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saph-writes · 1 year ago

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The [Blue] Pale Spirit, Singing - Chapter 2

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Words: 8926

Chapters: 1

Morning comes easily and nearly overshadows the previous night. Pouring into the room, weak sunlight trickles over Ness’s bed, tiptoeing across peach-colored sheets and stain-colored floors. Along with it comes the day’s heat and a warm weight pressing on his face. Ness breathes into it as the room comes into focus.

Out the window, the tips of forest trees are washed with a painful red, just beyond where a few bobbed and fell forward silently. Tree-plucking is a common thing this time of year, but there was something unnerving about the receding forest line inching away from the castle. In a few years time, just how much of it would be left?

Too early.

With a heavy sigh, he slowly gets up from the bed, no matter how much his back and arms ache. Silence vibrates across the room as the daily routine of morning eases itself into his movements.

The rooms around his make up the elite royal hall, and while those are reserved for nothing short of the highest-ranking officials, early morning often finds itself deadly alone. Granted, Ness is the righthand man, so perhaps it is only his duties that require this early time. Especially if they are to get ready for this morning’s events.

Ness fits the sleeve on his right arm. His eyes catch the back of his hand and, for just a moment, he snaps out of his habitual robotic movements to stare at the fake soul mark plastered on.

A dark, purplish color and curled around into sharp points. The soul mark Lady Ilse had chosen for him was a crown, far too big to fit comfortably on the back of his hand, and far too fancy and intricate to be realistically his. However, at the time, Lady Ilse was satisfied with this design, so Ness had kept his mouth shut.

Yet the longer he stares at it, the more a growing sense of unease digs itself into the pits of his stomach, appearing almost like hatred or disgust or perhaps jealousy all at once. Because in some ways, this crown placed shamelessly on his hand looks like the blue roses of Prince Kaiser.

Like the cunning smile, like the edges painted perfectly by the very gods, like the voice that sounded beautiful even when it said his name. When Ness heard it, for the first time, he didn’t hate how it sounded. It didn’t even sound like his. It was like the Prince took the very ownership of the word by speaking it alone-

Damn it. Ness shook his head. The thought dissipated.

This is going to be harder than he thought.

However, that worry quickly breaks away when a growing pain begins pounding in the head. Ness recognizes it as one of the bodily aches he felt every morning. However, the pain grows stronger and Ness clutches his head. Sounds start emerging from outside the walls, the sounds of people starting their day. Before it could get any worse, Ness grabs a headpiece from the nearby nightstand. It fits perfectly on his head and, like a miracle, the pounding ceases.

Ness breaths out a sigh of relief.

He looks out the window. The sun has made a significant way up and the sky is slowly turning into the clear-blue waters he knows well rather than the unnerving orange-reds that streaks across at sunrise.

In the mirror, his special-occasion outfit takes on the blue, along with the fluffy brown, purple-streaked hair that sticks out like a sore thumb and the pale-white complexion starved of sunlight. Ness moves his hand to fix the headpiece on his head. It buries itself in his hair, letting only the golden material carved into pointed tips and curved leaves to appear in the front. So small, yet so unwantedly noticeable.

Ness takes in another a small breath and whispers to himself. Over and over like a prayer.

“Excuse me, Sir.”

A woman sticks herself into the room, holding the door slightly ajar. It is only morning, and yet her hair is a mess and she looks out of breath. “The Inner Circle is reminding us to attend to your duties in a timely manner so as to not cause any trouble in other areas. Just a single mistake could cause disturbances all around, so please see that your responsibilities are met.” Judging by the robotic telling of those words, she must be going into every room repeating herself.

Ness nods. “Understood.”

The woman dashes out without a word. He steps up to the door. Sounds of hurry and busy steps echoed from outside and, in the midst of it all, without hesitation, Ness let himself be sucked into the beating life of the castle.

“Please let this go well.”

Before they can get everything in place, the Inner Circle calls for a meeting check down in the greeting hall. Its walls are so vast and the ceiling so endless that even when hundreds of people are running back and forth and nervously fidgeting at where they stand, it never feels overwhelming. Ness looks into the hall with a somehow calm and easy breath.

“They always go overboard.” Ness looks in front of him as he continues walking only to find himself instead looking at his side.

Prince Kaiser is dressed in the special attire he wears for occasions. It is not much different from his typical outfit, only this one has a piece of fabric sewn from the left side of his neck to his shoulder in order to drape behind him into a lopsided cape. The roses on his neck were left fully exposed.

Ness knows why that was. By far the most important aspect of the royal family’s appearance is their soul marks, therefore every special blouse tailored for them is made with the intent of framing itself around it.

On the Prince’s outfit, this comes from the appearance of vine and leaf patterns scattered across, drawn up until it comes to his exposed skin, where it extends past the fabric to wrap itself around the blue roses. Even if one is ignorant enough to not know the face of the most important person in the kingdom, they can not overlook the status that came intrinsically tied with a neck soulmark.

It has its technical purpose, but Ness can not help himself from finding his eyes being drawn to the exposed skin littered in blue. Because there was an aesthetic beauty as well to have it exposed. Soul marks are always beautiful, but Prince Kaiser’s exceeds all expectations. The deep blue shines at every opportunity. Blue like the sky. Deep, rich, vibrant.

“What are the towns again?” Ness snaps his attention back up to Kaiser, who is staring at him with a polite smile. Damn it.

“Hosek and Konto. They are near the kingdom’s center, my Prince.”

“I see. How odd is it that the towns struck most by monster attacks have some of our best royal guards deployed there. I’m sure they don’t need much more help than they already have. To get all dressed up for such a simple journey like this…”

Since they are in the castle, no bodyguards are near them at all. Perhaps that is why he is talking so casually. Though, it is never this much so…

Ness looks back towards the front. They are now standing by the far wall and are watching one of the Inner Council members commanding the crowd of people, all from different areas of the castle.

Next to Prince Kaiser at a considerable distance away, the other members are standing by, watching. Like he said, they are dressed in their special attire. Lady Helena and Lady Leonie, decorated in long dresses that pooled around them, are whispering to each other before Sir Siene hits one of them with his elbow. His gaze holds a threatening look. The two turn their attention back to Sir Adal giving his speech, but the smiles still remain on their faces.

Beside them, Lady Ilse catches his eye. At the same time, Prince Kaiser clears his throat. Ness darts his eyes away.

“Ah, apologies, it seems I had something stuck in my throat. I hope I didn’t distract you.”

“There is no need, my Prince. My sole duty is to serve you.”

The Prince looked at him and his lips curved ever so slightly. “Is that so? All right, let’s say, if I told you to not pay attention to this speech in front of us, would you not?”

The question is odd, but Ness answers nonetheless. “Yes, that would be your command, my Prince.”

“And how would I know if you truly didn’t?”

“That is impossible, sir. I have to obey your word.”

“Tell me, do I have the ability to read your mind, Ness?”

For some reason, Ness can not help but think of Lady Ilse who caught his gaze just a moment earlier. “...No, sir.”

“And yet you have to obey me, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then, if what you say is true, I may have control over your movements, but there is no way for me to have control over your heart. So, simply put, I would have no idea if you were paying attention in our hypothetical. Or what you are thinking and feeling at this very moment. Isn’t that right?”

Ness opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. For the first time, he has nothing to say. Prince Kaiser continues to look at him as Ness struggles to come up with an answer. Luckily, something from in front steals his attention away, making him turn and stand up straight. Ness lets out a shaken breath.

"Before we proceed," Sir Adal declares. "I am thrilled to announce that we have a few words from our dear Prince for us all today. I know I do not have to tell you all to give him your undivided attention."

The use of the word 'dear' clearly makes Kaiser's face tense. He glares at Sir Adal with pressed lips and narrowed eyes, but Sir Adal simply smiles in response.

The people huddled in the crowds, previously anxious and on edge, trapped by the looming walls of the hall, break into washes of ease and anticipation from the declaration. From the mere mention of the Prince.

Ness looks to his right as Prince Kaiser steps forward and he could have sworn he felt a hand graze his back. The Prince, in all his glory and commanding nature, one that could even be felt from facing his back alone, casts a shadow from where the rays of the sunrise shown through the stained glass windows behind him. The blue on his neck, glimmering. In this setting, he almost looks like a mystical being that has been descended down upon them, and the room falls deathly silent.

Even Ness can not stop himself from getting entranced at the sight.

"Good morning."

As he speaks, the crowd stays silent. Even the sun seems to stop its descent up to take a listen at his words. Words that are passionate and bold and carefully put together, but to Ness, they are also strangely… robotic. Monotonous, dull, no life stringing them along. A heavy weight presses on Ness's chest. Has Prince Kaiser always spoken like this in his speeches?

"And finally, let us all remember our roots within the duties we carry, the roles we play. A kingdom is no kingdom without its head, but a head is no head without its people. No matter where our connections lie, nothing short of everything should be given for the good of the kingdom we are so blessed to be born into, which commands both our sweat and our safety. Work not for yourself, but for the whole of the people entrusted to us. That is all we can do. Thank you."

Applause breaks through the crowd that, while formal, holds newfound motivation beneath it, breaking through the slugginess of morning. Feeling his own heart beat loudly in his chest, Ness watches the sight as Prince Kaiser turns away to his direction.

Before they are surrounded by the bodyguards and staff, before they are thrusted into the public eye, Ness hears the Prince say something from his side. Just loud and soft enough for Ness and only Ness to hear him.

"I'm a good improviser, aren't I?"

The townspeople hold a similar reaction as the people in the castle. Only this time, without the veil of formality casted over, joy takes on a rowdier face. Screams and cheers erupt from the crowd, even reaching to where Ness can briefly view them from his position. They are standing above in a tower overseeing the town’s center, and while he and the guards lie in the shadows, Prince Kaiser walks out onto the platform stretched over the people.

The crowd’s ecstasy quiets down as he puts a hand out, but their anticipation remains loud, their awe deafening. Even Ness can hear it, so far far away.

A suddening crackling blows it all to dust.

“Good morning.”

Same starter as before.

The spell the guards are casting on either side of Ness projects the Prince’s voice to a heavenly level, like it is a message being sent to all over the planet from galactic gods. Ness would not be surprised if Prince Kaiser’s voice is reaching the outskirts of the most far away kingdoms.

“As you all look up at me in our current circumstances, remember it is only by situation in which that remains true. I, in all other times relinquished to my duty, am but and only but the servant for the body of our beloved kingdom. By the nature of my position, I am your protector, your guard, your shadow, and your righthand man. So when a threat passes by what I so earnestly promise to protect, I can not simply stand to the side. Such an act would be considered a mockery and an utter disservice to what binds us together. It would be the same as treason.”

The speech lasts for approximately 15 minutes. As he speaks, not a single word is uttered from the townspeople nor the guards and staff standing by. Ness kepts his breath held. Never before has 15 minutes felt so encapsulating and distant all at once.

At a few moments, certain lines catch his attention.

“The reason I stand by you all today is not from the expectations entrusted to me from my role, nor the wishes of my dead mother and father, former Queen and King who continue to watch over us all…” His arms move at his words, reaching from the tops of the skies to the heads littering below. “Doing all they can to ensure our safety and protection from vile beasts and creatures. No, the reason I am here today is simply because there is no other way I would have it.”

Strong, bold, clear in intent. It almost does enough to cover everything up.

The speech reaches its end.

“If there is anything you must take away, if but one thing I promise to you all, is no matter the barbed wire and mines hidden in our path, nothing is more absolute than the decisions of our steps. The way we move forward or the concrete nature of our acts. Do not let fate sway our life’s pendulum. If there is an obstacle, only our hands hold its threat. Break it, or let it go free. The decision has always been ours to make. And by the heaven’s legacy of our dead, I can promise you all here. Colluhira has never been a kingdom to break.”

Almost enough.

At the finale of the proclamation, a show casts onto the sky. Series of lights and explosions of color and mystical blue winds flowing downwards. It tickles the limbs of the crowd and sinks into it like a heart, sparking joy as if it were pumping blood and taking in oxygen from the awe of the gasps and little kids’ laughter. The rest did not take long to realize the source of this elaborate spell and before long, cheers erupted once again.

“Long live the Prince!”

“Long live Prince Kaiser!”

Joy is infectious. That is the only way to explain it. Because in what other way can one imagine that these very people felt fear just a day or hours before? Their hope has manifested and contanimated so quickly, only one source can be pinpointed immediately.

Prince Kaiser walks away into the interior of the tower. He nods his head at the guards.

They make it to the tower’s base. The guards encircle around them, a barrier, to seal away the joy-sick euphoria. Noise floods all around, triumph, in all its different shapes and forms.

“Have you all seen it?! Our Prince is so powerful he doesn’t even need a soulmate to unleash his prowess!”

“He’s incredible! Divine! Our Gods have blessed us, blessed us all!”

They can not even see them beyond the guards.

“We have all been saved!”

They did not notice it at all.

Music plays from the crowd and stretches over all the heads and cheers. Strong and clear, words can be made out which strings together in a low melody, melancholic and wistful. It contrasts so loudly between the happiness it shrouds, but surprisingly it is that very joy that makes it so vivid to hear.

“Let our strong souls live

Between the strings of fate.”

Ness watches as Prince Kaiser holds in his hand up to his neck, and the blue hue floating around it. The spell circulates where the millions of tiny lights fly around. However, it never once crosses above their heads or between the guards. Only the townspeople can feel and experience them from the outside.

“May they fall, may they break

Two ends at the stake.”

Eventually they make it to the station. The fence blocks everything out, and the guards part ways. Their heads bow deeply forward, and Kaiser steps in between them. The blue hue on his fingers dissipates, but the cheers and joy from behind continue. Ness can not see his face as he follows. He does not know if he is smiling at the happiness he has made.

They step up into the small station, which is a size big enough to fit 3-4 people, through the filtered entrance where the soul mark on their skin glows in response. The distant sounds of music still ring in Ness’s ears as he and Prince Kaiser steps onto the platform

“Only pin of love amends”

“Ready when you are,” Prince Kaiser says, giving him a smile. His hand shrouded in blue stretches out. Ness nods. Kaiser’s palm touches the soul mark on the back of Ness’s hand.

“To replay, to try, all and all again.”

The world sinks away from them.

“Only you may decide when I am.”

People crowd around them when they enter the castle, their hands filled with papers and scrolls. The kingdom’s staff have taken upon themselves to ask about the littlest of things to get only a conversation in with the prince. They are not the only ones however, as the others stand out with the colors of their respective kingdoms plastered on their suits. Amidst the bustling, they try to get a few words in.

“Prince Kaiser, if you have but a moment-!”

“Our kingdom is willing to provide supplies and alliance in these trying times, would you care to-”

Prince Kaiser raises his hand. The demanding chatter quiets down.

“Apologies, but Colluhira is not in need of any aid as of this time. Your rooms are over by the west hall. Those papers will be taken care of. Any and all other uncertainties with any duties can be handled by our Inner Circle members, I believe they are scattered about. Ask Sir Adal if you can. Now if you will excuse me…”

In only mere seconds, the group dispersed. Some hold their head up high and leave whilst others are still sticking by close, pretending to be occupied. Ness watches the ambassadors, three in total, take their leave. Two are in red while one is in yellow. Their back and stomach soul marks represent them respectively.

After events, even the small ones, the castle bustles with activity. It is easy to get lost, and Ness spies some lone servants in-training losing sight of their masters while the laughter of children can be heard in the distance. Ness frowns. The classrooms should have been in session today. Nearby, as Kaiser requested, Sir Adal is swamped by lost new staff.

It is incredible how the Prince can drive them all to their positions with little more than a few words. Not that he should be surprised, considering the role of a Prince naturally carries a high amount of respect. Although he was young when the previous King and Queen were alive, something told him that Prince Kaiser is treated differently by his kingdom compared to before.

Perhaps some of it is out of pity, or perhaps it is something more.

For certain, however, there are many more requests for alliances with kingdoms than ever. The King was infamous for how little he cared for political relationships and Prince Kaiser was no different.

Still, Ness finds it odd that the ambassadors are addressing the Prince directly instead of the Inner Circle. Lady Ilse would not be happy. Ness makes a mental note to bring it up cautiously in the next report.

He stops.

Wait, that is right. He is meant to report everything each week to the Inner Circle. What is he going to do with the taboo interactions he has been having with the Prince?

Sure, it is Prince Kaiser who has been engaging in conversation, but there is no certainty that Ness would not bear some of the blame. He is the one having these thoughts after all. Not to mention it is his role to stick close to him. If they catch wind of the situation, naturally they will catch on that the only solution is to separate them. Therefore, Ness can not perform his duty. He will not be useful to them. At that point, what purpose will he have left? Would they even need him? What will happen to him afterwards?

Ness clutches his hand. The (fake) soul mark aches and stinges his skin as he grits his teeth. Possibilities run through his mind until they far overshadow the pain and dread drops to the pits of his stomach. What has he been doing?

He shoots his gaze up to search for Prince Kaiser. But to his utter horror, he is nowhere to be found. The crowd shrinks and closes in, but no sign of those blue-marked roses anywhere.

Before he knows it, Ness is pushing through the shoulders and bodies of the staff. Some yelp and launch scolding remarks. Their faces scorn as sternfully as that of how the Inner Circle members would react if they found out he had lost sight of the Prince.

“Pardon me, excuse me-” Ness apologizes, over and over again. Stunning stained glass windows, marbled floors, paintings, balconies, pillars, but no Prince. Eventually, Ness breaks away from the main room and into the South hall, and he feels his breath shimmer down with the absence of suffocating people. Still, his heart beats loudly in his ears.

Prince Kaiser is not one to sneak away without notifying someone. Even while he was visiting the towns without the Inner Circle’s knowledge, he still brought along his guards and Ness, his righthand man. In fact, Prince Kaiser, outside of his room, never does anything without Ness right beside him. The possibility of the Prince losing purpose for him has never even once crossed his mind.

Eventually, Ness reaches the end of the hall, out of breath and his legs already achy. He clenches his fists and opens the final door.

No Prince, once again, but something else laid in the middle of the room.

Occasionally, for events held with other kingdoms to build good relations or those for simply public festivities and building good morale, an individual would be hired to play the background music. Many would bring their own instruments and equipment, but specifically piano is a popular choice. Therefore, in the Colluhira castle, they dedicate an entire room to housing a piano for such occasions.

The room is spacious, so it has turned into more of a storage closet, but the piano is nonetheless still the main spectacle.

It is also the only room without windows to let the inside be seen.

Ness closes the door behind him. He finds himself stepping carefully on the smooth floor, both to not trip and to not make a sound. Holding his breath, he gradually makes his way to the piano.

If there is one category of people more spectacular than the royal family, to Ness it would be musicians. That is, of course, a biased belief on his part, so he has taken great care to not let it be known, and yet it is true to him. Everyone who lives in the kingdom admires, first and foremost, the royal family, and whatever comes second is as varied and indvidualized as soul marks itself.

As his fingers graze the keys, he remembers the festivities he has been around for to witness a piano being played. Their hand movements always moved so gracefully and seamlessly. Ness attempts to emulate it to an embarrassing degree, and while his fingers stay as clumsy as they always have been, it does not look as horrible as it did the first few times. Ness holds his breath even longer as he tries to get himself lost in the notes.

He has no music sheet, not that he can read one. No windows or chatter surround him. He is not staring at the back of anyone. Ness closes his eyes, and for once, the moment of solitude does not feel deafening. He is alone with the music. For him, that is enough.

All of a sudden, the room’s door closes. Ness’s heart stops.

“I thought I heard noise coming from this room.”

A sickly sweet voice and slow careful words. He recognizes that voice better than anyone and the peace of just a moment ago feels all but distant, as if it slipped away from his fingertips as soon as that door opened. He knows better than to take the time to scorn himself before providing a response.

“Lady Ilse…”

Lady Ilse stares, and looks at his hands on the keys. “..I was not aware you were interested in piano, Ness.”

“Not at all. The keys were dirty, and I did not wish to trouble you.” The lie comes out before Ness could stop himself. It is such a shock that he shuts his mouth before it can betray him more. He is well aware of the dangerous game he is playing.

If Lady Ilse has realized, she does not show it. “I see. More importantly, however, I see the Prince is not with you.”

Ness nearly takes in a sharp breath before he stops himself. He has no rebuttal, so he simply looks away to bury himself in shame. He can feel the disappointment even this many feet away. “He slipped away before I could catch him. That is my mistake.”

“Mistakes are dangerous, Ness. Surely you recognize that, right?”

“Yes, of course. I apologize.”

“And yet, here you are, seemingly with the time to concern yourself with frivolous things. A piano, isn’t that right? I had been meaning to finally get rid of it for the longest time, and perhaps now I will get around to it. Less distractions means more time to be efficient. Or am I wrong, Ness?”

Ness bites his cheek. “No, not at all.”

A silence settles upon them, stretching on long enough for Ness to feel the pain on his hand to reach the ends of his shoulder, until Lady Ilse finally lets out a sigh. She then comes closer and, to Ness’s surprise, places a hand on his hair. It feels soft and comforting. The pain dissipates.

“You know, Ness, if I were any other person, you would have been killed the moment you were attacked.”

Ness sucks his breath in. His hands feel numb. Like he had been transported to those many years back.

Lady Ilse smoothes out his hair but continues, saying in a low honey-filled voice, “But I am grateful I did not. You are more of a help than I could have ever imagined, and your loyalty is admirable. If you were in my shoes, Ness, would it not feel as a betrayal to find that loyalty is split, at best, by other interests? Such as passions or… people?”

Ness does not give a response. He is too busy staring at the floor, his heart pounding out of his chest and the possibility of Lady Ilse already being aware of the Prince’s advances running through his head.

“Of course, I only mean that last part hypothetically. You, of all people, know the self-inficted harm that would come as a result of leaving us, right? After all, I am doing my part. I have not told any of the other Inner Circle members your condition, despite the clear consequences I would likely face if they were to find out. The inherent dangers of people like you. And yet here I am, anyways. Loyal as ever.” He looks up, ever so slightly, to see her brief small smile.

Something warm spreads in his chest. He wonders if this was what it felt like to have a motherly figure watching over him.

She steps away, and her face falls to how it was before. “Now, Prince Kaiser…” Ness can see how she carefully strings her thoughts together behind those dark soft eyes. She briefly glances behind her

“Just like his father, that boy is perceptive. There is no longer any doubt he is well aware of our intentions, as he has taken measures to sneak away on his own. He must surely be planning something.”

Lady Ilse sighs. “Well, there is little we can do about such thoughts. It is only when he starts interfering with our plans that we must step in, and that matter lies with you, Ness. In other words, our success in gaining the throne is in your hands. Can we trust you?”

She frames it as a question, but for Ness, there is no other option. “Yes, Lady Ilse.” A test, and a needless one at that. He knows the correct response.

She nods. “Lovely. Do not take advantage of my love for you.”

Just as she begins to walk away, her steps stop. With her back still turned, she asks a question, letting her words echo in the room, “The soul spell is working well, I take it?”

Just as relief has washed over him, all the previous tension from before returns back to Ness. He is grateful she is turned away, as he can feel his arms already begin to tremble. “Yes… yes it is.”

“Hm. Very well.”

Finally, the door closes shut behind her.

There are no windows in the room, but Ness can feel all the eyes staring at him from the walls. He pulls his hand away to his chest in disgust and slowly, his head rests against the side of the piano. It is soft and smooth. But it does not matter. Lady Ilse said herself. It is of no value to anyone other than himself. Essentially, no one at all.

Ness reflects back on the interaction. Lady Ilse has never acted in that way before. Her words always carried an edge of coldness and distance, but for once, such a space was closed. She smiled, and provided comfort. The guilt of being enraptured by Prince Kaiser comes back to engulf his heart until it aches. What else can he blame other than his own stupidity? He does not deserve the kindness Lady Ilse had been willing to spare.

He clenches his fist. From the depths of his guilt-ridden heart and poor conscience, he makes a promise to himself. He will report every interaction he has had with the Prince so far. That much should not have been a question and yet it was. Therefore, it is up to him to amend that disloyalty.

Lady Ilse will see to it that he will bear little of the consequences. If anything, that is what today’s conversation has proven to him. It seems he has nothing to fear after all in terms of being regarded as unnecessary.

Ness looks back down at the piano. They have not had a public event necessary for a piano in years. It is taking up space, and hardly anyone plays it at all.

And even if that were the case, they can always buy another.

He walks out of the room. Lady Ilse is already far gone. When he exits the South Hall, the main room is nearly empty, besides the usual servants and staff. Still, no Prince in sight. Ness looks around and decides to head towards Prince Kaiser’s room. After all, that is the only place he is capable of being alone.

Midday has already taken its place in the sky, where the glistening sun shines rays inside the hall. As Ness searches through the doors, his eyes catch some of the paintings littered in the empty spaces between them.

Just like musicians, they hire painters to create art for the royal family. Ness remembers seeing a lot more come by before, only witnessing the number of visits dwindle after the King and Queen’s passing. And not just out of mourning or lack of connections either. After all these years, he can not forget the fear that shrouded this castle for much of the Prince’s childhood.

Upon that thought, Ness catches the eyes of a particular three faces captured on the wall. As if they heard his thoughts, the King and Queen stare down at the floor with serious gazes, their eyes both dead and alive at the same time. And to trademark their royalty status, the pops of blue in the dark unsaturated colors stand out spectacularly. Both of their soulmarks run from their necks to their hands, and their outfits show them off as so.

If Ness’s memory serves him right, it was the Queen who, by fate, rose to status of the royalty family from the simple townsgirl she was. Her birth soul mark, a curly ink pen, covers the entirety of the back of her hand. The King’s soul mark, an intricate lock, appears on the base of the neck where a chain connects the two, reaching across her whole arm. The entire soul mark appears the same on the King.

Often it can be difficult to tell which soul mark is the birth mark of the respective soulmates after their 18th birthday, and some feel entitled to that kind of privacy.

But for the royal family, they do not get such a luxury. Their status is known from the moment they are born, and their 18th birthday is made into a spectacle.

Ness looks down at the young face in between the two towering figures, a small and still innocent boy. His hair had just begun to turn blue at the edges, and the soul mark on his neck, right side, has not even formed its shape yet. It was deformed, and appeared like more of a blob.

One would expect, at such a youthful and immature age, for the child to be eccentric and filled with joy. But for this one, his face stays as serious as those of his parents, whose hands wrap around him as if they are sealing him away. His immaturity is only seen in his facial features, and even then thick layers of make-up rush to hide away the childishness.

He could not have been more than 8 years old at the time, and yet he was already a King in the making.

“Why, hello there~”

Ness jumps. The whisper went so close to his ear, he can feel it vibrating in his skull and tickling a certain part of his brain. He whips around, and a small laugh meets him.

Prince Kaiser takes a step back. “I’ve been wondering where you were.”

“My Prince, I…” Ness finds himself trailing off, because how is he meant to explain that he had failed his one duty to always stick by his side? He does not get a chance to continue, however, as the Prince speaks before he gets the chance to.

“You shouldn’t be somewhere you can’t be found easily. How do you believe it looks for me when I am alone, traversing through the castle, Ness?”

“Of course, I apologize, sir.” He bites his lip and for some reason feels an eerily familiar feeling of guilt rise in his throat. It must be the same one of before, of letting the Inner Circle down. The eyes of the boy from the painting glares down on his back.

It is a weighty stare, and yet the Prince Kaiser does not look up at it in the slightest. Instead, he sighs and takes a look around them. He walks closer to Ness.

Ness tenses up, and he takes a sharp breath in. However, the Prince only comes up to his side, close enough to where Ness can not see his face but can hear his whisper perfectly and clearly by his ear.

“We will be going back into town.” Ness nearly turns his head around out of reflex, but Kaiser catches him by his shoulder. “The guards can not follow us, and our presence must not be revealed. No one must know about this trip.”

There are two tones Ness has learned that Prince Kaiser uses over the years he has served him. One is the professional, and, he recently realized, distant voice he takes when addressing the staff, the public, and even the Inner Circle members, albeit the last one always carries a subtle bitterness to it. The second is by far the newest one: the casual and soft tone he has used when speaking to Ness, ever since last night. But it is so new that Ness does not know how to completely categorize it yet.

However, the voice Prince Kaiser is using now is one he has never heard from him before. It is serious, low, and feels nearly angry. It feels resentful, but vulnerable at the same time. Ness has a guess on who that resent is for.

Kaiser takes a step back, and like magic, that emotion is gone. He smiles and whispers again, still taking great care to hide their voices. “I can trust you, Ness, right?” A flicker of amusement plays across his expression.

A dangerous game. If they are caught, it could mean trouble for the two of them both. Prince Kaiser would surely get punished, but as for Ness, it could go as far as geting him executed with a charge of treason even Lady Ilse can not bail him out of.

But Ness remembers the promise he made to himself just a few moments before. In fact, it may be beneficial for him to let Prince Kaiser continue to believe he is wholeheartedly on his side, and show to him his plans he would not let known to anyone else. He is a spy after all, and so would that not mean one of his duties includes deceiving his target into believing he is a companion?

If he goes along with Kaiser, he can provide more information in the report. And be more of a help than ever.

The plan is so obvious Ness feels like an idiot for not figuring it out sooner.

So he decides to try something. If he needs to play along with this game, he must carry the act all the way.

Ness looks Kaiser directly in the eyes, and smiles.

He remembers Lady Ilse’s honey-sweet voice.

“Of course, my Prince.”

Prince Kaiser’s smile widens in amusement.

The first thing the Prince does is take Ness to his bedroom. The bed is tidy and the desk, unlike last night, is empty and polished. Ness stands by the door, his arms crossed behind him, as Prince Kaiser walks towards the wide open window. He motions for him to follow.

The bedrooms of the royal family sit on the 4th floor of the castle, so as Ness stands by the window, the ground outside dives deep enough for him to feel nauseous. Prince Kaiser places a hand on the window and holds another out. Ness barely registers what he is attempting to do before the panic settles in.

“My Prince, you do not mean to-?”

“I do hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

Before he could do anything, Ness feels his hand get snatched and smooth fingers wrap around its back. He shuts his eyes close and all of a sudden, the ground disappears beneath them. When he opens them again, the sky stretches above them.

Just before his limbs begin to flail, strong arms grab him. Easily, he might add. Winds pass through his ears to a deafening level. Ness bites his tongue and cheek strong enough for blood to tint his mouth.

Eventually, his back hits something hard. Ness winces and crumbles over.

“Don’t make a sound.”

He looks up. They are in an enclosure of trees, in the area closest to the castle where the garden is. Ness is between two bushes, and Prince Kaiser is crouching behind one of the trees, peering out. Gardenkeepers and guards walk around just a few feet, their faces stern and strict, while the gardenkeepers tend the fields of roses.

Prince Kaiser lets out a breath, and keeps his finger on his mouth as he uses his other hand to take out a bottle with a clear substance inside. Ness notices belatedly he is casting a spell, and feels something sticky and thick cover his body. He looks down at his hand. It is a dark green with bits of brown mixed in.

This must be to camouflage us, Ness thinks. After all, monster sludge has shapeshifting properties. Still, he wonders why the Prince used a strength spell instead of an illusion spell for a disguise.

He looks up to see Prince Kaiser nowhere in sight until something grabs his hand. Only then does he notice a faint outline between the bushes and trees. Stick breaks beyond the trees where the guards are doing their rounds. Ness holds his breath in. Prince Kaiser waits. The guard eventually moves away and he moves forward. Ness lets himself get pulled along through the receding forest.

The closest town is the one they went to the day before, Teno. The path to the town from the castle is approximately 15 minutes, but to Ness, it feels much longer.

The sludge is hot, the bushes suffocating, and every so often they had to stop because a guard heard noise coming from the trees. Feeling his heart pound in his ears, the thought of getting caught creeps its way in more than once, and the full realization of what he is doing forces panic in his bones before he can stop it. However, each time, the shakiness is quelled by the constant tugging of his hand, and the warmth wrapped around it. It is so strong he feels it travel up to his chest.

Normally, his “soul mark” would have started aching by now, and be sending dull pain across his shoulder, but the Prince’s hand right now is like a barrier restricting it. The pain comes up every so often still, but quickly calms down when it hits that warmness.

Never once has it been so obedient.

When they exit the forest and Kaiser has to remove his hand to redo the spell, Ness finds himself missing it.

The sludge begins to move, and only becomes more uncomfortable. However, by the time it is done and Ness looks down, he no longer sees blobs of color, but a fully fledged hand, with a different soul mark and a different sleeve. He touches his chest, and recognizes the clothes of a typical townsman.

“That’s 4 spells now…” Prince Kaiser ticks his tongue. Ness looks up. His face is rearranged into a different one altogether, his hair is dark and short, and he no longer has those blue roses marked on the side of his neck. He looks completely different.

So how is it that he stays so beautiful still?

Kaiser takes out a small pocket mirror, and glides his fingers across his face, as if checking its legitimacy. His fingers then go down to his neck, and lingers a little too long on the area where his royal soul mark would be. Ness can not see his face, or his expression.

“Well,” he says, shutting the mirror close. “Shall we get going?”

Ness nods. He follows behind him. He does not overlook the prominent lack of soulmark anywhere on Prince Kaiser’s disguise.

They had shapeshifted still a good ways away from the town, but close enough to see the marketplace. Some of the shop lanes extend to the edges of the castle, so it did not take long for the bustling of people to completely take over the natural silence.

There are more townspeople rushing to the marketplace than usual. The food and clothing stalls are especially overcrowded, likely a result of the panic from the ever increasing number of monster attacks. But even then, liveliness still exists in the area. People are laughing, shoving into one another. One stall is playing music. Children run across the crowd and make noises with their mouths imitating an airplane. Ness can hear the occasional ‘good morning, isn’t it?’ and ‘haven’t seen you two around, welcome along!’ being thrown their way.

The town is large, but there is a sense of camaraderie between the townspeople. Ness feels overwhelmed by the scene. It is completely different to when they came down as royal officials just the other day.

“Do not look around. Do not make a sound.” Prince Kaiser says sternly.

Ness flinches. He lowers his head. “Yes, apologies.”

Eventually the Prince stops and goes up to a stall. Ness follows him and peeks his head up. It is an antique booth, with spell bottles, scrolls, jewelry, mirrors, maps, statues, and even wands scattered about. The stall is deeply unorganized but contributes to the vintage feel.

The shopkeeper is an old but sturdy man, who is moving around the messy arrangement behind the table. A young girl sits nearby and is turned away with a bored expression. She looks up at the two customers for only a brief second before returning back to drawing red-outlined shapes in the air. Her red soulmark is a stamp on her hand.

“Excuse me.” Prince Kaiser says.

“Ah, yes! Just give me one moment…What can I do for you?” The man turns around quickly and looks between Kaiser and Ness. His face brightens.

“Ah, two handsome young men! Ruby, dear, look, maybe one of these boys-”

“Hey! Don’t say that in front of the customers!” The girl, Ruby, exclaims and smacks away the man’s finger pointing at the two. An embarrassed blush paints her cheeks. She looks between Kaiser and Ness, and lets out an exasperated sigh.

She writes down something quickly on a piece of paper, and shoves him aside. “Go, shoo, get me these supplies from the house, go on now.”

The old man laughs and whispers to Prince Kaiser, only it is loud enough for Ness to hear as well. “My young girl right here is a candidate for them royal prince soulmate thing. I’m so proud of her- ahh if only she weren’t so against getting a soulmate…”

“What did I just say?!”

‘“But I was just telling them how beautiful you were sweetheart!”

“Just go away!”

The man eventually disappeared in the crowd, and Ruby grumbled to herself loudly. “Lousy old man… I am so sorry about that, we are not usually this unprofessional.” She scratches her head.

This girl does not want a soulmate…, Ness thinks. To not want to be a royal soulmate is not completely out of the question, as he has heard that sentiment thrown around every so often. But to not want a soulmate altogether…

“Is there anything you would like?”

Prince Kaiser does not hesitate. He takes out a folded-up piece of paper and places it on the table. “I would like these items.”

Ruby opens the paper. Her face frowns at one of them. “I’m sorry, we don’t have the second item for sa-”

“I saw it in the pamphlet.”

Ruby stops, and her eyes grow suddenly wide at those words. Realization washes over her face.

Prince Kaiser asks, “So it is an item for sale, isn’t it?”

She stammers and chuckles nervously. “Ah, yes, yes of course, that is completely my mistake, I’ll get that right for you sir.” She disappears behind the flap of the stall briefly and comes with two bags and a soul mark device

“Now… show me your soul marks please.”

Ness silently grits his teeth as the device passes over his hand. Normally monster sludge can not shapeshift into a soul mark, and even if it tries, the device catches the attempt easily. However, if one already has a soul mark beneath the sludge in the strength molding spell like one the Prince used, the device picks up on the real soul mark through it. Therefore, if layered correctly, it appears as though the device is approving the fake soul mark instead.

Her device dings and blinks. Ness rubs his palm.

Then it is Prince Kaiser’s turn. To Ness’s surprise, he holds out his hand as usual, despite how clearly bare it is. And similarly, Ruby passes the device over. It does not even register, as there is no flash of blue, but it does make a ding sound nonetheless.

Ness watches her eyes carefully. She appears completely different from before, as if the whole matter does not faze her in the slightest. She ignores the clear lack of successful scan and puts the device away.

She hands the bags over, along with the piece of paper.

“Have a nice day, you two.”

Kaiser takes the bags without so much as a response and motions for Ness to grab the paper.

Ruby waves them off, but her lips are pressed together, and she has a melachonlic look on her face.

Her expression stays tense even as Ness watches her stall disappear among the lanes. For some reason, he feels a kind of relief.

Ness looks down at the piece of paper with the list of items. Does the Prince already trust me that much?, he wonders, knowing full well that he is getting highly secretive information from the Prince. Secret enough for even the guards to not be able to follow them. Ness opens the paper up, only to find the second item is already scribbled out furiously with ink. The first item is a bottle of monster sludge. Disappointment rises up in his thoughts, but he shakes it away. Why was he even surprised? Keeping his face as neutral as it can be, he instead goes to stick by Prince Kaiser’s shoulder, and peer over. Maybe then he can find-

“Trying to take a peek?”

His heart stops for all of one second until the Prince bursts out laughing. “It’s a joke, seriously…that face is hilarious,” he says through giggles, still low and soft so hardly anyone can hear them. The crowd presses in as they go deeper in the marketplace. The Prince’s laugh is one that shakes deeply across the chest and rings out like magic. Ness watches in awe. He doesn’t think he has seen the Prince properly laugh this… openly before.

Maybe it’s because to everyone else besides me, he is not the Prince right now.

In fact, from both the looks and behavior, even Ness can hardly recognize him. He questions if this is even the Prince had always known at all.

Kaiser stops, and Ness blinks. Before he has realized it, they are no longer in the marketplace, but somewhere down the bustling entertainment street of the town. And out of the countless buildings placed along, the one they are in front of is a theater. A huge sign is plastered in the front, exclaiming an exclusive play performing for a limited time.

Several people rush past them into the theater. A particular mother and child scurry by, and bumps into Ness. “Oh, excuse me-” she says, quickly, before continuing to rush forward. She ushers her child along. “Come on now, we can’t be late…” Her words disappear with their footsteps.

Ness looks back at Prince Kaiser. He had been sure that the Prince only needed to buy from the marketplace. A theater.. What would he need from here? He hesitates, but asks. “My Prince, excuse my rudeness, but why are we here?”

The Prince stares at the theater and gives Ness a playful smile, coated in a thin layer of mischief. He places a hand on Ness’s head.

“People like us can have fun every now and then, can we not?”

#my writing #bllk #blue lock #blue lock manga #bllk manga #crossposted #fic #5000-10000 words #michael kaiser #alexis ness #kaiser x ness #kainess #pale spirit

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childlikegoblinqueen · 2 years ago

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Stranger Tides

Chapter 1: Track # 1: Luz -- I'm Only Happy When it Rains

Volume 1: THE UPSIDE DOWN

Track #1 Luz

I’m only Happy when it Rains – Garbage

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

You can keep me company

As long as you don’t care

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

It had been almost a whole month since Luz and her friends had made it back to the human realm after King had managed to trick the Collector into stopping Emperor Belos from enacting the day of Unity –maybe?

Luz’s mother, Camila had taken surprisingly well to her daughter’s return as well as her friends. Really, it amazed Luz that Camila wasn’t angry at her? Especially after their brief encounter when Luz had reached out across the Realms, she had expected Camila to be furious at her daughter upon her return. But the anger never semeed to come.

Was it possible that it had taken Luz getting trapped in another dimension (by choice, really) for Camila to accept that her daughter was never going to “live inside the box”.

You’re bi? Dating Amity? Great. Love her.

You fought an evil wizard who was defeated by another big bad? Wow. That sounds scary?

Maybe it was Camila’s time with Vee, but Luz felt that shecould almost thank their forced separation to repair her relationship with her mother. Almost.

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

I’m only happy when it’s complicated.

And though I know you can’t appreciate it.

I’m only happy when it rains.

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

The forecast in Gravesfield CT called for rain for the next two weeks straight. Nothing but wind and rain.

“At least it’s not boiling rain – but I would have loved to go out and see more human realm terrain” Sighed Willow. “Maybe get some work out time in the woods.”, the plant witch continued while she stared into her breakfast cereal. She and Gus had made it their mission to take a hike every morning before the group would spend hours researching ways to get back to the Demon Realm to rescue their friends and family.

Willow carried a polaroid camera everywhere to document their summer together. That was Camila’s gift to her. A human relic! Gus had spent endless hours sitting on the floor drawing a picture of his dad to put in the old house in the back where the portal had been. He had been coping surprisingly well – if not visibly concerned as they all had been. Amity Blight, Luz’s rival turned girlfriend, was sitting at the kitchen table next to Luz with Ghost, her cat palisman resting in her lap. Willow and Gus’ palisman Clover (a bee) and Emmeline (A chameleon) hovered by the window sill dejected.

Luz herself carried her the egg she had carved from palistrom wood with her often. She would look at her friends’ magical companions and wonder what her own would be when it hatched. It was a nice thought that could distract her from the heaviness in her own mind. But more often than not, the egg reminded her or Eda the Owl lady who had gifted her the wood from which the egg was carved.

“Don’t think we’re going to get much done today.” Luz sighed indicating the soaked ground below. Of course, the team had been working hard to return to the Demon Realm to rescue their friends from whatever the Collector was doing. If there was even a Demon Realm anymore. Who knew? The Collector. A pang of guilt gnawed at Luz’s chest.

In reality, being back in the Human Realm, after everything that had happened, with the friends Luz herself had betrayed while more friends still suffered in a world she could not reach changed the landscape of her home considerably. Everything looked just as she had left it, but a haze seemed to cover everything – including the things she used to love. The light seemed a little less bright. The foods she had once savored tasted dull. Everything was just distorted as the familiar felt distant.

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

I’m only happy when it rains.

You wanna hear about my new obsession?

I’m riding high upon a deep depression.

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

“The old house always floods when the weather's like this,” Vee remarked, “It’ll clear up, but you’re stuck here with us at home for the moment .” Vee, the basilisk-girl, spoke like she had lived here forever, which made Luz wince. Luz had chosen to leave. To stay in the Demon Realm. To follow Philip Wittebane into the past and then… Ugh, No. She shook her head. Vee deserved this home. These friends. Unlike herself, who managed to make a mess of literally everything.

Luz looked at Amity who smiled and then quickly planted a kiss on her girlfriend’s forehead. The affection in itself felt as if it were a betrayal in itself.

“So what do we do batata?” Amity asked. “ We can keep cross checking all the books about the history of Gravesfield. We’ve found nothing. I can try to look at the book about the Wittebane Brothers again but it's been a dead end. ”

Luz felt the hairs on her neck stand on end when she heard that name. Wittebane.

“Hey, has anyone seen Hunter?” Gus yawned. “He was there when I went to sleep, but … “

As if summoned by his name a blond boy with crimson eyes and a scarred face sauntered into the kitchen. As usual he was accompanied by Flapjack, his red cardinal palisman.

“Hey.” He said, flashing a gap toothed grin to the group. “I was just in the extra fridge in the laundry room grabbing some eggs for breakfast. Not going to lie, these cook differently than gryphon eggs but, I figured since I was up I should make myself useful. Back in Scout Training, I was alone on a Mountain for like two weeks and I had to find my own food and gryphon eggs –”

“And how long HAVE you been up actually?” Gus grinned at the older boy, cutting him off.

Hunter reached out to Gus and they casually broke into their not so secret “secret” handshake. An elbow, fist, head bump combo.

“Long enough to have bags under my eyes?” Hunter shrugged.

“So just the usual”, Amity quipped.

Luz watched Willow’s eyes as they followed Hunter to the main part of the kitchen. In the few weeks since they arrived Hunter had had the most difficult time adjusting. She knew the boy was disoriented – his whole world shaken after learning that his cultish upbringing was a fascist lie. That he had been a pawn. A construct of someone murdered by Philip Wittebane. Over and over again. A grimwalker. Willow Park – Luz’s first peer in age friend in the demon realm seemed a salve for Hunter’s anxiety. Luz had seen them blushing when one thought the other wasn’t looking. It was very sweet. Like they were characters in a shoujo manga. Luz made sure to take the time to check in with Willow and Gus. Vee was easy to talk to, but Luz often felt Vee still judged her for leaving what Vee thought of as a perfect homelife. Amity was – AMAZING. Luz still wondered how she managed to find such a great match in a witch who had once been her rival.

But the truth was that since returning to the human realm, Hunter had been Luz’s lifeline.

They both kept each other's secrets. Luz couldn’t help but feel particularly guilty when she looked at Hunter. He had no one waiting for him on the other side of the portal and still worked harder than anyone to help them get back to save Eda, King, all of their families. Some evenings, the group would chat about happy memories of those they missed. But not Hunter. Because he had no one.

“Who wants coffee?” He called out before anyone answered he was already scooping the grinds into the filter and prepping the coffee pot.

“You, obviously.” Luz quipped. She’d been trying to keep it light.

Camila, Luz’s mother walked into the room kissing Luz, Vee, and Amity on the heads. She hugged Willow and Gus. To Luz’s delight she was wearing a shirt she had made for her mother upon their return.

“My Daughter Went to the Demon Realm and All I got was this stupid shirt”. It read. She added a picture of King and Hooty on the top and bottom. At least Camila was happily embracing Luz’s weird.

“Good Morning Everyone” She yawned. “I don’t think the rain is going to let up anytime soon.” She eyed Hunter already putting toast in the oven and breaking eggs.

“Hijo, let me take care of that.” She said approaching him. Hunter jumped visibly.

Luz glanced at Hunter who looked like a stricken puppy and turned with his back to the stove.

“Oh, no. Ma’am It’s fine. I was up anyway. I can’t sit still for too long.” He flashed a nervous smile as an egg crackled in the pan. Luz noticed that his hand had begun to shake.

Luz noticed her mother shake her head at the ‘Ma’am’ “Querido, please call me Camila.”

“Yes Ma’am” Hunter replied almost robotically. Camila eyed Vee and shook her head again. She shuffled out to the living room and began fumbling through the boxes of old clothes and other items from the closet.

The coffee smelled fresh. Strong.

Luz knew her friend had not been sleeping much. Gus had mentioned more than once that his roommate often had to be reminded that it was bedtime after a long day of research, because Hunter wanted to stay up attempting to repair some of Luz and Camila’s old clothes by sewing – or reading under the covers of his sleeping bag. Basically, anything not involving actual sleep which Luz had attributed to his Machiavellian child soldier upbringing. That, and trauma. She knew that much. Because she couldn’t sleep either – but instead of pacing the hallways as she knew Hunter had, Luz lay awake looking at the ceiling worrying about what the Collector was doing to her Demon Realm family. The ones she put in danger with her stupidity. Like her friends’ families.

Hunter fumbled through the dishwasher for clean mugs and grabbed the pot of coffee.

“Dude, make sure you don’t drink the whole pot.” Gus laughed. “Leave some for the rest of us!”

Hunter began pouring the coffee equally into 7 mugs with a variety of images and sayings on them.

“Hey Gus, are you sure you want coffee?” He quipped “I read that in the human realm they say that coffee stunts your growth” Hunter joked to his smaller friend.

Gus stuck his tongue out, “And I heard in the human realm that if you don’t sleep for over 72 hours straight you are considered clinically insane.”

Hunter knitted his brow. “That doesn’t sound right…Actually the coffee thing is also not accurate… I’ve been studying human Urban Legends and I can gather some of them came over from true stories in the Demon Realm.”

Amity yawned dramatically and put her arm around Luz raising her brow as Hunter info-dumped his latest discovery.

Luz laughed, “I told you” she whispered into Amity’s. The two giggled and shared a kiss. Amity’s first meeting with Hunter was not the best. It was during that transitional period when he was still the Golden Guard but after Hunter bonded with Flapjack. Before the Emperor’s Mindscape.

Hunter – when he was still the Golden Guard, Belos’ head enforcer, was once arrogant and angry. Unhinged and brutal. He’d been taught – no GROOMED to believe that Wild Magic was evil. Flapjack lit a spark in him. Opened the door for what was to come.

“Hey Blight! Can you and Luz stop doing – that – for like five minutes! This is REALLY interesting stuff.”

“Can you call my girlfriend by her NAME – Brainy Smurf?” Luz growled. Indeed, Hunter often reminded her of Brainy Smurf. The first time they met, really met without the Golden Guard Mask Hunter lit up and began lecturing her about the “savage ages” and glyphs.

When they were stuck in Belos’ mindscape Hunter had raised his chin and declared that Belos never felt guilt because, why would he? “Papa Smurf blah blah blah” Luz had thought.” Turns out he was right on that point. Belos never felt guilt.

Hunter sniffed, “I have no idea what a Brainy Smurf is” Flapjack, Hunter’s Cardinal palisman flittered up and nested in Hunter’s unkempt blond hair. Only recently, Hunter had gotten another haircut from Willow. Luz knew that Hunter hated looking in the mirror. He had confided in her that when he did he only saw Caleb Wittebane, or worse, Emperor Belos leering back at him. He also elected to wear baggy sweatshirts from the box of her father’s old clothing. They covered him from neck to wrist for – reasons Luz didn’t want to think about. Until a week or two earlier, he had still insisted on wearing his gloves – which had prompted some unwanted attention from a pizza delivery girl who had innocently called him “Elsa of Arendelle” when he had come to the door, hood covering his pointed ears.

“Hermosa, I am going to go help Mama with some boxes.” Luz told Amity. She tucked her palisman egg into the pocket in her hoodie and turned back to watch Hunter continue to go on, now visibly relaxed since Camila left the room. What was with them? Her mother and friends all took to each other pretty quickly. But Hunter was different. Vee eyed him with light suspicion, but Luz could tell it was a matter of time before she too eventually thawed.

It was hard to believe that this was the same boy behind the gold mask. The one who threatened she, Eda, and King. Hunter was NOT the Golden Guard. He – in reality – was a total dork. A nerd. A cinnamon roll. Luz shook her head wondering how he had restrained this part of himself under Belos’ iron fist. She shivered at the thought.

Luz went to see what her mother was doing. Camila was filtering through a bunch of old cassettes and CDs. “Mom.” She whispered. “I had no idea that you were so into music.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me Mija,” Camila sighed guiltily. “Your father and I would make mix tapes – then eventually CDs for each other every month as a gift for the first few years of our relationship. Things got tougher when … you were born and then. Well you know. I haven’t seen these in forever.” Camila sighed wistfully at the boxes covered in hers and Manny’s handwriting and doodles.

Willow and Gus came into the room followed by Amity and Vee. They all carried their coffee and eggs while Hunter began cleaning the kitchen obsessively.

“Okay,” Amity said. “So we’re grounded in the house for the better part of the next two weeks. What would you do in the Human Realm now?”

“Oh!” Gus called out, “Would this be a good time to binge watch something on the Crystal – er television?”

Luz thoughtfully “We could stream a TV show. Authentic human realm behavior for a rainy day.”

“Yeah, I could go for a good marathon watch,” Vee agreed. She shifted to her new human form. Shaggy sandy colored hair and green underneath.

The gang sat on the couch and brought up Netflix.

“HUNTER! GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE AND WATCH TV WITH US!” Gus yelled “THAT’S AN ORDER ‘SOLDIER.’”

Luz closed her eyes. Gus, why? She thought to herself. She felt Vee side-eye her as if the basilisk-girl had the same thought.

Hunter padded into the living room, hoodie now pulled over his head with Flapjack still nesting in his hair below. He looked at the mess of cassettes on the coffee table.

“I-I can organize these for you ma’am” he said looking at his feet resisting the urge to kneel. It was obvious he was talking to Camila who closed her eyes avoiding looking directly at the boy.

“You know what,” Camila said. “I have been meaning to recreate these mixes digitally for a very long time. I’ll be at the clinic all day today. Why don’t you kids help me back these up?”

Gus grinned widely, “So we’re creating an archive of human music?” His eyes grew to the size of saucers.

Camila laughed. “Si hijo. I bought an adapter to work on it a while ago but then Manny died and …” she trailed off.

Luz hugged her mother, “Mama, puedo mostrarlos. I can show them.”

“I actually know a lot about human world music,” Gus exclaimed. “Some of the more popular artists have crossed over into the Demon Realm just like the Azura books.”

“I think everyone on the Boiling Isles goes through a Beatles phase like it’s the Gryphon Poxs.” Amity rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

“As the former president of the Human Appreciation Society, I can confirm that.” Gus agreed.

“Oh?” Camila exclaimed. “Maybe we can stream some music the kitchen. You kids have been through a lot. Music can – heal many wounds. Maybe there are some open wounds I have been ignoring instead of hearing this music again.”

“So what are we watching while we do this.” Vee asked impatiently. “I promised Camila I wouldn’t start a new telenovela without her.”

“Something scary.” Willow practically squealed. “Something to distract us from our actual horror – you know by inflicting it on fictional characters.”

Luz glanced at the screen. Thunder crackled ominously outside. Her eyes lit up.

“Stranger Things. A new season dropped!”

“What’s that?” her friends asked in unison.

READ MORE ON AO3

#toh fanfic #a03 fanfic #willow park #luz noceda #veesha #toh vee #huntlow #lumity #toh camila #stranger things #inspired by music #the owl house #hunter noceda #toh gus #amity blight #fanfic #willow x hunter #wintery junk #Spotify

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johannstutt413 · 3 years ago

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(Post-Nearl Light Platinum fic, as promised)

“Senomy? Could you excuse us for a moment?” The Doctor asked her as Platinum entered his office.

“Doctor, you know I trust your judgment,” Gravel replied, glaring daggers at the Kuranta, “but you know how I feel about her.”

He patted her on the shoulder. “I do. You also know how I feel about her, though, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do, but…My whole purpose here is to protect you from danger, and she’s practically a walking knife.” Not that she’d be any match for the Zalak’s pair, should it come to that-

“Gravel.” Since she wouldn’t take it as a request, it’d have to be an order. “Watch over Amiya for the rest of the evening. You’ll report back to me in the morning.”

Senomy sighed, slid the partially-unsheathed knife back in place, and gave Platinum a stabbing glance instead. “Watch yourself.”

“Oh, don’t worry about little old me; I’ll behave,” Centaurea teased. It was fun knowing the Zalak really couldn’t do anything about it, either-

“Please don’t antagonize her too much.” The Doctor propped his feet up on his desk as the door to his office closed. “Ready to go?”

The Kuranta gestured to her casual outfit. “Of course. Are you wearing that to the park?”

“Yes and no.” He flipped his hoodie inside-out; the only clear change was that the Rhodes Island logos were nowhere to be seen.

“Clever. Now we’re good?” She waited for him to stand up and walk past her, locking arms with him as he did. “Let’s have some fun.”

He snickered. “I’d hope we’d have some at an ‘amusement park.’”

“Have you ever been to one?”

“Not that I remember,” the amnesiac admitted. “You?”

Centaurea rolled her eyes. “With what time?”

“No downtime at all? Kazimierz really does make being an assassin boring as hell, doesn’t it?” The Doctor was happy to say that at least his organization made it properly exciting, even if it wasn’t really ‘assassination’ in the classic sense.

“Especially once they hollow you out to be a proper little puppet.” She sighed. “I don’t want to think about all that right now, though.”

He nodded. “Same here. We’ll take the fast way there.”

The ‘fast way’ was, of course, visiting one of Dusk’s paintings - a brightly-lit forest path, something one of her fans had managed to smuggle out of her dorm during a rather risky ‘salvage operation,’ as Engineering had called it - and popping out the other side in a Rhodes Island waypoint less than a ten minute walk from the park. One of the perks of being with the Doctor: all the perks he had, he shared when he could.

“Tickets please! Thank you, young lady.” A Feline holding a wooden box with a slit in it smiled as Platinum dropped the tickets inside. “Have a wonderful evening~”

“You too.” The Doctor gave him a fist bump as the pair walked past.

It wasn’t a particularly busy evening at the park; honestly, they seemed to have picked the perfect time to go. There weren’t any long lines when they found something they felt like trying - for example, a shoot-the-apple booth which the Sniper absolutely took to town in exchange for a small burdenbeast plush - but there were the sounds of cheer and merriment all around. Clearly someone was having fun.

…It was just hard for Centaurea to tell if she was that person or not. “Do you feel like you’re being watched?” She asked the Doctor, seated on a bench, as he brought her a caramel-covered apple-on-a-stick.

“Always,” he casually replied. “People know exactly where I am and why at all times.”

“And that doesn’t bother you? Isn’t that part of the point of getting away like this - to ‘get away’ from the day-to-day?” Sure, it certainly felt like an unusual day, but she’d had plenty of those during the most recent knights’ competition anyway.

He gave her a curious look, mostly discernable from his voice rather than his shrouded face. “As long as I’m not doing office work, I am away from the day-to-day. I guess it’s the differences in our specialties.”

“I suppose.” Platinum bit into her apple, and her eyes popped open a little. “It’s so sweet…How much sugar is in this?”

“Well, it’s covered in caramel, which is basically cooked sugar, so a fair bit.”

The Kuranta frowned. “I’m not one to count calories, but the only reason I’m finishing this is because you bought it for me.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself to live a little.” The Doctor flipped his fully-cleaned stick into the air. “Oh, there’s one thing we absolutely have to try before we leave.”

“I thought you’d never visited an amusement park before?” She took another chunk out of her snack, pondering if they’d be better off having dinner back at the ship rather than eating only fair food-

He poked her shoulder. “You good? Kinda spaced out on me there.”

“Did I?” Must’ve been the apple. It was annoyingly delicious. “What were you saying? Something we absolutely have to try?”

“The observation wheel.” He pointed past her to a large spoked contraption a fair distance away.

Platinum blinked. That would explain the feeling of being watched better than some Armorless Union spies, honestly. “Are you a fan of heights?”

“Not particularly,” the Doctor admitted, “but I read about it in a magazine yesterday.”

‘After I asked him to come here with me?...Did he research this place ahead of time?’ “If you want to try it, sure.”

He smiled, the corners of his cloth mask lifting subtly. “Great. We can take out time - park doesn’t close for another couple of hours.”

“No, we can go now. Nothing else really catches my attention.” Not even the sound of sizzling meat on a grill…Actually, “After we get something more savory to eat. Someone’s grilling loud enough for me to hear, and that’s usually a good sign.”

“Lead the way.” They stood up, arms locked once more, and went off in search of the sound Centaurea’s heightened senses had picked up on.

Eventually, after a couple kebabs were purchased and shortly thereafter devoured, the couple stepped into the grounded passenger car and sat on the singular bench within. As they rose into the air, Platinum realized it certainly lived up to its name: above the amusement park, she really could observe everything, and with her eyesight, it would’ve made a great sniping posi-

“There really is no escaping it, is there?” The Doctor’s comment pulled her attention back to reality. “I saw your face scrunch up. You realized this would be a great way to take down a target, didn’t you?”

She sighed. “More or less.”

“You know, you don’t have to escape your past completely to have fun. I know, probably sounds like a load of beast-shit coming from a guy who can’t remember more than a couple years of his own life, but it’s still true.” He rested a hand between them on the bench.

“It’s…it’s not just that.” Her hand pressed on his as the Sniper turned to look at him, but it didn’t register in the moment. “I was hoping that coming out here with you, I’d remember what it was like before I had a hundred voices ordering me around, a thousand eyes scrutinizing my every move, but even sitting hundreds of feet above it all, I still- did we stop moving?”

He nodded; they’d reached the pinnacle, and the car had stopped. “We got in just in time for the show.”

“The show?”

“Yep.” There was a whistling sound in the distance, followed by a brilliant sapphire explosion. “The fireworks show.”

The Kuranta’s eyes widened. “You knew it was about to start.”

“I did,” the Doctor smiled back, pulling back his hood and sliding his mask down.

“...You planned for this.” Centaurea’s focus was still on the ongoing flashing lights. Colors she’d forgotten could look so bright, a faint smell of gunpowder on a gentle breeze, near silence outside the occasional echoed laughter and far-off whistling of another rocket on its one-way journey to delight its two-person audience. “You knew when this was happening, and you had us stop for food at just the right time so you could ask me to ride this wheel with you.”

He wasn’t about to deny it. “Got it in one.”

“But…why?” She looked back at him, mouth dropping a little as she saw him for the first time without the layers of obfuscation. Without them, it was hard to recognize him as the Doctor, frankly. He looked so…normal. Mortal, even.

“I like knowing what I’m getting into when someone asks me to go somewhere with me.” His hand flipped under hers to hold it, thumb on top. “More than that, though, I thought you’d enjoy the fireworks. Are you?”

Is that what this feeling was? The audible thumping of her heartbeat, the dazzling lights of the explosions meant to delight rather than destroy, the twinkling in his eye that felt like it was mirroring one in her own - was that what enjoying something was supposed to be? Was she having fun? Because in that moment, it felt like something more than that. Something stronger. “I’m enjoying being here with you.” Well, fuck, that’d just kind of slipped out-

“Even better.” He scooted a little closer, and with both their guards entirely down, he kissed her cheek. At least, he would have, but there was just enough time for Platinum’s whirring id to catch onto what he was doing, and she turned her head just enough so that kiss would find her lips instead.

“...So that’s where this was leading, all along.” Centaurea’s voice was small, quivering. More like the one she heard in her head than the one she normally spoke with. “I didn’t want to make any assumptions, but I…I’d hoped you weren’t just humoring me.”

The Doctor was a little embarrassed that he’d missed his original mark, but happy his feelings were well-received. “After what you’ve been through, you deserve more than one evening of happiness, and, um, I realized I wanted to be the person to give you that opportunity.”

“‘Deserve?’ How do I deserve this?”

“Everyone deserves to live well and be loved.” He wiped a tear away from her cheek; it’d snuck past while their lips were locked. “It might take a while for that to sink in, but I’ll remind you every chance I get, if you let me.”

The former Platinum looked into his eyes, confused and surprised, but more than anything, grateful. “Gravel’s going to kill me for this, isn’t she?”

“Is that a yes?” He tilted his head to the side, a smirk on his face.

“You asked a question?” She leaned forward for a second kiss, only answering after the Doctor gave it to her. “...Then yes, Doctor.”

The fireworks at the park stopped shortly after, and the wheel began to turn again. In their cabin, however, they’d only just begun.

#arknights #arknights fic #platinum (arknights)#cerastes' post really got me thinking about them as a ship #and of course the event #but this was seeded a while ago tbh #actually beat S-5 and got to 50 renown-or-whatever to see the third epilogue #Gravel and Platinum's dynamic is fun for this kind of thing too #...but they really did make a sad workhorse and make me like her a lot #maybe I should finally get around to E2ingh her now that Gummy's E2'd...#there will be a Gravel and Flametail fic after these #hopefully pretty quickly atmosphere willing

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ktffansub · 4 years ago

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Bijutsu Techo: Boys Love – Interview: Yoneda Kou

This article was first published in November 17th, 2014. Translated from Japanesse to Bahasa Indonesia by kalengjelek and then translated from Bahasa Indonesia to English by KTFfansub. Source: here

When did you first encounter manga?

I was born in a family with three daughters; while my older sister likes reading Ribbon magazine, I like reading Nakayoshi. It was the era of Asagiri Yuu-sensei, when I was in elementary school. My favorite at that time were Kusunoki Kei sensei’s works and Patlabor. When it came to Shonen, I would say I was more into Shounen Sunday. I also loved Kawaraha Izumi sensei’s works. When I think about it, rather than manga that were full of passion, I’d actually prefer manga that had calm and soothing kind of vibe.

Is that so… What about BL?

When I was in Junior High, my older sister showed me Captain Tsubasa Doujinshi by Ozaki Minami and I was dumbfounded, I thought, “So, there’s also a world like this!”. After that, I started to buy BL manga. At that time, the mangaka who left the most impression to me was Nishi Keikosensei. Her works such as Mizu Ga Koori Ni Naru Toki, Tenshi Ni Naranakya have unique openings, it made me reread them many times. Uida Shiuko (now Kano Shiuko) and Yoshinaga Fumi Sensei are also my favorite mangaka.

When was the first time you draw manga?

I seriously began drawing manga in my first year of junior high. At first, I drew a pair of man and woman, but after page three, I felt something was off. So, I tried drawing BL for the next one. Just like the present, I’ve always loved less expressive and less-talkactive main characters (laughs). But the more I draw, then an attentive senpai with good personality and short haired ones like Togawa in Doushitemo Furetakunai also appeared. At that moment I thought, “Oh, this is it!”

You really weren’t embarrassed, are you? (laughs)

Well, it’s because it was embarrassing, that’s why I’m not really open about my drawing manga activity.

(laughs) But you debut as professional mangaka eventually, how did that happen?

Yes, after that… I worked as office lady. I got married not long after, but then, I was getting through a marriage blues. At that time, I was invested in Kakashi and Naruto shown by my older sister along with Comiket catalogue.

The power of moe beats out your anxiety (laughs)

It’s true (laughs). Escaping from reality, I checked a lot of circles and opened some sites. There I found a work from a novelist (now has debuted professionally) that I really liked. This is why I started writing novel at first, not drawing. I have a lot of ways to accommodate my moe needs. I also once drew Doujinshi but due to my inability to use a proper diction, the result wasn’t optimal (laughs). After drawing slowly and more at ease, I got into Katekyo Hitman Reborn fandom and drew a lot of doujinshi for that series. A year later, I was contacted by Taiyou Tosho publisher.

“With that publisher, Yoneda Kou published Doushitemo Furetakunai which has been adapted into a movie. Since the beginning, Yoneda Kou didn’t draw one-shot but serialization. For the movie, even though it only tells a story of daily lives, but the directing, composition and dialogue are impressive. About 4,5 years later, the second volume of Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai that had the yakuza neighborhood setting was released. This has completely different feeling compared to Doushitemo Furetakunai.”

My first work was actually published in Drap, so I had it adjusted to be a less-heavy work. That’s why I ended up switching to another magazine.

Was it a demand from the editor?

Of course I only draw what I want to draw. But without realizing, I always draw them to fit the magazine. And it seems like Taiyou Tosho prefers me to draw more simple work.

So, sensei is the type who pays attention to editor’s suggestion. When you wrote the first chapter of Saezuru Tori Wa Habatakanai, did you already want Yashiro to be the main character (for longterm series)?

Right. I didn’t explain it in the first one-shot, but I always believe that no matter how you look at it, Yashiro really loved Kageyama. And (even though he’s drawn like that) he is actually a neko (uke). I think he is an interesting character. When I drew highschooler Yashiro and others, it had been decided that I wanted to write a serialization for this.

And only then the character Doumeki was born?

At that time, the character Doumeki didn’t exist, but I thought very hard about what kind of partner that would be suitable for Yashiro. I took a break from drawing for about two years. I only worked on illustration during that time, until one morning an idea suddenly came to me, “That’s right! Erectile dysfunction!”. I immediately sent an email to my editor: “A perverted impotent man!” (laughs). Afterwards, I finally worked on the first draft.

(laughs hard) Finally, the combination of Yashiro and Doumeki who are the opposite of each other was decided. What an amazing couple that can even make the readers losing sleep.

I do have this particular interest in people’s decision and behaviour resulted from a contrasting relationship that is full of conflicts. Because there are so many characters in Saezuru, I have this excel file compiling the plot for each character chronologically. Otherwise, I would’ve forgotten about it. If I didn’t seriously research (the setting of my own story), I wouldn’t be able to write anything when I made name. But even though I got through it, drawing a family with no blood ties like yakuza was still difficult. If I don’t focus, the story might turn out like Nagara Sakugyou*. That’s why now I’m just focusing on doing Saezuru.

*) nagara sakugyou: other work that being serialized at the same time

Up until now, Sensei has published 5 volumes and all of them have beautiful covers with varied tones.

Actually, the cover color for Doushitemo Furetakunai should’ve looked like red wine, but it seemed like there was an error in printing so the pink was contrasting into it. But it turned out to be good.

Then about the cover for the Saezuru first volume. It’s so impressive! The stepped-on man! All the people around me also had high appraise for this.

Actually, there were so many things happened in the process. By taking the request (it isn’t clearly explained whether it’s from editor/designer) of “Yashiro sitting alone”, I first submitted that illustration to the book designer. However, I couldn’t throw away the idea of Yashiro being stepped on, so, during the next three days I was stressed out. I’ve finally asked them to keep my idea and that’s how the cover of the first volume ended up the way it is now.

I see! For the second volume, it’s totally different, isn’t it? It’s a scenery, but when you do a double take, there are Yashiro and Doumeki!

I always want to give a different vibe in each volume. Actually I’m also a fan of the way Tsumugi Taku-sensei draws scenery.

Hoo-, sensei is a fan of Tsumugi sensei! Talking abough NIGHTS, when you open the cover, there’s a surprise in it!

Yes, if you look at the rough sketches there were 4 pages of picture that were interconnected. In the end, the desainer took picture number two as the cover and number four to put it on the bottom of the back cover. For Soredemo, I didn’t get any guide from the book designer. I combined the the feel of the story with a touch of water paint. At first, I actually wanted to make Deguchi pulling Onoda’s hand to get out of the train, but it ended up looking like Deguchi forced Onoda to stay (with him). So I decided it’s Onoda who’s getting off the train by himself with Deguchi waiting on the platform.

Do you do the coloring with computer? How about the non-colored script?

I use SAI for coloring but for monochrome I usually draw by my hand until the inking, then I do the tone using photoshop.

Do you self-learned drawing?

Well, I at least bought a lot of ‘pose reference’ books often. When it comes to buy things, it feels great, doesn’t it? But when it comes to manga, we draw to tell our moe concept.. well, I love drawing moe concept, but the thing is- I’m not really good at drawing. I like thinking about moe stuff, I also like to combine colors (inside my head) but when I do, I have no desire to draw I, even though that’s the important part. There are often times when I feel like drawing is a handful. In short, I want to draw something that isn’t too troublesome.

But, isnt it because you’re doing manga seriously that it feels difficult?

Because I’m too serious I feel like the story can be boring. Not only the work but also the author (laughs). I often read comments saying my manga is ‘down to earth’. I guess it’s shown obviously in every each of my works

Sure, there are people who think like, “In real world, there’s no way a wakagashira can be as masochist as Yashiro”, but apart from that, Saezuru still gives an impression of it being realistic. In drawing the important men’s arms and muscles in your work, sensei has done your best. Getting into the story, the characters also put extra effort to look elegant. Despite the young age, in a positive sense, sensei’s works feels like having Showa* vibe.

(*SHOWA ERA: 1926~1989)

I’m no longer young, though (laughs). Maybe this is why my works often get called “JUNE”. Especially Saezuru, I think it really fits (JUNE concept).

Are you an organized person?

I’m actually a person who have no chill (laughs). But I have this side of myself who tend to see things as a whole, look at my surrounding then step on the brake. There is also a side of me that is so energetic in creating my own moe that I turn into a selfish person. I guess that’s also my flaw.

It seems like sensei is the type who has her own editorial meeting inside her head (laughs)

I wish it’s not true, but unfortunately, I’m the type of person who is embarrased to admit that I have a relationship with manga. Even until now I have yet told my close friends about this job (as BL mangaka). I’m not that kind of person who like to share or tell others about my moe situation inside my head. When my moe concept is being visualized in public I would scream, “Don’t look! But if you want to read it, I’d be happy”. Yes, I’m that kind of person.

I wonder if sensei’s works are the manifestation of sensei’s own self-contradictions..

#saezuru #doumeki #saezuru tori wa habatakanai #yashiro #yoneda kou #interview

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samwilsonshandsandass · 4 years ago

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Don’t decline too many times

Pairing: soft!dark!Steve Rogers x reader

Summary: The local gang leader is always nice to you. But is there an ulterior motive behind it all for his niceness?

Warnings: Alcohol consumption (voluntarily), asks about pregnancy, abduction

Word count: about 3000

A/N: This is my entry for @stargazingfangirl18 Siri’s 5K Soft Dark Challenge. A big congrats on your milestone and thank you for hosting this challenge, I enjoyed writing for it! I chose general prompt number 5 (“The leader of the local gang doesn’t like it when you tell them no.”) for this. The dividers are made by the awesome @firefly-graphics

You sat at the bar, a small bowl with olives and peanuts in front of you. You had asked for a caipirinha and shortly after if the bartender, a female redhead, could get you some snacks. She said she could, but she also cautiously probed if you were pregnant. No, you weren’t.

“Well then, I can offer you olives and peanuts.”

You nodded, and now the quite unusual combination of a fruity and sweet drink and olives and peanuts found a home in you. You had your elbows propped up on the bar, back straight and eyes on the bar top. The bowls with the snacks were gone quicker than the drink and the bartender kept both coming. Eating way quicker than drinking helped with that, apparently.

You didn’t know what number drink you were on when you were approached the first time that evening. Although night would be a better term.

“Miss? I- uh- I’d wanted to ask-“ The guy who now sat on the stool next to you stumbled over his words, but not because of alcohol in his system. He didn’t slur, he talked normally.

You saw a tattooed hand clasp the guys’ shoulder. “I don’t think you’re in the right place, buddy. Leave the lady alone.”

“Why would I-“ The guy turned to look at whoever had his hand on his shoulder. “Oh! I’m so sorry, Mr.-“

“Yeah, yeah, I imagine you are. But you’ll be even more sorry if you don’t move now” The other growled and the guy got up so quickly, he almost face planted away from the bar.

“Uhm, thank you? You know, you didn’t have to, he wasn’t bothering me. I could’ve dealt with him” You said to the brown-haired man.

“I know. But this isn’t what this is about.”

“Then what is ‘this’ about?” You were a little irritated.

“You’ll see. Enjoy your night, miss” He gave a small salute and went back into the crowd. You tried looking where he went but quickly lost him, although the bar wasn’t as packed as it could be.

Steve looked over the bar patrons from the mezzanine level of the bar, that housed his private booth that could be seen, and was supposed to be seen, from below but no one ever found the staircase until they were explicitly shown where it was.

His night was going nice, no big problems in the last days, the bar was filled and his new favorite person had just walked in. Alone. She made a beeline for the bar and after a short conversation, got what she wanted from Natasha. She didn’t move much throughout the night and he was happy to just watch her.

Steve sipped on his own drink. He wondered what she drank. He’d have to ask Natasha for that. He took another sip and swallowed harshly. Someone sat next to what would be his. Normally, he’d be lenient with that, especially if the bar was packed almost too full but for one thing, it wasn’t. Secondly, you didn’t seem to want any company tonight. Just to be left alone and drink.

“Buck?” Steve looked up.

“On it.”

A few days later, you were out grocery shopping after work. It had been a long day, full of demands you couldn’t meet or weren’t even supposed to fulfill because they didn’t fall into your department. And right as you could finally leave for the day, your boyfriend Chad had called to let you know he came home to an empty fridge and if you couldn’t pick up some fresh vegetables. But only from that one organic store. And only the freshest produce of the freshest.

How were you supposed to get literal farm-to-table produce when the delivery truck for that particular store only came twice a week and only ever in the morning? You asked and just got an exasperated sigh from Chad. So here you were, paying for the groceries and leaving the store.

You stepped out of the store and almost collided with someone. The person just kept on walking, apparently not even noticing how you wobbled and the bags in your hands almost slipped out of your grasp. Just as you thought everything would tumble and you’d have wasted that money, you felt hands on your elbows, steadying you.

“I got you, don’t worry.”

You didn’t recognize the voice. You turned around and did a double take. You looked up at Steve Rogers, the leader of the city’s gang, just known as “The Commando”.

“Th- thank you. It wouldn’t have been good if I had spilled all this.”

“What would you have spilled?”

“Fresh vegetables for tonight’s dinner.”

“All that just for you?” Steve seemed genuinely curious and confused.

“Oh no. For me and my boyfriend, Chad.”

Steve took the bags from your hands without asking. “Mind if I walk you home? It’s late and these bags look really heavy and that’s not even touching your normal bag.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not, I’m offering.”

“Thank you, but it’s not far, it really isn’t necessary” You declined.

“Alright, well have a nice evening, miss” Steve raised his fingertips to his non-existent hat.

“You too, thanks.”

Several weeks later, you laid on the couch with Chad with some mindless trash tv show playing in the background. He had his arm around you. You looked at him. He didn’t look back at you, but maybe he was just captivated by watching something that didn’t require much thinking after a long work day. Well, you wanted to do something that also didn’t require much thinking. You started kissing up and down his neck until he turned his head.

“What are you doing Y/N?”

“What does it look like?” You grinned.

“I’m too tired right now. Tomorrow?” Chad groaned.

You removed yourself from him and sat up again. “You’ve said that for weeks now! I also have needs and I don’t want to use my vibrator all the time. I want you.”

“Well, I can’t change how tired I am!” He raised his voice, despite or because of his tiredness, you didn’t know.

Shortly after, you went to bed. Unsatisfied and feeling like you had been shunned.

Just a few days later, you were frantically searching for a clean and decent shirt you could wear to work. You really couldn’t show up to work in a graphic tee shirt.

“Chad, where are my clean shirts?” You yelled through the appartement.

“In your wardrobe?! Like always?” He yelled back.

“No, they aren’t! Didn’t you do the laundry?”

“No, why would I?”

“Because it was your turn!”

“Well, I forgot. I’m sorry, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, always sorry” You grumbled so he couldn’t hear and pulled a unicolor long sleeve shirt from the wardrobe. That would have to do.

It was a Saturday and you were in the mall, trying on clothes, maybe you’d buy some shoes. You wanted to treat yourself. Chad was gone for the weekend and you’d had a stressful week at work. You had found so many things you were packed with two or three bags in each hand plus your handbag over your shoulder. This had been an extensive haul and you couldn’t be more happy about your new treasures.

You carried several bags to the entrance to then get on home when you saw the revolving door wasn’t working. You groaned. Awesome. When you entered the mall, they had still worked and of course, today had to be the time you also bought something voluminous that you couldn’t just transfer from one hand to the other to open the door that was still working. While you thought about setting half the bags down and just walking twice or holding the door open with your foot, someone from behind you reached around you and opened it for you.

“Oh. Thank you!” You turned around and saw a familiar face. Steve Rogers.

“You’re welcome.”

He tipped his imaginary hat when you and all your bags were through the door. You turned and could see him still hold open the door with an older lady thanking the “Young man” and walking off.

“Do you want me to walk you to your car?” He offered.

“No, thanks I got it from here.”

Steve tipped his “hat” again and said his goodbye when you went in the direction of the parking lot.

You had reservations at a nice Mexican restaurant with Chad for this Friday evening. There was nothing to celebrate, you had just agreed to go out again, because you could. You were excited for it, an evening with good food, talking, no needing to take care of anything except getting home and a nice evening and then a lazy weekend until the work week started again. Now it was Thursday.

“Chad? Friday is still happening?” You sat at the breakfast table and Chad poured himself a coffee.

“Yeah. Work shouldn’t keep me longer than expected.”

“Alright, we’ll just meet at the restaurant, then.”

Friday came, work went down without any incident and you went straight to the restaurant. Granted, you were a little early, but you’d rather be early than late, which would have been the case if you had gone home beforehand.

“Excuse me? I have a reservation for Y/L/N, for two people. I know I’m a little early, but I thought maybe…” You trailed off.

“My colleague will show you to your table, you can already take a seat and wait for your company. I’ll send them over once they arrive” The receptionist said.

“Thank you” You smiled and followed her colleague.

At the table, you texted your boyfriend. Just a simple “I’m here a little early.” After the waiter brought a water, your phone still didn’t ping with a text. Twenty minutes later, you sent a second text. “Hey, you coming? Our reservation is for this time.” Now would’ve been the time your table was reserved for. No answer. 15 minutes and another text later, there still was no answer.

“Miss, do you want to order an appetizer or wait for your company?”

“I’ll wait for him, if that’s okay.”

“Yes, of course.”

Thirty minutes, another text and another visit from your waiter later, there still was no sign of Chad. Just as you felt tears of rage pricking your eyes, your waiter set a dish of panna cotta with fruits on the side in front of you.

“On the house.”

You smiled gratefully. At least panna cotta would soothe some of the rage you felt.

At home, there was no sign of Chad. You went to bed alone, feeling a storm of different emotions ranging from anger to sadness.

You woke to clanging in the hallway. It sounded like a person stumbling, trying to get back up and failing. That could only be Chad. Especially at this hour. You remembered once, pretty early on in your relationship how he had stumbled in just like this after a night out with his boys when you didn’t want to come with. You had helped him sober up and then you both had spent a nice day in with Chad nursing his hangover.

But this was different. This was your boyfriend, first blatantly ignoring or forgetting your date night (you didn’t know which would be worse), no matter if it went along with a special date or not, and now he didn’t even hide what he had been doing instead.

“Hey babe? Can you- can you help me?” He slurred.

And in that moment, you snapped. Still sitting in bed. You couldn’t do this anymore.

In the hallway, you saw Chad entangled in your and his winter coat. However he managed that.

“No. No, I will not do that” You crossed your arms and looked down at him. “I’m done. This is the last straw.”

“What happened babe?” The confusion was evident on Chad’s face but you couldn’t see if it was from the hangover or just general confusion. And either way, you didn’t care.

“Several things. Over quite some time. But this, this takes the cake. We had a date. We wanted to meet after work at this restaurant we’ve talked about. And you didn’t show up! You didn’t answer any of my texts! It got so bad, the staff there gave me a free dessert! It was humiliating! And don’t you dare tell me you lost your phone; you’re glued to it!” You shook from your anger.

“But you got free dessert!”

How could anyone miss the point so badly? You wondered.

“Go. Go and only come back to get your stuff. Otherwise, just leave me alone.”

You threw on clothes quickly, grabbed your keys, bag and purse and left. Down on the street, you just started to wander around aimlessly. You ducked into a bakery for a to-go breakfast and coffee, you went to the park, to a hole in the wall pizza joint for lunch, just meandering through the city.

Now it was evening. You looked up to actually see where you were and were surprised to see you had walked all the way from the park you had been in during the afternoon to the bar of the city’s main gang.

You remembered all kinds of rumors and stories about the gang, sometimes just about one or two members, even if the story didn’t tie directly in with the gang. But no matter the stories or rumors, they all boiled down to “They’re dangerous, stay away from them and their localities!”.

But the first time you had been in the bar, everything was nice, it had seemed cozy and like you were welcomed even if no one knew you. Hell, the bar lady had asked you if you were pregnant, like she wanted to protect you! And Steve, the actual leader of the gang, had been nothing but nice to you. Offering to help you and still not inserting himself forcefully into situations when you said no.

You entered and looked around. For a bar, it was pretty early and you only saw a few patrons. You went to take a seat at the bar again and greeted the red head with a smile. She smiled back and continued cleaning the glasses. A while later, she got to you.

“Caipirinha, olives and peanuts again? Still not pregnant?”

“Yes and no. And how do you remember what I ordered? That was weeks ago!”

“I’m a barkeeper. Simple as that” She smiled.

“Uh, could you keep them coming? At least for a while?”

“Something happened?”

“I broke up with my boyfriend today. Then wandered around and now I’m here” You shrugged.

“Alright. But I reserve the right to cut you off when I think you had enough.”

“Okay. But you won’t cut off the olives and peanuts?”

She laughed, throwing her head back. “Yes, I’ll keep giving you food.”

You smiled for the first time today. “Deal.”

The rest of the evening went by in a more or less haze of snacks, alcohol and the mix of hurt at your ended relationship but also the rage when you thought of what kind of behaviors of Chad made you end it all.

The barkeeper didn’t cut you off, which probably was related to you basically inhaling olives and peanuts. Hours later, you paid, slipped the redhead a big tip and a big smile and made to get home.

Almost right at the exit, you were stopped when you felt a hand on your elbow. You turned your head to tell whoever touched you off, but slight confusion furrowed your brows. Wasn’t that the guy from when you had been here weeks ago who kept that other guy from (probably) asking you out?

“Can I help you?” You asked.

“Actually, you can. Indirectly at least.”

“What?”

“I’m here to ask you if you’d like to come with me to up there” He nodded his head to the mezzanine level. “to meet someone.” He emphasized the ‘someone’ in a way that made it clear that ‘someone’ was special. In one way or another.

“Why would I?”

“To experience something, you wouldn’t otherwise.”

“No, thank you” You weren’t in the mood for something new. You wanted to mourn and rage at what you left behind and burrow yourself under blankets with pints of ice cream at home.

“Alright. Have a good evening, miss” He tipped his head and went off into the direction of, supposedly, the stairs to the mezzanine level.

You went home. You were surprised to see Chad had actually gotten his stuff out of your appartement. At least one pleasant thing had come out of the morning, in a twisted way. In the living room, you did exactly what you wanted to do. Eating all the ice cream you had in the freezer and basically becoming a blanket burrito.

When you woke, you felt blankets around you and a softly pulsing headache behind your forehead. You opened your eyes and blinked. And blinked. You turned your head. And blinked again. Slowly realization trickled in. Something wasn’t right. You weren’t where you were when you’d went to sleep.

Whatever you laid on was soft and big. You could turn your whole body and roll around. You could move and you could orientate yourself in your body. You looked down and saw you were still in the clothes you had worn to the bar. Right, you didn’t put on pajamas before going to sleep.

Just as you sat up on the bed, you heard a door open. You turned your head and couldn’t believe your eyes.

“Steve?!”

“Just the one.”

“Why?”

“I just want to take care of you. Is that so hard to understand?”

#my things #my writing #siris5ksoftdarkchallenge #dark!steve rogers x you #dark!steve rogers x reader #dark!steve rogers x y/n #dark!steve rogers x reader insert #dark!steve rogers #dark!marvel fanfiction #fanfiction

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jennagrinsoverml · 4 years ago

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ML Fic Recs - Angst

I’m back with another Miraculous Ladybug rec list! As before, I’m trying to rec fics that readers are less likely to have read, generally trying to keep to under 500 kudos on AO3. You can find my other rec lists on my blog under #jennarecsml

If you enjoy these, please reblog so more readers can find these awesome fics!

I’m a sucker for fics that hurt me. The sting of rejection, the pangs of unrequited love, the hurt and the suffering yesssss, give it all to me!! Read these fics and come suffer with me! (Most have happy or at least bittersweet endings.)

Persuasion by InkyCoffee

Of course, she probably wasn’t going to be there in person. And if she was, she may not even remember him. And if she did, she would probably throw him out without an interview.

She would be well within her rights.

He didn’t deserve to be in her presence.

Still, he hoped.

She was why he was back here, after all.

One-shot. Adrienette. Post-relationship (i.e. they were together but they’re not anymore.) and post-Hawkmoth defeat. Adrien knows. And worse than that, he knows he’s responsible for breaking her heart. My hearttttttt, it breaks. The tension between them just hurts in the best way. But this is seriously beautiful.

Alone by plikki

Adrien thought he knew what it meant to be alone, but he had never felt like that before in his life.

One-shot. Set after S4 Gang of Secrets, this fic just HURTS because Adrien is hurting and it’s even worse because we know that something like this is probably coming. Plikki’s Adrien characterization is perfect. There’s no comfort to be found here, but you should still read it.

our hands would not be taught to hold another's by @ladyofthenoodle

Adrien knew that wasn’t fair to blame Ladybug for this. There were rules, and now that Master Fu was gone, it was her job as the Guardian to enforce them. There were rules, and he knew the rules, and he broke them. He hadn’t meant to, but he did.

That didn’t make losing the ring hurt any less.

Plagg shot Ladybug a skeptical look. “And you really think you can do this without him?”

Ladybug bit her lip. “I… I don’t know. But I have to. It’s my job, I shouldn’t need… I should be able to do it with anyone."

But… maybe there couldn’t be Ladybug without Chat Noir. Ladybug by itself didn’t sound nearly as cool.

Multi-chapter. I put off reading this fic for the longest time because I didn’t know if I could handle the angst of Ladybug taking the ring from Adrien, and I really regret that because it’s SO FREAKING AMAZING. Missnoodles does a fantastic job of exploring their relationship and their characters and really does the work of exploring all the feelings. I really can’t sell this one enough.

Anhedonia/When Adrien Met Marinette... by @mikauzoran

Chat Noir hadn’t been lying when he told Ladybug he’d moved on. It was only when he found out that Ladybug was Marinette that he realized he was wrong. Meanwhile, Marinette thinks that she’s missed her chance when Adrien insists that he’s gotten over his feelings. Now, they’re roommates and making themselves miserable as they pine for one another, thinking the situation’s hopeless. Things finally come to a head, and they’re forced to sit down and have an honest conversation about their feelings.

One-shot. Adrien is pining and feeling unlovable, and wow, do you ever feel all of his pain and anxiety seeping out of every word. This is just so heartbreakingly beautiful with a happy ending.

when you weren't mine to lose by @bugsandchatons

Change is a scary thing, especially when it feels like nothing has stayed the same.

It's been a year since Marinette became the Guardian of the Miracle Box - a year of struggling beneath a burden she never asked for, a weight that has her leaning on her partner more and more as the hours fly by, of letting him come to her, too, when he needs a soft place to land. A year of falling for the boy who takes on the world by her side with a smile made of sunlight, and fighting the growing urge to tell him what he means to her.

After all, they'll have time enough for that when Paris is safe.

But when the unthinkable happens, Marinette learns the tragedy of loving someone quietly, and the lines she'll cross to save him.

Multi-chapter. This is what happens when Ladybug loses Chat Noir. It hurts in all the best ways and the writing is absolutely gorgeous and somehow we still get a happy ending!

Echoes of You by @kittinoir

In the day time, she's Marinette - a normal girl, with a normal life. A normal girl, with a normal life. A normal girl, with...

Multi-chapter. You know the angst train everyone’s been riding since we learned in Miracle Queen that renouncing the miracle box costs the guardian their memories? Kittinoir murders us with it. Marinette’s got giant gaps in her memory she’s struggling to understand while Adrien is desperately trying to figure out just what the hell happened to his lady. Lots of angst and a mystery and this fic is one hell of a ride from start to finish! (There’s also a sequel that’s a WIP but I haven’t started reading it yet.)

balancing act by @fictionalinfinity

“Besides, being Ladybug always came first. It came before school, friends, and sometimes even family. Now it had to come before her health. Marinette had a duty to Paris. She wouldn’t let them down.”

Or, being both Ladybug and the Guardian starts to take its toll on Marinette.

the epilepsy au literally no one asked for

Multi-chapter. Oooh boy. Fictionalinfinity does an amazing job of weaving these new symptoms into the existing canon in a way that feels completely organic and believable. The characterizations are AMAZING, and the conflict is just so completely believable and absolutely heart-wrenching.

I swear I’ll let you go in the morning by plikki

When you lose all certainty in your life, you hold onto the only person that keeps you from falling apart.

One-shot. Hawk Moth’s identity is revealed and as a result, Ladybug and Chat Noir share their identities with each other. Not nearly as angsty as some of the other fics on this list, but have some sweet hurt/comfort after all of that.

When Push Comes to Shove by @thatanonwiththeoc

Adrien had lost everything after he ran away from her in that sewer. His miraculous, his kwami, his Lady.

However, little did he know that she caught a glance of him without him knowing it, and she wasn't about to let him leave just yet.

One-shot. Set after the NY Special. Once Marinette realizes who ran away from him, it changes everything and the way they interact is just sad and sweet and lovely. The happy ending makes up for all the hurt!

Cut here because of spoilers for season 4 below

Behind the Masks by @mikauzoran

Ladybug’s announcement that she revealed her identity to someone and her insistence that she and Chat Noir still have to keep their identities secret from each other leave Chat Noir in fear of akumatization. When he goes to Marinette for help, she realizes just how badly she’s screwed up and becomes determined to make things right between her and her partner.

One-shot. Set after S4 Gang of Secrets, this was exactly the kind of angst-fest I wanted. Adrien has a lot of buried issues and we’re seeing that explored more in season 4. But Adrien doesn’t seem to want to acknowledge any of that. But here he does and it’s beautiful and the ending asdfghjkl please read!!!

#ml fic rec #fic recs #miraculous ladybug #ml lovesquare #ml love square #love square #marichat #adrienette #adrinette #ladynoir #angst fic #jennarecsml

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fosermi · 3 years ago

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SEMI BACK FROM THE DEAD PEOPLE

That's right! I'm back! And I bring to you CHAPTER 3 OF GUARDIAN MACAQUE AU

WHY?! Well because I couldn't sleep well and it's 5 am fuck my headache I give you content!! Fair warning: Macaque is a soft monkey especially to kids AND YOU CAN PRY THIS HC FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS ABDJFKCMCM

Some days, Biming would leave to sell the rice cultivated in their field to the neighbouring village. An oddity, Hóu realised. Why sell to another village? He didn't understand… After all, there were other houses in their village.

"Hóu?" Ai's soft voice called for the demon. Oddly enough, it wasn't her usual tone that came through her call.

Immediately detecting the shift from her usual beat, the black monkey jumped down from his position on the plum tree that grew in the back garden of the couple's home. The tree upon which the monkey would spend most of his free time on whenever he could. "You called, Mrs. Ai?"

"Oh! Yes, dear…" her voice dripped with worry - fear even. In her arms a red cloak, outstretched as if allowing him to take it. "Could you please accompany Biming to the town today…?" Her eyes glimmering under the morning sun with worry, begged the black monkey to take on her request.

Hóu, with an immediate nod, complied as he gently took the cloak from Ai's grasp. Hesitantly, the black monkey built up enough courage to ask the kind lady, her worry affecting his own.

"Mrs. Ai… is everything alright…?" His hand reached out to Ai’s in an attempt to comfort her as his eyes locked with hers, taking notes of the high level of worry embedded deep within her honey-brown eyes.

Seeing the concern in Hóu's golden eyes, Ai's tense shoulders fell as she let out a shaky breath. "Ling Fa… he warned us that demons moved in close to the rout Biming takes to the other village…"

Ling Fa… yes…

He was the family's guardian spirit… it was his duty to protect the family, right? Of course he would warn the kind couple.

By late morning, Biming and Hóu had headed out on the road on the small mule-pulled cart with their cargo safely secured. Ling Fa had stayed behind to ensure Ai's safety as he would not have been much help with manual labor.

Hóu rode on the back of the cart as his mind drifted off to the thoughts of the strange family guardian. They had previously met a couple of times. Ling Fa wasn't a concerning figure, in fact Hóu believed he was incapable of fighting due to his pacifistic tendencies.

Throughout the journey, Biming and Hóu held up a small lighthearted conversation, a conversation that seemed to have only lasted a couple of minutes was in fact just two hours.

Soon the duo were at town close to noon, Hóu couldn't believe how lively everything was! Carts and vendors and buyers were everywhere! If he was being honest, Hóu's entire world seemed to start spinning due to the overload of his senses.

"Welcome to the market, Hóu!" Biming said with a bright smile as he handed Hóu some earplugs. "They might not completely drown out all the new senses but its something at least… if you ever need a breath at all, then tell me and we can go to a more tame part of the town were we can rest for a bit"

Hóu's reply came in the form of a nod. However, even though his senses are over exerting himself, Hóu knew that he had to allow Biming to sell their crops so they could earn the money needed. So, the black monkey decided to sit right behind the cart after putting on the earplugs, mostly hidden from the front view as she observed how Biming bargained and sold his crops.

Eventually, daylight started diminishing as the sun was starting to head down the horizon, turning the shy a nice shade that reminded the monkey of orange peaches… something about the sunset seems to have upset the demon and he felt a pang of pain in his chest.

Upon noticing the sadness embedded on the monkey’s face, Biming decided that it was time to head home. "Hóu, let's go home." Came the familiar voice of the young man that got Hóu moving onto the back of the cart, and once again head off back home. "We should be back home just after sunset" Said Biming in an attempt to comfort his companion, which seemed to have worked somewhat.

The ride back didn't have many complications, it was a smooth ride back with a few conversations every now and again. Once home, Biming and Hóu carried their goods into the home as they announced their return, only to be greeted by the smell of Ai's amazing cooking as they sat down by the table to eat.

Biming was telling Ai how well Hóu had taken to the city and how well behaved he was. He kept on flattering the black monkey demon which got Hóu to stutter every now and again when he decided to speak up. Soon enough, it was time to head to bed after it was decided that from then on, Hóu would accompany Biming to the market.

His days spent here in the small farm house by the valley with Ai and Biming went by faster than he expected. And soon, they would have a new addition to their family in the form of a child between the couple.

The couple at first didn't know how Hóu would react to children, as throughout Ai's pregnancy, he had done his best to avoid her as much as possible without angering her. He however instead spent his time with Biming learning how to trade and sell as well as bargain and buy goods.

When their daughter was born, the couple found something they never had expected to see. That night they had awoken to the sound of soft cries coming from the adjacent room that Hóu had offered the baby to stay in with him so he could make sure that their daughter was safe from all harm. Surprisingly, Hóu had also swore it as his duty out of the blue one night before she was even born.

What surprised them however, was what they saw in the room that night. They had found Hóu gently cradling their small daughter in his arms. Biming most of all was surprised at how Hóu could be so delicate with such a small fragile being and yet possess strength strong enough to carry the entire cart filled with supplies.

Hóu looked over at the couple with worry laced all very his face. "S-sorry… she won't stop crying… she must be hungry!" It surprised Ai how well he knew how to manage a baby and how he could tell what was wrong. She stood there for a moment as she smiled at the panicked monkey before taking her daughter to feed her in the other room, leaving Biming and Hóu together in the room.

Biming sat down next to Hóu on the bed who seemed a bit anxious. "Is something the matter Hóu?" Came the concerned question from Biming.

Hóu's tail flicked anxiously like an irritated cat, he lowered his head and talked in barely a whisper "she's just so small Biming… will she really survive?"

With a comforting hand on Hóu's shoulder, a smile found its way onto Biming's face "with you worrying about her like this… I know she'll be perfectly fine Hóu…" and with that, Ai came back in, carrying their sleeping daughter in her arms.

Without a second to lose, Hóu was up on his feet to give the bed to the sleeping baby. But instead, Ai gave him the small bundle of joy with a smile. Something within him clicked that night, and for the first time he remembered something from his past.

A conversation?

"Hey, [~~~] why so stiff?"

"Because! They're so small! So defenseless! How can they survive?!" A chuckle rang out throughout what seemed like a cave as the sound echoed.

"They're children! Of course, they're small! But hey! They seem to like you!"

"I… I guess they do…"

"You know… if you're really worried about them so much why not take care of them?"

"Don't you already do that?"

"Well, technically, yes? But what I meant was you could watch over the little ones and make sure they're safe?"

"... alright, I'll do it!"

Hóu held the small child close to his chest, a stifled sob escaped him as a few tears flowed down his face and onto the blankets that wrapped around the baby. This concerned the couple as they barely see Hóu cry, in fact. This is only the second time they've seen him cry ever since finding him that fateful day.

Just before they could react, Hóu faced them. Face stained with tears but his eyes held a strong determination. "No matter what, I'll make sure she becomes big and strong. I swear on my life"

With his sudden declaration, the couple found a sense of peace and comfort. Ever since then, Hóu had appointed himself their daughter's caretaker and would help Ai and Biming with their daughter in whatever way he could. There had been countless times when Ai or Biming would search for their daughter only to find her asleep on Hóu who had her safely asleep on or under his favorite tree in their garden, sometimes asleep himself.

Such were the peaceful times, the days he wouldn't have to worry about much except for their family's safety. Nothing could happen to them, he used to think. Not until the incident.

Golden eyes fluttered open as he heard a faint sound of someone calling out to him. "I'm heading off to work dad!! Text you later!!" Followed by a door slamming shut and a soft ringing of a bell.

With a sigh, the black monkey sat up and combed through his messy black hair before getting up and heading to the bathroom to freshen up. Mi Hóu looked at the mirror and examined himself only to be taken back to see a human face before remembering that his life with Ai, Biming, and their daughter Chu-Hua had ended a couple of hundred years ago.

He had remembered everything since that time, and his true name is Liu er Mihóu otherwise known as the Six Eared Macaque. And he remembered that at this current time, he has a son. A son that he had to look out for in a world of hidden demons. But here's the catch, he can't let his son know that he himself is a demon even though he already knows about demons. Which is why he uses a human disguise.

"Another regular day of work I guess…" he mumbled as he heard the ringing of the bell hung at the door indicating that someone had entered their home, or to be more specific, his clinic. Little did he know that this day would be the end of his daily routine of curing demons and teaching at a dojo.

#monkie kid #lego monkie kid #lego monkie kid au #monkie kid au #guardian macaque #guardian macaque au #lmk macaque #six eared macaque #monkie kid macaque #listen i live for dad macaque #and now i give you macaque being soft with babies #my writing

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music-is-love-90 · 3 years ago

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Summary: A delay in the ballroom means Kate doesn't hear Anthony lay out his list of requirements for a wife. In turn, he doesn't ruin his chances with her. Even the best laid plans can fall apart when love interferes.

Ch. 7:

“Do you enjoy Byron?”

Kate wanted to die.

“I have read some, my lord.” Edwina replied. “Though I believe myself a novice when it comes to poetry.”

“How fortunate to have found such a well-versed teacher in Lord Lumley, then.” Kate said blandly.

“Many find poetry a flat medium.” Lumley told her. “Words read silently from a page. But I believe it is meant to be read aloud like music. Here, I carry a small pocket copy of my favorites with me wherever I go.”

Where was a weapon when she needed one?

“Lady Danbury.”

She turned to see another young gentleman approaching the matron and almost groaned.

“I would be so honored if you could facilitate a proper introduction.” He was saying. “I fear my calling card got lost in the shuffle at your home this morning.”

“Of course.” Lady Danbury replied graciously. “Mr. Thomas Dorset allow me to introduce Miss Sharma and Miss Edwina Sharma.”

“A pleasure.” He said, bowing.

“I am afraid my sister already has an escort for today, Mr. Dorset.” Kate told him, not unkindly.

“That is very well.” He replied with a smile. “Though I was hoping to speak with you.”

Kate glanced at Edwina, who smiled brightly, and sighed, allowing Mr. Dorset to walk beside her.

“How are you finding the Season, Miss Sharma?”

“It is a season.” Kate said with a slight chuckle. “Mr. Dorset, I really should – “

“London is a far cry from Bombay.” He interrupted, bring her up short. “It is where you traveled from, yes?”

“Yes.” She replied.

“I have visited.” He told her. “It is a wondrous place. You must miss it dearly.”

“Oh, every minute of every day.” Kate replied with a slight chuckle. “But most especially at teatime.”

She looked around for a moment, spotting Edwina close by.

“We should find our seats.” She told him.

“Allow me to join you.”

Seeing no way to dissuade him, Kate nodded her agreement.

“Mr. Dorset, you travel widely, then?” Edwina asked a little while later as they reached their seats. “And continuously, it seems.”

“Well, for my studies.” He told her. “I find medicine particularly fascinating.”

“The helping of others is a noble interest, indeed.” She replied. “Mr. Dorset is much like you in that regard, sister.”

“In what regard?”

Kate felt tension in her shoulders that she hadn’t even known she was carrying loosen at the sound of his voice.

“Lord Bridgerton!” Edwina greeted him happily as he joined their little group. “Mr. Dorset was just telling us of his travels.”

“Ah, yes, I heard you were back in London, Dorset.” Anthony said. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You as well, Bridgerton.” Dorset replied, shaking the other man’s hand.

If it was a little tighter than Dorset remembered, he chalked it up to time.

“If you want to hear tales of travels, my younger brother just returned from Greece today.” Anthony told them. “I would like to introduce you, Miss Sharma. Perhaps you and Miss Edwina would like to join our family party? Lumley, Dorset you are of course welcome as well.”

“I don’t know.” Kate said, hesitating.

“I fear my mother and Eloise will never forgive me if I return without you.” He told her with a warm smile. “And Benedict will simply kill me. You seem to have made quite the impression on my siblings.”

Kate blushed, making him smile.

“Oh, of course we shall join them, Kate!” Edwina declared. “It sounds like a wonderful time, does it not, Lord Lumley?”

“It sounds splendid!” he agreed, smiling brightly at her.

Anthony smiled brightly and, before she could stop him, took Kate’s hand and tucked it into the crux of his arm. She glared up at him, but he just ignored her as he started to lead her away. As they grew closer to the stands, Kate started to panic. Why on God’s green Earth was he taking her to meet his family?

“Anthony!”

A young girl came running up to them and crashed into the Viscount Bridgerton, grabbing him around the waist in a death grip.

“Gregory took the last of the biscuits and won’t give me one!”

“Hyacinth – “

“Don’t listen to her!”

A slightly older looking boy came right on her heels and skidded to a stop in front of them.

“The biscuits were mine! She already ate her share!”

“But it’s not fair! Mine were smaller!”

“Both of you, quiet!”

The two young children fell silent at Anthony’s order.

“We have guests.” He told them. “And I would like them to think that the Bridgertons produced well mannered children at least for the afternoon!”

“Sorry, Anthony.”

“I’m sorry, brother!”

The two children both looked properly contrite and Anthony shook his head.

“May I introduce my youngest siblings, Miss Hyacinth and Mr. Gregory Bridgerton?” he said as the children gave reasonably good curtsies and bows. “Hyacinth, Gregory, this is Mr. Dorset, Lord Lumley, Miss Edwina, and Miss Sharma.”

Hyacinth and Gregory exchanged a look before focusing on Kate.

“Miss Sharma, we’ve been dying to meet you!” the younger girl exclaimed, reaching forward to grab Kate’s hand and drag her away from Anthony. “You must sit with us!”

“Do you know much about horses?” Gregory chimed in, pulling at her other hand. She glanced back at Anthony, who shrugged helplessly with a fond smile. “Anthony taught me to ride! I can help you pick a winner!”

“I’m sure your brother has taught you well.” Anthony heard her say as his demon siblings pulled Kate away from him.

“I say, Lumley, why don’t you and I fetch some lemonades for the ladies?” Dorset suggested.

Lumley instantly seized on this idea.

“Would you like me to fetch you a lemonade, Miss Edwina?”

The smaller woman smiled up at him brightly.

“That sounds lovely, my Lord.” She said sweetly. “I’m sure Lord Bridgerton can escort me to our seats while I wait for you to return.”

He grinned and rushed off, Dorset trailing after, leaving Anthony suitably impressed by her handling of him.

“My Lord?”

Anthony held out his arm and Edwina took it, allowing him to lead her in the direction his siblings had disappeared with Kate.

“My lord, I feel I must say something.” She said, slowing their pace.

“Of course, Miss Edwina.” He agreed, slowing his pace to match hers.

She was quiet for a moment as she gathered her thoughts, making him curious as to what she wanted to speak of.

“My sister is very protective of me.” She told him softly. “After Appa died, Mama was inconsolable for quite a long time.”

Anthony had to resist the urge to physically shake away the memories of his own mother.

“Kate took care of me,” she continued, “made sure I was safe and as happy as I could be. I am not unaware that she sacrificed her own happiness at times to secure mine.”

“It is the duty of the eldest to provide for the younger.” Anthony told her.

“I thought you might understand.” Edwina stopped them so she could look directly at him. “My sister deserves all the happiness in the world, all the happiness she has always tried to give me. I know she is stubborn and outspoken, but she loves with a fierceness I have rarely seen. I want her to find someone who will treasure her, someone who will help her shoulder the burdens she has carried for too long. She often says that she wants me to find a love match; well, I want the same for her. I am not ignorant of your reputation, nor of our lack of dowry and standing. I am asking you to take care. Please do not hurt my sister.”

Anthony reached over and squeezed her hand where is still rested against his arm.

“Your candor does both you and Miss Sharma credit.” He told her softly. “Not many ladies of the ton would speak as passionately in defense of anyone, even a sister. That quality is one of the first things that drew me to your sister. You have my word; no harm will come to your sister as long as I can prevent it.”

“Thank you, my Lord.” Edwina said, seeming to relax at his words. “Now, I suggest you take me to my sister…before she comes looking.”

Anthony laughed and proceeded to do as she said. They found Kate between Hyacinth and Gregory, each trying to sway her to their side in what ever argument they were now having.

“Everything alright?” she asked as Edwina joined her. “Where did Lord Lumley go?”

“He and Mr. Dorset went to get us lemonades.” Her sister replied. “I’m sure they’ll be back presently.”

“Miss Sharma, Miss Edwina.”

They turned to find Benedict approaching with Colin at his side.

“Mr. Bridgerton!” Kate greeted happily. “I trust you’ve recovered from our last dance?”

“Mostly.” He replied, returning her grin. “But I have brought you a new victim. Miss Sharma, Miss Edwina, may I present our younger brother, Colin?”

“A pleasure to meet you, ladies.” Colin said, bowing to the women who dipped curtsies in return.

“You as well, Mr. Bridgerton.” Kate said. “Lord Bridgerton says you just returned from Greece?”

“I did.” He answered happily. “Benedict says you just arrived from India recently?”

“At the beginning of the Season.” She confirmed. “It was a very long trip.”

“That’s the part I dislike the most, the waiting to arrive.” He told her. “But once you reach your destination, it’s like you’ve found the place you were fated to be.”

“What a lovely way of thinking of it.” Edwina said thoughtfully.

The commotion of the crowd was growing, so Anthony held his arm out to Kate.

“Shall we find our seats?”

Kate nodded and took his arm, while Benedict offered his to Edwina, and allowed him to lead her to the stands.

“Miss Sharma, Miss Edwina!” Lady Bridgerton greeted them happily. “It’s lovely to see you again!”

“You as well, Lady Bridgerton.” Kate said, smiling brightly.

“Did Lady Mary not accompany you?” she asked and Kate shook her head.

“Mama doesn’t enjoy horse racing.” Edwina explained. “Kate is the real horsewoman in our family. She loves to ride.”

“Well, tell your mama that I would love to have her for tea tomorrow, if she is available.”

“I believe she is, my Lady.” Kate said. “We’ll have her send a confirmation when we arrive home.”

Violet thanked her before shooing the younger men and women off. Hyacinth and Gregory scrambled to sit on either side of Kate as the group took their seats, but Anthony glared at Gregory until he reluctantly moved to the other side of Hyacinth. Anthony took his seat next to Kate with a smug smile, making her giggle.

“Miss Sharma, who do you think is going to win?” Hyacinth asked excitedly.

“Obviously Nectar will be the victor.” Anthony said immediately. “Well-bred, highly trained, and well-favored.”

“Nectar.” Kate repeated dismissively. “Really?”

“Yes, I have a feeling about him.”

Why did he enjoy it so when she argued with him?

“A feeling.” She muttered.

“Pardon me?”

“You simply chose the horse everyone else has chosen.” She told him with a smirk. “Quite a ‘feeling’.”

Anthony laughed.

“I made a strategic bet.” He told her, utterly enjoying the way she scoffed at him. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had dared disagree with him.

“So, you’ve considered your horse’s temperament, as well as the conditions of the track, in order to properly assess its true potential?” she shot back, clearly having fun arguing with him.

“Nectar is a prize steed.” Anthony pointed out.

“Nectar ran well at Doncaster, but that was a firmer course.” Kate told him. “The weather was much cooler; thus his size was an advantage.”

“Well, who is your pick, then, Miss Sharma?” he demanded.

“High Flyer.”

Anthony stared at her.

“High Flyer.” He repeated skeptically.

“Yes, High Flyer.” She confirmed. “Today the track is soft and it is hot, meaning your dear Nectar will struggle to make headway, over heat, and slow down during the final leg, giving High Flyer, a much swifter, lighter, cooler horse the victory.”

“You think too much about it.” He told her fondly.

“And you, too little.” She replied, amusement clear in her voice.

“Alright, then, why don’t we have a wager?” he asked innocently.

Kate didn’t even bother to try to reign in her competitive spirit.

“What are your terms, my Lord?”

Anthony grinned a wicked grin.

“If your clearly second rate horse wins, I will provide a gift of similar value to what you might have won today with the bookkeepers.”

Kate raised an eyebrow. Given the odds on High Flyer, that could be a substantial amount of money.

“And if your clearly deficient horse wins?”

“If my clearly magnificent horse wins,” he said, leaning closer as his voice dropped, “you, Miss Sharma, will reserve your first dance at every ball for the rest of the Season for me.”

Kate met his eyes and felt a tightening in her stomach at the warmth shinning back at her from his them. After a moment, she nodded her agreement and he smiled softly.

“I look forward to my dances, Miss Sharma.”

“I look forward to my gift, Lord Bridgerton.”

Edwina cleared her throat and the two quickly sprang apart, looking sheepish.

“I wonder where Lord Lumley and Mr. Dorest have wandered off to.” She said blandly.

Kate cleared her throat and pulled further away from Anthony to look around.

“I think I see them over there, Bon.” She told her sister, pointing to where the men were approaching from.

“Sorry for the delay.” Dorset said, handing a cup to Kate as Lumley sat next to Edwina, handing her her own cup.

“That’s alright.” Edwina said brightly. “Lord Bridgerton was keeping us entertained. He and Kate have strong feelings about horses, apparently.”

Kate glared at her sister, who just smiled serenely back.

“Do you have a favorite, Miss Edwina?” Lumley asked, drawing Edwina back into conversation as Dorset tried to find a seat.

He was finally forced to take the seat on the other side of Gregory, much to Anthony’s amusement.

“Brother, can I bet on High Flyer?” Hyacinth asked.

“Traitor.” He replied with mock severity. “And no, you are a lady and ladies cannot place bets.”

“Can I?” Gregory asked excitedly.

“No.”

“But I’m not a lady!” the youngest Bridgerton brother complained making Anthony sigh in defeat.

“If Miss Sharma’s horse by some miracle wins,” he studiously ignored her glare, “I will take you both riding in Hyde Park. Fair enough?”

“You are my favorite brother!” Hyacinth told him happily.

“I heard that!” Colin called from his conversation with Benedict. “Not five hours after I’ve returned from Greece with ample presents and already I’ve been supplanted!”

“Presents are not enough to keep your place in this family, brother dear.” Eloise told him as she passed to sit behind Kate. “Good afternoon, Miss Sharma. I hope you are prepared for the bad sports that are my brothers in defeat.”

“I admit I am not particularly graceful in my defeats, either.” Kate admitted, pointedly ignoring her sister’s snort. “And if there is a chance you are going to see my like that, you must call me Kate.”

“And I should be Eloise,” the other girl told her, “since my display will likely be as unladylike.”

Kate smiled and nodded before turning back as Eloise turned to annoy Benedict.

“I hope you’re prepared for defeat, Miss Sharma.” Anthony said with a grin.

“Never, Lord Bridgerton.” Kate replied, her grin matching his.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“It seems your guest has caught the attention of the Viscount, Lady Danbury.” Violet said as the other matron sat next to her.

“It would seem so.” Danbury agreed. “Though not the guest I anticipated.”

“No, I was surprised by his choice as well.” Violet said, watching as Anthony and Kate laughed at something Gregory said. “But they seem to suit each other well. I can’t remember the last time I heard him laugh…” Violet shook her head before smiling at her friend. “It’s good to seem him laugh again.”

“I am sure.” Danbury agreed sympathetically. “You know she has no dowry?”

Violet nodded.

“No son of mine has need of a wife with a dowry. I’d prefer it, of course, but if she is who Anthony wants, I won’t stand in his way.”

“As the girls’ sponsor, I should like to remain neutral.” The other matron told her. “But as your friend, I will tell you there may be an obstacle in your son’s path.”

“Oh?”

“The elder Miss Sharma is slavishly devoted to her sister’s cause, to the exclusion of her own. Your son will likely need to demonstrate patience if she is his to be his chosen bride. I greatly doubt she will agree to wed before Miss Edwina is settled.”

Violet was silent for a moment, simply observing the couple as they spoke. Something Kate said made Anthony grin and whatever he said in return made her glare at him before laughing.

“I am confident that loyalty to family above all else is a concept my son will understand.” She said finally. “She is not necessarily the one I would have chosen, but all I really want is for him to be happy. I hope he will let himself be happy.”

“I hope she will.” Danbury replied.

The two women fell silent again, just watching the couple below.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Bridgerton party was loud and rambunctious, talking across family and guests about everything and anything as they waited for the race to start. As the bell finally rang, Kate and Anthony were on their feet, yelling and cheering, to the amusement of both their siblings.

“Yes, that’s it Nectar!” Anthony shouted.

“Come now, High Flyer!” Kate yelled just as loudly. “Yes!”

“Steady! Steady!”

“Come now, High Flyer!”

Kate put her fingers to her lips and let loose an ear shattering whistle that had Anthony turning to stare at her first in shock and then delight before the race stole back his attention as Nectar began to fall behind.

“Come on!”

“Do you think we ought to separate them?” Eloise asked drolly.

“It’s all in good spirit.” Edwina said. Eloise gave her a skeptical look and she just shrugged. “I think.”

“Yes, I am having such fun.” Lumley announced, making Edwina smile at him fondly.

“Come on!” Anthony shouted as Nectar pulled even further behind.

“Yes!” Kate yelled. “Oh! Yes! Yes!”

“Come on!”

Anthony groaned as Nectar passed the finish line just behind High Flyer.

“I must say,” Kate turned to face him, smug in her victory, “I have never bested a viscount before. Beating you feels the same, but some how smells all the sweeter.”

“Come now, Miss Sharma.” Anthony said lowly, enjoying the way her eyes darkened as he leaned closer to be heard over the crowd. “I seem to remember another victory lap in a wood not far from here.”

“I have no idea what you could possibly mean, my Lord Bridgerton.” Kate replied, her grin positively wicked. “I would never be out besting unnamed lords in the woods without a chaperone.”

“Of course not.” He replied, returning her grin. “My mistake.”

“Kate, does Nectar not remind you of the beloved horse I used to adore?” Edwina asked, pulling her attention away from Anthony. “Do you remember the one?”

“I remember you admired him from a distance and panicked any time he drew close.” Kate said with a teasing smile.

“Well, he was quite large.” Edwina shot back, only a touch petulantly.

“Yes, he was, Bon.” Kate agreed, placating her. “Perhaps Lord Lumley would like to see Nectar…from a distance, of course.”

Edwina, to her credit, only glared at her sister for a moment before accepting Lumley’s arm as he seized on the idea. Kate rose to follow them and was surprised when Anthony followed suit, offering her his arm.

“Clearly, I must meet the horse that has cost me so much money.” He told her when she looked at him quizzically.

Kate shook her head, but took his arm nonetheless, allowing him to lead her after her sister.

“You really do not need to give me a gift, my Lord.” She told him. “I am satisfied simply in the knowledge that I beat you.”

“Now, Miss Sharma,” Anthony said with mock severity, “had I won, I would have insisted you follow our agreement to the letter. You must do me the same courtesy.” He took a moment to grin down at her. “After all, I already have your gift picked out.”

“And what is it that you’ll be giving me, my Lord?” Kate asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That is for me to know and for you to find out.” He replied smugly.

Kate just glared at him.

“You are an infuriating man, my Lord.”

Anthony glared mockingly back.

“And you are an impatient woman, my Lady.”

Kate’s heart stumbled at the honorific he had used. Surely, he didn’t mean anything by it. How could he? She wasn’t a lady, not in that sense, just the stepdaughter of one. Edwina would be the Lady, the one who would save them.

Lord Bridgerton must have noticed her silence, because he slowed them, turning to look at her.

“Are you alright, Miss Sharma?” he asked gently. “Did I upset you? I did not – “

“Nothing of the sort.” She assured him, forcing herself to smile. “I was simply overheated for a moment. I’m better now.”

“If you’re sure.” Anthony replied, clearly unconvinced but unsure if he should push.

Kate needed to get away from him. He was confusing her, distracting her from the plan.

Edwina.

Kate stiffened her spine and turned away from him.

“I am sure, my Lord.”

They continued on, Anthony somewhat reluctantly in his confusion at her change of demeanor, and found Edwina and Lord Lumley admiring Nectar.

“Kate, it is dreadful!” Edwina exclaimed as her sister arrived at her side. “They say Nectar is to be sent to the knacker’s yard!”

“That unfortunately happens, Bon.” Kate replied.

“But it’s so unfair!”

Kate wanted to cry.

“It often is.” She said, taking a steadying breath. “I think we should return home, Edwina. I find I don’t feel particularly well.”

“Of course, Didi.” Edwina agreed instantly.

She turned back to Lumley and began to say her goodbyes.

“If you are unwell, allow me to escort you home.” Anthony said softly.

“There is no need, Lord Bridgerton.” Kate replied, her smile tight.

She took Edwina’s arm and began to walk away, but Anthony grabbed her hand, making her stop in shock.

“Please.” He whispered. “Tell me what is wrong so I may fix it.”

Kate gave him a sad smile.

“There is nothing to fix. Good day, Lord Bridgerton.”

With that, she pulled away and he was left staring after her.

#Bridgerton #Bridgerton Season 2 #Kate x Anthony #Anthony x Kate #Kate Sharma #Kathani Sharma #Anthony Bridgerton #Kanthony

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notwiselybuttoowell · 4 years ago

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We're Stewards of Our Land: The Rise of Female Farmers

'I was always fascinated by getting things out of the ground’

Sinead Fenton

Grows vegetables and edible flowers at Aweside Farm, East Sussex

Sinead Fenton is on an early lunch break, hiding from the sun. “It’s ridiculously intense, so I think we’re going to call it a day and crack back on in the evening,” she says. Fenton and her partner, Adam Smith, have been putting in beds and getting ahead on groundwork for next year. This year, there will be no commercial crops on the couple’s 4.5-acre plot.

They signed the papers on their farm last November and moved onto the land in March. Around the time they needed to make decisions about how they’d manage their first harvest, lockdown happened. With restaurants and florists – their main clients – out of action for the foreseeable future, they made the decision not to sow seeds but concentrate on opening up the land. “We were going to do it over three or four years, so we’re squeezing three years of work into this year, so we can focus on growing next year,” Fenton says.

She and Smith cut their scythes at Audacious Veg, a 0.1-acre plot in Hainault, at the end of the Central Line between Essex and London. Shortly after volunteering at the allotment in 2017, they heard the project was about to finish: “Naively, with about three weeks’ worth of growing experience, we decided that we’d take it on and get the produce to chefs.”

Smith worked in insurance accounting and while Fenton most recently worked in software and food policy, her background was in geology. “I came at farming from an activist point of view,” she says. “I was always fascinated by getting things out of the ground, but that is a destructive industry. Farming is nicer because I can do something for the system instead of taking everything from it.”

There was a lot of insecurity around the project. Land is contentious, especially in London, and land law is difficult and expensive to negotiate for those with no farming background. “Adam and I are both from cities – I’m from London, he’s from Essex. We’re from low-income families, and we had no access to farms growing up,” Fenton explains. “It’s basically impossible to get on the land, because it’s so expensive, or passed down through generations.”

They got the land for Aweside through the Ecological Land Co-op, which buys fields designated by Defra as only being good for arable crops, then splits them up to create smallholdings. Aweside is neighbours with a veg-box scheme, and waiting for others who’ll transform what once was a 20-acre maize field into a cluster of small farms rich with biodiversity. Now Fenton and Smith have a 150-year lease, and no worries that what they create will be taken away.

It’s not yet a permanent home. Fenton says they’ll be living in a caravan for a few years: “Another part of land law in the UK that makes land inaccessible is that if you want to live on your land you have to go through five years of proving your business is profitable, viable and that there is a functional need for you to live there.” Having livestock is an easy way to pass the test, but because Aweside is a vegan farm, Fenton and Smith need to cultivate and show they use every bit of plot.

It’s daunting but Fenton is excited about having a blank slate to work with. “There’s so much more to food than what supermarkets tell us to eat,” she says, explaining that they’ll grow varieties at risk of extinction, or that aren’t commonly grown in a mass market food system. “Seed diversity and plant genetics are serious issues.”

The three principles the couple work to are: more flowers, more trees, thriving soil. They’re working no-dig, putting compost directly on the ground and letting the soil life mix everything over time. They’re pesticide-free and are counting on the fact that the more diversity they have in the system, especially with a high proportion of flowers to pollinators and insects, the fewer problems they’ll face.

“Socially, economically and environmentally, something needs to change. Things have been done the same way by the same people for a long time,” says Fenton of the farming industry’s need for greater diversity. “I learned to grow on an allotment site where there are lots of different things growing at once. Bringing that approach into sites like this is needed – the industry needs it to keep itself relevant.”

'I'm hoping this will be seen as quite a cool career… even if it’s not’

Abi Aspen Glencross

Head of grains at Duchess Farms, Hertfordshire

It was, Abi Aspen Glencross was well aware, an odd, even inopportune time to launch a crowdfunding campaign. In June, with the country still locked down, Duchess Farms asked for support to buy dehulling, cleaning and milling equipment. The Hertfordshire farm needed about £16,000, and the money would go towards boosting the production of ancient and heritage grains for making flour.

“A lot of crowdfunders have been for charity or ‘please keep our restaurant open’,” says the 28-year-old Glencross, head of grains – or “senior flour nerd” – at Duchess Farms since 2019. “We felt a bit bad, but we lost a lot of our business overnight when all the restaurants closed and we were like: ‘God, we hope we don’t go under.’ It was quite a scary time for everyone.”

Still, if we have learned one thing from Covid-19, when times are hard, British people get baking. Perhaps inspired by countrywide shortages of flour, maybe invigorated by a new interest in left-field, older wheats such as einkorn and emmer, Duchess Farms sprinted to its target. “We’ve just done some ordering of equipment this morning,” says Aspen, when we speak in July. “It’s been a tough time for everyone but it has cascaded into some beautiful things and we’re just so thankful.”

Glencross’s path to farming was circuitous. She studied chemical engineering, but while her classmates were heading off for jobs at ExxonMobil and Procter & Gamble, she was more of “a hippy at heart”. She decided she wanted to learn more about soil and its role in food production. This led her to Blue Hill Stone Barns, Dan Barber’s pioneering farm-to-table restaurant in the Hudson Valley, north of New York. She spent four months working on the farm and in the bakery, receiving a crash course in ancient grains – an obsession of Barber’s. But the moment Glencross knew she herself wanted to farm came in 2016 in a field in Hertfordshire. She was with John Cherry, who was showing her around Weston Park Farms, 2,500 acres of land he maintains with minimal fertiliser use and zero tillage.

“We were walking around the fields of wheat and I just said: ‘Where does all this go? There’s so much of it,’” Glencross says. “And John goes: ‘Oh probably for animal feed. It’s a consistent market, they’ll take it, it’s easy, even if we don’t earn that much money from it.’ And I was like: ‘This is crazy.’ And that was the beginning of me getting on this grain bender because I was like: ‘Why can’t we grow these grains organically and not feed them to animals?’ So I realised I’d have to start a business, because there were not very many people doing that.”

Heritage grains can be harder to produce in vast quantities – einkorn, especially, is “a bitch to harvest” – but they do have advantages over conventional wheats. They typically have deep roots and grow tall, which means they shade out weeds and do not require chemical sprays. The end product is more nutritious and then there’s the taste. Since 2017, Glencross has run a roving supper club called the Sustainable Food Story with Sadhbh Moore, and Duchess Farms has worked closely with bakeries such as E5 Bakehouse in east London and Gail’s, and restaurants including Doug McMaster’s Silo. “Heritage grains are delicious: when you stop growing for yield and you start growing for quality the flavour is insane,” says Glencross.

Learning to farm from scratch has not been straightforward, but you sense that’s a big part of the appeal for Glencross. “There’s all these decisions the farmer makes throughout the year and why he sprays and why he doesn’t,” she says. “You realise that most people get up, sit at a computer all day and if they press the wrong button, they just delete it. When you’re a farmer, you plant at the wrong time of year and tomorrow it washes away your whole crop.”

Glencross acknowledges that it is almost unprecedented for women to run arable farms. She struggles to name a single other example in the UK. She also notes wryly that men dominate all the farming conferences, saying: “They have a wife but it’s always the men who have written the book and given the presentation.”

With more role models, Glencross hopes things will change. “I’m not cool in any way, but I’m a reasonably young lady,” she says, laughing. “And so when people say: ‘What do you do? Oh, you’re a farmer. Maybe I could do that …’ So I’m hoping that it might become seen as quite a desirable, almost cool career.” A pause: “Even if it’s very much not cool.”

#agriculture #long post #female farmers #farming

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iatethepomegranate · 4 years ago

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Rating: Teen And Up Audiences (for now)

Relationship: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast

Summary: After Aeor, Caleb buys a house in Rexxentrum with Beau and Yasha. For the first time in more than seventeen years, he has some semblance of stability. Caleb is not sure he's ready to handle it, but he's trying, and his friends are eager to see him live a good life, by force if necessary.

And then Soltryce Academy approaches him with a job offer, which could give Caleb the chance to protect the next generation of wizards the way he had needed at their age. Caleb's goal of preventing what happened to him from happening to anyone else, however, takes a far more personal turn than even he could have anticipated.

(In other words, here is a fic about Caleb settling down and learning how to be a person again. Also Professor Widogast will be a thing. Fic title is a lyric from I Have Made Mistakes by the Oh Hellos. Chapter title is a lyric from Mind by Sleeping At Last. More detailed tagging and notes are available on AO3.)

_____

Chapter 1: It's the first brush stroke of a self-portrait

Caleb had mixed feelings returning to Rexxentrum after spending so long in Aeor… and everywhere else he had been, including a fucking flesh city in the Astral Sea. Sure, he had popped back to Rexxentrum regularly to update the Cobalt Soul on his discoveries, and to testify at Trent’s trial, during the conclusion of which he had the satisfaction of turning down Da’leth’s offer to assume Trent’s position as the Archmage of Civil Influence. But now he was back on a more permanent basis.

He didn’t know what to do with that information. With this place, that was both so familiar and so foreign. Full of some of his best memories, and some of his worst.

Caleb had spent so long avoiding this place, or at least the challenging parts of it, and now Beauregard was dragging him and Yasha down the street, infodumping about a house she wanted the three of them to buy together.

“Caleb, don’t give me that look,” she said. “You’re gonna love this place. I know you like your space, dude, and this is the best of both worlds. It’s technically two houses, but there’s, like, a door between them so we can visit each other. Because you’re a fucking genius but you also forget to feed yourself.”

Yasha smiled at Caleb over Beau’s head. “She’s not wrong, Caleb.” Her soft tone made Caleb a little emotional, but he categorically refused to start crying in the street. “I like my space, too. This is a good balance. And there’s room for a garden.”

“Yasha’s not an Empire citizen,” said Beau. “It looks better if there’s two of us Empire kids on the deed so no one thinks any weird shit about her.”

Caleb sighed at her. “I will look at the house, Beauregard.”

Beau yanked them around the street corner. “It’s a great location. You can walk anywhere. I can get to the Archive, and you can get to the Academy.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you know something I don’t?”

“Maybe. Astrid says hi.”

The implication that Astrid and Beauregard had been speaking to each other recently was of concern. Caleb was too tired to unpack it. He would find out what that was about eventually. It was not worth Beauregard’s sibling-level mockery if he tried to extract the information early.

“Oh, and Veth sent you this,” said Yasha, passing a wrapped package over Beau’s head.

“Yeah, I might’ve told her we’re buying a house together,” said Beau. “She made Yussa send that to the Soul so I could grab it for you.”

Caleb didn’t open the package, but he did shake and squeeze it a little. It felt like coins. A lot of coins. Oh, Veth. Still taking care of him from miles upon miles away. They’d both come so far from Veth sneaking coins into his pockets because he had felt strange about taking her money even when he desperately needed it.

“Danke,” he said softly. That was all he could say, before he risked bursting into tears again. That was happening to him a lot lately. It… wasn’t the worst thing. More of an inconvenience. He chose not to unpack it.

Beauregard was looking at him strangely. He elbowed her. It probably hurt his elbow more than it hurt her, but she was successfully distracted from his bullshit. She punched his arm. Even holding back like she did, his arm did go numb for a few seconds.

Yasha sighed. “Children, we’re almost there.”

Caleb had been down this street before. Rarely, as it was entirely residential. But sometimes he, Astrid and Eadwulf would explore the city to find excuses to get away from the Academy, especially after they had commenced their training with Trent. But, with Caleb’s memory, he could call upon the map he had drawn in his mind. This was a middle-income area on the southern edge of The Tangles, home to mostly professionals--well-off storeowners, any researchers who did not live in the Shimmer Ward or have access to quarters with the Cobalt Soul, some teachers, architects. Largely people looking to settle down with the money to stay out of the Mudtop Ward.

It was close to the Shimmer Ward, a little southwest from the gate, but not so close that Caleb felt an itch on the back of his neck. The Tangles were the oldest part of the city, with narrow looping streets with little logic to them. This area was slightly newer than most of The Tangles, but still old. Regardless, The Tangles were fairly central to the city and an easy starting point for any travel. If you didn’t get lost on the way out.

This far south in the area, the houses were a little more spaced out. A little more green space, more gardens. Duplex-style houses were common, mostly built of old stone or lumpy brick on the first floor and clay bolstered by wooden frames above that. Children were out in force, running and screaming through the narrow streets while their parents watched from the porch of their homes. Well, for those who had porches.

“There she is,” said Beauregard. They had stopped in front of another duplex-style building, newer than some of the others but still respectable in age. The first floor was made from dark reddish brick and the upper two floors panelled with dark wood to bolster the white clay walls. The first two floors were full in width, and the third consisted of two dormers peeking through the darkly thatched roof.

There were two entrance doors on the ground floor, each spaced a third of the house’s width from the outer corners. The rectangular windows were framed in white-painted wood, dividing the glass on each window into six little squares.

Before the three of them was a low wooden fence, also painted white. The paint was chipping a little, revealing the deep brown heartwood that Caleb suspected was oak. There were a number of oak trees in the Pearlbow Wilderness. Caleb had slept under them several times in worse days. Oak was rather expensive, if he remembered correctly. He usually remembered correctly.

“She’s pretty hot, right, Caleb?” Beau said, snapping out of his hyperfocus on the history of timber in the Zemni Fields.

“Oh… ja.”

“Cool, so the owner will be here in a few minutes to let us in so we can have a look. She wants to sell the place as a package deal.”

Caleb had, in some ways, trained himself out of being too attached to places or most material things (with a few exceptions such as his spell components, spellbook, and the letters he had written to his parents). Unless there was something horrifically wrong inside, he didn’t care where Beauregard and Yasha wanted to live. It was practical that they live together, after all. Caleb had healed immensely this past year, but he was self-aware enough to understand he probably shouldn’t live alone. Of the Nein, Beauregard knew how to call him on his bullshit and Yasha understood him pretty well and knew he needed space sometimes, so it was a reasonable arrangement.

“I am really not picky, Beauregard.”

“Yeah, because you still don’t care enough about yourself to give a fuck about this. We know.” Beauregard looped her arm around his neck, dragging him down to her level so she could rub her knuckles across his scalp, ruining the two narrow braids Essek had worked from Caleb’s hairline to his messy ponytail that morning before they had parted ways beside the secret entrance to Aeor. Caleb talked himself out of getting upset with Beauregard over it. She couldn’t have known, and she was being affectionate like he really was her brother.

Once he was free, Yasha fixed the braids, and Caleb had to stop himself from crying again because she had noticed it bothered him and just… fixed it without making it a thing. Beau straightened her expositor’s garb, clearing her throat.

“Sorry, dude.”

Caleb conjured a mage hand to tug on her ponytail. Beau swatted at it, but her hand went right through it. She gave him the finger. Yasha finished fixing the braids. Everything was normal again.

The owner, a half-elf woman with long blonde hair coiled into a bun that looked like a cinnamon scroll, arrived and immediately shook Caleb’s hand.

“Mr Widogast, a pleasure. These ladies have told me a lot about you. My name is Alphira Winterheart. I teach evocation at the Soltryce Academy.”

Caleb still felt a spike of anxiety when he heard the name of that place. At this point it was ingrained, even if he held out a small amount of hope he would get to teach there one day. It would be easier to fight corruption if he had some say over what the Academy put into those children’s heads.

“A pleasure,” Caleb replied, a little flatter than he had intended. He mentally shook himself, remembering to actually grip her hand for a proper handshake. “Evocation? I used to specialise in that area.”

“Ja, Ms Lionett told me you are now a Transmutation specialist but still frequently partake in the Evocation school in your travels. I’m glad to hear you intend to put down roots here in Rexxentrum. I would love to exchange theories over coffee.”

Beauregard smirked. Caleb remembered a conversation with Essek where they had agreed to return to Aeor and exchange theories. They had meant that literally. But it had indeed sounded like a euphemism to someone like Beauregard. Well, she hadn’t been wrong in the end, but certainly the intent at the time had been more about a meeting of minds than a meeting of…

Caleb concentrated on the conversation in front of him instead.

“Ja, I would enjoy that,” he replied. “What level of Evocation do you teach?”

“Oh, I teach the beginners.”

“And you live here in the Tangles?”

“I did,” said Alphira. “Archmage Beck has offered me lodging on her estate, so I am selling this house. It was always a little large for one person, and it seems you three could make better use of it than I did.” She leaned closer to Caleb, as if to tell him a secret. “The place on the left is where I prefer to experiment and study. I would recommend you look at that one in particular. The dormer is slightly larger. You could even put a teleportation circle up there if you were so inclined, given your need to travel.”

“Danke.” Caleb still felt a little weird about Rexxentrum mages not wanting to kill him, but he didn’t sense any untoward motives from this woman. She seemed genuinely friendly. “How… is the new Archmage settling in?”

“I have no complaints. She seems competent, if a little terrifying. I am uncertain if that is her past as a Volstrucker, or a necessity of the job. She has been nothing but kind to me, and I would certainly prefer to be her friend than her enemy.”

“Ja, we are familiar with her,” said Caleb.

“Caleb most of all,” said Yasha.

Beauregard had to turn away before she burst out laughing.

“We should look at the house,” Caleb said before the conversation could go anywhere strange. Gods, he missed Aeor already.

Alphira unlocked both front doors. They checked the one on the right first.

“This one has a larger living area,” said Alphira, leading them through the entrance. “I am offering the furniture as part of the sale. I have already taken everything I need.”

Beauregard threw herself onto the large couch in the centre of the room. “Yasha and I call dibs on this side of the house. Since you’re gonna spend so much time here with us anyway. We’re taking the larger living area.”

“Beauregard, we have already established that I do not mind.”

The floor underfoot was a pleasant hardwood, probably more oak, and a large rug occupied much of the space. They would have to purchase candles for the evening, but it was well-lit during the day. Caleb followed the women through each of the rooms on the ground floor on this side, largely going through the motions. The kitchen was equally large, and had a good oven for Yasha to practice baking. They would need to purchase a larger dining table.

There was one large bedroom upstairs and two smaller ones, alongside private areas for bathing and other such activities. This was where they found the door between the two houses. The top floor dormer was full of assorted furniture and household items Alphira didn’t need, but they would likely use. Beauregard and Yasha discussed the possibility of turning this into another bedroom for when they had friends over. Or perhaps converting one of the lower bedrooms into a workout space and using this as a replacement. Caleb did not need to contribute much to the conversation, aside from promising he would help move furniture with telekinesis.

Truth be told, Caleb was having a hard time concentrating on the whole thing. He hadn’t really had a home in a long time, and he could not wrangle his mind into understanding the change. The Xhorhaus had been easier to stomach, as nobody had expected to live there forever. But this? Putting down roots? Real , long-term roots?

Maybe Caleb had been homeless for too long. It was beyond his comprehension at this point. And maybe it frightened him a little. He could not afford to inspect those feelings, not right now.

He pulled himself together in time to inspect the other side of the building. His side. His house. Scheisse .

The living area was a little smaller, but could still easily welcome the Nein (just in rather cosy quarters). The kitchen, also smaller but still respectable--a little larger than his childhood home in Blumenthal. There was less furniture on this side; Alphira had evidently used this side more and therefore had more furniture to take. There were two bedrooms on the second floor, one slightly larger than the other. Caleb found himself thinking that he would probably take the larger one just so there was enough room when Essek was over, or maybe he would take the smaller one so Veth could bring her family with her. Fuck. He didn’t know what to do.

And then they visited the dormer. It was indeed larger than the other one. There was a table in front of the window, with a few dark ink stains, and plenty of floorspace to spread out notes or create a teleportation circle. A few chairs were stacked in the corner, seemingly in good condition, and one wall was lined with empty shelves.

Caleb had always been partial to a tower, and this was pretty close. It would make a great study.

He was genuinely excited over a house. In Rexxentrum. A short journey from where his childhood home once stood. He was going to hyperventilate if he thought about this too hard.

“There are already plenty of shelves in my new house,” Alphira said. “These are all yours.”

Caleb nodded slowly, pulling his mind back into his skull. “Wundervoll, danke.” He took a calming breath. “This is a nice place, Professor.”

Alphira smiled. “Yes, I did not make nearly enough use out of it. But I hear you three have a lot of friends from out of town.”

“Ja, we do not see them enough.”

“Perhaps you will see them more once you have a place to welcome them.” Alphira led them back downstairs, and into the other side of the house where they could sit around the small dining table. Alphira already had the paperwork they needed to sign; Caleb got the impression Beau and Yasha had already decided to buy the house before they spoke to him about it. He was glad the decision was out of his hands.

He signed the paperwork, using both his legal name and the name he now wore (Alphira had apparently been briefed on this, and had consulted a contract lawyer on how to make it work on a binding document). Caleb had needed to sign various statements as part of Trent’s trial, so signing in Bren’s name was not as strange as he feared it would be. He was relieved. Beau and Yasha had insisted on finding a way that his new name would also be included, given he had not gone through any legal name-change process. The money Veth gave him more than covered his part of the cost. He needed to hug her. He needed to hug all of them.

Alphira gave them three copies of the contract and handed over the deed to the property. “I will head to the housing authority and file the paperwork immediately.” She slid the keys over the table to them. “Congratulations on your new home.”

She left. Caleb traced the shapes of the letters on his copy of the contract, over and over, letting reality sink in. He had a house. A house in Rexxentrum. A house in Rexxentrum with two of his best friends. It wasn’t at all what he imagined he would have when he was seventeen, when he thought he and Astrid and Wulf would one day have done their duty for the empire and settled down together.

But this was good. This was right .

He cried. Yasha was probably crying, too, but he couldn't see. The three of them hugged across the table, the edges jabbing their ribs.

#critical role #caleb widogast #shadowgast #not a lot in this chapter but there will be #fanfiction #ao3 #my fics #the pomegranate's professor widogast fic

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neoskidz · 4 years ago

Text

The Heart Stealer || Na Jaemin

WC. 1.5K

GENRE. Fluff / Phantom thief!au / High school!au

ELSIE’S NOTE. This is an old fic I had published before, titled “His Fallen Star”. The content itself doesn’t that much different, but with some upgrade. And some of you might be familiar from which anime this fic was inspired ;)

SUMMARY.

Being one of the famous detective’s closest childhood friends does have its perks, especially when a certain phantom thief takes interest in you. Little did you two know, this thief is closer than you thought.

TAGLIST. [Networks] @czennienet @neowritingsnet @dreamwritersnet @nct-writers

Being one of the famous detective closest childhood friends do have its perks; such as him taking you to every case he works on to sharing secrets about a mysterious Black Organization that keeps targeting him. But of course, you’d promised to keep all that information to yourself as well as helping him with preventing the others from finding out. He didn’t want to worried them than they already were now.

Tonight was the grand opening of the museum which location that you found rather odd; it’s built quite far from the city where, you have to admit, wasn’t really your usual construction site for historical museums and people that invited to the grand opening were no other than conglomerates.

The only reason for you—an normal high school student with no power or status—to be invited to the celebration was because of a certain famous detective who wanted to tagged you along. But, he’s already gone off into the sea of guests, leave you alone without knowing what to do. You tried to remember the phantom thief’s notice while looking around the room.

When the rays of light have been curtained by the earth’s dark shadows, I shall strike, and steal the fallen star.

Paused in your tracks as you took a moment to process the riddle in the notice. ‘When the rays of light have been curtained by the earth’s dark shadows, I shall strike… that means he’s coming when the sun sets.’ Your gaze travelled forward and landed on a glass case-located on the stage in the middle of the crowded room-covered under a thick, red cloth where the “Fallen Star” placed.

You furrowed your brows, something’s not right here. The notice was so straightforward, too straightforward for the phantom thief’s term. It must have some meaning behind the notice.

“[Name],” You turned around to saw Mark ran toward you. “Find anything suspicious?”

“Yeah. It’s about the-” You tried to tell him about the strange notice but was interrupted when a bearded-old-man, who is suspected to be the owner of the museum walks to the main stage where the Fallen Star been shown, spoke into the microphone that’s provided on stage. Claps can be heard from the guests as the light turn down low. Polices stand not far from the stage, guarding the necklace against any danger possibility.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming to the grand opening of Seoul Jewelry Museum. As for our tonight main event, we will see the famous Fallen Star.”

The red cloth fell onto the stage, revealing the clear glass case out in the open for all to see. But instead of cheers and clasps like earlier, numerous gasps and shocked murmurs escaped the large crowd. All the lights turn down, making the room completely dark. A familiar laugh can be heard around the room.

“Najaem!” The unspoken name in your mind was shouted by a man beside you whose voice belongs to none other than Mark.

“Ah, Mark Lee, it is good to see your lovely glare again,” You heard the phantom thief’s silk-smooth voice spoke. “And looks like you bring your beautiful companion too.”

“I’d love to stay for the rest of the celebration, but, I need to steal what I came here for tonight and take my leave.” Puffs of smoke flooded the room, making you cough as your vision blurred.

A hand snaked around your waist pulled you out from the sea of guests. When the smoke finally cleared and you’d regained your vision, you’re no longer in the ballroom. You were on the rooftop of the building, along with Najaem whose hand still around your waist.

“Najaem!? What…” You were speechless, completely didn’t understand the situation you in. He just smiled as he noticed the confused on your face.

Without wasting any more time, he cupped your face with his other hand and pressed his lips against yours. You swear your heart stops for a solid second before pounding wildly against your chest. You become paralyzed, lost in the feeling of the phantom thief’s soft lips and confusion. It was wrong, you know it was wrong to kiss the phantom thief in front of you, but at the same time, it felt right.

However, the moment had to ended by the loud bang of the door. This made the phantom thief let out a low ‘tch’, just like what he thought.

Mark pulled you away from Najaem, hiding you behind him protectively and ready to attack him. The phantom thief only smirked before activated his hang-glider.

“So long, [Name], until we meet again.” Were his last words before he jumped from the roof, leaving you and Mark alone on the rooftop.

“Are you okay?” Worried, Mark asked you.

You touched your lips where the warm sensation of the phantom thief’s lips still lingering, blushed at the thought that Jae just stole your first kiss. But in the middle of your action, you felt something under your other empty palm.

You curled your fingers around it and held it up for you to examine. It… was a rose. You pulled it closer to you and that’s when you noticed that there was a piece of paper of some sort taped to the stem of it.

When we meet again, I will not only steal your kiss. But a whole you. ‘Till we meet again, my Fallen Star.

After the incident with the phantom thief that claimed you as his in the previous heist, Mark seems can’t leave you alone and became more protective than usual. To make it worse, the inspector for Seoul district was actually elated, saying that they could use you as a weapon against the young thief which means your assistance will be needed for the phantom thief’s next heist. Even though you don’t want to be the bait, you still didn’t have any choices—Mark promised to always stay by your side, to make sure nothing happens to you.

That morning, instead of greeting your deskmate with your usual smile, you slumped on your desk with a tired groan. Snicker was his only response as he looked at your state. “Looks like you have a bad day. Care to share some story?”

“It’s actually worse than you thought, Nana.” You turned your head to looked at Jaemin, your deskmate, with a pout as you remembering how your life has just turned into a hell in one night.

Sometimes you can’t help but wonder, how can your sweet deskmate kinda reminded you of the Phantom Thief Jae. Despite the similar name—the one you gave him before you changed it to “Nana” per his request, Jaemin who sit beside you is far different from that flirt phantom thief. He is a total introvert (though he looks more like extrovert than you) with zero filters, never without coffee in his hand every morning, constant hugs, cute smiles, and has a soft spot for Park Jisung, the freshman in the first year.

The only same trait that you can see from your friend with the phantom thief is only how he can be a flirt sometimes. But still, there is no way your sweet deskmate is the phantom thief just because of how flirty he can be, especially with you.

“Is it really that bad until Mark hyung can’t stop watching you from far?” Jaemin raised his eyebrows as he tilted his head toward the door.

Without turning your head to where Jaemin pointed, you already knew what he means. You can only let a tired sigh.

Mark was watching you from outside the class.

“He has been doing that since the night that phantom thief kis-” You halted the sentence, earning a curious stare from Jaemin. The thought of the phantom thief kissed you made your face turned red.

“He what?” Jaemin who noticed the sudden shyness gave you a teasing look.

“Um… nothing. Just forget it.”

Oh God, you almost spill the embarrassing detail. You still could heard Mark’s nagging you about being so defense less in front of a boy. Not just any boy, but the phantom thief who known as flirtatious and womanizer. Therefore, there is no need for anyone else to know about the kiss incident.

“Uh-hu. What did that phantom thief do, huh?”

Great, now he will not stop pestering you about it.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” you whined with red cheeks.

When you and Jaemin out from the class for the lunch break, Mark decided to join you two, saying that he needs to keep you safe though there was no way the phantom thief will be in your school. He kept talking about it with Jaemin all the way to the canteen, which you didn’t mind.

But, that’s where you were wrong.

You never expected to saw a familiar piece of paper that taped to the stem of the familiar rose inside your locker, just right when you about to put your books. A doodle of a phantom thief can be seen at the corner of the paper, clearly telling the world that the flower indeed from the phantom thief.

On the night the door between death and life opened, like Julius Caesar kneeling down in front of Queen Cleopatra, I will come to you to completely finish what I started.

A little warning for you, don’t be deceived by what you see before you. The shell always different from what stored inside it.

The thought of him might be around you made your heart fluttered. Seems like he never fails to surprise you. You looked around to find any sign of the phantom thief where being, however, there was no sign of him. Seems like the simple little gift from him made your day, well, much better. Though you want to hate him for the kiss, you can’t stop smiling by the small notice. You shouldn’t be affected by whatever the phantom thief tried to do, yet your heart already damaged already beyond repair by him.

Hate to admit it, but you might have fall a little for him.

“[Name], what’s wrong?” You abruptly close your locker before Mark could see it, surprising two boys behind you. “Did I just see a rose inside your locker?”

“It’s nothing!” You answered rather quickly, pushing Mark away from your locker.

The detective looked at you suspiciously before decided to shrug it off, thinking that it may be from an admire and you’re just too embarrassed to show it.

While busy pushing Mark away, you failed to notice the smirk on Jaemin’s face as he followed the two of you from behind.

“Hurry up before we don’t get lunch, Nana!”

“I’m right just behind you two, you know.”

If only you know the truth.

#cznnet #neowritingsnet #dreamwritersnet #nct-writers #nct imagines #nct scenarios #nct x reader #nct dream imagines #nct dream scenarios #nct dream x reader #na jaemin imagines #na jaemin scenarios #na jaemin x reader #jaemin imagines #jaemin scenarios #jaemin x reader

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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 5 years ago

Text

Omertà👄4

Warnings: noncon sexual acts (sexual intercourse); tags to be added throughout series

This is dark!Bucky and dark! Loki and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your father was a bookie and taught you everything you know about numbers. After his death, you were taken on as a bookkeeper for Loki Laufeyson, resident crime boss in Manhattan. But can you keep your place in the background when a man from Brooklyn threatens to drag you to the forefront?

Note: You guys are awesome. Just thought you should know! Thanks for reading and following along. :D I am always so thankful for everything y’all do.

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

As always, if you can, please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

Aside from the colour, you were not a fan of the dress. The black number was little much for you; the long sleeves couldn’t make up for the length of the skirt or the strappy back. You were still unaccustomed to your new wardrobe and you doubted you ever would be. When you arrived that morning at The Attic, you’d felt like an idiot.

After noon, you excused yourself if only to escape Loki for an hour. He hadn’t failed to remind you of the day’s meeting. Over a week and a half since the last. Just as long spent in dread. It was bad enough facing Loki each day but another to know you’d be book-ended between him and Bucky.

You went to a restaurant not far from the shop. You passed it now and then but never thought of stepping inside the ultra sleek bar. You did that day; a reluctant retreat. You sat by the window and ordered an organic juice and a salad.

You rarely ate anything more than microwaves dinners and non-perishables. You often found yourself forgetting to stop and eat when you were at work and you gave little thought to what awaited you after.

You poked at the baby spinach and glanced out the window. The strawberry juice was a little too sweet and made your jaw twitch. You looked back to your bowl as you tried to hide your recognition. The man across the street; you’d seen him before.

It would be easy enough to shrug off his brief glance as coincidence as he walked casually along the pavement, but you hadn’t missed him as you emerged from The Attic. Or a few days back on your way home. His golden hair shone above his chiseled jaw and his bright eyes made him a beacon on the streets. He was following you and he wasn’t even trying to be subtle.

You left the last few leaves in the bottom of the bowl to drown in dressing. You took your last sip from the glass and folded the bills in the little leather folder. You stood and nodded at your waitress on your way out. The blond man was gone. For now.

You returned to the shop and slipped into the office. Loki wasn’t there and you were thankful. You sat and pulled out your phone. You pulled down the skirt which had a tendency to slip to your thigh.

As you wiggled in your chair, the door opened and Loki appeared. He didn’t miss the little shimmy and smiled as he neared your desk. His eyes sparkled at you as his fingers rubbed along the edge of the wood.

“We should go soon.” He said. “But we should talk first.”

“Right,” You kept your phone propped up but spared him a brief peek.

“First, listen,” He reached over and tapped your phone. “Important. I tell you to do something, you do it. No back talk. It would be as bad for you as for me should you choose to undermine me in the presence of those men.”

You nodded and lowered your phone. You looked at him and squished your lips together.

“Play along. I know you’re not stupid so I know you can play your part well.” He grinned. “This man is simple; even you can rile him.”

You shook your head and swayed your leg as you crossed your arms.

“Is that all?” You asked.

“I shouldn’t have to remind you of what this world means; of the consequences of such repugnance.” He frowned. “Remember your father, perhaps that will keep you in line.”

“Perhaps,” You sneered.

“Well,” He drew away. “I’d rather this over with. I am not a fan of these places. Sad, really.”

You stood and tucked your phone in your purse. You slung it on your shoulder and sighed.

“Well, at least we can agree on expedience,” You said.

👄

The She-Wolf looked grim in the daylight. The neon sign flashed although the flicker was hard to notice so early. You followed Loki to the doors but he swiftly sidestepped a patron stumbling out. You watched the man, already drunk, as he wobbled away.

You swallowed your discomfort and entered as Loki opened the door for you, the bouncers eyed both of you. He was greeted by a woman in a crop top and booty shorts. He looked at her as if she were a leper.

“Laufeyson for Barnes,” He announced. “Is there a man who I should--”

“Over here,” She interrupted him and his brows drew together. “Just by Tiffani.”

Loki hesitated but followed, his arm curled around you as he swept you along with him. There were only two stages in use and the bar was almost empty. Still the music buzzed and the dark room was swathed with coloured arcs of light. You sat along the half-moon stage as the woman offered you drinks.

Loki sniffed as he peered around and refused. You thanked her but forewent the offer as well. Loki sat back and draped his arm behind you. He looked over at you and you didn’t miss his gaze as his hand flitted down to your dress. His hand snaked over and he caressed your leg just beneath the hem.

“Well…” He kept his voice low. “I am pleasantly surprised.”

“Stop,” You grabbed his hand.

“Stop? Ah, you know, I never expected to share tastes with Barnes but I might see a little of what he does.” He purred. “This might be more fun than I expected.”

“Loki,” You hissed as he flipped his hand and twisted yours back. “Enough.”

“We should’ve taken our time back at the office.” He slithered.

“I mean it.” You wrestled with him. “It’s not funny.”

“I am not joking, darling,” He rolled his R coyly. “And seeing as…” His eyes went to the woman spinning up on the pole. “He has such low standards… you’ve made this pleasantly easy.”

He shook you away and pushed his hand between your knees. He gripped your leg as he took a breath. He cleared his throat and rescinded his touch as he stood. Bucky appeared from a doorway along the back of the club and you rose too. He was flanked by two other men and they followed him to the stage as he smirked at you. He barely acknowledged Loki as he offered you his hand.

“Sweetheart,” He looked you up and down. “Mmm, you look wonderful.”

You thanked him softly and stiffened as you shook his hand.

“Loki,” He released you and extended his hand to the other man. “Early. As always.”

“We take our time seriously in Manhattan,” Loki gripped Bucky’s hand firmly. “It is, as they say, money.”

“Mmhmm,” Bucky withdrew and sat. His men stayed behind him, like statues.

Bucky leaned his elbow on the table that lined the stage and gazed up at the now topless Tiffani as she hung upside down from the pole. He smirked and his eyes slowly fell to you.

“So, you thirsty?” He asked.

“It’s early,” Loki answered for you.

“Not that early,” Bucky insisted as he raised his hand. “What do you like? You seem like a scotch man.”

His eyes never left you as the woman who greeted you returned.

“Or whiskey,” Loki replied, annoyed that he was all but being ignored.

“And the lady?” He wondered. “Champagne?”

“That’s a bit much,” You sat straight.

“Rose? Chardonnay?” He continued. “I have a rather extensive cellar. I could let you have a look if you wish.”

“We didn’t come here to peruse your wine collection,” Loki intoned.

“No,” Bucky slapped his hand on the table. “You came here to give me my money and to accept my hospitality. It would be rude to bite the hand, wouldn’t it?”

Loki’s jaw jutted out in anger and he nodded, a snarl slowly left his nostrils.

“Gin,” You said sternly. “Gin is fine.”

“Gin,” Bucky repeated as his expression softened and he turned to the waitress. “Scotch for my friend,” He waved to Loki, “And two gins. Top shelf.”

“Yes, sir,” She recited and her smile betrayed her attraction for the man. Bucky, despite his person, could not be called hideous.

“You know,” Bucky turned to Loki, his eyes strayed to you for a moment, “I was thinking of this new arrangement and while I appreciate that your men are working so hard, I would prefer a few of mine help out.”

“Help out?” Loki squinted.

“Allies, you said.” Bucky leaned back and pulled his thin lapels straight. “So we should work together. If I sent a few of my hands down to our warehouses, they wouldn’t be hassled, would they? Especially not if they were helping with our business.”

Loki swallowed. It was one thing to split up the take, but another to allow others onto territory he still felt was rightfully his. The compromise was temporary in his mind; a means to an end. A patient plot.

“Surely not,” Loki forced out. “I would make sure of it.”

“Very good,” Bucky smiled as he watched the waitress set down the drinks. “I will send them down tomorrow then.”

“I’ll make sure mine are aware,” Loki inhaled deeply and took his scotch. His other hand wandered over your thigh and he rested it there as he sipped.

You grabbed your drink and swigged down a bitter mouthful before you could chide him. Bucky didn’t miss the movement and his eyes followed Loki’s arm to his hand. Loki’s long fingers squeezed and you winced. Bucky took a drink as he looked you over.

“I’ll take my money now,” He gritted out. “Drinks are on me though.”

Loki set down his glass and dragged his hand from your leg. He shifted your skirt as he did, enough to expose your upper thigh. You fixed it and Bucky hummed. You looked up as he shifted in his chair. He was focused on your lap and you pushed your legs together tightly.

Loki reached into his jacket and pulled out the bundle. He planted it on the table before Bucky who quickly took it and began to count. When he finished, he smacked the stack on his palm and then handed it over to one of his men.

“You like her?” Bucky pointed to Tiffani and Loki frowned. “The night shift is better. The girls are… skilled.”

“I’ve never been one for dancers. Or escorts.” Loki sneered.

“My girls are clean and I’d not call them escorts, they’re good company. Especially for men like us.”

“Men like us?” Loki huffed. “I don’t pay for my company.”

“So you must be lonely,” Bucky countered.

A tense silence followed as they stared each other down. Loki chuckled and finished his drink.

“Not that lonely,” He stretched his arm behind you.

Bucky scratched his chin and nodded.

“It’s not always money you pay with,” Bucky mused. “Is it?”

“I have been told I am charming,” Loki’s fingers tickled your shoulder. “I’ve never wanted for much.”

“Is it charm or hot air?” Bucky challenged. “You talk a lot.”

“I won’t deny that,” Loki smirked. “But you know, a sharp tongue is truly a gift. Isn’t it, darling?”

Both men looked at you. You tapped your fingernail on your glass and chewed on your irritation.

“Truly,” You answered rigidly. “It must be.”

You lifted your glass and drank. Bucky watched you intently. Loki stared at him until he looked away and their gaze met. There was a moment of understanding; an unspoken challenge. You felt as if you were suffocating in your dress. You wanted another drink desperately.

👄

You left shortly after the pissing contest. You were glad to be away and didn’t stick around much longer at the antique shop. Loki was agitated and barely noticed when you left. Despite his well-honed veneer, he hadn’t been able to withhold his chagrin once free of the strip club.

The next day, you sensed little difference. He was silent, grumbly. He sat behind his desk and made the occasional call. He was impatient and bossy. He had Bucky’s men in his warehouses and he was talking his own down from igniting another war. Each call ended with a scribbled list of numbers for you to add to your ledger.

Your work was disturbed in the late afternoon. You heard Lopez in the showroom, his voice panicked as he neared the other side of the door. There was no knock as the squat man’s voice was left unmatched. The door opened as Loki reached under his jacket. He gripped his gun and watched the man who entered.

“No need for that,” The blonde man said coolly. He held a box and smiled as he looked around the room. “Just got a delivery.”

Loki scowled and reluctantly lowered his hand. “Delivery? Did Barnes forget something?”

The blonde’s jaw squared as he turned to you. He placed the box atop your open ledger.

“Boss sends his regards,” He smirked. You said nothing as he nodded and glanced at Loki one last time. “To both of you.”

As quickly as he’d come, he was gone. You watched him go and frowned as Loki bid Lopez shut the door. You were silent as you shook your head at the box.

“Who was--”

“Rogers.” Loki snorted. “Barnes’ little lap dog.”

You were quiet. You wouldn’t let on that Barnes’ man had been tailing you. You didn’t think that would help with either of them. Or you.

“Well, open it.” He demanded.

You glanced at him and he lifted a brow. His eyes pierced you as you slid the box closer and let out a long breath. You rubbed your thumbs over the cardboard and carefully shook the lid free. The box fell to the desk and you set aside the top. You brushed aside the tissue paper and gaped at the swath of sparkling diamonds.

Loki sighed and tapped his fingers as he leaned forward.

“Do go on,” He said dryly.

You cringed and reached into the box. You hooked your fingers under the diamonds and lifted the glittering pair of panties. Your eyes met Loki’s over the top and his face paled with anger. Fuck.

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