#it's just... that specific tone of a cat's voice. it brings back some really unpleasant memories.

[orcelito]

It really is So. Very inconvenient. As a cat owner. To have a cat-based trauma response.

[leviiattacks]

Hi, you're a very talented writer and your works are very beautiful. Can I request one where Levi's fem s/o does the ignore your boyfriend prank? Thank you so much and take care of yourself ❤️

author note :: thank youuu i’m glad you think that anon !! this isn’t good at all bc i’m just very sick and yeah,,, i’m sorry if this doesn’t live up to your expectations but i needed something to do and ended up finishing this. hmmm what is this is it fluff?? idk it’s captain levi and survey corps member reader though :-) requests are open so feel free to drop by if you’d like :D word count :: 3.4k 

you should NOT be bothering levi as much as you are because he understands you need your own space to relax sometimes

but come on... you’ve been ignoring him for an unreasonable amount of time now??

and he’s not talking about groggy ignoring, it’s not the type you do when you’ve just awoken from a restless night’s sleep

no. you’re talking to everyone apart from him.

and it’s driving him up a literal wall

did he do something wrong???

has he made a mistake so large that you’re too scared to bring it up???

are you finally sick of him??

will you break up with him?

levi winces when thinking of that specific question

but he’s the type to silently keep his worries to himself as soon as he sees any indication of a bad omen

currently, he’s mentally preparing himself for you to break the news to him any day now

but little does he know you’ve just pulled a prank hoping for him to whine and complain a little

the point of this all is to elicit an out of character reaction

;-)

the idea came from historia at first

her playing such a foul trick on ymir didn’t go unnoticed and little by little ymir’s resolve crumbled away throughout the day

she went quite literally ballistic trying to get historia’s attention

and watching it all play out made you want to try it out with levi

you’d be a FOOL not to

WELL!!!! the fun part about this is that you’re a bit actually, no. a lot, more stubborn than historia!!!

and instead of committing to the prank for a day you’ve chosen to see how far you can stretch this out

if you have to drag it out for two days so be it

you have good reason to

levi isn’t the most affectionate man, your relationship is kept a total secret from all of the cadets

meaning pda never happens

and,,, listen you would love to kiss him before expeditions without having to drag him behind your horse for cover

to be frank the back of a horse does smell rather unpleasant and it’s not as romantic as you’d like for it to be

honestly you’d rather have everyone stare and gawk in awe watching the two of you make out

seeing them put two and two together realizing what it is that’s going on between you and the captain would be hilarious

especially since reiner said last week he could never picture levi dating anyone

AND!! he even had the audacity to say he thinks someone like him would never date someone on the team

is it really not that obvious to them?

do you and levi lack chemistry?

silently fuming you walk away and even then none of the cadets get the hint

but you do think mikasa has known for a while. her senses are sharp and whenever she sees you and levi together she makes a u-turn heading in the opposite direction away from the both of you

but even if she does she isn’t going to tell anyone about it unless she’s directly asked so it’s not like the cat will be out of the bag any time soon

it’s silly getting worked up over reiner’s comments but it’s kinda disheartening having the relationship be kept a secret

and you thought even if it was there would be at least a hint of a rumour, like it should be decently obvious it’s been months since the two of you began to see each other

ESSENTIALLY, this is your plan to “accidentally” let the cadets figure it out

eventually levi will have to get restless enough to do something bold

that’s what you think will happen

but then the reality of the situation hits you at the end of the first day

he seems to be dealing with it just fine ?????

after giving him the cold shoulder he shows no signs of returning at all

...

WHY IS IT NOT WORKING???

mayday mayday mayday....?!??

red alert....?!??

you are about to bang your head against a wall he’s the one who’s meant to be suffering over this not you

but again, you’re stubborn and won’t give in easily

by the end of day one levi has approached you two times

two...

each time you’ve given him completely blunt responses

it’s frustrating you that he’s just dealing with it as it comes

and when he does speak to you it’s not to ask what’s wrong

the first time he approaches you is to ask if you’ve seen petra around which makes your blood boil a little because everyone knows petra has a big, fat, MASSIVE crush on him

you know he won’t ever reciprocate or anything for a number of reasons but you can’t help but feel annoyed

the second time he speaks to you is to ask if you’re willing to help hange out with some paperwork

??????

he doesn’t even look interested in asking you what’s wrong

honestly you would drop this plan but you’re in too deep now

may as well keep it up.

the second day rolls around and it’s not your best day

you burn breakfast

trip over a broom and hit your leg rather hard against the dining table

spill an ENTIRE cup of tea over hange’s important documents

and you haven’t slept a wink after overthinking your relationship status for hours on end

maybe this prank wasn’t a great idea

you’re hunched over the documents close to tears not knowing how you can save them now

there’s nothing you can do and even though you know hange will be okay with it, (they’ve never cared much for paperwork) you just don’t want to inconvenience them with this mess

“y/n?”

looking up you see eren standing by the doorway of the kitchen watching with a humored expression as you place paper towels over the disaster you’ve created

“captain’s looking for you.”

perking up a little internally you make sure to remain as disinterested as possible on the surface

“what does he need?”

“i don’t know he didn’t say.”

“tell him i’m busy.”

and that’s all that occurs during day two

you pass by levi and occasionally his gaze flicks to you but he doesn’t take any action to address you in public or in private

you end up going to bed even more disappointed than you were the first night

the prank definitely isn’t going the way you want and instead of it leading to levi cornering you in front of everyone and dipping you into a dreamy swoon worthy kiss it’s led to you developing doubts.

many doubts.

but you aren’t giving up any time soon, now more than ever you want to be reassured levi even wants this relationship because he’s not acting like it

it’s admittedly a bitch move on your part for pulling this prank in the first place but you expected him to ask how you were doing it has been forty-eight hours after all

if the roles were reversed you’d force him into a room until he would tell you

so you can’t explain his weird behaviour at all

maybe he doesn’t like you as much as you think

that thought makes your eyes sting at the corners

he’s always been reserved and a little lost when it comes to opening up but you’re beginning to lose hope if he finds it this hard to ask if you’re okay

drifting off to sleep before you can wallow in your thoughts any more you wish tomorrow is better

it’s the third day and to say you’re exhausted is an understatement

midday and you’re training in the sweltering heat

the lack of sleep you’ve had recently paired with your stress isn’t doing you any good

a little dizzy you attempt to hold onto a nearby tree for stability but end up somehow missing the mark by a MILE??

tumbling to the floor painfully you hiss at the collision and rub the back of your head which is now sore

footsteps approach you in a hurry and for the first time in days you’re face to face with levi

“you okay?” concern is very much evident in his voice and that eases your nerves

without you even responding he’s turning you around just to check in case

nodding wordlessly you try to get to your feet when you feel a shift.

your ankle without warning gives out on you and you’re sent crashing back down to the ground

closing your eyes and bracing for impact you’re pleasantly surprised when levi catches you by the waist

your weight is leaning onto him and you’re looking down to the floor

hange is yelling from across the courtyard telling levi to drop you off at the infirmary but he doesn’t need to be told that

his instincts do the talking for him and he’s already slung you over his shoulder and begins carrying you towards the base

“levi. put. me. down. this position’s embarrassing.”

he doesn’t respond and you can hear sasha and connie cackling at the compromising situation

swatting his back you’re huffing and puffing yet he’s still ignoring you

you’re being given the silent treatment but you suppose you do deserve it

sighing you deal with the stares you receive on the way there

this is levi and at this point nothing is seen as abnormal when he does it

you can’t really look behind you to see levi’s expression either but when a cadet walks past and mouths “y/n, what the hell did you do??” you know you’re in for it

eventually he reaches the infirmary and without even letting you get a word in he plops you onto the bed albeit a little rough

“what’s with the cold shoulder?” he places both his arms by your sides leaving you trapped

“i-”

“if you want to break up you can just say that instead of beating around the bush.”

you’re stunned by the harsh tone of his voice, he doesn’t have his usual soft timbre and your eyes glaze over in defense

“you want to break up?” your question hangs in the air

chewing at your lip anxiously you know if you bite any harder you’ll draw blood

“i don’t care. if that’s what you want, sure.”

oh.

oh no.

this isn’t going how you planned

nails digging into the flesh of your palms you hang your head low

he doesn’t care at all

if that’s what you want????? really???? that’s his response??? he won’t even fight for you???

it’s silent as he bandages your ankle and you’re burning in a mix of embarrassment and fury.

“i was just pull-” choking up in the middle of your sentence you feel yourself automatically frown

“i was just pulling a prank on you. you know how historia did with ym-“

really you’ve always been terrible at holding back your tears and a few spill over the edge and you sob

why are you like this why why why why why?????

yeah,, you get why everyone calls you overly emotional from time to time but really you swear you feel your heart shatter a little at how levi’s acting

shielding your eyes with your sleeve you cower away from him

lord have mercy.

levi wants to curl up into a ball and die from the wave of embarrassment that hits him

a prank.

a trick.

and he didn’t catch on.

and now you’re crying.

because he thought acting tough and cold in case you wanted to break up with him made perfectly logical sense???

spoiler : it didn’t make any sense...

but now it’s made him look like he hates you??

but he doesn’t hate you

no, no, no. not at all.

he could never hate you.

you’re always willing to help anyone out, you’re genuine, always say sorry even when you don’t need to, unapologetically yourself at any moment, you’re fearful yet push it all aside to be courageous and most of all he loves your little hobbies because who in their right mind actually enjoys gardening??

he’s convinced people who say they like gardening are looking for something unique to make themselves stand out but really you enjoy it and it’s quite cute

ok, ok no more getting side tracked whilst talking about your love for plants

he could name so much more he admires about you but he’d be here all day

“i tried to talk to you yesterday but after you refused i thought you hated me and wanted to break up. that’s why i was acting like that just now.” he slowly tries to explain his point to you

“i know i’m hard to love so when you began to ignore me out of the blue i figured you didn’t want to-”

cutting him off without giving him the option of finishing his sentence you’re wide eyed in horror. he was NOT meant to interpret the prank this way.

“levi?? for as long as i’m alive i’ll never get tired of you. i promise.” his heart rate shoots and the intense magnetism between the two of you becomes stronger by the second

you pause for a second gathering yourself.

“and i’m sorry i should’ve thought about how you’d feel. the reason i did it was stupid.”

levi kneels by the bed and takes your hand in his, he graciously lifts the sleeve of your uniform and ducks down to press a soft kiss onto your wrist.

your heart flutters seeing him be so careful and gentle with you and bashfully you look away

guilt overwhelms you at that moment because you really are horrible for putting him through all of that.

levi cares for you he does

he may be silent about it and not the best at being public with it but you know how he feels.

you feel it in the way he looks at you

you feel it when he helps you mount your horse

you feel it when he double checks your harnesses before expeditions

you feel it when he tends to your injuries

and, you definitely feel it right now when it sinks in that he was acting like he hated you just so you wouldn’t feel bad if you really did want to break up with him.

he’s always been bad at picking up on hints and cues so you now understand why he interpreted it as you wanting nothing to do with him

of course he wouldn’t ask how you were if it looked like you wanted to skin him alive

“what was the reason for the prank?” he inquisitively asks genuinely wanting to know what it is he can do for you

“i...” you’re wandering off and suddenly don’t want to tell him

“i wanted you to kiss me.” you whisper in a rush

he cocks an eyebrow up even more lost. “i kiss you all the time?”

“i mean, in front of everyone else.”

he blinks and his mouth forms into an “O” shape

it’s a little awkward now

he doesn’t bring it up again so you assume he doesn’t like the idea of letting everyone know just yet

and that’s okay!! you respect that!!

after all, you can’t get mad at him for it, it’s the best choice.

you don’t want people to accuse him of having bias towards you and it’ll probably upset petra and hinder her performance if her crush just suddenly starts dating out of nowhere

your gaze is back on levi and he’s now double checking the bandage on your ankle after tending to it

“you can’t walk for a few weeks.” he tsks

“be careful next time.” he’s always been blunt when he does show he cares and you warmly smile after not talking to him in days.

you feel the need to apologize again

“to make it clear i really am sorry, i should have thought more about you.”

he scoffs and rolls his eyes

“i’m overjoyed that my beautiful girlfriend doesn’t want to break up with me. now, stop moping around about it i’m over it.”

he scoops you up effortlessly and you wrap your arms around his neck.

“y/n, for the record, i’ll work on not jumping to the worst case scenario first.”

you love this aspect of your relationship

being able to understand how your flaws impact the other and choosing to make changes or adjustments

it’s sweet and you must be smiling like an idiot when thinking of it because levi blows a puff of air onto your forehead knocking you out of your daydream

feeling a little less light headed than before you notice he’s walking back out towards the courtyard

why is he doing that...?

“you’re walking in the wrong direction?”

“no i’m not.” he replies with a smug grin

oh my god

no he isn’t

oh my god

is he???

you’re bright pink in the face as you turn to look at him panicking when you hear hange’s group returning

eren can be heard arguing with jean as per usual and now you’re smacking levi’s chest even harder

“you don’t have to do this no, no, no. it’s okay really.” it’s funny how you’re begging him not to do what you’ve been waiting on for three days

but you really don’t want him to feel like he has to do this

as if he’s read your mind he replies. “i’m doing this with my own free will.”

he gives you one last grin and pushes you up against the wall, your back is against the cold yet solid surface and you tense up

oh god. it’s happening he’s diving down and it’s as if everything is moving in slow motion.

gradually you feel the familiar feeling of your heart jumping out of your chest

both of your lips mould together, he’s hoisting you up again preventing you from slipping away. hungry hands grip at your thighs and a knowing smile twitches across his mouth.

nipping at his bottom lip he groans and you nearly forget why it is he’s kissing you

that is until you hear a SCREAM from your right

“eren what the fuck are you yelling at?” jean’s voice can be heard scowling in the distance but you’re too distracted by levi’s mouth to care

eren must be speechless because nothing is heard until jean reaches the scene

“OH. MY. GOD.”

“WHERE IS REINER??? HE’S NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS.”

“you’re both overreacting.” mikasa makes her appearance and you’re not sure if she’s seen you and levi yet because your eyes fluttered shut long ago

“Y/N AND THE CAPTAIN????? WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE MIKASA??” eren’s voice sounds so distressed you guess you’re right for assuming he may have had a crush on you at some point

“it was obvious, i don’t know how no one else knew.”

finally levi pulls away and you’re panting practically gasping for any traces of air

“what you looking at brats?” levi snaps in their direction and mikasa nonchalantly shrugs and walks away

jean and eren however, dash away at LIGHTENING speed probably on their way to let everyone else know of the shocking new development

levi pecks your forehead and you nudge your nose against his.

since that day you and levi have been able to get away with a lot more pda

you can hold his hand and stare at how pretty your hands look laced together

you can nuzzle your face into his neck without any questions 

you can loop arms with him and even if he acts like he doesn’t enjoy it he genuinely does like walking around with you latching onto his bicep

although he still prefers the privacy of his office he’s more than happy to give in once in a while

and at the end of the day you’re ecstatic because there’s no more kissing behind your horse!!!

GONE ARE THOSE DAYS

wooHOO

honestly, you’re over the moon about it 

and so is levi

:-)

[portalford]

Mind and Health (Every Bit of Myself)

AO3

“I can’t believe I finally get to test it!  I’m so glad you’re here for this, Fiddleford.”  Stanford pauses to scribble in that journal of his before he adds, “I mean, it’s not the main reason you’re here, but it is a bonus!”  He snaps the journal shut and beams.

Fiddleford decides not to try and untangle that and just asks a question of his own.  “You’ve never tested this thing?”

“Well, on animals, of course.”  Stanford starts walking again in that brisk way he has, where Fiddleford has to half-jog to keep up.  It’s ridiculous.  This house is so small; why is he rushing?  “They were successful!  Otherwise I wouldn’t bother trying it on myself.  Waste of time.”

Stanford pushes open a door and motions Fiddleford inside.  “Behold!”  He says, flinging an arm out.  “The electron carpet!”

It looks very much like the shag rug Fiddleford’s ma used to have.

Fiddleford doesn’t say that.  “Very nice,” he says instead.

Stanford lights up even more.  “Isn’t it?”  He’s got his hands out of his pockets and is twisting his fingers around — his version of uncertainty.  “I really can’t tell you how happy I am to finally be able to test this, Fiddleford, and even more so now that you’re here.”

And that’s Stanford saying he’s glad Fiddleford’s here, and not just because of his crazy rug.  “Well,” Fiddleford says, knowing better than to make a big deal out of it, “I’m here to help.  How do we do it?”

Stanford hustles over to the rug, pacing left and right in his excitement.  “It’s very simple!  We just walk around on the carpet to build up a static charge, and once there’s enough energy, we touch.  The charge will transfer our consciousnesses from one body to the other.”

Of course.  Silly of him to ask.  “What happens if we touch before the charge is strong enough?”

“Nothing, to the best of my knowledge.”  Stanford frowns.  “We could test that, if you like.”

Good Lord have mercy on him, because Stanford certainly won’t.  “No, I think I’d rather do it the right way.”  The right way.  To body swap.  This was some mad scientist stuff.

Course, Fiddleford’s always figured Stanford as a bit of the mad scientist type.  Figures he must have a streak of it himself, too, or else he wouldn’t like Stanford so much.

Stanford’s waving him over.  “Let’s go in a circle,” he says.  “That way we won’t accidentally bump into each other.”

And all right, Fiddleford’s a little nervous, but he’s got some excited butterflies along with his anxious butterflies.

Body swapping!  It’s unbelievable.  This is the sort of thing he maybe-sort of missed in California, that madcap brilliance and joy that Stanford brings to everything he does.

They start to move.  Stanford’s strung about as tight as Fiddleford feels, mumbling facts and figures under his breath.

Fiddleford starts to wonder when it’s going to happen, are we there yet? over and over like a kid on a car ride.

Stanford stops.  “Now,” he says.  He holds out his hand.  “Always a pleasure to work with you, Mr. McGucket.”

He’s playing, but in a serious sort of way, so Fiddleford matches his tone and says, “Likewise, Mr. Pines,” before taking Stanford’s hand.

It’s like the whole world knocks him flat on his butt.

Actually, it feels like that time he got bulldozed by Sally, the family’s old sow, but with more lightning or something.

“What—” he starts, and stops.

His voice is way too low.  Did his vocal cords fry?

He sits up and looks right at his own self.

He looks weird, from this angle (the mirror effect, he knows; your reflection is your face flipped and not your face as you’d actually see it) and is he really that skinny?

He (Stanford?) adjusts his glasses and looks up at Fiddleford.  “Incredible!” He says, and his eyes go wide when he hears himself speak.

Fiddleford cracks up, and yeah, that’s Stanford’s laugh coming out of his mouth for sure.

Stanford grins, and that big manic look of his doesn’t quite fit on his borrowed face, but somehow that just makes Fiddleford feel a little easier at heart.  

“Well,” Stanford says.  He gets to his feet, a little unsteadily.  “I never.”

Stanford’s teasing, but two can play at that game.

“This carpet,” Fiddleford says in Stanford’s best lecture voice, and he’d definitely do this too if he could sound half so important, “is powered by unicorn juice, and specifically those unicorns that eat gnomes and—”

“Yes, yes, all right,” Stanford says, and it is a special kind of weird to hear Stanford’s speech patterns in Fiddleford’s voice.  “It’s not actually powered by unicorn juice.  You know that, right?”

“I don’t know half of what you get up to, t’be completely honest.”  Fiddleford cautiously gets to his feet.  Stanford’s a bit shorter and far more compact overall than he is, and the lower center of gravity is messing with him.  

Stanford’s peering into the mirror across the room.  “I wonder if I could play the banjo,” he says.  “It’s largely muscle memory, so I’d expect your body to know it even if I don’t.”

“You could certainly try,” Fiddleford says.  He steps off the carpet and frowns.  “Stanford, did you sleep last night?  You feel—”

“I’m getting the banjo!”  Stanford’s already out the door, and there’s a stumbling crash down the hall.

"Stanford!”  If Fiddleford gets his body back black and blue he’s going to play the banjo every night til eleven for a week.

“Sorry!”

Trust Stanford to literally run from the idea of sleep.

Fiddleford takes his turn in front of the mirror.

It’s a trip, for sure, and he decides to leave it at that.

He does take a moment to inspect his borrowed hands and wiggle the fingers.  Stanford’s body is clearly perfectly fine with the extra digits, but Fiddleford’s brain might need a minute or two.

His hands automatically go into his coat pockets when Stanford returns, and Fiddleford’s pretty sure that’s Stanford’s own muscle memory at work.

“Listen to this!”  Stanford picks out the opening bars of “Sweet Home Alabama.”  It’s clumsy, but not half bad, all things considered.  “You seem familiar with this one.”

“It’s one of my thinking songs,” Fiddleford says, “so I can play without really focusing on it.”

“I still don’t know how playing the banjo helps you think,” Stanford says.  

Fiddleford shrugs.  “You just haven’t got the ear for it.”

“I like my ears too much for it.”

Fiddleford has a thought.  “Hang on a minute.  We can change back, right?”

“Hm?  Oh, yes, of course.  You change back the same way you swapped in the first place.”  Stanford gives him a wry look.  “Had enough of being me?”

“Had enough of your sorry excuse for banjo playing, thank you very much.”

Stanford laughs.  “Fair enough.”

“Although playing with six fingers—”

“No, no, that’s not necessary.”  Stanford grabs his arm, like he’s about to drag Fiddleford around the way he does, but Fiddleford doesn’t move.

Fiddleford grins.  “I’m you, Stanford.  I got the muscle in this house now.”

Stanford’s outraged cat-that-just-got-dumped-in-the-tub look is hilarious on Fiddleford’s face.  “Seriously?”

“Yep.”  Because Fiddleford is a nice guy, he gets back on the rug.  Because Fiddleford has always wanted to turn the tables, he hauls Stanford along with him.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you,” Stanford says, and it’s not a question.

“Much more than I anticipated,” Fiddleford says, and it’s the truth.

Swapping bodies is just as unpleasant as it was the first time, but the relief Fiddleford feels when he opens his eyes and sees Stanford across from him is pretty good repayment.

“Stanford?”  He asks, just in case.

Stanford uncrosses his eyes and looks at him.  “Who?”

Fiddleford’s heart stops for all of two seconds before he catches the grin on Stanford’s face.  “Doggonit, Stanford, you’re gonna put me in my grave one of these days and I’ll have to come back as a spirit just to say ‘I told you so’.”

“Nonsense.”  Stanford scrambles up and pulls Fiddleford to his feet.  “You’re a paragon of health, Fiddleford.”

“Uh huh.”  Fiddleford dusts himself off.  “Can we go back to the portal now?  I think I’ve had enough of this mad scientist stuff to last me a week or two.”

Stanford, predictably, starts lecturing him on how it’s not “mad science,” it’s just “highly experimental science,” which is hogwash if you ask Fiddleford.

If it keeps Stanford away from his banjo, though, he’ll take it.

[bang-to-the-tan]

Stray Cat Strut

Chapter 5

Reader x OT7

► Faerie!AU

Fluff, Comfort

Warnings: Mention of Death, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Faerie Mischievous Bullshit

↳ Summary: When your grandmother passes away, she leaves her countryside house in your name. The longer you stay, the harder and harder it becomes to explain away the odd happenings. What kind of secrets does this sleepy town hold? And why do the local animals act so strangely around you?…

Previous     Masterlist          Next

Cleaning the pond with Jin isn’t exactly what you’d call easy or fun, but it’s good, honest work. You wade through the edges of the pond collecting trash, sleeves pushed up on your arms, shoes perched precariously to try and avoid actually stepping in the murky water. You make a mental note to see if there’s anywhere to buy a pair of rubber boots better suited for this kind of job, but for now, you’ll just do your best. You’re helping him pull the weeds trying to claim the underbelly of the bridge, scrubbing at the moss growing there, and even cutting back some of the willow tree’s long tresses with a pair of unwieldy hedge trimmers. 

Once your arms start to ache, and you’ve begun to get tired, you suggest stopping for the moment and he agrees readily. A sunny patch of warm grass to the side of the bridge is where you end up taking your rest, sitting comfortably beside each other to survey the work you’ve done so far. It’s looking better—one day and two people haven’t returned the pond to its former glory just yet, but it’s starting to make a difference. As the sunlight heats your skin, the breeze cool while it caresses the water from your sleeves, you’re struck once again by the peace that seems to steep into the very breath of this town. The trees rock gently, murmuring hushed stories into the green-scented breeze, the light and shadows underneath their leaves chasing each other across the grass and glinting off the water. Altogether not an unpleasant way to spend your afternoon. 

Jin’s company has been pleasurable the entire time as well—you don’t even realize how much of yourself you’ve been talking about until you have to take a break for something to eat and with your mouth full of sandwich, it’s suddenly quiet. 

“Sorry I’ve been talking so much about myself,” you add, swallowing and throwing him a sheepish look. His grin only grows wider.

“Trust me, I’ve enjoyed hearing you talk as much as you seemed to enjoy sharing,” he returns. The sun ahead, hot with the passing of the hours, cradles his hair in a soft halo and lends a gleam to his eyes. As he sits there, bathing in it, even covered in moss stains and dirty water from the ankles down, dark water staining the edges of his rolled sleeves, he looks like a painting. Delicate brush strokes shaping the curve of his face, the slant of his eyes, the petal-softness of his lips. So much in this town is beautiful beyond comprehension, and if anyone was living proof of that fact, it was Jin. He’d give even the possibly-magic swan a run for his money. 

“While we’re taking a break…” you say suddenly, remembering the rabbit with a start. “Jin, would you mind looking at something for me?”

“Certainly.”

You fish out your phone, wiping one hand absentmindedly on your pants, flicking with your thumb through to your photos. Your other hand holds the rest of your sandwich aloft, pausing in your consumption in favor of concentrating. 

“Okay, so, I...I’ve been running into some of your local wildlife. And I’ve had a couple people tell me that they’re these spirits, right?”

“Keprys,” he puts in, clarifying. 

“Yeah, that’s them. Um...I was just wondering...you’ve lived here a while, you said?”

He watches your eyes, blinking once, waiting patiently for your point. “Yes, I have.”

“Would you recognize one? If you saw it?”

“Yes.”

You nod once and reach out to hold the photo of the rabbit towards him, scrutinizing his face anxiously for any sign that he’ll make fun of you for believing in children’s stories.

“Okay, so what about this one?”

Hopefully, he won’t think you’re crazy. Or at least, he won’t be mean about it. Surely, he can’t throw you out of his company over something as silly as local folklore. Not when you’ve just spent an entire afternoon helping him clean his pond. But instead, he immediately bursts into bright, sparkling laughter. 

“That’s Jungkook.” he says. “I’m surprised you managed to catch a photograph of him. He’s very quick on his feet and incredibly shy.” He takes your phone from you gingerly, inspecting the picture with a cautious touch. Instead of pinching or tapping the screen, he only tilts it side to side in his hand as if to appraise it better from different angles. You wonder if he sees the legs, but if he does, he makes no mention of it. You decide you won’t bring it up.

“Jungkook.” you repeat. “Is he...I mean, is he one of them?”

Jin’s smile reappears, and he cocks his head. “Is Jungkook a kepry, you mean?”

“Yeah.”

“Yes.” He cranes to offer your phone back, pressing it in your palm with a touch that you swear lingers for a half second longer than necessary before it retracts. “Jungkook is a kepry.”

“The librarian said that keprys would be attracted to this totem I got for helping another one,” you add, hesitant. “And I feel like he—Jungkook?—I feel like he’s been following me ever since. It’s kind of like—” Jin’s head whips around in shock, eyes wide. 

“Librarian?” He echoes, cutting you off. “You saw Namjoon?” 

Your nose scrunches with curiosity. “Is that his name? Purple haired guy? Likes to be really vague? Hangs out in the ivy-covered library?”

“That’s him. That’s Namjoon.” Something curls in Jin’s eyes, furrows his brows momentarily. His voice goes soft, and he shifts, plucking at his trouser leg with an absent air. “How...How is he?”

You stare at him, intrigued by the change in atmosphere. “He’s...fine, I guess?”

“I don’t see much of him. That’s all.” He explains hurriedly, though you can tell he’s sitting on legitimate concern, biting back more questions. 

You can understand that. Working too hard, not getting out enough with your friends. That used to be you, before coming here. You can’t imagine being cooped up all the time in a place like this. Your smile is wry, but comforting, you hope. “He doesn’t get out much, huh?”

“No. He doesn’t.”

You pause. “What about that festival that’s coming up?”

“Spirit Lights?” he seems taken faintly aback. “What about it?”

“Can’t you see him then? The lady at the convenience store made it sound like a holiday. Doesn’t he get the day off or something?”

“Or something.” Jin snorts, staring at some indeterminate space near the pond. He blinks, hard. “We always see each other during Spirit Lights. It’s just...It only comes every so often. You know? I worry.”

“I get that.” 

“What else...did Namjoon say to you?” 

“There’s a book about keprys that apparently could be really useful for dealing with them, but he won’t give it to me.”

“It can be a very dangerous book.” His tone has become serious, and his gaze into space hardens, dark brows creasing. “He wouldn’t lend it to just anyone.”

“He said I need something of value for it. He wouldn’t take my money.”

“Very few people in this town barter for money.”

“What would you give him?” 

Jin turns to look at you again, a sideways grin on his lips, his eyes curving with amusement. “Me?”

“Yeah, what would you barter for a ‘very dangerous book’?”

He sits there for a moment, his expression frozen in a mixture of disbelief and humor, before it breaks with a bark of a laugh, his head dropping. 

“‘Something of value’,” he repeats. “Well, it would have to be something close to my heart. Something of my past, maybe. A fragment of who I am, who I was, who I could have been.” 

“That’s really specific.”

“I’ve been here a while. I know a lot about how these deals work. It would have to be the one thing I have that means that much to me.” 

You muse over his words, finishing your sandwich thoughtfully. Suddenly, an idea occurs to you with a flash of inspiration. “Maybe there’s some old keepsake at the house that fits that description? In the shed, maybe?”

He shrugs, pouting, but his eyes glint. “It’s worth a look.”

You stretch your legs out with a luxurious, assenting sigh, eyeing the fluffy clouds drifting ahead. You balk when you realize that the sky is already threatening to cool, the sun beginning to hide her face in the treetops. 

“Oh, man, it’s later than I thought it was. I should really be getting home.”

“Should you?...” Jin echoes. You can feel the hesitance in his frown, though he smothers it quickly and stands up gracefully, offering you a hand. When you take it, you feel a thrill race through your skin, dancing up your spine, setting your body aglow as it travels. This time, he definitely lingers, long fingers curled around your palm.

“Thank you.” He says after a beat. “For your help. I’ll be over tomorrow to help with your...shed, was it?”

“It was.” You reply. “I’m at the house on the hill. The one in front of the forest, with the iron fence.”

His face lights up in recognition, his eyes suddenly searching yours with something like shock. “The house on the hill.” 

“...yes?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” He hesitates. “I...I knew of your grandmother. We only met once, but I heard about her from the others. I didn’t realize it was...it was her who...that you lost. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s alright,” you reassure him with a soft smile. He lets go of your hand and you fight against the vague disappointment taking place of his warmth. “You don’t have to apologize.”

Jin watches you peculiarly. “...you’re taking care of Taehyung, then?” he adds after an awkward beat. 

“The dog?” you blink, surprised. “Yeah. I mean, sometimes. I don’t know, he just started following me around. He really, really didn’t like the swan we saw up here this morning, and he almost ate the gardener.”

He nods. “He...sometimes gets frustrated. But if he’s protecting you, then it makes sense.”

You laugh at that. “Protecting me. Yeah, from swans and gardeners. And rabbits. Jungkook.”

“He really does have your best interest in mind. Please don’t be too hard on him.”

The breeze kicks up just then, sending his hair waving gently across his face, bent in a serious frown. You stand transfixed, utterly bewitched, by his eyes. The bright sunlight glances off the brown depths, lit like lanterns against a mild summer’s night. Weariness lives there. An old soul, tired and heavy, but sincere. Your breath catches in your throat, but you manage to nod, feeling quite suddenly as though you’ve been entrusted some kind of weighty responsibility. He smiles, and again your heart twists in your throat, just as when you met. 

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow? Right?” 

“Right.” 

Like one wandering inside of a dream, you make your way down the path towards home, mind swimming against the pull of a tide that seems to lead back to the pond, back to Jin. Please don’t be too hard on him. What a weird thing to say about a dog. But it’s not like you’re gonna leave him alone to go wild and bite everything you come across. He’s not even really your dog! Everyone you’ve met seems to have decided that he’s your problem now. Even you are having a hard time keeping the inherent strangeness of his affection in mind.

You just hope Jungkook is okay...you aren’t convinced that he means you any harm. Despite what the librarian—Namjoon, apparently—seems to think about keprys, you can’t imagine such a sweet bunny machinating anything beyond harmless. He probably just wanted to see the cat’s totem up close or something.

You reach the mouth of the walkway, just by the sign, and pull up short when you realize there’s a young man perched atop the sign, sitting comfortably, a mischievous if shy grin pulling at his plush lips as he watches you emerge from the trees. 

“Hi,” you greet, taken by vague surprise to see him but remembering your manners in the nick of time. 

He shifts, tugging absently at the fluffy blue jacket hood he has pulled over his pink hair, his grin growing wider, pushing his eyes into crescents. 

“Hi,” he echoes, the end of his voice pitching almost into a giggle. “Hanging out with Jin?”

Your first knee-jerk reaction is to be distrustful of him, to hear a stranger so immediately know your business, but after a moment of bristling it occurs to you that everyone in this small town has to know each other. He must be a local, then, familiar with Jin. You relax into something more congenial. “Yeah. I’m helping him with the pond. Cleaning it and stuff.”

He hums in mild understanding, nodding, casting his glance to the side. His leg bounces atop the sign a couple times. Though his face is sweet, his voice high, and the pastels of his outfit speak to an almost childlike gentleness, there’s a sharp gleam in his eyes when he looks back to you, smirking.

“Not getting lost in the woods?” he says, playful. 

“Lost? Well...maybe once.” you admit with a small laugh. “But it’s alright. I got out in the end.”

“All by yourself?” His face freezes, smile fading slightly at the corners. He searches your eyes as he stares.  

“No, I , uh…” you chuckle, awkward. “I followed this cute little bird out. I know it sounds crazy, but I swear that’s what happened.”

His friendly manner returns in full force before you even realize it was dissipating, his grin turning radiant, clutching adorably at the sides of his hood with a saccharine giggle. He’s blushing, his cheeks pushed up and together by his small hands. 

“I don’t think it’s crazy,” he replies in a reassuring tone through chuckles. 

“No?”

He shakes his head, sending bubblegum-colored strands dancing with the movement. 

“I guess there’s a lot of odd stuff that happens in this town.” 

“You don’t know the half of it.”

You hum in agreement and crane around him, peering at the road, and seeing no cars, you decide to throw him a passing wave and friendly smile. “Well, I should get going. It was nice to meet you…?” 

“Nice to see you again,” he interrupts cheerfully. “Ah, you probably should be getting home before dark. Wouldn’t want the spirits to get you.” 

You think of Jungkook and snort as you turn, beginning to cross the street. “Thanks, but I think I’m alright.” 

“And be careful around Jin.” 

His tone has dropped. You swivel on your heel when you reach the other side of the road, throwing him a peculiar look. His smile hasn’t disappeared completely, instead quarantined to the edges of his lips, turning wry. It’s almost calculating, the way he watches you.

“...Why?...”

His eyes widen innocently, brows lifting into his hair. “You can’t just bargain with everyone you meet. It’s dangerous. Who knows what you’ll agree to?”

A scoff leaves your mouth, and you shake your head, turning away to hide the flash of indignation that courses through you for a half-second. You’re sure he’s only trying to be helpful, but it’s really none of his business. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He laughs again. The sound is like a brook in summer—light, bubbly.  “Don’t misunderstand; you’re already in debt. I just don’t want him to get in the way.”

You look to him in confusion and disbelief, but are met with only an old sign and an empty crossroads. Swiftly, you spin, casting your scrutinizing gaze about the trees, the road, but there’s no evidence that the soft-looking man ever even existed. 

Talking to yourself? You don’t think you could have imagined up an entire person like that. No, he must have just taken that split second and run away. What a weirdo. Never mind the animals, it’s the locals that sometimes behave the most oddly. Must be something in the water. If you stay here long enough, are you going to start disappearing when people turn their backs? 

Why not, you think to yourself. If only to get your own back a little, maybe.

By the time you start climbing the hill to the house, it’s just beginning to really settle into evening, the air cooling and the sun casting warm rays everywhere, sharpened to individual shards of light through the trees. You can see the house, the iron gate, the beginnings of the garden within, and a small shape, pacing frantically up and down by the gate. Taehyung notices you long before his form registers properly in your mind, and before you can even really react, he’s torn down the stone-marked path towards you, small legs flying out under him in his haste to reach you, gravity threatening to pull him head over heels. He’s yapping as he barrels over, skidding from the sheer force of his sprint, his sweet voice pulled taut into what you can only describe as breathless worry and desperation. You murmur soothingly, rolling your eyes as you stoop to pet him, but he’s jittery on his tiny paws, incapable of sitting still, whining and huffing, hoarse as he blinks up at you and attempts to press as much of himself against you as physically possible. 

“Now, really,” you chastise under your breath, shifting the bags on your shoulder to bend closer, trying to thread your fingers through his soft fur in a reassuring kind of way. “Now, honestly. Taehyung. You don’t get to act like this when you’re the one who left me, remember?” 

He makes an impossibly distraught noise, turning balefully into a long howl, and you can’t help but laugh at the sound. He sounds like his heart is breaking, throwing his head back and crying of all the injustice in the world. To hear him, you’d think he was dying.

“Okay, pup, okay,” you interrupt his lament, stroking his face, around his ears. “I hear you. It’s alright. I’m okay, I promise.” 

You straighten, walking towards the gate, and he immediately makes a beeline for your ankles, keeping in pace with your strides as though leaving your side would physically wound him. When you reach for the iron, he starts making this huffing, sobbing noise that even as ridiculous as it is, tugs at your heartstrings. You hesitate, curling your palm around the gate. He was here this morning. You doubt he went anywhere last night. Besides, you let the cat stay the night—where would be the fairness in disallowing your new companion, especially when he seems so incredibly upset at the thought of leaving you behind again?  

You think again of Jin’s words. 

A small dog so famous that everyone who meets you immediately knows his name has to be an upstanding member of the community, you continue to reason with yourself. He’s well-groomed, shiny-eyed, and obviously clean. If his owners don’t mind him wandering the town all the time, then surely they won’t miss him one night?

You interrupt his pitiful snuffling in a quiet tone. “What do you think, Taehyung? Just one night?”

He immediately goes silent. When you look to him, his ears have perked up, head cocking to the side. As you watch, his ears flick, back, then front again. A shuddering sigh escapes his small snout as he bores holes in your eyes with his round, slightly-crossed ones. 

“Just the one.” you reiterate. “As a thank you. For trying to protect me.”

His fluffy tail wags, once. Twice. Hesitant, he leans back on his haunches to place a delicate paw just below your knee. His tail starts up again, beginning in earnest now. 

“You wanna spend the night with me? Hmm?” 

His ears go flat and he whines, low. 

“Alright. Come on.” You unlatch the gate, pushing it open and stepping inside. When you turn to glance at Taehyung, he hasn’t moved, stock-still where you left his side. You blink at him, curious. “You can come in,” you say, and he immediately skips over to you, tail breaking the sound barrier with how it furiously wags, a bounce in his step, but such deep, quiet adoration in his eyes, you wonder again why this dog is following you around so much. You close the gate between the both of you, leading Taehyung into the house. 

He is adamant on staying by you, though occasionally he sniffs at the air, the floor, snuffling like he’s hunting some scent. At one point, he noses violently at the radiator where the cat had slept, tail pausing in its waving as his mind diverts all energy to thinking. 

“Was there a kitty cat there, Taehyung?” you ask him in a high pitch as you set the bags on the kitchen table, craning to peer at him from beyond the door frame. He sneezes, huffing a small, unimpressed bark at the radiator, before looking back up at you. 

When you take a shower, he lays patiently in front of the bathroom door. You almost knock him over with it when you step out with a towel wrapped about your body, but he’s just as happy to see you as ever, casting a glance up at you and wagging his tail. You hesitate, peering back at him. Do you change with him in the room?...Your lips quirk. 

Finally, you decide to leave him outside the bedroom door while you put your pajamas on. It’s just too weird. He isn’t really your dog, and besides, with all this talk about keprys and spirits...best not to take any chances anyways. When you open the door, he’s sitting patiently in the hall, tail thumping against the floor to greet you again as if for the first time. While you mill about the kitchen, putting together a quick evening meal, he follows you, though he’s so much more relaxed inside the house and so much quieter. 

You slip him a dog treat from your bag as an afterthought. He sniffs at it, but doesn’t eat it, electing instead to prop himself against your chair when you sit down with a leftover sandwich from the store. Jin’s sandwich. You realize with a bit of shock that he never ate it, or did you even offer? Embarrassment flushes your face, but if he’d been hungry he could have just as easily said so. You’ll be sure to be a better host tomorrow, while he helps you with the shed. 

“Are you gonna bite Jin when he comes over tomorrow?” You ask Taehyung absentmindedly, throwing him a glance underneath the table. He sniffs in reply. “You can’t. You have to leave him alone. He’s a nice guy.” 

He doesn’t seem too convinced, but lays his head on his paws with a quiet snuffle. He perks up when you get up to wash the dishes, moving to sit by you on the placemat. It’s dark now, the yellowed lights in the house lending an almost dreamlike quality to the spaces, chasing the shadows into the corners of the room, and when you crane your head out the window, you can see the twinkling of so many stars in the velvety sky. You briefly consider spending some time stargazing, but eventually decide against it. You need to be up nice and early again, if only to make sure you don’t make Jin wait. How embarrassing would that be? 

Taehyung trails you silently to the bedroom, and for a half second you consider turning him out, making him sleep by the radiator, but there’s something so familiar, so comforting, to watch him standing by the bed expectantly, waving his tail when you look down at him. 

“Come on, up you go,” you say, and before you’ve even finished speaking, he’s hopped upwards, alighting on the covers with a grace you didn’t expect. He waits as you turn the light off and sink into the bed yourself before he begins tapping cautiously over in your direction. You can feel the change in pressure on the sheets as he walks, feeling for the bed underneath like he’s actively avoiding stepping on you. For a moment, you’re afraid he might start licking your face once he gets close, but he only bumps against your nose with his small snout, before turning and situating himself at your chest, snuggling into you. He’s so hot against you, so soft and warm, you can’t help but curve one hand into his fur, cuddling up with him as he sighs, bone-deep. The gentle smell of honey and warm sunshine emanates from him, light and sweet.  For a second, you’re afraid you might not get to sleep—when was the last time you slept with a stranger’s dog in your bed, after all?—but he immediately slacks into deep, contented breaths and the sensation is so calming you’re drifting before you can even worry too much about it. Again, the spark of familiarity occurs to you and you curl closer to him, stroking at his fur lazily. 

“Night, Taetae,” you hum, unaware that you’re even saying it until it’s left your lips as a mumble. Just before you fall into the void of sleep, you imagine he whines quietly in the dark.

Previous    Masterlist          Next

[nobodyfamousposts]

So how would Hive Minded work in Miracle Queen?

Horribly. But since you people are gluttons for punishment...

The space was limited. And dark. But it was safe and that was what mattered. Just having a safe place and time to determine their options.

“H…how is she?” Chat asked, fearfully.

Ladybug laid on the floor between them, unconscious and unaware. Physically, she was fine. Physically, she had no injuries. Physically, the only thing out of place was the strange mark on her neck that pulsed with an unnatural glow.

Chat gulped. Was it already too late? It had been so quick for everyone else. He had seen Kagami go under in an instant after being stung once. But Ladybug…how many had gotten to her before he’d been able to get her away?

Seeing his worry, Master Fu shook his head and reassured him. “She is not taken yet. I can try to neutralize the corruption, but it will take me some time.”

“Time is not in our favor, you old fool.” Came an unpleasant voice and it took everything Chat had to not spin and hiss at the man.

But he was hardly going to hold back the biting comment well deserved. “Let’s not forget whose fault it is that we’re even in this position!”

Hawk Moth seemed unperturbed. He simply stood in place, cane in hand and looking for all intents and purposes as if he hadn’t just been right there alongside them as they attempted to make their escape from his now out of control minions. Mayura remained at his side, willing and ready to jump to his defense if a fight broke out.

Chat Noir really wanted to claw the masked villain’s face off. He really did.

But fighting would be loud and draw attention—which they were specifically trying to avoid at this point. Not to mention that a fight would be rather distracting to Fu as he attempted whatever magical cure he had up his sleeve.

Then there was the matter of Ladybug, who even in her current state, had not released his hand.

Not even Hawk Moth was going to to make him tear himself away.

“We should take her earrings now and be away from here before she ends up one of them.”

Not for lack of trying on the man’s part, though.

“Is now REALLY the time?!” Chat demanded. Because of course Hawk Moth would still be focused on stealing their Miraculous at the worst possible choice of time!

Mayura spoke up, her voice hoarse and bordering on rasping. As if she’d been coughing a great deal, not that Chat particularly cared. He hoped she coughed up a lung while she was at it. “If you think about it, wouldn’t it be the best option to use the Miraculous to undo this chaos?”

“If you would stop being so childish, this would all be over.” Hawk Moth stated, sounding all too much like a self righteous father giving a lecture.

Chat grit his teeth. “Don’t you even touch her—!”

“It would do no good.” Fu cut in. And Chat was actually grateful to the man. He’d nearly let go of his Lady’s hand and he’d never forgive himself if he had when she needed him.

“The wish requires balance.” Fu explained. “Wishing this away would only bring something else just as bad in its place, if not something worse.”

That actually seemed to get the villainous duo’s attention, making them straighten in shock.

“What?”

“You sought the Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculous to make a wish, did you not?” Fu asked, still not taking his gaze off Ladybug. “Anything you wish—anything you ask for will have to come at a cost. Do you know what that cost will be? Do you know it will be worth it?”

“It’s worth everything!” Hawk Moth shouted.

“Even the life of someone else you love?”

THAT made him pause. But he had no answer. None of them did.

“If you wish for something, it will have to be taken from someone else. Wishing someone healed of an injury will inflict that harm upon another. And you don’t get to be the one to choose.”

Fu looked up at the other man.

“Would you still want to go through with it? Even knowing it could risk someone else? The universe has its set course—for good or ill, and does not like that course to be altered. What do you think the universe would choose as an adequate exchange for your desire? As someone who would defy its will?”

Hawk Moth was finally blessedly silent.

“B-besides!” Chat spoke up. “We need Ladybug! Other than Fu, she knows the most about the Miraculous. And she’s the best planner! She can come up with a way to fix this!”

Or at least NOT lead the now army of mind-controlled thralls against them.

He still couldn’t get it out of his head…

When he had Roi Singe’s attack hit Chloe, he had known it would disrupt her control over everyone.

He just hadn’t realized what that MEANT.

Chat had thought it would leave them powerless. Like puppets with cut strings. He had expected they would just stop acting—stop attacking them at the very least.

He hadn’t expected them to grab Chloe.

Though to be fair, neither had she.

Neither had Hawk Moth or Mayura if their expressions of confusion were any indication.

“What are you doing?! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!” She demanded, trying to break out of their hold.

It was to no avail. Nino and Max each held Chloe’s arms in a vice grip. Both looking decidedly unimpressed with the blonde.

“Release me! I am your QUEEN!”

“No, you’re not.” Came a voice, drawing everyone’s eyes to Kagami as she approached Chloe with a bland smile.

“Not anymore.”

“There can only be one Queen.” Alya chimed happily.

“You are unfit.” Max added.

Chloe looked between them all, gaping in shock.

“But…you’re supposed to obey me!”

“We follow the Miracle Queen.” Kim told her. “That isn’t you.”

Not anymore.

Chloe shook her head in bewilderment. “What? But…who?” Her gaze fell on Ladybug and immediately her expression shifted into a fierce snarl.

“Ladybug! This is your fault!”

The spotted heroine drew back, uncertain. “I don’t…”

“Ladybug!” Jade Turtle cried out from behind his shield. “You must get away quickly!”

“Master?” She looked up at him in surprise and confusion, becoming more wary when she noted just how serious he looked.

“This is more than you can handle! You must flee!”

“Master, what are you talking about?!”

It seemed to be a warning. One Chat took to heart as he glanced around the area as he noted other people slowly making their way to the location.

“Wait—”

But he was cut off by a scream.

Kim had crept up behind Chloe during this and pulled her into a bear hug. Startled, she began to struggle violently, but with Kim’s added grip on top of Nino and Max holding down her arms, she was helpless.

“It’s for the best.” Rena Rouge explained, almost as if she were being comforting.

“After all, dude.” Nino said with a smile, speaking with a jovial tone as if he was discussing the weather. “We can’t have a new Queen while the old one is still running around causing trouble.”

Chloe’s eyes widened in horror.

“What—?!”

Cries of shock and outrage came from the roof where Hawk Moth and Mayura were as they were suddenly accosted by something Chat couldn’t quite make out. But the giant moth Sentimonster at least stopped attacking Fu’s shield in favor of trying to blow a gust of air at whatever was up there.

Several figures were seen holding onto the roof and continuing to try and crawl towards Hawk Moth.

Chat gasped.

Those figures were people.

Both on street level and on rooftops, more were arriving and this was all messed up and was this even a good thing or not?

Chloe clearly didn’t think so as she continued to struggle. Kagami removed the Bee Comb from her hair, leaving her even more defenseless as Kim’s grip on her strengthened, making her cry and gasp out in pain.

“Don’t worry. It’ll be like going to sleep.” Kim soothed.

“NO! Get off me!” Chloe screeched.

But her orders were ignored as more and more people arrived, going right past and instead moving straight for Chloe. Within moments, to the horror of the observers, it became clear that Chloe had been engulfed by the crowd—only her screams and pleas to be released indicated her status.

“Chloe!” Ladybug cried out, instinctively moving forward to help.

Chat reached out to grab her.

But someone else caught her first.

Ladybug twisted back to see Luka holding her arm in a vice grip—one she had been certain he as a civilian shouldn’t have. Honestly, in the sudden turn of events, they had both completely forgotten about Luka. Or at least thought he was with the others focusing on Chloe.

He merely smiled at her, almost…lovingly.

“Don’t worry, Ladybug. We aren’t going to hurt you.”

“What…?”

Luka reached up with his other hand to her neck.

“We just want to protect you.”

Chat felt something inside him bristle in warning.

“Our Miracle Queen.”

“Ladybug!”

Chat was useless as Luka ripped the Dragon Miraculous from her.

Useless as the barrier of air shielding them broke.

Useless as the remaining conduits of Chloe’s akuma magic converged upon Ladybug all at once.

Useless as they took to Ladybug’s neck, one after another entering the same point in her body and leaving only a mark that grew all the brighter and more sinister-feeling with each addition.

Useless as she collapsed from the onslaught.

“LADYBUG!”

There was barely any fight left in him when one of the insects veered off from the others, heading straight for him.

Only to be cut down by a sword in the hands of the very last person he expected.

Hawk Moth glared down at him.

‘“Get up! Get up, you foolish child! You’re no good to anyone like this!”

Mayura dropped by his side, kicking Luka away from the now unconscious Ladybug. Quickly, she directed her Sentimonster to keep the horde away, buying them a few precious moments.

“Sir!”

“We need to go! Now!”

Chat stared ahead, uncomprehendingly. “But…”

“Just grab her and let’s GO!” Hawk Moth shouted.

Chat almost immediately reached for Ladybug at the order.

Wait—this was Hawk Moth. The enemy. He couldn’t trust him!

“Chat Noir!”

And when had Jade Turtle arrived? But he was there and he was someone Chat could trust who could tell him what to do.

“Master?”

Master Fu looked at him sadly.

“This is not a battle we can fight here. We must escape if there is to be a chance.”

That…that meant there was a chance, right?

Numbly, Chat gathered Ladybug into his arms, trying desperately to ignore the corruptive magic or the siren call it seemed to emanate. He merely followed after Master Fu, keeping up with Hawk Moth and Mayura as the five of them escaped the growing horde calling for them.

Which led to here.

And now.

In this place, with their enemies and only uncertainty in their future.

But at least he was still with her.

“It…it’s okay, My Lady.” Chat whispered, still holding onto her hand as Fu continued to work.

“It’s going to be okay.”

[athyrabunlord]

LLSHP 17 - Untitled

Arc1: [Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7]

Arc2: [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10] [Chapter 11] [Chapter 12] [Chapter 13] [Chapter 14]

Arc3: [Chapter 15] [Chapter 16] [Chapter 17] [Chapter 18 - sanguinem pudicitia (TBD)]

Interludes: [Carbonado (1)] [Carbonado (2)] [Of Feathers and Wind] [Delphinus (teaser blip)]

[Brief note about School Term] [other LLSHP AU stuff] [YohaMaRuby concept arts] [ChikaYouRiko concept arts] [KanaDiaMari concept arts] [Hogwarts Staff]

[FFN link] (up until ch14!) [Pixiv Link] [Translated to Chinese by plin2290]

A/N: After gazillion years I finally finished this chapter XD; And no, that’s not a typo, this chapter really is called ‘Untitled’. Anyway, this chapter went through a bunch of rewrites and, combined with RL issues, it took this long to complete. The next chapter will be more fun I promise whenever that is. As always, any feedback is appreciated and thank you for reading! Words: 7,814

Not even a week has passed since the visit to the hospital, two letters arrived at Hogwarts, one they had been hoping for and one unexpected.

The first letter was from the Kurosawa Patriarch, with a seal of approval for Dia to visit Riko. This was most likely due to the hospital staff and the Sakurauchis’ requests, as he had disregarded Ruby’s prior inquiries. However, Dia must be cleared of her charges before she could be allowed to step out of the Estate. While the heiress was never formally convicted, any smidgen of doubt is still a stain to the family name, and there are laws to abide to as well. From the Ministry’s standpoint, Dia is not guilty yet not innocent either, especially since there have been no leads to who the true perpetrators were.

Therefore, for the time being, Dia and Ruby’s parents will be meeting with the Sakurauchis to discuss what they could do in this situation, to help Riko’s recovery. As the former Chief Warlock whose words carry a lot of weight, the Patriarch has also exerted his influence and connections with the Ministry. Several of the Kurosawas from the Estate are allowed to join the Auror team that has been investigating Moonstruck and the slip of security on Hogwart grounds that led to Riko’s kidnapping.

It isn’t the best scenario, but it is at least more than they could have hoped for.

The second letter was from Hanamaru’s grandmother, about how her grandfather is sick with a flu and wishes to see her. Without access to owls, Muggle relatives usually send letters to a specific address, which is actually an outpost under the Muggle Liaison Office’s jurisdiction. Because of this extra detour, the letter took longer to be delivered and so Hanamaru doesn’t know if he has already recovered or if the flu has worsened.

As much as she tries not to let it show, but she must miss her family especially after the rather traumatic hospital visit. Ruby is able to convince Hanamaru that they will be fine and she should visit her family.

Yoshiko requests to go with Hanamaru, a gesture that the rest of the group appears rather happy about, especially the brunette. At the end, Ruby has managed to include herself, along with Chika and You, in the meeting today between her parents and the Sakurauchis, while Kanan and Mari decide to stay behind at Hogwarts. The staff, some of the Professors especially, is sympathetic to their situation and is willing to turn a blind eye to their supposed surveillance.

And so, it is with heavy heart that Yoshiko treks towards Hogsmeade with Hanamaru and Professor Hoshizora, who volunteered to accompany them. To get to Hanamaru’s home, they would have to travel either via Apparition or Portkey since there is no fireplace at her house, and even if there is one, it’s not connected to the Floo Network anyway. Therefore, a special Portkey has been arranged to be activated at a designated spot to bring the girls to the Kunikida residence.

Yoshiko walks a little ways behind the chatting pair, still feeling a little awkward in spite of that heart to heart conversation with Hanamaru at the bus stop. She has, however, acknowledges that she needs to stop pushing away her important people and stay close to Hanamaru for as long as she could. She promised her that she would try.

“Okay, here we are!” They stop just outside of the train station, and Yoshiko wistfully recalls the last time she was here, with Ruby and Hanamaru, running from the supposed Grim and receiving help from the golden cat.

“Thanks for taking us here zura~”

“No worries, I need to get some supplies from Hogsmeade anyway so this is on my way nya~” Professor Hoshizora was the one to bring the petite Muggleborn to Diagon Alley, so it makes sense that Hanamaru feels most at ease around her. After all, her memory is clear up until her arrival at King’s Cross Station.

“So, just remember to touch this badge again at 5pm nya, both of you,” the gamekeeper hands a riceball-shaped badge to Hanamaru. “And it will bring you back here, where I’ll be waiting to take you back to the Castle. Unless, of course, if there’s any emergency, just tap on the badge with your wand and someone should Apparate right over to you! Any questions? No? Good!” She thoughtfully rubs her chin as she peers at the teenagers. “Hmm, you sure you don’t need another person going with you two nya?”

The ponytailed witch looks concerned at their wellbeing, rather than having them leave the castle grounds unsupervised. Yoshiko appreciates that, but she still replies firmly. “I’m more than enough to protect her, Professor, but thank you for offering.”

Lucifer pops out from under her jacket then, hissing as if to protest that it is a fine bodyguard too. She doesn’t know how the bat knows, but it’s rather miffed at her for wandering around the Muggle world by her lonesome. Since then, her loyal minion has been attached to her side since her return, even during daytime like now.

Professor Hoshizora laughs. “I see you’re both set then! Well, lemme tell you a lil secret nya~” She lowers her voice playfully. “The Trace is actually just a myth, meaning you can use magic in the Muggle world. We trust that you will not abuse magic and follow the standard protocol of the Statue of Secrecy, so it’s okay if you want to show off some tricks for your family nya~”

“Oh, but I can’t use magic, not really anyway. It comes and goes zura…”

“That’s why she’s here, isn’t she?” The Muggleborn professor laughs again and ruffles Yoshiko’s hair, ignoring her protest. “As awesome as magic is, it’s always good to spend time with your family. Have fun nya~”

Though slightly annoyed, Yoshiko is grateful for the Professor’s effort in lightening up the atmosphere. She could tell Hanamaru’s feeling anxious, in spite of her cheerful tone while conversing with the older witch.

Yoshiko holds out her hand, and without any hesitation Hanamaru hands over the badge to her, though her fingers remain in contact with the Portkey. Minutes later, upon the activation time, she feels this unpleasant sensation of something hooking her navel and flinging her into the sky!

The world spins around her, disjointed scenes of clouds and forests and roads and whatnot. The nauseous sensation continues to swirl, particularly in her tummy, even after they land ungracefully at a small clearing.

“Ugh, no wonder the Apparition license is so popular… I bet anything’s better than Portkeys.” She fights down the urge to throw up and shakes her head slowly a few times. “As soon as I’m of age, I’m so gonna-” Before her mind begins to form plans for the future, she bitterly stops herself and tries to focus on the present. Lucifer rolls out of her jacket, coughing sickly from the Portkey travel, but the bat still nudges her hand as if to comfort her.

“T-This feels like my first time on a car zura…” Hanamaru isn’t faring any better, her back resting against a tree as she attempts to get her breathing under control.

Pocketing the badge, Yoshiko struggles to get to her feet and wobbles towards her companion. After a moment’s hesitation, she extends her hand towards the brunette to help her stand up. “So, did we arrive at the right place?”

“Yes, this is close to our backyard actually, I recognize it!” Hanamaru’s eyes light up in excitement as she gestures at the pebble-paved path behind the shrubs. “Come on, Yoshiko-chan! I bet Obaa-chan’s waiting for us!”

Without waiting for a response, the smaller girl pulls her along the forest trail and past a jizou statue, the foliage gradually thinning. Lucifer faithfully glides behind them, its presence bringing a certain amount of comfort to Yoshiko, but she still gulps nervously at the spiritual atmosphere from the surroundings. She tries to remind herself what the merpeople Chieftainess told her though that doesn’t lessen the feeling of being unclean.

“Yoshiko-chan, just a bit more.” Hanamaru looks over her shoulder and gives her an encouraging smile then, her grip on their intertwined hands firm and steady. Yoshiko relaxes slightly, finding her being here upon these holy lands acceptable as long as she’s accompanied by the temple maiden.

The path widens until it reaches the edge of stone pavement that meanders around a wide expanse of grass and bare soil tops. There are trees and shrubs here and there, carefully arranged and maintained in a way that Yoshiko is certain would form some sort of pattern if seen from the sky. Some flowers are just starting to bloom, adding splashes of vivid red, violet and yellow to this otherwise lush and green scenery.

A moderate two-story house is located just ahead, near a greenhouse that has a shelf of miniature bonsai trees right beside its open door. The old temple is further ahead, along with many slabs of grey that Yoshiko assumes to be weathered tombstones from ancient times. Strangely, she doesn’t feel uncomfortable at the thought of this place possibly haunted by ghosts. Rather, she likes to think that the spirits of the deceased guard the Kunikida residence just as much as they do for the temple.

Hanamaru’s serene expression shows that she most likely grew up thinking along the same lines too. She slows down a bit as she scans the the yard before letting out an excited yelp. There, beside a heap of fallen leaves and some gardening tools, is an elderly woman wearing thick-framed glasses and a similar gentle smile.

“Obaa-chan!”

Hanamaru runs towards her grandmother, who opens her arms wide to accept the girl’s greeting hug. As the Kunikidas exchange words joyously, Yoshiko couldn’t help but watch over them with a small smile. There’s envy, or rather longing, for growing up with such a loving family. Simple gestures or just the cozy atmosphere itself are indicators enough that Hanamaru is very close to her grandmother. Looking around, Yoshiko could almost picture a miniature Hanamaru exploring the yard and helping her grandparents with the gardening.

“It is good to have you back, even for just the afternoon, Maru-chan. I see you have brought your friend-?” Grandma Kunikida’s eyes crinkle at Yoshiko’s hesitant approach.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. I am Yoshiko Tsushima, Hanamaru’s friend,” she politely dips her head and holds out her hand.

“Oh~ You’re that Yoshiko-chan, the one Maru-chan always talks about in her letters,” the elder chuckles as both of her hands clasp warmly over Yoshiko’s. “I’ve always wanted to meet you in person.”

“U-Uh-? Thank you-?” Uncertain how to respond to such enthusiasm, Yoshiko drops her gaze awkwardly. Normally, she would have been overjoyed that her girlfriend would talk to her family about her but, as the situation stands, she’s just Hanamaru’s friend.

“O-Obaa-chan! Um, where’s Ojii-chan? How is he doing zura?” From how flustered Hanamaru appears, does that mean she still mentions her even after her memories became jumbled?

Yoshiko isn’t sure whether to feel happy about this or not.

“He was just napping until moments ago! He has gotten much better, thankfully, but he still likes being cooped up under the kotatsu, that ol’rascal. I came here to roast some sweet potatoes, y’know, his favorites,” Grandma Kunikida gestures at the house. “Why don’t you talk to him dear? I’ll have Yoshiko-chan help me with the prepping and cooking.”

Hanamaru glances at her hesitantly, so Yoshiko gives her a stiff nod. This is the purpose of their trip here after all. Surely, she can be alone with her former girlfriend’s grandmother for a period of  time.

Surprisingly, once Hanamaru is out of sight, the elder does not grill Yoshiko with questions about school or her granddaughter. Despite her easy-going manner and slow pace, Grandma Kunikida is rather focused on her task and only instructs Yoshiko every now and then to set up the fire pit.

“Erm, I’m done with the skewers. Is there anything else I can do to help, Kunikida-san?”

“Please, just call me Obaa-chan too,” the woman’s wrinkled smile is kind as she beckons for the girl to come sit beside her. “And yes, if you could please hand me the lighter and my gloves…”

“O-Okay!” Yoshiko is rather surprised but glad at such mundane request and sense of familiarity. The elderly woman’s relaxing and accepting aura makes it easy for her to feel included at the Kunikida residence. Again, Yoshiko is humbled by this down-to-earth and simple atmosphere of Hanamaru’s grandmother.

After Grandma Kunikida starts the fire, a stretch of silence descends upon them. Yoshiko tries to think of a topic, uncomfortable with the lack of conversation, yet only apologies come to mind. The elder probably doesn’t know the full story of what had transpired at Hogwarts and how she, Yoshiko, is the cause of Hanamaru’s suffering.

A quiet crackle from the smoking twigs prompts the elderly woman to prod at the sweet potatoes. Yoshiko fidgets and swallows dryly, deciding it’s now or never. She takes a deep breath and opens her mouth to speak.

“Something happened to Maru-chan at school, no?”

Yoshiko narrowly avoids biting down on her tongue. “Pardon me?”

Grandma Kunikida folds her wrinkled hands over her knees as she stares contemplatively into the fire. “The letters she sent us seem different after the end of January. Her Head of the House had sent us a letter explaining to us what had happened, how her magic had been compromised, but Maru-chan did not tell us any of that.”

“She… didn’t-?”

“Maru-chan never lies to us, so I’m certain that she did this for an important reason.” The elder shifts slightly so that she faces Yoshiko, her eyes solemn but kind. “Jii-chan and I do not want to push her. Still, she is our precious granddaughter, the only family we have left after our son and daughter-in-law passed away. We’d like to hear her story too.”

Yoshiko’s fingers subconsciously curl into a fist, though she doesn’t avert her gaze. “...if Hanamaru herself doesn’t tell you, then it’s not my place to either. I can tell you though, that she always thinks the best for her friends. She… she could have just came home, came back here to all of this, yet she chose to stay with us, because she wants to be of help.”

“And? What do you think of her decision to stay?”

Yoshiko lowers her head in shame but she’s unable to stop the words from pouring out of her heart. She couldn’t bring herself to avoid the question or lie to this elderly woman. “I-I want her to be safe. I don’t want her to be hurt again but the truth is, deep down, I… I’m happy that she chose to stay. Close to me, willing to still stay by my side, I mean.”

Grandma Kunikida nods patiently, giving her a few moments to gather her thoughts.

“I need her, um, Obaa-chan. Even after everything that’s happened, she continues to mean a great deal to me, and she calms me like no one else can. R-Recently, I realize that…” I still love her. Yoshiko ignores the heat crawling up her neck and ears and tries to keep her voice from wavering. “...I’m still weak, but never again will I let her get hurt, not while I’m around.”

Yoshiko meets the woman’s gaze as earnestly as she could, and is unprepared for the quiet chuckles that follow. Grandma Kunikida is slouched over her seat, one hand covering her mouth to muffle the laugh.

“Erm-? What did I say?”

“Oh don’t worry dear, I just wasn’t expecting you to tell me… this much, and so truthfully too. Then again, I should have expected it - you’re every bit the good girl I’d imagined you to be, Yoshiko-chan.”

This time, Yoshiko is very aware of the blush burning her face, especially after the woman gives her an affectionate pat on her bun. “Eh?”

“Maru-chan talks about many things and many of her friends in her letters, although I don’t think she’s realized the topic always goes back to you. Yes, even nowadays.” At this, Grandma Kunikida gives her a significant look.

“R-Really-?” Alright, this time, Yoshiko couldn’t help that flutter of joy in her chest, but now she’s more worried about how the woman would react if she finds out their past relationship.

“Ho ho ho, look at you, what an adorable child! We old people don’t last this long on this planet for no reason! We see and sense things young people can’t. Had I disapproved of you with my granddaughter, I wouldn’t be talking to you, would I? Well, Jii-chan did throw a minor fit, but he got over it after I talked sense to him.”

Yoshiko gapes. Grandma Kunikida laughs again.

“I heard you were quite taken with the kimono my granddaughter wore to the Christmas party?”

“Ah yes, thank you for sending her the- wait no! That’s not what I wanted to say-!”

At her frantic gestures, Lucifer flies nearby in her defense. Grandma Kunikida watches the bat with interest and attempts to coax it with some snacks she takes out from her pocket.

“I’m okay, Lucifer, this is um, alright, I’m not in any danger,” physically at least.

The clever bat looks between her and the elder, and decides food is the priority. It swoops down and perches on Grandma Kunikida’s shoulder, crooning when it’s fed and caressed behind the ears.

“Tch, that was fast,” Yoshiko complains half-heartedly, relieved that her minion’s intervention saves her dignity from crumbling further. Grandma Kunikida probably decides that it is enough teasing and seems content with Lucifer’s company.

“You girls lead a very exciting life at Hogwarts, though I understand that there have been quite a few dangerous incidents. You’re right, I would have preferred to have my granddaughter back here with us, where it’s safe, but that’s not the path she has chosen. Jii-chan and I respect that. I was going to ask you to keep an eye on Maru-chan, but that’s not necessary, is it?”

Yoshiko says seriously. “I will protect her with my life-”

“That’s not what I want to hear, dear,” the woman admonishes quietly as she covers Yoshiko’s hand with her own. It feels warm and protective. “It’d upset me if I hear anything were to happen to you. I want you to take care of yourself too, Yoshiko-chan. I may not know what had happened, but you’ve been hard on yourself, haven’t you?”

“How did you-?” Had she been that obvious, or is the elder that perceptive?

“It’s just a haunch, from our conversation. Your expressions are rather stiff, as if you haven’t allowed yourself to feel.” Grandma Kunikida chuckles gently. “It’s okay to want to be happy. I’m sure that would make Maru-chan happy as well. Now, give this old woman your best smile, hmm?”

Yoshiko hastily wipes at her eyes and tentatively makes a pose, which feels both nostalgic yet unfamiliar since it’s been a while. Nodding, she gives the woman her best grin.

“Obaa-chan~ Ojii-chan wants some pork buns now but I can’t find any in our freezer-” Hanamaru walks up to them, blinking at her applauding grandmother and the posing girl. “Umm, what’s happening zura?”

“Pork buns, you say? That Jii-chan, a bigger glutton now that he’s recovered from the flu...”

“Oh, so Hanamaru got that from her grandfather huh… ack!” Yoshiko slaps a hand over her mouth but it’s too late. Hanamaru glares at her but bursts into giggles a moment later, while Grandma Kunikida watches them with a fond expression.

Yoshiko clears her throat and tries to appear nonchalant. “What do we do with these sweet potatoes then? They’re about to be done, right?”  

“They are indeed. You’re both welcome to enjoy them while they’re fresh!”

Hanamaru glances at the sweet potato longingly but determinedly tears her gaze away to face her amused grandmother. “Actually, if you don’t mind, Obaa-chan, I’d like to take Yoshiko-chan to town, to get those pork buns for Ojii-chan but also to walk around the neighborhood zura?”

“Hmm, it’d be a nice change of scenery. I’ll bring these to Jii-chan for now,” Grandma Kunikida makes a playful gesture of shooing them away with her broom. Lucifer smartly takes flight and circles overhead. “Don’t dawdle though. You know how your grandpa gets when he doesn’t get his food, fu fu.”

“Like how Zuramaru gets when you don’t feed her bread?” Again, words slip out of Yoshiko’s mouth before she realizes it, so naturally and smoothly that it takes both girls a few moments to process what just happened. This is the second time!

“Mou! Yoshiko-chan is mean!” Even then, Hanamaru looks rather happy as she tugs at the taller girl’s arm. “Okay, Obaa-chan, we’ll be back soon!”

As much as she enjoys Grandma Kunikida’s company, Yoshiko is rather relieved to take a little breather. As they walk towards the main entrance to the temple and down the stone stairway, she has to suppress the urge to skip and hum to express this liberating sensation.

It’s nice to feel normal.

“So, did something funny happen zura?”

“Hmm? Why would you say that?”

“W-Well, I haven’t really seen you smile, not really,” Hanamaru looks a bit wistful at that.

“Is that so…” Yoshiko awkwardly rubs the back of her head, unaware that she’s been smiling. “It’s just that, uh, you have a good family, Hanamaru. It’s nice.”

“Really? I’m glad to hear that!”

“So your grandpa, he’s all better now?”

“Yup! If he hadn’t asked for those pork buns, I would’ve fallen asleep in the kotatsu too,” Hanamaru chuckles sheepishly, but her eyes dim in sadness a moment later.. “It’s good to see him so energetic. I was so afraid when I got the letter. He’s old… they’re both old, a-and I’ve b-been away…”

They stop at an intersection, though there is no need to since there are barely any cars in this quiet neighborhood.

“Will you come here again with me in the summer, Yoshiko-chan? Ruby-chan and everyone else too, I’d like to introduce them to my family zura.“

Yoshiko’s throat aches a bit but she manages to squeeze out a word. “Okay.”

Hanamaru’s demeanor lightens at that. “Something to look forward to! First though, those pork buns for Ojii-chan zura~ He wants to talk to you too, Yoshiko-chan, so we should hurry~”

“Heh, yeah, it’s better if I bring some offerings to him.” And if that doesn’t work, Obaa-chan probably will have to save me.

“I think he likes you too. He showed me some of the letters I used to send, before my memories were… yeah,” Hanamaru glances at Yoshiko curiously. “Those letters said you used to pose a lot, something about little demons and being fallen angel Yohane?”

Yoshiko is mildly surprised that she isn’t as bothered as she thought she would be. True, back then, she was ignorant and silly, but at least her antics had made her friends happy and she had believed that identity to be real. It’d be wrong of her to denounce the memories of that time, when things were perfect as they were.

“Yup, I used to collect black feathers. It’s just that… things had happened and, well, I just found more important stuff to do than indulge myself in the fantasy.”

“Do you still believe in it?”

“Believe in what?”

“Being a fallen angel,” Hanamaru pauses, her voice lowering apologetically. “I shouldn’t have asked that, when I didn’t even know what happened-”

“It’s okay.” Yoshiko looks up into the blue sky, smiling at the sight of Lucifer circling underneath the clouds. “I’d been angry and depressed for a while, and now I’m just… honestly, I’m not sure how I feel, or how I should feel.  In a way, I’m still one heck of a mess just as I had been before I went to Hogwarts. Fallen angel? Perhaps I really am.”

Her definition of fallen angel is different from Yohane after all.

Hanamaru is about to reply when she notices the surprise in Yoshiko’s gaze. Turning, she smiles at the sight of the playground just ahead of them. Gently tugging the stiff girl, she leads her into the small park.

“Do you remember?”

“Yeah, I do,” Yoshiko mutters hoarsely, glancing around the swing set, the monkey bars, the slide and the sandbox. Everything seems so nostalgic, so precious. “Heh, they’re smaller than I remember, then again we… we were just little kids. There’s no one here though.”

“Mostly elderly people live in this area, I think you’ve noticed that from our walk here. The few children here are all grown up or have moved out of town already,” Hanamaru says a little sadly. “No one comes to play outdoors anymore.”

“Their loss,” Yoshiko shrugs and approaches the swing, hesitantly touching the chains. “We had fun here, hadn’t we?”

“We did,” Hanamaru seems to be thinking about something. “Can I… tell you something?”

“Sure? What is it?”

“I-In spite of how nice everyone is, a small part of me still isn’t sure, because of how my memories are all over the place. Classmates I don’t remember, friends I should be close to, magic I should know. But… only you, Yoshiko-chan. I’m certain I’ve met before Hogwarts. I didn’t want to say anything because I don’t know what’s real or not but now that we’re here, now that you’ve said that you do remember playing with me here, I’m relieved.”

“I didn’t know it bothered you that much,” Yoshiko says guiltily and struggles to find the right words to express her thoughts. “It’s only recently that I remembered this playground though…”

Even though it wasn’t me, it was Yohane. I didn’t even exist back then.

“I’m just glad you do now. That will always be one of the most special memories in my life,” Hanamaru smiles up at her. “The first time I’ve witnessed magic zura.”

Yoshiko almost spills out everything then, about Yohane and Horcrux and all that, but she couldn’t bring herself to ruin the joy and the utter trust in those ochre eyes. Instead, inspiration strikes her and prompts her to extend a hand towards the shorter girl.

“Come on, let’s go up there.”

“Eh-? Up the slides?” Though giggling, Hanamaru takes her hand as they carefully climb up the tiny steps. The platform at the top is almost too small to fit the two teenagers, and they could easily sit on the railings.

“Hmm, there’s no one around us right?”

“No, I don’t think so-” Hanamaru checks the surroundings, blinking up at Yoshiko when she takes out her wand. “What’re you-?”

“You said you’ve become fascinated by magic because of… me, right? Well, I’m gonna recreate that,” Yoshiko wraps one arm securely around Hanamaru’s waist so that they are practically hugging. The proximity makes them both blush but she tries to ignore her pounding heartbeats as she grins down at the flustered girl.

“Are you ready to fly with me?”

Her grin widens at Hanamaru’s confused expression. With a careful Ascendio, they’re propelled into the sky. Startled, the smaller girl clings to Yoshiko, whose grip tightened around her to ensure that she wouldn’t fall. Using a few Hover Charms and Descendio here and there, Yoshiko is able to stabilize their flight as they weave and fly around the playground.

Pleased by the success, Yoshiko finds herself laughing and is soon joined by Hanamaru. They continue to chuckle even as they glide over the monkey bars and land safely beside the sandbox.

“T-That was unexpected, but amazing, Yoshiko-chan!” Hanamaru leans against the taller girl, her legs slightly wobbly.

“Heh, it’s different than flying with a broom, isn’t it?” Yoshiko keeps her steady, breathing her soothing scent and the lingering fresh breeze. This must be what freedom feels like, as fleeting as it had been. What they experienced just now is theirs. Not Yohane’s.

This belongs to her. With Hanamaru.

As the thrill gradually fades, she becomes conscious of their closeness again but she couldn’t bring herself to let go. Grandma Kunikida’s words echo in her head, that it’s okay for her to be happy too.

Before she loses her nerve, she leans down and kisses Hanamaru’s forehead. The brunette jolts slightly in surprise, but she then responds by tiptoeing and kissing Yoshiko’s cheek, her lips lingering as she glances at Yoshiko’s.

“I… I think that’s what’s missing. We weren’t just friends, were we? Please tell me the truth, Yoshiko-chan.”

Swallowing hard, Yoshiko embraces Hanamaru and whispers against her ear. “No, we weren’t just friends.”

Hanamaru makes a small sound, burrowing her head against Yoshiko’s shoulder. They stay like that for a while, relishing in each other’s warmth and touch. The tension is replaced by something more familiar and comfortable.

“...I think I know what you’re thinking zura. You didn’t want to push it because I don’t remember that we were a couple. You didn’t want a preconception to confuse me.”

“How well you see through me…”

“But the thing is. I-I still find myself… well, you seem distant but you’re kind, and today I see for myself that you could be funny and a bit of a dork too-”

“Hey!”

“-and I think that’s how you used to be zura. So, it doesn’t matter how you’re like, I…” Hanamaru’s voice is so quiet and muffled against her jacket that she has to strain to hear her. “I’m still attracted to you. Because, you’re, you.”

“Hanamaru…”

In spite of the Imperius Curse. In spite of everything that’s happened. In spite of Yohane. Hanamaru still ends up liking her, just as she couldn’t ignore her feelings either.

Horcrux be damned. The whole mess with the Fallen be damned.

She may not have been the one to save Hanamaru from Dementors back then, but the fact stands that a Patronus was summoned, and somehow she was still able to cast it while Yohane couldn’t. Maybe...

“I don’t know if this would do anything but, we’re here at least, so why not?” Yoshiko pulls away a bit, though she keeps one arm around Hanamaru. “Expecto Patronum!”

Silver light burst out from the tip of her wand, and the shimmering coelacanth swims around them freely and magnificently. An evanescent trail of light envelopes them, filling them with such positive energy that they find themselves smiling.

“Looks familiar?” Yoshiko watches her Patronus maneuver around the playground, similar to how she had flown with Hanamaru earlier.

“Y-Yes, it saved me from those Dementors,” Hanamaru murmurs, entranced by sparkles of light and the coelacanth’s corporeal form. “I was so scared, so very scared, but this concept of fear seems so… impossible zura, now that we’re standing here with the Patronus.”

“It’s an amazing spell, isn’t it? It’s said to be the only way to defend yourself against a Dementor, but not much is said about its other uses and that’s why not a lot of people bother learning it.”

“But it’s so beautiful…”

“Right? I believe there’s more to the Patronus Charm. It reveals your inner self and hints at your Animagus form - heh, it’d be hilarious if I turn into a fish though. Most importantly, it reflects the caster’s soul, or at least that’s what the merpeople Chieftainess told me. She saw my Patronus and told me that it’s proof of my worthiness.”

As Yoshiko says these words aloud, she recalls how her Patronus is able to damage Yohane’s wings, which are practically pieces of her soul. The correlation must mean something, though she doesn’t understand magic enough to figure out what.

“Anyway, I always feel a bit better whenever I cast this spell. It’s reinforced by positive thoughts after all. And the coelacanth, it’s a nice reminder.”

“The living fossil that we learned together from the encyclopedia zura,” Hanamaru giggles, reaching out a hand towards the silver fish. “Shiira-kansu, ne?”

When her fingertip comes in contact with the Patronus, Yoshiko feels an odd sensation of cold water trickling down her body and she gets tunnel vision on the coelacanth. Moments later, the vision returns to normal again, except the scenery looks slightly different.

Hanamaru has reverted to a little girl, her eyes wide with terror as she stares blankly at something behind Yoshiko. Yoshiko glances down at her hands, which are tiny as well, before turning around.

Dementors seem to glide towards them in slow motion, their tattered cloaks fluttering and their rotting bodies oozing of despair. A faint voice at the back of Yoshiko’s mind reminds her that this must be a flashback, but she’s mostly rooted in fear and consumed by a child’s young mind, unable to process her thoughts. All she could do is pull at Hanamaru’s hand as they try to run away from those foul creatures.

Little children’s legs could only move so fast and so far, and soon they stumble at the edge of the sandbox. Yoshiko spreads her arms wide, willing her tiny body to shield her friend from harm. The Dementors descend towards them, enclosing upon them, ready to suck their souls dry.

Hyperventilating now, Yoshiko fervently hopes for her angelic powers to manifest, to defeat this evil and protect her precious friend.

Something hurts within her chest, the pain so agonizing that she’s forced to her knees, but that is soon overcame by this sense of joy and hope. Light bursts from her body and the coelacanth Patronus swims around them, warding off the Dementors and chasing them away.

Yoshiko blinks at this miraculous turn of events, and only jolts out of her trance when she notices Hanamaru slumping behind her. The little girl must have been overwhelmed and thus had lost consciousness. Yoshiko herself is close to passing out as well, though she couldn’t look away from the brilliant Patronus.

Then she realizes that the Dementors are still around. Perhaps her magic isn’t as strong as a child, and the coelacanth is already doing all it could to keep the creatures at bay. Whenever it swims to chase one away, the others would attempt to close in on them.

It would only be a matter of time before the Patronus fades.

Then how did she save Hanamaru? How were the Dementors vanquished? This is a flashback right?

She finds her answer soon enough in the form of another Patronus, a Raven, powerful in its bright light as it soars straight through the Dementors and repelling them far away.

A dark-haired woman, her mother, stands in front of her determinedly while her father wraps protective arms around her small form. Yoshiko sniffles, clinging to her father’s warmth as he murmurs comforting words and caresses her back. The coelacanth fades not long after, its magic depleted, and exhaustion washes over her like a tidal wave. Before she nods off, she sees her mother speaking with the wizards and witches who just Apparated into the playground.

Her vision darkens but she remains aware.

She floats aimlessly in the darkness for who knows how long, and suddenly she finds herself facing a fallen man.

The fireplace nearby is littered with charred kindling and the Floo powder is scattered all over the expensive-looking carpet floor. Ornaments are shattered, portraits torn and furnitures upturned, a clear sign of an aftermath of a vicious battle.

Yoshiko discovers that, unlike the flashback earlier, she couldn’t really control her movements. There’s something viscous about the atmosphere too, adhering to her thoughts and weighing her down with malicious intent.

The red-haired man struggles to sit up, but all he could do is to slump against the wall. Amusement fills Yoshiko’s mind as she watches the wizard raise his wand with a trembling hand.

Nothing happens. Not even a spark from the tip of the wand.

Panicking now, the man utters incantations after incantations yet he’s still unable to cast a single spell.

“You Pureblood rely on your magic too much.” A familiar voice, Yohane’s voice, comes out of Yoshiko’s mouth. She tilts her head slightly, and one of the hooded figures behind her steps forward to wrench the wand out of the wizard’s hand.

“You won’t be needing this anymore after all.”

Yoshiko feels vile magic pooling at her back and, from the edge of her vision, she could see black feathers materializing. She flexes her wings in a silent command, and the hooded figures leave the room at once.

The reason becomes obvious when a Dementor glides in, and its terrible effect immediately shows as the wizard begins to quiver.

Yoshiko wants to scream, anything, to stop the creature from nearing the man. Alas, trapped in Yohane’s body, all she could do is watch in sheer horror as his soul is sucked out of his body.

A Dementor’s Kiss.

The man collapses, his eyes still open but blank with nothing inside of them.

Yohane does not laugh, though she’s obviously pleased from the way she kicks a broken plate out of her path as she exits the room.

“Oh, I didn’t notice you were here too.”

Abruptly, Yoshiko’s vision darkens again, the despair and dread dragging her down into that void of nothingness. She doesn’t even have a corporeal form, wherever she is, wherever this is.

Wandless.

Helpless.

What’s happening to me?

Did my soul leave my body or something?

The more terrified she feels, the deeper she sinks and it becomes harder and harder to form thoughts. This is different from her mind just blanking out when she loses control and those black tendrils burst out. She feels like she’s losing something, something important…

Is this what dying feels like?

“Yoshiko-chan!”

Someone’s calling her.

“Yoshiko-chan, snap back to your senses!”

She could feel it. Hope and light, somewhere far away and out of reach.

“Please, Yoshiko-chan!”

A familiar soft cry, a bird that is tragically misunderstood like she is.

Her vision is filled with light, forcing her to blink several times to adjust to the sudden brightness. A shimmering Patronus in the form of an Augurey flies around and encompasses the trail of light around her and Hanamaru.

“Y-Yoshiko-chan! You’re awake!” Hanamaru chokes with emotions, gripping Yoshiko’s hands so tightly that it’s almost painful. Lucifer is also perched on Yoshiko’s shirt, hissing softly in concern.

Yoshiko peers at them rather dumbly, trying to gather her thoughts and process what in Satan’s name just happened. “You saved me…”

“F-From what? What happened zura?”

“I… there was… it was all so dark, I…” Yoshiko says slowly, squeezing Hanamaru’s hands as if to reassure herself that she is back in her body. “Did you see anything-?”

“Y-Yes, h-how you saved me from the Dementors when we were little kids, here at this playground, but then I came to my senses and saw you’ve fainted zura. I-I kept calling your name but y-you wouldn’t respond. Lucifer tried too, it even bit your finger but nothing worked.”

Yoshiko takes a deep breath, pressing her hand against her chest and sighs in relief at the sensation of heartbeats. She’s back to reality now, from wherever that was.

“Is this-?”

The silver Augurey lands gracefully beside her before fading. “I couldn’t cast any spells, no matter how hard I tried, so I thought about what you said about souls and the Patronus Charm a-and, well, it somehow worked a-and it helped me wake you up.” Hanamaru shakes her head, as if unable to believe her success.

“T-That’s amazing… you’re able to cast an advanced spell, a Patronus Charm too...”

They both smile tentatively, though it’s obvious they’re still in a state of shock at what just transpired. Yoshiko rubs her aching temples, fragments of that scene with Yohane scaring her for many reasons.

Unlike the aftermaths of her previous connections, she doesn’t have a nosebleed, meaning this is something else.

Or that Yohane has recovered and is on the move.

And the poor man who was executed by a Dementor was unable to cast magic, most likely because he was hit by that same spell that affected Mari and Hanamaru.

Unlike the childhood memory in the playground, if Yohane can acknowledge her presence, it would mean that event has just occurred in the present. Yohane and the Fallen had attacked the man in his home before he could escape.

A Pureblood, a prestigious one too, based on all the fancy decorations.

The Black Jaguar insignia on the broken plate.

The Kurosawa emblem.

Cold fear settles in the pit of Yoshiko’s stomach.

“T-The Kurosawa Estate! It must be! We must get back to Hogwarts now and let the others know!”

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

She grits her teeth and barely manages to dive behind an ornate mirror to avoid a powerful Stunner. A mere moment later, the glass shatters under the house-elf’s onslaught and forces her to vacate her hiding spot. The magical creature’s eyes are wide in turmoil, unable to fight against the powerful Imperius Curse forcing it to attack its liege.

She’s learned a few useful wandless spells for dire situations, yet she is unable to even summon magic. The terrible disruption remains, causing her great pain and almost paralyzing her when she tries to forcefully pour out her magic into the form of a spell. As the house-elf stiffly moves towards her, she mutters a silent apology before flinging a heavy book towards it.

While the servant is distracted by the impact, she lunges forward and smears her bloodied hand upon its brow. The house-elf shudders once before its energy seems to shut down as it closes its eyes and slumps to the side. Feeling her adrenaline receding, she crawls towards the wall, her body aching from exhaustion. She fruitlessly taps the corner of the shelf, hoping to activate the hidden passageway, yet nothing happens since there is no magic output. It seems that while ancient blood magic still works due to the bond between master and servant, she is practically a Squib and utterly defenseless.

It must have been that tea.

Grandfather had summoned those that remained within the Estate for a meeting and, as per tradition and decorum, tea had been serviced before discussions were allowed to proceed. Though fond of tea, she had been nervous and had only taken a small sip.

When the Wards were first breached, her relatives were shocked to discover that they could not cast even the simplest of spells to subdue the intruders. Cloaked trespassers aside, there was a legion of Dementors whose terrible presence alone was enough to incapacitate her relatives and even the Kurosawa patriarch. Having relied on and grown dependent on magic for so long, the formidable former Warlock and the rest of her family were easily overpowered.

Those who weren’t in the meeting were disarmed by a few Imperio’d house-elves and the Dementors. The number of house-elves then quickly dwindled down after they deliberately injured themselves, once they discovered having betrayed their masters even though they were controlled against their wills.

Those black feathers… such malignant magic...

Even without her magic, she was able to keep those intruders out of reach at first due to her sabre. Then, the winged witch commanded a different group of people to attack her with weapons like axes, halberds and swords. No matter how confident she was with her sabre, she was terribly outnumbered and, without her wand to cover this flaw in her defense, a blade slipped through her guard and disarmed her.

In spite of her injured right arm, she’s ambidextrous and has trained to fight like a Muggle. She knew there was no winning the fight then and successfully fled the room. She evaded Curses and Jinxes, using the layout of the Estate to her advantage when the intruders gave chase. In that moment of panic though, she had ordered Pana and Elicchi to leave the premises carrying the Kurosawa heirloom so that it would not be broken or fall to enemy hands. She did not know who are still free within the Estate but she knew that the Floo Network is compromised and the Wards are overwritten.

Knowing the two intelligent owls, they would have flown for Hogwarts to her little sister and her friends. And knowing them, they will definitely find a way to come here to save her.

However, by coming here, they would all be placed in grave danger and Dia despises herself for being the reason.

Alas, what else could she do in this predicament? Help isn’t coming, not from those outside the Vow, and she doesn’t know how long she can evade capture.

Her vision blurs precariously, prompting her to bite the inside of her cheek to jolt her back to consciousness. The copper tang of blood makes her stomach lurch. She breathes deeply, hoping to clear away any vestige of lightheadedness so that she could plan her next course of action. The deep cut on her right arm throbs, reminding her that the makeshift bandage to staunch the blood flow won’t be enough. The enemies had time to study her fighting style, and had improved their counter since they knew the sabre’s weakness against purely Muggle-forged weapons.

“...I ...I’m sorry…”

“It’s not your fault.” Dia tries to block the vivid image of Riko from the Pensieve, but her faint whisper hasn’t stopped haunting her since that day. “...it is mine.”

Anger overwhelms sorrow and fear, and she regains the strength to move again. With a pained gasp, she concentrates all her energy within herself and is relieved when the transformation slowly takes place. Though her world has become much larger from the new perspective, her sharpened senses now allow her to pick up even the slightest sound from down the hallway. She tests her injured foreleg, finding the limp acceptable before running out of the room. She uses her small size to squeeze under an armored statue without alerting a passing Dementor, though she almost falters from that shroud of despair.

It doesn’t affect her as much as it would have been if she was in her human form. She’s grateful to have learned Animagus magic, for it is her only defense against such horrid creatures now.

Even if she was able to use magic, she would still be defenseless against Dementors. She hadn’t been able to cast the Patronus Charm since...  

She hastens her pace, fueled by rage and hatred. That winged witch, the leader of these intruders, most likely knows what her Animagus form looks like due to Riko’s memories. It’s only a matter of time before she’s found or succumbs to her injuries. However, there are still many things she could do, things that only she knows about the Kurosawa Estate.

Just how long would this battle of attrition last, between the wounded rabbit and the hunters out for her blood?

[thewhiterabbit42]

Fragments

Part 5  of Home for the Holidays (Masterlist)

Summary:  The past continues to bleed into the present, but you find not all the pieces that resurface are unpleasant.  

Pairings: (eventual) Gabriel x Reader

Warnings/tags: Human Gabriel, slow burn, implied PTSD, bed sharing, mutual pining

Word Count: 2859

Special thanks to my wonderful beta @sumara62 for all her help and support.  You are truly invaluable, my dear, for many, many reasons <3

***Please do not repost or copy my work to any other site without my written permission.  Giving credit does NOT count.  Reblogging is ok.***

<<Previous Chapter     Fragments    Next Chapter>>

You were getting too old for this.

The first thing you became aware of was the stiffness that sang through your muscles, creating a symphony of discord and discomfort throughout your body.  

The second was that you were practically sprawled across an empty bed.  

You and Gabriel had made the arrangement to sleep under different covers.  He offered to take the sheets and the lighter blanket, allowing you the luxury of the comforter.  You found yourself half wrapped up in the puffy monstrosity with your arm and leg thrown over the now empty of pile of bedding that belonged to him.  You hoped your migration had occurred after he’d gotten up or else you were never going to hear the end of it, though he’d actually have to speak in order for that to happen.

Clearly, this arrangement was going to take some getting used to.  

You found him standing in front of the window with his back to you.  His hands were in his pockets, his shoulders slumped. What struck you was how still he looked.  You could never recall him standing in one spot for more than a few minutes, not without that overflowing, almost manic energy of his making him sway or resulting in dramatic gestures.  The calmness about him was anything but comforting. Something about it unnerved you, as if he was too still.

You rolled yourself across the mattress, pulling the comforter with you as you threw your legs over the side.  Still ensconced in the warm, downy goodness, you began to make your way toward him, the bulk of the blanket trailing along behind you.   

“How long have you been up?”  Your voice was thick and groggy as you stifled a yawn.

You stopped beside him, and he shrugged, the gesture more empty than casual.  “I can’t really tell. It feels… strange.”

He looked distant, almost as if his body was there but the rest of him was on a completely different plane.  The world must have felt so different to him, and you wondered if that look was simply a reflection of how he felt.

“How?”  You asked.  You wanted to understand what he was going through so you could help him, not that you were certain he would accept it.  You didn’t expect him to answer. The old Gabriel would have danced away from the topic, deflected, or simply turned it around on you.  Now, you’d be lucky to get a noncommittal shrug.

“Longer in some ways.  Shorter in others.” He glanced sideways at you as if sensing your surprise.  “Colder.” His lips turned up slightly into that small, partial smirk.

You couldn’t help but smile back.  “There’s still no way you’re getting under my blanket.”  

He hadn’t actually tried, but he had complained that it was chilly even with his covers.  You hoped teasing him might help bring him back from wherever he currently was.

He let out a soft snort and something briefly sparkled in amber.  For a moment, you thought he was about to toss something back at you.  Whatever it was fizzled out, however, and the small flare of warmth retreated once more.  

“Don’t you think you should get more sleep?”  He changed the subject, and in his defense, you couldn’t imagine you looked much better than before.  You didn’t feel rested, just a little less like death warmed over.

Now it was your turn to shrug.  “There’s always tonight.”

The way the sun was already low across the sky, night wasn’t that far off.  While your brain had only intended to sleep for a few hours, the rest of you had had other plans.  Your nap had stretched well into the afternoon leaving only an hour or two of daylight left.

“We should probably check some of the warding along the perimeter,” you suggested.  You knew your friends were cautious enough to keep it in good condition, but it made you nervous to see all the broken brush and leaves still along the edge of the grounds.  

A low rumbling caught your ears from beside you, reminding you that there were other priorities to consider.

“Come on,” you told him.  “Let’s go see what we can find in the kitchen first.”  

***

With only a handful of things left in the fridge, you added grocery shopping to your list of errands for the next day.  The cereal you found, however, was certainly an upgrade from your previous meals.

The two of you ate in silence.  You were too busy running over the to-do list in your mind and willing away the aches that continued to blossom throughout your body.  Gabriel continued to have that thoughtful, faraway look. Eventually you noticed the longer it held, the further he slipped away.

You didn’t start to worry until he went completely still again.  

You shot up in bed as the sound of banging cupboards startled you awake.  Adrenaline jolted through your system, your instincts on high alert as you trained your gun on the figure roaming around the small motel kitchen.  

“Gabriel?”  You breathed, thoroughly confused as you watched him haphazardly continue to open and close random doors and drawers.  You rubbed some of the sleep from your eyes, as he pulled out a box of cereal before disappointedly tossing it on the counter.

“Don’t you ever have anything with marshmallows?”  He complained.

“Sorry, there’s nothing with marshmallows in it,” you teased, wondering if he’d remember.  That wasn’t the only night he’d dropped that line or woken you up by ransacking your kitchen.  At first, you couldn’t find any logical reasoning behind it other than him being obnoxious, until you noticed how food would mysteriously appear afterwards.  

It was always something subtle, something you or your brother might grab without the other noticing.  You had no idea it was happening until he messed up one day by leaving you a box of microwave popcorn after you’d specifically gone out for some and come up empty handed.

The look on his face didn’t fade, but you caught the way the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.  “You never have anything with them.”

You’d buy that man a mountain of marshmallows if it would lighten whatever was weighing on him.  “Maybe we can fix that.”

He made an ambivalent sound, his gaze dropping down as he began to push the cereal around in his bowl.  He seemed done with the conversation, but you weren’t about to be discouraged.

“How are you holding up?”  It was the wrong thing to say, or maybe it was too direct for him to handle.  The moment the question let your mouth he stiffened. He didn’t quite bristle, but he did sound a little like a cat whose tail had just been yanked.  

“I’m human,” he stated, as if that was all he needed to say.  The sourness in his tone gave you a fairly good idea how he felt about that.

“I’m sorry.”  The words felt wholly inadequate, but you were at a loss of what else to say.  You couldn’t imagine what it felt like, having power second to only God, and having it ripped away from you.  

“Not your fault,” he muttered, his tone softening as he jammed his spoon into the bowl and shoved some more cereal into his mouth, as if eating would magically ward away any further conversation.  You took the hint, and though you weren’t as hungry anymore, you forced yourself to finish anyway.  There was no way you would be of any use to him if you didn’t start taking care of yourself.

Gabriel’s gaze no longer wandered, and at least he seemed more grounded again.  Unfortunately, that meant his focus remained stuck in the present and all that it entailed.  Slowly it began to shift, his eyes flicking surreptitiously to you. You debated whether to say something about it, but you figured you didn’t need to find out if you had room in your mouth for your other foot tonight.   

“You didn’t have to do this,” he finally insisted, though the resolve beneath his words grew quieter with the next statement.  “You still don’t have to.”

You glanced up, not expecting that to be the topic of discussion.  You lowered your spoon, fumbling for a response.  You thought he knew how you felt about him. Well, not fully, but enough to understand it was never a decision.  Helping him just… was. Like the breath in your lungs and the heaviness nestled around your heart.  

You licked your lips, hoping to settle this once and for all.  “Gabriel --”

“-- Thank you,” he interrupted.  The words sounded stilted and you wondered just how many times he’d ever used that phrase sincerely.

“Thank you for helping save the world.” You smiled sheepishly, realizing you had yet to actually thank him for that.  From the look on his face, you might have been the first one to do so.

He nodded.  You wanted to say more, but when his eyes dropped back into his dish, he clearly didn’t.  You didn’t know what else to say. Talking about the weather or what he’d missed on TV seemed too superficial and almost insulting to your relationship.  

Then again maybe silence was what he needed, and for him to take the lead when he was ready.  

You decided to leave it be, and were rewarded for your patience when he looked back up at you a few minutes later.  

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” he began, his tone edging a little closer to normal.  “How’s Tony?”

Your spoon slipped out of your hand--

--panicked twisting, iron grips around your arms, closing around your throat, unyielding, growing tighter with warning, a chill across your skin, beneath that touch, within your veins--

--a startling clatter echoing throughout the room as it hit your bowl.  You hadn’t heard your brother’s name since the funeral. Most people knew better than to mention it anymore.

“Y/n?”  

You’d never heard Gabriel sound so uncertain before.  It was enough to cut through the sentiments trying to claw their way out from where you kept them buried.  You swallowed, pushing against the pain and blinking back the sharp sting of tears. “He’s dead.”

His features dropped, and you watched him turn a few shades paler.  “I - I didn’t - shit, sweet tart, I’m sorry.”

Sweets, gumdrop, honey buns, he had a never-ending supply of nicknames for you and every pretty face he came across, but this one had somehow become yours.  Hearing it helped keep you from getting lost in the riptide, and for the first time since you’d picked him up, you felt like your Gabriel was there again.

“Not your fault,” you murmured, quickly rising and abandoning what was left of your bowl in the sink.  You turned the water on, intending to rinse your things. Instead, you absently let it run as you leaned against the edge of the counter, weariness settling over you once more.  

You rubbed a hand over your face, feeling a familiar, prickling pain wind its way up through the base of your skull.  It was barbed and bitter, well on its way to creating a headache. You turned the faucet off again, your bowl completely forgotten.  

“It’s going to rain,” you announced, your eyes straying out the window, not surprised in the least to find clouds gathering on the horizon.  “I think maybe we should just try to get some sleep. We can ward the room for tonight and check the grounds tomorrow.”

Gabriel moved beside you, silently dropping his dish next to yours.  He looked like he wanted to speak, gold overflowing with something soft and malleable.  The moment for it passed, however, and whatever it was remained unspoken as he trailed silently back up the stairs behind you.  

You went through your routine on autopilot, too lost in thought to consider the fact you were about to share a bed with Gabriel.  Sure, you had earlier, but napping was different.

“Go away, I’m tired,” you grumbled, doing your best to ignore the archangel jumping on the end of your bed.

“I have all the time in the world, sugar plum,” he reminded, continuing to make your body jostle every time his feet hit the mattress.

“Do something,” you whined to your brother who was stretched out across the other bed, casually flipping through a lore book as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

“This is why I don’t take in strays,” Tony reminded.  

“Did you hear what he just said?”  You feigned indignance, hoping to deflect his attention onto your less-than-helpful sibling.  “Are you going to let him get away with calling you that?”

“Don’t change the subject,” Gabriel tutted, giving a final, exaggerated leap before diving toward you.  He landed effortlessly on his side, his head propped up on his elbow, not a hair out of place while the resulting impact bounced you over the edge.  Your limbs became a flailing mass of ungraceful panic before something invisible caught you, deftly tossing you back up onto the sheets.

“You have no idea what you’re missing out on,” he insisted.  “There’s a whole world out there you’ve never seen…”

You glared at him.  “The only thing I want to see right now is the inside of my eyelids.  Besides, I can’t just take off. We’re in the middle of a case.”

His eyes glanced up at the ceiling, lips pursed thoughtfully.  A moment later he raised his hand and snapped. “Problem solved.  It was a maenad, by the way, and you’re welcome. Now, where should we go?”

“To sleep,” you grumbled, turning your back to him.

You could have screamed when you felt the pillow yanked out from underneath you.

“Tonyyyy,” you whined, your eyes flicking to where your brother had hidden a sigil near the side of his bed.  It hadn’t been for Gabriel, but blasting his hide across Creation seemed like a good idea right now.  

“Not my archangel, not my problem,” your brother told you, tossing the book on the end table.  He gave a languid stretch before pulling out his laptop. “Thanks for the afternoon off, Goldy,” he finger gunned at your unwelcome guest.  “I’ve been dying to play this new game that just dropped.”

You grabbed your other pillow, debating who you wanted to smother more: your brother, the pain in the ass behind you, or yourself.  

“Sorry, sweets, if you can’t play with things properly…”  

You whipped around, jabbing him in the chest with your finger.  “Leave me with nothing to lay on and I swear to your father, Gabriel...”

He smirked, gold dancing with amusement in a way that did not bode well for you.  Your jaw clenched. That smirk widened. His hand crept up, drawing out the moment until your stomach was a nervous tangle of anticipation.  He finally snapped, and your eyes slipped shut, your entire body cringing as you awaited your fate.

Warmth and surprising softness enveloped the side of your face, the smell of peppermint and cotton candy tickling at your nose.  There was something else beneath it, something you could only describe as inherently masculine, divine -- Gabriel.

You cracked an eye open to find him now sprawled across the bed sideways, your head resting on top of his stomach.  He was lounging on the pillows he’d stolen, his hands behind his head as he grinned down at you, waiting for you to unleash your fury.  Only you couldn’t get past the fact that he was so warm, his skin a simmering inferno that his clothes couldn’t contain.  The combination of heat and his scent was surprisingly relaxing, and you found your irritation melting away.

You drew your arms and legs into your body, settling yourself into a particularly soft spot on him.  “Joke’s on you, feathers, I’ve slept worse places.”

There were nights long after he’d died where you could swear you smelled him, that unique combination teasing along your senses.  You could almost smell it now…

You splashed cold water on your face, dispelling the thoughts.  It was clear that angel was gone, at least for the time being.

By the time you’d changed and come out of the bathroom, Gabriel was already in bed with his eyes closed.  You turned off the light, just enough filtering in from outside to allow you to find your way across the room.  You slipped beneath the comforter, wrapping yourself snugly within it, as if it would safeguard you from all the uncertainties you faced and from the other, less pleasant pieces of your past trying to invade the present.

Being haunted by what had happened wasn’t unusual, but those little snippets of warmth resurrected alongside Gabriel helped make the world seem a little less empty.  Just his presence was a comfort, though you couldn’t feel it the way you used it. It used to be so large and overpowering, but now your senses faintly tingled with the knowledge that he was lying just behind you.  Either way, it was nice not to be alone anymore.

You had no idea how much better he felt knowing you were there as well.

Next Chapter>>

ALL the tags: 

@girl-next-door-writes @sumara62 @fand0maniac @feelmyroarrrr @omgreganlove @jannalionheart @baritonechick, @deaths-maiden @lucifer-in-leather @stone-met    @blondecoffeecake  @raspberrypuddle @ourloveisforthelovely @the-moose-of-baskerville @deanxfuckingadorablexwinchester @crowley-you-sinnamon-roll @tistai @christinalibertymikaelson @room-with-a-cat @authoressskr @revwinchester @flufy07 @greieba

Gabe Squad:

@theblackenedsky @bloodstained-porcelain-doll @pepperwoodatnight @lacqueluster @samikitten @a-vast-african-plain @onlyanothersocialcasualty @kazosa @carryon-wayward-winchester @nobodys-baby-now @dlb1999 @ludwigs-a-monster @archangelgabriellives @a-wing-and-a-pen @tricksterxangel

Home for the Holidays:  @unleashthemidnight @4evergeek @schizonephilim @winchestergirl-13 @keepingcalmisoverratedgoddamnit

[voidwizerd-archive]

[[ For anyone who’s curious how that talk between Old Wiz and Kankri on day one of the M!A went, well...... here u go ]]

valorousimperial > Being teleported is disorienting. You think it almost hurts. You kind of hate it. You're definitely sick and stressed. > The cats each react with somewhat less disgust than you do, but their claws still dig in your clothes and chitin for a few moments before they settle down. > Their purring is wonderful, and it makes you purr to feel it, because it is, shockingly, on the same frequency as your purring. > Pillows and tissues bury you, and comfort food tempts your hands, but your stomach is turning.

> They want you to cry it out, but you're afraid to let go, still.

wiz-texts > You can purr yourself, and usually you do when Kankri is in distress, but you don't this time. You're not sure what to do when the cause of all his pain is *you*. A you that is... sort of difficult to recall. But being here is starting to bring back everything.

"Kis," you murmur, and then cringe. You need to stop falling on the nicknames. "Val. I know you're tryin to compose yourself. I brought you here so you didn't have to. It's okay."

valorousimperial > You're quiet for a moment while all of your cats gently begin to settle, and you shuffle back into all the pillows. > You curl your arms around your cats to keep them all up on your warm chest, and Mushik curls into your neck. > Finally, you break. > You hyperventilate, and you turn over, the four cats climbing your body to stay on top of you, and you lose yourself in tears and pain.

> You feel like a wiggler.

wiz-texts > You sit on the floor and wait, silently passing a tissue every few minutes. You made quiet comforting noises and hum soft tunes under your breath. > You don't touch him. There's nothing you want more than that, but you don't do it.

> You remember your own cat and bring her in too, holding the tiny tiger in one hand. You haven't made her bigger yet. You keep murmuring to Kankri, slowly petting Horseman in the meanwhile.

> You let him take his time. Heaven knows he needs it.

valorousimperial > You take your time. > You take a lot of time. > You cry for probably ten solid minutes, and sob dryly for probably five more before you come out of your pile. The cats scatter when you sit up, but Halmim comes back to perch on your shoulder and sniff curiously as you curl around a pillow and snack.

wiz-texts > There. That's a little better. You make sure to nudge water and some extra tissues his way, catching yourself before giving a soothing stroke to his cheek.

"Probably goes without sayin, but just to be sure-- I'm guessin you don't want me to touch you."

valorousimperial > You take deep, shaky breaths through your nose. They've done all the talking so far. > You study them. > This is definitely Wiz, but they look completely different. > And they're really obviously less tired and more joyful, even in the face of you bawling your eyes out at them.

"No, please don't," you mumble at last.

> Your voice is hoarse and ragged from crying (and sex), and it kind of hurts to speak. > This is perhaps the most pleasing thing about your situation.

wiz-texts "Okay."

> You forget how exhausted he looked in these days. You didn't see it back then, either. Maybe... maybe that should change. You don't know.

"So. Unpleasant as it is, Ki-- Val. I need you to go over what's just happened with me. It's been... a long while, and my memory isn't clicking with this period just yet. Also... I think I might have some of the answers you're lookin for about now. But I can't say for sure  until you've told me everythin."

valorousimperial > You are, in fact, exhausted. Your mind has not yet appropriately acclimated to Wiz not remembering you, and now it has to get used to an entirely different Wiz remember the *fuck* out of you, but not the you right now.

"I don't know what's happened," you admit. "A few nights ago, you were calling this place home and getting into trouble with me, going on dates and having your friends in, and yesterday light you just...Forgot me."

wiz-texts "Fuck," you breathe. "That's... that's a lot earlier than I thought. You've haven't had time to process."

> It's been a long, long, *long* time since you felt the need to pick and choose your words around your kismesis. This Kankri is delicate; certainly more than your past self would have seen.

"Do you have questions?"

valorousimperial "What did I do *wrong,"* you blurt out before you can stop yourself. Your jaw clenches and you cringe back.

"We were having fun, we were learning about one another, you called this place your home! And then...you just...dropped me," you mumble. You feel like a wiggler again as you squeeze the pillow in your arms.

wiz-texts "You did nothin." You keep your tone low but very, very firm. Less like comfort and more like fact. "Believe me, the choice had nothin to do with anythin you may or may not have done. I loved you before I forgot an' I still loved you after, this I know because that feelin ain't gone nowhere. Little me is gonna be confused over that a while; I apologize for the pain that will prolly cause you."

> You breathe out slowly, collecting your thoughts. Then you gesture for him to look your way, and when he does you tap your wrist, indicating his own. Specifically, the scars hidden under his bangles.

"How often do these hurt?"

valorousimperial You take a shaky breath. Their assurance feels hollow, even though you know they mean every word.

Knowing Wiz, their Wiz, was still in love with him, helped quite a bit. It hurt, too, but the ache didn't overpower him so easily.

They asked about his wrists, and he looked down at them. They throbbed when he clenched his fingers because of the way the cold and the dryness made the flesh taut and unpleasant.

"Often enough. In the cold. When it precipitates. If the weather has the audacity to change too suddenly. When I sleep wrong or with my jewelry on," he said.

wiz-texts "Okay." You take a breath, picking your words carefully. "Now. Imagine if it was constant. Imagine if it was everywhere, and you couldn't hide it. Imagine wanting to die, forever, on top of that. That... that had been my life for the two sweeps before I met you."

> You don't like talking about this. Even this long after, it hurts to remember. You frown, pulling a purple silicone cat from under your shirt. One of many from Lilac.

> You also realize you're still wearing *his red* and there are *spades on your suspenders* good god are you an idiot. A hurried swipe of your hand changes the red to violet, and the suspenders to plain black. You clear your throat uncomfortably.

valorousimperial Your ears, already low, lay down against your head and neck as Wiz explains their former position.

It was such a miserable thing to live with. You can't imagine how horrible it must have been for Wiz. You want to say that you would have lived with it if you were in love, but...

"You found something worth living for, and so you wanted to live for it without hating yourself or hurting all the time," you mumble. "Freedom."

You flinch as Wiz changes their clothes suddenly, and you can't make yourself look at them anymore. The reassurance of your bond was the only thing holding your eye, and now it's gone. You swallow hard and nibble a little more at the snacks Wiz had made from the void. Yesterday at 2:00 PM

wiz-texts > Nope, nope, changing the color just made it worse you jackass. You nearly smack your forehead but don't, trying to keep your attention on him.

"Yeah," you nod. "This... Kankri, I'm gonna be askin myself why I chose what I chose for many, many sweeps. Hell, I still ask myself. I can only tell you what I've discerned because I *know* myself now. Which took time. And a lot of therapy."

> You shift awkwardly into silence, chew on the silicone cat for a bit. Then you exhale softly.

"Do you... do you want me to tell you a bit what it's like, the second time around? I wouldn't say anythin bout what you thought of it, but I can give my own perspective. If that might be a thing that helps you with your decision."

valorousimperial Your face crumples as you think about everything they're saying, and the weight behind it. They're torn over this, too, you tell yourself. Still.

They offer you a glimpse, of sorts, into what their life is like now. What *your* life, as it were, will be like.

You nod.

"I want to know," you say.

wiz-texts "Alright. Well..."

> You lean back against the chair from where you still sit on the floor. It feels... pretty damn weird to think so far back. If you weren't *right here* you're not sure you could recall.

"I tiptoe round you an you round me for a while. When that finally stops is when we start to actually feel somethin like comfortable. I..."

> Another lull as you ponder. This might not even be a good idea to talk about, but you don't care. Kankri has been broken by what you did and if helping him undoes the events that make you exist, then so be it. It's not a bad way to go.

"I'm more confident, this time round. I can think better, I talk to you more. I'm more observant, I learn to read you. I'm... more determined. Once things settle an if you decide to dedicate to this, I'm gonna be kinda hellbent on knowin an understandin you as intimately as I can. You an me are *still* playin the questions game this far in the future."

wiz-texts "Is this what you were wantin to know, Kis, or did you have somethin else in mind? Do you have questions?"

valorousimperial You listen intently to what they have to say. It's not bad. It sounds right. It sounds like you.

It sounds like you can do this. Like you *do* do this.

You break into your first smile and the smallest laugh, a push of air through your nose, as they say you're still playing the questions game.

"So many. I know you can't answer them the way that I want," you say. "That would tamper with things."

You move your cat off of you and put your pillows aside to move down to the floor with them. Your eyes are swollen and your throat hurts, but you're alright.

You take one of their soft hands in both of yours, and you kiss their fingers.

wiz-texts > The gesture startles you, and you want to respond but you are so wary of not being gentle enough. He's so delicate right now. So worn down with hurt. You don't want him wounded like this ever again.

> You do tear up, though. Repressing your feelings is a bad habit you've mostly broken by now.

"I'd still answer," you say softly. "Whatever happens to me, I know little me will be fine. You'll be okay. However you choose, you'll be okay."

valorousimperial You can't help yourself - Wiz is yours, still, and you're still in love. You kiss their cheek, the corner of their mouth, and then you hover close, in case they want to kiss your lips.

"We'll be okay. You're proof of that," you say, rubbing their knuckles with your thumb.

You just want things to be okay. This isn't that, this Wiz is some other Kankri's, but it's a start. You love them.

Things will *be* okay, you tell yourself.

wiz-texts > You're shaking, and you do not let yourself respond. Kankri is emotional. Kankri gets swept away in things. You can't be swept away with him.

"That's up to you, sweetness," you murmur. You want to kiss him back, and the longing is probably plenty visible. "Kan. I don't mean to be cruel, but don't move close to me if you're not sure about it. You still have to decide what you're going to do, with little me, an'... an' that decision shouldn't be rushed. You need to be sure that's the right choice for yourself."

> Your voice cracks several times, because you've *missed him* but going along as you usually do with him would be wrong. You have to be smart. You have to take the lead. Even if you don't really want to.

valorousimperial Your chest pangs. They're right, but. But you are in love with them. With young Wiz, and them right now.

For a moment, you sit back, but you don't let go of their hand.

"You're in love with me. Right now, you are," you say. "Wiz is. My Wiz." Your words are slow. You're thinking.

"I'm in love with you, too. My heart's broken, but I'm...you know I'm not the type that gives up," you say with a tight attempt at a smile.

"If there's a chance, I'm going to take it. I'll start slow, and small, and we'll get to know one another. Better this time. And if I can call you mine again, I will."

wiz-texts "Good."

> You need to pull your hand away. Just for a second. So you can think.

"Last bit of advice I'll give is to wait for little me to be less... consumed by the guilt. It'll take a while an a lot of reassurance, but when that happens, well... you're willing to take the chance if it's there, an I know that I'm just waitin to know if the chance *is* there. But again, all in your hands. Don't let my words make your decisions."

> You crook a smile as you look over at him.

"Think we can risk a hug?"

valorousimperial Your heart throbs with guilt when they pull their hand away, but you don't let it - you try not to let it - show. Your hands clench closed.

"I can't let you go this easily," you say. "Even if it's killing me."

And it *is* killing you. You feel a little sick, but still very much in love, at this whole situation.

It's going to be hard. It's going to hurt. It's already both of those things, but you refuse to give up.

"...Maybe, yes," you say very softly.

[[ And then they hugged and Old Wiz quietly left and they haven’t spoken in person since then, the end ]]