#i would bet money that the travelers had to switch towns after like

[travelers-gaming]

God earth aleph is so funny. what do you mean they know about bet. superheroes are real but not here, they're mostly on another earth and 9/11 happens 4 times a year there.

[inklessletter]

Headcanon time!

I've been reading fanfic after fanfic, hc after hc that it is universally acknowledged the Harringtons are a wealthy family, and for extension, so is Steve. And it kind of makes sense, right? The house, Steve driving a BMW at age 17, even the way he dresses. It's logical. 

I've been rewatching the series lately, and after the last season, it got me thinking.In S2 he suggests to Nancy that after he graduates he might work for his father’s company to stay with her a few years more, which led me to think that his father’s is a local company. Also, he’s not so disgusted by that idea. And, you know, if his family owns a company, it’s obvious that they’re financially accommodated, but if it’s a local business, they don’t have to be necessarily filthy rich, either. 

Steve mentions later that he worked for a few summers as a lifeguard, and after he graduated, he switched jobs and went for something more stable, something he could still be working on when September came, so he applied for Scoops, because the mall would be open all year long. This means that he's been earning his own money since he was, at least, 15. He knows the value of money. See, the guy’s responsible. And hard working. And committed. And that has to come from somewhere, and I bet that he’s been educated that way, to be smart about money. 

So, yeah, maybe their parents have money and bought Steve a car at 16, but it’s obvious that Steve takes good care of it, like it’s always clean, and probably he keeps it that way himself (the way he tells Dustin to weep his feet before hopping in sounds a lot like “I just spent all Sunday morning cleaning the goddamn car”). 

It is obvious that there is an active education on honest work and the value of money behind these things. This actually leads me to think that maybe the Harringtons are not so bad as parents. Yeah, we hear Steve saying that his father is an asshole, but please, remember that he was 17 when he said it. Maybe he and his father don’t get along well, maybe the Harringtons’ marriage is not a good one, but that doesn’t mean that they are necessarily bad parents. At the end of S3, Robin mocks him that he puts his mom’s name in his resume as a reference, because she’s well respected in town (which helps me to reinforce the idea that the Harringtons are a big name for the locals). I can totally see Steve’s mom sitting with him updating his resume, suggesting he put her name in it.

And then we have Steve’s dream. He wants a family, a big one, and wants to be present, and wants to take them to see the country every year. And that’s another reason the whole fandom assumed that it is the way it is because Steve’s parents were absent. But think about Nancy: she explicitly says that she doesn’t want to be a housewife like her mom because she sees first hand how miserable she is. She builds her dreams from what she sees at home. What if Steve’s the same? What if, even if the Harringtons’ marriage could be better, Steve has good memories with his parents? Maybe he wants to take them to see the country every year precisely because they weren’t that accommodated when he was growing up and they had no possibility of traveling around. Maybe that’s how he acknowledged how privileged he is for having a job, for having a car, and having a family wealthy enough that they don’t have to worry about it, month after month.

Maybe he’s also building his dream because he looks up to his parents, because he actually got a nice, happy childhood at home.

With this, please, don’t get the message that I don’t agree with the fandom popular headcanon, or that I don’t like it or whatever. This is just another reading of Steve’s negative spaces. And personally, it’s one that brings me comfort.

[spine-buster]

peaceful easy feeling ft. b.boeser | four

A/N: This one is an emotional one.  Please be prepared.  Content warnings are below.

CONTENT WARNING: parents with disease/sickness (Parkinson’s); parent death; swearing; sex; alcohol use; lots of emotions.

                                                                *     *     *     *     *

Brock was wiping Grace’s tears as he stood in between her legs as she sat on the counter.  She had come over to his house crying after an appointment at the hospital with her dad’s neurologist.  There was no good update.  There was no bad update.  There was just an update.  “Things are progressing at the rate they’ve always been progressing,” the doctor had told her.  “We’ll see how long the pureed foods last.  He’s been doing well with that, but as you know it will have to switch as some point to tube feedings.”

“I just want so much more time with him,” Grace cried into Brock’s shoulder, clinging to his body with every limb she had.  Brock pulled her away slightly so he could look her in the eye and wipe the tears that were streaming down her face himself.  “There was still so much he wanted to do.  So much I wanted to do with him.  He—he’s accepted his fate, but it also breaks his heart.”

Brock’s heart was heavy.  He wrapped his arms around her again and held her close against his body, placing small reassuring kisses on her neck and whispering to her over and over again that everything would be okay.  In reality, the both of them knew it wouldn’t be.  Hamish was dying.  He was dying a slow death.  But both of them also knew it was exactly what Grace needed right now – to be held, to have her tears wiped away, to be told everything was going to be alright.  It was one of the things she loved most about Brock, that he always knew what to do and what to say to her.  

“I love you,” he whispered into her ear tenderly.

“I love you too, Brock,” Grace whispered back.  “I love you so much.”

As Brock stood in the kitchen with Grace’s limbs wrapped around him, he thought about his dad.  He thought about Duke holding his hand as they watched football together.  He thought about Duke sipping on water from a straw, angry that he couldn’t have a beer like his buddies around him (his buddies would eventually stop drinking beer in front of him).  He thought about helping his dad get dressed, making his bed, helping him in and out of chairs or sofas.  He thought about his dad with Coolie and Milo and how much he loved them.  

Brock started crying too.

***

“You alright dad?” Grace asked as she gripped her father’s hand, watching him as he sat down on his bed in his brand new pajamas she bought him.  He nodded his head before sitting.  “Okay, let me help you with your legs.”

She bent down in front of him, seeing that he had already lifted them off the ground before she grabbed them gently and brought them on top of the bed.  He shifted his own body further into the mattress, and she made sure to fluff up his pillows before he really set his head on them.  “There you go,” she said, grabbing at the blanket bunched up at his feet.  She brought it up and draped it over his body, making sure he was snug in his bed.  She looked down at him once more.  “Sleep tight, dad.”

He said nothing.  Instead, he grabbed her hand.  Grace looked down at him.  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Why’re you so scared, sweetheart?”

Grace almost burst into tears right then and there.  But she knew she had to stay strong for her dad, because he hated seeing her cry.  He probably wouldn’t sleep for the night if she did.  “I’m just scared for the day I’m going to wake up and you won’t be here anymore,” Grace admitted to him.  Even though the doctor’s appointment didn’t necessarily bring her any good or bad news, these thoughts had been rampant in her mind ever since.  She only ever expressed them to Brock.  Sometimes to Svea.  “I know the day has been coming since I was fourteen and I’m still not prepared for it.”

“You’re…a smart girl, Gracie,” he said.  “Even with me gone…you will…still be able to do…everything that you want to.  Dance.  Have a family.  Be a mom.”

Grace nodded her head.  “I know I will.  I just don’t know if it will be as special if you’re not here to see me do all that.  Especially become a mom.  Because you know how much I want to be a mom but it’s—you’d be the best grandpa.”

“I’ll be there.  I’ll be watching.”

That’s what got her.  Right then and there, Grace let out a sob, heavy and desperate and loud, like a hurricane had just swept through her body and had taken everything with it.  She tried to stop but it was no use.  And while she sat there on the edge of his bed sobbing, he pulled her down so her head was to his chest.  “You need to…stop worrying, Gracie,” Hamish said.  She could feel and hear his heart beating.  “I’m still here…and still breathing.  Don’t you worry.”

***

“D’you miss your parents?” Grace asked Svea one night when they were hanging out together at Elias’s apartment.  They were alone in the den while Brock and Elias played video games, and Grace was looking at all the photos Svea had of her with her older sister and parents.  There were a few of her and Elias too – that was a given – in Vancouver or when they were awkward looking teenagers.  She got a kick out of those.  

“Of course.  Every day,” Svea nodded her head.  “Do you miss your parents being together?”

Grace shrugged her shoulders.  “They separated when I was so young – I barely remember them together.  I remember the fighting more.”

Svea hated to hear that sort of thing.  She knew Grace’s story, and Grace had talked to her about it before, but every time they did speak about it, Grace revealed just a little bit more about it.  “That must have been hard for you – to see your parents fighting.”

“Not just see – I was involved in it half the time,” Grace revealed.  “They would use me to get back at the other.  They were young and stupid and had too much money, and it made things unnecessarily complicated.  I think that’s why I want to become a mom so bad, you know?  Because even though I know my parents loved me, I just want to give them a better childhood experience than what I had between my parents.”

“You want them to know mom and dad love each other,” Svea nodded.

“Exactly,” Grace stressed.  “And I want, like, a big family.  I want my kids to be able to have each other, you know?  That whole time I was so alone.  I had my friends at school but I never had a sibling.  Nobody really understood.”

Svea could only imagine.  It was at that moment she realized how lucky she was that she knew her parents loved each other.  Love was complicated, yes, but they loved each other.  Her mother moved from Vancouver to a tiny town in Sweden to be with her father – that was love.  “I think you’ve found what you need in Brock, you know,” Svea said matter-of-factly.

“I know I have,” Grace nodded her head, smiling slightly.  “I’m a very lucky girl.”

“He’s a very lucky guy,” Svea quipped.

Grace couldn’t help but giggle.  “So is Elias,” she retorted, causing Svea to blush.  “When the hell are you going to marry him, Svea?  That boy is head over heels in love with you.”

Svea shook her head.  “He’s my best friend, Grace.”

***

“I love you so much,” Grace whispered as Brock bent down to kiss her, his travel-day suit already on, and a beanie on his head covering the hair Grace loved so much.  She loved running her fingers through it, especially while in bed, and the best part was that Brock loved her doing it too, so she did it all the time.  

“I love you too,” Brock replied after the kiss.  “What are you gonna get up to for these two weeks I’m not here?”

“A lot of masturbating while I think about you.”

Brock groaned, burying his head into the crook of her neck as she giggled.  He bit down at the skin of her neck and she yelped.  “You better fucking call me when you do,” he growled in her ear.

“I will.”

Brock gave her one last kiss before standing up straight again.  “Say hello to your dad,” he said, even though he just saw him yesterday for their weekly Sunday Night Football watching.  “Tell him I’m sorry about Sunday, but I’ll make it up to him when I win our Superbowl bet.”

Grace smiled.  “He’ll be crushed if he loses that bet.”

“He better start preparing.”

***

“When are you gonna just kiss her?!” Brock was exasperated.

“Shut up,” Elias mumbled, still concentrating on his phone as he typed a message to Svea.  

“Petey, no other girls exist in, like, your world besides Svea.  Can you just get it fucking done already?”

“Brock, shut up.”

“Uuuuuuuuaaaaarrrrggghhhhh!” Brock groaned loudly as he and Elias walked through the front doors of their hotel.  “I’m gonna kill you.”

“Go right ahead.”

Brock rolled his eyes.  Before he could say anything else, his phone began ringing from his pocket.  It was after the game, and judging by their routine now, he knew it was Grace.  He actually wondered if she was with Svea watching.  “There you are.  I was wondering when I’d get a call from you,” he said cheerily, not bothering with formalities.

He was met with silence on the other end.  Then, a sniffle.  She didn’t respond.  He could hear her breathing and sniffling on the other end, but she wasn’t saying anything.  “Grace?”

“Brock…he’s gone.”

Brock’s heart fell into the pit of his stomach.  He stopped walking and stood in the middle of the foyer, the world standing still around him.  He barely registered Elias stopping when he realized Brock wasn’t walking beside him anymore, and barely registered Elias looking over his shoulder with furrowed brows.  “Grace—”

“We were at the hospital.  He—he caught pneumonia somehow and it just—it just—”

“I’m on my way home right now,” Brock said quickly.  

“Brock—”

“I’m gonna get on the first flight out to Vancouver, I promise you.  I’m just at the hotel and I’m gonna pack and leave,” he explained.

“Please hurry,” her voice was desperate, full of sadness and grief.  

“I’m on my way.  I love you,” he said.

“I love you too, Brock.  Please hurry.”

When Brock hung up the phone, he finally noticed Elias staring at him.  There were so, so many thoughts running through Brock’s mind – how he was going to tell Travis he wasn’t going to take the team charter flight home, how he was going to get to the airport, how he was going to get to Grace’s dad’s house or the hospital or wherever she was – but he was only able to verbalize one.   “I need you to call Svea and tell her to get in touch with Grace.”

“What happened?” Elias asked.

“Her dad just died.”

Elias’s eyes bulged out of their sockets.  But he immediately brought his phone up and swiped until he got Svea’s number.  “Go,” he urged, bringing his phone up to his ear.  “I’ll pack your things.  I’ll bring your bag.  Just grab your passport and go.”

***

Hamish’s viewing was busy.  He was a well-known figure in Vancouver, and so Grace had to host two days’ worth of viewings, with timeslots in the afternoon and evening.  Grace stood first, her two uncles (Hamish’s brothers and partners in the investment firm) Robbie and Owen Gillespie and their families after her.  Eliza, James, Jasper, and Theo sat alone in the third row – obviously not part of the “line”, but there to support Grace.  Hamish was Eliza’s ex-husband, after all, regardless of how nasty and bitter it got.  And he was her daughter’s father.  Brock sat alone in the second row, directly behind Grace.  Elias and Svea, when they were there – which was most of the time – were beside him, attending to Grace’s every need.  

The people wouldn’t stop coming.  There was constantly a line to pay respects and then greet Grace, Robbie, and Owen.  Brock could tell it was making Grace tired, greeting people she barely knew and shaking their hand and thanking them for their condolences.  It didn’t help that it was in the newspaper and on the night-time news, too – however brief the mention of it was, it still made more people aware, and Brock was sure they showed up even though they probably hadn’t seen Grace or Hamish in years.

The funeral was even worse.  Grace couldn’t stop crying.  She said her eulogy, and it was beautiful, and Owen said one too, but after that it was just constant tears.  After the church service, she clung to Brock, pulling him into the procession.  At the entombment, her cries were loud and continual.  Elias and Svea were crying at the final prayer before his casket was sealed.  

Brock tried to be strong – for Grace, of course – but he cried, too.

***

It was a few days – almost a week, really – until Brock saw Grace again.  There had to be meetings with lawyers and her uncles that Brock had no reason attending.  The money was already hers – everything was basically just a formality, as he understood it, like an official transfer over – but Brock knew she didn’t care about the money.  Grace wanted her dad.

Brock had barely sat down on the couch before she climbed onto his lap.  Her lips immediately found his and her tongue immediately slipped into his throat.  It was urgent.  It was hasty.  It was visceral, at least for Grace.

It was also wrong.

“Grace…” Brock mumbled, pulling away.

“Brock, c’mon,” she urged, continuing to kiss his strong jawline even though he turned away.  “I need you.  Touch me.”

“Grace—”

“Touch me,” she begged, grabbing his hands and leading them up her shirt.  

“Grace, no,” he said sternly, pulling his hands away now too.

She furrowed her brows at him, an obvious look of anger on her face at his denial.  Despite him knowing it was the right thing to do, Grace didn’t think so.  “You don’t want me?” she asked in a harsh tone.

“You know I want you.  I want you all the God damn time.  But I’m not gonna do it when you’re…emotionally compromised,” he tried to reason with her, even though he knew it would be a futile attempt.  “You don’t want this.”

“Yes I do.”

“No you don’t.  You just want to feel something right now.”

She looked at him indignantly.  “Fuck you, Brock Boeser,” she growled as she lifted herself off of his lap, grabbing her purse and slamming his front door without saying another word.  

***

There was a light knock at his door.  Brock knew it could only be one person.

When he opened it, he knew Grace would be standing on the other side.  What he wasn’t expecting was how she looked.  Hair that looked that it hadn’t been washed since the last time she was over.  Wearing clothes she’d obviously been wearing for days.  Dark circles under her eyes, which were puffy and red like they hadn’t stopped crying.  She looked defeat, frail, and crushed into a million different pieces Brock just wanted to pick up and piece together again.

“I’m sorry,” were the first words out of her mouth – practically squeaked out.  He wondered if she had a voice left.  Within seconds, he could see tears well in her eyes and spill down her cheeks like a flood.  “I just…I miss his more than my heart knows how to handle.”

Brock engulfed her in a hug, and she cried and cried and cried.

***

“I was in the hospital with him…and he was weak, but he could still speak a bit, and move too.  And I was holding his hand the entire time.  And I just wanted to be in bed with him like when I was a kid and had a nightmare.  And when I got in, I—well, when I was a kid, he’d hold me against his chest and I always remember how I could feel his heart beating, so I did that.  And he held my hand and before he fell asleep, he said ‘I love you Gracie.  I’ll be there.  I’ll be watching.’  And then that was it.”

Brock felt a tear escape his eye.  He let it fall as he began to shift his and Grace’s body’s so that he was lying on top of him, her head on his chest.  He felt her hand clutch at his bare skin briefly, and a wetness on his chest he knew were tears.  “Can you feel it?” he asked, referring to his heartbeat.

Grace nodded her head.  “Stay like this, please.”

Brock didn’t move an inch the entire night.

[janetbrown711]

"If I die, I'm never speaking to you again" - Wakko

Yakko had never considered himself the lucky type, which was hard to refute looking back at his past, but ever since Dot got sick, every time she lasted the night felt like a miracle. 

Scratchnsniff had been ultimately been right, staying there for three days did a lot to revive Dot’s spirits, though it was still clear she was still sick. It was just... better now. She wasn’t sweating and shivering uncontrollably anymore. 

The list of foods the doctor gave him wasn’t totally unreasonable, they were affordable and were often in the market. However, Dot had a tendency to be a picky eater, and since taste and healthiness often didn’t correlate, Yakko often had to trick or force her to eat. It was frustrating, but there was no way in hell Yakko was going to let her get away without eating, no matter how much she pleaded. She was losing weight at a frightening pace, she needed to eat. He didn’t care what she wanted. He’d do anything to keep her alive. 

And Wakko... poor kid. Wakko seemed just as- if not more- worried about Dot than Yakko was. He spent every day working as hard as he could for money, but the results were starting to get worse. The taxing on Acme Falls increased, and soon the menial tasks Wakko had been doing disappeared, as shop keepers simply couldn’t afford to lose a single ha’penny. Because of that, the amount of food they could buy was becoming scarce, so now they only had stale bread and vegetables for Dot. Everything Yakko and Wakko ate was hunted. However, the lack of business never stopped him from going into town and trying though. Yakko was pretty sure nothing could ever stop that kid from at least trying.

Still, it left Dot feeling awfully lonely. She missed her brother a lot, and was always happier when he came home. Hell, even he was happier when he was home. Goodness knows taking care of a sickly younger sister who would be running around and playing with her dolls one day and then unable to move for pain and coughing the next was damaging to one’s psyche. Wakko was a welcome relief and distraction for the both of them. 

“Whatcha thinking about Yakko?” Dot asked as she took a nibble from a piece of her stale bread. Yakko snapped out of his thoughts and noticed both of his siblings had been staring at him, probably for a while. 

“The usual,” Yakko shrugged and took a bite of his rabbit meat.

“Sorry,” Dot whispered. Yakko froze. 

“Dot, stop that. This isn’t your fault,” Yakko shot her a look. They had had this conversation roughly a million times, but no matter what he said it was never convincing enough. Dot didn’t argue this time, and just nodded her head. Yakko sighed, suddenly not hungry. He handed it to Dot. 

“Eat this too, you need your strength,” He said, standing up. 

“But Yakko-”

“No ‘buts’ Dot. Eat it.” He looked her in the eyes. “I’m going outside for a moment. When I come back in I expect all of it to be gone.”

Dot didn’t argue, thankfully. Satisfied, Yakko went outside of the small abandoned flower shop and sat down on a bench, feeling the cool air of the early mid-winter night. 

It had been two very long months since Dot had first gotten sick, and Yakko hadn’t stopped worrying since. After all, the last time he tried to relax Dot ended up sick. To say he felt guilty was a bit of an understatement. Every time she got worse, he basically spiraled into a ball of worry and never left her side, not even to take care of himself, something he also knew was bad, but he didn’t know how to stop.

Moments like these, where he was able to step outside and just... sit for a moment was nice. It was relaxing (if his mind didn’t wander and spiral, as it just had. If Yakko could have anything in the world, it would be an off switch for his brain). 

“Yakko..?” Wakko surprised his brother when he popped his head through the door. 

“Yes? Is everything okay?” Yakko said, glancing at the boarded-up window.

“Dot’s fine,” Wakko said, and Yakko relaxed again. “I just... need to talk to you.”

That part surprised Yakko. He gestured for his little brother to sit next to him, and he did. 

“Yakko, you know how there hasn’t been any work here for the last week?” Wakko said. Yakko bit his lip, how could he not? He nodded. 

“W-well, I heard rumors from the baker that a few towns over there were blacksmiths in need of apprentices and other jobs and I was thinking-”

“No.” Yakko shut him down. 

“Yakko, you didn’t let me finish,” Wakko frowned. 

“No. You aren’t leaving Acme Falls Wakko,” Yakko crossed his arms. 

“Why? I could earn more money out there than I can here,” He argued. 

“You’re barely nine years old. You can’t travel by yourself,” Yakko fought back. 

“Can too,” Wakko huffed. “You were eight when mum and dad died. You traveled alone.” 

“That is an entirely different situation Wakko and you know that,” Yakko shot him a look. 

Wakko didn’t back down, asking, “How?” 

Yakko thought hard about that. 

“Because Mom told me I had to. I’m not telling you you need to go, so you won’t,” Yakko said. 

“Yakko, stop being stubborn,” Wakko groaned and pulled at his ears. 

“You know we need the money.”

“The jobs won’t be easy- you know that, right? They’ll be borderline exploitative,” Yakko pointed out. Wakko rolled his eyes. 

“I know that, but if I go away for a year then you can really save on food and-”

“Hold up- a year???” Yakko stopped him again. Wakko looked away. 

“I-i mean... I’d try to come home earlier, but... a year most likely.”

“Wakko, we don’t know if Dot- if... if Dot has a year,” Yakko said, the words feeling like a stab in the chest to admit. Wakko’s ears lowered. 

“I know... I just- If I stay you’re gonna run out of money for Dot’s food a-and I can’t be the reason you end up not eating because money is tight,” Wakko couldn’t look at his older brother as he said that. Yakko paused, unable to speak. 

Sometimes he really hated how observant his little brother was.

“Wakko... you can’t...” Yakko tried to argue more, but something deep within himself told him that Wakko was right. 

“I’ll send any money I earn in the mail so you can keep buying Dot her medicines and stuff, maybe even get her new clothes and blankets,” Wakko explained. “I bet she’d really appreciate that.”

“She’d miss you a lot Wak...” Yakko said. Wakko sighed. 

“Yeah... I know. I really want to be here for her if something happens but I don’t know what other options are out there. I’ve thought about this a lot, it’s what I have to do,” He replied.  

“That’s evident,” Yakko ran his hands through his fur and sighed. 

“I guess... I guess you’re right, Wak,” Yakko admitted. 

“You mean you’ll let me go?” Wakko sat up. Yakko nodded and Wakko hugged him in a bone-crushing embrace. 

“Thank you thank you thank you Yakko! I won’t let you down!” Wakko smiled up at his brother. 

“Thanks for what? What’s going on?” 

The brothers froze when they saw their little sister standing in the doorway. 

“Dot- I-”

“Are you going away?” Dot asked, clutching her rag doll tightly. 

“Now Dot, Wakko and I were discussing it and-”

“You’re letting him?!” Dot’s eyes were now filled with tears. Yakko sucked in a breath, biting his words. 

“Dot-”

“No! You can’t go Wakko! I won’t let you!” Dot shouted at him. Neither brother moved. 

“Dot, we need the money-”

“I don’t care about the money Wakko! I care about you! You can’t leave me!” She pleaded with him. 

“Dot, maybe we should go back inside-” Yakko said, noticing the people around beginning to stare. 

“No!!! He can’t leave! I’ll die before he comes back!” Dot sobbed. 

“Dot- don’t say that!” Yakko scolded, trying to ignore the stares.

“NO!!! I won’t! If I die I’ll never speak to Wakko again! He can’t leave! He can’t he can’t he can’t!” She was uncontrollably sobbing now, and Wakko’s head was so low you could hardly see his eyes, but Yakko could see the tears streaming down his cheeks. 

With a determined breath, Yakko picked up his crying sister and brought her inside, Wakko followed close behind. 

“Put me down!!” She kicked and pounded her fists, but she was weak on account of her illness. Yakko set her down once Wakko closed the door. 

“Dot, I need you to calm down and let Wakko explain himself,” Yakko said. 

“Y-you’re sup-supposed to be on m-m-my side,” Dot sniffled and cried. Well, at least she was kind of calming down...

“Dot... Wakko and I just want what’s best for you. We need to be able to buy your medicine and food so you can stay strong and healthy, but right now it’s hard. There isn’t a lot of work in Acme Falls anymore and Wakko thinks there might be more opportunities outside,” Yakko explained calmly, not sure how much Dot could hear over her hiccupping and crying. 

“B-but I want Wakko to s-stay,” She said, a lot quieter this time. 

“I want to stay too Dot,” Wakko joined in. “But you need medicine and food, and for that we need money, and I can’t get the money we need here.”

Dot looked at the ground, trying to stop her crying.

“I might die and never see you again...” Dot gave in and cried again. Wakko didn’t hesitate and quickly hugged her. 

“I know... that’s what scares me...” He said. 

“So d-don’t go,” Dot looked up at him. 

Wakko sighed. “I can’t. I have to go. You’ll die a lot faster if I don’t.”

Yakko grimaced. Whether or not it was the truth, Yakko didn’t like to think about how soon Dot could easily... you know...

Dot sniffled and wiped away her tears. “I-i dunno...”

“Dot, please,” Wakko pleaded with her, before getting an idea. 

“I’ll write you letters whenever I can. We’ll keep in touch, it’ll be like I never left!” Wakko smiled, glancing at Yakko. He nodded in approval. 

Dot then glanced at Yakko. Yakko gave a similar look back, one that suggested “hey, I’m not the one in charge here, it’s whatever you wanna do”, if it translated correctly. 

“I-i’ll miss you a lot...” Dot kicked the floor. “B-but if you have to...”

Wakko smiled and hugged her again. “I knew you’d understand. You’re the best little sister ever!”

Dot smiled weakly. “I know.”

Yakko smiled too, glad she still had her sass despite everything. 

And so it was decided. Wakko was to leave the following week, spending as much time as possible with Dot- who was doing her best to try and act like she wasn’t feeling terrible and sick. But Dot never got past Yakko, and he made sure to give her more food than normal that week. 

Eventually, though, it was time for him to go, and it seemed the whole town showed up to say goodbye. At first, Yakko had been surprised at the turnout, but realized that Wakko had basically worked for all of them at one point or another. 

Yakko and Dot waited patiently for their brother to talk and say his goodbyes to everyone- even the mime, who Wakko (and most everyone else) hated. Once he was done however, the train had already pulled up, meaning their goodbyes were going to have to be quick. 

“I’m gonna miss you Wakko,” Dot said, giving him the best hug she could muster. Wakko hugged back. 

“I’m gonna miss you too, but don’t forget, I’ll write a letter as soon as I can,” He smiled. 

“You better,” Dot punched his arm. “Or else I’ll be mad.”

Wakko laughed. “Okay, okay. I got it. I’ll write, or else.”

Satisfied, Dot sat back down and it was now Yakko’s turn.

“So... you’re really going, huh?” Yakko scratched the back of his neck. 

“Yep,” Wakko said, bouncing on his heels. He knew it was getting close.

“Just-... don’t do anything stupid. And if anything happens, don’t be afraid to come home,” Yakko said. 

“I know, I know,” Wakko chuckled. They had had many conversations with that point sneaked into it several times in the past week. 

“I know you know, I’m just nervous. Mom always said to never split up,” Yakko sighed. 

“You’re a worry-wart Yakko. You need to relax, you’ll never be able to take care of Dot if you worry yourself sick,” Wakko pointed out. Yet again, Wakko flexed his amazingly strong observation skills. 

“I’ll try my best to keep that in mind,” Yakko said, and he meant it. 

“Just don’t forget to write- or else I’ll have to come find you and knock the senses back into you.” 

Wakko laughed. “I’ll write, I promise.”

Just then, the train’s whistle blew and the conductor made the last call. Wakko winced. 

“I’ll be back as soon as possible, I promise. I’ll send whatever money I can every two weeks,” Wakko said, before giving his brother a quick hug and dashing onto the train.  He then stuck his head through a window and while the train started to chug along, he waved goodbye to Acme Falls and headed off to hopefully greener pastures. 

Dot and Yakko stayed at the station waving goodbye, even after the others had left and the train was long gone. There was a void now where Wakko’s presence had once been and the two felt it strongly. 

Eventually, Dot began to cry and Yakko had to carry her back to the flower shop so she could get some rest and conserve her strength. 

He was going to have to do that a lot if they were both supposed to make it through the year. But they could do it, Dot was strong, and Yakko could make an effort not to stress himself to death. 

They were Warners. They were fighters, and none of them were going to be giving up for quite some time. 

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11

[whitherliliesbloom]

You follow the scent trail of sweet flowers...until you bump into a mysterious bijou girl with starspun hair and lustrous lavender eyes. Mysterious girl far from home: “O-oh- I’m sorry... The way you’re looking at me as if you want to d-duel... W-well, i-if you in-insist..”

@windupnamazu​‘s Pokemon!AU Illya headcanons under the cut! It’s very long, so hang tight! Note the headcanons may be subject to change or updates in the future ;w; Drawings and designs of Illya’s outfits by @rosepinkwol​.

Illya’s personality is about similar with her ffxiv canon verse. Shy, reserved, very sweet and gentle. But she’s considerably more cheerful in her pokemon au form and less emotionally volatile / depressed. She still does have some lingering emotional and mental health issues though, which will be covered later. 

She became a pokemon trainer primarily to explore the world and meet more pokemon. Dueling and beating others isn’t a real priority for her, though she still does it to earn money. 

While Illya bets pokemon dollars in normal battles with trainers she is unfamiliar with or in official tournaments, she doesn’t like gambling real money when battling with friends. Instead, she’d often suggest that the loser has to treat the winner to a meal.

Extremely good cook. You’ll never go hungry or be unsatisfied in the tummy if you go camping with her. Just don’t mention that you like spicy foods or she’ll almost always assume that you’d be able to handle the same level of spice as she does (pro-tip: you probably can’t). 

She smells like the most gorgeous mix of flowers - no thanks to her Comfey often playing with her hair and wrapping flowers around her. 

She takes pokemon welfare very seriously due to her upbringing and background. She thus has a habit of releasing pokemon she captured that she feels would either be happier out in the wild or are showing signs of stress in her care. That seldom happens though, due to how loving and caring she is towards all her pokemon - most of them end up becoming very attached and even protective of her.

In the same way, she never forces a pokemon to battle, evolve or do anything they don’t want to, even if they are strong. 

Illya knows a lot about pokemon care and the likes / dislikes / proper way to take care of different types of pokemon. Thus, she makes friends with pokemon a lot easier than she does humans.

The very definition of ‘gotta catch em all!’..... but only if the pokemon wants to be with her. She loves all pokemon, regardless of her personal tastes and will treat any pokemon she comes across with respect and care as long as they mean no harm to her. 

Knows basic first aid for both humans and pokemon. And much like in canon, her pain tolerance is incredibly high.

She’s very particular about money. Short-change her, and she’ll be very very cross. After all, less money means less treats she can buy for her pokemon. 

In general, she’s dainty and graceful... however she is a tad more clumsy in her pokemon au form compared to canon. 

Illya is the definition of gap moe: her sweet, cute and angelic demeanor causes a lot of people to underestimate her. When they challenge her to a battle, they are later shocked by just how ferocious and skilled she is as a trainer. 

Illya has become quite famous everywhere she travels - owing to her infectiously sweet, genuine and kind nature contrasting her ferocity and skill in pokemon battles. 

She’s extremely intelligent, observant and intuitive. She often stays on the defensive for long periods of time before she works out a strategy or her opponent pokemon’s weak points before going in for the (metaphorical) kill. Reckless trainers who don’t plan accordingly are the quickest to lose to her. 

She WILL order her pokemon to use stun debuffs on your pokemon (sleep, charm etc). And she won’t apologize for it.... until the battle is over. 

As stated, since Illya doesn’t especially care about dueling or becoming known as the best pokemon trainer, she often doesn’t see the need to challenge gym leaders to duels unless her friends urge her to, or if beating a gym leader is required for her to be able to advance in her journey. 

Illya’s an extremely good sport. She’ll congratulate you wholeheartedly if you defeat her, and will also wish you ‘good fight!’ if she beats you.

Gives the best hugs - especially to her pokemon. It’s not uncommon for people to see her giving group hugs to her pokemon after a particularly tough or difficult duel.  

Illya actually has a lot of pokemon, many captured but also many that she befriended and didn’t officially ‘catch’ until they decided to follow her home. She carries a fair bunch around with her, but also left a good number of her pokemon at home to live peacefull with her father. Of course, she only enters battle with 6 pokemon at maximum, as per usual pokemon battle rules. Relationships with her main pokemon team and other notable pokemon detailed below!

While Illya is generally not one to fuss too much about her appearance or fashion, she does care about making presentable. As such, she has a more colorful and varied self-made wardrobe in her pokemon au form than she does in canon. She does however, have a favorite outfit that has become trademark to her:

A loose cloak that is fastened either with a pin or buckle, and a long flowing scarf that sways freely in the wind as she walks. Underneath her cloak, she wears a knee-length dress with a sailor collar and elbow-length sleeves and black fingerless gloves. She often switches between various hair accessories such as flower corsages, ribbons and pins. However, her brightly colored hairbands are perhaps the most well remembered to those who meet her.

Some people speculate that her scarves were sewn from the fur that was shed from her Cinccino, hence how warm and fluffy that look. Her hip length pure white hair is wrapped against her neck when she wears her scarf. 

Illya’s trademark outfit in the pokemon au has two different versions: one that she wears in the spring and summer, while the other is worn in autumn and winter. 

Her spring / summer attire is lighter- both in color and fabric. Her baby pink cloak is fastened with a flower pin atop her pink and purple dress. Intricate flower patterns adorns her skirt, and she wears ankle-length socks and purple flats. She also wears flower earrings 

Her autumn / winter attire is made of thicker, warmer material - specifically her purple cloak which has a star print and is fastened with a buckle. Her dress is a darker blue in color, with constellation and star patterning around the edge of her skirt. There are rumors that the underside of her skirt shimmers like a starry night sky... but you’d have to be out of your mind to want to look up it to confirm said rumor. Instead of socks, she wears white tights and dark blue shoes. She also wears a star hairclip and earrings to go with her blue hairband. 

Illya does not like feeling cold, and thus usually travels around wearing her cloak and scarf... however, she will on occasion take them off indoors out of respect - such as when she’s eating a meal at somebody’s house as a guest. 

Illya was born to two loving parents - Cocona, a lalafellin woman who worked as a nurse at the nearest pokemon center to their home in a small, quaint town and Lachlan, an ex-pokemon trainer who retired shortly after having his name entered into the hall of fame, now settled down to live with his wife and daughter.

Cocona’s job as a nurse gave her a lot of knowledge on how to take care of pokemon, and together with her husband set up a daycare / nursery for both young and old pokemon alike, where they spent their days taking care of many different species of pokemom. 

Born under those circumstances, Illya was exposed to pokemon since a very young age, and began playing with and interacting with pokemon as a toddler. She also quickly learned to help around the daycare, learning more about each different type of pokemon and how to best take care of each of their needs. 

At age 9, her mother fell ill with a life-threatening disease, and in order to allow his wife to see the world before she passed on, Lachlan took Cocona away on a one year journey outside their hometown, leaving Illya alone with her aunt (Cocona’s younger sister) to take care of the pokemon daycare in their absence. Unfortunately, Illya’s aunt had a somewhat sour relationship with her sister, and was neglectful towards Illya, often leaving her unattended for extended periods of time.

Illya sought refuge and comfort from the pokemon she was tasked to take of, and for a long time, they were the only ones Illya talked to. She’d take the pokemon out flower picking, stargazing. She ate with them, slept with them and vowed to take care of them to the best of her abilities for the sake of her parents.

On a particularly terrible stormy night, the land surrounding her home became flooded with rainwater and seeped into her house. While Illya scrambled to keep the water out, her pokemon were thrown into a panic, and eventually one of the baby pidoves flew out and away from her home. Illya chased after the pidove into the woods despite the rain, the wind so strong that it caused her umbrella to be carried away into the wind. 

As she ran after the pidove, she slipped and tumbled down a hill, breaking her leg. Now injured, scared and alone in the middle of the forest, the young Illya cried for help, but her voice was drowned out by the sound of the pouring rain and thunder. With nothing but the darkness of the night staring back at her and fearing that a wild animal or hostile pokemon may be lurking about and attack her, Illya attempted to crawl her way back home, but the pain from attempting to stand up only causes her to collapse once more.

It felt like the entire world had abandoned her, and just as she heard a strange noise from the shadows and feared the worse, a mimikyu approaches her from the dark and sat by her, watching over her and shielding her with its appendages, as if to reassure her that it won’t let any harm come to her. 

She was found later in the morning by the people from the nearest town, who had gone over to her house to check on her only to find she wasn’t in, her pokemon panicking and gesturing towards the forest for the townspeople to look for her. The pidove was hold safely afterwards too, trembling as it took shelter in a tree. 

The incident left Illya well traumatized, and stemmed her own growing self-hatred and anxiety which would only grow worse as she grew to become a teenager. 

She doesn’t like talking much about what happened to her as a child, and she only ever mentions the incident to people she truly cares about and trusts. And if anybody were to ever upset her by being pushy and asking her about it when she doesn’t want to share, her Mimikyu would be the first to smack the offender in the head. 

Her main pokemon team underwent a few changes over the years, but for the most part now, it’s fixed and she rarely switches members of her party out for another pokemon unless she thinks it’s really necessary.

One of the first and oldest member of her current pokemon party. Illya and her Mimikyu are inseparable. 

Mimikyu had in truth been watching her since she was but a child, enviously admiring how happy her family and her pokemon in their daycare had been together. He had, on multiple occasions, attempted to show himself in order to be part of their family, but was always too cowardly to do so. He would always scurry away whenever Illya or her parents would approach, hiding in the shadows and only ever watching from a distance. He watched her even as she was left alone, and on the fateful night of that storm where Illya would find herself lost and injured in the forest, Mimikyu folllowed her.

Watching Illya cry alone in the rain, he felt a surge of protectiveness and compelled him to finally step out of the shadow to comfort and protect her through the night. Perhaps in that instance, he saw himself in Illya, someone who was scared, alone and just wanted to be loved. He could relate to Illya’s loneliness, and loved her for the way she would love and accept any pokemon, regardless of their appearance or strength.

Since that day, Mimikyu hasn’t left Illya’s side and is one of the most protective pokemon of her. 

Mimikyu can often be found sitting on Illya’s head when he’s out of his pokeball and traveling around with her. He will extend his appendage out to grab any food that she offers him, or even to swat away anyone who gets too close to Illya.

Compared to other Mimikyu, Illya’s Mimikyu isn’t at all aggressive towards Pikachu. It is however, very shy and embarrassed and will attempt to hide if it spots one. 

As Mimikyu only really cares about what Illya thinks, he won’t attack anyone who catches a glimpse of him under his disguise. But he will be very, very grouchy.

He gets along decently well with all her other pokemon, though it is sometimes jealous of how big and strong Corviknight is.

From a distance or as a shadow, Illya’s scarf often resembles the appendage Mimikyu extends out. Once, while the pair were out in the woods and Mimikyu was sitting on Illya’s head, it extended its appendage to grab hold of a treat Illya was offering it. A distant passerby who could not see clearly in the dark of the night mistook their silhouetted figure as being a monster - or a near and frightening mythical pokemon. The myth is still circulating to this day, and Illya has no idea that it had been caused by her and her Mimikyu.  

Mimikyu doesn’t like going inside his pokeball - not that Illya would force him to. He’d of course, prefer to spend time outside with Illya. He especially never leaves her sight while she sleeps, often snuggling up to her beneath the covers or otherwise making himself comfortable in her scarf that she set aside. 

He’s surprisingly, and scarily very physically strong - able to grab hold of other pokemon and even other people several hundred times larger than itself. He uses this to his advantage by grabbing people who get too close to Illya and shoving them away - and he’s not at all gentle about it. 

Comfey shares Illya’s love and passion for flowers and it’s not uncommon to see her Comfey drifting around her, weaving flowers into her hair as she walked. The scent of the flower crowns Comfey weaves makes people who wear them feel relaxed, so she often wraps Illya in flowers whenever the girl is feeling particularly stressed or uncomfortable. 

Comfey loves decorating hotel rooms and campsites with flowers she picks from the wild, and she seems to be particularly generous when it comes to giving out her flowers to others. Friendly, sweet and kind - it’s almost as if Comfey was an extension of Illya herself sometimes. 

Comfey is the resident healer of Illya’s pokemon roster, able to not only heal the ailments of humans but also the other pokemon. She is especially active when Illya is helping out at pokemon centers or giving first aid to others. When Illya is in pain, Comfey often goes into a tearful panic. 

Corviknight’s appearance almost always gives other people a heart attack. Nobody ever expects someone as small, cute and demure as Illya to have such an intimidating looking pokemon. But she does, and she is just as affectionate to him as she is with her other pokemon. Strangely, Corviknight seems to be very uncooperative to everyone except her.

Once lacking a flying type pokemon, Illya almost fell to her death after being pushed off a cliff. Corviknight caught her in midair and hid her under his wings after he landed, guarding her with a ferocious glare even as other humans attempted to check on her. Ever since, he’s ever a watchful guardian to her, glaring from behind her back even as she smiles sweetly at others. 

Corviknight also serves as Illya’s main mode of transportation when she isn’t able to walk herself. As Illya loves taking her time to explore on her own two feet, she tries to not overly rely on Corviknight... sometimes, it can’t be helped however - such as when she needs to cross large bodies of water.

Interestingly, Corviknight bears a striking resemblance in both his aesthetic and personality to a hyuran pokemon trainer of dark skin and black hair who has secret romantic feelings for Illya. 

Bellossom met Illya while the girl was traveling through a tropical area that has been haunted by rain clouds and dark skies for the past several days. Illya was first attracted to bellossom because of the flowers on her head, and had watched as the Bellossom danced and chanted, mesmerized when the rainclouds pulled apart and sunlight began to shine through.

The two quickly bonded, with Bellossom teaching Illya her sun summoning dance before finally, she decided to join Illya together on her journey.

She wasn’t exactly meant to be a part of Illya’s team, and for a while, she was but a mere travel companion. However, Illya noticed just how active and enthusiastic Bellossom was to battle - or perhaps she saw it as an opportunity to show off her dance to more people. Regardless, bellossom hence became a new member of Illya’s pokemon team replacing Cincinno. 

If it wasn’t obvious enough, Bellossom loves to dance. She is rarely ever seen not at least swaying to its own beat while she’s outside her pokeball, and she becomes very eager when other pokemon or humans show an interest in learning her dance. 

Evolved from an eevee that Illya had taken care of since she was a child, it alongside Mimikyu are the two most senior members of her current pokemon team and also the longest to have known her. 

Sylveon is a free spirit, much like he had been when he was still a baby eevee. He enjoys roaming about a fair bit, though he takes care to not stray too far from Illya. 

He’s very attached to Illya and much like other sylveons, understands his trainer’s emotional state well by wrapping his feelers around her hand while walking with her. Whenever Illya gets sad or upset, he often likes sitting in her lap, purring and nuzzling himself against her in an attempt to make her feel better. He also wraps his feelers around her in an attempt to soothe and calm her down whenever she cries.

Despite his adorable appearance, he’s actually very daring and fearless, never once backing down from a confrontation or fight with other pokemon even if they are multiple times his size or even if they are a type that holds an advantage against him. 

Illya’s Sylveon is also very attached to Alphinaud’s Espeon, nuzzling himself to espeon whenever Alphinaud has it out. 

Gardevoir was one of the latest pokemon to have joined Illya’s team. She is an extremely elegant, regal but also stoic member of the party. 

Like other Gardevoir, she is able to read the future - and it was through her prediction that she foresaw her meeting with Illya and prematurely approached her. She is also able to distort dimensions and create black holes, though she rarely ever does the latter. 

Much like Mimikyu and Corviknight, Gardevoir is extremely protective of Illya despite not having known her for as long as the others have and would not hesitate to expand her own psychic powers to her fullest if she feels like Illya may be in any sort of danger.

Though powerful, she doesn’t tend to like roaming about much and mostly stays within her pokeball unless Illya calls her out for food or battle. 

Gardevoir’s demeanor and headstrong personality reminds Illya a lot of her late mother, and perhaps there is some deeper reason for why Gardevoir herself feels such a strong need to protect Illya as if she were her own kin. 

Some of her pokemon are carried around with her as travel companions, only occasionally taking part in battles, while others are left at home to be cared for by her father.

TRAVEL COMPANIONS [to be updated as au is expanded on]

Vulpix: A male vulpix that Illya carries around and cuddles with during the winter or when she’s traveling through locations with colder climates. Out of all her pokemon who are not part of her main party of 6, vulpix is probably one of the most active and frequently called forth in battles that aren’t official tournament leagues or competitions. Illya also calls her vulpix out whenever fire is needed. He is brave and enthusiastic and hopes to one day evolve himself into Ninetales. 

Dragonair: A gentle male dragonair that Illya caught near a lake one day during clear skies. It had dragged her into the sky and allowed her to ride on his back, soaring high into the clouds before dipping back down towards the waters. However, Illya lost her balance and fell into the water. He still feels bad about it to this day. He likes to curl around her to sleep.

Cinccino: A playful female cinccino who evolved from one of Illya’s minccino that she has been caring for as a child. She was once an active member of Illya’s party, but now is more of a travel companion who rarely ever battles now. Some people believe that Illya used the fur shed from Cinccino’s scarf to sew her own trademark scarf that she’s seen traveling around with now. 

Rowlet: Though Illya gets along with many pokemon in general, birds in particular seem to be very fond of her. This male rowlet followed Illya as she was traveling through the woods and eventually became a part of travel party. He doesn’t see very many fights but he does love to cuddle and is very affectionate towards not just Illya but other pokemon and trainers.

Alcremie: A shy female Alcremie who offers sweets to new friends she meets. Illya often has reservations about eating the cream and berries secreted from her, but after being assured that it doesn’t at all hurt her Alcremie and that it’s offering of sweets is a sign of affection, Illya has started learning to indulge more in sweet foods more and more. Illya doesn’t have the heart to tell Alcremie she prefers spicy food, though. 

Trevenant: A female trevenant that attacked a woodcutter that Illya saved while traversing through the forest. Convinced at first that Illya intended on harming the forest, it proceeded to trap her in a cage of trees until she was finally convinced to release Illya after witnessing the way Illya refused to let her vulpix burn the trees down just to escape. She follows Illya around and holds a lot of respect for the way Illya cared for nature and the environment. 

Hatterene: A reclusive Hatterene Illya met during her travel. She once hated Illya, chasing her by emiting a strong psychic aura much like she does with other strangers. Upon sensing Illya’s lack of hostility and own gentle soul however, she eventually calmed down enough to allow Illya to approach. She is very moody and temperamental.

NOTABLE POKEMONS AT HOME [not including pokemon that belong to Lachlan or pokemon that belong to other people being taken care of]. List is NOT exhaustive!

Cleffa: A female cleffa born from Cocona’s retired Clefairy. As Cocona passed away shortly before cleffa was hatched, Illya became her owner / trainer instead. Though cleffa wishes to someday be a part of Illya’s team, grow stronger and evolve herself, Illya hasn’t quite allowed herself to let go of her mother’s death, and hence prefers to keep cleffa safe at home. It’s one of the rare instances where Illya has explicitly gone against a pokemon’s wishes, even if out of a genuine love and protectiveness of it.

Musharna: A female Musharna that eats the nightmares of Lachlan and any guests who come to stay over at their house. She sleeps a lot and frankly cannot care any less about battling. 

Chimecho: A male Chimecho that Illya caught and took along with her on her journey for a while, before leaving him at home with Lachlan. He likes hanging himself to the roof of the house and swinging in the breeze. Not hearing chimecho’s wind chimes tells Lachlan and Illya that something is wrong. 

Azurill: A male baby Azurill that Illya rescued. He is very timid and lacks a lot of confidence. He wants to get better at doing battle, but still has a lot of training to do before it can get to that point. 

Beedrill: A male beedrill that was evolved from a weedle - the very first pokemon Illya ever caught in the wild on her own. She’s trained him personally as she grew up, and he saw many of her clumsy behavior and less experienced days. He’s sort of retired now, spending his days keeping the more rowdy pokemon in the daycare in check. 

Theme songs

If pokemon au illya were to have a theme / ost track, it’d be this lovely re-orchestrated track of the Lacunosa Town Theme! It’s soft, peaceful and has a touch of melancholy which suits her perfectly. This, this and this remix also fits her and may double as her battle theme?

Illyanaud track mayyyybe? 

Legendaries / Mythicals??

I didn’t include any legendaries or mythical pokemons into her roster because lore regarding those are that they’re very very rare BUT if Illya were allowed to have a legendary and a mythical pokemon, she’d probably own a Cresselia and a Celebi! 

Cresselia, the Lunar Pokémon. Shiny particles are released from its wings like a veil. It is said to represent the crescent moon. On nights around the quarter moon, the aurora from its tail extends and undulates beautifully.

Celebi, the Time Travel Pokémon. This Pokémon wanders across time. Grass and trees flourish in the forests in which it has appeared. When Celebi disappears deep in a forest, it is said to leave behind an egg it brought from the future.

Shout out to Diancie, who is a close second choice solely based on the fact it’s design looks like what Illya would be if she herself were a pokemon. 

Relationships with other OCs / NPCs

To be added!

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers GRAND EDITION for Switch ;; More, Blood ー Kou [After Story]

ー The scene starts outside by the lake

Kou: Oooi, Yui! This way!

Yui: Ah, yeah! I’ll be right there!

Kou: This lake is so pretty! The water is crystal clear!

*Splash*

Kou: Also, look! The sky is reflected on the water’s surface, dyeing it a beautiful blue color!

I can take a picture while we’re here, right?

*Snap*

Yui: ...Fufu.

Kou: Whaaat? Why are you laughing? Did I do something?

Yui: No, that’s not it. I didn’t mean it like that...

Seeing you have such a good time is making me happy as well.

Kou: Oh, that’s it? Of course I’m happy!

After all, there’s such a beautiful blue sky spread out right in front of me!

Yui: ( He’s right...I’m underneath such a pretty clear sky together with Kou-kun... )

( I feel blessed too. ) 

Kou: Say, Yui. Let’s look at the photos in the shade of the trees over there.

Our collection has grown quite a bit already.

Yui: Yeah!

ー They walk towards the shade

Kou: Let’s see...

Yui: Wah! So pretty...

Kou: These...If I recall correctly, we took them in the country we stayed at up till recently, right?

There’s not a single cloud in sight, it really just screams ‘the blue sky’!

Yui: Ah, this is a picture of the sunset.

We took it right as the sun was setting, so the blue and orange hues are mixing together, it really is beautiful.

Kou: You’re right.

I still like the blue sky the very best, but I’m quite fond of this sunset as well.

Yui: Really?

Kou: Yeah. It feels like the boundary between day and night, giving off a mystical vibe.

Yui: Mystical...

Kou: Ah. You just made fun of me a little, didn’t you?

Yui: I-I didn’t!

Kou: I wonder~? What you’re thinking always shows right away on your face, you know.

Yui: I swear I didn’t...! I was just wondering what exactly a ‘mystical’ vibe is like...

Kou: Whatever~ 

Yui: Geez...Hm?

Kou: Ah.

Yui: I-Is this...a photo of me!?

( I’m asleep...Which means... )

...You took this in secret?

Kou: Ahーah, I’m busted, huh?

Yui: Come on! Kou-kun! Taking pictures of me in secret is so mean!

Kou: Sorry, sorry~ But your sleeping face was just too cute, you know...

...Say? Forgive me? ...Nn.

*Smooch*

Yui: Nn...

...Guess I have no other choice.

Kou: Ehehe. Thank you!

Since you’ve forgiven me...Ey!

ー He lays his head on her lap

Kou: A lap pillow...You don’t mind, right?

Yui: ...It’s embarrassing.

Kou: Who cares? We’re the only two people here anyway. Right?

Yui: Y-Yeah...

Kou: Ah, but you make the cutest expressions when embarrassed, so can I take a picture?

Yui: N-No way!

Kou: Eeh~ That’s a shame.

Yui: ( Geez...Kou-kun... )

( But...Right now, he seems very precious like this... )

Kou: Ah, look at this picture.

Yui: Which one?

Kou: This one. I wanted to take a picture of the starry sky, but it wouldn’t show up very well...

I guess this old camera we got just doesn’t cut it?

Yui: You got this one from a cameraman you knew through your job, right?

Kou: Exactly. When he gave it to me, I never thought I would actually use it one day.

But right now, it has really proven its worth.

After all...There’s tons of skies inside this roll of film.

Yui: Yeah...You’re right.

ー Yui looks up at the sky

Yui: ( Ever since we left Kaminashi City... )

( We’ve been traveling around the world. )

( Visiting various places, experiencing different emotions (1)... )

( And every time we look up at the sky, Kou-kun will happily press the shutter of this camera. )

Kou: ...Why have you suddenly gone quiet?

Yui: No, it’s nothing.

Kou: Really? Okay then.

Being able to spend time together with you under the blue skies...

And resting my head in your lap like this really puts me in the best mood.

Yui: K-Kou-kun...

( Hearing him point it out again made me embarrassed. )

Kou: ...That just leavesーー There we go. 

*Rustle*

Say, Yui. I’m a little thirsty...

Yui: Eh!? ...Ah, yeah...

W-Will this work...?

Kou: Yeah...Perfect.

I honestly never thought a day would come on which you willingly offer yourself like that.

Yui: That’s...I mean, right now I really have no reason to push you away...

Kou: ...!

...Geez...Don’t come complaining to me later after stirring me on like that.

Yui: Eh? Did I say something?

Kou: Not reallyー...!

*Rustle*

*Thud*

Yui: Kyah...!?

*Rustle*

Kou: ...Thanks for the meal~

ー Kou bites her

Kou: ...Nn...Nn...

...Nn...Haah...Your blood really is so delicious...

Yui: ...

( How strange... )

( I could have never imagined this when Kou-kun sucked my blood for the first time... )

( But right now...I think I want Kou-kun just as badly... )

( I feel at ease...Just by having him by my side ) 

Kou: ...Nn...Hah...You’re kind of out of it today.

Yui: Eh!?

Kou: Make sure to fix your attention on me (2)...Nn. 

Yui: ...!? Ow...Kou-kun! You bit me on purpose just now, didn’t you!?

Kou: You’re at fault for spacing out. That proves you had something on your mind, right?

Yui: Well...

Kou: See, I got it right! ...I’ll make it so you can’t think of anything or anyone but me.

...Nn...Haah...Nn...

Yui: Ah...

Kou: ...Nn...You’re so cute...Yui...

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the town

Kou: Today was so much fun.

Yui: Y-Yeah...

( Personally I found it rather embarrassing though... )

Kou: Huh? Your face is red, you know? Could it be...You’re recalling what happened earlier?

Yui: ...!

Kou: Bull’s eye, huh? You really are so cute.

Yui: O-Oh come on! Stop teasing me...!

Kou: Fufu...

Yui: ( Uu...How embarrassing... )

Kou: Hey, Yui.

Yui: Y-Yes?

Kou: There’s actually one more request I’d like to make while you’re embarrassed anyway.

Yui: A request...?

Kou: Let’s hold hands.

Come on, you don’t mind, do you?

Yui: Ah...

Kou: There’s nobody who would recognize me here.

Yui: Yeah...You’re right.

Kou: Hooray!

Yui: ( Kou-kun seems happy...When he’s happy, so am I. )

Kou: ...Hm?

Hey, Yui! Look at the display over there!

Yui: Eh...?

Something on the public TV screen (3) caught your eyーー Ah!

( Kou-kun’s on TV...!? )

Kou: I wonder what they’re saying about me?

Yui: U...Uhm...

( I did learn this country’s language a little but...Hm... )

...The Japanese idol...Mukami Kou...has gone missing? ...I think.

Kou: Heeh...They’d actually report it all the way over here as well.

Yui: ( Right... )

( To Kou-kun’s fans, it must seem as if he has suddenly vanished off the surface of the earth... )

Kou: ...

Yui: ...

( I’m sure the people who liked him must be extremely sad... )

( ...I wonder if we did the right thing...? )

Uhm...Kou-kun?

Kou: ーー I don’t have any regrets.

Yui: Eh...?

Kou: I bet you were thinking if we did the right thing while looking at the screen, weren’t you?

Yui: Uu...

Kou: You’re such a fool.

Yui: A-A fool...?

Kou: You said that you’d prioritize me over anything and follow me.

I feel the same way.

I left everything behind too. ...Except for you, Yui.

Yui: Kou-kun...

Kou: Well, there’s of course times where I wonder how Ruki-kun and the others are faring...

However, I will no longer hesitate. As long as you are with me, I won’t have any regrets either.

So...Don’t worry.

...Okay?

Yui: Kou-kun...

You’re right. I don’t regret my decision either.

Kou: Mmh! Let’s head home then?

Yui: ...Yeah!

( Together with Kou-kun, we can overcome any hurdle )

( I strongly felt so the second we leaped into the air together. )

*TIMESKIP*

Kou: Are we done shopping now?

Yui: I think we got everything we needed, so it should be fi...Ah!

Kou: What’s wrong? You forgot something?

Yui: I forgot to buy pasta...

Kou: Ehー! But we actually got our hands on some clams! But we can’t make vongole bianco without pasta!

Yui: Sorry! I’ll quickly go back!

You wait here, okay?

Kou: You’ll be fine by yourself?

Yui: Yeah. It’s right there.

Kou: Okayー Come back soon, okay?

Yui: Mmh. I’ll get going then.

ー Yui runs off

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: Phew. I successfully bought the pasta.

( Thank god I remembered before we got home... )

( Kou-kun’s waiting for me, right? I better hurry ba...Hm? )

Did this store always look like this...?

( Re-opening...It got a complete overhaul and became a jewelry store. )

( They’ve got a bunch of cute accesories out on display... )

( Ah... )

( This ring is so pretty...! )

( The blue is almost likeーー )

???: Hmm~ So this is the kind of stuff you like?

Yui: Eh!?

Kou-kun!

Kou: Geez~ I came looking for you because I was worried you were taking such a long time.

Yui: Ah, my bad!

Kou: It’s fine, really. Something caught your eye, right?

However, I didn’t expect to find you glued to the display window of a jewelry store~

I guess you’re finally reaching that age (4) as well, huh~? 

Yui: T-That’s not it...It just happened to catch my attention...

Kou: This ring? 

Yui: Yeah...Look at this blue gemstone inserted in it...

I thought it looked a lot like the color of the sky we saw together yesterday.

Kou: Yeah, you do have a point. It’s a clear, beautiful cerulean hue.

Yui: Right? It’s super pretty, so I was captivated by it...

Kou: Hm...

Ah! Your birthday is coming up soon, isn’t it?

Shall I buy it for you?

Yui: Eh?

I-It’s fine!

Kou: Eh~? Why?

Yui: We...should be careful with our spendings for now.

( We decided to choose where we’d settle after visiting various places. )

( So right now, we are living off the money Kou-kun had saved up through his job. )

Kou: Are you sure? I’ve got plenty of savings, you know?

Yui: That might be the case but...

I mean, that ring is really expensive, right?

Kou: Hmm, it is but I’d say this is a normal price for a ring?

Yui: Still, right now we shouldn’t.

Kou: So you basically don’t want a present from me?

Yui: T-That’s not true...! I’d be happy with anything you’d give me. But...

I’m still in no position to receive such a wonderful ring...

How to put it, I want to have grown to the point of feeling worthy before you gift it to me...

Kou: Hmm...?

Well, I figured you’d say something like that though.

Yui: I’m sorry for stopping by here.

Well, let’s head home then.

Kou: Yeah...

...

But, I still...

*Snap*

Yui: Kou-kun, what are you doing? You might get yelled at for taking pictures!

Kou: Ehー? Really? But it’s so pretty, you want to preserve a memory of it, no?

This makes for a proper blue sky as well after all!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to their home

Yui: Dinner’s ready!

Kou: Uwaah, it smells incredible! The pasta you make really is the very best, Yui!

Yui: Fufu, you still haven’t tried it, right? You might be even more impressed once you have a taste!

Kou: Oh!? Someone’s brimming with confidence, huh?

Yui: Today’s dish turned out extremely well.

So I’m sure you’ll like it as well.

Kou: Really? Let’s hurry up and eat then! Thanks for the meal!

Yui: Thanks for the meal.

Kou: Nn...Nom, nom...Yeah, it’s good!

Yui: Really!?

Kou: Yeah!  No wonder you were so confident in it!

Yui: The clams were being highly recommended at the market today after all.

This has to be the dish I’m the most proud of so far...!

Kou: The taste might be the best amongst all the plates you’ve made as well!

Yui: Fufu, I’m glad.

Kou: Well, I’ll happily dig into any dish you make though.

Mm~ All done!

Yui: Eh? You’re already done?

Kou: Yeah, so...Seconds, please!

Yui: Fufu. I made sure to prepare lots for you, so one second please.

Kou: Hooray! I can probably go for two more plates!

Yui: Hang on tight, okay?

Kou: Roger!

*TIMESKIP*

Kou: Thanks for the meal~

Yui: Thanks for the meal.

Kou: Ah, I’ll handle the clean-up.

Yui: You sure?

Kou: You made me such delicious vongole bianco after all.

Let me do this much, okay?

Yui: Thanks, Kou-kun. I’ll be counting on you then, okay?

Kou: Yeah, leave it to me! ...Ah, you know, Yui.

Yui: Hm?

Kou: You really did like the ring we spotted today, no?

Yui: Hmm, I did think it was lovely. It was such a beautiful blue color after all.

However, I...

Kou: Okay, okay, stop! I know. You don’t want it (5), right?

Yui: Yeah...I don’t want anything.

I mean, I’m already so happy just to be living together with you like this.

Kou: I feel the same way.

I really am glad you’re here with me.

Say, let’s continue living happily together from here on out, okay...?

Yui: Yeah...!

ー The scene shifts to the bedroom

Kou: M-neko-chan said there’s nothing she wants but...

I still want to do something for her...

...Besides, a ring holds a special meaning...

Okay, I’ve made up my mind...!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room

Yui: ( ...Hm, I just need to check the seasoning of the soup and then it’ll be ready, I suppose? )

Kou-kun! Dinner will be served soon!

...Huh? No response...

( Lately he’s been cooped up in our room quite often. )

( He never quite did that in the past, so I wonder what has gotten into him? )

ー The scene shifts to the bedroom

*Cling cling*

Kou: Geez, I never thought things would end up like this...

Ahー I can’t do it...!

*Cling*

Kou: It has improved a bit compared to my first attempts, but it’s still no good.

They said even a beginner should be able to pull it off, but this isn’t my cup of tea...

Ever since I was young, Ruki-kun has been telling me that I’m too careless of a worker...

*Cling*

Kou: But...I have to...bring this to a good end so...

Oh? It’s actually looking decent? Maybe I got the hang of it?

Okay then! Gotta keep going like this!

I told myself I wouldn’t give up, so better give it my all!

Besides, I’ll definitely finish it in time...!

*Cling*

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: ( ...Kou-kun’s late... )

( Lately he’s been leaving the house on a whim more often. )

( I wonder if he’s out again? )

( Whenever I ask, he just says he’s going on a walk or something like that... )

( I wonder if something happened...? )

ー Kou enters the room

Kou: I’m backー

Yui: Ah! Kou-kun...! Geez, I was worried because you just wouldn’t come home!

Kou: Ahー My bad? My stroll got a little prolonged, you could say?

Yui: Ah...Right.

( If something were up...he’d for sure talk to me about it...Right? )

I’ll make dinner now, so hang on, okay?

*TIMESKIP*

*Chop chop chop*

Kou: Heey, Yuiii~

Yui: What’s wrong?

Kou: I’m totally starved!

Food, quick!

Yui: Fufu, it’s almost ready so wait just a little longer?

Kou: ...Don’t wanna.

ー He sneaks up on her

*Rustle*

Yui: Wah...Wait, Kou-kun...!?

( He wrapped his arms around me from behind...!? )

It’s dangerous to do this while I’m cooking, you know?

Kou: But I’m home now...

Yet you won’t pay attention to me at all.

It’s boring.

Yui: Well...I’m making dinner right now, so it can’t be helped...

Kou: Then you don’t need to make food.

Yui: ( Says the person who was crying about being hungry just now... )

Kou: But, well...

Yui: ...Hm?

Kou: This kind of makes us seem like newlyweds, don’t you think?

Yui: Eh!?

ー Yui drops something

Kou: Ahaha! You’re way too shocked!

Yui: But...!

Kou: But it’s the truth, right?

Yui: Uu...

Kou: Then, let’s do something that fits the image of newlyweds!

Yui: Eeh? What will you do then...?

Kou: Hmー ...Taste-test the food?

Yui: ( Pretty sure he just wants to have a bite... )

Then...Can I ask you to taste the soup?

Kou: Leave it to me!

Yui: Uhm, I’m pretty sure the spoons are over there...

Kou: Wrong, right?

Yui: Eh? What am I getting wrong?

Kou: You’ll feed me, won’t you?

Yui: Eeh!? Really!?

Kou: We have to act like newlyweds, so that should be a given!

Come on, you hold the spoon.

Yui: ...We’re actually doing this?

Kou: Of course! Come on, aaaahn~

Yui: ( ...This is embarrassing...But... )

S-Say ‘aaahn’...

Kou: ...Nn...Mmh~ It’s good!

Yui: Really!? I’m glad!

Kou: Then it’s my turn next, right? Okay, open wide!

Yui: Eh? ...I’m fine...

Kou: Why are you being so modest? Come on, say ‘aaahn’!

Yui: A-Aahn...

Kou: Fufu~ Well done.

...How does it taste?

Yui: I-It’s good...I guess...?

( To be honest, the flavor was the last thing on my mind... )

Kou: Then are you done cooking now?

Yui: Yeah. Seasoning the soup was the last task on the list.

Kou: Okay! Let’s hurry up and eat!

Yui: Good idea. I’m hungry too.

ー They move to the table

Kou: I’m digging in!

Yui: Thanks for the meal.

Kou: Nom...Nn...You knowーー

...Whoops, I shouldn’t talk with food in my mouth, huh?

...Nn...You know, Yui!

Yui: What’s wrong? Was it not very good, perhaps...?

Kou: Ah, that’s not it...But aren’t you forgetting something?

Yui: Forgetting something?

( What could that be...? Did something happen? )

Kou: Hahー By the looks of it, you’ve completely forgotten.

Geez! Get a grip on yourself! Tomorrow’s your birthday, remember!?

Yui: Ah...Right.

Kou: We’ll go out to buy whatever you want to eat tomorrow, so don’t forget!

Yui: No way...It’s fine, really.

Kou: Don’t say that! We have to properly celebrate your birthday.

I’ll buy your favorite food and even prepare a cake!

Understood?

Yui: Y-Yeah...

Kou: ...You don’t seem very happy though? ...You don’t like me celebrating your birthday or something...?

Yui: Oh no! That’s not true! It’s just...I didn’t think you’d say that so, I...

Kou: Stop! I’ll listen to the rest tomorrow, so don’t say it just yet!

Yui: R-Right...

( My birthday...I never thought Kou-kun would celebrate for me. )

( I’m looking forward to tomorrow...! )

Kou: That being said, we gotta head out early in the morning tomorrow to do the shopping. 

So you better hit the hay soon?

Yui: Eh?

Kou: I’ll clean up too, okay?

Come on, you should hurry and get ready for bed!

Off you go!

*Rustle*

Yui: Wah! Hold on, Kou-kun!?

( I wonder what has gotten into him...!? )

Kou: Goodnight!

Yui: Y-Yeah...Goodnight?

ー He pushes her out of the room

Kou: Phew...I guess the coast is clear now...?

*Flip*

Kou: ...

...Tomorrow...huh?

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to town

Yui: ( Kou-kun acted a little off yesterday... )

( But today he seems to be his usual self...I guess? )

Kou: Yui, give me your bags.

Yui: Eh?

Kou: It’s heavy because you bought a lot, right? I’ll carry them.

Yui: Ah...Thank you.

( Kou-kun’s so nice... )

Kou: Are you sure you bought everything you want to eat?

Yui: Yeah, this is plenty! I was able to buy it all so...thank you.

Kou: Really? There’s really no need to hold back though.

Yui: ( Kou-kun says that but...I bought quite a lot already, I think...? )

( I wonder if we’ll be able to finish everything... )

( I have to make sure we can preserve whatever leftovers we may have. )

( I suppose I could turn the fruits into a jam...? )

Hey, Kou-kun...

Wait...Huh...? Kou-kun...?

( He’s gone...Don’t tell me ,did we get separated because I spaced out...? )

( Oh no... )

For now, I’ll look around these parts...!

ー Yui starts running around

Yui: Haah...

( What now...? He’s not here either... )

Kou: Ah! M-neko-chan!

Yui: ...Kou-kun!!

Kou: Thank god! I was wondering where you had run off to!

Yui: I’m sorry. Seems like I blanked out for a bit.

Kou: I’m sorry too!

Yui: No way, you don’t have to apologize.

It’s because I got lost in thought...I’m to blame, I truly am sorry!

Kou: ...Fufu~ We’re so weird! We’re both apologizing, huh?

Yui: But, I...I was shocked when you were suddenly gone...

Kou: I started panicking when I realized you were gone too, you know?

Either way, I’m glad I found you. Let’s head home holding hands so we don’t get separated again.

Come on, give me your hand.

Yui: Yeah...!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room

*Cling*

Kou: Ta-dah! It’s time for the long-awaited cake!

Here you go. This is your slice.

Yui: Wah, thank you!

Kou: You really are a maiden at heart to choose strawberry shortcake~

Yui: ...What do you mean?

Kou: ...That it’s cute.

Yui: ...!

Kou: Geez~ You always start blushing right away...

You really are like a strawberry, you know? I’d love to eat you...is what I would say, but!

Right now, the real strawberries get priority.

I’ll give you mine!

Yui: Eh? ...But...Then you won’t have any.

Kou: I’m fine. You’re the star of today after all!

Yui: ...Fufu, thank you!

Kou: Fufu~ Ahー I guess I might as well sit next to you instead of across then.

*Rustle*

Kou: Pardon the intrusion~!

*Thud*

Yui: Well then...It’d be a shame to let the cake go to waste so let’s give it a taste?

*Cling*

Kou: Ah! Wait!

Yui: W-What’s wrong? You’re suddenly shouting...

Kou: You know, we have to do that! That!

It’s a birthday cake, so we should put a candle on top and have you blow it out!

Yui: Ah...I guess so?

Kou: Of course! That’s a given!

I’ll give it to you after I’ve put on the candle so hold on tight, okay?

*Rustle*

Kou: Hmー Here, all ready!

Yui: Thanks!

( I’m pretty sure I haven’t blown out a candle since I was a child... )

Kou: Well then...Will you blow it out soon?

Yui: Yeah! Okay...Here I go?

Pheew...

ー The lights go out

Yui: ( Wah! It’s pitch black! )

*Rustle*

Yui: ( Eh...? He grabbed my arm... )

Kou: Happy birthday, Yui.

Yui: Kyah...!?

Kou: Fufu! Mission complete!

ー The lights go back on

Yui: Geez...Everything went black all of a sudden, it spooked me.

Kou: I’m sorry, I wanted to surprise you.

Yui: ( Speaking of which, he said ‘mission complete’, but what does that mean...? )

Eh...?

( A ring...!? )

Kou-kun...This is...

Kou: Yeah. It’s my present to you.

Yui: ( It looks like the one we saw at the jewelry store the other day... )

( But the shape seems a little different... )

Kou: Hmm...I thought I did a pretty good job though.

Well, the fact that it’s a little oddly shaped is its charm, a selling point!

Yui: This, did you perhaps...?

Kou: ...Yeah, I made it myself. I’m no good at handiwork, so I couldn’t do a very good job though.

Yui: You made this ring for me...!?

Kou: Yeah, I sure did!

I actually wanted to give you something and went to go buy the one they were selling at the store. 

However, it got sold right before me.

Then when I told the people at the store that I wanted the ring no matter what, they suggested I would make it myself.

That’s how I got them to teach me how to make a ring this whole time up till today.

Yui: Up until today...The whole time...

( Then all those times he was gone lately. )

( Or when he suddenly disappeared earlier as well... )

Kou: Also, look at this!

*Rustle*

Kou: This was my first attempt, but it barely even looks like a ring, huh?

...Look, it’s just an iron scrap, don’t you think?

I really gave it my everything.

Yui: Yeah...I can tell, don’t worry.

Kou: Also, I realized.

Yui: What did you realize?

Kou: That you probably wouldn’t have been happy, even if I got to gift you the ring which was up for sale.

Up until now, I always thought that it was natural to return the favor when a person gives you something.

...However, now I no longer feel that way.

Yui: ...

Kou: I don’t want anything in return.

Because I already know that something much better exists beyond that.

Yui: Kou-kun...

Kou: So, even if the appearance is a little shabby, this is the proof of my love for you!

Yui: Yeah...Kou-kun...I...

( Oh no...The tears are... )

Kou: ...Fufu, you’re so happy it’s making you cry?

Yui: Yeah...I’m overjoyed...! After all...You made this for me...!

Kou: Ah...

...Mmh. Thank you.

Yui: ( Kou-kun said the shape is a little strange but. )

( It’s such a lovely ring... )

( And above all, I’m happy knowing that Kou-kun made it himself. )

( I can tell just how much effort he put in... )

I’m happy...Kou-kun, thank you. Thank you so, so much...!

Kou: Ahー Come on, dry your tears?

Yui: But...Uu...

( I can’t...stop these tears... )

Kou: Well, I’m happy knowing you like it this much too though...

Oh, geez! Lift your face?

...Nn...

*Smooch*

Yui: ...!

Kou: ...Done crying?

Yui: ...Yes.

Kou: Your crying face is cute too though. ...Nn...

*Smooch*

Kou: ...Hey, scoot closer...

...Nn...Nn...

...Even your tears are sweet, huh? ...Nn...

Yui: ...Kou-kun...

Kou: ...Nn...Haah...

Yui...I love you...

...Thank you for being born into this world...Nn...

Yui: ( I love you too, Kou-kun... )

( Thank you, Kou-kun... )

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the outside

*Snap*

Kou: ...Yeah, we’re having lovely weather today as well.

Oi, Yui! This way!

Yui: Wait, Kou-kun!

You walk way too fast...

Kou: Sorry, sorry~ The sky just looked so pretty.

I couldn’t sit still.

Yui: I do understand how you feel...The sky is so clear after all.

But even so, leaving me behind is just mean!

Kou: Like I said, I’m sorry! ...So forgive me?

*Rustle rustle*

Yui: ( Wah...Kou-kun embraced me... ) 

Kou: Hm...In the light, you can really see the flaws.

Yui: ...Hm?

Kou: I’m talking about your ring. It didn’t quite catch my eye yesterday though.

But the shape is a little crooked, don’t you think?

Yui: It’s not.

Besides, I will never take this ring off again.

After all...This ring is the proof of your feelings.

I could search far and wide, I wouldn’t find a single ring in this whole world quite as lovely.

Kou: ...Really?

Yui: Yeah! For sure!

Kou: I see...

*Rustle*

Kou: Hm...

Yui: Kou-kun?

Kou: ...Right. Won’t you let me slip that ring on your finger one more time?

Yui: The ring?

Kou: Yeah.

Yui: Yesterday, I gave it to you in the dark after all.

*Rustle*

Kou: And there just so happens to be such a beautiful sky.

I want to put this ring on you.

...Underneath the blue skies I admired for years.

Yui: Kou-kun...

Kou: ...Can I?

Yui: Yeah.

Kou: ...Ever since I was born, I have seen a lot of things.

I went through a lot of pain, and experienced many hardships.

Yui: Yeah...

Kou: But, I met Ruki-kun and the others, as well as that man...

I learnt about a blue sky which isn’t confined by a circle or a square.

And...I found you.

Yui: Mmh...

Kou: I thought I had nothing left, but right now, I have you.

That is all I need. I don’t want anything else.

I swear on this misformed ring, underneath the sky...

I love you...Yui.

From here on out, for eternity...

...How about you?

Yui: ...Me too...I love you...!

Kou: Yeah...Thank you.

Let’s be together forever.

I love you, Yui...

*Smooch*

ーー THE END ーー

Translation notes

(1) Literally she says ‘to be emotionally moved by various things’ but that sounded rather stiff in English, so I translated it a little differently. 

(2) Literally he asks her to ‘point her consciousness/awareness towards him’. 

(3) I actually have no idea what these are called in English but they’re the large TV screens which may be attached to buildings or put out in public to display important events, etc. In Japan, these are super common in big cities but here in Belgium - for example - you rarely ever see them. ^^;;

(4) Kou uses the term 色づく or ‘iro-duku’ which is often used to refer to the ripening of fruits or the reddening of leaves during fall time. I assume in this case, he wants to imply that she is becoming more mature. 

(5) The verb 要る or ‘iru’ literally means ‘to need’, but it is often used to reject something as well, in which case ‘want’ seems more fitting in English. 

[pilotcallsigns]

Start Again - Chapter Two (Din Djarin x Reader)

SUMMARY: You try and find your way off Puvo and get way more than you bargain for.

CHAPTER WARNINGS: None this time around. 

Author’s Note: This chapter sits at about 2.8k words, hope you enjoy it! Feel free to reblog :) 

CHAPTER TWO - THE JOURNEY

The credits weigh heavy in your pocket. The communicator clipped to your belt swings back and forth as you tread through the dense forest. You laugh at the thought of snatching the communicator from the belt of the pilot. He hadn’t even noticed, too enamored talking about himself. It was the first successful step in your journey.

Valara had been truthful in her word. She offered a distraction and excuse to her grandmother for your absence. But she also relied on your promise that you would check in the moment you left Puvo’s atmosphere. How you managed to do that went unspoken, but this was the first step to figuring out your past as far as you were concerned.

The step into the water reminds you of your destination. The tiny watering hole seems almost lifeless and you doubt yourself and the possibility of escape. What if the watering hole was abandoned, long before you even arrived on Puvo? The map you had managed to look at was older than you, so it was possible it depicted outdated information.

Approaching with cautious steps, you round the pond and venture toward the building. It’s small, the map made it seem larger, but it couldn’t have been bigger than Valara’s hut. Looking around, the flatness of nearby vegetation clues you in that a ship had landed here recently. When the next one would come, you weren’t sure, but you needed to remain hopeful.

Pushing on the door, it creaked and announced your presence. A Twi’lek bartender looked at you, eyeing the communicator on your belt. The other patron, a human, simply stared before returning to nurse their drink.

“You lost, traveler?” the Twi-lek bartender asks, pushing a glass of water toward you. You sat at the edge of the bar and looked around. You certainly felt lost. The watering hole was quickly becoming a disappointment.

“No,” you murmur, taking the glass and bringing it to your lips. “I’m actually looking for other travelers, hoping to hitch a ride.”

A scoff. “Good luck finding any travelers here. Last one I saw left a good week or so ago. Puvo hasn’t been traveling point in the galaxy ever since the Empire fell, no reason for anyone to stop here.”

You watch as the bartender wipes down the counter, then a glass, before wiping down the counter again. The routine repeats and the bartender repeats it out of boredom.

“You need a ride somewhere?” the human next to you asks. You turn to look at them, watching as they throwback the drink in front of them. Internally, you cringe. Perhaps someone sober would be more ideal, but this might be your only chance.

“Do you have a ship?” you ask. There hadn’t been any outside when you first came in. Maybe you missed it?

“Ha!” The bartender laughs. You sit back in shock at the sudden outburst. “Dinek having a ship? In his dreams, he lost that ship ages ago in some bet. Now he’s stuck here as my only loyal customer.”

“Oh,” is all you manage to get out. Valara may have been right. You weren’t fit to leave Puvo and here you were, being denied.

“I’ve got a ship,” a voice says behind you. You’re startled but turn to the source anyways, praying that the bartender won’t deny this person.

Out of the corner of the room, another human appears. You hadn’t seen him, but maybe him sitting in the dark acting all brooding and mysterious hadn’t exactly caught your eye. You look at him, eyes narrowing as you search him. He seems to be doing the same, but his face relaxes, and his hand reaches out in a gesture to greet you.

“Kam,” he introduces, smiling. You take his hand, and he shakes it gently before it returns to his side. “Hannser.”

“You’re a pilot?” you ask, after introducing yourself.

“Well, sort of, I inherited a ship from my parents. It’s not much really, but I’ve been learning to fly with it.” Kam replies.

Another internal cringe. You’re limited to two options. Wait to see what other options arrive, if any? Or fly with an inexperienced pilot with a possible junk ship?

“Where do you want to go?” Kam asks, breaking you out of your thoughts. You haven’t even given him an answer yet on whether you want to fly with him. Your other options were severely lacking, however.

“Anywhere. I just need to get of Puvo,” you say. Kam seems to accept your answer before he eyes the communicator on your belt. “My friend wants to make sure I get off the planet safely.” You say, showing him the communicator and its lack of tracking capabilities.  

“Relax,” Kam laughs, shaking his head, “come on, the ships just outside in the tree line.” He walks over to his corner, grabbing a bag and swinging it over his shoulder.

You look back at the bartender, who seems to trust Kam’s word. The glass you had been previously drinking from is now wiped down and the counter has a fresh swipe from the cloth. Back to his routine, you thought.

Kam leads you through the doorway, even holding the door open for you as you pass through the threshold. He seems kind, but if Valara had taught you anything, you still needed to be mindful of people’s kindness.

The ship you see at the end of the trees is both as expected and unexpected. It’s clearly been through years of use, the paint chipped and worn. The engine cowlings showed signs of recent maintenance, which is promising. Approaching the ship, a walkway emerged to the ship’s deck. There were two sets of controls as you sat down in one of the seats, Kam sitting next to you.

Pressing a button, the ship choked a second before the engines turned over and hummed to life. Kam smiled at you, seeming to sense your nerves as the ship rose off the surface of Puvo.

“The hyperdrive is a bit wonky as of late, so I apologize for the rough ride. I heard there are jobs on Tatooine of all places, so that’s where we’re headed, that okay with you?” 

Tatooine. Nothing but desert. That was certainly a change from the grassland of Puvo.

You shouted in shock as the ship leaped into hyperspace.

Somehow, you managed to land on Tatooine without dying. Venturing off the ramp of Kam’s ship, you looked back at him as he pressed a switch and the ramp rose behind you. You offered to pay the hanger fees, in exchange for him flying you off Puvo. He agreed to the deal and you knew that this would most likely be where your paths would diverge. Kam needed work and you needed a start on figuring out your past.

The bustling town of Mos Eisley lies just ahead of you both.

You stuck close to Kam, having never been to another planet before. At least, that you could remember. The pilot didn’t seem to mind as you shuffled the busy streets together.

“Ever since Fett took over what remained of the Hutt regime, Tatooine has turned itself around,” Kam informs you. His words seem true. Valara had told you that Tatooine was a dangerous planet, filled with creatures who only sought out money and pain. Yet the sight you were seeing currently was the opposite.

It was an experience you had never been through. Several voices were shouting, shopkeepers eager to sell their products. Beggars reaching out to the few who would enlighten them. Children ran between the crowds of people, laughing and shouting. Kam turned to look at you to make sure you were still following him.

It was then you got a good look at the pilot. Fair skin and brown hair curled tight against his scalp. His blue eyes were youthful and full of life, but there was a kindness in them as well. Deep down, you’re glad you chose to fly with him rather than wait. He was much younger than you, give or take a couple of years. Thinking on it, he probably wasn’t much older than the son you had seen in your nightmares.

The cantina was loud and vibrating with life. When you entered just behind Kam, you took a quick look at your surroundings. This time, the creature manning the bar was a droid. It didn’t have the same routine as the bartender back on Puvo. It took orders and cleaned without so much as a chirp.

“I’m going to go find some work. May the force be with you,” Kam says, giving a half-hearted salute as a means of goodbye. You watch as he turns and disappears into the crowd.

“And with you,” you mumble out. You doubt he heard you.

A patron is heckling the droid, probably trying to get answers but the droid’s basic programming only allows brief conversation. Nothing of importance will come from it. Still, you need time to think of a plan. You sit at the bar and wait for your turn, but the droid is still occupied by the patron holding it hostage.

You look around again, trying to find Kam in the crowd of people. You spot him in the corner, chatting up a Twi’lek and you laugh slightly. It’s none of your business, but that didn’t look like work.

“To drink, ma’am?” The droid finally asks, stealing your attention away.

“Um, water, if you have any,” you say. The droid doesn’t display emotions and yet you can feel its confusion on your simple order. This is a cantina, after all, people come here to drink their sorrows away.

The glass is pushed towards you and you take it, lifting it to your lips. You pause, just as everyone else does when the cantina grows quiet. Patrons stare at the doorway and you turn to look with them.

A Mandalorian.

He ignores the attention and walks to the bar, leaning against it just a few feet away from you. The droid turns its attention to the Mandalorian.

“I’m in need of work, any jobs available?” he asks. The volume in the cantina returned to the previous levels, but your attention remained.

“I’m afraid not,” The droid replies, cleaning a glass. “The Guild is gone. There may be shipment work down at the shipyards.”

The Mandalorian seemed agitated by the droid’s answer. Maybe this was your chance. You had the funds, if he had a ship, he could take you anywhere you needed to go. Especially if those places had answers to your past.

“How much do these shipments pay?” The Mandalorian asks.

“I’m unsure. The payments range on the volume of shipments and weight. However, I haven’t heard anyone jovial about their rate of pay when completing such a job. You’re better off trying to find what remains of the Guild, bounty hunter.” The droid replies.

The Mandalorian lowers his helmet and what sounds like a frustrated sigh breaks through his helmet’s vocoder. Someone like him is better off as a bounty hunter anyways, you couldn’t imagine the talk if someone received their shipment from a Mandalorian.

“I can give you work,” you offer. The Mandalorian looks at you, his T-visor piercing into you.

“I’m not a taxi service.” He laments, standing up. You look at him, studying him. There’s a long spear strapped across his back. The hilt of a weapon swings back and forth on his hip. A closer look and the memory of a saber igniting fills your senses. You take a deep breath.

“I have credits. A lot of them,” you reach into your pocket, fishing out your bag of credits. He takes the offering and peers into the pouch, probably counting the amount.

“Where do you need to go?” He asks. Yes, he’ll take the deal, you think.

“I need to find my son,” you say. “I don’t know where he is. But I’ve heard stories about your people. I think you could help me find him. All I have are these broken memories of who I was before the Empire. Finding him could mean finding out who I am.”

The Mandalorian’s mood seems to change. In fact, he had gone stiff at the mention of your son. He tossed the pouch of credits back to you before a sigh broke through the vocoder.

“Keep the credits. I’ll find other methods of payment,” he says. “I’m at the hanger furthest from here, probably next to the ship you arrived on.” He gestures to where Kam is sitting.

Oh, he’s good, you think. You nod and pocket the pouch of credits. He pushes off the bar, turning to leave the cantina. He’s not expecting you to follow right away, but he knows that you will.

Readjusting your bag over your shoulder, you take one last look at Kam. He seems to be enjoying the company of the Twi’lek on his arm. Turning to the droid, you reach into the pouch and pull out a couple of credits.

“For the pilot, in the corner over there, please,” You say to it. It reaches out and grasps the credits before a hatch opens and it places the credits in there.

“You have my word.” The droid states, turning to serve another customer.

The Mandalorian is waiting for you outside. His armor glints in the setting suns as he pushes off the wall of the cantina. There he begins the walk toward the hanger with you following just behind him.

“I’m sorry to hear about your son,” He says. The alleyway has grown quiet, the bustling life of Mos Eisley getting further behind the two of you.

“I don’t remember him much actually,” you say, trying to comfort yourself. “Where did you get that saber?”

He looks down at the weapon attached to his hip. He removes it from his belt, holding it in the palm of his hand. He looks uncomfortable. The stories that Valara told you spoke of warriors who wielded the sabers as if it were another limb. The Mandalorian, however, holds it as if it burns.

“It’s complicated,” he says. “A story for another time.”

You nod at that, stopping as he approaches the ship. It’s larger than Kam’s and newer. A post-Empire ship, you think.

“Back so soon, Mando?” A woman shouts. She’s on the shorter size, easily dwarfed by the Mandalorian’s size. Her curly brown hair frames her aged face, and she stands surrounded by her platoon of little maintenance droids.

“I found work, Peli,” The Mandalorian says, gesturing to you. Peli’s eyes meet yours and in the darkness of the setting suns, you can see them narrow as she studies you.  

“Another stray?” Peli starts, but she pauses in her words. Sighing she looks at the Mandalorian and then at you again. “The Idrionna is all set as far as repairs go. Take care of it will ya? Don’t need to have another Razor Crest incident.” Peli mumbles, turning away from you and walking further into the hanger without so much as another word.

“Peli Motto,” the Mandalorian supplies. You nod and walk toward his ship, Idrionna. “I paid Peli for the night, so if you don’t mind, we can leave tomorrow at dawn.”

Tomorrow at dawn. You’ll need to get a message out to Valara about your whereabouts, to let her know you’re safe. She’s probably already freaking out, you think. You had promised to send her a transmission went you had left Puvo’s atmosphere. Yet here you were on a completely different planet and planning on leaving again tomorrow.

The cargo hold of the ship is small but still sizeable. It probably works for the Mandalorian, who travels alone. There’s a hallway that goes further into the ship, but you’re unsure of what exactly it leads to. A closet, maybe weapons storage?

“There’s a cot here,” the Mandalorian offers. It works almost like a bunk, embedded in the wall. You stare at the sad state of the cot, it doesn’t look as comfortable as the one back on Puvo, but it will have to do. The mattress is small, the blankets look worn. “I’ll be on the ship’s deck all night if you need me. Just,” he pauses, “give me a heads up if you do.”

“Thank you,” you say to him. You offer him your name, realizing that you hadn’t even told him back at the cantina. “What can I call you?”

“Mando is fine,” is all he says. In the darkness of the ship, you hear his boots ping off the ladder. He’s gone up to the flight deck for the night.

You sit on the cot and contemplate the choices you’ve made in the past day or so. You’re hoping the sleep will come easier tonight. If you were to get nightmares, you hoped that they gave you more answers than questions this time around. 

Read Chapter Three - The Reminder here!

[thebookwormfairy]

Daminette/Maribat Fairy Tail Au Part 2

Part 1

As the months turned into years Marinette's bond grew stronger with her spirits and her guild mates

Durning this time she gained 2 more golden gate keys, Pollen spirit of subjection, and Kaalki spirit of teleportation

Kaalki was one of Damian's favorite spirit because most of the time she eliminated the need for long travel on vehicles that make him sick

Marinette was able to use star dress with Tixx and Pollen now, but Kaalki refused to do it so far, which Marinette respected

Damian, Marinette, and Jon's team became one of the top teams in the guild

Though they didn't have an official name a lot of the other guild members called them team Hatchling much to their chagrin

Marinette also noticed that Damian was very protective of her

He still let her fight and go on missions with other people, but he was also quick to shield her or step in front of her when facing off against dark wizards

Marinette acted like she was annoyed with it sometimes, but really she was flattered and couldn't help but feel a little flustere at his actions

Jon sometimes joked that he felt like a third wheel, but never made him feel left out or unwanted

They were a tight knit team so much so that when Marinette, the youngest of the group, turned 18 they decided to pool their money and buy a house together

They ended up buying a nice 2 story house close to the guild

It had 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms

It was decided early on after Damian almost burned down the kitchen that cooking would be left to Marinette and Jon and Damian would do any repair work that was needed around the house

About a month after moving in together Marinette started to wake up with Damian in her bed

Not like that you weirdos

Marinette would go to sleep alone in her bed and wake up snuggling with Damian

Not that she minded, but she did wish that he would at least ask before he snuck in

Damian claimed no knowledge in how he got in her bed

He says that he would fall asleep in his own bed and wake up in hers

When he told his brothers they all got the same smug look

Dick: oh you're growing up so fast hatchling

Jason: I guess we should be expecting wedding bells in the future now, huh?

Tim: Should have known, you wouldn't bring just anybody back to the guild with you

Damian: What are you morons babbling about? And I brought Marinette back because she's a powerful wizard

Dick: We're talking about how you are showing all the signs of a dragon slayer whi has found his mate

Damian: WHAT?!?!

Jason: That's right Demon Spawn, it looks like you found your mate

Tim: Dick acted the exact same way when he first met Kori

Damian continued to deny it until one day he found Marinette trying on her new white sundress that flowed around her like water

Something just clicked in his brain

Marinette was his mate no doubt about it

Now he only had to tell Marinette that

And he had every intention to tell Marinette there was just never a good time

As time past the Grand Magic Games approached

This is the first year that Damian, Jon, and Marinette were competing along with Dick, Jason, and Tim

This was also the first year that Marinette's old guild was competing

Their team consisted of Adrien, Alya, Nino, Lila, Natalie, and Ms. Bustier

Unknown to the Justice League guild Grabriel had a nefarious plot cooking up

Gabriel had ordered Lila and Natalie to try and get Marinette's keys no matter what

Marinette was the only person who stood in his way of attaining the final 6 golden keys

Once he gets those keys his wish can be granted and nobody will be able to stand in his way ever again

This wasn't the first time he tried to get the keys from the blasted girl

He sent wizard after wizard to get those keys and all were defeated and either sent back or sent off to jail

He even tried to send a dark guild after the girl and that led to her joining freaking Justice League!

He hoped that with all of the choas from the Grand Magic Games that getting the keys would be easy

Oh boy was he wrong

Marinette was nervous

This would be the first time Marinette would see her old guild in about 3 years

She hoped for the best, but new she wouldn't get it

And she was proven right as her, Damian, and Jon were making her away back to their hotel after exploring the city when they were stop by her old team

Alya: Oh if it isn't the weak little wizard that abandoned us

Marinette sighing: Hey guys how is it going

Lila: Great our team's status has gone way up since you left. We should have kicked you off the team way before

Marinette: You didn't kick me out I left on my own after you abandoned me with no way to protect myself from a dangerous wizard

Nino: Dont be so dramatic dudette. It's not like you got seriously hurt or anything.

Lila: In all honesty the only downside was losing that quick clean up your spirit did. You should have really left her and the rest of your keys with us.

Lila held out her hand like she actually expected Marinette to hand over her keys to her

Marinette stepped back covering her keys with her hands

Damian stepped in front of Marinette and Jon stepped closer to her side

Damian: You know compulsive rings are illegal. Luckily for us we were trained on how to spot those and other illegal rings right away, because their weakness is awareness

Lila growled under her breath

Why couldn't Marinette make this easy for her. It's not like she even deserve those keys

Adrien glaring: And who are you?

Jon: I'm Jon her guildmate

Damian: I'm Damian her...Guildmate!

Damian wanted to say mate, but he still hadn't had that talk with her yet about it and this was definitely not how he wanted her to find out

Alya snorting: Anothe rguild actually took you in? Who did you trick to pull that off

Marinette: I didn't trick anybody! I earned my spot in Justice League!

Marinette showed off her guild mark to her ex-friends

All their jaws dropped

Damian: That's right so unless you want to make some very powerful enemies you'll leave us alone

Damian wrapped his arm around Marinette's shoulder and lead her away from her ex-guild mates with Jon on her other side running her arm in comfort

The games started the next day full of different competitions and different match ups

Marinette hadn't had to go one on one against her ex guild yet until she was put up against Lila in a match up

The two girls stood across from eachother glaring

Lila in the taunting voice how about we make this more interesting Dupen-Cheng. If I win I get your celestial keys if you win I will admit every lie I've ever told

Marinette glaring even harder: NO WAY LILA! No decent celestial wizard would trade their keys away on a bet. My spirits are my friends. No, they're more than that they're my family, I would rather die then let you touch even 1 of them!

Lila with and evil glint in her eye: So be it. If you win it's not like it would actually count. You'll just hide behind you spirits the whole time

Marinette glared at the girl wanting to prove her wrong

The battle that followed was brutal

Marinette didn't call her celestial spirits right away she used her star dress to fight Lila

She would switch between her star dresses impressing the crowd

She switch from ladybug, to black cat, to turtle, which was a soldier looking outfit, to Bee, which was black overall shorts with a yellow off the shoulder crop top striped tights and yellow converses with her hair in a bun.

Marinette finished Lila using her fox star dress creating a illusion of herself to lure Lila out and knocked her out with a blow to the back of her head

Marinette won

She felt a weight ahe didn't realize was there lift off her shoulders

She just proved that everything Lila had ever said about her and other celestial wizards wrong

She felt her teammates engulf her in a hug yelling congratulations before lifting her up and carrying her out of the stadium cheering

The rest of the games were just as exhilarating the final match up that will decide if Justice League or Miraculous Moth would win the whole tournament was between Damian and Adrien

Damian remember all the times Marinette cried over how her old team treated her and he wanted revengs

Nobody treated his mate like that and got away from it

The battle was brutal if one boy gained the upper hand the other would take it back quickly

But Damian won the match up and the tournament with a well time shadow dragon roar

Justice League piled into the stadium surrounding Damian as they cheered over their victory as Adrien was being carried out by medics

Marinette squeezed her way through the crowd reaching Damian

Marinette: Congregations Damian you did great

Damian: Thanks Ang-

Marinette cut him off with a kiss on the lips

Damian froze for a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her back enjoying every second of it

The two vaguely registered that the cheering seemed to get louder but ignored it

The guild continued the celebrate throughout the night

Most of the guild was so hungover the next day that they had to put off leaving till another day

A decision they would soon regret as they were attacked the next day by Miraculous Moth

Apparently Grabriel was tired if waiting and decided to attack Justice League whe. He thought they would be at their weakness

Miraculous Moth wasn't as powerful as as Justice League, but they had more members

It was 4 to 1

But Justice League refused to give down without a fight

The battle that followed destroyed half of the town they were in

Luckily Barry, Wally, and Kaalki were able to work together using speed and teleportation magic to get the civilians out of the town

During the climax of the battle Marinette finally learned what type of magic her former guild master possessed

He was a celestial wizard just like her

He also had 6 golden gate keys

During the fight Marinette called put Tikki and Plagg while having Wayzz star dress while Gabriel called his own spirits

Gabriel: Give up you stupid girl! You're no match for me!

Marinette hiding behind her shield: Why are you doing this?

Grabiel: To bring back my wife and to gain power over the celestial king

Marinette: You're planning on using the 12 golden gate keys to form a key for the celestial king!?! That will destroy the other spirits! IT WILL KILL THEM!!! I CAN'T LET YOU DO THIS!

Gabriel: And what are you going to do about it?

Marinette darted her eyes around trying to think of a solution when her eyes landed on Damian and she remember a spell her grandfather taught her. One that only the most powerful celestial wizards could cast, and one that must only be used in emergencies.

Marinette closed Tikki's and Plagg's gates before yelling to Damian

Marinette: DAMIAN CATCH!

Marinette threw her keys to Damian who gave her a confused looked but trusted Marinette and her apparent plan

Marinette charged towards Gabriel not dropping her star dress until the very last minutes

Marinette grabbed his keys not letting go as Gabriel tried to claw them out of his hands: Scattered these keys to the four winds. Use the stars as their guide to lead them to partners. Let them shoot across the sky like falling stars and hope that they land within good hands!

As Marinette finished her spell Gabriel's key ring exploded sending his keys across the continent.

The shock wave from the explosion pushed Marinette and Gabriel back

The shock was just what Justice League needed to end the battle and win

Gabriel: NNNOOOOO!!! What have you've done?

Marinette: I've scattered your keys and I won't let you hurt any of them ever again.

With the battle over and Miraculous Moth in custody life was able to settle down

Damian was finally able to talk to Marinette about them being mates

They started dating and 2 years in after a sorcerers' weekly article (a/n: going to do a seperate ova post telling that story) Damian marked her as his mate showing everybody they were together forever

Team Hatchlings adventures continued on for many years

Through marriage, kids, and old age the team of three remained the best of friends, Damian and Marinette welcoming Jon's wife into their team with open arms

No matter what the friends stuck together and fought for what was not only for themselves and their friends but for the future.

@loysydark

@mikantsume

@doli09

@krissykat0207

@czgamz

@myazael

@renscorpio

@mochinek0

@daminett4life

@kuroko26

@vixen-uchiha

[comic-book-jawns]

Bloodstream

“Okay, which arm?”

Jamie, already pale, turned to her, and she turned to the phlebotomist, Kate, who appeared be in her late 20’s.

“Umm, why don’t you pick.”

Kate nodded, and she turned back to Jamie, who was now a bit wide-eyed. Dani smiled softly as she began rolling up Jamie’s right sleeve.

“She’s just gonna check your veins.” She switched to Jamie’s left sleeve. “The bigger ones will be easier to, umm... ”

Jamie exhaled, nodding.

“Right.” Jamie ventured a peak at now bare inner elbows, then turned back to Dani, giving her a small smile. “Thanks.”

Dani, standing to her left, squeezed her shoulder.

“Can you make fists for me?”

Jamie turned to Kate.

“What? Oh.”

Jamie complied, and Kate smiled.

“Thank you.”

Jamie tensed even more as Kate began tapping her inner elbows. Dani squeezed Jamie’s shoulder again, and rubbed Jamie’s back with her other hand. Kate stepped back.

“Okay, right it is.”

Jamie exhaled, unclenching her hands.

“Glad the hard part’s over.”

Dani laughed, and even Kate chuckled as she walked over to the counter to prep.

Dani had warned her that Jamie was nervous, having never had a blood test before. Jamie herself hadn’t told Dani until Dani was driving them to the clinic — well, she’d started to tell her and then realized by the smile on Dani’s face that Dani had figured as much.

When Jamie had already started panicking after Kate told Dani she could wait in the waiting room, Dani had felt compelled to clue her in — that’s also when she’d gotten her name. And based on Jamie’s comment, it seemed she’d seen through Dani’s not so subtle suggestion that she go on to the back room without on them — she just had a quick question for the phlebotomist.

Kate turned back now, elastic and antiseptic in hand as she walked over.

“All right, I’m gonna need you to make a fist for me again.” She stopped as she came along Jamie’s right side, opposite Dani. “Just your right hand.”

Jamie cleared her throat, unclenching her left, which Dani then took and squeezed. Dani could see Kate smile slightly, as she tied the elastic around Jamie’s right arm just above her elbow. She ripped open the antiseptic packet, took out the wipe and dabbed Jamie’s inner elbow. Jamie immediately flinched and squeezed Dani’s hand hard.

“Shit. Sorry.”

Jamie was staring straight ahead, but the comment had been directed at both of her and Kate, Dani knew. She rubbed Jamie’s back as she saw her cheeks turning pink.

“It’s okay, Jay.”

But Dani could see her own concerns mirrored on Kate’s face.

“Can she sit on my lap?”

“Dani!”

Jamie turned to her, and Dani could her cheeks reddening in her periphery. Her eyes were still on Kate, who looked rather taken aback herself.

“I - I just need her to sit still, so, umm... if you think that’ll help.”

“It will.”

Dani looked down to find Jamie blushing furiously and admittedly did feel a bit guilty. She genuinely didn’t want to embarrass her, but given the circumstances, she knew she didn’t really have a choice.

If Jamie flinched again, Kate might miss, which would undoubtedly trigger a full-blown panic attack. Jamie would never agree to go through with the test, and the trust in medical professionals that Dani had been helping her cultivate would be shattered. And even if she managed not to flinch, she’d had to fast for the test, so fainting was also a possibility — one that would very likely lead to the same outcome.

This would help keep Jamie calm throughout, and she knew Jamie knew that. She gave her a pointed look, and Jamie indeed relented with a huff after a few moments. She smiled.

“Thank you.”

Jamie glared at her as she got out of the chair, but by the way her mouth twitched, Dani could tell she was fighting a smile even as her cheeks burned. Once Dani was settled in the chair, Jamie gingerly sat back down — perched, really.

“Jamie.”

Jamie huffed again, but then Dani felt her obediently slide back against her and relax slightly. Taking Jamie’s left hand in hers, she wrapped Jamie’s left arm around Jamie’s own waist, keeping her arm on top, rubbing her thumb across Jamie’s knuckles. She then wrapped her right hand around Jamie’s upper right arm, stroking it gently.

She felt Jamie relax even more and even heard her sigh softly. And then Kate went back to the counter where the needle was laying, and Jamie tensed up all over again.

“Close your eyes, Jay.”

She said it just above a whisper. She knew Jamie wasn’t really squeamish — it was just the novelty of it all that was getting to her — but not looking couldn’t hurt. And with her eyes closed, Jamie would probably be able to focus more on her.

Dani turned to Kate as she turned back around.

“Did she?”

Kate opened her mouth to respond.

“Yes!”

An exasperated Jamie beat her to it. Dani giggled; and as she’d hoped, she felt Jamie chuckle a moment later and relax again. Kate was smiling as she came up on Jamie’s right side again with the needle, a gauze pad and three vials. She placed the vials and gauze on a cart beside her.

“You work with plants, Jamie?” Dani heard Jamie gasp slightly, then saw Kate mouth “fist” to her. “You have a dirt under your fingernails.”

“Oh.” As Jamie laughed awkwardly, Dani slowly slid her hand down Jamie’s right arm. “Uh, yeah, ’m a gardener.”

Dani gently curled Jamie’s right hand into a fist.

“Jamie owns the flower shop in town,” Dani elaborated, smiling proudly.

“We both do,” Jamie quickly added.

“Oh, The Leafling?” Kate pressed her left hand down on Jamie’s arm just below the elastic. “I’ve always wanted to check it out.”

Before Jamie could respond, Kate stuck the needle in. Dani felt Jamie stiffen, heard her breath hitch, but Jamie didn’t move. Dani squeezed Jamie’s left hand as Kate connected the first vial to the needle. 

Kate had offered to use a butterfly needle. It looked less menacing and, since the vials would connect to a tiny tube rather than the needle itself, Jamie might feel the vial switches less. But once Kate confirmed that it would take a bit longer, since the blood would be traveling through the tube first before filing up the vials, Dani politely declined. Pain wasn’t an issue for Jamie; expediency would be the key. 

As the first vial started filling up, she untied the elastic around Jamie’s arm and threw it on the cart.

“Okay, you can relax your hand.” She heard Jamie exhale, then felt her unfurl her right hand in hers, though she still felt fairly tense and was breathing a bit shakily. “You’re doing really good, Jamie. Just a little longer.”

Jamie laughed awkwardly.

“Ya normally work with kids?”

Dani squeezed Jamie’s left hand again as Kate, chuckling, swapped the now-full vial with another. Jamie’s breath hitched again, not as hard, though. And she still didn’t move.

“Sometimes. But honestly, plenty of adults get nervous, too.”

“Bad as me?”

Kate thought for a moment.

“Had a guy throw up last week, actually.”

Dani squeezed Jamie’s hand as Kate swapped vials again. But Jamie, chuckling, barely reacted to the switch.

“You guys take bets on that kinda stuff?” Dani burst out laughing, as did Kate. “That what you and Dani were doin’?” They laughed even harder. “Apologies if ya had money me.”

A moment later, Kate disconnected the now-full final vial, put it on the cart then grabbed the gauze pad, removed the needle and pressed the pad down in its place.

“Okay, all done.”

Dani heard Jamie exhale and felt her practically slump against her. Dani smiled widely.

“Good job, Jay.”

She squeezed Jamie’s left hand again, which was quite clammy at this point, and heard her chuckle, then saw her look down at her arm — then at the vials. Dani saw Kate start to panic, presumably realizing maybe she should’ve waited longer to give the all clear.

“Oh, no, she’s fine with blood.”

Sure enough, Jamie was looking at them with a child-like curiosity. Kate was giving Dani a rather quizzical look, though. Biting back a laugh, Dani went to explain, but Jamie cut in.

“What d’ya so with ’em?”

Jamie hadn’t take her eyes off the vials. Kate turned to her, then smiled after a moment, a mix of amusement and admiration.

“Umm, well, I don’t do anything, other than ship them off to a lab. They’ll do the actual testing, whatever your doctor ordered.”

Since Jamie’s first visit with their GP, Dr. Ryan, in which they’d brought up her probable hypoglycemia, Dr. Ryan had ordered a blood panel to get a better picture.

“Gotcha.” Jamie looked up Kate, clearing her throat. “Uh, thanks for, uh, puttin’ up with me.”

“My pleasure. Seems I should be thanking Dani.”

She saw Kate look up at her with a seemingly knowing smile and felt Jamie sit up and try to turn around.

“Christ. Dani - ”

Dani turned to find her looking slightly distressed and blushing. She giggled.

“You’re welcome.” She turned back to Kate. “Both of you.”

Still smiling, Kate looked down.

“Jamie, I need you to do one more thing for me.”

Jamie, now sitting rather horizontally across Dani’s lap, turned to Kate.

“If you could hold down the gauze, I’m gonna get tape.”

Jamie nodded and took over as Kate went back to the counter. A few moments, she lifted off as Kate taped over the pad, a small red stain now at its center.

“Okay, now you’re officially good to go. There may be a temporary bruise and some soreness, just so you know.”

Jamie nodded and got up, then Dani felt herself blush slightly as Jamie turned back, offering her right hand.

It was completely unnecessary — it wasn’t a hard chair to get out of, and Jamie herself looked rather pale. So Dani pressed down on the left chair arm to help herself up but still took Jamie’s clammy hand with her right because she wanted to and because she figured it might make Jamie feel a little less self-conscious about the whole ordeal — though it was that kind of thing Jamie did ordinarily, not for bullshit chivalry reasons but just because she wanted to.

But as she stood, Jamie, despite pulling almost none of her weight, gasped and clamped her other hand down over her bandage. Dani froze, felt her heart stop, but just as she went to call out her name, she saw a familiar glint in Jamie’s eye.

Dani laughed despite herself, stood all the way up and lightly whacked Jamie’s upper arm with the back of free hand as Jamie broke.

“I’ll drive home without you!”

Dani had laughed as she said it, but then she stopped as she processed what she’d said. Jamie did, too. They’d already shown far more PDA than they normally did — out of necessity maybe, but they had. And now Dani had basically confirmed their status. That being said, the test was over, so really what did it matter if Kate had a problem with it?

“I meant what I said, by the way.”

Still holding hands, they both turned to Kate. Dani saw her own apprehension still mirrored on Jamie’s face. But Kate was smiling.

“About your shop. I’ve been meaning to go.”

Grinning and sighing in relief internally, Dani turned back to see Jamie blush slightly and smile shyly.

“Oh.” Dani squeezed her hand as Jamie predictably lifted her other hand to scratch the back of her neck. “Yeah. We’ll, uh... be there.”

Dani bit back a laugh. They’d been open for nearly a year now, but Jamie was still working on her salesmanship skills. She turned to Kate.

“You’re welcome anytime. And you can use the ‘friends’ discount.”

Kate waved dismissively, but Dani saw Jamie nod vigorously out of the corner of her eye.

“Yeah! Least I can do... Seriously.”

Kate chuckled in resignation.

“Thank you. I’ll stop in soon, then.”

For a moment they all just stood there awkwardly, smiling, and then Dani turned back to Jamie.

“We need to get you something to eat.”

Jamie turned back to her, smirking.

“Hungry, are we?”

Dani had fasted in solidarity, despite Jamie’s protests. So, yes, she was rather hungry since it was now past their usual breakfast time. She tried to glare at Jamie but laughed. Jamie went to say something else, still smirking, but then swayed on the spot. Dani’s face instantly fell, and she placed her free hand on Jamie’s back to steady her.

“I’m good, Poppins.” Jamie managed a sheepish small to reassure her. “But, yeah, we should go.”

Needing no further prompting, Dani took off, guiding her toward the hallway that would take them back to the waiting room.

“Thanks again,” she called over her shoulder to Kate.

“Thanks,” Jamie added.

Dani heard a bright “see ya” in reply as they turned the corner. They walked in silence down the hallway, but Jamie spoke again when they reached the waiting room.

“She was nice.”

Dani smiled, a tad melancholically. Gratitude was evident in Jamie’s voice, but something else was too: surprise; wonder, even. And, sure, Kate had gone above and beyond. But it had more to do with Jamie herself. She’d reacted like this before. A part of her still didn’t expect people to be nice to her — still didn’t think she deserved to be treated that way.

Granted, Jamie had made strides in that regard since they’d met — major strides, Dani knew — but she hadn’t quite crossed the finish line yet. Maybe she never would. It was a thought that kept Dani up at night sometimes as she held her. But Dani was doing all she could, and she knew Jamie was too.

Dani squeezed Jamie’s hand as she helped Jamie push open the door with her other hand, and they stepped outside.

“She was... Where you do you want to eat?”

Jamie stopped and turned to her, brow furrowed. And then she smiled, a bit mischievously, like a child about to make an indulgent request.

“Milkshakes?”

Unable and quite unwilling to let such adorableness go unrewarded, Dani leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, eliciting a giggle from Jamie, then led her toward the car, grinning.

“Diner it is.”

[coeursetcolores]

Therion, the Thief: Chapter 1

WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Chapter 1 of Therion’s story in Octopath Traveler!

Oh yes, it’s time! Angsty thief boy time!

Crime! Yayyyyyyyy!

This is the one I’ve been waiting to do the longest! Therion’s actually the character I picked at the beginning! Thief mains, rise up (and steal things)!

I gotta say, Therion is hitting on every right note for me: angsty boy, mysterious past, snarky but not too much of a jerk, sarcastic, clever, fringe; that’s the good stuff. Mmmm, quality edgy boi material.

I love thieves who take pride in their work. I get some people only turn to crime because they have no choice, but it’s fun to see people who take pride in something someone else would look down on them for. I mean, based on Therion’s flashbacks, he probably didn’t have a choice but now he’s just going around robbing rich people. Which honestly, goals.

I also just get this really haunted vibe off of him, like clearly something happened to him that involved Darius. And whatever it was has clearly affected him to the point he refuses to work with anyone. In a game that’s focused on it’s party. Where he can be recruited.

...

Yeahhhhhh.

BUTWHOCARESWEGETTOROBPEOPLE!!!!! This is every thief main’s dream, stealing outside of fights and cutscenes, robbing random NPCs! Children, the elderly, the poor, forget morality! Everyone’s belongings are mine to take! MWAHAHAHAAA!!!!

I like the steal option. (＾◡＾)

And it works great in fights! Once the enemy’s health is low enough. Free stuff is just great!

The knife totally fits and I know that thieves can use swords, but I would think if he already had the knife he’d bring something lighter for support, like a claw or a crossbow. Crossbow for range, claw because he’s like a kitty. ヾ(=`ω´=)ノ”  I dunno, the sword just seems kind of heavy.

Bolderfall...lives up to it’s name, it is a bunch of rocks. Pretty rocks. I would’ve liked a waterfall in the middle somewhere, but it’s nice. It’s a good place to make one of the big cities, I bet it’d be really fun to build around a mountain.

Ravus Manor is also really cool and I appreciate the game leaving it in town so I don’t have to go through a different are with different enemies to get there (Tressa Chapter 2, I’m looking at you). And the manor itself gives a unique tone: you know there’s people still living there, but the lighting gives off this feeling of emptiness, like what was once there is gone, even though it’s mostly still there. But something’s missing, and it’ll never come back.

This also works for Therion. He’s clearly lost something: he’s a lot happier in his flashbacks with Darius and something had to have happened to have turned him off partnerships. When he watches those other two thieves go off, you can tell he’s hurt but still longing for the time he wasn’t alone.

Similar to Olberic and Primrose, a lot of Therion’s character and motivation is fleshed out through his flashbacks; this is a good and subtle to show that, compared to the other travelers, these three have more experience when it comes to the world. They’ve had their own adventures while the others are just about to start their first one. I think it’s good to have a little diversity in experience within a party to convey more than one mood in a story; this also helps allow the characters to have different views on a situation.

Okay...confession time: Heathcote destroyed me. My first boss made a fool out of me. He also had minions with him because apparently I did some horrific crime that earned me the wrath of the JRPG gods who have cursed me to continually face summon bosses. And the game just let him summon more and more and I’M SORRY! PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON MY SWITCH BATTERY! I also couldn’t do anything about his specials. And do you know why? Because I am an idiot who forgot about the BP system. Yeah, I’m that dumb. And Heathcote took full advantage of that.

Speaking of Heathcote...

Cordelia.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?!

You two had the one of the most ridiculous plans I’ve ever heard! Your plan to get your stuff back is lure a thief into your home, have them prove themselves by attacking and injuring your staff, significantly lowering your home’s defenses, fight your elderly butler with no reason to believe that your invader wouldn’t kill whoever tried to stop them and get them to go get your dragonstones by putting what’s basically a dunce cap on them?! What if, oh I don’t know, the thief didn’t care?! What if they just walked away? What if took the dragonstone with them? What if another thief or an enemy to your house came in after your defenses got whipped and decided to wreck the place? HUH?!!!! What then?!

Why not, and just hear me out, use your vast fortune and HIRE someone to get it?! You clearly have plenty of money to hire a bunch of guards and weird ice lantern spirits! Or offer to pay the thief and pay them when they bring all the stones back! Who knows, Therion might have willingly helped you! Because you know what happens when you blackmail people? Once you let them go, there’s no insurance they won’t want revenge! Who’s gonna stop Therion f after he get’s the Fool’s Bangle off, he decides to steal the dragonstones again, because you pissed him off?! You know what, that’s what I’m gonna do!

Sorry, I was just really peeved off at that.

Well, might as well get it over with.

With annoyance, this chapter ends and Therion’s story begins.

If you have to get your hands dirty for freedom, then mine will never be clean, and my fingers will stay sticky as they steal whatever I desire.

[trillian-anders]

bewildered

pairing: geralt of rivia x reader

warnings: angst, fluff, smut

word count: 4k

description: part 3 of 3. you’d wanted nothing to do with him, and he respected that. it was deserved. but something called him to you. and he needs to bring you home. 

Spring was coming. The snow finally melting, but the ground just beginning to thaw. Pretty soon Geralt would be able to sleep outside without being uncomfortable. He’d be able to get more done. Make more money. Leave Kaer Morhen for longer than a week at a time.

Truth be told he didn’t think he would make this place his home. The stone walls held bad memory. This was the place his mother had left him. Where he took his trials. Where he became the monster that he was today. But, Vesemir reasoned with him, free lodgings are better than paying for somewhere to stay all winter. And being as though they were the last of the Witchers, this property was theirs after all.

It was also harder to move around now that he had Ciri. The girl was smart, but naïve. Talented, but impulsive. This home would give her stability for training. Something she dreaded.

“I don’t understand why I have to learn all of this.” She would whine, the old tomes and books, memorized by Geralt in his youth, now to be memorized by her.

“You won’t succeed in fighting monsters if you don’t know everything about the monster.” Vesemir would shake his head at her when he wasn’t falling asleep in his chair.

Ciri would use those moments to sneak off, train combatively like Geralt had been teaching her. Running the obstacle course that he’d built for her. She loved doing that. The book learning not so much.

It was one of those days, Vesemir found fast asleep that he found Ciri outside practicing with a dummy in the courtyard. Her form was improving, but still sloppy. Her footwork needed more practice and she needed to build more muscle in her arms to properly wield the sword, but she was improving and that was a good sign.

“Keep your core tight.” He called, arms crossed and standing a comfortable distance behind her. “Focus, precise movements.” She was agile, having learned to flip and maneuver her way around even if her footwork was often a misstep. She’ll get there. “Steady.”

The trees were barren and air crisp. Watching Ciri practice, focused. The wind picked up, a whisper in the air.

Something was wrong.

Geralt didn’t know what it was, but he could sense it. A shift. A change. Something was very, very wrong. His fingers reached into his pocket, brushing against the metal coin there reassuringly. Thumbing it between his pointer a forefinger.

When the ground thaws. He’ll soothe his conscience.

…

He found himself outside of your home. For the first time in a long time. It looks less taken care of, vines crawling up the sides imbedding themselves in the walls. The garden was dry, dead plants, overgrown weeds. The small little pond you’d made for yourself, the fish dead, a layer of scum over top.

The door was open and half of its hinge.

He stepped through the familiar home. Room to room. Cobwebs and dust over every surface, bottles and jars smashed or dark and their contents sour. You obviously hadn’t been here for a very long time, but it looked as though you’d left on your own accord. Your clothes and jewelry were gone. The tiny baubles he’d noticed on your vanity gone as well. But how long have you been gone? And where were you now?

He travelled on. Different towns, villages. Beast after beast, listlessly hoping that the trail of bed crumbs would be you leading him back. The heavy coin in his pocket would put a shadow on that thought. You gave him the thing you used to bring him to you before. He flipped it through his fingers, looking at the shiny metal sides, polished from the constant worrying.

He was sore, soaking in a bath and looking at it. The cuts on his arms and legs burning from the heat, but he can’t focus on that. He’s focused on this coin.

He couldn’t remember the story you told him. You having been just a girl and him handing this coin to you. He’d probably been a new Witcher then. Fresh from his trails, out on his first couple hunts, just having left the nest. He couldn’t pull the memory from his mind. It was so long ago now.

He could feel the magic in it, infused in every little bit of this metal. Your magic. It had given him solace, late nights, long bouts of travel, he rubbed it and it soothed him, pacifying his subdued emotions enough for him to focus. It was when he thought of this that he realized,

He knew how to find you.

The village wasn’t far off from where your old home had been, and he’d felt foolish for it. Small and secluded. Tiny little houses in sporadic distances from the main square. The square bustling with life, vendors selling vegetables and grain from their farm. Flowers and metal trinkets from the blacksmith, behind him an array of weapons and household wares.

He wasn’t welcome here and he could feel it as soon as he stepped into the small village. Their looks odd, their wallets clutched in to quell their nerves. But he paid them no mind. He could see you, just across the way. Thin white linen dress, hair down and soft, holding a woven basket you were slowly filling with vegetables. He grew closer as you switched over to the little flower cart, smiling and charming, talking to the male vendor.

His cheeks red with rosacea and belly round he seemed keen on you. You were laughing at a joke, head thrown back. He’d never seen you so carefree before, so happy. You had baby’s breath in your hair and a rose to your cheeks. He almost stepped away, left entirely. Like maybe getting rid of him was the best thing you’d ever done for yourself.

But it’s gone from his mind when you meet his gaze, your eyes bringing him in, a soft smile on your lips. He stops before you and you turn to him,

“Y/N…” Your brow furrows, lips pulling into a frown.

“I’m sorry, sir.” You step back from him, “But do I know you?” This feeling, he’d only felt it once before, what feels like a lifetime ago now. The abandonment of it. You look genuinely confused. He shakes his head,

“No, I’m sorry…” He sighs, “I’m—”

“Witcher.” A terse voice, men pulling up to his left. “You’re going to have to come with us.” His eyes stay on you as you look upon the men, the tug of your bottom lip between your teeth. You give him a strange look and walk away, leaving the square, and headed to where he would assume your home was.

He turned to the men, their leader jerking his head toward the pub. So it wasn’t a beating, but a job proposition.

“Do you know her?” One of the men asked him, “You seemed pretty keen.” His teeth were yellowed, skin black with dirt. Geralt sipped on his ale, answering, focused in on the man who just dropped down in front of him. “I bet she tastes of honey.” Geralt’s jaw set, a glare shot at the man who sunk into his seat, Cheshire grin dropping.

“Something has been in my fields every night.” He says, “I’d pray you a pretty penny so it would stop hawking my grain.” Missing grain. Geralt was ever the public servant.

How could you forget him? Had you done this to yourself? Erased your mind of him? Or had someone else done this to you? Was your memory lost forever or easily retrieved? He sighs, trying to focus on the task at hand, but he can’t. Should he even try to bring your memory back?

A shift in the night, he could hear it. Noise from the silo. His hand on the hilt of his sword. He walked around to the other side, the moonlight illuminating the open door. He sighs, the grain thief isn’t a hungry beast, but someone from the village. He sheathes his sword, coming around the corner and seeing a dark cloaked figure hunched over and shoving grain into a burlap sack by their feet. He sighs, the noise halting the figure’s movements.

“The man who owns this land isn’t too happy that you’ve been stealing his grain.” The figure moves, turning to face him, cloak hood falling from their face.

It’s you.

“I’m sure.” You huff, “He seems perfectly happy to let those on the outer banks starve though, maybe you should talk to him about that.” He was stunned by you. You looked different, fresher, healthier. You’d been eating more, getting more sun and in the moonlight, he felt struck by you in a way he couldn’t have expected. You looked at him for a moment before tying the burlap sack shut, “You seem to know me… Witcher.” Cheeky. That hadn’t changed.

“You remind me of someone I once knew.” He watched you abandon the sack, stepping towards him.

“Was she beautiful?” You muse, a cheeky grin. A light in your eyes he hadn’t ever seen.

“Absolutely enchanting.” He breathed, missing your heat when you take a step back.

“So you wouldn’t mind carrying this grain for me then?” You laugh at the look on his face, but he finds himself shouldering it and following you down the hill and into the woods.

An enchantress. That’s what you’d always been. A mage, a king’s mage, a mage for the people, no. You were an enchantress and you belonged here. Flitting about in the trees covered with moss and barefoot leading him to a small home. The first stop of many to portion out enough grain for the family to have bread.

You’re their fairy godmother. A blessing. He watches the mother hold you and offer you animal fat from their last hunt, something you decline, but appreciate, nonetheless. He follows you house to dilapidated house, the poor families inside ever so grateful for the blessing of your stolen grain. You mock him for giving up his fealty so easily.

“I should be jealous of this girl.” You jest. “She must get whatever she wants from you.” He huffs,

“I haven’t seen her in a while.” He admits, watching you balance on a log across a small stream, heading back towards town and leading him home.

“You seem smitten,” You jump from the log, landing on your feet and turning to him, watching him cross, “Why haven’t you seen her?” Sorrow burrowed into his chest as he watches you continue onward, the beautiful dress you’d been wearing earlier now mud dipped and you seem so without care.

“I said something in anger,” He sighs, “Years ago, I fear she doesn’t want to see me again.” The edge of the town grows closer and you take him to the left, walking the length around it.

“Did you apologize?” You ask, the stone streets meeting your feet once more. He follows you through the winding road, house pushed further back towards the wood. A miniature version of the home he’d found abandoned, complete with a little pond out front.

“I hadn’t the chance.” You look at him strangely.

“Hadn’t the chance or wouldn’t take it?”

The home is much cozier than your old one. A single room with a fireplace on the far right wall, your bed on the far left. A small table and chair, kitchen area with dried herbs hanging over top of the small butcher’s block counter that had vegetable scraps from the dinner you must’ve eaten before going out to steal and distribute grain.

“Mason, the man who owns that land will surely be wanting a head brought to him.” He watches you take a cloth and wash your feet. You look up at him from beneath your lashes. “Are you going to turn me in?”

He shakes his head, “No.” You shrug, tossing the rag into your basket of laundry.

“Then you better get hunting.” But he didn’t want to leave you. You seemed so happy here, so content, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t leave you like this,

“Do you really not remember me?” He asked, gruff and serious. You look at him strangely,

“What are you talking about?” You ask. “I’ve just met you today.” He shakes his head,

“No, I met you for the first time nearly fifty years ago.” Your brow furrows and you shake your head.

“I’m not even fifty years old…” You step back from him, “I think you should leave.”

“I’m not leaving.” He states, “You’re a mage, you know magic, you did this to yourself?” Why couldn’t he just walk away? Why did he need to tear you from this so badly? You shake your head, hand coming up to hold the side of it. “You erased your memory?”

He could see your eyes moving behind your closed lids. Searching. “You need to leave.”

“I need to take you back to Vesemir, he’ll know how to help you.” Your eyes opened, red and weepy, a drop of blood drips from your nose and you faint.

Geralt rushes to catch your dropping body, saving your skull from clipping into the kitchen bench. He’d have to take you to Kaer Morhen, Vesemir would be able to help him break this spell.

…

This bed was much richer than your own. Comfortable to the point you could sink into it almost to the floor. You’d never felt anything so rich in your life. Your body feels like lead, hard to move, but then again you didn’t really want to. You were so comfortable. Laying on your belly, a hand on your back playing with the ends of your hair, braiding and then taking it out, then re-braiding.

You hum, vision clearing, looking at the drawn curtains. A crackling fireplace in the corner makes the cool summer night a little too warm.

It was a little girl, humming behind you and braiding your hair. Her hair stark white, skin tanned and ruddy from playing in the summer sun, scratches on her cheeks and you’d later notice on her knuckles and fingers.

“Ciri.” A harsh whisper. “Leave her be.” The voice familiar and a deep growl. A quiet huff of annoyance and the bed shifts you can hear her step towards Geralt.

“I’m helping her wake up.” She says in a terse voice.

“She needs to rest.” His annoyed reply. The heavy door behind him closes and you slowly roll over to look at him. He’s staring at the ground, a strange expression on his face.

“I’m surprised you came looking for me.” You mumble into the sheets. His eyes snapping to yours.

“You erased your memory.” A statement. A fact. You hum, stretching your sore limbs. “Take it easy, you’re not going to have all your faculties yet.”

“You weren’t supposed to go looking for me.”

“Why not?” He asked. “I didn’t mean what I said and you know it.” You sink back into the sheets, unable to fully move.

“Is this your home?” You ask. He steps closer, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“I lived here when I was a boy.” He shrugs, “This is where they trained us.” He hears your sharp intake of breath. “It’s just us here, Ciri, Vesemir, and me.”

“Not Yenn?” He glares at you.

“She’s never been here.” You roll onto your back, looking up at the canopy above you. “Why did you erase your memory?” He watches you for a moment, silent and unanswering.

“It made it hurt less.” You admit, “I didn’t want to live that life anymore.” You look at him, his brow pulled in concern.

“I’m sorry for what I said.” He sighs, “I shouldn’t have—”

“But you’re right.” You scoff, “Both times I pushed you away… the last time you wanted to stay…”

“But it wouldn’t have been right of me to do that…” He sighs, “I wasn’t in a good place to give you what you wanted.”

“Are you ever?” You sit up against the headboard, wiggling your toes to regain feeling.

“No…” He looks at you quietly for a moment, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know.”

“Are you ever going to be happy?” He asks, you look at him for a moment. The defeat in his voice.

“Why does it matter to you? Is this your guilt?” You look around the room, a large basin to bathe in, the fireplace growing close to embers, a desk messy with papers, but what would he even need to write?

“My guilt?” Your eyes roll back to his.

“That fuels you to need to make sure I’m happy. Which didn’t stop you from bringing my memory back.” A spell, crudely done on yourself. A nice ten or fifteen years, you’d remember. But you’d get to live life away from it for a while, and you did. “So guilt and selfishness then? Guilt needing to make sure I’m happy but selfish enough to make sure I can’t be happy without you? Why?” You wanted him to say it. This strange relationship the two of you had, if you could even call it a relationship.

This was the third time you’d seen him in nearly fifty years.

“What is this?” You ask him, “Why can’t you let me go?”

“I don’t know.” He shakes his head, stepping from the bed, “I don’t know.” Rubbing his eyes. His fingers fumble with something in his pocket, “You’re just so…”

“So…? What?” His golden eyes they’re so piercing. They make a shiver go down your spine.

“Bewitching.” He steps to the edge of the bed and you meet him there, shifting shakily to your knees. His fingers find the ends of your hair, still partially braided from Ciri. “I’m selfish enough to want you here.” He says, “With me.”

You settle back on your heels, head tilted back looking up at his face. “You’re soft.” He rolls his eyes, knowing the subject was far too intimate for you, something to be broached later, maybe once he plies you with mead maybe soaking bath. “I’m hungry.”

…

Geralt watched from under the stone archway. Ciri was practicing, you are standing a safe distance behind her, observing. Ciri seemed infatuated with you, she wanted to show you everything she learned, everything she knew. You helped her focus, Ciri able to sit longer in her studies, explain things to you about different creatures that you pretended not to know.

You braided her hair out of her face and she chattered to you at mealtimes.

“The girl wants a Mother.” Vesemir said to him as they both watched you instruct her to keep her back straight,

“Good posture helps with combat.” You would tell her. Ciri would roll her shoulders back, her footwork improving. Less sloppy.

Your eyes would meet his every once in a while, a knowing smirk on your face before he steps out to join the two of you and you make your exit with a trail of fingers against his back.

“The trial of the grasses.” You whisper by candlelight, facing him in the bed you’d been sharing, your fingers tracing the shape of his cheekbones, “Barbaric, and cruel… it’s fortunate that no one should have to go through that ever again.” Your thumb pressed between his tense brow.

“Ciri will never have to go through that.” She’s powerful, the girl.

“She won’t.” You wrap yourself in further, legs curling up under your nightdress. “She’s strong.”

“She is.”

“I would have never pictured you as a father.” He huffs, rolling onto his back.

“Neither would I.” You hum, looking at his profile.

“She wants to make you proud.” His eyes move to yours. “I have a feeling that she already does.”

“You can’t leave her.” He says, “You’d break her heart.” Your fingers scratch against the sheets between you.

“I can’t stay here.”

“Why not?” Propped up on his elbow, body half hovering over yours. “Make this your home, come and go as I do,” His fingers disappearing in your strands, “Just always come back.” A gentle tug, pulling your face to meet his.

It was soft. Unlike previous kisses. The passion bubbling under your skin, the emptiness you’d felt from the absence of him being drowned by his mouth. The blunt fingernails digging into your spine as you lay above him, kissing.

Those same fingers bunching the skirt of your nightdress up your thighs as you straddle his hips. The hard length of him pressing against you. You gently rock your hips against his, grinding yourself on him, softly moaning into his mouth. He gently rolls you over, pressing your back against the sheets and kissing his way down your neck and to the tops of your breasts, palming them, before sinking his hands under your nightdress and slipping your undergarments down and off. The thin gown slipping off your shoulders to lay open.

His lips meet your belly, tracing their way down, down, to press against your hips, large rough palms tracing down your legs to grip your thighs and part them for his gentle assault. Those amber eyes meet yours, tongue dipping between your thighs. His arms encircle your hips, hands gripping them tightly, letting you rock against his face.

The grind and friction on his tongue making your legs shake. His grunting and moaning, tongue tracing expertly placed circles on your clit. Your fingers unravel his hair, fingernails scratching at his scalp as your back arches in climax. Whining with his continued licks, wet tongue overstimulating your sensitive flesh. He lays a kiss on your mons, trailing his lips back up your body to capture your mouth, the sweet tang of you shared between you both.

You pull at his shirt and he allows you to lift it from his body, tossed carelessly to the side, before helping you with his trousers. His skin bare above you, touching yours in comfort. He wraps himself around you, warm and strong. His heavy cock resting on your belly as his lips meet yours again and again.

Your fingers in his hair, he adjusts his hips, the tip of him pressing against your entrance before you feel that familiar burn and stretch, whimpering into his mouth as he breeches you. He’s on his elbows on top of you, chest to chest, connected. Intimate. His face pulls away from yours as he begins to slowly thrust, and as your eyes drift closed, he says,

“Don’t look away from me,” a plea or a demand, you couldn’t be sure, but when you opened your eyes and looked into his it felt so raw, so real. His hips meeting yours in a steady smooth pace. This wasn’t like before. The hurried and animalistic chase towards climax. The rushed fuck you’d gotten from him twice before. This was far more intimate, far closer, far too exposed. “Don’t look away.”

You could feel your eyes watering, body trembling as he ground himself against the most sensitive spot inside you, “I can’t.” You whimper his fingers intertwined with yours, pressing them down into the bed.

“Don’t run from me.” A whisper on your lips as the tears began to run down your face, dripping down your temples and into your hair, “Stop running from me.” He lays a soft kiss to your lips. You were getting close, so close.

Your hands tightened, squeezing his as you tumbled over, a blabbering mess of words leaving your throat, soothed by a searing kiss from him as his hips picked up a faster motion, chasing his own release now. It wasn’t long after that his hips stuttered against yours, his seed painting your womb, but his body staying close. He kissed you, again and again. Slow and soft.

“Tell me you’ll stay.” A whisper into your mouth, he was soft inside you, your legs still wrapped around his waist. His eyes searched yours, thumb coming down to wipe at the tears coming from your eyes.

“I’ll stay.”

.

.

.

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[missingartist]

The Witcher’s Mate Chapter 19

The portal snapped closed behind them sending the trio spewing over the hard granite floor. Dust and grit curled up into billowing clouds sending the three into a fit of coughs and splutters. Jaskier poked his head up between a pair of legs and one hand that frantically twitched at the side of his neck.

‘Whose ever knee that is, while that is very pleasant, I am not sure Geralt would appreciate either of you doing that.’ Jaskier bit out, worming his way out from the bodies.

‘I forgot how low the floor was in here’ a muffled groan forced its way out front somewhere beneath the flailing limbs, a white-haired head popped up gazing around the battered room.

Vesemir had his blade raised and thrust in one of the bodies face before he even recognised the blossoming young woman and her annoying bard. Typically, the Witchers stronghold was only occupied during the most barren winter months, when work was made difficult from the weather. Most creatures limited their attack in the colder weather, drowners trapped by thick ice, wreaths. Kilmore and ghoul attack slowed to the point there was very little money, and it made more sense to hole up in the warmth of the great hall with food and ale sharing stories of the beasts and women they had met in the months of isolation on the path. But for Vesemir the appeal of riding another two months was unappealing, and there was much to be done at Kaer Morhen, the place had fallen into disrepair and could stand to have two months patch up before the others arrived. So, the flash of light and the three sprawling bodies was unexpected.

Cross-eyed, the bard stared down the blade of the Witcher, who grunted down in annoyance.

‘Vesemir long time no see, how are you? You old….Witcher.’ Jaskier smile nervously up at the gruff man.

‘Vesemir!’ Ciri greeted, standing up and pulling the bewildered former kitchen maiden with her.

‘Ciri! My girl, you’ve grown’ he pulled the slim girl into a bear-like hug lifting her off the grown entirely. ‘And who is this?’ Vesemir puffed out, catching a glimpse at the cowering girl edge herself toward the bookcases.

‘This is Adva…student of Triss, currently first of Yennefer’s hit list, suspected mermaid and Geralt’s soul mate, like actually soul mate.’

Blinking across at the older man, terror surged beneath the brunette skin. The gaze was heavy and piercing as the man all but dropped Ciri to her feet to look the mermaid up and down. Anxiety was back, and she felt like she had back in Brightwater under the scrutiny of Cersi, Tradi or the Vivian. It made her realise how bare she felt in the flimsy clothing Ciri lent her.

‘We need help…figuring out the mermaid and soulmate part.’

Ciri pulled back from her former teacher and smiled at the nervous girl, who eyes now focused solely on her ragged boots.

‘Well… I think we are going to need more chairs in the library. Anyone you annoy Yennefer enough to get on her hit list is always welcome here.’ Vesemir greeted, pulling Adva and Ciri toward the library.

‘Tell me everything. Bard bring three more chairs from the celler.’

‘Brilliant just brilliant’ Jaskier sighed as he made his way through the vast stronghold.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Geralt could not close his eyes; every time he did, he saw Adva being huddled into the portal in the strong embrace of Jaskier. Her retreating figure was etched into his mind for the past three days. The tightness of Ciri blouse over her breast and stomach, the lacing at the top of the shirt could not fasten so in an attempt to make them fit she had pulled the sleeve down into a peasant blouse, exposing her neck and that spot in which he buried his head in it during their night together, the pure scent that intoxicated him. Her hips had strained against the tightness of the dress, Adva hips the more shapely then his young ward, soft and supple, his hands still burnt in remembrance of how his hand buried into her ample hips as he ground into her feeling the wetness against me.

Scrunching his eye shut, he was forced to relieve that look on her face, the sadness and misery. He wanted to talk to her explain, but as soon as he advances towards, she flinched and retreated behind Jaskier. A furious range formed inside him, Jaskier, the man he had to save so man times who stuck his nose in one to many times, he had dragged her off for him, his little flower, his love, his siren, HIS MATE. Blood dripped from his hands as eight half-moons cut pieced his golden skin, the warm liquid dripped over his fingers and splattered noiselessly against the dirt way he lay. He could not bring himself to care or even feel the mild pain; he felt nothing, just the burning desire to regain Adva, to have her in his arms and wearing his mark as soon as possible. Without her, near him, he felt weak, near collapsed when she had abandoned him, but at the same time field with rage, he laid waste to the Garden, burnt the roses and reduced the fountained to a pile of stones. Before climbing on the back of Roach and riding day and night though forest, bogs and towns to reach his Witchers home, stopping only long enough for the horses to rest and Yennefer to reapply the paste to the runes on his skin. The fever still gripped him, the balm now lasted only a few hours, but he refused to let them stop for the briefest moment to reapply the substance. Instead, he had to feed the need to be close to her; so he rode on closer and closer to Kaer Morhen. As soon as they passed the town of Bastion, he could smell that scent on the wind, apples, and the sea. It calmed and excited him; a pang of anxiety took hold of him. It was something that he never felt before, a panic that gnawed at him for the inside out. He needed to get to her, to explain, to talk and to comfort.

Being told she was not human and possibly a mermaid in the span of a few hours was a shock. Geralt blink and he saw her distress flash against his eyelids, the tears. It broke him, and he wanted to comfort his mate, but it was Jaskier who swooped in. A silent growl shook his chest as he dug his fingers deeper into his palms, the blood flowing more freely, oozed onto the mud. At the minute, he couldn’t care less about any of them, Jaskier, Triss, Yennefer even Ciri could all go to hell, he could carry Adva away to live in a cave for all he cared as long as he had her. Geralt never thought he was a possessive man, but by the gods, he wanted to have every inch of her and give himself completely over to her. The overwhelming feeling pounded against his temples, and the sharp ache cut through his head as he was brought out of his musing by the harsh whispers behind him.

‘You have never loved him. You just love the idea of someone being there. You treated him more like a lapdog than a lover.’ Triss snapped.

She poked at the fire angrily as glared at the Yennefer, who in her usual fashion wore a plunging neckline that dipped down to her navel, it was tight and revealing and not a travelling dress, but it not sure practicality was what Yen was going for.

‘Don’t you think I deserved someone.’ Yennefer half whispered; half yelled.

‘Of course, I do. But you were horrid to her. You know what she reminded me a lot of you when you first came to Arteuza. Lost and scared searching for a place. She even had her own Tisssisa in Tradi and Cersi, a bully who prodded and poked, filling you head with the position. But you managed you had the power and support to getaway. She did not. Have some sympathy.’ Triss glared into the crackling fire.

‘I sacrificed my motherhood for that. You have no idea what I have surrendered.’ Triss growled.

‘You sacrificed nothing. You gave it away.’ Triss countered, giving her a pointed look. ‘You wanted power and don’t try and kid yourself. I love you like a sister, but sometimes you can be so obtuse.’

Yennefer was becoming increasingly hostile as the days went on, switching from lost little girl to savage man-eating banshee. Every jab and goading comment ground down on the Witcher who pensively look deep into the horizon but Triss knew Geralt; his body was rigid and tense, he didn’t eat or sleep just stare into the fire or huddle up with his back to them for the few brief hours he let the horse rest. And there was only so much more he would be able to stand before he snapped, and she fears that Yennefer would be on the receiving end of that or worse it would get Geralt off in an unbound rage, and he would do something that he would forever regret.

‘You seriously believe Geralt belong to her.’ Yennefer stood and pace in front of the fire, casting a frantic shadow against the trees.

‘That your problem, you think Geralt belong to someone. Adva genuinely cares for him. And she did not cast him out over his doing the right thing. That right he told me…honestly, you have no idea how spoilt and nasty you sounded.’

‘Well, to me, she couldn’t get away from him fast enough.’ Yennefer smirked at her; it was her character smirk, the one she used when she was right.

‘That because she thinks Geralt prefer you over her, and she doesn't want to be blasted through the floor again.’ Triss ranted, in a hoarse tone. ‘You draped your self over him, what was she to think.’

‘If she were truly his mate, don’t you think she couldn’t be apart from him. Even if I were draped all over him, do you think he has really changed? He’d have a different woman in his bed every night; she would be pandering after him. Trust me; I spared her the hurt. I bet she had already moved on to Jaskier…’

‘Enough’ Geralt roared, bolting up in bed. ‘Don’t you two have anything else you can talk about.’ He snapped and stood.

Two of the two women, he loomed menacingly over them, his body stood to his full height as he glared at them with dark eyes. His sword was clutched tightly in his hand, glistening murderously in the moonlight. Trails of sweat mixed with the blue rune and melted down his skin, it was hard to see any of his bronzed skin beneath the mess of sweat and paint. The fever seemed to take hold on his with a vengeance, his breath was coming in heavy pants, as he looked at both the woman.

‘Geralt…we didn’t…’

‘She wouldn’t do that….not with Jaskier, she needs me’ Geralt gritted out. Triss took a step back, the frantic look in his eyes scared her.

‘Please…. she could barely look at you when they left. Could not help but notice she seemed really attached to Jaskier, they have the whole of Kaer Morhen to themselves…lots of room for screaming. I bet she is currently in one of those lush four posters spread open and Jaskier buried deep into her pussy.’

Yennefer laughed. The sound tinkled against the trees and into the night air, it was the only sound that would be heard apart from the occasional crackle of the fire and a distant owl hooting. Triss honestly could not comprehend what was happening in Yennefer head, if she really understood what was happening if she truly believed that Geralt wouldn’t actually hurt her. That he could do serious harm to her with his blade or signs. Part of her wanted that, it ashamed her to say, but Yennefer had been taking every opportunity to push the Witcher to his breaking point, she took great pleasure in it. Yennefer was hurt, and that made her deadly. Still, Geralt wasn’t his normal passive self, who let her push and ordered him about, he wasn’t that lonely puppy craving attention and companion anymore, he had love, or would have true love soon with someone that was wholly different for the mage, someone who was his and his alone.

What happened next surprised Yennefer but not wholly Triss. Aard, the telekinesis push erupted for Geralt’s hands, sending them flying backwards. The purple eyes mage hurtled backwards, through the fire and hit a nearby bolder with a sicken crake. Triss was lucky that the full force of the blast was direct at the other mage, she only caught the edge of the blast sending her stumbling into a pile of leaves and rotting vegetation was cushioned her fall. In horror, she watched as the Geralt leapt over the fire, sword raised, and he swung. She couldn’t bare to watch, screwing her eyes she waited. The sounds a metal hitting stone echoed in the clearing. Then a deadly silence. Peaking out from behind her corkscrew curls, the blade was inches from her face her violet eyes staring wide at the sliver of sharped silver.

The silver-haired Witcher growled and grunted like a rogue animal, terrified and panicked. ‘Never…never would she bed with another…. She is MINE!’ he roared.

‘HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME! AFTER ALL, I HAVE DONE FOR YOU!’ Yennefer howled sending out a wave of fire out, knocking her attacker off her.  

Groaning in pain, he rolled out the way of another blast before twirling to his feet, with all the grace of a dancer. The sword hummed as he twirled the heavy blade, the wind screamed as it cut through it. Yennefer raised her hand before her as Geralt stood, budging muscle strained against his armour, eyes fierce and deadly. Plenty of times Yennefer had seen the fierce warrior beat down floes with nothing but his trusty sword but never had she been on the receiving end. Magic would be useless, and Geralt could inflict significant damage if he didn’t kill her.

‘Geralt…Stop! I am sure Yennefer was just being Yennefer. Adva is just confused right now. Finding out your part mermaid and a soulmate to a Witcher in the same day as behind attacked by a crazy Mage is hard to get your head around. You two are soul mates, meant to be. She just needs time to understand and get her head around it all. I am sure she is holed up in one of the rooms waiting for you, alone.’ Triss cried as she jumped in front of them. ‘You need to calm down…please. For Adva.’ Triss called, softly

The three stood tensely for a moment, both women's eyes on him as he glanced between the two. Panting hard his eyes bleed black, hands tightening on the hilt of his blade.

Snort pushed itself through his nose as a ‘Fuck’ howled passed his lip as he threw down his sword. Spearing one last glance at the mages, he disappeared into the forest.

‘That little bitch has done something to him. Geralt would never…’ Yennefer huffed, brushing the dust of her dress.

‘When are you going to accept you have lost.’ Triss rolled her eyes as she picked up the silver blade, sliding it back into his bindle on Roach, before sitting back down near the fire and waiting for his return. ‘Rest up; we will be riding on as soon as he gets back. We need to get to Kaer Morhen as soon as possible.’

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This originally wasn't gong to be a chapter but I felt like it needed to. Someone messaged me on tumblr about why Geralt didn't chase after her through a portal, from what I remember from the books and games Geralt hated portals and only uses them when absolutely necessary so I thought it was very Geralty plus those two need a little time apart. And there will be plenty of time for Geralt to chase after her *drools* can you imagine being chased by jealous Geralt. What did you think? I wasn't sure about the fight but Yennefer was being very annoying. Plus things Geralt and Adva life is hotting up and they have a lot to pick through so it gonna be interesting. And Vesemir! The love I have for that man! Please leave a comment!

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[stomachflu]

Ooo, for c//ritical r//oll concept, something with sick Mollymauk? Maybe he's got a really bad stomach flu but is covering it super well with his usual showmanship. He's gotten used to taking care of himself and not showing weakness while on the road-- cant miss a performance for a lil bug. Pretends to be totally fine until he crashes, cue the rest of the m9 taking care of him? Bonus for belly rubs and drawn out nausea.

🚫don’t rb to non-sickfic/emeto/kink blogs, thanks!��

thank you so much for this really good prompt! i’ve been working on this for a REALLY LONG TIME but cr//itical r/-/oll has become one of my new fave interests so i enjoyed writing this a lot!

have over 5k of nausea buildup, multiple puking sessions, and caretaking!

(i only realized after writing this fic that not only does jester not have the cure illness spell, but it’s not even a spell in dnd 5e, and i’m thinking of a similar spell from my 3.5e campaign. whoops! there’s probably a lot more errors in here due to me being new to the show, so please be nice to me and ignore them! ^_^)

Molly certainly hadn't objected to taking shelter out of the storm, but the town was small, with only a few small rooms in their only inn, and not much in the way of entertainment, so by all means, he should've been more than happy to be moving on as soon as the rain passed.

The thing was, he had definitely picked up something in that weather. He'd spent most of the previous day huddled in blankets, trying to rid himself of the chills that racked his body. He was lucky that they'd had enough money for four rooms this time, luckier still that Beau and Jester were still insistent upon rooming together, and Caleb and Nott were stuck like glue, leaving him and Fjord with separate rooms. Molly had to make appearances at mealtimes, of course, but he'd put on a good show then, mustering up enough energy to entertain the room with simple tricks – disappearing coins and such.

Molly had hoped that it was just a momentary illness, that it would pass in time, but when he'd woken up burning with fever, he knew he was in it for the long haul. He felt terrible, hot and cold at the same time, aching down to his very bones. It hurt to swallow, but he needed energy if he was going to beat this, so he choked down breakfast as quickly as possible.

The sky was clear now, not a cloud in sight, and they needed to be moving on. The group didn't have time to waste on a cold – Molly was no use bedridden, and, besides, there was nothing that would cure him but time. Jester needed her spells, and it wasn't like he wouldn't have plenty of time to rest in the cart.

Once they jerked into motion, though, Molly quickly realized that he'd made a mistake. He had eaten breakfast with everyone else, and his stomach was not happy with that decision. He took deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth, trying to concentrate on something other than his suddenly-churning gut.

Probably motion sickness. Traveling had never made him ill before, but there was a first time for anything. If he had to guess, it probably had to do with how dizzy he was – having the world spin around him while he was jostled back and forth? That would make anyone queasy. What was it that people always said? Something about focusing on the horizon, but that just made him feel more queasy.

Fjord had the reigns, with Caleb keeping watch next to him, so Molly snuck a glance at the rest of the group – Nott and Beau in an animated conversation, Jester with her sketchbook – and risked placing a hand on his tender belly, rubbing it gently. He swallowed back a burp, grimacing as the pressure in his stomach only increased.

The sun was still high in the sky, and Molly needed a distraction from what was quickly becoming nausea, so he spread out his cards in front of him, shuffling through his deck.

"Ooh!" Jester exclaimed, bouncing into a sitting position across from him. "Do a reading for me, please?"

Despite himself, Molly smiled. With his view of the horizon blocked, he did feel a little better. Perhaps it was simply motion sickness after all.

"Alright, cut the deck for me – good. Now, two more times..."

--

Molly's momentary relief didn't last long. He did a reading for Jester, and then one for Beau. By the time Nott asked, he was certain his fever was up, sweat beading on his forehead, so he feigned exhaustion and put the cards away.

His stomach hurt. It was an on-and-off kind of pain, the cramps coming in intervals, leaving him shivering with chills each time. Maybe it's simply hunger, Molly thought, fishing out some strips of dried jerky out of his bag and gnawing on them absently. At any rate, he needed to eat to get over this illness, but putting food in his mouth, but swallowing it down just made him more nauseous.

He needed to throw up.

The thought struck Molly at the same. time that a wave of nausea washed over him, and he swallowed hard. Not right now, not this moment, but at some point in the near future, he was going to vomit.

The cart pulled off to the side of the road, jostling Molly's sick stomach and forcing a soft burp up his throat.

"Alright," Fjord said, hopping down from his position at the reins. "Short break to feed and water the horses, but 's about all I got in me. Anyone else wanna drive?" A beat in which nobody else answered, and he repeated, "Anyone...?"

"Fuck it, fine, I'll do it," Beau grumbled.

"If we are to be switching positions, is there anyone else who would like to take watch?" Caleb asked.

Molly slowly slid out of the cart, his hot, aching joints protesting every movement.

"I volunteer," he said. Maybe the fresh air would help. Already, he felt a bit better, standing in the open air like this.

That was settled, then. Fjord and Nott went about taking care of the horses, and the others took their time walking about, stretching or disappearing into the woods bordering either side of the road to relieve themselves.

Molly was glad for the thick cover of trees – the second he was out of sight of the cart, he clutched his belly with both hands, bending over at the waist. The pressure helped, but his stomach was still churning. He felt awful, knew that he needed to throw up now if he was going to keep up appearances.

Molly traipsed a little further into the underbrush, determined to keep out of earshot of the others, and... waited. He was nauseous, yes, but not nearly to the degree that he had been when he was sitting in the back of the cart.

Come on, puke already, he thought. Absentmindedly, he reached underneath his shirt to rub his stomach, the taut skin hot with fever under his palm. Almost immediately, a gurgling burp shot up his throat, and he leaned forward expectantly.

Saliva flooded into his mouth, and Molly spit onto the dirt, throat tightening in a gag. A sick belch brought up a thin mouthful of foamy bile, and he retched again and again as the liquid pattered onto the dirt.

He didn't bring anything else up, though he remained bent over at the waist. Molly knew he couldn't stay here forever – he was already pushing the limits of what the others would believe, had his excuse of needing privacy to relieve himself been true. Anyways, his stomach felt... not good, not even better, but he wasn't on the verge of puking anymore. Maybe he could make it 'till nightfall.

As he traipsed back towards the cart, he suddenly realized why nobody had gone looking for him, why his absence had gone unnoticed. Standing in a circle around Fjord and Nott were a group of bandits, weapons drawn. Molly was too far away to tell, but by their gestures, he would have bet that they were demanding the cart, and everything on it.

Sighing, he drew his swords. It was going to be a long day.

--

They made quick work of the bandits, dispatching their leader and sending the others running into the woods, pursued by a few of Nott's arrows. It had been a good thing that Molly hadn't asked Jester for a healing spell earlier, though, because Fjord had taken a heavy blow to the chest, and Jester used almost all of her spell slots healing him.

And so they were back on their way, with Molly perched at the front of the cart, acting as lookout. The crisp air was helping a bit – he felt less foggy, like his head wasn't quite so stuffed with cotton. His stomach, however...

Right on cue, his stomach gurgled, and Molly winced, pressing a hand to his midsection. He could feel it bubbling under his skin, everything he'd eaten churning around in there.

Oh. Oh no. A cold sweat washed over his body, and Molly swallowed back the taste of bile.

"Beau?" he asked, swallowing back a belch.

"Yeah?" She wasn't even looking at him, so he allowed himself to press three fingers to his mouth, muffling another queasy burp.

"Would you mind stopping for a moment? I need to, ah – you know, relieve myself."

"Again? We just fucking stopped," Beau grumbled, but she dutifully pulled the horses over to the side of the road anyways, and Molly gratefully slid off of the cart, walking into the treeline as fast as his queasy belly would allow him.

He was gagging before he even came to a stop, a thin trickle of vomit splashing onto the leaves at his feet. He belched up a thick mouthful of undigested food, and then he couldn't stop burping, the sight of his pale vomit on the dark leaves making him more and more nauseous.

Calm down, Molly willed his stomach. He needed to stop puking, he needed to get his churning guts under control and –

Another sickly gag, and Molly managed a mouthful of watery puke. He hovered there for almost a full minute, mouth slightly open, too queasy to even wipe away the thick ropes of saliva trickling from his lips to the ground.

Was that it? He didn't feel done. If anything, his stomach was more bloated than ever, and he didn't feel any less nauseous, but, yet again, he couldn't stay here.

"Done?" Beau asked, hopping back up onto the cart as he approached. Molly took a more careful method, gingerly leveraging himself up so that he wouldn't have to bend over, keeping one hand under the small bloat of his gurgling stomach. It didn't do much, but the illusion of supporting his belly, keeping it from being jostled – it almost convinced him to feel less queasy.

"My apologies," he said simply, muffling a nauseous burp into his fist.

Beau looked at him strangely but only shook her head, taking the reins in hand. "Let's get this show on the fuckin' road!"

He had made a mistake. Molly knew this from the moment the cart jolted to life. Not only was he not done being sick, but the motion was too much to handle. A gag rose up in his throat, and he risked the motion of pressing the back of his hand to his lips as he rode it out. His mouth filled with vomit, and he swallowed it back with effort, and then kept swallowing, throat hitching in an attempt to heave.

Molly sat as still as possible, arms wrapped around his stomach, not even trusting himself to raise his head. The cart hit a particularly bad dip in the road, and his tongue arched in a gag, and he could taste bile on his tongue, and –

"Shit, Beau, pull over," he managed tightly, his throat closing in on a gag. She protested, probably about to make a terrible joke, and then he retched, and she looked over at him in alarm.

She'd yanked the horses over to the side of the road, but he was vomiting over the side of cart before it even came to a stop. He tried to climb down, but it was more of an undignified scramble as he gagged again, adding to the puddle in the grass.

By this point, the others had taken notice, and he was surrounded by a blurry semicircle of his friends as he fell to a crouching position, gagging again and again until he belched up a torrent of puke that splashed everywhere.

He was crying, Molly realized. His face was a mess of tears and snot, thick ropes of spit dangling from his mouth. It felt as if the nausea was never going to go away. He remained there on his hands and knees, panting and belching for what felt like an eternity, until he felt strong arms under his that pulled him to his feet.

Fjord had pulled him up, and was still supporting most of Molly's weight as Jester bounced into his hazy field of view.

"You're sick! Why didn't you tell us?" she demanded, pressing a hand to his forehead. He tried to answer, but couldn't open his mouth for fear of gagging. "Oh, Mol-ly," Jester said in her lilting accent, voice light and almost... teasing? "You have a fever."

"I know that," he managed. "You n – urrp!" He burped into his fist, trying to fight back the wave of nausea that was coming on strongly now. "You need your spells."

"Well, I have one left, so you should have told me," Jester said, voice still light as she fished the Traveler's symbol out from her cloak and pressed it to his belly. "I am going to cast Cure Illness and then you are going to feel better, all right?"

Molly nodded, and the symbol began to glow as Jester concentrated. All at once, a feeling of wrongness washed over him, the nausea surging back tenfold, and he pitched over and vomited on Jester's shoes.

--

"I really do apologize," Molly said miserably for what might have been the tenth time. "I wasn't aiming for you at all."

"My shoes can be cleaned!" Jester said brightly, crouching barefoot in the grass next to him. "You really do need to keep drinking, though."

After Jester's spell had failed and his stomach had calmed somewhat, they'd half-dragged, half-carried him a good bit away from the puddle he'd left on the ground. Fjord had handed him a handkerchief to wipe his mouth with ("Please, keep it.") and Caleb had fished a handful of dry, bland crackers out of his pocket, instructing Molly that he needed to both drink to avoid dehydration, and fill his stomach with something inoffensive if he could.

More like something stale, Molly thought, nibbling on the edge of a cracker. Thinking about how long they'd been in Caleb's pockets made his gorge rise, but before he could ruminate on the thought for too long and make himself sick, Beau walked over from where she'd been huddled with Caleb, Fjord, and Nott.

"Alright, here's the plan," she announced, map in hand. "We obviously can't camp here, so we're gonna get'cha back in the cart and find somewhere where we can settle down for the night, take it nice and slow. There're some towns we could make it to before sundown, but we'd have to go at a pretty fast clip, and I really do not want you puking over all of my things."

"That is very agreeable to me," Molly said, placing a hand on his sour stomach. At Jester's urging, he ate a few more of the crackers and drank deeply from the waterskin as everyone else worked out the logistics of their new plan.

A wave of dizziness washed over him, followed by a chill traveling down his spine, and Molly put his head between his knees, breathing deeply. He could do this. Now that he'd vomited, he would feel better any minute now –

"Molly? Do you think you can stand on your own, or should I be helping you?" Jester asked.

"Thanks for the offer, but I can stand," he said, pulling himself to his feet. His belly felt awful, all the water he'd drank churning in a way that really didn't feel good. He could actually hear his guts sloshing as he heaved himself back up onto the cart.

Jester frowned as he put a hand on the bloat of his still-tender stomach. "Are you feeling bad again? Do you need to vomit?"

"Yes, and maybe," Molly said, swallowing thickly. "Not right now. Probably soon."

"Get him set up in the back of the cart," Beau suggested dryly. "If he's gotta puke, he can do it over the edge. If we stay here any longer, it’s gonna get dark."

"That's a good idea!" Jester exclaimed. As Molly shivered with fever, she collected his blankets and bedroll, setting them in the back of the cart, close enough that he would only need to turn his head to vomit over the side. He gratefully settled into the little nest she'd built for him, arms wrapped around his protesting stomach now that he didn't have to hide his illness. Jester sat next to him, humming as she pulled out her sketchbook.

The cart jolted back to life, and Molly swallowed back a sour belch. His stomach was cramping again, and he screwed his eyes shut, tongue rising in a silent gag. He slipped his hand under his shirt to rub his stomach, only to feel a small hand on his wrist.

"Oh! This looks very painful," Jester said, scooting closer to place her hand on the swell of his stomach. "Does it hurt to touch?"

Molly shook his head. "Just hurts in general. Cramps, I'm..." He trailed off as the cart hit a pothole on the road, causing him to burp lightly into his fist. "I'm feeling a bit queasy right now, to be honest."

"Would it help if I rubbed your stomach?" Jester asked, already untucking the loose fabric of his shirt from his pants and rucking it up to his chest.

"Normally, I'd ask you to buy me dinner first, but..." The suggestive joke was lost as Jester poked experimentally at his stomach. Even if he'd wanted to, Molly couldn't fake being healthy now with his flushed, swollen belly on display, gurgling and churning audibly. Her touch ushered up a soft burp, and he blushed a bit, uncomfortable with the sheer amount of sickness, of vulnerability he was showing.

"Did that feel good? I bet it did!" Jester said, continuing to gently skim her hand over his stomach.

He had to give it to her, Jester was good with her hands. She rubbed his stomach in widening circles, slowly increasing the pressure as she went, switching to kneading the sides of his bloated belly every so often, pressing in with her thumbs as she did so. It seemed as if she knew just when to push in deeply, releasing a pocket of air that had been trapped, finally letting him burp it up.

As they bounced around, Molly's burps became more frequent and more queasy. At some point, he had to ask Jester to stop so he could fish out Fjord's handkerchief, and he pressed that against his mouth now, muffling increasingly wet belches.

"I hate to ask, but –" He gagged, mouth closed. "Jes, do you have any healing spells left?"

Molly's stomach gave a particularly loud gurgle, and Jester pressed in hard, dragging her hand along where it was bubbling the most. "I'm sorry, that was my last one! I won't have any more until tomorrow".

"Okay," he choked out, fighting back another gag. "I'm going to vomit again."

He turned his head and did just that, retching harshly over the side of the cart. A series of burps brought up small mouthfuls of water and undigested crackers. He gagged and belched over and over, only aware of the sensation of Jester's cool hands on his stomach, soothing away cramps and then pressing in each time he heaved.

The next thing he knew, Beau was supporting his back, trying to get him to sit up, and Jester was wiping his face with a cool rag. "Not done –" he tried to croak, but retched dryly before he could even finish the sentence.

"It's okay, go ahead and puke!" Jester said brightly, folding the cloth and cupping it under his mouth.

Molly shook his head, lips pressed tightly shut. He was gonna make a mess, he needed to turn back over the side – but Jester held his chin steadily, keeping his head over her cupped hands, and he retched again and again, bringing up more than a mouthful of stringy bile that was easily absorbed by the cloth.

"Think you're empty, dude," Beau said after a few minutes of fruitless gagging. Molly shook his head, one hand pressed to his aching chest. "Look, okay, I'm gonna teach you some monk shit, right?"

"'Kay," Molly managed, immediately choking on a retch.

"This breathing shit, it's supposed to keep you centered, or something like that? I dunno. Anyways. You're gonna breathe in through your nose for eight counts –" She counted him up, and Molly shakily inhaled, fighting back gags all the while. "–And then out through your mouth for another eight."

On five, Molly gagged, slapping his hand across his mouth even though he knew he had nothing left to lose.

"You gotta keep doing it, okay? Don't stop fucking breathing. It helps me when I'm motion sick; you'll feel better soon."

He hoped so. Molly leaned back, listening to the quiet count of eight-seven-six-five-four... He breathed in. He breathed out.

--

By nightfall, they'd found a small clearing with enough room to pull over the cart and horses and lay out bedrolls. Molly mostly dozed through the process, lying in his nest of blankets in the back of the cart, watching proceedings through half-lidded eyes.

"Molly should be nearest to the fire!" Jester insisted. "Look at him, he's shaking!"

"Don't think that you're supposed to let someone with a fever get any hotter," Fjord drawled. "Maybe we oughta help him cool down first."

The cart rocked a bit as Beau clambered up, sitting cross-legged next to Molly. "Hey," she said. "I'm supposed to make sure that you're drinking water. Are you?"

Molly made a face. He'd been trying to, really, but it just didn't feel good.

"Shit," Beau said. "You gonna puke again?"

"No, it's more like..." He grimaced again, waving a hand in the general direction of his stomach. "Cramps. Hurts."

"Puking all day really took it out of you, huh?"

Molly nodded. His stomach muscles were just sore. Even sitting up hurt; he really didn't want to have to puke again. Just for Beau, he took a small sip of water.

"Excuse me," Caleb said, appearing on Molly's right like a ghost. "I could not help but overhear you say that you were experiencing, ah..." He tried a few words in Zemnian before landing on, "Pain, soreness, in the stomach?"

"Yeah," Beau said, and Molly flashed her a grateful smile. His throat was raw from stomach bile, and talking hurt. "Probably from puking too much. Y'know, if you keep that up, I bet you could get a fucking amazing set of abs," she said, elbowing Molly.

"What makes you think mine aren't already stunning?" he retorted.

"I do not think Molly wishes to repeat such... an intense performance," Caleb said, already flipping through one of his books. "Can I have... yes, that, give me that."

Beau tossed him one of the blankets that had been cast aside, and Caleb caught it in one hand, deftly folding it into a compact square and working some sort of magic on it, something that made both his hands and the blanket glow.

"Here," he said at last. "It is enchanted to stay warm for at least a few hours. Not as good as a heating pack, but, under these circumstances..."

"Thank you, Caleb," Molly rasped, nodding his head in gratitude. The folded blanket was warm to the touch, and he peeled off the other blankets to set it on his stomach, the tension instantly draining out of him as warmth spread through his body. The effect was like taking a hot bath after an intense fight – not completely relieving his aches and pains, but making them much more bearable.

Eventually, Molly was able to stand as Beau and Jester moved his bedroll over to the fire, but he gratefully sank back into the blankets as soon as possible. Even with his makeshift heating pad, he was left trembling with both cold and exhaustion, his energy sapped by just a few simple movements.

"You need to eat, Molly!" Jester exclaimed. "It will make you stronger, you know?"

"I'm good, thanks," Molly said, and then, at her intensifying glare, added, "Really, I don't think it's a good idea."

"Well, Fjord is making soup, so! You should eat it anyways."

"'S less of a soup and more of... I dunno. Leftover meat in water?"

"Hot water," Molly said. He was feeling well enough to joke with the others, at least.

He thought to close his eyes and get some rest, but an insistent poking at his shoulder startled Molly out of any chance at sleep, and he turned his head to see Nott crouched next to him, holding a vial in one green hand.

"Here!" she said, pushing the vial into his own hand and closing his fingers around it when he just stared. "You have to drink it!"

"What is this?" Molly asked, holding the vial up to the light. The glass was dirty, nearly opaque, but the liquid inside seemed to be thick and viscous, a texture that made his gorge rise. "Medicine?"

"Yes! Sort of! It will help settle your stomach, make it hurt less. Probably!"

"Nott," Molly said slowly, "did you make this yourself?" She had the chemistry kit, yes, but from the amount of times he had seen her make acid with it, he didn't want to drink anything that came from one of her vials.

"Yeees," she said slowly, stretching the word out. "But it works!" At Molly's doubtful look, she added, "I drank it before, several times! When I had too much to drink, or when I was hungover, or..."

"All right, I get it, thank you," Molly said. "I appreciate the thought."

He uncorked the vial and peered inside. The liquid was a muddy brown, and grit rose to the top as he swirled it. Well, what did he have to lose, besides his lunch? He tipped the contents into his mouth, gagging on the texture but forcing it down in one swallow. The aftertaste was absolutely vile, and he lurched forward, clapping a hand against his mouth as his stomach threatened to revolt.

"You gotta keep it down!" Nott exclaimed. "Otherwise, it doesn't work."

Molly hummed, rocking back and forth as he tried to swallow back the bile that was creeping up his throat. A muffled gag sent the potion flooding into his mouth, filling his cheeks out, and if was only by sheer willpower that he swallowed it down again.

"Ugh," Molly said when the nausea had passed. "You have a stronger stomach than I do, my friend."

Nott beamed at him with a mouthful of sharp teeth, and Molly found the strength to laugh.

After another few minutes of quiet chatter, it became evident that the potion had worked, at least in some capacity. Molly's stomach felt more sure, like that tight queasiness had abated somewhat, and he was able to entertain the thought of food without gagging. Maybe he really was on the mend.

"You know what?" he asked. "Maybe I'll try some of that soup after all."

--

Molly woke up shaking, drenched in sweat, and with a growing sense of queasiness in his belly. He tried to ignore the latter – he had been feeling a bit better, just weak, and he didn't want to get up – but the churning and bubbling under his hand wasn't going away, and he didn't enjoy the thought of soiling the campgrounds.

With a muffled groan, he rolled over, his stomach protesting every move as he stood. It was bloated again, he noticed, far more than last time. Clearly, the soup he'd eaten wasn't sitting well at all.

"You are awake," Caleb observed from his post as watchman. "What are you doing?"

"Need some privacy," Molly said quietly, giving him a small half-smile. He didn't want to wake anyone else, didn't want the attention –

"Are you going to vomit?"

"That too," he muttered.

"I will come with you," Caleb announced. "You are ill, and I would feel – badly, if anything happened to you."

"You don't have to," Molly said, pressing his hand against his sour stomach. His nausea was mounting quickly, a sure sign that he needed to leave before he redecorated the campsite. "You're on watch duty, besides."

"I have this." Caleb gestured to the silver thread wound 'round the perimeter. "I will know if anything happens while we are gone."

"As you wish." Molly pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, burping quietly. He traipsed into the woods yet again, Caleb at his heels. When the dying light of the campfire was no longer visible, he allowed himself to stop, stretching out one arm to lean on a nearby tree and breathing heavily.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he focused on breathing in through his nose, out through his mouth. Beau's exercises didn't make him any less nauseous, but his heart wasn't beating quite so fast, and it helped him breathe through some of the worst cramps.

"Are you still going to vomit?" Molly jumped, nearly forgetting that Caleb was with him. The other man stood a few feet away, head tilted curiously to the side. "I thought you said you were nauseous."

"I will, eventually." Another cramp seized his middle, and Molly winced, bending forward and clamping his hand down on his stomach. The movement jarred a long, deep belch up his throat, and he stayed there for a moment, the taste of acid on the back of his tongue. "It's coming up, just – I'm waiting."

"I see."

Saliva was beginning to collect in Molly's mouth, and he parted his lips, allowed it to fall to the forest floor. No point in holding it back now. "You should head back now, if you don't want to be disgusted. It's not – uuuurp–gh!" A deep, rumbling burp turned into a gag, and Molly clapped his hand against his mouth as he spoke, voice muffled by his fingers. "It's not pretty."

"I am not disgusted," Caleb said, his clipped accent making the words sharper, somehow. "It is merely a function of the body, no more or no less. You are ill, ja? Let your body do what it needs to."

"Mmm." Molly gagged audibly, spitting a glob of thick saliva onto the ground. He felt awful, sick and dizzy again, wanting nothing more than to get this over with.

"Beau said earlier that rubbing your stomach helped, yes? Would you like me to... shall we say, get things started for you?"

"Please," Molly practically begged, shaking with nausea. Caleb silently walked behind him, wrapping his arms around Molly, fingers resting on the base of his stomach. "I can't believe you're not absolutely grossed out by this."

"Like I said, I would like to be of help."

Unlike Jester, Caleb's hands were warm, almost hot to the touch, and Molly wondered if he was doing that with magic. He didn't waste any time, just waited until Molly's stomach cramped and then pushed in, hard.

Molly immediately belched up a hot torrent of vomit, the soup he'd consumed earlier splattering at his feet in a foamy mess. Caleb didn't let up, keeping up a steady pattern of squeezing and then letting go, ushering up wet burps alternating with splashes of thick vomit. Nott's potion, he recognized with disgust. It tasted even worse coming up.

When he was belching emptily, Caleb released his stomach, turning Molly to face him.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm – urp! – waiting on the next round," Molly said. Caleb held out a waterskin, and Molly shook his head queasily.

"You know, vomiting on an empty stomach is never much fun," Caleb insisted quietly.

Molly got a few swallows down before he gagged directly into the waterskin, spraying watery puke onto his hand and arm and down his chest, soaking his nightshirt. He choked on it, coughing and spitting out mouthfuls of water and bile, gulping down gags and trying his best to catch his breath.

When the coughing fit stopped, though, his stomach had stopped churning. The cooling vomit on his shirt and beads of sweat on his forehead let him know that his fever had broken, too.

"That was absolutely vile, but I feel – better," he said under Caleb's questioning gaze. "I didn't catch you in any of that, did I?"

"Oh!" Caleb said, as if he had never even considered the possibility. "No, I believe that my clothing is... unscathed, for now. Are you finished?"

Molly wiped his mouth on his sleeve, making a face. "For now. I'll probably have to puke again later, but I don't enjoy the idea of sitting out here and waiting for it."

"If it would help," Caleb offered, "you might sit with me while you wait for your stomach to settle."

Molly smiled, despite himself. "I just might take you up on that, my friend."

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Mikan and Ibuki’s day off (Part 1)

[WARNING: DISGUSTING TSUMIODA FLUFF!]

So, it’s really ok for us to go out today?

Of course. For all that you have done, you greatly deserve it.

In fact, take these.

Huh? What’re they?

We have a very lovely hot springs resort up in the main town. These are two tickets for one night.

Huh? R-Really?

These look super expensive! Are you sure!?

Please. Enjoy yourselves. It would be better for me if you could take them off my hands.

Well, I feel like I owe you money now, but I’m definitely not gonna look this gift horse in the mouth...

C’mon! Let’s go!

Y-Y-Yes!

*Ibuki and Mikan go out to the town. Ibuki is carrying around a video camera with her, and she keeps pointing it at Mikan.

OK Mikan! Look this way! C’mon, say something!

Oh! Uh...!

Th-This is the lunch box that I brought earlier...There’s some tangerines too...Ehehe...

Ok, let’s have you eat that!

Don’t you want any?

Meh. I can eat later. You go ahead.

If you say so...

*Mikan begins eating her lunch.

Delicious!

*The girls end up exploring the kingdom, and end up arriving at an open train track.

*Narrating while aiming the camera at her* Tis the express train...Mikan Tsumiki is on a life changing journey...Witness the overflowing emotions of a traveller...How amazing!

Um...Ibuki, you’ve been on that camera ever since we left the base. We have to enjoy the scenery or this whole trip will have been a waste...

You’re right...it WOULD be a waste...

TO STOP THE CAMERA NOW!

EEK! Don’t yell! And that’s not what I meant...!

Ibuki, I can understand you’re excited. This is technically our first date after all...

But I think, since the two of us are alone, we should have fun together. Don’t you think so.

*Sigh* Yeah, you’re probably right...

Good. Now say aahh.

Aaaaahh! *nom!*

Wow! The kingdom looks so beautiful!

Hells yeah!

*Aiming the camera” Ok Mikan! Give me that reaction one more time!

Ibuki, come on!

So this is the resort, huh? You know, I never understood why this place has all these resorts and no theme parks...I think we should probably go to our room and drop off all our stuff, just so we don’t have any baggage.

Good idea. Hey, in the meantime, do you wanna take a picture?

*Quick Camera movements” Sure!

No, I mean together...!

Oh right...uh...

*Ibuki taps the shoulder of the stranger near to her.

Excused my, can you are a to take that picture of us pleasure?

Civilian: Um...Sorry, I beg your pardon?

Sorry, myself'm originate japan and I english is don't this well.

Prevent yes, myself will appreciation to to take that picture taking I girlfriend.

Civilian: Ah, very well. You want a picture of you and your girlfriend? Sure thing.

Thanked you are. You are a only press this place.

Ok Mikan! You ready for the pict-

Uuuuuhh...

Good to go! Hurry over Ibuki!

*Ibuki trails off as she suddenly notices Mikan is standing behind a Photo stand-in, of a princess and a knight.

Um...

Er, this...isn’t what you wanted? Did you just want a picture of us in front of the station?

Nrgh...Sorry! I got too excited!

No, no, it’s fine! Just let me be the knight.

Ah...Ok!

*Mikan and Ibuki stand behind the stand-in and the stranger takes their photo for them, giving Ibuki her camera back when she’s done.

Hey, I’m back! I got you your manju! Careful, it’s hot...

*Ibuki goes to take the hot springs manju from her.

Yowch! No kidding it’s hot! 

I can blow on it for you if you’d like?

Please do.

*Mikan blows on the manju and then Ibuki joyfully takes a bite as she feeds it to her.

Ah! It’s so good! 

Today’s the first time I’ve ever tried this hot springs manju...I didn’t have any back when we went on that road trip with everyone...

I’ve never really gone on trips before, so I’ve never had a chance...

...

*Ibuki instinctively takes Mikan’s hand.

Ibuki?

From now on, we’re gonna go on a whole bunch of trips to all sorts of different places. You feel me?

Y-Y-Yes!

Hello. It’s Mioda and Tsumiki. We’ll be staying here today.

Aw, what!? Your English is so much better than mine!

Lady at desk: Ok, guests under Mioda and Tsumiki, is it? Oh, my, you’re both adorable girls. Taking a trip with your friend on vacation?

Ah um, well...

She’s my girlfriend...

...!

Our am on that relationship...?

Lady: Hm?

Um...she’s saying we are in a relationship...

Lady: Oh my, that is wonderful. Please, enjoy your stay.

...

It’s pretty weird...I’m already calling you my girlfriend...

W-Well...it’s true, isn’t it?

I mean what I told you last night. I love you Ibuki.

I...love you too...

*Mikan and Ibuki get settled into their room, and then after a short amount of time, head down into the baths. The settle down on opposite sides of the wooden bath.

Haaa...This is wonderful...

It really is! It’s such a...pleasant feeling, isn’t it? And that smell...

It’s much wider than the bathtub back home. There’s so much space here...

*Despite saying this, Mikan shuffles around the edge until her and Ibuki’s shoulders touch.

Saying that...I still think I’d prefer to be closer together...

Yeah...But hey, doesn’t it feel like the water’s making your skin smoother?

Hm?

Look! Your skin is super smooth! Like porcelain now!

*Ibuki runs her finger gently on Mikan’s exposed collar.

YEEE! Ibuki! Don’t casually go touching strange places!

Hm? Strange places? I’m touching the only exposed part of you, so I’m safe!

No, no you weren’t! Out! Out of the safe zone!

Alright, alright...

*Ibuki begins to climb out of the bath.

Come here Mikan. I’ll wash your hair for you.

*sigh* Ok...

*Mikan climbs out of the bath and sits down on one of the stools. Ibuki grabs some shampoo and a shower head, and begins to wash her hair.

Are there any spots you would like me to wash miss? 

Hm...could you maybe do more behind my ears please?

Certainly! I’ll just-WHOOPS!

*Ibuki pretends to slip her hand, and playfully gropes Mikan.

KYAAAAH!!

*SLAP!*

...

Ah! I-I’m sorry!

No, it’s my fault...I just got too excited.

Hmph! Then I’ll get you back double!

Ah! H-Hey! Nohoho!

*The two girls play with each other, until they both get tired out, from the mix their exhaustion of the hot spring air.

Let’s eat!

Wow! A feast worthy of that of royalty!

Are we even going to finish this?

Well, we can definitely try. And maybe we can save some for tomorrow, or give some to the others when we get back.

Ah, that’s a good idea. I was going to bring some of the hot spring manju back for Hiyoko.

Yeah, I think Hiyoko, Himiko and Sonia would enjoy some of those sweets they were offering too.

Woman: Who are those two? Are they foreigners?

Man: Hm, it seems so. They’re really jamming it out at that karaoke box.

♪ Umbrella at your side, it’s raining but you close it tight! ♪

♪ “And how are you?” purred a cat just passing through! ♪

♪ Those heels that you like are soaking but is that alright? ♪

Woman: It makes me happy to see they’re enjoying themselves, even with all that’s going on.

Man: Don’t worry. Angie Yonaga cannot become queen. Princess Sonia would not abandon us. I am certain she will keep her promise.

Woman: I sincerely hope so. Even after all that she has wrought, I do not want to turn my back on the Nevermind Family, for humbly ruling over this kingdom for millennia. If it weren’t for what happened int he tragedy, we would have been just for many years to come.

Man: It is not too late for that. All we can do is hope someone out there will help us out of this plight.

...

...

*The girls arrive at their room.

They already have our futons set out for us...I’m gonna go brush my teeth, be back in a jiff.

*Mikan heads into the bathroom.

(Mikan and I are alone in here together...I hope things don’t turn...spicy)

(YAH! WHAT AM I THINKING!?)

*A few minutes pass with Ibuki just standing in the middle of the room, only moving to pull the light switch. Mikan finishes brushing her teeth and steps back into the room.

Ok, I’m ready...Looks like you already turned the lights off...

Which futon are you taking? I don’t mind which.

...

Ibuki?

S-Sorry...But this is an important night for me...and when things turn out like this, I get this way...

I bet it’s a little weird huh? For me to hesitate? Usually I’m a hit first ask questions later kind of girl...But this is unfamiliar territory, even for me...

...

*Mikan takes Ibuki’s shoulder, pulls her closer and gently kisses her on her lips.

...

Sorry...I just think it’s nice for me to take initiative every once in a whi-

-ILE!?

*Ibuki pushes Mikan and floor kabedons her.

Mikan...I...You know I’m not really all about seduction and...going to tier 15...you know?

But I just want you to know that despite that...I still love you...I love you so much...

Ibuki...I love you loads too...

*In the end, the girls decide to share one futon with each other.

[robinrunsfiction]

Do It All The Time (Con Artist AU)

Pairing: Dallon Weekes x Female Reader Rating: Teen (Some spicy scenes at the beginning, violence at the end) Requested By: None Word Count: ~9000 Author’s Note: This story was kind of a challenge for me. I’d been kicking the idea around for a while, and finally started writing in January. I wrote myself into a corner, so I had to walk away for a while, changed the villain and decided to let it get dark when it felt needed. TW for guns and gun violence at the end of the story.

Here is the playlist inspired by the story

Present

Dallon sighed, looking into the half empty glass before him. He knew he shouldn't have picked this hotel. There were dozens of equally plush hotels in town he could have checked into, but he went against his better judgement and picked this one. The bar was fairly crowded and normally he would have been scanning the crowd, but he didn’t have it in him today, it wasn't like he was going to be in town long enough to really get something started anyway. Then cutting through the din was a laugh he hadn't heard in years.

He cautiously turned his head, following the sound. The hair was different, but he would recognize that smile until the day he died, and knowing her, she would probably be smiling over him when it happened.

He must have stared too long because she spotted him, a knowing look drawing over her face, and she was saying something to the man she was with. Then she was getting up and coming his way. Dallon quickly downed the rest of his drink as she made her way toward him. But as she approached she said nothing and nodded toward the bathrooms. Dallon waited a beat before following and finding her waiting in the corridor. 

"(YN), wha-"

"Come on," she interrupted his pleasantries, grabbing the lapel of his jacket and pulling him after her into the men's room and locking the door behind him.

"After all this time you think you can just pull me around like that?" Dallon objected, smoothing his jacket.

"Would you shut up? This is serious." Dallon snapped his mouth shut hearing her tone. "That man I was talking to at the bar is a federal investigator Dallon. He works large scale fraud and financial crimes cases."

"Does he know who you are?"

"I'm not sure. He sat down next to me, but that doesn't mean much," she replied smugly, letting her vanity slip through.

"Did he mention me, or us?" The last word felt out of place

"Not specifically. I asked what he did and he said he was an investigator, and he knew there were some people who frequented this hotel that he was hoping to speak with regarding an ongoing investigation. So I started flirting with him and changed the topic to keep him off our trail."

"Our trail, there hasn't been an our-"

The bathroom door rattled and then a knock. "Hey, is anyone in there?"

"One second," (YN) replied breathlessly. She reached up and ruffled Dallon's hair, unbuttoning the top couple buttons of his shirt before leaning up and kissing him.

"Room 543," she whispered as she reached up and smudged the lipstick that she left on Dallon's lips.

Dallon stood stunned as she ruffled her own hair, adjusted her skirt so it was askew before unlocking and opening the door, giving a wink to the poor old man waiting to use the facilities. 

~

Dallon went back up to his room to collect his thoughts before going to (YN)'s room. Was this investigator really after him? Had he really slipped up that badly somewhere along the way? Or was (YN) just messing with his head?

He had wiped off her lipstick before he left the bathroom, but the feeling still lingered as he walked the long silent hallway to her room. He tried to justify it away, that it was just a distraction technique. But that didn't mean he didn't miss how it felt.

"I thought you'd forgotten about me," she said, opening the door for him when he arrived.

"Like that would happen," he replied. Now that they were truly in private, he could take her in. Gone was the slinky black dress, and instead she wore a loose t-shirt and the pair of sweatpants he was certain he had lost.

A coy smile played across her lips as she hummed in agreement before sitting on the bed. "We really do need to figure out if they're after us. Well, you more than me."

"The last time I saw you, you walked away with half the money," Dallon replied as he sat down across the room in the sleek leather chair that was more for aesthetic than comfort.

"Anyway," she started, disregarding his comment, "I sent out a couple emails and I'm still waiting to hear back if anyone knows anything," she said gesturing to her laptop in front of her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, finally breaking the silence between them.

"I needed to get away from the snow," she replied simply. "You?"

"I needed a change of scenery too."

"That's what makes all of this seem so strange. Did you make a reservation under your name?"

"No, Maxwell Abbott."

"Have you been using that alias a lot lately? Maybe someone put it together."

"Or maybe your parents finally told someone that you've been cut off for years and they got suspicious since you've been living like this for how long now?"

"Hey, don't give me attitude! I am the only one you can trust to help you."

Dallon scoffed, getting out of the chair. "I can trust you? You walked out on me."

"Walked out?! You made it clear that you wanted to-" (YN) was interrupted by a dinging notification from her computer.

"Is it information?" Dallon asked, striding across the room to look at the screen.

"Hang on," (YN) replied, switching tabs. "No, just a shipping notification," she replied, minimizing the window, before quickly opening it back up when she realized what was on her screen.

"What's that?" Dallon asked with a smirk.

"Stop it," she snapped, trying to close her computer, but he had a hold of it already.

"Is that us?"

"Yea, in St. Lucia," she smiled wistfully then glanced up, realizing how close he was to her.

"After all these years, you still have a photo of us as your computer background?"

"I look good in it," she retorted.

"Mmm, I think we both look good in it," he replied.

"You aren't wrong," she breathed as he began to lean closer to her.

"Hey (YN)?"

"Hmm?"

"Are those my pants?"

"If you want 'em back, take 'em."

He smirked again before closing the distance between them. (YN) leaned back on the bed, never breaking the kiss as he climbed over her. Just like always with (YN) and Dallon it was a back and forth, a struggle to control the situation until one of them relented.

(YN) was the one who gave in this time, but was rewarded by Dallon moving to kiss down her jaw to her neck, to the spot that always made her melt. She couldn’t help but let out a gasp when he felt him leaving a mark on her neck. Then she felt his hands on the hem of her shirt and she sat up to let him pull it off. In that moment their eyes connected and they both realized how much was left unsaid between them.

Their lips crashed back together as (YN) fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, pushing it off before pulling him against her as his hands roamed over the familiar territory of her body. She didn’t realize how badly she missed this; the feeling of him on her, the way his hands felt against her skin, the way they moved together, knowing exactly what the other needed without saying it aloud, the look in his eye when he rested his forehead against hers after coming undone.

"Looks like we're in this together again," Dallon chuckled after a few minutes of silence only interrupted by their panting breath.

"Why am I not surprised."

Flashback 

(YN) walked into the crowded bar and evaluated the crowd. A lot of businessmen, they always seemed to get too drunk and expected something in return for an overpriced drink, and therefore rarely worth her time, then some older couples, which were completely useless to her. Then she spotted him. Seemingly alone, no ring, tall, handsome as hell, well dressed, this could work.

"Hi," she smiled up at him as she slid onto the stool next to him.

"Hello," he smiled back, curiously. 

"Do you know what's good here?"

The man threw back the rest of his drink as the bartender approached. "Two old fashioneds for me and my friend."

The bartender nodded and turned to make the drinks. "Thank you!" She cooed. "I'm (YN)."

"Maxwell Abbott," he smiled back as the bartender returned with their drinks.

"So Maxwell, what do you do?"

"Investment banking," he replied.

She hummed as she smiled, taking a sip of her drink. She eyed him up and down, something was off. "Sounds important."

Dallon shrugged and smirked. "Keeps me busy. What about you?"

"I travel."

"For a living?"

"Yea, I'm a contributing writer for a few travel websites."

"That sounds like the perfect life," he replied.

"It really is," she gushed. "I'm going to St. Lucia in a couple days, it's beautiful this time of year."

"Is that so?" He asked, leaning in closer to her. "I bet it's nothing compared to you."

(YN) felt her heart hammering in her chest. This is not what this was supposed to be, this was supposed to be a few free drinks. "Have you never been?" She asked, placing her hand on his arm.

"No, not yet. I don't get to travel much."

"Aren't you traveling now? Or do you just like hanging out in hotel bars?"

"True, I am traveling now," he laughed.

"Well you should go as soon as possible, before it gets too crowded."

"I think you could teach me a thing or two," he smiled and her heart started hammering again.

"That sounds like it might be a great idea," she replied, taking a sip of her drink.

"So do you travel alone?"

She nodded. "It's easier than trying to coordinate schedules with someone else and I don't have to worry about their opinions or plans."

"What do you think of this hotel?"

"It's one of my favorites. Luxurious, but in an understated, modern way. And it always has the most interesting guests," she said as she placed her hand on his arm again and met his eyes. “I always have a good time here.”

He nodded in understanding as he leaned in toward her. "Do you know if there's a lot of differences between rooms?"

"We could find out," she replied with a hint of a smirk as she leaned in as well.

Their lips met briefly for a moment and they pulled back, searching the other’s face for a hint of hesitancy. Seeing none, his lips pressed back against hers with a passion that took her off guard for a moment before she placed her hand on the back of his neck, taking control of the situation, deepening the kiss.

Before either of them could realize what they were doing, they were leaving the bar, bill unpaid. When they got in the elevator, he backed her into the corner. He wanted to regain control of the situation; he wanted to be in control of every situation he was in, but it was very clear that (YN) had no intention of giving in to him. She bit her lip as he loomed over her before he grabbed her hip, and pulled her to him. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms over his shoulders as he kissed her again.

The elevator doors opened on his floor and he took her hand and led her to his room. When he got the door unlocked, he backed her against the desk, kissing down her neck as she let out a gasp. She pushed off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt as his hands traveled down to her thighs, pushing her skirt up before picking her up and carrying her to the bed, dropping her into the soft linens. She let out a giggle of delight as he climbed over her, pulling up her dress as he went. She felt a jolt of confidence as he gasped lightly at her in nothing but her lace lingerie.

“Like a work of art,” he murmured under his breath.

She laughed lightly and reached out for his belt, eventually tossing aside the rest of his clothes. (YN) marveled at him the same way he admired her before pushing him over and straddling his hips. Still they fought for control of the situation as she kissed him deeply and bit his lip, but he held her hips tight.

“You think you’re in charge here?” He asked as she peppered kisses down his neck.

“Mmhmm,” she murmured.

(YN) couldn’t see his smirk as he rolled her off him, eliciting a yelp of surprise as he pinned her wrists above her head. “How about now?” He asked with a devilish grin that made her giddy.

~

“Can I guess something about you?” She asked after they had both regained their breath and composure a while later.

“Sure, why not,” he said rolling over on his side to look at her, propping his head up on his hand.

"You aren't an investment banker," she said simply.

"What?" He asked sitting up, looking down at her confused. 

"I live in New York, I know investment bankers, a lot of them, and you are not one."

"Why do you think that?"

"You let me talk about myself," she replied with a smile and he laughed. "So drop the act and tell me straight, what con are you running."

"You're calling me a con artist?" He asked, not even trying to sound offended as (YN) nodded. "Takes one to know one."

"Your right it does, so spill, starting with the name."

He smiled and shook his head. "My name is Dallon. Dallon Weekes."

"That's so much cooler than Maxwell Abbott!” She exclaimed.

"Exactly why I don't use it! People remember it."

"So by investment banking, you mean you get people to invest in some bogus venture and you skip away with the money?"

Dallon shrugged while looking smug. "What about you?"

(YN) scrunched up her face like she was thinking then slid out of bed, putting her clothes back on. "You know my name, you know where I'm from and what I do. How about the next time you find me, I'll tell you all the rest of my secrets."

"That hardly seems fair," he retorted.

"Life isn't fair Dallon. I really like that name, it's so cool. And," she said climbing back onto the bed toward him, "I like you." She pressed a kiss against his lips again. "I'll see you around," she said as she hopped off the bed and out the door.

Dallon laid back, totally stunned and maybe a little in love.

Present

"Are you really gonna take back your sweatpants? Because they're the most comfortable thing I own," (YN) asked as she pulled her t-shirt back on.

"You own?" He laughed.

"Possession is nine tenths of the law," she shrugged.

Dallon ran his hand through his hair. “Keep ‘em.”

(YN) grinned like she just won a prize as she climbed back into the bed next to Dallon. “So did you mean it?”

“What?” He asked, glancing over at her.

“When you said you’d wouldn’t be able to forget me,” (YN) said softly.

“Yea,” he replied. “It really fucked me up when you left.”

(YN) sighed. “You didn’t want to be together and I understood that, it was too risky, so I took my share and left. I thought that's what you wanted."

"That's not what... I mean," he groaned and ran his hands over his face while he tried to put the words together. "I didn't know what I wanted and I sure as hell didn't know what you wanted."

"It doesn't matter now."

"Why?"

"Because we're here now."

Dallon turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"Not a single day has gone by that I haven't thought about you. It killed me to walk away, but now we're back in this together... well I feel like there's something to that."

"To us?" The words felt less foriegn on his tongue than they did just hours ago.

(YN) nodded. "Yea."

Dallon reached over and let his fingers graze over her cheek as she looked into his eyes. She was always trying to be one step ahead of everyone and so rarely let down her guard, but now she had again. He hadn't seen the sadness and loneliness in her in so long and seeing it now broke his heart.

"I still think about you every day too, and not just because you fucked me up," he said barely above a whisper. He leaned in and let his lips meet her's gently. The tenderness of the kiss was too much for her, tears forming behind her closed eyes. When he pulled back, she wiped her eyes quickly and he pulled her so she was resting her head on his chest. 

“I should check my email to see if anyone knows anything about that investigator.”

"Nah, let's worry about that in the morning,” he said pressing a kiss to the top of her head and she sighed, giving in this time.

~

"Yvonne, my friend at the New York DA's office hasn't heard anything," (YN) announced when Dallon came out of the shower the next morning.

"You have a friend at the DA's office?"

"Yea, we go way back," (YN) replied nonchalantly. 

"And that's safe?"

(YN) looked up at him and rolled her eyes. "How long have I been doing this? And I've never once ran into trouble until now."

Dallon ran his hand through his wet hair. "I think we should try to pretend like nothing is going on, so don't check out early. I’m going out west tomorrow, we could meet up in a few days."

"Sounds good to me,” (YN) shrugged. “Anyway, I was gonna spend the day down by the pool, and I really didn't intend on changing my plans."

Dallon nodded as he got dressed. "Maybe I'll see you down there," he said leaning down to kiss her. 

"Mmhmm, but don't be obvious that we know each other, that might tip someone off if they’re looking for us," she said when she pulled back.

"Oh, right," he nodded trying not to sound disappointed.

"I'm not trying to push you away, I'm just trying to look out for us."

"I know."

"We'll reconnect tonight, maybe go out or something?" She suggested. "And here," she said, getting up, and giving him one of her room keys.

"Good idea," he reached in his pocket and gave her one of his in return. He turned to leave but paused. "(YN)," he started.

"Yea?" She asked looking up from her computer.

"See ya later," he waved and she gave him a smile before he let himself out. He wanted to tell her that he was so happy to have her back in his life, even though it was all a mess. He wanted to say let's just run away together and pretend this wasn't happening. But most of all he wanted to tell her that he loved her.

Flashback 

Dallon stretched out on the lounge chair next to the pool. Even though night was falling, the Carribean air was still warm and humid. He was finally starting to relax after arriving late due to his flight being delayed. He hated that, it reminded him how out of control he was, and that made him uncomfortable.  

His attention was caught by a drunk man who seemed to have lost control of the volume of his voice. He glanced over and couldn't believe his eyes. It was (YN) helping the drunk man back inside the resort from the outdoor bar. (YN), feeling eyes on her, glanced Dallon's way and shot him a grin before heading inside.

Dallon's heart sank. Just because he had hooked up with her one night didn't mean anything, she could be with a different person every night, she had the right. But there was no denying she had been on his mind since she walked out of his hotel room. He had come to St. Lucia hoping to run into her since she had promised to tell him all her secrets, but maybe that was all a lie. Life wasn't fair she told him. That was the truth.

"Hi Dallon." 

He was snapped from his thoughts and looked up. (YN). "You're right, St. Lucia is beautiful this time of year."

"But not as beautiful as me, right?" She smirked, sitting on a chair next to him.

"Very true," he smiled and she rolled her eyes. "Who's the drunk? I also don't remember you being that quick when we-"

"Shut up," she said leaning over to slap his arm. "Did you really come all the way down here to find me?”

“I believe there was a promise of secrets being shared. You got the jump on me, I'm just trying to make it even."

She scoffed. "The jump? Please! All I got was your name, you gave up the rest on your own."

It was Dallon's turn to roll his eyes. "You said if I found you, you'd tell me."

"Fine, you wanna know what happened with that guy?" She said, gesturing back to the resort.

Dallon sat up straighter, nodding, as she leaned in. 

"He came up to me in the bar and he was already lit. The first thing I noticed was he's married, I mean he's still wearing his wedding ring, so he obviously has no shame. He was talking big, flashing his cash, so I asked him to buy me a drink. He ordered one for each of us, and then a few more, but I didn’t drink more than one, I kept pouring mine in his glass when he wasn’t looking. When he's barely able to stand, I suggested we should go up to his room. He passed out as soon as he got the door open so I helped myself to his credit card number, his wife's email and phone number, and wrote him a nice little note reminding him of all the terrible, filthy, things he said he wanted to do to me and letting him know that I would not hesitate to let his poor wife know what a scumbag he is if he should cancel or dispute any unknown charges his credit card anytime soon."

Dallon sat back and let out a laugh. "You blackmail unloyal men to get what you want?"

"I currently have four funding my lifestyle on a long term basis, and a few others, like my friend upstairs, that I'll hit up for a while, just to keep them on their toes. I let them go after a while."

"Wait, did you have me as a mark the night we met?"

"Not really, I just thought you were good looking," she shrugged.

"Thought?" He smirked. "Did you change your mind?"

"No, I confirmed it.”

He grinned in response. “Do you wanna get a drink?” He asked nodding toward the bar.

“Nah, I’ve had enough for the night. Wanna go for a walk?”

Dallon was surprised by this suggestion. “Yea, ok,” replied getting up.

The waves broke softly along the shore as they walked through the sand. Neither had said anything for some time and the silence was frustrating him.

“How’d you end up with four different men financing you?” He asked out of the blue.

(YN) sighed. “When I turned 17 I was interning at my Dad’s law firm, just doing filing and things like that because my parents wanted me to become a lawyer and wanted me in that environment as much as possible. One of the partners heard it was my birthday and apparently thought I was turning 18, not 17, so he sent me a really inappropriate email. This was all before Me Too and he thought it was ok. I marched right into his office and told him that he was sexually harassing a minor and I could have him disbarred and thrown in jail. He offered to basically put me on a weekly allowance to buy my silence. I was young and stupid so I went for it.”

“Damn,” Dallon muttered. “I’m really sorry.”

(YN) shrugged. “I used all my newfound money and kinda turned into a party girl. I went to Columbia, but never took my LSAT and when my parents found out I wasn’t going to law school, they cut me off. The thing is, they were so embarrassed they never told anyone what happened so no one questioned how I was living. But I realized there were plenty of old creeps with status and big bank accounts that I could-”

“Blackmail?”

“That always sounds harsh,” she laughed darkly, looking up at Dallon. He could see the sadness in her eyes. “But I’ve matured, gotten smarter, and I’ve got a really solid savings built up because eventually those old bastards are gonna start to croak and I have to be prepared and writing won’t cut it.” (YN) sighed, “But now you know every dirty detail. Happy?”

Dallon stopped walking and turned to look at her. “When was the last time you opened up like that?”

“Never,” she laughed lightly.

“Why me?”

“You actually asked.”

Present

(YN) settled into a lounge chair with her book and a drink. She wore her dark sunglasses and spent as much time watching the people around the pool as she did reading her book.

A while later a familiar tall, lanky figure sat down in a chair directly across from her. She lowered her glasses and shot him a smile that he returned. She went back to reading until she noticed someone sit down on the chair next to her. She glanced over at the man who seemed overdressed to be next to a pool.

"Hello again," he said. "We met last night at the bar."

"Oh hey!" She said setting down her book. She wanted to signal to Dallon, but wasn't sure how to do it subtly. "It was Agent Brandon right?"

"Brendon Urie, with the FBI, yes," he smiled. She noticed the smile seemed genuine as it reached all the way up to his eyes.

"Did you ever find those people you were looking for? To interrogate or whatever?"

He shook his head. "I can't discuss ongoing investigations."

"Oh right," she smiled. "I don't know how any of that kinda thing works."

"All for the better, you wouldn't want to be mixed up with criminals."

She nodded. "So do you normally hang out at pools in a full suit?" She giggled, reaching over to touch the sleeve of his suit jacket.

"Only when I'm on the clock," he smiled, but something felt off to (YN). 

"Well maybe if you tell me what kind of people you're looking for and give me your number I could let you know if I see them around."

He nodded as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a business card and started scribbling down information on the back. "If you have any information, or even if you don’t, don't hesitate to call," he said, handing her the card before getting up and flashing her another smile as he walked away.

She flipped over the card as he walked away to read the descriptions and swallowed hard. Other than her hair color that she had changed recently, the description was definitely her and the description of the male was obviously Dallon. She stuck the card in between the pages of her book and glanced across the pool at Dallon. He was talking with a leggy blonde in a tiny bikini. (YN) rolled her eyes and went back to her book, but occasionally peeked at Dallon across the way.

(YN) was not the type to get jealous, she prided herself on her ability to make others jealous of her, but she felt a pang of envy at the girl who had captured Dallon's attention. Sure it was her idea to stay apart, but not all her ideas were perfect and she had bigger things to worry about.

As the afternoon sun began to dip in the sky, she grabbed her things and headed back up to her room with one last glance back at Dallon. He was on his phone and didn’t seem to notice her leaving. When she got back to her room, she had a new text notification.

“Dinner reservations at 7 PM,” Dallon’s text read, with a link to the restaurant.

(YN) smiled and went to pick something to wear.

Flashback

(YN) was in her apartment, working on an article when her phone rang and she saw it was Dallon. It had been a few months since they met and then when they met up again in St. Lucia. After they reunited, (YN) had quietly checked out of her room in the resort and moved into Dallon's suite where she spent the rest of her time in St. Lucia. Since then, they had kept in touch, but hadn't seen each other in person. She smiled as she answered. “Dallon.”

“What are you up to (YN),” he asked and she could hear the smirk through the phone.

“Working for a good honest living, something you know nothing about.”

“Ouch. Well I’m in town, wanna take a break tonight and get dinner?”

“You know I’m never going to turn down a free meal,” she laughed. “When are you picking me up?”

“I’m already on my way.”

Dallon arrived shortly after and they headed to a quiet little restaurant that she knew had a long waitlist for reservations, but (YN) didn't question how they were immediately seated.

"Come to Palm Springs with me," Dallon said suddenly after the waiter left with their orders.

"Why?" She said, narrowing her eyes at him as she took a sip of her drink.

"I have a meeting with a new potential investor and I feel like I could use some back up, someone clever like you."

(YN) couldn't help but smile. "When would we leave?" She asked, glancing at the snow that had started falling heavier since they arrived.

"Next weekend," Dallon replied. "Plenty of time for you to familiarize yourself with everything, I'll send the information over tonight."

"And I'll send you the link for the cutest little pink dress I found at Stella McCartney today," she grinned.

Dallon rolled his eyes and sighed, but couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "Deal."

~

The following weekend, Dallon and (YN) boarded an early flight to California. They settled into their business class seats, and Dallon put on headphones as (YN) started to read the book she had brought along.

Dallon stared out the window, watching the earth pass below them. He had spent a long time preparing for this job. He had found his mark months before at a cocktail party that he had crashed and had started developing a plan for how he could extract the most cash possible. If there was one thing Dallon understood, it was how to listen to people, make them feel important, and then use that to his advantage to get what he wanted. That was the thing that was different with (YN); he didn’t want to use her, he respected her. She was smart, clever, and resourceful. Her feisty personality drew him in, and kept him in his place and the chemistry between them was intense. 

Just then he felt something against his shoulder. He glanced over and found (YN) had fallen asleep against him. He smiled softly. It wasn’t like him to get attached to anyone, but since the night that she walked into his life he felt like he might have finally met his match. He resisted the urge to press a kiss onto the top of her head and let her sleep instead.

After landing, they drove out to the hotel they would be staying at for this initial visit.

“Checking in,” Dallon smiled at the woman working at the front desk. (YN) suppressed her amusement at the woman’s flustered expression when she looked up. She couldn’t blame her, Dallon’s grin could do that to anyone.

“What’s the name?” “Two rooms under Winston Donahue.” “Adjoining rooms correct?” She asked, glancing between Dallon and (YN).

“That’s correct.”

“Well if you need anything at all, my name is Kim, please feel free to let me know,” she said, handing them their room keys and (YN) couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she walked away.

“You gonna need anything Winston?” (YN) asked in a sarcastically seductive voice as they waited for the elevator.

“Nah, I think I’ve got everything I’ll need,” he smiled back at her and (YN) rolled her eyes again as she boarded the elevator.

“The meeting is at 7 PM, so we need to leave by 6:45,” (YN) said looking at her phone.

“So we have a few hours,” Dallon responded, matching her suggestive tone from moments before as they stepped off the elevator.

“I thought we were keeping things professional,” (YN) replied.

“Right, of course,” Dallon replied, putting his hand up defensively as they made their way to their rooms. “I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

Dallon started unpacking his suitcase and considered jumping into the shower to freshen up from the flight when he heard a knock on the door between his room and (YN)’s. He answered the door without a thought, but was completely caught off guard when he saw (YN) standing on the other side in nothing but lacy lingerie.

“I thought we were keeping things professional,” he finally choked out.

“Ok, fine,” (YN) shrugged, stepping back to close the door on her side.

“Wait,” Dallon said, reaching out to hold the door open.

“Hmm?” She hummed innocently.

“Get in here,” he said grabbing her hand and pulling her into his room.

~

“Lawrence,” Dallon greeted an older man with a hearty handshake. The restaurant that he had selected for this meeting was an upscale steakhouse, which didn’t surprise (YN) in the least given what she ascertained about him. She gave him a once over and immediately recognized by the way he carried himself that if she was meeting him in different circumstances, she would have made him a mark herself.

“Winston good to see you again,” Lawrence replied. “And this is your associate?”

“Yes, Anna, this is Lawrence Hall. Lawrence, this is my legal advisor, Anna Williams,” Dallon introduced (YN) with her fake name.

“Nice to meet you,” she said with a strong handshake and the most charming smile she could muster. She could immediately tell she had won him over. 

“Nice to finally meet you as well,” he smiled. “Let’s get started.”

Over dinner, Dallon launched into his impassioned speech about the music and arts foundation he was supposedly establishing. He described in such detail the location he had picked, and the plans already in the works, for a moment (YN) almost forgot that he wasn’t being honest, and that the plan was actually just to line their pockets.

“I think you have a great plan,” Lawrence replied. “If that tax exempt status comes through, we can get the paperwork signed and move forward. I have to fly out for some meetings tomorrow morning, but we can meet again in a few weeks, and get everything finalized.”

“That should work for me. Anna?”

“I might have to move a few things around, but it shouldn’t be a problem,” (YN) replied.

“Perfect!” Lawrence said as the waiter returned to the table with the check. Dallon reached into his suit pocket for his wallet, but Lawrence grabbed the check first. “Nonsense Winston, let me take care of this.” Dallon glanced over at (YN) and they exchanged knowing looks.

Everything was working exactly to plan.

~

Dallon felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. “Hey Ryan.”

“Hey, where have you been? I haven’t heard from you in forever!” His friend greeted him.

“I’ve been really busy with this project,” Dallon said as he wandered out onto his room’s balcony overlooking the pool.

“Oh, I see. Where are you?”

“Palm Springs right now.”

“Business or pleasure?”

“A little of both,” Dallon smiled as he spotted (YN) sunbathing poolside. He leaned against the balcony railing feeling the California sunshine warming his face.

“You got some help with this one?” Ryan asked, amused by his friend. “I thought you only worked alone.”

“I needed some assistance to give myself more credibility.”

“How hot is she?” Ryan asked, and Dallon just sighed in response. “You know you’re gonna have to cut her loose after you’re done, right?”

“Why?” Dallon asked slowly, straightening up.

“People are gonna catch on to Bonnie and Clyde. When it’s just you, you can disappear, when it’s two or more people working together repeatedly, that stands out. I thought that’s what you always said.”

Dallon was stunned. He and Ryan had worked together before, but when his friend asked for help again, he told him he couldn’t risk it, but he hadn’t even thought about what would happen after that night. His heart started hammering in his chest and he felt ill. 

“Dallon, you there?” Ryan’s voice on the other end of the phone cut through the noise in his head.

“Yea, yea I am. And you’re right. We were just having fun anyway, nothing serious.”

“You could always retire,” Ryan suggested. “Find a nice little place to settle down with your girl, go off the grid.”

“I’m not ready for that,” Dallon replied.

“I know you're not, but let me know how it goes,” Ryan said before they exchanged goodbyes.

Dallon went back into his room and sunk down on his bed, his legs seemingly not wanting to work anymore. It was true that what he and (YN) had wasn’t defined in any way. They were partners in crime. Friends. Friends with intense chemistry. He remembered back to the day when they flew out to Palm Springs the first time, the way her head felt against his shoulder. He remembered the way her body felt against his.

He pressed his hands against his eyes. He hadn’t ever felt this way about someone else before. But in the long run she’d be better off not running cons, he didn’t want that life for (YN). He wanted her to be able to just enjoy traveling and writing and the things she wanted to do. Not looking over her shoulder constantly and using fake names. Dallon loved (YN) and he knew what he had to do for her to live her best life.

~

That night the deal was finalized with Lawrence and $5 million dollars into Dallon’s account. The next morning the transfer cleared, he would transfer half to (YN)’s account. He thanked Lawrence profusely and assured him he would be hearing from him with updates as soon as he could. Despite the significance of the largest con he had ever pulled off, Dallon couldn’t find himself excited after the conversation with Ryan.

(YN) suggested they go out for celebratory drinks afterward, and Dallon agreed. Not that he wanted to celebrate, but because he needed something to take his mind off everything.

"So what's next for us?" (YN) grinned up at him after they were served.

Dallon's throat went dry. "Us?"

(YN) tried not to let her face fall at the response. "Yea, do you wanna work together again soon? This was a lot more fun than what I usually do."

Dallon hated this. He hated that he couldn’t be completely honest with her. "I don't think that's a good idea. Working together too much could raise suspicions."

"Oh. Yea, that’s true. I get it," she smiled, but her heart was breaking.

Dallon then felt a pang of disappointment. He wanted to scream 'don't you care about me? Don't you want to be with me? I thought there was something between us!' But he swallowed it down. It was better this way he reminded himself.

When they returned to the hotel, (YN) gave him another smile and congratulations on a job well done before heading into her room. Dallon spent the rest of the night tossing and turning instead of sleeping. He regretted everything and needed to tell (YN) how he felt. He realized he was willing to walk away from this life if it meant being with her. When he stepped out of his room, he was startled to see the cleaning woman coming out of (YN)’s room.

"Excuse me, where is the guest that was in this room?"

"Checked out earlier this morning," she replied.

Dallon felt sick. He ran a hand through his hair and rushed back into his room and grabbed his phone and called (YN). It went straight to voicemail, but he couldn't bring himself to leave a message. He had gotten what he said he wanted.

~

The night before when (YN) closed her door behind her, she let her head fall back and sighed. She shouldn't have been surprised at Dallon's response. There wasn't a Valentine's Day card for what she and Dallon were and the feelings she had developed for him were not his problem. He didn't owe her anything other than her share of the money and she knew that, but the sooner she could get away, the better. She grabbed her computer and set to work

After a couple hours of sleep, she got up, packed her suitcase and called a car to take her to the airport. No one was going to look out for her in this world, not even the one person she thought might care about her, so she had to do what was best for herself and disappear.

Present

"Can we talk before we go back to the hotel?" Dallon asked, running his hand through his hair as they stepped out of the restaurant after dinner.

"Sure, there's a park around the block if you wanna go there?"

"Sounds good." As they walked, Dallon noticed that (YN) was rubbing her arms and shivering in the quickly cooling night air. "Hang on," Dallon said, stopping in his tracks and taking off his jacket, wrapping it over her shoulders. "Better?"

"Yea thanks," she smiled up at him.

When they arrived at the park, there wasn't anyone else around. They found a bench and sat down.

"I'm flying out to visit my friend Ryan tomorrow, and I know this has been a whirlwind, but I had an idea."

"What would that be? And remember, you having an idea got a federal agent following us in the first place," she smirked.

"Marry me."

"What?" She asked, shocked.

"If we're married, they can't force us to testify against each other, if we get caught."

"Oh. Yea, that's true," she replied. Dallon noticed that she sounded disappointed, so he took her hand. He realized if he ever was going to have a real shot with (YN), he had to act now. "And like I said last night, I haven't been able to keep you off my mind this whole time, I always keep coming back to you, I'm always looking for you," he paused, looking down nervously before looking back up at her earnestly. "I love you, (YN), since the night we met. There's no one else for me. I wanted to tell you, but by the time I got my head out of my ass, you were gone.”

(YN) was taken aback. "You're serious? Oh my god, you're serious," her heart was racing as he nodded. "Yes! I love you too, Dallon," she said as if the words were almost a surprise to her, the smile growing across her face.

Dallon was grinning as well as he grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her deeply. "I don't have a ring, I mean I wasn't really expecting to do this today," he laughed when he pulled back. "You deserve so much better than this."

(YN) shook her head. "I have you, that’s more than I deserve."

"Do you wanna go back to the hotel and shop for rings online?" Dallon asked.

(YN)'s face lit up even more. "That sounds like a great plan. And then I have some ideas for after that."

~

The next morning (YN) boarded the elevator after running down to the hotel cafe for a coffee. Just as the door was about to close, someone rushed up and she pressed the door open button. When she looked up she wished she hadn't. 

"Agent," she said politely. 

"Just who I was looking for," he replied as he pressed the button for the third floor, but his tone of voice had changed from the last time she spoke with him by the pool.

"Oh, why is that?" She asked, turning on the charm as the elevator went up.

"I think you know why," he answered as the doors opened. "Come with me."

"I don't-"

Without saying a word, he opened his suit jacket, displaying the handgun he had holstered. (YN) swallowed hard and stepped off the elevator. She followed him down the hall to his room, trying to keep calm.

"I really think there's a misunderstanding here sir, I really haven't done anything wrong," she said as the door shut behind her.

He turned to a stack of papers in a manila folder on the desk and pulled out a photo of herself and Dallon at a bar in Palm Springs, the night they had finalized the deal with Lawrence. It had been her idea to go there after the deal was finished. Lawrence must have already suspected them if he was already tailing them. "Ms. Williams, isn't this you and your partner, Winston Donahue, who I have also witnessed at this hotel?"

(YN) was struck by the use of her alias, but maintained her composure. "I'm sure that's a very good looking couple, but my hair is different than hers and I don't think a blurry photo and being in the same hotel as some stranger who also might be in a blurry photo is enough to hold me here," she retorted.

"You aren't going anywhere," he said.

"I do not need to be talked to like I'm some kind of criminal," she said more sternly as she walked back to the door. As her hand reached the handle, she heard the safety of his gun click and her breath caught in her chest. 

"I'm going to need you to back away from the door, " Brendon said sternly.

"I really think you have me confused with someone else," she said, trying not to let fear crack through her voice.

"I'm certain I don't. Now move."

(YN) turned from the door and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I don't believe you're a real federal agent. You would have already charged me if you believed I was guilty of something. If you wanna play lawman, you gotta try harder than this."

Brendon drew his gun again, anger flashing across his face. "Just get me in contact with your partner."

(YN) bit her lip. For the first time in a long time, she didn't know what her next move was. Dallon had no idea where she was, let alone that she was in trouble, real trouble. “I don’t have my phone on me.”

“Seriously?”

(YN) held her hands up. She didn’t have her purse on her, only her room key, and coffee. “Seriously.”

He sighed and went back to his file, and pulled out a sheet. “Here,” he said, handing her the paper that appeared to be a dossier. “Is that the number?”

“I can try it.”

“You’d better,” he snapped.

(YN) kept her eyes on him as she made her way to the room phone. She dialed the number and hoped that Dallon would answer as it rang and rang.

“Hello?”

“Winston, it’s Anna,” (YN) said, hoping he would recognize her voice and realize something was going on.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, instantly concerned.

“Someone needs to talk to you,” she said, before handing the phone to Brendon who was looming over her.

“Winston, I believe you have something I want and I have something you’re gonna want back,” Brendon smirked.

“If you lay a hand on her, you’re a dead man walking,” Dallon snarled back.

“You have 48 hours to bring me $5 million, cash, and Anna walks. And if I don’t get the money, well, I bet you’re gonna wish that you were dealing with the feds. I’ll be in touch.” Brendon said, slamming down the phone.

“How did you even know to come after us?” (YN) asked as Brendon crossed the room.

“Lawrence is a friend of mine. He told me how you conned him out of some serious cash and promised me half if I could get it back for him.”

“Why didn’t you go after Winston in the first place? Why bring me into it?”

“Because when Lawrence was giving me the information, he specifically said Winston seemed totally in love with you, and judging by his response on the phone, he was right.”

~

“Come on, pick up,” Dallon grumbled as he paced the airport terminal, running his hand through his hair.

“Hey, Dal, what’s up?” Ryan said happily when he answered.

“Change of plans. I have a situation.”

“Shit,” Ryan said upon hearing his friend’s tone. “What’s wrong.”

“I’m at the airport, so I can’t explain it all, but I’m gonna need a lot of green.”

“How much?”

“Just get to printing, (YN)’s life is on the line.”

“Wait, (YN), where, when… (YN) is back?!” Ryan stammered. “Yea, I’ll explain when I get there, I’ve gotta board my flight now, just get to work!” Dallon shouted before hanging up and rushing to get on the plane.

~

The moon shone down on the beach as Dallon stood waiting where he was instructed. Then he saw two figures walking toward him. When they were close enough, he could see it was (YN) and Brendon, but Dallon had never seen (YN) like that before. The dark circles under her eyes were unmistakable, and unlike her normal confident and carefree demeanor, she appeared broken down. It took a moment for Dallon to realize that Brendon also had a gun pressed to her back. He reached back and pulled out his own weapon and pointed it at Brendon.

“Do you have the money?” Brendon barked. 

“What do you think this is?” Dallon replied, holding up a large metal case.

“Go get it,” Brendon commanded, shoving (YN) forward. Dallon gave her a reassuring smile as she crossed the sand, the sea breeze whipping at her skirt. She took the case with a weary smile in return and carried it back to Brendon. He snatched the case from her hands, and examined the contents. “Get lost,” he growled up at her.

(YN) felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders as she turned around and hurried back to Dallon who still had his gun trained on Brendon. They exchanged relieved smiles when without warning a shot rang out.

Dallon watched as (YN) stopped in her tracks. Her eyes went wide and her smile faded into a look of fear. Dallon rushed to her as she dropped to her knees and tears streamed down her face. He looked at her back and saw the blood spilling from the wound by her shoulder. He glanced up and saw Brendon making his escape.

“I got you (YN), I got you love,” he mumbled as he let her lean against him. “It will be ok, you’ll be ok. I’ll fix this, I’ll fix this.”

~

(YN) woke up to the sun shining into the room. She sighed happily as she felt the breeze off the ocean fill the room, the light curtains billowing gently. She drew in a deep breath and sighed happily. From behind her, Dallon’s strong arm wrapped around her waist pulling her close against him. He trailed kisses starting at the scar on her shoulder, up to her neck. A smile crept across her face as she rolled over and kissed him softly.

“Morning love,” he murmured, his hair falling in his face. (YN) reached up and brushed it away.

“Morning,” she replied, studying his face.

“What?” He laughed lightly.

“I was just wondering how after all the things I’ve done and been through in life, I can still end up like this.”

“Like what?” Dallon asked, running his hand across her back.

“Living in paradise with the most gorgeous, loving husband. It’s more than I could have dreamed of ever having.”

Dallon smiled softly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I think it’s all balanced out in the long run. Besides, I’m the lucky one.”

(YN) grinned at that. “Mmm very lucky indeed.”

After a while longer snuggling, (YN) sat up and grabbed her laptop. The photo in the background had been changed from their first trip to St Lucia, to their wedding day on the same beach, a short walk from the bungalow they now called home.

“Oh, Yvonne emailed me, Brendon is being sentenced today for both charges of passing counterfeit bills and impersonating a federal agent. He’s looking at up to 23 years.”

“Good,” Dallon said resolutely. “I’m always going to be mad we couldn’t get him charged with attempted murder.”

(YN) rolled her eyes as she sat her computer back on the floor. “Dal, we’ve been over this. If we would have led the police to him, he could have been able to pin the counterfeit bills on us, and that would have led back to Ryan too. On top of what we pulled on Lawrence! It’s a small price to pay to live anonymously now. Life isn’t fair.”

Dallon wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back down so she was laying on top of him. “I know,” he said, leaning up and kissing her. “All I care about is you’re here and safe with me now.”

“Always,” (YN) smiled before leaning back in and kissing him again.

[dat-carovieh]

A Grain of Truth

Summary: Jaskier had been cursed to look like a bear. Geralt will not rest until he helped his bard to lift that curse. 

Tags: Cursed Jaskier | Dandelion, Furry JaskierMonster Jaskier | Dandelion, Caring Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Angst, Eventual Fluff, Romance, Fluff and Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cuddling, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Bear Jaskier, Fluff, Emotionally Constipated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia           

Characters: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion, Triss Merigold            

Geralt entered the town through the main gate on Roach’s back. He’s been here a couple of times and he made his way straight to the inn that he was always staying in. He had once saved the town from a nasty Kikimora infestation which was why he was mostly tolerated here. The winter was barely over and he had just left Kaer Morhen. The plan was to meet up with Jaskier here. He had spent the winter mostly in Oxenfurt, teaching at the university. Geralt hoped the bard would already be here, so they could leave again soon.

Even though he was tolerated here, he didn’t feel like staying too long. He tied Roach in front of the tavern and entered. The barkeep looked up, as he got in and nodded slightly as a greeting. Geralt had always brought a good amount of money in, so at least the owners of the tavern somehow liked him.

“Hello Borlin,” Geralt greeted him.

“Geralt,” the man said. “A room for you?”

“First an ale. Has Jaskier already arrived?”

Borlin shook his head as he poured the ale. “Haven’t seen him. You wanted to meet up here?”

Geralt nodded. “Then I will take a room.”

Borlin put the mug down. “Sure, I have one prepared for you.”

“I will probably look around, see if I can get a contract for the next days. If Jaskier arrives, will you tell him that I’m already here?” Geralt asked and dropped some extra coin on the counter.

“’course Geralt.”

The Witcher took his ale and sat down at a table. It wasn’t new, that they wouldn’t arrive at the same time. Travels like this are hard to schedule so there could always be a couple of days difference. Hopefully it wouldn’t take the bard to long and his travel was safe.

 The next day, Geralt had found a message on the noticeboard. Someone explicitly asked for a Witcher. It had no real information. He had sought out the person who was looking for the Witcher. He only told Geralt, there was apparently a monster living in a hut in the woods behind the village. Allegedly, it had attacked a couple of villagers, but luckily no one had been killed yet. The man also had not said anything about injuries so Geralt was not sure if that was a job for his sword. Still Geralt had decided to check out the hut and make sure the town was safe.

He thought it best to leave Roach behind, since the way from Kaer Morhen had been pretty far and she absolutely needed a rest. And it was not far to the hut, so he might as well walk.

“I’ll be back soon. Be good and if Jaskier comes by, say hi from me,” he instructed the horse with a pat on her nose, before he left.

Like he had been told, it wasn’t a long walk. He had brought both of his swords, since he had no idea, what he should expect. He was sneaking up to the hut, steel sword drawn. He could always switch to silver, but often steel was sufficient. The hut looked really run down. It seemed like it had been abandoned ages ago. That was probably why the monster decided to seek shelter here. He tried to have a look inside through a crack in the wood but he couldn’t see much. Only a bed that looked like someone had actually been using it very recently. A look at the door told him he could absolutely not enter unnoticed because that old door wood squeak. He decided to throw it open and barge in. The Witcher lifted his sword and quickly walked through the door finding himself in a small but surprisingly tidy room. It seemed like the ‘monster’ might even be civilized. Geralt still didn’t lower his weapon. After a quick look around he noticed the resident of the hut. At first Geralt thought he was seeing a bear but the bear was wearing clothes and it looked at him, scared.

“Geralt,” the bear said, and its deep voice sounded relived. Geralt squinted at the creature and inched a little closer. It was not exactly a bear, he realized. Only as tall as the average man, the head smaller than a beasts, a little bigger than a humans head, the snout a lot smaller, nearer to a human’s mouth than an actual bear snout.

“How do you know my name?” he asked skeptical.

“I feared you wouldn’t recognize me,” it said and looked sad.

“Should I?”, Geralt asked. That creature definitely was intelligent and didn’t seem like a threat.

“It’s me, Jaskier,” was the answer. Geralt’s eyes widened in surprise.

“No, that can’t be.”

He stepped closer and looked over the creature. The whole body was covered in fur, the face looked nothing like a human face but then he saw the eyes and he knew it was true. Those eyes as blue as the sky, as beautiful as ever, but so sad. He had found Jaskier, who for some reason, looked like a monster.

“Jaskier.” Geralt dropped his sword, walked up to the bard and hugged him. “What happened to you?” he asked. He even smelled like Jaskier. Not exactly, there was the typical smell that furred animal all shared. And a little fear. It had been more when he came in, but since Jaskier had recognized him the smell of fear had lessened. There was also Jaskier’s typical smell mixed into it.

“Short version, I was cursed.”

“What did you do?”, Geralt asked as he let him go again and looked at him.

“Why would you think I did something? It was someone else who cursed me,” Jaskier looked and sounded properly offended.

“Okay, so what happened?” Geralt rephrased his question.

“Well maybe I bedded the lover of a powerful wizard and he was not happy about it. It’s really not my fault that he couldn’t please her.” Geralt rolled his eyes.

“Of course something like that would happen to you one day.”

“Good to know that you have so much trust in me.” Jaskier looked offended.

“You are covered in fur and have fangs, so it did happen to you.”

Jaskier turned around and got himself a chair from the desk behind him to sit down. Geralt finally got the chance to look around the little hut. He realized it did look a lot like he would expect a place that Jaskier lived in to look like. There was his lute standing in a corner, leaned against the wall. The very same lute, Jaskier had gotten from Filavandrel shortly after they’ve met for the first time. The desk was covered in paper, probably new songs.  There was a cooking place and a little table. Everything was tidy and very clean. And the bear was wearing clothes that looked a lot like Jaskier’s. Geralt wasn’t sure but he thought, he had even seen these very trousers before.

“Please sit down, “ Jaskier said and gestured to the second chair in the room. “I guess, the townspeople have sent you to kill me.”

Geralt nodded, as he pulled the chair up in front of the bard and sat down.

“But you’re not going to?” Jaskier asked, sounding slightly concerned. Geralt’s eyes widened.

“Of course not. I thought you knew me. I don’t kill conscious beings if it’s not absolutely necessary and you are also my friend. You don’t seem to have changed, except for your appearance.”

Jaskier looked down, grinning, and put a hand on his chest. “I mean, I’ve always been hairy, so not too much change.” Geralt laughed a little at that.

“So, tell me the whole story. I know, you can’t wait to do so,” Geralt requested.

“Well, I’d been in Oxenfurt, as you know, and a couple of weeks ago, I met her. Eleanar, she was so beautiful, long brown locks, green eyes, beautiful skin, and this smile.” Jaskier seemed to lose himself a little in his description of that woman. Geralt felt a little annoyed by it and also a little sting in his chest that he couldn’t explain.

“Anyway, she was so nice, she loved my music, you know, unlike certain other people.” He raised an eyebrow at Geralt. “And she thought I was funny. We talked and she invited me over to her place. Of course, I didn’t say no. We went straight to the bedroom, I didn’t really see much from the house and couldn’t tell that she wasn’t living alone. Then, when I was just really enjoying myself, this guy barges in screaming.

I thought to myself ‘Shit, better get out of here quick’ jumped of the bed and tried to gather my clothes. I could hear him mutter something and then saying something about a curse, but I didn’t listen to him and just ran out as quick as I could. When I woke up the next day and I looked in the mirror, I nearly shat my pants when I looked like that.” He gestured to his face.

“It took me a while to understand, what had happened and that the creature in the mirror really was me. I packed up my stuff, because of course I couldn’t stay in Oxenfurt like that, too many people. I left a note for the university that I had to leave due to personal reasons. I hope they don’t hold a grudge because I left them in the middle of the semester. I wrapped myself in my cloak, to hide myself and was able to leave the city without anyone seeing my face.

It was of course still the middle of the winter. My pelt protected me from the cold but it was really hard to find food. I decided the best would be to come here. I bet the townsfolk claimed I’ve attacked them but I didn’t. I moved in here and tried to keep quiet. I stole some food and hunted in the woods. But I knew I would have to make sure that you would find me. I couldn’t really go into town to find you. So, about a week ago I started to scare some of the people in hopes that when you would come into town, they would send you. And it worked.”

“You are lucky, it worked. Had there come another Witcher before me, he might have killed you on sight,” Geralt said.

“But they didn’t. And I had to find you somehow. Couldn’t have you wait for me thinking I had abandoned you.”

The rest will be uploaded on AO3, hopefully somewhat regularly.