#how I cried so terribly cause I was so moved by that gesture

[maenimalist]

My college friend who's now based in Canada suddenly dmed me out of nowhere and she asked me how I was doing & then told me that she chatted me because she dreamt of me in her sleep. 😔 The last time we talked was still in August last year. 😔😔😔

[oceaneyesinla]

I'm Here

So, Demon Slayer is back and Sanemi is looking GOOD. Combine that with me struggling, and you get self indulgent fluff

Mentions of non-sexual nudity ahead, and the fic kind of implies reader is struggling mentally. Take care of yourselves, guys <3

Enjoy!

Banner by @/cafekitsune

“What's going on with you, baby?” Sanemi's voice cut through the static in your mind, soft and soothing. He rounded the couch, flicking on the lamp next to the armchair and bathing the room in soft warm light.

You hadn't even noticed your boyfriend come in, and when you looked around the room, you were confused to see inky black through the apartment window. You swore it had been bright outside not that long ago. When your eyes finally trailed up to his face, you hated the worry lining his handsome features. Worry that you caused.

“‘M fine, Sanemi. Just tired.” Not exactly a lie, but not exactly the truth either. You were tired, but it was quickly becoming apparent that you were anything but fine. A fact you knew all too well, but were powerless to do anything about.

Sanemi moved closer in slow steps, almost as if you were some skittish doe he didn't want to scare away. He knelt in front of you, one hand resting on your knee while the other came up to cradle your face. Warmth bled from his palm into the skin of your cheek and you shivered - a chill had developed while you were sitting there zoning out, and it was only now you realised you felt cold.

“Did you eat today?” You wanted to lie, to spare him the worry, but it was impossible with the way those violet eyes stared into yours. Some scared, hurting part of you expected resentment or anger - wanted it, even - but all you could see was loving concern. Guilt and shame bubbled up in your chest as you shook your head; a tiny gesture that he noticed anyway.

The hand on your cheek moved a little higher, and the pad of his thumb brushed over the bags you knew were sunken under your eyes, a permanent feature these days. You had tried so hard not to burden Sanemi with how awful you felt, but you knew the signs were becoming too obvious for such an observant man to not notice.

“Okay. You go shower; get into some warm clothes. I’ll see what we’ve got in the cupboards, okay?” His voice was still soft and his hand was still a reassuring presence on your thigh. However, just the thought of everything involved with showering overwhelmed you. You would have to pick up clean towels from the cupboard, and clean clothes from the wardrobe. Then you would have to actually get into the shower, and you knew your hair needed washing, and on a normal day, that wouldn’t be a problem.

Today, even getting off the couch right now felt like it would take all your energy. Tears welled in your eyes and began to slip down your cheeks as you sat there, paralysed, “I-I can’t.”

If Sanemi was surprised by your sudden tearfulness, he didn’t show it. He moved closer, your legs opening to let him slot between them. Wrapping you up in an all encompassing hold, one hand landed on the back of your head and the other wrapped around you, cradling you against his body as you cried into the crook of his neck.

You didn’t know how long you sat there, slotted together like puzzle pieces. You stayed with your face pressed into his neck, and slowly, you relaxed into his warmth. Everything seemed a little less overwhelming, a little less terrible when you were pressed this close to the love of your life.

He began to speak and you could feel the rumble of his voice through his chest, “Hold on tight.”

You didn’t know what he was planning, but you did as he asked, clinging to him with your legs wrapped around his waist. A little squeak escaped you as you suddenly moved, and you felt his chuckle rumble through his chest as clearly as you heard it next to your ear. He stood up, supporting your body with one hand under your butt and one around your waist.

He started moving around the apartment, and you reluctantly lifted your head to see where he was taking you. As you watched, head resting on his shoulder, he carried you into the bedroom, releasing his hold on your waist to dig around in your drawers. You noticed he was pulling out your favourites, and even the fluffy socks Kanae gave you for your last birthday. As he moved on, you pressed a kiss to his neck in silent thanks, receiving a squeeze to the plush of your butt in response.

In the bathroom, he lowered you gently onto the toilet seat, pulling away and you felt another couple of tears fall as you realised what he was doing. Towels on the rack, shower turned on, your clothes neatly stacked - he was preparing everything for you, making sure all you had to do was get under the spray.

He returned to stand in front of you, hairbrush in hand and pulled you to your feet. Gentle hands turned you around and released your hair from the messy ponytail you had pulled it into. The hairbrush started to run through your hair and Sanemi carefully untangled the knots that had formed from several days of not bothering to brush it out. He murmured quiet apologies every time he hit a snag and soon, the brush was passing smoothly from root to ends. Once he was satisfied, you felt him lean in to press a kiss to the crown of your head.

Turning around, you met his soft smile with one of your own; the action feeling more genuine than it had in days. He reached for the hem of your shirt, eyes flicking to meet yours, “May I?”

At your nod, he lifted the shirt up and over your head, undressing you with the same tender care he had shown ever since he found you sitting on the couch. His skin was warm against yours as he pressed a delicate kiss to your tummy before he slid your underwear down, prompting you to lift each foot in turn so he could remove the fabric and toss it into the laundry basket. Each gentle touch was lifting the clouds from your mind, and you felt more human than you had in weeks.

He was still crouched at your feet, so you bent down to kiss his forehead, lips lingering before you stepped into the shower, the warm water relaxing you immediately. Of course, it was exactly what you needed and the love you felt for Sanemi burned a little brighter.

So focused on the way the water was beating down on your skin, you jumped when hands came to rest on your waist, manoeuvring you so their owner could slip in behind you.

“Sanemi?” You weren’t sure what his plan was, but you let him move you anyway.

It was only when he pulled the shower head down, gently pushing your head back so he could run the water over your hair without getting it on your face that you realised what he was doing. He knew you usually washed your hair every couple of days, and he knew you hadn’t done it in over a week, and after tonight, you knew he had noticed why. So he was doing it for you.

You couldn’t stop the silent tears that fell, and Sanemi was kind enough not to comment on them as he continued, treating your body like the most precious porcelain as he made sure you were clean, occasionally leaving featherlight kisses on your skin. The pure love and tender intimacy in his actions were balms on the countless little wounds in your soul. You weren’t sure you deserved such open affection, but for tonight, you would allow yourself the indulgence. 

Sanemi moved to wash himself once you were scrubbed and relaxed, and you watched the defined muscles of his back ripple as he lifted his arms to wash his hair. Muscles that had held you steady all night, carrying your weight like it was nothing. You knew he was aware of your staring because when he turned back to you, he was smirking. Normally, there would be teasing from both sides. Tonight, he would let you drink in the sight of him, and you would allow the little ego boost your adoring eyes gave him.

There were still a million thoughts in your head, a million negative emotions just waiting for their moment to strike. A shower wouldn’t be enough to wash them away - you would need time, and probably some intervention. However, as Sanemi towelled you off and dressed you up, making sure your hair didn’t drip onto your clothes, you felt a little flame of hope start to grow. Your Sanemi would be right by your side.

[giggly-squiggily]

Hi hello I work this weekend and I'm beyond over it but here's a quick tododeku dabble cause the new episode made me ugly cry and Lee!Todoroki makes me feel better <3

CW: Foot Tickles, very very mild suggestive humor

Todoroki was going to die. No, really- he was!

Hiding in the first closet he found, he held his breath in wait- his heart racing a mile a minute. It was so loud he was sure his pursuer was using it to track him.

The thought alone was nearly enough to make him laugh- he bit his lip to keep down the giggles.

“Shooootooo!” The voice was close. Todoroki straightened up, freezing all over with his hands clamped to his lips. He heard footsteps coming closer, the sound of soft laughter muffled by the door. When they suddenly stopped, he nearly gasped.

Then, they kept on walking.

Todoroki didn’t move- stiff as a statue as he waited. He waited until he couldn’t hear the footsteps any longer, until the anticipation in his bones yielded enough to return feeling to his limbs. Then, and only then did he open the door and look.

The dorm hall was empty. The background was filled with sounds of his fellow classmates in various rooms going about their day. He listened for a moment longer.

Nothing. The coast seemed to be clear. He dashed out as silently as he could, running for the safety of his room-

Something slithered around his ankle. Black Whip- Midoriya’s additional quirk. He was down and out in seconds.

“Nooo!” He cried out, already laughing as he was dragged across the floor. “Don’t! Please! Have mercy on me!”

“Mercy is for the weak!” Midoriya cried back, his villain facade fading with his own giggles as Todoroki clawed at the floor. The whole gesture reminded him of a reluctant cat. “Beg all you want- you belong to me now!”

“That doesn’t sound too bad thou-AHH!” Todoroki let out a shriek when he was finally within Midoriya’s reach, his boyfriend scoping up his ankle with ease. “Waahhahit nohohohot thahahhat!”

“Huh?” Do that” you said?” He cooed, slowly dragging his fingers against Todoroki’s socked sole. “Eager aren’t we? If you wanted me to tickle you this bad, you could have just stayed put! Very well then- tickle tickle tickle!”

Todoroki could only thrash about on the floor, his laughter taking a new pitch as he struggled to grab at Midoriya’s hands. “Dohohohoohn’t yoohhoohu dhahahahare! Gehahahahahha, cohohohome ohohohohn!” He let out a small squeal when Midoriya focused on a particularly bad spot along the base of his toes, nearly making him slam his head into the floor with how much he squirmed. “Mihihihidoriya, pleahhahahahase!”

“Hehe, you look like a fish! It’s like I’m wrangling in the catch of the day!” The green haired hero laughed as he took a seat, Todoroki’s foot still trapped in his grasp as he watched the other flail and cackle. Seeing him smiling so suddenly gave him a terrible idea.

“Somewhere, beyond the sea,” He began to sing.

“DOOHOHOOHN’T YOOHOHOHOU DAHHAHAHRE!” Todoroki cackled, pounding the ground beneath him as he struggled between hiding his flushed face or kicking at the other with his free foot. “HHAHAHHAHVE MEHEHEHRCY!”

“Someone is waiting for meeee~” Deku drew out the notes as he skittered his fingers up his boyfriend’s foot with a flourish, melting at the hiccupy laughs he produced. “And I forgot the rest of the wooooords~” He gave the trapped foot within his grasp one last tickle before releasing him, crawling up his tired frame and coming to a stop at his exhausted but oh so lovely smile. “Something something, I love you. That’s how the song goes, right?”

“Eheheheheh..hehehee..suhuhure. Let’s go with thahaht..” Todoroki groaned, running a hand through his messy bangs as he struggled for composure. When he could finally catch a breath, he glared halfheartedly up at his smiling boyfriend. “You’re terrible- who hooks someone in with their quirk and tickles their feet like that?”

“I do!” Midoriya laughed openly, making Todoroki giggle as well. “I should go fishing more often- I caught myself one heck of a beauty!”

“So you did. Bet you can’t wait to show off to the guys what you reeled in.”

“Heck no- they can go eat fish sticks out of the freezer. I already told you- you’re all mine.” Midoriya leaned in, kissing him slowly and gently- just the way he liked it. Todoroki could feel his heart racing, warmth spreading through his core and making his toes curl. Oh how he loved the way Midoriya kissed him.

“We should go somewhere. Before someone interrupts.” He somehow managed to gasp out when they pulled away- his brain and lips suddenly working far slower than he’d like.

“Sure. Your room or mine?” When did Midoriya get this bold? He could feel his entire face burn brightly at the question, worsening when the little bastard smiled knowingly. “You’re so pretty when you blush, Shoto.”

“I’m gonna dump ice down your back if you keep acting up.” Todoroki threatened, once again unable to hold on to any real glare as he was swept off his feet, carried away to whichever room Midoriya picked. “You’re lucky I love you- else I’d turn you into a human ice sculpture.”

The green haired teen merely leaned in and kissed him again, that warm feeling coming back like a cozy blanket on a chilly day. “I love you too.”

Thanks for reading! :D

[butterflybuckethat]

Crybaby

Hello! Found this sitting in my drafts so I thought I’d post it. I’m trying to return so please be patient with me and I appreciate all of your kind words 💕 My plan is to start fresh and expand from Bridgerton (currently in a bit of a Carmen Berzatto shaped hole — stay tuned!)

Notes: Prince Friedrich x Bridgerton!Reader 

Request: I would like to request prince friederich x Bridgerton reader, cause I love him so much. Preferably something really cute and fluffy or he finds reader crying and comforts her either way I’ll be happy thank you

🦋 Masterlist 🦋

You were being ridiculous, you knew you were and yet you couldn’t keep the tears from flowing. You cried often, over a wide range of somethings--anywhere from a spilt milk to death. Your siblings teased you often, mostly after you were finished weeping. Mostly. 

It was Daphne’s birthday, and you being the sibling closest to her--in age and affection--decided that you would plan her an extravagant birthday party; a surprise extravagant birthday party. 

It had taken you an entire month to bring it all together and, as far as you could tell, Daphne suspected nothing. You had it all set up with crystal butterflies and floral accents and lemonade infused with exotic fruits. It was shaping up to be an absolute crush with the entirety of ton buzzing in anticipation of the birthday girl’s arrival. You even managed the attendance of Prince Friedrich of Prussia.  

“Where is Daph?” Colin sidled up to you, an eclair already stuffed in his mouth. 

“You mean she’s not in the carriage?”

“How am I do know if she’s in the carriage or not?” 

“Colin,” you huffed, “you were to ensure that she got into the carriage we scheduled for her.”

“Oh.” 

Your vision went blurry as tears began to well, “Colin, how could you?” Despite the frequency, you were still embarrassed by the rasp of your voice. Colin apologized profusely, doing everything but getting on his knees. He could never handle your tears, none of your brothers could; only Benedict, whose response was a roll of his eyes and a half-hearted hug. 

“I will find her, Y/N. I’m sure she is on her way.” People were staring now and you were praying no one could see your tears. You brought your hands to your cheeks, feigning checking your rouge but really soaking the tears in your gloves. “I will fix this,” Colin said, placing his hands on your shoulders. 

You felt the tears welling up again as you watched Colin make a beeline to the butler and could feel Cressida Cowper’s judgmental eyes narrowing on you. You swiped a glass of lemonade off the table and moved into the smaller of the two drawing rooms. It was closed off to the public allowing you to plop down on the divan, take some deep breaths, and press the cool glass to your swollen eyes. 

“Lady Bridgerton?” The room was dark but you couldn’t mistake the accent, it was Prince Friedrich.

“Your highness!” you stood so fast some lemonade spilled onto the carpet. 

“Please,” he gestured for you to sit but remained mostly in the doorway with the door wide open, for propriety’s sake. “I only wanted to check if you were alright.”

“I did not mean to take you from the party,” you demurred. He dismissed that thought with nothing more than a gesture. “I’m certain Daphne will arrive shortly.” 

“I’m more concerned about you.” He stepped into the room, close to the arm of the sofa. You breath caught in your throat. This...was strange. 

You had spoken to the Prince before, of course. Nothing serious but he had his sights on Daphne and, subsequently, you were frequently in close proximity. “I did not mean to cause a scene,” you were a little flustered at this point and were just searching for words to fill the space.

“I don’t think any of the guests noticed...” 

“My tears?”

“Your tears,” he nodded. Prince Friedrich had not moved but you could have sworn he got closer. “I believe this is the third time I have seen them.” 

You started to groan before you forced it to die on your tongue--it was terribly unladylike, especially in front of a prince. “I’m embarrassed.”

“Please, don’t be.” His hand ghosted over your wrist and your blood rushed. 

“I can’t help it. I cry so often my mother used to call me Blue.” You pressed the glass back against your face in an attempt to quell your blush, but Friedrich laughed. It was kind of a deep chuckle; not much but it made you smile. 

“I rather like that, Blue,” he mused. 

“Daphne is here!” someone cried from the ballroom and you rushed over, helping people hide behind tables and walls before hiding yourself. Most of the candles were blown out, dimming the room completely. You, yourself, hid behind a large centerpiece with Friedrich beside you. You were much too enthralled with all your planning coming to fruition to appropriately react to the Prince of Prussia being mere inches from you. 

“We aren’t supposed to enter the ballroom, Colin!” Daphne chastised, “it’s being painted!” You smiled a little at her belief in your ruse. You could feel Friedrich’s eyes on you, just a glance, but all your hair stood on end.

“You’re scared of paint, Daphne?” Colin teased. She would be mortified when she found out he said this in front of so many people. 

“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous-”

“Surprise!” you jumped out, along with the rest of the guests, as the servants lit the rest of the candles. 

“Well done,” the prince whispered, lips grazing the shell of your ear. “Now go accept your praise. No more tears tonight.”

[aestheeredie]

The Affair

➳ Alexei Vronsky & reader

➳ Angst

➳ Hurt, no comfort

➳ Warning: Cheating

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∘₊✧ ────────────────────────────────────

The sky outside was darkening, casting long shadows across the ornate furnishings of your shared home. The tension in the room was thick, almost suffocating, as you moved around, methodically packing your belongings into a bag. Each item you placed inside felt like a piece of your heart breaking off, leaving a hollow void in its place.

Alexei stood near the door, his usually composed demeanor shattered. His eyes, which had once gazed at you with so much love and adoration, were now filled with a mixture of desperation and regret. He took a tentative step towards you, his voice trembling as he spoke. “Please, listen to me. It’s not what you think.”

You paused, your back to him, unable to bear the sight of his face. “It’s exactly what I think,” you replied, your voice cold and flat. “The gossip, the whispers—it’s all true, isn’t it? And you thought I wouldn't know? That I wouldn't find out about your foolery with that woman?"

Alexei’s silence was answer enough. You could feel the weight of his guilt pressing down on you, suffocating you. Tears stung at your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. Not here, not in front of him.

“I never meant for this to happen,” he said, his voice breaking. “I was weak. I made a terrible mistake.”

You turned to face him, the pain in your eyes cutting through him like a knife. “A mistake? Is that what you call it? It's not a mistake, it's a choice that YOU made. You had a choice. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve destroyed everything we had.”

Alexei took another step forward, his hands outstretched in a pleading gesture. “I love you, please,” he said desperately. “I love you more than anything. Please, don’t leave.”

You shook your head, a bitter laugh escaping your lips. “Love? You "love" me? If you love me, you wouldn’t have done this. You wouldn’t have betrayed me."

He tried to reach for you, but you stepped back. “It’s over, Alexei. I can’t stay here, not after what you’ve done.”

The finality in your voice seemed to hit him like a physical blow. He stumbled back, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock. “Please, don’t do this,” he whispered. “I can’t lose you.”

But it was too late. The bond that had once tied you together was irreparably broken, severed by his betrayal. You turned away from him, focusing on your task. Each item you packed felt like another nail in the coffin of your relationship.

Alexei stood frozen, helpless as he watched you gather the last of your things. His mind raced, searching for the right words, the magic phrase that would undo the damage and bring you back to him. But there were no words, no gestures, that could erase the hurt he had caused.

Finally, you closed up the bag and turned to face him one last time. You took the ring off your finger and grabbed his hand forcefully, giving him the ring that once banded you two together with vows to one another. You knelt down to meet his eyes. “Goodbye, Alexei,” you said, your voice devoid of emotion. “I hope you’re happy with your choices and that mistress of yours." You stood up and began walking away from him.

He reached out and grabbed a handful of your dress, his hand trembling. “Please,” he begged on his knees, his voice barely more than a whisper. “Don’t go. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He looked up at you, eyes red and puffy from how much he has cried. His eyes filled with so much sorrow and regret that you almost, almost feel sorry for him.

You grabbed your dress and yanked it from his hand and turned around, never looking back. You walked out the door, leaving behind the man who had once been your everything. The sound of the door closing behind you echoed through the house, a final, devastating punctuation to the end of your relationship, your marriage.

The weight of his actions crashed down on him. The silence of the house was deafening, a stark reminder of what he had lost. He had betrayed the one person who had believed in him, loved him unconditionally, and saw him for who he really was. And now, he was alone, left to face the consequences of his actions.

The emptiness of the room mirrored the emptiness inside him. He had thought he could have it all, that he could indulge his weaknesses and desires without consequence. But now, he understood the true cost of his betrayal. The love of his life was gone, and he was left with nothing but the bitter taste of regret.

As the night deepened, Alexei remained on the floor, the darkness closing in around him. The home that had once been filled with warmth and love was now a cold, empty shell. And he knew, with a painful clarity, that he had no one to blame but himself.

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[ludoka]

Reflecting on J&H again and how it is very easy for me to imagine reprehensible things that Hyde could have done without going to extremes. (such as homicide and sexual assault)

Sleeping with men and cross-dressing are simple things that I can imagine even a young Jekyll did. The next simplest thing to imagine is his terrible temper and impatience. I don't know but he always gave me the feeling that he was always in a hurry when he didn't have alcohol in his system.

Other things I usually imagine come from the satisfaction one can find in sadism. Or the fun there is in morbidity. Finding fascination in the tares.

Go figure:

Hyde being in a bar where a dispute breaks out. (If he provoked her with an out of place comment or accused another of putting his foot on the waiter who was bringing drinks to the corner table, causing the drink to fall on a temperamental customer... It is very debatable.) He is sitting at the bar enjoying the show when something particularly catches his attention. A man had a knife stuck in his leg. At first glance, and with the good doctor's knowledge of medicine, Hyde determines that it is not something very serious. It is something so harmless that the victim's reaction seems exaggerated, who is writhing in pain and asking for help. Hyde is moved towards the man by a habit forged from years of assisting people who needed a doctor. But before arriving, he picks up a semi-full bottle of alcohol abandoned on a table. It's a bottle of the cheapest alcohol you could get in that bar. Perfect! After all, he's not going to waste his own very expensive alcohol. Much less in one of the scumbags of London. With a smile of anticipation, he assists the wounded man in the most brutal way possible. He pulls out the knife carelessly, pours alcohol into the wound, uses a dirty piece of cloth that he tore from the victim's pants, and presses very hard on the wound. These actions were accompanied by screams and cries of pain from the victim. A symphony that sparked a feeling of bubbling fun in Hyde.

The man, with his face full of snot and tears, twists his face in a gesture filled with anger. Ready to yell at Hyde for his brutality. But the guy stops and his entire being is invaded by raw horror. It is there that the wounded man realizes that he is not being assisted by a human, but by a demon who found amusement in his agony.

Hyde finds insane satisfaction in watching the man's abrupt change of emotions. And it is even more satisfying to know that this wound, if it had been treated with delicacy and patience, could have healed well and left a small mark. But now? That thing will heal in all the wrong ways even if you run to a more qualified doctor. And leaving such an ugly mark on a stranger is very exciting. Although it would also be more entertaining to see what happens if the improvised bandage catches fire due to being soaked in alcohol.

After that incident Hyde takes on the horrible habit of "assisting" the wounded in the most barbaric way he can. From heating a thick-bladed knife to high temperatures to burn a cut that needed to be stitched. Until waiting until the last minute to help a drunk who was choking on his own vomit.

Of course, this is all under the assumption that Jekyll was cruel enough to think of all these things in the first place. How my mother once told me "Sometimes you shouldn't expect the worst from people. Not everyone is that bad." After all, Hyde is a certified jerk but being "evil personified" is more the prejudices of Jekyll and the high society. So if it really is, it is debatable.

[idyllic-affections]

if i am the wind, fleeting and transient, you are the steady and constant earth upon which i stand.

summary. kaedehara kazuha's older sibling is a geo-aligned mirror of himself.

trigger & content warnings. references to tomo's death and mentions of sensory overload.

tropes, pairings, fic length, & other notes. fluff, hurt/comfort. kazuha & older sibling!reader, slight beidou x reader. 0.7k words. they/them pronouns for reader. reader has a geo vision.

author's thoughts. this was an old draft that i decided to finish bc tbh? kazuha >>> lately i'm finishing and posting old drafts? i think it's because i'm realizing that they aren't even half as bad as i originally thought.

imagine being kazuha's geo bearing older sibling.

kaedehara kazuha is, for the most part, a gentle gale. fleeting, transient, evanescent.

kaedehara [name] is his polar opposite—they are the firm earth. lasting, enduring, permanent.

they were easily one of the raiden shogun's most vocal opposers during the vision hunt decree. how dare she treat her people with such lack of care? the people she should have loved? the people that she had once promised a dream to? where was all that love when she decided to cruelly rip her citizens' visions from them in spite of all the terrible effects such force had? where was all that love?

(even after the decree gets repealed, they would still be a little bitter. they're expected to forgive her, just like that? no. their forgiveness is a thing to be earned; hell, they may simply choose to never forgive her, and after all the pain she caused them and their brother? it would be justified. they do not care if she is an archon.)

"eternity is not complacency in a stasis-like state," they once told kazuha, "but rather, it is the endurance of a legacy for centuries to come. that is eternity."

they stayed back in inazuma, holding off the shogunate while kazuha ran away after tomo's death.

he cried when he had to part from them, but at their command, he ultimately did obey. as much as it hurt him to abandon them, not knowing if they'd somehow manage to escape on their own, he knew they would hate it if he refused to leave. so he did.

thankfully, the resistance took them in. they stayed with kokomi and gorou the majority of the time, helping them push back against the electro archon's tyranny.

kazuha definitely adores his older sibling!! he will literally never say a single bad thing about them to anyone. never. no slander will come from his lips.

when beidou first got to meet them, she was absolutely overjoyed; she can see where kazuha gets his attitude from! they also thanked her profusely for taking such good care of him when they could not. the two got on very well! kazuha was so happy to see some of his favorite people getting along <3

beidou loves them. genuinely.

she always encourages them to come on the alcor. there is always a place for them with her crew! sometimes they do take her up on her offer and they travel teyvat for a while. once their family affairs are settled, they'll start traveling full-time, occassionally returning to inazuma to visit their friends.

she also gets so excited when she knows they'll be on board—beidou likes exchanging stories with them and just... talking. she loves that.

someone had to teach kazuha how to play music on leaves, you know. it was definitely [name].

kazu and his sibling would compliment one another really well in battle. they'd be able to predict one another's next moves based on muscle twitches, changes in stance... it's like they can read each other's minds! they can't. they just know one another inside and out.

sometimes they'll cup their hands over his ears to protect him in situations where he cannot avoid a storm or similar thing that might hurt his ears. this gesture is greatly appreciated. kazuha does what he can to reciprocate that—if they're overwhelmed or overstimulated? his first priority is to get them somewhere calmer. they protect him in his moments of sensitivity, so it's only fair for him to do the same.

i like to think kazuha and his sibling sit and admire scenery together. maybe they point out shapes in the clouds. maybe they take note of interesting sounds they hear in the bushes. however the two spend their time admiring the world, it is always an enjoyable time.

i also think the two would play in the rain, as long as it isn't too heavy <3 dancing in the rain together, taking walks in the rain together... it'a comforting.

sometimes kazuha will lay his head on their lap as if he were some kind of cat, and he'll just fall asleep. a mid-afternoon nap on his older sibling.

on top of all of that, kazuha speaks his mind to his sibling, and he hopes they'll do the same. he wants them to always be honest about what they're thinking and how they're feeling.

he knows that, as the eldest, they may have had to carry heavy burdens all throughout his childhood, while he got the privilege of existing without a care in the world.

the heavy burdens will be no more.

he is old enough to help shoulder the weight, and help shoulder the weight he will.

please consider reblogging, it helps me out quite a lot!

[coffeeandbatboys]

Riye

(Mando'a; favor after a run of bad luck)

K'oyacyi: a literal order to stay alive

Warnings: mentions of death, Fives Lives!AU fix it. There is a lot of Mando'a in this. Set when Echo and Rex are split from the bad batch. Echo makes some bad jokes about his death. No clonecest here just really close brothers. Cloneshippers DNI I will block you.

The nightmares plagued Rex's mind every night. War had not been kind to his mental health, and the things he'd seen haunted him to the day.

The death of his Vod'ika at the hands of the Coruscant Guard was a regular occurrence in his dreams. Replaying the horrifying image of the blaster bolt burning into Fives' chest.

But he'd get up every morning and face another day of walking on eggshells so as to not catch the eye of the empire.

Which was kriffing hard seeing as he was in the middle of a very large firefight involving athere'sn entire company of Imperial Stormtroopers. He really wished that he hadn't asked Echo to stay with the computer equipment back at the inn, but it wouldn't do any good to wish at this point.

But another voice joined the fray. A clone, no doubt, but underneath a layer of tiredness, a familiar lilt of humor shone through. It made Rex's heart ache to hear it. But he caught sight of the newcomer's armor and nearly cried out. ARC armor. With little flecks of blue paint stubbornly refusing to be scrubbed off, and shoddy patchwork over a hole in the left breastplate. It couldn't be.

"Fives?!" Rex cried, taking his helmet off once they were in the clear.

The hand that held a blaster faltered and fell to his side.

"Rex..."

"How the hell are you still alive, di'kut?"

"Its good to see you too Captain. Not really sure, to answer your question." He said, taking his bucket off and flashing a sad smile.

Rex pulled the ARC Trooper close.

"I've got someone who's been waiting a long time to see you."

Fives cocked his head to the side, but Rex didn't offer an explanation right away, just turned and led his little brother by the hand.

"Long story short, Echo never died."

Fives shook his head. "What the kark did you just say?"

"He was given over to the techno union so they could use his brain to mine our battle plans. He's got a whole cybernetic getup but he looks very, very different."

When they reached the inn, Rex ordered Fives (who was still trying to process the earlier information) to put his bucket on and stay quiet in the main room. A minute later, he returned with an odd looking clone who bore gray and red armor, and had a scomp attachment on one arm.

"I'm not sure how to tell you boys this but everything you thought you knew is wrong."

"What are you talking about, Rex?" Echo deadpanned, Causing Fives to still.

"Echo, it seems we've found—"

Before the captain could finish his introduction, Fives had taken his helmet off again, earning a groan from the former.

It was Echo's turn to go rigid. He slowly removed his own helmet, revealing his teary eyes.

"It can't be. You're supposed to be-" Echo was cut off by Fives lunging forward to wrap his twin in the biggest hug of their lives. It took Echo a second to get his bearings and return the gesture, but he was still in shock.

"Stars, Echo, what did they do to you?" He asked, pulling away to hold his brother's pale face in his hands. Tears were gathering in his eyes as they frantically searched Echo's.

Echo gave a lopsided grin. "Turns out you get new a cool new set of limbs when you get blown up."

This caused a pained cry to rise from Fives' throat at the terrible joke.

"I thought you were dead."

"I could say the same about you!"

Echo leaned his forehead against Fives'. They hadn't noticed that Rex left to force knew where until that moment.

After hours of talking, the twins were exhausted. They'd hardly left each other's side since they'd been reunited. And neither one was planning on doing so any time soon. But they needed rest, so they had moved to one of the two beds, still opting to be close.

"Do you remember what we told each other the morning before..." Echo didn't really want to finish the sentence.

"Yeah." Fives scoffed. "K'oyacyi."

Echo giggled. "Yeah that went up in flames. Kinda like I did."

Fives groaned "You need to stop joking about that di'kut. You 'dying' really messed me up."

Echo's stomach dropped. He remembered crying his heart out after Rex told him what had happened to Fives. Or what they'd thought happened.

"Hey," Echo spoke in the same reassuring voice he used when one of the dominoes woke up from a nightmare when they were cadets. "I'm right here, Fives. You're here. What more could we ask for? We kept our promise. K'oyacyi."

Fives' grip on his brother tightened a little bit.

"Ner Vod, I don't ever want to watch you die again. You're my brother; I love you. I just...I can't do that again."

"I love you too, Fives'ika. I promise you won't. I'm here."

When Rex came back, he was met with Fives sleeping soundly on one of the beds, and Echo sprawled out over half of his twin brother's torso. Both had a death grip like beskar on each other. His domino vod'ikas, back together again.

[perfectsunlight]

(𝟏𝟓) - 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞

𝗮𝗲𝗿𝗶 𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗵𝘂𝗵 𝘆𝘂𝗻𝗷𝗶𝗻 𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

part of the series: best friends

warnings: angst, depression, grief

word count: 2,980

they say there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

you went through the first stage immediately after yunjin showed you the article. at first, you refused to believe it. you denied everything immediately, but given the situation with chaewon, you decided to part ways. you figured the le sserafim members needed their time to take in the news they just received regarding their leader.

you also needed time to process everything that happened. it was only right that you would leave to process the news you received that night as well.

that night, you returned to the dorm and cried in yujin’s arms. you showed her the images, and the look on your leader’s face was one full of pity. yujin felt terrible. it was hard enough to see you such a wreck in the living room, tears cascading down your face. anyone would hurt to see someone they cared about in such distress.

however, it made her heart ache even more because yujin felt like she had failed you.

yujin’s arms braced you as you moved away from wonyoung, who was looking at the article with gaeul. the images of aeri’s hands against his chest, and his head buried in hers, burned just like the acid rain pouring down your face. 

“no,” you whimpered. “no it’s not her, it can’t be.” your voice wavered as you spoke, causing your member’s hearts to break even more. liz’s hand rubbed your back while rei began pacing. wonyoung had told the rest of the girls about your situation once she saw the dispatch headline. she wanted to help you by sparing you from re-telling the painful story several more times, especially since she knew how distraught you would be right now.

she was right, and at the time you were thankful for the small gesture, but you were too in denial to appreciate it fully.

“y/n,” yujin said softly, doing her best to not send you spiraling even more. “they have confirmed it’s her.”

yujin wasn’t seulgi, but she knew you needed to have support right now. the issue was, you were making it very difficult because you were so in denial. even with the photo evidence, you couldn’t fathom aeri having sex with him out of pure spite.

“can we just kill her?” gaeul asked as she zoomed in on the photos one by one, earning a swift nod from wonyoung. “i agree.”

yujin’s gaze looked up as she gave them a ‘cut it out’ stare, shutting both of the members up immediately. leeseo returned from the kitchen with a glass of water, setting it down gently on the coffee table where you were sitting next to. 

your head was buried in yujin’s shoulder as she continued to do her best and not let your head hit the floor. the leader mouthed a “thank you” to the youngest member, appreciating how even though she didn’t understand fully, but still cared about you enough to want to do something at least, even if it was small.

“do you want us to call seulgi?” gaeul asked gently, trying to offer an idea to help the situation. 

you only started sobbing harder at the thought of your sister. your sister was the one who always grounded you, who was always there when you had to run and hide. you needed her. 

which was why she immediately came over the next day, when your denial started to turn into anger.

seulgi’s arms wrapped around your torso tightly as you let out tears of anger and frustration. wonyoung wasn’t present in the room with you two, thankfully, but you didn’t even think about anyone else other than the SM rapper.

“why would she do that? i didn’t even get to explain,” you sniffled into her shoulder. you didn’t understand how everything went south so quickly. aeri was your best friend, but you wanted her to be more than that. you thought she wanted the same thing, which was why you were so confused.

“i dont understand, unnie.” you choked out, only making seulgi’s heart squeeze tighter. when yujin had called her over, she explained everything that had happened. 

it took both gaeul and yujin convincing her to not go on a manhunt for the aespa member in that moment. giselle was her junior, but she didn’t care about that. her younger sister was in pain, and the person who caused such pain, was aeri. 

and when someone hurts you? seulgi wants to hurt them back at least ten fold. 

she knew you were confused and sad, but she also knew you had never felt this way for anyone else before. you were old enough to know that you felt things, but you were young enough to not really know how to navigate such feelings.

“just because you don’t understand something doesn’t mean it’s not true, y/n/n.” the dark haired girl murmured into your hair, placing a soft kiss to your temple. seulgi was just as confused as you were, but she was old enough to know the facts.

aeri’s feelings for you were as strong as yours for hers, but her pride was stronger. 

“i want to hate her,” you coughed out, chest dry heaving as you continued to weep. your head was filled with so many questions, to which you had no answers to. “but i can’t.”

however, one thing you did know was that no matter what you felt,  you knew you didn’t actually hate her. you just hated what she did, even though you were sure she hated what you did as well.

“i know, y/n.” your sister said softly, pulling your head from her shoulder so she could wipe your tears with her hands. “but everything is going to be okay.”

your sister’s words rang in your head as the next day brought you from anger to the next stage: bargaining. 

at first, you thought maybe it was just them being drunk and horny again. rumors were already spreading that they possibly could have been drunk online, which would make sense.

either way, you had done the same thing with yunjin, so it was only fair. you couldn’t be a hypocrite when you had done the exact same thing not just once, but many other times.

this idea all went out the window when SM entertainment released a statement regarding both of the rappers.

BOTH GISELLE AND JENO WERE NOT UNDER ANY SUBSTANCES AT THE TIME. BOTH HAD ALSO CONSENTED TO THE SEXUAL ACTIVITIES. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS WILL BE TAKEN ACCORDINGLY. WE ASK FOR YOUR RESPECT AND PRIVACY AS WE DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. 

your thinking process then transitioned to thinking that maybe it was something aeri did out of spite. the aespa member was known for being petty, so you naturally would not put it past her to do such an act and willingly get caught for it.

it made sense to you, truly. why else would she want to have sex with him, unless it was out of pure spite? your best friend was a scorpio for crying out loud, everything she did just had to be ten times worse in retaliation.

your bargaining phase continued for a few days, until you woke up one morning to see SM entertainment confirming the relationship between jeno and giselle.

SM ENTERTAINMENT CONFIRMS ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AESPA’S GISELLE AND NCT’S JENO.

the bargaining turned into depression in that single moment. you also began spiraled into a hole that felt like an endless abyss.

you missed practice twice, but yujin let it slide considering how you had not left your bed at all. wonyoung was worried, and often even checked to make sure you were still alive considering how you had not moved an inch. 

your roommate often left you alone, only being in the room when she needed to be. she wanted to give you the space and alone time you desperately needed, and clearly wanted, because she knew how badly you were hurting.

when you showered after practices, you spent hours standing there. the water beating against your body and head were a form of grounding, especially when the water became freezing cold and your body shivered as a result. you barely showered, but when you did, you were in there for so long that wonyoung had to make sure you were still okay.

you didn’t sleep much, or at least, you didn’t realize when you were sleeping. every day seemed the same as the one before. you lost track of time as you were also losing pieces of yourself. it felt like you were just floating, not really here nor there; only struggling to exist with your grief.

you stopped eating during that time as well, and as a result, it made gaeul forcefully feed you one slice of toast every evening because it was the only time you’d be willing to eat something. even if you only ate half of the toast, she made sure you would eat at least something.

IVE had a performance in four days, meaning that you could not afford to be out of it. inkigayo was no small occasion, and your members had spent hours practicing to prepare for it. 

you had done your best to show up, giving your all even though you looked miserable. your choreographer even was told not to ask about how you were doing out of fear that you would only break down again. 

at this point, you had run out of tears to cry because it hurt so badly that there was no point where you weren’t hurting. every waking moment of every single day consisted of the same sickening soreness. 

seulgi had told you that you cared, and because you cared so much, your grief was going to be as deep as your feelings were. unfortunately for you, this meant that you were going to be hurting for a while. 

your members knew how bad you were getting, which was why they called the last person who could possibly help you out.

the door to your room opened slowly, but you thought nothing of it, thinking it was your roommate coming in to get something. you didn’t bother turning to check, either.

you recognized it was yunjin from her scent as she wrapped her arms around your torso when she slipped under your covers. 

“hi,” she murmured into your messy hair. you didn’t bother turning to face her, already feeling numb enough to not really care that she was there. “you look exhausted.”

“why are you here, yunjin?” you whispered in a voice so small that if it wasn’t for the close proximity, she would not have been able to hear you. 

truth be told, yunjin felt guilty for snooping through your phone. however, she didn’t regret it in the slightest. while you were spending your days spiraling and avoiding contact with everyone, including your sister, yunjin had been calling yujin to ask about your condition on a daily basis.

“im here to see you, silly.” she mumbled into your cheek. the american was worried about you from the moment you left the le sserafim dorm. she saw the way your soul drained from your eyes, and now, she could see the life completely drained from your body. you were nothing but a shell of your former self at this point.

silence lingered for a while, you didn’t know how long. it wasn’t like you could tell anyway. everything felt the same. the never ending ache in your chest, the hole that only grew until it was swallowing you entirely. 

yunjin had sat with her own feelings long enough to know that she cared about you. she cared about your good days just as much as your bad days. she wanted to make sure that despite your darkness consuming you, she would try and shed even a small fraction of light for you.

and if she couldn’t shed any light on your situation, then she would sit in the dark with you so you weren’t alone.

“thank you, jen.”

the american was the cause of some of this as well, after all she had started this with you. it only made sense for her to stick with you until the end.

it was this realization that began your path of slow acceptance, and you finally felt the full effect of it the night before the inkigayo performance. 

you decided to take yujin’s request at the restaurant to heart. you were going to call her one final time, and if she didn’t answer, you were going to move on, even if it meant forcing yourself to.

your finger tapped on the rapper’s contact, thumb hovering over the green icon. swallowing your pride and anxiety, you pressed it, and left it on speaker as it rang.

the dial tones were deafening, as each one passed, your heartbeat only increased with anticipation. this was the final moment of truth for your relationship with aeri.

it had been a long few months of back and forth, but you had known aeri for years. aeri was your best friend before anything else, and you knew that if you left her life completely, it would be forever. 

years of history, friendship, and moments so intimate that no one else knew about other than you both. everything from the laughter to the tears, would be nothing more than mere memories. your heart ached at the thought of leaving the girl you cared about more than anything. 

you didn’t want to do it, in fact, you would rather run and hide from it all. it would be easier, after all.

except when the dial tone turned into a voicemail message, you knew you had to face the reality. 

“hey, this is aeri, leave a message after the beep.”

you swallowed thickly, phone shaking in your palm as you began the final message you would leave your best friend.

“hi aeri, it’s me.”

the silence made your heart break even more once you realized how ironic it was. you were never going to speak to her again after this. this was it.

it was now or never.

“i hope you’re doing good. because i’m not.”

“im not drunk either, so uh, everything i say right now is full of mind.” 

the silence continued to feed your emotions and tear at your shattered heart.

“i haven’t been since the date. im sure you haven’t been either. i just wanted to say that,”

a lump in your throat formed. you knew you had to say everything, even if it hurt. it was the last chance you would ever get.

“i’m sorry for what i did, and for not telling you. but i hope you know that even though i was sleeping with yunjin, i did it to forget about you.”

you took a deep breath before continuing. “there was never a moment, in our friendship or our situationship, that i was not wanting you. even after you broke my old phone when you dropped it down the stairs, or when you made me wear your shirt for a week, even though i hated it.”

the ghost of a smile appeared on your face at the fond memories with the japanese girl. you knew that aeri wasn’t a bad person, and you couldn’t hate her, even when she hurt you the most.

“and i even still cared about you–i still wanted you, even when you hurt me.”

your breath hitched in your throat as tears formed in your eyes. losing someone to death would have been easier than losing someone still alive. it only took falling for aeri for you to realize it.

“aeri, i know you made it so hard to fall for you. but i still fell anyway, even when we were still just friends. i liked you for a very long time. it was something i thought that would just go away, but then we started sleeping together, and,”

you paused to wipe the snot from your nose. a sniffle was all you could muster before you continued. there was no point in turning back now, you were already this far into the conversation. 

“and then i fell in love with you during everything.”

“from the way you laughed, the way you sang, the way you felt. everything that made you, you, was why i liked you in the first place, but it just made me fall in love harder when things got more intimate.”

“you see that night as a mistake, i know, you always said that. but to me, it meant so much.” a silent sob escaped your lips, tears falling down your cheeks and landing on your floor.

“then everything went south so quickly, but you would have never known how much it hurt me. because you didn’t even see me at the party,”

“and you never saw my feelings, so for so long i thought it was a mistake,”

“but even when you hurt me,”

“even when you made me cry, for hours. even when i still wanted you, after everything,”

“and even though you are the hardest to love,”

you swallowed thickly the lump that formed. you had to say it. you needed to say how you truly felt because it was the fist and last time you would say it.

it was the last time you would call her number. it was the last time you would see her contact name. it was the last time you would hear her voice, even if it was just through a voicemail message.

“i have to let you go. but i hope you know that,” 

the tears fell on your phone, soaking your fingertips that held the small device in your hand. everything was coming to a close, and your confession was the final key to closing this chapter of your story with aeri.

“i hope you know that i love you.”

[moseslikellamas]

♱𖣂 Redfork Menace ♱𖣂 pt.20

Benjicot Blackwood x Bracken!OC

Summary - A dance is held, part 3

Warnings - fem!reader, suspense, adult language, period typical misogyny, condescension, adult language, feelings of shame, feelings of guilt, mentions of alcohol, mentions of choking, manipulation, benjicot brainrot, Kieran Burton fancast.

Word count - 2k

The plot is, unavailable at the moment.

The dancing was still going on into the wee hours of the morning. The men had become so sloshed that Shanda was watching them engage in competitions to see who could lift the most stacked chairs. A hiccup escaped her as she laughed at the sight.

“Who’s winning?”

She sat up straight, knocking her wine glass over in the process.

“Martyn! Where have you been? Nevermind, look at these fools.” She snorted and gestured to the men gathered around the only table in the room.

She could make out ser Joth amongst the men though he looked to be enjoying the spectacle rather than trying to win the competition. She thought maybe she should give him her thanks right now. While the room was warm and blurry from the wine flowing through her veins.

“I needed some air. Seems everything’s gone fine without me anyway.”

Shanda had already forgotten her brother's presence but happily replied, giving him a dopey smile.

“It was splendid. You should’ve seen the last hour. This lot is about to forge a lifetime friendship in the drunken hours of the night.”

“Night? The sun’s nigh upon us now!”

“Well, whatever. Say, have you got any more wine? I’ve drunk all the unattended glasses.”

Her eyes were wandering around the room hoping to spy another unattended glass she could snatch up. Drunks were terribly bad at keeping track of their cups but she was doing a fine job as the clean up crew. She hiccuped again, the sound made her laugh.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

Her brother had said putting a hand on her shoulder and kissing the top of her head before leaving. She shrugged, more wine for her. She stumbled to her feet, lurching towards her destination which was the table of men across the room. She had decided to chat up ser Joth after all. Maybe he would tell her all about that pink maiden on his coat of arms. Or rather she could convince him to give her a tour of Pinkmaiden, where it set upon the Redfork not far from Stone Hedge. Better still, maybe he would whisper something pretty to her and make her into a pink maiden.

She was nearly upon them when an arm wrapped around her midsection and pulled her backwards.

“By the seven, what in the name of the mother?” She exclaimed confused as to how she was rapidly moving away from her intended destination.

She tried digging her heels in but could find no traction against the stone floor. Her skin felt too sticky and close and the room was starting to spin around her.

“Wait.” She cried but the dragging did not stop.

Outside in the hall she was disoriented when suddenly she was lifted into the air. A squeal of fright escaped her before another round of hiccups started and sent her laughing again. She found she didn’t mind being jostled around so much as she looked at the ground moving below her. It felt so good to be off of her feet. And she felt soft and giddy under the effects of the wine. She had never drank so much at one time before and was finally starting to understand why people liked it. It was only after rounding the third corner in the halls that she realized someone had been talking to her.

“Irresponsible! I leave for two seconds and come back to find you drunker than a skunk. Really, I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Shanda frowned, why were they upset at her? She was having a good time and so rarely did that ever happen.

“That’s about the only thing you’re consistently good at, isn’t it? Causing drama and starting trouble, you just can’t be a good girl can you?”

She huffed at the continued scolding. She was good at plenty of other things. The problem was they weren’t any fun. Life was terribly dull all the time, if she didn’t start trouble who would? A man most like and then there would only be bloodshed. Another stupid tragedy for families to get wound up about.

“Shut up.” She tried to say forcefully but the hiccup in the middle ruined the effect.

The jostling finally ended and she could hear a door opening, presumably to her room. Being dumped unceremoniously on her bed confirmed the theory. Struggling in the heavy folds of her gowns she tried to sit up. Only for Benjicot to push her back down by the shoulder. She should’ve known it was him, no other man would handle her so roughly.

“Stay there.”

Now she was annoyed, his own irritation having finally seeped through her drunken stupor. So she tried once more to stand and when he moved to push her down again, she bit him. He was on her then in a second, his hands pinning her arms down against the bed. She could see the fire burning behind his eyes as he hovered over her.

“Is the heir to be upset? Maybe he should find better company, perhaps the kennels will accept-“

He moved so quickly it made her head spin, holding both of her wrists in one hand and then clamping his free hand over her mouth. Her heart started to beat a little faster at the action and it dawned on her that she had let him get her down again. Her mind flashes memories of them rolling in the mud together. But it didn’t matter, her face was flushed already from the drinking.

“I’ve given you so much leeway tonight.”

She wanted to protest, he didn’t give her anything. She acted and it was of no consequence to her what he thought of it.

“I let you spin yarns to every lord and lady in the riverlands, watched you start a nasty fight and then,” he huffed, lightly squeezing her jaw. “I leave for five minutes and find you throwing yourself at a group of men half drunk and certainly not thinking.”

Shanda only felt warm inside, and she grew hotter with every word. Shame, embarrassment and desire all rolled together as he spoke.

“What were you really hoping to gain?” His lips were nearly brushing against her ear as he talked.

The room was spinning again or was she spinning? Either way she felt amazing.

“Have I not given you enough attention? Was nearly starting a bloody war for you not enough? Should I take you back into the great hall and claim you in front of them? Would that be enough for you, my lady?”

Normally she would’ve been pissed at his presumption to think he could speak to her like that and get away with it. But currently she couldn’t form any coherent thoughts and his hand was still clamped over her mouth. When he pulled back to look into her eyes the only sound was that of their combined breathing.

“If the gods know anything it's that you need a firm hand. That’s why they sent you to me, my perfect little bratty Bracken.”

When he removed his hand and caressed her face she leaned into his touch. His fingers sent sparks of yearning down her spine. She hadn’t even noticed her eyes sliding shut until they flew open as he wrapped his hand around her neck.

“What are y-“

“Did I give you leave to speak?” He cut her off mid question, squeezing the air from her lungs before releasing her just as quickly.

“Well?” He prompted.

“Ah, n-no.” She moaned when he let go of her wrists to wrap his hand in her hair, pulling her head back slightly.

“Then be quiet.”

His lips crashed onto hers and her mind exploded in a wash of ecstasy. She couldn’t think at all except to think of him and the feel of his tongue in her mouth. His hand wrapped taut in her hair and her own hands scrambling to grip his back. If anyone saw them now, there would be no more questions about the validity of her virginity. Wanton and writhing beneath him, she was greedy for all of him. She pulled him closer against her and would've wrapped her legs around him were it not for the folds of fabric holding her hostage.

When he broke the kiss she was gasping for air, lips swollen and a drunken grin on her face.

“More.” She demanded. “Do it again.” She was beyond the grip of embarrassment now. The only thought in her head being a continuation of that wonderful kiss.

But he leaned back away from her, smirking as he did so.

“I don’t really think you deserve more. Petulant, impulsive, thoughtless.”

All words to describe himself, the hypocrite.

“I deserve everything.” She replied, unconsciously licking her lips.

Now it was his turn to groan. He cradled her head in his hands, holding her like she was precious and breakable. Then he kissed her again, this time soft and slow. His movements were smooth and languid. She was a puddle beneath him, ceasing to exist except only as a vessel of pleasure. He moaned into her mouth and she thought she might explode on the spot. She was lighter than air. She didn’t know how long they were locked in that embrace, only that it could never be long enough. She needed to be under his skin, to wrap herself in his veins.

When he pulled back again ending the kiss for a second time she couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her at the loss of him. One of his hands was gripping her waist in such a way that sent sparks of longing down her body. She had almost forgotten he was upset with her until through hooded lids she saw his frustration.

“So witless.” He groaned, nuzzling into her neck and peppering kisses along her shoulder. “The gods gave you a mind to use and you haven’t engaged it even once have you?”

“I haven’t done any-“

She writhed against him as he slapped his hand back over her mouth.

“That’s okay though. Soon you’ll be my sweet wife and I plan to keep you busy enough to stay out of trouble.”

Her head spun as his soft voice cooed down at her. She lay there red faced and nearly panting as his hands roved over her body. His thick middle pressed against her holding her to the bed. He was insufferable, presuming to keep her silent, plotting to keep her inside. And she was worse for moaning against the hand silencing her.

“I could take you right here. They all think I have anyway, your little campaign tonight did little to dissuade those thoughts.” He smiled at her, an arrogant expression. But his eyes were nearly crazed with lust and she knew he felt just as good as she did. Two degranged lovers huddled together as the sun broke the horizon.

“The whole castle would know who you belong to and exactly how you prefer to spend your time.” His nose slid along her neck and when he nipped her ear with his teeth, she saw stars.

The combined sensation of alcohol running through her veins and his body covering every inch of her was a dangerously heady rush. If she could’ve spoken at all she would’ve said yes please. Instead she lay there feeling euphoric at his words.

“But I’m a gentleman and I can’t have you half drunk the first time.”

She snorted at that, not so drunk that she couldn’t recognize his bullshit. He freed himself from her, pulling her up as he went so she was sitting up on her bed. Hand around her throat he snarled, “Don’t talk to ser Joth.”

Shanda only barely refrained from laughing at his expression. That was what he was so angry about? She twisted her face into the picture of sternness, hand over her heart.

“Aye aye captain.” She then dissolved into a mess of giggles.

He did not attempt to continue trying to reprimand her and it was just as well because she was struggling to keep her eyes open. The sun was truly up now and she knew Lord Tully would have to delay the sentencing. No one was going to be in a fit state to address anything this morning.

“Go to sleep, meddlesome woman.”

Her eyes were closed before he left the room and despite the world spinning behind her lids she instantly fell asleep to the sound of twittering birds outside her window.

[alinalioness]

Surprise for Alina 9 Chapter:Concert.

Later.

A concert was held in the evening. The third number is already performing. The new costumes have already learned to sing "Wonderworld" by heart. Alina looked at the audience with excitement.

Griffona:Are you worried?

Alina:(Nods) Yes.

Griffona:Don't worry about it. Moreover, we are looking for Balan and his friends.

While Alina and Griffona were talking, the others except the new suits decided to move away.

Ella:You know, guys, we almost forgot about one hundred always happens on birthdays.

Heroes:Cake.

Cristine:We just have time for that.

Gatteria:You just need to stay away so that Alina doesn't hear.

The heroes were in a different place while Pinkie Pie was standing near the board.

Pinkie Pie:I like making cakes and how do we start thinking about what kind of cake will be.

Sanya:How about on the subject of us?

Carlin:This is great idea.

Fire:And there will also be a rainbow one.

Sunny:From red to white.

Pinkie:So we have to put someone in.

Julia:Alina and we are girls in pink.

Krash:Then we are kikoriki on the green.

SpongeBob:Me and my friends on blue.

Freddy:Then... we're on purple.

Phineas:We are Disney on blue.

Fire:Then we are rainbow on red.

Daisy:The silent ones will be on white (Tom, Jerry, Oggy and Jack nod).

Ella:We are ordinary characters in turquoise.

Boog:We are full-length and gaming on orange.

Sparkle:Then BWW is on yellow.

Pinkie Pie had already finished drawing the cake on the board, which made her and the others surprised.

Tricky:How big will the cake be.

Cristine:Alina will definitely be happy.

Meanwhile, with BWW.

The heroes went to the concert to watch the performance.

Balan:Are you going to some kind of entertainment?

Max:It's terribly expensive to have fun in Moscow. So we're just walking.

Irina:It's good that they decided here for free.

After the ninth number, the concert host comes out.

Leader:And now in the last issue, Alina and her friends are performing (BWW were surprised).

BWW:Ours? (The spotlight shone on Alina) Alina.

Song "Wonderworld" from BWW.

[Alina]

Hello to the wonderworld

Say hello to Balan's world

Come and celebrate with me

Our new world, our life...

(Later, new costumes appear on stage, which is why BWW were glad to see them while they were singing)

BWW:Costumes!

Emma:They managed to find us.

Balan:Let's surprise her. She'll be awfully pleased.

Before.

(The rest of the characters, after planning the cake preparation, go back until Rainbow Dash noticed BWW)

Rainbow Dash:Look, our friends have been found!

Krash:So it worked.

Sparkle:Hurry up to them.

(When they arrived, they were gone. But they immediately realized that BWW had noticed Alina and left)

[Emoji]

I cried a lot

With mixed thoughts

[BombFish]

But I always got up

Till I reached the goal

[Stretchinpillar]

I never give up

'Cause I believe

(He noticed that Leo was standing behind him and Leo was gesturing for him to keep the secret)

[Hackatoo]

Now I know

Every second was precious

[Sleepy Bear]

Don't have to be too positive

Don't need to be too negative

[Sirens]

Balance will bring a happy ending

[Jester Jump]

When we open our heart we see

The world is so magical

[Alina]

Them dreams can all come true

[Alina and new costumes]

Oh!

(BWW characters appear on stage while Balan and Lance hold Alina and Emoji)

[Alina and BWW]

Hello to the wonderworld

Alina:(Happily) Guys!

Say hello to Balan's world

Come and celebrate with me

Our new world, our life

Hello to the wonderworld

Say hello to Balan's world

Flags our waving for our day

Our new world, our life

Hello to the wonderworld

Say hello to Balan's world

Come and celebrate with me

Flags our waving for our day

Our new world, our life

Hello to the wonderworld!

After the song, the applause was joyfully applauded while the rest of the characters came on stage.

Freddy:We are very glad that we have finally found yours.

Balan:We are also happy, and thanks to our new friends Max and Irina.

Max:Although it didn't work out, we tried.

Alina:I will thank you for trying to find us for our friends.

Olivia:Balan, the costumes, did you recognize us?

Balan and costumes:(Happily) Yes!

While they hugged Olivia and the lost costumes, the inhabitants were surprised to see the lost ones. Balan and the suits were released from the embrace.

Balan:Please introduce Olivia and the lost costumes. Six of you are former representatives.

Cass:And it's true, although they don't have anything to do with our problems.

Sicily:Lance, you've really changed.

Lance:(Nods) Yes, I'm not a villain anymore.

Emoji:How happy we are, now we can celebrate...

Alina:By what?

Balan and Lance nodded to each other and approached Alina.

Balan:Honestly, those new friends that you met with them, your costumes (The heroes were surprised).

Alina:My?

Lance:Although the surprise was not a success, but still.

Alina:That's certainly nice of you... But I'm not an inhabitant.

Yuri:It's nothing to worry about.

Jose:The main thing is a gift from us.

Tornado Wolf:Although in fact it is a gift, we are all friends ourselves and everyone is gathered.

Alina:So, Emoji is my representative and Griffona is my Negaboss.

Griffona appears on stage in the form of Alina, but her hair and clothes were different. Negabosses in human form immediately noticed her.

Griffona:I welcome you.

Barktholomew:(With Negabosses nodded) We also.

Balan:In general, this is from us.

Alina couldn't contain her joy and hugged Balan, Lance, Leo, Emma, the inhabitants of suits and Negabosses tightly. Why were her close friends surprised and hugged her.

Max:But how are we going to visit?

Krash:Very easy.

To be continued...

[bellalampwickrossi]

Disney Descendants : Scene From Freddie's Shadow Cards

But a few minutes later, when they arrived at Mad for Tea, Freddie felt her hopes crash and her heart sink to the bottom of her chest

Uh-oh, she thought as they stepped inside the tea shop. This might be more complicated than I thought.

Freddie glanced down at her feet. But she couldn’t even see her feet.

Because she and Jordan were standing in ankle-deep water.

Uh-oh. Maybe I’m not the shadow sorceress after all.

“You!” Ally cried as soon as she and Jordan entered the Mad for Tea shop. “You horrible, terrible, evil villain, you!”

Freddie smiled. “Is this Compliment Your Fellow Student Day or something?”

“What happened here?” Jordan asked, lifting up her now soaked boot.

Ally started crying. “It was the furniture! When we pushed it into the back room during the party, one of the chairs shoved up against a water pipe. The pressure was too much! The pipe burst this morning and flooded the whole tea shop! The plumber told me how much it’s going to cost just to fix the broken pipe and it’s all the money we made from the fund-raiser! And that doesn’t even include getting all this water out—which means we won’t have anything left over to buy the new costumes. And my mum is coming home from her vacation in two days and she’s going to see this disaster and I’m going to get in trouble. And it’s all her fault.” Ally jabbed her finger at Freddie.

“Hold on. Back up,” Freddie said, putting up her hands in a defensive gesture. “Why is everyone around here suddenly blaming me for their problems? I didn’t do this.”

“The whole reason this happened was because of your stupid Shadow Cards!” Ally cried. “They told me to go to Evie’s room so I would get the idea for the raffle prize. And it was because of that raffle prize that we had too many people in the tea shop and had to move all the furniture to make room!”

“Hey, those cards got you exactly what you wanted. You wanted people to come to your party. If we hadn’t used the cards—”

Ally cut her off. “If we hadn’t used the cards, none of this would have happened. I told you the party was getting too big. People were showing up from halfway across the kingdom to get a chance to use the mirror! If we had just hung fliers around school like I suggested, we would have had a successful normal-sized party and the pipe never would have broken.”

Freddie pondered that for a moment. She glanced around the tea shop for her shadow and found it on the wall behind her.

Is that true? she asked the shadow silently in her mind. Did the cards really cause this?

“You’re the one who convinced me to use the cards in the first place!” Ally went on. “You said it would be the best way to get people to the party.” She gestured wildly to the flooded tea shop. “And now look what kind of trouble I’m in! And it’s all your fault!”

“Okay, I think that’s a bit of a stretch,” Freddie said.

“Actually,” Jordan said pensively, “she has a point.”

[brainyxbat]

Chapter 1: Nami's Sick? Beyond the Snow Falling on the Sea!

(episode 78)

"Straight ahead!"

"What are you talking about?! We've already been eaten!"

"Straight ahead! Straight ahead!"

"Hakoku Sovereignty!"

-

"We're flying out of it!" Luffy cheered, as water droplets fell all around them. "Don't look back! We're going straight ahead!" He watched in amazement at the split in the ocean before them. "Huge! It's so huge!"

"They cut... the very sea itself," Usopp teared up in awe, "This is the strength of Elbaf warriors! Incredible!" They landed back on water, and ultimately sailed away.

"Friends!" Behind them, Broggy and Dorry's worn weapons broke. "Now go!"

"Hey, Usopp?"

"Yeah?" He turned to Venus when she addressed him.

"Didn't you say you told your friend Kaya a story about you encountering a giant goldfish?"

"Y-yeah. Er yes, I sure did!" He smiled proudly.

"Are you a fortune teller?"

"Yep! I've been called Usopp the Foreseer!" He fibbed.

"Wow," She breathed in awe.

"Cool!" Luffy beamed, as Nami rolled her eyes.

"Remind me to tell her later," Zoro snarked to the navigator.

"Guys! Someday, I will go to Elbaf!" Usopp declared. "To the village of warriors!"

"Yeah! Okay!" Luffy cheered.

"Gi-gi-giants~! Gi-giants~!" They started singing joyfully, arms linked around their shoulders, with the short Venus holding Usopp's hand over hers. "Elbaf-baf~! Elbaf-baf~!" They danced on the railing. "Everyone's huge~! 'Cause they're giants~!"

Nami sat against the cabin, feeling strangely exhausted. And warm. "They sure are full of energy." As they almost fell overboard, though regained their bearings, she rested her hand on her forehead. "I'm suddenly exhausted after everything that happened. Vivi, could you watch the compass for me?"

"Sure." Vivi took the Eternal Pose, and did as requested.

After a few seconds of silence, Nami turned to her with a smile. "Now you can finally return to Alabasta. Well, assuming we can make it there safely, of course."

Vivi returned the gesture. "Yes, I must return! After all, I'm the only way to save the kingdom." She held the Eternal Pose more firmly. "I will return to Alabasta, alive."

Sanji descended down the stairs with a platter of desserts on hand. "There's no need to push yourself so hard, Vivi-chan." He jutted his thumb at himself with a confident smirk. "You have me!" He held the platter to the two girls. "Today's relaxing sweets. How about some petit fours?"

"Ooh!" Venus eagerly slid over.

"For drinks, you have your choice of coffee, or tea."

Vivi smiled gratefully at him. "Sanji-san."

He was annoyed when Luffy, Usopp, and Karoo were eyeing the platter with hunger. "Yours is in the kitchen!"

"Alright!" They all made a beeline, excited to eat.

"I'm first!" They watched from the deck in amusement, before Nami's vision started blurring strangely. She could barely keep her eyes open.

As she ate, Venus noticed her tired demeanor. "You okay, Nami?"

"Y-yeah... I'm fine. Vivi... sorry, I think I'm gonna..." She struggled to speak, as her head spun. "Go lie down..."

"No problem, Nami-san!" Vivi assured obliviously.

"Um-"

Vivi cut Venus off, unaware of what was happening, as Nami staggered to her feet. "I'll keep an eye on our course. You should get some rest." When Nami inevitably collapsed, Venus fell with her in an attempt to keep her up. Vivi finally noticed something was wrong; she rushed to the panting navigator, and felt her forehead. She was burning up! "Are you alright?! Everyone, come here! This is bad!"

As Zoro turned from working out, the other guys peeked out of the kitchen, their faces stuffed. "Huh? What is it, Vivi?" Luffy asked.

"Nami's sick!" Venus exclaimed worriedly.

"She has a terrible fever!" Vivi clarified.

A frantic Sanji shoved between Luffy and Usopp. "Eh?! Nami-san does?!"

Everyone loomed over her in concern, as she panted heavily, not moving otherwise.

-

Later, Vivi laid Nami in bed, and started soaking a cloth in cold water. "Is Nami-san gonna die?" Sanji cried. "Is she, Vivi-chan?"

"It's most likely the climate," She guessed, "One of the obstacles all sailors who enter the Grand Line run into is illness caused by abnormal weather." She laid the cloth on Nami's forehead. "There are countless stories of tough, notorious pirates suddenly dying from this. Carelessness makes even the slightest case deadly."

"Deadly?!" Venus exclaimed fearfully.

"Nami-san!" Sanji cried in his wrist.

"Is there anyone on this ship with any medical knowledge at all? Venus-san?"

She shook her head. "I don't know any healing spells."

Luffy and Usopp pointed at Vivi uselessly, before the former beamed brightly. "But eating meat makes sickness go away! Right, Sanji?"

"I can make some basic food meant for sick people, but that's entirely in nursing territory. There's no guarantee it'd make her better. Besides, I normally put 100 times more care into Nami-san, Venus-chan, and Vivi-chan's meals than I do with yours," He admitted, prompting a questioning quirked eyebrow from the witch, "I serve them fresh meat and vegetables, for balanced nutrition. And I give all the rotting stuff to you guys."

"Hey, now!" Usopp slapped his pointed hand away.

"Ew!" Venus grimaced.

"It's still good, though!" Luffy laughed.

"In any case, as long as I'm this ship's cook, there'll be no problems whatsoever in terms of getting a balanced diet. But there are different kinds of meals for sick people. What are her symptoms? What does she need? I can't make that call."

"Then she can just eat it all!" Luffy suggested.

Venus facepalmed, as Sanji and Usopp glared at him. "She's sick, because she doesn't have the energy for that!" The former exclaimed.

Vivi checked her temperature with an oral thermometer. "40 C?! Her fever's gone up again!"

"There'll be doctors when we get to Alabasta, right?!" Usopp asked. "How much longer will it take, Vivi?"

"I don't know, but one week is out of the question."

Luffy frowned in confusion. "Is being sick that bad?"

"Dunno," Sanji and Usopp tilted their heads, equally clueless, "Never been sick."

"Who in the world are you guys?!" Vivi raged. "Of course it's bad! 40 C fevers don't happen every day! This may be a life-threatening illness."

The four screamed in terror at that. "Nami's gonna die?!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Nami!" Venus cried in her hands.

"Don't die, Nami-san!" Sanji sobbed. All the while, Usopp and Karoo simply ran all over the room, the former even running backwards at one point.

"Stop that! Be quiet!" Vivi ordered.

"Let's find a doctor to help Nami!" Luffy fretted.

"Okay! Just calm down! You're going to make her illness even worse!"

"No." Vivi turned in surprise at Nami's weak voice, as the room turned silent otherwise. "No." She slowly sat up, keeping the cloth on her hot forehead.

"Nami-san?" Vivi watched her in concern.

"Oh! She's all better!" Luffy cheered.

Usopp karate-chopped his head. "Get real!"

Nami panted heavily. "In my desk drawer... there's a newspaper."

Outside, Zoro watched the ocean, as he pumped some iron. "No change in course."

"N-no!" Vivi exclaimed, as she looked over the newspaper Nami had her retrieve. "That can't be!"

"Hey, what is it?" Venus asked.

"Is it about Alabasta, Vivi-chan?"

"300,000 soldiers defected to the resistance," She read aloud in horror, "It was originally a cold war, with 600,000 royal soldiers, and 400,000 Resistance soldiers, but now that's suddenly changed!"

Nami continued panting. "The uprising in Alabasta is finally going to get serious now. That paper's from three days ago." Everyone stared in shock. "I'm sorry. We can't change our speed, so I didn't want to worry you by showing you that. Understand, Luffy?"

He thought about it for a brief second. "Things seem very bad!"

"Whew, that got through to you more than I expected."

"But you need to see a doctor!" Usopp urged.

"I'm fine," She insisted, "That thermometer must be broken. Nobody gets a temperature of 40 C. It's probably just sunstroke, or something." She pushed the covers aside, and stood slowly. "We don't need a doctor. I'll get better on my own. For now, let's head straight for Alabasta as planned!" She headed for the staircase, and turned back to the others. "Thanks for worrying about me." She walked up the stairs, everyone watching cautiously, and closed the door.

"Oh! She's better now?"

"You idiot," Usopp glared, "She's just acting tough."

Once alone in the storage room, Nami panted more heavily, and leaned against the wall.

"At this rate, so much blood will be shed throughout the kingdom," Vivi read some more, "It'll be an all-out war. If I don't stop that, the Alabasta Kingdom will be done for! Crocodile will take over!" The newspaper was scrunched up in her hands. "I can't just return safely! I need to return as quickly as possible!" Everyone watched in concern. "If I don't make it in time, a million citizens will kill themselves pointlessly!"

"There's a million people?!" Luffy exclaimed.

"What an immense burden you're carrying, Vivi-chan," Sanji remarked sympathetically, as she cried quietly.

Outside, Nami saw Zoro was still pumping iron, and not doing what she asked. "Urgh! What were you watching all this time?!"

"Whadya talking about? The ship's been going straight."

"Yeah, straight at a right angle! Look at the compass!" She held out the Eternal Pose.

"I don't need to. I was watching that big cloud there." He pointed to the sky.

"Clouds move, and change shape!" She held her head in her hands. "Oh geez, my head's killing me."

"So just leave this to me, and go to bed!" Zoro ordered.

"I'm here, because I can't leave this to you!" She then noticed the air felt different. "The air's changed..."

"The air? It's been nice weather this whole time."

"Never mind! Just get the others!"

"Hey! Get out here, you guys! Got work to do!"

"What?" Luffy and Usopp emerged from the cabin, with Venus close behind.

"Huh? Hard to feel motivated when you're giving the orders," Sanji snarked, following the witch.

"Just shut up, and move! Take the seat, and catch the portside wind!"

"What's going on, Nami-san?" Sanji asked. "The waves are quiet, and the weather's nice."

"Wind..."

"Wind?" He repeated in confusion.

"An immense wind... is coming directly this way," She panted, "I think." Luffy put his hand on her forehead. "What?"

After only a second, he threw his hand back in shock. "Hot! You're hot! Yeah, you stay inside the ship! Let's go to a doctor!"

"Mind your own business! This is my normal temperature! Now quit being stupid, and pull the ropes!"

"Nami-san, I know you're saying that for Vivi-chan, but if you push too hard..." Karoo quacked in worried agreement with Sanji.

"I told you, I'm fine!" She insisted, but held onto the railing for support, as she panted again.

"Hey, Nami. I think you really should-" Usopp's suggestion was cut off.

"Just hurry, and move the ship!" At her barking command, everyone scattered to their positions. "Sheesh... what could it be? It seems a little different than a storm." Zoro and Sanji worked the ropes, while Usopp, Venus, and Karoo pulled/pushed the rudder, and Luffy simply sat on the prow. Nami sighed in relief when the Eternal Pose soon pointed straight ahead.

Downstairs, a distraught Vivi sat on the bed. "I need to hurry back to Alabasta." After a little more reading, she walked outside. "I have a favor to ask, everyone!" The crew looked in her direction. "I know it's not my place to ask this as a passenger on your ship, but my homeland is in a terrible state now, so I'd like to hurry ahead! We can't waste even a single minute! So I want this ship to head for Alabasta at its fastest speed!"

After a moment of silence, Nami smiled weakly. "Of course! That's what we promised!"

"You can count on us!" Venus beamed with a thumbs-up.

"So let's find an island with a doctor on it right away!" Vivi urged, to the navigator's surprise. "Let's cure Nami-san as quickly as possible, and then go to Alabasta! That's this ship's fastest speed, right?!"

"Yeah!" Luffy grinned. "We can't go any faster than that!"

"Are you sure?" Usopp asked. "As their princess, you should be worried about those million citizens."

"That's right! So we need to hurry, and cure Nami-san's illness!"

"Well said, Vivi-chan!" Sanji praised. "I've fallen for you all over again!"

"You got guts," Zoro smirked.

Nami stumbled over to her. "Thanks..."

Vivi was concerned when she leaned down. "Don't overexert yourself, Nami-san!"

"Sorry, Vivi," She panted, "I think... I am kind of... in trouble."

"Nami-san!" Vivi caught her when she collapsed. "Hang in there!"

Luffy screamed in terror when the weather suddenly changed right in front of them. "What is that?!"

"It's a cyclone!" Vivi exclaimed.

"It's huge!"

"W-wait! That's the direction-!"

"That's the direction our ship was just headed in!" Sanji finished frantically.

"It would've been a direct hit, had we kept going straight!" Usopp observed, holding Venus protectively.

A bolt of lightning struck dangerously close in the ocean. "Yikes!" Luffy's eyes widened, gripping the mast. "We just barely made it through!"

'Incredible!' Vivi thought. 'Grand Line cyclones are said to be impossible to predict!' She looked down at the unconscious Nami. 'Yet she... she doesn't predict weather based on standard theory; it's almost as if she's detecting the weather with her body!' "I've never seen such a navigator before!"

"Alright!" Luffy beamed. "Let's hurry, then! Let's go find us a doctor!"

"Yeah!" Everyone, sans Nami, cheered.

They sailed away from the cyclone, and onto calmer waters. Outside, when Nami was back in bed, snow started falling. "What do we do, Vivi-chan?!" Sanji cried, running all over the room with Karoo. "Nami-san's fever won't go down!"

"Sanji-san! Karoo! I asked you to stop freaking out!" Vivi ordered. They skidded to a stop, as she laid a cloth on her forehead.

[savage-rhi]

Ocelot: who the hell are you? How did you get on the base?

Mysterious stranger: …sad….so sad.

@rebelwithoutaclock Here ya go!

The storm was much dreary than anticipated. While not at the level of a hurricane, the winds felt like guttural cries from the heavens while heavy rain trampled against Mother Base.

Even with the raincoat and extra layers, Ocelot shivered while looking past the balcony and to the crashing waves below. The sea was angry as greying water several feet tall pummeled into the base's structural supports. Weighted creaks could be heard, but it wasn't enough to cause damage. For now, at least.

Ocelot blinked a few times while assessing if there was any damage. He then looked up to where the horizon would be coming from. It wouldn't be long before daybreak and he could finally rest after taking night shift for guard patrol. Big Boss had told him to let someone else handle it for the night, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he personally needed to be here.

"Sad...so sad."

A calm voice, deep in sorrow managed to echo through the wind. Oceleot's eyes widened while his right hand immediately went to his gun, more than prepared for a fight. He waited a moment. Perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Very, very sad..."

There it was again.

"Show yourself!" He hollered and began to slowly move about the main deck. Lightning came and went, illuminating parts of Mother Base. Even if an intruder wished to hide, they'd be outed rather quickly from the strikes alone.

Ocelot traveled across the main bridge to another deck, and furrowed his brows. Nothing. There was not a single sign anyone was out here besides himself. Maybe exhaustion was finally taking its toll. He had been outside for several hours getting drenched.

As soon as he started to relax, another bout of lightning struck. In that split second, Ocelot's eyes widened. He immediately drew out his weapon and pointed the barrel straight at a man who was levitating off the ground a few feet in front of him.

"Who the hell are you? How did you get onto the base?" He quickly interrogated, following basic instinct.

The man tilted his head out of curiosity with a faint smile.

"Sad...so sad."

As more lightning drew near and the winds whistled, Ocelot studied the figure.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Ocelot muttered. His eyes squinted, and he felt a twinge of fear go down his spine upon seeing the intruders eyes change. A dull yellow brought out more of his sullen features.

"Your time will run out, young blood." The man stated with a wide smile. "Just as mine did. Just as hers did."

Ocelot felt his heart begin to race. There was something incredibly off about this person. And in the throes of his trepidation rising to the surface, it occurred to Ocelot there was a familiarity to this person. Like he knew them somehow. Normally not one to lose his nerve, he felt petrified in place.

"I wonder how she would feel, seeing how far you've come. Seeing how far," The man paused and closed his eyes. Blood began to seep from his eyelids like fresh tears, and the thick substance mingled with the rain as he opened his eyes. "You've fallen."

"Don't fuck with me," Ocelot sneered. "Who are you?!"

"I am but a reflection," The man grinned. "of your Sorrow."

"What--?"

Before Ocelot could think, the man gestured and it seemed as if time and space began to rearrange itself into a vortex, and the tornado like attack was coming for him. He tried to duck but it was too late.

The impact sent Ocelot onto his back and he heard it. The terrible screams and cries of everyone and everything he had ever harmed. Flashbacks to faces and events encircled his mind with a haunting repetition along with sprinkles of memories he held dear. He cried aloud, his own screams matching those of men and women he had killed in battle.

"Hold onto them," The Sorrow said while watching his son's body violently struggle. "Hold onto the sorrow and the joy, as she and I once did."

Ocelot's eyes shot wide open as a primal cry left his body, leaving him breathless by the end of it. His spirit, the world around him came tumbling with a large thud that rivaled the storm he had been a part of.

In bed, Ocelot jolted up and panted heavily. Sweat covered every inch of his form. He closed his eyes and ran both his hands through his hair, taking in a deep breath. It had all just been a dream. The storm though was real. He could hear the winds beating outside. As he came to, Ocelot retraced his steps. The last thing he remembered before sleep was his conversation with Big Boss and how he took him up on the offer to rest and not patrol for the night.

"Yeah, a dream." Ocelot muttered to himself, feeling his pulse begin to slow down. He carefully lied back against the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. That's when he felt something warm trickle down his nose.

Making a face, Ocelot brought a finger to his nostrils, and touched the spot. Pulling the fingers back, he noticed the blood and swallowed. His eyes cautiously darted around his quarters, afraid he'd see that man hovering about somewhere in his domain.

Sleep was no longer an option. He was too scared to go back into the dark. Especially when he recalled the bloody eyes of the man he had dreamt of.

"The Sorrow," Ocelot murmured under his breath. He wasn't sure where the name came from, but it hit him like a ton of bricks.

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[thisfairytalegonebad]

Emptiness - Whumptober day 31

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Character: Noctis Lucis Caelum Rating: Teen and up Warnings: Mental health issues, specifically discussion of depression and mention of anxiety, some internalised ableism

Read below the cut or on AO3 here.

Noct isn’t quite sure how they ended up like this. Prompto’s his best friend and arguably the person he feels most comfortable discussing stuff with, but Noct’s famously terrible at talking about his feelings in any way, even to Prompto.

But it’s nearly two in the morning, they’re both tired but unwilling to go to sleep, and their game has been paused for so long that the TV has already turned itself off, but neither of them makes a move to turn it back on and resume the game. At some point, they’d started talking, really talking in a way they don’t usually do, and it’s stripping away all of Noct’s emotional barriers.

It’s the sleepover vibes, Prompto explained it a little earlier in his infinite wisdom, and at the time Noct rolled his eyes at him, but now he is starting to think there might be some truth to that.

“It’s just hard, y’know,” he finds himself admitting. “I’m tired all the time even though I sleep so much, and everything is hard, even things that aren’t hard for other people. I mean, who has trouble having a shower or making some cup noodles for lunch?”

“Your magic takes a lot of energy though, doesn’t it?” Prompto points out. He’s curled into the corner of the couch with Noct’s legs across his lap, idly playing with the stretchy part of Noct’s socks as they’re talking. “Other people don’t have to deal with that.”

Prompto has a point, but also not. His dad has never had any problems with any of those things, and he’s keeping up an entire magic wall above the city, and he’s running a country on top of it. Noct has to do none of those things, and he still can’t even manage the bare minimum.

He tells Prompto as much and then adds, “Besides, it’s not even just, homework and cleaning and stuff. Sometimes I can’t even watch a movie or play a game or anything. It’s like I feel completely empty and everything’s a chore, even things I like doing. It’s just all so much effort.”

Noct feels himself getting worked up now, and he makes himself breathe deeply a few times. It’s a very sore subject, one that has been the cause of many arguments between him and the people he loves - Ignis, Gladio, even Dad - and he’s never been able to spell it out quite like this before. He’s never bothered trying to explain before - because it’s embarrassing and stupid, how can he even begin to explain how the mere thought of picking up the trash in his living room makes him want to curl up and die? But the sleepover vibes are doing something to him, something that makes him want to expose the raw, vulnerable parts of himself in the hopes that someone will soothe them.

Prompto leans his head back against the couch, staring at the ceiling in thought. He’s quiet for so long that Noct starts to regret ever saying anything in the first place - Prompto’s probably just trying to figure out the nicest way to tell him to stop being a lazy, whiny brat. Except not in those exact words, because he's Prompto and Prompto's not capable of being mean to anyone, not even to his spoiled best friend.

He’s just about to pull his legs off Prompto’s lap and tell him to forget about it, they can just keep playing their game or go to bed, he’s sorry for making it weird, but then Prompto wraps his hand around his ankle, looks at him, and says, “Buddy, no offense but I think you’re depressed.”

…which is about the last thing Noct expected to come out of his mouth.

“Huh?” he says with all the eloquence he can muster.

Prompto shrugs. “It’s possible, isn’t it?”

“But I’m not-” Noct starts, cuts himself off, gestures aimlessly, tries again. “I’m not sad. I don’t even remember the last time I cried!”

It’s not a lie, if he were sad then that’d be easier to understand than the perpetual exhaustion and emptiness inside him. More than once, he’s even caught himself wishing he could cry. It might bring him some relief, he thinks, but no matter how awful he feels, no tears will come.

“No, dude, not sad. Depressed. As in the mental health condition,” Prompto argues.

Noct stares at him blankly, and Prompto gestures with the hand that isn’t on Noct’s ankle. “Crying’s no requirement. I’m no expert, but your thing sounds a lot like depression to me.”

That’s not… possible, is it? What does Noct even have to be depressed about? He’s a prince, it doesn’t get much better than that, does it? Sure, it sucks a lot of the time and he wishes he weren’t a prince more often than not, but objectively speaking, there’s no one who has less of a right to be depressed than him.

“I don’t think…” he says, then trails off. He’s not quite sure what to say, he wants to deny it, feels like he should deny it, but something makes his voice catch when he tries to, so he asks instead, “Why do you think that?”

Prompto stares at Noct’s leg thoughtfully. “The emptiness thing, mainly? I mean, I’m really no expert, it’s all just stuff I heard somewhere at some point, but I think that’s one that comes up a lot. That, and fun things suddenly no longer being fun.”

That just raises more questions than it answers. For starters, why does Prompto even know so much about that kind of stuff?

When asked, Prompto laughs, a little too high, a little too hysterically before he catches himself. “I’m not depressed if that’s what you’re wondering. I’m just… a little messed up in the head in other places. Anxiety, mostly, but if you research one thing, you just stumble across others sometimes.”

The confession leaves Noct speechless. Guilt coils in his stomach, and something else, something uglier - betrayal? No, he has no right to feel betrayed, Prompto isn’t obligated to disclose anything to him and now he’s told him about it, so there’s really no reason for him to get upset over it.

He shoves the feeling down and locks it up in a little box then throws the key into a metaphorical lake. Prompto doesn’t deserve to be on the wrong end of a hissy fit right now, not when he's listening to Noct more than anyone's ever listened to him before. “I’m sorry. I never knew.”

“I never told you,” Prompto shrugs. “It’s not really a secret, but there’s never been any reason to talk about it. I’ve got it handled, mostly. I have meds and ways to cope and it doesn’t bother me much anymore.”

That… makes sense, and Noct is glad for it, both because it means that Prompto didn’t think he couldn’t trust him with it and because he wants Prompto to be okay and the thought of him suffering makes his insides twist with sorrow.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he says honestly, and then because Prompto has offered him an explanation for why he’s feeling so awful all the time and he can’t just let it go, “You really think I’m… depressed?”

“I can’t diagnose you or anything, I’m just some guy who spent a little too much time online,” Prompto hurries to say. “But… I think it might be a good idea to talk to someone about it? A professional, I mean. Who knows, maybe something will come of it.”

Noct rolls the idea around in his head, ponders it for a while, and finds he can’t easily dismiss it. He’s been sent to a therapist as a kid, after his accident, but he’s never been particularly cooperative in those sessions and eventually, when he no longer woke up screaming at night, they deemed his recovery as complete as it would get without him actively working towards getting better.

“Okay,” he finally says. “Okay, I… I might. I’ll consider it.”

The idea is both daunting and tempting. He feels stupid walking into a psychiatrist’s office and declaring himself depressed, please fix it, and he’s worried they’d just tell him nothing’s wrong with him, he just sucks at life. It's messed up, to hope that he's actually clinically depressed, but there mere idea of being told that nothing is wrong with him after all makes him want to cry now that Prompto's planted the idea in his head. But on the off chance that this could actually be a solution, a way to make everything less hard, to fill him back up with emotions good and bad… he wants that, and he wants it badly enough that he thinks he might be maybe willing to take the risk.

Prompto squeezes his ankle and grins at him. His eyes are drooping and his smile is slightly lopsided - they’re both overdue for some sleep, probably - but his expression is open and sincere as he pats Noct’s leg and says, “Considering it is a good place to start.”

It’s a little strange, hearing so much wisdom from Prompto in one night, but his words have opened something in Noct, something tentative and hopeful, and he doesn’t have the heart to try and lighten the mood with a jab at Prompto for it.

“Think we should sleep,” he says instead. It’s a bit of an abrupt end to their conversation, but Noct doesn’t think he has the emotional capacity to say anything more to Prompto’s face about his maybe-depression right now. He feels raw and exposed and suddenly, he just wants to sleep.

They head to bed, conveniently ignoring their toothbrushes in the bathroom, and then they curl up in Noct’s bed for some much-needed sleep.

Sleep doesn’t come for Noct just yet, though, and after a while, when Prompto’s breathing has evened out in something that Noct knows to be his almost-asleep state, he whispers into the dark, “Hey Prompto?”

“Mmmm?” Prompto responds sleepily, and he sounds dazed enough that Noct feels safe to continue.

“Thanks,” he says quietly. “For… the advice. And for trusting me with your thing.”

He’s not sure how much of it actually reaches Prompto’s brain - he doesn’t get much more of a response than the first time - but it soothes his own mind enough that he can fall asleep as well.

----

Read all of my Whumptober prompt fills here.

[diantheia]

Doorstober day 16: Lookman! Fic catergory: other (One-sided Blitz/Lookman) Summary: Lookman has an unwanted admirer. Word count: 757

“Oh, Loooookie!” A voice shrills into the dusty room, formerly inhabited by only one occupant. It seems that Lookman’s peace was only to be temporary.

They don’t even respond to Blitz as it comes barreling into the room. Instead, it opts to silently teleport to another nearby room; it fully knows that it won’t deter the determined Blitz, but they can dream.

“Hey! Where’d you go!?” Blitz calls out from a now-distant room. 

It doesn’t, unfortunately, take them long to find Lookman again.

“There you are!” Blitz exclaims, racing over to Lookman’s side. The floating entity’s cold stare meets the excitable one of the other. “How you doooooing?” 

“Fine. At least, I was” Lookman replies harshly, though their evident foul mood does nothing to dampen Blitz’s good one. 

“Why? What happened?” Blitz inquires thoughtfully. It’s almost like they don’t realise that they are the problem…

“My peace got disturbed” Lookman says, hoping that Blitz would finally catch the hint and piss off.

“Oh no! That’s terrible! Can we help?” It would appear that Blitz does not in fact want to catch a hint. The groan that Lookman lets out is long and loud, causing Blitz to bounce back slightly, eyes wide.

“You can help,” Lookman snaps, pointing accusatively at Blitz. “By leaving me alone!”

“Alone? But we like being with you!” Blitz complains, rubbing (or attempting to) its long, furry body up against Lookman’s; the affectionate gesture is not received well by Lookman in the slightest. 

“Frankly,” Lookman moves away from Blitz. “I find you intolerable. Go harass Haste if you want some company”

“We don’t like Haste like we like you!” Blitz explains. “Besides, we hear Curious gave them a long timer so they can nap undisturbed” Oh, if only Lookman could afford such a luxury… To be able to isolate themselves when needed, no noise, no people, just silence Alas, they had to deal with a very persistent and noisy admirer. 

“Maybe I want to nap undisturbed” Lookman grits out, turning away from Blitz with the full intention of trying to find a new spot to sit in silence.

“Oh!? You do!? That’s great! Maybe you could, um-” Blitz’s cheery bravado suddenly dies down significantly. “Come sleep in my nest for a bit? If you want?” 

Lookman turns to face the other monster once again, to see the pathetically meek state it has suddenly taken. Like a school boy trying to ask out its crush. How heartbreaking.

“No thank you” Lookman says dismissively. 

“Wha- Why?” Blitz cries out, scooching a little close to Lookman.

“Because I want peace and quiet, and you are anything but” Lookman grits out, staring down at the notoriously noisy entity.

“You want quiet? I can be quiet! Just give me a chance, pleeeeease!” Blitz begs; Lookman is a little surprised that Blitz would be so desperate for their company, that it would result to such unsightly displays. 

“If I give you a chance, and you fail, you are never to bother me again. Understood?” If Blitz was willing to lower itself to begging, then Lookman could lower itself (begrudgingly) to giving Blitz their company. “Yes!” Blitz cheers, only to suddenly change its tune to a low whisper. “I mean, yes!” It whispers out, just as excited. 

“Urgh…” Lookman groans, already regretting agreeing to this.

“I’ll show you the way- unless you want to ride on my back?”

“No. I know where it is” 

“Oh…” Blitz’s face went a little red- not from changing forms. 

Whilst Lookman knew roughly where it was, they had never actually gone to Blitz’s nest. It was the one place in the whole backdoor that they actively tried to avoid. The nest was exactly how Lookman pictured it to be: a mess of various fabrics thrown haphazardly into a small pile. Blitz would definitely find it comfortable, Lookman on the other hand… 

“This it?” Lookman asks, gesturing to the pile.

“Yep!” Blitz says happily, making their way over and settling into the nest. “You gonna join us?”

“Remember what I said: you be quiet, or you never bother me again” Lookman warns. It is hesitant as it approaches the pile, noting how the excitement behind Blitz’s eyes only seems to mount the closer it gets to the. As Lookman sets itself down, Blitz wraps its long body closer to Lookman’s form.

“Right. Quiet. We can be quiet” Blitz whispers out.

Shockingly, Blitz was able to remain quiet the entire time. However, Lookman really should have also added a rule against Blitz snuggling up against their back.