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sundaysundaes · 4 years ago

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Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light

Lee Taeyong X Reader, feat. Haechan | Fluff, Best Friends to Lovers, Angst | Supernatural AU | 18k

Summary: You can only remember summer. Of the love you could never receive. Of the lips you could never truly taste. Of the warmth you could never take. And of a boy with smiles so soft, being consumed by the fireflies’ lights (strongly based on a beautiful Japanese animated movie called Hotarubi no Mori e)

Dear Taeyong,

I can only remember summer

Of the taste of the dry weather on our tongues

Of the songs the cicadas chanted behind our backs

Of the sunlight that bit through our skins

Of the summer dresses and cat masks we once had

I remember that twig of an oak tree between our hands

Separating you and me, life and death

That warm goodbye from your usually quiet lips

The way you said, “Until we meet next summer.”

And how I always truly, desperately, believed in it

You are the beautiful reality in my sleep

The blissful dream in my wake

I will see you again next summer

I miss you

***

Dear my love,

I can only love summer

Of faith that bloomed between us

Of loving smiles that shone when I glanced away

Of the longing distance we put between us

And the fireflies’ light that will soon consume me

I will wait for our late exchange of secret words

And next time, I will take your warm goodbye from your lips

“Until we meet on the next life, Taeyong,” you said

Yes, that’s true

Until we meet on the next life, my dear

Because of you, I have truly lived

Our summer will last for eternity

I love you

“Make sure you listen to your uncle, okay?” Your mother says in her motherly way just like how she usually does. “Do you have your handkerchief? Your ticket? A nice pair of shoes. Don’t zone out and miss your stop. You’re always clumsy like that.”

You straighten up with one bag slinging around your shoulder and another one hanging around your wrist. With a casual pair of flip-flops, a white sleeveless summer dress decorated with broderie details, and your lips curving upwards in a farewell smile, you respond, “Jeez, Mom. I’ve been going there every year. I’ll be fine. I’m taking off now, okay?”

Although your mother seems unsatisfied with your words, she lets her daughter kiss her cheek and waves her hand goodbye. As you take the first step out of your house, the sun quickly showers you with light that is hot enough to leave sunburn on your skin. The trip to the nearest bus stop will be nothing but exhausting, you’re sure of it. But it’s okay. It’s summer anyway. You always love summer.

The bus comes only a few minutes later after you arrived at the stop and dropped your heavy bags next to your feet. You take a seat on the right side of the bus, near the window. There are only three passengers on the vehicle aside from you—a man with a sweaty neck on the front row, and a mother cooling her half-sleepy child with her paper fan on the back seat. You smile a little to yourself. Everything seems normal, just like always.

You lay your head on the window, randomly staring at the trees and leaves getting blown by the wind, as the bus starts moving. Taking a deep breath, you close your eyes, letting your memories come close and your thoughts fly back to him.

The first time you met Taeyong was when you were six.

***

Thirteen years ago, you were nothing but a lively little kid with short-cropped hair and choppy bangs. During a hot summer day, you got lost in the forest of the Mountain God, which was said to be where spirits lived. After running around searching for an exit, you became so tired; you couldn’t move a muscle. You ended up sitting under the shadows of the swaying tree branches and felt a little ticklish from the green grass that spread widely underneath your feet. You hugged your knees to your chest, gave your best to act strong but failing pathetically with every try. When you started crying from fear and loneliness, he appeared before you.

“Hey, Shorty!” A male’s voice resonating through the air made you gasp sharply. “Why are you crying?”

There was a boy, standing just a few meters away, with half of his body hidden behind a tree. His posture seemed a bit rigid as if he was nervous or shy for suddenly reaching out to you. The boy was noticeably taller, with a voice that sounded deeper than any boy you’d ever met before. But judging by the way he dressed—at his denim trousers that ended a few inches above his ankles, combined with a casual short-sleeved button-down white shirt and a red tee underneath it, he was probably still around eighteen.

What caught your attention was the cat mask he wore on his face. It wasn’t unusual—you had seen your friends wearing it a few times during the summer festival. The white mask had ears, whiskers, and big round black eyes that were continuously staring back at you with no emotion. The mask covered his entire face, but you could still see his hair. His hairstyle was normal—a little bit messy from the wind, with his strands ended a few centimeters above his neckline, but the color was odd. It was silvery white, almost like an old man’s.

“It’s…” You gaped, not caring about any of that fact at the moment. “It’s a person! I’m saved!” You claimed happily, standing on your feet with so much speed, it almost gave you a head rush. With your hands spreading in front of you, you frantically ran towards the boy with joyful tears in your eyes. “I’M FINALLY SAVEEEEEED!”

But with a quick reaction, the boy moved away before you could embrace him and you ended up landing face-first on the ground, with a handful of grass finding their way to stick themselves into your mouth.

“S-sorry,” the boy said apologetically but he didn’t move any closer to help you up. “You’re a human child, right? If a human touches me, I’ll disappear.”

Previously annoyed, you looked up at him with knitted eyebrows. “If a human?” You blinked twice in confusion. Your eyelashes were still a bit wet from the tears that were no longer falling. “You’re not human?”

A momentary silence came by before he formed an answer. “I’m…” He hesitated. “Something that lives in this forest.”

“Huh?” You unconsciously tilted your head before realization hit you like a train and you clapped your hands in glee. “Then, you’re one of the Spirits?” Another silence, and this time, the boy decided not to reply, so you tried again. “But… What do you mean by ‘disappear’?”

He stayed mute, his body standing still as if time just stopped. You couldn’t see the expression he had behind the mask so you wouldn’t know how he reacted. You could only see the flat emotion the cat mask was giving you as he continuously stared at you. If you weren’t a playful little girl with a naturally born cheery attitude, you would’ve found it creepy.

But instead, you found it rather amusing.

You reached out your little hand toward him, climbing back to your feet and when he moved away from your touch, you began to try harder. Every time the boy tried to escape, you laughed a bit louder, tried a bit better, and before you knew it, you ended up chasing him between the trees.

You ran after him, reaching out for him, closer, closer, closer—

Thunk!

You groaned in pain, covering your bruised forehead with both palms as you kneeled on the ground. You couldn’t believe he just hit you on the head with a twig!

“Y-you’re really not human after all…” You whimpered, rubbing your ache away. “No human would hit a child like that!”

When you began to sob a little from the pain, the boy sighed. “To disappear means to be obliterated,” he explained, slowly taking his eyes off you to face the sky instead, “That’s the spell that the Mountain God placed upon me. If I get touched by a human, then that’s the end.”

You had stopped crying by the time his sentences sank into your head. His previous action was really necessary, then, if he was truly in that condition. If you had kept on chasing him and he’d failed to avoid you, he would’ve disappeared. Now that you thought of it, you realized you nearly killed him with your antics.

“I’m…” Still sitting on the ground, you folded your knees underneath you and bowed down, overwhelmed with guilt. “I’m sorry…”

With an unreadable expression, the boy approached you and gently offered the wooden twig. “Here, Shorty,” he said, “Grab the other end.” When you gazed up at him, he was facing away. His posture seemed to give out a vibe that he was a bit embarrassed but you weren’t exactly sure of it. “You’re lost, aren’t you? I'll lead you out of the forest.”

You were surprised at first, both from his kindness and his features, because from that position, you could see the side of his face. His jawlines were sharp and prominent. The skin of his cheek was just as pale as the rest of his body. He was so white; it was almost ghastly.

You beamed at him. “You’re so nice! Thank you!” Moving by reflex, you began to run toward his arms again. The boy was screaming from being caught off guard, and you almost got him before—

Thunk!

You were stopped by another hard hit on the head.

“I’ve told you not to—” The boy was breathing hard with his body leaning forward and his hands clamped around his knees to steady his weight. “Don’t touch me.”

You were practically rolling on the grass to mute the aching you felt on your temple. “S-sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

The two of you walked next to each other with thirty centimeters long wooden twig between your hands. With every stride he took, you had to match it by doubling your steps. Your height difference was striking. It almost looked like you two were siblings—with him being the high school student older brother and you being his elementary school sister.

You were walking down some stone steps, tightening your grip around the twig to maintain your balance. There was a temple inside the forest, and that was the only way out. You usually followed that path to come back home but that day, you were having too much fun wandering around on your own that you forgot the way to find those tracks again.

There were abandoned Buddhist statues on the side of the stairs and the steps had some cracks on them even though they were made of stone. You could tell that the place would be too scary to walk alone when the night fell and the cicadas stopped singing. But right now, you couldn’t care much about it.

“It’s just like going on a date!” You chirped happily, jumping like the little girl that you were as you climbed down the steps. You hadn’t known how a date would feel like—after all, you were only six back then—but you had imagined it happening with a boy in your school, and this one fit your imagination well.

The boy had his free hand stuck inside his pocket. With a nonchalant voice, he replied, “Not a very romantic one, though.” And when you weren’t looking, he stole secret glances at you. Of course, with the mask still on, there wouldn’t be much of a difference, even if you had been looking.

“You aren’t afraid, are you?” he asked, and although you were surprised, you grinned at him.

“Of what?”

The boy seemed a bit hesitant before he answered, “Nevermind.”

You walked a few more steps until you finally arrived at the end of the stairs. The sun in the background was already setting, splashing orange tint to the previously blue sky. “If you go straight, you’ll hit the mountain path,” the boy said, standing under the simple wooden gate with no doors that indicated the entrance to the forest. And with his usual flat tone, he said, “Goodbye.”

“Are you always going to be here?” You questioned. “If I come back here, can we meet again?”

“This is the forest where the Mountain God and the Spirits live,” he answered matter of factly. “Set foot within and you’ll lose your way and be lost forever.” The wind was blowing, caressing his silvery-white hair and that made you stare in awe, memorizing how out of this world he seemed and wondering what kind of expression he displayed behind that mask. “You shouldn’t be here,” he finished. “That’s what the villagers say, right?”

That was true. It was, and you understood that, and yet, you just couldn’t wave this meeting away as if it never happened. Facing him a little bit better, you warmly smiled and introduced yourself. “I’d love to be your friend. Can you tell me your name?”

He didn’t say a word, just continued to stand in front of you with his cat mask staring back at your face. You waited… and waited… and even a second felt so long.

Those expressionless cat’s eyes kept staring back at you, making you feel somewhat woozy and embarrassed. It was as if you just asked something too personal. Perhaps he didn’t want you to know. Perhaps he didn’t want you to be attached to him. Perhaps he just wanted you to go away.

“U-umm…” Panicking, you took a step back, putting more distance between you. “Anyway, I’ll be back tomorrow with a thank-you present!” Just that, and I won’t come back if my presence bothers you so much. “B-bye!” You shouted, turning around on your heels and proceed to run from the tension that felt like cutting your skin open.

But then—

“It’s Taeyong.”

You stopped abruptly and turned around, but the boy was no longer in sight. His voice vanished without a trace, drowned by the wind.

But you heard it loud enough to put a permanent smile on your face that night.

Taeyong.

When you were walking by the fields that seemed more familiar, you were humming to yourself. It was until you heard your name being called that you stopped singing.

Your uncle was walking toward you with tattered breathing. Perhaps, he had been running around the village searching for you all day. “Uncle!” You greeted, grinning innocently as you ran toward his arms. “Uncle, I—”

“You stupid girl!” Your uncle landed a knock on your head before you could hug him and it was the third time you felt like your head was about to explode that day. “If you go into the forest on your own and get hurt, what are you going to do?!”

You finally began to realize that possibility and ended up crying as you ran to embrace him again. Your uncle let your tiny arms wind themselves around his waist and though he was still upset, he felt more relieved than anything. He patted your back and soon after you calmed down, you began to walk with your hands holding one another.

“Hey, Uncle.”

“Hmm?”

“Is it true that there are spirits living in that forest?”

“The Mountain God’s forest, huh? Who knows. That’s what they say,” he answered in an unusually serious demeanor. But when he started again, he had a tiny smile painted upon his lips. “When I was little, I wanted to meet the spirits so my friends and I often went into the forest. In the end, I never met any but I had the feeling I’d occasionally spot something from the corner of my eye. On summer nights, you could hear the sounds of the river coming from the forest. And now that I think about it, Hyori said she and her friends went and had fun at a summer festival in the forest. But there’s no way the villagers would’ve held a festival in the forest. So then, whose festival could it have been? It started this crazy story that they must’ve snuck into a festival for the spirits.”

The old man with a scruffy beard was laughing, his eyes glistening with the reminiscence of his childhood. “Man, that takes me back!” he exclaimed. “We were so stupid back when we were kids.” Then he laughed some more. You were only busy carving his story into your mind.

That night, you had trouble sleeping. The last words that Taeyong spoke to you were echoing in your head.

This is the forest where the Mountain God and the Spirits live. Set foot within and you’ll lose your way and be lost forever.

You understood that and yet…

***

“You came back,” Taeyong said, sitting at the end of the stone stairs where you parted ways the day before. He was wearing the same clothes, with the same cat mask on his face. “I didn’t think you’d really come back.”

You blinked your eyes, mouth slightly parted. The question ‘Was he waiting for me?’ ran through your mind. “You…”

The boy tilted his head, “Huh?”

“YOU WAITED FOR MEEEEE!” You screamed in excitement, running towards him in reflex with your arms reaching forward. The boy yelped in surprised then—

Thunk!

“You just don’t learn, do you?” Taeyong sighed, holding the same wooden twig he held on the previous day. Though the pain on the top of your head was throbbing, you chuckled, feeling your heart burst in warmth and joy.

“I was so happy, I just…” you giggled again. “Sorry.”

The boy leaped forward, approaching the spot where you were squatting down due to the pain. Taeyong pocketed both of his hands and threw his face to the side. “It’s a bit hot here. Shall we go somewhere cooler?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry,” he assured, climbing up the stairs even though he just hopped down from there. Perhaps he wanted to walk beside you? “I’ll walk you back again.”

Your lips broke into the biggest grin you had ever made in your six years of living. “Okay!”

You went inside the forest, walking next to one another with nothing but air between you. You wondered if Taeyong had decided to trust you now, or if he was just being polite. You offered him the vanilla ice cream you’d brought from your uncle’s shop and the two of you ate your ices in silence. But the thing was, the silence was never awkward. You knew by then that Taeyong wasn’t much of a talker, and you were already too happy for being able to spend your day not with just a new friend, but also your first Spirit friend. It felt surreal and exciting at the same time.

The deeper you went inside the forest, you found out that the trees were bigger, almost taking all of the blazing sunlight to themselves and left none for you and Taeyong to bask on. The wind felt soft on your skin, the scent of grass and blooming flowers filled the air.

Your smile never receded from view when you walked behind Taeyong. It was only when you noticed that something had been following you that you began to frown. “Hmm?” You were sure something was following you, but Taeyong was walking like everything was normal.

As you were about to dismiss the thought, a shadow crept along the ground, a layer of dark mist clouded your vision, then a voice, low but thunderous, spoke. “Taeyong.”

You froze, your fingers almost gripping at the end of Taeyong’s shirt. The shadow turned colossal, darker, and somehow, somehow, you could see it grinning eerily at you.

“Is that a human child?” the shadow asked in a reverberating voice. You could practically feel its eyes on your skin. “Can I eat her?”

You hastily moved to the side with your tiny steps, hiding behind Taeyong’s legs. The boy noticed your fear and he quickly set out a hand to let his opponent know that you were off-limit. “No,” he said, “She’s my friend.”

“Is that so?” The shadow’s voice reminded you of the sound of the dark grey clouds rumbling before the storm came to wash the earth. “Human child, please don’t touch Taeyong’s skin. If you do, I’ll eat you.”

You were so scared; you started to shiver all over. By the way you were clutching to his shirt, Taeyong realized that you were, indeed, only a vulnerable little girl, barely knew anything about the world and the secrets it held. “Hey—” But then he abruptly sneezed.

The Shadow suddenly shrieked in horror then there was a blast of smoke, making you jolt on your feet, tiny hairs standing up at your nape. When you managed to look between the mist with narrowed eyes, that shadowy figure turned into a cute little golden fox with nine furry tails and a pair of sparkling ruby eyes.

“Oh!” It was so tiny, you could probably hold it with both hands. “Is that a Spirit Fox?”

The Fox’s fur was standing up, perhaps it was startled by Taeyong’s sudden sneeze. It wasn’t even that loud—to be honest, Taeyong’s sneeze was much quieter than how your uncle used to do. To be frightened only because of that…

“Yeah, he’s another one of the Spirits. He transforms to scare people away, but he’s all bark and no bite,” Taeyong said, approaching the little golden fox that was hiding behind a tree with its body cowering to the ground. “Isn’t that right?” The boy bent down, grabbing the fox with both hands, and lifted it off the ground. “Haechannie?”

Puff!

There was another kind of explosion that clouded the forest with ash grey mist, and you coughed a couple of times before you gazed back to the Fox. It was no longer a fox—it was a person.

Taeyong was holding a boy’s waist with both hands just like how he did to the animal before and your jaw grew slack at the sight. The golden fox just turned into a human—a male, nonetheless—with golden hair and the same pair of ruby eyes that matched the blush that crept through his cheeks. His skin, you noticed, had a darker complexion but it complimented his looks so much as if he was kissed by the sun, smooth skin glistening under the light. He also had a pair of dog-like ears and a nice golden Foxtail that resembled his previous form. And although the color of his hair and eyes were striking, it didn’t startle you as much as the fact that the boy was naked.

You screamed, immediately turning around from the sight of the two boys facing each other with Taeyong’s hands still holding Haechan’s bare waist as if it was the most normal thing to do. You had your hands covering your face, feeling embarrassed since it was the first time you witnessed a naked boy’s body.

“It’s because you startled me,” Haechan whined, arms flailing as he blushed a bit deeper. “Now let go of me, Hyung.”

Taeyong sighed, taking his hands off the boy that appeared to be the same age as him—just a couple of years younger, maybe. He didn’t seem to be bothered by Haechan’s bare skin at all, though he looked tired of his antics. “Don’t bother her, okay? She’s a friend.” Taeyong pointed his head toward you squatting down on the ground with your back turned, face sinking into your palms. You could hear Taeyong telling him your name but Haechan snorted in response.

“I don’t care what her name is!” Haechan shouted, looking away from the other boy. “Why are you getting all chummy with her even though you just met!” The way he whined so childishly was the complete opposite of the way he talked in his monstrous shadow form earlier. “And she’s a human! What would you do if she touches you by accident?” With a prominent pout, Haechan added under his breath, “You’re such an idiot.”

With the cat mask staring flatly at him, Taeyong replied, “I can hear you, you know.”

“Ah, damn it!” Haechan groaned, giving the other boy a shove on his shoulder. “I won’t cry if you disappear, all right?! It will all be your fault! Taeyongie, you big idiot!” He quickly turned back into his animal form, nipped Taeyong’s finger with his pointy teeth, and climbed the tree with his little paws.

Taeyong yelped a little from the bite but more because of the shock instead of pain. “Haechannie!” he called, but the fox spirit never looked back, jumping from one branch to another until he disappeared behind the trees. The cat-masked boy huffed and walked back towards you. “He’s gone now,” Taeyong said, bending down a little to match your height. “I’m sorry if he scared you.”

You slowly sneaked a glance behind you, and it was true. Haechan was nowhere to be seen. It was then that you could finally grasp what just happened.

“It was so…” You clenched your tiny fists before you jumped and punched the air. “SO AWESOME! That was the first time I’ve seen a real spirit! Not quite like I imagined, and I wasn’t prepared to see a naked boy like that but wow, they really do exist!” And as you continued jumping happily on your feet, shouting, “Amazing! Amazing! So amazing!” Taeyong muttered, “So what did you think I was?” And without waiting for you to calm down, he walked again with his hands tucked neatly inside his pockets.

You eventually followed him with your usual lively grin. “Are you a no-face or something? Why are you wearing that mask?”

“No particular reason,” Taeyong answered, making you frown. Perhaps he hadn’t trusted you that much? “Never mind me. Tell me about yourself.”

Your eyes twinkled; your grin turned mischievous. “Are you curious?”

A pause, then, “That’s why I waited for you.”

You couldn’t suppress your laughter. He was waiting for you, after all.

So you told him about yourself, from the most important things to the littlest nonsenses that went through your mind. Taeyong listened to your words in silence, no comment, no reaction, not even giving the slightest hum. And since he was always wearing that cat mask on his face, there was no way of telling how he felt when he listened to your stories. Did he even pay any attention to you? Was he bored? Was it entertaining for him? Taeyong was a mystery you didn’t know how to solve.

The next day and the day after that, you went back to the forest again and again. You kept running and playing all around the mountain, just together with the boy who was probably, at least, twice your age. You managed to break through the walls he built around you, little by little. His quiet, reserved demeanor gradually turned into something warmer, though not as lively or chaotic as you were. He began to tell you his favorite spots in the forest; crafted little ships from long leaves so you could watch them float along the river streams; and grabbed your sun hat when it got blown away by the wind before they got caught between the branches of a willow tree.

You even got Taeyong to play tag with you. You would run away from him, and he would chase after you with a twig on his hand so he didn’t have to touch you directly when he said, “Tag, you’re it!” Taeyong’s favorite trick was pretending to fall on the ground and waited for you to come back with a worried face. You always did, but Taeyong still wouldn’t be able to catch you even after you fell for his trap because you were always much faster.

These mundane things you shared were special to both you and him. And even though they would most likely dissipate from your memories as you grow older, at that time you felt infinite.

***

One day, you were humming to yourself as you were busy collecting little flowers from the field while Taeyong was lying down on the grass with his mask-covered face facing the clouds. The sun was hot but the wind was nice. At the end of the day, it was comforting.

With a handmade bouquet between your tiny palms, you rose to your feet and ran to Taeyong’s spot, only to found the boy resting there with one hand lying idly on his stomach. You kneeled next to his head, facing him upside down. “Taeyong…” you murmured to yourself, gazing at his cat mask. “Did he fall asleep?”

Slowly, out of curiosity, you reached out a hand. You hesitated, but it would be okay if you only touched his mask, wouldn’t it? Swallowing hard, you decided to take your chance.

How does he look underneath that mask?

You placed your tiny palms on each side of his mask, and slowly, carefully, lifted it off his face. Your heart was racing, as if you were doing something sinful your heart forbid you to. You pulled it higher, and higher, until you could see his face, and for that moment, the time seemed to stop.

Despite his height, Taeyong had a young baby face with long eyelashes brushing the top of his cheeks. His eyes were closed and he looked so blissful, like a baby falling asleep in his mother’s arms. His skin was soft, flawless, but pale—almost transparent as the sun shone its light upon it. His nose was cute. He had curvy, thin lips, with two tiny moles faintly painting his lower one. His jawlines were sharper than Haechan’s, making him look mature, and the more you observed his features, the more you thought that, oh, he was indeed a boy.

A beautiful, beautiful boy.

You thought that Taeyong was unfair to hide such beauty from the world; to only let the world witness malice while he kept such purity inside the forest.

How young… How innocent…

Then Taeyong suddenly smirked and before you knew it, a pair of deep, dark brown eyes were staring back at you.

“Ah! SORRY!” You exclaimed, startled to the point that all your breath left your lungs at once. Panicking, you unintentionally slammed the mask down onto his face harder than you intended to.

Taeyong hissed in pain, holding his face over the mask, and turned to his side. “Attacking someone while they’re asleep like this,” he said, eventually moved up and sat down cross-legged on the grass. “You surely are a scary little lady.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—” You looked away, muttering quietly. “You were pretending to sleep anyway, weren’t you?”

Taeyong paused for a second before he propped his elbow on his thigh and laid his chin on his palm. Somehow, you felt like he was smiling behind that mask. “I looked normal, didn’t I?” he asked, a bit playfully. This time, it was you who just sat quietly and stared back at him without a word.

“Taeyong… Why are you wearing that mask?”

He straightened up, voice sounding unusually soft when he spoke. “If I don’t wear this mask, I don’t look like a spirit, do I?” Surely with that mask on, Taeyong seemed less human. After all, that mask was designed after the Cat Spirit that was retold from time to time. But why? Why did he have to go that far? Was he scared that people would mistake him for a human and grabbed him accidentally without purpose?

You just sat in silence. Somehow, your chest tightened, as if you were drowning little by little. It was heartbreaking to know that Taeyong seemed like he didn’t have a choice. Maybe he wanted to throw that mask away. Maybe he wanted to be human—or at least, look like one. Maybe he wanted to be connected. To truly be alive. But then that would mean he had to risk everything…

And knowing how even days had passed by, you hadn’t seen anyone getting along with him other than you, Taeyong had probably never set a foot outside the forest either.

Is that why he seems so…

Lonely?

“You’re weird,” you said and you ended the topic just like that. Because if Taeyong didn’t want to tell, then you wouldn’t want to force the words out of his mouth.

Taeyong only chuckled.

***

“Taeyong.”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t think…” You stared sadly at your feet as you climbed down the stone steps that lead you back to the entrance gate. “I don’t think I can go back here tomorrow.”

Taeyong didn’t utter a word. Like usual, he just walked in front of you with his hands in his pockets and his mask pressed tightly against his face.

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I?” You continued. “That I’m just staying at my uncle’s place for the summer? So, I have to go home tomorrow…”

Taeyong just hummed once, to let you know that he was listening but did not intend to form a reply. You brought your head down, feeling disappointed. But why were you disappointed? You never felt like this when you said goodbye to your other friends before.

Taeyong stopped dead on his tracks. “Will you…” he said, turning his body slightly to face you but not quite. “Will you be able to come again next year?”

You stood still, your lips trembled slightly as if you were about to explode into words. Before you knew it, you felt your eyes grew a bit teary but you blinked your tears away before they fell and with a huge smile on your face, you merrily replied, “Yeah!” You had never felt so relieved.

And that was how summer became something you always looked forward to.

***

Every year, you came back and Taeyong always waited for your promised summer. You would find him sitting near the gate, on the stone stairs with his white cat mask placed upon his face. The two of you usually just did the same routines, lying lazily on the field of grass, eating ice creams as you crossed the wooden bridge, or throwing pebbles while dipping your bare feet into the water of the lake that was as clear as the sky.

“So cold!” You were turning eight that year, shouting as you plunged your bare feet into the water. Taeyong only let out a flat comment, “You’re weird. Of course the water is cold.” And although he sounded bored, you could tell that he was probably smiling behind his mask. After all, he could have just stayed silent about it, and yet he said something just to pull a reaction from you. You adored that part of him where he acted like he was fine being alone when in reality, there was nothing he craved more than someone’s attention.

Sometimes, when you walked too close to each other, a Spirit would show up in some form to revive the forgotten space between you. A lady wearing a snow-like kimono with flaming red hair once grabbed the side of his cheek and said with a pair of agonizing eyes, “Please be careful, Taeyong. We don’t want to lose you.”

A willow tree caressed his hair with its branch, pulling him by the neckline so he would distance himself away from you. The way its thick branch was shaped into a beast’s claw, clutching at Taeyong’s entire body was almost frightening, but there was only tenderness laced with concern when it spoke, “It’s dangerous, Taeyong. That’s a human child. If she touches you, you’ll disappear.”

“Thank you,” Taeyong always said, placing a reassuring hand on the tree’s claw. “I’m fine.” He sounded so sincere and absolute, leaving the Spirit Tree with no choice but to retract its claw from him.

“Please don’t touch him, human child,” the Spirit Tree said once again before it went back to its slumber. You could only answer, “Yes,” but to you, it was more than a promise. After all, you wouldn’t want Taeyong to disappear.

You couldn’t help but notice that other Spirits could touch him normally. You tried to put aside how your heart jerked with jealousy. You wouldn’t let your selfishness be the end of him.

Haechan was the one who showed up the most, appearing in his animal form to bite the end of your skirt and pulled you away from the other boy. He persistently yelled at you how your entire existence was a threat to him, making you realize that you were a weapon, designed by God to annihilate him and yet, Taeyong still waited for your visit every year. How could someone dare to take a risk like that?

Were you really worth all the trouble?

***

Every year, you waited for the summer to come. And before you knew it, you were already a ten-year-old girl. You grew taller, but your hair was still cut short with choppy bangs. Though you grew older, it didn’t mean your childish personality was wiped away.

“Hey,” Taeyong called, searching for you who were hiding somewhere in your sky blue summer dress through the holes of his cat-mask. “It’s dangerous to wander alone in the forest! Where are you—”

“SURPRISEEEED!” You shouted, dangling upside down from a tree branch with your legs circling it. Taeyong yelped, taking a step back in surprise from your sudden appearance. You were enjoying the moment, but before you could laugh about it, the end of your dress couldn’t fight the gravity so it fell covering your face. Your white panties were shown clearly for Taeyong’s eyes to see. “OH NO!” You quickly attempted to pull your dress back up and eventually, shifted your weight so you ended up sitting on the branch.

“What are you doing exactly?” Taeyong asked, not because you looked dumb but because he was genuinely interested in knowing. He always seemed to find your existence somewhat amusing.

You chuckled lightly. “I wanted to see your startled face but…” You forgot he was wearing his mask all the time so that was ultimately pointless. Taeyong just stared back, waiting because you looked like you wanted to say more. “You know, Taeyong… Can you at least take your mask off when I’m around? Once in a while is okay, right?”

Taeyong let a second pass. “Well, it’s fine but…” He placed his fingers at the end of his mask and slowly began to lift it off his face. “Is there a particular reason why?”

You observed him with anticipation. “Well, not really, but—” A cracking sound could be heard as the branch wasn’t strong enough to handle your weight, and with a shriek, you found yourself falling.

Calling your name, Taeyong ran towards you in reflex, arms out and ready to catch you. In a split second, as you fought to defy gravity, you could see his hands desperately trying to save you. Aside from the fear of falling, all you could think about was—

No.

Please, don’t.

Don’t touch me.

If you touch me, you’ll—

You fell head first on small bushes that were soft and safe enough for you to land on. You had landed on the ground before Taeyong could reach you and although you felt like you probably twisted your shoulder a little, you were more than fine.

“That was close…” Taeyong breathed out, his hands still hanging stiffly in the air.

“Y-yeah…” You felt slightly lightheaded as adrenaline faded away from your veins. You were in haze, body reclining against the bushes, grateful to be able to come unscathed.

“I’m sorry,” Taeyong murmured, but from not being able to be there on time to catch you or because he had retracted his hands back in reflex when he nearly touched your skin, you weren’t sure. “Are you okay?”

You exchanged stares, letting a few seconds pass by in silence before you finally let out a weak chuckle. “Thank goodness.” When Taeyong asked you what you meant, you softly added, “No matter what happened, Taeyong, don’t ever touch me, okay?”

His lips were tightly shut as he approached your spot, but the gesture he made with his hands seemed like he wanted to comfort you. Why would he want to comfort me, you thought but soon enough, you found the answer.

Because when you spoke again, your words are tainted with your tears.

“Did you hear me?” You forced yourself to smile but once the first tear broke, the rest of them were unstoppable. You cried again, and again, and again, until your whole body trembled, chest suffocating. You tried to laugh it off, shakily saying, “No matter what, okay?” but the more you tried to pretend that it didn’t faze you when you almost erased his entire existence over your negligence, you sobbed even harder.

You finally understood why the Spirits didn’t want you to be close to him. It wasn’t because they didn’t trust you. It was because Taeyong was just too kind. Even if it meant he would be wiped off the earth, he wouldn’t mind as long as you were safe. The way he had run toward you with his arms reaching out to you was a proof of that. The Spirits probably thought that Taeyong would be obliterated someday not because you touched him, but because he tried to save you when something like this happened again.

No. I can’t afford that.

No matter what, please don’t touch me.

You didn’t want him to see this side of you. You didn’t want him to know that in a human world, sometimes pain could be so unbearable that all you could do was just fall to your knees and wish that someday you could stop crying and stand up again.

This ugly side of humanity… You didn’t want Taeyong to know…

But Taeyong never said a word.

***

The next summer and the summer after that, you continued to visit the forest to meet him.

“Taeyong! I’m here again this year!” You greeted, wearing your junior high school uniform with your skirt ending a few inches above your knees. Taeyong, dressed in the same way like he always did, was already there at the spot where he usually waited for you to arrive. “Ta-daa!” You twirled once for him, making your skirt flutter and your longer hair sway above your neckline. “I’ve become a seventh-grader now!”

As always, you couldn’t tell what kind of expression he had behind that mask, but Taeyong was indeed staring at you for a few seconds. “Somehow…” he began saying, “You’re starting to look like a girl.”

“I am a girl,” you replied, unconsciously pouting and Taeyong laughed a little in response. Even the way he laughed felt like summer to you—radiant and hot enough to light a spark of fire to your chest. Standing up, he stuck his hands inside his pockets, and climbed up the stairs. “Shall we go?”

“Yeah.” You smiled, then as you saw his figure, you began to realize. “Oh…”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

You just noticed that your ages were gradually getting closer. Unlike you, Taeyong didn’t age normally as any human would. Somehow, he aged much slower, maintaining his youth to stay perfectly the same from season to season. Your height was almost on the same par as Taeyong’s shoulders now. As the years went by, your appearance began to change, but Taeyong almost looked the same as the day you first met.

If this keeps on going… Maybe…

You stopped walking when you realized Taeyong wasn’t walking beside you anymore. You looked back, facing the sun that was setting behind the hill and the boy who stood with his face lifted to perceive the sky. There was a butterfly on Taeyong’s mask, just right on the cat’s nose and slowly, he began to take it off. Underneath the shadow of the mask, Taeyong was smiling, softly, gently, and he eventually brought his mask down to stare at the butterflies that flew through the branches of the trees.

He closed his eyes.

From where you were standing, Taeyong merely appeared like a silhouette but in your eyes, he was a painting worth being praised. A beautiful portrayal of a man who only knew bliss in his life with a pure smile that even God wouldn’t be able to resist its beauty.

It was probably the day when you realized the reason behind the ache in your chest.

Someday, I will be older than him, won’t I?

You didn’t know what would be more dreadful to face: Taeyong leaving you over an accidental touch, or you leaving Taeyong because of old age. After all, time is cruel. Time is responsible for the summers that come and go, for the leaves in autumn that shrivel, for the long and cold winters that made your teeth jittery. It’s amazing how you can fall asleep by listening to the sound of the rain and when you wake up, the sun is blazing once again and the roads are dry. It would be as if it never rained.

What if I become like that? You questioned yourself. What if for Taeyong, I’m just nothing more than a fleeting summer day?

With the two of you being bound by the chains of time, you knew that there would come a day where time would become your enemy.

You buried your thoughts deep inside your mind, and promised him, “I’ll come back here again tomorrow, okay?”

Taeyong opened his eyes, gazing back at you, and smiled that one breathtakingly beautiful smile. “Then I’ll be waiting as always.”

***

“Before our summer vacation started, a boy in my class asked me out,” you said, now fourteen, as you hugged your knees to your chest, making sure that your sky blue sleeveless summer dress was not showing the polkadot panties you wore underneath. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Taeyong didn’t respond, wasn’t sure how to. He just stared at you—blankly, by the look of his cat mask, and you curled your toes in the uncomfortable silence.

“Say something, will you?” you mumbled after a while, heat rushing to your cheeks.

“I don’t even know what that means.”

“Well, that—” You opened your mouth but then nothing came out. What did that mean exactly? ‘To go out’? “Well, I mean, I think he wants me to date him… or something,” you finished terribly.

Taeyong hummed, lying down on the grass and folding his hands underneath his head to use them as his pillow. The leaves of the trees above him were doing a great job in providing the shades he needed. “Date, huh?”

There was something annoying about how Taeyong behave so nonchalantly like this, as if you were conversing about what you had for breakfast. But you noticed that it was weird of you to feel that way. Did you even have the right to be upset?

“What do you suppose they do?” Taeyong suddenly asked, snapping you out of your reverie.

“They?”

“People who are dating,” he explained further, his hands now moving to lay on his sides. “What do you think they do?”

You thought about it, looking up at the pillowy white clouds and feeling the wind that caressed your strands. “I don’t know,” you answered, throwing yourself to the grass again, next to Taeyong but remembering to put a safe distance between you. “Maybe go somewhere together, hold hands and stuff?”

Taeyong fell into another silence.

You couldn’t help but let your eyes linger on the small gap between your pinky finger and his. You almost moved your hand closer, just a little bit, but then he lifted his arm and you nearly yelped in shock.

Taeyong took off his mask and placed it over his chest. His hand was now nowhere close to your smaller one. He had his eyes closed and from where you were lying on his side, you could see how long his eyelashes were, how they fluttered against his cheeks. Taeyong still looked so young, like a pure little boy with no idea how to sin, and perhaps that was because he never stepped a foot outside the forest. You envied his naivety but you also questioned how he truly felt for living a life monotonously like that. Even though he had Haechan and the rest of his Spirit friends here, was it really better for him to have no contact with humans?

Because sometimes… Taeyong looked so lonely.

The boy parted his lips. “Do you think they would kiss?”

If you had been drinking, you would’ve sprayed all of it on Taeyong’s face. “What?!”

“Those couples,” Taeyong elucidated, as if you were asking because you didn’t understand, when in reality you were just utterly embarrassed by it. “Do you think they kiss a lot?”

“What—” You almost bit your tongue. “Who even told you this stuff?! I thought you were supposed to live inside the forest!”

“I do, but it doesn’t mean I’m raised like Tarzan, you know.”

He even knows Tarzan! You wanted to scream. “Let me guess, Haechan?”

“Yeah.”

That perverted little fox! Of course he told him this stuff!

“Yeah, well, I think they do,” you sighed, lying down on the grass again with another huff. “I remember having this conversation with a friend. See, she has a boyfriend, and she told me that they were kissing the other day. I, just like now, didn’t know what to say.”

“You never kissed anyone before?”

Your face was aflame and it had nothing to do with the sun. “N-no…” Of course not! If I had done it, then—

“Why not?” Taeyong asked, staring at you with genuine curiosity. You promptly looked away, ignoring the question.

Because then you’d disappear, you idiot. But how could you tell Taeyong that? You didn't even know why you wanted to kiss him. When exactly did you start wanting it? When did you start looking at him differently?

“I just…” You absentmindedly played with the tip of the grass underneath your fingers. “…haven’t found the right person yet.” Actually, I have, but if I touch him, he’ll disappear so… “And there’s a difference, you know, between kissing someone because they’re attractive and kissing someone because, umm, w-words can no longer express the intense feelings you have for them.” You clear your throat, feeling a bit nauseous all of a sudden. “Even if I did go out with him, I can’t just kiss him because he’s cute. It’s not right.”

Taeyong’s eyes were following the clouds, which were somehow changing shapes from one to another. “A kiss, huh…” he mumbled, reaching out a hand toward the sky and spread his fingers widely as if he was about to seize the sun. “I wonder if humans are as warm as this.”

“As the sun?” You asked, laughing quietly. “I certainly hope not. That’d be scary.”

Taeyong only smiled, slowly averting his eyes to lock them with yours. But you’re already burning as bright though…

“What?” You asked when you saw him looking at you without saying anything. “Did Haechan draw something on my face again? I swear to God, it’s like I can’t even let my guard down for one sec—”

“Don’t kiss him,” Taeyong suddenly said, abruptly cutting the rest of your sentence short and leaving you gaping, loss for words. When silence came to fill the space, he tried to break through the tension. “I mean…” He scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Well, it’s your choice, but…”

Your heart warmed. “But…?”

Taeyong’s tongue laid heavy in his mouth and he quickly put his cat mask back on. “We’re too far inside the forest. We should be getting back now before it’s too late,” he sternly said, sitting up. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the gate.” And he stood up, placed his hands inside his pockets as always, and walked away without even waiting for you to get up.

You followed with a blissful smile breaking on your face.

“I won’t,” you said, loud enough for him to hear. “If you don’t want me to kiss him, I won’t.” Taeyong never said anything back.

But you noticed the way the tip of his ears went red.

***

Taeyong called your name. His voice, like always, sounded a little bit muffled from the mask. “Hey, I’m back. Too bad, I can’t find the—”

The sight of you in your favorite peach summer dress, sleeping soundly on the grass as if nothing could attack you at that moment, made him grow speechless. You had one arm lying down on your stomach, your lips were slightly parted as you fell deep into slumber, and Taeyong could see your chest heaving up and down slowly every time you breathed.

“Goodness,” he muttered, sighing. “This is a forest, you know? Moreover, it’s the forest where Spirits live. What would you do if they attack you?” Not that Taeyong actually thought that would happen—except for Haechan. That devilish fox could be pretty childish when he got jealous. Taeyong wouldn’t be surprised if he found him biting the edge of your dress again.

But, of course, you didn’t hear him. You had always been a heavy sleeper, even a clap of thunder could barely wake you up.

Taeyong huffed once more before he sat down next to you, taking a glance at the beauty marks on your face, at your bangs that had grown longer since your first visit two months ago, and at the lovely shape of your mouth. The way your lips seemed so soft and rosy, sparked curiosity and something within him that he couldn’t properly name, as he didn’t quite understand the feeling just yet.

Pressing one palm to the grass to prop his weight, Taeyong took off his mask. His silvery-white hair fell covering his hooded eyes but the soft wind blew it away. He leaned over, almost hovering above you by the time he laid his other palm on the other side of your head. Releasing a shaky breath, he brought his face down to yours.

I’m… Towards you, I’ve been…

Close. So close. Taeyong could even count your eyelashes if he wanted. You were breathing softly, warm air flowing from your slightly parted lips. Taeyong wanted to seal them with his own.

“Taeyong?”

Taeyong blinked, freezing on the spot. You were awake, staring at him with your eyes still slightly red from sleep. “Taeyong, what are you doing…?”

Taeyong only stared at you, eyes to eyes with such close proximity. He could tell how nervous you were, no matter how hard you tried to keep your face composed.

“I couldn’t find the flower you wanted,” he said, with a voice so calm as if he was speaking in a safe distance. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s…” You swallowed, still locking your gaze together although your heart was screaming like a beating drum. “It’s all right…”

Taeyong spent another two seconds being in that position before he finally pulled away, just to press his mask to your face. You let out an ‘oof’ sound of surprise but you didn’t take it off. You just laid there, completely still, with his mask covering your face. It smelled just like him—the dry air of summer, with a hidden scent of fresh green grass and sunray.

“Your face’s red,” Taeyong said. “Go back to sleep.”

You wondered whether the sun managed to bite through your skin and warm your face like this. But how would that explain your racing heartbeat?

“Okay…” you murmured and the sounds of birds chirping suddenly became louder as you both fell mute, unsure of what to say.

Not far from there, a golden fox scrunched his nose in annoyance. With a small puff of smoke, Haechan returned to his human form.

“Is he an idiot?” Haechan growled in his human voice, sneaking around behind the bushes with no clothes on like usual. “What would he have done if she didn’t wake up? Did he want to die?! I should’ve knocked some sense into his head! Stupid Taeyongie!” But despite the venom in his words, Haechan could only look away and do nothing. After all…

Taeyong had looked so happy.

There was only this little smile displayed on his lips, yet somehow he looked more alive than Haechan had ever seen him before. It was the first time Haechan ever witnessed that kind of expression on him.

Haechan gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. “That idiot,” he said again, grumbling but instead of running back and throwing a fist at the other man, Haechan kept walking away and bit his lower lip until it grew white. Stop looking that happy. You know how this would end, don’t you? She can’t give you the happy ending you want.

Don’t start something that will only hurt you, Hyung…

***

On the last day of your eighth summer together, you bought Taeyong a scarf. When he asked the reason why, you simply explained with, “My uncle said the winter will be freezing this year, so be sure to wear it, okay?”

“I don’t get cold, though.”

“Just wear it.”

Taeyong hummed, taking a detailed look at the maroon knitted scarf in his hands. The cuts that appeared on your fingers when you tried to knit it three months earlier had disappeared, and just by seeing him holding it already made you feel like it worth every effort you’d given.

“Oh, and here.” You took a small music player from your summer dress’s pocket. It had earphones and batteries that would definitely last for at least a month if it was only used once a while. “I’ll give you this.”

“You’re giving me a lot of things today,” Taeyong commented. “And what’s this?”

“An mp3 player,” you said as you sat next to him on the stone stairs. “Here, I’ll show you how it works. First, you press here to turn it on, then you pick the song from the playlist.” You demonstrated every word and Taeyong stared intently at the mp3 screen from the holes of his mask. “I already put some songs in it. I’m not sure what kind of music you like, so I kind of put every genre I could find. You can skip it by pressing here if you hate the song.”

“How can I hate it when I can’t even hear it?” he innocently asked and you laughed.

“That’s why they invented these earphones, silly,” you giggled, and without waiting for his permission, you plugged in one earphone to his ear while you pressed the other one to your own. You moved a bit closer toward him and Taeyong fidgeted a bit from the distance. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you,” you said and you wondered since when did it begin to hurt you so much when you said those words? “But be very still, okay?”

“Oh, it’s playing.” Taeyong was astonished when the song started playing in his ear. It was a piece from Beethoven, a sound of violin combined with piano and cello. You explained everything to him, from the instruments, to the harmony, to the genius composers in the music industry. It was all new to him. “And what’s that sound?”

“That’s the sound of timpani,” you explained and when you glanced to the side, you realized how close you were to him. One wrong move and you could hurt him. You needed to be extra careful. It was probably best to move away, Haechan would’ve certainly told you so but just for one more second…

Let me be this close to you for one more second before I go…

“Wait, don’t change the song,” Taeyong said, snatching you away from your thoughts. Your finger stopped moving around the playlist. “I want to hear this one to the end.”

You grew quiet. There were over a hundred songs you had put into the music player and out of all of them, Taeyong had to choose this song. This one song that took you an entire night contemplating whether you should put it inside the device or not.

“This is the sound of a violin, right?” Taeyong asked, looking serious because of his mask but you dared to think that he was smiling underneath it. “It’s nice. It’s not as rich as the other piece that had timpani in it, but… It’s beautiful. I like this one.”

You stood up abruptly, your earphone detaching itself from your ear. “I—I have to go. It’s getting late.”

“Huh?” Taeyong was a bit startled. “Oh. Yeah…”

You stepped forward, not looking back at him or waved him goodbye like usual. Instead, you rushed forward with your head hanging low.

To think that he would like your song.

To think that he would say that your violin playing was nice.

To think that he would prefer your song better than any other ones there.

“Hey,” Taeyong called, and you froze before you slowly peered back at him. If he could see the blush on your cheeks and ask about it, you would lie and say that the lights were playing tricks on him.

“Thanks for these,” Taeyong said and the boy had taken off his mask. With that warm smile that almost matched the warmth of the sun drowning behind him, he waved his hand goodbye. “Until we meet next summer.”

***

“Why doesn’t he wear clothes?” You exasperatedly asked one day, in the middle of a blazing summer. It was your ninth summer together. You were fifteen-years-old, and Taeyong… Well, you never actually knew what his real age was but he still looked like he was around eighteen as always.

“Who, Haechan?” Taeyong asked, and the little golden fox lounging on his lap perked his ears at the question. Taeyong smiled a little and you, once again, whispered gratitude toward whatever it was that made him take off his mask that day. The boy placed his palm on the Fox’s head and stroke its fur. Haechan purred and leaned into the touch, his tails swaying happily behind him. “Haechan doesn’t like human clothes. He said they’re uncomfortable.”

“Well, I’m uncomfortable seeing a grown man walking around naked and clinging to you like a possessive girlfriend—” Your sentence shortly ended with a shriek when a cloud of smoke exploded around you and you knew perfectly well what caused it.

“I’m not his girlfriend, you ugly monkey, but Taeyong-Hyung is mine!” Haechan, already standing in all of his naked glorious human form, shouted as he hugged him from behind, having one arm around Taeyong’s neck, and his chin being annoyingly close to the other boy’s shoulder. “And I’m not clingy because I want to. He’s just warmer than any other Spirits here and I happen to like warmth.”

“It’s summer.” You squinted your eyes menacingly, sounding remarkably irritated but still trying your best to hide the flustered look on your face because no matter annoying Haechan was, he was still a fully naked boy. “It’s like forty degrees out here, how much hotter do you want?”

Haechan actually had the knack to ignore you with a “Hmph!” while puffing out his cheeks and nuzzled his head against Taeyong’s palm. “You don’t find me annoying, do you, Taeyongie?”

Taeyong smiled and patted his head. “I’m already used to you being like this.” Haechan’s golden tail wagged excitedly in delight. “But you should put some clothes on, Haechannie. You’re making her feel uneasy.”

“I don’t care about that monkey girl!”

“What did you say, you stupid fox?!”

Both you and Haechan gritted your teeth, facing one on one in a glaring battle before your head nearly burst from being unable to contain the shame. Haechan was so naked, you couldn’t handle staring at him for a second longer than that. Haechan was cackling proudly for achieving victory.

“That’s not nice,” Taeyong scolded and Haechan only huffed, curling on the ground and laying his head on Taeyong’s lap.

“Of course,” Haechan grumbled quietly, plump lips turning into a pout. “Why should I be nice to a girl who can make you disappear anytime she wants? That’s ridiculous.”

You froze, heart dropping to your stomach, before you hugged your knees to your chest and half-buried your face in them. Taeyong was glancing at you for a second before he brought his eyes back to the boy on his lap and pinched Haechan’s nose.

“Hey, ouch!” Haechan batted his hand away, snarling. “What the hell was that for?!”

Taeyong didn’t utter a word but there was something… Some kind of tension that made Haechan pout angrily and mutter harshly in your direction. “Well, I’m sorry, okay?” Haechan heaved the loudest sigh. His ears went down dejectedly as he laid on his side. Taeyong’s hand had stopped long from stroking his golden hair. “I know you don’t mean any harm to Taeyong-hyung, but… I mean, I… I…”

You waited in silence as Haechan tried to form his words. He looked rather cute, trying desperately to draw the right sentence to apologize when he would pretty much prefer dying instead of doing so. Eventually, Haechan sat up, pointing rudely at you with his finger, and shouted, “All right, fine! You’re allowed to stay with my Taeyongie for now, but if you pull some kind of trick like trying to kiss him in his sleep again, I won’t forgive you, OKAY?!”

Both you and Taeyong jolted, hearts thumping loudly behind your ribcages.

He was watching?! But wait, Taeyong thought, he said she was trying to kiss me. So he wasn’t watching me when I tried to kiss her. But when did she…

Taeyong turned his head toward you at the same time you were averting your gaze from Haechan’s to his. Both of you blushed and immediately brought your eyes away.

“I—I should go.” You abruptly stood up, your knees wobbling under your weight. This is so embarrassing, I could die! “I’ll c-come back tomorrow, okay?”

“Huh?” Taeyong was not being himself, losing his composure. “Yeah, s-sure. I’ll—”

But you had already walked away from your spot, mentally slapping yourself in the face because oh God, no, now he knows. What should I do? How can I face him now?

“What’s up with that girl?” Haechan asked, raising an eyebrow as he draped his bare arms all over Taeyong’s body again. “I know she’s weird, but that was too weird, right?”

“Haechannie.”

Taeyong’s voice startled him a bit. “Y-yeah?”

“When you said…” Taeyong swallowed, the thought of him trying to kiss you in your sleep started to overwhelm him once more. Did she really do the same thing to me? When? “What you said before… Was it true? Did she really try to kiss me?”

It was saddening for him that Taeyong was paying more attention to you than to him again. Ever since you came into his life, all Taeyong could ever talk about was you. You were the reason behind his smiles, when it was used to be Haechan who brought warmth to Taeyong’s cold demeanor. “Well,” Haechan sighed in defeat. “To tell you the truth…”

With a dandelion flower tucked between his fox teeth, Haechan ran with all of his power to where Taeyong was. He moved his four legs as fast as he could, his golden tail swinging behind him. Being a small fox had its perks. He could easily jump from one tree to another, he could slip through narrow spaces, and Taeyong once said that he had soft fur that was nice to touch. Haechan truly adored that boy so as a token of his gratitude; he wanted to give him a dandelion flower—one that Taeyong loved the most.

Taeyongie! Taeyongie! I want to meet him! I want to give this to him!

So he ran faster, and faster, looking for him until Haechan saw his figure sitting next to a tree with his spine pressed against the thick trunk. From where he was, Haechan could only see his back.

Ah, there he is! Taeyongie!

He ran faster, crossing the field of grass to get to that spot, but only to find Taeyong sleeping with his bangs covering his eyes and his mask tossed to his side. Then there was you—the girl who always hung around him—kneeling in front of him with…

Haechan blinked. What kind of expression is that?

Your eyes were soft, your lips parted forming Taeyong’s name, and even from where Haechan was hiding behind the tree, he could tell that you were nervous. There was something different with the way you looked. Haechan usually saw you as an annoying, little clumsy girl who posed nothing but a threat to his dearest friend. But that day, he noticed how feminine you really were.

Has she… Haechan unconsciously thought, his heart racing a little. Has she always been that pretty?

“Please don’t wake up,” you whispered, your cheeks heating up. Then you leaned forward, pressing your palm to the grass next to his waist to prop your weight.

Wait! Haechan shouted in his head but he couldn’t will himself to move. Wait, what do you think you’re doing—

Then you closed your eyes and filled the spaces between you. Haechan wasn’t breathing at that moment. He couldn’t even think.

You were kissing Taeyong.

That girl! Haechan yelled in anger. If Taeyong disappears, I am going to kill—

“Hmm?” Taeyong’s voice came through his hearing. “Oh sorry, seems like I fell asleep. You came back already, huh?”

“Yeah,” you replied, smiling at him before you stood up. “I was just going to drop this for you and leave since I thought you were sleeping.”

Haechan crawled a bit closer to take a look at what you were referring to. It was a handful of dandelion flowers—just like what he wanted to give him—with a white paper card laid upon them.

The paper! Haechan realized. Of course! She was using that when she kissed him!

You took the small paper card and laughed. “I was going to write something like ‘Make a wish for me’ or something but you already woke up.”

When Haechan looked back at Taeyong, the boy was staring at you in the same way you’d looked at him before. Those soft, gentle eyes. That adoring gaze. That longing stare.

Taeyong stood up, taking the dandelions off his lap and offered them back to you. “Why don’t we make a wish together?” he asked, smiling so tenderly that even you got startled for a moment.

“Okay!” you chirped merrily and you walked next to each other as you blew the dandelions one by one.

“What did you wish for?”

“World peace,” you answered with a grin. “You?”

Taeyong sneaked a glance toward the small gap that separated your hands from one another. “An ice cream,” he said, smiling back.

You tittered, oblivious about the actual thing he desired the most. “You’re so weird.”

Haechan watched from afar, hiding behind the shades of the tree before he eventually transformed into his human form, laid his back against the trunk and blew his own dandelion flower away. The seeds were swaying together with the wind, leaving him alone as Taeyong’s chatter began to wash away from his ears.

“Idiot,” Haechan muttered. “Stop being so obvious. You’re even making me embarrassed.”

“Haechannie?” Taeyong’s soft voice woke him from his reverie. Noticing how the boy hadn’t spoken for a while, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Haechan glared at him, shouting. “Nothing’s wrong! Just go die, you idiot!” Then he morphed back to his animal form, bit him in the nose and scurried off.

Taeyong hissed in pain, rubbing his nose. “Why is everybody leaving so suddenly today?” he sighed before throwing himself back to the ground, lying on the grass with the sun showering him with its light.

Ah, I want to see her again already.

***

Seasons changed and what was once warm air caressing your strands, had turned into soft snow prickling against your skin and coating your spine with shivers. You began to realize that the world became a little dull as you grew older. You stared at the glassy window in front of you with lifeless eyes, close enough to make the glass hazy with your warm breath. The school’s bell rang, indicating that your next class was about to begin but you kept standing still in the hallway, just staring at the cloudy weather.

A boy called your name—Mark Lee, you remembered well, from his big doe eyes and his messy raven hair. “Shouldn’t you be heading to the lab? Everyone already left.”

“Huh?” You blinked, still somewhat dazed until you noticed that Mark was already carrying his textbook, ready to move to the biology lab. “Ah, right!” You sputtered, turning on your heels to run toward your classroom but Mark caught you by the wrist.

“Here,” he said, giving you the note and the textbook you wanted to grab. “We’re going to be late, so I’ve brought your stuff with me. Let’s go.”

And if your thoughts weren’t so distraught, you would’ve noticed how Mark had been paying more attention to you than anybody else for the past few weeks.

But that was the problem. You had been having trouble focusing these days. Everything just seemed to pass by like a blur. During your next class, you didn’t pay any attention at all. It wasn’t like you were busy chatting or drawing random doodles on your note. You were just staring blankly at your textbook. Your eyes were half-lidded, your thoughts scattering all over the places.

At home, you hardly finished your dinner. Your mother scolded you as she thought her daughter was snacking before they shared sukiyaki at the dining table. You could only pout before you took your leave. You didn’t tell your mother that you had hardly eaten anything all day.

When the lights were off and you were settling down under your blanket in bed, you couldn’t sleep. You kept staring at your ceiling, part of your soul going somewhere else. Somewhere where it was warmer, brighter, with a stupid-looking cat mask in sight.

You eventually closed your eyes with the thought of gentle brown eyes staring at you behind silvery white strands.

Six more months left until I can see you again.

***

“Good morning.”

You exhaled from your mouth, creating visible puffs of air in the chilly weather. Your coat and scarf were clinging tightly to your body and yet you still felt cold. You never enjoyed the winter season. Or, any other seasons, for that matter.

“I said, good morning.”

You blinked. Your brain finally could process that someone had been calling you since a moment ago. “Oh,” you said, smiling politely. “Good morning, Mark.”

“Dozing off already?” Mark said, fixing the strap of his bag that was about to fall off his shoulder. “Isn’t it still too early for that?”

You could only laugh but even the sound of it felt empty to your ears.

“There’s frozen ice underneath your feet,” he warned, his voice sounded a bit muffled. Half of his face was covered with his checkered navy blue scarf. “Be careful.”

You stopped walking and noticed that you were indeed standing on asphalt-covered with black ice. It made a soft creaking sound when you tried to walk on it. It was too slippery.

“You’ll slip. It’s dangerous.” Mark took out his hand from the pocket of his brown duffle coat. “Come here,” he called, offering his hand. There were clouds of breath when he spoke.

Appalled, but only for a second, you then smiled gratefully. “Thank you.” You took his hand, but Mark was the one who held it tighter. He was warm and the texture of his palm was rough. You never knew that a boy’s hand could feel like this.

You were no longer walking on the frozen ice but Mark never let go of your hand. He just continued walking in front of you, dragging you gently by the hand. “It’s cold today, isn’t it?” he said and you wondered whether you should reply to a rhetorical question like that. You ended up saying nothing.

“Haven’t you been a little out of it lately?” Mark asked after the small awkward silence. “Actually, you’ve always been that way, but…”

His grip around your hand wasn’t exactly too tight or too loose, and it somehow felt nice so you were confused. Why weren’t you affected by it? Why didn’t you feel anything at all? Some other students who were passing you were staring, and both you and Mark would probably need to get ready to clarify dating rumors the second you arrived at class but you felt nothing. Nothing at all, except…

Mark’s mouth was moving but you couldn’t hear him over the loudness of your thoughts.

I want to see Taeyong.

I want to touch him.

I want to feel his hand on mine.

I miss him.

But you still had six months left before summer came.

It didn’t use to be a problem. But at that particular moment, as Mark began to lace his fingers more comfortably around yours, you thought that it hurt. Not seeing Taeyong was more than painful.

It was suffocating.

***

“Is that your new uniform?” Taeyong asked, leaning his shoulder to the tree near the stone stairs where you usually met. That was his first line after nine months of separation.

You timidly smiled, nodding with your fingers interlacing behind your back. You were wearing a white and dark blue uniform, indicating that you had become a high school student that year. You wore a hairpin to clip your bangs from falling over your face. Taeyong didn’t comment on it but he noticed how your hair had grown longer, and how he loved it now as much as he’d loved it then.

“Time really flies, doesn’t it?” Taeyong marveled, as you climbed up the stone stairs, walking to a deeper part of the forest. “You’re already in high school, huh?”

The cicadas were singing loud behind your backs. They always sang the loudest when it was hot. “Yup.”

You sat on the carpet of green grass near the pond. Pink lotuses were growing, blooming underneath the sun. Taeyong sat cross-legged, and you sat next to him with your legs folded carefully to guard your skirt against blowing because of the wind.

“You don’t come running at me anymore these days,” Taeyong chuckled “You were so clingy when you were a kid.”

“Of course not.” You scoffed. “I’ve learned my lesson after all the beatings you did.”

Taeyong stayed in silence so you eventually looked away and diverted your gaze toward the sky. “I’m really looking forward to it,” you said. “In three years, when I graduate, I plan on looking for a job here. Then, I can be with you more. In winter, in autumn, in spring… We’ll always be together.” Your voice became softer, just like the sheepish smile you displayed on your face. “Always, okay?”

Taeyong glanced back at you through the holes of his mask. You seemed so optimistic and bright; it was almost painful.

Because what were you doing exactly? You both knew this wouldn’t last. You weren’t supposed to be together. There was no way for you to be together without you hurting each other in the end.

It was just… Impossible…

When Taeyong called your name, his voice had lost its cheeriness. “Let me tell you about myself.”

You blinked. “Eh?”

“I’m not a spirit,” Taeyong said, sitting up better on the ground. “But I’m also no longer human. It seems like I was once a human, but when I was a baby, I was abandoned in this forest.”

Taeyong could no longer recall the memory back when he was a baby, being left all alone in a wooden basket in the middle of a haunted forest. “I’d only just been abandoned, so I cried helplessly, as if to call back the parents who left me.”

But Taeyong’s tone was no longer painted with agony. You wondered how many years had truly passed since the day he was abandoned for him to feel nothing when he spoke about it.

“They said I didn’t stop crying for a long time,” Taeyong said, and you noticed that he must have been talking about the Spirits. “It was until they placed this cat mask on my face that I began to laugh. I should’ve died then, but the Mountain God appeared and cast a spell that allowed me to continue living so that I never move on.”

Taeyong never once looked at you when he retold his story. “I’m like a ghost,” he said, and finally turned his mask-covered face toward you. “So, it’s okay if you forget about me.” You couldn’t find anything to say. Your mind was busy processing all the information you'd just received. “A body that’s maintained by magic is very weak,” Taeyong continued nonetheless as he stared at his own palm. “If it touches a real human body, the spell will break and the body will disappear. It’s such a fragile thing…” There was an obvious pain in his voice now. “Just how long can you—”

“Something that disappears when touched,” you immediately said, not wanting to hear the question escaping his lips. “It’s just like snow, isn’t it?”

This time, it was Taeyong who went speechless.

“You know, Taeyong…” You embraced your knees to your chest, staring at the pond. The light cast its reflection on your face, which to Taeyong only added more sparks to your beauty. “I thought of you during winter. And fall… And spring… I thought of you all the time, so...” You locked their gazes together as you smiled. “Don’t forget about me, okay? Don’t forget. Time might separate us one day, but still, until then, let’s stay together.”

Taeyong never once discussed it again. He decided that you were worth it. He would allow himself to be selfish. Whether he would disappear from your touch, or whether you would pass away on your deathbed even when he was still in his twenties, no one could ever know. But if he could spend that time with you, no matter how short it would be, no matter how much it would hurt, he would endure the pain. If it meant that he would stay together with you, he would crush his own happy ending. Because you had decided to let yours go.

And there was no way he would let you go down that road on your own.

***

“A spirit festival?” You asked, as you sat next to each other near the lake with your feet dipped into the water. Now eighteen, you felt closer to him more than ever. You secretly wondered if someone saw you walking together side-by-side, would they think of you as a couple?

“No, a summer festival held by the spirits,” Taeyong corrected.

“There’s not much of a difference.”

“The nuance is completely different.”

“Nuance?”

“When you were little, I thought you might get scared so I didn’t invite you. But tonight,” Taeyong stopped to showcase his grin. “Can you sneak out of your house? I’ve wanted to go with you for a long time…”

As if you could decline that tempting offer. “I—I want to go!” You exclaimed, jumping up to both of your feet.

“Then meet me at eight at our usual place.”

“But when you think about it,” you muttered, hand propping your chin as you ran through your mind. “A festival filled with Spirits sounds a little unnerving. On top of that, it’s at night.”

Taeyong took off his mask and you could see the sincerity behind his brown eyes. “Don’t worry,” he said, smiling handsomely. “On the outside, it’s not very different from a human festival. It’s supposed to mimic human festivals after all.” And at that time, his smile turned a bit sheepish. “And I will protect you, so…”

You felt like something just lit a fire behind your chest. “W-when you say things like that,” you said, eyes glancing away from embarrassment, “it makes me want to jump at you.” You wanted it to be a joke. You both knew that there was no way you would touch him underneath your conscience.

“Then do it,” Taeyong, in all of his seriousness, said, “I’m serious.”

You could only look at him with conflicted feelings.

***

The summer festival that was held by the Spirits inside the forest was indeed similar to the ones in the living world. Lanterns were lit up, surrounding the place with orange-colored lights that seemed normal enough for your eyes. But when you took a closer look, the fireballs behind the paper lantern were actually dancing. Spirits were everywhere around the place and this time, they didn’t look like ghosts or monsters. They were all disguised as humans, even wearing yukatas and wooden sandals but with masks over their faces—just like Taeyong. Not every Spirit managed to do well with their disguises, though. You could still spot some children with pig noses and cat tails, and you could see Haechan’s fluffy golden tails and matching fox’s ears on his head as he waved a hand and ran toward Taeyong with all of his strength.

Taeyong was wearing a dark grey yukata with his usual cat mask placed on his face, and the Fox boy jumped into his arms, winding his long limbs so naturally around his neck.

“Taeyongie!” Haechan chirped as he nuzzled his nose against Taeyong’s neck, despite them being full-grown men. The other boy pushed him away with one palm.

“Y-you’re wearing clothes,” you stammered, gaping at the sight that Haechan wasn’t actually naked at that moment. Instead, the boy was wearing a white yukata with golden obi around his waist. It matched his blond hair and golden ears perfectly.

Haechan groaned, “Oh man, don’t tell me that monkey girl is here with you to—” The rest of his words died on his tongue the second he checked your appearance. No longer wearing your summer dress, that night you were wrapped in a sky blue kimono with falling cherry blossoms painted around it. You had a salmon-colored obi around your waist, curving your body perfectly and you had your bangs clipped to the side, showing more of your face for them to admire.

“Hmm?” you asked, tilting your head slightly when you noticed that Haechan was staring without saying a word. “What is it?”

“You…” Haechan gulped before he took a step back and pointed a finger at you. Taeyong could blatantly see the blush on his face but you never paid attention to anyone besides Taeyong. “You’re so ugly, you almost made me puke!” Haechan screamed.

“Excuse me?!” You shouted back and Taeyong laughed when Haechan turned into his animal form, sending a small kick to her face—it wasn’t as painful as it was surprising—before he ran away like a scared little rodent.

“Why are you laughing?” You pouted, rubbing your slightly bruised cheek from Haechan’s attack. “God, he must have hated me so much. What’s his problem? And is he leaving his clothes just like this?!”

Taeyong couldn’t understand why you were so oblivious of Haechan’s feelings. But if it meant he could stare at your adorable confused face longer then he wouldn’t say a word to explain.

“Hey,” Taeyong called, bringing out a thin white scarf from his sleeves. “Tie this around your wrist. You’ll get lost if you don’t.” You obeyed right away, even humming happily as you did it. Taeyong tied the other end around his wrist as well. With that, you were connected to each other.

“It’s just like going on a date,” you said, giggling. Taeyong had brought his mask to the side of his head, so most of his face was shown when he smiled beautifully.

“It is a date,” he said, successfully sending your heart thrumming wildly against your ribcages. When you weren’t as flushed, you mirrored his little smile, wishing for your heart to beat at a slower pace so you could focus more on his beautiful features instead. Taeyong was so close and so handsome; it felt almost surreal for you to witness. “Shall we go?”

You shortly nodded and let him lead the way, a thin white scarf bridging the small gap between you. It’s funny how you weren’t exactly holding hands, but it felt just the same way. Your heart was racing, your thoughts were filled with him, and your never-ending smile, brighter than all the lanterns combined, was the proof of the joy you shared with him.

It was perfect. He was perfect.

There were fireworks, music, and dances. Everything looked so fun. Taeyong bought you cotton candy, but when you tried to take a bite, it flew towards the sky, morphing into clouds between the shining stars. Every time you laughed, Taeyong was grateful to be able to witness the beauty of it. It was so easy for your happiness to be his.

You walked around, checking some food stalls from one place to another, with him trying to match his steps with yours without you knowing. You wanted to buy a mask as well, perhaps one that looked similar to Taeyong’s. When a mask finally caught your interest—a tanned person’s face with his eyes crossed, you touched it to try it on but it turned out that it was an actual Spirit’s face, not a mask. Flustered, you had no choice but to run away, shouting “I’M SO SORRY!” and forcing Taeyong to follow you with chuckles reverberating from his chest.

Taeyong laughed more frequently that night than he had been the entire summer and you loved it. You loved the way he laughed without care. It was like firewood in the cold, darkest night—warming, bright, and beautiful.

“Ah, I had so much fun!” You cheered, still laughing slightly as you walked away from the festival. It was getting late and knowing how your uncle must have been worried for your well-being, Taeyong took you home. “Everyone really went all out with their disguises, didn’t they?” Your voice echoed through the night. “It was like a mimicking competition. You weren’t kidding when you said it’s supposed to imitate human’s festival.” No wonder his uncle’s friend Hyori had managed to sneak inside back then. “Is it like this every year?”

“Yeah, every time summer comes around…” But Taeyong’s voice suddenly lost its liveliness. And as you walked further away from the festival, the forest became dark once more, with only the moon and the stars illuminating your faces.

When Taeyong called your name, it was a mix of a longing sigh and a hushed whisper. Little frogs and insects were making sounds in the background and you could hear your steps matching his as you stepped on the grass, near your usual private pond. “I can no longer wait for summer to come around,” he softly murmured.

You turned your head toward him, glancing at the face of the boy you’d spent your entire summer with. Taeyong was wearing his mask again, and you wished he didn’t. You wanted to see his expression when he said those words.

“When I’m away from you,” Taeyong confessed, “even though I can’t be around the crowds, I want to go see you. Even though I knew it would’ve killed me, I was ready to step a foot outside this forest and run to you. Nine months are too long for me to wait for you.”

You almost reached out a hand to touch his, but you stopped before you got your wish. Instead, you sank your fingernails to your palm, hard enough to tear your skin apart so you could focus on the pain on your skin instead of the one in your chest.

Why does he have to be so close and yet so far away?

Then Taeyong suddenly stopped walking, lifting one hand to take off his mask and pressed it to your face. Before you could understand what was happening, Taeyong bent his head down and kissed the other side of the mask, right where your lips would be if there were no barriers between you. The thin mask was the only thing separating your lips from touching one another.

You froze, seeing Taeyong’s close-up face from the holes of the mask. As you’d guessed, Taeyong had long eyelashes. And he was so beautiful, so gentle, so young but with the expression of a man who spent hundreds of years in silence, yearning for other people’s touch.

Taeyong wasn’t really kissing you and yet, you still couldn’t breathe.

He pulled away after a few seconds had passed; smiling at you in the way it was almost breaking you apart but not quite.

Why does this feel like a goodbye?

“That mask,” he said, gazing straight at you. His smile never faltered from his lips, which only broke your heart even more. “You can have it.” And with him taking another step forward, you began to walk side by side again without uttering any other words.

He probably won’t come back to the place where we usually meet next summer. You pondered, hiding your face behind his mask. This is definitely our last…

“Hey, wait for me!” Two children passed by, running with their little feet and roaring into the night. The first boy managed to get a few steps ahead and his little sister was trying to catch up to him but she fumbled and slipped on her feet.

“Careful!” Taeyong shouted in reflex and reached out a hand to help her. With a hold around her wrist, he managed to prevent her from falling. The little girl smiled, showcasing her teeth and thanked him before she ran away chasing her brother again.

“Be careful, you guys!” You said and the two children waved their hands at you. You chuckled to yourself. I wonder if I was like that when I was a—

Taeyong’s sudden call of your name made you jolt. You hastily turned around, hoping to see him smile from the holes of the mask you had on your face, but instead what you saw was something more.

It was your nightmare.

Taeyong had his hand—the one he used to touch the little girl—stretched out in the air, staring at it with parted lips and wide eyes as his fingertips started to glow and slowly disappearing into thin air like fireflies vanishing in the night.

“Ta…” Your throat, your chest, it felt like fire was consuming every inch of you. “Taeyong..?”

You couldn’t believe what was happening. You wished you were dreaming. You prayed for it to be a dream. But Taeyong was really there, disappearing little by little in front of you and you couldn’t do it. You couldn’t live without him in your life. How could just one touch of a hand do something like this?

“That girl was a human?!” You panicked, head throbbing loudly but the pain didn’t even come close to the aching you felt in your heart. What should I do? What should I do now?! I can’t lose him—I don’t want to lose him—

Taeyong!

The glow started to spread to his wrist, passing his elbow, to his chest and you wanted to scream stop! Don’t take him away from me! Please, stop! But Taeyong was smiling, so widely and beautifully and this time there was no trace of loneliness or secrets he tried to keep to himself like his usual smile. This time, he really did smile with all of his heart.

“Come here!” He called your name between his smiles, throwing his arms out for you to jump into. “I can finally touch you now.”

And you didn’t let a second to waste. You pushed the mask away from your face, facing him with a smile because that was what he deserved and then you hugged him, embraced him tightly with all of your strength, and you never wanted to let go. Taeyong looked so happy so you held your tears to yourself, no matter how much they burned behind your eyelids, and when Taeyong lifted your face and pressed a kiss to your lips, you curled your fingers on the back of his yukata.

Taeyong was so warm. And soft. And…

Gone.

You fell to your knees with his yukata held tightly against your chest. Your shoulders shuddered. Your chest felt like a thousand ice blades striking you at the same time. The clothing still smelled like him and yet, Taeyong was nowhere to be seen. He was consumed by the fireflies’ light and now there was no trace of him left.

I love you, you heard him said just a split second before he vanished. Faintly. Lovingly. Awaking every memory of the summers you’d spent together. That twig of oak bridging the distance between you. Those flowers you picked from the fields for him. That time when he ran to save you from falling. How lonely he’d looked from time to time. And how lonely you were when he wasn’t around. When Taeyong wasn’t there to spread happiness to your life.

And now he’s gone…

“Me too,” you sobbed as you held onto the piece of fabric he left from his final moment as if you were hanging on a thread that separated life from death. “I love you too.”

I love you so much, Taeyong.

And you let yourself cry, just this once, just for tonight. You would cry your heart out, screaming his name, telling him how much you loved him, just for this time only. Taeyong was the source of your happiness. Not even his death should change that.

When there were no more tears to cry, you got back to your feet and the first step felt so heavy. It was easier to just be drowned in silence, never have to get up again, never have to see the light of day now that his light had been taken away. But Taeyong wouldn’t wish for that to happen. He wanted you to be happy, with or without him.

So you picked his mask off the ground and embraced it tightly to your chest. There were murmurs of the Spirits around you, thanking you for being with Taeyong until the last moment of his life. They said Taeyong could only truly smile when he was with you.

Haechan appeared in front of you, wearing his previous white yukata with golden obi around his waist. His fox’s ears were down and his tails were no longer wagging behind him like always. His eyes were red and puffy, though he wasn’t crying.

“Taeyong-hyung wanted nothing more but to feel a touch of a human,” he said when you’d lost your voice to speak. “Being hugged by you before he vanished like that… I guess he wouldn’t have preferred anything else.”

You weakly smiled and reached up to stroke Haechan’s hair. The Fox boy seemed somewhat startled but didn’t move away. “He must have been happy,” you said, smiling with tears brimming in your eyes, “to have someone like you paying so much attention to him.”

Haechan brought his head down and you could hear soft sobs as he began to break down once again. He was biting his lip until it grew white, just to muffle his whimpers. You told him that it was all right for him to cry as hard as he could. After all, it was only normal. The pain of being left by someone you love… Taeyong must have understood it well.

I probably won’t be able to look forward to summer for a long time.

My chest will hurt.

My tears will be overflowing.

But this warmth in my hands and these summer memories will live forever in my heart.

I wouldn’t ask for anything more.

You smiled, kissing the temple of the mask and whispered, “Until we meet on the next life, Taeyong.”

***

It takes bravery to show up at the gate of the forest in your sleeveless white summer dress and you can feel your knees trembling underneath your weight but your resolve doesn’t dissipate. It’s been one year since Taeyong has vanished without a trace. Your heart still bleeds, but your tears are dry. And although it kills you to know that Taeyong is no longer there, waiting on the stone stairs like usual, you keep your smile intact, taking a seat close enough to the spot where Taeyong used to sit waiting for you.

“I’m here this year too, Taeyong,” you whispers, one hand being placed on the stone steps as if it was out for him to touch. “How are you?”

A soft wind blows, caressing your now longer hair and swiping warmth to your cheek. Lonely. You feel so alone. The cicadas are singing loudly as always but they don’t sound the same without the sound of Taeyong’s soft chuckles. You can no longer share stories with him, can no longer try to close the forbidden gap between you little by little. There’s nobody you can show your uniform to.

Don’t cry, you will yourself, hugging your knees tightly to your chest. Don’t cry. Taeyong wouldn’t want you to cry. You said you could do this, remember?

But it still hurts.

So you quickly open your bag and retract his cat mask from it. Placing it upon your face, you bask in what’s left of Taeyong’s scent as you close your eyes. This way, even if you end up crying, no one will see. If Taeyong is still here, or if he somehow stares down from heaven, he won’t be able to see you breaking apart.

“If you want to cry, just cry,” a boy suddenly sits down next to you, your shoulders brushing one another. “Idiot.”

You look to your side, feeling your breath stutter a little. “Haechan-ah…”

The Fox boy turns his head to face you as well but unlike Taeyong who greeted you with a gentle smile, Haechan was scowling. He has an apparent frown on his handsome human face, but although he is glaring, his nine tails betray him as they wag in elation behind him. “What are you staring at?” he says and flicks you on the forehead. It doesn’t hurt since he’s only grazing the mask, but it does make you move your gaze away.

Haechan still looks as young as always. His golden hair is still shining reflecting the sunlight, his ruby eyes are shimmering, and his sun-kissed skin still glows beautifully.

“You’re wearing clothes,” you comment, noticing the casual white shirt and the blue jeans he has on his body. He’s not wearing anything to protect his feet though.

“Of course, as if I would give you the reason to ogle at my perfect body,” Haechan spits back harshly and you don’t answer anything back. Eventually, it creates tension between you so he runs a hand through his hair and mutters, “Well, I mean… Taeyong told me it made you uncomfortable, so…” You still stay mute but for an entirely different reason.

“Thanks,” you finally say, your voice sounds a bit muffled because of the mask.

Haechan feels his face growing hot and he grits his teeth to wash it away. “You’re being gross, stop it,” he raves and yet his tail sways faster behind him as his ears perk up in joy. You can finally understand why Taeyong was fond of him. Despite his snarky attitude, Haechan is shy and he’s never honest when it comes to showing his feelings, but his body often betrays him. He has his own charm.

So you laugh—softly, quietly, unfamiliar to your own ears, but it’s a start. “I’m sorry.”

Haechan huffs and fixes his red eyes to the sky. The clouds are moving, changing shapes and he secretly wonders what would Taeyong say at times like this. “I thought you wouldn’t come this summer,” he murmurs.

“I thought I wouldn’t too,” you admit. “But I realized in the end, even though he’s gone, it doesn’t mean he can’t still live in my memory. I think when someone dies; it doesn’t really mean that they’re gone. The difference is that we can’t physically see them anymore, so as time goes by, we begin to forget. And once we forgot about them, then I guess that’s when someone truly dies.” You take off your mask, turn it around on your palm and stare at the cat’s two-round, lifeless eyes. “I can’t see Taeyong anymore but I won’t let him disappear from my thoughts. He’s now living in my memory and I will keep it that way. He’s already a part of me now—of who I have become.” Your lips curve up as you rub your thumb along the cat’s whiskers. “I’m sorry for saying such weird things. I must have bored you by now.”

But unbeknownst to you, Haechan is staring at you with admiration in his eyes. He never knew you had such a complex personality.

Even though she’s a human. Even though she’s just a human.

“You know, for Spirits like us,” Haechan says, “Humans have always been nothing better than something to eat. It’s not worth having a relationship with them. You can’t befriend someone who will pass away in a blink of an eye. Spirits like us can live for hundreds of years. And you, people like you, can barely even reach a hundred. Becoming attached to something so fragile will only hurt us, that’s why we try to never look at humans as someone to be friends with. Just like humans in general, we’re afraid of getting hurt.”

Your eyebrows are knitted together, can barely understand why is Haechan telling you these things.

“I saw Taeyong-Hyung when he was with you,” Haechan utters, and this time he smiles at the memory of his friend. He looks much younger like this. “He was happy. Perhaps happier than I’d ever seen him. That’s probably why I decided not to eat you.”

“You wanted to eat me?”

“A few times, yeah.”

“Even though you were so startled when Taeyong suddenly sneezed and almost ran for your life like a little scaredy-cat?”

“That’s—” Haechan blushes madly. “That’s different!”

You place a hand over your mouth, covering your small laughter. “Okay, okay,” you said and Haechan feels a tweak in his heart again. Humans are such fragile beings, he wonders, maybe that’s the reason why I want to protect her so badly?

He quickly shakes the thought away, blushing even deeper. Get a grip on yourself, you idiot!

“Well, Haechannie.” You stand up from the spot you’ve been sitting on, smoothening down your dress. “I’m supposed to head over to my uncle’s house now. I don’t want to make him worry.”

“Oh…” Haechan blinks, standing up as well. “Right, of course.”

You’re appalled at how taller he is now. Even when you’re standing up straight, you can only reach a little above his shoulder line. “Are you still growing?”

“Huh?” Haechan takes a look at himself. “Oh. Yeah, maybe.” And you want to comment on that but you’re distracted by the look of Haechan’s fox ears going down. “Are you…” he looks away, somewhat hiding his lips behind the back of his hand. His cheeks are burning redder by the second. “Are you going to come back here tomorrow?”

The wind is probably playing tricks to your ears, that’s why you’re hearing some weird stuff right now. “What?”

“Ah, damn it!” He groans, his blush now expanding to the tip of his ears. “I said, are you going to come back here tomorrow or not, you stupid monkey girl! Don’t make me say this thing twice, it’s freaking embarrassing!”

It takes another two seconds for you to process before you burst out laughing. He’s so childish; it’s somewhat adorable. “If you want me to, I will,” you reply, wiping small tears away from your eyes.

Although Haechan’s ears perk up instantly at your answer, he keeps muttering rudely, “Well, don’t expect me to wait here for you or anything, okay? Today is special but I won’t do it tomorrow.”

“Huh?” You nearly break out into laughter again. “You were waiting for me today?”

By this point, Haechan’s practically combusted into flames. “SHUT UP, YOU MONKEY GIRL!” In a split second, he transforms into his animal form, creating musky grey mist all around you, and he bites your nose before he scurries away. His golden tail still wags happily behind him as he runs off.

Rubbing your nose from the itching pain, you grin with your teeth shown and waves your hand goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Haechannie!”

“It’s Donghyuck!” His voice can be heard but he’s nowhere to be seen. “My real name is Donghyuck. You better memorize that!”

Donghyuck… Somehow, you could feel your heart warming in the way it hasn’t been for a year long. “Then, I’ll see you tomorrow, Donghyuck…”

Your summer is changing. The feeling is different though something hasn’t quite changed. You still miss Taeyong, terribly so. There will probably no way you can stop missing him. After all, they said first love lasts forever, right?

But I’m doing fine, Taeyong. There are still many things for me to do so I will move on, little by little. No matter how long it would take for me to be able to remember your name without hurting; to remember your smile without regretting not being able to kiss your lips longer; or to remember the days we spent together and not crying over them—I will heal.

Time will no longer be our enemy. It will be the one to erase my pain.

I will heal.

***

Dear Taeyong,

I miss you.

I miss you a lot.

I miss you to the point of shedding my tears.

But I will not wish for you to come back.

After all you never truly left me, did you?

I remember everything.

I still remember everything.

Even if ten years have passed, even if twenty, even if a thousand years have gone by, as long as I’m still alive, I promise you until my dying breath that I will remember you.

You are still the beautiful reality in my sleep.

The blissful dream in my wake.

I am still here, in the place where we usually meet.

I am not waiting for you—I know you wouldn’t want that.

But I am here because of you. Because you remind me of summer. Of joy. Of faith. Of love. Of a bittersweet goodbye.

Everything about you brings smiles to my face, even if our first embrace ended without time waiting for me to keep your warmth. Even if our kiss never left an aftertaste on my lips.

It’s all right. It’s enough.

No matter where you are now, Taeyong… Be happy.

I will meet you again in our next life.

Maybe by then, we can set our promise not by words, but by our fingers lacing together.

And maybe by then, you can stroke my hair when I cry.

And every time we part, I will let you take my farewell words from my lips.

Take my breath, if you must. After all, they’re yours. Everything about me is yours.

I love you.

I love you so much.

I love you despite everything that separated us. Time, distance, age, even a single touch—Nothing can make me tired of loving you. I love you. I have never loved anyone else but you.

I am forever yours.

***

My Love,

I miss you too.

I miss you so much.

I miss you to the point of breaking apart.

And I’m glad you don’t wish for me to come back.

I don’t think it would’ve done us any good.

I still remember you.

I will always remember you.

Even if I no longer have a body, even if not even my ashes remain, even if the fireflies decide to abandon me, I will remember you.

Listen to me, my dear.

Even if I had the chance to choose, I still wouldn’t change a thing.

I’d prefer not to be able to touch you, to feel your warmth, or to taste your lips,

rather than not be able to fall in love with you.

I’d rather be consumed with these feelings I have for you,

rather than being burned by a passion that would be over after the summer end.

This is all right. This is enough.

So no matter what happens next… Be happy.

For I do not wish for anything else.

I have no regrets.

You have given me everything I’d asked for.

You have given me more than I could ever imagine.

I have never desired anything until I met you.

I am eternally grateful for our meeting.

Even if we had to separate for nine months each year, I have enjoyed every little second that we spent, from sunrise to sunset even if it was only three months a year.

I will see you in our next life.

And by then, I will place a ring around the finger you lace with mine.

And by then, I will kiss the tears away from your eyes.

And we will never part, but I will seal your lips with mine from saying those farewell words.

I love you too. I wouldn’t have understood love if it wasn’t for you. My whole life wouldn’t have meant something if it wasn’t for you.

Until we meet again, my love.

I am forever yours.

***

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thewheezingwyvern · 4 years ago

Note

OOO OOO PICK ME PICK ME!

I would like Bakugou or Kirishima please 🥺

Imma pick number 13 for inspo unless that's been done already. SFW or NSFW whatever you want I'm just excited to read 👀 can you take my Katsukikitten blog when/if you answer this?

🖤 Katsukikitten

Ooooh @katsukikitten you gave me some good wiggle room to work with. I ended up going SFW because I had an idea! Hopefully this helps fill your Bakugou needs!

𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰'𝘴 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦

Oracle!Bakugou x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Angst, Mention of blood and death

It was midday by the time you and Bakugou reached your destination. Rather, you reached where your partner had intended to take you and until that moment you had no idea what place it was he had in mind. Turns out, it was an old canyon that speared through the vast expanse of the Aural Desert. Sweat was pouring from your skin and Katsuki was no better, having shed his shirt during the travel some time ago. The horse you two had taken, a northern dunn that was bred to travel in the desert, nickered softly in approval once shade eclipsed over you. It was still blazingly hot but the further you strayed into the craggy paths tucked away from the sun’s glare, the cooler it grew. The change in temperature was a blessing, small on paper but large in practice.

“Keep up.” He snapped back at you over his shoulder.

A frown twisted across your lips, brows furrowing. Katsuki was not known for his calm nature but he had been far more irritable and snappish in the past few weeks. And not once had he even given you a hint of answers until today. It was slow work picking through the canyon, razor ferns creeping through cracks in the rocky walls that threatened to slice your flesh if either of you brushed against their leaves. Your mouth was incredibly dry and you wished you had the proper gloves so you could pluck those leaves off their stems and cut them open. When carefully handled, razor fern leaves stored a lot of water and could help slake your thirst.

“Where are we going Katsuki?” you asked for the fifth time that day.

“If you ask me one more time, I’m going to leave you behind, brat.” He snapped back at you, “Now shut up and follow me.”

Crestfallen at another question unanswered, you followed with a scowl. Katsuki had come and found you just before you joined your father in his tent with his retainers. Your absence would surely be noticed so you felt that you were owed at least something of an explanation. But your friend, crush and body guard was impossibly stubborn and you knew you would sooner have luck asking a mountain to move for you than get him to change his mind. Bakugou, however, was going out of his mind himself. As your bodyguard , appointed by the chief himself, he knew it was risky to bring you into the desert. A calloused hand touched the hilt of his curved scimitar sheathed at his hip. If anyone or anything tried to touch you, he’d make them regret it.

“We’re here.” He finally said.

‘Here’ was a rocky alcove, the wall of the canyon stretching up to blot out the light of the sun. Buried in the wall were long bands of vibrant color, smoky purples, vivacious reds, shimmering golds and streaks of laughing teals that were like the captured spirit of the seas so far away. It was a stunning alcove. And the cliff was clearly formed of the rocks and clay that your people used to craft their paints and makeups for use. But it was still just a wall and you couldn’t figure out why Katsuki would want to bring you to it. You folded your arms beneath your breasts, looking around once before turning back to your protector.

“It’s a wall.”

“Heh, shows what you know.” He sneered.

The blonde advanced forward to a large stone slab that was settled up against the wall. It didn’t look any different than the other rocks in the area. That is until he started sliding the rock to the side, fine granules of sand on the ground helping fill the air with a crunching sound. When he was finished, he revealed a tunnel that was worn into the side of the canyon. Katsuki smirked smugly at you before gesturing towards the opening of the hidden cave.

“After you, princess.”

When you glared at him as you walked by, he closed in behind you snickering. The light from outside streamed in enough to illuminate your first several steps into the cave. But just around the bend there was a distant light as well, it pooled on the walls and beckoned you forward. You’d never seen a glow like that and it was entrancing, urging you forward without being nudged by your companion. The passage snaked deeper into the rock, bands of the same color following you along until the both of you emerged into a chamber. Above in the ceiling, a small hole allowed a beam of sunlight to stream through until it gathered on a large pool of water that was nestled in the center of the chamber. At first you thought the water was glowing because of the single ray of sunshine that struck the calm surface of the pool but closer inspection revealed that wasn’t the case. Mesmerized, you feet carried you forward without your permission to see that this was more than a simple pool. There was a sharp drop cut into earth, almost like a sink hole that led deep into the ground. The water glowed in a myriad of icy blue, deepened violet and fractals of starlight.

“What is this place?” you whispered softly, your voice echoing off the walls.

“This is a sacred pool.” Katsuki supplied, falling beside you, “This is where oracles like me used to go to magnify their foresight. They used to be everywhere but they’ve been drying up more and more as the years pass.”

“I thought those were a myth.”

“They’re real…”

A far off, haunted expression flickered over his face, leading you to touch his arm, “Katsuki…what did you see?”

His foresight had proven invaluable for your clan and he was almost never wrong. But never before had you seen him look so tortured. Silence fell over you both for several moments before he started to walk forward. Even with his back to you, the pool bathed him in an ethereal light, shadows gathering along the contours of his back. Bakugou turned his head and looked over his shoulder at you.

“It’ll be easier to just show you. Come here.”

Tentatively you drew closer to him until you both were standing at the edge of the sacred pool. It swirled before you, begging for you to enter it’s depths and see the it’s wonders. But it was really, really deep and it was hard not to feel nervous. Bakugou seemed to notice your hesitation and snorted with disdain.

“You really think I would have you do something dangerous, brat? I’m supposed to protect you.”

“Well there was that one time-”

“That was your idea, dumbass, not mine.”

You giggled, “It worked out didn’t it?”

Katsuki let the corner of his mouth twitch before he turned to face you. Suddenly you were aware of how close he was to you and how he still wasn’t wearing a shirt. The tanned plains of his chest begged for your hands to touch and wander but the serious expression in face made that thought evaporate. A rough hand came up and clapped you on the top of your head gently, shaking you a bit in a display of affection.

“Trust me, princess…”

“…Ok.”

Bakugou pulled you to him and the both of you leapt into the pool. The initial contact was like normal water, refreshingly cool and it chased away the heat that had built up in you from the desert sun. But soon the feeling evaporated and it was like the two of you were floating in the night sky. With surprise you found yourself able to breathe and you drifted with Katsuki, sinking deeper down into the embrace of the sacred waters. Flecks of fiery red flaked off of your companion, swirling around the two of you until they shattered into fractals to form intricate images. Images of fire and blood. Thick plumes of smoke were rising from the the caravan of tents that your clan made their homes in, blotting out the sky in inky clouds. A flash and you saw your father with a sword hilted into his chest and the culprit was one of his own retainers.

The pool shifted colors then to golden yellow, showing Bakugou trying to warn your father. It showed him being ignored, dismissed that his vision was incorrect and that he just didn’t know what he was seeing. Your body guard hauled you against him, your back pressed up against his chest as he cradled you close. His arms squeezed you tightly, as if he were afraid you would drift away from him if he let go. The fractals of light continued to swirl, shifting to paint out your future, each more grim than the last if you stayed to fight. A thousand and one ways you could try to save your clan and a thousand and one ways you would fail.

“There is no hope for them…” he whispered out hoarsely, “But there is for you…runaway with me.”

“But…but maybe with me there my father will-”

“I’ve already tried to warn him. And I’ve already tried to see that way too. He won’t listen.” Katsuki buried his face into your shoulder, his arms squeezing you even tighter to him, “If you don’t leave…your death is the nicest fate out of all of them.”

“Is there really no other way?”

“No…No there isn’t.” Was he crying? “I’m supposed to protect you but even I can’t stand against an entire fucking army. Princes…please. Runaway with me.”

“But-”

“I can’t save them,” he interrupted, “but dammit I can save you. Don’t be stupid.”

Tears were flowing from your eyes as you felt reality crash down around your ears. Live with your clan wandering the sands was over no matter what choice you made. But the thought of leaving behind your family without even trying left a bitter taste in your mouth. But there was really no way out. And that was how you decided to leave your life and clan behind: bathed in starlight and sinking into a never ending pit.

((Want to participate in Arcane April? Check out my post here about the event and send in your requests!))

#Bakugou x reader #Bakugou x y/n #Bakugou x you #MHA reader insert #Bakugou Katsuki #my writing #ArcaneApril #Anonymous

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not-all-dead · 4 years ago

Text

angstpril day six: “You don’t belong here.”

this is a part two to yesterday’s prompt, which can be found here

CW: ........more sad

fic under the cut

It had been a few weeks since she and Kya had arrived in the Fire Nation. After their initial homecoming, things had gone back to what was considered “normal” to almost everybody. Kya had adapted to a new normal, starting up a school for waterbenders near the royal grounds, and Mako had transferred from Earth Kingdom official guard to the same position but for Izumi. Izumi and Ursa spent their days doing politics, keeping the country running smoothly. Bolin was working with President Moon in Republic City and hadn’t been back since their first meeting. Iroh had also been away since, his position as a general in the United Forces taking him around the world to wherever he was needed at any given time.

Everyone adapting to life like this should’ve made Lin feel at home. It should’ve, but it didn't. She spent her endless free time wandering the halls of the palace, a few times trying to pick up hobbies but quickly abandoning them. She tried to be happy at the very least when she was around her family, but everyday it got harder. She often found herself trying in vain to remember anything from before, feeling more defeated each time she came up blank. She told herself she kept doing it because she was healing, because someday soon she'd actually have a breakthrough. In reality, she did it for Kya and Izumi. She never mentioned it, but she could tell they were watching her, waiting in anticipation for the day that she suddenly became the person she'd been before again.

She was exhausted trying so hard to be someone she wasn’t all the time. It was during the day, wandering the quiet halls of the palace, that she was able to take a break from the facade. Wandering alone was terribly lonely, though, and she didn’t feel much better afterwards anyway. Today was another day of lonely walking, waiting for Kya and Izumi to get off work only to fake more smiles. Another day of exhaustion to add to the stack.

She’d found yet another wing of the palace, a hallway she’d never been down before. At least, not in a time she could remember. It was walking down this hallway that her day took a sharp turn.

As she approached one of the many doors in the long hallway, she heard crying from within. She slowed her pace, moving towards the sound, listening carefully when the person crying began to speak.

“I love her, Zumi, I love her so much,” Kya said quietly, voice shaking and wet with tears.

“It’s just- I want to help her, I want to make her remember, and I know- I know we did everything we could, and it’s not her fault, but it's hard,” She took in a loud breath and sighed, a slight whine escaping her lips as she began to sob again.

Lin moved closer to the door, peeking around the frame to see in. Izumi held Kya against her chest, stroking her hair gently. She seemed to be whispering reassurances to Kya, who shook with the force of her sobs.

Seeing Kya so distraught because of her made her chest tighten. She hated that she was hurting them, simply because she existed differently now than she had before. She hated that there really was nothing more she could do, other than continuing to try her best to be the Lin they knew from before.

She watched them like that, so close and comfortable with one another, and felt her shame growing further. She was about to continue her aimless wandering, leaving them to each other, when Kya looked up and caught her eye.

“Oh, no, Lin…” Her brows knitted together and she sat up, Izumi’s arms falling from around her.

Lin panicked. She knew that they’d only feel worse if they knew how much she’d heard, and she could already hardly stand how much hurt she was causing. She froze where she stood until Kya began to stand, at which point she ran.

She ran back down the way she’d come, tracing her path exactly. Kya yelled for her to wait, but she just kept running. She ran past her room, past the dining room, past everything, until she came to the grand doors that opened onto the courtyard. She was panting when she got there, her lungs and throat burning with the sudden exercise. She ignored the burn, pushing the large doors open and walking out into the lush green area.

She found a long stone bench under the shade of a silver wisteria tree and sat hunched over. Her hands gripped the edge of the cold stone tightly, her head hanging over her feet. She sat there, focusing on calming her breathing, until the burn from her run was gone. Then, with nothing left to distract her from Kya’s words earlier and her own ungovernable thoughts, she began to weep.

It was not a messy cry. Tears collected in her eyes and fell, soaking into her pants and hitting the stone beneath her feet. Her breath hitched on every inhale, a lump in her throat forming quickly and a thickness growing in her chest. Her mind replayed Kya’s words, adding its own and only making her feel worse. She made no noise sitting there, the faint rustle of the wisteria’s green leaves and the sounds of the city in the distance seeping in through her open ears. It was a long time before anyone found her there.

“There,” Kya said, voice tired and heavy.

Lin heard the swishing of robes, but still nobody approached her. Her eyes were dry now, fixed on her motionless shoes, and her head still hung low.

“Let me talk to her for a minute, alright?” She heard Izumi say quietly to Kya.

Kya gave no audible response, but Izumi walked slowly towards Lin. When she got to her, she knelt on the hard ground in front of her, gently placing a hand on Lin’s knee. She watched Lin for an instant before speaking, her heart breaking at how hopeless Lin seemed.

“Lin, please, look at me. Talk to me,” She said, reaching her other hand up to push a loose strand of hair behind Lin’s ear.

“I don’t belong here,” Lin muttered, not looking up from her feet.

“What?” Izumi breathed, shock coming over her face.

“I don’t belong here,” Lin repeated, louder this time.

“What do you mean, you don’t belong here?” Izumi blinked slowly at Lin, trying to understand.

“I mean I don’t belong here, Zumi. Look at what my being here has done to you and Kya, and probably others too,” She lifted her hard gaze to meet Izumi’s.

“I don’t belong here, just like I don’t belong anywhere. I’m not who I used to be. Hell, I don't even know who I used to be. I don’t belong here because when I’m here I’m only hurting the people I used to love,” Izumi took in a sharp breath and closed her eyes momentarily before Lin continued.

“I don’t belong anywhere anymore, Zumi, because even if you all loved me before, I’m not the same. I’m not ever going to be the same. It doesn’t matter that you might’ve once loved me, because that me is never coming back,” She felt her eyes well up again and tore them away from Izumi’s.

There was a moment of quiet before Izumi found her voice.

“Lin I…” She started, gulping back tears of her own.

“I don’t know what to say,” She finished after a moment of hesitation.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Lin responded.

“I just… don’t treat me like I’m going to magically turn back into the person I used to be. Like it’s just a matter of time before the memories come flooding back and I’m just like I was before,” She turned her head back to face Izumi, tears steadily streaming down her face.

“I’ve tried, Zumi,” Her voice cracked on Izumi’s nickname and she closed her eyes.

“I’ve tried so, so hard. But every time I try to think back to before the accident… it's just empty. There’s nothing. And it scares me, so, so much. And I-,” She inhaled deeply, opening her eyes again to look at Izumi.

“I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep trying to be someone I’m not. I can’t keep hoping I’ll remember when I know that I won’t. And I can’t stay here if it means I’ll have to do exactly that,” She looked up to where Kya stood, hand pressed over her mouth to quiet her crying.

There was another moment of silence before Izumi spoke again.

“Lin I… I am so, so sorry we made you feel that way. I know there are no excuses, but I think Kya and I have been having a hard time accepting the reality of it all. It feels like someone we loved dearly is gone, and yet you’re still here. I think a part of us sees you here and still wants to hope that the old you is still in there somewhere. It’s not fair of us so think like that, to ourselves or to you,” She said, tracing the cracks between the stones of the floor with her eyes.

“I understand that feeling,” Lin said quietly, making Izumi turn back to her quickly for an explanation.

“It’s not exactly the same, and I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for you two, but hearing stories… hearing stories of before feels like learning about a family member, someone I should’ve known and loved, someone I never got to meet. It doesn’t feel like they’re my stories, but it still feels like I lost a loved one before ever getting to meet them,” Izumi nodded and wiped her cheeks, sniffing loudly.

Lin looked back up at Kya, who’s hand was by her side again, lips pressed together tightly. Tears streamed down her face as she took a step forward.

“May I?” Her voice quivered and she nodded at the empty bench beside Lin.

Lin smiled and patted the cold stone and Kya came over, sitting just inches away from Lin. She reached her hand out, hesitating for a split second before lightly resting it on Lin’s knee.

“Lin, I loved you with everything I had before the accident. And I- I know I need to accept that the old you is gone, but… it would mean the world to me if you would stay, and at least give me, give us, a chance to fall in love with you again,” She watched as Lin’s face twisted, her tears renewing themselves.

She was about to continue when Izumi butted in.

“You don’t remember loving us, and that's alright, but I truly believe that, if you gave us the chance, we could love you again. And not for who you used to be. Because whoever you happen to be now is just as deserving of love as the old you was, and who better to give you that than us?” Izumi glanced at Kya with worry on her face before looking back at Lin.

Lin stared at her shoes again, furrowing her brows in what looked like angry confusion. She opened and closed her mouth several times before any words came.

“You’re right about the first part,” She started, closing her eyes in an attempt to think more clearly.

“I don’t remember loving you. But that doesn’t mean…” She paused to look at Izumi and then at Kya, taking a hand of each of theirs in her own.

“I can’t lie to you. I- since being here, I’ve-,” She hesitated and turned her eyes back to the ground.

“I’ve fallen in love with both of you all over again. I was too scared to say anything because I felt like if I did, I’d be trapped here, trying to be someone I’m not. Trying to live up to the person you loved before. But if-,” She gasped slightly, fighting back tears.

“If you think there’s a chance you could love me for who I am now and not who I once was…” Her face scrunched and she let out a soft sob.

Kya couldn’t help but let out a small sob of her own. A smile spread across her face despite her shaking shoulders and she looked at Izumi with a pained kind of hope. Izumi’s cheeks were damp too, the same sad hope painted across her features as she looked from Kya to Lin.

“We just want you to be happy, Lin,” Izumi’s voice was thick with tears as she spoke.

“It would mean the world to us if you would stay, but if you do-,” She sucked in a tight breath.

“Stop trying to be the old you for our sake. It’s not right for us to expect that of you. But please, don’t go. We’ll do everything we can to let go of the old you, and to break away from the expectations we were putting on you. We’ll love you for who you are now, just as long as you stay and give us the chance to,” Her lips pulled into a tight smile and tears spilled from her golden eyes as she reached up to cup Lin’s face in her palm.

Lin sobbed again and closed her eyes, leaning into Izumi’s hand. After a moment of sitting like that, she forced her eyes open and shuffled closer to Kya, making room for Izumi to join them on the bench. Izumi pushed herself off the ground at Lin’s invitation, making herself comfortable on the cold stone. Lin’s body shook with sobs and she squeezed her hands around Kya and Izumi’s, hanging her head low once more. Kya and Izumi looked at each other over her shoulders before leaning in, wrapping her in a hug between them and holding her tightly.

“I love you,” She managed to choke through her sobs, warmth spreading through her chest when Kya and Izumi both nuzzled up against her.

She was terrified to hope on the off chance she could be let down, but she couldn’t help but feel that this could be a new beginning for the three of them.

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singledarkshade · 3 years ago

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Time Masters And Amazons

Summary: Rip is sent to Thermiscrya to retrieve a suspicious pod released by Time Pirates. Author’s Note: It's RipWeek 2021, Day 1: “Time wants to happen” – Time travel is what Legends is all about, but it’s moved away from that lately. What historical or futuristic adventures should Rip have had? This is set in the same universe as my story Rescue. Enjoy ********************************************* “Captain Hunter,” Gideon’s voice woke him from his sleep, “You have a communication from the Vanishing Point.”

Stiffly rolling out of bed, Rip pulled on his clothes, pausing briefly to throw some water on his face so he could wake a little before heading up to the bridge.

“Captain Hunter,” Time Master Dereham stated when Rip told Gideon to open the comms, “We have a mission for you.”

Frowning Rip replied, “Ma’am, I was promised a few days of rest after my last mission.”

A mission where he’d ended up with three broken ribs and a broken arm. Even though Gideon had fixed him, rest was still required to get him back to peak fitness.

“Normally another Captain would be assigned,” Dereham told him, “But this is pertaining to Themyscira. During the apprehension of a group of Time Pirates, they jettisoned a pod which we have tracked to the island. We fear it contains something dangerous and needs to be retrieved. Due to your prior contact with the Amazons, you are the best choice for this mission.”

Nodding Rip noted, “If you send Gideon the details, I will head there once I have an entry point.”

“I have received all required information, Captain,” Gideon told him as Dereham blinked away.

Rip sighed, “Gideon, calculate an entry to Themyscira.”

“We can enter in forty-three minutes,” Gideon reported, “You have enough time to shower, eat breakfast and let Mrs Hunter know you will not make it home for the weekend.”

Rip grimaced, “Unless I manage to finish this mission fast.”

“Forty-two minutes.”

Forty minutes later, Rip was readying the ship to exit the timestream. Dressed and fed, he’d let his wife know about his unexpected mission, unfortunately not getting a chance to talk to his son who was sleeping.

“We are entering the window,” Gideon spoke up.

Rip nodded, “Okay, reconfiguring for entry to Themyscira.”

Due to the cloak that hid the island of the Amazons from the world and a few additional protections provided by the Time Masters, there were only certain windows to enter it from the time stream. Rip had made the trip more than any other Time Master, and thanks to his rescue of the young princess, was welcomed by the Amazons.

Exiting the time stream, Rip smiled to see the island below him, bathed in sunlight with the clear blue sea surrounding it.

“Gideon, see if you can track our pod,” Rip told her, “And then head to the landing zone.”

“I have traced the trajectory,” Gideon reported, “And our presence has been detected.”

Rip chuckled, “I would be worried if it hadn’t.”

Gently landing his ship, Rip undid the restraint and patted the central console before he headed to the cargo bay.

“Captain Hunter,” Queen Hippolyta greeted him as he walked out the ship.

Rip bowed, “Your Majesty.”

Hippolyta smiled, “What do we owe the pleasure? Is it by any chance to do with the falling star last night?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Rip replied, “And before you ask, I don’t actually know what it is.”

She frowned, “Never a good sign.”

“I’ve traced where it went,” Rip explained, “But thought it best to check in with you first before I try to track it down.”

Hippolyta nodded, “I do appreciate that, Captain. We would not want any of our guards to believe you to be an intruder.”

At her amused smile, Rip chuckled, “Definitely not.”

“Captain Hunter!!” the excited voice of the young princess made Rip smile, as she rushed towards him.

Rip gave a small bow, “Your Highness.”

Diana beamed and wrapped her arms around his waist to hug him. Rip gently wrapped one arm around her shoulders briefly before letting her go.

“I have a present for you,” Rip said, smiling at the look of surprise in Diana’s eyes. He slid his hand into his pocket and found the small velvet bag, “I hope you like it.”

The little princess opened the bag and tipped the contents into her hand, letting out a soft gasp at the silver chain with the three small pendants on it.

“It’s a charm bracelet,” Rip explained, “My wife, Miranda made it for you.”

“She made it for me?” Diana gasped, holding her arm out so her mother would put it on.

Rip nodded, “Do you like it?”

Diana beamed, “I do. Please tell her I love it.”

“Captain Hunter and I need to discuss his reason for being here,” Hippolyta told her daughter, “You must return to your studies.”

Diana glanced at Rip.

“I will not leave without saying goodbye,” Rip promised.

With a grin Diana left with her current tutor, Rip turned to the Queen of the Amazons.

“It was a lovely gift,” Hippolyta noted as she started him towards the palace, “Thank your wife from me as well.”

“Miranda is very artistic and jewellery making is her new passion,” Rip explained, “Since our son, Jonas isn’t interested in the pieces she makes, Miranda hoped Diana would be.”

Hippolyta smiled, “I think the fact that it came from your wife made it even more special for her.”

The palace of the Amazons was somewhere Rip would have loved to spend time exploring, he knew Miranda would want to explore it too, but he was sure the guards could snap him in two without breaking a sweat if he went wandering.

“Captain?” the Queen’s voice broke through his musing.

“Of course,” Rip said, walking over to the map on the wall beside her, “According to Gideon, the pod crashed somewhere here,” he pointed to the mountain range, “I am hoping you can spare a guide to get me to the location.”

Hippolyta mused before replying, “I know that section of the island better than anyone so I shall guide you.”

Rip stared at her surprised, “Are you sure, Your Majesty? I did not expect you would…”

“This is something of great importance,” she cut him off, “I prefer to deal with it myself.”

“Then I’m honoured,” Rip replied.

Hippolyta smiled slightly before noting, “You may wish to change.”

Looking at his clothes, Rip nodded, “I also need to collect some things from the ship to ensure I can retrieve the pod safely.”

“We leave in one hour.”

*********************************************

“Gideon,” Rip said as he checked the equipment that he was taking with him including his pistol and a sword, “Have your scans revealed anything I should worry about?”

“Other than the trek, the heat and the fact you will have to look competent in front of the Queen of the Amazons?” Gideon asked.

Rolling his eyes, Rip ignored her, “Please connect to the courier and continue your scans. Let me know if there is any change in the pod.”

“Yes, Captain.”

As he headed out, Rip paused seeing the guards outside the ship, “Gideon, no teasing the Amazons.”

“If you wish,” Gideon replied, sounding slightly annoyed.

Resting his hand on the bulkhead before he left, “I’ll be back soon.”

“Be careful, Captain,” Gideon told him.

Nodding he walked down the ramp to where his guide was waiting to take him to the Queen.

“So, Captain,” Hippolyta said as they started along the trail towards their destination, “Have you ever spent any time within this type of environment?”

Rip shrugged, “We were trained in basically all possible situations. I have done exercises where I’ve had to fend for myself and get back to base in multiple environments. I survived those.”

Hippolyta chuckled, “Well that is good to know. I am assuming you know how to use the sword?”

“One of my specialist weapons,” Rip noted before resting his hand on his pistol, “And I’m not a bad shot.”

The Queen laughed, “Hopefully you will not need to use either weapon, Captain.”

They continued in silence for a while reaching the edge of the forest. Rip paused and checked his courier.

“Gideon,” he called, “Has there been any changes?”

“I am reading a stronger signal,” Gideon said in his ear, “It is possible the pod has been disturbed.”

“Captain?” Hippolyta asked.

Rip grimaced, “Gideon believes the pod has been found. Do you have any patrols in that area?”

The Queen frowned, “No. However it is possible a training group may have entered the area.”

“Gideon,” he said, “Keep me apprised of anything you detect.”

“Of course, Captain.”

Rip turned to the Queen of the Amazons who was waiting for him to finish his conversation, “I believe we should continue.”

She nodded, “The next part of the trail is especially steep. It will be best climbed before we reach the midday sun.”

“Excellent.”

The sun was beating down on them as they finally reached the summit of the trail into the forest, Rip wiped the sweat from his forehead before he checked his courier.

“The signal is stronger towards the east,” he told the woman standing waiting, “Please tell me it’s an easier walk.”

Hippolyta chuckled, “Going down the path is usually easier.”

Rip took the water she offered him before he grabbed some cereal bars from him pack offering one to the Queen who took it graciously. She suddenly frowned and held up her hand, walking over to a bush behind them she reached in and grabbed something. Rip watched surprised at the familiar girl pulled out who tried to look innocent.

“Diana,” her mother frowned at her, “I am sure I told you not to follow us.”

Diana looked up at her mother with wide eyes, “I wanted to help you and Captain Hunter.”

Hippolyta frowned before turning to Rip, “Excuse us for a moment, Captain.”

She drew her daughter to one side just out of hearing and Rip took a seat on a nearby rock. He hadn’t had the time after his previous mission to recover fully from his injuries, and it was taking a toll.

“Captain,” Gideon spoke up suddenly, “I am detecting an energy spike from the pod and, as it is sending out a signal, identified its origins.”

“Good,” Rip replied before noting the pause, “And bad. Where is it from?”

“Tracadia,” Gideon told him, and Rip swore.

Hippolyta frowned as she walked back to him, “Captain?”

“Gideon has found out where the pod is from,” Rip replied, “And it’s worse than I expected.”

Diana opened her mouth as though to ask a question but slammed it shut at her mother’s sharp look.

“How much worse?” Hippolyta asked.

Rip sighed, “The people this came from are slave traders and use technology to turn people into mindless drones.”

“How?” Diana spoke up.

Her mother frowned but looked at Rip for an answer.

“It’s complicated but basically it sends out a specific tone,” Rip explained, “This turns off the person’s conscious self and allows programming of those affected for specific tasks. If anyone is in the vicinity, they will become enslaved and protect the pod at all costs while it sends out a distress call.”

Hippolyta frowned, “Do you know how to stop it?”

“Yes,” Rip nodded, “If I can get to the pod, I can disable it but…”

“But?” the Amazonian Queen demanded.

“The pod is already sending out a signal,” Rip explained, “Which means that the moment someone gets within the range, they become a drone and it has protection. I would prefer to head back to the Waverider and retrieve additional equipment, but we don’t have time.”

Hippolyta frowned, “Can you get near the pod without being influenced by the signal?”

Rip nodded and tapped his ear, “I have a communicator in my ear that connects me to Gideon in my ship. She can neutralise the signal, but I need to do something for you both.”

“Both?” Diana asked with a smile, wincing when her mother frowned at her.

“At the moment, we don’t know how far the signal is stretching,” Rip explained, “It’s safer for Diana to stay with us.”

Hippolyta frowned before nodding, “I agree.”

“Then I better get to work.”

Diana bounced nervously as they waited for Rip to finish whatever he was making. She knew she was in trouble following her mother, but her curiosity got the better of her. Rip had visited a few times since he had saved her, but this was the first time he’d come for more than just a quick visit.

“Diana,” Rip motioned her to him, “Okay, I am going to connect this into your ear and clip it in, so it doesn’t fall out.”

She nodded and smiled as Rip brushed her dark hair back from her right ear before placing the strange looking device into her ear. She winced slightly as something pinched her skin.

“Sorry,” Rip said softly, “It’s just connecting to you. Let me test it now.”

Diana nodded.

“Gideon, test please,” Rip called.

“Hello, Princess,” the voice of the Gideon came in her ear, “Can you speak to allow me to know if the communicator is working both ways?”

Diana hesitated not knowing what to say finally deciding on, “Hello, Gideon.”

“It is working perfectly, Captain,” Gideon said, “Princess Diana is now protected.”

Rip smiled and squeezed Diana’s shoulder, “Can you ask your mother to join me?”

Diana nodded and bounced away.

“Gideon,” Rip said as he waited for the Queen to come and get her comm unit, “Any updates?”

“Unfortunately,” Gideon replied, “There are life-signs at the coordinates. The pod now has guardians.”

Rip sighed, “Wonderful.”

Hippolyta joined him and caught the look on his face, “I take it there is bad news and it is a good thing we didn’t return back to your vessel.”

Nodding Rip connected the communicator to her ear, “Precisely.”

*********************************************

Hippolyta motioned them to stop as they reached just outside the caves that Gideon confirmed the pod had been relocated to. There were several of her warriors guarding the entrance and Hippolyta did not want to hurt any of her people, but from what Hunter had told her, they would protect the item at all costs.

“Diana,” she motioned her daughter to her, “For defence only,” she said handing her a sword, “No matter what happens, you stay with Captain Hunter.”

Diana nodded, “Yes, mother.”

Turning to Hunter, she noted, “I will do my best to keep those affected away to give you time to deactivate the signal.”

He nodded, “Be careful of the communicator, if it breaks then you will become one of the drones.”

“It could be a welcome break from ruling,” she replied with a smile, “But I will ensure it is kept intact.”

An amused smile touched the man’s lips before he gently touched Diana’s shoulder and motioned her to follow him. Reaching out Hippolyta squeezed her daughter’s hand before allowing her to leave with the Time Master, knowing he would protect Diana.

Rip watched the Queen of the Amazons walk towards the entrance of the cavern, instantly the two guards attacked her, and Hippolyta moved the fight away from the cave allowing Rip and Diana to slip inside.

The cool air of the cave surrounded them, and Rip could also feel the pressure from signal relieved when Gideon began to counteract it. Looking around, he found the pod set up on a shelf well above his height.

“Look out,” Diana cried, and Rip turned to find one of the guards of the pod coming towards them.

Rip threw himself one way as Diana rolled the other way, drawing his sword Rip defended himself but knew he had little chance of surviving long against a trained Amazon warrior. Thankfully he got an opening and was able to draw his pistol to stun his attacker, who fell unconscious to the ground.

“Diana,” he said to the girl, “We need to turn off the pod. Can you climb up to that?”

“Easily,” she nodded.

Rip dug into his pocket and pulled out the disruptor he’d made earlier, “Once you’re there I need you to press this onto the pod, anywhere on the body. Then tell Gideon to activate.”

Taking the disruptor, Diana nodded but, before she could move, they were attacked again.

“Go,” Rip snapped at Diana as he managed to stop the sword coming at them with his own.

The little girl dodged around the warriors coming towards them and began to climb. Rip fired a few shots to deter those trying to follow her but by protecting Diana, he left himself open and cried out in pain when a sword slashed across his ribs.

“Rip?” Diana called worriedly.

“Don’t stop,” he replied, using the cave wall to keep upright as he continued to defend himself. Another of the drones attacked and Rip did his best but even as a basic zombie, this was still a trained Amazon warrior, and after a few seconds easily disarmed Rip and stabbed him through the gut. Managing to shoot his assailant, Rip tried to find his sword as he knew until the pod was deactivated, he had to keep fighting.

“Gideon,” he heard Diana call just as he managed to grip the hilt, “Activate.”

The sound of swords dropping echoed around the cavern, and all the Amazons looked around in confusion. Rip sighed in relief and fell back onto the ground.

“Rip!!!!” Diana screamed as Hippolyta appeared above him.

“Hold on, Captain,” the Queen soothed, “You will be fine.”

Rip gripped her hand, “Get me to Gideon,” he breathed before he couldn’t keep the blackness at bay any longer and fell into unconsciousness.

Hippolyta could see her daughter panic at seeing the man she looked up to unconscious and bleeding on the ground, with a sword sticking out of him. Wrapping her arm around Diana, Hippolyta was about to order her people to get him back to the palace when the voice of Gideon, Hunter’s artificial companion came in her ear.

“Your Majesty,” Gideon stated urgently “Captain Hunter’s injuries are grave, I have sent the JumpShip to your location. If you can take him onboard and return him to the Waverider I will be able to heal his injuries.”

A little unsure, Hippolyta however replied, “Of course.”

Glancing down at her daughter, Hippolyta gently touched her shoulder and moved her back ordering the warriors to carry Hunter outside. Keeping her daughter close, they watched the small vessel land, and the unconscious man was carried inside. The Queen followed on with Diana and entered the ship.

“Gideon,” she said as the door closed behind them.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Gideon replied, “Please all take a seat and hold on.”

Sitting her daughter down, along with the two warriors, Hippolyta gripped the seat as the ship lifted off the ground and sped through the air to where the Waverider sat. The moment they landed Gideon instructed them where to take Hunter. It was an astonishing place, Hippolyta followed Diana who knew where she was going and what she was doing so slid the cuff onto the man’s wrist the moment he was placed on the chair before Gideon could tell them.

“Please remove the sword,” Gideon stated.

Hippolyta rested her hand on the man’s arm comfortingly before pulling the sword from his gut, wincing at the cry that escaped him even unconscious. A green light covered him instantly and he visibly relaxed.

“Thank you,” Gideon stated, “I will have Captain Hunter contact you once he is able to.”

Hippolyta shook her head, “Diana and I will remain here until he wakens.”

“Captain Hunter would not agree,” Gideon told her before conceding, “However if you are determined to remain, then thank you.”

Nodding Hippolyta dismissed her two warriors to return to the palace before she and Diana took a seat to ensure that Hunter would not wake up alone.

*********************************************

Rip woke slowly, he was stiff and felt the need to go back to sleep but if Gideon was waking him then he knew he couldn’t. As he forced his eyes open, Rip was confused to find the Queen of Themyscira looking down him with concern.

“Your Majesty?” he forced out through dry lips.

“Welcome back, Captain,” she smiled at him.

Slowly sitting up, Rip blinked in surprise to find the royal family of the Amazons watching him.

“Gideon?” he called.

“The Queen and Princess Diana refused to leave while you were recuperating,” Gideon explained.

Looking at the mother and daughter who were smiling slightly, he nodded, “Thank you.”

“Well, we wanted to ensure you were healed as Gideon promised,” Hippolyta smiled at him, “Diana was worried.”

Rip smiled at the young girl watching him with wide eyes, “I’m fine. Gideon healed all my injuries and once I get some sleep I will be as good as new.”

“Are you sure?” Diana demanded.

Sliding off the couch he crouched so he was face to face with her, “I promise.” Standing again he looked at the Queen, “What happened to the pod?”

“We brought it to the ship and Gideon had me place it in a cupboard,” she told him.

“I have erected a level 5 shield around the pod, Captain,” Gideon spoke up.

Rip smiled, “Thank you, Gideon,” he turned back to the mother and daughter, “I should get it back to the Time Masters.”

“You’re leaving?” Diana asked sadly.

Rip sighed, “I have a mission to complete but I promise that I will come back another time.”

Diana hugged him and Rip gently patted her back, letting him go Diana stepped back to her mother.

“Thank you for your help, Your Majesty,” Rip bowed to her.

Hippolyta inclined her head to him, “And thank you for yours, Captain. It was a pleasure to work with you. The next time you visit, I hope it is less exciting but more of a family affair. I would like to meet your wife and son.”

“Miranda and Jonas would love that,” Rip smiled.

He escorted them to the cargo bay and, after another hug from the young princess, Rip watched them leave then headed to the bridge. Sliding into the pilot’s chair he readied the ship for flight.

“Gideon,” he said, “Let the Vanishing Point know we have the pod and we’re on our way back.”

“We are expected, Captain,” Gideon replied, “And have an entry programmed back to the time stream.”

With a smile at the island below him, Rip pulled the restraint down, and took the ship back into the time stream.

#fic #ripfic #legends of tomorrow #rip hunter #gideon #wonder woman #diana #hippolyta #crossover #RipWeek #Rip Week 2021 #Rip Appreciation Week

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narrans · 4 years ago

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A Tall and Small Collection | Soren | A Brother’s First Glimpse

Soren rested for nearly ten minutes before electing to get up and begin transporting the fabric scraps back to his family. He started with one of the heavier pieces, a soft, thick maroon fabric, and began the trek back. He rolled it up and placed it on his back. The path had become more familiar with time, but Soren knew he had to keep his head up if he didn’t want to get lost. After all, he hadn’t implemented Rey’s plan yet.

While he walked, Soren had a moment to think. If he remembered correctly, Brady had said he was going to make sure the cat couldn’t roam the halls; yet, Soren didn’t remember seeing him on his way to the apartment. This was a bad sign. Brady should have been either near the entrance Soren created or somewhere along the hallway.

Soren shook his thoughts from his head. Brady wasn’t brave enough to go out into the room on his own without backup. If Brady had gone out, he would have left the cover off or some other blunder obvious for even a human to notice.

“Soren!” The sudden, jubilant cry of his youngest brother, Rey, was enough to send his heart into a rapid shock which just as quickly dissipated. He could see his brothers’ round, smiling faces peering out from around the final corner. Soren had set very specific rules to make sure his brothers didn’t wander off. One of those rules were boundaries as to how far his brothers could actually travel from their cots; and they were almost at the edge.

Soren smiled but stared at them warningly. They knew better than to go beyond where they were told unless it was an emergency.

“Hey bobbins,” he said thoughtfully. “Look what I borrowed.” Soren tugged at the fabric on his back. Their eyes widened in wonder as they stood at the edge of the wall bouncing back and forth on their toes, eager to see what their brother had brought home.

“Ohhh! Wow brother! You’re the best! It’s so soft,” said Dorian in awe as he reached out and touched the fabric, squishing it between his fingers.

“Yeah!” Rey agreed while mimicking his brother’s movements.

“Okay, okay. Let’s bring it over to the pile,” Soren instructed. The youngest eagerly obeyed and took an armful of fabric, not caring part of it dragged the ground, and carried it to their supply pile. The middle child did the same. After they successfully carried the maroon cloth to their supply pile, Soren pointed back down the corridor.

“Hey, you two didn’t see Bra…er… your dad, did you?” asked Soren. The youngest two exchanged quick glances with one another before shaking their heads.

“No, he left this morning and said he was going to stand guard,” replied Dorian. “Why?” Soren, in a split second, made the decision to not worry them, but also to tell the truth.

“No reason,” muttered Soren. “I didn’t see him in the corridor and thought he might’ve gone back. He’s probably just further down and I didn’t see him.” A flicker of worry sparked in the boys’ eyes, but they trusted Soren and his instincts.

“Anyway,” continued Soren. “I need to get back. There’s more cloth than what I brought back and some special thread for navigation.” Rey’s eyes twinkled.

“You mean you’re going to use my idea?” he asked eagerly.

“Sure thing bobbin,” replied Soren. “Hey, do you two want to come with me and help bring back some borrowings?” The brothers’ leaped into the air cheering. They had never been borrowing before and this would be the first time, even if it was just gathering supplies with their brother.

Before they left their camp, Soren made them promise to listen to every command he gave regardless of how they felt and to be especially careful near the entrances. His brothers only had glimpses of the human world and possessed little knowledge about how to actually borrow – something Soren was slightly ashamed of. He knew he was young at the time, but Soren’s father, Aaron, and his mother, Emma Lee, had taken Soren out borrowing for the first time when he was Rey’s age. It was a risk, but Soren was glad he had the knowledge to protect himself and provide for his brothers.

His brothers agreed instantly and sprung at his heels like summer crickets. They were excited and nervous, two things Soren hoped would keep them on their toes. He followed the passages, ensuring his brothers memorized the way, before reaching the outlet. Dorian and Rey had been whispering excitedly up until this point. Now that the electrical cover was ahead, they seemed less certain, their steps faltering as they clung closer to one another.

Soren, seeing this, gave a reassuring smile. “It’s okay to be nervous and scared, but you can’t let that get to you. It’s that gut reaction that helps you make quick decisions. Turn your nerves into strengths.” The pair of twinkling, pale blue eyes blinked several times as they approached their eldest brother. They spotted the fabric a few feet away in the dust and plaster filled hallways and, in their moment of bravery, trotted up past their brother, being as quiet as they could, and began rolling up the fabric.

Soren watched, a smile curled on his lip, before glancing at the wall cover. [They’ll have to learn sooner or later. What if I didn’t take them out and just let them peer through? They’re young, almost too young, but… if something happened to me…] Soren could still see the jaws of the cat bared at him and feel its hot breath near his neck. He shuddered and shrugged it off. [They won’t be able to rely on Brady for any useful training. Guess that’s my job.] It was decided.

“Hey, do either of you want to take a peek into the apartment?” he asked. The brothers, who were quiet efficient at rolling up cloth, snapped their gaze from their current task to look at their brother, eyes wide with excitement but also hesitation.

“Yeah!” exclaimed Dorian, who Soren quickly gestured to lower his volume. “Oh, sorry.”

“Remember, we have to be quiet in the walls. In camp, we can talk normally. Here, we have to be a little more careful,” reminded Soren. Dorian nodded eagerly and was on his feet in an instant.

“I will. I’ll be the most careful! I’m ready.”

Rey, on the other hand, seemed less certain. He twiddled his fingers the way their mother used to when she was thinking hard about a problem, before nodding hesitantly. “I wanna see too.” Soren nodded once and approached the outlet.

“Now, what’s the most important thing right now?” he asked. An impromptu quiz never hurt him.

“Don’t be seen and don’t get caught. If that happens, don’t say anything no matter what,” answered Dorian with little hesitation. Rey, befuddled by the question, simply nodded an agreement.

“Those are all important, but that’s not completely the right answer,” stated Soren. “The most important thing right now is to check and make sure without a doubt that the room is clear of humans and animals. It’s kind of hard to see, so you have to listen.” The brothers watched as Soren pressed his ear against the cover and propped it open slightly. They held their breath and listened.

“What do you hear?” asked Soren. The brothers didn’t have a clear answer, nor did they have a guess. To them, it seemed quiet in the room. “You don’t hear the lady’s shows? You don’t hear her shuffling slippers in the other room? You don’t hear her cat pawing at the door?” Each prompt Soren gave seemed to make the sounds that much clearer. The brothers nodded.

“You heard all that the first try?” asked Rey. Soren’s lips tugged into a cocky grin.

“I’ve had a lot more practice than you little bobbins. Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it. For now, I can tell you there’s nothing in the room, but the old human will probably be back soon to clean up the mess her cat made when it was…” Soren hesitated, not wanting to tell his brothers about his close encounter with the cat. “Playing on the desk.”

Soren unscrewed the cover and pressed it open just enough to step out into the human world. Before he did, he paused and took a deep breath. He stepped out over the threshold of the wall and onto the ground. He motioned for his siblings to stay back. Soren didn’t doubt his senses, but he wanted to ensure his brothers’ first steps outside the wall were safe. He checked on one side and then the other. He stayed crouched and low. When he saw the coast was clear, he motioned them forward.

Dorian stepped out first, checking from side to side just as Soren did. Rey followed close behind, slightly clumsier though. Their eyes widened as they stared up at the vastness of the human world. Everything enlarged and out of reach. Soren could see they were beginning to get overwhelmed. Reassuringly, he reached out and grasped both of their shoulders.

“I get it’s overwhelming,” said Soren, keeping his voice low. “But you’ll get used to it in time. I’m still getting used to it honestly.” The smile on his face did reassure his brothers. The moment reminded Soren of when he finished his first borrowing trip and the look on his parents’ faces. The nostalgia was momentary, but much needed. It also reminded Soren that, sooner or later, his brothers would need to start their training – and that he was already behind.

They elected not to walk around the room, much to Dorian’s dismay, and proceeded back into the walls. They collected the fabric and, after a few trips, managed to bring everything back to their camp.

While his brothers organized the fabric and picked some out for themselves and their beds, Soren began constructing training regiments for his brothers. He couldn’t call himself a decent older brother if he couldn’t prepare his younger brothers to survive in a world full of humans.

Continue

Beginning

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yoongsgguktae · 5 years ago

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honey, i’m home 02 | pjm

summary; you finally get to meet his cats, and get to witness how cute your neighbor truly is pairing; jimin x reader genre; neighbors!au | s2l | fluff rating; pg15 word count; 2.1k warnings; sleepy cats, napping kitties, loving felines, and jimin’s arms

a/n; i can’t believe i wrote 2k words about being introduced to cats uwu thank you @dollwithluv for reading this over and helping me with some ideas. and shout-out to @starlightseoks for letting me honor Kitty Cat in this.

MASTERLIST PART 01 | [PART 02] | PART 03

—

You've been standing in front of his door for a bit longer than deemed normal. Thankfully not a single person has passed you by in the corridor while your fist hovers slightly above the door for what feels like ten minutes now. Naturally your arm gets tired, you sigh in defeat and lower your hand, your eyes fluttering close as you take a breath to slow your nerves.

You're nervous and you hate it. Hate that you're feeling these foreign emotions, one's you haven't felt since your last relationship a few years back. You stopped caring about what people thought of you, you gained confidence after that monstrosity of a relationship and stopped doubting yourself. But with him, your hard facade is proving to break just at the thought of him, you suddenly care about what this semi-stranger thinks of you. You changed your outfit at least three times before coming to his door, having to remind yourself it's a simple gathering of two neighbors enjoying food together. Again, but this time planned.

Ever since you two shared pizza at your place, your stomach fills with butterflies when you see him around the building or simply when you think of him, which is all the time, to be honest. His soft smile is engraved in your mind and his boasting laugh plays on repeat. He was charming that night, made you laugh harder than you've had in a long while. You suddenly started craving it more, after having a taste of happiness.

This morning you crossed paths with him in the laundry room, he was taking his clothes out from the dryer just as you arrived to put yours to wash. It took everything in your power to not stare at his arms as he folded his laundry. He wore a tank that put his muscles out on display, he knows very well the effect he has and he's not afraid to show it, you saw it in the way he smirked at you. Only when he wasn't looking did you allow yourself to sneak a glance.

He invited you over for lunch, said he wanted to introduce you to his cats. You laugh lightly at the memory of his cheeks turning softly red when he referred to them as 'my girls'. Your heart grew two folds as his love for them sparkled in his eyes.

Suddenly you hear his door unlock and it starts to creak open. Jimin appears in his doorway with that signature smile you’ve learned to grow fond of. "Hey, I thought I heard someone at my door."

Oh god, did he hear you standing here this entire time? "Hi." You're still rooted in place, trying not to internally combust as you realize he hasn't changed his clothes since you last saw him. Your mind short circuits just thinking about how you're going to survive this lunch date with his arms on full display. Wait, this is not a date, you need to stop overthinking this.

"Please come in." He steps aside, motioning for you to enter. You pass the threshold into his space, slowly taking in his apartment with wandering eyes, it all feels cozy compared to your own boring place. You hear the door softly click shut behind you, a warm hand barley there placed at your lower back as Jimin guides you to his living room. “I’ve just placed the dish in the oven, should be only a few minutes. In the meantime, let me show you to—”

“—your girls,” you say for him.

You feel him stop his movements, no longer walking in pace with you. You turn around to see a small pout form on his lips. “You’re not gonna let that one go, are you?” His head tilts to the side as he tsks.

Jimin resumes making his way to the couch, walking past you. "This here," he says pointing to the cat sleeping on a blanket. "Is Luna." He reaches for her, pets her head softly with the tip of his fingers, just barely as to not wake her. He turns his gaze back to you, you're still standing there, not having moved an inch. "Well, come say hello." He gestures his head to the cat.

You were still caught off guard by his adorable pout, and that head tilt thing, what was that even? Adorable, that's what. Your body finally responds, moving to get a better look at the fluffy cat napping on the couch. You drop down to level yourself with the furball, your knees cushioned by his soft area rug. "She's so precious!" You coo softly as you pet her head the same way you just watched Jimin do. The cat begins to purr in appreciation.

You glance up at him, still running your hands at the top of her head lightly. "How old is she?"

"She's five, I rescued her when she was about two along with one of her kittens." He looks around his space, eyes searching. "She should be around here somewhere." His eyes focus to the corner of the room, where a cat tower sits. "Ah, there she is."

You follow his eyes and see the biggest tower you've ever laid eyes on, nothing but the best for his cats. A similar-looking cat rests inside the top cubby, peacefully sleeping. "That's really sweet of you to rescue one of her babies as well. Were you planning on bringing home two cats that day?"

"No, I was trying to find a companion for my first cat, but Bella," he says pointing to the black cat. "Was very attached to her mother." Jimin heads towards her, gently picks her up out of the cubby, and carries her back over to the couch. As soon as he sets her down, you see for yourself, the attachment he talks about. Bella saunters over to her mother and makes herself comfortable, snuggling close until she falls back asleep. "I fell in love with their relationship, how Luna was and still is a great mother to Bella. They're inseparable and I didn't want them to get adopted separately and go to different homes when they should be together."

You feel like your heart is about to explode. His devotion to his three cats amazes you. Jimin is a sensitive man and he's not ashamed of it, you can see that he wears his heart out on his sleeve. You admire him even more, wish you could be more like him, someone who can express their feelings genuinely, carefree.

He walks over to his window, the one that accesses the fire escape that is shared with your apartment. A cat lays basking in the sun on the window sill. "Now this here is my baby." His face turns into that of panic for a second as he corrects himself. "Not saying the other two are not of course! Kitty Cat was my first so she holds a special place in my heart," he explains. You're not sure if he corrected himself because he doesn't want you to think he plays favorites or if he fears he offended his other two cats somehow. You find that thought amusing, you let out a light chuckle.

"Kitty Cat?" You sit on his floor with your back against the couch, not wanting to disturb the sleeping mother and daughter. You watch Jimin pick up 'his baby', cradling her against his chest. His hands rubbing soothing circles on her belly. He comes to sit beside you.

"That's the result of letting my old neighbor's daughter name her. She was only five, so naturally she named her Kitty Cat." He shifts her in his arms and holds the cat out for you to grab. She squirms in your hold for a moment before you settle her in your lap, resuming her nap almost instantly. Jimin smiles at you as he watches the cat get comfortable with your presence.

The cat's fur is soft under your touch, you play with her white paws, soothingly rubbing your thumbs over them. She's a tuxedo cat and her paws look like little booties, she's precious. "What?" you question when you see him watching you. His smile is doing things to you, you thank heavens you're sitting as you grow weak under his gaze.

"I think she recognizes your scent."

You look at him puzzled. "What do you mean? This is the first time I've met her." You gaze down at the cat. Have you seen her before? She doesn't seem familiar.

Your eyes are back on him as he chuckles. "Well you see," he starts. He points at the window Kitty Cat was just sleeping at. "She is the only one allowed on the fire escape because she doesn't run away, except for this one day." He runs his hands through his beautiful black hair, you assume he's mentally reliving the stress of whatever story he is about to retell as his face scrunches up slightly. You watch his locks settle back into place, they look so soft to touch.

"I went out to the fire escape to bring her back in after some time had passed but she was nowhere to be found. She ended up in your apartment actually."

That had you narrowing your eyes at him. "How on earth did she get into my apartment?"

"Did you forget already?" Jimin looks at you dumbfounded. "You have a problem with leaving your window open. We talked about this." One of his eyebrows lifts up as he looks at you teasingly, shaking his head in disbelief.

Right. You don't close your windows. "Yeah yeah, ok I get it." You wave him off. You've been doing a better job at remembering to do so since the night he decided it was a good idea to climb through your window, giving you a heart attack. "How did you get her out?"

Now he's doing that thing again, grabbing at the back of his neck. His arms flex at the motion, your eyes struggling to stay focused on his face and definitely not on his toned muscles. "When I finally heard her meow, I saw her in your living room. I kept trying to make her come to me, but she wouldn't. So I panicked."

He shrinks into himself slightly and murmurs, "I went in and grabbed her quickly." He looks at you sheepishly, biting his lip as he paused for a moment to gauge your reaction. "But I promise it was super quick and I closed the window behind me," he finished hurriedly.

Your hands stop their movement on Kitty Cat. You lift a finger and poke at his chest. "So when you said you close my window because you care about my safety, you meant to say you close it because your cat was getting into my apartment." His chest felt firm under your finger. You're momentarily consumed with thoughts of running your hands against his chest, but you're quickly brought back to the present when Jimin grabs your hand.

"Yes, but I also care about your safety, that's why I keep doing it." He doesn't let go of your hand, lowering it in his lap as he continues, "I closed it for you two days ago for example. It was wide open again." His thumb slowly brushes against your knuckles as he holds your gaze.

You fall into a comfortable silence as you two sit there on his floor. Your heart is pounding out of control at the tender contact and the idea of him caring. Does he care for you as his neighbor? Or would you be silly in thinking it could be more than that? You two were strangers just a few weeks ago. You never would have predicted being in this position, over his house with his cat on your lap and him holding your hand.

The oven beeps, signifying the food is ready, screaming for it to be taken about before it burns. The noise makes Kitty Cat stir on your lap. Jimin loosens his grip on your hand and you reluctantly let him go. You watch him grab her off your lap and place her on the couch with the other two.

He stands up, brushes away the imaginary dust on his jeans, and clears his throat. You also busy yourself with fixing your shirt, not knowing where to put your hands now that it wasn't connected with his. You look up to see his hand reaching out to help you stand.

"Let's eat?"

Your hands connect again. You feel at ease.

—

< PART 01 | PART 03 >

—

reviews are always welcomed :)

MASTERLIST

#bangtanfairygarden #btsghostie #ficswithluv #bangtanhq #bangtanarmynet #jimin x reader #jimin x oc #jimin x y/n #bts x reader #bts fanfiction #jimin fanfiction #bts stranger au #bts au #bts s2l au #s2l #drabble; honey im home #bts drabble #jimin x yn

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natusvincere · 4 years ago

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Nightmare Square || Marley and Vic

Who: @detectivedreameater and @natusvincere Where: The Bend When: A few weeks ago What: Marley and Vic find out what dreams are made of... literally. Warnings: Allusions to child abuse, Head Injury Mention

Reports of strange activity down in the Bend had been pouring in, and Marley could no longer stand by and let it be written off. Well, sit by, as it were, as she scratched away at files from her desk. Soon, she had to remind herself, she was going to get back into the field soon. She just needed a bit more time to heal, to get better, to control herself. But soon. Still, soon didn’t ever feel like soon enough when she felt like the only cop in the precinct who understood the supernatural nature of the town. Ally was...getting there, but she had almost drawn a gun on Marley at just the mention of the supernatural, so there was still a way to go in regards to that. The only other officer she knew of who knew was Langley, and there was no way in hell she was ever asking him for help, after what had happened at the escape room.

And so, she’d gone it alone. Probably not the best idea-- definitely not the best idea-- and Anita and Erin would probably kick her ass if they ever found out, but the solution to that was easy: make sure they never found out. She grabbed the pistol from her car and headed out, following the path that had been laid out by the many reports of suspicious activity. It led her behind a building and towards some of the abandoned buildings in the Bend, but so far, she hadn’t spotted anything. Even with her perfect vision, everything seemed pretty normal. She was about ready to give up when she heard a noise and saw a shadow. Marley stiffened and stood stock still for a moment, before allowing her body to turn invisible, creeping along towards the shadow. Turned the corner and-- “Vic?” Marley groaned, rolling her eyes as she became visible again. “What’re you doing out here?”

Tips these days were far and few between. There were phases of time when Vic would be gushing with information on vampire clans, pouring them out to hunters just as quick as she’d pour them a drink. But lately was not one of those times. Instead, there was a lull, making her desperate to scope out any lead she even had an inkling about, just to get some action in her life. Things had been so mundane lately that she was actually considering attempting one of those video games she had been arguing with the internet about. No, she couldn’t have that.

The bend was a common location for these types of tips, and it was an area of town she was quite familiar with after doing this sort of work for so long.

She had been wandering around a few alleyways, traipsing in and out to find any sense of the vampires she’d heard the miniscule lead about. She jumped, just slightly, when she heard her name, whipping around to face the culprit and ready to strike, if necessary. Instead, she was met with a familiar face, and she let her guard down. “Marley”, she said, leaning on her hip and pursing her lips. “I could ask you the same thing.” It was a ridiculous thing to say, of course- it was Marley’s job to be in a place like this- to investigate the very filth that Vic wished to eradicate. She suddenly realized she could hear music in the background- harp, that sounded strikingly similar to what Lyra used to play her. It made her stomach turn. “Since when are they piping music into the bend?”, she wondered, swallowing.

“I’m a cop, Vic,” Marley answered sarcastically, “thought you knew that already?” She’d known Vic for a while now-- both as an acquaintance and, well, in other more intimate ways-- but she hadn’t seen her recently. It was strange running into her here and now, but this town had thrown stranger things at her. She paused when Vic said she heard music and tried to listen, but all she could hear was the ringing in her ears. She scrunched her nose. “I don’t think the bend has that budget quite yet.” An idea struck her, and her face lit up. “What do you say we go check it out together? Whatever’s there, I’m betting it’ll be a fun time for both of us.” A grin. “Like old times! Not that we ever did anything like this before, but it’s been a minute since I’ve seen you, and we both like dishing out what people have coming to them, right?”

Vic rolled her eyes at Marley, though the suppression of a smile was harder in the company of someone she was comfortable with than she would like to admit. She leaned back against the brick wall in an effort to stave off the feeling, crossing her arms in front of her. Marley clearly needed to get her hearing checked, and Vic furrowed her eyebrows at her. “Your ears are failing in your old age”, she accused, leaning her neck around to locate the hidden speaker. The music was haunting her, distracting and ever present. Marley’s idea, and excitement, by extension, as amusing as it was surprising, and it was a welcome distraction. Vic stood up straighter at the prospect of someone to scope out the area with. It might be fun to catch up, and scoping out the area with someone as skilled and experienced as Marley would be a piece of cake. “Fine”, she said, pushing off the wall at the same time as she pushed another smile away. “So, where to first, cop?” she asked, emphasizing the last word playfully.

“Whatever, grandma,” Marley said, though she was aware that Vic had never actually told her her real age. “My ears are fine.” Even though they were ringing right now, she wasn’t about to admit that outloud. Her face lit up, though, when Vic agreed to her terms, and she practically bounced on her toes in excitement. It’d been so long since she’d investigated something with someone, considering she was benched at work. “I knew you’d agree!” she grinned, pulling out her glock and giving a sweeping ‘follow me’ gesture. “Show me where this sound you’re hearing is coming from, miss super hearing, and we’ll go from there, yeah?” She waved her gun slightly, letting her know that she was prepared for whatever was coming. “I came here for an investigation into strange activity, so, you know--” she nodded, “--just in case.”

Pushing her hands into her back pockets, Vic let out a scoff, but followed along with Marley all the same. “What strange activity?”, she wondered, her eyes trained on the ground in front of them as they walked. She shook her head, trying to concentrate on the sound to better locate where it was coming from, and grabbed Marley’s wrist to lead her to where she was sure it was coming from. It didn’t seem to be getting any louder though, so she let out another frustrated scoff and pulled her in another direction, only to find the same problem. “I… I can’t figure this shit out”, she said, the distant harp sounding more hauntingly familiar with each passing moment. “It’s like… it feels like it’s everywhere, ...I can’t locate a source”. Behind Marley, a man slowly walking by caught her attention, and the sight of him shocked her. If she didn’t know any better, she’d be sure it was her father. She looked at Marley, and then back at the man, but he was gone, replaced instead by a simple housecat. “There’s something fucked up going on”, she said, locking eyes with Marley again. “I think I’m going batshit”.

Marley let Vic drag her around, searching for her mysterious noise. She watched her closely as they headed around corners and through the back alleys. “Reports of people seeing things, stranger than usual things. Things that shouldn’t be possible, according to laws of physics,” she explained, “hey, you okay?” But before she could get the full sentence out Vic was turning and locking eyes with her-- something Marley hated when it wasn’t on her terms, her eyes were dangerous, even to a vampire-- and cursing about going crazy. “Hey, woah, slow down, what‘re you talking about? No source? It’s gotta have a source, Vic, that’s how sound works. Are you sure your super special vamp hearing isn’t going bad or something?” She watched Vic glance behind her and turned her head to see what she’d been looking at, but only found a cat. However, when she turned back around to face Vic, a familiar, bloody face greeted her and Marley jumped. “I think I’m going batshit,” Roland said and Marley scrambled away, shaking her head and-- it was just Vic again. “What the--” Was she seeing things? No, that wasn’t possible. She was the mara, she was immune to magically induced hallucinations. “Okay, something really weird is going on here and I’m not happy about it.”

“Sounds like a regular day in the bend to me”, Vic breathed out, now on alert and worried her father might pop up out of the shadows again. “Don’t people come here looking for trouble?” She shook her head at Marley, annoyed. She wasn’t listening. “No! My fucking cursed hearing isn’t going bad. It doesn’t work like that. It’s everywhere, Marley. It’s not getting any louder or quieter, it just is”. She stared at Marley, tilting her head in confusion at her reaction. Was she seeing things too, then? Her eyes glanced up toward the sky above them, and she could hear a faint, familiar giggle on top of the harp. “This is freaking me out. I’m getting out of here. Are you coming, or are you stupid?” Without waiting for an answer, Vic grabbed Marley by the wrist again pulling her down the alley they were standing in. The alley, which was before no longer than about 10 feet, now seemed to stretch out forever, and no matter how much they walked, it never seemed to end. She stopped, turning around, only to see the alley endless stretching the other way too. Dropping Marley’s wrist, she ran toward the end of the alley, pumping her legs with as much force as she could, but to no avail. “What the fuck”, she said, turning around to Marley with wide eyes. Somehow, they were still right next to one another.

Too much was happening again and Marley was having a hard time following Vic’s train of thought. Her head was spinning, as Vic grabbed her wrist and started yanking her down the alley. But it stretched out, forever and ever and Marley felt panic swell inside her chest, her heart plummeting into the pit of her stomach. For a moment, the alley looked like that house. Peeling paint, sludge on the ground, claw marks dragged across the walls. Vic was running, and she’d left Marley alone. “Wait!” she shouted, reaching out for her, but then Vic was gone, and Marley was alone. Shadows danced in and out of her vision and she backed away, holding her gun up. “Show yourself!” she shouted, twisting in circles. “I know what you are! I-I’m not afraid of you anymore!” A noise to her left. Marley twisted, ready to pull the trigger, barrel pointed directly at her assailants face, but-- it was Vic again. Marley jumped. “You left!” she snapped, “you just-- where did you come from? What’s going on?” It was like a bad nightmare, but the only nightmare here was supposed to be Marley. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

As soon as they appeared next to each other again, Marley was holding a gun out to Vic’s face. On instinct she flinched back, but just barely. Her eyes met the barrel of the gun, and starred it down, daring it to go off. “You’re tweaking out on me, Stryder.” She took her hand and rested it atop the gun, lowering it down so it was no longer settled between them. “No shit. But doing that the conventional way doesn’t seem very likely right now”, she said, indicting to either side of the alley. The harp music began to ring louder and louder in her ears, as did the taunting giggles. She didn’t want to think about this, about her, about any of that nonsense. “Jösses, shut up!”, she screamed at the sky, covering her ears. The sound from her shout, strangely, took on a visual form, and it shot up toward the sky above them. Suddenly, and without warning, clouds from up above came toppling down toward them, and something in Vic’s gut just knew they weren’t soft and fluffy. “Run!” she said, not bothering to look behind her and see if Marley was following. “What the fuck is going on, Marley? What kind of backwards ass shit were you investigating out here?”

Marley didn’t resist as Vic lifted a hand and pushed the gun from her face, but she did keep a firm grip on her firearm. Something was happening here and she wasn’t taking any chances. “I’m not tweaking,” she snapped, but something in the back of her mind made her wonder if maybe she was, maybe it was her mind finally breaking. But that wasn’t possible, because Vic was experiencing it, too, and Marley knew it wasn’t her doing it. For once. “Hey, calm down. Vic--” Marley started, but then Vic was shouting at her to run and taking off. Her shout was tangible and Marley looked, just barely managing to leap out of the way when a chunk of something fell right where they’d been standing. “Vic!” Marley called again, scrambling to stand up. “Wait!” If they just ran wildly, they were going to get lost. Whatever was happening, it was creating a maze for them. She could feel it, as the alleyway turned into the hallway she’d nearly forgotten about. She’d thought she was over that. She wanted to be over that. Her hands shook and she began to sweat. “Vic?” she called out, as darkness enveloped the alleyway, pulling her away from the solace of her companion. She was alone in that house again and the skittering sound that had haunted her for months after echoed around her. “No,” she grunted. “No! I’m not afraid of you anymore!” And without thinking, she lifted her gun and fired.

It took her longer than Vic would have liked to realize, but Marley was apparently not down with the idea of running away from their problems. She stopped suddenly and whipped around, ready to scold her for not listening, but she was met with a wall that she was sure hadn’t been there before. She whipped around again, facing where she had just come from, only to be met with another suddenly appearing wall. “Fuck!”, she yelled, kicking one of the walls that now surrounded her. Suddenly, the harp like music that she’d been hearing sounded louder than ever, and when she turned around again, she was met with a sight that made her heart rise to her throat. It was Lyra, sitting there and playing the nyckleharpa, as if it were 1570s Sweden and not present day White Crest. Tears rose to her eyes, but she suddenly felt like she couldn’t breath, like the 4 walls around them were closing in and there was no way out. The more Vic looked at Lyra’s face, the less she looked like her- her face morphed from a calm, gentle smile to a sickeningly sinister one, one that threatened to overtake her whole face if it grew any wider. “This isn’t real. This isn’t real. This isn’t real”, she repeated, turning away from fake Lyra and covering her ears, desperate not to hear anymore. A loud crash shook her out of her thoughts and she looked behind her, only to find one of the four walls shattering in front of her, Marley’s bullet whipping by her face mere seconds later. She took a moment to catch her breath, but quickly ran close to Marley again, happy to be rid of dream Lyra. “We need to stick together”, she said, the only hint of an apology that would be leaving her lips. “To...to find a way out of whatever this is”.

The sound of glass shattering signaled that Marley had hit something, but it certainly wasn’t a something that she’d expected or been aiming at. Vic was running back towards her, and the fear on her own face made Marley realize that what they were seeing were two different things. Which meant-- “Magic,” she exhaled. “Whatever’s doing this is magic. And, well, by the looks of it, fucking powerful.” She blinked, trying to reset herself. She scrubbed her hand across her eyes, removing her sunglasses all together. If they were going to get through this, then they needed all their concentration. She even holstered her gun, because what good was a gun against magic? “What did it show you?” she asked, then, looking Vic square in the eyes. It might’ve been nighttime, the element both of them thrived in-- but they were left vulnerable here. Even Marley was sure magic could do her in at night. She’d always been warned against magic, especially those powerful enough to manipulate the mind.

“Fucking bullshit town”, Vic muttered under her breath, disgusted that Marley’s explanation of what was going on seemed just about as viable as any, at this point. She shook her head at Marley’s question, not willing to divulge what she saw to anyone, ever. Marley knew she didn’t do feelings, she would do well now to know not to press. “Something from my past”, was all she offered, shuttering as the image of Lyra with that sickening, wide grin flashed into her mind again. “What about you?”, she asked. She looked around them, their surroundings still morphing and warping as time passed, though they seemed to be more obvious about it now that they were aware that something was up. “None of this makes sense, it’s all so...random and irrational. Are we at the hands of some fucked up, magic child?”

Vic was about as forthcoming as Marley assumed she would be. Sighing, she rubbed a hand across her face. “A nightmare,” she mumbled, “and also a...recent thing that happened.” Some people would describe it as a “traumatic experience” but Marley certainly wasn’t going to use those words. At least not with Vic. She gave a hollow chuckle. “Funny,” she said, eyeing their surroundings. “But no. I think it’s...drawing its inspiration from us. Whatever it is. I don’t think it’s a person, though. Probably some sort of...magic pocket or something. They occur around the town quite a bit, but never this, well-- big. Or often.” Or powerful. This pocket felt as if it might swallow Marley whole. She tried to steady her breath. “I think we need to...stop feeding it. If it has nothing to draw from, the illusions might just, go away. Only problem is, I’m not sure how to cease brain function. At least, you know,” she gave a snigger, “for myself.”

Vic eyed Marley suspiciously, though she couldn’t expect her to elaborate, not when Vic was so anti-sharing during their time together. It was frustrating that she had a sense of concern about whatever might be going on with Marley, and she buried it, for the sake of solving their current problem. She rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all, even though she knew Marley was probably right. “Are these magic pockets sentient? Because it seems to know what the fuck it’s doing, and it’s got a sick sense of humor.” As if on cue, flower petals began to flutter around both of them, dancing in rhythm with each other as they fell from the sky. She let out a frustrated breath as one landed on the bridge of her nose, and she flicked it away with specific determination and annoyance. “But if you stir up nightmares, wouldn’t logic say that you can defeat them as well?”, she wondered aloud, doing a bad job at hiding her approving smirk at Marley’s bad joke. “Okay, so like… a trance?” That, she could do. She had an easy enough time clearing her mind when she went into trances during the day, but would Marley be able to do the same? “I can clear my mind in a fucking snap, but what are we gonna do about you?”

“I don’t think sentient is the right word, but--” Marley ground her teeth, shrugged, “something like that. It’s at least intelligent or, maybe just playing off our minds. Mental magic is a thing, I’m pretty sure.” She really needed to learn more about magic, didn’t she? The thought dissipated quickly, because they had more important things to focus on. Like getting out of this nightmare. It felt a little like cosmic karma when she thought of it like that. She looked up as the petals began to rain down, catching one in her palm. It felt so real. That was the problem, wasn’t it? This shit was real. It wasn’t just their imagination. It was like the pizza downtown, or the fish raining down. The sticky road in the Bend. Marley crushed the petal in her palm. A smirk grew on her face, wide and joyful. “Scratch that,” she said, turning to look at Vic. She pulled her gun back out and loaded it, then held it out to Vic as she pulled another from her boot. “Think as hard as you can about one thing. I don’t just stir up nightmares, Vic, I manifest them. I make them real because I draw from someone’s memory for them. That’s what this place is doing.” She opened her palm to show her the crushed petal. “It’s making them real, the more we think about them. And if something’s real, well,” she gestured to their weapons, “something can be destroyed.”

Vic studied Marley’s face, watching a myriad of emotions pass through, each stronger than the last. Whatever she was thinking about, it seemed to be working out a way to get them out of this mess, and she found herself taking solace in the triumphant smirk presented to her. But then, there was the gun, which might as well have been shoved into her hands. She held it like it was some sort of germ, one that she wished to be rid of. Of course she knew how to fire one, thanks to countless self-defense courses she’d put herself through over the years- but for some reason, she could never bring herself to buy one of her own. There was something that felt wrong about holding it- it felt too real. She didn’t do horrible things, she just set it up so that other people could. Deep in her mind, where memories of her past mixed and swelled and begged to come pouring out, she worried that if she allowed herself to own one, maybe she’d be the one doing the horrible things after all.

She shook her head. It was a waste of time to dwell on maybes and worries and what-ifs. Especially now and here. She licked her lips as she listened to Marley’s advice, and closed her eyes. Think, think think. Her fiance, Lyra, a tutor, a flash of her mother’s face, Winnie, Morgan, angry with her after they tried to garden, her tiny, paint stained fingers, blurred away by tears as a booming voice bellowed from behind her… nothing was sticking. Whatever she had to think of, Marley was going to see, and know, and ask bullshit questions about things that didn’t matter anymore. She shook her head again, lowering her gun and looking at Marley. “It’ll be enough if you do it, I think. You destroy your nightmares, and we’ll both be out of here. I’m not that afraid of anything that it gives me nightmares, so…” Her words were shaky and uneven, and even the dullest stranger could have sensed the insincerity in them.

Marley watched Vic’s face closely and understood the feeling she was going through. Debating whether or not to expose the truth about the nightmares that had once plagued her. The truth was that neither of them could dream anymore, let alone have nightmares. But for Vic, that didn’t mean that she didn’t used to have them, however long ago. Marley had experienced nightmares once in her life, she didn’t have much to draw on. Not anymore. She didn’t understand the feelings dreams and nightmares brought with them like other people did. She never could. It was another thing her species had taken from her. How strange, to feed from something you could never truly understand. She furrowed her brow at Vic. “You can’t lie to me,” she said simply, frowning. “Thought you knew that by now.” She looked around them as the world cycled through different iterations of itself. Hallways, closed doors, large rooms. They needed to work fast if they wanted to get out of here. She looked back at Vic with narrower eyes.

“I’ve never had a nightmare before,” she stated, a simple fact, “whatever this is, is drawing on my subconscious. I can’t control that. But it’s drawing on your nightmares. From when you were human. I know that was like, what, at least a few decades? Maybe a century?” She shifted, facing Vic fully. “But you had them. You can still remember them. So, fucking feed the entity or I’m gonna go invisible and leave you behind.” She couldn’t actually do that, but she figured she got the point across.

“I’m not ly-”, Vic started, but the look on Marley’s face told her to not even try. As many times as she had successfully avoided discussing feelings and their past and all that bullshit with Marley, it was becoming abundantly clear that after today, she would no longer be afforded that privacy. Time to find another fuck buddy. She let out a low sigh, pressing her lips together and staring Marley down. This was ridiculous. She was not about to relive her childhood in front of Marley- not when she had spent years perfecting the art of ignoring them all together. But then Marley’s threat made her heart skip a bit- there’s no way she could bear being here any longer- especially not alone. With a frustrated grunt, she closed her eyes, focusing on whatever decided to come up first.

She looked down at her hands, but they weren’t her worn, grown up ones. No, the ones she saw now were tiny and undamaged...and covered in paint. So was her pretty dress, but it didn’t look ruined to her. It stood out, now, bright and blue and splotched all over, in a way that might make people pay attention and tell her how beautiful she looked. Next to her no longer stood Marley, but her tutor- looking cross and annoyed, like she did most mornings. But then the door slammed open, causing her to jump back with a start. And there her father stood- tall and loud and boiling over with disappointment and shame. Shame that she wasn’t good enough, that she wasn’t a boy, that she was too loud, too messy, too clumsy. Too Victoria. He bound toward her, his stride and pace matching the monsters she read about in her books late at night. Though she stared him down, forcing her face to look as dark and angry as his, her breath was quickening and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. No, no, no. This was not real. He died- a long time ago. She had watched the service for him from afar- covering her face and ignoring the conflicting feelings that fought each other in her chest. Looking down at her hand, she noticed it was no longer that of a child, but her normal, adult hand again. She lifted the gun up, studying it, and after a quick glance at Marley (who was suddenly back where she belonged), she held it toward him. It was the first time she’d seen him stop in his tracks. Without dwelling on it any longer, she felt her finger pull the trigger, and the man in front of her disappeared into a simple tuft of smoke, dissolving into the atmosphere as if he was never there to begin with.

Vic shoved the gun back into Marley’s hands, hoping the other woman wouldn’t notice her sweaty palms, or the way her breathing still hadn’t quite settled down. “Happy now?” she asked angrily, as if Marley had been the one to put them here in the first place.

Marley watched with fascination as Vic’s nightmare began to unfold in front of her. It was a spectacle, for sure, to see a vampire’s nightmare. Fear gazing never gave the same satisfaction, but this was-- strangely more fulfilling, despite her not even choosing to feed off the fear. The alleyway melted and gave way to a room, with a desk, and some supplies, a chalkboard. Marley didn’t recognize it at first, but it seemed to be some sort of educational room. There was a woman standing beside Vic, who was staring down at her hands in awe. A tutor? A nanny, perhaps? Some sort of caretaker. Stood nearby, a frown on their face. She was angry at Vic. But not as angry as the man who burst into the room. He seemed to appear out of nowhere and Marley watched him with wide eyes. He was...her father, she supposed. She stepped aside as Vic finally worked up the courage to confront the nightmare. She felt the world changing around them. It was already melting away. The scittering in the back of Marley’s mind was dissipating. She turned her gaze back to VIc.

The gunshot echoed in the empty alleyway.

They were back in the real world, the nightmare they’d been stuck in just a tiny shimmer falling to the ground around them like confetti. She took the gun when it was handed to her, staring at Vic. She didn’t quite comprehend what she’d just witnessed. She’d seen many a nightmare, but Marley fed from adults only. Something like this only lived inside her own memories. She blinked them away and holstered the gun after flipping on the safety. “I don't particularly enjoy watching you suffer, no,” was all she said, before grabbing her arm and walking them out of the alleyway. She wasn’t sure there was much else to say. What she’d seen was a part of Vic she was sure she’d never wanted anyone to know. Did Marley care to ask her about it? A year ago, the answer was no. Maybe even a few months ago. But now? “I’m sorry,” she muttered, not looking at her. “That you suffered like that.”

The fake world flitted away, but Vic still felt it hard to maintain the rapid breathing that was overtaking her lungs. None of that had been real- not the fake Lyra, the fake music, or her fake Father. It was weakness, then, that made the sight of them stir so many emotions. She let herself be pulled out of the alleyway, still staring at the spot they left as if it would all appear again, as if the nightmare weren’t over. But the longer they were in the real world again, the more secure she felt in it- the sickening dizzy feeling had disappeared with the nightmares. People walked by them as if they had been there the whole time, and noise could be heard from the shops and bars around them. It was over with. Still, tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment. And with Marley’s apology, a few did. She wiped them away harshly with the heel of her palm. “Stop”, she commanded quietly, shaking her head. “I don’t want your pity. I don’t want-...” She ducked her head, letting out a breath, “Everybody suffers. There’s no use in harping on it”. She rang her fingers together, picking and pulling at them as she looked back to Marley. Marley, who didn’t have nightmares herself, but seemed to be faced with anxieties of her own in their shared nightmare land. “It was clear I wasn’t the only one seeing things back there.” She shouldn’t care about Marley, but still, her questions blurted out. “Is something going on with you? Are you going to be okay?”

“It’s not pity,” Marley muttered back, but she knew why Vic said it that way. Recognized the same defensive mechanisms in her that she built in herself and pretended were normal and natural. She hadn’t suffered the way Vic had. The way so many others did. Her suffering was because she’d been born a monster-- Vic had been made one. At least they could relate there. She sighed, furrowing her brow. “Suffering is universal,” Marley recited, as if from a textbook, “our experience of it is not.” She let go of Vic’s arm and shoved her hands in her pockets. “With me? No. That was just--” she gave a half shrug, “some old shit.” And it was, wasn’t it? It had to be. She removed her sunglasses from her pocket and put them back on. There were other people around now. “I’m always fine, anyway.”

Vic blinked away the last of the tears and looked away, crossing her arms over her chest. Marley didn’t want to talk about whatever she had experienced, and she wouldn’t push her on it, despite the dull ache to wonder aloud and learn more about what had scared the unscareable. There was a long moment where neither of them said anything, but then Vic let herself turn back to Marley, her face much harsher than when they first met up. “Do you want to get out of here? Go back to my place and… forget, about whatever that was.” She blinked, always hyper aware of the likelihood of rejection; always determined to stop it before it happened. “Of course, you could always stay here and play good cop like you do. I’m sure you’re just dying to stop something like that from happening to anyone else”.

Marley couldn’t help but laugh. “If you think I’m the ‘good cop’ in any scenario, then you don’t know me as well as I thought you might.” She holstered her gun and looked around, then let her gaze fall back on Vic. Maybe she should have stayed here, figured out what was going on, but she really didn’t want to. And maybe she should have pressed Vic more about what they’d both just witnessed, but she also didn’t want to do that. No, she wanted to go back to Vic’s place, and get drunk and probably fuck around and hopefully forget about everything that had happened here. Her usual Saturday night. She reached out to brush a bit of dust from Vic’s shoulder, then tapped her chest, leaving her hand there a moment. “Your place it is,” was all she said.

#p:ns #p:marley #p #tw: child abuse #tw: head injury

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malkumtend · 4 years ago

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I Like Your Laugh (A CrowSquirrel AU - Chapter 15)

The shadows of the approaching night scattered around the mountain. Light faded from the hollow, as sunlight sank under the mask of clouds. In the distance, a faint sound of thunder roared over the mountain’s peak, growling like a rabid cat.

It was time.

Crowpaw would have felt more tense if he wasn’t so overcome with disgust. His pelt was wet and slimy with mud from the stream, it oozed over his short fur and caked on his skin. He could have retched at the sour scent of wet earth, especially when it was being rubbed over his face.

“Any more great ideas from you Thunderclan cats?” Crowpaw said sullenly. He was suddenly muffled as the strong paw covered his face with a slab of dirt.

“Yeah, don’t get it in your eyes.” Brambleclaw shot back, it was clear he was smirking even if Crowpaw couldn’t see. “I never expected you to be such a cleanpaw.”

Crowpaw rubbed the dirt from his eyes, careful not to take away too much. He glared at the larger cat, also streaked from head to tail in mud. “What, is this how you typically wash yourself?”

Brambleclaw snorted, “Just shut up and have another roll around.” He did the same himself, laying down by the pool’s edge and twisting his body in the mud. He wandered by Tawnypelt, checking that she was covered as well.

Crowpaw cringed, but he obeyed. It was better to be safe than sorry, and he had to admit, it was an extremely clever idea. With this, it would be much harder for the Tribe cats to spot them or recognise their scents.

Once covered by the thick sludge, Crowpaw darted an impressed look at the she-cat who’d given them this idea. He couldn’t help but smirk as her usually bright ginger fur dripped with wet brown darkness. Just the kind of idea she would make up.

He climbed up to solid ground again, wincing as he felt the clods of dirt slide down his wind-flattened coat. At least it will come off easier for me than the others. He didn’t want to think how long it would take Squirrelpaw to get all this stuff out of her fluffy body.

“You alright?” A soft voice mewed. Crowpaw tensed, meeting Feathertail’s eyes gently. It was impossible to ignore the affection when he knew what he knew. She looked over him carefully, as if worried.

Crowpaw shrugged, “It’s just a bit of mud. It’ll wash out.”

She blinked at him graciously. Her silver fur was now very much dark and faded into the shadows well. “It’s not ideal though.”

“No, but no point complaining about it. It has to be done.” He sneered, “At least your fur is used to getting wet.” He needed to act normal, he’d told her they’d still be friends no matter what he decided to do, he couldn’t let her think he was suddenly uncomfortable around her.

Feathertail’s tail curled in amusement, “Water usually doesn’t leave me looking like my father.”

Through their laughter, Tawnypelt’s voice cut in, “We better get going soon. It looks like rain’s coming and we can’t let the mud get washed away.”

Crowpaw’s eyes widened. She was right, the clouds did look like they would start spilling water soon. They needed to get back to the Tribe, quickly. Feathertail nodded at the she-cat, jumping up; her tail curled around Crowpaw’s back, maybe keeping him steady as he pulled his paws out of the mud.

She really was keeping a close eye on him.

He thanked her with a flush.

At least she still seemed comfortable around him.

Now soaked in mud, the cats began their journey back to the cave. At the front, Brambleclaw sniffed the air cautiously every few moments before pressing his nose down to the path in order to catch their scent trail again. At the top of the ridge, he paused to take another hesitant sniff at their surroundings before relaxing. He turned back to the group with a heavy nod. “Let’s go.”

They stepped down, padding down the slope again. They were now back in the Tribe’s territory. Crowpaw, like the rest, kept his senses fixed at every moment he could. Even if Squirrelpaw’s plan kept their pelts hidden in the growing darkness, they couldn’t underestimate the persistence of the Tribe cats who knew this land as their own home. One wrong move could mean incredible danger for the group. Crowpaw could still feel a sting on his neck, where a Tribe cat had struck him before.

He shook his head, silently growling. I’ll pay them back for that. He knew that they wanted to get away without any injuries, but if he needed to fight, he would fight with no mercy. These cats had taken their friend hostage, they had delayed their journey, they deserved nothing but the sting of Crowpaw’s claws.

He had to be patient though. First thing’s first they had to get their way back. And that was harder than he’d hoped. With the gathering night and the dull grey of the mountain, it was hard to identify any sights that might signal they were following the right direction. All they had were their own noses, with Brambleclaw pressing his nose practically against the stone floor to follow the trail. The Windclan cat sighed, they just had to hope for the best at this point.

He was suddenly aware of the warmth at his side; he did not cast a look there for fear of losing focus. His face still heated up though.

He wondered how she was coping, what she was prepared for. Was she preparing for a fight or a quick escape? It was her brother they were rescuing after all. It was probably a silly thought. Feathertail wasn’t the type of cat who would lay a claw on anyone, she hadn’t even moved in the arms of a twoleg for fear of hurting the kit.

She was just that kind.

And she wanted him.

Crowpaw still couldn’t grasp that. A cat had feelings for him. A cat he held as one of his best friends. She’s confessed that she wanted them to be something more. Mates. Crowpaw gulped as the word entered his mind.

So, did he want the same thing?

By all accounts he felt he should. He felt comfortable around Feathertail, she was one of the most blissful cats he’d ever known, he trusted her with all his heart, and she was incredibly beautiful. Crowpaw was sure any Riverclan cat in his position would immediately see stars if they had this kind of luck.

But Crowpaw wasn’t a Riverclan cat.

And it wasn’t that fact that put him off.

Sure, it went against the Warrior code, it was a blatant spit in the face to years of clan boundaries, years of culture, and if any cat in Windclan knew about this they would more than definitely want to rip him limb from limb for even considering such an idea.

But it wasn’t that.

It was the fact that even though he considered every positive aspect of the cat he held so dearly, he felt nothing different. He just felt the same. The same way he had felt about her whenever they went hunted, talked or laughed together. She was precious to him, but…

If he loved her as well, surely he would feel something different. Something more.

Or was that just some stupid kit fantasy? Was love meant to be like this? Just having someone you felt you could trust enough to spend the rest of your life with. Was it really nothing else?

Maybe… should he give her the chance? Maybe something else could grow from it if they tried? But what would happen if he did and it turned out he didn’t like her like that? That would just add to her pain.

He didn’t want to hurt her.

But how could he not?

She was hurting enough as it was. If he was going to give her an answer, he’d have to do it after they rescued her brother. Crowpaw cringed. Her brother who had been right in his suspicions. He dreaded thinking how that cat would react if he found out about this.

Crowpaw bit the inside of his cheek, hard, feeling vindicated by the pain. He shouldn’t be thinking about things like that! For all he knew, the Tribe were still waiting for the group to return with a full army of guards.

For all he knew, they were walking straight to their graves.

He groaned silently. Sometimes he wished he could have a shred of optimism.

The path became steep, littered with sharp, crooked rocks that Crowpaw vaguely remembered from earlier. They were on the right track then. He felt a flashing, grudging, respect for the brown tom at the front. He was leading them well.

Though not well enough that he didn’t hear what Crowpaw heard.

Low, muffled voices. About a tree-length behind them. Crowpaw’s pelt prickled with alarm. The Tribe.

Thinking quick, Crowpaw whirled on his heckles, feeling a cat beside him. Feathertail. He dragged her with him behind a large rock at the side of the path, surprised by how light she was. The others turned to him, and he waved his tail towards the other rocks, hoping they would understand his signal to hide.

Thankfully they did, their shadowed forms crouching beside the other rocks, hidden in the darkness. A few moments later, Crowpaw heard the voices become clearer, passing by their hiding places. He peered out cautiously, keeping himself concealed, and saw a patrol of Tribe cats pass by, their mouths full of freshly caught prey. Around them, the hulking forms of the guards stood around them, tensely protecting their tribe-mates.

Crowpaw held his breath, expecting any one of their enemy to suddenly turn and see where he and his friends were hiding. His claws unsheathed in preparation. But there was a moment of hesitation between the cats and they passed on without so much of a sniff.

The mud really had masked their scents. Crowpaw let out a silent breath of relief. Thank Starclan he wasn’t sagging with dirt for nothing.

He stepped away, realising he was still holding Feathertail behind the rock. He let out an awkward laugh as she turned to him. And he realised just how small she’d become, as well as the two green eyes looking up to him.

“Oh.” Crowpaw sighed, half-relieved that he hadn’t put Feathertail into an embarrassing position. He smiled at Squirrelpaw teasingly, “That’s twice I’ve saved you these past few days.” He chirped.

Briskly, Squirrelpaw shoved him away, her eyes glazing past him with a clear glint of annoyance. Crowpaw’s back fur lined down in surprise. “Don’t expect any favours from me.” The ginger molly shot back, a little more bite in her tone than usual. “I would have heard them.”

Crowpaw felt his eyes narrow, his neck fur spiking with a wounded anger. What was up with her? “Well you didn’t, thanks to me.” He hissed. Immediately, he regretted it. He sighed, they couldn’t afford to start fights right now. “But,” His tone smoothed over, “They would have found us if it wasn’t for your mud plan.” He mewed gently, “That was really brilliant, you know.”

He smiled at her. Truly.

She didn’t return it. Her face twisted away from him, padding away with her tail raised high. “Thank you, but now isn’t the time for compliments.” She meowed dryly, it was hard to see her expressions under the darkness and the mud. “Come on, we can’t let Stormfur wait on us.” She waved her way back into the group as they went back onto the path.

Crowpaw stared after her for a moment, his mouth hanging. His breathing became slow and cold. W-What did I do? Why was she acting so strange? She’d been ignoring him all day, but she’d never been so openly dismissive.

Had he actually upset her somehow? His heart sank. If he had, he hadn’t meant to.

“Crowpaw,” Brambleclaw’s hushed, but urgent, voice broke in. “Come on.”

Gradually, Crowpaw stepped out, his brow knotted in frustration as he looked ahead at his friend. She never looked back. He felt Brambleclaw give him a light press on the pelt with his tail. “Thanks for warning us. That could have gone bad.” He mewed lightly.

Crowpaw gave the cat a wave of his tail, but he didn’t say anything. Brambleclaw shrugged and padded towards the front again. Feathertail wavered at the back until she was beside Crowpaw. She kept next to him, her ears more alert than before, gazing around in case any more of the Tribe were behind them. “Can’t be that far now.” She mused.

Crowpaw nodded, trying to give her as much time as he could. But his mind was torn on two things already. One on making sure they wouldn’t have another close call with the Tribe, the other focused on wondering what it was that had gone wrong between him and the cat he’d bonded with so closely.

Crowpaw felt he could cope if she didn’t want to hunt with him or travel with him, but the turn of her head and the sight of her back, never flinching away from forward, even if it was just her focus on the mission, that hurt astonishingly so.

“Quiet now.” Brambleclaw whispered, “We’re getting close.” The florescent glow of the moon began to glimmer in the sky, banishing shadows from the mountain. It began to sparkle on the sight of the river, casting tiny stars in the ripples. The cats followed the sound of the water, noticing it grow into the growl of the waterfall.

Crowpaw shook his head until his senses were now pure on their goal. It wouldn’t be long now. They all stepped up the steep path until they reached the edge of rock where the water flailed over in a hissing white shower. They had reached the top of the falls. Crowpaw’s lip curled. Just below them was where Stormfur was being held.

A fresh dampness came over Crowpaw’s head, he looked up to the white clouds. If he listened close enough, he could hear the rain pattering heavily, growing near, as well the grumble and crash of thunder, maybe even lightning.

“Storm’s coming.” He observed. Maybe if the storm became loud enough it would help distract the tribe, giving the cats enough time to rescue Stormfur. Still, it wouldn’t help the fact that there was more than certainly a horde of guards around where Stormfur was being held.

“Let’s go!” Squirrelpaw hissed, her tail lashing indignantly.

Crowpaw couldn’t help but agree with her, they needed to get Stormfur out quickly. Whatver as awaiting them wouldn’t go away if they stood there waiting to grow roots.

He peered over the lip of the waterfall, trying to find a clear way down to the cave. He could see the deep shadow of the path, leading to their destination. He tensed when he saw another shadow, the one of a cat padding sluggishly towards the entrance. Another cave guard?

Wait… no? This shape was huge! Far too big, even for the tribe cats! It was bigger than any cat he’d ever seen, maybe even bigger than some dogs!

“What’s that?” He meowed cautiously, leading the group’s attention to the shape.

A flash of lightning answered his question.

He wished it hadn’t.

The group let out a collective gasp of horror as the lightning gave them a full look at the huge, tawny coloured ‘cat’ advancing to the cave. It’s eyes burned with orange desire, a hunger. It’s teeth were open in a hissing maw, a large tongue tracing a set of fangs larger than Crowpaw’s own paws.

So this was what the Tribe were so afraid of…

Sharptooth!

The creature slunk behind the waterfall. And then the screaming started.

A cry of terror erupted from what seemed like a hundred terrified throats. Beside the strong beating of the rain, the shriek of the tribe and the hungry growl of their predator sliced through the night.

Crowpaw couldn’t close his mouth. The creature was worse than he’d ever thought. How could they get past such a menace?

“Come on!” Brambleclaw cried.

Crowpaw turned on him, his eyes wide with disbelief. Is he crazy?! “Down there?” He was glad the rest of the cats looked just as horrified. “Are you mouse-brained?” They would be slaughtered!

Brambleclaw ignored the judging eyes, bounding down to the entrance. “Think! With Sharptooth in the cave, they won’t notice us! This is our best chance to rescue Stormfur!”

He didn’t wait for another retort as he slipped over to the entrance.

Yeah, he’s off the deep end. Crowpaw mused to himself. But still… there was a point to his madness. The cats wouldn’t notice them through all their screaming, but it still lingered that that beast could see them!

Crowpaw groaned. What choice did they have? He followed where the brown tom led. He heard the others behind him as he kept his balance on the wet rocks, just about holding himself steady on the slippery surface. With a grunt, he bounded down to the entrance, where Brambleclaw was looking around desperately for a way through.

The sight was awful.

In the pale glow of the moon, Sharptooth cast a terrible shadow along every wall of the cave, towering over everything. He sprang around the cave, growling like a twoleg monster, its claws already dripping with dark blood, and its jaws wide it a brutal snarl. Crowpaw felt his stomach twist with a terrified sickness; how could the tribe believe any cat could defeat this thing?

The Tribe cats were scrambling around in a mass of panic, crying and shrieking as they raced away from the danger. Crowpaw felt some jostle past him, not seeming to care about the cats who had returned. Brambleclaw had been right.

Crowpaw twisted towards the tunnel where Stormfur had been herded to. Just by the entrance, a cave-guard was desperately clamping himself to the lion-cat’s neck. The beast roared in savage fury, moving its paw to the cat and tearing through his fur with claws larger than a cat’s teeth. The fur parted like the claws were running through snow. Then it flung its huge neck to the side, whipping the guard away from it, the cat smashed against the wall with a horrible crunch, sliding motionlessly to the ground, leaving a dark smear stroking down the stone.

The huge cat licked its lips, satisfied, before springing to the other side of the cave where it stretched up clawing at the wall, where a white cat trembled, hoping to avoid the vicious weapons reaching for her.

Crowpaw could tell it was a molly from the weeping and the pleading.

He felt the need to retch. If he didn’t know better, he might have felt some kind of sympathy for why the Tribe had been so desperate.

The entrance was clear though.

Brambleclaw sprinted forward, “This way, we have to do this for Stormfur!”

Crowpaw didn’t argue. Holding his breath, he followed to the entrance to the cave of pointed stones, the others not far behind him. He grimaced as he passed by several cats, some screaming for their Tribe to save them, some simply limp in silent terror, some dragging their wounded tribe-mates along, ignoring the blood leaking out of their wounds. The smell of blood was now ripe in the air, it sent a wave of panic down Crowpaw! They needed to get Stormfur out of here now, before they ended up on the end of the creature’s wrath.

At the actual entrance, two huge guards still kept watch, their eyes wide in fear. Their pelts prickled with realisation as they saw the cats bounding towards them, crouching down into a fighting stance. Crowpaw’s mouth opened in shock. They were still going to keep Stormfur prisoner with all that was currently happening? Either they were stupid or brave.

Crowpaw settled on the former as he realised whatever they were, they were going to fight the clan cats. His eyes narrowed, and his paws pulsed. Bring it on.

Brambleclaw looked similarly ready for action. “Now!” He roared, leaping onto one cave-guard. The cat let out a cry of astonishment as he was pushed back by the large brown paws. Brambleclaw struck out, catching the guard with a heavy paw, sending him to the ground. He didn’t wait for the cat to jump up as he pounced onto the cat, tearing into him with a flurry of blows to his exposed chest.

The other guard looked on stunned, and Crowpaw recognised him as Crag, but not caring as he leapt by the huge tom, raking him against the ears as he did so. Crowpaw landed with a snarl, hissing with pleasure as he saw Crag wince at his bleeding head. Then the guard growled, pouncing forward with a furious leap. That’s right, come and get me.

Now the entrance was clear.

Tawnypelt and Feathertail wasted no time as they burst through to where their captive friend was. Crag seemed to notice, his fur rising in alarm. “No!” He cried, beginning to turn back.

“No you don’t!” Crowpaw hissed, leaping in front of the tom. The guard stared with fiery eyes at the apprentice. The cat towered over Crowpaw, but the Windclan cat didn’t move. He wouldn’t give this flea-pelt any time to halt their rescue.

“Do you see now?!” Crag demanded, his voice strained with fury and terror. He craned his head, indicating to where the screams were erupting. “Do you hear them?! Do you see why we need the silver pelted cat? This has to end!” He cried, as if casting one last plea.

Maybe Crowpaw could see, but he didn’t really care. He growled, advancing forward. “We are not part of your prophecy!” He puffed his fur out in an attempt to look bigger.

Crag let out a snarl of frustration, his stare widening as something seemed to break inside him. “You fool!” He erupted. He pounced forward, his large paws moments from catching Crowpaw’s fur. The apprentice swiftly dodged it, slamming his paw into the cat’s side. It would have been a direct hit to his ribs.

But Crag only muttered a small grunt before turning back.

Crowpaw’s stomach sank, his blows wouldn’t do much damage to the large cat. Crag pounded forward again, and Crowpaw swiftly dodged back, he needed to rely on his speed here. Hopefully he could tire the guard out before landing some decent strikes to him. Unfortunately, Crag was faster than Crowpaw had anticipated.

With a spasm, the guard burst forth with a heavy strike that hit Crowpaw on his back. A pounding agony immediately took hold that made Crowpaw stagger, how could any cat be that strong. He let out a breath, leaping out of the way as Crag struck out again.

“You little insect!” Crag screeched, using his large tail to swat the leaping tom. Crowpaw hit the stone floor with a moan, glaring at the guard as he approached him, pure white fury on his muzzle. Crowpaw grit his teeth as he tried to rise up again, but it wouldn’t be easy with the stinging tremors on his back. He needed to think of something fast.

The apprentice tried to get to his feet, but another blow came thundering across his muzzle. Crowpaw’s cheek panged with agony, but he was just able to find his footing before his face hit the stone. He spat, trying to regain his sight from the swirling vision. He exhaled weakly, turning to see the dazed shape of Crag approach again, his pawsteps heavy and menacing. It looked like he was growing tired of this fight.

Worry tightened Crowpaw’s throat, he was quickly realising that he was losing this battle, badly. He needed to do something soon, but with his head spinning like this, his advantage in speed wouldn’t do him much good. It seemed all he could do was wait for more hits to come.

Then Crag buckled back in pain, turning as Crowpaw saw a glimmer of dark ginger fall away from behind the guard, her paw wet with blood. Crowpaw’s eyes widened. Crag turned to the new challenge, his back lined with deep cuts down his flank.

“Come on then, lion-chow!” Squirrelpaw seethed, her fangs on open display as she stared unflinchingly up at the reeling guard. New worry seized Crowpaw. What was she doing? Surely, she knew that she didn’t stand a chance against this threat.

Something flashed in Crowpaw’s mind. Something familiar. The sight of Squirrelpaw staring down two massive kittypets. The sight of her taking on an impossible fight.

For the group.

For…

Crowpaw found his vision was beginning to focus again.

Squirrelpaw ducked under the swinging paw coming at her, rolling swiftly to her feet and landing a scratch on Crag’s left back-leg. The tom hissed, kicking out with the leg. Squirrelpaw threw her neck back just in time, quicker than Crowpaw had ever seen her, before she burst forward again to sink her fangs into Crag’s tail.

Now the Tribe cat yowled as he viciously lashed his tail to shake the apprentice off, but Squirrelpaw held on, tugging, drawing blood and ripping fur and flesh. With a flame of ire, Crag kicked out again, his claws curved and glinting. This time he hit his target, just on the cheek. Squirrelpaw was torn away from the tail, but not without tearing away a bloody chunk that made Crag scream.

Crowpaw watched, as if it was slow motion, as Squirrelpaw landed with a thud against the floor. She got up quickly, hissing, her teeth clenched. She didn’t look too hurt. But Crowpaw saw it. The scratch marks along her cheek, bleeding, a deep horrible crimson that didn’t belong on her ginger fur.

Now, Crowpaw felt something black and foul boiling in his blood. His sight set on the guard, red with fury. Biting back any pain wracking in his limbs, Crowpaw burst to his feet, just as Crag began to stalk towards his friend again.

He couldn’t take on this cat face on without getting another set of blows, so Crowpaw did the only other thing he could think of.

He sprang, landing on Crag’s back and ferociously pierced the back of Crag’s neck with his teeth, while latching his claws deep into the tom’s chest. Crag howled, shaking fiercely to throw the smaller cat off. But Crowpaw only tightened his grip and bit harder, only edged on by the painful groans the Tribe cat made.

How’s this feel? Crowpaw thought bitterly, moving his paws down, scratching raw lines into the cat’s fur. His answer came with a choking gasp. Crowpaw saw something move, looking down to see Squirrelpaw burst forward again, striking the guard’s legs with a series of hard swipes.

Now, his legs becoming torn, Crag began to stagger, still shaking himself with the last of his strength. But both apprentices’ did not give up in their assault. They dug and they struck the same vital points over and over again, until finally Crag’s feet collapsed, bringing him down with a dull bang.

Crowpaw held on for a moment, until Crag’s last weak struggles faded, leaving him gasping in agonised terror on the floor. Crowpaw rose up, leaving the tom to groan miserably, a puff of triumph escaping his mouth.

They’d made the guard pay.

Crowpaw quickly looked up to where Squirrelpaw stood panting, hoping she wasn’t too hurt. He relaxed as he saw her keep her footing, scratched and scraped, but nonetheless better than their opponent.

There might have been a word said between the two if, at that moment, Tawnypelt and Feathertail didn’t coming racing out of the cave of pointed stones entrance. Another purr of relief escaped Crowpaw as he saw Stormfur behind them. His eyes were wide with fear and confusion but he looked unharmed.

The reunion was short lived though as another crash of lighting cracked the cave with light. Crowpaw twisted round, and his heart surged with horror. Sharptooth was slowly padding away from the cave, not at all fazed by the scratches across its large body. From its mouth, it carried the white molly Crowpaw had seen earlier. From the permanent gape on her muzzle, a thin line of blood bubbled down her jaw, and her paws weakly struggled in a fruitless attempt to escape her fate. Then the light went black, and the dark shadow of Sharptooth disappeared behind the waterfall, carrying away the smell of blood and fear with it.

For a moment, nothing but a horrible silence filled the cave. Crowpaw joined in. He had just seen a cat be carried away like prey. No…as prey.

The silence broke as the Tribe began to wail together, loss and pain raw in their voices. None of them looked to care about their intruders anymore.

“Out-now!” Brambleclaw exclaimed. No cat disobeyed. Crowpaw bounded after him, Squirrelpaw by his side, watching as the Tribe didn’t move at all. They all just sat, their heartbroken eyes to the floor, frozen with fear, still with the memory of another loss.

Outside, where the rain was now battering the ground and thunder boomed from every cloud, the cats could smell Sharptooth’s scent growing faint as it stalked away with its prey. The rain covered Crowpaw’s whole body, washing away the mud, but he didn’t shiver from that.

Not after everything that had just happened.

Brambleclaw sniffed the air, nodded towards the other cats and began to lead up the rocks where they had come from. They could finally leave this terrible place behind. Crowpaw limped slightly from the sting of his fight, but he kept straight. Not stopping until the wailing of the Tribe and the crash of the waterfall had grown silent under the crash of the weather and the mist of the night.

Crowpaw swayed his eyes over to their rescued friend. Stormfur was curled beside Feathertail, his eyes glassy in shock and sadness. Crowpaw remembered how he had been the one to originally grow so close to the Tribe, it was only natural that he was the most betrayed by their intent. At least, they hadn’t hurt him.

It seemed every cat was aware of Stormfur’s expression, all silent by the horror of what they’d seen. Hesistantly, Brambleclaw turned to where the grey tom was slowly padding, his amber eyes brimming with pity and a small bit of relief. “It’s good to have you back, Stormfur.”

Stormfur lethargically rose his head to where the brown tom stood. His eyes blinked, as if he was just realising that he was safe. Crowpaw saw his tail curl more tightly around his sister’s. “Thank you all for coming back for me.”

Crowpaw let out a surprised mew. “Of course we came back. We weren’t going to leave you there.” Was that not obvious? He was one of them.

Stormfur turned to the apprentice and for a moment Crowpaw wondered if he’d accidentally sounded too harsh. But the Riverclan tom just looked gently at him, his eyes seeming to give another thanks before he curled back into his sister’s pelt. Feathertail looked desperate to hold him nearby, to never lose his scent again.

The siblings were together again, like they belonged. Crowpaw felt his muzzle warm.

A pinching feeling made him cringe however. How would Stormfur react when he found out what Feathertail felt for another clan’s cat?

He swung his tail. It wouldn’t help to think on that, the two were united and didn’t look like they were going to part again any time soon. Feathertail had that on her mind now, and that would give Crowpaw plenty of time to think this through.

First things first, they needed to get out of this rain.

Crowpaw screwed his eyes a little at the rain belted his short pelt, it almost stung when it hit the spots where Crag had wounded him. But it wasn’t enough to slow him down. Brambleclaw had taken on a guard on his own and he was doing just fine, Crowpaw felt a begrudging urge to do the same. And Squirrelpaw had…

Squirrelpaw!

Crowpaw whirled to his side where the ginger cat walked next to him. She looked steady enough, the mud washing away to reveal her bright fur again. She seemed to feel the eyes on her as she met Crowpaw’s gaze.

Really met his eyes.

For the first time in a while.

The awkwardness seemed to spread over her as well as she sniffed, her eyes casting away, low. “Is there something on my face?” She quipped, craning her head to where the scratch mark ran across her cheek like red riverlines.

She may have seen it like a joke. But Crowpaw wasn’t laughing. If she hadn’t intervened, Crag could have done him some real damage, but she had gotten herself hurt as well. He moved himself closer to her, examining the wound. “Are you okay?”

“Better than him, I guess.”

Crowpaw chuckled dryly, “Moss-brain.” His tone lightened as he remembered how they had been earlier. How she’d avoided him, pulled away from any contact he attempted? His gaze dropped.

“What’s the matter?” Squirrelpaw spoke up, making Crowpaw shift. She looked over him worriedly, “Is your back hurting too much? I can ask the others to stop if we need to.”

“No.” Crowpaw meowed, he didn’t want the group to stop know, they weren’t out of the dark yet. “No, I’m alright.”

She looked again, pointedly, at his scraped and bruised pelt.

“Well, alright enough.” Crowpaw said. His paws seemed to slip a little as he walked, his lips went thin. He needed an answer, but his stomach still twisted with worry for the answer. Gently, he met her eyes again. “Squirrelpaw… did I do something wrong?”

The ginger cat let out a mrrow of confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well… to you?”

“To me?” Squirrelpaw mewed, her brow raising, but her eyes still flashing with concern. “No. Why?”

“It’s just that you don’t seem like you want me to talk to you.”

Squirrelpaw’s eyes widened crazily, her jaw hanging. A quick breath escaped her, her tail fluffing up in embarrassment. “O-Oh.” She coughed, “Um, no, you haven’t done anything wrong, Crowpaw.”

The Windclan cat’s whiskers curled with alleviation at that. She didn’t sound like she was lying. He hadn’t upset her, at least, thank Starclan. But his muzzle still curled with wonder at why she had been like she had.

Squirrelpaw could see the question in his eyes. She turned, looking at her paws. Something glazed in her eyes. “You honestly haven’t done anything.” She cast him a fiery glimpse. “You’d know if you had, believe me.” The she returned to her paws, now wet and dripping with rainwater. “I-I’ve had a lot of things on my mind recently.”

Crowpaw’s tail curled, “About the clans?”

Squirrelpaw’s lips only thinned further, like she was sucking them against her teeth. Her lid dropped halfway, unreadable. “Yeah… stuff like that.”

Crowpaw felt his chest swell. She didn’t need to worry about that kind of stuff alone. Heck, she’d been the one who’d comforted him about their home’s safety days ago. Still, it wasn’t outlandish that she’d have those kind of thoughts still in her mind.

But Crowpaw still sighed in a small relief that it was just her needing some space to think. He grimaced, he needed the same thing himself if he was being honest.

He had to say something to help though. “If you need to talk, we can, you know?” He grinned cheekily, “Just because you usually talk nonsense doesn’t mean I won’t listen when you have something worth talking about?”

Squirrelpaw’s mouth kept thin, but it curled up a little. “Oh, be quiet. Maybe I just grow tired of hearing your voice every hour?”

Crowpaw rose his nose up playfully, “See, that’s the nonsense I love to hear out of your mouth.” That was only half-sarcastic.

Squirrelpaw shoved him away with her paw, laughing. Crowpaw was about to join her, happy that things were really coming back to normal, when he saw a fresh line of red leak out of her cuts. “You’re bleeding!” Crowpaw mewed, closing the distance between their pelts. He felt Squirrelpaw flinch, but she didn’t pull away.

“Y-Yeah. That’s what happens when you get cut.” She quipped, something was off about it but Crowpaw didn’t notice. Concern pounded all over him as he saw the blood begin to ooze, not even stopping as the rain soaked Squirrelpaw’s fur.

Crowpaw sighed, “You shouldn’t have gotten hurt.” He scowled, anger towards himself, at his weakness. “I should have been able to take down that river-rat!”

Squirrelpaw darted a look at him, pressing. “Don’t be a rabbit-brain! Of course, I was going to help you!” She cried, her tail batting him. Her face heated up. “I told you I wasn’t going to owe you any favours, remember.” Crowpaw was about to roll his eyes when she softly added on, almost silent by the rain, he might not have heard it if she wasn’t so near. “Besides, I couldn’t just watch while you got hurt. I had to do something.”

For a second, Crowpaw didn’t know what to say. He looked down, gaping, at the she-cat. She didn’t look like she would look up, her mouth twisted in some kind of humiliation. But she did. Her green eyes peered up, honestly finding his. Honestly showing that she truly wasn’t against him, even when they weren’t speaking. Crowpaw felt like a fool now for even thinking it.

But he saw the blood again, and the mutual care he held with her swelled over him again.

His tongue tenderly licked the wound before either could picture it.

He shivered at the taste of blood, but he felt a larger terror at the idea that Squirrelpaw would pull away again. Her face seemed motionless, wide eyed and open mouthed, mixed in so many ways that Crowpaw couldn’t imagine. Her face looked forwards again, fixed and direct on the path ahead, not making a single sound.

But she didn’t pull away.

That was enough for Crowpaw.

He looked to see if the blood would come back, and found it didn’t, yet he kept by her, sharing their small warmth. Honestly, her fur was so fluffy that the fur was soaked and sodden, actually making Crowpaw a little colder as he curled beside her.

But he didn’t complain. And neither did she.

Despite the pouring rain, and though neither cat could realise it, neither cat felt a little bit cold.

They were at ease.

#crowfeather #squirrelflight #Feathertail #brambleclaw #tawnypelt #Stormfur #the new prophecy #Warrior Cats #warrior au #warriors fic #Thunderclan #WindClan #crowsquirrel #squirrelcrow

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capricornus-rex · 4 years ago

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A Shadow of What You Used to Be (10)

Chapter 10: A Home Away | Cal Kestis x Irele Skywalker

Cal Kestis x Fem! OC

Requested by Anon

Summary: There is another! Years after young Anakin Skywalker departed Tatooine, his mother Shmi delivers a second child—this time, a daughter. Whilst the circumstance of the girl’s birth remains unexplained, Irele Skywalker has yet to choose the true path between those laid out for her.

Tags: Fem! OC, Irele Skywalker, Force-sensitive! OC, Anakin’s Younger Sister, Skywalker! OC, Darth Vader’s Secret Apprentice, Long-lost Sibling

Requesting to be tagged: @heavenly1927

Also in AO3

Chapters: Prelude – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 | Previous: Part 9 | Next: Part 11 | Masterlist

11 of ?

The maintenance droids only needed an hour to prepare a dorm for Irele within the command ship. Not that she would need a personal room in every ship she boards, but it would help if she did in the near future. The human guards did not need to wait for Irele to come to, they barged into the cell, pulled the poor girl by the arm to stand her up and then drag her out of the prison block while she could barely use her own two feet.

Irele’s eyes have not adjusted to the changing tones and gradients of lights of each part of the ship she passes through. She thought she said the question “Where are we going?” when the guards only heard an incoherent groaning at the throat.

The way from the prison block to her new chambers was a ten-minute walk, if one marched faster it would have been lesser. Upon reaching their destination, only one escorted her into her room and sat her down on the bed—to which she immediately fell limp and ended up lying down instead. While she was out cold, a nanny droid entered her bedroom to tend to whatever it can in the quarters; it took its time, in fact, until the girl came to. The droid’s sensors picked up the spike from Irele’s heart rate from slow to normal, it briskly turned around.

“It is fortunate that you’ve come to, milady. The serum from the probe has completely worn off. Should you feel slight nausea, do not be alarmed for it is normal as well. I can administer some painkillers to you with your choice of pill or syrup.”

The droid is programmed to speak in Basic and had a rather lulling, female voice—perhaps the most appropriate if you are to manufacture and program a droid for nursing.

“Milady? What are you talking about? Who are you? What are you?”

“You are here as a ward under the strict order of Master Vader. I am HY-L33, Nanny Droid,” it brought its head into a bow, “At your service, Milady Irele.”

“Why call me Milady when I’m kept hostage here?” she sits up and examines the room.

“Oh, you are mistaken, Milady. You are Lord Vader’s ward,” HY-L33 corrects. “And I have been tasked to take care of your basic needs and whims, if need be.”

“What I need is to go home! I don’t like being holed up in anywhere!”

The nurse droid lowered its head slowly, it stayed like so for a moment; with a rather sympathetic voice, HY-L33 responds, “I’m sorry, but I am incapable of fulfilling that whim, milady. I would suggest that you make yourself comfortable in this new one.”

Irele sighed, knowing that she’s talking to a wall here. She gave herself time to calm down and breathe. She passed her hands across her face and sighed.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be lashing out to you…” Irele inhaled. “What are you called again?”

“HY-L33, madam.”

Irele quietly parroted the name, “That’s a mouthful. How about I call you Haylee, is that alright?”

“If it proves to be more convenient for you, milady. Although personally, I do adore the name you’ve given me.”

Irele hummed as she managed a small smile, she hinted the chirp from the droid’s voice, relieved that she found some company out of the droid in this inorganic, cold room, she walked around to get a better feel of it now that the serum from the interrogation droid has worn off.

“Say, Haylee, do you know where we are?”

“We are aboard the command ship Anathema, the ship is within the Ulgoro system, and we are passing by the orbit of the planet Yelen.”

“How far are we from Tatooine?”

Haylee ran a quick scan from her processors, “We are approximately twenty-five parsecs away from the said Outer Rim planet.”

Irele breathed deeply, her heart sank, “That’s so far away…”

The droid’s photoreceptors picked up Irele’s increased heart rate and temperature. The girl was manifesting signs of anxiety: shivering hands, failing voice, and cold sweat.

“You are suffering from homesickness. Unfortunately, I do not have the appropriate medication for that, milady. Neither can I administer any medication for you. This is absolutely natural as you have been extracted from your real home to your current location.”

Irele took the deepest sigh and made a mantra.

Don’t lash out on the droid, you just screamed at it ten minutes ago.

She told this to herself mentally until she’s calmed herself down.

“Yeah, I am homesick. I left my family behind and…” she trailed off, realizing that the last people she was with were her friends. “My friends. They must be all worried sick about me.”

“You will be well taken care of here, Lady Irele.”

“Heh,” the girl huffed. “No need to be so formal. Just call me Irele.”

“As you wish… Mistress Irele.”

“Droids, gotta love ‘em…” she mumbled very quietly, knowing how acute droids’ hearing could be—depending on the model, that is.

–

Fortunately enough, Irele is indeed being taken care of.

Ever since she was moved to her own chambers in the Star Destroyer Anathema, she was thoroughly pampered—more or less—than anyone else in the ship, aside from Darth Vader. Never has she ever been well-fed in sixteen years! The serving portions were generous and they were quite tasty, but she had her moments where the food somewhat reminded her of home.

A uniformed officer enters Vader’s quarters to report of Irele’s adjustment to the new environment. Most of the officers feared that they’re speaking like a broken record, reporting the same thing to Vader every week—they had probably imagined it vexed him to be hearing the same thing over and over; it did them little comfort when adding their own personal observations of her such as asking for seconds with her food and interacting with the nanny droid, since she’s still shy and cautious from everyone else on board.Additionally, she was not yet allowed to wander off alone beyond her room. So, by all means, she is pretty much a hostage still—a rather pampered one, at the very least.

“Has she stopped her erratic behavior?”

“Fortunately so, Lord Vader, she has. Perhaps about a week and a half since her extraction, she had become somewhat… docile.”

Vader paused. He had presumed it was the effects of the interrogator droid’s syringe, but surely during the time the nanny droid was tending to the girl, the substance has flushed out since. Realizing that he truly knows nothing of what kind of person Irele is—compared from his earliest reference of her—he sighs with a quiet frustration under his mask.

“Very well. We are right on schedule. Carry on, captain.”

“Yes sir,” the captain bowed and dismissed himself militarily. His true posture showed when he rejoined his companion who had been waiting for him by the door. He hissed, “I didn’t conscript myself to the Imperial Fleet to be a babysitter!”

“Be more frustrated when Lord Vader does appoint you the official babysitter of the girl.”

“She’s quite a handful, don’t you think so?”

“Temperamental, to say the least,”

Only Vader and the droid, HY-L33, know what’s in store for Irele. Very soon, the plans for her life under the Empire’s wing—unknowingly under her brother’s care, or the walking shell of him perhaps—will be put into play.

For many weeks, HY-L33 patiently watched over Irele—especially in the medical aspect—and a mandate was programmed into her that once a diagnosis of the teenager would show optimum by the end of three weeks since her extraction from Tatooine, Irele would be considered physically eligible and be subjected to training. Eventually, HY-L33 was the only companion she has ever had in this ship since day one; so in exchange for medical knowledge and advice from HY-L33, Irele repays it with stories from her homeworld of Tatooine, but knowing that the droid is under Imperial property, she was cautious of what she ought to say, and rather told her adventures she had done on her own or with a friend instead of her family life.

“It seems as though your rigorous lifestyle has contributed to your increased stamina throughout your developmental stage.” HYL-33 commented once while listening to Irele recall one job she did where she would deliver goods door-to-door across the town of Mos Espa.

“Yeah well, I had to work. Because if I didn’t work, that just meant, I’ll be sleeping hungry—or if I’m lucky, with a half-full stomach.”

HY-L33, being the medical nanny droid that she is, went on to lecture Irele that it was ill-advised to sleep on an empty stomach for it will cause ulcers. The girl politely listened and heeded the advice, until she calmed down the droid that she had been fine for the rest of the time she was growing up.

She had only been staying for a week and a half. HY-L33’s sensors indicate a lesser trace of homesickness and anxiety within Irele, her body mass index has not changed drastically at all since her food intake was increased rather than imposing an eating strike—a few of HY-L33’s references cite that most human teenagers are more rebellious, especially when it comes to being fed after being thrown into a stressful situation. However, this was not the case with Irele, which made the nurse droid’s circuits cooler.

Eventually, the three weeks were over. Irele noticed HY-L33 seeming to be in full preparation. She did not mind this, but kept a close eye, until she could find the right timing to ask. After lunch, Irele went to the bath by rote, and quickly dressed herself in a dark gray shirt, black pants, and low boots.

Irele could truly sense something different in their routine.

“Haylee?”

“Yes, Miss Irele?”

“Is there something new added into the routine?”

“Yes, Miss Irele, we are about to perform a full health assessment on you. Please follow me and I will escort you to the medical ward.”

This was the first time Irele had been outside of her bedroom. For three weeks, she had been holed up in that metal room with no one and nothing else but HY-L33—to which she had grown fond of anyway—and then she finally comes out for a medical check-up.

Along the way, she could not look into the eyes of the crew, although she perfectly blended in with her gray and black clothes. She was nervous and afraid of what they’re thinking of her—because she felt like she knows what they’re saying about her, it’s a feeling that she can’t explain but it still manifests in her. Eager to avoid the stares and attention, Irele walked directly behind HY-L33 until they got to the said medical ward.

When they got there, the interior of the medical ward was a little bit brighter than most of the rooms in the ship. The walls were still metal, of course, but it was a cooler shade of gray which somewhat eased the people who are admitted and confined here—instead of the intimidating dark grays and blacks on other parts of the ship. At the center of operations was a 2-1B surgical droid stationed by a medical bed; it was approached by HY-L33 and Irele, when the droid’s photoreceptors saw the girl’s face, a deep male tone started speaking in a monotonous, continuous fashion.

“Irele Skywalker, human female, age is sixteen standard years, height stands at five feet and three inches…”

“Okay, okay, I think we got enough of my vitals already!” Irele interrupted.

“Were you briefed of your purpose here?”

Irele made a side-eyed glance at HY-L33, who didn’t move at all, “I was only told I was getting a check-up.”

“Correct.”

The surgical droid cleared out what HY-L33 failed to when they were still in the bedroom. It started with the physical examination—taking down her age, height, and weight, until it pored into analyzing the fluid levels and vitals of her organs to see if they were normal. It was all strange for little Irele, but she held up and did as she was told. She wasn’t getting hurt by the droids anyway, save the one pinprick that they had to do in order to conduct a blood test.

From Vader’s chamber, he was receiving real-time transmissions of the medical ward’s database. Whatever diagnosis the droids encode into the database under Irele’s profile, Vader saw it all firsthand—every revision, every new entry, every number.

Midichlorian count: 20,598.

Seeing this number and then recalling his impression on Irele baffled Darth Vader.

This child has lived sixteen years in a backwater planet, with a high midichlorian count… and yet her sensitivity is dormant.

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hysterialevi · 4 years ago

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Eitr | Chapter 4

Fanfic summary: In an alternate universe where the Raven Clan is wiped out, Sigurd ends up being rescued by the son of a Saxon ealdorman, and is tasked with being the boy’s new bodyguard. Upon meeting the boy’s father however, Sigurd soon realizes that the ealdorman is responsible for his clan’s destruction, and secretly plans for revenge while hiding behind the guise of a Norse pagan turned Christian.

Point of view: third-person

Pairing: Sigurd Styrbjornson x Male OC

Author’s note: Sorry for the longer wait for this chapter guys. I hit a bit of a writer’s block >.< Hope you like it though!

This story is also on AO3 | Previous chapter | Next chapter

FORANGAL CASTLE

Trudging along behind Algar’s vast strides, Sigurd dragged himself through the castle as he followed the housecarl to the throne room, admittedly struggling to keep up with his brisk pace.

His body was screaming at him to sit down and have a rest somewhere with all the wounds that still littered his flesh, but considering the amount of eyes that were lingering on him at the moment, Sigurd didn’t dare let himself collapse.

All around him, Saxons of every kind stopped dead in their tracks to stare at their peculiar guest as they murmured to each other in nervousness, speculating about what the purpose of his visit could’ve been. Guards and civilians alike followed his every move with a sense of fear sharpening their eyes, and if Sigurd didn’t know any better, he would’ve said that Algar led him down this path on purpose.

There were a dozen different ways to reach the throne room -- many of which were far more discreet -- but given how Sigurd was one breath away from being a walking corpse, it was hardly any surprise that Algar decided to go with the most blatant.

After all, what better chance would he have to humiliate his prisoner? It was a well-known fact that the housecarl shared his ealdorman’s hatred for Danes, and seeing as how Sigurd was practically clothed in nothing except for bandages at the moment, it was the perfect opportunity for Algar to parade him around like a dog on a leash.

Sigurd just hoped he wasn’t being led into a death trap. He could see that this whole ordeal gave the housecarl a malevolent sense of joy, and considering the fact that nearly everyone in the castle hated his kind, he wouldn’t have been surprised if it turned out to be his demise.

“...How does it feel, Norse?” Algar taunted, not even bothering to slow down.

Sigurd gripped his waist, refusing to let the pain hinder him. “Two arrows were fired into my chest and I was thrown into the river -- all after being battered by soldiers. You tell me.”

The housecarl chuckled. “Oh, I wasn’t talking about that.”

Algar gestured at the spectating crowds around them, keeping his voice low so that only Sigurd could hear him.

“I meant, how does it feel, now that all these people have seen you for what you are? A sick, hobbling wretch of a man presented to the world in his God-given form? They’ve heard stories about the Danes, you see. Horrifying tales that speak of the barbaric deeds your people have committed. They fear you. And that fear gives you strength.”

Sigurd pressed a hand against the wall, doing his best to stay upright as the housecarl continued to speak.

“But now... you’re alone. You’ve no clan to protect you, and no shield to hide behind. Your longships lay abandoned on the shores of foreign lands, and these poor souls can finally see you for your true self. A coward.”

The viking ignored Algar’s taunts, not wishing to indulge the man.

“Is that so? And tell me, Saxon, do you goad all your prisoners like this? Or is it just me?”

Algar threw him a glare. “No. When it comes to most Danes in your position, I normally just put a sword through their skull. But for whatever reason, Lord Aegenwulf has taken an interest in you, and so, I shall stay my blade for the moment. But know this -- should you try anything that might endanger the safety of our ealdorman, or the safety of his children, you will wish that we left you in that river to drown.”

Sigurd sped up slightly, walking side-by-side with Algar. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Good. Then follow me, and stay in your place.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A FEW MINUTES LATER

THE THRONE ROOM

Limping towards the doors of the throne room, Sigurd silently trailed behind Algar whilst the gargantuan man headed into the great hall ahead of him, announcing their arrival to the ealdorman.

The viking could feel a tight grip of anxiety growing in his chest as he approached the entrance, and upon stepping into the ominous atmosphere of the main hall, he suddenly felt as if the stone walls were closing in on him like a cage.

It felt more akin to a dungeon than a place of nobility in here. The very foundation of the castle seemed to hold onto its occupants with a suffocating clutch, and as Algar delved further into the lion’s den, Sigurd spotted the ealdorman himself sitting at the end of the hall.

At the moment, Lord Aegenwulf was currently slouching in his throne as if the burdens of his position physically weighed him down, and the grim expression on his face did little to help.

His eyes reflected the sullen climate of the throne room like a shattered mirror, and just based on the manner in which his gaze snapped onto Algar, the viking assumed that the man was not pleased about this unexpected turn of events.

“Lord Aegenwulf,” Algar called, kneeling respectfully before him. “I bring the Norse you wished to see.”

The ealdorman exchanged a quick glance with one of the men standing at his side -- most-likely another lord, based on his attire -- and beckoned the housecarl with a simple flick of the hand.

“Show him to me.” He commanded.

Algar instantly rose to his feet and stormed over to Sigurd, grabbing the Norse by the back of the neck before hurling him to the floor.

A pained hiss escaped Sigurd’s lips upon hitting the ground, and without even looking down at his body, the man already knew he had reopened one of his wounds.

“Here he is, my lord.” Algar presented.

Glancing upwards from his position, Sigurd observed Aegenwulf with a newfound interest as the ealdorman did the same, both of them silently examining the other.

Aegenwulf was a lean, middle-aged man with a head of grey hair that sat just above his shoulders, and had a long goatee adorning his chin. His expression was crippled with a prominent touch of remorse, and in the darkness that clung onto his piercing glare, Sigurd could detect an intense hatred burning within him like a fire that was just beginning to ignite.

As for the subjects surrounding him, Sigurd also spotted a younger-looking man standing beside Aegenwulf’s throne, quietly watching the scene unfold. The young man had a head of brown hair that was shaved in a way similar to that of Joseph’s, and judging by the striking resemblance between him and the ealdorman, Sigurd assumed he must’ve been his son.

“So...” Aegenwulf began, watching the viking with the eyes of a hawk, “you are the man whom my children rescued. I’ve heard much about you since your... fortuitous arrival. You’ve caused quite a stir in Forangal with your presence.” He paused for a moment. “...What is your name, Norse?”

Sigurd mindlessly kept his gaze on the ealdorman’s son, unable to deny that he was somewhat captivated by the man.

“...Sigurd.”

Aegenwulf fidgeted with the ornament on the throne’s armrest, furrowing his brow in thought.

“Sigurd...” he repeated. “And tell me, Sigurd, of which clan do you hail?”

The Norse fell silent, hesitant to answer the question. He did not know whether or not the ealdorman was aware of his true identity, but considering what Edlynne told him earlier about the death of her brother, he decided it would be best to keep his clan a secret for the time being.

“I... don’t have a clan.” He settled with. Aegenwulf eyed him skeptically.

“A lone Norse wandering a hostile kingdom without a clan? Odd. How long have you been alone?”

“For many years now, my lord. It’s what I’ve always done.”

Aegenwulf traced the side of his temple with a finger, barely shifting his expression. “...I see. And what brought you to Wedenscire? What business have you in these lands?”

“I did not come here by choice. I was ambushed by soldiers and thrown into the river. The water’s current carried me to Agenbury. There, a man found me washed up on the shore, and then your children brought me to this castle.”

The ealdorman processed the viking’s claims and leaned forward in his seat, holding Sigurd in suspense as he pondered his next words.

“Well, Sigurd... regardless of who you are, or whatever your intentions may be, I must admit that I am intrigued by you. You appear to be no different from your pagan brethren, and yet... it is clear to me that there is something unique about you. After all, it is rare for a Norse to offer candor to a Saxon.”

Sigurd perked his head up in curiosity. “Candor? How could you know--”

“--Your story matches the one my son told me.” Aegenwulf explained, gesturing to the young man. “We spoke long before you arrived. Edric was the one who brought you to our healer.”

Sigurd glanced at the young man, wary about where this was going.

“You saved me?”

Edric’s tone remained firm. “At my siblings’ request, yes. But do not mistake my mercy for friendship. I’m not in the habit of saving stray Danes.”

“I see.”

The viking turned back to Aegenwulf, eager to get this over with.

“And you, my lord? Do you share his views? Have you summoned me here for a simple conversation, or do you intend to execute me?”

Aegenwulf leaned back in his throne, his demeanor calm as always.

“Neither. I was going to send you to the headsman’s axe initially, but after much thought and consideration... my son has persuaded me that, perhaps, you would be more useful to me alive than dead.”

Algar shifted a brow at that. “Ealdorman?”

“Hush, Algar,” the older man urged, picking up on his housecarl’s disapproval. “This decision was not easily made, but I believe it is the wisest course of action, given the alternative outcomes.”

Aegenwulf brought his attention back to Sigurd, explaining his plan.

“Listen to me carefully, Sigurd the Lone Wolf. I have brought you here for one reason, and one reason alone. From this day forth, you are not to be regarded as an enemy in this hall, but instead, as an asset. You will be indentured to me.”

The ealdorman pointed a finger at the viking, giving him a single command.

“You will be responsible for protecting my children. You will act as their personal bodyguard, and defend them with your life. Your job will be to eliminate any threats that should endanger them -- including your own people. No matter the cost.”

Sigurd found himself at a loss for words. Was Aegenwulf being serious? Or was this simply a test of some sort? Surely, he would not place this much faith in a stranger, let alone a Norse. After all, he had just lost one of his own children to their people.

“...Me?” He questioned, baffled by the situation. “Why me? Why not choose somebody else?”

“Because you are the one my son saved,” Aegenwulf answered. “A tremendous amount of effort has gone into keeping you afloat these past two days, and there’s also the fact that our healer, Linette, used a decent portion of her resources to nurse you back to health.”

He tilted his head at Sigurd.

“I believe it is only fair that you repay them for their compassion, wouldn’t you agree? You may not be able to pay them back in silver, but I have heard of the tenacity of Norse warriors. It would be a waste to throw your battle prowess away.”

Algar stepped forward, incredulous about the decision. “My lord, I must protest! This man is a Norse; a viking! He is a man of the enemy, and cannot be trusted. It would be foolish to place your children’s lives in the hands of this pagan!”

Aegenwulf gave him a cautionary glare. “Are you implying that I am foolish, housecarl?”

“N-No, of course not, ealdorman. But I do not think it would be wise to entrust this man with the safety of our people! He is--”

“--Well, fortunately, it’s not your decision to make.” Aegenwulf interrupted. “My children claim that this man can be trusted, so let him prove it. He knows the consequences that will arise should he fail, and I am confident that he will do everything he can to ensure that that doesn’t happen...” He glanced at Sigurd. “...Right?”

Sigurd nodded hesitantly, still taken aback by this path he had suddenly been thrown on. “O-Of course, my lord.”

“Good. Then we have nothing more to discuss.”

Aegenwulf looked at his son, instructing the young man to come forth.

“Edric, take Sigurd to the armory. It will be a while before he’s able to recover, but I want his equipment to be prepared in the meantime.”

“...Yes, father.” Edric replied in a cross tone. “As you wish.”

The young man stepped away from his position at the throne and descended the small stairs that led up to it, beckoning Sigurd to follow him with a simple jerk of the head.

“Come along then, Norse. And don’t fall behind.”

Watching Edric storm off, Sigurd slowly stood up from the floor and rose back to his feet, careful not to reopen any other wounds. Meanwhile, Aegenwulf remained seated in his throne, uttering one last phrase before dismissing the viking.

“Remember, Sigurd, we are all watching you. I may have spared your life for today, but if I so much as suspect that you have betrayed my trust, I will bring unto you a retribution so fierce that it will shake you even in death.”

Sigurd nodded assuredly at Aegenwulf. “...I understand, my lord.”

“Very well. Then be off with you. My son awaits you in the armory, and I expect you to take up your duties as soon as you are able. Until then, may you walk with God.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A WHILE LATER

THE ARMORY

Following Edric down the lengthy corridor, Sigurd found himself feeling much more relieved now that he was out of Algar’s reach and away from the throne room’s premises, leaving him with a brief sense of peace.

The ealdorman’s son didn’t appear to be any more thrilled than the housecarl to have a new Norse roaming around their halls, but at the very least, he didn’t show any intentions of driving a blade through his heart either.

Though, Sigurd had to admit, he was curious about the young man’s true motivations. It was quite obvious that he held no love for the Danes or their people, and even though he claimed to have saved Sigurd at the behest of his siblings, the viking still had to wonder if that was truly the case.

After all, was it really enough to convince someone to risk their safety purely based on their family’s wishes alone? Regardless of how much Edric may have loved Joseph and Edlynne, the truth of the matter was -- they were at war.

There was no love to be found between Saxons and Danes -- especially in this shire -- and despite the honorable demeanor Sigurd may have carried, the young man really had no reason to trust him. He was still a complete stranger in the man’s eyes, and so the fact that Edric went out of his way to convince his father to spare Sigurd only made the viking more confused.

“So...” Edric suddenly said, pulling the other man from his thoughts, “you’re Sigurd. You were in quite a state the last time I saw you. Part of me was convinced you wouldn’t wake up.”

Sigurd caught onto his tone. “Disappointed that I did?”

“Let’s just say that Danes aren’t exactly reputable around here. They’ve brought much pain to our lands, and so far, I have no reason to believe you won’t do the same.”

The viking couldn’t help but throw back a humorous retort. “Well, good thing I’m a Norse, then.”

Edric sighed in annoyance. “Norse, Dane -- it makes no difference. You’re all pagans in my eyes. My father may have entrusted you with my life, but that does not mean I’m willing to hand it over.”

“You know, for someone who went through the trouble of rescuing me, you don’t seem too enthusiastic to have me around.”

“And why should I be? My siblings may pray for your recovery, but that is only because they are naive to the horrors of this war. They have not seen the cruelty of your people, nor what they did to our brother.”

Sigurd switched to a more serious tone. “...Yes, Edlynne told me about Gareth.”

Edric glanced at him. “Did she? I suppose I’m not surprised. She seems to be drawn to you. But what she says is true. Gareth was killed about a month ago. Near Grantebridge. It happened during an assault. The Danes just... cut him down like some sort of animal. We received word about it a week later.”

The viking’s expression sank with empathy. “Do you know who’s responsible for his death?”

The man glowered in anger. “We do, actually. According to Algar’s scouts, it was the Raven Clan who brought his life to an end.”

Sigurd shook his head in disbelief. “...Are you certain? I have crossed paths with the Raven Clan before, and I can assure you, they are not the type to display such unnecessary cruelty. They have always been men and women of honor.”

Edric scoffed. “Your people and mine have very different definitions of honor, Sigurd. We consider mercy and justice to be honorable traits. Your people would sacrifice a defenseless man to one of their gods all in the name of war.”

The ealdorman’s son decided to drop the subject and ended the conversation with a huff, making haste to their destination.

“But enough of that. We’ve reached the armory. You can find gear for yourself in here.”

Swinging open the iron-braced door, Edric stepped aside and allowed Sigurd to go in first, revealing a room full of valuable equipment.

All around him, there were racks decorated with a wide variety of swords, shields, axes, flails -- and in the center of the room, there stood an impressive array of armored models, glimmering in the light like a shining mirror.

“Have a look around,” Edric said, leaning against a wall. “I doubt any of this armor will actually fit a man of your stature, but when you find something you like, we’ll take it to our blacksmith and have him adjust it for you. Be mindful, though. Some of it is heavier than it looks.”

Walking up to one of the armor displays, Sigurd took a moment to examine its durability and leaned closer to the outfit, meticulously observing its components.

The first layer was made up of a suit of chainmail that draped over the entire body and had a light gambeson to pad it underneath, similar to the one Edric wore. It was protected by a sturdy shell of plate armor that covered all the limbs, and had a full helm sitting atop its shoulders.

A fashionable cape bearing the sigil of Aegenwulf’s house hung from the pauldrons, and upon further inspection, Sigurd noticed that extra care had been put into making sure there were very few weak points for a blade to sneak in.

It was very impressive in its design, but despite its resistant nature and ability to block out any attacks, Sigurd couldn’t help but note how unbearably dense it was.

The multiple layers of armor made it almost impossible for its wearer to move around freely, and just based on how much it seemed to strain the model that it currently rested on, Sigurd assumed it would’ve been more of a burden than a benefit.

“Do you have anything lighter than this?” He asked Edric, gesturing to the suit.

The young man shook his head. “That is the light armor. You want something heavy, you should take a look at what Algar is wearing.”

Sigurd tapped his knuckles against the armor’s chest, emitting a metallic clang. “This is the light armor? How can anyone fight while wearing this? It’s far too restrictive.”

Edric walked next to Sigurd, observing the display with him.

“Well, it’s made out of metal. Of course it’s going to be heavy. I’m not sure what your warriors wear, but this is what our soldiers have always used.”

The viking crossed his arms, throwing yet another humorous reply at him. “Hmm. Well, as thick as your armor is, I’m afraid it hinders you. Much like your own skull.”

The Saxon grew irritated. “Look, just pick something, alright? If you are to be my guardian, I’d sleep far better at night knowing you were properly equipped for the job. You can’t bloody well fight in your loins.”

Sigurd grinned. “...Is that a challenge?”

Edric sighed deeply. “Lord grant me patience. I’m going to regret this.”

The Norse let out a soft chuckle, amused at the nobleman’s vexed mood. Before he could carry on with his search though, a sudden thought appeared in his mind, providing him with a possible compromise.

“What about my old armor? Do you still have it?”

“You mean the one you were wearing when we fetched you out the river? I believe so, but most of it has been ruined. The only parts of it you could salvage would probably be the tunic and the cloak.”

Sigurd was satisfied with that. “Then it will be enough. I can use the the tunic instead of the gambeson. It will be less protection, but I’ll be able to move faster.”

Edric shrugged in defeat. “Very well. Whatever works for you. Just make sure you’re able to fight at your best. I can defend myself well enough, but it’s my siblings that I fear for.”

The viking began removing the armor from the display. “Have no fear, my lord. Joseph and Edlynne went to great lengths to save me. I won’t allow any harm to come to them.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Edric strode over to the armory’s entrance, saying one last thing before taking his leave.

“I’ll find Linette and ask her where she’s keeping your old gear. In the meantime, you focus on bringing that armor to our blacksmith. He’ll make sure it fits you to the bone, and can possibly even find you a new weapon to wield. Just be quick about it.”

Sigurd nodded. “Understood. Oh, and one more thing, my lord?”

The young man glanced at him. “Yes? What is it?”

He softened his voice. “...Thank you. For convincing your father to spare me.”

Edric turned away from Sigurd, reluctant to open up to the man. “I did not save you out of kindness, Norse. Do not forget that. You are simply an asset to my father. No more, no less.”

The viking smiled in return. “Still, I owe you my life. Even if your motivations were not the most... noble, you have done more than most Saxons would. And I thank you for that.”

Edric pretended to brush off Sigurd’s remarks, but the Norse could tell he was appreciative.

“Well, just make sure you do your part. My father is taking a great risk trusting you like this, and I would not see it be in vain.”

~~~~~~~~~~

THAT NIGHT

SIGURD’S QUARTERS

Standing in the midst of his new quarters, Sigurd rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck as he adjusted to his suit of armor, trying to get a feel for its limitations.

The armor was far heavier than the one he used to wear during his time with the Raven Clan, but unfortunately for the viking, his Saxon friends seemed to value protection over agility, and thus, he had been forced to settle for this shell of metal.

It would take some time for Sigurd to adapt to its hefty design, what with all the plates of iron that now sat on his limbs, but luckily, not all of it was Saxon craftsmanship.

Beneath the layer of chainmail, Sigurd wore the same tunic that he always adorned back when he still had his Dane armor, and instead of keeping the cape that once hung from the pauldrons, he had substituted the accessory with his signature fur cloak, allowing him to walk freely without fear of tangling a cape between his legs.

It wasn’t exactly the type of protection that Sigurd would’ve normally settled for, but considering the alternative options he saw in the armory, he supposed it was the best he was going to get for now.

Strolling over to his bed, Sigurd took a seat on the edge and let himself rest for a moment, finally giving his wounds the chance they needed to heal. It had been a long day of running around all over the castle and tending to his duties, but even with everything that had happened already, the viking still found himself unable to comprehend his new reality.

Just this morning, he had been a prisoner of Aegenwulf and awaited his possible execution in the throne room, wondering if he’d even live long enough to see the sunset.

Everyone in this castle regarded him as nothing more than a lapdog for the ealdorman, and thanks to all the secrecy that surrounded his presence, a plethora of rumors had sparked amongst the pandemonium, causing people to grow even more fearful of him.

But now... here he was, a personal bodyguard for the ealdorman’s children, and sitting in his own chambers. He had been given a chance to start a new life, and possibly, even find out what happened to the rest of his clan.

It was the stuff of sagas, Sigurd thought, to go through what he had endured. Part of him wondered if this was all some dream and if he was still floating in the river, but if this was the path that the Nornir had lain out before him, Sigurd had no intentions of fighting against it.

He truly believed that everyone was tied into a certain fate, after all, and he could not deny that he was curious to see where his led to.

Breaking him out of his thoughts, an unexpected knock suddenly emitted from the door, leading Sigurd to gaze in its direction.

“One moment.” He said, pushing himself up from the bed.

Walking over to the entrance, Sigurd pulled the door open and immediately felt his heart tighten with worry as he laid eyes on his guest, finding none other than Algar himself standing on the other side.

“Good evening, my lord.” The housecarl greeted with a malicious grin. “Hope I’m not disturbing you.”

Sigurd’s tone flattened with frustration. “What is it you want, Algar? Is there something you need from me? Or have you come to taunt me more?”

Algar shook his head. “Oh, no. Nothing like that. I simply came to make sure that your new quarters are to your liking.”

The viking crossed his arms. “So I see. And what’s the real reason?”

The other man laughed. “Distrustful one, aren’t you? Can a man not take care of his friends without arousing suspicion anymore? I only wish to see how well you fare. After all, I’m certain that these chambers must dim in comparison to the quarters you once had.”

Sigurd furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?”

“Well, you were a jarl, were you not? Before you came to Wedenscire?”

The Norse fell silent at that, suddenly feeling a sense of alarm. What exactly was going on here?

Algar chuckled at Sigurd’s concerned expression and stepped closer to the man, prowling towards him like a beast.

“...Oh, yes. I know who you are, son of Styrbjorn. I must admit, you took me by surprise when I first saw you in Linette’s infirmary. I was certain my men had finished you off back in Ravensthorpe... but it appears I was not nearly as thorough as I thought.”

Sigurd glared at Algar with the gaze of a lion, clenching his jaw in anger.

“...You?” He whispered vehemently, his eyes widened with shock. “You were the one who destroyed my home...?”

The housecarl nodded casually. “Indeed. Under Aegenwulf’s command. He sought vengeance after the death of his son, you see, and I was more than willing to help. It took me quite a while to track your clan down and devise an assault, but once everything was in place, your village burned like firewood. Even your own brother could not defend his people.”

Sigurd stared at Algar directly in the eye, his gaze practically piercing through the man’s skull.

“What did you do to Eivor?”

Algar smiled widely, revealing a row of yellow-tinted teeth. “...Only what he deserved.”

The housecarl reached into his pouch and pulled out a specific item, presenting it to Sigurd in his palm. The item appeared to be a small blade decorated with golden plating and green jewels, and--

...Wait.

Sigurd froze in horror.

No. It couldn’t be. Was that...?

“Your brother’s most prized possession,” Algar explained. “A concealed blade that we tore from his wrist after he died. The weapon was damaged in our little scuffle, but I decided to keep it nonetheless. ‘Tis a thing of beauty, after all.”

Sigurd suddenly felt a newfound rage kindling inside him and lurched at the housecarl, causing the other man to pin him against the wall.

“Now, now...” Algar taunted, restraining the viking’s wrists in his grasp, “let’s not do anything foolish, shall we?”

Sigurd struggled relentlessly in his hold, completely forgetting about his injuries now. “I’ll gut you, you argr dog...!”

The Saxon smirked. “I wouldn’t recommend that, not after Aegenwulf has placed so much trust in you. You’re quite fortunate, you know? I tried to inform him of your true identity back in the throne room, but it seems his halfwitted son got into his ear before I could.”

“Then why not tell him now?” Sigurd growled. “Why waste your time tormenting me?”

“Because regardless of our disagreements, Aegenwulf is right about one thing. You are clearly much stronger than you look. Most Saxons would consider the Wolf-Kissed to be the best warrior in your clan, and yet, you managed to survive where he could not. You evaded death against all odds, and found a place amongst our nobility, despite being a Norse. You are a warrior in a world of weaklings, and it would be foolish to waste your skills.”

Algar leaned forward, twisting Sigurd’s arm in his grip. “But do not mistake my compliance for absolution. If you step even a toe out of line, you can be certain that Aegenwulf will be informed of who you really are.”

He threw Sigurd to the ground, looming over him like a shadow.

“What happens now depends entirely on you, Sigurd. You can either follow Aegenwulf’s orders like a good little boy and live your life as the Lone Wolf, or pursue this pointless quest for revenge and die as the jarl who failed to protect his people. The decision is yours. Choose wisely.”

Leaving the viking alone with his thoughts, Algar stomped out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him, causing a loud thud to echo throughout the chamber as the torches flickered in the wind.

Meanwhile, Sigurd remained fallen on the floor like a discarded corpse and clenched his fists in agony, completely devastated by the news he just heard.

There was no way Eivor could be dead. Not like this.

Eivor was strong; stronger than any of them. He always carried the favor of the gods ever since he was a child, and achieved the impossible as if it were nothing.

Sigurd refused to believe that a battered, old hound such as Algar himself could defeat him. He must’ve been mistaken.

Sigurd survived the ambush in Ravensthorpe, so why couldn’t he?

Until he saw Eivor’s corpse with his own two eyes, the viking promised himself that he wouldn’t give up on the man, no matter how daunting the path ahead may have seemed. There was more to this than Algar was letting on, and Sigurd intended to dig up the full truth -- even if it would cost him his life.

He would have to play along with Aegenwulf’s plans for now, for the sake of staying alive. But when the time came, Sigurd would overcome this obstacle that the gods had placed in front of him, and reclaim his honor as a drengr worthy of Valhalla’s halls.

It was what Eivor would’ve wanted for him, Sigurd assumed. The Wolf-Kissed was a warrior of legendary renown, and if what Algar said really was the truth, then Sigurd did not wish for his brother to roam the fields of Fólkvangr alone.

It was the only fate acceptable for a bloodline such as his, and he did not intend to let it slip by.

#assassin's creed valhalla #ac valhalla #sigurd styrbjornson #male oc #female oc #sigurd x male oc #ac valhalla fanfic #eitr

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houseisekai · 3 years ago

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House Isekai: A Realm Reborn - Part 3, Thunder Rolls (1 of ???)

House Isekai ARR Masterlist Here

—

Client: Marianne Von Edmund

After Duvalie, Fireteam Alpha-Nine, and Raelyn set off to Goneril territory, the newly reformed House Isekai are sent to assist the head of House Edmund, Marianne.

Although, things do not go as smoothly as Sitri hopes...

[Out of Time - Final Fantasy XIV OST]

The room displayed massive crystals that showed reflections of the group.

Although it was heavily distorted and any normal person would be barely able to hear what was being said, the figure watching had no such difficulty.

(Buck) “Alright everyone, stand down. How about this? You just tell us what we need to know about these guys, and we’ll go put a few bullets in their heads.”

(Mickey) “If bullets even work on them-”

(Raelyn) “From the one I encountered, a single Bolter round will do just fine.”

(Lisa) “If it means less fighting, then there’s no harm. Duvalie dear, do be careful at least?”

(Duvalie) “O-Of course, Miss Lisa!”

(Aigis) “That was a very fast change in attitude-”

(Rean) “You get used to it.”

(Towa) “I suppose we’ll just meet and explain everything more in detail later?”

The figure raised its hand, engines whirring and steam coming out as it did.

A portal opened in front of the group to their first destination.

The one they called Duvalie was the first one to step through the portal, followed by the soldiers.

"FIRST TELEPORTATION SUCCESSFUL."

The figure slowly turned and a screen appeared in front of it, lines of text and numbers turning green.

(Kazuma) “…Wait a second, none of them knows anything about Fodlan. Why did we let them go anywhere alone?”

(Sitri) “…That’s a good question.”

When the text finished, a crystal behind it displaying a four legged being suddenly flashed off, the light dimming and turning dull.

"SECOND TELEPORTATION INITATING."

The figure opened another portal behind the other group and patiently waited for everyone to step through. As soon as they did, the portal closed behind them.

"OBSERVING."

The crystals picture suddenly split showing two sides, one of Duvalie's group, and one of House Isekai.

It said nothing else as it quietly watched.

===

House Isekai: A Realm Reborn - Part 3

Thunder Rolls

[Raise Your Flag - MAN WITH A MISSION]

Raise your flag

With all your voice

Shout it out loud with all your voice

One day

Someday somewhere

Dream on as we wander

Under pressure, you are waiting for direction

Going on the road without your mind

All misleads they give ignoring our decisions

Killing yourself your soul we have inside

Continue the struggle and feel like you’re discouraged

Rise up again to run to the end

In between the never-ending dream

We can struggle and muzzle the world before it fades away

Raise your flag

With all your voice

Shout it out loud with all your voice

One day

Someday somewhere

Believing that we will reach that goal

Come on and Raise your flag

So just Raise your flag

No matter how many times we feel defeated or lost

As long as we breathe

As long as we carry on

Dream on as we wander

===

…

Everyone was confused on why the portal closed.

Sitri made sure no one was looking at her as she whispered.

(Sitri) “Sothis?”

(Sothis) “Uh, don’t look at me. I wasn’t even the one who opened it.”

(Sitri) “Wait, then where did…?”

(Rean) "If I know anything about her, she'll be fine. I hope the others with her don't have to put up with too much..."

(Aigis) "In any case, we should get going as well, correct?"

(Kazuma) "Yeah, we've wasted enough time standing around as it is."

(Kurt) "I am quite interested in seeing what this world is like."

(Venti) "Indeed, perhaps it'll give me inspiration for new tales to tell at the tavern!"

(Jean) "Well, we shall defer leadership to you then."

Sitri realized Jean was looking at her, which was quickly followed by everyone else.

(Towa) "I guess you technically are the boss!"

(Elizabeth) "Well, Lady Sitri?"

Sitri cleared her throat and nodded.

(Sitri) "Right. Let's move out now then."

Right on cue, a portal opened in front of them, and all stepped through it, being teleported to forest with a beaten path.

As quickly as it appeared, it closed behind them.

Once again checking that no one was looking at her, she turned again.

(Sitri) "Sothis, who's opening these?"

(Sothis) "I'm not sure...We need to look into it once we're done here."

Venti and a few of the other Knights noticed Sitri and Sothis speaking quietly, though it appeared no one else did.

(Venti) "Hey, you see that floating green thing next to Sitri, right?"

(Amber) "Y-Yeah, it popped up earlier!"

(Diluc) "It's most likely similar to Paimon. We shouldn't bother her about this when we got more important matters."

(Lisa) "So, where are we?"

(Kairos) "This would be Alliance territory. Specifically House Edmund's, I've travelled these roads with my family for merchant related business."

(Rean) "Well then, do you mind leading the way?"

(Kairos) "...Of course."

Kairos walked along the path, guiding everyone else. Everyone travelled in their own smaller groups. Sitri was with the Garreg Mach Students, Rean and Towa were with Class VII, and Kazuma and Aigis were with the Knights of Favonius.

(Elizabeth) "I am not sure how I feel about this."

(Sitri) "About what?"

(Helena) "Pretty sure she means House Isekai."

(Elizabeth) "Well, it's not just THAT but...-"

(Kairos) "She means that we don't know how we feel about working with these offworlders."

(Astrid) "Hey come on, I'm sure we all have our doubts but at least give them a fair shot."

(Stefan) "Yeah, if Lady Sitri and our leaders trust them, its for a reason."

(Helena) "If nothing else, they know how to fight what we're up against better."

(Sitri) "You all were chosen for a reason. Your skills are the most exceptional of the three houses, and they will be a core part of this house in the days coming.

(Elizabeth) "Y-Yes, Lady Sitri."

(Kairos) "...Understood."

Aigis looked uneasy as she turned to the others.

(Aigis) "If this is how the current houses feel about House Isekai, I am concerned to think on how the rest of Fodlan thinks."

(Kazuma) "Yeah, people like Ainz and Slayer didn't really help our reputation much either.

(Amber) "But your old group saved this world, I thought everyone would adore you guys."

(Aigis) "It is not as simple as that, I'm afraid."

(Kazuma) "Long story, we'll tell you guys when we get back."

Kurt and Juna couldn't help but listen in on the conversation in front of them.

(Kurt) "Hmph. Were it so easy."

(Juna) "Instructor Rean, Towa?"

(Rean) "Huh? What is it?"

(Towa) "Yes?"

(Juna) "Just how bad were things when you guys interfered to be treated like this?"

(Rean) "..."

(Towa) "...Let's put it this way, none of us would be talking to each other right now."

Juna and the other Class VII members shrugged and continued walking. It'd probably be better to just focus on the mission right now.

A few hours later, they began to approach upon castle gates. They were stopped by Alliance soldiers, who shot a look at the ones obviously not from Fodlan.

(Sitri) "My name is Sitri Eisner of Garreg Mach. We have come here at the request of Lady Edmund."

(Alliance Soldier) "We appreciate the aid. Let them through."

Kairos was still in front while everyone else tagged along behind him. He slowed his walk to look around the estate.

The path to the main castle was well treaded, just as Kairos remembered. The dirt path was still a clean brown, and the grass and trees well maintained, with few servants attending them.

The path was not anything fancy, it was just a straight path to the estate, fitting Marianne's personality.

(Kairos) "It's been years since I've last been here."

(Helena) "Can't say my old team got anywhere close to here. Too much security."

(Astrid) "Your parents were merchants, right?"

(Kairos) "Yes. The noble families that didn't shun us for being commoners were few, and Lady Edmund was one of them, and we constantly made runs to sell our wares here."

(Kazuma) "Sounds like something Marianne wouldn't care about. She was probably one of the few people who wasn't a complete asshole."

(Aigis) "There were plenty of people who were not...rude. Do you think you are misremembering?

(Kaeya) "Or perhaps were you the one, mister Kazuma?"

(Kazuma) "Hey, I didn't start most of the shit here!"

Kazuma spun around to Kaeya.

(Kazuma) "AND YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA START SHIT WITH ME!"

Everyone except Diluc and Jean was fighting back a snicker. Venti failed to.

(Venti) "...Ehe."

(Kazuma) "SCUSE YOU, THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, 'EHE'?!"

(Musse) "He is quite loud isn't he?"

(Rean) "You kinda get used to it."

(Ash) "Really now?"

(Towa) "Believe us, there was much worse people to hold a normal conversation with."

At the doors, a familiar face was waiting to greet them.

Rean Towa, Aigis, and Kazuma smiled as they walked up together with Sitri and the Garreg Mach students.

[Musica Universalis - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]

(Kairos) "Lady Edmund."

Kairos, Elizabeth and Stefan bowed.

(Helena) "Huh. Much younger than I thought."

(Astrid) "Hey...Oh crap you're a lord, u-um good evening my...lady?"

(Marianne) "Hah, there is no need to be so formal everyone. Especially since old friends are here."

Kairos raised an eyebrow until he realized who she was speaking to.

Marianne smiled at the former members of House Isekai.

(Rean) "Marianne!"

(Towa) "Hello, its so good to see you again!"

(Kazuma) "Yo. Been a bit."

(Aigis) "It is always a pleasure seeing an old member of the Golden Deer."

(Marianne) "The same can be said to you all. You are quite the sight for sore eyes."

Marianne turned to Sitri and the Garreg Mach students.

(Marianne) "I take it these are your new students, Sitri?"

(Sitri) "They are. They're quite...interesting to say the least."

(Marianne) "When you're dealing with House Isekai at all, it's going to be."

Marianne chuckled softly and stepped to the side, an arm extended to her door while the guards stepped aside.

(Marianne) "Please, come in. We have much to discuss."

Everyone walked inside, following Marianne deeper into her estate.

The Knights opened the doors to the dining hall, where everyone took a seat.

(Kazuma) "Huh, didn't think you'd have a place like this."

(Marianne) "Neither did I, if I am to be honest. At the very least, this oversized dining hall is seeing proper use."

(Rean) "Yeah, it does seem quite excessive, doesn't it?"

The former members continued to have a leisurely discussion, annoying Kairos and Elizabeth.

(Elizabeth) "Don't they realize who they're talking to? Why in the world are they so...casual?!"

(Kairos) "They ought to show some form of respect for her title!"

(Stefan) "Well, they knew her back when they were in the academy right? Makes sense why they're so informal."

(Helena) "That and Edmund said for you guys to pull the sticks out your asses anyway.

(Astrid) "Eloquent as always, Helena..."

The conversation finally ended when some glasses of water was brought out for everyone by the servants, in which Marianne cleared her throat.

[End Song]

(Marianne) "Sitri, I believe Claude told you what was troubling us."

Sitri nodded.

(Sitri) "Yes. I believe he said it was something about an unidentified object in the woods?"

(Marianne) "Yes. We have never gotten close enough to properly identify this threat, it has always turned hostile the moment we attempt and approach."

(Rean) "Has anyone been injured from these investigations?"

(Marianne) "Plenty of injuries, though thankfully none of them were lethal. They appeared to be warning shots more than anything."

(Aigis) "That rules out Shadows at least, they do not hesitate when it comes to killing humans..."

(Towa) "We don't have enough information, I guess we have to see it ourselves."

(Marianne) "I'll give you a map before you leave then."

(Kazuma) "Has there been any other strange incidents?"

(Marianne) "Hm...Other than reports of Separatist movements, there hasn't been too much."

(Kairos) "Separatists have been spotted all the way out here?!"

The offworlders turned to Kairos, looking confused.

(Rean) "Separatists?"

(Kairos) "Yes, thanks to your actions, you've all but ensured a second civil war will occur!"

The original four members eyes widened, then turned to Marianne.

(Marianne) "I'm...afraid that is not entirely off basis, but that being said-"

She furrowed her brows as her fist gently hit the table.

(Marianne) "Kairos, on what grounds do you think you can speak that way to the very people who saved all of us?!"

(Kairos) !!! "I-...I apologize. That was out of line."

(Marianne) "...No matter. I will gather the necessary supplies for your investigation. Just a moment."

Marianne bowed and left the room, leaving just House Isekai in the room.

Sitri turned to Kairos and the other Garreg Mach students, clenching her fist.

(Sitri) "I am quite aware of your stance on House Isekai, but I will not tolerate another outburst again. Am I clear?"

(Kairos) "Y-Yes Ma'am..."

Helena, Astrid, and Stefan shrugged while Elizabeth felt a slight tang of guilt as well. While she had enough tact to not say that out loud, it was very close to how she felt about them as well.

The Knights of Favonius and Class VII shifted uncomfortably watching this exchange happen. It was obvious that their involvement here went beyond their comprehension...

...

[Suspicion - Persona 5 OST]

Shibuya, Central Street...

Ryuji scrolled through his phone over and over again. He looked up from it and his eyes searched for any familiar faces. So far, no one had shown up.

(Ryuji) "Come on, what's takin' them so long?"

He looked down at the phone again and reread the messages, losing count of how many times he's done so.

GROUP CHAT: Akira Kurusu, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitagawa, Makoto Niijima, Futaba Sakura, Haru Okumura, Sumire Yoshizawa

Akira: Hey, did anyone else get that message?

You: What message?

Futaba: You mean the one from Sitri?

Ann: So that wasn't just me!

Haru: I could only hear a little bit of the message, I was in the middle of something.

Haru: What's strange is that I cannot get it to replay.

Makoto: Same here. Was anyone able to?

Yusuke: Fortunately I was. The message is as follows:

Yusuke: “This is Sitri Eisner of Garreg Mach Monastery. House Isekai, we are requesting immediate assistance from anyone that can hear this. If you are able, please arrive at Garreg Mach. This message will now repeat.”

You: Holy shit, did something happen?!

Sumire: I wasn't able to hear it either, I'm afraid. What was the tone of her voice?

Futaba: Pretty calm, actually. Still though if she's calling for aid, that's not good.

Akira: Pretty bad timing too. Morgana and I can't exactly leave to meet up in Tokyo.

Makoto: And college is currently taking my attention.

Makoto: Who knows how long we'd be gone for if we went in now?

Yusuke: Is there anyone who can respond, then?

You: I'll be the vanguard then! Leave it to me!

Ann: Thankfully I'm available as well, so I'll go with Ryuji.

Haru: That's relieving to hear. I have company business I must attend personally.

Haru: But, I am not comfortable with only two of our members being able to answer the call.

Akira: I think the Investigation Team and S.E.E.S left us their numbers before we left Fodlan. You guys should give them a call.

Ann: Good idea!

Ann: I wonder if anyone else in House Isekai's answered already...

Ryuji: They better have, it'd be pretty awkward if it was only us!

Sumire: Then we shall leave this in your hands for now. We'll try to show up as fast as we can!

Akira: We're counting on you guys. Stay safe.

You: You bet!

Ann: We won't let you down!

The messages finished two days ago, and apparently the distress signal was sent four days before that. Meaning 6 days had passed now.

He and Ann were able to contact Naoto of the Investigation Team and Mitsuru of S.E.E.S. They all planned to meet in Central Street at 12 today.

It was 11:50 PM, while no one was late, Ryuji still felt anxious. It had been two years since they all had left Fodlan, and he still wasn't used to the idea of jumping dimensions, ironically.

(Ann's Voice) "Ryuji!"

He put away his phone and waved a hand.

(Ryuji) "Yo, good to see ya!"

Ann nodded as she leaned on the wall next to Ryuji.

(Ann) "I'm so glad someone else was able to respond. To be honest, I'm kind of terrified right now."

(Ryuji) "Dude, holy shit same! Like what's so bad that they need ALL of us there?"

(Ann) "I'm not sure I wanna think about it, but we have to...ugh, why did Sitri have to call at such a bad time? The fact only a few of us can respond is pretty scary."

(Naoto's voice) "Hopefully, that is all we need."

The two turned as Naoto tipped her hat to them, adjusting her coat.

(Naoto) "I see we all arrived early, today."

(Ryuji) "Well, considering what the situation is, it's better that we get here faster than usual."

(Naoto) "Indeed. Unfortunately, I contacted my group and I am the only one from the Investigation Team responding."

(Ann) "Oh, there's Mitsuru! Hey, over here!"

Ann waved wildly to catch her attention, Mitsuru slowly wading her way through the afternoon crowd of Shibuya.

(Mitsuru) "Hello everyone...So, this is all that can make it right now?"

(Ryuji) "Yeah, it sucks pretty effin' bad that it's just the four of us, but I think we can handle it!...God I hope we can."

(Mitsuru) "Hm. Well, anyways I have at least some news to share regarding House Isekai's situation. Aigis was the first person to respond to Sitri's call."

(Ann) "...And?"

(Mitsuru) "Concerningly, that's all I heard from Aigis before she went in. It's been dead silent otherwise. Although it has only been 6 days, I'd still have preferred to hear something at least."

(Naoto) "Have we heard anything from our former classmates?"

(Ryuji) "We haven't heard nothin' anyone else..."

(Ann) "What about Slayer? He set up our whole communication system to begin with, right?"

(Mitsuru) "That seems to be our only lead that can have us safely arrive back to our world, so I think that may be our best course of action."

(Ryuji) "Right, so we should get going...Er, how exactly are we going to do that?"

(Naoto) "I believe-"

KABOOOOOOOOM!

[Tension - Persona 5 OST]

The buildings shook violently as an explosion rocked the entire city.

People's screams and confused muttering filled the streets as they looked towards the source.

The four Persona Users regained their footing and looked at what everyone else was staring at.

It was a massive cloud of smoke off in the distance near the Subway stations.

(Ann) "What the heck was that?!"

(Mitsuru) "We must put our plans on hold for now!"

(Naoto) "Agreed, let us investigate the cause!"

Mitsuru and Naoto rushed ahead without hesitation, leaving Ryuji and Ann alone for the moment.

(Ann) "S-So confident...!"

(Ryuji) "Man, I dunno if I'm glad or disappointed in myself that I'm not able to react THAT normally to explosions..."

Shrugging, the two sprinted to catch up with Mitsuru and Naoto.

A few minutes later, the four managed to get near the source of the explosion. It was in the middle of station square where a number of officers had gathered to block people from getting past them.

(Officer) "Stand back people, don't get too close!"

(Officer 2) "Hey, no pictures, everyone get back!"

Naoto shoved people aside while the other three tagged closely behind her.

(Officer 3) "You people deaf?! I said-Hey wait a second, you're that Detective Prince!"

(Naoto) "Naoto Shirogane, yes. What's going on here?"

(Officer 3) "Man, we have no idea. One second everything was normal then this big explosion happened outta nowhere!"

(Mitsuru) "Any injuries?"

(Officer 3) "A lot of people injured, but no ones dead, by some miracle."

(Naoto) "May we see the scene, for a moment at least?"

The officer looked at Naoto then sighed.

(Officer 3) "Make it fast, we have no idea if this was a terrorist attack or not."

Naoto nodded and the four moved past the guards and investigated the site.

In the middle of the street, there was a massive crater with a rock in the center of it.

(Naoto) "What in the world...?!"

(Ann) "Hey, doesn't that rock look kinda-?"

The rock upon closer examination appeared to be made of some sort of crystal.

And in the crystal appeared to be a mixture of some form of red minerals into it.

(Ryuji) "Wait a sec, don't that look like?!-"

(Mitsuru) "The Crystal Tower from Zanado? It looks like only a fragment has appeared, and thankfully not even close to its original size. How on earth did it-"

[Blood of Villain - Persona 5 OST]

A hatch opened up making everyone flinch, a puff of smoke slowly emerging from the door.

(Naoto) "Everyone, stand behind me!"

Naoto pulled out a revolver from her coat, officers quickly escorting the bystanders watching away from whatever was about to happen.

The hatch was violently flung off from the fragment, the door almost hitting several people in the process.

And from that hatch, a large foot was sticking out, slowly landing onto the ground.

The figure that landed in front of them was an absolutely massive creature, decked out in metal plating, broken leather and green skin.

It raised its head, cackling at first, but the laughter stopped when it got a good look at its environment.

(Green Creature) "Wot 'da zog iz dis?! Dis ain't da boss's ship! It's full uv 'umiez!"

(Ryuji) "WHAT THE 'EFF IS THAT?!"

Multiple similar looking creatures stepped out with the one in front, looking just as angry. Naoto lost count after the 15th one dropped out.

In total, from what she could guess, it looked like there was about thirty of them.

(Green Creature 2) "Dose lanky Boyz lied ta us! Dey said dey were gunna tellyport us right'n 'der!"

(Naoto) "STOP RIGHT THERE! DON'T MOVE ANY FURTHER!"

The green creatures stared at Naoto, and its disgusting smile grew back again, the cackling returning twofold.

(Green Creature) "Look at 'dat puny shoota 'dat 'umie's got!"

The creature pulled out its own gun and aimed it straight at her.

Naoto's eyes went wide, as the gun it pulled out was as big as her torso.

(Green Creature) "Now DIS?! DIS IZ A SHOOTA!"

(Ann) "HOLY CRAP!"

(Mitsuru) "What are these...Things?!"

(Green Creature 2) "Yer hear 'dat? Dey ain't neva heard uv us orkz before!"

(Ork Leader) "Dere faces are jus irritat'n me! KILL 'DA 'UMIEZ BOYZ! DEN WE GET DOSE LANKY BOYZ WHEN WE GET BACK!"

(Orks) "WAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Ann and Ryuji's clothes suddenly shifted, making them look down in confusion.

(Ann) "Huh?!"

(Naoto) "Those clothes...then that means...!"

Mitsuru pulled out an evoker and pointed it at her head while Naoto quickly reached for her glasses, Ann and Ryuji grabbing their masks.

"PERSONA!"

[Invitation to Freedom - Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth OST]

Ryuji shot first with his Persona, aiming it directly at the group of orks.

(Ryuji) "CAPTAIN KIDD!"

His person's arm cannon burst into a flame and disappeared as another explosion rung out and hit the fragment behind them, blowing up three orks.

The orks ignored their fallen kin and screamed, shooting wildly with their crude guns and the bullets not going anywhere even close to hitting them.

Mitsuru nimbly dodged an ork swinging its axe at her, slamming onto the concrete as her Persona froze the ork in place.

(Mitsuru) "Artemisia!"

Mitsuru's Persona froze another two approaching her, and shattered them into pieces.

(Ryuji) "COME ON YOU BIG SON OF A BITCH!"

Ryuji's grin grew as he slammed his mace into an Ork's head, but his smile turned into shock when his weapon broke.

The ork Ryuji hit laughed as it raised its arm.

(Ork) "BAHAHAHA!"

The Ork's arms slammed into Ryuji, sending him flying past the police tape which was at least 10 feet from the fight.

(Ann) "SKULL!"

Ann ducked as bullets whizzed over her head, using her whip and swinging it at the one that attacked Ryuji.

Once again, their melee attacks appeared to do nothing.

(Ork) "YA HIT LIKE WUN UV IM TAU BOYZ, HA!"

(Ann) "GO TO HELL! CARMEN!"

Ann's hands reached her mask and a swift pull summoned her Persona in front, and at a snap of her fingers, the ork was set ablaze screaming and flailing wildly.

Spinning around Ann set a squad of five on fire, a similar effect being achieved as their bodies turned to ash.

Three orks charged Naoto with their axes about to chop her head off.

A tarot card floated above her as he revolver aimed upwards.

(Naoto) "Sukuna Hikona!"

Her Persona appeared in front of the orks, confusing them.

(Ork) "Eh, wot iz 'dat? It's so tiny!"

Naoto's Persona swung rapidly at them, her sword arm finishing behind them.

The orks looked at themselves before looking back at Naoto.

(Ork 2) "DAT WAS NOTHING! YA KAN'T KRUMP AN ORK LIKE DAT!"

Naoto ignored them and ran past them to help out the others.

The three moved to pursue her, until one of their legs came off, then arms, then slowly their head.

(Ork) "...OH ZOG-"

Was the last words of the third ork as they slid into chunks, their corpses falling and their pieces mixed together.

The leader of the group watched in mild excitement and curiosity, never seeing this type of fighting before.

(Ork) "Im 'umiez are krumping our boyz pretty gud."

(Ork Leader) "Dat dey are, dat dey are..."

Mitsuru helped Ryuji up off the ground, her Persona shielding them.

(Mitsuru) "Are you alright?"

(Ryuji) "Hooooly shit, ugh think that guy broke one of my 'effin ribs!"

(Mitsuru) "So direct fighting is out of the question for us then. Can you still fight?"

Another group of three approached them as Ryuji took off his mask, more pissed off than ever.

Captain Kidd rammed straight into them, knocking them all into the ground, then shooting its cannon arm into the air and a bolt of lightning raining down and smiting them, their bodies falling limp.

(Ryuji) "That answer your question?"

Ryuji's face moved to smile but started coughing and falling on one knee.

(Ryuji) "HOHO-OH, THAT HURTS! J-JUST GO I...NEED A SEC!"

Captain Kidd moved to the defensive while the ork's guns started firing at him, the bullets being barely deflected.

Four more orks started to run towards Mitsuru, their guns aiming right at her.

Mitsuru's Persona created an icy floor beneath them, making them slip over and fall flat on their backs.

At a split second, spikes of ice shot up and tore them to pieces, Mitsuru quickly examining where the next threat was.

Ann and Naoto were engaged in close combat with two orks each, Ann's agility was the only thing keeping her from being cleaved in half by their frightening strength.

Carmen's flames were lighting them ablaze, but they were still somehow fighting.

Naoto's Persona created shields that deflected their attacks as she tried to figure out how to get out of the defensive.

Any longer meant that those axes were splitting her head in two.

Naoto raised her revolver and shot one of them in the eye, making them recoil and shove the other ork back by accident.

Quickly seizing the chance, her Persona moved for their hands, then decapitating them at the blink of an eye.

Ann's Persona kicked up the intensity of her fires, to the point where the concrete itself was set on fire, reducing them to literally nothing.

The Ork's leader turned to the last three next two him and they jumped down, eager to get in the fight.

That fight was short lived as those two orks were quickly frozen, then smashed to pieces by Captain Kidd.

(Ork Leader) "HAH, YA KAN FIGHT, I LIKE 'DAT 'UMIE!"

(Ann) "Which one of you is the commander or whatever?!"

(Ork) "I AM!"

(Ork Leader) "WOT?!"

Ann's Persona burned the Ork Leader to Ash, leaving the singular one alive.

The ork struggled to conceal a smile. Now HE would be the boss.

...Assuming he'd live from these humies who look ready to kill him anyway.

(Naoto) "Is that all of them?"

(Ryuji) "Y-Yeah, looks like it."

[Wicked Plan - Persona 5 OST]

The Ork jumped down laughing.

(Ork) "Not bad, not bad at all!"

(Naoto) "Now, you'll answer our questions! What are you?!"

(Ork) "Why do yer 'umiez always sound 'da zoggin' same? We'z orkz! 'Da greenest an' bestest!"

(Ann) "...Uh, what is he saying?"

(Ryuji) "'Eff if I know..."

(Naoto) "Now, where did you come from?! And is that the Crystal Tower?!"

(Ork) "Krystal Tower...? OH! 'Da giant shiny spiky place, yea we kame from 'der. Stupid name ya gave it, dough."

Naoto was taken aback by how casual it sounded. They had just killed 29 of their...friends? Why did it sound like it didn't care?

(Mitsuru) "They're from Fodlan...? We never encountered anything like these Orks during our time there."

(Ork) "Actually we kame from da boss's ship. It gets konfusing, furst 'der was da weirdboyz 'ploding, den dose weird gits wit' da 'xtra arms attack'n us, den-"

(Mitsuru) "GET TO THE POINT."

(Ork) "We smash da zog outta some lanky boyz an' we have im lead'n us ta bigga an' betta loot! but dey backstabbed us, when we were gonna backstab our boss!"

(Ryuji) "Alright asshole, take us to Fodlan then!"

(Ork) "Wit' pleasure! i've got a mind ta teach ‘da lanky boyz a lesson! ‘da name's Gravestompah!"

(Ann) "Just shut up and get us there!"

(Gravestompah) "Psh, yer 'umiez neva know how ta have fun..."

The four followed the Ork inside cautiously into the Crystal fragment, and as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared.

...

===

GROUP CHAT: Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitagawa, Makoto Niijima, Futaba Sakura, Haru Okumura, Sumire Yoshizawa

Futaba: HOLY CRAP GUYS PUT ON THE NEWS!!!

Makoto: A giant rock crashed onto the street?

Haru: My goodness, is everyone alright?

Futaba: Yeah yeah people are fine, but watch this footage I'm sending!

VIDEO.mp4

Yusuke: So our group was on the scene...

Sumire: Where in the world did they go?

===

(Morgana) "Hey, didn't that look like the Crystal tower?"

(Akira) "Yeah...No way that's just a coincidence."

===

You: I think that was the Crystal Tower. The one from...what was it called?

Yusuke: Zanado, the Red Canyon. I agree, it looks to be a part of the Crystal Tower.

Futaba: Ann, Ryuji, you guys alive?!

...

Makoto: No response.

Haru: Leader, what's our course of action?

You: We meet ASAP. Boss's cafe. I'll message the others to meet up as well.

Futaba: Loud and clear!

Yusuke: Understood.

Makoto: See you there.

Haru: Stay safe, everyone!

Sumire: Got it, Senpai!

===

Akira put away his phone and looked to Morgana.

(Morgana) "So how are we gonna get to Shibuya? We don't have a means of transportation."

Akira reached into his pocket and pulled out a small crest of House Isekai's logo.

(Akira) "Think I got an idea..."

[TO BE CONTINUED]

#House Isekai #House Isekai ARR #rean schwarzer #satou kazuma #towa herschel #aigis #sitri eisner #kairos pasha #elizabeth mcgrath

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