#i simply think you should not get to be a fitness instructor anymore :’-)

[slutabed]

anyway I simply think any workout instructor who teaches a class and uses the song “you’re on your own kid” but doesn’t say anything in response to the “i starved my body” line deserves to be fired on the spot

[muffinlance]

Muffin, did tou change the chapter count on As the world should be? :0

Yeah, I sneakily marked As the World Should Be as completed when I realized that A) it's in a good spot to be finished as a standalone short, and B) I am really not gonna get back to it for a long long time. I may yet return to it, but for all intents and purposes it's done.

But since you Definitely Asked, here's the start of what would have been the second chapter:

2. Negotiations

Ozai had once entertained the possibility of bonding with his son. They were both second born. Both destined to be overshadowed by the child before them, simply due to poor luck and a tragically low infant mortality rate among the upper class.

Azula was the perfect heir; eager, obedient, a firebending prodigy, blooming within the court from the first time she realized she could threaten a servant with fire and face no reprimand.

It was easy for the subtler talents of a second born to be overlooked. For the quiet work of a political mind to appear subservient to their older, flashier sibling.

From when his son was first old enough to be worth the investment, Ozai made certain to set aside time to spend with the boy.

%%%

The guard lemur announced Zuko's presence with a loud chittering call and then sat itself on his shoulder like one of the palace lizard-dogs detaining a target, ready to maul on command. Zuko stopped walking and tried to ignore its gigantic eyes watching his every move, its head nearly pressed against his. He would really prefer not to lose half his face.

"Avatar. I've come to open negotiations. As we—" the lemur started tugging at his crown, but Zuko's hands were too full to brush it away. "—As we discussed."

"Come on over! Have you had dinner yet? And it's all right to just call me Aang."

"Nu-uh," the nonbender said. "Pause. What are you carrying, and what are they doing here?"

"Writing supplies?" Zuko said, raising his portable writing desk a little higher, and catching the bag of paper and inks before it could slide off.

Which left the issue of Mai and Ty Lee standing behind him.

"We're chaperoning!" Ty Lee said.

"Wouldn't want anything to impinge upon his Highness' honor," Mai said.

Zuko flushed. And accepted the Avatar—Avatar Aang's—invitation to join them at their fire. He even accepted a bowl of… something that was rice-based… to be polite. He set the bowl on the edge of his desk, and arranged a stack of papers and ink pot and readied his quill. Which the guard lemur confiscated with its tiny paws. ...He readied another one.

"I think it would be prudent to begin with our opening terms," he said. "What do you want?"

"The war to end," Avatar Aang said.

Zuko diligently wrote this under the column titled Demands of the Avatar and His Associates from the Nations of Water and Earth as Regarding the Avatar's Surrender (First Draft).

"More specifically," the nonbender said, "for the war to end without the Fire Nation ruling the world. Troop withdrawals, that navy of yours needs to stay out of our waters, reparations for rebuilding, war criminal trials that aren't a complete farce, in fact, why don't you just turn them over to us for judging—"

"A firebending teacher for Twinkletoes," the earthbender said. "One who isn't going to fry him. And you guys can't keep squatting on Earth Kingdom land."

"My mother's necklace back," the waterbender growled under her breath.

He diligently added all these to the list.

"What does the Fire Nation want?" Avatar Aang asked, when they were done saying things almost faster than he could write.

Zuko started putting marks next to the things that made sense. "We want the war to end too, obviously," he said, and ignored the general Water Tribe reaction to 'obviously'. "Troop withdrawals and land and sea border treaties would be a part of that, and if there are war criminals than of course they'll be brought to justice—"

" 'If'?" the nonbender squawked.

"Zuko," Mai said. "You're not supposed to tell them what we'll agree to. You're supposed to talk their terms down. By using your own."

"Oh. Right." He sat up a little straighter, and started writing under the Fire Nation's column. "We'll need Avatar Aang's surrender, or at least his reclusion from any hostile actions, both now and in the future. His bending instructors should probably be with him, so he can learn to… actually be the Avatar. And so they don't do anything political on his behalf. And, uh. I'm not sure about reparations, aren't those… usually for the side that loses?"

(There was additional squawking, and some growling from the waterbender.)

"But we will want trade deals. Which can certainly include supplies for rebuilding."

And had to include food, because the Fire Nation's population had lived for a hundred years outside the borders of their island, they didn't all fit there anymore. There was a reason they had to keep expanding the colonies' borders.

This seemed like a good place to leave their initial negotiation rounds. Before any war crimes could be inflicted against his person. Also, he should probably consult with father before making any formal promises.

%%%

Enclosed please find a copy of Avatar Aang's initial demands prior to surrender. There is a significant amount of common ground—

Ozai was very aware of his brother sitting across from him, sipping tea.

"Who knew your son would be such a diplomat!" Iroh smiled. "Ah, but obviously you did. I admit I had my doubts when you sent such an inexperienced combatant into the field, brother, but clearly I lacked the foresight to see that this was your plan all along!"

"Indeed," Azula smiled, with no fewer teeth. "Quite ingenious, father."

Firstborns. How Ozai loathed them.

[qqueenofhades]

Read your contribution on the post concerning academics using "simply put" and holy jolly macaroni that was some amazing takes and wonderfully explained too. I hope you know how good you are at saying things, jeez

Heh, thanks. Not to get back up on my old person soapbox and rant some more (though in my defense, it has been an exceptionally trying week), but the growth of an entire generation who think that everything can be said in a tweet and that anything longer or more difficult is automatically Elitist and Unnecessarily Complicated is... frustrating. To say the least. This kind of anti-intellectualism masquerades as woke leftism on (you guessed it) Twitter, as well as Tumblr. And like... I am an early career academic. I got my PhD in 2019 and have been trying to find a full time job ever since (in the humanities, during a pandemic, aha help me). I am More than aware of all the problems with the institution, its arcane quirks and outright infuriating nature, its elitism (in some cases) and everything else. Believe me, I know about all the parts that suck! I know about them INTIMATELY! But the answer to that is decidedly not "academics are frauds who just want to trick you into paying a lot of money and/or gatekeep Real Knowledge" or whatever other ice cold idiotic takes I am subjected to on this hellsite on a nearly daily basis. Protip: left-wing people aggressively discounting expertise, promoting "it's right if I feel that it's right and never mind facts," and "anyone who doesn't write in a style that I, John Q. Public, can immediately understand is an Elitist Bastard" is, uh. Not any better than when the right wing does it. See: every time I am forced to read with my own two eyes that historians are hiding the Real Queer History from you, or similar.

I know that my learned colleague @oldshrewsburyian also has many feelings about how university faculty are often treated as the enemy, when the enormous right-wing power of university boards and governing systems is often entirely ignored. (Yes, that article is from Teen Vogue, which waved goodbye to its last fuck a long time ago.) It's once more analogous to the Online Left TM almost exclusively blaming the Democratic party for "not doing more," while acting as if the openly fascist death cult Republican party that controlled this entire country for the better part of the last four years doesn't exist at all.

Teaching in the United States, whether at the grade school or university level, is never a job that anyone gets into because they're going to make money. Only the most senior tenured faculty at really ritzy places make good money, and for obvious reasons, that employment model has almost vanished. Now it's at will, part-time, non-tenure track "visiting instructors," which are easier to change out or replace and don't require an expensive lifetime contract. And guess what? It means that faculty may not have a stable or permanent job for years after finishing up to a decade (or more) of post-secondary education. And a lot of people cannot afford to live like that. So they quit. Then the humanities are treated as even more of a "worthless" degree, the next round of budget cuts hits, and the cycle starts all over again.

Anyway. As I have said before, we are in this mess in large part because America (and the western world, which is not off the hook here by any means) has deliberately cultivated higher education as something that is unprofitable, difficult, wildly expensive (see: the student debt crisis) and otherwise relatively pointless to pursue, since even a college degree can't usually get you an entry-level professional job anymore. There are problems on problems, not least this impulse for everything worth knowing to fit into a single (often wildly misinformed) Tweet thread. Reading things that challenge you and force you to take it slowly and take notes and not be sure of everything is fine! It's actually good! People should do it more!

That isn't to say that individual academics can't be bad writers, because they absolutely can. And yes, I know that post was a random Twitter screenshot from a random meme blog, and here I come blasting in like Captain Killjoy. But the strain of supposedly socially enlightened anti-intellectualism that is incredibly prevalent especially among young, college-aged, politically leftist people is both ominous and exasperating, and if we are ever going to get everyone out of their echo chambers, we have to start somewhere.

[wiypt-writes]

Leave No One Behind

Chapter 16: Endings Beginnings

Co written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​

Summary: Ari and Hannah settle into life back home, but it isn’t all as smooth as they’d have hoped…

Warnings: Bad Language words.

Pairings:  Ari Levinson x OFC Hannah Horowitz

Word Count- 4.5k

A/N: It was recently brought to our attention that in a few other chapters there have been a couple of things that Ari has said/done that are not technically accurate for someone of Jewish heritage. First up, it was reference to Ari observing a ‘Sunday Roast’ when he visited Mama Navon. We just wanted to remind people that Hannah is of Catholic Christian and Jewish heritage (Spanish Catholic Mother, American Jewish Father) and her and Sammy’s upbringing has always been a combination of the two. So, when Ari visited Mama Navon when he was home from Sudan, clearly this was her tradition he was observing. Secondly, in another chapter Ari was praying to the ‘God and the Saints’. Of course, Judaism does not have saints, so there’s a slip up on our part with that one. As with the third point, when we described Ari rushing Sarah to the alter. He would have rushed her to the hoopa.

Regarding all of the above, we would hasten to add, that Ari grew up in the USA, leaving when he was 18. From what little we learn of him in the film, we know was taken by a British Soldier, who married an American Nurse. From the way he talks about it, we don’t get the impression his ‘adoptive’ parents were Jewish, so that alludes us to suspect he had a largely Christian upbringing, whilst clearly  being aware of his heritage. Therefore, we don’t think it is beyond the realms of possibility that he would pick up the odd little thing such as the above three points.  

That aside, we hope the above didn’t distract anyone else from the narrative as it did the reader who brought it to our attention.

Now, just a personal plea from myself in general. Myself and Storm do this for free, and not being a person who pays much attention to religion at all (that’s another debate in itself) it is for this reason I was VERY nervous about continuing this storyline beyond the plot of the film. We certainly don’t have the time, nor brain capacity to be researching things into any kind of huge depth. It’s why most of my story lines centre along similar types of things that I have a good background in. This fic was never supposed to focus on the ins and outs of a particular race of people, just the lives of two dumbasses in love. As all writers on here, we do this for free, and the moment it becomes hard work or unenjoyable, we won’t be continuing. So any other little slip ups, please, unless they’re offensive, give us a little leeway and put it down to Ari being exceptionally Westernised as pointed out above.

Sorry if this comes across as being a little harsh, but this has been playing on my mind a lot over the past few days, to the point I was seriously considering if we ended the fic where it currently stood. That said, I think we have a lot left to tell of Hannah and Ari’s story so, I’ll shut up now and let you read it…if you want that is.

Leave No One Behind Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Part 15

“You haven’t forgotten tomorrow?” Hannah heard her mother ask, as the woman stood up from the table while holding the teacup and saucer to place them in the sink. “You do remember you have to pick Sammy up from the airport tomorrow afternoon, right?”

 Hannah rolled her eyes at her mother’s back. “No, I haven’t forgotten,” she sighed as she played with the crumbles of the pastry she had been nibbling on, “I mean, it’s not like I’ve got anything else going on, is it? Seeing as Ari is with Maya and according to Sarah’s stupid rules I can’t be there with them…”

 At that, Maria Navon turned, giving her daughter a sympathetic look and Hannah snorted in anger.

 It had been four months since they arrived back in Tel Aviv, and Hannah had to concede that for the first few weeks it was fine. She and Ari settled nicely in the apartment Mossad rented in Ari’s name once all the paperwork following the end of the mission had been sorted. Ari had asked Isaacs for an upgrade of his living quarters, given he was now having Maya over to stay every other weekend, plus numerous nights of the week. Not to mention the fact Hannah was moving with him. When Isaacs had asked Ari to put a justification forward, he had simply shrugged, “I fucking earned it, Isaacs.”

 So he got it. Just like he usually got what he wanted, one way or another.

 Hannah was back working at the clinic. Her hands and the experience she had acquired while in Africa were needed more than ever now that it was only her mother and her to run it, although how long it was before her mom decided to retire fully was anyone’s guess. It had been a couple of busy months, what with interviewing for new nurses and locum staff, but Hannah would be lying if she denied having enjoyed every minute of it. She might have Mossad secret agent skills, obviously passed down by her father, but she was a doctor at heart. And that hadn’t changed in the two years she had been away.

 The team had split up within a month of arrival back in Tel Aviv.  Ari and Max had been working to help the refugees. Many of them had simply melted away post their arrival, still not trusting the mysterious white men who had come to their aid. However, some had stuck round; being housed temporarily in hostels, and was those who Ari and Max were tirelessly working for. They focussed their efforts on obtaining them permanent, legal status along with finding them better places to live and jobs of sorts to help them fit in their new reality. 

 Jake had headed back overseas to continue work as a diving instructor, this time in Jamaica, whilst Sammy had been in the States with Rachel for almost two and a half months now, and was, as Maria just reminded Hannah, due back the following day. Hannah suspected, however, not for long, fully expecting him to move there permanently to be with Rachel.

“Sammy is lucky, you know? He has none of this shit with Rachel’s ex.” Hannah grumbled, “Sarah is just being a pain in the ass. And I know for a fact it’s because we told her we got engaged. She was fine with me being there when Maya was until that point.” Hannah finished her rant as she placed her teacup and saucer on her mother’s extended hand. 

“You can’t be sure about that, sweetheart. Maybe there’s something else."

“No, she’s being a bitch.” Hannah quickly stopped her mother’s attempts at justifying Sarah’s behaviour. “She seems perfectly fine with us having dinner during the week and going out and stuff but won’t let Maya stay when I’m there on a weekend, basically just preventing us from spending those days together, for no reason other than she’s bitter.”

Maria Navon sighed. She knew where her daughter was coming from but, being the gentle and caring woman she was, she couldn’t help but try to put herself in the other woman’s shoes. She saw Hannah bite her lip and twirl her engagement ring round her finger, a rounded blue sapphire as deep as the ocean set against a halo of smaller white diamonds on a white gold band, before she spoke again.

 “I wouldn’t mind mama but they’ve been legally separated for years! The terms of their divorce are basically already been agreed. All they need to do is sign the damned papers but recently, well, Ari seems afraid to even raise the issue in case Sarah starts making it all awkward again and stops him seeing Munch.”

“Hey, sweetheart. Listen to me.” Hannah’s mother caught her attention as she pulled out a chair to sit next to her. “Everything is going to be ok, she’ll sign eventually. She knows there isn’t anything she can do about it, she’s just grieving.”

 Hannah’s brow creased at her mother’s choice of words. “Grieving for what? She left him, years ago!”

“She left him because she couldn’t cope with his lifestyle anymore, and he wasn’t winning any awards for being husband of the year, Han. That doesn’t mean she didn’t love him,” Maria woman spoke softly as if to appease her daughter’s raging tone.

“So, basically, I’m just stuck here waiting until she gets her head out of her ass?” 

“Have a little patience, honey. You two have waited over a decade, one way or another, to be together. You sure can wait a few weeks more.” Maria smiled as she reached out for Hannah’s hands who were fiddling with a teaspoon. 

“That’s the thing, Mama.” Hannah sighed as she looked up to meet her mom’s eyes. “I don’t think it’s just going to be weeks.”

“You don’t?” The woman frowned. “Well maybe she’s more stubborn than I thought.”

Hannah shook her head and then noticed her mother’s features had suddenly softened into a smile and she was looking straight over her shoulder. Hannah turned to see Ethan walking into the kitchen in his signature crisp work suit.

“Hi Ethan,” Hannah smiled at him and then looked up at the clock over the fridge before standing up and shrugging. “I should go. Spend the night with my fiancée before I’m banished back to my childhood home for the weekend like a love sick teenager.”

As she left the kitchen dramatically, she heard Ethan ask Maria. “That bad?”

“She’s pissed off,” Hannah heard her mom whisper back, “can’t say I blame her but she needs to make an attempt to see this from the other side, so to speak.”

With an angry growl, Hannah slammed the door and set off walking back to their apartment, in even more of  bad mood than she’d been in when she arrived at her mother’s. 

 Why was anyone treating her like she was the spoiled brat?

****

Ari was getting ready for Hannah’s arrival. He had been cooking, or sort of, making an attempt at dinner for a while and was now setting the table for two. He wanted to make tonight special as he knew this week was going to be the third weekend out of six that he and Hannah would be apart thanks to Sarah and her fucking rules. 

He was finding it hard himself. He’d gotten used to sleeping besides his Firefly since they had got together in Sudan, especially at night. But he knew Hannah was finding it harder. He was sacrificing their time together so that he could spend his allotted weekends with his daughter, which lessened the blow a little, but Hannah was basically being banned from living her life as it was for two days every two weeks, and that make his heart ache. 

And the worst bit about it all, was that he had seen it coming a mile off, and had been powerless to prevent it.

It was a bright Friday morning when they told Maya about their engagement. The previous evening Ari had proposed to Hannah for a second time after buying her a lavish ring. Thus, they had decided to take Maya for a walk and ice cream to break the news to her.  The little girl had been over the moon with the idea of her dad and Hannah getting married, which hadn’t surprised Ari seeing as his daughter had been all over his fiancé ever since they had met at Mossad headquarters the morning they had arrived home.

Now, as he approached Sarah’s apartment to take Maya back, he was about to tell his ex-wife and he was not particularly looking forward to it. But, he was being cautiously optimistic. Sarah had, after all, been amendable since they’d gotten home and seemed okay with Hannah being a part of Maya’s life.

Still, he felt his stomach churn as Maya walked up the apartment they had all shared once upon a time, and rang the doorbell.  No sooner had Sarah opened the door, Maya bounced in blurting the news out without hesitation.

 “Mom, guess what? Dad and Han are getting married! He asked her yesterday and she said yes!”

Ari groaned internally to himself, “Sarah, I didn’t ask her last night,” he smiled bashfully as he explained himself, “and I certainly didn’t do it in front of Maya.”

Sarah shook her head and brushed it off.  “Don’t worry, Ari and … erm, congratulations, I guess.”

“Erm… thanks.” Ari blinked. “I just thought you should hear it from me first… even if you technically did hear it from Munch.”

Despite the civil exchange, Ari could tell that Sarah was hating she didn’t have time nor the privacy to digest the news, and that wasn’t what he’d planned at all. He’d wanted to tell her, quickly, and leave, but Maya had put paid to his plans. Ari could feel coldness of his estranged wife’s stare, along with the tell-tale faint twitch of her nose and upper lip. He knew Sarah well and he, also knew how she deep down felt about him and Hannah. 

“She seemed cool about it but I know her, Han. Too cool for Sarah.” Ari told Hannah that night over dinner. “I can’t help feeling this is going to be bad…”

For once, Ari wished to God he’d been proven wrong. But, Sarah ended up doing what he feared, reverting back to being petty and petulant. She called him the next day to announce from that moment on, when Maya stayed with him, be it during the week or on her agreed weekends, Hannah wasn’t to be there overnight because, as Sarah had put it, it wasn’t appropriate for Maya to be around when they were… well, “up to stuff.

Hannah went ballistic, telling Ari his estranged wife was being ridiculous and she could go to hell, but Ari knew Sarah well enough to know she needed to get this out of her system. He tried his best to explain to Hannah that until she did, there was nothing he could do but roll with it, certainly for the time being. Making Sarah angry would not only risk her going back on terms of the divorce they’d set out in their separation degree, but also, he feared, make her get pissy about him seeing Maya. And that simply wasn’t something he was prepared to risk. He’d already missed too much of Maya over the years, admittedly through his own fault, but he didn’t want to miss a single second more than he had to.

Just as Ari was turning down the heat under their dinner, Simon’s ears pricked up and a second later Hannah’s key was heard in the door. Air smiled at the dog, who let out an excited whine, and leaned to give him a scratch behind his ears.

“Mama’s home, buddy.”

The pooch looked up at his master almost like he was pondering his words and Ari scoffed. 

Yeah, home. Bar the weekends when she’s banished to her mother's…

 Simon trotted off and soon after Ari heard Hannah greeting him. A moment later she walked into the living area and gave him a tired, but genuine smile. 

“Hey Lobo.”

 Ari beamed at his fiancé as he walked to meet her and without warning, he grabbed her face with both hands and stamped his lips on her plump ones, kissing the hell out of her. Hannah moaned in surprise but melted into his hold, her hands instantly reaching for Ari’s bearded cheeks.

“Hey Firefly.” He whispered when he broke the kiss.

She smiled at him as her hands travelled upwards and tangled in his hair. “Something smells good.”

“Thanks, I just showered.” Ari drawled, a cheeky smile on his face.

“I meant the food, you ass.” Hannah laughed as one of her hands slapped Ari shoulder, but his grin never faded.

“I’m a whole meal, honey.” He continued, playfully. Hannah rolled her eyes and stepped back. “But yeah, I’ve been cooking or rather mixing things in pots and pans.”

“Hmmm should I be worried?” She shrugged off the light jacket she was wearing to shield her from the summer showers.

“Well, Simon tasted everything and he’s still breathing.”

“Simon used to eat jellyfish, Ari. That’s not a bar to measure your cooking with.”

“Hey, I tried, okay? Give me some credit. I’ve never cooked for a woman before.” He grabbed her hips and pressed her to his body, one of his big hands splaying over her back.

At that Hannah smiled at him lovingly. He was right. She suspected he had never cooked for Sarah and he certainly hadn’t cooked for her, not once. Never in the brief amount of time they had been secretly dating, and at the resort it had been Chef Aziz's job to cook for everyone.

“I’m honoured, and I’m sure it’ll be great. Give me five to go wash up okay?”

“Sure, babe. I’ll plate the food and open the wine.” He winked at her and Hannah stood on her toes and gave him another quick peck before she headed into the bedroom, Simon following her.

True to his word Ari had done a pretty good job and thirty minutes later they were both sat at the table after having enjoyed a dammed passable and tasty attempt at a beef stroganoff on Ari’s part that left Hannah pleasantly surprised. 

She sighed with satisfaction as she left her fork on her plate and when she looked up she noticed Ari was looking at her intently, his eyes shining under those long eyelashes.

“You trying to seduce me before my carriage turns into a pumpkin tomorrow, Levinson?” Hannah asked before bringing her glass of wine to her lips.

“Hannah...” he sighed.

“What?”

“Please don’t, sweetheart. I don’t want to argue.” 

It was her turn to sigh, heavily. Ari’s words were more of a plea than a warning to her, but she couldn’t help the way she was feeling. Granted, she wasn’t quite as pissed as when she had left her mother’s house, but she still had a sour feeling which was nagging at her. 

“I don’t want to either, Ari. I just don’t like the prospect of spending my weekend away from you. Again.”

“And you think I do?” He asked, reaching for her hand over the table. “Honey, this won’t be forever. Sarah just needs to get her stupid tantrum out of her system.”

“Yeah, I know and I don’t want you having trouble with Maya because of me, I wouldn’t keep you from Munch, ever. But you’re my fiancé and I just...” she trailed off, shrugging, “I don’t want us to be apart.”

Ari licked his lips and pondered for a moment as he looked at their entwined hands. “Okay, I’ll talk to her when I pick Maya up tomorrow.” He nodded with determination when he looked up at her. “See if I can reason with her and...”

“Don’t Ari. You’ll only set her off.” Hannah rapidly cut him off.

Ari groaned and let go of her hand, his look and voice growing harder. “Well then, what do you want me to do? You literally just said-“

“I know, but I don’t want you to poke the bear! I just want this fucking ridiculous situation to be over.” Hannah shook her head. She knew she was riling Air up, but she was sick of everyone trying to get her to accept the situation they were in without so much as a word of complaint. “I’m not blaming you, it’s just…forget it, can we just pretend we are a normal couple who are having a normal evening dinner?”

“We are a normal couple. Well, as normal as most anyway.” Ari took her hand again, his features softening. “Look, I’m sorry. I really am. I just don’t know what I can do.”

“Love me.” Hannah stated after a while.

Now that puzzled Ari. Was that a request or was she doubting him. She couldn’t be doubting him, right? With concern written all over his face he pushed his chair back to stand up and hurriedly crouched beside Hannah, his hands grabbing her thighs firmly as his eyes searched for something in hers. 

“Firefly, I do love you. You know this… I mean, at least, I hope you do.”

“I do.” She nodded as she looked down to him. “Just don’t stop loving me, no matter what crazy ideas Sarah comes up with.” 

“Hannah, that’s not gonna happen.” He assured her after swallowing hard. “I promise you. Nothing she says or does is gonna change the way I feel about you.” 

****

Ari meant what he said and took it upon himself to make sure his Firefly was left with no doubt as to his feelings for her all through the night. And then again he made sure she hadn’t forgotten the following morning too before she left to pick Sammy up from the airport.

Ari collected Maya, as arranged, from the summer holiday camp run by her school and then, throwing caution to the wind, took her to Maria’s to see not only Hannah, but Sammy and the family. Hannah was surprised, but pleased to see them both and hugged Maya tight as the girl threw herself at her, chatting away about her day. They ate a lovely dinner, courtesy of Maria, and later, retired to the shared garden in the warm, July air. 

As Maya sat with Sammy, who was telling her stories about the states and Rachel’s kids, Ari found himself watching Hannah. She was sat with her mom and Ethan, the three of them sipping wine as the dusk drew in. It wasn’t long before the first little twinkles around the tree flashed through the darkness, signalling the fireflies had come out to play. 

Ari’s mind quickly travelled back to when he first met Hannah, how those little bugs had been present in the garden, earning her the nickname. His nickname for her, which had stuck and become a term of his love for her, symbolised by the pendant round her neck. It was that pendant, or more specifically how he had given her that pendant, which had fixed the idea on how to present her with the sparkling sapphire and diamond ring on her finger…

It was a Thursday morning, and Hannah walked into the bedroom after her morning shower. Ari looked up from where he was fastening up his short sleeved shirt and smiled as she grinned back at him. 

“You really do suit that colour, pretty sure Ethan’s secretary will approve.”

“Ethan’s secretary?” Ari continued, stopping two buttons under the collar.

“Yeah, that’s what I said Lobo.” 

“Ethan’s secretary is nearly a hundred years old, Firefly.” Ari rolled his eyes with a chuckle, his hands on his hips as Hannah frowned.

“Well who was the young, blonde girl at her desk the other day when I called in?” She picked up her hairbrush from the top of the chest of drawers that served as her vanity unit.

“Lorraine? She’s an intern, Mrs Goldman is training her.”

“She likes you. I can tell.” Hannah hummed, combing out her locks which had been piled on top of her head to prevent them getting wet.

Ari rolled his eyes as Hannah pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail. “Whatever.”

“You can whatever me all you want,” Hannah sang as she picked up a bottle of lotion and sat on the bed, “I can sense these things.”

Ari snorted, looking down at his girl as she sat on the bed applying lotion to her legs. “You getting all territorial on me?”

“Do I need to?”

“Don’t be an ass!” Ari snorted, leaning down to kiss her. 

As they moved around the room, Ari took his time, a lot longer than usual, dragging his morning routine out as long as possible. If Hannah noticed he was making a meal out of tidying his beard up, something he had taken to doing since returning to civilisation, she didn’t notice.

He was stalling for one reason, and one reason only. The surprise that was waiting for her in her underwear drawer.

After what seemed like an age, she crossed the room and pulled it open. Ari held his breath as she reached in for a pair of panties, but instead she gasped, he hand flying to her mouth.

Bingo.

When Hannah spun around, the red, velvet box in her hand, Ari was waiting on one knee, beaming up at her. “Still wanna marry me, Firefly?”

Tears brimmed in her eyes and she nodded, her voice thick with emotion, “yes, you know I do!”

“Had to ask with a ring, sweetheart.”

He watched as she opened it, her mouth dropping open once more as she stared at the ring. 

“Lobo, it’s gorgeous… I… I love it!”

As Ari rose to his feet, he sighed with relief, “good, ‘cause I had a hard time finding something worthy of my girl.”

“It reminds me of the ocean,” she smiled up at him, “and your eyes.”

“Kinda why I bought it, the ocean that is.” Ari smiled as he took the ring from the box, slipping it over her knuckle, watching as the sapphire settled at the base of her finger. “Hannah Maria Navon, I love you, baby girl.”

Hannah glanced at the ring before she beamed, her hands cupping his cheeks, “and I love you, Ari David Levinson.”

Ari smirked a little at the memory, they were totally late for work after getting a little ‘distracted’ so to speak celebrating their engagement once more, only this time in a bed and not the back of a shitty jeep in the Sudanese desert. 

“Dad?” Maya bounced into his lap, drawing a huff from him as she accidentally elbowed him in the ribs, “Are those fireflies?”

“They are Munch.” He nodded, kissing her head as she watched them zipping around. “Can you see now why I call Hannah my Firefly?”

She grinned, “yip!”

Hannah, who had been watching them, cleared her throat. “Ari, it’s getting late. Shouldn’t you two be heading back to your apartment?”

Ari looked at her pointedly. “Our apartment, sweetheart.”

Hannah was about to shoot a response back but then remembered Maya was there so she merely sighed. “Ari, look, you shouldn’t even be here now anyway. It’s not worth the argument if she finds out.”

“Why can’t we stay here, dad? I wanna stay with Han!” Maya piped up and Hannah groaned a little, shooting Ari a look.

“Because Han needs to stay with Sammy tonight, she’s not seen him for a while. You can stay some other time, okay?”

“I’m not gonna say anything to Mom if that’s what you scared of.”

At that, Ari and Hannah exchanged a look. “Why do you say that? Why would we be scared?” He asked and Maya shrugged.

“I heard Mom say some things.”

“What things, Munchkin?” Ari smoothed her long hair back and waited for her to reply.

“Well, I was upset, because at first I thought Hannah didn’t like me anymore as she always left when I stayed over. But one day last week, I heard Mom tell Grandma on the phone she had made you and Hannah spend the weekends apart because I was with you.” Maya paused and looked at Hannah, “Is that why you don’t stay with us at the apartment?”

Hannah blinked, she was stuck. She didn’t want to lie but also didn’t want to start bad mouthing Sarah in front of Maya, no matter how tempting. “Erm, it’s, well it’s complicated, sweetie. You and your dad need to spend time together. But I promise you it’s absolutely not because I don’t like you. I do, I love you very much.”

At that Maya stood up and launched herself at Hannah.  “I love you too, Han.”

Ari and Hannah could do nothing but exchange a look, which Hannah broke as she leaned down to hug Maya, tears visible in her eyes.

And it left Ari feeling even more like shit than he already did.

No, he had to fix this, even if it meant pulling Sarah up on her attitude despite Hannah asking him not to. Whilst he understood Sarah’s anger, and that she had every right to direct it at him, the fact that it was clearly having an impact on Maya was something he couldn’t let slide.

With a sigh, he stood up, instructing Maya to bid everyone good night. Before he left, he pulled Hannah into a kiss, his hands cupping her face.

“I’m gonna fix this,” he whispered against her lips, “trust me, baby.”

“I do.” She sniffed a little, her nose bumping his. “Go, go on. I’ll see you Sunday.”

As they walked the few blocks home, Maya’s hand locked in Ari’s, he was only partially listening to his daughter as she spoke. 

“Dad!” Her voice drew him from his thoughts about how exactly he was going to approach the subject with his soon to be ex-wife. He glanced down at her.

“What?”

“We’re you listening to a word I just said?”

“Honestly, no!”

“Daaaaaad!” She whined and Ari chuckled.

 “I’m sorry baby, what were you saying?”

“I was saying that I should get Hannah something for luck.”

“What do you mean?”

 “Well, Mom was talking to Auntie Louisa, and she said that Hannah was going to need plenty of luck being married to you so…”

Ari took a deep breath, anger flashing through his system, rolling his eyes. “Oh, did she?”

“Yup.” Maya nodded.

“And, do you think Hannah’s gonna need luck?”

Maya looked at him, and grinned cheekily. “Well, you are an idiot!”

“Rude!” Ari narrowed his eyes playfully, “mind you, technically, you might look more like your mom but you’re half me. Guess that makes you half an idiot, huh?”

Maya went to dig him in the ribs and with a chuckle, Ari swung her up and onto his shoulders. Her hands tangled in his hair as she giggled, before she leaned down, fingers threading into his beard.

“Han’s right, you do look like a wolf.”

Ari laughed, his hands tightening around his daughter’s ankles as her heels lightly bounced against his chest with each step he took.

[dilfwaynes]

wayne manor firsts |  j. todd

summary: though it wasn’t your first time at a ball, it was your first kiss.

word count ; 830

pairings ; jason todd x reader

genre ; fuff

warnings: none

a/n: sorry it took so long anon, i hope you enjoy this !! not edited.

flowerets of red, white, and fuses of blue heaps along your eyesight as rounds of blarney staff scatters round the pale and gloss marble fast-paced, hurried voices splurging circumlocution of demands, advice, and input; you bear down at the scene from the crown of the flight of steps of wayne manor. palm curved around dark oak whilst you watched the rushed folding of the ball that’ll soon be unfolding all of the trice in some loose hours, or at least what most in the room would count as ‘trice’

“nervous?” the voice behind the question laces out to sound in between of teasing and actual concern, your lips quirk upwards, rolling your eyes, pressing a swift stime to his latterly appearance. garb for the current occasion that’s drawing on mere inches away from the steps you both stand on,”careful todd, i might actually start to think you care.”

“eh i wouldn’t go that far,” he briskly rebuts, throwing a fast glance at your attire for the night - the darken green valentino sprawls against your dainty frame, silk bleeding to lace to meet bare skin. blue settling on the navel of exposed cut of cleavage on a lone moment, blinking away his gaze he follows your interest to the events taking place downstairs,”esotericism is your thing for this sort of stuff, anyways.” jason states nonchalantly.

you suppose he’s right, your mother and father had no problem disposing of all thoughts and ideals you had they found unworthy, and simply crushing them and breaking you into the model of a perfect socialite, molding you into docility easily; rather from them, or your many instructors in all aspects of settings that your parents found fit. though you jar your sight towards him and away from your previous view as your eyebrows jut in slight surprise at his use of  superior words, and correct wording for the fitting context.” look at you using big words” you tease a smile appearing on your face the first time today, he rolls his eyes at your reaction and reply, his heed remaining on the same thing you were moments ago.” you should start being careful now jason, i’m starting to think you’re caring, and learned a new word just for me.”

he scoffs, rolling his eyes once again to dissemble any factors to your— lack for a better word— guess,”oh, please y/n.” your smile halts at his sudden stiff state, you gaze at him as realization makes its way through, his cheeks tinted a light pink, the tips of his ears burned a bright red.”oh my god, you actually learn that word for me.”

“and is it so wrong if i did?” the question lows out to be sulkily, his face harden as he already expected to be made fun of and simply no chance of cull tied by you. the frown resting in between his brow bone, the velvet suit crushing from the  strength applied onto the staircase handler, his eyes abruptly snapping back towards you, irked to get a response.

you tighten your lips at his fast throw away from his bashful state, insecurity and pre embarrassment thoughts ticking in his head already.” nothing,” you clear out as you remain eye contact with him” i think it's cute.”

the crease smooths out at your latter, the tension of rejection quickly leaving, as well as the thought of being made fun of and laughed at, intensity of something else resolving its place.”i like you jason, if that wasn’t already the obvious.”

his lips slightly part, going over what to say, tell you how he feels the same, something he never had the luxury of feeling before, or the luxury of someone repeating the same feelings for him, but instead he opts to pursing his lips. his tongue lightly running over his dry lips, reaching his hand out of his suit pocket, he grabs yours, gently running his thumb across your knuckles - the other grasping your tiny waist as he tries to speak up.”i like... you, i like you too. maybe more than you like me, actually.”

you squeak out a soft laugh, shaking your head,”i doubt that one, todd.” his voice contains quiet, his hand now cupping your cheek, your smile falls some at his movements of leaning in,”i never kissed someone, just so you know, in case i’m completely and utterly awful at it,”you mindless confess,”what if i’m really, really bad at it and you don’t like me anymore.”your smile tugging upwards at his low laugh.

“i don’t care, besides you can never be awful at something, esotericism is your thing, remember?”

“oh my god stop before you start using the word incorrectly please,” he lets out a soft laugh, his head dipping down, lowering to kiss you -  immobile for a second before you close your eyes melting into the kiss swiftly, mostly trying to match to rhythm to jason’s lead. his hands landing on your waist as he softly rests his forehead against yours.

“learning the definition of words was worth it.”

[venusdeus]

Court of Kings - Chapter 1

Summary: Sent to a neighboring kingdom to secure an alliance, forced to give up your dreams and ambitions, disregarded as a means to an end. You however have no desire to fulfil their wishes. And neither does Oikawa.

Pairing: Oikawa Tooru x female reader

Genre: Fluff, comedy, angst, royalty au, arranged marriage au, enemies to lovers au (more like enemies to allies to friends to lovers), eventual smut?

Word count: 2700+

Warnings: All the characters are adults unless specified. This chapter is sfw. Minors do not interact.

Notes: Part 1 of a long series I’m planning to write. This is my first fic in this blog so I would greatly appreciate comments, follows and feedback!

Read Prologue first <...> Chapter 2

August 5th

The first messengers arrived when you were having afternoon tea with your literature instructor in the gardens of your summer residence, as your brother was practicing his sword skills not too far. A maid sent by your mother brought you the news of their negotiation a few hours later, accompanied by some of the strawberry macarons you loved so much.  

If it were up to you, you would refuse such a ridiculous offer even before it was brought to your attention. Now that they had a male heir to the throne however, there was no use of a girl that had no claim to become the future ruler, other than being sent to create diplomatic relations now that you were over twenty summers.

“Where do you think they are from?” your brother asked as he tried to dust off his clothes, quite tired from following the orders of his practice partner all day long.

“I wouldn’t know, I didn’t see any flags with them.” you continued as he looked disappointed “But they were wearing blue, so at least we know it's not from the south.”

He nodded; his eyes wide with worry “I am glad they are not sending you there.”

“No one is sending me anywhere yet Hiro.” you answered quite annoyed, turning your head sharply to glare at the boy.

It was not his fault per see but him being recognized as the heir has left you in an awkward situation for the past twelve years. You loved your brother dearly, unlike the distant relationship you had with your parents. It was not because you had the ambition to rule the kingdom either. Of course, it was unfair as you were the firstborn, and if not for what was between your legs, you would also have been the one to inherit the crown.

Even if that was so, you simply did not find it in yourself to become a leader. You, however, did wish to be able to shape your own future. One that did not involve fulfilling the selfish wishes of others.

“It would be awfully lonely without you.” he sighed, instantly making you feel guilty for sounding a little bit too harsh.

Hiro looked incredibly small for his age, standing there with his shoulders slouched, fingers flicking, a skinny and sickly kid since the day he was born. He took after your father with his dark hair and almost pitch-black eyes, but with your mother's facial features, a contrast to your own looks that bore no resemblance to any of them, another reason for your alienation from the rest of the family.

“And it would be awfully quiet without you.” you teased “Maybe then I would be able to read in peace.”

Several footsteps coming behind you silenced you both before Hiro could retort, cutting the joyful air and replacing it with a heavy feeling.

Your mother was a beautiful woman that much was true, but in a different way to that of her kids. The Queen had extremely sharp features and her painted lips always supported a displeased frown. She acted as her title suggested, prim and proper, she fit her role perfectly.

Renowned for her charm when she was younger, she did not lose much to the ages if not for the wrinkles next to her keen eyes and the white threads on her hair. Likewise, she was as smart as she was alluring. Coming from a family that lost their wealth a long time ago even though they still supported titles, no one would even dream of her being second to the sole ruler of their beloved country. She was a success-driven woman, which made her a threat in the eyes of many in the court, thus she was not given the right to make a decision when it came to the education of the heirs she produced. Although affectionate towards her kids first, she had no say on the time she had with them, causing their family ties to weaken, and mostly spent her time with foreign ambassadors. A responsibility entrusted upon her by her husband.

“I see you received my message.” she declared not looking at you directly “We will talk more about this after our guests leave. For now, I want both of you to go to your rooms and stay there until dinner.”

You could sense the irritation in her voice. It was not for her kids, however, as you could see the dark circles under her eyes, a sign of her losing sleep for the past few days.

“Won’t we meet our guests?” Hiro questioned before you could.

“It is not needed as they are only messengers.” the Queen answered shortly before continuing her walk towards the main hall, her maids trailing behind. “I will see you two in an hour.”

Leaving your brother behind, you decided to head down towards the observatory. You knew that you would get an earful from your maids later for not changing your garments for the dinner, but your head was filled with too many questions and negative possibilities to care about dresses. It was not as if you did not know that this day would come. It even took longer than expected if all things considered. Most in your position would be engaged before they even stopped using diapers. It was a more political alliance than anything else, decided by the respective kingdoms and the advisors.

You even saw the letters that were exchanged since last year with multiple seals supporting different coat of arms. The council of your father must have declined the offers before this. Not for your sake, at least you didn’t think it was, but for not suiting their taste. It was a big deal for the princess of a country, whether being the heir or not, to marry someone as it reassured the ties you would create.

The only positive thing that happened so far was the fact that you would not be sent to the south. The Southern Kingdom was placed across the sea and was an important trade partner to your own.

It was a wealthy country for sure, but also too grim and the people too wild. Other than the traded goods it wasn’t a traveller-friendly country. They kept to themselves and even though the only thing that separated the two port kingdoms was a narrow sea, they had a vastly different culture. These differences resulted in legends and the rumors about the country becoming more and more outrageous over time.

They called their men barbaric, only interested in hunt and the art of war. Their women proclaimed witches, quite beautiful unlike the stereotype, but worshippers of a different God. All just foolish rumors said your history instructor. He was a wise man that travelled a lot when he was younger and according to him these tales were nonsense. Their folk did not originate there but immigrated over a few centuries ago. He taught you that the people of the Southern Kingdom were that of culture and arts. They just did not like intruders. His words didn’t ease your or Hiro’s heart however as you were fed these tales since you were younger.

If you could find a way to escape from this responsibility you would. Yet, since the first time you sensed what was going on you were looking for an answer, just to be disappointed every time.

The dinner was cold and tasteless even though it was made from the best ingredients one could manage to find. “The lady that makes them must hate her occupation with a passion” claimed your brother when you were dismissed “I can’t understand how mother likes it.”

Once again, the King did not join you at the table. It was always the same excuse, politics, responsibilities. But you knew better. You knew why your parents did not share a bed anymore and you could see the looks women of the court gave to your father. It was not because the King was a good-looking man, quite the opposite in fact, but power attracted people.

You were fully grown now and even when you were younger, you knew what these actions indicated. You even had the most unfortunate memory of seeing one of them, who was not much older than you, leaving your father's chamber looking quite flushed. You would have not cared if only the woman did not give you a curtsy while supporting a smirk.

Lady Winna was her real name, daughter of a lord that was close to the King, nicknamed Lady Whore by you. And most of the time, she was the reason your father would skip the meals altogether only to receive a feast in his room later that night. Which was why you knew that you should never hope for a love match. If lucky you could maybe be friends with your future partner.

“She does not hate her job, she hates her life” you replied “Not that it would matter, she will leave soon. I heard she was pregnant with a lord’s child. A married one on top of that.”

Hiro gasped “What if someone were to hear you talking about these rumors” he exclaimed hitting your arm quite forcefully “you could be punished.”

“Don’t act as if you never say such stuff you little bridge troll. I know how you talk behind your instructors.” you mused rubbing the pain off. “And who will punish a princess I ask you? If not for mother or father?”

“Do I need to know what I should punish you for?”

Both you and Hiro jumped at the unexpected voice of the Queen, a gasp leaving your mouths. She was holding a box in her hand and her face was supporting a rare, serene expression.

“Nothing of importance.” replied Hiro quickly “We were just afraid of falling behind our studies.”

The Queen did not seem convinced as her eyes narrowed, but she had a small genuine smile on. “I see. Why don’t you go on ahead and start your nightly studies then? I need to talk to your sister privately in the meantime.”

Hiro let out a snort that he tried to cover with a cough. You are in trouble he mouthed before bowing to your mother and disappearing through the corridor.

“I would like you to know I was just repeating what the ladies in the court were saying. Not that I believe the rumors of course, it is quite indecent.” you tried to explain quickly but the Queen cut you with a shake of her head.

“That is not why I wanted to talk to you dear. It is however quite incident for a lady to talk that way you are right.” she sighed “Why don’t we talk in my study?”

You knew what was coming now, after all you could not remember the last time you had a conversation with your mother alone, the relaxed expression on her face, however, gave you hope. Maybe, you thought, they decided it was not time yet. Or maybe they did not like the offers that came through.

“Close the door, will you?” she asked walking towards the desk that stood before the bookshelves that covered the walls.

“Where are your attendants?” you questioned as you followed her inside “Is there something wrong?”

“I thought you would be more comfortable if it were just the two of us that’s all. I need to show you something.” She answered motioning towards the box she was holding. “It came this morning. For you of course. Go on, open it.”

The box itself was made from heavy oak, painted black with a family crest carved on top of it. The symbol looked familiar enough, but you could not concentrate enough to remember where you knew it from over the heavy beating of your heart. Opening it cautiously you took a sharp breath between your teeth, observing the contents.

Inside stood a tiara that was made from white gems shaped in intricate designs that you have not encountered before and in the middle stood an icy blue diamond so big that you could have sworn it must have cost the yearly earnings of a whole country.

“Not a ring.” You stated matter of factly “A very bold choice for a gift.”

“Indeed. But you cannot expect less from Seijoh.” Your mother replied with a cautious voice, almost as if she was calculating your reaction.

“Seijoh…” the box cluttered on the table as you let go of it abruptly “You are sending me up north? We waged war against them for years! Even before my grandfather! And now you are sending me there?”

You knew the country itself was wealthy enough and that it had a strong military presence. They had many allies within the countries that bordered yours as well.  But they also claimed right on your countries throne by sighting territorial dispute as well as a marriage between the two countries that produced no heir.

Now they were sending you there as a scapegoat. To secure his claim to the throne. And maybe even to theirs. An eye for an eye.

It took another week for your father to send a response and invite the Crown Prince and the King of Seijoh for a short visit before the decision was finalized and another two for them to arrive on the outskirts of your kingdom with their entourage behind.

As you sat in your suite biting your nails and waiting for their arrival, your maids were going in and out with different dresses in their hands looking for your approval. You on the other hand did not have the mental energy to entertain their ideas. It was bad enough that you had to attend a ball given in their honor that very evening, but you also had to be in the throne room soon enough to welcome them into the castle. Not to mention this would be the first time that you were to meet your possible future husband.

You heard of him before of course. How could you not when his reputation preceded him? A very cunning and ambitious young man, yet it was his looks that brought the most gossip. You heard his name whispered among the staff when they did not know you were listening and heard the ladies giggle when they mentioned the time that they spent in their court, with him.

It was enough to leave a sour taste in your mouth. Was it too much to ask that your future partner was a man of intelligence and few words? At least you would know that you could get along with him then. But a sharp and striking Casanova? They had to be jesting. That was the only possible explanation for this mockery.

As if your fathers’ ridiculous behaviors wasn’t enough now you had to entertain another man like him. It was pretty common for monarchs to take on other lovers, but you would not be embarrassed by a man you did not know in your own house, husband or not.

When you finally entered the throne room you could hear the commotion outside caused by non-other than the infamous man that was plaguing your thoughts for the past week. Your mother motioned you to hurry and take your place with a sudden turn of her chin just before the doors opened.

The rumors did not do him justice you thought as he strutted towards you and your family, your breath caught in your throat.

Oikawa Tooru was without a doubt the most beautiful man you ever laid eyes on.

He was beautiful alright.

And with his charming eyes staring straight at your own and his delicate hands placed on his sword, he looked ready to murder.

It might look like a filler episode, but I needed to give background and I love to build anticipation. Sorry not sorry? Reblogs are appreciated! And also this was not edited I posted it right after writing it so if you see any mistake let me know.

Disclaimer:  No portion of this story may be reproduced in any form without permission. I do not own the character of Oikawa Tooru. This is a work of fiction.

TAG LIST: Let me know if you want me to tag you.

@triskoof​ @sassyglassesbunny​ @m-a-r-i-a-s-b-l-o-g

[animebabe301]

Rekindling the Fire

Warning(s): NSFW, smut

Pairing(s): Kakashi x fem!reader

Word Count: 5,923 words

A/N: This is for @allthingskakashi cause I put it in her reqs and now I’m the one who ended up writing it haha! :)) ENJOY!

Summary: With Kakashi as hokage and you as an academy teacher, each passing day gets harder and harder until one day, a surprise approaches and you and Kakashi get a vacation together.

You didn’t know how hard it was to have Kakashi as hokage and you as a teacher at the academy. That was where you both had met a few years ago. He was teaching team 7 while you were in charge of your own team. You had heard how cold of an instructor he was-never passing any team he was assigned, so you avoided him at all costs to stay on his good side--or just simply stay away from his bad side. It wasn’t until your team and Kakashi’s team had to complete a mission and work together that you both grew somewhat closer as friends.

Naruto had been the one to point out the fact that everytime you and Kakashi were together, Kakashi was the one who shied away. It was one night that you and Kakashi had stood watch while your students were sleeping, and you finally spoke to him about personal likes and dislikes and befriended him. As it turned out, you both had more in common than you’d thought, and although you could only see one of his eyes, you knew his emotions in that moment from just that one eye. That was how you both fell in love.

As time moved on, you both dated and your bond grew stronger and stronger. You both trained together, lived together, taught together. Everyone knew you both were the unstoppable power couple, in battle and romance. You both decided that marriage was good before the war and tied the knot through a simple but modest wedding-the way both of you wanted. All was well after the war, and Kakashi had been appointed as sixth hokage. Kakashi didn’t think he was fit to be hokage, but you and Iruka insisted that it would suit him well. That was... until recently. You’d been busy as an academy teacher and as a mother to your five-year old twins while Kakashi was spending many nights out of the week doing hokage duties. The twins were the sweetest children anyone could ever ask for. They had Kakashi’s silver hair, meanwhile they had your big (Y/E/C) eyes. They were born premature as you had problems during your pregnancy, but they were the healthiest two eight-month-old babies could ever be. If they didn’t pop out any time sooner, you could’ve sworn your stomach was going to pop.

But... there were nights where you felt like you couldn’t do it anymore. It was hard for you, but you knew it was hard for Kakashi as well. There were even nights where he wouldn’t make it home and would sleep on the couch in his office. It made you sad, but you knew you could never talk him out of taking a day off from his hokage duties. He worked too hard for his own good and he truly didn’t know what else he could do to make everyone happy. The days just seemed to drag on longer and longer, but you knew that you had to keep going or else you were going to be a wreck.

Unfortunately, you broke down. You didn’t feel right, and you weren’t happy at all. You’d just put the kids to sleep and you sat on your couch, staring at the empty wall behind the TV. It had been only four years since Kakashi had been appointed as hokage, but it felt like it’d been decades. You missed him by your side every night, his smell, his touch, everything. It made you yearn for him even more. You couldn’t do anything about it-you just had to deal with it. Sure, there were nights where you could please yourself if you had time alone after the kids slept. But it was nothing like the nights you and Kakashi would share in bed.

After sitting on the couch for what felt like hours, you decided to shower and get some sleep before the next day came. As you stood up, you heard your front door open. There he was, no longer the young man you fell in love with, but a hardworking man who needed to shave and groom himself just a bit more to look presentable, but you didn’t mind-he’s too busy taking care of everyone else but himself. Surprised that he was home, you rushed up to hug him, asking him if he had eaten already, if he wanted a massage, or if he wanted to sleep. Chuckling behind his mask, he looked at you, smiled, and explained that he had eaten already and just wanted to take a warm bath before going to sleep. Without hesitation, you started walking away to start a warm hot bath for him until your thoughts were interrupted.

“(Y/N)?” “Yes?” you said while turning around. Before you knew it, Kakashi was already standing in front of you, staring into your eyes. Trying to avoid his gaze, you looked down. He made you look up, taking your chin into his hand. You didn’t want him to see you like this, you wanted to be the perfect wife for him-no complaints, no tears, no worries. “Were you crying?” he asked while stroking your cheek. With the silent air between the both of you, he already knew the answer. “Why were you crying? Is it because of me? Did I do something wrong?” Concerned, he kept pestering you while you turned on your determined path to start the warm bath for your husband. Grabbing you roughly, he stopped you at the door of the bathroom. “(Y/N), what’s wrong?” “It’s nothing,” you said while trying to get away from his grip. “Don’t lie, (Y/N), you and I both know that you are the worst liar in the universe, yet--” “Okay, yes! I was crying!” you yelled a bit too loudly, “I was crying because I can’t do this anymore, Kakashi, I can’t stand being home alone all the time, I can’t stand being in bed by myself and not having you here to hold me to sleep. I can’t stand not feeling your warmth by my side in the morning, and I can’t stand that you put so much effort into being hokage that I can’t even see you as often as a wife should see her husband!” “Well then, what do you want me to do, (Y/N)?! Grow eight tentacles and juggle everything at home AND at the office?! I’m trying my best to be your husband and as the protector of this village! I didn’t choose to become hokage, you and Iruka put this on me! You both were the ones who said that becoming hokage would definitely make the village a better place, well here I am-trying to make it a better place for others, yet no one would understand simply because they don’t!”

Tears were starting to well up in your eyes again. Kakashi and you never argued like this. He was always so calm and collected. You instantly regretted yelling at him. You didn’t know where that outburst came from, and you certainly didn’t mean to raise your voice at your husband. Without another word, Kakashi grabbed the towel from your hand and closed the bathroom door. You felt so bad. It wasn’t your husband’s fault. You were the reason he took the calling of being the sixth hokage, yet here you were complaining that you were alone. You knew the risks, you knew the challenges you would face, yet you were blaming your husband for the selfish desires in your heart. You sat on your bed, ashamed of the words and actions that made Kakashi go angry.

The water finished draining, and within a few seconds, Kakashi appeared in your shared bedroom. He’d wrapped himself in a white towel and had another towel in his hands drying his silver hair. The silence between the two of you was unbearable, but you didn’t know what to say, so you fixed the bed and told him to turn off the lights when he was done getting ready for bed. That night, Kakashi didn’t hold you, he didn’t even turn your way. He probably wasn’t mad, but was probably saddened by your sudden outburst. Or, he could’ve been angry that you were being selfish. Either way, you were thinking too much which made your head hurt, and before you knew it, you were drifting off to sleep.

The next few days were the same-wake up, get the twins and yourself ready, cook breakfast, and out the door the three of you went. It was a continuous and basic routine. After the argument, you made sure to be asleep before Kakashi came home, and you were sure Kakashi wanted to avoid coming home in general other than to sleep and rest.

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Waking up from your slumber, you looked at the time on the alarm clock on your nightstand. It’s 7:30 a.m.! The kids were supposed to be out of bed and eating breakfast by now! You thought as you rushed yourself out of bed, putting on your robe. Looking into the twins’ room, they were nowhere to be found. “Boys! Where are you?! We need to be at the academy in a few minutes!” You looked everywhere, but to no avail. Eventually, you made your way downstairs to the kitchen, the glorious smell still beckoning you.

Turning the corner, you realized that the boys were already dressed and ready for school. They were eating their breakfast, and you turned to see Kakashi in an apron, making more food on the stove. You didn’t know what to do-you were still running off the adrenaline of waking up late, that you stood there, dumbfounded. “What’s the matter, babe? Cat got your tongue?” Kakashi teased as you silently tried to approach the three boys you loved so dearly in your life. Shocked that Kakashi was home, making breakfast for the family for the first time in awhile, you silently sat at the far end of the table. The twins were unexpectedly quiet this morning, but you knew that since the argument the other night, the boys hadn’t said much lately. The other night. When you yelled a bit too loudly at Kakashi for taking upon himself the name of hokage. Guilt started to creep in again until the younger of the twins, Yuma, broke the silence.

“Mommy? Daddy?” Which caught yours and Kakashi’s attention. With yours and Kakashi’s attention on Yuma, he continued, “Are you going to get divorced?” You and Kakashi stared at each other and looked away, ashamed that your children had heard the arguing the night before. Before you could both reply, your other son, Riku asked, “So it’s true? Mommy and daddy don’t love each other anymore? But why--” “Who told you that?” Kakashi said, cutting the two curious boys off, who were pouting with tears welling up in their eyes. “Well... the kids from school said that when parents argue, they’re going to end up divorcing,” Riku explained. Kakashi smiled while walking towards you-the two boys deeply distraught in their own small worlds. Kissing you on the head, Kakashi explained to them, “Well, when adults argue it doesn’t mean that they’re going to divorce, it just means that there’s a problem. And if that problem doesn’t get solved the right way, then the adults argue about that problem.” Wiping their tears away, Yuma and Riku looked at you with their big eyes, waiting for another justifiable and hopeful answer from you. “That’s right, boys. We were arguing because we weren’t happy, and we needed to solve a problem. But now, that problem is fixed, so you both don’t have to worry.” “Really?! So... mommy and daddy AREN’T going to divorce?!” the two boys exclaimed together. While looking at you, Kakashi assured them, “Nope! Mommy and I are going to be together forever! Just like the day I promised I would love her forever on our wedding day.” Cheering, the boys got up to hug each other-which in turn, turned out to be Kakashi pulling you in as well while squishing the two adorable boys in between you two.

After celebrating for a few minutes, there was a knock at the door. Opening the door, Iruka walked into your living room. “Uncle Iruka! Uncle Iruka!” the boys cheered together. “Are you ready boys? School’s about to start soon! Get your bags, we need to head out ASAP!” Confused, you looked at Iruka and said, “Oh, sorry Iruka, you must be confused with the days, I’m actually taking them today. You’re just a week early on picking them up, I’m afraid.” With a smile, Iruka simply looked over at Kakashi and winked at you, “don’t worry about it, I’m sure there’ll be another one on the way real soon-or maybe another two.”

Before you could say anything else, Iruka and the boys were already on their way to school. You were left behind, stunned by the words that had come out of Iruka’s mouth. Looking up at the clock, you realized that you only had ten minutes before classes were starting, and you panicked, rushing up the stairs to get ready for work. Stopping you dead in your tracks, Kakashi stared at you and simply said, “you’re off of work today,” before walking down the steps. For sure, he was the hokage, but you had your duties and he had his. He wasn’t going to use his power against you. Before taking another step, Kakashi warned you, “I told you that you’re off today. Just get dressed to travel.” “Why? Where are we going?” you asked curiously. “Just get dressed.”

While you were busy getting dressed, you realized that there were two packed bags in your closet. The ones you and Kakashi had last used for your honeymoon, where you’d conceived the twins. Just thinking about your honeymoon made you think of the things you and Kakashi had done. Things that made you feel a certain way-the only certain way Kakashi could ever make you feel. Things that couldn’t be explained, and things that should never be explained about. You couldn’t think about that right now. You were even surprised that Kakashi had been home this morning-or even that he’d spoken to you.

Waiting on the couch in your living room, Kakashi brought the luggage downstairs and checked all the doors in the house to make sure no intruders could enter. You were confused and had so many questions, but that’s what Kakashi hated-questions. Sometimes, you had too many, and he’d get slightly impatient with you. Seeing as though he seemed to still be a bit distant since the argument, you decided to go along with whatever it was he was planning.

Walking out of Konoha, you were wondering where the boys would be staying-who they would be staying with. As if reading your mind, Kakashi interrupted your thoughts saying, “the boys will be with Iruka while we’re gone.” With a content state of mind, you decided to let that thought go. Iruka was a trustworthy person who knew how to take care of children, and he’d taken care of the boys before. If he ever needed help, he knew that Asuma and Kurenai would be of help since they had a little one of their own as well. Hearing the rustling of the leaves around the both of you, you weren’t afraid. They were simply members of the Anbu black-ops who had to stay by Kakashi’s side no matter where he went. You weren’t bothered by them, but you weren’t comfortable enough to make conversation with them either.

You walked silently behind Kakashi, afraid that asking any questions would anger him even more than you already had the few nights ago. Kakashi didn’t seem mad, but he did seem occupied in his mind. After walking for a whole day, Kakashi stopped at a private sauna bath. As you both walked in, you didn’t see anyone other than workers there. Wondering where other customers were, you asked the ladies at the front desk while trying to make small talk. The women then explained that the hokage had made arrangements that it be reserved for the two of you only. Surprised, you were speechless. Kakashi wasn’t one to make these types of arrangements. While settling down into your suite, you and Kakashi changed your clothes from what you wore to travel into bathrobes to enter the hot bath.

While sitting in silence and enjoying the hot relaxing water on your body, you heard a simple “I’m sorry.” It was so quiet and subtle that you weren’t sure you’d heard Kakashi correctly. It wasn’t until he looked up at you that you realized he was speaking to you. His eyes were tired. His body exhausted from the constant slouch he had when sitting in his chair in his office. You never had time to look at your husband, you just knew that he was never endlessly working and never home. You were simply selfish from your desires and struggles that you were only finally realizing how much your husband had been through these past six years. Sure, you’d been through hell and back throughout the years as well, but Kakashi had double the pain in the rear end you had.

You had tears forming in your eyes as you thought back to the night of the argument. “I’m sorry too,” you finally expressed with a smile toward your husband. Relieved of the tension between the two of you, Kakashi motioned for you to cuddle with him in the water. Sliding your body toward him, you put your head on his chest while he laid on the outer wall of the sauna. “You didn’t have to do this, Kakashi. We could’ve just had a day to ourselves at home.” “No, we both needed this, (Y/N). Plus, we’re going to be here for a bit, so we might as well appreciate that Iruka was willing to take care of the twins while we’re gone,” Kakashi replied. Kakashi went on, “we’ve both been stressed over little things, it’s about time we’ve been spending more time together. We’re not getting any younger, and I don’t think our minds can last any longer without each other.”

For the rest of the night, you both caught up on things you were unable to say to  each other for the past few months. There were tears and laughter mixed into that night. For the first time in awhile, you felt happy. Not that you weren’t happy with your life at home, but you needed a break from being the perfect wife, mother, and teacher. Anyone would understand, but you knew Kakashi would understand the most. Although you’d never been hokage either, you understood the stress he went through as leader of one of the most powerful villages in the land of fire.

“(Y/N),” Kakashi said while stroking your hair, “I hope you never feel like I’m neglecting you. I know I’m not the best husband, but I love you. And I may not always be home, but just know that--” “--that there’s always an anbu black-op watching over us at home?” Shocked at your words, Kakashi just simply sighed to himself. “So you knew...” “Silly! Of course I knew! You and I were the most formidable couple in Konoha back in the day-and you think I wouldn’t notice that an anbu black-op is simply pit-patting on our roof daily?” With a small O formed on his mouth, you simply calmed his racing heart, “I appreciate that you did that, Kakashi. It makes the boys and me feel safer at home. That’s how I always knew you cared-from hearing the anbu on the roof. That was your way of showing you cared about us even though you couldn’t be there yourself at home.”

With that, you pulled Kakashi’s mask down, revealing his rose pink lips. Kissing him felt like it was the first time again. It’d been so long since you felt his strong arms around you, holding your waist as though you were going to disappear if he didn’t hold tight enough. Your kiss turned out to be more than you both thought it’d be-a make out session. Kakashi grabbed you and lifted you up onto his lap. You looked away and blushed, being reminded of the weight you’d gained since you both had been married and had the twins. “What’s wrong?” Kakashi asked, clearly concerned. “Nothing, I just got fat--” Cutting you off with a kiss, Kakashi’s lips left yours as he made it clear while looking into your eyes, “you are beautiful. Probably even more beautiful than the night we first made love. Look at me.” Blushing, you finally looked at your husband, making such intense eye contact that caused for you to look down. Kakashi was impatient and unsatisfied with the way you were acting, and flipped you over onto your back. With a yelp, you were under your husband’s muscular body, under his mercy.

Kakashi started kissing your neck, making sure to leave marks. No one would be able to see them as you were both the only people at the sauna (other than Kakashi’s anbu guards), but you knew they were going to leave a mark for at least a week. You made small whimpers as Kakashi kept nibbling behind your ears and collarbone. “Don’t hold back, baby. I’ll make you feel even better than I did on our honeymoon. I want to hear you,” Kakashi softly said against your skin. Slowly peeling your silk robe from your body, Kakashi made sure each part of the surface of your skin was well taken care of. He traveled down to your breasts, caressing one of your mounds in his hand while bringing his mouth down on the other. You couldn’t hold back anymore. You were finally making love with Kakashi again but without anything holding you back; no kids sleeping in the next room, no next door neighbors.

When Kakashi flicked his tongue against your nipple, you felt a noise leave your lips. It wasn’t a small whimper, it was a moan that had been hidden inside for the past few years. You took Kakashi’s silver hair in between your fingers and pulled, signaling to him that you wanted more-no, you needed more. Kakashi kept nibbling and flicking his tongue against your breast and moved onto the other, giving it the same love. You were already a moaning and wet mess as he moved further down to your lower abdomen. He kissed your stomach, making sure to leave a wet trail of his saliva, marking your body as his. “Please, Kakashi. Stop teasing,” you begged breathlessly. “Not yet, baby. I’m going to make sure you feel loved. I’m going to take it slow-it’s been too long.” Groaning at the painstakingly slow pace Kakashi was taking with you, you could only sit there and wait for whatever he was going to do to your body next.

Kakashi continued to slowly kiss all of the sweet spots on your abdomen, making you even wetter. You forgot how this all felt, the way Kakashi’s mouth felt on your skin, his rough calloused hands holding your waist down, and the way you could moan freely out in the open. Lifting himself up hovering over your body, he kissed your lips slowly and sweetly, then pulled away and got out of bed. He reached over into the nightstand and pulled something out. A piece of cloth-made of silk, and put it over your eyes. He then got up again, grabbing something else out of the nightstand. Wondering what it was, you turned your body-attempting to somehow see out of the silk cloth over your eyes, but failing instead as you felt Kakashi’s hands on your waist. “Stay still, baby,” he hushed as you whimpered from the random contact, “tonight’s all about you. I just need you to be a good girl and stay still for me.” Grabbing both of your wrists, he tied another silk cloth around your wrists and brought them against the headboard. As he tied your wrists to the headboard, you could feel his hard cock rubbing against his pants- as if it was teasing you without needing to be inside you.

After successfully tying up your wrists, he continued to worship your body. He kissed over your body another round, causing for you to whimper louder and louder the lower he went, closer to your sopping core. You wanted to touch Kakashi-it was unfair that only he could touch you. Attempting to free your wrists from the silk ties, Kakashi stopped all contact. Whining from the loss of contact, Kakashi’s voice came beside your ear and all you heard was, “I told you to be a good girl and to stay still. We’ll get to where you want to be in a bit, baby.” After a long pause, he continued, “--will you be a good girl and stay still?” Nodding your head adamantly, he simply whispered, “good,” and continued his painstaking process.

You tried to stay still as his lips ended up on your thighs, making sure to get each and every corner of your body. The moment he spread your legs to get a better view, you closed your legs. It’d been too long since someone else other than yourself had seen your naked and bare body. “Sorry, I--” “It’s okay, baby. It’s just me. I know it’s been awhile, but I’ll make it up to you tonight,” Kakashi assured you while peeling your legs apart. You let him spread your legs apart, feeling the cool air hit your wet, sopping core. Kakashi kissed your left ankle, making sure you felt his wet tongue gliding down your calf; trailing his mouth up your thigh, getting closer to your core. Just when you thought he was going to surely reach your dripping core, he pulled away which caused a whine to leave your mouth. He then did the same thing to your right leg, kissing your right ankle, trailing his mouth and tongue down your leg to your thigh. The air hitting differently than before from his saliva on your legs.

You whimpered at his painstakingly and patient actions. Kakashi then put your legs down, and started kissing your inner thighs, teasing you where he knew you were most sensitive. Because it was your sensitive spot, your legs reacted by closing around Kakashi’s head. Using his strong hands to pull your legs apart, he asked in a deep voice, “Are you going to quit? Or do I need to leave you dripping here for the rest of the night, baby?” “No, please. I’m sorry, Kakashi,” you pleaded as you laid there, making sure your body was his to toy with for the time being. He waited until you were done fixing your posture before he brought his hand to your sopping core. With a moan leaving your mouth, you slightly squirmed under his touch before stopping, remembering to stay still. “You’re already dripping so much for me, baby. It’s making me go crazy,” Kakashi said as he starting rubbing your throbbing clit, making you moan louder and louder with every small movement.

The pace of his hand picked up against your clit, making you moan louder and louder, meanwhile attempting not to squirm. While rubbing your throbbing clit, Kakashi took your left breast into his mouth and the other in his left hand. He eventually slowly inserted one of his fingers into your dripping core. With his right hand working on your core, his mouth on your breast, and his left hand on your other breast, you felt your orgasm coming. He proceeded to insert another finger into your heat. Closer and closer. It was coming closer and building up. You felt it coming, your whimpers and moans a sign to Kakashi. Within a moment, Kakashi removed himself from your body, denying you of your orgasm. “Kakashi, please let me cum,” you begged, “why’d you do that?” “Not too fast, baby. I told you I’m taking my time tonight,” he said before kissing your lips softly. Clearly frustrated, you pouted, making sure that even though you couldn’t see Kakashi, he could see your anger and frustration.

The next thing you knew, Kakashi’s soft lips were on your pussy, making you moan and writhe while he held your hips down-both of his arms around your thighs, making sure you weren’t going anywhere. “Ka-kakashi,” you moaned at the random sensation. While eating you out, Kakashi made sure he was hitting each and every sweet spot he could reach. He made sure to lick you up and down, swirl his tongue, and even write the alphabet while holding you down. “Kakashi--please, just fuck me,” you begged while practically on the verge of tears. They weren’t tears of pain, they were tears of pleasure-from the pleasure that was almost releasing again. Your moans were getting louder and louder. It would’ve been embarrassing that the workers and anbu could hear you, but you could care less. At least they knew that Kakashi was good in bed, and that you were Kakashi’s woman.

Nearing your orgasm, Kakashi pulled away again. Disappointed, you were about to whine and complain, but your tied wrists were pulled off the headboard of the bed. Kakashi had you on his lap, both of your wrists still tied together, wrapped around his neck. Both of your legs wrapped around his waist. Before you knew it, Kakashi had both your legs over his arms and was slowly guiding you down onto his throbbing cock. Filling you up, you moaned at how much you’d missed being stretched out by Kakashi’s cock. Guiding you slowly up and down on his cock, Kakashi kept whispering into your ear how you were such a good girl for listening to him, and that you were doing such a good job. He eventually picked up the pace, making you a loud mess. Each of your moans were met with his lips on yours-attempting to at least silence some moans.

After a few more thrusts, Kakashi lifted you off his cock, taking your arms and pinning them back up onto the headboard. Forcefully flipping you onto your knees, your ass in the air, giving Kakashi a perfect view of your core. Slapping one of your ass cheeks, Kakashi kissed the other while teasing your core with his cock. Whining and attempting to push yourself onto his throbbing huge cock, Kakashi disappeared off the bed and grabbed something from the nightstand again. “Open your mouth,” he demanded. Without hesitation, you opened your mouth and felt him put a finger in your mouth followed by a gag ball. Tying the back of the gag ball onto the back of your head, Kakashi returned behind you on the bed. Grabbing a fist full of your hair, Kakashi forced you to lift your head- making the perfect arch with your back. Within a second, Kakashi was pounding into you, making you moan against the gag ball-tears forming on the rim of your eyes. Kakashi kept pounding into you, harder and harder, bringing your orgasm closer and closer, again and again. A few more thrusts and you were sure your orgasm was going to come crashing down on you. Sensing that you were close, Kakashi took your wrists off the headboard, flipping you around while you were still on his cock. Still thrusting into you, slowly this time, he took the gag ball off your head, and put your tied wrists around his neck, taking you in missionary position. Kakashi wanted to see every part of you. Picking up the once slow pace, each and every thrust getting rougher and rougher, Kakashi was about to reach his limit as well.

You couldn’t say much, just whimpering Kakashi’s name here and there but moaning louder and louder with each thrust, being overstimulated by how fast and rough Kakashi was taking you. Kakashi wasn’t kissing you to silence your loud moans anymore. In fact, he was moaning against your skin as well, groaning and growling deeply while leaving bite marks into your skin. Each and every one of his thrusts getting sloppier and sloppier, but you could care less as Kakashi brought his hand to rub your clit to get you off faster and faster. You felt the fire inside you burning up higher and higher, your moans louder and louder. With the mixture of your sweat dripping bodies, Kakashi’s cock throbbing and thrusting inside you, and your mixed moans, your orgasm was reaching. It came as a small release but grew more and more. You clenched around Kakashi’s cock as you came, breathless and speechless. He was hitting your g-spot over and over, you couldn’t contain your orgasm anymore. Your release came as you pulled Kakashi’s body closer to yours. You squirmed under Kakashi as your high came and you couldn’t contain it anymore. You could feel Kakashi cum inside you as well, filling you up and his thrusts slowing as he rammed the last few thrusts into you. Meanwhile, Kakashi was busy worshipping the other body parts of yours, making your orgasm even more intense. As your body came down from the high, you couldn’t remember much, just that everything went black.

This fire inside of you, one that had been rekindled tonight by Kakashi Hatake, your husband. It felt so good to find a release as well. A real release-not one from a pillow, your fingers, or a vibrator. It felt miraculous, but you were unsure of what had happened after being overstimulated. You woke up to the feeling of warm towels rubbing against your inner thighs as Kakashi stood above you, taking care of your worn out body. “Hi, baby,” Kakashi whispered as he kissed you with a smile on his face. With a weak smile on your face you asked Kakashi what happened after you both came. He explained that you blacked out from being overstimulated, but that you were going to be okay since he was going to take care of you for the rest of the night. Carrying you to the bathroom, you realized that Kakashi had a hot bath ready for the both of you to clean yourselves off in. Laying your head on Kakashi’s chest behind you in the bathtub, you both spoke softly about how you thought Iruka and the boys were doing and imagining what they could possibly be doing at the time as well.

After drying off, you were reaching for your suitcase to find your pajamas to wear to sleep, but Kakashi insisted that you both forget clothes altogether and sleep naked. You didn’t mind, but were afraid that an anbu or employee would walk in and see you both sleeping naked. “It’s okay, baby,” Kakashi explained, “they won’t be bothering us unless we call for them.” Pulling you into his strong arms, hot bodies pressed together, you couldn’t remember the last time Kakashi and you had spent the night simply enjoying each other’s presence and truly making love instead of having a quickie. “Baby?” you asked Kakashi, looking up at him. “What is it, babe?” “What did Iruka mean when he said that maybe there’d be another one or two on the way?” you asked curiously. “Well...we’re going to be here for an entire week, beautiful. So that means that this is only round one,” he explained and chuckled as he saw your wide eyes realizing what Iruka meant by one or two more on the way. Trying to avoid any other surprises, you laid your head back onto Kakashi’s chest. After laughing to himself, Kakashi whispered a gentle “goodnight” before kissing your forehead as you dozed off to sleep, dreaming about the next few rounds that were bound to come.

[artsoupsoupart]

I don’t know if you’re doing prompts, but if you are.. Can you write a hicsqueak fic, please. A spell mishap of meddling young witches resulted in Cackle’s and Pentangle’s castles merging. Hecate and Pippa woke up on their now joint bed. Their wardrobe and chambers are merged too and it took them a whole week (maybe longer) to fix it and find the culprits. Thanks! Love your hicsqueak fics btw

It’s not exactly the prompt but I hope you enjoy it! Sorry it took so long, it’s been like 3 weeks but it kinda got out of hand lol! Also: I’m not not taking prompts, but I write slow so if anyone sends one, sorry if it takes a while to get it filled! 

Cacktangle’s Academy for Witchcraft and Wizardry 

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27270871 

“Lights out, girls,” Hecate bellows as she glides down the corridors. Around her, doors shut closed and lights turn off as young witches clad in matching pajamas scurry into their rooms from their friends’. Each one bids her goodnight (some more confidently than others), something that didn’t use to happen, and she can’t quite pinpoint when it had started. Perhaps she had gone soft in the last few years. Not that she necessarily minds. Anymore.

She’s just about finished with her rounds when one Azura Moon slips out of her door and wraps her arms around Hecate’s middle. 

“Good night, Miss Hardbroom” the girl says as she smiles, as wide as she ever does. Hecate still freezes at the contact she should be used to after two years (especially because Azura takes every opportunity to hug her and for some reason she just can’t tell the girl to stop) but she does eventually return the embrace, tapping the tips of her fingers against the girl’s shoulder, silently noting not for the first time how much taller she’s gotten. 

Then she’s turning the perpetually exuberant witch away from her and to her room. “Good night, Azura. And do tell Miss Jones she has precisely three seconds to return to her own room.” 

Hecate doesn’t even get the opportunity to begin her countdown when the other girl pokes her head out of the room with a sigh. Azura simply continues to smile as she hugs her friend and they part ways for the night. When the door shuts behind Azura, Hecate stops and listens. With Isabella securely in her room in the Citrine hall, the castle seems quite enough. Even Mildred is tucked away in her room, though she’s not sleeping by any means. But Hecate won’t disturb the girl tonight. Not when she knows Mildred has been staying up later and later to research witching colleges (a fact that brings the older witch a bit of joy). Instead, Hecate transfers directly to her rooms for the night. 

She takes extra care getting ready for bed. Her shower is hotter and filled with lavender essence. The last few showers had been quick spells after long, tiresome days and they definitely weren’t as satisfying. She chooses a softer, silkier nightgown and takes her time moisturizing. By the time she settles at her vanity to call Pippa, Hecate is relaxed and pliable and she begins brushing out her dark locks. 

“Good evening, darling,” Pippa grins through the mirror when it connects. She’s already lying in bed, propped against her plethora of pillows. Her hair is slightly wavy from being freshly washed and it fans out against the pink silk, her face free of makeup and her freckles on full display. This is perhaps Hecate's favorite Pippa, relaxed and serene, unencumbered of being headmistress and modern magic activist. She’s delicate in a way that she can’t be during waking hours and Hecate feels a bit of pride at being one of few who has gotten to see her this way. 

"Evening, Pippa," Hecate smirks. "You look comfortable." 

The blonde snorts and launches into the events of her day. The tale is one filled with students who could stand to be more observant, mischievous fae friends, and strict council members. All things Pippa had had to deal with more or less by herself due to her deputy being otherwise preoccupied in securing more scholarships for next year. 

"But that's all in the past, Hiccup. I'm already better," the blonde breathes out. "Tell me about your day, darling." 

As Hecate recalls about her day, she notices the glassy, dreamy look that passes over Pippa’s eyes. That look that lets her know that while the blonde is definitely still listening, she’s daydreaming, most likely about her hair. Pippa has always been weird about Hecate’s hair. Smitten. That’s the look. Hecate now knows that she saw this look many, many times when they were teens and she’s been on the receiving end of the look more times that she can count since they’ve started dating, but it still makes her heart flutter. 

“I love brushing your hair,” Pippa mumbles. It’s as if she just let out a secret as tanned cheeks blush a brilliant red and the blonde looks away from the mirror. 

“Yes, I know you do,” Hecate says, as casually as she can manage. 

“I would do it every night if I could,” she says, referring to brushing. It only makes Hecate smile wider and she reminds her that while that would be fantastic, they have other responsibilities that prevent that. The petulant look on Pippa’s face is almost comical as she huffs and pouts. Hecate simply placates her that she’ll be able to do so when she visits, whenever time allows. The two go on to talk in soft hushed tones as Hecate herself settles into bed for the night, falling asleep together without ending their call. 

Meanwhile, back in the Ruby corridor, two very awake and very excited witches sit in front of their mirror, whispering away to their friend. 

“Come on, Izzy! Think of it! Addy is going to be at Pentangle’s most of the time. And we’re going to be here. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just open our wardrobe and boom? We’re there or she’s here.” 

The redhead purses her lips in thought. The Addy in questions has hope in her eyes as she holds up the spell they can do to essentially make a portal connecting the two rooms. It’s restricted use of magic but it would be nice to visit whenever they wanted. “Okay, fine! What do we do?” 

So, they set to work. Addy lists off the ingredients and directions while Azura mixes them together. Izzy then takes the combination of ingredients and crawls into the wardrobe. 

“We should put in a clause! That no other people here or at Pentangle’s can find the door.” 

“Especially, HB.” 

“Oh yeah, she’d go bats.” 

So, they add a few lines to the spell and with slightly shaky hands, Izzy closes her eyes and begins the spell. Her hands trace the back panel of the closet and then she knocks three times. All three girls wait and wait and wait, confused until the light pulls at the edge and a new door forms. 

“It worked! We did it!” Azura whisper-squeals before crawling through the new door.

Hecate wakes slowly as her alarm charm tings to life at 6 AM. With eyes still closed she lifts a hand to silence the charm, breathing deeply and stretching like a cat, back arched and limbs straight. And suddenly there is a set of arms and legs, warm and secure around her own body. Her eyes shoot open. She stiffens. She wants to panic immediately. A voice in her head that sounds suspiciously like a certain blonde tells her to Breathe, Hecate. Assess. Her gaze looks down to the hands now around her middle. Pink nails, tanned arms. Pippa? 

“Pippa?” She questions out loud, voice still raspy from sleep. And then she turns as gently as she can. It doesn’t stop her from startling the blonde, whose hazel eyes fly open as she lets out a high-pitched squeak. 

“Hiccup?!” The blonde puts a bit of space between them, chest heaving as she stares at her. “What are you doing in my bed?” 

“Your bed? Pippa, you are in my bedroom.” 

Pippa looks around, gathering her bearings, surprised that she is in fact not in her own bed, or even her own room. So many of her things, however, are perfectly placed. Her soft pink silk pillows differ greatly with Hecate’s deep burgundy duvet. Her creme bedside chair had made it to the room. Her favorite blanket and the plush donut Hecate won at the All Hallows’ Eve festival the year before sits on said chair. Her jewelry box and makeup reside on Hecate’s otherwise bare vanity. It’s as if she’s moved in overnight. 

“I don’t understand.” 

“Neither. Do. I.” Hecate’s brows are furrowed as she looks around. “But we’re going to find out.” 

With that, Hecate throws on her leather robe. She pauses briefly to hand Pippa one of her others, opening the wardrobe to find it clustered with bright sky blues and soft pinks. Light washed jeans that increase to pairs of black leather are neatly hung. There’s pumps and sneakers and flip flops in just about every color. It’s as if her wardrobe has been split right down the middle, the two sides now contrasting so vibrantly. One being a rainbow of color and the other darker and subdued. Hecate’s eyes almost bulge out of her head, but Pippa silently places a hand on her shoulder as she reaches for her own robe in the wardrobe. 

As a habit, Pippa slips her fingers between Hecate’s and all but drags her from the bedroom. The living space is even more spliced than the bedroom with the large windows from Pentangles’ front and center letting in the bit of sunlight that has already started to peak through the morning clouds. It stops them both in their tracks, but Hecate quickly recovers. They don’t have time to dwell on just how strange this is. They have to figure out what’s going on and fast. 

They twist and turn through the castle until they reach an equally distraught Ada, who is attempting to calm a fuming Miss Tapioca, whose kitchen is now cluttered with items from the other school and arranged differently. Hecate and Pippa cautiously approach when the familiar faced teachers arrive. Dimity rounds the corner with Abigail, Pentangle’s fitness witch. Peter and Christopher, the flying instructor and librarian, arrive with Theodore Daisy and Lavinia Crotchet, Cackle's new chanting instructor. Soon the entirety of both staffs are ushered into the Teacher’s lounge, which unsurprisingly has also been combined with the one at Pentangle’s. 

“Did anyone cast any renovation spells recently, any chants?” Ada asks when Hecate finally gets the room to quiet. 

All the teachers shake their heads in unison. 

"No, a staff member didn't do this.” Hecate says, eyes squinted in thought. “A student did. The magic, while definitely strong is highly simple and misguided." "Well then," Ada starts, "we need to find the stu-" 

An eruption of chatter and a knock at the office door stops the headmistress in her tracks. Hecate flicks her wrist to reveal Mildred with the rest of the sixth years behind her. Surely the other young witches are not far away. 

"Miss Cackle," Mildred stumbles inside, eyes wide and confused. "I woke up early because I just know we're going to have a pop quiz in advanced myths and legends, and I got out of bed and Melinda Merriweather from Pentangle's was in my room! And her things. Her bed, her posters, her clothing. Everything." 

"Mildred Hubble," Hecate begins. The girl starts to say something, but the witch holds up her hand. "All students are to report to the field. Pentangle's and Cackle's, organized by year and name." 

Mildred's mouth drops open, but she simply nods instead of rebutting. Perhaps she has learned something in her two years as head girl. Ever the lead, Mildred turns around and addresses her fellow classmates and the girls shuffle outside. It's loud and the lines will definitely not be neat, but Hecate has at least bought the two staffs a bit of time to devise a solution. 

"So, the whole school has been, what? Merged?" Pippa asks. 

"It would seem so." Hecate flexes her fingers in thought. "We'll have to do a thorough inspection, but with the amount of merging that seems to have happened it might take weeks to undo." 

Dimity, who had been watching the girls file out to the field, adds, "It could take months." 

The entire room stops. Eyes searching eyes for some type of hope that it doesn't take months to restore order. 

"Well," Ada tries to smile, "Let's hope that's not the case. Now, let’s quickly find a solution for today. Those students can’t stand outside forever.” 

It takes all of five minutes for the headmistresses and deputies to quickly form a plan. The students will be given a free day of no classes while the staff members catalogue the damage done, that is after they find the perpetrators. Then they’ll decide how to best proceed in educating their students. They are, after all, witching (and wizarding) academies first. 

With a plan for the witches and wizards, the teachers file outside after casting freshening spells and changing their clothes. Pippa and her deputy address the Pentangle’s students and let them in on the details of what’s happening. Hecate, though, immediately turns on her strict and scary facade (though she’s quite pleased at how well the girls have followed direction. She wants to praise them, but now is not the time). 

"Mildred Hubble?” She stands in front of the girl, brow raised. 

“It wasn’t me, Miss Hardbroom. I promise! I haven’t caused any trouble in months. Promise!” 

Hecate squints her eyes at the teenager. The deputy head scans the lines of girls, eyes blazing. Some cower, some look utterly bored. She turns to the next trio of suspicion. Beatrice, Sybil, and Clarice all shake their heads when her eyes land on them. No, not them. Hecate lifts her head, sniffing the wind as a lioness to her prey. Her feet lead her to where the third years have lined up. Head tilted; she walks the line. Walks and walks until she stops right in front of the exact girls, bending down slowly to meet them eye to eye. 

“Azura Moon and Isabella Jones.” 

“We’re sorry, Miss Hardbroom.” The young redhead blurts out immediately. For once, Azura, the perpetually cheerful girl, looks positively stricken with fear. “We didn’t mean to merge the booth schools. Just our doors. Like Narnia.” 

“We just wanted to see Addy.” Azura interjects. 

The girls talk in tandem, explaining their reasoning. Adelaide cautiously takes her place by the girls, with Pippa in tow. All the while Hecate grows more and more red, her back straightening to her tallest height. 

“Silence!” She hisses as her eyes blaze into the three very shocked, very scared third years. Had this been another time, perhaps a few years ago, Hecate thinks she would simply snap. Instead, she lets the steam shoot from her ears and lets out a stiff breath. Pippa’s doing. With clipped words and fire still in her eyes, she continues. “Azura Moon. Isabella Jones. And Adelaide Peppercorn. You three will have detention every day until this is fixed.” 

Azura opens her mouth to speak but thinks differently when Miss Hardbroom’s piercing cold eyes snap to her. “Get ready for the day. Breakfast will be served early, and every student must return to their newly merged room until Headmistress Cackle and Headmistress Pentangle formulate a solution. No student will be caught outside of their room without permission lest they want to join these three in detention.” 

And with that, the Cackle’s witches were dismissed, shuffling away with the softest whispers. Pippa then dismisses the Pentangle’s students, who follow the others inside. 

“Well, I suppose we should join the students for breakfast and then take inventory of the damage.” Ada says. 

Breakfast is.... a struggle to say the least, but they manage it well enough. Miss Tapioca and Miss Cassava have their spats resulting in a mix of a meal. There’s a mix of cold oats and bright fruits. None of the dishes match, which Miss Tapioca scowls at in disgust. The now enlarged Great Hall luckily added the necessary tables and even extended the teacher’s table to sit everyone, so they’re not strapped for space. The hall is buzzing with chatter as some of the young teens fawn over being with their friends, others over the wizards they’ll be sharing space with for the foreseeable future with. (A message will have to be sent out to the parents. There will definitely be quite a few upset families). Hecate has half a mind to punish everyone and make the students eat separately and in total silence but her own thoughts of how to separate the two schools overtake disciplining at the moment. 

After breakfast, the students are all sent to their rooms and the staff begins their inspection. Most of the classrooms are heavily bound together. The bedrooms too. The only rooms that can realistically be separated sooner rather than later surprisingly seem to be the storage rooms. Everything else will take at least a week, some more. Even some wards from Pentangle’s have replicated themselves at Cackle’s, making some of their own unstable. It’ll take well over a week to reverse those. 

The stress of the situation radiates off the blonde, but she gives Hecate no chance to comfort her, choosing instead to fully delve into the title of headmistress. But Hecate knows it’s clawing at her to see her school not be her school. Pippa and her deputy depart soon after a plan is made to begin the separation to check on the Pentangle’s location. In the meantime, Hecate busies herself with potions needed to fix the wards. 

Pippa rings about two hours later and to the untrained eye she looks reasonably and understandably stressed. But Hecate notices the red that rims her eyes, the way her mouth is down turned. There’s a brittleness to her voice. She knows Pippa won’t let it show (she never does) but the blonde is positively devastated.  

“At least the young wizards’ rooms aren’t combined with the girls. It’ll be easy to get them back to Pentangle’s when the time comes.” Pippa attempts to find some silver lining of this situation before she informs them that they’re headed back. The subtle wobble in her voice doesn’t go unnoticed to Hecate. Had she had the time, she’d call her privately, let her cry and rant and feel. Instead, she has three third years in detention to attend to. 

Azura, Isabella, and Adelaide arrive to the potions’ lab five minutes before Hecate. They’re seated at the cauldrons, with guilty faces. The dark witch materializes at her desk in the middle of the room, the palms of her hands planted on the spokes of her chair. 

“Open your witches’ code.” She speaks lowly. Knowing this punishment will last at least a week, she’ll start their disciplining simple enough. For every code they broke, the girls will write and rewrite and rewrite line after line until it’s memorized. Then she’ll figure some other punishment, perhaps a particularly challenging potion. Either way, she’s certain they’ll never use magic so recklessly again. 

When she returns to her rooms after detention and bedtime rounds, Hecate is both shocked and pleased to see Pippa already there. But her heart immediately breaks when she sees her sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, staring off into space as if she’s lost in thought. 

“Pippa?” 

The blonde turns to her, tears hanging just off the edge of her eyes. Though the room isn’t very large, Hecate transfers right to Pippa, pulling her against her chest. Pippa’s breath shudders. No tears fall, Pippa’s holding back the urge to fully sob. Hecate holds her tighter when she feels her press her nose to her neck, puffs of air hot against it. Pippa’s body shakes and shudders but she never lets the tears come, something worries Hecate immensely. 

“Pippa,” Hecate tries again. She receives a small shake of her head, so they sit there silently until Pippa mumbles that she’s ready to go to bed. 

The next morning Pippa is as bright as she can be, refusing to talk about the situation outside of what needs to be done. For the rest of the week, the two schools attempt to find some sort of common ground. For the most part, they can continue as they normally would. Some classes have been combined. Dimity and Abigail have a blast sharing exercises for the students while Lavinia and Pippa mesh together traditional and modern chants. Others are left as they were before, something that relieves a bit of Hecate’s stress as she doesn’t have to share her classroom or curriculum. They continue on and slowly, day by day, something gets undone and returned back to its proper place. 

...

Wednesday morning breakfast announcements the next week begin with a chiming of bells. Cackle’s is full of life in a way it has never been before. Students in purple vests file in next to witches in grey dresses, chatting a mile a minute even at the early hour as they pile oats and fruit into their bowls. The setup of the great hall is awkward and a bit too crowded, but surprisingly it’s been an easy adjustment. The easiest parts of Pentangle’s have been returned to their proper place. Spells and potions have been brewed for the corners. The two schools have only been joined for six days, but they’re working like a semi well-oiled machine. Each morning Ada or Pippa announce what part of the school has been returned and an estimate of their time remaining. It’s not much of one as they try to keep hope alive but not too high. Only a few of the students have been caught sneaking out to the wizards’ corridors and vice versa, joining Azura, Isabella and Adelaide in detention. 

Pippa is just finishing her announcements when someone from the crowd interjects, “But, Miss Pentangle, what about movie night?” 

“It was supposed to be this Friday,” another little wizard steps forward to say. 

“Oh,” Pippa starts, stumbling in surprise. “Well, I suppose we will just have to postpone the movie night until we return to Pentangle’s.” 

Every single wizard and witch from the modern academy groans in disappointment. It radiates throughout the room as the Cackles’ girls’ mouth “movie night?” at each other. 

“I know you all were looking forward to it, but good witches and wizards always look for the bright prospect in gloomy situations. A postponement is not a cancellation.” Pippa reminds them. That gets them nodding and some even try to convince their friends that it’s alright, but the atmosphere in the great hall is discontented and unhappy as students file off to classes for the day. 

Hecate transfers directly to the potions’ laboratory when breakfast ends, checking the supplies. Between practically doubling the amount of ingredients used in class for both schools and the amount necessary for the separation, each ingredient must be heavily inspected and accounted for. Her back is turned to the young first year witches who dutifully take their places at their cauldrons when she overhears one mention how unfortunate it is that Pentangle’s can’t have their movie night. Another agrees in a soft whisper. What causes her ears to perk is when one of her students mentions Pippa and how the headmistress seemed just as disappointed as her students. Normally, she wouldn’t give such gossip a second thought, but she can’t help but question how Pippa is feeling after having to console her more than once. 

And they’re right. Pippa has been off kilter since announcing the postponing of their school wide movie night. Hecate definitely remembers the blonde gushing about how fantastical it would be a few weeks ago. They had been on a mirror call and the blonde had gone on and on about popped corn and fizzy drinks and a movie or two projected outside, under the stars. 

Hecate enters Pippa’s office after detention, tapping on the open door. 

“Pippa, you need to rest.” 

Unbeknownst to many people, Pippa is a worrier. She’d like to be known as the put together, awe inspiring super witch many have made her out to be, but the truth is she stresses more than she would ever let on. She had worried herself sick when applying for Weirdsister’s. Every competition, every presentation, every speech she’s ever had to give has been rewritten, rehearsed, and regurgitated to perfection. Because she is Perfect Pippa and right now Perfect Pippa’s perfect academy is a jumbled mess.

“My school, Hiccup,” her eyes water just as they did the first night. This time, though, they streak down her face, the dam finally broken. 

The brunette kneels at Pippa’s feet, taking her hands in her own. “Your school isn’t a building, Pipsqueak. You know that.” 

The blonde nods, “I know.” 

“And you know you’re doing the best you can to still adequately provide for every student and faculty member.” She goes on to say. Pippa nods again. “It’s not just you who has to fix this and it’s not your fault.” 

Pippa sighs and presses a hand to a pale cheek. “Between waking up here and seeing Pentangle’s empty, like a dismembered puzzle and just having to figure things out I...” she trails off, a lump in her throat and tears welling up once more.

Hecate raises up to grab a few of the light pink tissues in the desk. She brushes away tears that threaten to drip down Pippa’s chin and hands the blonde a couple more. “It’s alright. You can’t let yourself take on all of the responsibility, Pippa.” 

Then she smiles. It’s watery and sad, but Pippa smiles and Hecate thinks perhaps it’s the first time she’s seen a true one in days. “When did you become the sensible one?” 

Hecate scoffs, “I always have been.” And with that, she presses the smallest and sweetest kiss to the hand that is still clutched in her own. The one against her cheek guides her forward for a real kiss. The dark witch finally convinces Pippa to leave her office, to return to their room and rest just a bit. They sit in silence, curled together on the couch before Hecate must take her leave to ensure every witch and wizard are in bed. 

During her nightly rounds, Hecate takes the stairs to the old but still familiar room in the tower. She silently greets the bats that hover outside before transferring into the room unannounced. 

“Mildred Hubble,” Hecate begins, startling the girl who had been studying. “I require your assistance. Report to the potions’ lab after classes tomorrow.” She raises her hand to transfer away but she pauses. “And do bring Miss Spellbody, Miss Hallow and Miss Foxglove.” Then she’s gone, leaving a stunned Mildred, mouth in a small “O”. 

The next afternoon, after classes have finished for the day, Mildred finds herself leading Maud, Ethel, and Felicity down the corridors of Cacktangle’s. She already feels her head throbbing after trying to convince a still skeptical Ethel that she wasn’t trying to play a prank on her. Though, she should get her back for the soap incident that may or may not have happened in the Pentangle’s pool a few days before. She puts it on her mental to-do list. (Just because they’re older and fight with each other less doesn’t mean they can’t play a few tricks every now and then). 

“And Miss Hardbroom didn’t tell you why she needed us,” Ethel asks — well, states — for the tenth time. 

“No, she just said to bring you,” she sighs, growing more and more frustrated with the blonde. 

“Weird. Miss Hardbroom always has a reason for whatever she wants,” Ethel mutters to herself. “Are you sure?” 

“Ethel! Why would I lie about Miss Hardbroom needing us?” Mildred tries her hardest not to shout as she pushes open the door to reveal a potions’ lab littered with small bags for popcorn and candy and sugary drinks. Isabella is cutting red and yellow card stock while Azura twines on little twist-ties around baggies filled with lollipops and bubble gum. In another corner, Adelaide is taking inventory of the beverages. Hecate is in the back of the lab, finger pointed as she checks off item after item on a piece of paper, and she looks up when she hears the girls gasp in shock. 

Without wasting a second, Hecate puts Felicity on movie duty, her maglet instantly unlocked as she tracks down the topmost popular movies and activities for the uninterested. Ethel, having just mastered a penmanship spell, is set to work on signs and labels. Maud and Mildred are sent to round up any and every spare blanket, comforter, and pillow for their guests. 

Detention (or extra tutoring as most consider it but would never let Hecate know) normally lasts an hour. When Hecate had gone to dismiss the girls, saying they’d rather help, she’s shocked that they refused and continued going on. They continue for another two hours until they’re finished. It’s a gesture she’s not sure she’s really received from anyone outside of Pippa, Ada and the Cackle’s staff, this extra voluntary assistance. Hecate definitely isn’t one to ask for help outright. So, they stay until it’s time to ready for bed. The potions’ teacher shuffles the girls, who are both exhausted and buzzing with excitement, off to their rooms. 

Hecate is just about to transfer away when Azura calls her name. The instant she turns, head high and brows raised in question, she’s enveloped in that familiar hug again. 

When the girl pulls away, she sports a sleepy smile after she yawns into her elbow. “It’s really cool of you to give the Pentangle's students their movie night.” She giggles at the pinched expression on Hecate’s face before skipping back into her room with a soft but cheery “Good night, Miss Hardbroom.” 

Breakfast on Friday morning is quiet, none of the Pentangle’s students are very talkative. They're all still upset of their postponed movie night. There had been talk that there would still be one as most were skeptical of Felicity and her inquiries the day before but since word hadn’t come from any of the teachers, the students shrugged it off as Felicity simply being an aspiring journalist. Had she not been so utterly exhausted the night before; Hecate would have told Pippa and they would have had an announcement at the ready. Instead, she had showered and brushed out her hair before slipping into the warmth of the bed that's only been increased by the presence of an extra body. She still has some last minute preparations to do before the first class begins (and to tell Ada -- something she had neglected to do in her haste) so instead she'll just have to announce the movie night at lunch. 

The time rolls around and she stands from the teacher's table and walks to the front, following slightly behind Ada. Pippa had been obviously confused when she had walked away with an almost ominous smile. Everyone grows silent and suddenly Hecate is transported to the countless amounts of times she had been forced to speak in front of her peers. Her palms sweat. The unnoticeable tendrils of hair that have fallen from her bun tickle at her neck. But like then, she looks out to the crowd and finds confused hazel eyes waiting for hers and she breathes easier. 

Ada starts with a sweet “Good morning, everyone” and then launches into a reminder that Pentangle’s magical maze is still off limits as it continues to change every hour instead of every Friday, making it very easy for any and everyone to get lost. She then turns to Hecate for their special announcement. 

She sniffs, tilting her head upward, “All students will be excused from their final periods in order to prepare for,” Hecate pauses for effect. “Special cinematic viewings of select entertainment beginning at 6 pm.” 

There’s chatter instantly which Hecate lets go on as she steps down from the stage and back over to the teachers’ table. 

“Hecate, did you?” Pippa starts to say. 

“I don’t know what you’re referring to.” 

“You did!” The blonde’s eyes brighten and glaze over slightly. She drops her voice. “That’s why you were working late last night. Oh, Hecate you didn’t have to.” 

With shoulders high and a smile, she tries not to let show, Hecate says “Yes, well...” 

There’s absolute hearts in Pippa’s eyes. She leans closer to Hecate who tries her hardest to keep a neutral expression when she says, “Remind me to kiss you silly later.”

The school vibrates with energy after lunch. While most of the Pentangles students are out for the day (Hecate still finds Pippa’s insistence of having four day weeks strange) the halls are cluttered, and excitement is in the air. Cackle’s has never had a movie night. Hecate can recall previous students mention is once or twice, but she’s sure she had always turned down the idea with a stern look and a hissing denial.

Now, however, she’s sitting on a blush pink plush quilt on the grass as the sun sets, behind over one hundred students, waiting for the blonde to return from the makeshift concessions. Pippa had known she’d want a bit of their privacy and picked a near perfect spot. The nearest students happen to be Mildred and company and even they are well out of earshot. Dimity and Abigail are to the other side, though they’re a bit less covered in shadows. 

There were supposed to be only two movies shown before curfew began, but Hecate had been convinced by more than one student and staff member for just one more. She folded. It’s not like she’d be watching it anyway. She had already sat through two supposed classics, one being about a group of teen witches dabbling in dark magic with no thought of the repercussions and thus reaping what they sow. When the second movie had ended she turned to a very comfortable Pippa, who had been laying against her side at the back of the audience and asked if she could transfer them. Now they’re taking the final stairs to the top of a quiet tower. 

“What will the students think?”  

Hecate rolls her eyes at the playful tone, “I am a very powerful witch, Pippa. The students wouldn’t dare say anything to me. They’d have to be worried for an entirely different reason.” 

“Oh? You would finally pretend to be the big, bad potions’ mistress you aspire to be?” 

They exit the door to the tower, high up with the stars when Hecate pulls Pippa to her, nose to nose. “I do not pretend. I am all that you say and more.” She takes Pippa’s breath away, who melts against her embrace. Pippa wouldn’t have even looked away had it not been for Hecate’s own urging her to look around. Red candles outline the group of fluffy pillows, a darker burgundy blanket and darker plush blankets are scattered around for when the wind gets to be too much. There’s wine and dessert and the twinkling stars in the night sky. Hecate twirls her hand and the soft melody of a timeless chant begins to play around them.

The couple settle against the pillows, making themselves comfortable. Hecate pulls Pippa close, one arm around her middle and the other resting on her thigh. They laugh together in hushed tones as to not give away their location. Pippa keeps her promise to kiss her girlfriend silly and Hecate almost, just almost, concedes to sleeping atop the tower for just one night Hiccup, please? They don’t, though she does let Pippa lean against her as she rests for a few precious minutes before transferring them to their shared room. ... One late afternoon, after almost three weeks of domesticated life, Hecate sits at the desk in her rooms, marking the last few fourth year quizzes feeling... different. She’s not as tired as she normally would be. She hasn’t even taken a wide awake potion in maybe a week even with the amount of magic she has expended in the separation process. Her mouth isn’t down turned in a frown at the missed questions and miscalculated math. She’s lighter, and her heart beats a little stronger, a little faster in time. Hecate realizes perhaps for the first time in a very long time that she’s more than content, she’s tranquil. 

Hecate is lost in this thought when Pippa breezes through the door with a smile and small skip, her ponytail swinging happily behind her. As always, Pippa greets a lounging Morgana and a stoic Artemis before she primly sits on Hecate’s lap in an attempt to not wrinkle her dress (though she is done for the day) with a greeting and a kiss, arms sliding around her neck. She nuzzles her nose against Hecate’s temple as the brunette returns her embrace and it’s the most natural thing Hecate thinks she’s ever done before. Because it’s become so normal. It’s second nature, like brewing a levitation potion. Pippa, not surprisingly being headmistress, works longer days than Hecate and while she has always greeted her in this manner, the hugs and kisses seem better, warmer, just right.  

She can’t have this forever, she knows. Pentangle’s is almost back to normal and then Pippa will be off again, and they’ll be distance lovers once more, meeting when they can. It tugs at Hecate’s heart that eventually she won’t wake to warm puffs of breath against her neck. That she won’t fall asleep to Pippa’s gentle snores. She won’t have to set out an extra mug for tea. The laundry will decrease, dishes too, and she’ll be left to her own devices. 

“Hecate, darling, are you alright?” Pippa voice pulls Hecate out of her thoughts. 

The brunette nods her head. “Just thinking.” 

Pippa hums softly, “About what?”  

Could she be completely and totally honest? Why not? It’s Pippa. She’s Pippa’s girlfriend (though she abhors the word) and who else could she be honest with.  

“I’ll miss this.” 

Pippa softens, holds her a little closer. She readjusts on Hecate’s lap, soft smile on her lips. “I’ll miss it too, darling. So, we should enjoy it while we can.” … Ada and Hecate had been sitting in the headmistress’s office the next day, chatting numbers over tea when there’s a knock at the door. Hecate stands and flicks the door open to reveal Adelaide, Azura, and Isabella with Mildred behind them. The older girl gently nudges them forward and when they give her an apprehensive look at Mildred, she just gives them a more confident one back. Hecate raises a questioning brow, noticing how the younger girls shift from foot to foot, fingers twirling around their sashes. 

Azura steels herself and turns to Ada and Hecate with her head high. “Izzy, Addy and I want to lead a project to properly sendoff everyone from Pentangle’s.” “And to apologize again for the mess we caused.” Isabella adds while Adelaide nods her head in agreement. 

Mildred steps in, “They’ve got a plan for music and food and decorations.” She pushes Adelaide forward. The younger girl shuffles to Ada and Hecate, waving her hand to produce a booklet of plans only three fourteen year olds could produce. 

She and Ada look over it. It’s not a horrible itinerary, some things will have to be changed and adjusted for practical reasons but for the most part it’s doable. Hecate has to stop herself from giving them too positive a reaction. They can’t know she’s proud. Not yet at least. 

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Miss Cackle sweetly smiles at them. The girls brighten instantly, looking to each other as if they had had their fingers crossed in hope. 

And thus, begins the preparation for a farewell dance. Like preparing for the movie night the previous week, Mildred, Maud, Ethel, and Felicity join Hecate and the girls during detention to assist. There’s decorations prepared and stored away, menus to give to Miss Tapioca and Miss Cassava, and posters and fliers to hang up though Felicity’s post on her blog will no doubt spread the news fast enough. (In fact, the girl had known about it before Mildred even asked if she wanted to help. Hecate still doesn’t know how she does it.) 

Instead of transferring to her room when she and the girls had finished, she finds herself tapping on Pippa’s still present and ever open office door. For some reason, Pippa’s office has been one of the most difficult places to return to Pentangles, coming second to the ever changing maze. The pink witch looks up above her equally pink reading glasses and instantly smiles. 

“I’ve almost finished this last page. I promise, darling.” 

Hecate takes her place in the chair across from the desk, a flippant hand waving away the promise. “No need to rush.” 

They exchange a brief gaze before Pippa silently returns to whatever paper she was reading. One minute passes. And then another. And then another. Hecate has to stop herself from tapping her foot as the minutes tick by. Her eyes study Pippa. The way her lip is caught between her teeth, her nose scrunched ever so slightly as if something doesn’t make sense. Earlier her hair had been pinned up into a low chignon bun at the nape of her neck. She must have taken it down when classes had ended as it’s now in a slightly higher ponytail. Her matching jacket hangs on the back of her chair. 

The brunette is still studying her when Pippa looks up and finally removes her glasses, fingers already pressed to the bridge of her nose. 

“There’ll be a farewell dance at the end of the week,” Hecate bluntly states. 

“Yes, I heard! It’s supposed to be a fabulous event, you know.” The lift in her voice lets Hecate know the woman’s being playful. 

The brunette hums as she leans forward, fingers tapping against the quartz paperweight on the desk. “Indeed, it is. Of course, as headmistress and deputy of our two academies we’ll be expected to attend.” 

“Hecate Hardbroom, are you asking me to be your date to the farewell dance?” Pippa bats her lashes and props her head against her hand, a silly but pleased smile playing on her lips. 

“I was attempting to be modest, Pippa. Perhaps some sly wizard got to you first” she jokingly says with a roll of her eyes but then looks expectantly at her. 

“And I would turn down each one for you.” Finally, the blonde stands from her desk, smile still perfectly in place as she reaches for Hecate with one hand and flicks the door closed and shut with the other. “I’m done here, transfer us, darling?” 

“With pleasure.” ... The night of the Farewell celebration, Hecate is a ball of nerves and she can’t really say why. Sure, Pentangle’s and Cackles have been perfectly separated. There’s spare rooms still in place for everyone to sleep in for the night but otherwise they’ll return to normalcy in the morning. She should be happy, and a part of her is. But another dreads the silence that will come when they’re officially two separate schools again. She doesn’t think Cackle’s should be coed but teaching young wizards had been a pleasure she hadn’t expected. The food might lose its flare. The halls will be less congested. There’ll be no Pippa. That really grates at her nerves as they silently ready to the sounds of Pippa’s modern chanting records. 

“Zip me?” Pippa asks, already turning her back to Hecate who silently slides the zipper up and up and up. 

“You look beautiful, Pippa.” 

The blonde smiles brilliantly as she puts the back on her earring, turning to Hecate. “As do you, darling.” At the risk of ruining both of their lipsticks, she presses a light kiss to her lips. “Now, let’s go before we’re late.” 

“We could just not go.” 

“Hecate,” Pippa almost scolds. 

The brunette rolls her eyes as she smirks. “Fine, fine.” And they take their leave, twisting and turning down corridors that no longer have large modern windows to the great hall. 

The room sparkles with warm yellow lights. Students are already dancing to whatever pumping beat is playing. Hecate immediately shifts into chaperone mode, finding a place on the wall that she can see the entirety of the room. Ada joins her for a moment while Pippa goes off to mingle with the students and staff, but for the most part she’s alone as she listens and watches, scanning the room for sneaky young witches and wizards. Azura, Adelaide, and Isabella stop to bring her cookies they know she won’t eat but are really hoping she does. She nibbles at one of the plainer ones as she spies Mildred on the dance floor, her movements still as clumsy as they had been years ago. 

The night goes on and some begin to take their leave when Hecate finally moves from her spot, transferring across the room. 

“Dance with me?” Hecate asks as she appears next to Pippa. The blonde doesn’t flinch like she used to when the brunette would unexpectedly transfer next to her, Hecate notices with a quirk of her lip. 

“I’ve been waiting all night for you to ask me that,” the blonde beams, hand reaching for Hecate’s before leading her out to the dance floor. 

A Hecate before would have never put herself on such display, a thought that is ridiculous to her now. She loves dancing, has always loved twirling and stepping around a dance floor, her dress flaring at her ankles. But for years she prevented herself from being the center of attention, hating the eyes on her. With Pippa, dancing is even better. She holds and is held closer, tighter. Their steps are synchronized to perfection. They’re cheek to cheek and the students and staff fade to the far distance of her mind leaving just her and her Pippa. 

“Marry me?” Hecate asks softly in Pippa’s ear. It’s not exactly how Hecate pictured she’d propose, without the roses and the low light and the ambiance. Perhaps she should have done it the week before when they were alone atop the tower. 

Pippa is speechless. Absolutely and fantastically speechless. But also, she isn’t. She has been waiting for this day since who knows when. She has been hoping that would happen sooner rather than later. Perhaps sooner rather than later meant well over thirty years. They’re standing still when she looks into Hecate’s eyes and she pulls them away. Away from young ears and the gazes that don’t even know the question asked. Pippa drags her away until they’re alone and she can breathe and make sure this is real. “You don’t think we’re moving too fast? I mean, we’ve only been together for-“ 

“One year, six months, two weeks, four days, five hours and,” Hecate takes the moment to open the time piece hanging from her neck. “Twenty six minutes.” Pippa, as stunned as ever, asks through a small chuckle, “Why do you know that?” 

The brunette shrugs as if everyone knows exactly when they made things official, fair skin deepening to a full blush. “I’d tell you the seconds but I’m sure I stopped breathing when you said yes the first time.” 

Pippa loses her own breath. Curse Hecate and her way with words. She doesn’t think she can breathe without this dark-haired, even darker eyed beauty. So, she kisses her. Pippa kisses Hecate until they are both gasping and out of breath. “Yes, yes I’ll marry you.” 

The brunette grins, beams. And they kiss. And something about this feels like a next step. Something about this feels final. Something about this feels right. Like forever.

[comfyswitcherblanketfort]

Snowed In pt 2

I’m SHOCKED by how well Snowed In went over with y’all... like WOW 

Thank you!

Listen I was gonna go somewhere else with this (still might if anyone is interested) but I couldn’t resist getting all up in Geralt’s head. 

part one right here

Warnings: None fam. idk what to even call this? does it qualify as fluff?

__________

By the time Geralt had come back from the barn you were asleep in the middle of the bed. He’d spent a little extra time talking to Roach and making sure Beau’s tail wasn’t one long dread lock but he was still surprised you had gone to sleep so quickly.

He found himself smiling in relief when he noticed your eyes darting about beneath your eyelids, a deep sleep he hadn’t seen from you in weeks. Instead of going to bed and risking waking you, he sat cross-legged in front of the fire and took a deep breath. 

He could almost hear his instructor’s voice in his head even all these years later, “Sit comfortably” Impossible. “Slow your breathing” I might as well hold my breath “Let your thoughts pass without question. Even the odd ones. You can’t cease thinking, but you can tune out the nonsense.” My usual nonsense is somewhere on the other side of the pass chattering away to someone else. 

Despite his newfound lack of distractions, he couldn’t quite clear his mind. He kept thinking about how you fit so comfortably against his chest as he held you; how you’d asked him to stay with you and how you leaned into his touch. Your trust in him was what confused him the most. You’d drawn every horrible detail of his wrongdoings out of him, every last shameful word, some he hadn't even told Jaskier, yet you still let his hands near your neck. 

He took another deep breath, focusing on the pace instead of his thoughts. In, two, three, four, five, six. Out, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…

Then there was the way your face had melted in concern at his words as he left. Your innocence and empathy never failed to surprise him, even after months of traveling and hunting. You had no reason, no right to treat him with the softness you did, even if it was thinly veiled in hostility. He had tried to push you away, but you had wormed your way under his armor and made a home there.

Stop it. Breathe.

But you wouldn’t let him be, or he wouldn’t let you be. He couldn’t tell anymore. You, the gritty, brave, and ever so vulnerable human ruled his thoughts and it terrified him.

For fuck’s sake. Let it go already.

The frustrated air he forced from his nostrils blew bits of ash and coal back into the fire, causing sparks to fly and the logs to shift.

“Geralt?” your voice was soft, lowered with sleep. 

He turned to see if you were really speaking or if he’d just imagined it, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

You propped yourself up on your elbows and squinted to see in the low light, "What are you doing on the floor?”

“Meditating,” he grumbled, “...or trying to.”

You let loose a puff of air in amusement, “Well how about you stop being pretentious and try sleeping?”

He sighed, pretending, as he always did, to take slight offence rather than let on he heard the tenderness there.

He didn’t notice the troubled look in your eyes as you watched him ready for bed, “You don’t need to walk on eggshells around me.”

He laid down next to you, choosing not to tell you that he was always making an effort to be more careful with you, “Wasn’t planning on it.”

You nodded, shifting onto your back in your usual spot pressed against the wall and tugging at the laces of the nightshirt you’d chosen. The two of you laid in silence for a while, the pace of your heartbeat being the only sign you hadn't slipped back into unconsciousness. 

He shifted to lay on his side facing you, tucking his arm up under his pillow. You spared him a glance before going back to staring at the ceiling, leaving him to wonder what was on your mind. He thought maybe your worry had crept back in your sleep, taking hold when he wasn't here to talk you back from the ledge of panic. Not that it would have helped anyway, he clearly was no wordsmith. Maybe you'd simply realized how odd it was that you slept soundly next to a man literally designed to kill as efficiently as possible. 

He hoped that wasn't it as he closed his eyes and tried to focus on his breathing yet again in vain. He smelled nothing but the soap and oils in your hair that lay damp beside your head on the pillow. The combination of scents was comforting to him, as much as he wished it wasn't, and he found his thoughts revisiting the soft sighs that escaped your lips at his touch. Never in his life had he been so mystified. His mind reeled just thinking about it, someone he trusted and cared for enjoyed his touch. Not tolerated, not lusted after, not flinched at, but naively enjoyed.

You shifted to face him, the dip in the mattress pulling you closer to him, "Geralt?" 

"Hmm?"

He heard you take in a breath, let it out again, take in another, preparing to say something, then fall silent. He opened his eyes, analyzing the curve of your brow and the way your lips pursed as if you were holding a question between your teeth. You were never hesitant like this, he was sure you'd chew out the gods if they gave you opportunity, but your face was unreadable. 

"What is it?" He whispered.

You reached across the bed to trace a scar on the back of his hand pressed into the blankets. A scar you had given him when you first met, he liked to think it made him yours when he had the courage to daydream. The sensation was always odd, the dull hint of touch over the scarred tissue and the overreaction of the nerves next to it sent alarm bells off in the back of his mind. 

You kept your eyes on the vague forms of your hands, "You said you owed me more… what could you possibly owe me?" 

"Y/N," your eyes snapped up to meet his, making it all the more difficult for him to think through his answer, "I… I don't know that I could put it into words." 

The words felt hollow as they left his lips, the victory of keeping his emotions safe tainted by the look of disappointment and resignation in your eyes. 

You nodded, patting the back of his hand, "You owe me nothing. Call it even, let's say?" 

This was worse than what he'd imagined, the mental floundering and looking for a way to fix what he'd done was foreign and confusing. You'd let him off the hook, as you always did, and accepted that his answer would have to be enough. The difference this time was that he didn't want to be let off the hook.

"But I do." He argued, trapping your hand under his as you moved to pull it away, words barely escaping his lips, "I owe you, at the very least, a worthy answer." He turned your hand over, skimming his thumb over your palm as he whispered, "You hold my life in your hands and instead of doing what you should… tossing me by the wayside, you treat me with gentleness and… acceptance that I don't deserve. I at least owe you the same in return." 

Had he the courage to look you in the eyes he would have had time to be shocked and confused by the anger reflected in them, "Don't you dare tell me how I should or shouldn't treat you ever again. I get to decide that, not anyone else, least of all you." 

The change in tone nearly gave him whiplash, but all he could do was stare at you with a mix of confusion and surprise.

"You say I'm not used to people accommodating my emotions, but you don't give anyone the chance to get close enough to know what you're feeling." You continued, voice softening on seeing him balk, "I decide you owe me nothing. Feel guilty about it if that makes it easier, but don't mistake my affections for pity." You tugged your hand free of his and gently laid it over his jaw as you spoke. 

He barely registered your pulse quickening, his whole body nearly going numb with shock at your words. 

You rubbed your thumb over his temple and smiled, "Let's go to sleep, yeah?"

He nodded, laying his hand over yours with a smirk, "Yes ma'am…" 

You snorted and kicked at his shin under the blankets, "Ew don't call me ma'am." 

Almost without thinking he trapped your knee under his own, paying close attention to your response. When you blushed and bit your lip he thought you might just be the death of him. You gently pulled your hand back, sending a pang of doubt down his spine before you tugged at his wrist and laced your fingers through his, your palm covering his scar. 

You squeezed his hand and smiled before closing your eyes and sighing in content. 

He lay there for a long while after you'd fallen back asleep, slowly but surely putting the pieces of the day together. He was almost ashamed how distracted he was by your skin on his, soft and warm and unfamiliar. Your touch was so foreign in it's innocence that he almost felt guilty, almost. 

It was beginning to grow light out when his mind finally slowed enough to let him sleep. His last thought before peace was that it might be nice to lay next to you just like this, well into the morning.

Part 3 here!

[bansept]

Let’s dance

/NSFW WORK/

While it’s not the absolute worse, nor the absolute best I could come up with, it’s a pretty nice start of the maybe long series of NSFW scrabbles for my dear Ichihime fandom!

To anyone who was a bit thirsty, I give you this fresh refreshment that I hope isn’t that bad!

DANCER ORIHIME X STUDENT ICHIGO

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Blurry windows and foggy mirror, heavy breaths and skin burning.

The light was shining on them, their sweaty bodies moving in rhythm with the music, the gentle voice of the instructor ordering them around, making each movement matter.

Now, if anyone had told Ichigo he would be taking dancing lessons, staring at his reflection in half anger, half concentration and listening to young teenage girls giggle behind him, he would have slapped them. Not because dancing was shameful, because frankly, it definitely was not. Well, except for some dances, like the macarena or shit like that. No actually, Ichigo would not have believed himself for agreeing to come to dancing lessons to stare at the instructor.

As in, gawk at her.

.

.

.

Ichigo Kurosaki’s week had started as normally as any other week : waking up early, drinking liters of coffee, going to work on some english literature thesis, eating with some friends and coming back home to work until way too late at night, and starting over again.

Yes, he had been told several times by everyone he knew that coffee was bad when it was too much, yes, he had been told to work better on his thesis if he wanted to study and teach Shakespeare. Easier said than done, and that was why his friends had kept rumbling about either taking a break, thank you Chad, or stoping any distractions and really work, fuck you Uryu.

He was sitting across them, stirring his lunch leftovers slowly while the tall half Japanese half Mexican giant was pushing his hair out of his eyes, looking around them as Uryu was probably talking to him. Ichigo tended to not care much.

“So you better get back on track before your old man decides to stop…”

“He’s not lending me money anymore. I work now, you know?”

Uryu threw Ichigo a quite unimpressed look, closing his mouth only to push his glasses up his straight nose. Chad was holding back a tiny smile, but Ichigo of course saw it.

“Giving lessons to kids and working part time in a dojo isn’t really enough to pay for important studies. Or keep you floating like now for the rest of your little life.”

Ichigo gritted his teeth together, a hand digging in his pocket to hold onto his phone, anything hard to stop him from throwing hands with his friend. He really wondered how or why he even talked with the blue-eyed man in front of him.

“Excuse me?” A voice came from the side, clear and ringing in his ear loud enough for Ichigo to turn his head around. Any distraction was good enough to momentarily wipe Uryu from his mind.

Ichigo felt his grip on his phone loosen, just like his jaw.

The angelic voice that had called them was probably the most angelic form of life on Earth, putting to shame anything renowned painters and, god forbid, even Shakespeare, had ever described. With long, fluffy and so exquisitely soft looking auburn hair, bright grey eyes surrounded by a round face, with subtile eyebrows, a cute little nose and, fuck, pillowy lips…

The young and oh so magnificent woman was slightly leaning towards them, an inviting smile on her face while her slender hand was handing over rosy flyers.

“I’m sorry to bother you, gentlemen, but we are offering free dancing lessons to promote the opening of our new dance studio.” A sweet smile and Ichigo felt his eyes widen further. “Would you be interested?”

With the push of his friends, and because he was perfectly unable to say no to such a goddess, Ichigo was the only one to accept, the other two finding some kind of weird excuse. But really, the young man was perfectly fine in agreeing to go alone there.

.

.

.

What a fantastic recruit they had chosen for the job, he marvelled, walking down the sunny streets with his backpack, staring at the flyer that the gorgeous woman had given him. He wondered if she would be here, in this class, jumping around in sportswear and doing whatever dance lessons did. Ichigo snickered when he realized he’d be one of the idiots doing those idiocities too.

After a good 15 minute-walk, the orange-haired man stood right at the front of a brand new building, the white walls making the golden-ish design of the sign shining in the sunlight. Windows with closed curtains made him raise an eyebrow, but he still entered the dimly lit building, the office desk standing elegantly, but alone.

“Hello?” He asked, voice calling out in the empty space.

God, he hoped he had not arrived too late. Or worse, too early. Ichigo hated to appear eager, even if his brain reminded him that, actually, he was.

A few quick steps rushed on the clean floor, the young woman appearing from the corner of a room, head out of a door, that certainly led to the dance floor. Damn, he hated that word, but like the way her face lit up seeing him.

“Oh! You came!”

Now, if his heart had jumped when Ichigo had first seen her, now something else did when she walked up to him in tight clothing, working out clothing, that hugged everything and didn’t leave much to the imagination. The man quickly got his backpack into his hands and placed it in front of his groin. Breathe in, you can do it.

“Well, huh, I told you I would come, right?” He chuckled airily, watching her smile again, her shoulders lifting up in happiness, her breasts bouncing NO DON’T THINK ABOUT IT.

“Thank you for coming, sir. You are right on time for the 3PM lesson. Others should come, but classes are mostly in the morning. Though I could make an exception for you!”

She brought her hands together in a small clap, and Ichigo did blush but desperately hoped it didn’t show.

It did, and the young woman pointed at the door in the back, with written in both English and Japanese “changing room”.

“You can go get changed, here is the key. Please be ready in 10 minutes.” she bowed to him slightly and walked back to the studio, slower than when she came in, and Ichigo felt his eyes trailing after her, impossible to stop himself or walk ahead as long as she was in here.

“I’m fucked.”

.

.

.

Yes, he was.

His young, overactive and definitely way too interested brain had created this mental image of dancing lessons, yoga sessions and massages to be a place of filth, where people turned into beasts and let nature rule them over as one of them was bended over a table while the other pounded in them. Instinctively, the clever and thinking part of said brain had stopped the idea, assuring him they were only fantasies young people in rut had twisted to fit their horny selves.

Unfortunately, part A of the brain had been right, and part B admitted defeat immediately when the session started with stretching methods.

With the instructor showing, naturally.

Going up, down, to one side then the other, running around the room wasn’t that bad. It actually helped get rid of the incoming boner Ichigo felt growing, and he stopped at the end to breathe out, now completely calm.

Apart from the moment she had come up to him to gently help him get the posture right, expertingly taking his hands to place them where needed, showing him how to do the exercise, her butt for him to see, and it was easy to think it was simply a coincidence.

One that brought his hard on back.

Then Orihime Inoue, the instructor, who had given him her name at the very start of the session so they would stop calling each other “Miss” or “Sir” as if they were still in school, came next to him and asked him to do some squats.

“I don’t see how that helps the dancing…” He doubted, looking at her in the eyes, and she chuckled lightly, raising her hand to pick up his arms and place them in the air, in front of him.

“Dancing is beautiful and powerful when you have good leg muscles. And while you do have muscles, if they themselves are not powerful enough, you won’t last very long.” She explained.

He sighed, argument hitting the spot, and did as many squats as her, next to him. If he was going to do some body work, then it would have been better to simply just go to the gym…

“Come on, don’t day dream! Do 50 and then we’ll see how you dance.”

The world stopped, all the clocks ticking in the empty void, head turning to stare at her incredulously, catching her puffing out her cheeks and laughing out loud, holding on to his shoulder to avoid slipping on the ground.

“I’m kidding, Ichigo-san! Don’t worry!” She kept laughing in her hand, and the young man felt several things : first, shame for letting his fear sweat outside of his body. Second, amusement at her dorky laughter.

The third emotion was out before he could control it, pulling her close to him and taking her hand off her face. Orihime looked shocked by his actions, ears and cheeks reddening from the effort as well as embarrassament.

“What…”

“That’s enough exercising for now. Let's get to the real work.”

He looked into her eyes, who had kept on looking up and down his body for the last half hour, her hands who ran up his arms to land on his collarbones, mouth opening slightly to let out nothing but a tiny “yes”.

He had been on fire for multiple reasons in life : because of anger against his father, his friends, sometimes his sisters. Because of grief, when he had to help other family members carry his mother’s coffin. Because of anxiety and weariness, because of exercise.

But this time, when he walked the two of them to a bench by the side of the room, he was burning in need and hunger.

Orihime was also fever like, the nice and calm mask she had slipped on falling away with her tank top, leaving her in just a sports bra while she kissed Ichigo deeply, tongue easily giving up the dominance in favor of the man’s own flexing muscles.

The sound of the music all but disappeared when their bodies collapsed together, hungry kisses and nails like tiger’s claws on each other’s skins.

With a quick breath, Ichigo pulled away from her mouth to kiss her neck, lapping at it gently, her hand going to his hair while he touched the skin of her hips and stomach. Softness and hard muscles seemed hard to combine, yet there she was, smooth smooth skin covering powerful muscles, ones that he would enjoy teasing.

After the kisses, his head got lower and lower, caging her lower stomach, not touching in the slightest her breasts, that would come later.

“Hmf, what are you... “

“Sh, don’t talk too loud, others might hear.”

He grinned from ear to ear, looking up as he licked his lips, her breath catching in her throat. Orihime’s hand suddenly caught his hair and pulled him up, as gently as possible, and they kissed again, one nibbling on the other’s lips, Orihime’s hands getting under the man’s wet shirt, feeling the tight muscles, the crease between each abs, the v line digging in his shorts.

“No one else is here… So, don’t hesitate to yelp, Ichigo.”

She murmured agaisn’t her lips before going deeper in her search, this time digging in his shorts to find what she seeked with a grin.

Ichigo yelped indeed, not expecting the woman under him to get so bold, yet there she was, feeling him up and stroking him in his damn shorts.

Fuck, would be the right word to use.

He didn’t utter a single vowel, bringing her pants and her underwear down rapidly, going back to kiss her as their lips found each other again, lost in moans and the electric touches of their tongues. Orihime kept on stroking him, gently pumping him up and down, the member in her hand turning even harder as she placed her thumb on the slit. Slick came out of it, and she chuckled at the man’s reaction : eyes closed and shaking behind the eyelids, Ichigo seemed ready to burst at any moment, but he groaned, not accepting an early end.

His finger, that had been on her lower stomach, stroking at her sensitive part, now had entered her, one by one. The long digits didn’t waste any time in looking for her gspot, that tender place inside of her that would make her see stars in seconds, if he was careful enough.

“Ichigo… No, not like, th-that…” She moaned against him, her free hand digging in his hair, pulling her face in his neck to try to resist the impossible pull on her body. “I… need….”

“I know, baby, I know… Let me take care of it…” He whispered back to her, placing one kiss on her forehead. His fingers came out of her, taking her own hand off of him, even if he twitched in insubordination. “You’re all good, Hime, you’re good…”

He reassured her, voice gentle like he knew she liked, hands lowering his pants to angle his cock to her. Ichigo finally freed her breasts from their confined space, letting them overflow on her chest, filling his vision with sights of her blushing face and exposed tits.

“You’re beautiful Hime…”

He smiled at her, rubbing her nose with his with a grin that she gave back, before entering her fully, nice and slow. She yelped this time, voice resonating in the empty room, but never stopping her sweet sound and words towards him as she dug her fingernails in his back, feeling him getting as deep as possible, filling her up to the brim, the end, to the heart.

She pushed her head out of his neck, and with a tiny frown, pouted.

“You didn't play.”

Ichigo winced, the tightness of hers squeezing just right around him, and nodded his head.

“I’m sorry… I tried, but you always look so fucking amazing in sports wear… fuck, I couldn’t just pretend I didn’t know my own fiancée!”

Orihime didn’t answer, couldn’t really, and pulled him back down against her generous mounds before he got started with his thrusts, rocking them carefully against the oh so fragile wooden bench of his future wife’s dance studio.

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I’ll never forgive my playlist for making me turn what was supposed to be absolute filth into sweet love making on a bench.

Tell me what you thought of it, and how I can better myself!

[comicgeekscomicgeek]

Their Hero Academia - Chapter 83: Of Sound and Wings

Continuing my nextgen MHA fic!

Earlier chapters can be found here

To say Toshi was worried was an understatement.  While no one had said anything bad would happen if they lost the relay, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to give it his all. Which meant he had to make sure he wasn’t going to let anyone else down either.  And he was more than certain that, however the relay worked out, Aizawa and Uncle Kacchan would be using whatever he saw to help format their lessons going forward.  Their teacher would just use any failings to push them all the harder.

He couldn’t allow his differences with Tatsuma to be the reason they failed.  While there hadn’t been any more violence or any scuffles between the U.A. and Shiketsu students (Not even from Katsumi, which seemed to be a minor miracle in and of itself), there was still a strained feeling when some members of the two groups interacted.  And Tatsuma had made a point of avoiding him.

He needed to be able to clear the air with the Shiketsu girl.  Even if there was still bad blood afterwards, he needed to apologize and he needed to make sure that they’d be able to work together.  Plenty of Heroes didn’t get along off the field but could put their differences aside enough to fight alongside each other.  He would have liked to at least get to that point.

They had a few minutes before they had to start getting ready, so he sought her out, finding her standing alone.  The other Shiketsu students looked to have already peeled off to find their respective U.A. partners.

“Ah, hey, Tatsuma,” he began.  “Do you have a minute to talk?”

Tatsuma didn’t budge an inch. When she spoke she didn’t even turn around. “Later than I expected this to happen. The instructors have forced your hand.”

Toshi frowned and swallowed nervously.  “You’re right,” he said.  “I have been putting this off.”  Not very heroic of him, really.  “And the timing makes it look even less great than it already is.”

Best to just get it out there.

“I owe you an apology.”

She turned to look at him now. With her arms crossed and her stoic stance, it made her already tall figure even more imposing.

“For what?” The question is not one of confusion or lack of knowledge, but rather did he understand what he should be sorry about. 

Toshi was of average height for his age, with maybe a few more inches to go, but the way Tatsuma simply towered over most people did nothing to ease the situation.  “I was pretty insensitive when we talked near the beginning of the camp,” he began.  “And didn’t do a good job of listening to what you were actually saying.  It’s been pointed out that I don’t always see the privileged position my family gives me and I trivialized something very important to you.”

He looked up.  “And for that, I’m sorry.”

Tatsuma listened, looking at him carefully before speaking. “Well I can’t find a realistic problem with your apology. So..thank you.” Her eyes narrowed a bit. “I’d argue it’s something many Heroes should see as important, but now is a pointless time to argue it.”

Toshi nodded.  It was about as good a reaction as he could have hoped for.  Tatsuma didn’t seem like the type to lash out violently, the way Katsumi might (Though in truth, Katsumi was always more bark than bite), but he’d been deeply afraid of making things worse.  He was a Class Representative.  He was supposed to be a leader, someone others looked to and who helped make things right, not someone who caused trouble with other schools.  

“You’re not wrong,” he agreed.  “I’ve grown up around enough Heroes, not just my family…”   He winced slightly.  A reminder of all that probably wasn’t the best choice of words.  “But a lot of them question if they’re not good enough, if they’re not doing enough.  And their failures stay with them too.”

Dad didn’t talk about it much.  He wanted to keep a smiling face, especially for this family.  But as Toshi had gotten older, he’d been more willing to talk about the lives he couldn’t save, the times he was too slow or too late.  He’d wanted to impress upon Toshi that being a Hero could bring great joy, but that it would weigh you down too.

“I don’t know why the press or the public treated your mother differently.  But she didn’t deserve that.”

For a time, he had had her attention. Maybe he’d gotten this right. Tatsuma was also a Class Rep. and as such she represented her school. As much as she may have wanted to show up UA, she had to know holding grudges like that weren’t good for anybody.  And it was true that in the past, the rankings had led to a lot of damaging and toxic behavior.  You just had to look at Izzy’s grandfather for that.  But things were different now, right?  But when he mentioned her mother, he suddenly felt the situation change, the hairs on the back of his next standing up.

Human life had started long after the dinosaurs had died out, despite what a lot of science fiction would have people believe.  But if a man had been threatened by a t-rex, he was certain it would felt like what he was feeling now.

Toshi would later swear that he saw Tatsuma’s eyes go red. “Because of the damn rankings!” Smoke started to unfurl from her nostrils. “She fell from the all-mighty Top Ten! The heroes of all heroes! You think anyone says anything if someone drops a rank in the 20’s or 30’s? No, no one cares about their efforts. But if someone can’t cut being in the Top Ten-!” Her skin looked like a very thin layer of scales was forming. 

“That's all my mother ever heard! ‘You couldn’t cut it.’ ‘Leave it to the men!’ ‘You weren’t meant to be among the elite!” All because of how the rankings portray what Heroes are supposed to be!” 

She was now towering over Toshi now. “I won’t dismiss what your father has done for this country, or any of the others in the Ten, but if you can’t see how it has also harmed those who have done nothing but sacrificed-!” Her hands clenched. She was very, VERY close, then snarled and turned away. 

“Seung’s worked too hard to keep her emotions in control. I can’t disgrace that effort.” Tatsuma let out a breath, a steaming hot one. “You’ll never get it. You’re too ingrained. I should probably just accept that.” She was quiet for a moment, before finally speaking up again. “What else did you want?”

To his credit, Toshi had managed to stand his ground during Tatsuma’s tirade, only taking a slight step backwards once. As it was, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest.  “I’m sorry,” he began.  “This is important to you, I can tell.   And I’m sorry for the pain it’s caused you and your mom.  What happened to her wasn’t right and wasn’t fair.”

He straightened up a little.  Maybe this was too much meddling.  But wasn’t meddling the job of a Hero?  Tatsuma had so much anger in her, it was going to consume if she didn’t find a way to break it.

“And maybe I am too close to see some things.  But I’m also close enough to a lot of things to see some of the details.  When your mother started dropping in rankings, it was a different time.  The world was still hurting from the loss of All Might and wanted its Heroes to be more perfect than they were, than they could actually be.  I don’t know, can’t know, if that was the cause, but I’d be surprised if that didn’t have something to do with it. And none of that would make it right or fair if it did.  

“But while I can’t quote you chapter and verse like Shota could, I can tell you that plenty of people have risen and fallen out of the Top Ten in the last decade or more, and only the trashiest and least reputable ‘news’ sources and commentators are bad mouthing them.  Creati dropped down to Number Eleven a while back.  And you know what she did?  She congratulated Rodeo, who jumped up to Seven and knocked her ranking down.”

He frowned.  “What happened to Ryukyu wasn’t right.  I agree with you on that.  And you’ve every right to be angry about it.  But I don’t think it’s like that anymore.”

He shook his head.  Maybe there was still something he was missing.  But he had to try and bridge that gap.  “But maybe you’re right.  Maybe this is something we can’t agree on.  But can we work together?”

She looked back at him. “If Ground Zero and Deku could learn to work together, it would be embarrassing and shameful if we couldn’t.” There is the vaguest hint of a smile. Maybe he’d said some of the right things.  At least, he hadn’t made it any worse.

Toshi gave her a small smile of his own.  “Oh, the stories I could tell you about that…”

***

The Rookies’ relay course was set up in the woodlands around their compound, virtually invisible from the treetops, but complicated once you got to it.  There were bridges and swings, with complex structures built into the trees.  The tree line itself was thick with trees and other vegetation, making it difficult to see where any attack might be coming from.  Fortunately, their path was pretty straightforward.  

“You got Tomodachi okay?” Inuzaki asked.  He was ahead of Shota, in dog form, pausing every so often to sniff the air.

“Good enough,” Shota told him. The “civilian” they were rescuing was a training dummy, like the kind they used at U.A.  It was about the size of an adult man and loaded with sensors that would tally up injuries and damage.  They had immediately decided that he’d needed a name. Shota had him over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry.  He didn’t need his arms free to use his Quirk, after all.  

“He’s pretty heavy though!” Shota said.  “Maybe he should run the course too!”  He was in good shape—you couldn’t be in the Hero course and not be—but he wasn’t anywhere near as fit as Toshi, Kirishima-Bakugo, or Shoji.  Even Inuzaki was in better shape than him when he was in human form.  Still, his joke did get a laugh out of Inuzaki, so it was worth it.

Dad always said you had to take care of your body as much as your Quirk.  Maybe he needed to start working out more.  Toshi was always working out.  But he got up so early to do it!

 “Smell anything?” Shota asked.

Inuzaki stopped and shook his head.  “Maybe.  Lots of smells.  I can smell people.  Mostly the Rookies.  They’ve been through here a lot.  Might be trying to make it confusing.”

“Let me try,” Shota said.  He took in a breath then started to unleash one of his sonar-screams, but stopped when Inuzaki started whining.

He cut the scream immediately.  “What, what is it?” Shota asked.

Inuzaki winced.  “Your scream hurt my ears,” he said, quietly.  “It was like a knife through my skull!”

Crap!  His Quirk and Inuzaki’s weren’t compatible?  How were they going to do this?  He had to scream to use his Quirk!  When they got attacked, he’d have to use it!  But if it hurt his friend, then what could he do?  Maybe it was only certain frequencies?

“That’s only when you’re a dog, right?” Shota asked.  “Change back for a second.  I’ll get a quick look and then we can keep going.”

“Okay,” Inuzaki agreed.  He stopped though, his back leg scratching at his ear.  “Hang on, gotta scratch first.”

“Oh!  How cute!”

The girlish voice seemed to come from nowhere.  It could only be Ojiro!  But where was she?!

Inuzaki sniffed.  “Ah ha!  Got you!”  He jumped up and seemed to collide with something in mid-air.  Ojiro reappeared as they hit the ground.  

“Oh, dang it!” Ojiro cried out.  She tried to get up, but Inuzaki’s weight was keeping her down.  “I got distracted!

“Hold her still!” Shota said.  They’d been given ‘capture cuffs’ so that they could harmlessly take their classmates out of the fight, though there was a good chance they’d have to do at least a little damage.  He had some in his pocket, but he also had the dummy!  Crap!  What were they going to…  Inuzaki changed back to his human form in a puff of smoke.  He had capture cuffs too!  Right.  Why was he worried?

Ojiro was quick though, using that moment of transition to act.  She brought her legs up, flipping Inuzaki over her, then sprang up to her feet.  “So close!” she said.  “But not quick enough!”  Meanwhile, Inuzaki changed back to dog form in midair, landing easily.  He and Ojiro circled each other warily.

Before he could help, the ground started shaking.  Shota swallowed hard.  He remembered now, one of Class 1-B had a vibration-based Quirk, didn’t she?  Mio Yamaguchi, a dark haired girl.

The vibrations picked up intensely, knocking Shota off his feet.  He hit the ground, twisting to minimize the damage to Tomodachi, but he knew he took at least a small hit.  “Sorry, sorry, sorry,” Shota told the dummy.  Carefully getting back to his feet, he looked around for any sign of Yamaguchi or anyone else.  Behind him, he could hear the sounds of Ojiro and Inuzaki fighting.

He wanted to help.  He really did.  But if there was more trouble coming, somebody had to watch.

Doing the right thing sucked sometimes.   But he had to trust that Inuzaki was going to be able to handle it.   “Better hold your ears, Tomodachi,” he told the dummy.  “It might get loud!”  If he kept his powers really focused, hopefully he’d wouldn’t hurt Inuzaki either.

There.  Yamaguchi stepped into view, looking beyond Shota.  “Can’t you catch one dog, Ojiro?” she asked, sounding annoyed.

From behind him, Ojiro called out.  “It’s really hard!  He’s really fast!”

Yamaguchi rolled her eyes.  “Okay, let me just take care of the kid and I’ll help.”  She brought up both of her hands, unleashing vibrational waves that seemed to blur the air in front of her.

Dang it!  Just because he was short and a few months younger, it didn’t mean he was a baby!  Why did everybody treat him like he was a little kid!

“YOU’RE NOT GONNA STOP ME!” he shouted, clenching his fists.  He unleashed his Quirk, turning a shout into a broad sonic wave.  His wave met Yamaguchi’s vibrational blast in mid-air, where there was a small explosion of air as the two different waves hit each other, before his own caused hers to dispense. Somewhere behind him, he heard Inuzaki yelp.  He just prayed his new friend could hold on.

“What?” Yamaguchi said.  “How’d you do that?”

Shota grinned.  “I canceled out your vibrations with my own!”  Maybe not as good as Uncle Shota’s Erasure, but his sonic vibrations could stop hers well enough.

Again and again, Yamaguchi threw her vibrational blasts at him, but Shota kept canceling them out. Her vibrations were at least as strong as his sonics.  Keepings up that kind of pace, matching vibration with vibration, was making his skull rattle. Even without the blasts hitting him, he could practically feel the vibrations in his bones.  Even though he wasn’t used to fighting someone with powers even a little bit like his own, he was holding his ground, but if he didn’t do something, he was sure to lose!

“Okay, that’s it…” Yamaguchi said. A look of annoyance crossed her face. “Guess it’s time to bring down the house!”  Her eyes narrowed and she brought both hands together and pointed them down, ready to unleash another vibrational blast.  The air was practically humming as she charged up her power.  He had to do something… now!

Shota took in another breath and screamed, hitting the ground under Yamaguchi with a carefully modulated sonic pulse.  While he mostly used his Quirk for purely destructive sonic screams, he could do so much more than that depending on the frequencies he hit.  Everything from sonar to force fields to all kinds of other effects.  In this case, he could hyper-agitate molecules causing…

An explosion!  It wasn’t a big one, but the ground underneath Yamaguchi exploded, knocking her off her feet and several feet back.  As she landed, Shota rushed over, unclipping one of the capture cuffs from his belt.  Yamaguchi was still trying to get her bearings when he slapped one end on her wrist and then the other.

“All right!” he cheered.  “Got you!”  

Yamaguchi just stared at him, then rolled her eyes.  “Monoma’s never going to let me hear the end of this.”

Shota wondered why Monoma would give her a hard time.  She tried her best!  

“Oh, dang it!  This is so unfair!  How you can you be this cute and this tough?!  IF YOU WERE CLOSER, I’D GIVE YOU SUCH A SMACK!”

Shota’s attention was instantly drawn to where Inuzaki had managed to corner Ojiro.  She’d climbed up into a tree, and Inuzaki was back in dog form, circling the bottom of it.  

Inuzaki transformed back to his human shape.  “Can you get her down?  I’m not so good with climbing.”

Shota nodded.  “Let me try this one…”   He let lose another scream, shifting the pitch a bit.   This time, when his sonic attack hit the tree, it began to shake and vibrate violently, but it didn’t explode.

“Nnnnnnnoooo  fffffaaaaiiiirrrrr,” Ojiro wailed.  She was struggling to hang on and ultimately lost the fight.  She fell, landing flat on the ground.  “Ouch…”   She held her up arms.  “Just cuff me already.”

***

They’d probably gone another two kilometers, easy.  Shota wasn’t really good with eyeballing distances.  Every now and then, they’d trade off, with Inuzaki resuming his human form so he could carry Tomodachi and so Shota could scan the area with sonar.  But the forest was so thick with trees and everything else, it was hard to see anything that way.  Buildings were a lot easier.  

“How much further?” he asked.  He was pretty sure they’d been told how far they had to travel for the hand-off, but he may not have been paying the best attention.

“About another couple kilometers,” Inuzaki said.  “I think.  Everything looks bigger from down here.”

Not too much farther then.  But there were definitely more of his classmates or schoolmates out there, waiting for them.  Unless they were really dogpiling the other teams, there had to be at least one, maybe two more coming after them.  Even Shota could do that kind of math.

“Do you smell anything?” Shota asked.  It hadn’t worked so well last time, not with all the other smells in the forest, but maybe they’d get lucky.

Inuzaki made a weird face, one which looked even stranger on a dog.  “I smell something,” he said.  “Like ink, maybe?”

“Oh!” Shota said.  He knew who that was!  “Fukidashi!”

“The cartoon girl?” Inuzaki asked.  He sounded a little annoyed, which was surprising, given how well he got on with everyone.  “I tried talking to her a few times, but every time I did, she just kept going on about how cute I was. Just like the invisible girl. It got old really fast.”

Shota frowned, looking around.  Where could she be?  His eyes fell on a strange looking patch of ground.  “Do you see that?” he asked, pointing.

“Is that patch of ground a different color?” Inuzaki asked, curiously.  

Shota bent down and grabbed a stick from the ground.  Getting back up with Tomodachi on his shoulders was tricky, but he managed it.  He gave the stick a toss towards the patch of ground.

The stick hit something, making a small thunk sound.  Instantly, Anime Fukidashi sprang from the patch on the ground, partially covered in leaves and dirt.  “Aw,” Fukidashi said as she landed.  “How did you know?!”

“The ground was a different color,” Inuzaki said.  He bent down low, ready to pounce.  

“Dammit!” Fukidashi yelled.  Her head somehow got larger as she yelled, becoming larger than the rest of her body.  “Betrayed by the drawing on the animation cell!”

Inuzaki looked over at Shota.  “Is she all right?” he asked.  Shota just shrugged.  Even he and Toshi had no real idea how her Quirk worked or how it affected her.  

Before any of them could act, suddenly, something snaked around Tomodachi, yanking him off Shota’s shoulders!  There was Kaminari, coming out of the bushes behind Fukidashi, her Cords wrapped around the dummy and dragging it towards her.  He could even see a few sparks dancing across her Cords and areas of the dummy lighting up as it registered damage.

“Nice job being the distraction, Fukidashi,” Kaminari said.  Her expression turned slightly apologetic.  “Sorry Shinso, but you’re not winning this one.”

He couldn’t get in a good sonic blast with her holding Tomodachi like that.  He was in the way and she could still shock him either way.  “Aw, c’mon, Kaminari,” he said sadly.  “We gotta win this one!  Everybody’s counting on us!  I don’t want to disappoint everybody!  I just…  I just gotta…”

Her face fell as he talked.  There.  There was his moment.  “Aaaaah!” Shota let out a shout, a regular one, and charged, tackling Kaminari about the middle and knocking her to the ground. He hated tricking her like that, but if everybody was going treat him like a little kid, then maybe he should take advantage of that. He landed on top of her, with his head on her…  He jerked his head up quickly!

Kaminari’s Cords reflexively reeled in when he tackled her, but as she soon as she was able, her Cords poked into his back and unleashed a jolt of electricity.  It wasn’t a strong shock, just enough to make him release his grip, but it still hurt.  Shota let out a cry of pain and let go, as Kaminari shoved him off her.  As he hit the ground, he could see Fukidashi trying to hit Inuzaki with a comically oversized hammer.

“Dang it!” Fukidashi yelled when her latest hammer strike failed to hit Inuzaki.  “Why won’t the music change?  Isn’t he a comedy character?!”

Kaminari, meanwhile, was back on her feet, heading for Tomodachi again.  She was too close!  If he missed with a sonic blast, he’d hit the dummy.  But he’d been working hard on his Quirk all through the camp.  And Bioshock helped him figure out some other pitches he could use.  If he could go high, Bioshock had said, he could go low.

Infrasound.

He opened his mouth and pitched his sonic power low, buffeting Kaminari with waves of low-frequency sound.  She stopped in her tracks, suddenly clutching her stomach.  She wobbled on her feet, before falling to her knees, throwing up.   Shota was already on his feet, running past her.  “Sorry!” he called out.  “It won’t last long, I promise!  Sorry!  Sorry!  Sorry!”

As quick as he could, he hoisted Tomodachi over his shoulders again.

Inuzaki had Fukidashi cornered now, growling.   She let the hammer fall from her hands and it vanished as soon as it let her fingers.  “Sure, now the dramatic music plays.”

Inzuki reared up and hit Fukidashi hard with both front paws, knocking her to the ground.  She hit her head on the ground and laid there, stunned, with little cartoon birds floating around her head.

Shota definitely didn’t understand how her Quirk worked.

“C’mon,” he said, moving as fast as he could.  “They won’t be down for long!”

He and Inuzaki ran.  Soon enough, he could see Kocho and Shida waiting up ahead, standing next to a small sign that clearly marked the second leg of the relay.

They’d done it!

***

Shinso and Inuzaki had definitely looked worse for wear by the time they’d arrived and handed off the training dummy (Which they’d named, for some reason.) to Koharu and Shida.  The two had spun a tale of being ambushed twice, but had managed to successfully fight their way through.  It gave her a good idea of what to expect.  There would probably be at least four attackers then, though there might be more.  She’d done the math. There weren’t quite enough students for a totally even split.

At least for now, Shida was carrying the dummy.  With her spider-legs carrying her in a way that reminded Koharu a lot of how Shoji traveled with his own Quirk, she was able to hold the dummy in her arms and remain mobile.  Koharu herself was flapping her wings, floating just a bit above ground level.  That way, if they needed to engage, she wouldn’t waste any time on a takeoff.  The forest canopy, for now, meant moments to fly really high were going to be few and far between, but there was enough space between the trees that someone could still fly under it. 

And flying above the canopy had been strictly prohibited.  Even if it wasn’t against the rules, there were several other students with flight Quirks and it was likely at least one of them would be playing the Villain for their leg of the relay.  And she’d be leaving Shida behind if she did that, which seemed like it would defeat the purpose of the exercise. 

None of which did anything to quell her body’s primary panic at the spider-like aspects of the Shiketsu girl.  Given there were spiders that ate moths, it was a natural reaction for animal-type Quirks like theirs. She was getting better at it than when the camp had started, though.  It helped that the other girl was incredibly nice (and, she admitted with a blush, rather cute), but her instinctive reaction was still just below the surface.

On the plus side, the two of them were going to be incredibly hard to sneak up on.  Between Shida’s multiple-eyes and her own antenna, they had a range of extra-sensory perception.  

“See anything?” Koharu asked quietly.  Her antennae weren’t giving her any good information, unless you counted knowing where several squirrels and more than a few birds were.

“Not yet.” Shida said. If she’d noticed that Koharu tended to keep her distance from her, she didn’t let on but she seemed happy enough to be working with her. Her six eyes glanced about in multiple directions. “I doubt that will be the case much longer.” It didn’t help that she wasn’t sure where exactly to look. Knowing who the “Villains” were would have helped, but Heroes seldom had a heads-up. 

“Me neither,” she replied.  But Shida was right.  Sooner than later was to be expected.

It didn’t take long for that sooner to become now.  There was a great cracking sound and one of the trees fell, blocking the way forward for a moment.  Someone strong then, or maybe Kaniyashiki from 1-B with her scissor Quirk?  But even then, between her ability to fly and Shida’s legs, it would only slow them down for a minute.  So what was their enemy’s plan?

A sound like jet engines told her what it was: a distraction!

Faster than a bullet, one of the Iida twins--Sora, she realized--blasted through the air right towards them.  She was fast enough that Koharu couldn’t react in time to stop her, only to get out of the way.  Iida stuck an arm out as she flew past, grabbing the arm of the dummy Shida was carrying as she tried to rocket away.

Like Koharu, Shida hadn’t seen Sora coming. She’d told Koharu before they’d set out that, while spiders had six eyes, their sense of sight actually wasn’t all that strong. She could see more than most people, but only by volume, not by magnification. There was no way either of them should have been able to see her coming in time. But somehow, Akira’s second-from-the back left spider-leg to shot out in a reflexive strike. 

It was a solid strike, enough to send the Iida girl flying off course, slamming head first into a tree trunk.  She still had the dummy though, which made things complicated.  Already, she was scrambling back to her feet, although quite unsteadily.  Koharu spat a blob of String Shot at her, pinning her to the tree with a mass of sticky strands stronger than steel.

“How did you do that?” Koharu asked, unable to keep the amazement out of her voice.

Shida bowed her head slightly and smiled.  “My leg hairs.  They’re very sensitive to vibrations.  It’s a bit of an instinctive reaction to danger like that.”

“This is excellent tensile strength,” Iida said, as she struggled to break free.  She sounded impressed. Koharu could hear the other girl’s Jetpack engines firing, but for the moment, her String Shot held.  “I would love an opportunity to examine this at a later date! The uses are practically unlimited!”

“Sister!” a voice called out.  It had to be Tensei Iida.  “As much as I am in agreement with you, now is hardly the time for scientific curiosity!”

“It is always the time for curiosity, little brother!”

“I have asked you to stop calling me that!”

“Maybe you two could have this discussion another time?” Another voice asked.   It was Shoji. He sounded very, very tired. Koharu didn’t blame him. The Iidas were very nice, but they could also be exhausting.

Shoji dropped down from between two trees, using his extra arms like spider-legs, free-falling the last few feet to land with a slight thud.  Tensei Iida, meanwhile, dropped down with a series of shot Jetpack bursts to slow his fall.  Both of them were between Koharu and Shida and the dummy.

She shot Shida a quick glance.  “How long can you hold your breath?” she whispered.  Iida and Shoji were playing defense for the moment, watching them.  

“That’s a complicated answer with my mixed body. But I can “hold it” long enough. What are you planning?” Koharu remembered, vaguely, that spiders didn’t breathe in the same way as some animals, but she didn’t know how that applied to the spider-girl.

“I can drop a sleeping powder from my wing scales,” Koharu said quickly and quietly.  Shoji was eying them warily, all six of his arms up in a fighting stance, while Tensei Iida attempted to free his sister and the dummy without success.  “If I can cover a wide enough area, I can knock them out.  Iida’s crazy fast and Shoji’s crazy strong.  Probably the best chance we’ve got.”

“Hmm, I could use my legs to lift my body above the powder. Plus I should be able to use my leg hairs to feel the vibrations of where they might move even if I can’t see them,” Shida suggested. 

Koharu nodded.  These were all Hero students with months of training that she simply didn’t have.  And many of them had even more than that, coming from Hero families.  Neither side here had a full understanding of what the other could do, so evening out to neutral was the closest they had to an advantage. “Let’s do it.”

She flapped hard, gaining height and propelling herself forward towards the boys, already releasing her Sleep Powder from her wings.   Down below, Tensei Iida looked up and let out a cry of alarm, while Shoji moved towards Shida, his top pair of extra arms stretching out to grab at her.

Shida saw Shoji heading for her, scanning above herself with her uppermost eyes. Staying on the ground was a bad idea as she had no idea how strong Shoji really was. She bent her legs, took a moment to look Shoji in the eyes, and gave the six-armed boy a wink that Koharu would have called flirtatious, before her legs suddenly unbent and sent her flying up into the air. Shooting well up past the smaller trees, Shida extended several of her legs to pierce and grab onto the nearest larger specimen.  Others of her legs lashed out at Shoji.

Shoji dodged out of the way of the initial strike, pushing himself to the side with his lower set of arms.  “Good reflexes,” he said, his voice smooth, like silk. He craned his neck to follow Shida, top arms extending out at her, but his maximum extension wasn’t enough to get him close.

Meanwhile, having recovered from his initial shock, Tensei Iida was rocketing into the air.  He was a major threat, though without the armor and support equipment Koharu had seen him use during the final exam, possibly slightly less of one.   And she had the advantage in maneuverability.

She flapped hard as she flew, releasing her Sleep Powder from her wings until the air was filled with the orange powder.   Iida got the worst of it, flying directly into the cloud of it.  He coughed and sputtered and was out almost immediately.  Which meant that his Jetpack cut out and he started falling like a stone.  Koharu cursed and went into into a dive, catching him in midair by grabbing his wrists. She let loose a cry of pain as her jerked to a stop. It felt like her arms were being torn from their sockets!

“Dammit,” she hissed.  Iida was heavy, muscular and compact.  She could just about manage to carry her own bodyweight when flying, but he was definitely heavier than she was.  She dropped down low and released him, letting him hit the ground.  He’d gotten more than enough powder that he didn’t wake up.

Shoji, meanwhile, was still standing. She’d had to stop spreading her powder to keep Tensei from dropping and he hadn’t gotten nearly as big a dose.  His arms lashed out again, grabbing her wrists!

It had been a gamble that she’d be able to drop Shoji, especially as big as he was and as little powder as she’d been able to release.  She was glad Shida had her back. As soon as she’d seen Koharu drop down to save Iida, the spider-girl had already been making her way down the tree when Shoji extended his arms to grab Koharu.

She watched as Shida did her best to land from an angle that she hoped was in Shoji’s blind spot. Her legs made surprisingly little noise when they were in motion, and she sped toward the big, six-armed boy. When close enough she extended her two front legs and brought them in a scything motion toward the back of Shoji’s knees. 

Shoji was a big guy, which made him a pretty big target.  The blow from Shida knocked him down, bringing him to his knees and making him release Koharu.  Looking over his shoulder, he tried to swat at Shida with his Extendo-Arms, but the move was awkward and uncoordinated.  Koharu used the moment to escape, taking to the air again. She swung out with her legs, striking Shoji upside the head.  The blow wasn’t enough to put him down, but it did spin his head around.  He looked back and forth rapidly, now caught between her and Shida.

Shida dodged Shoji’s clumsy blows easily, her eyes and leg hairs giving her incredibly reaction time to his attack. She used her four back legs as a brace as she used them to hold herself in an almost standing position. She launched her remaining arms at Shoji, each attempting to strike at the arm joints of his extended arms. 

When it came to extra-appendages, Shoji was definitely unarmed by comparison to Shida.  Even as he’d been able to turn to face her, her spider-legs struck home, nailing him in each of his Extendo-Arms.  The silver-haired boy let out a cry of pain as his arms retracted, snapping back with a strange, stretching sound that was more than a little nauseating.  

He’d done a remarkable job of staying upright, but between the pain from Shida’s attack, the blow to the head, and the whiff of sleep powder he’d gotten earlier finally making its way through his system, Shoji went down, slowly sliding to his knees and then to the ground.

They’d done it!  Three hero students, and they’d managed to beat all of them!  She’d even managed to take out two!  Of course, Shida was also a Hero student, so that evened the playing field a little, but still!

“Let’s get the dummy,” Koharu said.  It should still be where they left it, next to Sora Iida.  She quickly glanced in that direction.  The other girl was asleep.  She must have gotten enough Sleep Powder too. Koharu stopped, her antennae moving rapidly.  There was something stirring up a lot of air. 

Anything Shida might have said was cut off as something swooped down and slammed into her.  Rough, clawed feet grabbed her shoulders and she felt herself being carried into the air.  It had to be Hizashi Koumori, the bat-like member of Class 1-B.

“Sorry, Kocho,” he said.  “Totally most heinous to do the sneak attack, I know, but we gotta win this one!”

Just before Koumori had grabbed her, Koharu had seen Shida briefly give herself a smile of triumph. That had abruptly ended when Koumori struck. Koharu could see Shida move on instinct to try and help, but she stopped, as though remembering what Koharu had told her. They needed to get the dummy. Shida cursed quietly before heading over to Sora to grab it. With any luck she’d be able to secure it and get back quick enough to help.

But Koharu couldn’t count on that.  She needed to do whatever she could to try and free herself.

It was the element of surprise that had let Koumori grab her.  He was bigger and stronger than her, to be sure, but all he had was his feet around her shoulders. Her wings were still free. And he wasn’t rocket-powered like the Iidas.  He was as dependent on muscle power and flapping for flight as she was, which meant his flight was a lot easier to disrupt.  She flared her own wings out, spreading them wide.  It attacked like an immediate drag chute, jerking Koumori back.

“Whoa!” he cried out.  Reflexively, he released his grip on her as he sailed back.  That was all she needed.  For just a moment Koharu let gravity grab hold, then flapped her own wings, diving back toward the ground.

Just as suddenly, however, she was hit by what felt like a solid wall of force that set her bones rattling and seemed to echo through her skull.  Flailing, she started falling again.  It was hard to think clearly, everything was spinning…

Clawed feet grabbed her again, this time grabbing her legs.  “Sorry about the sonar, dudette,” Koumori said.  He did sound genuinely apologetic.  She knew he was pretty mellow guy most of the time, though how mellow tended to change with how awake he was.  “I’ll have you down in a second.”

No!  She had to prove herself!  She couldn’t lose now!  “No,” she said, “I’m sorry… for this!” With his grip on her legs, she flapped her wings just once, giving herself just enough ot a push to swing upward, slamming both of her fists into his snout!  Koumori let out a cry of pain and released her again.  This time, she flapped and kept herself into the air, but hit him with a blast of String-Shot, pinning his arms--and more importantly, his wings--to his sides.  A pang of regret shot through her as he dropped like a stone.  Koumori was even bigger and heavier then Iida. There was no way she could keep him from falling…

Koumori, at least, was awake. He twisted in the air, trying to break free from her String-Shot, but hit the ground hard, letting out a soft moan, his eyes fluttering.  That looked like it had hurt.  Maybe she’d make it up to him back at U.A. with a fruit smoothie from her stash of exotic fruits.

Koharu landed next to him, bending down to make sure he was okay.  Kuomori was still breathing and it didn’t look like he had any major injuries.  Didn’t look like that had felt good, but it looked like he’d be fine.

It wasn’t the first time she’d had to hurt someone.  She’d sparred with friends and fought in the Sports Festival and trained against others here at the camp.

It didn’t mean it felt good.   Maybe Park had been onto something about children fighting like this…

Shida skittered to a stop next to her, the dummy safely in her hands. “That was amazing, Koharu! I came as quickly as I could, but it turns out you didn’t need it.” Skida smiled, but frowned slightly; she must have noticed the disturbed look on Koharu’s face. She frowned, all her eyes narrowing in concern. “Are you okay?” She didn’t specify if what troubled her was physical or mental, but there was something in her voice that suggested this wasn’t the first time she’d seen someone react like this. 

Koharu shook her head.   She had plenty of options that didn’t involve hurting people when it came to takedowns.  Maybe she could learn to focus on that.  But she’d have to fight anyway if she followed her dream and became a Hero.  But what did that mean for now?

Maybe those were questions for another day.

“Just thinking about something your friend said,” she told Shida.  “But c’mon.  We can talk about that later.  Let’s get this thing to the next marker.”

These were definitely questions that needed answers.  But for now, she’d faced one of the first major challenges of her Hero training and she’d come out on top.

For now, that was good enough.

[zorya-wellness]

8 Real & Practical Advice on How to Get Through Quarantine or Lockdown Without Going Nuts

Hey friends,

Today’s Blog post was definitely not something I planned as most of my blog posts are dedicated to Tarot, Runes and Relationship Coaching.

So, what happened?

Well, the “third wave” happened.

If you are in a country where you are going through yet another lockdown, and who knows if this is the last one, you are probably reaching a point when you really need some tips on how to get through this without getting nuts.

What is happening right now has caused a spike in anxiety, depression and other mental health struggles.

The consequences of strength can be both physiological and mental. When we are talking about the impact on the body, it is sleep disturbance, food disorders and worsening of other conditions one may be predisposed to.

When we talk mental health, stress results in irritability, panic attacks, depression and addictions.

I appreciate so many wonderful ideas and advice from people to help others find some fun and meaningful activities to do, but let’s be real with each other: a good book and a warm bath don’t do the trick anymore. It’s been over a year since it all started and you probably already celebrated 365 days of bubble baths.

I am going to give you some REAL and MEANINGFUL advice on what you need to start doing now to preserve (and hopefully improve) your mental health.

Let’s jump right into it.

1. How can I separate myself from work mentally if I am working from home?

This is a MUST for your mental health. There is a reason why we GO to work. Even though now companies claim that working from home seems to work perfectly fine, it works fine for a company that no longer needs to pay for commercial lease and maintain the building.

But for YOUR mental health, it is a very big hit.

You know this feeling when you come home from work and finally feel RELAXED?

Well, you probably don’t remember what it’s like anymore because your home and work environments seemed to merge into one.

And it is SO important that you do everything to separate them.

Here are some suggestions for you:

Even if you live in a small apartment, you need to have an area designed strictly for work.

Separate this area from the rest of the room or your flat and make sure you have dedicated hours of work.

And when you are done with your work, you DO NOT go back there to check something, to read an email or to reply to a coworker that doesn’t know a definition of work hours and sends 500 emails at 10pm.

You do you.

If your job end at 5pm, wave your “workplace” a goodbye and leave the space both physically and mentally.

Interesting tip from psychologists is even to choose a certain outfit for your work hours buy I would go so far as to say, choose an outfit for your whole day regardless if you are working or no.

I’m telling you guys, it’s such a shift in a mindset when you are washed, dressed, have some make up on, nice perfume, whatever rocks your boat, as long as you are not spending all your day in pjs.

2. What can I do if I find myself overeating or drinking more alcohol than I normally would?

Let’s break it down right away: over eating, smoking excessively or drinking more alcohol than you normally would and should, is THE WORST strategy to get through the quarantine.

You MUST find other ways to cope and I know how difficult it is. You need to ACCEPT your emotions, fears and anger and I know you are at the point where you don’t want to accept anything, you just want to fall asleep and wake up thinking it was just your worst nightmare that is now over.

I know it’s easy to say that eventually it will be over.

For some of us, coping is much more difficult than for others and I know that you have reasons.

If you are really at your breaking point, you understand that you no longer can cope by yourself, you start developing addictions or worse feel aggressive towards your family members, PLEASE seek help.

Thankfully, there is MANY resources available right now. There are a lot of counselors, psychologists and workers that are offering help at low cost and even at no cost.

No one will ever judge you for seeking help.

Call you friend, your mother or cousin. Sit down with your partner and just talk. Maybe others will be able to offer some insights or advice. Maybe together you will develop a plan.

If you are with kids 24/7, make sure you put aside some time for yourself. I knoooow, it’s super cliché to talk about self-care but I am a mom myself and I know how important it is.

And you know what? Sometimes you need to turn on that cartoon for 30 minutes and just go, sit down and have your coffee with a muffin. Do NOT let anyone shame you.

Losing your shit is NORMAL, we all do, we are no Yogis here.

3. How do I stop myself from watching or reading news every day and getting angry?

This is a big one. I probably should have started with it.

My best advice is disconnecting your cable and delete the news from your phone. This is what I did, it works like a miracle.

No, there is no show on your TV you can’t live without. There is Netflix, Amazon and plenty of other platforms to watch programs and shows.

Our immune system and well-being highly depend on what is going on in our head. If you start your day or dedicate all day to the subject of pandemic, such as watching news, videos, statistics and prognosis that may or may not ever come true, this will raise your anxiety level, which in turn will affect both physical and mental health.

All this can not only lead to anxiety disorder and depression. If you are on my page, then I trust you believe in the fact that our thoughts are materialistic. And so are our fears. Make sure that you are feeding your mind with positive affirmations.

Instead, try to shift your focus on other things you are interested in. Think what else matters for you? Maybe you want to improve your health, start a new exercise routine, learn about digital marketing or knitting. Youtube is booming now more than ever. Why not dedicate your time towards something useful?

4. How do I keep myself calm when I feel like my blood is boiling? How to overcome anger and helplessness caused by the news?

When I thought about an answer to this question, I remembered a time when my Yoga instructor was teaching us meditation.

We were in the process of meditation and I kept trying to push the thoughts away but they would come back. I would try to talk myself into stillness but as a result, I would just tense up, while the thoughts were still there.

At this time, I heard my teacher saying: “If you are trying right now to be still so hard you keep on repeating “stop thinking” to yourself, you are doing it all wrong.”

I started laughing. I was really laughing at myself and at how stupid I felt. Meditation is about acceptance and release. We accept any thought that comes our way and try to simply dismiss it.

What you need to remember is that when you are trying to escape anger, panic or distress to reach that stillness that seems to be so unachievable, when you are trying to look positive or talk yourself into feeling positive or calm, you are trying to reach yet another extreme.

Mental health and well-being are not in stillness or eternal optimism. It is somewhere in the middle.

All emotions are necessary. We need to release our anger, we need to laugh till we cry and sometimes cry, so that we can laugh again.

What is important is maintaining that balance.

It’s not always easily done but it’s important to remember that you don’t have to be happy 24/7. This is NOT a definition of good health.

With that said, don’t forget that others around you may also be having a bad day. Offer help and support with a reminder that we are all here for each other, in good and in bad.

5. I do exercises and Yoga but they don’t seem to help with my stress levels. How do I not get discouraged?

It is important to understand what type of physical activity can help YOU right NOW based on your needs and your mental state.

Yoga may not be helpful to release anxiety and anger that has built up over the past months.

It may be a better idea for you to buy a boxing bag and kick the hell out of it.

Or you may need to go for a run and let the wind and fresh air really stir everything up inside.

But for those who continue to work outside of their home, you may be hustling so much during the day that what you really need is stillness. In this case, Yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices will be most helpful.

It is really important to assess your current mental health situation. If you are unsure, grab a pen and paper and write down everything you feel. Take a look at what prevails.

In any case, I want you to understand that ESPECIALLY NOW exercise and physical activity are more important than ever before. So, make sure you include in your life the following:

-Physical activity in any form that fits you (running, Yoga, Pilates, boxing)

-Breathing exercises

-Attention and Mindfulness exercises

6. Make sure to take care of the elderly at the best of your ability.

Our elderly seem to be so forgotten. And just as our children, they are the most affected by the current situation.

Even prior to these lockdown it’s been a known fact that many older people, when they retire, go through difficulties related to the lack of social life, goals and meaningful events.

Now, when most of them are completely stuck at home all the above issues have only intensified.

Because of that, they don’t really have much left to do but watch a TV all day and as we discussed above, television can negatively impact mental health of the healthiest young individuals, let alone the vulnerable population.

I know that some of you are unable to see your grandparents or parents in person, as they may be in a retirement facility with restrictions on visitors.

But as someone who lives so far away from grandparents for more than 10 years, I can give you the following suggestions:

CALL. Wow, so “new”. I know it’s not but I have noticed that today’s generation will do everything and anything to avoid calling. People are so consumed in social media, swiping, liking and texting that when it comes to actually pick up a phone and chat, they hardly know what to talk about.

If your elderly has a landline still, you can use that but if you have a chance buy them a tablet or a cellphone and either yourself or have someone show them how to use at the very least Skype or What’s App.

And really, you don’t have to have a reason for a call.

Call to ask your grandmother share her favourtire apply pie recipe, to get her opinion on your job situation, to share your baby’s first tooth finally coming through.

It all may seem like day-to-day activities for you but you have NO IDEA how much they want to be involved and have a meaningful life.

This will keep them busy and will really take their minds off the negativity that is spilling from every single television channel on them.

7. Try to have a schedule that all family members will follow.

In the conditions we are facing right now when family members are forced to be together 24/7, sometimes in quite a small space, it is inevitable that you may start to experience issues in your relationship with a partner or your children.

For this reason, divorce rates, verbal and physical abuse and alcohol intoxication are at the highest.

It is a very serious matter because people are unable to structure their day, have a schedule and follow it.

What you can do is the following:

-Have a set of rules at home everyone will follow. “Mommy is working for the next two hours, while you are doing your online learning, then we meet at 12pm for lunch”

You can establish a reward system for your children if they are following through with the schedule.

-Have a space at home where you go to take a breath if the situation heats up and you feel like you are losing your cool.

-Set up a schedule for yourself that would cover all areas of your life, not just your work. Make sure you dedicate some time to spend with your family, spouse, children and, of course, the elderly.

8. Lastly, if you want to maintain good mental health and get through this period, coming out happy & healthy, it is important to REMAIN A HUMAN BEING.

Not a human, not a person, not a man or a woman, a HUMAN BEING.

We all react to the events that are happening right now differently. One person is angry, another couldn’t care less. Someone is not leaving their house, another is at a protest, protecting the freedom they believe in.

LIVE and LET LIVE. That’s something we all seemed to talk about a lot before this all started but completely forgotten since.

This is ALL a NORMAL reaction to not so normal events.

Everyone copes the way they can. If you don’t agree or don’t approve, for yourself, do what you judge to be right.

If you continue to bark at people for not following the standards of normality you have set up for yourself, none of the above suggestions will help you.

By trying to judge, humiliate or laugh at others, you set yourself to the path of anger and misery.

I am not encouraging you to do anything in particular, to chose a camp or a side. All I am telling you is leave others alone and live your life.

[whereistheonepiece]

So @lesbian-space-ranger​ and I accidentally created a new Zosan AU that we’ve been talking about since last night. A note: half of this is me summarizing, half of it is pulled directly from Discord because Cas (lesbian-space-ranger) has such great ideas.

This is a long post. I don’t feel like putting it under a read more. So. Enjoy. Or keep scrolling. Either works.

So this post happened

These roles just came to me. Didn’t need to give it much thought because Sanji has the appearance and demeanor of a lead singer and I like the idea of him using his skilled hands to play piano at the same time.

I also watched the movie Rocketman earlier in the week. You know, that Elton John biopic. I adored it and it’s been heavy on my mind lately and I liked the idea of Sanji giving a high energy performance from the piano. (Sir Elton John’s music comes into play later.)

And as for Zoro, I find the bass and/or the beat the sexiest part of the music in a song and, naturally, I can see him rocking at either.

So I asked Cas if she had any other headcanons for this AU and this thing is too good to not share.

Yeah, so Zoro and Sanji are in a boy band with Usopp and Luffy. Luffy started the band. Luffy does guitar, Zoro is on bass, Usopp is on drums, and Sanji is on keyboard and vocals.

Nami is their manager. She works them hard and has taken a 40% cut of the profits because of the guys’ naivete and inexperience. But she’s why they took off. She booked their gigs at every venue she could manage, no matter how small.

They got their big break when Nami met Vivi, who’s a talent scout for the record label Baroque Works. Nami insisted that Vivi had to see the boys perform because they’re something else and Vivi’s heard that a thousand times, but she agreed because Nami is cute. Nami and Vivi are dating. Also, re Baroque Works: Crocodile looks like a sleazy music producer, doesn’t he? So does Doflamingo.

So Sanji is the pretty one, Luffy is the funny one, Zoro is the quiet/broody one, and Usopp is the smart one.

Zoro has a lot of deals with fitness brands, but secretly finds the famous life unfulfilling. This comes back later, so keep that in your back pocket.

Robin runs their social media. She’s so good at her job, running all of their accounts and tweeting simultaneously, you’d swear she had four sets of hands. Wink.

Franky does pyrotechnics/lighting.

Brook is their stylist.

Chopper was their first real fan. He and Zoro grew up in the same neighborhood and Chopper just always idolized him. He followed them before anyone knew their names. He was their hype man, saying encouraging things like "I know you guys are gonna be great!" He believed in them even when they didn't believe in themselves.

Usopp set up their recordings before they got signed because he’s savvy. And then Chopper would sell their crappy CDs. At these tiny gigs. Like coffeehouses and stuff.

Sanji can play keyboard because his parents forced him to play piano as a kid. They had this idea that classical music would teach him discipline and make him smarter. This is how he meets Zeff. Zeff’s your typical stern instructor, but he’s the first adult to ask Sanji what he actually wants and likes. Zeff sees Sanji’s not into it so he asks him what music he likes and Sanji tells him he likes pop, so Zeff gives Sanji a more rounded education. This includes Elton John because I say so. It did inspire me to put Sanji on keyboard, after all.

But other than being Sanji’s piano instructor, Zeff becomes the one positive adult figure in young Sanji’s life and he becomes something of a mentor figure for him. Zeff has a garden and he lets Sanji work in it with him. This garden is how Sanji gets his “little eggplant” nickname. Sanji pulls an eggplant out before it’s ready and it’s so small and pitiful and Zeff won’t let him live it down. Like, Sanji keeps in touch with Zeff even into adulthood and after he makes it big and he still calls Sanji little eggplant.

Zoro and Sanji are always doing that, "Kind of flirting, not really” thing on stage.  Sanji is always like walking up to Zoro on stage and acting like he's going to kiss him but pushing him away at the last moment. And it's this huge mystery whether they're actually an item or not. This comes from Nami. Sanji and Zoro have this natural chemistry with each other that leads to speculation and Nami, knowing how boy band fan bases work, saw dollar signs. But it’s not just pragmatism on her part; she knows that one cannot simply go up to Zoro and Sanji and say “You obviously like each other. You should date.” So she makes money and helps her friends find happiness.

Usopp has speculation going on as well. People are always confused as to who he’s dating. Tabloids keep being like "Usopp dumped Nami and is now dating Luffy!" "Luffy Scorned?" "Luffy ditches Usopp and steals his girl!" And they just think the entire thing is hilarious. They collect headlines. The answer is Usopp is dating Luffy and Nami and Luffy and Nami just become really affectionate with each other after dating Usopp long enough. Also Nami is dating Vivi, like I mentioned, and sometimes Nami brings her on as a plus one. 

Sanji and Zoro keep giving conflicting answers about their relationship status. Like they'll tell one person they hate each other and another person they're gonna get married someday. Sanji has to walk this fine line of being "in love" with all of his female fans and also "in love" with Zoro. Or not. Who knows? Like Sanji enjoys the attention but he really really plays shit up for his fangirls. This makes Sanji even more popular. Just picture pages upon pages of Sanji/Reader and “Zanji” fics on Wattpad. Nami is one smart lady. "I am the smartest, prettiest, most clever person alive."

Zosan getting together really is just a bunch of Fake Dating tropes. At first it really is just to get more press for the band. Nami schemes with Usopp and Robin to push them together. Robin's a social media genius and knows how to craft tweets and Instagram posts that fans will overanalyze. 

Meanwhile eventually Zoro and Sanji admit to each other they have actual feelings and one day Usopp finds Sanji sleeping in Zoro's bed, both of them completely tuckered out. But they don’t know Nami crafted this. They just come clean and hope she won't be mad and she's like, "Yes! Finally!" and they're like "What?" and she's like, "I've been waiting for you two to realize you have actual feelings. Did you really think I'd just use you for profit like that?" and they're both like "Yes" "Of course"

Zoro’s mad at her for meddling. Secretly he’s grateful, but he doesn’t want to give her the satisfaction and he’s yelling until Sanji grabs his hand and he just calms down.

And to bring Elton John back into the picture, just picture Sanji doing a cover of “Your Song” and uploading it online and thinking about Zoro. Naturally the comments are abuzz with people speculating that he’s singing about Zoro. And like. Onstage Sanji does his rendition and sends these small glances Zoro’s way, partially because he knows it’ll get the band a lot of attention, partially because that song is sweet and beautiful and it’s such a simple way to explain his feelings. (There is a reason why Moulin Rouge included it!!) I imagine this happens before they come clean to each other. Like, Zoro comes to him and is all “I keep thinking about that song you did...” And they go from there.

And eventually the band comes to its natural end. 

Usopp goes solo and flourishes, working as a songwriter and a producer. He wrote the band’s songs and he’s had a drum kit since he was, like, ten and he can make his own beats. He’s not the singing type (though he is good at it and could reach new heights if he came out of his shell), so he’s the kind of artist who makes the beat and then gets super famous pop singers to feature on his tracks. But he also writes songs for other singers and is so good at it and produces other artists’ tracks. I also like the idea that he’s taught himself to play multiple instruments, but he prefers the drums/percussion. He totally played percussion in school and was in marching band. I was in marching band for one year. I loathed every second of it, but I know he’d be phenomenal in drum corps.

Luffy isn’t much in music anymore, but he keeps himself busy. He’s something of an influencer, the kind of celebrity who gets paid to wear fashion brands’ clothing. He’s also Usopp’s trophy husband, living off the money he made off the band. Usopp grew wise to Nami’s antics and made sure he and Luffy would live comfortably for the rest of their lives, even if Usopp were to retire. Luffy also is secretly a Buzzfeed journalist because it’s fun for him to write these hit articles and people not know it’s him because he’s writing on this super bland pseudonym. 

And then there’s Zosan. They have a falling out after the band splits and go their separate ways.

Sanji quits being a professional singer because he’s tired of the prying into his personal life, but he still mentors and/or teaches. He has a string of girlfriends and finds no fulfillment in those relationships because the women are only interested in his celebrity.

And they aren’t Zoro.

Zoro tried branching off into commercials for fitness, but his heart wasn’t in it. He kind of takes up ranching on a whim and learns that he’s really good at it. He likes the physical labor, the quiet, being away from it all, nobody knowing his name. He doesn’t pursue anyone after Sanji because he feels like if it’s meant to be, someone will appear.

And Sanji does.

Sanji finds out where Zoro is through Luffy. So he makes his way to the ranch and finds Zoro and Sanji is all “Come back. I miss you.”

And there’s just a lot of soft Zosan content during Sanji’s visit. Sanji’s always been afraid of horses, but he’s not afraid when he’s with Zoro, and Zoro teaches him they can be gentle creatures, it’s just that you just have to respect them. (Ha. Get it?) Zoro takes Sanji on a ride and they go out and he takes him up the mountain and shows him how beautiful the view is. Sanji's watching the sunset and he's like, "Damn that's the prettiest thing I've ever seen." And Zoro is looking at Sanji and he says, "It sure is." And Sanji's like, "you're not... even looking." And Zoro's like, "No, I'm looking alright. Prettiest thing I've ever seen for sure."

More soft things like Zoro taking off his cowboy hat and putting it on Sanji. Them sitting by the fire, Zoro playing acoustic while Sanji sings. Whenever people see them they’ll ask them if they’re musicians and they share a knowing smile and say “Yeah. Something like that.”

And Zoro convinces Sanji to move out there with him. The others come to visit. Luffy and Chopper are obsessed with the cows and horses and the chickens. Luffy wants, like, eight pet chickens. Usopp is skeptical. Doesn’t believe Lu can look after a pet.

And it kind of ends there. It was us going back and forth, oftentimes out of chronological order, and so here I am putting it all together because it’s too good not to share. But it was a lot of fun.

[sooty-writing]

Sweet Tea, Sweet Husband (Seteth x Byleth)

Mornings at the monastery were rarely quiet. What would be peaceful hours in a small village were some of the more rambunctious times of the day. Some students of the Officers Academy were naturally early risers, often going to train or to get an early meal. Yells from the training grounds would rouse even the heaviest of sleepers on a bad day. On the third floor, the Archbishop and her husband were the two lucky souls in the monastery to be far enough from the chaos to not hear it.

Seteth groaned, burying himself under the covers of his shared bed. It was Sunday morning, the day he chose to sleep in. Ever since his wife took the position of Archbishop, much of their time together was strictly work related. While there were the smiles in passing and moments of affection during private meetings in one of their offices, truly personal matters had been reduced to the few minutes they had before heading to bed. He pulled the blankets up to his chin, resettling to his position at Byleth’s side. One arm rested on the curve of her waist while the other acted as a pillow for her. Despite his head still being in a haze, he still smiled at her sleeping form. 

A light snore came from Byleth instead of her normally silent breath. Seteth hummed, almost chuckling from the small sound. Living the majority of her life as a mercenary had conditioned her to be at the ready with the snap of a twig. Only when she was truly in a deep sleep did she snore. Her year as a professor helped her relax her into being able to attain such a state in the first place. A small part of him hoped that with them now married, he helped in a way as well.

From behind the curtains, thin streams of sunlight tried shining on the pair. Seteth squinted as one hit his eyes, encouraging him to snuggle closer into Byleth’s shoulder. He let out a grumble at the few students that did cause a ruckus on the floor below, noting to reprimand them later if he could. At the moment, though, that didn’t matter. Sleep almost caught him again before his wife turned to her back, letting out one more snore, slightly louder than before. 

As much as he enjoyed the sound, he knew at this rate, it’d only get worse. In the meantime, though, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to prepare a cup of tea. With his mind set, Seteth carefully uncovered himself from the comfort of their bed. A rug from a Great Wolf Byleth had killed not too long ago saved the man from early morning chills. The woman was a terrifying force, but here he was, picking out her favorite morning tea before she awoke. 

Inside of a small cabinet was their stash of Four Spice and Sweet Apple Blend teas, with different tea sets for each season of the year. The beginning of the Great Tree Moon marked the start of Spring as well, bringing in the menagerie of colors in the gardens and fields. Taking out the corresponding tea set, Seteth began heating up a pot of water over a small burner. All the while, Byleth’s snoring had calmed, coming down to slow breaths. Her arms were strewn about the mattress, taking over her husband’s side. One arm was casted over his pillow, dragging it out of order. Blankets twisted to fit her form with each toss and turn, most of it piling on top of her. Her mint hair covered the right side of her face and part of the other eye. 

Seteth chuckled at the state she put herself in. One wouldn’t expect the woman to be so chaotic while sleeping, taking over a bed fit for a king. Once again, she demonstrates how different she was to his past expectations. Each day he lived with her, he learned one more thing about her to add to that list. She wasn’t the stoic mercenary many perceived her to be so long ago;at least, not anymore. How much of it was her own growth or the merging of souls with the Goddess, he wasn’t sure. Now, it didn’t matter, not when she was peacefully sleeping, and alive.

The saint was broken away from his musing at the sound of rapidly popping of bubbles. Blowing out the flame below, he poured the water into the cups, allowing them to steep in the meantime. The water settled, gradually turning  into different earthly tones in each cup. Satisfied, Seteth put the finishing touches to the table. With the small vase of freshly picked flowers and plate of scones from the snack basket, everything was set. 

On the bed, Byleth patted the spot her husband usually slept on. Rather than feeling the muscular body of him, her hand slightly bounced off of the pillow she was previously hugging. Noticing she was finally roused from her sleep, Seteth smiled, walking over to her side. She responded to his kiss on her head with a groan, pulling the covers over her head.  

He chuckled, peeling back the blankets.“Byleth, the later you take to wake, the colder the tea will be.”

“One more minute, will you allow me that?” she groaned.

“One minute for you is twenty for the rest for us. I regret to inform you, no, I will not.” 

Reluctantly, his wife pushed back her thick pile of blankets, shivering from the early morning air. It doesn’t seem the world has transitioned into the new season as quickly as she wanted it to. Taking one of the lighter blankets from the top, she wrapped herself as she dragged her feet towards the table. The scent of sweet apples warmed her chest, a comforting wave softly spreading throughout her body. 

Seteth pulled her chair out for her, pecking the crown of her head once again before sitting himself. Morning light streamed into their room, brighter than earlier, but not blindingly so. The Archbishop let out a content sigh after taking her first sip, relaxing into the chair as the tea cleared the lingering drowsiness. On the other side, Seteth offered her a couple scones, holding a small plate out to her. She gave him a grateful hum, placing it down next to her tea. 

“It’s quite peaceful today. Perhaps you would like to join Flayn in her afternoon fishing?” Seteth asked her, sipping his tea.

“If she’s willing to not sit out there until dinner. As much as I love her, at the rate she was at last week, the pond will be out of fish by the end of the year. And that’s being generous,” she held back a laugh, hiding her smile behind her cup. 

“Oh, it surely isn’t to that degree! She’s simply enthusiastic in her activities.”

“Seteth, my dear, she’s able to out do me on some days,” Byleth took a bite of her snone, crossing her ankles.

The Advisor rolled his shoulders back, readjusting his posture from a slight slump,“well, it’s to be expected when she has you as an instructor.” 

Byleth chortled, covering her mouth with her hand. Seteth let out a wheeze, a smile spreading wide. Looking at her in the morning normally warmed to his heart, but the soft joy she shared in small moments brought on a deeper feeling. In the time he had gotten to know the former mercenary, the same feeling bubbled up. At first, he was distant towards her, but still kept a watchful eye on her. His sister trusting this woman with such a position as professor when she likely only had a basic education concerned him greatly. Why was she chosen, out of the other residents in Garreg Mach, let alone all of  Fodlan? She was known for her brutality in battle, if the rumors were true. The Ashen Demon showed no emotion no matter the circumstance. Along with that, besides combat, what substantial information could she bring?  

Her growth as a person, as well as her students showcased some of his concerns, but proved the opposite was true for others. Despite not knowing too much in the typical subjects she took to them quickly. Often she was seen checking out books multiple times a week from the library. Her seminars were informative, and she made sure to spend as much individualized time with her peers and students as possible. On her days off, she would bond with people over meals or tea (such as they’re doing now), or tend to the plants in the garden. Any fish she caught went to the stray dogs and cats around the monastery grounds. She may not have known her past too well, but in retrospect, it wasn’t her fault. Her father raised her to not know of his own past, and made dates unimportant unless related to work. The monastery was the first place she could call “home” since she was a small child.

“Seteth? Are you listening?”

“Huh? Oh, my apologies. I let my thoughts wander for a moment. Could you repeat what you said?” Seteth’s vision focused on Byleth’s face after a few blinks. Her face wrinkled with worry for a moment before softening.

The Archbishop shook her head, setting their empty plates into a pile in the middle, “it’s nothing important. Just my own random ideas, we can talk about it later.” 

“Are you sure, my dear?” he asked, collecting the dirty dishes and walking them over the washing bin, “you’re aware I enjoy listening to whatever you have to say.”

“I am perfectly aware, I just think that Flayn would like to be included in. You know, family plans,” Byleth finished off the last of the tea before passing the pot to Seteth.

“‘Family plans’? As in a vacation?” he paused his scrubbing, looking back over his shoulder to his wife. Over by the bed, she fixed the piled up blankets into their proper spread.

Looking at him with a raised brow, she said, “yeah? Something like that. I just thought we could all use a break. Our last one was in the Great Tree Moon. Take a weekend off to look around town. It’s been a while since we did that.”

“That… would be wonderful. Though, we would need to prepare for it. Meetings with His Highness and his advisors begin this week, leaving us with less time for other parts of work,” his eyebrows scrunched together, “there is also the discussion about-”

“Seteth, you’re rambling again.”

“Ah- my apologies. As you were saying, yes, Flayn should be included in this conversation. Shall we meet over lunch this afternoon?” he mused, drying his hands.

“Sounds like a date. But not really. It’d be weird to have Flayn with us for a date. How about it’s just us for dinner, then?” Byleth wrapped her arms around her husband’s waist as he approached her, earning a smile in return. 

“Yes,” Seteth gently kissed her forehead, resting his hands on her hips, “I like that plan.”

“Perfect. Saves me the trouble from dragging you from your work.” she laughed while lightly slapping his arm a few times.

“That would not be necessary,” he cleared his throat, cheeks tinting pink, “but I do appreciate you looking out for my well being all the same.”

His wife smiled, leaning back to get a better look at him, “I’m just doing my job. Now, help me find my headpiece, would you? I lost it last night.”

“How did- nevermind, let me assist you,” Seteth sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Letting go of her, he made sure to push in the chairs. 

“Thank you dear, you’re too sweet.” She chuckled, readjusting her wrinkled night clothes. One of these days, she should get something to keep them straight. 

“It is my duty as a loving husband. Know that I am always ready to help you however you need me, ” he reaffirmed, his back turned to her while searching for his robes. While not looking, he felt the gentle touch of his wife running up and down his back.

��I know,” Byleth smiled, leaving a kiss on the cheek, ”and that’s why I love you.” 

Walking away without receiving affection in return, she began checking under the various pieces of furniture littered around the room. Seteth huffed, letting a content smile grace his lips. Through it all, Byleth stood by his side without hesitation. Even before he started trusting her after his daughter’s kidnapping, she trusted he wasn’t the enemy. It extended to after the five years she was gone, not once did she question his judgement or feelings without reason. She reigned him in from the chaos of war and the worry of losing family members. All he wished was  to repay her kindness in any way possible- and he will keep to that promise, no matter what. For he loved her, more than she could imagine.

[krreader]

something out of a movie.

pairing: personal trainer!jeongguk x client!reader fandom: bts warnings: non idol!au ; sex ; light dirty talk ; public sex ; language genre: smut ; fluff ; hints of angst

summary: to think you were special was probably stupid when he had so many others like you, but there was this.. spark between you two, that always made you hope he might feel something for you too. It only took one night for that spark to become a flame..

a/n: aaaah, omg this has been in my inbox for quite a bit, I’m so sorry my love, it took me really long to find the inspiration to write this. it’s a fucking amazing request, but I’ve had so many ideas that I couldn’t narrow it down! thank you for your patience, though and I hope you like it ♥

ask box | masterlists | faq | twitter | ko-fi | REQUESTS ARE CLOSED.

Your feelings for Jeongguk had developed a long time ago, but you've always been really good at hiding them. The real question was.. why did you think it was necessary to do so? Mainly because you never thought he'd feel the same way for you.

He was he and you were you. He was this hot, unreachable guy that you were lucky enough to call your personal trainer and you were just one out of many clients that he had who had fallen head over heels for him. Well, the others probably only had a crush on him, but you? No, you had to go all in and fall in love with this goofy, yet wonderful man, who had always been a source of happiness in your life.

He helped you reach your ideal weight, helped you work on your body so that you were now incredibly happy with it and continued to be a supportive friend through it all.

“Is it just me..-” one more push up, Jeongguk holding your legs like always, “Or is everyone..-” another one, “Gone?”

“No, I think they wanted to close the gym early tonight. Something about an inspection, I'm not sure.”

“Oh? Should we go as well?” you asked as you were lying on your back.

“No, you're good. We'll finish this,” he smiled encouragingly, “Do another twenty.”

“Twenty?!” you said, completely out of breath and supporting yourself with your elbows on the floor, “Do you want me to die?”

“Come oooon, you can do it (Y/N).”

It's not that you couldn't do it. It's that you didn't want to do it.

“What do I get if I do twenty?”

“Abs?”

“Already got those..”

“Alright, how about.. a kiss,” he laughed, leaning forward and pursuing his lips.

See, it was moments like these that made you think he might feel something for you as well. You had often seen him train with other people and he wasn't like that with them. He was professional and never even went past small-talk. But with you.. there were these flirtatious moments..

“Deal,” you grinned, wiggling your eyebrows and then laughing when he looked taken aback, like he hadn't expected you to agree.

And while you were busy doing those twenty fucking push-ups, you didn't see him blush. Because goddamn, if only you knew that you weren't the only one who has developed feelings in this friendship. Yes, he had a lot of clients, yes, a lot of them were female and good-looking, but there was something about your personality that he just fell in love with almost instantly. It was the way you were around him. Like you never tried to impress him, but always were yourself that made him fall in love with you. The real you. He loved you when you were struggling with your weight just as much as he loved you now that you’ve reached it. Your body type never mattered. It was your personality that he fell in love with first and foremost.

And once you were done and you sat up, almost touching noses with him, he couldn't help but lean back, suddenly afraid of crossing that line he wanted to close to desperately.

“Uh.. okay. I think that's it for today. I'll.. I'll see you next week, (Y/N).”

And gone he was, pretty much running out of the room like he needed to go to the bathroom.

And you were left there on the floor, sighing heavily as you turned your head to look at yourself in the mirror, brushing your hair out of your face.

“I wouldn't want to kiss me either looking like this,” you muttered to yourself, referring to your red and sweaty face. Your insecurities about yourself had gotten smaller, but they never quite left. It was moments like these that you couldn’t help but pity yourself..

You were hurt, despite not really having any reason to be. 

This probably proved that he wasn't interested in you once and for all.

So you grabbed your water bottle and your towel and walked into the changing room, then straight into the shower.

That was probably the most important thing right now.

In the meantime, Jeongguk walked up and down the changing room of the gym instructors and tried to encourage himself, “Come on, you idiot. You can do this. She's right there.. she's alone, she likes you, you like her.. it's simple. You just.. you just tell her. No, don't tell her, you'll mess up. Kiss her. Right.. kiss her, that's.. good.”

And so with one final look into the mirror, he walked into the changing room that you were in, making sure that you were dressed though.

Well, you were only wearing a towel, but that was good enough.

“(Y/N)?”

“Oh, hey,” you smiled as you turned around, “Did I forget something?”

“Yeah,” he simply crossed the room without thinking anymore and cupped your cheeks, kissing you passionately like he had wanted to do for years, “This,” is what he whispered against them a moment later.

Smooth, Jeongguk. Very smooth.

If you hadn't wanted this for as long as he had, you would have asked a shit ton of question. But you were scared that if you did, he would run away again. You were scared you'd ruin the moment if you asked.. well.. anything.

So instead, you just decided to enjoy the moment.. whatever this was, and got up on your tiptoes to kiss him once again.

He pushed you against the lockers behind you and without either of you trying to remove it, your towel dropped to the floor.

Jeongguk wanted to say something, wanted to help you pick it up again, but you grabbed his chin and shook your head, “Leave it,” you whispered, “We don't need it.”

If this was your one chance to be with him, you'd take it. You'd cling to it, probably for the rest of your life. That's how hard you had fallen for this guy.

But this wasn't a one-time-thing for Jeongguk and he'd make sure to show you that. He pulled his shirt over his head but kept his eyes firmly on yours, before he caught your lips in another heated kiss. His hands roamed over your curves, until he cupped your ass cheeks and picked you up like you were a feather.

The perks of being strong..

“You're so beautiful,” he whispered against your lips.

“I've got you to thank for that,” you giggled.

“No, (Y/N),” he shook his head and leaned back, your hands now locked behind his neck, “You've always been beautiful.”

Oh god, how long you had wanted him to say something like that to you. And how much it meant to you, that he, attractive and handsome Jeon Jeongguk, said he thought you were beautiful even before you started working out. It.. really meant the world to you.

And so with a small smile, you leaned down again to kiss him, while your feet pushed down his shorts.

And the second the fabric was gone, was the second his dick sprang free, the tip already lying against your entrance.

“You're so wet,” he murmured against your lips, “Just for me..”

There wasn't any foreplay needed, both of you already being way too ready for this. Having been for years now.

And the feeling once he was finally inside you.. it was everything and more, seriously.

He filled you up completely, stretching you out so perfectly and fitting like he was meant to be inside you.

“Fuck,” your head fell back against the locker, Jeongguk taking that moment to leave soft kisses against your throat.

And as softly as he kissed you, he began moving inside of you.

His pace was incredibly slow, clearly wanting to enjoy this moment. He wanted to feel you. Really feel you. He wanted to see how he made you feel and he wanted to hear how good it was to have him inside you.

“Jeongguk,” you moaned into his ear, your legs tightening around him, “God, I've wanted this for so long..-”

“Me too,” he sucked on a sensitive spot below your ear that had you moan a little louder, already making a mental note of that for.. future references.

Despite the slow pace, he pushed inside of you incredibly deep. So deep, that he could feel your g-spot after only a couple of minutes, grinning slightly.

“Does it feel good?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, your head still leaning against the looker, “You feel good.”

“You do too,” he pressed a kiss against your chin, smiling at you when you smiled at him.

It wasn't at all how you had always imagined it. You thought it would be rough. You thought he'd manhandle you, pull on your hair and make you call him daddy. But instead it was incredibly loving. Soft. Gentle. But at the same time, so good. It was so much better than you always thought it would be, probably because the more he looked at you, the more you could feel it. Sense it.

And he felt it too.

This was more.

Suddenly he took two steps back and sat down on the bench in the middle of the room and without having to ask, you started riding him, your hands on his shoulders, but still staring into his eyes. His hands were on your waist, guiding you, until one of his hands snuck between your bodies and gently rubbed circles over your clit.

And it was as if he was mesmerized by what an effect it had on you. The way you bit your lip as pleasure washed over you and the way you tried to hold back your moans, but couldn't as soon as he applied pressure.

All of those images would forever be branded into his memory, hoping that he'd make more of them with you in the future.

“I'm close,” you moaned, moving against his hand.

And with a slight faster pace, he brought you over the edge, arching your back, as you clawed your fingernails into his shoulders, moaning your name as your orgasm washed over you.

Jeongguk himself couldn't help but moan either, with the way your walls started contracting around him.

“Shit,” he inhaled sharply, “Fuck, I'm close too..-”

And because you were already close to being overstimulated, you decided to get up from the bench and down on your knees instead, taking his dick into your mouth a moment later and finishing the job with your mouth.

And even if he didn't want to cum into your mouth, you wanted him to and made sure he came while your lips were firmly wrapped around him.

You didn't pull back, but took him in as deeply as you could as he came inside you.

“Fuck, (Y/N),” he brushed your hair back and watched you lick up every last drop of him, smiling as you swallowed it all, “You really did that.”

“I wanted to try it all.. at least once,” you got up from the floor, but before you could walk away, he wrapped his arms around your legs and kissed your belly.

“Go out with me..”

“Usually the sex comes after the date, you know?” you chuckled, brushing his sweaty hair back.

“Well, at least now we know what to look forward to.”

“So.. this wasn't a one-time-thing for you?”

“No.. definitely not.”

“Good,” you leaned down and tilted his head back to gently kiss him, “That's good.”

[soldierswar]

Cascade - Chapter 1

Bucky X Natasha 

Warnings: None really at the moment.

Plot: Natalia Romanova is one of the best in the Red Room. Her along with her best friend Yelena Belova. 

One day, the director of the Red Room sends her on a very important assignment with a very important master assassin. One that most people, even in the most underground organizations don't even know about. 

After she meets him, her life, and how she fits into her current world will change forever.

Note: None of the characters here are actually canon except for Natasha, Bucky, and Yelena in this series. 

(DM me if you want to be tagged in future chapters).

Masterlist

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“Again.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” thought Natasha, exchanging a look of fury with her despite the fact that she was one of the highest regarded guest evaluators in all of Russia. Natasha looked back at the guy of whom she had just annihilated in a sparring match once again. If Anya should be picking on anybody, it should have been that loser who was gathering his bearings again. And he was supposed to be one of the best guys at her level. Pathetic. She stared into his eyes as though she were ready to kill him, and he stared back at her in the same manner. The only difference was that he had more bruises on his face. The fact that he had the nerve to look at her that way made her blood boil, even though she knew that he had nothing on her. Not anymore. “Okay, we're done now,” Anya announced abruptly after listening to something in her earpiece. It was strange the sudden change of heart, (on either her end or somebody else’s), but Natasha didn’t question it. She sighed, and swiftly walked her way out of the room not giving either of them a second glance. When she swung the door open, she found Yelena leaning against the wall across from her. 

“They kept you in for a little while, huh sister?”

A little while was an understatement. There were five evaluators in the beginning, and multiple girls and boys training in that room. Eventually, all of the other evaluators were gone except for Anya, and all the rest of the agents were able to leave within the first couple of hours. All except for Natasha and that other boy who’s name she didn’t bother to learn. “I don’t know why, or who she thinks she is to keep me for so long,” Natasha growled. “They had us in for another two hours than the rest for no reason. She knows I’m good. Everybody here knows that I’m good. I should have been the first to be able to leave.” Yelena did her best to try to comfort Natasha, despite the fact that Natasha knew that she was reveling in the fact that indeed she was the first to leave. “Well maybe she wanted to see how you beat him over and over again compared to the others,” Yelena replied. “Maybe your fighting skills changed, and they simply wanted to observe. Natasha rolled her eyes. That was never how things worked in the Red Room. They always let the stronger ones leave first, and pushed the weaker ones for as long as they could for hours upon hours until their bodies could handle the stress no longer. She remembered when she was younger, and weaker when she and three other girls were stuck in there for 9 hours one time. Natasha made sure to make her way to the top just to avoid the humiliation of having to stay that long in those evaluation sessions again. She trained and trained against some of the toughest girls. And as time went on, evaluation sessions grew shorter and shorter as she made her way to the top. At this point, her best friend Yelena was her only match. That face alone made Natasha was confused as to why they didn’t pair the two together on the first round, and let them go as soon as possible. What frustrated her more as that they let Yelena out by the third round instead of her. “Come on, sister,” said Yelena throwing her arm around Natasha to take her over to the mess hall. 

… “So,” Yelena started. “Did you hear the news?” Natasha narrowed her eyes. “Will I have to pull it out of you? Or can I finish my pasta as you tell me?” Yelena raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Apparently, we have a special guest coming in.” Natasha stared blankly at her. “Wasn’t Anya supposed to be our special guest of the week?” Natasha replied.   Yelena shook her head. Natasha also realized that she had never seen Yelena look as excited as she did right then. She looked like a teenage school girl that had just heard a rumor that her crush was going to ask her on a date any minute.   “Apparently, he’s a super-secret master assassin. He might be training some of us. And even better, they could be preparing to send a couple of us on an assignment or two with him.” Natasha froze and stared at Yelena’s excited expression. She still wasn’t sure whether she should actually care or not. “Do you know who it is?” Natasha inquired, deciding that she was not convinced. “No,” she scowled. “Then how do you know if it’s true?”   She looked side to side to see if anyone could be listening. “Vanya told me that last night after sneaking back in during the late hours, he came across crew bringing someone in. Full security.” “Yelena,” Natasha sighed. She nodded. “If he’s a master assassin, why would he need security?” She shrugged. “Well, that’s all that Vanya told me. Maybe he’s just that important.” Natasha was even less convinced. And she could also tell that Yelena held on to that leaked information because she was hoping to be that special agent. Even if it were true, Natasha couldn’t deny that Yelena would have deserved it. She worked hard, completed her missions without the need for emergency backup most of the time, and all of their instructors and commanding officers did love and fall for her charm. That fact alone was very important to her. She would often lecture Natasha to make herself more pleasant. “Just because you’re one of the best around here, doesn’t mean you can’t act a little nicer,” she would often say. She wasn’t wrong. But as of yet, Natasha had no reason to believe that she would face any sort of consequence for her attitude as long as she maintained, and continued to excel in her level of skill. “I can tell that you don’t believe me,” she huffed, narrowing her eyes. Natasha gave in. “Okay, okay, maybe you’re right,” Natasha groaned sarcastically, but lightheartedly. “Maybe Vanya wasn’t totally full of shit, and you’re going to do whatever project you’ll be asked to do with this evangelical master assassin. Are you happy?” Both Natasha and Yelena giggled. “Well, well, well,” said a voice approaching from behind Natasha. She turned and found one of her least favorite assistant to the director. “Ari,” she greeted dryly. “What a pleasure.” He maintained a neutral facial expression so as to not outwardly acknowledge his annoyance. “Natalia, the head would like to see you in twenty minutes.” She frowned. Both out of curiosity, and the continuation of her mild annoyance. Nobody called her Natalia anymore unless it was for something serious. She hadn’t gone by that name since last year after going on a three-month-long undercover assignment in London where she was instructed to go by the name ‘Natasha’. She insisted on sticking with the name ever since.   She turned to Yelena who seemed equally intrigued. And maybe even a little bit…Disappointed? “Well how about right now?” she suggested.   “Well, you could finish—” “I said,” Natasha interrupted rudely.   “Let’s go now,” Natasha could feel his anger begin to boil with her attitude. It wasn’t necessarily her suggestion at all that frustrated him. It was more her tone that taunted him; and she knew how to get to him every time they spoke. She did it because she knew that he had no real merit to mess with her. The last time he did, his higher ups had a very stern talking to for berating one of their best agents the way he did over something so small. They only felt that way because they knew that she would act out if he kept that up. Therefore, Natasha knew that she had the upper hand over him attitude-wise. So she took whatever opportunity she could to push him right to the edge, but not quite over it. It was her favorite part of their interactions.   “Okay, let’s go.” … “Ah, Natalia, there you are,” said Nikolai, the director of the Red Room. She sat down on the chair placed on the other side of his desk. “Nikolai,” she replied, stern-faced. “To what do I owe this pleasant interaction?”   He straightened his back, and matched her expression, reminding her of her place. She took note, and held back. “You fought hard today,” he stated. She held back a scoff. Actually, she held back more than that. She wanted to know what the hell happened during evaluations. “Was that what Anya told you?” “I was observing from up top,” he replied. “I haven’t actually spoken with Anya yet.” She often forgot that above the training room there were one-sided glass windows to observe all agents. It was easy to forget because nobody could see from inside the room. “So what happened?” she questioned. “Was I not to your liking today or what?” “Oh, the opposite,” he answered. Natasha tilted her head. “We have a special assignment. And we need nothing but the best.” Natasha started to feel a mischievous smile curl at the corner of her lips. “The best?” “Well don’t act like you’re surprised, Natalia. You would tear everybody apart around here just to prove yourself if we thought differently. But we just had to be sure; which was why we kept you for so long.” She shrugged. She really would do anything to stay one of the best. “Even more so than me, he needed to be sure.” “He?” she thought. Who was this figurative he? “Natalia, over the next few days, you are going to learn a lot. Very important things that not everybody here knows about. You will learn about people that many don’t know even exist, or will ever know to exist. Do you understand?” Once again…Yelena was right. Natasha stared deep and wide-eyed into Vanya’s eyes like a starving child. She wanted to know more. She wanted to know everything. And she wanted to know now.