#hes the heart of the gate and she’s the tempest. she gives him the support he needs to allow himself ‘selfishness’ ie not throwing his

[pricemarshfield]

they’re like if ansur and balduran were both ansur somehow. it makes sense to me but i can’t articulate it without needing to tear my hair out and lie weeping on the floor

thinking about. companion au tav/origin wyll. tav and wyll aren’t canon in either of my tav runs but i think he’s companion au tav’s soulmate. i’ve been thinking about this for Days,

[seikyoko]

NOW.. ONTO THE FINAL PART

PART 1 - PART 2 - PART 3

 Scar (FullMetal Alchemist 2003)

Imagine not stanning this man.  I am not done with FMA 2003 and would not like spoilers, but I love it so far and love even more the Ishvalian screen time. I like his interactions with Al, the plot handling the Ishval thing much more thoughtfully. I like that when in lab 5, despite having every reason not to, he decide to give Ed a chance, wait and see what he’s gonna do, and you can see that faith pay off. I like his interactions with other Ishvalians, I like how much he’s confused about the whole thing, about the markings in his arm, and wtf his brother was up to.

Actually Satan ( Fate Stay Night : Unlimited Blade Works Abridged)

Can’t believe I’m asked such an obvious question. Next

Clone Sakura (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle)

QUEEN. UTTER QUEEN. I can’t believe that with a premise as misogynistic as “Soul get divided into parts so the heroine is weak and barely conscious most of the time and the Hero go on an adventure to collect them and save her” and missing most of her damn Self and with a Big Bad so actively messing with the protagonists’ agency she managed to rock the show so hard. She’s very kind, sincere, courageous, ressourceful, thoughtful, perceptive and love her found family very much. She’s also extremely ruthless when she wants to be and is shockingly one hell of a liar and played us the audience and in-universe characters like fiddles, honestly wouldn’t want to be in her way when she’s determined to do something, she’s also a hilarous drunk and all her screen-time is very enjoyable.

Gokudera Hayato (Katekyo Hitman Reborn)

Utter nerd. His passion for UMAs, details like the fact that he created his own script. He’s very dedicated to his duties, he’s very methodical in what he does (even teaching to swim lmao). He has trust issues the size of the titanic, he was insecure, has low self-esteem and little preservation instincts, and he had phenomenal character development and I am extremely proud of him.

Takigawa Yoshino (Zetsuen no Tempest)

A very adaptable boy. I could list all the traits that makes him great, but the reason he’s my fave is because he’s an utter mess, he fully belongs to the “-crush feelings with bare hands- as I was saying” category, it’s hard to describe exactly what makes him so compelling but there’s honestly too many to list. I love a lot of things about him, I like that he’s very in love with Aika, I love how good he’s at deceit and manipulation and hiding his feelings, I like that he’s a very supportive friends, I like that he said in the middle of apocalypse after everyone turned into stone  and a creepy gigantic fruit with eyes and chains emerged that he wouldn’t get a drink from the distributor without paying. I like that in the middle of their things he decided to switch side and attack Mahiro for the ownership of that magic gun just before Mahiro could seemingly attain his goal and Mahiro treat it like a temper tanthrum which says a lot of things about how he is off-screen.

Ogata Hyakunosuke (Golden Kamuy)

The blorbo to end all blorbos, canonical catboy, chronic backstabbing syndrome, like to cause problems, I should have put him in the top 10 and it is a crime that I didn’t do that but at this point it’s very clear this top 30 is not in the right order.

Tulip Olsen (Infinity Train)

I love pretty much every Infinity Train protagonist except, like, Simon, but Tulip hold a special place in my heart. I loved her development, I am utterly obsessed with the Mirror World bit, I love how she makes dubious hypothesis about what makes a number go down and keep a notebook about it, I love how at the end, despite her gate being available, she turns her back on it because she needs to help Atticus. She’s a character whose journey I definitely enjoyed

Senshi (Dungeon Meshi)

I deeply admire how devoted to his craft he is and his desire to try out monsters and methods of cooking. I like that he has a screw loose and that I worry for his self-preservation instincts but he’s canonically in the “we have food at home” part of the Mcdonalds! Pull out and order black coffee and leave - We have food at home spectrum. But honestly it looks like Laios will dethrone him as far as my fave goes

Kez (Infinity Train)

I love how most of her screentime can be summed up as :

also loved her interactions (off-screen) with Jeremy and (on-screen) Min-gi and Ryan. I love how most of her dialogue sounds like she’s utterly stoned, I love how she asks the creepy one-true-truth eyes who wants to kill her if she can eat gum and what flavor she should take, very entertaining character.

Teruhashi Kokomi (Saiki Kusuo no Sai nan)

Queen, perfection, utterly full of herself (and also everything she’s proud of is basically true lmao), she’s right when she says she might as well be the center of the universe and that nobody stands a chance against her and that her mere presence brightens everyone’s day but I didn’t expect her narration to state it so straightforwardly shamelessly, I love how she tries so hard at being liked and all the various efforts she put in, I just, love her

honorary mentions : Shirogane Le Bel Sakuya (Hatoful Boyfriend) Donkey (Shrek) Yugi Amane (TBHK) Yugi Tsukasa (TBHK) Bihyung (ORV) Haruhi (Ouran High) Sensei (Shoulder the coffin Kuro) Vincent Fennel (Hello Charlotte) Maevia Morgana (Rather than the son I’ll take the father ) Sakurajima Mai

[serararku]

Ensemble: The Midnight Gift

The apartment was heavy with the aroma of dinner. K’thalen had slaved away in the kitchen since the minute he returned home, flaying and carving the beast himself, as well as gathering the right vegetables in the markets down the street. Truly a daunting task, but not one without reward; he fully intended on getting a little more than a full stomach tonight.

“Let’s go over it again.” S’era called out from the couch beside the crackling fireplace. She clutched the crude map of Castrum Aeternium he had drawn from memory in her hands, and the sparkling light in her eyes put a warm smile on his face. K’thalen poured their helpings into two wooden bowls, tossed the ladle back into the pot, and made his way across the room to sit beside her. The excitement in her every move was contagious, but he couldn’t let his feelings get the better of him; after all, the last thing he wanted to do was charge to his death.

“So the plan is for your halflin’ friend to lure a herd of goobbues toward the southern gate.” K’thalen spoke, handing S’era her bowl before pointing his finger at the map in her grasp. “Piss them off right proper, aye? With luck they’ll smash the gate to pieces and force the Castrum to send out reinforcements to deal with them.”

“And while Coboharo distracts them with the rampaging beasts,” S’era calmly yet firmly corrected him. “You, R’zevi, and Pherond slip in from the southeast under the commotion, bee-line it straight to the prisoners, free them, then get the hells out as quickly and as quietly as you can. With your knowledge on the inner workings of the castrum, it should be a piece of cake.”

K’thalen snorted. “Such things rarely are, lass. What will you be doin’ again? Aside from worryin’ about your beloved boy-toy.”

“Lord Isenhart and I will be on standby.” S’era decided to ignore that last part. She began stirring her food around with her spoon, but she didn’t touch it yet- not while she was talking. “If anything should go awry, you give us the signal, and Coboharo detonates the explosives we feed the goobbues while we charge in for the attack. If you don’t know, Lord Isenhart has a bit of a history with the Garleans. With him slaughtering soldiers, they’ll surely rush in to kill him.” She paused to eye K’thalen up and down before adding, “I’m counting on you to bring S’tage back safe and sound. Once you’re out of the castrum, Coboharo should be waiting with the getaway carriage. Get S’tage aboard, then climb this cliff here and provide me with supporting fire.”

K’thalen didn’t like this plan, but he saw no other way to improve it. “Aye… just remember, lass; nothin’ ever goes accordin’ to plan. Somethin’ will go wrong- and we’ll have to be ready to adapt.” He paused to stare down at her, his smirk vanishing. “Are you ready for this, Era? People will die. There’s a good chance one of us won’t be comin’ back. Hells, there’s a good chance none of us will. Is this boy really that important to you?”

“You don’t have to help me.” She simply retorted, faster than K’thalen was prepared for. “Well… you do, but the rest of them don’t. I’m not dragging them off to their graves- and I didn’t ask any of them to help either. They all offered, knowing the risk. But if you would rather stay here with your tail between your legs, cowering under your blankets, that’s fine by me too.” S’era shrugged at him before continuing. “You said the Garleans are meeting their commanding officer on Thursday, which means nearly half of the castrum will be emptied out. We’re rushing forward with this, true, but we may not have a better chance. It has to be this Thursday.”

K’thalen’s ears flattened against his head. “Aye… it has to be this Thursday.” He repeated in defeat. There was no way he could convince her otherwise; she was as stubborn as a wild chocobo. “You’re a real pain in my ass. I don’t think I tell you that enough.”

“Am I?” S’era met his gaze with a familiar hunger in her half-open stare and devious smirk. “Stop trying to make me second-guess myself, and I’ll let you be a pain in mine.” She didn’t wait for his less-than-witty retort, instead choosing to break her lustful look away from his reddening face to taste her dinner. The instant the creamy broth touched her tongue, she felt like she died and went to bathe in the eternal sunlight of the Warden. “Gods, this is good… what’s in this?!”

“Salted boar, potatoes, onions, and peppers.” Focusing on food was the best chance he had to keep his mind off sex. “It’s a Hipparion Tribe delicacy. I can teach you how to make it one day if you like.”

S’era took another spoonful while a low purring rolled from the back of her throat. She melted in her seat, leaning to cuddle against his arm. “Thalen… thank you so much. For everything…”

“Ah, it’s nothin’, lass. It’s a pretty easy dish to make-”

“I’m serious.” S’era rolled her eyes before nudging him. “You kept a roof over my head, kept me fed, kept me clothed. Mostly.” Another playful wink in his direction. “And now you’re willing to risk your life to help me. If we make it back… when we make it back… I’ll be sure to give you a proper reward; one last dance before I return to my tribe~”

K’thalen shifted uncomfortably on the couch once he noticed she was pressing her body against him. “Gods, you’re randy tonight… if you want some action, just say so lass. All this flirtin’ is time wasted.”

“First we eat dinner.” S’era sneered. “Then we eat each other.” The orange haze from the fireplace and the satisfying warmth from her meal was putting her in the mood, that much was obvious; with victory close enough to taste, and her long exhausting journey almost at its end, she could never be happier. Too impatient to wait for him to finish his own meal, S’era began to run her hands up his thigh on her way to unbuttoning his pants. Excitement tingled between her squirming legs when he slowly set his bowl down to give her his undivided attention, and she fully intended to make good on her promise.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! 

“Who could that be at this hour?!” K’thalen scowled, slipping his greedy hands away from S’era’s blouse as he rose to his feet. He hobbled toward the door while partially hunched over, adjusting himself to avoid startling whoever interrupted their dinner party with his manly girth. S’era could barely hear the small conversation he was having with the stranger at the door, not that she minded; she became distracted by eyeballing a particularly large chunk of boar in K’thalen’s bowl. It was too tempting to resist and she saw no reason not to take it. 

“So who was it?” She asked, right before merrily chomping down on the mouthwatering morsel. She looked over the back of the couch to see him standing over a long narrow box, holding a sealed letter. “Was it your supplier? The lalafell with the broken nose?”

“Noluno? Nah, I doubt it. I didn’t request another batch of his potions…” K’thalen scratched the back of his head before he began breaking the seal on the letter.

S’era draped her arms over the couch as she studied him curiously. “Maybe it’s a gift? For your patronage?”

“You ever met a lalafellin merchant who gave his wares for free?” He sighed, clearly puzzled. “Besides… it’s for you, apparently.”

S’era perked up at the notion of free gifts. “Oh?! Is it from Pherond? Zevi maybe?! Or… a secret admirer?” K’thalen aptly decided to ignore her giddy questions entirely. The wax seal crumbled against his thumb and he flicked his wrist to whip the letter straight. “Well?! Come on, don’t keep me waiting Thal! What is it? What is it?”

He didn’t answer. Instead he dropped to a knee and pried open a corner of the box, then froze like a statue. His tail began to swipe back and forth while his ears flattened against his head again, and before long he slowly rose back to his full height.

“K’thalen? Are you going to say something or what?!” A soft couch, a warm dinner, and now expensive gifts? She was beginning to grow hot all over. “I’m dying for your touch over here~”

“Stop.” His response was uncharacteristically curt. She couldn’t tell if he was suddenly annoyed by her voice, or if he was playing another one of his pranks. Quickly she jumped to her feet, almost skipping across the apartment to peek at the package for herself.

“What is it…?” She softly asked, startling K’thalen.

Then she smelled it under the sweet scent of cooked meat and onions. A stench so strong she almost gagged. The playful glint in her eyes and the lustful smirk on her lips had both vanished like dust in a tempest. When K’thalen turned to meet her curious gaze, her heart skipped a beat; she had never seen him so pale before.

“You…” His words snagged in his throat, his piercing yellow gaze darting back and forth between her eyes. “... you don’t want to see this, S’era.”

Her eyes grew wide as her mind raced. “Give me the letter…” She nervously whispered, holding her hand out. He was reluctant to hand it over, but he did it anyway. The letters were difficult for her to read, but some of the words she recognized from all the lessons she’s had. “He… he-ere… is… here is…”

“Here is your hero.” K’thalen weakly recited it, catching her attention again. “A ray of sunlight to warm your coldest nightmare.” He reached out to touch her shoulder, but S’era pulled away in a stumble. 

“Open the box.” She commanded, letting the letter slip from her fingers.

K’thalen didn’t bat an eye. “I won’t.” 

Anger flared in her eyes. When she took a step closer, he stepped between her and the package, which only made her angrier. “Get. Out. Of. My. Way.”

“You already know what’s in there…” He weakly spoke between trembling breaths. “S’era, please… don’t make this harder on yourself.” She stepped forward with a furious surge of strength and pushed him away all the same. K’thalen didn’t have enough time to regain his footing and stop her from ripping the top off the box.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The ringing in her head deafened her from K’thalen’s worried shouting. The room spun and twisted. Her knees grew weak. The air rushed out from her lungs… and her heart dropped to the floor. “No…!” Was all she could squeeze from her breath. She stumbled a few steps before her legs faltered, and she collapsed beside the stinking box.

He was shorter than she remembered, no taller than most men. His dazzling silver hair was muddied by his own blood. His once beautiful skin had paled more than moonlight. Although his deep orange eyes were closed, she knew the life and vigor had both long disappeared. His body was frail from a year of malnourishment, almost frail like an old man’s frame from his skin stretched taut over bones. His hands were calloused and bruised from countless hours of hard manual labor in the brutal cells of the Garleans, and along his throat was a gash straight to the spine, yet the blood had long dried.

“No…” Her body went numb the longer she stared at S’tage’s corpse, but she couldn’t look away. “No…!” All that effort. All that pain. All that suffering. All for nothing. “NOOOOO!”

---

Mentions: @hadriel-ffxiv​ @rzevi-tia-ffxiv​ @conobharo-cobharo-xiv​

[lunelantern]

~~~Sasuke and Sakura are neither

TOXIC nor ABUSIVE~~~

✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️🌩️🌩️🌩️🌩️💞💞🌩️🌩️🌩️🌩️🌩️💞💞💞💞🌩️🌩️🌩️

[... In response to "Sasusaku is toxic

/abusive" trope]

While I do respect every individual's legitimate right and entitlement to freedom of expression - - everyone is free to like or dislike hate or love something - - I feel that there is a popular misconception that's been segregating through the millieu of the critics of the Sasusaku pair which begs to be cleared.

Touting sasusaku as "toxic or abusive" comprises one of the most cliché popular catchphrase to counter argue against this pair and it denotes superficial, unsophisticated and inconsequential understanding of the characters' inner construction and manga symbolism.

Common logic lets us ample room to explore beyond reasonable doubt the repertoire of this absurd stereotype for, in order to be dubbed as "toxic or abusive", this relationship must meet THREE sine qua non criteria:

1. Sasuke and Sakura must BE in a relationship;

2. Sasuke and sakura must have a RELATIONSHIP;

3. Sasuke and Sakura's relationship must be ABUSIVE/TOXIC.

A single aperçu of the three aforementioned criteria that have to be met simultaneously is irrefragible for any argument in favor of "abusive or toxic relationship" for it's crystal clear that the Sasusaku couple dynamics does not validate any of the three.

A Cartesian analysis of the three conditions supported by descriptive manga examples would further emphasize that Sasuke and sakura are a far cry from abusive or toxic.

1 & 2) Common logic postulates that, in order to be ascribed to a certain condition or situation, you overtly must BE in that situation or must take part in that situation or must be an ACTOR of that situation. For instance, in order to take your spouse's surname after marriage you must be married first.

Years prior his long stroll to soul and honor redemption, sasuke and sakura are in NO RELATIONSHIP whatsoever.

Sasuke himself whisks away any wasp of looming confusion in front of the Gates of the Leaf that he does not desire Sakura's companionship because this is "MY journey to redemption and MY sins have nothing to do with YOU", implying that he KNOWS what Sakura desires and expects from him and his current self cannot give her what she wants.

Sasuke's shenanigans won him the title of a disimpassioned untutored novice in the art of intimacy and romance, which isn't the case.

Sasuke is perfectly aware of what romantic love and intimacy entitled and his actions speak for themselves; he bluntly and expressively brushes off any extraneous attempt at luscious and sensuous flirt from women - - which are overflowing in the manga - - and utters words from the same semantics when he refers to Sakura, with such implacable bluntness and confidence that sends shivers rolling along our spines - - he placates Kakashi's desperate words with a forward "play at ROMANCE" and "I don't have a reason to LOVE her and she doesn't have a reason to LOVE me". His words are explicit, uncensored, forward and crystal clear.

Sasuke knows what Sakura desires from him in the cusp of romantic love; she desires his heart as devolution and communion, and she desires his body as intimate caress. He acknowledged and accepts Sakura's romantic feelings, but the he doesn't surrender himself to her as long as he considers himself UNWORTHY and completely unprepared to respond.

Conclusively, Sasuke and Sakura officialize their relationship and ARE in a relationship from the moment when both the leading parties are WORTHY, willing and prepared to give each other the love and respect that they both deserve and seek for.

So, in order to be considered as a leading party of an abusive relationship, one must BE part of that relationship first-hand.

Which means that the first criteria to be met is that Sasuke and Sakura must BE in a relationship.

Now, reviewing Sasuke's sophistic and philosophical construction as the Schopenhauer-ish stylized anti-hero and the paradigm of nihilism/pessimism - - the Yin part of the Manga and its political doctrine - - his sensuous manga dynamics wending through the lights and shadows of fulminant and conflicting psychological and philosophical turmoil and imbroglios makes Sasuke's character difficult to grasp for the large audience.

Because it's difficult to identify with an anti-hero that pulverizes all the hive mentalities and society's stereotypes. Sasuke is complex, is analytical and introspection must be used for revealing the exuberant depths of this complex character.

Sasuke's ambivalent and expressive radical actions can easily be mistake for active and passive aggressiveness but this isn't the case with Sakura.

I dare to venture as far as to contend that Sasuke and Sakura have never been friends. While Sakura's symbolism and character development denotes romantic love and intimacy in her heart-tucking passionate surrender and boundariless affection, Sasuke thinks of his bind with Team seven as the pilifered picturesque portrait of his family, with naruto in the shoes of a brother, Kakashi as the fatherly figure of mentorship and Sakura's ineffable crystal romantic love and devotion as the pillar figure of matriarch/a wife.

Neither Sakura nor Sasuke ever saw each other through the platonic prism of friendship, not even during the forced cohabitation of Team 7.

Sasuke's in instinctive laconic, terse and breviloquent attitude is erroneously mistaken for aggressiveness which only demonstrates improper understanding of his manga symbolism.

Not only Uchiha Sasuke is the paradigm of the Left wing of the manga's two political doctrines and the pioneer of nihilism or pessimism as a philosophical movement, but he also embodies the condition of the GENIUS. The self-reflective philosopher, the thinker, the introspective brilliant mind who's conniption and kinesics are often misread by normal people.

Part 1 Sasuke parts ways with Sakura in a completely idillic picturesque scenery that overflows with pure emotion and intimacy as it suggests that the two lay their farewells as lovers.

During their interactions, Sasuke's kinesics have always been dulcet, more tempered, softer and more suave with Sakura.

She managed to steal from him rare moments of sweetness and affection, culminating with two meaningful words from the elusive and introvert Sasuke which are illustrative for his overt fondness and gratitude for this girl's feelings - - he said "thank you" from the bottom of his heart.

And parted on good terms as Sasuke leaves the village (thus he turns against the current political ninja system) and starts his sojourn through the maze of life's tumult that's sprinkled with cruel and brutal faces of the ugly reality of the world (he steps out of the comfort zone and security of the village and experiences real life).

It also marks the young boy's end of childhoods blissful innocence and the bloom of puberty.

Now, from between these two milestone moments that harmoniously and symmetrically conclude the philosophy of the manga, (Sasuke's departure in Part 1; the Sign of Reconciliation after Sasuke and Naruto's battle of ideologies), Sasuke's soohistic character finds its fulminant paintbrushing with lights and shadows and his symbolic actions crayon the tragic exuberance of his anti-hero dynamics and development.

He and Sakura are absolute STRANGERS while Sasuke's character unfolds in all the splendor of his complex glory. They are in no relationship whatsoever.

The tragi-comedy of this tumultuous pair is that Sasuke HIMSELF makes it perfectly clear what he and Sakura are with illustrative and more than self-sufficient phrases: "I am a FORMER Team 7 member", "I am NOT part of this team anymore" and even going as far as to acknowledge Sai's renewed role as "my REPLACEMENT".

Moreover, after Sasuke's conjecture affiliation with Akatsuki, he and Sakura can be officially considered enemies and both act accordingly. Sasuke becomes an international criminal under the direct order to be annihilated in the spot. Sakura, as a faithful shinobi that's fully committed to the military discipline of her job launches to eliminate Sasuke as per order of her superiors while Sasuke obviously retaliates in self-defense.

Sasuke and Sakura, by the time Sasuke's character unfurles uncensored in all the full splendor of his lights and shadows, DON'T find themselves in a relationship and they share NO RELATIONSHIP whatsoever. NONE!

As a pair, Sasuke and Sakura made amends with their romantic feelings in part 1 before their departure and they KNOW it. Sasuke tries to sever his past bonds and start anew and Sakura tries to do just as so and both FAIL.

Which annuls the seemingly assertion that Sakura herself acts like she's trapped into a twisted variation of the Stockholm syndrome (then victim starts to feel fondly for her captor and even acquiesces to his mentality, as a consequence of the brain's innate copying response calls for the development of a mechanism of defense).

And even if suppressed and denied, feelings churn deep inside their hearts, even if their heated stares and honey-poison infused words barely makes their inner tempest, officially and how they ACT makes it perfectly clear that are NOTHING to each other. To ARE NOT in a relationship and they have NO RELATIONSHIP.

Which automatically invalidates that Sasusaku are overall in a toxic relationship.

3) Let's consider the semantics of Toxic and abusive relationship.

Because both the concepts borderline the crimes and felonies in the Criminal Codes, it's imperative to postulate that the two refer to psychological and physical REPEATED actions that are meant to subdue and quench the victim's freedom and Will (sexual freedom, freedom of speech, of expression, of movement...).

Abuse can be both physical and psychological with actions to sustain and reveal that the victim is subjected to regular abuse (the crime is repetitive and habitual) with the purpose of INFLICTING TERROR, fear and coercition.

The victim of abuse is terrified as she undergoes major psychological trauma, in response to the violent and COERCITIVE actions of the one who abuses her.

Abuse is defined as inflicting pain, teror, fear, to subdue, to surmount and crush the freedom of spirit, to prevent the victim to manifest and take action, to denigrate the spirit and transgress fundamental human rights, which are all grave crimes punishable by the Criminal legislations.

The victim is weakened and terrorized, she fears the one who abuses her and she finds herself in the illusory trap of the Stockholm syndrome in order to develop a copying mechanism to ensure the physical and psychological trauma and survive.

Where exactly does the Manga depict such distraught, coercitive and abusive behavioral traits in regards to Sasuke and Sakura as an official COUPLE?

Nowhere, naturally.

Whenever Sasuke and Sakura physically or psychologically clashed, they were both in their roles of shinobi/enemies. They never violently collided as lovers.

Sasuke and Sakura are both prideful full-fledged shinobi, understanding perfectly well the inner conflict and the displayed course of actions that this dichotomy entitles.

When in the shoes of the shinobi, personal feelings must be set aside. They both know it. Sakura and Sasuke, even if they love ecah other romantically, they must forgo their feelings in lieu of assuming their role as the shinobi.

Plus, Sakura is not depicted as bring feareful of Sasuke, au contraire she lunges onwards and alone with total intent to kill him. That's antithetical to how a victim of abuse acts.

She's confident in her skills, she's calm, analytical, level-headed, lucid, determined, strong, and mentally not feareful of Sasuke. She doesn't fear him even though his reputation strikes terror amidst the general audience.

She doesn't even wavers before him after she learns that he faced 5 Kage and killed the shrawdy enigmatic Shimura Danzo! What makes Sakura falter is the product of genuine love, not abuse or fear.

Sasuke doesn't repeatedly try to strike fear or coerce Sakura, he doesn't corner her, he doesn't try to abuse her mentally or physically, he doesn't enslave her. He only retails accordingly. His words or actions invalidate any form of abuse.

They are both shinobi, they acknowledge each other's skills and act accordingly. Neither abuses the other one in any way.

Now, I can imagine how this wrong assertion could work, namely, if one would claim that their relationship is GROUNDED and constructed on the shaky foundation of a FORMER/PAST of abuse and violence, pain and remorse, guilt and terror,reviwing upon Sasuke's character dynamic and Sakura's unwavering devotion that's indomitable and candid.

Once could quest how could a couple work a peaceful and healthy relationship if they have a tempestous stained HISTORY of abuse?

The philosophy of the Manga makes it work for two valid reasons:

1. Sasuke and Sakura do not have a hystory of abuse and terror because of their dual role as human beings and shinobi and their clashes and virulent encounters are presented in the light of shinobi / warriors just like two soldiers of opposing battle forces;

2. The moral of Naruto manga is centered around redemption and forgiveness; Naruto makes it clear they one cannot erase his past self or cut his own bonds and history no matter how sinfully tragic or stained because history is what gives us identity and shape our character and peace can never be achieved if we don't acknowledge each other's pain (pain that's derived from that very painful history of sin and tumult). Naruto manga suggests that, in order for a bond of peace and tranquil cohabitation to work, it is absolutely imperative to accept someone's past. In this case, a redeemed past.

We have the criminal rehabilitation in the Criminal Code which means that the effects of a conviction and the additional penalties are extincted when certain criteria are met.

And Sasuke already atoned for his crimes, both legally and metaphorically, before becoming Sakura's official lover.

Denying that Sasuke and Sakura now a happy married couple ARE abusive or toxic or they ground their marriage on a toxic HISTORY is invalidated by the fact that Sasuke redeemed himself in the eyes of the law, in the eyes of the audience and Naruto Manga promotes the acceptance of one's past as the sole way to make amends and exist in peaceful cohabitation.

How could one reach to someone's heart if he doesn't understand his soul and the source of his pain? And the kernel of both lies in his past, his history.

I can safely postulate that Sasuke gave himself willingly, happily and serenly to Sakura when he was absolutely sure that he is the best version of himself; the one who could give her what she wants and what she deserves. And surrendered to her endless love and devotion.

He asked for forgiveness for his actions (which implied asking forgiveness for not being able to properly reward her love and immense devotion) and Sakura forgave him, he made amends with his past, he reconcilliated with the shinobi world, he offered his services to the greater good of the community, he legally rehabilitated himself for the crimes, he received legal pardon for his crimes.

In the end, I'd conclude that Sasusaku's sole flaw is the embodiment of the human nature itself, with its qualities and flaws, lights and shadows. This pair is human, is strikingly realistic and not exceedingly romanticized to pander to the general audience.

Sasusaku's realistic aphorism stems from its uncensored life situations and the unveiled manner of transposing real-life situations into the fictional work of Naruto Universe, where idealism wins over realism, nihilism and totalitarianism.

Sasuke and Sakura are illustrative for any real life couple's dynamics. Every couple and marriage no matter how solid has its arguments and no human bond is inheritnetly perfect.

Perfect marriages are an utopia but it's exactly the way the parties chose to overcome their crisis and differences that makes a difference. And Sasusaku is a picture frame perfect of a realistic couple dynamics with its differences and shortcomings.

I'd cite Hegel's famous book and state that SasuSaku is the unconquearable proof that the paradox of every sentient being's actions and ambitions lies in the fact that we are all just "human, all too human".

[tarotdeckshuffle]

Witch and familiar au ignis was given to the local witch who lives on the outskirts of town as a peace offering because the villagers are simple minded and assume all witches like cats. unfortunately MC is allergic to them but still keeps ignis the cat because she's not going to throw an animal out to the wild. villagers there are jerks to her but always want some spell or potion from her so she's an outcast but also treated as "please help me even though I curse your name in town"

Roshy, I am so sorry this took so damn long to get to!!! I wanted to get this out for Halloween, but…well, we see how that went. 

This is just a little drabble from what the story could be. It’s not well polished or anything, but it was time to get a story out for everyone. So I hope you enjoy!

Taglist: @idiotflowerex, @laststory1013, @sayaoqueen, @jophinabean, @mysme-already

If you like what you read, please consider supporting me on Patreon or buying me a Ko-fi!

A chill danced over your skin as the autumn winds announced the whispers of a frost. You smiled, busying yourself with harvesting the last of your herbs from your garden before the frost took them. Soon, they’d whither and die, to crumble into the soil and start the cycle anew. But this cycle didn’t sadden you, for these little plants would soon be a bed of nourishment for a new crop. If life had taught you little else, it was this: that everything happened in cycles. 

Or so you hoped. 

Your life had been a very long cycle of loneliness. Your parents gone and no siblings to speak of, you inhabited this little farmhouse alone. All the friends you had made had moved off to the city to seek their fortunes or married far from home. All the villagers that were left seemed to be wary of you. 

You heard your name mentioned in hushed whispers in the market, only to fall to silence when you turned. Since the hushed whispers had begun, the children even came up with a new song to sing when jumping rope:

Goblin toes and honey dew

That what the witch’ll brew!

If you’re not good and home by dark

You bet you’ll be their next mark!

The whole situation was really quite childish, but it was getting on your nerves. You endured years of this taunting and were the butt of every joke, only to be called down to the village when the next fever swept through. 

But that was for another day of this never ending cycle. 

Today, you finished gathering up the herbs and carried the basket into your home. You placed the leaves into some cheese cloth to be washed in the sink and stared wistfully out the kitchen window into the afternoon sun. 

A speck on the horizon caught your eye. Squinting, you could start making out that it was a person…Your heart sank as you realized it was your nearest neighbor, Darcela. 

Darcela was an older woman. The woman had very little to be notable for, other than making a nuisance of herself. She wouldn’t be seen around the village for weeks on end, only to turn up, out of nowhere, trying to sell baked goods, and screaming about everyone around her. To the best anyone could tell, she hated everyone. You had obviously been the topic of her rants many a time, so you typically avoided her. 

With the fury of a tempest, Darcela threw open your garden gate and came stomping up to your door. You opened it hurriedly, not wanting to give her the opportunity to knock it off its hinges. 

“GET YOUR DAMN CAT OUT OF MY GARDEN!” The old woman screeched. 

You stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded. Had the hag completely lost her mind? 

“Why are you staring at me like that?! I said, get your cat out of my garden!! He’s ruining all of my plants!” The woman’s eyes were red and she looked ready to fight. 

“I don’t own a cat…I’m allergic to them.” you gently whispered. 

Darcela threw up her hands and spun away from you in exasperation. “You’re telling me the witch doesn’t own a cat?!” 

You hufed, having had this argument countless times. “I’m not a…” 

“I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU ARE! What I care about is the cat in my garden!” Darcela was already walking down the path back to her home. You sighed, following obediently, knowing you were the poor cat’s only hope. 

You followed Darcela into her “garden” but honestly, it just looked like a bunch of unkept weeds within a picket fence. You didn’t see what the big deal was. She walked ahead of you, throwing her hands about and talking about how this was her pride and joy and blah blah blah. 

Eventually, you came upon the patch in question. “It was almost ready to harvest, too!” Darcela cried, as you parted the tall plants. The leaves looked strange to you, like scrunched up stars. In amongst the greenery was a large black cat, sprawled out on his back, enjoying the sunshine. 

Realization hit you like the scent from the garden as you picked up the cat. “I see why you want him out, Darcela. Maybe you should try DEALING with your plants rather than baking with them. Besides, I hear their smoke is far faster than their taste.” You shot your neighbor a knowing smile and she blushed. 

You walked out of her garden, the black cat purring in your arms. Your skin was already starting to itch. You set him down when you were just out of sight of Darcela’s hut. 

“There. Now don’t go getting into such trouble again!” You said to the cat, wagging your finger at it. “Who am I kidding…I’m talking to a cat.” You threw up your hands and brushed past the black beast. But your walk home wasn’t alone. Your furry companion zigzagged in and out of your legs as you walked, regardless of how badly you tried to shoo him. 

Why was this cat being so persistent to be with you? Was it a lost pet? It certainly didn’t act wild with you. 

At home, the persistent beast did not relent. It snuck into your home and made its bed on yours. You would have weeks of itching skin now. But it was cute…

Eventually, you relented. 

By the time you got around to making dinner, the moon was already rising outside. 

Tonight you would have parsnip soup. It wasn’t much, but it was all you had. Someday things would get better. They cycle had to end somewhere, didn’t it? 

You sipped from the hot bowl with yoru wooden ladle. The cat seemed entranced by what you were doing. 

“What? Do you want some?” you jested. To your surprise, the cat meowed in response. 

A smile crept over your face. Perhaps this little creature wouldn’t be such a bad companion. As you leaned over to take another taste of the soup, a sharp pain ran up your leg!

It was the cat! He was trying to claw at your leg!

Relenting, you paused in your makeshift dinner to give your companion a saucer of milk. That was a thing cats liked, right? 

But your plan didn’t work. The beast started meowing for your dinner. It took a few minutes of battle before he got the best of you. 

You slammed a bowl down on the ground. “THERE! HAPPY?!” The cat replied with silence. Prancing over to sip from it’s victory dinner. 

It’s small tongue lapped at the warm soup. It was all fairly cute you thought as you watched. Just as everything was starting to calm down…

POOF!

In a cloud of lavender smoke, the cat disappeared and a tall, handsome, completely naked man appeared. 

He cleared his throat before addressing you. “Yes, now as I was saying, it needs some salt.”

[sweetmemories2606]

Unforgivable: Gruvia and Jerza Fanfic (chapter 4)

Summary: A missing child. A prophecy. Two siblings, born from light and darkness. Nothing will be the same after Juvia reveals the truth about her past, damaging her relationship with Gray. Meanwhile, Lucy struggles with a family secret and one night causes unexpected consequences for Jellal and Erza. How will they survive Zeref's ultimate plan? 

Pairing: Gruvia, Jerza, NaLu, Lyredy, GaLe, AlBis

Link (chapters 1-3): https://m.fanfiction.net/s/12889561/1/Unforgivable

Warning: You should really check out the other chapters before reading this post, or else there will be confusion. 

Happy reading!

                                                      Why We Met

"Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something."

-Lucy Heartfilia

In a hidden mansion, miles away from everything…

"I don't like this." Kyoka, goddess of the slave planet, said.

"She's talking too much." Torafusa, one of the nine demon gates, added while they watched through a magic mirror as Juvia Lockser explained her backstory.

"It won't be long till she starts talking about us." Tempester spoke, staring at the screen with narrowed eyes.

"I wouldn't be so worried. Remember that my macro curse won't allow her to do so." Seilah reminded them, smirking.

"That's true. Although I think that Jellal's getting suspicious with the information we've had her give him." Kyoka voiced her concerns, staring at Jellal's figure cautiously.

"I wonder how he found out about our plans to eliminate Erza Scarlet." The former said.

"Doesn't matter. Just because Juliet Fernandes didn't actually kill her, doesn't mean it's over." Keyes told them and the demons smiled.

"Of course not. We'll still have plenty of opportunities for that." Kyoka said.

"Besides, now that we know Juliet is capable of murder, we should use that to our advantage." Seilah reminded them while making a book appear; the name Juliet could be read on the cover.

"What do you have in mind, Seilah?" A new voice asked as a woman entered the room. Her appearance was hidden behind a hood, but a few locks of blue hair could be spotted.

"Alison. I was beginning to wonder where you were, dear." Keyes told her with a sinister smile on his skeleton face.

"I was taking care of business. Don't you remember?" The woman raised a brow in his direction.

"Of course. Now we have a new job for you." Kyoka said and she turned to the demon, an interested look in her eyes.

"Do tell." Alison closed the door behind her before walking towards the center of the room, where the Nine Demon Gates were reunited.

"Retrieve Erza Scarlet." A surprised look crossed her face and she froze. A few moments passed before she recomposed herself. "Shouldn't be a problem. Where is she?"

"I'm okay." Gray said, glancing towards Juvia and Jellal with a smile. "I'm happy for her."

"Good for you, man." Natsu patted him on the back.

"I have a feeling that's not all there is to the story." Levy voiced her concerns.

"Same. There are many things left unexplained." Gajeel added, frowning.

"Let's give them time before we ask more." Wendy wisely suggested.

"Yeah, with everything that happened tonight, I think they'll need it." Lucy glanced towards Erza's lifeless body and frowned. "Do you think they're telling the truth about Erza?"

"Why would they lie? You know how much Jellal loves her." Levy replied.

"If Juvia had actually killed her, I don't think he'd act this way; sister or not." Gray added.

"But can we be sure that she's still alive?" Gajeel wondered; something didn't feel right about this whole story.

"I won't be sure until I see it with my very eyes." Natsu was quick to say before crossing his arms and glaring at Ultear and Meredy, who stood in the distance, watching the siblings reunite.

"We still have questions." Gajeel loudly told them before taking a few steps forward. The two looked surprised for a moment, but nodded.

"We'll answer them as best as we can." The older woman said, but soon enough Juvia spoke having broken apart from the hug. "Thank you, Ultear, but I can handle it. This is my story, after all."

"Good. Because there are some things that still don't make sense." Natsu told her and she raised a brow.

"Such as?" Levy was the one who started questioning.

"Well, Jellal mentioned that you disappeared when he was seven. Where did you go?" Juvia sighed; knowing this question would come. She exchanged a glance with Ultear, who gave her an unsure look. "If I'm going to tell the truth, I'll have to tell them everything."

"Are you sure?" Meredy's eyes were wide; she didn't think this was a good idea.

"So this is what you were talking about before." Natsu muttered, remembering the words spoken by them a few minutes before

"I know, but that doesn't change what I did. What I had her do."

"She didn't go through with it. And, honestly, I don't think Gray needs to know."

"Whatever it is, you can tell me." The ice mage was quick to tell his girlfriend.

"I know you won't think like that once I'm done, but you deserve to know." Juvia took a deep breath before looking right at him, blue eyes filled with sadness. "When I was five and Jellal was seven, I was kidnapped. I remember that night clearly; it was my 5th birthday and I had fun playing games with him and our father. I was so happy, until he came. The man who took me away from my family and ruined my life."

"Who was it?" Lucy couldn't hold her curiosity any longer.

"His name was Hades; and he used to be the master of Fairy Tail." Their eyes widened once they remembered the man that they had met on Tenrou Island.

"Hades?" Natsu whispered, disbelieving.

"Wait a minute! If he was the one who took you, does that mean that…." Levy started and Gray finished her thought.

"You were with Grimoire Heart, weren't you?" Juvia nodded slowly, a guilty look coming upon her face.

"Yes. I was brought to the place where Ultear was also being kept." This had everyone glancing towards Ultear. "Back then she was Hades' only recruit and we quickly bonded over loneliness and bad parents; since he told me my father didn't want me anymore and had sent me away." Juvia paused and sighed."Of course, it didn't take me long to figure out he was lying, but by then I was in too deep and constantly supervised. So I had no choice but to follow his orders if I wanted to stay alive."

"That makes sense." Lucy said and the others agreed.

"But still, it doesn't forgive everything you must've done as a member of Grimoire Heart." Gajeel spoke next.

"I disagree. If I managed to forgive Ultear for everything she did, it won't be hard to forgive you." Gray sincerely said.

"Besides, compared to the rest of us, Juvia didn't do anything that wrong. She didn't kill anyone in cold blood like me; I always managed to protect her from that." Ultear added and Juvia tensed.

"It's not entirely true. I did some awful things." Her hands held tightly onto the heart-shaped necklace that she constantly wore.

"You didn't have a choice. Master Hades would've killed you otherwise." Meredy reassured.

"It was a matter of survival; we understand. I can forgive that." Gray said and Juvia couldn't help but to smile.

"Thank you, my love. I can't believe how supportive you're being. It's so…unexpected." He laughed at this.

"Trust me, I'm freaking out here. But nothing I've heard so far has convinced me to hate you or resent you. All I can see is how much you suffered and I hate that you didn't tell me before." Tears were brimming in the corner of her eyes.

"I was so scared. I didn't want to lose you." He shook his head before fixing her with a reassuring look.

"You won't. I promised to always be there for you, didn't I?" She nodded, unable to formulate words.

"You two are so sweet!" Meredy happily told them.

"Yes, I just wish I had seen it sooner." Ultear sighed.

"But you did. You saw how I was falling in love with him and you decided to step back. I'm always grateful for that." Juvia told her and Gray's eyes widened.

"So you told Ultear about me? Is that how she found out?" The older woman shook her head.

"No, it was the other way around. I knew exactly who you were ever since Hades told me about my mother's death by your hand. He wanted to fuel my hate for you and need for revenge. It worked just perfectly." She looked down in shame. "I just wish I hadn't dragged Juvia into it."

"It's okay; I've forgiven you for that." The water mage quickly reassured her before smiling. "Besides, if you hadn't pushed me towards Gray, I would've never found the happiness he brought into my life."

"So that first date, it was your doing?" Lucy asked, recalling Juvia and Gray's first encounter a few weeks before the battle between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail.

"Yes. I sent Juvia there to kill Gray, but she couldn't bring herself to do it." Ultear replied and the memory brought matching smiles to Gray and Juvia's faces.

About 1 year earlier...

"Why do you care enough to comfort me when you don't even know me?" Gray was surprised, for many reasons.

"To be honest, I'm not always like this." He hoped she'd understand what he meant."But Mirajane has been pushing me to be nicer, so I'm trying."

"You're doing a good job." She allowed a sincere smile to take over her face and he gave his own in return.

"I'm glad." They were silent for a few moments, until the faraway ticking of a clock let them know it was already midnight.

"We should go." Juvia didn't know why she suggested it. This was the perfect moment to finish what she had come here to do. They were alone there; no one would be witness to her sins.

"Okay." He nodded slowly, although she could tell he didn't want to.

"But before we do..." Unexpectedly to both, she closed the distance between them as her arms wrapped around his torso while her head rested on his chest. "Thank you." There were so many meanings to those words that he didn't know.

Gray's expression softened as he returned the hug. "You're welcome."

She pulled apart a moment later and lifted her head to stare at him. He was looking at her in a way only one person had before; a mixture of compassion, happiness and understanding. It made her feel cared for and she couldn't deny that she liked the feeling.

"Juliet..." His hand was suddenly reaching up to touch her face and she froze. There was desire in his eyes now and determination. She was torn between being scared and anxious.

"Yes?" The next thing she knew, he had leaned in and then his lips were touching hers in a passionate kiss.

"You were the first person aside from Ultear and Meredy who ever showed me compassion, understanding. You were the first to ever care and I believe that's why I started to fall in love with you after just one date." Juvia turned to her boyfriend, smiling brightly. "And of course, when you chased the rain away during our battle; I knew it."

"Believe it or not, Gray, but you were the reason why Juvia chose to leave Grimoire Heart. You were the one who brought her into the light and I'm so thankful for that." Ultear spoke next and the ice mage approached the water mage, smiling.

"I'm glad I could point you in the right direction." His arms wrapped around her waist and she wasted no time wrapping her own around his neck.

"I love you so much. Thank you." Instead of replying, he leant it as she did the same.

While the couple shared an intense kiss, Natsu turned to Ultear in confusion. "Wait, so Juvia actually left the guild?"

"If she hadn't, I don't think they would've given her the same treatment back on Tenrou Island." Lucy remarked, remembering Erza and Juvia's tale about their fight against Meredy.

"That's not true! I would've never hurt her, even after she left. But I didn't know who she was." The pinkette said, staring at them guiltily.

"What does that mean?" Now they were really confused.

"You see, after realizing that she was in love with Gray and finding out that Jellal was still alive during the Tower of Heaven incident, Juvia realized that Hades had lied to her for all these years, so she decided to quit." Ultear answered.

"But, as I'm sure you know, no one just quits a dark guild. Getting out alive is nearly impossible." Meredy continued and they nodded, understanding.

"So how did Juvia manage to do it?" Gajeel asked, curious.

"We helped her." The older woman replied. "I always saw her as a little sister, someone I wanted to protect. So after she told me about Jellal, who I'd never known was actually her brother, and of her love for Gray Fullbuster; I decided to put my desire for revenge aside and help her."

13 years earlier…

"Okay, where are you taking me?" Ultear asked while Meredy and Juvia guided her. She was blindfolded and the two girls held her arms and helped her move towards their destination, which was a surprise.

"You'll see soon enough." The 12 years old replied while sharing an excited look with the child.

"I can't wait to see your face, mamma. You'll love it!" The pinkette added; she was almost jumping with joy.

"Okay, we're here." Juvia finally removed the blindfold and Ultear's eyes widened once she spotted the picnic basket on top of the beautiful flowery towel that once belonged to her mother, Ur Milkovitch. There were three glasses, a bottle of juice, many cupcakes and a big strawberry cake besides the basket.

"Happy birthday!" Meredy screamed happily.

"We were supposed to say it together." The bluenette complained, frowning.

"You've done all this for me?" Ultear couldn't deny her surprise. Even though the three of them were very close, she wouldn't have expected them to even remember her birthday. She never celebrated them anyways.

"Of course. Juvia told me that you never had a birthday party, so we wanted to give you one." The 7 years old replied.

"Don't you like it?" Juvia asked, still frowning.

"No, sweetheart, I do. I'm just surprised, that's all." The 18 years old was quick to kneel down by her side, placing both hands on her shoulders.

"We wanted it to be a surprise." The bluenette replied and Ultear wasted no time hugging her tightly.

"Thank you." For a few moments they stayed like that, until they heard a small voice.

"I want a hug too, mamma!" They pulled apart and extended their arms, smiling at Meredy.

"Come here." Juvia called and the pinkette ran towards them, laughing.

Soon enough the three of them were holding onto each other, content. For the first time in years, Ultear's mind wasn't on her mother or her vendetta against Gray Fullbuster; she felt happy. The three of them did; it was good to know that they still had someone who cared after losing everything.

"So you weren't all bad." Levy told Ultear and Meredy eagerly nodded.

"Of course not! Ultear might've been a villain back then, but she was always good to me and Juvia. She always took care of us and we were grateful for that." The others smiled; it was nice seeing this softer side of the former villains.

"But how exactly did you help Juvia?" Lucy asked.

"I knew a powerful spell that could make someone unrecognizable. That way, Juvia could move around freely and Hades wouldn't be able to find her." Their eyes widened. Now that was a clever plan!

"The only problem was, the spell was so powerful that even we weren't able to recognize her; which is why I fought against her back on Tenrou Island." The pinkette added.

"I see now. That was clever." Levy praised and they smiled in return.

"It was. I never thanked you for protecting her then, Ultear." Jellal spoke, reminding them of his presence since he had been quietly watching the conversation so far.

His mind had been focused on Erza as the feeling that she might be in danger overwhelmed him. But then again, this whole night had been no short of dangerous for her.

"No problem. I was happy to help; Juvia was always so loyal and kind. She didn't deserve to be trapped with Grimoire Heart." This had the bluenette smiling once she pulled apart from the kiss to catch her breath.

"So let me get this straight. Juvia and Jellal are siblings, but when they were young she was captured by Hades and trained to be in Grimoire Heart." Levy decided to get all the details they had learnt that night.

"Yes." Juvia said, turning around to face the rest of the group while Gray kept his arms wrapped around her from behind.

"And you were sent to kill Gray during that first date, but didn't go through with it. Then during the Phantom Lord battle you fought against him, but he didn't recognize you until after the fight and that's when you knew you loved him." Lucy continued and the water mage nodded.

"Why were you in Phantom Lord anyways?" Gajeel brought up a good point.

"I was sent there to infiltrate the guild since master Hades wanted to know if they could someday join the Balam Alliance." Juvia replied.

"What about Fairy Tail?" This was the question in everyone's mind ever since Juvia and revealed that she used to be a member of Grimoire Heart.

"I wanted to join the guild because of Gray. It wasn't Hades' plan." Relieved looks came upon everyone's faces.

"One more thing, since you were a member of Grimoire Heart, can we assume that you also use some form of lost magic?" Levy brought up another crucial point.

"That's right. I forgot to ask." Natsu said before turning to Juvia expectantly.

"Well…" She was about to answer when she felt it. The familiar dark presence that constantly haunted her dreams. They all felt it and Jellal's face paled while Ultear and Meredy suddenly looked nervous. "They're here."

A few weeks before...

"You look beautiful, Erza." Jellal said and she smiled at him, a small blush coloring her cheeks. "Thank you."

They were outside of Lamia Scale's guildhall and it was 2 weeks before the Grand Magic Games began. A party had been organized so that all the contestants could get to know each other before the big day; which meant that most of the magical guilds in Fiore were there.

Crime Sorciére, per Meredy's request, had decided to join the party; taking advantage of the fact that it was a masked ball so that no one should recognize them. Just for precaution, though, they had also used magic to make themselves unrecognizable.

"So, shall we dance?" Erza extended her hand at him. She wore a beautiful dark red gown matched with a pair of red high heels she wouldn't be caught dead in if Lucy hadn't convinced her to wear them. Her mask had been taken off a while ago.

"We shouldn't." Jellal was quick to say while frowning.

Erza sighed, remembering their conversation a few months before when they had been reunited after seven long years. He had explicitly told her that the only reason he had chosen to live was so that he could make up for his mistakes; and that involved hurting her.

When she had told him that she forgave him for everything, he'd accepted it but reinforced that he had yet to forgive himself. After a fight that led to a desperate kiss; they agreed to stop hiding their feelings and confessed their love for each other.

However, per Jellal's request, they agreed to wait until he felt like he deserved to be with her.

But that was over two months ago and Erza was tired. "Come on; it won't do any harm. You can punish yourself later." She didn't await for an answer and grabbed his hand before leading him along the huge gardens, taking advantage of the fact it was deserted.

Once they reached a spot far enough from the party that no one should walk in, she stopped before turning to face him. His eyes showed guilt and regret; as usual. He wore a blue tuxedo, probably chosen by Meredy since the pinkette had good taste.

"You make it really hard to stay away from you." Jellal admitted while his arms instinctively wrapped around her waist.

"It certainly doesn't seem like it. I've missed you." Erza replied while wrapping her own around his neck as they began swinging to the faded slow song.

"I've missed you too." He tensed when her hand touched his cheek, but relaxed once she just used it to remove his mask.

They danced for a good while, until he felt like it was time to go. Being alone with her only served to increase his desire to be with her and he couldn't allow that.

So he tried to step away, but she didn't let him. Instead, her arms tightened around his neck and she brought his face closer so that she could kiss him.

As surprised as he was and despite the constant reminder of why he shouldn't, Jellal couldn't help but to reply.

When they were forced to pull apart because of the need for air, his mind finally started working again and he cursed himself for being weak. "We shouldn't have done that."

She rolled her eyes before grabbing his face with both hands. "Stop being so stubborn. I haven't seen you in weeks, so we deserve to at least have tonight." Her stare was firm and determined; he'd be lying if he said it wasn't tempting.

"Erza, I…." She put a finger on his lips while shaking her head.

"Don't talk. Just let go." He stared at her with uncertainty. "Tonight." Would one night make such a difference? He had been punishing himself for seven years, so maybe he deserved it.

For once in a long time, Jellal didn't waste time thinking about it and just let go. He allowed himself to be happy, to kiss her again and, when her hands started unbuttoning his tuxedo, he didn't push them away.

Instead he allowed his own to trace the back of her dress and unzip it. He didn't even know why he did it, but once she stepped away and allowed it to fall to the ground, he realized that he didn't care.

Erza awoke, almost jumping from her chair. Her face was warm and red as she thought of the events of that night.

It had been passionate, desperate and amazing. An experience she never wanted to forget and now, she never could.

A hand once again rested upon her stomach and she smiled. That night had produced the most precious life for them and no matter how difficult the situation was or how unready they were to become parents; Erza knew that both of them would stop at nothing to protect their child.

"You couldn't have chosen a worse time, though." She whispered, thinking of all the events happening that night. Looking towards the clock on the counter, she noticed it was 12:45. "Okay, now I think it's safe enough to join them."

Standing up, Erza started walking towards the door, only for it to be swung open.