#at least it'll be at my back on the way home. small blessings.

[orcelito]

Mannnnnnn my physical exhaustion from that shit ass bike ride in the wind this morning fucked with my bowling score for REAL. I got a 92, which is better than what I was getting the first two games! But it's still a lot lower than what I Was getting

Makes me wanna go to free bowling for more practice, but I don't think that'd help me right now. Right now, I think the most helpful thing for me would be to Rest. And so I will.

[chimielie]

my lover, my life, my shawty, my wife

summary: Ushijima x f!Reader. snapshots of eternal youth.

word count: 1.3k

cw: lighthearted manhandling, longterm established relationship ups (and one down), marriage talk and mention of toshi’s parents’ divorce. it’s basically all fluffy and silly tho

a/n: nobody @ me i wrote literally 99% of this a couple weeks ago and just remembered it was in the drafts today i’m working on the promised fics!!! it will just be A While i’m slow okayyy 💘 anyway enjoy some pure ushijima fluff

“Ushiwaka!!!” You shriek, voice breaking with laughter as you slam your hands against his backside. “Put me down, you—you barbarian! Kidnapper! Plunderer!”

He doesn’t say anything, just jostles you gently so your top half (currently upside-down over his broad shoulder) sways while your legs stay firmly in the grip of his arms. You know it’s as close as he’s going to get to a verbal admonishment, your current position already more than enough of an indication that he is fed up with you acting up in a public setting.

“Fine,” you scrunch up your face, sure that he can envision it just the same as you can see in your mind’s eye the near-invisible traces of amusement on his face. “Ugh, you’re going to make me sick. You are so bossy. I can’t believe you think that you can just pick me up and carry me around and tell me what to do. You don’t even say please, you know that?”

He probably gets the idea that he can just pick you up and carry you around and tell you what to do from the ten years that he's been doing all those things, since high school.

You've never gotten sick from being carried like this, either.

“You are bossy,” he says simply in rebuttal. "You say please but you know I'll do whatever it is you want. Even unreasonable things."

"I'm always reasonable," you say. He pats your butt in a way that isn't supposed to be condescending but is. You smack his in return and enjoy the way his back muscles tense up. "Ooh, you've been training your glutes."

He's been doing it in your home gym. You've always been loud about obvious things like this; he doesn't understand it, especially, but he likes it. At first, that had been much of your relationship. You were loud and obvious about your feelings for the up-and-coming teenage ace, and he didn't understand you, but he liked you.

He considers, and then revises his previous thought. He understands you better now. You talk through even things you and he know well because it helps you to process your thoughts, and you are determined to be shocked and delighted by all small things in the world.

"Hello, Bo-kun!" you wave to his teammate. Bokuto, bless him, attempts to bend over upside down to mimic you.

"Hey, Ushijima-san!" Ushijima is lucky that everyone in the facility knows you and you don't have to clarify to any security guards that you aren't in danger, for real. You take offense to the idea that you couldn't win in a fight against him, anyway.

You had been asserting this particular belief, actually, to the rest of the Japanese men’s volleyball team while they stretched post-practice and friends and family were allowed on court to distract them. Atsumu had been egging you on, urging you to try fighting another of the players since he didn’t trust Wakatoshi not to let you win currently. You had rolled up your shirtsleeves when the ace scooped you up and you had, already protesting, waved goodbye to the blond, a huge grin on your face. He had saluted you as you went.

“We’re not married yet,” you say, bonking your forehead into Wakatoshi as he stops short. “You all don't have to keep saying that. Please, call me—”

"Oh, Waka-kun said," Bokuto starts before being cut off.

“We may as well be," Wakatoshi says, turning to face Bokuto (At least turn sideways so I can see, you complain). "It'll happen eventually, so we can start practicing by calling her my wife now."

"What?!" You say. "Don't say things like that. You sound like you like me. Do you like me? Do you want to be more than friends?"

People have always talked about your relationship in begrudging terms. "Oh, opposites attract, I guess..." spoken in a disbelieving and reluctant tone. He understands. Most high school relationships didn't work out. Most people would get frustrated with him and his communication style. Then most long-distance relationships didn't work out. Most young professional athletes wanted to try new things, new people.

Wakatoshi doesn't understand why he would want to try something new when he had something perfectly fine with you. He had said that to you, once, when you were in Sapporo and he in Koganei. You had gotten very quiet for the rest of the call and then remained quiet for two weeks, sending all of his messages to read and calls to voicemail. It had taken a short flight and a shy, quiet apology to right his wrongs. He had known that he would spend the rest of his life with you, he said, forgetting to blink even as you furiously swiped away tears, a month in when you were fifteen. Barely longer than this terrible time you had stopped even fighting with him, just giving up on him. Why would he try anything else when he had never deviated from this path?

But what if you're just not seeing that there might be something better out there for you, you had said, voice angry but face already forgiving. Worse, what if you do see that someday? You’ll get tired of settling.

He had shaken his head. There isn't something better. Please, continue to be patient with me. Your breath had burst out of you in a single sob, and then you were yanking him toward you, ordering him to kiss you so you'd stop crying in front of all the neighbors.

Considering his parents' marriage, one might have thought that he would have more qualms about the concept than he did. You didn't seem interested in pressuring him there, though, and when asked just reminded him that living together long enough would result in common-law marriage anyway, so he just had to tell you if he ever wanted to stop living together. After several years separated and more reunited, he hadn't yet found any desire to do so. He definitely had strong negative feelings about being away from you for extended periods.

He was very lucky that you had chosen a career path which would allow you to travel essentially anywhere with him, find lucrative work anywhere with him. The home gym had actually been your gift to him, from the bank account you didn't share. It was the most thoughtful and horrifyingly expensive gift he had ever received. He had retaliated by hiring your most favored interior designer to rework your apartment into something both sentimentally familiar and not decorated entirely on the whim of two mid-twenty-year-olds. While they worked, he took you on vacation.

"We have to go," Wakatoshi adjusts you in his hold, nodding to his teammate. You’re quiet for a bit, so he puts you down, steadying you by your waist until your head stops swimming.

“You know we have to talk about these things,” you say, looking steadily at him.

“Yes,” he rumbles, considering his words for a moment. “I’ve been thinking about it more often recently. I still don’t feel strongly about the idea of a wedding, but I want you to be my wife. If you want to be.”

Insecurity sparks in him. You enjoyed your friend’s weddings, but perhaps you didn’t want one of your own, or one to him. Perhaps he had crossed a boundary.

“I don’t know,” you tap your lips with a finger, and a weight lifts off his chest when you smile at him. “I’ll see when you ask me. But I want it to be sometime in the future, somewhere more scenic than your athletic facility, okay? With a ring and a sappy speech.”

He smiles, then, his teeth showing. An explosive and momentous display of emotion.

“I’ll be sure to say please.”

[their-dearest]

The day he met his demise.

[Tw: death and mentions of blood and injury.]

It was quiet. Too quiet, save from the deafening gasp leaving his mother's lips. Each passing second is gnawing upon Ruu's patience and, soon, his sanity.

How much longer does he have to play the part? Days? Months? Years? Maybe centuries? Spirits, he lost track of every moment.

All he knows is that this cycle happens every three days.

If only he had joined his dearest friends, maybe he would have at least gotten to—

"Ruu," his father—no, Grandpa Mata called upon him—"The Thunderbird awaits you."

Those words, no matter how many times it reaches his ears, never fail to make his throat dry.

He tried to find some response, anything, but all of them slithered underneath his tongue. And when his eyes met his father's, he couldn't help but notice how his eyes glistened under the dimming sky.

Are those tears?

No, his father was never the one who wore his heart on his sleeve. Always so distant and unwavering just like the fog Thunderbird blessed Tsurumi. And yet, in that moment, he saw a side he had never known existed. Vulnerability and humanity.

After all, his father bleeds the same shade of crimson as him.

"Yes, Grandpa Mata."

The boy nodded, pulling his coat around himself with his trembling hands. It wasn't even cold in the slightest, and yet the very atmosphere sent streams of sweat to trickle down his forehead. With each step he took, his knees would tremble under his weight, until one particular pebble makes him lose balance for a second.

He braced for impact, but it never came.

Ruu's mother, Sak, rushed to his side, cradling his form before his knees met the brash cobble. Her hands, often soft and gentle, held on his shoulders with an iron grip, fearing that if she'd let go, he'd lose her too… just like the children before him.

"You don't have to do this, please. Please, let's return home, Ruu." His dearest mother bargained. Each syllable was shaken with desperation and stained with grief for what's to come.

"My boy, why must you sacrifice yourself?"

Why did he have to die? He never wanted to die. No one does. But if it'll make the island a better place… he's willing to be that sacrifice.

Her indigo hues met his own, and for once in a long time, his mind was silent. It was like staring at his mirage, a glimpse of what he could've been—sharing the same azure locks and the same fickle hope in their eyes.

"She chose me for a reason, Mom."

His frail yet calloused fingers grazed hers before setting her arm to her side, "Please, let me do this for you. For all of us."

Her shoulders went limp.

Ruu's heart faltered, along with the remaining hope in her mother's eyes. She took a step back, then another, until she resided in her spot by the altar's base, along with the village women.

Each flock to her way, offering ounces of solace to her grieving heart. But none can soothe the flood of tears cascading down her face.

With a quivering sigh, the boy turned his back and dragged his feet to the altar. He has done it countless times, each moment ending the same. But the blade slashing his tongue doesn't sting less, nor does the blood taste any less vile. And her resignation didn't hurt any less.

There it was. That Makiri resting on his father's sash. Ruu knew that blade far too well.

His feet move on its own, taking a small, yet rehearsed step forward. He remembered wielding that very carving knife when he was half his age as he cut through the flesh of a small rabbit, his first hunt, all while his father guided him through the entire process.

And now, that very knife has been and will continue to carve against his flesh.

When Ruu found his way to the top, his gaze lingered on the golden goblet to his left. The mere sight of it made his knees tremble. Was it out of fear or exhaustion? Perhaps so, perhaps not. But he paid no mind as he laid his back against the cobbled altar. His eyes drift to the skies once more, specks of magenta, scarlet, and ashen gray swirled together to form a maelstrom of colors, a symbol of Her Thunder.

Ruu took a few deep breaths, relishing the way his lungs would rise as he let the weight of his eyelids take over. His father's footsteps echo with the cobblestone, each step grew weaker than the last. And soon enough, his shadow loomed over his head. His small hands balled into fists as his nails dig through his coarse skin.

For what's the point of watching if he knew what's to come?

A droplet. Then, another.

When the boy opens his eyes, his eyes widen at the sight above him.

Tears? Is he seeing things?

His father, Grandpa Mata, weeps above him. The every-stoic man, the face of their tribe, is reduced to a mourning man. His hand trembled at the handle of the carving knife as every teardrop fell against Ruu's cheek. Every breath he took was a laboured one, as his shoulders quivered.

He cries on his son's behalf.

"Grandpa," His voice wavers ever so slightly. But his words are met with silence. And so, he continued. "Grandpa, please, don't cry."

Ruu's hand gripped his trembling limb, guiding the glistening steel to his lips.

"I believe in you," his voice trails off before he can even finish, “Dad.”

As Mata took a deep breath and tightened the knife in his hand, Ruu's heart raced. He knew that the first cut would hurt the most. The pain would be unbearable, but he prayed that it would also erase the burden of his people.

Mata's hand trembled as he raised the knife. The boy closed his eyes and breathed through the anticipation. One final, calm breath before the agonizing storm. With a quick swipe, Mata made the first incision on his tongue, and Ruu felt a flash of intense pain. He winced and clenched his hands as tears streamed down his face.

The pain was like nothing he had ever experienced before. It was searing and sharp, as if someone had taken a hot blade and sliced cleanly through his tongue. But that is far from the case.

He felt an intense aching in the area where his tongue had been split. The taste of blood filled his mouth, and he could feel the crimson, coppery liquid running down his throat, while salty tears flooded his chin.

But even through the agony, Ruu felt a shred of hope. The sacrifice had begun, and he prayed it would grant his people a second chance.

He would make this sacrifice over and over again if it meant regaining Her gaze once more.

Splash!

At the seventh slash, his tongue plunged into the pooling blood in the golden goblet.

Ruu's tongue, flesh and blood, stared back at him mockingly. The sanguine-tinged liquid waves in a nauseating manner, and spirits, it burns throughout his mouth. His senses dulled as the warm blood seeped from his lips and all the color bleeds from his face.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts. Please, make it stop… I don’t wanna die anymore.

Ruu is fading fast. His vision clouded, and his mind was heavy. Panic rose in his chest like the inferno oozing from his mouth. The world began to slip away, and the last thing he remembered was the burning sensation in his throat, rising, rising until it consumed him completely.

The weight of the world rested on his eyelids, as exhaustion took over him. In his last moments of clarity, the boy's mind wandered on one thought, all while his indigo hues met his mother's.

And a boy named Ruu took his last breath.

It was quiet, too quiet, save for the wailing of a grieving mother.

[neteyamyawne]

300 Followers Special

How they react when they catch you wearing their things : (female version)

Neytiri :

Neytiri loves when you wear her things, let it be her charms, arm bands, tops anything, she relishes in the fact that you have a piece of her with you always.

Whenever she passes by the weavers and sees a piece of garment she likes, her first thought is how good it'll look on you.

She Absolutely adores it when your face lights up with the things she brings home for you, even if it's a simple pebble that reminds her of you, it's coming home.

Her love for you just never fails to amaze you, she never fails to remind you how much you mean to her and gifting you things is an important part of it.

If she's in a bad mood just looking at your face makes her day better, even if it's just for 2 minutes she'd take it, coming back from hunts, there's bound to be a pouch full of gifts for you to wear.

Kiri :

Just like her father she didn't know you wore her things until she found you wearing her top, flaunting them to your friends as well.

You prided in wearing her tops, they were made so beautiful you just couldn't resist yourself before putting them on.

You'd tell everyone who listens about how your mate made it and how beautiful it is, if someone disagrees they better sleep with one eye open that night.

Kiri feels so much more confident when you're around her, you're her energy source, a word of compliment from her sends her into a blushing fit, she's absolutely smitten for you and you know it.

You never seem to stop boasting how pretty she is or how talented she is, people can bleed through their ears for all you care, she's the only one you have eyes for and the only one you compliment non stop.

Ronal :

You were always fascinated by her tsahik headdress, and when you saw it laying on the table unattended, you knew this was your chance.

Standing in front of the mirror, you traced the ridges of the shell, the small knife attached to it falling right at the base of your throat, the beads on the intricate threading in your hair standing out, it was the most beautiful thing for you.

Ronal smiled at the sight of you wearing her headdress, her heart swelled at how much admiration you held for her in your eyes, of course her being the tsahik made her stay out for most of the time but you couldn't love her any less

She walked forward startling you as she snuggled her chin on your neck, looking back at you in the mirror "you look lor, ma' yawnetu" you blush at her words.

You quickly move to remove it but she stops you, patting you hand, leaning forward to kiss your cheek she says "keep it on, you look better in this" with a smirk she's out your mauri, leaving you behind in a puddle.

Tsireya :

You both wear each other's things, at least one thing of the other is on either of you, like a sense of each other's presence forever with you.

She loves to make jewelry specifically for you and match them with hers, like the beads, shells or the trinkets she adds in them.

At every event you have to match with it, there's no other way, she needs to show everyone you're hers so this is her way.

You aren't mad either, what more could you ask? You liked to show her off to everyone you meet as well so it was a win-win situation.

She absolutely adores when you wear her creations, all her works are completed when you wear it for her, there's nothing she could ask for more than this

A/n : I'm sorry i didn't include tuk, i wanted this to be just romantic, but woah woah woah 300? Really, damn i was almost jumping when i saw it lmao, I'm so glad three hundred of you people are liking my stuff, thank you so much y'all, I'm sorry the next post will be a lot late because my new iPad is on its way, but if i can I'll post from my phone ☺️ again thank you so MUCH, bless you all 😘💚

© Neteyamyawne 2023 | All Rights Reserved. Do not repost on other platforms, copy, steal, or translate any of my works!

[echantedtoon]

Waning Obsession(Yandere Kokushibo x Reader) Ch7 Until I Can See You Again

(The pattern for the purple hydrangea scented candle is linked below.

pin.it/BubBAQAPD

This will also be in Kokushibo's P.O.V.. Also someone asked me if demons are immortal in the story. No. No while demons have supernatural powers, they're just like regular people otherwise. They are not cannibals, immortals, etc. So Kokushibo despite being a demon will grow old like any other person. I also debated on whether or not breathing styles exist in this plotline or not. They do exist but only to those whom are 'blessed'.

EDIT: Spelling errors are corrected.)

"What are you doing?"

She was confused when he sent the crow away and made his way from the home rather quickly making her blink and follow after him confused. He briskly walked his way back through town and all the way back to the little shop she worked at. He didn't bother knocking at all. Only slid the door open and walked right in. She heard the sounds of her boss squealing in fright and running away from the samurai walking inside. She naturally followed quickly and poked her head inside only to find the demon standing in front of the shelf of candles again, his hand quickly skimming across the wide selection until coming across a purple candle. The hand grabbed it and brought it to smell what scent came from this one. Hydrangea flowers. That'll do.

He turned back to her and held up the candle to her. "I have one last job for you, and I'll need it done quickly."

She blinked before slowly taking the candle from him. "Oh. Sure. I can do that too."

"I want it covered in stars. How soon can you get it done?"

"Stars?... It'll take me a few days but I can do it. What's this one for?"

"I can not go without a wedding gift for my brother and his bride. It would look disrespectful of me if I didn't at least gift him something to show my congratulations to them."

It would mean he'd be late in seeing his father again but his father was actually a very capable commander. He'd be able to hold his own until he returns. He was most likely not going to be able to attend Yoriichi's wedding, not that he wanted too in the first place, but not at least giving him a gift would again spread rumors between them further. He didn't need anything like that trouble him when there was a real problem going on.

"I need you to finish it as soon as possible for me. I've been called back to aid in battle soon. How soon can you get it done?"

She blinked her big eyes at him before looking over the candle calculating. "..Three days. I can have it done for you in three days."

"Then you must get started at this very moment."

She did. She started immediately. In the meantime he took to gathering all of his things and preparing to leave as soon as she had finished up. His father would no doubt be angry with him for taking so long, but fulfilling his mother's request and his obligations to Yoriichi's wedding ceremony on both his and their father's behalf would be a good enough excuse. After all, he'd be seen as a laughing stock if neither of them even congratulated Yoriichi or were too stuck up to gift him anyway. The things he had gotten him would again be acceptable without being too tacky or anything else. Three slow days had passed. Three sun rises. Three sunsets. And then another knock on his door. He opened it up to the woman again standing there panting like she ran the entire way there, purple candle in one hand and a small bag in the other.

"I'm so sorry I took so long," she forced out between gasps of air leaning against the door frame. "I'm*gasp* finished."

"Perfect." He was quick to accept the candle from her looking over the beautiful star shapes along the twilight purple like it was really the sky. Yoriichi would like this. "This is also acceptable...What is in the other bag you carry?"

She held it out to him. "A few more baked sweet potatoes and some dried deer meat. It should last you on your travels."

He accepted it. Food for his travels would be good. "I thank you and apologize for any troubles I may have caused you."

"Oh no. You didn't t-trouble me at all."

She smiled wider at him making him feel an unusual beat in his chest. He ignored it in favor of quickly just stuffing the candle back with the others and picking up everything he needed, holding both bags and walking towards the door. She blinked and backed out of the way to allow him to walk out and stop in front of her before he also held up something. It was a-...Holy cow!

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST PHEASANT SHE HAD EVER SEEN IN HER LIFE!!

It had enough meat on its bones to last three days if she cooked it right, and it looked freshly hunted as if he had gotten it just that money. In question she looked at him.

"I already paid you for the first job, however I have no money to pay for a second rushed job. Instead of money, take this as payment for springing everything on you last minute. I'm sure you'll make great use of it."

She slowly took it from his hands almost dropping it at first. It had a decent weight to it. "I..T-Thank you but I can't take this. You caught this yourself."

"I will not accept free labor from you," he bluntly interrupted making her look at him again. "You have done enough for me, you deserve compensation for your work. ..Do NOT let that old woman or her family take anything from you. I must leave now."

"Back to the war." It wasn't a question but he nodded anyways before silently stepping around her and walking away without another- A hand grabbing his made him stop and turn to stare at longing turquoise eyes. "Will I be able to see you again? I mean..will you ever do business here again?"

He stood there silently staring at her for a long moment..The demon bowed to the maiden at the hip, a grip lifting her hand to his eyes. The bandage was gone now but a faint scar still remained amongst others. A dangerous claw ran across the space where it used to be making her body shiver, her skin was still soft despite all the work she does.

A warmth breath hit her palm followed by soft lips pressed against the flesh. "A wound inflicted may disappear from one's body but the cause of it is remembered till the end." Lips murmured against her skin. "I shall not soon forget this or anything else." Gently a kiss was placed against flesh before he pulled his body reluctantly away to stare down at the beautiful red but shocked face of hers. The sunlight making her eyes sparkle and the warm wind blowing her hair around. The hand let go of hers before it reached out to pull the annoying strands from the red face, slowly sliding them away before sliding down her face and cupping the chin. "Until I can see you again."

The hand left her warm flesh and he turned to silently leave. Leaving behind the maiden that stared after him in flustered shock. Yes he would see her again. Soon. After he convinced his father to take over this part of the forest as new Tsugikuni territory.

----------------

Step after step. Day after day.

His legs carried him closer and closer towards the destination. He heard the sounds of loud laughter a mile before he even saw the outskirts of the city and was hit with the scent of many people merging together long before he even stepped foot inside the city and made his way quickly through the throngs of people and towards the center. His senses were attacked by the strong smells but thankfully it was absolutely NOTHING like last time thank the gods, although he feared what it'd be like when Yoriichi's wedding did happen. He was thankful he had an excuse to miss it. The crowds were terrible. Pushing against his body uncomfortably so and bumping his arms annoyingly so. And his father wondered why he preferred meeting outside his home city but that was just calm normal city behavior.

With a sigh he pushed through the crowds faster, wanting to get this done sooner. If nothing else he's only here for his mother and nothing else there. Yes. He'd see what was going on here, but then he was leaving right after. The closer he got to the main building, the annoying feeling of seeing his brother again filled him up with dread, which was why he was glad that at least the guards stationed at the entrance of his home weren't drunk and complete stone faced and serious. A perfect result of his brother's hard training. Which both angered and relieved him to no end. It took no time at all for them to recognize him even before he lowered the cloth over his face to stare at them.

"Open the doors."

They did so immediately, silently without even saying a word. One guard giving a specific coded knock on the door before a loud clicking noise of a thick lock undone before the thick doors was opened from the other side allowing him in and away from a lot of the noise. Not all but a good portion of it was blocked by the fifteen foot walls and the distant smell of alcohol was slightly dulled by the lush gardens stationed in and maintained throughout his home. Beautiful flowers blooming everywhere, some exotic and only grown within the confines of his home. Some relief flooded out of him but there was still the lingering dread of what was to come. A half growl left his lips.

"*Sigh* Let us be done with this."

The hat above his head was removed allowing him some freedom from him for a while. Six eyes popping open one after another in view of everyone and everything around him. Terrifying to most anyone who saw him. And most did cower or look away from him as he began walking straight through the garden and towards the main building. More guards were stationed around the estate or walking around on patrol. Most bowed as he walked past trying their best to not look him in the eyes. Good. Meant he was still largely received as stronger than them. Let them be afraid. He paid no attention to any of them making his way inside the building in search for his mother.

If he knew his brother, he'd be clinging to their mother's side as usual.

The large man caused many a servant and guard to keep to themselves as he made his way through finely furnished walls filled with paintings and other fine things only they could afford. Fine life for him to live outside of the battlefield. The only thing he could do for now was make his way to his mother's bed chambers and push open the door once he arrived there. The door creaked open loudly as he looked into the room...Ah. Just as he suspected.

"Aniue?"

Three figures sat down at inside the beautifully decorated room all looking at him in wide eyed surprise. His mother laying in the bed he had often begged her to lay down in for once. Finally. His brother right next to her sitting cross legged and that woman whom would soon become his sister-in-law sat right next to him. His fists tightened up and eyes became half lidded staring at them..before he noticed the almost horrified look on the woman's face. Uta? Yes. He remembered her name now. Uta was her name. Uta was staring at him with eyes so big they might've been an owl. Ah. Right. She hadn't seen him in this form before..he supposed he should revert back to his more human appearance for this brief meeting. He wouldn't be staying for long anyways so there was no need to frighten her. Two pairs of eyes closed and disappearing melting back into flesh and disappearing from view, and two purple human pupils blinked at them from a single pair of eyes on his face. A similar shade to his brother's eyes, but while his eyes were similar Yoriichi's eyes had a more reddish tint to them. Uta seemed to watch in utter shock and complete awe at his face transforming into a more human face.

A face that looked so much like his twin's.

"Forgive me for frightening you like that, Miss Uta," he strained to remain polite in front of his mother and offered her a bow of his head. "I had assumed my brother would've told you about me by now."

She didn't saw anything at first but then gave an awkward smile and wave. "O-Oh no. It's o-ok. I just.. wasn't expecting to see you a-again so soon, Brother."

"Yes. I do apologize for dropping in unannounced like this but I am here for a reason." Wanting to get out of there as soon as possible, he bluntly held up two bags. "I have brought a few things as I previously promised." His mother struggled to sit up as he walked over to her so Yorichii reached out to pull her into a sitting up position. "Mother..." He slowly knelt to rest on his knees and presented the biggest bag to her. "Here. I have brought you what you requested."

Akeno weakly smiled at him, her face despite looking old and tired was still beautiful. "Michikatsu. My son." Weak hands reached out to him and he leaned over to allow her to cup his face. "You were always such a good boy." A hand patted his cheek. "Your father could never fully stomp that part out of you." The hands left his face before she turned her attention to the bag he offered. "Oh. I'm excited to see what these are. Are they all from the same carver?"

He nodded. "Yes. She's beautiful." His mother stopped and just looked at him for a second. His brother and Uta looked at one another suddenly. OH SHI- "She's beautifully CARVED you many things." He quickly clarified as casually as he could earning him a confused look from Uta and a..hopeful smile from Yoriichi. What the hell was he smiling about now?! His mother only gave him an all knowing smile. "Open it. You'll find it to your liking." He quickly changed the subject.

"Mm hm." His mother gave him a teasing smile that had him feeling more dread but she only went to opening the bag he gave her much to his relief. A hand reached in and the scent of cherry blossoms filled the air as the first thing she pulled out was the pink candle decorated with carvings of sakura flowers in bloom. His mother's face fell open in delighted surprise as soon as she saw it. "Oh my goodness.." A hand slowly ran over the flowers in the wax. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"Oooh! How pretty!," Uta gushed looking fondly at the candle too.

"There's many others." He nodded at the bag. "Go on."

He took great delight watching his mother's awestruck, happy smile as she slowly kept pulling candle after candle out of the bag and gushing at the colors, and smells, and artwork etched right into it. Happily passing them between herself and Uta and Yoriichi whom also took great pleasure in admiring Y/n's skills. His mother especially seemed to enjoy the small lavender soap bird and the sage scented maple leaf soap he had also gotten her, the bird no doubt reminding her of her beloved little Ebony. Good. Maybe his mother's uplifted attitude will help her health get better. They saw laughter was the best medicine, but maybe being happy would be a good substitute? He caught sight of the small blueberry candle and it briefly reminded him of the same plain candle he had given her...he forced his eyes away as his mother continued to gush about them. However of course his brother would have to notice.

"Michikatsu?" He stiffened at his brother's voice. "Brother, you seem bothered by something." His brother's calm but concerned voice asked. "Is something the matter?"

Yes. A troublesome woman kept invading his thoughts.

He shook his head no stiffly. "No. I'm only reminded of why I'm here." He finally bothered to look at his brother's face. "I had gotten your message but I...regret that I cannot attend your wedding."

Yoriichi's calm smile saddened a bit at that. "I see..Any particular reason why?"

"I'm sure you heard about Father's peace talks not going over well. With the war about to continue and how sudden you sprung this on everyone, I will not be able to attend. My place is ensuring our territory isn't completely taken over."

"Ah. Well if that's the case then Im glad you were able to visit us in person before we had the ceremony. I appreciate you taking the time to come tell me in person."

He came for their mother not him! No matter how kind he treated him. No..matter how..living he treated him.

"However I do intend to fulfill my obligations still." The second much smaller bag was tossed into Yoriichi's lap making his brother blink at it. "A wedding gift from Father and myself to you and your bride. You have our.. congratulations. I assume you also sent Father an invitation as is courtesy?"

Uta's eyes went wide with wonder as Yoriichi let her take the bag from him and open. "Yes. He didn't say anything in return to us." He looked saddened but also relieved in a way before he looked at him again. "But I know you both are very busy. Still I am more sad you won't be there, Michikatsu. I had hoped things would finally be calm and I could celebrate my union with you and Mother."

"You know I can not. It's how things are."

"Even still...I am happy you responded to my message, Brother. Seeing you makes me happy knowing you're alright."

.. Again he looked away from his brothers eyes. What did he know? He knew nothing about his struggles or what he had to endure every day! Uta's gasp thankfully got the attention off of him and back onto the things she held. More specifically the lemon scented sun he....He bought that for Yoriichi anyways...It wasn't planned to be a wedding gift but it was a convenient way to disguise his intentions. His brother like the first time was also in awe and smiling fondly at it all.

"These are beautiful gifts." His hand carefully ran along the soap sun in his hands. "It looks just like the real thing."

"And look at how cute this is!," Uta gushed over the flower smelling candle, "So pretty! I love it! Thank you so much, Brother!"

"It is the least I could've done. I can not stay longer however. Father wants me back east."

Yoriichi nodded still smiling. "I understand fully. Please be safe." His hands closed around the sun in his hands. "And please tell Father to be safe as well."

"You just take care of Mother-"

"Michikatsu." He paused when his mother looked at him knowingly. "Are you going to marry soon?" He paused completely. "I figured with the war going on, your father might push you to marry sooner."

"....That is not a priority for me right now. You know that."

"I know but I just thought that perhaps.." Her smile widened cheekily. "You might have a candidate in mind at least."

"No. I do not." He calmly stood up. "I must leave now. Continue to care for things here, and this time listen to the doctors and rest."

He bowed before turning on his heel and walked out of the room-

"Elder Brother!" He stopped in the doorway as Yoriichi stood up. "I understand that you and Father might be angry with me, with Mother, about my marriage being done the day it is..but I am only doing this because I want to be happy. I love Uta. If Father had it his way we all know he would've never had let me have this." A hand of Uta's slowly reached out to grab his hand and Yoriichi shakily held it tightly. "He never would've let us be happy. If you find yourself in the same situation.. don't let Father take away your happiness."

He said nothing but stood there for a long moment before he silently left. Fists clenched and jaw stood firm.

Dam Yoriichi! What did he know!?

HE WOULD NEVER DISGRACE HIMSELF BY MARRYING A LOWLY WOMAN!! AS HEIR HE HAD AN OBLIGATION TO FIND A SUITABLE WOMAN TO GIVE HIM THE STRONGEST HEIRS POSSIBLE WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF BECOMING LEADERS!! YORIICHI WOULD NOT KNOW THAT BECAUSE HE NEVER PUT DUTY BEFORE HIS OWN SELFISH WANTS!! IF HE HAD TO MARRY THE MOST COLD HEARTED WENCH IN THE LAND IN ORDER TO GET STRONG CHILDREN THEN SO BE IT!! THAT WAS WHERE HE FATE AND DUTY LIED! NOT CHASING WORTHLESS FANTASIES!

He would forget about the woman with turquoise eyes and soft smiles. Some time away and heat from battles would do wonders to help him retain his control. He was not be controlled by senseless feelings and will return to his own destiny. He was more than happy to get out of that estate. To leave that dam crowded city. To be by himself for a while so he could focus. He should focus his attention to what mattered most! His duties to his clan. His fate as further heir. His destiny to his father. And his obligations to his bloodline.

... Against his own wishes his brain conjured up a sight of beauty.

Of a beautiful maiden with turquoise eyes peering shyly up at him from under the hood of a beautiful silk white kimono. Her hair beautiful done up despite being hidden by the kimono's hood. Soft face framed by the beautiful locks of silky hair. Cheeks a rose red. Turquoise eyes sparkling as large lashes batted shyly up at him. A smile gracing her face as lips pink with lipstick aimed at him. A series of giggles left her as she fiddled shyly with his hand pulling him closer.

"I love you, Michikatsu."

A demonic cry cascaded through the valley. Animals of all kinds scattered away for their lives as the raged volume echoed throughout the sky. A horrible crackling sound wafted out. Bark splintered under his hands. A once mighty tree lost its life from the blow to its trunk. It's body crackling before a loud boom of soft dirt cathing itself stopped it. A squirrel losing their home.

Michikatsu stood there panting. His lungs heaving for air like a drowning man. Desperate hands trembling as he looked at them. His palms covered in pieces of bark from where they collided with the tree... before they slowly closed tightly despite his shaking.

"Get a fucking hold of yourself. She's just a woman who you met only for business. I will not give in to these mad delusions like Yoriichi. I WILL SURPASS HIM IN THIS!!"

His voice carried over as with a growl the demon disregarded the damage he did and continued on his way hands still likely shaking. Shaking from rage ..or fear of these increasingly difficult to control thoughts he didn't know.

"I am to forget her! Besides...she would never want me..."

Eyes stared at the claws of the trembling hands. For once regret and a bit of disgust filling the spot that once held rage. At least he was nothing more than another customer to her, at most just an acquaintance who happened to be a demon.. He was meant to look powerful and feared by all. No sane woman would willingly marry him if it wasn't for his status. There was a clear reason he wasn't married yet..and why women fawn over his brother far more.

"No woman would ever be with a monster."

[umbralsound-xiv]

Home Comforts.

The last leg of our journey, and only three more stones to visit. It is a comforting feeling to know we are a little closer to home, and all that we will be walking around are likely places i have been before. Still. They are so much more magical, for having her with me.

"It was pleasant enough in the snows… But i am glad to be in warmer climes…" Eir murmurs, smoothing a hand over his arm with a sigh, as to dismiss the last bit of cold, though they had long departed Coerthas, now. The hand, as ever, finds one of Sayuri's own soon after. "I never thought i would come to find a forest home ever again, in all my cycles…"

Sayuri glances at him, cheekily raising her hand to crawl two, chilly fingers up along his arm before her hand drops back down to be grasped by his, an innocent smile on her lips. ".. Life has a funny way with things, sometimes."

"I am quite fond of these funny little things life has thrown at us, sometimes. Less fond of other parts…" Eir huffs quietly, leaning down to level his gaze with her own for a few long moments. He kisses her with a smile on his lips, pulling back. "At least we will have a more comfortable place to rest after our travels this sun, hm?"

"… Well.. yeah." She mumbles, glancing up at him with a tilted head. Her lips meet his softly, ears wiggling. "Mmh. As nice as it has been.. it'll be good to be home."

"Home. To as many pillows as we can fit into a corner, to bookshelves, and a decent bath…" He sighs in peace at even the thought of it, walking onwards. "And just three more gods to visit, yes?"

A soft snicker escapes her, head sinking into a nod. ".. Nophica, Byregot and Althyk."

"…And the first is…" As he crosses the threshold to the opening, his eyes widen at the scale of the stone ahead of him. "…Nophica. She is the patron of Gridania, yes?" He asks, lofting a brow. "…You can tell."

Sayuri's gaze lifts to the stone, lips tugging into a thin line. "… Yes."

...Why this stone is so incomparibly huge to the rest of them, i suppose can be attributed to the Gridanian's reverance of her. It is a land full of many things growing, i suppose...

"…I wonder how they got it all the way up there? I imagine conjurers might have something to do with it… Goodness." He contemplates the enormity of such a task, digging through his satchel. From within, a tiny sprout of a plant is pulled, and set in the alter before him. "Nophica… Goddess of Abundance. My only ask is for comfort. To ensure we have always enough food, enough warmth. The rest is inconsequential, so long as i have her." Eir offers a warm smile. "---And… Perhaps some kind of blessing on my houseplants would be nice, too…"

Sayuri's shoulders shifted into a small shrug, glancing between the mark and the altar. Her hand sinks into her satchel to withdraw a small piece of a mistletoe, which she then approaches the altar to place it down upon before withdrawing. Her gaze shifts a touch awkwardly around the area, ears lowering just a touch. "..I.. have no words." She mumbles.

"…Sometimes we do not, but the blessing is recieved regardless, i wager." Eir smiles, extending his hand for her to take. "…Southwards now, yes? I am beginning to learn these woods well enough, i think."

She reaches to grasp his offered hand, lips curling into a faint smile before her head sinks into a nod.

"The next is some fair walk away, but at the very least it is not so far home, after." He begins to walk onwards, then. "The beds in Ishgard were not the most comfortable… I wager i will sleep well, later."

"Mmh.. At least you managed to keep some warmth, even if you were hugging me." A soft snicker leaves her, her hand squeezing his gently.

"The coat helped. And my heart was warm, even if my toes were not." Eir hums, tracing his thumb over her knuckles. "I will appreciate it in Thavnair… The weather is a different kind of heat. The sort that makes everything stick to you."

".. I can't wait to go with you." She smiles. ".. All the more reason to hold onto me, hm?"

"As though i needed more reason. I will try not to be -too- clingy in public." Eir gave a wry smile, looking to her.

She chuckles, head leaning over to bump against his shoulder. ".. But no promises, mmh?"

"…No promises. That would be too difficult a promise to keep." Humming, he leans to peck her on the cheek, walking on.

"Don't worry, I won't make you promise that." She smiles, ears wiggling at the peck.

The heat in Thavnair is stifling. No wonder we spent so long near the water; the ocean helped temper it on the worst suns, even if we came home covered in salt and smelling of seaweed. ...What i would give to swim in that sea again. Perhaps she will join me...?

"…So many places that i hope are still there. I wager so much will have changed in my long absence. But it is an ancient city. Surely forty or so cycles should not matter so much…"

".. Even if they're not, we get to discover new, or forgotten, areas together, yes?" She offers a soft smile, squeezing his hand.

Her words brighten him, offering a warm smile. "…I would like that. No matter what, it will be nice, there. And we will find you something to wear, hm? You could always ask in the Weaver's guild?"

".. Weaver's guild in Thavnair… or Ul'dah?" She slowly raises a brow, tilting her head.

"…Both, i suppose? Though the last i know, there is not so much a guild of weavers in Thavnair as a whole industry dedicated. To making the cloth, and also to those who fashion it into clothes. No doubt you could hire a tailor."

".. Ah. Well.." She pauses, a small grimace settling on her features. ".. I suppose I could see if Ul'dah has anyone that knows Thavnairian clothing.."

"It is popular. I would be surprised if they did not." He looks over her for a moment. "…You really would look lovely in it…"

She offers a small smile, squeezing his hand before furrowing her brows in thought. ".. I dislike the thought of going alone, and Bexy does have more things to do than tending to my troubles.." She mumbles, mostly to herself. ".. Maybe I'll bring Vex, I'm.. sure she could use some more clothes, considering.. She only has one set of it."

"…You… Would both be safe, going there?" He says, as though he himself hadn't ventured there not even a moon ago. "…You will take the airship?"

".. Going through the aether isn't exactly an option for me, and I'm not.. sure Vex knows how to? So.. yes. An airship." She peers up at him, tilting her head. ".. We'd only be in the city, and Vex is free of her collar.. They have no control over her anymore."

"I just…" Sighing, gently squeezes her hand. "…I… Worry. More than i should, i know. You will be fine…" He murmurs, telling himself, more than her.

She squeezes his hand in return, offering a reassuring smile. ".. I will be fine. I won't be alone."

...I will still worry. Even if it is just the two of them... And they are in the city. I did not see anyone during my trip, but that is to say they may have been hidden in plain sight. Regardless, i got back without any issue... ...I can hardly keep her cooped up in the room for the fear of it. She will be fine. She will. ...

"…I know." Eir replies, fighting to attempt a smile, though his brow knit with worry still. "…I will be waiting for your return, when you choose to go. With something comfortable, and a warm pair of arms…" Settling a kiss to the top of her head, he stops as he approaches the stone. "…Which one is this? I know the last two are in this part of the Shroud."

She leans her head over to nudge it against his shoulder, keeping it there as she gazes upon the stone. "Althyk, the surveyor of change and God of space and time."

"I… See." Eir nods, briefly releasing her to fish about in his satchel once more. A small slip of paper, which a worn, blue ribbon is tied around, and a brand new one, just beneath. "…I am aware i have more time than most on these lands, be it by either virtue or curse of what i am. But for the cycles we will share, i ask that you make them plentiful. That our time will be long, and happy. And though many things will change… I know my love for her will only grow stronger." His offering is set before the stone, before he returns to her side.

Sayuri raises her head to let him move forth, only to sink her hand into her own satchel. She withdraws an hourglass, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand and leans down to settle it next to Eir's offering. ".. For a long life, and many cycles alongside the one I love." She looks up to him, displaying a soft smile.

Resting his head against her own, he draws a long, quiet sigh. Something about their words seems to have struck a nerve, as he slowly curls his arms around her for comfort, exhaling a quiet sigh. "…I love you." Eir whispers. It is a quiet, simple statement, brow knit as his eyes closed.

...A long life. How many years will the Gods afford us, i wonder? Perhaps if i left more offerings...? Sayuri is twenty-seven cycles old. B'nhara passed when she was seventy one... And it never seemed like enough time, ever. I cried for cycles when she left me. ...And i am doing this again. Again, i will watch her grow old and frail, and eventually pass away when the time comes. How many cycles will we have...? And that is if her aether does not take her first, or the battlefield, or some other vengeful, vindictive bastard with ill intentions. And i...? ...I will look the same as i do now, when it happens.... No. No no no. I can not think about this now. Even when she goes, she will have had a long, happy life, because i will have made it so. I will treasure every moment i have with her... Every single one.

She turns herself to more properly coil her arms around him, nudging her head against his. "I love you too." She murmurs, glancing up at him with concern lingering in her gaze.

Turning his head slowly, he presses his lips to her cheek, releasing her to find her hand with his once more. "…One more to go, yes?" Eir asks, a little more brightly.

She tightens her wrap a touch before her arms begin to withdraw, slightly tip-toeing to let her press a soft kiss against his cheek in return to the one he gave her before grasping at his hand, nodding gently.

"To think we have travelled so far, and there is still so much to see, even here in Eorzea. I think… I would like to travel places. Even for a sun or two. A picnic, or a night beneath the stars… It sounds nice."

"It sounds lovely." She smiles, squeezing his hand. "There are plenty of areas I haven't truly been to, or my visits have merely been in passing.. I'd love to see more with you." She pauses, snickering. ".. I'm sure Bexy has some opinions of romantic areas, too."

"I would ask her for a list, but i do not think i could remember it all, nor do i think that they make pieces of paper that long." Smirking, Eir flashes a grin to her in response. "But we could ask her for a few?"

".. I'm sure she'd happily get a journal and fill it to the brim with locations if we asked." She grins, a small chuckle leaving her. "We could."

"Oh, most certainly." Eir hums, though pauses soon after. "---You think she would? I… Would not mind reading it, if she did. Just because i am marrying you does not mean i will stop taking you on cute little dates. Sadly, those are inescapable." He grins.

".. Bexy, who is about as excited as both of us combined about the fact we're getting married?" She laughs softly. "… Yes." Her head tilts, a dramatic exhale leaving her. "Oh, no. The -horror-. My husband will take me on little dates." She smirks.

...The things we will see. The places we will go. I will make you happy, Sayuri, i promise. ...I promise you this, above all else.

"Oh yes. So many little dates. And i will kiss you…" Eir leans in, an ilm from her face as he draws in a whisper. "…In public."

She gazes up at him, a red tint taking to her cheeks. ".. Oh, Gods. In public, too? Have you no shame?" She giggles, leaning in to close the distance between them and settle a soft kiss upon his lips.

"No." Eir returns the kiss. "None at all." Pulling back… He returns, to steal another kiss with a grin. "…Not even a little bit."

A faint laugh leaves her between the kisses, one hand lifting to settle against his cheek - her thumb moving to gently caress it. "Good." She murmurs, smiling up at him.

Regarding her with a warm smile, Eir lingers in her touch for a little longer, before closing the last few steps to the remaining stone. A sigh leaves him, hand gently in her own. "…And here we are. The last one. Byregot, yes? The… Builder?"

Sayuri's head sinks into a nod, gaze drifting to the mark. "Yes."

Eir nods, and pulls the last offering from the satchel. It is a bow, tied and folded into the shape of a flower. "I have never been much of a maker of anything, in truth. My cooking is about as far as that goes. But i promise to always make a comfortable home, so long as you give me the means to do so. This is all i ask." With his offering given, and words spoken, he steps back, to allow Sayuri her own.

Sayuri quietly watches, hands slowly connecting to let her fidget with her fingers as she waits for her own turn. She levels her gaze with the mark, and draws a deeper inhale. ".. Most of my ability to create something that isn't of a destructive nature lies in art, yet.. I could not think of anything to draw, to offer.." Her eyes shift to Eir, ears lowering as a slightly guilty look takes to her features before her gaze returns to the mark. One hand cups over the other's palm, eyes shutting brows furrowing as her aether begins to stir, sending an unsteady flow into her hands. After a short moment, the flow halts - a sharper breath being drawn before she opens her eyes and lowers herself down to settle the so-far hidden creation upon the ground. An incredibly small replica of Sayuri’s own ice-made axe, joined with a just as small replica of one of Eir’s chakrams curling around the handle. “.. Our bond is already a strong one, built on our shared experiences.. And I can only request that you grant us the ability to uphold the foundation with ease, no matter what hardships we endure in the life we will share. That together.. We will always endure.”

...Her words sang with me. Our bond is a strong one, and i wager it will only grow stronger with time. Even through the most difficult times; and i know with her, there surely will be some. ...Seeing her in pain is never easy.

Eir looks with fondness at that which she'd crafted, smiling faintly though his own brows had knitted. "…Sayuri…" He half frowns, wrapping his arms around her to provide what comfort he could. He lingers there for a long moment… Before dropping a little lower, seeking to hoist her up in his arms. "Since you have deigned to be a little irresponsible, so will i." It's meant all in good faith, as he nudges his head to hers. "…I have wanted to do this for a little while…"

She pouts faintly, leaning herself against him a touch wearily. ".. I'm sorry." She mumbles, before offering a slow blink as she finds herself lift off her feet. She is swift to wrap her arms around his shoulders, gaze sinking to his side in an obvious worry. She offers the slightest of whines, nudging her head back against his. "..Please be careful.."

"I will be. It is a steady walk, not a maddening run. I wanted to practise for when i carried you home after the wedding. I wager a dress big enough would weigh as much as an axe…"

She keeps her small pout, head resting against his. ".. It won't be -that- heavy.."

"Then i will have no problem carrying you." He half bickers, head nudging her own. "…I like carrying you. I just… Wanted this time to be a sweeter memory, from the last, now that i am able."

...A sweeter thing than running for our lives from the compound. I had to... I had no choice. But if that action had claimed my life, i... Would have died happy. Happy, in that i got her away. That just once... I could protect her, instead.

".. Mmh.." She squeezes her arms around his shoulders, letting a soft exhale leave her. ".. Just put me down if it gets too much, I don't want you to be in pain." She murmurs, nudging her head against his affectionately.

"…You will not be too much. We are not so far from home, my love…" Eir hums. "…I do not know whether i want to throw myself into the bath, or collapse into the pillows…"

".. You are carrying both me and my axe, that.. is not the lightest." She pouts at him. ".. We'll see when we get home, hm?"

"I dance for a living, and throw both me and my chakrams around as part of the performance." Glancing to her sidelong, he comments. "My… First weapon was an axe. Did i ever tell you?"

"-Yourself-. -Chakrams-." She grumbles. "Not an entire person and also their much heavier weapon.." Her brow then lofts, gaze shifting up to him. ".. I.. don't believe you have."

"It takes quite some force to dance, i will have you know. And… It is the truth. It was the weapon they gave me, when i became a wood warder. I never hurt another person with it, in the end… And mostly only used it to chop firewood. I left it in Golmore, with the rest of the things i hated."

".. From the little dancing we've done together, I believe you." She chuckles, tilting her head. ".. I take it.. you did not get to choose your own weapon? Or.. did you simply dislike the thought of having any at all?" She asks, head tilted curiously.

"I did not get to choose. I was not against having a weapon. Defending myself was… Important, i suppose. But they loathed me because i was not strong. I was weak… But i was quick. The only time i ever felt i did anything useful, i left my axe behind."

".. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for.." She mumbles, nudging her head against him. ".. You were in a situation you never asked to be in, expected to do a task you did not want.. That's enough to deflate anyone's will to live up to those standards."

"…I am not strong compared to most Viera. The men are required to be strong. We are supposed to be… Protectors, of our homes, and the territory around. Told to kill without mercy. I… Never was much good at that, and less so back then. The one sun i heard intruders… I abandoned my axe and ran back for help. That earned me some merit, at least. But they never liked me. I… Probably did them a favour, by leaving."

".. I wasn't exactly considered strong before, either." She tilts her head, keeping her gaze upon him. "Unstable, mostly. The child of ice incapable of controlling her own powers." She pauses. ".. I never truly learned what my role was meant to be in the tribe, considering the age I was when X'aoki decided to.. discard me." Her shoulders draw into a small shrug, one arm uncoiling from his shoulder to settle a pointy finger against his cheek in some attempt to turn his head to look in her direction. “You did me a favour by leaving Golmore, because I got to meet you.” She smiles warmly. “And I love you, just the way you are.”

"…But you were so young. That was hardly a fair judgement. And regardless of who you were then… You are strong, now." His head is slowly pushed in her direction, garnering a smile. "…I love you too, my moon. I would not change the path i walked to get here, even if it was a difficult one."

".. I was still considered unstable in Doma, even as I entered my teenage cycles." She paused. "..Maybe more so, then.. When I began training with the other children of those sworn to my father." She mumbled. ".. Stronger than I was, yet I still have moments where I feel weak. It's only natural, I think.." She leans her head over to his, nudging against him affectionately. "Neither would I."

"…Perhaps it is. You are not weak, love. If anyone were stupid enough to approach us, even with your aether as it is, i am confident you would best them. I have seen what you can do." He kisses her on the cheek, the statement meant as an affectionnate notion. "Even as a teen… If you consider all you had gone through, who could blame you, even if you were? Not me, for certain."

She smiled softly at him, resting her head against his. "… The boy I clawed across the cheek certainly did blame me. As did his mother." Her lips tug into a thin line.

"…She was a mother, worried for her child. She may not have been right, but i do understand her reaction. You were not to blame, considering the situation you came from."

".. She should've taught her son not to be an ass, then." Sayuri grumbles.

"…True enough. And she had to deal with the consequences of that." As Eir summits the hill, a pleased sigh escapes him as the house pulls into view. "Home sweet home…" He murmurs, nudging the door open to carry her through.

...Being back is always a comfort after being away, even for a few bells. My houseplants recover... In places. My books are tidied away, and the pillows are fluffed up enough to sit on. But it is not here, nor the wider world i find my comfort, no. ...It is with her. It will always be with her.

[treatian]

The Chronicles of the Dark One: Hadestown

Chapter 17: The First Deal

"So…what do we do now?" Orpheus asked, looking over at him from across the room, roses at his feet that he could swear were already beginning to decay now that the music had stopped.

Now…

Now he did what he absolutely hated to do unless under the rarest of circumstances. Service before the time of payment. Usually, he didn't loan his help out in advance unless there was some sort of benefit in it for him. It was payment in advance or due at the time the deal was struck, but rarely afterward like this for obvious reasons. But this…this would be a special case. In order to do what needed to be done, the order that would best suit the situation was one that best suited Orpheus and, hopefully, Jefferson. Besides, eager as the boy was, determined as he seemed to be to rescue his dear Eurydice, he didn't doubt that he would deliver on the promises that he made. And this plan, as long as he could remain unselfish, could work.

"Now you strike a deal with Hades."

"But I already did that. I failed."

"A new one," he corrected. "A better one than you did before. Better for him at least."

"Do you really think that Hades will go for that again?"

"Oh, most certainly. People are creatures of habit; Hades will know this. If you failed once, it'll be likely that you'll fail again. Besides, I've seen the creature that he sends after the girl when he's hunting her. You won't get far from here unless Hades gives you his blessing and allows you to go."

"You've seen the…you've seen Eurydice!" the boy suddenly realized, leaning forward as if in anticipation of his confirmation.

"Who do you think summoned me to this world weeks ago?"

"Summoned you? You're…you're not dead either…" the boy realized. "That's why you wanted to know about getting back! That's why you asked me about-"

"Well, apparently, you were not the only one talking to the Seer about how to be free of here. Eurydice summoned me here. When you both get back to the land of the living, after you've given my message to my friend, you can summon me home again, and once I've seen your end was upheld, I'll release you both from my debt."

"Both of us?"

"Your payment is a special delivery. Hers is undoing what she's done and summoning me home, safely."

There it was. His way out. The thing that he was banking on. He didn't care that magic and deals didn't work that way. He didn't care that he needed Eurydice to agree to this deal in order for magic to bind her to it, or that there were vaults all over the place and he hadn't specified where they should summon him too. It didn't matter whichever world they summoned him to just so long as he was out of this world, he could make damn near anything work! He just had to get out of this place. And get the hat to Jefferson. And get Neal back to Henry and propose to Belle and get the kids to their happily ever after…

He had a lot to do. And all of it hinged on this boy. A boy who was currently sitting across from him questioning his encounter with his dead girlfriend, unaware that he had moved on. If convincing him that Eurydice bore a debt to him was how he had to do this, then so be it.

"What did she look like? Was she okay? Was she hurt? Did she say anything?"

"Our time was short," he excused quickly. "Hades was on her heels. This was weeks ago, he'll have found her by now. Which means your only chance at getting her out is making that deal."

"But…I just don't understand how he'd go for it. That deal was to keep Eurydice if I failed. I failed, and he's kept her. Why would he make a deal for something he already has?"

"Because you are going to 'up the ante," as they say."

Orpheus gave a small nod and sat forward with interest. "Tell me what to do."

Those were some of his favorite words. Though he suspected, when he was done, Orpheus might just hate them.

"You will make this deal most profitable for him while making it hardest on yourself. Hades enjoys having all the cards in his hands, so you'll give him every ace you've got. You'll go to him again; you'll ask to repeat the test, but this time Hades can keep his map. You'll do it from memory. You do remember the way out, don't you?"

"Mostly. Yes. Yes, I think I can do it."

"Confidence, boy. This is a test of confidence. Start to have some in yourself, and you'll succeed."

"I always thought it was a test of trust," Orpheus interpreted as if they were sitting in a philosophy class. "Did I trust Eurydice to follow me home?"

"And so it was…last time. How did that experiment end? Did your beloved follow you home?"

"Yes, until I doomed her."

"And do you have any reason now to believe that she wouldn't do the same again?"

"No. We love each other. She followed me once, she'll do it again."

"Good. So then all you need is the confidence to know you are going the right way and doing the right thing for everyone involved."

"So…I tell him I'm willing to do this without the map. You think that'll be enough?"

"Oh, certainly not. We're upping the ante and doubling down. This time, if you fail, it won't be just Eurydice who will be on the line; it'll be your soul too."

"My soul?!"

"Of course, after how your mother aided in Persephone's escape, I imagine he'll be thrilled with the chance to add you to his collection."

"So if I fail-"

"You will spend an eternity in this place. Likely not alongside dear Eurydice, Hades won't be that kind. But at least you'll get your wish. What was it you said? 'Any realm Eurydice is in is the realm you need to be in.'"

Orpheus give a swift but heavy nod, one that told him he didn't disagree with what he'd said earlier but also didn't take it lightly anymore. It was time to put his money where his mouth was. Either he was willing to do this entirely, or not at all. And the Orpheus that he knew from the stories had always been willing to give all…which was why this next piece was so essential.

"There's one more thing that you'll offer," he informed him, drawing the boy's attention back to him. Oh, it hurt even his heart to think of it, given what he'd seen him do, but that was why he knew that Hades would go for it above all. "You're going to make a down payment."

"A down payment…to Hades?! But Sir, I have nothing. Nothing but the clothes on my back, the air in my lungs, the song in my head, and-"

The abrupt stop told him that he'd realized exactly what he was about to be asked to do.

The lyre he'd so recently slung back over his shoulder, he reached behind to touch it.

"But Sir…my father gave it to me. It's all I have left of my parents. It's…it's my song."

A memory returned to him as he watched the boy idly stroke the lyre, a memory of a portal threatening to swallow him and his son whole and the impression of his dagger safely anchoring him to his fate. His mistake. His greatest regret. Up until this moment, he had not considered himself similar to Orpheus in the least. Now he suspected they had more in common than he thought.

"Yes," he admitted. "It is all that and more. But is it worth more than the world, as you claim Eurydice is? What is it worth to you next to Eurydice?"

"Nothing," the boy responded sadly. "Nothing at all next to Eurydice, but…without it-"

"Without it, you will still have her. Without it, life as you know it will change. You'll become a baker or a teacher, you'll make a new way in a new world with Eurydice in a place where Hades can't find you. I recommend the Realm of Untold Stories or wherever Persephone found refuge. You'll have other trials, other tribulations…but you'll have each other. And the knowledge that you fulfilled your purpose, that you were once the man who brought spring back to the world. And you'll rest in that greatness and never live to regret it."

Orpheus eyed him suspiciously from where he sat. "You speak from experience."

"On the contrary. I speak from a lack of experience," he corrected. "I speak to you now as someone who once chose the lyre over Eurydice. That path isn't worth it. This one might be."

Orpheus let out a heavy sigh and nodded. His fingers curled over the desk he sat on so that his knuckles turned white. It was only then that he realized there was a drumming he could hear, one he hadn't heard since being in this realm, at least not as vibrantly as he did now. It was the steady thrum of the boy's heartbeat. Steady…no nerves. No anxiety. Just peace.

"It's just a lyre," the boy finally stated. "It's just a thing. I can get a new one. But Eurydice, she'll never be duplicated, and I can't ever replace her. We'll do what you ask."

[captainkingsley]

Visiting Caduceus is a nice break for Kingsley.

He enjoys the time he spends with the rest of the Nein, of course he does. But there are always slip-ups. Someone calls him Molly by accident or references something from before he can remember, and it always hurts. Like a sliver he can't quite get out, a sharp sting of pain he can't describe.

Caduceus doesn't see that. He doesn't even see Lucien, actually, which is another comfort. He's got more of Lucien's memories by now, slowly creeping in despite his best efforts to push them away. Not because he doesn't want them, but more so that they don't influence who he is, so they don't completely overwhelm him at once. Like Yasha and Beau both said, he needs to continue on a better path, not the one Lucien took a running leap off the cliff of.

The memories aren't bad, for the most part. They're helpful, when they come in small bursts. A quick thought of danger and how to avoid it, or memory of how to use a skill he'd previously not understood.

Molly's memories are less helpful. They hurt more. Like an unfinished story still begging to be told, filled with love and ache that won't find solace. Brushes of hands or a closeness he's not familiar with, or playful jabs when he's more than tipsy. Molly's memories make him uncomfortable, because the Nein look at him and see them, too, and he always wants to grab them and say he's not me, he's not me, stop trying to put those memories onto me.

But he doesn't. He's an asshole, but he's not going to ruin the memory of a dear friend to the Nein in that way. Instead, he rolls with the punches, jokes around with them, and keeps it all inside.

Except with Caduceus.

Caduceus, who'd come around after Molly, had never met him, and had only seen Lucien without any of the biases or ties the rest of the group had. He'd welcomed Kingsley back into the Grove with no issue, no comment on his past, just a simple gesture and a mug of tea.

He likes Caduceus. Likes his family, too — they're more family than he's ever had, himself. He distantly recalls Lucien's family, but the memories of that feel sour. What little he can gauge of Lucien's parents isn't good, and his siblings, well —

He'd woken up one night after remembering Aldreda saying there's no room for you in my life anymore, and the memory had felt haunting and painful.

And he doesn't like to recall Elric. Sometimes he wonders how Lucien ever slept with those hollow, blackened eyes staring at him.

"You've got that look again." Caduceus says, looking down at Kingsley who's currently sitting in the longer grass of the yard, near the pond. Caduceus has finished his portion of re-casting the temple blessing for the day — how he has the focus to do it for so long every day, Kingsley will never understand.

"What look?" Kingsley asks, innocent as can be. He even bats his eyes to throw Caduceus off. Caduceus, however, has learned to read him, even his lies, and he's not swayed.

"You're remembering things." Caduceus says. "Which one this time?"

Kingsley grumbles to himself for a moment, settling back into the grass.

"Lucien."

"Good or bad?"

"Weird, mainly."

"Care to talk?"

"Already am." Kingsley huffs. But he gives in after just a moment. "Only if you make some of that tea we had last time."

"I can't guarantee it'll be the same," Caduceus says, reaching down to help Kingsley stand once more, "But it'll be close enough. And something to heal the hurt."

"Booze?" Kingsley says. Caduceus laughs.

"No booze. Just tea and a bit of talk."

"At least feed me if you're not going to give me alcohol," Kingsley says, following as Caduceus heads for the repaired home — the last several months, Caleb's old friends have been coming by to work on the home and the surrounding yard. They've done a good job, though the work will only be completed once Caduceus has finished his year-long spell.

"I'm sure we've got something." Caduceus assures him, and they head inside together.

[sugarrspice]

HELLO i havent read all your fics yet but i did binge-read your antiaverage ones! they are so good! i personally am a big fan of antistein, if i could get "stop pretending that you care" with anti and henrik? bless you, youre a brilliant writer

((Oh, goodness, yes, I've seen your tags in my activity. I fully admit I may have giggled over one or two. You're very kind, thank you!

As for the piece: warning for emotional manipulation, overall not a very healthy relationship.))

Henrik doesn't bat an eye when the lights flicker. Cool fingers brush against the back of his neck, a whisper of touch, and he flips another page, scribbling a note down in the margins.

Anti cocks his head, and listens to the way his heart picks up. 63 beats per minute. 72. 75. 75. 75.

"You're a shit liar," he murmurs, letting his voice tip just that side of mocking, and drapes himself over the doctor's shoulders, studying his profile. Henrik, as Anti knew he would, grimaces at the intrusion into his space, bristles at the tone. There they go. "At least where it matters."

"You're a pest," Henrik returns, dryly. "We can't have everything."

"You can't, maybe." He watches with no small amount of glee as Henrik's jaw tightens into that familiar line. Hard to read, his ass; Henrik can't help but wear his heart on his sleeve, hard as it claims to be. Scrape it even lightly, and it'll bleed, angry and red, and Anti wants to lap up every last fucking drop. He'd bleed Henrik dry for another taste.

"They call this insanity, you know. Slamming your head against the same wall because you can't admit I've won."

Henrik, carefully, puts his pen down. He's still not looking at Anti, and it itches at him. "More fool you are, then, for assuming this is victory."

Anti is genuinely caught off guard by how deeply that statement amuses him. Henrik's clever, but he's not always smart. It's something about the stubbornness- like Chase, how he can't seem to acknowledge the clock ticking forward. A laugh bursts out of him, sharp and bright, and it startles Henrik into looking over, for the first time.

"This is victory, Henrik. Do you want to know why?"

In one fluid motion, he twists to sit on the desk in front of Henrik; their knees knock together, and Anti leans in, close enough to count each fleck of green in Henrik's eyes.

"Jack's not home. He's not waking up. You can breathe for him and pump his blood but there's not a single spark up in his head. I'm not going anywhere. You brought me here and gave me the key to shut the door behind me. But you know what else?"

He lets his words hang in the silence for a moment. Let him stew, let him think. Henrik's heart is beating loud enough for both of their words; if he reaches out, he fancies he'd feel it, hammering away under paper-thin skin.

"I have you, now," he purrs, softly, and this time, he does reach out, tracing the scar that cuts just over his jaw, thin and silvery. Henrik is frozen, still under his touch. Then, slowly, he reaches up and curls a hand around Anti's wrist, stilling him.

His grip is iron; hard as his eyes. That's nice, really, Anti thinks, idly. He's gotten bolder. Catching up to Anti at his own game. Or he thinks he is, at least, which is half the fun, following the breadcrumbs that Anti's laid out for him.

Anti lets his grin curl just that fraction wider.

"Careful, Anti," Henrik murmurs, eyes flinty. His fingers tighten; he's going to be seeing those bruises for days. "I might think you're starting to pretend to care."

Anti rolls his eyes, and hooks his legs around Henrik's waist, pulling his chair closer. Neither of them could leave if they wanted to.

Well, Anti could. He knows exactly how much pressure he'd have to apply to snap each of those fingers, that Henrik's ring finger never healed right and would take just a pound or two less of pressure. But where's the fun? "You're really impressively dense, for a thrice-named doctor. You're alive, Henrik. That alone should be your first hint."

"How flattering," Henrik murmurs, eyes unflinchingly meeting his. Bravado, pride; all armor which Henrik wears like a second skin. It's just such a shame that he knows the soft, squalling thing underneath it all, that wants to be wanted, needed.

"Isn't it?" Anti rolls his neck; there's a faint echo of an ache. Not the most comfortable position to be stuck in. "Count your blessings, doctor. I like interesting things. I like it when they stay interesting. And you're starting to get tiring."

Slowly, slowly, Henrik releases him, and he leans back with a smug hum; there's a faint ring of red marks around his arm. Only fair, he supposes. He'll have to pay him back for it, later.

He braces his arms behind him, and cocks his head as he rakes his eyes over Henrik, slowly, cataloguing him with a lazy smirk. "So I'm here to make you an offer."

[imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl]

Unexpected Places (Pt. 11 of 11)

Pairing: Ivar the Boneless X Reader/Bjorn X Reader

Word count: 2 K

Summary: As a princess, you've lived in a golden cage all your life, always a piece on someone else's game. But everything changed when the Norsemen came crushing down on Wessex, like waves in a violent storm. Their king spared your life and decided to take you with him to his kingdom, in what felt more like a rescue than a kidnapping. There, you were not only confronted with a completely different culture and lifestyle, but also with two of his sons. The oldest one has his eyes set on you, but it's the youngest one, Ivar, who gets who claimed your attention since the first sight. And he seems to have an unnamed interest in you. Of course you hoped whatever that was would pass, but when unexpected feelings start to flow a different way, things begin to change.

<- Previous part (10)

{Vikings Masterlist}

×

Home

Walking slow, you keep up the pace of a heavily pregnant Aslaug. The news of the child on its way came on the last day of the feast for your wedding and it was well-received by everyone. The snow falling gives Kattegat an amazing look, with everything painted white. The ocean is starting to freeze, but there are still boats coming and going, doing the last trades by sea before the ice keeps them away, having to endure the walk instead of sailing here.

Heading to the main hall, you stop when Aslaug stops, a hand on her swollen belly. “Everything alright?”

“Yes. I just need to lie down for a while.” She answers, setting in motion again. “Ragnar sons are always–” She's cut short once you enter the hall, the high number of people gathered around getting both your attentions. “Did something happen?” She asks, raising her voice. Ragnar comes to stand beside her, very protective ever since he found about the pregnancy.

You make your way to where Ivar is, seated on Ragnar's throne. “What's going on?” You ask him. “Bad news?”

“Boats were seen sailing this way.” He answers, gesturing, and dismissing the men. “With your brother's flag.”

“What the hell does Aethelwulf want?” Shrugging your shoulders, you stand beside Ivar, who takes your hand and places a kiss on it.

“Ask father.” He says, clearly annoyed.

Raising an eyebrow, you look at Ragnar. “Last raid I might have left implied that you were here on Kattegat, so... I think they came to take you back.”

“Why would you do that?” You inquire, hands on your hips.

“They were really pissing me off.” Ragnar justifies, and you roll your eyes.

“Are they coming for war?”

“No,” Bjorn says, entering the hall and dusting off his clothes from the snow. “I don't think they're planning on battle us, on our ground, with such few people.”

“Good. It means I can just tell them I don't wanna go and they'll leave.” Sighing, you look at Ivar. “And here I was planning on asking you to take me on the next raid.” You complain to Ivar, shooting Ragnar an angry glance. “England came to me.”

“Missing home?”

“Are you seriously asking me if I want to sail for weeks, stay on a camp in the woods for the entire summer for any other reason than to staying with you?” Faking an annoyed tone, you raise an eyebrow at Ivar.

Giggling, he bites his lip, nodding his head. “My mistake, princess.” Winking, he turns his attention back to his father. “Let's do what we have to do and get this tiny problem out of our lives so I can enjoy winter with my wife.”

“Speaking of enjoying the winter, I'll fix myself a warm bath and I hope you to join me.” With that, you turn around and head inside, ignoring the low chattering your words caused.

The word got out, you think, about Ivar being able to perform sexually. But since you were the first one to know, you don't mind the gossip.

The girls don't take much time to get everything ready, and you let them help you undress before you step into the tub. You always use Ivar's tub now, since you just moved into his bedroom after the wedding. As if you weren't sleeping here before. A few moments later you hear Ivar coming inside, taking off his clothes before joining you, making the hot water spill off when he moves inside, settling down next to you.

“You're so beautiful.” He whispers, immediately pulling you into a kiss, and you can't help but smile as you cave in, running a hand through his chest.

“Thank you, handsome.” You mutter when you pull away to breathe, biting your lip.

“Won't you even consider it?” You don't follow, so you pinch your eyebrows together, looking at your husband.

“Consider what?”

“Going back home.” There's fear in his voice, and that's a sentiment he only shows to you.

Ever since the announcement, Ivar has been listening to some rude things. People are mean, some of them at least. They say you'll leave him, trade him for a full man. That you'll get tired of him soon enough. You've been into awful arguments with some people about it, and Ivar have nearly killed a man a few weeks ago. With time, these comments are fading away, but it always gets to him. And when it happens, it's your mission to reassure him your love hasn't changed, it has only gotten bigger.

“I am home.” Caressing his cheek, you smile. “This is where I belong.” Your voice fades when you remember you have something to tell Ivar. It's been a while since you've been feeling odd, and your period is very late. “Actually, I need to talk to you about something.”

He furrows his eyebrows, a question on his face. “What is it?”

You know he wants kids, you've always knew. And you've been waiting until you're sure. And you're kinda sure at this point. “Ivar, I... I may be with child.” Speaking low, barely a whisper, you focus on his expression, trying to read it.

But you don't need too much. Ivar's lips break into a smile, and he kisses you deeply, until you're out of breath. “I'll be a father.” He says when you pull away.

“Yes, you will. And if it depends on me, you'll have a bunch of children, my love.” You can't wait to tell everyone, to let them know Ivar can do what they all doubted.

“I love you, (Y/N). More than everything.”

“We need to talk names now.” Giggling, you caress his face. “Everyone will have a suggestion.”

“We'll have to do it later.”

“Later? Why? Are you planning on doing anything now?” Smirking, you don't need any other answer than the kiss he gives you, and suddenly all the rest is put aside for a moment.

°°°

Hours later, when the sun is about to set, you're at the docks, watching as the two boats approach. A great number of people came too, of course, to see how it'll play out. There are soldiers, ready to fight if that's the case, but if it depends on you, it won't come to that. It doesn't look like they're here for war.

It gets your attention when one of the men, standing on the edge of the ship, recognizes you. He raises his eyebrows, but you don't show any expression. Slowly, he and a few men step out of the boat, eyes scanning through the Vikings, ready to defend themselves and their leader. That's when you recognize the man, Sir Wilfred, one of your father's man, now working for your older brother. He was kind to you, so you don't have your walls all the way up.

“Princess (Y/N).” He greets you with a small smile, taking your hand and placing a kiss on it. “It's a true blessing to find you alive and... Well.”

“It's good to see you too, Sir. Hope you made a safe trip here. But may I ask why did you and such a small army bothered to sail all the way to Kattegat?” Cutting straight to the point, you offer him a small smile. Ivar, who stands beside you, gets a worried stare from Wilfred, and you can feel his anger emanating.

“King Aethelwulf, your brother, sent us. After Ragnar Lothbrok told him you were here, brought by your own will, he decided to give you a chance to reconquer your old life, as a princess, by his side.” There's more than he's saying because you know your brother. It doesn't sound like something he would say. Aethelwulf wants you back because he can't even begin to imagine who would want to stay here. And he's ego demands him to try and get you back, so he can present you to his court, telling them how you came back to your senses and abandoned the barbarians.

“Tell my brother I have no intention of leaving Kattegat.” You begin, getting a weird expression from Wilfred, and some of his men start gossiping with each other. “I made myself a home here, among the Vikings. I even married one.” Gesturing at Ivar, you have to bite back the laugh that threatens to emerge at the surprise on Wilfred's face. “This is Ivar the Boneless, my husband and the father of the child I'm carrying. And I believe you know him very well Sir.”

“My princess, I don't understand–”

“I'm thankful for this... Rescue party you brought with you across the ocean, but I don't need to be rescued.” Cutting him off, you step back a little, gesturing at the people who stand behind you. “This is my place now, my people. My house, my King and Queen, my husband and friends. I'm not being held against my will. In fact, I didn't come against my will.” You raise your voice, so all of his men will listen, so the truth can find a way to your brother's ears. “With the same people you call soulless, barbarians, monsters, I found great happiness, something that I never had back in England. And I apologize if you had to endure such a journey for nothing, but I won't be going with you. And, just in case you were ordered to take me by force, I must advise you not to try it. Because you will lose.”

“My princess, those aren't the orders,” Winfred speaks again, clearly uncomfortable. “King Aethelwulf commands that, if you are indeed here by your own will, and refuses to return home, he will tell your people you died, and never again you'll find refuge in his kingdom.

Laughing a little, you shrug your shoulders. “So be it.” You simply say, looking at Ivar, who has a smile on his lips. “I'm not going anywhere.” You tell most to your husband than to anyone else. “It was good to see you one last time, Sir Wilfred.” But now I must ask you and your men to sail away from Kattegat. Your presence here isn't welcome.”

“I wouldn't stay even if you invited me, Prin... (Y/N).” He quickly corrects himself, and the change of humor makes you giggle.

“I wasn't planning on inviting you, Sir. Have a safe trip back to England.” Nodding at him, you turn around, walking away with Ivar next to you. Everyone steps out of your way, and you notice how some of Ragnar's men take a position to follow the Saxons back to their ship and until they're far enough from the town.

The commotion soon stays behind as you make your way back home, the wind, which gets colder by the day, messing with your hair.

“I love both of you,” Ivar says, out of nowhere, making you stop on your tracks by the main hall's entrance.

“What's that now?” Squinting your eyes, you stare at him, a chuckle caught in your throat.

“You make me happy. Like I never thought I'd be.” He comes closer, a hand on your belly. “This child is the very image of what we feel. And I never thought I'd ever love someone this much. Or that someone would love me even though–”

“Well, I love you. Just the way you are.” Your heart warms up at his smile, genuine and kind. “Now, let's get inside. It's getting cold.” Taking his hand, you pull him inside.

Many things are on the way now. The child, the raids, on which you do want to go every once in a while. The road is long and full of surprises, but you're willing to enjoy every step of the way. You never thought this would be how your life turned out, but as crazy as it is, it's good. It's the proof that love and happiness can be found in the most unexpected places, and you found both those things in a town across the world, with people who live in a completely different culture, in very different ways. But you would do it all over again, and now that you're here, you'll never take things for granted. You'll never trade this for anything else, not even for the throne of Wessex. This is far more valuable than all the crowns of the world.

×

@multific @revolution-starter @crackhead1-800 @youbloodymadgenius @clown-boyyy @kitten0394 @castielsangelx-blog @goldlion07 @midnightmystic @readsalot73 @xvxcarolinexvx @momowhoo @fangfoxy @msrawog @walkingonshunshine @alytavzla @anotherfan07 @heavenly1927 @msrawog @alexhandersen-marcoilsoe-fandom

[violetlou2020]

DAY 02 of @flufftober2021

Sneaking Out Together

Title: In this Moment [Chapter 1]

Author: Vividly_Violet

Fandom: Tokyo Revengers | 東京卍リベンジャーズ

Rating: General

Relationship: Mikey | Sano Manjirou/Takemitchy | Hanagaki Takemichi, Mitsuya Takashi & Takemitchy | Hanagaki Takemichi, Hanagaki Takemichi & Toman Gang

Word Count: 1864

Chapter 1

School just ended and Takemichi wanted nothing more than to go home, eat dinner and then pass out on his bed. It's been a tiring week what with the constant chaos his life has turned out since joining Toman and subsequently dating its leader.

Even before he joined the gang he was already a trouble magnet as the rest likes to call him. Attracting unwanted attention especially from other delinquents that has him ending up bruised and hurting, it's made 10x worst with Mikey added in the equation since anyone who has a grudge against Tomans president or wanted to increase their street cred keeps targeting him since word got out of their relationship thanks to said leader blabbering their status to everyone they meet as a form of showing his possessiveness.

He also has a very punchable face as Baji would laughingly put it and Chifuyu couldn't even refute nor defend him from that statement. At least tomorrow was the weekend. The mizo middle all have different plans for tomorrow, Toman doesn't have any scheduled meeting or any upcoming fight, Mikey and his sister along with their Grandfather are suppose to go on a trip today according to Hina who heard it from Emma herself. So no clingy boyfriend trying to monopolize his time. Finally. A weekend all to himself.

Or so he thought.

"What are you all doing here?" he asked flatly at the crowd gathered in front of his house.

"Takemitchy~ why a sleep over of course!" Mikey exclaimed excitedly.

"Sleepover? I didn't hear any of this. Weren't you and your family supposed to be on some trip." the teen exclaimed.

"Bailed on them, why do I have to hang out with them when I can spent my time with you." Takemichi blushed at that but shook his head. No he will not fall for Mikey's cliche yet none the less sweet words.

"But why at my house, no one informed me of any sleep over."

"Huh, didn't Mikey texted you." Draken asked.

"I didn't received any." Draken turned Mikey.

"Oi didn't I tell you to inform Takemitchy." the taller teen smacked their leaders head.

"Ehh I forgot. Uhhg you keep hitting me, that's why I keep forgetting things." Mikey whined.

"You've been hit by a freaking metal pipe before, the hell does my smack have anything to do with you not texting Takemitchy." Draken hissed at the shorter boy.

"It does so!"

"Why you—"

"I guess we couldn't impose on you like this." Mitsuya said side eying their commander and vice commander who were now pulling at each others hair.

"Who cares we're here, might as well get on with it." Baji said pushing himself from the crowd towards the front door before Chifuyu stopped him.

"Baji-san we came here unannounced. That's rude."

"Sorry for the trouble." Mitsuya apologized. Bless the only reasonable man in Toman, Takemichi thought.

"Ahh no no, don't apologize Mitsuya-kun, it's okay. We can uhh have the sleep over." Takemichi quickly said.

"You don't have to—"

"No, no its really okay. You guys are already here. It'll be rude to turn you away plus— wait where are they?"

"Huh? Oh those guys." the pale lavender haired teen sighed and face palmed as he watch his friends make their way into the house without letting its resident welcome them in.

"How'd you open the door!" the awfully blonde haired teen exclaimed.

"I have a copy pf your key!" said Mikey spinning the key on his finger.

"How!?"

After Takemichi successfully convinced Draken to take the key and compromising that he'll be the one holding it, much to Mikey's pouting or threat all of them gathered in the spacious living room.

"So what are we gonna do?"

There was a chorus of "Movies"

"Video Games"

"Board Games"

"Food"

There was a short pause. Everyone looking at each other and before you knew it the gang erupted into a shouting match on what to do first with Mikey loudly whining about being hungry as he threw wrappers on the others head and Baji almost breaking a vase. It continued for a while until Takemichi had enough of it.

"SHUT UP!"

Everyone quieted down, not used to seeing the crybaby loose their temper except for when Mikey and Draken broke some of his stuff but even then the pair couldn't take it seriously because of the dog shit situation.

"But I'm hungry." Mikey whined. Takemichi dragged his hand across his face. He went to the kitchen and came back with a pack of cookies.

"Here. Share." he glared as he handed it out to his boyfriend who reluctantly had the others get one before hoarding the rest to himself and nibbling on the treat.

"I guess that's the extent you're willing to share."

"Why don't we play some video games while others the boardgames before dinner then we can watch a movie after. How does that sound?" Mitsuya, being the only rational person in the group suggested.

"Tch fine." grumbled Baji.

"That sounds okay." Chifuyu said as he swatted his captains hands from taking his cookie. Draken shrugged in acceptance while Mikey gave a thumbs up as he stuffed his face with more cookies.

Takemichi gave Mitsuya a grateful look before showing Chifuyu where the video games and board games were stored.

"Ahh shit. I forgot, I don't have much in the fridge right now. I was planning on doing the groceries tomorrow but I guess I'll have to do it today."

"I'll come along with you. Might as well help out." The second division captain offered.

"Ahh thank you so much Mitsuya-kun! I'll meet you outside then, just let me change out of my uniform."

After Takemichi changed he rushed downstairs and shouted at Draken to keep the damage to his house to a minimum before grabbing Mitsuya's offered helmet and mounting the bike. The pair then drove off to the nearest grocery store.

🔹🔹🔹

After thirty minutes or so the pair returned to a still standing Hanagaki residence much to their relief even thou there were scattered scrabble pieces lying everywhere, Chifuyu sitting on Baji's back as he and Draken Play Mario Cart, the first division captain struggling to remove his vice off him and chess pieces in the fridge when Takemichi went to put away some of the stuff they bought.

"Why are there chess pieces in my fridge?"

"Mikey was being a brat, he put them there after he lost. Against Baji of all people. Now he's sulking at some corner." Draken explained without taking his eyes of the screen.

"I was not, Baji was cheating!" came Mikeys protest from the corner of the room. He was not sulking there. He just thought that the plant was better company than his friends. Takemichi just laughed nervously at them at least nothing was broken before going back to the kitchen to prepare their dinner. Mitsuya was already there preparing the rice. After he placed it on the rice cooker the two worked together to making karage.

"This is the last batch." Mitsuya said as he placed the floured chickens on the pan.

"Ahh thanks, can you ask the others to prepare the table. I'm also finishing up the side dishes."

"Sure."

It was Chifuyu and Draken who came up to set the table working carefully to not disrupt the two who were finishing up their cooking. Takemichi placed the bowl of Kinpira gobo — a salad made of braised burdock root and carrot — in the middle besides the platter of karage before washing up and removing his apron.

"Dinners ready!" he called out and Mikey and Baji came running to the kitchen.

"Calm down you dogs." Draken scowled, taking his seat besides Mitsuya.

"Ahhh this smells so good."

"Huh, You and Mitsuya sure are housewife material." Baji cackled as he shoved a piece of chicken in his mouth. Takemichi's eye twitched at the comment while Mitsuya remained unfazed.

"Hey if they're gonna be housewives I call dibs on Takemitchy." Mikey declared. Takemichi choked on his rice at the declaration while the others just collectively rolled their eyes.

"You— you can't just say stuff like that!"

After they ate, the group dragged some spare futons from the closet down the hallway and set it in the middle of the livingroom, pushing the couch back to fit it in. They then proceeded to raid Takemichi's room, his parents and even the guests room of its pillows. And dumping it all in the middle to create a small mountain of fluffy pillows which Mikey promptly jumped in to.

The rest of the night was spent on watching movies from horror films to comedy to some action films with a little disturbance along the way with popcorns being thrown and pillows hitting some faces that erupted into a pillow fight. But for the most part, the gang had fun till they all passed out in the living room at around 1 in the morning, Mitsuya being the last to fall asleep had the been the one to turn off the television.

🔹🔹🔹

Takemichi batted at the finger prodding at his cheek. After some time where the prodding hasn't ceased he groggily opened his eyes and was met with deep bottomless dark ones staring at him. He almost shrieked in surprise if it weren't for Mikey covering his mouth.

"Shhh" Mikey shushed and mouthed 'come' before he stood and made his way to the front door. Takemichi carefully extracted himself from Chifuyu's hold, the other teen had rolled to his side and clung to his arms. He placed a pillow in place of himself and chuckled when he heard his partner mumble 'baji' under his breath.

"Why are we sneaking out like this?" he whispered as he put on his shoes.

"No reason~" Mikey smiled as he pulled his boyfriend out the door who was struggling to put on the other pair of his shoes.

"Mi— Mikey-kun!"

"Shhh you might wake up the others. Now get your bike." Takemichi rolled his eyes but nonetheless locked the front door and pulled out his bicycle which Draken had thankfully fixed after breaking it again for who knew how many times already.

They rode is silence enjoying the cold breeze that wafted their face. The street was dead with the occasional business men staggering home, drunk or exhausted or both who knew. After a while Mikey pulled on his shirt and pointed to a konbini.

"Doroyaki, I want some Doroyaki."

"You woke me up for this?" Takemichi said exasperated but still followed his boyfriend inside.

Four packets of Doroyaki later the pair rode off again with no destination in mind just enjoying each other's company. A few minutes later just when he thought worriedly that Mikey has fallen asleep because of the quiet, he felt strong arms wrap around his waist. He almost swerved his bicycle but quickly righted himself.

"Mikey-kun?"

"Hmm can we be like this forever." Mikey sleepily mumbled against his back.

"I don't know about forever but we can stay like this for as long as you want or when my legs gives up peddling."

[wrongwiredmind]

Before I start saying anything I'd like to warn that the content of this post is both gore and contains suicidal thoughts, if any of that triggers you, please do not read, I care about whoever is reading but I can't hold any responsibility for anything that might follow, stay safe, and remember that no matter what, what comes next in your life will be better, one way or another.

This post is rather long, but that's kinda the point of this page, here we go, then.

So, I had almost my weirdest dream to date, right now, and then I thought, to heck with it!! Let's share something!

So first of all, I need to set some points straight before writing so it might explain a few things, hopefully, without giving a lot away about my personality:

(I have no idea how to put them on order, so they're pretty much a mumbo jumbo. Ah~ My favourite type of writing~. Kidding, of course, I actually prefer reading well written stories and articles)

Anyhow:. 1- I have a really deep unexplainable fear of the vast beast called an ocean (or a sea, or really anytype of deep water), I still go to the beach and pools and whatever, but there's always some sort of an icy grip tightening around my non-existent heart.

2- I love IronMan! So so much, and I kinda adopted Tony Stark!! (no one tell him, please!).

3- my adoration of a certain supernatural series made me love batman! (well, not entirely true, I always loved him, but kinda from afar, you get me?)

4- want me to get hooked on something? Give me a fanfic of it!! (of course like a series or a book, not a substance, you bad bad people!!), that's how I loved Bilbo!! (imagine me saying it in my adorable voice, the one I use when I try to sound cute 😉)

5- I binge read a certain fanfic about those two amazing superheroes saving the world, and themselves!! (I refuse to give up the name since if you think this is me oversharing? You've got another thing coming, honey!) that had a cruise and another prototype of the IronMan suit (don't ask which mark it is but it's so fast it broke the sound barrier!!)

6- I'm a little bit under the weather, (not corona, folks!) and my throat is kinda itchy, to the point that I lost all my vocal prowess for a little more than 24 hours a few days ago, still kinda annoying, and my stomach rebelled so much yesterday (before and during sleeping) that I thought she should take the rebellion symbol from Mr. Che Jivara!! (with all due respect to him, I'm only joking, so please no one takes it seriously).

7- I'm a little bit of a spacetoon (and all that's good and beautiful in our childhood) encyclopedia, want a name of a cartoon or a song you can't remember? I'm usually your best bet, after the second mother, google, of course!!

8- this week is so dead that if you want to see zombies come to our lectures any time in it, seriously we're so under a lot of exams, thank God and the doctors for postponing our tasks and assignments' due-date.

9- if I was a little more of an extrovert I might not have had to write most of these strange snippets about me in a freaking post!!!

And finally, on with the dream! (another thing you probably know by now, that I kinda take you around and under and left and right before I say what I want to say).

So, it was an assignment to some sort of subject (don't ask me which, since as far as I know, not a single thing in our curriculum will make me do what I'm about to do here, or at least, I hope so!!!), we made some type of fall-body suit that needed analysing (who am I kidding, it was the IronMan suit!!), and guess who was picked as a pilot? That's right! Yours truly!!

Anyway, good thing to bad, we had to make the prototype test in the middle of the (as I said above) the vast beast! Mr. Oceanus (I know that that is a Mr. Titan, but who am I, the lowly mortal, to deny his decision to appear in my paragraphs? And no, he didn't show up in the dream, thank God! [ours, not any of the others]),

So, I was put in the cruise, in the middle of the ocean, with the IronMan suit, and a seriously sick stomach, can you guess where we're going with this? (I'm actually kinda enjoying writing this since it reminds me of a certain mad superhero/not superhero who finally joined the XMen!, of course he joined a few years ago but I only watch the second movie circa a month ago) no? let me tell you, a bit of dizziness, seasickness, and an already rebellious stomach? Not a good combination, and remember that I really, really fear the ocean (just remembering the dream and the images in my head is traumatising, let alone living it vividly for a few hours), so, I fell, and strangely enough, I was a good swimmer (ah~ I really count my blessings here since no matter who or when someone taught me to swim, I still can't manage), I was able to stay close to the ship, but couldn't really pull myself up, so all I could do was keep a good hold on a rope tied around the ship and keep my legs in a calculated, slow what feels like a walking-in-place exercise,, (I can still feel the water around me, and the gentle waves of the ocean, it was both a calming feeling and a horrible one) and then...

Something touched the soles of my feet, and it kinda hurt, and it continued to move under me till something hit my toes, it was a shark fin, that's right, a shark choose me as his next meal, how honoured I was!!! Kidding i was kinda terrified, but all that YouTube survival videos came to mind, I left the rope of the ship and kinda dipped under water (triple scare, here, yikes!) and I... pushed.. his muzzle?

Yeah, so not really what they taught you in the videos, my polite nature rears its ugly head again (politeness is not as good as it seems, people! actually once a stray dog entered our home and jumped on the couch, and I was asking nicely and politely if "Mr. Dog would pretty please leave us be", and no, I wasn't scared but mom told me not to touch it, and it kinda was a cute, if a mangy mutt)

I didn't really want to punch the shark, even if my life kinda depended on it here, for a few reasons and actually at least one of them was pretty reasonable, which is, my punch is pretty weak, guys!!

Anyway, of course since its skin kinda scratched my feet there was blood, so it didn't leave me alone, two things I concluded here, first, Mr. Shark was either a lazy guy since he was coming to me slowly as if he either was a giant cat coming for pets no matter how many times you push her, or he was playing with his food, aka, me.

The second thing I discovered was that I was really sick in real life since my imagination couldn't conjure another family member of my guest here (again with the small mercies, can you imagine being alone around all these carnivores? And I bet not all of them will be moving so leisurely!!)

So, I finally decided to be the champ of my cruise and punch the thing in the face, so I pulled up all the power I can in my fist and punched him in his snout!!!

And let me tell you, it's not as easy is they make it sound, first, his nose is actually pretty hard, not the sensitive area they led us to believe, second, my hand really hurt and his skin scratched my knuckles, and I believe it kinda broke a bone in my hand, third, and worse, it actually enraged the mister so much that it left me, J-squared again and this time, flew! in my direction and I swear I still feel his teeth sinking in the shin of my right leg, but before he tore it apart, I actually did the right thing to defend myself, I (and I apologise, Mr. Dream shark, but you really hurt both my leg and my feelings!!) poked his eyes, which made for a very awkward stretch to my body, but finally, I was left alone!! With a mangled leg, of course, but hey!! It's not real life, so let's be glad.

The saltwater stinging my feet, still sick, and more dizzy from blood loss, you have no idea how glad was I that I was still near the ship, a little bit more than a meter but still floating, and then, the bad became worse, I actually goT SWALLOWED WHOLE BY A WHALE!!!!!!!!, YUP!! THE WHALE IN THE PICTURE!!!

And then god with his mercies again, it swallowed the ship but opened his mouth for me to leave, neat, ain't it?

But let me tell you what happened in a little more details, I felt a ripple in the water beneath and around me, and the ship started to sway, and a faint sound of something between a roar and strange song-like-sound, feeling the rumble under me was what made me look, and lo and behold!! The mighty animal wanted the meal that the shark didn't get, bye bye world!! Bye bye the suit that I still didn't to get to wear! And bye bye the report I needed to write for this freaking assignment that because of it I might fail and my friends will rail me when they see me!!

The ship and I couldn't help but enter the mouth of the humongous fish, the sounds of the wood, metal, glass and whatever is the cruise was made of was deafening, so loud and cruel, and I got a more than a few bruises and abrasions, and the feel of his teeth behind my back, sharp and huge and bigger than my own size, was something I don't know how to describe, and suddenly between all the breaking and suffocating water and absolute darkness, something caught my eyes, the slits in the helmet of the suit were lit, I'm sure it was a malfunction because of all the destruction on Mark, but it took all my fear, as if sucking it from my own eyes, and as sudden as it glowed, it vanished, but the calm remained, I closed my eyes, since it didn't matter, and just stopped everything, even trying to hold my breath, but not breathing as well, as if all body functions just... Stopped.

And then my eyes flew open again, not because I woke up, but because of an almost crushing change in the water pressure, it just pushed me forward more inside the huge mouth, and when I thought that this is it, I found the whale mouth moving further away from me, taking the ship and Mark with it, and leaving me alone, in the middle of the ocean that I wanted to say "c'mon!! If you ate me it'll be a win-win situation!!!!" but the second I opened my mouth water rushed inside that I tried swimming up to breath (even though not knowing which way is up was problematic, since something similar happened in real life before I wasn't worried, but that's a story for another time), breaking the surface was a godsend, I tell you! But my misery wasn't in any way over, I was so thirsty I actually wanted to drink salt water a again (and then death, oh wow, how smart?), and once the adrenaline deserted me, my leg returned to trying to kill me, and I don't know if it was a real thing if it happened in real life but it actually stopped bleeding, which was both fantastic, since it means that I won't die of bloodloss, and horrifying since I'm not going to die because of bloodloss, at least then I would have been able to calculate an approximate time for my death, but no, I have to wait and see what kills me next, I almost wished that I just had my previous stomachache and be done with.

Anyway, moving was not really an option, and staying was not either, and the breeze was making me so cold my teeth almost broke from all the shattering they were doing, I wasn't really sure when the others might decide to check on me, and I'm not really sure if I was still in the place they left me at, and I really didn't know what to do, I was so helpless, and cold, and thirsty, in so much pain and so so tired.

I cursed the whale again for not ending my misery, and cursed the shark for being a coward and not finishing what he started and cursing the assignment for being so impossible yet important, and most of all cursing myself, though I don't know why, but my self-loathing decided that now is the time to remember how horrible I am.

As physics does, the water raised me till I was floating on my back, which made me feel even more cold but I didn't have any energy to do anything about it, and strangely, I fell into some sort of doze, not asleep yet not really awake and aware, my whole body half above half into the water, though my right, injured leg, was bend in the knee into the water, which made my pained scream when something took hold of it in its mouth the more agonizing since it made my upper body enter the water, and the thing holding my leg left it alone, and I was able to right myself and look around me for the next threat, the fear was immense that I thought I might get a heartattack, which, admittedly would be better than the pain going to be inflicted upon me any second now, looking around finally led me to what attacked me, and for a moment, with my blurry, and fear filled eyes looked like Mr. Shark has indeed returned to finish what he started, he even returned to his play-with-my-food attitude, but when my eyes finally focused they detected differences, from the lighter shade of colors, to the more smooth curves of the fin and snout, and the gentle, warm (even if it looked sleepy) strange brown tone of the mammels eyes,

The dolphin was about two meters away, and looking at me with intense, twinkling eyes (if they were blue and he wore glasses, or at least marking that looks like it, I would have thought that the dolphin was Dumbledore' animagus and I really wouldn't have hesitated this time to punch his already crocked nose.. err.. snout [which it isn't, the dolphin's snout was perfect] with my broken hand!!) and moved slowly towards me, he pushed me gently with his nose in my abdomen, swam back a few inches, then entered the water and moved towards my leg, not touching it, but he was close enough to feel with my already almost destroyed sensitive nerves, he did all of that while I'm standing/floating, stupefied, hardly even breathing, and then he left, and pushed me again with his snout on my back, this time with more pressure that my body couldn't help but move to the dolphin's right side to let him pass, with my hand just above his back, when my hand touched his prominent back fin, he pushed my hip gently, as if telling me something, and pushed his fin into my hand again, it felt like rubber, and I couldn't help but ask "you want me to hold you?" he made a strange clicking noise then kinda slapped the water with his side fin in the other side of me, and bizarrely, his actions made me feel as if he was saying "are you stupid? Why else would I offer you my magnificent dorsal?!!" I stared, flummoxed, at the creature and couldn't help but throw my head back and laugh, I'm certain that it was the tension, fear and hysteria that made me do it, but for me, the whole situation was so hilarious that it seemed like it made Mr. Dolphin look at me and think "alright, the pathetic, hurt, star-shaped blemish is, indeed, stupid and needs help from my majesty" and then, using his right fin, slapped me non-too-gently on the side of my left hip, squeaking something as well and pushed his dorsal in my left hand again, but when he noticed my wince, he actually kinda rubbed his slippery appendage on my thigh while honest-to-god cooed at me that I couldn't help but smile at him, "it's okay, big guy, and thanks; you know, you kinda remind me of flipper!" and then I petted him a couple of times (which he purred at, I think I need a cat! 🤔🤔) then grabbed his fin in a tight but non constricting grip, my right hand was swollen by now so my only hope was to keep holding using my left hand, after shaking his body a little as if to check my hold, he dove with me into the water!! I almost screamed in fright but then he broke the surface and jumped about three meters high into the air!!!

Hello, there, adrenaline, didn't see you since a few!!

He dove again into the water and this time gradually moved towards the surface, with the water flowing into my hair and pushing me from my saviour, my left leg moved on its own violation and moved around the body as if I was riding a horse,

"WOOHOO!!", I shouted once we were in the air again, it was exhilarating; cold, but thrilling, though the warm body beneath me was perfect, he took me in a straight if slightly curvy line, and when I noticed that, I also noticed that his right fin was not moving as his left, I even thought he was injured for a second, but then a sharp sting in my leg and a slight jerk from him made me understand, my injured leg was beneath his wing-like appendage, and he was being considerate, as a solution, I flattened myself on his back, kept my left leg dangling as if in the horse saddle, my right one, as gently as possible, bend on the knee above the dolphin's back, my left hand gripping the top fin with it touching my shoulder, and my broken right hand above Mr. Flipper's cousin head, and then I came into a a sudden realization!! "does that mean I'm Lopaka????" I asked Flipper the second, and he made a sound suspiciously almost like a snort, but my change of position made him move in a much more pronounced straight line; the speed decreased as I started to doze again, as if he was worried about dislodging me, though the annoying feeling of the salt crusting on my skin woke me up, no idea how much time had past, except that the sun was on either the verge of descending or rising, and finally, finally, I saw land and buildings and what not from afar, and I certainly moved to another continent all together, let alone another country, after reaching the area where I could stand comfortably on the ground beneath the water, people started to come to see what was happening, I ignored them for the sake of my silent companion, suddenly he actually stood on his tail fin, and kinda sort of awkwardly leaned on me without trying to put too much pressure, I didn't understand what was happening though it seemed sorta like a hug?

Anyway, I pat his back again, (and again with the weird purring noise), when he released me I felt buzzing in the back pocket of my jeans, I actually still have my phone!!!

Pulling it out and snorting that after everything that happened my phone was still working!! all I could say is "well, it seems like the time of a picture, Mr. Flipper, sir!" and after an awkward kneeling so I could put my injured arm around him and trying to stretch my bloody leg (both meanings are accurate here, tbh) so it wouldn't interfere with the selfie, I positioned my left hand.

And the last thing I remember is the picture of my (Lopaka the second 😂) wide mouth grin and an equally wonderful grin from Mr. Flipper the second!!!

The End.

It really was a dream I had, with all these details, the only thing that's not entirely true about this post, is saying that this is the weirdest dream I had.

[joyisntyoj]

04: LETTERS TO NOBODY OR MAYBE MAYARI

Seal stamps, stamps with whatever designs, papers and pens, stickers, pictures, dried flowers, heartwarming messages, and a lot more.

When was the last time you wrote something on a literal piece of paper for someone?

Have you ever personally given someone a handwritten letter or sent it from the post office?

Is writing a letter still a thing today, or you just use whatever app you have because what is the point if other ways are more convenient, right?

Maybe, you are more the vocal type of person and, you just say what you feel instead of writing it down?

Perhaps, you are none of the above because what is important is your presence in their lives and, that is more than enough?

Still, how lovely it is to keep something that has sentimental value. It unnecessarily means that you are hoarding something because what's to not treasure from precious memories in a small piece of paper in an envelope?

This story is for those who never get tired of expressing themselves in whatever form they know, but most especially to those who write.

May you never run out of papers, inks, and thoughts to compose. to more unforgotten memories preserved in letters.

^^^

To: Mayari.

How are you? I wish things were getting better, just like what I always pray. These days, sleeping at night suddenly became serene as well as waking up in the morning. Sometimes my days are dull and typical...I believe? But most of the time, it's either I'm feeling blue or extra sad, or was that the same? I kept on blaming the pandemic, but for real, I'm just a mess. Silent battles are truly tough. I wish I had the courage and strength just like yours. Be safe. Stay sane. I'm really trying my best to be legit all right.

With so much love and kindness always and all ways,

Liway.

Liway is the name, exhausted with life. Mayari, someone out there, maybe a supreme being or plausibly not always receives Liway's letters. Sometimes Liway writes 10 messages at once and sometimes none at all. Mayari is the only recipient of such letters that even Liway never knew they were received by the random recipient it thought was just nobody. It all genuinely started on having a recipient written on the "To:" part at the post office. Though seriously, it doesn't even have any home address. It's super weird that it's for Mayari and no address, and were received.

HOW?

^^^

To: Mayari.

The night has come. This time, it feels heavier than usual. Tears are suddenly falling. I noticed that an unwelcome visitor came. The familiar pain is hugging me again, so tight that breathing is getting harder. I hate everything. Yet, I came to realize a lot of things. Afterward, I'm feeling blessed and grateful. Am I getting crazy? Before I went to bed, at the dinner table, I felt uncomfortable with the conversation we had, my family, about myself back then. I really hate it when they keep on bringing up what happened in the past. I already moved on... I think... so can they stop mentioning those moments? Honestly, whenever anything from the past is introduced again and remembered, I tend to feel like it just happened yesterday. Everything is coming back so fresh and new; fun, pain, sweats, and tears. I hate it.

PS. Mayari, can you send me some courage? Preferably in capsules, So I can have it in my intakes and be sure I'll be really having it in my system literally.

With so much love and kindness always and all ways,

Liway.

Continues writing so many letters filled with how living is like. Liway felt tired and exhausted. A few days ago, it was super overwhelmed that crying is unavoidable. Then this morning, Ms. Walmy called for a little chat and checking up because it's never too bad to check up on somebody, most especially when you're a counselor. It's your job, so uh? Anyway, though Liway was out of focus on the call, it was able to be accomodating and warm in return. It reciprocated the thoughtfulness with a sweet smile.

^^^

To: Mayari

Hey! Today I was mad because firsthand, I experienced that thing I usually hear from other people. The "don't-post-something-revealing-on-social-media-but-love-yourself-but-that's-not-appropriate". Well, I don't even know why I'm reacting super outrage towards it. Because knowing that my family is just concerned for me since the internet is frankly scary. I mean, I did nothing wrong, so why? Maybe deciding to be confident on the internet is not necessary for them. But for me, it is! So how should I deal with this? A friend consoled me, and I feel better. Still tho, my mood is already ruined. Oh gosh.

With so much love and kindness always and all ways, 

 Liway.

Welcoming a new week, the usual Liway is busy with the household chores. Some may find it stressful, but this one is pretty different. Scrubbing the floor, washing the dishes, brooming on the side. Later on, folding the clothes, fixing the bed, and a lot more things. It looks like it'll be tiring its body out until the nose bleeds, and passing out is the last resort to rest. How come it's easier to clean an actual mess than the one inside the head and heart?

^^^

To: Mayari.

Beloa visited me today. My childhood and the only friend left I have up to this day from elementary school. If you get what I mean? It's been a long time since we had a chat, especially that things are super complicated these days. She's doing really well, and I couldn't be more proud. I'm still amazed at how we manage to be friends because we both don't like each other to begin with. It's so funny that we even pulled each other's hair in the 4th grade while the class is taking the annual picture for the school year remembrance. What are the odds in this even, right? HAHAHA. Today was warm and bright.

With so much love and kindness always and all ways,

Liway.

Dates suddenly don't vary in these letters. Even the concept of time is somehow gone. What's important is regardless of not having these "important details" like the usual, Liway can keep up and be consistent in sending its letters. Liway never missed a chance to send a letter to the address less recipient, which left the post office staff to ponder with it. But as time goes by, Alle, the clerk, is no more surprised 'coz she's used to everything now. The envelopes unfailingly vanished the moment it was dropped inside the mailing box. Indeed, a magical mailbox.

^^^

To: Mayari.

I never knew how amazing pretending could be. You know that thing where someone usually says I'm okay, but really not? The inner saboteur that was triggered by their trauma is real-real-real. A car is useless when it's not moving if you wanted to travel to faraway places. Does that make sense?

PS. It sucks that our bathroom is the only "semi-safe space".

With so much love and kindness always and all ways,

Liway.

Polar bears are really fascinating. They get to hibernate. Then, after the time being, back on hunting and living their lives. Ligaya was one of Liway's hero. A lot knew Ligaya for being a superhero, although she does not have that fantasy powers. Just like the polar bears, too, Ligaya has been hibernating for quite some time but kept on saying that she was not. Liway saw it all. Maybe a bear's hibernation is different from a human-being, hmm?

^^^

To: Mayari.

IDK what to say, but I just wanted to be consistent at the very least in sending you letters.

PS. The radio was broken, but in my head, it's working. It kept on playing nonstop music. Is this a poetic way of saying I'm overthinking things?

With so much love and kindness always and all ways,

Liway.

^^^

To: Mayari.

A lot happened lately. Somebody lost a precious one, and here I am, having a renaissance moment. It's a crazy ride, but for all it's worth, the pea has grown into a beautiful plant. Hope it made sense coz finally, everything is making sense to me now. Little by little, slowly and surely.

With so much love and kindness always and all ways,

Liway.

^^^

To: Mayari

Hey!! I hope you are doing great!!! These days, everything felt surreal. I get to be active everywhere. It's draining, yet I feel so alive than ever. I had this thought that time is indeed just a concept, hmm? I mean, anytime is the right time to do what you want and whatever it is. Nothing is too late, most especially when it comes to growth. OH, being late in class still counts but FOR REAL RIP TO THE ONLINE CLASS SETUP -_-

PS. May we never run out of time to be the best versions of ourselves. LOVE WHOEVER YOU WANT. fck the situation, but SOON, GO ANYWHERE YOU WANT. SPEND FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR LOVED ONES. FEEL EVERYTHING.

PSS. May we leave this world with fewer regrets and more amazing memories.

With so much love and kindness always and all ways, 

Liway.

Quite a lot of letters were already sent. The post office is getting more and more letters, as well as Mayari. Still, NO REPLY. Maybe some other, Liway will be able to hear Mayari's words.

^^^

To: Mayari.

*here's an envelope just in case you want to write me something*

With so much love annd kindness always and all ways, 

Liway.

'Tis the season to be jolly. LOL Nah. Liway has been out for the past weeks. By out, means on a hibernation mode. A L O T R E A L L Y happened. It's hard to put it into words. I guess Liway will end these letter-sending shenanigans or just lazy and trying to give out some excuses //

^^^

To: Mayari. 

Ever since I was taught how to move around the kitchen, I've been assigned to be Mom's assistant while cooking for the feast every event/occasion we'll be celebrating. It's tiring but super fun. Getting your fingers bleed and while unaware is cool LOL~ 

PS. Why does it feel so good to overthink things while doing the dishes? What's with that scenario.........

With so much love and kindness always and all ways, 

Liway.

Tireless hands, heart, and mind with countless thoughts and feelings, papers, and pens everywhere—WRITING; it surely is one of the best ways to vent. Though letters can’t hug and wipe one's tears, witness waves of laughter, ease the pain, and such, the comfort from every word written is more than enough.

Suddenly time barge in and reminded me that this is enough. THIS IS ENOUGH FOR 2020...

A new chapter has arrived, and maybe it's time to move forward. Maybe this is where it all gonna stop for a while. I mean, writing is somehow tiring, literally. Probably, Mayari might reply with the number of letters sent anytime soon, so maybe waiting is all that needed.

No rush in moving on.

MAY YOU GET THE REPLY YOU LONG FOR SO LONG.

PRIORITIZE YOURSELF AND HAVE COURAGE.

BE KIND ALWAYS AND ALL WAYS.

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Little did nobody know, Liway is writing a letter to her "ideal" self.

The letter-sending-to-nobody thingy of Liway is really mind-boggling, right?

Mayari is Liway. Liway is Mayari.

The things that Liway wanted to say but cannot articulate well were always sent to Mayari. Mayari is the version of Liway it wishes to become in the future. 

The weak Liway longs and hopes to have "that" someone by her side to look up to. That's why she always writes letters and keeps them in the memory box.

The post office thingy was actually her shared room at home: the table at the corner with no lights but so much mess. It's that post office.

It's pandemic, so how can a post office be open and how brave she is to go out, right?

That saying, "be the hero you wanted to have when you were little", is the best explanation of Liway's way of venting and expressing.

Nobody knows when Mayari will come to life because it's no certainty that we can be the ideal self we all wanted to happen. 

For now, Liway is fighting her battles and screaming louder to the universe,

UNTIL WHEN DO I HAVE TO FEEL THIS WAY?

To be continued...

Happy New Year, Mayari. ✨💜

This is like an excerpt from my quarantine shenanigans for 2020 LOL.

[coconutshvings]

ATZ Reaction: You live in a bad part of town/neighborhood {Hyung Line}

∵ Group || Ateez

∵ Genre || Highschool AU

∵ Warnings || Mentions of drugs, swearing, some are shorter than others , typos

This story is not to be offensive to anyone, I didn't grow up in the best neighborhood myself while living in Chicago, this is strictly a story to show that a person who truly loves you wouldn't care where you came from even if it wasn't the best enviroment, also, never let the enviroment you grew up in mold you into a person unless that's what you personally want ~ WR:Le ♡

Hongjoong:

The Grey sky out side hid any signs of light in it as rain poured down heavily causing small but loud thuds to hit all over his vehicle, sketchy figures would pass by ever now and again while others stood infront of the decaying apartment buildings that he parked across from.

This area wasn't one he had been in often, at all actually. However, he made this trip to come and see you well- give you your geography study book for you upcoming quiz that you needed to study. All be it he'd see you and maybe make a small conversation because if it wasn't clear since Junior year, he liked you, a lot.

He'd seen your information including your number written on the book and gave you a call to which you told him to just drop off to you at the address he was sitting at now, waiting. The delicate knock on his window caught him and he looked to see you in your rain resistance hoodie squinting in the droplets. He quickly grabbed your book from his passenger seat rolling down the window and handing it to you with a gentle smile that spoke of his adoration for you.

"I was beginning to think you'd written the wrong address down." He lightly joked speaking loudly over the rain making you smile "Why, because this isn't the neighborhood you pictured me living in?" Hongjoong's eyes were screaming and you could sew his panicking figure,

"I was joking! I know you aren't some uppity entitled person." His body visibly "Good because I'd never be that way towards anyone." You nodded understanding not noticing the rain quieted down and so did your voices.

"I'll see you tomorrow in fifth period?" , He smiled at your question "Of course. Let me know if you need a studying partner."

"Will do."

Seonghwa:

Never in a million years did he think you'd be ashamed to be walked somewhere, you enjoyed his company but he'd never asked to walk you home before even though you quickly said no it was easy to change that answer when you seen the hurt and question on his face. So here you were, quietly walking home hand in hand, Seonghwa was walking on sunshine after you'd changed your answer he didn't notice your longing face before you could Cross the street you abruptly halted pulling at his hand causing him to sling backwards,

"This walk is long I don't want you to endure it." You spoke suspiciously but he hadn't caught it "More time with you." He simply replied before attempting to walk again but once again being stopped by you,

"Then you'll have to walk back alone." ,

"I'll call for a ride once I get in front of your house." The pulse in your neck began to jump as he clearly didn't understand why you kept making excuses, you had to flat out tell him now,

"I don't want you to walk me home," you searched his eyes for any sign of anger but they were just boring into your own, "because it's not safe for.. Y'know, you." This made him scoff in a comedic tone,

"You think because you live somewhere that you personally consider to be dangerous that it's personally not safe for me? Y/n I have friends that live in your neighborhood, I have friends everywhere." You were taken aback "You do?"

"You think all my friend live in golden gated communities with foutains in every yard? No. They come from all walk of life, I'm not scared of a neighborhood, I'm scared of you being too ashamed of where you come from to not let me see it because you shouldn't be, ever."

Looking at the sincerity and determination in his eyes with evident sparkles as well you'd lost for sure, "I'm sorry for trying to deny this walk and sort of categorizing you." Seonghwa deeply sighed, "It's alright, you don't ever have to be ashamed of your upbringing, family, anything with me. I like you regardless." That was such a relief to hear.

Yunho:

He simply followed the directions you'd given him to your house, you stayed on the phone with him as he walked just in case he got into any trouble, "I don't need you to babysit me over the phone." He tried to sound convincing, "Yeah you do. I'm not hanging up and you better not either."

You sternly said. Yunho knew all about this sketchy side of town, the high crime rates, drug hideouts or half way houses, police sirens were heard at least 3 times a day but he didn't care he was coming to his love either way no matter the stakes it'd only prove his feelings more with the lengths he was willing to go,

"I can follow directions well." He heard you chuckle "Good now follow my directions and don't hang up this phone." Yunho loved your take charge attitude especially when it was for his good, "You definitely run this relationship, huh?" ,

"Only when you're too tired or unconscious to." He could feel your grinning smile though he couldn't see it , "I promise I'll make it there safely baby I'm almost there, I think," Yunho spoke teasing you knowing you'd start to stress a bit "Yunho do I-" ,

"That was a joke I'm not lost." He could hear you grumble annoyed, "I'm on this street name-" Yunho's sentence was caught off with an oomf you listened closely to hear if he was okay. Yunho stood up dusting himself off after he hit a hard yet soft object, human object.

He was busy searching for his phone to look at the angry trio of men looking his way ready to skin him alive.

"You have no knowledge about watching where the fuck you're going kid or are you just empty headed all together?" A gruff voice spoke startling Yunho, he finally looked up seeing the three males with menace like features, they all looked as if they could break his entire skull with a single punch without much muscle.

"I apologize, really. I'll be out of your way." He tried to smooth over the situation a rough laugh was heard "You'll be out of everyone's way if I get my hands on you." Another man spoke though Yunho's shakey eyes never left the man in front of him he could see the remaining two men swiftly move there hands to their inside jacket pockets, he'd seen movies like this either they'd pull out a deadly weapon or a lollipop.

"Uhm, it'll never happen again sir- sirs." He corrected stumbling over his own words. "If it does nothing will happen to him anyway." An all too familiar voice added, never had Yunho whirled around so quickly "Y/N?!" A Tone of fear, relief, and excitement was heard his his voice,

"You know this clown?" Yunho's eyes were screaming for you both to make a break for it, "Yes Uncle Roy, this is my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?!"

"Uncle?!"

They both chimed in union but you ignored both grabbing Yunho's hand and pulling him away from your uncle and his goons.

"I don't need protecting," You mocked him "You walked past the block you were supposed to turn on Mr. 'I can follow directions well'" you scolded playfully

"My phone." Was all Yunho could say.

Yeosang:

He loved being on this side of town, the graffiti run down buildings, people on every corner looks ranging from lovely people to those parents would warn to stay away from but Yeosang didn't care.

He was a long way from home but that didn't matter, the pot holes that filled the streets in this part of town the corner stores that lit up almost every street was different from the clean cut grass and untarnished pavements that usually surrounded him, it was all so suffocating and too clean cut for him.

He wanted to explore every enviroment and have friends in all it may be a strange task but he wasn't one for the normal anyway, the unknown excited him even if it was dangerous.

He walked the side walk with weeds growing out of some of the cracks happily looking at the busy streets and in the store windows in business or out, cracked or squeaky clean. "Yeosang?" A voice carried through the air, "Yeosang over here!" His eyes scanned and scanned until he saw you attempting to Cross the busy street,

you looked to him like a pretty yet unprotected rare artifact that he wanted to keep for himself, Heaven knew he carried this deep care and emotion for you that most would describe as a crush.

He waited til you safely crossed in front of him to speak "Didn't think I'd see you over this way." , "I live over here you however are a long way away from home aren't you?" Yeosang Shrugged "I like the scenery."

You looked past him then back to him "What scenery? There aren't any museums or statues around , this part of town isn't the best." You admitted,

"Which is what makes it great, it's not some land of perfection where you can't breath longer than 7 seconds," you raised your brow at him asking him to explain further making him sigh,

"Okay I know it sounds ungrateful, I truly blessed to have grew up in the enviroment that I did but it's also blocking me from the rest of the world, leaving me unprepared and curious, I have opportunities in my neighborhood but still so many restrictions."

You hummed "And what opportunities do you think you'll have out here?" He thought for a moment "You guys have the best hip hop dance classes here, they only teach contemporary and well, everything but hip hop based anything or remotely related to the genre where I live."

You laughed at his almost tantrum like attitude, "So you're looking for a place to take dance classes at out here?" You asked with him sending a nod in response. "You could help me look for one if you're not busy?" He questioned "I could . I was only going to buy some junk food but that can wait, I know this town front and back, "

You could see the cheerful hope in his eyes that begged you to help him find a dance studio where he could be free so you couldn't deny his request, well, you didn't want to. "let's go find you a dance stuido." You finished seeing Yeosang cheer silently

"I'll buy you food after?" He offered "You definitely got me now." You grinned linking your arm with his as you both began to walk together to find him a nice spot to showcase his love for hip hop and dance while exploring the city and maybe the depths of your friendship as well.

[bobdylandreams]

My Own Version Of You

Written by Bob Dylan

Released on Rough And Rowdy Ways (2020) Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem

Capo 4th fret fret (sounding key C# minor)

Am    /g    /f#      /f  -/e Am    /g    /f#      /f  -/e Am              /g            /f#  /f All through the summers, into January A#m                /g          /f#  /f I've been visiting morgues and monasteries Dm7                F/c             G7/b     Bb7 Looking for the necessary body parts Am               /g#            /g      /f# Limbs and livers and brains and hearts         F7    I'll bring someone to life, is what I wanna do                                       Am    I'm gonna create my own version of you

Well, it must be the winter of my discontent. I wish you'd have taken me with you wherever you went. They talk all night and they talk all day, But not for a minute do I believe anything they say.    I'm gon' make someone a life, someone I've never seen    You know what I mean, you know exactly what I mean

I'll take the Scarface Pacino and The Godfather Brando Mix 'em up in a tank, and get a robot commando If I do it upright and put the head on straight I'll be saved by the creature that I create

I'll get blood from a cactus, gunpowder from ice I don't gamble with cards and I don't shoot no dice Can you look in my face with your sightless eyes? Can you cross your heart and hope to die?    I'll bring someone to life, someone for real    Someone who feels the way that I feel

I study Sanskrit and Arabic to improve my mind I wanna do things for the benefit of all mankind I say to the willow tree, "Don't weep for me" I'm saying to hell with all things that used to be

Well, I get into trouble, then I hit the wall No place to turn, no place at all I'll pick a number between a-one and two And I ask myself, "What would Julius Caesar do?"    I will bring someone to life in more ways than one    Don't matter how long it takes, it'll be done when it's done

I'm gon' make you play the piano like a Leon Russell Like Liberace, like St. John the Apostle I'll play every number that I can play I'll see you maybe on Judgment Day

After midnight, if you still wanna meet I'll be at the Black Horse Tavern on Armageddon Street Two doors down, not that far a walk I'll hear your footsteps, you won't have to knock    I'll bring someone to life, balance the scales    I'm not gonna get involved in any insignificant details

You can bring it to St. Peter, You can bring it to Jerome You can bring it all the way over, Bring it all the way home Bring it to the corner where the children play You can bring it to me on a silver tray    I'll bring someone to life, spare no expense    Do it with decency and common sense

Can you tell me what it means, to be or not to be? You won't get away with fooling me Can you help me walk that good land mile? Can you give me the blessings of your smile?    I'll bring someone to life, use all of my powers    Do it in the dark in the wee, small hours

I can see the history of the whole human race It's all right there, it's carved into your face Should I break it all down? Should I fall on my knees? Is there light at the end of the tunnel, can you tell me please?

Stand over there by the cypress tree Where the Trojan women and children were sold into slavery Long before the first Crusade Way back before England or America were made

Step right into the burning hell Where some of the best-known enemies of mankind dwell Mr. Freud with his dreams, Mr. Marx with his ax See the raw hide lash rip the skin from their backs

Got the right spirit, you can feel it, you can hear it You've got what they call the immortal spirit You can feel it all night, you can feel it in the morn' It creeps in your body, the day you were born

One strike of lightning is all that I need And a blast of electricity that runs at top speed Shimmy your ribs, I'll stick in the knife Gonna jump-start my creation to life    I wanna bring someone to life, turn back the years    Do it with laughter and do it with tears.            

The chords in the sounding key:

C#m              /b            /a#  /a All through the summers, into January C#m                /b          /a#  /a I've been visiting mosques and monasteries F#m7                A/e             B7/d#    D7 Looking for the necessary body parts C#m              /c             /b      /a# Limbs and livers and brains and hearts         A7    I'll bring someone to life, is what I wanna do                                       C#m    I'm gonna create my own version of you            

Below is a tab of what Blake Mills himself plays on the track (or at least in the video that he released on Instagram). Quite advanced playing, which requires precision and dexterity - not for the faint of heart!

   C#m   /b    /a#   A7        F#m   A/e   B7/d# D7    :     .     .     .         :     .     .     . ||--9------------------------||-2-2-2-5-5-5-7-7-7-8-8-8-| ||*-9-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-*||-2-2-2-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-| ||--9-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--||-2-2-2-6-6-6-8-8-8-7-7-7-| ||--11----6-6-6-6-6-6-5-5-5--||-------------------------| ||*-11----------------------*||-4-----7-----6-----5-----| ||--9-----7-----6-----5------||-2-----0-----------------|  C#m   /c#   /b    /a#        A                         A7  :     .     .     .          :     .     .     .       :      .     . |-9--------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------| |-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9----|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-2-3-4-|-5-5-5-/5-5-5-5-7-8-| |-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9----|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-2-4-5-|-6-6-6-/6-6-6-6-7-8-| |-11----10----9-9-9-8-8-8----|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-------|-5-----/5-5-5-5-9-10| |-11-------------------------|-------------------0-----|-0------0-----0-----| |-9-----8-----7-----6--------|-5---------------0----0--|--------------------|  C#m  :     .     .     .       .     .     . |-9-----------------------|-9-----------------------| |-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-5-5-5-|-9-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-| |-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-6-6-6-|-9-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-| |-11----9-9-9-8-8-8-5-5-5-|-11----6-6-6-6-6-6-5-5-5-| |-11----------------------|-11----------------------| |-9-----7-----6-----5-----|-9-----7-----6-----5-----|            

[echantedtoon]

In The Moon's Shadow (Yandere Kokushibo x Reader) Ch8 Until I Can See You Again

( GET READY FOR FOUR CHAPTERS AT ONCE!!

The pattern for the purple hydrangea scented candle is linked below.

https://pin.it/BubBAQAPD

This will also be in Kokushibo's P.O.V.. Also someone asked me if demons are immortal in the story. No. No while demons have supernatural powers, they're just like regular people otherwise. They are not cannibals, immortals, etc. So Kokushibo despite being a demon will grow old like any other person. I also debated on whether or not breathing styles exist in this plotline or not. They do exist but only to those whom are 'blessed'.

Also Happy Valentine's Day everyone.)

"What are you doing?"

She was confused when he sent the crow away and made his way from the home rather quickly making her blink and follow after him confused. He briskly walked his way back through town and all the way back to the little shop she worked at. He didn't bother knocking at all. Only slid the door open and walked right in. She heard the sounds of her boss squealing in fright and running away from the samurai walking inside. She naturally followed quickly and poked her head inside only to find the demon standing in front of the shelf of candles again, his hand quickly skimming across the wide selection until coming across a purple candle. The hand grabbed it and brought it to smell what scent came from this one. Hydrangea flowers. That'll do.

He turned back to her and held up the candle to her. "I have one last job for you, and I'll need it done quickly."

She blinked before slowly taking the candle from him. "Oh. Sure. I can do that too."

"I want it covered in stars. How soon can you get it done?"

"Stars?... It'll take me a few days but I can do it. What's this one for?"

"I can not go without a wedding gift for my brother and his bride. It would look disrespectful of me if I didn't at least gift him something to show my congratulations to them."

It would mean he'd be late in seeing his father again but his father was actually a very capable commander. He'd be able to hold his own until he returns. He was most likely not going to be able to attend Yoriichi's wedding, not that he wanted too in the first place, but not at least giving him a gift would again spread rumors between them further. He didn't need anything like that trouble him when there was a real problem going on.

"I need you to finish it as soon as possible for me. I've been called back to aid in battle soon. How soon can you get it done?"

She blinked her big eyes at him before looking over the candle calculating. "..Three days. I can have it done for you in three days."

"Then you must get started at this very moment."

She did. She started immediately. In the meantime he took to gathering all of his things and preparing to leave as soon as she had finished up. His father would no doubt be angry with him for taking so long, but fulfilling his mother's request and his obligations to Yoriichi's wedding ceremony on both his and their father's behalf would be a good enough excuse. After all, he'd be seen as a laughing stock if neither of them even congratulated Yoriichi or were too stuck up to gift him anyway. The things he had gotten him would again be acceptable without being too tacky or anything else. Three slow days had passed. Three sun rises. Three sunsets. And then another knock on his door. He opened it up to the woman again standing there panting like she ran the entire way there, purple candle in one hand and a small bag in the other.

"I'm so sorry I took so long," she forced out between gasps of air leaning against the door frame. "I'm*gasp* finished." 

"Perfect." He was quick to accept the candle from her looking over the beautiful star shapes along the twilight purple like it was really the sky. Yoriichi would like this. "This is also acceptable...What is in the other bag you carry?"

She held it out to him. "A few more baked sweet potatoes and some dried deer meat. It should last you on your travels."

He accepted it. Food for his travels would be good. "I thank you and apologize for any troubles I may have caused you."

"Oh no. You didn't t-trouble me at all."

 She smiled wider at him making him feel an unusual beat in his chest. He ignored it in favor of  quickly just stuffing the candle back with the others and picking up everything he needed, holding both bags and walking towards the door. She blinked and backed out of the way to allow him to walk out and stop in front of her before he also held up something. It was a-...Holy cow!

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST PHEASANT SHE HAD EVER SEEN IN HER LIFE!!

It had enough meat on its bones to last three days if she cooked it right, and it looked freshly hunted as if he had gotten it just that money. In question she looked at him.

"I already paid you for the first job, however I have no money to pay for a second rushed job. Instead of money, take this as payment for springing everything on you last minute. I'm sure you'll make great use of it."

She slowly took it from his hands almost dropping it at first. It had a decent weight to it. "I..T-Thank you but I can't take this. You caught this yourself."

"I will not accept free labor from you," he bluntly interrupted making her look at him again. "You have done enough for me, you deserve compensation for your work. ..Do NOT let that old woman or her family take anything from you. I must leave now."

"Back to the war." It wasn't a question but he nodded anyways before silently stepping around her and walking away without another- A hand grabbing his made him stop and turn to stare at longing turquoise eyes. "Will I be able to see you again? I mean..will you ever do business here again?"

He stood there silently staring at her for a long moment..The demon bowed to the maiden at the hip, a grip lifting her hand to his eyes. The bandage was gone now but a faint scar still remained amongst others. A dangerous claw ran across the space where it used to be making her body shiver, her skin was still soft despite all the work she does. 

A warmth breath hit her palm followed by soft lips pressed against the flesh. "A wound inflicted may disappear from one's body but the cause of it is remembered till the end." Lips murmured against her skin. "I shall not soon forget this or anything else." Gently a kiss was placed against flesh before he pulled his body reluctantly away to stare down at the beautiful red but shocked face of hers. The sunlight making her eyes sparkle and the warm wind blowing her hair around. The hand let go of hers before it reached out to pull the annoying strands from the red face, slowly sliding them away before sliding down her face and cupping the chin. "Until I can see you again."

The hand left her warm flesh and he turned to silently leave. Leaving behind the maiden that stared after him in flustered shock. Yes he would see her again. Soon. After he convinced his father to take over this part of the forest as new Tsugikuni territory.

----------------

Step after step. Day after day.

His legs carried him closer and closer towards the destination. He heard the sounds of loud laughter a mile before he even saw the outskirts of the city and was hit with the scent of many people merging together long before he even stepped foot inside the city and made his way quickly through the throngs of people and towards the center. His senses were attacked by the strong smells but thankfully it was absolutely NOTHING like last time thank the gods, although he feared what it'd be like when Yoriichi's wedding did happen. He was thankful he had an excuse to miss it. The crowds were terrible. Pushing against his body uncomfortably so and bumping his arms annoyingly so. And his father wondered why he preferred meeting outside his home city but that was just calm normal city behavior.

With a sigh he pushed through the crowds faster, wanting to get this done sooner. If nothing else he's only here for his mother and nothing else there. Yes. He'd see what was going on here, but then he was leaving right after. The closer he got to the main building, the annoying feeling of seeing his brother again filled him up with dread, which was why he was glad that at least the guards stationed at the entrance of his home weren't drunk and complete stone faced and serious. A perfect result of his brother's hard training. Which both angered and relieved him to no end. It took no time at all for them to recognize him even before he lowered the cloth over his face to stare at them.

"Open the doors."

They did so immediately, silently without even saying a word. One guard giving a specific coded knock on the door before a loud clicking noise of a thick lock undone before the thick doors was opened from the other side allowing him in and away from a lot of the noise. Not all but a good portion of it was blocked by the fifthteen foot walls and the distant smell of alcohol was slightly dulled by the lush gardens stationed in and maintained throughout his home. Beautiful flowers blooming everywhere, some exotic and only grown within the confines of his home. Some relief flooded out of him but there was still the lingering dread of what was to come. A half growl left his lips.

"*Sigh* Let us be done with this."

The hat above his head was removed allowing him some freedom from him for a while. Six eyes popping open one after another in view of everyone and everything around him. Terrifying to most anyone who saw him. And most did cower or look away from him as he began walking straight through the garden and towards the main building. More guards were stationed around the estate or walking around on patrol. Most bowed as he walked past trying their best to not look him in the eyes. Good. Meant he was still largely received as stronger than them. Let them be afraid. He paid no attention to any of them making his way inside the building in search for his mother.

If he knew his brother, he'd be clinging to their mother's side as usual.

The large man caused many a servant and guard to keep to themselves as he made his way through finely furnished walls filled with paintings and other fine things only they could afford. Fine life for him to live outside of the battlefield. The only thing he could do for now was make his way to his mother's bed chambers and push open the door once he arrived there. The door creaked open loudly as he looked into the room...Ah. Just as he suspected.

"Aniue?"

Three figures sat down at inside the beautifully decorated room all looking at him in wide eyed surprise. His mother laying in the bed he had often begged her to lay down in for once. Finally. His brother right next to her sitting cross legged and that woman whom would soon become his sister-in-law sat right next to him. His fists tightened up and eyes became half lidded staring at them..before he noticed the almost horrified look on the woman's face. Uta? Yes. He remembered her name now. Uta was her name. Uta was staring at him with eyes so big they might've been an owl. Ah. Right. She hadn't seen him in this form before..he supposed he should revert back to his more human appearance for this brief meeting. He wouldn't be staying for long anyways so there was no need to frighten her. Two pairs of eyes closed and disappearing melting back into flesh and disappearing from view, and two purple human pupils blinked at them from a single pair of eyes on his face. A similar shade to his brother's eyes, but while his eyes were similar Yoriichi's eyes had a more reddish tint to them. Uta seemed to watch in utter shock and complete awe at his face transforming into a more human face.

A face that looked so much like his twin's.

"Forgive me for frightening you like that, Miss Uta," he strained to remain polite in front of his mother and offered her a bow of his head. "I had assumed my brother would've told you about me by now."

She didn't saw anything at first but then gave an awkward smile and wave. "O-Oh no. It's o-ok. I just.. wasn't expecting to see you a-again so soon, Brother."

"Yes. I do apologize for dropping in unannounced like this but I am here for a reason." Wanting to get out of there as soon as possible, he bluntly held up two bags. "I have brought a few things as I previously promised." His mother struggled to sit up as he walked over to her so Yorichii reached out to pull her into a sitting up position. "Mother..." He slowly knelt to rest on his knees and presented the biggest bag to her. "Here. I have brought you what you requested."

Akeno weakly smiled at him, her face despite looking old and tired was still beautiful. "Michikatsu. My son." Weak hands reached out to him and he leaned over to allow her to cup his face. "You were always such a good boy." A hand patted his cheek. "Your father could never fully stomp that part out of you." The hands left his face before she turned her attention to the bag he offered. "Oh. I'm excited to see what these are. Are they all from the same carver?"

He nodded. "Yes. She's beautiful." His mother stopped and just looked at him for a second. His brother and Uta looked at one another suddenly. OH SHI- "She's beautifully CARVED you many things." He quickly clarified as casually as he could earning him a confused look from Uta and a..hopeful smile from Yoriichi. What the hell was he smiling about now?! His mother only gave him an all knowing smile. "Open it. You'll find it to your liking." He quickly changed the subject.

"Mm hm." His mother gave him a teasing smile that had him feeling more dread but she only went to opening the bag he gave her much to his relief. A hand reached in and the scent of cherry blossoms filled the air as the first thing she pulled out was the pink candle decorated with carvings of sakura flowers in bloom. His mother's face fell open in delighted surprise as soon as she saw it. "Oh my goodness.." A hand slowly ran over the flowers in the wax. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"Oooh! How pretty!," Uta gushed looking fondly at the candle too.

"There's many others." He nodded at the bag. "Go on."

He took great delight watching his mother's awestruck, happy smile as she slowly kept pulling candle after candle out of the bag and gushing at the colors, and smells, and artwork etched right into it. Happily passing them between herself and Uta and Yoriichi whom also took great pleasure in admiring Y/n's skills. His mother especially seemed to enjoy the small lavender soap bird and the sage scented maple leaf soap he had also gotten her, the bird no doubt reminding her of her beloved little Ebony. Good. Maybe his mother's uplifted attitude will help her health get better. They saw laughter was the best medicine, but maybe being happy would be a good substitute? He caught sight of the small blueberry candle and it briefly reminded him of the same plain candle he had given her...he forced his eyes away as his mother continued to gush about them. However of course his brother would have to notice.

"Michikatsu?" He stiffened at his brother's voice. "Brother, you seem bothered by something." His brother's calm but concerned voice asked. "Is something the matter?"

Yes. A troublesome woman kept invading his thoughts.

He shook his head no stiffly. "No. I'm only reminded of why I'm here."  He finally bothered to look at his brother's face. "I had gotten your message but I...regret that I cannot attend your wedding."

Yoriichi's calm smile saddened a bit at that. "I see..Any particular reason why?"

"I'm sure you heard about Father's peace talks not going over well. With the war about to continue and how sudden you sprung this on everyone, I will not be able to attend. My place is ensuring our territory isn't completely taken over."

"Ah. Well if that's the case then Im glad you were able to visit us in person before we had the ceremony. I appreciate you taking the time to come tell me in person."

He came for their mother not him! No matter how kind he treated him. No..matter how..living he treated him.

"However I do intend to fulfill my obligations still." The second much smaller bag was tossed into Yoriichi's lap making his brother blink at it. "A wedding gift from Father and myself to you and your bride. You have our.. congratulations. I assume you also sent Father an invitation as is courtesy?"

Uta's eyes went wide with wonder as Yoriichi let her take the bag from him and open. "Yes. He didn't say anything in return to us." He looked saddened but also relieved in a way before he looked at him again. "But I know you both are very busy. Still I am more sad you won't be there, Michikatsu. I had hoped things would finally be calm and I could celebrate my union with you and Mother."

"You know I can not. It's how things are."

"Even still...I am happy you responded to my message, Brother. Seeing you makes me happy knowing you're alright."

.. Again he looked away from his brothers eyes. What did he know? He knew nothing about his struggles or what he had to endure every day! Uta's gasp thankfully got the attention off of him and back onto the things she held. More specifically the lemon scented sun he....He bought that for Yoriichi anyways...It wasn't planned to be a wedding gift but it was a convenient way to disguise his intentions. His brother like the first time was also in awe and smiling fondly at it all.

"These are beautiful gifts." His hand carefully ran along the soap sun in his hands. "It looks just like the real thing."

"And look at how cute this is!," Uta gushed over the flower smelling candle, "So pretty! I love it! Thank you so much, Brother!"

"It is the least I could've done. I can not stay longer however. Father wants me back east."

Yoriichi nodded still smiling. "I understand fully. Please be safe." His hands closed around the sun in his hands. "And please tell Father to be safe as well."

"You just take care of Mother-"

"Michikatsu." He paused when his mother looked at him knowingly. "Are you going to marry soon?" He paused completely. "I figured with the war going on, your father might push you to marry sooner."

"....That is not a priority for me right now. You know that."

"I know but I just thought that perhaps.." Her smile widened cheekily. "You might have a candidate in mind at least."

"No. I do not." He calmly stood up. "I must leave now. Continue to care for things here, and this time listen to the doctors and rest."

He bowed before turning on his heel and walked out of the room-

"Elder Brother!" He stopped in the doorway as Yoriichi stood up. "I understand that you and Father might be angry with me, with Mother, about my marriage being done the day it is..but I am only doing this because I want to be happy. I love Uta. If Father had it his way we all know he would've never had let me have this." A hand of Uta's slowly reached out to grab his hand and Yoriichi shakily held it tightly. "He never would've let us be happy. If you find yourself in the same situation.. don't let Father take away your happiness."

He said nothing but stood there for a long moment before he silently left. Fists clenched and jaw stood firm.

Dam Yoriichi! What did he know!?

HE WOULD NEVER DISGRACE HIMSELF BY MARRYING A LOWLY WOMAN!! AS HEIR HE HAD AN OBLIGATION TO FIND A SUITABLE WOMAN TO GIVE HIM THE STRONGEST HEIRS POSSIBLE WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF BECOMING LEADERS!! YORIICHI WOULD NOT KNOW THAT BECAUSE HE NEVER PUT DUTY BEFORE HIS OWN SELFISH WANTS!! IF HE HAD TO MARRY THE MOST COLD HEARTED WENCH IN THE LAND IN ORDER TO GET STRONG CHILDREN THEN SO BE IT!! THAT WAS WHERE HE FATE AND DUTY LIED! NOT CHASING WORTHLESS FANTASIES!

He would forget about the woman with turquoise eyes and soft smiles. Some time away and heat from battles would do wonders to help him retain his control. He was not be controlled by senseless feelings and will return to his own destiny. He was more than happy to get out of that estate. To leave that dam crowded city. To be by himself for a while so he could focus. He should focus his attention to what mattered most! His duties to his clan. His fate as further heir. His destiny to his father. And his obligations to his bloodline. 

... Against his own wishes his brain conjured up a sight of beauty. 

Of a beautiful maiden with turquoise eyes peering shyly up at him from under the hood of a beautiful silk white kimono. Her hair beautiful done up despite being hidden by the kimono's hood. Soft face framed by the beautiful locks of silky hair. Cheeks a rose red. Turquoise eyes sparkling as large lashes batted shyly up at him. A smile gracing her face as lips pink with lipstick aimed at him. A series of giggles left her as she fiddled shyly with his hand pulling him closer.

"I love you, Michikatsu."

A demonic cry cascaded through the valley. Animals of all kinds scattered away for their lives as the raged volume echoed throughout the sky. A horrible crackling sound wafted out. Bark splintered under his hands. A once mighty tree lost its life from the blow to its trunk. It's body crackling before a loud boom of soft dirt cathing itself stopped it. A squirrel losing their home.

Michikatsu stood there panting. His lungs heaving for air like a drowning man. Desperate hands trembling as he looked at them. His palms covered in pieces of bark from where they collided with the tree... before they slowly closed tightly despite his shaking.

"Get a fucking hold of yourself. She's just a woman who you met only for business. I will not give in to these mad delusions like Yoriichi. I WILL SURPASS HIM IN THIS!!"

His voice carried over as with a growl the demon disregarded the damage he did and continued on his way hands still likely shaking. Shaking from rage ..or fear of these increasingly difficult to control thoughts he didn't know.

"I am to forget her! Besides...she would never want me..." 

Eyes stared at the claws of the trembling hands. For once regret and a bit of disgust filling the spot that once held rage. At least he was nothing more than another customer to her, at most just an aquataince who happened to be a demon.. He was meant to look powerful and feared by all. No sane woman would willingly marry him if it wasn't for his status. There was a clear reason he wasn't married yet..and why women fawn over his brother far more.

"No woman would ever be with a monster."