#although ''saw'' is.. somewhat relative since i could actually see them only about half of the time LMAO

[innerchorus]

Okay I'm suddenly having Farangis brainrot and consequently have like, a bucketload of questions. Hear me out.

Was Farangis native to Khuzestan? Was she born elsewhere, sent to a temple from that region, only to be transferred to the temple in Khuzestan or was she from Khuzestan to begin with? I realize this is somewhat of a stupid line of question but whatever! My brain can't help it! I wonder how young she was when her parents died and she was sent to the temple, fairly young? 8-9-ish? Even younger? In her teens? I'm just now pondering in amusement how she ended up on the opposite end of Pars from her homeland— southwest to northeast. Also I planned to have her join the clan around the same time Ranna does: aka when she's about like, 13 and they 7 or so, and have them bond with each other as they get accustomed to their new home, but maybe I should move it up a little, but gah I've gotten so fond of the idea!

I'm not sure there are confirmed answers to many of these questions but let's have look at what the novels say! (These are exactly the sorts of things I wonder about too, so I'm more than happy to look into them.)

I don't recall seeing any direct reference to where Farangis was born. It could have been in the region of Khuzestan, or it could simply be that the cultural importance of the temple at the time was what led to her being sent there. It does seem that she was sent there to be raised immediately after her mother's death, though (her father died earlier, leaving her mother more or less a fortune, half of which her mother instructed to be donated to the temple after her death, while the other half was left for Farangis herself). Her mother asked that the temple support her daughter, presumably because there were no other relatives capable of providing for her, or perhaps because she saw being raised in the temple and becoming a priestess as the choice that provided the best future for her daughter.

The temple of Mithra in Khuzestan was built as a donation to mark the birth of Prince Arslan (ordered by Andragoras himself). Arslan was born in 306, at which time Farangis was around 8. So that's the youngest she could have been when she was sent there, and I do tend to think it was likely to be around that age that her life at the temple began.

This seems like a good place to talk about Khuzestan itself, since I mentioned that geographically it doesn't match up with the real life location. It is an area located east of Ecbatana, west of Peshawar Fortress and just north of the Nimruz Mountains. (That's not super specific, but the comment about the Nimruz range helps the most, especially because that's included on the map from the guide that covers up to Book 10)

(annotated map courtesy of the first fan translation)

As well as being just slightly above just above the Nimruz mountains, if Khuzestan is more or less mid-way between Ecbatana and Peshawar that would make it very close to Soleimaniye's location on the Continental Road.

The Chinese version describes Khuzestan as a 'small town' (小镇) but when checking the Japanese the novel is actually talking about the Khuzestan region (地方) which makes more sense.

Now for a little cypress diversion; we were talking about cypresses being planted around temples in ancient Iran, and although I didn't see a mention of it for the temple of Mithra in Khuzestan, the temple of Ashi in the Oxus region is surrounded by them, so that appears to be a thing in Parsian culture too. (Although this is a female-only temple dedicated to a different god, there's a little more detail of temple life in that section which probably applies to other temples like the one in Khuzestan too, so it's a good section to look at for inspiration for that.)

And also, since I may as well add it to this post after I think I forgot to mention it in comments yesterday, concerning the novel's use of the term magpat for a Parsian high priest, it hasn't come up in manga canon presumably because the time it crops up in the novels is when one of these high-ranking priests betrays Tahamenay's location to Hilmes, when in the manga Arakawa changed it to Husrab. In looking at that scene in the novels again I did see Tanaka gave us a brief description of what that priest was wearing; robes of 'gaudy gold and purple'.

Anyway, I think your proposed timeline for Farangis meeting Ranna in your AU would work! Perhaps the jinn told her to travel that way?

[elifalvey]

Elijah had been elbows deep in paperwork when he heard the front doors of the studio open, although he wouldn't have expected it to be Aslihan who strolled on through. Nearly a month passed since they last saw one another, when coincidence both led them to the Blue Wolf and desire to be close again led him back home for the night. He left the next evening, after he stalled his departure as much as he possibly could and after that? Text messages had been their only form of communication, few and far between when they had to talk and it just couldn't wait - for occasions like Alex's birthday, or when he saw Atlas' post about his recent engagement on Instagram. Things that he wished he were around for, but had to settle for being half-there because he still felt relatively clueless at that time. Now, he'd been in somewhat of a lighter headspace — comparatively speaking, at least — but he still hadn't gone home. He told himself that he just needed a little more time, which he was all too afraid was a resource that was running thin once he looked up from the desk he sat behind to see her.

Surprise filled his chest, and he matched the warm smile on her lips effortlessly. It was either that, or he'd just stop breathing altogether again, but he felt a bit more composed than he had back during that night at the Blue Wolf. Thank God, because all he wanted to do was close the distance and kiss her and if he'd been any less composed he might have actually done so. Even if he hoped that she wouldn't have minded, they still needed to talk first - about them, and about their baby (which he could stand to say now, so that had to be progress, right?). He shouldn't act like things were normal, like he would have had she come before everything hit the fan. "Aslihan," he said through a breath, dropping the papers in his hands to stand up. He took off the glasses that had been sitting on his nose and dropped those too before he made his way around the table he'd set up at, trying to be a tad mindful of the way his eyes trailed towards what she was wearing. Somehow, she managed to look even more beautiful. "It does, doesn't it? It's . . . it's coming along. Diego and his guys, they've done a wonderful job so far." His smile turned into one of pride. "Actually, I think — y'know, if everything goes to plan, they should be wrapping up by next weekend. They've worked really hard recently." He looked around for a moment, at the building that had very much turned into a labor of love, before he brought his attention back to Asli. Suddenly remembering that this was unexpected, that he had no idea why she was here, he cleared his throat. "Um — sorry, I . . . didn't mean to ramble. What're you doing here? Is everything okay?"

𝙰𝚂𝙻𝙸𝙷𝙰𝙽 𝙵𝙰𝙷𝚁𝙸-𝙱𝙰𝙸𝙻𝙴𝚈 & 𝙴𝙻𝙸𝙹𝙰𝙷 𝙵𝙰𝙻𝚅𝙴𝚈

It's been almost a month since they last spoke. Admittedly, she's been thinking about this for the past few weeks. What they were going to do next, where they will go from here. What's going to happen for when the baby will be here. Of course, Aslihan knows what she wanted and she was hoping to have it. But... That's up to Elijah. However, they needed to talk.

The past few days have been rough, the woman feeling more sick than before. And finally, she arranged an appointment with her doctor. Asli wanted Eli to be there and she was going to bring it up, hoping that he'll ask if he can join. Yet she was bracing herself for if he doesn't. Making her way out of her Jeep, she headed inside the recording studio building. If she remembered the schedule correctly, the crew wouldn't be there at this time, but Eli would be. And the moment she saw him, the curator smiled warmly and her heart beat happily. "You're right: it's definitely better in person than through the pictures," she mused softly. Slowly heading towards him, her eyes scanning his features. It took everything inside her not to automatically wrap her arms around him and hold the man, to kiss him and be as close to him as possible. "It looks incredible, El. Truly."

CLOSED STARTER: eli's recording studio, downtown ; march 20th, 2023 || @elifalvey

[jimblejamblewritings]

yes, i’m a squib | part 8.

Summary: Y/N Black has always been a squib, to the dismay of her pureblood family. Cast out to the orphanage at a young age, she thought that was her life. Until her relative Sirius Black breaks out of Azkaban. Suddenly a letter to Hogwarts in thrusted into her hand and Y/N becomes a true part of the magical Wizarding World.

Warnings for the Series: violence, death, light smut, angst, fluff

Pairing: harry potter x black!reader, cedric diggory x black!reader

Word Count: 4.8k

Previous Part | (Series Masterlist)

The Quidditch Cup was not a joyous affair for you but in fact a rather tortuous one. Since February, all of Hogwarts had been on edge when your father broke into the Gryffindor common room. Ron insisted that he was trying to kill him— standing over him with a knife. You didn’t believe it but it wasn’t the best look for your father. At the same time, if he was in a room with Ron then he was in a room with Harry. And clearly, Harry was still very much alive. The Quidditch Cup was supposed to be a time for everyone to try and forget the madness, the excitement of the final match of a season. You supposed it would have been exciting if it wasn’t for the fact that the two houses that made it to the finals were Gryffindor and Slytherin.

No matter who won, you would have people you cared for that would be deeply disappointed. Draco frowned when he saw you in a red sweater— you borrowed Ron’s— but was pleased to see you in the jewelry set he and his mother got you as your Slytherin representation. You chose to sit next to Cedric, in a throng of other Hufflepuffs in order to seem less biased. It was working until Neville found you in the second half and quickly, Ron, Hermione, Dean, Ginny, and Seamus followed. It became a Gryffindor meeting once again. You gave up and cheered for Gryffindor. Although, you still applauded now and then whenever Slytherin managed to get the Quaffle into a goalpost. The game was only made more stressful by the fact that both teams seemed not to care about the fouls they were accumulating as long as they were beating the others. It was becoming more dangerous by the minute.

You were torn as Harry suddenly caught the snitch. This was the first time that Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup since Ron’s oldest brother went to Hogwarts. You wanted to celebrate with them. But your cousin also just lost arguably the most important game of his life. You decided to give Harry a thumbs up— that he returned— and ran to your cousin. You linked your arm in the crook of your cousin’s elbow.

“Come on, let’s sneak out to Hogsmeade while the teachers will be too distracted to notice I’m leaving.”

You still hadn’t got your permission slip signed. With your father somewhat around, you didn’t want it signed unless it was from him. You’d even settle for Professor Lupin as your godfather before Mr. Stapius. But really, you just wanted your dad to sign something. Draco gave you a smile and the two of you practically ran from the quidditch field.

“How are you paying for this?” Draco asked when you pulled out your purse before he could hand the waitress his money.

She took it and set down your food in front of you.

“Dad,” you said, simply.

“Uncle Sirius is rich?”

“Uncle?”

Draco shrugged. “He’s your father isn’t he, that’s what you said. I should try to treat him like family… why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because, Draco, somewhere deep down in there you do actually have a heart.”

He rolled his eyes. Lunch with you made him forget entirely about losing the Quidditch Cup. Because you paid for lunch, Draco insisted on paying for the sweets at Honeydukes. Like the two of you always seemed to do with sweets, you split a cauldron cake. You ate and laughed as you walked back into campus. Draco suddenly stopped and you turned from him to see Professor Lupin in front of you.

“Others would consider this aiding and abetting, Mr. Malfoy.”

Your cousin scrambled away from you. You held up the rest of your cauldron cake which only earned you a look from Lupin.

“Leaving campus when you don’t have a permission slip signed is punishable. I should give you detention and take points from your house.”  

“Oh, come on Uncle Remus, it’s only Hogsmeade.”

“I’ll forget the detention. If you trade me those licorice wands.”

You easily coughed them up. You began to run off, not even caring that Remus took forty points from Hufflepuff. After the Hogsmeade debacle, you stayed out of trouble for the rest of the year. You only made a few more illegal trips to Hogsmeade with your cousin before deciding to stop all together. Not that there were many trips to Hogsmeade anyway. End of the year exams left everyone stressed. Fifth years were prepping for O.W.L.s— you knew it was bad when even Fred and George began to study. Seventh years were constantly carrying around their books to study for N.E.W.T.s. Every other grade had regular Hogwarts’ exams but students were still freaking out.

You on the other hand were taking it mildly better. You turned in your essay to McGonagall, feeling rather good about it. Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, and History of Magic were all essays as well. They were just timed and in class.  Of course, you finished those without a worry in the world either. Herbology’s essay and practical exam of growing a successful puffapod was a walk in the park. You and Neville walked out of the Herbology room with your heads held high. You only began to shake at the thought of Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms. You began to walk to the dungeons with all the other third years. Then, all of a sudden, the panic set in. Everyone took their seats— you sat with Draco. Snape strolled to the back of the classroom and pulled the lid off of a copper cauldron. He peered inside before abruptly turning to face you. He stuck out a hand.

“Your essay, Ms. Black.”

You handed it in.

“Topic?”

“I wrote about Draught of Living Death, Professor, and the potential potency increase if combined with the Potion for Dreamless Sleep.”

“Very well, Ms. Black. You are dismissed.”

“Wait, what?” The other third years protested.

Snape silenced the entire class. He didn’t offer them any explanation. Instead, he told them to get out their cauldron and begin working on the first spell for exams. As everyone got to work, Snape poured out the tiniest vial of your felix felicis and gave it to you. The rest he bottled up and locked in the separate Potions supply cupboard. The vial was enough to get through Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. You ran to find Cedric who just finished his final exam in Transfiguration. He laughed when you pulled him from his friends.

“Oh, good. You’re still here.”

“I was just about to head to Hogsmeade with the others. Do you want me to get you something?”

“I need your help.”

“For what?”

You held up the vial and Cedric tried to snatch it from you. He inquired nonstop about where you possibly got some liquid luck as you dragged him to the Charms room. You chugged down the vial and knocked on Professor Flitwick’s door. Not even moments later, you felt the potion start to work.

“I’d like to take my exam now, Professor Flitwick. If that’s alright with you?”

“Of course, Ms. Black. You just have to get five out of the seven charms from this year and three from a previous year to be considered passable. Your essay extra credit means you only need, we’ll say two charms from this year and two from a previous.”

Cedric blinked in amazement. The felix felicis really did work. You knew that even with extra credit you probably should have still done four charms from this year and two from last. You started with the charms from the previous year. Reparo was perfectly mastered, and the natural opener to your act. Cedric did as you asked and cast a simple spell towards you that you were able to block with the general counter spell— albeit the block was very messy and bounced off of the chalkboard. When it was time to move on, you pointed your wand at Cedric and casted the Cheering Charm. The boy smiled wide as if it was picture day for school before the smile dropped. It wasn’t long but it was good enough. The same thing happened when you casted the Body Binding Spell— Cedric went stiff for a moment. That moment was all you needed to earn the passable level.

“Well done, Ms. Black. Hard work seems to be all that you need.”

You nodded enthusiastically and raced to find your godfather. You watched the fourth years pile out of Lupin’s room and slipped past them.

“Uncle Remus!” you yelled, not caring that Cedric was still there. “Show me that boggart!”

You gripped your wand with fury. Hesitantly, Remus opened the cabinet. You prepared for the boggart to shift into your Uncle Lucius, bracing for the flash of platinum blonde hair. You paused along with Remus and Cedric. The long blonde hair never appeared. Your biggest fear changed. It was less about you and more about the person that you cared about the most. Instead, you were face to face with Sirius Black. But a Sirius Black with no life behind his eyes, holding a sign with his Azkaban numbers and Dementor’s Kiss written down on it. It felt like the luck was punched out right out of you. Your wand lowered slightly before you raised it again with a shakier hand.

“Riddikulus.”

Sirius gave you the slightest of smiles. “Hi, Poppet.”

Lupin ushered the boggart back into the cabinet. Cedric gave you a hug that you didn’t really return and left to go Hogsmeade. Lupin pulled you to sit on the floor with him. He grabbed two butterbeers and chocolate.

“I was expecting Lucius Malfoy,” he said.

“So was I,” you sheepishly admitted.

“I also wasn’t expecting that well of a performance.”

You held up the vial of felix felicis, a little bit of the golden potion was still there. Lupin grabbed it from you.

“(Y/N)!”

“Before you start, Professor Snape let me brew it and keep it. It’s only for final exams, I swear, just this class and charms,” you rushed out.

“Pro-p-prof— Severus authorized this?”

“It’s just for my exams, Uncle Remus.”

“I’m still not sure how you found out but I very much enjoy you calling me that.”

“I do too, it feels like I’ve got real family.”

Lupin finished his chocolate and you watched the itching begin. He coughed into his elbow twice before taking a long swig of butterbeer to try and balance out the reaction a bit. Lupin looked at the bottle.

“(Y/N), I wasn’t in a position to take care of a baby because of the werewolf thing and I’m still not sure how much better I am now but… if you want to spend summers with me, you don’t have to go back to Mr. Stapius— I’ll say it’s a very run down cottage, though.”

“Uncle Remus, you could live in a shack and I would still stay the entire summer.”

“That’s g—”

Ron came bursting into the room, finding out where you were from Cedric.

“Cornelius Fudge is here! They’re executing Buckbeak at sunset, Hagrid lost the appeal.”

You jumped up to your feet. “They can’t do that! We have to stop them.”

“One step ahead of you, (Y/N).”

As Ron said that, Harry and Hermione emerged from the Invisibility Cloak. Hermione was holding Crookshanks who meowed twice in greeting. Lupin stood up as well.

“Children—”

“Hi, Professor,” the other three said at the same time.

“An execution at sunset is well past a curfew that you still have until the school year is officially over.”

“Uncle Remus, a hippogriff is being falsely accused. This is serious.”

“I— okay,” Remus said exasperated.

He just put his hands on his hips and watched the four of you squeeze together underneath the cloak and shuffle out. The door seemed to close on its own. You all raced through the halls of Hogwarts in attempts to get to Hagrid’s hut as fast as possible. You knocked on Hagrid’s door until the half-giant opened up. Hagrid ushered you all inside quickly, before you were seen. He poured out tea for all of you, sniffling the entire time.

“Are you sure there is nothing we can do?” Harry asked.

“It’s alright, you kids shouldn’t be here. Don’t want you watchin’ an execution.”

“We want to be here to support you, Hagrid,” Hermione said as she grabbed the cream. “It’s n— Ron! It’s Scabbers!”

Crookshanks immediately reacted but Hermione was faster than her cat. She scooped Scabbers up and handed the rat to her friend. Both Ron and Hermione apologized to each other once more for ever arguing about a stupid rat. Hagrid stood up quickly, his jovial expression disappearing immediately.

“They’re comin’. You kids go on an’ hide, now, get out ‘fer they see you.”

You all exited the hut through the back door. Hagrid slammed the door and greeted Dumbledore along with Cornelius Fudge and the executioner just as the four of you hid in the pumpkin patch. You watched with sad eyes as you stared at Buckbeak. Hermione pulled at your arm. The two of you snapped out of it quicker. You both helped throw the Invisibility Cloak all over the four of you. The four of you began to run back towards the castle, stopping when you felt that you were safe enough to watch. You all squeezed each other’s hands as you watched the executioner’s axe come down— closing your eyes before it actually reached the hippogriff.

“Scabbers!” Ron whisper-screamed.

The rat had been going crazy the entire time you guys were watching Buckbeak. He jumped from Ron’s pocket, leading to Ron leaving the security of the Invisibility Cloak to chase after him. Naturally, you, Harry, and Hermione had to follow. You finally found Ron who was now on the ground clutching his rat. Hermione was the first to notice where you all stopped. She frantically patted you and Harry’s arm. You both looked up where she was looking. Ron was right underneath the Whomping Willow.

“Ron! Get up!” Harry yelled.

“Behind you.” Ron pointed.

The three of you turned to look at what he was pointing at. The black dog that you only saw once before was back. Although, it was a lot less friendly looking than before. The dog was growling and started to run. You, Hermione, and Harry ducked but the dog leaped over you as if you weren’t even a factor to it.

“Ron!”

You screamed his name at the same time that Ron was simply screaming. It became a scream fest. Ron was yelling as the dog pulled him down the hole in the tree— Crookshanks following behind. You were yelling for your friend. Harry and Hermione had made the mistake of getting too close to the tree and were now holding onto the Whomping Willow’s branches while screaming for dear life as it tried to shake them off. With the tree distracted, you ran towards it and practically punched the knot at the base of it— remembering where the dog had hit it last time. You ducked momentarily in case it didn’t work but soon Harry and Hermione’s screaming stopped and the tree launched them into the hollow in the trunk. You quickly followed.

The hollow was in fact a tunnel. The tunnel seemed to lead farther and farther down and you realized that you were no longer underneath the Whomping Willow and probably not even on the Hogwarts campus anymore. You tumbled down and crashed into the pile that was Harry and Hermione at the base of the tunnel. The tree of you jumped up and ran to your friend. Ron was clutching his rat in one hand and his leg in the other. Crookshanks huddled in the corner, never taking his eyes off of Scabbers.  

“Ron, are you okay?”

“Harry, it’s a trap. The dog— n-n— he’s an Animagus!”

Ron pointed again and you three looked. Your mouth dropped in shock. Sirius Black was standing in front of you. In an instant, Harry and Hermione pulled out their wands.

“If you want to kill Harry, you’ll have to go through us.”

Your head snapped back and forth between your friend and your father. Your father looked like hell. His hair was kind of matted and hung down limply. His clothes were absolutely tattered. The most prominent thing to you was that he was skinny. But skinny as if the very life was sucked out of him— you came to the unfortunate realization that it must have been from the dementors. Sirius ignored everyone else to look at you for a moment. His face was somewhat unreadable.

“I told you not to come looking for your old man, Poppet.”

You couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious. You couldn’t tell anything really, his emotions weren’t very strong. The three of you looked up as you heard footsteps. Hermione began shouting for whoever was above to help. A door you hadn’t noticed before bursted open— the damaged wood splintering everywhere— and Professor Lupin stepped out. He kept his wand arm raised, eyes flitting between Sirius and you all.

“Where is he, Sirius?” Lupin asked.

“Professor? You’re his friend?” Harry practically shouted.

Hermione gave the man a wicked glare. “Harry, don’t trust him! He must’ve been helping Black sneak into the castle to find you— he’s a werewolf!”

Remus and Sirius both chuckled. “You really are the brightest witch of your age, not entirely correct but close enough.”

“I’ll tell the entire school,” Hermione spoke up.

“Go ahead,” Remus said. “The staff already knows.”

“Dumbledore knows?”

“Yes, now where is he, Sirius?”

The man pointed to Ron. The redhead protested with little real words and lots of spluttering.

“No, not you!” Sirius yelled. “The rat!”

“Scabbers? But Scabbers is ju—”

“Peter Pettigrew!”

“You’re lying,” Harry defended. “You killed him twelve years ago.”

Your dad began to chuckle like a madman. “Oh, I meant to kill little Peter. He got through twelve muggles before I got to him and I thought I did a good job. But he bested me, not tonight though.”

“No! Everyone saw you.”

“Everyone thought they saw him, Harry,” Remus spoke up. “I did too until you showed me the map. That map never lies. If you saw Peter Pettigrew it is because he is very much alive.”

Sirius took a step forward. “You still think that’s just a common house rat? He’s been in your family for how long now, twelve years? Unusual for a life expectancy of only two. He’s missing a toe, isn’t he? Came to you like that. Strange when all they could find of Pettigrew was—”

“A finger,” you whispered.

Hermione shook her head. “All Animagus must register.”

“Wrong again!” Sirius said with what you could mistake as delight. “You really shouldn’t have registered yourself, Poppet. The Ministry let three unregistered Animagi slip by them for their entire education at Hogwarts. Say hello to Mr. Padfoot, one fourth of the creators of the Marauders Map.”

Harry pointed his wand towards Remus. “Moony? Was my dad—”

“Mr. Prongs,” Sirius said before turning angry. “And I’m going to murder Wormtail, the traitor who doesn’t deserve to share our title!”

Lupin stopped Sirius from taking another step. He could see that Hermione and Harry were still hesitant. One wrong move and they lost Peter Pettigrew or got themselves hurt.

“Now, wait a moment, pal.”

Sirius grasped at his friend’s shoulders. “Let’s kill him! Let’s kill him, Remus. You know what he’s done, what he did to Lily and James. Le—”

“Wait just a moment.”

“I’ve done my waiting. Twelve years of it IN AZKABAN!”

Your dad, for the first time ever, was beginning to scare you. You dropped to the floor, clutching your head in your hands. Not many things made you shut down. You wouldn’t have made it very far in life if they did. Not the orphanage, not bullies at Hogwarts when they got bold enough to confront you, not the taunting at being a squib. But you froze in fear because your dad looked so much like Heron Black when he yelled.

He looked so much like your Aunt Bellatrix— he even looked like Lucius who wasn’t technically related to your family at all. That side of the Black family you didn’t like at all. When they got angry, it was like they could destroy the entire world. Sirius looked over. It’s like the world didn’t matter in that moment. He didn’t care that wands were still pointed at him. He broke from Remus’ grasp and moved to crouch down in front of you.

“Poppet, Poppet, I’m sorry. Dad didn’t mean to yell like that. I didn’t mean—”

Snape came bursting in. His wand was pointed, the sneer on his face growing larger at what he thought was his victory.

“Step away from the children, Black.”

“Severus, wait—”

Lupin was cut off as Snape pointed the wand at him instead. In a split second decision, Harry raised his wand at Snape and shouted out ‘Expelliarmus’. The wand and the man attached to it went crashing into a dusty bedpost in the corner of the room.

“How do we know to believe you?” Harry didn’t lower his wand. “How do we this is all real and not convenient coincidence?”

“Ask the cat.”

“Crookshanks?” Hermione asked in frustration. “How can we possibly?”

“You have an Animagus amongst your friends. Isn’t that in McGonagall’s lessons still? Animagus have the basic ability to understand animals.”

You lifted your head. “I don’t need the Animagus to speak to a cat.”

Sirius blinked. “You don’t?”

“I’ve been speaking cat since I was nine… Crookshanks!”

You beckoned the fluffy orange creature over while your father looked up at Lupin who seemed just as surprised to find that out. It wasn’t exactly something you needed to advertise. And after Professor McGonagall’s surprise when you first met at that exact same fact, you quickly realized that not everyone in the world could speak to animals. It was in fact not a normal magical skill to learn. Crookshanks, who had told you once before that you were the only other member he actually liked in the Golden Quartet, rested in your lap as he meowed and purred up a storm.

“Hermione, unless your cat is a liar. Crookshanks has had it out for Pettigrew ever since meeting my dad. He knows a human in an animal body from a real animal.”

With a shaky hand, Ron reached out to hand Scabbers to Sirius. He dropped the rat with a gasp when Scabbers bit him. Lupin began shouting spells with his wand, finally hitting the rat as he tried to squeeze through a hole in the wall. The little house rat turned into a full grown man who was now trapped in the place with the rest of you.

While not many people looked like their Animagus form, Peter Pettigrew was exactly what you would expect if you said human version of a rat. Peter immediately scrambled towards Remus. He clutched onto his friend’s cardigan as he begged the man to save him from Sirius. Your father’s face dropped as anger washed over it. He got up from where he was crouched in front of you to make his way to Peter Pettigrew who was failing at convincing Remus of his lies.

“How dare you, Wormtail. How dare you. I told them last minute to make you the keeper of the Potters’ whereabouts because I knew Voldemort would look for me. You betrayed us all. You intended to from the beginning. You got Lily and James killed, you got Alicia killed, you got me taken away from my daughter. You’re going to pay for that, Wormtail.”

Peter turned to you and Harry.

“You two look just like your parents. Harry, just like your dad. (Y/N), aren’t you—”

Sirius grabbed Peter by the shoulder. “Don’t ever think of speaking to either one of those children. Say another word to my kid and I’ll kill you in my dog form, rip you limb from limb with my teeth. Give me your wand, Remus.”

“Wait!”

Harry yelled and you looked at him. He couldn’t possibly believe Pettigrew?

(Part 9)...

[ish-scribbles]

"They’re prolly going to end up marrying each other"

You and Ushiwaka have been friends ever since you were kids and you both are volleyball players as well. This year, you are a new admission in Shiratorizawa so,,,Ushijima shows you around. Much to the team’s suprise you both seem much more than friends but it's a pity that the only people oblivious to that fact is you two.

Pairing: Ushijima Wakatoshi x Reader

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: Soft Ushiwaka, lolol

"A Girl? You can't be serious!" The whole volleyball team of Shiratorizawa couldn't believe what they just heard.

"Guys, I'm not kidding. A REAL GIRL, REAL CUTE, WAS WALKING AROUND THE CAMPUS WITH USHIJIMA-SAN AND THAT'S NOT ALL. When I was in the cafeteria I SAW HER LEANING ON USHIJIMA' S SHOULDER, AND SHE SEEMED ASLEEP(?) WHILE HE CONTINUED EATING HIS FOOD LIKE IT WAS NOTHING" continues the still shocked Goshiki ''Decent in studies, one of the top volleyball aces in the nation and now a girlfriend, is there anything he can't do?!!'' He mumbles to himself.

When Goshiki told the whole team that Ushijima was roaming around the campus with a girl, it was only natural for the team to be in utter shock, considering the type of reserved guy Ushijima usually is. Even Tendou was unaware about your existence, but the way Goshiki was describing you both made it seem that you both relatively affectionate.

The sound of the gym door opening silenced the current discussion and that's when the whole team Ushijima entering with a girl on his side through the gym doors together.

"Wakatoshi, When you told me it'll only be a small walk around campus, YOU SHOULD'VE MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE GOING TO GIVE ME THE WHOLE TOUR OF YOUR GINORMOUS SCHOOL WHICH I CAN ONLY PRESUME WOULD COVER AN ENTIRE DISTRICT" You complained while facing him and walking backwards on your toes trying to put on the most intimidating face you could to show how seriously frusfrated you were.

"I once again apologize, Y/N, I should've asked you to skip your before-school training for the day. I will surely make up for it later, perhaps...a little detour to the ice-cream shop after school might help?" He offered

"It might" you pouted.

The whole team was stunned watching this scene play in front of their own very eyes. The stoic captain of Shiratorizawa, One of the top 3 aces of the country, was being told off by a girl half a foot smaller than him AND HE WAS ACTUALLY APOLOGIZING? Also not to forget...both of you were also on first name basis? Nothing made sense anymore. After a small pause Tendou was the first to break the silence.

"Oya oya, now lookie at what do we have here? Wakatoshi-kun~ You know it would be real rude of you to not introduce your friend to us, right?"

"Oh but of course, I would like all of you to meet L/N Y/N, she is actually going to join our school through sports scholarship for volleyball itself. She is also my neighbour from back home and the closest thing to a best friend I had, ever since when I was a child" Ushijima replies to which Tendou reacts with an "ouch" and an over exaggerated act of heartbreak with his hand on his chest at the fact that Ushiwaka never openly admited Tendou to be his best friend like this.

To which you laugh "You must be Tendou, right? ‘The Miracle Boy!’ if i remeber correctly" YOU smile "Wakatoshi actually talks a lot about his team and especially you! So don't worry, if we’re talking about how close we are to the spiker boy over here, we're probably at the same level, he just won’t admit it" to which Tendou replies "You know what, I think I kinda ike you, new girl. You’re gonna fit in just fine" to which you flash a cheeky smile and a thumb up what a dork.

Your conversation was cut short when Coach Washijo enters the gym and everyone in the team as well as you gave a respectable bow and an energetic ‘Good Afternoon’ and after acknowledging the greetings the old coach finally notices you.

‘‘Ah yes, you must be Y/N-chan. I've heard great things about you from Wakatoshi-kun, I'm glad that you joined the academy. I look forward to see your performance in the Girl's Team.‘‘

"I am very grateful for the opportunity, Coach" You say while giving a sincere bow.

"Although...the girls team are out for a practice match against Aoba Johsai's Girls Team, so you can practice with the boys today." Then he looks away to face the team "I have to attend a staff meeting today so the team managers will conduct today's practice and write a thorough report. So whomever is found slack off during the practice will recieve extra laps and 200 jump serves as penalty tomorrow morning. As for the match Y/N-chan and Wakatoshi-kun you both can divide the teams as per convenience, that is all for today".

They team was surprised to say the least. Coach never let anyone play against Ushiwaka unless he knew the other person could atleast withstand the power of Ushiwaka's Spike so it wouldn't cause any unintentional injury and from the looks of it you didn't seem to be very immune to that fact since you weren't exactly very muscular or buff. You were even somewhat tiny when compared to the rest of the team and yet Coach Washijo was confident enough to put you against Ushiwaka himself.

You got paired up with Tendou, Semi, Taichi, Goshiki and a few others when you divided teams amongst the players present.

"So Y/N-chan~ What position do you play exactly?" Tendou asked.

"Oh I didn’t tell you guys yet? I’m a Wing Spiker" You reply.

"Oh Really?! Little miss Y/N here spikes?" Tendou teases while making all sorts of gestures indicating how small compared to him you were.

"Cut it out, you idiot" Semi interjected with a slight smack to his head.

"If Ushijima-san has a good opinion about Y/N-san's ability, I wouldn’t doubt her considering how rarely he acknowledges another player’s skills" says Goshiki while internally thinking why can’t he ever get Ushiwaka's approval too.

"Wanna bet who scores the most points, Guess Monster?" You challenge Tendou with an smirk on your face.

"Oh my! Little miss Y/N is so daring~You got yourself a deal!" Tendou said excitedly.

The refree’s whistle blew and the match began. Ushiwaka’s team started with a serve which was recieved by your team and the ball was in the air. Semi recieved the ball and tossed it in the air as a set, but that set turned out to be sloppy because when he and the team were supposed to do warm ups and stretching, they were instead busy talking about you and Ushiwaka. The ball was set a little too high and far away for Tendou to hit and Goshiki was positioned in the back, so everyone expected it to be a lost cause and didn’t run after it, the other team relaxed as well. But then an unexpected tiny figure rushed between Semi and Tendou and jumped almost more than half their height and spiked the ball hard into Ushiwaka’s court, while everyone was still processing what just happened in what just felt like a split second. The refree’s whistle rang, evident of the point you just scored.

" Getting sloppy are we now, Miracle Boy?" You teased to which Tendou replied with his sticking his tongue out ‘’I’m just getting started, don’t get cocky’’ and when no one was noticing a small smile crept up on Ushiwaka’s face while the rest of them were plain frozen in their places still processing how were you able to perfect a shot with a set like that. The set was obviously bad and the chances of hitting it was very low but somehow you managed to fix your placement, jump about 3 feet high and spike the ball with crazy accuracy and with power what can only be assumed second to Ushiwaka himself!! All in just a split second.

During the match, you hit a lot of spikes and so did Tendou but the gap between the number of his spikes and yours just kept getting wider while the score of your team and Ushiwaka’s team was almost tied most of the time, no one had the clear lead the whole match, and no one was ready to back down from the other.

At set point, when you were positioned in the back it was your time to serve and you managed to serve a decent ball which almost scored another point if it wasn’t for their libero’s last minute recieve. The libero passed the ball to their setter, Shirabu who set the ball for Ushiwaka who then spiked the ball aimed at the corner of your court but before the ball hit the ground you whooshed in the last minute and managed to recieve the ball perfectly and then Semi and Tendou were able to score the last point which made your team win the practice match. When the refree whistle indicating your win, all your team mates started walking towards the benches, the managers started passing towels and water bottles but you on the other hand, started to walk towards Ushijima furiously.

‘‘That last shot. You intentionally hit the last spike slow and nearer to me so I can recieve it easily, didn’t you?!‘‘ You spat while slightly panting

‘‘You caught up on that?‘‘ Ushijima said while looking slightly sideways in order to avoid eye contact.

‘‘Why would you do that anyways, you don’t think I’m capable enough to take you head-on big guy?‘‘ You were furious. You might not be as tall and as poised as Ushijima but you weren’t bad either, you practiced a lot to perfect your techniques and when Ushijima deliberately was lazying his game, ofcourse that would make you mad.

Watching this a million thoughts came to the team’s head

Goshiki: This was a SLOWED shot?And that was an EASY recieve? Can they just adopt me already-

Semi: How did she recieve that ball that easily and wait- how would she know, if this was slowed and not a regular shot, how close are they exactly?

Shirabu: Even a spike like that has like a 95% success rate and she’s still not happy?She’s crazy,,,but in a good way I suppose?

Tendou: It’s like watching a little puppy trying to intimidate a Wolf and I bet she doesn’t even realizes it, how cute~

‘‘There’s no point of playing if you keep giving me half-assed shots like that, If you don’t want to practice with me anymore, just say it and I’ll go‘‘

‘‘No no Y/N, you’re getting me all wrong, please give me a chance to explain” Ushijima had genuine worry in his eyes when he said this he had a slight change of pitch in his voice ‘‘It’s true I intentionally slowed down the last spike but that wasn’t because I doubt you, It was because I know you like to give it your all, even in a practice games but the game wasn’t fair in the first place. You had gone through your morning training, then you had to attend school and then a whole tour of the campus, So it was obvious that you were already tired even if you weren’t showing it, I’m sorry but I couldn’t help but notice it when you runs were slower, spikes were less accurate than usual and I just couldn’t bear to see it anymore so I thought that it would help to finish the game early‘‘

It was true, you were already exhausted after all you went through during the day but it never showed on your face and the team didn’t realised it either, Still a phrase resounded in their heads ‘runs were slower and the spikes were less accurate than usual’ What kind of a monster was hidden inside your tiny frame?!

‘‘Listen Wakatoshi, I appreciate your concern but I don’t liked to be babied around like that, You can be upfront about it and I would’ve been mature about it‘‘ you said.

‘‘Then it’s my mistake I assumed you would just chase after me trying to beat me up‘‘ Ushiwaka replied genuinly thinking he was wrong.

‘‘DAMN RIGHT I WOULD HAVE, NEVER DOUBT ME EVER AGAIN OR IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME YOU DO USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI‘‘ You screamed out to which Ushijima replied with an instant ‘’Yes ma’am‘’

‘‘Now that we have sorted that out, after a change of clothes let’s go out and eat some Hayashi Rice‘‘ You spoke to which Ushiwaka replied ‘’Certainly’’.

After the practice you changed into a normal t-shirt and shorts and after reaching the bench just outside the gym you realised that you changed faster than Ushijima, so you decided to sit and wait for him. While you were waiting you felt your calf muscles aching after the whole day of running and jumping,,,and since you already had the disadvantage of being smaller than the rest of the guys you were playing with, you had to run and jump extra.

Ushijima and the rest of the team came out after changing and were walking in your direction at a distance, and while the rest of the team were talking amongst themselves he from afar saw you slightly massaging your sore calfs, he already knew that you today would’ve been a toll on you body.

‘‘Ready to go?‘‘ You ask when Ushijima finally reached you, to which he gave a nod and then he picked up your bag and hung it over his chest to which you said

‘‘Wait what are you doin-’’

‘‘I noticed you still seem to be tired and I still feel guilty about the tour, so it’s the least I can do’’

"Is that so?" You said with a childish look and a cheeky smile on your face ‘"Then you can’t expect me to walk all the way over till we reach the restaurant' you gave him your puppy eyes look and without another word he got on one knee while you walked and stood over him with a stupid "yay" and then wrapped your arms around his neck while nuzzling your face into his broad shoulders with a stupid smile while he got a hold of your legs and finally stood up.

The whole team were frozen at their spots internally cursing both of you on either how single you both made them feel or how oblivious can you be. He then looked towards Tendou and spoke "Tendou, I’ll be a little late than usual, so you can lock the dorm room door if you decide to sleep early, I have my spare key along with me" to which Tendou just said "Oh okay" strangely being less talkative than usual.

After that Ushiwaka just started walking towards the restaurant with you Piggybacking on him like it was nothing while the discussion amongst the team about you two continued.

"They DO realise that THAT is not how people who are 'just friends' act, right?" Goshiki says still shocked.

‘‘I wouldn’t be so sure about that‘‘ Shirabu replied.

‘‘It’s so scary how oblivios Ushijima usually is but in matters like this he couldn’t get any dumber‘‘ Semi continues.

‘‘Who wants to bet against me that they won’t end up together?‘‘ Tendou speaks up with one of his arm in the air and one eye closed while the other looked around to see the people around him.

"Are you kidding, who’s stupid enough to take you up on that bet" Semi replies "Weren’t you here the whole practice? They’re prolly going to end up marrying each other’’.

[malereader-inserts]

To Serve Our King and Queen

Fandom: Game of Thrones Pairing: Daenerys Targeryen x Baratheon!Reader, Sansa Stark x Baratheon!Reader Summary: A story of heart break, love and heart break again. Word Count:  2,407 Request:  Hey can u do a Daenerys x Baratheon reader where he is the son of cersei and Robert the true son. He used to be In love with Sansa but she wanted Joffrey so she break his heart. Reader leaves king’s landing with tyrion and meet Daenerys where both fall In love with each other. Later Sansa sees the reader with dany and Jon when they arrive to the north. Sansa is being disrespectful towards dany and reader put Sansa in her place and tells her to not talk to his WIFE like that ever again please. A/n: I changed it a bit, I wish it was a little bitter but oh well. 

Cersei and Robert were married before he even became king, Tywin had faith that the Baratheon would overrule the Mad King. It was the start of the downfall of their marriage, the sex was lousy, but it got the lioness pregnant. You were a beautiful babe that Cersei had fallen in love with your looks.

You were a year old when your father overthrows the throne and becomes king of the seven kingdoms. You had a somewhat happy childhood, you were spoilt by your father more than your younger brother - Joffery. Whilst your mother somewhat loved you, you knew that she loved her golden crown children more than you, you had a suspicion about your siblings, they look too much of your uncle Jaime than your father, which was known that Baratheon seed was strong.

So, you were more of a father’s boy than your mother’s. At a young age, you were trained hard, went through advisers and teachers - teaching your expanding knowledge, your father demanded that you were to start off young in training to be king, making sure you know how to fight and be a respected knight just like your father. When you were growing up, you were told tales from your uncle Tyrion, who adored you because he could hold an intellectual conversation with you.

As you grew up, often at times you went with your father to go on hunting, even met with your dad’s best friend and his children. You often had playtime with them, being good friends with Robb and Jon, but you were always wanting to be with Sansa, your father laughs that you would marry Sansa when you two were older - Ned would laugh too.

As years gone past, you tried to ignore your father’s debauchery and your mother’s ever growing hatred towards you. You grew up to be a fine young man, despite being the son of two fucked up people, you were a loved prince - charming, caring and a fighter. You were too familiar with your mother’s manipulation that you were just as smart as her in playing games.

Tywin saw your potential to rule. The people will love you, they already do, because you weren’t fake but you knew when to stand your ground. You weren’t going to be pushed around, you knew your worth to that throne and you will be king whether your mother likes it or not. 

You knew what you wanted but sometimes that’s not how it works out.

You wanted Sansa as a bride, when you arrived at Winterfell after so many years later, you saw how beautiful Sansa was. But, you could see how she was ogling on your brother Joffery, you scoffed - he’s not that big of a deal. 

“Sansa be wise, pick (Y/n),” Robb says in their little family circle after being dismissed in greeting the king, “Jon and I know him better than you, and he’s a delight.”

“But, he’s not Joffery.”

Arya snorted, “Of course, you would want a little prat than an actual prince.”

“Joffery is a prince,” Sansa argued, “He’s handsome and I love him.”

“You barely know the boy,” Robb says with concern on his voice, “How do you even know if you love him?”

You tried winning Sansa’s heart, but before you left Winterfell, Sansa had pulled you aside, you had a little bit of hope but you had seen how she was all over your brother and was by his side every opportunity she could get.

You got your heartbroken by her, she was honest and you were thankful for that, but it hurt your heart. Sure, the two of you were still young, feelings can change like the wind and nothing is certain in the future. 

When you arrived home, you talked to your dad about it and for once, he got serious - talking about that even if you were rejected you should always try to pursue her. He then laughed it off saying Baratheon men don’t have much luck with Stark ladies, but you could see in the pain in his father’s eyes as he remembers Lyanna Stark. 

When your father died there were talks about who will inherit the throne, Cersei was quick on her game to get Joffery on the throne, you were livid. There was a screaming match between you and your mother in front of the small council before venomously bidding her hell. It was Varys, who started to tell you to leave because there were talks of your mother that she was going to hire people to kill you. 

You couldn’t risk that, so you took a route down to the deepest part of Kings landing, keeping yourself out of sight, picking up a stray sword that caught your eye.

That’s your story really.

Anyone back home would believe that you were killed or dead, and suffered in the rule of Joffery Baratheon. People called your the lost prince of hope, their last strand of hope.

Tyrion did not expect to see you alive and by Daenarys side when he entered Esso, running away with the potential of execution on his head. When he saw you, it had been a few years that had past, you were a lot different. 

Your hair was longer, you had grown more muscle mass, must of because you trained with Greyworm. You stood up straighter as if you had a purpose, but you looked happier. What your uncle did not expect was to look at the silver haired woman with such love.

It was a familiar look that he had seen, it was the same look you used to stare at Sansa with. But, to Tyrion’s surprised the look with returned. When you weren’t paying attention or was looking away, Daenerys would give you the same look of love. Tyrion asked Barristan, who laughs and nods.

“Those two? In love like any other teenagers!” He laughs, shaking his head, “They’re betrothed to each other, looking for the perfect time to marry. Daenerys has explicitly said that she wanted no one by her side when she becomes Queen, but learning Ser (Y/n) story, she realised that the two of them have the biggest claim to the throne, rightfully, and on the way, she fell in love with him as did he.”

“Of course,” Tyrion nodded, “I would have liked to see my nephew rule the seven kingdoms, at least he has the birthright unlike Joffery and his siblings.”

“Bastards?” Ser Barristan asked as Tyrion nodded, “Well, that explains the blond hair.”

“I know for the fact that (Y/n) would rule with a good heart, he was trained and he has compassion, he fought any manipulation and lies that were fed to him.”

“Yes,” the knight nods, “I wonder what the people of Westeros would think when they find out a Baratheon could ride a dragon.”

As months past, years past on, Tyrion watched his nephew enjoy his life fighting for what is rightfully his alongside his wife, who loves him as much as he did. There was no one better to rule the Realms other than two great leaders. Tyrion watched how Daenerys freed slaves and took control, Tyrion remembers how you were as a prince. 

“Was there someone you loved before me?” Daenerys asked once, it was on the sail back to Westeros, she could see how excited you were to return home.

You looked at her, “I did, once,” You say, remembering how Dany had disclosed her lovers to you before, “She was fiery, but unlikely you who is made of fire and blood, it was her striking red hair - her name was Sansa Stark.”

“Is she-?”

“My uncle has told me before he had fled that she was alive, but I have no idea where she is now or if she is alive. I’m sure she turned to be a fine young lady.”

Dany raised an eyebrow, “Do tell more.”

“Well, as you know I am of Lannister blood.”

“I am aware,” Dany says distastefully, cringing that you were of blood of the man who murdered her father and you were the son of the man who killed her brother.

“She was more in love with my brother, Joffery. Half-brother because I had my suspicion that he wasn’t of Baratheon blood. You could say he’s pure, like you.”

Dany nods, knowing what you mean, after all, she is in a long line of keeping her blood pure as her relatives were all related one way or another. She hates to think the fact if she were to marry her narcissistic brother, Viserys, whilst both of you acknowledge that you two were distantly related - it was a fact that she was willing to ignore. 

“He was a cunt,” You laughed whilst your wife giggles next to you in bed, “Spoilt and full of himself, I don’t want to imagine what his rule was like, but stories from my uncle it seems to appear as hell.”

“And she picked him over you?” Daenerys asked, raising an eyebrow, “Well, her loss, I think I have a great man before me. A true king.” 

You chuckle, smiling at her lovingly, kissing her forehead, “Shall we sleep, my love?”

“No,” She pouts as you can’t help but find it adorable, “I think you should tell me tales of Westeros, after all, it’s more of your home than it is of mine.”

You weren’t expecting to return to Winterfell, but, it demanded it’s independence, which you thought was outrageous - really. You were reunited with Jon, who greets you with a smile, a joke and good hug - it has been a while since you’ve seen your best friend, glad to see him alive.

You thought that you were going to take over Kings landing, but having to take a detour route to Winterfell to battle in a war of the undead. Although, you get to see your mother before going to the North.

You relish the sight to see her and your uncle Jaime astonished that you were alive and knowing you were going back to claim for the throne. Cersei did not miss how your eyes darken and the glimmer of your sword.

“Mother.”

“Son.”

It was the only interaction you had with her, she refused to come to talk to you, you weren’t surprised - you lacked a mother’s love as you grew up. But, Jaime tried his best to get you to talk to him. You shook off his advances before turning to Jon and Daenerys.

You were surprised to see Sansa, as she was with you. Arya had noticed how she was staring.

“You’re staring, do you have regrets?”

Sansa cleared her throat and stood up straight, “No, he’s just grown.”

“So, have you, perhaps you have a chance at wooing him,” Arya hums looking over to you, talking to Jon with Daenerys by your side, “I can’t deny that he is very handsome.”

You barely got to talk to Sansa when everyone was preparing to war, luckily that your group of people survived the war. But, Missandei was down in the tombs with Sansa and Tyrion where she had heard that Sansa was disrespecting your wife.

Missandei was going to tell her Queen, but rather think other when she sees you walking towards her with a smile - she knew that you were better to handle it. She saw how your jaw locked, no one was going to disrespect your wife.

“Thank you, Missandei, please be with Dany, I’ll sort her out.”

You went to Jon first, who was confused at his cousin after you and Dany told him that he was actually the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna. Jon had his whole heart to support you and Dany’s plan to rule the seven kingdoms, agreeing that despite Winterfell wanting independence, they would struggle.

Sansa was trying to find the right ways to talk to you, perhaps try and mend the relationship. But, when you were looking at her as you stride towards her - she thinks differently. 

Tyrion was in the room, trailing behind you as well as Varys. Jon followed closely behind whilst Arya looked confused, looking at her sister. 

“How dare you disrespect your Queen!” 

No greetings, no smile upon your face, fury on your expression and for once in her life, Sansa no longer recognise the sweet boy from many years ago.

“You should owe her your life after she came to rescue your home! She brought dragons and not once has she spoken about the clear disrespect that you and your people wore. She is not mad like her father at all.”

Tyrion, Varys, Jon and many other people could agree to that, Daenerys was nothing like her father and it was mostly because of you. You were her constant grounding, bringing her to reality and knowing that you will always be by her side. 

“She’s not my Queen!” Sansa snaps back, gritting her teeth, “I don’t think she should be if anything if someone was to take the throne it should be you! It’s been rightfully yours since your father died.”

“It is my throne,” You sneered as Sansa stops upon hearing your words, “You’re not only disrespecting your queen, you are disrespecting my wife.”

Wife.

Her hearts shatter, she wonders is that how you felt when she had rejected you. Your eyes were cold, your stance was stiff and the lost Valyrian sword matches it’s current owner - you. It reflected who you were, shiny and attractive, but can cut so deeply - it was hard to recover from it’s inflicted wounds.

“You shall never bad mouth the throne, you hear me?” You pressed on, your tone turning stern that she reluctantly nods, “Don’t test me, Stark.” 

With that, you turn on your heel and leave the room, leaving the occupants confused and somewhat terrified. 

“Well...” Arya breaks the silence, “Sansa?”

Her heart was broken, she thought this time she could find love. She was never Joffery’s, she refuses to be claimed by Ramsey and she lost Theon. But, she could not let a man ruin her thoughts, putting up a wall as she looks away from where you last were.

“I believe we all have a meeting on how we will accompany our King and Queen to the throne.”

She dreads to see you because she knows when she arrives - you will look at Daenerys with love and it’ll be returned. 

[kanerallels]

for your 111 celebration - star wars, kanera, karaoke??? :D

It would be my pleasure!!!

Pairing: Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla

Word Count: TBD, I'm currently on mobile with no way of checking

Tags/Warning: rated G (for good grief, Kanan you drama queen). The only objectional thing is the fact that Ezra is presented as Kanan's biological son with very little explanation. TW for alcohol

The first time Hera Syndulla saw Kanan Jarrus after Gorse was nothing like what she’d expected.

She was in a cantina on Mykapo, waiting for Sabine to return from her mission-- the Mandalorian girl was picking up intel from one of their contacts who lived there, and Hera was watching her back from a distance. It was a good learning experience for the teenager, and she had Chopper with her. Hera was more than happy to sit in the bar waiting for her crew’s return-- and treat herself to a drink while she was at it.

Settled at one of the stools, Hera waited patiently for the bartender to come serve her. As she did so, her gaze wandered around the room. It was the standard cantina, containing quite a motley crew of beings, although not as many as there would be after the average work day. Then it would be filled to the brim with them. In the back of the room was a stage and a karaoke machine, currently being used by a very drunk, very tone deaf Quarren.

She wasn’t sure what made her glance to her side-- perhaps a slight rustle of sound, or the sudden sensation that someone was close by. But she did, and was startled to meet the bright blue eyes of a boy, who couldn’t have been much older than twelve.

“Hi,” he said, giving her a grin. “I’m Ezra. What’s your name?”

“...hi,” Hera responded, caught somewhat off guard. Regaining her equilibrium, she offered him her hand. “I’m Hera. It’s nice to meet you, Ezra.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Ezra said, shaking her hand solemnly.

Curiosity flickering through her, Hera asked, “So, Ezra, what brings you to this bar? I’m… pretty sure kids aren’t allowed in here-- no offense.”

“None taken-- they’re not,” Ezra said with a shrug. “But the owner makes an exception for me, cause I’m awesome. Also, my dad works here.”

“Your dad, huh?” Hera gave the kid a once-over, taking in his scruffy blue-black hair and relatively clean orange jumpsuit. Nothing that would signify he was telling the truth-- but then, there was very little that would point to the opposite. “And where is your dad right now?”

Seeming unconcerned by her questions, Ezra craned his neck, looking around as the Quarren on stage stumbled off to several boos from the crowd. “Huh. Could have sworn he was-- ah-ha!! There he is!”

Ezra pointed, and Hera followed his hand to the karaoke stage, where a new song was starting on the machine. Standing next to it, holding the microphone, was a tall, familiar figure she hadn't thought she'd ever see again.

Kanan Jarrus sent her a crooked grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he lifted the microphone and said, “I'd like to dedicate this song to a special someone out there sitting at the bar next to my kid, the drop dead gorgeous Twi'lek woman. You know who you are.”

“Because you just told everyone,” Hera pointed out in exasperation, but Kanan didn't seem to be listening-- nor did the crowd, all of whom seemed deeply invested. Grinning widely, he started to sing, his voice a deep, rich baritone:

“I musta been through about a million girls,

I love em and I leave em alone

I didn’t care how much they cried, no sir,

Their tears left me cold as a stone.

But then I fooled around and fell in love,

I fooled and fell in love…”

Hera had to give it to him-- he had a good voice, better than she’d expected. Catching her eye, Kanan shot her a wink, and Hera dropped her head into her hands in exasperation. “So, he hasn’t changed at all,” she observed to herself.

“Wait, do you know Kanan?” Ezra asked, sounding delighted. “That’s awesome! How do you know him?”

“We met about five years ago,” Hera told him, pointedly avoiding Kanan’s gaze. “On Gorse. He was--”

“Wait, you’re the Gorse lady?” Ezra gasped, his eyes going wide. “No WAY. Kanan mentioned you a couple times.”

“Did he,” Hera said, raising an eyebrow. “Please, tell me exactly what he said.” She wasn’t exactly sure why Kanan would be talking about her with this kid-- his son? The ages didn’t exactly match up-- but she was definitely curious as to how it had come up.

Ezra frowned thoughtfully. “Let’s see-- I remember! He told me you were the best pilot he’d ever met, and that you were kinda crazy but also really smart and good at what you did-- but most importantly, he said that he'd trust you to watch his back.”

“What?” Hera said, taken aback. She'd expected parts of what Ezra said, and was even secretly pleased about the pilot part. But to know that she had Kanan's trust? That struck a different chord for Hera.

“I know,” Ezra said, nodding gravely. “It surprised me, too. Kanan doesn't really trust people. I mean, I've seen him trust people before, but it's been a really long time. So when I heard that he trusted you, I knew you had to be special to him.”

“I don't think that's quite true,” Hera said, mildly embarrassed. “Kanan and I-- well, we only knew each other for a little while. I don’t think he could have learned to trust me that much in that little time.” But even as she spoke, she remembered on the Forager, the moment when the ship was coming to pieces around them and Kanan had used the Force to save her. He’d showed her his deepest secret in that moment, a secret that could easily have him killed. But he’d trusted her with it. Maybe Ezra is on to something.

Shrugging, Ezra said, “Maybe, but I think he sees something special about you. Or hears-- he also mentioned your voice.”

As Hera turned that over in her mind, Kanan's song ended. The entire cantina burst into applause, and Hera couldn't resist an eye roll at his antics as he gave the crowd a wave and a bow. Strolling off of the stage, Kanan moved behind the bar and towards where Hera was sitting.

As he approached, Hera lifted an eyebrow at him. “Very impressive,” she said dryly. “Who would have thought you could sing?”

“I live to please,” Kanan said, leaning against the bar and grinning at her. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Hera said. “I do have one issue with the whole performance, however. Did it occur to you that I might be trying to keep a low profile, and wouldn’t want the entire bar staring at me?”

“Trust me, most of them are so drunk they won’t remember our names, faces or what song I chose,” Kanan assured her. “I wouldn’t dream of messing with whatever you’re up to now. We all remember how that went last time.”

“I didn’t think it went that badly,” Hera said, and Kanan’s grin widened.

“Oh, really?”

Giving him a look, Hera said, “The mission. I completed my objective, after all.”

“I suppose you did, Captain.” Straightening up, Kanan asked, “So, what can I get you?”

“Something non-alcoholic,” Hera said. “I’m here on business.”

“I’ve got the perfect thing. So, business, eh?” Kanan made a face as he opened the mini fridge behind him and pulled out a bottle of juice. “That never means anything good.”

“I thought you wanted to avoid that sort of thing,” Hera pointed out.

“Good point,” Kanan said, handing her a glass full of the juice. Hera took a sip and was pleasantly surprised at the familiar tangy taste of meiloorun, combined with something a little sweeter. As she took another sip, Kanan turned to Ezra. “And kid, what are you doing out here? We’ve talked about this.”

“It’s boring in the back,” Ezra protested. “There’s nothing to do, and no one to talk to. Don’t worry, Hera’s keeping an eye on me.”

Kanan’s gaze flashed from the kid to Hera. “Oh, she is now, is she? Well, you can’t sit at the bar, at the least. Come back here, okay?”

Ezra grumbled something, but vaulted over the bar in a very Kanan-like move. As he disappeared behind the bar, Hera said quietly, “I didn’t know you had a kid.”

“Recent development,” Kanan said calmly, and there was a snort from down where Ezra had settled.

“Try five years!”

“That, too,” Kanan agreed, but Hera’s mind was busy matching up the timeline.

“Five years? That was around the time we first met, wasn’t it?”

Nodding, Kanan said, “Yeah. It was actually shortly after that.”

“Was that why you didn’t come with me?”

“More or less.”

Ezra’s head appeared from behind the bar. “Wait, you asked Kanan to go with you? You never told me that! Were you two lovers?”

Hera nearly choked on her drink and Kanan let out a long sigh. “EZRA. We’ve talked about these kinds of questions.”

“You said I could ask you whatever I wanted,” Ezra pointed out. “The first day I moved in with you--”

“Yeah, I know, and you’ve proceeded to never let it go since. No, we were not lovers.”

“Not for lack of trying on your part,” Hera murmured into her juice.

“Ouch.”

“It’s just the truth, dear.”

“Fair enough,” Kanan muttered, a slight grin slipping across his face as Ezra snickered down by his feet.

“I like her.” he told the older man.

“Me, too,” Kanan told Ezra. Turning to Hera, he said, “So, it’s been a minute and a half since we talked. How’ve you been? Find some more crew for that gorgeous ship of yours?”

“I did,” Hera said, a small smile crossing her face. “I think you’d like them.”

“No idea if that’s a compliment for them,” Kanan joked. A serious look crossed his face. “However… I’m glad. Whoever this person is. I’ve always maintained that you needed more support in your life.”

“You never once said that,” Hera pointed out.

“No? Must have been someone else.”

“Must have been,” Hera said lightly. She paused for a minute, studying Kanan closely. He looked different-- older, of course. And despite his cavalier attitude, there was a new layer of something, responsibility, perhaps.

But more than any of those, he looked tired. Now that he was directly across from her, Hera could see the dark shadows under his eyes, and while he still leaned against the bar casually, there was the slightest slump to his shoulders. “Are you okay?” she asked quietly.

One of Kanan’s eyebrows shot up, and he looked caught off guard. “What?”

“You look exhausted,” Hera told him, deciding to just get straight to the point. Kanan opened his mouth, presumably to make some joke, and Hera speared him with a glare. “The truth, please.”

He closed his mouth with an audible snap, then sighed. “It’s been a long month. I’ve been working a lot lately. And this time of year is always… hard.”

Hera saw his gaze flick down to where Ezra was, and she frowned slightly. She knew Empire Day was coming up soon-- clearly, it had some special significance for these two.

She started to ask him another question, but heard a commotion behind her. Kanan’s gaze snapped up, and his hand slid towards where a blaster was. Hera turned and spotted Sabine and Chopper making a beeline towards her. “They’re with me,” she told him.

“This is your crew? Seems a little young,” Kanan remarked.

“Said the man with a son he didn’t tell me about,” Hera shot back, although she was getting less and less convinced that Ezra was Kanan’s biological son.

Before Kanan could respond, Sabine was next to them, the look in her eyes urgent. “Hera, we’ve got something.”

“What is?” Hera asked, and Sabine’s gaze moved to Kanan warily. “He’s fine,” Hera assured the Mandalorian.

Holding up a hand, Kanan said, “Don’t worry, Mandalorian. I want absolutely nothing to do with this.” Grabbing a cleaning rag, he began wiping down the surface of the bar.

“Not sure if that’s reassuring, but whatever,” Sabine said. Looking back at Hera, she said, “We got a lead.”

“On the survivor from Lasan?” Hera asked in shock. She felt Kanan’s gaze shift back towards them, but focused on Sabine. “Tell me everything.”

“Apparently, he was spotted a few days ago-- Hera, we have a location. He’s hiding out on Pantora.”

“Pantora? That’s only a few days from here.” Making up her mind on the spot, Hera turned to Kanan and slid him a few credits. “Thanks for the drink-- I need to go.”

He didn’t take the money. “You found a Lasat survivor?” he asked, his voice sounding stunned. “There are some left?”

“Only the one that we know of,” Sabine said, eying him warily. “Why? Also who is this?”

Kanan ignored her and turned to Hera. “Let me come with you.”

Hera’s eyes shot wide. “What? Kanan, now’s not the time for--”

“Hera, I’m serious. Let me come with you. I can help.” Kanan’s voice was shockingly urgent as he leaned across the bar, his gaze locking with Hera’s. “Please. I can help you get him to safety.”

“Why exactly do you want to help so much?” Sabine asked, her tone dripping with skepticism.

Kanan’s gaze didn’t leave Hera’s as he replied, “Because I’ve been where he is.”

Oh. Oh, kriff.

Hera hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “You can come.”

“What?” Sabine’s incredulity was almost immediately drowned out as Ezra jumped up from behind the bar.

“YES!!! Finally, we can leave Mykapo, it’s SO BORING here.”

“What the-- Who’s this?” Sabine demanded. “Hera--”

“I’ll explain on the way,” Hera promised. Looking at Kanan, she said, “Meet us in the space port. We’re in docking bay seven.”

“We’ll be there in fifteen minute,” Kanan replied, already moving, Ezra all but skipping at his side.

As Hera led the way out of the cantina, her two companions brimming with questions and suspicion, she had to admit-- she hadn’t expected to leave Mykapo with new crew members. But for whatever reason, she had a really good feeling about this, and about Kanan Jarrus. It all depended on what happened next, and Hera was very interested to see what that was.

[clueless-content-creator]

Kim Younghoon x Y/n: Enemies, but not for long.

Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff towards the end 

Warnings: Cursing, Heavy Sarcasm (Not edited!)

Word Count: 1.5k

It all started when your lovely brother Sangyeon had introduced you to his so-called "best friend" Like actually, who on earth could see him as a good person? Everyone else except for you, seemingly. And little did you know, he had every intent on getting you to at least like him. Speaking of the devil, he's over at your house right now. Since your brother was going on his honeymoon and you had recently moved into a new house, you only had a few (necessary) pieces of furniture. Sangyeon thought that inviting Younghoon over to 'babysit' you while he was gone was a good idea when you only had one bed. Spoiler alert, it wasn't. Now you're stuck here with an idiot of a man who shouldn't even be here but is anyways. You just woke up from your nap to hear very loud moving noises. They sounded like boxes. Oh wait- "Lovely, you're awake. Finally." He dead-panned making you glare at him. "I bought you some more furniture considering you didn't have anything to cook with." He shrugs, "I was just going to eat fast food until I had the money to get all this. Plus you hate me, why would you do this?" He so badly wanted to confess right there and then but he knew it wasn't the right time. "It'll come, the time will come." He thought to himself. "Well, I thought at the very least you won't have to get fat from eating fast food every day and night and I can cook you something!" His sudden change of attitude made you incredibly suspicious. "You mean, so you can finally poison and get rid of me? Cause if so, then yay! I won't get to be with an asshole anymore!" He sighed, "It's not that Y/n. Come on, we can bond and have some reckless fun while your brother isn't here. You know how protective he is." You chewed on your lip, debating whether to or not. "Nope! Still not happening in a million years, but maybe in your dreams!" You taunted him, then happily skipping away to the bathroom. He heavily sighed in defeat, "This is going to be a very long day." He whispered to himself, remembering when you two were young and this whole story was the other way round. You had really liked him and was pretty much in love with him but he dated other girls and completely ignored you. Except for one day, Sangyeon discussed with him about you and your feelings for him but at that point, you had realized that he was an ignorant asshole that was just a dirty player. And when your brother "introduced" him to you, you were utterly disgusted. Refusing to try to get along, that was years ago and it wasn't until Sangyeon found his wonderful wife that she had opened everyone's eyes, making you two closer each day. But, something still didn't feel right. When you were young, you kept people really close to you, at times almost too close. But now, it hurts to constantly keep everyone at an arm's distance but it's your excuse to not get hurt by other people. But Younghoon's side of the story was the other way round, as a kid, he kept everyone away for most of the time. And was a player in high school to avoid commitment and relationships. But now, a complete softie, at least... For you he was. When Sangyeon mentioned you and how long you had feelings for him he felt awful, considering how long he ignored you for he was still surprised by how much you liked him, emphasis on the -ed. When your brother introduced you two he noticed how distant you were, being the complete opposite of what Sangyeon described you as. He asked for clarification from your brother and he replied with, "You messed up not noticing her earlier, I'd like to say that you're too late but you've still got time man, don't mess this one up too." Still, to this day, Younghoon takes those words to heart. They still echo in his head, "You've still got time, don't mess this one up too." He sighed again, thanking the moving people before going to knock on the bathroom door, "Y/n? You in there?" You banged back on the door, startling him. "Where else would I be?! I can't teleport, although if I could I would go anywhere that's without you!" He scoffed lightly, "Well, you can't so don't be a wimp and face me." You swiftly opened the door, facing him head-on. "What is it with you?" You grumbled, quickly avoiding eye contact with him. "I just need you to tell me what you want to eat." You chuckled half-heartedly, "Pizza. At the very least, something that is not made with those icky hands of yours!" He looked down at his hands, seeing them a little dirty and scratched up from carrying the moving boxes. He gulped silently, then nodding as he grabbed his phone out of his back pocket. "Hello? Yes, can I order (your favorite pizza) please?" You felt a bit guilty for yelling at him for no reason, half of you felt as though he deserved it anyways but the other half didn't. "I wish he really did like me back then, maybe things would be different. And I could be as happy as my brother's wife or least not as stubborn or miserable as I am now but who knows? Things could change with the snap of a finger." You sighed, talking to yourself again as you finished your makeup. But little did you know, things would change, and that quickly. 

That week had passed relatively quickly, Sangyeon and his wife had come back from their trip (honeymoon) already, meaning that Younghoon had to leave. Sangyeon thanked Younghoon for feeding, entertaining, even buying you new furniture, and of course doing the rest for you. Even though you didn't feel like you needed it, you still did. But now, you have mixed feelings, your old feelings for Younghoon are back again, and stronger than ever. But, he's still the same asshole that you fell in love with years ago, he hasn't changed one bit. "Oh great," You thought to yourself. "I'm just digging a deeper hole for myself" You sighed before waving Younghoon off, feeling slightly sad but more so relieved that you now, finally, have the house all to yourself. 

Three weeks had passed after the time that you and Younghoon kind of spent together and you still to this day, have mixed emotions about him. And after you told your friends about the whole situation, one of them had set you up with another man, who apparently was one of Younghoon's old school friends. He was just as (annoyingly) charming as Younghoon. His name was Hyunjae and he was incredibly handsome and was very kind and sweet to you but after the first date that you had, his personality seemed kind of boring and didn't match yours as well as Younghoon's did surprisingly. But when he asked you to be his girlfriend, in a way, you felt obligated to say yes. It was big news to everyone, including you. But it was the biggest news the Younghoon, feeling like his chances of ever getting loved by you was thrown out of the window now. But even after all that trauma, he still felt somewhat happy for you two, forcing a smile upon his lips anytime he saw you two out in public or online.

A month had passed and you broke up with Hyunjae because he explained why he asked you to be his girlfriend so quickly after the date. Long story short, he made a bet with his friends that he could steal you away from Younghoon to make him jealous, maybe even lonely. At this point, you felt utterly betrayed and you wanted him to apologize to Younghoon but he refused, saying that he is your problem now. So here you are, fake crying with Younghoon rubbing your back all because you faked a story that Hyunjae broke up with you. Because after all, he "cheated." Younghoon felt wrong, 'Should I just hug her and confess now?' He sighed heavily "Screw it, now or never." He spoke out loud making you look at him confused. He then took your hands in his and kissed you. Your eyes widened, not being able to close them when his lips moved against yours, then pulling away "I'm sorry Y/n but I can't keep it a secret anymore, I love you and I've loved you even when you did years back in school. I will always love you and be by your side no matter how many guys (or girls) you date and if you don't feel the same way, I get it but I just had to tell you." He had tears in his eyes, gently embracing you as he kissed your head. You pulled away, feeling him trying to resist it wanting to hold you close for longer. "Younghoon... I feel the same, recently I've been on such a rollercoaster of emotions I didn't know what I felt and what I didn't but now I know exactly what I want to feel. I love you too and I want to be with you only!" He smiled wholeheartedly, "Y/n... I love you so much and I will for the rest of my life."

[tiramisiyu]

【未定事件簿】 Tears of Themis: 【千灯如昼】 Xia Yan’s A Thousand Lanterns like Daytime Date/Phonecall Translation

--

Translation Masterlist | Xia Yan Masterlist

Video: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV13k4y127hd

My new laptop just came in today, so I was finally able to finish the last bit of the translation for this that I was missing out on!

This particular date story is very cute but also really hits you with the angst every so often. It’s hard being a Xia Yan fan, with pain lurking at every corner lmaoo

PART 1

Star Bridge Light Event 

A gentle cool wind blew away the scorching summer heat, accompanying the moon-tinted sunset. The curtain formally rose on the Star Bridge Light event tonight. 

MC: It’s so lively. 

The street vendors on the two sides of the road gave their all in announcing their wares. Tourists were squeezed in everywhere, in high spirits. The crisp sounds of rattle drums and windchimes assimilated with the racket of the crowd, so much that I couldn’t resist feeling the joy myself. 

Ever since the incident from when we were young, I’ve never attended a light festival event again. If not for Xia Yan’s invitation this time, I probably wouldn’t have had this chance as well…

--

[Flashback]

Home

Last Sunday night, I received Xia Yan’s call not long after I had finished eating dinner.

Xia Yan: MC, quick, look outside the window.

He had just spoken when I saw gorgeous colours exploding far away in the night sky through the French windows. 

MC: Such beautiful fireworks – what’s being celebrated?

Xia Yan: Did you forget? Today’s the once-a-year summer festival – the opening ceremony for the Star Bridge Light event.

MC: Is that so… looking at the direction of the fireworks, the event this year should be at the quaint block on Stellis River’s shore.

MC: It must be very lively there, right now.

Xia Yan: Yeah, I heard that the hosts started preparing for this event one month in advance. 

Xia Yan: Now that I mention it, for related light festivals… have you gone with anyone in the years that I wasn’t here?

MC: I didn’t.

Xia Yan: Really?

MC: Really, I’ve never gone ever since a certain someone nearly got lost at the light festival.

Xia Yan: Ahem – didn’t think that you would still remember…

MC: That’s for sure. After all, we even alerted the police back then.

Xia Yan: Ah, I’m begging you to be magnanimous and forgive me for being young and clueless back then.

Xia Yan: To wash away this dark history, how about… we go again? To make up for it, I’ll cover all the costs for eating, drinking, and playing games.

Xia Yan: And I can take the chance to let Peanut get some fresh air. He hasn’t seen you in a while.

MC: That should be fine…

Xia Yan: Then it’s confirmed!

[Flashback end]

--

At the end, we agreed to meet on the day of the closing ceremonies. According to Xia Yan, there would be an even more magnificent show then than at the opening ceremonies. Maybe it was because they wanted to catch this final chance, but the Star Bridge Light event was still filled with an endless stream of guests.

Xia Yan: Come closer to me – don’t get squished.

Saying this, Xia Yan blocked my front side, isolating a safe zone for me.

MC: Ah, Xia Yan, you don’t have to help me by blocking them off. With so many people, be careful that you don’t fall.

Xia Yan: Don’t worry, how could I fall? I’m a front-liner, after all. Trust in my skill a little more.

I hadn’t had the time to respond when I suddenly heard him give a muffled grunt, frowning.

Xia Yan: Ngh…

MC: What’s wrong? Were you stepped on?

Xia Yan: Nothing’s up – I was just accidentally poked by the toy in that kid’s hand.

MC: Poked? It must hurt a lot… let me see if there’s a wound.

Xia Yan dexterously dodged my hand, then rubbed his waist, deliberately putting on an embarrassed look.

Xia Yan: It doesn’t hurt – I was just startled. Do you really want to look in a public place with so many people?

MC: Yeah, I shouldn’t look.

Xia Yan: Don’t worry – I’m thick-skinned.

Xia Yan: Since they set up a lot of parent-child events for this light event, lots of parents are bringing their children over.

Xia Yan: Unlike me, you have to be somewhat careful. Though the children aren’t doing it on purpose, it’s hard to prevent them from being reckless or uncareful.

MC: Sure, I’ll be careful.

MC: Although looking at them right now, I keep feeling like I’m looking at us from the past…

MC: Right, Xia Yan, do you still remember what happened when we were little?

The suddenly-addressed Xia Yan startled, like a child who’d done something wrong, and met my gaze with particular sincerity. 

Xia Yan: That time when we were little was a special situation. I’m not someone with a bad sense of direction – I definitely won’t get lost again. 

He really was ahead of the game with his crisis awareness, but…

MC: I’m not talking about that.

Xia Yan: Huh? Then what is it?

MC: Ever since last week when we brought up that matter about getting lost, I suddenly remembered something that has never been clarified. 

Xia Yan: Eh? What thing?

MC: I faintly remember that the reason that you walked off from us back then because you were looking for something.

MC: But at the end, you only said that you couldn’t find it. From start to finish, you never told us exactly what you were looking for…

Xia Yan froze, then immediately made an “ah” sound, as if he’d come to a sudden realization. 

Xia Yan: Ah, something like that did happen.

Xia Yan: Though it’s been so long, so I actually don’t really remember.

MC: Is that so…

Though this was pardonable, I couldn’t resist sighing. I’d pestered Xia Yan a lot back then to make the truth clear. I never thought that, with the passing of time, this would be a completely unsolvable mystery. Seeing my disappointed expression Xia Yan immediately began to comfort me, half-soothing and half-persuasion.

Xia Yan: Don’t sigh. Maybe I’ll think of it after walking around soon.

After saying so, he showed an impatient expression, as if he was waiting for me to cheer up. Seeing Xia Yan like this, the disappointment in my heart was swept away in an instant.

MC: Makes sense – since we’re at the light event, then the probability of remembering it all again is very high.

Xia Yan: That’s right. This is a rare opportunity, so let’s go on this light event trip to find those memories. 

Xia Yan: Follow the great detective, and let’s head out, my Watson!

Circling in the air, the myna bird Peanut responded in squawks for a few times, thinking that it had heard its own name*. It flew far outwards, following the lights of the converged lanterns. Laughing, Xia Yan whistled to it in response, then walked into the boisterous crowd, leading me by my hand. 

I didn’t know if the answer from back then would be hidden at the end of this long road, brightly-lit by lanterns. 

TL Note:

* “Peanut” and “Watson” sound nearly identical in Chinese.

PART 2

We followed the river of people forward, doing our best to not pass by a single shop.

Exactly what was Xia Yan looking for when he was little… was it a special snack, or an interesting toy? I tried to find an answer in this year’s light festival, but I couldn’t help feeling that I was being ridiculous.

MC: (In a blink, so many years have passed…)

MC: Xia Yan, have you seen anything you’re particularly interested in?

Xia Yan: About that… I feel like it’s all pretty interesting.

Just then… I heard a stream of loud and clear geese honks.

MC: Geese? Did I imagine that?

Xia Yan: No, I heard it too. It seems like it came from there.

Xia Yan pointed to the nearby stall. After passing through the gaps in the crowd, I could see that there were many big white geese in a fenced area. They extended their long necks, cleverly ducking away from the crowd of people who tossed out rings. Sometimes, they’d even strut around, fanning out their two wings. 

MC: So this is a ring toss game? I didn’t think that the light event would keep up with the times. They’ve come up with new tricks…

Xia Yan: It seems pretty interesting.

MC: … If you looked clearly at those rows of jagged teeth in their mouths, you wouldn’t say that.

Xia Yan: Haha, if I remember correctly, didn’t you get chased and bitten by a big goose until you fell in a mud pit when we went to the countryside to visit relatives?

Xia Yan: I think it was me who noticed it first, so I pulled you out.

MC: Stop talking, stop talking – those memories are going to surge out!

Xia Yan: Calm down – it’s about time for us to take our revenge.

Xia Yan: Plus, it looks like the prizes are pretty good!

I hadn’t even had time to look at what the prizes were when Xia Yan directly waved and shouted at the boss.

Xia Yan: Boss, ten rings here.

Ring Toss Stand Boss: Sure!

MC: Xia Yan, you couldn’t be wanting to…

--

Standing in the established area, as set by the rules, Xia Yan held the rings. After comparing the distance a few times, he directly flung one out. The ring flew straight to its target, and right when it was about to land, the big white goose suddenly extended its long neck, squawking a few “caw caw” sounds at Xia Yan in demonstration.

Xia Yan: Oops.

Because of the height difference, the ring that should’ve been able to land right on the head of the big white goose, hit its neck directly. Following a severe “caw” sound, the big white goose fluttered backwards, staggering several steps before it firmly stabilized itself.

Xia Yan: Hey, are you… okay?

Accompanying Xia Yan’s gradually freezing expression, I noticed that big white goose’s attitude seemed a bit off. 

In its two beady eyes… there seemed to be killing intent.

MC: Xia, Xia Yan! I think it’s angry!

Xia Yan: Eh?!

The big white goose stuck out its neck, then rushed towards us. When it reached the fence, it jumped up with a flap of its wings, then descended in a mission-accomplished way. With a cry, the crowd of people dissipated all at once. The big white goose didn’t chase them – it just pinned a death stare on Xia Yan in front of him.

Xia Yan: MC, stay away from me.

Just when he said this, the big white goose twisted its neck as if warming up, and with a “caw caw”, it rushed at Xia Yan.

Xia Yan: Br-brother goose! Let’s discuss this nicely!

The beady eyes of the goose had been completely clouded by anger. It ruthlessly found every opportunity to peck Xia Yan with an iron beak. The boss probably had never seen a goose so intent on revenge, and was shocked silly during then.

Xia Yan: Stop your mouth! Don’t! Don’t bite there!

MC: Xia Yan, hurry and run! Don’t get caught! Or else…

Xia Yan: Don’t talk about it! If an accident happens to me, I’m handing my antiques shop for you to take over!

Xia Yan: In there, I’ve left for you… wait, don’t peck my behind!

MC: Here, there’s a basket! Hurry and trap it!

Maybe it was because the goose had gotten tired of pecking Xia Yan, or maybe it was because my words attracted its anger, but it changed its target and rushed towards me.

MC: Ahhhhhh don’t come over here –

Seeing the direction that the goose had changed to, the aura surrounding Xia Yan immediately changed. He stared at that goose “murderously”, as if the person who cut a sorry figure fleeing just now wasn’t him.

Xia Yan: You better slow down!

I hadn’t even had the chance to escape when Xia Yan seized the goose’s neck from behind, then turned around, sending it straight back into the fence with a fling of his hand. Right then, not just the crowd of people, but even the originally restless goose crowd became still.

MC: !!!

It took me a while to regain my bearings from the shock.

MC: Xia Yan, did you get any pecking injuries on your body? Does it hurt?

Xia Yan: Nothing’s wrong. Though that big white goose looks scary, compared to people, its ability to hurt is limited.

MC: That’s good. I’d originally thought you wouldn’t be able to handle it.

MC: Didn’t think it would end up being the opposite. Your posture when throwing the goose was just like that “Discobolus” sculpture.

Xia Yan: Hahaha, it wasn’t that exaggerated, right…

Xia Yan: I’d originally wanted to let it peck me so it could let go of its anger, but I didn’t think that it would actually rush at you. Good thing that in the end, it just looked scary without actually being dangerous.

Xia Yan: Otherwise, this goose might have been sent to the dinner table.

Hearing Xia Yan’s last sentence, I couldn’t help but flinch for that goose.

--

In the end, though we didn’t get a ring on a goose, the boss gave Xia Yan the right to choose a prize for capturing the goose.

Xia Yan: I’ll have this one.

MC: A comb?

I looked at that sandalwood comb, feeling somewhat surprised at his choice.

Xia Yan: Yeah. The craftsmanship of this comb is pretty good – it’s not like those assembly-line-made wholesale ones. 

Ring Toss Stand Boss: Young people sure have good eyes for these things. I found this batch of ours from an old craftsman in the village – it was completely handmade.

Ring Toss Stand Boss: This craft has already been passed down through several generations. Legend says that the god of the land used the combs made by his family, before he was granted godhood. 

MC: The god of the land?

Ring Toss Stand Boss: That’s right. Young lady, you must not have known that the origin of the Star Bridge Light event has to do with the god of the land.

The boss started chattering, and was just about to unleash a torrent of local knowledge on me when he was cut short by Xia Yan in a timely manner.

Xia Yan: Boss, you should focus on watching over your stall, lest those geese run out again.

As he spoke, Xia Yan stuffed the prize straight into my hand.

Xia Yan: For you.

I held the comb that he had exchanged for the peril he’d faced, and suddenly felt that it had some sort of heavy weightiness.

MC: You’re giving this to me?

Xia Yan: Mm. You said before that recently, you’ve been losing sleep. Aside from chatting with you, there doesn’t seem to be much else that I can help with.

Xia Yan: I consulted a doctor, and he said that lightly combing your hair before sleeping can improve your sleep…

As Xia Yan spoke, his gaze started becoming erratic. Seeing this, the boss on the side laughed.

Ring Toss Stand Boss: Young man, you didn’t need to bother with that.

Ring Toss Stand Boss: The comb is a personal item. Rather than some health benefits, its more important use is…

Xia Yan: Boss! If you talk too much, you’ll affect your profit prospects.

Ring Toss Stand Boss: Alright, I’ll stop talking about it.

Xia Yan turned around with some awkwardness. Though he purposefully blocked his face with his hand, I could still see the slightly-flushed tips of his ears from my angle.

MC: Alright, Xia Yan, the boss was messing with us, don’t take it seriously.

MC: I’ll remember to use it every night to comb my hair. If it works, then I’ll definitely tell you right away!

Xia Yan: …Okay.

After hearing my words, the boss suddenly started laughing even louder. After glaring at him, Xia Yan immediately tugged me away from the stand.

Why did I feel like… he was somewhat in a huff?

--

Having returned into the crowd, I had a somewhat clear target this time.

MC: Xia Yan, let’s try some events that kids can safely play next time.

MC: I feel like you wouldn’t have provoked a big goose when you were little. Otherwise, if you encountered a situation like just now, I reckon you’d be gone…

Xia Yan: How am I that weak? I was the one who scared off that goose that made you fall into the mud pit back then.

MC: Let this topic go!

Although, it really was as Xia Yan said – he scared off the goose, and afterwards, I never saw it in my vicinity. I even vaguely remembered that, in the few days after, the food on the dinner table were all abnormally sumptuous – and among them, one of the permanent dishes seemed to be…

MC: Eh?! That goose ended up getting eaten?!

Xia Yan: Hm hm? What did you say?

Xia Yan: Ah! There are a lot of kids surrounding that stand – let’s go over and look.

MC: You must be deliberately forcing away the topic, right…

So it turns out that Xia Yan’s threat from just now was for real. If some geese gave chase… they’d end up on the dinner table. 

PART 3

Following the joyful cheers of children, Xia Yan and I arrived in front of a shop.

MC: They’ve even got sugar people*!

The boss was a kindly grandpa. Though the hair on his head was white, his hand movements were natural and unforced. With a few movements, he had created a vivid and lifelike phoenix. I couldn’t resist exclaiming along with the children.

MC: Whoa – so amazing!

Xia Yan: Yeah, no wonder he attracted so many little fans.

Xia Yan: Although looking at the situation right now, it seems like he’s a little too busy…

Just as Xia Yan said, the boss had no time whatsoever to consider us. After a hurried glance over, he only had the time to send a greeting in our direction.

Sugar Person Shop Boss: Come, I don’t have time to do it for you, so you two can do it yourselves.

MC: Eh? Was the boss talking to us?

Xia Yan: Eh… seems like it.

The boss’s abnormally familiar attitude as if he knew us from the start, as well as Xia Yan’s unnatural expression, made me feel somewhat strange.

MC: Xia Yan, do you know the boss from before?

Xia Yan: Ah? I’m not familiar with him. Maybe the boss is too busy and just didn’t realize.

Xia Yan: Aiya, let’s not talk about this. Either way, since the boss is letting us do it ourselves, how about we go for it.

With a grin, Xia Yan pointed to the side of the boss where there was a small candy-making stall, eagerly pulling up his sleeves.

MC: Making sugar people is the work of a craftsman – I probably won’t be great at it.

Xia Yan: No problem – I’m here.

Xia Yan: You didn’t get to eat it because of a cavity when we were little – this time, you definitely won’t miss it.

MC: You’ve forgotten your own matters so completely, yet you still remember these little things…

Xia Yan: Because they’re things about you.

After winking at me, he took off his jacket and tied it around his waist, then crouched at the candy-making stall. He held up the steel spoon, scooping out some syrup from the heating stove with familiarity, and smoothly started to draw with seriousness on the steel counter. 

Thin threads of sugar meandered off the steel spoon, following his movements to take form, finally converging to become a playful-looking little person.

MC: It’s so cute!

Hearing my praise, Xia Yan waved the cute sugar person he was holding. His smile bloomed from his eyes, bringing a joy as if he was waiting to be praised. 

Xia Yan: Here – can you guess who I made?

Looking at it carefully, the sugar person’s hairstyle and hair décor seemed to be quite similar to how I was dressed up today. 

MC: Could it be… me?

Xia Yan turned his wrist, holding the sugar person in front of his eye.

Xia Yan: Mm, it’s you.

Through the crystal-clear sugar person, his coral eyes looked like rich honey, mixed with thoughts that had been mulled over for a long time. 

Xia Yan: I was thinking of you when I made this sugar person.

Drums sounded from far away, accelerating my frenzied heartbeat.

As he was now, Xia Yan looked like he was doing his best to impress everything into his sight. He didn’t pay attention to the surrounding noise – he just looked at me with a clear gaze, letting the light shine a gentle layer of brilliance on his body. 

Little Boy: Big brother! Could you also make one for me?

Little Girl: I want one too!

The surrounding kids eagerly watched the sugar person in Xia Yan’s hands, outdoing each other in squeezing over here.

Xia Yan: Little friends, we’re not selling over here. If you want sugar people, go find the boss over there and buy from him. 

Little Boy: Aw – big brother is so stingy.

Little Girl: But I want one that you’ve made…

Xia Yan: Sorry, sorry – I’m only making them for one person today.

Xia Yan apologetically patted the kids’ heads, then walked over to my side proudly.

Xia Yan: How is it – I didn’t disappoint, right?

MC: As expected of Great Detective Xia who knows how to do everything. But with so many longing gazes surrounding us, I’m feeling somewhat embarrassed…

Xia Yan: Being the target of admiration is a good thing.

Xia Yan held the sugar person in his hand in front of me. It was like the honey-coloured gloss and the fragrance of maltose had a sort of magic that could uplift people’s moods.

> Directly taste it > Solemnly accept it

MC: Then I won’t be courteous.

I got close to the sugar person and directly took a bite.

Xia Yan: Eh?!

The clear sweetness of the sugar filled my mouth, and I was immediately filled with happiness.

MC: Hoo… so good.

Xia Yan: Th-the head is almost gone!

As if he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, Xia Yan looked at the sugar person that was nearly missing half its head in his hand, then held out his hand to wipe the sugar stains on the side of my mouth. 

Xia Yan: … Haha, you really don’t have a single mental burden about this.

MC: Hm? Why would I be burdened?

Xia Yan: It’s nothing. As long as you like it, I’ll make you another if there’s a chance in the future.

> Directly taste it > Solemnly accept it

I carefully took the sugar person, fearing that someone would bump into it and shatter it. Or at least, that’s what I said, but I saw that Xia Yan’s expression was extremely surprised, with a trace of happiness.

MC: This was personally made by Great Detective Xia �� it definitely is different from typical sugar people.

MC: Let me think… how should I hang this up when I get back?

Xia Yan: It’s been quite hot recently. How about making a freezing glass display case for it?

MC: Ah… something this troublesome…

Xia Yan: I’m kidding.

Xia Yan: If you like it, I can make it for you again whenever. You don’t need to specially collect and treasure it.

--

Holding the freshly-made sugar person in my hand, I once again fell into a daze about the next target.

MC: Looks like the thing you were looking for back then wasn’t a sugar person… then what exactly could it be…

Xia Yan: You really are persistent about this. It might not even be anything that’s that big of a deal.

MC: I still want to know.

MC: Back then, I thought you were never going to come back, and I cried while searching for a long time with mom and dad. To me, this matter is just like a knot in my heart.

Xia Yan: A knot in your heart?

MC: That’s right. I keep feeling like if I don’t find out what you were looking for back then, you’ll disappear again…

Xia Yan: …

Xia Yan: Even if I really did disappear, it wouldn’t be your fault anyways.

Xia Yan whispered this sentence almost inaudibly, and it dissipated in the surrounding boisterous holiday atmosphere. 

MC: What?

Xia Yan: Nothing. Let’s keep thinking of ways – maybe I’ll be able to remember what it was I was looking for very soon. 

Seeming to have become aware of our troubles, the sugar person shop boss on the side started talking to us warmly while making the sugar person he was working on. 

Sugar Person Shop Boss: If you're talking about looking for something, could it be that you’re looking for the god of the land?

MC: Eh? Why do you say so?

This was already the second time that I’ve heard of this “god of the land” name. If I wasn’t remembering wrong, it had to do with the legend of the Star Bridge Light event.

Sugar Person Shop Boss: Haha, because in this light event, it most likely has to do with the god of the land if you’re talking about looking for something. 

Xia Yan: Mm, it’s because of the legend in the folklore here. 

Sugar Person Shop Boss: Look at you – if you know, why not tell the young lady?

As he spoke, the boss drew up a completely new sugar person.  Looking at the figure, it was a celestial being in fluttering clothes.

Sugar Person Shop Boss: Legend says that the god of the land will wear a mask and mix with the crowds, on this day in the Star Bridge Light event, to look for the lover he was separated from before he became a god.

Sugar Person Shop Boss: As long as one recognizes him, the wish they hold at the bottom of their heart will definitely become reality.

MC: I didn’t think that the Star Bridge Light event had such a romantic legend – I didn’t know about it before.

Sugar Person Shop Boss: This isn’t your fault, young lady. As time flows on, some things are destined to fade away and be forgotten. 

Sugar Person Shop Boss: I also had suddenly remembered the light event back then – there were very many visitors wearing masks, and all the kids would excitedly guess who was the real god of the land. 

Sugar Person Shop Boss: Maybe what you were looking for back then was him.

MC: Thank you, boss. I will definitely remember this legend.

As if he saw through my thought process, before I even opened my mouth, Xia Yan rushed to be the first to suggest a direction.

Xia Yan: I just saw a stall nearby that sells masks – let’s go and take a look.

MC: Ah, okay!

At this moment, I suddenly had the strong feeling that what Xia Yan had been searching for back then wasn’t something that could be seen or felt. Instead, it was an opportunity to make his wish a reality.

TL Note:

* You may have seen these before – sugar people (“糖人”, tang ren) use melted sugar to create fragile, edible figures!

PART 4

Maybe it was because they weren’t like the cartoon masks favoured by children, as most of the masks sold at the stand were all wooden masks with traditional features, but compared to the other stands that were busy with many visitors, the front of this mask shop was clearly much more deserted.

MC: So the god of the land wore this kind of mask to hide among the crowds…

Xia Yan: That’s just a legend. There doesn’t actually exist any god of the land.

MC: So you couldn’t find him back then?

Xia Yan: …

Seeming to be surprised by my sudden question, Xia Yan froze for a moment, then finally laughed.

Xia Yan: Haha, didn’t think you would ask about this so suddenly…

Xia Yan: You’re right. I really was looking for the legendary god of the land back then.

Like he was slowly unearthing past memories, Xia Yan’s gaze wandered over the rows and rows of dazzling masks, finally coming to a stop on my face.

Xia Yan: I’m sorry for making you worry back then. Now that I think back, those kinds of thoughts were pretty childish.

MC: No worries. As family members, we should take care of each other, after all.

MC: Plus, I think that believing in legends has nothing to do with whether you’re childish. This is a way to place your hopes on something.

If so, exactly what was it that Xia Yan had placed his hopes on back then? Up till now, he’s never brought up this matter. It must be something that’s hard to say, so he kept it hidden…

MC: Although, being able to remember exactly what you were looking for is already very difficult. The exact wish should be even harder to remember, right?

Xia Yan: About this…

Xia Yan opened his mouth a few times, finally choosing to maintain a tacit mutual understanding with me.

Xia Yan: How about we buy the masks first? Let’s leave the wish matter to think about later.

MC: Okay, prepare to pay up – with such a rare opportunity, I’m going to choose the most expensive to keep.

Xia Yan: Sure – I’ll take it as helping with the boss’s business.

The boss, who was originally swiping on his phone on the side, straightforwardly raised his hands.

Mask Shop Boss: Why so courteous? I just came here to join in on the liveliness. If there’s anything you like, just take it.

MC: … Eh?

MC: (It seems like I’ve just heard this kind of familiar tone.)

Xia Yan: Ahem, boss, you can’t do business like this. If you gave one to everyone, wouldn’t this become a charity?

Right then, I suddenly felt someone squeezing past my back. Though it was just a few seconds, and I hadn’t planned to pay it any attention, but Xia Yan ceased his movements in making payments, frowning at the crowd while asking me.

Xia Yan: MC, hurry and see if you’ve lost something.

MC: Ah? Okay.

I reached into my pocket, and sure enough, I noticed that I’d lost something.

MC: My phone’s gone! Was it that thief just now?

Xia Yan: Don’t worry, he can’t get away. Wait for me for a bit.

After he finished speaking, Xia Yan whistled towards the sky. In response, Peanut arrived, following Xia Yan as they gave chase towards the crowd together. 

--

In a flash, over ten minutes had already passed, and Xia Yan still hadn’t returned. Because I didn’t have my phone, I had no way of contacting him. I could only incessantly look around everywhere, hoping that I’d see his figure in the crowd. 

MC: (It couldn’t be that something happened to him, right…)

My mind quickly came up with many similar cases, getting all the more anxious. As if affected by my mood, the visitors coming and going revealed more heavy expressions than before, accompanied by worried whispers. 

Visitor A: Husband, the person you were talking about is alright, right…

Visitor B: I’m not sure. I saw blood all over his face, and he was lying there, unable to move. The wounds he got probably weren’t light.

Visitor A: Ah, I hope that his life isn’t at risk.

Visitor B: Yeah, although people nowadays are too quick to act. It was just a little matter, so why bother making a mess of it to this point…

MC: (They couldn’t be talking about Xia Yan, right?!)

When I thought this, I rushed straight out and blocked that couple.

MC: My apologies – the person who was hurt that you just brought up, may I ask for an approximation of what he looked like?

Visitor A: Looked like… because there was blood all over his face, I could only just barely see that it was a fairly young boy.

Visitor B: That’s right, and he was wearing a white shirt, and he didn’t seem to have a companion with him.

MC: Could you tell me approximately where it was?

Visitor B: Right turn at the front. You’ll be able to see it after walking straight for a bit more.

MC: Thank you!

After hurriedly giving my thanks, I forced myself into the mass of people, rushing towards the direction they had indicated. 

The heat in the crowd, as well as the dazzling lanterns all around, made me feel abnormally restless in this moment. As I staggered, rushing towards the scene, I suddenly felt a familiar feeling. It seemed like I had been like this when I was little, anxiously looking in all directions for Xia Yan who’d gotten lost…

In the end, the place where we found him was a forest in the corner of the light event.

Xia Yan curled up, burying his head past his shoulders, crouching without a single sound in the corner beside the shrubbery. Sounds of lively mirth came from the light festival not too far away, but all of these seemed to have been isolated outside of this still area, like it had nothing to do with him.

After, only when I walked closer did I hear the quiet sounds of his sobbing.  

Back then, I was still young, so I’d always thought that he was terribly scared because he had gotten lost from everyone. But now that I think about it carefully, that didn’t seem to be the case… 

Xia Yan has always been very courageous since he was small. He’d even drive away a goose that was taller than him to protect me. If so, how could he have cried to that point just because he had gotten lost? He’s so smart, so he definitely also knew to ask the light event staff for help. 

MC: (Could it be that he purposefully hid away back then…)

MC: (Or does it mean…)

MC: (No good, this isn’t the time to think about these. I need to find Xia Yan fast and confirm that he’s safe!)

PART 5

When I found the scene of the accident, everything was already reaching an end. The light event staff had placed warning signs in front of the stall where the conflict had occurred, and were now methodically cleaning up the scene. 

Staff Member: Could all visitors please be aware of the shards of glass on the ground. Please aim to take alternate routes where possible.

I paid little attention to the shards scattered all around with traces of blood on them, directly stepping over the warning signs. 

Staff Member: Ah, dear visitor, please move back to avoid injury.

MC: My apologies - may I ask if you know about the condition of the one who was injured just now?

Staff Member: I came fairly late, and I’m not too clear on the detailed situation.

Staff Member: I just know that the one who was injured is a young man. Because he thought that the other person, a middle-aged man, had stolen something of his, the two got in a dispute. 

Staff Member: During this, he accidentally collided with the adjacent goldfish stall, and his eyes were scratched by the glass. It seems like he lost a lot of blood…

MC: (Stole something… could the one who was injured really be Xia Yan…)

MC: Then has he been sent to the hospital?

Staff Member: Ah, he was just lifted out by the stretcher. Is he your friend? If so, you should be able to make it if you rush over now. 

MC: Understood!

After finishing speaking, I immediately ran toward the entrance of the light event.

MC: (I hope nothing happened to Xia Yan… he must not have had anything happen to him…)

Just as I passed through the crowd of people, moving against the current, the loud, clear sound of a birdcall suddenly rang through the air. I lifted my head and saw a black figure anxiously circling around my head. 

MC: (Why is Peanut over here? Is it hastening me to hurry to find Xia Yan?)

Thus, I was unable to focus on protecting the sugar person I was holding, as I threaded through the flow of people in front of me with increased anxiety.

Right then, I suddenly heard a familiar sound behind me. 

???: Found you.

Hearing this voice, I immediately turned around - 

Where…

Is that you, Xia Yan…

Where are you…

The multicoloured lanterns threw my vision into chaos. I felt like I was in a blurred illusion, unable to distinguish between anything…

Until… a warmth wrapped lightly around my wrist. 

???: …

The sound of a light laugh directed my vision. I saw a young man…

He lifted the complicatedly-carved mask, revealing a handsome and gentle expression. That moment, reality and fantasy split apart. Between heaven and earth, only you and I are real.

MC: …

It really is you… that really is great…

I looked at him, and all the fear and unease in my heart was completely vanquished and dispersed, right then and there.

Xia Yan: What’s wrong? Staring at me in a daze - were you startled by the mask?

His eyes shone bright, looking like they could dispel all hurt in the shadow behind that brightness. 

There was a moment when I felt like I had gotten something wrong… was it him? The god spoken of in legends was him, right? Peeling back a thousand years’ worth of mist, he stepped in the waning lantern light and gradually walked over, solely to find the image of the woman that was branded in his heart.

MC: I was just thinking that… if there really was that god of the land in the light event, he might look like you.

Xia Yan: But the god of the land searched for several hundred years, and still hasn’t found and reunited with the person he loves, even until today. I can’t be like him. 

Though it was dialogue that could not get any more mundane, when placed in this moment, it was like a hidden promise, concealing a hard-to-express sentiment. When associating this with his “Found you” just now, my cheeks started to gradually heat up. 

But Xia Yan continued to gaze at me, never once shifting his vision away. The hot air grew steadily warmer. Only until I lowered my head in embarrassment did he laugh and change the topic.

Xia Yan: Although, if I hypothetically really was him, do you have any wishes you’d like to make a reality?

Xia Yan: Do you want to recover a certain thing that was forgotten?

He raised the phone in his hand and winked at me, brimming with anticipation.

MC: I don’t…

Xia Yan: Eh?! Why?

MC: It’s alright as long as you’re fine. Just now, I’d thought the one who was hurt was you…

Xia Yan: It’s no big deal - just catching a thief. I definitely won’t let myself get caught in danger. 

Xia Yan: You’re still waiting for me, after all.

MC: Xia Yan, your body is yours. Even if I wasn’t waiting for you, you have to be careful.

After listening to me, Xia Yan froze slightly, then immediately revealed a smile that was even more dazzling than before. 

Xia Yan: Mm, you’re right. Here - your phone.

There was still some of his residual warmth left on the phone, and it was slightly hot. It was only then did I suddenly realize that it wasn’t that he wasn’t anxious - he was just pretending to be calm, and hadn’t shown his panicked expression.

MC: Sorry, Xia Yan, I was too reckless just now… I didn’t carefully think before running around, making you search for that long…

Xia Yan: Don’t apologize, this isn’t your fault.

He’d just dealt with an issue just now with skill and ease, but seeing me apologize, Xia Yan was immediately in a fluster.

Xia Yan: It’s actually all my fault. After getting delayed by that accident, I didn’t get Peanut to contact you immediately.

Xia Yan: You didn’t have your phone at the time, and you must have been very anxious. I’m sorry, I didn’t give enough consideration to this…

MC: It’s no problem. Something that delays you must be something that’s very important.

MC: Wait, the accident you mentioned - could it be… the accident where someone collided into the goldfish stall and got their eyes scratched?

Xia Yan: You saw it too?

MC: To be honest… I thought that person was you…

Xia Yan: Then haven’t you underestimated my strength a little too much?

Xia Yan: Although, I was on scene at the time. I somewhat helped the person who got hurt to apply some emergency blood-staunching measures. Otherwise, his eyes would be in danger. 

MC: So amazing - I didn’t think that you also had professional first aid knowledge!

Xia Yan: I’m just alright - preventative measures and all.

Seeming somewhat embarrassed, Xia Yan scratched his head, then directly changed the topic. 

Xia Yan: All in all, if something happens like this next time, I definitely won’t let you worry about me like today.

MC: Wrong! Even if it makes me worry, you should do what you want to do first.

MC: Saving people is the most important, right?

Xia Yan: Mm. As expected, this is something that you’d say.

Xia Yan’s always like this. He’s used to putting himself last, placing priority on considering my feelings first. Ever since we were young, up till now, he’s always been careful like this. Looking at his smiling expression right now, I suddenly had a strong hunch that the reason why he had hid away back then might also have to do with me…

MC: Actually, the process of finding you this time wasn’t a bad thing to me. 

MC: It let me remember things that happened at the light event when we were little…

Xia Yan: Does… it have to do with me? 

MC: Mm, I suddenly remembered that I found you in the corner of the woods, after that time when you got lost.

MC: Back then, you didn’t ask other people for help. Was it because I did something that made you unhappy, so you deliberately hid away…

Xia Yan: No, it had nothing to do with you! Wait, that’s wrong… I can’t really say that it had nothing to do with you…

MC: Look - sure enough, it has to do with me!

MC: I’m sorry, Xia Yan… it’s all my fault…

Xia Yan: Wait wait! Don’t rush to apologize yet! That thing really wasn’t your fault!

MC: Then exactly why was it that…

Seeing me cover my face, maybe Xia Yan thought I was crying. He hurried to take out a paper napkin and edged over to look over my expression as if trying to curry favour. Only after seeing that I was just bluffing did he release a breath, as if he didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.

Xia Yan: Alright alright, I’ll talk. I really can’t deal with you.

Xia Yan: Actually… back then, I really did think about not going back, but it wasn’t your fault.

Xia Yan: I had heard and believed some of the rumours and slanders from relatives back then, and I felt that I had snatched away the attention and affection that uncle and auntie gave to you.

Xia Yan: So I wanted to return these to you… looking at it now, it really is very childish, right?

MC: It’s beyond childish! It’s simply stupid!

Xia Yan: I know, so that’s why I was too embarrassed to tell you the whole time…

After my shock gradually faded, I suddenly felt a sort of hard-to-explain anguish in my heart. I never thought that Xia Yan would have had these kinds of thoughts. It was ironic that I, who had been with him morning and night, never noticed the slightest bit of this…

MC: So… the wish you wanted to make by finding the god of the land also has to do with these thoughts?

Xia Yan: Mm, I hoped that he could make me completely disappear - from this world, and from everyone’s memories.

Xia Yan: Although, good thing I didn’t find him. Otherwise, I definitely would’ve regretted it a lot.

MC: It’s all my fault… if I had noticed this earlier, you wouldn’t have had it so hard.

Xia Yan: Alright alright, I’ve said this already - this isn’t your fault. 

Smiling, Xia Yan patted my head. Looking at his face right now, I couldn’t see the slightest bit of his past haze.

Xia Yan: It’s the opposite - I should thank you.

MC: Thank me?

Xia Yan: Mm. Though I didn’t find the god of the land, you found me.

Xia Yan: Starting from then, I made a decision.

Xia Yan: I will return several times over the attention and affection that was split for me to you, using my methods.

MC: Xia Yan…

Right then, innumerable fireworks suddenly burst in the sky, enveloping everything in gorgeous colours.

Xia Yan: Alright, it’s almost time. 

PART 6

Following the nonstop fireworks sounds, Xia Yan brought me over to the river shore beside the light event.

MC: Whoa—

I couldn’t help exclaiming in admiration. On the water surface that reflected the fireworks, innumerable river lanterns floated and drifted.  Right at that moment, they looked like specks of stars shining in the Milky Way, far away in the sky.

Xia Yan: How is it? We didn’t come here this time for nothing, right?

MC: Mm! It’s way too gorgeous. Were these river lanterns prepared specifically for the closing ceremony?

Xia Yan: That’s right, I set them up specifically for today.

MC: Eh?! You did this?

Xia Yan: Why so surprised? My hands-on ability is more than enough for these kinds of things.

MC: But there are so many of them. You must have spent a lot of time…

Xia Yan: It was alright. Placing river lanterns is one of the customs of the Star Bridge Light event, after all. It also indirectly promotes traditional culture.

Following the slight breeze, some of the river lanterns slowly drifted back to shore, stopping by my foot. If I looked carefully, it seemed like a row of words was written on each lamp. I crouched down and randomly took one of the lamps, and noticed that “Hope her work goes smoothly and that she wins every case” was written on it. Another lantern had “Hope that she will be healthy, and that she won’t be infected by all illnesses” written on it. There were even more lanterns like these, but the blessings written on each lantern were all different.

MC: Xia Yan, were the blessings on them also written by you?

Xia Yan: Mm, they were all written for you.

Xia Yan: I brought you here because I wanted to have you believe that the wish from when we were little no longer counts. These are my real wishes now.

MC: But…

I looked at the numerous lanterns and couldn’t help wrinkling my brows.

MC: Why are all these blessings for me? Are there none for you?

Xia Yan: Because I…

He forcibly swallowed back the words he had opened his mouth to say. With the change in topic, his tone deemphasized the matter at hand.

Xia Yan: There’s actually no reason. Back at the beginning, when I was preparing the river lights, I racked my brains for a long while because I didn’t know what to write.

Xia Yan: After, I thought about you, and I ended up writing on all of them without realizing it. I even felt like I hadn’t made enough river lanterns.

Xia Yan: It’s a pity that there weren’t enough materials already, so I could only make do with those.

But, even if there were enough materials, he probably never intended to write some blessings for himself. There were clearly so many river lanterns, but he didn’t leave a single one for himself… now that I thought about it, I suddenly felt very upset.

MC: Xia Yan, wait for me here for a bit!

Xia Yan: Eh? Where are you going?

MC: I’m going to borrow something - I’ll be back immediately!

After finishing speaking, I ran towards the mask shop. If I hadn’t remembered wrong, there would be what I needed there.

—

Seeing me from far away, the boss waved to me, greeting me warmly.

Mask Shop Boss: Eh, young lady, why did you return on your own? Did that young man not bring you to see the river lanterns?

MC: That young man… do you mean Xia Yan? Boss, how did you know about it?

Mask Shop Boss: This isn’t some secret - all the shops around here know that that young man was going to bring his girlfriend here today.

MC: Girl-girlfriend?!

Mask Shop Boss: Ayo, looking at the young lady’s reaction, you haven’t gotten together yet.

MC: We actually don’t have that kind of relation between us…

Mask Shop Boss: Regardless of how it is, let me speak some fair words - that young man really is a good person.

Mask Shop Boss: To convince the light event host to rent the space out and let him set up the river lanterns, he worked for us for several days. That’s not some average-level conviction.

MC: So this was also the case… thank you for telling me these things, boss.

If not for this accidental occurrence, I probably would have never known about the effort he had put in behind the scenes.

MC: Right, boss, can I borrow a writing brush from you? I promise I will return it immediately after using it.

Mask Shop Boss: No problem, take it as you please. Remember to bring the pigment with you. Although this is what I use to paint the masks - I’m just afraid that you might not be used to using it.

MC: Thank you, boss!

Holding the tools I had borrowed from the boss, I jogged back towards the shore.

—

Xia Yan: What did you bring these for?

Under Xia Yan’s dubious gaze, I held up a river lantern.

MC: To write blessings.

MC: Look, the river lanterns have so many sides, so I can still write a lot of words.

As I spoke, I lifted the writing brush, writing on the empty side of a river lantern - “Hope Xia Yan will be healthy, as well as happy”.

Xia Yan: Eh? Are you writing this for me?

MC: Of course. You’ve busied yourself for so long for these river lanterns, so they must have your name!

MC: Didn’t you ask me earlier about what wishes I wanted to make into reality? More than finding my phone back, this is my actual wish.

Xia Yan: …

Xia Yan looked at those two rows of simple, short wishes on the river lantern, sinking in a short moment of silent contemplation. Right after, he took the brush from my hand, also writing a few rows of words.

MC: What are you writing? Why’d you even cross out a row - let me see.

Xia Yan: No can do - if it’s seen, it won’t come true.

MC: Eh?! Then does that mean that the ones I saw just now won’t come true?

Xia Yan: It won’t be a problem. Either way, there are so many of them, so some of them have got to come true.

MC: That’s true… then I’ll write a few more for you as well!

Xia Yan: No need - this one is enough for me.

He winked at me, then immediately placed the river lantern lightly, back into the water. Right then, magnificent fireworks burst successively in the sky, radiantly breaking apart the darkness, as if to draw all sceneries into an enchanting dream. Following the current, the lanterns drifted further and further away, gradually bringing the wishes to the distant horizon.

“Rather than the excessive wish of being able to always stay by her side, I hope more to protect her as she peacefully, prosperously lives her life - regardless whether I’m there, and regardless of in what way.”

PHONE CALL

Sorry, I was just feeding Peanut and couldn’t respond to your message in time.

I’m also just like you - I’m feeling very reminiscent about the taste of sugar people. The sugar prepared by that boss really was unique.

You liked it because I made it? Hehe, you’re probably saying this to make me happy.

Right, if you like eating it, how about I go find the boss tomorrow to borrow his equipment and make you another one?

Other sugar people shapes… about this, it might have to wait for some time. I have to practice.

You also know that I’ve never been good at drawing since I was small. I’d drift off each class and the teacher would always use my works to make everyone laugh.

The reason why the sugar person I gave you was made well, was because I made it according to you. 

During the time when I went away, I would think of you often. Over time, you became branded deep in my head.

I got caught… I didn’t agree to those kids back then because I only knew to make one kind of sugar people. I can’t just casually give “you” away to other people.

You’re talking about working for the stalls? I was just in charge of working the cash register and hawking the wares - the sugar person I gave you was my first official work.

As long as you like it. I’m willing to try anything you like.

How about we make a big sugar person family next time, with uncle and auntie, and me and you.

In fact… this is, by far, not the only thing I want to do with you. I want to make more memories with you.

I will make up for those lost eight years’ worth of time.

[zootopiathingz]

Between the Odds

Part One: Happy Birthday

After another six hours of mostly peaceful sleep, Judy got dressed and arrived at the Zootopia Police Department, pretty early as usual. She didn't like being late to anything, nor did she want to cut it close. She always had to be at work at least ten minutes before she was supposed to be there. Surprisingly she was able to get her partner to adjust to that schedule as well. So the second she walked through the main doors, so did Nick.

Judy didn't notice at first, up until she felt someone nudging her from behind. She didn't need to turn around to know it was Nick, since that was usually how he tried to get her attention. It was either that or "sneaking" up behind her. "Sup, slick?" She greeted with a smile, noticing he was holding two cups from a coffee shop.

"Sup." He chuckled, handing her one of the cups. "Here, it's the first of many surprises today."

"But I don't drink coffee." She said, but took the cup from him regardless.

"Exactly why I got you hot chocolate." He winked.

Judy was surprised, but was admittedly glad that he knew what she would've wanted from a coffee place so she wouldn't have to pretend to enjoy the drink for his sake. "Oh, well thank you." She grinned, taking a small sip since the beverage was still warm. "So, first of many surprises, hm? What else do you have in store today?"

"You'll see." Nick said, putting his paw in his pocket. "Just trust me, Carrots. You'll love it."

The two began walking toward the front desk as they continued their conversation. "You seem pretty confident." Judy raised a brow at him, "Let's hope you're right about this."

Nick chuckled at her 'suspicion', since he knew she would be eating her words later. "Of course I'm right. I know you better than anyone. Sometimes more than you know yourself."

"Oh really?" She scoffed, "Okay what's my favorite seafood dish?"

He pointed at her, "Trick question. You don't eat seafood, you're vegan."

"Damn. Okay, I'll give you that one." She said, "But only because everyone knows that."

Nick sneered at her as they walked up to the front desk, to be greeted by Benjamin Clawhauser, their co-worker and close acquaintance. He dawned a bright, sprinkle-filled smile upon seeing them. It had basically became routine for the three of them to have a quick chat before work, and it was one of the best parts of his day. "Hey guys!" He said, finishing off the last of his donut. "Oh Hopps, isn't it your birthday today?"

"Yeah, it is." She nodded, surprised that he brought it up. "Thanks for remembering."

"Oh, I remember everyone's birthday. Although ironically no one remembers mine..." He said, staring off to the side. But he quickly shook the thought away and changed the subject before the conversation could go downhill. "Anyway uh, how old are you turning? If it's okay that I ask."

"25." She answered.

Nick wrapped his arm around her, "Yep, she's gettin' pretty old."

Judy scoffed and rolled her eyes at him. "Big talk from someone in his 30's." She retorted.

"Hush." He rubbed her head playfully, "You're on your way there."

Judy laughed and lightly pushed him away from her. While the two had their moment of banter, Clawhauser observed their playful behavior curiously. This was usually what they did when joking around with each other, but something about it seemed different today, almost flirtatious...

But they were just friends, Clawhauser knew this. They were partners, it would be unprofessional to fraternize in the workplace. And they took their jobs very seriously, especially Judy, so the chances of them actually becoming a couple were unlikely. Besides, she was a bunny and Nick was a fox. It just wouldn't be right.

"Alright, we better get to roll call." Judy said once they calmed down.

"Okay. Oh, wait!" Clawhauser said, briefly stopping them from leaving just yet. He reached over to the donut box on the other side of his desk, picking out a chocolate sprinkled one and handing it down to the rabbit officer. "Here! Happy birthday!"

"Aw, thanks!" She said, taking the donut from him before joining Nick at his side as they walked down the hall. Clawhauser watched them leave with a softer smile, admiring how close the two were. Sometimes he envied their friendship and wished he had a partner. Or at least he wished someone would remember his damn birthday.

—

The day went by relatively slow, possibly because Judy was eager to know what her birthday surprise was and she grew more impatient as the hours passed. She loved work, but she enjoyed quality time with Nick even more (even though everyday at work was also considered quality time with him).

After their shift was over, it was nearing the evening, but they knew her birthday was just getting started now. They made a quick stop at Judy's apartment to change out of their uniforms and into more casual clothes. Nick had a few spare shirts and pants kept at her place, and vise versa. It was easier for them to have sleepovers and carpool to work now that she moved into a building that was close to Nick's (and it was ten times nicer than her previous junky apartment).

Once they were changed, Nick led her downtown and eventually made her cover her eyes to add to the effect of the "surprise". Judy found it kinda cliche but she obliged nonetheless, letting him guide her to wherever he intended to take her. He held her arm to prevent her from falling or bumping into anything and led her inside somewhere. Judy tried to guess based on the sounds she heard upon entering, which was mostly kids and teens laughing.

"Okay, you can look now." He said, pushing her paws away from her face.

Judy opened her eyes and immediately smiled, spotting several arcade machines such as pinball, Pac-Man, air hockey, motor racing games, etc. And Judy's personal favorite, Dance Dance Revolution. Out of all the places she expected to be taken to, she didn't think it would be an arcade. But she wasn't complaining at all. She was turning 25, so it would be refreshing to spend time doing "childish" activities. 

"Wow! Nick, this is awesome!" She smiled up at her friend, clenching her paws excitedly. "How'd you know this is what I wanted?"

"Well, I remember you saying how you used to play at the arcade in Bunnyburrow all the time when you were a kid." He said, "Now I know this is no Bunnyburrow, but I think it's pretty decent."

"It's perfect! And I know exactly what game we're playing first." She grabbed his paw, leading him in a certain direction.

Of course she chose Dance Dance Revolution, but Nick couldn't complain. Even though he wasn't much of a dancer, he enjoyed seeing her so happy and energetic. And when she played, she played to win, so she was really into it and followed every move carefully. Meanwhile Nick somewhat half-assed it, but he knew she would've won regardless since she told him tales of her glorious winnings in the past. Apparently in Bunnyburrow, she was the DDR queen.

They decided to take turns choosing what games to play, but the entire time they mostly played air hockey since that was Judy's second favorite, and Nick could actually beat her at it. But he let her win sometimes since it was her birthday, and his ego was too big to admit that she was actually capable of winning on her own.

After a couple hours, they had played mostly every game in the arcade and won quite a lot of tickets. But Nick didn't really want a prize, so he let her use his to get whatever she wanted, 'cause once again he reminded her it was her special day. Judy had to admit she enjoyed being spoiled by him, but she couldn't explain why exactly. She got a few cute little accessories and a stuffed animal from the prize counter, then decided they could leave so they could move onto Nick's next surprise.

He didn't make her cover her eyes this time, since he wanted her to recognize this place from the outside specially. Thankfully it was just a short walk away from the arcade. Once it was in view, Nick stopped them in their tracks so he could ask her, "Look familiar, Carrots?"

Judy gave him a small look of confusion, taking a glance around the area to try to remember anything specific. But then she saw him give a subtle gesture forward, and once her eyes landed on the ice cream shop ahead of them, she was instantly struck with realization.

"Ohh, it's where we first met." She chuckled, "Look at you being a sentimental softie."

"I'm only doing this for you, ya know." He nudged her shoulder as they continued walking. "I do still owe you for the jumbo pop."

"Damn right you do." She scoffed, skipping ahead of him to cross the street. "Come along now, slick."

Nick rolled his eyes and quickly caught up to her. They entered the shop and quickly scanned the menu while waiting in line, though it was a little hard to read since they were the smallest ones in there and they had to step aside to be able to see their options.

Once they ordered an ice cream to share, they carried it to sit at a table close to the window. Even the smallest size they could get was still too big for them to eat, but they were willing to try.

"So what made you decide to do all of this for me?" She asked curiously, taking much smaller spoonfuls than him.

Nick shrugged nonchalantly, "It's your birthday. Why wouldn't we do something special?"

"I dunno. This is just the first time we've done something like this." She glanced out the window. "This is actually the first time I've celebrated my birthday in a while."

"Really?" He asked, genuinely shocked by this bit of information. "Why's that?"

Judy sighed, taking another spoonful of the sprinkly ice cream. "Eh, in my family after you turn 18, birthdays sorta just become another day. A little cupcake with a candle is all ya get."

Nick frowned sympathetically, since he could understand what it felt like spending birthdays alone with not even a real cake to enjoy. But he didn't expect that from Judy, since she came from a loving and caring family. But they were also a huge family, so it made sense that they couldn't always celebrate every single birthday.

But now that made him feel even better that he went all out to make this day special for her. She deserved nothing but the best, especially after all she did for him. "Well Carrots, when you're with me," He playfully tapped her nose with his spoon, "you won't ever have anything less than this."

Judy giggled and wiped away the small bit of ice cream from her nose. "Thanks, Nick."

After they eventually (halfway) finished their frozen dessert, they decided they were full and made their way to Nick's apartment to finish off the night with movies and snacks of her choice. She decided to take full advantage of this opportunity and selected her two favorite cheesy romance movies, Love Actually and Mamma Mia.

But before starting their little movie night, Nick had one more surprise left for her. As she put the popcorn bag in the microwave, he walked up to her holding his paw behind his back. "Alright Carrots, close your eyes and hold out your paw."

Judy realized what he was up to, and though she wasn't shocked, she was still reluctant. "Another surprise?" She giggled, "I can't take much more of these."

"It's the last one, I swear." He told her. "Now close your eyes."

She gave him a look before closing her eyes as instructed, hesitantly holding her paw out for him. He waited a moment for dramatic affect, then placed the small velvet box in her palm, having it already opened for her. "Okay, you can open them."

Judy felt a small blush appear on her cheeks as she saw the beautiful little carrot-shaped pendant in the box. If she had anticipated jewelry from him, she hoped it would be something this meaningful. "Aww Nick! It's beautiful!" She chirped, taking it out of the box. "Put it on me!"

Nick smiled at her excitement and undid the chain, bringing it up to her neck while she move her ears up and out of the way. Once it was clipped and secure, she turned around to face him again, playing with the charm. "How much did this cost?" She asked, hoping that it wasn't much. She would never want Nick to spend more than he could afford on her, even if she did appreciate it.

"Not too much." He said, "Besides, any price is worth seeing your smile."

Judy once again blushed, a bit surprised by his compliment. Well, sure he's complimented her before, but usually it was for jokes or was thrown in between playful insults. "You're such a kiss-up." She laughed, still admiring the pendant and how it shimmered in the light.

And while she was in awe at the gift, Nick was more focused on the bunny wearing it. Seeing her so happy today made him feel quite warm inside, and not just because it was him that made her feel the way (although that was a huge bonus). She was just so beautiful when she was happy like this. The way her amethyst eyes twinkled like jewels, how her bright smile occupied her adorable face, when her feet would bounce and her tail would twitch. Oh, Nick would give anything to see her like that all the time.

Even when Judy looked up to see him staring at her, his small smile of admiration didn't fade. If anything it added to the warmth in his stomach, for reasons he didn't want to admit. "What?" She asked, a little confused as to what he was doing. But she didn't really mind.

"Nothing." He shook his head, "Just lookin' at you."

"Softie." She smirked knowingly.

Nick scoffed and extended his arms, "Just get in here."

Judy laughed quietly and immediately made her way into his embrace, holding him snug and tight. "This is definitely the best birthday I've ever had." She said, nuzzling her head against his chest. "I love you."

He smiled and gently rubbed the back of her head, trying to keep her close to him. "I love you, too, Carrot cake."

[blu-archer]

A helping hand

Part 1 / Part 2 / Of the flower shop and bakery AU

Snz based again. 

zero warnings

Main Pairings: Jimin/Yoongi

Sickies: Jimin [and a mild Tae]

Hopefully this is somewhat enjoyable...

“Is this how you’ve felt?” Taehyung groaned as he shuffled into the kitchen. Shielding his eyes from the sun

Jimin immediately felt his stomach drop when he saw how flushed his roommate was. Tae hadn’t even bothered to change despite it being early afternoon. Although, Jimin could kind of relate. 

He hadn’t had the energy to do that at first either. The only real reason he had showered and changed now was because Jin had called in urgent need of a stand in, so Jimin was sucking it up and he was going to work through his cold. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad, and he could be eased back into work early.

“I’m sorry. I was hoping that it would skip you this time.” Jimin sighed, wiping his nose with the tissue he had been using. “Should have known better. You had a shoot right? Are you still going to go?”

Jimin knew the answer already but he just wanted to make sure in case his friend decided to be an idiot.

“I can’t go like this. I already called the lady this morning and asked if we could reschedule to next week. She seemed nice about it though, so I don’t feel too bad.” Tae sniffled and sighed as if it were his final breath. He linked his arms around the smaller man as he leant into Jimin’s side before frowning. “Are you going somewhere? Where are your sweatpants and Yoongi’s T-shirt?”

Jimin scoffed but felt his cheeks warm at Tae’s question. “I do not sleep in Yoongi’s T-shirts.”  He ignored Tae’s eye roll, mildly grateful that Tae wasn’t wasting any energy on calling him out properly. “Anyway, I have to go in to work now. Jin called in a panic a few minutes ago because Jungkook got into a bit of an accident and has to be taken to the hospital for stitches. Apparently he has Hobi and one of the morning bakers at the counter but neither of them really know what they’re doing so..”

Tae nodded in understanding as he moved to busy himself with making tea. Jimin, who had been emptying soup into a flask for himself before Tae had come in, grabbed a bowl to fill for his friend as well. 

Namjoon should be pulling up any second to drive Jimin to work so he had at to get ready as fast as possible and eating right this second was not an option. Driving him had been the only stipulation Jimin had had because if he walked in this weather he would definitely have to add a week onto being sick, and that wasn’t in his list of things to do. Missing three days was enough to start driving him crazy, he needed his old routine back. Not to mention him avoiding Yoongi was leaving him with a heavy, aching hole in his chest. Tae had been telling him to just let his boyfriend come and see him, but Jimin was not willing to risk scaring the florist off so soon, so eventually his friend had given up and just listened to Jimin complain lamely about how his life sucked.

“I was hoping that I would at least have someone to hang out with.” Tae muttered with a pout, breaking off to cough down towards his shoulder before taking the offered food and leant against the table that had rapidly become a sick station over the course of the past few days. “Jin is going to try get back and help you right?”

“I think so. It really depends how long everything takes with Jungkook, I’m not sure how bad the injury is so I can’t really say. But I’m sure Hoseok will stay with me. Yoongi said that his store has been relatively quiet lately.”

“Okay... Just don’t overwork yourself.” Tae said softly.

They hovered beside each other in a moment of content silence, well as silent as the two sniffling sickly men could be, especially with Taehyung in the mix. Jimin had just been double checking that he had grabbed all that he thought would be necessary when his phone blared to life, a swift glance telling him that it was Namjoon calling to say he was outside. Jimin grabbed his things before he gave Tae a quick goodbye hug, both promising to take it easy before he left the apartment and jogged down the stairs to meet Namjoon.

**

Jimin had immediately gotten to work on making coffee’s the second he walked through the door, a bit daunted by the line that was growing. Hoseok had been trying his best but from the mess on the barista station and the amount of scattered half full to-go cups, he could only imagine how long the poor man had been suffering through this. It didn’t take much to notice that Hoseok was drowning in his attempts. His usual smile and welcoming laugh were replaced by wide eyes, frantic hands and quiet cussing.

Honestly, what had Jin been thinking? Hoseok worked as a florist and the only other job he had had before that was as an assistant teacher at a preschool, what did he know about making coffee?

Despite his blood pressure rising from the instantly stressful situation, Jimin had greeted and bowed at the waiting customers apologetically, fixing on a face mask and gloves before finishing up the current order in record speed. Thankfully with the extra set of hands that actually knew what he needed to do, the pair quickly got into a steady rhythm of work where Hoseok manned the register and the collection of any baked goods while Jimin handled the drinks. It surprisingly flowed well and Hobi was able to sink back into his carefree character since he was no longer out of his depth.

It took probably just over an hour and a half, but they managed to get everyone inside served, most being to-go’s thankfully, so they didn’t have to worry too much on clearing tables. To say Jimin was exhausted might have been a bit of a stretch, but he was definitely well on his way there already. The past three days that he had spent sleeping or lying around did not help the fact that he needed to be awake and functioning for their Saturday afternoon rush.

“I think I need to sit down.” He moaned and coughed deeply into his arm despite still wearing his mask. His legs pained at having had to stand for so long.

And his voice was becoming hoarse again. It had showed improvement that morning but perhaps the activity wasn’t as great a plan as he had originally thought. He could feel his nose threatening to run as well, and the last thing he needed was to be induced into a sneezing mess just before they would get busy again.

Hoseok winced and pushed the spare chair with his foot closer to where he was standing slouching against the counter. Jimin accepted it gratefully, practically throwing himself into it before coughing again. He rested a hand on his neck as it gave a sharp pain, sniffling miserably.

“You’re really down and out this time.” Hobi said sympathetically, offering a bottled water. “I’m so sorry for having to get you called in. I honestly didn’t think it would be that difficult. I have since figured out that the only coffee I can make is instant and Americano. Everything else is off the table.”

Jimin waved off the water, pulling his roughly discarded backpack out from under the counter and onto his lap. He gave a final glance around to see that no one needed help before he was content with opening it and pulling out his flask as well as a travel pack of tissues. “It’s fine. I was feeling a bit better this morning – might be a bit rough right now but I’ll be fine. I’ve worked through worse.” He pulled down his mask and blew his nose as softly as possible. It didn’t stop him from still being blocked up or sounding like a walking plague. “Ugh. This is gross.”

Hoseok nodded subtly but his brows were pinched with concern. “You haven’t worked here in a worse state. Jin would have a heart attack if that happened. But still, you should have definitely still been resting at home. I don’t think Jin will take very long, it depends on how busy the hospital is I guess.”

“What actually happened?” Jimin asked sincerely. Jungkook wasn’t the type to be careless to the point of hospital trips so the sudden visit and ditching of work was quite worrying.

“It was so stupid.” Hoseok groaned, running his hands through his hair. “While he was serving someone, he noticed that knife – the long one that you guys use to cut all the cake slices to put on display, yeah well it was falling or something and he reached for it without thinking. I came for coffee but what I got was to see Jungkook pass out cold with his entire hand and forearm just covered in blood. He is so lucky that he didn’t fall on the knife. And I’m pretty sure that the customer is scared for life, I know I am.”

Hoping that Hobi was exaggerating some, Jimin took one of the coffee cups from the cupboard and poured in a portion of his soup, then looked to Hobi questionably. “Have you eaten?”

“Uh.. no. Not yet. I was actually supposed to grab something for Yoongi and myself, but then I volunteered as a stand in.”

“Do you want some soup? Jin dropped like a bulk amount off at my place and I’ve just been  reheating it in portions.” A small smile tugged at his lips at Hoseok’s own questioning look. “What I’m meaning is I didn’t make it, so it’s not contaminated or anything.” Jimin chuckled lightly, holding out the flask.

Hoseok took it gratefully but after a beat put it on the counter, running his hand through his hair again looking fractionally paler than before. “I don’t think I can eat anything red right now. Maybe I can take some over for Yoongi instead.”

Jimin hummed in agreement, murmuring a brief apology at not thinking about the colour and what context Hobi would associate it with. It was a tomato-based soup – not something Jimin was particularly fond of but he knew that Yoongi tended to enjoy it more than other soups. He vaguely remembered Yoongi mentioning it months back when Jungkook and Hoseok had been arguing about what the best foods were. Jimin wasn’t even sure why he remembered it so clearly.

“Why don’t you take something from the baked goods, and you can go next door again. You probably deserve some rest after all that you had to do earlier. I can handle here by myself or call one of the afternoon bakers to just step in temporarily.” He sipped his soup that was thankfully still warm from when he had transferred it to the flask. It felt soothing on his throat, even if it did make him need to blow his nose again.

“I can’t just leave you here.” Hobi frowned as he moved to grab a muffin from the display.

“You can come back if you want to, I just think you might need a break.” Jimin shrugged, tossing his used tissues in the bin before returning his attention to his food. “Rushes in the bakery are a bit different from rushes in ‘Spring Day’, but I’m more used to it than you are. Even if I’m sick I think I can manage. Should I make you two coffee before you head over?”

Hoseok sighed heavily but gave in, making sure Jimin ate a bit more before the younger slipped up his mask again and made up the coffee’s. Declaring them on the house to Hoseok as he waved at the man to go back next door.

He ignored the anxious glance Hoseok shot him from across the store as he was leaving when a couple entered the bakery, greeting the customers politely and responding to their small talk as playfully as he usually would. This was his job. It was something he was good at and he truly believed that he could hold out for an hour or two more without too much stress.

It was a bit difficult to slip into his normal role. He definitely wasn’t as talkative and he had to take more breaks trying to compose himself after particularly severe coughing fits, but most of the customers that came in were regulars and were both polite and sympathetic to the situation. Some of them had even heard about what had happened with Jungkook that morning, while others he had to try defend Jin’s honour in that he wasn’t forcing Jimin to work while so sick and that there was a genuine reason to him being there for couple hours.

Hoseok didn’t come back, but it was fine with Jimin. The rush he had been expecting had dwindled due to the weather, and those that did come more often than not tried to choose the easiest drinks to make in order to make his load lighter. They didn’t need too, but he was thankful that were so thoughtful anyway.

*

It was howling outside and even with all the doors shut tightly Jimin was still shivering from the cold seeping through his sweater. It had gotten much darker as well, and the rain that had disappeared for the last few days had returned in full force. His head ached and he had been stifling random sneezes that had seemingly been brought by the weather change for the last hour, quite frankly he was beyond annoyed at his crumbling state. He had even accidently dropped a complete latte on himself and had to deal with his jeans being covered in the cooling liquid for the rest of his time working. He was quickly giving up on his solo act and as soon as he had the slightest of breaks he was calling Hobi back.

Jimin had just set a small red cappuccino down on the counter-top when the familiar tickle in his sinuses became impossibly unbearable. He could vaguely hear Ms. Blake – the elderly foreign lady that had been coming to the bakery since its opening – questioning him on something, but he could only bring himself to mutter a quick apology before turning and half stifling his sneeze into the crook of his arm. The hitching and result being far more vocal than he usually was. Perhaps living with Tae really was affecting him.

He had hoped he would stop after one but that would be too much to ask for. He sneezed again, and again, until he couldn’t try to stifle it anymore. He was forced to lay a steadying hand on the counter as he hid into his arm. His mask was becoming wet and he cringed at how he must look right now. In front of a paying customer. And the town gossiper none the less.

Jin would be horrified.

He tried to apologise again in between shaky gasps but all that he had resulted in doing was giving a weird high-pitched whine as someone joined him behind the counter and pushed him down into a chair before addressing Ms. Blake with low and pleasant words that just fell short of audible over the buzzing in his head. Jimin would have thought that it was San or Yunho from the kitchen if it wasn’t for Ms. Blake’s need for conversation.

“Mr. Min? It’s so nice to see you neighbours helping each other out. Poor Jimin here looks just about to drop.”

Poor Jimin was about to now.

He was even more horrified that Yoongi was there and that he was having his worst moment in the day right in front of him. His timing was incredibly terrible.

“He really shouldn’t be here.” Yoongi said deeply. “But he has never been one to turn someone down when they need help. Hobi was over here helping earlier, so I thought it was my turn to have a round. Is there anything else you need?”

Hih’ITCHeww! Hih’hihITSHiew! Hi’INGXTuhhh!

Yoongi slyly slipped him what was left of his fourth pack of tissues. Jimin crumpled from his seat to practically hide under the counter, not daring to look at the elder man as he ripped his ruined mask off to try and clean himself as quickly as possible. He could hear Ms. Blake tell him that stifling was bad for him and that he shouldn’t be embarrassed, but he couldn’t bring himself to care much on her words at this point. 

Yoongi was here. 

Yoongi was here. 

Here.

 And Jimin was a puddle of sickness that probably looked like something that gets run over and tossed in the trash.

God, this was monumentally embarrassing.

Yoongi kept her entertained for a few more minutes before helping her pay and waving her farewell, not even bothering to wait until she had left before he was moving to kneel in front of his boyfriend. Jimin finally took that moment to blow his nose properly, internally dying at how wet and gross it sounded.

There goes ever being attractive in Yoongi’s eyes again. Jimin was actually disgusting himself.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Jimin felt a large familiar hand rest on his arm but he didn’t dare look or even open his eyes.

“Hobi said you were coughing quite badly, seems like everything is in full swing… you should have called someone to help.”

Jimin sniffled and curled tighter into himself. He knew that there was a chance of Yoongi coming over, but he had hoped that his boyfriend would be busy with orders or something.

“Min… Please look at me at least. Did I do something wrong?”

Shit. He didn’t want to make a small thing into something more, and truly, it didn’t really have anything to do with Yoongi. It was a Jimin problem and he was going to have to deal with it sooner or later.

“No, I-“ Jimin sniffled again, running his wrist under his nose when he realised that he had no more tissues. “I’m sorry, this is just embarrassing.”

Yoongi lifted Jimin’s chin so that he could see his face clearly. Frowning at the bright red that tainted Jimin’s cheeks and nose. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’ve seen you sick before, and even if I hadn’t, there is nothing wrong with it. You know… besides not being well, obviously.” Yoongi reached up above the counter to collect something while he rested a hand on Jimin’s knee to steady himself. “Here. I thought I’d drop in to just visit. I’m glad I was here at the right time to help.”

Jimin couldn’t stop the smile from forming when he saw the sunflower he had failed to notice earlier.

“I was going to bring something that represented good health, but I thought perhaps bringing something that I knew you liked might be the better option.” Yoongi glanced away to avoid eye contact as Jimin took the flower, coughing suddenly into his fist. “Since I couldn’t get one to you on Wednesday..”

Jimin ended up resting the flower in his lap while he pressed his wrist hard to his nose. Squinting through blurry eyes at the bright yellow petals contrasting against his black jeans. As much as he wanted to greet Yoongi like how he usually would or at the very least thank him for the flower and helping him, Jimin couldn’t seem to get rid of that stuffy buzz that had made a home in his sinuses. It seemed to ebb and flow as it pleased and honestly left him an unwilling victim to the mess it made of him.

“Do you need more tissues?” Yoongi asked gently, already reaching for Jimin’s bag with flushed cheeks. “You should go sit in the back for a bit. Jin is on his way back so you won’t need to be here much longer.”

“I-“

“Please go.” Yoongi said softly, running a hand through Jimin’s hair and handing him the last packet of tissues that Jimin had thought to bring. “Take a break. I’m annoyed that you had to come in at all. You’re definitely not well enough to be here.”

Jimin couldn’t bring himself to deny the claim, it was pretty spot on actually. His body dragged and his head and chest ached after what he’d forced himself to work through. He didn’t even raise a complaint when Yoongi helped him stand and led him to the small staff area to lay him down on the small couch there.

“I’ll be out front.” Yoongi told him softly as the elder draped his thick jacket over the sick mans’ chest and arms. “I know how to make coffee better than Hobi so don’t stress over it too much. If I need your help I’ll make sure to come get you.”

Jimin’s reply was cut off by a harsh grating cough that made him hold at his throat in pain. Yoongi stroked a hand down Jimin’s warm cheek, feeling the younger shiver lightly at the touch. He laid a final kiss to Jimin’s nose softly before hesitantly returning to the front of the bakery.

Yoongi’s head had spaced so far after what he had just walked in on that he could barely hear the light bustle of the two bakers in the kitchen as they shifted the next load of goods into their respective places in the back. In fact, he pretty much felt like he was living with his heartbeat pulsing loud enough to be heard as music for the bakery.

Was he really that obvious?  

With a sigh Yoongi sent Hoseok a text to be responsible for closing the store, then another much more annoyed text to Seokjin before he moved to clear the few tables that had had people at them – desperately trying to ignore the familiar heat that had crept under his skin the moment he had entered the store and laid eyes on the boy with messy pastel pink hair that he had fallen for.

[jokerfan99]

My Top 10 Favorite Anime Heroes (Updated) by DarkChild316

“Guess who’s back…back again! DarkChild’s back, with 10 more friends!” LOL, sorry for that lame-ass joke, but I was listening to some Eminem earlier today. Anyway, my terrible sense of humor aside, I thought it would be a good time to give my list of “My 10 Favorite Anime Heroes” an update, figured since I did one for the villains I thought shit, might as well do one for the heroes too! Now once again, this list is strictly for the men only, if you want a list of my favorite anime queens, check out my list of “My Top 10 Favorite Anime Heroines”. But in the meantime, enjoy this updated list of my favorite anime heroes:

#10. Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia): One of the newest (and quite literally) entries on my list, Deku is a character who dreamed of becoming a hero in spite of being born without a Quirk or any kind of powers in a world dominated by heroes with them. Only to be chosen as successor to the greatest hero of the age, All Might. A humble yet caring fanboy at heart, if All Might represents the Golden Age of heroes, then Deku represents the future of heroes in the Modern Era. He may be a socially awkward cinnamon roll at the best of times, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that he’s not willing to stand up and do what’s right when the chips are down and the world needs a hero to stand for, no matter what form of villain is in the way! The only reason he doesn’t rank any higher on this list, is because he’s still relatively new to the scene and time will tell where he stands in the Patheon of anime legends.

#9. Inuyasha (InuYasha): He’s half dog-demon, half human: put it all together and what do you get? A sword-wielding hybrid who knows how to take care of business. Originally wanting nothing more than to become a full demon, his human heart trumped his selfish desires, leading him to fall for the modern-day schoolgirl he vowed to protect. Fighting through feudal Japan to recover fragments of the Sacred Jewel, InuYasha can be both cold and rude, yet heartfelt and compassionate. Plus, he makes us all laugh whenever we see this happen.

#8. Alucard (Hellsing): There have been a shitload of vampires in modern anime, yet all of them owe their debt to this tall, dark, well-dressed man. There has never been a vampire as delightfully sadistic as Alucard but unlike most vampires, there’s a method to his sadism that makes him truly brilliant. He isn’t truly evil, he’s just a monster who revels in destroying other monsters in any sadistic way he sees fit. And he truly revels in it, making his victims (most of which are evil Nazis and powerful demons) believe they actually have a chance by damaging them before regenerating and wrecking them in devastating fashion. This isn’t to say he’s totally heartless though, as he’s shown a great deal of fondness for the members of his team who are just as devoted to ridding the world of the evil forces that threaten it. Even though the anime version of Alucard mentions that he doesn't entirely understand humans anymore, he seems happy to work in the service of them, and to protect them from devils who aren't as honorable as he is.

#7. Kenshin Himura (Rurouni Kenshin): When I was a kid, Rurouni Kenshin was my favorite anime growing up and Kenshin was my favorite character. Having had a chance to revisit this anime recently during lockdown reminded me once again why that is, Kenshin is easily the most compelling character I had seen growing up as a kid and he was a refreshing change of pace in the samurai genre. Firstly, he was quite feminine to the point that many mistook him for a woman. He was also one of the politest characters in anime history, frequently putting others before himself and speaking to them with the utmost respect and patience. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think the guy would be better suited as a florist that a samurai. But underneath that smiling exterior hides a dark secret, Kenshin is a man haunted by the demons of his past. A former mercenary who killed countless foes, he makes a vow to never kill again, and is repeatedly tested on that vow time and time again as less virtuous people endanger the country’s peace. When Kenshin's hand is forced, he can go to incredibly dark places and fall back into the habits that made him known far and wide as the most fearsome swordsman in the land. Although Kenshin’s momentary lapses make him a complete badass and set the stage for some of the most epic sword battles ever animated, Kenshin always goes back to his sweet persona once the danger is gone. But in his solitary, quiet moments, he's gripped by his greatest fear; that one day he will permanently revert to his former self and become a manslayer once more.

#6. Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop): I’ll admit, it had been a long time since I’d seen Cowboy Bebop, so naturally I had forgotten about how cool a character Spike Spiegel was. Thankfully, this pandemic has allowed me to revisit it, and I find myself being just as in awe of Spike as I was when I was kid in the 90’s, he’s that awesome a character folks! Spike was an amalgamation of influences (from Bruce Lee, to Lupin III, and a little dose of film noir), and the result was a creation greater than the sum of its parts. In a series like Cowboy Bebop, which was itself a combination of cultural influences from around the globe, Spike was the essence of the story. Voice actor Steve Blum launched his career into new heights when he gave the performance of a lifetime in the English dub of the series, giving Spike a sense of smooth, effortless cool that many argue surpassed the original Japanese version.

Spike proved to be a versatile character; he was an expert pickpocket, a gearhead who worked on his own spaceship, a clever detective, a badass fighter, and even a bit of a philosopher. But what made Spike most interesting was his past as a gangster, and a man hopelessly in love. His relationship with Julia, and the tragic end of that relationship, haunts him throughout the series and shows us what truly mattered to him all along. When Cowboy Bebop reaches its powerful conclusion, Spike goes out in a blaze of glory that is unmatched in the history of anime (all I have to say is “Bang”).

#5. Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach): The first of the shonen “Big 3” to appear on my list, you’d think being born with the ability to see ghosts would be enough, but not for this high-school bruiser. After a fateful encounter with a Shinigami, Ichigo gains the power of a god of death, and is tasked with defending his home from the malicious spirits known as Hollows. As his seemingly endless battle stretches to other planes of existence and some truly frightening enemies, both Quincy and Hollow, this orange-haired swordsman will keep fighting to protect what matters most to him no matter what.

#4. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): The second member of the shonen “Big 3” to make my list, this straw-hatted rubber-man takes my vote for his carefree spirit and his big heart. With the dream of grabbing the title of Pirate King, Luffy is a man who thinks with his stomach and fists rather than his head. Always in the pursuit of adventure, this happy-go-lucky guy may be the last person you consider when you think pirate captain. But you’d be wrong: You mess with Luffy’s crew and he’ll declare war on the entire world to save them.

#3. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto): Talk about a rough childhood. After having a powerful demon sealed inside of him, Naruto was a social outcast in the shinobi village he grew up in; even though people despised him for being the vessel for the Nine-Tailed Fox demon he did not take the darker path in life nor did it deter him from pursing his dream of becoming the village leader to gain the respect and admiration of those who once shunned him. Naruto’s growth as both a ninja and human can be seen throughout the series,  as it was this good nature of his and the will to protect everyone close to him that slowly changed the attitude of people towards him as the bonds of friendship he forges make his dream worth fighting for.

#2. Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist): Wildly ambitious, wickedly smart, and wise beyond his years, Edward Elric entered the stage with a fresh, but interesting take on the modern shonen anime hero. Unlike those who came before him, he wasn’t this lovable idiot with a heart of gold. He was smart, calculating, arrogant, and shrimp sized. But most daring of all was the fact that Edward is technically handicapped, having had both an arm and a leg lost in a tragic accident fueled by love and hubris. In Edward we had a character who unlike most anime heroes was truly multidimensional. He could be comedic and pull off wild takes and sight gags. He could be placed in the most tragic circumstances and portray the deepest kind of sadness. He could be a complete badass, but he could also be the nicest guy on the planet. And most of all we saw Edward discover harsh truths about the world and learn that he didn’t know nearly as much as he thought he did.

#1. Son Goku (Dragon Ball): With the greatest respect to those like Luffy and Naruto, none of those characters would have ever been possible without this man (and the creators of One Piece and Naruto have even admitted this themselves). The prototype for shounen lead characters, Goku was somewhat of an anomaly back in his day. When the plucky, pint-sized kid Goku first appeared in Dragon Ball, the trend for male heroes was to have larger than life muscle heads (which Goku ironically turned into in his adulthood). Goku also grew up; another drastic change in a time when characters rarely changed much. But Dragon Ball Z is where Goku truly earned his fame. Goku isn’t even the most popular character in DBZ sometimes, but he is the foundation of the series. His heroism, strength, and dedication make him the perfect core for a kid’s show where the themes are meant to be pretty simple. He may not be the most complex character in anime history, but he’s perfect for the goal he was meant to accomplish. But Goku isn’t my top hero so much for his character complexity; it’s his influence that cannot be denied. He was, in many ways, a character that bucked the trends of his time and defined the direction of shonen manga/anime for decades, and that's why he's my #1 anime hero of all-time.

So that's my list, what did you guys think about it? Love it, hated it? Go on and tell me what you think and let me know who your favorite anime heroes are. See you soon!

Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/darkchild316

[astraeagreengrass]

The Queen's Husband [4/?]

When her reign is threatened, the Queen of Ergona must find a husband to secure her throne.

Word Count: 4.909

Warnings: There's smut on the second half - don't read if you're under 18! English is not my first language, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

A/N: Grab your dresses and your tiaras - we're going to a royal wedding! This is my first time writing smut and it took me such a long time to make it somewhat decent (if anyone has any tips on how to write better smut, please help a friend out). And although it's pretty tame and lame, keep away from the last part if you're under 18. As always, thank you to every one who's been following this story - it turned out to be so much more than I was expecting and I am forever grateful to anyone who takes some time off their day to let me know their thoughts ♡

Chapter four moodboard

Series masterlist

My masterlist

You and Captain Rogers were married on the first Sunday of October.

The bright summer months - mystical days when your relationship bloomed like flowers under warm sunlight - made way for fall. The air was growing colder and, early in the morning, you could see a white fog settling over Albeon, until the last remnants of the mid-year sun chased it away.

October’s arrival and the eminence of your wedding brought chills to your spine that had nothing to do with autumn. Everything was changing - your life, your kingdom, your heart. Outside the Keep’s walls, the streets were decorated with colorful flags, ribbons and balloons. Overnight, a group of street artists painted Main Street’s cobblestones with beautiful intricate chalk drawings of the most important moments of your reign. You’d never seen the capital - or Ergona, actually - in such high spirits.

To Lord Fury’s outrage, you ordered the Keep’s gates to be open on the wedding day. You simply turned your back on him as he berated about the dangers of letting the common folk in. Fury couldn’t change your mind - these people were your family. You may have growing affections for your groom, but you were walking down the aisle for them.

If they couldn’t see your sacrifices, may them at least know your love.

In the throne room, where the ceremony would take place, another chair sat on the dais. It was made of mahogany wood with gold accents, red velvet cushions and precious gems encrusted in it’s legs, armrests and back. The new throne was identical to the old one, albeit some five hundred years younger. It was a joint present from Lord Stark, the richest man in Ergona and your former guardian, and the Duke of Arvenia, Steve’s father: twin thrones to symbolize equal rulers, a first in your country’s history.

Steve himself said nothing when he first laid eyes on his throne. He kept a blank, neutral expression as his gaze quickly assessed the furniture, as if making mental inventory. He stiffly thanked Lord Stark and his father, before bowing to you and taking his leave, Sir Barnes hot on his heels.

Later that night, wrapped in the safe embrace of his arms, you asked him:

“Did you not like your throne?”

Steve sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of your head. You were in your usual spot outside your chambers, three nights before the wedding and his coronation. Your moments alone were even more sacred now that you had found the courage to kiss him. It was physically painful to be apart from him during the day, counting down the seconds until you could shed the heavy cloak of duty and just be young and enamored. Steve’s courtship was bolder, more passionate. He’d kiss you back with such devotion it’d leave your head spinning.

“It’s not that” he replied. “I’m just afraid I can’t be what you need. And what Ergona needs.”

You were so worried overthinking the endless possibilities regarding your union that you never stopped to wonder how Steve was faring. He was quick to accept your proposal - more concerned about the legitimacy of your request than the weight of it. And sure, he was no ordinary man, but maybe the prospect of becoming king was taking its toll on him. You’d been trained for your role for eighteen years, while Steve barely had four months to prepare.

“Do you regret our engagement?”

“No!” he exclaimed. “Of course not! I would never. It’s just… Overwhelming, I guess.”

He bit his lip, as if the pain of teeth on skin could bring him the right words.

“I don’t want to say I was never scared while in battle, because I was. I’ve felt the fear of dying, but I embraced it. I embraced the possibility of not coming back from war, of perishing at the enemy’s hand. I supposed that what made me a good soldier - embracing your fears makes it look as if you don’t have them, even if you’re terrified. But what I’m feeling now… I can hardly understand it.”

“If I failed in battle, it would mean my death and that was it. But if I fail as a king, my mistake will live on and on in the lives of all of those in Ergona who will suffer it’s consequences. It’s terrifying.”

“How do you do it?” he begged. “Please help me be the king you and our country deserve.”

Steve Rogers was a good man. And you were falling desperately in love with him.

You saw him very little after that. You aunt Virginia, Duchess of Foghar, and your cousin Morgan arrived from the East, taking up most of your free time. Morgan insisted on sleeping with you, which prevented Steve from lingering at you door, but you didn’t have it in your to break the little girl’s heart. Instead, on your last evening as a maiden, the two of you built a pillow fort and cast shadows in the wall, spinning a fantastic tale of lovers and dragons and a king and queen who ruled Ergona.

Your bridal gown was a magnificent alabaster piece made of thick fabric, with long sleeves, elongated neck and a train. Mother-of-pearl buttons fastened it to your front and silver embroidery drew intricate patterns from hem to shoulders, which were covered by thick a fur shawl. It was a garment made for heavy winter, not autumn, but you insisted on it since it was your mother’s wedding dress. The only addition were the mother-of-pearl clasps, shaped like stars - a nod to Steve’s shield.

It was sweltering hot inside the antechamber where you waited. A set of double doors kept you from the throne room, your future husband and what appeared to be the entire kingdom. You were never one to be nervous with large crowds - you couldn’t - a mask of nonchalance couldn't hold stop Sir Samuel Wilson, Captain of the Queen’s Guard, who stood by the entryway, from noticing your fingers twitching.

“Are you having second thoughts, Your Grace?” he joked. “I can’t get you out of here, just say the word.”

You snickered. Captain Wilson was one the nicest, most genuine people you knew. Your first act as a queen was to knight him - your childhood best friend from Foghar, who followed you all the way to Albeon because “someone has to look after your royal ass.”

“You can’t help me this time, Sam” you sighed.

“Don’t be dramatic. Steve’s a good guy, Y/N” he reasoned. “You chose well.”

“It’s not him I’m worried about.”

Sam raised one eyebrow.

“I thought you shouldn’t lie when you’re wearing that” he pointed to the crown atop your head, a heavy adornment made of white gold and diamonds. “You have feelings for Steve, which makes you anxious because you hate it when you can't control things."

Before you could come up with a witty response to Sam's very accurate conjecture, Lord Stark arrived, your bouquet in hands - edelweiss for courage, baby’s breath for purity and myrtle for good luck and love in your marriage. Sam excused himself to give you and your uncle some privacy, as well as announce to the grand hall the bride’s upcoming entrance.

Lord Stark cleared his throat.

“You look beautiful, kid” he praised, brown eyes glistening with the tears he was trying to hold back. “Are you ready to do this?”

“Not if you cry” you cooed, gently swiping your thumb on his under eye. His skin was thinning, marked by some wrinkles that weren’t there when you first found yourself in this antechamber. Albeon had taken a heavy toll on your uncle, but not once had he complained.

“I can’t help it” Uncle Tony shrugged. “You’re my oldest daughter, it doesn’t matter what biology says. And I’m happy for you - I’m just crying because that’s what dads do, I suppose.”

Very carefully, you pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was hard to move your head around with the crown. It’s weight forced you to stand still and look ahead in perfectly regal posture. Which was how you walked down the Dragon’s Keep throne room, left arm linked to your uncle’s, as soon as the double doors opened.

On nights you couldn’t sleep you’d often find yourself here, in this wide room built by your ancestors to celebrate their victories and reinforce their rule. It was fairly simple for a throne room - Asgard’s throne room, for instance, was much more opulent - with few ornaments apart from the regular flags and traditional marble arches. It’s grandeur was in the sheer size of it and the glass dome that reflected sunlight in thousands of colors, all of which painted your gown as you made your way to Steve, who stood broad-shouldered at the foot of the dais.

He was wearing his military garb, composed of dark blue jacket and white breeches. The jacket was adorned with all the medals he'd received during his relatively short but immensely successful career. Sir Barnes was on his left as the best man, wearing red, watching with a satisfied, happy smirk as Uncle Tony placed your hand in Steve’s.

Presiding the ceremony was The Ancient One, a tall, bald woman of unknown age who was the leader of the Church of Ergona. The only occasion she left the sacred city of Kamar-Taj was to celebrate royal weddings and coronations in Albeon. Beside her were Master Wong, Master Mordo and Lord Strange, himself a master of the unseen arts too.

She married you first. Took your joined hands and laced them together in golden cloth, as you and Steve recited vows of love, trust and respect. It was fairly simple, not much different that it would’ve been if you were a commoner couple. After brief twenty minutes or so, The Ancient One declared you husband and wife.

There was no kiss - your first duty as a wife held precedence over it. From behind Steve, Lord Strange came with the crown and Master Wong with the State Sword.

Steve knelt before you, his gaze locked on yours. With clammy palms, you took the State Sword, gently placing it on his right shoulder.

“Do you solemnly promise to govern the people of the Kingdom of Ergona, according to its respective laws and customs?”

“I do.”

“Do you solemnly promise to be guided by justice and mercy in all of your tasks and doings, placing your people’s need before your own even in the darkest hours?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to protect your people from their enemies, even if it means waging war?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to be fair in your decisions and respectful in your actions, making no distinctions between citizens?”

“I do.”

The tip of the sword weighed like thousand of bricks on Steve’s shoulder, but nothing compared to the golden crown you placed on his head. It was burdensome, soul-crushing - and he'd never felt closer to you.

No one but him noticed the way your hands lingered on the sides of his face or your soft smile when you announced:

“Rise, Steven, King of Ergona.”

The throne room erupted in cheers.

After the feast, Natasha and Wanda prepared you for your wedding night. Your corset was loosened, your skirts removed, your jewelry stored away. Natasha delicately rubbed lavender scented oil on your pulse points while Wanda brushed your hair. A new nightgown was laid on the bed: made of the purest white linen, with lace trimmings and buttons down the front. The perfect look for a virgin queen on her nuptials.

The wedding feast had been a success. Guests from lands near and far enjoyed a decadent dinner of the likes your halls hadn’t seen in a long time, courtesy of Anthony Stark, the Duke of Foghar, to celebrate the nuptials of his beloved niece. Talented musicians entertained the guests, which included the Wakandan royal family and Steve’s cousins, the Princes of Asgard. You and the new King were lavished with the most incredible gifts - gems, tapestries and even horses. All the while, your hand clasped his tightly. His wedding band dug into your palm, but the sharp sting of it was reassuring.

Whatever happened from now on, you were not alone anymore.

There was a brief knock on the door before your aunt Virginia swiftly walked in.

“The King is on his way” she announced as she made her way to you. “Are you ready for this?”

Worry creased her eyebrows, hardening her beautiful face. Here was the woman who raised you as her own - when your mother perished and your father sent you away, Virginia Stark gave you all the love her heart could muster. While your uncle was your advisor and therefore had a duty to aid your rule, your aunt was the hand on your back, ready to offer you her comforts when the weight of the crown was too much.

She couldn’t help your carry it, but now, with the arrival of a man that could, she worried not for the Queen, but for the young woman at the verge of consummating her marriage.

“Please say something” Natasha pleaded as she tugged on your sleeve. She was wearing a beautiful ball gown of forest green which complimented her hair perfectly.

“This must happen” you answered as if you were speaking to your subjects and not the people who knew you best. “I’m sure he will be… Kind.”

Natasha snorted but before she could say anything another knock echoed in the room, louder and more persistent this time. You nodded at Wanda, who opened it, revealing Steve.

“Ladies. My Queen” he greeted at the threshold. From behind him you could see the silhouette of your uncle Tony.

None of the women moved until you commanded:

“Please leave us.”

Bowing to you and then to Steve, the women left the room. When Wanda closed the door behind the King, she sent you a reassuring smile.

You remained still in front of the huge four-poster bed, watching as your new husband slowly made his way inside your room. The windows were closed with pale pink velvet drapes matching the seating in the furniture. During the day they offered the most beautiful view of the gardens, but tonight no one but you and Steve would be witness to whatever took place.

The soft yellow glow of the candles cast shadows on his beautiful face. He’d always been incredibly handsome and yet you were amazed by how striking he looked now: clothes a little rumpled, lips wine stained and eyes blown wide and dark. A fading red line on his forehead from where his crown had been all now.

“We don’t have to do anything tonight” he said and you knew he meant it.

He was standing right in front of you now, although five feet apart. The distance between you felt as big as the distance between the Earth and the Moon, nothing but gravitational pull holding you still.

“I’m not scared” your voice declared, chin held high.

Steve laughed, so softly it felt like a breeze rustling the petals of the rose courtyard.

“I don’t think anything could scare you” he smiled. “But I’d hate for you to regret this.”

Steve loved you. He truly did loved you.

You’d believed his words when he said them. Knowing him to be truthful and honest, you believed his declaration, even if the meaning of it was incomprehensible for you then.  You’d know the love of family and the love of friends, but never the sweet, selfless love of a lover, and you honestly never thought you would. But then Steve came like a hurricane, unabashedly storming into your life. Your feelings - neat organized boxes you kept in a imaginary shelf - were scrambled and confused, drowning you in a cerulean sea of bewilderment.

You trusted your body: the aguish you felt when he was away, the incessant fluttering in your stomach when he was near.  The heat that took over your veins and crumbled your defenses.

You felt his care in your skin. You saw it, in the green shades of his blue eyes. It was there, visible for only you in candlelight. When morning came maybe you wouldn’t see it again and you’d wonder if it was even real or just your young mind playing tricks. But tonight maybe, maybe, you could let him love you properly.

“Then I guess you should make me not regret it.”

His steps towards you were slow and measured. His boots made little sound on the wooden floor, but the wait was so agonizing you swore they thumped to the rhythm of your heartbeat. When he finally reached you, chest to chest and feet to feet, Steve took your chin in his hands, tilting your head so your eyes could meet.

The move was just like the first time, but the kiss was anything but. Steve’s lips were familiar now, safe territory where you could get lost in for hours. Your tongue had traced its shape and your teeth had pulled on it’s skin. You learned that a kiss was so much more than a press of mouths. There was a lot that could be soundlessly said: “I need you”, “Thank you for being here”, “I’m scared”, “I adore you”.

Your husband’s hands were on your hips, holding and squeezing with fervor. You threw you head back when he started kissing your neck, lips and beard trailing fire on the column of your throat. You barely held your gasp when he squeezed your bum.

“No,” he gruffed. “Let me hear you.”

Tentative fingers tangled in Steve’s hair, their grip tightening as his hands wandered further. Kissing him was the most divine delirium. The otherwise soft fabric of your nightdress now felt scratchy as it shielded your nudity. Even the rich velvet of his waistcoat couldn’t compare to the stroke of his skin.

You were panting heavily when Steve touched your foreheads, eyes glazed and lips plumped. You thought you’d gotten pretty good at reading him these past months - how the hues on his irises hinted at a thousand words he sometimes wouldn't say. He was a quiet one, your husband. He saved his voice for when it was necessary, not just to join the superfluous stream of words you sometimes were victim to. 

“Are you sure?” he asked, hoarse and breathless and tantalizing.

You answered unbuttoning the first button on his waistcoat, then the second and third. He didn’t stop it when you pushed it off his broad shoulders and to the floor and then moved on to his tunic. Steve’s torso was a masterpiece of solid muscles under tanned skin. Some faded scars littered the expanse of it, souvenirs from battles past, but you thought they worked on reminding you he was real.

Carefully, you placed a kiss in the center on his left shoulder blade. His skin was warm and tasted salty, but you liked it. Under your palm, Steve’s heart raced.

“Y/N?” he whispered.

“Yes?”

“Can I remove your nightdress?”

You nodded, cheeks pressed to his chest so you could ground yourself in his heartbeat. Steve pecked you softly before kneeling.

“You have me on my knees, my Queen” he professed. “I will cherish you and love you until the end of my days.”

You shivered when he gently took your left foot in his hands, laying a kiss to your ankle. Slowly, his hands and lips moved upwards, trailing your calf, knee and thigh. Out of all of Natasha’s explanations about eroticism, she never mentioned the delirious feeling of a man’s beard touching skin - but then again, you were very fond of Steve’s beard.

When he reached your hip, the nightdress was sitting sideways in your body, covering everything but your leg. A hand went to Steve’s shoulder to steady yourself as he bit your hip bone. Everything was hot, as if the whole room was aflame. Blue eyes locked with yours before he lifted the rest of the fabric, rising as he revealed your body.

It was a strange sensation, sharing your nudity with someone. Of course you’d been nude in Wanda’s presence as she bathed you, or your aunt’s, or even as doctor’s, but it never felt so vulnerable. You wanted your body to be appreciated and desired - for Steve to bask in it the same way your were basking in his, but you couldn't help the shame and insecurity.

He saw the change in your demeanor, how your shoulders tensed and your arms moved to cover your middle section. Steve was hard as a rock, his erection straining his trousers in a terribly uncomfortable way. It wasn't his first time, but no past experience could compare to the reality of finally being with you, his beloved, whom he loved from afar for so long.

He hugged you, just like you did that night when he confessed his fears of ascending to the throne, and you relaxed. Your chest against his was heavenly, and your heartbeats harmonized as if all they ever needed was to touch each other through the skin.

“You’re so beautiful” he whispered. “I’m so happy. Thank you for marrying me.”

“Shouldn’t I be thanking you?” you joked.

He laughed and it was irresistible, so you kissed him again.

Cautiously, his fingers caressed your spine, sensually gazing over your bum and reached the back of your thigh. Sometime during the night - while you were fervently kissing him or trying not to faint, perhaps - you failed to notice how your intimacy was progressively getting wetter. Steve’s touch startled you, making you jump in his arms. He immediately removed his hand and apologized.

“I’m sorry, is this too much? I don’t want to hurt you.”

“No, no, no” you stuttered. “It was just sudden. But it felt… Good.”

Gods, what a shame. If only there was a guide on how to lose your virginity without making a complete mess of yourself!

“Should we lay down?” Steve suggested, an amused smirk on the corner of his mouth.

“Please.”

You swiftly sat on the bed, pulling on some furs to cover your modesty. Steve stood, hands on his waist as he watched his bride try to hide her inexperience. He wasn’t surprised - you were taught any kind of imperfection was a sign of weakness. Over the years, you learned of hundreds of different ways to hide your inabilities until you eventually overcame them. It was the way of your world. He had hoped to break down these barriers during your courtship, but time wasn’t on his side. It would be his lifelong mission to cherish you and your imperfections, no matter how big they may seem to you.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to disappoint you, I’ll try to…”

“Take off my trousers” he interrupted your rambling.

“What?”

“Take off my trousers, Y/N.”

Attentively, as if fondling a bird, your hands moved to the front of his breeches. He look regal, almost imperial, even with chest bare of and hair mussed - and you, his disconcerted queen who could barely undo the fastings. It was comical, really, how you gawked at his cock when it sprung free. There was no way that would fit inside you.

“Now, could you please lay down?” Steve asked softly. It was a bit odd to guide you - he was used to you holding the power and making the decisions, not the other way around. Yet his manhood twitched at the sight of you obeying him and his heart soared knowing you trusted him enough to follow his lead.

You lowered your head on the pillows, body stiff as a board stretched on the rest of the bed. Steve laid on his elbows by your side and gravity made the front strands of his hair hang by his forehead - your angel on Earth.

“Will you let me touch you?” he murmured. “I promise I’ll stop if you don’t like it.”

You nodded, hypnotized by him, naked in your bed. Steve pecked your lips, your chin, your jaw and moved to your neck. Your feet started dragging the comforter on their own accord as he showered your throat with tiny bites and teasing licks, as if you were a delicacy he was just dying to taste. Your breath hitched when he reached you collarbone and sternum. His right hand took one breast as he would a petal, caressing it with the pad of his thumb.

You lost it when he took a nipple in his mouth, the soft skin peddling as he licked it. Steve decided he’d fight a thousand wars just to hear your moan like that.

His member was pressed to your stomach and you tentatively reached for it. It felt like iron and velvet at the same time. Your husband hissed at your touch, pulling your nipple from his mouth as he groaned your name.

“Did that hurt?” you asked.

“In the best possible way” he was so disheveled and it was glorious. Before you could let go of his cock, Steve wrapped his hand around yours and his member, his wrist tugging them up and down the hardness.

His sounds urged you on as he resumed his assault on your chest. He grunted particularly teasingly when the hand that was on not caressing him tugged his blonde strands.

Gingerly, his fingers found the apex of your thighs again. Slowly he dragged them across your labia, as if memorizing your intimacy with his digits. His thumb found your clit and he rubbed figure eights on it, making your body go lax on the mattress.

“Steve…” you whined, and he drunk from your desperate sounds.

It didn’t take long for you to come with two of his fingers inside you. You felt so full and so good and so intoxicated by his smell and presence. It was an out of body experience - reaching higher and higher until you just soared, Steve as your guide. As for him, he had the smuggest smile on his face as he watched you fall apart.

Your vision was blurry as he hovered over you, the picture of perfection, and kissed you again. Involuntarily, as if they knew that’s what they should do, your legs opened to him, and his hips locked to yours.

“May I?” he whispered right as you felt the tip of his cock on your entrance.

“Yes.”

It hurt like hell. As slow and gentle as Steve was, you couldn’t help the tears leaking from the corner of your eyes and the colorful expletives you yelled at him.

You both breathed in relief when he was fully sheathed in. His shoulders were red and dotted with half-moon marks from your nails and the muscles on his arms and back were tensed from sheer pleasure. It left a bad taste in his mouth - fucking you shouldn’t feel as divine as it did when you couldn’t feel it. But God almighty, the way your cunt squeezed him…

Slowly, he started moving, taking the salt of your tears with his lips and turning them into delight. Gradually, your whimpers turned to moans as you lost yourself to this new, euphoric feeling. Your right leg, the one he so fervently adored just moments prior, was hooked around his hips. A bead of sweat made its way down his forehead and you wanted to lick it and taste it, take it from him the way he was taking from you.

But it felt so much more than that. He was taking just as much as he was giving - your hands clasped together in the mattress was an anchor, a portal channeling your souls. His became yours and yours became his.

Steve came exclaiming your name, his semen leaking from your body to the mattress. It was a strange victory, to have him sweating and struggling to breathe, but you rejoiced in it anyway. Despite the ache between in your legs, you longed to do it again.

Your husband rolled over, collapsing next to you on the bed. He took your palm, still entwined with his, and kissed it. Dozens of kisses had been shared tonight, but mayhaps that was the most meaningful.

“Are you well?” he asked. “Are you in pain?”

“I’m fine” you assured him, and you were. The discomfort would fade, but this newfound happiness would stay. Not from sex, but from sharing. He was in your blood now - your husband, King and partner.

You tugged his forearm when he rose.

“Where are you going?”

“To get you a warm cloth” he explained.

“Stay” you pleaded. “Just a little bit.”

Steve pulled you to his embrace, limbs tangling and hearts meeting under the canopy.

“I love you, Y/N” he said. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Your mouth opened on instinct, but your throat was raw. You wanted him to know that you knew and you believed. You wanted him to be sure that you'd meet him there, even if your steps were slow and sometimes unsure. The need to assure him that you were not on the same page yet, but yours was turning was vital - however unnecessary. Before you could utter anything, his thumb was on your lips, shushing you.

“I know you can’t say it back yet, but it’s fine. We have time.”

On the first Sunday of October, Captain Rogers became the Queen’s husband - and Steve became the keeper of your heart.

[writing-is-my-guilty-pleasure]

Patient || Kylo Ren/Ben Solo x Reader ~ Part 3

A/N: Part 3! Thank you to everyone who’s sent me messages or left messages on previous parts! Feel free to send in requests - you can find the fandoms I write for in my bio, or here! Also sorry this took a while - had to take a bit of a mental health week and get back into the routine again.

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 4

Star Wars Masterlist

Main Masterlist

It had been almost a month since you last spoke to Kylo Ren, and almost a month since Tyro had been demoted. Since then, you’d finally felt safe enough to go back to taking the usual route to your work, and everyone had apparently noticed a huge change in your behaviour; you smiled and joked more, and the bags under your eyes caused from lack of sleep and stress had long disappeared. You rarely saw Tyro around the ship anymore - he worked a different shift to you - almost the exact opposite actually, so unless you directly sought him out, you could avoid him for as long as you wanted.

The only relative downside to this development was that you didn’t have reason to talk to Kylo anymore. Not that the two of you had had particularly long conversations - he definitely wasn't one for small talk and you had no idea what you’d even approach as a topic of conversation with him. Destroying planets? His plans to destroy the rebellion?

“Have you heard the latest gossip?” Yasmyn’s voice broke you out of your thoughts. You turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow, curious. She stepped closer, a grin on her face. “Rumour has it, there’s a rebel pilot being held for questioning by Kylo Ren as we speak!” Your mouth opened in slight surprise.

“How did we capture a rebel pilot?” You asked incredulously. “We’ve been trying for longer than I can remember!” Yasmyn giggled excitedly.

“Apparently he’s pretty hot.” She whispered, and you shushed her loudly. “What? I’m just repeating what I heard.” She shrugged, winking. “They can’t reprimand me for just repeating a rumour - who knows if it’s even true!” 

“Just don’t talk about the rebels so loudly.” You sighed in defeat. “If one of the troopers found out-”

“Oh, nothing would happen! You’re in with Kylo Ren, he’s not going to punish you for anything!” Yasmyn threw her arm around your shoulder. “He wouldn't punish his favourite medic!”

“I am not ‘in’ with Kylo!” You huffed, but Yasmyn just grinned at you, and hurried away at the call of another medic.

A while after your conversation, more news spread around the ship, this time talking about the escape of the pilot, who left the ship with a stormtrooper. Phasma’s not going to be pleased about that, You thought grimly as you cleaned some equipment.

                                           ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

It was only another day or two after the rebel pilot had been captured, that Kylo had allegedly come back aboard the ship after a brief detour with another rebel - but this time any information regarding this event was oddly subdued. Which was strange; shouldn't Kylo be pleased that he’d captured two members of the rebellion in only a few days, even though one of them had escaped? You shrugged it off; Kylo wasn't known to be a very 'open' person, so it wasn't anything unusual.

However, just as before, it wasn't long after the rumour had spread around, that even more commotion seemed to occur as another rebel prisoner escaped.  That was definitely strange – the security on the ship was impeccable; there was no way that two rebel prisoners had managed to get past all the stormtroopers and crew on the ship. It was kind of ironic, how the one time you actually wanted to talk to Kylo, was the one time where he was hardly seen by anyone on the ship - or at least, nobody you knew had seen him. But this was obviously far beyond your expertise - this wasn’t what you were being paid to do, and you didn’t want to stick your nose into business that wasn’t yours to know. So, you continued to do your job in the med-wing, remaining mostly unaware of the conflict around you.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

It wasn’t until a few more days had passed that people of your station became aware of the growing threat from the Rebellion. As your job was primarily to take care of the wounded on the ship, this wasn’t surprising, although you wouldn’t have minded knowing about all this a little earlier. Would have been nice if Kylo had told me himself, you thought absentmindedly as you half-listened to the Chief Medical Officer give the daily briefing.

Suddenly, a voice crackled through the overhead speakers. “Medical Officer Y/N Y/L/N, your service is required by Commander Ren. You are to wait outside the med-wing until you are escorted to his quarters.” You sat up straight, as everyone’s heads turned to look at you. The Chief Officer gestured for you to leave the room - no doubt fearing what would happen if you didn’t arrive as soon as possible. 

So, you awkwardly made your way through the other medics in the room, and hurriedly prepared a case of remedies and equipment - and as you were doing so, you realised you had no idea why Kylo had called you to his quarters; you didn’t even know if he needed medical assistance. As soon as you had stepped out of the doors to the med-wing, you were greeted by two stormtroopers, who then proceeded to escort you to Kylo’s room.

When you arrived at his doors, one of the stormtroopers that was guarding his room knocked sharply on Kylo's door, and after a moment, the door swung open, seemingly of its own accord, but you knew it was simply Kylo using the Force. It would have been better manners to greet your guest personally at the door, but you weren't about to say that to Kylo’s face. Without a word, you were ushered into the room, and the door closed behind you with a snap as soon as you had entered.

This time instead of sitting on his bed, Kylo was standing by his window, his back to you. You stepped forwards, this time feeling more confident in his presence.

“You wanted to see me, Sir?” You asked, putting down your case on his bed and walking closer to him, but made sure you weren’t overstepping any boundaries.

“Yes, I did.” Kylo spoke quieter than usual, and you noticed that he was gripping the window-ledge slightly, and you frowned. “I don’t know what rumours you’ve been hearing over the past few days, but there was a....predicament that I had to deal with.” He turned to face you, and you couldn’t help but let out a small gasp, and you realised that he’d been gripping his window-ledge for support. Something had carved a long, wicked-looking slash down Kylo’s face, that disappeared under the tunic he was wearing. 

“What happened?” You asked, eyes wide as you hurried over to him, peering up into his face. “What- who did this to you?” Your eyes scanned over his face in concern, before remembering who you were talking to, and stepping back slightly, flushing.

“Some scavenger girl.” A sneer crept into Kylo’s tone - something you’d never heard before in your time of knowing him; he always seemed relatively calm, cool and collected. Something that he seemed to realise, as when he next spoke, the sneer was gone. “It is none of your concern.” He met your gaze, eyes as unrevealing as ever.

“Right.” You said, somewhat lamely. “Well, um, if you would allow me to see to your injury then the sooner you can get back to business.” You gestured for him to sit down on a chair in front of a desk in his room, which he did, face remaining passive.

“If I might ask,” You started, opening your case and shifting through the items you bought. “Why not come to the med-wing where we have all our equipment like the rest of the crew aboard?” You pulled out your pad, and typed in a request for a medical droid to be sent over - his wound was just deep enough that it would need some form of stitching for the best results.

“I am not like ‘the rest of the crew’, if you haven’t noticed.” Kylo replied coolly, sitting down on the chair, facing you. “And why seek out a medic when I can simply summon one here? You, more specifically.” 

You raised an eyebrow at his statement. “And why me, out of all the other medics onboard?” You asked, unscrewing the lid to a small bottle and extracting a piece of cloth, soaking it in the liquid in the bottle, which was something akin to rubbing alcohol. “You of all people must know that I am certainly not as qualified or experienced as some of the other medics onboard.”

“If I did not think you were qualified enough, do you really think I’d let you into my private quarters?” He replied almost instantly, and you could tell he was staring at you out of the corner of your eye. You nodded, glancing over at him, and your eyes locked for a moment before you looked away. Kylo was silent as you cleaned his wound, not flinching when the cloth touched the open wound. 

Eventually, you’d cleaned as much of his injury that was visible, and your eyes trailed down to the collar of his tunic, where you could see the injury continued down underneath it. 

“Um,” You cleared your throat, trying to remain as professional as possible. “I’m afraid that I need you to remove your shirt, Sir.” You swallowed heavily. “I need to clean the rest of your injury and it looks like it dips just below the collar of your tunic.” You gestured while you spoke, carefully trying to pull back the collar so it would be less painful. “I can cut it if you want-”

“No. I’d rather not have to waste another tunic.” He interrupted, before he began tugging his tunic off, and you averted your eyes, feeling your cheeks grow warm as you had to stop your eyes from trailing your eyes over his form. Unprofessional behaviour like that around Kylo Ren could very well get you fired, you had to remind yourself.

Just as Kylo had pulled off his tunic, a beeping at his door signified that the medical droid had arrived. You hurried over to his door, but as you got to it you realised you didn’t know the combination to unlock it. As you turned around sheepishly, you saw Kylo move his hand to the side slightly, and you heard the door open behind you, and the medical droid rolled in.

“Right.” You said distractedly. “Sit down, please, and I’ll see what I can do.” As the medical droid scanned the rest of Kylo’s body for any further injuries, you stepped closer to Kylo to start healing his wound the best you could before the medical droid stitched it up. 

You stood directly in front of him, applying healing balm next, spreading it as gently as possible across his face. The noise of the droid in the room sounded muffled as you grew aware of just how close the two of you were. You could hear him breathing, and every so often you glanced up at his face to see that he was looking at you. You felt a flush creep up your neck to your face. 

“Can I ask you a question, Sir?” You asked hesitantly. He nodded. “Was it really just a coincidence that you were in the area when Tyro was...you know..” You trailed off, not wanting to have to relive the experience. Kylo seemed to contemplate his answer.

“No, it was not.” He spoke after a few moments of silence, obviously deciding to be truthful. “After you spoke of someone in your workplace causing you discomfort and unease, I thought it best to keep an eye on you.” His eyes trailed over you. “You don’t look like somebody who would excel in defending yourself.” He mused. “And,” he paused, jaw clenching slightly. “You have treated me like I am just another passenger on this ship, which is...highly unusual. One could consider it rude.” You looked away. “But it made a nice change.” You nodded, and the two of you lapsed into silence again.

You quickly finished applying the healing balm. You stepped back, and tried to calm your breathing and cool down - you felt hot and flustered, but you pushed it down. Such emotions are unprofessional, and frankly, you were very confused by them. You weren’t even sure that they were real. The droid took your place, slowly sealing up his wound.

“I hope that’s enough to let it heal. It will probably leave a scar, though, and there isn’t much I can do about that.” You smiled nervously, wiping your hands on another piece of cloth you bought with you. “But scars are pretty cool. Just my personal opinion.” You added quickly. “Well, if that’s the only service you required of me, Sir, then I’ll be going back to the med-bay, if you don’t mind.”

Kylo nodded in dismissal, and you took your leave, walking towards the door which opened when you got close enough. As you stepped though the door, swinging the case of equipment absentmindedly, Kylo spoke again. 

“Thank you.” You turned in surprise, seeing that he’d turned his head slightly so that he could just about see you out of the corner of his eye. “Your work today was more than adequate.” With that, he turned back so that the medical droid could continue its work. 

“Thank you, Sir.” You tried to contain your smile at his (unexpected, but not unappreciated) compliment. You turned back around, and you were met with two stormtroopers - there was no way of telling if they were the same guards from before, as all stormtroopers looked the same - who escorted you back down the corridor to the med-bay. Once out of sight of Kylo’s room, you finally let the smile that had been itching to be expressed, creep across your face.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Taglist:  @ah-callie​

[getoutofthewater]

@dbhrarepairs Saturday Day 6 [Ride or Die]: 

[Gavin/Leo]

Rating: G

Notes: Same Age AU, High School AU

Words: 3,200 [AO3]

They met at the foster home.

Gavin went in and out of them regularly since he’d been put in the system, nosy neighbors disturbed by his parents nasty fights had cared enough about the neglected child overridden with lice to call the authorities.

Gavin had been taken away, so he wasn’t there when his house and surname ended up plastered all over the news just like his dad’s brains, and that same nosy neighbor on the TV, framed by the yellow tape, telling to whomever would listen he’d seen this coming all along, you could see that man had lost his marbles from the get go and the missus none the better, it happened one way but it could have easily been the other, the world was better off without them, god bless.

All of this did Gavin no favors, he’d dodged that bullet, but hopeful parents weren’t overeager to  take on so much baggage, by the time the powers that be decided to send him farther away from home so his name wouldn’t be linked to the crime scene, by the time it was all forgotten, he’d already decided he hated everyone, and if everyone thought he would kill them in their sleep he’d make sure their fears were justified, even if he had been worryingly stuck at 5’9 for a while, he blamed malnutrition.

When Leo was dropped off at the foster home, Gavin had recognized him immediately, all the kids there did, with his good clothes and his puffy, red eyes, it was like that movie about the stupid cartoon dogs, where the cute dog is taken to the pound, and everyone is jealous of her because they know she’s different and she’ll be out of there in no time. That’s what kids like Leo were, pedigree dipshits that were there for half a day crying their eyes out while relatives were located and arrangements were made.

Pedigree idiots were either bullied or ignored for their 10 minutes of residence, when it was clear that Leo would fight even while crying most of the kids concluded the latter option was best; but by the second week tension started to settle in, was Leo staying after all? If so the pecking order had to be established, there were one or two fights before Leo had come to Gavin maybe deciding in either a rare stroke of smarts or extreme dumbassery, (it was always hard to tell with Leo) that if he defeated the one at the top of the food chain he’d be left alone.

Gavin threw a punch right at Leo’s face, and Leo in the wild flailing he called fighting had punched Gavin in the jaw, getting him just right in the tooth that had been hurting like a bitch for weeks, Gavin was knocked down to the floor from tooth ache, his jaw throbbing, an abscess ruptured, he vomited. Someone was screaming at them for ruining the carpet, Leo’s blood was everywhere.

Gavin was forcibly taken to have a root canal done, Leo’s nose was patched up.

“I’m sorry I fucked up your mouth” Leo said when he found him that night,

“You just got lucky” Gavin mumbled, the anesthetic working better now than it had at the dentist’s office

“Here” Leo said offering Gavin a granola bar, those things were almost currency

“Are you fucking with me?” Gavin spat “I can’t feel my mouth right now, genius”

“But you will … right?”

“Whatever” Gavin said snatching the prize out of Leo’s hands

Leo sat next to him though he hadn’t been invited, Gavin didn’t know what in the fuck was happening

“Why the fuck are you still here?” Gavin snarled

Leo shrugged, trying to make the gesture look light and careless “I think my dad hasn’t returned their calls and stuff,”

Gavin had meant why the fuck was Leo still sitting next to him but it was just like this self centered dumbass to interpret it differently

“Don’t you worry, fucking dummies like you are always picked up”

“I can punch you again, you know”

“Whathefuckever, I don’t feel my face anyway”

Gavin wasn’t wrong, soon enough Leo was picked up to be taken to his dad’s house, he’d given Gavin a hug goodbye, a real hug with a gentle squeeze, and maybe some of the dummy’s luck had rubbed off on him then because a few days after Leo left it was Gavin’s turn.

Hank Anderson never thought he’d be fostering a child, maybe even adopting the child. Jeffrey and his wife fostered often, Hank hadn’t paid that much attention to it, until now, until his bad days were something he could think about in past tense.

Hank talked it with Jeffrey, with Connor, it was worth the try, not a young child though. Hank didn’t feel good about that, that would be unloyal to Cole, and yeah, it may be an illogical thought, but it was his thought and dammit he was old and what of it if he wanted to be stubborn on this one, but maybe an older kid would be alright, a teenager, maybe an unruly one that was running out of options fast. Hank could deal with that. Hank got Gavin.  

Gavin entered any new situation with suspicion and aggression it had worked well for him so far, and anyway at 16 he was almost a fucking adult, he didn’t need any fucking geezer breathing down his neck, who knew if the guy was a creep, certainly not the social workers. When the geezer opened the door to his house it was even worse, there was a dog, a fucking big fucking dog. Gavin stepped back

“Nothing to be afraid of, son” Hank reassured him “Old sumo wouldn’t hurt a fly”

“I’m not fucking afraid” Gavin spat “And I’m not your fucking anything!”

“Are we going to have a problem?” Hank said raising a serious eyebrow “First five seconds, we are going to set a record, I don’t want to give that old bat that dropped you off the damn satisfaction”

Gavin had to admit the geezer had a point “I’m not afraid of the dumb dog” Gavin said surly

“Fine, but the dog is not dumb,” Hank said patting Sumo, in a way that said, ‘nevermind moody teenagers’ “come in, then”

Pretty soon it was evident to Gavin that the only creepy thing about the geezer was his cringe music collection. Hank didn’t care if Gavin was messy, or if he put his feet up on the coffee table, he didn’t care if Gavin swore as long as he didn’t swear at the dog, and Gavin was perfectly cool with the dog as long as the dog didn’t drool all over his shit, he may have even patted Sumo’s head once when the geezer was at work. Gavin had a curfew but he didn’t really mind, there wasn’t anywhere for him to be after 10 pm anyway, and lacking someone to fight, he’d gone and enrolled in the wrestling summer course at the school, where for the first time his talent for messing people up was a plus.  

Gavin was aware of his luck, he could sit here and wait to turn 18; there were worse places to be; the awkward dinners Hank would insist on having together, where they sat in silence, none of them knowing what to say, trying to pretend the silence wasn’t fucking uncomfortable, all the conversation starters Hank threw out there fizzling and dying like mosquitoes bumping against a bug zapper and falling on the table miserably, those  lame fucking dinners were a  very cheap price to pay for a room all to himself, a bathroom he only had to share with one other person, and knowing he could sleep and nobody would come try to steal his shit or try to fuck with him.

When school started in autumn, he didn’t have any plans to make friends, but he’d already had a head start, his wrestling teammates saw him as one of them, Gavin somehow ended up hanging out with Chris a lot, even if Chris fucking sucked at the sport, members of the cheerleading team would say hi to him in the halls, he didn’t know their names, he didn’t care to know them, but they saw him as part of the team.

And then there was Tina, Gavin didn’t know quite how that had happened, you didn’t meet Tina, Tina was something that happened to you.  Gavin liked her leagues better than anyone at the school, he could talk to her and Tina would actually listen to what he was saying, not just make her own fucking version of it in her head like most of the other stupid kids. Soon he found himself sitting with Tina and Chris at lunch and not hating it, and he’d feel, somewhat uncomfortably, that maybe all of this was actually working out for him.

And one day there was Leo, somehow, standing with his lunch tray in his hands and a fading black eye, looking around the hall with the lost, unseeing gaze of someone who doesn’t really have anyone to find but will put on the show of it anyway.

“Dumbass!” Gavin called out waving at him, as if he were fucking possessed, he didn’t know the idiot, what the fuck.

But Leo didn’t need more of an invitation; he sat next to Gavin, with what seemed a sigh of relief, Gavin’s two friends stared expectantly, waiting for him to make some sort of introduction, which Gavin, of course, didn’t.

“Hey, I’m Leo” Leo said introducing himself, sounding more natural and friendly than Gavin would ever have

“You got transferred?” Tina said lightly after introducing herself and Chris

“More like, forcibly removed from my old school, really” Leo said with a sheepish shrug

“How do you know Gavin?” Chris asked, trying to direct the conversation towards less awkward places

“He broke my nose at a foster home?” Leo’s words got higher to end in the pitch of a question as he realized everything in his life leading to this moment had been a mistake. “but, I also really fucked up his abscessed tooth, so it was even!”

“Oh! I can totally see that!” Tina said chirpily, kicking Gavin’s shin under the table  

It was that easy, from not knowing the dumbass to suffering the dumbass daily. The excited way in which he’d tell Gavin about ice skating, the disgusting way in which he’d puke all over himself when he drank way too much at stupid parties. Leo would take Gavin’s notebooks only to draw dicks with stupid cartoon faces on them, or if he was in a very good mood cute cats, Gavin had counted 3 cats so far.

They would go on their bikes and race each other until their leg’s shook, they signed up to help at the animal shelter, and agreed to keep it a secret nobody else would know about, although Tina eventually found out and Gavin suspected Hank was not as clueless about it as he pretended to be. Some evenings they’d hang out at Hank’s and Leo would make him listen to weird albums as they sprawled lazily on the living room floor.

“You staying for dinner, kid?” Hank would ask if he found them there when he arrived from work

“Yes!, if I can,” Leo would reply brightening up “can I?”

“Sure you can, but text your dad I don’t want him wondering where the hell you are” Hank would say gruffly, still self-conscious of the easy way in which his manner slipped into a fatherly one “Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes, so get a move on!”

Leo chuckled softly when Hank left the room

“What?” Gavin asked

“Get a move on, is something you say now too” Leo said with a smirk “you got it from him”

“Many people say it” Gavin argued which only made Leo’s smirk grow wider “Shut the fuck up!” Gavin barked but that only made Leo chuckle again

With Leo there the dinners couldn’t be quiet anymore, he was always eager to babble nonsense, fueled by even the slightest trace of attention, so Hank’s conversation starters didn’t die on the spot; sometimes Connor would join them too, and that would give Gavin and Hank enough material to keep something akin to conversation when they were alone.

“Any plans for the weekend?” Hank asked as they washed their dishes, it was always easier to talk if they were busy doing something else

“Want to know if you’ll have the house to yourself for a cringe old people date?”

“Yeah that’s right, need to know if I can make plans or if I have to leave space to go search for you when you don’t turn up like last time”

“That was only because Leo drank too fucking much, I couldn’t fucking ditch him at that stupid party”

“Bit of a wild card that one” Hank said, still focusing on the soapy water, Gavin tensed foreseeing the start of a ‘you need better friends’ conversation

“Listen, kid” Hank continued “Next time, and with that one there will be a few next times, you call me, got it? I’ll pick you two up, he can sleep over”

“We are only going to the lake,” Gavin said, trying to avoid committing to anything, still instinctively suspicious of being offered good things without strings attached “we are taking our bikes”

“Does Manfred know about it?”

Gavin shrugged as he dried a glass

“Hmph” Hank grunted noncommittally “be back by 7, I don’t want you two out there after dark… and no drinking!”

“Yes, sir” Gavin replied, without as much of his usual sarcasm

But there were also the days in which Leo would be angry, and his mood would only get stormier as he ruminated over all the things that annoyed him without being able to let any of them go

“I’m just pissed off like all the fucking time” Leo would say on those days looking trapped

Gavin could see it, he knew the feeling, and he’d listen to Leo rant about his dad not caring a rat’s ass about him.

“He only throws his stupid money at me, he didn’t even come after mom died, he didn’t even come to the school when they expelled me! They ended up sending him an email” Leo said stomping his foot against the floor, looking foolish and powerless. Gavin decided he’d throw Carl Manfred down the stairs one day, accidents happened, they would never be able to prove anything.

“It’s all Markus this and that,” Leo went on “he’s not even his fucking kid, that’s me and he wouldn’t even notice if I disappeared, I’m just going to fuck off!”

“You aren’t serious”

“I fucking am!” Leo shouted “If I stay I’ll lose my fucking mind!”

Unlike Leo, Gavin had ran away before, he knew what the fuck that entailed. The cold, the hunger, the creepy fuckers just waiting for you to take your guard down, it was scary and lonely and hopeless, and Leo was not made for any of that.

“Right,” Gavin said crossing his arms “So where are we going?”

They made a plan, which involved less than honorable things like stealing some of Manfred’s paintings to sell, but they would need the money and the old prick could always paint more.  

The date was set, everything was ready there were only a few more details to talk over,

“We should book a hotel” Gavin said “So we have a place to stay, I have enough in my savings for that”

Leo didn’t reply, he only stared blankly at their notes

“Anyone there?” Gavin said

“Yeah, sorry”

Gavin should have known there was something odd then, Leo was nothing if not absorbed by their future plans.

Later that day when Leo didn’t show up at the shelter Gavin knew for certain something was off; they both would skip school sometimes but never the shelter, Gavin checked his phone, no notifications, an oddity, Leo’s phone was all but fused to his hand. He opened his notebook anxiously turning the pages waiting for a reply when his eyes fell on a new note.

“I’m going away” the dumbass wrote “Sorry for not saying goodbye, but It’s better if I go alone,  I have your phone number but I’m leaving my phone at home just like we planned, it’s so creepy that they can track you with it. I will try to call you when I’m somewhere”

There was a big blotch of black ink where Leo had scratched something out at the end and he hadn’t even signed it, when he’s somewhere, Gavin though setting off for the Amtrak train station. Somewhere!

“by bus is way faster, dummy” Gavin had said, “it’s only like 4 hours max”

“Yeah but by train would be so freaking dope!”

“It’s like 7 fucking hours!”  Gavin said “I’m not going to sit my ass in a stinky train that smells of butts for 7 hours!”

But Leo absolutely would

Gavin bought his ticket, got on the train to Cleveland (delayed), and as he did a ton of bricks were lifted from his chest, there was no need to go any further, there in one of the seats was his fucking idiot.

“What the hell, Leo!” Gavin barked flopping on the seat next to his “What the fuck are you even doing!”

Leo clutched the cardboard tube that most likely contained the stolen paintings, seemingly at a loss for words for once

“Why the fuck are you ditching me?” Gavin spat

“I’m not!” Leo said finding his words “I really wanted you to come with me, but you can’t”

“Why the fuck not?”

“You shouldn’t waste your money on this, and you told me you like it with the Lieutenant,” Leo explained “and weren’t you going to ask him about the police academy thing? You can’t do that if we are wherever!”

“Who gives a shit about that?”

“I do!” Leo said vehemently, “You don’t have it to fuck it all up for a fuck up!”

“Fuck it, wherever you are going, I’m going” Gavin said settling on the seat, “even if you are taking us to fucking trashtown nowhereville on a fucking train out of all fucking things, you need someone there to tell you how much of a delusional deadshit you are”

Leo was quiet for a while, thinking or spacing out, with Leo it was probably the later, he sighed before he spoke “Jeez, fine! let’s go back…I’m done being a delusional deadshit for today”

“You sure?” Gavin said feeling self-conscious relief  

Leo nodded, but ignoring them the train started its march,

“Oh, shit!”

“Phck!”

They sat stunned for a moment looking at each other, then Gavin grinned “Nevermind, we can go to Cleveland and get back, maybe we can even sell those fuck ugly things”

“Like, an adventure!” Leo said perking up, “The Lieutenant will ground you forever though”

“That’s on your dumbass!” Gavin said, pushing Leo away playfully, before taking out his phone to send a text to the old man.

[eryiss]

Request: Both Addictive and Electric

Summary: After finishing filming for the final season of the fantasy series Fairy Tail, Laxus finds himself at a party. Across the dancefloor is Freed, a co-star and a man who Laxus respects more than any other actor. But his feelings are more than just respect, and the space separating them is an ocean, but Laxus wants to change that. He just needs some time. And courage. [Fraxus One Shot]

This was part of a prompt based request thing I'm doing, based off of a request to have a Fraxus Actor AU made by @veikari. I hope you all enjoy and if you have a request please leave a comment or maybe talk to me tumblr.

You can read this on FanFiction, Archive of our Own, or under the cut. Hope you enjoy it ^.^

Both Addictive and Electric

"Well, I'm sure you were bored of my voice before this even started," Makarov spoke into the microphone, getting a chuckle from the crowd. "So I'll end it here. Have a fun night, drink well, and don't do anything that'll get you in tomorrow's papers."

A cheer went through the room, and Laxus raised his glass of champagne into the air in solidarity. He was attending the wrap party for Fairy Tail's latest series, in which Laxus was a main actor. The show was a high budget, large scale fantasy drama that had been on the air for years. It had managed to shake off the comparisons to Game of Thrones and was standing strong with its own passionate audience. It was one of Laxus' largest rolls, and he was proud of the show and what he had contributed to it.

Laxus had been relatively famous since he was young, thanks to his grandfather being a well-known producer. He had been the embodiment of spoiled celebrity kid, so his grandfather had ended up refusing to give him parts based off his behaviour. After years of getting smaller parts on crappy shows, he and his grandfather made up and Laxus got an audition for a small part in Fairy Tail.

His part sort of… exploded.

Originally he was just a war general. Not overly important, more of an antagonistic rival character for the protagonist to overcome. The character got peoples attention in the first season, so he got more screen time in season two. This came with a narrative arc focused around a member of the royal family, who his character had a rivalry with. People responded well to this, and both his character and the prince were promoted to the main cast from that point. It was the best roll that he had worked for himself, and he was proud of his work.

Although he couldn't claim all the credit. He wouldn't have gotten there without Freed.

Freed played the prince and had done so perfectly. The antagonistic rivalry between the two of them – ranging from butting heads on small things to full on fights – were some of the best acting Laxus had done. When together, they dominated any scene, and somehow had managed to get along well behind the scenes without difficulty, which apparently showed in their performances. One review claimed they had an electric, addictive chemistry together.

Even thinking of the man, Laxus looked towards him.

Freed was on the other side of the dance floor. He was speaking with Mirajane – one of the lead directors of the show – and looked amazing. Laxus rarely saw him in formalwear, as both their characters mainly wore ruined clothes and were covered in dirt and blood for their story this year, and to see him so clean cut was amazing. The blonde had forgotten how good his co-star looked in a suit, and now was a cruel reminder of the fact.

His attraction to the man wasn't ideal. Laxus wasn't insecure about his sexuality, he couldn't care less. But he and Freed had some scenes that put them in less than brilliant situations if one had a crush on the other. Lots of intense arguments where they ended up face to face, quite closely; occasional falling against each other in battle scenes in positions that were somewhat compromising; and on one occasion they had to bathe in a fairly small river beside one another. That was not Laxus' favourite scene to film.

Mirajane didn't help, insisting they needed a tighter shot and that they should get closer. She knew – Laxus wasn't sure how, but she knew.

But now, their work relationship was over. The season marked the end of Fairy Tail, and therefore he and Freed would no longer be working together. It was inevitable, and it wasn't as if they would never see each other again. But they weren't going to be spending most of their days together anymore. And that wasn't the nicest feeling in the world.

As if to contrast his melancholy, a burst of laughter filled the room.

Laxus looked to the source and saw most people watching a large screen, wherein Gildarts was waist deep in a decorative fountain, and Natsu was laughing madly at him for falling in. The blooper reel had begun then; Laxus hadn't realised. He shifted his seat so that he could better watch the screen – it was cheap entertainment, but funny.

For whatever reason, the editor had put the bloopers in order of plot lines. First all the clips containing Natsu and Lucy, the main characters; then the side plot surrounding Gajeel's character; then Levy's. As a clip of Jet stumbling over a line for the fifth time ended, Laxus had finished his drink and was picking at a plate of nachos that were on his table. The next clip was familiar to him – it was located in the castle set that he and Freed had done some of their scenes in. So it was time for their bloopers now.

The first few were fairly conventional. A side actor unable to get out a line, the camera operator accidentally walking backwards into a wall during a shot, and a few other small things put in there to fill in time.

When one scene started to play, Laxus rolled his eyes but grinned. He knew the clip, it was from a scene shared by both he and Freed, where their characters were arguing viciously. On cue, with their face's inches from each other, Laxus made the mistake that Freed still refused to let him live down. Saying Freed's actual name rather than his characters'.

The second Freed heard his own name, his face quickly turned from his character's anger to his own smugness. He raised his eyebrow, smirked, and Laxus' heartbeat increased. This happened both when they filmed the scene as well as when Laxus watched it back.

"Excuse me?" Freed had said, smirking as Laxus groaned.

"Shut up," The blonde grunted.

"No, I don't think I will," Freed continued, not stepping back from their close position. "Because Laxus Dreyar- my apologies. Award winning actor, Laxus Dreyar."

"You're such a dick," Laxus chuckled.

"Has forgotten the key principal of acting," Freed kept going. "That there's a little difference between actors and their characters."

Laxus watched as he pushed Freed's face away on the screen before the clips went to whatever the next blooper was. The blonde paid no mind to it, letting his gaze drift to Freed again, who was laughing as he watched the clips with everyone else. The light was hitting him just right and he looked practically angelic, and it left a dullness in his stomach. Even despite the music and the sound of the video, Laxus could basically hear the sound of Freed's velvet laugh. Maybe he was imagining it.

With a small sigh, he picked up the half-drunk beer he'd abandoned when the champagne had been handed out and stood up. He looked to Bickslow, who was sitting on the table with him.

"I'm gonna get some air."

"Sure," Bickslow smiled, and it was perhaps sympathetic. Bickslow was one of the few people Laxus had told about his attraction to Freed.

The blonde gave him a short nod and made his way out of the event room. He followed the signs to the fire exit and opened the door, walking out onto the metal balcony that made up the fire escape. He leant on it, cradling the beer in his hand and looking up at the sky. It was a cloudless night, meaning he had an unhindered view of the stars that hung above him. It looked pretty nice, even Laxus could admit.

Somewhat melodramatic though.

He drained his beer, a sense of sadness filling him. It was an odd feeling. Not only was he not going to see Freed as much as he would like, he was saying goodbye to the show. He'd been working on it for years, had gotten close to both the cast and crew, and it basically all over now. This hadn't happened in Laxus' career yet, and he didn't really know how to deal with it.

But, after draining his beer did nothing, he turned to the pack of cigarettes in his jacket pocket. A habit he really needed to stop.

"You do know the tabloids will destroy you if they find out you do this."

Laxus' head shot around at Freed's voice, and he saw the man walking towards him with a small smile on his face. Equal parts teasing and soft; an expression only Freed could manage to create. Laxus took a single drag of the cigarette before stubbing it out and flicking it into a drain; it was just rude to smoke in Freed's face.

"I barely have one a month, hardly news," Laxus shrugged, looking over the balcony again. Freed joined him, leaning against the railing beside him.

"I think the people who wrote the multiple articles about you in men's health would disagree," Freed chuckled, and Laxus flushed a little. He'd been forced to model for that magazine five times now, being on the front cover three times. "What's wrong, Laxus?"

There was no point in arguing, but he would anyway.

"Who says anything wrong?"

"There's an open bar which you've barely used. You've smoked, which you only do when you're either stressed or sad, and you're leaning on a railing in the middle of winter when you could be inside watching a video of your co-workers making asses out of themselves."

"Smartass," Laxus muttered.

"Yes," Freed agreed, and Laxus chuckled. "So, I ask again, what's wrong?"

"Just feeling a little shit, you know," Laxus sighed. "First time saying goodbye to something I actually cared about. Not really sure how to deal with it properly."

"I can understand that. It's not a pleasant prospect," Freed nodded a little, then looked towards him. "But we still have some time left. And I've no doubt you'll be redubbing your lines when it comes to ADR, because you still haven't learned not to mumble half of your lines."

"Fuck off," Laxus grinned, but didn't deny the claim. "But yeah, I guess so. Just won't be the same, though."

"In what way, exactly?" Freed asked, and Laxus sighed.

He wanted to tell Freed. Tell him that he was going to miss spending time with him. Wanted to tell him their time in makeup was a highlight of Laxus' days for months because they got to be themselves and have fun with each other. Wanted to tell him that if he had even a little bit more confidence that he would be taking him out to his favourite burger place or sushi bar or whatever right now on their first date. Of course he couldn't say all that, so he just shrugged.

Freed looked at him for a little while but didn't say anything. He looked over the balcony with a content expression on his features, and it took a lot of restraint on Laxus' part not to ogle him. Because he really was a handsome man; unfairly so.

"You know, given your fame for playing stoic characters," Freed began, seemingly out of nowhere. "You're awfully easy to read."

"What does that mean?" Laxus asked, a little cautious.

"It means I'm going to miss you too," Freed said, tone a little soft. He shifted slightly and Laxus could feel his forearm resting against Freed's. That must have been intentional. "But if you think I'm doing the press tour with anyone but you you're incredibly mistaken."

A sense of giddiness filled Laxus, and he blushed a little at the sensation. He smiled a little but continued to look forward.

"And what if I wanna do it with someone else?"

"Well they pair us up by storyline, so the only other people you could pair with would be Bickslow or Ever," Freed chuckled. "Could you handle spending days alone with them in an un-air-conditioned room answering the same question hundreds of times?"

"And you can make it more tolerable, huh?" Laxus nudged Freed with his shoulder. "How d'you plan on doing that?"

Freed seemed to think for a moment. "How willing are you to piss off your grandfather?"

"Spent most of my teenage years doing it, why?" Laxus asked with a frown.

"Because he explicitly told us not to do anything that might get us in the tabloids," Freed had a small smirk on his face, and Laxus couldn't help the small thrill that ran through him. "And, I imagine that this would make the papers eventually."

"You gonna flash the cameraman or something?" Laxus chuckled, and Freed laughed.

"Get me another beer and I'll consider it," Freed grinned. "But actually, I want to take you to dinner tomorrow night."

"To dinner?"

"As a date, Laxus," Freed clarified, now looking directly at Laxus. The blonde felt his heart stop at the words. "Because, as fun as it's been dancing around it, the fact is I like you. I had made enough excuses as to why I shouldn't ask you out, and I'm done with it. So, Mr Dreyar, would you like to attend a press tour with someone you've been on a date on?"

Laxus waited a moment, to process, before he grinned. "Fuck yeah I would."

"Good," Freed said, and he was smiling. No smirk or grin in sight, and it made Laxus warm inside. "Now, are you still planning on spending the rest of the night out here. Because if you are then I'll inevitably be the one tasked with brining your slice of cake to you and I don't think I have the energy to fend Natsu off while doing it so you might not get any."

"Wow, you ain't willing to fight a guy so I can have some cake huh? Maybe this date ain't a good idea," Laxus teased, and Freed laughed. When he spoke again, Laxus' voice was softer. "I'll go back in a minute, fucking boiling in there, and there's too many people."

"Of course. Take your time," Freed smiled.

Freed went to walk away, but Laxus felt a sudden burst of courage flow through him. He took Freed's hand in his own and intertwined their fingers, making Freed pause and look at him with a slight cock in his eyebrow. How he had that much control over his damn eyebrows Laxus still didn't know.

"Y'know, if I'm gonna piss off Gramps, I'm gonna do it right," Laxus said in explanation, standing up and facing Freed.

"Meaning?" Freed asked.

"Meaning this," Laxus grinned.

He tugged Freed towards him, so that they were chest to chest again. Freed grinned back at him, still with that cock in his eyebrow, and Laxus didn't say anything. He placed his hand on the back of Freed's neck and pulled him that little bit closer. He leant down and closed the distance between them both, bringing their lips together in their first kiss.

It was fucking electric, and Laxus found himself addicted within an instant.

[youngboy-oldmind]

DISCOGRAPHY REVIEW: 1) THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY ft. My Girlfriend

“Tell me what I wouldn't wanna give for a life like this, arm and a leg quite like this/ Fuck around wanna fight like this, take a hike like this/ I might just, might just, I don't know/ Reinvention, that's my intention/ Want so much more than this third-dimension/ That's not to mention my true ascension is a bigger picture/ No metaphor, I’m being real with ya”

Overall Thoughts

After the success and impressive display Under Pressure, Logic follows up with his sophomore album The Incredible True Story: A perfect embodiment of Logic as a person, rapper, and artist. Here, he is at his most creative, telling an entire story through the lens of a futuristic fictional sci-fi story. Filled with narratives, skits that give insight to the crew’s personalities, and an overall message that resonates even after the album concludes, The Incredible True Story is the perfect reflection of Logic as an artist.

If someone asked me to introduce them to Logic, I’d start with this album. If you start with a deeper, more experimental album like Everybody or a project not quite as unique like Under Pressure, they may be left unsatisfied or unimpressed. But it’s near impossible to dislike his most rounded and well-constructed project.

I’ve said this with every project of his, but the production was excellent. The techy, spacey instrumentals perfectly parallel the theme and tone of the project. The vocal inflections on “Fade Away”, “Young Jesus”, “Run It” and the choir in the first half of “City of Stars” were all brilliantly executed. Also, Logic allowed collaborations on some tracks and they were some of the highlights on the album: Big Lenbo on “Young Jesus”, Lucy Rose on “Innermission”, and Jesse Boykins III on “Paradise”. Overall, the construction of each song on this album was near perfect. It can’t be overstated.

Logic branched out stylistically on this project. On Under Pressure, each song had a relatively similar tone, which made that project very consistent yet unspectacular. The fixed tone was good for the purpose of that project but restricted him from reaching a high peak. Here, his delivery, instrumentals, and lyrical style varied and was less consistent, allowing him to reach highs like “Fade Away” and “City of Stars” while also allowing him to reach lows like “I Am The Greatest”. Despite that flaw, the unique style of the album improves its overall ranking and separates him from the issue of his last project; the issue of being indistinct and being a carbon copy of his influences. 

That’s one of the biggest strengths of this album. While I can think of other artists that could do Under Pressure or No Pressure, I don’t think anyone can do The Incredible True Story. Logic has a niche combination of lyrical talent, production skills, and geekiness that shines profusely. 

The main theme of this project is doing what you love and finding life. This theme paired the fictional nature of the album’s structure loosens the restraint on Logic. Before, he was limited by discussing his experiences and thoughts in an autobiographical way, whereas now he’s allowed to discuss things from an outside perspective and speak more prophetically.

Album Breakdown

Side Note: I will be adding comments and thoughts from my girlfriend who also loves this album. Her comments will be bolded.

1. Contact

This was extremely creative. I was instantly drawn into the music. Sounded like a soundtrack I'd hear in a movie. And the introductory conversation between the two men established a very interesting and compelling start to the album and makes it feel like I'm getting ready to start a story book. Solid start, can't wait to see what happens.

2. Fade Away

Off the rip, this track had me excited. As I mentioned earlier, the composition and instrumental is excellent. He also comes through with an intense flex of delivery and rhyming and syllable scheme construction. This is the first song I’ve ever heard from Logic and it still gets my hype every time I hear it.

The flow in this song just hit me like a truck. The lyrics were pretty good and not necessarily a brag, but more of a showcase of pride. The music was also very catchy and had my bobbing my head before he started rapping. But the flow! Absolutely loved it. Def a hype song for me.

3. Upgrade

This track transitions well from the previous song discussing kai upgrading his system. Logic discusses “upgrading” from his old life and mindset. The space background with a simple drum pattern is satisfying.

Loved how the intro music played off of the space theme established by the intro. The music was already banging, and the countdown had me anticipating what's to come. Liked how the lyrics also incorporated space elements. Somewhat simple song with somewhat basic lyrics, but overall still quite enjoyable.

4. White People (Scene)

This was super fun to listen to and I was laughing when the black guy made fun of the white-man-horror-movie stereotype. I was almost wishing for them to investigate. I am really liking this album so far. Who knew Logic was such a innovative storyteller.

5. Like Woah

Although this song doesn’t say much content wise, the vocals were pretty slick and the instrumental was constructed well. Verses were average and I found the chorus a little iffy. But overall, it’s one of the more mid tracks.

The others definitely fit the theme of the space, but this song felt more of a Top 100 hits song. The flow was not as stellar as the songs so far, definitely no Fade Away, but still steady and impressive nonetheless. Nerdy comment, but the music reminded me of something I'd hear in a video game with the female singing--maybe Zelda or Fire Emblem.

6. Young Jesus

Although this song isn’t in my top 3, it’s still one of my favorite on the album. The boom bap 90s throwback mixes well with the modern, techy sound of the album. Logic and Big Lenbo both flow perfectly; this some of the best chemistry Logic has had with another rapper, the only other contender being Big Sean. Instrumentally this song stands out the most because its composition derives so much from the rest of the track list.

This throwback to the 90s flow with a slight modern twist was fresh as hell and a very fun listen. I actually very much enjoyed Logic's flow in this song. "See I'm a self diagnosed hypochrondria/ Either at the crib, or on the tour bus, is where you'll find me at" was a fun, funky flow that had me smiling as I listened to it. Would have definitely enjoyed if he did this flow and slight drawl in words a bit more. Big Lenbo was perfect for this song. His voice has that 90s feel and his lyrics fit the bragging feel seen in old hip hop songs.

7. Innermission

Another top track on this project, “Innermission” features Logic discussing his life’s purpose and “inner mission”. Lucy Rose on the chorus is beautiful. The mellow beat allows Logic to truly dive into his thoughts without being overwhelmed by the instrumental. And I loved the skit at the end.

Not gonna lie, the music initially reminds me of elevator music, but the lyrics hit hard. Hearing his story of his home life and his friend in prison was...heartfelt? It made me introspective of my role in my friend's lives and my own background. This song has a nostalgia to it as Logic retrospects his life before reaching fame, yet an almost hopeful undertone as he contemplates why he wanted this lifestyle and how he managed to actually accomplish it. And, of course, ending the song with a child continuing the space them fully establishes the air of wistfulness as I hear the kid's innocent tone reminiscing about his home. Genius move.

8. I Am The Greatest

There are few songs that make me rush to the skip button. “I Am The Greatest” is one of them. I hate this song. The different voice clips have no rhythm or syncopation, seemingly haphazardly tossed together. The beat is underwhelming and the yelling is obnoxious. And logics lyrics and delivery are really bad. I strongly believe this should’ve been cut or put on a project like Bobby Tarantino.

9. The Cube (Scene)

As someone who can rap and solve a Rubiks cube, I found this very funny. But also ironic, since I pulled exactly 0 girls from solving it. But, Logic is a nerd and this skit fits his personality well.

So this didn't make much sense until I looked up "logic the cube" and saw some videos of him solving a Rubik’s cube. Cute that he inserted a past time into this.

10. Lord Willin’

Logic has a very distinct flow throughout this album. It's very similar in each song with similar rhythm--I find myself bobbing my head at the same speed as his other songs. Not a bad thing, but just an interesting note. I actually quite like it, though. It makes the songs in this album more harmonious and makes it feel like one long story, rather than several songs thrown together onto one album. The lyrics themselves were actually quite inspirational. I felt a sense of pride in myself swell as I listened to him overcoming and living a full life and encouraging me to do the same. 

11. City of Stars

Arguably one of the best on the album, “City of Stars” features Logic discusses his negative/toxic relationship with the hip hop industry. The spacey beat and echoey chorus vocals area AWESOME. The echo on the snare paints a visual of singing in a wide open space. Logic’s singing is above average, his use of auto-tune isn’t bad either. The beat switch to an intense boom bap and going in sent shivers down my spine. Although this has been done before, its definitely an excellently put together concept.

Also, only hip hop fans will notice but Logic incorporates patterns and lyrics from other songs: Drake’s “Forever”, Kanye West’s “Last Call” & “Two Words” of The College Dropout, and Talib Kewli’s “Get By”. Logic isn’t one to shy away from nodding to his influences, but here it feels like paying homage instead of stealing. Top 3 track.

12. Stainless

This song is 100% dope. From the vocals on the chorus, complex background in the instrumental, Logic’s intense flow and delivery, along with the content. Another top 3 on the album.

Bruuuh, this song slapped from the moment it started. The music had a flow different from the other songs, and his energy from the first few lyrics was solid as hell. I was hype and smiling not even 20 seconds in. This is a riding-with-the-windows-down-with-the-volume-blarring-on-the-highway-as-you-flaunt-your-youth-and-just-jam-hard kind of song. I would have def played this before a basketball game to get myself hype.

13. Babel (Scene)

“Babel” was the best skit by far. I think this plays well into the theme of the album: The concept of doing what you love and finding life. This skit mentions how “paradise” may not be something you find, but something you make and maintain. And on the flip side, you can also turn paradise into “purgatory”. So this journey is about creating the best and making your own incredible life instead of trying to find it. It also transitions well into the next song both musically and thematically.

14. Paradise

This was an interesting song. When he described Paradise initially, he spoke of it as a land of racial equality. I had not expected race to play a major role in this story, but it makes sense, given his background, why he would consider this Paradise. As a fellow biracial person born without a silver spoon, I can relate to his struggle. So hearing him describe this planet called Paradise, I can see why it earned that name. But the beat change. I find it interesting that he switched the message behind his lyrics up. It changed to perseverance and strength to overcome haters and obstacles and doubt. It gives me this feeling of self-worth as I push through the negativity to achieve Paradise. Interesting that he decided to include this message after describing what Paradise looks like. Did he do this to highlight the struggle it would take to get there? The challenge? Saying how "Of those around me that down and pray on my demise/But it only makes it that much better when I rise" definitely encapsulates his ability to attain Paradise. I'm not sure, maybe he did so as proof that he finally reached the top.

15. Never Been

Years ago, I used to be a hater of Logic. I used to despise when people complimented or praised him. So this song about remaining positive and persevering while blocking out negative hits even harder. He battles with fears of being inadequate while projecting a message of not letting those fears control your life and potential success. Amazing message. Musically, the track is very solid. The sped up, high pitched vocals on the chorus and outro remind me of Kanye’s style, and the simple beat isn’t distracting emphasizes the introspective nature of the song.

"Talk all you want about me homie, I'mma let it live/Hater this, hater that, say I sound repetitive/ Hatin' in your blood, you was born to be negative" now THAT is how you diss someone. If someone said this to me, I'd just walk away because what do you say to that? I appreciate that he is able to both dis and praise in a song, yet not come off as cocky and arrogant and braggy. Listening to him, it truly sounds like he worked his ass off to achieve his fame, so hearing him brush off haters and telling me I can do it too actually makes me feel like he's right. This songs has an introspective vibe as he recounts his insecurities of failing, yet how he can't afford to "let the devil in."

16. Run It

“Run It” is another very good track on the album. The flow and beat were dope and simple yet effective and pleasing. I think this song’s placement was strange. After hard hitters like “Stainless”, “Paradise”, and “Never Been”, “Run it” feels underwhelming by comparison. I could see this after between “Like Woah” and the White People Skit. But this late into the album, this song’s tone sit right. Ultimately a great song though.

17. Lucidity

“Lucidity” gives good insight on the theme of the album. Thomas describes taking for granted people on Earth having dreams and wants instead of living to find paradise. I like the concept of one’s life and story being defined by pursuing what you want. Mostly a set up for the final song, it’s still a solid scene.

18. The Incredible True Story

This track can be defined by one word: epic. From the first half with Logic’s vocals and singing, encapsulating the whole question in this album “Who Am I?”. The instrumentation is beautiful. Then the second half with the crew landing on Paradise is so powerful and well constructed. As a listener, I feel like I’m there with the crew. You can feel everyone’s fear, nervousness, excitement, anticipation, and hope.

What. An. Ending. I had no idea how Logic was going to end this and he did not disappoint. His lyrics in the beginning. The sub-sequential inspirational message of following your desires. The 2 men as they get ready to land on Paradise. All of that was flawless. My favorite part was the music change as the female finished her countdown of the landing and it changed to this soft, exploring sound full of hope. Hearing the 2 men talk in wonder as the sounds of nature slowly encompassed the music before hearing the woman say "Life" literally made me so fucking emotional, I'm tearing up thinking about it.

Final Thoughts

The Incredible True Story is the embodiment of Logic as an artist. It is strengthened by being unsafe. Under Pressure felt like bowling with the rails up. You’re definitely gonna score, and you may hit a strike on your own, but it’s just not as good as bowling without safety rails. And yes, you may hit gutters (”I Am The Greatest”), but putting everything on the table and living/creating unrestrictedly allows you to reach highs in life/art you wouldn’t otherwise reach. And I think by allowing himself to create riskily and unhindered, he fulfilled his own theme.

As an avid bibliophile, I will tell you that most sequels are shit. But damn, this album was fucking amazing. I have been sleeping on Logic. Honestly, 12/10 ending. Logic wanted to leave a statement that he could still be one of the best even after his debut album and, trust me, he proved it. This ending alone proved that he knows how to do this shit. I feel like I just finished reading a great book. Who knew rap could be like this?

Top 3 Tracks:

1) City of Stars                      1) Stainless

2) Paradise                            2) Paradise

3) Innermission                      3) Incredible True Story

Overall Grade: A+

Album Link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/5dOpbgAmJeyoakKQ0QLWkR?si=bAQ0FEA4RMupkUEspycH1Q