#like I said I haven't been able to check the index lately and this is probably already accounted for

[thornofthelily]

standing in front of a corkboard covered in video thumbnails and red string frantically tapping with a telescopic pointing stick: Okay here’s where I think the Bowling with the Bois video falls in Freelancer Season 1. (Yes this will almost definitely contradict the official timeline, no I do not care, yes this will include Patreon-only content as evidence.)

In Bowling with the Bois, we see Gavin being introduced to Damien and Huxley for the first time as Freelancer’s partner. (He’s also introduced to Lasko but we all know they met much earlier on their own.) Now, here we have a very open Gavin, intimate and willing to confess he has not only never been in a partner-like relationship before but has never been introduced to anyone’s friend group at all, living his life until now as a free-roaming, free-loving incubus with no ties and no relationships. This leads me to believe that this falls after his confession video, which of course we all know happens after the confrontation with Vega and the third wall break by Echo, because the “cost” of our canon Gavin relationship is the end of Ivan’s story. This would obviously fall after Freelancer has “maxed out” friendship points with the other boys. Gavin and Freelancer are romantic partners, and this is all a first for Gavin, who has never done this before, and their relationship status is official. This partner thing is something special, meeting close friends Freelancer has spent lots of time with, and not just “hey let’s introduce this demon I fool around with sometimes to some people I met recently.” So, “Bowling with the Bois” is clearly towards the end of the Season. With me so far??

What has been driving me up a tree is how this contradicts an earlier video called “Sneaking Kisses With a Dom Incubus At a Party.” This, like most Gavin videos, was removed from Youtube but is still available on Patreon as a freebie. In this video, Freelancer is nervous about hosting their first party, with Gavin hanging out in the kitchen, comforting and distracting them. We don’t know everyone who is attending this party, but Lasko does make an appearance. Now, this may not seem to be contradictory at first, because Lasko and Gavin definitely already knew each other before this, and they acknowledge they knew each other in “Bowling with the Bois.” However, two things:

1. In “Bowling with the Bois,” Lasko mentions he and Gavin met before, twice - twice in one day, Gavin deviously clarifies, referring to their 7/11 rendezvous. This suggests to me that they have not yet met in “Sneaking Kisses” because if Lasko could refer to literally any other meeting with Gavin he probably would have to redirect attention away from how he definitely got fucked at that 7/11.

2. In the Gavin Age-Restricted Bonus Audio 1 - I won’t go into huge detail since that’s paid content - Gavin and Freelancer are fooling around after serving dinner to a party of guests. Crucially, at some point, Lasko interrupts here too and mentions that Damien is also attending this party.

Now, with regard to Point 1, this could be relatively weak, because maybe Lasko wouldn’t have said “I met Gavin at a party Freelancer held and none of you guys were there,” because that also would have been awkward. Even if they weren’t friends yet, seems kind of rude. (Not that breech of protocol ever stopped Lasko’s babbling, but let’s just say for sake of argument.) Now with point 2... Bonus Audios aren’t listed on the official timeline as far as I’m aware, and some can be placed just, wherever, they don’t need plot. But the fact this one is about a party, where Lasko is attending, and Gavin specifically mentions Freelancer is “getting back at him” for teasing when no teasing happening earlier in the audio, suggests this is the unofficial conclusion to “Sneaking Kisses.” Gavin, Freelancer, teasing, party, Lasko. All connected.

But remember, in the BA, Damien is also mentioned to be in attendance. Gavin even says “if Damien’s patience is what I remember it to be,” so he clearly met Damien. Which means “Sneaking Kisses” and Gavin’s Bonus Audio must fall after “Bowling with the Bois,” which logically would follow after Gavin’s confession at the end of the series as stated above.

I downgraded my Patreon membership this month so I don’t have access to the index with all the videos listed, but last time I checked the official timeline had “Sneaking Kisses” (and, presumably, the Bonus Audio) happening sometime before Kody’s introduction which would have been before Huxley was introduced as well. All well and good, but I just can’t see Freelancer hosting a party with Damien, a classmate they are tentatively working on a project with; Lasko, their guidance counselor; and a demon they are fooling around, along with some other randos. Gavin even says in “Sneaking Kisses” that “these people are your friends, they’re here because they care about you,” and there’s barely been any time to get to know Lasko and Damien at this point.  

So for my timeline, we would have the usual introduction with Caelum, then meeting Gavin, then later a study session with Gavin that ends with them becoming casual FWB for a while, then Freelancer has all their individual hangouts with each of the boys, separate, without any of them meeting as friends, until the confrontation with Vega. After that, Gavin confesses, they begin dating, Freelancer introduces them all as friends, and Season 1 ends with the party and Gavin’s Bonus Audio.

Literally the only contradiction to this I can think of is, in the Bonus Audio, Lasko says, “We finally convinced Damien to give Smash a try,“ suggesting he’s never played, but in Bowling with the Bois, Huxley correctly identifies that not only does Damien play Smash, but has a main. I will consider this just a slight wording choice, where maybe Damien just didn’t want to or hasn’t played in a group setting before. (Considering Damien iirc said he really has never had friends before Freelancer, maybe he never actually played with others.)

tldr the Bowling video made my head spin when it came out when I tried to put in on the official timeline, but it makes sense that it is almost at the very end 

[bumblesimagines]

Green Thumb

Part 3

Request: Yes or No

~

You watched with slightly furrowed brows as Nick Fury walked into the kitchen, glancing at Lila when she pulled another crayon out of the box. You smiled softly at her butterfly drawing.

"That's great, Lila." You told her gently, earning a proud smile from the younger girl. She finished drawing, standing up and walking over to Natasha to show her. You picked up the crayons laying on the ground, sliding them back in the box. You looked over at Clint and his family as Fury talked about Ultron, a small sigh escaping you. You weren't expecting this to be so complicated. Then again, it was the Avengers. Everything was complicated with them.

"I contacted our friends at the Nexus about that." You blinked, zoning back in. Steve looked at Fury with a small frown.

"Nexus?"

"Every bit of data flows through there. It's located in Oslo." Bruce explained, pushing up his glasses with his index finger. Clint gently picked up a dart, inspecting it.

"So, what'd they say?" He asked, watching Tony collect the darts from the board. You looked at Lila when she sat beside you on the couch, pointing to her hair before facing away from you. You shifted towards her, beginning to gently braid her hair.

"He's fixated on the missiles but the codes are constantly being changed." Fury told them as he made himself a snack. Trying to stop a murderous robot with daddy issues from ending the world definitely hadn't been on your bucket list but then again, joining a family hadn't been on it either.

"By whom?" Tony asked, a dart flying by his face and hitting bullseye. You almost chuckled at the cheeky grin on Clint's face.

"We got an ally?"

"Ultrons got an enemy. That's not the same thing." Fury corrected Natasha, eating a small slice of cheese. You finished braiding Lila's hair, glancing at Laura.

"His mission.. Is mass destruction. Everything here will be laid in a grave." Fury looked between the Avengers. You frowned, making eye contact with Clint. His biggest fear was losing his family. The last thing you wanted was losing the Bartons.

"So, stand. Outwit the platinum bastard."

"Steve doesn't like that kind of talk." Natasha said softly, gaze locking onto the soldier. Steve's brows raised, an exasperated breath leaving him.

"You know what, Romanoff.." He trailed off as Natasha shot him a playful smile. Laura took a seat behind you, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.

"You can stay here. You don't have to go with them to stop this.. Robot." Laura said quietly, giving your shoulder a squeeze. You ran your fingers over Lila's braid, shaking your head.

"It's fine, I promise. I'll make sure to come back in one piece." You assured her with a small smile.

"Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?" You looked forward at the mention of the scientists' name. You remembered her curiosity at your bracelets. A frown stretched across your face. She shouldn't have been left alone, especially when she had been there when Ultron first attacked.

"We need to get going." Steve called, glancing back at you. Everyone went off to change into their hero outfits.

"Hey, (Y/N), I got something for you." Clint said, motioning for you to follow him. You stood up, walking towards him and entering the room. Clint gave you a small grin, showing you the outfit. It was similar to his but with long sleeves. You smiled, running your fingers over it.

"I wouldn't want you getting shot so it's bulletproof and works in all types of weather. From now on, you are an Avenger."

"But.. I haven't finished-"

"You know what you need to work on and you'll continue to train." Clint smiled proudly, placing a hand on your shoulder. "I've always believed in you."

"Thank you.." You whispered. Clint nodded, leaving the room so you could change. It was comfortable and flexible so you'd be able to move without difficulty. You felt a rush of excitement shoot through you. You were officially an Avenger. Well, in Clint's eyes anyway. You'd have to check in with Tony and Steve to confirm it. You stepped out of the room, hearing Laura coo. She looked you over, smiling.

"Oh, if you were in high school, this is probably how it'd feel like during prom night." She breathed out, giggling softly.

"Now, you two better return in one piece, alright?" Laura shot you and Clint a look. You gave her a nod.

"Yes, ma'am." Clint responded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Laura gave you both a tight, lingering hug before releasing you with watery eyes.

"We'll be back before you know it." Clint assured her, getting an unconvinced nod in return. You exited the house, heading towards the aircraft.

"Liking the new look, (L/N)." Natasha said, smiling widely as she walked beside you. You chuckled, glancing down at the outfit. You entered the aircraft, taking a seat.

"We'll drop Tony off in Oslo while we check on Dr. Cho. Stay alert and stay ready." Steve said, looking you over briefly. A small smile appeared on his face before he looked towards the front. Tony was dropped off at Nexus, the others heading off to Japan. You hoped you'd be able to stay longer than a few minutes next time. Norway seemed like a nice place to relax at. Steve was dropped off by the building while you remained with Natasha and Clint in the aircraft. You could hear everything Steve said and heard through the earpiece. You frowned upon hearing Dr. Cho's breathy voice.

"He's uploading himself into the body."

"Where?"

"The real power... Is inside the cradle. The gem.. It's power is uncontainable. You can just blow it up. You have to get the cradle to Stark."

"First I've got to find it. You guys copy that?" Steve asked. You stood beside Clint, looking over the busy city below. So many people unaware of the thing threatening them.

"We did."

"We've got a private jet taking off across town." Natasha said. "No manifest. That could be him." Your gaze darted from cars to people, anything moving that could be suspicious.

"There's a truck from the lab." Clint called. "Right above you, Cap. On the loop on the bridge."

"It's them." You swallowed, gripping the seat. You watched as Steve jumped onto the roof of the truck, reaching the back and being blown to the side. Clint drove through the city, catching the citizen's attention.

"Think you could help from up here?" Clint asked, glancing at you.

"I've never done this while moving." You reminded him, raising your hand. Cities provided little nature, apart from fake plants and small spots to make it pretty. You noticed some trees but they were by the sidewalk and the road. Clint lowered himself closer to the ground so Natasha could drop down on a motorcycle. Clint helped direct Natasha to the truck. You winced when Steve was thrown back onto a car, the cars beginning to topple over and crash.

"Who's gonna pay for their injuries?" You asked softly.

"Stark will handle anything their insurance doesn't cover." Clint replied, moving in front of the truck and shooting at Ultron. It had no impact on him, simply annoying him further. Three robots left the back of the truck, flying up. You felt your fingers tingle, raising your hand and causing a branch from a nearby tree to shoot out and go through the head of one if the robots, effectively stopping it.

"Take a seat and buckle in." Clint called. You quickly sat down, not in the mood to be thrown around the craft. You buckled in, sighing softly as your stomach did twists. You'd prefer land over air any time but it felt safer to be with Clint. You shut your eyes as the aircraft spun, probably shaking off the robots. Clint successfully got the robots off him so he turned, heading back towards the city.

"You okay?" Clint glanced back at you with a frown. You nodded, not trusting yourself not to vomit. Clint chuckled softly.

"You'll get used to it." Clint looked forward. You unbuckled your seat, getting up and walking back towards Clint. You rubbed your aching head, brows furrowing.

"Is that-"

"A flying truck? Yeah. Not the craziest thing you'll see."

"I can control plants, Clint. I'd say that's pretty tame." A laugh left Clint as he followed the truck.

"Got a clear shot. Want me to take it?"

"Negative, I'm still in the truck." Natasha replied. Clint blinked.

"The hell you doing in there?" He asked, following the truck from a safe distance.

"Just get ready to receive the package." Natasha told him. Clint turned the aircraft around, opening the back. You turned your head, noticing Natasha cutting the straps that kept the cradle in place and pushing it forward. She exited the truck as it exploded, the cradle getting inside but she was dragged out.

"Nat!"

"I can't see her and it's to high up for me to do anything." You said, looking at through the windows. Steve ordered Clint to go back to the tower but Clint would never leave his best friend behind.

"Clint, it's Nat. She'll be fine. If anything, she'll be the one rescuing us when we find her." You told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Clint swallowed, hesitating before following orders.

"She'll be okay." You assured softly. You looked back at the cradle, cautiously approaching it.

"Don't touch it-"

"Too late." You mumbled, fingers running over it. Your brows furrowed, looking over the body inside. It didn't look human. Not even close to one.

"What the hell is this?" You frowned, gaze drifting to the crystal. The one Dr. Cho said was uncontainable.

"I always thought I was magic." You said, looking up at Clint with a small smile. You hoped you could ease his mind or get him to become less anxious. You sighed, looking back down at the body before continuing.

"But then I found out I was everything but that."

[whattodowithace]

Looking For Mommy Part II (Jun)

Title: Looking For Mommy Part II

Pairing: Jun x Reader

Genre: Fluff; Slight Angst

Word count: 845

Writer: Whattodowithkpop [Lio]

Summary: The first date after the initial meeting. Things begin to make sense as Jun explains the situation.

A/N: I gave Jun a brother specifically because he doesn't have one, so that's where the inaccuracy comes from.

*****

I tap my foot nervously as I watch the big picture window that shows the people passing the little coffee shop. The minutes ticked slowly as I waited for the man to enter the shop. It was three minutes past the hour, making me nervous that he wouldn't show. I check my messages to make sure I had the right time, seeing the correct time makes me sigh in defeat.

I had been stood up plenty of times before. You start picking up a system of how long to wait for someone, and it was getting close for me to count my loses and make an exit. Ten past hit, with one last check of my messages, I stand to leave the quaint shop. As I open the door, I come face to face with a worried looking Jun. His hair was a mess as it stood up in different directions. His face was flushed, making me guess he had been running as beads of sweat began to trickle down his face.

He gives me a defeated look as he tries to catch his breathe. "Am... Am I too late?" He asks, looking like a defeated puppy.

My heart falters as I look at the exhausted man. I break out into a smile as I retreat back into the warm coffee shop. "You're right on time."

We sit at the table I had left after we ordered our beverages. He kept apologizing profusely, feeling guilty about being late.

"Jun." I lay my hand atop of his that rested on the table, making him tense at the contact. "You're okay. Having to get your daughter to the sitter is more important, I'm just glad you were able to do both."

He relaxes as I take my hand away to pull my cup to my lips.

He sighs as he follows suit, drinking his warm liquid. "I feel bad because I'm really not used to this dad thing."

I smile warmly at him. "No one is born to be a dad. You have to grow with them and learn how to parent well."

Jun looks at me in slight shock, clearing his throat before continuing. "Well, I meant, I just got custody of her and I really have no clue how to take care of her because I haven't had her long."

My heart drops suddenly as all the possible scenarios run through my head, none of them positive ones. I stay silent, waiting to see if Jun would explain or if he would keep it to himself.

"My brother and his wife passed away." Jun whispers, his voice cracking slightly. "So I got custody of her. I love her to bits, I just wonder if she would be better off with someone else."

"I don't think so." I finalize, making him look at me with curiosity. "You may have never parented before and you didn't raise her from infancy, but because you have those worries and concerns and because I can see your love for her, you are going to be a great dad."

Jun's face was unreadable, making me worry I had overstepped or had said something wrong.

"I'm... I'm sorry..."I trail off tapping my fingernails against the cup in my hands. "I shouldn't have interfered... I... I..."

"Thank you." He interrupts me, smiling at me gratefully.

I ponder over his words for a moment before quietly speaking. "I'm sorry about your brother and his wife."

"It's no one's fault." Jun looks down to his cup sadly. 

"I'm glad to have met you both that day." I laugh quietly, looking down at my cup as well.

"I was so nervous..." Jun states.

I laugh. "Why were you nervous?"

"Well first I lost her in a supermarket! My brother would've come back from the grave to slap me for losing her." Jun laughs at the grim joke, making me let out a chuckle. "Then when she called you mommy I worried you'd get offended and then you asked me out and that made me nervous..."

"I'm sorry to make you nervous." I apologize through my laugh. "You both charmed me and I want to see how far this goes."

Jun chokes on his drink at my candor, making me laugh as I pass him napkins. "This?"

I use my index finger to gesture between him and I. "This."

"Does that mean I get to take you on a second date?" He asks with hopefulness. My heart flutters at his choice of words, such a small gesture but a big impact.

"If you would like to."

Jun's smile widens as he laughs nervously, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Please stop being so cute, my heart will combust." I laugh when his head whips to my face me, his adams apple bobbing nervously.

"This may be a bit forward..." He trails off as he inspects the coffee shop trying to find his words. "Would you... Would you want to come with me to pick her up?"

"I would love that."

MAIN MASTERLIST

[blueeyedheizer]

sound of metal - matt

WARNING: might contain some triggering topics (talks of surgery, hearing loss)

A/N: this movie was so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time I had to write something based on it. (excuse the crappy ending) If you haven't seen sound of metal...go watch it nowww

•••

Matt had been acting strange lately. Wether it was during sound check or while you were performing in front of a crowd, he seemed off and completely out of it everytime you shot a glance his way.

Today wasn't any different and you were starting to grow seriously worried. You and your band were performing in front of your biggest crowd yet; the band was getting more and more recognition and people were quick to spread the word about your small tour. It even got to the point where people would take pictures with you and buy your merch after the show. Quite frankly, everything was going well and it was a dream come true.

But when you looked at Matt, it seemed like he wasn't handling things as well as you did. At first, you thought that it might only be stage fright. You weren't really used to such big venues, and it would've made sense that he feels some kind of discomfort in front of an important audience. Yet he never spoke to any of you about it, and you knew he would've at least told you if that was the case.

So when you looked over your shoulder in the middle of the fourth song and caught sight of him you immediately sensed that once again, something wasn't right. He looked almost terrified, you could tell his breathing was heavy and that it wasn't just because of the drums. You tried to contain your worry and focus on your singing, but you kept a mental note to talk to him after the show. You couldn't just sit there and keep pretending everything was alright when he was clearly hiding something from you.

But before you even had the time to move on from your thoughts Matt suddenly stormed out of the stage, his drumsticks falling to the floor while he pushed a few people on his way out. Your heart pounded hard against your chest as you were hit with a wave of anxiety, then with a small apology to the crowd and a worried glance at your bandmates you followed him.

Within seconds you were bursting through the back doors, running after him.

"Matt! Matthew, what the hell?" you called, running to his side. He was bent down, hands resting on his knees as he panted hard. You placed your hands on his shoulders and he eventually stood up straight before leaning against the fence. "Baby, what's wrong?" you placed your hands on his cheeks, your thumbs stroking his skin as your eyes searched for his.

"I can't hear anything." he admitted, voice cracking.

"What?"

"I can't hear anything."

-

You just picked at your food, not hungry due to how anxious you felt. You could barely register anything else than the sound of your heartbeat, the sounds of muffled talking, plates and glasses clinking from the restaurant being completely drowned out by your nagging thoughts.

"What are we gonna do?" James eventually spoke up.

"I don't know James. I really don't know." you put your fork down and buried your face in your hands, finally letting a few tears slip. You leg was bouncing repeatedly, heart beating a million miles a minute. After taking a deep breath, you grabbed the pen and paper that were in front of you and wrote something down.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" you slid the paper across the table so that Matt could read it. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I didn't want you to worry about it. It's nothing. It'll come back eventually." he said, but you were far from satisfied with his answer. You squeezed your eyes shut.

"What did the doctor say?" once again, you slid the paper across the table.

"There's a surgery. An implant. It's— it's expensive but I'll get it."

"Y/N, there's no way he'll be able to afford it." James whispered. You glanced at him and nodded, knowing damn well you'd never be able to earn so much money in such a short amount of time. You were just a small band, earning a salary worth of such surgery would take an excessive amount of work and time. Noticing the worried look on everyone's face, Matt broke the silence and grabbed your hand.

"Look— we'll play tomorrow and see how it's like. It'll come back. It's fine baby, my hearing's not completely gone. okay? I can do it." Matt said, and you shook your head.

"No."

"We have a tour booked."

"Matt, it's not safe." you tried to reason with him as more tears welled in your eyes.

"We have a tour booked, Y/N, I'll just deal with it, I can do it!"

"No, Matt. We can't." you removed your hand from his hold.

"It'll come back!"

"For God's sakes Matt, it's not safe!" you finally raised your voice, fist colliding with the table as you flopped back against your seat. Your bandmates flinched and some waitresses and customers turned to you, thinking a fight had broke out. You apologized quietly, not even loud enough for any of them to hear before grabbing the pen.

"We're not finishing the tour. You can barely hear a word we're saying. We're not finishing it." you put the pen down and got up, gathering your things before turning to James and Alex. "I'll call the manager and see what we can do."

And with that, you left the dinner without a word.

-

Fortunately, your manager was very understanding of the situation and helped you with everything you needed. He got you in contact with a friend of his who ran a small community in which Matt would be able to attend meetings and learn sign language.

You called the man immediately after finishing the call with your manager, wanting to get this done as soon as possible. You were hit with a wave of relief when he told you he would be more than willing to welcome Matt, as long as he complied with the rules that were imposed there. But getting Matt to understand that this wasn't just a small hearing loss and that he needed help was another story.

"I'm not going, Y/N. God, it— it doesn't even bother me that much! I can still play!" he said and you shook your head, lowering it afterwards. You had never seen him so agitated, and no matter how hard he tried to convince you that he was okay, you could see right through him. His hearing loss was in fact bothering him, he just wouldn't admit it. "Baby I know our songs by heart, we could just—"

"Matt, stop. Just stop." you interrupted him. Tears were beginning to form in your eyes and it was getting harder to hold them back. He scoffed, burying his hands in his hair.

"Matt. Please. Just look at me." you placed your index finger under his chin, forcing him to look at you. "The most important thing right now is to preserve the hearing you have left. Okay?" your hand slid to his cheek, wiping a tear before pecking his lips. "I love you so much, baby. And that's why I'm not leaving you the choice. We're cancelling the tour, and you're going to let these people take care of you." you told him, making sure to speak clearly.

-

-time skip-

Those 6 months spent away from him were hard. The members of the community he was in all lived in one house together with no contact to the outside world - which meant no phones allowed. It was a rule that you had agreed on committing to, but you hadn't anticipated how awfully long these months would actually be. Performing without him was something you couldn't get used to. You had found a new drummer for the time he was gone, but it was different. You were so used to Matt's energy, his way of playing, and the boy was nothing like him. He was really nice and Alex and James seemed to get along well with him, but this band wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for Matt, therefore performing his songs without him felt wrong.

You had no idea what the future was going to look like, wether it was regarding the band or your relationship. You had no idea how Matt was doing. For all you knew he could be at his lowest point and you weren't there for him. Or maybe he was having an amazing time, and you couldn't shut off this nagging voice in the back of your head that kept telling you he might've met someone new.

-

You were walking home from work, looking forward to leave this long day behind you and get some well deserved rest. You greeted your dad and was about to make your way to your room, but his voice stopped you in your tracks before you could leave.

"Y'a Matt qui t'attends dans ta chambre." (Matt's waiting for you in your room.)

"Quoi?" (What?)

"Il est arrivé y'a une heure ou deux. Je lui ait dit de rester là en attendant que t'arrives." (He arrived about an hour or two ago. I told him to stay there and wait for you.)

You tried to contain your excitement in front of him, but your heart felt like it was about to burst inside your chest.

"Okay, cool. Merci."

With that, you left the kitchen and made your way upstairs hurriedly, heart beating faster with every step you took.

Finally, you opened the door to your room and your eyes immediately caught Matt's figure. He was sitting on your bed, a book in hands as he waited for you. You stayed at the door for a small instant, grinning warmly as he looked up, allowing you to finally make eye contact.

"Hi. Can you hear me?"

Matt set the book down and nodded, then you walked over to him, standing between his legs. You cupped his face and caressed his cheeks with your thumbs, taking in all of him. His hair was a bit longer than the last time you had seen him.

"I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too."

You leaned in and pressed your lips together for the first time in five months, your hands sliding to the back of his head as the kiss deepened. You pulled away after a little less than a minute, catching your breath.

"What are you doing here? How— how did you afford it?" you asked a bit awkwardly, referring to his surgery as you noticed the implants on his ear.

"I had to sell my stuff." he shugged. "Guitars, synth, my car. Anything I could find, really." he chuckled sadly, lowering his head. Your face dropped at his words and a small silence settled in the room before he broke it with the smallest voice. "I'm sorry."

"Hey...there's nothing to apologise for." you said, lifting his chin up to peck his lips once again. He shook his head, refusing to make eye contact with you as tears welled up in his eyes. Then he climbed further up the bed silently, his back now resting against the headboard. You followed, situating yourself next to him.

"I ruined everything. The tour, the band, us." Everything."

"You didn't ruin anything. You couldn't control what happened, Matt. You know that." you tried to comfort him, scratching the back of his head with your fingertips. He scoffed a bit at your answer, still avoiding eye-contact.

"I can't get back to drumming, Y/N. I can never go back to how my life was before."

There was a pause before he finally dared to look at you. His eyes were red from holding back tears, cheeks streaked and flushed, the sight causing your face to visibly soften. You opened your mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead you looked down, fidgeting with the ring on your index finger and the room went silent. You knew things would never be the same, but you still took the news like a bullet. A couple more seconds passed and you took a small breath before climbing onto his lap gently.

A bitter, sad smile curved on your lips as you looked at him, hands cupping both sides of his head, gently rubbing your thumbs and occasionally wiping a few tears from his cheeks while you fought with great difficulty to hold yours in. First you kissed his forehead then you rested yours against it, noses brushing.

"I love you." you whispered, closing your eyes as you felt a tear escape and roll down your cheek. "I love you so much."

You pulled away just a bit and signed "I love you" to him in sign language to emphasise your words. He signed it back to you and you wrapped your arms around him, cradling his head against your chest as you mumbled comforting words, your hands rubbing his back and hair soothingly as you cried silently.

[otome--fantasy]

Of Demons and Dragons

Ikemen Sengoku Imagine: Being able to turn into a dragon.

Ch.5

Warnings: Swearing, depictions of depression

Several weeks had passed since you had attempted to flee the castle, almost three months, and it was beginning to take its toll. Since then, you've kept to your room - emerging only to bathe and go to the restroom, while you had maids deliver food to your room at set times. These past few days had been especially hard however, you hadn't bathed in days, and the maids have been returning to your room to pick up a full trays of food more often than not. At first, you enjoyed the silence and the time to yourself, but after the first two weeks you started becoming stir crazy. You would pace your room, reorganize things again and again, clean even when your furnishings weren't dirty, and you preened to the best of your ability, constantly.

While grooming was essential to keeping your dragon scales healthy, strong, and of course clean - too much of it could be detrimental. Dragons were much like birds in that sense. Lack of interaction, stress, and boredom lead to obsessive grooming which lead to plucking, but for you it simply ment your scales fell out on their own. You realized you had an issue when you woke up this particular morning, sat up, and scratched the back of your head, only to pull a dragon scale the size of your finger out of your hair.

"Milady?" Kinu opened the door, assuming you were still asleep as she was normally the one to wake you, "Oh Princess, where did you get that?" She had noticed the scale in your hand. Luckily because of its size she didn't know what it was, and luckily for you, you weren't in so bad of a condition that they were just falling out without you doing anything.

She walked closer, "It's so pretty!" You would have been flattered had you not been embarrassed by the condition the scale was in. Normally dragon scales were iridescent, polished, sleek, smooth, and hard so they could protect the softer skin underneath, but the one you had shed was dull, and rough from constant licking, as well as a bit brittle.

"I found it when I went out into town."

She reached for the scale and you hesitantly gave it to her to examine, "Careful it feels a bit fragile."

She nodded before cupping her hands together so you could place it in the center, and she gawked at the [in her eyes] vivid coloration, "You found it? Just laying around?"

"Yes," you lied, "it was on the ground and it caught my eye, so I took it."

She carefully lifted it to eye level with her thumb and index finger, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure," you shrugged, "For now just a pretty keep sake." She smiled and nodded before handing it back to you, "Right well," once you had taken it back her smile widened and she gave you a bow, "What would you like for breakfast this morning, Milady?"

You once again shrugged, "It doesn't really matter."

Kinu frowned at your lack luster answer, though she noticed that the past few weeks your personality seemed to be dimming, "Is something wrong, Princess?" She knelt beside you, "You haven't quite been yourself as of late..."

You looked up to meet Kinu's gaze. To be honest you felt quite tired, and you definitely weren't looking forward to another day of being trapped in your room. Perhaps you should just forget about breakfast this morning and go back to bed. It wouldn't really matter either way anyways.

"Milady?" Kinu's brows furrowed, and her ordinarily chipper expression contorted into one of sadness and concern, "Do you feel ill? Should I call Ieyasu?"

"No," you sighed before you slumped back down into your mat, turned your back to Kinu, and pulled your blanket over you. She had no idea what was wrong, whenever she had seen you wandering the castle or heard about you sneaking out to see the town that one time - you always seemed so bright, but now...

"Princess?"

"Hmm...?"

"Maybe we could have Ieyasu check your wounds? Maybe he can clear you, and you and I could go out into town today?"

What a brilliant idea, how had you not thought of that sooner? Well the answer to that was simple - you thought it would look too suspicious for you to heal so fast.

"It's been three months, Milady, I'm sure you're well enough to at least get out of your room, and maybe even the castle."

Yes some fresh air and more sun than what your balcony could offer would probably do the trick. You turned over in your mat to look at Kinu, "That's an excellent idea Kinu." While you hadn't immediately brightened like she had hoped, you at least sounded a bit more alive than before.

"Wonderful!" She smiled and hopped up onto her feet, "I shall go fetch Lord Ieyasu immediately!" She bowed quickly before running out of your room with an accidental slam of the door to rush to the medical experts med bay. With a grunt you sat up again and began inspecting yourself for any loose scales that showed through your skin. You rubbed your arms and lightly scratched the back of your head, before patting down your sides and legs. A few emerged and slid off you as your hands glided over your skin and you sighed in frustration. Nothing else seemed to fall after that - for now. Hopefully, a nice stroll outside would do you some good.

You got out of bed and straightened up to the best of your ability - getting rid of your fallen scales by crushing them and throwing them out the balcony doors to let them scatter to the wind, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, smoothing out any creases in your sleeping robe and running your fingers through your hair to get out whatever knots you could, before tying your hair up into a lazy bun with a ribbon Kinu had gotten for you the last time she went out into town. Perhaps you could buy a brush and a comb when you went out today, maybe even a mirror. Sure you could ask the servants and they would bring you one, but you wanted something that was yours and didn't feel borrowed.

You were standing out on the balcony when Ieyasu and Kinu emerged through the door to your room.

"Milady?" Kinu was the first to speak of the two as she attempted to get a reaction out of you. However, when she didn't receive one she turned to Ieyasu and whispered, "This is what I was talking about, she hasn't been quite herself lately..."

The blond made his way over to you, gently grabbing you arm to bring you back inside. Ieyasu released you for a moment to close the door behind you and him before leading you back to your sleeping mat and guiding you into a sitting position.

"Hey, woman," Ieyasu was so eloquent with words. You looked up to meet his gaze with an almost blank expression, "I'm going to have to take off your sleeping robe to check your injuries okay?" You wordlessly nodded.

Your silence made him uneasy. He was so used to you being loud and talkative, always having something to say, but now you were almost eerily quiet. He cleared his throat and slowly untied the knot of your robe, before pulling the collar slightly to reveal the side if your neck. There were no signs of injury, it was like you'd never been shot by arrows. He leaned in closer to better examine - not even a trace of scar tissue. With a small subconscious gasp, he moved around to sit behind you and pulled the rest of the robe away.

Nothing.

No scabbing, no signs of inflammation or infection, not even a scar. He was glad your wounds hadn't worsened but he was expecting to at least see a scar. With a hard swallow, Ieyasu slowly and gently ran his fingers down your bare back in an attempt to confirm that there was indeed nothing there. The light ghost of a touch sent a small shiver up and down your spine, causing you to flinch and turn your head slightly to the right to get a better look at the medic through the corner of your eye.

Again there was nothing, no smooth, pink, shiny, or soft skin that would come with a scar being there. He furrowed his brows and pressed on the areas where your wounds used to be, "Let me know if you feel any pain or discomfort."

You moved your head back forward and focused to his hands. They traveled up your back at a snail's pace, pressing down here and there - starting off easy before applying more pressure. It felt more like a massage than anything, and the contact was nice enough to have you close your eyes and let out a deep breath.

The action made Ieyasu stop, thinking your actions were an attempt to mask some pain you felt, "Are you okay?" He asked while simultaneously pressing down on the spot.

"Yes," your monotonous voice caught him almost as off guard as your behavior thus far.

"You don't feel any pain or discomfort?" He continued to apply the same constant pressure as he rubbed your back up and down, before his hands migrated to your side where you had sustained the most injuries from the battle, and he repeated his actions.

"No."

"Okay then," he wasn't sure what more to say as he pulled his hands away from you before pulling your robe back over your shoulders and straightening it out as best he could. "You're injuries have obviously healed," he stood up from his spot behind you and made his way over to your door, "I see no more reason to confine you to your room anymore."

That was all he said before he left, leaving you and Kinu alone in your room. "Oh Princess!" She was ecstatic, "This is wonderful news!"

The maid walked over to you and kneeled by your side to gauge you reaction. You simply nodded and turned to look at her, adjusting and tying your robe back up, "I guess I should have a bath before we go."

"Of course, Milady," she smiled sweetly, "And I'll be sure there is a beautiful kimono laid out for you for when you return!" With a small bow, she stood and left the room to head to the bathhouse. She decided at that moment that she would add some extra bath herbs, salts, and oils to hopefully perk you up.

News traveled fast among the servants that you had officially recovered as Kinu could hardly contain her excitement that she would be accompanying you out into town today. That being said you hadn't been expecting to hear a knock on your door so soon after Kinu left, it normally takes a while to prep a bath especially in the mornings.

"Princess."

Your head quickly turned to look towards the door when it opened and you were greeted by the sight of a familiar face, "Hideyoshi."

He smiled as he entered your room, placing a hand on your head before ruffling your hair like one would a younger loved one or a dog.

"No!" You lightly smacked his hand away, not meaning to harm him, just get his hand out of your hair.

He pulled back and looked at you quizzically as you covered your head with your arms and hands, "I haven't bathed in days, my hair is disgusting."

The brunette chuckled, "Is that all?"

"Is that all?" You huffed, "I have had little reason to leave this room and the past few weeks have been especially difficult..."

"I know," Hideyoshi knelt down so he could look at you at eye level, "That's why I came to offer to take you into town today."

"Kinu already beat you to that."

"I know," he laughed slightly, "I'm sure she's told everyone in the castle about it by now, she's happy you're well again."

You couldn't imagine why, you must have been the worst person she'd ever been assigned to service. You know in the months you've been here you hadn't been exactly friendly towards everyone, and sure you hadn't been nasty to Kinu, but still - you hadn't exactly been looking to make any friends during your stay here.

"Hey," Hideyoshi placed a hand on your shoulder with a small frown on his face. You looked up to meet his gaze, and what he saw seemed to be a shell of the girl he'd come to know the first few days of your stay, "Alright, that's it," he stood and helped you to your feet, "Were going to get you to the bathhouse so you can clean up, get you dressed, and then get you some food before we head out okay?"

"Kinu already beat you to that." You had ment the bath, but Hideyoshi thought you were getting delusional, which to be fair, he probably wasn't completely wrong.

The day you fully healed and fled the castle, was the day you had decided to lock yourself up. First it was the lack of sun, and lack of activity that began to wear on you mentally. Then the lack of stimulation began to wear on you emotionally, leading to the depression you had been feeling, and that lead you to not having the motivation to do much of anything - like eating and bathing. All that on top of your body trying to recoup from a speedy regeneration left you feeling weak, even with all the sleep you had been getting.

"Hideyoshi," was all you were able to get out as he attempted to lead you down the halls of the castle before you collapsed.

"Hey, hey!" He rushed to catch you and keep you from hitting the floor.

"Princess!" Kinu must have been heading back to your room to get you for your bath because she had been in the same hall when she saw you collapse, "Milady! What's wrong?!"

Hideyoshi was quick to pick you up bridal style and rush you to the castle sick bay where Ieyasu studied and practiced his medicine during his stays in Azuchi. He should be there at about this time.

"Ieyasu!!!" Hideyoshi called for the blond as he ran down the halls, as if that alone would be enough to summon the healer before him, "I swear if it isn't one thing with you it's another. You really are like a troublesome little sister."

"I'll inform Lord Nobunaga, he'll want to be updated!" Kinu broke off from him, heading in the opposite direction.

All the yelling got the attention of those who were in the rooms that lined the halls. Mitsunari and Mitsuhide poked their heads out from the library as Hideyoshi approached with you in his arms. Both their eyes widened.

"What happened?" Mitsunari was the first to step out of the room and follow after Hideyoshi, with Mitsuhide on his heels, "Did she try to run off again?"

"No, she collapsed- Ieyasu!!!"

The blond in question slammed open his sliding doors with a deep frown on his face, "What-" He almost lunged out of his room, but stopped as soon as he saw you weak in Hideyoshi's arms.

"Is she conscious?" Ieyasu pulled the taller warlord into the room and lead him to a matt on the floor closer to the back of the room, allowing the others to fall in behind him.

"I'm not sure maybe," Hideyoshi placed you on the matt as gently as he could while also maintaining a sense of urgency. Ieyasu placed a hand on the side of your face to make you look at him. He tsked. You were definitely awake but most likely weren't aware of what was going on. You produced a groan as your eyes opened only to roll to the back of your head every now and then and flutter shut before opening again.

"She's awake," he confirmed, "But going in and out of conciousness," Ieyasu flittered about you, straightening your position on the matt so your posture wouldn't get in the way of his work, "Move, Hideyoshi."

The brunette was practically shoved out of the way as Ieyasu took your pulse rate, breath rate and checked your temperature with his hand.

"Her breathing is erratic, pulse rate normal but a little weak, and her temperature is-" he wanted to double check because your temperature was, "Abnormally high."

One of the servants who worked under Ieyasu and had seen him rushing to your aid returned to the room with a bowl of water and some towels as well as a few jars of herbs, "My lord!"

He placed the jars on his desk and moved to put the bowl next to Ieyasu, folding a towel and putting it into the water to soak, before placing it on your head in and effort to cool your temperature. Meanwhile, the blond immediately made a beeline for his table, took some water into a separate bowl and began to crush a few herbs and roots in it to create a mixture.

"What's that?" A new voice next to Ieyasu made him jump slightly.

"Damn it, Masamune!" He huffed and shook his head before continuing to crush the herbs and mix them, "It's a mixture of several different roots, herbs, and vegetables packed with vitamins and anything else she might need to boost her strength."

The one eyed warlord's eye narrowed, "Why?"

Ieyasu rolled his eyes at his colleagues persistence, "Kinu has been keeping me updated on her progress, as I asked her to. It seems our princess hasn't been taking quite good care of herself." Once he was done mixing the concoction into a slurry he poured it into a tea mug for you to drink out of, "She's been excessively sleeping, and eating little to no food for the past few weeks - she's also probably dehydrated."

"Weeks?" Hideyoshi chimed in from the spot next to you he reclaimed when Ieyasu stepped away to mix your medicine.

"Did I stutter?" The response was tense and if not a little snappy, "Help me sit her up."

Hideyoshi snaked his arm underneath your shoulders and wrapped the other around your midsection, shuffling his position slightly so he could easily lift you and then let you lean back against him to sit you upright.

"Hey, hey," Ieyasu tapped your cheek three times rapidly to try and get you to stir enough to drink the medicine he had made. You groaned and shook your head. With an impatient sigh he grabbed your chin and made you look at him, "Hey, woman, look at me."

You were able to open your eyes, but they felt heavy, the light filtering in through the windows was entirely too bright, and all the noise made your head pound.

"Drink this." Ieyasu's voice sounded muffled, far away, and had a bit of an echo to it. It took your brain a moment to register what he was asking but it clicked when you felt a warm ceramic cup touch your lips. When you finally opened you mouth slightly, he tilted the bottom up to let the medicine pour into your mouth.

"Drink," he coached you, "easy now." You face scrunched up when your tongue tasted the elixir, "I know it doesn't taste the best but you have to drink all of it."

Worst smoothie ever.

You wanted to spit it out, but you were coherent enough to understand what the blond wanted and begrudgingly drank every last drop before finishing it with a gasp.

"Here," the servant from earlier passed Ieyasu another mug, which he then held up to your lips. You shook your head, not wanting anymore of the vile medicine, "It's water," he reassured you, "Wash it down."

You some how gathered enough strength to grab the mug yourself and practically chugged the fresh, clean water down before you shot up into a proper sitting position instead of leaning against Hideyoshi. He let you free from his grasp but kept his hands on your shoulders, should your strength falter again.

"Good girl."

Your digestive system was making quick work of the concoction. The medicine being pre-smashed, and easily digestible ment your body was able to more easily and more quickly absorb all the nutrients it had been deprived of these past few weeks.

Once you had calmed and quieted down, you leaned back again - forgetting Hideyoshi was still their, "Easy there," you quickly turned to look at him at the sound of his voice.

"I need to lay down," you held your head with one hand and shakily lowered yourself to the mat with Hideyoshi's help. The speed at which you had moved to drink the water gave you a bit of vertigo and left you feeling dizzy.

"Honestly," Ieyasu scoffed, "This will be the last time we trust you to take care of yourself when you're injured."

You chuckled as you settled into the mat to get comfortable, "Hopefully it will be the last time I get injured. Period."

"What part of 'I want you to stay by my side' do you not understand," a familiar deep voice cut through the room like a sharp knife. The warlords stopped what they were doing to look to the still open doors as Nobunaga stormed through them with a nervous Kinu at his side.

"That was an order, not a request," he barked grumpily as he took a seat next to you beside Hideyoshi, eyes gazing at you with a hard glare.

You gave him a smug smile and chuckled, "I'm not good with following orders."

"Obviously," Nobunaga crossed his arms and huffed, "What good are you to me if you're dead."

Ieyasu came around to your opposite side and placed down another mug of that terrible mixture he concocted. You flinched away from both him and the mug, causing you to press into both Hideyoshi and Nobunaga's laps with a hiss. The blond raised a brow at you before rolling his eyes, "Calm down. I just want you to drink it after you've had breakfast and with every other meal for the next few days."

"Days?!" You whined, opting instead to bury your face into the pillow.

"Oh be quiet," Ieyasu crossed his arms, "It's the fastest way for you to regain all your strength," he placed down another, slightly larger mug full of water next to it, "And I want you to drink one of these full of water every hour."

You supposed you couldn't argue with him, he was the doctor, and it was your own fault for not eating. You groaned, "Fine, but I've already drank some of that stuff for the morning, so can I not for breakfast?"

"No."

Shot down so easily. You groaned again.

"He's only trying to help you, lass," you hadn't realized Masamune was in the room, and you took the opportunity to examine the rest of its occupants. Everyone was here, including Kinu and a few other servants who had been helping Ieyasu.

You immediately swallowed your stubborn pride and slumped back into the sleeping matt with a defeated sigh. You felt guilty, you had worried everyone with your carelessness - at least when your were physically in danger you knew you would be alright, and that their worry stemmed from a lack of knowledge as to what you were, but in this case...you had truly been reckless.

"I'm sorry."

The others turned to look at you, stunned expressions on all their faces, "I should have asked for help when I needed it. I knew I wasn't doing well, but instead of saying something I chose to let myself rot." You really had done it to yourself, locking yourself away, letting your health deteriorate the way it did, as well as not eating.

Hideyoshi placed a hand on your head, and ruffled your hair, "Don't worry about that, all that matters is you're going to get better."

"I should have never trusted you to look after yourself," Ieyasu hid the pang of guilt he felt for not checking in on his patient, with a snooty attitude, "I should have known you weren't capable of providing yourself with the care you needed to get better."

"Excuse me?" Kinu's mousey voice piped up from behind the others, and she stepped forward, "Would the princess still be able to go out into town today?"

"No," Ieyasu wasn't harsh, but his answer was absolute, "Not today at least, maybe tomorrow or the day after."

She nodded solemnly, "I understand, I do not want her to strain herself."

After everything was said and done, and you were set up to stay in Ieyasu's sick bay for the next few days, the others cleared out - leaving you in the room with Ieyasu to keep an eye on you, and Nobunaga, "I'm suprised you said nothing the night I summoned you to my quarters. You're usually so vocal when you can't or don't want to do something."

Ieyasu glanced up at the both of you from his place at his desk as he made more of the mixture you would be needing over the course of the next few days. His eyes narrowed in suspicion before he shook his head and continued his work.

"I knew I could handle it, your aren't that difficult to deal with," you snickered.

Nobunaga raised a brow at you, taking that as a challenge, "If I remember correctly you were the one who-"

"My lord," Ieyasu interrupted, walking up to stand beside him before bowing, "I don't mean to interrupt, but the princess really must get as much rest as possible."

Oda looked up at Ieyasu as he spoke, and gave you a glance before he stood, "Very well." He turned his back to the both of you before walking towards the sliding doors.

"I expect updates on her progress," he stopped just before the exit and turned to look at Ieyasu before continuing on his way out.

The blond medic slid a plate of food over to you once Nobunaga shut the door behind him, "Eat."

You looked, it was a small simple breakfast, but what did you expect of the times you were living in currently? Right now you would kill for a larger breakfast, it felt like your stomach was prepared to eat you from the inside out. You suspected Ieyasu may have also included something in that elixir to jumpstart your appetite again. Slowly, you sat up in your mat and took the plate before you began eating.

Ieyasu gently placed the other mug of elixir and another of water next to you. You watched him when the 'thud' of the glasses being placed on wood flooring got your attention, before looking back to the half eaten food infront of you.

You swallowed whatever food was in your mouth before reaching to take your first sip of the elixir, "So, doc," and placing it back next to you, "What's the verdict?"

The warlord huffed, "You collapsed from exhaustion and dehydration, on top of that, due to lack of food intake- your body didn't have the strength for whatever it was you were doing when you collapsed."

You finished up your plate of food and threw the elixer back like you were taking a shot of alcohol till you finished it. 'You aren't supposed to taste it,' as your party animal friends back at home used to say, "Oh that's disgusting." You then drank your water till the glass was empty and placed it on the floor next to your empty plate and the medicine cup.

"Hopefully by the end of tomorrow you should be well enough to be up and walking around again," Ieyasu took the mugs and stacked them on the plate before taking it and standing up, "But we'll play it by ear."

Without another word he exited the room to do whatever it was he did. You were sure he would be back to check on you in an hour and make sure you were drinking your water. A sigh left you lips as you laid back down and stared at the door. Your eye lids felt heavy, and for the first time in a while your body actually felt relaxed as opposed to the stiff weight you had become accustomed to the past few weeks.

You were drifting off when the sound of a knock on the cieling caught your attention and your eyes shot open. You rolled on to your back to look at the cieling and saw one of the tiles shift before being lifted slightly, and then opened all that way.

"I am so sorry I haven't been able to get into contact with you sooner."

"It's okay Sasuke," you didn't bother sitting up, you were quite comfortable to be honest.

"I see you are still playing the part of the wounded princess?" A good guess, but a wrong one no less.

"No," you sighed, "Turns out locking myself away and avoiding contact with other people as much as I could took its toll on me, and I slipped into a small depression."

Sasuke looked at you suprised.

"Ieyasu cleared me this morning for my wounds," you continued, "But since I, like the rest of my generation, have a horrible habit of neglecting myself, I collapsed in the hall."

Sasuke lowered himself from the cieling and walked over to your place on your matt, "I take it that's why you're in the sick bay now instead of your room? Ieyasu wants to keep a closer eye in you?"

"Yes."

"I for one, am jealous." You scoffed at Sasuke's statement, "Why?"

"Because, the Ieyasu Tokugawa is looking after you. He was one of the Sengoku periods leading doctors, if you will." Sasuke adjusted his glasses and took a seat next to you, "However, that does also mean that this meeting must be short. Ieyasu strikes me as someone who is very thorough."

"Well you would be right about that, he's probably going to be checking on me every hour or so, maybe less."

"When did he leave?"

You shrugged, "About ten minutes or so ago, give or take."

The brunette nodded, "Well I just wanted to inform you that I will be leaving Azuchi for a little bit due to an assignment I've been given by my employer, but I have asked Yuki to keep an eye on you should you go into town."

"Okay, thanks," you nodded, "I feel like I don't need to tell you to be safe, because you should know, but I'm going to tell you anyways. Be safe."

"Thank you," Sasuke smiled at your kind gesture, "I shouldn't be gone for long, maybe a month or two if all goes well."

"Bring me back a silvaner," you chuckled.

He smiled in return, "I don't know if that will be possible, but I'll do what I can."

Sasuke stood to take his leave, "Oh, and I have yet to receive any signs that a wormhole will be opening up any time soon, but I'll be sure to keep you updated."

You sat up to look at Sasuke's retreating figure, before giving him a nod. Without further word, he skillfully jumped up through the ceiling tile he removed before placing it back as if it had never been disturbed, and not a moment too soon.

A knock at the door caught you by suprise. Surely it hadn't been an hour already? The last person you had ever wanted to see, poked his head through the door, "Hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

It took everything in you not to growl at Mitsuhide, or throw a book case at him. "Not at all," you spoke flatly, "I was just here, sitting in this dim room and staring at the wall."

A knowing smile crept on to his features before he stepped in and closed the door behind him, "Were you now?"

"Yes, what else would there be to do?"

"I must admit," he walked closer to you, "You play the part of a damsel in distress well."

"That whole thing wasn't an act," you snapped at him with a low voice, "I have been too stressed to care for myself properly these past few months."

"Oh do tell," he sat next to you, so he could look you in the eye, "What makes you so uneasy?"

You. But you weren't going to give him the pleasure of knowing that, even if he was already aware. Maybe you could try to scare him off, if actions can't maybe words will. You briefly remembered the resolve you reached with Sasuke when you attempted to escape three months ago.

Just pretend you know nothing.

"Sorry," you sneared and turned up your nose at him, "I try not to make it a habbit to tell my struggles to those who can do nothing for me."

His smile only seemed to widen at this as he reached forward to move a strand of hair and tuck it behind your ear, "Well how do you know I have nothing to offer if you don't tell me?" The action caught your attention and made you whip around to look at him.

"Well you could go away for starters," you shuffled to pull away from him, "That itself would make my situation so much better- infact if you stayed as far away from me as possible that would make my life so much better."

"Hard to imagine little old me could frighten someone like you." Mitsuhide pulled his hand back.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't?" He didn't bother to hold back his grin, "Perhaps when you're well again, I can take you on a tour of the castle and show you the pillar you nearly destroyed."

"You're crazy."

"Am I?" His head cocked to the side slightly in question, "Is that what that vision I saw of you with serpents eyes was?"

Pause.

"Maybe you should stay," you gave him a smirk of your own, "Ieyasu could have a look at you and determine if you are no longer mentally stable."

He frowned and his eyes narrowed at you. You weren't budging, "I don't know what you are, but it obviously isn't human."

You remained silent at that remark, not sure what more you could say to throw him off.

"Your eyes, your strength, Ieyasu's tea that one time you were cross with him, and the castle gate-"

"Why, Mitsuhide, I had no idea you were so taken with me," you scooted closer to him again - bending your knee under your blanket so you could prop your elbow on it and rest the side of your head against your knuckles, "I'm flattered, you've been paying such close attention to me."

At this point maybe you should just play along like its a joke. "Perhaps I'm some sort of Demoness," you shrugged. His scowl didn't falter at your words, and you lowered your leg in favor of leaning in towards him till he was a breath away, "In which case, you should be careful."

His breathing became heavy when he felt your lips brush against his, but other than that he gave no visual sign that your words had managed to get to him, "Because we feast on male flesh."

There was a small moment of silence as you examined his expression before a wide smile caused your lips to part and you gave a mischievous giggle, "I'm kidding."

However, as you pulled away, Mitsuhide grabbed your lower jaw rather roughly with his hand. His eyes seemed to be searching you for some sort of answer, "If you are here to infiltrate our ranks, and harm Lord Nobunaga-"

"Ah, so you and Hidayoshi are the same, just with different methods," You took his hand in yours and pried it off but continued to hold it. That must have been why he was watching you so closely - the others had already determined that you ment no harm, but Mitsuhide -having already pieced together that you had abilities of some sort- still wasn't so sure.

Your expression turned deadly serious, and you shifted so you were on your knees as opposed to just leaning towards the white haired fox. Your grip on his hand became painfully tight before you yanked him closer to you - your free hand stopping him when he was just an inch away by grabbing him by the throat.

You felt the cold steal of a blade at your neck, "I assure you, Mitsuhide, I mean no harm to your Lord." You growl at him, baring your fangs as your pupils became slited and your irises changed color. His eyes widened.

"If I had," you easily forced him to the floor and felt the blade press slightly harder against where your jugular was located. You released his hand to loosen the knott of your sleeping robe, and allowed yourself to partially transform, "I would have done so a long time ago."

Mitsuhide couldn't remember the last time he was so caught off guard or frightened that he shook. It must have been back when he was a child. Yet here he was, shaking as he took in your alien form.

You were indeed a dragon. There was no doubting that, but your partial transformation had allowed you to remain small enough to comfortably fit in the room. You towered over him, his knife was no longer at your neck but instead rested against your breast bone as you continued to hold him down with a taloned paw. With a snarl you snapped at the dagger, taking it between your teeth and snatching it out of his hand before throwing it to the other side of the room, "And there would have been nothing you could do about it."

You huffed, a deep rumble reverberating from the depths of your throat as you lowered you maw to his face and parted your teeth - a hiss with a puff of hot condensed air escaping from your mouth.

A knock at the door caught your attention, making your head snap up to look at the entrance. In the blink of an eye you had turned back to normal before Mitsuhide could even comprehend what was happening. You swiftly fixed your robe, plopped back down on to the mat before throwing the blanket over you, and closed your eyes to pretend you had been sleeping.

Mitsuhide, meanwhile, practically scrambled back into a sitting position and composed himself as best he could before letting out a shakey breath, "Come in!"

Ieyasu walked in through the doors, "Mitsuhide?" His browns furrowed at the kitsune, "Are you harassing my patient?"

Mitsuhide quietly swallowed the lump in his throat before turning to look at the blond, "No," he stood up, glad he was able to maintain a calm visage, "I thought I heard her grumbling," he waved off Ieyasu's concerns, "I simply thought the girl was having a terrible fever dream and came in to check on her."

His answer only made Ieyasu suspect him more. Mitsuhide once again waved him off before moving to leave the room, "Do be sure the Princess is ready for tonight, Lord Nobunaga wants to have a feast to celebrate her recovery."

"Tsk," Ieyasu clicked his tongue when he disappeared from sight and went to wake you up, mug of water in hand.

"Hrm..." you grumbled while taking in a deep breath and turned to face Ieyasu. You rubbed the 'sleep' from your eyes and looked at him with squinted eyes, "Yes?" Your voice sounded soft, like you had just woken up from a deep sleep.

"Drink your water," he handed you the mug and you slowly pushed yourself up into a sitting position to drink it, "Kinu will be here in a few hours with a light lunch, and then to take you to the bath house and get you ready for tonight. Lord Nobunaga is hosting a feast to celebrate your recovery."

You nodded before finishing your glass of water.

"Dont eat too much," Ieyasu instructed, "If you really haven't been eating like Kinu tells me, too much food will make you sick."

"Okay."

Then, just as quickly as Ieyasu had came, he left. You sighed, once again left alone in silence, you plopped back on to the mat, fully intending to actually sleep, but you couldn't.

All that sleeping you had done, and now you body actually had the energy to do something, but you once again found yourself trapped. You glanced at the large jar you recalled seeing Ieyasu pour your herbal medicine in, and contemplated downing the entire thing. Your body could handle it...maybe, and maybe you would get well faster, or maybe you would just make yourself sick like Ieyasu warned. Either way you couldn't do that right now, you had to save room for tonight.

Maybe you could preen, the med bay was much larger than your room since it was ment to house at least a little over half the Oda army.

No. Your scales needed a break.

But then again, how could your new scales grow in with the old worn ones still in place?

Without a second thought, you removed your robe and shifted. Fully. The room wasn't taller than yours but width wise you could spread out and have some wiggle room. You practically purred in delight before getting to work - using your incisors to gently scratch off your old scales.