#iratheweak writes

[yourlocalyorozuya]

Ring in the new year a little earlier than usual.

[[aka the ashiya birthday fic thats like a day late im sorry my cinnamon son]]

[[well you made me update which is a miracle in itself but anyway]]

Title: Ring in the new year a little earlier than usual.

Pairing: Abeno Haruitsuki/Ashiya Hanae

Rating: K+

AU?: Canon-compliant

Ring in the new year a little earlier than usual.

A Fukigen na Mononokean fanfiction

"..."

"..."

Ashiya stares at him from the doorway, frozen in an awkward gesture. Evidently, he'd been halfway in the middle of his sentence before he registered the scene in front of him.

"...."

"...."

"......"

"......"

"U-um."

"Why are you standing there?" Abeno asks, more than a little impatient at this point.

"That, um." Ashiya looks around, "Are we expecting someone?"

"Expecting someone?"

"A-a client? Or something?"

Abeno stares at him, "No? If we were, I would have told you."

"I-I mean, sure, but, why are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Sitting there so seriously?! I thought I was in trouble or was going to get into trouble or some demons were in trouble or-"

"Just shut up and get in here!" Abeno snaps finally.

"Yessir!" And Ashiya dashes in the room, kicking off his shoes and settling down. It's only then he notices other details about the scene that he'd missed previously.

In front of Abeno and now in-between them both, were two similar boxes. Two very familiar boxes.

"...Abeno-san? What is this?"

"What does it look like?"

"Uh? Two boxes...are we continuing my training from last time? Is that why you look so serious??" Ashiya blinks, having realized something, "Did I mess up on the last job somehow?!? Is it because of-"

"Ashiya!"

"Yes?!"

"Shuddup and pick a box! ...Ugh." Abeno pinches the bridge of his nose.

...He looks tired.

"Abeno-san? Are you...?"

"Just pick a box already, you pain in the butt."

"Okay..."

Out of habit, Ashiya closes his eyes and focuses.

Then frowns. Scrunches up his face in a nexpression of intense concentration.

"...What are you doing?"

"I...don't sense anything, Abeno-san?" Ashiya somehow says while scrunching his face up so much he resembles a fish at this poin.

"I didn't put any youkai inside."

"You didn't?"

"Listen to what other people are saying, oi. Just pick a box."

"Why?"

"Why, you say..."

They're interrupted by the Mononokean's chime.

Itsuki, we have visitors.

"Visitors? But we don't have any jobs today?"

"People don't visit you on your days off? Okina-sama did? Don't you have any friends!?"

"This is a shop remember. And oi, what was that comment about no friends?!"

By this point, the Mononokean had materialized the Nijiriguchi and they're both interrupted by a knock on the wooden door.

"...?"

"Itsukiiii," Says the voice from beyond the door, "Quit fighting with Ashiya and open up, already." A very familiar voice.

Enough to make Abeno pause for a bit, debating whether he should open up or not.

"...Uh. Mr Legislator?" Ashiya says, hesitantly.

"Yep."

"O-oh. Wait, Abeno-san!"

"What."

"Don't just stand there! Open the door! We should make some tea too!"

"Justice is here too."

"Justice?!"

"Apparently." Is Abeno's input.

"Abeno-san!!"

"Calm down already."

Abeno then opens the door to the grinning face of the Legislator and the deadpan expression of the Justice.

"Hey there."

"Yes, he's ditching work again." Justice says, without any preamble.

"I'm more surprised you joined him in the ditching." Abeno remarks with a raised eyebrow.

"I finished mine, of course."

Are the heads of the Underworld's society actually so free?

"But we're here on more important matters." The Legislator says, with an air of seriousness.

"I know."

"You know?"

"I figured as much." Abeno eyes Ashiya for a moment, who's busy making some tea, "There's a problem with that, though."

"A problem?"

"I told you about it already, Legislator." Justice says.

"Really? How boring. I have so much time on my hands these days..."

"Use that time to actually finish off your work." Abeno says with a huff.

"I've been working non-stop these past few days, you know."

"Non-stop..." There is not a hint of belief in Abeno's tone at this point. Thankfully, the Justice interrupts them both. "We'll come by later, then."

They're still planning on visiting later? "Sure."

Abeno says his goodbyes to them and shuts the door.

"...Eh? Where are they?" Ashiya pipes up behind him.

"They've gone back."

"Gone back?!"

"Yep."

"But...I made tea for them!"

"No one asked you to make tea though."

"...Boo. Whatever."

And now, he's sulking. What a pain.

With a sigh, Abeno takes a cup from the tray.

"Thanks."

"You say that but I didn't make the tea for you." Ashiya says, with a pout.

"Uh-huh."

"Abeno-san?"

Abeno looks up to see Ashiya regard him with an unusually shrewd gaze.

"What?"

"Are you-"

This exchange is interrupted by a sudden ringtone. Ashiya starts, and pats his pockets before realizing, "Eh? That isn't my ringtone?"

"It's mine, obviously."

"Abeno-san...you actually have people to call you on your phone?"

"Do you think I'm a hermit or something?!"

"Yes!?" Is the panicked reply. Abeno sighs again and just picks the phone up, "Hello?"

While listening to the response, he appears a little surprised. "Really? Now?"

Ashiya watches him closely.

"Alright. I'll do that."

He hangs up and looks at Ashiya. "Can you come with me for a sec?"

"Come with you?"

"Mmmhm."

"Sure, I guess. Where are we going?"

Abeno shrugs the kimono off his school uniform. "Well, the Mononkean can take us there but..."

Abeno gives a meaningful glance at the wall scroll who goes,

Let's go there now! ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆

"Sure...? But where-"

There's a rattling noise as the tearoom opens the door to said place, without so much as an announcement or fanfare.

Ashiya blinks at the door.

"Wait this is my-"

"Let's go already!"

"Wha-wait wait wait! Abeno-san, stop pushing me-!"

Ashiya almost stumbles through as Abeno gives him a final shove through the door.

And then, a loud bang interrupts them suddenly.

"Wha-"

"Surprise!!!!"

Ashiya blinks as he sees the scene in front of him.

"Mom? Sis??? Saga and Fusshin?????"

Not just them but almost their whole class? They're surrounding the dining room table where there was a warm glow and-

"Eh?"

"Happy birthday, Hanae!" Sis says happily, and Abeno skillfully ducks out of the way as she comes barrelling through the crowd and hugs him tightly.

Tightly.

Too tight.

"S-sis, wait, can't...breathe..."

"Ahhhh, you can finally see this, we've been planning this for weeks, so happy!!! So happy!!!!"

"A...beno-san?"

"Looks like it runs in the family. That energy." Is the side remark from Abeno, to Saga probably. Or Fusshin. And not helping in the least.

"Abenon could have used that energy these last few weeks right?" Fusshin says.

"He looked like he was about to die yesterday..." Saga worries.

"I haven't seen him talk to that many people though!"

"I haven't seen him talk to people at all..."

"For so long, either!"

"Well, we helped spread the invitations too."

"Since he's Hanae's best friend, he should have done it himself!" Sis says.

By this point, Abeno is very clearly ignoring all of them and averting his eyes from Ashiya's pointed expression.

He still looks exhausted.

"Hanae, it's time!"

"Eh, Mom?"

"Blow out the candles, Hanae!"

"Sis, wait!"

He's pushed again towards the table, away from Abeno.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

...Noisy.

He should've gone home by this point.

"Of course you're in the corner."

"Don't you start making any more comments, you five year old." Abeno says irritably.

"Any more comments?"

"I've heard enough of them to last the week." Enough side comments from people who were surprised that Abeno was talking to them for once.

"Isn't that because you're a loner in class?"

"You-!"

Abeno rounds on him, but notices Ashiya wearing a strange expression.

"You're still super popular anyways. They keep saying so."

"What?"

"So!" Ashiya interrupts, and holds his hand out.

"What."

"Present."

"What?"

"My birthday present."

Abeno squints at him,, "What makes you think I have one?"

"You were trying to give it to me earlier, right? Before the Legislator and the Justice came by."

"That-"

"The Mononokean told me. Also, it was obvious."

"How was it...obvious?!"

Ashiya just grins at him then. "Present~"

"Tch!"

Ashiya barely manages to catch the box Abeno throws at him, "Hey! Careful!"

"Shuddup! Ugh."

"Hmph." It's one of the boxes from earlier. "Was there anything in the other one?"

"You thought I was going to give you two presents?"

"No, but. Why give it to me in such a roundabout way?"

Abeno deigns not to answer, just looking to the side.

....

There's a bit of red creeping up his ears.

The sound of wrapping paper inside the box.

"This is...?"

"You were complaining about not having a kimono for the underworld, right?" Abeno says, still not looking at him.

"That was...mostly because I had to wear a woman's kimono, though."

"You still complained enough that it was a pain in the ass, though."

"Uh-huh. It's pretty."

"You have to represent the Mononokean well, of course it is."

"Abeno-san."

"What?!"

Abeno rounds on him then.

And there's something soft on his lips.

"?!"

Ashiya pulls away quickly, looking about as embarrassed as Abeno felt. He still has that annoyingly smug smile on his face, though.

"Thank you."

".........."

"...Um."

"..............."

"For, uh. A-all that...and this present and...d-don't look so shocked! Why are you so embarrassed?!"

"...Why are you working yourself up that much." Abeno says, still red-faced.

"!!!! You're embarrassed too!!!!!!"

"Of course I am, when you're reacting so weirdly!"

"Ugh, shut. Up."

But his hands are unexpectedly tender when he pulls Ashiya closer for a softer, slower kiss. This close, staring into each other's eyes, the most embarrassing thing by far.

He's been doing a lot of weirdly embarrassing things this week.

"...Happy...birthday."

"Jeez, you finally said it." Ashiya doesn't nearly sound as pissed off as he's pretending to be, a sweet smile on his face.

Might as well keep that tradition going.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

For more super sugary shenanigans like this, head over hereto request some more drabbles

Or you can check the taglist/FAQ to see what I’ve written before [and what I currently write!

And if you wanna show some support, you can head over to my ko-fi page

Y’all are best goodmorning goodbye goodnight time to sleep for a hundred years love you byeee

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

[ravingj]

Please have Chrom or Robin deal with number 8 thank you :3

8. Mental instability (losing their mind)

[[why not]]

[[and seeing as ive broken robin plenty of times before]]

[[i might as well do chrom]]

[[this is also combined with a prompt for the chrom/m!robin or all/m!robin collection The Shepherd Records, which you can read here! ]]

[[anyway have fun i spent a month over this yay]]

Title: That Dying Light

Rating: T+

Pairing: Chrom/M!Robin

Warnings: Drug warning, unfortunate implications

This morning, he visits him again.

And like usual, he’s seated near the window.

That day's beginning rays falling on his face, he doesn't even stir. They illuminate the shadows under his eyes, stark against his pale skin. Just barely hidden under his hair.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, he straightens up.

He's smiling already.

“Good morning.”

His voice is hoarse, wavery. Lack of sleep.

It’s like before.

Chrom exhales.

“Morning."

“…It really is a nice day, isn’t it?” Is all that Robin says. He’s still smiling.

It is. It's bright. The sunlight floods the room with unnatural warmth, and he can just barely see Robin's eyes.

The storm had dissipated, along with everything that followed.

In the silence of the room, his footsteps are heavy. The clinking of his armor is loud.

“I’m back, Robin.”

“Welcome back, Chrom.”

It's just like before. His thumb strokes the dark circles under Robin's eyes.

“Haven’t been sleeping well?”

“Ah…not really.”

“The bed’s untouched.”

Just barely, he sees Robin's finger twitch.

“I haven’t been too sleepy recently. Force of habit.”

“Not a good habit.”

“True.”

Robin smiles at him even as he pulls his hand away.

The damned sunlight in his eyes again.

As it glints off the chains on Robin’s wrists.

“Were you staying up and reading again?”

“Yeah. Again, some habits are hard to break.”

“Well, maybe you should be breaking some of them.”

Even in the warmth of the sun, his fingers are cold.

“Do you need a blanket or something?”

“Not really.”

This is like before.

Robin moves a bit to straighten up in his chair. When Chrom stops him, takes his hand in his, he can feel it.

Trembling hands.

“I’m not cold.” He certainly felt it though.

This is like before.

Robin was a brave person. For all the fear he’d shown on his face, his eyes were filled with determination; steady and solid. Unwavering.

This is…

He can see Robin’s eyes clearly now.

“Chrom?”

His wrist, so thin. So breakable in his hand.

"I should get a blanket for you later. The nights are colder than you think."

This is like before because Robin always did neglect his health.

This is like before, those nights long ago, those starry nights.

Blood-soaked nights.

Robin's wrists are thinner.

Easier to slip through the chains.

Cold fingertips on his cheek.

"I'm still here, Chrom."

It's like before. And it's not like before.

"I..."

"I'm still here." Robin says. There's more strength in his voice than before.

The clink of armour, hard marble on his knees.

A hand to claw at those robes, familiar robes, memories surface and die in his mind.

It's not like before.

"Chrom..."

It's not like before.

A smile against the dying sun.

He couldn't take his eyes away from such a tragic sight.

Grima's shrieking fades from his mind as he sees Robin lift his arm.

His fingers.

Cold and in his hand.

They're already crumbling away.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

He couldn't speak.

He hears Robin whisper, "I'm still here, Chrom."

"May we meet again in another life."

A heart-wrenching smile as he watches his best friend, his comrade-

his-

"Chrom!"

Chrom blinks, stiffens as he feels a hand on his shoulder.

Warm breath on his cheek, his ear.

This is...

"Robin?"

A familiar scent, that he couldn't place. Of warm lands and the sun, even in this dark, dark room.

In the days that he'd stayed here, Robin had never touched him.

He didn't want Robin to touch him.

He's close enough for Chrom to see the track-marks on his arms, the glint of the chains. A cruel, bright light.

This is not a dream. Robin is alive.

It's not like before. The year that had passed without him.

Not a cruel dream.

Please, not a cruel dream.

He claws at those robes. Still not meeting those eyes.

Hesitant hands smoothing his hair, brushing against his cheek.

"Chrom."

It's not a dream. Not a nightmare.

He could almost convince himself it's not. It is. It's not.

Robin's alive.

Disappeared from his life.

He should have never looked for him, never should have found him.

And a voice, slimy, crawling up his spine, his neck.

He can still hear it.

Laughter that haunts his deepest dreams.

If I am going to die, I will take him with me!

"Chrom. I'm here."

There's fear in Robin's eyes still.

His hands are cold. Still shaking.

The scent of herbs, defiling the memory of his scent.

What is this?

"Chrom?"

"What have I done?"

When Chrom looks at him, Robin meets his eyes. Finally.

"...Chrom? Are..."

He dares not to breathe.

"What did I do to you?"

"Chrom...!"

The scent of herbs. A drug he was forced to remember, as part of his royal training.

The glint of chains.

The broken shell of the man that sat in front of him.

"What did I..."

"Chrom, no..."

"I did this...?"

His voice. Broken. Shaken.

He takes it all in. That creeping numbness, crawling down his back.

Gods, what did he do?

That question swims through his mind, dredges up more filthy memories.

"No...oh gods..."

"Chrom!"

He can see it.

He can see Chrom's eyes.

Their light, dying and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Again.

He grips Chrom's shoulders, his hands feel weak. Useless.

He cam almost hear that damned voice whisper in his mind.

Too late.

It wasn't Grima's influence.

He tells himself that even as he watches the man he knows wither away.

"..."

"Chrom?"

"Your hands are cold."

"...Yeah, they are."

And he's already lost.

"Robin?"

Again, they step on cracked ice and fragile words, carrying words that could spark something far uglier.

He's so tired.

"Robin? What is it?"

Chrom himself freezes up as Robin touches him again.

Pulls him into a hug.

"I'm just tired." He says out loud. Chrom isn't hearing this.

Because he's not here.

He'd leave Robin all alone, under the feeble pretense of protection. This dark room that isolates him from the world that he fell in love with.

Love.

Protection. In his heart, he probably does believe that.

Robin doesn't know anymore.

He doesn't know this man anymore.

"Are you leaving soon?"

"Yeah."

It's about time for him to leave. Like clockwork, he complies.

Tries to.

Before he can move, Robin leans in and kisses him.

Just for a bit. Brushing their lips together.

He pulls away, looks away and mumbles a goodbye.

Did that get through to him? Maybe not.

Chrom stays there for a little while longer before he does leave.

He can feel it now, that despair. He chuckles, even as he feels his eyes sting.

The door shutting behind him.

The only sound for days to come.

[yourlocalyorozuya]

In Unholy Matrimony

[[aka the arranged marriage fic where ashiya almost marries abeno]]

[[boy save it till after the first date yeesh]]

Title: In Unholy Matrimony, Death can't take me fast enough

Pairing: Abeno Haruitsuki/Ashiya Hanae

Rating: K+

A03 Link

AU: Modern-day Onmyoujis(on Abeno’s side at least)

The more he remembers back to those events, the more he realized how strange it had been.

The warning signs were prevalent even all the way back then.

It started off small and wrong, like shards of glass under his feet, that fell into place as a series of strange events.

First, the youkai.

They acted as they usually do. Around him, at the very least, but that didn't mean much.

When they already looked at him with suspicion, wariness, with fangs and claws bared, any new, alarming signs would be lost on both him and themselves.

Second, and related to that, was Yahiko. The much more noticeable of the lot.

The youko had disappeared following the start of the lunar cycle. Vanished completely.

Right in front of Abeno.

No parting words.

No trace of a presence.

But before he had time to even react, Yahiko had reappeared.

He seemed to even be unaware that he had ever left.

Could it have been a joke? In poor taste, but he's known worse from Yahiko.

The third sign was the fact that he'd been forced into an arranged marriage with the lady of the Ashiya house.

...What was with that escalation of events?!

An arranged marriage in this day and age?!

So Abeno thinks furiously and that does nothing but agitate his already terrible headache.

...Headache? And why was he lying down?

...............

And why were his eyes closed?

He opens them and the response- one that he definitely wasn't expecting-was immediate.

"You're alive!!! Oh my god!!!!"

"...So loud."

"Ah, sorry!" The voice says, in an attempt at a whisper this time. Still too loud. Abeno frowns.

It's not a voice he knows. He opens his eyes.

He doesn't understand what he's seeing.

"What...?"

"J-Just, um...keep lying down. You shouldn't strain yourself."

"Strain myself?"

There's an insistent throbbing at the side of his hip, over his chest.

Also his robes seemed to have been pushed down, baring his chest.

"I'm not done treating your wounds." The boy continues.

Wounds? He'd been injured?

At the back of his mind, there's something trying to click into place.

"Where...?"

"We're in a hidden room. The one we planned to use for youkai attacks." The boy grimaces, "Like right now."

"Youkai don't attack people." Not usually, anyway.

"You already said that." The boy doesn't look convinced in the least.

He did? Probably. Probably?

It's difficult to remember.

"Head. Ow."

"You may have hit your head on the way down, too." The boy says, and he's sounding more and more guilty with every word.

"Great." Abeno says, scathing. Taking a deep breath, centering himself, regaining his bearings.

The smell of herbs in the air and the stinging as the boy continues applying...something to his wounds. Salve, probably. And bandages, he adds, after experimentally flexing his fingers.

It felt like his bones were powdered from the inside on his palm.

How did this...even happen?

The wedding. Oh.

That explains some things.

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't get up!!"

Too loud. Abeno glares at the boy again and he immediately goes quiet, wordlessly helping Abeno into a sitting position.

"What is this?" Abeno demands.

"Eh?"

This entire farce.

"This omiai, was it a trap?"

"A...what??"

"Three weeks ago, I was ordered by the Emperor to marry someone of the Ashiya house." An order and less of a marriage offer. It was expected.

It was planned.

"...Yes, you were." The boy says finally, "And we were ordered to have the lady of the house marry you."

Abeno raises an eyebrow at him.

"And I met you."

"Y-" The boy shrunk under his glare, "Yes?"

"Forgive my impertinence", Abeno says in a tone that implies nothing but impertinence, "But even if your clothes imply otherwise, you don't seem much like a lady to me."

And from shame to anger, with a snap of his fingers. Were all the members of this house so mercurial?

"I'm not!" Is the boy's immediate reaction, then the color drains from his face as he realizes what he said, "I-I mean! I...am..."

"Your wig is askew."

"Crap!"

Also he hadn't been talking in falsetto this whole time, Abeno notes dryly. Though to be fair, he'd pulled off a decently convincing act until the...attack.

Dressed in a kimono, wore makeup and a wig with longer hair.

And when Ashiya fixes his wig, he then seems to realize he'd given himself away. Again.

"Ah."

"Naturally I'd be suspicious of you, if you're acting like that."

"A-ah." And a blush creeping on his cheeks.

...Dressed like that, it would actually look somewhat becoming on him. It suited him, oddly. That is, if his voice hadn't gotten louder and louder as he attempted to explain himself.

Abeno sighs. That headache was returning.

"A-And I needed to...dressupandcomehereth-the Emperor ordered our families to marry and it's not-they don't know! Mom or sis! About youkai!"

That certainly grabbed Abeno's attention.

"They don't know?"

"No! They think..." Ashiya pauses, then actually brings his voice lower to whisper. A miracle.

"They think that it's all stuff in the past. Their ancestors did it and not...the us of now. Does that make sense?"

"Barely."

"I don't know how else to explain it!"

"Except for you apparently." Abeno points out.

"I just-" Ashiya falters, "I just started seeing them recently! With a super fuzzy youkai that started haunting me a few days ago and-"

"The one sitting on your shoulder right now?"

The fuzzball demon wags at him when he points at it.

"AAAAAAAAAAH THERE HE IS-"

"You're too loud!"

And Ashiya starts, falling quiet abruptly.

So does Abeno, when Ashiya pulls him closer.

"Hey-"

"Shh!" Ashiya hisses. He yanks at the demon on his shoulder and presses it between them both.

There isn't that much space between them.

"Be quiet!"

That should be my line, Abeno thinks. But he falls silent anyway, compliant.

...Perfume, too? It smells like flowers.

Ah. That's right, his family runs a flower shop.

Abeno can also see the miasma over their heads.

Chills through his body. He's shivering.

"...Are you alright?" Abeno asks carefully.

"I'm...fine."

No, you're not. We should move." He'd just awakened a few weeks ago.

"You're badly hurt though!"

"I'm fine. This is nothing."

"Don't try to act cool now!"

"Tch. Says the asshole shaking like a leaf over me."

"I don't want you to get even more hurt, you know!" Ashiya says, furious. At himself, or Abeno or this turn of events? Hard to say?

"I said."

Abeno locks eyes with the youkai above them both.

A gigantic, blob-like youkai filling the room.

With one giant, black claw reaching down for Ashiya's shoulder.

"Move!"

And he throws Ashiya off of him with all the strength he has.

"...!"

And while Ashiya stumbles, he pushes himself up with the fading strength in his arms. Standing, then taking Ashiya's hand, and rushing for the door.

"Wha-!"

"Run!"

"O-okay!"

Ashiya kicks off his sandals and his wig falls off, hugging the youkai close to his body.

"Where do we go from here?!"

"Follow me!"

Ashiya grips Abeno's hand tighter and rushes forward.

"That hurts...!" Abeno hisses.

"Ah, sorry!"

He was more talking about the state of his body than anything.

But it feels oddly light.

Beneath the bandages, he feels the sting of salve.

Abeno falls into step beside Ashiya.

"Ah? Your wounds-!"

"Like I said, not that bad. We need to keep moving."

"Can't you use your powers to get rid of that thing? Aren't you an exorcist?!"

"I could ask the same of you, deadweight!"

"Ugh! Like I said I just-"

The roar of wind and the hand that holds his yanks him back.

"...Stop pulling-!"

Then he sees the youkai again, with its claws on Ashiya's kimono, its heaving body and gaping maw close to Ashiya's face.

And the look...on Ashiya's face.

Desperation.

Ah, didn't he see that look earlier?

In that farce of a marriage meeting, in the garden.

When he shielded Abeno's body with his own.

I don't want to die.

"Ashiya!"

"...!"

Just as they round a corner, Abeno pulls Ashiya's hand and grits his teeth as Ashiya crashes into him. Barely keeping himself on his feet somehow.

"Abeno-san!"

"For once, be quiet."

Ashiya pressing up close against him helps matters somewhat, as he takes a deep breath and gestures with his hand.

"Mononokean, come!"

The walls rattle loudly as the door forms right beside them.

"Grab the door!"

"O-okay!"

Ashiya's still holding his hand tightly, holding himself as close to Abeno's body as possible and Abeno stares right at the youkai chasing them.

And then the door shuts and they collapse in an ungainly heap on the floor.

Ow. Owwww.

"Owwwwwww." Ashiya echoes his thought, "My nose, my face, my everythinggg..."

Itsuki?!

The sound of a bell ringing.

"I'm....back...." Abeno says, somehow, through grit teeth. Ashiya looks up then, just as words appear on the scroll on the wall.

What happened? Who is that? I saw some youkai going on a rampage outside!!

"Wha-what is that?! Who...what?! Abeno-san!!"

His headache is returning.

"This is...Ashiya Hanae. The son of the Ashiya family." Abeno says, absolutely unwilling to move. He'd like to avoid speaking too, but the misunderstandings would be even more of a pain to deal with, "And this is the Mononokean."

"Oh, the...tea house thing you're in charge of?"

"It's more of a room. The Mononokean itself is a sentient being...that scroll expresses the will of the youkai."

"Youkai?!"

You're of the Ashiya family?

"...Y-yes?!"

I see. My apologies for startling you.

Well, at least one of them was acting calm. And civil.

"Ah, um, no. The pleasure is mine?" It sounded more like a question.

Perhaps...you should get off of Itsuki. You both don't seem very comfortable.

"Oh! Right!" Ashiya scrambles to a sitting position next to Abeno.

"Finally." Abeno mutters. Somehow pushing himself up into a sitting position.

"Are you okay?" Ashiya asks, concerned.

"Do I look okay?!"

"N-no??" Is Ashiya's slightly panicked response.

...Abeno feels tired all of a sudden.

"Never mind." He sighs, placing a hand over his forehead, "Shouldn't you be asking yourself that?"

"Huh?"

"You're injured too."

"E-ehhh? Why are you saying that...?"

Abeno squints at him.

"I-I'm not! Injured! In any way! Anywhere!!"

"Pretending to be a girl comes naturally to you but lying doesn't?" Abeno asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Ugh...don't call me a natural at that!!"

...Itsuki?

Also how was it that he was feeling the scrutinizing gaze of an inanimate wall scroll?

"This is. Things happened."

Things..?

"A-Abeno-san! That is a very misleading explanation!!"

"You explain, then. I'm going to sleep." Abeno says, closing his eyes.

"Ah, wait! What am I...supposed to do now...?"

"...Your family."

"Eh?"

Abeno looks up at him again. "Your family. Where are they?"

"Oh. They're at the kingdom's border...I came here alone."

"So you ran away from home, cross-dressed to pose as your sister and attended a marriage meeting as that sister. All alone. With no plan beforehand."

"I-I had a plan!"

"And it worked out so well, didn't it."

"Ugh."

"The Mononokean will be detected if we travel past the border now. We should wait till morning."

What of the royal guards?

"They'll be distracted with the recent attack. Even the Emperor wasn't expecting this..."

Won't they call upon you?

"They would. Then again, we were attacked at the omiai, so we can use that opportunity and say we dropped the bride back at her family's place."

...The Emperor was very insistent that you meet. Is this why?

"Because the Abeno family and the Ashiya family were rivals?"

That's surprising. Abeno looks at him.

"What? When I started seeing demons, I did a lot of research. You couldn't exactly call us rivals though." Ashiya says, somewhat peevish, "It was more one-sided. On our family's side."

"Imagine that."

"Anyway! Is that why?"

Possibly.

"We can't do anything now, so we have to stay here for the time being. It'll be especially bad for you in that state."

"Okay."

"I'm going back to sleep."

"W-wait! You need a futon or something! You're injured, don't sleep on the floor!"

There's one in the cupboard...

"I'll get it."

"Hey! Don't move!"

"Shuddup already. Too loud." Abeno gripes, and he somehow manages to make his way to the cupboard and pull out a futon, "I'm going to sleep."

"Fine! I'll sit over there!"

...

"...What?" Abeno says.

"Did that scroll just triple-dot us?" Ashiya asks the obvious.

Aren't you injured as well?

"Um. Yes?"

Abeno wisely keeps his mouth shut at this time, and elects to glare at the scroll now.

Why don't you-

"No." That didn't last long.

Itsuki, it would be rude for us to leave an injured guest like this.

"What about that consideration for my well-being. Also what is wrong with you."

I just don't want to be rude. (￣ε￣)

"Is that. An emoticon??" Ashiya asks.

"They're very modern."

"Uh-huh."

"...Ugh, I'm going to sit over there. You, rest on the futon."

"But-"

"Rest. Now."

"Okay." Is the immediate answer.

Abeno sighs. Again. A heavy sigh. And drags himself out of the futon to sit next to the scroll, while Ashiya sits on the futon awkwardly.

He hears the scratching of words on the scroll.

"Don't start."

"I didn't say anything?"

I didn't either, Itsuki.

"Shuddup both of you. And don't you imply anything."

"Me?"

"Not you!"

But I didn't say anything. (￣▽￣ゞ

"Ugh. Let me sleep."

Alright. I'll keep watch over both of you.

"Um. Thanks."

"..."

More scratching.

You say 'you're welcome', Itsuki.

"...You did that, already." And Abeno closes his eyes.

So he hears the scratching of text on the scroll but he doesn't see it.

"N-no! I just..." Ashiya pauses, then lowers his voice, "I wanted to keep it a secret."

...

Sleepy.

Abeno doesn't hear the rest of it.

"It's not...I didn't want to drag him into this."

"..."

"Not her or mom or him."

"..."

"Don't tell him, okay? I just need to find him on my own."

"..."

"I didn't want to start the war again. I don't know why."

"..."

"Keep it a secret and if need be, I'll speak with the Emperor myself. Don't let Abeno-san know about anything."

"..."

"...!!! OR THAT! Ah, crap that was too loud...good he didn't wake up. Don't tease me!"

Somehow.

It feels like it was going to be a long night.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

For more sexually confusing shenanigans like this, head over here to request some more drabbles

Or you can check the taglist/FAQ to see what I’ve written before [and what I currently write!

And if you wanna show some support, you can head over to my ko-fi page

Y’all are best goodmorning goodbye goodnight time to sleep for a hundred years love you byeee

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

[yourlocalyorozuya]

[[the AU with akira making a deal with demon!arsene, and a whole lot of fuckery follows.]]

[[so like. right up my alley there’s a lot of things i indulge in here like tragic backstories, gothic style demon settings, the end of the world as we know it and confusing super high UST between a detective and his suspect like thats all the boxes ticked right there]]

[[also usually i post the fics up here on tumblr and don’t just link it buuut]]

[[im trying a new writing style that only works on A03 so sorry bout any inconvenience! i hope you enjoy reading!}]

Title: With claws, teeth and crooked tongue

Pairing: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira

Rating: T+(for this chapter)

WARNING: Detailed gore, suicide, mentioned character death

AU: Demon!Arsene and DemonContractor!Akira

Summary:

'With claws, teeth and crooked tongue, Through bone and marrow, the damage is done, Clothes blackened by crimson blood, He drags your forgotten name, through the mud.

Oh! Poor, unloved soul, no chance for thee! He rips through your fragile life with glee.'

A detective passes through the town, a string of murders follow. A criminal appraising him from the other side of the table, his mouth sealed shut, his eyes seeing all.

The town falling deeper and deeper into the darkness, The thief, who had given his heart to the demons, The ones that had eaten the moon, stars and sky,

That same thief had one final show left to give.

[yourlocalyorozuya]

Title: Martyr Burnout Rating: K+ Warnings: None

@ignoctweek day 1:

Simple: Falling in Love >Situational: Taking care of each other

Summary: After a tiring couple of days fighting for their lives, Ignis and Noctis find that it’s difficult to keep some things under wraps.

A03 Link

[[technically this only has hints of romance or pining but its there so it counts]]

[[have fun]]

Martyr Burnout

A Final Fantasy XV fanfiction

He notices during the later hours of the night. Maybe even earlier than that, but these last few hours had been somewhat of a blur.

The last few hours whence the gang had made the fatal mistake of jumping down a trapdoor. One particular trap door in the vicinity of the Crown City barricade, to which they'd realized it led to a veritable network of sewer tunnels, with the lovely addition of daemons, switch-opened doors and the ever-classic sewer water sloshing at their feet. Sometimes even pulling them down into an actual demon ambush.

"I'd hoped to arrange some food before the inevitable dogpile on the beds." Ignis says, just then. He gestures to his left where both Prompto and Gladio were fast asleep, facedown and in somewhat strange positions.

"Yeah. What time even is it?"

"4 in the morning."

"Seriously?" Noctis checks his phone and grimaces, "How long ago did we even eat?"

"Possibly stretching the limits of starvation right about now."

"Sleep sounds good, though. Better."

"Tell that to yourself the next morning when your stomach starts digesting itself."

"Cannibalism later. Sleepy now."

"It's more along the lines of auto-cannibalism, that."

There's a slight lag in Noctis' reply now, mostly due to the fact that it's taking him several minutes to blink. Even when he manages one, all he can muster up is a simple, "Mmhm. Whatever."

"Noct."

"Mmhm."

"Noctis."

"Mm."

"This is getting us nowhere." Ignis sighs, "...If you're that tired, sleep on the bed. I can't imagine that chair would be too comfortable."

"Feet burn. Foot burning." One of those was correct probably.

Words are really weird, Noctis thinks, Just switch the 'o's in foot, to 'e's and you have the plural. Whoa.

For some reason, Noctis' mind is whirling with this new information, seemingly preoccupied with the semantics of the English language.

"Noct."

"Hm?" When did his eyes close? Noctis opens them again with slight difficulty and blinks. Ignis seems to have turned his back to him at this point, taking his coat off. Evidently, he's given up on the food run.

"You're quite tired. And take your shoes off, that'd help avoid spreading the stench of sewage everywhere."

"Oh. Right."

Through some miraculous feat, Noctis manages to kick his boots off without using his hands and lies back in his chair for just a little longer. Until he starts staring at the bed and figures that yes, Ignis had a point and it'd probably be more comfortable.

Whump.

"Oh." Ignis looks behind him to see the bed he was sitting on was now currently occupied by a sleepy, dirt-smeared prince.  "I suppose it'd be too much to ask to have you take a bath before you doze off?"

"I'm definitely going to doze off in there and drown."

"Rather hard for me to help you while you're in there, so best to avoid that."

"Mm." Noctis looks at him then. And Ignis knows that look all too well.

Pinched lips, uncertain eyes, a furrowed brow.

"Is something the matter?"

"Are you alright?"

An odd question."Yes, I am. Why?"

"You're...sitting around kind of awkwardly." And an odd answer.

"Awkwardly?"

"I dunno how to explain it. It's like you're holding yourself up kind of carefully. Like you're..." Noctis frowns then, as a new thought seems to have dawned on him.

"Ah. Well, it's nothing. It's just..."

"Ignis." Noctis' tone is stern now. He sounds a good deal more awake than he did a few minutes ago. "Don't even try."

"...Try what now?" Ignis still asks, anyway. He looks away now, as he carefully folds and places his coat next to the bed.

"Lying. And I know when you're lying." Noctis says somewhat stubbornly. The bed creaks a little, possibly him pushing himself up a little to face Ignis.

"I wonder if I've really become that easy to read."

"Nope, just the opposite. But we've known each other for how long now?" A rhetorical question, but Noctis still lets it drift in the silence. He's pulled himself up into a sitting position again, next to Ignis.

"That's true. But there's nothing to worry about. All that fighting from before has just left me somewhat bruised, is all."

"...Bruised?"

"Potions can only heal so much, even with your power behind it, your Highness."

"That..." Noctis looks more worried than ever now and Ignis silently curses his tactless words. Perhaps the late hour had gotten to him more than he realized.

"It's nothing I can't handle."

"Still!" There's a flash of blue and Ignis just then realizes that there's suddenly a potion bottle being pressed into his hands.

"...Noct, I'm fine. I don't have anything serious that I need to seek immediate attention for."

"Forgive me if I don't believe that." Noctis grumbles, leaning in a little closer and frowning. As if he could survey any injuries for himself.

And Ignis leans back, just a bit. "Believe me, then. I'm fine."

"Uh-huh."

"...You don't sound like you believe me."

"Wow, you really are a genius." Comes Noctis' sarcastic reply. Complete with eye-roll.

"You don't look so good yourself."

"I'm fine."

There's a significance in the look that Noctis gives him. Ah, so that was the issue.

He's able to recognize this, because it was another iteration of something that they buried between themselves as the years go by.

"If I was significantly injured, I wouldn't be so foolhardy to go into battle like that."

"You would, if I was in danger." Noctis says quietly, firmly.

They were close enough now that Ignis could see the magic burn in Noctis' eyes.

"I would." Ignis says simply.

"And I don't want that." Noctis takes Ignis' hand now, carefully pulling the glove off with unexpected tenderness.

When he sees the cut on his palm, he pales a bit. "This..."

"Is something easily fixed." Ignis attempts to pull his hand back, but Noctis' grip is as stubborn as it could be.

"It looks like you've done a blood sacrifice in King's Knight." Noctis says sourly, "By impaling yourself on a rusty dagger."

"It looks worse than it is."

"Like hell!"

His voice is a bit too loud and Prompto mumbles sleepily and rolls over.

Ignis tries to look back at the others, but Noctis holds his gaze.

"Just because I'm the prince doesn't mean I need to be protected!"

Pain.

Nothing corporeal, not like that. His wound stung, but it was nothing, nothing like it always was.

It bites at Noctis' expression, in the way he ducks his eyes down, his head down and his shoulders that carry the weight of a world.

At the fingers that cradle Ignis' palm, that feel far too cold.

.

"You've proven more than capable of protecting yourself."

"It's not enough, apparently." A bitter chuckle and a sigh.

"Sometimes, I think so as well."

It wouldn't be enough.

When gods fall and extend their hands to one man and one woman, with their backs to the wall and the nights growing longer and longer and daemons clawing at their heels...

How on Eos could that possibly be enough?

For one man, let along a lost prince?

"What?" Noctis snaps, but he falls short at seeing Ignis' expression.

"But we don't have the leisure of time for such reflections." Ignis takes his hand away, "I'm merely doing what I always have."

"...You're gonna burn out like this."

"I'll be fine."

"...I don't want to lose you too."

The admission catches Ignis off-guard.

He feels Noctis bury his face against his shoulder.

"Not you too. Not those guys, or anyone else. Not...dammit." He takes a breath and Ignis could feel his hand clutch at his shirt, breathe out softly.

"Nor I, you." Ignis says.

Noctis leans heavily on him now and the fatigue leaks back into his tone, his words.

"Because you've been watching over me."

"I wouldn't be able to bear it either."

Honest, too honest now. Ignis closes his eyes and catches the rest of his thought.

Noctis looks up at him then, he seems to be searching Ignis' expression.

Close. Too close.

Ignis leans back and Noctis looks back down.

"...Sorry. Shouldn't be talking about things like that."

"It would do to open up once in a while, you know."

"Not if it's...nah. Nevermind."

As emotionally tongue-tied as always, Noctis lets his sentences drift into silence.

A slightly awkward silence, more comfortable than it should be.

"Well, we can have another talk like this again, about whatever ails you."

"Yeah, sure. Me losing my shit over dumb things. I'm looking forward to that."

"While you're sarcastic about it, it is in my job description."

"I know. But first and foremost, you're my friend. And I am yours."

The potion bottle is insistently pressed into Ignis' palm again and Ignis relents. He takes it this time, and Noctis sighs, murmuring, "It's not a one-way thing, you know."

"..."

"If that makes any sense."

"It does."

"Cool. I'm...just gonna...nap here for five seconds."

"...What?"

"I'm tired. And you're comfortable."

"Noct, that..."

Too late. There's already a light snoring sound in the air and Ignis looks over, incredulous.

"...Good grief. What a willful prince we have here."

In such an awkward position like this. Ignis resists the urge to laugh, instead heaving a defeated sigh and looking up.

Even now, there's still a mite of heaviness in his heart. Like the tension in the air that surrounds them.

Carefully, so as not to jostle Noctis, he takes his coat again and places it over the boy's shoulder, a makeshift blanket.

Just for a little while.

Just...

His glove lay untouched, off to the side, and his hand under Noctis', strained a little in their rather uncomfortable position.

And Ignis doesn't move it, doesn't pull away. Just settles down, leaning ever so slightly against Noctis' touch.

It was enough.

A pillar to lean on, a shoulder to support him. That's what he spent years as, serving as, being.

It was enough. It has to be.

He feels his own eyes close, with a heavy sigh.

Noctis' hand closes ever so slowly on his.

This was enough.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

[yourlocalyorozuya]

Title: Violin Waltz Rating: K+ Warnings: None

@ignoctweek day 2 :

Simple: Noctis cooks >Situational: Fantasy World AU (via Dragon!Noctis)

Summary: After Noctis seeks out a particularly harsh hunt alone, Ignis must track him down in the wild and re-evauate the careful relationship that they’d kept together.

A03 Link

Violin waltz.

A Final Fantasy XV fanfiction

The sun had just about reached its peak when Ignis finally finds the cave.

A particularly well-hidden haven in the heart of the rocky terrain. Not too far above the ground, strangely enough, easily accessible.

  He surveys the landscape again as he dismounts from his chocobo, giving it a cursory pat and words of gratitude before turning around and walking inside.

The echo of the wind, that swept past his feet, of his voice trapped in place as he walked on by, mingling together like the singing of nymphs. He could almost delude himself into thinking there was music there, at the edge of his hearing, if he focused on it.

He's getting close. It's confirmed when he feels the air turn to liquid at his fingers, presses down at his lungs and the thrums of piano and violin creates a sorrowful duet, echoing in the large chambers.

He stops at a fork in the path and considers his options...before calling out again anyway.

"Noct?"

There's a rather loud sound to his left and he elects to follow it. The music gets louder and louder and it feels less and less like he's walking and more like he's swimming with the magic that swirled in the air with a familiar, comforting bluish light.

To the point, he felt like he wasn't walking, dragging himself along. Into someone else's rhythm, performing a waltz with the air.

He stops when he reaches a wide area surrounded by several tunnels, one of which he seems to have traversed through. An open area after such narrow tunnels, oddly enough, does nothing to ease his wariness, but it does help the claustrophobia a bit.

Enough room, he thinks grimly, to house a rather large daemon. A Nagarani, perhaps even a Jormungand. But he doesn't see either of them.

The swords, spears, daggers at his feet and buried into the ground certainly didn't help matters.

What he does see is discarded and burnt sticks on the charred ground and several glowing lines of light that illuminated the heart of the haven.

Where his missing liege slept, ever-so-peacefully.

"..."

Merely setting his eyes upon him and Ignis felt it all rushing back; the exasperation, the humor, the stress, the relief, a slow, flickering spark of irritation that he'd learnt all too well to deal with and cope with once he'd entered the Crownsguard service.

And a slower, warmer sense of familiarity.

Ignis sighs and walks towards the center, past the charring, the claw marks on the ground, the faint smell of fire.

Clambering up on the top of the haven stone and settling down carefully on it.

"Noct. Wake up."

An annoyed grunt.

"Noctis." A tap on his shoulder and Noctis shakes it off, rolling over to the side.

Some persistent shaking does get some progress; Noctis groans, pushes his hand away, then groans again and sits up.

At least his eyes are open. Kind of.

Clouded, electric. A wild, bright red staring back at him.

They flicker over, then focus on Ignis and Noctis frowns. "Ignis...?"

"The one and the same."

"Huh. Isn't it...what are you doing here?" Noctis pauses to yawn, "Is it morning already?"

"1 in the afternoon."

"It's still...oh right. The cave." Noctis chooses this point to stretch, reaching his arms up and exhaling as he sits cross-legged on the rock.

Followed by the wings unraveling from his body to stretch out behind him, a royal dark blue that reached towards the lighter colors as it travelled on his webbed wings, glowing the faded, gentle blue color of the magic in the air.

Like the magic that flickered in his eyes. 

"...A tough battle?"

"Hm?"

"Your arms."

Noctis looks back down and frowns. His arms were covered with the same dark blue scales as the ones on his back and wings and his talons were fully out.

"...Y-you could say that." Noctis says. He discreetly tries to hide them behind his back and Ignis could already see blue sparks over his skin as his fingers pressed into his palms, "It wasn't a big deal, really."

"...Certainly seemed to be enough of one for you to run away in the dead of night. To fight it. All by yourself."

"Uh." Noctis falters, "You, uh. Sound a bit pissed."

"Worried, mostly."

"Not denying it, huh." Noctis scratches his cheek, sheepish.

By this point, his hand seems to have reverted back to normal.

"Really, it wasn't that bad. It was much more difficult than what we handle usually. Just at...nighttime."

"And was there a particular objective or clause at this hunt of yours that couldn't inform me about this?"

"It was...nighttime?" Noctis repeats lamely.

"..."

Of course, it came back down to that.

"It would be wise to pursue such difficult objectives with backup."

"...Right."

"At the very least, you could prepare to avoid awkward situations such as these."

Ignis hands him the change of clothes he'd brought and Noctis takes a moment to register what that means before his cheeks flush and he accepts the pile in a hurry.

"Yeah, uh. Right." He says again. There's a slight thud as his tail hits the ground in embarrassment.

Still not embarrassed enough to change right away. Ignis frowns.

"Were you injured?"

"Hm? Not badly, it'll heal up in a few days." Is the dismissive reply.

"...Days."

"Days. Uh. It wasn't that tough, but it was a high-level daemon. Which automatically makes it tough and-" Noctis wisely chooses to close his mouth then and hold his now human hands out. With a bad gash down the arm.

The expression on Ignis' face seems to speak volumes.

"It looks worse than it is."

"So I've been told multiple times."

"It's not as bad as last time!"

"I'll have to agree with that. You do seem quite well, if this is any indication." Ignis gestures around them, noting the blue-ish light that marked where his fingers were. Surrounding the tips of his gloves as he carefully wrapped the bandage around the boy's arm.

"That usually happens when I sleep."

"Hm. Quite interesting. Like an practice arena/healing station of sorts."

"Yeah. Uh, Ignis?"

"Yes, Noct?"

"There's possibly another um. Another injury near my neck. It's not too bad, just a scratch and-"

"Noct."

"Right."

Noct nods his head and winces a bit.

The cut on his neck is jagged and rough.

And deep.

"You should see the other guy."

"Daemon corpses evaporate after several seconds."

"Just great." Noctis winces again, but suppresses it somewhat, "Well, the proof is in the sighting. Or lack of it."

"A powerful one like that would be an eyesore in these parts."

"Like I said, it wasn't that bad."

"Says the draconian forced to transform to ensure victory."

"That..."

"Your horns are still out."

"Wait, what?" Noctis' hands shoot up and the movement jostles them both.

"Keep still, Noct."

"Right. Yep. Bad idea."

"And so is having your identity exposed."

"Yep. Worse idea."

"And sleeping in a cave in the midst of the wild."

"Worsest idea."

"Unless you needed healing."

Looking suitably chastised, Noctis looks away.

"...You're acting like a regular dragon of legend."

"Of legend? Like the fairytales you used to read?"

"Something like that. Most of the ones that featured dragons usually had them as the villains or as servants for heroes with a greater cause."

"So, not a good thing." Noctis says with a raised eyebrow.

"And the rare ones who did usually had them as princes suffering from evil curses."

"Oh, princes?" Something seems to occur to Noctis then,  "From those witches you used to talk about? The bad ones?"

"Something like that." Ignis sets the bandage on his neck, then runes to ensure faster healing. Presses them on carefully. "It changes on the story. But usually the story outcome is the same."

"And what's that?"

"They're usually transformed back into humans. Usually with a princess' kiss."

Noctis raised his eyebrows, "A princess. Really."

"That, or throwing their clothes on their back. That transforms them back as well."

"Well, we have that covered." Noctis holds his clothes pile up, "So, what, they just go up to them and kiss them?"

"Essentially."

"Huh. Princesses are usually the ones who have to be saved."

"Like me."

Noctis looks at him and then back down again. "You're the one who told me you could handle yourself."

"And you're the one loathe to believe it."

"You're-" Noctis stops himself. Shakes his head.

And he knows.

"Being spirited away helped in that regard." Ignis says simply, "I know my enemies better now."

"...Yeah."

Noctis presses his hands against his horns and Ignis watches as they flicker out of existence, in a blue flash of light.

"That'd help, I guess."

"It does."

"...Sorry. I should have trusted you."

"Apology accepted. But like you said, I was more worried about you than anything."

Noctis does grin then. "Thank goodness. I didn't know what'd happen if my princess was mad at me. ...Hey, don't look at me like that. You said it yourself."

"I suppose I did. Well, here are your clothes, so change back quickly before the clock strikes midnight."

"You're embarrassed." Noctis snickers and pokes Ignis' cheek, "You're definitely fitting the part of blushy maiden right now. What, embarrassed to give me a kiss for good luck?"

And Ignis leans away with as much dignity/grace he could muster. "Pray tell what would the illustrious dragon prince who singlehandedly took down an Adamantoise need luck for?"

"Facing Dad after you told him I went on this hunt alone?"

"Fortune does favor the bold, Your Highness. Make your own luck."

"Traitor."

By this point, he'd pulled his shirt and pants on and stood up, stretching fully and kicking at the dust in his feet.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Noctis responds.

By this point, the music had died down.

The magic in the air had disappeared.

And Ignis could already feel eyes surround them.

"Wanna bash some heads in?" Noctis asks quietly. Daggers in hand and staring behind Ignis' shoulder.

"Yes, let's."

"Alright." Noctis takes a step towards Ignis then.

Ignis turns and is about to discuss strategies with him, but is stopped when he feels soft lips on his own.

Insistent fingers tugging at his shirt and a gentle, careful hand on his cheek. The warmth of a sigh.

When Noctis pulls back, Ignis swears he feels the ghost of a snake tongue slither between them.

"For good luck." Noct says softly, with a smirk. Then his eyes flash red and warp behind Ignis, stabbing his dagger deep into the daemon's skull.

Ignis, for his part, merely stays in place for a few more seconds before he turns around abruptly.

He had a job to do after all.

This dragon prince couldn't protect him forever or for very long.

He thinks this as he falls into step with Noctis, a smile on his lips as he sees Noctis' childlike expression of wonder.

And into the waltz that only the both of them knew.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

For reference, the music is Noct's cave is: What lies Within: FFXV OST. i adore the dungeon music. so much. the dungeons themselveeees tho lmao they can go burn

Songs used for inspiration:

Dragon Boy: Spirited Away OST Somnus(sob): FFXV OST Lost Time Memory: Jin ft IA

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

Title: insomnia somnium vidisse se dicat Rating: K+ Warnings: glitching text

@ignoctweek day 5

>Simple: Constellations >Situational: Ignis manages to use the last of the magic in him to bring Noctis back from the dead when he finds him on the throne.

Summary: A prince who loved the stars finally gets to see them.

A03 Link

insomnia somnium vidisse se dicat

A Final Fantasy XV fanfiction.

These days, he doesn't even need the alarm to wake him up.

No, he's got a human one right beside him, apparently.

Noctis groans and shoves his head under the pillow. It only provides a brief reprieve before its snatched away and he groans feebly.

"Come now, Noct. Morning waits for no man." Ignis says brusquely, and Noctis loses his blanket too to the Great Awakening of Insomnia to a literal bear man who's somehow also his friend.

He glares at both Gladio and Ignis through half-lidded eyes and yawns.

"But it's still dark outside..." Is his feeble excuse and they exchange a glance before Gladio bursts out laughing.

"Ha! Haven't heard that one in a while!"  

"He's...definitely still half-asleep." Ignis says, as he conspicuously hides his mouth and a suspicious coughing sound comes out. Noctis merely glares at them before he gives up and pulls himself up into a sitting position.

"Please tell me it's noon." Noctis manages out between yawns.

"Nope, still breakfast time. Tough luck, princey boy."

Noctis does brighten up a little bit at the prospect of food, even as he squints at the clock.

"I guess I can live with that."

He still lags behind as he gets ready, washing his face, brushing his teeth, every action with a half-hearted sort of languor.

And takes his own sweet time as he exits the room, the dull, mechanical whirring settling into radio silence. Where Gladio and Ignis were waiting for him. There's a snort from Gladio and he pretends not to hear it.

The cafeteria is mostly empty again when they enter. Noctis makes a beeline for the counter while the others make for the table.

When he rejoins them, he sees Prompto and Iris in the group.

"'Sup, buddy!"

"'Sup."

"You okay? You look like you've been dragged through a Chocobo racetrack and back."

"Yeah. Just...nightmares."

"Nightmares, again?" Iris asks worriedly, "Oh no, are you okay? Are they bad?"

"Nah, nothing I can't handle."

"Oh, look at this guy." Prompto snorts, "That kinda line only works when you don't have bags under your eyes, Noct."

Noctis blinks, then touches the underside of his eyes, flushing red a bit, "I-It's not a big deal."

"Now, now. As lovely as this is, we have to get on with breakfast, then on with our training."

A collective groan from everyone except Gladio and Noctis says, "I'm still sore from yesterday, though! And nightmares!"

"Neglect your training and those nightmares of yours will definitely come for you." Gladio points out.

"Fiiiiine."

He takes his own sweet time as he always does. People talk around him, to him, and the sound of voices is oddly comforting in the radio silence.

Iris checks the plushies she's made for him and shows off her own moves, Prompto's fiddling around with his camera and snapping photos out the window.

Gladio's reading the same old book he's read about 400 times now and Ignis is frowning long and hard at the food, book at his side.

And Noctis faces away from all of them, staring out the window. Chin placed in hand, lazily picking up his spoon and fork as he eats.

"Still half-asleep?"

Ignis asks, settling down on the bench next to him.

"80%." Noctis says.

"Might I suggest some Ebony, then?"

"Maybe." He doesn't make any move to take any though, "...Maybe not." He decides, after thinking.

"Suit yourself. More for me, then."

"Mm."

It's at this point Noctis sets his container aside and sighs, wiping his mouth.

"It's quite the sight, even after all this time. Isn't it?" Ignis asks. He too was staring out the window.

A clear, pristine, glass-pane from the ceiling to the floor, separating the cold, sterile white of the cafeteria.

And the frigid, beautiful darkness outside, with stars glimmering coldly at them as they drifted by.

Sometimes, if he peered through carefully, Noctis could see the lukewarm colors of purple and pink, other colors glowing softly in the night.

"Quite the sight alright." Noctis says.

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Such blissful days of normalcy.

They seemed so far away now.

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When he wakes up again, it's to Prompto peering down at him.

"...!"

"Whoa! Sorry, buddy. You've uh, been knocked out quite a while, I was trying to wake you up and-"

"I...It's nothing. No prob. What's wrong?"

"Ignis needs some help."

"Uh...sure. I'll be right there."

Apparently, Ignis is in the control room. Noctis puts his boots on and is barely out the door when he sees Gladio.

"Hey, Noct. You seen Iris anywhere?"

"Huh? Uh, no. Not really. Just woke up..."

"Hm."

"I'm going to meet Ignis in the control room. Do you wanna come along?"

"Sure. Keep an eye out for her if you see her, yeah?"

"Cool. I'll join up with you guys later; I have to talk to Vyv." Prompto pipes up.

"Vyv? Does he have another assignment for you?"

"Kind of? Need to check on some things, but I'm taking my camera just in case."

"Sure, okay. Have fun with that." Noctis says and he walks out the door, the dull, mechnical whirring settling in the radio silence.

The control room was on the other end of the spaceship, and quite a long walk.

A very long, very uneventful walk.

"Well, you've certainly kept me waiting." Ignis says, eyebrow raised.

"Sorry. You seen Iris anywhere?" Noctis asks.

"Hm?"

Ignis pauses. Seems to ponder something.

"No, not really. Do you want us to send out a search party for her?"

"No, I..."

Noctis looks up at Gladio.

"...I'll go look for her. Both of you have something important to do, right? Just don't crash the ship." He says brusquely. Then he walks out the door.

"...Ignis?"

"It's nothing. Well, since you're here, you'll have to oversee the system functions and-"

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Such blissful days of normalcy.

They seemed so far away now.

To keep himself sane, he forces himself to dwell on happier times. He says that, but it does nothing to help his fervor.

It's all he has. It's all he has left.

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He wakes up again.

This time, it's Gladio.

"...Hey, bug guy."

"Hey." He's sitting at the edge of the pod and Noctis sits up.

"What's up?"

"Mhh. Nothing, really."

"Sure sounds like nothing."

"...Look, I don't know. Just...do you ever get the feeling that's something...off?"

"Off?"

"I don't know how to say it." Gladio seems to be considering something. His arms were folded, he stares at the ground. And Noctis waits, expectant.

But before he could say anything, a loud piercing alarm tears through the silence.

"...!"

"Daemons. On the ship?!"

Noctis looks at his watch, "Whatever it is, looks like it's in the main hull. Doesn't look friendly."

"Great."

"Well, wanna come with me? Some head bashing'll get some things off your mind."

Gladio grins.

"Sure. That'll help loads."

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Such blissful days of normalcy.

They seemed so far away now.

To keep himself sane, he forces himself to dwell on happier times. He says that, but it does nothing to help his fervor.

It's all he has. It's all he has left.

He tells himself this, as he walks forward to the future.

The shards of his past, their past, tearing his feet.

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He watches Noctis and Gladio exit the room.

And the dull, mechanical whirring of the camera watching them, fills the room.

On the other side of the screen, Ignis watches them.

"...."

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He wakes up.

The air is colder.

He pulls himself up.

"...They're getting more predictable now." Noctis says.

He pulls his glove on and experimentally flexes his arm, grimacing as he feels the pins and needles effect recede under his skin.

"How long's it been since the last attack?" Checking the dial on his watch, he sighs.

"...Seriously? Whatever."

With a flourish, he summons his sword.

Just in time for the alarms to blare red.

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When he wakes up again, the air is...

Silent.

Cold.

Quiet.

Inside his pod, it's even colder. More alien, more plastic to the touch.

How long was he asleep?

...However long it was, it was long enough. There's a hissing sound as the pod opens. Remotely.

He blinks up at the open lid, then pulls himself up.

"What's wrong?" He asks the empty room.

"Systems are failing." Ignis' tinny voice breaks through the silence.

"Already? It hasn't even been 15 cycles."

"...It's taking less and less time to corrupt the support systems."

"Is it the demons?"

"They're certainly not helping matters."

"I'll clear out a pathway to the control room."

"Hurry."

Ignis' voice already sounds strained. Scratchy.

And he rushes towards the door.

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It's harder and harder to keep up this facade.

It's taking all he has. All that he's made of, all that he owns.

And this ship falling apart certainly wasn't helping matters.

The screens glitch to life, turning on, turning off, there's a low screeching noise as he struggles with the air locks.

While built to house over a 1000 people, it doesn't seem to hold off daemon attacks.

One hell of a rush job.

On the cameras, Noctis easily, effortlessly makes his way past the waves of creatures, of daemons.

Be safe, Noctis.

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It's strange.

Something seems off.

It's empty.

Where was everybody?

"Gladio? Prompto? Iris?"

Did the daemons...?!

He yanks the sword clean out of the daemon's skull and looks around.

Then freezes abruptly.

Someone else was...there.

A figure dressed in a trenchcoat.

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...Impossible.

Inconceivable.

How was...

"Who are you?!" Noctis' voice through

A spine-rending chill as the man chuckles.

"How hurtful, little prince."

He knows all too well, that voice.

"What?"

"I wasn't expecting you to forget, even after all these years."

No, no, no, this was all wrong.

No.

"No͠c̴t͏i̧̡̨s̛͢͞!"

"...! Ignis?"

"Run!"

"But what...why?"

"And why not?" The man says. His voice was distorted, his eyes were blackened, his pupils soulless.

But it was him.

Not again!

The lights on the spaceship flicker.

"Noctis, run!"

And Noctis finally complies.

He runs. He runs far, far away.  

Ardyn stands around in shock before he laughs, uproarious.

And he follows.

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Through the empty cafeteria.

Through the empty hallways.

He runs and he runs.

Where was he going?

"Noct!"

"G-Gladio?" Noctis huffs. There he was, standing in a doorway. "This way!" He yells.

"This way, buddy!"

"Prompto!"

"Noct!!"

"Iris!"

The minute he was through the door, it shuts immediately.

Noctis looks around.

"...Guys?"

They're gone?

"Noctis."

Ignis stands there. But...Noctis had come through the entrance?

"Go towards the escape pod."

"But what about...the others? You?"

"I'll be fine. Now, go!"

To Ignis' relief, he complies. Even if he looked uncertain.

And Ignis follows, to the center of the room.

Towards the pod that Noctis slept in.

"Lie down in there. I'll be along shortly."

"Ignis-"

"You'll be fine."

"...Hurry. Okay?"

"I will. I'll-"

He's stopped dead.

Ignis falls.

"...!"

Just as the glass lid falls.

"Nooooctisss."

He hears the whisper again. That voice.

It sends a chill down his spine, a tightness in his gut.

Rage. Rage in his heart.

The man looms over the top of him again, gazing at him with the same expression. Gaping at him with a lopsided smirk.

Dark tar oozing from his cheeks.

"Where are you going?"

"...Where..."

So familiar. Where does he know-

Eme̢͠r̡g̕͠ȩncy shutdown activą̡t̷ed.

"What?!"

"...No! Ignis!"

His cries go unheard.

The man is thrown back as the pod starts to rise.

"Noctis!"

Out of the ship, impervious to his cry.

He looks back down to see Ignis collapsed on the floor.

"You." His voice drips with venom and Ignis resists the urge to laugh, "You've cost me valuable time. Valuable...patience."

"Ap̵ologies, bưt I really don't...care."

It's harder to breath. Difficult to speak.

The life support system had finally given out.

"Lack of oxygen of all things wouldn't result in the death of me, you know."

"I knǫw."

Ignis stares up at him, even as his body flickers in and flickers out of existence.

"Neither will̕ it be for ͟mȩ."

"Oh, most certainly not. However, the power in this ship can't sustain such a complicated AI personality for long. Let alone three."

Behind him, Prompto, Gladio...Iris.

They all stood, static, motionless, dead-eyed. Puppet-like.

"We man̨age some̡ho̶w."

"Is that how you tricked him?" Ardyn asks. He honestly sounds curious.

"W̕e ̶didn̕'͡t̕ ̛do.̸..͠an̕y̶t͘hing҉ of t̨h̵e̷ sor͜ţ. ̧Ḩę...̵"

His words were breaking down.

He couldn't...play human anymore.

Not that he ever believed for a second that he was.

"He'd rem͠aine͞d҉ įn c̕ry̶ost͟aşi͡s for several thousand years. When the 114th king had t̢̨a̡̢k̡͢͡en Insomnia back, his friends...had found him dead upon the throne."

"Pronounced 'dead'." Ardyn says, with a scoff, "If I had survived that ordeal, he had obviously done as well."

"Yes. I͢͜g̛͢ņi̶͠s̵ S҉c̡͜i̧͞ȩ͠n͢t̢͡i̢a҉ had kept his body alive through cryostasis."

"His Royal Highness sleeping through hundreds and thousands of years with that little girlfriend of his." Ardyn chuckles, "Is that why you've never made a puppet of her? Were you jealous, little machine man?"

"N̶̷͜o̶̸̢̕.҉̛͟͡ ͜͏̶̨T҉̶͠h̶͘͞a̧̢̛͏t҉̴̧ ҉w̴̢͘͞ą͝͏͝͡s͟͏ ̵m̶͢e̴̶͠r͜͜͡҉e̶̡͢͠l̸͠҉̵҉y̸̕͜͞ ̸y̴͢͠o̶̵̷͜͞u̵͞r̸͜ ̡̧f͢a̵͘͘u͏̵l͠t̨.̨̧͘"

Ignis' expressions were harder to process now. His AI core was freezing up.

But he was still able to direct a glare towards Ardyn.

"Y̶̶̡͘͠ơ̸͞u̴ were the one who killed her. Hę͢͡s̨t̷i҉l͏l͏ ̕͞͏ļ̷̷ơ̸v͏͏͏e̸̡s̶͜ ͟͠her̢ even now. If I'd m͜a͞d̵e...an AI of the Oracle, h͞ȩ̶͟'̴̧d̛ ̛͘͜i̸m̕me̴͢d̸͞i̸̴͏a̕t͠ę̕l̵͜͡y̧ ą̕sso̷͘c̵͘͟į̶a̷͘͜t̡e̢ h̶̢er͡ w͟ith̛ y̧͜͝o̴u̴͢͜."

"Must be harsh for the man who'd made all this with so much care." Ardyn drawls, sarcastic and biting.

It was.

Possibly.

"He made all this. A habitat, a place of play for his beloved highness. Where he could sleep for several thousands of years at a time, get up and play with machine copies of his friends for a day and go back to sleep."

"I̶̧n͟ ̛͠a ̶̡w̢a҉y̛͝."

"All for the prince who'd never love him back. Oh, what a tragedy, isn't it?"

"Į͏̺̺̗͈̰͉͖ͅ wouldn't know."

"I'm asking you." Ardyn says coldly, "He created you to watch him. In the night sky that he loved. You should know best what he wanted."

At this point in time, his emotional core had completely malfunctioned.

His form was the next to suffer.

"̴̥̰̼̱͚I̙̰ͅ ̦̱̤̱̳̕a̭̯m̨̰̼̠ ̼̖̩̬͖͓̠a̕n͈̻ ̟ͅA̫̖̭I̵̮̲̰̜͚͙̫.͉̫̣̳͓̻̲ ̡̞̭̪Cr̹e̸a̘̕t҉̱̭͔̣̟ed͞ ͖̻̘͎͜ͅt̵̻̗̤̜o ̜s͈̜͉̼̝e̸̙̰͕̭̫͖r̜͚̗̯͘v̬͇͢e̙̘̬̳̙.̶͉̪͈͓̩̘ͅ"

"That man was a robot designing robots himself." Ardyn smirks, "He grew to love the person he's supposed to care for."

Ardyn looks down as Ignis' form disappears and the lights in the ship start to falter.

"So could you."

"..."

A rush of air as the ventilation fails.

A substitute for a metallic sigh.

"I̩̠͙ ̡w̻̗̣̠a̛s͎͙ ̥̻̺͕c̸r͈̝̙̖e̵̫̜̪a̤̻͈̗̻̘͚t͍͇̘̹ed͏̭̭̬̻̮ͅ ̲͍͙t҉o̲̣͞ ͘ser̗̞̘̖v̟̫e̠̰̬̞̳͞ ̷͔̥̖̜̙H̱͎̯̠̖͍͍i͖̭͇ș̬̣̝̯̤̝ ̧͍̩̟͇̜ͅH͔̝i͖̝͎̻̘g̡̥̖͕͈h͈n͈̩̦͔e̻̹̣͉̟ͅs̻̲̠s͍͞.̰͇̟͔.͕͘.͟H͙͡i̭s̳͙̼͔̼͖ ̦̩̖͎͍͓͝M̛̹̠̤͉̩̰͔a̟j̢͎͎e̶̼s̵̞̥͍̩̜t͏̣̦̠̭̰̱͍y̱̣͚̯̙̻̪͟ N̰o̭̝̠̻ct͇̜̮̜i͕̝̝͚͞s͕̮̩̝͙̙ Ḷu҉c̣͔͉i̸̺s̫̩͚͇ ̴C̬̬͎̟͎̜̫a͡e̯̗̟̩̺͖ͅl̫̥͍̥̹͝u̟̗͞m̪̼̻.̩ ̟̳̤̹͚̰͠A̜͓̬̻̩n̙͖̮̺̠̦d̘̯̬̲͍͕ ͔̫̖͙̲͙̮m̸͕͈̼̩͉ͅͅy̬̭ ̪̲̠̭̲̦̻͠f͈̫͘i̧̳͕̥̘̝̺̜n̙̩ͅa̫̣̜̝l̜̬͇̬͕̕ ̨̲d̦̹͈̣̰͇̱͟i͇̞̮̖r̪̭e̗c̰̥̰̬̲̥t̯̘͍̮͍i̪͈͔̯̞̣͞v̛̠͇̬̱̦̮e̖̦͠-"

Loud blaring alarms.

They drown out the next part.

Ardyn barely even flinches as the room starts to cave in, as the ship starts to malfunction proper.

As all the systems start to blink out of existence.

As the AI's collective consciousness starts to die.

"̡̤̺͖̮͈͎̣̣̤͎̉̉̾̌̈ͦ͌̀͊̔̚͠ͅI̛͚͈͎͔͉̞̥̜̭͎͕̙ͦ̈ͧͬͨ͆ͬͯ̆̿̓̀̆̂ͪ͌ͭ͆̍̕͢ ̶̨̗͖͓̫̮̼͚̹̈ͮ̋̐ͤ̉̇͒̉̇͂ͯ̏̑̂͆ͦ̚͘͡w̶̵̧̝̦͔̠ͫͨͨͤ̉ͭ̄̓̓̈̀̕��̙i̊̽ͧͥͨ͌͆͗̆̎̿͋̇̎̄̊́ͫ́҉͎̥͖͍̖̠͓̼̺͚̱̪͡l̶̳̝̻̞̜̩͈̭̮̠͎̣̹̠̤͖̊̅͌͒̅ͦ̏ͦͣ̏ͭ͊ͥ͗̈̐̿̚͘͘͢͡ĺ̢̼̩̫͖̹͎̰̗̱̣̈ͯ̓̈́̃̒͜͞ͅ ͛ͩ͐̌̑̾҉͈͕̫͕̦̥͇͙͈͎̜̙p̧̔͑ͪ͐̆́̔͋ͦ̍ͧ̄̏͛̉̾ͬ͐͢͏̨͓̘̟͙̘r̴̴̼͔̭̯̤̝͚̘̞͉̜͇̭͔̥̩ͭͭ̿͗ͣͤͪ̋͛ͨ̋̽ͦͪͤͣ͒̉͑͘͝ͅo̢̨͔̤̺͖̯̹̞͎̰̪̪̪̹̮̮̻͖̪̖̽̇ͯͫ̓̍ͥ͌̒ͫ͠t̵̵̀̆̀̄̏ͥ̾ͮ̄͌ͫ́ͦ̓̎͌͂̐҉̙̼͚̲̟͉̖̜̻ͅͅe̢͍̖͚̜̲ͬ̋̏̏͐ͪͣ̊͑͐͛͑͋̿͋ͨ͘ͅc̸̷̛̩̥̼̙̹̻̝̰̹̟͈̹̯̺͈̤̲̲̑͗́̓͞t̷̨͇̖̣̯͉͍̱ͬ̍ͪͤ͂̌ͣ̅̾̐͆́͑̈́̚̚͠ ̶̧ͨ̌̉͂ͪ̆ͫͦ̂ͦ̅ͪ͊̂͝͏̥̮̰̲̣͖̞͇̳ͅh̷̛̹̟̭͚̙̝̰̫̥̘̝ͨ͂̆̓͆ͨͯ̄̆͊̿ͬͦ̌̅ͭ̚ͅi̷̡͕̳̪̮̱͚̠̎̅̃̔̔͌̋̚͢m̸̝͎̘̝̺̟̘̗̬̗͈̹̝ͤ̑̔ͨ̇̄̕͘,̨̛̛̖̯̫͓͓ͫ̓̈ͬ̃̊͋̾͒ͬ͋̌̾̎ͪ͠ ̸̨͖̲̳̪̟̗̬͉̮̱̻͈̞̮̻ͬ͐̇̒͗͋̎͒̓̀͘͢͝ͅI̭̘̞̤̺͎̹̥̯̮̝̥͎͔̤̙͖̭͗ͩͮ̇͌̓͗͂̂̀͛̈͟͜ ͙̭͚̭̪̹̺͇̗͔͖̝͉̰̬̻ͮ̂̋̾ͩ̐̔͒ͬͥ̄̌͝w̶͍̮̘̺̖͎͍̩̻̬̞̥͇̟̲̑̓̑ͫ̚̚̕i͌ͧ̈ͧ̇ͬ̽ͨͮͧ͒̇̀͌ͤ̌̃̀͏͈̖͖̣̖̫̺̮̫̬̬̣̪͜͝l̷ͮ̆ͭ̂ͪ̓̒҉̪̹͓̖̙̭̱̹ͅl̨̰̦̺̖̟̦̳͉̖̣̣̺̭ͧ̽̂̆̊ͯͭ̂ͯ͐ͫ̚͢͠ ̢͉̗̰͙̺̳͉̣̖̝̼̠̞̻̫ͤ̊̿̿ͩ͢͝ͅp̸̴͔̮̣̰̖͗̽ͪ́̌ͮ̋r̿̋͂̍ͤ͢͏̺̳̥̖̪̟͔̮̥͖̤̰͖͓o͚̫̝̖̰͉̤͈̪͖ͨͬͮͧͪ͌̇͒ͤ̃̐̚̚͡͞ͅt̨͎̞͓̝̳̻̞̼̙̰͕͕̖̔̄̇ͨ̄̄̋ͨͧ͛̑ͤ̿͂ͨͮ̈́̚͘͘͠e̅ͤ̏̽ͩ̔͋ͨ͠͏̙̝̪̜̳͖̙̝̘̲̘̼͈̖̫̘͝c̡͚̭̪̮͙͇̼̞̦͚ͮͩͬ́͛͑͊ͦ͟͜͝t̨̮̩̱̤̩̎ͦ̾̑ͅ ̽͐̃ͦ̽̈́ͧ͐͊̽͗̈ͬͨ̿̊̃̓҉̷̖̙̻̻͙̱̝̘͍̣̪̼̱̱̲̯h̷̺̪͇͙̬̘̤͇̝̯̳̳͓ͣ̐͆͋̄ͮ͌̉ͥͥ̑̈́́̂̓̕i̶̴̪̭̗͇̝̯̯̥̣͎̬̹͐͌̀̎̇̋̅̄̎ͨ́̌̾̀̐͜ṃ̸̧̢̰̙̭͚̭̲͕͓̻͛̋͒ͪ̋̎̃ͯ̀̈̋ͩͪ͊̀͂ͫ͛ͥ͢.ͦͤ̈͛̑̏ͨ̑͏̵̡̙̞̱̰̳͓̖̭̻͓̦̪͈̺ͅ"̈ͪ̒̚҉̛͓̣̺̫͚͖͇̩̭̞̟̤̥͇͇̟̰ ̧͇̥̥̰̣̻͙̭̞̠͖͈̯̳̑͐̀̾͂̊̓̈́͆͊͌̄͡ ̨̛̄͐͊ͭ̌̔ͨ͑̾͗̚̚͠͝҉͕͇̼͙͔͙̼͖̭͈̜̜̪͉̦̣̤̰̜ ͤ̂ͭ̈ͩͩ̏̓̋̚̚҉̫̻͓̮̪͙͓͚͔͍͈̪͟͜"̷̷̧͓̞̭͈̩̭̍͋ͯ̏ͦ̇͗̀̍ͭ̚Iͭ̒͊̀́̽ͨͤ͌͌ͦ͋ͯ͆̋̐ͪ͝��̠̪͈͇̥̥̦̯̟͉̖̼͙̻̭͓̝̹̘ ̏̈́̔ͭ̎̾͐ͮ͏̠̥̦̞̕ͅw̔ͫͫͣ͗ͤ̑̃̅̓̇ͩ̍͊̒̋͏̷̗͖̱̦̕i̵̷̵͕̫͓̹̫͉ͯͤ̄́̆ͬ̿̀ͣ͊̔̚͘l̸͔͚̟̠̤͔͉̦̰̰̙͒̒̽͂̄̒͑͒ͩ͘l̢̲̗̖̹͍ͨ̈́̽ͭ̇ͥ̇͑ͫ ̍͒͆̓͛̒͌ͮ̒ͬͥ̚͡҉̣͕̖͈̝͠p̸̢̭̞̣͚̠͖̰̳͔̺̮̯̰ͨ̎͑ͧ̒ͅr̸̶̢͍͍͖͍̯̞ͤ̾͊̄ͬ̾̈́ͨ̆̓ͦ̀̉̕ơ̶̭̭̺͈͈̳̳̠̖̠̟̿ͨͥ̈́ͫ̐ͮ͒̏ͤ̓̀̾ͦ̅ͤͦ͘͡t̡̮̘̝̺͕̊͒ͤ́e̛͌ͦͨͭ̄̀́̓̚҉̟͍̥̙̣̼̣̫c̶̸̷͚̹͖̝̖̋̐ͩ͌̐̽̎ͥ͘t̷̡̮͇͚̠͉̱͇̦̥̭̮̲͊̓̔͌̂ͬ̏̏̏̊̄̇ͭͅp̵̶̯̙̻̯͚̔̆ͥ͊̔̈ͬ͑͊̍ͫ̅̑ͯͮ̅͆̕͝ṙ̷̡̧̫̙̺̱͙͓͍͙̰͓͒ͩͯͮ͐ͩ̌̋͊ͪ̏̕͡ͅō͎̘̳̗̥̹̫̘̟̟̦̳̍ͩͩ̽͊̋́̐̑ͩ̒ͨ͌ͤ͐ͩ̈́͡ͅt̷ͦͣͭͣͯ̓ͨͮ͐ͨ̓̾ͮ̓̈ͨ̚̚҉̴͈͈̟͈̺̼̟̥̲̜̠̠͠eͯͦ̆̓̊̀̓̈́̒̽҉̸̴̶͍̙̠̜̦̲̙̩̣̲̩̥̭̩̺͖͢c̴̯̖̪͑̍̌͑͋̔͗ͥ͑͛̈̏̓̈ͧͥ̓͡t̩̫͇̜̖̻͙̦̞̯̤̳̟ͩ̇ͧ̎ͪ̂̅ͦ̇̅͋͆̎̂͊̍̚͘͢͞ͅp̶̙̯̟͇̳͇̯̻̟͓̖̲͂͒ͣ̀̔͗͂r̛̛̬̠̘͔̳̣̜̝̫͛ͭ͛̀̅̎͋̏ͤ̂̈́̍̉ǫ̴̤̬̳̋̇ͨ͆ͬ̌͒ͦͧ̀͡t̀̂̐̿͌̍͂̈́̅̍̾̓ͪ͗ͧͪ̓͢͝͏͍͕͍̳̪̟̙͈͖̳͔̙̺͖͙͖ȩ̭̩̗̤̻̬̞͔̖̣͍̤̹͙̺͔ͤ́͐̈́ͬ͜͜͝ͅc͑͊̅̉̓ͪͦ͏̨̘̗̙̳̺͉t̀̄͋̌̌̆͑͗ͮ҉͓͚̭̺̱̮̭͔̼̱̼̟͉̥̩͉̱̕͡ͅp̷̙̻̬͇̼͖̠̖̭̭̖̘ͮ̽̌͆̈̈́̈́̇ͩ͊ͤ͢ͅr̤͈̤̗̦̥̗̗̪̻̝̳̣̹̗͔̉͛̽ͣͬ͐ͣͤ̆ͤ͢͞͝o͚͈̭̰͆͑̐͂ͨ̋ͬ͆̈͜t̶̛̂͐̀̽̃̊̾ͣ̑̂ͣ̌͂ͥ̐͟͏͚͎̗̙̪̮̫͓̰͚̫̗̣͉ͅé̸̷̡̡̳̯̦̼̖̣̖̟̰͓̟̗̱͓̖̦̥ͨ̓ͦ̑ͩ͛̄c̈́̈ͥͬ͘͢͏̥̟̰̤̯͚̲ͅṫ̈̄ͧ͑͊ͦͯ̽̃̐̅҉̤͓͍̝̺͈̼̙̱̦̖̮̳͢͡͠͝p̧̥̱̙̤̮͖̯͚ͥ̎̇͑̈́͊̿ͯ̃̽͞ͅr̡̲̬̲̯̓ͦͮ̒͛̊̏̉ͤͯ̒̇̔̽̈́͂ͯͅo̷̢̜͍͇͖̘͛͋͗̊ͬͧ̏ͣ́ͫͣ͐̈́̚ͅt̛͔̰̺͓̲͖͕͉͖̥͂̉ͥͭͭ́̒̾́ͧ̔͑̀̄̿̈ͅę̷̗̣̱̲̦͎͇̙̼͂̑́̔̇͋ͩ͑͛̂̚ç̶̛̈ͮ̎̃̃ͩ͜҉̣̪̭͔̱̹͔t̴̵͒̀ͤ̔̇̒ͨ̾̀͒̆̉̏̚͏̹̳̙̻̳̟̜̙̹̼̞̮̟͙̘͞-̀͂ͬ̂ͪ̚��̷̷̝̗̠̜̱̲̱̰͉͉̱̦̲̗̮̱͜"ͪ̇͒̏͢҉̤̭̭̠̣̪͕̣̖̤͚̕

Ardyn cackles, crazed laughter as he feels the air drain from his lungs and the energy drain from his body.

The engines stop, the smell of smoke.

̡̄̇͛̎̽̂̿͏̙̦͍͓̩̜̙̩̪̙͖

"N͉̠̩̞̠͝o͉͙̟̳͘c̛͔̬͓̗tị̹̣̗̺͖s̲̻̺̥͙̻̗."

The last human whisper of his name, in a hissing, mechanical, wavery voice.

It's the most he's sounded like the original Ignis, he thinks with a mirthless smile he could no longer represent.

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Year 20XX,

Such blissful days of normalcy.

They seemed so far away now.

To keep himself sane, he forces himself to dwell on happier times. He says that, but it does nothing to help his fervor.

It's all he has. It's all he has left.

He tells himself this, as he walks forward to the future.

The shards of his past, their past, tearing his feet.

But still, he's in the lab. Staring up at the person he'd trapped behind glass, sound asleep.

...

Ah, he'd never noticed before.

The glass around this person looked like a coffin.

The creator speaks again.

"He's still alive. The magic within him is weak, we had to use everything we had, but he's still alive."

It was obvious. Yet, the creator repeats it again and again in an attempt to steady his psyche.

"His life systems wouldn't be stable. He'll sleep through months, years, decades at a time, his body frozen into the same physical state, but he's alive. He's alive."

He pauses and seems to consider something.

"We were lucky that...he did wake up once. But he didn't remember us. The trauma he had undergone was significant enough to take his memory away."

Wasn't that what the creator wanted?

His expression...seemed torn.

"But he was alive. We talked about the days he knew us. Of course, we could hardly tell him that us wrinkly old prunes were the same brothers he once rode with."

"And I...the fact that I could see him again, that I could see him be happy. Well."

In a discreet manner, he wipes his cheek.

"But I won't be around for very long. I knew it ever since I saw him. One day, he'll wake up and we'll be gone. He won't know that, though."

The creator walks towards the keypad again, staring at the monitor, where the code was compiled.

"I've worked on this...Project Somnus. The spacestation parked in the stars that he loved, coupled with machines to keep him alive. And...to keep the friends that he has in his memory alive, whenever he wakes up."

"..."

"That should be enough."

"...Why are you doing all this?" The AI...that was a part of me, asked suddenly. He looks startled, as he should, with a voice sounded so uncannily close to his.

He recovers quickly though.

"It's...the least I can do for him now. After everything he's done for us."

Another question that burned at the back of my artificial tongue. I'd heard of it recently, another of what they called 'emotions'.

Something that the lady had told me, between them.

I'd calculated the chances he would answer.

0%.

"Understood."

He nods.

"That was all I needed. This should be enough."

He says to himself again. His hand pressing lightly against the glass, over the sleeping king's hand.

"This should be enough."

End of memory entry.

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Songs used for inspiration:

Hyun-ae(Innocence): Analogue: A Hate Story OST Prologue: Analogue: A Hate Story OST The Smiths: Analogue: A Hate Story OST Somnus: Final Fantasy XV OST Somnus(w/ Vocals): Final Fantasy XV OST

I actually did take some inspiration from Analogue: A Hate Story for various parts of the fic. It's quite a good game, I recommend you play it! :>

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

The Tale of the Morose Manbeast Ch. 08

Pairing: Abeno Haruitsuki/Ashiya Hanae

Rating: k+ (Slow burn fic)

AU: Beauty and the Beast

[[four months and a ps4 later, here’s the next chapter!]]

[[i blame noct and akira kurusu, its all their fault]]

[[here have two boys and fluff enjoy]]

Ch 01 || Ch 02 || Ch 03 || Ch 04 || Ch 05 || Ch 06 || Ch 07 || A03 Link

The Tale of the Morose Manbeast

Chapter 08:

He stares at the cup in front of him. Green ceramic, green liquid, something floating inside.

He's thirsty, yes, but just the sight of it made him feel sick somehow.

"It's not poisoned."

"That's a very suspicious claim." Ashiya squints up at the stranger, and the stranger huffs.

"You're very easy to read."  He says irritably.

"You too?! Is it really that visible??!"

"Look, just drink. And stop acting so weird, you're making a scene." Subtly, the stranger tilts his head and Ashiya follows his gaze to the curious crowd around them.

Monsters mixed with humans...or rather, human-looking monsters.

Ashiya's gaze pulls back to the stranger in front of him.

"These are all youkai?"

"Keep your voice down. And yes, they are." There's a bite of impatience in the stranger's voice but he answers regardless.  

"Th-they look so human-like though. Especially the lady and the girl who found me-" Ashiya blinks and stares up at the stranger, "Are you a youkai too?"

"...Of course I am." The stranger raises an eyebrow at him.

"And you know I'm a human?"

"I do. And if you don't keep your voice down, everyone else in this shop will as well."

"S-sorry."

Something butts into his hand just then and Ashiya looks down to see a very familiar fuzzball.

"Huh...? Fuzzy?"

"He wouldn't leave me alone until I followed him back to you."

"Really?" The youkai blinks up at Ashiya and...smiles? Somehow? Without a mouth?

It's made a little more obvious by the tail wagging.

"That's...so cute..."

"Isn't that one of the youkai that you're afraid of?"

"But it's cute!" Ashiya declares, as if that answered the question and there's some confused blinking on the stranger's part but he just shrugs.

Perhaps warranted, because cautiously petting the youkai is difficult when it feels like his fingers would freeze off with every touch.

At this point, Ashiya decides to take the cup. It's still a bit too warm in his hands, but it staves off the chills.

Which should have served as a proper warning that the tea is still at boiling point even after all this time. But he doesn't realize that, puts it to his lips and-

The white fuzzball starts as Ashiya coughs. Loudly.

"What part of-" The stranger starts, but cuts himself off and sighs. He gets up from his seat and walks over, before he claps Ashiya on the back.

It's much more forceful that Ashiya expects and he stiffens up, immediately quieting down.

"Better?"

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"Enough to complain, apparently." The stranger says smoothly and walks back to his place.

"Ugh...it feels like there's fire in my throat..."

"...It's going to be unpleasant, but try drinking that."

"Why?!"

"You don't feel as sluggish anymore, do you?"

At this, Ashiya pauses. His fingers don't feel as cold.

His head doesn't hurt much anymore. He doesn't feel as feverish either.

"...Wait, how can I be feverish and cold at the same time?" He wonders aloud.

"It's this town's atmosphere. It was hardly intended for humans to live in." The stranger points to the drink in his hand, "But if you drink that, and imbibe some food in whenever you can, it'll help with that feeling."

"...Oh. It tasted like tea. I think?"

"That's because it is. Or the human equivalent of it."

"Youkai have tea?"

"They look like humans and that's the question you ask?"

"..." Ashiya looks down at his cup, "It's...I wasn't...expecting it." He says lamely.

"I can see that. In any case, what are you going to do now?"

"What?"

"You can't stay here. The youkai will notice that you're a human eventually."

"I'm not planning on staying here! I'm...there was this golden beast that took me here and-" Ashiya begins to say before he's rudely interrupted by a hand clapping over his mouth. "Mmmpf?!"

"Oh my. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing!" The stranger says. Hastily. A bit too hastily, as he stares up at the woman youkai from earlier, "I mean...nothing at all."

"If you say so. The shop is closing up anyway, so if you would please..."

"Right, right." And he easily drags Ashiya outside, while the younger youkai plucks the cup from his fingers.

"Hope you feel better!" She says brightly as they make their way outside.

And the doors shut abruptly behind them. "...Ah."

"...It's getting dark. You need to find a place to stay."

"A place to stay?"

There's a severe expression in the stranger's eyes. "You were with that golden beast, right? If you want to stay somewhere and stay alive, don't mention it anywhere."

"What...?"

"There are a lot of people who wouldn't like to have it mentioned."

"Abeno-san?"

"Yes?" The stranger blinks at him, "...I...You're referring to it by name, too? Don't do that either!"

"O-oh. Uh, but wait! I can't stay here!! Abeno-san was supposed to take me out of this place!"

"Like I said, you can't go anywhere now and-"

There's a howl that sounds in the distance, stopping them dead in their tracks.

"..."

"...Wh...what is. that."

"It's either your new best friend, which I seriously doubt", The stranger glares at the woods in the distance, "Or our time limit to find a place to stay just got drastically reduced."

"I-Is a monster going to attack us?!"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?!"

"It won't if we find a place to stay. So help me find one."

"A-Alright!" Ashiya says, as determined as he could manage while also squeezing the little fuzzball youkai between his arms and his chest as tightly as he could,  The stranger rolls his eyes at him and mentally makes a note to do the talking himself.

It takes a while, but they do find one. Situated safely away from the forests' edge, far away, a quiet little inn.

"You certainly took your time." The owner says, with a raised eyebrow, looking at the night sky.

"A bad hunt today." The stranger says simply.

"Aiming for the golden wolf's pelt?"

Ashiya stills.

"Not really."

The owner chortles again.

As they make their way up the steps, Ashiya finally couldn't help himself.

"Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why...can't I mention Abeno-san to anyone? Why is-" He interrupts himself, but he can't speak back up.

There's a strange look in the stranger's eyes.

Something that bites into his expression and sits uncomfortably in Ashiya's heart.

"Why? I'm surprised you're still alive." "...Huh?"

"I'd expected you to be dead before the sunset."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The Tale of the Morose Manbeast

Chapter 08: Once more, a sense or normalcy.

End.

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

Title: At Insomnia’s End. Rating: K+ Warnings: Major character death, spoilers past Chapter 13 of main game and implied spoilers past Chapter 10

@ignoctweek day 3:

>Simple: Sleep >Situational: Reincarnation/Time Travel AU

Summary: At the edge of a dream, and the end of a nightmare, a king finally gets to say goodbye. Time travel meeting between Ignis and 10yearsolder!Noctis

A03 Link

At Insomnia's End.

A Final Fantasy XV fanfiction

Maybe he was dreaming again. Apart from the usual daydream kind, it does happen sometimes.  

Visions of the future, the past, of things occurring in the present.

'Nightmares' would be a more appropriate fit.

And this one was particularly cruel.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Is what he says finally. Maybe he couldn't resist.

Ignis, for his part, looks suitably dumbfounded. Of course he was.

"A ghost?" It's the only possibility for what Ignis could see in front of him.

A man with sunken eyes, unshaven cheeks. Knuckles white as he gripped his throne, his shoulders weighed down under the Lucian finery that he was dressed in, that he wore with a broken, hollow sort of pride.

"The ghost of someone you knew once." The king says in a...strangely familiar voice. "I know that feeling."

"...This is..." Words, sentences start to form in Ignis' mind, but fail once he tries to voice them, as he takes in what he sees.

A room in pieces, with the elegant staircase wrecked beyond recognition. Corpses hanging from the ceiling of people he knew well, and the ghost of a king upon his throne.

"It's in bad taste, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"This." The king gestures between them, "I say that with confidence, but I don't know what that means to you."

"What that means to me?"

"I also say it's in bad taste, but then I know a jester who'd employ such a travesty." His expression sours, but it's strangely faded.

It's like it took everything the man had to even speak, or show what he felt.

Ignis frowns, "Who would that be?"

"Considering who we're talking about, it would probably be a bad idea to tell you."

"And why would that be a bad idea?"

"Mostly because of why you're here."

In the back of his mind, there's something that clicks in to place. He can see it in Ignis' eyes.

Because that was the main difference.

He could see it.

"Do you know why you're here?" There seems to be something odd in the king's expression then. He holds Ignis' gaze with a strange sort of care, as if considering whatever the man would do next.

"I don't."

"I have an idea that neither of us would like the answer."

"Who are you?" Ignis manages to ask finally and he doesn't miss the way that the king's expression flickers. Nor the way that his fingers grip the arms of the throne.

Minute little details, while the man seems to clutch for his mask.

"I..."

In a way...he almost succeeds.

Almost.

"I am..."

The king closes his eyes,

All he could see was pain.

There's a dull echo of it in Ignis' chest.

"No...No-one. Just...no-one of importance."

"Forgive me for not believing that, with you dressed as you are."

Something seems to occur to Ignis just then. There were certain odd details that stuck out to him, of what the man wore.

"...You look...quite similar to the king we once had."

"I know. That was the intention." The man draws his jacket closer over himself. And Ignis finally sees it.

In this light, it was almost impossible to, but he noticed it.

A stain. Scarlet spreading over his shirt.

Before he could even question it, Ignis was already rushing up the staircase.

"Don't come any closer!"

And halts dead in his tracks with the man screams.

He's close now. Close enough that he can see the rip in the man's shirt and the jagged stab wound in his chest.

Over his heart.

"Don't...come..." The man gasps out and he's hunched over now.

"You're on the verge of death, you know."

"I...know." The man chuckles, and it sounds hollows, "I know that."

And Ignis faces him again.

"You...ensured that." Ignis says. It's a question, but doesn't sound like one.

It's...all of a sudden it's difficult to breathe.

"I did."

"Kind of contradictory to an ascension, don't you think?"

"..."

A bitter smile. "I know."

Ascension.

A lonely king, dressed in black finery.

It starts to click together in his mind.

Something seems to show in his face.

"You're-"

"Sorry."

And he hunches over, forward.

When Ignis catches him, he feels incredibly light. There's a faint rustle and the clinking of metal.

His fingers smeared with blood, the color drained from his face.

His eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Sounding so, so, so lost, a broken voice so familiar.

Like how he cried when he was a child.

"Noctis..." Ignis' voice breaks on his name, a whirl of emotions that makes him sick to his stomach, "What's...what happened? Why-"

Noctis shakes his head. His lips are thinned out and pale and he already feels so, so cold.#

"I can't."

"Can't what?! What happened...we...we need to get you to a-"

"Ignis." Fingers grasping his shirt and Noctis draws himself closer, burying his face in Ignis' chest, "Please...I can't leave."

"What happened here, Noct? Who did this to you?!"

"Ignis!"

Everything about him seems so easily breakable. The way he held himself, the way he shrunk away from the world.

Yes...everything.

Save for those eyes.

They gaze into Ignis' own, now, and there's a firm resolve that Ignis had never seen.

"I won't be able to leave this place, Ignis." He says, every word tortuously slow, like every word pained him, "I can't."

"But why-?!"

"I'm not the Noctis you know."

"What?"

The words make him falter for some inexplicable reason.

And while he remained still, his mind kicks into overdrive.

Because Ignis Scientia was a man who prided himself on his logic, his reason.

It's what he was effectively raised into being, seeing as he was to be a part of the prince's entourage. The Lucian Prince's eyes and ears, his voice of reason and the sword to his shield.

And now? In his arms lay his friend, dressed in royal finery, slowly growing colder and colder as he bled to his inevitable death, and while every single part of Ignis screamed at him to save him, Noctis himself denied any help or attention, and every single part of him seemed. Different.

When the possibility presents itself in his mind, Noctis could see it in his eyes.

"You couldn't save me", Noctis says, as he let the pieces fall into place, "because you shouldn't."

"...Is this..." Ignis clears his throat, but his words still shake, "...what...this is what happens?"

Such a simple question. So conveniently simple.

Noctis feels like laughing again, and possibly would, save for the blood flooding his lungs.

As it was...he could barely speak.

"Is this what happens? In our future?" Ignis repeats again.

It honestly seemed like something out of a nightmare. Like a trick or illusion.

And while the more pragmatic side of him considers those options, something in him as he sees Noctis makes him consider only that.

Noctis couldn't speak. Tell him yes or no.

It was so hard to breathe now.

And as he feels the life drain from his body, he feels something inside him swell.

With the last of his strength, he pulls Ignis down into a shaky embrace.

He feels Ignis stiffen up almost immediately, and it's like a twist of the knife in his dying heart.

"I won't hurt...you."

"I wouldn't expect someone bleeding out of his heart to." His tone was flat and his fingers shake over Noctis' back.

Noctis does laugh then, "Hey...in all these years...I've grown strong enough to kick your ass, you know."

He couldn't keep that smile for long, but he tried to.

The end was near and he could sense it.

It's harder to hold on to Ignis now.

Noctis hands seem to phase through his body.

"Sorry you were...dragged into this."

Ignis notices the strange blue glow that surrounds his body then, but keeps holding onto Noctis for dear life.

"What happened to you? Whatever it is, we can stop it! Where's Prompto and Gladio and-"

"I said...that you can't."

"Noctis!"

"I don't...know why you came here. But I'm glad."

"Glad for what?"

"I can say goodbye this time."

As Noctis' life fades, so does the Ignis in front of him.

"Noctis!"

"This isn't your fault, Ignis."

With the last of his strength, he pulls himself up and kisses Ignis' forehead.

Presses their foreheads together to look into his eyes.

"I doubt that you will remember me...but please."

A hand on Noctis' cheek, and the tenderness wrenches at his very being.

"Savor the days we had together. The times we fought together...and laughed together. Treasure them for as long as you can."

He could barely feel his own body now, but he still clings on.

"Like I do. It's all...I have now."

And Ignis could see the life fading from Noctis' eyes, the tears that fell onto his cold cheeks.

"Goodbye, Ignis." He says quietly, as his eyes start to close. Through numbed lips, he feels Ignis' kiss.

"I loved you."

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"Ignis?"

Ignis starts, eyes snapping open to see Noctis hovering in front of him, regarding him with a curious expression.

"...Oh! What is-"

"Hey, easy, easy. I think you just dozed off."

"Dozed off?"

"Yeah, you crashed in that chair right after we entered the caravan." Noctis blinks, then frowns, "Are you alright?"

"What?"

"You look kind of off. Bad dream?"

Ignis ponders this for a bit.

"Not sure."

"Not sure?"

Subtly, Ignis brings his hand up to brush his cheek.

"I can't remember what it was about."

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Songs used for inspiration:

Rule of Rose OST Zetsuen: Zetsuen no Tempest OST

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. Ch. 03

Pairing: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira(its comin i promise)

Rating: T

Summary: A Goro/Akira fic set in the universe of the famous Poe fiction, The Mask of Red Death. The fic in itself is more of an expansion, setting the characters of Persona 5 in the AU.

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || A03 Link || Chapter 4

[[its 3am and im starving]]

[[le’s get a sandwich and also do this]]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls.

Chapter 3:

With the death of half the kingdom, it was only natural that rumors of a greater force, of a conspiracy would start to spread.

He'd first heard from the Charioteer that took him to his new residence.

"It stands over the bedside of the dying!" He says in a voice louder than the Prince would have liked, "And it takes their souls while they die on their cots!"

He gives some kind of placating response, but is duly ignored for more loud theatrics. It provided for a good distraction.

An ironic one.

As he's being led to his coffin for his own demise.

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He first sees Death as he slept on his simple bed.

A being made from darkness incarnate.

From the holes in the wall to the cracks on the floor, like slithering serpents, like the chills over his skin.

The prince does not remember much of that encounter.

Only the ice in his lungs, the coming winter.

A mass of shadows by his bed, with soft whispers of words in an alien language.

The pale, dying moonlight that shone in between, a brief respite, did nothing to alleviate.

Rather, because of it, he could see.

See those eyes.

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The next person to speak of it was the Lover.

One of the ladies who'd been chosen to accompany the Prince in his stay at the abbey, she was not one to particularly catch his curiosity in any other way. Apart from the initial curiosity over her appearance.

But for some reason, hearing that rumor again tacked on to a noble, it made him pause.

"It is an...abomination of the darkest kind." She says. She's always been painfully considerate of her words and how she spoke, especially among the other daughters of nobles. "It takes the form of man, yet made entirely of shadows."

"Shadows?"

"Supposedly, to cover his own inflictions from the plague."

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The second time he sees Death is after their prayers had been said.

Oddly enough, it was during the time that they had kept the plague victims in their prayers.

He vaguely remembers feeling a prickling sensation down his spine. Chills and a quickened heartbeat.

The first pew. Closest to the floral offerings.

At first, he didn't understand what he was looking at. Unlike the last time they'd met, it was bright daylight outside.

The shard-like reflections from the sunlight pouring in through the delicately-patterned mosaics.

Whatever light fell on the shadows...was eaten. He didn't know how else to describe it.

Unlike the cold shine of iron and gold, or the luminosity of light on colors.

A void of darkness in this world of light.

Except.

Just then, the heavens seemed to play a particularly cruel prank on him.

Just then, it turns to him.

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The next person to speak of it was rather unexpected.

"How so? You would hardly find a person not speaking of him these days." The Emperor says, barely even lifting his gaze from his canvas. Today too, he hasn't lifted his paintbrush, or touched his palette.

He supposed that was true. But why his interest?

"Partly due to the way those who spoke of him described him."

Described him?

"Maybe it's due to them believing that he is an incarnation of Death. Their descriptions of him wax eloquent poetry." He says, his chuckle hollow. Devoid of mirth.

His fingers twitch on his brush, his hand does not move.

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It was a man, they had mentioned.

A lone, young man, from the depths of shadows.

Contrary to what they had said, though, he appeared in the day as well as the night.

Well, the prince supposed he knew that first-hand.

...

Perhaps the threat of death had made him a bit foolhardy.

But he had to admit. He was curious. Insatiably so.

The prince stares straight ahead.

To his right, sat Death.

Close enough to feel the chills on his skin. The burning in his eyes and lungs.

Self-preservation, perhaps.

But somehow, he forces himself to look.

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...This was an unexpected visit.

She sat in his usual pew. When she saw the Prince approach, she smiled.

"I see that you are well." The tone in her voice is matter-of-fact and her words trail into the silence.

As was she. But what was she doing here?

"...It's so peaceful here." She says by way of explanation.

Her skin was pale, and threw the shadows under her eyes in stark relief.

"I'm almost envious of you, your Highness."

She looks like she's stared Death in the eyes.

"As do you." A mirthless chuckle, "It sounds quite ominous to say that, considering why you were sent here."

Silence, then a pondering look.

"You've heard the rumors as well?"

Even here, it was impossible to avoid them.

"...If he truly does exist...even then, I feel pity for him."

Pitiable?

"Every day, I see them. In the waking world and in my dreams." She closes her eyes, a pained expression, "Every victim that we treat. Every victim that we lose."

Her hands clasped together.

"We only manage to keep them alive for a couple of moons, at most. And even then, we cannot ease their suffering. I can..."

"....."

"I can...only imagine suffering that pain for all of eternity."

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Over the course of these days he'd somehow stayed alive, he'd come to realize several things.

The first realization was that Death took the form of a man. Just like the rumors had said.

The second was that he could not look at Death for very long. Possibly an obvious assumption, but he'd come to realize it during the past few days, especially when he'd made the first realization.

The longest he'd lasted was for a few seconds and then the ice-cold dread in his blood would threaten to stop his heart, his forehead burned, his eyes strained. His body couldn't last under that strain, and he was being closely monitored as it was.

Death took the form of a man, covered in a cloak of shadows.

There were shadows under his eyes and cuts on his hands. Rashes beyond his wrist, disappearing into the darkness.

Pale skin. And where his skin was cut, his blood appeared to have frozen. Or congealed.

Frozen in time. Like a corpses'.

Dead men tell more tales than he realized.

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Alone and effectively locked away for the rest of his days, one would soon run out of good memories to relive.

A few days after, he runs out of bad memories too. Now, he spends his time, remembering what happened and what could have been.

Some days, he wakes up and forgets which story line he's locked himself in.

But today, a seemingly unimportant memory sticks in his mind.

A memory of a Hermit living on the other edge of Time.

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The Hermit was far more apt for a chat than he had heard.

Once he'd gotten over the notion of chatting to someone crouched in a corner, facing the wall, that is.

"..."

And the lapses in silence between words. Then again, he never was one to keep up the flow of conversation that well either.

"I haven't come up with a cure either." Is the petulant admission.

"..."

"Oh, no. The Prince is disappointed in me. Whatever shall I do." She continues, now sounding a mite more sarcastic.

He wasn't.

"Were you expecting failure from the beginning? That's heartless, you know."

Considering the number of failures, it would be downright optimistic.

"Experimenting with the kingdom's subjects should be kept in moderation. Soon, there would be no-one left to keep alive."

A sentiment he shared, but he had no choice.

"How cutthroat." She falls silent again.

When she speaks again, it seems to be of her own ponderings.

“It would help greatly if the dead could speak."

Isn't that what she's supposed to do?

"I am not one of those hideous black birds." She says indignantly, "I don't cut open bodies and examine them for a sick idea of fun!"

They're the ones donating most to the cure efforts.

"Hmph. You're probably going to be the next plague victim."

...

"...What?" The Hermit evidently found something wrong with this silence, unlike the others, "It was a joke."

It was.

"You can't lose your nerve now. Dead men can't speak, the past is the past. And you're a beacon for the future."

The past.

"We can't afford to let you die just yet."

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"I cannot die."

He says one day, aloud.

He thinks...he sees Death shift a little.

Once he starts speaking, it's impossible to stop.

His fractured thoughts, words, everything.

"I can't die yet. Not yet. The townspeople are keeping me alive because they need me alive."

"..."

"With all that, my reason for being kept alive should be important. It should be."

It isn't.

"But even then. I'm terrified of dying. Then again, all of them were. And they still did."

Awkward sentences, incoherent thoughts.

"Despite everything I still want to live."

"..."

He stops just then.

So caught up in his train of thought, he forgot just who he was talking to.

So occupied he doesn't realize.

How cold the room felt all of a sudden.

How...dark the room felt all of a sudden. Like the very light itself had been smothered and dimmed, like the breath in his lungs.

Of course...he'd forgotten who he was talking to.

So. Without thinking, he looks into the face of Death.

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"Regrets?" The Empress repeats, in slight confusion, "Do I have any, you mean?"

He nods and she seems to think about it carefully as she places her cup back down. Her expression serious, eyebrows furrowed, eyes closed.

Eyes open, now with a steeled kind of expression.

"Regrets...well, I do. Especially considering all that's happened." The Empress says, with a slight, sad smile.

The kingdom collapsing in on itself.

...Oh. And what she's gone through. The prince apologizes, slightly sheepish.

"No, it's alright. You have your own problems to deal with." She says, shaking her head, "I can only imagine what you must be going through at this time."

...

"Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"

He'd been staying, in isolation, for quite some time. Even with the companions he'd brought along, he'd soon ran out of topics to talk about and the circumstances around them always meant they'd invariably talk about what happened around them. Death and diseases and flimsy strands of optimism from their fraying societal masks.

"Do you have any regrets?" She asks. Quietly, carefully. It was strange that word.

The way it reminded him of days where he'd long thought he'd made his peace.

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Chapter 3: Regardez vos mensonges aimants démêlez à portée de main.

End.

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. Ch. 04

Pairing: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira

Rating: T

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || A03 Link

[[i am tired poor and death cant take me fast enough

[[despite it being 11pm tea parties sound wonderful rn

[[anyway have fun reading!

Ask not for whom the bell tolls.

Chapter 4:

The End.

It was approaching. He'd felt it somehow.

It perforated the very air he breathed, the soil that he walked on, like violent smoke and chemical jasmine, artificial and poisoning.

Birds and mice and men alike, voices empty and hollow and echoing. Sunken, listless eyes.

Even behind the Church doors.

The floral offerings in front of the pews are unnaturally bright, he thinks.

Glaringly bright.

It reminds him of the colors of poison.

His eyes close when he feels that familiar numbness creeping down his back.

A wistful smile.

"...You were away for quite a while." He says.

He doesn't bother looking behind himself anymore. He doesn't need to.

He knows that sensation all too well.

A dry, mirthless chuckle, "Of course, I imagine you were quite busy these days."

His voice was hoarse and he felt like he was running on fumes.

Breathing in the smoke and the frozen air.

"I'd have to wonder if you don't tire of killing my subjects."

He can barely force himself to laugh now.

The numbness creeps up his fingers. But that's all there is.

Their gazes meet.

He feels the remnants of fear in the bile that rises in his throat, the scratching at his windpipe.

But that's all there was.

"It's not like I can do much to stop you. All I can do is wait for the end of my own time."

"Are you afraid?"

That made him pause.

"You...speak, as well?" Says the Prince, and he manages to keep his tone even, "Goodness me. What a surprise!"

They even sound alike.

"I certainly wasn't expecting this, though...I should have. Is this how you appear to all your victims?"

"And how do I appear to you?"

"...Hm. Based on what the rumors entail, you're supposed to represent someone amongst my parents,

my friends...

or someone else similarly as important to me."

"You seem uncertain of that claim."

"You...that mask covers your face, but...I do not recognize you."

An eyebrow arched in a familiar way that he knows all too well.

"How hurtful, your Highness."

A hollow sound and the Prince feels the first stirrings of an emotion he can't describe.  

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't remember you, that wasn't my intention.

Solitary confinement can do a lot to the mind."

It happens again, that hollow sound. And the Prince realizes what it is.

Laughter. Unlike the voice, it's very clearly a grotesque non-human snarl

masquerading as human mannerisms and the mockery of a voice

he knows.

He knows...all too well.

"I see. If that's the case, allow me. "

As the voice echoes around the Church, he bends his head slightly,

his hand covered in scratches, bruised knuckles and blue fingers,

prying the mask away from his face.

A familiar smirk and those eyes.

"..."

"What is it, Your Highness?"

He's dimly aware of how his breath catches,

his heart pounding in his ears.

The revelation of an impossibility forming in the corners of his mind.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"...Ha. Haha...ha..." He chuckles weakly, "Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"In poor taste, perhaps."

"It's been too long since I talked to another human."

A smile through bruised and cut lips,

with the ghost of human pain in his eyes.

"And it's been especially long since I talked with you."

For some reason,

even though his eyes are used to seeing what they can't understand,

his lips are used to conversing with a god he doesn't believe in-

He can't speak or can't bear to look.

"What a terrifying glare. How unbecoming of a Prince."

"You'd scare all your suitors off with such an expression, Your Highness."

There was that same familiar taunting look,

that crude, honest way of speaking.

How infuriating.

"Are you that much happier lying to yourself?"

"They damn the soul to an early death, you know."

"I shouldn't have to hear that from you."

He says coldly, dropping all pretenses.

"True. I was a hypocrite in that regard."

"What a ridiculous situation. Why are you here?"

"To taunt me before I die?"

Everything about him had changed though.

His movements are stiffer, uncanny like a puppet's.

Artificial light in his eyes and expression.

Most noticeable when he stops smiling, stops pretending.

Something...wrong.

"I'm here to make you remember."

"Remember what?" The prince snarls, "My memory is pristine."

He doesn't need to remember anything.

"Of course, you don't. It's not for your benefit."

His smile is less artificial now.

"You are all too aware of what happened."

"But you may as well humor me one last time."

"...Listen to the raving delusions of a dead man?"

"For old times' sake?"

Old times. A shared history.

The very words leave a bad taste in his mouth.

"...Do I even have a choice?"

"I wonder if you ever did."

And with a grand sweeping motion of his arm,

and a bow,

he begins his tale.

"I will start at the beginning",

"With the last thing you would want to remember."

Of course, he thinks. Somewhat bitterly.

Underneath those deliberate, light-hearted thoughts,

a shadow, a sliver of dread, on his spine,

it begins to grow.

"That day that began with the advent of a Prince"

"And the death of a commoner."

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Chapter 4: Les morts, les mourants et les fleurs offertes, tous pour un thé morbide

End.

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. Ch. 02

Pairing: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira

Rating: T

Summary: A Goro/Akira fic set in the universe of the famous Poe fiction, The Mask of Red Death. The fic in itself is more of an expansion, setting the characters of Persona 5 in the AU.

Chapter 1 || A03 Link || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4

[[its 3am i have a migraine and death cant take me fast enough]]

[[le’s do this]]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls.

Chapter 2

They called it 'The Black Death'. Death in its very name, because no disease thus far had ever been so fatal, so hideous.

Though it was named after the color of night, blood was its avatar. Its very seal.

Sharp pains, sudden dizziness, then profuse bleeding at the pores.

Before the end of the hour, the victim of choice would be dead while their families cried on the other side of the door.

Perhaps slipping away from the sharp gazes of the plague doctors, to hold their cold hands.

By the time the prince was locked away over half of his kingdom had succumbed to this disease.

At this point in time, the threat that it would reach the upper echelons of the high court seemed more and more prominent.

The suggestion that he would stay in the abbey was made by the people in black. The plague doctors with their strange, pointed masks.

Like the head of a diseased, withered bird atop a human's body.

A chimera of sorts.

"Let His Highness seek refuge in the arms of the lord."

A tragic monster.

A tragedy.

With those kinds of thoughts, he'd stepped inside the abbey and resigned himself to that simple, captive life.

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Chapter 2: Cette chimère, vous appelez un cœur

End.

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

(Kuroha/Kitsune!Shintaro) kitsune!Shintaro is looking for a mate and Kuroha notices. Shintaro finally realizes that kuroha is making advances towards him, but only after the guy has invited him over for drinks. Things don't turn out well for Shintaro after he gets too much to drink. Especially when shintaro realizes, after waking up from his drunken stupor, that kuroha has claimed him as his mate. No snake porn and no snake bondage please! Can be any rating you want. Thanks!

Title: Punishment Game

Pairing: Kuroha/Kisaragi Shintaro

Rating: M

A03 Link 

[[holy shit]]

[[i absolutely adore you for the prompt my lovely anon friend]]

[[I GET TO WRITE FOX SHIN AGAIN YEY]]

Oh. It dawns on him suddenly. 

When he feels the cool wood against his cheek, his breath warming the surface of the table with the remnants of magic in his veins. 

The white gems, the black gems, pricking the palms of his hands as he leans back on the table, the taste of chocolate on his lips and his tongue. 

Nails digging into his cheeks and an impatient tongue, swallowing each breath that he took. 

It dawns on him when Kuroha pulls away finally and he’s able to see the look in his eyes, it dawns on him then. 

“…What are you…doing?” Shintaro manages finally. 

“What does it look like?” Is the reply.  

And Shintaro couldn’t suppress he shiver when he feels the light touch of lips on his neck, the scrape of teeth. 

“Even…if you do that. You can’t…” 

“I can’t what exactly? Hrm?” 

Ah…crap. It feels too good. 

Shintaro’s fingers dig, ineffectually, down Kuroha’s back. 

“You’re a…human…” 

“And you’re a fox god. Are we done stating the obvious?” 

“Why are you…?” 

“You’re asking me when you’re like this?” 

It’s a simple matter to peel away the robes he wore, the blush that extended down his neck, his shoulders, and he still clings on, biting his lip to hush the sounds. 

“Weren’t you the one glancing at me with those eyes?” 

“What…eyes?”

“If you don’t realize yourself, you really have a twisted personality.” 

Maybe he does. 

This situation felt so strange, so surreal. 

And he can’t bring it in himself to push Kuroha away. 

A delighted thrum along his body, sparking in his veins and halting his breath as he feels those lips on his neck, those possessive hands over the small of his back. 

Pushing him against the wall, the heat from their bodies melding together, so close that Kuroha can feel him shuddering, hear the hitched breath. 

Hasn’t it been a while? Says the voice in his head, sounding oddly like the voice he’s hearing just now. 

Aren’t you lonely?

It just…feels so good. And his mind is blanking out and he just wants to feel even more. 

And his hands press softly over Kuroha’s and trembling lips against his shoulder, his robes still pulled down so the sliver of skin on his neck is still bared to the man. 

His tails pressing against their bodies, wrapping around them both. His ears, folded down in submission.

The significance isn’t lost on either of them, of course.

Kuroha yanks him abruptly forward, and Shintaro doesn’t even have the time to complain before he’s drowning in kisses. It’s the only way he could describe such feverish desire. 

Fangs scratching at the back of his ears until his heart stutters, hips grinding together and greedy fingers over the base of his tails, just enough, just right, it sends chills up his spine, makes the fox shudder. 

His lips part, his eyes close, and he finally gives in. 

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“And that’s what happened.” 

“And that’s what happened, my ass! Why does it sound like a cliche, shitty, b-romance novel?!” 

“Well, it happened.” Kuroha says with an easy shrug, “Didn’t know you were that easy during mating season.”

“I’m not that easy!” 

“You insult me for a few hours and then pant underneath me for the rest of the night?” 

“I-I…what are you even saying?!”

“How cold, Shintaro. You were the one desperately clinging onto me weren’t you?” 

“I wasn’t!!”

“Really?” Kuroha arches an eyebrow. It’s all-too-easy to yank Shintaro back down onto his lap, stroking his neck until he found it. 

“…!” 

“It was so easy to mark. Even by a mere human. Then again, being raised by demons probably gave me an unfair edge, didn’t it, master?” 

And he’s far-gone enough already to shiver at the tone in his voice,his ears twitch at the dripping perversity that coated his every word, his touch. 

As Kuroha scrapes the healing bruise with his lips and his teeth, he feels a phantom sensation down his own neck. 

They’re too far gone now. 

And he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

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Liked this? You can always head over here to request some more drabbles!

Or you can check the taglist/FAQ to see what I’ve written before [and what I currently write!]

And if you wanna show some support, you can head over to my ko-fi page!

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

What to do when your boyfriend(???) is a shapeshifter and also a furry

Title: What to do when your boyfriend(???) is a shapeshifter and also a furry

Pairing: Abeno Haruitsuki/Ashiya Hanae 

Rating: T+

AU: Fox-Demon(?)!Ashiya

A03 Link

[[as you can see by the title i have no more shits to give on naming things]]

[[i spent too much time writing this agh]]

[[but i did my very best for this :>]]

[[also you may be a bit lost reading this so here’s a link to the first part in this (warning for nsfw implied) ]]

[[please enjoy]]

"Are the tails and the ears part of the appeal?" 

Abeno asks this quite suddenly one day. Too sudden. Ashiya didn't even know what he was talking about. "Huh?" 

"Apparently, Yahiko can make his disappear." Abeno says by way of elaboration, "But he keeps them for...'appeal'. I guess." He makes a face. 

"...Huh?" Ashiya replies again, dumbly.

"I know for a fact that you're not a youko." 

"What's a youko?"

"Are you kidding me." 

"No, I'm curious! What's a youko?" 

"...Forget I even asked!" 

"...Oh." It does register, then. And Ashiya looks to the side, embarrassed. 

"No, I. Uh. I-I'm not like a real fox demon or anything. My mother wasn't one." 

Abeno blinks. 

"I just...thought they were kinda cool. The foxes in books." Ashiya admits, and he's definitely blushing now, "So, I kinda. Shaped myself like one? I guess I can put it like that."

"You're a shapeshifter?" 

"Sometimes. Only if I concentrate really hard." 

"Must be difficult for you." 

"Hey!" Ashiya pouts. His tails flick to the side, a bit. 

"I had a feeling. Yahiko only had one tail." 

"More tails are cooler!" 

"...You both are definitely on the same level." 

"I don't understand that, but I feel like it was an insult." 

"Probably." 

"You're not going to deny it?!" 

Abeno stays quiet. It's bothering him even more now. 

"...What?" 

"Nothing." 

"Something's definitely bothering you." Ashiya stares at him, then realizes something, "Oh." 

And Abeno gets a bad feeling.  "...No." He says immediately. 

"Oh, is that what it was?" Ashiya says and he sounds cheerful all of a sudden. Too cheerful. 

"No, it's definitely not." 

"All you had to do was ask, Abeno-san!" 

"I'm not asking!" 

"Here you go~" And there's a fwump of fur on his lap as Ashiya's tails land not-so-gracefully on him. 

And Abeno immediately pushes them off. 

"Ah?! Be careful, they'll get mussed!" 

"I don't want to touch them!"

"I never said anything about touching." Ashiya says and he's grinning again. 

"Shut up!" 

"You don't have to be so shy, Abeno-san!" 

"I'm not. Besides, I have touched them before." 

"Eh?" 

"Before." He says, with a meaningful look at Ashiya. 

"...Oh." 

And the blush returns, ten-fold. Ashiya just coughs. 

"W-well, I don't think you'd...remember. Much of that time." 

"I don't." Abeno says simply. 

"So, it's a good time as any to do that again, right?!" 

"You're strangely enthusiastic about this." 

"I took good care of them, so I'm gonna show them off!" Ashiya says and he does seem to be very pleased with it. 

And the tails are still there. Abeno turns his gaze towards them for a couple of seconds before he relents. 

Ashiya flinches just a bit.

"Soft." 

"Of course! Like I said I...take care of them." 

"Hrm." 

Soft, glossy black fur. Like velvet on his fingers.

So soft. 

"I wasn't asking to touch them, you know." Abeno says.

"Yes, you were." 

"I wasn't because you'd react like this." 

"Like this?" 

Curling in on himself, his ears drooping, biting his tongue. 

"Weren't you the one who hated being touched?" 

"I don't hate it, exactly." Ashiya protests, "Just. It just feels weird." 

"Weird?" 

"Like electricity up my spine." 

Like static along his fingers, everywhere he touched. Through his fingers and on his skin. 

His ears droop, and he can see Ashiya look away.

"The air....around me. Hard to breathe." 

He could feel himself catching his breath. For some reason. 

"Like..." 

Like he forgot how to speak. 

Oh. Abeno recognizes this feeling all too well. 

Strange. 

He didn't smell anything sweet. 

"Did you do something?" 

Ashiya looks back at him, frowning, "...No?" 

He's shivering. 

They're sitting closer than he'd realized. 

He freezes up when Abeno touches the base of his tail. 

"...!" 

"Did that hurt?" 

"Not. Not really." Ashiya says and it's taking an effort to make his voice sound normal, it seems. 

"..."

Up his tails...over the small of his back.

There's something on Abeno's tongue that he can't place. 

"...Abeno-san?"

And Abeno doesn't answer.

He can hear the hitch in Ashiya's breathing. Hurried, panicked. 

Something about that. There was something about that that just-

Ashiya starts again when he feels a weight on his back. 

"Abeno-san?!" 

"Relax already." 

An arm around his waist, holding him still. 

The other, slowly raking along the fur of his tails. 

"Relax." Abeno says again, and it's agonizingly slow. But Ashiya relaxes. 

The base of his tail, the crook of his back. Artless fingers. Careful fingers. 

Holding him like he was about to shatter at any moment. 

 The weight on his back increases just a bit. When Abeno leans on him. 

Ashiya's hand is warm over his. Thin fingers clasping over his palm, and pressing softly on his hand.

So close. 

The tremors through his body. 

Red painted over his cheeks, his shoulders, the back of his neck.

"You're an idiot." Abeno whispers on the back of his neck, the breath, his voice sinking through Ashiya's skin.

"Y-You're saying this now?!" 

"I am."

The hand in front travelling under his shirt. 

"Who's the one who's been reduced to this state?" 

"Isn't that you?" Ashiya shoots back, irritated. 

"I'm not the one who needs this to live." 

Fingers pressed on his lips and careful, careful kisses pressed over his skin. 

"Ashamed?" 

"I'm not." Ashiya says harshly. And he wasn't. 

But this...

He kisses back against Abeno's fingers ever-so-slowly. 

Gently. 

And he turns back to face him. 

Abeno's already pulled away.  "You shouldn't starve yourself like that." 

"I don't mean to." 

"...If you're not ashamed, are you afraid after all?" 

Ashiya just stares at him for a long while. 

Then he leans in. 

When they kiss, it tastes oddly sweet. 

The perfume of flowers, it spreads on their tongues, like fire down his throat. 

The air between them, their breaths, so hot.

"So you did use some?" Abeno asks when they draw apart. There's a bit of the heat on his own cheeks that he doesn't care to admit.

"...? What are you talking about?" 

"...It's fine." 

"Eh?" 

"Just don't think." 

And he kisses Ashiya again, just to shut him up.

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls. Ch. 01

Rating: T

Pairing: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira(eventually...)

Summary: A Goro/Akira fic set in the universe of the famous Poe fiction, The Mask of Red Death. The fic in itself is more of an expansion, setting the characters of Persona 5 in the AU.

A03 Link || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4

[[its 3am this was supposed to be published 2 months ago and also supposed to be a oneshot]]

[[le’s do this]]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls.

A Persona 5 fanfiction

It passes from their lips to the empty, frostbitten air, passed amongst themselves from those of noble blood to those barefoot and light-fingered.

Whispers, prayers, hushed among themselves, they watch the giant, brass bell ring out its solemn tones.

He does not. Because he has no need to.

The scent of smoke and ashes, it surrounds him on all sides.

Reminding him of what he had lost.

Happiness.

The kingdom lay in shambles under his feet.

Daunt.

His foe ravages country and village, cobblestone and town.

Sagacity.

With its shrewd cruelty, it decimates every single beloved citizen and crushes their lives under its claws.

And they are left burning the bodies of their beloved's mangled corpses, until their features are burned into their mind.

Pale faces, blue tongues.

Eyes that see everything, that see nothing.

The very portrait of desperation.

Desperation...hm.

It seems to be the best fit for what they dealt with now.

On the throes of desperation, away from their prying eyes,

With the scent of charred flesh in the air, fire born of death,

With the last shreds of 'desperation', his citizens turn to him.

With glassy smiles and confident eyes, the council locks him away in the abbey.

With prayer, with whisper to stay safe through those thick oak doors.

"They can't reach you."

"They can't find you."

"You alone will be safe...!"

In their fervor, they seem to forget.

With the dying throes of his kingdom, the impossible happens.

He comes face to face with the intangible.

"Ask not for whom the bell tolls, O beloved Prince."

Death.

It stands before him, a contradiction in its very self.

Death.

What else could he call it but that?

A figure draped in shadows and a face shrouded by a mask.

On the other side of the doors that shut him away from the world, the voice of Death echoes in the empty chambers of God.

"It tolls for thee."

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Chapter 1: Cette phrase mutilé que vous adorez tellement.

End.

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[yourlocalyorozuya]

If you could get your wish granted one day...?

Pairing: Soraru/Mafumafu

Rating: M+ SUPER HOT OH LORD

A03 Link

[[STORY UNDER CUT OH LOOOORD]]

If you could get your wish granted one day, what price would you be willing to pay?

An Utaite fanfiction

I wish it was still April Fools.

...

Yes this is an April Fool's fic. "10 days late?" You're asking me?

Friend, time is an illusion, death is upon us and my uploading schedule is the real joke of this entire fic. It was actually supposed to be me uploading 2 fics in one day but this works too tbh

Anyway, if you're still here, might as well deliver!

If you could get your wish granted one day, what price would you be willing to pay?

An Utaite fanfiction

“This is terrible!” 

“What?” 

“Terrible!” Mafumafu says, “The title is so long, it can barely even be crammed into the post title!” 

“Don’t you mean fanfiction title?” Soraru replies, frowning, “Then again, it depends on the site where it’s posted.”

“It’s still long either way! It’s so long, we had to cut it to cram it short in both! We made it into an awkward looking question!”

“It looks like something you’d ask for Truth or Dare.” Soraru concedes, “Then again, it’s not like this fic is going to be taken seriously. It’ll probably go for 3 notes/kudos/likes, like usual.” 

“Yeah. I mean no! Isn’t that bad?! Shouldn’t we try to entertain as many people as possible?? Isn’t the the whole point of a story in the first place?!”

“Of a TV show, maybe. I don’t know about books...or fanfictions...in any case, the M rating should be enough to draw more than 3 readers in, right?”

“Anyway, we can’t really do that with you acting like that!”

“...? What’s wrong with how I act?” 

“You have all the enthusiasm of burnt ashes! We can’t engage the audience like this!!”

“...??? Isn’t this how I usually sound though?” 

“That’ll appeal to the Soraru fangirls for sure, but we need to bring in as many people as possible! We can only get so many ikemen fans, you know!”

“Exactly how do you want me to act then?!”

“It’d be nice if I could get an ounce of emotion in there...and hasn’t this format gotten confusing?!”

“Why? What do you mean???”

“First of all, this is entirely dialogue-based and no-one can tell who’s even talking any more!” 

“Isn’t this how fanfictions are written though?”

“It’s too confusing!! Much too confusing! It’d be easier if we did-”

Mafumafu: Something like this! 

Soraru: Eh?

Mafumafu: The ever-popular radio format!

Soraru: Are we seriously doing the radio transcripts?! Isn’t this for something like sexting fics or something? 

Mafumafu: -puts hand on heart- What kind of fanfictions have you been reading Soraru-san?!

Soraru: You’re even putting your gestures in this format now?! Why has this become Hikikomoranai Radio all of a sudden??!

Mafumafu: It’s what we’re most known for!

Soraru: This and not the songs we’ve made?!

M: Anyway, we have an April Fools fanfiction to write in!

S: Our names are already being shortened, geez. Are they that hard to write?

M: Usually, when we do April Fools’, we have one thing we turn to.

M: So naturally, we’re going to be girls again!

S: Y’know that changing our icons to girl versions of ourselves and posting as girls isn’t really crossdressing right?

M: We sung as girls though!

S: That’s entirely different from crossdressing! 

M: We’ve crossdressed before!

S: You have, I haven’t!

M: I mean, I did but that’s entirely different!

S: How exactly is that different?!

M: I never said we were crossdressing, Soraru-san!

S: You said we’d be girls though?

M: Eheheee, I did! 

M: -holds up really strange looking rock-

S: Okay, I can see that thanks, we don’t need the gesture thing!

M: But our audience does Soraru-san.

S: Mrgh.

M: And don’t interrupt, please! Now, this is a magical stone!

M: And it transforms us into our inner selves!

S: ....

S: Mafumafu-kun, I’ve always had my doubts...

M: Eh? 

S: I’ve had my doubts...ever since we did that song. But...

M: Eh??? Why are you talking in keigo all of a sudden???

S: You really are a Chuuni aren’t you? 

M: EH? 

S: I’ve had my suspicions, but really it’s come to this!! How can I ever associate with someone who actually thinks he’s a ruler of darkness and will take over the world-

M: Soraru-san??

S: I...I alWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE JOKING IS THIS TRUE HOW

M: Soraru-san!

S: Yes? 

M: Y-you calmed down from that rant fast. And hey, listen to me first!

S: Fine, okay.

M: Look, this stone is a magical relic...stop making faces. 

S: Okay, okay.

M: And all we have to do is touch it and we transform into magical girls!

S: And I’m lost. 

M: Eh, that was a flawless explanation!

S: You said we...transform into our inner selves! How are our inner selves magical girls?? We’re boys!

M: Inside every person is a magical girl! Even boys!

S: The hell???

M: Just trust me and touuuuch it already! 

S: Geez okay, okay already!

M: Ready? Ah, Soraru-san, put your whole palm on it, not just a couple of fingers! That’s not enough!!

S: Do you even realize how that...-sigh- Fine.

M: Okay, now we’re transforming!

M: Please feel free to imagine any kind of transformation music that you want during the transition!

S: Like from PM**. 

M: Or from Ma*io!

S: Or even from the Ga*ette. Or One OK Ro*k.

M: Soraru-san, that last one was too obvious! We won’t be able to avoid copyright! This fic wil be taken down!! And then the author will be too lazy to upload it again!!!

S: Since when did this become Gin****?

S: And hey! Don’t we have songs of our own they can use!?

M: Oh, yeah. Good point.

S: In any case, just get on with it already!

M: Okay!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                Magical transformation sequence!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mafumafu: By the power of the void, the darkest phase of the moon!

Mafu-oh: I am the lady of darkness and war! Mafuyu, the goddess of the moon at your call!

Mafuyu: ...

Mafuyu: Uwah, even my voice changed! This is so cool! Soraru-san!!

Mafuyu: ..? Soraru-san? 

Soraru-?: ...

Mafuyu: Ah, Soraru-san?! You’re a...prettier girl than I thought you would be! Wow! 

Soraru(?): ....

Mafuyu: Soraru-san? Is something wrong?

Soraru(??): ...ing.

Soraru(??): This is...embarrassing...

Mafuyu: Gasp!

Soraru(idk): ?!

Mafuyu: Even Soraru-san’s voice is cute! In fact it’s too cute! I’m almost creeped out by it!

Creep-aru: H-how cruel, Mafuyu-chan!

Mafuyu: MAFUYU-CHAN?!???? EH

Who are you and what have you done with Soraru: Please don’t make fun of me!

Mafuyu: ??!?!?!?? Soraru-san?

Nani the kuso-ru: Eh?

Mafuyu: Soraru...chan??

The f is happening-ru: What is it, Mafuyu-chan?

Mafuyu: Keigo again!? Also something really weird is happening to your name tags!!

-whistles innocently- Soraru(?): Ah..that. I-If Mafuyu-chan is having a cute name then I’d like a cute name too!

Soraru(?): Please call me Soraruko!  

Aight then, Soraruko: I’m um...i-it’s so embarrassing when I say it out loud!!

Mafuyu: Wh-

Mafuyu: Weird! Too weird!!

Soraruko: Eh?!

A Suddenly Shouting Mafuyu: WhY HAS SORARU-SAN TURNED INTO A TSUNDERE

Soraruko: Ma-Mafuyu-chan!?

Mafuyu: Not even a tsundere!! A Deredere?! Wh-this is too much of an attitude change!

Soraruko: Mafuyu-chan, please calm down! Your chair!! You’re going to fall out of your chair!!!

Mafuyu: Ah! 

-sound of loud objects-

R.I.P nerds.

Soraruko: H-hey! Don’t kill us off just yet!!

Damn.

Soraruko: You don’t want to write this that badly?! Ah!! Mafuyu-chan, are you okay?!

Mafuyu: Ah...is that you, god?

Soraruko: A-aaaaaah, Mafuyu-chan!! It’s too early to go up to heaven!! D-don’t go!

Mafuyu: Ah...are you an angel? Are they welcoming me into hell finally? 

Soraruko: Mafuyu-chan, that’s the wrong place!

Mafuyu: Eh, Soraruko? Wow...your hands are really soft?? 

Soraruko: Eh!?

Mafuyu: It’s kind..of...weird. 

Soraruko: Ma-Mafuyu-chan!

Mafuyu: See, Soraru-san would have immediately called me creepy or pushed me away! What is this?!

Soraruko: ...I-is that so?

Mafuyu: Eh?

Soraruko: I-is that your type after all, Mafuyu-chan?!

Mafuyu: EH 

Soraruko: I-I thought you were joking! Are you really a hardcore M?!

Mafuyu: I’m an S!

Soraruko: That’s the part that you take offence to?!

Mafuyu: Anyway, this is too weird! I’m going to leave and post some updates on twitter, okay?

Soraruko: W-wait, Mafuyu-chan!

-Hurried footsteps and the slam of a door-

Soraruko: Ahh, she left. I can’t do this all alone, Mafuyu-chan...

Soraruko: ....

Soraruko: So that’s her type huh...

Soraruko: If...that’s what it takes then-

You’re going to be an M? You??

Soraruko: Is that really so surprising? 

Well, yes? 

Soraruko: You’re the writer right? You should know exactly what I’m capable of. 

Soraruko: -polite smile-

...

So the april fools’ twist is that you’re a yandere? 

Soraruko: No, it’s this entire pointless fanfiction. 

Good point. 

Soraruko: ...You can end this now. 

Alright, alright, geez. 

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...

well yeah that’s it man 

sorry about this i’ll resume my attempt of quality uploads after this fic so if you’re a new reader i hope the cringe didnt scare you off

...

well they’re all probably gone by the halfway mark eh

so yeah, if you’re still here mad props to you friend

and thanks for reading my poor attempt at humor! 

See ya! :D

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