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thornybubbles · 2 years ago

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Jotaro Yandere Alphabet (Incomplete)

I filled some of this out a while back, but didn't post it because I never finished it. I decided to go ahead and post what I have to tide my followers over while I work on my other projects. So enjoy what I have. I may actually finish the rest of this at a later date. Be aware that it's in bits and pieces right now as I skipped over some entries.

Original alphabet found here.

Reader Beware! Dark content ahead! Yandere behavior and Jotaro being a big meanie because you won't just shut up and love him...

Blood: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

Hey, this is Jotaro we’re talking about. He’ll get as messy as he needs to in order to keep you by his side. Though, he doesn’t want you to be afraid of him, so if he needs to resort to violence, he does so when you aren’t looking. If he feels he needs to get rid of someone then he’ll most likely do it the sneaky and (mostly) non-violent way. Do you have a teacher that keeps giving you a hard time? He’ll corner her after school and “convince” her to back off. The next day, that teacher won’t show up for class. She never comes back to class. Jotaro’s scared her so badly that she not only packed up her things and moved out of town, but she never took a teaching job again. That one guy that’s always trying to get a date with you? He’ll suddenly end up suspended from school due to “suspicious objects” found in his locker.

Murder is a last resort for Jotaro. As violent as he can be, he doesn’t want to have to kill someone just to get a point across. That doesn’t mean that he won’t, though. Don’t ever make the mistake of assuming that he won't take a life to have you all to himself. As said before, he doesn’t want you to be afraid of him or hate him. If he feels that he has no choice but to resort to killing someone, he’ll do it in a way that leaves no evidence. That’s where Star Platinum comes in. The Stand is more than happy to remove another pest from his user’s life. Due to Star Platinum’s limited range, Jotaro will still have to be careful, but rest assured the pest will be dealt with in a way that leaves no evidence. The authorities will blame an animal attack or a freak accident. Murder won’t even cross their minds as nothing human could mess someone up that badly.

The only time that Jotaro will resort to taking a life right in front of you is if someone puts you in danger. If someone puts their hands on you with intent to harm you, Jotaro will have Star Platinum reduce them to a stain on the sidewalk. No one hurts you and lives. No one.

Cruelty: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?

Jotaro would only abduct you if he thought it was the only option. Most likely it was because you were hurt or almost killed. He knows it looks bad but if it keeps you safe then it’s absolutely the right thing to do. You don’t have to do anything. Just relax and let him take care of everything. It’s for your own good. All you have to do is love him back. That’s the only requirement, and it is required.

Jotaro will only be cruel if he thinks you’re being cruel to him first. One thing that you could do to set off his cruel side is to start acting like a total bitch. If Jotaro falls for you, it’s because he views you as a genuinely decent person. If you start trying to manipulate him, insult him, snap at him for no reason, or take advantage of his kindness towards you, then you’ll break the illusion of the kind of person that he thought you were. After all the work he put into getting you, after all the risks he took, after all the careful plans he laid, if you turn out to be a horrible person, he’ll realize that you were a waste of time and it will bring out the very worst in Jotaro. Being mocked will be the least of your worries.

Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

Abduction isn’t really a part of Jotaro’s plan. It’s another last resort he doesn’t want to have to go to unless he feels that your life is in real danger. It’s not what Jotaro wants, but it isn’t completely off the table. Aside from keeping you safe, abduction may come to Jotaro’s mind if you keep rejecting him. It would be an act of desperation, but Jotaro figures that it may be outside influences that are causing you to reject him. If he separates you from those influences, then maybe you’ll realize that you were meant to be his from the beginning.

How Jotaro treats you is dependent on how you act around him. As mentioned before, if he feels that you are being cruel to him, he’ll punish you accordingly. Especially if you push him away. He’ll isolate you until you start behaving how he wants you to.

If we’re talking about forcing himself on you… No. Never. Jotaro would never do that to you. He wants the love he has for you to be mutual. If you don’t want him the way he wants you, then it’s a turn off for him. He may be twistedly obsessive and possessive of you, but even he has lines that he won’t cross.

Exposed: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

As stated before, it takes a long time before Jotaro can fully open up to you. It’s a slow, delicate process, but once Jotaro feels he can trust you, he’ll tell you almost everything. He’ll tell you about being a Stand user, about DIO and the trip to Egypt to save his mother, and about the crazy history of his family. He’ll eventually bring himself to tell you how he really feels about you and how he’d like for you to be together as a couple. Confessing to you will be like pulling teeth for Jotaro; painful. He doesn’t want to be vulnerable in front of you for fear that you’ll think he’s weak. He’ll get frustrated, embarrassed, and stumble over his words, but once he gets his feelings across he’ll feel a lot better. If you accept him, he’ll be over the moon. It will be the first time you ever see him smile.

Reject him however, and it will devastate him. He won’t show it though, and he’ll act as though it doesn’t bother him, but that’s only because he has no plans to give up on you. If the direct approach didn’t work on you, then he’ll have to try something a little more devious. Maybe if he saved you from some thugs, then you’d realize just how much you need him in your life. It shouldn’t be too hard to set something like that up…

Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

Jotaro can be patient when he needs to, but you fighting him will cause any patience he has to run completely out. He won’t hit you back, but he will have Star Platinum restrain you until you calm down. If you start screaming he’ll gag you until you get quiet again. If that doesn’t work, he’ll tie you up and shove you into a closet until you stop acting like a spoiled toddler having a tantrum. If you calm down, he’ll take you out of the closet and take the gag out of your mouth. He’ll leave you tied up though, until you can prove to him that you aren’t going to lash out anymore. Do it again and he’ll put you in isolation until you can learn to act more civilized around him. He has little tolerance for bullshit.

Game: Is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

Jotaro wouldn’t enjoy it at all. He’s in no mood for games when it comes to his relationship with you. If you try to escape him, he’ll chase you down with frightening relentlessness and when he finally catches up to he’ll demand to know why you’re running from him. What did he do to make you fear him? And you better word your answers very carefully, Darling. Jotaro may be a stoic delinquent type but his heart is fragile when it comes to you. If you break his heart, he’ll retaliate with anger.

He never wanted to have to abduct you, but if that’s what it takes to keep you with him, then he’ll lock you up and throw away the key. He hopes you really like his house because it’s interior is gonna be the only thing you see for a very long time. Jotaro has to make you understand that you belong to him. It’s not up for debate.

Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

That all depends on you. How Jotaro treats you depends on how you treat him. Love him and you’ll (almost) never see his yandere side. Your relationship will be mostly normal (minus all the things Jotaro keeps hidden from you: like how he threatens your boss to give you a raise, or how he secretly follows you to the store to make sure nobody messes with you).

The problems start only if you do anything to disrupt Jotaro’s sense of having a normal relationship with you. If you become aware of his possessiveness and confront him on it, he’ll deny it. He’ll act like he doesn’t know what you’re talking about. If you keep pressing him on the matter, he’ll get angry. Just let him love you and return his love! He’s never asked you for anything else, so why are you complaining? So what if he gave that delivery man a black eye? The bastard had it coming with the way he kept looking at you. No, he is not overreacting!

As long as you play your part as his lover everything will be fine. But cross him and he’ll put you through something that will make Hell seem like a vacation getaway.

Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

One of the main reasons that Jotaro fell for you is that you give him a sense of normality. It’s something he took for granted before becoming a Stand user. Not that he’s ungrateful for having Star Platinum and the power his Stand gives him, but having your life be turned into a constant battle for survival gets really old after a while. The stress of always wondering when another enemy Stand user will find him and want to fight to the death starts to take a toll on his sanity. Jotaro is more than a little sick of all the bizarre bullshit that keeps popping up in his life and he’d give anything if he could go back to a time when studying for exams, his mom embarrassing him, trying to ignore horny fangirls, and dealing with bullies was the worst he’d ever have to deal with.

Jotaro feels grounded again when he’s with you. He can come home and relax in your arms and just let the stress of the day flow out of him and disappear. He’ll listen to you ramble on about your day with the smallest of smiles. (Blink and you’ll miss it.) You can talk about the most boring, mundane things and he’ll be fine with it. You’ve become almost like a drug for Jotaro and he hates how weak it makes him feel. It doesn’t stop him from coming back to you though. He’ll be the first to admit that he’s addicted.

All Jotaro wants is to grow old with you. He won’t cage you or control you. He’ll even let you have friends… just as long as none of it gets in the way of you being with him. He’s fairly lenient for a yandere (at least as far as you know). Just as long as you agree to be his and live happily with him, there won’t be any problems.

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

You’re walking on thin ice if you manage to make Jotaro jealous because he doesn’t cope well with it at all. He won’t stop you from having friends as that only adds to the sense or normality he has with you, but if he feels that certain interactions with one or more of your friends becomes a little too friendly, he won’t hesitate to intervene. After a while, that friend that you kept having to remind that you were in a relationship will suddenly stop hanging around you so much. It will get to the point that you hardly see them at all. You are relieved, thinking that they finally got the point that you weren’t interested. The truth is that Jotaro got them alone, broke their arm, and promised them even more pain if they didn’t stay the hell away from you. He also made them understand that if they didn’t leave you alone, he’d do worse than just break some bones.

But if it’s you that’s getting too friendly, that’s a different matter. Now you’re playing a dangerous game, Darling. If you rouse Jotaro’s suspicions, he’ll follow you in secret to make sure that there isn’t anything shady going on. If he actually catches you cheating on him… he’ll snap. He wasn’t stable to begin with and you just snatched the rug out from under him. He has no choice but to fall, and he’s taking you with him. He’ll have Star Platinum tear your lover to pieces. Your lover got off easy. He’ll take you far away from everything and everyone you know to a secret place that is only known to him. Once there, he’ll lock you away until he can calm himself down. He’ll kill you if he isn’t careful, and death is too kind of a punishment. Once he’s calm enough, he’ll have Star Platinum remove your arms and legs. You won’t die. He’ll make sure of that. You will suffer though. Now you have no choice but to rely on him. You can’t cheat on him now can you? No one else will want you now that you’ve been reduced to a sobbing paperweight. But that’s okay. You have him and he’s all you’ll ever need.

Kisses: How do they act around or with their darling?

After becoming your boyfriend, Jotaro will seem as standoffish as always. As your relationship progresses, he will start feeling less embarrassed about public displays of affection and be more comfortable putting an arm around your shoulder as you sit together at lunch. After you have been together awhile, Jotaro will loosen up even more. He’s never been the romantic type so don’t expect any poetry or grand gestures. He’ll buy you stuff sometimes and take you to dinner at a quiet restaurant where the two of you can just talk and chill.

Jotaro is kind of like a cat that is content to just be in the room with you. Sometimes he’ll wander into the room, sit down next to you, and open a book and start reading, all without saying a word. If you speak to him, he’ll respond, but in a quiet, calm tone.

His favorite thing to do is to just lie partially on top of you while you’re on the couch with his head tucked under your chin while you run your fingers through his hair. Bonus points if you just ramble on about whatever mundane thing that comes to your mind. You grumble about a hard day at work, make fun of how dumb the new intern is, mention a few things that need to be added to the grocery list, talk about a new movie that looked like it might be good, or rant about your boss being a jerk (he’d take care of that later). Your voice is so calming to him that he ends up dozing off once or twice before he decides to sit up and turn on the TV and pull you close to him. It’s moments like this that make Jotaro feel normal again. He doesn’t have to think about poorly dressed vampires, enemy Stand users, or hand-crazy serial killers when he’s with you.

Love letters: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?

By being reliable. It would start subtly. He would always seem to come to your rescue whenever you needed help with anything. Locker stuck? He’d appear out of the crowd in the halls, knock his knuckles against your locker and unjamming the door, then disappear back into the crowd without saying a word. Lose your pencil? You’ll have one suddenly tossed into your lap during class. When you look up you’ll see Jotaro give you a quick look before he goes back to staring out of the window. Forget your lunch? He’s got you covered. You can share some of his. He’ll grumble that his mom always makes too much and it ends up going to waste anyway.

This will continue even after you two are adults and out of high school. Eventually, you’ll get to the point where you wonder how you ever survived without JoJo. This is exactly what Jotaro was hoping for.

Naughty: How would they punish their darling?

Jotaro believes that the punishment should fit the crime. How he punishes you depends on what you did to set him off.

Try to manipulate or control him, you’ll find yourself being the one manipulated and controlled. He’ll gaslight you and start making decisions for you without consulting you. He’ll have you constantly second guessing your every decision and even doubting your sanity. It won’t be long before he has total control in the relationship and any free will you had will be a distant memory.

Be mean to him and Jotaro will be twice as mean to you. Any insults you toss his way will be met with the coldest glare that Jotaro has to offer, followed by the cruelest thing he could possibly say to you. Jotaro already knows about all your insecurities and embarrassing secrets. Be nasty to him and he’ll throw all of it into your face. He’ll shame you, degrade you, and make you feel utterly worthless. He’ll have you in tears with one conversation and he’ll have you believing you deserved it. He’ll destroy your self esteem and feel no remorse for it. You deserve it for being such a bitch.

If Jotaro suspects that you’re only with him for his money, he’ll cut you off without hesitation. No more expensive clothes, no more elaborate trips, no more jewelry, no more indulging in overpriced hobbies. If you want something, you can get it yourself. And if you have the gall to whine to him about it, he’ll look you full in the face and tell you that he’s not your personal piggy bank. You can either stop being a lazy bitch and get a job or…..

… if you really want him to be your sugar daddy so badly, then you’re gonna have to earn it. Prove your love to him and he’ll think about getting you that new car, but you better make it damn convincing. Jotaro is nobody’s simp.

One of the worst things you could do to set off Jotaro’s yandere side, is to push him away when he wants your affection. If you simply need some personal space, Jotaro will understand and respect that, but if you shove him away for no reason but to play with his emotions, then you have really crossed a line. Jotaro will snatch you up and put you in a place where you can be alone for as long as you want. (More like as long as he wants.) If you despise his presence that much, then he will deprive you of it, and everyone else's too. You obviously need to be reminded of how much he used to mean to you, so he figures that a few months in total isolation will help jog your memory. He’ll leave you there for as long as he deems necessary. You’ll have food, water, and something to keep yourself entertained, but you’ll have no contact with any other living soul and no possible way to escape. When Jotaro feels that enough time has passed, he’ll come and get you. If you still reject his affections, then another month or two of isolation should do the trick. If not, make it a year, two years, three… however long it takes to have you begging for his love. Jotaro is not the type to open up to others very easily. Emotions are tricky things and he has a hard time showing how he feels. It took a long time before he was willing to make himself vulnerable to you enough to tell you how he feels. To have you cruelly reject him after he bore his soul to you would destroy him.

In short, break Jotaro’s heart and he’ll break your mind. He’ll do whatever it takes to mold you back into the person he fell in love with, even if that means he has to turn into a deplorable asshole. Jotaro never said he was a nice guy. He’s a lucid yandere and very aware that he’s the bad guy in this situation, but he doesn’t care. Not after the way you treated him. Cry and beg all you want. He won't show you any mercy until you can prove that you deserve it.

NOTE: If you really want to press your luck with Jotaro, making him jealous is the way to go. But be warned, nothing in this world can save you if you actually cheat on him.

#jjba #jojo's bizarre adventure #yandere jotaro #yandere jojo #yandere alphabet #jojos bizzare adventure x reader #yandere jojo's bizarre adventure #yandere jjba #jojo x reader #jjba x reader #reader insert #jojo no kimyou na bouken #yandere jotaro x reader #yandere jotaro kujo x reader #yandere jojo x reader #yandere jjba x reader

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interneteclipse · 2 years ago

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Willow Project Breakdown:

I’m not going to tell you in depth what you can do, this is just so you get an understanding about how to navigate through a current situation in the US that hurts all of us in the long run!! This is just a dumbed down explanation of what’s happening for all those wondering. I’m also not sure if anyone outside the US knows about this?? That’s up to you girlies to tell me <3

Alright so Willow project, global warming, and media consumption breakdown for the girlies

Okay so what is the Willow project? It’s like if your friend said “omg I’m gonna take you to get a cute free piercing it’ll be so fun!” But she never told you it would be at an abandoned sketchy shack with infected tools and obviously that makes you sick in the long term!!

The Willow project explained by politicians is a way to get more resources to help the US by drilling into Alaska for oil, but no shock, that has A LOT of environmental impacts including the endangerment of keystone (needed to keep our environment balanced) species, like polar bears

Okay how does this effect you? Releasing 280 million metric tons of carbon emissions on that scale would be super hellish to our planets animals, duh, but setting off our planet’s balance in the long run is like not taking your morning vitamins after weeks and being shocked that nothings working out for you. Too much exposure to polluted air on humans almost feels like our iron deficiency symptoms so many times worse (I know you’re iron deficient, literally so am I)

So now onto the global warming segment: approving the Willow project would make it almost impossible to repair the damage we’ve caused by global warming, but I feel like no one ever talks about what global warmings effects are besides animals so here’s a few other examples:

- extreme weather (wildfires, floods, blizzards, etc)

- waves of new diseases (most are trapped under all those glaciers, having them melt is literally like a 1 vs 100 argument on twitter with but with illnesses in your body)

- water and food contamination or famine (this caused by many factors— predators and keystone species dying which allow an overpopulation of herbavores, increased pests, air quality being too bad for plants to grow right, oh yeah we also dump oil in the water so you get the point! Treat tossing our earth away like taking out your expensive sister locs out after 2 days of wear, ouch 😕)

How to consume media from now on:

Like I said, your friend told you you’re getting free piercings but she never said how dangerous the place was! Don’t take only one source of media as your main source. As much as I hate Fox News, I need to watch it along with the rest of my news channels to see more angles and get more information. Read articles too, don’t rely on one or two sources!

If the governments job is to take our life in their hands for the better, they aren’t doing it too well! Realize that the government is treating you like a toxic boyfriend that says he loves you but literally doesn’t care about your future plans and wants, so gross!!

#I hate our government tbh!!#the willow project #environmental impact #global warming #spreading awareness

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dialovers-translations · 3 years ago

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Diabolik Lovers DARK FATE ー Yuma Dark [Prologue]

Yui: ( ーー I was told to head to the Demon World, but I’m worried about Yuma-kun after all. )

( I’m sure he’ll be mad at me if I turn back now, but... )

( I can’t just save my own skin while leaving behind someone so dear to me! )

Ugh...

ー Yui runs back to the living room

Yui: Haah...Haah...

The room has been turned upside down, how horrible...Why did this happen...?

Right! Where are Yuma-kun and the otheーー

*Thud*

Yui: ...! W-What...?

( Something is happening outside...? )

Yuma: ...GIMME A BREAK ALREADY!

*THUD*

Yui: Yuma-kun...!

( It’s coming from the garden...I have to go. But, if I carelessly rush out, I could put myself at risk, huh? )

( I’ll try and carefully sneak my way out while hiding in the shadows. )

ー The scene shifts to the garden

*Grooooowl*

Kou: Haah...haah...

Yuma: Bring it on! Ya shitty mutts! Come at me if ya dare!

*Rustle*

Yui: ...!

( Yuma-kun! Kou-kun! Thank god, they’re both safe. )

( However, I don’t see Ruki-kun or Azusa-kun around anywhere...I wonder what happened to both of them? )

*Grooooowl*

Yuma: Guh...

Kou: ...! Yuma-kun...!

ー One of the Wolves attacks Kou

Kou: Ah...!

Yui: ...!!

( What should I do? I have to save them. But, how...? )

( I’m powerless. Even if I were to jump out now, I’d only get in their way.

( What on earth should I...? )

ー Shin walks up to them

Shin: Oh? Seems like you’re struggling quite a bit against those so-called ‘shitty mutts’, aren’t you?

Yuma: Aah!? And who the fuck are ya!?

Yui: ( Shin-kun! Why is he here...? )

Shin: I guess you could say I’m their owner. To be more precise, one of the long-standing, respectable Founders ーー A First Blood going by the name of Tsukinami Shin.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”, yeah right.

Yuma: Wha...!?

Kou: ‘Founders’...? Those guys Ruki-kun was talking about...?

Yui: ( I can’t believe Shin-kun is actually a Founder... )

( Wait! He said he’s the owner of those Wolves just now, right? )

( Then the one who ordered them to attack Yuma-kun and the others isーー )

Shin: Well then. I’ve had enough of just watching from afar. I think it’s about time I join in as well.

Yuma: ...Watch yer big mouth!

Kou: We’ll make you regret you ever started this fight...!

*Grooooowl*

Shin: Heh. Small fries should know their place!

*WOOSH*

Yuma: Guaaah...!!

ー Yuma collapses

*Thud*

Kou: ...Kuh!!

ー Kou collapses as well

*Thud*

Yui: ...!!

( No way...How did he send both of them flying, simply by holding his hand towards them...? )

( Is this...what a Founder is capable of...? )

Shin: Come on, what are you guys doing lying on the ground like that? Hurry up and get on your feet. Or should I treat you two like bugs and trample all over you?

As you wish then!

*Thud*

Yuma: Ah...

Yui: ( Yuma-kun...! )

Kou: Bastard...!!

Shin: Woah there! One move and I’ll split this guy’s skull open with my foot so his brains gush out all over the place, understood? It’d be shame to ruin such a beautiful garden. Haha.

Kou: Kuh...

Yui: ( How could he...do such a thing... )

Shin: Hey, tell me something before that. ...Where’s that chick?

Yuma: ...Who are you talkin’ ‘bout?

Shin: Don’t play dumb. You know her, don’t you? That woman ーー The human chick you’ve been keeping at your place.

Yui: ( Eh...? Is he...? )

Shin: Come on, hurry up and answer my question. Or elseーー

Yuma: Hah! Once again ...I don’t know!

*THUD*

Shin: Heeh. You managed to push me off, huh? Not bad for a weak pest.

Yuma: Shut up!!

Yui: ( Shin-kun is after me...But, why...? )

...Anyway, I better run.

( If Shin-kun were to spot me now, it’d only cause trouble for Yuma-kun and Kou-kun. )

( Besides, Shin-kun should eventually back off once he discovers that I’m not here... )

( I’m worried about the guys, but I should flee first to avoid causing them extra issues... )

ー The scene shifts to the outside of the Mukami manor

Yui: ...Haah...

( I somehow made it back here without anyone noticing me. Now I just have to get to the Demon World as fast as I can... )

???: ーー Where are you headed?

Yui: ...!! Carla-san!?

( How long has he been here...? I didn’t notice him at all... )

( Also...What is this intimidating aura? )

( He’s simply watching me, but I’m frozen on the spot. )

( Oh no...I’m scared... )

Carla: What is the matter? Answer me.

Yui: ...Why do you ask?

You are Shin-kun’s older brother, correct? In that case, are you a Founder as well?

Are you really after me...?

Carla: ...

Yui: Um...

Carla: Who do you think you’re talking to?

ー Carla steps closer and strangles her

Yui: Ugh...

Uu...

( He’s so strong...He’s squeezing my throat shut...with just one hand... )

( I...can’t...I’m growing faint... )

Carla: ...Hmph.

ー He releases her

*Thud*

Yui: Cough...Cough...

Carla: ...If you did not have Founder Blood running through your veins, I would have ended your life just now. Remember that very well.

Yui: Eh...?

( Founder Blood...? What does he mean...? )

( A-Anyway, I have to run...I doubt he’ll kill me, but that doesn’t mean I should let myself get captured. )

Uu...

ー Yui runs away

Carla: ...A waste of time.

*WOOSH*

*THUD*

Yui: ...! No way...!

( The wall was blasted to pieces... ! )

Carla: What’s wrong? Giving up so soon?

A wise decision. If you had continued to flee, you would have ended up the same way as this wall.

*WOOSH*

*THUD*

Yui: ...!

( The house...is being destroyed...This place which holds so many memories of Yuma-kun and I... )

( How cruel...Why would he do these things? Like destroying their home, or hurting Yuma-kun and the others... )

( All of this, just to take me away... )

???: Don’t space out now, Sow!!

Yui: Eh...?

ー Yuma runs up to them

Yuma: Haah...haah...

Yui: Yuma-kun...!? Why...? I thought you were fighting Shin-kun in the garden...

Yuma: I thought I heard yer voice, so I came rushin’ over here.

Anyway, why did ya return here!?

Yui: I-I’m sorry...I was worried about you, so...

Yuma: Haah!? God, you’re hopeless...

Oi, are ya hurt in some way? The dude with the scarf over there hasn’t done anythin’ to ya, right?

Yui: Don’t worry. I’m fine. More importantly, you’re the one who’s all beaten up. Alsoーー

Kou: ...

Yui: ( Kou-kun has been knocked unconscious? Yuma-kun’s carrying him underneath his arm... )

Yuma: I’m ashamed to admit this, but even when two against one, we got our asses kicked. These Founders are on a different level, seriously...

That bein’ said, we’re makin’ a run for it for now!

ー Yuma picks her up

*Rustle*

Yui: Kyah!

Yui: ( He flew into the air...!? Right, Vampires can fly as well. )

Yuma: We’re flyin’ straight away. Better hang on tight!

Carla: Once again, you are wasting your energy.

Yui: ...!

Yui: Yuma-kun, watch out! Dodge!

Yuma: Ah...?

...! That shit again...!? (1)

*WOOSH*

Yuma: You...little...!!

*Woosh*

Carla: Hooh...You evaded my attack, it seems.

Yuma: Phew...That was close. Thanks. Ya saved me.

Yui: Oh no. If anything, I should say sorry. I can’t be of any help...

Even while the two of you were fighting, all I could do was watch silently...

Yuma: Don’t sweat it. All I care ‘bout is that you’re safe and sound.

Come on, stop spoutin’ nonsense and cling onto me.

We’re goin’ full speed. Don’t get shaken off...!

*TIMESKIP*

Carla: ...They got away

ー Shin walks up to him

Shin: ...Nii-san...I’m sorry, I failed to capture that chick.

Carla: ...

She will soon be within our hands either way. Very soon...

Let us go.

ー The two of them walk away

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room of the Sakamaki manor

Yui: ( ーー We somehow managed to flee thanks to Yuma-kun, but Kou-kun has yet to regain consciousness... )

( Besides, we have no clue what happened to Ruki-kun or Azusa-kun either... )

Yuma: ...Oi.

Yui: Yuma-kun...

Yuma: Don’t be lookin’ as if someone died. Don’t worry. Kou isn’t that weak. He’ll wake up eventually.

Yui: Yeah...

Hey, what happened to Ruki-kun and Azusa-kun...?

Yuma: Ya tell me. We got separated while fightin’ off those Wolves...

But no need to worry. Knowin’ them, I’m sure they found a way out and safely made it to the Demon World.

Yui: Right...

Kou: ...Nn...

Yu: Kou-kun...! I’m so glad you’re awake.

Yuma: See? Didn’t I tell ya? He’d wake up sooner or later.

Kou: Huh? Where am I...? Why am I here...?

Yui: This is the Sakamaki manor. Yuma-kun carried you all the way here after you had been knocked unconscious.

Yuma: God, I almost lost my arm in the process.

Kou: I see...Thanks, Yuma-kun.

Yuma: Don’t mention it. Anyway, if you’re awake, we better head to the Demon World right away. I’m sure those Founders will come after us again soon.

Kou: Good idea...

Yui: ( The Founders...That frightening duo will once again... )

Yuma: Oi, Yui. Ya know this place better than we do, right?

There should be a path connectin’ to the Demon World somewhere. Show us the way.

Yui: Yeah, gotcha.

( Right. For now, we have to head to the Demon World as soon as we can... )

( That’s the only thing we can do for now. Our only option is to run...From those Founders, from Shin-kun and Carla-san... )

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the entrance of the Sakamaki castle in the Demon World

Yuma: ...Phew. We finally made it here.

Yui: ( It’s been a while since I visited the Demon World. It was always dark, but right now it’s even more apparent because of the Lunar Eclipse. )

Kou: Hey, do you think Ruki-kun and Azusa-kun (2) are here as well?

Yuma: Who knows? ...Ah?

*Thud*

Yui: What’s wrong, Yuma-kun?

Yuma: That’s...

Shuu: ...Oh, it’s you guys.

Yui: Shuu-san!

Yuma: Che, if it isn’t the Sakamaki’s very own NEET...Right, ya guys evacuated to this castle first, didn’t ya?

Very nice of y’all to just get yerselves to safety as soon as ya were given the opportunity to.

Shuu: ...Where did you get those injuries? Were you attacked over in the human world?

Yuma: Yeah, exactly. Unlike y’all, I fought with those Founder bastards till the very last second.

Kou: As you can tell, we were beaten up. Those Founders are incredibly strong. We might be in some serious trouble...

Shuu: I see...

Yuma: Anyway, it’s pretty weird for ya to be askin’ the questions, huh? What caused this change of heart? Aah?

Shuu: ...Not really. I just felt like it.

ー Shuu walks away

Yuma: Wait, oi! That’s it!? Che, that guy always rubs me the wrong way.

Kou: Calm down. Let’s get back to business and go. We have to find our brothers first.

Yui: I wonder where they are? Here at the Sakamaki castle?

Yuma: Probably. ‘Kay, let’s get goin’ then.

Shuu: ...Oi.

Yui: Eh...?

Yuma: Ah? What? Is there still somethin’ ya need?

Shuu: ...No, it’s nothing.

Yui: Shuu-san...?

Yuma: Hah, I don’t get ya mate...Oi, Kou, let’s go. You too, Yui.

Yui: Y-Yeah...

( I wonder what Shuu-san wanted? He seemed different than usual...Or am I just imagining things? )

ー The three of them walk away

Shuu: ...Don’t die, okay?

ー The scene shifts to the living room

Ruki: ...! They’re here.

Azusa: Eve...!

Yui: Ruki-kun, Azusa-kun! So you were here after all. I’m so glad to see both of you safe and well...

Azusa: Me too, I’m so happy...You’re safe...

Ah...Yuma and Kou are here as well.

Yuma: Oi, oi, are we just the extras...?

Kou: How heartless after we were worried sick about you~

Ruki: Yuma, Kou, and you too, Livestock. You got here rather late. Were you wasting time somewhere?

Yuma: Well, let’s just say a lot happened. Like gettin’ attacked by those Founders, or havin’ the Sakamaki’s NEET pester us with questions...

Ruki: Excuse me? You were attacked by Founders?

Oi, Yuma. Tell me the full story.

Azusa: Wait...I believe the three of them are tired...You should wait with that until later...

Ruki: I suppose you have a point...In that case, rest up first. We are staying in a different wing from the Sakamaki’s, so you should be able to get some peace.

Azusa: Besides...As long as we stay within the walls of this castle, we’re safe, okay...?

Ruki: However, do not let your guard down. Do not return to the human world under any circumstances.

Yuma: Gotcha. Imma go rest in the bedroom then. ...Oi, Yui.

Yui: Eh?

Yuma: You’re comin’ with me.

Yui: Eh? But...

Yuma: No buts! Come on, off we go!

*Rustle*

ー He picks her up again

Yui: Ah...W-Wait! Yuma-kun...!?

ー The scene shifts to the bedroom

Yui: Wait, Yuma-kun! Hello...!?

Yuma: AhーGod! Pipe down!

ー He throws her on the bed

*Thud*

Yui: Kyah...

Yuma: ...Do ya hate spendin’ time with me alone that much?

Yui: Eh...?

Yuma: It’s not like my brothers are a nuisance or anythin’ but...We can’t do this sorta stuff in front of them, right?

Besides...I’m a lil’ upset.

Yui: Upset...?

Yuma: Exactly...With you. So this is yer punishment. ...Nn.

Yui: Wha...Nnh...!

( No way...I can’t believe he’d suddenly start kissing me... )

Yuma: Nn...Hah...Oi, don’t try and get away. Look at me...

Yui: I can’t...You’re being too pushy...

Yuma: Hah...Says the one who loves this kinda shit.

Yui: I-I don’t...!

Yuma: Shut up. Just keep quiet for a sec. Nn...Hah...Nnh...

Yui: Nn...Phew...

( I can’t...My head is spinning...Even though he’s forcing himself upon me, I can’t seem to fight back... )

Stop it already...Yuma-kun...

Yuma: Nope, I won’t. Didn’t ya hear me when I said I’m upset?

Yui: But why? Because I came back instead of fleeing to the Demon World?

Yuma: Seems like ya know the answer already. We made sure to clear the path for ya, but ya just came waltzin’ right back.

Yui: I’m sorry...I’m aware that I’ve been reckless.

But I was worried about you. I couldn’t run away by myself while leaving you behind...

Yuma: Listen...I feel the same way.

Yui: Eh...?

Yuma: I didn’t want to part ways with ya either. I wanted to rush back to yer side so badly.

Che, don’t make me say this shit out loud!

Yui: Yuma-kun...

Yuma: God...

Anyway...I get why ya felt like that but when ya put yerself at risk, it kind of defeats the purpose, no?

Ya almost got yerself caught, ya know? By that annoyin’ jerk with his stupid scarf.

If something had happened to you, I...

...Ugh.

Yui: ( He looks so pained...I messed up really badly. )

( I didn’t even consider how much I mean to him... )

...I’m sorry, Yuma-kun. I promise I’ll never be that reckless again.

Yuma: For real? Promise me?

If ya break our promise, I’ll bite ya all over and suck ya dry till the very last drop, capiche?

Yui: Y-Yeah...

( I wonder if he seriously means that...? )

*Rustle*

Yuma: Anyway, did he say anythin’?

Yui: ‘He’?

Yuma: The Founder who tried to capture ya.

Yui: He’s called Carla. Tsukinami Carla...

Yuma: Tsukinami...Then he’s a relative of that Shin guy?

Yui: Yeah...Remember those transfer students? That’s them...

Yuma: For real...? Did he mention anythin’ else?

Yui: Hmー... Ah!

He said that I have Founder DNA...

Yuma: You...?

Yui: Yeah. I’m certain he mentioned it.

Yuma: ...

Yui: Yuma-kun...?

Yuma: Nah, I was just tryin’ to think of what that could mean. Well, not that thinkin’ will get us much farther. We simply don’t have enough information at the moment.

I’ll go report everythin’ to Ruki for now. Ya use this opportunity to get some proper rest, ‘kay?

Yui: We might get attacked by those Founders again after all...

Yuma: Idiot. That’s not what I meant. It’s ‘cause once I get back, I’m not lettin’ ya get a single wink of sleep. ...Not until morning.

Yui: Eeh!? Wait, Yuma-kun...!?

ー Yuma leaves the room

Yui: ...He left.

( Geez, my face is overheating because of him...I guess I’ll open the window for a bit. )

ー She opens the window

Yui: Wah...The sky is pitch black....

( Come to think of it, the night lasts quite long over in the Demon World, so the Lunar Eclipse lasts for a while as well, doesn’t it? )

( I have a bad feeling about it...I just hope this all passes without anything happening... )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) There’s a small bug in the game here. The line ‘that attack again!?’ is repeated twice. However, it only shows up in the dialogue box the second time.

(2) Whenever more than one person is mentioned in Japanese, the dialogue will mention the name of one character (usually the oldest or most important person) with the suffix ‘tachi’ added. When talking about a group, I usually translate it as ‘and the others’ or ‘and the other guys’. However, when it only refers to two people, I prefer to simply write out both names instead of saying ‘Ruki-kun and the other guy’ because that just sounds...weird. :p It makes the second person sound so insignificant.

→ LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

<-[ Mukami Prologue ] [ Dark 01 ] ->

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #yuma mukami #dark fate #diabolik lovers translation #dfyumadarkprolog

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f1nalboys · 4 years ago

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Anon asked:

Hi I was wondering if you could do headcannons for the slashers finding child reader and seeing some marks on their bodies that means they've been abused by their guardian or parent? And maybe slashers being the reader's new guardian and parent? You can add fluff in this if you like.

Hi, thank you sm for the request! I had such a good time writing this lol, just imagining some of them as parents was *chefs kiss* I hope you enjoy this! (And, if you or anyone reading this is dealing with abuse, please call or text the hotline * and remember you are strong, brave, and do not deserve what is happening. <3 )

*This hoteline is only for the U.S states and Canada, but please don’t be afraid to search up the hotline for where you are or to tell someone you trust!

WARNINGS: implication of abuse

MICHAEL (RZ)

‘What is this gremlin and why are they around me?’

Honestly would be treating you like a pest as a first instinct, he doesn't really get why you're around him in the first place like where are your parents…

I mean once he loses you he's gonna follow you around because he needs to know who you belong to lol

During his little stalking hours he starts to recognise his own behavior that he exhibited in his childhood to yours and he gets this sick feeling in his stomach

When he sees your guardian he is immediately filled with rage because he knows exactly why you're doing the things you were

He is killing whoever it is that very night he doesnt care whos around of the chances of him being caught

There’s a 50/50 chance of him taking you in himself. I really think it’ll depend on your age and how you act, you know? Michael isn’t going to want to or be able to take care of a toddler or kid in a way he sees fit so he's just going to drop you off at a neighbors house

Now if you’re older and more reserved/independent he might be more willing to watch over you but I still think it would be really hard for him to do so

As long as you’re in Haddonfield though he’ll be checking in on you and just making sure you're alright and safe

Boogieman got your back basically

Billy Loomis and Stu Macher

‘Why is this unattended child out at night and why are they hanging out around us?’

They’re psychopaths not assholes, they’re gonna try and help you lol

They’re surprisingly good with kids, especially Stu, so you’re immediately comfortable around them

Billy is the first to notice your behavior and any bruises and immediately connects the dots. He’s had his fair share of bruises and knows exactly how you got them

Once he starts asking questions, Stu will catch on and get just as mad as Billy, if not more so.

They both have already come to the same conclusion: whoever did it to you is not going to be surviving the night

Take you to Stu’s parents house (who welcome you with open arms and doted on you) and leave for an ‘errand’

Gone for a few hours and when they come back (they made sure to stop and get you some snacks) they let you know that you're safe now

When they take you to the police station in the morning they promise to make sure you’re alright and Stus parents offer to foster you (they’re going to adopt you don’t worry)

Big brother Stu and Uncle Billy :,)

Thomas Hewitt

Personally I think they have a strict no children policy (they’ll kill them if need be but they try to make sure it never comes to that) but Tommy and Luda Mae are very strict enforcers of this rule because if Hoyt had his way it wouldn’t matter what age you were; food is food

The moment Thomas sees you being hurt in any capacity he is going straight to his mother to tell her and lets just say Luda Mae is pissed

Thomas becomes a protective older brother to you, Luda Mae is acting like your mom, and Hoyts your weird Uncle but Tommy make sure he isn’t too harsh on you lol

Your abuser is staying alive until Thomas knows exactly what they did to you because he’s going to return it tenfold

Hoyt would bug you about getting revenge but Tommy really wouldn't want you to do so because you’re a kid, you shouldnt be exposed to that sort of thing (he knows eventually you’ll have to learn about the family business but he wants to stop that from happening for as long as possible)

If you say you want to, though, he’ll be with you every step of the way

He is going to teach you sign language you don’t know it because he wants to talk to you and let you know everything is alright now

Found family at its core babey

Sinclair Brothers

Lesters the first one who notices. He saw what happened with Bo growing up and seeing how you were acting when you were in the car, shrinking into yourself, he got angry

And when Lester is angry, he is angry… the man is hard to piss off so when Bo sees him pull into town with you in there and sees his face he knows something happened

God, speaking of Bo, he was furious. It took so much willpower to not kill your abuser right then and there

Bo is good with kids, i don't care what anyone says, he’s cracking jokes and letting them look at the car’s engine with him, stuff like that

Made sure you didn’t see or hear what happened with your abuser but will introduce you to Vincent (who might be more inclined to show you his face if you think his mask is scary) and he lets Vincent know that these people aren’t to become statues under any circumstance

He tells you the people you were with left and that they apologized for what they did and he doesn’t think you believe him but you seemed so relieved he didn’t want to tell you the truth

Most likely to take you to the next town over to the police station to get you somewhere safe because he and Vincent agreed that it wouldn't be safe for you in Ambrose

But if you begged enough to stay Vincent would convince Bo that it’d be alright

No matter how much Bo grumbles about you being there, eating him out of house and home, he’s actually pretty happy you're around because he can be a father figure to you (even if it scares him half to death)

Vincent will teach you how to sculpt (obviously not with humans, maybe when you're older if they ever tell you (or when you inevitably find out))

Cool Uncle Lester teaches you about bones and lets you ride around in the truck with him

Jason Voorhees

Witnesses it during his daily rounds around the camp and neither he (or Mrs. Voorhees) is happy

Kills them then and there; there is 0 hesitation, he lowkey forgets you're even there and that you’re witnessing it

When he notices you he feels so bad and actually feels worse when you seem to be happy they’re gone

Is afraid you're going to be scared of him because all he wanted to do was protect you but he’ll try and explain to you through sign language or through writing into the dirt with a stick

Actually wants you to stay in the camp with him so he can watch over you but has no hard feelings about you going back to civilization (he doesn’t even know how he’d be as a father)

Obviously he can't go and drop you off somewhere because he’s literally s zombie lol but he will go as far as he can to make sure you get somewhere safely

Worries about you even weeks after you’ve left, like how are you doing? Are you with someone trustworthy? Do you remember him?

If you stay, however, he is gonna be the best god damn dad ever, if not a bit overprotective

You’re not allowed to leave the designated area he’s ropped off outside of the cabin because god forbid some campers stumble across you

Tiffany Valentine

We all know my wife has no qualms about killing kids but she’s way too sympathetic once she figures out what's going on with you

Meet your new goth mom! She’s great!

She is the most qualified out of all of the slashers to take care of a kid regardless of the age (I mean, remember Glen/Glenda and how accepting she was? How much she cares for her kid?)

She’s killing your abuser without a single care in the world, she’s not wasting any time either. She lets you know you’re safe with her and that nothing will ever hurt you again

Get ready to be pampered; she is treating you to everything you could ever want. You won’t be spoiled, of course, but you’re going to be comfortable

You will be the most well-adjusted kid being taken care of by a slasher (maybe losing to Billy and Stu but that’s just because of Stu’s parents) so congrats for that!

#slashers #slasher headcanons #child!reader #jason voorhees #michael myers #billy loomis #stu macher #tiffany valentine #bo sinclair #lester sinclair #vincent sinclair #found family lets go #horror movies #horror movie villians #s1mping4slashers works #s1mping4slashers writing #s1mping4slashers masterlist #anon req

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leviiattacks · 4 years ago

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Two Faced | Chapter One

↳ levi ackerman, the very person who was about to kindly behead you by a surprising turn of events manages to become your loving husband? you would be elated if this was true love, but it's all thanks to a mysterious magic spell that your life is spared. for now at least.

pairing :: duke!levi x duchess!reader genre :: royal au, angst, fluff, slice of life etc word count :: 2.6k → click here for the next part !

Shock-waves of terror rush through your body. You can feel your heart thump erratically against your chest and your train of thought is a complete mess. All you know for sure is that your fate is certain, you're going to die. The illegitimate daughter of the Rambova family from the Negri Republic is going to be killed and it just so unfortunately happens to be you. Your eyes are coated in a fresh layer of tears and all you can do is sit there huddled in the corner of your room whilst you pray. Pray to who exactly? You're unsure of that detail.

The days of pain and neglect that you constantly endured ended with the war caused by a single man. That man who was rumored to be cruel enough to murder the child of another enemy noble in cold blood. The Duke of the Paradis Empire. Levi Ackerman. By the emperor's orders he took an army to conquer all of the rebelling, independent countries which surrounded Paradis, and unfortunately for you the Negri republic was one of them.

Soon, the Rambova family was the last of the nobles left within the nation.

"Y/N. Even a little pest like you has a role to play. You must stay back and protect the castle." that was the first and last thing your father said to you when news of the war spread. Your father threw you away and so did the rest of your household. Not even a thank you was issued when they all dashed past you towards the palace's back gates. Truth be told you were simply a child born out of convenience, born to marry another aristocrat to strengthen the family's reputation, but the war made you see your position with even more clarity.

No one ever loved you in this palace, it would be futile for you to say they did, lying would not ease the numbing ache in your heart.

"SEARCH EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY!" One of Duke Ackerman's men alerts the other soldiers and that's when you begin to shiver in pure terror. The shrill screams of the palace maids can be heard and are more than audible, they echo back and forth, settling in the shells of your ears. You really are going to die today and no one's going to save you. Who would? The servants who laughed at you because of your shameful origin? Those servants seem to be at deaths door themselves, you don't hold anything against them. Or would it be your "family" who treated you like the dirt beneath the crevices of their shoes? That "family" had ditched you and left you for dead in the palace. Duke Ackerman was a wild animal and you were a piece of bait to everyone else. No one was going to help you and this was the end of the line.

You gaze out your window and see even more of his army approach. There's not enough time for you to run, even if you attempt to do so you'll be killed in no time at all. Your mother's words echo in your mind. No one was willing to keep her around. A toy, that's what she was for your father, a play thing on the sidelines for when his real wife wasn't well. A few years after giving birth to you mother had fell gravely ill but father did nothing to help. The money needed for her treatment wouldn't have even made a dent in his riches but he did not see it fit to spend such a large sum on the likes of her. He wasn't going to help a courtesan who refused to abort what he deemed a nuisance. That's what you and your mother were - problems, issues, nuisances and inconveniences he wanted nothing to do with.

But right now all you can think about are her last words. They ring in your head and you feel your tears creep right back up. However, they subside when you take the true meaning in.

"Listen carefully, when the grim reaper comes for you, act proudly and look him in the eye without fear. You must do so for me." the one time you had seen her force a smile was then, on her death bed she had smiled so daintily it felt fake. Why did she have to act strong even in her last moments? Why did she have to try her damnedest to hide her pain and suffering from you?

Without a seconds thought you decide to follow her last instructions and what she taught you. Deciding to look death in the eyes, it's the way your mother wanted you to leave. To die proud of yourself was a privilege she never received.

Shakily, you walk towards your dresser and throw on your best dress. It isn't amazing considering the fact that your father barely invested any time in you let alone any money but you made do with it. Tying the faded baby blue ribbon that came with it around your waist you play around with the frilled sleeves. Screams are all you can hear but you swallow away your fear. Putting your hair up into a bun and pinning it back as tightly as you can, your face is in full view now, you won't be able to hide behind your hair when you're finally taken away.

With faith and hope in your heart, that is how you choose to exit. Faith that after this something better was coming. An after life with mother, one where she would be treated the way she deserved. A place where you'd be able to see her smile in sincere clarity. As you stick the last pin into your hair the door to your bedroom rumbles. It takes a matter of seconds for it to be knocked down by three soldiers.

Two of them march towards you and yank you away from where you are in front of your mirror, in the chaos a vase full of flowers shatters and hits the floor. The sound of the glass shattering and hitting the marble floor only makes the situation more intimidating.

The soldiers drag you through the hallways of the castle and the way they grip tightly onto your arms irks you slightly. They're quite literally dragging you towards the slaughter house yet they continue to handle you and the other innocent people within the palace's walls with this degree of brute force. You know you don't deserve to die, nobody here does.

At some point you're thrown to the floor of the main hall, a pain shoots up your side due to the impact of your hip hitting the floor but you soldier through it. You try to look death in the eye but it beats you to it.

Multiple bloody corpses are scattered across the floor. A heap of them are piled up in one corner and your eyes water in defense. The Palace's head chef is one of the latest additions to this pile, her guts hang out, she's been sliced open mercilessly. The contrast between her current form and her usual stern but soft face haunts you.

This was your fate, your body was going to be hauled atop of this pile of corpses. How were you to die? Would you be cut up into bite sized pieces? Would your heart be ripped out of your chest, left to bleed out until you and death would meet?

You place your hands in front of you and they land on the floor as you raggedly breathe in and out trying to calm yourself down. Mother said death was scary but you never thought death would be delivered to you in the form of cold blooded murder.

Your haphazard thoughts are suddenly put to a halt when you hear a deep, gravely voice from above your head.

"Child of the Rambova Family." He pauses and your head shoots up to see who's addressing you.

Shaking once again the tears you've been holding back spill out. You are face to face with death himself, the grim reaper in human form. Duke Ackerman. His feline eyes are devoid of any emotion and he looks down at you through his eyelashes as though you're an animal.

Looking you up and down as if you're nothing but a pest you can't help but smile at that. Everyone thought of you that way, you weren't ever good for anything right? Your thoughts make you wallow in even more sadness and you burst into an extensive crying fit in front of the Duke himself.

He murmurs something inaudible under his breath then you see him swing his leg backwards. He savagely kicks your left shoulder and you fly towards the cold hard floor."You're oh so, stupid." Shrieking, as his boot drives further into you, the lump in your throat hardens. "For not." another kick is delivered to you this time, it hits your right shoulder angularly. "Running away." a final kick lands on the left side of your face and despite his boots digging into the hollows of your cheeks you don't cry out in pain like you did the first time. That is until he swiftly holds you by the neck and firmly slams you up against one of the marble walls to perfectly punctuate his point. Letting go of you midway, you crash to the ground again, gulping and gasping for air.

His eyes. They're stone cold. You can't sense any emotion behind him. Yet he kneels down to your level his slim fingers trace the tear stains across your cheeks. The coarse but warm texture of his hand catches you off guard, you aren't accustomed to human touch and by reflex you unintentionally move slightly closer to his warm palm. He sneers at you absolutely disgusted with the way you react to his touch.

"It's a shame that you're objectively my kind of woman." His eyes snake towards the ribbon which cinches your waist in and the tension you feel increases ten fold. His gaze then meanders to your collarbone which is now crudely exposed after your one sided fight. His eyes darken "What a shame indeed." He mutters.

You begin to think that maybe the man above you has some pity left in his heart and you reach your hand out to possibly negotiate but before you can the fatal sound of him unsheathing his sword is heard.

Not even a knife can cut the tension in the air but somehow the words he shamelessly announce next manage to do just that.

"I shall give you the honor of having me personally see to your death."

Your life flashes before you eyes. He darts towards you and the cold edge of his sword is as close as it can be to your neck.

Don't close your eyes, Don't close your eyes. Look him in the eyes for the sake of mother.

Defiantly, you glare at him through the tears which mingle with the perspiration which coats your face. The tears rain down your cheeks and a droplet lands on his hand.

He flinches at the damp feeling but you see the grip he has on his handle harden.

You hadn't noticed in the previous frenzy and chaos but he's covered head to toe in blood, the ugly sight causes you to try and hold in your external reaction. But you can't fight away the tears, you clamp down on your lips so tightly that blood gradually trickles down your chin.

There were so many activities you wanted to try. You wanted to wear a beautiful dress, you wanted to fall in love, you wanted to marry, you wanted to see the world and all it had to offer. You wish as hard as you can for some sort of help some sort of release. You feel terrible because you aren't facing death in the eye. You aren't proud, you've betrayed your mother. Your blood and tears mix together and you swear you see a glint of something from the corner of your eye, but that's not the issue right now. You're about to die. This is real. This is all real.

You watch in fear as he swings his blade above his head preparing to end it all, right here, right now but suddenly a flash of white light illuminates your surroundings, you and the Duke are both momentarily blinded by it. The light morphs into an intricately beautiful symbol. Then, the clatter of his sword falling to the floor is heard. Your thoughts race, what on Earth is going on? At that moment a streak of light pierces through Duke Ackerman's chest and he groans in pain.

Pulsing from the pattern is a strange, bright light. You watch it flicker, changing colors from silver, to a misty white, then it suddenly weaves itself into a sky blue. You clench your fists, your nails digging deeper into your palms. Threads of silver then engulf both you and the Duke. You both become a part of the stunning floral designs. It's whimsical being trapped inside the kaleidoscope of colour, it's all so beautifully horrifying.

Out of nowhere both you and the Duke are flinged to the floor and the performance evaporates away. Curled up in a ball you're far too fearful to look up and see what has happened. You hear his voice again.

"My lady, please forgive me for my rudeness." The Duke murmurs his words and you can't make out whether or not he's being condescending or is genuinely apologetic.

Then he does the unthinkable, he falls down on one knee.

"And please allow me to receive the pleasure of marrying you." He sticks his hand out gracefully expecting you to hold it but you stare at him in pure horror.

"From the moment I saw you my heart was simple ensnared by your beauty." He holds onto your cheek affectionately, it feels different this time, you can feel the love practically spill out of his voice and touch but you're ultimately confused. He can't possibly love you, you're strangers. Oh, and he did try to decapitate you a few seconds ago.

His eyes are the definition of infatuation, they seem to glint with happiness even in the dimly lit hall and you have no idea what to say to this sudden confession. You don't even know where this confession has come from.

Then realization dawns on you.

It does sound impossible but it's really the only thing you can find remotely believable at this point.

Has someone perhaps cast a spell on the Duke? And is that someone, you?

You stare at his hand apprehensively and you know you've got no other choice. Even if he is joking and ridiculing you, at least you know you've tried to not fall directly into death's expectant hands.

"I...am yet to except. However, I shall give you a fair trial to court me." You awkwardly agree and place your shaky palm into this hoping he isn't fooling around. Much to your relief he isn't, you witness the man's eyes soften as he faintly kisses your knuckle.

Your surroundings are a landscape of dead bodies, you want to jerk your hand away from the monster in front of you, but your goal is survival.

Thinking about what exactly you have got yourself into, it doesn't seem to be pretty at all.

#levi ackerman #attack on titan levi #attack on titan #aot #snk #levi x reader #levi x y/n #levi aot #aot fanfiction #aot headcanons #levi fluff #levi angst #levi smut #the smut comes later ok ok pls don't attack me T__T #duke levi #leviiattacks

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nightingaelic · 4 years ago

Note

POODLES IN THE WASTELAND

i jest I jest

But 👀

What about pets? Either ones companions would have or a very uncommon one that someone wouldn’t think was a good pet, BUT IS. Deathclaws you can ride like a pony, mole rats that want belly rubs, cazadore’s as cattier pigeons! What are your thoughts?

Or like, Danse or Piper or Fawkes with something hilarious Idek ignore me

Oooookay, here’s my comprehensive list of companions - ALL companions, across Fallouts 3, 4, New Vegas and 76 - and their (headcanon) choices in wasteland pets. I’ll give a little explanation for each - particularly as many of these companions are transients and don’t have the luxury of owning a home to keep pets at. Also, I feel like most of the companions, while they might not necessarily like pets, would be somewhat fond or at least respectful of the pets of the Lone Wanderer/Courier/Sole Survivor/Vault Dweller, like Dogmeat and Rex.

Bighorners

Lily Bowen: Everyone’s favorite super mutant grandma is already an experienced shepherdess in Jacobstown, and she’s more than willing to tear some night stalkers apart to keep her herd safe. If that’s not love beyond the norm for wasteland livestock, I don’t know what is. She’s probably given all of her bighorners names after the characters in the television reruns she used to watch on holotape in Vault 17, like Grace and Audrey and Lucille.

Brahmin

Raul Tejada: Actually spent a decent part of his pre-war life living on a ranch, so he knows that most brahmin don’t deserve being labeled “irritable” just because people don’t know how to read their body language. I think he’d follow wild brahmin herds around a bit on a whim and keep them from coming to any harm, especially the little ones. He gives them names like the cattle he grew up with, Corazon and Gordo and Blanca.

Rose of Sharon Cassidy: Doesn’t truck with the wild herds, but she knows that part of the success of a caravan lies with how well they treat their pack animals. All of her caravan’s brahmin have names - Penny, Magic and Sprinkles - and she’s careful to pair them up with drivers who are patient and work well with their various personalities.

Cats

Butch DeLoria: While Butch ultimately decided to leave Vault 101 behind, I don’t think he would ever truly lose his fear of radroaches after what they did to his mom. Having a little friend to warm his bunk in Rivet City and pounce on intruders would probably set his mind at ease, maybe a black tomcat with one ear named Pepper. He might even gift his mom a kitten when he next comes to visit.

Star Paladin Cross: I don’t think Cross much sees the use of an animal that doesn’t contribute to the community it lives in, like most of the Brotherhood of Steel. Cats, however, are excellent at pest control, even if the rats are bigger nowadays. I think she’d give the resident cats at the Citadel some pets in passing, and she’d smile when she has to extract playful kittens from inside her power armor frame. She’s especially fond of the cat colony’s matriarch, a scarred old tabby named Gemma.

Curie: Upon her transition into a synth body, Curie is overjoyed with most animals and their new willingness to approach her for attention. She especially loves cats because she can pick them up and better feel their fur and purring. Her favorite cat is an orange stray in Diamond City that she calls Claude.

Piper Wright: A companion for Nat when she’s out adventuring, an unbiased friend to bounce the latest opinion piece off of before going to print, and a lap-warmer for when you’re typing up the latest article about the exploits of the Minutemen - what’s not to like? The Wright family cat is a slippery, elegant calico named Sugar Bomb.

Preston Garvey: While the Minutemen forts and settlements definitely lean more toward keeping dogs around for security purposes, I think Preston likes his pets quieter and less likely to bowl you over in excitement. The one most likely to sleep with him in his bunk at Sanctuary is a grumpy gray gentleman named Anchovy.

Deathclaws

Veronica Santangelo: If anyone is crazy enough to swipe a deathclaw egg from a nest and try to hatch, rear and train a personal killing machine named Izzy, it’s Veronica. This will probably just alienate her from her Brotherhood chapter even more, but I’m sure she would take special care to make sure that her usual Mojave Wasteland haunts take a peek through a scope to see if the approaching deathclaw has a human on its back before taking a shot.

Dogs

Clover: I don’t think Clover gets out beyond Paradise Falls much, so the only animals she’s used to are the dogs the raiders bring around when passing through. She probably has favorites among the usual visitors and enjoys tossing them bits of meat when she’s allowed to get away from Eulogy and Crimson. If liberated, she’d probably get at least three of her own dogs to watch over her while she sleeps: One small dog to carry with her, a Pekingese or Pomeranian descendant named Coco, and two large dogs to follow through on intimidation and protection, a mastiff named Rock and a Doberman descendant named Roll.

Jericho: Jericho doesn’t deserve a dog but he’d probably have one around anyway to sniff out caps caches and hidden loot after he’s shot everyone in the vicinity. Some slinky beagle mix named Dewey, probably.

Fawkes: I don’t think Fawkes would be picky at all about what kind of dog he’d have. He strikes me as the type who would adopt any half-friendly mutt he ran across. I do think he would have a bit of a soft spot for friendlier mutant hounds, though, and maybe view their mutated circumstances as similar to his own. He’d also be absolutely amazing at playing fetch. Just imagine how far he could lob a stick or ball. All of his dogs would have literary names too, like Byron and Agatha and Edgar.

Craig Boone: Though he’s a bit of a prodigy at sniping, Boone knows his limitations when it comes to spotting hidden enemies on the horizon. I can see him having a hound dog at his side to find the more elusive ones and help him get rid of them faster. Maybe a bloodhound mutt named Bravo.

Cait: Doesn’t like people, but she adores dogs. Having had the life where she’s been abused, exploited and forced into slavery, she’s keenly aware that those like the ones who took advantage of her treat dogs much the same. She’s very protective of any dog she encounters and is very likely to punch you in the face if you so much as look at one wrong. She’d probably name any pup she adopted Lucky.

Hancock: Honestly, he’s just a fan of any animal that is happy to hang out with you whether you’re drunk, high, fighting raiders or patrolling downtown Boston. The Goodneighbor strays know him as the guy who always has mirelurk jerky in his pockets. His favorite is a rough-and-tumble, black-and-white spotted cattle dog descendant that he cheekily calls King George.

Robert MacCready: He’s not quick to trust dogs, but once he’s sure they’re not a threat, they’re one of the few critters around which he’ll relax completely. He’s still a little wary of them around Duncan, but any dog that’s a part of his family is more or less his son’s permanent babysitter.

Nick Valentine: Dogmeat is also basically his dog. The two have a history of working cases together, with Dogmeat just turning up whenever a trail goes cold and leading Nick to the evidence he needs to reopen his investigation. Nick doesn’t know how or why Dogmeat does it, but he’s not about to ruin a good thing.

Strong: I don’t think he would turn down a ferocious mutant hound as a friend. He’d probably feed it mole rats and call it something like Killer.

Foxes

Beckett: This former raider has a love-hate relationship with a fox that keeps going through his trash. He affectionately calls him Lil’ Bastard.

Sofia Daguerre: Having crashed back to an earth she doesn’t recognize, I think Sofia would be tickled that the foxes of Appalachia have basically stayed the same despite the bombs. I can see her leaving dinner scraps out on her porch for one that she sometimes spots in the foliage, and slowly coaxing the critter to come into the light. She names her Scarlett once she finally convinces her to eat out of her hand.

Mega sloths

Settler forager: I would not be at all surprised if this man ran into a mega sloth in the Mire and decided to try befriending it. The creature, probably surprised at this old guy’s nerve, decided to accept the handful of leaves he offered and grew slowly more fond of the guy’s persistence. It doesn’t know its name is Fergus but it does know that if a human is wearing overalls, it’s probably not a threat.

Mole rats

Deacon: Alright, hear me out. Deacon has a fondness for underdogs, and mole rats are about as underdog as they come. I think Deacon thinks these little guys are cute despite their wrinkles and buck teeth, and I think he sees the value in having a tunneling pet that likes to collect shiny things. One of his deep cover hideouts is in an old tunnel system in the northern Commonwealth, where he hangs out with a young mole rat named Henry.

Owls

Raider punk: This radio operator got wind of an abandoned nest of owlets in Appalachia early on in his career and, being the nearest to the report, decided to rescue the little guys. Now he has three owls that occasionally drop in at his camp to hoot and accept handouts: Nona, Decima and Morta. While he’s still fond of them, he’s usually disappointed that they aren’t the Mothman coming to visit.

Rad chickens

Yasmin Chowdhury: Ever the opportunistic cook, she picked up the practice of raising chickens from the settlers at Foundation and has four hens of her own: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. The “ladies,” as she refers to them, give her a constant stream of eggs for omelets.

Ravens

Settler wanderer: This gal has an affinity with birds, who are always on the move like her. She admires their ability to be untethered and let the wind take them far and wide. Nevertheless, she likes to scatter corn when they come close to her on the road, and formed a sort of friendship with a particularly handsome specimen that she calls Tornado.

Wolves

Old Longfellow: This guy is the epitome of the meme about dads not wanting pets and then instantly falling in love with whatever animal enters their life. He probably found an injured wolf pup in his travels around the island and took pity on it, nursing it back to health in his cabin. It’s still got a bit of a twisted paw, but follows him around and listens like any other dog and answers to the name Lamoine.

Yao guai

Porter Gage: I bet this guy adopted an orphaned bear cub and raised it by hand. Now it’s so big that even if Gage thinks he’s an easy target for other raiders due to his age, he’s much less likely to get singled out than he thinks because he has a yao guai following him around like a puppy. The bear’s name is Fuzzy Wuzzy. It has no hair.

No pets, thanks

Charon: Too likely to accidentally wind up in the line of fire.

Sergeant RL-3: Too easily corrupted by Communist influences.

Arcade Gannon: Too much time spent getting in your way.

Codsworth: Too likely to make messes.

Paladin Danse: Too many wasted resources.

X6-88: Too much of a liability.

Ada: Too easy to lose when on the move.

Solomon Hardy: Too unsanitary.

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the-smol-boys · 4 years ago

Text

Mcyt borrower au,

in this universe, borrowers are well known creatures (as in they are known to be real, still many misconceptions about them) and aren’t treated well at all often being thought of as pests. It is propogated that borrowers really aren’t any smarter than mice and they only evolved to look human so that humans would spare them and continued to let them take their food. This however is untrue as borrowers are just like people, except they are a lot smaller.

Some actually do recognize tinies as people though (or like to keep them as pets) so their are mini phones and other things available to the tinies although such items are relatively rare.

(Human!dream, human!sapnap, tiny!george)

—————

This is just a scenario concept (I don’t know how to write):

Dream and Sapnap are roommates and think they have a pest problem. Small but noticeable amounts of food start go missing. At night Sapnap swears he can hear a scurrying in the walls, but the most damning evidence is that there are holes in the wall that seem to be connected and art just big enough for something like a borrower to scurry through.

Sapnap is disgusted by the thought of one of those creatures living with them in the house, touching their food and other belongings. Dream on the other hand doesn’t think it’s a big deal as it’s not like the tiny person is actually doing any damage. But sapnap instists that they should get an exterminator. Dream reasons with sapnap that it’s not worth the trouble and instead buys a few glue traps to set by the holes so he can catch and release the small creature.

It’s a rainy day and dream is home alone when he checks the glue traps he’s set. And he stares in awe at what he caught. A tiny brunet staring back at him with wide eyes filled with fear. The poor creature had been stuck in the glue trap basically all night, trying desperately to unstick himself but struggling only made it worse and drained all his energy. As his eyes came upon the gigantic human his feeble struggles were renewed.

Dream had been taught that these human like tinies weren’t human and weren’t capable of complex thought but looking at its pathetic shaking form he couldn’t help but feel immense guilt. He crouched down and reached his hand out, making the borrower flinch. “It’s ok...I’m gonna get you out of there” he reassured as he carefully pulled the tiny out of the glue. Still much of the sticky substance covered the smallers limbs and clothes. Dream cradle him to his chest as he went to the kitchen sink to wash the remaining residue off.

The frail being let out a squeak as the coldness of the water shocked him and made him shiver more. It did take the opportunity to drink the faucet water, and dream didn’t try to stop him. The struggling and fear from the last night but have left him dehydrated.

“Does that feel better?” Dream cooed as he finished washing him off. He didn’t expect reply, he didn’t think these creatures were capable of responding verbally but he couldn’t help talking to it. It looked so scared and cute. Little did he know the burrowed could speak but the exhaustion and fear of being handled by a human made any attempts at speaking seem like an impossible task. Dream grabbed a paper towel and dried him off with it gently, the smaller might’ve been able to enjoy being carefully massaged like this if it wasn’t fearing for its life.

“All done~ time to let you go~ you’re very cute but sapnap and I agreed we wouldn’t get anymore pets without each other’s permission...and sapnap isn’t really a fan of you guys.” He picked up the smaller and curled his fingers around him to prevent him from fleeing...although dream doubt that it even had the strength to do that.

As they left the kitchen Dream broke a small piece off a loaf of bread and offered it to the burrower, who didn’t take it at first, but when dream place it on his chest the tiny weakly grabbed it. This made Dream smile a little, this must mean it was getting some of its strength back.

He walked down the hall and to the small foyer that lead outside. Dream opened his front door and froze...it was was raining, a gust of wind blowing through the dark humid scenery...it looks like a Florida storm was brewing. “um...” he looked down at his hands that were holding the burrower...the thing didn’t even seem to process what was going on anymore, looking like it was about to fall asleep. He felt his heart ache, captivated by the tiny’s cuteness...he couldn’t possibly let the smaller go now. Not in this weather, not when it was so weak...Sapnap didn’t have to know. He’d release the burrower in a day or two...sapnap wouldn’t even notice. Dream sighed and walked back inside, heading to his bedroom with the tiny cradled to his chest

—————

Lol I don’t know what this is or if this blog will go anywhere, I’m just in the mood for creating soft g/t fluff fearplay bs atm hahahaha

Also I’m a bit dyslexic so sorry for any grammatical or spelling errors

Feel free to send asks about this au or about basically anything ty

#giant/tiny #g/t #mcyt g/t #g/t au #g/t fluff #g/t fearplay #giant/tiny fluff #tiny!george #giant!dream #giant!sapnap

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implexedactions · 5 years ago

Text

Hello, Little One - Shoto Todoroki

So, do any of you like microphilia? No? Didn’t think so, but here it is anyway! A yandere giant Shoto Todoroki

Shoto is aged up and a pro hero!

Warning for Yandere Content and Microphilia

Beta’d by best person: @patchworkpiper

---

“Hello, little one.”

You shudder at the sound of his voice as he steps through the door. What had been a nice nap to escape from reality was pulled away as you found yourself once again in this prison. You move off of the small bed, and to the bars of the metal cage you’re trapped in.

You barely knew why you were bothering to respond at this point, but he was the only human you had seen in…however long you have been here. The room you were in seemed to have the singular purpose of housing you, with very little else here. Your cage was in the north of the rectangular room on a table, with the door at the south, and the couch along the west wall. There was a large window (deadbolted with curtains, of course) in the east wall.

As his colossal form walks through the room towards you, his footsteps shake your cage. Shoto Todoroki, one of the city’s most well-known hero’s strolls over to you. He crouches down, his cold eyes peering through the bars at your tiny 2-inch form.

“How is my favourite little pet doing?” He questions, as you hide behind blankets and pillows. He is standing at his full height, making you eye level with his crotch. Looking down from his nose at you.

“Terribly. I hate it here. I want to go home. I wish you would die.” You state listlessly back to him.

His eyes thin as he sighs, exasperated.

“We have already gone over this, MULTIPLE times… If I let you out, you won’t be mine. You won’t be safe anymore. That would be unacceptable.” You feel the room get warmer as he grows more tired of your antics. You guess today wasn’t a good day at work.

“I’m not yours! You just stole me and shrank me!” You shout back at him, voice rising as you get angrier and angrier.

“…Pet, disrespect is not welcome here. I’m willing to overlook the odd comment here and there, but you know what will happen if you fight back…” His threat hangs in the air, as you reminisce about…that day.

“Little one, stop struggling, I NEED to wash you.” Probing hands prodded at your form as you moved backwards in the small basin, huddling in a corner, treading water, and using your nails to try and dig into his skin whenever it came close.

“Fine then. I hope you learn your lesson, brat.” His fingers grabbed you and shoved you underwater. You tried with all your might to pry them off, but they wouldn’t budge. Your breath was running out, lungs burning as your brain tried to force you to take a breath.

“…Sorry…” You avoid his eyes and look at the ground, hiding your face.

“Now little one, I have a surprise for you. I’m SURE you’ll appreciate it, right?”

He opens the cage door, reaching his hand in and grabbing you. His fingers close forcefully around you as he stands and strolls to the couch. Sitting upon it, he places you on his lap. You try not to think of which organ you're standing on as he continues speaking.

“Close your eyes for me, okay? I’m sure you’ll love it. I’ll have to touch you to put it on, but I promise I’ll be gentle.”

You close your eyes. You’ve already been disrespectful, and there’s only so far you can push Shoto before he’ll push back.

As he touches your neck, a bell is heard. Something coarse gets wrapped around your shaking neck with gentle precision. You open your eyes and your hand touches what you assume to be a collar. He brings a mirror up, so you’re able to see it in better detail. You see a red collar, sturdy and utilitarian. It carries with it a small gold bell, which jingles when shaken. It also has a nametag at the front.

“It says ‘pet’, in case you were wondering. I’m unsure if you can still read to be honest…It HAS been a while since you were intellectually challenged; living this life of luxury and whatnot.”

“I can still read!”

“Now THAT is a shock.”

“I don’t want to wear this! I hate it! It’s so uncomfortable!” All you're able to do is mess around with it helplessly and hope he doesn't choose to tighten it.

“Pet. Stop fussing. It was custom made, and if you break it, there WILL be consequences.”

“Why should I care?!” Punishment be damned, you can’t take him anymore.

“Hmm?” He raises an eyebrow, and peers down at you.

“I HATE it here! I hate you! What gives you the right to do this to me! I'd rather live out my days in that godforsaken cage than have you touch me again!” You scream the ugly words at him, you’re sick of him, sick of your life. He pinches the bridge of his nose and growls in frustration.

“Just give up already! We both know you’re not getting out of this! Why are you so disobedient?!” He glares at you, roughly grabbing you off his crotch and bringing you up to his face. His fist encapsulates you, only letting your head move around.

“I want my old life back! I’m sick of YOUR hideous face being the only face I see!” As you shout the words at him, he drops you as he recoils in shock and hurt.

Oh no. You cower, knowing you’ve fucked up. NEVER talk about his scar.

He drops you back on his lap and brings the mirror to his face, his other hand touching the scar in a forlorn expression. His eyes scrunch up a bit, mouth wavering. This is the most vulnerable you’ve ever seen him. That vulnerability quickly dissipates into rage. Letting out a roar, he throws the mirror against the wall, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

“Wait! I didn’t mean it like that! I’m sorry!”

He angrily glares at you as you feel less confident in your words. You can feel his hot breath hitting you as he seems to be thinking. He pulls out his phone with and starts typing furiously, before a few chimes emit from the phone. He hasn’t said anything for a good while, and your heart is pounding. His face returns to a more self-satisfied expression as he looks back to you.

“Hmmm. Okay. That’s possible.” He says, a hint of malice in his voice.

“Wait, what?” Your eyes widen as you fear his sudden change in attitude.

“I said that is possible. I can arrange for you to see someone else for a while.”

“Are you letting me go?” You aren’t that hopeful, but maybe?

“That isn’t what you said, pet. You said that you wanted to see a new face. THAT I can provide.” You don’t like the sound of that.

“This is going to be someone worse than you, isn’t it? You’re not that slick, Todoroki. You’re basic.” A grin overtakes the face of your captor as your stomach sinks. It appears you forgot your place again.

“Oh, getting cocky now, are we? Let’s see if you feel that way after a week with my old man.” Your blood runs cold. His father, Enji Todoroki?! You’ve seen the man before, on TV and whatnot. Shoto speaks of him sometimes, seemingly trying to use his trauma as a bonding tool. It mainly just instilled the fact that Enji Todoroki was someone to be feared, someone who wouldn’t give a second thought to anyone he didn’t think was worth the time. You highly doubt he’d even give you a first thought.

“W-wait, w-what?”

“He's a bastard. A lot less forgiving, if you catch my drift. He hates distractions, and I don’t think he’d be all that fond of you, pet. I do not envision dealing with him to be all that nice. He is a cruel person, and I think having a pet to torture would be right up his alley.”

“I thought you hated him?”

“True, but he’s really been trying to gain my trust. And he’ll do basically anything I ask. Even looking after a pet for a week.” Your blood is pumping, you can hear your heartbeat in your ears.

“I-I-I-” You stammer, trying to find any solid ground in this argument. Shoto just grins and continues.

“Of course, he’s quite forgetful and dismissive. So, I wouldn’t expect him to remember to feed you or really care for you-”

“Why- why would you-”

“-or maybe he’ll just drop you on the ground and expect you to fend for yourself for the week. Surviving his day to day life. His footsteps, workouts, and daily routines, surviving off crumbs, stolen food, and the like.” You can’t take this, your sassy front has crumbled away. Shoto’s threats are too much for you to push back against.

You can’t imagine surviving a week with Enji, him burning you if you don’t do exactly what he asks. You can only be so defiant against the person who rules your life. Shoto has won this argument. You can only give in and pray that he doesn’t go through with it.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say what I said!” Shoto just looks at you, looking smug, and continues.

“After all, he doesn’t have much time for arrogant, stupid, tiny pests.”

“Please! I’m sorry! I don’t want that!” You are shaking now, on your knees in his palm, head sagging.

“Oh, am I scaring you, pet? I mean, there are other possibilities...” You jump at this chance to be good again. Anything to keep you away from Enji.

“Like if I behave, or make it up to you?” You’ll do anything he asks, you just need to not end up with Enji.

“I was meaning my father. He doesn’t have anyone in the house anymore and he seems quite lonely, he might take a liking to you. Constantly being around you, or demanding things of you. He might really take a fancy to you.”

Wait, what?

“W-what do you mean, exactly?”

“Well. My old man doesn’t have anyone in the house, he’d probably latch onto anyone new he could care for…or train. I think it’d be cute, no? A huge, strong man like him, fawning and fussing over my pet. He might view himself as a grandfather.” Shoto chuckled to himself lightly.

“Imagine a man like Endeavour, constantly wanting to be around you, hold you, feed you, bathe you, sleep with you. It’s not impossible to think that he’d be loving towards you.” It sounds better than Shoto’s treatment of you. Enji might be kinder, if he was like what was just described?

“Is…that meant to be a threat? He’d treat me better than you presumably.”

“Well, no, he wouldn’t. See, my old man is the type of man to get frustrated easily. His quirk is fire, and he has a VERY short fuse. If you don’t act like the PERFECT little pet, he’ll get mad, fast. And let’s face it, you’re a brat.” You regret ever waking up from that nap. You also regret all the actions you’ve made since that nap.

“Think about it, burning large manly hands grabbing for you, or giving a downright villainous glare because you DARED deny his affection.” Okay, staying with Shoto was the better choice again. The idea of being around either version of Enji shook you to your core.

“I-I…Please don’t make me go with your father! I’m sorry for what I said! I really am! Please, don’t make me spend a week with him!” He seemed to stop and consider it, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

“Hmm. Will you stop being such a brat?”

“Yes! Of course, I’ll do anything!”

“Kiss me, on the lips.”

You step back, legs shaking, eyes darting to his lips in terror. He’s requested this before, but you always denied it. It’s too close, too personal, too intimate. It’s an act that would seal the corrupted relationship you two share.

“W-what?”

He brings his palm, with you on it, closer to his lips.

“Come now, little one. You said you’d do anything to prove to me you won’t be such a brat.”

Hesitantly, you move closer, wrapping your arms around yourself. Swallowing thickly, you slowly lean forward and place your tiny lips on his, sealing the deal. He’s holding his breath, waiting anxiously for you to prove your loyalty to him.

As you lean back from the kiss, he breathes out, warm breath washing over you.

“Thank you for that my pet. You truly have established your loyalty to me. I just have one more thing to ask of you.”

“What is it? I’ll do anything, I swear!” You just don’t want to end up with the devil. You know how much ‘fun’ Shoto could have with the word ‘anything’, you’re not an idiot. But anything is preferable to Enji.

“In a couple of days, I’ll be going away for a week or so. International hero conference, you know the deal. You will have to stay with my old man for that period.”

Your stomach drops as you start crying. He...he lied to you! He betrayed you!

“B-but…you…you promised!”

“I said nothing of the sort. I simply asked if you’d stop being such a brat, to which you responded enthusiastically. Not my fault you misinterpreted what I said.” A wicked grin overtakes his face, as his hand cocoons your body, leaving only your head.

“I HATE YOU! You’re a villain! What makes you think you can do this?! You’re just like your father! I hope you both rot in hell together! I hate you!” You’re past the point of caring with Shoto, he can burn in hell for all you care. Although considering he is giving you to Todoroki Senior, the feeling might be mutual.

“Hahaha, little one, ferocious as ever. I DO hope you’ll survive the week with my father, it’d be such a shame otherwise.”

#Yandere #microphilia #shoto todoroki #reader insert #gender-neutral reader #boku no hero academia #boku no hero x reader #yandere bnha #my hero academia #shoto x reader #implexedactions #Long Fic #ImplexedWriting

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philliamwrites · 4 years ago

Text

The Dawn Will Come [Chpt.3]

Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses

Pairing: Dimitri x Reader, Claude x Reader, Edelgard x Reader, Yuri x Reader, Edelgard x Byleth, lots of minor pairings

Tags: #gn reader, # platonic love byleth & reader, #reader is a tactical unit, #angst, #slow burn, #subplots, #unreliable narrator, #pining, #remporary amnesia, #reluctant herp, #canon divergence, #lost twin au, #many chapters, #original content

Words: 7.7k

Summary: Waking up in a forest without any knowledge of your past and who you are, you join the house leaders of the Officers Academy to search for a way to return your memories. Unfortunately, the church has different plans for you, and Fate places you in the centre of a cruel game with deadly stakes. It certainly doesn’t help to fall in love with a house leader who is doomed to be your demise.

Notes: Chapter 2 | Chapter 4

Chapter 03: Ties That Bind

Where war, and joy, and terror Have all at times held away; Where both delight and horror Have had their fitful day.

The happiest under heaven A king of powerful mind; A company so proven Would now be hard to find

Gawain put on a good cheer. ‘Why should I hesitate?’ He said. ‘Kind or severe, We must engage our Fate.’

[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]

„Breathe,“ Hanneman says for the third time. At every tap of his pen against the table, you flinch as if someone is knocking right against the inside of your skull. “You have to feel the Crest, become one with it. Don’t think of it as an addition; see it as an extension of your very self.”

You exhale but it’s hard to focus after you’ve been sitting in the same position for nearly two hours and your legs keep falling asleep.

“Focus on it,” Hanneman continues. He starts to gesture with his free hand, an indicator that he’s just as frustrated with your lack of progress as you are. “Focus on the feeling that took hold of you when you fought the bandits. Imagine what you want. Ask yourself what it is you really want, and take hold of that picture.”

Well, first of all, you really want a sandwich.

For the past few weeks, you’ve been waking up before sunrise to attend private lessons with Hanneman to get a hold of your Crest’s power. Now the end of the month approaches, and still your body refuses to get accustomed to work at such an early hour, and more importantly without eating first. An hour ago, your stomach started growling, but Professor Hanneman has proved again and again to be very successful in ignoring factors that disturb his lessons. You continue breathing through what you consider hunger pains instead of the raise of new powers, but with the sound of screaming students outside and the occasional flapping of wings as Pegasus Knights fly by on their patrol, it’s anything but successful.

“Focus!” Hanneman chides again as if he can read your mind and knows exactly you’re thinking of the pheasant roast with berry sauce on the menu today.

“I’m trying,” you groan and slump into the chair, defeated. “But I don’t feel anything.”

“Hmm hmmm,” Hanneman hums and looks at you like you were supposed to understand what he’s conveying with that sound. “Maybe we’re looking at it the wrong way,” he says once you don’t follow up on his inexplicable sound. “Maybe we should stop thinking of it as a common Crest, but approach it like it is something entirely different.” He quickly notes something on his paper, then proceeds to flip through the open books he’s splayed out on his desk. “There is so little we know about the Crest of the Herald. I am much frustrated no one thought of studying it a thousand years ago!”

“I don’t understand. How can it be different?” Your first lesson solely focused on Crests. How they are thought to be power incarnate, bestowed upon humans by the Goddess countless ages ago. Today those who are descendants of Fódlan’s Ten Elites and Four Saints, who fought during the War of Heroes beside Saint Seiros, wear Crests, a sign of wealth and nobility.

“Well, one possible explanation could be that for whatever reason, the first Herald was different from his fellow warriors, the Ten Elites,” Hanneman offers, leaning back into his chair and looking a lot more interested in the conversation now. “The Goddess must have found him worthy of her power just as she found Saint Seiros worthy.”

“Then why wasn’t he a Saint?” you wonder. From your understanding, the Four Saints were special comrades of Saint Seiros, just as guided by the Goddess as their leader. What had made the Herald from back then different? “According to everything you told me, he sounds a lot like this Macuil person. Focusing on strategy and all that.”

“Saint Macuil,” Hanneman corrects you, but there’s no bite in his voice. “And yes, perhaps he was akin to the Saints, but that clearly wasn’t what determined the final decision to name him Herald.”

“Well, that’s just my kind of luck,” you mumble, but when Hanneman makes a puzzled sound, you ask instead, “And you’re sure I’m a descendant of him?”

“Most likely! You bear a Major Crest, which means the Herald’s blood runs strong in your body. After he disappeared, he might have settled down and started a family. Unfortunately, nothing is recorded about him after the War of Heroes concluded.”

“Then how come there was no one else in a thousand years who bore the same Crest?” You aren’t sure you fully understand how they work. Apparently, Crests grant special powers to those who hold them such as high aptitude for magic or enhanced strength. But you know better than anyone that the Crest of the Herald is special. It doesn’t simply give you a boon, it allows you to command the flow of battle. But is it really a blessing bestowed by the Goddess? You don’t remember a divine revelation or talking to a Goddess. Or did that maybe occur even before you were found by the Officers Academy’s students? Before your memory loss? You certainly don’t feel chosen by a deity.

“Trying to explain the Goddess’ whims would wield about the same result as asking this question,” Hanneman says. “Sometimes a Crest may skip generations. No one can say with certainty who will be chosen. If it will be the first or third born. That is why we must further study Crests! For example, why, unlike other Crests, has your appeared physically visible?” Hanneman mutters more questions under his breath and notes them quickly on his paper. It’s remarkable how enthusiastic he approaches the topic if it only didn’t make you feel like an experiment lying on a dissection table.

“I want to know so much more about the first Herald,” you mumble. “What was his name? Where was he from?” Why did he disappear and what were the costs he had paid for such a title. Only one month in and Lady Rhea already granted you an impressive room to reside. People treat you with respect and admiration even though you aren’t doing much besides wave at them on the streets or hold some conversations. If being the Herald only encompasses these tasks, you’ll gladly take on the role and speak to people. But that would be a dream too good to be true.

“We can only speculate,” Hanneman says. “Some believe the Herald came when Seiros needed him most. Our Goddess’ answer to her cry of help. Others believe he was simply a general who originated form a farmer’s family. Other, smaller sources talk about a prince from a far off land who passed through Fódlan and decided to stay. But in all cases, the Herald was a great asset to win the War of Heroes and save Fódlan from the tyranny of the Fell King.”

“Yeah, no pressure there,” you mumble, sinking further into your seat. Hopefully no one expects you to save Fódlan from evil monarchs. If yes, it certainly won’t happen on an empty stomach. When Hanneman releases you, there’s only one place for you to be. The Dining Hall is crowded at this time of hour. Students and faculty bustle everywhere, eager to get their favourite meal on a plate. Just like them, you are drawn in by the amazing smell of roasted meet and freshly baked pastries.

The only thing you can live without is how once you enter the room several heads turn in your direction, and a ripple of “Look, it’s the Herald” goes through the crowd, spreading like a wave. Or a disease, you think with a sour taste in your mouth as you move through the parting sea. They want you to acknowledge them but Goddess forbid you actually engage in conversation with them and they flee like you’re the Herald of Pest.

“Herald!” Well, not everyone escapes. Some seem to like living dangerous.

Edelgard looks straight at you from between the other students from the Eagle class sitting at a table, removing any doubt she means anyone else but you. Running from her would be a sign of defeat, so you drag yourself over to the Eagle table and give the round an uncertain smile. “Hello.”

“Herald, if you have time, please sit with us,” Edelgard offers but the look she pins on you doesn't give you any choice. The silence of her classmates speaks louder than words, and a quick glance to Hubert tells you that he very much would like for you to notsit with them.

“Sure,” you say lamely and sit opposite from her where Bernadetta quickly shuffles to the side to make room, and then further down the bench until she jumps to her feet and flees from the hall. It’s a miracle she’s out of her chambers in the first place, undoubtedly Byleth’s work.

“Did you manage any progress with Professor Hanneman?” Edelgard asks, carefully cutting her pheasant roast into small bite-sized pieces. She looks the complete opposite from someone capable of hacking away their enemies but you wouldn’t dare to underestimate her.

“It’s slow,” you admit, solely focusing on shoving potatoes from one side of your plate to the other so you don’t have to look at anyone. “I’ve only grasped the basics of how Crests work and the Herald’s is so different.”

“Research might prove more fruitful if you’d be called into action,” she says, and it’s difficult to determine if that statement is a simple observation or underlying critique towards Rhea’s decision to leave you out of the major education system. At least that’s something you’re sure of. Edelgard is difficult.

“Maybe. But chances are higher I get myself killed somehow on the battlefield.” You’re already dreading the approaching noon hours. Byleth has worked out a special training programme for you and the house leaders. So far there hasn’t been a day without aching muscles and bruises for you. Thinking of Byleth, you can’t help but ask, “So how’s Byleth as a Professor?”

Edelgard considers her plate with mild interest, but her index fingers start tapping against her cutlery. She has small, delicate hands. Cute hands. You gawk at them for two seconds before noticing Hubert starring daggers at you, and quickly avert your eyes to your cup of ginger tea like it’s the most fascinating thing in the world.

“Our professor shows knowledge in the most curious things,” he says, surprising you by joining the conversation. “I think the Adrestian Empire will benefit greatly from that.”

You aren’t sure how leading the class correlates directly to joining the Empire, but you don’t want to point that out. Hubert is still too much of a puzzle you’re adamant on not piecing together because whatever picture waits for you after the assembly might be one of horror.

“She really is one to look up to,” Edelgard agrees, but she isn’t looking at anyone, so it seems she’s saying it more to herself. You want to try and read more out of her expression, but distraction comes quickly in form of more students from the Eagle class. Caspar is the first bouncing excitedly towards the table, and still he somehow miraculously manages to keep his food from flying everywhere. “Herald!” he calls and slides right on the seat right next to you. “How’s the head situation going?”

“Caspar,” Linhardt chides and gives his friend the disappointed look of a parent that can’t bring his child to use a fork to eat. “Would you stop pestering the Herald with the same question every day?”

Linhardt hits the mark. It was nice in the beginning to have someone show so much interest in your wellbeing, but now you don’t know if the daily reminder how you fail to regain pieces of your past is rude or just Caspar’s naive politeness.

“Yeah well.” You try to stuff as much potatoes in your mouth as possible just to avoid talking about it. “Nothin’ yeff.”

“Herald, please try to keep your manners in check, will you?” Ferdinand comments because of course he catches you with your mouth full and sauce dripping from the corners. Unlucky for him, you don’t really care.

“Well, sorry.” Caspar frowns and scratches the remains from his plate. The two minutes you needed to finish your potatoes, he’s cleared his whole plate. “I just thought it might help.”

“Help to be reminded what’s missing?” Linhardt doesn’t look convinced. “I think the Herald knows so better than anyone.”

“Guys, drop the subject,” Edelgard intervenes. “Let us finish our meals now. Classes resume presently and I don’t want to hear any stomachs growling, understood?” The last part goes with a pointed look towards Linhardt, who answers with a lazy shrug while continuing to poke at his food, looking bored out of his mind. It lasts about three seconds before he brightens up and turns towards you while rummaging through his school bag. From that, he pulls out notes and a pen, and unceremoniously shoves them into your hands. “I have a question, Herald. Would you be so kind and look over these strategic proposals I’ve developed from the last lesson? I understand what you taught us were basics as we find them in the library. I simply took the time and applied those to the strengths and abilities of my classmates.”

You raise your eyebrows. “You did?” Up until now, you didn’t know Linhardt was paying attention whenever you gave the students your sorry excuses of lessons. You feel like you’ve seen him asleep far more than actually looking at the board or writing, so him presenting his notes to you now is more than a surprise. He has a clean handwriting, small letters that curl into themselves and forget to take a break between words. You squint at the sentences, trying to make them out. It sure doesn’t help that half of it is crossed out by what looks like a strategy sketch with little circles and everyone’s names filling out the space.

“This looks … elaborate,” you comment, unsure if you’ll ever be able to solve this enigma.

“No worries.” Linhardt gives a little smile. “Please give me your answer report until tomorrow. And feel free to correct me on anything I’ve done wrong.”

He’s probably done a much better job than you on your lesson notes, but you nod with a lopsided smile. “I will.”

“Oh, and while we’re at strategy talk,” Caspar jumps right in, “any good ideas how to take on a taller opponent?”

“A good kick to their shins?” you suggest.

“A dagger to their liver?” Edelgard says.

“Poison in their cup?” Hubert offers.

“You’re all animals,” Ferdinand says.

Linhardt groans. “I toldyou how to win in a fight like that, Caspar. Why won’t you listen to me?”

You don’t want to be part of the argument breaking out between them, so you turn away and try to see what the other students are doing in the dining hall. At the opposite end, Claude catches your eyes and waves like he’s been waiting way too long to finally get your attention. He points at Edelgard and flaps his arms like a chicken. He points at you and spreads his hands behind his head, forming antlers with his fingers. When Edelgard follows your eyes, his head whips around and he pretends to agree with whatever Lysithea just said.

“I hope you forgive Caspar’s enquiries,” she says, steering your focus back to her. She’s gently tapping the corners of her mouth with an embroidered napkin, and oh there they are again, her delicate fingers. You look away before Hubert catches you staring again and decides to put poison in your cup7. “I speak on behalf of everyone in the Black Eagle House when I say we wish for your full recovery to be soon.”

“If wishing would only get the job done, I might have something to work with by now.”

Edelgard doesn’t blink, her expression frozen. “Meaning?”

“I thought I'd come here and one of the Church's healers would just wave their hands to return my memories,” you mumble, scribbling a tiny Claude with little, evil horns on his head in the corner of Linhardt’s notes.

Edelgard looks at you like you've just insulted her whole noble lineage. “That isn't how magic works.”

You throw your arms up in frustration to emphasise that yes, that's the point. You don't know how anything works in this place, and you doubt Byleth's four pages of lesson plans are going to help.

“If no one comes to your aid, maybe it is time you take matters into your own hands.” You flinch at the scornful sound in Edelgard’s voice. Judging the expression on her face, she seems just as surprised about her outburst. She gets up abruptly and bids farewell with a curt nod, followed closely by Hubert as always. Her classmates look after her, each more puzzled than the next.

“Didn’t she seem … angry to you?” Linhardt thinks aloud, blinking into the empty space.

Ferdinand harrumphes. “She’s always like this. Please excuse her, Herald.”

You don’t think she’s done anything wrong, and yet she certainly doesn’t appear as always. Something about her last words strikes you as especially sharp; reproachful. Those weren’t meaningless words, but you don’t have any ways to decipher the message. A little voice tells you she isn’t wrong either. So far nothing has helped returning your memories—Manuela’s medicine, herbs from the Greenhouse, Hanneman’s spells. It seems like your brain has built defencive walls to repel any probing, which begs the answer to the question what is hiding in secret even more. But can you really do it on your own, like Edelgard suggests? It seems impossible.

With newfound doubt you finish your meal, saying your goodbyes to the now scattering Eagle students as they scurry off to their next lesson. Two hours are left before you’re meeting with Byleth and the house leaders, and since you agreed to look over Linhardt’s notes, the library seems a good next stop. You still want to go over the seven classical manoeuvres of war, especially since the students didn’t really grasp the remaining two last time, and it gives you a good excuse to look over them again as well. At the beginning, you thought there was nothing you could teach those children, not with experienced colleagues at your side who have participated in countless battles themselves. Who could have thought that talking about tactics and strategies came as natural to you as breathing. Well, Rhea did for certain, and even the students drink up your every word like it is a message from the Goddess herself and you her chosen herald. The irony of it.

But it isn’t only the students accepting your guidance. Something inside you changed in the last couple of weeks as well. When you started going through the books in the library, it was more stumbling and slipping on foreign terrain, but just in a couple of days, you moved through the matter like a fish following smoothly the currents of its native waters. It felt like home. Like building the foundation of a house from thousand variables, the result different each time but still the same: art. You build the art of battle, the last decision that will bring victory or death. You love every second of it. Which opens the possibility that it really isn’t your first time, but also more questions: Who taught you? What battles have you fought? How many of them did you win? Since those aren’t as simple to answer, you focus on fulfilling the first purpose, and hope that it will some day be enough for the students to survive battles.

If only it would end there. Your second duty isn’t as easy or pleasant, and it lies in wait for you everywhere, stalking you like a dark shadow with monstrous fangs.

“Herald.” A soldier gives a courteous bow, intercepting you in the Great Hall on your way to the library. “Pilgrims ask for you near the Entrance Hall. Please allow me to escort you.”

Immediately, your nerves tingle with nervous anticipation. This is the scary part. Meeting the people, seeing the hope in their eyes. You’d gladly send them back where they’ve come from, but some have travelled for multiple days, and denying them audience would be cruel.

“Don’t let me stop you from your duties,” you say, unconsciously tugging your clothes in order to appear presentable. “I will welcome them on my own.”

The soldier nods and bows again, his expression barely readable under the helmet before he disappears as quickly as he came.

Planning lessons is easy. You can find whatever you need in the library and work out the flow with the students. But nothing can prepare or teach you how to act like the Herald people wish for. Nowhere is anything written on the old Herald, how he talked to them and what promises he’d whispered when day broke. That is where you are on your own. Not even Rhea could answer that question. She only instructed that you see them, and remind them about their devotion to the Goddess—for she was the one who made it possible in the first place.

The Entrance Hall is emptier than usual. Most of the students are in class, and a handful of knights and soldiers might be at the advanced training camp Jeralt and Alois hold in honour of the Blade Breaker’s return. So spotting the pilgrims isn’t difficult. Especially with the Gatekeeper waving his arms in wide arcs as if fearing you might overlook him.

“Greetings, Herald!” His grin is blinding. “The pilgrims are waiting for you just at the at the foot of the stairs.”

“Yeah,” you say. “I can see them.”

“Oh, yes, of course! If anyone causes problems, count on me to help!”

“Thanks.” You answer his thumbs up with one of your own before moving downstairs. What a refreshing young man. Certainly good looking under his helmet. Byleth seems to like talking to him a lot as well.

Today’s pilgrims aren’t much different from other days. Old people are supported by their family members, who have brought baskets with sweets and flowers, presenting them at your feet.

“Herald,” they breathe in awe, bowing. No matter how often you’ve seen it by now, it still feels incredibly wrong.

“Raise your heads,” you tell them, helping an elderly woman up to hrer feet. She gasps at your touch, then clings to your hands. You try to swallow past the lump in your throat. “The Archbishop and I bid you welcome. The Goddess will smile upon your devotion.” Your cringe slightly when echoing Rhea’s words and wonder if any second the goddess might punish you by throwing lightning your way.

“We are blessed to finally meet you,” a younger woman says, taking the old woman from your hands—mother and daughter maybe? “Please accept our gifts, and may the Goddess guide you on your path to light.”

“She will answer your prayers and guide me so I can bring you peace,” you reply just so you can say something they might want to hear. Judging their delighted expressions this wasn’t the worst you could have said. Dorothea would probably be proud looking at your acting skills. Or point out your bad posture and how you’re avoiding their eyes. Dorothea would probably tell you how much you have to polish your acting skills.

“Bring us peace?” someone from the last row spits, pushing to the front. “You know nothing, the Herald will bring chaos and ruin!” A man in his forties looms above you, an ugly, padded scar crossing his face from one temple to his chin. A war veteran? They way he holds himself looks like he’s been beaten up once too much to get up again.

“You heathen, don’t you dare speak to our Herald like that,” the old woman barks, immediately doubling over in a coughing fit. Her daughter supports her, glaring at the man. “Go in peace, but go if you only came to talk ill about our Herald,” she says, clearly upset. "Doubting them is doubting our Goddess. How dare you."

“First I want to see the Herald do something! What if … if this one is an impostor.” The man turns towards the others, throwing his arms in the air. “Bring forward proof that you are not here to ruin our lands, but to actually serve in the Goddess’ name!”

This time his demand meets less resistance. Until now people were fine with seeing you and the Crest, but to want actual prove? You could easily threaten them and ask if they doubt the Goddess’ decision, but you’d rather leave that method to Rhea. You don’t want to sound like her. You don’t want to scare people. Yet admitting that you don’t really have a clue how to really use the Crest would surely support the man’s accusation. Diminishing the people’s trust in the Herald is the last thing you want, especially if it means facing Rhea’s scorn.

“I—”

“Herald!” A voice calls from the top of the stairs. When you turn around, Sylvain waves and jogs downstairs, looking like he’s been running for some time. “There you are. The Archbishop wants to see you.”

Oh no, has she heard of your failure already? Giving the choice of facing a group of doubting people or Rhea, you’d immediately go to the people. You give him a curt nod, unable to speak because you don’t trust your voice.

“I apologise,” you say to the pilgrims, clearing your throat when it comes out as a croak. “I will have something prepared for another time.”

“No, you do not need to prove anything to us,” the elderly woman says. “We will always believe in you. Please tell Her Grace we are constantly praying to our Goddess and thank her for sending you to us.”

“I will.” You squeeze her hand a last time. “Save travels.”

The man still glares at you, but without a chance to keep you present any longer, he turns away and follows the rest. You can’t wait to leave all that behind, and as you steel your nerves for what’s waiting for you in the Audience Chambers, you look up to Sylvain and ask, “Did Lady Rhea say what it is about?”

He looks over at you and blinks a couple of times, then seems to remember. “Ah ... yeah, about that. I lied.”

You stop dead in your tracks. “You lied?”

“Yup. I don’t know what Lady Rhea’s doing. But you looked like you were about to puke at those poor pilgrim’s shoes. As hilarious as that would have been, I wanted to spare you the embarrassment.” He stops now as well and smiles a boyish crooked grin. Sylvain knows exactly what to do with his face so girls fall over themselves to do him a favour, and boys grow jealous of all the attention he gets. Two weeks in, and you’ve figured out his game, keeping a respectable distance that wouldn’t birth the thought you’re avoiding him. In fact, this could be the very first time you’re actually holding a real conversation.

“Well, I … thank you? But I had everything under control.”

He looks like he doesn’t believe you. The gatekeeper you’re just passing looks like he doesn’t believe you. You press your lips into a thin line and dare any of them to disagree.

“Okay.” Sylvain shrugs. “But now we’re here.”

“Sylvain, what do you want?”

“Cutting to the chase, huh?” He crosses his arms behind his head. “Why do you think I want something?” Your raised eyebrows seem to be answer enough. Sylvain laughs a little helplessly and returns his hands back to his front, raised as an offer of peace. “I promise, I want nothing. Just a little talking. A little talking hasn’t hurt anyone.”

Something inside you wants to argue against it, but without a solid argument in hand, you follow him silently, wondering where his destination and intention lies. He belongs to the many students you can’t really read, nothing about his ambitions or goals. Sometimes he gives you this strange look through half lidded eyes, his gaze focused on your right eye—his interest in your Crest undeniable, and yet he’s been one of the few not to talk about it with you. It’s strange because whenever you come together, he looks like there’s something he’s dying to say. This time is no different.

He leads you to the wooden pavilion in the gardens, but instead of offering you a seat, Sylvain leans his slim hips against the table, half sitting on it. Seteth would be furious seeing this.

“How’s the Herald business doing for you?” he asks the one question you wouldn't expect from him. “Other than you having ‘everything under control.’” He has the audacity to air-quote. This isn’t a conversation you want to hold right now, leastwise with him. Sylvain must discern that you’re ready to bold from whatever your body is showing. With a quick step, he’s standing between you and the escape route, lazily leaning one arm against a column to uphold the illusion that you’re only having a pleasant talk when in reality his body stands between you and your freedom.

“Do you talk to the other faculty members like that as well?” you say through gritted teeth, crossing your arms. Sylvain blinks like he doesn’t understand, but you’ve seen this act before, followed by an eerily precise repetition of a subject to one of his classmates when he thinks none of the teachers pay attention. Sylvain is playing dumb and deliberately hiding a sharp mind.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to offend,” he quickly says, nothing about this crooked smile appearing apologetic whatsoever. “I’m generously curious. You’re holding up really good.”

“In comparison to what?” you demand, your heartbeat picking up. Is he trying to call you out on something? That you aren’t heraldy enough? But to your surprise, Sylvain looks genuinely surprised by your reaction.

“To nothing. In general?” He shrugs. “Back on the ceremony day, you didn’t look so good standing up there, and His Highness told us everything happened really uh … ‘suddenly.’’ More air-quotes, whatever they mean this time.

“If you mean I wasn’t really asked to become the Herald, then yes.” Your arms drop back to your side. “It was suddenly.”

Sylvain watches you for a moment, and again, there’s this look in his eyes; the need to say something he can’t. He kneads the back of his nape, avoiding your eyes. “All I’m trying to say is … having that Crest out of nothing is cool. Probably. And maybe terrifying? And just—”

You grow impatient. “Come on, get the words out, Sylvain.”

“A Crest isn’t just this nice letter of invitation to a privileged life. Just take care, is all I’m saying.”

And there’s another page to the book of surprises with Sylvain’s name on it. The immediate lack of response catches him off guard; it’s like he only notices now that the vital part to understand this conversation is missing: The source of his doubt towards Crests.

Sylvain’s body turns in a split second, his feet facing the direction he’s ready to bold towards, but this time you stand in his way and block him off. “Sylvain, are you okay?”

He blinks in confusion, then furrows his eyebrows in deep thought like you demanded he recites the Ten Heroes from memory or else fails classes. His face contorts with the effort of looking fine. “Why, yes! Just peachy. Why would you think something is off?”

“Because I have eyes in my skull.”

“Very pretty eyes, if I dare say.” His answer comes out like a fire spell, hard and fast, seemingly more instinct than anything else. He clears his throat and scratches his chin, loosing momentum. “Goddess, I am bad at this.”

“You are.” No need to sugar coat it. “If something happened, just say it.”

“Nothing really happened, I just—” He exhales audibly and stares into space for a long minute, before side stepping you without difficulty. “Actually, I remembered Professor wanted to see me after class. Something about extra lessons about eh. Horse riding. Yeah. I’ll catch you later, Herald.” He winks and bolds away, darting under your outstretched arm before you can catch him. For someone this tall, he’s surprisingly agile and fast, already disappearing behind a tall hedge towards the main building.

If that wasn’t the strangest conversation you’ve held with anyone, you don’t know what might excel that. Maybe it’s time you stop avoiding Sylvain.

The Training Grounds smells of sweat and oil. Many students and knights train, which is surprising at this kind of hour, the short break between afternoon and evening classes. You’d like to know what they’re working on, but Byleth doesn’t tolerate inattention in a classroom or on the battle field, and demands you do push-ups each time your eyes wander somewhere off. You hate her a little for that. For whatever reason, Claude has taken on the role of your partner in crime, and does whatever necessary to make Byleth punish him as well.

“What can I say, I like a good workout,” he said when you asked. He didn’t even try to hide his lie, looking as miserable as you felt. Probably hating Byleth a little as well.

It’s the fourth week of private training with her and the house leaders, and so far you can definitely say that you were not meant to fight on the field. You see how your opponent moves, you can somehow predict what they’re going to do next—but your body simply protests to act accordingly. You stumble, you fall, you need a second too long to get up and before you can do anything, a training sword is at your throat. Byleth always looks like she wants to facepalm her fist through her forehead. Or yours.

“Herald, this is not how you disarm someone,” she says, as always, and demonstrates it in one smooth, swift movement, as always. You blow hair out of your eyes, knowing you’re about to fail again. At least that gave Claude a reason to give you a new nickname, though if it’s better than the last is debatable.

“You gotta twist your wrist, duckling!” he calls from the other side of the hall, immediately drawing Byleth’s attention to him. He and Dimitri are facing off, both wielding a spear which should give Dimitri the upper hand. So far, he hasn’t landed a single hit on Claude.

“Keep your elbows in!” Byleth berates Claude. “Stop flapping them like some kind of chicken.”

Claude lets out a disturbingly convincing cluck.

You raise an eyebrow. “At least someone’s having fun.”

Byleth sighs. “He’s going to get himself killed sooner than later.”

“I don’t know. He’s managed so far, hasn’t he?”

“I’m not sure if it’s a talent or a fault.” She turns back to you and nods her chin towards the side. “Take a break. I’m going to see how the boys are doing.”

You nod, tensing all over because that’s where Edelgard is currently standing and picking out a training axe. You haven’t talked to her since lunch, and you can do without it for a couple more hours. She barely glances at you when you walk over, and instead checks out the edge of the wooden blade, turning it left and right.

“Is she as strict in the classroom as in here?” you ask, unable to go on in awkward silence. Edelgard hums, throwing a quick glance towards Byleth from under her long, white lashes. “She’s systematic and consistent. Capable in both fields. I have no reason to raise any kind of complaint.”

“That’s impressive.” You sure as heck still wouldn’t want her as a teacher. “Even though she’s been pushed into all this, she handles it like she’s never done anything else.”

“I think as a mercenary, she is used to changing approaches depending on the employer.” Edelgard is still looking at Byleth. Reading her expression is impossible, and you don’t want to point out that sticking a sword into thieves and bandits is not the same as teaching kids how to fight in a battle. Her head whips to you suddenly, and she considers the training sword in your hand. “Speaking of different approaches,” she continues, “have you considered that your field of combat might be magic?”

You have, so the answer comes immediately. “Chances are higher I set myself on fire.” You stare at her. “I didn’t mean it to rhyme.”

Edelgard ignores your last comment. “But you haven’t really tried it out, have you?” Your lack of response is answer enough for her, and she nods like that proves a point.

It’s complicated. You haven’t really tried it out because … the simple answer is, you’re afraid. It gets tricky once you try to search for the answer to that. There’s just a strange sensation when you try to use magic, like there’s a vast sea of possibilities and one step inside is enough to get you lost. It isn’t as bad with wind spells or white magic. You haven’t touched Fire spells because a crippling fear chills you to the bones every time you manage to nourish a small flame inside your palm—the complete opposite to Dark magic. When you tried a MiasmaΔ for the first time it felt strangely … secure. The rope tying you to a shore, it had felt like—

There’s a loud crash when the spears collide and Claude knocks Dimitri off his feet. The whole room is silent as everyone watches how Claude taps the blunt end of his practice spear against Dimitri’s chin. “Steady on there, darling,” he says with a smug grin. Dimitri flushes bright red, and pushes with more force than necessary the spear away, quickly climbing to his feet.

“That wasn’t bad.” Byleth quickly steps in before Dimitri can throttle Claude. “Dimitri, you rely too much on your brute strength. That’s a big disadvantage against someone like Claude. And you, young man,” she turns to Claude who’s been smiling victoriously, “are scheming too much and lose time to take action. In a serious battle, you won’t be as lucky as today.”

“Noted.” Claude whirls his spear from left to right, almost dropping it when Dimitri drills his elbow into his side. “But in a serious battle, I won’t be upfront. I’ll be hanging back nicely, and skewing my enemies with a myriad of arrows.”

“You can barely shoot three at the same time,” Dimitri grumbles, his cheeks still splotched with red specks.

“You wanna bet—”

“That’s enough, guys, save it for then next round.” Byleth ignores their sulky expressions and turns to you, raising a single eyebrow. The message is clear. What are you waiting for?

Your feet feel like they’re glued to the ground. Edelgard doesn’t hesitate at all. “Let’s go.”

She strides in the middle, training axe raised. It’s made out of wood, but you don’t doubt that she’s able to severe a limb from your body if she only tries hard enough—and what you know of Edelgard is that she alwaysexceeds even her own expectations. You grip your sword tighter. It’s a clear disadvantage, but better than anything else you can handle. Maybe it won’t be as bad.

The fight lasts for about seven seconds. The moment you raise the blade, Edelgard is on you and unleashes fierce strike after strike, the power behind each hit forcing you back. She doesn’t bat an eyelash when she easily disarms you, the wooden sword flying over your heads and the edge of her axe on your throat. Somewhere behind her, you hear Byleth sigh. “Again.”

The next hour is torture. Edelgard throws you to the ground, again and again. Byleth keeps telling you to get up, again and again. One might think they would cut you some slack, being the Herald and all, but it feels like Edelgard is so much more aggressive today because you’re the Herald. Or maybe it’s personal. Maybe she’s appointed you to be her sworn enemy, and won’t miss out any chance to make it as hard as possible for you.

This isn’t fun. Being watched by Dimitri and Claude, who whisper conspiratorially to each other isn’t fun. Luckily, Byleth notices them gawking and bellows them to focus on working on their stances. Right now, you’re thankful nothing escapes her eyes and she calls her students out on their bullshit. It doesn’t make your current situation easier though. Every muscle burns, just raising the sword is exhausting and your feet feel like they’re about to give out any second. This must be hell.

When Byleth finally ends lessons, you ignore everything and crumble to the ground, splaying your limbs out in all directions. Surely they can clean up without you, two hands less will barely make any difference.

A shadow settles over you. You know who it is, and don’t bother to open your eyes. “Go away, Byleth. I don’t want to hear how bad I am.”

“Personally, I think you have improved, Herald.” Your eyes snap open. Dimitri looks down at you, his forehead still glistening from perspiration. “But facing Edelgard as an opponent usually wields those results. Don’t let it bother you.”

You want to point out that he and Claude don’t seem to have as much problems as you, even though yes, none of them have defeated her yet in practice. He goes down to your level and sits beside you, and you hate how this all barely made him breath hard, like it’s just a stroll around the monastery whereas you’re trying to climb the mountains surrounding it.

“I think she hates me,” you blurt out. Luckily, most students have already left the hall, Edelgard included. Dimitri considers this a moment, and you don’t know what to make of his lack of immediate response.

“I doubt she hates you,” he finally says.

“But?”

“But she has a hard time warming up to people. Give her time. Once the ice is broken, you will see that her personality is one you’d like to have around.”

“Oh?” You watch him for a moment, but Dimitri doesn’t blush or look away. It was a heartfelt, sincere statement, which flusters you for some reason. No one should be that honest.

“Talking about breaking ice. Do you know if something happened to Sylvain?”

“Sylvain?” Dimitri raises both eyebrows. “Please don’t tell me he harassed you in some kind of way.”

“No, no, he just—” You finally get up from lying on your back, and try to explain it by frantically moving your hands. Dimitri still looks puzzled. “He said some weird things about Crests in general?”

“Hm.” Dimitri stares at your hands for a moment, then quickly raises his eyes back to your face. “It’s complicated.” Well, that answer is as good as none. “And I won’t go into details without his consent. I can only say that if he talked about Crests, in whichever way, his brother must have upset him again.”

“He has a brother?” Now you’re wide awake. Many students have siblings. You know of Hilda’s brother and Raphael’s sister. It shouldn’t surprise you Sylvain has one as well even though he’s never mentioned it before.

“Do you have siblings?” you ask, generously curious. As heir to a kingdom, it’s hard to imagine his parents would have settled with one child. But he hasn’t mentioned any sisters or brothers as well.

“Hmm, I have a step-sister,” he says, although very hesitant and you can see if someone doesn’t want to talk about a specific topic. He doesn’t return the question, which is kind of him and makes you wonder … maybe you have a sibling as well. Somewhere. Maybe somewhere in Adrestia or Leicester a younger brother or an older sister is currently looking for you, unrelenting in their journey to be reunited at last. The thought alone brings a flicker of hope alive. Maybe they'll come once word of the Herald’s return travels far enough.

“I guess as long as Sylvain doesn’t disturb classes or acts out of order, I would leave him to his brooding. I can tell out of experience, only Felix is capable of cheering him up.”

“Felix?” Your eyebrows rise to your hairline. “Are we talking about the same Felix?”

A smile forms on Dimitri’s mouth. “I understand why imagining that might prove difficult, but I assure you, Felix is one of the view exceeding in handling the mess Sylvain is from time to time.”

“Felix and Ingrid?” you guess, earning a nod from Dimitri. “Ingrid is a very nice girl,” you continue, picking at a loose thread from your uniform. “But Felix seems detests me. Every time he sees me, he looks like he wants to throw his sword at me.”

“That is—” Dimitri stops mid-sentence. “That might be not so far off from his true intentions.”

You groan.

“But I assure you it is for a different reason than you think. Felix is simply … difficult with people holding a commanding position.”

“He doesn’t seem to have the same problem with Byleth,” you point out. No, whenever he trains with her, he manages something close to a smile and accepts her guidance. Then again, she isn’t his teacher.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to make him consider his opinion on you during the Mock Battle. I as well am looking forward to how you will guide us.” Dimitri beams. You stare at him like he’s just lost his head.

“What?”

“The Mock Battle three nights from today?” Dimitri’s smile falters a little. “Have the Professor and Lady Rhea not told you yet? You are to participate in the Mock Battle as the commanding unit of the Blue Lions.” Now he’s pulling his eyebrows together in worry. “Herald?”

“I—” You jump to your feet. “I have to go.” Go far far away. Just yesterday you introduced the students to the tactic called Feigned Withdrawal, which involves staging a retreat in order to induce the enemy to abandon its position and plunge ahead in an attack. Dimitri abandons his position, getting up to go after you, but instead of turning back to surprise him with an ambush, you flee the battle and hope the enemy doesn’t pursue.

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samdeancass · 5 years ago

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Bruises

Requested by: Anonymous

Pairing: Derek x Mccall!reader

Genre: Fluff, implied smut, tiny bit of angst, Humour

Characters: Derek, Y/N, Scott, Stiles

Descriptuon: Derek and Y/N have a bit of a rough sex life. When Scott finds bruises on his little sisters arms, he and Stiles try to figure out what could have happened. When they find out Y/N’s secret, they go and confront Derek.

You had been keeping a HUGE secret from your brother, Scott. You were in a relationship with his frenemy, Derek. You didn’t want Scott to find out, knowing how he would react. You didn’t plan on him finding out anytime soon, but your secret began to unravel the day Scott found bruises on your arm

You and Derek had been sneaking around with each other for quite a few months now. You both had to be careful that Scott didn’t find out, as Scott and Derek haven’t been on the best of terms recently.

You have a very rough sex life with Derek. Even though he doesn’t mean to, he leaves bruises on you after a very rough sex session. You had to try extra hard to cover up these bruises so nobody would figure out what was going on, or get the wrong idea. This is why, on a very hot summers day, you were wearing a long sleeve shirt. The bruises Derek left on you from the night before were the worst yet. There was no way you could cover those up with make up.

Scott became very confused when he seen you walk out of your room in a long sleeve shirt, as he knows you always complain when it’s too hot and never wear anything that doesn’t coincide with the weather.

“Err, Y/N. You do know that it’s like, 100 degrees outside?” Scott tilted his head to the side, wondering what on earth could possess you to wear what you were wearing.”Yeah, and?” You continued to walk down the hallway to the stairs, hoping to shake Scott away from his question. “Well, I’m just wondering why you’re wearing a shirt like that in a temperature like this?”. You stopped halfway down the stairs and turned behind you to face him. “ To be honest, I really can’t feel the temperature today. I guess I’m getting sick.” You turned around and continued down the stairs. Scott shrugged and walked after you.

You stopped in the kitchen to grab your lunch to put it in your bag. As you put it in, your sleeve rolled up and showed the dark purple bruises on your forearms. Looking around, you slowly rolled them back down, relieved that nobody seen the markings. You zipped up your bag and walked out the door to your car, leaving Scott very confused and a little angry at who, or what, could have left those markings on your arms.

When Stiles came to pick up Scott for school, Scott was still thinking about the markings on your arms and decided to ask Stiles for some advice. “Hey, Stiles. I seen some bruises on Y/N’s arms this morning and I’m a little worried about her. I want to find out what’s happened to have caused them”.

Stiles turned to Scott with wide eyes. Even though you were Scott’s little sister, Stiles always thought of you as his little sister to. He is just as protective of you as Scott is, and will not let anything happen to you. “What do you mean ‘bruises’? You don’t think somebody could be abusing her do you? Maybe a boyfriend that we don’t know about?”

Scott’s werewolf senses kicked in then and his eyes flashed red. “I hope not, otherwise I’ll have to go against my ‘no killing humans’ rule.”

Stiles started to think about how they could find out who this ‘mystery boyfriend’ is and came up with an idea. “Well, instead of becoming a rage-fuelled murderous werewolf, how about we just tail Y/N for today and find out who she is hanging out with, maybe then we’ll find this boyfriend we know nothing about.”

Scott nodded in agreement and they carried on the journey to school in silence.

All throughout the day, Scott and Stiles tailed you, discussing who could be putting those bruises on you. Scott was becoming more angry as the day went on. He wanted to find out who the monster was who was doing this to you, and give them a good punch.

By the end of the day, Scott was furious and began to punch Stiles’s jeep in frustration. “Dude, my jeep!”. Scott turned around to him and flashed his eyes at Stiles. “At this moment, I don’t care about you’re frickin’ jeep!”. Stiles backed away from Scott with his hands up in surrender and looked around to the entrance of the school were he spotted you getting into a car. “Dude, calm down. Look over there, Y/N’s getting into a car. It looks so familiar, I just can’t think of who owns a disgusting car like that. They really should think about buying a jeep....” As Stiles began to ramble, Scott looked up and peered at the car, instantly recognising who was driving. “Stiles, shut up and get into the jeep. I know who’s driving.”

As both Scott and Stiles scrambled into the jeep to follow the car, Scott’s breathing was becoming more and more heavy with anger and his eyes began to turn to a darker shade of red. “So, Scott. Care to share who it is who’s driving that car with your sister inside.”

Scott looked out the window and tried to compose himself before he said his name. “It’s Derek. Derek is hitting my sister. I am going to beat the ever living lights out of him.” Stiles tried his best to keep himself calm while also trying to keep Scott calm enough to still safely drive.

When Derek’s car pulled into the parking lot of his apartment block, Derek spotted the jeep in his rear view mirror and groaned, hitting his head on the steering wheel. “Y/N. Your brother and that annoying pest he calls a friend have been following us.” Eyes widening, you looked out of the back of the car, and sure enough, there was the big bulk of a jeep parked right behind you.

Scott and Stiles got out of the jeep, just as you and Derek got out of the car. Stiles ran towards you and grabbed you, pulling you back to the jeep. “STILES! What are you doing?” “It’s Ok, Y/N. You’re safe now.” You pulled away from Stiles’ grasp and looked up at him. “I was already safe, you idiot!” Stiles looked at you, a look of dread washing over his face. “Ooooohhhh! We seem to have gotten the wrong end of the stick. We thought that Derek was hitting you.” “WHAT?!” You looked behind you and seen Scott making his way towards Derek.

“What gives you the right to hit my sister? What has she ever done to you? She doesn’t deserve to be treated like that!” Scott was furious at this point, even more so when Derek looked at Scott in a confused way. “Scott, what the hell are you talking about? I have never hit Y/N. I would never dream of it.” Derek spotted you in the background and gave you a very soft smile. “I seen the bruises on Y/N’s arms this morning. How in the hell do you explain those?”.

At the mention of the bruises, you could feel your face going bright red. You knew exactly where this conversation was leading. You walked over to Scott and pulled him away from Derek, before he could act on his anger. “Scott, me and Derek are together, we have been for a while. I didn’t want to do this here, but those bruises that you seen, they aren’t from him hitting me, they are from the intimate act people do when they are in love.” You whispered this to Scott, not wanting the whole town of Beacon Hills to know what you do behind closed doors. Scott tilted his head to the side and squinted his eyes. “Intimate act?”.

“Sex, Scott. Sex. Those bruises are from me and your sister having sex. There, ya happy?” Derek heard the whole conversation thanks to his werewolf hearing and was becoming increasingly bored with Scott’s naivety to the ‘intimate acts’.

Scott’s face quickly became red and began to stumble over his words. “Oh, er, ok. Sorry.” He quickly scurried away to Stiles before the situation could become even more awkward.

“That was mortifying! I definitely didn’t want Scott to find out this way. He is literally going to keep me under lock and key after finding out about what we get up to.” You walked over to Derek and placed your head on his chest and moaned in frustration.

“Well, looks like I’m going to have to keep you all to myself then, doesn’t it?” Derek growled and chased you into the apartment block, leading the best sex you have ever had.

#derek hale #derek hale x reader #stiles stilinski #scott mccall #teen wolf #teen wolf fanfiction #teen wolf fandom #teen wolf imagine

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ceterisparibus116 · 4 years ago

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I sometimes struggle to sympathize with Ray Nadeem. All of the elements are there to show he was supposed to be a sympathetic character... the relative with cancer (which has financially impacted him heavily), the difficulties at work, his family being terrified of the latest developments, and the whole fact that Fisk is manipulating him. But the way they're presented, Nadeem comes off sort of shallow and bland, rendering these just a collection of cliches that have less impact than they would if he seemed a deeper or more thoughtful person; so when he makes arguments to get Fisk things he wants, or goes around hassling Karen and Foggy because Fisk fingered Matt, he comes off as more of a jerk and a pest than a principled FBI agent doing his best in trying circumstances.

Hi, thank you for the ask! This is a really interesting take! The thing is, I’m...not quite sure why you sent it to me. Are you simply sharing a meta because sharing Daredevil metas is super fun? Or...are you asking if I agree?

Because I really don’t. Which is fine - we are allowed to have our own interpretations! But, since you bravely entered my ask box, I’m gonna expound why I, personally, interpret Ray differently.

First, though, I’ll acknowledge what I agree with: namely, that Ray’s collection of sympathetic experiences are not enough, by themselves, to make him sympathetic (to me). A tragic backstory and a susceptibility to manipulation by Fisk aren’t enough to make someone sympathetic. At least, not to you, and not to me - although we should acknowledge that those elements might actually be enough to make him sympathetic to others, and let’s try not to disparage other people’s opinions!

However, to me, Ray is more than just his tragic circumstances, because we saw him turn around at the end and own his mistakes fully, even going so far as to tell Matt to stop advocating for him and let him go to jail - because he knows that’s what he deserves. That, to me, is probably the biggest reason why he’s sympathetic.

I’ll also point out that Ray questioning Foggy and Karen does not make him less sympathetic (to me). After all, we know that Foggy and Karen are good guys, but Ray doesn’t. The fact that the firm put Fisk away is not a good enough reason for the FBI to ignore a credible warning that Matt, at least, worked for Fisk. (And Fisk’s warnings, legally, are credible; legally, even a witness who is a criminal can be deemed credible if they have a history of giving accurate tips, which is exactly what Fisk has done by this point, as we saw with the Albanians and other criminals.)

Wouldn’t you agree, then, that Ray, as a character, would think that questioning Karen and Foggy was a necessary part of his job? Moreover, wouldn’t you agree that there is a lot suspicious about Matt’s life, once someone bothers to look closer? And so wouldn’t you agree that Ray’s suspicions of Matt (and, by extension, Matt’s friends) are doubly well-founded? Therefore, I, personally, don’t see it as “hassling,” as you characterized it, at all.

Your point about Ray’s questioning of Foggy and Karen is also fascinating to me because, when I watched Season 3 with my family, one of my brothers piped up at the end of an episode about how, if we didn’t know more about Ray, we’d hate him for how he’s treating Foggy and Karen. But my brother said that we do know enough about Ray to understand why he’s doing this, to understand that he can’t afford to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, to understand that he’s not actually being a jerk at all but is, in fact, being a “principled FBI agent doing his best in trying circumstances.” In other words, my brother came away with the literal opposite interpretation from yours!

Which is not to say that one of you is right and the other is wrong. Again, I just find the subjective nature of art truly fascinating.

And that, really, is what your message shows me: art is so subjective. When I watched Season 3 with my family, all five (5) of us absolutely loved Ray and found him deeply sympathetic. (My mom teared up at the end, in fact.) To be fair, Ray’s character has a lot in common with one of my brothers, and for my mom (and me, I think), that made him resonate with us even more.

Anyway, my family also connected with Ray because we saw a man who got in over his head, clearly felt conflicted (just watch his face; man, Jay Ali can act), and yet didn’t have enough space to breathe to figure out when or how to safely extricate himself (and his family) from the situation. (After SAC Hattley’s warnings about how she used to have another kid, it’s not like Ray could reasonably expect to try to escape Fisk without risking losing his wife and/or son.)

Another reason Ray resonates with me, personally, is because I think Season 3 was all about analyzing fear and relationships from different perspectives. We have Matt, whose fear of harm coming to the people he loves causes him to make terrible decisions. We have Karen, whose relative lack of close relationships arguably causes her to be reckless. We have Foggy, who so far has seemed so ignorant of the dangers that come with being friends with people who challenge evil, but now suddenly has to face the fact that his family was targeted - because of his choices. (And I desperately wish we’d seen Foggy acknowledge that to Matt, acknowledge that Matt’s fears really are valid.) And, of course, we see Fisk kill Julie to manipulate Dex, and we see Matt use Fisk’s connection to Vanessa to manipulate her. So to me, Ray being manipulated out of his desire to provide for and protect his family is just another way to explore that theme. Which goes a long way towards making him sympathetic to me.

(And another twist: yes, Ray arguably prioritizes the safety of his family over the safety of other people - like Father Lantom and everyone at the church. However, in addition to the fact that he owns this and apologizes for it without making excuses for himself, we should also acknowledge that Foggy does the same thing. All the time. Every time Foggy lectures Matt and Karen about not putting themselves at risk, every time Foggy hesitates to take a risk with the firm (anything from hesitating over defending Karen to hesitating over defending Frank), it’s Foggy choosing to prioritize the things he cares about over other people who need help. So if prioritizing one’s family over other people makes a character unsympathetic, then Foggy should, in my view, also be considered unsympathetic. However, my personal opinion is that this value that Foggy and Ray share doesn’t make them unsympathetic - I think it makes them human, and creates a wonderful contrast with Matt and Karen.)

Anyway. I’m not saying this to prove you wrong. In fact, I don’t think I can prove you wrong, if you’re talking about your subjective interpretation: if you’re saying that you, personally, don’t sympathize with Ray, then that’s your interpretation. (If, however, you’re saying that Ray was objectively poorly written...well, then I’d have to argue with you.) All I’m doing here, though, is discussing this character from another angle, another approach, and another interpretation. Which, imo, is one of the beauties of fandom.

Thank you again for the ask, and the excuse to analyze one of my favorite characters!

#ray nadeem #daredevil #daredevil meta

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dialovers-translations · 4 years ago

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Diabolik Lovers DARK FATE ー Kanato Dark [Prologue]

ー The scene starts in the Demon World

Yui: Haah, haah, haah...

( Just look at how red the moon is...The lunar eclipse is really still ongoing here in Demon World. )

( It still doesn’t quite click with me how the door in the manor’s basement connects to another world but... )

( For now, I’m just glad I made it here safely. )

ー The scene shifts to the forest

Yui: ( Now I just need to make it to the manor where everyone is. )

( But...Which way should I go? )

( I assumed I would just figure things out as I go but... )

...

???: This way, Yui-san.

Yui: Kanato-kun...!?

Kanato: Haah...I told you to wait...So why are you here?

Yui: ...W-Well...I got scared after all...I’m sorry...

Kanato: No need to apologize, really.

I was just on my way to return to your side myself.

Yui: Eh...?

Kanato: While I did tell you to wait for me...

It would be foolish to assume a clumsy, slowpoke such as yourself can actually survive by themselves.

Therefore I was just about to be so kind to come and pick you up.

Yui: Kanato-kun...

Kanato: For one...You belong to me, so it only makes sense for you to be by my side.

You understand, don’t you?

Yui: Yeah...

( To think he was on his way to me as well... )

( It might be strange to feel happy at a time like this but...I truly am. )

Kanato: ...Fufu.

You look rather joyful now, considering you had a nearly lifeless expression on your face before I called out to you.

Did you miss me that much?

Yui: T-That’s, well...Yeah. I missed you, Kanato-kun.

Kanato: You are quite the handful. (1) ...Oh well, I guess it’s fine.

ー He steps back

Kanato: More importantly, let’s get going.

Yui: Yeah!

( I should be able to safely make it to the castle together with Kanato-kun. Aah...Thank god... )

Say, Kanato-kun. Is the castle far from here?

Kanato: Well, it’s decently far. I’m sure it’d feel like quite the trip with those weak, human feet of yours.

However, that doesn’t matter. We won’t be returning to the castle after all.

Yui: Eh...?

Kanato: The place shouldn’t matter to you as long as the two of us are together, right?

Besides, the castle is crawling with people who will only get in our way. Hence why we won’t go back there.

Right, how about we hold a picnic together? Yes, let’s do that.

Yui: ( I guess I should have expected this much from Kanato-kun... )

Sure, Kanato-kun. Let’s have a picnic together.

Kanato: Yes. Although that was already settled the moment I decided it, regardless of whether you’d agree or not.

Right, there’s lunar eclipse flowers blooming just ahead ofーー

???: ...Hehe...A leisurely picnic at a time like this...

ー Shin shows up

Shin: Guess you guys really have no idea what kind of situation you’re in, do you?

Yui: ( Ah, that transfer student...!? Shin-kun, was it...? Why is he here...? )

Shin: Kanato...was it? In what kind of way did Karlheinz raise you?

Kanato: ...Shut up...

Hmph...I thought you were suspicious from the first time I laid my eyes upon you...

So you are one of us ーー A creature from the Demon World after all, aren’t you?

Shin: Yeah, exactly. Or rather, I thought you figured that one out ages ago, but maybe I was wrong?

But you know...I’d rather not have you mistakenly believe we’re the same as you guys.

Yui: W-What do you mean...?

Shin: We are Founders. Those who stand above the Vampire race...No, above all other species in the Demon World.

ーー If I put it clearly like that, I’m sure even you two will be able to comprehend, right?

Kanato: ...Ugh.

Yui: ( Founders...? The ones Reiji-san mentioned...!? )

Kanato: I will admit...You smell different from us Vampires.

Let’s say I give you the benefit of the doubt and take your word for it...

So? What does that mean exactly then?

Shin: ...

...Hehe...Ahaha!

Kanato: What’s so funny?

Shin: What do you mean? ...Haha...Seems like you’re still a kid both on the inside and the outside.

Kanato: Wha...!?

Shin: Whatever, they say that when dealing with children, you have to explain it to them in a way even they can understandーー

ー Wolves start surrounding them

*GROOOOWL*

Yui: ( T-There’s so many of them...! )

( Then the ones who attacked Ayato-kun must have been Shin-kun’s as well... )

Shin: Kanato. If you hand over that woman without putting up a fight, I don’t mind letting you go unscathed?

Yui: ( M-Me...!? )

Shin: What will you do?

Kanato: ーー No. I don’t know what your plans are, but she belongs to me.

Shin: Nnー ...That means you’ll meet your end here, but I guess you’re okay with that?

Kanato: Hah? Of course not.

I’ve heard enough. Let’s go already.

ー Kanato grabs hold of Yui’s hand

Yui: Ah...!

ー The two of them run off

Shin: Oh...? I guess you want me to play hide-and-seek with you?

Sure! Go ahead and show me your best hiding attempt!

I’ll make sure to find you before you get lonely and start crying! Ahahaha...!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to a cave

Yui: Haah, haah, haah...

I guess we should be okay after coming this far...?

Kanato: ...Yes...I can no longer sense those Wolves’ presence.

What was his problem...? He kept on talking as if he knows it all...

Yui: ( Kanato-kun’s upset... )

Say, Kanato-kun? You shouldn’t take his words to heaーー

( Ah, my foot...hurts...Seems like I badly twisted it somewhere. The second I eased up, the pain suddenly hit... )

Kanato: What’s the matter? Why did you suddenly go quiet?

Yui: Well...

( Kanato-kun seems really agitated right now, so I should probably keep quiet about my foot. )

It’s nothing. Don’t worry.

Kanato: ...Really? Your complexion seems rather pale though.

Yui: That’s...Um, I guess it’s from running so much. It’s fine, so don’t woーー Uu...

Kanato: ...You really are hiding something from me, aren’t you?

Yui: I-I’m no...Ow...

( I can’t...The pain keeps on getting worse... )

Kanato: ...Your foot...? Your foot hurts, doesn’t it? I’m sure it does. If you won’t tell me the truth, I’ll get mad.

Yui: ...Yeah...Seems like I twisted it at some point...

Kanato: I knew it...

Why didn’t you tell me it hurts?

Yui: I didn’t want to bother you with trivial matters...

Kanato: Trivial?

The fact you can barely move because your foot hurts is ‘trivial’?

For one, I’m long aware that you’re a hopeless, slow-witted klutz.

Yet I’m willing to keep you by my side like this...

...Or maybe...

You look down on me as well?

Yui: Eh...?

Kanato: Do you think of me as an unreliable child!? Just like Shin does!

Yui: I-I don’t...

Kanato: Then why didn’t you tell me!?

Yui: Kanato-kun...

Kanato: Whatever...It’s fine. I don’t want to hear another word from you.

You are forbidden from speaking until I give you permission to talk again.

Yui: ( I guess right now, I have no other choice but to obey rather than to try and reason with him... )

Okaーー

Kanato: I said not another word, didn’t I!?

Yui: ( R-Right...I’ll just quietly nod instead... )

*Rustle*

Kanato: Hmph...

*HOOOOOWL*

Yui: ( Ah...! A wolf’s howling...They’re already this close...!? )

( O-Oh no...We have to make a run for it... )

Kanato: ...Those pests...Just how annoying are they?

If I recall correctly...Wolves are afraid of flames. If only we could light a fire somehow...

Yui: ( Can we even do that without the right tools...? )

( I was told not to speak but... )

Y-You know, Kanato-kun. We should probably think about making our escape insteaーー

Kanato: Why do you keep on opening that mouth of yours?

Yui: ...Ugh.

Kanato: For one...I’m well aware.

However...In your current condition, even just walking would be difficult, no?

Are you telling me to run away by myself? Don’t make fun of me.

Yui: ( Right. Kanato-kun’s trying to look out for me... )

( Yet I went and ran my mouth again. )

*HOOOOWL*

Kanato: ...Ugh.

Listen.

ー He steps closer

Kanato: If we stay here, they’ll find us.

So we’ll run as I carry you in my arms. Now, come here.

Yui: ( K-Kanato-kun will? But... )

Kanato: ...What’s the matter? Do you think of me as an unreliable weakling?

ーー Come here already. I shall give you permission to say ‘okay’ at least.

Yui: ( Kanato-kun... )

...Okay.

I’ll be counting on you, Kanato-kun...Ah, sorry, I just ran my mouth again...

Kanato: ...Well, I suppose it’s fine. You’ve been forgiven.

All you need to do is rely on and depend on me, without ever leaving my side.

*HOOOOWL*

Kanato: ...Oh.

Let’s go.

*Rustle rustle*

Yui: ( Wah...! )

ー The scene shifts to the forest

Shin: Fufu...Look at them frantically running away...Two lovers eloping together? Bullshit.

Good grief...But you know, Nii-san. Are you sure we should leave things like this?

Wouldn’t it be much easier to just capture them right here, right now?

Carla: ...It is fine. We can leave them be for now.

Shin: Hm...I mean, I’ll listen.

It’s kinda hilarious to see a little kid trying his best to be big and strong. (2)

Kanato, you better put your best foot forward for her sake. Fufu...!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room in the Sakamaki manor

Yui: ( We’ve made it back to the manor in the human world, but it’s a complete mess... )

Kanato: Phew...Now that we’ve made it this far, we should be fine for a bit.

Yui: Yeah...

Kanato: What’s the matter? You look rather glum. Does your foot still hurt perhaps?

Yui: T-That’s not it. It has gotten a lot better already. It’s just, well...

Kanato: What? Speak up already.

Yui: ...I was just wondering if it’s fine for just us to return to the manor like this...

Kanato: Oh, so that’s it...

ーー There’s no issue.

For one...Everyone is way too cautious. I would never mess up the same way Ayato did.

Above all, we can enjoy some private time together here, can’t we?

You’ve got complaints regardless?

Yui: N-No. I’m not complaining.

Kanato: I thought so.

In that case, let us treat your injury at once.

Yui: Yeah...

( It’ll be okay. I’ll be fine as long as we’re together like this... )

( I’m sure everything will be just fine...Right? )

...

Kanato: ...

...Why do you make that face...?

Yui: Eh...?

Kanato: ...It’s nothing.

...Ugh.

Yui: ( Kanato-kun...? )

( I wonder what’s wrong...? )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) More specifically, he calls her his ‘belonging’ or ‘possession’ right now, using the term 所有物 or ‘shoyuubutsu’.

(2) Literally he says that it’s funny to see a kid stand on their toes and stretch to make themselves taller.

→ LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

<- [ Sakamaki Prologue ] [ Dark 01 ] ->

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #kanato sakamaki #dark fate #diabolik lovers translation #dfkanatodarkprolog

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plumoh · 4 years ago

Text

[NatsuYuu] along the seams of shadows

Rating: G

Word count: 2079

Summary: Natsume Reiko is a pitiful and lonely human.

Note: AO3 link. A look at Reiko through Madara’s eyes.

Madara’s ears twitch when the tree branch starts creaking and the leaves fall down in a whirlwind of irritating pests. He’s two seconds away from threatening whoever is disturbing his nap when laughter reaches him—a plain, boisterous laughter that leans towards mockery instead of pure joy.

“You really are just a cat, Madara!” the voice says, as close to his face as ever. “Napping on a nice patch of grass, under the sunlight?”

Madara cracks one eye open. The sun is still high in the sky and the breeze that ruffles his fur is a pleasant addition, accompanying his solitary nap far away from noisy and ridiculous small fry. But he can never escape the unpredictability of an annoying, weak human.

“If you say another word you will become my afternoon snack,” Madara warns.

The laughter becomes louder, and in the sunlight that makes shadows bigger, pale hair shines brightly while unnatural eyes glimmer with an even more vivid color.

“I’d like to see you try, you big lump of fluff.”

Natsume Reiko smells like mischief, power and loneliness.

***

This forest isn’t big enough to swallow all the rumors that float around. There is no god protecting it and spreading rules to abide by, which means that everyone is free to do as they like, much to Madara’s displeasure. He’s a magnificent beast with strength that rivals that of a god, capable of destroying entire areas of nature and banishing youkais, but people here treat him like he’s the latest entertainment, to be jeered at by everyone and nobody.

He is not a simple creature that lazes around, and he definitely is not a human child’s pet.

“You should have eaten her long ago if you’re so irritated by these rumors,” Hinoe tells him, looking far too too smug for someone who is, without a doubt, clinging the most to that girl.

“It requires too much effort,” Madara growls, flicking his tail impatiently. “Reiko probably doesn’t taste good anyway. I don’t like my prey jumping and running around, it’s exhausting to look at.”

“You are the most boring beast I know.”

Madara rolls his eyes, turning his head away. “That’s a bold accusation when Misuzu is right here.”

“Misuzu is funny, at least. You, on the other hand, are boring.”

Hinoe draws from her pipe and exhales noisily, chuckling when some of the smoke gets into Madara’s eyes. Madara groans and rises on his paws, lifting a cloud of dust and dirt along with him, and a few little plant youkais scamper off deeper into the forest with squeaks. Madara watches them flee for their lives, feeling vindicated.

“I am a respected and intimidating beast, that’s what I am,” he huffs.

“Yeah, a beast that still refuses to play a game with me because he’s scared.”

Hinoe bursts out laughing while Madara tries his hardest not to simply snap and leave. Reiko jumps down from a tree (why is she always climbing trees?) and lands onto Madara’s back, her lips curled into a grin that could have been fueled by the sun’s spite, bold but burning.

Sometimes, Madara finds himself unable to make sense out of this girl appearing and disappearing from his life like a tornado.

“I told you I don’t have time to waste on your ridiculous games,” Madara says.

Reiko tilts her head, never ceasing to be the arrogant and confident person she poses as whenever she makes her words sharp and cutting.

“Hinoe is right, you are boring,” she snickers.

Madara’s tail hits the ground in annoyance, and he shows the barest hint of his teeth.

“Don’t you have human things to do, instead of bothering me during my peaceful rest?”

Reiko shrugs, sliding off Madara. She smooths over her skirt and passes a hand through her hair, as if they’ve never seen her in a dishevelled state or covered in mud after an encounter with rambunctious youkais. She stays silent, her smile frozen, but her eyes are blazing with a quiet, raging fire that sends chills down Madara’s spine. She’s only a young girl, inexperienced and foolish, running around and upsetting the natural order of things in this forest—but behind all this brashness, Madara senses something deeply unsettling.

“Human things aren’t as interesting as coming here and hearing you grouch like an old man,” Reiko answers. “Hinoe, you said you wanted to show me a new curse.”

Madara ignores the way Hinoe coos at Reiko like she is the most precious creature she’s ever seen, and observes. Reiko is someone they shouldn’t mess with, that is for certain; Madara doesn’t quite know yet why he cannot shake off the feeling she’s wrapping them around her finger.

***

Madara being Reiko’s pet becomes more of a joke than a real fact believed by everyone, and ultimately it doesn’t change anything in the way Madara’s strength is perceived. The others make fun of him for letting her live in spite of the influence she has on his image as the greatest beast of the forest, but for the time being he’s one of the very few who didn’t get his name down in the stupid book, so there.

There has been some turmoil and unrest in the neighborhood, lately. A vicious youkai destroying everything standing in its way, threatening small fry for information and leaving behind trails of blood that scare the weakest of them. Madara doesn’t feel particularly concerned about this kind of rampage, which happens a lot more often than people would believe. It’s best to let it pass and not get involved in this youkai’s affairs.

That is what he would have done, were he alone. In times like these, Madara remembers why he chose to live in solitude and not surrounded by other beings who have the survival instincts of insignificant bugs.

“The destroyed trees fall down and block some roads in the forest,” Reiko grumbles, tapping her foot. “People can’t circulate anymore, and cleaning that mess up will take many weeks.”

Madara sighs, glancing at the area of destruction. The claw marks on the trunks indicate that whoever they’re going to go up against might rival Madara in size, while the pace at which the forest is being attacked tells them it’s also nimble on its feet. Not an ideal situation, then.

“Why do you care about that?” Madara asks, turning back his head to look at her. “You don’t like the people of this town, and they don’t wander in the forest as frequently as you do.”

Sometimes, imperceptibly, Madara catches a flicker of pain in Reiko’s eyes at the mere mention of her own desires. It’s not a physical pain, nor is it a pain associated with the events she’s currently dealing with—it comes from within, deep from her soul and emerging in her gaze for one second. She hides it well. She carries this pain everywhere she goes, but she hides it well.

Madara never comments on it. He watches her school the features of her face back into ones she’s crafted over the years, all mischieviousness and no nonsense. Reiko grins and acts like the royal princess she has become in this tiny pocket of otherworldly space she is the only one to trespass into.

“I don’t like seeing people do whatever they want, like they’re owning this place,” she declares, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “The smaller youkais have been pestering me to do something about it. And it’s destroying my napping spots, too. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to have your favorite tree cut down either.”

She’s an odd girl and a mystery Madara doesn’t pretend to understand. She’s confidence and contradiction and selfishness all at once, making it impossible to untangle the knots of her emotions—she uses words and rash actions to cover it up, like a nice tapestry concealing the damage done by a kid’s tantrum.

There is kindness in her selfishness, Madara thinks. Reiko obeys no one’s rules, and she makes up her own for her silly games, but her heart isn’t as corrupted as it may seem. And for this lost human shunned by everyone, doing small services unseen by her peers, Madara only feels pity.

He huffs, and takes off to find the troublesome youkai, whose name will end up tied to a piece of paper.

***

“That book of yours is useless if you’re not using its intended purpose.”

“Its intended purpose is to show off and to instill fear in my enemies.”

“You don’t have natural enemies, foolish girl, you’re creating them yourself.”

Reiko tips her head backwards and laughs, a sound carrying over the wind and echoing against the stone walls. She looks at Madara like he’s the one who has said idiotic things.

“It’s preemptive,” she says. “I’ve never felt that powerful before inventing the book.”

“The words that come out of your mouth are incomprehensible to me,” Madara grunts. “Humans are so unnecessarily complicated and confusing.”

“Don’t talk like you know how humans behave. You’ve barely had any contact with them.”

“And this is exactly why I find them annoying.”

Reiko smiles. She has her legs plunged into the cold but clear water of the lake, on this summer day that feels both too hot and too humid. Madara himself is lying down, head pillowed on his front legs and enjoying the slow pace of his day. He warned Reiko that playful and impish youkais would steal her shoes, that she had carelessly thrown in the grass, but she shrugged and didn’t find it particularly upsetting.

How strange, and how perplexing, to encounter someone who doesn’t adhere to any of the world concepts Madara knows. Reiko doesn’t belong to the realm of ordinary humans, and she has no knowledge of the exorcist community; she is an entity dancing on the blurred hinge of these worlds.

“I don’t need to use the power of their names, since I’ll never see them again,” Reiko finally says. “It’s only awkward if I happen to meet one of them and can’t remember who they are.”

“So you admit this book is useless to you,” Madara snorts. “Give it to me, then.”

Reiko scoops up water between her hands, and flicks it at Madara’s eyes. Madara wrinkles his nose and staggers back, glaring at Reiko’s self-satisfied expression.

“You’re a nuisance,” he tells her.

“And you’re not fun,” Reiko replies. “It’s my Book of Friends, so you don’t get to steal it from me. Attaching a name to a face makes it easier to call them friends.”

A pitiful human, truly.

“...They’re not your friends,” Madara says.

Reiko’s shrug feels measured. She gets out of the water, doesn’t bother drying her feet before retrieving her shoes (that are still where she left them) and putting them on. Madara’s eyes follow her movements, choosing to remain where he is.

“Maybe not,” Reiko concedes, her back turned on Madara. “I wouldn’t want to, anyway. But they gave me their names. Names are important, right?”

Natsume Reiko barges into their life without prompting and wrecks havoc on everything they know. She rips away their routine and replaces it with unpredictable events, summoned by her presence alone in these lands. She moves like nothing ties her down anywhere, but she’s restless. The tightness around her shoulders makes her small and fragile, when her entire attitude seems to prove she is none of that.

Madara doesn’t understand her. Her words and her actions are hard to parse, and he’s not sure she understands herself sometimes. She is simply grander than life itself.

“I hope you’ll play a game with me one day, Madara.” Reiko doesn’t fully face him but a small smile pulls up her lips. “You can’t run away from me forever!”

“Hmpf. I’m not interested in these childish games.”

“You’ll change your mind eventually!”

Reiko waves her hand and disappears in the forest, probably heading back to the home of her caretakers. Madara actually doesn’t know if she does live with them—she could have taken up residence in one of the old shrines with how often she visits them, for all he knows.

Madara curls up and closes his eyes. The Book of Friends, she’s called it. Such an innocent name for what is probably the most dangerous weapon against youkais—and it is simply used by a sentimental girl as a personal reassurance she is not alone.

Natsume Reiko already has friends. She just chooses not to see it.

#natsuyuu #natsume yuujinchou #natsume reiko #nyanko sensei #madara #rattles the bars of my cage i want to know what their relationship was like!!#i love the idea of sensei finding reiko interesting but also feeling sad for her #please @ midorikawa i need answers

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sachigram · 5 years ago

Note

So uhh about the Suizaya prompts thing 👉🏽👈🏽 I have one that I would love to see. Yknow shinra is like a really bad friend to izaya? Like in the novels it’s explained deeper but basically their friendship is so toxic (in izaya aside like bruh, the toxic man himself is in the receiving end of the toxicity); I would like to see Shizuo noticing how much shinra doesn’t care about izaya through small things that izaya or shinra mention offhandedly (thanks I if you write it! Have. A good week!)

((You said small things and I almost killed Izaya. Sorry, my hands slipped.))

Shizuo notices it by accident.

He doesn't pay much attention to anything that happens with Izaya's personal life. Hell, Shizuo really doesn't know anything about Izaya aside from him being threat to humanity. He doesn't think of Izaya as the type of person to have relationships with anyone, much less as the type of person to put up with a relationship that's just...kind of cruel to him?

It starts with an offhanded comment, the kind of thing Shizuo thinks he's supposed to brush off or ignore completely.

“You're not injured, are you?” Shinra asks when he answers the door. It isn't an unusual question; Shizuo doesn't come over often, and when he does, it's usually so Shinra can patch him up.

“Nope. I'm here to see Celty. And, uh. You, by association, I guess,” Shizuo says, stepping inside. He kicks his shoes off in the hall.

“Oh, okay!” Shinra chirps, not one to be easily offended. “Just making sure. I already had to put Izaya-kun back together, and I didn't really want to work on two friends in a day.”

“The flea's injured?” Shizuo asks. He's happy to hear it, though he'd rather be the one to bash Izaya up, as he's the one who's earned it most.

“Yeah, it was pretty bad. Anyway, Celty is making dinner, and you're welcome to have some!”

Shizuo frowns. He doesn't pretend to understand Shinra's friendship with Izaya, though the two of them were attached at the hip in middle school, and then through most of high school whenever Izaya actually bothered to show up. Shinra says Izaya is his friend, but sometimes, Shizuo doesn't feel like he means it, or maybe just doesn't understand what friendship means.

Maybe Shinra and Izaya have that in common.

“Who got him? I owe someone a drink,” Shizuo says. He waves at Celty, who is wearing an apron and stirring something in a pan.

“He wouldn't tell me. I didn't want to go over there at all, but it was a request from Shiki-san.” Shinra hums and pours himself and then Shizuo some hot sake. “Shiki-san isn't really the type of person to say 'no' to. I ended up covered in blood. Totally ruined my plans this afternoon.”

“Oh,” Shizuo says. He drinks the sake, grateful for the warmth that spreads through him. He was starting to feel a little cold, but maybe that's just from Shinra's tone.

“Izaya-kun just gets into things, you know? He went and got himself shot—“

“Shot?” Shizuo asks. He can't say he's surprised, but at the same time, if someone shot Izaya, that means they were serious.

Shinra makes a face, and then he pours them both another drink.

“Yeah. He died on me once, but I had to make sure he lived so I could yell at him for ruining mine and Celty's lunch date.” Shinra smiles then and tips his cup against Shizuo's. “Anyway, he won't be bothering you for a while. There's still a chance he could just up and die! Shiki-san seemed pretty worried.”

Shizuo just stares at Shinra while Shinra drinks. Shizuo puts his cup on the table, looks down at it.

“That's kind of... I don't know. Aren't you worried, too?”

“Huh? Why?” Shinra asks, and it's such an earnest question that Shizuo doesn't know what to make of it.

“Don't you care if he dies?” Shizuo asks.

“I care! I just...” Shinra puts his finger to his chin and pauses, lost in thought. “I guess it's because Izaya-kun always does what he wants, and he doesn't listen to anything anyone says. I've been prepared a long time to hear that someone killed him. I've been prepared to hear you've killed him. I can't say he wouldn't deserve it.”

Shizuo thinks of all the time he's spent in hospitals, injured, angry, hurting. His brother was there, and his parents were there, and Shinra, though he was an awful pest, he was there, too.

“That's fucked up,” Shizuo says. “You're treating him like he's dead already.”

“I guess so!” Shinra says, and he just smiles again. “That's how Izaya-kun likes to be treated.”

Shizuo doesn't stay for dinner. He feels unsettled, and he wishes he didn't drink any sake at all, just because it feels sour in his stomach. Shizuo hates Izaya, and if he heard Izaya died, he can't say he would mourn. But at the same time, to hear Shinra say those things as if they don't matter...

It isn't right.

***

A month passes.

Shinra was right to say Shizuo wouldn't see or hear from Izaya for a while. Rumors spread that Izaya is dead, but Shinra assures Shizuo those are false. Again, Shinra says it in a “What can ya do?” kind of way, and it pisses Shizuo off for reasons he can't understand.

As shitty as Izaya is, he's a person, and he's a person who calls Shinra a friend. Shizuo wonders if Izaya knows how little Shinra seems to think of him, and Shizuo can't decide which option is worse, that Izaya doesn't know, or that he knows and accepts it.

It's been starting to rain a lot lately, and Shizuo is a little irritated he keeps forgetting an umbrella. He's stalking through the city, hands in his pockets, when suddenly an umbrella appears over his head. He looks up to see Celty, who waves at him cheerily.

“Oh, hey,” Shizuo says.

“You seem lost in thought.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

They move towards the park, away from people. Shizuo lights a cigarette, knowing Celty won't mind it.

“Anything you want to talk about?” Celty prompts. Shizuo exhales smoke, trying to think of how to word it.

“Is Izaya still alive?” he asks. He's been asking Shinra and Celty both that, periodically. Each time, they seem surprised.

“Yes. He's been messaging me about jobs he's lined up for next week. I'll be going out more often since Izaya can't go out himself, but I can't complain much. He's paying me a ton.”

“That's good.”

Celty's helmet cocks to the side, and then her fingers move again.

“You could go see him. Maybe this could be like a—“

“I know what you'll say, and I'm not reading it,” Shizuo says stubbornly, and Celty's shoulders slump. “I'm not making friends with that flea no matter how injured he gets.”

“Fine, fine. I can't say I blame you. It'd just...be nice if you worried less about what he's getting into.”

“Hm.”

Shizuo finishes his cigarette, and then he sighs. He's shitty with words, always has been, so he just does what he always does and blurts it out.

“Shinra is kind of an asshole.”

Celty looks at him in surprise, waiting for him to continue. He fidgets.

“Just, like. That stuff he said about Izaya. They're friends, right? I don't get why, but it's just kind of...” He trails off, and Celty uses the opportunity to type a response.

“I wouldn't feel too bad for Izaya, here. He wasn't exactly sympathetic when Shinra got attacked by that stalker!”

“Maybe they're both just shitty, then. Still, Izaya almost died, right? Just seems really fucked up.”

“I guess so...” Celty pauses. “If that happened to you, I'd be worried sick. Shinra is just... He doesn't think about other people like that. He doesn't worry about them.”

Shizuo lights another cigarette, noting that the rain isn't going to let up any time soon.

“I never thought I'd feel bad for the flea,” he mutters after a bit.

“I think... Well. I can't say for sure. I don't know Izaya very well, so don't hold me to this! From what I do know, Izaya doesn't really have anyone in his life. It seems like he's content to be that way, but sometimes I think he just doesn't know any better.”

Shizuo grumbles, hating that answer.

“It's sad, I agree. But he doesn't do much to make himself likable.”

Shizuo knows she's right, and he himself doesn't even like Izaya. More than that, he hates Izaya, has tried to kill Izaya more than once. It doesn't make sense for this to bother him like it does, but it does. It bothers him a lot. Somehow, it pisses Shizuo off just as much as if Izaya were here attacking him.

“I guess I just have a soft spot for people who think they don't deserve anything better,” Shizuo mutters, and he doesn't know why he says it, but when Celty's hand goes to his back, rubbing soothingly, he thinks maybe he knows exactly why he said it after all.

***

Shizuo feels incredibly out of his element as he walks into the posh lobby of Izaya's building. He's been here before, but never for a friendly visit, if that's even what this is. He tells himself he'll feel much better about all this bullshit once he sees Izaya is alive and well, and when Izaya inevitably turns into an antagonizing piece of shit, Shizuo can go back to hoping Izaya dies a painful, horrible death.

He goes into the elevator, and the closer he gets to the top floor, the weirder he feels. It's insane, isn't it, that he knows where Izaya lives, which apartment is his. He knows Izaya knows where he lives too, because Izaya has sent vaguely ominous letters in the mail, always signed, usually telling Shizuo to fuck himself in some roundabout way.

Izaya isn't the one who answers the door, which throws Shizuo off for some reason. It's a pretty woman with a mean face, and she's raising an eyebrow at Shizuo.

“Uh...” he starts.

“Yeah, I don't care. If you kill him, do me a favor and wait till I'm gone. I don't want to be a suspect, though I guess I would be anyway.”

“Namie-chaaaaaan, how could you?” Izaya's voice asks from somewhere. “Who is it? Don't just let anyone in!”

“It's your boyfriend,” she says, stepping aside so Izaya can see Shizuo. Izaya's head is barely visible as he peers over at Shizuo from his spot on the couch, but then Izaya is flopping back down with an audible 'thump'.

“He's fine, I guess,” Izaya says, and Shizuo stands there like a moron before stepping inside.

“I'm leaving,” the woman, Namie, says. She gives Shizuo a look, and then she crosses her arms while glaring at the back of the couch. “Don't call me when I'm home, I mean it. I'm not coming back over no matter how pitiful you are.”

“You will if I whine enough,” Izaya says, and then his hand can be seen, waving. “See you tomorrow.”

Namie leaves after gathering her things, and Shizuo waits until the door is closed before he moves closer.

Izaya doesn't look like someone who almost died, but then again, it's been over a month. Izaya is sprawled on the couch, a fuzzy blanket over him, and Shizuo can really only see Izaya's face, but Izaya looks as irritatingly perfect as always.

“What can I do for you, Shizu-chan? Did you come to kick me while I'm down? You could probably still twist your fingers in the wound! It's not healing quite right,” Izaya says, and Shizuo scowls at him.

“Shut up. I just wanted to see how shitty you look.”

“Mean. I didn't bother you when you got shot!”

“No, you just sent me a letter with a drawing of Swiss cheese on it.” Shizuo's lip twitches at the memory. It was a large envelope, but inside was only a tiny piece of paper with the doodle. Next to it, Izaya wrote, “This is you.”

“Oh, right! I hope you kept that. It was a gesture of good will.” Izaya winces as he sits up, and Shizuo fights the urge to help him, though he supposes Izaya must be well enough to be left on his own. “Anyway, I'm alive, so you can stop worrying about me.”

“As if I'd worry,” Shizuo says. He's glad Izaya has a sectional, because he can sit on the end of it without being anywhere near the flea. “I'm guessing you know who did it.”

“Mm-hmm.” Izaya reaches for the tea he has on the coffee table. “Yakuza. I only met him a few times.”

“So what'd you do to him?”

“Do?” Izaya asks, blinking up at Shizuo.

“Yeah, what'd you do to make him want to kill you?” Shizuo specifies.

“Oh. Nothing.” Izaya sips at his tea. “He was trying to kill anyone who works with Shiki-san. I didn't really have anything to do with it.” He offers a small shrug when Shizuo just goes on staring at him. “Business as usual, you know?”

“What the fuck? That's not business as usual!” Shizuo snaps. Izaya's eyes are wide, and Shizuo can see Izaya's pupils are dilated. He wonders if Izaya is still on painkillers, though it seems likely he probably is.

“He's already been dealt with. Shiki-san was pretty pissed. It's not as if Shiki-san likes me much, but it was a...” Izaya pauses and waves his hand around a bit. “A... A property dispute, I guess? Like, it was a clear message to Shiki-san that anyone could be dealt with, and then—well. They handled it.”

“A property dispute?” Shizuo asks incredulously.

“Yeah! I'm pretty much freelance, but I have a reputation with doing business with the Awakusu. It's not a secret. I'm usually not targeted for that, but...” Izaya shrugs again, spilling his tea a little, and it confirms Shizuo's suspicion that Izaya is high as hell, though it doesn't make Shizuo feel any better about the fact that Izaya just referred to himself as property of the Awakusu.

“You're stoned, huh? What pills are you on?” Shizuo asks.

“No clue! Something Shinra gave me. I haven't been taking them like I'm supposed to, but today was a rough day.” Izaya sips more tea. “You know how Shinra is. He just throws pills at you and tells you to shut up.”

“Yeah,” Shizuo says, frowning. “Has he been to see you?”

“Sure, for check-ups. He makes bank off me, so he can't lecture me too much.”

“He doesn't just come to spend time with you?” Shizuo asks, and Izaya furrows his brows like Shizuo is speaking another language entirely.

“Why would he do that?” Izaya asks, and it sounds so earnest and innocent, the opposite of Izaya.

“Isn't he your friend?” Shizuo is suddenly very glad Izaya is high. Maybe Izaya won't remember any of this later, or will think it was a dream.

“Well, yeah, but...” Izaya makes a face. “We aren't close.”

“Really? You used to be. Back in school, I mean.”

“You mean back when Shinra was required to be in a building without Celty for a few hours a day? It's not like... I mean, he mostly just followed me around.”

“So you almost died, and then you actually died and got brought back on the table, and Shinra just charged you and left?” Shizuo asks.

Izaya sways a bit, but he remains upright.

“Isn't that what he does with you?”

Shizuo thinks of hotpot at Shinra's, of barging in on Shinra just because he's in the neighborhood. It's true that Shizuo is closer with Celty, and without his friendship with her, he doesn't know how often he would see Shinra, but Shinra calls and checks in, visits sometimes, and very rarely charges Shizuo for medical work. Izaya makes a lot of money, and that could be why he's charged, but either way, Shizuo finds this visit is doing the exact opposite of making him feel better.

“I don't think Shinra is really a good friend to you, Izaya,” Shizuo says, and Izaya frowns.

“Oh.”

“Maybe you knew that already, though.”

“A little. I just kind of thought he didn't know how to be friends.” Izaya rubs at his eye, and for a terrifying second, Shizuo thinks Izaya is crying, but then he realizes Izaya just looks sleepy and very out of it. “I never blamed him, since I never wanted to be his friend in the first place, and also I'm really bad at it, too.” Izaya squints up at Shizuo. “Why're you here?”

“Wanted to see if you were dead yet,” Shizuo says, and Izaya nods.

“Not yet! You've gotta be the one to kill me, you know? Then everyone will see you're a monster.” Izaya reaches his teacup towards the table, misses, and glares as the cup shatters in the floor. Grumbling, Shizuo stands and goes into the kitchen, grabbing a towel. That 'monster' talk pisses him off like always, but the pity he feels for Izaya is watering it down to a tolerable level.

“You're a pain in my ass,” Shizuo informs Izaya, who merely watches as Shizuo mops up the tea. Shizuo is picking up the shards of glass when he feels a hand in his hair, and he glances over to see Izaya petting him sleepily.

“Good boy,” Izaya murmurs, and Shizuo wants to kill him, to throw him out the window, but instead he focuses on not cutting himself on the glass.

By the time the mess is cleaned, Izaya looks close to passing out. He's blinking up at Shizuo, his body covered by the blanket once more.

“I'm gonna go. You're not even sober.”

“Okay.”

“I might come back later, though. You're pretty tolerable like this, and I know you feel too shitty to attack me,” Shizuo says.

“You'll come back?” Izaya makes a face. “Why?”

“To see you, I guess. It sucks being too hurt to move much. I can't imagine how much it must suck to be alone during it.”

“You...just want to see me?” Izaya asks. He looks like he's thinking really hard about this. “You don't want anything?”

“Nope.”

“That doesn't make sense, Shizu-chan,” Izaya says.

“It does, actually.”

“Okay,” Izaya says, and he looks like he's trying very hard to be serious. Shizuo feels warmth in his chest as Izaya squints up at him, and Shizuo can't name the feeling, has no idea what it is, but it's definitely related to Izaya and how cute he is when he's not being an asshole.

“See ya, flea,”

Shizuo makes his way home, relieved it's not raining. It's a nice day out, and he thinks he might walk through the park before going in for the night.

He does feel better, though for different reasons than he expected. Izaya will be fine, in time, and the two of them can go back to fighting as always. Nothing really has to change, and there's a very good chance Izaya won't even remember their conversation, but Shizuo hopes he does.

#asks #anon #shizaya #prompts #the first time i posted this the 'read more' went away so rip to everyone who gets that version #hope you enjoy anon!

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