#especially because that shade of green was my school uniform colour for a while

[brooklynislandgirl]

"My sincerest thanks." Iwalani's smile only deepens as she expertly reads the boy's face and the emotion behind it. Her eyes hold nothing but warmth and welcome. She sees that expression shift as he finds firmer footing both literally and metaphorically. His compliment is as charming as the young man is and she glances over her shoulder. The house is lovely and she spends what little time she has to ensure it runs properly. She hopes he will be comfortable staying with them and not one of those cell-like rooms at the Academy. She turns back to him. "I should be pleased if you consider it home while you're here. And allow me to introduce you to my children. This is Andrew, and he's in his Senior year of the Academy-" The young man comes forward and towers over all the collective party in his yard. Six-foot-three in his stocking feet, he's taller in his boots. For this moment he's eschewed the traditional cadet uniform in favour of dark denim, a fitted dress shirt, a dark blazer. He offers a large and strong hand to the boy. "Pavel? Good to meetcha. I'm really looking forward to having you here, especially since dad's rarely home and it'll be nice not to be out numbered." The last is followed by a wink. After a moment, Beth is piloted forward by her mother's hand on her shoulder. Her expression remains bland though for a brief moment she raises her gaze. Bits and pieces of the garden surrounding him have been stolen away to create the honey-flecked green of her eyes which themselves glow with a hint of starlight. They are every bit like her brothers even if his are a touch darker than hers. Wide and veiled with an emotion not immediately defined, she half-blinks. His eyes are pretty. They're unusual in colour, and she can't decide exactly what shade they are. However, she thinks she can see something in them that she's felt a thousand times. The fear of being out of place. The fear of being replaced. Fortunately those fears have a kind of hiding place in the excitement humming through him. Good. He'll need that. After a string of heartbeats, she lowers her gaze. When nothing slips out of her mouth, Iwalani clears her throat. "Please excuse Elikapeka, she's quite a shy little thing. Something she has to get over if she ever plans on becoming a doctor, though for now she's just about to start her second year of medical school. Like you, she's quite bright for her age." A shock of colour rushes to her face. Whether it's because she's been called out or had her full name spoken aloud, it's hard to tell but she manages to mumble, "Beth is easier to say." Andy rolls his eyes in an almost-apology. "Want me to show you to your room? We could put your stuff away and then maybe if you want…do you play any sports? Games?"

He'd moved himself to the other side of the world on his own, stamped down his nerves, and earned himself a place at the illustrious Starfleet Academy, just as he'd promised.

Why is he so nervous now, travelling only a short distance from the grounds to the house?

Maybe because this is an Admiral. If I mess up in front of him, I will surely be kicked out of the Academy.

Maybe because unlike his shuttle trip to America, he is the only soul aboard this cavern of a shuttle, swallowed up by its metal walls.

His heart threatens to very nearly leap out of his chest as the impeccable estate grounds come into view. From above, it looks perfect; too much so, in fact. The colours are in perfect harmony, the lawn is well-maintained, cut in sharp, clean lines, and everything is arranged thoughtfully, always in its place.

Everything but him.

Pavel's eyes are glued to the world outside as the shuttle begins its descent and the moment it touches the ground, everything becomes real. With the barrier of transparant aluminium standing strong between him and out there, he can still pretend he is watching some American holo in which everything is perfect—too perfect—and there is something insidious and hungry sleeping within the walls, possessing the family, waiting to devour the outsiders.

The pilot murmurs something that Pavel ignores as the engine dies down, most likely something along the lines of you're clear to disembark, kid, and he pretends he wasn't just thinking about some terrible evil that has existed here for generations, unseen to the outside world.

That's hardly a good first impression, especially when they had no reason to offer their home so graciously. The small room allocated by the Academy's housing division would have been more than enough.

He casts his gaze over each individual member lined up and adjusts his backpack to a more comfortable position, offering a polite smile to the woman he assumes must be the Admiral's wife.

She is beautiful. Like something out of a story.

His smile is quickly replaced with a look of surprise when she speaks to him in Russian.

His first instinct is to slip back into the comfort and familiarity of his mother tongue, not this clumsy language he's still learning to part his lips around—speaking it is much harder than reading it—but mastery will only come with practise and it is something he sorely needs when he has more bad days than good with the language.

He wishes he started practising earlier than the eleventh hour.

But Pavel nods, finds his smile once again, and beams back with a brilliance to rival the gold woven into her outfit.

Please let me get the words out and not sound like an idiot.

"Thank you. Your house is—ah, beautiful. Like an old photo! This is very kind, letting me stay."

[pynkhues]

linocut anon here. my fingers are fine, but this was definitely the worst ive accidentally stabbed myself while doing a cut! gonna buy some cut proof gloves today. sucks about the publisher doing that. if you dont mind me asking, whats the novella called? id love to read it.

Follow up to this post.

I’m glad your fingers are okay, anon! Cut proof gloves definitely sound like a good idea! My thumb has sort of half-healed at this point? I took the bandage off yesterday and it’s blistered around the cut, so it’s pretty gross, haha. I....probably should’ve gone to hospital instead of fixing it myself because I am 100% sure it needed stitches, but alas. 

And yes! I’m happy to share! Sorry I didn’t earlier – I wanted to wait until the publisher fixed the spelling of my surname, because I get enough confusion about it already (mostly because people think it’s a joke, haha, RIP me).

It’s called Drift and it’s only about 8k words. In it, a young woman is going through a difficult time, having just been made redundant at her job and hitting a rough patch with her boyfriend who’s overseas on a trip they were supposed to be going on together before she lost her job, but then she discovers that her new housemate can levitate and becomes obsessed with learning how to do it herself at the detriment of everything else in her life. 

It’s basically an extended metaphor for procrastination, haha. 

You can buy it as an ebook for $3 here if you’re interested. I’ve put the first scene behind a cut though in case you want to read that first!

-

So they pour another drink, something sweeter this time, blush pink and syrupy that’ll sit thick on their teeth by morning. Hest grimaces at the taste before leaning over to try and swap it for Annie’s beer. It’s no good though – even dead asleep, Annie’s grip is tight.

“I kind of like it,” the New Girl says, snapping her lips and wiping the dust from the shoulders of the bottle. They’d found it somewhere under Hest’s bed, in a forgotten pile of crusty knickers, ripped off dress tags and sun-bleached receipts. She can’t remember where she got it from, or even when, which probably isn’t the best sign. She hasn’t drunk this sort of thing since high school.  

“I feel like I’m drinking some Alice potion shit, y’know?” New Girl continues. “Like it’s about to go all Wonderland up in here.”

“The potion doesn’t take Alice to Wonderland,” Hest replies, sighing when Annie yawns and rolls over, taking the beer with her and spilling it all over their ugly carpet in the process. “It makes her tiny, and then she almost drowns in her own tears.”

The New Girl seems to consider this, turning the thought over in her thoughtful head. Not that Hest knows if she’s thoughtful. Not yet anyway. She only moved in two days ago, and Hest and Annie’s luck with social-media-tree flatmates hasn’t exactly been great. At least New Girl had paid two weeks in advance and didn’t give off a totally drug fucked vibe.

“Do you watch anime?”

Not totally drug fucked vibe.

Hest squints in New Girl’s general direction.

“What?”

“Anime. Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Dragonball. Those Japanese cartoons.”

At Hest’s look, New Girl continues.

“There’s a subgenre of it, right? It’s called Magical Girl, and it’s like, transformative, you know? It’s school girls who are usually total wet blankets, and have like, nerd friends and they’ll find a wand or an eyelash curler or a magical moon cup, and as soon as they use it, they become this amazing warrior princess, destined to save the universe.”

A car drives past the window, briefly lighting up the room, casting an eerie glow across the two of them, and it almost makes Hest want to snuff the candles. To let all this light swallow her whole right before the darkness does. Or, well. Maybe not. Maybe she’s just trying to play at romantic. Make this dimness a choice, instead of a fact of not being able to pay an electricity bill. Her eyes slip shut. She rubs briefly, furiously, at the bridge of her nose.

“Point?”

It takes New Girl a minute to respond, and it’s enough for Hest to finish her sugar piss champers and pour herself another. Annie’s snoring now, softly, the sound more of a hoarse, humming breath than anything, and Hest has to resist the urge to shove her awake. This whole thing had been Annie’s idea anyway, a night to welcome New Girl into the fold, to try and curb some of the issues they’d had with the last flatmate, who always bitched that Annie and Hest left her out, which, to be fair, they did. Often deliberately.

She was really annoying.

“I don’t know,” New Girl says with a laugh, shrugging. She scrunches up her nose, holds the bottle up. “This kind of feels like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like a magic girl thing.”

Hest snorts.

“What?”

“What?”

New Girl squints, mirroring the look Hest had given her not two minutes earlier.

“You made a noise.”

New Girl’s tone is sharp, and it’s enough to surprise Hest. Even after just two days of knowing her, it doesn’t seem like her. New Girl, with her ratty, faded pink bob, and enormous doe eyes and boyish form has seemed sort of effortlessly chill and effortlessly cool and also neurotic and high strung, but in a sort of chill, cool way. Like Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind had had a baby with Steve Buscemi in Ghost World and it kind of, somehow, ended up looking like every character Zoe Kazan has ever played in a movie.  

“Magic girl thing,” Hest supplies, waving out an aimless hand. “You sound like you walked out of a teenager’s tumblr blog.”

“Saying tumblr blog just shows your age,” New Girl says. “It’s just tumblr.”

“Funny, I thought actually knowing the plot of Alice in Wonderland showed it more.”

New Girl rolls her eyes at that, and at least it’s enough to make Hest laugh.

“Whatever,” New Girl says. “You’re not even that old. Like - - whatever. All I’m saying is, like. Magic, y’know?”

Hest laughs, quip ready on her tongue, only there’s New Girl, sitting, somehow, a foot off the floor, her legs stretched out in the open air, her hair floating, impossibly, around her head.

“Magic,” one of them repeats, Hest isn’t sure who.

[formenis]

Rain

Anon asked: “ Can you do a one-shot were reader is Light's sister and secretly in a relationship with L and she spends the night with L at HQ for the first time and Light catches her leaving L's bedroom and confronts her and L in front of the whole Task Force“

A/N: sure dear. But since in the manga L and Light were handcuffed together at the HQ, I changed a bit the location so this one-shot is set in the hotel we can all see in the anime.

Again, sorry if you find mistakes in my stories, English is not my first language.

pairing: L x Light’s sister!reader

warning: none

requested: yes

H/L = hair length

H/C = hair colour

F/C = favourite colour

E/C = eye colour

Y/A = your alias

The third Yagami. Why did nobody talk about her? Y/N Yagami: H/L hair in a shining H/C shade, excellent scholastic career and charming personality. Few years younger than Light and older than Sayu, she was as smart as Light, as perfect as her older brother despite the tiny age gap so why she wasn't on everyone's lips like him? Simple, because she liked something called discretion.

Y/N Yagami never liked being under the spotlight (A/N: ahah did you get the joke here?). She was an excellent student yes, Soichiro and Sachiko's pride, but she didn’t show it off.

Y/N, Light and Sayu had a special bond. They would do everything for each other, they were one the confidant of the other. However, since the end of November 2003 Light started to act strange. He would spend more time in his room than with Y/N or Sayu and both of her didn’t know the reason. He was more distant and colder with her too and this made Sayu a bit sad.

But, as we said before, Y/N loved discretion. Something happened to her too. She met someone. It was a strange encounter, Y/N admitted it.

♰ FLASHBACK ♰

It was another rainy day at Tokyo but Y/N had her F/C umbrella in her bag. Luckily it wasn’t that heavy so she was pretty confident she would reach home all dry.

Wrong. Not much after she left the Daikoku Private Academy (her high school), a heavy shower poured on her and the tiny pocket-sized umbrella could do precious little. Fortunately, a nearby bakery had a big awning and she ran towards it searching for a shelter.

«Damn…such a timing…» she wasn’t wet but that rain bothered her a lot since that afternoon she wanted to go at the tennis field with Light.

Y/N closed the umbrella and turned to take a look at the shop window of that bakery. In front of her a large variety of sweets, cookies, cakes, ice-creams, candies scattered all together on a table. She frowned finding it quite strange.

«Why on a table?» she asked mostly at herself since she was alone under the awning. However, she soon realised it was not the bakery's shop window but the table of one of the many clients. Then, from behind a black cherry double layer cake, appeared a head of a young man with messy black hair. Y/N observed how greedily that man was eating the cake: in one bite he ate almost half slice of that cake.

She opened her E/C eyes wide at that sight. Were all those sweets only for him? He would get a stomach ache and a cavity if he decided to eat all those sugary delights.

Another good look at the guy and Y/N, if it was possible, would open even wider her eyes: a very slim, pale, young man with messy neck-length black hair and black eyes; those eyes had a deep shadow below them, maybe his sleep was too much overwrought. Y/N noticed how simple his clothes were: a pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt. Nothing more, nothing less.

But two things caught Y/N attention: first, his posture. He seemed to prefer to crouch rather than sit. And second, the way he was holding those sweets, using only a thumb and a finger. For someone as Y/N Yagami, a guy like him was strange yet interesting at the same time. For some reason she wanted to know more about him.

He was going to eat what remained of the slice of cake when he turned his gaze at her. His look was so intense that made Y/N jump for the surprise. However, she got hypnotised by those eyes, so deep black and apparently empty.

They kept staring at each other for a while, none of them looked away or blinked. It was only when someone spoke near Y/N's ear that she snapped back in the real world.

«Y/N, what are you doing here?» it was Light with his usual serious voice. When Y/N looked at him she noticed he was still wearing the Daikoku's uniform.

«Light!» she turned her body fully at him. «I was waiting the rain to stop»

«It stopped ten minutes ago, we're waiting for you at home»

Ten minutes ago? For how much time Y/N and that guy stared at each other then? She apologised to Light and before leaving the bakery's awning she looked inside one more time but she didn’t see that weird boy anymore.

♰ BACK TO THE PRESENT ♰

Since that particular encounter, Y/N met few more times that guy. Especially at the To-Oh University where Y/N was present at a tennis match between that guy and Light. Of course Light won and his little sister couldn’t be happier.

One day, back at that specific bakery where the two saw each other for the first time, Y/N was enjoying a break from her studies with a cup of tea and some sweets when she felt a presence beside her.

«Good afternoon, Miss. May I have a seat?» a warm and monotone voice spoke not much far from her. When Y/N turned towards the source of that voice she couldn’t hide the surprise in finding that same weird guy! What was his name…ah, something like Hideki Ryuga, like the idol. Sayu loved that actor.

Y/N looked around the shop noticing many empty tables so she found it very strange. However, she gestured him the chair in front of her and he sat down. Well, the correct expression was "he crouched" since he didn’t sit like a normal person.

«I noticed you took all the remaining daifuku» (A/N: "daifuku" = a Japanese confection consisting of a small round mochi (glutinous rice cake) stuffed with sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans. They could be white, pale green, or pale pink-coloured).

«It's because they're my favourite sweets»

Shortly after that a waiter walked closer and took Hideki's order and few minutes later that same waiter brought a cup of tea and a large slice of strawberry shortcake. The two of them stood in silence for a while until Y/N decided to end that embarrassing situation.

«I saw you at the To-Oh…great match» Y/N took a sip of her tea, the steam warmed her face.

«Thank you. Light Yagami was a great rival back then. Aren't you too young for the University?»  he asked tilting his head in confusion, the thumb was pressed against his pale lips. «Oh my, the manners. I'm Hideki Ryuga»

«Like the idol?» Y/N asked surprised.

«Yes» Hideki replied and then he devoured in one bite an entire daifuku.

Of course Y/N didn’t believe him. Sure, it could be true that this guy shared the same name with someone else. However, Y/N had a strange feeling.

«I'm Y/A» she ate a daifuku, a pale-green one.

«Only Y/A?»

«Yes»

Unaware of Y/N, Hideki's gaze darkened. He knew exactly who Y/N was and the fact that she used an alias much like him made grow a strange excitement inside him. That was going to be fun.

♰ TIME SKIP ♰

It went without saying that Y/N and Hideki (or Ryuzaki as he wanted to be called) created a special, deep tie. Something completely different from the connection with Light and Sayu. Between Y/N and Ryuzaki there was understanding, complicity and empathy; they completed each other sentences and their way of reasoning was the same. This bond became even stronger when Ryuzaki revealed he was the greatest detective L. Y/N suspected that he was hiding something but she couldn’t imagine something like that.

Soon they could consider themselves in a romantic relationship. The fact that Y/N was Light's sister could be a problem but not for L. The two of them had a personal way to show love and affection: whispering sweet nothings in each other ears, lacing their fingers together when nobody was looking or gently running a hand over each other’s back or arm. In public they were quite discrete as Y/N requested. However, one day this discretion broke irremediably.

«Are you sure? I mean…I'm Light's sister after all…»

«You're nothing like Light-kun, Y/N»

It was late afternoon, almost dinner time. Very soon Y/N should come back home but before that they had a couple of hours for themselves. Their relationship grew to such an extent that both of them were ready to take one step forward (if you what I mean).

«You're the exact opposite…your eyes don't have the same dangerous shadow as his» L raised the hand and touched Y/N's cheeks, the index finger traced every curve of her features as to register everything.

Y/N smiled leaning in the touch. She looked at him, E/C pools met black ones. After an endless minute, their faces became closer and closer until a kiss connected them. A first chaste and sweet kiss turned in something more passionate and rough, the hands started to roam around their bodies wanting more and more. And they had more those hours.

.

.

.

It was 7pm and Light had to walk back home with Y/N as often happened when she would come with him at Ryuzaki's hotel. The Yagami boy had a strange feeling about his sister: she was acting strange, she was so out of character. Nothing worrying but Light noticed this change in his sister.

He was searching for Y/N around the hotel, they had to meet near the elevator but she didn’t specify which one. That was what Light referred when he said "being out of character": Y/N would never forget a detail like that, he knew she was a precise person.

However, Light would discuss this later but in that moment he had to find his sister. He turned the corner and stopped abruptly at the sight in front of him: Y/N was kissing L on the lips in front of his bedroom.  Light kept staring at them in disbelief, horror and in rage. How dare L do such things with his sister? He was going to pay for this.

After the kiss, Y/N walked away from the bedroom leading towards the private lounge where the task-force worked. Maybe she wanted to say hi to Soichiro before leaving the hotel. Light followed her, his blood was boiling inside him. Now he had another good reason to kill Ryuzaki, at least from his point of view.

«Dad! Me and Light are leaving. Should we wait for you for dinner?»  

«No dear, I'll be late tonight. Be careful on your way home»

Light joined the task-force in the lounge shortly after Y/N. Everyone greeted him but he didn’t say anything. His younger sister found it quite weird.

«Are you alright, Light?»

«Of course, Y/N. Everything's fine…except for the fact I saw you»

«It's good to hear you don’t need glasses, Light…» Y/N tried to appear relaxed by using sarcasm but inside her she was panicking.

«I'm talking about the kiss with Ryuzaki» he crossed the arms while looking sharply at his sister.

«The what?!» Soichiro uttered in shock dropping all the papers on the ground. Even the rest of the task-force was shocked.

In that exact moment L entered the lounge and sat at his armchair ignoring everyone's gaze on him.

«Ryuzaki! Explain! Is it true you kissed my daughter?» Soichiro asked in a rush. His face was red but for rage or embarrassment? Who knew.

«Please Yagami-san, there's no need for these scenes» the greatest detective in the world replied monotone as always.

«Don’t tell me to stay calm, Ryuzaki!»

L sigh. «Light-kun, could you tell your father to stay calm please?»

«I won't say anything, Ryuzaki. However, I would rather an explanation»

«You don’t need explanations, Light. My life has nothing to do with you» Y/N crossed the arms as well, now quite bothered by both her father and brother.

«You cannot date Ryuzaki, Y/N!» Light said firmly.

«And please, may I know the reason?» Y/N counterattacked.

«Because he is way older than you!»

«Look who's talking…the boy who is dating a girl older than him…» Y/N was talking about Misa who was for real two years older than Light.

This back and forth continued for a while and the three Yagamis were raising too much their voices for L's taste. Luckily, the rest of the task-force was too terrified to interfere and kept following with the eyes the moves of Soichiro, Light and Y/N. After a while, L had enough.

«Light-kun, Yagami-san please…» he put down the discussion using his alluring and authoritative voice despite it was always so emotionless. However, Y/N discovered how passionate his voice could be just few hours before in his bedroom. «Have you even considered that your daughter is smart enough to understand what is the best for her? I understand that you, Yagami-san, as a father and you, Light-kun, as a brother were worried about Y/N's safety, but please evaluate her opinion too before making a fuss» L took from the pocket of his jeans a lollipop, he unwrapped it and started to eat it.

Light and Soichiro stopped arguing. At those words Soichiro was deep in thought while Light didn’t change his mind about that topic.  After five minutes of silence, Soichiro sighed.

«I want the best for her too…» he admitted. «And if you're the best for her, Ryuzaki, so be it»

«Dad!» Light protested but Soichiro raised a hand to stop him.

«I know you're worried, Light, but Ryuzaki is right. Y/N…are you sure about him?»

Y/N nodded with conviction. «Yes dad, I trust and love Ryuzaki with all my heart. I want to stay with him»

Soichiro smiled at her. «Good. But Ryuzaki!» he said out of nowhere pointing his index finger to the greatest detective in the world. «If you hurt Y/N in any way I'm going to arrest you!»

In the meantime, Light didn’t say a word. He was trying to elaborate a new plan after that sudden turn of events. When Y/N asked his opinion about that argument, he replied that as long as Ryuzaki treated her with love and respect he could consider the idea to accept that relationship.

But now that his sister and Ryuzaki were a couple, will he continue with his deadly plan?  

[evangelineartemiasamos]

Red Queen Secret Santa 2019

A fanfiction for @redqueen-marecal-lover

I hope you’ll enjoy it! It’s a next generation story <3

A Melody and A Flame

Coriane

My life began to take a turn downward with that cursed party. Before, I was a girl just like any other, no one special, who only wanted to improve on the violin and whose biggest problem was jealousy of her pampered baby brother.

I could’ve guessed, I suppose, paid more attention, listened to my parents discussing matters going beyond the concerns of a 12-year-old. In hindsight, everything is possible and foreseeable, when in truth, I don’t think it would’ve changed anything. It wasn’t my fault.

Furthermore, I had no reason to anticipate anything. I was a child, and everyone in my family, everyone who cared about me and who I cared for in return, wanted me to do anything but be a child. For them, this simple thing had been a luxury they happily granted me.

Unfortunately, there were people who didn’t care about me, but my pedigree.

I have to confess I was the most excited about the party myself. It was to be an event much grander than the usual school concerts I played at; a soirée of guests from all over Norta and even from beyond her borders where several groups of young musicians could present their skills. Weeks before I was listed in the string orchestra, I’d had been eyeing a dress in a Summerton boutique. I’d tried it on a few times, sneaking behind the vendors, and fell in love with the deep green gown with its high lace cleavage, dreaming of myself on the stage in the ballroom of the Summerton town hall, the former palace.

The day I received the news that I would play at the party, I’d also saved enough of my own money to go and buy the dress. No longer the awkward 12-year-old in the exquisite shop, I entered the boutique with determination and pride, trying on the dress for a final time and lifting my violin out of its case to test its feel against the fabric as well.

The vendors listened intently to the handful of notes that spread through the shop, smiling at me with utmost politeness when we finished the trade. I beamed as well, obviously, and did so the rest of the day and when I stormed home, full of joy.

My parents weren’t at home, so I couldn’t tell them yet. Instead I took care of Shade, my little brother. Years ago, our parents had been worried if it worked out, my violin lessons and a lively toddler, yet that had never become a problem. When he was a baby, I’d been ambitious to get good enough to play him lullabies he’d sleep to, and as he grew, he still loved to listen to my exercises – no matter how repetitive – while he’d play quietly with his own toys.

Even at mere five years, he knew to congratulate me as I told him about the party concert and after I showed him the piece I was to perform, I played games with him in turn.

It was one of the best days of my life, altogether. Maybe because that night, I went to bed full of happiness and self-confidence as well as naiveté, for the last time.

My parents heard the news at breakfast. Mom squealed when she learned of it, kissing and hugging and maybe even a little shocking me. I was so happy she was happy for me. Dad was like always, proud of everything I did like I was his own kind of princess, but Mom’s excited outbursts were rare, and thus more precious. It wasn’t just the one concert, it was the perspective coming with it – me becoming a musician, a person living her dream. All Mom could want for her children.

The high mood soured in the afternoon when I presented the dress I loved so much. They still smiled, and I with them, but something had changed. I couldn’t read their faces, didn’t want to either. Finally, Dad pulled me over, sitting down with me. “Coriane, I’m not sure,” he said. “We can’t … we aren’t …”

It was the first of many times I heard these half sentences, buzzing with implications.

We can’t. We aren’t. A code of rules I hadn’t known of caged our lives.

My hands fidgeted and I had to look away. Of course I was pissed, too. How dared they deny me my dream dress?

Dad squeezed my hand and when I pulled away, Mom came over and looked in my eyes.

“It’s green like Montfort,” she said, and Dad nodded. She sighed. “Coriane, see, we can’t … it’s better if we don’t show any allegiances.”

I was bewildered. Montfort was an ally of Norta; Mom’s family lived there and we visited them twice a year. Of course we had ties to Montfort, so why should that ban wearing a colour?

Calmly, they told me that Montfort and Norta kept a careful distance to avoid shedding suspicions of unduly influences – or imperialism – from Montfort’s side. Especially the Barrow-Calore family, once we’d settled back in Norta, had to stay neutral.

M parents were soldiers. Since the last years had been peaceful, I hadn’t watched for signs of political unrest. I hadn’t seen reason to. Life was good. But while my parents weren’t politicians themselves, they were enwrapped with friends high up who provided them with intelligence. In turn, Mom and Dad weren’t to show their personal opinions. Which, I had to realize, extended to their children.

Irked, I tried to take it lightly and proposed in jest several other colours for me to wear – which were all discouraged, a lakelands blue being the last of those. “What? I’d offend everyone equally,” I snapped.

“White is neutral, it’s all colours,” Dad offered eventually. Technically, the same applied to black but even I knew that was the real taboo. Black was the colour of the royal house Calore and its loyalists.

Mom gave me a wry smile. “I have a surprise for you,” she said compassionately and got up. Left waiting, I stared in a mirror. Would the rest of my life be like this, forbidden to wear a certain colour in a certain place, or only when important people could see me?

Coriane Barrow-Calore, that name had never been a problem before. In Summerton, everyone had family or friends who had history with each other, reaching a long way back, rarely nicely. I was one of many. You didn’t see a princess when you met me. My blood was obviously Red, and with my small though not delicate figure, brown skin and brown eyes, I resembled Mom more than Dad. Apart from my long black falling down my back in shiny waves. I loved my hair. Would soon people appear and claim how “Calore” it made me look?

What else did I inherit from him?

Mom returned with another gown, a wholly different one she held up with fanfare. Dad smiled, gestured for me to take it.

I got up slowly. The dress was white, high-waisted and would look rather plain if not for its exquisite materials and tailoring. It was soft cotton and lush silk with intricate embroidery shimmering pearly. It was obviously more expensive than anything I could’ve bought myself.

Mom gazed at the gown with affection. “My sister Gisa made it and sent it as a present for you,” she explained. “It would make her proud if you wore it on the occasion.”

My hand trailed over its skirts. “Sure,” I agreed quietly to make peace. I swallowed my annoyance since the gown was so beautiful. Maybe my parents had really only wanted me to wear this dress. Maybe nothing was actually this dramatic. I realized I couldn’t ignore my royal descent as before but, well, I thought being aware it was a part of growing up.

My parents’ concerns were quickly forgotten as I returned to exercising my music for the concert, returning to what was really important to me.

The evening of the party I put on Gisa’s creation with awe, watching its skirts swing as I pirouetted. Dad seemed similarly amazed. He pinned up half my hair and let the other fall down in curls. Gold and copper make-up shimmered on my cheeks and eyelids, letting my brown eyes sparkle. I hugged Shade before we left and, full of anticipation, played my piece for him one last time. He was still too little for such a party; Mom said he’d be bored. She glanced at me then. I blinked but we said nothing else.

My parents both wore dress uniforms, as usual for events like this.

I understood Mom’s thoughtful look later at the party. The decorated ballroom was impressing, the students playing before me were passionate. So was I. My group was scheduled to play in the middle and my heart beat so fast, I didn’t know if it was excitement or the sensual onslaught of the party. A surprise were the animal decorations of butterflies and birds on the ceilings, corners and pillars. I felt watched and with nervousness, I rushed behind the stage for last preparations. I don’t remember much of the actual concert; it was only about 15 minutes long. My anxiety changed to concentration as I held up my violin and sunk into the music in harmony with my fellow musicians. Pleasant warmth spread through my body. I’d been so glad to receive this spot at all; I didn’t mind not having a solo part. I loved perfecting my skills more than being special. I was no one special during my performance, rather someone talented, and it was good.

This emotion of content was lost afterward. I still brimmed with its lingering presence but the party itself became a drag for me. I didn’t know the guests besides my fellow musicians, didn’t know who to talk to or what to say. The ever-present noise bothered me too much to even try to follow a conversation and I abhorred dancing (and with who, furthermore?). Unlike my parents, who, after praising and congratulating me, left me alone to refresh old contacts. I found a seat close to the stage and defended it by staying seated, only to be even more bored after the youth concerts ended. I wanted good music to listen to instead of the droning voices, or at least something to read. I itched to get my violin back from the cloakroom, if only to get comfort by holding and touching it and occupying my fingers.

Instead, I passed the evening with eating. I couldn’t figure out many of the dishes, so I was hesitant at first, but after I’d found a favourite, I piled a large portion of it on my plate and rushed back to my place. At least nothing bad could be said about the potatoes.

Sometimes, I thought I heard my name whispered behind me and startled. Had someone noticed I was one of the artists? Yet I dreaded being spoken to and was relieved when nothing followed up. My unsettlement stayed though and the animal decorations only turned weirder. From the corners of my eyes, I believed they were moving, but how could that be? In my growing confusion, I looked around the ballroom and glimpsed my parents in the distance. I jumped up. It was getting late enough to leave.

Give it a good end, I said to myself, find Mom and Dad and say goodbye to your music partners. I strove for them, careful not to bump into people. I was relieved when I reached the empty dancefloor yet something was odd about it. I’d intended to dash across it, to the alcove where Dad was, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I footed further, goose bumps rising on my skin. My eyes moved as I gasped: This time, I was certain the birds moved.

And then they flew toward me.

I screamed.

I lifted my arms to protect myself. I was so hot. Butterflies joined the birds and I stepped back. The heat was a comfort. My hand jerked forward and with it, a flame.

I’d felt the heat for months. It rose sometimes when I was anxious yet instead of making me sweat in stress, it coursed my body pleasantly and erased my discomforts. For a moment, it did this at the party too. I’d burned a few of the animals to ashes and bones that dropped to the ground, the rest retreated. I fell to my knees. I stared at my hands that brought forth fire. I didn’t know I could but I wasn’t surprised. Not at all. I smiled faintly. The fire was within me and I could call it back whenever I wanted.

The murmurs returned to the room and with it, my peace vanished. I froze. The master of ceremonies ran toward me and patted my shoulder carefully, as if afraid I’d burn him.

“Madame,” he urged quietly. I blinked; I hadn’t liked his touch. He swallowed, his lips moving before he repeated, “madame…!” and prompted me to rise.

He took my hand by the fingertips in an odd mix of firm and light which I only realized later as reverence, as well as that he’d wanted to call me by my name first. Fortunately, he didn’t, or I wouldn’t have made it to my parents and back home before the guests figured out who I was by themselves.

That was bound to happen soon enough.

I didn’t go to school the days after the party. We didn’t know what to do when the letters started to arrive. The morning after the event, my parents pretended normalcy. They were good at it, at least in front of Shade and me. Mom played with Shade and Dad was his usual talkative self. I considered he liked that I was a burner like him. No one could guess what kind of ability I’d have and I’d imagined how Mom and Dad would joke with each other once we found out.

I wanted to find that in the way he smiled but I saw no genuine joy. I knew when he asked me if there’d been a spark.

“A spark?”

He sighed. “Did you need a source to … make fire?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, looking away. I did know. He asked because he wondered if my ability was like a Silver’s or a Newblood’s. I had to be Newblood, didn’t I? I was a Red with an ability, but could one be sure when I was half Silver?

Sure was I that the fire came from within me, no need for a spark. It was mine. While Dad was merely curious about my ability, the letters told another story: Of people who believed my fire a beacon of rebirth – the rebirth of the burning crown.

I read every one of the letters; my parents soon ceasing to try to talk me out of it. I had to know what concerned me. None of the letters was straight-forwardly royalist. None addressed me as “highness” or “princess”. The master of ceremonies had only been the beginning of an endless line of “madames” and “my ladies”, used so often it turned into something deeper than politeness. It was blatant. Some even dared to reduce my name to “Coriane Calore”, dropping Mom’s last name like they wanted to remove her heritage from me and Norta herself.

Beyond the addresses, the contents were artworks of suggestive insinuations. What a pleasure to see a burner in the Hall of the Sun, they wrote, using the old name of the building that was outdated though not forbidden.

Your flame gave me hope for Norta, said another.

My family rejoiced at the memories you woke, said the letter sent by Carol Viper, probably the most disturbing one. The Vipers were the important, most dangerous of the royalists and seceders and likely those responsible for the bird assault causing my outburst. It’d be investigated. The Vipers liked to deny accusations of animal spies or attacks and so Carol Viper was barely tolerated in Norta only for her insistence of distance to her traitorous relatives.

I figured which memories she wrote about – my mother falling into Summerton’s Queenstrial 23 years ago and revealing her Newblood ability. I suppose, while I was a burner like Dad, Mom and I would always share the way our abilities showed themselves in public.

The letters were a slap in the face that came back again and again. After two days and a dozen of them, I expected Prince Arthur of the Lakelands – who had been one of the foreign guests – to ask for my hand in marriage. I thought that my childhood was over, that a girl is only allowed to be a child until someone notices she is useful for them. Now I was some kind of fire goddess. I stared at the walls of my room when I didn’t read the letters. For once, I didn’t yearn for my violin, didn’t itch to occupy my mind and fingers by creating music. I thought … I thought my dream of a music career had ended, that I was no longer free to pursuit it when I was under the threat of being turned a reactionary’s political tool. The fear of losing the music pained me.

Mom came for me every day, joining me on the bed with her face full of care and worry and love. She understood how strange this was. A Red girl with an ability, a child of a Red and a Silver, no one would’ve cared for me 20 years ago. I would’ve been reviled at best; now the royalists probably thought themselves progressive by “championing” me.

Mom waited until I asked her to hug me and after years, I wanted it again. I hadn’t enjoyed touches since I was little. With her arms around me, I cried, craving to be a little kid again, when I was my parents’ greatest treasure. Their firstborn child, born of Mom’s first pregnancy ever without any of the complications that came after. Mom and Dad had held me for comfort after her miscarriages; happy that while having a second child turned out to be so difficult, they’d always have me.

I was jealous of baby Shade because everything had become different by then, in the seven years that lay between us. I was the strong and healthy big girl while he was little, frail and to be protected. No matter that he grew up as strong as me, Mom and Dad pampered Shade for the losses we’d suffered.

My jealousy was so meaningless now.

“Can’t we go back to Montfort, Mom?” I asked. “To that lonely cottage in the mountains?”

Mom stayed silent like she was considering it. Then she shrugged. “You have a guest,” she said instead, stroking my hair one last time. I groaned, she smiled. “Don’t worry, it’s family,” she reassured me. She rose and left and the door didn’t open before Clara, my cousin, entered the room.

I yelped because she still enjoyed startling people by teleporting.

It made for very good distraction, though.

Clara grinned, falling on the bed beside me. Her amusement waned a little as she noticed my blotchy, tear-stained face. “It’s good to see you,” I said to avoid her pity.

“I hurried to come here but I couldn’t make it to your concert,” Clara replied.

“Too short notice,” I agreed. Her teleporting made it easier to see Clara than my other relatives who lived in Montfort. As her assistant, Clara also accompanied her mother the general on her travels that often meant my parents and Aunt Diana met frequently.

I remembered when Clara and Diana had glared at each other one time when they spoke of Clara’s choice to became a soldier. They hadn’t needed many words, and even I understood them.

You could be anything, Diana’s frown said.

But I choose this, Clara’s lifted chin retorted.

Today, Clara still wore her uniform as we chatted. Usually, she changed into frilly dresses as fast as possible. She’d really hurried and I felt a pang of love for her. My tall and beautiful cousin of 22 was so cool.

She blew a curl out of her face. “You haven’t heard the best yet,” she said. “You know that Ada Wallace left the Harbor Bay government?”

“After like … 20 years?” Ada was – had been – the senator of the region and the partner of Clara’s mom.

Clara nodded. “It was quite hard for Mama and Ada to have a distance relationship but they made it work.” Her serious tone shifted into a wide smile. “We dined together two days ago, to celebrate Ada’s resign – or so I thought.” Clara beamed now. “But then, Ada proposed.”

“No!” I exclaimed.

“Sure! It was the most romantic thing. ‘We served freedom and our countries all this time, you there, me here. Now I’ve done all I could for Harbor Bay, I want to be with you. Always.’ Aww. I cried. Mama cried! And Ada was beyond elated, you should’ve seen her.”

“Damn,” I whispered. “I’ll have to congratulate them.”

Clara tilted her head. “You will, you will. At the wedding the latest.”

“Sure,” I said quietly, again rather uncertain of my future.

Clara played with a tress of my hair. “I expect you to play the waltz, Coriane.”

I took a deep breath. I knew where this was going. My life would continue no matter what.

I’d keep playing the violin. And wearing my lovely green dress, I’d celebrate the hell out of my aunt’s private wedding feast.

“Absolutely,” I promised.

I chose for what I burned.

A/N: The story should speak for itself, but if any of you tag this with “coriane calore”, please don’t ever read one of my stories again.

@merrymareshmallow  @farleydiana @lilyharvord  @goldfincheli @avid-author-activist @redqueenfandom @petergrantkavinsky @elliemarchetti @redqueenetwork  @blairistired @inopinion @maudthebookeater @scxrletguardsdawn @loveverygalaxybouquetstuff

[heckin-deadly-bebsi]

Slytherin’s Czarina

Part 1 A/N: This is an eventual Draco x reader fic. Sorry for any bad translations. I am planning on continuing this story. I am following the movies rather than the books, but I may get some of the dates and timelines mixed up, other than that, I hope you enjoy. I might also put this on wattpad. Y/N’s last name is Zadornova, she is Russian. I won’t use too many of the whole Y/E/C or Y/H/C, because it feels a little forced.

Word Count: 1.5k

Pairings: Eventual Draco x Female Reader

Warnings: Some occasional light swearing

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Dear Miss Y/N Zadornova,   We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

  Term Begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st. Yours Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress

"Sdelayte etu sem'yu gordoy (Make this family proud)." You grandmother told you. You pulled her in for a final embrace before she turned and made her way back onto the train. Her wrinkled face lit up in a warm smile, her eyes teary, as she waved good-bye and the train slowly pulled away from the platform. It was already September 9th, more than a week into the school year, your late arrival would make settling in no easy task. As you watched the Hogwarts Express become smaller and smaller, you heard a lady clear her throat behind you. You turned to face her, her eyes were kind, and her face wrinkled with age. "My name is Professor McGonagall, I assume you received my letter." "Yes Professor, I have everything required." "Alright follow me, you will be sorted, then I will arrange for a prefect to show you around." "Sorry but, what do you mean sorted?" "Come, I will explain on the way. Mr Filch! Please take Miss Zadornova's trunk to the main entryway, I will tell you which house later."

An odd-looking man came and took your trunk, grumbling something about there being too many students in the school.

The woman began to walk towards the school, you assumed she knew you would follow. As you neared the school, you then realised how large it was, with tall spires coming up from large wide buildings. You could make out the slow waving flags of some sort of arena, presumably for quidditch. You entered the castle through large doors, and you were amazed by the large halls and arched ceilings.

"There are four houses in Hogwarts," she explained, "each named for the founders of the school. Gryffindor, I am head of this house, it favours the brave and courageous, many great wizards have come from this house. Hufflepuff, values kindness, loyalty and justice. Students in Hufflepuff are often good with animals and herbology. Ravenclaw seeks students who are wise, intelligent and witty. Students usually are high performing when it comes to academics. Finally, Slytherin. This house favours the cunning, resourceful and ambitious. Slytherin students can be high achieving, they will do anything to get their way."

As she finished her rundown of the four houses, you stopped at an archway in the wall, a stone bird with unfurled wings sat on a pedestal.

"Sherbet lemon," the Professor spoke, the bird began to turn and rise, stairs lifting from where it once sat, "go on up now, I've got some other things to take care of." You climbed the stairs, curious as to where they lead. You reached the final step, and emerged into a large room, filled with objects on shelves and tables. An elderly looking man sat behind a large desk, writing on a piece of parchment.

"Why hello," he looked up, "Miss Zadornova, I am Professor Dumbledore, I presume you are here to be sorted?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. Come sit" He waved his hand and a stool floated to the centre of the room, and an old ragged hat drifted into Dumbledore's hands. You walked to the stool and sat down. He walked over and placed the hat onto your head, it immediately came to life.

"Well, well, well, what an odd mix we have here. Hmm, yes, I see courage, a lot of it, intelligence, wit. But there is ambition here, and cunning. Enough to get you far in life. But where do you want to go?" Your grandmother's words flashed in your mind, make them proud. "I need to make them proud." You whispered. "Proud eh? I know just where to put you! Slytherin!" The hat shouted. Dumbledore took the hat from your head, placing it back upon the shelf. "Congratulations, you will do well." He pulled out his wand, casting it over your robes, the Hogwarts emblem replaced with a snake and green background, and other parts of the uniform also becoming various shades of green. "I'll send for a prefect if you could just wait outside the door." "Thank you, sir." You left the room and returned down the stairs. You fiddled with your robes as you waited. The sound of shoes on stone could be heard, and you saw a girl come around the corner, her robes the same colours as yours. "Are you the new girl?" She asked, you nodded, "Well, you're in Slytherin now, we're a family here. An annoying one, but still family no less, just know we get very competitive. You're not muggle-born are you?" "No, not that I know of at least." "Good, if you were, you would have a hard time in Slytherin, lots of the families despise anyone who associates with muggles. And that's a nice accent, where are you from?" "I am from Russia. Most of my family lives there." You replied. Following her as she started down the hall. You matched her pace as she led you through the school. She handed you a crudely drawn map of the school, she explained where most of the classes were held, and she showed you to the common room in the dungeons. While you were there you visited your dorm. "Where is everyone?" You asked. "Oh, they're in the Great Hall having dinner. And so you know, there are students from other schools here as well." "Where is the Great Hall?" "You don't know where it is? You don't know much about this school, do you?" "No not really, all I know is that I was in Russia, now I'm here." "Well I'll take you there now, and you can have some food and meet other students. I can also finish eating my food." After she said that you noticed you were quite hungry, you nodded eagerly in agreement. She led you from the dungeons back to the main entryway you originally came in through with Professor McGonagall. Another set of huge doors stood in front of you. As the two of you approached them, they swung open with a slight creak. Many heads turned to look at you, curiosity sparking at the prospect of a new student. You searched the tables of students, quickly noticing the uniforms of the Durmstrang school. "Hey, you didn't tell me there were kids from Durmstrang here!" You whisper shouted to the prefect. "I didn't think it was that important. You know them or something?" "I used to go to school there." You replied quietly. "Oh. Is it like-" "Oi Sarah! What are you doing? Come sit down." An older boy called. "Yeah, just a minute!" She replied. She took your arm and led you down the table. Sarah, you now knew her name, tapped the shoulder of a girl. "Hey, Parkinson, this one's in your year, introduce her alright?" she turned to you, "I think that's about it, you can ask someone if you need help. See you around." Sarah returned to where the boy was sitting, who moved to make space for her. You turned to face the girl, who was looking at you with raised eyebrows. "So, are you going to sit down?" She gestured to the spot next to her. "Oh, sure." You clambered onto the bench. "I'm Pansy, Pansy Parkinson." "Y/N, Y/N Zadornova." You introduced yourself. "Woah, neat name, where you from?" "Russia." "Did you go to Durmstrang?" She inquired, and you both turned to spy the Durmstrang boys. "Yeah, I see a few familiar faces. I can recognise Krum, I mean, who can't?" You both turned back to your table, and your eyes met those of a dark-skinned boy, who rose his eyebrows when your gaze lingered a little too long. "See something you like?" He asked, smirking. "No s-sorry," you stammered, "just caught me off guard is all." His mouth formed a smile, and he stuck out his hand across the table. "Blaise Zabini. Y/N, right?" "Yeah, nice to meet you." You shook his hand. You turned and met the gaze of a pale, bleach-blonde boy, his face turned into a scowl. "Don't mind him," Blaise said, "He's just pissy ‘coz his worst enemy is a Triwizard Champion." The blonde boy rolled his eyes at Blaise and turned his eyes back to you. Blaise laughed at his expression. "I'm Malfoy," he said, "Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe and Goyle." "Well dragon boy, I'm Y/N," your sarcastic tone matching his, "now tell me, who's this worst enemy of yours?" "That bloody Potter." He spat, "Always with that damn Granger and Weaselby. Them and those damn Gryffindors walking around like they run the place." He nodded in the direction of what you assumed to be the Gryffindor table. You quickly spotted them, especially Potter with his scar. After being introduced to everyone, you turned your attention to the food in front of you. There were dishes of chicken and other meats, vegetables and desserts up and down the table. You later returned to the dorms with Pansy with a full stomach, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

[09yards]

6 - Colouring Outside the Lines (days gone by - nct)

Days Gone By masterlist | main masterlist

The remainder of August passed like nothing ever happened, school started up again far too quickly and maybe, just maybe, Mark would get his fresh start and life could go back to ‘normal’. But really, what is normal anymore? Between Renjun and Jaemin figuring out where they stand with one another, Hyuck pretending like everything’s okay and the brother Mark feels like he barely knows anymore, Mark feels too busy to get a second chance to think about anything other than his exams. Autumn always brings about change, for some its for the better – for others, not so much.

They say time slips away when you’re having fun, that’s why you said let’s change our life to a dull one Don’t wanna blink one day and this will all be over, if only time could stop so we’d never grow older

Yet in the same breath I look forward to the day when our skin has aged, I’ll love you just the same Our canvas will have endless hues and shades because of all the vivid colours that we made

Mark always liked Autumn the most out of the seasons, the softer weather, no longer having to deal with the obnoxious sun, trees turning from electric greens to an array of dusky oranges. The air was crisper, a little harsher and with it came the rain but Mark never minded rain, perhaps it was the memories of walking Jisung home from middle school with Johnny, running and laughing as the rain poured over them – having forgotten their umbrellas that morning. Their mum always berating them for being so careless, complaining and nagging that they could make themselves sick. Collapsing through the door, out of breath, changing out of their now soaked through uniforms and curling up with hot chocolates in an attempt to increase their body temperature. They didn’t get to do that anymore. Johnny was at university, although only an hour away, but far enough that technically he didn’t live here anymore, at least not from September until June, Jisung went to the same school as Mark now and refused to drive in with him, still taking the bus – arguing he liked his ‘quiet time’. Mark remembers the bus, the bus is not in any way, shape or form, quiet. Jisung was fiercely independent, everyone knew this, he kept to himself as much as possible bar the three friends Mark knew he’d had since pre-school, Beomgyu, Samuel and Linlin, who even with their ten-year friendship, Mark knew very little about each of them. Frankly, he didn’t know much about his younger brother, not as much as he’d like to at least. Sure, Mark could tell you he has an extremely varied music taste, currently enjoying BTS and Black Pink but also the likes of panic! At the disco and Vinyl Theatre, he seems to be obsessed with HONNE at the minute if the constant playing of crying over you or location unknown was anything to go by, Mark could tell you that he prefers grey or muted tones rather than colour, knew that Jisung hates tomatoes but doesn’t mind tomato flavoured things, but Mark didn’t learn these things because he was told them, they were just things he’d picked up on. They didn’t talk anymore. Mark didn’t know what TV show he was currently binging, or what his favourite film at the minute is. Mark didn’t know the youngers opinions on his soulmate mark, he couldn’t remember the last time he heard Jisung ranting about Johnny and Ten and the damage they do to his innocence.

Jisung felt like a stranger to Mark these days, not someone he once couldn’t be separated from. Maybe that was a bit of a stretch but they were close, just how you’d imagine siblings to be. Sure, they fought and squabbled over who really won at Mario Kart but for a long time they really were each other’s best friend.

It was sad really. Beginning to feel like you lived alongside a stranger, passing each other in the hallway or across the landing but no time for anything more than a quick ‘hello’ or a mumbled, half-arsed ‘good morning’ from either of the brothers. It would also be much better if Mark wasn’t thinking about all of this at four am when he had a chemistry test at nine and while half of his brain is making him feel guilty about how he’s been a shitty brother and too preoccupied with his exams, the other half of his brain is running through Born-Haber cycles and it only made him feel worse. Marks realising that even though its barely October, he’s become exactly who he didn’t want to be, he drowns himself in work and when he’s not studying thermodynamics or the freaking nitrogen cycle he’s attempting to get some sleep or sometimes , just sometimes, he’s actually active in the group chat and is able to somewhat keep up with Renjun and Jaemin’s developing relationship but most importantly he’s gotten used to Donghyuck pretending like not a thing had happened back in August. Donghyuck left that morning, within two days he was back to messaging the group chat (also known as ‘Beyoncé’s bad bitches’ - yes, it was named by Jaemin, Renjun is still mad he wasn’t allowed to call it ‘a guide to crackheads, volume 101’ and Hyuck wanted to call it ‘hoes mad’. Mark did not agree to any of these names and continues to hide his phone whenever his mum is around - he has never flipped it over so fast than when his mum walks into the room, his friends have a habit of setting their own contact names to inappropriate phrases, i.e. Jaemin’s (again) current contact name is ‘your guide to getting that dick 101’, is there not a limit on the number of characters?) like everything was fine, starting out with his fist message about why on earth did he have homework over the summer, the summer. Weren’t you supposed to relax and ‘blow off some steam’?

Mark’s brain was in a state of overflow, uni application due here, maths test next week, chemistry exam today , start spending more time with your brother before you get even busier and he needs someone right now without Johnny around and deal with stupid feelings for Donghyuck knowing full well that they are unrequited tomorrow.

“Hey Mark? Can you come pick me up?”

“Sure, what time?”

“Now?” Panic, panic, panic.

“Yeah sure. Is everything okay? You sound kinda wobbly?”

“I’m fine. I’m down the backroad behind the park, I’m waiting at the end of the road.”

“Okay, I’m grabbing my keys and I’ll be on my way.”

Mark’s guide on how not to panic was a short one, it consisted of ‘breathe and don’t freak other people out’. He only had a ten-minute car journey to figure out how to calm down. Jisung was in trouble . There is no way he would’ve called otherwise and considering he could’ve walked home and it would only take an extra five minutes, something was clearly wrong. Hence, Mark’s brain has gone into instant panic mode. He wasn’t good at dealing with people or emotions, especially when he had no idea why his brother was down this road – none of his friends lived here, at least not as far as he could recall. Mark definitely broke the speed limit more than once (or four) times, his baby brother wasn’t okay.

Jisung looked glum. His eyes were read and puffy, visible even though Mark was a few metres away from him, his posture was sluggish and he looked broken . Jisung’s face didn’t light up upon seeing Mark, although he did look a little less panicked, instead he practically dragged his body into the car, slouching in his seat and saying “Just go,” before turning up the Twice song currently playing (what is love? Mark’s brain supplied).

“Are we going to sit in silence and pretend like everything’s fine or is this the point where instead of Twice we listen to The Neighbourhood, Chase Atlantic and The 1975 and you tell me what’s going on so I don’t have to call Johnny or mum ?” Yeah, Mark was not good at the whole authority figure thing but he did remember all the things Johnny did for him. Mark remembers his first crush, the boy was not gay and Mark, stupidly, told this boy, Daniel, that he was. Daniel was one of the first people Mark came out to and well, he didn’t take it well. Accused him of ‘tainting’ him, trying to make him gay. So, Mark, teary-eyed and heartbroken, rang Johnny who came to pick him up. Johnny sat with him in the car at the lookout, blasting Mr Brightside by The Killers until Mark was ready to talk. That was when Johnny taught Mark about how there are some really, really great people who will run around waving pride flags for you and do everything they can to make you comfortable (like Lucas) and there are some people who are stupid and are not-so-great, some people don’t like it and that’s okay, they’re entitled to their opinion, Johnny had said, they’re just wrong. Mark was thirteen at the time and quickly learnt that some problems (aka stupid crushes on boys that are tall, have fluffy hair and chocolate-coloured eyes) can be solved with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream and some crying while listening to Taylor Swift, not that Mark would ever admit his secret love for her.

“There’s a boy,” Jisung mumbled, “I think I like him? I don’t know. I ran out of his house after he hugged me and I panicked.” Oh. My. God. This was happening, okay Mark, you can do this.

“Does he make you happy?”

“So happy. He smiles at me and I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. We get along really well, he doesn’t find my playlists weird and he already knew every Twice member and most of the artists I was listening to and he thinks I’m cute and he pinches my cheeks and I don’t hate it.”

“You hate when anyone touches you without permission, usually?”

“I usually do. But, not him. I want to pinch his cheeks too. He has a gummy smile, it’s so cute. He has purple hair too! I really want to try purple, he said I’d look good with pink though so now I really want to try pink hair because he likes it. What is happening to me Mark?”

“You’ve got a crush Sungie.”

“Like you and Hyuck?”

“Yeah, like me and Hyuck. You feel the room brighten a little when he walks in and he makes you a little breathless when he gets too close, right?”

“Right! I’m gay aren’t I. This is the moment I realise I’m gay, huh, though it’d be a bit more exciting.”

“You’ve got plenty of time to explore what you want to, or not, label yourself as Sungie. But you do have a crush on a boy . It’s not the end of the world and no, he won’t hate you.”

“But I don’t know if he’s gay? I’d feel bad if he wasn’t and I tried to confess.”

“I honestly have no idea who we’re talking about so I couldn’t tell you if I had an inkling or not but you’ll figure it out. Talk to him, that’s the only way to get through these things. You can panic and run away all you like but you can’t avoid him forever, trust me, I’ve tried one too many times.”

“Okay. Thank you. Do you think this means Ten’s going to drag me to pride now?”

Mark let out a sigh, “We both know everyone was going whether they wanted to or not. Come on, let’s get ice cream and watch a movie. If you’ve got any questions you can always come to me, unless its sex stuff – I’m not ready for that, go to Johnny, you’re a baby so there better be no sex stuff for a long, long time.”

“Oh my god Mark,” Jisung groaned, “you do not have to worry about that stuff. Please just drive, I want cookie dough. And, we’re playing Mario Kart! Dibs on Yoshi.” With one last chuckle, Mark turned back to look at the younger, his own smile widening upon seeing a veryembarrassed but grinning Jisung. They would figure this out, together.

- - -

“You like me and my cold hands,” Jaemin whined, “maybe, you could warm them up for me. Don’t look at me like that, you loveee me.”

“Har-har, have I mentioned how funny you are lately? No? Wonder why that is. Come here you idiot.” Jaemin wrapped his arms around the smaller, allowing Renjun to bury his head into his chest, one of the only places the younger emitted warmth.

“See, told you that you love me.” I do, not that I’d tell you that.

“Renjun? Hey, you’re going to get a sore back if we don’t move.”

“I don’t want to.”

“What did you say? Renjun you can’t speak into me; I can’t hear you.”

“I said, I don’t want to go. I like it here, you’re warm.”

“Not even ten minutes ago you were whining that I’m cold.”

“I said your hands; your hands are always cold but you seem to radiate heat from everywhere else. Wait, aside from your feet too, they’re always cold, whenever they touch me in bed, I feel like an icicle.”

“You’re just always cold, you wear hoodies in August .” Now, as much as Renjun likes to dispute most comments made about him, he couldn’t argue against this. It may be October now and the cold weather has well and truly set in but, Renjun was always cold – four layers even when the current temperature was reading eighteen degrees, almost hot for an Autumn day. It worked as the perfect excuse to curl up into people (Jaemin) in search of warmth.

“There is nothing wrong with that,” Renjun huffed, “I’m just naturally colder than like, everyone.”

“I like that you’re cold, it gives me the excuse to cuddle you into oblivion and it makes you squirm when I do this-“

“AAH! STOP!” Icy hands were tickling at Renjun’s sides, making their way under his shirt, Renjun squirming and giggling, breathlessly panting for Jaemin to stop.

“Speak clearly Injun, I can’t hear you.” The grin on Jaemin’s face would make your cheeks hurt, wide with pure joy and his eyes filled with love as he flipped their positions, hovering over Renjun as he continued to tickle him to no end. “What was that? Did you say you wanted me to stop?”

“Jaeminnie please,” his voice was wheezy, trying to catch his breath whenever Jaemin’s hands paused their movement.

“Okay, okay. I have a better idea anyway,” and with that, his voice dropped an octave, away from his usual singsong tone to darker and husky. He dropped his head into the crook of Renjun’s neck, leaving light, feathery kisses where he could before moving under his ear and up his jaw, planting kiss after kiss on the expanse of Renjun’s face. God, Jaemin gave the best forehead kisses.

“Yep,” another sigh left Renjun’s lips, “definitely a better idea.” Jaemin finally connected their lips, breath tangling with one another’s, lips chasing each other whenever they parted for breath. It was needy but soft, like they were treasuring every moment of it, holding onto it.

A short while later Jaemin, having left Renjun with lips slightly swollen, much pinker than they were before and his neck littered with reddening marks, pulled away.

“We need to talk.” Renjun wasn’t a fan of this tone of voice, it wasn’t singsong and melodic like normal, nor was it huskier and darker than when he was breathless. This tone was rigid, void of emotion.

“S-sure?” It made Renjun feel small, like he was vulnerable, almost like whenever he got in trouble with his parents as a child.

Jaemin moved from hovering over him, instead opting to sit next to him. He let out a sigh, running his hand over his face, “I can’t keep doing this,” his voice was wobblier now, “we can’t keep going around like this not knowing if we’re soulmates or not. We could be hurting people. I have a soulmate mark and you don’t, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be – you’re my soulmate but, I am not yours.” Jaemin continued to rant on like this, saying that it wasn’t fair, that he didn’t want to live like this.

“Jesus Jaemin, will you let me speak for one second, please?”

“Oh, right, uhm. Yeah, sorry, go ahead.” The way Jaemin could turn from dominant and flirtatious, arrogant and stern to a complete utter mess never ceased to amaze Renjun.

“You’re an idiot, a complete and utter idiot.”

“Now, I don’t think that’s fair- “

“No, it is,” Renjun leant down to tug his sock off, his soulmate mark out of hiding, “look at me, stop burying your face in your hands and look at me.”

“I’m embarrassed Renjun, I think I have every right to not want to look at you.”

“Oh my god, I would not put up with you if you weren’t my soulmate.”

“What?” Jaemin’s head snapped up at that, glassy eyes meeting Renjun’s before darting down to where Renjun’s leg was crossed over into his lap, revealing his soulmate mark in all its super tiny glory. Angel written in a minimalistic print along his ankle. “You’re kidding, h-how could you not tell me?” A lone tear escaped the corner of his eye and god, Renjun was so damn in love with this boy.

“I didn’t know how to tell you, Hyuck said you cried for three hours about how I didn’t have a soulmate mark. I couldn’t exactly turn around and be like ‘hey Jaemin, I know we’ve been making out at least three times a week since prom night and we’re not together officially or anything but you are actually my soulmate , you’re just a dumbass who didn’t take my socks off and I’m madly in love with you’. Do you see my issue there?”

“Nope, you definitely should’ve done that. I could’ve been kissing you every day of the week. I liked you before, regardless of whether or not we were soulmates, sure I knew since I met you because wow, you’re you and then I just- “

“Shut up and kiss me already.”

“This means we’re boyfriends, right?”

“Not if you don’t kiss me in the next three seconds.”

“Jesus, so bossy!”

“You love it.”

“That I do.”

“I love you too.”

[raifuujin]

MK Treasured Edition Commentary

From here, here, and here.

Volume 1

Hello, it's me, Aoyama. 

In the course of the republication of Magic Kaito I take the liberty to show my memories of this time straightforwardly. (grin) 

The Revived Phantom Thief The memorable first chapter! Actually I became a Mangaka because I wanted to write about a high school phantom (grin) and so I drew it under great tension! Well and back then I was short of money which is the reason why his hatband around his tophat isn't shaded with screen tone… 

The Police Are Everywhere The original title „Keikan ga ippai” referred to a movie... „Taiyou ga ippai”, a movie with Alain Delon („Purple Noon”). Detective Doron is an allusion, too, because „Delon” is written as „Doron” in Japan. (grin) By the way! The words „When you bend them, they...” Kaito announces the light-emitting diode were literally written on the package of one of those things I purchased on a public festival as a kid. (grin) Appearantly they're actually known as „glow stick”.

 The Clockwork Heart A science-fiction-thriller! A rarity for Kaito (grin). I recall that I perceived it as really exhausting to draw all the parts of the robot and that I had no computer, so that I had to write Kaito's farewell letter by hand (Haha!). By the way! In the panel the robot says „I'm Kuroba Kaito... Haha!!” Kaito's pupils look kinda strange (?). There I mimicked Akemi Matsunae of which I was a big fan back then. (grin)

 Kaitou Kid's Busy Day Off Back then, the 3D movie „Captain EO” starring Michael Jackson was being played in cinemas and has been satirized in this chapter, although I never thought 3D movies could have been revived because of „Avatar”... (grin) By the way! When I read the closing scene today I think that the phrase „But, ice cream... still tastes great!” is my most embarrassing quote ever (grin).

The Pirate Ship Unsurfaced A sea adventure with Kaito? This is a rarity, too! (grin) I can't remember at all why I wanted to draw this story, but maybe I wanted a confrontation between a thief from the mainland and a thief of the seas...? (Ha!) Well, and so Kaito brought his costume of Kaitou Kid even to this place...?! (grin)

The Scarlet Temptress There she is! Mistress Akako! To be honest, she, as practitioner of black magic, is the reason who drove me into the corner the most during Kaitos appearances in Conan. Well, you just have to accept these works as parallel universes. (grin) By the way, Kaito Kuroba is written on the handkerchief, this probably was a prank done by his mom (Chikage)... (grin)

Aoyama Kid ♥

 Volume 2

 Stay Away From Him Although it's more of a romantic tale than a thief story I really like this one ♥ Especially the panel with „Well, excuse me for being an idiot...“ is a real gem, because of how often I had to redraw it! (laughs) Additionally, Superman and Top Gun appear... which is according to my taste! It's also revealed in this story that Aoko is flat-chested. (laughs)

Japan's Most Irresponsible Prime Minister A story I used one of my then-favourite actors Hitoshi Ueki, who has passed away in the meantime, as model! I also dared to use the Japanese prime minister - this was probably really audacious... And then characters appear who look like the past leaders of the USSR and the USA, Gorbachev and Reagan... (sweating). By the way, did anyone notice the „Akako balloon“ in the night sky? (laughs)

I Am the Master! This story was purely written because I felt like it! Anyway, I really wanted to draw how Kaitou Kid makes a balls to the wall ride down the facade of a building... (laughs). I would be nice if they one day made an Anime out of it ♫ Oh well, even if Cleopatra's Vanity case should really exist, two thousand years later one probably couldn't use it anymore... (laughs)

Would You Grow Up If I remember correctly, the hang-glider associated with Kaitou Kid lifted the first time in this story. Well, one could also say that Kaitou Kid could have fled from the get-go with it, instead of stretching a rope to the Tokyo Tower first (laughs). I'd really like to bring the motorized roller skates again.

The Boy Who Bet on the Ball It has also been really daring to take real professional baseball player as a model... (laughs). I think the story was created after I talked with my editor in charge about how thrilling it would be if Kaitou Kid appeared on a pole in Tokyo Dome. Well, the Yomiuri Giants are working together with Conan in several ways anyway, so I hope they can turn a blind eye to this... (fierce laughter)

Ghost Game If I remember correctly, I was frantically busy because I had to draw „Tantei George no Minimini Daisa-kusen“ („Detective George's Mini-Mini Big Strategy“) three weeks in a row for the Sunday magazine, so I finished this chapter in a very short time... (laughs). Directly afterwards my series „Yaiba“ started, because of which „Magic Kaito“ had to pause for a while. Hard to believe that the series is continued until today...! (laughs)

Hustler vs. Magician Originally this was the true second chapter of „Magic Kaito“! But... it was rejected! Since my debut in „Sunday“ there was never a story before or after it that was rejected. It's real luck that it made it into this volume! (laughs)

Omake „Magic Kaito“ was the first Manga I was allowed to publish as a Mangaka, which could be the reason I drew this story with zest and high motivation... Oh well, this probably was my youthful enthusiasm... (laughs)

Aoyama Kid ♥

Volume 3

Star Wars The first „Magic Kaito“ story I drew in the Heisei era (since 1989 -editor's note). There are several stories in which someone tries to gain profit from using a false Kid, but this is the shining first one! At the crime scene Kid announced a lot of Kid fans have assembled and shout "Kid! Kid!". Pretty clever idea, huh? Because this has developed to a classical element until today.

The Great Detective Appears!! Entrance of Saguru Hakuba! No, not only that, the chief inspector also shows his face...! Perhaps the junior was just worried because the top policeman never appears at the crime scene? (grin) By the way, Kid is so bad at ice skating because I'm so lousy in it myself.

Kaitou Under Scrutiny The skirt of Aoko's school uniform is so long and Kid's television is so big! From this you can tell the time! (Haha!) Apropos, the newspaper appearing on the last page is called „Oshima Daily Paper“ in the original version. Most of the newspapers shown in „Magic Kaito“ were named after my then editors. I beg your pardon. (grin)

Akako's Delivery Service Kaitou Kids measurements, 1.74 m (~ 5'9") and 58 kg (~ 128 lbs), naturally are my measurements from back then! The same goes for his blood type! (grin) Back then I thought it's really cool that it's possible to figure out skin colour and age of a person just by a single hair, but today, with DNA analysis you can figure out the whole identity of the person the hair belongs to. The progress of science is frightening... (Haha!)

(Extra Chapter) Yaiba vs. Kaito! I was told to draw a short, self-contained story and this dream sequence is the result. Back when I was a kid I already loved collaborations like „Mazinger Z vs. Devilman“, so I wanted to draw something like this. This is also the reason Kaitou Kid appears in Conan... (grin)

Blue Birthday The first time the gem Kaitou is after is the name origin for the title! Because this was the first „Magic Kaito“ after a very long time I debuted Kaitou Kid's arch-enemy and I can remember how much this motivated me... but it's also a story about a nightly firework in the midst of the city which must have made a lot of trouble in the surroundings... (grin)

Green Dream Oh well, this story is nothing special, but to be honest, it's this story which grew dear to my heart. (grin) What should I say about it? The rhythm is felicitous. This story was the first time I drew Kid's „signature“ we've grown so accustomed to. You can also tell from the name of one of the persons appearing that I really loved „Furuhata Ninzaburō“ back then - a japanese police detective drama.

Aoyama Kid ♥

Volume 4

Hello, it's me, Aoyama.

Since Magic Kaito is being republished I allow myself to show my memories about the past without further delay. (grin)

Crystal Mother This is the Kaito-train story I always wanted to draw! Including some allusions to "Lupin III" or "Sherlock Holmes" it became a story during which I could live it up... (grin) Snake, who got severely hurt in the tunnel returns in the following chapter completely unharmed. That's what I call "tough“! (Ha, ha!)

Red Tear Back when this story was published the first time, the thre first pages were in color! In fact, this created a mystery: „The gem on page 1 is blue, but the one on the cover page is red... Why oh why?“ Great that we can revive this mystery in all its glory! (grin) By the way, the closing scene in which all the photos containing the fondest memories are projected against the wall is an homage to the closing scene of the movie  „Cinema Paradiso“. ♪ I used this highlight again in „Detective Conan – The Last Wizard of the Century“. (grin)

Black Star The first confrontation with the one and only Shinichi Kudo! In this story, Kaito says: „The inspector couldn't catch him even if he used a satellite system!“ But really, it's kind of surprising that he hasn't caught him before, isn't it?! (grin) Shinichi is firing a pistol? Akako wants to use magic to get rid of Shinichi? Little Kaito is flirting with Aoko? What a crazy story! (grin) Well, the scene in which Akako uses her magic powers was cut from TV syndication, but it was restored for the DVD, so everyone who wants to watch it, can do so now. ♥ Oh yeah, the title „Black Star“! I believe there are some readers who ask themselves why this gemstone served as the namesake of the story even though it's just mentioned in passing at the end. That's because Kaitou Kid himself is the "Black Star" after all ★ – hence the title! ♪

Golden Eye The first duel of the phantoms! (... maybe.) Catherine Zeta-Jones was the model for the character Ruby Jones. ♥ Well, they don't look very much alike... (Ha, ha!) In this story it's made clear that Kaito was born in June and Aoko in September! Exactly... Kaitou Kid may be a thief, but he is also a magician, so it really delighted me to slip in the name of the grandiose real-life magician Harry Houdini. (grin) There are a lot of tricky moments that show how much Detective Conan "poisoned" this story... (Ha, ha!)

Dark Knights The mask Nightmare is wearing is based on one I bought during a vacation in Spain, because I really liked it. It now hangs at the wall of my living room. (Ha, ha!) Again, in this story is a lot to analyze and moreover, it ends in a thought-provoking, grim mood, which isn't very typical for „Magic Kaito“. On the other hand, this isn't bad either, isn't it? Superintendent Chaki, an old acquaintance from Detective Conan, had his origin in this story. Further on, Hakuba's nanny „Baaya“ has her very first appearance in here! Actually, it's said that there is another nanny for him who has a more docile personality, but that's a different story altogether... (He, he...)

Phantom Lady (Preannouncement) This story revolves around how the original Kaitou Kid obtained a wonderfully beautiful jewel for the first time. ♥ It will be the first in Volume 5... I wonder when it will be released? (grin)

Volume 5

Hi, it's Aoyama ! Since a new volume of ''Magic Kaito'' came out, I have to delve into my memories from the past. PHANTOM LADY I wrote this story about Kaito's parents four years ago. I had stopped writing Magic Kaito for Conan and I thought : ''Wow, so much time has passed ?'' (laughs) If I recall correctly, his mother mutters ''Kaito, it's time for you to know'', and the story's finally here ! It's this story that finally revealed that Kaito's mother's name is ''Chikage''. It was my first time digitalizing a manuscript, I was glad I managed to portray the security sensor similar to phantom thieves stories so cooly, but I had to drew one night scenery after another, and that took time and so I almost didn't make it in a deadline. By the way, this story leads to Conan's Ryouma case, in volume 70. Read it if you're interested ! MIDNIGHT CROW When it was decided to animate the series, I had a meeting with the animation staff. We asked ourselves ''How are we going to finish the story ?''. So I suggested : ''Why not do one about a black Kaitou Kid that would be published in the Sunday ?''. And that's how I wrote Midnight Crow. I will never forget the staff's face when I told them ''Actually, Touichi is alive'' (laughs) Ikeda-san, Touichi's voice actor, had difficulty saying the line ''When you come in contact with an audience, it's a scene of duel...'' quickly ! <3 The ''sucker trick'' line comes from Kaito Kid's anime screenwriter Kunihiko Okada, who I thank very much. In the Phantom Lady chapter, Kaito's work as Kid was given by Chikage, but in Midnight Crow, he's supposed to quit because a lot happened in Las Vegas... but it's another story (laughs) SUN HALO This chapter was written to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Magic Kaito, so it had to be a love comedy <3 When I drew the chapter, Kaito's bike is a Suzuki GSX 250 R. I had forgotten that it was supposed to be broken, so I had Jii-chan say that a ''doctor friend'' helped him... I leave that to your imagination (laughs) Speaking of characters, Lucifer appears again ! As I thought, Akako uses red magic ! (Fortunately Akako doesn't exist in Conan's world (laughs)). The entrance hall in the chapter is based on Tottori's entrance hall, so please go there if you visit Tottori ! By the way, in Sun Halo, Aoko rides the bike with Kaito ! NONCHALANT LUPIN It's a short story I sent to a shounen magazine, and I got an award for it. As you can see, it was a prototype for ''Magic Kaito'' (laughs) The forms are different but there's no card gun. I drew this because the editor I had at that time told me : ''Show me a story you want to write''. It's my second work ! Now that I look back, I'm embarassed because it looks bad. (laughs) Anyway, the hero's name is Lupin, and the name of the story ''Nonchalant Lupin'', but I don't know where he's nonchalant... (laughs)