#Yes I have yapped about them with my siblings to when they told me to stop sigh ☹ | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

hollowed-theory-hall · 4 months ago

Note

👋👋👋

do you have meta thoughs or/and headcanons about Black sisters? it definitely a lot of to unpack from

Hello 👋

And yes, I have plenty of thoughts about the Black sisters, individually and about their relationships with each other. This isn't like, a super deep dive into either but more just me yapping about my general thoughts.

Now, the first thing I want to note is that in JKR's Black family tree draft, Cygnus Black (the sisters' father) is written to have been born in 1938. As Bellatrix (the eldest) was born in 1951, this would mean Cygnus would be 13 when she was born. I don't think that makes a whole lot of sense, personally, so I chose to believe this was a mistake, and that instead Cygnus was born in 1933 (3 and 8 can look similar in handwriting & JKR is not great at math so it's probably a mistake, just let me dream). 1933 would also make more sense with Cygnus' siblings since Walburga is marked to have been born in 1925, and while it is possible for siblings to have a 13-year age difference, it's not all that common when there are only 3 siblings. So, I chose to believe Cygnus was 18 when Bellatrix was born and not 13. So, he was young, but not that young.

I assume that their mother, Druella Rosier, was similarly young when Bellatrix was born (17-18), though there is no canon information about it, so this is a headcanon.

This means Druella got pregnant with Bellatrix in her final year at Hogwarts or immediately after graduation. This also means that Cygnus and Druella probably had their parents and their house elf more involved in Bellatrix's upbringing than with the latter two daughters since they were pretty young.

So I headcanon Bellatrix is the closest to Pollux and Irma out of the three sisters. (I headcanon Pollux was a former dueling champion and practiced with her, for example. I also headcanon Pollux was born in 1907 and not 1912 so he'd be 18 when his eldest daughter, Walburga, was born and not 13).

Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa are pretty close in age. As Bella and Cissa only have 4 year difference between them, I assume Andromeda was born right in the middle, in 1953. This shows that their parents had somewhat of a plan regarding when each one would be born and planned to only have 3 children. (Which again, indicates Cygnus was probably an adult by that time and not 13)

As they are close in age, they probably were close when they were kids. I imagine when Andy was first born, Bella got jealous of all the attention she was getting, but by the time Andy grew up to be a playmate, she got over it. Narcissa didn't deal with as much jealousy from either of her older sisters, in my headcanon, since they were used to having a sister by that point.

When they were young, as the eldest, Bellatrix took it upon herself to be their protector, to be the responsible one who stood up for her younger sisters. In the conversation in Spinner's End with Narcissa, Bella doesn't mind so much Cissa is betraying the Dark Lord, it's her sister and it's clear she doesn't plan to snitch on her, with all of her loyalty to Voldemort, she shows a lot of care towards Narcissa. She is willing to speak against Voldemort to her sister. She clearly loves Narcissa and cares about her:

“Cissy, you must not do this, you can’t trust him —” “The Dark Lord trusts him, doesn’t he?” “The Dark Lord is . . . I believe . . . mistaken,” Bella panted, and her eyes gleamed momentarily under her hood as she looked around to check that they were indeed alone. “In any case, we were told not to speak of the plan to anyone. This is a betrayal of the Dark Lord’s —”

(HBP, 21)

And, I assume she was like that with Andromeda too before Ted came into the picture.

And it's clear Narcissa cares for Bellatrix too:

“Let go, Bella!” snarled Narcissa, and she drew a wand from beneath her cloak, holding it threateningly in the other’s face. Bella merely laughed. “Cissy, your own sister? You wouldn’t —” “There is nothing I wouldn’t do anymore!” Narcissa breathed, a note of hysteria in her voice

(HBP, 21)

Bellatrix doesn't actually expect Narcissa to attack her or even threaten her. She doesn't understand Draco is more important to Narcissa than everything else. Because Bella still treats Narccissa like Cissy she knew before Azkaban, before Draco, before 14 eventful years of life happened, she doesn't know the current Narcissa. And the current Narcissa doesn't love Bellatrix as much as Cissy from 14 years ago did, even if she still cares about her.

And throughout book 7, and Voldemort's Second War, we see Bella and Cissa growing further apart:

where Narcissa sat rigid and impassive, Bellatrix leaned toward Voldemort, for mere words could not demonstrate her longer for closeness

(DH, 14)

As the Malfoys lose their status with Voldemort but Bellatrix doesn't. It's clear even this early on in DH that Narcissa is no fan of Voldemort and it makes sense when she does betray him. Don't get me wrong, I think she is just as fanatic about blood purity as Bellatrix, she's just more polite about it. But I think she is like Regulus, in a way. She is a blood supremacist, but she does not approve of Voldemort's approach or means — especially the moment he went after her son. She could've forgiven him for Lucius ending up in Azkaban, but Draco was a line too far. Like sending Kreacher to his death was a line too far for Regulus — because that hurt them personally, it's not about ideology.

I also headcanon Narcissa was closest to their mother and that Druella was most protective over her youngest daughter.

Then there's Andromeda, Andromeda is really interesting to me (my favorite Black sister, btw). I just find it fascinating she named her daughter Nymphadora — a traditional family name — even after her family disowned her.

We know Andromeda was a Slytherin since Sirius says all his family are and she was sorted before him. So we have a clever Slytherin witch, who grew up around ideals of blood purity, who fell in love with a clearly skilled and charming Hufflepuff muggleborn and chose to run away and elope with said muggleborn. Like, that's such an interesting love story these two got and it's a shame we don't talk about it more.

From the little we see of them in DH, I got the impression they love each other and their daughter a lot. Ted seems to be the more chill and friendly one while Andromeda is more cold and haughty one. I bet Ted's sense of humor was the first thing that really pulled Andromeda in when they first started talking and Ted always adored her laugh.

It also seems Ted completely abandoned the muggle world for the sake of the magical one the way Hermione did:

“...Something go wrong with the bike? Arthur Weasley overstretch himself again, him and his Muggle contraptions?”

(DH, 60)

He does not think highly of Arthur's "muggle contraptions". He finds it silly. I think Ted went into the wizarding world, learned about magic, and became mesmerized by all the amazing things it can do. I think Ted honestly finds Arthur's fascination with muggles silly in the way of: "Magic is so much better, why would you want to do that?"

It'll explain Nymphadora's name as well. Both Ted and Andromeda are wizards who want to be wizards and have no real ties to the muggle world. And still, Andy's family, who she clearly loved once, disowned her:

“She is no niece of ours, my Lord,” she cried over the outpouring of mirth. “We—Narcissa and I—have never set eyes on our sister since she married the Mudblood. This brat has nothing to do with either of us, nor any beast she marries.”

(DH, 14)

I was always under the impression Andromeda married Ted very soon after graduation, as Nymphadora was born in late 1972 or 1973, it means Andromeda would've been around 20 when she gave birth to her, supporting my impression.

This means Andromeda hasn't spoken to her family (except perhaps Sirius) since she was 18 or 19, and it's kinda crazy.

It's kinda sad too since I'm sure Bellatrix and Andromeda played together as kids and later with Narcissa too. I'm certain they used to love each other and that Bellatrix hates Ted with a passion for "stealing her sister from her" while Andromeda can't make herself hate her sisters or her parents, she just hates the situation, wishing it was different. I'm sure there were nights she thought about what could've been if Ted was a pureblood or even a half-blood, but never once does she regret marrying Ted whom she loves.

Andromeda loves her family so much that she still named her daughter a family name. She was and is proud of being a Black and a witch, these aspects of her are so important to her and how she sees herself.

I lowkey headcanon that when Tonks told her about Remus and that they're getting married, Andromeda didn't like it at first. But then she realized she was doing to her daughter what her family did to her so she did a 180 and became the biggest Remadora shipper.

I think Andromeda is incredibly protective and attached to both Ted and Dora because of how she was cut off from her own family. Family, I think, is incredibly important to her, so she built a new one for herself that she was passionate about. I think she was incredibly heartbroken after Ted, Dora, and Remus died. I like to think she raises Teddy with Harry and both she and Harry bond over losing people. Like, I want a post-war Harry to help Andromeda deal with losing her entire family again.

I also like to think Narcissa and Andromeda got in touch again post-war. It's probably strained, but I think both of them need this reminder of a better, familiar time after everything.

So, these are my general thoughts and headcanons regarding the sisters.

#harry potter #hp #hp meta #asks #anonymous #hp headcanon #hollowedtheory #hollowedheadcanon #the noble and most ancient house of black #bellatrix black #bellatrix lestrange #narcissa black #narcissa malfoy #andromeda black #andromeda tonks #ted tonks

88 notes · View notes

trashwithvariety · 2 days ago

Text

OC Tag Game

Thank you for tagging me @hedwigoprah and @the-bear-and-his-sunbird ! I know this is a couple days late but life has been wild recently.

Tagging @serbarris @rooks-leather-jumpsuit @curiouswisp and anyone else who would like to yap about their OCs!!

OC: Francesca! Ofc because I'm in love with her. This is gonna be about game Ches, somewhat different from AU Ches.

General:

Name: Francesca Ingellvar

Alias: Ches, Professor, Rook

Gender: Female (she/her)

Age: 48

Spoken Language: Nevarran, Common, and a minor amount of Tevene, and she can read Tomb Script

Sexual Orientation: Demisexual

Occupation: Mourn Watch - Professor of Defensive Magic, Veilguard Mama

Favorite…

Color: emerald green, burgundy

Entertainment: music and dancing, romance novels (guilty pleasure)

Pastime: an avid chess player, loves to challenge the team at strategy games, and she and Emmrich like to share his office space to catch up on university work and enjoy each other's company

Food: She's pescatarian! She got a taste for fresh fish while visiting Dorian in Minrathous when they were younger

Drink: She enjoys Antivan blend coffee (basic but delicious) and likes to have a glass of wine at the end of a long day. Sweet red.

Have they…

Passed University: Yes! She was actually in school with Dorian when he was training under Emmrich. She graduated and became a Watcher, then worked her way into teaching! She teaches young Nevarran mages basic defense against malign spirits.

Had Sex: Yes!

Had Sex in Public: ...perhaps, but she would never say...

Got Tattoos: Yes... Though one of them was not voluntary.

Got Piercings: She has her ears pierced, covered in different pieces of grave gold and precious gems.

Got Scarred: Her tattoo could technically be considered a scar...

Had a Broken Heart: Once in her youth, but she tends not to fall in love easily, so not since then

Are they…

A Cuddler: My girl is touch starved please someone give her a gentle touch... She wants to reach out but she's afraid to. (Emmrich touching her hand on the skull sent her heart hammering)

Scared Easily: Not very. She has anxiety that she has learned to cope with over the years, but she tends to wait until she knows she's alone before she cries it out.

Jealous Easily: Hmm... Moderately. But only for Emmrich. She feels somewhat possessive of him more than any other lover she's had.

Trustworthy: Absolutely. She's the person you go to vent to, who you know won't tell anyone whatever you told her. She's had several students over the years confide in her when they've had trouble or needed help out of scrapes.

Family…

Sibling(s): None that she knows of.

Parents: She was a foundling, so they're probably out there somewhere, but she has no idea who they are.

Children: None :,) (except in my future Thedas fic, she has a daughter named Dione!)

Pets: She had a cat (Binx) when she lived in Nevarra, then gave it to Myrna when she had to leave after the War of the Banners.

#thank you again for tagging me!#oc tag #francesca ingellvar #rook ingellvar #emmrook #dragon age the veilguard #dragon age #emmrich volkarin

12 notes · View notes

janyxbeloved · 4 months ago

Text

Hi guys, sorry for being MIA for a while, I didn't feel like posting, but I recently posted on my alt but mf I'm bored as fuck and got this random idea

Anyways, I'm summoning epic The musical fans and KNY fans! I'm matching certain lyrics from the wisdom saga to KNY characters and without further ado, enjoy the yap session!

🦉⌛ - The wisdom saga

1. Legendary

2. Little wolf

3. We'll be fine

4. Love in paradise

5. God games

All credit goes to:

Jorge Rivera-Herrans

The cast of Epic: The musical

Ft. The Demon slayers!

Songs (Arranged in order)

Legendary

"Stuck in my bedroom, living in this world you left behind." - Giyu Tomioka

Reason: You guys cannot see how he has some form of self doubt, despite Sabito's death, he was able to become legendary to train Tanjiro and even spare Nezuko in the first meeting, he gave her warm clothes and the bamboo muzzle, and even stayed behind to make sure Tanjiro and Nezuko were okay. Something Sabito would most likely do, he's kind and Giyu is also kind in his own way.

"I know life and fate are scary, but I wanna be legendary!" - Nezuko Kamado

Reason: Nezuko just wants the approval, I mean you guys saw that she resisted the smell of blood when Sanemi cut his arm just to tempt her! I'd say Nezuko deserves to be appreciated for even resisting as a demon! I wouldn't say that the Hashira were quick to judge however, they had the right to judge and/or doubt Nezuko because yes, she's a demon, they're horrible beings. But that can't stop Nezuko from being legendary like Odysseus.

"I'll fight the harpies and chimeras, the minotaur, even Cerberus!" - Genya Shinazugawa

Reason: I see so much in Genya, he has the potential to be a demon slayer. His abilities are exceptional. But I want to point out that Sanemi is distanced from him, he was willing to do anything to have Sanemi look at him. It wasn't until the infinity castle arc when Sanemi finally looked at Genya. Genya, in the series, was willingly doing his best. And just like Telemachus, he wants to also be legendary!

A/N: Yeah, I covered the younger siblings here! But like you cannot expect me to not!

Little wolf

"I've no respect for bullies, those who impose their will, I've seen plenty enough to truly understand this kind of filth!" - Mitsuri Kanroji

Reason: No one can say that Mitsuri is a bad character, she was very well written and has the most relatable backstory, mostly to my ladies out there who suffered something similar like our favorite love Hashira did. She has no respect for demons who put her loved ones down and she's seen plenty enough to actually truly understand the filth of this world, both how she is now and in her backstory.

"Fight, little wolf, fight! Show them that you've got some bite, little wolf, bite! Take advantage now and strike! Little wolf, strike!" - Muichiro Tokito

Reason: I'd say that Muichiro was strong enough to handle that demon who attacked him and his brother, he fought the damn thing and still forced himself to get up just to hold his brother's hand one last time. He fought the exhaustion just to see Yuichiro one final time before passing out.

"Get up and fight! Fight little wolf! Fight!" - Shinobu Kocho

Reason:In the manga, Kanae had told Shinobu to get up and continue fighting despite her lung being severely damaged, even though Shinobu lost to Doma, she got up and fought.

A/N: I really loved covering a KNY character analysis with the lyrics of the song btw! The song actually suits them in general!

We'll be fine

"I had a friend before and he was a lot like you." - Giyu Tomioka

Reason: Again, about Sabito, Giyu might've seen something in Tanjiro that reminded him of his late friend, enthusiastic, fun, and very optimistic in a world full of darkness. Tanjiro always had a smile on his face and Sabito did too, Giyu saw Sabito in Tanjiro.

"You're my friend, I couldn't ask for more!" - Inosuke Hashibira

Reason: Despite him having difficulty pronouncing Tanjiro and Zenitsu's name, Inosuke is thankful for Tanjiro and Zenitsu's friendship. It's clear in how comfortable Inosuke is with the two other boys.

"I know it's light you'll find!" - Tanjiro Kamado

Reason: Okay, this is for Giyu, I feel like Tanjiro would be there for our favorite(and deffienetly not friendless!) water Hashira, Tanjiro effect everyone, the Tanjiro effect! Giyu managed to actually be comfortable around Tanjiro! And Tanjiro is the light in everyone's life. We all need a Tanjiro in our lives.

A/N: Can I just say I really love Teagan Earley (Athena's VA)? She sounds so beautiful and majestic omg!!!

Love in paradise

"Time can take a heavy toll." - Giyu Tomioka

Reason: Again, Giyu's back in the podium. Giyu was at his best when he was younger, and he's gotten better. But the effect of time was physical and emotional, if I can recall, Giyu didn't have any of those highlights in his eyes at age 21. But him at age 13 and age 21, that was some improvement. Overall, time does take a heavy toll on people.

A/N: It's all I could think of, honestly, but I'd like to point out that I absolutely despise Calypso, but her VA, Barbara Wangui, she did a good damn job voicing her, her singing was amazing for the recordings, I love her! And Athena's time dive was so good. You cannot convince me otherwise.

God games

"Trust is not given, it's forged." - Sanemi Shinazugawa

Reason: Okay, hear me out, Sanemi would say something like that. BUT he would not release Nezuko so easily, he'd say trust isn't given but can be forged, but according to the trivia of Hephaestus, his instrument is a hammer and church bells, don't call me crazy but I say Sanemi's instruments can be similar to those too(If not an electric guitar)

"Really Athena? These old tricks?" - Obanai Iguro

Reason: I feel like Obanai would be somewhat similar to Ares. I dunno about you guys but Ares sounded sassy or condescending, I dunno, it's still actually really amazing to think Ares and Obanai share small similarities in some way. Though I was unable to find any trivia that directly indicate that they share similarities, one thing is damn certain, Obanai and Ares love their partners.

A/N: I couldn't think much for God games, but I put more effort than the one for love in paradise, I legit couldn't find anything that matched the other slayers.

End!

That concludes the yapping I had to do, I might host a poll on the next saga I can cover for KNY character analysis, I'd appreciate it if you guys voted btw! Thanks for reading my dear faunas!

Special shout outs to my friends!

@puerile-treats and @julcarya

Check them out! They're cool peeps!

11 notes · View notes

isolde-illustrates · 5 days ago

Text

Juline and Kesler

This is essentially them yapping about Juline becoming Squall.

Juline counted her children on her hand as Dex walked over to the Leapmaster 250, followed by his three younger siblings. "Rex, show Lex and Bex how to control telekinesis again. I'm afraid they're going to fail at the Splotching matches today."

"At least they're young enough that they don't look bad," Dex mumbled as Juline kissed Rex on the top of his head, "It's great to know that your vote of confidence in me is already gone."

"I know that your talents lie elsewhere," his mother countered, kissing his head, too, before letting him join his brother.

As Bex tried to sneak past her mother, Juline reached for her hair, pushing a strand out of Bex's eyes. Her daughter shoved her arm away, telling her mother, "I'm going for a look."

"Well, thank goodness you're a phaser, because I'm afraid that you'd slam into walls otherwise." She handed her daughter a piece of cloth to tie her hair back. "Just in case you need it during Physical Education."

Bex took the cloth as her mother kissed the top of her head. "Stop, you're going to mess up my hair! I'm trying one of Dad's new products."

"Are you?" Juline wondered, glancing at her husband.

As her daughter ran over to her big brother, Lex jumped out from behind Juline, yelling, "Snow attack!"

Juline caught the flakes before they reached her shirt, turning them around and throwing them in Lex's hair. As he tried to shake the flakes out, she pulled her son into a hug. "Have a good day at school," she told him.

"Favorite child," Rex muttered as Juline kissed Lex's forehead.

"Your mother and I love you all equally," Kesler assured them, "Besides, shouldn't you four have left for school already?"

"Right," Dex remembered, yelling, "Foxfire!" A crystal lowered, catching the light through the tower's window. A chorus of byes erupted, and the children stepped into the light, leaping to Foxfire.

As the crystal slowly moved towards the sky, Juline sighed. "Time for work, I supposed?" she inquired, fixing the collar of her husband's tie.

"Normally, yes," Kesler agreed, "but I took the day off."

"Really?" she exclaimed, grinning, "What's the occasion?"

"Truth."

Juline's smiled crumbled. "About what?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," Kesler admitted, moving away from the Leapmaster until he was close enough to sit on the first step of the staircase. Juline moved, sitting to his right. "I know that you're a member of the Black Swan, and I haven't pushed you for a lot of this information." She stayed quiet, listening to her husband's concerns. "That was years ago that I learned about it, and I can't stop wondering. When were you going to tell me? How many missions have you gone on where you risked your life, and I never knew that you were in danger?"

"So that's what this is about," she whispered, "You're worried that I can't handle myself."

"I'm worried that you'll get a difficult mission, and I won't learn about it until Forkle or that rock guy comes back with your wanderling." He took her hands in his. "I can't lose you."

"You won't," she assured him, curling her fingers around his. "I'm very careful."

"Jul, I know I'm Talentless," he pressed, "and I know that an alchemist isn't exactly ideal for combat, but I'm here, okay? If you're ever in a panic, or if you want an extra person, I'll be there. Even if you just need someone to talk to because what you're doing is crazy scary, I'll be here." Juline's shoulder pressed against his, and Kesler let her lay her head on his shoulder. "I love you so much, Jul. I just want to help."

She inhaled deeply, her speech lazy as she commented, "You smell like yeti."

Kesler nodded, laughing, "I hope Bex grabbed the right bottle of product."

Gasping, Juline asked, "You did not—"

"They were in similar bottles, and the little phaser stole it from my office this morning," Kesler admitted, shrugging. "If she stole the wrong one, that's on her."

"I see where the little gremlins get it from," she teased, kissing her husband.

Before she could kiss him again, Kesler asked, "Are you really going to tell me when you have missions and if you're in danger?"

Repressing her sigh, Juline nodded. "Yes, I will tell you when I have more than a business meeting. Speaking of which, I have today—a meeting, not anything dangerous."

"Okay," he replied, "Thank you for telling me."

"Of course," she assured him," I don't want my membership in the Black Swan to mess this up." Juline wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing her husband again. As Kesler put his arms around her waist, a flash of light came from behind them.

"Ugh, kissing," complained Bex, "Gross."

Her parents immediately pushed away from the other, turning around. "Why are you back here?" Juline wondered.

Bex and Kesler both replied, "Yeti."

Their daughter stepped in between them, running downstairs. As she did, Bex yelled back, "I need a parent excuse for my first two sessions."

As she disappeared down the stairs, Kesler asked, "Wouldn't a shower only take the first slot?"

Juline shrugged. "She probably goofed off during study hall and needs to do her assignment before her session."

"Well, that sounds like a job for Mrs. Foxfire graduate," Kesler told her, quickly escaping downstairs.

"Says the guy with the day off," Juline mutter, trying to conjure up a good excuse for her careless daughter."

#kotlc fanfic #juline dizznee #kesler dizznee #dex dizznee

4 notes · View notes

nanowired-lover · 10 months ago

Text

I can't even say I have AN underrated fav in hk i just have so many i'm having thoughts about....... which are underrated

like thank god I also love Quirrel and Tiso bc if not I'd be fucking starving < says the guy who isn't producing shit either for other fans of the underrated favs

Okay it's just a list bc i need to yap into the void bc holy shit i can't yap to anyone rn

The Nailmasters. Okay yeah everyone likes them but there's way less content of them compared to the rest ?

But especially like. Oro specifically ? Idk why I got so attached to him, I am predictable GAHAHA you give me an old uncle who's an asshole with a possible tragic backstory and I'm bitting his walls off. I'm aslo totally normal about Sheo and his husband. Sweet sweet man. I hc'ed him as a transman some years ago and it didn't leave my brain since, and the gijinka I did of this guy is still gender goal. And he loves his brothers I am weak. And Mato....... im a bit more normal about him but ouuuguuuughhghhghh dad...... I just lowkey want to hols him in my hands and kiss his beetle head

Then Xero. BITING i love when ppl are like. Saying that he's an ant like Tiso. He's family. Yes. YES. YESSSSSS. I remember we did a fucked up story about it with my partner bc he's got a weird knowledge about animals and ants dynamics, so she told me that the gender-fuckery could be a good plot point (as i hc Tiso and I think Xero too as 2 transman, and Xero possibly as Tiso's father). BUT ALSO DUUUUUDE HE LITTERALLY SAID FUCK THE MONARCHY. AND HE'S SO FUCKING TRAGIC ABOUT IT. IDK WHAT HE SAYS IN ENGLISH BUT IN FRENCH, HE BROKE MY HEART.

I remember having a moment about the Collector as my gf loved the ship between them and Nosk, and the gijinka I did of them got me adoring that weird man. Like the Nailmasters, there's a lot of unfinished ? lore ? Around them like. Are they a sibling ? a vessel ? a naked kingsmould ??? Why do I do not gain mana from hitting them, what is wrong with them.

Oh and and and yeah the. the Soul Master. What is wrong with him. Why does he have fat Dr Strange x kitty cat vibes. Garfield vibes but feral. Fat magic kitty. I'm just so BIASED from @/palossssssand 's gijinkas. BUT ALSO WHAT DO YOU MEAAAAAN WE WAS TRYING TO BE GREATER THAN GOD ???? AND IT FUCKED UP SO BAD SOME PPL MELTED ?????? AND HE'S STILL UP THERE ALL PUFFY AND MIGHTLY ??? Also I'm pretty sure it would make more sense for him to not be fat since he's all dried up and skinny when you kill him, which means that he was probably puffing up and making himself looks bigger but. I'm a fat Soul Master believer til the end...

Also I know I'm not normal about Tiso and Quirrel (separately). My first tatoo might be about Quirrel actually. And Tiso is my son, my idiot, my fucking fool, my punching ball. My boy needs a father, or a mentor, and a tall bisexual to peg him. But those 2 are populars so I got my shit

#nano.txt #not tagging the fandom I just REAAAAAAAALLY NEED TO YAP

3 notes · View notes

kathonyxbee · 4 years ago

Text

Preventing Another Duel

Happy Belated Kate and Anthony Week! 🐝🌷

This is late, I know, but it took me a while to figure out this fit which I planned for Day 5. Sorry about that. So, this is basically the fic for Day 5 of Kathony Week 🐝🌷

Day 5: "scared of my wife"

Set during TSPWL, knowing about the duel with Simon, Kate hides Anthony's pistols to keep him from engaging in another duel that might get him killed.

Or, Kate is a very protective wife even if it means taking extreme measures and Anthony is a little scared of her.

“Mama?” Edmund asked in a small voice as Kate closed the book she’d just read the boys, and Kate looked up to find both her boys looking up at her with curious expressions on both their faces. Edmund was a mirror image of her husband, the same brown eyes, the same nose, the same shape of his mouth, the same mop of brown hair. Miles was more of a mixture of them both, with Anthony’s bone structure and nose, but her mouth and eyes, darker than Edmund’s, and her hair, a mop of black, unruly curls.

“Yes, darling?”

Her boys exchanged a look, nudging each other until Miles turned to her.

“Was Auntie El kidnapped by pirates?” Miles asked in a small voice. Kate gasped, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“Miles, why would you say such a thing?” she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

“Isn’t that why Grandmama Violet went to the bank to make sure her funds were in order?” Edmund piped up, his brown eyes blinking at her with curiosity.

“Edmund! Where did you hear that?” she stared at her eldest in shock, and concern. They’d all been on edge for the past few days, ever since Eloise had disappeared. Anthony was currently out with Colin and Gregory, doing Lord knows what, while most of the women of the family, minus Francesca and Sophie, were off at Number 5. Even Edwina, her sister, had been alerted, Kate sending her a frazzled note as soon as she could, and Mary, too, both of them writing back to express their concern.

Kate had been at Number 5, too, most of the afternoon, doing her best to comfort Violet, who was beside herself, and keep an eye on Hyacinth and the household, but had left just before dinner since she needed to put Charlotte to bed and Edmund and Miles needed to be bathed, too, and put to bed. Daphne, too, had left not long after, her four children in tow.

Edmund looked down, a crease, much like his father’s, forming between his eyebrows and Miles pinched his lips together.

“Well-” her eldest started, but Miles cut him off.

“You see, Mama, Auntie Hyacinth was telling us this story,” he started to explain, looking up to meet her eyes, “about pirates and this cousin of the Bridgertons who was kidnapped by pirates and then married one of them and we just thought that Auntie El-” he rambled, trying to explain.

Kate snorted, cutting him off, and both her sons looked at her in surprise as she succumbed to laughter, unable to stop herself.

“Mama? Are you alright?” Edmund murmured, looking at her in concern. “You are acting so strange…”

Finally, Kate managed to stop laughing, and she let out a heavy sigh before crouching in front of her sons, and reached for their hands, clasping them in hers.

“My darlings,” she said softly, giving them a wobbly smile, “your Aunt Hyacinth lives for adventure, but don’t listen to her and let her fill your head with nonsense. Your Aunt Eloise was not kidnapped by pirates,” she told them as firmly as she could. She didn’t like being too firm with the boys, but she was tired and worried for Eloise, and she wasn’t going to entertain this ridiculous theory.

Both boys, sensing that their mother was in a no-nonsense mood, nodded solemnly, letting out a “yes, Mama,” in unison.

And then, Miles added, “but, mama, do you think Auntie El might have been kidnapped, still?”

“Not by a pirate,” Edmund supplied.

Kate sighed, “I don’t think so,” she told them. “Edmund, Miles, your Auntie El is strong, and smart, and she would never let herself kidnapped-”

“Do you think Papa will have to duel anyone?” Miles interrupted her to chime in.

“Miles!” Kate gasped. “Why would you-”

“Because he and Uncle Simon dueled before Uncle Simon married Auntie Daff,” Edmund chimed in.

Kate sighed, huffing, “Edmund, Miles, your father is not going to duel anyone,” told them, once again trying to sound as authoritative as she could. “Not if I have anything to say about it,” she added, under her breath.

Miles’ eyes filled with tears, “are you certain, Mama?” he asked, his voice small, and Kate heart ached as she cupped his small face.

“Of course, darling,” she said softly, wiping away the few tears that had spilled onto his cheeks, still chubby with baby fat. “Your Papa is not going to do anything of the sort, I promise. Not if it means taking him away from us. If there is a conflict with your Aunt Eloise, your father will resolve it in a most civilized manner indeed. All right, boys?”

“Yes, Mama,” they mumbled in unison.

“Now, off to bed with you two,” she told them, nudging them to their beds. Although Bridgerton House had enough bedrooms for all of them, Edmund and Miles were still sharing a room, thought Kate wasn’t sure if it was for Miles’ or Edmund’s benefit. She didn’t mind. When the boys weren’t up mischief, they were the best of friends and both Kate and Anthony were so happy, since both of them had siblings and loved their siblings very much. So much so that Anthony was ready to duel any man who would ever attempt to bring harm or ruin to any of his sisters. Kate did not want to think of what Anthony might do when Charlotte would grow up and have her season. He’d probably convert to Catholicism so he could lock her in a convent. She shook herself and stood up, bending to kiss each boy, bidding them goodnight.

“Goodnight, my darlings,” she whispered, exiting the room.

“Goodnight, Mama,” they both whispered as she shut the door, turning off the light.

Once the door was firmly shot behind her, Kate listened, making sure her husband hadn’t returned before making her way to Anthony’s study. She passed Mrs. Wilson, the housekeeper she’d inherited from her mother-in-law upon their move to Bridgerton House.

“Is everything all right, my lady?” Mrs. Wilson asked, her face filled with concern. “Any word on Miss Eloise?” And, Kate was reminded that Mrs. Wilson had worked for the Bridgertons for years, that she’d known Eloise since she was born, that she was just as worried as anyone.

Kate shook her head, “no, Mrs. Wilson, sadly I don’t know anything. I was just putting the boys to bed. Charlotte is already sleeping,” she told her with a tense smile. “I, uh, I need something from Lord Bridgerton’s study. You may retire for the night, I should like to wait for my husband,” she added softly.

“Of course, my lady. Goodnight,” Mrs. Wilson murmured before going off, leaving Kate alone once more. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kate made her way to Anthony’s study, shutting the door behind her before getting to work, looking for her husband’s pistols. She’d be damned if she let another duel happen, no matter what.

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

Barely an hour later, after Kate had retrieved and hidden the pistols, sending a letter to her sister-in-law, Sophie, warning her to hide Benedict’s, too, she retired to the drawing room and requested a pot of tea, hoping to calm her nerves. Newton joined her, settling at her feet. She’d just filled her cup with the tea, when the door burst open, causing Newton to lift his head in alarm, and she looked up to find Anthony standing there, a harried-looking Humboldt beside him, Colin and Gregory not far behind.

“Anthony!” she exclaimed, standing up, setting her cup aside. “What-”

“We know where Eloise is!” he announced, striding into the room, passing poor Humboldt, his brothers scrambling to join. Newton became alert, too, rushing over to Anthony and the other two, yapping at their feet. Anthony merely bent down to scratch him behind his ear with a quiet, “good evening, Newton,” which made Kate grin.

“Oh!” she let out a sigh of relief. “Where is she? Is she all right?” she asked as she met Anthony for a hug in the middle of the room, his grip tightening on her, holding her close while Colin and Gregory both lingered behind, Colin no doubt ordering food and more tea. After a few more seconds, he finally released her, but not before pressing a chaste kiss to her lips, and she could feel the tension melt from his body, a tension that hadn’t left him in the past few days.

“She’s all right,” he told her, pulling her to the sofa, Colin and Gregory both plopping down on another one. Newton joined them, the two brothers immediately patting him and rubbing his belly. “Or, at least I hope so,” he added, a little more subdued, and she could hear the worry in his voice, see it in the crease between his eyebrows, a crease that had been permanent for the past few days, and all she’d wanted was to brush it away, but she knew that until he saw Eloise alive and well with his own eyes, it would not disappear.

“Well, what happened?” she asked, glancing at the other two Bridgerton brothers.

“She’s run off!” Gregory replied, his lips twitching with amusement, and Colin snorted. “She’s run off to marry a man,” he added for clarification. Kate’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and she gasped.

“Run off? To get married? Eloise?” she asked, still trying to process the thought.

“Oh, yes,” Colin murmured.

“To a Sir Phillip Crane,” Anthony grunted, unamused. “We found a letter and a pressed flower behind her desk,” he added.

“Actually, Pen found it,” Colin chimed in, smiling proudly, and Kate rolled her eyes. Newlyweds.

“That was a very sensible idea, having Pen look, wasn’t it?” she quipped, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “I wonder who thought of it…”

Anthony sighed, “yes, you were right to suggest it, dear wife,” he told her, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a tender kiss to her knuckles. “Quite sensible of you,” he added.

“Indeed. I am the sensible sister, after all,” she murmured acerbically. “And, where is this Sir Phillip Crane located?” she wondered, taking another sip of her tea.

“In Gloucestershire,” Anthony answered her question. “Not very far from Wiltshire, where Benedict and Sophie live,” he added.

“We’ll be heading there,” Colin informed her. “We must deal with this Sir Phillip individual as soon as possible,” he said, cracking his knuckles.

“I assume Benedict will join you?” she asked, though she already knew the answer. Benedict was Eloise’s favorite brother, after all, the two of them sharing a very close bond.

“Indeed,” Anthony nodded.

“I am, too,” Gregory chimed in. “I should like to give that Sir Phillip a piece of my mind,” he added, crossing his arms, trying to appear as scary as his older brothers, but he failed. Still, Kate found it sweet that Gregory was ready to beat up a man he didn’t know for his siter.

“Absolutely not!” Anthony snapped.

“I agree with Anthony, Greg. I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Colin added, trying to sound a little more gentle.

“And, I think it’s a splendid idea for Gregory to go,” Kate chimed in, straightening up a little. “He is your brother, too, and if he wants to go, he should. He is three-and-twenty, after all. He’s an adult,” she said, glancing over at her husband who had an inscrutable expression on his face. She reached for him, her fingers gripping his wrist lightly, bringing his attention to her, and their gazes met. “Anthony,” she said gently, “I know you think of Gregory as a child, but he isn’t. And, if he wants to go, you should take him with you,” she said softly, rubbing her thumb over his knuckles in a comforting manner, and she felt Anthony relax slightly beneath her fingertips.

Anthony sighed heavily, but they both knew she’d won the argument, and she couldn’t help but smirk, a little too pleased with herself.

“Very well. Gregory, you may join us,” he declared, and Gregory beamed, please. Then, Anthony stood up, “now, I shall go make preparations right now.” And, with that he stalked out of the room, no doubt going to his study.

The remaining Bridgerton brothers glanced at each other.

“Think he’ll duel Sir Phillip, too?” Gregory whispered, or tried to, anyway, but Kate heard him.

“I’m sure,” Colin nodded just as Humboldt returned with a tray of food. “Oh, Humboldt, you are a Godsend!” he exclaimed upon seeing the food.

The butler grinned, “not quite, Mr. Bridgerton. I am just doing my job,” he muttered.

“Thank you, Humboldt,” Kate added with a smile as Newton yapped at Colin and Gregory’s feet.

And then, there was the sound of crashing coming from down the hall, grabbing their attention.

“Kate!” Anthony bellowed loudly and Kate stood up, seeing Newton lift his head, too, but he made no move to leave the room. “Kate!” he yelled again, and she sighed.

“Excuse me, I am going to see what your brother is yelling about,” she told the other two before leaving the drawing room and rushing to Anthony’s study.

“Anthony!” she hissed as she entered the study, shutting the door behind her. “Do you want to wake Charlotte or the boys up?”

“Forgive me,” he muttered apologetically. Then, he turned to her, “Kate, darling, have you seen my pistols by any chance? They were in their case and I really do need them,” he said sweetly, but she wasn’t fooled by his tone.

“Nice try, Anthony,” she rolled her eyes. “I hid them,” she told him simply, not seeing any reason to hide the fact.

Anthony grunted, “Kate, you must give them to me,” he told her firmly. “I need them right now,” he added.

“To do what? Duel him? Absolutely not!” she snapped, scowling, crossing her arms.

“Kate…” Anthony edged out, gritting his teeth in annoyance. “I need them, and I don’t want to waste all night looking for them, so would you please just tell me where they are?”

“Now why would I do that?” she tutted. “I’m not going to enable you to get killed,” she added, pursing her lips, trying to catch his gaze.

“Kate…” he muttered, trailing off before he moved closer to her. “She is my sister. I must defend her honor,” he added, a hint of desperation in his tone.

She sighed, her expression softening as she lifted her hand to cup his cheek. “And you are my husband,” she said sofly, her gaze meeting his, her dark brown eyes staring into him, searching for something, something like an answer.

“Kate, when gentlemen are faced with certain situations, they must do what needs to be done. I am very well-educated in the matter, I know what to do,” he said, his own voice husky as he instinctively leaned into her touch.

Kate rolled her eyes, “ah, yes… leave it to the men. Of course. Because you know exactly what to do,” she grumbled. “Don’t be ridiculous, Anthony. Duels aren’t guaranteed. No matter how well you know what needs to be done, you can never predict how that bullet will move,” she said, pursing her lips.

Anthony just shook his head and pulled away, averting his gaze, and Kate’s stomach flipped nervously.

“What happens if you kill him?” she asked in a low voice, her heart hammering in her chest.

Without looking at her, her husband sighed, “I shall have to run away. Benedict will be head of the family in every way that matters and when Edmund is of age he can take over,” he told her.

“You would abandon me?” she asked, her voice uncharacteristically small, and she tried to catch her husband’s gaze, but he seemed intent on avoiding it.

“I would not have a choice. But, hopefully it won’t come to that if Eloise marries him,” he sighed.

Her brows knitted together as she struggled to ask her next question. “And, if you- if Sir Phillip k- kills you?” she whispered, her voice breaking on the last word.

“Edmund would inherit everything,” he told her, his own voice low, defeated.

“You would do that to Edmund? After what your father’s death-”

“Don’t bring father into this!” he growled. “That was an accident-”

“And this would be of your own reckless stupidity!” she snapped, cutting him off. “Yes, that sounds like a much better idea, Anthony. Either you kill him and you’re as good as dead or he kills you and you leave your children without a father and me a widow? Capital idea, my lord!”

“Kate-” he tried cutting in, but she didn’t let him, she wouldn’t let him.

“After everything we’ve been through, after all the pain you’ve endured thinking you would die soon, you would do something so reckless?” she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at him. “How could you even… how could you even fathom leaving me?” she asked, shaking her head. “Leaving the boys and Charlotte?”

“Kate…” he repeated, but this time his voice was low, defeated, and she shook his head.

Slowly, she made her way to him and reached to cup his cheek once more, her thumb stroking along his jaw, and Anthony immediately relaxed, leaning into her touch.

“Anthony,” she murmured softly, “look at me. Please look at me, Anthony,” she begged. Finally, he tilted his head and met her gaze, his deep brown eyes shining with emotion, that crease between his eyebrows formed, a mark of the turmoil he felt. “Do you know what the boys asked me when I was tucking them in?”

“What?” he whispered.

“They asked me if their papa would duel like he did with Uncle Simon,” she told him, her voice gentle, not judging. “And, I told them you wouldn’t. I promised them you wouldn’t. I promised them, do you hear me?”

He nodded.

“I made a promise to our sons that you wouldn’t do anything like that. Don’t make me break that promise, Anthony. Don’t duel Sir Phillip. Just go and deal with this like a civilized person, okay? I know you can do it.”

Finally, he nodded, though the crease was still there, that tiny indentation of his skin that told her of her husband’s emotional state.

“Say it,” she whispered, her own voice thick with emotion. Her face was mere inches from his, their noses almost brushing, their breaths mingling a little. “Say it, Anthony,” she repeated, her voice a breathless whisper, cracking.

He sighed, “okay. I promise I will not challenge Sir Phillip Crane to a duel,” he told her, his voice firm, but resigned. “I give you my word, Kate. Do you hear me? I give you my word,” he swore, his voice firmer this time.

“Good,” she nodded. “You better not get yourself killed, or I will kill you myself,” she hissed, and his lips twitched slightly in amusement, but he nodded, still. Kate lifted her finger up and caressed the crease between his eyebrows, trying to smoothen it before tilting her head and brushing her lips against it, kissing it. When she pulled away, she looked into her husband’s eyes again, “I mean it, Anthony. Don’t you dare try to do something like that or I’ll kill you myself,” she added.

“I won’t. I promise,” he muttered before tilting his head and pressing a kiss to the inside of her palm. Then, he wrapped his free hand around her waist and pulled her closer. “Oh, come here, wife,” he whispered, pulling her in for a kiss she eagerly returned.

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

“What is the child doing here?” Benedict demanded as soon as Anthony, Colin and Gregory hoped out of the carriage.

“I am not a child!” Gregory snapped, affronted.

Colin shrugged, “he’s not. He’s an adult. What were we supposed to do? Leave him there?”

“Yes!” Both Benedict and him exclaimed, huffing in annoyance. Colin and Gregory both shot him pointed looks.

He sighed, raking a hand through his hair, “unfortunately we could not leave him. Kate wouldn’t let me. She practically forced me to take him,” he informed his younger brother.

Benedict nodded, “I see.”

“Hmph.”

Colin grinned jovially, “isn’t this great? A Bridgerton Brothers adventure?”

Anthony scowled at him, “Colin, do I need to remind you what exactly we’re doing here?”

“No, of course not! We shall all attack Sir Phillip,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Perhaps we should duel him,” he added. Gregory snickered. Anthony scowled.

“Colin is right,” Benedict said.

“About what?”

“Dueling Sir Phillip, of course! I hope you brought your pistols,” his younger brother said, his lip twitching slightly.

Anthony said nothing in response and merely swallowed thickly.

“Well?” Benedict snapped, turning to him. “Where are they?”

Anthony sighed, and did his best not to meet his younger brother’s gaze. Colin and Gregory exchanged amused looks, and Anthony flashed them both a glare.

“Don’t even-” he hissed when the two younger Bridgerton brothers looked to each other again while Benedict just looked confused.

“Anthony-” Gregory started to explain, his lip twitching slightly.

“Our dearest brother-” Colin interjected, eyes shining with mirth.

“Oh, do get on with it,” Anthony muttered, filled with irritation. Colin snorted.

Gregory just beamed, “well, you see, Benedict, our dearest brother, Anthony-”

Realization dawned on Benedict’s face. “You don’t have them,” he said, letting out a heavy, disappointed sigh.

“No, I do not,” he nodded, not particularly pleased with the situation himself, but he was hoping to keep the exact circumstances to himself. “Are the horses ready?”

“Yes, they are,” Benedict said, leading the three of them to where the horses were saddled up and ready, Colin and Gregory hoping onto two of the horses without waiting for them.

“Do you have yours?” he asked as Benedict hopped onto his own horse, and he grasped onto the saddle, lifting himself up and swinging his leg over, mounting himself.

“No,” Benedict shrugged. “I couldn’t find them, but I figured you’d bring them,” he said as the two of them steered their horses ahead. Behind them, Colin and Gregory snickered. “What is up with those two?” he asked, nodding his head over at the two younger brothers.

“I have no idea. Do you know the way to Romney Hall?” he asked his brother, who just grunted in the affirmative. Colin and Gregory continued muttering quietly between themselves, snickering and laughing like two idiots.

“Okay!” Benedict snapped. “Why are the two of you laughing like two idiots?”

Colin grinned devilishly while Gregory merely grinned, and Anthony wanted the earth to swallow him whole.

“Oh, for the love of God-” he groaned as he kicked his horse, urging the animal into a slow trot.

“Kate took them!” Colin exclaimed gleefully.

“And, hid them,” Gregory snickered.

“Oh,” Benedict shrugged. “Why didn’t you find them? I hear the two of you always play with hiding your lucky mallet. Why didn’t you just look for it?” he asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Anthony stiffened slightly, much to the amusement of his younger brothers. He cleared his throat, “well, you see, Benedict,” he drawled, “I would have except-”

“-except he’s absolutely terrified of her!” Colin chimed, and Gregory chortled while Benedict snorted, obviously amused himself.

Anthony just groaned as they continued to laugh. His brothers were absolutely ridiculous, currently having a laugh at his expense, at the fact that he was scared of his wife. But, if any of them had seen Kate earlier, they would have been scared, too.

“Yes, I am scared of my wife!” he snapped angrily, yanking on his reigns and pulling his horse to a stop. His brothers did the same. “And, if you fools had a wife like mine you would be, too! Yes, Kate hid those bloody pistols and even if I tried looking for them, I would have never found them in time!” he shouted. “Where are your pistols, Benedict? Huh?”

“Uh…” his brother trailed off.

“I thought so!” he huffed. “There will be no duels. God willing, this Sir Phillip Crane person hasn’t hurt Eloise and she’ll marry him and that will be the end of it,” he said, not leaving any room for argument.

“And, if he hurt her?” Gregory asked, exchanging a nervous look with Colin.

“If he’s hurt her, I won’t need to duel him to kill him,” he growled before kicking his horse hard, urging the animal forward into a gallop, his brothers all struggling to catch up with him.

#katexanthonyweek #katexanthonyweek2021 #kate sheffield x anthony bridgerton #kate sharma x anthony bridgerton #fanfiction #Kathony #Bridgerton

31 notes · View notes

jalebi-weds-bluetooth · 4 years ago

Text

Ishqbaaz Liveblog, E4: Anyone Between 40-59 is Shit

Previously: E3 “A really good premise”

Welcome! My liveblogging continues. Check out @australian-desi and @tellywoodtrash for more IB liveblogs (if you’re interested in this, TTji is my ultimate guru to lb-ing)!

So far I’m waiting and seeing if IB will break Kasautii Zindagi Kii 2, cause KZK2′s plot and non annoyance meter stood firm till 5 episodes. Until new Prerna decided to mega sacrifice herself and marriage a CREEP to save her family’s home. I noped out of that so hard after Prerna’s decision.

And so far I’m pleasantly surprised by IB, and genuinely enjoying it plot-wise.

Here’s the end of my yapping, now enjoy the liveblog!

Episode 4: “Anyone Between 40-59 is Shit”

- Deva Shree Ganesha continues. Till now Nakuul’s chin level is steady (later in the show his nose is permanently in the air - as noted by @ridzmystique)

- Burning Man continues, literally.

- Ganesh Ji also getting nice footage.

- Where is the thunder in the bg music coming from?

- Why ISN’T ANYONE DOING ANYTHING TO STOP THE FIRE? AH SHAKTI nearly went but was stopped by Tej.

- Tej doing damage control. Ofc, classic Tej. Dramatic shot continues, Tej is dramatic AF.

- HEY WE DIDN’T SEE MUCH OF THE OBROS TRYING TO SAVE BURNING MAN. But we must assume cause Shivaay is a bit burnt.

- Shivaay hurt his hand too? Shivaay, are we connecting too? Why? (My hand is hurt too)

- Ah, their first factory was burned but Dadaji decided to save the people instead of inventory #dadajirocks

- Shivaay taking the full pressure of things, as usual. Oh, Nakuul is acting really well in this scene - what do they do with him later?

- Poor Dadiji, she’s so sad - she’ll get a heart attack one day.

- Good vaada to take from older brother, make sure bhaichara remains between all of them.

- Sometimes it is so important to not be like your parents, if your parents are shitty.

- Oh the Mandir is BEAUTIFUL.

- DRAMATC TEJ APPEARS.

- WTF ACQUIRING LAND BY FORCING THE FARMERS? Tej must like what crap the government is pulling right now. #farmersprotest (please check it out and give it the support and awareness it deserves)

- Good, thank God Shakti has some sense. Oh, a flawed man with a conscience - I really like Shakti, he’s very layered.

- Tej is dramatic AF, Shakti is frickkin layered. These two bros are playing well against each other.

- WHO? DADI AND HER TWO SONS FACE OFF.

- YAY THIS POOL IS DEEPER THAN 1 FOOT! (Imagines Arnav swimming through this *cough*)

OK STOP DISTRACTING ME GUYS, LET’S FOCUS ON THE SHOW.

ISS PY

ISHQBAAZ

WHERE THERE’S A POOL

AND NO OTHER THOUGHTS

YOU KNOW WHY I GOT DIVERTED, BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS, YES

ANYWAYS,

- Shivaay… wondering about family name even though someone died?

- You know, what I like about this convo is that both Om and Shivaay are right in their positions.

- Om: worried that a person died, Shivaay: reputation matters

- Damn it, this was a good conversation.

- Ah Rudy. I LOVE LOVE LOVE HOW THEY USED THE BABY BROTHER TO BREAK THE TENSION. The great thing of Rudy not smiling is that you know shit has hit the fan when that happened.

- I don’t like how they’re treating Guggi - the way they tried to make her ‘comedic’ because she doesn’t fit the standard of beauty. I DO NOT like this.

- FINALLY DADI! Finally have a word with your sons.

- Just ignoring Pinky. Jhanvi, I Stan you as always.

- Ah Rudy, I LOVE HOW SHIVAAY AND OM CALMED AND THE CRACKS HEALED BECAUSE OF RUDY BEING THEIR BABY.

- HAHAHAH! Shivaay yelled Om for hitting Rudra by showing Rudy how to hit better!

- HAHAHAH THEY’RE MAKING RAJNIKANTH OUT OF SHIVAAY! I LOVED how in one scene, without too much, showed how Rudy is the glue between two brothers who love each other but are ideologically different (and a difference that can cause a crack if not healed at the right time)

- DADI BRINGIN IN THE KASAM to make sure her two fishy sons tell the truth. Shakti told half truth, smart. WHY IS DADI SMILING?

- OK dadi your sons have a LOT of issues, your sanskaar totes failed.

- Okay, Anjali has transformed to Sahil (I guess that’s the kid’s name). Do we need to be orphans and have a limping sibling to be a television lead? (Taking a hockey stick and heading to my brother)

- Why is the landlady and constables standing in filmy line too?

- UFF THIS LANDLADY KA OVERACTING - OH WAIT SHE’S ACTUALLY ANIKA’S BUAJI BUAJI - DAMN WTF IS SHE. THIS BUAJI IS OVERACTING LIKE SHIT.

- Totally not interested in this character.

- Dude Anika is anaath, isme tera kya jaata hai?

- Yes Anika, kill her.

- Woah who’s manhandling Anika?

- THAT IS A FINE ACTRESS, please don’t make her do a shitty role. WTF? POLICE VIOLENCE.

- Phirse gaana? These three bros should have an album after their name. In case their other businesses fail, this one should keep things floating :D *did I foresee something in this sentence, I might’ve*

- I would call thing cringy, if I didn’t do the same shit with my bro. We’re dramatic AF too, dancing to random songs all the time.

- The police waali has personal vendetta against Anika. Why?

- Ok, almost every 40-50s person in this show is terrible.

- Ok how is this terrible Buaji and the police waali connected? Is this police person a relative or something to Buaji?

- Ok I love the kid, I love how much he loves Anika.

- Ok, we have reason why Anika should be removed from this situation asap (already murdering Shivaay for the future marriage condition).

So it is interesting and I’m eager to see what all tropes would happen when Shivaay and Anika meet. In her words, I have very low tolerance for michimichi! For example: I (largely) hate the swami track, post marriage comedy, sheetal track, when Khushi gives ‘gyaan’ to either Lavanya or Arnav about marriage or anything and all that in IPK.

But I’m also waiting to listen to O Jaana and see the staring, wind and all cause I’m a wee bit sucker for those.

So goodnight and see you tomorrow!

- S

Next up: E5 “Devi Maiyya working overtime for Shivika to happen”

#ib #ishqbaaz liveblog #ishqbaaz #ib liveblog #jalebi watches something else #tere liye ttji

23 notes · View notes

munimuni-muna · 4 years ago

Text

Victorian Series: Prologue

This is the prologue to a collection of reader inserts of all the Jojos as siblings in one big Victorian family, all fathered by Jonathan’s father in Phantom Blood.

Premise: Mr. Joestar's eight children are acting quite out of character. Unbeknownst to him are the love troubles each Jojo was experiencing

Warnings: A very worried and confused father

Photo from looper.com

It is a truth universally acknowldged that all of Mr. Joestar's children doesn't quite fit in too much with the Victorian crowd. And as a father of 8, he has learned to accept that fact. He was used to judging stares (both agreeable and distasteful ones, depending on which child they were looking at really). But he loved his children dearly, more than what societal standards might say. They're all very good people in their own way;

First there is his kind, and admittedly quite clumsy, Jonathan who is always first at the dining table. Most times he failed to wait for his other siblings to come. The behemoth is always quite hungry! Goodness knows which side of the family he got that from.

Second is his very cheeky rule breaker, Joseph. His actions are more questionable to him than most of his other children. He found it hard to lecture Joseph. This boy only seemed to listen to his fisticuff trainer, Lisa Lisa. And how many times did he tell Joseph not to fight in the underground arenas in town? He couldn't count anymore.

Third, (Mr. Joestar had to heave a sigh) his utterly rude but well-meaning Jotaro. This boy was born in a ship while he travelled with his beloved wife. And the name was kindly suggested by his Japanese crewmate and friend. He said it was supposed to signify a person with a pure heart, depending on how it is written in the complex characters of the Japanese. But, my oh my, how Mr. Joestar wished he'd lower his voice sometimes especially towards his siblings.

Fourth is his bubbly and spirited Josuke (his wife became quite fond of Japanese for a time). This boy is his ultimate mediator, together with the occassional Giorno who may or may not mediate, helping resolve sibling fights. He'd do anything to help his loved ones just don't mention his peculiar hairdo. Even he has to keep quiet about his opinions of it.

Fifth is his ambitious and enigmatic Giorno. He seemed to be doing really fine in law school. The boy has a dream, a political one. And it excited Mr. Joestar to see it unfold. Hopefully, the Lord could spare him a life a little longer than his beloved just to see not only Giorno, but all his children succeed.

Sixth is his only flower, Jolyne. Blast! How in the world did Joseph manage to pull Jolyne into the fisticuff world?! But if he thought about it, his daughter never really was the embroidery or baking type. She always rode horses with Johnny or play chess with him when he had time. Still, this girl never failed to greet him everytime he came home tired.

Seventh is the Joestar's resident jockey, Johnny. It seems that he's been doing well and is able to ride horses again after meeting their new Italian neighboor, Gyro Zeppeli. Mr. Joestar's happiness at the sight of him riding again instead of brooding gave the father in him joy. He always tried to please the boy before to no avail. He only had Gyro to thank.

Last is his quiet and curious Gappy. This boy disliked public gatherings, even intimate ones! And that he shared with Jotaro. Gappy's lack in social skills he poured in his passion, taxidermy. Entering his room is always a marvel to Mr. Joestar. It was full of cabinets lined with animals he neatly worked on. And he thought it uncannily awesome!

But as of the moment, Mr. Joestar found himself in a predicament. All his children aren't acting like they used to.

As the usual first person sitting down for breakfast, the most uncanny sight befell him; Gappy, who always arrived late for any arrangement, was the earliest, even before him nor Jonathan at that! Where was Jonathan? And what was the occassion?

"Ah, what is this peculiar sight?" Mr. Joestar noted as he sat down.

"Father." Gappy offered him a tight smile before focusing his gaze on his lap again. His usual bright purple eyes was splashed with what could Mr. Joestar assume to be loneliness.

"Is everything okay?" A worried father had to ask.

"Yes." Gappy answered with a heavy sigh.

What a very convincing answer. Mr. Joestar thought. Before he can inquire more upon the subject, Joseph stomped his way towards the dining table, pulled a chair, and slammed his bottom on it to join this very happy morning they currently have. He rested his elbow on the table while his cheek pressed to his palm. Mr. Joestar would scold him for his rude behavior if not for the unusual visible frustration on his visage.

"It's rare to see a pout on your face, Joseph. What's the matter?" He asked.

Fortunately for Mr. Joestar, Joseph was chatty enough. "Bloody hell!" Joseph began, and Mr. Joestar had to stop himself from spitting his morning tea. "How the hell should I have known she liked daisies more than roses?!" Joseph yapped.

"D-daisies?" Mr. Joestar was at a loss. And to his dismay, Joseph went back to sulking which didn't really help him understand what was happening.

Mr. Joestar was still in the process of understanding his two sons when another arrived;

"Good morning." Jotaro greeted as he sat down. Even Gappy and Joseph were surprised upon hearing this. Jotaro never greets anyone. That is just a fact they've all silently agreed upon. "Jonathan's not eating today. He told me to tell you."

Wait…not….Jonathan is not eating? What in God's holy name is happening to his sons?! Yes, part of him is glad that Jotaro decided to finally be polite for once. But he's not even done processing his other sons' situations yet!

"What's for breakfast?" Johnny, who just got out of his downstairs room, joined the party with a wide smile spread across his face.

Mr. Joestar gaped at the sight of his lanky blonde son actually sitting with them for breakfast. Usually, Johnny would be in a hurry to go riding with Gyro!

Mr. Joestar sat there wondering if these were really his sons. Perhaps he was still dreaming? Maybe the Lord Almighty answered some of his prayers that his sons be polite for once? Well, he couldn't say so with Joseph, but still. Oh if only his wife was still with them. What would she do?

The head of the family wasn't spared still when he saw his only girl walking down the stairs. "Jo-Jolyne?" He was wide-eyed in utter surprise. His flower was wearing a dress, a contrast to her usual boyish trousers and blouse.

"You look okay." Jotaro complimented. Mr. Joestar had to clean his ears. Did Jotaro really just say that?

"Thanks." Jolyne mumbled, face coloring a little at the sudden remark from the most unexpected person. "I didn't want to wear it." She said, crossing her arms over her chest after sitting down with them. "My valet insisted." Her face colored more at the mention of her valet.

Following Jolyne was a disheveled Josuke, wearing the same trousers from yesterday, his crumpled undershirt half tucked under it. And most shockingly, his hair was undone!

"Apple Charlotte anyone?" A familar voice asked. And when Mr. Joestar found the owner of the voice, he was greeted with the sight of Giorno. He wore a white apron, Apple Charlottes carried by hands clothed with mittens. Did Giorno…bake?! Since when does he bake?

And Josuke too. Where is his usual crisp clothing? Of all his sons, Josuke was the only one who didn't need a valet. Just what was happening?!

Mr. Joestar closed his eyes, massaging his forehead in a circular motion. The Apple Charlottes smelled divine, but his mind was somewhere else. This was it for Mr. Joestar. His mind couldn't fathom whatever phantom turned his children into this. He pondered on their change in routines; What happened in the past few months before this? He paused for thought.

Jonathan frequented the Viscount's home recently. He always brought gifts to that specific household after the summer gathering. Who was he visiting there?

And Joseph? He still trained under Lisa Lisa but is somehow more enthusiastic than ever when he's up for training. And he always complained that training was hard, but recently all Mr. Joestar hears from his son was how exciting it was. What was altered in their training module? Maybe he could ask Lisa Lisa about it?

Jotaro had two recent voyages on the same ship, The Arbella, to collect some samples of marine life for his studies. And he's about to set out on another on the very same. What sets this ship apart from the others, he wonders. He knew Jotaro had the affinity for golden pins, so maybe he has a budding interest in ships?

Josuke visited London a lot recently. And when Mr. Joestar asks about it, the boy would only give a vague answer. What worried him was his exploits and the people he surrounded himself with. At least Joseph was being blunt about his excursions. He just hoped Josuke was not in any kind of danger.

Giorno came home for a break, and he only reads books for a time. But where did the baking come from? When he thought hard enough, he remembered Giorno being quite happier than usual when his break started which was odd. For he was against taking a break from law school, wanting to be done with it as soon as possible. What triggered the change then?

Jolyne recently changed valets. None of her valets ever last long because of her excursions with Joseph. But that goes the same for the latter which is why Mr. Joestar gave up giving the brute a valet at all. But Jolyne was a woman, and a woman had to look her very best when attending social functions. But maybe her current valet is doing well then?

Johnny started hanging out with Gyro which brought about good change. But why have breakfast with them all of a sudden when he was always excited to meet his best friend?

Gappy always hung out with his childhood best friend, and they did taxidermy together. Nothing really changed. As far as he knew, Gappy's friend was now out on the marriage market. So is that it then?

Mr. Joestar had a lot to think about.

That's it for the prologue! Hope you enjoyed it.

Some notes:

I know it's very Regency, but I just had to make a Jane Austen reference for that first paragraph.😋

Taxidermy is a very normal hobby in Victorian England.

Valets are people who help their lord/lady dress themselves and accompanies them to events.

Fisticuffs = Boxing

And in case you're wondering, Apple Charlotte looks like this:

Picture from bbc.co.uk

Jonathan’s story is right here>>>> https://munimuni-muna.tumblr.com/post/635990891462606848/victorian-series-part-i-the-viscounts-daughter

#writing #jjba #jojo #jonathan joestar #joseph joestar #mr. joestar #jotaro kujo #josuke higashikata #giorno giovanna #jolyne kujo #johnny joestar #gappy jojo #wholesome #Victorian Series

21 notes · View notes

silke-doomflare · 4 years ago

Text

Meet the character: Silke

BASICS

► Name ➔ “Silke Doomflare. And yes, it’s got something to do with my profession!”

► Are you single ➔ Silke’s eyes suddenly get a bit wider. She blinks, and then purses her lips, becoming oddly interested in the nearby wall. “It’s complicated.”

► Are you happy ➔ “Mm, yeah, I guess I could say so”, she states after thinking for a moment. “I’m studying things I love, my family is safe and alive, I have a handful of people I could consider my friends.. Can’t really complain, although a little bit more gil wouldn’t hurt...”

► Are you angry? ➔ “Well, usually not. Though, at the moment I’m a bit pissed off at a certain colleague of mine who loudly and unnecessarily harshly judged my thesis of pyromancy in front of our professor and classmates. Like, hellooo? You can give critique and still be polite about it, geez…”

► Are your parents still married ➔ “They are”, Silke nods proudly. "I’ve seen so many broken families lately. I feel very privileged… and lucky.”

EIGHT FACTS

► Birth Place ➔ “I’ve heard it was the place named Skatay Range. But I can’t remember a thing from it. I was so young when I was taken by slavers. So I like to think Kugane as my real birth place, since I grew up there.“

► Hair Color ➔ “Black I guess? At least it was the last time I checked! In bright light it looks like dark grey, though.”

► Eye Color ➔ Silke leans closer, so that the deep turquoise can hardly be missed. "You have troubles with your eyes or what? I happen to partly know a shady medic from a certain dark alley nearby. Want to know the address?”

► Birthday ➔ “Ninth sun of the first astral moon, I’ve heard.”

► Mood ➔ “Right now? I guess I’m feeling somewhat eager. There’s this new portal we’re going to test out tomorrow, and I was permitted to take part in it. Can you believe that? Usually they’re just like ‘no, Silke, don’t touch it, don’t touch anything’, but this time I’m allowed in. They must’ve finally noticed the genius I am.“

► Gender ➔ “God!” Silke yells and gets on her feet, pointing towards the roof. A long silence follows. “Seriously! Have you ever seen me on a battlefield? Have you seen the havoc I’ve --- no? Oh...”

► Summer or winter ➔ “Agh, such a difficult question. I like both. I like to swim and lay on a soft grass under a tree. But then again I also like to drink hot cocoa when it’s cold, wrap myself up into a blanket and watch the flames of our fireplace or snow falling outside.“

► Morning or afternoon ➔ “Afternoon of course? I’m not even awake before noon… no, wait. I like sleeping as well. Both?”

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

► Are you in love ➔ “Of course I am. If we don’t count the feeling of aether flowing through me while I cast spells and blow things to smithereens, I love most the smell of old tomes, parchment, ink and all sorts of sweets, especially ice-cream. I also love chocobos. If it wasn’t possible to be a mage I’d definitely become a chocobo breeder. Perhaps I’ll become one when my career is over and spells no longer stay in my head. I’ll retire and start breeding chocobos. Yes, a perfect plan!“

► Do you believe in love at first sight ➔ “I definitely do! I fell in love with my dog the moment I saw him. Have you ever visited Kugane? Well anyway, they have these small, orange, pointy eared and curly tailed dogs there in almost every house. It’s like their national dog or something, they’re so popular.”

► Who ended your last relationship ➔ “I hate to admit this, but it was him… I thought we were doing fine, but one day he started to complain I didn’t give him enough attention, and that I was studying too much. I mean… how can one even study too much? I don’t get it.“

► Have you ever broken someone’s heart ➔ “I guess I have. Not on purpose, though! Honestly, some people are so sensitive it’s harder not to break their hearts, geez… What an annoying subject to talk about, anyway.” Silke ruffles her head uneasily.

► Are you afraid of commitments ➔ “Of course not. I wouldn’t be able to ever become an archmage if I wasn’t dedicated to my studies.“

► Have you hugged someone within the last week? ➔ Silke’s usually cheerful expression grows darker suddenly. "My sister. We don’t see very often, but when we do, I try to show my care as much as I can. She’s hanging out with shady folk sometimes, and I can’t help but worry at times will she come home or not.”

► Have you ever had a secret admirer ➔ “I surely hope not! Would be creepy to have someone admiring you from afar, without letting you know. Isn’t that like stalking? It’s only good manners to make yourself known so we can find out do we get along or not.“

► Have you ever broken your own heart? ➔ “No, I don’t think so. Or perhaps I once almost did… there was this huge tome - as big as those holy scriptures they have in the cathedral - in a certain old bookstore. The merchant was old as sky and I was afraid they’d close the place soon. And the tome was expensive. I was a lot younger back then and didn’t have much money, and my sister was like ‘no Silke, you totally won’t buy a book written in some dead language no one can read to take more room in your previously cramped room and collect dust.’ At first I was about to leave it at that, but I ended up snitching money from her cache.” Silke grins impishly. “No regrets!”

SIX CHOICES

► Love or lust ➔ “I have to choose again? You’re, like, asking me do I like to enjoy nice things existing or actually take them to be mine.”

► Lemonade or iced tea ➔ “What if I started to ask you annoying questions like strawberries or chocolate? Can’t choose, huh? Huh?”

► Cats or Dogs ➔ Silke falls silent for a moment. “…just when I was yapping at you for silly questions. Dogs all the way! I like cats too, and maybe I would be more of a cat person if my first pet had been a cat. But it was a dog, and there’s no going back!“

► A few best friends or many regular friends ➔ “A few best friends, absolutely. I have both, but I’ve noticed I enjoy the company of my closest friends a lot more. You can do all sorts of crazy stuff with them you can’t with anyone else.”

► Wild night out or romantic night in ➔ “Definitely a wild night out! I have romantic nights by myself all the time with wine and chocolate and our fireplace, and I rarely get to go out.“

► Day or night ➔ “I like both, actually. At days I’m studying, and at nights I’m doing my homework.” Silke shrugs and grins.

FOUR HAVE YOU EVERS

► Been caught sneaking out ➔ Silke becomes more serious once more. “Like I told you, I was taken from my original home by slavers. Life wasn’t very nice back then. I tried to run, many times. But I was very small and weak, and they were big, strong and fast.”

► Fallen down/up the stairs ➔ “This actually happened during one of my escape attempts. I was lucky I didn’t die. I still have a scar left.“ Silke lifts her bangs and shows a scar near her temple.

► Wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ➔ “Freedom. Yes… I think losing our loved ones is the first thing we usually think of when someone asks for the thing we fear the most. But I think losing your freedom would be even worse. If you’re free, you can always start anew, but if you’re being held captive, you can’t do anything. Nothing at all.”

► Wanted to disappear ➔ Silke gives a long look at you and raises an eyebrow again. “Considering the things I just told you, there just may have been such situations...”

FOUR PREFERENCES

► Smile or eyes ➔ “Mmh, both are important, but I think I like eyes more. I’m not a spiritual person, but I still think you can kind of see their soul there. Their essence. If they’re good or evil. The creepiest thing I’ve seen is probably living people with empty eyes, especially those without any kindness in them…”

► Shorter or Taller ➔ “Shorter, definitely. I’m quite short myself despite my heels and I don’t like it when someone looks down on me. Well, most of people kind of have to, they can’t help it, but you know?“

► Intelligence or Attraction ➔ “Pff, do you even need to ask? Intelligence, of course. There are very few things that… truly infuriate me… But the one thing I absolutely can’t stand in others is chosen stupidity. Yes, chosen! Can you believe, that there truly exists people who don’t want to learn new things, be it about themselves or other people or the world that surrounds them?” Silke starts to imitate an elderly person, talking in a low, hoarse tone: “Silly girl. If we would discover new things or try them out, we would be in a situation we’ve never been in before.” She bursts into a mocking laughter. “Yes, someone really said that to me…”

► Hook-up or Relationship ➔ “Relationship, hands down. I’ve had my share of hook-ups.” Silke apparently can’t stop her eyes rolling towards the roof as a protest.

FAMILY

► Do you and your family get along ➔ “Yeah, we get along very well. I have some arguments every now and then with my two siblings, but nothing too serious.”

► Would you say you have a “messed up life” ➔ “Not anymore. It used to be such a mess, though.” Silke lets out an uneasy laugh. “After me and Asagi were adopted, we got our life eventually back together. Despite a few ups and downs it’s been quite stable after that. A place to belong to and meaningful chores do wonders.”

► Have you ever ran away from home ➔ “No, definitely not. My parents have always been reasonable. Even during our wildest teenage years I can’t remember there would’ve been anything too major…“

► Have you ever gotten kicked out ➔ Silke has some difficulties holding back a sudden laughter. "I got kicked out of class, yeah! Though I still think it was unfair towards me. It wasn’t my fault. It was an alchemy class and I guess I had made some miscalculation with my mixture… I tried to tell my professor I’m not quite sure about it, but he just had to go and push his big head too close to the cauldron.”

FRIENDS

► Do you secretly hate one of your friends ➔ “No, I don’t hate my friends. If I did, I wouldn’t be friends with them, would I? Some of them have some annoying traits, but... hate? Nah.“

► Do you consider all of your friends good friends ➔ "Sadly no… I’ve had some… disappointments. You know, there’s quite a lot of people who seem like they’re good friends, but once you have a bad day, or few bad days, they suddenly disappear and want to hear nothing about it. So weird. I certainly wouldn’t abandon my friends like that.”

► Who is your best friend ➔ “Absolutely Iris. She’s a bit odd sometimes, in a good way though, and her vocabulary is quite vulgar and it upsets some people, but I think it’s hilarious. I’ve never met anyone so quick-witted before. There’s not a single boring moment while she’s around. Oh, and nowadays there’s also this certain miqo’te called Shaura. We haven’t known each other for very long, but just like with Iris, we just clicked right away.“

► Who knows everything about you ➔ “I think my sister might… I’ve tried to keep some secrets from her, like me loaning her gil without asking sometimes, but I think she knows. I have no idea how the heck! I mean, I’m smart, but she’s even smarter… If it was possible, I would like to change brains with her for a day or two. I want to know how she does it.”

#final fantasy xiv #ffxiv #meet the character #viera #silke doomflare #veena #character info

15 notes · View notes

madllamamomma · 5 years ago

Text

Journey Back to the South Part 3~ SWF. FLUFF and LORE

[Stay calm, there is more smut, I did say this was gonna be long... OwO. But this has a lot of lore and sweet soft moments. On the scale of softness, from concrete<--to-->teddy bear, I am freakin’ mash potatoes....so soft....but hearty, and hopefully filling.... Enjoy!]

Journey Back to the South Part3~

Muriel and you enter into the large tent, surprisingly inside was a warm fire. The very top hand a hole about three or four feet open to let the smoke escape. The tent even had dividers within it, creating little make-shift rooms. It appeared that Una, Gilbert and their smaller children stayed all in this tent, the older children must have had their own. Despite having a hole in the top of the tent, it was very warm and comfortable, slightly cramped. Muriel seemed to feel right at home. It did feel like the hut in a way.

Una and Shona stand at the front and usher you both next to the fire where blankets are all spread around where Gilbert is sitting on the ground, adding another log. Inanna comes barreling in, and quickly makes her way next to warm embers next to Gilbert. Una speaks to Shona in Rune quietly, she sharply nods, handing Una her baby, and quickly marches out of the tent. “So I must ask you, Muriel. Where have you been all this time?” She asks sitting between him and Gilbert (you sit on his opposite side).

“Vesuvia…. It’s northern.”

Gilbert barks a short jolly laugh, “That’s not just northern, that is the north!”

You giggle a little. “Well Parka is the furthest, it past the sea. And technically there are cities past that. It’s just little known territory.”

“Our friends went adventuring around that area last year.” Muriel adds.

“Vesuvia… that pretty big city if I'm not mistaken. I don’t think that your parents thought that merchant would take you that far.” Gilbert folded his arms thinking hard.

“Good thing they did.” Una says almost sadly. “There was nothing but devastation here for years.” Una then smiles sweetly looking at you attempting to uplift the conversation. “Is that where the two of you met?” You nod with a happy smile, she stares at you a bit, looking at your features. “Hmmm. You don’t completely look like a Northerner. Where were your parents from, Rhemi?”

You shrug a little looking down to your thumbs. “I, ah. I’m not sure about my family. I am missing a lot of my memories.” Glancing back up Una and Gilbert look at you very sad all of a sudden. You shudder for a moment, shaking your hands, you didn’t mean to make them feel bad. “Ha! B-b-but it’s-it’s fine!! It sounds way worse that it really is! Really!! Muriel and I both have great friends back home. Besides…” Grabbing hold of Muriel’s hand and interlacing your fingers, you look up at him sweetly. “...All that matters is the future.” He looks back at you with a small sheepish grin, a bit of blush colored on his cheeks. “..We can only go forwards, not backwards.”

Una and Gilbert look a bit more relieved. “That’s a good way to think about it. You’re right. One cannot dwell on the past.”

Una holds her newborn wrapped tightly in a little fur swaddle, they coo adorably in her arms, eyes wide open. Muriel can’t help but look at the baby with a sweet smile, almost gazing with a bit of longing. Una catches a glimpse of him and gives him a knowing grin. “....Would you like to hold them, Muriel?”

“—Hmm?! Wha-?!” Muriel suddenly becomes flushed and has a wary look on his face. “Oh! N-n-no!.... I-I might…. break...them or—“

“Nonsense!!” She says while simultaneously handing him the small bundle. “..Just support his neck.”

“—W-wait! Wait! I-I-I don’t know how to—” Muriel founders in protest, but takes the bundle very carefully, afraid to let go. The baby stretches then snuggles right up to his warm chest popping his tiny fingers in his mouth, eyes loosely closed. Muriel stops breathing, his entire body stiffens, terrified to move even an inch. But his face and eyes softens as he watches them curl up in his large strong arm, looking like his heart just completly melted.

“See? You’re fine, my boy!” She says while standing to her feet again and start to bustle in the small makeshift kitchen area next to the room dividers.

You giggle at Muriel’s reactions and lean into him quietly, tenderly placing your hand on his forearm. “You can breath, Muri.”

Muriel takes a deep breathe then starts to very slightly relax his shoulders, but keeps his arms very tense, cradling the babe tightly. “It’s... so...tiny.” He says very softly trying not to disturb him, attempting to hide a joyful grin.

“It’s a baby, silly. Of course they’re tiny.” You can’t help but feel like your heart is melting as you watch him hold the baby so gently. In a way, you find this incredibly attractive.

He blushes and sneers at himself, “I don’t think I was ever tiny….”

“Oh! Yes, you were!!” Gilbert gives out a booming hearty laugh and it fills the large tent. “I’m-I’m sorry, little cub. But your— your face! Your father looked that same exact way when he held you for the first time.” Muriel finally lets himself smile back at him a little, he seems to like to hear about his parents.

Una laughs through her nose while fetching a few wooden cups from a wooden chest. “You were so small when you were born, but you were always strong. Everyday, you grew and grew and grew!!” Muriel looks away for a moment, he looks almost ashamed. For so long, that always bothered him, growing larger and taller everyday when he was younger. Having to eat more because of it. He believed for so long that was the reason why his parents sent him away. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Hearing about how much they care for him is difficult, and yet, it’s good to know. You know him so well, you can read his emotions running through him right now.

The baby starts to cry a little and fidgets in Muriel’s arms snapping him out of his thoughts. He stiffens again, beaming at you, looking like a desperate plea for help. You giggle, lean over to look at Una for permission. “May I?”

She nods with a pleasant smile and you open your arms and he very delicately hands the baby off to you. “G-got him?”

“I got him.” You continue to smile sweetly at Muriel then to the baby as he coos and stretches. You relax your arms, but hold him at an angle, rocking him a bit. “I got you little one~” You whisper to the little sweet bundle as he stares at you with a small sleepy smile.

A little smile doesn’t leave Muriel's lips, he wouldn’t admit it, but he enjoyed every minute of it despite feeling afraid of somehow hurting him.

Gibert jollily places his hand firmly on Muriel’s shoulder. His long arms are able to stretch all the way over to him. Strangely, Muriel doesn't flush or pull away, he looks almost comfortable. Gilbert looks at him with such kindness and warmth as he smiles ear to ear. “Ahhhh….if your father could see you now, Muriel… you are the spitting image of him—Except just a wee bit shorter if I’m not mistaken.”

“How did you know him again?” You ask as you let the baby hold your pointer finger, Muriel can’t help but continue to smile watching you hold the baby, seeing a kind of sparkle in his eyes.

“Well, my father was his mother’s brother. Artturi and I were born only a few months apart, so we grew up together. He was like my sibling. We even called each other mo bhrathair—my brother. Your father was an only child, and I was the only boy out of seven girls in my family.” His smile falls a little. “I… I wish you got to know him, little cub. Artturi was a great man...he was my best friend.”

Muriel takes a deep breath again, mustering up the courage. “....What… what were they like?...My… my parents.” He finally asks.

The corners of Gilbert's lips curl up at him again and he looks to the fire deep in thought. “Your father was outgoing, strong, but surprisingly very gentle, liked to work with his hands…. good with animals. I swear he could even understand them. He was loyal and brave, with a great sense of humor—could always make you laugh.” He pauses and sighs almost sadly, but keeps a big smile. “He… he would do anything for you. Even put his own life before yours…”

Una walks over handing her husband a cup of warm milk, then places a small bowl for Inanna, she sits herself up and starts to lap at it happily. Una looks at the corner of the tent, grinning fondly and shakes her head a little. “Muriel, you may look like Artturi, but your demeanor is that of Glenna’s. She was also shy, quiet, kept to herself, but once you got to know her, she was patient, kind, thoughtful, very good natured, smart, but she was also very tough and very feisty. She was rather blunt. Glenna studied herbs and flowers, things like that. She was fascinated by them, we even called her the plant shaman. She and her mother made remedies from them. Glenna even taught me how to use magic to help things grow.”

Muriel leans a bit onto you. There is no telling how hard, yet wonderful it is to be told about them. Your glances meet and he gives you a small soft grin, but behind it is a bit of pain. But he still wants to know more. He swallows hard and closes his eyes for a moment. “I….I have so many questions….”

Gilbert places his hand back on Muriel’s shoulder and gives it a comforting squeeze. “We would be more than happy to answer them, son.”

Muriel pauses, thinking about which question he wants answered first. “...How’d they meet?”

Una gives a short chuckle and rolls her eyes as she hands Muriel two cups of warm milk for you both. “Are you both comfortable? We are all going to be here while!” Una sits onto the blanket with a smirk next to you. “...When the Master Speaker starts yapping his large trap—”

“GAH!” Gilbert clutches his chest like he’s been struck, but still keeps his large happy grin. “Oi!! That hurts! I’m not that bad, Moonlight!! Besides this is a tale from eyes, not the old songs.”

She shakes her head, snickering to herself as she gets comfortable sitting on the blanket and reaches out for her baby about to breastfeed him. You carefully hand him over to her. “Thank you, child.” She mutters to you.

Gibert crosses his legs and straightens up his trunk. You can tell this was what he was good at. “Every year during the winter, all the Kokhuri bands joined together on this great plain. On the winter solstice, we cast ourselves to our Athair Mor—Great Father Sky’s Great Lights and celebrate. It is also a good time to find a partner outside of your band. Some of the Kokhuri even called it the gathering of ‘Lovers and Lights’. Your mother, Glenna, was part of Khamgalai’s and Una band, a smaller one from the southwest Steppe.” He shields his mouth with his hand to hide from Una and loudly whispers. “...We called them the stumpy band.”

Una sputters into an amused giggle with an eyebrow raised, “—Excuse me! But you fell head over heels over a ‘stumpy’ southwesterner! And so did your father, Muriel. Besides, your band was just filled with giants!!!”

Gilbert blushes a little, snickering to himself, Muriel and you can help but be entertained by their cute banter. “Anyways —Your father, Artturi and I came from a larger eastern band…. Your parents met many years ago when they came here during winter. We were always the first two bands to arrive at the end of autumn and prepare for the others to arrive. Artturi and I were just teenagers at the time. We were about to help pitch the large gathering tent, then he stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Glenna. She was alone picking flowers and herbs in the meadow, where the graves are now. He said something about her that was enchanting, he wanted to get to know her. During the next few gatherings he slowly tried to approach her. He was patient, and he was charming, and smooth—”

Una suddenly chuckles stopping Gilbert from continuing. “Smooth?! Artturi?! No, I don’t think so! Is that what you think happened, mo ghaol? He just effortlessly swept Glenna off her feet?!”

“I-I know it did! I saw it happen!” He scoffs a little at her.

“And I did not?” She snorts. “Well that was not what Glenna thought. She wanted nothing to do with Artturi at first! She was so bashful it was ridiculous, she’d put Ida and Muriel here to shame.”

Gilbert scratches the back of his head a little. “Well, perhaps she was a little…. apprehensive.”

“Apprehensive?!” Una throws her head back in disbelief. “HA! For the love of our Mathair Mhor! She didn’t even want to speak to him the first year! Oh, Muriel.... your father was such an awkward mess when he tried to approach her. It was like watching a trout flounder helplessly out of the stream. He could barely get out any words—So, she would just walk away from him without batting an eyelash. That was Glenna for you!” Gilbert looks up through the hole of the tent, scratching his scalp, looking like he was thinking, Oh…righhhht... Una starts a little reminding herself of something and carries on. “OH! Berty! Don’t you remember? Once he tried to terribly strike up a conversation with her, she and I were both at the time scattering seed on the eastern fields. He-he says to her, ‘That’s some nice flowers you got there, but there are other things here that are prettier.’..” Muriel and you just scrunch up your faces. It was probably one of the worst pick-up line you’ve ever heard. Una laughs at his reactions. “Didn’t I tell you it was terrible, cub? Glenna just groaned, turned around, throwing the basket over his head, dumping the rest of the seeds in him, shouting, ‘Don’t you have anything better to do than to annoy me? There aren’t even any flowers in this field!’ And just... walked away!” Una starts to laugh a bit harder in remembrance, Gilbert tries to stifle his own laughter as well. “Oh me!.... Poor Artturi, he looked so heartbroken…. It didn’t help that I couldn't stop laughing at him at the time. BWHAHAHA!!!” She playfully smacks her knee.

“Oh noo!!” Gilbert groans almost painfully, slapping his hand on his face, feeling embarrassed for the man, muttering. “Ohdeargreatfather…. I almost forgot about that time…. I’m the idiot who told him to say that—” He then suddenly stops himself and quickly remarks in realization, “—Hey! I thought I was the storyteller, woman!”, still hiding his laughter. You curl your lips into your mouth, badly trying to hold back a huge smile and try not to giggle either. It’s actually a funny little story, although cringy. Yet it was rather cute in a way, los love stories have at little bit of cridgy tales in them. Even Muriel sports a large grin with a very amused look on his face.

“Fine. Carry on.” Una grins mischievously, flicking her wrist at Gilbert as she turns away a little opening up her parka coat and carefully so the baby can latch on, then covers herself to keep her and the child warm. Hearing these two talk together made you feel something warm in your chest, it was sweet and funny how they interacted with one another.

“....Thank you! Alright, so now that my wonderful wife kindly pointed that out. He did have a hard time getting her to talk to him. For quite some time actually now that I think about it…. But lucky for him, she also didn’t have many suitors because she was… well… how do I put this…people were—”

“—She was different.” Una interrupts again, but her husband didn’t seem to mind this time. “...Some were fearful... Some of our people didn’t care for the gifts our Mathair Mhor and Athair Mor, our Great Mother and Great Father gave us. Our small band had a particular surplus of these gifts. Glenna and I were close because of it. She said that she felt I was one of the only person our age that understood. Your mother could see visions of the future--”

“....That’s what … what Khamgalai told us.” Muriel utters. “....She knew about the outcome of the battle with the Scourge.” Una nods slowly, a sorrow frown taking over her lips.

You hold tight to Muriel’s hand as he sits very quietly listening intently and Gilbert continues. “...Glenna was known to be very quiet and didn’t like to talk to many people when she was younger, she got teased a lot... But your father didn’t mind her gift at all—AH! I’m getting ahead of myself....Lets got back to where we were... So anyways, after failed attempt, after failed attempt, your father still wasn’t giving up quite yet. But every time he tried to face her, she never opened up to him. And he still really wanted to get to know her, despite her surliness to him. So one gathering, he started to visit her dreams...”

Muriel and you give the same look of bewilderment. That sounds far fetched. How can someone just visit someone in their dreams? I mean… Asra did it once before to me. But that's because he was the realm of the Arcana. I don’t think the Kokhuri use magic like that…. then again, something like that was mentioned in that book.

Gilbert continues with a bit of gleam in his eyes. “He said she was this beautiful silky black bear. In her dreams she wasn’t afraid to be herself. Surprisingly she didn’t even mind him there, so he kept coming back to visit her. I guess that made her feel less different…. After a while, they slowly got to know each other that way. She even started to talk to him a little when they were awake, without dumping seeds all over him. One night, she showed him her favorite flower… The specific kind escapes me… But, after that night, your father woke up early before dawn and ran around everywhere for those flowers! They were rare and hard to find. It took him almost all day, but he brought an entire bouquet of them to her. Your mother’s cheeks were so red, I thought she was going to explode!”

“Aw!! I remember that, Berty! She never had anyone do that for her before! She didn’t know what to do!” Una interjects tilting her head and closing her eyes.

“It was quite sweet wasn’t it, Moonlight? Artturi was afraid at first she didn’t like them for a second, but she actually took them. It was the first time he made her smile outside the realms of dreams. That night, during the midnight celebration, when they cast their aura to the lights, she stood by him. She casted first, and it even waited for his to emerge! Their casts danced and played with one another, and then ran up into the great sky together. It’s very rare for casts to know one another.”

Una sighs happily reminiscing. “It was an amazing site. Father’s Great Lights were so beautiful that night.”

Gilbert chuckles as he speaks. “Your mother grabbed Artturi by his coat, pulled him down and kissed him so quickly! Sharing their first kiss under the Great Lights. They were inseparable after that! After winter was over, Artturi decided to join the southwestern band. He just wanted to be with her. I had nothing better to do at the time, so I followed him, that’s when they introduced me to Una. A few years later they got married, and a year after that you were born here, Muriel.”

Their love story is so sweet. But you both feel a little dumbfounded. “...Cast their… aura?” Muriel squints his eyes looking at you for a potential answer. You shrug shaking your head, you haven’t a clue what that means. You’ve never heard of that before, that wasn’t in the book either.

Gilbert jolts a bit, realizing that you two were getting lost. “Oh! My apologies. Of course you wouldn’t know that. A cast is what we call your own ah,—your spirit, or energy. The solstice is when Kokhuri’s spirits and hearts are at its strongest. We summon them… it’s like a small piece of you that takes on a form of its own… it is usually an animal—Kokhurian’s casts are mostly bears. Once we project our casts, they take a life of their own, and we use that energy to renew Father Sky’s Great Lights so we can keep safe from the dark long nights of winter.”

“Energy?...” You whisper to yourself, pondering this for a minute, tapping your pointer finger on your bottom lip. Then you start when you realize. “—You mean… magic?” You quickly ask, eyes wide.

Gilbert chuckles, slowly nodding. “It’s a form of it I suppose, yes.” It’s all starting to make sense now. The book you have wasn’t very far off. The Aurora is a part of ancient magic.

You look to Muriel with excitement, but he still looks lost. “What do you mean my father visited my mother’s dreams? How’s that even possible?”

Gilbert gestures to the ground and the air. “Our Great Mother Earth and Great Father Sky have given us many things. Fertile land, healthy animals, and to some, the gift of something Kokhurians call leaping.” He returns his hand back to the tops of his crossed legs. “Artturi had the gift of leaping into the present—into other people’s dreams, no matter how far. He could also feel other people's presents when he was dreaming. Out of all the gifts, leaping into dreams is the most seldom.” Gilbert leans his trunk a little closer and points his finger towards Muriel. “... But you inherited his gift, little cub!”

Muriel blinks, stumbling on his words. “M-m-me?” Gilbert nods sharply, looking somewhat excited with his wide hearty toothy smile. “That…. doesn’t sound believable.” Muriel scoffs a little, totally unconvinced.

Una sees his lack of belief on Muriel’s face, she turns back to you and gestures to her baby. “Would you mind, my dear?”

“Oh! Yes— I mean no! I mean...I-I’ll take him, gladly.” Una giggles to herself at your floundering, handing you the baby again, you grin and happily take him without a second thought. You feel like you could hold the tiny sweet bundle forever. She hastily ties her parka back and and stands to her feet, goes over to a small chest and brings out a tapestry and gives it to Muriel. He takes it from her hands tentatively, it look a bit older and weathered. It’s a bear that looks ghostly and see-through, floating into the sky, jumping on clouds, while another one that is black and appears to be whole, is curled up on the ground looking like they are fast asleep. Una kneels next to him as his eyes scan the tapestry. “When I got older, I started to have dreams of the Great Lights. Father Sky calls to all of us, he needs our casts to continue to brighten the dark sky… I’ve had this dream for quite some time. But this year, you've been leaping into my dreams, Muriel…. I suspected it was you, but I was never completely sure. So I just started to sing to you. And you kept coming back.” Una tilts her head slightly as she continues to speak. “...Haven’t you leaped in other dreams before?”

Muriel scratches his head, he looks so baffled. “… H-How should I know? I didn’t even know I...‘leaped’... into yours.” He fumbles for words a little, taking back by all of this. “H-how do you even know it’s me...leaping? Couldn’t you be doing it, Una?”

“Couldn’t be.” Gilbert reaches out to Inanna so she can sniff his hand, then she nuzzles her face into his palm and he starts to pet her. “...My wife has the gift of leaping into the past. She can see other people’s memories by touching them, and can also share hers, as you experienced first hand, Muriel.”

Muriel looks at you with his mossy green eyes, completely blown away. Gilbert chuckles through his nose. “Unlike your parents and my lovely wife, our Great Mother and Father didn’t bless me with any gifts.” He shrugs.

“That’s not true, Berty. They blessed us all different gifts. This wonderful serenading voice you hear is a gift!” Una stands by her still sitting husband, leans over and kisses him on the forehead, he can’t help but melt into her touch. They truly love each other, watching them makes your heart flutter….God I’m a freakin’ hopeless romantic. “Do you really think I was won over by your looks?—ha!” She playfully smacks him on the shoulder.

Gilbert blushes a little and snorts. “I suppose you're right, Moonlight. That is why I am a Master Speaker! A historian! Keeper of our verbal history, our stories, our songs.”

Muriel hands the tapestry very carefully back to Una, she takes it and delicately folds it back up and places it back to the chest. “Hmmm. You may have leaped before and just didn’t know it, little cub…. But it does make me wonder why you leaped into my dream now after all this time.” She says as she walks back over to her spot by the fire and starts to peel potatoes from from a large basket.

Muriel sighs, and shrugs for a moment unsure, then glances at you, immediately remembering something. “.... We… we did read something about the Kokhuri from that old book.”

“You think that triggered your gift somehow?” You ask with an eyebrow raised. It does make sense. He didn’t know about the ritual with the solstice until after the book, then he started dreaming about it almost immediately after. Maybe it just reminded him...

“... A book?”’ Gilbert’s face seems to twist for a moment before stopping himself. “...You read about us….in a book?” He seems conflicted about hearing this.

“I-I have it if you would like to look at it.” You offer.

Una and him exchange somewhat wry looks before he kindly nods in agreement. “If you wouldn't mind.” You hand Muriel the baby again, this time he doesn’t fuss as much, but he still is incredibly stiff when he holds him, making your heart melt once again.

You quickly return from the horses, carrying your cross body satchel. Carefully taking out the heavy book, Magic of the Ancients, find the right chapter and hand the open book to Gilbert. He starts to look at the flip through the pages, he appears to know how to read. “Hmpf.” He murmured to himself. “Well… whoever wrote this was most definitely not Kokhurian. They probably didn’t even get permission from us. Most of this isn’t really accurate.” He turns the page with the wedding looking ritual and scoffing. “....What the hell are they talking about? That’s a Gabhail Ris ceremony!... Trials? Pfft!!! We don’t do trials!! That’s preposterous! We just… haven’t done that ritual in a very long time.” He deeply huffs and closes the book carefully handing it back to you. Muriel darts his eye between the baby that's still in his arms, holding his large pinky finger and Gilbert's slightly frustrated face. Gilbert folds his arms and ponders looking into the fire. His face softens before he speaks again. “...Well, I can’t be too surprised…. at least this book did help you find us, Muriel. We all feared that we’d never get to see you ever again… and you wouldn’t have known about the solstice if you didn’t read it. So… I guess it’s not all that bad.”

“Actually I—I wanted to ask,” You sit on your knees beside him and take out your blank leather-back journal and show it to Gilbert. “We’ve been searching for information for a while. But that's the only thing we found. Since there isn’t really anything about Kokhuri, I was wondering if I could write things down. Make it completely accurate, telling your story from your eyes.”

Gilbert stiffens at your request, then thinks really hard about this for a minute, stroking his beard, staring at the journal. He then sits himself up tall, folding his arms tightly, gazing at you with his bluish-greenish eyes, looking at you very seriously. “... And if we don’t like how you wrote it?” He asks with an eyebrow raised.

You shrug, popping your bottom lip out a little bit, then gesture to the fire. He snorts, then throws back his head in laughter, unfolding his arms. “I like you, Rhemi! You’ve got a keeper, Muriel!” Muriel blushes a bit, but keeps a proud smile across his lips. Gilbert places his very large hands on your shoulder, patting it very gently. “... Alright then. You can write about us as long as I approve of how it’s told.”

You give him a huge smile feeling very giddy, “Deal! T-Thank you so much!”

Ava’s tall figure comes through the tent without even glancing at you or Muriel, and taps their father’s shoulder, he turns to look at them. They wave their hands expressively, and he watches intently. They must communicate that way. He nods, understanding everything. “Ah, yes, yes, yes! We’ll be right there, Ava.” They nodded sharply to him, quickly turning about to head out of the tent.

You blink a little and ask the question to Gilbert before you could think twice. “...Are they deaf?”

Before Gilbert can answer, Ava whips their body around to face you and scowls a little, making you and Muriel jolt in surprise. They vigorously shake their head, pointing expressively to their ears, gesturing that they can in fact hear. Muriel brow furrows, disliking their attitude. “....S-....sorry.” You rub the back of your head nervously, feeling a little rude for asking that.

Una clears her throat and shoots Ava a particularly scolding look, they then scoff as they turn their heels grumpily stomping out of the tent. Una shakes her head slowly. “Don’t mind Ava. They’re just….very wary of new people.”

Gilbert stands on his feet, and you hear his older knees crack and pop a bit. “Ava said that your tent is ready.”

Muriel and you look at each other confused. “But we...we haven’t unpacked the horses yet.”

“Hmm?” Gilbert brings up his hands and waves then apologetically. “Oh! Yes! Sorry! Sorry! Ava, Shona, and Shawn have made both of you one! It gets icy on this tundra, and you need a tent where you can have a fire safely inside. The one you have just won’t do.” Muriel and you exchange glances and Gilbert looks pointedly at him. “You… You do intend on staying with us at least until the solstice… yes,?”

Muriel’s eyes flutter a little. “You…want me….to join you?”

“What?!” Gilbert’s shoulders drop a little, baffled. “O-of course we do, little cub!! You are a Kokhurian after all! Our Great Mother and Father obviously wanted you here with us! Why else would they give you the gifts? The more casts during the midnight celebration the better! And by the looks of it, your cast will be very strong!”

Your gaze meets with his. He has never looked so honored. You smile at him reassuringly. He exhales hard, processing everything for a moment. “Only…. only if Rhemi’s aloud.” You feel your heart leap.

“Why, yes!! Of course! Of course! Of course! Rhemi is very aloud! She’s going to be your wife after all! What kind of family would we be if we didn’t allow her?” Gilbert shoulders quake as he lets out another hearty laugh while Una chuckles, making quick work of the potatoes still. “We’re just happy to have you here, cub.”

Muriel can’t help but look very delighted. You never thought he'd be happy to be with a bunch of new people. But he is. Una and Gilbert were different, they made you both feel not like an outsider looking in, but a part of they’re large family. It’s strange, but also…. nice. It feels good to be around them. You don’t remember your family... Neither does Muriel. It’s refreshing in a way, like you have been secretly longing for that feeling of belonging somewhere.

Suddenly tears swell in Muriel's eyes. He tries to fight them back as he looks away and wipes them before they run down. “S-Sorry.” He whispers, clearing his throat. He never seems to cry in front of anyone except you, it’s alarming for him and you. But he’s starting to open up to them already.

Gilbert holds out his hand to Muriel and Una drops the potato in the blanket, grabbing the baby from his arms. He looks at his large hand for a moment, then slowly takes hold. Gilbert pulls Muriel up to his feet and throws him into his arms quickly, giving him a very tight, but genuine comforting fatherly hug. Muriel is very tense at first, but even Gilbert has tears. “Nothing to be ashamed of, little cub. We are proud and happy to have you back.”

Muriel slowly leans into him accepting the embrace. Those words. We are proud. They’re difficult for Muriel to accept, but it must be so good to hear them. Una hugs Muriel’s side while holding the child in her arms. “We love you, Muriel. We always have.”

Gilbert and Una release him and let him continue to sniffle and wipe his tears from his eyes. Looking at his feet. “I just...I-I don't feel like I deserve it.” He mumbles, still choking back his tears. “You don’t really know me....”

Una places her hand on his cheek and he glances at her. “But you do deserve it, my sweet cub.” She grabs his wrist inspecting the scar tissue where his chains once were and looks back up to him with sorrowful knowing eyes. “...You’ve been alone for long enough.” Una… she must have looked into his past. She must know about his suffering. She doesn’t love him any less either. You keep standing next to the fire watching this scene. Taking it all in, tears in your eyes too. It’s good to see this. You can’t help but feel so proud of Muriel’s growth, he never would let anyone see that side of him more than a year ago. But Muriel needed that loving reassurance more than either of you realized.

“T-thank you.” He utters with a soft smile and Gilbert squeezes his shoulder again, wiping away his own tears. You finally make your way to his side and he takes your hand. Muriel then straightens himself, resuming his iconic embarrassed and flushed face. He fakely coughs, floundering a little. “S-So, ah…. that —that tent…. you were, ah, t-t-talking about, G-Gilbert?”

Una and Gilbert laugh to themselves. Muriel isn’t a man who shows emotion like that easily. They both know it, you can see it in their eyes. “Come! Let's get you two settled in. It will be dark soon. Dinner will be a few hours.”

Gilbert opens the entrance to the tent and starts to show you where your new tent is as Muriel holds your hand tightly.

You feel so excited. This is a whole new experience for Muriel. You feel so humbled to be here too.

To be continued~

Hey all you trash pandas! I’m on AO3 now under the same username: MADLLAMAMOMMA

Anyways. Sorry this is so long winded. But there is A LOT to explain here. Keep yourselves posted for the next bit, as always, Hoped you liked my hot trash!

#the arana #the arcane game #muriel #muriel the arcana #the hermit #the mountain man #muriel the mountain man #muriel the hermit #muriel x reader #muriel x oc #muriel x mc #lore #worldbuilding #love story #fluff #cute fluff #swf

36 notes · View notes

canumoveurseatup-no · 6 years ago

Text

HC: Shy/Innocent Black!Reader roasting the team

Requested by- @chrisemi

AN: Okay so like I'm not good with roasts because I stay to myself and don't really have friends to roast but I tried my best

-Okay so I feel like you'd be new and have no idea what you were getting yourself into.

-After a few weeks, you still didn't talk much because you were still new and just wanted to get a feel for everyone.

-You caught onto how they all just had jokes about each other and would roast the hell out of each other and it was hilarious.

-They thought you didn't like them but that's not the case. You were just quiet and innocent.

-Right?

-Nah.

-One day while you all were chilling in the common area Tony came in the door saying, "We have a problem"

-Without thinking you came out of your mouth with, "yeah, we do too, it just walked in,"

-Natasha and Wanda snorted while everyone else just stared at you, you didn't say much let alone participate in their roast wars

-"Did... did she just come for me?,"

-The second time you got everyone off guard was when you all were being briefed on a mission and Steve said, "a thought just crossed my mind"

-You hiccupped with laughter and said "Must have been a long and lonely journey"

-You've never seen Steve look so offended but he was lowkey glad you were getting used to everyone and comfortable enough to joke with them

-Bucky slapped the table while laughing and Sam tried not to let Steve see him give you a thumbs up.

-One morning you were rushing to get ready and were hurriedly eating your breakfast and Clint asked you where you were going

-You started looking around frantically and looked in your bowl of cereal, frowning

-"What are you looking for?'

-"Found it!," you said excitedly

-"Found what?" your actions had thrown Clint for a loop

-"Your nose in my business, figured you might want it back," you booped his nose and walked away leaving the team wide eyed,

-Sam pointed at Clint and laughed like a child

-"She's been hanging around us too much"

-One afternoon you were all training together and Bucky was having a rather long day and wasn't in the best of moods

-"Listen here, Bogie,"

-"It's Bucky"

-"Listen here, Barry. Acting like a prick won't make yours bigger,"

-You could hear the ooo's coming from all around the gym

-No one was expected this from you but it was great

-For the first month you were there you wouldn't really speak to them other than missions or a hello in the morning.

-They liked it though, it helped you settle into the team better

-There was a mission that called for Loki's help and you've met him a few times in your short time with the team

-He came up with plan that was actually good and not a death wish

-"Oh God, you sound reasonable... time to up my medication" you exaggerated

-Sam was talking shit one day on the quinjet you just kept squinting at his stupidity, he caught you and asked if there was anything on his face or something

-"Actually yes.. wipe your mouth," you pointed to his mouth

-He did and asked if it was gone

-"There's still a little there"

-"Well what is it?" he wiped harder

-"Just a tiny bit of bullshit" you sweetly smiled and his face dropped

-You walked into the kitchen one night and the guys were having a conversation about trying to hook Steve up with someone from finance.

-"Your only chance of getting laid is to crawl up a chicken's butt and wait" you grabbed your drink from the fridge and winked at the men

-Nat was yapping absolute nonsense one day and it was kind of entertaining

-You patted her head like a puppy and smiled

-"I'm glad to see you're not letting education get in the way of your ignorance,"

-Peter talks a lot. Like.. A LOT

-And while you enjoyed his company, one day you just couldn't take it!

-You told him to stand up and he did

-You raised his arms, looking under them, looking behind the neck of his shirt and you playfully got frustrated.

-"I can't find it!!!," you whined.

-"Y/N what are you looking for?," Tony asked

-"His off button!,"

-Scott was comic relief and while he was hilarious, sometimes you feel like he talks just to hear himself talk,

-"Seriously? You were the sperm that won?,"

-"HEEEY!,"

-Thor and Loki were arguing like typical brothers but they were childish af with it

-"YYYY/NNNN! Thor called me stupid!"

-"You're not stupid, Loki-"

-"Ha! told you,"

-" -You just have bad luck with thinking,"

-"Ha! told YOU" Thor teased

-One morning all early, you were trying to explain something to Bucky, Rhodey and Scott but they just weren't getting it and you were running out of patience.

-"Listen, I don't have the time or the crayons to explain it any further for you"

-Tony was your favorite to roast, you two went at it like siblings

-"Tony, I hide behind sarcasm because telling you to go fuck yourself is rude in most social situations,"

-"Some people just need to use a glue stick as chap stick, don't you think Y/N?,"

-In the midst of him talking back he messed up one of his projects

-You, Tony, and Bruce were in the lab working together

-"Scientists say the universe is made up of neutrons, protons, and electrons. Looks like they forgot to mention morons,"

-Bruce threw his head back in laughter and Tony just gave you the finger

-Steve is stubborn as hell when he wants to be

-So you two were going back and forth in banter while all of you were having a night out on the town

-"Ya see Steve, I would love to see things from your point of view but I'm not sure I'm flexible enough to get my head that far up my ass,"

-It was late and you went to the kitchen for a snack, not expecting anyone to be in there.

-You see Pietro stuffing his face and he scared the hell out of you (I'm still in denial about his death. Leave me alone)

-"Wait, if you're in here then who's out there scaring the crows away from our crops?,"

-One night Wanda was drunk talking out the side of her neck

-"Y/N listen to meeee," she whined

-"Oh I'm listening. It just takes me a moment to process so much stupid information all at once. I'm visualizing duct tape over your mouth"

- One afternoon Steve was lecturing you about protocols for a mission and he was honestly a broken record, you know this already

-"Steve, you might wanna save your breath. You're gonna need it to blow Bucky later,"

-y'aLL WHEN I SAY STEVE'S EYES BULDGED OUT OF HIS HEAD THEY BULDGED!!!

-Clint and Natasha were snickering like school children

-Bucky choked on his own laughter and gasped for air

-You were all sitting in the kitchen when Bruce came in and started talking but you seemed uninterested and yawned

-Nat nudged you, "C'mon Y/N. I think-"

-"SHHH!," you harshly whisper and everyone got quiet, "Hear that? That's the sound of nobody caring what you think"

-"BUUUURN!," Clint was the Kelso of the group.

-After a while you stopped roasting everyone so bad, not wanting to wear out your welcome and everyone asked you why

-"Just didn't want to overstep boundaries,"

-Tony patted your shoulder and shook is head, "Oh please, kid. It's a great ice breaker, we enjoy seeing you come for everyone,"

-You sighed in relief, "Great because I've been holding one in for a while"

-"Uh oh" Vision mumbled

-"How come it's acceptable for you all to act like idiots but not for me to point it out?,"

-"Oh no, I take it back, I changed my mind!," Tony groaned

-"Oh really? What'd you do with the diaper then?"

-------

Lmao, I'm not good with roasts but I hope this made someone smile at least!

Leave feedback, don't be afraid to request!

TAGS- @sideeffectsofyou @chonisberonica @majikmelanin

2K notes · View notes

fallenfurther · 5 years ago

Text

Werepuppies 5

Puppies first full moon!

Original post, Part 1, 2 , 3 and 4

******

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Virgil looked at Scott who had his children around him. It was evening so they were starting to calm down. They believed the puppies didn't change with the full moon, but Virgil had noticed a slight change in their behaviour that day. Maybe they, like he, could feel the full moon coming. They had been more of a handful and the calm they had now felt more like the calm before a storm, than them genuinely being tired. Scott stroked Sienna's head, which was resting on Vincent. Vincent was lying on his stomach, head on his front paws, big brown eyes looking into Virgil's. It felt like he was questioning Virgil. It was Dusty that had been acting most out of sorts. He was the one curled up in Scott's lap. He had even let out a few whimpers. Virgil was thankful that Scott had agreed to sit in to keep them away from him as he transformed.

"They need to see this. They need know what and who I am. If they don't see me change, they may not believe I'm Virgil."

Scott nodded, not entirely convinced. He thought that it could wait a few moons, but Virgil disagreed, and as he was the puppies’ father, his decision stood. He took a breath as he felt his muscles tighten. A whimper came from Dusty. He reached up and pulled his shirt off, quickly getting naked as the heat pulsed through him. Virgil gritted his teeth against the pain, his face contorted. It took all his strength to turn his head and open his eyes. Four pairs of eyes were looking back. His puppies were standing up now, full attention on the man who cared for them. Scott has slipped his fingers through their collars, though they weren't pulling on them yet. The next wave of pain caused him to close his eyes again and he felt his body morph. The growl he let out filled the room and his children yapped. The pain intensified as he felt his back legs morph and his tail grow, only to fade as he lost consciousness.

***

Virgil panted; his whole body was sore. He rested as he let the sounds of the room come back to him. It was the movements and low voices around him that caught his attention first.

He is a dog! He is a dog. He smells like a dog, and he looks like us, so he is a dog.

But he was Virgil. He was one of them.

The small voices were close, and it took a second for it to click who they belonged to. Virgil's heart jumped in his chest as he realised that he was going to be able to have a deeper relationship with his children than just that of owner and pet. Joy filled him, and he would have jumped up excitedly if he had the energy. Instead he lay still and tried to work out who was who. Something nuzzled his back.

His fur feels like yours. You think I could sleep on him?

Virgil grinned, which in this form meant his mouth opened and his tongue lolled out. Dusty. That was his Dusty! Two small paws pressed into his back causing him to moan. Little feet pattered away from him and Virgil hated that he'd scared them.

Maybe you should not jump on him.

But it looks like fun.

Virgil heard Dusty's paws on the floor near his head. His body was starting to recover, and Virgil could feel the moon restoring his strength. The fur on his head moved and something edged closer and closer to his ear. Virgil suddenly realised what Dusty was about to do.

"No Dusty! No!"

The whine that came from the pup made Virgil open his eyes. Scott was standing over him and was glaring down at the sandy puppy, who was now in Scott’s arms. He was watched as Scott carried Dusty away and plonked him on the floor. Dusty growled at Scott. His brother and son locked eyes. Scott's arms were on his hips, like he used to do when he scolded Alan and Gordon when they were younger. The staring contest continued until Dusty barked and ran towards the glass windows. Scott sighed and sat down, the two black dogs crept up to him, tails between their legs. They were rewarded with a smile and a vigorous stroke.

I told you it was a full moon. I could feel it you know. It makes me want to howl.

Dusty was pacing by the window now and Virgil knew his son’s eyes were fixed on the white orb in the sky. He was surprised to hear that his son felt the urge to howl too, and Virgil could see the agitation in the pup.

You will get into trouble, again.

Virgil pulled himself up and shook out his body. He stretched out each leg and wagged his tail slowly from side to side, reacquainting himself with the appendage. The two black dogs were now staring at him, their tails stilled by his movements. He knew that he towered above them. He looked at Dusty in time to watch the pup sit down and start howling. The howl may have been small, but it was definitely that of a wolf. All eyes were on the werepuppy, that was completely oblivious to the others in the room. For Dusty, it was just him and the moon now, and the only thing that felt right was howling.

Dusty!

The puppy jumped at Virgil's voice, as did his siblings. The shock of the foreign growl stopped the boy mid howl and the pup looked over its shoulder to the source. Virgil stared at him. The pup turned and looked at the moon with a longing Virgil understood too well.

Dusty, please don't howl at the moon. I know it feels good, but it'll annoy my brothers.

The puppy slowly padded away from the window as Virgil strode over to Vincent and Sienna. He ran his snout along each of them, inhaling their scent and enjoying the feeling of their fur against his. It was Vincent who was the first to nuzzle him back.

Are you a dog or a human?

Vincent's eyes gazed into his and Virgil was relieved that there was no fear in them.

I am both. I'm a Werewolf. I am human most of the time but every full moon I transform into a wolf.

So, you are Virgil?

Sienna's growls were softer than her siblings, but she was just as courageous, stepping up to Virgil and giving his face a lick.

Yes, I'm Virgil. I'm also your father.

Our father!?

Is that why Sienna and Vincent look like you?

Virgil looked at Dusty, who was hanging back a little. The pup kept looking at the window with his tail between his legs.

Yes, it is.

Once a month you become like us?

Yes.

Will you play with us?

Virgil carefully stepped over the puppies and headed towards the box of toys. Sticking his nose into the box, he threw a tennis ball out which his children dived for. He also grabbed the tug rope. When he turned around Sienna was proudly carrying the ball in her mouth while trying to keep Vincent away from it. Scott looked at Virgil and chuckled, before reaching down and trying to get the ball from Sienna.

"It's going to be a long night of playing fetch for me, isn’t it?"

Virgil felt a firm tug on the rope, and something slammed into his leg. Dusty growled as he regained his footing. Virgil wagged his tail and pulled back.

***

Scott glanced over at his brother. It was only 11pm and the Werewolf was already yawning. Scott had washed his hands of dog slobber a while ago, though his clothes were still covered in hair. His niece and nephews were curled up around Virgil on the bed, which he knew was a treat because they weren't allowed on the bed. Virgil's tail was slowly wagging, showing how content he was just to lie there. He was a good dad. He'd also been right about the pups. They had needed to see him change, and it had shocked Scott how much seeing Virgil transform affected them. They had been scared for the man that cared for them. Scott had felt their bodies shake and he felt sorry that they hadn't been forewarned like he had the first time he'd seen Virgil go through it. But it has gone well, and it hadn't taken them long to relax around his wolf brother. It may be the strangest little family, but they were fun. Scott hoped having the puppies would make the full moon that little bit better for Virgil. Scott walked to the bed and carefully lent over and stroked Virgil's head. His brother raised his head and gazed into Scott’s eyes.

"You got this Virgil. You know where I'll be if you need anything."

"Thanks Scott."

Scott left the room leaving the door ajar. He looked at it. He knew leaving it open meant the puppies could get out, but it was a risk they were going to have to take. He headed to his father's desk to finish off one last piece of paperwork before bed.

***

Virgil lay on the bed, curled around the bundle of fur that was his sleeping children. He relished feeling the heat from their little bodies against him. The sky was starting to lighten on the horizon, and he waited for the change to begin. It had been fantastic and was a little sad that he'd have to wait to have a proper conversation with them again. Their werewolf genes meant they had woken up during the night, and it has been great to have someone to interact with in the early hours while his brothers were asleep. Although Dusty normally displayed the most wolf-like traits, apart from his strong desire to howl at the moon, he was the one who was affected the least and slept the most that night. It had been Sienna who was kept awake by the moon though Vincent wasn't far behind in his restlessness. Virgil nuzzled the puppy pile as the first pains started to course through his body. He arched his back as the pain intensified, trying to move his body away from the pups so he won't disturb them. He let himself go and passed in and out of consciousness. As he drifted awake again, he felt warmth against his now naked human body. With great effort and a shaking arm, Virgil pulled the puppy near his chest into a hug. Its fur was soft against his skin and his thumb instinctively stroked it. His child's face pressed gently against his neck as they reached up and licked his chin. Virgil smiled weakly as he drifted off to sleep.

#werevirgil #werepuppies #scott tracy #virgil tracy #thunderbirds are go #full moon #soniabigcheese #fatherhood

26 notes · View notes

kellylouise-blog · 5 years ago

Text

Learning How To Idea

A few weeks ago, an ad on Facebook caught my attention. It was an ad for a writing course specifically about how to conjure ideas! Clearly Facebook knows all because that’s (shockingly) something I’ve always struggled with. My ideas for writing tend to just show up when I’m not looking so this was a new challenge to actively seek them out!

The course was called “Seven Ideas in Seven Days” and was offered by Writers HQ. It was short and sweet but I honestly learnt so much from it; about how ideas are literally everywhere, in everything you hear, see and think about. The structure of the course meant I got a new idea every day! I unfortunately caught the flu half way through which threw off my writing storm a bit but I made it through and honestly think I have some good ideas on my hands!

I wanted to post what I’ve written here (below the cut), with a brief look at the tips in the course! If you choose to glance through the ideas I came up with, let me know if anything looks promising to you or if you have any other ideas or feedback, anything is appreciated!

DAY ONE (take a mundane event or everyday task and look at it from different perspectives):

Channel 0: [omniscient] A large family is only ever together at funerals (and weddings, stuff like that.) The youngest sibling has recently died after a tragic accident. There are six siblings in total, their parents long gone.

Channel 1: Viewpoint of the second youngest sibling, Matthew, who was closest to the deceased and considered his brother to be his best friend. The duo were inseparable and he is heartbroken to be without him. He hasn’t seen any of his other siblings in over two years, since the death of their mother (the father having died years before that). And he doesn’t want to see them, either.

Channel 2: Viewpoint of the deceased brother - a kind of ghostly perspective. He looks over the scene of his funeral, introducing his siblings to the reader, critiquing them and silently joining their awkward conversations.

Channel 3: Viewpoint from the eldest sibling, who is dying from terminal cancer. She too, notices how seldom she sees her family and notes that she likely never will again.

Channel 4: Game-of-Thrones style perspective switch between each of the characters throughout the day of the funeral.

DAY TWO (use a random literary quote generator online and take the last couple of words as a title! Then visit Flickr and take the third featured image as your book cover. Now, what’s the story?)

R1 (developing the story, random ideas):

A detective story or murder mystery. A body is discovered in a marshy, boggy, forest area by passerbys (hikers? joggers?)

Maybe someone who’s been missing a while - search party discovery

Maybe something more supernatural - a group or couple out hiking and then, suddenly, one of them disappears. Found later, butchered.

More horror film-esque - a night camping in the woods

A serial killers territory or dumping ground

Or the moor is alive - it swallows you whole

R2 (favouring supernatural idea): Who - A group of friends (18-25yrs) out camping. The forest/moor is rumoured to be haunted and dangerous. Amy is the most scared and skeptical of the group. But boyfriend Tom promises to protect her. (see where this is going?)

Two groups of couples (one hetero, one homo) and two single, “platonic” friends.

One of the “platonic” friends (Sophie) is first to disappear - later found by the other singleton James.

Throughout the night, the group starts to disappear, one by one, murdered by unknown forces. Eventually, it’s just Amy and Tom. But in the end, the moor gets him too as it swallows him whole, faster than quicksand.

Finally, Amy makes it out of the living moor, but just barely. The lone survivor.

Pitch:

The Moor is a suburban legend, a myth, a mystery and naturally … a tourist attraction. A group of fearless young people decide to investigate the legend of the “living moor”, treating it as nothing more than a regular camping trip. Amy tried to warn them.

The Moor is a living thing. And you just walked right into its mouth.

DAY THREE (Image Prompt):

Where are they/it? Suburban. London.

When is it?- 1940’s

Why is it/they there? A young woman packs her belongings into her suitcase. She contemplates one last time about her decision to leave home.

Who are they? This young woman has had enough of her rough home life. She wants to see more, she wants to experience the world. But still, she is afraid. She has never done much of anything on her own, having gone straight from school into a less-than-loving marriage.

What happens next? She finally makes the decision to leave home, packing what clothes and other things she can into her suitcase. And she’s not about to leave the dog behind with that man, either, no siree. She and her dog make their way to the train station, their destination unknown.

Abigail Winston has not had the easiest life. But then again, she can’t complain, it could’ve been much worse. Mother always said that once she had a roof over her head, she had nothing to be sad about. And yet there she was, crying her heart out into her pillow, a pillow which has soaked up far too many of her tears over the years under this blessed roof. She could hear the music blaring from the gramophone downstairs. It was the same as always, the same tune, the same routine. She made her way home from her day job as a seamstress to be met by the backside of his hand for whatever reason he could pluck out of thin air. The dinner wasn’t done. The dishes were dirty. The dog was barking. The neighbours were noisy. The floor was a mess.

“Why do you make me do this?” He asks, seeming to be genuinely perplexed at her nature. His hand is red raw from slapping her thricefold across the face. “You know I don’t want to hurt you.” He says, as he pulls her in towards him and kisses her right where he had just slapped her. His lips sting.

But finally, as if some kind of cosmic epiphany had just hit her, she decided that she had had enough. It wasn’t her fault, it never had been. There was nothing wrong with her, it was all him. It was all down to the voices in his head that told him it was his right to treat her this way, she was his wife after all, his property.

But no more.

She scribbled a note upon her vanity table, almost deciding to throw it into the bin altogether. Maybe it would be better to leave without saying anything. What would be the point in trying to explain her reasons for leaving? He would never believe them. He wouldn’t care. But she wrote it anyway, trying to keep her words as devoid of emotion as possible.

She didn’t love him, perhaps she never did. Marraige is just something everyone has to do, right? What a world.

She pulled out the suitcase from the closet and threw in her most prized possessions, but mostly clothes. She hurried down the stairs, knowing he’d be back from the public house any time soon now. Pausing at the door, she turned around to find him standing there; Toby … the dog.

“He’s never been kind to you, either, has he?” She found herself asking. The dog yapped and ran towards her and the decision was made. She wouldn’t be alone after all.

She made her way down the suburban street with little Toby running along beside her. She caught the questioning glances of many neighbours as she passed them. Of course, she could not hope to leave unnoticed. Jonathan would be well informed of her departure, suitcase and all. But still, she carried on and tried to ignore the ball of anxiety building in her stomach.

A half hour later, she had finally reached the gates to the train station. “Where am I even going?” She thought to herself. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. It had been a spur of the moment decision in the end. Maybe she should turn back. Yes, back to what she knew, that would be best.

Toby yipped up at her, snapping her to attention. No, this was the right thing to do. She had to leave. She needed to get on the soonest train, that would take her farthest away, somewhere he would never guess to look for her.

Cornwall. She had never been there. She barely knew where it was, only that it was pretty far out of London. She didn’t allow herself to hesitate and bought herself (and Toby) a ticket. A one-way ticket. There, she had done it. There was no going back now.

Her heart hammering in her chest, she turned towards the gate leading to the train at a steady pace. Perhaps she wasn’t paying enough attention to her surroundings as suddenly, someone bumped into her, causing her to drop the suitcase and for it to burst open, spilling out some of her hastily packed things.

The stranger stopped and bent down to help her. “So sorry, miss! I should’ve been looking where I was goin’! You alrigh’?” That voice. It couldn’t be.

She looked up at the strangers face and realised he was no stranger at all. “Well, I’ll be … Abigail. It’s been an age.”

DAY FOUR (choose an emotion that you want to invoke in the reader and work backwards)

Emotion: Inspired

Need to experience: Success in the face of adversity. A hopeless situation turned hopeful. Perseverance. Never giving up, despite the odds being stacked against you. Succeeding. Leaving behind a good legend. Paving the way for others.

Who: A homeless person with a wacky invention idea. A single mother on the cusp of poverty who’s just trying to do right by her kids. A severely bullied kid who intervenes in someone else’s bullying. A political activist who keeps going despite being arrested, even beaten, a number of times. A dystopian world where the smallest voice can be the loudest.

I can often feel inspired to suddenly change my life, to stop just accepting how things are and do something about it. I am in control. But they want to take that control away from me.

Young girl in a world that wants to suffocate all that she is. A very strict world with lots of rules and regulations. Akin to a dictatorship.

A single mother, Margaret, circa 1960’s Ireland who had to have her child in secret as she was unmarried. She leaves home, determined to protect her child. The father doesn’t know. How far can she go before the child is discovered and they are ultimately pulled from each other? She finds friendship in an older woman who was once sent to the “mother and baby” home after her own unmarried pregnancy in her youth. “It’s like a prison,” she says, “A torture chamber … under the guise of God’s work.”

She fears every day for the life of her child. But it won’t stop crying. She tries to keep it happy but its screams echo right through the walls. She can’t stay in one place too long, lest somewhere see her and report her. Her family have reported her missing, her face is plastered across every town that she can get to. She alters her appearance as drastically as possible, new haircut, new hair colour, different clothes. She has barely any money to her name, and she can’t get a job since she needs to mind the child constantly. She turns to prostitution, a quick job with high pay. Anything for the child.

The older woman tells her all about her time in the home, of the daily routine and the daily “retribution”, the punishment for having betrayed her promise to God.

As she listens to the stories, Margaret becomes determined not only to save herself from the grip of the Church but to save other mothers too from their righteous judgement. She tries to find others who have survived the homes and learns more and more horror stories from them. The babes were stricken from their breasts, never to be seen again. Those that died in infancy were tossed aside in a mass grave, little more than garbage in the eyes of the nuns.

Margaret starts to draw up flyers, leaflets and posters to alert people to the real goings-on in the homes. The homes designed to “reform” and “rehabilitate” wayward women. The propaganda must be subtle at first, a whisper in the collective unconscious until more and more women wake up to the problem in their society. The propaganda must be spread without its source being known. Margaret’s connection to it can never be discovered because of course, the child would be too.

She develops a steady group of friends, women who have all been subjected to the Church’s law. One such woman, Josephine, only 15 years old, was impregnated by her local priest. Together, they round up more and more women and stage a protest outside of the home. They infiltrate and extract the imprisoned mothers and snatch up the innocent children. The mass grave is discovered and the Church’s secret is revealed.

In the end, Margaret and her group of friends set up a real home for unmarried mothers where both woman and child are cared for until they are able to care for themselves.

DAY FIVE (take a paragraph from a book you’re reading and pose what-if questions)

A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow

Pg 75

The queen-to-be invites a traitors daughter to supper.

What if the daughter bears the queen ill will?

What if the queen bears the daughter ill will?

What if the queen is worried that the daughter (a servant) will cause the king to stray?

What if the queen fears that the daughter, too, will prove to be a traitor?

What if she is a traitor?

What if the daughter uses the invite as an opportunity to enact a plan against the queen or some other vendetta?

What if the supper goes horribly wrong and the queen is murdered and the daughter is accused?

DAY SIX (Analysing the ideas):

Idea One: The Family Funeral

Idea Two: The Moor at Night

Idea Three: Abigail

Idea Four: Mother and Baby

Idea Five: The Queen and the Traitors Daughter

IDEA #1:

What interests me about it?

I’ve thought about this idea for a while, sparked by an observation on my own family. I come from a pretty big family and the prospect of only ever seeing them at certain events such as weddings and funerals is disheartening. But I think it’s something most families can relate to, especially as the children get older and separate into their own lives. We all get too busy to meet up until ultimately, we lose our last chance to see each other at all. Writing this story would be interesting to explore family dynamics and how they can be affected by tragic grief.

Will I be interested in it long term?

I intend for this to just be a short story so it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks/months of my time once I get down to it.

Is there an obvious journey?

I see this as a scene in the funeral home with the family reuniting. I would like it to show the frayed family coming together again in the face of their united grief, choosing to set aside their differences and grudges because life is short.

Has it been done before?

I guess that episode in “Haunting of Hill House” (episode 3?) is rather similar with the family, once torn apart, coming together for their sisters funeral. Tensions are high, and they argue quite a bit but ultimately, it’s a lovely reunion. I guess it’s likely it inspired me subconsciously to think about this story and my own experiences. But I wouldn’t quite go down the spooky route with my story!

What about the research?

I guess it would be worthwhile to seek out other people’s stories of how their families reunited and came back together after a tragedy - or perhaps the very opposite. I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to quiz my own family about how they feel!

Why do I need to write it?

Because yes, life is busy and we all have our own things going on but family is important. You never know when someone may be taken from you, tomorrow is never guaranteed. I want people to pause and think about their relationships and whether they’re holding onto unnecessary anger. If that person was gone tomorrow, could you live on knowing you’ll never make amends?

Who’s going to care about it?

I think this is something a lot of people - particularly those from larger families - can relate to.

Is it a goer?

I think this is a great opportunity to explore characterisation and storytelling so yes, I intend to work on it!

#2: The Moor at Night

What interests me about it?

I’ve always wanted to write a spooky horror story. I love watching horror stuff - especially supernatural stories - although I haven’t read many.

Will I be interested in it long term?

This is a fairly fresh idea and I think it’s a little too “cliche” yet and needs something else to really interest me.

Is there an obvious journey?

Uh, everyone dies?? Except the girl who was warning everyone that the Moor is serious business. So, not really, other than the survival. Or maybe Amy starts out extra scared but has to become brave to escape, yadda yadda, who knows.

Has it been done before?

In the sense of a devouring swamp, I don’t think so. It makes me think of the Blair Witch stories that I loved to read growing up. But it needs something to pull it out of being a “basic horror” monster eating story.

What about the research?

I think I need to sink my teeth into more horror stories if I ever hope to write one. I watch plenty of movies but finding a book that is actually scary is rare, I think. And well, movies are all about the cliche so maybe more novels can open me to new ways of thinking about horror and how to scare! That, and research into pananormal/supernatural stuff could breed new ideas!

Why do I need to write it?

This one would just be fun to write, I think.

Who’s going to care about it?

People who like horror stories, I suppose??

Is it a goer?

Not sure yet. Think it needs a lot more development or rethinking more creatively.

#3: Abigail

What interests me about it?

I like writing stories that show characters coming out of a bad place and into a better life. I think this story could show people that they are in control of their lives. Too many people settle and just “make do” with their life situation even though they’re desperately unhappy.

Will I be interested in it long term?

Hmmm, again there’s not much here in terms of a “story” just yes. A traumatised, abused woman finally leaves her unhappy home behind and … what?? She meets an old friend at the train station, perhaps a past sweetheart. What happened there?

Is there an obvious journey?

This would be quite a character driven story. Abigail’s goal is to get out and make a new life for herself. Does this make her into a sort of outlaw? Does she have to fashion herself a new identity? Likely, her past will eventually find her again. What lengths will she go to to escape it? Hmmm, maybe there is something here….

Has it been done before?

Given how bare-bones this idea is, most probably. The story of an abused woman running from home has likely been done to death (although I can’t think of any in particular). So I’d have to find something to let this stand out.

What about the research?

I think I should start by reading similar stories, particularly non-fiction books of women who have escaped abuse for extra inspiration.

Why do I need to write it?

Again, I think people need to realise that they are in control of their own destiny. You don’t have to just “put up with it.” This would be a story about empowerment and learning to put yourself first.

Who’s going to care about it?

I guess this could cater to the feminist cause and female empowerment.

Is it a goer?

Again, not quite sure until I’ve developed the idea a little more but I think there might be something there, alright.

#4: Mother and Baby

What interests me about it?

This is a topic that’s quite prominent in the Irish consciousness. The whole scandal around the mother and baby homes won’t be forgotten anytime soon. This idea was born out of a “what if” really concerning that topic. What if we had known sooner? Could we have stopped these terrible things from happening?

Will I be interested in it long term?

Not too sure, this one isn’t drawing me as much as the other ideas I’ve had. Yes, it’s an interesting topic and one we should never forget but I’m not sure about this story.

Is there an obvious journey?

This story is quite about empowerment as well, standing up for what you believe in and refusing to back down. It’s about change and fighting for the greater good. Many of the characters involved will go on their own journeys of growth.

Has it been done before?

Of course, the Magdalene Sisters covered this topic pretty well (although I haven’t actually seen it) but that story takes place entirely within the home itself. So, it’s similar but doesn’t mean this story is invalid. This idea also makes me think of Fantine in Les Miserables who went to such depths for the sake of securing her daughters livelihood.

What about the research?

Being related to an actual event, I would have to do a good bit of research for accuracy. But that actually sounds exciting! Love me some research. Most importantly, I would seek out stories from women who actually experienced these atrocities and go from there.

Why do I need to write it?

Because we can’t forget what we, as a nation, did to so many women and innocent children all in the name of “God”.

Who’s going to care about it?

I should hope mostly anyone.

Is it a goer?

Maybe??

#5: Queen and Traitor

What interests me about it?

This was mostly a bunch of what-ifs but I think the scenario of the Queen being murdered at their dinner together could be interesting. The daughter is already of ill-repute thanks to her family and is naturally accused. This is, of course, a period story and that could be quite interesting to look into medieval stuff and how the royals live and lived. Of course, the daughter did not kill the queen, so it would also be a story about judging a book by its cover.

Will I be interested in it long term?

This idea sounds like a classic whodunnit, something I’ve always wanted to write. And in a period, medieval, royal setting? That could be interesting. But again, this seed is so little I can’t say if it will bear fruit just yet.

Is there an obvious journey?

The daughter will have to prove her innocence and discover the true perpetrator in the process.

Has it been done before?

I don’t think so? Whodunnit’s are a genre unto themselves and I’ll have to investigate the likes of Agatha Christie to see what’s been done (and hasn’t!)

What about the research?

Loads of research here into royalty and medieval life. But again, I love research so that just makes this idea even more appealing!

Why do I need to write it?

A good old murder mystery would just be fun to write!

Who’s going to care about it?

Wannabe Sherlocks?

Is it a goer?

I kind of want to develop this a bit more and see where it takes me!

DAY SEVEN (Idea Development):

I chose to focus on the murder-mystery actually as it excites me the most!

There’s a hero! Something happens and her life totally changes. She’s now got a problem to solve. Shit!

So, the hero is the daughter, perhaps a princess or just someone who lives at the palace. She comes from a family of ill repute. Her father previously betrayed the trust of the Queen and was extradited. But the Queen is loving and forgiving and takes his daughter under her wing. But no one else in the palace trusts her nearly as much. The Queen invites the daughter to supper with her. This is a rare occurrence as the daughter would usually sup alone since the rest of the palace people disliked her so. The supper is going well and everyone is having a good time until suddenly - tragedy strikes and the Queen begins to sputter and choke. She falls facedown onto the table, dead. The stain on her lips and wineglass make it clear that she had been poisoned. All eyes fall on the daughter as she is instantly accused of the crime. Guards are called and she is instantly pulled away into the dungeons before she even has a chance to defend herself.

She tries to solve the problem.

Not only has she been accused of murder, but she’s also locked in the dungeon! She has to find a way out and prove her innocence. She befriends someone in the cell beside her. A young boy, around her age. He’s been here a while, locked up for snatching a piece of bread that he swears he never touched.

Somehow or other, they get out of the dungeon. Maybe they trick a guard or find a hollow point in the wall. But they remain in secret while the girl tries to find clues to clear her name. She listens in on conversations around the castle, discovering all sorts of goings-on.

She fails miserably at solving the problem, or she solves it with unexpected consequences, and the story pivots and there is a new, bigger problem to solve.

She eventually discovers the true culprit! It’s not someone anyone would’ve expected. But, boneheadedly, she decides to confront him alone but he gets the better of her and knocks her unconscious. She wakes to find herself tied up and helpless once again. This man is someone of power, high up in the hierarchy of the palace and has everyone wrapped around his little finger. It will be difficult to prove him guilty.

The problem is fixed or remains unfixed. The hero is happy or unhappy. She is CHANGED in some way.

She eventually gets to expose the true culprit to the other people in the palace and clears her name in the murder. Of course, she is disgruntled that everyone immediately turned on her without giving her a chance to defend herself. She opts to leave her life in the palace behind and with her captive friend, they seek out a simpler, happier life together.

#whq #writershq #writeblr #irish writers #writers #ideas #story ideas #writing #originalblog

4 notes · View notes

thegizka · 6 years ago

Text

Sometimes it Stinks

When Kiba's dreams are dashed, Hana helps him find a new dream that both of them can believe in.

Written for Writer's Month 2019 Day 12: Dreams.

Note: I do not own any aspect of Naruto.

Read it on Ao3.

“I’m going to lead our clan someday.”

Tsume paused in collecting their dinner dishes, then laughed. Her laugh was raw and unchecked, and Kiba always thought it sounded more like a warning than an indication of joy.

“No you’re not, kid.”

“Yes I am,” he argued stubbornly. “Chouji and Shikamaru both said they were going to lead their clans, and I’m better than both of them, so I should lead our clan.”

“It’s not going to happen,” she chuckled, clearing the last of the dishes. “I’d trust Kuromaru to lead the clan before I’d let you take over.”

It was slightly insulting to be told a dog would be a better leader than him, but he’d learned from a young age to respect the grizzled hound. He probably could command a clan if he wanted to.

“Well obviously I don’t want to take over now,” Kiba huffed. “I’ll wait until you’re old and then I’ll become the leader.”

“So you’ll just wait for me to get all feeble and weak to knock me off and seize power? How do I know you won’t try and assassinate me before then? Maybe I should assassinate you as a precaution.”

“Mom, that’s not what I meant!”

“You’re an easy target,” she grinned. “Too easy. We can’t have a clan head who leaves himself wide open to jokes. That’s just one step away from being taken advantage of.”

“I’ll have time to learn to be better. I’d never let anyone take advantage of me or the clan!”

“You don’t have to worry kid,” Tsume promised, ruffling his hair. “That just isn’t in your future.”

“Why not?”

“Because Hana is going to inherit the clan duties.”

“Hana?” he asked. “Why does she get to lead the clan?”

“Because she’s the firstborn. If you didn’t skip class and actually paid attention, then you’d know that succession passes to the oldest child.”

“Since when?”

“Since forever, boy!” She shook her head, grinning. “Really Kiba, sometimes I don’t know what to do with you. You miss some of the most obvious things!”

-----

Hana found him sulking on the back porch when she arrived home after a long apprenticeship shift at the veterinary clinic. He was tossing a ball for Akamaru, who tore across the yard on his short puppy legs, yapping happily. The joy of the game was lost to Kiba, who looked sullen.

“Hey there little brother,” she greeted, sitting down beside him. His nose twitched.

“You reek.”

“We had an older dog with bladder control issues and a cat who ingested something he shouldn’t have. Let’s just say it wasn’t one of the cleanest days at work.”

“Then go take a bath. I don’t want you anywhere near me!” He shifted a few inches away from her.

“Ouch, that hurts,” she said, pretending to pout. “Would you change your mind if I gave you hot chocolate?”

Kiba glanced at the mug she was offering. The sweet aroma would definitely help to mask the stench of his sister, and the evening air was cool on his skin. With a begrudging grunt, he accepted the mug.

“Mom told me you want to be head of the clan,” Hana said, blowing on the warm drink before taking a sip.

“Well she made it clear that that’s not going to happen,” he grumbled. Hana studied his face as he scooped some whipped cream off the top and let Akamaru lick it from his fingers.

“Why do you want to lead the clan?”

He shrugged, swirling the drink in his hands.

“It’d be a lot of work, you know,” she said. “You’d have to lead clan meetings, and help the Hokage assign clan members to missions. If there was ever a dispute amongst our relatives, you’d have to help them settle the argument. There would be lots of hard decisions, and you’d have to own up to the consequences. Every moment of your day would be devoted to the clan’s well-being and our contribution to the village. There’d be paperwork, and a few missions, but mostly you’d be tied to the village so you could respond quickly to any crisis. Then of course there’d be the housing arrangements to oversee, medical resources to coordinate, funerals and burials to arrange, and you’d have to oversee the breeding and training of our ninja hounds and protect the secrets of our clan jutsus. And that’s really just scratching the surface.”

“I could do all of that. I wouldn’t mind.”

“Then maybe I should step aside and let you take over.”

“What?” Kiba studied her curiously with a hint of suspicion. “You’d do that?”

“Sure, why not?” Hana shrugged. “I could just be a vet then and do the occasional security patrol. I won’t have time for the clinic if I’m clan leader.”

He seemed to entertain the possibility for a moment before turning back to studying his hot chocolate.

“Mom would never let you. She’d say you were just giving up or being lazy. Besides, she said she’d rather Kuromaru lead the clan than me.”

“That was just Mom being Mom,” she dismissed. “I’m sure she’d be proud of you for stepping up in my place.”

“But that’s the thing. It’s your place, not mine. I don’t want your hand-me-downs.”

“Are you sure? You seem to really like those cargo pants I gave you last year.”

“Shut up,” he growled, shoving her with his elbow. She chuckled, taking another sip of cocoa.

“I just…” he began. Hana waited, seeing the serious look on his face. “I don’t want to just be another nameless shinobi who simply follows orders. There’s nothing special about that.”

“Maybe not, but there are advantages, too.”

He shot her a look that indicated he disagreed.

“I’m serious! Less responsibility means more freedom to do as you like. You don’t have to constantly worry about how your behavior reflects on the village or whether the consequences of your decisions will lead to civil war. It’s okay to just be a village shinobi.”

“But I don’t want that,” he growled. “I don’t want to be a nobody! I want responsibility. I want to earn the respect of my friends and Mom and the clan! I want to protect our people and the village and show the world how great the Leaf is. I don’t want to be a nobody!”

So that was it. Hana had suspected this might be more about Kiba’s self-confidence than anything. Their mother was extremely loyal and proud of her family, but rarely did she say so. She wasn’t the easiest to understand and could come off as abrasive even to her own children. Her little brother probably wanted to impress Tsume as much as his friends.

“You know,” she said carefully, “there are a lot of specialized positions in the village that would let you do all of that. Leading a clan isn’t the only way to be someone important.”

He seemed to think about that, slurping down the last of his drink and studying the patterns left at the bottom of his mug. Suddenly his eyes brightened, and he jumped to his feet.

“I’m going to be Hokage.”

Hana stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. Unlike their mother, her laugh was pure, uncontrolled joy.

“I was thinking of something more like the Anbu or an academy teacher, not the Hokage!”

“I’m going to do it,” Kiba declared, a spark of conviction in his eyes. “Right Akamaru?”

The little dog barked in happy agreement, tail wagging enthusiastically. He believed in Kiba. Hana decided that she did, too. Her little brother had a puppy-like honesty to him that could win people over. Sure he could be dumb, but he was still young, and maybe he’d grow out of that. Maybe he actually would fulfill this new dream.

“Hokage, huh? Alright Mr. Future Hokage, as future Inuzuka Clan leader, I look forward to working with you.”

He grinned wider as her declaration of support boosted his confidence further.

“Thanks. My first declaration as Hokage will be that all clan leaders must wash thoroughly before meeting with me. It’s disrespectful to be so stinky in my presence.”

“Oh yeah?” Hana grinned a dangerous grin, a trait all Inuzukas had inherited. “What about the disrespect you show your elders by calling them stinky?”

She pounced on him, trying to shove his nose under her arm so he’d be faced with the full, potent power of the day’s business.

“No!” he protested, scrambling to save his scent receptors. “It’s too much! You’ll kill me!”

They wrestled together in the dirt, the dogs barking encouragement around them. Hana had the advantage of size, smell, and experience, but Kiba refused to give in, especially to his big sister. It was that sort of determination that just might get him to the Hokage’s office someday.

“Oi, what do you two think you’re doing?”

They paused in their scuffle. Tsume was standing in the doorway, the light from inside throwing her shadowy silhouette into the yard.

“You sound like a pair of alley cats fighting over a scrap of food.”

“Hey!” Kiba protested, probably offended at being called a cat.

“It’s time to get ready for bed,” she commanded before abruptly disappearing back into the house.

With a groan, the siblings lay back in the dirt to catch their breaths. Akamaru sniffed at Kiba’s face to see if there’d be any more fun, but night had pounced on them, and stars were beginning to twinkle in the dark expanse. Hana fixed her eyes on Sirius, the only star she could reliably find every night.

“You reek,” she declared, wrinkling her nose. “You should take a bath.”

“Shut up,” Kiba growled, punching her arm with a chuckle.

There’d probably be another fight to determine who got to wash first, or they’d race to the bathroom, or their mom would come yell at them for being lazy and not moving. But Hana wanted just one more moment lying here with her brother, wishing on a star that all of his dreams would come true.

#writersmonth2019 #gizka #my words #naruto #inuzuka kiba #inuzuka hana #inuzuka tsume #akamaru #academy days #sibling bonding #supportive hana #kiba wants to be hokage #I don't think we talk about that enough #inuzuka family

7 notes · View notes

rike-with-love · 7 years ago

Text

A wedding fit for them

Summary: Okikagu week 2018 day 7: Song Inspired

Pairings: Okikagu

Rating: T for bad language

Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama or it's characters, Sorachi Hideaki does. I only own this story.

Author’s notes: I have a link to my fanfiction masterlist on my profile. Please check it out for more chapters and fics!

A wedding fit for them

Oh, without my love, I'd be incomplete

And without my love, I'd be all empty

So, without my love, I would not be me

The Crash – Sugared

It was hard to breath, he felt like suffocating. His hands felt itchy, making him want to crawl out of his own skin. Sougo didn't like to be put on the spot like this. Every person in the room was giving him glances and smiles. It felt like they were giving him some kind of approvement. He didn't need anything like that from them. Only one person mattered to him. Her approvement and smile was all he needed.

Sougo loosened up his cravat a little, hoping to ease his growing nervousness. He exhaled deeply. Even the damn suit he was wearing felt too tight, uncomfortable. Sougo saw Hijikata approaching him with a steady step. His presence wasn't what Sougo needed at that moment, not even a little bit.

”Nervous?” Hijikata asked, sporting the same smile like everyone else.

”Shut up Hijibaka-san.”

He huffed. ”I figured you would be.”

Sougo clenched his jaw and turned his back on Hijikata. ”I don't know what you're talking about. How about you just go and drop dead already.”

Hijikata laughed a little. That was new for Sougo. Was his situation such an amusement for the mayonnaise-freak, he thought. ”Sougo, it's completely normal to be a little nervous,” Hijikata said and prepared to leave. ”Just, don't get cold feet. Otherwise, things could get messy.”

Sougo rolled his eyes at Hijikata's words. Why would he get cold feet, he asked himself. Sougo hadn't been this sure about anything in his entire 24 years of life. He just hated the feeling of people watching him, watching them, like they had the right to witness something that was mean to be private.

Sougo stood at the altar, eyes roaming around the church filled with people, some he knew, some he didn't. He didn't see Gintoki anywhere, which made sense. She had told him that both of her dads were going to walk her down the aisle.

She had even ordered him to get a best man, someone to stand by him at the altar, someone to make sure he wouldn't try to escape. He had snorted at her joke, and she had punched him, hard. After that Sougo did as she said and got himself a best man, actually, two. He asked Kondo to be his best man and the gorilla insisted that Hijikata should be one too. After some weepy pleading, Sougo had obliged.

Sougo saw his best men standing a little further away from him, casually chatting with each other. Why he couldn't be like that, all casual and relaxed, Sougo wondered. He wasn't second guessing marrying her, but something felt off. Sougo shoved a hand in his pocket and felt the crumbled piece of paper he had been staring for hours last night. ”Tsk.” He shoved the paper even deeper and shrugged his arms to get rid of the annoying feeling.

The time was nearing in, the beginning of the ceremony was moments away. Sougo felt more anxious than before, he hated the feeling. He had to do something about it, quickly. And Sougo knew exactly what he had to do, he had to see her. ”Oi, Kondo-san! I'll be right back.”

Hijikata and Kondo turned to Sougo. ”Where are you going Sougo?” Kondo inquired and Hijikata made his way to stand next to the groom.

”Yeah, where are you going Sougo?” Hijikata asked.

Sougo saw what they were thinking, they thought he was going to escape. ”Just let me go, I'll be right back,” he said, pushing his voice to be as convincing as possible.

Hijikata and Kondo shared a knowing look. ”Not gonna happen, Sougo,” Hijikata said firmly as Kondo crossed his arms and nodded deeply.

Sougo inhaled deeply to withstand their utter stupidity. If he would want to ditch the wedding, he would be gone already, he wasn't stupid. If his best men weren't going to let him through, he had only one thing left to do. ”You morons don't leave me much of a choice here.”

Kondo and Hijikata shared another look and Sougo saw his change. The captain tackled both of his superiors down with ease. All those fights with her had thought him a thing or two about sneak attacks and tackling. Sougo ran through the aisle, masterfully ignoring the calls of his best men. As Sougo pushed the church doors open and disappeared from sight, Hijikata grabbed a radiophone. ”Everyone, code RED!”

”Yare, yare...I even had faith in Soda-kun.”

”WHAT? How dare he do this to my precious daughter?”

”He's mine, I'll kill him.”

”No! We insist, let us kill him.”

Hijikata sighed deeply at the crazy answers he got. ”NO! Our job is not to kill him! Just capture him for god's sake,” he said.

”...”

”Can I kill him afterwards then?”

”Sure...if she doesn't kill him first.”

Sougo ran in the hallway of the church, eyes roaming, looking for a way out. He wasn't aware of the code RED that he had triggered. There was going to be a couple of unwanted hinders on his way to her.

Sougo ran into a group of women on the second floor, dressed for the occasion. He stopped on his tracks, sensing trouble coming on his way. Two wielded katanas, two flashed their kunais and one pointed her naginata at him. ”What's up bitches?” was Sougo's way to open up their conversation.

”We are the squad RED and we are here to claim your life,” Nobume said, her voice being as soft as she was talking about puppies or gardening.

”Nobume-san! We are not to kill him, capturing him was our order,” Kyubei said firmly.

”But he's such a dickless coward!” Sarutobi shouted. ”He's nothing like Gintoki, his dic-.”

”STOP IT Sacchan!” a blushing Tsukuyo screamed.

”Come on now ladies, get it together,” Otae said and tightened her grip on her weapon. ”Let's do this.”

Sougo was surprised, but not even slightly scared of them. He was unarmed and he had no desire to fight with any other woman than his fiancée. There was only one option left, run. ”Quit your yapping, I'm spoken for. Don't you ugly, fat-”

”GET HIM!” Otae shouted.

Sougo ducked from the first wave of kunais flying towards him. Nobume and Kyubei attacked from both sides, but Sougo was faster. He dodged and the two samurais clashed swords with each other. Another wave of kunais came and few swings from Otae.

Sougo tried his hardest to find an opening to run while dodging like a mad-man. Then he saw it. Yamazaki was walking towards them and Sougo noticed a huge window right behind him. ”YAMAZAKI!” he roared, startling the poor man.

Sougo sprinted towards Yamazaki while dodging kunais and crazy women. ”Yes, Okita-taichou!”

”You have a bazooka shoved up your ass, right?” Sougo shouted across the hall.

”I always do captain!” Yamazaki answered, his voice cracking up a bit as Sougo and squad RED was getting closer and closer to him.

”Hey bastard! You'll have my spear shoved up so far in your ass that you can taste the metal” Otae shouted with blood lust in her voice.

”Yamazaki! Shoot that window behind you!” Sougo ordered, almost reaching the badminton champion.

”W-what? Why?”

Sougo ran past Yamazaki, almost reaching the window.

”NOW BAKAZAKI!”

A second later the window shattered up from Yamazaki's bazooka. Almost simultaneously Sougo reached the window and leaped out of it. The church was two stories high and the fall wasn't going to be pretty. As Sougo dropped down from sight, Yamazaki felt horror all over his body. ”OKITA-TAICHOU!”

Yamazaki and the entire squad RED rushed to the edge of the huge hole that used to be the window. They saw Sougo on the ground, standing and smiling at them. He was cheerfully flipping his graceful middle finger at the squad of murderous women. ”Thanks Zaki! Later!” he said.

”YOU'RE SO DEAD!”

Sougo had landed softly on the ground, something he had learned from her. She had tought him to utilize trees, bushes or something like that when falling down. Sougo thanked her in his mind and focused on his mission to get to her. He took a quick look around, recognizing the place to be the back garden of the church. This is the right direction, perfect, he thought.

The squad RED had disappeared from the ”window”, he figured that they were coming after him from a different direction. Sougo dusted his black suit from all the dirt. He noticed a couple of holes on the jacket. She's not going to like this...he thought.

Sougo started running again, but he didn't get very far. This time he was blocked by a bat-shit crazy idiot, also known as her brother. ”Well, well! If it isn't my so-called bro-in-law!” Kamui said with that creepy happy smile of his. ”You look like shit.”

Sougo slowed down and stopped moving, leaving some distance between them. ”You too rat-tail? Why the hell are everyone being so clingy today?”

Kamui snorted. ”I'm doing this for my sister, not for you weakling.”

Sougo hissed, Kamui still wasn't his favourite person despite almost being part of the same family. ”Listen BRO! I have something better to do than looking at your dumb face.”

Kamui cocked an eyebrow. ”Heh, I'm not sure can I resist killing you...maybe I didn't hear the order correctly,” he said and licked his lips, murderous intent dripping from his voice.

”What are these orders everyone are babbling about?” Sougo inquired and frowned his brows.

”Code RED.”

”Explain idiot.”

”Nope.”

Sougo sighed. He was about to explode to Kamui for wasting his time, but he got distracted. Small rocks near him started jumping. Something was coming, something huge. It's them...they're fast, Sougo thought to himself.

”Okay bro! Prepare to die!” Kamui gloated with a smile and jumped at Sougo with his umbrella ready to strike. Again, Sougo knew how to dodge. He had experience with fighting a Yato from countless times. Sougo had fought against her and Kamui separately and once he even agreed to take on both siblings at the same time. Sougo lasted a few good minutes against them, but then he got beaten up so badly that he doesn't want to think about it much.

”BASTARD!” one of the angry women shouted. The squad RED was reaching him. Sougo knew he couldn't win this fight with dodging. This was the right time to use his wit. Kamui kept launching at Sougo, making him the top nuisance to get rid off. Then Sougo saw the answer approaching him with blue hair flying wildly.

”OI! CRAZ-uh, I mean NOBUME!” Sougo yelled and jumped away from Kamui. ”Guess what?” Kamui stopped for a second, curious about his opponents shouting.

”Don't speak to me sadistic monster.”

”But I have something to tell you, or rather Kamui here has something to tell you!” Sougo said with a grin. Kamui and Nobume locked eyes, each of them feeling equally confused. The squad was only few meters away from Sougo and he needed to start running soon, so went on with his plan.

”It was Kamui who ate all your donuts last night!” (Sougo was actually right, he just thew a lucky guess up in the air). Nobume's eyes flashed, something ignited inside her. The blue-haired samurai charged at the Yato with full speed. They clashed their weapons, and something in Kamui's eyes changed. Sougo recognized it in a heartbeat, it was the same look that he had when he looked at her. It was the look of holy-shit-you're-strong-let's-fight-all-day-n-night-long.

Sougo's mission was a success as he had managed to drop two pursuers off his tail. The rest of the squad RED was trying to get Nobume and Kamui off each other.

Sougo ran again, he knew he was almost there. Actually he could see the small building in a small distance, the bride's private house. The pure sight of the building eased his heart greatly.

Unfortunately, Sougo's challenges weren't over just yet. The worst was walking towards him...not one, but two angry daddies. Umibouzu and Gintoki were glaring at him with the intent to kill. Sougo was baffled, why the hell everyone were out to get him. The only thing he was trying to do was-.

”OI!” Gintoki thundered. ”Where do you think you're going Sorbet-kun?”

”It's Sougo, Danna, or should I call you Dadda?”

”You better shut up if you want to live another day,” Umibouzu warned him.

Sougo rubbed his right temple. How was he supposed to get past these two? Umibouzu was the most feared alien hunter in the whole damn galaxy and Gintoki was even crazier than her brother and father together.

Umibouzu and Gintoki moved closer to him, step by step. Sougo came to the conclusion that shock-value was his only change. So he thought of the most horrendous things to say to a girl's father(s).

”Danna, baldie, there's something I want to get of my chest...” Sougo said and made his face as innocent as possible. Gintoki and Umibouzu swallowed his bait and gave him the change to speak with their hearts open to hear whatever bothered Sougo.

”Sometimes China likes it when I **** **** **** and then **** **** ****, harder each time. Like the other night she **** **** and then I **** ****. Begging me to **** **** **** **** **** whipped cream **** **** **** you know how it is,” Sougo said with a straight face, internally cracking up.

Gintoki and Umibouzu transformed instantly into statues. The weren't moving, not even breathing. Sougo's words had transported their souls into the after-life. Another plan, another perfect succession, he thought and smirked.

Sougo ran once again and soon he was near the building. ”DON'T DO IT SOUGO! DON'T RUN AWAY!” Hijikata yelled from a distance. Sougo turned around and quickly ducked from a rain of bullets, kunais, katanas, daddy tears and bazooka rockets. The whole damn squad RED was there, almost reaching him. Sougo dashed to the front door of the building and hastily banged the door.

”I'm coming, I'm coming!” a voice said from inside. The door opened. ”Huh? Sou-” Kagura managed to say before Sougo rushed them both inside the house and slammed the door close. He locked the door behind him and turned to face her. Kagura had a beautiful white wedding dress on, puffy, princessy, traditional. The sight of her made his heart skip a beat.

Kagura saw him panting heavily, jacket partly ripped, face full of scratches. ”You? Wha-” Kagura stuttered with worry, but she was cut of by him holding her. Sougo had hurried to take her in his arms, squeezing her tightly against him. ”Oh, what's wrong chihuahua?” she asked and gently let her hands slide around his waist.

”I*mumble mumble*,” Sougo...well mumbled against her vermillion hair that was done half-up, half-down.

”What?” Kagura asked with a teasing voice.

Sougo pulled his head back to look into her sparkly blue eyes. He gently pressed his forehead against hers. Sougo cupped her cheeks and looked quite bashful, which was something brand new for Kagura. ”I missed you.” Kagura's eyes softened, almost teared up. He never said stuff like that to her, which only made this moment that more special.

”Okay, I missed you too,” Kagura giggled. ”But why are you here-aru? It's bad luck for the groom-”

Kagura's words were cut short by an endless banging on the door. She frowned her brows and glanced at the door. ”They have been acting crazy all day...they even tried to stop me from coming here,” Sougo said and dropped his hands from her cheeks to her shoulders. ”They were talking all kind of nonsense like code RED or something.”

”They? Code RED?” Kagura repeated and looked at Sougo straight into his eyes. ”But, you were coming here, yes?”

”Uh, yeah. Why? Do you know what this code RED is?” Sougo asked.

Oh, did Kagura knew what code RED was? Well she had invented the code RED so she knew exactly what it meant. ”KAGURA-CHAN! OPEN UP!” Umibouzu called from the door.

”Wait here, I'll handle them,” Kagura said and passed Sougo, sweetly brushing his arm and shoulder with her hand. He loved those small nuggets of affection she gave him, he was simply addicted to them. Kagura stomped to the door and unlocked it. She opened the door, glanced quickly at Sougo and then went outside, closing the door behind her. Sougo's curiosity woke up from her mysterious behaviour. He decided to eaves-drop through the door.

”Kagura-chan, are you alright?” Otae asked.

”No, I want to know what's going on here, yes?”

”Kagura, I hate to be the one telling you this, but...” Gintoki began.

”But what?”

”Hijikata alarmed us of code RED.”

Kagura crossed her arms over her chest, looking mad as hell. The whole squad had to take a step back out of her intimidation. ”Well, Mayora. Explain the situation, why did you made the call?” Kagura asked like she was the grand major of an army.

Everyone turned to look at Hijikata. ”Me, Sougo and Kondo-san were standing near the altar when Sougo suddenly said that he would be right back,” he explained.

”And? What else?”Kagura asked.

Hijikata felt her piercing gaze and he had to swallow. ”Sougo didn't tell us where he was going...” he said, his answer making Kagura seem even more frustrated. ”Then he tackled us down and ran away.”

Every single person went silent, waiting for Kagura's reaction. She took a deep breath, preparing to tell the whole squad a piece of her mind.

”Mayora, are you stupid or did mayonnaise finally melt your brain?” Kagura asked calmly, making Sougo chuckle quietly behind the door. ”How does that mean that he's going to ditch our wedding?”

(”What...ditch the wedding? Is that what code RED means?”)

”Uh, no...but-”

”Shove that but up your butt Hjijbaka!” Kagura shouted, quieting the vice-commander down.

”The code RED was created if the Sadist would try to run away. He's not as stupid as Mayora, he wouldn't say that he had somewhere to be...he would just go, quietly and unnoticed. If he would have wanted to leave...he would be long gone already.” Sougo listened, amazed of how well she knew him, and baffled by the purpose of code RED.

Hijikata felt embarrassed by his lack of trust in Sougo. ”Kagura-chan, I'm sure Toshi was trying his best,” Kondo said and patted the vice-commander's back. Kagura knew that he did try, she just got carried away by her emotions.

”I guess...” she said. With that a calm atmosphere started to form slowly around Kagura and her squad.

”Kagura,” Kamui called all of a sudden.

”Mmh?”

”Can I still kill him?”

”...”

”...everyone, run,” Gintoki whispered.

Kagura went full bridezilla on everyone, making each and every one of them escape from her wrath. She was ready to forgive the false alarm of code RED, but the sugestion of harming her fiancée even further pushed her off the edge.

Kagura returned inside, eyes searching for Sougo. ”Sadist? Where are you?” she called and walked into the small kitchen of the house. He wasn't there. ”Hey, Sadist! Everyone's gone already!” Kagura said and decided to look from the bedroom.

There he was, sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes fixated on the empty wall in front of him, arms resting on his knees, hands crossed under his chin.

There was something wrong, she could tell right away, rather anyone could tell. Kagura hurried next to him. ”Hey?” No answer, eyes not wavering from the wall. She squeezed his thigh. ”Look at me, yes.”

Sougo's gaze shifted to her. His eyes were watery, not teary, but almost. Kagura could see he was very upset about something. ”Sougo, what's wrong?” He sniffed once and breathed through his mouth, trying to speak up. Kagura pulled his face gently to see hers. ”Tell me.”

”The code RED...did you...” Sougo stopped in middle of a sentence to take a breath. He cleared out his throat. ”Did you think that I would leave you at the altar?”

His eyes were so serious that it hurt her heart, ripping it apart to tiny strings. Kagura felt awful, why did she even think that he would do something like that. Then she remembered why the code RED even came to be.

”I, uh. I just...” Kagura mumbled, making Sougo feel physically sick. He didn't understand where she had gotten such an absurd idea. ”Well, you've been acting weird. As our wedding were getting closer you seemed to become more anxious.”

”That's true,” Sougo said, because it was true. Kagura pushed her hands to her puffy lap, his answer slightly startling her. ”I'm really anxious and nervous, I felt like I was suffocating in that church, all the people were ogling at me. So annoying.”

”So you don't want to get married. Okay...okay...” Kagura said, trying to keep her voice as normal as possible.

Sougo scooted closer to her. ”What does my anxiety has to do with marrying you?” as soon as the question rolled off his lips, he heard how dumb he sounded. ”Dammit, that came out wrong.”

Kagura looked away from him, still uncertain of his willingness to marry her. ”Then say it better, yes.”

Sougo got off the bed and kneeled in front of her, finding the eye contact he so desperately had missed. ”I want to marry you Kagura, there's no doubt in my mind.” Her heart fluttered at his words. Even her toes curled up in her white high-heels.

Kagura cupped his cheeks and smiled sweetly. ”Then why are you such a nervous pile of jelly?”

”I hate the wedding,” he said. Kagura's eyes widened and her nostrils vibrated.

”What? Are you saying I did a bad job at planning it??? Oh, you better take that back or I'll-” she muttered and pushed Sougo's cheeks together, making him a balloon fish.

Sougo took her hands of her face and cupped them in his hands. His hold was tender, it calmed her down immediately. ”I mean I hate the whole idea of a big wedding. I hate it when people stare at you, looking all happy and proud, like they knew something about our relationship,” he explained, grunting at times.

”Are you that shy chihuahua?” she teased.

”No, I just think that some things should be private, you know?”

Kagura was stunned. Mr. Attention was suddenly being very coy, but she found it very cute. ”Things like what?” she asked with a little twinkle in her eye.

Sougo sighed a little and digged his pocket a bit. He picked out a crumbled piece of paper and presented it to Kagura. ”Things like these.”

”Old papers?”

”No! These are my vows I wrote to you.”

Kagura's eyes widened, she wasn't expecting him to write vows, they hadn't even talked about it. She thought they were going to go with those simple 'I dos'. ”I-I'm sorry, I didn't write anything,” she confessed, feeling so disappointed in herself.

”Oh it's okay,” Sougo said and ripped the paper apart, making Kagura gasp. He looked at her and tilted his head.

”Haha, yeah...good. Now I never know what you wrote. It's fine, I didn't need to know. It's only fair since I didn't even-”

”Did you honestly think I didn't memorize my vows?” His question stopping her rambling completely.

Kagura wiggled a little from side-to-side, she was like a kid who wanted her birthday present right away. Sougo read her like a book. ”Do you, maybe want to hear them?”

Kagura looked up and acted like she didn't care. ”Whatever, do as you like.”

Sougo shook his head and cleared his throat again. Kagura's smile went from radiant to nirvana. It really didn't matter what he was going to say, Kagura knew she was going to cry.

”Kagura, (her breath hitched as he only got her name out of his mouth) I just wanted to tell you, that you are my partner, my perfect counterpart, my matching puzzle piece, my tabasco sauce.” (giggling)

”I don't want to go back to that life, when you weren't there with me. (she squeaked adorably) Since we were mere brats beating each other up, I knew you were something special. You gave my broken heart the aid I needed, you filled the emptiness I had in me.” (Please stop already...*starts crying)

”Almost there,” Sougo said and continued.

”Most importantly, I can be myself around you. I don't need to be tough, thou I am, hehe (stupid). I can share everything with you, and I love that. I guess I only have one thing left to say. I love you with all of my heart. My China, my Kagura, My love.”

Kagura's back fell down on the bed like a sack of potatoes. Sougo got up to check up on her. ”China?” he called as he hovered over her. Kagura covered her eyes, unable to hide her face that was red as her favourite cheongsam. ”Did you like it?”

Kagura slammed her hands on his neck. ”Did I like it? What a stupid ass question,” she huffed and pulled him into a deep kiss. Feeling her lips again, it felt perfect for Sougo. (He actually got love-sick from just one night of separation from Kagura. They tried to do the traditional one night apart before the wedding day).

After the kiss she wiped away her tears. ”I loved it, you were like some freaking poet.”

Sougo smiled and climbed off her. She sat up too and nudged closer to him. ”Now that was some mushy shit,” he joked, making her laugh a little. Then he got a little quiet.

”Those are the things I don't want everyone to see or hear, but if you want, I'll read them at the altar.”

”Don't,” Kagura said without hesitation. ”I don't want anyone else to hear them, your vows.”

Sougo looked at her, amazed by her reaction. ”Those words are only for me, so let's keep it that way, yes,” Kagura said happily. Sougo thought that could he even love her more. Yes, yes he could.

”Speaking of altar, we better get going. Everyone's waiting,” Sougo said and glanced at Kagura. She had a very focused look on her face. Then, all of a sudden, something lit up in her eyes. ”What's that look China?”

Kagura turned to him with the most beautiful shit-eating grin on her face. ”I have an idea on how to make this wedding more fitting for us,” Kagura said and excitedly clapped her hands together.

”I'm all ears.”

Kagura stood between her two fathers, heart jumping from joy and a smile to match that feeling. Gintoki and Umibouzu both offered their arms to her and she gladly accepted. ”Are you ready Kagura?” Gintoki asked with a kind smile.

She took in a calming breath. ”Yeah-aru.”

The church doors opened and all the guests stood up for the bride. Kagura examined all the people staring at her, some were a little teary eyed, some were nodding and smiling with all their heart. Kagura enjoyed the attention, but she didn't really need it. There was only one smile she truly wanted and it was waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

Sougo had seen her dress already, but it didn't matter. Watching her walk to him, smiling and shining like the sun, it was enough to take his breath away. He didn't even bother to think how lame it was to feel so gooey. Kagura hugged both Gintoki and Umibouzu before she stepped on to the altar to stand with him, face to face.

The guests sat down and finally the ceremony began. The priest spoke about love, his words made one delicate flower(gorilla) tear up, he was so damn proud of Okita. Gintoki and Shinpachi fought their hardest to keep a normal face, but Kagura saw how their lips were trembling. They were happy for Kagura, despite her strange taste in men.

”Now, this lovely couple here, this would be the time to read your vows.” Kagura leaned to whisper something into the priests ear. He had a somewhat disappointed look on his face, yet understanding. The priest cleared his throat. ”So, this couple doesn't want to share any words of their own, so we'll proceed to the next part.

Couple of the quests look a little bit surprised, but luckily got over it pretty quickly. ”Now, does anyone have something against this union, you may speak now or forever hold your peace.” Sougo didn't even spare a look at the guests, but Kagura did. No-one in the crowd seemed to do or say anything...but there indeed was someone wanting to say something.

Kamui was a stubborn sadistic bastard, just like the groom was. A good brother wanted something better for his sister, and this was his time to shine and save the day, save Kagura from marrying an idiotic sadist. The vermillion-haired man smiled and was about to get up.

Someone grabbed his braid and pulled him back to his seat without no-one noticing. Kamui turned around to look, who had such a grip of his hair. Apparently Sougo and Kagura weren't the only blue and reddish eyes combo. Kamui's ocean blue eyes studied the red-eyed woman keeping him in place. She acted like she didn't even notice him, making Kamui's interest pique even higher. ”The donut girl. Nobume, was it?” he whispered quietly.

The ceremony moved to the final part. The priest had so many beautiful things to say, speaking about undying love, speaking about the great power it had. Kondo sobbed against Hijikata's shoulder. Shinpachi's purity glasses were soaking wet with tears and Gintoki wiped his runny nose to Umibouzu's formal cape.

”...and finally. Kagura, do you want to take this man to be your husband through ups and downs?”

Kagura's face dropped to another level. She almost looked like Gintoki with her deadfish-eyes. ”...sure...” was her enthusiastic answer.

”O-okay. And then, Okita Sougo, do you want to take this woman to be your wife through ups and downs?”

Sougo looked pretty much like himself. Deadpanning the house down like a champion. ”...whatever...” was his romantic answer.

The priest hadn't heard such answers from anyone before. He figured that the marriage was arranged from the lack of emotion.

”Well then, I'll pronounce you husband and wife, Sougo, you may kiss your bride.”

Kagura stuck out her tongue at him and Sougo pulled down one of his lower eyelids. How truly romantic way to seal a marriage. A lot of guests sighed loudly, many of them even expecting something like this from them.

Kagura covered her mouth to muffle her own laughter. Her cracking up made Sougo smirk too. Then she quickly grabbed his hand. The wedding march started to play and Kagura pulled Sougo to run with her. He followed her without hesitating. Both Kagura and Sougo thought they had managed to act like they didn't care about their wedding.

To their defeat...

...their genuine smiles gave them out as they ran together out of the church.

”Ah, young love,” Gintoki said quietly.

Author’s notes: Thank you all for reading my Okikagu week entries <3

#okikagu #gintama #okita sougo #kagura #okita x kagura #fanfiction #okikagu week 2018 #okikaguweek2018 #sponsoredbytaemin

69 notes · View notes