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atlasofthestaars · 10 months ago

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[MK X READER] New Era - Chapter .016

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Not much to say here but, I hope you guys enjoy this one! Still trying to get back in the groove of updating quicker, but with college life comes more responsibilities I'm afraid haha. I think in this chapter there will be something some of you guys have been waiting for a while now :)!

FROM THE EYES OF SOMEONE WHO DOES SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT

“You don’t have to do this with me.”

“I don’t mind.” You replied, not even bothering to look up from the recount of events you were writing. You felt Sonya Blade’s gaze bore into you. From how intense it felt, you understood why she was so respected in her field. If she had magic powers, you would have guessed she would have had magic beams that shoot from her eyes.

Even without looking at her, you could tell she had a concerned look on her face. One that you’ve experienced plenty of times lately, not just from her either. While touched, you were feeling horrible lately about it all. “I’d have to do this eventually, I expect, plus I would feel awful leaving you to do this alone.”

It was the day after the showdown with Shao Khan. Well, to say the day after was rather misleading. It was just barely midnight, the new day having just barely rolled in. And here you were, sitting in a Special Forces office with your friend, Sonya Blade, writing up a report of events that had gone down the day of the whole affair.

You hadn’t eaten, slept, or even bathed. You still wore the tattered clothes, all scratched and messy from being tossed around. Dried blood still stuck to you like glue. But that was by choice. You didn’t want to spend a moment too long by yourself to let your thoughts creep in about what happened in the last twenty four hours. You suppressed a shiver at the idea.

If you were going to be forced to think about it, you’d rather do it doing something productive, and not by yourself.

You didn’t want to even think about what would happen if you let whatever happened truly soak in.

“You sure you don’t want to go back with Raiden?” Sonya inquired, her words carrying a sense of caution. It was odd to hear from the usually bold and blunt woman, but it was charming to hear her be empathetic towards you. You set down your pen, setting it aside. You had a feeling this would be a talking break.

“No, I can contact Lord Raiden myself whenever we’re done here.” You said, lifting your gaze to meet her eyes. The concerned look you had imagined to be on her face felt like an understatement now. The usually guarded, professional woman felt like an open book. Or maybe, you’ve gotten better at reading her after the couple of years you’ve gotten to know her for.

You weren’t ready to face Raiden yet. You weren’t sure why, but the thought of facing the thunder god made your stomach churn. You felt guilt at just the thought of having to look at him. So many people had died, many people you might have been able to save if you had just stayed behind.

“You should really rest.” The blonde urged, her eyes scanning you. You held back a small pitiful laugh. The woman in front of you was a workaholic, it was strange to hear her tell you that. And yet, from the way she looked at you, you could tell you looked like an utter wreck. Your fingers brushed your cheek, and you wondered silently just whose blood was on your fingertips.

“I wish I could, Lieutenant.” You replied. You just noticed how exhausted your voice sounded. It was like you had dragged yourself out of the darkest pits of the netherrealm, which probably wasn’t too far off. Your fingers drummed on the wood of the desk, trying to fill the silence of the room. Your eyes looked around before you settled them back onto Sonya. “Can I just be honest for a moment?”

“Anytime.” She reassured you. You saw her straighten out her back, making her perfect posture just that more pristine. Your eyes seemed to drill into your own, as if she was trying to reach into your soul. You couldn’t imagine how intimidating she’d look if she were to be interrogating someone.

“I don’t think I can rest until I know that our friends are avenged.” You admitted. Even with your admission, the weight on your shoulders didn’t lighten. If anything, it felt like it got a bit heavier, as if the weight of your ambitions had finally settled in. Sonya nodded, though the concerned look on her face did not change. “I don’t know how, but I know there’s some way to honor their deaths.”

“That sounds honorable, and I completely understand.” Sonya began, her words slow and deliberate. You knew from the way she spoke, she completely understood. She never talked about it too much, but she had alluded before to you that she had been tracking down some asshole because her partner had died. You looked at her, and you saw her hesitate. “You shouldn’t let your life be dictated by something like that though.”

Even as she said it, you knew she felt awful for being a hypocrite.

“I know you speak from a place of kindness and experience, Sonya.” You said. You leaned forward, resting your weight on your forearms. “But I don’t know if I can heed your words.” A sigh left your lips, and you felt your shoulders slump forward. Exhaustion was clawing at you, threatening to drag you down. “I have to at least avenge Kung Lao and Liu Kang. I know Shao Khan’s dead, but I would feel so useless if I couldn’t avenge both of their deaths.”

“You think Shao Khan killed Liu Kang?” Sonya inquired. You saw her eyes widen slightly, and she shifted a bit in her own seat. You lifted an eyebrow, uncertain why she would ask that sort of thing. You nodded solemnly.

“Of course he did, who else would? I’m certain you saw it too. You and Johnny both arrived on the rooftop before me.” You reminded her. “When I got there, he was dead already” You felt yourself tremble, the guilt within yourself threatening to spew out of you. “By the gods, if I had been a little faster, maybe, just maybe I would have been able to save him.”

You knew you weren’t just talking about Liu Kang.

“Hey.” The lieutenant spoke up, snapping you out of it before you could possibly spiral. Her eyes scanned you again, a torn expression on her face. She then stared deeply into your eyes. Her mouth opened, then she hesitated. Whatever she was about to say, you could never guess as she then proceeded to cringe before she got the words out. “Did…did you talk to Raiden about any of this?”

“No.” You admitted. And you weren’t planning to. You knew the god would disapprove of your plan, and you weren’t letting him change your mind. While you knew Liu Kang held some resentment towards the thunder god before he died, you didn’t. But you did feel like, perhaps, some decisions that you could make would be best without his influence. “I’m not going to tell him either.”

“I see.” Sonya said, her tone now awkward. There was a tension in the room, one that you couldn’t quite identify the reason behind. You looked back down at the report, trying to distract yourself amidst the silence that lingered in the air. “Hey, how about we just finish these reports up then head to bed, how does that sound?”

“I…” You began. The thought of going to bed, all alone with the memories of what had just happened, nearly sent a shiver down your back. You couldn’t suppress the goosebumps that covered your skin. But still, you couldn’t deny the fact that sleep did sound pleasing. You weren’t certain if you could stay awake for much longer. “I think that sounds fine.”

“Good, let’s wrap it up, I think we both need the rest.” Sonya nodded. She picked up her pen with a bit of renewed vigor. Then she paused and looked at you. “And hey,” She said your name, “if you ever need to talk about all this with someone, I’m here for you, okay?”

For what felt like the first time in forever, you smiled.

“Okay.”

Waking up this time was not dramatic like before, but it was not quite calm either.

Your eyes slowly opened, as if you were trapped within honey. You lifted a hand over your chest, your fingertips touching where your heart lay. It ached dully, as if remembering the memory along with you and was reminded of the pain of losing those you once cared for. All that left your lips for a moment was a forlorn sigh.

Your mind lingered on the blonde that had been so prominent in your last memory. Sonya Blade. This was the first time she had been prominent in your visions. She was not a foreign person to you, you remembered her as the ex wife…or wife, you weren’t quite sure. Not to mention, she had appeared at the tournament as well as the rooftop confrontation.

You rolled over to the side of the bed, staring at the ground. She was one of the few you had remembered but seemed not to be present in this world you now lived in. You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to recall other people you haven’t seen yet, assuming they even existed.

Nightwolf, Jackson Briggs, Fujin…several other names drifted in and out of your head.

Why have you not met them? This question buried itself in the back of your mind. It was always a question you’ve asked yourself. Some of the names you’ve had these questions about you’ve met, but it was odd these people who seemed to become more and more dominant in your memories seemed to be missing.

Was there a reason for that? Did these people even exist at all? Or were they replaced or missing, just like…

You felt your chest ache again without even finishing your thought. You pressed your hand to it, as if it would help soothe the pain. All it did though was allow you to feel the slow rhythmic thuds of your heart. You were still alive and kicking, that was for certain.

“No use lingering on it.” You muttered to yourself. It didn’t sound confident. Instead, it sounded almost defeated. Still, you took in stride and forced yourself out of bed. You didn’t have the time to think about all that and go through the heart ache. You took pause for a moment, your body recognizing the irony of the situation before your brain did.

You sounded just like your past self.

You let out a small chuckle, shaking your head. Some things never change, do they? You fought back the sinking feeling in your stomach and continued on with your morning routine. Like you said, it was best not to think about it, even despite what your gut told you.

By the time you walked outside your door, you heard the familiar sound of heels. You looked up to see the confident stride of Kitana. Her posture was even more pristine than usual. Yet there was something off. You glanced at her face, and for a moment you saw an undertone of guilt on her face even with her head held high. The moment her eyes locked with yours, that guilt was hidden away as if it were not there in the first place.

“Good morning.” The princess greeted, the professional looking smile placed on her lips. You felt your eyebrows furrow, and for a moment you considered asking what was wrong. Then, in the next you reconsidered. Not only were you barely acquaintances, she was royalty. Any words close to asking her of her troubles died on your tongue.

“Good morning.” You returned her greeting, wiping away your concern. Her eyes scanned your face, and for a moment, you wondered if she was going to question the look on your face. But instead she simply nodded and walked towards you, waiting patiently for you to join her side. “Today we are watching the match in the Hanging Gardens, correct?”

“Indeed.” She confirmed, glancing at you.

“Oh, your sister, Princess Mileena is fighting today.” You said aloud, eyes widening. A small smile spread on your face, wondering how it would be like to see the princess in action. You glanced over, and caught the sight of Kitana’s eyes widened a bit. Her smile turned a bit strained, much to your confusion. She hesitantly nodded.

“Yes she is.” She told you. Yet there was a tone to her voice that made your eyebrows raise. It was barely perceptible, the way her voice hesitated. But still, from your memories, you caught onto the subtleties within her voice. Maybe you were closer to her in your past life than you thought. Either way, it was not the same here so you could not ask. But there was definitely something off with how short her responses were.

“I’ll enjoy watching the fight, I cannot say I’ve ever seen royalty fight before. In Earthrealm, there isn’t much royalty left there, and if there is, not many, if at all, fight like Outworlders do.” You informed the princess. She nodded, seeming vaguely aware of that fact already. “Do you fight and spar often with others?”

“We spar and train often.” Kitana replied, her shoulders rolling back slight to make her perfect posture impossibly more pristine. “As for actually fighting, we only do so when necessary.” You supposed that made sense, after all, why would one need to fight unless necessary? Then again, she could always be lying to save face. After all, why would a princess disclose her empire in a state of distress?

Then again, Outworld wasn’t always subtle about its fighting habits before, maybe it was the same here. You remembered the state that the Outworld you once knew was in. It was…odd to think this world held the same name as the more bloodier version of it. Then again, from what you recalled, this world seemed more similar to Edenia.

What did happen to Edenia anyways in this world? You weren’t certain if that was taboo to ask. After all, in the past world, it had been conquered and merged. Would asking it be rude? You glanced over to the princess, noting her attitude. She seemed to be in her head about something, even if she was doing well at attempting to conceal it. You supposed it would be for the best to not ask right now.

Maybe you could ask Liu Kang about it.

“Do you and your sister spar often?” You asked, keeping up with your questions to show interest and civility. Kitana pursed her lips, pondering over your question for a bit. After a moment, she nodded.

“We do, occasionally.” The princess replied. There was another pause, considering her words carefully once more. You didn’t try and question it much. Perhaps she was simply erring on the side of caution. You were a friend of Raiden’s. Maybe she thought you were trying to get more information on her sister to give Raiden some last minute tips. “We tend to spar more with the Umgadi more than anything.”

”I was not aware that they sparred with you on top of protecting the royal palace.” You said, glancing over to an Umgadi guard that was further down the hall. Upon reflection, the Umgadi reminded you a bit of the Lin Kuei, but only in the vaguest sense. Still, it was nice to make a mental connection to something from home.

”The Umgadi are responsible for plenty of things.” Kitana replied. One of her hands gestured to the guard down the hall you had been previously looking at. “Guarding the palace, sparring with us, making sure everything runs smoothly and properly. Being an umgadi is a lot of pressure but it is an honorable job.”

Ah, now it definitely reminded you of the Lin Kuei.

”I respect them for that.” You nodded, sending the guard you passed by a grateful smile. She returned that small smile for a few moments before returning to a more stoic look. “Your Umgadi reminds me of a clan back in Earthrealm.” You told her. “I will say though, that clan is not composed entirely of women.”

”A shame.” The princess said, and for a moment, you could detect genuine pity in her tone. Her mouth opened, probably to ask a question, but then the both of you arrived outside in the hanging gardens. You spied a little farther off was all three of the thrones of the royal family. You rose your eyebrows, wondering if the princess would sit down before the fight, but you chose to not question it. It was probably put there out of respect. “It seems we are here.” Kitana said, her shoulders relaxing just a touch. Her eyes met yours before nodding. “Enjoy the match.”

And with that, she walked off,

“Glad to see you here early as usual.” You commented, walking up to Raiden, Kung Lao, and Liu Kang. You watched as the champion let out a embarassed chuckle, his cheeks flushing for a moment. You smiled at him, trying to reassure him after your little joke. “No need to look so clammy, I was simply joking.” You told him.

“I know.” Raiden said, avoiding eye contact with you for a few moments before he managed to wrangle his eyes to focus on you. Despite this, his face was still a little pink. On top of it all, a small sheepish smile was placed on his lips. You stared at it, admiring it for a moment. It was a nice sight. “I can hardly believe I’m going to fight a princess.”

”You mean you’re going to win against a princess.” Kung Lao spoke up, walking over to put himself right by your side. He flashed you a grin, crossing his arms as usual. He tilted his head to his friend. The confidence Kung Lao displayed was akin to someone who was going to partake in the fight rather than watch it. You watched as Raiden’s grin grew, seeming to absorb the positive feedback from both of you.

“Indeed, you are ready for this match.” Liu Kang reassured Raiden. The champion nodded. “Princess Mileena is very skilled, but we have provided you with the information necessary for the tide to be in your favor.” You nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with the god’s words. You couldn’t have put it any better yourself.

“You’ve taken down five others before today, Raiden.” You told him, displaying your hand out to show him with your fingers the amount. “All of them were skilled in their own right. Do not treat this match any differently simply because you are to spar with royalty. Just focus on yourself and your own techniques and you’ll be fine.”

”I will do my best.” Raiden told you all, looking around. You felt better seeing a more confident man in front of you. Not only for the sake of the world, but it was nice to just see the man understand that he was indeed strong in his own right. It was a far cry from the beginnings of your lessons. It was heartwarming really.

Time passed, and you all discussed tactics and techniques to keep Raiden focused on the match ahead. You were only interrupted when Johnny Cage strode in and let out a low whistle and commented how this would be the perfect place to shoot an action scene, or even a romantic walk at night.

”All I’m saying is that people would kill for this type of place to shoot at. It’s the perfect set.” The actor said. He held his hands out, creating a box to frame the area. “Just look at that bench, perfect place to hold an important scene. That’d be the money shot right there.” You held in a chuckle, seeing the very bench you and the princess had been sitting on for a few nights now.

“Good luck, I doubt you’d be able to ever let a film crew here.” Kenshi commented, his arms crossing. He shook his head, letting out a dismissive sigh at the mere idea of Johnny even attempting to negotiate with the Empress to let them film here. You had to agree, the idea was rather farfetched.

”Oh they will, once I turn on the Cage charm.” Johnny boasted, grinning wickedly as he continued to survey the area with a careful gaze as if he were planning out the scenes he would shoot here. Which he probably was, given how he was muttering under his breath. You supposed you could respect his ambition to keep on the consistent grind.

Then, a little after that, the Empress arrived.

It was odd seeing her flanks empty of the sisters. But even without her daughters, the confidence and nobility she exuded caught your attention. She strode through the crowd before sitting upon her throne. You watched carefully, your eyebrows knitting as you watched her walk in alone. Where was Kitana? You had see her earlier, so he absence didn’t quite make sense to you.

You tried to brush those thoughts away as Sindel settled down comfortably for a moment, scanning the area before landing her eyes on Raiden. You stood at attention by Liu Kang’s side, ushering the others to stand with the others.

“You continue to surprise, Raiden.” Sindel complimented, her posture as perfect as Kitana’s was earlier. “Among others, you have defeated Kotal, Motaro, and Sheeva. Only two fights remain.” There was the smallest of pauses before she continued. “Are you ready, Earthrealmer?” There was a gleam of confidence within her eyes that seemed to have been revived.

”I am, Your Majesty.” Raiden said, his confidence from before still not faltering despite the renewed vigor.

“Then next you will face my daughter…” You heard the familiar clacking of heels. Your eyebrows furrowed as you turned to look at the source of the noise. “Kitana.” Bewildered beyond measure, you watched as the princess you weren’t expecting walked in. Two folded up fans were gripped in her fists as a mask adorned her face.

Had you not been so perplexed, you would have caught on earlier how similar her walking in with such ferocity looked. But alas, you were too caught up in your thoughts. Why was Kitana going to fight? Was this a trick from Outworld to try and trip up Raiden? Thoughts like this pervaded your mind as the little clues you had brushed aside fell into place.

Mileena’s discomfort at the mention of a match, not to mention her whole general attitude last night along with Kitana’s strange dance around the mention of her sister fighting Raiden seemed to stick out like a sore thumb in your memories. You almost felt foolish for not seeing it earlier.

Had Sindel intended to intentionally swap out Kitana for Mileena to gain the upper hand? That would certainly explain why the elder sister was upset last night, but still, the mere idea of that felt…scandalous. You fixtated your eyes on the Empress as Liu Kang, who was a little more lost than you were, stepped up in between the would be fighters.

”Your Majesty, this is unprecedented.” Liu Kang spoke, his words slow. It was as if he were trying to find the right words to voice his confusion without trying to display distaste at the current events. “Raiden’s next opponent should be your heir.” He gestured to the throne beside Sindel where Mileena usually sat.

”Mileena is unavailable.” The Empress replied smoothly. She seemed unphased by the events and by Liu Kang’s reaction. You supposed that came with the experience of leading an empire for so many years. “She’s away on pressing imperial business.”

You felt your gut stir, as if to tell you that the Empress was lying. And honestly, you weren’t sure whether to believe your gut or not. You swallowed, trying to reason out the situation with what you knew. Maybe that was why the two had been acting so suspiciously? After all, it must be frustrating to be sent away so quickly before an important fight. And if it really was so urgent, it made sense that the heir would take care of it.

Still, your gut twisted and turned.

”But I have not prepared him to battle Kitana.” Liu Kang pushed back, pointing out the unfairness in the situation. You glanced at the masked princess who was holding Raiden’s gaze. From what you remembered, the two had very different fighting styles in your past life, which probably was true for this world. It made sense for Liu Kang to worry over it.

”He’s already demonstrated great skill.” Sindel replied, her voice and posture displaying jus how nonchalant she was over the whole thing. And yet, there was a quality to the way she spoke that caught your attention. It was like a challenge in her voice, like her scoffing and asking if Raiden was not as skilled as has shown if he couldn’t defeat a surprise. It was almost like an insult hidden behind a compliment. “Can he not improvise?”

”Do not worry, I can do this.” You heard the champion reassure the god who had been shaking his head. You were caught off guard, and soon found yourself smiling. The god nodded, accepting the courage Raiden displayed. It was good that even when Liu Kang showed doubt, Raiden was able to steel himself and push ahead.

”I will be no easier to fight than my sister, Earthrealmer.” Kitana boasted, walking back an appropriate distance. You watched as the fire god approached and stood by your side. You shot him a sympathetic glance. Traces of confusion still displayed on his face. You placed a hand on Liu Kang’s bicep and leaned over to whisper to him.

“He’ll be fine.” You told him, squeezing his bicep for a moment. Then, a moment later, you found yourself pinching the skin there. He may not be Kung Lao you once knew and understand the gesture, but it was something small you wanted to do. You watched as Liu Kang’s expression relaxed and he nodded, now trying to focus on the match.

“I suffer under no delusion, Your Highness.” Raiden replied, his voice devoid of any cockiness like the princess displayed. Instead, it was serious, taking her seriously just as he did for all of his other opponents. You admired the way he was able to lock in, mind focused entirely on the goal.

”I will win this fight.” Kitana said, making a promise. “For her, my Empress, and all of Outworld.” She took a step forward, before taking one step back into a fighting stance. There was a “sching!” as the blades of her fans brushed against each other, revealing the awe inspiring war fans she wielded.

Then, the match begun.

Kitana’s movements were elegant, it was like she was dancing more than she was dueling. It was almost like watching a hawk. Graceful, swift, but had deadly precision. The control she had over the fans she wielded along with the bits of magic she must surely have was beautiful to witness. Almost effortlessly, you watched as she would sometimes gain the upper hand and juggle your champion in the air, hit after hit with her fans and kicks.

For a moment, you were worried. Raiden seemed unable to adapt, being bewildered by the strange manner Kitana would throw out her fans, and not to mention the way she would use the air to her advantage much more than any of the others he had fought against. It was as if she thrived up there.

Still, even as he was battered and bruised, the man pushed through. He matched her movements, aiming to move as quickly as she was. He also threw in some of his own projectiles into the mix, deterring her from simply zoning him out from an advantageous position. Had you been an outsider watching this, you would have never guessed that Raiden was merely improvising these techniques against the surprise contender. It was honestly quite impressive.

After seeing the man turn the tide, you were not surprised to see him finally topple the princess. This feat had been much more earned, as both of them seemed exhausted after the fight. Between moments of heaving breaths, Raiden looked down at the princess before nodding and smiling respectfully to her.

“You fight well, princess.” He commended, a weary, but kind smile upon his lips. Pushing herself off the ground, Kitana looked up at her opponent. For a moment, there was a frustrated look as she took some deep breaths of her own. Despite her mask, she was still very expressive. You looked at the mask adorning her face, remembering how she used to wear it long ago,

“As do you, Earthrealmer.” Kitana replied, sharing the same respect Raiden had shown her. Her gaze scanned the man, assessing him one last time. “Surprisingly so.” She added on, a hint of reluctance and shock in her tone. It was as if despite being beat, she still could not understand how the Earthrealm champion had bested her.

“Excellent match.” Sindel praised, though there was a hint of strain within her voice. Both of the competitors turned their attention to the empress. You gaze focused in on her as well. Her displeasure at the outcome of the match as well hidden, but you could still see it. It was in the way her knuckles grew bone white despite supposedly being folded neatly within her lap. Her jaw was set as she smiled at the two.

While you weren’t certain still whether Sindel had intentionally swapped the princesses, you could see that she was not all too happy that Raiden had managed to improvise his way through the match. Your eyes darted back to the electric wielder. Had Mileena still been here to fight him, would he have fared as well as he did against Kitana?

“Tomorrow, young champion, you will face your final opponent.” She declared, looking up at the sky for a moment. “Then afterwards we shall hold a celebration. A festival, dedicated to whomever emerges victorious, whether it be Earthrealm or Outworld. We shall meet back out here for your final match.” The empress instructed, before swiftly walking off. You observed how the thrones were hauled back to the grand hall before a pinch on your bicep snapped you out of your thoughts.

“Finally today we get to hang out.” Kung Lao piped up, sending you a grin on the sly side. Your eyebrows rose. At first, you focused on the pinch. You caught yourself holding your breath, a wave of nostalgia and grief washing over you. You were perplexed on how he remembered the pinch, but then you remembered that he was probably mimicking the action you had done to him previously. “Oh don’t look so blue, it’s an honor hanging out with me.”

“When did we agree to hang out?” You asked, pushing away the thoughts of the old Kung Lao who your brain yearned for. Almost instantly, you regretted your words. His smile faltered, dropping. It was as if someone had kicked a puppy. Instantly, you put on a smile and placed a reassuring hand on his bicep, returning the pinch. “I was joking.” You quickly said. “I’d love to hang out with you.”

“Good.” Kung Lao replied, the glee returning to him. It was as if he hadn’t been affected by your question earlier at all. You weren’t sure if he had been acting or not, but you felt better seeing his smile. “I saw a lot of good food by the pier, I want to try them with you.” The former farmhand told you, beginning to lead the way to Sun Do.

“As long as we get to go around looking for one last gift.” You piped up, following him to the way to the city. Kung Lao looked back, a small look of surprise on his face.

“I thought you had been out yesterday with Kenshi to find the last gift?” Kung Lao asked. His eyes darted behind you, most likely gazing at where the others were before his eyes settled on you again. “By all means, I don’t mind. I know I have perfect taste.” He shot you a grin, making you chuckle and shake your head at his antics.

“I had been, and yes, I did find a gift. But I wanted to get something else too.” You informed the man with the razor hat. At this admission, his interest was piqued. He leaned over to you, his voice dropping to a whisper as if you were swapping a secret.

“Oh really now?” Kung Lao spoke, his voice dripping with excitement. A gleam was in his eye, and you spotted his dimples become more prominent as his smile grew. Your lips pursed as you observed them, you weren’t certain how to feel about even the little details like dimples being the same between the two worlds. “Well, if it’s a gift for me you can just tell me now, I don’t mind.”

“It’s not a gift for you, it’s a gift for Lord Liu Kang.” You told Kung Lao. You watched as his lips pursed into a pout. A disappointed look crossed his face, though this one was more playful than the last time. “Don’t worry, I already got your gift for you.” A look of surprise, as if he wasn’t actually expecting a gift, appeared on his face. You let out another laugh and picked up the pace, walking a bit faster as the man paused.

“Wait, really?” He asked, perking up as he made a light jog to catch up to you. You simply sent him a small smile, watching him think over your words. “What is it? When am I going to get it?” Kung Lao asked, his questions firing off like rapid fire.

“I already ruined the surprise by telling you that I got you one.” You said, pointing at Kung Lao as you walked side by side down the road. “I think I have the right to keep the rest of it as a surprise, no?” The man hummed, head tilting upwards as he contemplated his words. Then he looked back at you with a mischievous look.

“I guess you do, but that won’t stop me from wildly guessing what you did get me.” Kung Lao pointed out. You nodded, letting out another laugh. You supposed that would be fair enough. It wasn’t as if you could stop his curiosity anyways.

The rest of the walk was filled with light chatter. With Kung Lao, it always felt as if you could talk with him for hours on end. You tried not to linger on that fact that it felt like you were talking to an old friend. You had to stop that train of thought, after all, this man in front of you wasn’t…your Kung Lao. It was someone else, even if they were all too similar.

For a bit of the day, both you and Kung Lao roamed around the docks. The air was filled with the scent of street food. It made your mouth water as you took in a deep breath. Glancing over to your companion, you swore you even spotted the man drooling. You found yourselves hopping around the area, tasting and taking food as you pleased.

“This is amazing.” Kung Lao said, seeming to be lost in bliss as he indulged in the fried foods. You couldn’t help but agree. There was something special about this food, and it wasn’t just how cheap it was for the quality. As you let the taste melt onto your tongue, you couldn’t help but ponder over the seasonings within the dish. Did these type of seasonings exist back in Earthrealm? Or only here. “You think you could recreate this?”

“Maybe.” You said, still mulling over the unique taste it held. “They have different spices here, so it might be hard to recreate it one to one in terms of flavor.” You blinked in surprise as a bit of food was held in front of your face. Leaning back a bit, you shot a look of confusion towards Kung Lao as he brought the food closer to you.

“Try it!” He encouraged, a wide grin on his face. You looked between the man and the morsel of food, trying to work out what to do. Then, you leaned forward and ate the food from his fingers. You savored it, nodding as you closed your eyes and contemplated the flavors. A small hum left your lips. That was good. As you opened your eyes, confusingly enough, you were met with Kung Lao being…slightly flustered?

“Are you good?”

“Hm?” Kung Lao said, snapping out of his little daze. His cheeks were still dusted light with a bit of pink as he let out a laugh. “Yes! I’m fine.” He told you, though there was still that little tone to his voice that you couldn’t quite pin down. You rose your eyebrows, but shrugged. “Would you make me some of this food?”

“If I figure it out, sure.” You told him, finding it hard to say no to the hopeful look he sent you. You grinned at him, a slightly wicked look in your eye. “You know, you do still owe me for losing that bet.” You couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh at the pout he sent your way. “Did you think I would forget, Kung Lao?”

“Maybe.” He mumbled, looking away from you with a faux innocent look. You sent him a narrowed gaze, shaking your head. “I promise I’ll hold up to our agreement.” He said, putting a hand on his heart, an earnest grin on his face. You smiled and pinched his bicep.

“Good, because otherwise if you don’t, I’ll make sure to talk to the monks about making your training regiment harder. And that’s on top of what I plan on making you do.” You informed him, a sly smirk on your lips. “But if you remind me, I think I’ll consider lessening your punishment.”

The both of you toured the area for a bit longer until you passed a store selling fabrics. You took pause as you walked past it, at first dismissing it. Then, a familiar shade of red caught your eye. You wandered over, feeling compelled to inspect it. Picking it up gently, you marveled at the fabric.

It was nothing special, to be honest. It was just a very vibrant red headband. And yet, as you held it in your hands, you felt emotional over it. You slowly rubbed the quality material between your fingers, a small smile on your lips. You felt Kung Lao’s presence beside you, and nearly jumped upon remembering that he was here.

“You’re planning on giving Lord Liu Kang a headband?” Your companion inquired. He squinted at it, processing the piece of fabric you were holding.

“I know it’s a simple gift, but it just…speaks to me.” You explained, returning your gaze back down to the headband. It was nearly uncanny how close it looked to the red headband that your friend would always wear. Ever since you remembered the accessory, you’ve missed seeing the man in it. You’ve never brought it up though, since you it was a little odd. “What do you think? Is it a silly gift?”

“No.” Kung Lao said, and you were a little surprised at the certainty in his voice. You looked up and over to him. On his face was a determined look, as if nothing could convince him that this was a bad idea. You were comforted by the look. “I think it’s the perfect gift actually, good find.”

You stared at Kung Lao for a few more moments. Your heart squeezed at the idea that this Kung Lao agreed with the headband fitting just so well for Liu Kang. For a moment, you were tempted to ask him why he thought so. Was it just the idea that Liu Kang would look good in red? Or was it…something else? And yet, despite your longing, you restrained yourself. You didn’t want to seem so…silly.

“Yeah, I think I will get this.” You agreed. You walked up to the naknadan who was manning the shop. You were delighted to see you had some money left over. Maybe you could keep it, as a reminder of your travels here. You took the headband, and folded it neatly, tucking it away. You felt proud of yourself, feeling accomplished for finding all the gifts you wanted for your friends.

After a bit more wandering around the city with Kung Lao, you both eventually return back to the palace. You weren’t certain if you were going to go to dinner after a day full of tasting food, but you might for the sake of being with your friends.

Before you could walk up the stairs into the palace, you stopped. You grabbed Kung Lao’s hand, stopping him in his tracks as well. You noted his hand, and how it still was as soft as it was when you had felt it when you had shook his hand. The former farmhand turned around, sending you a curious look, though there was a bit of a blush on his face.

You weren’t certain why seeing that pink hue on his cheeks was so pleasing to you.

“I just wanted to thank you for accompanying me today.” You said, smiling at him. You felt your hand squeeze his, though you didn’t consciously think about squeezing his hand. “I had a lot of fun going around and trying food with you. Sorry it took so long for me to have some time to hang out with you. I hope today was worth it.”

“It was fun.” Kung Lao replied, a grin on his lips now. It was lopsided, as usual. You couldn’t help the little sigh that left your lips. “If you really want to make up for it, you could always forget about our little bet-” He noted the little glare you sent his way, and his smile grew. “Kidding! Kidding! But if you did want to make up for it, I would not be opposed to hanging out with you more often.”

“I would not be opposed to that idea either.” You replied. You stood there for a moment more, before you turned to go grab one of the ring boxes from your bag. You turned, inspecting the boxes more to see if you grabbed the right one before you held it out to the man. “Here, the gift for you, like I told you earlier.”

Kung Lao plucked the box out of your outstretched hand. Almost hesitantly, he let go of your hand so he could open the box with his other hand. You watched as surprise overcame his features as he inspected the ring with the pink gem was sitting in the center of the box. He glanced back and forth between you and the ring. A soft look was on his face as he placed it on.

“I like it.” He said, admiring the ring as it adjusted to fit perfectly upon his. “I see it matches yours too. Now we’re doubly matching.” Kung Lao pointed out, pointing between both the rings and the dragon motifs you both had. A smile that was a little smug appeared on his lips. “Why pink though? Not that I mind.”

“We’re all going to match soon, it was a ring set.” You explained. looking down to the little ring that you had on your hand. “And yes, the necklace you gave me…” You paused, grabbing the necklace to feel it, “it honestly did inspire me, so thank you. As for pink, well…” You trailed off, thinking back.

For a while now, you’ve associated Kung Lao with cherry blossoms. At first, it was because of how often you saw the petals fall near him at the Wu Shi. It was almost as if he was a magnet for them. But now, with you memories, it only seemed right. Much like many other things, it seemed to be a constant between your lives.

“I think it just fits. It’s the pink of cherry blossoms, which I think are very fitting for you, you always seem to be covered in those petals.” You answered, looking into Kung Lao’s eyes. Another softer look appeared on his face as he heard your explanation.

“I think it fits too.” Kung Lao admitted, glancing back down to the ring on his hand. A grin spread across his face before he grabbed your hand. “Now let’s go, I don’t want to miss dinner.” His tone was dripping with excitement, despite how much you both had eaten earlier. You nearly stumbled to keep up with his quick pace, but you let out a small laugh as you tightened your grip onto his hand to adjust yourself.

Never change, Kung Lao.

Tonight was an especially beautiful night in the garden.

The stars seemed to shine a little brighter. The skies seemed to be a little more vibrant, the bits of the purple sky swirling with the dark colors of the night sky. Not a cloud was in sight to block any bit of the view on display for tonight. It was like looking at a piece of art, just for you.

You sighed as you sat alone on the bench in the Hanging Gardens. You weren’t even certain why you were out here. Princess Mileena was out on imperial duties…supposedly. She probably wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. You supposed that you didn’t need her in order to appreciate the garden, but you also couldn’t deny it felt awfully lonely out here without someone to accompany you.

You weren’t sure how you caught the movement while looking up at the sky, but you spotted someone out of the corner of your eye. At first, you perked up. Maybe she was back early and sought your presence here. But as you turned, the figure you saw walking around the gardens was not the princess you were expecting. No, it was someone else.

In fact, it was someone you didn’t even recognize.

A man walked through the gardens. He held himself with grace, an air of elegance surrounded him. His hair, long and neatly tied, cascaded down and fell down his shoulders. A small smile appeared on his lips as he toured the area. You spotted a gleam of gold, and looking down, you saw a golden amulet with a large red gem in the center hanging off his belt.

As you inspect the stranger, your eyes locked with his. A look of faint surprise appeared on his face, before a smile replaced it. He strode over, and for a moment you felt awkward. You hoped you didn’t leave a bad first impression on this man.

“Hello there.” The man said, stopping a little bit away from you. One of his hands gestured to the spot next to you. “Are you waiting on someone?” He asked, his voice smooth just like honey was. You glanced at the spot, thinking of the princess for a moment, before shaking your head. Gracefully, he sat beside you. “I don’t think we’ve met, to whom do I have the pleasure?”

“We haven’t met.” You confirmed, nodding. You told him your name, eyes scanning the man up and down. No matter how much you inspected him, you could not glean anything from him. If anything, the slight buzzing in your head almost seemed to quell around him. Your lips pursed. Seems you’ve never met this man before in your previous life. “I’m just here for the tournament. I’m from Earthrealm, actually, I’m accompanying Lord Liu Kang and his companions.”

“Oh, the tournament. I had nearly forgotten about that.” The man said, his hands neatly folding in his lap. “I have been so awfully busy carrying out requests for the Empress, I have not had the time to observe. In fact, I’ve only come back tonight just to gather some materials before I go back to my laboratory. A shame, I would have loved to watch.”

“It has been rather exciting, our champion has nearly won all of the matches so far.” You said, trying not to outwardly brag to this stranger. You paused, thinking to the words he said. “You said you had a laboratory, are you a sorcerer, or a mage of some sort?” You asked, thinking back to how Rain had a laboratory of sorts within the Imperial Academy.

“I am.” The stranger replied. The smile on his lips grew slightly as he nodded. “I have the pleasure of being part of the royal court. As much of a privilege it is, it is labor intensive at times, I must admit.” He scanned you, looking up and down. “You sounded quite excited about that prospect, are you interested in magic?”

“I suppose I am.” You admitted. You lifted your hand, shifting it to display a webbed frog hand. “Though I’m from Earthrealm, I have some magic of my own. Back there, we don’t really have magic schools, it’s more commonly thought of as a myth there.” A small hum left the man’s lips as he nodded along. His hands locked in on your limb as it displayed the little feat of magic. If you weren’t mistaken, it almost seemed like he was quite impressed with the little display.

“Fascinating.” The stranger said, a tone in his voice you couldn’t quite place. Admiration, perhaps? That was the closest thing you could think of. “You can shapeshift, that’s your magic?” He asked, double checking your abilities with you. You blinked, nodding as you changed your hand once more, this time into a horse’s hoof. “Just animals, or are you capable of shifting into humanoids as well?”

“Just animals, I think. I’ve never really tried to transform into another humanoid, really.” You told him. You transformed your arm back, taking some time to mull over his question. You’ve never really…thought about humanoid transformation. Your magic was instinctual, so you’ve never really put much thought into it.

Was it possible? You’d have to explore that idea later.

“I think I’ve heard of you.” The man said. You blinked in surprise, furrowung your eyebrows as you looked at the man suspiciously. You doubted you have too much of a reputation to have random strangers hear of you before. “My colleague, Rain, has mentioned you before, I believe?” He said. You blinked, before you remembered.

Hadn’t Rain mentioned a sorcerer with talents like yours?

“Oh, Rain?” You said, repeating the name. The man nodded. “Ah, you must be the court sorcerer he mentioned!” You told him, a smile now across your features. You tried to think of his name, but found yourself coming up short. Ah, he had been interrupted before he said the name, didn’t he? You sent him an awkward smile. “Sorry, I don’t think he mentioned your name, what was it?”

“My name is Shang Tsung.” The sorcerer said, his smile growing more as he nodded. From the corner of your eye, you swore your saw the red gem in his amulet gleam for just a moment as he introduced himself. Must be the moonlight reflecting off. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“It is an honor to meet you too, Shang Tsung.” You said. The name rolled easily off your tongue. You folded your hands on your lap. “Would you do me a favor?” You asked, tilting your head as you looked at the man. His eyebrows rose, but the charismatic, polite look remained on his face as he nodded. “Could you tell me about magic? I love to hear about it.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

And that night, you think you made a new friend.

tagged - @bonezisded @lollipopin @simpxinnie @zhivaxo @koisuko

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billietherock · 3 months ago

Text

There was no Weirdmageddon (pt6)

By Billietherock

(Gore Warning)

Chapter 2 (pt3)- Deal

Bill was so mad he could barely speak. Did Stanford Pines, some shut in who can barely speak to another person just shut Bill Cipher down? Why yes he did. Stanford shifts his weight from one foot to another, a little nervous for what would happen next.

“My thought was, well you could prove it first? Like how serious you are about this whole thing since… I’m putting my mind and body on the line and you have nothing to lose from this… deal…” he notices how red Bill was becoming.

“Serious?” Bill mutters,” You think I’m not serious?!”

Ford shakes his hands in front of him as Bill grows to immense size,” no no, I never said you weren’t serious. I just want you to prove that me giving you free reign of my body isn’t a massive mistake!”

Bill grabs Ford and glares at him,” I HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT HELPFUL AND ENCOURAGING TO YOU. WHAT MORE PROOF DO YOU NEED?!”

Ford couldn’t speak, Bill was choking the life out of him. Bill’s anger turns to annoyance as he shrinks back down, giving Ford room to breathe. Ford takes a few wheezy breaths as he collapses onto his knees.

“Haha I get it. Except, I don’t.” He folds his arms,” what’s your plan here Fordsy. Are you going to make me cut off my arm or something?”

Ford shakes his head,” it should be easy for you. All I want you to do,” he wheezes,” is show up on my doorstep. Simple, then in return I’ll take you to do human activities.”

He takes a few more breaths before he returns to his feet,” I just want you to prove you’re just as serious as me, and you’re willing to listen. And uh maybe, if you're feeling adventurous… help out in the lab… like physically?”

Bill was still angry, he was angry that some human would call him out like this… put him in a tough spot.

“ I can just find another scientist, Stanford Pines. I don’t have to be your muse anymore.” But they both knew there wasn’t really anyone else, not with Ford so close to the portal’s completion.

There is a long pause, both the scientist and the demon lost in their own thoughts. The scientist hoping that lessons he learned from Stanley as a teen would pay off. The demon because he was insulted and humiliated in the span of five minutes, but more intrigued then he ever had been before.

“ I just have to show up at your doorstep, Sixer?”

Ford nods,” yes. Then I’ll take you for a night in the city, you can even pick where we get to eat. After that I would be more open to letting you use my body more often.” He smiles at the end, as if that would make Bill feel any better.

If looks could kill, Stanford knew he’d be dead where he stood. The look that Bill was giving him showed nothing but malice and contempt, Stanford figured this would happen at some point, Bill is a demon after all, but he still wasn’t prepared for when it actually did. When Bill went feral.

Bill looks at his own hand and then at Stanford, then back at his own hand and then at Stanford. He snaps his fingers.

Stanford wakes up, his neck felt sore like he has whiplash or something. He noticed fresh blood under his fingernails. He scrambles to look in a mirror or some other reflective surface, but all he found was that machine in the corner. It however worked for his purposes.

He sees that his neck is covered in scratch marks, and already bruising horribly. He notices a stinging in his knees and sees blood starting to leak through his jeans. His hands hurt from what he assumed to be how hard he was choking himself. He looked like he was just possessed and in all honesty he probably was, and he should have expected it.

He sighs, and left to go clean himself up, but just then he steps on… a pen. He kneels down painfully to pick up the pen, and then notices a piece of paper with a bloody hand print. He looks at his right hand and notices how bloody it seemed to be… it may have explained the scratches on his neck. He turns the paper over and gasps almost immediately, reeling from the pain.

Quickly drawn in the corner was Bill. Stanford smiles a little, this was something he had to document, a possession with other evidence besides mutilation, this was fantastic news. What was better was the few sentences next to the drawing of Bill.

It read,

“Dear Sixer

You have your deal

Don’t ever do that again

Next time you do you won’t be called Sixer

See you soon

Bill Cipher”

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sircantus · 2 months ago

Note

LIFE IS STRANGE AU??

Can we get to know more about it, sir Cantus🙏

I can offer a snippet!! Its a crimeboys au, mostly from phils Pov according to my plot points, the basic summary is that Tommy has telekinesis powers, he causes Problems when running away from his foster home with Wilbur, him and Wil go on the run, and then they get picked up by Techno, who is not Exactly a man of the law but takes decent care of them. things at some point go sideways and Wilbur gets separated and put into a hospital for Injuries, and Phil is the person who has to try and gain his trust to figure out what the fuck has been going on (until bedrock bros to come and break him out haha)

Its mostly based off the second game of Life is Strange, bc i rly love the brothers story and i also really like that aspect of an outsider pov trying to understand whats going on (and trying to believe it)

—

Summary:

Phil leans forward, pen now discarded beside Wilbur’s lap. He’s been looking at Wil this entire time, really, but now it feels a little heavier. A bit too much to bear.

“I would like you to be honest with me.” The man says, voice soft. “If you want to be.”

Wilbur presses his lips tightly shut, thinking of Tommy’s smiling face, the leaves floating up around his hair, the sun in their eyes.

“I’d be willing to listen.”

(Or, Phil has heard plenty of stories from mistreated kids. It’s his job to open them up and help. This story is… maybe out of his skill set.)

(Or, or, life is strange AU. Wilbur is just trying to protect his little brother from everything he can, in any way he can. Phil just wants to try and protect him.)

—

And here is a snippet of the first few paragraphs!

—

Wilbur Soot. Sixteen. Brother of Tommy Soot, ten years old, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

Both brothers are suspected to have had involvement in multiple instances of property damage across four different towns. Wilbur Soot is suspected to have had involvement in the mysterious, fiery death of their previous foster parent, Dream Taken, who was found dead at the scene at their previous residence.

For the past four months, legal enforcement has had trouble catching them as they run up and down the state. There have recently been scattered reports of an adult man now traveling with them; caucasian, pink dyed hair, tattoos on his right arm. No one has been able to pinpoint who that particular stranger is, though.

No one has been able to figure out where he took Tommy after the peculiar explosion that occurred in the quiet, forest town of l’manburg.

Wilbur is apparently outright refusing to talk. Phil doesn’t blame him.

The hospital setting isn’t something that provides comfort, to be honest, and with all the doctors and nurses prodding at Wil with a wariness like he’ll bite if they step too close. It's a wonder the kid hasn’t done much other than scowl for the past three days. Phil does his best to never set up expectations in his head before he sees his patients-- kids can always be so much different than you’d assume, after all-- but Wilbur’s file in his hands tells a story.

Suspected murder. Involvement in multiple explosions, multiple fires, multiple buildings crashing down into dust. Wherever this kid went with his little brother, destruction followed on his heels. On the day they were finally able to bring him in, pulling him from the rubble, he came kicking and screaming, even with his broken ribs and internal bleeding. Rumor around the halls says he gave one of the doctors a black eye when he woke up from the first surgery. The handcuff on his wrist to keep him confined to his hospital bed has stayed there ever since.

By all accounts, Wil is a dangerous, violent criminal, one who isn’t partial to conversation. Phil should probably expect an instant failure the second he walks into this room.

A failure isn’t what he sees when he comes through the door, though.

He sees a scared kid.

—

Aaand thats all im gonna give bc im self conscious about the rest of that story haha!! But yeah its meant to be long bonding arc with Phil and Wilbur in the hospital environment, with Phil kinda having this pressure behind him to get an Answer and Wilbur refusing to Speak bc how could he believe him? Would he even? Tommy has superpowers, thats not even something that would be safe for others to know.

Eventually Wilbur does tell him the whole story, hoping Phil will believe it and Phil…doesnt, but he doesn’t show that. He thinks Wil is a bit traumatized actually but then Tommy and Techno come back to yoink Wilbur and Phil sees he was telling the truth and ends up going with them bc he wants to help, he really does

Also the title is pretty plain, life is strange au haha yup

#sircantus asks #sbi

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seangelfish · 9 months ago

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"Can you peel me an orange?" (w/ BAE)

Featured Characters: Allen Sugasano, Hajun Yeon, Anne Faulkner ♡ Tags: Fluff, established relationships, no mention of pronouns ♡ Word count: 1,184 ♡ Synopsis: Inspired by the Orange Peel test that's going around the internet lately, but this time with BAE! Click here for Kanata's version.

🍊 ALLEN SUGASANO

It was around 10pm when you asked him to peel you an orange. You had gotten this idea from a video Anne showed you, so you were curious about how Allen would react especially when he was busy writing new music.

But you did feel kind of bad asking him to do this now, when he was so concentrated and in his element. However, you knew this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

"...Huh?" Confusion was scribbled on his face, but he didn't put his pen down, so you assumed he wasn't listening.

"Allen, could you please peel me an orange?" you repeated.

Still not stopping his rhythm, he replied, "What...? Why can't you do it?"

You could tell he was just genuinely confused by how his eyebrows were raised.

"Are your hands okay?" he continued, looking up at you. "Let me see them–"

"What? No, they're fine!" you laughed. "It's okay, you don't have to."

You weren't too upset at his reaction to this test. After all, he was busy and 'in his zone', so you decided to just leave it at that.

Allen stopped for a moment as if he was thinking about something. If he rejected your request, would you be disappointed in him? Maybe your hands do hurt, but you didn't want to admit it. Or perhaps it was just something a boyfriend should do for his lover? 'Yeah, it's probably that...' he thought.

He stood up from his seat and headed over to the kitchen. He grabbed an orange and washed it before peeling it. He was rather quiet about it as if he was pouring all his concentration on this one simple task.

"Well, here you go, (Y/N)!" he exclaimed happily once he was finished peeling. "That was random, but I hope you enjoy!"

You instantly smiled at this, appreciating how cute and kind your boyfriend was. "Thank you, Allen," you said softly. "I love you."

"Mm, no problem! I love you too, (Y/N)."

Allen was already back in his seat, scribbling away at his notebook. You couldn't just leave him here to himself after he kindly accepted your request, so you kept him company the whole night, feeding him pieces of your orange before drifting into a peaceful slumber.

🍊 HAJUN YEON

You had just returned home from a long day of work, annoyed but still upbeat. After all, your boyfriend Hajun was here to greet you with one of his sweetest smiles.

"Ah, welcome back, (Y/N). How's your day been?" he asked you, looking up from a sheet of paper that he was previously scanning.

"It could've been better," you answered with a yawn.

However, this time, Hajun didn't greet you with his usual hugs or kisses. You wondered why until you noticed the orange he was eating.

"Hmm... I want an orange too," you said nonchalantly.

"Sure, go ahead and get one."

"Aw, but Hajun... could you not peel one for me, please~?" you playfully begged as you clasped your hands together in a way to get him to oblige. "I've been having a rough day so it would be nice if you could do that for me!"

You were just joking, but when Hajun wouldn't move from his seat and then stated you could peel an orange yourself because 'you were perfectly capable of doing so', it ticked you off.

"Come on, Hajun... You're my boyfriend..."

"Are you really that dependent on me, (Y/N)? Haha, how cute..."

He was clearly making fun of you with his lighthearted jokes. You just weren't in the mood for that today and because of that, you got easily irritated. You didn't really want to go back and forth with him even if it was playful banter either.

“Here, an orange for you to peel yourself~” Hajun continued to joke.

You stared annoyingly at the orange he tried to give you. You rolled your eyes in response, preparing to make your leave to your room.

"Why couldn't you just peel me an orange...?" you muttered to yourself. Hajun had caught that, but before he could reply, you were already in your room.

You laid yourself on your bed, groaning into your pillow. “He’s so annoying!” you yelled, your sounds muffled by the cotton.

“Who’s annoying?” asked Hajun as he opened your door.

“You obviously.”

He chuckled and sat beside you on your bed. “Are you really that upset I didn’t peel you an orange?” he questioned, stroking your hair softly. “Is that what you really want?”

You didn’t respond.

“Please look up, (Y/N).”

You groaned again but obliged. As you lifted your head, you noticed a bowl of oranges in front of you, peeled and separated.

“There you go. An orange peeled just for you~”

You couldn’t stay mad at him. A giggle escaped your lips. Throwing a pillow at your boyfriend which he caught with his face, you finally said, “You’re so annoying, but thank you.”

As you happily began eating the oranges, Hajun watched you attentively. Maybe he should peel you more fruits from now on if that's what makes you happy.

But not after teasing you, of course!

🍊 ANNE FAULKNER

It was a chill day where you and Anne lazed around on the couch together, scrolling through your phones. A particular video had caught your eye and so you decided to test your partner on it.

"I'm hungry..." you groaned.

“Okay! Then I’ll tell Hajun to cook something up for us!” exclaimed Anne.

“No, you can’t!” you quickly refused. You didn't want to disturb Hajun especially when he had already cooked lunch for everyone a few hours ago.

"Well, you know I can't cook," said Anne.

"I know you can't," you teased which resulted in Anne tickling you in response. "Hahaha! Could you just give me an orange?"

"Haha, sure thing, love."

They jumped off the couch and walked towards the kitchen. You waited not more than a minute for them to come back to you with an orange.

Now this was the best time for you to drop the question. To ask them to peel that orange for you. The video that caught your interest earlier mentioned the orange peel test where you tested your partner in doing a simple task for you. You wondered whether Anne would peel you an orange or not. You didn't doubt that they would though, but it didn't hurt to try.

You began, "Oh, Anne, could you–"

Yet they interrupted you. "Wait a minute," they said.

You watched them in surprise when they started peeling the orange in front of you. Even when they kind of struggled with it, you watched your partner in awe and love. Anne would peel an orange for you without being asked to.

"Okay, done~" they sang. "Here, love. Say ahhh~"

You giggled, playing along to their game.

"Ahhh~" you repeated as Anne plopped a piece into your mouth. It was sweet just like your partner who smiled at you brightly.

"You passed the test!" you exclaimed, eating yet another piece that Anne fed you.

"Hmm? What test?" they asked curiously.

"Hehe, don't worry about it~"

Intro page | Paradox Live masterlist | Request rules

#paradox live x reader #paralive x reader #bae x reader #bae headcanons #paralive imagines #paradox live imagines #allen sugasano x reader #hajun yeon x reader #anne faulkner x reader #x y/n #paradox live fic #paralive fic #x reader

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luminouslywriting · 6 months ago

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Chapter 5 (Mastermind)—MOTA Fic

A/N: No one asked for Bucky's opinion on things, but here we are anyways haha. That being said, I hope you enjoy the developing (kind of) friendship that they have going on! As always, let me know what you think!

Surprise inspections left the men more annoyed and frazzled than they had already been previously. Still, Ruth was surprised with the men and the way that they put up with Huglin’s inspection. Huglin had certainly been expecting more men to receive citations rather than just one very late crew, but Ruth supposed that was because he was looking to be a hardass.

In truth, Ruth considered these men to be very lucky, all things considered. They had an Air Executive who genuinely wanted them to succeed and also rewarded their obedience and successes as it came. If Huglin had been their Air Executive, they would have never left the ground.

Be that as it may, Huglin was good at his actual job, which was being a Commanding Officer and Colonel on Thorpe Abbotts. In the following days, Ruth found herself trying and failing yet again to write a letter to her family members.

Quite frankly, she didn’t feel she had much to say in the way of the truth and she didn’t particularly love writing lies to her family members to reassure them. Writing to Jonah and John was easy—they alone knew of her deployment with the JAG-Corp, but that was because she felt it necessary where she could end up in some sort of court case that they could hear of.

My dear brother Jonah,

I hope this letter reaches you in good health. I know things haven’t been great for you as of late and you haven’t received much correspondence from the others. I’ve heard that John is doing well in the Navy and isn’t far from the coast of England.

Stay dry and try to keep yourself cool out there. I want you to take care of yourself and your men. You and I, we’re a little too self-sacrificial at times. So I’m asking you not to be. Take care of yourself. You’re my brother and I pray every day that you’re kept safe.

As for myself, I asked for a transfer and have found it to be—well, interesting. It’s certainly not where I used to be and to be quite honest, I had more friends there than I have here. I think that’s part of the reason why I didn’t want to be there anymore. War isn’t a time for friends, as you well know. And if I’m going to do my part, then I need to stay focused. That being said, I also broke things off in an effort to keep my head up. I’m sure you’re probably shaking your head at that, considering in your last letter you referred to me as ‘Old Maid Ruthie’ (which I found very rude, for the record). But I felt like I had to do it.

I miss you most days. I’m on my own here, completely and totally. It’s a strange thing, coming from home and being so surrounded by family at all times and then to be totally and completely alone. I’m sure you feel the same. So know that I’m with you, wherever you are. And may the angels guide you safely back home.

All my love,

Ruthie

For a long moment, all Ruth could do was stare at the letter that she had penned out. Before Pearl Harbor, all Ruth could possibly think about was getting out of her parent’s home and getting some space and quiet from her family. With seven kids, all of whom had larger than life personalities and ideas, it was hard to feel like an actual human being at times. Especially since she was always helping with the younger kids and constantly on display from her parents, who just wanted her to settle down, of all things.

But now? Now Ruth wasn’t so certain she should have been so hasty to want to leave. It was crushingly and damningly lonely, being here on another continent all by herself. Granted, she had enjoyed the freedom that it had provided her. But never staying in one place long enough to make meaningful connections was hard .

Contrary to popular belief, Ruth actually did like people. If she didn’t, she never would have become a lawyer in the first place.

People were so complicated and complex though. It was maddening, if you thought about it long enough. No one ever stuck by their moral compass and people tended to change just when you thought you could depend on them. It was the sole reason why she was needed . And Ruth liked to feel needed. Like to feel as though people were depending on her, like to feel as though she was contributing something valuable to the world.

“You know, you’re always writing something, but I can’t tell if you’re happy about it or miffed,” Helen said in a sing-song tone, catching Ruth’s attention.

“An in-between?” Ruth glanced from her spot on her bed over at Helen, who was boredly flipping through an old magazine. “Writing to my family is a…complicated matter.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” Helen agreed, shaking her head. “Unless you’re Tatty, of course.”

Tatty gave a snort from her own bunk, laser-focused on adjusting the nail polish on one of her nails that had chipped. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It’s not!” Helen reassured. “You just like writing your family.”

“Siblings?” Ruth questioned.

Tatty’s look of concentration shifted as her tongue poked out of her mouth in annoyance. The nail brush had just painted over the skin on the edges of her nail. “All girls for my dad, I’m afraid. We all write to each other every week.”

“That’s sweet,” Ruth said. “I think I’d die if I had all sisters. What about you, Helen?”

“A brother, but we’re not very close,” Helen gave a shrug. “How many siblings do you have, Ruthie?”

“Six. Three sisters, three brothers. I prefer my brothers since they’re not as concerned about my life-decisions as my sisters are,” Ruth nearly snorted.

“Well that’s sweet that they care!” Helen insisted.

“Right,” Ruth replied in a light sarcastic tone. “It’s sweet when you’re consistently bothered about marrying before your womb dries up and dies of old age.”

“You can’t be that much older than us,” Tatty gave a giant roll of her eyes, blowing to speed up the drying process of her nails.

“25.”

Helen snorted. “That’s not old at all! Ugh, besides,” she continued, a grin slipping onto her face. “It’s kinda fun being over here and getting to know so many men!”

“Sure, getting to know them is one thing,” Tatty shook her head.

“But falling in love sounds like a damn fool’s errand,” Ruth agreed.

“You two are such cynics,” Helen declared.

“I prefer the term realistic,” Ruth corrected, nudging Helen with her foot. “But if you find a nice man, I’ll certainly attempt to live vicariously through you.”

“Noted.”

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

Ruth was half-convinced she was never going to actually see the Hundredth fly an actual mission—mostly due to the fact that the month of June consisted of them training every day rather than actually going out. She supposed it was a necessary feat, given the fact that they likely needed to memorize the route home and ensure that they knew how Huglin preferred missions to be run. Still, Ruth wasn’t bored by any means. Knowing her law-background, Huglin was also using her as a legal consultant on missions, specifically in regards to war crimes and what was considered allowable.

The past three days though? Ruth had been busy in consultations over the upcoming bombing of Bremen. It wasn’t unheard of for her to consult back in Aldbourne for some of the missions beyond the paratroopers.

But she had never been so actively involved in helping make plans for something such as this. It required a careful study of the landscape, consulting with the Group Navigator and pulling in various intelligence officers to consult as they discussed the legality of the target that they were hitting.

Bremen was a long-shot and they all knew it. It was going to be incredibly difficult to get that far inland into Germany without heavy casualties and heavy resistance on the side of the Germans. Ruth wasn’t sure it was a good idea to begin with—maybe if the Allied Forces had more land that they were occupying, she could see that it was a good idea. But as of right now, it seemed like a suicide run if she had ever heard of one.

She almost found it a little cruel, the way that they prepared a special breakfast for the men. She knew it was likely going to be the last meal for several of the men. But that didn’t stop her from feeling like it was a cruel thing to do, given the fact that they’d be up in the air in a few hours and food would be the last thing on their minds then.

Once, back when she was in school, Ruth had attended and been able to sit in on a particular case for an inmate on Death Row. He had claimed that he was innocent and the lawyer she was shadowing had met with him no less than five times before his day had arrived. Ruth had talked kindly with the man for a moment—and he had mentioned that the food on Death Row was always something good.

It seemed a strange thing then. Now it just seemed cruel and made too much sense to her.

Somehow, and she wasn’t quite sure how, except for maybe her current state of mental exhaustion clearly being the prevalent force in her mind, Ruth had been talked into watching Meatball for the day.

As soon as the men had taken off, Ruth had decided to go on a run. Running had always been a safe-space for her, something that helped her focus and clear her head, and it especially helped with anxious feelings. And considering that the men had decided against her advice to not bomb Bremen—using her literally as a consult—Ruth was anxious about the state of affairs that this would leave everyone in.

There was also the fact that Colonel Huglin was going up with his men. She couldn’t say that she found him to be particularly likable, but the fact that he was flying with the men said a lot about him.

Meatball barked as he ran alongside her and a warm summer breeze ripped through the treeline as Ruth turned the corner. Her lungs burned and her legs pumped, muscles beginning to stretch in a way that they hadn’t in a long time. She took in everything as she ran—the trees, the barracks, the runway, the sun beginning to rise—and then she let everything else out that was trapped inside.

I’m just a woman who no one listens to—mother was right, a female lawyer won’t be respected unless I make them respect me.

Winters and his stupidly kind way of telling her that she was a wall of stone—well damn him, she had painstakingly and carefully made the wall of stone herself and she’d be damned before she let anyone take it down without her permission. Even a man as kind and noble as he was—it was not enough to be those things. She wasn’t sure anyone would be enough for that.

Everything she did was intentional and she was a credit to her profession. If she wanted something, then she’d make it happen.

The thoughts ate away at her like some sort of weed growing in her chest. Before she could so much as scowl at her own brain, her gaze had caught onto someone pacing back and forth between the barracks. Ruth couldn’t help the fact that she stopped short—gaze scrutinizing the situation ahead of her.

Air Executive Bucky Egan was going back and forth, mumbling something under his breath and shaking his head. She wondered how long he had been like that and if it had been the entire time that the men had been gone. She didn’t get a chance to wonder long. Meatball ran straight up to Bucky Egan and began nuzzling at his hand, nearly scaring the man half out of his wits at the sudden sight of Ruth and Meatball.

Oh Ruth was sorely going to regret this, she just knew it. “Are you just pacing back and forth?” Ruth blurted, narrowing her gaze.

He just let out a tired sigh. “Can we not do this right now, Sharpe?”

She stared at him for a long moment before just shaking her head at him. “No.”

“No?” Bucky choked out in surprise.

“No,” Ruth repeated again. She tilted her head at him. “I’m probably going to hate myself for this—and this is not my way of trying to get close to you,” she emphasized the latter portion. “But you should come running with me.”

“Running?” Bucky crinkled his face in distaste. “I’d rather—”

“Drink yourself into a stupor? That would be an infraction for you and seeing as how you already are on thin ice with Huglin, I don’t think you should risk that,” Ruth gave a sickly sweet smile at him. “So stop spiraling about your men and focus on something else.”

Bucky just stared at the ground for a long moment, hands firmly on his hips as he considered the ultimatum. “Damnit, you really are just annoying as hell , you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”

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

Bucky didn’t like the fact that it took actual effort to keep up with Lieutenant Ruth Sharpe. She was damn fast and had barely spared him a glance since starting this little running spree of theirs. Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the woman.

She said she didn’t want to make friends with anyone, but then extended an olive branch when he was clearly stressed out. She gave the men a warning about the surprise inspection and she was clearly on good enough terms with Benny DeMarco to be watching his beloved dog, Meatball. But then she was constantly threatening everyone and making it really hard to find any sort of downtime enjoyable.

When the two of them finally came to a stop, lightly breathing and standing on the runway as the sun was finally higher up in the sky, Bucky could barely form the words. He was by no means out of shape, but Ruth was a workhorse when it came to running.

“How—how do you do this for fun?” Bucky questioned.

Ruth piqued a brow. “Fun? No, no, when I want to have fun, I go dancing or find myself a band to play with. Running, I do that out of spite.”

He blinked once, then twice. “What?”

She shifted her weight, stretching her arms out. “Back in school, there were a bunch of boys who kept on bragging about how fast they were and how no girls could beat their records. I got tired of hearing them constantly talk about themselves so I tried out for track, made the team, and then beat the state record for the boys.”

Bucky almost laughed except he was certain that she would have had half a mind to punch him. “Spite is your motivation?”

“When it comes to men, yes.”

“You know what I think?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” Ruth replied dryly.

“I think you need to get laid. Like—badly,” Bucky just gestured at all of her, shaking his head. “Because all of this,” he waved his hand at her. “Cannot be good for your health.”

“Interesting take,” Ruth didn’t blink. “Counter-offer? I’ll get laid when you get sober.”

“Ouch. But that’s a fair point, I guess. Now why the hell did you want me to go running? It’s hot and—”

Ruth just gestured back at the tower. “Because your boys are due back within the hour. By my calculations, you have just enough time to clean yourself up and be ready for them to show up. You’re not drunk and that means you can actually attend to the needs of your men. Consider it a gift to the Hundredth.”

He could only blink as she took off running again—and he was left there standing with a slightly ajar jaw. “Manipulative and rude and cares about the men…what a bunch of bullshit lawyerly—”

#mota #mota fanfic #masters of the air fanfic #mastersoftheair #masters of the air #oc originalfemalecharacters #rosie rosenthal #robert rosenthal x oc #rosie rosenthal x oc

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mysteriouslyjovialcolor · 16 days ago

Text

Hungary 2017

-“One point between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton”

-This circuit is shaped so weirdly

-Ferrari row 1 lockout!!! Then Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren. Very nice!

-“Behind Sebastian Vettel, some excellent starters as well. The likes of Max Verstappen, only when he’s been taken out by other cars at the start of the season, has he not made up places from the lights out”

-Aah Sebastian leading, Lewis losing places, Carlos making up places,Daniel spinning out!!!

-Not even one lap and there’s a safety car

-“Someone hit me..if that’s who I think it was” Eeeh that’s uncomfortable

-Everyone started off good, and then Max had a lockup and then Daniel got hit :(

-“For the first time ever, there has been a safety car on lap one in the Hungarian Grand Prix, for the first time ever Daniel Ricciardo is out in the first lap of a Grand Prix, for the first time ever the man on pole has lead the first lap of the Hungarian Grand Prix”

-“The two Force Indias came together as well” haha

-Kevin: “If you can do what Hulkenburg did to Grosjean, it’s going to be a dirty race”

-Lewis vs Max and Carlos vs Alonso!

-“Some canny defending from Max Verstappen there” That was actually very fast thinking from him

-Both younger drivers making their positions stick

-Oh angry Daniel in the pit wall

-10s penalty for Max (I’m getting flashbacks)

-Yellow flag?

-“The Ferrari’s just pulling away into the distance”

-Lol is this just 2017’s Mexico 2024 race? If Valterri somehow overtakes Kimi and this goes from a Ferrari 1-2 to a 1-3, I’m going to assume it is

-“Okay okay leave me alone” Carlos getting heated

-Not the Mercs having IT issues 💀

-Are the Ferrari’s going to race???

-Actually, probably not good for the championship

-Although Sebastian coming 2nd, still wouldn’t compromise his championship at this point very much

-But, maybe not the best in the long run

-I don’t know what I’m saying, I just want them to go wheel to wheel since Kimi does look faster

-Are the Mercedes going to race?

-“What the ***** is wrong with this Williams? If he cannot stay behind then he should stay in the reporting stuff.” Cold, Kimi, cold

-It’s fun when Alonso and Carlos battle it out

-“They love to find themselves on the same bit of tarmac don’t they, these two”

-“If Ferrari want to win this race, surely the best thing they can do at this moment is let Kimi Raikonnen past his teammate but in the championship battle the last thing that Sebastian Vettel is going to stand for is losing any more points than he has to”

-My ramblings before weren’t too far off after all

-Dude this is really giving Mexico 2024

-Kimi saying that if he doesn’t start pushing he’s going to be caught by the Mercedes

-Honestly after that penalty, Max still came out p5, it could’ve been worse (he could’ve had a 20s penalty and come out p16)

-Haha the IT problem at Merc got fixed and instantly Lewis laid out everything he wanted to say before that he couldn’t

-“Okay man look, I got a lot of pace, now let me use it” “And this radio stuff sucks, my last tires were perfect, I could’ve kept going” “Just let me know when I can race Valterri”

-Ahaha Lewis catching Kimi now, this is giving major deja vu

-Bloody hell, they messed up Nico’s pit stop

-“Lewis will let you go by (Valterri), if he can’t go past Raikonnen” interesting, that’s a factor that wasn’t present in Mexico 2024

-“Verstappen still the fastest car on track” That, unfortunately, also wasn’t present in Mexico 2024

-Aaah is Kimi going to go for it??

-Never mind, that both got stuck in traffic (Right where Nico and Kevin are racing it out, not fun)

-“I’m going to ruin my tires even more. Is this what we’re going to do for the rest of the race?” Why won’t they just let him go past?? (I know why, I’m still going to question it)

-✨George Russel✨

-“He said it’s be a dirty race” “He wanted to join it” Haha Kevin

-Charles in the Ferrari garage>>>

-“Red Bull, back out there in the fight again””I mean he’s 10s off the lead and he had a 10s penalty!”

-Max threatening Valterri, so now Mercedes scrambling, wondering if they should swap the teammates now or not

-Don’t know if he’s actually going to overtake Valterri, nobody seems to be able to overtake anyone for the past ten laps

-Ferrari 1-2!!!

-Oh wow the Mercedes actually swapped

-Aww does Sebastian say “Forza Ferrari” every time he wins with them? Cute

-Him being so animated in the cooldown room>>

-Him dancing on the podium>>

-Ahaha Fernando taking the podium in, sitting on a deck chair by the cars

-“Kimi there is a huge Finish support here, maybe a couple words in Finish for your fans before we get back to English?”

“Well I think they all understand English”

I love him your honor 😭😂

#f1 #formula 1 #formula one #Hungary 2017 #sebastian vettel #kimi raikkonen #valterri bottas #lewis hamilton #max verstappen #fernando alonso #checo perez #esteban ocon #nico hulkenberg #daniel ricciardo #carlos sainz #charles leclerc #george russell #kevin magnussen #romain grosjean

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brisquad-unit-4402 · 1 year ago

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IM LOSING IT OVER YOUR RECENT IKE FIC. LIKE OH MY GOD. its so sweet and heartwrenching i felt just as nervous and anxious as reader the entire time, and when ike reciprocated my heart MELTED AHHH his freckles!!! how kind and beautiful he is, and his confusion turning into acceptance and his SQUEALSSS AAAA. i cant take it this is my fav ike and probably luxiem fic of all time. all of your hard work paid off so well, it was so well structured and emotional and everyone felt so real!! like they arent characters, theyre actual people!!

ahh, now i wish i knew ike's perspective during those stream moments and his reaction to pen and paper ship content HAHA. i imagine he swiftly bookmarks it on his private account but he keeps blushing and his hands shake whenever he sees any fanart WAAAH. maybe one time he sees pen and paper kissing and he cant properly look at the notifications from reader's chat without FLUSHING RED i love them so bad

i love whenever i'm reading a fanfic and it's so sweetly emotional that you feel your own emotions kicking in. so whenever i hear my work has that effect on someone else it's one of the nicest feelings in the world and WHAT DO YOU MEAN FAVORITE IKE AND/OR LUXIEM FIC EVER. that's super high praise thank youuuuu sobsobsob

i mean this is the kindest most /posi way possible but "they aren't charcters, they're actual people" is the scariest compliment i've ever heard. like on one hand i'm genuinely happy! i worked really hard on keeping multifaceted personalities in mind even for the minor characters! but also Oh No. I'm Writing Vtubers. We Need To Play This So Carefully And So Conscious Of The Creator/Audience Boundary Or My Ass Is GONE

real talk one of my most favorite ike things is when he squeals at something cute or because he's embarrassed ahhhh. and his speaking voice gets so high pitched and soft when he's flustered too like?? it's probably my favorite charm point of his

the ogs remember the poll i ran like a month ago about if ike should have freckles or not. shoutout to the landslide victory, if i remember correctly 97% of voters wanted ike with freckles! so glad that worked out, it works so well with the star theme and the difference between an online friendship meeting irl, and how reader loves them because it's a reminder that they have so much to learn about ike and are ready/willing, and also, freckles are just plain adorable. ike is just plain adorable. put them together and if i were richer and thirstier i'd be commissioning an artist

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

real talk tho i feel like ike goes from 1 to 100 whenever he catches himself simping over reader before the off-collab. either he's really good at acting composed, being normal, just interacting with his best friend like best friends do... or he's a stuttering, blushy mess that wavers like jell-o.

ike's the type of guy to sleepily check twitter before going to bed and whenever he sees pen and paper on his fyp it's like he snaps awake. maybe even squeaks or goes "a!" if it's especially.... you know. sometimes he can't even comprehend that people want him and reader to. well. his mouth goes dry.

and then he feels so dirty and embarrassed just because it's there, but... he's still looking at it. is it bad he's still looking at it? it definitely is but it's captivating, in a way. somehow. the artists are so talented, and somehow they nail your body language to a t, and the way your hair swoops above your eyes, and draw you with the cutest little expressions, and—

ah, who is he kidding.

in moments of weakness it triggers something in him to bury his face a little deeper in his blankets, pretend the screen's light would cool the heat pooling over his cheeks, and search the hashtag himself.

not even three pieces of fanart later, he has to throw his phone face-down on the mattress, cover his blush with a pillow, and now he's definitely squealing. it's healing and it makes him ill. it's... pretty. you're pretty. and he's pretty dumb for letting a silly crush distort itself like this.

the worst part is that some of these line up a little too well with daydreams he wanted to lock away until the end of time. he likes when he takes the lead. the stunned, puppyish expression so rare it only shows up on your face during the biggest plot twists during a stream, but coated in a darkened blush as he pecks them on the cheek, elegant and composed. calm.

ohhhh, this can't be good for his heart. especially when ike himself is so red-faced just thinking of it. calm, his foot.

still with the pillow over his flush, ike feels around for his phone and sets it on his nightstand. he chides himself. that's enough internet for the day, eveland! now quit acting like a shoujo high schooler in love and go to bed already, it's not going to happen!

he sets his face into a determined frown as he lifts the pillow and sets it aside. with any luck, he'd go the rest of the night without thinking of reader and his feelings for them.

the frown eases as he nestles into his blankets and tucks himself in. soft sheets and warm comfort greet him as he shuts his eyes, and he enters the fluffy haze of sleep as he slips into dreamland...

...is what he'd like to say, but not even ten seconds later his eyes snap open and jerks upright in bed. wait, i'm acting like i'm in love?!

he sits with the thought seeping through his brain like a corrosive acid, filing through every little moment he daydreamed about you, and when those don't paint him a picture he likes, he tries to recall the moments he shared with you instead. those are even fonder, and even worse.

he slaps his hands over his face and sighs, and when it sounds lovesick he sighs even more.

✧. ┊ ⁭masterpost ✧. ┊ ⁭kofi

#4402 answers #4402 writes #unit 4402 reporting #ike eveland x reader #ike eveland #luxiem #luxiem x reader #nijisanji en #whoops didn't even mean to write that #i should make a brainrot tag #update: i did 😎#4402 brainrot #pliskinverse

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falconcoast · 2 years ago

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Tighnari will be that one student who might scold you for doing something wrong (like for an experiment or activity) but they're just worried for your well being. He helps you do it correctly after that and will probably hug you to show that he's not angry 🥺🥹

college au iii | tighnari x reader

masterlist

tighnari shows his affection in roundabout ways, including in the chemistry lab.

a/n: GUYS IM SORRYYYY i was playing enstars aggressively these last few days (why can i not get a full combo on melody in the dark) anyways take this !! i had to literally get my chem notebooks from last year out to look for a lab we did LMAO

warnings: a lil bit of yelling and chemistry (in more ways than one HAHA there is literally an entire experiment in this fic)

after missing class for a few days because of a sickness, you were stuck in the laboratory after classes had ended. tighnari, ever the sweet friend, offered to help you complete your lab report for your chemistry class.

the way tighnari went about the experiment was much more organized than you could have ever done yourself. each of the materials were lined up in a neat row. the beaker with water was filled as accurately as possible, and even the pens you didn’t use were discarded into a clean line.

“cut about half a centimeter of the solid potassium and set it aside. it should weigh about one gram,” he read aloud, crossing his legs after reading out the instructions. you did as he told, slicing a little bit off of the bigger piece of metal.

“okay, now what?” you asked.

“now, place the metal into into the water and watch the reaction. make sure that your goggles are secure!”

you adjusted your glasses, pulling them over your forehead so tightly that you were sure it would leave a mark later. snapping your pair of gloves once more, you picked up the metal and dropped it into the water.

the reaction was certainly not what you expected. it started off as a small, pink fire consuming the top of the metal. it sparked slightly, specks of fire bouncing off of the glass beaker and falling into the water. as you went to go write down the reaction in your notebook, tighnari spoke up quickly.

“hold on, that’s too much—!” he started before grabbing your arm and pulling you close to his chest. his arms held the back of your head firmly, and your arms clung to his lab-coat. his heart beat was rapidly slamming against the walls of his chest.

before you could even respond, a loud bang! echoed throughout the empty lab and the beaker let out a soft sizzling noise. a minor amount of smoke fogged up the walls of the glass. at the bottom of the container was a bright pink and transparent liquid.

after a deep breath in, your best friend relaxed the tension in his arms. “that was too much potassium!” he scolded, letting you go in favor of placing his hands on his hips. pointing at the remaining potassium, you realized that only the gram of the metal was left. “you dropped nearly ten grams of it into the the beaker. the farther down the periodic table the alkali metals go, the more likely it will cause a violent explosion and ignite when hitting water. my archons, what were you thinking?!”

ducking your head down in red-hot embarrassment, your lips turned downwards. “i’m really sorry, tighnari! i swear i didn’t mean to put in the bigger metal!” you apologized, cheeks burning. “it won’t happen again and i was too careless. i’m sorry!”

after a soft sigh, tighnari stood and wrapped you up into his arms. “no, it’s not your fault. you’re still coming back from that illness after all. i should have offered to put it in for you,” he breathed. his scent of lavender and basil brought you some comfort as you reciprocated the action. “and i’m sorry for yelling at you. i was concerned.”

after a moment, he turned his head and looked away from you. curiously, you tilted your head. “tighnari?” you asked. looking at him, you realized that he had reddened cheeks and a troubled expression. patting his soft ears, you smiled. “aww, are you too proud to admit you worry for my safety? that’s real cute, ‘nari.”

with an even more embarrassed expression, he removed himself from your arms. “no, that’s not it. i was just thinking about how much work it would have been if i had to bring you to the infirmary is all.”

“yeah, yeah, keep saying that!” you laughed. casting a look at the pink liquid, you sheepishly scratched the back of your neck. “i, uh, guess we have to redo this whole thing now.”

shaking his head, he smiled. “no, i won’t make you redo your work. it ends up the same anyways. potassium being stable requires it to give away one more valence electron. oxygen in water can take that electron, and thus, the products are potassium hydroxide and h2 gas. the heat produced from the reaction is so strong that it ignites the flammable h2 gas, and creates an explosion like the one you just caused.”

“none of those words made sense, but i’m just gonna take your word for it!” you shrugged, writing it down in your lab notebook.

“in return of not making you redo this experiment, i have a request,” he spoke up as you wrote away.

“yeah? i’m all ears.”

picking up the pink liquid and preparing for its disposal, he smiled. “well, i get to choose what we have tonight. i wanted to try a new boba place down the street. i think it’s a new branch from a liyue franchise.”

“you know what? i would usually argue about mondstadt hash browns, but boba sounds good,” you replied happily.

“and i also want that mushroom special from the restaurant down the street from here.”

“again?! that’s the fourth time we’ve had something with mushrooms in the last week!”

y/n: i hate having mushrooms everyday

tighnari: i really don’t give a shit

#genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin impact imagines #tighnari x reader #genshin tighnari x reader

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kaneaken · 1 year ago

Text

ii. hello, my name is shikanoin heizou

previous × masterlist × next

" hello, my name is shikanoin heizou and i think i am being followed. "

" that makes it my issue because-? "

heizou groans, smacking his head against the desk.

" help a buddy out here, scara, " heizou grumbles, " i hope you know that if you were ever in my position, i'd be on the culprit's tail in a second "

" oh, yeah? then, go be your own detective, sherlock, and stop bothering me, " scaramouche retorts

" at least be my watson? " heizou pleads

" no. "

" pretty please? "

" i already said- "

" i'll leak those photos of you at our last sleepover. i bet your fangirls would love those "

and thus, began the investigation of shikanoin heizou and his trusty assistant, scaramouche.

" and how exactly do you plan to find your stalker sitting around in the band room? " scaramouche grumbles, scrolling through his phone as heizou paces around

" well, a good detective should never start an investigation without gathering prior information first"

heizou takes a seat next to scaramouche, pulling out his notepad and pen. he scribbles a few names down and some notes next to them

" you already have suspects? " scaramouche asks, glancing at the scribbled names

" not exactly suspects, more like witnesses who are likely to answer a few questions or even spill the beans "

" 'sup, kuki! " heizou waves to the arataki gang member to which she sighs, already shaking her head

" what did the boss do this time? "

" nothing that i'm aware of. we aren't here to get him in trouble. we just wanna have a chat "

" it definitely sounds like trouble to me when you say that "

" i agree with her," scaramouche pipes in

" anyways, ignoring what my partner here says, we just wanna know where he's at "

" the boss left a bit ago mumbling about studying for his math quiz, so i'd say he's by the vending machines, " shinobu sighs, " probably stress eating, which, by the way, if he is, would you stop him? he'll get sick like that "

" itto, what's- "

" it wasn't me! "

heizou watches as itto almost chokes on his granola bar. he pats itto's back until he calms down.

" sorry for the scare there, bud, but i've got some questions for you "

" about what? "

" well, i just so happen to have attracted some unwanted attention and i was wondering if you happened to know about it?"

" uh, well, i wouldn't call the attention unwanted, " itto mumbles

" and why do you say that? "

itto pauses and, nervously, avoids eye contact with heizou.

" well, i'm sure it's just someone who wants to get to know you. not that i know who it is, but maybe they're just scared that you're playing with their feelings and they're just scared to actually approach you to get to know you. just a guess though, haha "

heizou blinks, not expecting such a specific answer.

" i wouldn't happen to know this person, would i? "

" ... "

the bell rings, cutting off the conversation between the two males.

" oh, well, that's the bell! gotta run, buds! " itto hurries away from the duo, almost tripping over his own two feet.

scaramouche looks over at heizou, pondering over what itto told said.

" afraid of me playing with their feelings... who have i talked to that would think that...? "

scaramouche grabs heizou's collar to drag him to class as he mumbles to himself

once they reach their classroom, scaramouche turns back to see a bright red heizou

" what got into you? "

" i figured it out "

" and? "

" it's y/n "

author's note; heizou dragged along scara for the scary dog privileges 😔 hope you guys enjoyed this installment :) taglist is open if anyone's interested <3 see you guys next time (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin x y/n #genshin x you #shikanoin heizou x reader #genshin shikanoin heizou #heizou shikanoin x reader #heizou x gender neutral reader #heizou x y/n #heizou x reader #genshin heizou #nene.writes #the not so tragedy of heizou and y/n

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m1d-45 · 2 years ago

Note

(anotha one.)

To Mr. Alberich,

I can see your smirk permeate through this page, so I'll keep this brief.

I'll take up on your offer on that meeting at Angel's Share. I sure hope your government won't kill me if I step foot in that tavern, haha.

Anyway. Onto more serious matters,

How are you? It's been ages since we met. The paperwork is boring you as usual, I presume?

I'm fine, i guess i can say that much. Still in hiding, but loads better than last time. Thanks for rescuing me.

Ah, one last thought. This letter has some trinkets you remind me of, along with a personal item of mine i'd give to you as a token of my gratitude.

Angel's Share, 19:00. I'm the woman with the dark blue cloak.

See you soon!

[The letter contains a silver ring, finely wrought with silver and entwined with white wood from a certain tree. It also contains a peacock's feather and a small silver brooch, swirling with Cryo energy inside.]

kaeya, as a knight, is a rather busy man. despite his habit of evading paperwork, preferring to spend time on-field, that doesn’t mean he slacks off that much. he just… appreciates break time, and maybe delays his work a bit more than the average knight.

(in his defense, his reports always turn out the most coherent. most of the knights are… lackluster, he’ll say, in their field of work. at least he’s direct and concise)

and it’s because he’s so busy that he spends a large portion of his time in his office. granted, he’d be outside more often if he stopped staring out the window so often, but as of now he can’t find himself regretting the habit as much as he normally would.

not when he knows for certain that the glow of lanterns from the city below would have prevented him from noticing the star outside his window, even as dusk darkened to twilight.

his pen drops from his hand, his exposed eye flicking over the panes of glass as if making sure he’s seeing the right thing. when the star refuses to fade, he finally stands, carefully making his way over. he fumbles for a moment with the latch, but eventually pushes open the window, letting the floating ball slip inside.

after a cautious moment, he reaches for it. it’s closer than he realizes—a con of constantly wearing an eyepatch, he supposes—and his finger makes contact with the surface of it faster than he meant to.

the point that he bumped caves in, the rest of the shell crumbling away, and he hurries to cradle the remains in his hand. he didn’t mean to break it, he swears, he just knows there’s only one place it could have came from and-

oh. there’s a envelope in his hands. it… was meant to crumble.

…his paperwork can wait a few more minutes, can’t it?

he rips open the envelope with a bit less tact than he should probably show to a holy object, but his curiosity washes away any guilt. there’s objects within the letter, and he wonders what they are as even as he reaches for them.

one is a ring, simple silver twisted around a thin beam of stark white wood. the other is a pin of some kind, the icy gem as cold as the vision on his hip. a bright feather is the last item removed, and he sets all three items on a shelf before he can get too excited.

they’re probably not for him. he’s done nothing to deserve such gifts. not when he’d done so little to stall the hunt for you, not when he’d barely done anything to protect you, only managing to lead his patrol in the other direction.

he reads your letter with haste, ignoring the comment about his or the knights’ attitude in favor of what follows.

you’re safe. the hunt in mondstat has mostly died down, as current reports placed you somewhere in sumeru, but he can see that isn’t the case from your final message.

kaeya skims the letter once more to ensure he hasn’t missed anything, then slips the ring on his finger—it fits, he’s not surprised—and fixes the pin to his vest.

he debates, for a moment, on finishing the paper he was working on, as it’s a bit earlier than your meeting time…

kaeya eventually decides against it, shutting the door to his office with a decisive click.

it can wait.

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marvelandponder · 9 months ago

Note

💖 🖊? Maybe these can go hand in hand! (Unless you want to keep your favourite parts for when they come out haha)

Fanfic Ask Game! Hehehehe! I was hoping somebody would use the pen! I'll answer the first one in general, then give you a snippet from an upcoming story I just finished revising (off to be illustrated!) 💖 What do you like most about your own writing? Hard to say, but I really love writing and dialogue. I've had to read back so much of my own stuff since I try to edit it to a good point before it goes to Bevin - so I will admit a terrible sin: I laugh at my own jokes. I also cry at my own stories, but I cry easy! 🖊 Post a snippet from a current WIP. (let's goooooo!)

Her knuckles clunked against the hardwood, resounding. Floorboards shifted and sifted dust until a chain lock clocked open, and the door stepped back to let a half-awake, swollen-eyed Timber Spruce work out how to parse the view. “Sunset Shimmer?”

Mud clung to her rain-filled boots as Sunset stood on his covered porch feeling like a wet rat in a sewer drain. “... Hi,” she said, soaked through. “I’m sorry. I know it’s late, and dark, and you probably don’t exactly want to see me…” Over her shoulder, the rain splattered on her motorcycle, pouring off the roof. What’s he supposed to think? Any sense of cool had abandoned her and a chill broke through her layers. “I’ve got something I need to say to you.”

All the sleep loitering his eyes cleared out, and Timber brightened as if a shiny new bus pulled into camp. Chest sitting higher enough for her to notice his musculature, he pulled the door open with all the enthusiasm she got out of Banana or Spike. “Yeah?”

She got one look down at herself. He seemed to do the same, and he elected to join her on the porch. As he did, she reached into the inner pocket⁠ of her jacket and pulled out what she came for: two tickets to the Fall Formal.

Once he locked eyes with the ticket stubs, the power of his intense brows shrouded over everything, trees fallen on the forest floor. Thunder rumbled somewhere so far off that it could’ve been a bend in the wind. “Oh, no,” Timber said, kind of smiling. “I gave those to Twilight. She should get a chance to use them with someone.”

Sunset only moved to nod. Her leather creaked like the rain.

The firm hold his brows had deepend, gutting a trench between themselves⁠ until suddenly, they let go.

“Get back together with her,” she said, blacker than the pitch outside of the porch.

“Sunset⁠—”

“You make her laugh. You’re the same kind of weird. You’re good for her.” She could hear the rasp of her voice working over that one. “Maybe she rolled her eyes a lot and things ended, but I was there. I know she loved you. And I can guess how you feel about her.”

Timber listened to her in the rain in his pajamas and bedhead-hair.

“I thought if you broke up, she’d be sad but…” Celestia, the sound of how she cried the first night. Twilight’s rawed out voice dragged out into shaking quiet before another blast like each breath was a new wave. Sunset’s hand gripped her own soaked shirt just the same as she’d gripped the shirt on Twilight’s back. Mist crested off the eavesdrops. “I want her to stop hurting,” she said, Timber’s edges blurred. “She’s my best friend in any world.⁠⁠” Dull-eyed, she shook her head, tickets raised. “So? What’s stopping you? Go on and ask her to the dance.”

The wind changed and Timber shook his overly fluffy head. “... You have to know I’m not going to do that, right? You have to know that.”

Sunset’s ribs cramped, stitches in her sides. She shoved the tickets into his chest. “C’mon! I know you still like her! You crazy kids deserve each other⁠—what’s wrong with you?”

Rubbing the spot where the mushrooms on his shirt distinguished him as a Fungi at Parties, Timber looked down at the tickets at his chest like he was expecting something else to be there. “I don’t know what she told you about our breakup but think about it for a second: You’re talking about Twilight Sparkle.” He turned his chin to slant his look to her. “You really think she’d ever make a big decision without thinking it through?”

#eftd #sunset shimmer #timber spruce

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paikothecateater · 25 days ago

Note

Pls I’m laying in my bed giggling pls make more scenarios of Iceland being tired 😂

Absolutely!

Here are more tired Iceland activities:

-he zones out really badly.

Sweden: Ice...

Iceland:...

Sweden: (lightly shaking him) Ice.

Iceland:...

Sweden: are you asleep?

Iceland:... Mm...

Sweden: thought so...

-repetitive 'HUH!?' syndrome.

Norway: Iceland, I'm going to go out for a bit, do you need anything while I'm out?

Iceland: huh?

Norway: do you need anything from outside?

Iceland: what?

Norway: I'm going out, do you need anything?

Iceland: haha... I still have no idea what you're saying.

Norway:...

Norway: I said I'm getting Mr. Puffin a wig.

Iceland: haha... Yeah...

-short term memory... Death.

Denmark: hey, Icey, can you tell Norway to get my bag from the car? I forgot it there earlier.

Iceland: yeah sure.

*Goes over to Norway*

Iceland: Nor, Denmark told me to tell you that he needs... Uh...

Norway: he needs what?

Iceland: he needs the uh...

Norway: baby, at this point, he's better off sending me a carrier pigeon. I'll go ask him.

- 'I wasn't sleeping, I was resting my eyes' syndrome.

Iceland: *very clearly dozing*

Denmark: if you're tired, you should go to bed, kid.

Iceland: nah, I'm fine...

Iceland: *starts dozing again*

Denmark: okay, you're actually falling asleep now, Iceland.

Iceland: I am resting my eyes. I'm not tired.

Denmark: Iceland, go to bed, dammit.

-forgetting what objects are.

*a phone starts ringing*

Iceland: *picks up a thankfully turned off iron and puts it up to his head* hello...?

Denmark: *with the actual phone* Iceland, I'm pretty sure any call you get on that would probably be a wrong number.

Iceland: *realising* oh...

*alternatively:

Iceland: *scratching on some paper with a screwdriver*

Norway: kiddo, I think that pen's out of ink.

Iceland: *realising* oh...

#aph nordics #aph headcanons #aph iceland #hws iceland

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canariie · 2 years ago

Text

i just called to say

Rating: K+

Synopsis: “Momo-chan—what’s wrong? Should I come in?”

“I’m fine,” her voice cracked and Momo winced at how pitiful she sounded. The door tentatively opened as Orihime peeked her head in, her warm amber eyes immediately softening when she saw the lieutenant in the tub.

“I’m sorry to be crying like this,” Momo said as she wiped her tears. She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry in front of people after the Winter War, but some habits were harder to kick.

Orihime smiled understandingly as she knelt down and held out a small towel. “There’s nothing wrong with that, Momo-chan.”

…

Momo arrives in the World of the Living to start her personal kido training sessions and spends the night at Orihime’s apartment.

Word Count: 5460 words

Setting: during the time skip, before the epilogue of Bleach (probably 3 years after the last chapter)

Prompt: @hitsuhina-week‘s Hitsuhina Week 2022 - Day 4 - Things Left Unsaid

Authour’s Note: THIS IS SO LATE I KNOW ;-;

I honestly didn’t know that this would grow so much! This is my longest fic on tumblr to date!!!

I struggled a lot with figuring out what to write for the celebration week, I think this was my fourth attempt at something? But the more I reflected on writing Orihime in this, I found myself saying to myself, oh this needs to be fleshed out longer, i have to include this as well. Until it evolved into this long, short novella for you all.

For the most part this is Momo and Orihime, but there are conversations on Ichihime (and this is obviously, or maybe not so obvious, Hitsuhina) so proceed as you will haha.

This was inspired by many many things:

- @rays-of-fire-and-ice‘s fic In Time’s of Peace

- @whipplefilter ‘s fic Donki

Shout out to Harry Style’s Late Night Talking and Steve Wonder’s I Just Called to Say I Love You for being the inspiration around intimate phone calls.

Enjoy!

—

"lnoue-san, I'm so sorry I'm late! My meeting went over, and I had to wait to be approved for a new departure time, which took longer because the Senkaimon wasn’t prepared in time," Momo rambled, panting in between breaths.

It was late into the summer night and Momo had just arrived from Soul Society into the World of the Living. It was the first time on her own without a predetermined mission, and she wanted to make the most of it. Hirako-taicho had given her a week off to train with Haachi of the Vizards so she could develop her kido skills. It was something they both had wanted for a long time, and the fifth division was finally in a place where Momo could take the time off to work on her own personal goals.

However, her first steps weren’t as smooth as she couldn’t get her location to work on her denreishinki correctly— it would throw her two streets over and its north arrow wasn’t calibrated correctly (though the twelfth division had assured her it was the newest prototype with the latest updates) leaving her clueless in the dark of how to find Orihime Inoue’s apartment. By the time she had picked up her gigai, got lost around the neighborhood, circled around twice, and walked up the steps to the apartment, Momo was flustered and sweaty with her clothes sticking to herself.

"No worries, Hinamori-chan!" Inoue chirped, gently grabbing her bags from her hand and leading her into the kitchen. "I just got back from work and was setting up the extra futon!"

"Thank you, lnoue-san," Momo said with a defeated sigh. Just looking at the girl in her oversized shirt and baggy pants, instantly put her racing mind to ease. Though they hadn’t met before, Hirako-taicho had told her that the human girl was more than happy to host Momo since she herself was continuing her own healing training with the former Kido corps leader.

"Also!” The human girl beamed, “Please call me Orihime!"

Momo smiled. "Then, please call me Momo."

Though the apartment was small, there was a charm of youth that the lieutenant didn’t realize she missed from being in the barracks. Little stationary pens and washi tape (which Momo made a note to ask Orihime where she bought them for later) along with a pile of worn old schoolbooks stacked on the desk. A small bookshelf hosted stuffed animals and novels with an old pink CD player perched on top. Below the hanging fabric print, Momo noticed a small family altar with a picture of a handsome dark haired young man.

Though she could see Orihime all around her, there was also a sense of a new presence: a dark blue coffee mug next to a pale pink teacup; military green flip flops by the entrance next to soft white bunny slippers; a black hoodie with a ‘15’ emblem hanging by the closet door. Someone had squeezed themselves into the space and the apartment had accommodated itself for one more.

It was cozy and intimate, and filled Momo with a longing for peace. Things had been hectic in Soul Society, from her training new recruits to also part timing at the Academy—she was excited to be involved in so much and could feel herself growing. But after a long day of prepping her subordinates before she left and emergency meetings, she felt that she barely had the time to breathe, let alone sit down to herself.

"Would you like me to warm up the bath?"

At the thought of immersing herself in warm water, Momo could feel her shoulders instantly deflate.

"That sounds wonderful," Momo sighed.

“It’s a bit small,” the human girl warned with a sheepish smile, “but feel free to use as much bubble bath mixture as you would like!”

“I’m sure it’s alright, Orihime-chan! I really appreciate it,” Momo said with a smile, feeling a strong desire to comfort her.

As Orihime went to set up the bath, Momo opened her bags in the living room and finally got a chance to look at her denreishinki. There was a short message from Hirako-taicho asking her to message him when she reached and say hi to Hiyori (if she were in a good mood). Rangiku has also texted her asking her to give her love to Orihime and bring back some face masks from the Human World. Toushiro had texted her early in the morning before she had started that day to call him when she arrived, but in all her hurry she hadn’t paid it too much attention. She had sent him a quick text message when she stepped foot in the World of Living, to which he replied with a short “ok” – he was never the greatest at texting, but she had assumed he was busy.

Once Orihime led her to the bathroom, it didn’t take Momo long to shed off her sticky clothes and eagerly step into the steaming water. She sighed in content as she could feel her muscles loosening. It had been such a long time that she had taken a bath, she could hardly remember. There was something so feminine and relaxing about the concept that allowed herself to unwind. During the work week, she only had time for quick showers and washes— so sitting in a bathtub with bubbles felt like an unprecedented luxury. Momo settled herself in further, the water reaching the ends of her ears.

“Is the water alright?” Momo could hear Orihime say through the closed door.

“Yes, it is!” she affirmed as she blew a froth of bubbles away from her knees. Momo giggled to herself as some landed on her nose.

“I’m glad! You should try the apricot scrub! It’s the best exfoliator after a long day. By the time I come home from working in the bakery, I’m covered in flour and sugar and that’s the only thing that can take it all off.” Orihime laughed and Momo hummed in agreement, wondering absentmindedly if it was a human tradition to have a conversation through the bathroom door.

It was quiet for a moment and all Momo could hear was the sound of cicadas chirping outside. The slosh of water echoed across the bathroom walls. Everything was much quieter this time of night, like the whole world had paused to take a breath. As she leaned against the rim of the tub, Momo could almost feel herself drifting to sleep.

“You know Momo-chan,” Orihime called out. A long pause stretched out. “I saw Toushiro-kun after he spoke to you.”

Her eyes snapped open as the image of her childhood friend flashed before her eyes.

“When was that?” Momo asked tentatively.

“It was right after we left Soul Society—and Rangiku-san and Toushiro-kun came to stay with me during their mission. I didn’t know much at the time—especially when they set up the TV creature. I’m still not sure how they were able to set it up by themselves—and especially how they fed it,” Orihime rambled on, and Momo felt herself piecing the memories together. A plea to the general captain. The bubble of anticipation in her stomach and the bated breath as she waited to talk to the tenth captain.

“I wasn’t sure if I should have been listening in, but the head captain called me into their meeting. It was one of the first times that I felt included in such important matters,” Orihime laughed quietly, and Momo felt herself leaning forward to hear more. “I left the two of them to update Kurosaki-kun and the others, but when I returned home… I could sense there was something off.”

Momo could feel her heart still and her breath hitched. She remembered that conversation well. Feelings of being on a precipice, so scared to look down that she could fail to see the anguish in her friend’s eyes. Looking back, she could remember the agitation in the way his eyebrow furrowed and his grimace as he muttered her name. As a vice-captain she felt ashamed that the situation escalated to the point that the General Captain had to intervene.

“What did he say?” she asked softly, her voice wavering.

If Orihime heard her anxiety, she didn’t notice and continued on. “He was really quiet and didn’t say much—he just went to the roof. But there was something in his eyes that looked…sad.”

Momo shuddered. Her dear friend had grown so strong through the ranks, but due to her naiveté, she had knocked him down and hurt him—something she would never forgive herself for.

A stab of hurt went through Momo and suddenly the water felt too hot, the steam too overpowering and her vision blurred. She sniffled and tried to keep her voice steady. “Was he okay?” she asked.

“Momo-chan—what’s wrong? Should I come in?”

“I’m sorry to be crying like this,” Momo said as she wiped her tears. She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry in front of people after the Winter War, but some habits were harder to kick.

Orihime smiled understandingly as she knelt down and held out a small towel. “There’s nothing wrong with that, Momo-chan.”

And they were no longer a shinigami and human; just two individuals who had seen harsher things at too young of a time.

“It’s my fault that he was so upset,” Momo confessed. “I was foolish and…disillusioned.”

Flashes of broken eyes. Ice missing the heart by an inch. Cold searing pain as she fell from the sky. A lamenting howl piercing the heavens before she faded into black.

She looked down at the ghost spot of her scar.

“I thought I held him back,” she weeped. “And I still do.” Her shoulders wracked in sobs as she cradled her face in her hands, embarrassed to be wallowing in self-pity but also to be seen like this by someone she just met.

“I’m sorry I brought it up, Momo-chan,” Orihime gently said, and Momo could feel a warm hand touch her shoulder. “Rangiku-san briefly explained to me what happened and ever since then…I had always wondered if Toushiro-kun was feeling that way, then you must have been really hurt as well.”

Momo looked up as Orihime smiled softly, melancholia hiding behind her eyes. Momo knew that look—she had seen it in herself before.

“You know…I also felt a similar way when the Arrancars had first attacked Karakura. Kurosaki-kun got badly hurt because of me. Rukia-chan and Abarai-kun had to come and cheer him up—which was more than I ever could do at the moment…”

Momo watched as Orihime picked absently picked at the fleece of the floor mat.

“I felt like I was…useless. They were able to support him more than I could, then. And though I had started training to become stronger for myself, it didn’t feel enough.” Orihime looked up, her amber eyes firm and resolute. “So, I went to Hueco Mundo—because that’s what I could do to protect them.”

Momo had remembered the moment and panic. She was sent back to the Fourth for further recovery when she had heard the former Ryoka girl had defected and willingly entered enemy territory. Word had spread around Soul Society of traitorous slander. They were only slowly warming up to the intruders when the scandal happened. At the time, Momo had only felt confusion but also had wondered if people had expected her to do the same—especially when she had arrived in the Fake Karakura Town.

Now looking at her, Momo realized that Orihime was just a girl who loved her friends so much that she would do anything—and everything—to protect them.

Orihime smiled proudly. “Now, I feel like I can fight alongside Kurosaki-kun. Because we’re stronger—together.” She gently took Momo’s hands in her own and squeezed it tight. “You’re already taking the first step by training with Haachi-san!” Orihime beamed. “You’re on your way to be stronger.”

Momo blushed, feeling overwhelmed by not only the warmth of the water but Orihime’s gentle smile. Though she had entered the apartment feeling exhausted and was now spent from crying, but inside there was a sense of lightness that came with a deep revelation.

“Thank you, Orihime-chan,” Momo smiled whole heartedly. “And even though I don’t know Kurosaki-kun as much, from the few times I’ve seen him, he always seems happier when he’s with you.”

The human girl’s cheeks reddened, shaking her head side to side in denial that Momo couldn’t help but think was cute. Thinking that it was time to finish up, Momo reached for the soft pink towel, but stopped in realization.

"I'm so sorry Orihime-chan but I forgot my sleeping robes," Momo apologized, feeling bad for imposing.

"No worries at all!” Orihime chirped as she got up. “The amount of times I've forgotten things while traveling—I always end up borrowing from Tatsuki-chan. I actually have an extra shirt from when Rangiku-san and Toushiro-kun was here!" Momo could hear the rustling of robes and opening of drawers. The door suddenly opened big enough for an arm to stick themselves in, "This was Toushiro-kun’s! I think it might fit you more than Rangiku-san's!"

Momo gently got out of the bathtub, making sure not to put too much weight down and slip, as she took the shirt in her hand. She let the dark black fabric run through her fingers, the silver chains clinging as they fell. Toushiro's shirt was a bit…unusual. It wasn't something she would expect him to wear.

She unwrapped the towel from herself and pulled the shirt over. The hem lifted right above her navel and the sleeves landed by her wrists. Momo brought up the collar to her nose and inhaled softly. Even though it was washed, she could still get the hint of a fresh mint scent that she had come to associate with Toushiro. Breathing it in, she relished the feeling of being at home.

When Momo had stepped out of the bathroom, towel in hand as she dried her hair, an array of pastries on the table greeted her. Orihime was pouring some tea next to two steaming bowls of udon, that reminded Momo of how hungry she was

“This looks amazing, Orihime-chan!” Momo exclaimed as she sat down. “Really?” Orihime’s eyes widened, as if she wasn’t used to the compliment. “I’m glad! This is not usually the food that I cook so I was a little hesitant to try.”

Momo moved closer to smell the food. “It certainly smells delicious,” she affirmed.

“Since I started dating Kurosaki-kun, I’ve had to learn to follow recipes strictly...” Orihime laughed hesitantly. “I usually like to wing it and add extra garnishes, but after one of our first dates at home, he had to go to the hospital from food poisoning,” she admitted sheepishly as she poured a cup of hot tea for Momo. “Ishida-kun and he sat me down and told me that I couldn’t cook like that for others anymore.

“But I still cook for myself my own recipes,” she mused unabashed. “The only one who’s liked it so far has been Rangiku-san.”

“Well, I can take some for Rangiku-san since she loves it so much,” Momo supplied in confidence.

Orihime’s amber eyes lit up. “Yes, of course! I’ll send her some cream cake with pickles!”

Momo laughed weakly, quite unsure of what to make of that but was more than happy to dig into the bow of udon in front of her.

The two talked casually about everything and nothing. Momo asked Orihime how long she had been working at the bakery (three years), what was her favourite bread (the custard bread on Tuesdays because that’s when they make it fresh—otherwise its melon bread). The human girl had also been taking extra shifts so she could earn enough savings to get an apartment on her own. While she was in highschool a distant relative had helped her with rent, but now that she’s graduated, she’s been trying to save up so she could have her own place and hopefully go back to school.

Orihime tucked her bands behind her ears, as she bent down to slurp a noodle. “I’ve been thinking about studying nursing for a while. Ever since the war and seeing everyone hurt—it made me realize that I wanted to do something more.” Momo could agree with the sentiment herself; it was another reason why she had thrown herself so much into the academy and training. She wanted to be someone that didn’t hold others back while helping others out.

“I’ve spoken to Ishida-kun about applying to nursing school and he agrees that it’d be a good translation of my healing powers,” Orihime said. “Kurosaki-kun has also been really supportive by touring schools with me on his weekends off. Sado-kun has offered to drive me to take the exam when he’s in town as well.” Orihime smiled fondly as she talked about her friends and it reminded Momo of when Rukia would come back from the human world and tell stories to them about meeting her friends.

Orihime’s eyes widened in realization. “Haachi-san actually gave me the idea! During one of our training sessions, he had mentioned how it was one of his human part time jobs—though it took a while for people to get used to his size since they would get scared,” she laughed making Momo wonder how big the kido trainer was.

“I think you would be an amazing nurse, Orihime-chan! Rangiku-san said you’ve healed Hitsugaya-kun faster than anyone in the Fourth,” Momo recalled.

“Speaking of, how long have you two known each other?” Orihime smiled gleefully, as if she were in on a secret.

“It’s nothing like that,” Momo defended, her cheeks going red. “We’re just childhood friends.” She had experienced this kind of inquiry from Rangiku, so she knew what to expect, but it didn’t stop the blush from reaching her face.

“Hm, I was hoping my women’s intuition was right,” Orihime muttered defeatedly. “But I do remember Toushiro-kun was popular during school,” she tapped her chin, looking up in contemplation as she munched on her melon bread. “A lot of girls were excited when he joined the kendo team briefly.”

“Really?” Momo asked, trying to keep her voice steady but feeling a slight tightness in her chest as she set her empty bowl down. She pulled her sleeve down her arm, fingering the fabric. “Well, that’s Hitsugaya-kun for you—he picks up everything so quickly.”

“He’s really an incredible leader,” Orihime affirmed. “Everyone always listened to him diligently during battles.”

“He truly is,” Momo smiled wistfully. “And not only that, but he’s also incredibly kind. He may not look like it, but he’ll go out of his way to make sure people are supported or recognized for their work.” She remembered the days when they had group training sessions, and all the seated and unseated division officers would gaze at him in wonder as he led them. Momo knew that her friend had to fight to gain respect when he obtained the captain seat prematurely. But she always felt a swell of pride inside when she heard people praising him for his leadership. “I think he’ll do amazing things wherever he goes.”

She looked up and caught Orihime smiling at her endearingly, making Momo blush. “But enough about me,” she said. “When did you and Kurosaki-kun get together?”

Orihime smiled softly. “After Rukia-chan & Abarai-kun’s wedding, he asked me to make some time for him. I didn’t really know what to expect and was even more surprised when asked if he could see me more—just the two of us.” Orihime blushed furiously, pushing the tips of her fingers together. “And since then, we’ve been taking it slow…”

Momo remembered the wedding in bits and pieces. It was a joyful occasion since it had been a long time in Soul Society that there was a large celebration. She had cried seeing Renjii and Rukia look at each other as they exchanged their vows and was an emotional mess as she drank the celebratory shots. But the excitement and high emotions had gotten to her so all she could remember was a pounding headache, blurred conversations and a late night walk home on something warm and strong.

Even though they had just met, Momo could feel there was an ease of openness between her and Orihime. She was witness to all the stories that the human teenagers had gone through in helping fight wars that weren’t theirs, so it made Momo immensely happy to see them moving on and creating happiness in their own lives.

“I’m really happy for you Orihime-chan,” Momo said wholeheartedly. “You deserve it.” She stood up, grabbing the empty bowl from Orihime and stacking it with her own dishes to take to the sink.

“I’ll take care of these dishes Momo-chan! You must be tired!”

“No, no, I can help you with those!” Momo protested. “You’re also tired from a long day of work.”

Orihime shook her head softly and smiled as she stood by the sink. “It won’t be hard at all! Kurosaki-kun and I have been calling each other every night, so I can do the dishes while I talk to him.”

“That’s so sweet,” Momo said. “It’s nice that you can make time for each other even with your busy schedules.”

Orihime blushed. “Kurosaki-kun is taking some summer classes to get ahead before the first year but since the college is far, we’ve been trying to talk on the phone often.”

“That must be so hard to be apart from each other since you two just started dating,” Momo sympathized.

“It is a bit difficult but we’re managing. Our phone calls have been really nice…” Orihime said softly, as she played with the fabric of her shirt. “I know Kurosaki-kun gets embarrassed around his family, but when it’s just the two of us on the phone he’s more comfortable. We’ve been able to be more honest with each other. Even if it’s important or trivial…it’s nice to just let some else know how you’re doing.”

The brown-haired girl smiled. “I’m sure it is.”

Momo helped put the dishes in the sink before going to the main room and getting ready for bed. Though she had been upset earlier, after talking to the human girl, Momo felt lighter inside. She knew there would always be some part of her that would hold the wounds of the Winter War close to her heart. But she was slowly coming to terms that it was okay to keep those pieces as long as they motivated you to move on. Momo smiled remembering the human girl’s resolute eyes and her advice. Orihime could heal people not just through her powers, but her warm words and kind presence.

She stepped closer towards the kitchen to go use the bathroom but stopped when she heard Orihime on the phone.

“Yes, Momo-chan arrived safely! We stayed up talking and she’s going to bed now.” Momo could see Orihime slightly blush and tuck her chin in and play with her hair as the girl listened to the other side. She put the wash cloth down “Have a good night Kurosaki-kun! I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” There was a slight pause and the girl turned slightly more red. “I love you too.” Momo smiled as she watched Orihime hold the phone close to herself, spinning from side to side before throwing the washcloth aside and leaning against the fridge with a squeal.

Momo gently closed the door to the kitchen and moved towards the living room window, careful not to make a sound as to not alert the amber-haired girl she was listening. It was such an intimate moment and it made Momo happy to know a more personal side of the famous substitute soul reaper. Though she hadn’t met him formally, from seeing the two of them interact she could tell that the boy was a special person to Orihime. Rangiku had once told her that people in love look more beautiful and she could truly attest to that.

Her thoughts swayed back to her childhood friend. Though Momo hadn’t seen Toushiro that day, he had messaged her to give him a call when she arrived.

I texted him when I arrived…but I want to also talk to him.

Before she knew it, Momo found herself pressing the call button and listening to the ringing tone. They hadn’t spoken to each other before on the phone, so she felt a little nervous. But she couldn’t contain her excitement also at the prospect of hearing his voice, especially at the thought of them having a conversation alone.

“Hello?”

“Hitsugaya-kun!” Momo yelped. She didn’t expect him to pick up so quickly.

“Why are you surprised? You’re the one that called me.” Even though she couldn’t see him, she could hear the slight eye roll in his tone. His voice sounded gruff, like he just woken up.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t realize you would pick up right away. Were you sleeping?”

“Not yet,” he admitted, and Momo instantly felt guilty. “But I told you to call me when you reached. I know your departure was delayed so you were traveling at night.”

At the thought of him waiting for her call, Momo could feel her heart beat a little faster—though she’d blame it on the summer heat.

She cleared her throat. “It was a late arrival, so I felt bad to keep Orihime-chan up. But she was so sweet, she cooked dinner for me, started a bath for me and stayed up until I was settled in.” She twirled a finger through her damp hair as she looked out at the crescent moon. “It’s really peaceful here.”

“Were you able to eat the food alright?” She could hear a bit of worry in his tone.

Momo laughed. “Orihime-chan explained to me that ever since she started dating Kurosaki-kun she’s had to limit herself to strict following recipes since he had to go to the hospital once.”

There was a low laugh over the phone. “I could imagine that. It seems like Matsumoto is the only that can stomach Inoue-san’s cooking.”

“But yes, it was delicious! I hadn’t eaten someone else’s cooking in a while, so it made me feel really warm inside,” Momo confessed. “I’m really excited to get to know Orihime-chan more.”

“Are you excited to start your training tomorrow?”

Momo nodded her head vigorously. “Yes! Orihime told me she’s trained with Hachi-san before and that it was really helpful! Hirako-taicho already prepped me a bit about what to expect, but I still feel a little nervous because I’ll be focusing on high level kido—and I haven’t done that in a long time.”

She could hear some noise over the phone that sounded like Toushiro was moving to sit up. “You shouldn’t be nervous. You’re more than ready.”

And she understood that—in principle. While at the academy, she loved reading the incantations and discussing with her professors of possible combinations. But it had been so long since the Quincy War and there hadn’t been a moment for her to push herself yet. Will she remember the incantations correctly? Should she have brought her books with her—

“Stop that.”

Momo paused. “Stop what?”

He scoffed. “I can hear all your overthinking over the phone.”

She spluttered quick protests to which he replied, “You’ll be fine, Hinamori. There is no one more capable than you.”

Momo said nothing as she traced the frame of the window with her finger, taking in his words. “You really think so?” she asked softly.

“I know so,” he responded immediately.

She instantly felt a wave of relief wash over her. Whatever little anxiety that was in the pit of her stomach dissipated like a breath of fresh air from the cool night. She always felt so relieved when Toushiro comforted her.

“Oh! Also Hitsugaya-kun—”

“Hitsugaya-taicho.”

“Hitsugaya-taicho,” Momo amended with a roll of her eyes. “I actually forgot in all my haste to pack sleeping clothes.” She laughed sheepishly. “Orihime-chan is in the midst of packing her apartment to move somewhere else but she actually had some of your clothes from when you and Rangiku-san stayed over…”

“And? She gave you Matsumoto’s clothes?” She could hear the slight confusion in his tone.

“Um, no…she gave me your old shirt,” Momo admitted softly.

There was a pause on the line, and she wondered if he had fallen asleep.

“You’re wearing my shirt?” Maybe it was the sleep, but Momo thought she could hear a slight waver in his voice.

“Yeah…” Momo blushed and look down at it. “It’s a bit short for me—when I lift my arms my whole midrift is exposed,” she laughed. “And it ends above my elbows. Also, I wouldn’t expect you to own something so...”, she fingered the hanging chain at the base of her collarbone, “…edgy.”

“Matsumoto had ordered those clothes—I didn’t pick them out.”

Momo giggled. “That makes sense—it wouldn’t have been the first thing I expected you to wear.”

“If it doesn’t fit you should wear something else,” he retorted.

“No, no! I love wearing it!” she defended quickly. “It reminds me of you…” It even smells like you, she thought but that felt too honest even for this late night of a call.

“…if you wanted something of mine, I could have given you something that fits.” Even though she could hear the sleep in his voice, she couldn’t stop the furious blush that appeared on her face.

Momo could feel herself becoming nervous and the need to diffuse whatever sparks were happening in between. Maybe it was the feeling of stepping out from a hot bath on a cool summer night. Or the solace of the white moon hanging above. But it seemed that both of them were revealing things usually left unsaid.

“It reminds me of how much you’ve grown. I kind of miss my short Shiro-chan,” Momo said playfully.

“Well, I’m no longer that short,” he said dryly. “Almost taller than you, now. You’ll have to get used to it.”

“You’re right,” she said softly.

It was quiet except for the low murmur of breathing on either side. Though no words were said, it felt comfortable. She could hear him turn around on his futon.

Momo thought back to Orihime calling Ichigo and how her smile was so bright. And though she couldn’t see Ichigo on the other side, she could imagine that he was just as happy to talk to them. She wondered how Toushiro felt on the other side of the phone.

“Is that all? I have to be up in a couple hours for morning training.”

“I’m so sorry Hitsugaya-kun!” She looked at the clock and instantly felt remorsefully for not considering the time-difference.

“Don’t worry about it, Hinamori. I wanted you to call.”

“I just called to say…”—how much I want to see you, how much I care —“…I’m excited to come back and tell you everything.”

He scoffed. “Don’t be excited to leave yet, Hinamori. Enjoy your training.”

Momo felt like her heart was hanging on a precipice at the thought of her next question. “Then…can I call you again while I’m here?”

A pause so long she felt like her heartbeat could be heard over the phone. Momo worried if she had stepped too far. This summer night had made her much bolder than before. She half expected him to scoff at her and remind her to focus on her own work. But there was hope that she wanted to continue these calls and tell him more.

“Of course you can.”

Momo beamed. “Wonderful! I’ll call you soon again! And don’t worry, I’ll make sure to call you earlier, so I don’t disturb your sleep.”

She could hear him chuckle on the other side. “Go get some sleep now, Hinamori.”

Even after putting the phone down, Momo couldn’t stop the smile from breaking out. She fell back on the futon, clutching the phone to her fast-beating heart.

There was something new about the phone call. She felt it and she had a feeling that somehow, Toushiro felt it too. A kind of intensity she wasn’t used to but was looking forward to in future conversations.

Momo wondered; how many things were left unsaid between them?

—

Authour’s Note: I really hope you enjoyed this!

I have always always loved the conversation between Rangiku and Orihime during the Advance Team Arc. I think it can get dismissed as fanservice, which I won’t deny, but I really loved the keen perception of Rangiku to sense Orihime’s insecurities and then give her big sisterly advice! I’m also such a fan of writing Momo with other female characters so I really wanted that sort of moment with her and Orihime (who I also believe is highly emotionally intelligent when it comes to other people’s emotions).

This is my first time writing Orihime so I was really nervous! (and also why it took so long to write this). but after watching clips of her and reading other orihime fan interpretations of her, i really found myself falling for her and her beautiful emotional strength. I also really wanted to showcase her relationship with Ichigo as a young high school sweetheart way and hope that came across :) I think I still need to get a hang of her dialogue but I would love to write more of her in the future!

Also, I am such a sucker for phone conversations! I think they’re such a beautiful concept to focus so much on someone’s voice and hang onto everything the other person says without really knowing how their face looks as they talk. There’s really such an intimacy with it that’s hard to replicate. The phone call between Momo and Toushiro was actually the first part of the fic that was written because it came the easiest to me :)

I started writing this fic in the summer when I was physically and mentally in a different part of the world, so I have fond memories of listening to Late Night Talking during the short nights and writing this after the long summer days. I think this is my favourite fic of the year because it contains a lot of memories of changes to where I am currently and I put a lot of love in Momo and Orihime’s interactions:) I truly hope you enjoyed it :)

#ITS FINALLY DONE #momo hinamori #toushiro hitsugaya #orihime inoue #ichigo kurosaki #bleach fanfiction #canariie: my fics #ichihime #hitsuhina #does it count if the characters are only there in name hahahaha #yes yes yes it does #honestly my true motivation to release this now is because i have to work on a written statement and my mind could not focus on that #until i actually just finished this long piece

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