I don't wanna lose you---uwaaahaaaa!!!"

"I promise, that's the last time." Tears brimmed your eyes as you held him close, glad that he was finally able to reconcile and make things right.

Both of you wish that it didn't take a near-death experience at the bottom of Area Zero and a week-long coma to make that happen...

But you don't regret what you did.

You'd endure another Tera Blast if it meant keeping him safe.

[chaoticbardlady99]

HI FIRST OF ALL LOVE YOUR WRITING second of all ! kind of specific but may I request an astarion x reader/tav where like. 90% of their time with the companions reader/tav hasn’t been able to see all that well- like. they can see colors and sort-of shapes but most details are completely incomprehensible, and through some method or another (probably someone’s attempt at “removing the tadpole” or smthn but up to you!) they’re finally able to see clearly and they’re just. completely amazed because EVERYTHING (astarion) is so beautiful actually??

Like Nothing I’ve Seen (Astarion x GN! reader)

CW- Mentions of gore and violence (due to Volo being a socially incompetent goofball) , self-esteem issues because I’m an insecure queen myself and like to deal with my feelings through my OCs

I tried to write a body neutral reader as well so everyone can imagine themselves in this story! I hope I was able to pull that off.

Title inspired by the song “Beautiful Things” by Grayscale

Hello! I am so sorry this took so long. Work has been kicking my whole ass lately!!!

This has not be thoroughly proof read so I may make changes as I find them, but I was too excited to post it! I hope you enjoy!

Being a monk is hypothetically supposed to help your pain tolerance- ya know, zen and shit.

Except, you quickly learn that a crossbow bolt to the eyeball is enough to break your zen.

Lae’zel and Shadowheart’s fighting quickly subsides as you stare at the two blobs out of your (now) one only good eye- good being a stretch. Admittedly, of all the people this could have happened to, it’s probably a good thing it was you since your eyes don’t really work anyway.

The purple, silver, and black blob (who you have come to know as ‘Shadowheart’) comes running towards you, her movements frantic as she begins to try to bandage your eye. You wince as she starts to remove the crossbow bolt.

“I am so sorry,” Shadowheart says, the distress evident in her voice, “if only that gith would stop being such a problem.”

Shadowheart practically screamed the last bit, but at least you are in too much pain for the shrill sound of her voice to bother you. You never wanted to find out if eyeballs could throb- you missed the hours before breakfast when you were blissfully ignorant to the true capabilities of your eyeballs.

The hostile green ball, Lae’zel, comes charging over with an insult sitting on the tip of her tongue before another blob knocks her aside.

“Walk it off Lae’zel,” you hear Karlach say with heavy amounts of exasperation.

Lae’zel grumbles as she storms off; Shadowheart continues to slowly work on you as you wince, whimper, and feel the tears start to fall.

“What did you do?!”

The rage in his voice rattles your bones- if tones could kill, Shadowheart would have keeled over. The radiant blob of your lover is in Shadowheart’s face (at least you hope it’s her face).

“Fangs, put them away!”

“Oh? Were you this anal when they were SHOOTING CROSSBOWS KARLACH?!”

You are beginning to feel dizzy and the yelling isn’t helping. Shadowheart, Karlach, and Astarion are arguing relentlessly- Karlach attempting to mediate. At some point Gale and Wyll join the mix- you think they are trying to hold back Astarion, but you aren’t sure.

In all the chaos, you are unaware of Volo coming up behind you- a solution brewing in his brains.

“Don’t worry my friend,” He explains with gusto, “I can fix this!”

Before anyone can protest, Volo rips the bolt out- your eyeball coming out with it before Volo plops a spherical object in your lap.

“Tada!”

The blood curdling scream that rips through your throat as you clutch at your eye socket surprises even you. In the midst of the white, hot pain- you hear Volo running off , also screaming, away from what you think is Astarion.

You feel Shadowheart grab the spherical object from your lap as Karlach holds you down on the ground.

“Sorry Soldier, but this is probably going to hurt.”

Oh and it hurts.

Shadowheart is wiggling the eye roughly into your eye socket, apologizing the entire time. You feel your socket form around the new eye. The pain from the removal and the new addition begins to subside into a dull ache as the new eyeball makes itself at home in your head- healing energy radiating from it and Shadowheart’s palm.

You feel like you are going to throw up, pass out, or go into a fit of hysteria by the time you start trying to blink your eyes open. You stare down at the grass below you and watch as a red bug with black spots walks along one of the blades before taking flight.

You freeze- the world is definitely not blobbish anymore. You run your fingers through the soft, green grass.

Has it always looked this way?

“How is the new eye?” Shadowheart says nervously.

You look over at her and try to stifle your shock.

Shadowheart is stunning and Karlach is just as awe inspiring as Shadowheart.

“Are you okay, Soldier?”

Sometimes you forget that your companions don’t know about your vision issues. You are able to hide your vision deficit well due to your years of training as a monk teaching you how to rely heavily on your other senses and the energy in the air.

You have come to adore all of your companions for their personalities, their laughs- Astarion especially. However, now you understand why perfect strangers come up to your companions with enamored voices.

“You catch him, Fangs?” Karlach says in a teasing town.

You hear Astarion scowl, “the bastard ran off and disappeared before I could even get near him.”

Astarion appears out from the corner of your eye and kneels in front of you. You try so hard to keep the surprise and adoration from showing on your face. His eyes bore into yours with an emotion that is not recognizable. A tick of frustration flares in your mind- now you have to learn an entirely new set of rules for social interaction.

Except, you’ll deal with that later. For now, you have a literal God kneeling in front of you, his hand cupping your cheek and surveying your new eye.

Gods he’s incredible.

“You’re beautiful,” you whisper involuntarily.

As the blush spreads along your cheeks, Astarion breaks out in a bright, beautiful smile.

“Well that settles it, your vision is working just fine!”

He gives you a quick kiss on your lips- your face feels like it’s on fire.

It has been a little over a week since the tiefling party. He had been distant with you initially after your midnight tryst and you had felt quite broken over it. Well- until you had been spending time with Gale at the campfire talking about the Monastery you grew up in and his experiences with the weave. Astarion had barged into the conversation, sat down next to you, and had practically pulled you into his lap next to the campfire. After that night, you’ve become inseparable- sleeping in each other’s tents, more midnight trysts, cuddling, spending the whole night talking or playing games. You spend alone time with your other companions- he would never control you or dictate who you spend time with. He would spy on you and Gale, but he would never prevent you from talking to him.

“No my dear, I trust you. I just don’t trust the boot muncher.”

“You really need to stop saying that,” your serious demeanor cracking, “he doesn’t actually eat the boots.”

He snickered, “oh ya? Then why have we never seen them after he absorbs them? And yet everyone judges my feeding habits!”

Astarion helps you up off the ground and you are dizzy from all the new stimuli around you. His hands find purchase on your hips as he helps steady you. You take advantage of the support and look around your camp.

It all looked exactly how you did and did not imagine. Your brain feels like it’s having a war between what your senses tell you about the land versus what your eyes are saying. You can label everything in the camp because you know where it is based on location, but none of it looks like the way you had anticipated- in fact, it was all far more breathtaking than you imagined.

“What are you thinking about Darling,” he whispers against your ear.

A pleasant shiver runs down your spine, a smile consuming your face.

“I was thinking it might be fun to go explore around camp and make sure my eye is really working.”

He stares at you with an unreadable expression, “I’m sure the environment and your sight hasn’t changed that much?”

Ah, that look means confusion.

“Don’t be such a pessimist,” you put your hand on your hip and flash a grin, “besides, it’s not like I asked you to go with me.”

*******************************************

Astarion walks leisurely behind you as you make a point of touching anything you can reach. He thought you were the most normal one at camp (mentally at the very least), but he is beginning to think he misjudged you.

You are twirling around the forest like you’ve never been in one before. You ask him questions about specific objects and express a great deal of interest in everything you come across- you even find the rocks interesting. While he did find the strangeness to be odd, he still couldn’t help but relish in the genuine, innocent joy on your face. Astarion feels an unfamiliar warmth spread throughout his body while he watches you as you bound around the forest floor.

Astarion is slowly recognizing that his plan is unraveling, but only a little bit. He had thought you would be the lovesick puppy chasing him around camp, but, as Karlach has pointed out to him, it’s the opposite.

He finds himself always making an inventory of where you are in relation to him, who you are talking to, and your feelings- even the ones he is currently disrespecting by attempting to gain your undying protection.

Now Astarion is here- watching you follow a bumble bee towards a large Oak tree.

As you stop and make a point of sitting down under a tree, you touch the various flowers scattered in the grass and excitedly chat about the details of the flower. Astarion silently sits next to you with a smile and takes a look at your face- you look like a blind man seeing for the first time. The realization hits him like an eldritch blast.

“Darling?”

You hum.

“Have you not been able to see until today?”

Astarion watches as you tense up and your eyes meet his. Astarion struggles to discern the look in your eyes- it’s somewhere between fear and apprehension. He offers you a small smile before you break eye contact with a sigh.

“I, um, was sick as a baby. My mom left me outside of a monastery. I guess whatever I was sick with attacked my vision so I could only really see colors and the basic outlines of the things,” Astarion looks at you as if to encourage you to go on so you continue, “it’s never affected me though. The monks taught me how to use my other senses and taught me how to sense energy in the air.”

Astarion is still trying to wrap his head around the fact that a. He was right and b. You slept with him without knowing what he looks like? C. You are easily the second strongest in your little gang of weirdos and the entire time you could barely see.

“So when you told me I was beautiful last week?”

You blush and hide your soft grin. He hears your heart begin to race.

“I really did mean it then,” you pause,” but it’s a different kind of beautiful. I think you are a very good person- I just adore you. Your smile, your laugh, your personality- even the snarky bits. Or when you are at your absolute worst.”

You pause and give him a joking smile, “You are a real pain in the ass though. I didn’t know why everyone is so enamored with you, but now I can see why all those tiefling women kept flirting with you at the party now though.”

He tries to hide the frown that threatens to reveal itself and he sees the panic flash in your eyes.

“Not that I’m saying you are nothing but your looks because that is not true,” you bite your lip, “I just know I came to like you for who you are on the inside and that was…. Quite the experience.”

“Are you suggesting I’m an acquired taste?!”

“Hmmm,” you tap your chin, “ I suppose that is exactly what I’m saying.”

“I am truly heartbroken darling, I thought we had something special.”

He huffs playfully and pretends to be upset- ignoring the butterflies in his stomach. Astarion’s heart clenches as you look at him with the same warmth he is feeling. You break eye contact from him and he can’t help but feel disappointed.

“We do, you’re just lucky I’m a monk and I’ve been forced to practice patience my whole life.”

Astarion is lost for words as he turns over what you just said in his head. You scratch the back of your neck and start talking again.

“And not to mention, you deserve someone who is going to take the time to know you for you- not just adore you for what you look like. You are really one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met Star.”

We do. Incredible. Star.

His body feels like it might explode from the chaos of emotions spirals through his body. He thinks maybe the effects of the tadpole are wearing off because he feels like he is burning alive. He fights the urge to take you right there in the flowers.

A couple minutes later, you look up at him again- that same fear in your eyes, but also some hope. After you realize he isn’t going to say anything, you speak again.

“I am not entirely sure why you have gravitated towards me, but I really like you. I understand if you don’t feel the same way and we can just go back to being friends,” you pause, “and you won’t lose my protection. I still intend on helping you be free of Cazador once and for all.”

You look away from him, hands fiddling with the flowers. Astarion is still digesting everything you just said to him.

It wasn’t that he didn’t reciprocate your feelings (even if he refuses to admit he does), he just doesn’t… deserve someone like you.

He had always been under the assumption that monks were stuffy and by-the-book. You had taken him by complete surprise. You are slyly funny, have no problems with bending the rules if it means helping someone (he doesn’t care for the intent of bending the rules, but he likes bending the rules), and you are accepting. You aren’t neutral with your feelings unless you are trying to mediate an argument or make the best decision for the group.

He appreciates how blunt you are in private- he never has to try to guess what’s on your mind. You make him feel safe like no one else has for the last 200 years.

How could I not gravitate towards you?

It also occurs to him that you have never seen yourself- how your eyes twinkle when you smile or the dimples that grace your cheeks. You hadn’t even seen your body- the same body he was starstruck by and, despite the dissociation and icky feelings, he was able to enjoy the sex between you to some extent.

He gets up from his spot on the ground next to you- your shoulders slightly slumping in defeat.

“Oh stop being so dramatic darling,” he teasingly smiles at you, “get up- I have something to show you.”

***************************************

You blindly follow Astarion to his tent- you had asked him what he wanted to show you the entire walk back, but he refused to disclose that information.

Once you were in camp, Astarion had wrapped some cloth around your eyes before dragging you in the direction of his tent.

“Now you stay right here- don’t move a muscle.”

“Oh you mean like-“

He interrupts you by swatting your hand away from his curls. You pout playfully and he pulls you to his chest before kissing you deeply. You are shocked by his actions and his gasp of surprise tells you he is just as shocked too. You feel him pull back as you start to melt against him, your hands tangled in his hair. An impatient whine escapes your lips. He chuckles.

“No, no, no,” he says, “not yet. Now stay still or there’s no more kisses for you.”

“No more kisses!?”

“You heard me!”

You stay still- the threat is more than enough to convince you to stop. You can hear and sense Astarion rustling around the tent, placing various objects of different vibrations all around his tent. It feels like it takes eons as he readjusts and moves the objects around. Finally, Astarion hums with approval.

“Alright darling, you can take the blind fold off now.”

You take off your blindfold eagerly and your eyes adjust to the warm light in the tent. As you look around, you see that Astarion had set up every mirror he owns all around the tent.

Mirrors.

You stare back at who you can only presume to be yourself. You take in all your features- dissecting yourself. The longer you stare at yourself, the unhappier you become.

You know that Astarion’s intent is good (or you hope it is), but you can’t help the frown that takes place on your face. You are so plain in comparison to Astarion and everyone in camp. Why would he want to be with you when he could have someone as stunning as Shadowheart? Someone equally as interesting to look at?

“What’s wrong,” Astarion says with alarm in his voice.

You suddenly become aware of the hot tears running down your cheeks as Astarion cups your face with his hands. You shake your head, crying harder as he wipes your tears away.

“Darling, please.”

The desperation in his voice causes you to finally meet his eyes, the words tumbling out of your mouth before you can stop them.

“ I’m so plain looking,” you state with venom in your voice, “the rest of you are all beautiful in unique ways and I just look like everyone else.”

He scowls, shaking his head at you.

“That is not even slightly true.”

He twirls you around in his arms and has you facing the mirrors again. You have to remind myself that he is behind you still as you feel his fingers trace the details of your face (it would really ruin the moment if you elbowed him in the ribs).

“No one shines like you do. No one smiles like you or laughs like you- crinkles their eyes when they are happy like you. You are funny and intelligent; and by the Gods you are powerful. The fact that you have been fighting blind this whole time is absolutely incredible. You, darling, are a force of nature,” he puts his face in the crook of your neck, kissing the delicate skin, “I may say a lot of honeyed words, but I wouldn’t say them if they weren’t true.

“And, in all my 200 years of living, I must say, you are like no beauty I have ever seen before.”

You can’t help but smile brightly and you try to look at yourself the way he sees you. Maybe you can see the person he is referring to, but you just need more time to get used to actually seeing yourself. Maybe with time, you will be able to see how brightly you shine too- you’ll just have to work at it.

You smile at yourself softly and say a quiet you’re wonderful to yourself before looking away from the mirrors.

You turn around and give Astarion a soft, long kiss- he sighs into it, meeting your tempo until you pull away; Breathless like a fish out of water. He puts his forehead against yours, looking into your eyes.

“Thank you, Astarion- I think you shine too.”

[imagineanime2022]

Zen

Hatsuharu Sohma X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1069

A/N: First off the song is Zen by Jacob Lee and second I left this kind of open ended because I love him and Rin together but I also love him in general so read this how you like 😘

I hope that sacrifice is worth it Leave my heart inside another person Always knew that I’d find my purpose, living as a servant Taking on the roles they can’t let go

You’d give anything to Haru if he asked for it, you knew that he gave everything for everyone else, that was why you spent every morning you made an extra lunch and brought it with you everyday and why you would spend every lunch looking for him to hand it over with a big smile however today he decided to ask about it.

“Why do you always bring me lunch?” He asked one day as you swapped something with Momiji. “Because you never bring lunch for yourself, you're too busy worrying about everyone else.” You answered honestly. “Do you want me to stop?” “No that’s not what I was saying but surely this causes you trouble.” He frowned. “Not really but even if it did, the sacrifice would be worth it.” You answered with a smile as Momiji watched you both, he didn’t say anything. “Thank you.” He finally said as you graved with the rare sight of a real smile from Haru and it was from then that you promised that you would look after him while he looks after everyone else.

If you knock once or twice I'll invite you to share my design I'll let you visit my thoughts If you stay in your spot And you never try crossing that line If I lend you my hand Would you lend me some time with your mind? I'll write down all that you want 'Cause I learn quite a lot When I live through these lives that aren't mine…

It was a couple of weeks later when you were walking past Haru class that you heard a crash. You glanced in to see that Haru was the one that caused it, he had explained before what happened when he got angry, you reached your hand out towards him “Haru!” You called, he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes softening once he saw you. “What?” He asked. “You wanna punch something? I got something you can punch.” You said wiggling your fingers, he grit his teeth for a moment before walking over to you and taking your hand you lead him to the exit of the school and to the boxing ring that your father owned.

Momiji led Yuki, Tohru and Kyo to the classroom that he had left Haru in, they all frowned at the lack commotion, when they all walked in there was no damage and no Haru “we don’t have time for this you stupid rabbit are you lost again!?” Kyo asked, smacking him in the head. “No I’m not lost, this is where he was!” Momiji answered, hand coming up to his head as he flinched away from another hit. “Excuse me, have you seen Haru?” Yuki turned to one of the girls that had been chatting with her friend. “Oh he was here a while ago, he looked really angry about something and (Y/N) came in said there was somewhere that they could go where he could punch something and he left with her.” The girl explained. “(Y/N)? Who’s that?” Kyo asked. “Oh… Um we meant to tell you about her… Well on our first day here, Haru forgot his lunch, so she gave him hers that day, claimed that she already ate, turned out she didn’t really have many friends so she ended up with us a lot of the time.” Momiji explained. “There’s something else.” Yuki said. “Well, she’s like our Tohru, she grabbed me one day when I was about to fall and she found out, we never told anyone Haru didn’t want Akito to know.” Momiji explained. “So do you know where they are?” Kyo asked. “I think so, she mentioned somewhere her dad runs.” Momiji answered.

You stood behind the punching bag and smiled as you leaned your weight against it “punch it like you mean it.” You encouraged him. “Are you sure you can handle it sweetheart?” He asked with a smirk. “Pretty sure I can Dark.” You winked before tapping the bag again “hit it.” Haru drew his hand back and hit the bag as hard as he could. “You got power, don't know how to put it into your fist though.” “What’d you say?” He asked leaning forward so his face was inches from yours, a wide smirk on his lips, you still had a teasing one on yours. “I said that you don’t punch right.” You informed him coming around the punching bag showing him how to curl finger and twist his fists as he landed the punch. Haru knew how to fight, you both knew that, you were just teasing him but the way that it seemed to distract him led you to teaching him things you were sure he already knew. “Alright… Why would you be out here with me? Why are you missing class to help me?” Haru asked between punches as you held the bag for him. “My grandmother always joked that the females or my family were givers, they found someone who needed them and gave them everything that they could, my grandmother found my grandfather a veteran who needed a home, my mother found my father a delinquent who needed someone to believe in him and me… I found the ox spirit who just needed someone to listen.” You explained, you hadn’t even noticed that he stopped punching. “I know a look of heartbreak when I see one, which is why I’m not going to ask you to return the feelings, I’ll be here friend or more, I promise.” Haru wished that he could hug you but instead he pressed his forehead to yours. “T-thank you.” He said softly, his hand pressing to the back of your head to keep you in place as tears streamed down his face.

Tohru was straight crying as she watched the both of you, Yuki smiled softly and Kyo rolled his eyes. Momiji watched you both without a single word, just happy that both his friends were okay “you ready to go back?” You asked, they were all shocked out of their states as Kyo grabbed Tohru and they all ran out of the boxing ring and back to school before either one of you saw them.

Request Here!!

[bullet-clubs-bitch]

can you please write something with Drilla Moloney and Fem Reader,

They are both dating but long distance due to Dan's Schedules in Japan and when Drilla came back home from an NJPW Show she's surprised him at his place in Japan and they share an loving shower together with some intimacy (can be light smut) and than curled up together in bed and cuddle a lot and he admits that he's thankful that she is always on his side no matter how far they are away from each other🖤

Zen

Drilla Moloney x Fem reader Main Masterlist

Warnings: Mentions of depression, alcohol, drugs, Oral (M&F receiving), face sitting, hand jobs, vunrable Dan, Mommy kink, cockwarming

Summary: A very vunrable Drilla Moloney is missing his girlfriend and is feeling quite down on himself. It gets to the point where his negative feelings scare his girlfriend so much that she flys all the way to Japan to check on him. What happens when she relises what he needs is for her to be in control and help him be zen.

An: Happy Bullet Club day to all who celebrate! This is my firs Drilla fic! Also I know the request said light smut but I got a bit carried away with myself, whoops. I've never wrote anything like this so I hope you enjoy it!

"I'm really struggling baby. I miss you so much, I wish you were here right now to hold me and tell me everything is going to be okay" It pained me to hear Dan like this. He always acted to tough, he was so strong, I knew he must be truly hurting for him to be admiting this to me. "I miss you too Danny. I know it's hard but this is your dream, as much as this pains me to say this, you have to stop worring about me all the time. I promise you it will all be worth it in the end" I tried my best to comfort him but there is only so much you can do on the phone. "I need you here with me" I didn't even recognize his voice on the other line. "I promise you will see me soon. I love you Dan, so much. I'm always going to be one call away. You can call me whenever you need to, even in the middle of the night"

To be completely honest that phone call with Dan scared the shit out of me. This was completely unlike him. For the first time, I was scared for his safety. I texted his best friend and tag team partner Clark Connors and asked him to keep an eye on him for me. I booked the first flight I could get to Japan and was going to surprise Dan. A last-minute flight across the world was expensive but he needed me and I needed him. The flight was long and hard but it would be worth it. When I arrived in Tokyo it was already late, I knew Dan had a show so he wouldn't get home for a few hours. In the meantime, I decided to make a nice dinner for when he got back. When I entered the apartment I was shocked at how messy it was. Piles of clothes on the floor, garbage everywhere. This wasn't like him. When I entered the bedroom I noticed a familiar scent but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I looked around the room and noticed a bottle of perfume. It wasn't just any perfume but my perfume, I wore this perfume daily. The side of the bed where I would normally sleep was drenched in it. I didn't realise how bad it was.

Before I did anything else I knew I had to clean the appartment. It looked like a tornado went through the place. The first step to a calm mind is a clean space. I felt like I was suffocating and I had only been in the place for 30 minutes. Who knows how long Dan had been living like this? I coudn't tell which clothes were clean or dirty, everything was just thrown in piles across the room. I decided to throw everything in the wash along with the bed sheets, who doesn't like to come home to clean sheets after a hard day? Once I tackled that mess I moved to the kitchen. I don't know why I was expecting there to be food in the fridge. All I found was beer and a half empty box of pizza. I ended up ordering some food instaid, I didn't want to go grocery shopping and possibly miss him coming home.

Just as I was finishing putting on the clean sheets Dan was home. I didn't even have to say anything he just knew I was there. "Y/n?" I heard him call from the kitchen. "Surprise!" I yelled before jumping in his arms, gretting him with a kiss.

...........

I felt pathetic. I felt empty. I felt ashamed of myself for sounding so vunrable. I knew I scared Y/n when I called her on the phone, I knew I shoudn't have said anything but I just needed her to know. Long distance relationships of any kind are hard but they are even harder when you are on the other side of the world. I always missed Y/n but this time I felt like would die without her. Yes I know it's pathetic but she was my other half, she was my home, she was my everything. We normally didn't spend more than a month apart but this time it was three and I was starting to question if it was worth it. Looking around my appartment I saw how much of a dump it had become. Clothing everywhere, beer cans and pizza boxes scattered around the place. Y/n would be ashamed of me. This isn't like me, I'm actually a very organized person but for some reason I coudn't find it in me to clean up. I store up at the ceiling unable to sleep, god I missed her. I turned to find the bottle of perfume I bought. It was the same one Y/n wore. I know it sounds pathetic but when I coudn't sleep I would spray the pillows with her perfume so it was like she was there next to me. It wasn't the same but it worked. Nights like that I slept like a baby, clutching that pillow like my life depended on it.

....

As I was returning to my appartment from another gruling NJPW show I just felt it in my gut Y/n would be waiting for me. As I turned my key in the door I could feel her energy in the room. "Y/n?" I called out, wondering if my mind was playing a cruel joke on me. "Supprise!" she yelled, jumping in my arms to welcome me with a kiss. "What are you doing here?!" I asked in disbelief. "I told you that whenever you need me I will be right there by your side. I know your hurting Danny, let me help you" she told me softly as she wiped away the tears that fell from my face. I didn't even know I was crying. I held her close to me, scared I was halucinating but Y/n really was there.

"You have no idea how much it means to me that you are here right now. I'm loosing my mind without you" "It's okay, I'm here now. Let me take care of you. How about a nice hot shower? You smell like beer and weed" I gently placed y/n down and let her lead me to the shower. As I made my way into the bedroom I noticed she had cleaned the whole apartment. "You did all this?" I asked her in disbelief "What did I do to deserve you" she smiled at my words. Y/n turned on the shower and I let her strip me of my clothing. She knew how vunrable I was so she took her time, being careful with me.

I then watched her strip infront of me painfully slow. She knew what she was doing. "Danny, can you help me with these?" Y/n asked with big doe eyes. I felt mesmerized by her. I coudn't help but blush, I felt nervous. With shaky hands I removed her bra and took off her panties. I was now on my knees infront of her, I looked up at her like a lost puppy. She knew what I needed, I needed her to be in control this time. I could feel myself growing harder by the moment, the anticipation was killing me. "I know you want to" Y/n said admring me kneeling before her. "I need you" I wispered out "Tell me what you want baby, use your words" "I need to taste you" I didn't even recognize my own voice with how pathetic I sounded. "I need you to cum on my face mommy" I saw the expression on Y/n's face turn from one of lust to one of horror. "What did you just call me?" She asked shocked. I didn't mean to call her mommy, it just fell out. I didn't know what to say. Y/n bent down to meet my gaze. She gently grabbed my face between her hands. "I asked you a question. What did you just call me?" I really did call her mommy by mistake but I couldn't deny that I was getting more turned on my the second. "Mommy, I called you mommy" I told her pathticly. "You want mommy to cum on your face? You want to taste me?" "Yes please" "Very well"

I stil coudn't believe this was happening. 48 hrs ago I was deep in thought about how much I missed Y/n and here I am eating her out on the bathroom floor. I missed the way she tasted, I missed the sweet sounds she would make when I made her cum. I was rough, I was sloopy with her. I was always a rough pussy eater, she just tasted so good I needed to feel her harder. I was drunk on her sweetness. I could feel she was close by the way she pulsated around my tongue and how her thighs began to tremble. It took everything not to cum myself. I held her thighs close as she started to grind on my face. She played with her breast, rolling her sensitive nipples through her fingers as she came. I welcomed the familuar wave of pressure and sweet taste and made sure to lap up every drop of her sweetness.

I was in pure bliss. I was pussy drunk. Y/n helped me off the floor and into the shower. By this point I was rock hard, precm spilling from my dick. I was on the brink of cumming. My mind was scrambled but I could see the devious look on Y/n's face. She washed my body with soap and massaged my sore mucsles. She made her way from the top of my body to the bottom. This time she knelt below me. "Look at this pore thing. Does it hurt?" she asked, refering to my erection. "Do you want me to take care of it baby?" All I could do was nood in agreement, something she did not like. She squeezed my dick rather hard. "Words, I need words baby. Tell me does it hurt? Do you need mommy to help you with this? Do you need me to massage your poor angry cock? Kiss it better?" Her words were killing me, this new mommy thing was driving me insane. "Please mommy, I beg you" I heald myself up against the wall, trying not to colapse as she began to leave a trail of kisses and kitten licks along my shaft. She teased my tip, licking the precum. Then she took me whole in her mouth. I coudn't help the moans spill from my mouth as she bobbed her head around my cock. I was close, so close and she knew it. I cried out in agony as she pulled out right as I was about to cum. "I want you to cum on my tits" she said seductivly. She then used two hands to jerk me off, squeezing my dick hard and rough as I came. I watched in awe as rope after rope of my thick seed panted her breasts. It took everything in me to keep me standing.

The two of us then shared a comfortable scilence as we washed the other off in she shower lovingly. I turned off the shower and wrapped Y/n in a fluffy towel, holding her close to me. Once we dried off and got dressed the two of us ate takeout food in bed. "You have no idea how much I needed this" I confessed "I'm glad you're feeling better. I missed you so much Dan" "I missed you too love. I can't believe you're actually here!" "I promise you that I am always going to be here for you no matter what. Even if we are across the world I will always be one text, one phone call, one plane ride away. Whenever you need me I will be there" What did I do to deserve this woman. I was head over heels in love with her. When I was with y/n all my problems disappeared, all my insicurities faded. She was my home, she was my light source, she was my everything. I felt safe whenever we were together, I felt even safer when I was inside her.

The way we fit together was truly magic. We were one person, we were made for each other. I don't know what I did to deserve such a perfect partner. That night I had the best sleep of my life, I felt complete. I looked at Y/n wish such love as she slept on my chest, my cock buried inside her. I wished everynight could be like and was sad when I remembered it coudn't. But this is now and I need to enjoy this week I have with her. We are finally together once again and I promised myself I would do anything to keep it that way.

"I love you so much Y/n. I can't wait to marry you. Sweet dreams my angel"

[duckies27]

Did it take me super long to pump this out because of lack of motivation? Yes.

Did I also get sick and basically napped hours away? Yes.

Here's the requested angst post Episode 45!

Spoilers, of course, and trigger warning for mentions of death and Hugo being creepy :)

@beeware-of-lulu @demis-alted

I know it isn't long but I wanted to get this out before the next episode dropped!

Time almost stopped as the Spire collapsed. Oh, wait. It did. Ellga looked up to see Jack yanking all of their souls into the Astral plane. He barely managed to get all of them, falling backwards as all the souls collapsed into a pile. Ellga was up first, backing away from the pile. She was shaking, crying, clutching where her locket used to be.

Hugo wasn't her father. Barney was. Before anyone could stop her, she ran deep into the monastery. For the first time in over 300 years, she couldn't stop her emotions. She couldn't turn it to rage and turn it to hurt those who hurt her. Her cape was getting soaked with her tears, her hands were practically vibrating. She hated this, she hated all of this. Too much was happening all at once, she couldn't handle it.

Mathide was puffed up completely, their feathers so out of whack they looked crooked. Jack pulled them into a hug, quickly trying to preen some of the more stubborn feathers down. His hands were gentle as he pulled the group of them inside.

“That was a lot on all of you.” He pulled them all apart, setting Mathide in a chair, Chip on the floor, and Barney on a stool. “Hugo is a real messed up guy, that's for certain. I need to make sure Evenna is properly taken care of before I can help, so just…sit for a bit.” Despite how he seemed when they first saw him, Jack seemed incredibly frazzled. If ghosts could bleed, he was, after beaten up by a very small child who somehow bit him almost 4 times. “Don't touch anything but the zen garden things, please don't break anything-” With that, he ran off in another direction, rewrapping his hands.

“...So, uh, how is everyone holding up?” Chip weakly asked, looking at the group. He knew this was hard, it had shoved him out of his funk. “With Hugo kinda being behind the whole thing with help from Eddie and…that-” His eyes darted to Barney.

All he saw was a broken man. His family had been stuck in that tower for so long, Ellga was…was his daughter. How had he missed the signs?! She had the same hair, the same freckles, the way her hair curled was just like her brother, all of this was so clear! After so long of being scared, of trying to hide, his own daughter was the one who helped him out. And she was right. He was so angry at Dracula for not stopping what happened, but he was too scared to even save them himself. She spent over 300 years with that man, in that family, getting treated so horribly. All because he didn't do something. A large pit of pain sat on his chest, and he silently contemplated what his life meant up to this point. Maybe he had died. Maybe he-

A hand snapped him out of his thoughts. Chip, getting a bit freaked out by the pure silence, was here to try and salvage the day. None of them had rested in forever, they had all gone lower in health then any of them would ever like, and Ellga was still off in the distance crying.

“What do you want to do? Sleep? Maybe talk?”

Barney simply shook his head and carefully stood. His hands shook slightly as he grabbed onto his walker and slowly made his way towards the crying child.

His….his daughter.

Coming upon a locked door, he softly knocked. He could hear Ellga crying on the other side. He remembered that cry. Even with the slight twang given by her fangs, that was his little Calliope crying after the boys played harder than normal. Broke her glasses, rugged her hair hard enough to make her head hurt…the memories seemed to slowly trickle back. He pushed it all aside to quietly mutter “Ellga?” To the door.

The vampire perked up at the voice, feeling a comfort long forgotten. She hesitated before throwing off her cape. After crying for so long, her eyes were dry and the poor edges of her favorite garment were soaked. “What do you want, Barney?” Her voice came out more calloused than she meant, but she couldn't help herself. Her father, or, Hugo had always taught her to keep it all close to her chest. Feelings, anything that isn't rage or helpful.

“I wanted to check up on you. As much as that was for us, that was…equally a lot for you.” He slipped his yarn from his pocket, ready to wait for a while. “Your family is cruel, and it isn't fair that you have to put up with it all, especially-” tears formed in his eyes, something getting caught in his throat. “... especially after having such a great family ripped from you.”

Ellga groaned, leaning against the door and curling around her knees. “I don't even remember your family! It wasn't mine! It was never mine!” She gripped into her hair, yanking hard. “EVENNA IS MY SISTER AND THE COUNTESS IS MY MOTHER AND HUGO IS MY FATHER AND I AM A MONSTER OF THEIR CREATION!”

“Calliope.” Barney said firmly, eyes glowing. “Ellga. Whichever you prefer. Even if Hugo is your father, even if you did belong there, not anymore. You deserve to be with people who love you and take care of you and you deserve to feel safe wherever you go.”

Memories itched at her brain with the name. Trying to form the word when…when Hugo asked it so long ago. Hanging from below him, arms burning.

“What is your name, young child?” He called, holding a sword to her chin. As if to scare her into an answer, but it worked. She was terrified, her hair was being tugged by something.

“C-c-callie, p-p-please don't hurt me-” a meek voice, no longer her own begged. He swung, but it cut off her hair. Jagged edges that then curled around her cheeks in her normal fashion.

“Let me help you, child. Free you from this place.”

Pained cries of someone followed, someone she recognized.

Barney.

She carefully got up and unlocked the door, tears in her eyes again. “...are you really my papa?”

Barney weakly nodded, remembering the day as vividly as the day they were taken. Years of searching, even possibly…dying. He opened his arms for her, trying not to cry himself. “I just want to make you feel safe, Ellga.”

She ran into his arms, hugging him tightly and just sobbing. Everything hurts so much, but this feels so much better. Feeling his hands around her again, feeling how he gently ran his hands through her hair.

“I love you, alright? No matter who you are or what happened to you.”

Ellga nodded, pressing her body into his chest. “I-i think I love you too.”

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Main Story: Part 4 - Act 16: Crossing Paths - Episode 4: The Missing Piece

Towa: We managed to find a third member, but no matter where we look, we can’t find a fourth…

Tsuzuru: Did you try asking people at school?

Towa: I did search at school, but it’s a little hard to find people that make me think I want to act with them.

Keiku: Cuz it was a done deal with us.

Ibuki: He was looking at us all weird when he first saw us.

Towa: After inviting the two of you, I realized that I really should listen to my intuition.

Towa: How can I put this… I felt like I’ve met you before, and something in me was like, “This is it!”, like a puzzle piece falling into place…

Izumi: I see…?

Towa: There is someone I’d like to invite, but he turned me down…

Tsuzuru: I mean, it’s not like it’d be impossible with just the three of you…

Towa: No! I might need some more time, but we’ll definitely become a four member group, just as I promised!

Towa: The members of MANKAI Company also gathered one by one, didn’t they?

Tsuzuru: Ahhh, well, It was less that we gathered by will and more that the Director recruited us…

Izumi: Looking at you sure takes me back.

Tsuzuru: B-But the situation was different back then!

Homare: That reminds me, I did happen upon a boy who loves theater and often watches performances. I presume he is about your age.

Towa: Oh!? And he hasn’t joined a troupe yet?

Homare: I would assume so. He did not mention being an actor himself.

Homare: I shall ask him whether he’d be interested next time I pass by.

Towa: Please let me come with you when you do!

Homare: A fine idea. You’d do well to ask him directly. I will let you know.

Towa: Thank you very much!

Izumi: Have you made any progress with anything other than gathering members?

Towa: No, I was thinking I’d gather the members first, so nothing else is set in stone…

Ibuki: For now, we’re all taking dance lessons.

Ibuki: It was just Keiku’s thing at first, but Towa and I were told we should do whatever we can too.

Keiku: Told ‘em to participate next time there’s a workshop.

Tsuzuru: Kuryu-san really does look after everyone.

Towa: I understand why Zen-san told us what he did, and learning how to dance is fun, but I really wanna gather our members as soon as I can…

Izumi: Well, I get how you feel. It’s hard to get in gear when you haven’t gathered everyone you need yet.

Homare: In that case, how about we go meet him now, rather than waiting for the next time?

Homare: I am not certain he’ll feel the same way you do, but you could create a connection starting from there.

Towa: Are you sure!?

Homare: He is a part-timer, however. I cannot guarantee he will be there.

Towa: If he’s not, we can simply hang around for a while!

Ibuki: There it is.

Keiku: There it is fr.

Izumi: Make sure not to trouble the other employees.

Towa: Okay!

Homare: Let us be on our way, then.

Ibuki: Guess we gotta tag along.

Keiku: ‘s not like we’re doin’ anything else.

Izumi: Stay safe.

[Door closing]

Tasuku: Are we sure about letting Arisugawa lead the way by himself?

Tsumugi: It may be a bit of an unusual group, but this is Homare-san we’re talking about.

Azuma: The tea was delicious.

Tasuku: I’ll go read the script a little more in our room.

Guy: You can leave cleaning up to me.

Izumi: Oh, Tasuku-san, do you have a moment? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.

Tasuku: Yeah.

-

Haruto: An offer for a drama, sir!?

Reni: Yes. They requested you specifically.

Haruto: Me…

Reni: Whether you accept or not is up to you.

Haruto: (Of course I’m interested in working in the film industry. And I’m happy that I’m being recognized as an actor-–)

Haruto: (But taking on outside work during a crucial moment when all of GOD-za must be united for the New Fleur Award…) 

Haruto: (We may have taken a while to adapt to the new voting system, but we steadily rose in the ranking during 3Q.)

Haruto: (But the same can be said for the other troupes. There’s no doubt the competition will be fiercer than ever in 4Q.)

Haruto: (We may be within the nomination rankings now, but with this many powerful troupes around, there’s no telling when we could be kicked out—)

Haruto: (Hyakka Troupe, for example, shot up in the rankings in 3Q despite how they had fallen. We can’t afford to let our guard down.)

Haruto: … I am interested, but seeing as this is a crucial time for GOD-za, I do not believe I should be spending it on unrelated activities.

Reni: That is precisely why.

Reni: From now on, you must not only continue your usual performances as a part of GOD-za, but also find new ways to push yourself.

Reni: In order to achieve that, you will need personal growth, as well as outside challenges, will you not?

Reni: If you’ve got even the slightest desire to do this, it is my belief that you should take on this role.

Reni: Besides… The role could be a great experience for you in particular.

Haruto: ——

Haruto: Thank you very much. I will do my utmost best.

Reni: I will relay those exact words to the requestor.

Reni: … Also, it seems an offer has been extended to Tasuku as well. I was informed of that, seeing as he used to belong to GOD-za.

Haruto: ——

Haruto: I will perform in a way befitting of GOD-za.

Reni: I have no doubt.

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[meefy]

Some Thoughts on Mitsuhide + Aromanticism in Media and Reality

Major spoilers for Chapters 92 and onwards of the Akagami no Shirayukihime manga ahead!

When I first got into the AnS fandom, I kept hearing about some big manga!plot decision that had made some fans completely abandon the manga, so disappointed were they. I did my best to avoid spoilers so I didn't know what this event was for the longest time. Now, being caught up to that storyline and thensome, I know what that event was - and can say that I was a bit surprised when I remembered that it had upset people so badly.

Yes, Mitsuhide rejected Kiki's proposition of marriage, and she opted to marry Hisame instead. It was, apparently, clearly hinted at that Kiki and Mitsuhide were in love all this time, and it was cruel of him to reject her when she cared about him so deeply - right?

Well...maybe not.

I write this as an aro/ace person, and I'm going to be examining Mitsuhide's character through an aro/ace lens, too. I have talked plenty about how AnS has some great, positive representation in its characters, and Mitsuhide is no different. In fact, I relate to his experience quite a bit.

Mitsuhide is often teased, from the very beginning, for being "in love" with Zen. He shows no interest in anyone else other than Zen, outside of what seem like only platonic friendships, but his loyalty is solely to the Prince.

Except, it appears, for Kiki Seiran.

Their first interaction is yet another source of jokes; Mitsuhide mistakes her for a boy. And when the current story begins, the two are already always together as the Prince’s trusted aides. It's the perfect set up for a love story, even moreso when Hisame is introduced: the man initially so desperate to improve his social status and have Kiki's hand that he offers to fight her for it - and Mitsuhide steps in and saves the day. It's romantic, it's satisfying, it's...not all that it seems.

First, let me preface all this by saying that I will never go out of my way to tell others what they can and cannot "ship" or "headcanon". It is absolutely possible for this sort of plot to eventually devolve into a friends to lovers scenario.  And, had it not been for Mitsuhide's blatant "coming out" to Zen and his rejection of Kiki's proposal in Ch. 92, it might have turned into this. But to me, it would be incredibly disrespectful to Mitsuhide as a character to berate him for "not marrying Kiki" when he explictly tells Zen in Ch. 98, after chapters of soul-searching, that he is not interested in marriage - with Kiki or anyone else for that matter.

Mitsuhide turns Kiki down the first time by saying that he wants to wait till Zen himself is married and living his own path, and that as Kiki is so close to the Prince and is so trusted a friend, it would be impossible and downright strange for him to consider wedding her. It doesn't help that since Kiki is on a deadline to marry, Mitsuhide is put in a position where he must immediately choose the path he wishes to take. I definitely feel here for Kiki, who has by her own admission harboured feelings for Mitsuhide for years now (feelings he never caught onto - #justacethings!), only to be told in no uncertain terms that he cannot reciprocate them.

I empathized a great deal, as an aspec person, with Mitsuhide's first confession here. Growing up aroace in a world dominated by amatonormativity, I was told indirectly or otherwise that there was something "wrong" with me, and that my priorities - work, friendships, family, hobbies - would one day come second to an important intimate relationship. Since that never happened for me, I just assumed, as Mitsuhide did, that I was waiting for something in my life to settle down before I dated: till I was done school, for instance. Or, when my teenage relationships inevitably failed, they just "weren't the one" or it was a situation of me being "not ready". Never did it enter my mind that I could tell someone (or even myself) that I would never date or marry at all, and I wonder if this concern ever crossed Mitsuhide's mind, too, when he withheld some details from Kiki in his first conversation with her about the matter.

When Hisame and Mitsuhide speak about what transpired with Kiki in that discussion, Hisame senses that Mitsuhide was not completely honest with her about his true feelings. Although Mitsuhide is understandably angry by this accusation, he nevertheless does not deny it - and eventually speaks to Kiki again to clarify that it is not just her he is rejecting, but everyone and anyone else who may propose to him in the future. This he says in no uncertain terms; his oath is to protect and serve Prince Zen, and this he holds above all else, marriage included. At last, he is able to put his feelings on the table and be honest with others and himself: he does not want to marry, he wants to remain at Zen's side.

Those on the aromantic and/or asexual spectrum are often told, through popular media or directly by family and friends, that an intimate romantic relationship should be prioritized above all else. Relationships are all about compromise, about changing your immediate desires when it means letting your partner be happy, so that everyone "wins". This is a very amatormative way of viewing things. What happens when your priorities and values do not work when a relationship is involved?

For me, my priorities are my hobbies, my dog, volunteering, my close friends, and maintaining my health. I can think of nothing worse than having to change any of those values or even alter them to allow for another person in my life - one with whom I'd be expected to intimately share my space and time with, at that. It seems this is what Mitsuhide feels, too: marriage would interfere with his sworn duty to protect Prince Zen, and this for him is his highest priority. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! He seems perfectly content with doing so...until, of course, he confides all this in Zen.

There is quite a humourous post on Mitsuhide's "coming out as aroace" to Zen here on Tumblr already, but on a more solemn note, this is a similar reaction (at least, the core themes) as I got when I first came out to close family. I was just "not ready to be with someone" and "hadn’t met the right person". I needed to "grow up and try harder", and "one day I would want to find someone to marry".

Although Zen’s motive for scolding Mitsuhide is rooted moreso in not wanting him to give up his life and wellbeing for Zen's own sake, there is a genuine confusion and shock in the Prince’s words to his aide: what will Mitsuhide do if he gets other proposals? Is he just waiting to see if he'll change his mind? It is very difficult at first for Zen to understand the gravity and finality of what Mitsuhide is saying, and this is often the case with many aroace people: the "you will change your mind one day" line.

But so what if I don't?

I found Zen's emotional response, and Mitsuhide's equally emotional reaction, quite moving as the two grew to understand each other's thoughts and feelings on the issue. It certainly did not help that Mitsuhide was still reeling from the trauma of the Bergatt affair, and I sense that Zen suspected Mitsuhide's reasoning and fierce desire to protect him was based on that experience. And, to some degree, it might be! But again, the idea that trauma is at the heart of someone's "choice" to be aro/ace is not an uncommon one, but it is a hurtful one, and one that undermines the feelings and values of the person who is coming out. I am not aroace because I was traumatized, I am aroace because that is who I am. Mitsuhide might be more inclined to protect Prince Zen because of his fear of being unable to do so, but that is a separate matter from his desire to never marry.

And for Kiki, who so openly admitted her true feelings and desire to be with Mitsuhide only to be turned down? As I wrote earlier, I truly feel for her; it was by no means easy for her to be rejected not once but twice, regardless of the reasons. But as hard as it may be to accept, she is not owed Mitsuhide's romantic attraction or his hand in marriage; she is owed his honesty and respect, yes, but he cannot simply "change" and fall in love with her. It cannot and does not work that way in reality.

Mitsuhide's rejection of her romantic proposal also presents a rarely-explored (and rarely well portrayed) concept: a purely platonic friendship between a man and a woman, built on love and mutual respect. Friendship of any gender is usually pushed aside in favour of romance; to see a strong, solid friendship prioritized over a forced relationship is both pleasantly surprising and deeply admirable. Everything Mitsuhide tells Kiki sounds as what one might tell a platonic friend of the same gender in any other amatormative media piece - I love you, I respect you, I enjoy working with you, but I am not in love with you.

I have always had deep respect for the way love has been portrayed in AnS, and I was so excited to see aromanticism and asexuality depicted, too. Having a character reject a relationship in favour of remaining single for its own sake and to say true to his values is almost unheard of in popular media; asexuality is typically portrayed as a condition in need of treating, or one that the "right person" can "fix". Mitsuhide, mercifully, is not portrayed in this way. Zen's initial reaction is, of course, quite heated - his shock is understandable if it is not justifiable, and even if it hurt to read, it is a fairly accurate depiction of some common misconceptions about aromanticism/asexuality.

And in the end, after all, Zen (and Kiki, and Shirayuki, and Obi) come to understand and respect Mitshuide the way he is - as it should be.

-

Amatonormativity: the assumption that everyone desires and strives for a romantic relationship.

[otomehoneyybearr]

　　　Act 12

Episode 6: Secret Base

Working w/ Maybelle Lace

Note: As you read, you will see that some sentences highlighted in a different color, this is what they indicate. Pink: Flashback Blue: Characters are acting

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Zen: Welcome.

Izumi: Sorry to bother you after closing.

Syu: Don't worry about it. It happens all the time.

Reni: I'd be too concerned over people watching over us if it was during business hours.

Zen: Since when did my restaurant become a secret base for old men?

Zen: I heard you’re a curry fan, unlike Yukio.

Izumi: Wait, you’re also going to serve food?

Zen: Green curry. It's a special menu item.

Izumi: Wow, thank you!

Izumi: Thank you for the food. It was very delicious.

Izumi: By the way, what spice mixture did you—

Zen: I'll tell you later.

Izumi: Thank you!

Reni: Now, let's get down to business.

Reni: I had kept quiet until now because of who the other party was and I didn't want you to get involved in it, but I can no longer keep using that as an excuse.

Izumi: ...

Reni: It was Keiju Amadate who instigated Kusumi Ikaruga to plagiarize twice and drove Tachibana out of the theater world.

Izumi: …!

Reni: As you know, he is a board member and the chairman of the Hyakka Theater Company on top of having a tremendous influence in the theater world.

Izumi: Why would Amadate...?

Syu: I was told that he was looking for Hakkaku's scripts. I don't know if this is true or not.

Izumi: Hakkaku's...

Reni: The attempt to cause a plagiarism scandal with the God Troupe and Mankai Company's act off was probably aimed for that purpose as well.

Izumi: So, Amadate was also the reason that some of my troupe members were attacked before the act off...?

Reni: Yes. Though it ended in failure.

Izumi: Then that means the scandalous spread of Banri fighting through a video recording of that attack was also under Amadate's order...

Reni: Mankai Company is coming close to getting the Fleur Award again, so they're putting out all the stops to seriously crush it.

Reni: Tachibana also knows that Amadate is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. That is why, he didn't say anything to keep you out of it.

Reni: That's why, I don't feel comfortable asking you to do this...

Izumi: I will do whatever it takes to protect the theater company. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.

Izumi: The new Mankai Company is being targeted right now. They are not unrelated.

Syu: I found someone who could provide me with the data we need to corner Amadate, but they designated you as the receiver.

Reni: Of course, we will be there with you. We will do our utmost to avoid any danger.

Izumi: I’ll go. Please let me do this.

Izumi: I felt bad for relying so much on Reni about matters concerning Dad.

Izumi: I'd be glad if there's something I can do to help.

Reni: I appreciate you saying so.

Izumi: I saw Dad in person the other day, and he’s still fully devoted to acting.

Izumi: He is still the same dad that I respected even back then, but he still misses you all in the first gen.

Izumi: I want him to come back to Japan soon and see everyone again. I want him to be able to perform theater wherever he wants to.

Izumi: Besides, I think my mom has a lot of things she would like to say directly to him.

Reni: I suppose so. I'm surprised they never got divorced.

Izumi: Me too.

Syu: The problem is where to deliver the data.

Syu: We have to receive the data from the provider within the next few days before the board meeting to indict Amadate.

Izumi: Who is the person providing the data?

Reni: Although he goes under a pseudonym called K, he seems to be a central figure of Hyakka Theater Company. It seems like he and Amadate have been friends for a long time.

Syu: Lately, Amadate's subordinates have been watching the places where Reiji and I go through.

Syu: If they detect the transfer and steal the data back, it'll all be over. We have to be careful.

Reni: If the delivery is discovered, K's safety may be in jeopardy. They want to avoid that risk.

Izumi: So that means I need a place where I can contact K without Amadate finding out about it...

Izumi: But if Reni or Syu were to do something strange, they'll be found out...

Izumi: Can't we meet at this restaurant?

Syu: It's not unnatural for us to come and go outside of business hours, but I think it'd be difficult for K.

Zen: Even if you visit as a customer during business hours, your meeting will be discovered.

Izumi: A place where everyone can go in and out without suspicion, but where outsiders can also be seen... That'll be difficult to find.

Izumi: By the way, when’s your next board meeting, Reni?

Reni: It will be held at night in five days' time.

Izumi: (In five days... that'll be the day of the performance. I got it!)

Izumi: How about inviting this person to the performance? I'm pretty sure that K is also involved in theater.

Izumi: During the performance, only people who are on our attendee list can enter the Mankai Theater, and it's a place everyone can gather together naturally.

Izumi: Even if it's just to hand the data over, there's the pretext that they just attended a show, so it shouldn't seem unnatural...

Syu: I see. That's a good idea.

Reni: It'll also be convenient as the Board of Directors will meet immediately afterwards. That way there will be little risk of the data being taken away after the handover occurs before the board meeting.

Izumi: The question is if K will accept the performance invitation...

Izumi: It WOULD be unnatural to invite someone to the performance without knowing their identity or if they plan on using a fake name...

Izumi: Oh!

Reni: What is it?

Izumi: ——I'll give him a call!

Banri: ‘Sup.

Zen: You here for a part-time job?

Banri: Nope.

Izumi: Banri, do you have Kabuto's contact information?

Banri: Yeah. He pushed it onto me at the last session of the workshop.

Syu: I guess he liked you.

Banri: If you think so.

Izumi: There’s something I really need to talk to Kabuto about. Could you give him a call?

Banri: ...Sure, but right now?

Zen: You don’t seem too fond of the idea.

Banri: I don't think he’ll have anything nice to say.

Kabuto: "...Yeah?"

Banri: This is Settsu.

Kabuto: "Perfect timing. There's a role I'd like you to play in a performance six months from now."

Banri: That ain’t happenin’!

Banri: The general director of our theater company has something she really wants to talk to you about.

Kabuto: "...Hm?"

Banri: Izumi.

Izumi: Hello, I asked for a call with you. My name is Izumi Tachibana and I'm the president and general director of Mankai Company.

Izumi: Is this Kabuto Amadate?

Kabuto: "Yeah, that's me."

Izumi: "I apologize for the last minute notice, but I would like to invite you to the upcoming performance of our newest work in five days..."

Izumi: And to have a brief chat in the theater afterwards.

Izumi: ...We will pick up your items at that time.

Kabuto: "...I see. You’ve put some thought into this."

Izumi: (As expected, Kabuto is...)

Izumi: I apologize. I only ended up inviting you to just the second part of the performance...

Kabuto: "I've watched the first part of the performance from the stream, so it's fine."

Izumi: Oh, really? Thank you very much.

Izumi: The show starts at 2 p.m. Just give us your name at the entrance and you will be admitted.

Kabuto: "I look forward to talking with you."

Izumi: Likewise.

Izumi: Thanks, Banri. Kabuto will be coming to the performance.

Banri: Huh?! You serious?!

Zen: We'll also be there, by the way.

Banri: That's totally gonna bother me during the performance.

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Prev | Next

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[marshmallowprotection]

Hey so i got another yoosung centric ome shot request

Can i have a oke shot fic where yoosung gets physically bullied by his classmates but he usually tries to hide it from mc until one day he comes back really badly beaten up and this drives mc so mad that she decides to avenge him and she successfully does so since she is very physically strong and has a black belt in karate.

It wasn't that bad.

That's what he tried to tell himself when he came home to your shared apartment with a swollen cheek. It couldn't be that bad, he repeated. It would heal within a couple of days and he wouldn't have to think about it. Nobody had ever laid their hands on him before in school, he never had to think about learning how to defend himself.

Zen mentioned how many times he had to do that growing up, but Yoosung never thought he would fall into a similar position. Zen had tough luck on the streets after he ran away from home, and people harassed him because he was a kid without people to protect him! It wasn't like Yoosung had anyone to protect him from bullies if one had decided to target him, but his family cared about him.

They would've put a stop to it if it started. That's what he told himself when he was a kid. But, for some reason, now that he was attending college and taking care of himself, someone decided to target him for no reason. He tried to reason with them, to make them listen, but he couldn't stop them from towering over him. He lost that fight before it started and no amount of shouting helped him.

He just never thought you would tenderly press a bag of frozen peas to his face and tell him you would take care of it. He wasn't sure what you meant by that. Your eyes made him believe that you wanted to go to his college and tell the security to look at what happened from the cameras, but... you sounded more serious than someone who made a split second decision to leave.

He was too tired to argue with you. He didn't want you to put yourself in danger, he was your hero, but you adamantly told him that you had every right to be his hero, too. You were partners, and that meant you protected each other instead of letting one people take all the blame or trouble under their wing.

It was a while before you came back, but when you did, you had a triumphant look on your face as you washed your hands and came to join him on the couch. You settled against the edge of the couch and smiled when he draped his head against your lap. You replaced one of his hands with yours so he could rest as you replaced his peas.

"What did you do, [Y/N]?"

"I took care of it," you said.

Yoosung eyed you suspiciously.

"Listen, I didn't fight them if that's what you're thinking. I told them they needed to hand themselves over the security team because our favorite hacker Seven found evidence of their attack, and when that tall guy tried to argue with me, I flipped him on his butt for trying to harass me, too. That taught him a lesson," you explained.

Oh.

You didn't...

"Yoosungie, you don't have to beat someone up to win a fight. I'm trained to defend my loved ones, and if someone tries to hurt me first, then I'm allowed to defend myself. You don't have to throw yourself into danger to protect people, either. Seven watched me the entire time, and I knew I was safe to defend you, you know, the way you've always defended me."

He sighed and nuzzled his face against your chest. He was working hard at trying to overcome that fear of not being "man" enough. He knew his value wasn't less because he "couldn't win a fight" and he wasn't "weak" just because you wanted to defend him. The idea of you putting yourself in danger scared him... but he knew you were capable.

You could defend yourself, but you still asked for help just to make sure he wouldn't be afraid.

"You're not mad I leapt without thinking, are you?"

"Of course not," he muttered. "I just wish I could've watched you lay that guy out."

You beamed, smile spreading cheek to cheek as you plucked your phone out of your phone. "That's another good thing about being friends with Seven, honeypaws. We can watch that as many times as you want."

[rfaromance]

"Is this necessary?"

"Yes."

"What kind of deluded birthday events do they have in America, anyway? What do cat ears represent on a birthday for a human? It makes no sense."

"Saeran! You can't assume you know better about it than Ariella, or me! We've both been there. She lived there and I spent plenty of time there to pick up the culture around a birthday party! Cat ears are almost the most important thing."

"Okay, well, then SHE should be wearing them since it's her birthday, not us."

"No, no. The point is that we're a part of a pack! The best family of lost cats that found each other! This makes more sense when you know the context for it and why it's so crucial you wear ears and meow the birthday song."

"I am only tolerating these ears, Saeyoung."

"Because you want your sister-in-law to smile on her happy day! That's so sweet!"

Saeran made a face of disdain. He hoped this would not happen again in a week when it was their stupid birthday again. He sighed and looked away from his brother, who was deep in the throes of adding some finishing touches to the room. Streamers and half a dozen paw prints littered the bunker. He said there was a puzzle of some sort that had to do with paws that Ariella was busy with.

Which, that was weird to Saeran but he really didn't know much about what Americans did. He didn't want to question it or learn more at this point since it seemed like it was a mess waiting to happen all at once. He knew enough for the time being.

Saeyoung was over the moon, though. He wanted to make this an exciting day for Ariella. That part wasn't bad. It was the whiskers he painted on and the ears that were the problem. He grumbled into his sweater, which was only bearable in the bunker since the weather outside was blistering again. He only wanted to do this to appease the poor woman.

They were... reluctant friends, after all.

If you could even call them friends. Ariella said they were but Saeran was still wary. She was too much... like a person that Saeran knew didn't deserve to be around. Still, her company wasn't all that bad. This just felt like a mess waiting to happen. It just wasn't how he would spend his own birthday. He wouldn't spend his birthday doing anything anyway. It wasn't particularly a day he enjoyed.

But, he supposed Ariella deserved to have a good day. That was the only reason he looked ridiculous.

"Saeyoung Choi, you know I love puzzles as much as the next person alive but if you're going to make Blue's Clues, you need to put the paw print where I can reach it! I made Zen climb a flag pole to get me the last clue!" was the call of Ariella's voice from the garage.

Saeyoung knew how to use his time wisely... even if he was a moron. Saeran thought. Saeyoung laughed at her grumbles, though. He did those things to see how long it would take her to find everything. Those footsteps that came down the hall were familiar for him. She was coming in with the intent to find out what her prize was. She loved his dumb puzzles to death.

Saeyoung was beaming ear to ear when she came inside. It didn't take Ariella long before she noticed the prints across the floor and the solitary one on the back of his shirt. If only because she saw it just as she rounded the corner to interrogate him and realized her party was set up for her to celebrate.

"My last clue, huh? Let me guess, it's the handsome little kitty who asked all his friends to set up a party for me. He worked his biscuit making paws down to the bone to make it happen," she murmured.

"It's your favorite kitty," Saeyoung corrected her as he spun around to face her properly. "Plus, I got the rest of your warrior clan dressed up for you! Just... not Zen. He's a mysterious dog that decided he had no choice but to protect the kittens."

"You dork," she flung her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"Happy birthday, starlight."

Saeran grumbled. "Would you two stop trying to suck faces when everyone is here? I was promised ice cream cake for this. The birthday girl owes me a slice for looking this ridiculous."

"Aw, you look adorable, Saeran. Thank you for your birthday wishes! But, I get the first slice of cake. It's the rule."

Ariella gets the first slice, but Saeran gets the biggest.

[ravencromwell]

Am back to watching the best! tutor-era show in existence: one Wolf Hall, adapted by the incomparable Peter Straughan because Thomas Cromwell, fundamental gutter-rat who'll fight dirtier than half the bastards in London even know is possible while having a veneer of polished civility is giving me the fiercest Ros Vortalis vibe my GOD. So, I thought I'd share the best fucking exchange from the show which is just Mark Rylance's Cromwell going absolutely fucking feral over dinner with the tiniest provocation over his surrogate dad Cardinal Wolsey. I can't find the YouTube clip, which is an absolute travesty because the dialogue alone will never do Mark's performance justice and any of you who haven't devoured this series find it by any means necessary and then come scream about it with me. But for now, let me show you the ambassadorial dinner no one fucking expected disgraced Tom Cromwell to have the balls to show up at:

[Tom, cool as a cucumber while everyone else freezes in horror since they have absolutely! been gossiping about him]: "Did you want to talk about me, Master More? You can speak while I'm here, I have a thick skin." [Thomas More's inner monologue: oh, fuck the crazy bastard who's been a hired mercenary! of all things! for our enemies the French! showed up oh he's _looking at me oh dear let me wipe the sweat from my brow with this napkin and give the master-class on everything you don't do to lie convincingly]: "No-one was talking of you." [Cromwell: inwardly rolling up sleeves. Oh, this will be fun!]: "Of the Cardinal, then?" [poor. poor host: I will salvage my dinner if it's the last thing I do. I simply must summon my power of manic cheer!] Thomas, this is Monsieur Chapuys, the Emperor's new ambassador here in London. Monsieur Chapuys, my friend, Thomas Cromwell. [poor new ambassador who doesn't understand what's about to happen to his polite society debut]: Enchanted. [after which he makes his evening's first and last mistake, leaning over to Thomas More to chat in Italian: "I have heard of this one. No one knows where he comes from. Like the wandering Jew." [poor bastard's new and dumb and fails to understand Cromwell isn't happy since Wolsey fell unless he eviscerates six people before bed] [Tom inwardly: oh, this is how we're gonna play it?] "I hardly know where I come from, myself. If you want to speak half-secretly, try Greek, Monsieur Chapuys." [host, staring between a gawp-mouthed new ambassador, sulking Thomas More and smug as a pig in shit Tom Cromwell: manic cheer aid me now! Upon which he says to More:] "My friend, you are looking at your herring as if you hate it." [Thomas More, making five-year-olds look like Zen masters of self-control by comparison]: "There's nothing wrong with the herring." [poor host, finally defeated]: "Ah." [More, who cannot let himself keep getting slapped around he's a man of importance I tell you!]: "But of Cardinal Wolsey, I'll say only this -he has brought his fall on himself. He's drawn all to himself - land, money and titles. He's always had a greed for ruling over other men. I think it's a little late to read the Cardinal a lesson in humility. His real friends have read it long ago and been ignored." [Cromwell inwardly: this stopped being fun and became the biggest crock of shit I've ever been priveleged to witness. Fuck civility.] "And you count yourself a real friend, do you? I'll tell him - and by the blood of Christ, Lord Chancellor, he'll find it a consolation as he sits in exile and wonders why you slander him to the King." [Host, genuinely scared they might fight with the butcher knives now and More is a weedy little thing Cromwell could take him without even breaking a sweat oh god what if he dies at my dinner? Because I invited Cromwell Thomas More is second-in-command to the king!] "Gentlemen..." [Cromwell, oblivious, having worked up his full glorious head o' steam]:" No, let's have this straight. Thomas here says, "I'd spend my life in the church, if I had a choice. I'm devoted to things of the spirit. I care nothing for wealth. The world's esteem is nothing to me." So how is it I come back to London and find you've become Lord Chancellor? What's that?" Three beats of aching, glorious silence. "A fucking accident?"

[booksandchainmail]

Pale 7.3

“You want to get the girls, am I right?  I could teach you ways.”

do not get romance advice from a goblin

“All I’m saying is I could tell you ways to handle yourself that would turn the heads of hundreds of winsome and woesome dames.”

... turn their heads in what way, exactly?

“Then use my methods, and turn that one girl’s head hundreds of times.” “That kills the girl,” Gashwad whispered loudly. “Twists the head off.”

like I said

"I’m the best person here at understanding Nat, after Doglick chewed most of her tongue off, and understanding Alpy, and all that.  But as in so many things Practice-related, it comes at a price.” “Of sounding like a tryhard?” Lucy asked.

lol. But Verona is honestly very good at understanding Others. I wonder if that's linked to her intuition about the practice, or if she's just good at parsing communication in general? Also wondering if there will be a balance to it. Switching languages rapidly tends to mess up people's grammar, and some of this is a bigger stretch. I know that when I've been programming intently, especially with a lower-level language, I have trouble talking coherently for a while.

Culminating in Kennedy getting into her family’s car and everyone driving her off, leaving her on campus alone with Durocher.

that lesson on binding left an impact, huh. Scary teacher showing up in nightmares.

Until there were no escape routes, and the door was wide open, the sounds and screams from within too loud for Mccauleigh to hear Alexander’s voice. “Alexander was her way out?” Verona asked.

the youngest Hennigar not keen on being gore-streaked?

“A team captain?” Lucy suggested. “Yes, exactly!”

love Avery's enthusiasm for sports metaphors

“Yeah,” Lucy said, her voice soft.  “It’s why it’s so easy to fall into the trap of hating that man.  Bristow doesn’t budge and Alexander seems to accommodate, he invites you in, or puts himself in situations where you invite yourself in…”

I'm also worried about this. I wouldn't be surprised if this section of the story ends with Alexander stronger than ever.

The Other stood close to Gashwad, who snarled and hugged Snowdrop’s head, putting his body between her and the Other.

awww

Was it only three or so times that she had to fight to get away?  That John or Tashlit or Gashwad were stepping in to pry her free?  Two or three times that they plunged into darkness and she had to make that split second decision to either defend Snowdrop or get to the bricks before he got to the bird?  He varied it up, feinted.  She was running on instinct and adrenaline, fighting in the moment. Trying to survive, to preserve her friend.

Man, Avery keeps getting trapped in these kinds of life or death struggles in alternate arenas. Incredibly draining for her.

“You did good,” John said. The words felt weird.  She didn’t want to be in a situation where this was good.

situation was awful, she handled it really well. But there isn't really a sense of accomplishment in barely surviving.

Lucy was fussing with Avery’s hair, which had mud in it, and it was simultaneously the last bit of nitpickyness that Avery wanted to dwell on, and it was a bit zen, fingernails running against her scalp as a makeshift comb.

having hair finger-combed is very nice, do recommend

We’re making small talk?  Talking about regular stuff? After that?  Do you guys realize?

Avery's traumatic experiences tend to happen when she's alone, so there's less recognition from the others. At least with the Wolf they knew it was bad for her, but I don't think Lucy or Verona understand what the past fight was like for Avery, since from an outside perspective it didn't do much damage or last long.

Seems like most of the trauma here comes from having to be constantly moving and constantly alert, without room to improve the situation more than a little, just stuck in a deadly holding pattern. No room for error or relaxation, then being abruptly plunged back into the normal world with no adjustment period.

But Avery didn’t want to whine.  She wanted to look strong.  So she focused her attention on keeping her head up and being gentle with Snowdrop.

:|

“Regards, Lawrence T. Bristow, esquire.” Verona said, plucking her feather from her sleeve.  She ran the tip along the screen.  “What do you think?  Do you think we should pass his regards on to the brownies?”

hah! it's been a while since we've seen that quill

[fictionalreads]

From Scratch thoughts

First off, why the hell didn’t I know this shit was that sad. I cried almost every episode and for those last few it was nonstop. My eyes are puffy.

Anyway. Spoilers I guess even though it’s been out a while now.

Lino and Amy

Why were they so cute? Like. Lino is adorable. He was good to her and her to him (minus the giancarlo situation). I mean that proposal.

Lino is comparable to Jack Pearson (iykyk). Yes. I said that. And I stand by it too.

Amy is stronger than me cause I would’ve been like

Actually, I was like that and I was just a spectator.

I knew (from years of watching tv) that the cancer was gonna come back and it would be the end for him but it still got me.

Idalia

She was wonderful. Seeing her understand what was happening, worrying about her mom and then her own grief coming out in Sicily.

Zora

The goat, the queen. I loved her so much

I was glad when she told Amy off cause I think it was something they both needed. Amy was being selfish and needed to hear that to be reminded that it wasn’t all about her. Zora needed to get it off her chest that she felt unseen and that nobody was looking out for her.

Also, she was so pissed she wasn’t talking to her sister but the minute she saw the restaurant was closed she didn’t call, she went straight over to their place to make sure they were okay.

I’m glad she found Zen, he was someone who saw how hard she loved and how she took care of everyone else and then decided he was gonna take care of her.

But why did they have to treat her like the red headed stepchild? I swear every time something good happened to her, something Amy did it was a part of overshadowed it. I didn’t like it.

She’s gonna be an awesome mom.

LMAO When she was holding Amy while she fell apart and said “I don’t want you to get mad but have you bathed? Cause you stink.”

Also, the fact that she was keeping her promise to Lino by helping Amy put the pieces back together? Sobs. Intense sobs.

I loved every interaction she had with Lino. It was so pure and lovely to see. That was her brother and you couldn’t tell her otherwise. He got on her nerves but their friendship and bond was beautiful.

I wish I had seen a little more of Ken. Like in regards to Amy. I wish I could’ve seen him be there for her as she had a moment where she broke or something. I would’ve liked to have seen that they had a bind as much as Zora and Lino did.

Amy’s parents

At the beginning all of them got on my nerves. Then I came around. Gotta take the good with the bad

They ended up being so supportive and I loved to see it in a black family on screen.

I loved that the three of them ended up walking Amy down the aisle.

I loved that Lynn (eventually) acknowledged that Maxine was a mother to Zora and Amy. That during the scene where idalia came home she told her “I was only saying I was overwhelmed and didn’t know what the hell I was doing, not that you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I love that Maxine basically said the entire series “imma keep it cute and classy cause you the mama but don’t get it twisted bitch, I raised those girls”. As she should have, cause we don’t diminish the role of found family over here. Found parents included.

Lino’s parents

I will always give Giacomo credit for trying in the end, but I will never forget what he said and did to Lino before that.

At first glance I didn’t like Filomena. Cause no man was gonna tell me I couldn’t go to my son’s wedding. But the more I watched the more I understood her. It was simply what she knew cause that’s how she was raised. We were raised completely differently. Which means we see the world completely differently.

Do I agree with her actions? No, but I can empathize with her.

I think that was the friction between her and Amy. Amy was raised to be assertive and definitely less conservative. I think Filomena had a hard time with Amy’s openness.

I was glad to see in the end she was able to connect with her and give her that land. I think it meant a lot to Filomena that her son’s family still had connections to his heritage and his home.

Miscellaneous

Wish we had seen Lino’s sister a little more and saw their relationship.

Y’all. When Idalia went to see him for the last time, I was done for.

TONINO AND THE FUCKING GOAT HAD ME SEEING BLURRY CAUSE THE TEARS WERE ROLLING

Just realized that Lino always wanted to go back to Sicily to show his wife and daughter and never got the chance to do it while he was alive.

THE WAY HE WAITED FOR HER TO WAKE UP BEING REMINISCENT OF THE NIGHT THEY GOT TOGETHER

In conclusion, Netflix,