#i imagine you mentioned thinking that sae is pretty once and then he meets him and is like wow hes great this is perfect

[schrodingers-romy]

Tbh shidou 100% does not want to replace you with sae he wants a poly relationship he is flirting with sae for the both of you don't you see?

[satrs]

Heyyy I was wondering since it's like mothers day tmr

Could you do blue lock boys meeting your mom for the first time or like celebrating mothers day with her idk I thought it's a cute idea

Also Happy mothers dayyy

I loveee this!!! Tysm, happy mother’s day to you too and every mother out there🫶🏾🫶🏾

Son in law!

synopsis; meeting your mother for the first time!

ꜰᴇᴀᴛᴜʀɪɴɢ; Shidou Ryusei. Michael Kaiser. Itoshi Sae. Bachira Meguru.

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ;0.8k.

Tags; mention of a stroke(once). mention of kids/marrige. fluff. nothin else me think

ᴀʟʟ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀʀᴇ 18+!

SHIDOU RYUSEI.

You were freaking out at first (understandable), but to your surprise, he was on his best behavior, amazing even.

He gets along with your mother very well, even brought her flowers and compliments her until no end.

"Now I know where your daughter got her gorgeous looks from."

Helps your mother with everything, bringing the food to the table, taking the dishes and cleaning them, all that.

Is all ears when your mom spills teaaa about your childhood. Intensely listens and snickers when she shows him embarrassing baby pictures of you, triggering you to pout with a frown on your face because you knew damn well he would tease you about it to no end.

You honestly fell in love with him a second time. And your mother sure did too.

She adores him. At some point, you even get jealous at how much of his attention is solely on your mother. But you're really glad it turned out better than you imagined (you thought he would be a literal menace and give your mother a stroke).

MICHAEL KAISER.

A TOTAL MOTHERS FAVOURITE I JUST KNOW IT. Everyyy mother wishes to have him as a son-in-law. And your mother is more than happy that he chose to fall in love with her child.

Doesn't even have to do more than greet her with a handsome smile, and kissing the back of her hand in a charming manner, and she's already giving you her blessing for marriage.

"Yes, when are we getting married, love? And your darling mother sure wants some grandkids, right?" His voice is drenched in charm, causing you AND your mother on the opposite side of the table to blush.

Won't shut up about his love for you. At some point, even makes sure your mother heard him say what he just said, LMAO. But your mom can see, and also hear from the way he talks to you, how much he loves you.

She's sure he's the right one and has not a single doubt about you both devotion for each other.

Already has the perfect marriage planned out in her head, fingers tingling to call up her connections.

Man. Just marry that man already and do your mother a favor.

ITOSHI SAE.

We got THE gentlemen of the gentlemen right here. He is kinda nervous to meet your mother for the first time, so he tries to do his best.

And with his best, I mean, buying ridiculously expensive gifts for her. Be it exquisite wine or jewelry from Cartier, he got it all.

You can only shake your head at his behavior, trying to explain to him that your mother will like him nonetheless, to no avail.

"I know, but, just to be sure."

And your mother was overjoyed when you both came over, almost jumping up and down as she got gift after gift from the young man.

He was actually pretty nervous??? But tried to not make it really obvious. It was kinda obvious. You noticed, but your mother didn't, too busy in inspection all the gifts he spoiled her with.

With time, he calmed down, less tense and cautious about the way he talks and what he talks about.

Your mother welcomed him in a heartwarming way, making him feel just as comfortable he is with you, all his worries flying right out the window.

BACHIRA MEGURU.

He's just the best. Literally.

You couldn't quite understand his worries, when he told you he fears that your mother might think he's an 'oddball' or 'weirdo'.

You assured him that your mother would love him just how you began to do years ago. He felt at ease at your words, taking a deep breath and checking himself in the review mirror of the car again before heading to the doorstep with you.

"I don't smell or anything, do I? Are the flowers alright?", you chuckled at his behavior, acting as if he was about to have an important job interview.

Well to him, it was an important interview, the interview of 'getting your mother to like him and maybe even accept him as her Son in Law in the near future'.

As soon as your mother open the door and embraces you and him in a tight, loving hug, all the nervous tension left his body in an instant.

He began to learn that he is a sucker for your mother's cooking. Babbles of how it's 'so good' and 'the best food he ever had' while still having chunks of food in his mouth, causing loud laughter to erupt from your lungs.

Most definitely takes the leftovers home with you, making sure to let her know again how delicious it was, causing your mother's heart to jump at the recognition of her lovingly made food.

ᵃˡˡ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵉⁿᵗ ᵇᵉˡᵒⁿᵍˢ ᵗᵒ k-azus.°

[mchlgayser]

( ✮ ) 'ARE YOU JEALOUS?' ft sae itoshi

author's note 🍄: HELLO! I'm back... To write more of bllk's imagine hehe, Idk why I chose Sae tbh 🥲🤦 I don't even like that guy as much but this kind of topic suits him best, I think that's why lol. Lastly, I think this imagine is pretty much an au, not following the manga plot so it spoiler-free!!

content warning 🗯️: mention a tint of possessiveness

🧺: @iwritesjud3's navigation

'Please help me hand this to our homeroom teacher, I need to get to class early!' She nods her head at you and then rushed to the teacher's lounge whilst you walk to class.

You slid the door open alerting some of your classmates inside thinking that it was the teacher. You smile at them before waving around to tell them to sit on their assigned seats 'Next week is the festival! You guys make sure you volunteer for the festival committee.' A chorus of 'Yes' echoes through the classroom. You grin and nods before you make your way to your seat.

You reluctantly turn your head to the side to see Sae looking at you with one hand propping under his chin. You smile at him to which he did not return back but instead turn his head against.

You look back in front, empty-headed as you wait for the teacher. Minutes passed and the door slid open again but it wasn't the teacher but instead your girl-friend and the school head prefect.

'Our teacher is assigned to attend an important meeting, she asked for Asahi's help.' Your friend said returning to her seat which is in front of you.

The head prefect wrote something on the board and said 'Your homeroom teacher had asked you all to copy this!' The whole class bring out their books almost in sync and began rewriting what was on the board.

'L/n?' Asahi called 'Your teacher asked you to write today's attendance for her.' You smile and hum at him before continuing to write down.

The class ended, and you put your stuff back inside your bag and bring out your lunchbox 'Y/n? I need to talk to you for a moment.' You glance up at Asahi before momentarily nodding and getting your tumbler along with your lunch before following him outside.

Sae on the other hand witnessed the scene, and he followed you both outside. The two of you are talking at the end of the hall, before eventually separating ways. He saw your friend nearing you and you both disappear downstairs.

He has no idea what you two talks about but it's enough to make him feel sort of way that you both talks solitary.

After recess ceased, you and your friend separated because she had something to do, and you walks to class alone when suddenly a hand grasp your wrist making you wheeze. The person steadily hold a palm to your mouth to prevent you from shouting and you panicked.

The panic subsided once you realized that it was just, Sae.

'You scared me!' You complained, one hand over your chest feeling it throbbing inside you, his face is poker and steady making you feel even more creeped out 'What's wrong with you? Why do you suddenly pulled me like...'

'What did he talk to you about?' For a moment, you were perplexed, who was he talking about '...Oh, you mean Asahi?' An idea ran the course to your mind making you mentally chortle 'Nothing, he said nothing. You don't have to worry.' You untangled his hand from your wrist and were about to leave but he pin you down again 'What do you mean nothing? What. Did. He say.' He punctuated each words making you even more worked up

You push his hand away, far harsher than earlier and sigh 'I told you it's nothing. Why do you want to know anyway?' You cock a brow at him as he mirrored your expression, hard.

'It's because you are my girlfriend.'

You scoff 'That was lukewarm of you to say such a thing like that. It was your argument anyway about not wanting everyone to know about us.' He scowl at you making you laugh slightly 'He... Confessed?'

You hum, being unbothered 'So what if he did? Are you jealous?' He scoff making you irk a bit but his lack of response shows you otherwise 'You said nothing on your defense, so I guess that you are jealous? He huffs, hands folding

The place was a bit dimmed but you still manage to catch a glimpse of his pouty face, it wasn't very visible but it was there 'You are sulky.' You laugh, and he growls pushing you back against the wall 'You should stop teasing me, Y/n.'

'I will Itoshi, I'm sorry, and I'm sorry for lying because Asahi never confessed.' He looks at you, expression almost bewildered before he switches it back to his expressionless sentiment. You snorts 'You are hilarious getting so work up like this when me and him are just, taking...'

He look at you 'Lukewarm'

And then he left as you follow him close behind 'Come on, are you mad? Over small thing?' He stop grabbing you by your wrist and pull you close next to him 'If you're desperately wanted to tell them who you belongs to.' He walks back inside the hall with you hand in hand.

His head held up high making you ever giddier than before, if you know this kind of ideas would triggered him to publish your relationship, you would've done it sooner.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

The Mira wc calibration is just too crazy LOL I almost forgot the ship in the harbor y/! Is hollyhock y/n’s predecessor omg

HAHA FR ok lowk even when reading pi i was like “yo yuta and reader still alive???” Was fully expecting a major death but was pleasantly surprised with the resurrection (im gonna have to lock myself back into angst for whenever you revert back to angst i feel like I haven’t read angst in so long)

SO REAL need a bestie like miraverse chigiri omg reader and chigiri clowning reo and may so real I bet Kira would just be like “excuse me???” And reader just continues like “and when did this mole get here? You got it tattooed or sth?”

LMAOFOAOAOAOA Im abt to piss myself laughing WHAT THE FUCK WHYS IT SO WELL MADE???? IM CRYING AHAHSHAHAHA THIS IS TOO GOOD “my best friend and favorite star” GOOD. BYE. And the quotation too ijbol I cannot it’s also formatted so well…petition for you to publish this and make it into a real book or make it into like those fanzine type prints/books

Im being swayed and I’m not even the one writing oaeu LMAOO but speaking of how’s the progress on the inspo hunting LOL

NO FR wait that reminds me it’s sorta unrelated but i love the Hiori kurona duo just generally….Ive seen a lot of art of the BM dorm 4 where it’s Isagi yuki and Hiori looking after kurona and it’s so precious shsgshshs I remember thinking team kindness was really cute too!! But just imagine team kindness + bm 4 hyping kiyora up or genuinely giving him good advice and he’s like “wtf I’m not being bullied for once??” But LMAOOO alpha wolf Nagi is so funny I’m also imagining that one “gomen oomf Chan” wolf with him idk why

No because I get how stories have to involve the mc since they are the mc but I really wish more works would also elaborate on things that happen when the mc isn’t around like PLEASE show us the match I NEED TO SEE IT HDJSHSJSJ

- Karasu anon

HAHAAH FR and yesss SitH y/n is the original 😩 she has issues that hollyhock y/n could never even dream of and traumas that i look back on and wonder why i wrote 😭 but she’s cool i do rlly like her!! she was meant to be a deconstruction of the “girlboss heartless fighter who’s really pretty and cool and effortless and genius” YA trope that’s sooo common (idk if you can tell but i LOVE deconstructing popular tropes) where she is genuinely traumatized by the things she does (which are all horrible tbf) and hates herself very intensely for it instead of it just being brushed aside as necessary and never touched on again!! in comparison hollyhock y/n never really has those struggles with ptsd and whatnot she’s just like “ok wtvr this is what i need to do” meanwhile otoya and karasu are like her biggest supporters (especially karasu because otoya will occasionally disagree with her but karasu is her ride or die he supports women’s rights AND wrongs)

LMAOOO honestly i considered killing reader off and having her actually just die against sukuna but imo resurrection (and more specifically the connection between love and resurrection vs hatred and consumption) is such a main theme of the story and is honestly so integral to the whole plot that it wouldn’t have made sense for me to go any other way abt it!! i actually love the pi ending even though it was lowkey happy it just felt so sweet and full circle plus we got a sukuna cannibalism mention so it was still a little crazy and fun JFFJSJSK omg yesss luckily we still have requests and the oaeu to keep our spirits up in the meanwhile!! speaking of the oaeu i think i’ve decided the tropes for every character and it’s going to be so fun…the only ones i had left to cook up were sae reo and karasu but i think for sae i’m going to do smth where it’s when sae comes back for the u20 game and he meets reader at like a library or cafe or smth that he and aiku frequent and aiku IMMEDIATELY senses the vibes but sae is in crazy denial meanwhile reader thinks he’s cute and lowkey wants him ☝🏻 and then for reo it’s going to be a very stereotypical arranged marriage where he has to marry her for business reasons but he thinks he doesn’t like her…until aiku starts flirting with her and she seems into it…and he’s like “yo hold on a sec this is MY future wife 😟” HAHA and finally for karasu they’re going to be roommates or smth and he likes her but she has a (rlly shitty) boyfriend so he goes to aiku for help in learning to be a homewrecker since aiku is so experienced w that kind of stuff

I LOVEEE FORMATTING ALL OF MY DRAFTS IT MAKES ME FEEL SO MOTIVATED!! and hehe the best friend and favorite star is a reference to my best friend who tullia is based on i always dedicate my stories to her because she was like my first reader and is the reason i was confident enough to post my stuff online (she convinced me to make an ao3 acct in 2021) so without her there would be no fics…no miraverse…NOTHING so like i owe literally everything to her hence why she’s in so many of my stories and gets the dedication every time 🥳 and SLFHDJSSBS PLS I WAS GIGGLING MAKING THAT THE EPIGRAPH IT JUST FIT SOO WELL actually all of my long stories have epigraphs!! peregrine’s is “anyway, don’t be a stranger” from phoebe bridgers’s song scott street, hollyhock’s is “the most important thing every man should know is what he would die for” from faithful place by tana french (never read it or anything just saw the quote online and felt like it cooked), the year of the roses (shinah story that nagi might take over) is “the wait is long. my dream of you does not end” from my dream of you by nuala o’faolain (again haven’t read it just liked the quote), and hurricanes / hummingbirds is “anything you lose comes round in another form” from rumi!! i try to make them thematic and whatnot just for my own purposes even though no one else ever sees them but for the oaeu honestly no quote from someone else would fit better than aiku and niko cooking up smth problematic 😭

PEREGRINE CHIGIRI AND READER ARE SOOO GOOD TOGETHER i cannot wait for the college era even though it means no nagi solely because we get so much chigiri content…okay wait also i think it’s so funny that the ONLY character to have speaking lines in every single peregrine chapter besides reader is literally reo 😭 like atp it’s basically a reo fic he’s in the story more than nagi himself FJDJSJ but anyways i can’t wait to write the chigiri may reo reader combo!! and PLS no kira was 100% lost but he thought reader was gorgeous so he was like “sure beautiful whatever you say” luckily reo did step in and take reader back before anything too crazy happened so kira was just left intrigued but yeah it’s such a funny way for them to meet that i think it’s perfect (poor nagi though…nothing will ever be more insane than both of them thinking the other moved on first 😩)

i fear the inspo hunting progress has been at an all time low although i did this really funny rin x jjk edit that had me cackling (also why does rin genuinely look more attractive in these edited panels than in bllk 😭) AND ALSO a hakyona edit which was a crazy fyp pull they’re definitely stalking our convos 😟 honestly atp i might start on the oaeu just so i don’t get crazy writer’s block and stop writing altogether?? and just alternate oaeu chapters with requests…idk we’ll see maybe i just need to lock in and write smth but i feel badddd because if i’m not inspired i feel like my work is of worse quality?? but then again worse quality for me is still decent i’d like to say so maybe it’s not that deep 😓 maybe i’ll just pick one of the requests and start writing literally anything that’s what i did w the instrument and white butterfly and both turned out okay i think!!

kiyora and nagi being soccer rivals: lame, tired, boring, typical 🥱 kiyora being nagi’s discord kitten: insane take, none of those words are in the bible, barou’s going to crash out, nagi is using reo’s money to buy kiyora battle passes as reparations for what he suffered at karasu and otoya’s hands, karasu and otoya crack up when they hear about it, hiori is jealous, etc

REALLL i can’t wait for epinagi to get to nel in like ten years i want to see the behind the scenes of what manshine was up to!! maybe it’s just because idrc abt the mc so i don’t have as much interest in what he’s up to meanwhile i loveee nagi and would sit through a million chapters of him doing literally whatever because he’s my cutie pie special princess

[isitgintimeyet]

Road To The Aisles

The Ties That Bind second arc

So, legal battle won, the hard work begins. In a year full of changes, Jamie and Claire must learn how to be parents, juggle work, friends and family, and deal with an ex and her mother. Not forgetting to fit in their own special ‘grown-up’ time…

… oh, and plan a wedding, of course.

This story starts just after the legal agreement reached in Ned Gowan’s office and before the final scene of The Ties That Bind. It will be clear where the two stories merge. It is a continuation and so will make more sense if you’ve read The Ties That Bind first.

Thanks to @mo-nighean-rouge, @happytoobserve and @wickedgoodbooks.

I aim to post every weekend, if possible. Hope you enjoy...

Chapter 1: An Awaited Introduction

“See how he clings to my finger. I’m sure he knows me already. He cries when the nurse takes him away. Oh Marilla, do you think - you don’t think, do you - that his hair is going to be red?”

L.M. Montgomery, Anne’s House of Dreams

Geillis looked around the small tea room with satisfaction.

“Thank god there are still places like this. I went tae a place last week… it had all the atmosphere of an aircraft hanger, but wi’ these stupid wee chairs, like a school. And the waiters, sae fuckin’ pretentious.”

She sipped her mug of tea with relish. “All I asked fer was a mug of tea and a jam doughnut. The wee fella looked at me like I was pond scum and told me in his fake Morningside accent, that they only served ‘high end teas’... or some such shite. Nae milk or sugar, and the matcha green tea doughnut looked like it was growing penicillin.”

She bit into her scone. “Anyway,” she spoke through a mouthful of crumbs. “I’m sorry. That’s enough of ma blather, tell me exactly what happened wi’ the lawyer yesterday.”

Claire smiled at her friend. “It was as good as we hoped. The lawyer John recommended was brilliant. Jamie got everything he asked for. Geneva didn’t have a leg to stand on. Shared custody of William. So Jamie will have William every Sunday evening until Tuesday, well, until morning drop off at childcare, I suppose. And then alternate weekends, from Friday evening. It’s a bit hazy at the moment, until William’s a bit older and in nursery.”

“But how do ye feel, Claire? This has all been about Jamie and the baby. What about ye? I mean this is pretty huge, is it no’? Ye’re gonna be a step-mother. That’s a forever thing. And ye’re always goin’ tae have tae deal wi’ Geneva… and her mother.” The look on Geillis’s face clearly showed her opinion of Geneva and Louisa Dunsany.

“To be honest, G, it’s only just hitting me.” Claire picked up her teaspoon and started methodically stirring her tea, clockwise then anti-clockwise, as she spoke. “Last night, after all the excitement, I lay in bed  while Jamie was asleep, just thinking about it all. I mean I’ve never actually met William yet. I know that’s hardly surprising… Geneva didn’t even let Jamie see him for weeks. And now I’m going to be a big part of his life.”

She put the spoon down. “It’s like… like… being on an express train. I had a choice, when Jamie first told me. I chose to stay, to get on the train and to deal with all this. And I don’t regret it, any of it. And then with all the problems with Geneva and her mother and the lawyers, well, I didn’t have time to think about it. All our energy was on sorting that mess out. And now the train has slowed, we’ve reached the destination and I’m thinking ‘oh shit, what do I do now that I’m here?’”

“Ye ken fine what tae do. Ye’re a doctor, ye can cope.”

Claire smiled at her friend’s words of encouragement. “Practically, I know I can cope. It’s not that. What if… what if… William doesn’t like me? What will I do? And what will Jamie do?”

Geillis got up from her chair and rushed to Claire’s side of the table. She wrapped her arms tightly around her friend and kissed her loudly on the cheek. “Hush, there is nae way that William will no’ love ye. Ye are amazing… I ken that, Jamie kens that and that wee bairn will too.”

Returning to her seat, Geillis continued. “So, was there no big scene in the lawyer’s office? Did Geneva no’ go after yer blood? I can’t imagine she’d be too pleased seeing that ring on yer finger.”

Claire held her hand out to admire the diamond solitaire once more before replying. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no scene. I did, however, have to put Louisa right on a couple of things.”

“Ooh, such as?”

“That she had no right to question me about my behaviour, I owed her no explanations. And what I thought about their little game-playing.”

“Ok, but more importantly, does she ken ye’re engaged? Did she see the ring?”

“I didn’t actually mention it, but I may have wafted it in her general direction a couple of times.”

Geillis laughed. “Fuckin’ brilliant. I think that’s game, set and match tae ye, Claire. Ye’ve won.”

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

Claire stood at the hob, stirring the Ragù sauce, a pan of water bubbling next to it, ready for the pasta to be cooked as soon as Jamie came home. She wiped her hands on her apron before taking a sip of her wine.

In the previous weeks, starting from the day of William’s birth, she had tried to increase her cooking repertoire and had found it both therapeutic and incredibly enjoyable. To her surprise, she was now the proud owner of not only an apron, but also a Mezzaluna and a mortar and pestle. Following recipes appealed to her logical mind and the very act of cooking gave her time to think and contemplate.

She thought about her chat with Geillis. It really didn’t feel like she’d ‘won.’ It wasn’t a competition in her eyes (although Geneva had obviously thought otherwise), but the gateway to a new part of her life. ‘Stepmother’ - Claire inwardly shuddered at the very word, with its evil fairytale connotations. She just wanted to love William, for all their sakes, and hope that he would come to love her as well.

Claire moved to the fridge as she heard the front door and poured Jamie a glass of chilled white wine. The image of a Stepford wife briefly came into her mind but she laughed it away. No Stepford wife would ever have hair as messy as hers, nor willingly immerse their hands in the amount of blood and gore that she did. She just had to remember that, in addition to their new roles as Da and Stepmum, they were still Jamie and Claire, they were still the same people.

Jamie came into the kitchen. Having finally got to spend time with his son, he was still clearly bursting with excitement. He came up behind Claire, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzled the back of her neck.

“Mmm, Sassenach, ye smell of garlic and basil.”

She turned in his arms and brought hers around his neck. Bringing her head to rest on his chest, she sniffed then pulled away. “And you, James Fraser, smell of… baby spit up.”

Jamie grinned. “Aye, weel, there may have been a wee bit of that after I fed him.”

“You fed him? With a bottle?” Claire spoke without thinking.

Jamie chuckled.

“Nah, with one of ma fully functioning man breasts… Aye, with a bottle. Geneva knows he’s goin’ tae have tae have the bottle when we… I…” Jamie rapidly corrected himself. “When I look after him here. And I changed his nappy. First nappy ever.”

"I can't believe you've never changed a nappy. Not even your nephew's?"

"Nah, I've always been more on the fun uncle side of things, ye ken. And before, with William, it took all ma effort tae get Geneva tae let me hold the bairn, never mind actually tend tae him."

“So, how did you find the nappy change?”

“Fer a wee bairn that’s only fed on milk, it was surprisingly… gross. It gets everywhere.”

Claire instinctively took a step back.

“Nah,” he paused and sniffed before confirming. “No’ on me. But the wee laddie drew his feet right up in tae it.”

Claire laughed. “You're supposed to hold his feet out of the way. Did Geneva not tell you?”

“Aye, I ken that now. But Geneva didna tell me or show me anything. She jes’ sat in the corner, watching every move. Like she was scoring me on ma performance. I tell ye, I canna wait until I can be with him and no’ have her peering over ma shoulder.”  

Claire passed Jamie his wineglass and turned back to the cooking.

“Sassenach, let dinner wait a while. I need tae ask ye something. Will ye come intae the lounge?”

Claire turned the hob off as Jamie took her hand and led her into the living room. They sat together on the sofa. Claire sipped her wine and waited.

“Sassenach, I canna tell ye how it felt tae spend time with William today. He’s such a braw lad.” Jamie paused for a moment, reliving the day’s emotions.

“Anyway, if ye’d like tae… would ye come with me tomorrow tae meet him?”

Claire’s stomach flipped. She took a larger sip of wine before answering.

“Jamie, you know I want to meet William, but tomorrow? Are you sure? I mean so soon. Geneva’s hardly even got used to the idea of sharing William. Have you asked her?”

“Aye, I asked her. She wasna happy about it, but what can she do? Ye’re a big part of ma life and will be a big part of William’s life too. If ye're willing ye can finally meet him."

“Of course I’d like to but...” Claire hesitated, unwilling to dampen Jamie's excitement at the meeting.

"Tell me, please. What's troubling ye? Are ye worried about Geneva? I willna leave ye, ye dinna even have tae speak tae her if that's a problem."

"It's not that. It’s just, well, this is pretty huge… life changing… and I am worried. Babies can be fussy creatures. What if he doesn’t like me? What if he won’t stop crying when he sees me? How will we cope?”

Jamie put his wineglass down. Claire reluctantly let him put hers on the table too. He tucked her curls behind her ear before stroking her cheek.

“Claire, I dinna think that will happen at all. But if it does, we will manage. William will grow tae like ye… tae love ye. Dinna worry about what might never happen. So, no pressure, do ye want tae meet him tomorrow?”

Claire nodded.

Jamie continued. “The only thing is, Sassenach, Geneva doesna want ye in her home, so we’ve agreed, if ye’re willing, tae meet at Isobel’s house.”

“That’s fine. I have no wish to spoil the, no doubt, perfect ambience of her house.”

Jamie grinned. “Aye, somehow I dinna think her interior design is going tae survive much longer, not once William’s mobile. I’m so happy you’re going tae meet him, Sassenach. I canna wait fer tomorrow.”

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

Claire stood nervously waiting on the front door step. Jamie took her hand, entwined his fingers with hers and gently stroked her palm with his thumb. He looked at her, checking that she was ready. She nodded as Jamie knocked on Isobel’s door.

Isobel had obviously been waiting as the door opened almost immediately. She shepherded them into the hall. The sound of a baby crying came from another room.

Isobel shrugged. “I’m afraid William’s being a little bit unsettled today. Geneva was up several times in the night. But I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

They followed Isobel down the hall. Before she opened the door to the living room, she turned and spoke to Claire.

“I’m so glad you’ve come to see him. Don’t worry, Mummy’s not here. I told her to go shopping. I’m not sure what you said to her, but she didn’t seem too keen to stick around and see you anyway. And I have reminded Geneva to be polite. Seriously, they’re more difficult to handle than my students! I’ll settle you and then go and put the kettle on for us.”

Isobel’s living room was bright, airy, and tastefully decorated. It was also filled with various baby paraphernalia. A changing mat lay on the floor next to a bag overflowing with toys, nappies and clothing. A baby gym was balanced precariously on a chair. William’s car seat was discarded on the sofa, a couple of muslin cloths draped over it.

Geneva sat in the midst of this, cradling a somewhat fretful baby. Isobel hurriedly moved the baby gym off the chair and indicated that Claire should sit.

Jamie stopped himself from rushing over to take William from Geneva as he stayed at Claire’s side.

“Hello, Geneva,” Jamie greeted Geneva formally. “I believe Williams’s being a wee bit tetchy today.”

Geneva looked over to Jamie and Claire. Despite the immaculate makeup, the lack of sleep was clearly evident on her face.

“That is an understatement.” There was no trace of friendliness or humour in her voice.

“Weel, have ye tried tae…”

“Spare me any misguided advice. He is fed and clean and dry… just not too happy. Here, take him. My arm’s gone to sleep.”

With a quick look to Claire, Jamie moved across to Geneva and took the baby from her arms.

Claire felt her chest tighten and tears fill her eyes as she watched Jamie, standing in the centre of the room holding William. She had grown accustomed to seeing him cuddling his nephew and baby niece, but to know this was Jamie’s son affected her more than she had realised.

Jamie looked directly at her and mouthed “You ok?”.

Claire nodded and blinked several times to clear her eyes.

“So, would ye like tae meet William?” Jamie asked, bending over and placing the baby in her arms.

Claire looked down into the red, creased face of Jamie’s son, a little whimpering sound now coming from him. She stroked his cheek gently.

“Hello there, William,” she whispered.

“You need to be careful you don’t scratch him with your ring... And remember to make sure his head is supported.”

Jamie turned to Geneva, trying to remain calm at her intervention. “Claire kens all that. She is a doctor after all. She’s used tae dealing with bairns. She doesna need ye tae point that out, do ye, Claire?”

There was no response from Claire, as she focused solely on William, studying his features intently. He grew calm in her arms, quietening before giving a massive yawn and rubbing one small dimpled fist over his face.

The door opened and Isobel popped her head in. “Geneva, dear, can you come and give me a hand? I’m not sure if this baby monitor thing is working.”

She winked at Jamie as Geneva reluctantly made her way out of the room.

Jamie sat down on the floor at Claire’s feet, watching Claire’s face as she lowered her head to kiss William, now drifting happily off to sleep. Jamie leant his head against her knee.

“How do ye feel, Sassenach?”

Claire thought for a moment, lost for words. “Jamie, he’s lovely… just perfect. And I can see you in him... that chin… and that red hair. I still can’t believe he’s here and going to be part of our lives. How about you?”

“Every time I’ve been with William, even though that’s been grand there’s always been Geneva, with her games and her comments and her resentment… and her mother. This is the first time I can see how it will be, when William comes tae our house and it’s the three of us.”

William stirred for a moment before returning to his contented slumber.

“Yes, Jamie, the three of us… our family.”

[wondr18360]

Thoughts on Goro Akechi

Okay I admit that my initial opinion of Akechi wasn’t that great when I was watching the P5 playthrough, but after seeing his last few scenes and thinking it over, he actually kinda grew on me as a character… Which is why I am pretty disappointed that he kinda got tossed to the side after the Shido arc.

Warning: Long rant analysis and spoilers ahead

Throughout the game Akechi does play a pretty big role in the story, first as the Ace Detective who challenges the Phantom Thieves’ sense of justice, then as an “ally”(?) of the Thieves, and finally as one of the primary antagonists that the Phantom Thieves have to defeat, yet after Akechi had his painfully short redemption arc scene (which didn’t totally redeem him partly because it was so effin’ short) and died, he literally only gets a few seconds of mourning from the Thieves right afterwards, a brief discussion about him in the group chat once they go back to the real world after his death, Shido asking his men where he is and calling him a “useless brat” when they can’t find him after Shido’s calling card is broadcast, a short dialogue mention before the Shido boss battle, and finally a mention from Sae Nijima when she says that he’s “missing,” and apparently the Thieves can’t straight up tell her that he’s dead. I get that storywise the Thieves aren’t obligated to forgive him and really feel horrible about his death given that a) he was the culprit behind the mental shutdowns, b) he did murder Futaba’s mom and Haru’s dad and attempted to do the same to Akira, and c) he attempted to place the blame on the Phantom Thieves and get them all arrested and killed, but I still feel like his existence and his death, particularly the way he died and what happened right before, should have had a bit more of a lasting impact on the Thieves and on the story.

Let’s face it, Akechi did some pretty horrible things and he deserved to be held accountable for them, but one of the reasons he ended up the way he did was because he had to endure both the loss of his mother and the lack of a father figure due to said “father” being a selfish asshole who would willingly get rid of anyone and everyone in order to get what he wants. Not to mention that because he had no parents, Akechi was passed between foster homes quite often, and this made him feel both lonely and as though he was unwelcome everywhere, something he tells Futaba and Akira when he visits Leblanc for the first time. It’s no surprise that having these experiences would make Akechi resent Shido once he figured out that he was his father, and there’s no doubt that they’re at least part of what fueled Akechi’s twisted desire for revenge. However, there’s also a part of Akechi that desperately seeks acknowledgement from Shido because he’s his father, which is probably part of why he decides to help him by causing the mental shutdowns before carrying out his own revenge, rather than working against him from the very beginning like we sometimes see other “heroes” in similar situations do. His desire for acknowledgement is also what drove him to become a detective, since he thrived off of the public’s support. Though that being said, Akechi most likely doesn’t necessarily enjoy working with Shido and killing people; to him it’s just a job, a necessary stepping stone to get him closer to Shido so that he may ultimately bring about his downfall. And it’s clear that that is his plan; he says so to the Phantom Thieves when they meet in Shido’s palace, and he curses them for interfering, albeit unknowingly.

But, when Akechi first began to interact more with Akira in particular, he took an interest in him, and as he also got introduced to the rest of the Phantom Thieves and eventually “joined” them (quotations cuz he technically wasn’t a bona fide mona fide Phantom Thief), he got exposed to something he never really experienced before: strong bonds of friendship, camaraderie, and even love to a certain extent, since the Thieves all care for each other quite deeply. Moreover, he felt a certain connection with Akira and greatly admired him, while simultaneously envying him for being surrounded by friends he can rely on and for being able to freely walk a path of his own choosing despite the shackles that others have tried to place on him (his criminal record and the related stigma from others). This envy is what causes Akechi to choose his personal mission over a possible future with the Thieves in the hopes that he can become a hero himself, and the resulting conflict between his obsession with revenge and acknowledgement and his yearning for friendship unhinges him to a certain extent, so much that while he seems to revel in killing Akira and the rest of the Thieves, he also is slightly hesitant to do so, and especially during his boss battle he alternates between these two attitudes.

It is only when Akechi is finally defeated for the second time that he loses the will to keep fighting and says, “I’ve had enough,” which is honestly quite heartbreaking because you can practically feel the exhaustion and despair that he’s experiencing as he accepts that he’s not only failed his personal mission, but he’s effectively destroyed what chances he may have had to experience true friendship and acknowledgement, which leads to him pouring his heart out to the Thieves and finally musing that he “couldn’t be special.” And that’s when the Phantom Thieves, who practically despised Akechi since the time they met him and possibly even hated him after finding out his true identity, feel for him. Because he’s at his lowest point now, all secrets bared, ready to call it quits and give up, and they recognize that because they have all been in similar positions at different points in the game, normally right before they awakened their Personas. Moreover, they see where he’s coming from, as each of them have their own troubled backstory that isn’t too far off from Akechi’s, but they also take it to heart when he reveals how he envies their bond as a team because they’re able to recognize that they lucked out when they found each other, and that Akechi didn’t have that same fortune. This is why Ryuji, who constantly ragged on Akechi before, assures him that he is special, and why Makoto admits that they needed to work as a team in order to be able to match and defeat his wit and strength. It’s why Haru and Futaba, despite not being able to forgive him for his previous actions, find a way to sympathize with him and see things from his perspective. And it’s why when Akechi tells them to kill him, they refuse, and instead want to give him a chance to redeem himself at least somewhat by working with them to take down Shido.

So when Akechi's cognitive clone appears and Shido's true intentions to eventually dispose of him become clear, Akechi decides to entrust his mission with the Phantom Thieves, opting to sacrifice himself to aid in their success not just because he doesn't want to weigh them down in his weakened state, as he tells them before he dies, but also because he has "had enough." He knows that even if he does decide to join the Phantom Thieves for real this time, he'll still be somewhat of an odd one out because of how he's hurt them before, and in the end regardless of their success or failure he still won't be a hero because his justice - and justice itself - won't allow his crimes to go unpunished. The public will shun him after finding out what he did, and at this point Akechi is too tired, too jaded to even imagine undertaking a long journey to redeem himself and regain acknowledgment after that, especially since he knows that unlike Akira, his crimes are real and that he will always have to live his life atoning for them. In that case, the least he can do is attempt to make up for everything by giving up his own life for the sake of the Phantom Thieves, who he now trusts to carry out justice in his stead.

So here’s where my problem begins. I think that the Thieves should have given more remembrance to Akechi later after they defeated Shido and even after they put an end to the Metaverse, since by doing so, they ensured that Shido would be brought to justice, and they fulfilled the promise they made. Yeah I get that right after the Shido boss battle they had to try and get out of the palace alive and then Ryuji “died” and came back to life, and that after the final battle not only did Morgana disappear but Akira also went to juvie, but at least after Akira and Morgana returned and things settled down, there should have been more dialogue or other story material that indicated that the Phantom Thieves hadn’t forgotten about Akechi and still kept him in mind at least somewhat. At the very least, Akechi’s story and how it could have been any one of them should have had some sort of lasting impact on the Thieves and their views regarding good and evil, teaching them that people aren’t always inherently good or bad; they’re often the product of the events and circumstances in their life, and without guidance and support from others, they can stray down the wrong path.   Instead, Akechi is basically treated as a mere stepping stone in the plot that lays the foundation for Shido being the more important villain, and he’s practically forgotten once Shido is defeated.

As I said before, the Thieves are visibly saddened after they hear the gunshots that indicate Akechi’s death, and later on when they return to the real world and begin the group chat, they discuss what happened, and they make some important points:

Haru says that it was sad what happened to him, and that while she honestly has mixed feelings, she thinks that he was a victim too (to which Ann follows up by commenting that he was a victim they couldn’t save).

Yusuke says that if he had not met the other Phantom Thieves, he may have become like Akechi himself.

Ryuji says that he personally cannot forgive Akechi, but more than that he can’t forgive Shido for warping his mind so much.

Starting with Haru’s statements, they’re especially poignant because she was an indirect victim of Akechi’s since he killed her father. She has every right to be angry at him, to hate him, to want him dead. But instead she has “mixed feelings” because while she struggles with some of those emotions and the overall resentment towards him for his actions up until his last moments, she takes his story into account and realizes that he wasn’t all evil, that like her, he was used by his own father as a tool, and despite his conviction that he was doing things by his own will in order to ultimately betray and kill Shido, he was slightly forced into it because deep down he wanted his father’s acknowledgment, something he never had before. This also ties in with Ryuji’s comments because he also recognizes that ultimately if it hadn’t been for Shido, Akechi may not have gone so far down his dark path and had such a tragic ending.

Now onto Yusuke’s statement. This is really important because it actually can apply to everyone. If they didn’t have their friends, their loved ones, and their team, and if they had to go it alone even through their toughest moments and darkest days, they may have ended up like Akechi. Just think: imagine Ann didn’t have Shiho and had to deal with not just bullying and harassment from her peers, but also harassment and abuse from Kamoshida and other adults like him, and eventually she became determined to make them pay for everything they did to her. Imagine if Ryuji had lost his mom in a similar way that Akechi lost his because she couldn’t take the abuse from Ryuji’s father anymore, or worse, if his father actually killed her, and Ryuji then became consumed by hatred and desire for revenge against not just him, but even all those who later treated him like an outcast. Imagine if Yusuke had discovered the whole truth about Madarame on his own and as a result became consumed by revenge like Akechi did. Imagine if Makoto was even more detached from her sister and became obsessed with avenging their father and fighting against the burdens and expectations that others placed on her. Imagine if Sojiro didn't adopt Futaba and she eventually either succumbed to her guilt over her mother's death or discovered the truth and became fixated on finding and killing the people who killed her mother. Imagine if Haru, like Akechi, remained unable to form any close bonds with the people around her and eventually grew to resent her father and ultimately focused on nothing else but betraying him and bringing about his downfall. Imagine if Akira, fueled by the sheer injustice of his situation, sought to rebel against society and get revenge on not just Shido, but everyone who ever shunned him and treated him like a criminal, alienating almost everyone around him. All of the Thieves could have ended up like Akechi or even worse, but it was only because they were lucky enough to have each other that they were able to come through their difficult times and avoid a fate like his.

In summary: Goro Akechi was a pretty complicated antagonist with regards to his backstory and the motivations behind his actions, and it’s a shame that he was effectively reduced to a pancake-loving psychotic hitman detective-turned-martyr with a relatively minimal impact on the story’s characters and message.

Thanks for reading this long-ass essay rant and I hope you liked it! Feel free to share your own opinions too, I’m always down to discuss stuff :D

[hotelkumasutra]

happy birthday choi twins💖

my oneshot here https://archiveofourown.org/works/15769038

[whatsthecraicwithvideogames]

My Definitive Ranking Of All 21 Confidants in Persona 5 (yep it’s a list you just gotta deal)

Persona 5 has some of the best characters in any game I've ever played. Over the 100 hours spent in the game, a lot of these characters are significantly fleshed out and you feel a genuine bond with them. Some not so much. So, because the world needed it so much, here is my official 100% accurate ranking of all those characters. No debate needed. This is the only ranking you will ever need. Enjoy.

21 Yuuki Mishima

Mishima seems to think that just because he figured out that you were a Phantom Thief that he is entitled a spot in your friend group.No. GET YOUR OWN FRIENDS MISHIMA. There are plenty of characters less interesting than Mishima, but none that annoyed me more. It may be completely unjustified, but I just need him out of my life. More specifically, I need him out of my hotel room in Hawaii. Go home, Mishima. No one wants you here.

20 Toranosuke Yoshida

The main issue that afflicts the majority of the people at the bottom of the list is dullness and being underdeveloped. Yoshida happens to be the former. Maybe it's just because I'm young and ignorant, but when I'm trying to save the world from its inevitable ruin, I'm not really all that interested in a disgraced politician. Call me simple minded.

19 Chihaya Mifune

Now we come to the underdeveloped. Although it must be said that Chihaya could have had an amazing storyline that I just didn't see, as her character was so one note and uninteresting that I became equally uninterested in what was going on with her and I didn't pay a whole lot of attention. So I apologize if I've missed an amazing character, but she should have made a better impression sooner.

18 Shinya Oda

I have little feelings towards Shinya. He's a little higher on the list due to his storyline being a bit sympathetic but there isn't really much to his character other than the fact that he's a kid who's good at a video game. I was invested in making sure that he got fed, but that's about as far as it goes.

17 Munehisa Iwai

I am currently holding a bit of a grudge against Iwai at the minute, as he was the only confidant I didn't manage to max out on my new game plus run, basically meaning I wasted about an extra 70 hours BUT HEY. That's not his fault. He also suffers from side character dullness, but he gets bumped up the list a bit because we had a lot of weird dates together that I'll never forget. What other game allows you to go to the planetarium and an all you can eat buffet with a yakuza member? In Persona 5, even the boring characters have something to offer. Some more than others.

16 Igor

There isn't really much to say about Igor to be honest. Of all the people on this list, he’s the one you have the least opportunity to get to know, but there's just something about him. Maybe it's his nose? Or perhaps the eyebrows? Either way, I like his style and he managed to crawl up a few spaces.

15 Haru Okumura

We arrive at another character who took a little while to grow on me. Originally I thought she was just as boring as Makoto, but at least Haru has some semblance of a personality. She's awfully sweet and her storyline is very sympathetic. She struggles under the weight of her responsibility to run a company, and is conflicted by her arranged marriage to a man she has no interest in. I felt genuinely invested in making sure she was okay and safe, even if her metaverse outfit is a bit dumb. Nobody's perfect.

14 Ichiko Ohya

If you're not familiar with Ohya, just imagine a really incompetent Jessica Jones and you're pretty much there. Meaning, she's drunk all the time. She drinks away the guilt she harbours from losing her best friend on the job, but she still remains a fierce journalist who doesn't crack under pressure and is determined to find out the truth. She just happens to smell like gin while she's doing it.

13 Sae Niijima

Sae is cool in the most normal way that you'll find in Persona 5. She's a prosecutor, working against against all odds to become the top in her field. She may have been working slightly against us in the beginning, but she was a formidable foe; working with an open mind and a level head, she eventually began to believe our stories about our time with the Phantom Thieves. Sae is rad without needing a cool outfit (@Makoto) and we should all be more like her.

12 Makoto Niijima

I'm not even going to apologise. Makoto just barely made it above her much more impressive sister, and the only reason she did is because her whole deal in the metaverse is pretty badass. However, and let me say this loud for you Makoto, just because your persona is a motorcycle, DOES. NOT. MAKE. YOU. THE BOSS. Once she joins your team, every plan comes from her, even though I am the leader of the Phantom Thieves. I have tried really quite hard to understand why everybody loves Makoto so much. I even romanced her on my second playthrough so I could get a different perspective on her. It helped nothing. I really tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but anywhere outside of the metaverse, she is dull and boring. Number 1 Waifu she is not, I'm afraid.

11 Hifumi Togo

Before Futaba came along, I was all set to romance Hifumi. To be fair I felt she was the best of a bad bunch, but let that not detract from her good qualities. She's a shogi master (or at least she thinks she is), and yet she still struggles with something that a lot of us can identify with: she is desperately trying to live up to her mother's unachievable high expectations. All Hifumi wants is to play shogi, and when she plays shogi, she plays shogi. She's a bit crazy but we love her anyway, and there's no one else I’d rather play shogi in a church with. Now just to figure out what shogi actually is…

10 Morgana

What would a JRPG be without a resident weird humanoid animal thing? Mediocre, that's what. Morgana is an integral part to the whole structure of the game, in more ways than one. Without him, our character would have no idea about how anything works in the Metaverse. Yes, he can be literally the most irritating presence on the planet whenever I'm trying to go out and Morgana is telling me to go to bed (YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME MORGANA), but deep down I know he's doing it out of love. Sometimes I wish Morgana loved me a little less but hey, you can't pick your family.

9 Goro Akechi

Okay, look. I know what you're thinking. Akechi is a little bit problematic. I know this. But he's just so adorable before all that! That's pretty much that only reason I have for having him so far up the list. His little face in his character profile is just so cute that you can't help but love him. Also the way he yells ‘PERSONAAAAAAGHHHH’ is badass and I can't hear it enough times. I forgive the Ace Detective of all crimes he has committed.

8 Futaba Sakura

A couple of months ago, Futaba would most likely have topped my list. She was the first girl I romanced in Persona 5. I had spent the whole game waiting for someone to come along and sweep me off my (digital) feet. It was beginning to look like I was going to have to settle with Hifumi- and then Futaba came along. She was a hacker and a gamer: my perfect waifu. Her romancing scenes are very sweet and I remained enamoured with her throughout my whole playthrough. After playing new game plus that changed. I went in with the intention of romancing someone different, and boy is Futaba different without those rose tinted glasses on. Her inability to do anything on her own is, while understandable, it's frustrating at best. She's still pretty high on the list though, as I'll never forget our time together, and also she's saved me countless times during combat that she will forever be elevated to God tier in the Metaverse. I owe her a debt I can never repay.

7 Tae Takemi

I won't lie to you. A lot of Takemi’s charm and appeal lies in her character design. The idea of a cool, punk rock doctor who supplies us with our own extreme healing products is great. Even better is that she's got the attitude to match. Confident in her skills but still dating enough to go rogue and have you be her guinea pig for new medicines she's developing, Takemi is a doctor you would want as a friend, but DEFINITELY not treating you. Unless you enjoy drinking mysterious liquids and passing out for hours on end. In which case be my guest.

6 Sadayo Kawakami

Ah, Kawakami. She sure does have it rough. Teacher by day, maid by night, she's a very sympathetic character, although she may not start out that way. At first glance she just seems like your typical extremely incompetent teacher- which she is. However the deeper into her storyline you go, the more you start to understand why she is the way she is. She ends up being quite a sweet person, not to mention her skills enable you to have more of the most important resource in Persona 5: time. Coincidentally, that's the one thing it takes for her to grow on you. Just give her a couple of days, and you'll learn to love her for who she is. A hot mess.

5 Sojiro Sakura

I don't think it’s an overstatement to say that the entire plot of the game would not have happened if not for Sojiro. For some unexplained reason, he agrees take in our main character who has just been put on parole, and it's that act that eventually brings our whole crew together. Even when he discovers that he has a phantom thief right under his roof, he sticks by you and even lets you hold meetings right there in his café. He goes from standoffish jerk to ‘dad we never had’ in a beautiful transformation that is one of the best progressions of a relationship in the game. If it wasn’t for his curious combination of coffee and curry for breakfast every morning, there's no way we could have completed our rehabilitation and saved the world from ruin. Sojiro literally saved the entire world (don't question it he totally did).

4 Ann Takamaki

Of all the characters on this list, Ann is the one that surprised me the most. She's pretty, blonde and a model. In video games, TV, movies; these things tend to be a placeholder for a personality, so really I expected nothing more from Ann: and boy did she prove me wrong. She is kind, loyal and is extremely strong willed. She suffered through sexual harassment at the hands of her teacher, her best friend's attempted suicide, and the her career as a model being sabotaged by a spiteful competitor. Through it all, however, she remains a positive force on the team and one of your characters closest friends from beginning to end. We all deserve someone like Ann in our lives.

3 Yusuke Kitagawa

Yusuke is another character that I love purely because every conversation with him is golden, particularly when leveling up your relationship with him. Throughout his journey to find himself as an artist, I joined him at an art exhibit, a romantic boat ride on a lake, and I posed as our Lord and Savior himself Jesus Christ on the crucifix as a way to inspire the creativity within Yusuke. Some may say that Yusuke’s best quality is his voice, but those people simply can't appreciate what he brings to the table and I simply have no time for them. He is a rare flower and I will defend him at every given opportunity.

2 Caroline and Justine (The Wardens)

Before starting my new game plus playthrough, these girls wouldn't have even been on this list, because I had no idea that they were even confidants until my second time around. The way you level up your confidant ranking with them is by fusing personas with a certain ability, per their request. The only thing I dislike about that is that you don't get to spend as much time with them as I'd like. They are both as entertaining as they are enigmatic, and though it may seem strange to have them so high up, everytime I brought them a new persona, they stole a little bit more of my heart. By force. They demanded I give it to them. But it still counts all the same.

1 Ryuji Sakamoto

I don't care what anyone says, this game would not be half as interesting or funny without Ryuji in it. There are a lot of people who would probably put Ryuji last on this list, due to his loud nature and penchant for yelling in public about how you and all your friends are the Phantom Thieves. But that's all part of his charm! Ryuji owes a lot of his likeability to his voice actor, Max Mittelman, as he somehow manages to be comically over the top while still remaining believable for his character. There are multiple times during the game where you'll have to pick who to hang out with at certain story moments, with the intention really being that you hang out with the girl you're romancing, but every single time I chose Ryuji. Every situation with him is comedy gold. Ryuji will forever be my number 1, and nobody will ever change my mind on that.

[thegirlfromoverthepond]

The Firebird - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Pretty Woman

Kudos to the Fantastic Four … the team of betas @xerxia31, @dandelion-sunset, @titaniasfics for doing their magic

And to @akai-echo who creates magic beyond words with her aesthetics :)

I can’t believe there’s only 5 chapters left of this story…. And here is the part you’ve all waited for - Everlark’s first date :)

(Here on AO3 // FFN)

She knew she should have followed her instincts, leaving the National via the back exit, instead of the front one. Then she wouldn’t have run into Madge on the stairs. Madge, who did not grill her about her session in the morning, but rather about why she was heading out on a Thursday before noon had even rung.

The biggest mistake Katniss made was admitting she needed to go shopping. It took Madge less than two minutes to coerce the story out of her friend, and volunteer as   personal shopper for the afternoon.

The next minute was dedicated to calling Delly, arranging to meet her at the shopping mall because Madge thought reinforcements were more than necessary in this dire situation.

Of course, Katniss didn’t have a say in the matter when General Undersee was in conquest mode.

She found herself in Madge’s car, with her purse and coat, in less than five minutes.

“So, tell me, who did you meet? Is he hot? Do I know him? Does he come from a good family? And what’s that crap with Caesar?” Sometimes, Katniss wondered - really wondered - how her friend could make such long sentences without breathing. She must have some kind of superpower.

“Caesar’s not directing anymore, he was fired.”

“Fired? They’ve never fired anyone before!”

“Well apparently they never fired anyone under Crane, but Plutarch’s different. He wouldn’t stand for Caesar’s behavior, talking to us like we we’re cattle, saying Cinna’s costumes were awful, and hitting on Thresh.”

Madge nodded. “I hope for Flickerman’s sake that Rue never finds out he made a move on her man. She’s kind of intimidating when it comes to Thresh.”

“She is, right? I’m glad she likes me.”

“Rue likes everybody.”

“Thanks, Madge… very helpful.”

“Hey, I’m here, and my cousin will help you, so you’ve got like your own fanclub!”

“Number of members: 2. ‘Cause I’m not including myself.”

“Blah, blah. So, who’s the guy?”

“Did I tell you Plutarch and Haymitch are taking over directing?”

“No. Don’t care. Who are you seeing tonight?”

Katniss sighed.

“A man.”

“Ohh… and HE has a name?”

“He actually has.”

“Annnd??? God, Katniss, you’re the worst! Jesus Chalupa!”

“Peeta.”

“Holy cow, Batman! You’re going out with your tango dancer? Wow, lucky you, he’s hot and handsome! How did that happen? How did he ask you out? Do you know what he has planned for tonight?”

“Wow, calm down, Madge, too many questions….”

“Tell me! No, wait until we’re with Dels, I have to text her!”

“You’re driving, so no texting.”

“Killjoy. So how long do we have to dress you up?”

“I don’t know, an hour?”

Madge nearly killed them both by braking so suddenly, the car behind them hammered on their horn a good ten seconds.

“An hour? For shopping? Katniss, darling, we won’t be done with lingerie in an hour!”

“I already have bras, I don’t need froufrous.”

“You have everyday bras, you need date-worthy underthings.”

“I don’t intend on him seeing them, you know?”

“It’s not about him seeing them. It’s about you wearing them. Feeling sexy and beautiful. You’ll get lingerie, even if that’s all you get today.”

“Madge...”

“Oh, you’re going to turn all scowl-Katniss on me? Well I’m calling Dels, since we don’t have much time.”

“Oh god.” Katniss could feel the blush in her cheeks, didn’t want to think about the high squeal that would surely escape Delly, wasn’t sure whether she could handle so many girly things in so little time.

The Bluetooth did its magic, soon an overexcited Madge was talking to an equally overexcited Delly.

“I KNOW? Right! They are perfect for each other!”

“Dels, we only have one hour. We’re on a mission here.”

“You girls realize I’m sitting in the car, right?” Katniss asked.

“So we divide and conquer. Dels, you take care of the clothes, we’ll be out of Vicky’s Secret in twenty minutes.”

“Wow, Madge, you like a challenge.” Delly said.

“You girls realize I’m sitting in the car, right?” Katniss repeated.

“Yeah, we know, Katniss, but we’re in an emergency situation. Where is Peet taking you?”

“Nowhere, I asked him out.”

“You did! So proud of you, Kat! Look at you, all grown up!” Madge added, winking. “So where are you taking him?”

“Uh, for a drink?”

“She’s hopeless, Maggie.” Delly chimed in.

“Nothing’s hopeless.” Madge turned to her friend, before looking for a spot in the large parking lot. “Katniss. Do you know where you’re taking Peeta?”

“I was thinking Sae’s maybe?”

“Sae’s?”

“Yes? Is there a problem with that? It’s not classy enough for Peeta?” The whole situation was starting to get on Katniss’s nerves, really.

“Dels, I’m hanging up, we’re heading straight to Vicky’s , right?”

“See ya!”

Madge ended the call, putting her hand on Katniss’s arm before she could get out of the car.

“Katniss. We’re here to help you. We’ll tone it down, okay? But we are so excited about this!”

“I can tell…. “

“Well, aren’t you?”

Was she?

The tingling in her belly when she thought about Peeta was all the answer she needed.

--

Katniss’s eyes grew bigger, her steps slower, as Madge and Delly dragged her towards what she guessed was the VS shop.

Victoria’s Secret.

Aka - the place she’d never been to. Nor had ever wanted to go to.

If she thought clothes shopping with both ladies was a difficult task, going inside VS with them would be something else, something she dreaded a lot.

“Madge…”

“I know. We won’t go over the top, okay? But please, please Kat. Trust me...”

“I don’t know, Madge, I’m not one of those girls, you know that?”

Madge spun so quickly in front of her that Katniss thought she would collide with her friend in the middle of the mall.

“Katniss, I really, really wish that one day you would see yourself the way we see you. You are a dancer, you have an amazing body, you have grace, elegance, and you are so beautiful.  Anything in this shop would suit you. Trust me, it’s not vulgar or slutty. You’ll be radiant. Even if Peeta doesn’t see it, what you wear under your clothes will make you feel elegant, confident, and womanly.”

“She’s right, Kat,” Delly chimed in. “The clothes you picked are beautiful, really, but you need to have something other than cotton underwear. Even if it’s not for Peeta.”

“Yeah, yeah, if you say so…. ”

“We do, Honey.” Honey? Katniss didn’t think she’d been called Honey once in her life - but it was Delly so she shouldn’t really be surprised. “It’s all for you. YOU. Put yourself first, for once. Shine. Be confident and beautiful. Be you. You don’t have to pick anything glittery or feathery, just something you would like to wear. Indulge yourself, Katniss. Let the woman inside you live and breathe.”

The woman inside? Who was Delly talking about?

Astonishment must have shown on her face, as Madge patted her arm gently.

“Isn’t there a part of you, somewhere, that wants to go into this shop?”

“I…”

Was there? she asked herself, trying to listen to her inner self. Behind the walls she had erected , was a young woman who had always wanted to go inside a lingerie shop, wondering what she could find for herself, if she had the money to spend there.

“Then come with us, we will be quick, okay? And if you find nothing you like, that’s okay.”

With the promise of not having to buy anything she didn’t like, she caved, surrendering to her inner young woman, following her friends inside.

--

She never imagined there could be so many different shapes and colors of bras and panties, enough to fill up an entire store. She honestly didn’t know where to look to find something that she might like.

They took the bags containing Katniss’s clothes for the evening - they had a change of plan deciding it would be better to buy the lingerie after the main outfit was purchased - peeking inside greedily.

“The blouse is really gorgeous, gives that vintage touch that’s so in fashion these days. But Ivory. So, nothing black.”

“Why not?” Katniss asked, surprised. Everything could go with black?

Madge and Delly looked at each other, disappointment evident on their faces.

“No black under white, ivory, cream, not on the first date anyway. Black and red mean ‘Let’s go home and have fun’.”

“It does?” Was that a universally shared fact she wasn’t aware of? Were men aware of that?

“Well, the men have no clue, of course if you’re wondering. It’s the way you wear the lingerie, you know?”

She didn’t.

“Katniss, have you ever worn anything other than plain cotton panties?”

“No, they’re practical?”

“It’s the way you wear it. Black and red used to be the colors of courtesans, and you’re not going that way today. So we’ll stick to ivory or white. Are you okay with that, Katniss?”

“I guess so?”

Did she really have a choice. She realized something hadn’t been mentioned yet, something she would stay firm on.

“No push-ups, though. I don’t have much, I don’t want to give any other impression.”

“Kat, we would never. You’re beautiful the way you are, and you have enough, okay?” Madge said.

“Peeta doesn’t want to date you because of your boobs, but because of who you are,” Delly added. “You don’t know the effect you have on him. Six months ago, he was ready to leave the company to go back working with his family. Then you arrive, Finnick goes away, and here he is, full of ideas for women’s dances, with twice as much enthusiasm as before.”

Could that be because of her? Katniss had trouble believing it.

“There are dozens of reasons why he’s changed, Delly. None of them involve me.”

Delly just shrugged, a small smile on her face, then walked towards the row of bras in front of them.

“Come, they might have something you like here!”

Madge and Delly spent the next fifteen minutes showing Katniss with everything from snow-white to pearl-white, sandy-white, even creamy-white, but nothing found favor in Katniss’s eyes. Nothing. The two girls were bordering on despair, when something caught her attention.

Something on the back wall, a glimpse of color on an otherwise ivory confection. Ignoring her two friends, she walked straight to what she saw, her fingers aching to touch the soft silk, the lace on top of it giving it an elegant touch.

The small orange ribbon woven through the lace, finishing in a cute little bow on the front was the final touch that drew Katniss in.

“This one.” Her tone was decisive. She had found what she wasn’t looking for, what she wasn’t aware she needed, but what belonged on her skin.

She quickly checked the sizes, finding hers, then looked for the matching panties, never looking at her friends who were staring at her with proud smiles on both of their faces.

They couldn’t stop whispering things like “Look, our baby is growing up,” all the way to Katniss’s place.

Madge tried to insist on coming up to help her dress, but  Katniss wasn’t going to change her mind on being alone. And there were things she needed to take care of before. Like feeding Buttercup. Or running away to another state. Important things.

First things first. Feeding the Beast. She wouldn’t admit it to anybody and certainly not to her sister, but the mangy cat had grown on her. She had spent so many nights with only him as her only company, the only remaining proof that she wasn’t alone, that she had a little family too.

She wanted a bit of time for herself too. She wasn’t a shopping addict. Far from it. she never ventured into malls more than was necessary, the crowds and incessant noise giving her headaches. She heard enough music every day at work, she needed to indulge in her quiet from time to time.

Time flew as she laid on her couch, peeking through her shopping bags, glad she didn’t succumb to her friend’s pressure of buying heels, instead choosing to wear her almost new pair of boots.

Black jeans, a vintage ivory blouse, and a light green cardigan, along with the underthings. That’s all she took from the bags, all she had purchased.

She made her way to the bathroom, checking the clock above the door. She would have to hurry a bit if she wanted to be on time, since she had to rely on public transportation to get to the Arena. She wanted to take a long, relaxing shower to try to wash away the stress of the date coming. Because there was no denying it this time. It was a date. One she’d asked for.

One she wanted.

One she was pretty sure Peeta wanted too.

Showtime.

--

Somehow, she made it on time to the Arena, the God of Public Transportation being with her, making the metro connect each time she arrived onto a platform  like magic.

Peeta was waiting near the main doors of the theater, the smile on his face growing wide as he saw her approaching, making his eyes sparkle, as if he was lit from inside.

“Katniss...” His voice was soft as he took her in his arms.

They had been close to one another while dancing, he had hugged her several times too, but nothing before had been like this embrace. Closer, warmer, stronger, more familiar. His hands were higher on her back, almost between her shoulders, making small circles there, as if he was clinging to her, for fear of letting her go.

“Hey, Peeta.” Her voice was lost in the space between his neck and his leather jacket, his familiar smell surrounded her, grounding her to the reality of here and now.

She couldn’t identify the feeling coming over her as she pulled away - regret, maybe? She took him in. His hair were still damp from the shower, his blue eyes sparkling, really shining under an unruly lock of hair out of place, his white shirt under his blue sweater, his jeans, and a goddamn leather jacket. She never thought he would own one. It wasn’t a shiny, black one with zippers everywhere, rather than thewell-worn brown one, one that had seen many seasons.

A lot like her own, she realized.

“So, where are we going?” Peeta asked, clumsily shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans as if he didn’t dare do anything with them. Like holding her hand, she thought.

Wait, what did he just ask?

“What?”

“Where are we going?”

She had thought about the clothes, about the way she would look, took time to apply light makeup - so different from the evenings at the National when she had to cover her whole face with it - thought about leaving a bit earlier to be on time, but never thought to tell him where they would go. Never thought whether going to Sae’s was a good idea.

“Oh…. Well… I thought we could go to Sae's but I hadn't really thought beyond that."

Peeta chuckled, running his right hand through his curls. “Well,” he started, “I have an idea, if you’re not done with art for the day.”

“More dancing?”

“No, not music, or dance. Just art.”

“I guess that’s better than hanging out around Starbucks?”

“Oh! You said their name!”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’ll tell Dad, and he’ll force you to eat at least ten donuts as a punishment.”

“That’s harsh.”

“Dad’s mean.” He extended his hand to her. “Shall we?”

She didn’t hesitate, taking his hand in hers.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To Wonderland.”

--

“The Botanical Gardens? But it’s closed at night.”

“The main section, yes, but they have an exhibition of sculptures in the Japanese gardens and I’ve wanted to see it, so I thought why not?”

“At night? We won’t see a thing, Peeta!”

“Ah, but ma chère, that’s the main goal. It’s called ‘A Game of Light and Shadows’, you can see it by night or during the day.”

“Very Game of Thrones.”

“Maybe the curator is a fan.  Go figure.”

They had chatted during the short drive from Arena to the Gardens, grabbing a sandwich from Sae’s  and eating it in Peeta’s car before getting out.

Katniss had expected he would want to hold her hand again, but he settled on instead putting his hand on the small of her back, where she was pretty sure the warmth coming from it would leave a permanent mark.

She wanted to beat him to pay for the entrance (after all, she asked for the date), only to realize to her surprise that it was free of charge, being sponsored by patrons all over town.

She grabbed the two leaflets the hostess handed her, giving one to Peeta, before trying to understand hers.

“This way,” he said, taking her elbow, leading her towards the large sliding glass doors to the Japanese Gardens.

“How do you know?”

“I came during the day.”

“But, it’s going to be the same, are you sure you want to go again?”

“It won’t be the same. This time, I’m with you.”

Peeta led her through the doors, guiding her towards a tall Japanese lantern made of stone.  Placed in the middle of a sand garden was the ancient granite construction, unaware of the change of times, of seasons, of men, just waiting night after night to be lit, to fulfill its sole purpose, unmoving. Through the different holes in the stone, Katniss glimpsed, lit by the moon or the stars above. As they progressed nearer to the lantern, the electrical lights faded away until their path was lit only by the small fires inside the sculpture that bathed the grey stone in waves of orange shades.

“Look,” Peeta whispered in Katniss’s ear, as if he didn’t want to disturb the silence around them. Katniss lifted her eyes to the top of the lantern that was painted in red, to see it shining with the sparks of the fire, radiating warmth and light all around. The trees, peaceful spectators of the beauty of the fire, remained safely away, their branches swinging to feed the lights, whispering their music.

She didn’t know how long she stood, bathing in the light, bathing in the fire, watching the flames dance their unscripted routine with the wood, swaying to their own music.

Peeta was at her side, not saying a word, lingering with her as he watched the same spectacle, the same amazement in his eyes.

“Peeta, that’s beautiful…”

“It is… Look at all the shades of colors, I could never make as many hues, it’s incredible.”

“Make? Like colors?”

“Yeah.” He looked like a little boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I kind of like art.”

Katniss went back to watching the lantern, the fire flickering loosely in the breeze, strong despite the wind.

“I figured. You have a thing for art. Are there other things to see here?”

“Plenty. Come with me.”

Again, his hand was extended for her to take - or not. She didn’t want to miss her chance. She grabbed his hand, the warm feeling of it echoing the fire in the old lantern. Unmovable. Strong. Steady.

He showed her a small river, lit by underwater spotlights, making the water lilies glow as they danced in the current. They discovered statues, the white moonlight only highlighting details that wouldn’t be so apparent under the yellow sun, followed a little path leading to a buddhist temple where people were praying.

They followed the seam of the river, looking at the banks where expertly trimmed bushes were placed here and there, highlighting the beauty of the place, until Katniss’s eyes caught a glimpse of a light.

“Peeta, over there, there’s something!”

“Where?” He started searching around, unsuccessfully, until Katniss dragged him towards the light.

“Here, the light… wow…”

Stumbling behind her, Peeta finally came into the little clearing Katniss had spotted. There was a pond, fed by a tiny stream coming out of dark stone, its presence only revealed by the music of the falling water.

Japanese paper lanterns were scattered around, safely hung from trees, or on pedestals, giving the place a fairy-like touch. The water was lit by two others, placed on the water lilies.

“This is like a fairytale….”

Fireflies, attracted by the light, bumbled in the air, making their way through the heavy foliage of a willow tree, its branches so long they touched the surface of the water.

She felt his intake of breath as he took in the scenery  , his hand clutching hers tighter. Turning her head, she saw him looking all around, as if he was trying to capture the beauty of the place in his mind.

“I wish I had my sketchbook…” he whispered, as if not wanting to disturb the peace and silence of the place.

“So you draw?” Katniss asked.

“Yeah, when I have a bit of time.”

“You do have an eye for beauty.”

He nodded. “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

She tookin the scenery in front of her, before glancing at him again. But he wasn’t looking at the pond or the willows or the lanterns. He was looking at her.

“Peeta?”

“You don't know, do you? The effect you have?” he whispered, his hand moving to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “Dance with me, Katniss. Please?” He tugged at the hand he held.

“There’s no music.”

“Does it matter?”

She realized it didn’t. She took his hand, but before they began, she removed her boots, wanting to feel the grass under her feet. He chuckled before doing exactly the same thing, toeing off his Vann’s, before pulling her closer.

She felt his heartbeat against her chest as they started to move together, bathed in the moonlight and the water lights, following a rhythm only they could feel. Their eyes were locked, lost in one another, telling each other stories they didn’t dare share out loud.

Their lips found each other in the same movement, as they continued dancing.

Katniss didn’t know who started the kiss, or who stopped it. One moment, her lips were covered by his, warm and soft, and the next, they weren’t. She could feel the breeze instead of Peeta, the smell of him all around her, but she missed him, his contact.

Opening her eyes, she found the blue of his looking into hers, as if asking for something, for permission, maybe? She wanted to lean in, to feel him against her lips, but he decided otherwise, making her spin before catching her in his arms.

She couldn’t help but laugh, the feel of the grass on the soles of her feet tickling her, the light of the moon in the sky highlighting his blond hair, the warmth of his hands reviving her body. She laughed and he smiled, watching her turn in his arms, her long locks free, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

Katniss’s mind was only focused on the here and now, on the feelings that threatened to explode out of her body, feelings she thought were long gone, never to be seen again. She was glad to have been wrong.

She wanted more, though. More than a peck on the lips. She wanted to know what really kissing Peeta would feel like.

But right now Peeta seemed to be focused on making her dance, spinning her, dipping her, not caring about their discarded shoes, or how the grass was wetting the hems of their trousers. They danced to a music without tune, without beat, but they knew the song, they could feel it, no indications needed.

Katniss smiled, her head spinning, but she wanted more, needed more. She stilled in Peeta’s arms, not taking his cue to turn again. Around them, fireflies were still dancing. She leaned forward, her lips touching his again, and it felt like going someplace she’d always known, so close to her heart. This time though, she let her lips explore his, lingering on the creases of his lips, discovering them, as if she wanted to commit them to her memories. He didn’t hesitate in reciprocating, searching her lips as if to map them, with a hunger, a greed that surprised her.

Katniss felt a moan starting in the back of her throat, and was unable to stifle it, unable to think about anything other than his lips on hers, until she felt his tongue tracing her mouth. She didn’t hesitate, parting her lips to let him in, to welcome him, taking the chance to chase after him too. His hands let hers go, and climbed to cup her face, his thumbs caressing the soft planes of her cheeks, fingers splayed on her jaw, anchoring her to him as their tongues danced to a score they seemed to have known since the dawn of time.

Her head started to spin,  more than she had while dancing in Peeta’s arms.

She should have known he would be the one making her spin with joy like the little girl she once had been.

She didn’t mind.

At all.