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yusuke-of-valla · 1 year ago

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Whumptober Day 4: Fun Uncles

AO3

Written for the prompt: Shock

Nineteen years ago…

When the last mourner leaves there’s an air of finality. Like now that they’ve finished with the funeral, Dad is really dead.

Zenkichi, Tsuru, and Mom all just sort of sit around the family room, not saying anything, until someone’s stomach growls.

“Tsuru, could you please make some dinner?” Mom asks.

Tsuru wordlessly gets up and heads into the kitchen, but soon enough there’s a loud crash and the sound of plates breaking.

“Damn it, Tsuru!” Mom snaps, and Zenkichi follows her into the kitchen, where Tsuru’s standing, surrounded by shards of ceramic.

“Sorry, I was just—”

“I don’t want to hear it! Go grab something to clean this up.”

Tsuru hangs her head and runs out.

“That girl, she doesn’t know how lucky she is, beautiful, never has to worry about her weight, if she could be bothered to behave properly men would be lining up to marry her,” Mom huffs. “Couldn’t even wear proper clothes throughout the whole ceremony.”

“Mom, it’s hot out. You know Tsuru doesn’t do too well in the heat, especially not decked head to toe in black. Dad certainly wouldn’t want her collapsing from heatstroke just because of him.”

“Even more reason she should focus on being a proper housewife! She can’t even go out, so she could damn well learn to keep house.”

“Ok, ok, I think we’re all tired,” Zenkichi says. “How about we just call Oishi’s and get some food delivered. One less thing to worry about.”

Tsuru comes back in with a broom.

“You’re bleeding,” Zenkichi says as Mom snatches the broom out of Tsuru’s hands.

She starts sweeping the mess, and Zenkichi pulls Tsuru into the bathroom where they keep their first aid kit.

“I can do it, it’s not that deep,” Tsuru mumbles.

“Eh, come on, let me do it.”

“How mad is Mom?”

“She’s stressed.”

“Sure, but how mad is she at me?”

“Look, it’s been a long day, she’ll be over it in the morning. We’re gonna call Oishi’s and get some delivery.”

“Can we go pick it up?” Tsuru asks. “When you leave, I won’t have anyone to go out with, might as well spend as much time as I can outside of this place.”

“Why don’t you ask mom? Or one of your friends, didn’t you mention—”

“She doesn’t know about them,” Tsuru says, “for a reason.”

“Tsuru, you’re being dramatic.”

“No, I’m not. She’s worse when you’re not here.” Tsuru sighs. “Hurry up and get a job already so I can move in with you in Tokyo.”

“I still have five more months of training at the police academy. I might not even be stationed in Tokyo, you know.”

“I don’t care. Anywhere is better than here. Anyone is better than her.”

“She’s our Mom.”

“She sure doesn’t act like it.”

“You know she’s only like this because she’s worried about you, right? Now that Dad’s dead, she’s worried no one will take care of you if she dies.”

“Won’t you be around?”

“Well, you know how she is, she thinks that when I’m a family man, I’m not going to have time to look after my baby sister.

Tsuru kicks him. “I’m not a baby, dummy.”

“Sure sound like one, calling people dummy.”

Tsuru cracks a smile for the first time since Zenkichi came home for the funeral. “I guess if three years difference makes me a baby, you can carry me all the way to Oishi’s.”

“Yeah, no.”

“Come on!”

“No.”

Present

According to the forecast, the day they leave Sapporo is the hottest of the summer, and Yusuke can definitely feel that.

He feels like he’s wading through soup with all the humidity.

“Yusuke? Are you alright?” Morgana asks while they pack up.

“The heat,” Yusuke says. “And I’m sore from our fight with Shadow Mariko yesterday.” His neck and shoulders hurt, but they’re nothing compared to the pressure in his chest.

“Why don’t you rest for a bit then,” Haru says.

“I don’t want—“

“Nah dude don’t give us any of that ‘I don’t want to be an inconvenience’ crap,” Ryuji says, “rest a bit, we don’t mind.”

Yusuke’s too tired to insist otherwise, so goes to sit on the bench.

He sees Inspector head over to them.

“You kids almost ready?” he asks, but strangely it’s being drowned out by the ringing in Yusuke’s ears. Everything sounds vague and distant, and he can’t follow the conversation at all.

Then Inspector Hasegawa seems to nice him and the Inspector’s immediately concerned

He opens his mouth to say something that’s probably “Kitagawa?!” but Yusuke can’t hear it specifically because he’s too focused on the way everything’s spinning.

“Niijima, call an ambulance. Sakamoto, help me lie him on the ground,” Zenkichi says.

“Wh-what’s—” Niijima stammers but Zenkichi doesn’t have time for this.

Sakamoto helps him lay Kitagawa on the ground. “Good, now raise his feet slightly above his head,” Zenkichi instructs.

“Ok.” Sakamoto does, and there’s a small crowd coming to the scene, but Zenkichi doesn’t even have to tell Amamiya to keep them away.

Kitagawa still isn’t responsive, but starts taking gasping breaths that are fewer and farther between, so Zenkichi moves to perform CPR.

Old habits really do die hard. It’s been years since Zenkichi spent his summers taking CPR training, but his hands move on his own at the right rhythm.

He feels Kitagwa’s ribs cracks, and Sakamoto winces in sympathy, but Zenkichi isn’t bothered. He keeps going until Kitagawa’s eyes flutter open, just as the ambulance arrives.

Zenkichi follows the paramedics, who give him a questioning look, but Zenkichi doesn’t want to bother with it.

“I’m his uncle.”

The paramedic nods and lets him in.

Eighteen years ago…

There’s an inexplicable feeling of dread when Zenkichi comes home. No movement, not from Tsuru in her art room nor Mom in the living room.

His visit home was supposed to be a surprise, but he didn’t expect them to be out.

After waiting a second, Zenkichi grabs his gun before heading inside.

He feels some sort of relief when he realizes the door is still locked and has no sign of being forced open.

Unfortunately, he relaxed too soon.

Because when he enters, he sees his mother’s cold, dead, body at the bottom of the stairs, surrounded by days-old dry blood.

Zenkichi wants to scream, cry, and throw up all at once.

Instead he runs upstairs to check Tsuru’s room.

It’s completely empty, but there are signs of a fight with broken canvases and paint cans that look kicked over. Normally, Tsuru’s window is always locked, but now it’s wide open and there’s the remnants of what looks like a sheet tied to the table.

Other than that, there’s no sign of Tsuru in the house.

Present

There’s a whirr of activity that eventually settles with Zenkichi sitting in the hospital room with Kitagawa.

A doctor comes in. “Hello, you’re his uncle?” she asks. “Have you contacted his parents?”

“No, they passed away,” Zenkichi says. “But I’m responsible for him at the moment.”

“Do you have his medical information?”

“No, but his mother suffered from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.”

“Of course, probably complications from the heat. Make sure he’s rested and hydrated and doesn’t stay outside for too long. You administered CPR?”

“Yes.”

“You did a good job. Cracking the ribs is a normal occurrence so I don’t want you to think—”

“I know, I did it to his mother too,” Zenkichi admits. He’d been absolutely panicked when she collapsed during a school picnic and spent the whole time inconsolable until his father explained he hadn’t made it worse.

“Ah, well I just didn’t want you worrying you did something wrong. You saved his life.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

“Do you know of any medications he’s taking?”

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Well, I’d like to keep him for a bit just to make sure there’s no complications. I’m sure you’ve noticed but he’s severely underweight and suffering from anemia. We might end up keeping him overnight.”

“Alright, thank you.”

The doctor leaves and Zenkichi practically collapses into the nearest chair.

God, he’s more exhausted than he’s been in a long time. They’ll probably end up staying in Sapporo an extra day and—

Oh. Oh no.

Zenkichi pulls out his phone and calls Akane.

“Where are you?” Akane asks as soon as the phone picks up.

Zenkichi sighs. “Look, I’m not going to be home tonight.”

“WHAT?! What are you doing?!”

“I’m sorry! I don’t want to do this, but your cousin had a heart attack.”

“Huh? Grandma and Grandpa didn’t—”

“No, on my side of the family. My sister’s son.”

“Are you serious? You can’t come up with a better lie?! You only mention your sister sometimes and I sure as hell haven’t met her.”

“It’s really, really complicated. I promise I’ll explain tomorrow.”

“Yeah, whatever. See you.” The line clicks, and Zenkichi throws his head back. Why is his life like this?

“Is that your daughter?”

Zenkichi snaps his head up, and Kitagwa’s awake.

“Kitagawa!”

“Lying to the hospital is one thing,” Kitagawa says, “but there’s no need to lie to your daughter for my sake.”

It’s funny that for all Kitagawa inherits from his father, he makes the exact same look as Tsuru did when she caught Zenkichi in a lie.

Daring him to try and dig himself deeper.

“Er, right.” Zenkichi scratches his head. “Look, Kitagawa. I wasn’t… exactly lying.”

“So what you told the doctor was true? You’re my uncle?”

“You’ve been listening in that long, huh?”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

The way Kitagwa’s glaring at him, Zenkichi feels a pang of nostalgia. Honestly, it’s been so long, he even misses Tsuru being mad at him. “I wanted to tell you, I just didn’t know the right time. It’s not like I can just walk up to someone I’m investigating and say ‘hey, I’m your long lost uncle!’”

“Are we still just people you’re investigating at this point?”

“Well…”

Kitagawa’s frown gets deeper. “Fine. Did you know my mother died? Why did you never come to pay your respects?”

“That’s… I didn’t think she’d want me there. Or to have anything to do with you,” Zenkichi says.

“Then tell me why. I think you owe me that, at least.”

Zenkichi takes a deep breath. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Eighteen years ago…

Zenkichi hasn’t slept in weeks. If he’s right, he’s tracked Tsuru to Tokyo of all places. Supposedly someone’s seen her working at this ramen shop, so Zenkichi settles in to a seat by the door, and waits all day.

His tab is pretty expensive by the time Tsuru shows up, slipping in discreetly by the back and relieving a stressed-out high school student. She goes to talk with the owner and locks eyes with Zenkichi.

They stare at each other across the shop for a second, before Tsuru whispers something quickly to the owner, clearly apologizing, then heads over to Zenkichi.

“Let’s go outside,” she says, and Zenkichi lets her lead the way out.

They go around back, and the second they’re out of sight of any cameras, Zenkichi pulls her into a hug.

“Are you ok? You’re not hurt, are you?”

Tsuru blinks at him. “W-wow, I thought you’d open with yelling.”

“Who’s behind this? The owner?”

“W-what? No, behind what?”

“Who kidnapped you?”

Tsuru groans. “Oh, ok is that how Mom’s dealing with it? Of course not, it’s never her fault.”

“Tsuru, Mom’s dead.”

Tsuru’s face goes pale. “W-what? W-what happened?”

“Blunt force trauma to the back of the head, what do you mean ‘that’s how she’s dealing with it?’”

“I wasn’t kidnapped,” Tsuru says. “I ran away.”

Zenkichi feels his eye twitch. “What?”

“I ran away.”

“What do you mean you ran away?”

“I couldn’t stay in that house anymore, so I ran away.”

“On your own?! Tsuru, do you know how worried I’ve been?! Of all the stupid little—”

“Stupid?! Are you kidding me, I tried to tell you so many times, but you never believed me?”

“What about the canvases then?”

“Mom broke them! She’s been breaking them for years when she’s mad at me!” Tsuru snaps. “And I could never bear to throw them out, so I kept them and left them in my room so she’d remember why I left!”

“I thought someone had broken into your room because you felt like being dramatic?”

“Gah! This is why I didn’t talk to you!”

“Tsuru I haven’t slept in weeks trying to investigate your disappearance and mom’s death.” Suddenly Zenkichi stops, and he steps back from her. “...did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Did you kill Mom?”

“What? Have you gone crazy?”

“You had a fight, you pushed her down the stairs, and then you panicked.”

“First of all, that’d have to be a pretty hefty shove, and as you’ll remember I can barely throw a ball 30cm. All my life it’s been ‘oh no Tsurur you’re too small for that, yu’re too weak for that, you can’t do that,’ but now you think I can shove someone with 30 pounds on me hard enough to send them down the stairs?!” Tsuru gasps. “Besides, If it was an accident I would have called you.”.

“You didn’t call me when you decided to run away to Tokyo!”

“Because you’d tell Mom, and it wouldn’t be safe for—” Tsuru clutches her stomach and looks away. “That’s different, ok?”

“Then maybe when you left you left the window open and someone broke in and killed Mom,” Zenkichi says. “Either way you still killed her.”

“That’s— that’s not true.”

“Come on, we’re going to the police station.” Zenkichi says, grabbing for her wrist, but Tsuru snaps it back.

“What? N-no, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’m betting you were hired under a fake name,” Zenkichi says. “You may have tampered with a crime scene.”

“I told you I didn’ kill Mom!”

“Well I can’t believe you now, can I?” Zenkichi says. “I thought you’d tell me about something like this, so how can I know you’re being honest with me now.”

“You’re not even working Mom’s case. They wouldn’t let you.”

“Oh so you want to call an officer and wait for a police car?”

“You’re just doing this because you’re mad at me!”

“No, I’m not, I’m acting as an officer of the law, and since you were the last one to see Mom alive, you’re a suspect, and should be interrogated.”

Tsuru looks down on the ground and mutters something.

“What was that?”

“...I hate you,” Tsuru says without raising her voice. “I’ve been so worried I was wrong not to trust you, and here you are proving my right. I hate you! I hate you so much!” Then she walks off.

“Where are you going?”

“To the police station, that’s what you wanted right? Then once they explain you’re ridiculous for thinking I could kill Mom, then I’ll decide if I ever want to talk to you again.”

Present

Yusuke doesn’t know how to feel after Inspector Hasegawa— should he call him Uncle?— finishes. He grasps for the first thought he can force into intelligible words.

“And after that?”

“I got chewed out for accessing information on a case I wasn’t working on to track down your mom, she showed her train ticket to prove she was already gone by mom’s ETD, and then she never spoke to me again,” Inspector Uncle Hasegawa says.

“Were you still angry with her?”

“I held out for a year being stubborn. Then I didn’t know how to talk to her.”

“Did you know about me? Did you know she’d died?”

“Yes. It’s not like I was stalking her or anything, but I… kept tabs on her. When she died, I’d heard you were living with a family friend, so I figured that’d be better for everyone.”

Yusuke would be lying if he said he didn’t see Hasegawa’s side of things. It’s not like he’d know what to say.

But another part of him is stewing in an ice cold rage. Madarame had always said he should be grateful, that Yusuke had no other family who would want to take him in. Was that just another lie or an accidental truth considering his uncle had never even tried to reach out to him after his mother’s death.

His mother’s death stands out as the one sharp point of the haze of his early childhood, and he remembers it being just him, Madarame, and a few other mourners. If Hasegawa had been there, he never spoke to Yusuke.

Though, given the look on Hasegawa’s face, now’s not the time to go into that.

So Yusuke swallows his rage. “Can you send the doctor in? I suppose I need to give her my medical information.”

“Oh, sure, of course. I’ll go tell your friends everything.”

Inspector Uncle Hasegawa gets up, and something in his bearing makes Yusuke feels as though he’s only added to the weight the man has been carrying all these years.

#uncle zenkichi conspiracy board #alto writes #whumptober #day 4 #yusuke kitagawa #zenkichi hasegawa #child abuse tw #ask to tag #hospitals #heart attacks #medical stuff i probably got wrong I'm so sorry

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studymustelid · 7 months ago

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April 25th at 10:27 p.m. Hello all!

It is I, everyone's favorite health data studying mustelid (or something of that sort)

My classes are coming to a close soon which is really great for my brain! All As this semester!

I feel kind of full in there sometimes, like I'm at capacity and deviating from routine or exploring will kind of blow up the remaining shred of brain-power I have left. It's like that meme with the ball

I'll have a little more capacity for thought in about a year which is nice though. Last semester and the beginning of this one, my father chastised me a bit for not taking 4 classes (which requires dean approval) but

1) I had to drop a class last semester (my first semester)

2) 4 classes would have honestly rendered me nonfunctional

I think *part of it* is that I'm honestly a much better student (in the studious sense of the word, I study better and more actively absorb information) when I'm controlling more facets of my life -- when the pandemic happened I insisted on moving back to my apartment and despite the general lack of social interaction being kind of insane for my head I was significantly better for it.

But the other part of it is very obviously that I am in grad school, in a technical field, learning a lot of new things! My dad has a masters but it is not in a super technical field (a masters is a masters) and he mentioned that it should be easy to take 4 classes because I took 5 - 6 at times in undergrad and grad school is "mostly writing and talking"

which...eh, I guess. Reasonable amount of programming too though, at the very least sub-par technical skills. Anyways, basically AHHHHHH!!

I still have to finish off grading which is tiring, but apparently! Apparently! Both my professor and the administration are chill will me leaving the country for a couple weeks lol. So that's nice. I'll be a TA until I graduate it seems!

I do sometimes feel rather self-conscious about not having a real job or not doing anything (despite the fact that I am in fact, in graduate school and doing things as we speak!).

Especially since all but two of my friends are working (some in a professional capacity, some while waiting for grad school). I think if I were at a more traditional program and not living at home this feeling would be lessened a smidge, but as of now it kind of remains and likely will until I'm gainfully employed.

On the bright side, I'll have my practicum in the fall semester and it'll likely be a paid internship!

I do feel like being a little overachiever would probably leave me falling apart but I am really tired of having no brain power while feeling bored with nothing to do, so ideally I'll have no brain power AND feel busy lol

#grad student #gradblr #studyblr #grad studyblr #informatics #studymustelid

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jbmymusic · 2 months ago

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Okay, studio time starts this Wednesday, 9/4/24.

For confidence, I always record a cover first. For example, my first time in a studio - the first half of Everything Happens - I recorded "Beth" by KISS. Second half of EH, I didn't do a cover, and it shows. You can hear the uncertainty in the songs.

Second album - Leftovers of an Unanesthetically Torn-Out Heart: first session was "Used to Love Her" by Guns N Roses, second session was "Dead Flowers" by the Rolling Stones.

Live at Horizon - a live show from 2001 that has full video and audio. I never got nervous live, so there was no covers. I do look at the set list now and see how the EH and the "Lost" Album - Jersey - was set up. Funny story: we had no video camera, but a cassette player in the board and a VHS-C recording. Someday, I'll get around to having those mixed and remastered into better quality. I think IIRC, there was also a B&W security camera with no audio recording at another angle as well.

Third album - Living in a Ghost Town: this was a bit strange. I recorded two versions of this album. I wasn't happy with the first, so I did it a second time with different tracks. The initial sessions, I recorded nothing as a cover. It showed. The second sessions, I recorded multiple tracks for the album that are old public domain tracks - "Worried Man's Blues", "Delia's Gone", "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", and "House of the Rising Sun". I felt very confident.

Fourth album - Long Walk Home: this took several sessions. The best songs covers from those were "Night Moves" by Bob Seger, "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode, but in Johnny Cash's style, and "Cats in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin.

So for this fifth album (I think I have the name, but I'm not telling you yet), I've decided to start with "Southern Cross" by Crosby, Sills, & Nash. I just need to find a 3rd guitar quick to balance the Squier and the Olympia, which sound great together. I have a few songs fully written that are brand new. Trying to avoid politics this time, even though it's 2024 and I'm very politically outspoken in my everyday life. I'm going to lay down the initial guitar for "Southern Cross" Wednesday the 4th, possibly the vocals as well, then ship it off to a few friends to see if they want to contribute bass and drums via Dropbox. "Southern Cross" should also kick off the start of at least 3 new songs.

I already chose a cover of an obscure song called "Dora the Female Explorer" by an English band called Stackridge as the cover for the second sessions. I'm shocked Nickelodeon didn't get sued for that. I died when I heard the song, because my kids used to torture us with Dora daily. I watched videos of live performances to learn it. Not a hard track. By the time that's done, I should have another 3-5 songs for the new album done and RTG.

Hoping for a release by...Halloween? Sounds fast, but that's how I work. Until LWH, every album took under 24 hours to complete.

Back to the "Lost" album titled "Jersey": this was the follow-up to Everything Happens. Around the time I finished the track list and did at-home demonstrate on a single cassette, my 2 year relationship with my then-girlfriend ended. We both take blame for that. Anyway, I left for a bit, and that take, and ONLY that tape, was missing. She knew it was set and done. What she missed was looking into my 3.5" floppy disks. Looking at two .doc files gave me all the info I need. So this might pop up before this next album is finished, because (shhh...) I STILL HAVE DEMOS OF ALL OF THOSE SONGS AND THE LYRICS. I also feel very confident about them, because they date back to 1999-2002. Some were cut from EH due to studio costs, but appeared on the Live at Horizon album. All were played at various shows through the years. I just passed them up for later albums because they didn't fit. Maybe because...they belong together.

Other things I've (sadly) discovered that vanished with that hard drive failure: Prior to the release of EH, I did some...techno???... under the moniker DJB. Something close to 50 tracks. See, I discovered this interesting "game" called the MTV Music Generator for the PS1, then the PC. Codemasters made the sounds royalty-free. I loved it, and made a double album from it. In 2012-ish, I digitized all the recordings from the cassettes that were done through the A/V outputs. I resurrected that for one track at the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who to make one track, with Whovian samples, but ALL of those files were on the hard drive. I MIGHT have some of the original tracks in THE VAULT of hard copies, but most likely not all. I could be wrong, I'll have to look. The hard drive "recovery" I attempted didn't recover a lot of things - full mp3 files of my solo music, full mp3 files of the Lapsis Angeles stuff, most of the recording files, but just about everything else is corrupted. Maybe someday, I'll drop the $300+ it will cost to recover all the contents, but that isn't likely any time in the near future. Maybe when the kids graduate.

I mentioned "friends contributing" above. There's a couple I specifically have in mind, but I won't say who. They have their own project and lives going on, so the ball is in their court. I would like to get at least one album done that is fully fleshed out with a rhythm section, and while I trust myself to do it, I funny have a bass or drums at my disposal. I'll be calling at least one on Wednesday. He seems to forget to call when we make plans to call. If they are onboard, this will push back a release, as between their project and the back and forth through Dropbox, who knows how long this will take.

There's also a BUNCH of unreleased tracks in the computer still, some missing their recording files, some not, but I do have their music and lyrics. "In the Real World 2010" - the lone decent song from the second half of the EH sessions - came from these. I'm not certain if these will appear anywhere. There's also 28+ cassettes of live material from the City Park days, a show at a place called Harmony Grounds, another at a place called Coffee & Connect, possibly one with my wife at what is now known as Papa Lou's, and demos dating back to 1994 or 95 (those physical mediums can come in handy later). I have to go get a cassette player and digitize these to see what I've got there. Hell, there might even be 2 more shows from Horizon.

Until the next post, look around and take in everything you see, because life is fleet and none of us knows how much time is left.

#acoustic #singer songwriter #new music #work in progress #old and new #backstory #grit #231Music #JBMyMusic #i'm back #dropbox #collab

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jasontoddiefor · 3 years ago

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Tyki Mikk is a Clone and I can (almost) prove it

Tyki Mikk is undoubtedly a fan favorite and yet we don’t really know a lot about him. For a character that was created with the purpose of being handsome (cf. D.Gray-Man Manga Volume 5, page 150), he carries a lot of baggage and has a rather unclear past. A theory that has haunted me since I read chapter 198 and has only grown in strength with the most recent arc is that Tyki is in fact a clone of Nea. As far fetched as this seems at start, there is quite a bit of evidence supporting this theory.

1) Tyki’s visible similarity to Nea (and Mana)

One of the first things Wisely remarks on when he meets Tyki is his similarity to “a certain man” (Chapter 187).

This similarity is picked up twice more in the manga. When Allen meets Nea for the first time (cf. chapter 198), he mistakes him for Tyki at first.

And it is brought up a third time by Nea himself in chapter 225 when he says:

To which Tyki, or rather Joyd, has this wonderful reaction:

But more on that guy specifically later. Point being right here is that three different characters, or four if you want to count Road and Wisely separately, acknowledge that Tyki resembles Nea a lot, down to the man himself. How does that saying go again? Once An Accident, Twice A Coincidence, Three Times A Pattern? This is something that repeatedly gets brought up again. And this is without going into detail on how much Tyki resembles not only Nea, but said man’s identical twin as well. Just look at that dashing long hair!

And take this from chapter 158 as well

Pretty long haired boy Mana is nothing new as of chapter 218 and 219:

Another interesting point here is that Tyki is the exact same height as the Earl in human form! They’re both 188cm tall. Nea, on the other hand, is listed at being 177cm. This could just be that Nea unfortunately ended up as the shorter twin, or, we take into consideration what Mana tells Allen/Red in chapter 238:

He remembers being seventeen, which means that he and Nea probably weren’t done growing yet when the “Earl” corrupted Mana. (It also kind of makes everything about Nea more hilarious if you realize he’s just seventeen.) Tyki, however, is 26 when we first meet him and should be around 27 now. He is an actual adult and not bound to hit another growth spurt.

But to summarize the first argument: Tyki looks uncannily similar to Nea and Mana and the manga keeps pointing it out so we can assume this resemblance is important.

2) Cloning is possible in canon

Now the second point is just here to point out that we know cloning to be possible. Funnily, Tyki’s resemblance to Nea gets pointed out just before the Alma Arc, which very much deals with the concept of reincarnation – only there we have the brains of deceased Exorcists transplanted into youthful bodies.

However, it’s not as if something like DNA hasn’t been mentioned before. Specifically, it has been called “Helix of life” by no other than maybe-former-Bookman but definitely First-Nea-host Past!Allen in chapter 221:

So let’s assume that, in the aftermath of Nea’s “death”, PastA didn’t just wait around for Nea to wake again, but tried to find a vessel for him. Messing around with this helix, and whatever other dubious science and magic this world had to offer, and created a new body to host Nea. Except he failed, and the result is Tyki.

But if that is so, shouldn’t Tyki remember anything about that? Good question. Time for some more shady weird stuff about Tyki.

3) The Missing Years

In chapter 202, while the Earl is resting, Tyki talks to Road. I don’t speak Japanese, so I can’t verify which translation is more accurate, but I’ve found these two:

Now the official German one also goes with a similar translation as the second one here, implying that Tyki has been with the Earl for ten years. In any case, the fact that this decade at all gets mentioned is quite odd because it doesn’t match up with what we know of Mana travelling with Allen. Cross calls Allen a “ten-year-old brat” (chapter 208) when he looks after him. So between Mana travelling with Allen and current canon, only 6 years have passed – what are up with the other 4 that are supposedly within this decade? We don’t have a definite age for how old Allen was when he met Mana, but I’d say around 7 or older. That’s still not enough to fill out the decade they speak about here.

Now, presuming that it does in fact refer to Tyki staying with the Earl for that time, we’re either left with assuming that the Earl acted as a separate entity as we see in 218, or that Tyki’s memories are just flat out wrong.

4) Tyki Mikk’s Canon-Typical Ignorance AKA The Baby of The Family

The more often Tyki appears, the more we see how much he actually doesn’t know about the going-ons of the war, or even himself. This goes back as far as the Ark Arc in chapter 130 with the Earl pointing out that:

So this form is apparently something that all Noah of Pleasure can take on, a sort of second stage of awakening. Still, it feels significant that Tyki separates his life so much into “black” and “white”, “Noah” and “human”, going as far as suppressing a part of his Noah. It puts him in direct opposition to Skinn, who was more or less entirely consumed by his Noah memories. Though, perhaps this is also just a narrative ploy because a character with the ability to chose is, frankly speaking, fuck off overpowered and the only reason why Tyki isn’t constantly leveling battlefields is probably that he just doesn’t know how to apply himself.

Regardless, Tyki’s ignorance also becomes visible in chapter 187 again when he wonders about his Noah name:

Nobody else reacts like he does, even though the other Noah haven’t been awake as long as he has and also should have retained the same memory damage as Joyd after Nea’s murder spree. Yet Tyki feels a little like the baby of the family, still learning and growing while everyone else is already in the know, which can’t be too far from the truth if we look at chapter 225:

Wisely and Road definitely know that something went down and kept it from Tyki for so long for reasons. So besides Allen learning the truth sometime in the future, Tyki is also heading towards some kind of realization – and honestly, what better than the fact that the man who enjoys his freedom and roam so much, was artificially created?

Road could have manipulated his subconsciousness, his memories. It’s a miracle really that the Earl hadn’t had a breakdown around Tyki already given how much he looks like Nea. And if Tyki really awoke as a Noa a decade ago, then eh would have been right the age Nea was when he died. The Earl should have reacted in one way or another.

Other small details that don’t add up is a) the claim that Tyki and Sheril are actual brothers. They have different last names, which would imply that they are perhaps rather half siblings, sharing one parent, or maybe they just aren’t related at all in the first place. The other thing is that Nea recognizing Tyki’s face immediately after confronting Mana about his changed appearance just adds even more suspicion.

5) TLDR

Tyki is either a clone or something else messy went down because there’s no way that there’s a natural Nea and Mana copy running around who also just so happens to be a Noah. No way.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk I’m never writing meta again this was a nightmare to post.

#tyki mikk #dgm #d gray man #allen walker #nea d campbell #mana d campbell #mana waker #road kamelot #dgm meta #long post

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mypoisonedvine · 4 years ago

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Love, Theoretically | Sebastian Stan x reader (Chapter 5)

(chapter 1) (chapter 2) (chapter 3) (chapter 4)

series summary: having lost your husband, sister, and best friend all to the same extramarital affair, you ran away to a secluded villa in the Hungarian countryside to write and get a little time away from the life you’d left behind. you were only looking for peace and perhaps some inspiration for your novel, but instead you found an unlikely connection with the immigrant repairman– even though the two of you don’t speak the same language.

word count: nearly 2.5k

warnings: vague description of a wet dream, some sensual implied stuff (??),

moodboard and inspiration credit to @evnscvll

In all your life, you’d never had a wet dream. Not even in high school when so many of your peers were coping with puberty and budding sexuality in similar ways— not even when you’d wanted to have one about David Kapoor, the cutest guy in senior year who didn’t even know you existed but that you were somehow convinced was going to fall madly in love with you one day.

It never did work out for you two, but you’d finally managed to have a wet dream. This one, though, was about Sebastian.

In your dream he had cornered you in the kitchen, kissing you deeply before tossing you onto the table and— well, the rest doesn’t bear repeating. It was all very ‘discount bin romance novel’ wasn’t it? The exotic, rugged farm boy roughly taking the formerly-prudish businesswoman in the middle of the house, too deep in the throes of passion to care if someone walking by saw them.

You didn’t find it all that sexy by the time you woke up; moreso just humorous. That’s preposterous, you thought to yourself, nobody’s ever gonna love me like that.

It was something your husband had said to you once. You couldn’t even remember what the context was anymore, but clearly it had had an impact on you to be repeating it internally now. Just last week, Mrs. Alberti had gotten on your case for speaking poorly of yourself. Clearly, the things you said about yourself to others were nothing against what you said about yourself to yourself.

Your papers had only taken a day to dry, but the ink was pretty severely smudged. Knowing your publisher wouldn’t accept them in a manuscript, you resolved to retyping the most damaged ones— a good mindless task to do while you pondered your next steps plot-wise. You’d seen Sebastian less for the past week, and it was no accident; you’d been avoiding him because you were trying to nip this in the bud before it got any worse. Your divorce isn’t final yet, you need to heal. This is fantasy, not reality. You barely know each other. Your divorce isn’t final. Your divorce. Isn’t. Final.

That was the mantra you found yourself repeating as you retyped the waterlogged sheets; so much for the plot-pondering plan, eh?

You heard someone coming up the stairs, and you knew it was him because the steps were coming too quickly to be Mrs. Alberti. “Come in,” you instructed before he’d even knocked.

“Bună ziua,” he greeted as he opened the door, leaning inside. “Am pregătit cina, ai vrea să mănânci?”

“Hm?” you asked as you turned around in your chair, adjusting your reading glasses. However, his question became more obvious through context when you saw he had oven mitts and an apron on, and was holding a wooden spoon. “Oh, um, I’ll be down for dinner in a minute. Soon.” You held up a few fingers, hoping he would successfully interpret them into minutes.

“Arăți bine în ochelarii aceia,” he motioned, pointing towards you.

“I’m sorry… what?” you asked, not sure at all what he could be talking about.

“Ochelari. Sunt drăguți,” he re-emphasized, but it was useless as you gave him another confused look. He sighed, straightening up a bit as he began a new method: “Îmi plac,” he said, pointing to himself and then giving a thumbs up, “ochelarii tăi,” he pointed to you, and then made circles with his fingers and brought them up to his eyes.

You laughed a little, but you were pretty sure you got what he meant. “You like my glasses?” you clarified, reaching up to wiggle them on your face a bit.

“Da,” he grinned. “Pari inteligent.”

“Thank you,” you nodded, and he nodded back as he shut the door and his footsteps faded back into the kitchen.

Once a few more pages had been redone, you gave your hair a quick combing before heading down for dinner with Sebastian. It smelled a little strange by the time you went downstairs, but when you swung open the door to the kitchen, you were instantly hit with a wave of acidic air, forcing you to wince and cough. Even that didn’t help much, and you forced your eyes shut as they stung.

“Jesus Christ,” you yelped, “the fuck are you cooking? Tear gas?!”

“Oțetul te irită?” he asked, not sounding as concerned as you would’ve hoped considering your obvious pain. It was like you could taste it in the air, and it wasn’t until you managed to open your burning eyes again that you realized what it was: vinegar, in a huge jug right next to the pot he was boiling it in.

“You’re boiling vinegar?” you realized incredulously. “God, Europeans are fucking weird.”

He just looked back at you with bewildered bemusement.

“In America,” you tried to explain, “we don’t eat vinegar. We clean our floors with it.” You pointed to the jug and made a motion meant to indicate scrubbing a surface, and he laughed a little.

“Americanii sunt prea sensibili,” he dismissed with a wave of his hand, turning back to the stove to stir his pot of disinfectant which he apparently planned to serve you as a meal. “Am avut ciorbă de oțet de când eram copil.”

You’d typically considered yourself an adventurous eater— even with vinegar-pickled things, like kim chi which you’d learned to acquire a taste for— but this one put you to the test. Considering the smell alone had singed your sinuses, you were nervous what would become of your innocent tastebuds. But after he served the soup (a dark orange color, so apparently it wasn’t just the boiled vinegar) into a bowl for you and another for himself, you found the taste of it oddly pleasant when you sipped it gently from your hesitant little spoon.

“Vezi, nu e așa de rău,” he smiled gently as he watched you fail to recoil in disgust from the flavor.

“Just like ma used to make, huh?” you chuckled as he ate the soup with incredible speed, even going as far as to lift the bowl to his lips and drink the last few sips that way.

Eating dinner in silence with him was unexpectedly comfortable. “You wanna know something funny?” you found yourself mumbling aloud. “I enjoy talking to you more than anyone I ever did back home, and you can’t even understand me.”

His smile softened as he stared back at you, apparently sensing the change in your tone as you spoke.

“See, right there, that’s it: you’re listening to me. You know it’s useless, you know you won’t be able to tell what I’m talking about, but you’re listening anyways. Over two billion English speakers on the planet and none of them have listened to me like you do.”

Then you heard yourself, and it was so heart-breaking that you had no choice but to laugh. It was just a chuckle at first, but then you couldn’t stop it, even when you realized how confused Sebastian would be. Everything is funnier when you know you shouldn’t laugh, and soon you could barely breathe as tears warmed your eyes from the force of it.

“I’m sorry,” you tried to spit out between your fits of laughter, but it was barely comprehensible anyways. Sebastian began to laugh with you, if hesitantly and with a hint of confusion.

“De ce râdem?” he asked gently.

“I’m sorry,” you repeated, calming down a bit, “I’m sorry I just… I was just imagining what my husband would say, if he knew I was here…” you trailed off as you laughed again, starting over. “If he knew I was here, falling for someone I’ve never even spoken with.” You shook your head, resting your face in your hands as you chuckled lightly. “Oh, he’d hate this. He’d tell me I was out of my mind.”

With a slow sigh, your laughter subsided as you wiped the wetness from your eyes.

“He’d be right, but… I don’t really care,” you decided. “He’s not here. If he wanted to find me, he would. And maybe it’s because he’d hate this that I’m having so much goddamn fun doing it.”

When you looked at Sebastian again, his face was serious, yet anything but stern. Suddenly, you weren’t thinking about your husband anymore. Of course you logically understood how odd this all was, how impossible it was for you to be slowly finding yourself in love with someone like him, but it felt right, and true, and real. It made no sense, and yet it made perfect sense in every way that mattered.

“I’ll help you clean,” you offered as you stood up, realizing you’d gotten lost in your train of thought and probably stared at him for a bit too long. He stood up with you, helping you gather the used dishes and letting you wash them in the sink while he put the remaining soup in the refrigerator as leftovers for another time. “I’ll cook for you tomorrow,” you promised, “something real bland, like the English cook.”

“Sper că nu intenționați să gătiți pentru mine cândva, nu suport mâncarea occidentală,” he mumbled as he continued to wipe down the countertop with a damp towel.

With the kitchen clean, you knew you should get back to writing your book, but you were compelled instead to read somebody else’s— so, as you slipped onto the couch with one of a few of your favorites that you’d brought with you, Sebastian summoned the same copy of Dracula you’d seen him reading a few times and took the loveseat. Not much else happened after that, save for you shivering from a draft and him tossing a throw blanket on you.

“Ce carte citești?” he asked you eventually, breaking the silence. When you looked up, he was pointing at your book. “Book?”

“Right,” you laughed, “I taught you that. My book, uh, it’s good.” You closed it, leaving your finger inside to mark your place as you showed him the front cover. “On the Road? Ever heard of it?”

He just cocked his head to the side.

“Jack Kerouac?” you continued. “It’s about going on a long journey in search of… freedom.”

“Acesta este cel despre zombi?” he asked.

“Sure,” you nodded, wishing more than ever that you could know what he was saying. He smiled and got back to his own reading. Indulging yourself for a moment, you watched his face as it fell into a neutral expression while he read, his eyes trailing along the page as he continued to read. You didn’t realize it, but when you returned to reading your own book, he got his chance to look at you.

A long day of writing meant you had more than earned an evening to relax by the fire; late summer became early fall, and early fall turned into the need for a fireplace so much faster than you’d anticipated. The days were temperate, sure, but as the sun began to sink lower, so did the warmth. You started your evening with a hot shower, though you didn’t let yourself get too greedy with the limited supply of hot water, knowing Sebastian relied on the same supply for his own baths. When you finished, you dressed yourself in a fluffy lavender robe, feeling especially pampered when you put on a little moisturizer before heading downstairs to cozy up with the fire. You were already getting chilly, the heat from the shower fading as your wet hair and bare feet cooled you quickly. Therefore, it was more of a scurry to the fireplace, which you hadn’t expected Sebastian to be tending or you wouldn’t have come down in a robe. He’d seen you in less (namely, his shirt and nothing else, which was horrifically embarrassing) but something about this felt more intimate, like all your defenses had been washed away in the shower, too. Didn’t help that he was shirtless, again. Wasn’t he cold in this weather?! Must be all that muscle keeping him warm.

“Bună seara,” he greeted.

“Good evening,” you returned. Stepping closer, you rubbed your hands together as you felt the hot air radiate towards you. “It’s nice,” you sighed contentedly.

He smiled back at you, moving the logs slightly with the iron poker. Sparks jumped and fell off as he shifted them, joining the ashes below— you’d always thought fire was so beautiful, even if it was dangerous, and you took in a long breath through your nose to smell the tinge of smokiness in the air.

“Te încălzești?” he asked quietly as he set the poker aside and stood beside you. You wrapped your arms around yourself, rubbing through the fabric of the robe to try to warm up a little faster. Seeing you shiver, he reached out and rubbed your arms for you, which made you tense up slightly before relaxing and breathing out. “Mai bine?”

You nodded a little, your gaze drifting slightly.

“Warm?” he asked, making your eyes jump back up to his. You swallowed dryly as he looked back at you.

“Warm,” you repeated, “yeah. Good job… when’d you learn that?”

He didn’t answer, watching your hands as they reached out for his arms, finally making delicate contact with his tanned skin before drifting up to his biceps, his shoulders, and finally his chest. He put his own hands on top of yours and held them there, looking back at you as your heart started to beat rapidly and with no signs of slowing down. “Warm,” he repeated, only slightly above a whisper.

“Oh yeah,” you agreed hoarsely, “very, very warm…”

He smiled a little; it wasn’t mischievous, it wasn’t conniving or predatory or malicious. It was subtle but gentle in a way you had absolutely no plan to save yourself from, no protection, no armor, no neutral territory. There was only heat, so strong that your toes weren’t cold anymore and you didn’t even remember that your hair was still damp. Not only did you let his heat consume you, but you didn’t even think to stop it, to swallow your desire down, to run away and say goodnight and hide in bed from the icky scary feelings. No, you looked right back at him and let those eyes pierce right through you, that cold blue changed entirely with the warm firelight reflecting in them.

“Do you want to come to my room?” you asked slowly. The words were useless, but a glance back to the stairs that led to your door and back at him asked the same question with much more efficacy.

He nodded, and you stepped backwards as he followed you: across the house, up the stairs, and to your room. You opened the door. He shut it behind you.

#sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan rpf #sebastian stan fanfic #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan x y/n

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deckthehallswithsunflowers · 2 years ago

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THE FROG KING Book Review

The Frog King

By Adam Davies

Full Disclaimer! This author was my professor in college and there are no frogs.

I’ve read this one before! However, it fits my parameters—to read/reread every book currently on my bookshelf! (So far, 4 down and 174 to go! I was given a few more books just days ago. Yay!) Also, The Frog King won the Twitter poll by a pretty wide margin.

Since I’ve read Davies’ The Frog King, here’s what I remembered about it before I began reading. Answer: almost nothing. It’s been about four years since I last read this book, and I read it pretty fast the first time on top of so much college shoved into my head that some details simply got squeegeed out. I couldn’t even remember the narrator’s name. This is why we take notes, people! Onwards!

Harry Driscoll, our main character and mental gymnast, is dead sick of his going-nowhere, underpaid job. It’s obvious from page three. Harry Driscoll also hates himself. I also hate Harry Driscoll. This is a one-way street with no U-turns in sight. Which brings me to my dilemma with The Frog King. The characters are amazingly well-written. No, seriously, I don’t just say that to make my former professor remember me fondly. Harry is so good at being the woe-is-me, head-in-the-sand, know-it-all jerk that you’ll probably spend most of the book in hopes something terrible happens to him. (Don’t worry.)

Evie is a doll in all meanings of the word. She’s a great woman character with her own problems and strengths and weaknesses, and she’s probably the only reason I didn’t toss the book a few different times. Yes, Harry Driscoll will make you that mad. He’s the worst type of jerk for a big chunk of the novel: the kind of sleazeball you pray to god you don’t have to work a shift with because a) they get nothing done except complaining about their job and believing the work is beneath them, b) think they’re god’s gift to womankind, and c) they somehow manage to make you feel bad about yourself while being ironic/sarcastic/condescending towards themselves in the “Haha, isn’t life just a peach” way. Your problems and feelings will never amount to theirs. Harry is all this and more with an unhealthy dose of alcohol and self-hatred to boot. This is a man so emotionally constipated you’ll want to lace his coffee with a strong laxative. Fun!

Okay, okay. He’s not all pig all the time—even dirtbags can have a few good qualities—but it’s frequent enough to be lethal in large quantities. Kind of like nuclear radiation. As I said before, don’t worry! Harry gets what’s coming to him. This isn’t some “jerks finish first” story, but boy, oh boy, get ready to feel patronized by a fictional character.

Harry certainly stirs the emotions, but not the right ones for the majority of the novel. Well-crafted character? A+. Likable character? Eh. Maybe a motivational template for how not to conduct yourself.

I try and keep this blog series as spoiler free as I can while also giving myself free reign to talk about the books I read, so I’ll move on to one other aspect.

Readers beware!

The Frog King is going to make you learn many new vocabulary words whether you want to or not. That’s just the way the narrator—you guessed it—Harry is. It’s how he thinks and roughly communicates. A facsimile of communication, but a point or two for trying, I guess. So accept that before reading, maybe even look forward to it, and grab a dictionary.

Now the vocabulary, while impressive, does actually take away from scenes sometimes. The writing kind of jumps back and forth from enjoyable, witty, and smooth into wording that’s meant to show character but really your eyes just trip over. It will happen. No way around it. And it does knock off some enjoyability of the book.

The writing style is actually pretty different to what I’m used to. Davies is raw and eclectic in the way that even if you are bumbling along with—or mentally throwing knives at—the narrator, you still have a good sense of location and emotional intelligence in the scene. You certainly aren’t going to be bored with his descriptions or dialogue.

Typically, The Frog King isn’t my kind of book. I like my fiction with a bit more, well, fiction. This book tackles it all in the real world: alcoholism, narcissism, infidelity, and even gaslighting to some extent. I know the subtitle says “a love story,” but take that with a gulp of sea water.

Overall thoughts on The Frog King? I think I still dislike Harry Driscoll enough to leave this book on the shelf until some other victim wanders by and hears the Jumanji drums, but I like Adam Davies enough as a writer to see what else he comes up with. Maybe next time I’ll ingest his words with a glass of wine?

~Anna

#book review #fiction #realistic fiction #the frog king #adam davies #books #writing

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fandomscombine · 4 years ago

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It's the Lease I Can Do

Platonic! Weasley Twins x Reader

BG: The Weasley twins are so close to having their joke shop become a reality. They had found the perfect location but they had hit a minor problem that could cause them everything. You want to help, but how can you when they, the birthday boys themselves had given up?

a/n: I had this idea for a almst a year now and waited til ther twins bday to write it. I hope you enjoy.

WC: 2111

>>>MASTERLIST<<<

Fred and George causing a ruckus in the common room is a daily occurrence that everyone is accustomed to. However ever since the start of Year 7, the amount of commotion these two had caused can be counted in one hand.

At first glance, it could be attributed to NEWTS or in this year's case-to a pink toad acting as High Inquisitor. Still, more and more nights the twins had claimed the back corner of the common room.

The last remaining batch of students were making their way through Filch's checkpoint (an added security protection which also serves for Umbridge having a list of names on who comes in and out of Hogwarts). You glanced down at your watch- 2:27pm, they’re late. Weird, the twins never pass a chance to go to Hogsmeade.

You hear the castle door open behind you. Thank Merlin, you thought but instead you were greeted with a disheveled Angelina. “I’m coming! Wait!”

“Have you seen Fred and George?” You called as she ran past you.

“I think I saw them in the common room!” Angelina shouted back.

The common room? “What are they up to now?” You sighed. Stomping heavily up the stairs. “Ditching me….”

“Oi Weaslebees! I know you’re in here!” You rounded the corner of their secret spot. “AHa!”

You caught them red handed, midway into shoving papers into their “Weasley & Weasley'' Trunk. Though what they were hiding, you weren't exactly sure.

“Y/N!” Fred greeted, grabbing onto your shoulders, effectively covering George and the table. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

Narrowing your eyes at him. “Really?” Hands on hips you blatantly say “2:15 am, courtyard?? Ring any bells?” Fred shook his head.

Meanwhile George’s head shot up. “Oh shit, y/n we’re so sorry!”

Fred turned to his brother, still clueless on what the heck George was talking about.

Abandoning the trunk, George gave his twin a classic smack on the head. “Hogsmeade, you idiot! We were supposed to all go together.”

“OHHHH FU--” Fred knew he was screwed. “I’M SO SORRY! WE’RE SORRY.” Seizing the messy trunk, he strategized. “Right, here’s the plan: I’m gonna quickly drop this off back in the dorm while you two make your way to the gate. If you run, I guess you can make it. I’ll catch up with you two then.”

“Fred….. We’re not gonna make it” you argued.

“Not if we don’t try.”

“It’s almost 3, Filch would be closing the gates by now.” You sat down on Fred’s empty seat. “Besides we can go to Hogsmeade next time, we could just hang out here. I miss having my best lads around.”

“Awww…we’ve been upgraded from annoying pricks to best lads!” Gushed George, pulling you into a side hug.

“Yea, I could help in whatever it was you guys were doing before I came. I don’t mind.”

At that, you could feel George tense up, his arm around you dropping. “Uhhh…” He looked to the older twin, silently conversing.

You gaze between the boys, sometimes they get so caught up in their scheming that they don’t notice that to others, especially those who had known them for years that their non verbal communication is not so sly.

In the end, Fred gave his brother a subtle shake. “No, that’s alright. I’ll just put this back and we could play gobstones or something, anything you like.”

As Fred headed up to his dorm room, you noticed a piece of paper under the table. Picking it up, the header caught your eye. RE: Lease Agreement. Were the twins looking for a new home after graduation? You didn’t mean to pry. You were close friends, they would tell you if they were moving right? This is big news….you decided to brush it off until another line caught your attention. The shop premise located at Number 93 Diagon Alley. Shop? They are trying to set up shop? That’s brilliant! The twins would get to showcase their inventions to the world! You could feel your pride swell. Leasing Agreements would not proceed if tenants, Mr. Fred Weasley and Mr. George Weasley, are unable to provide an endorser by the date of 31st of March.

“Where’d you get that?” George standing across from you, gobstones on one hand and another pointing at the document. There’s no backing out now.

“It was under the table.” You explained. “I didn’t know you were this far along with the shop.”

“Yea, well it’s not happening now is it?”

“What?”

“Cmon y/n. I know you read it.”

“I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s alright. We aren’t getting the place anyway.”

“Wait what? Why?”

“No endorsers.” George stated matter of factly but you sense the pain in his voice.

“How about your parents surely-”

George laughed. “As if mum would suddenly have a change of heart. You knew how she disapproves of our inventions, calling it a waste.”

“Arthur then.”

“Mum won’t let him.”

“Anyone then?” George huffed in defeat. “How about me! I could back you up.”

“You have to be an adult with a proven financial stability.” He stated, effectively shutting you down. “Forget it y/n. The hold ends in 3 days. We’ve tried everything. Just don’t let Fred know that you know. He’s devastated. Promise?”

“I promise.”

“And no pity, sad eyes!” He added as footsteps are heard descending the staircase.

“But I suck at poker faces!”

“Then let’s hope that Freddie is distracted even to not notice.”

It’s been 4 days since you had sent the letter to your father.

“Dear papa,

I know that this is a huge favour to ask but I believe it would be worth your while.

So remember back in the summer when you caught Fred Weasley, George Weasley and me snooping around with the Extendable Ears but let us go because you were so enamored?

Well turns out the twins and trying to get a shop up and running! How amazing is that?

The only problem is that they need an endorser to back them up in order to proceed with the lease agreements. The are currently on hold for the Shop Number 93 in Diagon Alley until the 31st.

This is where the huge favour comes in. Could you please be their backer? You did say that you’d love to help in some part in their invention, be an investor of sorts. Please papa. I would love to do it myself but I have to wait a couple more months to qualify. Plus it’s their 18th birthday on April 1st. Imagine their surprise if it were to come through.

I’d love to hear from you soon, regardless of your choice.

Your favourite child

y/n.”

The twin’s 18th birthday was spent with absolute love and madness.

Lee had unloaded his stash of butterbeer and firewhiskey, Fred had slipped Angelina with one of their new prank inventions- which changes the person into a sickly color of vomit green, a perfect way to ditch class or events.

Upon learning that the color would last for a few days and would only fade with the ingestion of an antidote, antidote that George said they still had yet to create. Angelina (understandably) threw cake at them. The Gryffindor chaser with perfect aim, hits its mark. However, Fred using his beater skills, instinctively blocks the incoming cake.

Resulting in a wide splat zone. Fred’s arm was covered in frosting, having sprayed everyone around him in whipped cream during the impact. George wasn’t safe too, despite being across from Fred, the rebounce of the cake had made him the new target.

You had just changed into your pajamas when a tapping sound came from your window.

Your family owl, Lanny, was outside carrying a large yellow envelope.

Quickly letting him in, you gave Lanny a gentle pat and brought out some owl treats for the tired bird.

Unscrolling the note tied to his leg, you begin to read.

“My dearest y/n,

My sincere apologies for the late reply, it’s been quite hectic at work.

In regards to your favour, you need not worry. Everything is taken care of. I had met with the landlord of Number 93 Diagon Alley and had all the documents settled. I had also gone and checked to make sure the two lads aren’t being ripped off. Fred and George had picked a nice prime location.

Greet them a happy birthday for me alright? And tell them that I look forward to witnessing them succeed in their endeavors.

They would undoubtedly be bringing a lot of much needed joy into these darkening times. The people would be thankful for them.

I also had Lanny bring the twins’ copy of the Lease Agreement.

I can’t wait to see you all soon.

Much love,

Papa.”

Fred was grateful that their friends had retired into the night, leaving him and George to sulk into the dreadful reality.

“We were this close Georgie, this close!” Fred winced, pinching his fingers close without touching.

“I know but there was nothing else we could have done.” consoled George but even he himself was having a hard time. Number 93 was the perfect location for their joke shop. But now it’s gone.They are back to square one, scouting for locations.

“Fred! George! There you are! I have great news!” You yelled, not caring if you could wake up the other students.

“Oi Y/N! Be careful!.” Even in a bad mood, Fred Weasley couldn’t help being protective.

You banged the envelope on the table. “Surprise! Happy Birthday! From papa and I.”

“Another gift?” wondered George.

“So you don’t want it then?” You challenged, crossing your arms. You tried to look intimidating but the pajamas weren’t doing any good. “Cause I bet a hundred galleons that you’d shit your pants if you were to reject it.”

“That confident eh?” Smirked Fred, taking the contents of the envelope out. “ What do you think is so grand that Georgie and I would---BLOODY HELL! Y/N!” Fred kept looking down at the paper and up to you, unbelieving.

“What is it Freddie?” asked George leaning over to read whatever it was that left his brother speechless.

Re: Lease Agreement

Mr. y/l/n has submitted his endorsement to Mr. Fred Weasley and Mr. George Weasley.

The turnover of the leasing property of Shop Number 93 Diagon Alley would begin on April 1st …..

“Oh My- Y/n? Is this real?” George whispered, afraid that if he were any louder this dream would end.

“Yes, absolutely, 100%.” You affirmed. “The shop is yours! Opff-”

George embraced you tight, catching you off guard. You could feel your right shoulder getting wet. “Heyya big guy, don’t cry.” Running a hand up and down his back.

“But how?” Fred with brows creased was still stuck in a trance, you could see the paper shake in his grasp.

“You left the agreement noticed a couple of days ago. I might have accidentally read it. George said to not let you know cause you might get angry-”

“YOu KNEW?!?”

“George only knew I saw the paper. Nothing else.” You defended. “I thought i might try and help, so I called in a favour with papa. You knew how much he was impressed with the Extendable Ear, so I mentioned if he wanted to back you up. I only got his reply just now, said he’d love to and got onto ironing out the paperwork and viola!” Pointing at the document. “Oh and he also said Happy 18th Birthday, looking forward to your success and the people would be thankful for bringing a lot of much needed joy into these darkening times.”

“Thanks Y/n but this is a lot we can’t possibly-”

You cut Fred off before he could say more. “Oh please, you have done countless things for me. And I know what you’re gonna say- but see you would do the same for me. Besides think of this as your first investors. We want to help. We see your potential, we know you two, Fred, George, are gifted with bringing laughter and joy to people with your inventions."

"Thank you, truly y/n and to your dad too." Fred admitted, opening himself up. "No one's really backed us up with our inventions before, we've been always told off for being childish. It really means a lot."

“Hey, it’s the lease I could do.” You replied, causing the twins to chuckle immediately lightening up the mood.

It's great to see them relax again after weeks of stressing over the shop. Times might be changing but at least tonight, you got your best lads back.

Everything Taglist : @gruffle1

HP Taglist: @onlyfreds

#fred weasley x reader #george weasley x reader #fred weasley #geroge weasley #fred weasley imagine #george weasley imagine #fred weasley fluff #george weasley fluff #weasley twins #weasley x reader #fred and george weasley #fandomscombine writes #fred weasley angst #george weasley angst

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ga-yuu · 3 years ago

Text

~Yoshitsune~Main Story Chapter 1~

If you haven’t read the prologue, I suggest you do that first and then start reading this. Also WARNING!!! The following story has violence and attempted murder.

-------Part 1-------

(I’m going to collect the mystical powers that are required to cancel my pact with Tamamo....and I will definitely open my own pharmacy!)

While thinking about my ordinary lovely life, I looked straight with all the courage I could muster.

Yoshino: “Please take care of me, everyone!”

Yoritomo: "If you can answer straightforwardly, that means you're doing well. ----Well, at least for now."

Shigehira: "Are you sure you should be lukewarm with her? The enemy is that Yoshitsune-san."

There is a hint of tension in his eyes as he says this.

(Yoshitsune-sama is....)

-----FLASHBACK----

Yoshitsune: "In order to defeat Yoritomo, I came from the brink of death....by surrendering my soul to an inhuman being."

-----FLASHBACK ENDS----

(Yoritomo-sama's younger brother, right?)

(But he is trying to defeat Yoritomo-sama...... even if it means that he should make a pact with the Karasu Tengu, Kurama.)

Yoshino: "Um, what kind of person is Yoshitsune-sama?"

Tamamo: "I'm curious, too. Even if Yoshitsune has Kurama's powers, he is a force that was destroyed once, and now when he's back, you guys are relying on Yoshino. Are not confident enough to take him down the second time?"

Yoshino: "Wait, Tamamo!!?"

(If you say something like that....)

The rims of Kagetoki-san's glasses gleamed and a sharp look shot through us.

Kagetoki: "It's not surprising that some pea-brain country girl and a jackass fox demon who slept inside a stone for hundreds of years, to not know."

Yoshino: "I'm not some 'pea-brain country girl'... you know what, let's just leave it like that for now."

(His words are so sharp!)

Morinaga: "Kagetoki, don't speak like that to them. They are on our side."

Tamamo: "Yes, yes. Show some respect."

Kagetoki: "I beg your pardon, did my ‘honestly’ let you down."

Morinaga: "Ka-ge-to-ki??"

Kagetoki: "......."

Kagetoki-san took a quick step away from Morinaga-san and closed his mouth grimly.

(He's smiling, but maybe Morinaga-san is actually indicating something else....?)

Shigehira: "You've gone way off-topic."

Yoritomo: "Don't get hung up on it, Shigehira. The one who knows the threat of Yoshitsune best is you. A Heike(Taira clan) who fought him directly."

Yoshino: "Heike...."

(If I remember it correctly, Shigehira-san called himself 'Taira no Shigehira'...)

Even if I'm a so-called 'pea-brain country girl', I do know well that 'Heike' and 'Genji' have been sworn enemies.

Yoshino: "Why did 'Taira no Shigehira' joined Yoritomo-sama, then....?"

Shigehira: "I would've normally brushed off that question saying that ‘it's none of your business', but I'll tell you this much. I fought Yoshitsune-san in the Genpai war and was defeated."

(eh?)

I felt a flicker of blue flame in Shigehira-san's lightly pigmented eyes.

Yoritomo: "Despite his appearance, Shigehira was considered a great general of the Heike clan. The Heiki was already on the decline at that time. It can't be said that it was simply a lack of power on the part of Shigehira that caused them to lose the war, but....It is certain that Yoshitsune kicked the Heiki to the curb and led them off with a flourish."

Shigehira: "I was supposed to be executed there, but for some unknown reason, Yoritomo-sama let me live. So, after all that, we've formed an alliance and I'm here in Shogunate. ...... Do you understand?"

Yoshino: "For now, yes."

(It sounds like a sensitive topic, but I'm not in the mood to ask.)

Shigehira: "The Yoshitsune-san, you're about to face with that confidence of yours is a heedless monster."

(If what you just said is about the time when the Genji clan defeated the Heike...)

Yoshino: "Does that mean, he's incredibly strong..........even before he attained Kurama's powers?"

Tamamo: "Are you meaning to say, that he's a 'one-man army'?"

Shigehira: "That's what I mean. He's already nasty, and now he attained inhuman powers."

Shigehira-san's frowning face had no fear, but only a determination to fight.

(All the others........have the face of a samurai.)

Kagetoki: "....At the same time, I accompanied the sovereign to battle as his valet, under the orders of Yoritomo-sama."

Yoshino: "Did you see Yoshitsune-sama in battle close up?"

Tamamo: "How was it, after seeing with your own eyes?"

Kagetoki: "As he already said, he's insanely good."

(Eh.......)

Kagetoki-san continued his words.

Kagetoki: "He is a general, but he leads the way, wielding his sword fiercely, ready to give up his life. Sometimes he pulls off what seems like a daredevil move. When the men below saw him, they ran after him as if possessed by something."

Morinaga: "There was a rumor at the time that no grass would grow after Yoshitsune-sama had stepped on it. When I saw him for the first time, I was astonished because he had such a graceful appearance and his skill with a sword in battle was superb."

(I can't believe the people who support the Shogunate are saying this much.....)

Yoshino: ".....Such an inspiring person."

Overwhelmed, I murmur, and Yoritomo-sama sarcastically lifts one end of his lips.

Yoritomo: "No matter what the crisis, Yoshitsune is a man who has the potential to turn the tide of war on his own. The fact is that without him we would have lost some battles."

(It's hard to believe that there really is such a person when you only hear about them.)

(But......)

(Yoshitsune-sama clearly had a different atmosphere to normal people.)

-------Part 2 -------

(Yoshitsune-sama clearly had a different atmosphere to normal people.)

Just the thought of those cold eyes on me is enough to make me squirm with fear.

Tamamo: "The soul of Yoshitsune is not that of an ordinary human being, as Kurama said. People like that have no ordinary life."

Yoshino: "And I have to fight such a person...."

Yoritomo: "Are you scared?"

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

I'm scared.... (+4/+4)

I'm not scared.... (+4/+4)

I don't know....(+4/+4)

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

Yoshino: ".....To be honest, I'm scared."

(No matter how much power Tamamo has, Yoshitsune-sama seems to be more terrifying than I imagined....)

Yoritomo: "You're stupidly honest. But it's better than being lying. Well, for today rest well."

Yoshino: "Is there something you want me to do tomorrow?"

Yoritomo: "Don't worry about it, you can spend your time as you like. I'll give you a room."

Yoshino: "I'm not sure if I'd like that."

Yoritomo: "If you have any inconvenience, tell the maid. If you're bored, I'll arrange a suitable entertainment for you, whether it's music or dance."

(Ehhh)

Yoshino: "That's not what I meant!"

Yoritomo: "Then what did you meant?"

Yoshino: "I just wondered if it was all right for me to wait and fight Yoshitsune-sama. And Yoritomo-sama said that “I'll hire you”, didn’t he? . I can't just sit around doing nothing if I'm hired."

Yoritomo: "......!"

(What? No, wait. I'm having a bad feeling about this....)

Yoritomo-sama stared at me for some reason, and then immediately puts on a happy expression.

Yoritomo: "Heh? If you're that serious, I'll give you a job."

Yoshino: "Really....?"

Yoritomo: "Yes. Kagetoki, if I recall, last night you received a letter from another country requesting reinforcements for the war, right?"

Kagetoki: "Yes, but it is only a skirmish between two small nations. I don't think the Shogunate will have to act."

Yoritomo: "I was tempted to leave it behind, but it's not a bad idea to ingratiate myself with the war effort. Morinaga!"

Morinaga: "Whoa, are we on?"

Yoritomo: "Yes. Take Yoshino with you and check on the situation."

-------Part 3-------

Morinaga: "Whoa, are we on?"

Yoritomo: "Yes. Take Yoshino with you and check on the situation."

(Me!?)

Yoshino: "Wait a minute! Why are you sending me to the war all of a sudden?"

Yoritomo-sama smiles at me when I raised my voice in question.

Yoritomo: "You said you wanted a job right? You know what they say---- "It's better to get used to something than to learn it."

(That's right, but----)

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

Yoshino: "Isn't it a bit harsh to just throw me here, without any experience?"

I was dumbfounded by the stuffy atmosphere of the battlefield.

Morinaga: "Sorry you have to do this, Yoshino."

Yoshino: "Please don't apologize Morinaga-san."

We are in the main camp where the battle has just begun.

Morinaga-san listened to the reports from the soldiers who came incessantly and gave instructions to the troops.

(I heard that he has told the soldiers around me that I'm accompanying him as a pharmacist...)

(I feel like I'm being stared at from a while ago. It's not the right place for me to be after all...?)

I wondered if Tamamo being in the same position would be ordered to accompany me as I did.

But he was to stay at the palace because he was to teach Yoritomo-sama the details of Kurama's unusual ability.

Yoshino: "Everything happened so suddenly. ....... Is Yoritomo-sama always such a forceful person?"

Morinaga: "Except when he's wearing a catsuit."

Morinaga-san smiles with a freshness that would not be out of place on a battlefield.

Morinaga: "Hmmmm, but I don't think Yoritomo-sama sent you into the battlefield out of spite."

Yoshino: "....Then why?"

Morinaga: "The first time you fight, even the bravest warrior cowers in fear. And you're an untrained town girl. It's best to be familiar with the battlefield if you want to be able to survive if the unexpected happened."

Yoshino: "Ah....."

The memory of the night when we all first met, played in my mind.

-----FLASHBACK-----

Yoritomo: "Are you okay, Morinaga?"

Morinaga: "Yeah...the wounds are not deep...but, just be careful with that wind. They are like blades..."

Yoshitsune: "Adachi Morinaga, the fierce warrior. ....I'm impressed at how well you avoided them. It's a bit of a shame to kill you. If it hadn't been for the circumstances, I might have enjoyed playing with you more."

------FLASHBACK ENDS-----

(At that time, Yoritomo-sama and Morinaga-san were calm, even though it was the first time for them to see, Yoshitsune-sama's different ability.)

(Maybe that's because they've both been on the battlefield many times and been in danger.)

Yoshino: "It's true that on the battlefield you don't always have someone with you. So I'd better get used to it soon..."

Morinaga: "This is a small war, and as long as we are in the main camp we are not likely to be overrun. I'm sure you're was aware of that, right?"

Yoshino: "If only Yoritomo-sama had said that from the beginning, it would have made things a little easier for me...."

Morinaga: "That's who he is."

When Morinaga-san saw the next messenger rushing in, he stood up and replied as a matter-of-factly.

(Of course, I don't know anything about samurai or the people of the Shogunate yet.)

And a few minutes later....

(At first, I wondered what was going to happen, but then I realized the sun was setting...)

Morinaga: "Yoshino, Thank you for looking after the injured ones."

Yoshino: "No, please. It's the least I can do."

In the middle of the day, I took care of the wounded and moved around, and the time passed very quickly.

Morinaga: "Thanks to you, I think we're about to win."

Yoshino: "Really!"

(Good, that means we can go home safely...!)

But the joy was only short-lived-----

Soon there was a sense of unease in the main camp.

Morinaga: ".....Strange how noisy the front line is."

As if to affirm Morinaga-san's words, the number of injured people had increased than earlier.

(I'm managing to hold on to it for now, but if it increases any further I'll run out of medication.)

(What the hell happened.....?)

Scouts: "Morinaga-sama! It seems that the enemy has received reinforcements. The number is about a hundred!"

Morinaga: "Hundred? That's too much of a response for me. It’s almost the same as receiving a thousand reinforcement."

(A thousand.... that's how strong the enemy is?)

Morinaga: “.....Yoshino.”

-------Part 4-------

Morinaga: “.....Yoshino.”

Morinaga-san turns to me after I take a breath.

Morinaga: “Will you leave the battlefield for the time being with your escort?”

Yoshino: “What about Morinaga-san....?”

Morinaga: “I’m going to help my allies on the front line.”

(Mm.....)

Morinaga-san’s words are filled with a strong will.

(I’m anxious to leave Morinaga-san, but in this situation, I have no choice.)

(Even at this moment, there are people waiting for help.)

(Let’s at least try not to slow them down!)

I clench my trembling hands tightly.

Yoshino: “....I understand. But please be careful.”

Morinaga: “Yes. Same to you.”

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

I leave Morinaga-san and head for the rear with the escorts that were appointed for me.

It’s been a while since I’ve had to hold on to an unaccustomed horse and make it run...

(Huh? I think they’ve got a message.)

As soon as one of the soldiers came riding up and said something, the others began to murmur.....

Yoshino: “Um, what’s going on?”

I asked the soldiers who were nearby.

Soldier 1: “Actually..... We’ve been informed that the rear supply convoy may have been targeted.”

Yoshino: “Eh.”

Soldier 1: “If the rearguard, which keeps track of the battle and supplies the troops, is compromised, it will be a great blow to men who are fighting now....!”

(That’s....)

I think of Morinaga-san and the other soldiers I left earlier.

Soldier 2: “We can’t leave them behind. We must protect our allies. Let’s go!”

Soldier 3: “Our first priority is to protect Yoshino-san. And the quickest way is the beastly road, but it is too dangerous for those who are not used to riding horses!”

(I’m slowing them down....)

I opened my mouth out of frustration.

Yoshino: “...Um, if you can find someplace where I can hide, please leave me there!”

Soldier 3: “But....”

(My voice is trembling...but...)

(But the other soldiers are fighting for their lives. I can’t stand in their way.”

Yoshino: “If there’s a fight, it’s just as dangerous with you all, and I don’t want to inconvenience you by my presence. I’d rather have you come and get me after the fighting has died down....”

The soldiers looked at each other and kept their mouths shut.

After a short silence, one of them spoke up.

Soldier 3: “....What Yoshino-san said is true. Soon it will be night and the war will be over. Rather than keeping her with us, it would be better to hide her in a safe place. I’ll show you the way, just follow me!”

Yoshino: “Yes!”

A short walk into the forest and I was guided to...

Soldier 3: “There’s a hut over there used by the local hunters, so take cover. In case of emergency, send up a smoke signal....Please bear with us, we will come for you after everything is over.”

Yoshino: “....Thank you, please be safe!”

As the soldiers disappear, I realized that I was completely on my own from hereon.

(I’m worried....)

------FLASHBACK-----

Morinaga: “It's best to be familiar with the battlefield if you want to be able to survive if the unexpected happens."

------FLASHBACK ENDS------

(For the time being, all I can do is stay here and wait for the soldiers to return.)

(If anything goes wrong, I’ll create a smoke signal. ....So I should be fine.)

I told myself so and headed for the hut through the undergrowth.

When I opened the door----

???: “Who are you.....”

(Eh!?)

In a dimly lit corner of the room, a soldier lay in agony.

(His injuries are severe!)

Yoshino: “Are you okay....?”

As I ran up to the soldier, I noticed a flagstaff that had fallen beside him.

(This is....)

(...No doubt, this is the sign held by the enemy!)

Soldier: “Little girl...? ...What are you...doing..here...?”

Yoshino: “Me...”

(In case if he finds out I’m an enemy he’ll surely kill me.)

When I involuntarily step back, and my back hits the door.

Soldier: “Wait. .... I don’t know what town you’re from,.... but.. you can’t leave until the war is over. ....”

Yoshino: “Eh.....?”

The soldier remains limp, as if he has no energy to move, and throws out words of advice.

(This person is....)

(Even if he doesn’t know that I'm the enemy, he’s still worried about me when he’s the one who’s wounded.)

(I could save him with some medical attention.)

(But that’s not an act you can show to Morinaga-san and his friends who are risking their lives fighting the enemy.)

(What should I do....)

Soldier: “Nghh......”

Yoshino: “........”

Even as I hesitated, the blood from the soldier’s side pooled on the floor.

(I.....)

I took out a piece of cloth I had prepared in case of emergency and applied first aid.

Soldier: “Wh...What are...you...doing...?”

Yoshino: “Please stay still. I’m a pharmacist.”

(I don’t know the correct choice right now. But I’d rather be wrong than regret it....)

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

After a while....

(I’ve stopped the bleeding for now... but there are a lot of scratches. I have to wash and dress the wound so it doesn’t get infected.)

(I’m sure there’s a river nearby, isn’t there? I have to go out for a bit....)

Yoshino: “Can you wait here for a moment? I need to get some water.”

Soldier: “Ye...Yeah...”

I left the injured soldier inside the hut and quickly headed for the river.

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

(This is....)

The empty plains were a haunting sight.

A number of broken arrows pierced the ground, the remains of dead soldiers being burned by the fire, testifying to the fierce battle that took place.

(I’ve finished fetching water, I must get back to the hut as soon as possible...)

I pursed my lips and was about to hurry when---

???: “What are you doing here, fox princess?”

(This voice...)

From behind, a bone-chilling voice comes with a mysterious aura. I have felt this same feeling before, and I’ll never forget it.

(No way....Is ‘he’ is here...?)

It was as if the temperature had suddenly dropped and I was sweating so hard I couldn’t even look back.

Only the sound of footsteps approaching on the grass is very clear.

(....I have to run away!)

I force my stiff legs to move, and I start to run as if I were rolling---

Yoshitsune: “Stop.”

Yoshino: “Ah....”

He pulled my arms tightly, turning me around and the impact made me fell to my knees on the spot.

Yoshitsune: “It’s a much quicker reunion than I thought.”

Yoshino: “Yoshitsune...sama....”

Eyes like purple crystals looked down at me.

(...Such cold eyes...)

I tried to turn my head away in horror, but a hand on my chin prevented me from doing so.

Yoshitsune: “I joined the war on a whim, but I didn’t realise there was a hidden enemy lurking in the background.”

Yoshino: “So...the ‘enemy reinforcements’...are actually the rebels?”

Yoshitsune: “We didn’t bring enough men to be an army.”

(Speaking of which, Yoritomo-sama said....)

(.....He said Yoshitsune-sama could turn the tide of war to his favor by putting himself in any critical situation.)

(That’s why the war situation went downhill so fast!)

Yoshitsune: “Does you presence mean that the Shogunate has come to this battlefield?”

Yoshino: “That’s...”

Yoshitsune: “Is he here?”

A chill runs down my spine at the sheer intimidation.

Yoshino: “....Yoritomo-sama is not here.”

Yoshitsune: “----Really. Then it was the fault of Yoritomo-sama that he let his precious trump card slip from his hand.”

Yoshino: ‘Ahh....”

The tip of his sword was kept right on my throat and I stopped breathing.

My skin crawls with fear and my body trembles.

Yoshitsune: “.....You can resent me, Yoshino.”

Chapter 2

#ikemen series #ikemen genjiden #ikemen genjiden yoshitsune #ikemen mc #otome #cybird #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #main story translations

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eyoricka · 3 years ago

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Prompt list

I want to write again, so here is a list of prompts (there are lyrics from songs, some of them aren’t English song so I translated the lyrics the best I could). I will do each prompt once and highlight the one I’ve already written or currently working on!

Don’t hesitate to send me a request with the number of the prompt, the person you want to read about (and some details about your request if you have something more precise in mind). Right now, I’m writing requests for Thomas Raggi and Pete Davidson.

1 Love me again / do it softly /A year, a month, an hour / deeply (Amami ancora / Fallo dolcemente / Un anno un mese un’ora / Perdutamente)

2 But, damn, my friend, I want more / To dance this slow with you ( Mais maudit ami, je veux plus / Danser ce slow avec toi )

3 You've started talking to a tool

4 You look so broken when you cry

5 Eh ! come here, stay here / don't go without me (Oh, oh, oh, viens-là, reste-là / Ne pars pas sans moi)

6 I'll learn your language and your accent to understand you / I'll be frivolous and decadent for surprise you (J'apprendrai ta langue et ton accent pour te comprendre/ Je serai frivole et décadent pour te surprendre)

7 Now let me believe that this is real (Adesso lasciami credere che questo sia reale)

8 I dream of you almost every night / Hopefully I won't wake up this time

9 What's somebody like you, doing in a place like this?

10 Remember when we first met? / You said "light my cigarette"

11 Why can't you want me like the other boys do? / They stare at me while I crave you

12 Last night turned everything upside down (Die letzte Nacht hat alles verdreht)

13 We go through the streets and clubs of this city / This is our night, it is just for us (Wir zieh'n durch die Straßen und die Clubs dieser Stadt / Das ist unsre Nacht, wie für uns beide gemacht)

14 I was sick and tired of everything / When I called you last night from Glasgow

15 I know you think that I'm someone you can trust

16 And at night when all is dark I watch you dance (Et la nuit, quand tout est sombre, je te regarde danser)

17 Rest your head upon my chest / I'll run my fingers through your hair

18 I'm the one who loves you so / So forget the other Boys

19 Looks like we made it / Look how far we've come

20 I don't know why / But I keep thinking / Something's bound to go wrong

21 You've been saving those souvenirs / Faded photographs from our foolish years

22 It said that we was through / She found somebody new

23 Ain't nothing please me more than you

24 I just got a drunk text / (Meet me at our spot)

25 I'm a hundred times too sexy (Je suis cent fois trop, cent fois trop bonne)

#thomas raggi #pete davidson #maneskin #måneskin #prompt list

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andyet-here-we-are · 3 years ago

Text

I Would Get Into Millions of Accidents Just to See You, Chapter 4 (aka Nurse Geralt AU)

(Check the pinned post for the first three chapters please~)

"Wow. Either we're going to host a pasta eating contest this evening, or they have spread some news about an incoming pasta shortage in the country," Ciri teases as she looks at the mass of pasta boxes on the counter. "Or in the world," she corrects when she realizes he is still not done taking the pasta boxes out of the grocery bags. "Which one is it?"

"Neither."

"Then why?"

"Can't a guy buy pasta as much as he wants simply because he wanted to? Does there need to be a reason for that?"

"So, you're telling me that I cannot buy as much as candy I want, but you can buy a ridiculous amount of pasta. And you can do that because?"

"Because I'm an adult, and you're not. End of the discussion."

"But that's not fair!" Ciri huffs, folding her arms over her chest. "I can't wait to be an adult so I can get whatever I want and be unstoppable."

Geralt reaches over and ruffles her hair before he asks: "What kind of pasta do you think we should make?"

"Can I ask something, too, before I answer to that?" When Geralt nods, she continues, "You've said that you met someone special, but you didn't let me know anything more than that. Is... Is this special person going to join us for dinner today?"

"Yeah, someone's going to join us for dinner, but it's not someone you don't know. Just Mrs. April."

"Oh. Okay. Nothing came out of it, I guess."

Ciri looks so disappointed that Geralt feels like telling her the truth. But no, he won't ruin the surprise and let it go to waste after keeping his mouth shut this whole time.

She picks up the penne one and shakes the box to make her point.

"With chicken, heavy cream, and—"

"And sundried tomatoes."

Geralt doesn't know why he couldn't think of that. It's both his and Ciri's favorite pasta recipe after all. For a second, he feels extremely stupid for buying every kind of pasta he could find. But then he thinks: "This won't be the last time Jaskier comes here," and finds himself imagining them trying to choose what kind of pasta to make together, and shakes his head a little. No need to feel stupid, he will have to deal with not only one, but two pasta monsters soon if he is lucky.

He smiles at the thought.

***

After setting up the table, Geralt takes a shower and starts to get ready. He nearly asks Ciri which button-up shirt he should wear, but then decides against it since he knows that she would put two and two together and ask something like:

"Since when you use your most expensive perfume at home just because our old, lovely neighbour will come over for dinner?"

Nope, he'll pass, thank you very much. He takes a look at his gray and white windowpane shirt, then at the other shirt he is holding in his hands as if making the hardest decision in his whole life. He doesn't want to look like he is trying too hard, but doesn't want to look like he's not trying at all either. It has been so long since the last time he was on a date that he—

"That's a... date," he whispers to himself because it only occurs to him now.

And suddenly he can understand why Jaskier sounded anxious about meeting Ciri.

This is technically their first date, and Geralt simply invited him over like that's something they have been doing for years. Most people don't even mention their kids on the first date— let alone introducing them.

But it's not the same thing, right? Jaskier already knows about Ciri, and the musician loves kids.

Jaskier didn't back away when Geralt talked to him about his daughter for the first time.

No, he didn't back away and didn't give him this "Oh no, he has a kid, that's such a deal-breaker” look like most people do. What he did was listening to him with interest instead, a warm smile on his face.

Maybe that's why it felt only natural to invite him over for their first date.

Still, even though he knows that everything will go perfectly fine, maybe it wasn't fair to put such pressure on him just yet.

Well, too late for thinking stuff like that now. Geralt doesn't think he will regret this though. He is somehow sure that he won't.

Smiling, he decides that the basic black button-up shirt and beige trousers will do just fine.

A few minutes later he gets a text from Jaskier:

[I'll be there in a few. Don't forget to leave the door open~]

***

Ciri is busy lying on the couch and watching Jaskier's cover again when he finally arrives.

He closes the door behind himself, being careful so as not to make any sound even though he doesn't have to do that since Ciri's watching the video at full volume and wouldn't hear even if he just hit the door shut anyway.

When he sees that Geralt is standing only a few feet away from him in the hallway, his whole face lights up like he has just seen a million fireflies hovering above them.

For a while, they don't even move.

They don't blink or utter anything.

They just simply stare at each other like they cannot believe this is really happening.

Jaskier looks so perfect with his dark jeans and a white button-up shirt with blue small anchors pattern that Geralt swallows—as always, he seems like he doesn't even accept the existence of the first four buttons.

One second later Jaskier mirrors him and swallows, then takes small, silent steps towards him until they're barely one step away from each other.

"It's good to finally see you, Mr. Handsome Nurse," whispers the musician, never taking his eyes off Geralt even for a millisecond.

"You call me 'Mr. Handsome Nurse' so much that I'm this close to thinking that you only talk to me because you have a nurse kink or something," Geralt whispers back, and Jaskier's lips slowly curve into a lopsided, mischievous grin as he slowly tilts his head to the side—the space between them closing.

He isn't sure which one of them is responsible for that, but he nearly feels the man's warm breath against his skin—they are so close that he can see his pupils react, and his heart skips a beat.

"I mean, I don't not have it," Jaskier lifts one shoulder in a half shrug "You're the one to blame. Oh wait, do I hear my own cover?"

Just like that, they are not standing too close to each other anymore, and it's probably for the best, considering they aren't alone and he doesn't want to give his daughter a heart attack.

"The very same. She watches your video again and again. I stopped counting after the fifth time."

"And yet she doesn't even know that she lives with the 'jabroni' she is mad at. Poor thing." The musician clicks his tongue before he grins again. "Or poor you. We shall see. Anyway, my time has come."

After hanging his paper bag on the hall stand, Jaskier silently steps into the living room and makes a beeline for the back of the couch Ciri is lying on.

"Gosh, what a handsome man," he comments as he leans over the back of the couch. "Eh," he says, scrunching his nose, "his nose doesn't look that great in the left bottom box from this angle, but well, what done is done."

Ciri practically jumps out of her skin when she turns her head to the source of the familiar voice. She screams, yeah, actually screams, and falls from the couch to the floor with a loud thump.

"Well, my fans usually prefer to hug me instead, but that's an option as well."

Ciri doesn't look like she is going to say something anytime soon. She just stares at Jaskier with owl-like wide eyes, and Geralt tries his best not to laugh as he leans against the door frame and watches them. The keyword is "tries" though because he is clearly failing.

"...why Jaskier is standing in our living room?" his daughter asks, eyes still on the musician.

"You can thank my hacker friend for that," looking pretty amused, Jaskier answers before he could and holds out a hand to help her to her feet, "he gave me access to all of my fans' addresses so I could surprise them one by one."

"Did I fall asleep? I'm quite sure that I'm dreaming." Ciri blinks twice like trying to come out of a dream, then frowns as she gets up, "Also, that's the worst idea I've ever heard, what if one of your fans turns out to be a psycho and traps you in their house for the rest of your life? Never lets you leave?"

"Well, I wouldn't have any objection to being trapped in here. Feel free to try. Let me know though if you guys are planning to keep me here forever, so I can grab a few essentials from my home."

"You mean your lute?"

Jaskier turns his head to Geralt before sitting on the couch and saying: "She is really a smart one, Geralt. Just like her dad."

"Even smarter than me, believe me."

If someone would tell Geralt that he would have to say "Ciri, please stop poking our guest," to his daughter ever, he wouldn't believe them, but he finds himself warning Ciri with the exact words since she sits next to Jaskier and disbelievingly pokes the man's cheek with her index finger with a determined and curious expression as if she is examining E.T. The musician doesn't seem like he minds it, though.

"You're real. And you're really here," she eventually decides.

"Yeah, as real as that delicious smell coming from the kitchen."

"This doesn't make any sense. I just can't understand why— I mean how is that even— Can someone please explain to me what's really happening here?"

"Why don't we do that while having dinner before it gets cold?" Geralt offers, and Jaskier must be really hungry because he immediately stands up from the couch and pulls Ciri with him before she can resist.

***

"So, basically, my dad was your nurse for nearly a month and I learn about this just now?" Ciri has this 'How could you do this to me?' expression on her face, so Geralt turns to link eyes with Jaskier and mouths the word, 'help' in his direction. Yes, he can deal with even villain-looking, probably dangerous criminal patients without any hesitation, but he can't deal with the way his daughter stares at him right now.

"It's not your dad's fault, Ciri. I told him not to tell you anything about it so we could surprise you."

Geralt loves how he says "we could" like they are a team, to be honest.

Jaskier keeps talking about how Geralt would let her know if it wasn't for him, and Ciri doesn't look that mad anymore until Jaskier adds: "It's not my fault that he is a handsome jabroni who didn't even send me a text and kept me waiting for too long though," while casually stabbing his salad with his fork a few times. "If he didn't call me today, my next cover was going to be 'Call Me Maybe' probably."

Geralt almost chokes on his water. He was so wrong about this whole "team" thing apparently. He knows that some people say "A first date is chaotic by nature", but he wouldn't think it would be this chaotic.

"This salad is pretty good, Geralt." Jaskier completely ignores his reaction, "And the pasta makes me feel like there's a festival in my mouth. It's fantastic. You weren't kidding when you said you could show me how a proper dinner looked like, I see. Kudos to you, gorgeous."

Geralt feels the heat rushing to his whole face, wishing the ground would swallow him up right now and here.

Seriously, someone please bury him.

If someone was told to look mad, surprised, and happy at the same time at an audition they would exactly look like Ciri—or Harrison Ford since he's excellent at that as well—because that's exactly how she looks right now.

"...this song was for my dad? He's the one who kept you waiting? He's the him in 'It Must be Him' ?"

"Uh-huh. That's correct, dear," Jaskier confirms before shoving some pasta into his mouth. "I think he's worth waiting for, though. Still, it was a bit mean of him to do so, don't you think so?"

"Any sane person would agree with you, Jask. Of course, it's mean and inconsiderate."

Jask? Did Ciri just call him Jask?

They are already teaming up against him, oh God.

"Right?! Thank you!" The musician exclaims, flinging his hands in a wild gesture. "I mean, he could just send me a simple text at least, it would take him only a few seconds."

"Don't even mention it. So... Since he finally called you and you're here now, does this mean that you're this special person he—"

"Do you want some more pasta, Jaskier?" Hoping to change the subject, Geralt cuts in, but it's in vain since Jaskier just replies with a quick "Sure, please," and apologizes on behalf of Geralt because he interrupted her, signaling her to continue. The nurse can't help but think that he looks like a fox digging beneath the snow for voles with these curious, hopeful, and focused blue eyes.

"It's okay," thank God his daughter doesn't continue with her question because Geralt really doesn't need to feel more ashamed, "I forgot what I was going to ask anyway."

Ciri gives Geralt her "This isn't over yet," look and asks the man something about one of his original songs instead.

Jaskier looks a bit disappointed at not being able to hear the rest of the question at first, but he answers Ciri's question wholeheartedly all the same.

***

They take their time eating as they have no reason to hurry, talking about whatever Ciri and Jaskier bring up. Geralt is proud of himself that he didn't actually choke in dinner, because with the amount of flirting Jaskier is doing in front of Ciri, he wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Ciri's eyes sparkle whenever Jaskier says something flattering about Geralt and flirts with him, and she looks extremely happy—like she is living in a dream.

As much as Geralt says: "Sit down, you're our guest," Jaskier doesn't listen to him and insists that he helps clear the table after they are done with dinner, because: "We can be done with it faster if I help, I'm a guest with working hands, aren't I?"

So he helps with clearing the table, and also with drying the dishes Geralt washes by hand because they aren't supposed to be washed in the dishwasher. He answers Ciri's questions meanwhile and asks her some questions about her as well— her favorite color, her favorite animals, favorite subject in school. Geralt can feel that he is not asking just for the sake of asking, he asks because he wants to know. Because he actually wonders.

Even though Jaskier is here for the first time, it feels domestic in a way that isn't unwelcome.

When they go back to the living room, Jaskier disappears for a while and returns with that paper bag he had hung on the hall stand.

"Thought I'd surprised my biggest fan not only with my presence but also with a little gift," he explains, handing the big bag to Ciri with a smile. "I hope you like it."

"You shouldn't have," Ciri returns the smile, astonished.

"I wanted to," Jaskier says as he sits on the armrest of the couch, watching her carefully opening the gift. "I think you should just tear off the wrap, dear," he suggests after a while, clearly excited to see her reaction.

"Not gonna lie, I also thought about getting flowers for your dad, but then I thought: 'Nah! Why would I do that after I suffered because of him for fifteen days?' You know?"

Geralt lets out a long sigh, running a hand over his face. Jaskier will never let him live this down, will he? Geralt can picture him going "Remember that time you didn't call me for fifteen days five years ago? When you kept me waiting after I left the hospital? I still think of that time sometimes and it makes my heart bleed," five years later, simply because he refused something Jaskier wanted him to do.

"You did the right thing. He should be grateful that you're even here right now," Ciri agrees. Well, fuck Geralt I guess. It's not like he is Ciri's father who loves her more than anything and who needs her to defend him currently or anything after all.

She immediately goes for a hug as soon as she finally opens the gift, cheerfully declaring how much she likes it and thanking the musician.

"Geralt has mentioned that you love drawing," Jaskier hugs her back gently, happy with her reaction. He had bought her a huge, professional art set. It looks so beautiful that even the nurse feels like taking a shot at drawing again despite knowing too well that he sucks at it.

"I don't get gifts or flowers, okay, no problem, but can't I get a damn hug, too, at least?" Geralt feels like asking, because they look adorable and he wants in, dammit.

As if he is reading his mind, Jaskier motions for him to join them and says: "C'mere you emotional cactus—don't stand up over there like a sad spare tyre."

"I'm not a sad spare tyre," he grumbles a little but joins them in seconds, one arm hugging his daughter, the other hugging the musician.

"Yeah, now you're not," is what Jaskier says as he hugs them tighter.

***

About two hours later Geralt offers to watch a movie together and Ciri is busy setting up a movie—ninety percent "I, Robot" because she is crazy about that movie—before Jaskier can refuse.

Ciri talks about how mad she was when she first watched the movie with Geralt because she thought the movie would be about the short stories in the book, but in reality, the movie had very little to do with the book.

"It's okay though," she adds, "because this movie rocks anyway."

That's how they find themselves watching "I, Robot" with Ciri sitting between them with a big bowl of popcorn in her lap.

"Geralt, can I ask you something?" Jaskier asks before he shoves a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"You look like a squirrel stuffing his little cheeks with walnuts," Geralt can't help but tease, "sure, ask if you don't get choked before you can."

"That's how you enjoy popcorn, you peasant."

"I don't know much about that since I don't like popcorn."

Jaskier gasps at that as if he said: "I bathe in the blood of the innocent every single day to maintain my health."

"How come someone doesn't like popcorn is behind my comprehension," he huffs like he is personally offended by that. Ciri warns them to keep it quiet with a loud "shhh," since she is fully focused on the movie.

"God, it's the same reaction every time I tell someone this," Geralt complains, "it doesn't even taste good, what there's to like?"

"You can always add some salt so it tastes good."

"It makes me feel thirsty then."

"Everyone loves popcorn! Everyone!"

"Well, not my dad," Ciri rolls her eyes as she pauses the movie. "If you weren't here he wouldn't even let me have popcorn even if I begged. 'It's not healthy, Ciri. And it doesn't even taste good. Let me peel some apples for you, instead.' " she imitates him, causing Jaskier to look at him in horror.

"Can you please stop looking at me like I'm a circle freak? I just don't like popcorn. Even that one pizza with peanut butter and gumball Crazy Eyes orders in 'Mr. Deeds' sounds more delicious than popcorn."

"...ew, just ew. I'm concerned for you if you actually think that. How about caramel popcorn?"

"I feel the same about caramel popcorn."

"You're impossible, Geralt. Totally impossible. Well, what can I say? Your loss, our gain. Right, dear?"

"Right!"

"Give me a high-five then!" The musician says with a grin, raising his hand. They share a high-five proudly as if they have just saved the world together from earth-threatening asteroids.

"What were you going to ask?" Geralt asks curiously, but Jaskier just blankly looks at him instead of answering.

"Let me guess. You forgot? See, you wouldn't forget it if it wasn't for all that popcorn questions of yours."

"Don't talk like that in front of our popcorn, Geralt. Ciri, can you please keep playing the movie?"

"Gladly."

***

"I think she fell asleep," Jaskier informs him with a whisper when there are about twenty minutes left of the movie.

Geralt pauses the movie and smiles when he sees that Ciri had fallen asleep on the musician's shoulder—the sight warming up his heart especially when Jaskier looks at her fondly.

"Figured out so. Usually, this is where she announces her dislike for V.I.K.I and rants about Sonny's wink."

"Can't blame her, V.I.K.I is so diabolic."

"We're all on the same page about that," he agrees. "Hey, it doesn't seem like you made her go 'meh' like you were afraid that you would, huh? I told you that she already adores you. I think she likes you even more now."

"Well, I was afraid that I couldn't prove that I was worthy of her gorgeous dad. And I hope her dad shares his daughter's feelings," Jaskier pokes Geralt's arm with his elbow teasingly.

"Oh, please. If anything, it was me who should have been afraid. You two teamed up against me, 'Jask'."

"It's because she's a defender of truth, not because she was playing favorites or anything."

"I better tuck in this defender of truth," Geralt says as he stands up, and if his eyes aren't fooling him, Jaskier watches him affectionately when he picks up Ciri so he can carry her to her room.

He gently carries her to her room and tucks her in. "Sweet dreams, pumpkin," the nurse plants a soft, small kiss on his daughter's head before heading back to the living room, feeling happy that he has seen her smile and laugh a lot today. And truth be told, he feels a bit excited that he can be alone with Jaskier for a while.

"Wanna finish the movie?" he asks after settling on the couch and plays the movie again when Jaskier nods.

"I've forgotten how cool this scene was." Jaskier says when Spooner screams "Save her! Save the girl!" and Sonny listens to him, trusts Spooner to apply the nanites. "Gosh, I've got goosebumps. Seriously. It's not even just a figure of speech."

When Jaskier holds his arm up to show it, Geralt gently strokes the other man's arm by instinct, feeling goosebumps along his skin. As soon as he does that, he feels that he gets goosebumps himself, but it has nothing to do with the movie, and everything to do with the beautiful man sitting next to him right now—even though, yeah, Jaskier is right, this scene is so cool that no one can claim otherwise.

Without Ciri between them, they sit close to each other now, their thighs touching.

Geralt looks at Jaskier's surprised face; his incredibly blue eyes look so luminous in the reflected light from the TV. So luminous, and intriguing.

A moment later, Jaskier makes himself more comfortable on the couch. He then points at Geralt's right arm: "Is it okay if I— you know."

It amazes Geralt how he shamelessly flirts with him in front of his daughter but gets shy over this. He holds back a chuckle, gladly wrapping his arm around Jaskier.

He wonders if Jaskier can hear his heartbeats quickening when the musician leans his head on his chest.

"You make a comfy pillow."

"Thank you, I guess?"

"No, Geralt. Thank you."

And with that, they focus on what's left of the movie. Or more like Jaskier focuses on it while Geralt is busy focusing on him.

He knows that Jaskier is really focused on the movie because he hears him sniffing lightly when Sonny asks "Does this make us friends?" to Spooner five minutes later.

"Are you seriously crying over a robot right now?" he chuckles.

"He has a name, you heartless man," Jaskier argues, getting rid of Geralt's arm and wiping his tears away. "You don't understand," he holds a hand up in defense, "he made a friend. Sonny made a friend, Geralt. For the first time in his life."

"...so?"

"So? What do you mean 'so'? It's an emotional scene." The musician lets out a frustrated sigh, "You're unbelievable."

"I'll let you know that even Ciri doesn't cry at this part."

Instead of making a comment, Jaskier turns to look at the TV again, so Geralt does the same, but he soon finds himself looking at him again because of his lack of comment when the movie is about to end. And that's how he realizes that the other man is busy trying to blink away the tears that have started to well up in his eyes once more.

As he watches Jaskier wrapping his arms around himself as if he's trying to hold himself together, he feels like this isn't really about Sonny anymore—maybe it never was.

"Jaskier..?" he calls his name, but the musician doesn't reply, looking lost in his thoughts. So Geralt puts his hand on Jaskier's shoulder and calls his name again, concerned.

"Are you okay?" he asks when Jaskier finally snaps out of his own head and confusedly looks at him.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just— I don't know what came over me."

Not buying Jaskier's answer, Geralt presses his lips together and just stares at him in a way that screams: "We both know that this is not true and I'm gonna keep staring at you until you tell me what's the matter."

"Seriously, it's nothing important," Jaskier gives a dismissive wave of his hand and tries to smile.

It isn't his usual, warmer than the sun on a summer day type of smile. It isn't his spectacular smile that makes Geralt think of everything beautiful in the world; makes him think of the most beautiful, colorful flowers, makes him think of a sweet wind that gently caresses your face just when you need it, making you feel at peace.

No, it isn't Jaskier's kind of smile that makes Geralt feel like watching the waves while listening to calming melodies, and he hates this heartbreakingly apologetic and tight smile the other man gives him.

"Doesn't seem like it," Geralt says softly as he squeezes his shoulder in what he hopes is a reassuring manner, "Why don't you tell me what it is? I've been told I'm a good listener."

"It just—" Jaskier takes a deep breath and keeps his head low as he avoids looking at Geralt, his shoulders slumping as if in defeat. Geralt's mind is already racing with possible things that the musician could say.

"It reminded me of someone I used to know. Of my first real friend," he explains. "She had asked me the exact same question when I saved her ass from his so-called foster parents. 'Does this makes us friends?' I can still remember the look in her eyes when she asked that. I was the first friend she ever had, as well. We didn't get along when we first met, truth be told. But after that, we were simply inseparable.

"We weren't liked by most adults—and also by the other kids actually, because well," Jaskier chuckles dryly, "we were both pretty handful kids. It didn't really matter though, we could handle everything together. At least we felt like we could, and did so for nearly fourteen years, and then turned out we—"

Jaskier swallows the tight lump that has formed in his throat. He can hardly utter the next words, and when he does, his voice is thick with emotion.

"Turned out we can't handle too well with muggers with knives."

Feeling his own eyes brimming with tears, Geralt can't even react at first as he watches Jaskier crying openly.

After a while, "I'm so sorry," is all he can say before he wraps his arms around Jaskier's slightly shaking frame and pulls him into a hug. The other man welcomes the hug and snuggles up to him as Geralt repeats the same words again: "I'm so sorry, Jaskier."

"She was my best friend, Geralt," he whispers brokenly, burying his face in the nurse's chest. "She was like the sister I never had."

Geralt doesn't know how long they stay like this; with Jaskier quietly crying and holds on to him like he is his lifeline and Geralt resting his chin on top of the musician's head, caressing his soft hair with his left hand, and rubbing small, soothing circles on wherever his right hand can reach—on his arm, his back. It can be half an hour, it can be only fifteen minutes. He doesn't really care.

He just wants him to give Geralt his usual, heart-warming Jaskier Smile; wants Jaskier to feel better. Better and not lonely anymore.

He highly doubts that Jaskier has let anyone in after he lost his friend—let them really know him and get close to him. Anyone besides Geralt. And he can't help but wonder if that was why no one visited Jaskier at the hospital; if that was why he most likely didn't even let anyone know about the accident.

" 'm sorry for ruining our first date," Jaskier eventually mumbles. "I shouldn't have brought this up."

Geralt gently grabs Jaskier's chin and lifts it up a little so their eyes meet. Jaskier has a guilty, ashamed expression on his face, his eyes are red from crying.

"You're not ruining anything, you don't need to apologize," Geralt looks into his eyes and assures him, wiping the tears away from the musician's face.

Frowning, the other man mirrors his action and reaches for Geralt's face to wipe the tears away with his thump. "Making you cry is pretty much considered as ruining our date in my book. And to think that I just broke down because of something a bloody robot said—"

" 'A bloody robot'? He has a name, you know. It's Sonny. You heartless, beautiful musician. Shame on you."

Surprised by Geralt's comeback, Jaskier laughs and hides his face in the nurse's chest once again—but in embarrassment this time— as he complains: "Oh lord. You're the worst."

"Well, you probably shouldn't have dedicated that impressive, amazing video to me if I'm that bad. Seemed like you really spent so much time on it."

That makes him look at Geralt and give him a smile. And Geralt finds himself smiling back, too, thinking: "Here it is. His Jaskier Smile."

"I think you meant to say 'bearable musician', before" Jaskier teases. "That's the second time you've mentioned it, you really like it then I guess."

"That was one of the nicest things someone ever has done for me. And the same thing goes for your drawing, speaking of which," Geralt admits as Jaskier pulls himself away from him a bit. He finds himself missing his warmth already. "I didn't think you would do something like singing a song for me though, so imagine my surprise when I got home and saw that video."

"Wait, for real? Don't tell me that I'm the first patient who tried to serenade you. I mean— you're just so..." he vaguely gestures to him, "So you."

"You're not the first patient who tried to flirt with me, but you're the first one who took it that far. And the first one who went full 'here's my number, so call me, definitely,' on me."

"No regrets. Well, actually, I take that back. One regret. I regret that I didn't ask for your number that day. Uh, Geralt?"

"Yeah?"

"I feel terrible about before. I mean it, I shouldn't have brought it up and I'm really—

"If you say 'sorry' again I'll lock you in a room filled with popcorn without any salt and let you rot there."

"That's your idea of torture?"

"That's my idea of hell."

"I must say that your idea of hell is pretty sweet then, if only it—" Jaskier's eyes suddenly widen when Geralt lets out a tired yawn, "Oh shit, what time is it?" he asks, frantically searching for his phone on the couch, then looking at the coffee table to see if it's on there.

"I think you left your phone in the kitchen," the nurse replies, not understanding why he is panicking. “Maybe he was supposed to call someone, but he forgot about it,” his mind suggests, but then Jaskier asks the same question again with a bonus, "When are you gonna go to work tomorrow?" question.

"You're gonna wake up early tomorrow, right? I'm sorry that I kept you this— I mean, please accept my apologies that I kept you up this late. And please don't let me rot in the Popcorn Room just because I said 'sorry'. It's late, isn't it? It's probably already past 1 a.m, and yet here I am. Good God," the musician shakes his head and stands up, clearly frustrated with himself, "how inconsiderate of me."

Finding his reaction to the situation adorable, Geralt chuckles and reaches out to the other man to pull him back on the couch, but Jaskier resists.

"It's okay, calm down. I'm on the night shift tomorrow," Geralt lets him know. "Also, I thought you had no problem with the Popcorn Room since you love popcorn."

"Oh. Glad to hear that you don't need to wake up that early tomorrow then," Jaskier says, looking like he feels suddenly stupid. "Still though, I'm sure you had a tiring day at work today, so I better get going already. And for the record; I don't have any problem with being locked in a room filled with popcorn, I have a problem with not having you there with me. Anyway, thank you for having me today, Geralt. I'm so happy that I could finally see you again and finally met Ciri. She is such a sweetheart."

Geralt pats the empty space next to him, but Jaskier taps his wrist twice like he's wearing a watch, trying to emphasize the time.

"Wow, you're trying to get rid of me already, I see," the nurse jokes, hoping it would make Jaskier convince to sit down again. "I thought it would take three days at least. Is it because I'm not wearing my work clothes? Am I not attractive enough without them?"

Jaskier rolls his eyes at that before saying: "You could wear a rubbish bag and still look attractive, Geralt."

"Then can you please sit down?" Geralt insists, "For a minute at least?"

The other man finally gives in and sits down next to him with a sigh.

"You're aware of the fact that Ciri will tear me to pieces tomorrow because I didn't wake her up when she fell asleep, right?" Geralt wonders, facing Jaskier and propping his elbow on the back of the couch so he can prop his hand against his cheek as he talks. "Besides, yeah, it's late. Why don't you just stay here tonight?"

Jaskier opens his mouth—probably to kindly refuse, but Geralt doesn't let him speak and continues: "If you're thinking about replying with 'I don't want to bother you,' or something like that, you better get ready to say hi to the hell because it's nonsense."

"Hmm." The other man copies his sitting position on the couch, "By 'hell' you mean the Popcorn Room again, of course."

"Damn right."

"Well, I think I'd like to stay away from hell tonight," Jaskier shrugs one shoulder lazily. "Only if you promise to go to sleep soon, though. Otherwise, lead the way to the hell, Mr. Handsome Nurse."

"I think you missed the part where I said I don't have to wake up that early tomorrow," Geralt snorts. "How about we go to the kitchen now so I can make us hot chocolate?"

"No, I heard it loud and clear," Jaskier stares at him with a neutral expression, "but you still need to rest, love."

Geralt hopes Jaskier cannot see he is blushing because of the way the musician chose to finish his sentence.

He is about the resist when Jaskier holds up a finger in warning, "I mean it. I'm outta here if you decide to argue with me on that."

The nurse can't help but sigh in disbelief and disappointment. It makes his heart flutter in his chest though, because he is sure that Jaskier would love to stay up for another hour at least and just keep talking, too, and yet, he puts Geralt first.

As much as he wants to argue, he knows Jaskier is right—he needs to rest, and if he stays up for another hour he won't feel well-rested tomorrow.

"No wonder why Ciri gets annoyed whenever I tell her to go to sleep," he thinks aloud, causing the other man to grin at him.

"So, what do you say? Have you carefully listened and agreed to the terms and conditions? Shake my hand to check the box," Jaskier holds out his hand.

Geralt picks up Jaskier's hand with grace and lightly kisses the back of it without any hesitation. Not expecting this, the musician gapes at him—looking adorable as ever.

"Yes, Jaskier," the nurse smiles, "I have carefully listened and agreed to the terms and conditions."

They finally met! Yasss! A coin for your thoughts? I seriously wonder what you think about this chapter, dear Witchlings.💛 What part did you like the most? Did any part make you laugh or smile? I'd be SO grateful if you let me know 😅

I had so much fun while writing this chapter, by the way—well except for that one particular part. And the thing is even I had no idea. Jaskier just got emotional suddenly and here I was, wondering what the hell was happening. And it didn't feel natural to cut that part out, because it just happened.

And another thing is, I didn't think this chapter would be this long. I was just thinking "They will meet and have dinner together, then Jaskier will leave. That's it."

And I'm not gonna lie, I kinda wrote most of these two chapters in the same week instead of humaning and at one point I seriously started to wonder if Jaskier was planning to leave Geralt's home at all. I was planning to end the chapter when he leaves, so it was like:

-Okay, you met them, you had dinner, time to leave. Ciri, out of nowhere: Time to watch "I, Robot!" Me: No no no, that wasn't my plan, Jaskier is supposed to le— Jaskier, already eating popcorn and watching the movie: I'm going nowhere yet. *** Jaskier: *finally says he better get going* Geralt: Hell no! Me:

Joking aside, it's not up to me what he does and I love my precious, silly Dandelion. He can live there forever for all I care, I'm done with trying 😂

(Oh, if any of you have any ideas, feel free to let me know because I'm not sure what's gonna happen in the next chapter for now ><)

Thank you so much for reading 💛

#the witcher #jaskier #geraskier #geralt #my writing #nurse geralt au #jaskier x geralt

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karlajoyner · 4 years ago

Note

Omg Ik I write to a lot and your prob sick of but I just got this great idea for a Charlie/Owen fluff+smut. So your having dinner with the guy at your place and your end up talking about how you’ve never had a prom and then he puts on Can I Have This Dance from HSM3 and you dance around the room with him. When the song ends you kiss and he says something smooth about what people do AFTER prom and he treats you to unforgettable ***. I think this is a more Charlie thing to do, works for Owen too.

Can I Have This Dance? (Charlie Gillespie x Reader)

A/n: Hey guys so I finished this one a while ago but I always like the have the request in front of it ready before I start working on the next! Also I really want to change the cover of my JATP Imagine Book on Wattpad but I've realized that my editing skills are now complete shit since I haven't edited something in so long. I just don't know what to do. And yeah I hope you enjoy this one!!

Requested by: @jjbassett (Tumblr)

Warnings: Smut (18+)

————

I quickly rushed around the kitchen attempting to keep the food from burning while still trying to finish getting ready for my date tonight with non other than Charlie Gillespie.

We started seeing each other a few months ago after Soyon, my fashion mentor introduced us.

She informed me that I'd be working with the cast on set everyday to do mainly touch up in their outfits, it was only a matter of time before Charlie and I sparked up a small romance on the side.

It started with the flirtatious comments while Soyon and I dressed him up as his character, Luke.

Then it quickly turned into the small appreciation notes he'd leave in his characters clothing for me to find later.

And now here I was 4 months later cooking dinner for him in my apartment in Vancouver who I fortunately shared with Tori Caro, one of the assistant choreographers.

She was one of the few people that knew about Charlie and I.

So this evening she was spending it with Savannah probably watching movies.

I frustratedly groaned hearing the door knock.

Immediately rushing to remove the apron from my body and throw on my pair of pumps laying by the door.

I ran my fingers through my hair one last time before opening the door to see the brunette standing there in a tuxedo with a bouquet of flowers at hand.

"Hello gorgeous" He smirked sticking his hand out.

"Hello Charlie" I replied taking the bouquet out of his hands.

"They're beautiful" I smiled moving aside so he could enter.

"Not more beautiful than you"

"Your so cheesy"

"Eh what can I say. You bring it out of me" He spoke making me giggle.

"So what are we having for dinner?" As if on cue the alarm went off....But not the one I was expecting.

I quickly dashed toward the kitchen where the noise was coming from.

"Oh crap" I muttered rushing towards the problem nearly tripping on my own two feet.

My eyes widened as black smoke arose from the oven.

Quickly opening the oven door to air it out with a nearby oven mitt.

"We we're gonna have lasagna. That went to shit" I sighed looking up to see Charlie already popping open some windows while I turned off the fire alarm.

"Awww baby" Charlie chuckled walking over to me immediately pulling me into a warm hug.

"I have Chinese on the way" He muttered pressing a kiss to my temple.

"Really? I've fucked up dinner that many times" I internally groaned.

"No, no"

"Don't lie to me Charles"

"Yes" He gave in.

Placing his hand under my chin, titling it upwards to look him in the eyes.

"But that doesn't mean we're gonna let tonight go to waste. How about you go change into some sweats, I go get some extra clothes from my car, and we can put on High School Musical?"

"You'd watch that for me"

"I'm watching it for me" He joked making me giggle.

"Fair enough" I spoke with a tight lip smile as he pulled me in for one last hug.

"I'll learn to cook one day, I promise" I mumbled into his chest.

"I know beautiful. I'll meet you on the couch in 10" He said pecking my lips one last time.

"Okay but could you imagine waking up to that everyday" I exasperatedly spoke pointing at Troy Bolton.

"It can't be better to waking up to this" Charlie grinned flexing his arms.

"Oh no. Nothings better than that. But you gotta admit that mans a god"

"I don't appreciate you talking about my competition like that"

"Zac Efron is your competition?"

"Well now he is"

"I wonder if Kenny still has his number after all these years" I teased the boy before taking another bite out of my egg roll.

Watching as Charlie playfully rolled his eyes.

"Doubt it"

"I guess it's best"

"It really is" Charlie agreed.

"You know I'm only joking" I said taking his hand from across the coffee table.

Pausing the tv to get a good look at his face.

"I know. I just can't help but think if he asked you out on a date while your with me you'd say yes"

"The only thing I would've said yes to that man is if he had asked me to prom 2 years ago. Long before I met you. Maybe I wouldn't have spent that night watching 17 again" I joked making him chuckle.

"You didn't go to prom?" He asked a frown forming on his face.

"Nope. I wasn't very social in high school so I saw no point in it"

"You never told me that"

"Well now you know I guess" I spoke taking a sip of my drink.

Watching as Charlie stood up from his spot in the ground.

"Where are you going? The movies not over. I promise I won't drool over Zac anymore" I swore gazing up at him.

"T-that's not my problem here" He stuttered taking his phone, beginning to click away.

My brows furrowed in confusion as my smart tv began to cast something from an unknown device.

My heart fluttering as a familiar song began to play.

"Seriously?" I questioned watching a grin form on his face.

"Seriously" He confirmed for me.

Making me throw my head back in laughter.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked sticking his hand out for me.

"Yes" I smiled as he helped me to my feet.

I sighed contently as Charlie he wrapped his arms around my waist. My own flying around his neck.

The two of us now swaying back and forth to the rhythm of the music playing in the background.

"I missed you" He whispered gazing into my eyes.

"You saw me yesterday. I helped you get dressed"

"Well then I think it's fair that I help you get undressed" He replied playing with the strap of my cami.

"Smooth" I mumbled placing a quick peck to his lips.

"But I don't see how that's fair. I mean it's my job to dress you and undress you" I bit my lip running my hand down his arm. Intertwining our fingers at the end.

"Well I just want to give you the full prom experience. And you know what happens after prom"

"Tacos?"

"Definitely not tacos" He smirked pulling me in for a passionate kiss.

He was quick to deepen it.

The Chinese takeout on the coffee table long forgotten as we got lost in each other presence.

I let out a huff as he pushed me backwards onto the couch. Our lips fighting for dominance.

He groaned straddling my body beneath him.

Quickly yanking his shirt off his body to expose his beautiful toned torso.

I quickly him back towards me.

Our lips colliding once more as his hands ran up my shirt.

"Take it off" I mumbled against his lips pulling away for a split second to rip off not only my top but the last piece of fabric separating our bare chest.

I let out a breath of relief as Charlie began to leave a trail of kisses down my neck until settling on a spot.

His body grinding into mine, only turning me on even more.

We heavily made out as I toyed with the waistband of his grey sweats and the boxers under them.

Earning a desperate moan from the brunette.

I swiftly pushed down the fabrics allowing his dick to spring free.

He let out a whine as I grabbed the base of his length pumping it a couple of times, watching him become puddy in my own hands.

"I won't last long if you keep doing that" He panted. My hand stopping it's motions right away.

I sat up right pushing off my own sweats and panties before Charlie pushed me back onto the couch connecting his lips with mine.

"Charlie please" I begged opening my legs widely allowing him to position himself at my entrance.

I gasped in surprise as he pushed himself into me without another word.

Instantly his hips began to rock back and forth into me.

My head fell back pleasure as he thrusted into me.

Using his hand to push my leg up for more leverage.

His name fell from my lips repeatedly as he hit my g-spot.

My fingers entangling themselves in his hair as he picked up his speed.

I moaned louder as he began to rub my clit. My orgasm nearing as I felt a familiar pit forming in my stomach.

"I'm gonna-"

"Me too" He cut me off.

My orgasm washed over me. Charlie's coming seconds after.

Moans escaped his lips as he spilled into me before slowly coming to a halt.

We laid there for a moment taking in everything that had just happened. Charlie laying stilled on top of me. My fingers coming up to comb themselves through his now messy hair.

"That was-"

"Amazing" He interrupted me.

"It really"

"Was"

I grinned looking down at him to see his focus already on me. A huge smile plastered on his face.

"This was a big step in our relationship" He stated.

"I know"

"And I don't want to sound cliche" He continued. My eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Where are you going with this Charles?"

"I-I think I'm falling in love with you" My heart leaped as he sat up. Evidently pulling out of me as well.

"Me too" I whispered pulling him back to my lips once more.

————

Up Next: Jeremy Shada x Reader

Charlie Gillespie x Owen Patrick Joyner x Reader

Reggie Peters x Reader

Charlie Gillespie x Reader

Reggie Peters x Reader

Carrie Wilson x Reader

Sunset Curve x Reader

————

@lolychu @headheartbellarke @bookish0918 @kcd15 @ifilwtmfc @moviesbooksandfandoms @lovesanimals @lavender-writer @kaitieskidmore1 @morganayennefertyrell @iloveteenwolf @ghostofmgg @jammi13 @theravenclawlife

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wordoflyss · 2 years ago

Text

We Belong

Chapter 4: Uptown Girls And East End Boys

Rating: M No warnings apply Eddie Munson x Henderson!OC

It’d been a shit week so far. He’d ridden the high of the successful finale over the weekend, but now he felt the down after the end of a campaign even harder.

With the campaign over, Hellfire was on pause until spring break was over. At the end of the week, Mike would go off to California, and Dustin had rambled on about doing a project with his totally not imaginary girlfriend that conveniently lived somewhere in Utah. Cal would go off with his dad, which meant no rehearsals for Corroded Coffin either, Gareth would work at his uncle’s store again, leaving only Jeff and Eddie with nothing to do. With most people leaving town over spring break there wasn’t even much money to be made. He was already bored out of his mind.

School was hell as always as he struggled to focus on class, and the E the Click doled out in chemistry earlier today hadn’t helped his mood either. There were a trillion things he’d rather do than sit here and watch Mrs. O’Donnell drone on monotonously. Eddie figured nobody with less vocal range than at least an octave should be allowed to teach anybody anything. This was torture.

It was the last lesson of his day, which didn’t help at all and was one of the major reasons he was failing the class yet again. Okay, first time he just didn’t care. But last year, he had the major misfortune of it being last class as well, and honestly, at this point he was convinced it was higher powers conspiring against him. In the end, it didn’t matter though. Failing to graduate twice was embarrassing, but also rebellious if he framed it right. Failing a third time was just pathetic.

He just needed to figure a way out to get all of it in his head. Just a lousy D, and he’d be free. He’d be lying if staying in school didn’t also have his perks, but Eddie was slowly losing his mind. He didn’t pretend to be the most mature person, but constantly being surrounded by people at least two years younger— three, if he failed again— was pushing even his limits. He should be out of school, out of Hawkins, doing anything but sitting here, listening to O’Donnell’s mind-numbing drone and wondering what sort of gunk was stuck to her chin now. Suppressing a groan, he looked up to the clock.

2:41.

A flash outside caught his eye and he looked out the window. A BMW was pulling up across the parking lot, the shiny paint job reflecting the sun.

Probably one of the uptown dads picking up one of their little brats.

The head that climbed out was, to Eddie’s surprise, unexpectedly still full of hair though. He knew it pretty well, because he’d shot spitballs at it several times over the last years. What the hell was Harrington doing at the school parking lot on a Wednesday afternoon? As far as Eddie knew, he had no siblings— although, admittedly, he’d recently learned that he apparently had no clue about who people were related to in this town. His confusion only deepened when the exact proof of his ignorance climbed out of the passenger side as well.

Danielle shook out her hair, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jeans, laughing about something Harrington said as he strutted around his car and leaned against the passenger door.

O’Donnell cleared her throat then, not bothering anymore to call him out specifically— she’d given up on that over a year ago— more to the simple purpose of annoying him, Eddie was sure. He dragged his eyes away from the window, irritated and gave her a serene smile as he placed his chin on his folded hands and batted his eyes at her with baited breath; the class room equivalent of a cordially raised middle finger. She frowned and continued with her sermon, voice finally tinged with disapproval instead of total apathy.

At least we agree on something O’Donnell, eh?

After a couple moments, when she returned to reading from her text book, Eddie turned his attention back outside. They were still there, obviously waiting for Dustin, together, and obviously very comfortable with each other. Eddie was weirdly disappointed. It wasn’t the first time he’d noticed Dani come around to pick Dustin up this week, but she’d been alone the last time. She was wearing the same black sweater again, gold threads catching the light, and she was obviously having a great time. He was all cool, leaned against his stupid shiny car, one foot resting back on the tire, hands in his pockets, telling something funny, running his hands through his hair like he was in a damned shampoo commercial. Eddie knew peacocking when he saw it, and Harrington was laying it on thick. Worse, Dani seemed to be buying it. She was rocking on her heels a little, grinning at the ground and back up at him. They were just talking, and he realized he could be massively misinterpreting the situation, but why else would Harrington join her to pick up her little brother?

O’Donnell cleared her throat again and Eddie pretended to care, irritation buzzing under his skin.

It wasn’t like he could begrudge Harrington for being interested— hell, in his place, Eddie probably would be too. What irritated him was that Dani seemed to return the interest, not because he was jealous, but because she’d actually seemed … cool, and this was Steve Harrington. What the hell did a girl that played D&D, played it like that and seemed funny and smart and obviously cared for her weird little brother, want with a shallow prick like Harrington? Eddie had been so relieved Dustin’s sister turned out to be like… well, her, that now he worried he’d been actually right before. There were already too few interesting people in this place, and to few good people in Dustin’s life, it would majorly suck if she now turned out to be just like the others.

Of course, the tiny rational part of his brain argued, there was still the chance that Harrington wasn’t as much of a douche as he seemed to be.

Yeah, fat chance of that.

As far as Eddie was aware, he had seemed to lose some of his assholery since Better-Than-Thou Nancy Wheeler had deigned to date and very publicly dump him— his image certainly had— but people didn’t really change that much, even though Dustin clearly seemed to think so. He was talking about Harrington all the goddamned time, and Eddie never got why— now it made a whole lotta more sense. He was probably over all the time, spending time with him and Dani. Eddie had to admit he’d been jealous of Dustin’s worship of him before, but now the thought actually made him mad. It was easy to see Harrington seemed to like Dani a lot, and it was just as easy to see that Dani and Dustin were close. What if Harrington was just using Dustin to get close to her? Neither of them deserved that.

Suddenly the bell rang out, ripping him out of his thoughts. His irritation and staring had carried him straight to the end of class. In a hasty swoop he shoved all his things in his backpack and was out of the room within moments, as always one of the first, aided by his seat at the very back of the room. The halls were unusually frenzied, everybody egged on by the sunshine and the palpably close break. Eddie weaved his way towards the parking lot. Somewhere before him, he saw Dustin’s Thinking Cap push through the crowd. As he stepped out, his eyes instantly followed him, blatantly interested in the scene playing out.

Dustin rushed over and Harrington’s face annoyingly lit up in a grin. He raised his hand for a complicated handshake that seemed familiar between them. Dani didn’t greet Dustin, but she tried to trip him as he walked past her, laughing as he shoved her in retaliation. Harrington hefted his fists on his hips and seemed to scold them, probably worried of them ruining his expensive paint job.

They all got into the car, and Eddie started heading towards his van, thoughts still preoccupied with figuring out what he should make of all of that.

Because he was deep in thought, it took him a moment to notice her. She’d parked right next to his van, where she normally wouldn’t be caught dead, and she was leaning against her car, looking straight at him across the lot. She wasn’t sneering, but rather staring intently, and Eddie knew the look well. Once she’d seen him meet her eyes, she turned away and started loading her back onto her backseat, using her passenger side. It took him a minute to make his way over, and when he unlocked the door, she straightened up and turned halfway to him. Eddie refrained from rolling his eyes over her theatrics. She probably didn’t realize this was way more suspicious than just talking to him after class. He tipped his imaginary hat towards her and gave her a nod.

“Rachel.”

She didn’t waste time with greetings. “I’m throwing a party at my place on Saturday. We could use some… help with the entertainment.”

Eddie grinned. Spending his Saturday evening at Rachel Malone’s party definitely wasn’t his idea of a good time, but she and her little uptown friends got a loooot of money from their parents who compensated missing effort and affection with a hefty allowance. All of them were pretentious pricks, but once they got wasted they were good customers, and Eddie was never against making bank.

“Well, you know how I do love helping out my classmates.”

Now Rachel couldn’t help but roll her eyes, the usual sneer back in place. “Oh my god… Here’s the address,” she said and handed him a folded slip of paper, “be there at nine. Go around the back, you can stay on the back porch. This is not a party invitation, are we clear?”

Eddie’s grin froze as his stomach slightly dropped. All charm gone, he replied: “ Oh don’t worry, dear, I wouldn’t ever dream of attending a party of yours, even if you paid for it.”

Rachel just scoffed and got into her car. Eddie watched her drive off, anger pooling in his stomach.

Bad news Rach… Prices just rose 20%.

Rust fell to the floor as Eddie slammed the door of his van shut.

What an absolute shit week.

“Ouch,” Robin yelled from inside her shirt as Dani accidentally elbowed her in the ribs, trying to angle herself so she she could slip her arm underneath the passenger seat. Her sorry was muffled since her cheek was pressed against the leather, her fingers blindly feeling along the carpet there. Between crumbs and whatever else, she reached into something sticky and yanked her hand back, accidentally getting Robin again, this time in the head that promptly popped out of her shirt and scowled at her. “Now you’re doing it on purpose.”

“Sorry! I reached into something disgusting,” she explained as Robin rubbed her forehead.

“What do you mean, something disgusting? I swear to god, Robin, you said you found the gum you dropped— ” Steve complained, head turning sideways to look at them.

“Don’t look, I’m still in my bra!” Dani yelled and smacked him on the side of his head, shoving it back forward, “and you’re driving, idiot, look at the road!”

Steve scoffed, clearly exasperated. “Couldn’t you two have changed at work? You know, like normal people?”

“We could’ve if a certain someone hadn’t been to adamant about not helping us lock up!” Robin complained as she tried to reshape her hair into something that didn’t look like it was the product of a quick change in the back of a BMW.

“I already worked the morning shift, okay?”

“I already worked the morning shift, okay?” Dani mocked under her breath as she contorted again to reach for her top and the make-up bag that had disappeared under the seat when Steve had braked.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” she answered sweetly as she finally grabbed ahold of her prize and sat up, rubbing the red marks the band of her jeans had left on her stomach as she’d bent. “I’m already regretting these,” she said to no-one in particular as she pulled the band away from her sore skin. She slipped into her long-sleeve and pulled it into shape, the sleeves immediately slipping back up over her shoulders where they weren’t supposed to go. “Already regret this one as well,” she groaned. At least her boots were comfortable. “Where’s the green kayal?”

“Anyone we know coming?” Robin asked as she handed Dani the pencil she’d fished out from under her thigh and held up the pocket mirror. Steve started listing some names as she did her make up, but there wasn’t really anyone Dani was interested in seeing included in the list. After graduation, she’d lost touch with most of them.

“Anyone you’re interested in?” Robin asked as Dani applied the last bit of her mascara.

“Why do you always assume there is someone I’m interested in? I’m not always about that,” Steve spluttered.

“Liar,” Dani and Robin replied in unison.

“There isn’t!” he protested, and when they started arguing again, he grinned into the rear-view mirror. “Well, at least not for me— I heard a rumor one of Rachel’s friends is bringing her friends, and apparently, she’s been friends with Vickie since kindergarten.”

The shriek Robin let out was just barely on this side of human. “And you’re telling me that NOW?!”

“If I’d told you sooner we would’ve never left cause you’d still be raiding your closet, or sitting in front of it paralyzed because you’re overthinking again!” Robin reached around the seat to shake him, and he lifted one hand up in surrender. “Besides, I don’t know if she’s coming, I just heard it’s a possibility! No need to freak you out over nothing.”

Robin didn’t deign that with an answer, instead she turned to Dani, wide-eyed and a little pale. “Help.”

Dani laughed and reached for the make-up bag.

By the time they made it to Rachel’s, it was already half past nine. Steve led the way, both of them following him into the house. The party was already going, music booming across the front lawn as they approached. The hall, and living room were already pretty packed. Robin scanned the room, seemingly equally disappointed and relieved when she couldn’t find Vickie anywhere.

“How long do you think we have to wait before it’s socially acceptable to raid the kitchen?” Robin whispered in her ear a Steve greeted people and shook hands.

“I’m assuming we have to at least make it past the introductions,” Dani whispered back, and Robin pulled a face.

“I hate it when you’re reasonable.”

Dani sighed and wrapped her arm around hers. “Me too.”

Eddie slammed the door of his van shut, lunch box in hand. He’d parked a ways down, still close enough to book it if the cops shoved, but far enough away to look like plausible deniability if anyone wanted to connect him to the party. As he headed for the house he glanced at his watch.

Quarter to ten.

His thumb rubbed along the familiar scratches on the handle as he made his way down to the house. Luckily for him, there were already half a dozen people hanging out outside, some on the front porch, some on the lawn, the front door half open, Blondie blasting from inside, which would make it less suspicious for him to just walk around to the back. Last thing he’d need was getting the cops called cause some vigilante neighbor thought he was up for a little B&E.

As he made his way across the lawn he got some looks, but nobody said anything— people knew what he was here for, and even those dumbasses wouldn’t risk it to have him walk out of here backwards by pissing him off- at least not as long as his box was still loaded.

The back porch was as expected; wide, white, with wicker chairs and a swing seat at the far end. Beautifully devoid of any personality. A couple was making out in the corner, leaned against the banister. He cleared his throat. Both scattered apart, the guy giving him an angry stare- Eddie vaguely remembered him from a year above him, before he failed, and her from school a year below him, now.

Classy.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her inside, probably searching for another corner. Eddie debated saying something, but decided against it. Not like she’d listen to him anyways. At least now he didn’t need to knock and announce himself, the idiot would do that for him. Eddie leaned against the banister of the porch, waiting.

It didn’t take a minute for Rachel to rush out to him.

“It is ten.”

Eddie gave her a serene smile. “You can read the clock, that’s amazing.”

“Well, that seem to make one of us, since you apparently can’t. I told you to be here at nine.”

“Ah, there must’ve been a misunderstanding, sweetheart,” Eddie answered as he pushed himself of the railing and sauntered over to her, deliberately slow. She was pretty small, and he towered slightly over her. Normally he wouldn’t use his size like that, but she was seriously pissing him off. “ You asked me to come here, and I graciously complied when I could.” He was still smiling, but she paled a little and took a step back, so Eddie righted himself. He wanted to take her down a peg, not outright scare her, or worse, be accused of whatever bullshit she and her little bougie friends came up with now. He grinned and spun away, raising both hands in a nonchalant shrug. “Of course, if you want half your guests zoned out half an hour after your party started, next time I’ll be earlier. What would I know about that, right?” He sank back on the stairs, giving her his best wide-eyed grin. “Now hush, back to your little party. Unless you want something?”

That did the job, and she turned around with a scoff, slamming the door behind her. Eddie flipped her off with a pleasant grin and sat down on the three steps leading to the garden, forgoing the furniture, settling in to wait.

Steve took charge, greeting people and introducing them. Thankfully they were already late enough for most people to be satisfied with the pleasant slow nod in their direction, all with raised eyebrows and an overblown smile that showed mutual acknowledgment at an introduction. This was Steve’s world, not theirs, that much was painfully obvious. Two years ago, she would’ve felt like a fish out of water, having to prove herself, prove that she belonged. Two years ago, Dani would have minded, but after all that had happened, and especially with Robin at her side, she felt at ease. Today, most of it felt a little surreal. Like she was a visitor from far away, almost like she assumed she’d feel if she had moved away and gone to college and then returned to join friends she’d lost touch with, relationships she’d grown out of. None of that had happened, she was very much still here. She hadn’t grown, but her world had. Robin was right— none of it mattered, so she could just enjoy out of it what she wanted.

As they made their round, a constant stream of people filtered in. Apparently Rachel really intended to wreck her parents house. Before long, the living room was crowded, and somebody turned the music up and the lights down. At some point, Steve got stuck talking to some girl he seemed to know and Dani vaguely remembered from the summer before, giving him the cold shoulder at Scoops. Dani tried not to blame her too much for it— it was pretty hard to take anybody seriously wearing that uniform— and the way she leaned into him seemed to indicate that had been part of the problem. Robin was watching them too, and the critical wrinkle on her forehead clearly stating she wasn’t as forgiving as Dani was. When she caught Dani looking at her, she rolled her eyes and started pulling her towards the kitchen.

“Time to get drunk.”

The kitchen wasn’t as crowded, but they still had to push through a couple of people. Robin grabbed two cups and surveyed the options. She saw the punch bowl at the same time as Dani.

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes,” Dani cheered, and began scooping fruits into their cups.

“This is gonna end so badly,” Robin groaned, but Dani could see her trying not to laugh.

“You wanted to come. What was that about not having to care if we embarrass ourselves? Or was that bs? Now, less talking, more snacking,” she commanded and handed her a goopy strawberry. Robin looked a little disgusted, but took the offering.

“Okay, but I’m not holding your hair when you inevitably have to throw up.” Robin answered as she toasted her with the strawberry before popping it into her mouth.

Dani scoffed in shock and clutched her heart. “Can’t believe you call yourself my friend when you have less loyalty than a scrunchie.”

“I did hold your hair the first time when it was an honest mistake- at this point it’s just reckless endangerment, and you’re on your own.”

Dani looked past Robin’s shoulder into the living room then, surprise crossing over her face followed by pleasant surprise. “Oh. Hi Vickie!”

Robin spun around faster than the speed of light, then spun back just as fast to punch her in the shoulder when no one was standing behind her and Dani started cackling.

“You’re the worst.”

As pissed as he was, his gut feeling proved right, and it didn’t take long for the first people to poke their heads out the door. Most of them were already at least buzzed, and made his job pretty easy.

Within the hour he’d sold half his stock, and he’d been carrying double of what he usually got from Reef, knowing full well this would be a golden opportunity.

The door opened and another couple stumbled out, laughing and not paying attention to him as they brushed past him, right down into the garden, giggling all the way. Behind them, the door remained open, Belinda Carlisle blasting over the sound system, proclaiming that Heaven was, indeed, a place on earth. Eddie suppressed a slight shudder at the choice of music. Apparently he was the only one on the premise with a shred of taste, considering everyone inside seemed to be dancing and singing along, having a grand old time.

That was when he saw the hair again, whipping in the crowd, moving to the music. Of course Harrington would be here. Unconsciously his eyes started searching, and it took him only a second to find her. She was dancing close to him, but not with him. The crowd was moving around them like the sea, obscuring and revealing them as they all moved together. The weird feeling from the parking lot settled back in his stomach.

Eddie had really hoped to be wrong, but if she was here, dancing and laughing with these people… He really should’ve known better, he supposed.

He forcefully dragged his eyes away, took the wad of cash out of his pocket and started counting, focusing on what was important.

268 good reasons to spend his evening in this hell, and a third of the stash still left to go.

He briefly considered lighting one up himself— he was certainly in the mood for it now— but any gram he had was worth triple of what he’d paid Reef before. Besides, it was his ground rule to stay sober while dealing, because business was business, and he needed his brain working so he wouldn’t get screwed over, so he opted for a cigarette instead, unable to help himself from looking inside again and again.

Now that he’d noticed her, it was hard not to; she was wearing the same bright green again as she had on that day, only this time it was a longsleeve that left her shoulders bare. She was by far not the only person in the crowd wearing bright colors, but this one stuck out to him.

Inside the crowd was drowning out Billy Joel as they sang along to Uptown Girl. What a fucking joke. Eddie was leaning against the banister of the pristine back porch, looking through the window in at all of them dancing and singing their hearts out, exactly like they’ve never had a care in their world. Now and then he saw Harrington’s in the crowd, who was now dancing with Dani, apparently trying to teach her steps, and she was laughing the whole time. He tried to swallow the bitterness, out here on his own, in the cold. It wasn’t like he wanted to be in there, but the knowledge of not being allowed in still settled in his stomach like acid. He’d thought after all these years, it’d stop stinging- at some point it had to burn through to the bottom, he’d figured- but today it was back with a force. In his mind he saw Rachel’s face again as she told him to go around the back, making it clear he didn’t belong here.

No place for East End Boys at Uptown Girl parties.

He flicked the cigarette away with more force than necessary. And he’d thought his week couldn’t get worse.

When the song ended, Harrington leaned over and said something in her ear. Probably asking her if she wanted to find a quiet corner…Eddie bit down the thought. But Dani shook her head, and turned away from him, grabbing Robin Buckley instead. With a frown, he stood up straighter.

Robin Buckley?

Eddie didn’t exactly know her well, but he knew she definitely didn’t belong in this crowd. Obviously he knew her from school, but also from half the dozen jobs she’d had over the last years. He knew her family wasn’t too well off— she wasn’t from East Hawkins, but close. One of the band kids, a little weird. Not Hellfire caliber, but certainly not a person he would’ve expected to see tonight.

It was obvious she and Dani were there together, because Dani took her hand and started spinning her, apparently trying to do it as fast as she could, both giggling, obviously drunk.

Now he was more confused than before. People were supposed to be easy to figure out. Eddie was good at it. Had to be. For his money and his safety. But he had such a hard time figuring out what to think of her that it was seriously starting to bother him. He wanted to walk in there and ask her what her deal was.

Luckily for him, another girl stumbled out of the door and walked over to him before he could storm in there and yell Are you cool or not?! at Danielle.

He turned his attention to her, grateful for once to be saved from one of his bouts of insanity, when he recognized her as the girl from the porch earlier. She was clearly already super drunk and one look told Eddie that she wasn’t used to alcohol or dope. This was a disaster waiting to happen, and while Eddie usually operated under the code “live and let live”, he wasn’t totally irresponsible, so he turned her away. She tried to argue, but he insisted he wasn’t going to sell to her, which promptly made her start crying, and run inside.

Great.

He turned his back to the door, leaning his elbows on the railing, waiting for what’s-his-face to show up and blow up at him for making his girl cry. He didn’t show. After a minute or two, Eddie turned back around and looked inside, hoping that she’d simply gotten over it as quick as she’d gotten into it, finding immediately that she had, in fact, not gotten over it, and was instead crying into a bare shoulder, two lime green arms wrapped losely around her. His stomach sank and he quickly whirled around and backed the three steps down into the garden, hoping the darkness would obscure him before Dani spotted him out here.

Shit shit shit.

Eddie cursed out his bad luck as he pulled out another cigarette. Of course she had to run into her. Giant house full of people and the one shoulder she ends up crying on has to be that one.

When Dani didn’t come out immediately, he sat down on the lowest step, rubbing his forehead, smoke biting in his eyes. In the grand scheme of things it shouldn’t really matter to him, because he still wasn’t sure if she was worth the worry, but regardless, he didn’t want her to think he was an asshole— especially not when he wasn’t even being one. What if she warned Dustin about him?

He glanced at his clock — ten past eleven— and pulled his jacket a little closer, suddenly feeling the chill of the night. Maybe he should just go home. He’d already made plenty. If only his third amp hadn’t blown out last week, he’d already be in his van, but the extra bucks could make the difference between a repair and an upgrade. Not even speaking of the foreboding sound his uncles car had started making recently. God, it fucking sucked to have no money.

“That doesn’t look very comfortable.”

He nearly choked on the smoke, but managed to keep it down. With a curse in his head he slapped a smile on his face and turned to her.

#eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x oc #eddiemunsonfic #we belong fic

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renegadewangs · 3 years ago

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Van Zieks - the Examination, part 4

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: (see Part 1 for the more detailed disclaimer.) - These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I’m outlining stems from my own views and experiences. If you believe that I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. -The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. - I’m using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what’s said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent. -It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

It’s time to take a close look at Episode 2 of the second game, The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro!

Episode 2-2: The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro

Remember how in the last episode we vaguely got Barok on our side near the end of the trial by proving Mrs. Garrideb was actually involved in the crime? … Yeah. Forget that progress. It's being undone. Case 2-2 is the first case of the second game which features Barok, which unfortunately means he needs to be 'reintroduced' to the audience and it takes him back several steps in his growth. It makes sense, I suppose, it would've been weird starting a new game with him already being lightly on Ryu's side. Even so, it's a bit insulting how this case acts as if the chronologically previous one accomplished nothing.

So anyway, this case flashbacks to something which supposedly happened right after the first game's fourth case. The day after Soseki's acquittal, even. Turns out, Soseki awoke to find one of the other tenants in his building dead and asked Ryu for help, but (S)Holmes tagged along. Gregson is at the crime scene, keeping an eye on the place and on Soseki in particular since he's suspicious. (Sure, Gregson. Sure. Has nothing to do with the Reaper's curse, probably.) After some investigation with (S)Holmes, Gregson has enough evidence to actually arrest Soseki, which definitely feels like a step backwards. A bit later, it turns out the victim is Not Actually Dead Yet. Again! The Great Ace Attorney really enjoys throwing us for a loop by pretending we're in for another murder case.

Anyway, during the course of the investigation, I found two mentions of Van Zieks. The first is when you investigate the broken glasses and bottles in the victim's room. Susato is immediately reminded of Lord van Zieks.

And when examining Garrideb's old army uniform, Susato points out it might suit Lord van Zieks.

Haha, as if his usual outfit isn't ostentatious enough already. So we learn that Susato doesn't have a very high opinion of him at all, and I should hope it's not still related to that time he called detective novels pathetic. It's fun of them to refer to him in an investigation that he's not involved in in any way, especially when they don't know yet that he's the prosecution again.

Speaking to Soseki in the gaol, we're once again told that he's had a dreadful time in England so far. He sees foreigners everywhere and he's sure they're all laughing at him. He's been so on edge the past year that he's moved 'more times than he can remember'. So once again, we're reminded that racial prejudice in 1900s England is a focal point of this game's story. Once the conversation is over, Gregson appears to let the gang know that the victim has regained consciousness and is accusing Soseki of poisoning him. We're going to trial for an attempted murder charge, y'all!

The next day, in the defendant's lobby, Susato comes bursting in with the dreadful news that Barok van Zieks has once again taken on the prosecution. It's definitely safe to assume now that either Ryu or Soseki is the reason he's taking on these not-really-murder trials when he normally wouldn't. As I mentioned before, this is his reintroduction in the second game and so the game feels compelled to remind the player of what went down in case 1-4:

He sure did! The game also once again reminds us what the Reaper's Curse entails, and that perhaps that's the reason why Soseki is on trial yet again. He's doomed, perhaps. Susato also informs us that (S)Holmes is running late, just as he was two days ago, and Ryu thinks that's a good thing because if the Great Detective were there, Ryu might come to rely on his help.

… I suppose? He already relies on Susato for help and I feel like that would warrant far more 'preying' from Van Zieks than relying on a male, adult British detective for help. Though knowing (S)Holmes, he'd end up stealing the show and taking the words from Ryu's mouth, but that doesn't seem to be what Ryu's worried about here. I suppose the main point to take away from this remark is that Ryu wants to do as much as he can by himself. He wants to appear strong in front of Van Zieks to avoid presenting an easy target, and I think this might actually be the first time we see a sentiment like that from him. Is he afraid of Van Zieks? Does he actually care about the man's opinion? Anyway, he swears to show Van Zieks what a Japanese lawyer can do.

Inside the courtroom, Van Zieks does the usual prosecutor spiel about how the defense needs to be ready for defeat. Ryu thinks to himself that Van Zieks has a particular animosity towards Japanese people for some reason.

Good thing we got a second game in the series, eh? So because the defendant was on trial only two days ago, the same jurors were chosen where possible. The only juror not returning is Mrs. Garrideb, who's too busy being in prison. Her spot is now taken by a very fancy lady we later learn to be the wife of the Altamont Gas Company's owner. She may as well be the CEO herself with how she's acting, though. Anyway, Van Zieks addresses the jurors directly.

“However, the innocent verdict afforded to this eccentric Nipponese before... has had dire consequences. Did the accused repent for his wrongdoing in that affair? Far from it. Instead, he used his freedom to perpetrate a most blood-curdling crime!”

Van Zieks makes record time by taking off his cloak immediately after this line. He's gone straight into overdrive. The witnesses summoned this time are Inspector Gregson and... Soseki? It's very irregular for the defendant to be testifying, especially this early in the trial and especially by the prosecution's request. I can't really make much of it. It feels like the only reason Soseki is testifying is for this joke:

Also found when examining the testimony is a remark from Van Zieks that I honestly found shocking in how ferocious and scummy it is.

Unnecessary, that remark. It didn't need to exist at all in my opinion. So after Ryu shatters the testimony and scatters Gregson's fish 'n chips, Van Zieks calmly pours himself a glass of wine. I have to be honest, by now whenever he does this I'm left wondering what he'll do next. Will he crush the chalice? Will he throw it? Will he actually take a sip? The versatility of the action and unpredictable nature of Van Zieks add a bit of suspense. Turns out, his mind wandered during the testimony.

And then he ends up crushing the glass in his hand anyway. Alas, poor chalice. We knew it. So after a bit of debating back and forth about whether Shamspeare drank the supposedly-poisoned-tea after Soseki left the room, Van Zieks suddenly falls silent. We get three different, consecutive frames of him going “......” and when the judge asks what's wrong, he says this:

Supersonic hearing, this one. That is, unless the carriage entered the courthouse and literally pulled up in the hallway outside the room? Haven't we learned our lesson from the last time a carriage was driven into the Old Bailey?! So Shamspeare was apparently subpoenaed by the prosecution and has shown up to testify (with his doctor's permission). Bad news for us, since he's the one accusing Soseki in the first place. There's also a second witness to support Shamspeare's insistence there were no other visitors to the room and therefore only Soseki could have poisoned him. After that testimony is over, Van Zieks gets his wish and all the jurors vote guilty.

Van Zieks really seems to think that Soseki is a terrible person deserving of justice, huh? He was right there during the previous trial, saw Ryu prove without a shadow of a doubt that Soseki was innocent and still insists that justice will be done “this time”. Calm the heck down man, you're the one who sided with us when Mrs. Garrideb needed to testify, remember? And here comes another example of the game pretending the previous trials didn't leave an impact; when the Summation Examination is brought up, it's with disdain and this remark:

Bro, we used the Summation Examination successfully like five times already. Sit your butt down and watch the show. The jurors once again give prejudiced reasons for their decisions:

And unfortunately, instead of changing their minds by proving Soseki is a morally upstanding, innocent citizen, Ryu instead gets through this Summation Examination by basically proving Shamspeare is a worse person than Soseki. That's... not the direction you should be taking here, narrative. After convincing four of the jurors that Shamspeare is a fishy liar, Van Zieks flings another chalice of wine in frustration. The judge still thinks he could technically pass a ruling on the trial, since the new information didn't exactly disprove that Soseki is the culprit, but the jurors have been influenced so thoroughly that they can't let this new info go ignored. Testimony from the Altamont Company is allowed! Van Zieks thinks it's a waste of time, of course, and if this were reality it would be. Since it's an Ace Attorney game, we know Shamspeare's gas thievery is bound to somehow be related to the incident. Van Zieks flings yet another chalice after hearing the testimony (how many has it been already? Five?) and very shortly after, he tosses the entire bottle over his shoulder. Susato points out that he seems to be in a violent mood. I feel like someone must've pissed in his oatmeal that morning, because I've got no real explanation for why his character regressed this badly in the course of what chronologically was only two days.

Van Zieks flings two more chalices as the testimony progresses to prove that Shamspeare made fake coins to fool the gas meter. At the end of it all, he supposedly 'throws his hand up in despair and happened to catch his hallowed bottle along the way', flinging yet another one of those into the gallery. I'm starting to feel very bad for the people seated behind him now. Is the game overdoing these quirky animations to compensate for his regressed attitude? Because I'm not sure it's working... Van Zieks continues to insist that the situation hasn't changed and only Soseki could have poisoned the victim, so he calls for immediate adjucation. The game gives Ryu the option to either object or wait and see, and I have to be honest, this gave me pause. After what happened with the penalties in case 1-4, I was sure Van Zieks might dish out more punishment for waiting and seeing. Turns out, he doesn't. Ryu points out that Shamspeare likely used the tea to make these fake frozen coins of his, meaning there's still tea left at the scene of the crime which can be tested for poison.

Head in my hands right now. Again, I get it, they basically had to reintroduce Van Zieks to newcomers of the game (however few there might've been) so they had to regress him a bit, but I really don't like this. He honestly felt like he'd grown at the end of 1-4 and the game's not only undone it, it feels like they've made him even more of a scumbag. This line and this gesture honestly doesn’t quite correspond with the character established in the previous game. Anyway, court adjourned till the next day so the police can test the tea for poison.

During the investigation segment, we get a conversation that I'd quite honestly forgotten even exists. Turns out, (S)Holmes and Van Zieks are acquainted! ...or are they? (S)Holmes says he 'must pass the time of day with Mr. Reaper again, as it's been too long' and when asked whether they're acquainted, (S)Holmes replies that there isn't a person in the world who doesn't know his name, expertly dodging the question. Naturally, a new conversation topic opens up about it, so we can still attempt to needle more details out of him.

He explains the history of the Reaper's curse a bit more. Previous defendants found not-guilty would 'disappear from the capital' by falling under a passing carriage, drowning in the Thames, succumbing to a sudden fever... Etc. Susato points out that if those rumors are true, then surely the obvious conclusion would be that they were killed by Van Zieks's own hand. (S)Holmes points out that's impossible, since Van Zieks was already investigated on the matter before and for every single incident, he had a solid alibi. (This... doesn't disprove Van Zieks had anything to do with it, but okay (S)Holmes. Sure.) (S)Holmes also rubs it in yet again that Van Zieks retired from the courts five years ago and didn't return until the day Naruhodo arrived. I honestly don't know why they keep bringing that 5 year hiatus up in every single case, because as far as I can recall it was never fully explained or relevant.

I love how “foul smell” is wedged in-between those two topics as if it's also related. Anyway the conversation continues when Ryu brings up that Van Zieks seems to have a particular disdain for Japanese people. Susato demands to know whether (S)Holmes knows a bit more about it and while he's silent at first, he relents and tells us a tale (which will apparently be forgotten by Ryu and Susato in case 1-5). Van Zieks “chose to enter the legal profession ten years ago, but before that time, the man's closest companion hailed from the empire of Japan”. Which is a wording that baffles me, because it implies that Van Zieks chose to enter the legal profession at the same moment that Japanese person betrayed him, which we know is not the case. He was already in training to be a prosecutor before that, otherwise how could he possibly have prosecuted the Professor trial? Ryu is shocked and asks to know more, but (S)Holmes says the veil on the events from the past will be lifted soon enough. I'll get back to the implications of what this means for Van Zieks's backstory when we hit this exact same reveal in case 1-5.

Van Zieks is mentioned very little in the rest of the investigation segments. We only learn that he tasked Gregson with finding new clues, much to Gregson's dismay, as there isn't much to be found. The Inspector does immediately leap at new information when we uncover it, which implies he's eager to either please Van Zieks or avoid being scolded by him. I'm assuming the latter, but it's also possible Gregson feels guilty over the whole Reaper thing and Klint's autopsy, and is now compensating by working his hardest to fulfill Van Zieks's requests.

At the very end of the investigation, when evening falls, (S)Holmes reminds us that “it'll be hard to escape the grip of our friend, Mr. Reaper”. The next day, in the defendant's lobby just before the trial begins, Ryu thinks to himself that he doesn't believe in the legend of the Reaper any more than he believes in the convict's curse Soseki keeps mentioning. What's interesting here is that Ryu isn't dreading the confrontation anymore. After the McGilded trial he seemed genuinely intimidated by the concept of going up against Van Zieks (not because of the racism but because of what happened to his first defendant), but now he's not so hesitant anymore. He's beginning to see that Van Zieks can be defeated, that the Reaper thing is nonsense and that protecting his client is a fight worth fighting.

Into the courtroom we go for day 2 of the trial! When the judge asks about the results of the tea test, Van Zieks is silent for a moment. He pours himself a glass of wine, asking for a moment to “savour a liquid of a more sanguine hue”, then refers to Gregson for the full report. Gregson confirms no poison was found in the tea remains, but the prosecution wouldn't be the prosecution (and the game would be pretty boring) if they didn't have a backup plan. When Ryu proclaims Soseki is innocent, Van Zieks accuses him of jumping to conclusions, “a typical Nipponese reaction”. It's also a typical prosecution reaction to be hypocritical, no surprises here. He throws his chalice (first one of the day) and summons Shamspeare back to the stand to testify about how Soseki's unpoisoned and undrank cup of tea had been used to make the ice coins.

There's some lines here that I thought I might as well include:

“Yet on occasion, tedium distracts me and I pour more times than I intended until the bottle is dry.”

You know, it occurs to me that this drink is pretty much confirmed to be wine. He's very extra when talking about it himself, but he had his silly little wine analogies in the previous case and Susato referred to his glasses as “wine glasses”. And you would think it's obvious that it's wine, but we know Ace Attorney's long history with 'grape juice'. Either way, this dialogue leaves a pretty harsh implication that Van Zieks drinks alcohol simply to distract himself from troublesome moods. Sure, he says “tedium”, but this is a stoic prosecutor in the year 1900. They referred to depression as “melancholia” back then, and since he doesn't appear to have any friends, I expect he experiences “tedium” quite often outside the courtroom. He apparently set a rule for himself not to fill his glass more than seven times during a trial which, in turn, implies he's aware any more would cause problems. All of this is moot, of course, since 80% of the wine he pours for himself ends up on the floor between shards of glass. Still, though... Zieks, are you okay?

I don't think he is, because he pulls a very dirty trick here. Ryu proves Soseki drank all his tea and therefore it couldn't possibly have been used, so Van Zieks insinuates to Shamspeare that perhaps he misremembered using the tea from Soseki's cup and instead used tea still left in the teapot. An excuse Shamspeare happily takes, of course. Not gonna lie, I got angry, not because it's a dirty trick but because it's inconsistent. This is the very same character who all but dragged Mrs. Garrideb down from the juror bench to testify when it became clear she likely threw a knife out the window. And now he's feeding slippery excuses to a man who's very clearly lying about all sorts of things? What??? And remember this incident, because I'm going to be referring back to it later.

He crushes another chalice, removes his cloak and continues to insist that we should believe this thieving liar at the witness stand. The jurors for some reason buy the baloney served to them on a tinfoil platter and even twist Ryu's sentiments around, with some bloke going as far as to interpret the situation as 'the lawyer lad believes anyone who steals gas deserves to be poisoned'. Summation Examination gets very funky this time around, with the outcome being that Shamspeare probably blew the gas pipes (s-snerk) and the poison was laced on the pipe.

Van Zieks pours himself a glass of wine and pretty much immediately flings it, saying these are all empty assertions without a shred of proof. When Ryu presents the picture with the skin prints, Van Zieks once again breaks the rule of the prosecution staying silent during Summation Examination to point out that skin prints cannot be used as evidence, since that method is not recognized by the court (yet). Aaand he crushes yet another chalice in his hand.

Susato claims it was never meant to be used as official evidence, it was only a tool to demonstrate a new possibility to the jury. Jumping through some loopholes here, we are, since the picture is clearly in our Court Record as evidence. But, well, the prosecution cheats too so what's the harm? Some jurors vote not-guilty, but there's still one more that needs convincing on order to keep the trial going. Ryu says he has a witness who's already testified that the pipe-blowing incident did indeed occur that night, as Soseki stated the other day before the court that his stove went out in the dead of night. (Hang on, is this why the narrative made him testify alongside Gregson?) With that the majority of the jury votes not-guilty and the trial has to continue, but Van Zieks is extra rattled now. (Another bottle goes soaring.)

He once again reminds the court that skin prints aren't admissible evidence and therefore, there is no real proof Shamspeare put his mouth to the pipes (ghghhh I'm sorry this is such a silly thing to have to type out). Ryu asks for an investigative team to test the mouth of the gas pipe for poison, but since it would've evaporated by now, that's a no-go. Also, Van Zieks says that “what appears to be simple is my Nipponese friend's mind” and that's a scumbag point. Ryu attempts to turn the trial around by claiming that Shamspeare attempted to kill Soseki, making the defendant the victim, but Van Zieks ain't having it. The aggrieved being the accused is an interesting notion, but doesn't change what actually happened. In fact, if anything, it establishes a motive for Soseki to lay a trap for Shamspeare. Because who else could have known about the gas pipe trickery and put the poison there, right? Why, the true culprit, of course.

Our man Van Zieks really doesn't like (S)Holmes, huh? A tidbit which the games will never bother to explain! Either way, Ryu raises the name of Olive Green, the victim of the previous case. And I gotta say, I do genuinely like the way they integrated these two Clouded Kokoro cases together. The chronology of everything that went down is very fun to decipher, but long story short, Olive Green was at Briar Road the day she was stabbed for a reason and knows more about the 'convict curse' Soseki and Garrideb kept mentioning, so let's drag her into court! Van Zieks agrees to subpoena Miss Green in order to 'see his Nipponese friend's farce through to its conclusion'.

So during intermission some more evidence is handed to Ryu and when trial resumes, Van Zieks continues to be his usual self.

“The prosecution has tried to extend every courtesy to this amateur newcomer from dubious Eastern shores.”

Ryu sweats bullets as he meekly thanks Van Zieks “(for his backhanded consideration)”, but once again the judge is the one to call Van Zieks out on his attitude.

Amazing. It's so refreshing to see a judge who actually disagrees with the prosecution's haughty attitude problems and acknowledges it has no place in a courtroom. Nothing against Udgey, because we all love Udgey (and his Canadian brother), but this man actually grows and learns. So Olive Green takes the stand alongside Shamspeare (maybe not the best idea since Ryu just accused her of trying to murder this man) for dual testimony. When Green brings up what a dreadful ordeal the knife to her back was, Van Zieks says this:

Hang on, empathy? He's giving her advice? This reeks of humanization! Green seems taken aback and thanks him for his words, so the sentiment was genuinely accepted. This in itself is a very nice scene to see in action, similar to Van Zieks allowing Roly Beate to keep his job. Unfortunately, Van Zieks's character is in a wild rollercoaster of moral inconsistency during this particular case which sours the experience somewhat. Case in point:

YOOOU hypocrite! This actively angered me, because at the very start of this same trial day he was personally feeding lies to Shamspeare. Now he's warning Green not to lie? It gets even worse a bit later on when Green gets cornered about stealing the note, she asks him whether it could all be some sort of misunderstanding, and he says:

ACTIVELY FEEDING SHAMSPEARE A LIE. THE VERY SAME DAY. I'm all for prosecutors using dirty tactics. It helps to juxtapose them further to the honest defense attorney we play as. However, it needs to be consistent. Either a prosecutor condones a witness's lies to help their case, or they feel that they're above it. The third, most used option is for them to start off condoning it, only to learn that truth takes priority over victory. This sloppy back-and-forth morality that Van Zieks has going on here is insanely frustrating, so it's no wonder some players end up disliking him. It honestly feels as if they rewrote this case so many times, they screwed up the exact growth trajectory Van Zieks has.

Anyway, it seems Van Zieks is suddenly fully on our side now to help Ryu prove that Green was in Shamspeare's room and laced the gas pipe with poison. And I mean help help. When the judge points out that if Green had laced the pipe the very same day she was stabbed, the attempted murder would have happened six days ago. Van Zieks is the one to say “Perhaps not, My Lord” and explain Briar Road was full of police at that time. At this point, Van Zieks and Ryu (and also Susato) actively start to take turns to explain the proper chronology of events. So the defense and the prosecution are in perfect sync right now, working together to explain the whodunnit. This is the ideal outcome to any trial, usually not seen until the last case of the game, so it's curious that this dynamic abruptly shows itself in a case like this. Van Zieks does still have one moment of gaslighting when he claims Ryu may have inhaled some dubious gas, causing his judgment to be clouded, since there's no motive behind Shamspeare's attempts on his fellow lodgers. A matter that's very easily resolved, of course. Once the name of Selden is brought up, Van Zieks continues our little game of back-and-forth-truth-reveal until (S)Holmes shows his face.

“Your usual haunts are the filthy backstreets of the capital, are they not?”

To which (S)Holmes replies that it's been too long, and Van Zieks's complexion has worsened since last they met. Alright, so Van Zieks and (S)Holmes definitely have met in person before, some undetermined amount of time ago. You'd think that going by (S)Holmes's friendly attitude they might've even been friends once, but our great detective is like that towards everyone. This is evidenced by an earlier encounter with Gregson where (S)Holmes insists they're friends and Gregson says that they're not friends, to which (S)Holmes quietly agrees. So really, this little exchange tells us nothing about the history between the great detective and the Reaper.

Some shenaniganry, a breakdown and admittance to guilt later, the court is finally ready to deem Soseki innocent. Van Zieks once again has some interesting lines here:

“And one I certainly didn't envisage walking... with you.”

Considering he attempted to trip us up for most of this walk up until the very last stretch, I don't like this remark very much. It feels very unearned. This is another one of those things that would've been more suitable in the last case of the game, but instead it's being crammed into a messy mid-game moment with the pretense that Van Zieks learned a lesson about being our ally.

In the defendant's lobby, the game basically gives the exact same dialogue as at the end of the original Clouded Kokoro case; that Soseki is returning to Japan and hopes to pen his own literature there, with the rest of the cast pointing out that the Reaper's Curse must factor into his decision to some degree. So we're still holding onto that question of whether Soseki will escape an untimely death or not. Anyone who's already played the last case of the first game will know the answer, of course.

So to summarize... I genuinely didn't enjoy Van Zieks's portrayal in this case. It really feels as if something went horribly wrong and they got some notes mixed up about where his character was already headed in the previous game. It's a crying shame. There was a lot of potential for a case set between 1-4 and 1-5, but they really dropped the ball when it comes to consistency and I've no doubt that it reflected badly on people's opinions of him. Though I think when we return to the first game for The Unspeakable Story, everything will right itself out again to some degree. Stay tuned!

#dgs #dgs spoilers #tgaa #tgaa spoilers #barok van zieks #MAN I got frustrated with this one #what happened here???

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