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infernalrevenge · 3 years ago

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Reader Gets Dominated By The Dimitrescu Sisters (feat. Strap On)

Fandom: Resident Evil 8: Village

Rating: E (for explicit content involving penetration, 18+)

Pairing/s: Bela Dimitrescu x Reader, Cassandra Dimitrescu x Reader, Daniela Dimitrescu x Reader (all Gender Neutral)

Summary: Drabbles about the Dimitrescu sisters dominating the Reader using a strap on.

Notes: I misunderstood the initial request sent to me and by the time I realized I did, I had already finished Bela's and Cassandra's and I didn't want it to go to waste so this is that :P I wrote Daniela's after the actual request was done.

Hope y'all enjoy!

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Bela Dimitrescu

Her hands settled on either side of your head, golden hair framing her face as she looked down on your bare form. She had your legs spread out before her, and you couldn't help but look between them to eye the toy strapped onto Bela as she lined its tip up to your entrance. You couldn't tell if your heart was beating hard from anticipation or concern.

"Don't get nervous now," she teased, reaching to cup your cheek, "Just keep your eyes on me, I've got you."

You gave a small nod in return, huffing out a breath as she sunk into you. A weak groan escaped your lips, eyes closing as you tried to relax. "That's it, there you go," you heard her whisper softly. It didn't take long before she was seated inside, its girth filling you completely and perfectly. You felt the heat inside you coil tighter as Bela's smirk grew.

"What a good pet, taking all of me like this," she cooed, stroking her thumb over your face. "How does it feel?"

A shuddering breath left you, "Good."

"Good," she replied, leaning down for a deep kiss. One hand gripped onto your ass, squeezing hard as she suckled on your bottom lip. "Can I move?"

You gave another nod, allowing her to slip back out before she thrust back inside, this time with more force. A cross between a surprised yelp and moan escaped, and your girlfriend seemed all too pleased with your reaction.

It only spurred her on as she languidly moved her hips to an imaginary rhythm, eliciting more of those sweet and pleasured sounds from you. Her hands cooled your heated skin as they settled on your hips, pulling them back to meet hers halfway. Sometimes, you can feel her slowing down her movements, as if to savor the moment and the desperate look in your face, only to thrust back in harshly and watch the way your mouth drops open.

Each stroke of friction brought you closer to the edge, gripping onto the blonde's shoulders. You swore your nails were digging into her skin, but that only seemed to bring her more delight.

"Bela, Bela please-- I--" you tried to say, barely able to get the words out.

"It's okay, cum for me, my love. I want to see you come undone."

She was completely buried inside when you felt the waves of pleasure roll over you, her mouth covering yours as she swallowed your cries. All you could do was pull her closer, arms around her neck and legs tightening around her lower back as you rode out your high. You could feel your hips bucking ever so slightly, just to get a tiny bit more stimulation before breaking for air.

You looked deep into her golden eyes, a dazed smile on your face. "We should do this again sometime," you whispered, still trying to catch your breath.

"Oh we will."

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Cassandra Dimitrescu

"Don't think you'll get away that easy, pet," she growled into your ear, her body pinning you against the wall. She had already pulled your bottoms all the way down to your ankles, a hand rubbing between your spread legs as you tried to move into her touch. As you pushed back against her hips, you felt something hard hidden in between her hips.

"Cassandra..." you couldn't help but moan, getting lost in a lustful haze.

"So eager, aren't we? You want me, don't you? Right here, right now?" She stroked you torturously slow, and you had to bite back a whimper to save any sliver of pride you had left.

"Tell me what you want, Y/N," she demanded, grinding her hips onto your ass. You could feel the strap on through her clothes, and you wanted nothing more than to be satisfied to the brim at that moment.

"I want... I want you, please," you muttered, trying to look back at her with pleading eyes.

"Want me to what?" she smirked, acting innocent, "You're gonna have to use your words."

Her fingers rubbed slow circles and figure-eights over you, and as you felt yourself grow hotter with nothing but sex on your mind, your mouth began to speak before you could even think more about it.

"Cass, please just keep touching me! Grope me, fuck me, I don't care, just-- please!"

You hardly got a warning with how she moved so quickly, and you could feel the toy rubbing between your cheeks before she had finally slid inside. Your knees started to buckle from underneath you as she pounded into you, her hand never leaving your most sensitive spot as her free hand roamed your chest. You kept your hands on the wall for support, clawing into the paper as every thrust left you seeing stars.

"You wanna cum, my pet? Gonna make a mess for me?" she teased, nibbling on the skin under your ear. You weren't sure what exactly did it for you, but the combination of sensations that had led up to this point finally tipped you over the edge.

You bit down hard on your lip, pushing your forehead onto the wall as you stifled your own moans. You pushed back into her hips as your orgasm took over, shaking you to your very core. If only you could see the look on your lover's face, a mix of satisfaction and smugness written all over.

It was hard to tell if that was blood or drool dribbling down your chin, but it didn't matter as the brunette turned you around to lick it off of you. It took all the strength you had left to stay standing, but you couldn't help the shiver running through your spine -- both from the residual pleasure, and the way Cassandra eyed you like a predator that had caught her prey. She took you by the hand and pulled you along to follow her, and you were still too far gone to remember your half-dressed state.

"Shall we go for round two? My room, of course."

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Daniela Dimitrescu

You gripped the cold metal sink as Daniela entered you, hips meeting yours as she pressed her chest against your back. You two were supposed to be inconspicuous, especially with how much of a common area the kitchen could be -- her cloak covered enough of your bare behind (or at least you hoped it did) as she was seated deep inside.

"I-I was just about to... finish washing the dishes, y-you know?" you stuttered out, eyes darting around before looking over your shoulder to your lover. She looked all too smug for your liking, especially given the situation she had you in. You wished you could complain, but the way she slowly rolled her hips against yours had any protests stuck in your throat.

Strained moans spilled out of you -- even the pace she was going at was enough to send sparks of pleasure between your legs. You could feel her chuckles vibrating against your back, arms wrapped around your waist so that any unsuspecting servant or sister passing by would think she was just being a little too affectionate toward the staff again.

Perhaps "too affectionate" wasn't a strong enough term.

Still, you ground back to meet her, arching just enough to feel it brush into something that made you gasp. Immediately, a gloved hand covered your mouth as Daniela's breath ghosted over your ear.

"Be quiet now. Wouldn't wanna get caught now, would we?" she teased. If you were any stronger, you swore you would have left dents against the sink by now.

You knew she wanted you to beg, to whisk you away for a proper fucking. You weren't about to give in that easily, however -- not when you were so vulnerable at that moment.

It felt like an eternity of delicious torture before the woman looked over her shoulder, groaning in frustration before she pulled your hips back further.

"Daniela, w-what are you--"

"I'm going to finish you off, pet. Even I get tired of waiting," she replied simply.

She reeled herself back before thrusting in hard, and you had to bite your lip to stop your moans from coming out too loudly. Your arms stretched out to the wall as you both gave in to your desires, letting her pound into you the way you wanted for what felt like hours ago.

Your orgasm came crashing upon you, so sudden that you barely felt any of the build up. The redhead rode you through your release before finally slipping out, embracing you from behind once again. Leaning back into her was pretty much the only thing keeping you upright at the moment.

"Feel good, baby?" she whispered, planting a kiss on the corner of your jaw. You nodded in response.

A few beats of silence passed before you spoke up, looking back at her. "May I return the favor?"

You never got to finish washing those dishes.

#bela dimitrescu x reader #bela dimitrescu #cassandra dimitrescu x reader #cassandra dimitrescu #daniela dimitrescu x reader #daniela dimitrescu #dimitrescu daughters #dimitrescu sisters #gender neutral reader #gn!reader #nsft #resident evil 8 #resident evil village #re8

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pixy-stix-art · 3 years ago

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Idk if anyone else has asked, but I’d be like to see the first time naga!Tommy nommed Wilbur, if that’s alright?

Here’s the angsty naga noms I was talking about and completely forgot to actually write….sorry if you didn’t want something this angsty anon. But as I was writing I just kept adding warnings. Sorry not sorry.

This is part two to another story I wrote. This takes place like a month or two before the other one.

(Warnings: safe vore, mouth play, fearplay, swearing, talk of death, thinking one is going to die, talk of not safe vore, panic attack, minor injury)

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Willbur ran through the woods sweat dripping down his face. He looked back to see he was still being fallowed. He was, trees were being torn down behind him. He yelled as he almost his a tree when he looked forwards again. He stumbled into a clearing, his legs were going to give out he thought. He tried running through the clearing to get out of direct sight, but he wasn’t quick enough. A giant pale hand reached from him from the trees. He screamed only just dodging the clawed hand. He had to get out of here! He was so tired and he knew he was only being played with. He was almost tempted to just give up, but he know he would die if he did. He didn’t want to die. He screamed as yet another giant hand reached for him.

He had been trying to get to Tommy’s cave. A young naga he had meet a few weeks ago. He had first thought Tommy was going to kill him. But the red naga only seemed to want a friend. So he talked to the kid for a few hours and he was let go. He had gotten more curious and had gone back to find Tommy. He got lost and Tommy found him. He seemed surprised that Willbur had come back to see him. He spent the night in Tommy’s cave. He started to actually like the giant naga. So he kept coming back much to Tommy’s surprise. And today was supposed to be like any other meet up. But he had been found by another even bigger naga on his way there. This one was green and had made it very clear what he wanted to do with Willbur.

Willbur gasped for air as he was picked up in a tight fist. He struggled as much as he could. But it wasn’t going to do anything. He was going to die. He was pulled close to the green nagas mouth and screamed as a forked tongue slipped out to taste him.

“Mmhmm… very nice.” They naga smiled. “You taste even better then you smell.” The naga purred.

“N-no! Don’t eat me!” He got one arm free from the grip. He tried pushing the nagas face away from him. He only succeed in getting his arm licked more. “Let me go!” He screamed, his voice already sore.

“I don’t think I will little snack.” The naga smiled showing off all their sharp fangs in front of Willbur.

“N-no! The village will know I’m missing and come after you! W-with swords and hunters!” He yelled. “You can’t kill me!”

“You think some little humans scare me? Just more snacks to me.” He brought Willbur even closer to his mouth. So he could feel the hot humid breath wash over him.

“You can’t just-” Willbur was cut off as he was shoved half way into the nagas mouth. He yelled as he felt sharp teeth clamp down on his waist. He kicked his feet a little so scared to move much. Or he’d cut in half. He push trying to force open the mouth. His arm slipped on the slick surface, he cut his arm on a sharp fang. He long tongue instantly curled around the injury tasting his blood. He sobbed, pretty sure he was having a panic attack. He realized he’s not going home tonight. The wet tongue curled around him coating him in thick saliva. He had lost all his energy to fight back long ago. All he could do was lay limp as he was sucked on like he was a piece of candy.

“I caught it, it’s mine.” They green naga said.

“It was in my territory, so by the rules it’s mine to eat. Unless you want me to tell the grand counsel how you are disobeying the rules Dream.” Tommy said firmly.

Willbur froze hearing Tommy call him a it. And mention how he was going to eat him. His panic riddled mind couldn’t fully figure the rest of it out. Counsel? What was that? All he knew was that he now had two nagas wanting to eat him. One of which he thought had been a friend….

Willbur whimpered as apparently Dream, as the green naga was called, growled at being told to hand Willbur over.

“You won’t.” Dream said glaring at the younger.

“You know I will. And you know Phil will listen to me.” Tommy threaten. He looked a little smug about it too.

Dream squeezed Willbur in his fist making him scream. He could feel his already bruised ribs bending at the pressure. He thought he might pass out. Finally he was let go, dropped into a more familiar pair of hands. He curled up, too weak and scared to move. More gentle fingers curled up around him rubbing his back. He hated that he felt comfort from it. Tommy wasn’t going to keep him safe. Not anymore.

“Well?” Dream questioned.

“What?” Tommy growled. He wanted to keep Willbur close to comfort him, but he couldn’t with Dream still here.

“Are you going to eat it or what?” He glared. He wasn’t leaving till he saw the human taken care of.

“I- I like eating in private.” Tommy cursed his stuttering. This wasn’t the plan! Dream was supposed to leave.

“No. Eat it now, or I will.” Dream said with a growl.

“I-“ Tommy looked panicked looking down at Willbur. He didn’t look good…. Tommy couldn’t help but think he looked broken. In more ways then one. He could eat Willbur and keep him safe at the same time. But he hated to do that to the human. But he didn’t have another choice.

“Fine, I’ll eat hi- it now.” He sighed. He brought Willbur up to his mouth being as gentle as possible without it being noticeable. He placed Willbur in him mouth cringing at the taste of blood. He hope he wasn’t too injured.

“Tommy…?” He whimpered as he was out in yer another mouth. He hoped Tommy would feel at lest a little bad about eating him.

The tongue slid over his arm making him gasped in pain. Everything froze, going still as he held his arm close, crying at the pain. Then everything moved. Gravity shifted and he slid back to the back of the mouth. “No, no no no no no..” Willbur muttered. “No! Tommy don’t please! Don’t do this! Please I don’t want to die! Tommy!” He screamed as he was swallowed back.

Tommy felt his heart beak hearing Willbur scream for his life. He wished he could tell him he’d be ok. That Tommy was just keeping him safe. He glared at Dream in full anger. “Now leave.” He said voice cold and calm. To calm.

Dream seemed to understand he wasn’t welcomed and slithered out of sight. “I better not see you again Dream! I’ll kill you! If I see you again!” Tommy yelled after him. He sighed head foggy from rage. He gasped as he remembered he needed to check on Will. He placed his hands over where he felt the small human in his brooding pouch. He wasn’t even moving… Tommy’s began to panic. “W-Willbur? Are you ok?” He asked gently pressing down on him.

Willbur curled up tight in a ball not bothering to move from where he had fallen into the stomach. He huffed hearing Tommy ask if he was ok.

“No! I’m not alright you dickhead!” He screamed. He was confused angry and sad. He just stared yelling. “How dare you do this! I thought we were friends! You- you said you wouldn’t hurt me. That you’d keep me safe. Was all that a lie? We’re you just going to eat me this whole time?” He was sobbing by the end of his rant. Hot angry tears ran down his face.

“No, of course it wasn’t all a lie! We are friends Willbur. I promise you’re safe. I just had to eat you so Dream wouldn’t.” He wanted to cry hearing Willburs words. He really thought he was going to die.

“Oh? Then let me out of here if you’re not going to hurt me!” He challenged.

“I-I can’t. I’m so sorry I would, but you’re so injured I don’t want to hurt you worse by bringing you back up.” He started to head home. Back to the cave.

“That’s what I thought.” Willbur sighed. He struggled to move and get more comfortable. Though he was probably going to be really uncomfortable in a second….

“I promise that your safe. You’ll see, in the morning I’ll let you out. Promise.” Tommy said. And he will. Willbur might not even come see him again. But at lest the human world be alive. Willbur hating him, was better then Willbur being dead.

He didn’t have enough energy to think let alone do anymore yelling. His whole body hurt. He curled up with the small hope burning in his chest, that maybe Tommy was telling the truth. He’d just have to see in the morning. He drifted off to sleep not wanting to be awake if he died.

Tommy got back to his cave curling up in his nest. He curled his tail protectively around his middle. He felt Willbur get heavier as he fell asleep. He hoped he could explain more in the morning. He had finally found someone who actually seemed to want to hang around him. But of course Willbur would never want to see him again now. He quietly cried himself to sleep that night. He had lost his only friend.

#tw vore #safe vore #protection vore #tw blood #mcyt g/t #mcyt gt #naga!tommy #naga!dream #giant!tommy #giant!dream #tiny!wilbur #g/t #giant/tiny #tw panic attack #pixies writing #pixie writes #angst writing

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theimpossiblescheme · 3 years ago

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sleep to you who wander

(As far as I’m concerned, The Castle of Cagliostro already has a perfect ending, especially for what’s supposed to be Lupin III’s final adventure. But what happens after our heroes ride off into the sunset and life continues for them, anticlimactic as it might be? I wrote this after pondering that very question, with help from @dying-suffering-french-stalkers and her reference to a simiilar scene in The Princess Bride, where the ride off into the sunset doesn’t go quite so smoothly. We’ve had a looooot of DM conversations on the topic, and this was the result--I hope you guys enjoy it!)

“Did we lose ‘em?”

Meeting Jigen’s eyes in the rearview mirror for a second, Goemon glanced out the back window. There was a reassuring lack of sirens on the road behind them. “We lost them. Fujiko must have headed them off at the border.”

Lupin let out a quiet chuckle from the passenger seat. “Oh, so she wouldn’t share the plates, but…” He trailed off and sank further down, tempted to tilt the seat back, but not wanting to scare the poor unsuspecting samurai sitting there (not that ending up in a blushing Goemon’s lap wouldn’t be nice…)

Besides, they’d have to make a pit stop soon, anyway.

“Hey, Jigen? As soon as we find a petrol station, pull over.”

“We’ve got plenty of fuel still. And don’t tell me you gotta take a leak—”

“Just pull us over, all right? I gotta take care of something.”

A pause. Jigen and Goemon’s eyes met again through the mirror.

“… Get me some cigarettes while you’re in there?”

“Done.”

The last of the Cagliostro countryside turned into the Italian countryside, and the back roads turned into the streets of Ventimiglia, Italy. So many people were out on the sidewalks, perusing shop windows and outdoor stands, lined up across each block in herds, almost drowning out traffic… what day was it? Lupin realized he hadn’t even been keeping track—the only indication he’d had of the time passing was the newspaper clipping of the Count’s failed wedding. The fashion markets happened on Fridays, right? He remembered Rebecca mentioning that to him… how long ago now? It couldn’t have been too long, could it? Maybe if he watched the crowds now, he could catch a glimpse of long blonde hair streaked with blue (or maybe she’d gotten bored of that color and switched to pink or purple or something. Women did so love changing up their hair), but he couldn’t twist that far without a rib digging directly into his lung and making him gasp.

Where the hell was a petrol station when you needed one?

It took about fifteen minutes of Jigen honking furiously at pedestrians and growling for them to “share the goddamn road” before they were moving at full speed and finally pulling in beside one of the pumps. Jigen emphatically buried his spent stub of a cigarette in the ashtray, driving his own point home. “You promised—”

“Don’t worry, I’m good for it.” Lupin tried to reach for the First Aid kit under the seat as nonchalantly as possible as he opened the door and rose to his feet…

Jigen was too quick on the uptake. Grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm just so, forcing Lupin to look up at him? “Whaddya need it for?”

“C’mon, it’s not a big—”

“What do you need it for?”

… Well, right now, the last thing Lupin needed was to have the truth choked and yanked out of him. Even sighing made his chest hurt. “Get my jacket off for me, would you?”

Jigen obeyed, pulling it off carefully by the arms and draping it across the back of his own seat. At the same time, Lupin unbuttoned his black shirt until the wrappings and bandages underneath were showing.

There was actually less blood than he’d expected. Maybe he hadn’t torn everything open… just enough to make a mess, though.

Over his shoulder, he heard Jigen hiss in shock and the back passenger door open as Goemon bounded out. “Why the hell didn’t you tell us?” came Jigen’s choked voice as he almost jumped out of the driver’s seat, letting Lupin’s head fall back against it. Lupin almost made a joke about how he’d been cheated out of laying in two very choice gentlemen’s laps, but it died in his throat as he let his back fully stretch out for the first time in hours.

“Wasn’t really the biggest thing in on my mind,” he admitted, unable to keep from wincing, but forcing himself to relax more as Goemon knelt and inspected his wounds. “We had a wedding to stop, a princess to rescue, a treasure to uncover, a Count to defeat… kind of a packed schedule, even for us.” Still, getting into a fight in a clocktower and then plummeting several hundred feet into freezing cold water on top of that didn’t exactly do wonders for multiple gunshot wounds and a concussion. Who would’ve thought?

“You still should have told us you were in pain,” Goemon replied somewhere near his waist. He lay one cool hand over where one of the bandages had come loose, a warning and a request, and Lupin nodded and gritted his teeth in anticipation. “We could have helped you when you first came back.”

“Yeah, I know… I just had a lot of my mind.” Goemon went slowly and gently as he tightened the wrappings, occasionally mopping up the blood with a paper napkin from the glove compartment along the way, and Lupin tilted his head back for any friction to distract from the sting and pull in his skin. Normally when he was being treated like this, he would either playfully swoon over his wonderful nurses and how good they were with their hands, or he would rail loudly at how unfair it was and that he couldn’t be slowed down like this. Right now, he didn’t have the energy for either. His chest was still tight, and it had nothing to do with the bandages.

“If you ever need help, just let me know. I’ll come running from anywhere on earth to save you.”

Just don’t need me yet, kiddo—I’m not in the best shape for it right now.

“You gonna be okay?” Jigen’s voice again. The seat right above his head dipped, and Lupin looked up to see him crouched right above him, his knee almost grazing the top of his hair.

“Oh, yeah, I’ll be fine. You know me—it’s gonna take a lot more than this to knock me out of the running.”

“Says the guy who was knocked out for three days straight not that long ago.”

“But isn’t that why I have you?” Lupin tilted his head further back and shot Jigen the brightest, most charming smile he could manage. “To gallantly nurse me back to health when my strength fails?”

Jigen didn’t answer, but he did mutter something that sounded like “smug little prick” before raking a hand across Lupin’s head, fingers digging through his hair into his scalp. Lupin shamelessly leaned into the touch—it was enough to make up for the lack of Goemon’s hands after he tied off the last of the bandages and buttoned Lupin’s shirt back up to the collar. He still couldn’t tie a necktie, but Lupin didn’t want to bother with it right now.

“Do you know where we’re heading next?” Goemon asked, offering a hand to help Lupin straighten up.

“Not a clue.” He tried to pass it off as casual, his usual devil-may-care recklessness, as he rose to a sitting position in the passenger seat once again. “You guys have any ideas?”

Jigen shrugged as he climbed back in behind the wheel, but Goemon hesitated, still kneeling right outside with the First Aid kit in his lap… ears going slightly pink. “I… may have one.”

“Oh?” Now Lupin was extremely alert. “Well, you know I’d loooove to hear it, Goemon!”

“I would like to go back to Japan--Suminawa’s village, specifically. I have… some loose ends I’d like to tie up.”

No sooner had those words left his mouth than Jigen let out a knowing cackle. “You’re wanting to see Murasaki again, aren’t ya? Isn’t it about time you made an honest woman of her?”

Goemon’s extremely pink face was answer enough for both of them.

“Hey, that sounds great!” Lupin leaned forward, shifting just so he could sling an arm around his partner’s shoulder. “Tell you what—we’ll make a road trip out of it. Just the three of us. We’ll just drive until we need to find a ship across, and if there’s any place you guys wanna hit along the way, we can do it. Doesn’t even have to be a heist—if you guys wanna go sightseeing or shopping or anything at all, just let me know!”

It felt a bit like stalling, and maybe it was. Maybe he just didn’t want to let Goemon go just yet. Maybe the prospect of him settling down (even if it was with a nice girl like Murasaki) felt a little too much like never seeing him again. But he’d already left way too soon after the three of them hightailed it out of Monaco, and as nice it was to spend all that time on the road with Jigen… the Fiat’s backseat did feel pretty empty.

And there was still that tightness in his chest he wanted to put off dealing with for as long as possible.

To his relief, Goemon nodded. “That does sound nice… as long as you don’t get us lost on the scenic route through Russia on the way.”

“Hey, that was one time!”

“And the only time, right?”

Before Lupin could say anything, Jigen was cackling again and actually aiming a gentle kick right at the small of his back, forcing him to his feet. “C’mon, dumbass—you’re still on cigarette duty before we hit the road.”

***

He had planned for a couple of heists along the way. Just a couple—there weren’t many places Lupin hadn’t already stolen from or at least had a memorable encounter therein. At some point over the campfire, he’d dug out a collection of old roadmaps and traced the many annotations he’d left in it. Every continent, every large metropolitan area in every country. X-es and checkmarks over where he’d been, notes scribbled in the margins. Lists of traps to look out for, supplies to bring with them. Lather, rinse, repeat on every page. Sheafs of hotel stationery tucked into the bindings with diagrams and estimated floorplans and arrows mapping out everyone’s positions, including Zenigata’s.

(Where was Pops now, anyway? Was he still out there looking for them? Had he given up? Hell, there was a chance he’d stumble across their little campsites any second… in which case, Lupin was tempted to just offer him a sausage and tell him to take a load off.)

Very little empty, unexplored space left on any of them. That, too, sat heavy somewhere in Lupin’s chest.

But he did want to eke out a handful of smaller jobs. Mostly second tries at treasures they hadn’t quite managed to steal, moving from one museum to another. The Faberge Museum had apparently found more eggs to display, and what the hell, it might be nice to have something pretty for the hell of it (and they’d lost their old haul somewhere in a Moscow hotel the last time) …

It seemed only appropriate that Fujiko beat him to it.

The Fiat had parked overnight along the Moyka River Embankment, nestled inconspicuously among the other cars. The engine was running just enough to leave the heat on, and Goemon was sitting upright in the backseat, head lolled gently against his chest, while Jigen had tipped his own seat all the way back so that his head nearly rested on Goemon’s knee. Lupin had spent the past six hours driving, and his jacket was actually buttoned for once so he could burrow into the neck, trying to force himself to sleep. Jigen’s snores didn’t usually bother him, but right now they were unnecessarily loud.

He'd almost mistaken the rumble of Fujiko’s bike for another snore.

But as he leaned his cheek against the window, there it was. And there she was. Still blonde, her surplus military uniform traded for her old red biker’s gear. Goggles pulled up over her forehead as she sidled up to the car, eyes finding Lupin’s and giving him a slight, amused smirk as he could only blink at her at first before rolling down the window. She’d been so far ahead of them… how had she caught up? Or rather, how had they caught up with her?

“Nothing there that we haven’t already picked over, unfortunately,” Fujiko said, hefting a large satchel into her lap. “Still… I did manage to come away with a few little beauties.” With some effort, she lifted out a large golden egg latticed with starbursts and topped with a diamond the size of an eyeball. And when she cracked it open, a miniature red coach, also studded with gold and propelled by golden wheels, tumbled gently out.

Lupin couldn’t help but whistle. “Very nice… I don’t suppose I can get you to share, Fujicakes?” He pressed his hands together under his chin like a child praying at Christmas, tilting his head up and exaggeratedly batting his eyelashes at her. “I’d settle for just the coach, y’know.”

“Not a chance.” Fujiko quickly tucked the treasures back into her satchel. “I know appraisers who would pay in blood just to touch the Imperial Coronation egg. And last I checked, you came away from Cagliostro empty-handed.”

“Hey, I was the one who uncovered the Roman city underneath the lake—that has to count for something!”

“But you can’t exactly carry a city, Lupin.”

“Well, not with that attitude.” As if he couldn’t still picture it perfectly, even after so many weeks. Or months—had it been months since they started? It felt like hours since he’d been there walking the ruins, jumping across causeways Clarisse couldn’t reach so he could catch her on her way over. He’d stolen San Marino, he’d stolen Paris, he’d stolen New York City more than once, and now he had this little piece of Cagliostro… there was something romantic about that. Something suitably grand for the world’s greatest thief. Lupin the First would definitely approve.

Fujiko just hummed skeptically and let it go, repositioning her bike in preparation to drive away. “So where are you all off to?”

“Back to Japan��Goemon wanted to patch things up with Murasaki, and I told him we’d make a trip of it. What about you?”

“Mmmm… I haven’t decided yet.” There was a note of wistfulness in Fujiko’s voice, in her eyes… Lupin always found that particularly beautiful. Not that she wasn’t a knockout when she was confidently conning her way through droves of men, himself included, with that hard set in her face and that edge in her smile—lesser men had died just for a glimpse. But these spare moments of uncertainty, especially in the dim light when she still had some plausible deniability, were that much more precious. Lupin had missed seeing them, now that they weren’t in such close quarters anymore. “I know at least one dealer in France who would pay pretty handsomely. And I haven’t been back there in a while… you know, I actually miss it.”

“Even with all the bullshit from last time?”

She actually laughed, if only just a little. “Even with all the bullshit from last time.”

“Hey, say hi to Ami for me. And save me a reservation at the Ritz—we could catch up.”

There was something oddly final about this, too. Maybe he was just overthinking things; after all, this was Fujiko, who couldn’t be bothered tying herself to any one city or any one man or woman. They’d see each other again someday. It was almost inevitable. That was why he didn’t bother giving her a date—maybe it would be months, maybe even years, but at least that table would be there, waiting.

Still… he pictured this going differently. Maybe after one more grand heist, one more merry chase through the hallways of some huge museum or manor house before they emerged onto a balcony and Fujiko leaped onto the ladder of a waiting helicopter, leaving him with empty hands and tingling lips once again. Or maybe one last tumble, for old time’s sake (not that there was room in the car for that, and Jigen would bawl him out if he dragged them all to a hotel just for her). This felt… weirdly anticlimactic in comparison.

Maybe that was only fitting. It wasn’t really an end per se, or at least it didn’t have to be. Nothing ever really ended between them.

Fujiko smiled. “We’ll see how things turn out.” And she started to turn around to leave…

“Oh, Fujiko?”

She stopped midway through lowering her goggles. “Hmm?”

Lupin was tempted to ask for a kiss, or even to just take her free hand and kiss it in farewell. But neither felt right at the moment, and on the chance she’d refuse he didn’t want them to leave on bad terms. So instead he just gave her a smile. “See you around.”

Her own smile brightened, and she gave him a wink in return before revving her engine and riding off down the road. Lupin watched her go until the motorcycle was a dot in the distance before sinking back into his seat, not even bothering to roll the window back up. There was a breeze coming in from off the river. Beside him, Jigen had backed nearly all the way up and off the passenger seat toward the back, still laying flat with his hat over his face, but nearly on top of Goemon, who barely registered his presence.

It was a nice night.

***

It was a nice night when they finally dropped off Goemon as well. They’d long since lost track of how long they’d been on the road--the Fiat had lasted several dozen tanks of gas, two flat tires, one fussy engine that Jigen had taken multiple attempts to jumpstart, and a barge across the Sea of Japan. By the time they reached Murasaki’s village, the air brushed coolly through the open windows, the caps of snow on the mountains nearby had grown whiter, and the trees rustled red and gold.

The world had been green when they started out, Lupin noted. Maybe he just hadn’t noticed the change.

Halfway through a familiar glen, where a small roadside garden stretched slowly into view, Goemon motioned for them to stop. “I can walk the rest of the way.”

“You sure?” Lupin pulled over to one side and parked, but didn’t kill the engine just yet. “We can drop you off right on her doorstep, it’s no problem.”

“I think I would rather talk to her alone when I get there. We’ll have a lot of ground to cover… since I’ve been gone so long.” Climbing out of the backseat, sword in hand and travelling hat tucked under his arm, Goemon came to stand in front of them. “So we can say goodbye here.”

Oh, to hell with that. The second he and Jigen climbed out after him, Lupin reached out and took Goemon’s hands and, when he seemed receptive to that, swept him into a hug, one hand on the back of his hair. There was so much he wanted to say… most of it variations on thank you. For putting up with his nonsense, for coming through every time they needed him and every time they didn’t, for staying by his side even when Jigen couldn’t, for being so absurdly loyal and brave, for making him laugh and feel alive even from the moment they met, for letting Lupin make him laugh when he thought he never would again, for letting him be a part of his life at all… they’d be here all night if he kept counting the reasons.

For now, one quiet “Thank you” would do before he pulled out of the hug and gave Goemon a kiss on each cheek. “You take care of yourself, okay? Her, too.”

Goemon nodded, throat suspiciously tight as he moved onto Jigen, who wrapped him into his own tight hug. “Don’t be a stranger,” Jigen murmured before dropping his voice and whispering something only he could hear into his ear. Lupin didn’t try to listen, tempting as it was--he just stood back alongside them, hands in his pockets. When Goemon finally stepped away, his jaw stuttered with the beginnings of half a dozen parting words before snapping closed as he gave them both a nod.

“Travel safe, you two. I’ll… I’ll be in touch.”

Lupin gave him the same smile he’d given Fujiko, feeling it pull even more at his lips this time. “We’ll hold you to that, y’know.”

And with that, Goemon turned, let in a deep cleansing breath that eased the remaining tension in his shoulders, and started off down the road. His partners watched him go until he, too, was only a dot disappearing around the bend in the wake of a tiny indoor light glowing yellow and drowning him out. Saying goodbye to Fujiko had felt strangely unsatisfying, but somehow just right. This… this just felt right.

Didn’t stop his eyes from burning against the dark, though.

Lupin hadn’t realized how dark it had gotten--how long they’d been standing there--until Jigen nudged him, a fuzzy indigo blur in the shadow of the car. “C’mon. Let’s find a place to sleep.”

Neither of them moved for a few minutes after that. Even with nothing left to see but the fireflies in the grass.

***

“You can take that off now, you know--it’s starting to creep me out.”

Lupin grinned behind the mask of Zenigata’s face. “Hey, maybe Pops’ll take the hint and join us for a breather.” It had been almost a year since they’d seen hide or hair of the good inspector (hell of a thing to process), and Lupin was starting to miss him. And after all, no matter where he was in the world, there was no better way to summon him than somebody reporting a false sighting.

Jigen rolled his eyes, but patted him on the shoulder as the elevator landed and he peeled back off down the hotel hallway. “Yeah, well, you go change. I’m gonna go check out our room--they better have been serious about the bar.”

Once he was alone, Lupin ducked through the doorway to the courtyard, glancing around him before pulling off the mask and tucking it into the pocket of the great brown overcoat before slinging it over his shoulder. There were still a few weeks left before the snow stayed down in drifts, so for today the sky was blue and clear, and piles of grey slush clumped around the remaining patches of grass and the little patio that had once been surrounded by summer flowers…

He’d almost walked right on past, but his eye finally caught the figure sitting on the sofa. Surrounded by large antique suitcases, flanked by an old man in rough-hewn gardener’s clothes and two hulking security guards the size of professional wrestlers. A petite figure in a purple dress, red hair pinned elegantly at the nape of her neck and hidden by a wide-brimmed hat.

Lupin recognized her in an instant. She recognized him, too--as she rose and rushed over to meet him, her arms went out as if to hug him, but at a start from one of her bodyguards, she resisted and forced them back down to her sides. Instead, she held up a hand for him to kiss, as befitting a proper young lady, but as he did so her voice was breathless with excitement.

“I knew… I just knew we’d meet again someday, Mr. Thief.”

And the ache in Lupin’s chest yawned so fiercely he feared it might swallow him.

***

Their hotel room did not, in fact, come with a bar. With much grumbling, Jigen had taken them to the one across the street. It was admittedly a very nice place--the staff were friendly, the drinks were great, and the in-house jazz band had the tact to slow things down after a certain hour and more than a few patrons needed cut off for the night. Right now they were playing a melancholy piece for saxophone and piano, more of a reflection than a true song.

It gave Lupin something to focus on… the ice in his glass was melting and the condensation leaving rings on the table, but he couldn’t bring himself to drink.

“Been doin’ an awful lot of sighing there, buddy,” came Jigen’s voice beside him, slowly nursing his own glass of scotch. When Lupin didn’t rise to the bait, Jigen heaved a long-suffering sigh of his own. “Look, I’m not gonna choke it out of you in front of a buncha strangers, so you might as well tell me now.”

“All, right, all right…” Where did he even start, though? It was all a disorganized jumble in his head, and that bothered him more than anything. That, and the stupid lingering anxiety of how Jigen might react. He raised his melting glass and downed it, desperately drawing energy from the burn in his throat. “You’ll never guess who I ran into earlier when we first checked in.”

“Better not have been Pops--at least not while you were still wearing his face.”

“Nope. Clarisse.”

Jigen’s face softened a bit. “No kidding?”

“No kidding.” Lupin wanted to smile, but he only managed a slight upturn of his lips. “She’d snuck into Japan to ask for help establishing a tourist program for Cagliostro. She was just on her way home, though, so we… we didn’t actually get to talk much.” But there was so much more to the conversation, short as it was, that Lupin wished he could go into. How Clarisse had dedicated so much to dismantling the tools of her family’s corruption and making public statements to the world about undoing the damage. How she was personally helping to convert the underground printing press into shelters for the poor. How she’d spent her seventeenth birthday touring her kingdom and getting to know her subjects, even taking the afternoon to make tea for an old woman and her grandchildren. How Christopher was still a good friend, how Karl was still lively as a puppy even as “an old man in dog years.” How healthy she looked now that she was no longer a prisoner in her own home, how she wore the poise of a queen when she was still so young. How much difference a year had made for her.

How much it hurt to say goodbye to her twice.

“Glad she’s doing okay.” Jigen’s voice was soft, as if intuiting everything Lupin wasn’t saying. “She’s a good kid.”

Lupin nodded, staring down into his empty glass. He was tempted to ask for another, but the way his mind was now, it would only lead into a dark drunken spiral, and he didn’t need the additional static in his head. This was a conversation he needed to have sober. “I don’t know how I’m ever gonna top it. Cagliostro, I mean… we saved a princess, we saved a whole kingdom, we uncovered this whole conspiracy, we found the city under the lake… kinda hard to go any bigger.”

Jigen tipped his head in agreement. “Not to mention how often you almost got yourself killed. More than usual for you.”

Oh, if he only knew… there had been a split second, right before he and Clarisse hit the water, that he thought if he were to actually die--not just faking it for the sake of a scheme, but for real--it wouldn’t be a bad way to go. Foiling the Count, shielding her from the impact. Being the hero for once.

A few more drinks, and he might wonder if it was a shame the fall didn’t kill him after all.

“What haven’t we done at this point, Jigen?” He knew how tired and pathetic he sounded and couldn’t bring himself to care. “We’ve been on the road together for how long, and now it’s just us… what else is there left?” He thought back to his collection of maps, how many checkmarks and X-es marked where they’d all four stayed and stolen. How many places they could never go back thanks to bounties on their heads and warrants for their arrest, how many people they’d left behind. It was hard keeping in touch when you were constantly moving around; so many unopened letters and dropped calls from Rebecca, Ami, Maki, Laetitia, and he’d lost track of how many others sat waiting for replies that would never come. Before it might have felt freeing, but now it was just lonely. Especially with Goemon and Fujiko gone and the roads ahead of them drying up. The world felt so much hollower.

It took a few minutes for Jigen to answer. The saxophone wailed plaintively from the bandstand as he drained the last of his scotch and sat contemplating, leaning heavily forward with his arms crossed over the table. “You remember a couple years ago in Paris? I told you to consider retiring now that things were getting more complicated?”

Lupin looked over at him. “You still think I should? Just… pack it in for good?”

Jigen gave the briefest of shrugs. “It’s an option. If you ever wanted to.”

It was strange to even think about now. He’d joked about it on plenty of occasions, and Jigen had promptly barked at him to shut up and not treat the topic so lightly. And he’d taken breaks before, usually for the sake of a woman who’d caught his eye and even once for Fujiko. But the idea of well and truly retiring… how would he even spend it? His grandfather had still taken undercover jobs on the side--as a tutor, a museum curator, a Minister of the Interior, even as a private detective. That might not be a terrible idea; Lupin had rather enjoyed his last stint at solving a mystery rather than causing one. And even if he didn’t go with that, he’d still promised that girl Marie he’d ask after her someday after she’d helped him. He might actually have time for that now.

His father had died in a train crash that left only two survivors. Even as a teenager watching the last car go up in smoke, Lupin had promised himself that he’d never die like that. Every close call, every false alarm since then had simply been to head off what everyone said was inevitable at the pass. To steal himself more time. And now, for once, he had an abundance of it.

At least until he looked in the mirror one day and found more wrinkles under the makeup, more grey under the black. He’d cross that bridge when he came to it.

For now, he managed a small, humorless chuckle. “Honestly… it’s the one thing I still haven’t done yet.”

“Figured out what you wanna do?”

“Not yet. I might stay here for a while, make a few calls until I do.”

“Well, you’re not gettin’ rid of me, I hope you know that.”

“... What?”

“You heard me.” Jigen tipped back the brim of his hat, exposing his eyes and the total honesty therein. “I know we’ve been having this whole farewell tour, but… where you go, I go. I meant it then, and I mean it now.” A few years ago, there might have been some flicker of uncertainty in his voice, as if afraid that Lupin might turn him away, but now that fear was gone, replaced with a gentle conviction. Offering reassurance instead of asking for it.

Lupin wanted to cry. He hadn’t even begun to plan how he would say goodbye to Jigen, even on the way to the hotel. Nothing seemed like enough, even the wildest, tenderest night of passion before they parted ways. Knowing his track record so far, it might have been something unremarkable, a final cigarette or meaningless conversation in an alleyway before Jigen exited one way and Lupin another. Either way, one last goodbye in this endless series seemed inevitable.

But here was Jigen still. Until the end of the line. Sparing him any more.

He still felt unbearably tired, but he let that fatigue sink comfortably into him as he leaned against Jigen’s shoulder and slipped a hand into his. “I’m glad.”

#I have revised this... so many times from the original Doc but I think it's finally reached a state I'd be comfortable and proud of sharing.#Thanks again to Wendy for inspiring this. <3 #lupin iii #fanfic

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srose-foxfire · 4 years ago

Text

Damirae Week 2021 - Day 5

“The Enchanted Rose” Day 5: Nightmares

Crimson red was all Raven could see. She turned and turned hoping to see anything that wasn’t covered in red.How could this had happened? She had felt so happy just moments ago she had been dancing the night away with Damian feeling so at peace and alive. He twirled her around that huge ballroom floor, he spun her so many times but not once did Raven ever get dizzy. She kept her gaze on Damian, for he was her center.

Once her feet were beginning to feel sore, Damian like the gentleman he was, escorted her back to her bedroom. After bidding her a goodnight Damian turned to leave but then stopped him as Raven lifted herself on his tiptoes to give him a small peck on his cheeks. Raven caught a small blush coat his cheeks as he bowed and then left her in her room. The last thing she saw was his tail wagging. She closed her door and went off to bed, falling deep into a sleep with a huge grin on her face.

Or that was she imagined her night to end like. Instead she was here, in her father’s lands, who she sworn she would never return to. This was the life she was born into and one she never wanted to accept as hers. Raven hugged herself tightly, wanting to escape whatever hell she had just entered. She looked down at her bare feet as a strange shadow started creeping itself towards her, turning her into the demon she feared she would become. Frightened, Raven cried out and held her head tightly in her hands.

“You have to stop letting these fears hold you down.”

Raven open her eyes and gaze towards who had spoken to. There in front of her stood a woman, wrapped in a white hooded cloak. She had her face hidden by the hood, all Raven could make out was her light pink lips and the ends of her black hair just barely peeking out from her shoulders.

“Who are you?” Raven asked.

The woman only smiled beneath her hood, “someone who wants to see you happy. Raven, you don’t need to fear him anymore…” then her smiled slowly turn into a frown, “but you are in danger.”

“Danger? Tell me-”

“I’m running out of time, listen to me carefully. Your friends will need you, when that time comes, call for our Great Mother and she will bestow upon you her blessing.”

Then a gust a wind started to pick up around Raven, her vision started to blur as the woman in front of her started to disappear. “Wait! Is this the Wayne’s, are they in danger because of me? Who are you?!”

“Raven, you hold a light so strong, a light of healing. You will light the darkness surrounding those now dear to you.”

With that Raven woke from her sleep, she clutched her chest as her whole body shivered. Raven scanned her room; nothing was out the norm, through her large bedroom window a full moon shined brilliantly casting away any shadows in her room. Next to her bed was the wooden perch, Sombra slept on. It had only been a dream, she thought to herself. She laid there, fully wide awake, reflecting what her dream could had meant and who could that womanbeen? She seems to know Raven well, but the young girl could never recollect, where she might have ever seen her.

Needing some time to calm herself, Raven stepped out of her bedroom put on her night gown and a silk cover up. She went downstairs to the castle’s kitchen and make herself a cup of tea. She assumed it was a little midnight as the full moon looked to have travel half the night sky. Though now the castle was always illuminated by candlelight. Raven arrived and busy herself to start the fire going underneath the stove top and placed a filled kettle over the flame. Once the water started to boil, she grabbed a tea pot, poured some loose dried lemon grass and hot water. As she waited while her tea seeped, Raven went on a hunt to find a teacup. As she hunted for a cup, Raven hadn’t noticed she wasn’t alone in the kitchen.

“What are you doing up?”

Startled Raven jumped and bumped her head under a cupboard. She hissed at the sudden pain and turn her face to snare at Damian as he stood by the doorway with his arms crossed. “Oh, it rude to sneak up on people!” She turned around and continue to look for the damn cup. “I couldn’t sleep… what are you doing up?”

“I’m always up at this hour.”

“Doing what?”

“Reminiscing” Damian came up from behind her and opened up a cabinet, just to her right; revealing three small shelves filled with assorted and expensive china teacups. “and looking over… somethingthat was left to me.”

“Oh…” Raven said nonchalantly as she grabbed one blue cup and then gestured toward him, “would you like me to pour you a cup?”

Damian gave her a small shrug, she walked around him and poured him some tea. She placed it the kitchen’s island counter, taking a seat and sipping her tea. She felt the drink warm and sooth her soul, making her forget the nightmare she had that had cause her to be awoken. Damian went ahead and sat across from her. He took the china cup and held it by the tips of his claws, careful not to break it. After taking a sip, he sighed, “you’re not going to ask what it is?”

Damian actually looked smug, like he wanted to rub whatever he had in her face. Raven placed her cup down as gently as she could, clasping her hand together, “I cannot believe you perceive me as some nosy girl-”

“You wandered the castle when I told you not to, you wentoutsidedespite me telling you not to go out-”

“You orderedme,” Raven pointed a finger at him, “I don’t do good being ordered around.”

“Touché… something seems to be bothering you. I want you to know you can speak to me.”

Should she tell him? Raven hadn’t had time to reflect on her dream, everything was coming back to her in vague pieces. Danger. That was what she had dreamt, she had felt she was in trouble and somehow her dream made the illusion of someone warning her to keep her eyes open. “I had this dream… well a nightmare of my old home.” That was the half-truth.

Damian clasped his hand together and leaned in closer, “you never once spoke about your home, or where you were headed when you… came to the castle. Did something happen to your homeland?”

“I was exiled.”

~~~~

Damian sat there as Raven told him her story.

“I am the daughter of a demon who governs lands cast in shadows and bloody rivers. Lord Trigon, who stands above all demons and dark magic wielders in all the realms. I was to be his successor, but I wasn’t what he hoped for. The part of me that doesn’t wished to harm others, cause destruction or how my father put it ‘kindhearted’, impeded me to ever fall to my demon side. My father believed my mother’s good nature was the caused for this. He had no use for me, proclaimed one of my lesser but more demon-like siblings would take his reign. So, without as much a goodbye he made me leave his lands. Good riddance, I never once turned back, the minute I stepped out of his forsaken lands, I felt free and alive.”

“Where were you planning to head off to?”

“My mother’s homeland. I never got to meet her; my father killed her when I was very young so I have no memory of her. I found an old journal she kept and there she described her home to be filled with light, a place where anyone could be accepted no matter who they are. My only problem is, she never once wrote the name of her home, so I was traveling blindly. I ask any village I passed through… and after receiving directions from this old woman… I ended up here.”

Damian felt a sharp pain in his chest as he continued to listen to her tale. Raven was heading towards a place she could be accepted and loved. She was heading where she could find a place to call home. Her home. Damian fought tears wanting to escape, he turned his head and looked away as he could feel his heart want to shatter, realizing he could never bring any good. He was a cursed beast, and the curse was designed to darken any light around him.

Here he had this brilliant and kind woman, who could had turned against him at any moment. Instead she brought him warmth and happiness he never believed he needed. What did he do in return? Take away her freedom, rob her of making her own choices. Why did he believe he could give her all the luxuries left in his castle to make her want to stay?

Damian needed to do something right for her, he needed to amend his wrongs and let her know she could maybe find peace here, with him.Just then an idea popped in his head. Damian allowed a small smile to grace his lips.

“Come. I would like to show you something.”

Damian extended his arm out for Raven to take. She timidly reaches for his paw, once she held him, very effortlessly he lifted her and guided the girl outside the kitchen. Keeping silent, Damian lead Raven through corridors, until they reach an open door near the entrance to one of his private and personal chambers. The opening lead to a spiral of stair wells that lead to a tower, Damian would spend much of time. Once the reach the top, it led into a grand torn down room. It was dusty, the walls were covered in spiderwebs, and in the far side of the space was an opening to a balcony.

They walked silently into the room and Damian nodded to Raven, signaling he was allowing her to inspect the room. “This was my own private study; I would come here to train or be away from my family.” He continues to watch her wonder around the large room and stopped as she gazes towards up a shredded portrait, one he destroyed of himself. “It’s the one place in the castle my siblings aren’t allowed to come. Excuse me for the mess, I find solace here since the curse was place. I wanted to show you this.”

Damian points towards a small round table near the exit to the balcony. There in the center of the table, a centerpiece was covered by a thin gray rag. Damian pulled it away, revealing a green rose, though it color was unusually dark. Raven gasp as she noticed the rose was covered by a glass covering and floated above the table’s surface, keeping perfectly still. Though instead of keeping upright, its rosebud was tilted to the side, almost as if it was wilting.

“It’s floating?” She asked.

“There was a rose garden my father had planted, a token for my mother it was his way he proposed to her. Green for her eyes. When she passed away, I took over the care for the roses, my way of keeping her memory alive and one of my closest treasures. When the witch cast the curse and she transformed me, she said she would take everything I held dear would be gone. My mother’s rose garden was burned to the ground, all the beautiful, fully bloomed rosebuds were destroyed. All but one.” Damian gestured towards the single last rose from his garden.

“It’s enchanted?” Raven continue to ponder as she viewed the mysterious flower from all angles.

“That is what I believe as well, it once shined and sparkled. Over the years it’s light simply started to dim, which is why it looks dead. Perhaps it’s was the witch’s way of saying that this curse will never be lifted, but I personally wish to see that some good could come out this.”

“I happen to imagine you view the world differently, correct? Trust me, coming from a line of demons give you that insight… may I?” Raven gestured towards the rose and Damian simply gave her a soft nod. He watched as she carefully removed the glass covering and placed it next to the rose. Raven slowly kept her placed her hands over it, not daring to touch it. She continues to move her hands all around almost as if she could really touch it and then the most marvelous thing happen.

Light. The green rose suddenly emitted a bright glow and burst with life again. The wilting rosebud soon rose itself upright, blooming and slowly spinning in Raven’s hands. Small specks to what appeared to be the rose’s pollen, erupted resulting it looking like the rose was emitting green sparkles.

Damian took a few steps back as he watched his room be filled with this mysterious light and gazed upon the girl holding it. She has a light to share, Damian thought as the rose continued to shine and spun. Damian frowned and lowered his gaze as he knew what he had to do, even if he didn’t want it to happen.

Raven gasped softly and smiled, “Damian, do you see this? It’s beautiful, how do you think this happened-”

“Go.” Damian said rather harshly as he came between Raven and the rose, moving her hands away and covering the enchanted rose once again.

Raven turned to face him with her brows knitted together, she was about to speak when Damian interrupted her, “You are no longer my prisoner, you can go and find your mother’s land.”

“But I-”

Damian then turned his back towards her, his whole form was able to shield the rose’s glow, dimming the room back to the darkness he had become use to. He didn’t want to hear what she had to say, he fears if he did than he would never let her leave. Very hard he held back the tears and kept his voice stern, not letting himself brake before her. “Didn’t you hear me? I said go!” No, I want you to stay. “Go!” Please stay with me. “I don’t want you here! Get out of my sight!

Damian slightly glanced from the side; Raven was still there awestruck by the sudden change of his behavior no doubt. He growled, then turned his whole body, looming over the poor girl. Damian then let out a great and terrifying roared as the castle tremble beneath him. “GET OUT!” He slashed at an old chair next to him, making Raven back away towards a wall.

“Damian, what’s happening?” Raven said in a mere frightened whisper, her voice wanting to crack.

“Get out, I say! You have no business here; I don’t want you in my castle anymore!”

“Please stop.” Raven painfully begged, which only aggravated Damian even more.

Damian snarled, he could feel his eyes swell up with tears wanting to cascade, with a painful heart he cried out another terrifying roar, “GET OUT!”

With that Raven ran towards the door, her steps fading as she sprinted the stairs. In the distance he could hear her pet raven, Sombra squawked, the main castle’s doors opening and banging at their sudden opening. Damian walked to the tower’s balcony seeing Raven wrapped in an old worn out cloak, with Sombra flying at her side, fleeing from his castle never looking back and disappearing in the forest. Not being able to contain the pain in his chest, Damian slump down and let all the sorrows lodged in his heart out.

“Damian.”The young cursed prince looked up and saw his older brother Dick floating towards him. “What happened? Why did she leave? What did you do?”

“I let her go,” Damian said meekly as he stared down to the ground.

Flabbergasted, Dick raised his hands towards his younger brother.“Why?”

Taking one final look at the illuminated green enchanted rose, Damian gave a wearily stare towards his half-brother, who knew more about love than him. “Because I love her.”

#damirae week 2021 #day 5 #nightmares #damirae #damirae week #damiraefic #Damian Wayne #raven roth #raven and damian #damian and raven #Beauty and the Beast AU

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marshmurmurs · 4 years ago

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The role swap au is so cool!! 2 questions if you don’t mind? How would more recent events play out, would they be totally different than how Tommy escaped? What would Techno think? And also: would you mind if someone wrote a fic on this?

I’m glad you you like it! And I’d definitely be cool with someone writing a fic. Anybody who makes any kind of content for any of my aus is immediately added to the list of people I would kill for.

One of the major differences in this au comes from @pegasister60. She’s been hitting me hard with the Purpled propaganda and I am here for it so now that is everyone else’s problem.

At some point Dream decided to let Tubbo have a visitor. Up until then he had been playing heavily into the isolation to get Tubbo to doubt his friendship with the people of L’manberg. He told Tubbo that they all knew where he was in case they wanted to visit but the only people who knew were Dream and Ghostbur. And Dream made sure to make it clear to Ghostbur that he wasn’t supposed to tell anyone where they were, it was their little secret. Dream brought Purpled to where Tubbo had built his new home. Since Purpled tended to stay neutral and even had conflicts with some of L’manberg’s government, Dream was sure he wouldn’t interfere with any of his plans. He made sure to warn him not to bring up L’manberg though, claiming it would upset Tubbo.

Dream didn’t notice when Tubbo slipped a book into Purpled’s hands. Neither did he notice Purpled hiding it away. As far as Dream was aware, the iron ingots Tubbo gave Purpled were payment for helping automate one of his farms. When Tubbo asked if Purpled would visit again, Purpled promised he would. Dream didn’t realize he just let Tubbo establish a means of contact with L’manberg.

Dream started to catch on to something happening when he noticed Tommy becoming more bold again. Then he started to notice it was rather suspicious that Tubbo kept trying to get leather and ink. They shifted to leaving no physical evidence of the communications, having Purpled remember and repeat the messages sent between Tubbo and L’manberg.

Dream doubled down on the isolation thing. He told Purpled to stop visiting, claiming things were too dangerous in L’manberg and he didn’t want anyone following him and dragging Tubbo into things. Purpled knew he was lying, but couldn’t say anything without revealing that he had been delivering messages between Tubbo and L’manberg, so he agreed to stop visiting on one condition: Dream had to let Purpled leave Tubbo a gift. He agreed. The gift was a bee named Yellowed. He liked the flowers native to L’manberg and could remember the way there and get back. Yellowed continued the delivery service when Purpled no longer could.

Dream intercepted one of Yellowed’s deliveries and realized what Tubbo and Purpled had been doing behind his back the entire time. Underestimating Tubbo had been a mistake. So he went for where it hurt. Neither side saw Yellowed again. L’manberg believed Tubbo just hadn’t had anything to say. Dream had noticed the tracker Yellowed had and hid it with Tubbo. Even Purpled was led to believe that Tubbo had Yellowed with him. Tubbo worried as more and more time passed and Yellowed never returned. He even asked Dream, who said he hadn’t seen the bee around there but offered to help look for how he could’ve gotten out. The explanation that made the most sense was that Yellowed was still at L’manberg and his friends hadn’t yet sent him back with a message. But why wouldn’t they? They promised they’d always send the bee back within a day. It hadn’t even been raining, Yellowed should have been back. Unless they stopped caring. Unless they’ve abandoned him. But surely they wouldn’t. But time continued to pass and the only news he heard of L’manberg was from Dream himself and he couldn’t help but think that might have been what happened.

Dream’s manipulations started hitting him harder after he’d had that bit of connection torn away from him. And with Dream no longer holding back — Did you have fun with Phil when he came over? Oh, he didn’t? Weird, I could’ve sworn he would. I saw him giving Tommy some sort of special emerald, I thought it was a family thing since Ghostbur and Techno also have one. Maybe not if he hasn’t come here. Phil would come out all this way for family. I’m sure he remembers how to get here, or he could just ask Ghostbur or Tommy, he probably still has that compass thing.— it eventually became too much. Tubbo went to the enderchest Dream had given him on the first day of the exile. If Tommy didn’t care about him, about the disk he had, then surely he wouldn’t care if he just... Dream grinned when Tubbo pulled out the disk, thinking he won. But then Tubbo put down a bucket of lava and dropped the disk into it.

Dream was *fuming* he put all his time and effort into this plan all for Tubbo to just ruin everything. He started placing down tnt and Tubbo couldn’t do anything to stop him. He froze up, he looked at the tnt and he was back in the box on stage, Techno’s rocket launcher pointed at his face, he was back in L’manberg as Wilbur pressed the button and everything they’d been fighting for was destroyed around him.

Yellowed’s tracker and the lodestone were both destroyed in the explosion. Both Purpled and Tommy realized something was wrong and immediately left to check. Tommy traveled as fast as he could, but it was nowhere near as fast as a horse on a speed pot could go. He also hadn’t traveled the path enough to have memorized the quickest way to go. Purpled got there and found a crater in place of everything Tubbo had built. He found Tubbo in the crater, injured and dangerously close to some lava, but alive. Purpled threw down an enderchest and quickly began helping Tubbo. Once Tubbo was healed enough for it to be safe for him to be transported by horse, Purpled got him out of there. He didn’t want to be around if Dream decided to come back.

When Tommy got there he looked at the ruins and could only assume Dream had killed Tubbo. He wanted revenge. He’d held off on going after Dream before because Phil had let him know their plan was incredibly stupid — Techno’s in retirement, leave him out of it. Besides, you know how he is about government, if you somehow manage to drag him into this and side with you, you know he’s just going to turn around and get rid of you next. — when Tommy had told him about it in hopes of Phil to help him convince Techno to join them. But Tommy didn’t care anymore. The peace Tubbo wanted for their nation was no longer an option, maybe it never was. Dream had gone too far and Tommy wasn’t going to let him get away with it, even if it cost him his last life.

Purpled took Tubbo to a nearby village. He needed to bring his friend somewhere safe and L’manberg simply wasn’t. A village in the middle of nowhere that nobody knew about was. Or so he thought. Someone did know about the village and that someone happened to visit for some trades while they were there. Needless to say Techno was very confused when he entered a house looking to trade with some villagers and instead found two children hiding inside.

Techno hadn’t really been paying attention to L’manberg after he decided to retire. All he really knew about the situation was that Vice President had been exiled. So when he saw that Vice President hiding out in the village in the middle of nowhere, he was a bit smug. Reasonably so, he’d say. “How’s that government thing working out for you?” He asked. But then Tubbo flinched away and Purpled was shooting him a glare that promised he would stop at nothing to slay him if he made any wrong move. Techno decided he wouldn’t test that out, he was retired anyway. But something was clearly wrong. Normally at a clear challenge like this his voices would demand blood for the blood god. Instead they were screaming at him in panic and worry, the one thing consistent amongst the voices being their desire to keep Tubbo safe. Techno left the two in the building, hoping getting away from them would get the voices to calm. He knew though, when they got like that they wouldn’t stop until they got what they wanted. He needed to get Phil, he would know what to do.

Sorry for the late response I am not good at words <3

#mcyt #tubbo #purpled #dreamwastaken #dreamsmp #ask #uh oh exile remix #says marsh #au hours #long post

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riftimagines · 4 years ago

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Welp here’s a one shot no one asked for but I wrote this for a friend who also loves Kayn and had been feeling kinda down about their body lately and I really hope this cheers you up a bit!

Kayn x Chubby!Fem!Reader

Warnings: Mild NSFW

Summer in Ionia could get very warm and humid, so much so that it felt like a sauna outside. On these days nothing was better then taking a dip in the many rivers and lakes Ionia had to offer. Thats where you were headed now, to a nice secret swimming spot you’ve had since you were a child. You never did liked to go swimming when there were others around. Too much noise, horseplay, and judgmental eyes. You weren’t exactly thin. Being a bit full around your middle, backside and thighs always made you feel uncomfortable and no matter how hard you tried it just never seemed to go away. It made you stand out amongst all the lithe, thin, graceful women of your village that would sometimes stare at you with distain. They always made you uncomfortable in your own skin everyday until a couple months ago when you seemingly meet your Heartlight, Kayn. He was just so inexplicably drawn to you. You didn’t stare at him with the usual cowering fear of him when he walked into your shop for supplies, even when you knew he was part of the Order of Shadows and even had the audacity to sass him. Something in him stirred that day and he wanted more so he kept coming back practically everyday until out of the blue he asked you out. Most people would have declined being courted by the right hand of the shadows but he was so bold, quirky, and ridiculously attractive you couldn’t say no.

Now, your home is a second home for him and every few days, or weeks depending on his assignments, he’d come to stay with you for awhile to take a break from his missions. Today was the day he’d arrive and you left a note on your door so he’d know where to find you. As much as you love him you were not going to suffer on this horribly humid day, he’d be fine he’s a big boy. You walk for a couple more minutes when the sound of rushing water drifts in your ears. You pull back some overgrown vines to reveal the waterfall framed by summer flowers that summoned you to this spot. You smile excitedly at the prospect of not sweltering anymore and quickly place a bag with extra clothes you brought on a rock and remove your shoes and short thin robe just to cover you on your trek through the woods. Underneath you wore your swimming outfit, a form fitting crop top and a bit short shorts. You never did like some of the skimpier swimming out fits some of the other women wore and chose to keep it simple. Not waiting a moment longer you dove into the cool water and immediately sigh in relief. This was the absolute best.

You floated there for a few minutes before starting to swim to the grotto under the waterfall. Underneath was a nice little alcove that was perfect for getting out of the sun but still staying in the water. A rock in the back was just out of the water enough for you to sit on but still keep your legs in the water. As you hopped on and sat on it however you couldn’t help but feel your body…jiggle and something touching the skin of your thighs. You look down and feel a flash of embarrassment as you realize that thing was your stomach gently resting on your thighs. Immediately a knot formed in your guts and a feeling of dread sets in. It had seemed like you had put on some weight and in these somewhat tight and revealing clothes it was blatantly noticeable. Oh gods, why? How did this happen? How did you not notice? Granted you knew you were a bit plump but you were usually so careful about not getting more plump. Your mind races as to what happened to cause this and a only one predominant thing came to mind, Kayn. You know he probably didn’t mean for this to happen at all but as you two dated he noticed you liked sweets and whenever he’d travel and think of you he’d bring you back treats if he could just to make you smile. You could never turn them down, they were from your love after all, and more often times then not they were delicious and you couldn’t help but eat them all.

You glare down at the offending mass in your lap and experimentally touch it and grimace when your hand sinks into its softness. You move your hands around the rest of your body to inspect the damage your just noticed. Your sides softened and began to roll in the middle and was pouring over the lip of your shorts. Shorts that suddenly felt tighter then normal. They squeezed your thighs just enough to make them puff out the bottom of the fabric. The moment of mortification for you was when you felt your backside. It easily filled your hands and spread far more while you sat then you had expected. How long had you looked like this? Had Kayn noticed? Oh Gods, you couldn’t let him see you like this! He hadn’t seen you in such revealing clothing and you were sure he’d be disgusted if he saw you now. Your thoughts fill your head and block out the sound of someone entering the grotto and calling out to you. Something moved in close to you and in the corner of your eye you see Kayn looking at you in confusion. In your shock of seeing him you scream and fall back into the water. You pop back up only to hear his laughter and see his smug face. You give him a glare and curl in on yourself. This action makes him raise a brow. He swims closer to you and tries to embrace you. Oh no, you couldn’t let him touch you. You couldn’t bare to see his face contort into disgust upon feeling your plushness. You push firmly on his chest in an attempt to get him away, which only confuses him more and makes him more determined to hold you. He overpowers you quickly and has you in his arms then pouts at your behavior.

“What’s wrong? You never push me way. Did I do something to upset you?” Oh no, he thinks its him thats the problem. You shake your head and try to squirm out of his grasp only to be held down by his iron grasp. He frowns more deeply this time.

“If it’s not me then what is it? Come now, don’t be ridiculous and just spit it out already.” He says with a lace of frustration in his voice. You turn red and wish you could just get out of this conversation but Kayn was as stubborn as a Mule and won’t relent until he gets his answer. You sigh deeply. Time to face the music you suppose.

“I-I guess I’m just feeling a bit self conscious right now because I put on some weight and I know you would be disgusted with me.” You can’t meet his eyes. It would hurt too much to see that handsome face turn into another face of judgement. Instead of instant rejection he just huffs out a short laugh and places a kiss upon your cheek.

“That’s all? I already noticed you had put on some weight but, admittedly, I liked where it was going.” He says with some cheekiness in his voice. You look up at him and he has a wide cheshire grin plastered across his face. You suddenly gasp and instinctively swat his shoulder as his hands roam down and feel up your larger backside.

“It was also rather bold of you to just assume I’d find you disgusting for such a trivial thing. Your appearance was not the reason I fell in love with you, it was just an added bonus really.” You blush brightly and he chuckles. The knot in your stomach loosens slightly but you can’t shake off the rest of your doubt. You know he’s not lying, he’s too blunt, but you can’t help but feel nervous. Kayn catches on from your facial expressions and sighs.

“You are an obstinate woman. You truly doubt my love for you? Here, let me show you just how much I love you.” He quickly and suddenly moves you both through the water back to where you were sitting earlier and lifts you up to sit you back down. Your taken back a bit by his strength and thrown right back into embarrassment as he pushes your legs apart and he settles between them. His face comes right up to your soft stomach and you feel the need to wrap your arms around it. He stops you and holds your arms apart leaving your tummy exposed to his golden eyes.

“Don’t be shy, my love. You don’t need to hide anything from me. Now, where to begin.” He hums for a moment and you don’t know what he’s thinking. Your answer comes quickly though as he releases your arms and in a blink of an eye has his muscular arms wrapped around your middle and his face buried into your pudgy center.

“Kayn!” You exclaim loudly. You put your hands in his raven black hair and tug softly to try to get him off but he just burrows deeper and starts to kiss your rounded middle. You had never been so red in your life as Kayn loves up your body. Large calloused hands working your sides, sinking in as far as they’d go, his face engulfed in your ample belly, leaving kisses on as much of it as he can.

“Mmm, so soft, so warm. Why would you want to deny me this?” He asks through half lidded eyes of pleasure. If you thought your face couldn’t get any redder you were apparently wrong. You could practically feel steam coming off your face as you looked at his expression.

“I-I guess I thought I’d be too big for you. I didn’t think a guy as handsome as yourself would want to be seen with me.” He pauses his ministrations and looks at you with a face of exasperation.

“You’ll never be too big for me. I do tend to be a bit greedy when it comes to you and I WILL have all of you no matter how much of you there is. Like I said earlier, love, I did not fall in love with your body first. As long as the soul inside stays the same I do not care the vessel it comes in. Though, I am quite pleased with this one. You will most definitely be my cushion from now on.” You can’t help but smile at his words and dip down to kiss his forehead. He smiles victoriously and once more goes in to place a deep kiss on the lower half of your belly before pulling you into the water to float on top of him. You start to giggle softly from all his affections.

“Feeling better my, Heartlight? Do you still doubt my love?” You shake your head and reach up to ensnare him into a kiss that he happily returns.

“I do feel much better, thank you. I’m sorry I doubted your affections.” He smiles with a touch of arrogance.

“You should be. It wounds me that you would think I was so low. I think you need to make it up to me.” He says with a mischievous tone. Your nervousness returns slightly as he pretends to think about what he wanted just to make you sweat bullets for a moment. Your anxiety doesn’t allow you to wait very long and you have to ask.

“What do you want me to do?” He stops thinking and smirks with his fangs that make him look even more devious then normal.

“So eager, darling? Not to worry it won’t be anything bad. In fact, I know your going to enjoy it too. All I want is, when we return home, for you to let me fully show my love for you.” You look at him quizzically for a moment before you can feel him thumbing at the hem of your shorts. Oh. Ooooh. Your face immediately inflames and he laughs out as you swat him in the chest.

“Your such a perv.” You mumble out and he chuckles a bit deeply.

“Only for you and only if you let me.” It was your turn to laugh. You then lay your head on his breast bone and kiss his chin. He returns the gesture to your forehead and then brings his hands to your sides and starts to fondle your softness gently. Perhaps it was foolish to think that your Heartlight wouldn’t love you because you were a bit heavier. Quite frankly he seemed to be enjoying it more then anything and if you let him he’ll enjoy all of that too. You feel one of his hands reach your face and cup the curve of your supple cheek and begins to rub his thumb across it tenderly. His eyes full of love and affection. Yeah definitely a bit foolish.

#Kayn #League of Legends #league of legends x reader #One shots

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susieskinner93 · 4 years ago

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Robert Sugden Week 2020

Day 6 - The lost years

Robert stood in the garden, breathing in the fresh air when two arms wrapped around him from behind. He could immediately feel Aaron’s scent, and a second later his kiss, landing on his cheek.

“Thank you.” – he sighed with his eyes closed. He put his arms on Aaron’s trying to keep him in place.

“It’s just a hug.” – laughed Aaron.

“Not that.” – said Robert turning his head for a second but then he changed his mind and turned it back. – “That letter…. you, not giving up on me, even when I pushed you as far away as possible.”

“You gave it a good try I’ll give you that.” – smiled Aaron.

“Don’t.” – said Robert stepping away. Aaron’s arms fell from him as he stood there looking confused. – “It’s not funny.” – he said to him, and Aaron could see how all of this affected Robert.

“I’m sorry.” – he said quietly taking a step further to reach out to him. – “I was just trying to…”

“To make things easier… like it’s normal… I know.” – sighed Robert as he took a hold of Aaron’s hands. – “It’s… it’s still … fresh I guess.”

“It’s been only 3 weeks Rob.”

“I’m sorry that I always keep you up at night.” – he said referring to his insomnia. He was back for good but all those years in prison… it changes people. And Robert wasn’t an exception either.

“No, it’s alright.” – shrugged Aaron. Because to him, it was still worth it.

“No Aaron it’s not.” – he argued.

“It really is.” – said Aaron not letting go. Robert needed to understand something. And he was determined to let him know. – “Because being without you… it was hell. And no, I’m not being daft. I know it’s nothing compared to what you’ve gone through, but it wasn’t fun for me either. And now? Having you home again… lying in the same bed… feeling you breathing next to me? It worth more to me than you can imagine. I wouldn’t mind staying up with you all night if I had to.”

“You mean that?” – asked Robert as he choked back tears.

“Robert, you’re home for 3 weeks now, ain’t it obvious?” – he asked with a smile. Luckily Robert returned it.

“Yeah, it’s just… hard to believe I guess. That you’re still here, that you still… want me….”

“I’ll always want you. I thought I proved myself on that front already.” – he said with a smug smile.

“Yeah… not like we were ever able to take it slow.” – smiled Robert. Okay, maybe they weren’t thinking about the same thing at first, because Aaron thought about how they ended up in bed not even 10 minutes after Robert set foot in the village again. And Robert referred to the moment Aaron pulled his drawer out to dug out a small box. A small box with their rings in it. It was roughly an hour after Robert knocked on his door. Now he could feel the metal around his finger, and it was such a satisfying feeling. He didn’t take it off ever since, and he swore to himself he won’t do it ever again.

To know that Aaron still had those feelings for him even after 4 years… it was too overwhelming in that moment. He still teared up at the thought. Aaron waited for him. They didn’t really talk about anything too deep… but he didn’t care. Aaron let him in, and the minute they kissed, Robert truly felt like he was finally home again.

Robert knew they were remembering the same thing as they looked into each other eyes, but then Robert broke eye contact and walked back to the house.

“Robert?” – called Aaron.

“Yeah?”

“When you’re ready… you can talk about anything… I mean about what happened in there… or… anything you want. We don’t have to make this into a big thing, you just start talking and I’ll listen. I promise.” – he said nodding. Robert could only do one thing after that. He stepped closer to Aaron before he kissed him slowly.

“I don’t deserve you.” – he whispered to Aaron. Aaron wanted to argue, but he knew Robert, it would’ve been an impossible task. So he just let it go. Even more so because Robert kissed him again, and that was when Aaron lost all common sense. His only focus was on Robert. Because he was home again, and he would never leave and knowing that, gave him a feeling that lifted him up high above the ground.

As time passed Robert slowly got back to his old self more or less. And from time to time he told Aaron bits. Not much, but it was enough. Aaron never pushed him. When Robert wanted to talk, he talked.

That’s how Aaron found out about the hospital.

“After the first year… around Christmas, I think… I got stabbed.” – he said once casually. They were making dinner and Robert thought that this was the right time to tell the story. Aaron lifted his head in seconds, gaping at him like a fish in a bowl. He didn’t say a word, because he could feel Robert wasn’t finished. –“I know you’ve noticed the scar... it’s not like I could hide it. Thanks for not pointing it out.” – said Robert. Not that Aaron didn’t want to know how he got that, because that first night when Robert returned and they took their clothes off, his hand brushed against the scar on his left side. It was big. Way too big to be ignored, but Aaron just looked at him with a million questions in his eyes. Robert just cupped his cheek, whispered “Not now” and they went back to business. Aaron didn’t question it ever since. But now Robert told him what happened.

“How?” – that’s all he could ask really. He was still in shock, although he guessed that he didn’t get it from an accident.

“Wrong place wrong time… you know how that works.” – shrugged Robert. – “There wasn’t any… reason. I tried to keep my head down, but trouble found me occasionally. That day I just couldn’t get out of it quick enough.”

“Did they…”

“They got me to hospital. I had an operation. Everything went smoothly, I was fine, I was back before new year’s eve.”

“Oh my god, Robert…”

“No, it’s really fine.” – assured him Robert, before he continued chopping the vegetables.

The next time Robert opened about his prison years they were up. It was late, around 3 am, and Robert felt guilty. He didn’t want Aaron to lie awake with him just because he couldn’t sleep. But since they were both awake…

“I had a counselor. Inside I mean.” – he said quickly checking if Aaron was listening. He was. – “She helped me a lot.”

“Why did you…” - why did you start going he wanted to ask but he realized it was a stupid question. He was in prison, anybody would know how difficult that must have been. Aaron knew it first hand.

“At first I had to…. after the stabbing. They said it’s mandatory… for them to clear me, or something. And then… she offered me sessions. Not because I was… in a state or anything… just… to talk if I wanted to.”

“And did ya? Want to I mean.”

“At first I didn’t, but sometimes I felt so alone, and I just craved…. another human being’s voice? Not the thugs that would take offense at anything you say to them… good old fashioned conversation.”

“So you told her you wanted to go to those appointments?”

“Yeah… and it’s not like I told her much… or anything at first.” – he laughed. – “It got her a whole year before she tricked me into talking about you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. She read my file. She tried to get me to open up. It turned out, you were the key.”

The next time Robert told Aaron something prison-related it was 2 days before he got to meet Seb again, for the first time since he got sent down. He was a big boy now, 6 years old, and Robert was bricking it. Aaron could see how much it bothered him, but he waited until Robert started talking.

“I thought about him every day.” – he smiled when they were snuggling on the couch one night, looking at photos. – “I pictured what he’d look like, what he must sound like… if he’s still just babbling or properly talking yet… god sometimes I spent the whole day thinking about what it would be like if I was still there, taking care of him…. with you.” – he said looking at Aaron.

“He looks like you.” – he said quietly. He knew because after basically harassing Rebecca she let him visit, from time to time. It was good for Seb as well. His little eyes lit up when he saw Aaron for the first time, and from the way he reached out to him, so Aaron could take him into his arms, it was hard to deny the love and affection.

“What if he forgot me?” – he asked sniffing.

“Impossible. He couldn’t I made sure of that.” – answered Aaron smiling.

“What if he asks why I was away?”

“You’ll tell him.”

“He’s 6!”

“Yeah and he’s your son, he’s smart.” – he said but he noticed how anxious Robert still was. – “Calm down, it’s all gonna be fine. And now that you’re here again, he can come to visit us more often… and maybe… after a while… he could come back…. permanently.” – offered Aaron biting his lip.

“Really? You’d want that?”

“Of course you idiot. I love that kid. I missed him just as much as you did when he wasn’t around.”

“I’m sorry about that, he should’ve stayed with you.”

“Oi, no more self-pity, alright?” – asked Aaron. – “Just wait and see how it’s gonna turn out.”

“Okay.”

“Aaron?” – said Robert as he walked down the stairs.

“Yeah? What’s up?” – he asked. Robert came home from prison exactly a year ago, and sometimes Aaron still felt like there were things he didn’t know about those years his husband spent inside. He wondered if he ever will.

“It’s just…” - started Robert with a bunch of letters in his hands.

“What are those?” – asked Aaron pointing to the pile in his husband’s hands.

“Letters…. I wrote them to you… all of them. When I was… inside.”

“But…”

“You never got them… I know. Because I never posted them.”

“What?”

“I had to let it all out, but after I wrote them, I read them back, and I just couldn’t find the strength to post them. I started writing them after my second year. I thought it was too late anyway. I just didn’t wanna stop you from moving on…”

“I haven’t.” – said Aaron interrupting him.

“I know. And I want you to read them. Whenever you want. I just.. I leave it here.” – he said placing them on the kitchen table. – “Just… promise me you’ll talk to me if you have questions or… I don’t know.” – he waved nervously. – “It sounds stupid, maybe…” - he said suddenly clearly changing his mind by the second.

“No, leave them here. I wanna read them. Robert, there cannot be a single line there, that would make me stop loving you, you know that right?”

“I love you too.” – he smiled dropping a quick kiss to his forehead before he aimed for the door.

“Where… where are you going?” – asked Aaron confused.

“It’s 4 pm I gotta pick up Seb. We’ll be back in a bit.” – he said reminding him.

“Oh, okay, I see you soon.” – said Aaron, knowing that as soon as Robert gets out the door, he’s gonna open the first letter.

Aaron,

It’s been way too long, and I know I have no right… but just listen.

#robertweek2020 #robweek2020 #rs week 2020 #robron #robron fic #day6 #the lost years

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spam-monster · 5 years ago

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Helsaween day 7: Westergaard Family

Reposting the fic I wrote for Helsaweek in 2017 for “How It Should Have Ended” because it features my headcanons for Hans’ nieces and nephews - his 12 older brothers are probably mostly all married, so it makes sense he’d have a bunch of them. Also there’s not much Helsa technically...yet...

---

He thinks about what he could have done differently. Of course he does. Isn’t that what villains always do?

If he had let the queen be shot back in her ice palace, if he had not revealed his treachery to the princess so soon and let her die thinking that it was her fault true love’s kiss hadn’t saved her, if he had killed the queen as soon as she had fallen out there on the lake instead of sparing her a moment of sympathy for her perceived loss.

Those are the ones he tries to think about. The ones a monster like himself should think about. But there are other thoughts, ones that come to him unbidden when all is quiet and dark and still.

If he had been honest. If he had gone with Anna from the beginning instead of staying behind and feeding his ego. If he had confessed his deception and tried to help her find another way to break her curse instead of shoving it in her face and laughing as he slammed the door behind him.

If he had not pretended to love Anna at all, and had tried to win over Elsa instead, like he had intended. She would not have been fooled so easily. But maybe if he had been honest with her instead. Maybe if he had taken the time to befriend them. Maybe they would have let him come back, after that day. Maybe if he could have spent time away from his cruel brothers, with people who were kind and loving and good, maybe he could have learned such things himself. Maybe…maybe he could have found true love.

Instead he had let himself become the monster of their story, vanquished and cast away, never to be spared a though again.

But there is no use in dwelling on such things, he thinks.

He thinks.

Because it is hard not to dwell on these things when your nieces and nephews insist on him telling the story over and over and over again.

***

He spends more time with them now.

There is a small fountain in the village, near the castle. The children of the local village play there with the children of the royal staff. His nieces and nephews didn’t use to play there, with the lower-class children, but one day he had gotten tired of having to repeat the story to them after he had already told it to the village children that day, and from then on he declared he would only tell it once, to whomever was gathered at the fountain when he was finished with his duties for the day. So all the children play there together now while they wait for him.

His brothers are rather annoyed at him for encouraging this. He can’t bring himself to care. Maybe if he had contact with normal loving families earlier in his life, he would have been quicker to realize what his family had lacked.

Hilda is the eldest, the first-born of his oldest brother, strong-willed and fierce. Fredrick is the first born of his second eldest brother, clever and charming. Christian is the son of Lars, his third eldest brother, and he is as stuffy and studious as his father, and his little sister Margrete is a hopeless romantic. And there is Erik and Harald, Magnus and Frida, Charlotta and Valdimarr and Vivi and Johan…

He had memorized their names out of convenience before. Lately, it had been out of sympathy. Twelve married princes with several children each made it hard for the staff to keep track and easy for the children to get lost in the crowd, and he knew all too well what that had felt like.

They made fun of him, of course, as they forced him to tell of his defeat over and over again. But they also listened to him, now that they knew he was willing to tell them stories if they behaved. It was kind of…nice.

So he comes to the fountain, and waits for them to settle down, and he tells them stories. He throws other fairy tales in sometimes, when they agree, for telling the same story all the time would be dull. But the story of Anna and Elsa is still their favorite, and he has agreed to tell it again today.

***

The beginning is easy.

He does not know much about what happened in Arendelle before he arrived, but between the history books, rumors from foreign travelers, and what he had heard from Anna, he manages to put it together. He then tells them of his arrival, of meeting Anna, of the coronation and the party and his clever wooing of the princess. He re-enacts the dances and the songs with great enthusiasm, even letting the children get up and participate themselves (Fredrick and Margrete often steal the show at this point, unless another child has managed to bargain with them for a chance to play himself or Anna).

After the dancing has settled down, he tells them of the argument. Of Elsa losing control and fleeing across the lake while Arendelle froze behind her. Of how Anna decided to go after her alone, while Hans stayed behind and took care of Arendelle.

“You should have gone with her!” one of the girls pipes up, as they always do.

“You’re just saying that because you’re mad I don’t know what happened to her after that.” He replies.

Because they are annoyed, of course. They don’t care about how Hans helped protect Arendelle’s citizens by organizing food and shelter for them when they were cold and afraid. They want to hear about how Princess Anna braved climbing the mountains to find her sister, and Hans doesn’t know that part of the story.

He’s heard there was an ice harvester involved. And snow monsters. And somehow Elsa ended up freezing Anna’s heart. That’s about it.

So he skips to the part where he traveled up the mountain himself to confront the queen. He emphasizes how he saved her from the Duke’s henchmen and brought her back unconscious but unharmed.

(He knows he does it to try to compensate for what he did later. He doesn’t think they’re fooled.)

He returned to Arendelle’s castle. And so did Anna.

(He hates telling this part.)

(He should be smug about how easily he tricked her. He was, at the time. It’s a lot harder to feel good about yourself for fooling someone into believing you loved them only to throw it back in their face later when there aren’t dozens of small, disapproving eyes watching you.)

So he glosses over it. Just tells them that he hurt her, admits that she probably didn’t deserve it.

(Sometimes he even tries to explain to them that it wasn’t her he was mocking, it was himself for being as naive as she was once. They just glare at him. They don’t understand yet, and that’s a good thing.)

He never tells them exactly what he said to her, although he remembers every word.

(He was wrong, anyway.)

And then, he tells them how he chased after Elsa.

He tells them that he thought killing her was the only way to stop the endless winter and save Arendelle.

(He had thought that, at the time.)

(It’s easier to tell himself that than to admit that he had wanted it to be the only way to stop the winter.)

And then…

He usually lies.

They know he’s going to lie about how it ended. They expect it by now. And as an expert liar, he tries to make it as extravagant as possible.

Last week it had ended with him having been secretly hiding that he had been born with power over fire the whole time, and he and Elsa engaging in an epic magic battle. This week Elsa summoned a giant ice dragon that he had to defeat before she would give up.

(His lies often involve Elsa fighting back somehow. It’s hard to admit now that he was about to kill a defenseless woman in cold blood.)

So he lies, for as long as they allow him to, because he is a very entertaining liar. But eventually they grow bored of it, as they always do.

And he relents, and tells them the truth.

He tells them how, as he went to deliver the final blow, Anna had appeared out of nowhere. How she had protected her sister who had neglected her for all those years, who had frozen their kingdom; how she stood in front of him and blocked his sword as she froze even though the woman she was protecting had been the one to curse her heart to freeze in the first place.

And then, well…

“You really don’t remember anything?” They ask.

“What part of ‘knocked unconscious’ do you not understand?” he retorts.

But even though he doesn’t remember Anna or the kingdom unfreezing, he can tell them now why it happened.

“An act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.” He tells them. “Even after everything Elsa had done, Anna still loved her enough to save her. Her love for her sister is what freed her heart, and then inspired Elsa to find a way to undo her magic and save their kingdom from the endless winter.”

(He knows that he shouldn’t feel happy at this part. He certainly wasn’t happy when he had woken up, back then. But he sees the light in the children’s eyes when he tells them this part, when he tells them that true love is real and it is out there, when he sees siblings and cousins quietly holding hands or pulling each other closer despite his brothers encouraging them to fight and argue among each other as they once had done.

And if he can give them the reassurance he had never gotten as a child, if he can encourage them to hold on to that hope instead of letting it be buried under abuse and loneliness and neglect, then maybe there’s hope for his family yet.)

But they are still obnoxious children.

“You haven’t told us the best part.” Christian complains.

“Isn’t Anna and Elsa saving the kingdom the best part?” he says sweetly.

(It never works, but it’s a tradition by now.)

“Just do it,” Hilda demands.

He sighs. Then he stands up and reenacts Anna’s reaction to him after he had woken up.

As he mimes getting punched in the face and tosses himself dramatically in the fountain, the children laugh and cheer hearty. Little brats.

Well at least someone is satisfied with the end of his story.

He doesn’t notice the fountain water feels icier than usual or that the children have become oddly silent until he hears her.

“Well that’s funny. I certainly don’t remember the dragon.”

---

(And then the kids end up thinking Anna and Elsa are the coolest ever and are really mad that Hans didn’t marry one of them and pester him about it.

“I could have had an aunt with magic ice powers! Uncle Haaaans!”

“So I know Miss Anna has a boyfriend now...but does Miss Elsa have anyone? Because my uncle’s still single...”

*flustered Hans noises* “FOR GOODNESS SAKES - COULD YOU NOT - I TRIED TO - SHE DOESN’T... I...apologize for them, your highness. They don’t understand the severity of the situation -”

“But you feel bad about what you did now, right uncle Hans?”

“...What...feelings? I don’t have feelings! Obviously! Someone like me have feelings that’s ridiculous who has feelings nowadays why-”

*more flustered Hans noises*

*Elsa snickering in the background*)

#helsa #helsaweek #helsaween #helsaweek2019

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letmeringabell · 5 years ago

Text

Legends Never Die - Chapter 3

I debated about posting this until I wrote Chapter 4 so that I could just post 2 chapters at once, because this chapter is just fluff to advance the plot. But I promised myself I would stay consistent in trying to post weekly. This time, I was more relaxed in writing this, and I don’t know if it shows. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this and if you have any Mortal Kombat fanfics to recommend, please do.

Link on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20806688/chapters/49668056

The nights in Outworld are no different from Earthrealm; The night sky is just as pitch black, and stretches as far as her eyes can see, the sounds of the nightlife; the music and laughter are a pleasant blur in the distance. But what amazes her are the stars – They are abundant in their numbers, and shine just as brightly. Her pace slows down into a leisurely lilt, her steps are light against the earthy pavement, and her head is up high to gaze at the stars.

Even when the days are long, and seem like they have no end, even when there is no semblance of certainty in her life, seeing the stars always makes her dream.

“You’re late,” a stern voice greets her from the backyard, less than impressed.

“I know, I know. I got caught up with work, and lost track of time, won’t happen again,” She apologizes earnestly, but she can already tell that Cassie and Jacqui are rolling their eyes at her. Both of them know that it won’t be her last rodeo in tardiness, Vanessa’s dedication to her work is boundless and she pursues it with great zeal and enthusiasm. She is one of the best medics in her field, but as a timekeeper, she is as useless as a fish is to the sky.

Vanessa plops herself in the seat beside Cassie’s with a tired huff, expecting a midnight snack of Hot Chocolate and biscuits. Oddly enough, she is greeted by the sight Grilled Beef, Pasta, Pizza accompanied by sides of Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread. She looks over at Cassie and Jacqui confused—Were they having someone over tonight?

“Is there a special occasion that I forgot about?” She had nervously inquired, eyes darting over from Cassie to Jacqui repeatedly. Both of them look at each other expectedly, but neither of them wanted to give her an answer. There’s something fishy in the air; What were they hiding, and why?

Darkness swarms her vision, the feeling of warm hands rest on her eyes. Oh Lord, I’ve gone blind, is the first thought that came to mind, but the warmth felt familiar, and almost recognizable, that it brings a knowing smile to her face.

“Takeda! You’re here!” She jumps and engulfs him in a tight hug, “When did you reach Outworld?”

“I’ve been here since like, 2 hours ago. I personally wanted to see you earlier, but uh, I got occupied,” He ends his sentence with an awkward pause, and everyone is made painfully aware of the implied distraction. Everyone sighs in exasperation at the lovers’ antics, before taking their seats at the table. The night begins with the passing of plates, and the taking of food; Cassie and Jacqui already have their hands on the pizza, Takeda slices a few thin layers of grilled beef for himself, and Kenshi is carefully forking the pasta onto his plate.

Takeda starts the conversation, “So, what have you been up to, Van? I didn’t get to see you before you left.”

“Are you sure you weren’t ‘occupied’ with other things?” She teases light-heartedly, earning a graceful choke from Jacqui, “Before I left, I was training the new recruits. Now, I’m just nose-deep in my research.”

“What are you researching on this time?” Cassie asks, fishing another slice of pizza for herself.

“The herbs and flowers of Outworld, mostly their medicinal properties. I feel like I’m slowly turning into a witch from a Disney movie, a little eye of newt here, and a virgin’s tear there, and poof! The stuff blows up in my face, and I’m left black, blue or purple.”

“But doesn’t the Palace have a library and a book with that information? It would save you the time, and embarrassment.”

“I’ve got a few, but they’re at least centuries old, and as far as old wives tales go, they’re pretty outdated. So, I decided to update it myself.”

“You sure that’s the only thing you’ve been doing?” Jacqui slides in slyly, the suggestive undertones aren’t missed by anyone, because all of their heads are turning, directing their full attention towards her. Vanessa feels her face heat up under the scrutiny, as she tries to nonchalantly fork noodles into her mouth so that she wouldn’t have to speak but Cassie is having none of it, because the blonde is jabbing her sides persistently.

“Come on, Van. Who is it this time? Is it one of the doctors? Or, is it one of the guards at the gate? He’s pretty cute too.”

“Actually, it’s the Big Bad Wolf himself, Erron Black.”

Cassie scoffs, the snark comes in full blast, “Really? Him? You can’t be serious, Van! YOU! CAN! DO! BET-TER!”

“It’s nothing like that, Cass, Jacqui,” She punctuates, shooting a pointed look towards her smug friend, “I was just stitching him up, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Yeah, yeah. I saw what went down. Both of you were making bedroom eyes at each other, bet if I didn’t walk in, y’all would’ve made out,” Jacqui sings and jumps on Takeda’s lap, making faces and loud, exaggerated kissing noises to emphasize her point.

“What is he like?” This time, Kenshi enters the conversation as a way to distract from the couple’s obvious PDA.

“He is… Intense,” She answers honestly, the afternoon’s stunt refreshes itself in her head without permission.

The way he had caged her in between him and her chair, leaning forward so she had nowhere else to look at, but him. She would’ve been lying if she said that she didn’t feel something; The electric tension had upset the calm in her room, the expectation and anticipation of sinful acts escalating between them left her heart aflutter, the small voice of indecision whispering in the back of her head. She was almost certain that he would’ve leaned in, so she could’ve justified kicking him in the nuts.

But he didn’t – He waited. At the time, she thought that he had been messing around with her for shits and giggles. However, in retrospect, she realized that he was leaving the choice in her hands. Whatever his reasons were, are unknown to her and she could hardly bring up the energy to care.

Although, what did he think of her, when she decided not to do anything?

“Every time, we touch, I get this feeling-“

“CAN IT, JACQUI!” Vanessa howls as she shoves garlic bread aggressively into the black girl’s mouth, effectively shutting her up and making everyone around the table laugh at Jacqui’s muffled yelps.

“I have a small request to ask of Special Forces.”

That morning had startled Cassie -- The coffee in Outworld is really strong. However, seeing Jade wait in her office accompanied by the silent gunslinger, it what surprises her the most. The tall Osh-tekk nor the warrior princess are anywhere in sight, (and despite their scuffle two weeks before) Cassie begrudgingly acknowledges Erron’s presence under the guise of professionalism.

“There has been another outbreak in one of the nearby villages. Kotal and Kitana are already there, but I want your medic to help with their investigation and nurse the villagers back to health.”

“What happened to your doctors?”

Jade huffs, slightly miffed, “They have tried, but they were unsuccessful. Kotal suspects that there might be elements of foul-play, Kitana and I think it’s just his nerves. Whatever it is, we need you to be down there.”

The commander is silent, her eyes downcast in pensive thought. Kotal already has Special Forces under high alert – There had been two teams designated for search and patrol, with both teams rotating between night and day. The day squad has just been dispatched, while the night squad had just returned for the day. It would be possible to send a team for the excursion, since Jade has asked help for that afternoon alone. On the other hand, everyone’s worn out, and even soldiers cannot run on willpower alone.

If she sent a team out now, and something untoward were to happen, all of them wouldn’t stand a chance.

“I can send out a team, on two conditions.”

“Name it.”

“One, give my soldiers 3 hours of rest before sending them out there. Two, convince Kotal to reduce the amount of patrols he wants to send out.”

“Deal. I will talk to Kotal about relaxing the patrols for a while,” Jade agrees before excusing herself out of the Commander’s office with the Cowboy trailing after her.

“You’ll be joining Special Forces today as well, Erron. Have everyone ready in 3 hours.”

“Is there really a point to this?” Erron asks, and Jade catches the irritation and slight frustration in his voice.

“I assure you, the Special Forces are-“

“I’m talking about the whole damn fiasco, Jade. It’s a waste of time.”

He tells her frankly. Sure, Kotal wants to maintain the peace between the realms and reaching out to the Special Forces had been the first step. But, Outworld is self-sufficient; All of them were natural survivors, born and bred. It has always been their way of life, and no amount of cozying up to other realms will change that because at the end of the day, it’s every man for himself. Self-interest outweighs the need for balance and prosperity almost all the time, and he’s willing to bet that the Special Forces wouldn’t hesitate to stab them in the back if there was an opportunity to.

So yes, to further emphasize his point, it’s bullshit. No amount of money or gold, will ever change his mind.

Jade doesn’t rebuff him nor does she fully agree with his confession, and her reply is anything but neutral, “Kotal and Kitana don’t share your skepticism, but I understand the concern. However, if Kotal demands it, do we really have the choice to say no?”

Knock Knock

“Miss Vanessa?” He calls out to her, and enters her room. Normally, his Southern manners would prevent him from entering without consent, but Missy Elliot over here is 10 minutes behind for the designated assembly call-time, and if he didn’t call her out now, her tardiness would delay their departure.

Instead of a panicked, wide-awake doctor, he is greeted by the sight of her sleeping form, and her expression makes him chuckle to himself. The furrowed brows, the downturned lips and the tensed jaw – Whatever she’s cooking up in her dreams, she looks ready to pick a fight with anyone in her sleep. He takes a seat on the chair beside her table, and picks up one of the sheets of paper to read, curious to know what’s been her cup of tea lately.

(And maybe, he would let her sleep for another five minutes.)

(1791 words)

#Mortal kombat 11 #Mk11 #mortal kombat fanfiction #erron black #erron black x F!OC #cassie cage #jacqui briggs #takahashi kenshi #jade #takeda takahashi

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p-artsypants · 6 years ago

Text

No, You Go First (Part 1)

This ones been rolling around for some time. Changed a little bit here and there…kind of thought about making it longer. Maybe someday.

What would happen in the first movie if Stoick listened to his son at a key point?

FF.net | Ao3

—

Hiccup snuck in the door quietly. The run in with the Nightfury had taken much longer than expected, and he only hoped no one noticed he was missing.

Who was he kidding? No one would miss him.

Though, when he entered his house, Stoick was sitting at the fireplace, whittling, and waiting for him. The boy bit his lip and fled to his room, hoping to not be spotted.

“Hiccup?”

“Dad! Hey! Uh…I-I have to talk to you…”

“I have something to say to you too…”

They both spoke at the same time, mashing their sentences in a mess of scrabbled words. Then, “What?”

“You go first,” urged Stoick.

“Okay…” And he took the chance, because when would his father ever listen to him?

“I was thinking, you know we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough bread-making Vikings, or small home—“

“Get on with it Hiccup.” Stoick said, crossing his arms.

“I don’t want to fight dragons.”

Stoick stared at his son, blankly, and then laughed. “Come on, yes you do.”

“Rephrase, I can’t kill a dragon.”

Stoick was prepared to rebuttal, but seeing his little son so hunched, so withdrawn…so un-viking, made him hold his tongue. “What was all that bravado about then earlier? You were begging me to let you out there!”

“I know I know…” Hiccup rubbed his arm. “But I…realized something.” He glanced up shyily, wincing all the while. “Promise you won’t get mad?”

Stoick let out a massive sigh doing everything in his power to stay calm. “I promise. I’d rather you not hide things from me.”

Hiccup nodded meekly, still holding his arm. “I…I did shoot down that dragon. So I went down to Raven’s Point to make sure, and maybe finish the job if I needed to. When I got there, I saw him…and I raised my knife, ready to strike…and then I looked into it’s eyes. It was…scared, terrified…I saw myself in it. I couldn’t…I just…I cut it free.” He clenched up, waiting for the onslaught of anger from his dad.

But it never came.

Hiccup peeled his eyes open to see his dad red in the face and a frown on his lips. Then Stoick puffed out air. “So you cut it loose. It didn’t hurt you?”

“He pinned me to the ground and roared in my face. And then he took off.”

“What kind of dragon was it?”

“I think it was a Nightfury…”

“A Nightfury! And you let it go!?”

“I know!” He cried. “I’m sorry! I just…”

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder. “Look, Hiccup.”

He looked up and met Stoick’s eyes.

“Your mother was a lot like you. She was convinced that dragons weren’t as evil as we believed. Even up until the day she was taken.”

“They are still a pest! They do make it hard to live! I just—I just—…” He gestured helplessly.

Stoick steered him over to sit him down at the fire.

“When your mother was here, most of us only used hammers as weapons. We agreed that the beasts weren’t evil, but after she was taken…” He sighed. “Hiccup, I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. But I can’t lose you.”

“Dad…”

“I have to know that you’ll be safe in a raid. But you can’t lift a hammer, you can’t swing a sword…”

“Dad, dad!” Hiccup interrupted. “I’ll stay in the forge.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’ll work. I’ll lift heavy stuff and build up my arms and learn how to use weapons…”

Stoick, who was now calming down, saw the slight tremble in his son and the fear that persisted in his eyes. “Son,” he said softly. “It’s alright. The forge is a good idea.”

“You don’t look 100% sure…”

“It’s not the most honorable. Everyone loves the Blacksmith, but not for a chief. But, you’re only 15. Things may change.”

“Yeah.” Hiccup vocally agreed, but that look in the Nightfury’s eyes had been so haunting, he knew he couldn’t raise a weapon against a dragon ever again. “But…I’ll start to win everyone’s favor by staying out of the way.”

Stoick managed a laugh. “A start it is.”

The little family fell into silence. Stoick continued his whittling while Hiccup sat by. He felt like there was more to be said.

“Dragon training starts tomorrow. I was going to have you start…but while Gobber’s training the new recruits, someone will have to be in the forge.”

Hiccup nodded in agreement, some of the tension coming off his shoulders.

“You’re not a warrior.” Stoick declared, giving him a side eye. “You aren’t bursting with muscle, and weapons are useless in your hands.”

“Thanks…”

“But you have something most of the vikings in this village wish they could have.”

This was news. All his life he had been called useless and a screw up. What could he possibly have that no one else did?

“You have brains, capable of resourcefulness and creativity.”

Hiccup just stared at his dad, open mouthed.

“You couldn’t throw a bola, so you made something to throw it for you. I’ve seen your craftsmanship, I’ve heard your wit. You’re different from all of us, Hiccup.”

Hiccup hunched his shoulders. “I don’t want to be different. No one likes different…”

“Of course they don’t. Because they can’t understand it.” He leaned forward, beckoning Hiccup to look him in the eye. “You won’t be able to lead the tribe like I have, or like my father before me. But you will lead it, one day. You just have to find your niche.”

“Well, what do you want me to do?”

“If you truly believe that the beasts are capable of something more, find a way to make them stop raiding us. A thousand years of fighting hasn’t changed a thing.”

Hiccup considered this thought heavily. His father was putting a lot of trust and faith on his shoulders.

“But son, if you don’t find that solution…one day, you’ll have to put your reservations aside and be like the rest of us. Deal?”

Hiccup glanced to the duffle bag by the door. Stoick was leaving, and this could very well be the last time they saw one another. He nodded. “Deal.”

“Good. Well, keep up the good work. I’ll be back. Probably.”

“And I’ll be here. Maybe.”

—

The next day, Hiccup went down to the training academy, and sat along the upper edge with a notebook.

“Welcome to dragon training!” Gobber called with gusto.

“I hope I get some serious burns.” Declared Tuffnut.

“I’m hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back.” Added his sister.

“Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it.”

Hiccup chuckled a little as he watched.

“You sure you don’t want to join us, Hiccup?” Called Gobber.

“Pul-lease,” interrupted Snotlout. “He wouldn’t last five seconds in the ring.”

“You’re right Snotlout,” Hiccup called with a smug little grin. Though, no one could see it from that distance. “I’d much rather you be in there.”

Gobber interrupted the little spat. “Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village.”

“Which we all know, is going to be me.” Said Snotlout, with a flourish. “I mean, come on. Who else could it be?”

“Maybe me?” Said Astrid, hand on her hip.

“Yeah maybe, if you weren’t a girl.”

Hiccup had to hold back a laugh at the absolute rage that crossed her face.

Soon, Hiccup realized he had made the smart choice of declining dragon training after all. Since Gobber was merciless in his methods. The Grockle sputtered around the arena, it’s eyes focusing on the shields and the weapons. Gobber hung back by the wall, and the dragon paid him no mind. Neither did it notice little Hiccup who sat above. Hiccup noted this. But knew the solution of just ‘not having weapons’ would be received with a firm kick off of the cliffs.

In the end, Astrid careened the shield into the dragon’s snout disorienting it.

“The dragon will always, always, go for the kill.”

Hiccup wrote this down, and then scratched out ‘always’. “Then why didn’t he…?”

—

The Nightfury was not as free as Hiccup had first thought.

Now that it was trapped in the cove, sans tail fin, he had a chance to double his efforts on observation, and perhaps even befriending the Nightfury. Perish the thought!

But he remembered his father’s words and returned to the cove day after day. Every once in a while, he would go the academy and sit on whatever wisdom Gobber seemed to be preaching.

From the look of things, they weren’t fairing very well. He had always assumed Snotlout would be the winner of the class, but it seemed like his ego was his downfall.

And his lack of common sense didn’t help.

Astrid on the other hand, took training extremely seriously. Almost to the point of alienating herself from the rest of the group. She was trapped in her head, focused, with death on the mind.

It was one night at dinner when he took a look into her head. All the other tables were filled, as he sat at one, sketching some ideas for Toothless’s tail. Nothing too noticeable for the other vikings around.

But he was startled when she sat across from him.

“Uh hi Astrid, hi Astrid.” He stammered. Smooth.

“Mind if I sit here?” She drawled as an afterthought.

“No- not at all, you’re fine. I love you—I’d love to have you! Here. Sitting. Just sitting.” He over corrected, his voice too loud.

She stared at him, wide-eyed as he blushed and covered his face with his hands. Then she snorted. “Now I can see why you’re not training with us. Jumpy little thing, aren’t you?”

“Sorry, words aren’t my friend.”

She hummed in amusement and took his notes closest to her. “So what is the great Hiccup Haddock up to this time? What mess will we have to clean up?”

Hiccup snatched his notes back with a frown. “I’m not up to anything.”

“Right. Why do you keep watching us in the academy?”

“Why do you care?” He didn’t mean to sound harsh, but it came out that way. She had never cared about him before. Not unless he did something stupid. Then she was there with her perfect blue eyes, and rolling them.

Astrid shrugged. “I don’t. I’m just curious.” She picked at her food. “You just seem like the only person around here with any decency is all.”

“Oh…did Snotlout do something?”

“He always does stuff.”

“But he didn’t like…you know…”

“Gods no, Hiccup!”

“Okay! I was just making sure!”

She flipped the switch on him. “Why do you care?”

He smiled, “As future chief, I want to know of any drama before it happens.”

She scoffed, “Future chief?”

“I mean…I am the next in line. The only other option is Snotlout, and who would you rather have?”

“You got me there.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Why are you talking to me again? Not that I don’t enjoy your company or anything...”

“I mean, you said it. You are the future chief. My parents mentioned that I should be nicer to you.”

He shrugged. “Well, I don’t know if I want you to be my friend just to take advantage of my status.”

She cringed. “Yikes, I really didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then how did you mean it?”

“I meant that I want to support you to be a good chief. If no one is here for you and no one believes in you, how are you supposed to lead us?”

He shrugged. “My dad thinks I still have some time.”

“Maybe...” she acquiesced. “But you know, there’s something about you that’s refreshing.”

“What? That not everything I have to say is about strength and death?” He said with sarcasm.

“Basically.”

He wasn’t expecting that. “Oh.”

“You know, I’m kind of surprised your dad didn’t have you enter dragon training.”

Hiccup scratched his cheek. “He wanted me too...but I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

Astrid nodded in understanding and glanced at his notebook again. “So what are you doing?”

He blushed, prepared with a half truth. “Observing dragon behavior. My dad kind of gave me a task, I’m assuming to keep me busy and out of the way. He wants me to see if I can find another solution to our dragon problem...since fighting isn’t changing things.”

“Did I just hear you say you’re trying to get out of fighting dragons?” Snotlout interrupted, approaching the table. “I saw Astrid sitting with you and I was trying to figure out why she would do something so crazy. Now I get it, she’s worried you’re going to doom us all.”

Hiccup bristled, closing his notes. He prepared to leave, but Astrid held a hand out.

“For your information, I’m sitting with Hiccup because he’s my friend, and he’s not a complete idiot.”

Snotlout scoffed. “Like I actually care...” and he walked off.

“Wow...” said Hiccup, breathlessly. “I’m…I’m not used to people sticking up for me.”

“So you made a few mistakes. But you’ve tried to be helpful. I don’t think you should be ridiculed for it.”

Hiccup swallowed, a lump in his throat. “Thank you, Astrid.”

She spared a smile. “If Stoick gave you this task, then I’ll make sure to help you.”

“It’s...it’s kind of a secret. I’m not sure how the others will take it.”

“Can I see your notebook?”

“Why?”

“Because you’re not always at the academy for classes. I’ve had more up close encounters with dragons than you have.”

He shrugged and handed over the book. Debatably, he had more up close encounters with dragons, since the few times he visited Toothless and learned from him. But she didn’t need to know that.

Astrid opened to a new page and began to write down her observations and thoughts from dragon training. They sat in silence for a while while she scratched away, thought, and then wrote some more.

“Here,” she had dated the page and titled it ‘Astrid’s thoughts on dragons’. “This is my two cents.” Then she stood with a smile. “Your dad is a really good chief. I’m glad he found a way for you to help in your own way.”

“Yeah.” Hiccup didn’t want to mention that he was the one that had come up with idea in the first place. “And, Astrid?”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks.”

She grinned at him. At him! “See you later, Hiccup.”

—

Over the next few days, something began to form between him and Astrid. Nothing romantic…well, at least not on her part. He was pretty obviously smitten with her, and blushed every time he saw her. But she had the decency to never comment on it.

No, there was something like a feeling of camaraderie between them. A sort of friendship, but without the deep emotional talks.

Those were reserved for Toothless.

At meals, and only then, did Astrid join him at his lonely table and share her wisdom. Likewise, he told her some tricks, like the fact that the dragons didn’t like eels and that if you reflected light off a shield, they’d chase it.

She was doubtful, but filed these tricks away for a later date.

Everyone else in the tribe, on the other hand, were being to be merciless to Hiccup. He was of age, and yet refused to go into dragon training? What a brat. Pathetic. Worthless heir. There was talk of him being a dragon sympathizer as well, curtesy of Snotlout. And since Stoick wasn’t around to set the record straight, things only escalated.

Daily, Hiccup was pushed, tripped, and shooed away from vendors and food carts, and even children.

Hiccup thought he couldn’t be any more lonely. He was wrong. The only kind faces waiting for him were Astrid and Gobber.

Even his work in the forge was becoming a problem. People would come to get their knifes sharpened and refuse to let Hiccup do it. If they picked out a weapon he worked on, they’d drop it like it was still hot from the forge.

“Lad, maybe you should just work in the back for a while. Until this all cools down.”

Hiccup scoffed. Like this would ever get better. If one thing was certain, it was that Vikings were stubborn.

Astrid came in one day, Hiccup could hear her. “Is Hiccup here?”

“Depends, are you here to bully him?”

“No, why would I do that?”

“Because that’s all anyone wants with him these days.” He gestured with his thumb. “‘Es in the back.”

Hiccup stood quickly, however, and stepped outside to hide his secrets. “Hi Astrid, hi, how are you?”

“I should be asking you the same thing.”

His shoulders hunched, “I’m…I’m okay.”

She shook her head, but didn’t argue. “I need my axe sharpened.”

“Uh…couldn’t you just Gobber to do it for you?”

“Nope. I know you’re the one that’s been servicing my blade for the last few years. You’re the one who knows it.” She handed the axe over willingly.

It took a little effort to lift it. Like most things did. Put he held it sturdily. “You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

He smiled broadly at her.

—

There will be a part two. I’m just on vacation and wanted to publish this chunk first.

#fanfiction #httyd #hiccup #hiccup horrendous haddock iii #Astrid Hofferson #hiccstrid #stoick #how to train your dragon

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raendown · 6 years ago

Link

I am weak and I wrote more for the Uchiha Courting Rituals au.

Pairing: MadaTobi, HashiIzu, HashiMito, ToukaAndHerHarem Word count: 2675 Summary: Wedding bells chime in the nearby future but who are they chiming for?

Follow the link or read it under the cut!

As Many As It Takes

Less than decade ago if someone had asked Tobirama to sit down in the company of even just one Uchiha without reaching for a weapon he would have laughed in their face. Now he sat calmly in a room with six different men and women all from a clan he had once considered his mortal enemies, all of them intermingled with the members of his own family, calmly enjoying his shochu and very carefully planning out how he would later seduce Madara in to calming the fuck down.

Seductions, he had found, were his most effective weapon against Madara’s rage. Evidently his partner found it very difficult to remain angry with his cock halfway down another man’s throat.

Taking another fortifying sip, Tobirama reflected that life was strange and the Uchiha were stranger. There wasn’t a single person in here wearing the Uchiha fan who wasn’t currently bearing some sort of injury with loving pride. However they had come to the conclusion generations ago that violence should be connected to romance, he at least applauded them for being so straight forward. His own dating history was rocky and sparse due entirely to the fact that social subtleties just weren’t his forte. At least with Madara the only flirting he needed was a swift punch with loving intentions.

It was very likely, however, that he would soon be witness to violence sans the loving intentions. He knew exactly why they had all been gathered here tonight and it was only in part to congratulate Touka on her successful hunting endeavors. Truthfully they were here to reveal a secret to the only person here who still didn’t know, the only person here whose reaction they had all been slightly wary of.

Rightfully fearful of his brother’s reaction to learning he’d entered a courtship of his own, Izuna had pulled a few strings and recommended Madara for a diplomatic mission repairing current relationships with Kirigakure which had kept him away from home for a full three weeks. In that time Izuna and Hashirama had gone through the entirety of the lightning fast Uchiha courtship and come out the other side ready to be married – and that was when they hit a small snag, the same snag Touka had hit upon in her own adventures. Marriages in the Uchiha clan required the permission of their clan Head. With Madara out of the village there could be no marriages performed.

Tobirama rather carefully avoided mentioning the slight tyrannical overtones that suggested to him. Keeping peace was a delicate balance and he could only get on his knees so many times in one day to calm his beloved down.

His thoughts were interrupted then by the thundering of a fist against wood: Touka rapping her knuckles on the table in the center of the room. A large portion of the room immediately looked up at her with worship in their eyes, something Tobirama knew he would have to get used to seeing at family gatherings yet still struck him as a bit overwhelming. One was all he needed, thanks.

Nevertheless, he politely gave the desired attention to his cousin.

“Alright. We all know why we’re here. And most of us know the other reason we’re here but I’m obviously more important so listen up. Group wedding. Two weeks. Madara, I need those marriage licenses.”

“Ugh, do you know how much paperwork that’s going to be?” Madara crossed his arms and settled closer in to his partner’s side. Feeling generous at the moment, Tobirama wound one arm around his shoulders and held him protectively, fortifying him against the coming administrative duties that came with being clan Head.

“Don’t care,” Touka replied with a grin. The candles providing light in the room gave her face an eerie cast as the shadows danced between her teeth.

At her feet, a dark haired woman in Uchiha robes let out a dreamy sigh and rested her head against Touka’s leg. From next to both of them there came a light growl which made Touka look down with an inquisitive expression that quickly turned in to a smug grin. Leaning over, she petted her hand across the top of the Hikaku’s head.

“Now, now. Be good and maybe we can spar before bed,” she murmured. Like a steel trap the man’s jaw snapped shut, his face immediately falling in to a startled expression which almost seemed to question how he had gotten here. Noticing the raised eyebrows from her family, Touka laughed. “They’re still learning how to share.”

Fascinated by how well the Uchiha traditions suited her own personality, Touka wasted no time following in the footsteps of her two cousins, marching herself straight in to the Uchiha district and committing violence against several members of their clan. Although her partners might appear to have been chosen on a whim, in truth she had carefully considered each and every one of them, attaching herself only to the strongest of the ones she had actually spoken to and whose company she already knew she enjoyed.

Of the four she had chosen to court there were two men, one woman, and one person whose gender appeared to shift fluidly towards whatever felt right to them at the time. Upon learning that they would all be expected to share the same wife there immediately sprang up an informal hierarchy among them, at the top of which sat a very tired looking Hikaku. His entire face looked slightly misaligned from all the hits he had taken in the name of love and it was hard to tell if he was up on cloud nine from it all or if he was regretting his decision to fight his way to the top of the heap so harshly.

Tobirama had never seen a man face palm while wearing a reverent expression before but Hikaku was getting pretty good at that. He was also getting rather good at watching Touka with stars in his eyes even as his hands absently wrangled one of the others in to better behavior.

“So yeah. Get it done, Uchiha. I have lovers to love and – oh shit, yeah. Cousin, can you extend my house? I need room for all these yahoos.” Touka gestured broadly to the four sitting around her. Still pressed against his own partner’s side, Madara snorted.

“In my own time,” he grumbled half to himself. She snorted back at him.

“Well make your own time fast.”

“Extending your house won’t be a problem,” Hashirama said from where he was sitting primly next to Izuna. Their bodies were carefully placed to allow for the proximity which came with sitting together on the same couch yet keeping their posture straight enough that they couldn’t be accused of having sat together on purpose.

Touka nodded with as much grace as she was capable of. “Good. Well. Here’s to me and my – what did Izuna call it? My harem! Here’s to me and my harem!”

She raised her glass with another cock grin, her free hand absently tracing the ear of the woman cuddled up to her leg again. Uchiha, as it turned out, had a startling tendency towards cat-like behaviors such as butting their heads against their partners. If Tobirama weren’t so fond of cats himself he would never have made the connection but once he had it had explained a great many things. And he had, of course, immediately passed this observation around to the others of his family who had embroiled themselves in the clutches of the fire-breathing maniacs.

Case in point: as soon as Madara had taken a sip from his glass of shochu he went right back to fiddling with the tie of Tobirama’s obi, batting at the dangling bit of fabric without seeming to consciously realize he was doing so.

Once everyone had taken a drink as a toast, Touka gave her eldest cousin a smug leer.

“Anyway, didn’t someone else also have some news they would like to share?” She cackled at the way he flushed and Mito hid a smile behind one hand. Hashirama cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing over at his best friend, then handed his cup off to Mito and very carefully laid one hand on Izuna’s knee.

Madara tensed, eyes narrowing immediately. Hashirama swallowed nervously but forged on with a brave face.

“Yes! Ah. Um.” He squirmed in his seat, twisting up the brand new robe he was wearing. He’d been seated in the same place since before everyone arrived so no one had seen the back of it but Tobirama would have bet his favorite sword that there was a red and white fan stitched between the man’s shoulder blades. “We have some news for you, my friend. I-Izuna gifted me some new, um, clothing about a week ago. And I’m wearing them. And I was hoping that it wouldn’t be too much trouble for you to maybe – pleasedon’tkillme – write up a marriage license for us too?”

“Perhaps I’m going deaf but that sounded as though you were asking my permission to marry my little brother, Hashirama.” Madara’s face had gone dark and his tone foreboding. Across the room, Hikaku sighed and dropped his head between his knees, covering his head protectively with both arms just in case. The rest of Touka’s partners followed suit immediately while Hashirama continued to squirm.

“Yes? I mean. Yes. I mean! I don’t…need your permission?”

Izuna bit his lip to keep from laughing even as he laid his hand over top of Hashirama’s for support and gave it a light squeeze. “We sort of do, love.”

“What the hell! I thought we were friends, Hashirama! Then you go behind my back and seduce my baby brother!?”

“Uh…Madara?” Hashirama’s nervous expression fell away as he turned his head to give a pointed look at his own younger brother before turning back to his friend with one eyebrow raised. Madara flushed.

“Shut up! I thought you knew what I was doing the whole time so that’s different!”

“Aniki, come on,” Izuna said. “We’re in love! You wouldn’t really deny me the chance to marry for love, would you?” He paired the question with a shameless wobble of his lower lip. When it was mirrored with the same expression from Hashirama, every other person in the room came to the sudden realization of the monster they had allowed to be created right before their eyes.

Madara, on the other hand, retained his indignity through sheer habit.

“I – but – you – it’s not fair! And it isn’t right! You’re my baby brother and you’re not allowed to have sex. Baby brothers are never allowed to have sex!”

Beside him, Tobirama rolled his eyes and calmly reached out to snatch up one of the candles flickering away on the table beside him. Without so much as changing expression he shoved the flame straight at Madara’s face, jerking it away just in time to avoid burning him yet not in time to save his eyebrows.

A hush fell over the room as a whole, all eyes on Madara, who sat blinking in astonishment with one hand slowly rising up to feel around the area where his eyebrows had been only moments ago. It appeared to take a few moments for the truth to sink in that they were, in fact, no longer there. When it did he whipped his head around to stare at an unnaturally calm Tobirama.

“You just…did you…?”

“I think a group wedding for all of us might be nice,” Tobirama said, entirely ignoring his partner’s spluttering. “Just to get it all done and out of the way at once. Less planning. More efficient.”

“You just proposed.”

Now openly leaning in to Hashirama, Izuna snickered. “I sure hope it was on purpose this time.”

Touka eyed the candles closest to her and then eyed her four lovers. Each of them looked back up at her with brilliant grins, some of them still with patches of hair missing from where their own faces had been met with flame. Definitely a weird clan.

“Yes, yes,” Tobirama was saying. “Of course it was on purpose this time. Now. You don’t mind writing up a couple more marriage licenses, do you? Wouldn’t it be nice to be married at the same time as your brother?” He waited for Madara to nod dreamily and then turned to his own sibling with a look which said you’re welcome.

“Thank you,” Hashirama chirped in return.

“And congratulations,” Mito added.

Shaking his head, Tobirama tugged Madara back down in to the crook of his arm and stroked the back of his hair soothingly while he continued to murmur softly to himself in a dazed voice, successfully distracted from freaking out over Izuna and Hashirama. The pair of men in question both gave Tobirama a grateful look while Mito continued to struggle with holding in her amusement.

Touka drained the rest of her cup of shochu in one long pull before slamming it down on the closest table with a satisfied sigh.

“Alright, now that all that’s settled, me and mine should probably head out. I’m really digging this idea of a spar before bed. Whoever gets a good hit on me first gets first dibs on fucking me in to the mattress!”

None of her partners needed any more encouragement than that to scramble up on to their feet and make a break for Hashirama’s front door. Tobirama noted with mild interest that Hikaku made it through first, if only by tripping up his other male contender and using his longer legs to gain speed as soon as he was out on the front porch. Beyond enjoying the spectacle they made of their competitiveness, Tobirama tried not to think about the reason behind it, only waved goodbye as his cousin followed them all out.

“Should we go home as well?” he asked the great cat of a man curled up against his side. Madara’s muted ramblings paused and he tensed with indecision; should he go home with Tobirama and enjoy a pleasantly violent round of celebratory sex? Or should he stay here and guard his younger brother’s already questionable virtue simply on principle?

“I don’t know…” Madara scowled indecisively until Tobirama leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“What if I promise to tie you to the headboard when we get there?”

“Home – go – now!” No one saw fit to comment on the way Madara’s voice cracked on his words, although Tobirama did allow himself a smirk as he calmly rose from the couch to lead the way back to the Madara’s home, which he had all but officially moved in to at this point.

Izuna, Mito, and Hashirama all waved goodbye from their spots of the couch, Hashirama wearing a smile fit to outshine the sun. Just before he made it out the front door Tobirama was able to catch a glimpse of Izuna and Mito both leaning in to use their lover’s broad chest as a pillow and in the silence of his mind he offered his congratulations to them all for finding a family that would bring them happiness. It seemed to be going around lately.

Less than a decade ago he would have laughed in the face of anyone who dreamt up such wild things as a Senju marrying an Uchiha. Five years ago he would have scrunched up his nose is distaste and declared it plausible but not for him. Now every day of the rest of his life would be filled to the brim with more Uchiha than he ever would have thought himself able to handle – one of whom he would wake up to every morning. And by some crazy circumstance he could hardly wait.

Perhaps at some point he should get around to thanking his brother for standing by his own dreams and building the village, for laying down the foundations to make so much happiness possible. For now, however, he planned on being quite busy showing his appreciation to Madara first.

#rae writes #madatobi #hashiizu #hashimito #toukahikaku #tobirama #madara #hashirama #izuna #mito #touka #hikaku #oc babies #fanfiction #naruto shippuden

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cleacourgette · 7 years ago

Text

Words I cannot Say

I’ve been a fan of Naruto for the longest time in my life, and I never wrote a fanfic of my favorite ship in it, not even once.

So, due to recent events, my passion about this couple as returned and with it I thought, why not make a fanfic?

So here it is. Its pretty long but its a one shot. I hope you like it.

Teal eyes rise from the scribbled paper with a message from Konoha, to meet her brother’s deep green eyes. Worry and concern marked by little wrinkles around her eyebrows and eyes. The scariest kunoichi, with a reputation for being merciless, felt a spark of compassion on her heart the moment she read that paper. She was equipped and ready to leave her village in a quick documents delivery mission that Gaara had placed on her hands. But right when she was all ready and set, she was called again to his office, in order to warn her of what had just happen, to make sure she’d be careful on her journey to Konoha.

“Sarutobi Asuma… this is… this is Shikamaru’s teacher.” She spoke, feeling her mouth dry, as her chest had that annoying little ache, growing more.

“Yes.” Gaara knew very well who Shikamaru was, as well as Asuma. “And from the message it seems like Shikamaru was in this mission as well, but only Asuma died.”

“Shit…” She whispered to herself. Things were bad, not too long ago their village was attacked by the Akatsuki, and they nearly lost Gaara and Kankuro in the process. Now they attacked members of Konoha, and for all she knows even Shikamaru might be injured.

Her first thought was his pride.

Shikamaru prided himself a lot. After the failure with the retrieval of Sasuke, after she poke fun at him for being so fragile, he promised he’d take matters to his hands, he promised he wouldn’t back down anymore and strike to do better. So she was sure he was going to try and do something stupid.

“I want you to go, discretely, and as careful as you can, and immediately come back to Suna.” Gaara appealed to her. It was dangerous to send his sister alone, considering the Akatsuki members were attacking merciless, be it jinchuurikis or not. “I don’t want to send anyone with you either because it might draw too much attention so…”

Temari was still lost in her thoughts; it went from thoughts about the young man’s pride, to how worthless he probably feels, to how dry of tears he must be by now. Thinking so tenderly about him, what was she even doing?

“Yes!” She was looking back at the Kazekage again—no, right now she was looking at his brother Gaara, who carried a small fraction of a worried expression, but just enough for her to understand it and smile, chest filled with joy. “I’ll be fine! You can count on me to deliver these documents, I’ll just go, deliver and be back.” Her gloved hand presses and squeezes the pale Kazekage’s hand for a second before the stands up with a thought on her mind. She was not only delivering the documents, she was also delivering something else of her own.

Just as instructed, Temari was careful all the way to konoha. Bright sunny day turned dark blueish night, it was a peaceful walk with no trouble at all. She passed by strangers, making the same journeys by foot. The path turned from sandy to earthy, the distance between Suna and Konoha seemed smaller every time, she was eager to return to the green land every time she walked by the gates. But this time, there was uncertainty, she had a growing feeling pressing her heart down to her stomach, with each step she took, and when she could already see the hidden buildings and civilization through the green leafs, her stomach was giving in. She was nervous, the feeling of growing butterflies on her belly, the ache in her heart. She took a deep breath, looking forward with her terrifying expression, whispering to herself. “Snap out of it Temari.”

“I’m sorry for making you come all the way from suna for these.” The imposing figure of the fifth Hokage, sat behind her desk, it was much of a familiar vision of what she had at home, but instead of a gorgeous female ninja, she had her smaller and younger baby brother. Temari reached with her hand to her moth, curling her fingers only to press them lightly in a polite gesture to the older woman in front of her.

Tsunade was without a doubt, someone she admired as a kunoichi. She made it to hokage, and she was a legend in the world of ninjas. She heard distant stories about the great 3 sanin, until one of them managed to manipulate her father. Though, Tsunade was definitely different from Orochimaru, she was someone to look up to.

“It’s no trouble at all.” Temari said, bowing her head a little bit. The older Kunoichi had Shizune pick up all the documents in order to take them to the lab and analyze them.

“Going back to Suna already?” Tsunade rest her head on her hand, and her elbow on the table, tapping on some of the various papers over the desk, Temari picked that spot exactly to look at, imagining she was probably as busy as Gaara when it came to all that paper work, ministry work, laws, people’s wishes, the council, the other villages, really there was no stopping. It was no wonder the woman looked like she hardly slept that night.

“Ah, yes, I only have a little errand of my own I’d like to attend, but after that I’m leaving. Gaara needs my help back in the village, I can’t be far from home for too long.”

“I understand.” The hokage sighed, envious that the young Kazekage had actually concerned and helpful siblings doing their best for their brother and Kazegake. “Well, make yourself comfortable for as long as you want, the village might be a little chaotic from the recent events… but you might still be able to be perfectly comfortable around the village.”

Temari paused for a moment. Right, Shikamaru’s teacher was someone very important after all, the whole village knew who he was, her expression changed, and Tsunade noticed. “Right. I’m sorry for what happen. Know that if you ever need, Suna is a reliable ally.” Spoken from the aching heart, hoping it would somehow help heal anything that was hurting on that village.

“Of course! And please tell the kazegake we really appreciate this risky trip to deliver the documents. Stay as long as you want.”

They parted. And as soon as Temari closed the door of the hokage’s office behind her, her heart was aching again, her stomach throwing the same fit as before. The thought of her little personal errand was ruining her for some reason.

Actually now that she was walking down the streets of konoha, in the direction of the Nara residence, she gave it a few moments to think about what she was doing. She didn’t even have a plan. What was she going to do? Knock on the door, look at Shikamaru’s disgraceful face, and then what?

A long time ago, when both of them were still but children, they sat across from each other on the hospital corridor, she knew exactly what to do and say to him. Suck it up crybaby, you’re a ninja, you have to keep moving forward. But he grew, things changed, even though he still had his constant moaning and complaining about how life was troublesome, this time it was different. Shikamaru was older and fortunately learned from his first lesson, he was smart after all, he had that going for him. Lazy, but smart. She supposed he would take things differently this time, not to mention, last time no one died.

Then what was she going to do?

Knock on the door and say how sorry she was that his teacher died, especially so in a mission with him as well? Or maybe nag him for doing nothing, for being an idiot? A loss was a loss and no words could fix that. She knew what a loss was; she felt those all through her life. She didn’t even know what to do from here on.

Lost in her thoughts she reached the door of the Nara residence without even realizing. What once was a confusing village to walk around in, how now easy to walk about. She grew so used to it from her various trips that she knew exactly the places, the streets and the people. It was a warm welcoming village that was clearly now going through a major loss.

The door of the residence was right in front of her eyes, she admired it for a moment before forming a fist with her hand, closing the distance between her and the door a bit more, she almost knocked on it, but then got cold feet.

He wasn’t a boy anymore, and she was probably the last person he wanted to see after what happen, she had no business being there anyway, she should be the adult one and turn around to go home. Gaara and Kankuro were waiting for her.

“Oh! If it isn’t the sand princess!”

The deep voice pierced her thoughts, bursting the haze in which she was moments ago. She relaxed too much, she slack and now someone was taking advantage of that. When she turned around to see who it was, she was greeted with a too familiar face.

A long spiked ponytail was the first feature that jumped out at her, earrings shinning under the light posts of that night, and a smug, a smug particularly identical to his son’s. The only difference between that face and Shikamaru’s were a few scars across the skin and a goatee. That was Shikaku, the head of the Nara family and Shikamaru’s dad.

“Ah—“ Temari didn’t even have time to react, Shikaku was merciless, even more than she was, and continued quickly.

“I thought I saw someone admiring the door of my house, but I didn’t expect it to be you, miss.” His voice was deeper than Shikamaru’s. His attitude certainly different, even though every word was spoke with a smug, just like Shikamaru. Somehow he managed to be charming actually. “Are you looking for Shikamaru?”

There it was, another thing that both father and son shared to be identical, the sharpness and intelligence, the capacity to analyze the situation within seconds. What did she expect, anyway? She would certainly not be there for Shikaku or his wife, and considering the situation at hands, she had more than a reason to be there.

“Right.” She sighed looking down at a spot on the floor, defeated, not even trying to come up with an excuse, her motive to be there was simple anyway. “I heard what happen and I came to check on him.” There was no point in lying specially not face to someone who was probably a far better strategist than his son. No matter how good and bright she was, she was still losing to Shikamaru, and would lose far more face to Shikaku. “Just making sure he isn’t sulking like the cry baby he is.”

“Ah! Thank you for taking an interest in my dumb son.” Shikaku replied to the teasing sand kunoichi. Walking past her, he reached for the door, opening it and making a way for Temari to walk in. But she didn’t move. It’s not like she was taking an interest in his dumb son, she just... “He’s not home. Or in the village. He’s out on a mission, but you might want to come in and talk it over a tea.”

He was on a mission? That was odd. That was unlike him, to so soon after a tragedy be in a mission again. Maybe he wanted to clear his mind with an easy far away mission, or maybe—she became weary, and it sure peeked her interest. Not so much for the tea and cookies, but the way Shikaku was talking just now was making her both curious and worried.

Her eyebrows pressed, and she exhaled. It was not her business, and she did have to go back home. “I’m sorry, my brothers are waiting for me.” She raised a hand and dipped her head down a little, in a bow, politely refusing.

“It won’t take too long. Besides, you might want to eat something before you leave. Come, I’ll prepare something while I tell you about his mission. You really want to know about it. He insisted and she knew immediately that whatever that mission was, it was both dangerous, and important.

The image that Temari had on her head about Shikaku was engraved about that day at the hospital. An imposing man, the spitting image of Shikamaru, except broader and mature. She even felt sorry for Shikamaru when his dad brought him to reason like that. The yell still echoed in her memories “You god damned coward.” Now, that image was changing, realizing that Shikaku was far a better person than she could have anticipated.

A smile covered her lips. “Fine, if you insist so much, but it will have to be brief, my brothers will be worried if I don’t go back to suna immediately.”

The house was well kept and tidy, on the walls, prints and ancient paintings of what it seemed to be the family’s symbol. The deer. It was only fitting considering the name Shika ran in the family.

Shikaku took the blond kunoichi to the back to the house, an outside area where he and Shikamaru would often play shogi. “Wife’s not home, she took some days off to visit her mother. She’s worried too.”

Worried?

“Here, make yourself comfortable.” The older man said, showing her to the exact spot where a table of shogi was comfortably set between two pillows. “The tea won’t take long.” He disappeared, leaving Temari alone to admire the garden in the dark. First she looked at the light of the moon against the flailing leafs, shaking a little in the wind. Then she pressed her palms together, realizing where exactly she was. That was Shikamaru’s house. Where he eats, where he spends time resting, and where he sleeps. The girl had the same nauseating feeling against at the pit of her stomach and the ache on her heart. When she turned her head a little, to shake that feeling away, she noticed the table at her feet, and the pieces of shogi, out of their respective place. It looked like a game half way, she kneeled over the pillow and traced her fingers over one of the pieces of shogi. The pawn.

“Oh? Do you also know how to play shogi?” She was startled, again. That man was really silent and cunning to her. She’d have to remain on guard around him.

“A little.” She replied, raising her fingers from the board.

“Yeah, I expected a bright girl like you to know how to play shogi. Your fight in the chunnin exams with Shikamaru was impressive.” He sat down on the other side of the little table, placing the tray with two cups and a container with the tea, as well as a plate with various snacks, which Temari had to admit, looked delicious.

But when he spoke those words, she couldn’t contain a blush. She was being recognized for that fight, as well as how she realized that that time at the hospital obviously wasn’t the first time Shikaku saw her, but the chunnin exams.

“I still lost. I want a rematch actually. I know I could beat him now.” That sentence alone was enough to make a chuckle burst from Shikaku’s mouth. It surprised her, watching him so lively laugh, she couldn’t understand where it was funny.

“I know you could beat him up easily, my dear. You have a little something special about you, capable of beating him up.” She quirked one eyebrow, glancing at him with a face more confused than before. She still couldn’t figure out if he was just as dumb as his son, or was just making fun of her. “Anyway.” He continued, reached for the water container, spilling some tea on both cups, one after another, with an artcraft of someone who actually mastered it.

Her expression turned serious, she knew what was about to come now. Shikamaru’s mission. It might even provide some important in tell for her village.

“Shikamaru’s gone after the Akatsukis who murdered Asuma. He went to seek for revenge.”

Her eyes shot open, and the once calm but serious expression of hers, was now an expression of horror. That dumbass. He had no chance. Both his brothers were so easily defeated byt the Akatsuki, and Asuma also perished in their hands, so why did he think he could stand a chance? And why was his father so calm knowing all this?

“That idiot!” Temari threw the words out as if she was containing her breath for a long time. The ache was back. Maybe this was it. She had a bad feeling all this time, just like she had a bad feeling when his brothers were attacked, and that bad feeling carried a weighted heart and a stomach impossible to control. She formed a fist with her hand, keeping it on her lap. Shikaku was holding the cup with her tea, reaching closer to her.

“I wasn’t against it.” He completed, waiting her for to notice the cup, and to notice the reason why he was telling her all this.

Temari of course raised her eyes towards the man, ignoring the cup with the tea, instead she took a deep breath, her chest raising, her eyebrows furrowed, and her fist opening to slam against the shogi table. “How so? It’s far too dangerous! My brothers nearly lost their lives against those people! And why—why couldn’t he just asked for help, I knew it, I knew he was going to be doing something stupid, and be too proud to ask for help!”

Shikaku smiled. He was relaxed, watching her fuss over every little thing about his boy’s decision. Just like his wife would be to him. He was sure now. If before he only thought they fancied each other, now he was sure of it. The girl had a liking to Shikamaru, she was worried. And that moment he knew his boy would be fine, as long as that girl never left his side.

“He wasn’t alone.” He reassured the girl, raising calmly the cup in her direction. Temari was still too fussy, but regardless, she took the cup, still furrowing her brows, expecting Shikaku to enlighten her. “He was with Ino and Chouji. He’ll be fine. He’s not so stupid to endanger himself like that if he didn’t know what he was doing. There’s still a lot he has to do, a promise to keep. So he’ll have to be back. Anyway, the fifth already sent a rescue team after them, only a little bit of help in case things go sour.”

Temari’s head dropped down, her eyes found the piece with the engraving Pawn again over the shougi table. She couldn’t quiet down her heart still, there was a lot of uncertainty. No matter how smart Shikamaru was, he was still weaker than her when it came to physical strength. His option would run out, he would run out of chakra he—

“Temari.” The daze she was in was interrupted, and she looked up at a voice that, on that moment, almost sounded like Shikamaru’s. “There are some things that a man needs to do by himself. He doesn’t think you’re weak, he doesn’t underestimate you. But this was his business and his business alone. And sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.” Her heart quiet down a little, she understood perfectly what he meant.

“I guess it was just wishful thinking.” She said, looking back at the older man. “I expected him to count on me and rely on me more than this. So it pisses me off when he doesn’t.” She was calmer now, the warm sensation of the cup between her hands, also helped to it. To sooth her down. “But I really can’t blame him.”

It became clear for her. Shikamaru wasn’t just an acquaintance and someone she had to work with as a liaison between Konoha and Suna. He was her friend, a very dear friend. It was a sort of connection she really wasn’t used to have, the only tight relations she had in her life was her family, so dear to her. But Shikamaru slowly earned a place in her heart, as a dear friend.

“I still expect you to call him to reason when needed. He really needs someone to keep him on his feet and from what I’ve seen, you’ve got the guts for it.” Another smug. It was embarrassing to hear his father ask her to do that, but she knew exactly she was one of the only people who Shikamaru listened to. And his consideration for her, was something that fit well with her ego. She smiled back the the man, taking the cup to her lips, tasting the sweetness in the liquid.

“I guess someone has to do it.” She snarkly said, both to make herself feel better and to let Shikaku know that she wasn’t going to let Shikamaru off easily ever. “Say...” She shyly said, suddenly finding the cup between her hands extremely fascinating. “Could you... not tell him I was here today?” There was an obvious hint of red over her olive skin, right around the cheeks and ears. Shikaku felt nothing more than satisfaction, so he complied.

“Of course, Sand princess.”

#shikatema #shikamaru #nara shikamaru #temari #temari of the sand

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balancoire · 7 years ago

Text

Fandom: Tales of Vesperia

Estelle/Rita, fairytale AU for @talesfemslashweek

Day Three: Storybook

Once again I descend into my favorite genre: AU hell

Rita thought that being held captive by a dragon would a little more...exciting. It would give her more alone time to read and work on her experiments. No more servants or advisers or other nobles telling her that it was time to get dressed, time to attend court, time to sit in on another meeting... Blah, blah, blah.

Who knew being princess could be so tiring? She had almost no time to herself now that she was nearly an adult and preparing to take Aspio's throne.

And then came the Dragon, who demanded the kingdom's princess and riches in exchange for their safety.

Rita, eager for a little change of pace, quite willingly gave herself up.

Now she was being held hostage in a dingy old fortress on the outskirts of her father's territory. Her room was nicely furnished with the necessities: a bed, desk, torches and the like. But there were no books or blastia for her to mess with, and the Dragon refused to bring her any.

Instead the Dragon gave her a notebook filled with blank paper halfway through her second week – something to shut her up, she supposed. She tried her hand at journaling and hated it.

Hey Journal, she wrote the first day. This feels really stupid. Never mind.

Her only option was to sit at the picture window and watch the world go by.

Which might have been fine...if there was anything to look at. This corner of the territory hadn't been used for ages; the Dragon told her that a war was waged here centuries ago, but the surrounding towns and villages had picked up and left since. No one settled here.

Except the Dragon, of course.

Rita sighed, her chin resting on her open palm. What a bore. The scenery outside her window was the same as always: those stupid fields of grass, a few stupid trees and bushes, a rider off in the distance-

She nearly fell out of her chair. A rider, coming all the way out here? Rita leaned as far out of the window as she dared.

She could see a brown-and-white spotted horse approaching the fortress's outer walls. The person astride the beast was wearing armor, with the helmet pulled down so she couldn't see their face.

They rode inside – the front gates had fallen to ruin a long time ago, and the courtyard beyond was choked with weeds and crawling ivy. Rita watched as the rider brought their horse to a stop and slid from its back.

Rita ran to the bedroom door and started pounding on it. "Hey, Dragon! Open up or I'm gonna burn this place down!"

"I already know about your knight outside," a voice said, smooth and slithery all at once. "There's no need to shout. You don't have your blastia. You can't use magic."

Rita huffed. It was true – the first thing the Dragon did was take away her blastia and scroll. Oh, what she wouldn't give to shoot a bolt of electricity right in his face...

Her door swung open. The corridor beyond was empty, but she knew the Dragon was somewhere nearby.

"Why don't you come watch the fun?" he asked.

Rita pretended she didn't hear him and went stomping down the hall.

At the end was the fortress's foyer: a massive, two story room, where Rita could stand at the banister and look down at the first floor below. Like the rest of the building, it had mostly been left to rot, and chunks of the ceiling had fallen in and scattered below.

The Dragon was in the center of the foyer, resplendent in the rays of sunlight that filtered through the broken roof. But it was the knight that caught Rita's eye: they were short, but walked with purpose and grace. They carried a sword in one hand and a hefty shield in the other.

"Reveal yourself," the Dragon said.

The knight slowly lifted the helmet from their head. Rita held her breath.

Short, pink hair. The knight shook it out and set her headgear aside. Her eyes were green and angry when she opened them.

"So you're this Silver Dragon everyone was talking about," the knight said, lifting her sword. "Alexei, why would you do this? Aspio is such a peaceful kingdom. They mean us no harm."

So the Dragon had a real name. That was news to Rita, who never bothered to ask – she never really cared.

"It would be in the Empire's best interest to absorb it. They have some of the best and brightest mages and blastia researchers in the country. What if they were to turn against us?"

"Were you even listening to what she said?"

Rita didn't realize she'd spoken out loud until the words were echoing through the foyer. Alexei and the knight looked up at her. The knight smiled.

"This doesn't concern you, princess," Alexei said with a wave of his hand. "I'll send you back to your room if you don't behave."

"You're not sending me anywhere. I've had enough of listening to you," Rita said with a scowl. His voice was starting to annoy her. Now if only she knew where he'd hidden her blastia and scroll...

"I've come here to place you under arrest," the knight said to Alexei. "You're wanted by both the Empire and the kingdom of Aspio. You can come with me peacefully, or-"

Alexei drew his sword. The knight threw up her shield just in time to block his strike. Alexei was lightning-fast, and the bisected cape he wore fluttered behind him like a pair of wings. It must've been how he earned his nickname, Rita thought.

The knight gave a mighty heave and pushed Alexei away. He staggered backwards a few steps, his eyes wide, betraying his surprise. The knight's expression was fierce.

Rita's, on the other hand, was smug. She liked this knight in her shining white and gold armor.

Alexei wasn't distracted for long. He struck again, harder this time, but the knight hardly budged. She swung back at him and they locked swords.

Rita's fists were clenched on the banister. She saw how Alexei fought when he came for her in Aspio; he took on each of her bodyguards and succeeded. He was fast and strong, but he had to have some kind of weakness.... Something to catch him off guard and give the knight a chance to really pummel him...

That was it! She needed her blastia and scroll. Alexei took them from the start of her kidnapping, but they'd been together for the entire ride out to the fortress – they had to be here in the building somewhere.

Rita ran back down the hall, past her bedroom and deeper into the fortress. Where did Alexei usually sleep? She knew it wasn't far from her room, because most of the other parts of the fortress were either too decrepit or too dangerous to stay in. Her little corner was the safest, based on what she'd seen when he first brought her in.

She checked each of the other rooms she passed. Most of them were empty, though she did find the kitchen – it looked like Alexei had been partway through preparing her lunch. Vegetable slices were strewn across one countertop and a massive pot was stewing over a fire. She ignored it and kept going. She couldn't afford to waste time.

One of the last doors she found was locked. This had to be it. Rita kicked it a few times, but it was solid, heavy. Her own bedroom door was the same way. It looked like these were the only things in the entire fortress that Alexei had bothered to restore.

Great! Her blastia was probably in there. She growled and ran a hand through her ruffled hair-

Oh. Wait. Her fingers touched something slender and metallic. She pulled out one of the bobby pins that had gotten lost in the tangles. She never actually brushed or styled her hair herself; that was usually left to the one of the handmaids who came to help her dress every morning. It hadn't been touched since the day Alexei broke in and spirited her away.

Rita smiled at that stupid little pin as she shoved it in the lock. She'd have to thank the handmaid when she got home.

Too bad I didn't find this sooner. I could've been out of here weeks ago! Rita thought, angry with herself. Whatever. It didn't matter now. No need to make her feel any stupider than she already did.

It took a few good minutes of effort, but Rita managed to pick the lock and pushed the door open.

Alexei's room was very similar to hers in terms of furnishings: spartan, boring. He didn't seem to have books either, but there was a trunk in the middle of the room. Rita beelined for it and started digging through.

Clothing, rations, a few notebooks with handwriting she could hardly read... Ah-ha! Her scroll and blastia were at the bottom. She'd never been happier to see them in her entire life.

The blastia was affixed to a necklace; she wound it around her neck as she raced back to the foyer. She could hear Alexei and the knight still fighting. Rita positioned herself back at the banister and started unrolling the scroll.

Things weren't looking as promising as they had before. Both the knight and Alexei were looking more tired, worn down. The knight's hair was sticking to the sides of her face. Alexei was similarly disheveled, but his swings were still strong. The knight was doing everything in her power to fight him back – and Rita could see with a tiny thrill that Alexei's left arm was bleeding from a massive cut.

"Hey!" she shouted, scroll unfurled in her hands. "Up here, Dragon!"

He quirked his head, but the majority of his attention was focused on the knight. "Princess, if you-"

A bolt of lightning crackled down from the glyph above Rita. It smashed into Alexei's chest and threw him to the ground. He drew in a startled breath.

The knight whipped around to face the princess. Her smile was wide.

"I've been waiting so long to do that to him," Rita said. She reassumed her defensive stance. "Come on, let's wrap this up. I'm getting bored."

The knight nodded and charged forward. Alexei tried to stop her, but the lightning strike had left him weak; he barely fended her off. The knight stepped back, her strength renewed, and attacked him again. She stabbed at his side, cutting a red path along his flank.

Rita summoned a plume of fire beside Alexei. See how the Dragon liked that.

He fell to his knees. Tried to push himself back up with his sword and failed. He looked up at the knight, a grimace on his face.

The knight's expression was grim. "I'm bringing you back to the Empire. I'm sure Ioder would like to speak with you about what happened in Aspio."

"He'll see things my way."

"I doubt that," the knight said, barely loud enough for Rita to hear. She'd come down the stairs and was standing just behind them.

The knight secured Alexei with some of the things she'd brought with her – strong rope and shackles to keep him from escaping. When she was finished, she turned to face Rita.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here," she said. "We noticed Alexei was missing, but we couldn't figure out where he'd gone until someone broke into his chambers and found the notes."

"It's fine. I was holding my own pretty well," Rita said, hands on her hips.

A smile pulled at the knight's lips. "Oh? You do seem adept at blastia. You didn't use it on him before?"

Rita thought of the stupid pin. Of forgetting about it for weeks because she never brushed her hair.

"I was just waiting for the right time to strike," she said. "I mean, it was more satisfying to see him being ganged up on."

"Mhm."

Rita folded her arms over her chest. "So. What's your name?"

"My name is Estellise. I'm a knight from the Empire – you probably guessed that already. It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Rita," she said, bowing low.

Rita scoffed. "Ugh, please don't call me that. Just Rita is fine. No need to bow either."

"Rita."

Estellise's smile was brilliant. Her cheeks was still flushed from the fight, and she pushed sticky strands of pink hair from her face. She seemed so confident, self-assured... Rita couldn't help but admire her. Not that Rita needed saving, but it was nice of her to lend a hand.

"The Empire's borders are close to the fortress. I was hoping to bring Alexei back to stand trial, but if you'd prefer, I can bring you back to your castle, Your Hi- I mean, Rita."

Rita frowned. She didn't want to go home just yet. The whole reason she'd allowed herself to be kidnapped was because she wanted to do something different, wasn't it? Going back to the castle meant going back to her old routine... Which would probably be so much worse now with her guards and her parents on high alert.

"I want to go back with you," she said, much to Estellise's surprise.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to see your family? I'm sure they're worried sick."

"Eh. I can tell them all about it in a letter home."

"Well..."

"Hey, I'm the princess here, right?" Rita said with a smirk. "I'm commanding my knight in shining armor to show me the Empire. To strengthen our alliance, and all that boring stuff."

Estellise shrugged her shoulders. "If you insist, Your Highness."

Rita started to correct her – and stopped herself. Whatever.

She followed her knight back to her horse, and away from the old fortress.

#talesfemslashweek2017 #tales of vesperia #estellise sidos heurassein #rita mordio #ristelle #fanfiction #fanfic

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ever-flowing-creativity-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Tools of the Trade

we were meeting in a small gymnasium. That was in a rec center, across the street from an old worn down church, that was in dire need of a paint job. The gymnasium had hardwood floors that creaked in some sections. A fidgety man with greasy untamed hair, and sores on his arms, rocked back and forth causing the floor to creak beneath his chair. It was beyond annoying, but I remained stoic, breathing and thrumming my fingers against my leg. Their were painting on the grey gymnasium walls obviously done by elementary school children..

The room smelled of a potent mixture of bleach, mustiness, and meth. I looked around the room at the various people here attending the meeting. Some had old tattered clothes that looked as though they and the people wearing them hadn’t been washed in weeks. They each had they’re little ticks, some scratched their wrists, some picked at scabs, others rubbed the back of their necks as their eyes darted around the room.

Then there was the other side of the circle the young and middle aged men dressed in their business casual suits. They carried them self with the smug confidence of someone who sold cars, times shares ran a strip club or at least frequented them. One man stood out in particular he was wearing a white button up with light blue stripes, with his sleeves rolled up just below his elbows, and a light grey vest opened unbuttoned. He had to be in his mid to late twenties. He had blonde hair slicked back with the sides shaved. He was chewing gum with such vigor that he probably would of chipped his teeth without it. He cracked his neck from side to side, his eyes to the ceiling obviously thinking about or planning out the rest of his night after this whole sham of a meeting was over.

“Mr. Kopes. Would you like to introduce yourself and tell us why you’re here? It’s common for new members to do so.” The councilor asked with an accepting smile that was probably just a programmed response at this point from years in this field.

He had light brown hair but was clearly bald, though he combed his hair over to try and cover it. Which I always viewed as a sign of insecurity and desperate denial.

May as well get it over with I guess. “My name is Conner Kopes, some of you may know me by my pen name C.T Kopes. Well I guess I’m here cause i accidently feel asleep behind the wheel. Don’t worry I didn’t hurt anyone, just feel asleep at a stop sign.”

“Now Mr. Kopes, you wouldn’t be here at this N.A meeting if you simply fell asleep after a long day. You had quite a few narcotics in your system and in your vehicle at the time.”

“Oh hey! You’re C.T Kopes!? I’ve read a lot of your old work!” The fidgity man under the creaking wood floor blurted out. His eyes wide, and staring at me yet still darting around somehow.

“Well thank you… I’ll have to give you a copy or two of my newer works.” I was a little taken back that of everyone in here he’d been the one to have read my work. Then I instantly felt guilty for judging someone who obviously had a life before drugs. But then again I couldn’t fathom myself being in his position which made me an obvious hypocrite.

The councilor cleared his throat trying to refocus the group. “So about the pill bottles in the passenger seat?”

“It was Xanax. Something i am prescribed, and a bottle of Vicodin. I suffer from knee pain. The only reason my name wasn’t on the pill bottles was because sometimes I run out early or misplace my medicine, so I borrow some from a friend. I have anxiety alright, the Xanax helps me get through the book signings, meet and greets, and lectures. I’m an introvert, I need them to cope with people. They help me through the day. though i will admit they do make me a bit drowsy.”

“And what about the 8 ball of cocaine found in your laptop bag in the back seat?” The counselor asked. everything about the man was a mask of compassion, trying to cover up this hidden sense of superiority, and a smug condisending attitude .

The blonde haired kid with the vest and rolled up sleeves brightened slightly at that bit of information about the cocaine.

“Do newbies usually have to answer this many questions?” I ask growing annoyed. Being the center of attention wasn’t my thing and I didn’t have any Xanax too take so my breathing was beginning to speed up.

“Not trying to push just want you to connect with the rest of the group and share about what brings you here today. If you rather not go into it any further…”

“I use the coke to write alright! it gets my mind going, my words flowing. It’s a tool nothing more. I’m not going out to night clubs partying. I’m at home doing a few lines and grinding out chapters. I have deadlines you know.” My heart was racing, I wish I had a Xanax.

“I smoke weed too is that a crime? Am I on trail here? Because I thought I got out of that by agreeing to these meetings. I’m not a drug addict. I’m a professional! A best selling author!“

“No need for hostility We here just want to help you to overcome this. To see if we can find you a safer way to cope. Drugs are not solutions Mr. Kopes.” He said with the aggravatingly smug smile that tried so hard to say I’m here for you but came across as I feel such pity for your poor soul.

“I smoke weed too come up with new story ideas it’s how I build my characters and world’s, and fantastical creatures it helps me get introspective. The Xanax is to deal with people. Deal with my publicist. Deal with the fans, the world. The Vicodin is for pain, I get hand cramps, I have knee pain. Everything I use, I use as a tool. Some people have real problems I just took to many Xanax, and Vicodin, and feel asleep at a stop sign. Yes I pop pills, yes I do Coke, yes I smoke weed, yes I drink alcohol but for me it’s nothing more than the tools on a Carpenters tool belt. Would you tell the carpenter to work without his tools!?”

There were quite a bit of mixed faces among the other members. Some half-heartidly agreed with a nod or a slight raise of their head. Others looked annoyed, angry. Like this famous author thought he was better than them. Others looked uncertain on how to feel questioning their sobriety or lack there of.

“I’m sure Mr. Kopes we can find you better tools for your tool belt.” The councilor said nervously trying to calm the situation and the group.

It was then that the fiddgity man with his untamed hair cleared his throat and spoke. “I was an Psy-psychology major… I minored in English… I c-called myself a writer. wr-wrote a couple books. none lived up to my expectations though so I never sub-submitted them. Then I tried LSD to expand my mind, it helped me it did I came up with new ideas. I used coke as w-well to stay up and write those last minute p-papers. Then as the pressures of graduation came near, and I had to do my thesis papers I de-stressed with… Harder drugs… Telling myself I was only using it once in a while to cope with stress so it was alright. I ended up using it to cope too often and ended up dropping out of school. I had one s-semester left.“ He scratched the side of his neck with dirty nails as tears trickled from the corner of his eyes.

I couldn’t speak simply stared into the boys eyes, peerng into his very soul. The rest of the group was silent.

The boy wiped the tears from his eyes cleared his throat and began again. “I used to love your book series Mr. Kopes. T-the one about Hopteses the demon Slayer. It was a common trope for a fantasy novel, a loner fighting evil b-battling demons, saving people, even entire villages. I reread those books when I fi-first started to come to these meetings. If Hopteses could battle literal demons, could fight countless battles and find redemption through saving countless lives in an effort to make up for his wife, daughter, and son he lost to a demon, then maybe I could battle my demons and come out b-better. I could g-get clean and maybe I c-couldn’t get my families trust again, but I could get better and help others. I could become a counselor and help people.”

“That’s a great goal Trevor. You did just get your one month chip a few weeks ago. You’re making great progress. I’m glad to see that a piece of work by Mr. Kopes here could help you with your addiction.” The counselor interjected smiling and nodding looking between the two men.

Trevor reached into the pocket of his dirty jeans and pulled out his one month chip. He flipped it around in his hands for a short while then tossed it at the feet of the counselor.

“I relapsed after hearing about C.T Kopes on the news.” Trevor looked at me with pain and sorrow in his eyes. “I r-realized then that Hopteses wasn’t a hero. He was simply an addict. He chewed jaru root constantly in the story it was said to induce adrenaline and protected him from the fear and mind illusions demons would use to trick mortals. I t-thought he was just being ever vi-vigilant. Then I noticed how he pushed everyone away from him. Where most demon Hunter worked in teams and groups in his story, Hopteses worked alone. He never took on a pupil. He never let anyone close to him. Hopteses wasn’t trying to redeem himself for his failure. He was torturing him self. An addict to jaru root and addicted to this constant battle that he went at alone. He wasn’t a hero he wanted to die. He was chasing death. He denied himself any happiness, any pleasure he lived to gain more scares to feel more pain. He couldn’t forgive himself for his one failure and so he figured he would prolong his own suffering. He didn’t care that he was saving people he didn’t even stay in town long enough to learn anyone’s name. It was a book series of a pained man slowly killing himself because he was powerless to undo his past failures… All you can do is suffer through the memories until you die.” Trevor wept openly freely.

I was taken back. I had written the book and somehow hadn’t realized truly how spot on the boy was. Hopteses was a part of myself as all my characters are, but some things we are blind to even of ourselves.

“I’m alone… I’m utterly alone. I fear happiness, I feel subconsciously that I don’t deserve it. I’ve made so many mistakes I’ve hurt people I loved. I use the drugs I do to cope. to help me. But deep down I’m hoping to not wake up one day.” I said eyes glistening but I refused to cry. Refused to let a single tear fall down my face.

“That’s quite the breakthrough Mr. Kopes.” The counselor said.

“Come on man you’re a world famous author. They’re making a fucking movie off of one of your book series! you make millions. You could be rolling in pussy and blow. Like you said your only here to get out of a stupid trail, for what possession. What do you have to be sad about? Spend a weekend with me and you’ll find good reason to live and be happy old man!” The cocky blonde haired kid with the slicked back hair and vest said.

“Bradley we are trying to overcome or addictions not promote the use of drugs. If you wish to be a hindrance to this groups progress then you can leave now either way your are getting no credit for this week’s session.” The counselor said sternly if looks could kill Bradley would be dead five times over.

Bradley cursed and stormed out of the gymnasium, pulling out his cell phone before he was even out of the door.

“I’m sorry about that little outburst. But despite the fact I feel that we have made some good breakthroughs and unfortunately some set backs.” The counselor scanned the whole group but lingered on Trevor and myself. “Since Mr. Kopes here is new he is going to need a sponsor. And I think you and Trevor would be a good fit to help each other.”

Trevor looked uncertain, his eyes darting to the ground, and back up to myself. I felt a lump in my chest. Reality is stranger than fiction at times and he reminded me so much of myself. Where I could of ended up at one slip up. At one failure. It wasn’t fair, this life wasn’t fair. But damn the world! if I could do one good thing in my life, and help one person. it would never balance out my wrongs but it would be something.

“I think it’s a great idea.” I said stading up walking towards trevor. “I would love to have Trevor be my sponsor. I would even like to check out some of your work. My publisher is always looking for new talent.” I said putting out my hand.

Trevor stood up pushed my hand away and embraced me so tightly I thought he’d forced all the air from my lungs. “Thank you” he whispered.

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