#ahhh but it should be reserved for like a once every 5 years thing so that i totally forget everything

[azumasoroshi]

i think an incredibly funny part of the aiichi dynamic is that at least one of them has to be traumatized and/or possess incredible worldly exhaustion in order to even consider the other as a romantic love interest

like they need to go through decades and time loops of war and hopelessness and death and destruction in order to be like huh maybe this guy isn't so bad

of course this doesnt go for every fic (academy blues my beloved) but. a lot of them do and it's SO funny

[limitlessgojo]

Blood Bound: Red Strings of Fate (Ch 8)

Warnings: Action, Coarse Language, Fighting, Descriptions of Blood

Previous Chapter: Bird of Flame

Next Chapter: Wait For Me

Tags: Soulmates AU, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Fem!Reader

Taglist: @lessie-oxj @rizzo-nero @whoreuc @fkngkumiko @isl3t @gojoussunglasses @onepotatostand-blog @s-t-f-u-b-i-t-c-h @sunaswife

Notes: If you want to be tagged for every update, please mention it in the comments below ty <3

Ayiieee, this is a very big and significant chapter in the story. At 2.6k words it probably is the longest chapter in the book lol. Happy reading uwu. Feel free to yell in the comments^^

Chapter 8: Red Strings of Fate

You brought over the book you had on alternate worlds. It wasn't much help. Talking about how a mirror dimension existed.

Another you is possibly alive in the next universe, but with different circumstances due to a difference in choices made or the environment and all that.

You quickly made your way to the library. Once you arrived, you looked around for Noritoshi. You couldn't find him for the first 5 minutes and thought that he wasn't there yet.

But suddenly two hands placed themselves on either side of your shoulder. You could feel the heat emanating from the body behind you. This feeling… "Noritoshi senpai?"

"Mmmm." You turned around and looked up to see him with a small quirk in his lips. His eyes sparkled with excitement (which was a rare sight to see).

"Come." He led you by your elbow to the desk where books were all spread out. "I did some research and looked into the vision we had on the first day we met." He said as you both took your seats.

"It is possible we had visions of an alternate world. But it's now highly unlikely because of the marks that appeared on our wrists earlier. May I?" He gestured to your hand.

You nodded and handed it to him. He held it so gently, his touch making you shiver slightly. You tried to play it cool, but his eyes shot up to yours and you flushed.

He turned your wrist around to reveal the Phoenix branded on it. It glowed bright red as he stroked it with his thumb. You felt all tingly inside.

He brought out his wrist and put it beside yours. The Phoenix markings were identical in size and shape. But his wasn't glowing yet.

You reached out your hands this time to take his. "May I?" He nodded and you examined his wrist, then ran your thumb over his marking.

As you both expected, it glowed bright red. "So.. what does this mean? For the both of us?" You asked him meekly.

He sighed and took your hands in his. Both of your markings stayed bright red as you held hands. "I've been reading up on soulmates-"

"I know, you took all the books. I couldn't find any when I tried to look it up." You pouted. He chuckled at that. His fingers were now playing and slightly fiddling with yours.

"I think we might still be needing more proof, but this is pretty strong. I asked around the Kamo household as well, and they were able to find out that soulmate bonds are established when red strings actually literally come into existence and bind two people together." Noritoshi continued. He then proceeded to show you all his findings and the books he had so far.

"Hmmmm?? So we are or we aren't?" You pulled back from him, looking confused. "I think we are. My clan has confirmed for me that having past life visions, shared markings, and visible red strings tying two people together makes up a soulmate pair. It seems like we need a bit more time for the strings to manifest." He hummed, reaching over to take your hands into his again.

“Sorry I took time to confirm before I could talk to you about this. It’s been weeks since our first shared vision and I’ve been swamped with clan affairs.” Noritoshi admitted.

You shook your head, “No senpai, I was also doing my research on this. It seems unusual, even for jujutsu sorcerers to have such a shared experience so I could only talk to my family about it. We considered the possibility of seeing an alternate timeline as well, so I couldn’t make any immediate assumptions.”

“You were able to find more than I did though senpai. My parents said soulmates are able to share emotions and possibly thoughts. But that’s rare even for soulmates. I only heard about sharing past life visions, we couldn’t find anything on the marks and red strings. Real soulmates are so rare and interesting; they are said to give birth to children with powerful cursed techniques." You mused while linking and unlinking your fingers through his.

You both stared down at your hands, fingers entwined with each other, marks glowing a low red. It felt warm to hold his hand in yours. Noritoshi was so careful, cradling and caressing your fingers like they were made of glass. His hands were much bigger than yours.

"Thinking that far ahead already? I would like a baby boy." Noritoshi looked at you with a mischievous look in his eyes. You pushed at his chest. "Who said anything about wanting children?"

He looked at you with the most gentle eyes only reserved for you. "Only time will tell what happens, dear y/n."

◇◇◇

The next day, your fellow first years gathered around you (ambushed you??) before the start of class. “Y/n, is something going on between you and Noritoshi?” Mai asked.

“Ahhh uhmm no nothing really.” You were lying through the skin of your teeth here, with the secret of the century literally branded on your skin. “Awwwww, and I thought you looked cute together.” Miwa gushed with a smile.

Mechamaru felt oddly out of place with the girl’s gossip, but he still spoke up “Kamo san seems to favor you from what I see. But hey that’s just me.”

You blushed and sputtered out. Curse you and your honest demeanour. “No, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Hmmmmmmm” Mai stared at you from upclose, seemingly trying to psychoanalyse you. “We’ll see who’s right with time.”

You just laughed nervously, shaking her off. “Mai chan, you’ve been watching too many dramas. I’ll watch one with you later.” And with that you’ve successfully managed to distract your fellow first years into talking about having a movie night. Whew.

◇◇◇

Days passed and still no red strings appeared. You and Noritoshi agreed to take things slow as this is both incredibly new to you. But you had something else to look forward to.

You were finally assigned to your first mission. Luckily (or not? Thanks to Utahime’s suspicions over your relationship) Noritoshi was chosen to accompany you to exorcise a group of 2nd grade curses together.

The night was dark. Now that you’re both out in the forest, the distant lights from the city started to dim. “Watch your step.” Noritoshi warned you. You giggled at him and flew above the branches as he stared slightly affronted. “You should watch your step, Noritoshi senpaiii~,” you sing-songed.

‘How could she have such a cheerful disposition at a time like this?’ he wondered. “Stay close to me.” He ordered. Now knowing that you were a Special Class Jujutsu sorcerer definitely didn’t help his ego in wanting to show off a bit. But he can show it through years of experience.

You smiled at his protectiveness and hovered near him, holding onto his sleeve as usual. Suddenly a black mass came hurtling towards the two of you. Noritoshi prepped his bow and arrows, while you stopped its movement.

You brought it close to you and examined it. "Looks toxic." You said. A screech caught your attention and Noritoshi launched an arrow towards the source of the sound.

The Grade 2 curse jumped out of the shadows, shrieking out loudly causing both of your ears to hurt. It had fast movements, tossing out globs of toxic sludge while rapidly moving through the woods.

You placed one arm around Noritoshi's chest, while the other stretched out towards the grade 2 curse, blocking off all the attacks. “While I’m with you, the attacks won’t reach us senpai. I’ll cover the entirety of our defense.”

Noritoshi smiled and easily manipulated his arrows to hit the curse. It disappeared in a flash. You both turned and smiled at each other. “Well done my dear.” He said.

“You were amazing as well, senpai! But I sense more cursed spirits up ahead. We need to have a look.” You sighed, to which he agreed. You both moved forward until you came to a clearing, which led to a cliff with a sheer drop.

The stench of cursed spirits was almost unbearable, and two more came out rushing at the both of you. They seemingly appeared from the ground, but you noticed how they moved with the shadows.

You quickly pulled out your twin blades and cut one with ease. Noritoshi stayed right behind you, guarding your back as he forced back the other curse with his blood manipulation.

In all the confusion, a massive curse loomed over Noritoshi. It was definitely a grade 1 curse at least, which both of you were not expecting. It had the shape and body of a scorpion, but the face of a white tiger with long blood-red fangs.

It reared up, running towards Noritoshi. So your body acted on pure instinct. “Extension cursed technique: Niflheim”, you froze the curse then rushed towards it.

You tackled the cursed spirit without thinking and plunged your twin swords through its gut while slipping off the edge of the cliff. It faded out of existence as you plunged down.

All your life, you’ve been this carefully crafted, logical, and steady person that is built from hard work and experience.

And yet all of that just flew out of the window when you saw Noritoshi in possible danger. As you fell down, you could hear Noritoshi screaming for your name.

You tried to lift your body with your cursed technique. You slowly gained traction upwards, until red strands of blood wrapped around you.

"Blood Manipulation: Crimson Binding!" Noritoshi chanted and reached down to quickly pull you up. You landed on the hard ground and he released his technique as soon as you were in the clear.

"Are you insane?! Pushing it and jumping off the cliff to exorcise it?! There are so many other ways to take it down with your technique. And I could have dealt with binding it before exorcising it! Why on earth?" Noritoshi gasped out.

He was absolutely livid, red faced and eyes wide open. And that was a major understatement. You just sat on the ground, shell shocked at your own actions and at the way he was yelling your head off.

You messed up big time, and you know this because Noritoshi never raises his voice towards you.

"Why did you risk your life for me?! I could have handled that. And you don't even know me." Noritoshi’s voice was growing hoarse. You felt your throat close up and body tense. It felt like he punched you in the gut. He wasn't entirely wrong. You just met him, and you already put your life at risk to save the man.

But his words stung. They echoed in your mind and heightened your insecurities. It was like he was putting an invisible wall between the both of you. 'You don't know me.' 'I thought I did, or at least it felt like we did with each other'.

Realising that you stayed silent, you looked up at him to see his angry expression growing into something else, like worry.

You quickly smoothed yourself over. "No, apparently I don't. I’m sorry for not knowing you." But you didn't apologise for saving him. That's one thing you would never apologise for. Because that's one of your duties.

A flash of regret appeared across his face. Noritoshi came close to you and took your hands in his and looked into your eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the red strings that burst forth from your joined hands.

You stared in wonder as they wrapped around both your shoulders and bodies to bind you close to each other. You flushed as you stared up at him agape. His eyes were focused on the moving and glowing threads around the two of you before he turned to look at you.

Your eyes met once more and you were thrown into another vision.

"My love, how are you feeling?" A man was sitting beside your bed. You had bandages on your arms and everything felt so heavy. “I’m much better, as a matter of fact I think I could go out right now and get some sunshine.” You smiled.

The man gave the most exasperated sigh, "You're far too reckless. Testing your luck every time. Please, let me protect you and stay by your side."

“Yes yes. Of course, I will always stay by your side. And protect you."

"Protecting me shouldn't entail giving your life up for me. We stay alive together." He said angrily.

"Okay. It's okay." You soothed the man. "We will survive." You whispered as he leaned down to catch your lips tenderly in his.

For all his stoic behaviour, he kissed you so lovingly. Rubbing your back and patting your head softly. You turned to bury your face in the crook of his neck and pressed a deep kiss there.

"Read me a story." You asked him after a period of silence.

He brought out your favorite novel about a Princess who was sent down as a blessing from the Moon. Her father found her inside a bamboo shoot.

She was to live the life of a human, but eventually had to go back up to the heavens.

Unfortunately, she loved her human parents who spoiled her and raised her like a princess. And parting with them was terribly painful.

"I don't know why you enjoy such a depressing story." He sighed after he had finished. His lashes were so long that they were almost resting on his cheekbones.

"It's because their love is beautiful. The love that the daughter had for her parents. The love she had on earth, before she forgot everything and had to return to the moon." You dreamily explained.

He smiled. "Ever such a romantic, my love. I should do better in our relationship to please you."

You snorted, "No you've done well. It is fine as we are." You elbowed him jokingly.

But he turned to you so seriously, "I love you so much, my dear. You don't-"

The vision ends abruptly before the man could end his sentence. Your arms were now wrapped around Noritoshi's waist and his were around yours. You simply stared at each other for a while.

"Noritoshi senpai… so it's true, you're my other half." You murmured. Your pinkies were linked by the red flowing thread.

He hugged you tightly. "Yeah. And you're mine."

Everything was very quiet. You felt his nervousness, but it felt right. To hold him in your arms like this. It was like you found a piece to yourself that was missing all your life.

Noritoshi carefully brushed away the hair from your face, before leaning down to press his slightly shaky lips against your cheek. It was such a sweet gesture that you leaned to it.

You both were clearly out of your element. The idea of being in a relationship was very new to you. You've never dated before, but all the sudden the heavens dropped your soulmate right into your lap.

"Don't ever do that again." He said, lips brushing against your cheek.

You blinked. "What?"

"I won't blame you for trying to protect me. But think properly and don't be reckless when you act. I'm capable and strong as well. I don't want you to get hurt." He said.

His earlier words came rushing back to you. ‘You don’t know me.’ Your heart dropped. But you replied, "Okay Senpai."

He pulled you up as the red strings faded from view, "Let's patrol the area to make sure everything is clear then head back."

Blood Bound: Table of Contents

[lloydskywalkers]

Ahhh thank you so much!! 💕sO the lack of season 5 aftermath is possibly one of my biggest issues with Ninjago because like...there was no way. There was no way Lloyd just walked all that off, Morro had him pretty much the whole season and we saw what five minutes did to Ronin. I think it took a fair amount of time for him to bounce back, and it likely left long-lasting effects, but because this is season 5 angst u get a fic explaining my thoughts instead :’’D

(Also answering this in it’s own post because guess who spiraled out of control again! It’s s5 angst u guys i’m weak)

The aftermath of the battle is, as it usually goes, incredibly underwhelming. And by that, Cole means incredibly slow, because the Preeminent ripped the motor off their steamboat, and even with Nya pitching in every now and then, their pace across the seawater is glacial. By the time the nearest Ninjago shore comes into view, everyone on the boat’s on their last legs of sanity — some for…slightly different reasons than others.

The thing about being stuck on a crammed steamboat for hours on end, is that you can’t really hide. There’s only so far you can get, unless you take a dip in the ocean, which is a hard pass for Cole — not that he was trying to hide, anyways.

No, the only one who looks like they’re actually considering jumping off the side of the boat is Lloyd, and that’s because instead of vanishing off to who-knows-where to have his inevitable breakdown, he’s stuck smack in the middle of his very protective family, who get an up close and personal view of the exact moment the color starts to leech from his face.

Lloyd’s making a valiant effort. He’s been making a valiant effort, ever since they pulled him from the Caves of Despair. He and Kai had cornered Sensei in what turned into a near-shouting match alone at letting him fight in the battle against Morro in the first place, because Lloyd had looked two degrees from dead when they’d gotten him back. He’d only looked moderately alive when he’d stepped out with them, hoodie hanging too loose from his shoulders as he’d handed off the green gi to Nya, and it had burned Cole to let him take the brunt of the fight as he did.

Not that Cole feels much heat now anyway, but — metaphorically.

Either way, Lloyd holds up valiantly until the combined toll of Morro’s possession and the battle with the Preeminent finally hits, at which point he goes a sickly shade of white and keels straight over into Kai with a migraine so bad Cole can’t even manage to pull his fingers free from where they dig into his skull.

“What happened?! Did Morro hurt him?”

“Did Morro hurt him, where have you been this last month—”

“I meant right now, don’t snap at me—”

“Would you keep your voices down, you’re only causing him more pain.”

This quiets the commotion that’s sprung up in their corner of the boat, all of them hovering anxiously over Lloyd, their salt-water hair and wind-swept clothes and already-forming bruises leaving the entire team a vivid mess. Kai’s left holding a lapful of whimpering brother, looking two seconds from crying himself as he tries to soothe Lloyd before he tears hair out, so Cole takes a shuddering breath, pulls himself together, and takes the lead.

It’s easier than he’d thought it would be, allowing himself to fall into the removed sort of autopilot. Shoulders back, emotions locked up tight, put on a brave face and make the calls. Leading has never been an easy position, but it teaches you to compartmentalize, to suppress, and to delay.

That delay is what Lloyd is paying for now, Cole thinks soberly, as Zane and Kai carry Lloyd up the steps of the Bounty, Sensei already darting inside to brew up whatever tea’s supposed to help this time. It’d be easier if Cole took him — he knows that. He’s the strongest of the team, even in this state.

But he can’t bring his ghostly fingers to touch him. Not with the flinch that had run through his younger brother earlier.

Cole swallows thickly. Lloyd hadn’t meant it, he knows that. He wouldn’t even hold it against him if he had.

The turnaround from regaining Lloyd to the battle with the Preeminent was terribly quick, and it only takes a look or two to gain an understanding of the damage wrought on their youngest brother. Lloyd is bruised and gaunt and horribly thin, and the normal shine in his eyes is hollowed-out and haunted. There’s an unspoken dread among them all, a heavy weight that sits on their shoulders, that Morro has actually managed to break Lloyd with his possession — that the longs weeks spent trapped in his own mind, beaten and neglected and alone — have snapped the unfathomably strong willpower Lloyd’s always had.

And Morro, for all that Cole hates him for that, was a ghost. Cole isn’t stupid enough to miss that. And he’s certainly not stupid enough to ignore what the repercussions of that might be on Lloyd, toward anyone else who might be a ghost.

Cole feels his chest tighten as he watches Nya run a hand through Lloyd’s tangled hair, her eyes a million miles away as she sits beside where he lies on their couch, tucked firmly into the layers of blankets he recognizes as Kai and Zane’s.

He bites his cheek. It’d be better if they used his. It’s not like Cole needs them anymore.

“He’s overtired,” Sensei Wu says quietly, his hand drifting briefly across his nephew’s forehead. “He pushed it too far in battle, and he has yet to fully recover from the toll both the possession and his injuries took on him. He will be fine, with rest.”

There’s a quiet exhale of relief at his words, but it’s a weary one. Kai doesn’t look at him, his stare only growing hot where he sits at Lloyd’s side, refusing to move even to change from his battle-stained gi.

Cole’s eyes flick to Sensei Wu, then back to Lloyd. There’s a bleeding kind of pain in Sensei’s words, his voice shot through with loss. There’s a crippling edge of guilt in it too, though. Cole knows Sensei is mourning Morro — he knows their relationship was different. But as much as Cole prides himself of being sympathetic, it’s really, really difficult to feel any sort of grief for Morro, when his baby brother’s curled in on himself in pain on the couch, eyebrows furrowed tightly in stress and exhaustion.

Lloyd murmurs something inaudible, shifting in his sleep before settling again, his expression still pinched in weariness. He somehow looks both years older and so very young at the same time, and it makes Cole’s heart hurt.

He’s yanked from his staring as Jay’s head suddenly presses against his shoulder. Cole starts, almost forgetting to remain solid before Jay yanks his head back up, eyelids fluttering from where they’d drifted off to sleep.

“Sorry,” he yawns, rubbing at a bloodshot eye. “Didn’ mean to fall asleep on you.”

Cole blinks at him, then glances at the rest of their team. Lloyd isn’t the only one succumbing to exhaustion — the entire team is barely hanging on, all dark-circled and hazy eyes. Beside Jay, Zane looks like he wants to shut down for a month, Nya looks like she’s close to tears for some reason, and Kai looks like he’s steadily burning through the last reserves of his energy just by staring at the floor.

Something weird shifts in Cole’s gut. He feels exhausted, stripped raw and worn, but he doesn’t feel tired, not like the others look. He just feels that same, cold kind of numbness that has yet to leave him since Yang’s temple.

He swallows again, and tries to ignore how useless the gesture is.

“You should head to bed,” he tells Jay gently instead. His lifts his head, addressing the others. “We all should.”

Kai opens his mouth to protest instantly, then shuts it. He glances at Nya, who’s practically asleep where she sits on the couch, seconds from tipping over. He looks at Lloyd. “I’m sleeping out here,” he finally says, firmly.

Cole guesses that’s the best he can ask for from him, right now. He nods to Zane, who gently helps Nya up, knocking Kai lightly on the shoulder as he does. “At least change,” he orders, and it’s a sign to how tired Kai is that he complies without arguing.

Cole tugs Jay up by his arm, patting him on the back. “C’mon, zaptrap,” he murmurs. “I’m not your pillow.”

Jay grumbles inaudibly at him, but he staggers to his feet, yawning as he plods toward the bedroom. Cole looks to Sensei Wu, who is still hovering by Lloyd, staring at his nephew with a look Cole can’t quite figure out.

“Sensei?” he finally dares, hesitantly. “It’s been a long day, so…”

“Ah, of course.” Sensei Wu blinks, shaking his head. “I would let him rest here for the night,” he says, nodding to Lloyd. His voice is quiet, and Cole can easily find the pain in it this time. “Better to let him rest.”

That doesn’t exactly settle well with Cole, because the idea of leaving any of his brothers apart for the night, even if it’s just in another room, turns his stomach. Especially when one of them is the brother they’d lost, and only just barely got back, so—

Well. Cole doesn’t need to sleep anymore, does he. He can keep an eye out.

“Of course,” he says instead, dipping his head as Sensei Wu heads off after the others. “Goodnight, Sensei.”

Cole moves to follow him, figuring he can at least change his clothes, but he hesitates over Lloyd, footsteps faltering. For a brief second, he lets his hand hovers over the top of his brother’s sleeping head, barely ghosting the pale blond strands. He swallows, then pulls his hand away.

Lloyd had told him once, when he was younger, that he was scared people would hate him for what he was. Never who — just what. Cole had never understood the phrasing, but now…

Now, Cole desperately, painfully hopes Lloyd doesn’t hate him for what he’s become.

***********

It’s the third nightmare that finally manages to pull Lloyd from sleep, because somehow the first two weren’t exciting enough to warrant waking up for.

At least he hasn’t woken up Kai with it, he thinks miserably, still trying to catch his breath, his heart racing from the nightmare. He exhales shakily, glancing over to where Kai’s sprawled out on the couch across from him, snoring quietly and dead to the world. Kai looks exhausted, even in sleep, and Lloyd feels guilt digging its claws into his chest again.

Your fault, a voice in the back of his head reminds him. You hurt him, you hurt them all, Green Ninja—

Lloyd swallows, wincing as he shifts, sitting up quietly. He won’t wake Kai up for this. His older brother has suffered enough for him already.

Besides, his throat feels like he’s been swallowing sandpaper, and he doesn’t; really trust his voice, anyway. Lloyd sighs, swinging his legs over the side of the couch and tugging his blanket over his shoulders like a cape.

In all honesty, he’d like nothing more than to stay on this couch for the rest of his life, because Kai let him have his really warm blanket — which, granted, says a lot more about the state Lloyd’s in right now than he’d like, but still. Lloyd is comfortable, tucked in the corner of the couch like he is. And comfortable isn’t something he’s been in the last few weeks, at all.

But he’s not — he’s not supposed to be thinking about that, he reminds himself, furiously shoving the memories back into their little Do-Not-Touch box in the corner of his mind, as he gingerly tests his legs out. His right leg shudders precariously when he stands, and Lloyd bites his lip, frowning. He could’ve sworn it was his left that was hurt, since that was the one the Preeminent had nearly ripped off pulling him into the Cursed Realm, and Morr—

Aha, nope, Lloyd reminds himself. Back in the box. He can think about that — about him — later.

Much, much later. Right now, he just wants a glass of water, then he wants to go back to sleep for another twenty hours straight. He’d like to just go back to bed as it is, because his limbs feel as sluggish as melting butter, but the water’s important, because he’s ‘severely dehydrated’ or something. Whatever Zane had declared as Lloyd tried to stop his brain from imploding on him earlier.

So glass of water, then back to bed. Lloyd just has to make it to the kitchen, which should — should be easy. His leg isn’t shaking that badly, and it’s not like his ribs are actually broken. Just bruised, and Lloyd can walk off bruises, easy.

He just needs to remember how, he thinks, as he takes a shuddering breath where he stands frozen. He blows it out, closing his eyes to steady himself. He immediately snaps them back open, trying not to keel over to the side. Oh, mistake. Every time Lloyd closes his eyes he’s falling through realms again, the world spinning and leaving him loose and shaky, which is only moderately better than the alternative thing he’d see, which is…

Well, he left Lloyd with a lot of things he could see that would keep him up.

Back in the box! Lloyd scolds himself, frantically tearing his mind elsewhere before he can slip down that particular slope, one that he knows is only going to send him spiraling into icy fear and panic.

Lloyd shakes his head furiously, bare feet padding quietly as he makes his way to the kitchen. His skin crawls at the darkness that presses in from all sides, and he feels his power press against his fingertips, begging to light his way. Lloyd presses his lips together and shoves it down. His control over his powers is tentative at best right now — he’d learned that the hard way earlier, when he’d exploded all the police floodlights that were just trying to get them safely to shore.

The reminder causes his cheeks to heat, and Lloyd bites his lip. He doesn’t want to think about how much he’s lost, how far behind he’s fallen, because of…this. His powers feel wild and fragile now, like they did when he was just beginning to train, and Lloyd hates that. How is he supposed to make up everything to his team when he can barely even—

A cold chill of air suddenly licks against the back of his neck, rustling his clothes and blanket and tugging at his hair, and the chill that slides down his spine is all the warning he gets. The whistling sound from the broken kitchen window should have warned him, but Lloyd’s still unprepared.

It’s just — it’s the wind.

That’s all, just a little breeze, and Lloyd’s slammed so hard by a dizzying vertigo of terror that he falls right to his knees on the spot, his vision going hazy as a dull roaring echoes in his ears.

He’d scream, but his lungs have suddenly quit on him, sputtering uselessly in his chest as he wheezes, panic blotting out every other rational thought. The phantom fingers of the wind are still grasping at him, still pulling at his hair and wrapping around his neck, forcing into his mind and tearing him apart form the inside and no, no no no, he can’t do this again, he can’t—

Some part of Lloyd’s mind knows perfectly well what’s happening to him. It’s not like he hasn’t had panic attacks before. But the rest of his mind—

Lloyd’s teeth press together so hard his jaw aches, and his eyes burn as he forces shaky breaths to rattle from his chest. The hot shame of how pathetic he has to look right now is only drowned out the absolute sense of terror rooting him on his knees.

Kai, he thinks desperately, his hands shaking so violently that his fingernails clack against the floor. Kai is here, Kai will save him from Morro, he won’t leave him to spiral back into that darkness. His whole family is here, just in the other room, if he can only—

A muffled voice forces its way through the roaring in his ears, echoing oddly against his brain. Before Lloyd can place it, there’s a touch on his shoulder, gentle but cold, like a wisp of freezing air, just like his touch.

Lloyd looks up, and through blurring vision sees that same unearthly shade of green, flickering and translucent, and his entire being slams into panic.

All he’s able to get out is a rasping croak, but he’s still able to snap at the figure.

“Get away from me!”

He tears his arm from their grasp, stumbling back. He’s not going to be taken again, he’s not going back in the darkness, he’s never letting someone touch him like that again—

Lloyd wipes at his eyes, his vision clearing, and he freezes dead.

— oh. Lloyd’s eyes go wide in horror. Oh no, oh no, it’s not him. It’s not any of his ghosts.

It’s Cole, his hand pulled back to his chest, staring at him with the most heartbroken, hurt expression on his face Lloyd has ever seen in his life.

Lloyd’s heart drops all the through his stomach to his feet, and he goes cold.

“I-I—” Cole’s eyes are wide with hurt, but that hurt quickly melts into a horrified kind of despair. He pulls back further, swallowing thickly. “Sorry,” he mutters, looking away. Shutting down. “I’m sorry, I should have realized—”

“No—” Lloyd croaks.

“Obviously you’d — I’m sorry, just being stupid Cole as always—”

“—no, no Cole—”

“—just making things worse, I’ll leave.”

“N-no, Cole, I didn’t mean — Cole, I’m so sorry—”

Cole isn’t even looking at him, his shoulders hitching tightly as he turns away. “I’ll get Kai. Or anyone else.”

He moves to his feet, leaving Lloyd where he’s still sprawled uselessly on the floor, and Lloyd’s stomach turns.

No, no, no! he thinks frantically, fumbling to find feeling where his legs have gone numb. Cole can’t leave, not with that look still on his face, not before Lloyd can fix this—

“Cole wait, stop—!”

Lloyd moves to rush after him, to grab him, to pull him back and apologize — but his ankle is still weak and his balance is still shaky and the panic’s left him wobbly, and he gets one step before his foot twists in his blanket, the ground’s yanked out from under him, and he slams front-first into the floor with a muffled grunt, knocking his chin against the floor and biting straight through his lip.

“Ow,” he manages into the floor, somewhat stunned, his voice muffled as his face throbs.

“Lloyd!”

Oh good, Lloyd thinks hazily, as his mouth fills with tangy, metallic blood. It worked. Cole came back.

Hands wrap around his shoulders, hauling him up and setting him upright before quickly pulling back. Before Lloyd can protest, Cole’s back, all up in his face where he’s now sitting on the floor next to him.

“Aw, Lloyd, why’d you do that,” Cole’s voice is pained as his hand ghosts over the blood dripping down his chin, thick eyebrows tense in worry.

Lloyd shakes his head, wiping a hand over his mouth and grimacing. His lip stings something horrible, and he’s appalled to find that his eyes are tearing up from the pain.

“I wan’ed to match the rest’a my face,” he manages out though his busted lip, before cringing.

Cole gives him a look. Lloyd doesn’t feel bad at all. It’s better than the look he’d had on a second ago.

Cole sighs, sounding weary. “I’ll get Zane. He can help you ice it, and I’ll—”

“No!” Lloyd yelps, grabbing for his arm. He latches around Cole’s wrist just before he manages to escape, and Cole snaps his eyes to him, looking panicked.

“Lloyd, I-I…I get it,” he says, gently prying at his fingers. “What you went through — it’s…it’s okay, just—”

Lloyd doesn’t let him get any further, because he finally gets past the giant chunk of completely irrational fear in his chest and manages to throw his arms around Cole’s middle, hugging him tightly until Cole’s forced back down with an oof.

For a second, Cole’s about as receptive as a rock, sitting all stiff and rigid. But he finally, finally relaxes, breath whooshing shakily out of his chest as he slowly, carefully returns the embrace, wrapping his arms around him.

Lloyd’s prepared for the unusually cold touch this time. He focuses instead on how gentle it is, how it feels like family and home and safety. He’s an idiot for mistaking Cole for anyone else, Lloyd thinks hotly to himself, his eyes stinging with tears.

“It’s not,” he whispers. “It’s not okay, you’re not— you’re not Morro, and I shouldn’t—”

Lloyd’s breath hitches. Oh no, he’s opened the box. He’s opened the box and now he’s thinking about it, his mind is reaching in and pulling out every memory of what Morro did to him, every action he took that Lloyd couldn’t stop, all the words he’d forced from his mouth, all the awful things—

A dizzying rush of fury smashes into him. How could he, how could he, it wasn’t enough that he took Lloyd’s body and his mind and his strength and left him a hollow shell, no, he had to dig his fingers far enough in his brain that Lloyd’s scared of his own family now—

“—hate him, I hate him, I hate him—”

“I know, buddy, I know—”

Though Cole’s holding him tight, he shifts him slightly to the side with a quiet hiss of breath, and Lloyd belatedly remembers — tears. Water and ghosts do not get along. And here Lloyd’s crying enough for a river on top of him.

He jerks back with a gasp. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry—” he blabbers, wiping frantically at his eyes. “I didn’t mean to—”

It’s Cole’s turn to grab his arm before he pulls away, his gaze firm. “Don’t,” he says, sounding pained. “Don’t apologize for that. I’m fine, you didn’t hurt me.”

Lloyd shakes his head. “I’m so sorry,” he chokes out. “I’m so sorry, you’re a ghost and it’s all my fault.”

Cole stills. “What?” he finally says, his voice incredulous.

Lloyd doesn’t reply, crying harder as he tries to absorb himself into his blanket, maybe to suffocate, because at least then he won’t be weeping all over the kitchen floor like a child, and — and—

“Lloyd,” Cole sounds agonized now. “Lloyd, this wasn’t your fault. None of this was. You can’t blame yourself for it, you can’t. Please don’t.”

Lloyd gives a keening whine in reply, burying his face in his blanket. Yes, he can. He can, just watch him. Lloyd can blame himself for the whole sorry thing, because he went to that museum alone when he knew full well he was still a mess, and now?

Cole’s a ghost, his family’s hurt, Lloyd’s a worse mess, and his dad is dead, for real dead now, and none of it would’ve happened if Lloyd could’ve just—could’ve just—

Lloyd feels a bit like he’s exploding, except it’s all coming out in the tidal wave of tears he’s been stockpiling somewhere, and darn it, he’s supposed to be dehydrated now, where’s it all coming from—

Cole gently lifts his blanket, folding it up as a barrier between him and Lloyd’s running eyes, and pulls him back in, holding him tightly. Lloyd unashamedly clings back, because he’s got no dignity left at this point anyways, and he’s lived with the idea that he’d never see his family again now, and it hurt so much worse than anything Morro could do to him.

“It’s not your fault,” Cole tells him again, his voice thick. “We’ll fix it. We’ll figure it out, Lloyd, we’ll work through it, all of us together this time. You’re going to be okay. I promise, I promise.”

Lloyd just folds in on himself further, burying his face against Cole as he tries to choke back sobs.

Going to be okay. He wants to laugh. His dad’s gone. Lloyd’s entire being feels like a bruise. He could get past that before, maybe. Probably. But—

Cole’s dead.  

How on earth are they supposed to fix that?

[cosmic-goddess-leo]

First Love / Late Spring Pt. 3

Kuroo Tetsuro x Reader

Series Summary: Reader was once a nationally recognized volleyball player until an injury she suffered her last year of high school. She and Kuroo knew each other vaguely through a mutual friend but lost contact after her injury. Now they attend the same University in Tokyo and are beginning to reconnect.

Chapter Summary: Kuroo stays the night to comfort (Y/n) and begins to learn more about her from a third party.

Word Count: 1909

Author’s Note: This took sooo long, I just started a new job but I finally found the time to write. I hope y'all enjoy this one! It’s short compared to the others but full of fluff!

Kuroo couldn’t tell if Kenma was grateful or annoyed with being assigned as the designated driver for the night.

He knew Kenma preferred to drive himself places, but usually there weren't tipsy/drunk college students piled into his car.

At least he was spared the ordeal of having one of the drunks in his passenger seat, he made sure that was reserved for Akaashi. Was he buzzed? Sure. But at least he wasn’t loud.

Kenma made sure Kuroo was punished in kind for putting him in this situation.

Kuroo knew Kenma did not have good intentions in mind when he suggested (Y/n) sit in Kuroo’s lap for the ride to the ramen shop. If Kuroo had decided not to be a gentleman, he would have no problem with it, in fact he would have welcomed it.

But this was college Kuroo, Kuroo who wanted to take things slow with the girl he liked. Kuroo who had to ignore the way (Y/n) wiggled against him as she adjusted herself.

Kenma suddenly braked hard in the parking lot for the shop, causing Kuroo to grip (Y/n)’s arms and shoot him a glare through the rearview mirror.

He breathed a sigh of relief as (Y/n) climbed out of the backseat, clambering out after her.

They had thankfully ended up making the best of the night, socializing and eating with their group and not focusing on whatever kind of state Bokuto had put (Y/n) in earlier.

Kuroo had caught (Y/n) tripping over herself every now and then when they would get up to get their food or to get refills on their drinks.

It was a great way to casually remind (Y/n) of how strong and suave he was; these past couple days stuttering and failing to be his usual charming self were behind him... hopefully.

The ride back to the apartment complex was a lot less awkward now that (Y/n) was in a position more ‘comfortable’ for Kuroo.

She had her legs across his lap and her head rested on his shoulder. The feel of her breath fanning across his neck both eased him and excited him all at once.

At one point, she leaned in closer to him, whispering “Can you stay with me tonight?”

His eyes went wide for a moment, the alcohol either made her very forward or she was trying to take her mind off Bokuto in a very extreme way.

Before Kuroo could even form a response in his head, Kenma pulled into the apartment complex’s parking lot, breaking hard again to get their attention.

The two said their goodbyes to everyone, watching as Akaashi and (Y/n)’s friends made their way to their vehicles and started leaving.

Kuroo told (Y/n) to go wait for him at the elevator while he talked to Kenma, putting on a smile to hide the inner conflict raging on in his head.

Kuroo turned to Kenma, leaning against the car door and sighing heavily, causing his friend to raise an eyebrow at him.

“She asked me to come over...”

“...And?” Kenma asked.

“And I didn’t say anything. She’s drunk, and I’ve been drinking. It wouldn’t be right...” Kuroo explained, scratching at the back of his neck.

Kenma glanced away, seeming to be deep in thought before responding.

“(Y/n)’s not drunk...” Kenma said, making eye contact with Kuroo, who’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “She doesn’t drink... I mentioned how I thought she was drunk because she was stumbling and her friends told me she doesn’t drink...”

“When did this happen?”

“When you two left to get everyone’s ramen... But you can’t tell her you know.” Kenma ordered.

“Did her friends at least say why?”

“No,” he said, sternly. “Just that it makes her uncomfortable.”

Kuroo went quiet, biting his lip in thought and staring down at his sneakers.

“Listen...” Kenma mumbled, “You’re an adult. You can do what you want... but if you want things to work out, don’t sleep with her tonight...”

Kuroo almost laughed. Kenma was usually this blunt but never really about Kuroo’s love life. Maybe because he didn’t want to be hurtful, Kuroo’s past relationships were never anything to write home about, they both knew that. Maybe, because he knew (Y/n) meant more to Kuroo, Kenma was opting to be more direct.

Kuroo nodded, thanking Kenma before he allowed him to drive away.

“What was that about?” (Y/n) asked, smiling brightly as Kuroo reached past her to press the elevator button.

“Ahhh, Kenma was asking if we’d be willing to set him up with one of your friends.” He fibbed, trying his best to maintain eye contact with her through this awkward situation.

“Is that it?” she giggled, “He could have just asked me.”

Kuroo shrugged, “Kenma can be shy.”

The ride up the elevator was silent. Both knew the question that hung in the air between the two of them: Was Kuroo going to stay with her?

They walked to (Y/n)’s door, at that point she turned on her heel to face him.

“Are you... gonna come in?” she asked shuffling on her feet.

Kuroo sighed softly, looking between her and the door to her apartment.

“(Y/n)... we’ve both been drinking, I don’t think you’re in a good state of mind to make this decision.”

She stared at him for a moment, the cogs turning in her head before she gasped and covered her cheeks.

“Oh! I didn’t mean it like that!”

The confusion was evident on Kuroo’s face, as was the blush dusting his cheeks.

“Th-Then what did you mean?”

“I-I just don’t want to be alone tonight,” she whined, “you can sleep on the couch, I just want more company is all...”

Well now his cheeks were a full shade of ruby red. Had he really had enough to drink to misinterpret the situation.

“I am... so sorry!” he bowed, wishing he could turn back time about 5 minutes.

“Stooooop!” (Y/n) whined louder, grabbing his arms and squirming. “Just come inside... please?”

He nodded his head quickly and allowed her to pull him into her apartment.

The two cleaned up and stowed the alcohol, Kuroo’s eyes burning into her to catch any sign of emotion when she took the bottles.

They both eventually sat on the couch, avoiding eye contact with each other.

After a couple minutes, (Y/n) finally spoke up. “Who woulda thought you were such a gentleman...” she chuckled.

They turned to face each other, thighs brushing against each other slightly.

Kuroo raised an eyebrow at her, urging her to continue.

“You didn’t take advantaged of a poor, innocent, drunk (Y/n) and say yes to ‘sleeping’ with me.” (Y/n) smiled.

Kuroo’s lips turned up into a slight smile, “If that makes me a gentleman, the bar is pretty low.”

(Y/n) laughed loudly at that, reaching over and lightly pinching his arm.

“Besides,” he continued, “If we were to ever... yknow...” he trailed off.

I’d rather it not happen while you mourn the death of whatever happened with you and Bokuto...

“I’d rather it be sweeter.”

Something tender flashed in (Y/n)’s eyes for a moment, before her coy smile returned to her face. “Oh? So Kuroo Tetsuro is a sweet lover, then?”

He ignored the question entirely, unable to fight his wide smile at the sound of her saying his first name. “You should call me that more often...”

“What?” she asked, sitting up slightly. “Lover? Sweet Lover? Kuroo Tetsuro?”

“No,” he laughed, shaking his head, “just Tetsuro... or Tetsu...”

“Maybe I will...” she shrugged, easing back into her comfortable position.

The two continued talking and laughing late into the night, eventually putting on a movie once they ran out of conversational topics.

Kuroo almost dozed off, startling himself awake when he realized (Y/n) was still beside him. He turned to look at her, smiling when he saw she had fallen asleep.

He stood up and lifted her bridal style, carrying her to her bedroom.

Kuroo laid her down, moving the covers over he before looking her over for a moment. She had a funny look on her face, but even with her mouth open and limbs sprawled out she looked adorable.

He turned to return to the couch until (Y/n) softly called out for him.

“Tetsuuu...” (Y/n) sighed, shifting in her bed.

Kuroo kneeled beside the bed, brushing her hair out of her face.

“Don’t go...” she murmured, half asleep.

“I’m not leaving... I’ll be right in the living room. I promise.”

(Y/n) smiled softly, immediately going back to sleep.

Kuroo pressed a light kiss to her hand before going back to the couch to sleep.

He woke up to the smell of cooked bacon the next morning. A plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast had been placed on the coffee table in front of him.

Kuroo groaned as he sat up, stretching before reaching for the plate.

“Figured you’d need some breakfast in bed.” (Y/n) chirped from her spot at the dining table.

“I appreciate the sentiment...” he sighed, taking his plate and going to the table. “I kinda need to sit up though.”

(Y/n) smiled, lightly tapping her fingers against her glass of orange juice. “Hungover that bad, huh?”

Kuroo nodded, running a hand through his hair as he stared at his eggs.

“Im sorry,” she frowned, “I can nurse you back to health aaaaall day today if you need it.”

“I might take you up on that offer if these eggs don’t do the trick.” Kuroo said through a mouthful of toast.

The two were interrupted by a booming knock on the door, the sound caused Kuroo’s hands to go flying to cradle his head.

(Y/n) opted to run to the door rather than shout for the person to wait. Kuroo made a move to see who was there, but the churn of his stomach forced him to stay seated.

“Can't you please come back later?” (Y/n) pleaded with the stranger, the discomfort evident in her voice. “It’s not a good time...”

Despite her previous statements, (Y/n) reentered the room with Bokuto hot on her heels.

His eyebrows shot up when he saw Kuroo sitting at the table and picking at his breakfast, as if Kuroo was the intruder in this scenario.

“Hey Kuroo... what brings you by?” Bokuto asked, fixating his gaze on (Y/n) rather than Kuroo.

“I was just coming by to make sure (Y/n) was feeling okay.” Kuroo spoke up, forcing Bokuto to look away from (Y/n) and back at him. “I was worried she might be sick, she served me breakfast.”

“Well, she and I need to talk. Could you come back later?” Bokuto huffed, crossing his arms and sitting at the table.

Kuroo narrowed his eyes at Bokuto. He turned to (Y/n), eye softening as she stood there helplessly.

Kuroo approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder and feeling her relax slightly. “Just call me and I’ll come back... alright?”

(Y/n) slowly nodded, the intensity of Kuroo’s eyes causing her to bite her lip slightly.

Kuroo trailed his hand down her arm, gently taking her hand in his for a moment and giving it a light squeeze.

(Y/n) shivered, barely managing to squeeze back before Kuroo pulled back and left the apartment.

[silentprincess100]

*Sekaiichi Hatsukoi Extras Translation*

Needless to say, there are spoilers.

Volume 11 cover, Chapter 22.5, chapter 24.5, volume 12 cover, volume 12 special illustration book extra

 Apologies that this is late, but I promised that I would add some untranslated extras, and here they are!! This time, they are translated from the Chinese with some rudimentary consultation of the original Japanese text, but the caveat still stands that some of the original nuance from the Japanese text may not have been captured!! Any errors are mine alone. Also!!! I know a lot of you hate me for the other posts being so long, and I’m SORRYYYYYY. I’m new to Tumblr please don’t hate me. Again, this is not a scanlation, just a translation project for those who want to read the chapters early!

 Credits for scans: First Love 漢化組 for Volume 11 cover and 22.5

 Tongmenghui 同萌繪 Draw Club for Volume 12 cover and 24.5

If there are any objections to posting the link to these scans, message me, and I’ll be sure to take them down at owner’s request.

 Cover to Volume 11

 http://tieba.baidu.com/photo/p?kw=世界第一的初恋&flux=1&tid=5490553198&pic_id=591ea1014a90f60324e610b03212b31bb151ed14&pn=1&fp=2&see_lz=1#!/pid0295abde9c82d15836e8d5468b0a19d8bd3e4278/pn1

page 1:

[It has been a while since I saw Yoshikawa-sensei.]

Yoshino: Ahh, Takano-san, it has been too long. So sorry, um, about the draft, you know, that it was... *embarrassed embarrassed*

Takano-san: You’ve worked hard. It’s totally fine. You weren’t the last person to turn in their drafts this time around.

Yoshino: Really?!! That’s amazing!!

Hatori: Like hell “it’s amazing.” Nearly every other time, you’re -

Takano: Okay, okay. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with you, Yoshikawa-sensei.

 Page 2:

Yoshino: So sorry to trouble you, thank you for all the help. Well then, I’ll be accepting this souvenir. (*polite polite!!*)

Takano: Why is it almost always impossible to tell the ages of manga creators? Yoshikawa-sensei seems so young! How old is he?

Hatori: The same age as me.

Hatori and Takano: …

Hatori: It’s fine, when I was in middle school, people would say I seemed old enough to be a functioning member of society.

(If it wasn’t because of my face, it was a judgement of my mental age…)

Takano: No. I didn’t say anything.

[This is most likely Yoshikawa-sensei’s fault.]

 Chapter 22.5

This is the extra at the end of Volume 11, and it takes place after the Emerald Editing Department’s trip to the onsen to buy Isaka-san’s udon is unfortunately prolonged by inclement weather. This is right after the chapter where Takano and Onodera visit Takano’s grandmother’s grave. Basically, they were supposed to go back to Tokyo, but flights were cancelled because of a major storm, so they were stuck another day at the onsen.

 http://tieba.baidu.com/photo/p?kw=世界第一的初恋&flux=1&tid=5490553198&pic_id=591ea1014a90f60324e610b03212b31bb151ed14&pn=1&fp=2&see_lz=1#!/pid0514cc3f8794a4c25ecb6bdc05f41bd5af6e39fd/pn1

 --

Page 1:

Onodera: I know that because of the weather, we can’t go back to Tokyo at this time, so there’s no helping that… (Even if we did go back, it would just be to mountains of work…)

And it just so happened that another guest cancelled their room reservations, so, luckily, we can stay here another night, but… BUT

Onodera: WHY THE HELL DO I HAVE TO ROOM WITH YOU OF ALL PEOPLE!!!

Takano: Isn’t because there were only three goddamn rooms left?

 --

Page 2:  

Onodera: So, didn’t I just say that I’d rather room with anyone but you? (*fighting fighting*)

Takano: You’re so fucking annoying. I’ll double your workload.

Onodera: WHAA??!!!!

(this is totally, a straight-up abuse of power)

Takano: Geez, the rain’s really coming down.

 --

Page 3:

Takano: ….

Ahh…..

[Ritsu stops]

Onodera: Wha-what is it?

Takano: Thinking about it, when we were in high school, there was one day when it was raining and you brought an umbrella and waited for me.

Onodera: Did – did that happen? I don’t remember anything like that.

Takano: Yep, it did. I was being pretty seriously stalked by you.

Onodera: Please stop talking about me like I was some sort of criminal!

 --

Page 4:

Takano: Back then, I’ll admit that I never thought that I would be able to come travelling with you like this, but still, I’m happy that we were able to come here together.

*Holds hands*

*heartbeat*

--

page 5:

*pushes away*

Onodera: Hey, wait!! We’re in the hallway!!!!!!!

Takano: So, you’d be okay if it was the room?

Onodera: No – that is not what I meant!!

Takano: Didn’t I say that we had to finish what we started?

 --

Page 6:

Takano: We should wake up early tomorrow to do it once.

Onodera: Wai—Didn’t I say, we’re not doing it-

*closes eyes*

[Ahhh…]

 --

page 7:

Kisa: ALRIIIIGHHHT!!!!!! RICHAAAAAAAN!!!! Wanna go to the baths now?

*JOLT*

Takano: ………..…..….Kisa-san…. You….

Kisa: (Oh, there you two are.) Huh? Whatchu guys doing?

Takano: ………………………………..

Onodera, it’ll have to be at least three times.

Onodera: What?!! Why is that your conclusion?

Kisa: ????

What are you guys talking about~~~??

No. 22.5 the end.

[in the final page – RItsu bought a box of his own udon to eat. The box says- Udon, 24 packets]

  Cover Volume 12

https://www.manhuaren.com/m499892/

(starting with the page after the cover of the illustration collection extra, the one with a black background and Kisa’s head as the first panel.)

[When I first met Kisa]

Takano: You’re a student here for part time work?

Kisa: Oh, I’ve gotten this sort of question loads of times.

Takano: Oh. Sorry. Didn't realize that you were older than me… (I’m Takano)

Kisa: No worries, no worries – I’m used to it. (The name’s Kisa!)

Takano: Then you’ve got some really youthful looking skin.

Kisa: The truth is that when I was in middle school, I made a deal with the devil, so I wouldn’t grow any older. It has been like that ever since.  (Since I’ve been found out, might as well let you know…)

(heh heh heh)

Who’s to say I won’t live upwards of one thousand years?

 --

page 2:

Takano: So, next, I’d like to talk about division of work. (Is that okay?)

Kisa: I totally do not mind that you’re completely looking over me.  (Not even using polite speech!) (t/n this translation I was a little bit unsure of).

[At this time, Takano did not make too much of this.]

Takano: What’re you doing?

Onodera: Ah! Kisa-san is showing me a picture from when he was in middle school!

Here, check it out!

Takano: ………………………… the devil’s deal….

Kisa: The heck? 

[However, now, Takano can’t help but start to think that maybe what Kisa said back then was true.]

  Chapter 24.5

https://www.manhuaren.com/m499892/

(This is the extra at the end of Volume 12. Starting with what looks like keys, water bottle, and wallet falling out and then Takano and Onodera on the floor picking up fallen objects)

 --

page 1:

*CRASSSSHHHHHHHHH*

*Tumbletumble*

Onodera: (OHHH MY GOOODD.) SO- SORR!!!!!

Onodera: …-ry… Ah! Takano-san?!! (You’re still here?!)

Takano: Ouch--- watch where you’re going, why don’t you.

Onodera: I’m sorry! I’m hurrying to catch the last train!

Takano: You’re not going to make it. Better take a taxi – just take one with me, problem solved.

(Ugh, and it had to be this time that you use a bag without a zipper.)

Onodera: It’s FINE. If I run, I can still make it. 

Takano: And also, your bag has way too much stuff in it. 

Onodera: Good work today – I’m taking my leave!!

*Stuff stuff*

--

page 2:

 *Onodera runs off*

Onodera (thinking): …. Gahh I’m exhausted!!! Who knew that there would be an accident on the last train…  (If I had known, I would have taken a cab.)

My bag is so heavy!!

But… there really is too much stuff in my bag. I’ll clean it out a little…

??

Huh? Aren’t these Takano-san’s glasses?

Ah! Maybe I put it in my bag by mistake when we bumped into each other earlier?

(Waa.) Shoot! Better return these quickly.

 --

page 3:

 Onodera:…

*puts on*

Oh my goddd. *Dizzy dizzy*

These are strong!!!

Takano-san’s eyesight is pretty bad after all!

[I seem to remember that someone once said that glasses are a crucial part of a person’s appearance.]

[Takano-san’s…]

 --

*BZZZT BZZT BZZT*

Onodera: !!??? *jolt* 

Ah!! HELLO?!!

Takano: Sorry to call in the middle of the night. Were my glasses put in your bag by accident?

Onodera: (AH – ha-ha!)

Ah! Yes! I have them!!!

B-but, more to the point, Takano, you’re really blind, huh…

Takano: Huh? What? You wore my glasses?

Onodera: *JOLT* EH??! AH, NO!!! I definitely didn’t!!

Takano: Uh-huuuuuuuh.

Onodera: So I’m saying, I didn’t…!

The end. 

 Hatori and Onodera, end page comic:

 Onodera: S-so! I’m thinking that there has to be some sort of pot in which I can supply the ingredients and it can make the dishes itself, and I just don’t know about it yet. If there really was this sort of thing, I really want one!

(That’s some miracle pot…) 

Takano: Onodera, you should just stick with learning how to chop food…

Nakamura-sensei: This has been Nakamura Shungiku. Thank you so much for buying World’s Greatest first love, the case of Onodera Ritsu Volume 12!

If it helped you feel at least a little bit of happiness, that is my honor.

The story is still unfolding, so I hope that you can continue to follow it. Thank you in advance for all of your continued support! See you next time! 

Volume 12 Special Edition Illustration Collection Extra:

https://www.manhuaren.com/m499892/

This is the extra included in the Special Illustration Book that was paired with the special edition of Volume 12. It’s the one that begins with Onodera in a loose-fitting shirt.

It takes place right after the amazing shower scene from chapter 24.

 --

Page 1:

*loose fitting clothing*

As to how it got to this point…

First, being jumped by Takano-san (waaaa)

-->

Taking advantage of Takano-san falling asleep to try to head back home, but not finding any clothes … or underwear…

(Suddenly disappeared)

-->

Onodera: What?!

It seems that when I wasn’t paying attention, Takano-san took it upon himself to throw my stuff in the wash. (with a dryer cycle too!!)

--> But! I want to go home!!

Onodera: (thinking): Even though I knew that the clothes wouldn’t fit because of our different statures, it still really pisses me off.

(as a point of manly pride)

I know that wearing Takano-san’s clothes without his permission isn’t so good, but that’s because he threw MY clothes in the wash without asking me! He totally did that on purpose!!!

 --

page 2:

Onodera (thinking): Even though I live next door, I can’t go like this back to my house… Maybe I should also borrow a pair of pants?

(So sorry for going through your closet without your permission.)

But…. Eh?

[No matter what, it’s not decent to wear someone else’s pants while going commando, right?

Ah, but, at this point, wouldn’t I also have to borrow his underwear?

Huh? What? I have to wear Takano-san’s underwear?]

Takano: If you want, you can have these.

Onodera: *Enraged*

I DON’T WANT THEM!!!

Takano: Oh, okay. Well then, you can either go back with your dick hanging out, or you can come back to bed with me – your call.

Onodera: WHY ARE THOSE THE ONLY OPTIONS??!!!

 [24.5 the end]

[littlespoonevan]

Love your writing!!! So sweet and fitting for these characters 😄 Please tell me about the first night Isak spent at Even's. I'd love to hear your take on this

ahhh thank you so much!!! :’) i feel like this is just a gratuitous excuse to write cuddles and i’m gonna take you up on it hahaha

(I would kindly ask that no one send me prompts for the time being while I answer all the ones in my inbox, thank you

so isak has been to even’s house plenty of times

when things settle down in december and once isak officially meets even’s parents, they start going over there a lot

they still always go back to isak’s if they’re spending the night together

but they get into a routine of going to even’s for dinner on saturdays or stopping by even’s on the way home from school so he can pick up clothes or books or just going over there for an afternoon/evening to hang out w even’s parents bc they’re really cool and isak kind of missed having parental figures in his life???????

but as i said, sleepovers are reserved for isak’s bed

it just feels less weird??????? 

also isak’s bed is bigger and they just have a lil more freedom at his place

but one saturday when they’re having their weekly dinner w even’s mom and dad isak ends up staying really late

it’s one of the nights even had decided to stay home which meant they both kept coming up with excuses for isak to stay a lil bit longer bc they didn’t really want to say goodbye yet

except it reaches midnight and isak is still there, curled up on the living room couch with even and watching a movie when even’s mom pops her head in the door

“it’s getting pretty late boys,” she observes

isak sits up and reluctantly admits he should probably go home, stifling a yawn and resisting the urge to sink back into even’s warmth

“is pappa still up to drop isak home?” even asks and his mother can tell by his face he’s secretly hoping the answer is no

“he’s gone to bed,” she tells him, desperately trying to conceal a smile as isak insists he’s fine and that he can walk or take the tram

when isak starts rooting around for his phone and even dejectedly begins to help she takes pity on them

“how about isak just spends the night here?” 

considering the way they both snap to look at her with such hopeful expressions you’d swear they weren’t basically living together in isak’s apartment 5 nights out of 7 during the week

“it’s late, we can drop him home after breakfast in the morning”

“are you sure that’s okay?” isak asks, suddenly nervous and wringing his hands in the hem of his hoodie

even, on the other hand, is beaming up at her. “takk mamma! we’ll be in my room”

she rolls her eyes as even grabs isak’s hand and hauls him up off the couch, dragging him down the hallway. “goodnight, boys!”

being in even’s room suddenly feels different when isak knows he’s staying

he’s napped in even’s bed before but he’s actually staying the night and he’s not sure why it feels like a big deal when they’ve been sharing a bed for weeks

maybe it’s because for once it doesn’t feel so grownup?

at isak’s apartment, it almost feels as if they’re a few years older than they are. in college and living together and with their very own morning routines

here isak feels very teenage, like he’s finally been given permission to stay the night at his boyfriend’s place for the first time

which he technically is but he knows had he asked to stay four weeks ago the answer would’ve been the same as it was tonight

even kisses him giddily when they’re in the confines of his room, mumbling, “let’s get ready for bed,” against isak’s mouth

isak doesn’t even need to borrow even’s clothes since when he goes to even’s wardrobe he finds a pair of his own sweatpants, three of his t-shirts and two hoodies

“i was looking for that hoodie!” 

“finders, keepers!”

(he wears one of even’s shirts to bed in retaliation)

their night time routine is more or less the same with the exception that they’re doing it in even’s bathroom instead of isak’s

once they get back to even’s room isak texts eskild to let him know he won’t be home before putting his phone on silent

he climbs the ladder up to even’s bed first bc they may be in a different room and on a different bed but isak still has to sleep on the right

even’s bed is smaller than isak’s which means it’s basically impossible for them both to lie on their backs side by side so they roll onto their sides to face each other once they’re settled

“i don’t know why this feels so exciting,” even whispers, crinkly-eyed smile in place as he brushes isak’s curls back off his face

“me either,” isak replies quietly, fingers curling around even’s wrist to keep his hand in place. “but i like it.”

even’s smile mirrors his own as he leans in to kiss him, soft and sweet enough to make isak melt into the mattress

“it kind of feels like that first night i stayed at yours, after halloween,” even muses. “when sharing a bed wasn’t a comfort, it was something new that we’d never tried before, y’know?”

isak nods, ducking his head to hide his smile at the memory of that friday night and saturday they’d spent holed up in isak’s room kissing and cuddling like it was the only thing in the world that mattered

“it kind of feels like we’re experiencing that all over again,” even continues and isak agrees because he thinks that’s probably what he can attribute the butterflies in his stomach to

but also

“this is still different though,” he murmurs. “it’s better. because it feels new and exciting but it’s not uncertain like before. underneath all the excitement is that same sense of comfort and surety i feel every time we go to sleep together, y’know?”

even’s expression is impossibly soft and isak can feel his cheeks heating up the longer they look at one another

he buries half his face in the pillow to hide his blush, curling that little bit closer to even so he can play with the fabric of his t-shirt

“i think you’re right,” even tells him, affection pouring out of him so obviously isak thinks his heart might burst. “we’re a sure thing.”

isak raises an eyebrow, mouth quirking up at the corners. “what movie is that from?”

even grins, drifting closer on the pillow to brush their noses together. “the boy who couldn’t hold his breath underwater”

isak stares at him, caught, before a slow smile spreads across his face and he tilts his chin up in silent request for a kiss.

even obliges him, leaving a lingering kiss on his lips before isak rolls onto his other side so they can spoon

when even is pressed up against his back, curled around him with their fingers interlocking over isak’s stomach, isak whispers, “yeah. we’re a sure thing.”

[adk46]

#7 & #8: Dial & Nippletop, April 2016 Dial & Nippletop: The “Best Learning Experience” Hike Ahhh...Dial & Nippletop...an experience I will truly *never* forget.  For a lot of reasons.  Most of them not-so-positive. I had definitely been infected by the fever by this point in our hiking quest.  I could NOT wait to get back to the mountains (they were calling, and I HAD to go!!).  I had heard all the advice about avoiding the Daks during mud season, but I figured that it had been a fairly warm spring, and that by late April, we would probably be OK up there. Boy, was I (sorta*) wrong. I mean, we didn’t die out there.  We didn’t get seriously injured.  But we sure learned a lot of invaluable lessons on this hike.  In the interest of sharing all I learned that day, I’m going to stray a bit from my typical blog post style, to best convey the big take-aways of this hike. Lesson #1:  Skip the shoulder season. “Shoulder season,” for those who don’t know, usually refers to spring and late fall--in other words, not the peak season for hiking (or snowsports).  The spring version of shoulder season is also known as “mud season.”  This is because of all the snowmelt from the winter running down the mountains and into the valleys, making much of the trails and terrain muddy (or even an outright stream).  The other very important thing I learned on this hike is that, in the Adirondacks, mud season can also mean a TON of snow and ice at higher elevations (I know, I know, we should have realized...and I mean, we KNEW, we had our microspikes, but we didn’t really KNOW, y’know?).  More on this later...it’s just that this lesson is SO important, that I want to give it the proper emphasis by leading with it. This hike began from the Adirondack Mountain Reserve gate (St. Huberts parking lot).  I was eager to bag a couple of peaks on this excursion, so we settled on Dial and Nippletop for our effort.  To date, this was going to be our longest hike, mileage-wise, AND the hike with the most elevation gain that we had ever tackled.  Which brings me to... Lesson #2:  Know your limits. It’s not that we truly exceeded our limits on this hike.  It was more the combination of different factors that made this hike, in retrospect, feel a little out of our comfort zone (see Lesson #1). Still, everything was going pretty well at first.  The first (relatively small) problem I personally encountered was once we turned off the Lake Road onto the Leach trail to start ascending the Noonmark shoulder.  As I was trying to keep pace with Ryley, who was in the lead, I soon felt like my heart was going to hammer out of my chest.  I finally admitted to Ryley that I needed to stop for a few minutes and calm down a little bit.  Yes, I was pushing myself a little harder than usual, and yes, it had been a couple of months since we’d done a big hike like this, but still, I was mystified by how my fast my heart seemed to be racing.  After a while, it finally dawned on me what could be compounding this problem: Lesson #3:  Don’t overcaffeinate! It took me about 27 years of my (at the time) 29-year life to finally figure out, “Oh hey, it turns out, I’m super-sensitive to caffeine!”  Because of our early morning wake up call that day, I had actually forgotten this hard-learned lesson and inadvertently overcaffeinated (1 Starbucks protein espresso coffee + 1 20 oz hot coffee from Stewart’s + 1/2 a bottle of Mountain Dew).  OK, maybe this particular lesson is more personal to me--but if you want to expand it to be more inclusive, I could re-phrase it: Know your body, and understand how to fuel and regulate yourself effectively.  This experience became the hike that made me carefully consider what food and drinks I would consume, not just during the hike, but also before and after. We decided to slow our pace down a little bit at that point, and soon I was feeling much better.  We enjoyed the slightly meandering path the trail took toward the top of the Noonmark shoulder--it wandered back and forth through a beautiful pine glen for a bit, and was, shockingly, a sort of switchback-style design (which, for the Adirondacks, is pretty much unheard of).  We were feeling good--the weather was incredible blue skies, we were making good elevation gains, and pretty soon, we reached the open, rocky summit of Bear Den Mountain, where we caught our first views of the day.  To the west was the Great Range, and to the east, the Dixes.  Truly breathtaking.  We stopped to take it all in and take some photos before continuing.  (If we had been paying closer attention, we might have taken note of the bits of snow still visible on some of the Great Range...remember Lesson #1?) Pretty soon, we continued our climb up Dial.  Just as we were about to start the ascent, we ran into a couple coming down from the direction we were headed.  They seemed slightly frazzled and almost immediately asked us, “Do you guys have crampons?”  Ryley and I sort of looked at each other and told them that we had our microspikes in our packs.  The couple, at this point, told us they didn’t think we should continue without proper crampons or snowshoes, that they themselves had just tried to go up with only microspikes.  (Up until this point, there wasn’t even a hint of snow or ice on the trail we were on, so Ryley and I must have been looking at them like they were nuts...)  We thanked them very much for the warning, but said we were going to try our luck and see how it went. Almost as soon as we parted ways, we encountered the snow and ice the couple had been warning us about.  It wasn’t very deep yet, nor was it covering the entire trail.  However, we did stop to put our microspikes on, and immediately felt very confident about continuing.  We kept saying to each other that those other two hikers must not have much or any winter hiking experience, or just didn’t feel confident in their skills.  (Our skills, on the other hand, were OH, SO well-developed, what with a total of two winter ascents under our belts...! Ha!)  We kept moving and all was going well.  Only one little thing was bothering me slightly at this point...the call of nature.  (Hey, I had overcaffeinated, remember?  Another unfortunate side effect of that decision was now coming back to haunt me...)  I mentioned this to Ryley and he said we could stop for a few minutes to take care of business.  I started looking around for a good place to go...but suddenly, everywhere I looked there was snow and ice.  I decided I just didn’t want to deal with digging a cathole through the snow and ice at the moment, and told Ryley it wasn’t urgent, I could wait until we could find a spot with a break in the snow cover. Lesson #4:  When nature calls, just answer the call. As I soon learned, there may or may not always be a better spot or opportunity to go.  As we continued, I kept my eyes open for a good spot.  To my dismay, the snow and ice cover was only getting deeper and more prevalent with every step we took.  Oh well, I thought, it’s still not THAT urgent...but the truth was, I was not very comfortable and it was just one more thing making the hike challenging. By the time we reached the summit of Dial, it was getting close to lunchtime and Ryley began to eat his sandwich and drink a summit beer.  When he asked me why I wasn’t eating or drinking anything, I reminded him of that call of nature I had never answered earlier...it was still not a very big deal, but there was no way I was going to push it by drinking a beer at this point! The views from Dial were great, almost as great as from Bear Den.  I actually prefer the Bear Den view somewhat, since from that open summit, you can see the mountains on either side of the ridge.  On top of Dial, you can only see the Great Range off to the west. Soon enough, it was time to continue on to Nippletop.  We just had to get through the two or three “bumps” described in the guide book.  I could tell my energy levels were suffering a bit--at least, they didn’t match Ryley’s--since I hadn’t had much of a snack at the Dial summit.  But I popped a few energy gummies and it got me through it.  (Remember Lesson #3:  Know your body.)  It took a while, but we eventually made it over all the bumps and reached the junction with the Elk Pass trail.  At this point, the snow and ice was ever-present, and the trail itself was becoming a somewhat mushy snow-spine.  At the junction, we encountered a group of hikers who had come up from Elk Pass.  Since we were planning to descend that way and make a loop out of our hike, I asked them how the conditions were. Lesson #5:  Always try to get some beta from fellow hikers--and actually use it. Their response was that Elk Pass was, and I quote, “A luge track.”

Let me repeat that: A...LUGE...TRACK... Hmmm...that, combined with their expressions and attitudes, didn’t sound too good to us.  But, what the hell, we figured, those other hikers who had warned us on our way up Dial about the snow had been wrong, maybe these guys were also just exaggerating.  We mentally shrugged and figured we’d just have to wait and see on our way down.  We still had our sights and minds set on the Nippletop summit at that point, and so, we didn’t give that much thought to the descent in that moment. From the Elk Pass junction, we gained the Nippletop summit quite quickly and easily, and, finally, I decided that it was definitely past time for my lunch and summit beer.  We sat on the rocks facing west, admiring the dizzying views of Colvin and Blake, seemingly far below us, and the Great Range beyond that.  You’re right up on a ledge on that summit, so it really does feel like you’re staring down into this steep abyss, a sheer drop of the mountain face blanketed by pines.  It’s a little intimidating, but mostly, it’s magical.  You’re literally above it all--even the birds flitting from treetop to treetop seem far below you.  The treetops themselves seem like a fuzzy carpet.  Whenever I’m in a place like that, I always think of the title of a William Eggleston photography book, “The Democratic Forest” (I’d first made the association when visiting Yosemite).  Everything--the whole world--seems to become equalized by the sheer scale, the sheer vastness of everything before your eyes.  It’s truly transcendental. After spending some time enjoying the view and our lunch, we decided it was finally time to head down.  (Again, if we had been paying more attention/if we hadn’t been so blown away by those amazing views, we might have taken the big mud puddle near the Nippletop summit as a symbol of what was to come...)  We quickly reached the junction with the Elk Pass trail.  As we glanced down, we took note that it was pretty snowy and icy, but it still seemed pretty do-able, from where we were standing.  Ryley did remind me that those hikers had called the trail “a luge track,” and suggested that maybe we should just go back the way we’d come.  I stubbornly refused, however, citing that 1) we’d have to re-do all those bumps, 2) those other hikers we’d met on Dial had been wrong about the snow, maybe these guys were exaggerating too, and 3) we could always start down a little ways and come back up if it seemed really dicey.  (Remember, Lesson #5:  Get beta--AND HEED THE WARNINGS.)  Ryley, although somewhat reluctant, ultimately agreed, and off we went. Well.  To this day, I cannot think of a better descriptor for that trail than the one the other hikers had used--the Elk Pass trail was A LUGE TRACK.  The trail was very steep, and literally a sheet of ice, that, in some spots, was covered in a melting, mushy snow that was only making each step that much more treacherous (the mushy snow could slide out from under your feet at any time).  We must have descended maybe 100 feet before we realized, this was not a good decision, and it would probably be better to go back the other way.  But, as we turned back and looked back the way we had come, to climb back up even 100 feet or so of that icy trail seemed incredibly daunting. Lesson #6:  Trust your instincts.  A little struggle now is worth it to save yourself a LOT of struggle later! Feeling a bit intimidated, we decided to just keep going down.  We slowed to a crawl.  It truly felt like even the slightest misstep could mean certain death.  One wrong move, I thought, and we could go sliding down this steep mountain, right off the trail, cracking a skull on a tree below (our friend’s dad had once slid down an icy Adirondack trail in the winter and knocked himself unconscious for a few minutes...the story seemed to reverberate in my skull the entire descent).  I have literally never been more grateful for the investment I’d made in my hiking poles--to this day, I firmly believe they paid for themselves in that one afternoon.  Ryley was kicking himself for deciding to leave his ice axe in the car, back at the trailhead, that day. (Lesson #7: bring the extra gear.  Better to have it and not need it, than to NOT have it and NEED it.) Every step of the way was like a negotiation: carefully examine the terrain for a good foothold, test the spot you’re eyeing with a hiking pole and/or your foot, carefully plant your foot firmly to make sure you have traction with your microspikes, find your balance...repeat, repeat, repeat...for two miles we went through this.  Never once, until we reached the valley floor, did that trail get any easier. By the time we reached the valley, our spirits were broken.  I mean, we were literally changed people by this time.  The breathless, magical feeling of the Nippletop summit was replaced by a deep despair, our mental resilience was almost nil.  And we still had a six-mile hike back to the car (I had been convinced it was only three miles back to the car, until we reached a sign at the bottom of Elk Pass that broke my heart, informing me it was three to gain the Lake Road, and three more once on the Lake Road). Well, at least it would be mostly flat from here, we thought.  What we failed to take into account was that, precisely because it was flat, this part of the trail would be muddy.  Like, that black, boot-suckin’ type of Adirondack mud, the kind that has incredible suction and can make it easy to pull your foot right out of your boot just for trying to take a step (technically, no, that didn’t happen, but we came close a couple of times).  The kind that can make you slip and fall onto your butt and get mud all over your lower half (yes, that did happen).  The kind that can make your friend tell you, for the first time in several years of friendship, to “shut up” just for asking if they’re OK (yes, that happened, too--I decided, at that point, that speaking was strictly unnecessary for the next few miles, until we reached the significantly drier Lake Road...). Muddy and exhausted, both mentally and physically, we finally reached...the Lake Road.  Another three miles to go...  I was feeling all right, all things considered, by this point, feeling reassured by the sight of the road, knowing it was fairly smooth and flat and also, dry.  I began to pick up my pace, but I soon realized that Ryley was not keeping up.  I dropped back for a bit and hesitantly asked if he was all right, and got some sort of minimal response about how he was tired and this was the pace he could manage.  I tried to stay with him at this slower pace, really I did, but after a while, I just couldn’t take it.  I was eager to get back and it felt like moving this slowly was only exacerbating how tired and sore I was feeling--better to get it done quickly, like ripping off a band-aid, I thought.  Eventually, I started walking at a bit faster pace, and would stop and wait for a few minutes for Ryley to catch up before continuing.  I know I probably shouldn’t have done this, a good hiking partner would stay together, but since speaking was also still seemingly off the table at this point, I was feeling some “mountain madness” setting in and started whistling and humming to myself to pass the time.  I figured it’d be kinder to spare Ryley my off-key musical medley that featured tunes as varied as Gogol Bordello, Rancid, and The Allman Brothers Band (here, I’m confident, was my first good decision of that afternoon...). (Lesson #8:  Respect your hiking partner’s/partners’ limits, both mental and physical.) Finally...FINALLY...around 6 or 7pm, we made it out of the woods and reached the car.  Only one problem we still faced?  The 5+ hour drive home to NJ/Long Island.  After the day we’d just had, the greatest physical and mental endurance test we’d experienced to date in the Adirondacks, we faced this final insult of having to bang out a 5-hour drive home.  We debated whether we should hit the Noonmark Diner for some coffee, food, and also to use their bathroom (remember that earlier lesson about the call of nature...yeah, I still hadn’t answered it), but rather than backtrack even the 10-15 minutes it would take us to get to the diner, we decided to say “F*** it,” and just hit the Northway and headed home. Lesson #9:  Never try to bag some High Peaks the same day you have to drive 5 hours to get home. All in all, this is still one of among the best and most memorable hikes in the Adirondacks I’ve done.  I don’t use either term in the traditional sense, but this hike, to me, was an invaluable learning experience.  It’s often important to learn what NOT to do, just as much as what to do. A few final lessons: Lesson #10:  Learn from your mistakes. Lesson #11:  Learn to laugh at yourself and your mistakes. Lesson #12:  Mistakes always make the greatest stories in retrospect (as long as no one was gravely injured or killed). *I say “sorta” because, ultimately, we were, actually, fine by the end of the hike. Post-Script:  For what it’s worth, I still to this day often struggle to remember some of these lessons.  Unfortunately, I’ve repeated some of these same mistakes since that day (notably, not listening to my partner’s suggestions about backtracking the same way we’d come up the mountain, and not trying to bag high peaks the same day we have to do a long drive home).  Still, I like to think I’m a stronger, better hiker overall because of Dial and Nippletop.