#flustered Conductor ahead

[akoiromanticstudent]

Maestro!Sigma headcanons

Did you ask for these? Absolutely not. Will I make some anyway? Absolutely. I'm obsessed with Maestro!Sigma.

He has a DMA - Doctorate of Musical Arts - with a concentration in Conducting and Piano as his primary instrument [I'm not just projecting - hear me out: he has big hands]

During undergrad, he double-minored in Music History and Astrophysics. [Okay, I am projecting]

Dr. Siebren de Kuiper... one of those pianist-conductor freaks that can conduct during a piano concerto. The eyebrows help. For example, Leonard Bernstein: https://youtu.be/cTO77dwm6uk

He also plays cello and a whole gamut of percussion instruments.

He's also pretty good at drumset actually, and believes that many orchestral pieces would be improved with the inclusion of a discerning and knowledgeable improvising drummer.

He's autistic! 100% He has synesthesia. He has figured out how to use the synesthesia to keep track of the orchestra.

He unfortunately, also, has a little bit of tinnitus.

He prefers to conduct without a stick, he prefers the freedom and flexibility of using all hand gestures, but he does keep a stick handy for clarity when coordinating tricky sections with his ensembles or when he's a guest conductor and he finds they aren't quite following.

Part of the way he compels attention is by unintentional intimidation - his sheer size [I mean height!], sometimes his conversational tone is off, sometimes he gets snappy if he doesn't realize that some sensory thing is bothering him [flourescent lights, electrical hum, a new dress shirt has Slightly Wrong Texture], and well, sometimes he gets snappy if you aren't trying to fix what he told you to do the first time.

There are definitely people that don't like him for that last part - you can't hide behind the rest of your section if he's conducting.

Part of the way he compels attention is the fact that there are a ton of musicians crushing on him at some level or another. What? He's gorgeous, and intoxicating to watch this behemoth of a man exercise such fluidity when he conducts.

[He is deeply oblivious to how he flusters some of his musicians as he does not make direct eye contact any longer than necessary to identify who he needs to assist, he's actually usually fixing his eyes on the musicians' hands for technique - another intimidation factor.]

Unlike most conductors, he's not amazing at metaphors unless he's prepared them ahead of time.

Whenever he was employed as a conductor/orchestral director in a University, and after he retired, he would usually also audit a high level Astronomy or Physics class every semester.

If he goes on a tangent during rehearsal, there's a 50% chance it's about space.

Big Star Trek fan. He couldn't pick a favorite series, though, his opinions are too nuanced to rank any entire shows. He'd find something to appreciate about each series. Even Enterprise, even if the theme song makes him want to vomit.

[another-heroine]

The Good Comrades

A/N: A long time ago I've asked @dmagedgoods if I could write about the ~ frenemiehood ~ between Katya and Sal, and it is finally done. Thank you, it will probably happen again lol

All eyes were on him. Salvadore was presenting his plan like a conductor guiding an opera. His cadenced speech explained step by step how the army should approach the enemy camping in the narrow valley. That was a bold plan, but none of the presents have time to say otherwise. 

None, except for one woman. 

“Wait, the first line goes ahead and stands in front of the only gate by themselves, seriously?”

Some people glanced at the red-haired aasimar. It was almost impossible not to look at her: tall and with large shoulders like an Ulfen woman, but pale like only a child of Irrisen could be. A wandering dichotomy. 

Salvadore’s lips became a thin line for a moment. “By chance, do you have a better plan, Grushankaya?”

He always pronounced her surname with a tired tone. Like it was too laborious for him to care about an outlander ally. But she didn’t mind and stated, “It must have. Otherwise, we are sending them to a certain death.”

She looked around, seeking support among the crowd. A few agreed with her, shyly. Salvadore sighed and explained, “All of us  — at least, many of us — are soldiers here. Everybody knows the risks and the weight of the Crusades’ burden.”

The druid bit her tongue. Blind loyalty is folly. How could the Commander trust that army division on him? Like it was not enough bringing the Hellknights closer by.

“And as I have just said, we have to bait the demons, bringing them away from their hideout,” Salvadore recalled. “It's our only chance, and if everybody follows the plan, our losses will be low. Did I make myself clear?”

The majority agreed with him. Among the chattering, Ekaterina stared blankly at where he was sitting. Salvadore could feel the glowing irises over him, but pretended she wasn’t there. It was pointless to keep discussing. Time was their true enemy.

In the end, the druid gave a sharp exhale and left the tent. Absalom's people were definitely more stubborn than hers.

•••

It was difficult to tell day from night in those wastelands. The dark skies and constant howling coming from the horizon surrounded the crusaders all the time. Ekaterina would only know by the contagious yawning around her, and the shifting changes in the camp.

She wished to be asleep as well, after all they would march in the next day, but the woman was still feeling unsettling. Her body refused to relax under the blankets.

“You are doing that.”

“Doing what?” Katya frowned and looked at Count Arendae at the other side of the tent. He had a stupid grin on his face, and a hand holding his chin, pensive. 

“That thing when you are upset.”

She flustered slightly. He meant her halo flickering. Ekaterina turned her gaze and shrugged. “It's nothing.”

“Oh please, I can be your trusting confidant!” He turned his body to her direction, sitting on his expensive mattress. “I know that Salvadore and you are often stepping on each other's feet. To be honest, even a blind person can see it. Like our friend Storyteller,” Daeran chuckled.

He was an ass. Both of them.

The woman side eyed him and mocked, “Of course not. Talking to him is always a delight, how could you think of it?”

Nenio appeared abruptly, looking at the druid upside down. “But you don't look delighted.”

Ekaterina sighed. “Because I'm n— Uh, nevermind.”

Daeran was amused. “Who could tell that you would have hard feelings for someone.”

“You don't know me, Count.” She turned her back to him, and noticed the curious stare of Nenio still at her. “Can you please let me sl—”

Someone rang the camp alarm.

•••

He should be the best. No, he had to be the best. Salvadore couldn’t accept failure in either way, because both his reputation and the Commander's were at risk.

As the first line was about to arrive at the demons' main gate, the archers should be in their positions and start shooting when the first horned head popped up. But if any movements got delayed, it would be a problem. Sal had calculated that a thousand times, and there wasn't a way out. He could only pray for the gods of the Crusades to watch for them.

He wasn’t coping with the idea of the losses at all, despite his self confidence demeanor. It was a mask that he learned to wear a long time ago, when he had barely consciousness of… how the things were beyond the walls of the Arrigo Manor. And he gave up explaining himself for a long time as well. It was pointless.

Salvadore leaned the head on one of his hands and shut his eyes for a moment. He could still recall the glances that were accompanying him earlier. Even the judgemental ones.

Ekaterina was a good comrade-in-arms. She was useful and had exquisite skills, for killing or healing. But sometimes she sounded like she didn’t realize yet they were at a war.

And although Sal had the gift of speaking, he didn’t know how to address any kind of honest compliment without sounding sarcastic or worse.

A storm raged on outside, with bells tolling and yelling. Salvadore got up immediately and took a look. It was at the right moment when a huge rock fell from above, some feet ahead, and smashed a poor recruit, splitting his bones and guts everywhere.

They were being attacked by gargoyles.

The general huffed and drawed his rapier, giving orders around. “The catapults!”

The artillery division rushed up. The creatures kept tossing stones over them, destroying everything that they could. When some of them dived into the camp, the infantry struck back, and some soldiers were caught, being trapped among the iron claws, only to be released from the sky helplessly like ragdolls.

Sal spotted one of those moments, and managed to save one his subordinates though, slashing the base of the demon's wing, making it shriek and releasing the soldier. The nearby crusaders seized the moment to destroy the gargoyle, while the general helped the stunned one to stand up.

“Thank you, general!” The lad's voice cracked.

“Keep moving, boy!” Salvadore tapped his shoulder.

The catapults were fired up with flammable ammunition. The counterattack disturbed the gargoyles' aerial formation, spreading them. That action would oblige them to land, and it didn’t take much time.

Salvadore maneuvered the troops to gather at the central point of the camp. If everybody was close to each other, the creatures would have almost no chances to catch someone by surprise.

But it was unforeseen again.

“Help me!” a crusader cried under a pile of scrumbles. 

“Please! Someone!”

Salvadore stopped. Whoever was stuck, he was found by Ember first. Soot was flying in circles, agitated, while the girl tried unsuccessfully to get rid of the crumbles over the buried one.

The general spotted a shadow growing up over the girl, and Soot's cawing became louder.

“Leave her, you filth!” He yelled and darted to Ember.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye: the shadow approaching, Salvadore’s bravado, Ember looking upon and freezing, Soot flying against the gargoyle… and a mighty ox appearing from nowhere, headbutting the creature's flank and dragging it feet away.

“Katya!” the girl shouted.

Ox and gargoyle tripped on each other and rolled on the ground. The stone demon stood up first and shrieked. The druid came back to her true form, feeling dizzy. She felt like she was underwater, with the muffled sounds around her.

The gargoyle reached her with its iron fists. Ekaterina was tossed against the remains of a tent. Her halo flickered, and she gasped with the pain. The aasimar tried to get up, but her body was too heavy to obey her.

She waited for the last blow, but it didn’t come. Actually, something distracted the creature and it turned its back to her. Soot landed by her side, and soon Ember arrived with watering eyes.

“Katya! Are you ok? Let me help you!”

She was exhausted. That attack caught many of them with low guard. But with the healing powers of the young witch, her reason and strength came back.

In the camp, they could hear cheering and celebration. The battle were won.

“Do you need help?”

Salvadore approached, observing her. Katya leaned her upper body on her elbows and nodded. The general took her hand and helped her. She noticed the gargoyle's body behind him. He slashed that demon enough to sculpter another shape. Sosiel would be surprised.

Salvadore sheath his weapon and stepped away, with nonchalanty air. They were alive and that was what mattered. No need to say thank you or…

“Arrigo.”

He glanced at the woman. She was hugging Ember from behind, resting her chin over the girl's head.

“Thank you.”

For a moment, his expression softened, and Sal nodded silently.

[crescentblossom66]

My ahit Ocs created for my fic 'Killing me gently

You wanted it, you got it! Here are all the Ocs I created for my first long fic, 'Killing me gently', most of those show up again in the sequel 'Blazing Bonds'

The Boss

A cold and calculated brown hawk in a suit that runs the assassination agency/ IT office, Inter Hawk Inc. A ruthless murderer who tolerates no failure, he has trained multiple young and abandoned birds (and one human) to become killers for hire. He's extremely agile and vicious. His cold, sharp gaze pierces everyone he looks at. No one knows his real name, so everyone just calls him the Boss.

First appearance: Killing me gently Prologue, Last appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 10

Lily

A middle aged, white dove with green eyes that acts as the cook of the cafeteria in Inter Hawk Inc. She kind of hates the working environment at her work and is a very tolerant person toward other species compared to her coworkers. She later works in Dead Bird Studio in the same profession.

First appearance: Killing me gently Prologue, Last appearance: Killing me gently Prologue

Dos

This entry contains spoilers for Killing me gently

Dos is the second best assassin in the agency, he wears a black cloak and a helmet at all times, he's friends with the main character of the story since he arrived in the agency around 6 years before story events. He's highly proficient with hand guns and rifles, but is not to be underestimated in hand to hand combat either.

Big Spoiler ahead

The real identity of Dos is actually Redd, Conductor's younger brother, who has a grudge on him for leaving his family many years ago. He has rust red feathers and looks near identical to his older sibling. He was formerly quite innocent and kind hearted, but whatever happened to him in those years between Conductor leaving and him joining the agency has turned him into a cold-blooded killer. He loved his family a lot and was very fond of the main character.

First appearance: Killing me gently Prologue, Last appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 10

Eddie

A fairly normal-looking barn owl. He's friends with Melody and John ever since he started working in Dead Bird Studio. I appears as quite easily frightened and meek, but he fights if his friends are in danger. He has a strong moral code, and hates to see people suffer.

Huge spoilers for Blazing Bonds!

His real identity is the half dweller-half owl Uno. the best assassin of the agency. He is a masterful actor and can shape shift his appearance to any alive being he wants. He really tries to hurt as few people as possible on his missions and is under the employment of Mathilda.

First appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 1, Last appearance: Blazing Bonds Epilogue

John

A great-horned owl, that sports dark brown, near black feathers, he has orange eyes and is quite muscular. He wears a cream colored flannel jacket with a beige undershirt and light brown trousers. Despite his rough appearance, he's quite docile and a great friend. He's level headed in most situations and rarely freaks out. He, like both Eddie and Melody, works for Conductor. He seemingly hates working for him, but he still cares about his boss. He is in love with Aurora, who works for DJ Grooves.

First appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 1, Last appearance: Blazing Bonds Epilogue

Melody

A snowy owl that works for the Conductor, a good friend of John and Eddie. She really likes dancing and would love to star in one of DJ Grooves' movies, but owls aren't allowed in them. The bird likes to make jokes and remarks that fluster her friends, all in good fun, of course. She cares deeply for John and Eddie and the main character and is pretty optimistic and goal driven. A red dress that harshly contrasts her green eyes is her favorite piece of clothing and she loves to wear it.

Spoilers for Blazing Bonds

In Blazing Bonds, Melody is the main character of the B-side story, a side story that focuses on her and the DJ as they face several problems during the filming of their movie. She tries her best to gain the trust of the penguins and help out wherever she can.

First appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 1, Last appearance: Blazing Bonds Epilogue

Aurora

A very sweet and kindhearted female penguin that works for DJ Grooves. One of his main actresses and popular among the Moon penguins. She's kind to everyone although she carries herself in a manner that would easily make her appear to be snobby. John has a crush on her that she's oblivious to.

First appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 3, Last appearance: Blazing Bonds Epilogue

Dave and Martin

Two Moon penguins that work for DJ Grooves. They wear the same attire as the other Moon penguins but are some of the view that like him as a boss and want the best for him, but don't outright worship him like the rest of the Moon penguin actors do. Dave is always a bit paranoid and quick to protect his boss and has an over dramatic side to him, Martin on the other hand ballances that out perfectly by always being calm and mostly unfazed by everything. For whatever reason, they're always, ALWAYS the ones that have to carry heavy props around to, and from the set. They secretly take pride in that though.

First appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 1, Last appearance: Blazing Bonds Epilogue

Linda

The Conductor's daughter, a very kind and intuitive bird who cares about her family more than anything else. Unfortunately, she's quite sick and thus has hardly any time to take care of her beloved kids, or speak much to her father.

First appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 4 part 2, Last appearance: Killing me gently Chapter 6

Gregory (Usually just called Greg)

The eldest of Conductor's grandkids, all of them are the born on the same day, but he hatched first. A smart and polite little bird who is interested in plants and enjoys reading. He cares greatly for his siblings and tries to make sure they don't get into trouble. He usually is seen wearing a brown west with a white shirt under it and matching brown pants. He is also the only one who doesn't like to wear hats.

Serena

The second born of the grandkids. She inherited her grandfather's competitive nature and temper. She can be rather snarky and mean even to her siblings, but she cares greatly for them. Despite wearing a white dress and a broad rim hat with a big, white rose on it, she can act quite tomboyish.

Chekov

Named by his grandfather, he is also the one the most like him, he wears the same cap, just smaller, a black t-shirt and black shorts. He is a troublemaker and enjoys pranking the Express Owls He is the leader of the five, always tries to be brave and strong. He admires his grandfather and wants to be just like him. He is the middle child.

Cameron

The fourth of the grandchildren, he is more introverted and calmer than his siblings and can be a little dumb sometimes. He has a kind heart though and enjoys cooking and drawing. He's actually quite skilled at drawing for his age. He usually wears a gray hoodie, a pair of slacks and a white beret.

Molly

The most amicable and wholesome grandkid, also the youngest. The owlet likes to give nicknames to everyone she meets. She is kind and a bit more childish than her siblings, but despite being more prone to weep, she is also strangely wise for her age and emotionally strong. She wears a pink t-shirt and a white pleated skirt and a straw boater.

First appearance for the grandkids: Killing me gently chapter 3, last appearance: Blazing Bonds Epilogue

[aquilaaqua]

Magical (Toqger & Ninninger)

  “I really don’t understand.”

  All eyes turned to Kasumi. Right tilted his head curiously. “What do you not understand?”

 “I don’t understand how Imagination can allow your trains to move as they can. From what I can see from the blueprints, they have engines like any other train but their movements are…freerer, like they can make twists and turns like no other trains can.”

  The other Ninninger exchanged glances. There goes Kasumi’s scientific mind looking for answers.

  The Toqgers had invited them to visit the Terminal and Kasumi jumped the chance to see the inner workings of the trains since she didn’t have the chance to before.

  Nagi gave a nervous chuckle. “Kasumi-nee is really into this.”

  Mio and Kagura exchanged glances while Tokatti pushed up his glasses thoughtfully. “Well, the trains run on the engines that move them, but the controls respond to our Imagination so they can make curves, hoover and go off-track if needed.”

  Kasumi’s brow furrowed deeper. “I still don’t understand it.”

  “Don’t fry your brain by thinking too hard.” Takaharu teased, throwing an arm around Right. “It’s not like it’s any different from how we pilot the Otomonin with our Nintality. Ne, Right?”

  “Yup.” Right nodded in agreement. “Our Imagination and your Nintality…It’s like they are magical to let us do so many things that we can only dream of!”

  The Ninningers gave their resident magician sly grins.” Magical, huh?”

  Said ninja became flustered. “That-! That’s not the same!”

  “We know, we know, Yaki.” Kinji grinned, patting his shoulder.

  “Let’s get on with the tour before Conductor yells at us for being slow.” Hikari spoke up.

  “Right then! I’m on fire!” Takaharu pumped his fist. His gesture was copied by Right.

  “Then let’s go! Full speed ahead!”

[astrxlfinale]

"Hello Caelus~" June knocked on the door to the room, awaiting in a peaceful bliss for him to open. She had such a nice surprise for him. The surprise being, unsurprisingly perhaps, her showing of her new swimsuit which left little to the imagination. How she got this far into the express without being spotted by anyone was a mystery. As the door opened she'd push up against him immediately.

"Finally~ I need some strong and trusted company to go with me to a beach trip, so I thought about one of the most handsome and beautiful trailblazer~" Of course March still held a warmer spot in her heart still.

An open invitation for fun in a warm sunny place, where the two could get to know each other more closely. Though her ulterior motives here were obvious with how she was practically pressing herself against him.

"What issit--" His voice hissed from behind the metallic border to his room. Once that door found itself creaked open, the naturally glaring eyes of the Trailblazer in question were in full view. Slightly groggy, that faraway gaze of his gradually gained clarity at the sight of pink in his hazed vision.

Blinking once, twice, three times. He was prepared to give an appropriate hello to March.

Except, in all of his grand expertise, once again did the pink haired women of months bamboozle him again. He should've known by the creamy shade of skin that found itself in abundance. (To his credit, he stares at people's faces instead of the form that carries them! Most times.) Reality began cracking itself like a cold egg at the sight of June 9th.

Not to mention, the glory of feminine curves found itself welcoming with warmth. For an instant, he's stunned like some rusted gate as his eyes peered lifeless towards the wall ahead of her. Yet this move was intentional as the goal was to not have reality spun on it's head. Life and times with June was an experience of battling the fervor filled urges of the body. "A journey... To the beach. And you got your outfit on in space?!" His voice inevitably squawked, only to abruptly quiet as the mere idea of anyone on this vessel hearing that mortified him.

It was mainly Pom-Pom. They can't run around seeing this! He's at least made Welt and Himeko give him enough concerned (borderline judging) expressions before! The Conductor could not fall into that count!

"Get in here already!" Comes the immediate demand, leading to those hot hands of his sweeping June into his room posthaste.

At the click of a door securing itself, a pressured hiss seethed from his lips as he shot an outright bewildered expression towards the buxom lady of abundance. That damn outfit was actually crying out from how much it was being stretched! Warning signs flared with the same vivid potency of his fluster. "And you couldn't of done-- Oh I dunno, a call!? That! Look! This isn't gonna end like that damn bathtub life guard scenario here! A beach day sounds great! But!"

Face her directly. He'd advance forth, caring little that his chest meshed up to her breasts as those golden eyes glared at her in challenge. (Ignore that his heart was beginning to race.)

"Right to the beach! And I swear if you have a damn wardrobe malfunction!"

@the-lytenye-realms

[immortalcoelacanth]

Conductor x Oblivious!Reader Oneshot: Is it Still Called a Ship if it Involves a Train?

My muse is all over the place and I have tons of ideas, my mind cannot contain them all and I don’t know how I wrote this. Also as a heads up I’ve been thinking about backing up my other reader oneshots on Tumblr on AO3 just in case something happens, so if you see them there don’t be surprised. 

Wordcount: 2791

Summary: The Conductor loved his train and wanted it in peak condition, that was why he visited the repair shop so much, and of course you were always the technician who checked everything, you specialized in trains after all! It only made sense!

Now, what didn’t make sense was how oblivious you were to his feelings. 

“The Conductor’s back?! Again?! I thought we just checked out the train last week! Everything was fine!” 

“Maybe he blew some of it up again? Like in that one movie?”

“I doubt it! He’s just train crazy!”

You let out a chuckle at the banter between your coworkers as you clicked away your computer, scanning through the active tickets and what needed to be done after. You worked in a repair shop for all sorts of vehicles. Most of the customers had cars that needed to be checked out, but some had more unusual modes of transportation. 

Like the Conductor and his train. 

He was one of the more… interesting customers you had interacted with. He was loud, very loud, and self-centered. 

Not that he was ever rude to any of your coworkers, or your boss, but you assumed this was because you were the ones responsible for keeping his train in tip top shape. 

Granted, the pool of people responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of his train had slowly dwindled until you were practically the only one checking it out. This was mainly due to the fact that you were the one on site who was the most knowledgeable about trains, they had been your passion since you were a child, and… 

Well, for some reason the Conductor always wanted you to be the one doing the work. 

You assumed this was for consistency’s sake, and the fact that it would make it far easier for him to get to know you as it was generally a good idea for a mechanic and their long term customer to have a good relationship, but he was surprisingly insistent about it even if there were long wait times. 

Fortunately he was never rude to your coworkers while he waited, nor did he insist on rushing anything. He just waited patiently for his turn and occasionally spoke to some other customers about his movies, being surprisingly polite when one of them mentioned not having seen them. 

Which was very out of character according to some of your coworkers, and speaking of them-

“Hey! You got Conductor’s ticket again?” The coworker nearest to you asked, their overalls stained with oil and grime, as were their feathers. “Since he’s just gonna bug us until we ask you to…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll cover it!” You quickly nodded while walking over to them. “Do you know what he’s coming in about?” “I dunno, something about his train sounding weird earlier.” They shrugged. “According to the boss he didn’t sound super worried or anything, but he insisted on coming in later today.”

“CAW!” You both jumped at the sudden noise and spun around, facing the newest arrival of the slowly forming group. Towering above the both of you was yet another coworker.

Or, perhaps croworker would be a more accurate title to call her by. 

She crossed her wings and glared down at you. “Are you the reason why he’s back, again?! I thought you fixed everything the last time he was here!”

“I did!” You insisted, taking a step back and raising your hands defensively. “Everything was fine when he left, and I didn’t see any problems other than cosmetic damage in the first place!”

The occasional bump and scrap was much better than the broken up and busted train that had been brought in one day, the Conductor sheepishly scratching the back of his head as he briefly mentioned something about a filming incident. 

You had cried true, honest tears upon seeing all that damage. That poor, poor train. 

The Crow stared at you for a moment longer before leaning down and asking a rather strange question. “Did you say yes or no then?”

“... To what?” You countered, extremely confused. Your confusion grew when she threw her wings up into the air and stomped off, yelling something about dense bird brains.

“I wonder what’s up with her?” Your other coworker mused, and you offered them a weak shrug before getting back to work. 

Hours passed and eventually the train engine belonging to the Conductor appeared in the front of the shop. Already, you could hear the mumblings and grumbling of the train being immaculate, and it was fine before, followed by a why is he here?

Even your boss seemed to be a bit annoyed at the Conductor’s insistence on getting the train looked over, and probably would have scolded the bird if it were not for how much money the shop made off of him. 

It was a lot of money. 

You were snapped out of your musings when you heard that accented voice grow louder, indicating that he was getting closer. You quickly dusted off your overalls, smiled that signature, customer service smile, and made your way towards the source of the shop’s annoyance. 

And then there he was. 

The Conductor. 

There was no mistaking his short stature and the brightness of his feathers. Although, something that was quite unusual was the bag he was carrying with him, the plastic giving away nothing about what item might be contained inside. He was looking around the shop, trying to find something from the look of it, but the moment his gaze landed on you-

“There yer are!” He called out, waving eagerly as he practically ran over to see you. You instinctively smiled and waved back. 

It was good to be polite to customers, especially someone who spent as much money as the Conductor, but you also enjoyed your talks with him. Watching him ramble about his train and his experiences driving it were always fun, and you had learned that he was a magnificent storyteller. 

You missed the way one of your coworkers elbowed the other while quietly whispering something to get, getting a laugh out of the one they had spoken to. 

“Hello, Conductor!” You cheerfully greeted, smile immediately growing more genuine at the thought of being able to chat with him once again. “So, what’s going on with the train?”

“Well, erm… me train started soundin’ a bit… off.” He explained, sounding strangely nervous as he discussed what the problem was. “Can yer check the engine?”

“So you think the sounds were coming from the engine? Not the wheels?” You pressed, leaning forward as your eyes narrowed in concern. “Did you do anything to the train? Any… intense activities?”

Did you blow up your train again?

“N-Nae!” He quickly objected, quickly shaking his head. “Nothin’ like that! Just strange sounds. Can... can yer help?”

“I can take a look and tell you what I find.” You said, getting a toothy grin out of the Conductor. 

“Yer an angel.” The bird sighed, sounding quite relieved at your offer. “If yer’d like ta know more-”

“Of course I would!” You immediately replied as you made your way over to the train. “You and I need to have a long chat about what you’re worried about, and I’ll keep you updated on the status of the train. I’m assuming you’ll be waiting here?”

“Aye!” The Conductor was quick to nod, secretly happy to be able to spend more time with you.

You were definitely the best part about visiting this shop. Your personality was so bubbly and warm, but you also were not afraid to put rude customers in their place as he had seen you do on multiple occasions. You were smart and confident, yet you were also very humble and compassionate. 

Far more compassionate than he was, and he knew this. He knew how rude he could be at times, the Receptionist had scolded him on multiple occasions about his behavior, but… 

Every reason that caused him to act the way he did, his inner insecurities and worries and fears that bubbled up and filled his mind to the brim with their screaming seemed to fade whenever he was around you. 

You and your questions about his movies and his train, about the stories that he had memorized to tell his grandchildren over and over again. He knew he would get mocked if he ever voiced such feelings, so he always kept them hidden and to himself. 

Although, his feelings were not quite as hidden as he had hoped for since it seemed as though most of the workers in the repair shop had figured out why he was so insistent on you being the one to look over his train. That, and the smug looks some of them sent his way.

Especially that one Crow…

He was shaken out of his thoughts when he noticed you making your way over to the train, and he quickly rushed over to join you, the bag on his arm swaying. That’s right, he still needed to give you that, too. 

But first, train inspection. 

Together, you both climbed up the side of the train, with you taking a moment to make sure the Conductor was still following you, before making your way inside. You were unable to stop the impressed noise from escaping you as you took in the interior of the train engine, all the high tech glowing buttons and levers covering the main console. It was so easy to imagine how amazing it must feel to drive this train, the sheer amount of power and speed.

It left you breathless. 

… But, the interior was as spotless as it had been the last time you had seen it. Granted, you had not thoroughly checked anything yet, but the sheer amount of light reflecting off of the metallic surfaces, and the general lack of dirt and grime led you to believe that the problem was not here. 

And your hypothesis was proven soon enough as, after spending nearly an hour looking over all the intricate mechanisms, and chatting with the Conductor, you did not find anything that was damaged or showed signs of potentially causing problems. 

You let out a concerned hum and looked at the Conductor, not really registering how some of his feathers took on a more reddish hue, nor how he seemed to anxiously mess with his suit. Without a word, you made your way out of the train and moved to inspect the massive wheels, assuming that the problem might be there.

Nope.

Nada.

Nothing.

“There… there isn’t anything I can see wrong.” You slowly concluded as you backed away from the train. “No breaks, no other forms of damage, no malfunctioning parts, nothing.”

“Aye? Erm, well, perhaps yer should take yer time? Try not to rush and give yerself a break-” The Conductor rambled as you practically glared at the train, as if trying to force it to give up all its secrets. 

Where, where could that problem be?

You crossed your arms as you contemplated how to best solve this problem. The engine was… fine. Nothing seemed to be out of place or broken, nor were there any leaks or other signs of potential sources of problems. It was downright immaculate, what you had come to expect from the Conductor, but you knew you would not rest until you figured out what the problem was. 

It was a source of pride for you, how thorough your work was, and it helped that your boss rewarded you for your efforts. Not knowing whether the train was actually fine or not would… nag at you. 

Immensely. 

Although, given the fact that the train was stationary and the Conductor claimed to have heard those strange noises when he had been driving it, it was possible that the problem would not show itself unless the train was moving. Something that might be caused by stress, or even a poorly connected section of the tracks. 

You clapped your hands together as you came up with an idea. Yes! That would work perfectly! Excitement filling you at the prospect of your plan, you turned to the Conductor and spoke. 

“Can you give me a ride?”

The reactions to your question were… varied, to say the least. 

You heard one of your coworkers break down laughing hard enough to the point where they started coughing, you heard what sounded like someone facepalming hard enough to leave a mark, and as for the Conductor-

He squawked, loudly. 

The feathers on his face took on a more reddish hue, especially around his cheeks and forehead, and his maw hung open in what you assumed to be surprise. The feathers on the side of his head also seemed to have fluffed up at some point. It made him look…

Cute. 

“I might be able to find the problem if I’m with you when the train is moving.” You explained, watching as the red flush faded from the Conductor’s feathers. “So, would it be okay if I joined you on your next train ride?”

“Erm-course!” The Conductor quickly replied, still strangely flustered. “When… when should I pick yer up, then?”

“Hmm…” 

Obviously you needed to conform to his schedule since you had a feeling his days were pretty busy between running his train and filming movies, plus you were certain you could haggle your boss into covering how many hours you were there for.

“How about I spend the day with you?” You suggested. “That way I have plenty of time to check out the train without interrupting your schedule. Does that sound good?”

“Yer… yer be wantin’ ta spend the whole day…?” The feathers around the Conductor’s face started taking on that reddish hue once again. “From sunrise ta sunset?” 

“For as long as you’ll have me!” You answered with a nod. “And you can tell me to leave if I start bothering you.”

“Nae! Nae! That won’t be a problem!” The Conductor quickly objected as he flailed his feathery hands. “Yer can spend as long as yer want on… me train-”

Wow, I wonder why his voice cracked like that…

“Alright, it’s a date, then!” Once again you were oblivious to how his face flushed as he replied with his own, eager nod. Instead all you could think of was how wonderful it would be to ride a train across the tracks, see the sights and feel that wonderful breeze. 

“Ah, and I got yer somethin’ as thanks fer keepin’ me train in top shape.” The Conductor added as he reached into the plastic bag from earlier and pulled out a small cactus. 

“I remember yer mentionin’ that yer liked deserts, so-” He started to explain before he was cut off by you quickly picking up the cactus to inspect it. 

“I love it, and that’s so sweet!” The cactus was so tiny and round and just… looked adorable! You smiled brightly at the Conductor and instinctively reached out to hug him. “Thank you!” 

His suit felt surprisingly soft and warm as you wrapped an arm around him for the hug, careful to keep the cactus away so neither of you got accidentally pricked. His feathers were pretty soft, too, and you just barely managed to restrain yourself from impulsively running a hand through them. 

“Yer… yer welcome.” He mumbled, still blushing furiously. 

“I need to find somewhere safe to put this so it doesn’t break. Oh! I also need to find a good spot to put it when I get home, or maybe I can keep it here and it can be our little mascot!” You rambled as you made your way over to the staff room, too distracted to remember to say goodbye to the flustered bird. 

The Conductor just stood there, maw open in surprise at the fact that you had hugged him.

Oh god, you hugged him. You actually hugged him. 

He was dazed, stunned, and frozen on the spot as the memory of you hugging him replayed itself over and over in his mind. How warm you were, how bright your smile was. 

It was nice to see you smile, see you so cheerful and happy. 

He wanted to see that smile again. 

As the Conductor stood in place, too surprised to move, the operations of the repair shop slowly resumed. Technicians and mechanics got back to their assigned vehicles, and even the music that had been quietly playing in the background increased in volume. Of course, this also meant that conversations resumed, including ones focused on the interaction that had just taken place. 

“So,” The Crow began, leaning down towards one of her coworkers and whispering to them. “Are we shipping them, or do we call it something else since there’s a train?”

The resulting laughter could easily be heard by you in the staff room, leaving you confused as to what they were laughing at, and somewhat concerned as to what might have happened. 

Oh well, you had to get ready for your date tomorrow with the Conductor anyways.                                     xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maybe I'll write a follow up to this, maybe not~

I hope you all enjoyed reading!

- ImmortalCoelacanth

[ramp-it-up]

Baby

Pairing: Daveed Diggs x Reader

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings: Minors DNI, Wordsmith Daveed, descriptions of masturbation, references to breath play, manual sex, explicit laguage, oral sex (male receiving), love fluff. All errors my own.

A/N: This an ask from the 100 smut prompts ask list. What have I done? Smut level building with each story and y’all don’t even know.

BTW: This is in the Acceptance/Valentine’s Daveed AU. Short Stack x D.

You were so nervous that you surprised yourself.

It had only been 10 days since you’d seen him after three weeks of getting reacquainted and all the mind blowing sex on the regular.

You’d told yourself, and him, that you wanted to take it slow this time, but you weren’t prepared for him leaving.

You tried to go to sleep right after you got home from the second show on Sunday night because you wanted to get up early to pick up Daveed from the red eye Monday morning.

Your mind would not quit spinning, though, and you’d slept very lightly.

You hopped out of bed at 5 am, hyped to see your Daveed again. You decided to park and wait inside the baggage claim area.

You felt like a teenager when you saw D’s text come through that he’d landed. You texted back a cool, “K,” then freaked the fuck out. 

Who were you? Certainly not the one who’d left Daveed and pretended he didn’t exist for a year. 

Well, you’d tried it.

You watched as the crowds from the planes came down to baggage claim. You saw Daveed’s Oakland hat and curls above most of the rest of the passengers.

The rest of the crowd faded from focus as your eyes were riveted to Daveed. He had the biggest smile on his face. He looked so unreal. And so fucking good.

You felt the heat rise to your face. You were sprung, dickmatized, ruined.  You felt hot, cold, emotional and about to cry.

Shit.

You were in love.

---

Daveed had spotted you before you spotted him. 

He had that eagle eye for you. You were sitting down scrolling on your phone, your legs crossed. 

Damn, those legs tho. Even though you were short, those legs went on forever to a succulent promised land that he hoped to visit real soon.  

He licked his lips and recalled what you tasted like. 10 days was too long.

You stood up and searched the crowd. Your eyes locked and he could see that you were flustered. 

You hadn’t said you loved him back since you got back together, but he was almost certain. You wanted the same thing he did. He smiled as he came after you.

----

You felt like you couldn't move as you stared at Daveed. He finally reached you and dropped his bags on the floor. 

He didn't say a word, but bent down, wrapped his arms around your waist, picked you up, and kissed you, hard. 

You took off his hat, fisted his hair and groaned through the kiss. You had to get out of there.

"I missed the hell outta you," he told you when he finally put you down. 

He smiled down at your upturned face, took his hat out of your hand and smashed down your nice fluffy curls with it. 

You pouted, only pretending to be mad.

"Funny, I was just thinking the same about you. I missed you too, Diggs." You were so happy he was back.

"Finally! You admit you missed me. Maybe you really do like me and are not just using me for my body!" He laughed at you. "Not that I care at this moment."

"Yeah, I like you. And I will take you up on that usage agreement." 

You leaned up to kiss him again before leading him out to the parking lot.

“Your place?”

It wasn’t even really a question since he let go the place he had been renting. It didn’t make sense for him to stay somewhere else.

You couldn’t even front as you nodded eagerly. He rewarded you with another smile, then looked at you and bit his lip as you stood outside your car.

You cocked your head at him, mesmerized. Your body was feening for his. 

"You wanna drive?" Your voice was husky and full of desire.

Daveed put his lips close to your ear. You shivered. 

"Hell yeah, but I want you to get us there. I wanna look at you."

 He opened the driver's side door for you.

You stared for a minute and climbed in. Daveed looked at you in the driver's seat, leaned over and kissed your lips softly and let his hand travel down your body from your neck to your thighs. 

Damn, he thought as he shook his head and went around to the passenger seat. I'm this close to the promised land! He was excited but cool.

You tried to collect your thoughts but your brain was short circuiting with him so close and his spicy coconut scent filling your nostrils.

Daveed sat in the passenger seat, looked at you and put his infamous left hand on you. He was tracing patterns on your leg.

The sensation traveled to your core, the fabric of your leggings somehow a sensual conductor. 

“Tell me this. Did you touch yourself when I was gone?”

“W-what do you mean?” 

Daveed caught the stutter, and smiled, but he kept his eyes down as his hand moved up higher, stopping the tracing and now clasping the expanse of your thigh and squeezing just a bit, long fingers embedded between your lush legs.

“You know what I mean. I mean did you finger your pussy, circle your clit after licking your fingers and then pulling them out to taste them again?” 

His eyes held yours now. You couldn’t breathe.

“I mean, did you shove your fingers inside you as deep as you could and then did you curl them until you hit that special spot while still pressing your button?”

You gasped for breath and Daveed’s eyes went to your lips and tongue. He leaned forward to kiss you, but stopped himself with a small moan.

“Did you play in your sopping wet slit and let your fingers slip down to feel your other hole, accidentally of course, until you were sliding over the sheets in your own wetness?”

He was leaning toward you now, looking into your eyes as if he really wanted to know.

“Because that’s all I’ve wanted to do for 10 gotdamn days.”

And then he took your mouth, supple lips covering yours and tongue making you remember it’s past transgressions.

"You're trying to get me to fuck in this airport parking lot aren't you?"  

You could only say it after you caught your breath. You were actually trembling in this man's arms. Damn.

"Now why would you want to do that?" 

Daveed asked his question as he moved his hand up your face into your hair and gave a gentle but firm tug, making you gasp again and getting him harder than he already was. 

You moaned. "You know why...."

He loved to hear you struggle and made a mental note to show you more about breath play at your place.  

He forced your head back and marked your neck, turning places your skin a deep purple. So beautiful. Damn, he wanted to do demented things to you right now. 

“Fuck, Daveed. No marks!” 

He knew why you were protesting and it irritated him. He pulled your hair again. 

“That’s what the fuck makeup artists are for.”

He practically growled. That and his full beard made you ready to go right now.

His hand moved down your neck to your collarbone tracing it over to your chest and there it rested for a minute, his thumb caressing your nipple through the fabric of your hoodie. 

Which was really his hoodie.

Daveed moved his hand underneath, squeezing your breast gently in his hand.

 "No, I don’t know why..." He wanted to hear you.

"Because you are making me so fucking wet, that's why." 

Your needy whine threatened to take him out right then.  

"Word? That's what's up. Let me see.”  

Daveed raised his eyebrow at you.

You were past the point of denying him anything at this moment.

"Y-yes. Please." 

That was the green light.

He trailed his hand down your stomach to the waistband of your leggings. He slipped his hand in, his long fingers caressing your pearl. He could feel it swell right away. 

"Jesus!" 

He couldn't stand it. 

"You are wet.”

He plunged two fingers in your goodness and could feel your body grip them. 

"Damn, how are you so tight.!?!" 

He started pumping in and out of you, doing what he’d described earlier. He needed to be inside you, and soon.

"The dancing....always... keeps ....the core ....tight.... Oh...My....Damn..." 

Your eyes were closed as you felt your body quicken. Daveed leaned over, pulled the hoodie up and gently bit your nipple, playing with it with his tongue while it was still trapped between his teeth.

He could feel you start to pound around his fingers. 

As you started to moan, Daveed covered your mouth with his. You came on the palm of his hand. D was as hard as a rock and leaking in his jeans.

He watched as you came, wanting to bust himself. He had to do something.

"Are you sure you can drive?" He asked with an evil grin. "I think you should go ahead and get into the passenger seat so I can."

You opened your eyes and looked at him, confused.

"Just climb over me and I’ll shift into the driver's seat."

Your heart skipped a beat as you shifted up and over the car’s gear shift and onto Daveed’s own.

You came down relatively hard on his lap and he groaned. 

"Are you gonna drive?" You leaned forward and whispered in his ear. 

Daveed was gripping your ass while you rode him. He couldn’t speak.

"Let me get you off.... so you can move." 

You got on your knees on the floorboard of the car in front of him. You watched him watch you as you unzipped his pants and uncover the throbbing mass.

You smiled and kissed it lightly. 

"I've missed you." 

You looked up at him. “What do you want me to do?"

Daveed just stared at you, put his fingers in his mouth, and pulled them out slowly. He closed his eyes as he tasted you. You grinned and went to work. 

You licked his tip as you gently squeezed his balls. Then, you lowered your wet mouth around him, causing him to piston his hips up toward your face. 

You took his cock down your throat and moaned. 

“Damn, I’ve missed the sight of you letting me fuck your face. Such a good, good, good, good girl.”

He trusted into your mouth with every good and the praise made you want to live up to your title. You took what he gave you. And gladly.

After he came, and you swallowed, he looked around. 

"Let's get out of here before we get arrested."

You laughed and kissed him as you shifted around and he got in the driver's seat and fixed his clothing. 

You adjusted yourself as well. Satisfied for the moment, but anticipating more to come. 

He smirked at you as he put the car into gear. You dozed slightly as he drove back to the city, finally relaxed enough to rest.

As he pulled into your space in the parking garage, he gently shook you awake.

“As much as I want to I can’t carry you and my bags upstairs.”

You smiled and stretched, Daveed watching appreciatively.

“My big strong Baby. You can do anything.”

You took his face in your hands and kissed his forehead, nose and lips.

“Baby?”  Daveed’s eyes glowed as he grinned at you. “I’m ‘Baby’ now?” 

Your stomach and back were fluttering like crazy. But you sucked it up and smiled back at him. It was time out for games.

“Yeah, as in Baby, bring me something to eat? Baby, are you really playing that game right now? Baby, I need that dick.” 

You looked down and back up at him. “And as in, Baby, I missed you and I love you. So much.”

Daveed’s smile got bigger, impossibly so, and he kissed you back lightly.

“You know I love you too. Short Stack.”  He got serious for a minute. “I promise you I wont hurt you…”

You silenced him with a kiss. “Let’s just keep moving.  No take backs, no regrets.” Another kiss. “Now let’s get upstairs.”

Daveed agreed, and you got out and Daveed gathered his bags.  On the elevator ride up, Daveed held you in front of him, his arm wrapped around your ribcage as you leaned back against him.

You could feel his erection get bigger the higher you climbed.  Him nuzzling your neck almost made you forget that he probably was exhausted and hungry.

“Hmmmm. Baby? You hungry?” 

You smiled down at the elevator floor, anticipating his answer. He didn't reply, just walking out of elevator as the doors opened on your floor.

When you got inside and his bags discarded, he finally answered you. Walking toward the bedroom.

“I’m starving Short Stack. I need to eat. Come sit on my face, let me show you how much I missed you."

You practically skipped into the bedroom behind him.

---- 

Tagging: @sillyteecup @ohsoverykeri  @theselilwonders @theatrenerd86 @sebastianabucknettastan @imatyoursurrvicesurr @riiyy @ivycomet @lonelydance @jbrizzywrites @curtainremote @biafbunny @summerofsnowflakes @honeysucklechocolatedrippin @peaches-and-mangoes @delaber @wreakhavoconmacroissantdiggs @einfachniemand

[yellowsuitcase]

Snowy Dances // Draco Malfoy

Request (from wattpad) - Could you write one where the reader is a half-blood Ravenclaw and is going going meet Draco's parents, then, Draco proposes to marry the reader and Lucius and Narcissa approved? Thanks, I love your stories!

A/N: Omg I did NOT expect this to be so long. I literally just started writing and couldn’t stop. I’m absolutely in love with this imagine, I think it’s one of my favorites that I’ve written. I really hope you enjoy it!

Summary: Draco takes Y/N to meet his parents for the first time and proposes to her. So much fluff.

Waring(s): Mentions of death

Word Count: 4.2k

Draco examined the little black box in his hand. Today was the day he was going to ask his girlfriend to marry him. He pocketed the ring box and called out to her, “Are you ready, love?” from their downstairs kitchen. He and Y/N had been dating since their fifth year at Hogwarts. They’d bought a little cottage in Godric’s Hollow. They'd been living there since 1999, a year after the Battle of Hogwarts had ended. It was now 2003, and Draco thought it was about time for Y/N to meet his parents. The half-blood Ravenclaw, however, thought otherwise.

“Not quite,” he heard her yell from her upstairs bathroom. Draco sighed and put down his cup of pumpkin juice, a beverage he’d always been fond of from his time at Hogwarts, and began walking up the stairs. When he reached the top, he cautiously walked to the bathroom door and knocked. “May I come in?” he asked. A few moments later, the door opened to reveal Y/N. She was wearing a velvet blue floor-length dress. Draco thought she looked stunning, but before he could tell her so, she spoke up.

“I just need a few more minutes; my hair isn’t cooperating,” she said softly. It seemed as though she was having a hard time pinning her hair to the back of her head. This was a hairstyle Draco had seen Y/N pull off many times, so he knew that she was biding her time by pretending to have trouble with it. He watched as she got more and more flustered as she reached behind her skull and weaved the pin through her locks. Draco gently took her hands in his and swiftly took the hairpin from her grasp and slipped it into his. Y/N let out a sigh and watched in the mirror as Draco lovingly took some pieces of her hair and tucked it underneath the pin, then clasped it with a snap. 

He met her eyes in the mirror. “You’ve been stalling,” he said. She averted her eyes, giving Draco more evidence that he was correct. “There’s nothing to be worried about; they’ll love you,” he assured her while stroking the back of her neck. He could feel the tension in her shoulders begin to fade as he did this.

“But what if they don’t? You’ve said a million times how much they value blood status, and my mother was a muggle. Surely they already have reservations about me,” Y/N said. She knew that when Draco had written to his parents, he’d told them she was a half-blood. 

“My parents may have their beliefs, but they also are aware that I am an adult who can make his own choices. And if I choose to be with a half-blood, then they’ll just have to accept it. And even if they don’t, it’s not going to change anything, alright?” Draco asked as he grasped Y/N’s shoulders and turned her around to face him. “I need you to understand that no matter what anyone says, whether it be my parents or a stranger on the street, nothing will change the fact that I love you,” he said. His eyes never left his lover’s. A blush crept up her neck and onto her cheeks. His words made her heart squeeze. 

“I love you too,” she said softly. Draco smiled and pressed a kiss to her temple. 

“Ready to go now?” he asked. Y/N inhaled deeply, willing the butterflies in her stomach to fly away. She nodded as a determined look emerged on her face. “That’s my girl,” Draco mused. “Now, shall we apparate to my childhood home?”

Y/N bit her lip and rocked back and forth on her heels. Draco raised an eyebrow, questioning what was going on in his woman’s head. She looked up at him, and he could see the look of mischief in her eyes. “Well, I was hoping we could take the bus,” Y/N said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“The bus? As in the muggle bus?” Draco asked. He was visibly puzzled as to why she’d want to ride the bus all the way to his family’s manor. It would take a good four hours to get there that way.

“No, silly. The Knight Bus. I haven’t ridden it since I was sixteen, and I thought it’d be fun,” she said sweetly. But the sparkle in her eyes began to fade when she saw Draco’s apprehensive expression. She lowered her head and mumbled, “We don’t have to, though; I’ve probably made us late already.” 

Draco’s hand found her chin and tilted it upwards. “I’m sure my parents will live even if we’re a few minutes late,” he said. Y/N’s face lit up at his words, and she grabbed his hand. Before he could process what was happening, he was being dragged down the steps and through their front door. He hardly got the chance to lock it since Y/N was yanking on his arm, eager to hail the bus. 

When they got to the sidewalk outside their home, Y/N immediately raised her wand hand to summon the bus. It came barreling down the street and then to a screeching halt in front of the couple. A thin man greeted them with a smile and said, “Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this afternoon.”

Y/N flashed Draco a smile and ran up to the stairs of the bus. She ran inside the bus while Draco passed Stan a galleon and five sickles to pay for the both of them. Stan took them and pocketed the coins into his breast pocket. Draco didn’t miss the disgruntled look Stan had given him, but he didn’t care. The only thing his mind was focused on was Y/N, and the night ahead of them. 

When Draco entered the bus, he saw his lover settling into a cozy armchair at the back of the bus. The day was still young; thus, the beds were nowhere to be found. Draco took a seat in the blue chair next to Y/N’s green one. Once his bottom touched the cushion, the bus propelled forward at a ridiculous speed. Draco felt like he might puke. Meanwhile, Y/N looked like a first-year student in Honeydukes. 

“Where are you two headed to?” Stan asked.

Y/N noticed her boyfriend’s face turning green, so she spoke up. “Malfoy Manor,” she said. Stan raised an eyebrow, and suddenly, Y/N realized her mistake. Malfoy was a well-known surname, and not for good reasons. She felt the eyes of other passengers turn to her and her boyfriend. Her hand found Draco’s; she clenched it tightly and silently prayed that they wouldn’t be kicked off the bus. Draco saw the look on Y/N’s face and was filled with anger. He knew that because of him, she was now scared. His family name was powerful, yes, but in all the wrong ways. And now it was causing problems, something it seemed to do quite often nowadays. 

Draco lifted her hand to his lips, where he planted a tender kiss. He lowered her hand but began to stroke the top of it with his thumb, hoping to soothe his girlfriend’s anxiety. She gave him a sheepish smile. “Maybe we shouldn’t have taken the bus,” she said softly. Draco’s heart sunk. He felt so guilty. Today was supposed to be a good day, the best day. It was going to be the beginning of the rest of their lives, and he’d be damned if he let his past ruin it. 

“Hey, look at me,” he said. Y/N removed her eyes from the floor. “They don’t matter. We have every right to ride the bus as they do, alright? Don’t let them get in your pretty little head.” Y/N couldn’t fight the smile that was creeping onto her face. She nodded and reached forward to give her man a kiss. He welcomed it with open arms. 

Suddenly, the bus took a sharp turn. It made Draco’s chair slide to the left and bump into Y/N’s, causing her to giggle. “What’re you giggling about?” Draco asked bemusedly. Y/N continued to laugh before answering.

“It’s bumper chairs,” she stated plainly as if it was apparent. 

Draco raised an eyebrow. “Bumper chairs?”

“Well, in the muggle world, we have an activity called bumper cars. It’s a fun little game that they have at carnivals and fairs, and what it is is you sit in these little buggies and drive them around and try to crash them into other people. It can get really competitive, but it’s a breeding ground for laughter. My mother and I would always take a spin in them before leaving the fairgrounds,” Y/N mused, her voice growing sad at the thought of her late mother. 

“That does sound quite fun; we’ll have to try it one day,” he said. He really did wish to try this muggle activity. 

Y/N smiled at him. “She would’ve loved you, my mother. I wish she could’ve met you.”

Draco frowned at her words. He knew Y/N’s mother had been a significant person in her life. He was with her when she’d gotten the news of her passing. He remembered sitting in front of the fireplace that night. She had stayed curled up in his arms, sobbing the night away. By the look on Y/N’s face, she remembered the memory as well. 

“I wish I could’ve had the pleasure of meeting her as well. She must’ve been an extraordinary woman considering she made you,” he said comfortingly. Y/N let out a chuckle. “She was. But I’m sure your mother is equally as lovely, considering she made you.” 

Draco laughed, “I see what you did there, you sly dog. But yes, she’s lovely, and she’s going to adore you. I can feel it.”

Y/N grimaced. “You sure?”

“I’m certain. I’m beyond excited,” Draco assured her. Just then, the bus came to a halt, which launched the pair off their chairs and onto the floor. “Malfoy Manor!” Stan called. Y/N and Draco turned their heads to look at each other. They burst into laughter as they clambered to their feet. Ignoring the stares from fellow passengers, they hopped off the bus, but not before giving their thanks to the driver and Stan. 

Once they set foot on the road, the bus zoomed away in a flash, leaving the couple alone in the street. Y/N’s anxiety had already returned; Draco could sense it. “Just breathe, darling. They’ll like you.”

They began walking down the long concrete pathway to the front door. “But what if they don’t?” Y/N asked, her eyebrows furrowed with uneasiness. “You’re the wittiest woman I know, not to mention your creativity and fast thinking. You’ll know exactly what to say to charm the hell out of them. Believe in yourself like I believe in you,” Draco said encouragingly. 

Y/N let out a big breath and nodded. Draco grasped her hand and led her up to the tall black doors. “Whenever you’re ready, love,” he said while reaching his other hand into his pocket to make sure the ring was still there. It was. Y/N held her breath and raised her fist to the firm wood. She rested her knuckles on it for just a moment and then knocked twice. “Oh god,” she mumbled. Draco squeezed her hand. Then the door opened. Lucius Malfoy had his hand on the doorknob, his wife, Narcissa, stood behind him. She was clothed in a luxurious black dress, silver decals lined the collar. Lucius wore a long-sleeved leather suit paired with a long black robe. They looked like the definition of intimidating.

“Draco. Welcome home,” Lucius said as he opened the door wider and motioned for the two of them to come inside. Draco squeezed Y/N’s hand again and led them through the doorway. “This must be Y/N, of whom you’ve told us so much about,” Narcissa said calmly. Draco looked at Y/N, urging her to speak. Fear swirled in Y/N’s stomach, but she pushed past it and said, “Yes, that’s me. It’s so good to meet you at last. You’ve raised a wonderful son.”

Narcissa smiled softly and glanced at her husband, who had a smug look on his face. “Well, I should hope so. He was quite a handful as a boy. Frankly, he still is a handful,” Lucius said. Narcissa lightly patted her husband's arm as if to scold him, but it was apparent she had little to no say over his actions. “I couldn’t have been that bad. Right, mother?” Draco asked. Narcissa smiled at him and reached up to caress his cheek. 

“You were quite the young boy, but you’ve grown into such a handsome young man. It’s been too long since we’ve last seen you. Why did you never visit sooner?” she asked her son. Draco inhaled sharply and looked at Y/N briefly. He went to reply but was interrupted by his mother saying, “Let’s have a seat, and you can tell us all about what you’ve been up to these past years.” The couple nodded and followed the Malfoys to their grand dining room. Y/N felt the air turn cold as they entered. Luckily, Draco’s parents led them through that room and into a living room. Black leather couches surrounded a massive white marble fireplace. Narcissa and Lucius took a seat, as did Draco and Y/N. Once they’d all gotten comfortable, Draco began to speak. 

“Well, these last four years in Godric’s Hollow have been really nice. We’ve spent a lot of time traveling. I think I sent you both an owl with a photo of us in America. We visited amusement parks, skyscrapers, and we even stayed in a little beach house.”

Y/N cut in to comment on their travels. “We also visited Asia. Japan was incredible; we got to ride flying carpets! It was so different from brooms; you felt as if you would fall off at any moment,” she laughed. Draco snickered along with her. “I almost did fall off,” he stated. Y/N’s laughter grew, “Oh my gosh, you did. I’d forgotten all about that.” The couple kept laughing and failed to notice the fond expressions on Lucius and Narcissa’s faces. 

“Sounds like you’ve had quite an eventful time together,” Narcissa mused. Y/N turned away from Draco to look at his mother. “Oh, yes, we’ve had the most wonderful trips. I’m glad I’ve had him by my side all these years,” she said fondly. Draco smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “And I, you,” he said. They were caught off guard by Lucius’s question.

“So you’re in love then? With a half-blood?”

Y/N’s heart sank. This was what she was afraid of. She wouldn’t be able to look at Draco the same if his parents disapproved of her, and Lucius’s brutally unfiltered question made her panic. Draco puffed up his chest and looked into his father’s eyes. “Yes, father, I am. I love Y/N so much, in fact…” he trailed off as he got to his feet and reached into his pocket. Y/N looked up at him in confusion and apprehension. And then he lowered his knee and held up a little black box. Slowly, he opened it to reveal a ring. Y/N felt tears spring to her eyes. 

Draco’s heart was pounding against his ribcage, sending pulses of anxiety through his entire body. He’d been planning this proposal for months, even though he knew he wanted to marry Y/N since the first time he saw her. He still remembered that moment. It was during their fifth year at Hogwarts. Draco had just left potions class and was walking past the courtyard when he saw a Ravenclaw tie on the ground. He didn’t bother picking it up but still lifted his head to look around for who might’ve lost it. And then he saw her. She was standing in the middle of the courtyard, arms outstretched and mouth open wide for snowflakes to fall into. It was as if time had stopped ticking when he laid his eyes on her. She was so effortlessly beautiful. Ethereal, almost. Her laughs echoed through the courtyard as she twirled and twirled. 

Draco knew he had to talk to her, so he reached down to pick up the tie. When he had it in his grasp, he began walking towards the girl. He called out to her, “Did you drop this?” 

She turned towards him. Her eyes flickered to her tie in his hand. “Yes,” she replied plainly. Draco was at a loss for words. He’d been expecting a bit more words than just one. 

“Uhm, would you like it back?” he asked. 

She shook her head. “That’s alright. I knew it was there.” 

Again, Draco didn’t know what to say. Why wouldn’t she want her tie back? “So you don’t want it?” he asked once more. 

“No, thank you. You can leave it where you found it,” she said softly. “Would you like to spin with me?” she asked. Her big doe eyes gazed at the blonde boy who was positively puzzled by the girl in front of him. 

“Spin with you?” Draco asked. The girl nodded and smiled. “Yes, spin with me. I promise it’s fun,” she said. The young Slytherin was perplexed. Who was this girl?

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” Draco asked. She smiled.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class, Malfoy?” she retorted.

Draco’s heart leaped. “You know who I am?”

“Of course I do. Everyone in our year knows who you are,” she replied as if this was common knowledge. It caught Draco off guard. She rolled her eyes. “Well?” she asked.

“What?” Draco replied. The Ravenclaw sighed. “Are you going to spin with me or not?”

Draco studied her for a few moments. She was looking at him with a slightly annoyed expression. Her hip was cocked to one side, and snowflakes were embedded in her hair. The strands were growing damp. Some had even begun to stick to her forehead. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, and her lips were bright red from the crisp air. She was almost otherworldly. Something about her was… different. Draco liked it.

“I’ll spin with you…” he trailed off. “Y/N Y/L/N,” the girl replied. Draco nodded and watched as she lifted her arms to the sky and began to twirl. The blonde boy hesitantly joined her. He was unsure at first, but after a few circles, he was already feeling lighter. When he began to feel dizzy, he stopped spinning and shifted his eyes to Y/N. Her eyes were closed; she looked peaceful. Draco was absolutely mesmerized.

She looked as ethereal and beautiful as she did on that snowy day in the courtyard, even with tears in her eyes. “Y/N Y/L/N, I’ve never been so enamored by anyone in my life as much as I am enamored of you. You are the most intelligent, pure, generous person I have ever met. I admire you more than I care to admit. I’m so glad that I saw your tie in that corridor. I don’t know where I would be right now if I hadn’t picked it up. You make me feel whole, Y/N. You’ve been the center of my life for eight years and... I’d like to ensure that you stay in the center for the rest of my years. The rest of our years. With that being said, will you marry me?”

Tears were streaming down Y/N’s cheeks. She could see the overflowing amount of love in Draco’s eyes when he looked at her. He looked at her as if she was the only person left on earth. Slowly, she glanced up at Draco’s parents. Narcissa was crying as well. She smiled at Y/N. Lucius was stoic, but there was tenderness in his eyes. When he made eye contact with Y/N, he nodded. She looked back at Draco and smiled. “Yes.”

Draco let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He took the ring from the box with shaky hands and held it between his thumb and index finger. He grasped his now fiancé’s left hand and gently slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly. Draco sprung to his feet, took Y/N’s face in his hands, and without hesitation, pressed his lips to hers. Their salty tears mixed with each other as they silently celebrated. When they pulled away, Draco turned to his parents. His mother welcomed him with open arms, and he rushed into them. Y/N watched fondly. And then Narcissa opened her arms once more for her. Tentatively, she walked forward and allowed herself to be embraced by her future mother in law. When Narcissa’s arms wrapped around her back, she felt a sense of peace overtake her. It felt good to have a mother’s hug again. 

Lucius stared at Draco intently. Draco stared back just as firmly. Y/N was afraid of what might happen next. What if he was angry? What if she had only imagined that nod he’d given her. Her fears dissipated when Lucius laid a hand on Draco’s shoulder. “Well done, Draco,” he said quietly. 

Draco’s chest swelled with pride. His father’s opinion and approval was something he’d been chasing for more than half of his life. So to finally hear those words fall from his lips was an exhilarating and freeing feeling. Both couples smiled and retook their former spots on the couches. Everyone felt lighter; the afternoon’s previous tension was now gone.

--------

Later on in the evening, Draco and Y/N were getting settled in Draco’s old bedroom. Narcissa had convinced them to stay the night so they could begin wedding preparations at once the next morning. They’d been shocked by her eagerness at first but shrugged it off when they remembered that her only son had just gotten engaged. Of course, she was excited. 

“I can’t believe this is the first time I’m seeing your room,” Y/N said as she wandered around his room. She stopped at a mahogany desk facing a window. “Is this where you wrote me all those love letters?” she asked teasingly. Draco rolled his eyes. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a back hug. They stared out the window at the starry sky, and Draco pressed a kiss to Y/N’s nape. Then he pulled away. “Come, I want to show you something.”

Y/N looked at him skeptically but followed him out of his room and down the stairs anyway. He led her through twists and turns. They passed the kitchen, Lucius’s study, and a dark green living room before arriving at two tall doors. Draco smiled at her before placing both hands on the handles. Wordlessly, he turned them and pushed the doors open to reveal a magnificent marble ballroom. A gasp fell from Y/N’s lips. 

“Oh, Draco, this is beautiful.”

Draco smiled and sneakily plucked his wand from his pocket and cast a charm on the piano in the left corner. It began to play soft classical music. He stuck his wand back in his pocket and turned to his fiancé. “Care to dance?” he asked while holding out his hand to her. She smiled lovingly at Draco. Her hand grasped his, but before they could dance, she reached down to grab her shoe. She removed one black heel and then the other. Draco wasn’t surprised; she’d never been one for fancy shoes. 

“My mother would have a heart attack if she knew someone had put their bare feet on this floor. In fact, I think you might be the first to do so,” he said. Y/N shrugged. “It’ll be our secret,” she said. Draco smirked and pulled her out to the middle of the ballroom. His hand found her hip, and hers found his. And on a count of three, they began to waltz. The music grew quiet as the presence of one another took center stage. Their eyes never left the others. The two of them were so entranced by one another. So in love, they were. 

They danced, and they danced. The music seemed to guide their steps as they moved forward and backward. For each twirl, Draco held his lover’s hand tightly, never wanting to let go. She looked breathtaking. Her eyes sparkled with the reflection of the grand chandeliers hanging overhead. Her skin glowed with joy as she twirled, and twirled, and twirled. 

Suddenly, something in the window caught Draco’s eye. It was snowing. He felt his heart jump, and he quickly grabbed Y/N’s waist. She looked at him, confused as to why he’d unexpectedly grabbed her. But she didn’t have a moment to ask him any questions because he bent his legs and lifted her up onto his shoulder. “Draco!” she squealed. He paid her no mind as he began to run towards the balcony. When he reached the glass doors, he pushed them open and walked himself and Y/N out onto the stone terrace. He set her down and watched as her confusion was replaced with awe. Snowflakes had already begun to embed themselves in her hair. She gazed up at Draco and smiled.

“Would you like to spin with me?” she asked.

Draco grinned and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, eliciting a giggle to escape her. “Yes, I would.”

The couple lifted their arms to the sky and began to spin.

[rhetorical-ink]

Haikyuu!! Ship Analysis: OiHina

**SUNSHINE SETTER SPOILERS BELOW**

With all the negative in the world, Furudate really said, “screw you, 2020, I’m giving everyone some good food” with Haikyuu!! coming into this year, and with the manga concluded, I want to go back and examine some popular ships and why we love them/why they work. 

The 2020-2021 Haikyuu!! calendar just dropped and I was pretty excited to see the month of August highlighted with this image: 

So, this calendar image, followed by the cover of the Haikyuu!! Light Novel, volume 12, has really screamed, “Oihina rights!” to many fans, myself included. But...why has this ship grown in popularity? What has Furudate given us fans to fuel the flames for this pairing? Well, let’s find out, with this analysis!

Part I. Setting Up A Rivalry...

So, it’s been established early on that Oikawa views Kageyama as a threat, and has been constantly working to make sure he stays superior to his rival setter. But from Chapter 14, there was the faintest inklings of rivalry established between Oikawa and Hinata -- starting with this famous scene from Chapter 14, “Versus the Great King”: 

Despite Oikawa looking frustrated they lost the game, this is his reaction immediately following the moment in Chapter 15. He seems to get over his initial shock, as it’s replaced with some...other...emotion, it seems: 

And later, we can see the foundation of the dynamic Oikawa establishes with both Hinata and Kageyama. Notice how in this scene he offers Hinata polite praise for his winning move, while immediately challenging Kageyama, who clearly did not sign up for this barrage of taunts. 

It’s interesting, because it kind of sets Oikawa up as a rival for Kageyama...just like Hinata. We’ll talk more about Hinata and Oikawa’s similarities below, but I love how this weird “Rival Triangle” has formed between these three and carries on into both matches of Karasuno vs. Aoba Johsai later on.

PART II. Oikawa’s Not-So Subtle Focus on Hinata:

While there are hints in the practice match that Oikawa recognizes Shoyo could be a threat, we don’t see Oikawa really focusing on Hinata until later, when Aoba Johsai shows up to watch Karasuno’s game before they play them in Chapter 39, “The Return.” I like how Oikawa is not at ALL impressed with Asahi,

But seconds later, is all-hungry-eyes on Hinata’s “god-mode” set: 

And then there’s Chapter 48, “The Conductor.” I love this chapter.  I saw this image on Twitter, and I about fell out of my seat laughing:

Seriously. Think about it. Oikawa sat like that for over an HOUR, listening to Hinata screaming “Bring it” and “Give it.” No, no, we’re fine over here...

Of course, we see how Oikawa views Hinata as a threat during their first match up against them in the Inter High Prelim Qualifier match in Chapters 61-63:

His reference to Shoyo as a “Monster” is consistently brought up in the series, and then, waaaay later on in Chapter 189 at the end of the Shiratorizawa match, acknowledges how Hinata is indeed the type of hitter you WANT to throw the ball to, foreshadowing Inarizaki and Atsumu Miya literally 100 chapters early: 

PART III. “We’re Not So Different, You and I”

So, this leads us to the dreaded Chapter 365 and onward into the now-infamous “Rio Mini Arc.” I’ve noted it in a previous post, but during Takeda’s lecture to Shoyo in Chapter 365, and then later on in chapter 368-369, any time the words “defeat” or “hurdle” are thrown up, there’s an image of Oikawa beside them. In this moment, we are to meant as readers to liken Hinata’s hurdles and obstacles with those that plagued our main antagonist, Oikawa, all those chapters ago. You may be wondering why Furudate would set such a thing up...well, in Chapter 371, we get this reveal:

Ah, yes, of all places and of all people -- Shoyo wasn’t the only one crazy enough to trek across the ocean to South America to improve his game. Oikawa did too, only going to Argentina instead of Brazil. Yes, as Kindaichi and Kunimi kindly observe, Shoyo and Oikawa may have more in common that we the readers gave credit to, originally, as we see in the precursor to the best damn selfie in the whole series and possibly manga history: 

But it’s below that’s kind of the crux of this whole OiHina ship for me -- It’s not just that Oikawa and Shoyo are so alike...it’s that Oikawa and Kageyama are so alike, too:

Oikawa, whether he wants to admit it or not, has a lot in common with our blueberry setter...the difference, as we can see in these panels, is that unlike Kageyama, Oikawa is GREAT with communication. His ability to communicate with his team and connect with them is his hallmark as a player, right? 

Take for example, this situation below. If it’d been Kageyama, he’d probably fluster around, call Hinata “boke” and they’d bicker and carry on -- Oikawa, though, rightfully takes the compliment and runs with it, even adding in that flirty little tag there at the end. You’re not helping matters, Furudate...

Back to similarities with Hinata, though, and showing just how much Hinata has GROWN to Oikawa, we have this conversation below. Oikawa started out this manga literally calling Shoyo and Tsukishima “dumb.” Now, 300+ chapters later, he’s acknowledged that Hinata is “thinking” ahead...doing very much the same kind of crazy tricks to improve himself that Oikawa has chosen as well.

Also, good to know that Hinata initiated wanting to get Oikawa’s contact info; plus, Oikawa having to deal with his own teammates just giving him a hard time 24/7, when Shoyo’s offering open praise? No wonder he latched on...

But seriously, go read Chapters 373 and 374 in their fullest -- there are TOO many amazing moments between Shoyo and Oikawa to count, but they all show this forming friendship that I’m just in love with, like this one from 373: 

And while I LOVE the moment Oikawa calls our ray of sunshine straight-up “Shoyo” and shakes his hand, acknowledging their friendship and respect for each other, I really love this final shot of Oikawa before we see him at the Olympics. That panel of him walking away, reminding Shoyo that he has a looooong way to go, but showing his sudden motivation to get even better: 

Seriously, in the anime, I have a feeling that one episode is going to end with the ending of Chapter 371, and then they’ll probably just have one episode encapsulate Chapters 372 - 374, which I will be sad if it’s one episode in the anime...but MAN, I’m going to be watching that episode on repeat for a while, just to see these chapters re-imagined in animation.

PART IV. To The Olympics...and BEYOND!

The final chapter of Haikyuu!! graced us with the reunion of our ray of sunshine and our sassy trash king setter, and let’s be real -- we all need this animated...and to have Atsumu and Kageyama’s reactions on display in this moment, just for the fun of it.

And ya’ll wonder why there’s so many Rio/Brazil Fling fics out there?!

I think, besides this hug, what cements this ship after this last chapter is the following: 

* Even if it’s just a platonic friendship, it’s still one of the most fun and freshly developed friendships in the series, and makes sense going back from start to finish in the manga.

* Even if it’s just a fling, it’s flirty, fun, and could be the stepping stone for shippers that want to spice up their Iwaoi/Kagehina drama/angsty fics by adding in a little “fling” for Oikawa and/or Hinata to go through before reconnecting with their soulmates, if that’s your ship.

* And even if you want to view it as something more than platonic friendship or stepping stones into other ships, it still works. I mean, after all, Hinata went to play for Brazil after the Olympics. And Brazil’s a stone’s throw away from Argentina...so...who knows what could have ended up happening, right?

Furudate definitely doesn’t confirm many ships (with the exception of Tanaka and Kiyoko), but he definitely lays out some crumbs for us the fandom to nibble on and speculate with endlessly. OiHina may not be my OTP for Hinata, but I will never deny that it’s fun, spicy, and presents a VERY nuanced way to view the relationship between one of my favorite manga protagonist and antagonist pairings. Furudate, you are a genius. Thank you for the food!

[comradelup]

clouds and operas

Kravitz is waiting for him when he gets there. He smiles at Taako as he approaches and looks his outfit up and down.

“You certainly know how to dress up,” he says, then meets Taako’s face again. “I feel underdressed.”

“Because you wear suits all the time. You gotta learn to dress down.”

ao3

An opera. What a nerd. Who knew the grim reaper was such a nerd? Well, Taako knows now. And now he’s on a date with him. His second, to be specific.

After he heard that conductor comment he demanded to know more about it, since it was surprising to hear Mr. Work Accent was apparently so classy. Kravitz told Taako to dress formally for it, so he did.

His suit has a tailcoat jacket and it matches his pants. Powder blue and patterned with little white clouds. To drive it home, he’s wearing a yellow bow tie to represent the sun. It would make that shitty train wizard so jealous and is fancy as all hell. His hair… he doesn’t really know what to do with it. He cut it after, y’know, Glamour Springs, so it’s shorter now. It’s had time to grow back, no doubt, but it still isn’t at Taako Brand Length™. He pulls it into a low but tight ponytail at the base of his skull. The tail end of it barely reaches the bottom of his neck, but it’s the most “formal” hairstyle he knows. Plus it’s not like he can’t pull it off.

Kravitz is waiting for him when he gets there. He’s dressed in a fancy black suit like he always is, but it’s appropriate for this setting. He smiles at Taako as he approaches and looks his outfit up and down.

“You certainly know how to dress up,” he says, then meets Taako’s face again. “I feel underdressed.”

“Because you wear suits all the time. You gotta learn to dress down,” Taako says, using his umbrella as a cane as he starts up the stairs with Kravitz at his side. (Apparently the skeleton he lifted it off of had taste, because the umbrella’s fabric changes at the user’s will. Tonight it’s the same blue shade as his suit.) They join a steady flow of others into the building which is good, they aren’t late.

Kravitz has the tickets and hands them to the attendant, who gives Taako’s suit an impressed look. Taako doesn’t notice though, because—

“Why are you wearing gloves?” he asks Kravitz as they walk into the building. It’s fancy and has crystal chandeliers, but he’s giving Kravitz his attention.

“Oh!” Kravitz says as if just noticing them. It’s fair, Taako randomly brought it up. “I thought it’d be a little fancier? And uh,” He looks nervous as he says, “last time you said my hands were cold.”

Taako laughs and Kravitz looks more nervous. “That’s fair! That’s fair, I’ll give you that, Bones.”

Now Kravitz chuckles. “Bones?”

“Yeah, you’re a skelling-ton. You’re all bones under there.” Taako gestures to Kravitz with his free hand.

“So are you,” Kravitz says.

“Yeah but I’m not the grim reaper,” Taako says. They reach a grand staircase and start ascending.

“Fair enough.”

On their way up Taako gets a good look at the building. Dark green carpets and walls with gold accents, and hanging golden chandeliers that twinkle. It’s beautiful.

Kravitz says, “I’ve always loved this hall. It’s gorgeous.”

“Always?”

“Oh I’ve been around way longer than this place,” Kravitz says.

“Right, you’re immortal, aren’t you?”

“Kind of. After I died The Raven Queen let my soul live on as a bounty hunter under her rule.”

“So… immortal?” Taako asks, earning a small laugh from Kravitz.

“Guess so.”

They get into the actual concert hall and get to their seats. The seats are comfortable and pretty close to the stage, which is nice. Taako has no idea what operas are like though, so he doesn’t know what to expect.

Something must have shown on his face, because Kravitz asks, “Have you ever been to an opera before?”

“Nope,” Taako admits, trying to sound nonchalant. Part of him worries that he’ll look like an idiot here.

Instead of a joke or a look, Kravitz says, “Oh, then you’re in for a treat, this show is amazing.” He’s smiling like he’s excited. Huh.

“I’ll be the judge of that, Bones,” Taako says.

“…Alright.” Kravitz leans back into his seat, giving Taako a look. A daring and playful look. A look that says, go ahead and judge.

Taako feels his face darken, just a bit, and tries to match it with a look of his own. He says, “Alright.”

The show starts and Kravitz is right: it’s amazing. He’s not surprised, a place this pretty can’t pump out bad performance. Although Taako can barely make out what’s being said. Halfway through the show, he feels a hand grab his own and looks down to see Kravitz’s gloved hand holding his. The fabric is black, and it dampens the coolness of his skin. Not completely, Taako can still feel a lack of warmth, but it’s nice. He finds himself smiling at brown skin against black velvet before looking back up to the stage.

If he thought he couldn’t keep up before, Kravtiz laying his head on Taako’s shoulder made his brain blue-screen. Almost immediately he leans his head on Kravitz’s in return, and the show suddenly becomes even more enjoyable. As the big finale approaches, he can feel Kravitz squeezing his hand in anticipation and Taako squeezes back. They have death grips on each other’s hands until the show ends and they’re on their feet applauding with the rest of the audience.

Kravitz is practically floating with giddiness after they leave. They haven’t let go of each other’s hands, which Taako likes most of all. They’re walking… somewhere, Taako isn’t sure. He just wants to stretch his legs after sitting still for so long. Getting to listen to Kravitz talk about the show is a bonus.

“I know you said this is your first one so I don’t know what your expectations were, but that was phenomenal, even by my opera standards. And I’m not saying that to brag— I’ve been around long enough to see months worth of shows.” Kravitz sighs, shaking his head a little. “It really is a shame that that was your first show. Any other show you see will completely pale in comparison.”

“Well you better pick a good show next time then, Bones,” Taako says, and wow he didn’t mean for his voice to come out that soft. When he sees Kravitz’s slightly flustered expression, he ends up not regretting it.

“Next time?” Kravitz asks.

“Hell yeah next time,” Taako says. Duh, obviously. “That was fucking cool, I gotta see more.”

Kravitz just lights up. Who knew Death could look so lively? “Yeah, yeah I agree.” He brushes a dreadlock behind his ear. “I’ll look out for a show to top this one. Although I doubt there is one.”

“I trust you can surprise me,” Taako says, bumping his shoulder against Kravitz’s.

“I could say the same to you.” Kravitz bumps back. Then he stops and he turns to face Taako.

“What’s up?” he asks. Kravitz is looking away from him, at the ground or their intertwined hands.

“I just,” Kravitz looks up, into Taako’s eyes. “I’ve had a great time tonight. Thank you for joining me.”

Taako chuckles. “Course. I had fun too. Although,” he says, dragging out the word. For added dramatic effect, he taps a finger against his chin as he says, “this date could be even better if you ask me.”

Kravitz quirks an eyebrow, clear confusion written all over his face. “What do you mean?”

“This,” Taako says, then he closes the distance between them to kiss Kravitz. The hand not holding Kravitz’s goes to hold his shoulder. Kravitz instantly kisses back, his own free hand moving to Taako’s waist. It doesn’t last long though because Taako is soon breaking it, laughing a little as he moves away just slightly.

“What?” Kravitz asks.

“I… I forgot you were cold,” Taako admits. Instantly Kravitz looks super embarrassed and it makes Taako laugh.

Kravitz starts to stutter out an apology and Taako waves him off. He’s laughing with Kravitz, not at him, though he’s not sure if Kravitz can tell the difference.

“Wait, let me just…” Kravitz moves his hands off Taako to bring them to his face. Taako laughs again as Kravitz starts blowing into his hands to warm up his face. Kravitz starts laughing too, though it’s muffled by the hands over his mouth.

When they collect themselves Taako gently moves his hands away from his face. Holding both hands in both of his own, he says, “Let’s try this again,” and they do.

It’s much nicer. Taako could get used to this.

[davidthetraveler]

1. did you actually say 'flute biscuits' in your tags?? bc if you do, i love you, you absolute dork. 2. 💬x2! :)

1.  Yes, yes I did just say that.  I use it for cursing instead of… the more obvious choice.

2.  Well, let’s see what we’ve got here.  *rustles through works*  Ah, I think I know which one I want to use.

In honor of your double ask, I’m going to share a very special excerpt from the sequel to my main story, called Changing Perspectives:  a little scene from a chapter called “Shall We Dance?”.

Be warned, this is far enough ahead in my story’s future that spoilers are very much at play here.  I’ve made sure there’s nothing too revealing, but I know some people will probably be able to glean some very spoilery information from this, so read at your own risk.

Thomas fell backinto the sectional, looking even more dejected than before.  David stared at him in surprise.

“You’re reallyserious about this aren’t you?” he mumbled.

Thomassighed.  “I just…I just don’t want tomess this up.”

David turned awayfrom him, thinking, before looking around the room.  A small smirk appeared on his face as theidea took shape in his head.  He quicklygot up and began moving the coffee table in front of the TV station.

“There, thatshould do it,” he said to himself, admiring the larger space he’d made in theroom.  Thomas just stared at him,confused.

“Uh, what are youdoing?”

“Well we need thespace if I’m going to teach you how to dance.”

“You know how todance?”

“Of course Ido.  Do you know how many balls I’ve beento?”

The reminder ofhis disastrous lesson with Roman made Thomas flinch, but David shook his headin reassurance as he came back to sit on the sectional.

“Don’t worry, we’renot going to do anything you can’t handle.”

David suddenlyfell back, asleep, and then his transdimensional form phased out and came tostand in front of Thomas, hand offered to help him up.  Thomas hesitated, but at David’s encouragingsmile, he grasped his hand and allowed himself to be pulled up and into thecenter of the room.

“Now, first thingsfirst, if you’re going to learn how to dance properly, you need to learn how tomove in a suit, not cozy bed clothes.”

Thomas looked downat his somewhat ragged appearance.  “ButI don’t have a suit.”

“Don’t worry aboutit.  I’ll take care of it.”

David began tomove around Thomas, muttering to himself as he looked him over.

“Now let mesee…let me check your size…the shade of your eyes.  I’m thinking something simple, but daringtoo.  Oh, just leave this to me, what asuit this will be!”

David stopped infront of him, and began to wave his hand, causing a swirl of blue energy tosurround Thomas’ form as David quietly chanted to himself, “Bippity boppity,bippity boppity, bippity boppity boo!”

At the last word,the energy dissipated, and Thomas was left wearing the most elegant suit he’dever seen.  The coat, pants and vest werea deep purple that seemed to shine in the lamplight of the room.  The shirt and tie beneath were a glisteningblack, and the black shoes had a polished sheen to match.

Thomas lookedhimself over in amazement before undoing the jacket buttons and doing a shorttwirl to get the feel of it before turning back to David, a genuine smile ofappreciation on his face.

“How do I look?”

David paused insilent amazement.  “You look perfect.”

“It’samazing!  And it feels so…right!”  He did a few more spins and a quick box stepas David recovered himself, resuming his more confident and collected attitude.

“I do try mybest.  Now, all we need is some music.”

David snapped hisfingers, and a flash of blue light caused the table area behind the sectionalto disappear, replaced by a small band and its conductor.

“Maestro,” Davidgreeted, bowing his head at the man in front, who returned the gesture.

“Greetings,sir.  Another dance lesson, might Ipresume?”

“You know it.  I’m actually teaching Thomas here how todance.”  He clapped Thomas on theshoulder.

“Ah, a big ball togo to, then?”

Thomas blushedbefore muttering out, “Something like that.”

“Very well then,sir.  What can we do for you?”

“We’ll need tostart with something basic and easy to follow,” David replied, snapping himselfinto his own set of formal attire.  “So,how about ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, instrumental only, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, sir,”the maestro replied, turning to prepare the band.  “Whenever you’re ready.”

“Go ahead and getstarted, we’ll come in when we can.”

Maestro nodded,then turned to count off the band.  Asoft piano began to play the opening notes, and David moved away from Thomas toget into position.

“Now, we’ll beginwith some simple steps.  Just about everykind of couple dancing can be boiled down to these.  Since it’s your first time, I’ll go ahead andlead.  But make sure you pay attention tohow I lead, so you’ll know how to do it yourself.”

Thomas nodded asDavid reached out to take his hands.

“So, place yourleft hand on my shoulder, and your right hand in my left.”

Thomas did asinstructed.  Carefully trying to achievea firm yet gentle grip.

“Now, your feetare going to mirror mine:  when I stepforward, you’ll step back, and vice versa.”

David demonstratedby moving his right foot forward, and Thomas after a moment moved his left backto match.  David then moved his back,followed by Thomas’, before repeating the actions with his other foot, againmirrored hesitantly by Thomas.

“That’s it.  Now, follow my lead, one step at a time.”

David began totake small simple steps, carefully guiding Thomas to follow along as theyslowly moved about the space.

“See, you’regetting the hang of it,” he encouraged as he began to incorporate morecomplicated steps into the route.  Thomaswas getting anxious, and could feel himself stiffening up.

“Loosen up alittle, and don’t worry,” David said.  “I’mjust a mental projection, you’re not going to hurt me.”

Thomas took in abreath and did his best to let go of the stress and just feel the rhythm of themusic and the slight pressure from David’s hands.  Soon enough, he could feel himself fallinginto step with David.

“There you go,that’s it.”

The two continuedfor a time, mostly just moving around the room in a circle, but alsooccasionally incorporating more complicated maneuvers into the mix.  David suddenly let out a chuckle.

“What’s so funny?”Thomas asked.

“You know whatthis reminds of?” David replied.

“What?”

“The Doctorteaching Seven how to dance.”

Thomas waspuzzled.  “I don’t remember a characternamed Seven on Doctor Who.”

Now it was David’sturn.  “What?  No, not that Doctor.  The Doctor from Voyager.  Seven of Ninestarted showing interest in pursuing a romantic relationship, so the Doctorstarted giving her lessons on human dating. He inadvertently started falling in love with Seven during that time, infact.  Anyway, one of the things hetaught her was how to dance.  It wasreally nice.”

Thomas smiled atthe thought as they continued to move about the space to the music.

After the song wasover, they continued with another, and then another.  After a while, David dismissed the band andset up a gramophone playing a simple piano rendition of “Beauty and the Beast”as they continued.  Thomas was feelingmuch more confident in his movements at this point, and David had even allowedhim to try leading.  There were a fewbumps, but he was soon moving like a pro.

“You are quite thequick learner,” David complimented.

“Thank you.”

“A little morepractice and you’ll be able to sweep anyone off their feet.”

“Well, I don’tknow…”

“Oh come on,Thomas, you have to admit that you are quite the charming fellow.  Any guy who got to meet you would be smitten,and this is just going to make that charm stronger.”

Thomas blushed ashe spun them around in preparation for a dip to end the song.  “You really think so?”

“I know so.”

Thomas dipped him,and as he held David, the two stared into each other’s eyes, lost in themoment.  As he watched, he thought hecould see David’s thoughts preparing to say something.  But suddenly David seemed to realize where hewas, and his expression closed off as he stood up, pulling himself out ofThomas’ arms.

“Well, I thinkyou’ve gotten the basics down,” he concluded, looking flustered.  “I think you’ll do wonderfully at the gala.”

Thomas felt hisheart drop, but forced the disappointment down as the gramophone and his suitmelted away.

“I hope so.  Anyway, I think I’ll turn in.”

David nodded as hemoved back over to his body.  Thomas wentto move upstairs, but halfway up he turned back.

“Oh, and David?”

David turned tolook at him.

“Thank you, forall of this.”

David smiled.  “My pleasure, Thomas.”

Thomas nodded andmade his way up the rest of the stairs, David watching him as he went with alonging in his heart.  “It’s always mypleasure.”

[akatsuki-shin]

Stammi Vicino, Non Te Ne Andare - Ch. 02

--- Yuri!!! on Ice Musician AU

Pairing: Viktor Nikiforov / Katsuki Yuuri

Rating: M

Genre: Romance, Drama, Fluff & Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Physical Disability

Summary: The story of a violinist bereft of inspiration and a young man who speaks through his music.

Also Available in:

Archive of Our Own

FanFiction.net

CHAPTERS: 01 | 02 | 03

Come now, let’s empty this glass of wine soon

I’ll start getting ready

Now be silent

It was the beginning of spring. The sun was shining bright that morning and the cloudless sky appeared to promise the start of a fine day.

Amongst the sea of humans and vehicles crowding the streets of Moscow, Viktor Nikiforov could be seen walking along the pedestrian, wearing his favorite trench coat and scarf. Next to him was none other than his faithful companion, an old brown poodle named Makkachin who had been with him for a very long time.

“—Achoo!“ the violinist suddenly sneezed, “Geez, it’s already spring, but the temperature’s still cold, huh, Makkachin?”

“Woof!”

“What do you mean you’re not cold?! You’re already an old man in the dog world!”

“Woof, woof!”

It was unclear whether they both could actually understand each other, but Viktor kept talking to his poodle regardless of the strange looks people were giving him. Sometimes he showed a pouting face, sometimes he smiled and other times he laughed. In the meantime, Makkachin responded to him in small barks and whimpers, occasionally licking his hand and wagging his fluffy tail.

Several weeks had passed since he was awarded with the title of best composer. Chris fulfilled his promise; a few days after they parted, the Swiss director sent him a proposal containing the general ideas and concept of the said musical theatre. And along with it, an invitation to attend a meeting with the core team members in Moscow.

“So in the end, I decided to come all the way here,” Viktor thought to himself, “I’m still not completely sure, but since it’s come to this, I suppose there’s no choice but to move forward.”

He felt Makkachin licking the tips of his fingers, gazing at him with those pair of gleaming black eyes. It was as if his furry friend was trying to tell him not to worry so much, and Viktor couldn’t help but smile at him, petting his fluffy brown fur as they continued walking side by side towards their destination.

Eventually, a certain building appeared not far from where they were.

“…We’re here,” Viktor muttered under his breath, looking straight ahead without slowing down his pace.

It was a neoclassical building. Standing firmly three stories high from the ground, it occupied a considerably large plot of land in the middle of the city. The main structure was surrounded by green courtyard and many young people could be seen roaming around the vicinity. They were mostly teenagers and young adults; some were carrying musical instruments while the older folks blending amongst them were dressed in working outfits. It was fairly obvious for those who were familiar with the area; this place was a conservatory, a very famous one at that.

How nostalgic – A subtle smile was drawn on Viktor’s face when he passed through the yard and into the main entrance. He knew that many of the students recognized him; he was once one of them and he had walked across this very courtyard countless times in the past. When he stepped inside, the classic atmosphere remained the same despite some small changes that had been made.

“I thought this place would have changed so much that I wouldn’t recognize it anymore,” Viktor briefly swept his gaze around, “Looks like I don’t have to be worried about getting lost.”

“Vitya.”

“Hmm? Ah, Yakov, it’s you.”

At that sudden call, the silver-haired Russian turned to find the owner of the voice, a man much older than him with balding grey hair. Even if the later remained stoic, the young maestro seemed so happy to see him that he smiled from ear to ear, jogging towards the older man together with his poodle.

“Yakov, it’s been awhile!”

“…Vitya, why is your dog here, too?” the old man frowned, “How many times have I told you that pets are not allowed on the campus ground?”

“But… But I can’t possibly leave him alone at home…” replied Viktor with a sad face. At the same time, Makkachin also cast his eyes down and whimpered that at a glance, it seemed as if the two of them were sharing the same disheartened look.

“Tch— Fine, just make sure he wouldn’t disturb us during the meeting.”

“Yay! Thanks, Yakov!”

Again, both the violinist and his poodle made the same happy face that the older man found himself at loss of words.

Yakov Feltsman. He was one of the most renowned conductors in Russia, leading the nation’s best orchestra. He was also a music instructor, and for more than a decade now he had been one of the most respected professors in this school. For as long as he could remember, Viktor had been under this man’s tutelage and used to be part of his orchestra until he decided to become independent five years ago. Even then, they remained in contact and there were times when Viktor collaborated with Yakov’s orchestra on some occasions.

Although he always looked angry with that scary face and voice, the violinist knew that Yakov was an extremely good man at heart. If anything, he was already like a father to him.

“So I heard you recently won an award,” the conductor said as they walked along the corridor, “Congratulations, Vitya.”

“Thank you, Yakov. It’s all thanks to your teachings that I can come this far.”

“Hmph. You have no right to say that when you’ve never listened to what I said in the first place.”

“Ahahaha, sorry, sorry. I know I’ve caused a lot of troubles for you,” Viktor laughed without even a speck of regret in his face, “But, Yakov… I’m surprised to hear that you would be involved in this project.”

“It has an interesting concept and good prospect,” the older man said, “Actually, I’m more surprised to find out that you’re joining the team all of a sudden.”

“Well… Chris only told me about it recently,” hearing those words, the young maestro slightly chuckled, scratching the side of his face, “To be honest, I wasn’t really sure at first, but this seems challenging. I have never worked for a musical before, so I’m eager to know what I can do in this project.”

“As long as you’re not just playing around.”

“Don’t worry, Yakov. You know I always see what I’ve started until the end.”

To his answer, the conductor snorted and looked away, a very typical reaction which Viktor had grown far too used to see in the past.

After passing a row of classrooms, an inner garden and a music room, the two men headed for the stairs that brought them to the second, then the third floor. Unlike the lower grounds, there were considerably less students here and one of the hallways was filled with nothing but dark-colored doors lining on both sides. A metal plate was embedded on each of them, and on the furthermost door, the plate had the name “Yakov Feltsman” engraved on it.

“…What is it, VItya?” Yakov asked upon noticing his former student standing in place, staring at the said door.

“Ah, no. Just thinking that even your office is still in the same place,” the violinist shook his head and smiled, “So? Am I the last one to be here?”

“That appears to be the case. Either way, just get inside first.”

With that said, Yakov turned the knob and opened the way into his office.

Just like the overall architecture of the building, all rooms in the conservatory had a neoclassical design applied to its whole interior, including those of the professors’. On one side, there was Yakov’s desk and several wooden shelves filled with books and all sorts of documents. The windows were facing the inner garden, and the way they were positioned made it easy for sunlight to enter the room that no lamps were required on sunny days such as this.

Closer to the entrance was a short table surrounded by a couple of sofas. It looked almost like a small living room, intended for informal meetings and interviews. When Viktor stepped into the office, the first thing he saw was two familiar men and an older woman whom he had never seen before.

“I knew you’d come, Viktor,” Christophe said with a happy smile upon seeing his Russian friend coming in, and then he turned at a bald middle-aged man beside him who was wearing a pair of red-framed glasses, “See? I told you, Josef. He’s going to bring his dog along to this meeting.”

“Heh heh, you’re right, Chris. Looks like I owe you lunch,” the man called Josef laughed before rising to his feet, offering a handshake to the violinist, “Good to see you again, Viktor. I hope you remember me?”

“Of course. Josef Karpisek. How could I forget when you and Chris are always glued to each other in every single project?” Viktor chuckled as he shook the other’s hand. He then turned at the only woman in the room, a lady much older than him with an extremely stern face that was almost similar to Yakov’s. “And you are?”

“Lilia Baranovskaya,” she promptly responded; her handshake felt strong and firm, “A pleasure to finally meet you in person, Viktor Nikiforov.”

“Huh?”

“Lilia is a former prima ballerina of Bolshoi Ballet,” Yakov said, “Since we need a choreographer for this musical, I asked her about it and she agreed to join.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Yakov,” replied her, “I have no intention of getting back together with you.”

“I-I wasn’t hoping for that at all!“ to the lady’s blunt remark, Yakov became very flustered all of a sudden, and it was at that moment Viktor recalled something he had heard a long time ago.

“That’s right… I know Yakov used to be married. So it was her…”

“Alright then, since everyone’s here, I suppose we can already start with the meeting,” clasping his hands, Christophe looked at the other four people in the room as if requesting their attention, “First of all, thank you very much, Mr. Yakov, for lending us your office for this first meeting. I would like to take this chance to provide a more detailed concept of the musical theatre that I have in mind.”

He provided each of them with a file folder.

“This is the hard copy of the proposal that I have sent a few weeks ago, including the complete synopsis. I will send you the full script tonight, but for now, do you have any comments on what we currently have at hand?”

“The casts,” Lilia responded swiftly without taking her eyes of the papers, “If I don’t like what I see, I might reconsider joining this project.”

“We already have several names in mind, especially for the main characters,” said Chris as he turned to his colleague, “Josef, if you will…”

“Right,” the man opened his laptop, showing the profiles of several actors and actresses, “The main casts will be played by Michele and Sara Crispino. We’ve considered some others beside them, but they appear to be the most suited for these roles.”

“The Crispino twins, huh?” Yakov folded his arms, “Certainly, they have a lot of experiences with theatres and musicals. If I remember correctly, the last musical they starred in was performed in Milan’s Teatro Alla Scala only a few months ago.“

“Serenade for Two. It tells the story of a knight who falls in love with the princess of the opposing nation when their kingdoms are at war,” replied Chris, “While the main idea sounds rather cliché, countless critics have admitted that the twins had successfully brought their characters to life. I believe there are rumors that this musical will be nominated for this year’s ‘Best Romance’.”

“Honestly, I thought the fact that they are siblings would somehow hinder their acting, but perhaps I was wrong,” said Yakov again, “Either way, casting and acting are not my forte in this project. What do you think, Lilia?”

“Overall they’re perfect to play romantic roles, but when separated it will be another story,” the former prima ballerina responded; her lime-green eyes fixated on the twins’ picture, “That said, they’re a good choice for this musical. Very well, continue.”

“For the deceptive antagonist, we have here Emil Nekola from the Czech Republic. Given that he is a good friend of the Crispinos, we decided that this role suits him well,” Josef tapped on his laptop, “Furthermore, Korea’s Seung Gil Lee passed our screening to play the protagonist’s unexpected ally. Jean-Jacques Leroy will be the king whom the heroine serves as she was sent to him as a gift from a neighboring kingdom.”

He leaned back to his seat.

“And that concludes the main casts for our musical. Do you have anything to add, Chris?”

“Thanks, Josef. In any case, we will send you the complete lists of the casts later, including the supporting actors so you can look further into it,” replied the Swiss director, “Other than that, if there are no more questions from everyone, perhaps we could move on to the next point?”

“What about the music?” asked Yakov, “I understand that you want our orchestra to perform all the pieces and we are ready for that. However, we will need to know what kind of music it will be so we can decide on the instruments composition.”

“In regards to that, I will leave it up to Viktor,” the director turned at his Russian friend, “Of course, I will provide my inputs as the one who writes the story, but for the overall concept, I’m trusting it to our main composer.”

“…That’s an honor, Chris,” having said nothing for awhile, the violinist only responded with a smile; one of his hand petting the brown poodle sitting by his legs, “I have composed several songs for your movies in the past, but I suppose you would like something different this time?”

“The story focuses a lot on the many sides of human emotions. If I were to put it into words, I would say I imagine the music to portray different emotions, as well, for each major scene, especially the protagonist’s love towards the heroine.”

“I see…” Viktor rubbed his chin, “Then, I’ll do my best.”

“Thanks, Viktor. I’m counting on you.”

The discussion continued. Lilia was presenting her ideas on the choreography; Chris and Josef went into more details on the casts and settings; Yakov was listening while giving suggestions here and there. In the meantime, the young maestro remained silent in his seat; his hand didn’t stop stroking the fur of his old companion by his feet. It looked as if he was drowning in thoughts, and yet instead of inspiration, in his head he could only hear his own voice repeating the same words over and over again.

It was a mistake to take part in this play.

“……I’ve ruined myself this time, aren’t I, Makkachin?” the violinist said to his poodle as they walked down the stairs to the first floor, “Chris never meant anything bad, but I shouldn’t have jumped in head first into something out of mere curiosity.”

The old dog looked up at him; his black eyes briefly gleaming as if in perplexity. It felt like his companion was asking what he planned to do from now on, and Viktor couldn’t help but let out a long, exasperated sigh.

“There’s nothing I could do. I can no longer retreat now, not after answering Chris’ invitation to come here and saying all those things to Yakov,” he said, “I hope I will be able to come up with something once we get home later. Perhaps a walk in the park and a good night sleep could help.”

He brushed back his silvery bangs, sighing again for the umpteenth time. Honestly, he had come here hoping that his friend’s idea would be able to give him inspiration, but now he ended up in a deeper problem instead. If he wasn’t able to compose anything for the musical…

“…No, I need to stop thinking like this and start working.”

It was at that moment he caught a familiar sound coming not far from where he was. A piano – and it appeared he wasn’t the only one noticing this sound since Makkachin’s ears were also perking up. The poodle then ran off ahead of him. Without thinking, the young maestro followed his friend until they both arrived in front of an opened door at the end of the long corridor.

— A string of gentle, yet lonely tunes.

What lied before him was a spacious music room with its enormous windows facing the garden. The light of the sun was piercing inside through the beautiful greeneries and the clear glasses; the entire place was giving off a serene feeling to whomever looking at this chamber dominated in pure white. There were several musical instruments, but the violinist’s attention was immediately drawn towards only a single object in the middle.

On a black grand piano firmly standing on the hardwood floor, a young man with jet black hair appeared to be playing an unknown piece of music; his fingers gracefully dancing on the monochrome keys.

“…This guy…”

He was by no means strikingly attractive, nor that he left a strong impression for others to easily remember him on first sight. He was just an ordinary young man with an old-fashioned shirt and a pair of glasses, and yet for some reason, Viktor was unable to shake off his figure quietly playing the piano while bathed in the light of the morning sun.

Before he knew it, the young maestro had stepped into the room, quietly standing by the door side as not to alarm the unknown pianist.

“I wonder if he’s playing an original piece…”

He had never heard this music before; it was so beautiful to the point that he could not simply walk away, but at the same time, the melodies sounded as if they were carrying a mountain of indescribable sadness. It was heart-wrenching enough even for a bystander like him, and the violinist could only wonder what the young man was thinking as he composed this song on his own.

“…Hmm?”

But the music ended abruptly. It was obvious that must not be the closure the pianist had intended to play, but at that moment Viktor could no longer pay attention to such detail. It happened so fast right before his eyes; immediately after his fingers ceased to dance on the piano keys, the young man lost strength in his body and fell crashing to the floor.

“W-Wha—Hey!”

He could hear Makkachin’s distressed barks alongside his own rapid footsteps as they both dashed towards the fallen pianist. Viktor took the curling body into his arms, feeling the pale figure trembling while wheezing in pain. He appeared to be a man of Japanese descent, several years younger than him in terms of age. When the violinist tried to shake him awake, he could see drops of cold sweat running down his temples.

“Hey! Hey, what happened?!” said the composer while lightly patting the other’s cheek. The younger man didn’t say anything in response. He seemed to be clutching at the left side of his chest, but right before Viktor thought of leaving to call for help, the black-haired slowly opened his eyes.

They were a pair of beautiful brown.

“Are you okay?” the Russian asked once again, “Does it hurt somewhere? Should I call an ambulance?”

He thought he saw those brown eyes widened in surprise behind the glasses, but it was before long that the young pianist profusely shook his head. If anything, he struggled to rise to his own two feet despite the fact that his body was still wobbling left and right.

“Be careful,” Viktor supported him by the arms, “Are you sure you should be standing around so soon? You seemed to be in a lot of pain.”

The black-haired looked at him in a mix of nervousness and embarrassment. He didn’t say anything, but he repeatedly bowed his head as if trying to apologize. That, or perhaps he was trying to thank him one way or another. In any case, it appeared that the young man had somehow felt better and to this sight, Viktor could feel a sigh of relief escaping his lips.

“Well, it’s all good if you’re okay,” the violinist smiled, “I was passing by when I heard you playing the piano. That was a beautiful piece. Did you compose it by yourself?”

The black-haired nodded.

“I see. Are you a student of this conservatory? What’s your name?”

To his question, the young pianist seemed to be a bit startled. He began to frantically look for something around him. When he finally found his own cell phone sitting on top of the piano, those long fingers began to type in several words in a hurry before he showed it to the older man.

“My name is Yuuri Katsuki” – were the words written on the screen.

And it was at that moment Viktor came to a realization: this young man was unable to talk.

[fearlessness-is-freedom]

Swaying Carriages - Part One

The carriage rocked with the motion of the train's clickety-clacking over the old tracks. The passengers were mostly noiseless, though a loud snore added to the percussion of the train ride every so often. 

Toward the back of the carriage sat a young, pale-skinned woman with unnaturally red hair that fell neatly to her shoulders in perfect curls. He emerald green eyes were highlighted by the smokey nature of her dark eye make up and cat-winged lids. Accompanied by long, dark eyelashes, her look not only drew attention to her deep eyes, but it also gave her a look of wide-eyed doe. 

She seemed to be the only one who was awake and alert. She had a book held open in one hand, the other was typing on her smart phone with long, slender fingers.

To an outsider, she would look high-maintenance. Aside from her perfect hair and glamorous made-up face, she was wearing designer high-waisted jeans, knee-high boots and a sapphire coloured blouse with a bow to tie the collar. In reality, she dressed to blend-in, but also to impress those that she had to mingle with.

The train began to decelerate, the clacking of the wheels forming a slow rhythm forcing Ariel out of her reverie. She twisted her wrist, still clasping her open book, to check the time. The train was not supposed to stop for another hour. She lowered her book to her lap and peered out the window. It was useless, this she already knew, given how dark it was. She had hoped to glimpse a station or something that resembled life outside of their commute.

The conductor answered her unspoken question - this was an unexpected stop. They would be moving soon, there was no need to panic and the company was "sorry for the delay".

Ariel frowned as the train halted. She thought the conductor sounded flustered.

She checked her phone  - no service - and pursed her pink-tinted lips. She hoped that the conductor was accurate and that "soon" meant less than half an hour.

After what felt like an eternity, the conductor made an another announcement. 

There had been an accident on the tracks up ahead. They would be stuck on board until the scene could be cleared. 

Ariel checked her phone again anxiously in case she had miraculously gained reception.

She hadn't.