#ah these tags have gotten away from me yet again she has a wonderers spirit this one shes my stream of consciousness this one

[ratatatastic]

baby boy excitedly looking out the metal flying death trap with miss silver in his arms...

[dontbesoweirdkira]

Hi there! Just found your blog and I like it so far. Btw being Present Mics favorite student headcanons were amazing, as a bnha nerd may I request a part 2 where Mic meets readers parents and other stuff? Sorry if my English is bad.

A/N:Thank you so much for liking my blog and choosing to request, that means a whole lot! I got you with the Present Mic headcanons, please let me know if you want any more Present Mic stuff i’m here. I’m sorry this request took so long to come out, i was busy with a few thing please love me

-So i would feel this year would be a lot of fun, just like last year but the only difference being you are working harder towards your hero license and school is becoming much more difficult. This means that you have to up your game with your quirk skills and tactics while staying on top of your studies. You are stressed to say the least.

-Like i said previously present Mic knows when you are having a hard time, believe it or not he is quite attentive and super smart so he quickly asses the situation and realizes a few things. He sees you’re struggling with your quirk and school so he takes matters into his own hands.

-He offers to train you and offers extra help with school to you, he only wants to see you succeed even if that means sacrificing his free time.

-”oh- no no Mr.Hizashi that’s so sweet but i know you’re really busy-”

-”SHHHSHHSHSSJSJ Y/N I SHALL GET YOU THAT HERO LICENSE AND HELP YOU PICK UP YOUR GRADES EVEN IF THAT MEANS RISKING A FEW HOURS OF REST, I CANNOT LOSE TO YAGI AND DEKU- i-i- Mean icareaboutyourhealthandgradesandireallywannahelp”

-tHaT soCCer dAD rIvaLrY iS stiLl haPPeNinG 

-Everyday after school you guys meet up at the park or one of the training centers to train for a few hours

-”Now Y/N, breath in and when you breath out use that force to push your quirk-”

-Honestly you thought the training wouldn’t be as hard as it was (it’s Present Mic after all) but boi were you wrong

-”Get up off the ground Y/N, you’ve only been running for .3 seconds”

-”.3 SeCoNdS????? I DID THREE MILES NONSTOP YaMaDA!”

-” hUstLe y/NnNNnN”

-Aizawa comes to your trainings and observes bEcAusE hEs nOSeYy

-He actually helps out and help with things present might not have thought of or isn’t the best at

-This year your relationship with Present actually takes a deeper turn, you find yourself around him more often both in school and after school. You both learn more about each other's quirks and personalities a lot more.

-You thought you already knew a lot about him, given he was like an open book it seemed. But Hizashi is a much deeper and emotional person than you honestly thought and he truly had such a more serious, kindred spirited side to him

-Like sometimes when you guys are taking a break from training he will open up about his life at UA and how it was for him. He told you how he felt kind of odd and awkward and how that’s probably why he can relate to you so so much uwu

-”You know Y/N as much I am super bubbly and “overly confidant” , i still feel super out of place sometimes. I guess i always have it isn’t a new feeling, although I have Aizawa and the other teachers, sometimes I still feel...not understood? If that makes any sense?? But like I totally understand how you feel, and you are not alone...seriously. Thank you for being open to me and allowing me to teach and train you. Kind of makes me feel wanted and useful..haha-”

-iM sOft 

-He always thought of you as a little “sidekick” however recently he kind of looks at you as his own daughter and he’s really protective and fatherly over you. He’s more on top of you and making sure all your ducks are in a row. He’s not controlling or anything like that tho so don’t worry

-”Did you eat yet, Y/N?”

-”are you okay Y/N? You look exhausted.”

-”make sure you finish that report for class, okay? If you need any help let me know.”

-pRotEccS yOu fRom bOys

-If he sees a teacher kind of poking at you and making you feel uncomfortable or feel bad for being a “teacher's pet” he will immediately have them stop. He feels bad you have to get crap from him being a bit biased towards you

-You guys have a secret handshake

-HE’S STILL THE BIGGEST cRacK hEAd I swEar

-*crushes you in a hug* “MISS. AMERICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WHAAATtattatSSSSSs UpPPPPPPPPPPPp”

-”YO Yo yO AMERiCaAAaAAAA HOw Is IT CrACkINGGGG”

-”YNNNNNNNNN AMErIcAAAA YoUU foRgoT yoUr lUnCH Box iN mY cLaSS *whispers* i put a donut in there for you”

-USES YOU FOR ENGLISH CONVERSATION EXAMPLES IN CLASS ALL THE TIME 

-HE EMBArASSES YOU SO MUCH ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY THIS DUDE NEEDS TO SIT TF DOWN AND LET YOU LIVE POOR GIRL

-It’s okay because he lets you skip class to pass out in the library after being exhausted from everything

-You take his weird sunglasses and strut around with them all the time

-”BlUghH I’m a rich fashion model. WAIT OMG HIZASHI ARE THESE CHILDREN SIZED GLASsES?!?!”

-EmaiLS yOU

-” ohiyo americAa,

It’s me MiC and iM waTchING tHat drAmaA you recommended to me and Im cRyING. Also i heard from the sleepy teacher that there may or may not be a pop quiz in his class on last weeks topic...Anyways I’ll see you tomorrow...unless...Nah just joking okay mic is out!

                                    -Hiz

                              sEnt fRom ToaSter oVeN”

-You get about ten of these things a week from him. help this poor man ;-;

-Made a few youtube videos with him

-He helped you pick out your hero name and outfit, you are so ready to be a hero i swear

-Once you do get your hero license..he is such big boi proud like he’s in tears, snot running out his nose, eyes all puffy and his voice is cracking. He even got you a little teddy bear with a little candy bag attached to it.

-”LOOK LOOOK MR.HIZASHIIIII LOOOK I GOT IT I FINALLY GOT IT THANK YOU SO SO MUCH HIZASHIII I LOVE YOU SO SO MUCH THANK YOU”

-”See kiddo, i knew you could do it!”

-” Pfft all thanks to you!! Oh and Hey, Mr.Hizashi? My parent(s) are coming up this weekend to celebrate me getting my license. I was wondering if you would like to come to dinner? They’d like to personally thank you for helping me.”

-THIS MAN IS THE UTMOST HONORED LIKE LET ME TELL YOU HE SAYS YES IN A HEARTBEAT AND IS AT THE RESTAURANT ON LITERAL TIME

 -He somes in a very nice suit with his hair tied into a perfectly neat bun. And is thAT GLasses he’s wearing??????  (so cute omg)

-Him meeting your parent(s) was a pretty chill experience 

-”Mr.Hizashi, right? SO NIce to finally meet you and thank you for everything you have done for Y/N.”

-”Ah, it was my pleasure. And please, call me Yamada.”

-At first it was kind of awkward but once the conversation got going, you guys were there for hours

-and i mean HoURs

-”um excuse mE, wHen aRe yoU gUyS lIkE idk LEAVING???”

-Haha but no, the literal talk was just them hyping you up and how the waiter dramatically fell coming over to the table

-”yeS Y/N is such a great kid i can’t believe you raised such a strong and patient daughter”

-”Did he just trip and act like he didn’t just dropped our food on the ground??”

-”One time Y/N tripped and dropped her easy bake cookies and she didn’t even cry, that’s when we knew she was going to be a pro hero.”

-”did he step on the fries and up it on the plate and try to serve it to us???”

-Also your parent(s) grew up around the same time as Present so they had a lot to talk about and it was interesting learning about each other different childhoods and cultures.

-Your parent(s) seriously enjoyed Hizashi and they would love to talk to him again. Vise versa, it was a great time for Hizashi as well and prepare to hear about it the next time you see him.

-”Thank you Y/N for inviting me and allowing me to meet your parent(s) it was very nice getting to know them. Next time they come up, I must treat them out instead.”

BonUs

-Let’s just make up a different scenario where maybe your parents were kind of rude and not as nice and welcoming, both to you Yamada

-When you heard your parents were coming up to visit you in Japan, you were at first excited. You were still in this frenzy of like “wow i got my hero license” so you weren't thinking about it too much plus you were excited about being treated out to dinner and having your favorite teacher tag along. 

-Everything was great...that was until you started to think about it more and started to question was that such a great idea?? Let’s just say your parents aren’t the nicest people (person). For some reason it seems like they were never proud of you, no matter how well or bad you literally did. 

-Won a championship game? Eh good, but could be better

-4.00 GPA? That’s okay but thousand of kids get that, you have to do better.

-You want to be a pro hero?? Ha in your dreams, that kid next door has a better chance of becoming one than you do.

-You started to realise they were one of the biggest reasons you wanted to exchange to Japan so much. It was far away from them and super peaceful. You wanted to tell Present to not come, but he seemed so excited, and you wanted to tell him how dreaded your parents were. But you didn’t want him to worry and get others involved. So you just hoped and prayed that they would be nice? And everything was okay?

-Everything was okay...for the first five minutes. 

-Well everyone greeted each other and sat down to eat, then the condescending comments started to pour in.

-”Yeah, well I think Y/N will make a perfect Hero in the near future. She’s gotten a lot stronger with her quirk and-”

-”Pfft, let’s not get ahead of ourselves now, Although Y/N has gotten her License that doesn’t mean she’s hero material. We watched the sports festival and compared to the other students, she’s severely overshinned. I just don’t think a year or so of training can fix that. She has to do better.”

-For a second hizashi just sat there with his face utter disbelief. How could someone just say that about their child...in front of their child...so camly?

-He looked over towards your uncomfortable figure, your face was colored with complete dismay, He felt so sad and slightly angry. You didn’t look in a position to defend yourself so he started to speak up for you

-”I really hope the both of you are seriously joking.” he snapped back with a sassy firm tone in his voice which made you look towards the three adults

-”No we are not, Y/N is pretty average and for you to put in her head that she could possibly become a Pro? Haha I understand teachers are supposed to be supportive but like come on now, just be honest with yourself.”

-Hizashi slammed his hands against the table, gaining the attention of everyone in the restaurant, including yourself who was previously looking down to avoid confrontation.

-”How DARE you. Y/N is PERFECTLY  CAPABLE of becoming a hero, her quirk,skills, technique and intelligence is all was stronger than you can even imagine. Do not downgrade her just because you’re too idiotic and narrowminded to see that. She is the sweetest kid I have ever met and quite frankly the purest. Disgusting how you talk about your own child like that. AND IN FRONT OF HER?? Now with all due respect, I think you guys need to do a self reflection and change the wrongs you have within you. If you need any help i don't mind emailing you a list of things.”

-SKSKSKSKSKSKS WOT???? DID MR.HIZASHI THE ALWAYS HAPPY AND CRACKHEADY TEACHER JUST PUT YOUR PARENTS IN THEIR PLACE???? IN FRONT OF A WHOLE RESTURANT??? BEST. TEACHER. EVER.

-on you still wore an embarrassed kind or dismayed face and when Present say that. hE tHoUghT yOU wErE eIthER mAd oR sCaREd oF Him. cri

-In reality you were literally so joyful and happy. LIKE DUUUDEEE. MARRY ME LOLOL. Seriously you were super thankful that he did that for you. 

-He looked around and suddenly realised that all eyes were on him. Aww poor man felt so flustered he didn’t mean to make a fuss and disturb others, he was just so angry your parents were such a*ssholes. 

-He turned to you and bowed while simply muttering “I’m sorry Y/N”, then grabbed his coat and walked out.

-Without even thinking you jumped up and rushed out the door with him, leaving your dumbfounded parents at the restaurant

-”m-Mr.Hizashi wait up!”  you called out from behind the blonde haired man, he stopped in his tracks then pivoted in place to face you

-”y/n im very sorry to you and your family i didn’t mean any disrespect. I understand if you may not want to be around me any more or allow me to train you.”

-”ARE YOU SERIOUS THAT WAS EPIC LIKE SERIOUSLY THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I CAn rEMEBER I SWEAR YOU ARE SO AWESOME MRHIZASHI THANK YOU THANK YOU LIKE YOU’RE THE DAD I ALWAYS WANTED I FREAKING LOVE YOU AND DID YOU SEE THEIR FACES HAHA BOOM I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TELL ME I-”

-cutting you off from your frenzy and gave you a big bear hug, “haha don’t ever let what they have said about you ever ring in your head...okay L/N? I belive in you and i know you are going to be fucking great.”

-”Really?” you smiled

-”HECK YEAHHHHH, AMERICAAAAAA” 

[benes-diction]

the refugees.

Tagging @korporxie​ / @doctorlaelia-ffxiv​ for the involvement of her amazing gal Laelia, and also so I can extend a public big, big, big thank-you to her for letting me write Laelia into this in the first place, putting up with my endless questions with the grace of a saint, and being kind enough to beta-read.

Though she loathed to admit it, there was something oddly satisfying and comforting about being reassured that she was not the cause of her family’s recent hardships. Despite the fact that the Garlean refugees were still in limbo, for the first time in weeks, Celia was able to breathe.

She hadn’t been the one to put her family in danger. She wasn’t trusting the wrong people. She wasn’t being too open with the ones she trusted.

The fact that the woman who’d been harassing her—her cousin, no less—had insinuated that her grandmother had been behind the attack… Well. That was something she would tackle once she knew for certain the refugees were safely in Hingashi, on neutral soil.

It might have been Rhoda. But there was a chance it wasn’t. There were too many questions surrounding it, too many instances of 'what if.'

The time for those questions would come later.

For the first time in what felt like ages, Celia actually took the time to spend a day doing something other than scouring books for the Alliance’s and Hingan laws and staring at maps while running calculations based on footspeed. The sun poured in from the inn room windows to bathe her bare legs in light and warmth, the curtains pulled aside and fluttering in the gentle breeze. With a book in hand and Remmy curled against her, it really seemed the only way to make the day better would have been if Arduro had been able to stop and take a break for a time.

Or if her mother was there with tea and a piano.

Or if her father was writing away at new plans for a better set of prostheses that would be more reactive for the applicant.

Or even her aunt, drinking away in a nearby chair, grumbling about something.

She shook her head, attempting to dislodge the thought before it could take root. She was taking a day to destress. Thinking of her family would only serve to upset her and drive her back to futilely attempting to figure out their exact location.

If she stressed more, she’d end up bothering Caius and Audrey, or worse yet, bothering Laelia.

The good doctor was worrying enough, in the same position; her family was at risk, too.

Celia could only sigh and rest her feet on the ottoman in front of her chair, as Remmy took her shift in position to mean it was time to snuggle.

“Cuddly boy,” she murmured, letting the bullpup snuffle at her hand before she rubbed at his soft ears.

Remmy pawed at her occupied hand, and with a shake of her head, she relented, setting aside her book to devote her full attention to the needy dog.

 She was just about to retrieve her book once more when heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway.

Though she knew the determined stride and the weight behind it, for a moment, Celia feared it was one of Katja’s henchmen, coming to finish the job, coming to drag her out of the inn and make her pay for what she’d done to their boss.

Her heart leapt into her throat and for a terrible beat, as the panic sank in and she realized she had left her combat knife laying on a pile of discarded clothes on top of her bed.

But Remmy didn’t growl, and the form that threw open the inn room door wasn’t someone unfamiliar to her.

The look on his face wasn’t even unfamiliar.

Arduro charged in like a man on a mission, striding past Remmy as the little dog hopped from Celia’s chair.

“Ard—” she began, only for him to cut her off with a wave of his hand and a sharp, meaningful look.

“Van Ursus in on linkpearl.”

Celia’s stomach dropped.

So much for taking a day to relax.

With Remmy following at her heels, she padded after Arduro, nervous fingers twisting her signet ring around and around. Before she had even rounded the partition separating the sleeping area from the rest of the room, he was bent over the desk, large frame blocking the view of the device Hayabusa had been working on—salvaged magitek made to boost the signal from a linkpearl to increase its range.

“What did she say?” Celia murmured, holding her arms tight to her chest as she watched him fuss with the settings.

“Nothing I was able to make out.”

What if it wasn’t safe to call her aunt back? What if it put them in danger again? What if since the time she had managed to get a call through to Arduro, they’d gotten into trouble?

She shook her head, forcing herself to stop then and there. Worrying would do no good.

Twisting her signet ring around her finger, she swallowed the fear that had begun to settle in her throat, feeling the lack of conversation hang heavy over her as the little device hummed to life and the crackling chime began to echo through. Arduro leaned over the desk, hands splayed. All she wanted to do was reach out and touch him, hold one of his hands tight and feel the callouses lining his palm, feel the strength beneath the skin and know that it was all going to be all right. But she didn’t. She kept her arms firmly against her chest, gripped her elbows tight.

The linkpearl connection popped and buzzed, and then, finally, Celia released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as her aunt’s husky grumble crackled through the static.

“Madame Legatus,” Arduro rumbled back.

“Ah. Good. You’re coming in much clearer, Vocitus. I have a status update. Is Little Bear with you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Arduro glanced over his shoulder, a steely eye piercing her, and Celia stepped closer, their arms brushing against each other.

“Grab paper and pen, Vocitus. We crossed the border into Doma this morning and I have coordinates.

Coordinates.

Finally.

Before Arduro could even turn to ask her, she was grabbing a loose page from on top of the desk, pushing around him to sit down at the chair to hear more clearly. For a moment, she thought she might have seen the ghost of a smile cross his lips, but she couldn’t be sure, and there were more pressing things demanding her attention.

Her aunt rattled off their approximate location—and the woman emphasized that it was an approximation, based upon landmarks—with Celia carefully and dutifully transcribing them. As soon as she finished, Arduro took it to cross-reference it with Celia’s meticulous-kept map, and Celia retrieved her notebook to take proper notes.

“What about everyone else, Auntie?” she murmured, twirling her pen around her fingers. “What’s Father’s condition? Is anyone else harmed or has medical needs that must be met as soon as—”

“Little Bear, if you want me to understand you, you need to enunciate.”

Celia sighed, fighting back a frustrated snap, and began again, “I said—”

Her own linkpearl, tucked into the pocket of her loose jacket, began to chime away, interrupting her, and this time Celia did let out a frustrated growl.

“I need a medical status update, Auntie, so I can prepare supplies if they’re needed,” she snapped as she fished out the noisy device and placed it into her ear. “Yes,” she said curtly into the linkpearl. “Now is not a good time.”

“I don’t know how long this connection will hold, Little Bear,” Caelia’s voice growled through Hayabusa’s device.

“Yes, Auntie, I am aware! So fucking tell me if my godsdamned father is alive or not!” With another sigh, she rubbed at her forehead, once more speaking to her mystery caller, “Please make this quick.”

Silence met her, stretching long enough that Celia clenched her teeth, half-prepared to end the call and focus completely on her aunt, but then Laelia’s much clearer voice filtered through. “I suppose I’m interrupting something, but I had information about sanctuary our families could use in Doma and receive healing.”

Why was this all happening at once?

Silently, Celia cursed whatever eikon or creepy Eorzean spirit was interfering with everything and making it all line up. But at least her time working in the XIXth’s infirmary and under lux Praetor had given her some modicum of skill with multitasking.

She pulled out another loose sheet of paper. “Yes… Alright, tell me the details. Auntie?”

“I’ll be blunt, Little Bear, your father is… not doing well. Everyone else has minor bumps and scrapes, but nothing serious.”

“Describe his condition, in detail. Leave nothing out, even if it seems insignificant. Laelia?”

“Lae—” her aunt began, only to cut herself off. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“I have remaining contacts in Doma with… considerable experience regarding combat injuries.”

“Doman contacts…” Celia echoed, quickly making a list of the names Laelia provided, making a note of the location as well. “Are they sympathetic, or…?”

“That…” Laelia paused. “That is questionable.”

Celia made a quick note on the page that they should make themselves scarce. “Alright. Thank you, Laelia. Are you able to hear my aunt?”

“Barely, but yes.”

“Wonderful. Please stay connected, and… I apologize ahead of time for my curtness.” Contacts. A sanctuary. Perfect. She could sit down and breath a sigh of relief later, however. For now, she set the paper aside, smoothing out her notebook. “Alright, Auntie, go ahead. Laelia can hear you, so give an update on her family, too, if you’re able.”

“Fae Caelius is a bitch and she broke a nail,” Caelia growled, “and until I have access to cigars and bourbon, I have no intention of interacting with her more than necessary.”

Celia glanced toward Arduro, smiling at his back as she noted him combining Caelia’s coordinates with her own calculations. Part of her wished he would audibly say the praise, but… the fact that he was trusting her to know what she was doing was praise enough.

“But… they’re fine,” her aunt continued. “Road weary and in need of a decent bed and hot bath like the rest of us, but alive and kicking.”

“And Father’s condition?”

“Hells, where do I start?”

Celia’s stomach dropped, and she took a brief moment while her aunt gathered her thoughts to close her eyes, breathing deep. It wasn’t her father, she told herself. It was a patient. Just another patient in another infirmary at another castrum, and she was prepping to transfer and assist. Nothing more.

“He’s feverish,” her aunt began. “We can’t gauge the exact temperature out here, but it’s high. He’s practically sleeping more than he’s awake.”

Celia quickly scribbled down the information. “What about the wound itself? Is it red around it? Any discharge?”

“Yes, to both.”

“Is there an odor?”

“Last I was near him, yeah.”

“It certainly sounds like the wound is infected. Badly.” Celia made a not to locate a solution to flush the area with. She’d have to have a close look at it to determine exactly what kind of infection and just how serious it truly was. “Have you been cleaning it often?”

“As often as we can, Little Bear. Clean water isn’t readily available out here, and there’s rarely time to sit and boil it.”

Another scribbled note, reminding herself to check for waterborne parasites and illnesses. She underlined her mention of a solution. Her father—no, the patient—didn’t have any immune deficiencies to worry about, nor was he an alcoholic. She’d have to find more sterile gloves and dressings.

“What about an abscess, Auntie? Has one developed?”

“No.”

Celia breathed a silent thanks that she wouldn’t be forced to cut him open to drain pus. “You aren’t moving him again any time soon, are you?”

“He’s not in any condition to be moved, and everyone else needs to rest while we have a moment of safety.”

“Good. Stay at your current coordinates. I’m coming to you.” Celia pushed her chair out from underneath the desk, tapping Arduro on the shoulder to motion for him to take her place. “I’m sorry, Laelia. Your timing is horribly spot-on. I’m cutting this call short to begin packing, but I’ll make a copy of my own notes and deliver it in person.”

“I made plenty of notes on my own, Celia. Go. Get moving and get to our families.”

Thankful that, despite her fear of getting a lecture from the good doctor, Laelia understood her need to get to Doma quickly, Celia clicked off her linkpearl, tucking it back into her pocket as she half-jogged to the inn room’s armoire, pulling out her neatly-folded clothing to tuck away in a travel bag.

“I’m leaving as soon as I can,” she murmured, unsure if Arduro was even listening to her. “Did you find a more accurate location for them?”

“Already marked.”

“Perfect. Thank you.”

Hopping on one leg, she grabbed her boots, yanking one on, then the other, mentally making a checklist. Even if she didn’t need to give Laelia a copy of her own notes, she knew that her aunt was difficult to make out through that little device. She’d make a copy of her own notes on the airship over, and give them to her, just in case something had been lost through the staticky connection. And… well, it would give her a chance to hug the doctor and reassure her that all would be well. And then, she’d have to stop by to inform Caius and Audrey so they didn’t worry. She’d call Arduro via linkpearl after she finished there to see if he was coming with her, and if he did, where he wanted to meet up to take an airship together. And Hayabusa. And Alderique.

Hells.

She’d need Hayabusa as an interpreter in Hingashi.

And Lysander… And Jacques and his family—and it was growing so fast, her head was reeling. She’d have to let all of them know in case they tried to contact her and she encountered interference from the surrounding aether. But she could always contact them on the airship ride over to Laelia and Audrey’s apartment building.

Yes. Yes, she could do that.

Multitask and get it all finished up quickly and efficiently.

“Hold up a moment, Marshmallow,” she suddenly heard Arduro rumble from behind her.

She half-jumped, taking a step back, only for her back to bump into his chest. She felt rather than heard him chuckle as he gentle gripped her shoulders, turning her around to face him so he could hand her the knife she’d left on the bed.

“Oh…” Feeling her face flush a deep red, her checklist momentarily scattering from the forefront of her mind, she swallowed and held it close to her chest. “Thank you. I almost forgot.”

She moved to turn away to continue packing, but Arduro stopped her once more, large hands framing her face. She blinked up at him, catching the brief glimpse of a smile from him just before he leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead, just above her third eye.

If her face wasn’t on fire before, it certainly was now.

But just as quickly as it had happened, Arduro was striding away, leaning over the desk as he spoke in a low voice to her aunt, getting all the information he could before the connection inevitably sputtered out. She couldn’t help but stare, then, mind frazzled, watching how his tank top clung to the muscles of his chest like a second skin.

Checklist.

She had things that needed her attention that didn’t include gawking at a tribunis.

Celia smacked her cheeks a few times to make sure she was entirely on track and turned back to her packing, running through her list once again to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.

[conceptstage]

A Marriage of Convenience {Chapter Four}

The more I write about Beau's parents the more I can't wait for them to get what's coming.

Georgina Lionett was checking her teeth in a mirror when Caleb walked into the Grand Hall. She was wearing the nicest dress he’d seen so far like she was dressing for a special occasion. Caleb felt underdressed and this was the best suit he owned. He cleared his throat and she jumped, spinning around. “Ah, Mr. Widogast! Please, take a seat, my husband will be down here in a few moments. “ She scurried over to her own chair and just stood beside it, not moving to seat herself.

“You look lovely this morning, Madam,” he said awkwardly taking a seat.

She blushed and fixed a loose strand of hair. “Thank you, sir. My husband doesn’t come to eat with us often, everything needs to be perfect.”

“Where is Beauregard?”

“She’s been told that she is not allowed to join us unless she comes properly dressed. She told me that she didn’t have any dresses and sure enough, there was nothing suitable in her closet. I don’t know what she did with them, I suspect ritual burning.”

He looked back at Jester, who was determined to actually follow him around all day and she was biting her lip to suppress a grin. ‘You know?’ he mouthed at her silently.

She grinned and nodded. ‘I took them to town for her.’

‘To burn?’

Then she either said ‘To donate’ or ‘To prostate’. He figured it was probably the first one based on the context of the conversation.

Georgina seemed to suddenly realize that Jester was there and frowned. “Are you feeling ill, Mr. Widogast?”

“Ah, no! No, I’m perfectly fine. Jester kindly offered to show me around after I got lost and she found me wandering the halls.” Georgina opened her mouth to speak but Caleb didn’t want her to push on this topic. He cleared his throat. “I heard you were attacked this morning?”

The woman gasped dramatically. “Oh, it was terrifying. Somehow a goblin found its way to my room. It was crazed, coming right for me. I’m still a bit shaken. And the worst part is that it hasn’t been found yet. It could still be in this house somewhere, can you imagine?” She shuddered. “It probably has rabies, the beast.”

Yeah, this was perhaps a bad subject to change to. Caleb gripped his fork tightly in his fist. The food hadn’t been brought out yet, but if he didn’t hold something he wasn’t sure what his hand would be doing right now. He took a deep breath and turned back to look at Jester. She got the message and scurried over. “Is that any chance you had a dress Beauregard could borrow? I can’t be alone with her mother for much longer.”

Jester frowned. “I could probably find one she could wear, but I think finding one she would wear is entirely a different story probably.”

“Do you have a skort?”

“A what?”

“A skirt with shorts under it.”

“Oh yeah! I have the perfect thing! Oh, she’s gonna love it!”

Caleb highly doubted that but he let Jester leave the dining room. The room fell into silence and Caleb started fidgeting with his fork, tapping it lightly against the table. “So, Mr. Widogast,” Georgina started. “Tell me about yourself. We haven’t gotten much chance to speak one on one. How are you and my daughter getting along?”

“Swimmingly, Madam,” he said. “This morning she organized a quick scavenger hunt for me that was… so fun.”

The woman raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Really? That doesn’t sound like my daughter. You must bring out the best in her.” She seemed like she was about to continue but the main doors to the hall opened and the Caleb could have sworn that the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Georgina, still standing, turned and smiled widely at the man. “Eston! Dear, this is the man I told you about. Caleb Widogast, meet my husband, Sir Eston Theodore Lionett.”

Caleb moved to stand as Eston got close and when he shook his hand Eston squeezed. It was hard to tell if the squeeze was meant as a threat or just an honest ignorance of his own strength. “Caleb. Good to meet you. I’ve heard wonderful things about you from Professor Ikethon.”

Caleb cleared his throat, subtly shaking out his fingers when Eston dropped his hand and continued passed him towards the head of the table. “And I’ve heard wonderful things about you from your wife.” And seen the horrible things you’ve done to your daughter, but he didn’t say that part out loud. He took his seat again as Georgina finally took her own.

“Where is Beauregard?” Eston asked, waving at the servants to start bringing out the food.

Caleb spoke up quickly before Georgina could start complaining. “She couldn't decide on a dress. She’ll be down shortly.”

Eston seemed satisfied with the answer and dropped the subject as a plate stacked high with food was set in front of him. “Good. Good, I want to hear all about this whirlwind romance between the two of you.”

Caleb choked on his words and leaned into his elbow to cough. “Wh-Whirlwind romance?”

“Yes, Georgina said she’s scheduled the wedding for a month from now, that’s a bit soon.”

“Well, I just thought that these two love birds would like to be married as soon as possible,��� Georgina said without a hint of irony. “Does that sound good for you and your family Caleb?”

“Ah, my family is dead.” He mentally kicked himself when they both froze and turned to stare at him in unison.

“Oh, that’s so sad,” Georgina said. “So, will you not be needing a table at the reception? Because if not I’m going to need to replan my table orientation.”

“No,” Caleb said, clearing his throat. “No, I will not be needing a table. Thank you.”

She turned back to her meal and continued eating but Eston was still watching him. “Do you mind if I ask how they died, son?”

Caleb decided to put the ‘son’ on the back burner of concerns for right now and focus on the most pressing one. He could freak about about the rest of this interaction after it was over. “Fire. Arson, while I was at the Academy. We’re not sure who did it.” That was the official story at least.

Suddenly, the door behind him was thrown open and he turned around, hopeful. Could it be? Was he saved? He never thought that he’d be happy to see Beau marching into a room like she was marching into a battle but right now he needed her. The more time he spent with the people who raised her, the more he understood her issues. She wasn’t wearing a dress exactly, but it was elegant and covered her midriff so hopefully Georgina wouldn’t mind too much. It was a silver jumpsuit, the legs long enough to drape around her feet which were certainly not in high heels and wide enough that if she were to stand up straight with her legs together it would look like a dress, not that there was any chance of that happening. It was cinched at the waist, sleeveless, and low cut, the point of the collar starting just below her sternum and coming up loose around her shoulders to drape elegantly down her back. Her hair was pulled over one shoulder and braided intricately with beads and ribbons. She was wearing a band around her chest and she wasn’t wearing shoes, so he was pretty sure that this person was actually Beau and not a very well done fake.

“Beauregard,” Georgina said, dropping her fork so that it clanged against her plate. “Where did you get that?”

She shrugged and moved around the table to her chair. “Just something I had in the back of my closet. Something wrong, Mother?”

Georgina shook her head. “No, it’s acceptable. Have a seat.”

Beau did so and coughed into her fist, shifting uncomfortably. “You alright?” Caleb asked quietly.

“This fancy fabric chafes,” she muttered.

“Where did you actually get that?”

“Jester. It’s her mom’s.”

That just gave him more questions than it answered but there would be time for that later. “Beauregard, you look very handsome tonight,” he said, loud enough for her parents to hear.

Her nose scrunched. “Ew, don’t say it like that.” Georgina cleared her throat pointedly and glared at her, causing Beau to roll her eyes. “You look nice too. Your tie doesn’t match the drapes though, you should work on that.”

Eston spoke up before she could say anything else. “We were just discussing the wedding, actually.”

Beau shoved a spoonful of breakfast potatoes in her mouth. “What wedding?” she asked through food.

“Your wedding, dear,” Georgina siad. She was scowling at her daughter’s manners but must have decided to pick her battles more carefully. This was no the hill she wanted to die on.

“Sweet, who am I marrying?”

“Don’t be obtuse,” Eston sneered. He looked frighteningly like his daughter when he did that.

She shrugged and grinned like she had no care in the world. “Just being myself, Father. Maybe an obtuse person shouldn’t be getting married to someone she met two days ago?”

Her parents started tag teaming. “This behavior is going to scare Mr. Widogast away.”

“Do you want him to leave?”

“Do you want to be alone for the rest of your life?”

“Do you want to be a disappointment?”

“Do you want to be a laughingstock?”

“Do you want to be a failure?”

“Yes,” Beau said suddenly. “Yes, I want all of those things. I want to be a lonely, happy failure.”

Georgina waved her hand dismissively. “Being happy is vastly overrated, darling.”

Beau scratched at the back of her neck and shifted awkwardly in her jumpsuit but didn’t say anything more for now. Aftera few silent minutes, Eston spoke up. “Caleb, what was it that you were saying before Beauregard interrupted?”

“About my dead parents?”

“Would we have known them? I don’t believe Widogast is a name I’m familiar with.”

“Ah, no. No, we were poor. The Academy gave me a chance to better myself and I believe I have done quite well since then.” He hoped his answer didn’t sound as stilted and rehearsed as it felt. Beau was giving him a weird look so maybe she didn’t believe him but Eston and Georgina seemed none the wiser. “I suspect that the wealthy people of this empire will be hearing the name Widogast quite frequently as the years go on.”

Eston chuckled. “Yes, I like your spirit. We need more go-getters like you. My daughter could learn a thing or two from you.” Beau scowled down at her eggs but didn’t say anything. Caleb let out a breath of relief and tried to meet Beau’s eyes across the table but she was purposefully ignoring him by taking a large drink from her cup. “So, how many children will you two be having?”

Beau spit her water across the table and Caleb cringed when he felt droplets hit his face. Beau swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. “None! What the fuck, what kind of question is that?”

Eston got to his feet in a fluid motion and slammed his hands open palmed on the table. “You will not speak to me that way. And I wasn’t talking to you, anyway. Don’t speak unless spoken to, Beauregard. Someone clean up that mess.” As a servant ran over to start wiping up the table, Eston turned back to Caleb. “Ignore her. How many children will you be having?”

“Uhhhhhhhhhh…” Caleb wiped his face off with his sleeve. "I believe that is a question for your daughter.”

Beau snorted in surprised amusement and gave him a bewildered look but didn’t respond. Eston frowned. “Well, I am perhaps beginning to understand what my daughter sees in you. You have a bit of a rebellious streak too?”

“I wouldn’t say that, Sir, I just believe that Beauregard is in charge of that particular decision.”

Eston leaned back in his chair and smirked. “You’re teasing me. That was a good one.”

Caleb opened his mouth to contradict him but paused when he felt Beau tapping his knee with her foot to get his attention. He looked over at her and she shook her head. “He won’t understand. I think he’s purposely misunderstanding.”

Caleb sighed. “Three, Sir. We’ll be having three children.”

Eston nodded. “Three. Good number. I was the eldest of three, you know.”

Georgina sighed. “We wanted more children, after Beauregard and her brother, but for some reason they just never took.”

Caleb blinked and caught Beau’s eyes but she was staring down at her plate. “Brother?”

“Yes, Beauregard’s twin, Eston Junior. Unfortunately he passed away when they were six. He was the eldest, he would have been the heir had things been different.”

“Yes,” Eston Senior muttered. “Shame, that.”

“Can we not talk about EJ at the table please,” Beau interrupted. “My dead brother is not exactly the best conversation to have over food, thanks.”

Before Eston could start up another lecture, Caleb changed the subject. “Yes, actually, Sir Lionett. Why don’t you tell me about your work?”

The older man’s face brightened. “I’m a winemaker. Well, I own the winemaking company, I haven’t actually made any wine by my hand since long before I was married. My family growing up was not very well off, we were fine, but I don’t think my parents ever dreamed their son would rise this high. I’ll be sure to get you a good year to go with dinner tonight. It will be the most superb wine you’ve ever tasted. We’re sending out a new shipment in two weeks, I’ll be sure to get you a bottle from that batch before it heads out.”

“I believe you, Sir. I can’t wait.”

Eston started getting into more details of the business but Caleb mostly tuned him out, choosing instead to look at Beau as she started jotting numbers down on a piece of paper that was half hidden under her plate. The only part he could make out was ‘New shipment, two weeks’ then the young woman shoved the paper back under the plate and resumed eating.

[violet120]

Little Light ch 1

hey everyone just posting the first chapter of my ongoing Nalu fanfic, if you like the first chapter and don’t want to wait for more than feel free to head over to my ffnet . I am also editing some of the older chapters since I wrote them a long time ago compared to the newer chapters. Hope you enjoy.

 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9487140/1/Little-Light

Lucy just sat there on her bed, staring at the object in her hands which were shaking lightly. The twenty-two year old blonde honestly didn't know what to think. Sure, she has been married to Natsu for around seven months now, and yea the topic has been tossed around in conversation at the guild every now and again, but she had never expected this to happen so suddenly or so soon. But the little stick with a pink plus sign in her hands had confirmed it. She Lucy Dragneel was pregnant.

As time passed by, Lucy quickly realized that she had been sitting on her king size bed staring at the little disbelief for over half an hour.

"Crap, if I don't get to the guild soon, everyone's going to worry and then they might start asking questions, I don't think I can deal with that right now" Lucy shouted to herself as she quickly got up off the bed still gasping the test in her hands. "Argh, what am I going to do with this" the blonde looked around in a small panic before settling her eyes on the small bedside take on her side of the bed turning towards the piece of furniture she hastily shoved the stick into one of the drawers before rushing to get ready so that she could head to the guild before they got suspicious of her absence.

"Morning everyone" Lucy shouted waving her hand enthusiastically in the air as she walked through Fairy Tails doors.

"Ah morning Lucy" Mira greeted before glancing at the clock above the bar "you're a little late today Lucy, is everything alright" Mira continued as the blonde strolled up to the bar.

"Yea umm sorry about that, everything is fine Mira, I umm just got a little bit distracted at home, that's all" Lucy nervously half lied since technically she was distracted by the test, as she sat on the barstool something about the guild hall felt a bit off, having a quick glance around the room her suspicion was confirmed "Hey Mira is it just me or is it rather quiet in the guild today?" causing the barmaid to giggle softly.

"Well since Natsu is out helping Wendy with some dragon slayer training today, Gray has gone with Juvia for a mission and Gajeel has tagged along on team Shadow Gears mission there's no one here to cause any fights today" Mira finished as she placed a strawberry shake in front of the other mage.

"Yeah, I guess that is true" Lucy smiled to herself at the mention of her idiotic husband and his habit of wanting to continuously fight Gray. 'I hope Natsu and Wendy finish their training soon. I want to tell him before anyone else….Crap, I didn't even think about how I'm meant to tell Natsu that I'm pregnant, what if he doesn't want a kid, what if..' Lucy began thinking to herself as she sipped from her milkshake.

"Lucy"

"Lucy"

"LUCY!"

Said women was brought out of her thoughts as she turned to the white haired mage with mild confusion on her face not realising that she had totally zoned out.

"Eh?" was her reply as she still tried to gather her thoughts.

"Lucy sweetie, are you sure you're ok? You do seem very distracted today' Mira explained worried for her friend due her unusual actions as well as her being unnaturally late today.

"oh ahh sorry Mira I hadn't noticed" Lucy nervously laughed but decided to continue at the look her friend was giving her silently telling her that she wasn't convince "actually there is something on my mind but I can't tell you yet, but I definably promise I'll tell you when I can and you know that celestial mages never break their promises and don't worry its nothing bad" She finished.

"ok than if you say so Lucy but if anything does come up just know that I'm always here" Mira said as she gently patted the blondes shoulder before turning her action back to the bar. After an hour had passed with nothing eventful happening except a few conversations with Mira and a couple of other mages, Lucy decided that it may be best to head home and think about ways she could give the news to Natsu.

"Hey Mira, I think I'm going to head out for the day, could you do me a favour and let Natsu know for me that I'll either be on a walk or back home thanks" Lucy waved goodbye to her friend as she walked out of the guild.

"But, Lucy, you only just arrived…..hmm, I wonder what's wrong with her today she seemed quite distant" Mira questioned herself as she placed her index finger onto her chin in wonder watching the girl leave not noticing the green haired women approaching the bar who was being followed by a black haired four year old boy.

"Haha, It's ok Mira nothing's wrong with her, actually in fact I think life at the guild may just got a little more interesting very soon" Bisca exclaimed leaning against the bar.

"Oh morning Bisca and Trent" Mira greeted as she smiled at the young boy who smiled back. "Bisca what exactly do mean by things getting more interesting soon?" the barmaid couldn't help herself but ask.

'Oh, nothing much, it's just, Lucy has that look to her' Bisca replied while attending to her son who was growing bored with the adults conversation.

'That look? What do you mean?' Mira questioned further frowning trying to figure out the hidden meaning the gun mages words.

'Hmm, sorry Mira, but if I'm correct, than it's not my place to tell, I have to go now, Trent's growing restless, so I'm going to take him back to Al and Asuka". Bisca answered as she picked up her son and walk away leaving a baffled, curious, and slightly frustrated Mira behind.

/)*(\

Lucy POV.

"Ahh Plue what am I going to do, I mean, there are so many different ways that I can tell him" I exclaimed to Plue, as I walked along the river bank towards a small hidden grotto in a park that Natsu and I had frequently visited back when we dating, as a temporary escape from the chaos that is known as Fairy Tail. As I entered the grotto, I leaned against one of the tree trunks before playing out a variety of different scenarios in my head, figuring out the best way to tell Natsu that I was pregnant. After realizing that I was actually beginning to act out some of the scenarios, I quickly decided to send Plue back to the spirit world, in order to refrain from embarrassing myself further. Once satisfied with the fact that I was alone, I continued on with figuring out the best way to tell Natsu about the news.

/)*(\

NATSU POV.

"Natsu-san, thank you for your help today" Wendy thanked me as we entered the guild together both feeling a slight exhaustion from the training.

'Hmm no problem Wendy' I half heartily replied, scanning the guild for Lucy, I have been rather worried about leaving her alone today, over the last few days she has been bit sick as well as having a lot less energy than usual, in fact, I was actually really reluctant to leave her alone for the day, but she had insisted that she would be fine and that I should go help Wendy with her dragon slayer combat skills, since the S-class exams are coming up in a few months' time. I continued to scan the guild I quickly noticed that Lucy wasn't present which caused me to worry a bit, if Lucy wasn't here than where would she be?

"Oh evening Natsu, Wendy, welcome back, how was the training?" Mira greeted in her usual cheery manner as she wiped a bar glass.

'It went pretty smoothly, Wendy's skills are definably improving…say Mira, have you seen Luce at all today?

'Oh, that's right, Lucy was in here earlier, she asked me to let you know that she'll either be out for a walk or back at your house, I am a bit concerned for her though, that was a few hours ago and she did seem rather absent minded this morning' Mira conveyed the message in a worried tone.

"Ah thanks Mira" I yelled as I ran out of the guild hall before heading for our house in hopes of either finding Lucy there or at least bumping into her on the way.

As I arrived home, I quickly realized that my celestial mage wasn't home. "Dammit Luce where are you" I muttered to myself, wishing that Happy was here, instead of being with Charle and Pantherlilly who were on one of their monthly visits to the exceed village, so that he can help me look for Lucy. I was about to leave the house so that I could search for Lucy, when I noticed that a strange scent was coming from our room, walking to the doorway I saw that Lucy's draw was opened "huh that's weird, Lucy usually keeps all her things closed, it also seems like the smell is coming from there" I thought out loud as curiosity got the better of me I walked towards the draw and opened it immediately noticing the object inside, my eyes widened in shock as I realized what the object was and what the pink sign on it meant.

/)*(\

LUCY POV

'Crap how did I not noticed how late it has gotten, I must've spent hours trying to think of how I should tell Natsu… and even now I still have no idea about how I am meant to tell him that I'm pregnant with his child, ahh…. this is so frustrating how can I call myself an novelist when I can't even think of a way to tell the man I love that I am pregnant, gahh that's it I'm just gonna come out and say it' I thought to myself as I walked home with a rushed pace.

After a few minutes of walking with determination I finally reached our house in the forest on the outskirts of Magnolia.

"I'm Home" I shouted as I walked towards the bedroom, not expecting anyone else to be home, so I was pretty shocked as I saw Natsu standing in the doorway of our bedroom holding my test.

"Lucy, what is this? What's going on? Natsu asked in a low shocked concerned voice. I took a deep breath as I felt the determined feeling leave, only to be replaced with a nervous and scared one.

"Well umm Natsu" I paused to take another deep calming breath.

"I'M PREGNANT".

That’s all for the first chapter, I’ll be posting the rest of the chapters here as well when I have finished editing them.